Defining the Concepts of Class, Race, Gender Essay Example for Free

Defining the Concepts of Class, Race, Gender Essay Every society known to man has used either race, class, ethnicity, gender or all of the above to determine placement in civilization. Sometimes one or more of these categories comingle and we characterize this as: intersectionality. Finding the words, however, to define class, race, gender, or intersectionality is not an easy feat. Throughout the past few weeks we have read many articles that allowed us many clear descriptions. Prior to this course I would have described class as being a way in which society groups individuals based on economic positions or social status. In my opinion, sometimes political beliefs can attribute towards class placement as well. However, since reading the required texts and watching films based on class, we now know that there are other factors associated with class divisions. For example, we read in Brenda J. Allen’s â€Å"Social Class Matters† article that not only are these two viewpoints large contributors (economic political alliances) towards classes, but also geographic locations. This can be seen when visiting a typical trailer park, where many of its residents are presumably called â€Å"white trash†, or as depicted with lower income families who live in the projects or ghetto. Their locale most likely reflects their social status or class. Moreover, we have learned that these factors also define what class is to the general public: education, occupational position, and power. â€Å"Women without class† by Julie Bettie examines class theory by understanding the ways in which class identity is constructed. It has many illustrations of social class by way of education and occupational positions. The upper crust students of Waretown were typically children of white collar employees. The preps generally outperformed the las chicas, hard living, and often settled living students of this documentary, as exemplified in the titles placed on the over and under achievers. For example, â€Å"preps† is an abbreviation for â€Å"college preparatoryà ¢â‚¬  which was the type of advanced class the children of white collar workers of Waretown enrolled in to prepare for life after high school. While these courses allowed some students endless opportunities, other students in the exact same school attended seminars with lowered educational expectations. Instead these students were encouraged to attend expensive certification courses that upon graduation held them captive in low paying positions with debt remaining after completion. â€Å"The Death of the Social Class† by Pakulsky and Waters believes social class is no longer relevant in the United States. A principal reason for this message states that because slavery is now obsolete, we have the legal upholding of the United States Constitution, and we expect education to be attained by all races. As a result resources have become more prevalent among all races. Race, in the past, was a word that I identified as being someone’s skin color, however as I matured (both mentally and physically) and met individuals from other cultures I soon realized that race is a culmination of many things. Culture and ethnicity are quite influential in determining a person’s race as well. For example, not everyone with dark skin is African American, just as not ever fair skinned person is Caucasian. As exhibited in Cruz-Janzen’s For example in the article Racial formation in the United States written by Michael Omi and Howard Winant, we learn of the Louisiana law that states that if a person has 1/32nd â€Å"Negro blood, they are automatically considered Black or African American. Although Susie Guillory Phipps tells us she is majority Caucasian this law still classifies her as being Black and she unsuccessfully attempted to sue the state to change her vital records. There are many reasons why the government still requires race on legal paperwork. Some argue that some sort of racial classification system is required. One reason may be the government funded subsidies some companies receive as a result of employing a minimum amount of minorities. From a personal viewpoint, race matters because it is a way that people identify culturally with one another. Another reason may be from a biological perspective some diseases and/or illnesses may be common amongst certain races, therefore it would be beneficial medically to be aware of such traits. Women Without Class (Bettie) also identifies various races for the sake of case studies that were researched by the author. The female students identified culturally with one another but sometimes overlapped identities to interact with one another. As in the example of the student Starr who was from a working class background, however she identified with the cultures of the Mexican American â€Å"cholas† after moving to Waretown. This is an example of an extreme case in which the person felt the need to choose one particular group to socialize with because she did not feel as though she had much in common with the other non-Hispanic working class students she chose to interact with this social hierarchy. She gave in to conformity from her past actions to better fit the desires and social realities of her newly acquired friends. Gender is another social aspect that many people use to classify each other. It has been said that had it not been for ourselves questioning or labeling gender, it would not exist at all. â€Å"The Social Construction of Gender† written by Judith Lorber argues gender construction begins being cataloged after viewing the child’s genitals after delivery. Upon birth babies are treated differently based on sex and/or gender. An unintentional yet major classification occurs as soon as the baby is placed in his or her incubator. Nurses and other medical staff wrap the tiny babies in one of two colors – pink or blue. It has even been researched that our speech and tone changes according to the babies sex as well. If we see a baby boy, for example, we quickly begin to daydream of tossing the old pigskin around in the yard or rough housing the baby. For the baby girl, however, we speak in softer high pitched tones and fantasize about planning make believe tea parties with baby dolls as guests. In essence, Lorber believes that gender behavior is learned and is being taught – not necessarily an expression of how we see ourselves. Another gender specific study was examined in R.W. Connell’s â€Å"Gender Relations†. In this article we learned of 2 separate studies conducted. Barry Thorne’s research in which teaching roles in American elementary schools were mostly comprised of females and playgrounds were divided based on gender. The second study was performed by Dunbar Moodies, who researched South African mines that were, not surprisingly, dominated by the male workforce. Another theory learned in Connell’s article was that of trailblazing British feminist – Juliet Mitchell- who taught that there were four elements of gender that subjugate women. Those four facets were believed to be: production, reproduction, socialization, and sexuality. It is also demonstrated in more current literary findings unrelated to gender. For example, Black Picket Fences addresses racial stereotypes, but it also depicts women’s roles separately from male gender roles. Each story that is told from first person shares a journey that taken either from reformed bad boys or girls that have strayed along the beaten path and hooked up with the guy from the wrong side of the track. The males were sometimes peer pressured into joining gangs from lack of responsible male figures and as a result may have performed illegal acts. This clearly represents gender assignments. Intersectionality involves both social and cultural relationships that overlap between race, class, and gender. Perhaps the most obvious portrayal of this theme is Section 2: Biology and Families In Conley’s article â€Å"The Starting Gate† regarding the correlation between low birth weight babies and race it was determined that social standings in society is not based solely on genetics and biology. Instead we learn that other factors may influence our place in society as well. Things like our educational backgrounds and what occupations we choose to support ourselves combine with aspects that are outside of our control, like birth order and race, to decide the social class we will inherent. Women Without Class discusses the concept of some students becoming â€Å"upwardly mobile†. This concept is important because it shows how race and parental occupations sometimes do not decide what social class a person will be invited into. The â€Å"upwardly mobile† students were not necessarily white, and had parents who were blue collar workers as opposed to being a lawyer, doctor, etc†¦yet despite all of this; they were still able to join the social cliques of the elite. These girls were also able to develop a strong sense of class awareness. In fact, Lareau’s â€Å"Invisible Inequality† even states that race has very little to do with class social standings. The data collected from this investigation examines parenting styles all socioeconomic backgrounds from either Black or White families perspective. The researchers were able to map the connections between parent’s resources and their children’s daily activities. Middle class families, regardless of race, tended to take a more traditional approach to child rearing in comparison with lower class families who relied heavily on outside play and extended families for activities. Middle class parents also stressed language development and use of reasoning skills. These parents enroll their children in various age appropriate organized activities that govern family life and create massive effort for mothers. The parents view these activities as passing on important life skil ls to children. They asked leading open-ended questions that required insight and thought provoking answers. Whereas, working class and poor families believe that if they give a child love, food, and a safe environment they will grow to become responsible adults. They also participate in little organized sports or other activities and have much more free time. Working-class and poor parents issue many more directives to their children and some place a great deal of stress on physical punishment. A great example of this is the research of Harold McAllister, a 10 year old from a lower class black family. Harold’s mother asks very little questions of authority figures (such as the family doctor) and does not encourage Harold to be cognizant of his body and any health related questions he may have. He plays outdoors with his older cousins and occasionally attends church. For the most part â€Å"Invisible Inequality† is full of descriptions of race versus class status. However, with regard to birth order and geographic locations determining social status, it is also briefly mentioned in â€Å"Invisible Inequality†. For instance, when we are introduced to another research subject’s family, upper middle class black family – Alexander Williams, we learn that both of Alex’s parents are from small Southern towns and come from large families. This slight mention is yet another example of intersectionality as well. A more extreme example, genetically speaking Ms Phipps (mentioned previously) was considered legally Black; however her social status did not classify her by her race. Phipps identifies with the White race. The case illustrated the inadequacies that claim that race is merely skin color. We have all witnessed or been aware of racial conditioning at one point or another. We make assumptions based on race and classify a person’s race immediately according to their physical appearance. Biologically speaking, there are many factors that influential in determining a persons birth weight. Low income families have less medical care and are exposed to certain agents that prohibit normal growth of the fetus. Also contact with second hand smoke and lead based paints, etc. have been attributed towards low birth weight. Another factor involving biology is the responsibility many women from different racial backgrounds face. White women, for example, have long been expected to remain wholesome and keep the family bloodlines pure. Pressure to remain a virgin until marriage and pre-marital sex were heavily stressed among white women. This forced racial conformity as a means of biological deterioration for the white race. In conclusion, all of the articles and readings discussed previously support Conley’s summation that both genetic and biological starting points do not fully determine our social standings in class. Rather, they work cohesively with other reasons to establish these relationships. Section 3: Working Class Middle Class Identities Although class is especially important I would agree that other issues are becoming increasingly just as important if not more. Factors such as race and or gender influence personal outcomes. Both Women Without Class and Black Picket Fences provided various examples to support this theory.

The Party from Hell :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My birthday fell on the 21st of July, but it was only the 18th. My parents were out of town, so this had to be the weekend I threw a huge birthday bash. I made up flyers, 50 of them, and my neighbors didn’t seem to mind too much, so things seemed to be set. I took the 16th and 17th off of work so I could get anything of value safely locked away in secured rooms. I hoped that things would work out well and nothing would go wrong. I made sure that the flyers were only handed out to the people that I actually wanted there, in efforts to keep away the â€Å"trouble makers†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The day of the party was finally here, and I spent it setting up my very expensive stereo system so that no one could break it. Everything seemed to be in place and the people started rolling in. Things were going great. People were dancing and playing pool and just having a good time. There were a few people over by the snack bar eating their hearts out, and that is where the first signs of trouble caught my eye. I noticed a couple of people sneaking drinks. This was exactly what I had tried to prevent. In my past experience, whenever there was alcohol at a party, bad things happened. I didn’t want to spoil the fun people were having so I decided as long as it was contained to those few people, nothing would go wrong. As the night continued, things only seemed to get better. My friends were there and we were having a great time. No one had complained about the noise, and the drinking had kept itself to those few people, or so I thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A couple of hours after I noticed the alcohol, I spotted a crowd around one of the bathrooms. Apparently there was a girl in there, throwing up. As I began to walk over, she pushed through the crowd, completely out of control. I didn’t know how to react; it seemed like anything anyone did just made her more upset. She was screaming that she needed to go outside, so we let her out onto the back porch. I tried to calm her down, along with about five of my other friends, but nothing seemed to work. She began running down the street yelling that we were trying to attack her.

Expressions of the self through the body Essay

Within the framework of the 21st Century, western society is increasingly exposed to images and ideologies of the embodiment of ‘success’ and ‘happiness’. The media is rife with these conceptualisations and affects us all on varying levels of influence and intensity. The very basis of the study of the social sciences (that various spheres of the expression of societal values are interconnected and incomplete apart) is the foundation for the claim that ideologies associated with the modern capitalist value system strongly and wholly affect the understanding and expression of our identity through the management and aesthetics of our bodies. To understand the origin of this claim, and to further explain the phenomenon it identifies, several steps need to be taken. Firstly, the values of the modern capitalist framework have to be identified and adequately compared to the contemporary understanding of the body and of sexuality. Secondly, expressions of the body and sexuality will be explored, to adequately assess the influence these values have through visual media. Finally response to these values and images will be considered, in order to critically analyse the true degree of agency that has been successfully exercised within this complex association of cause and effect. As established throughout the second section of this course, the complex and influential structure of capitalism lies in the celebration of the individual, and not of the society. (Loy 1997). Characteristics inherent in capitalism are the importance of the individual; the necessity for competition among these individuals to justify the importance of the individual; and the desire to embody wealth, success and happiness through financial means. Also pivotal to the success of capitalism is the illusion of freedom of choice and agency within society for the individual to construct a unique identity (Loy 1997, Cox 1999). What is perhaps most important in terms of the relationship between capitalism and the expression of identity and sexuality through the body is the concept of commodity aesthetics, the beautification of any object to increase it’s desirability to the consumer. (Sarup, 1997) The relationship between these values and the understanding and expression of our bodies can be explained in terms of the research done by Rohlinger (2002), whereby a complex study into the representations of men in advertisements was conducted to assess the ‘objectification’ of men that he identified as prominent. While the implications of this study are more in-depth than the conclusions discussed here, the results belie, in part, the beautification of men in the media to create desire for not only the image, but also the product associated with the image. The biggest category of depiction of men he identified was the so-called ‘erotic male’, whereby a male, of often indeterminable sexual preference, was portrayed sexually, thereby appealing to both straight and gay men, thus following the dual advertising method (Rohlinger, 2002). It would thus appear as if men have been ‘beautified’ in order to increase desire for the product associated with the model. While it may seem to be a leap in logic to equate the ‘erotic’ male with the ‘beautified’ male, the reasoning behind this premise lies in the conceptualisation of beauty in modern society. While it can be argued that advertising affects these values, and that the values in turn affects the advertising, I would suggest that the attractiveness of a male or female lies wholly in terms of sexual appeal, and thus by an erotic portrayal, the beautification process – however atypical – occurs. If the example of Rohlinger’s research is further employed and employed as it was intended, it becomes clear that through advertising techniques, the capitalist framework has blatantly influenced media portrayals of the body and sexuality, and thus has direct influence on our own expression of sexuality and identity through our bodies. Within the work of Susan Benson (1997), the degree of identity expression through the body is discussed. The capitalist influence has (seemingly) autonomously decided what bodily images determine varying aspects of an identity. (Benson, 1997) In order to appear healthy and in control, a well-toned and slim body is essential. Bodies that do not conform to these characteristics thus display an out of control and unhealthy person, negatively reflecting on his or her identity. In terms of the influence of structure and agency and the way in which symbols are given value to construct an identity (Jenkins, 1996), the outward display of an identity and any agency in play, is manifested in the aesthetics of the body through the use of symbols that appeal to the senses of those who would validate the identity. These symbols can be clothing, fragrances, language and body language. It is for this reason that the media – ironically, a manifested construct of the very society it attempts to influence and control within a capitalist framework – seeks to associate a type of identity with various commodities to be marketed, increasing not only the desirability of the product, but of the identity as well. If the claim that gender and sexuality have long been two of the few certainties in one’s identity (Segal 1997), then evidence to suggest increasing blurring of the line of distinction between what expresses the embodiment of being a man or a woman, would indicate a critical turning point in social history, emphasising a shift towards the androgynous and sexual ambiguity. Rohlinger’s research further identified the depiction of men in advertisements as having an ‘unknown’ sexual orientation (2002) thus fulfilling appeal to both a heterosexual and homosexual male community, yet in very different ways. This type of depiction allows for the viewer of the advertisement to identify with a particular interpretation of the male model – further developing the idea that the agency it appears we are exercising is indeed limited within the structures we find ourselves in. This eroticising effect on the male image – and similarly on the female image – in the media is thus adopted by those who find the identity and image desirable (which returns us to the circle of desirability between the product and the identity associated with the product) and is then outwardly displayed through the appearance of the body. This adoption of a particular identity extends to the sexuality that may or may not be displayed within the advertisement as well, causing the blurring of distinction between male and female sexuality. The portrayals of men and women have become increasingly similar in society (Benson 1997) and thus too have the expressions of masculinity and femininity, weakening previous concepts of gender roles (Hearn 1999). The by-products of these influential depictions of men’s and women’s identities in contemporary society range from liberal movements gaining acceptability within a sexual context, to the increase in eating disorders, body building, and the supplement industry in an attempt to achieve a ‘healthy’ body, thereby conforming to the acceptable and desirable identity of contemporary society. The increase in support for the gay and lesbian right’s movements, as well as the continued evolution of the feminist movement, are all examples of responses to the effects of capitalism on society through the media. As in the previous section, the manifestations of various identities increasingly depict an androgynous sexuality, appealing to hetero- and homosexual members of society. (In part due to the increasing wealth of the homosexual consumer) With this subconscious validation of homosexuality in the media, it appears it has become increasingly socially acceptable to either be homosexual, or support the movement and to adopt its value system. (Rohlinger 2002; Hearn 1999; Benson 1997) This type of liberal movement, while an apparent display of agency in the determination of an identity, appears to be yet another type of conformity to the current desirable identity. Thus the response – albeit in later years – is not one based in agency, but in passive acceptance of a contemporary trend. Similar criticism can be levelled at the development of the feminist movement in current culture. While the view of Rohlinger (2002) may be considered somewhat sensationalist and one-sided, her idea that even feminism and women’s liberation has been commodified and a purchasable identity to the movement ascribed, is one that contains some validity. So far reaching is the grasp of capitalism, that it is able to commodify that which inadvertently opposes the values of capitalism, by advocating freedom of expression and a resistance to the values of the patriarchal society in existence today (Bhasin, 1993). An example of this trend would be a television advertiseme nt for a popular drink with the tag ‘Girls Night. No Boys Allowed’. This blatant commodification of the independent and liberal woman as an identity, critically wounds the credibility of the movement it seeks to ascribe itself to. The increased phenomenon of female and male eating disorders prevalent among teenagers (certainly the most influential target group in modern society) further illustrates the growing trend in conformity to the desirable body image in at attempt to embody a certain identity. At the other end of the scale (so far removed, it has perhaps come full circle) is the bodybuilding trend: whereby men and women seek to become the pinnacle of strength, power and fitness. This trend identifies not only the blur in distinction between masculinity and femininity (â€Å"active/passive† – Segal, 1997) as women attempt to embody a previously masculine identity, but also seeks to display, perhaps, a resistance (Castells, 1997) to the threat of androgyny and supposed equality of men and women in society, as men attempt to over-emphasise their physical – ergo societal – strength and dominance. In perhaps the most obvious sign of a symbiotic relationship within these two forces, the dietary and health supplement industry is booming, as it convinces millions each year that the healthy body – therefore identity – is contained within a capsule or a milkshake. In this brief and general exploration into the relationship between the capitalist society and the expression of identity through the body image, it appears clear that the values of capitalism have directly affected the expression of identity and sexuality in modern society. So influential is the media that social actors feel compelled to conform and duplicate these images in order to maintain a sense of acceptance within society. It is also evident that very little real resistance has developed to this trend, and that even those who do not physically manifest their response to this trend, appear to have adopted the ideology in more subtle ways – tellingly, purchasing products associated with the identity they subconsciously want to adopt. Thus the construction of our identity and sexuality is clearly outwardly displayed through the expression of our body, and the media of capitalism is singularly successful by directing it’s influence on our continuing desire to expres s our identity through outward appearances and symbols.

A Multicultural Education - 956 Words

The statics in the Kim article were staggering. Being in education for 17 years I have personally seen the change in the student demographics. However Kim summarizes the truth that the demography of the educators has not changed. The introduction focuses on the state of crisis in education involving the achievement gap. This study is focused not just on ethnicity, but also socioeconomic status. From this study the cause to look at multicultural education is very evident. The main area of the paper will explore the varied approaches to dealing with multiculturalism and the critiques of all the misconceptions and the impact of whiteness. Kim relays the four phases of multicultural education: incorporating ethnic studies into school curricula, total school reform for educational equality, inclusion of other minority groups by incorporating their history and culture into the curriculum, and analyzing the differences of race, class and gender. In order to move forward with the implementation of multicultural education, educators most be made more aware of integrating content, building a diverse knowledge base which is delivered equitably in the classroom, and making the culture part of the every day educational routine. According to Kim, in order to feel successful with the implementation, there are several approaches which schools can take. The contribution approach is simply identifying with the icons and holidays of the culture. The additive approach is embeddingShow MoreRelatedMulticultural Education And Multicultural Schools1210 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction There have been multiple definitions for Multicu ltural definition which has become so imperative. Multicultural education alludes to any form of education or teaching that incorporates the histories, texts, values, beliefs, and perspectives of people from different cultural backgrounds (Bank).America is considered to be a â€Å"melting pot† because of the many people who have immigrated in search of a better life. Immigrants have brought with them their own unique cultures. Different gendersRead MoreMulticultural Education : A Multicultural Classroom960 Words   |  4 PagesAn additional aspect to a perfect education system would be the use of multicultural education in schools. Multicultural education creates a comfortable environment for students of all races and ethnicities to learn in by combining a variety of ideals about teaching. According to Geneva Gay, the creator of multicultural education, one of these ideals is understanding the cultural characteristics and cultural contributions of different ethnic groups, su ch as the values of different ethnic groups,Read MoreMulticultural Education : A Truly Multicultural Mosaic1259 Words   |  6 PagesMulticultural education incorporates the idea that all students- regardless of their gender, social class, and ethnic, racial, or cultural characteristics- should have an equal opportunity to learn in school, (Banks Banks, 2010, p. 3.) For centuries our country, the United States of America, has been known as the â€Å"melting pot† in a sense that our world was moving towards multiculturalism. Some see the old metaphor, the â€Å"melting pot† fading away within the last decade and has grown into a new term(s)Read MoreMulticultural Education And Educational Education770 Words   |  4 Pagesthe definition of multicultural education is defined in sociopolitical context and relates to comprehension of school reform. Namely, the multicultural education works in reforming schools and providing an equal and excellent education for everyone. Likewise, the author gave a definition of multicultural education based on her experience surrounding education environment. She divides multicultural education into seven basic characteristics: antiracist education, basic education, important for allRead MoreIssues in Multicultural Education900 Words   |  4 PagesIssues in Multicultural Education Effective instructors must understand the issues that impact multicultural education in the United States. The significance of providing an eminence instruction in an unbiased approach to all of their students is essential. The tide of demographic changes in the United States has affected most classrooms in our schools. As a result, some classroom teachers realize they must quickly acquire a comprehensive understanding of ethnic, cultural, and social-class diversityRead MoreEssay on Multicultural Education1681 Words   |  7 PagesMulticultural Education History/Past Challenges: One of the major goals of the American school system is to provide all children with equal educational opportunity. However, with regard to minority students, meeting this particular objective has presented a real challenge to educators as they have been confronted with the task of reshaping education in the multilingual, multicultural society that characterizes the United States. Many significant events contributed to the needRead MoreThe Importance Of Multicultural Education901 Words   |  4 Pagescurriculum is critical to achieving a multicultural school setting for students. The implications of my findings for teaching and learning are that educators need to better evaluate their texts and curriculum that they use with their students. In Becoming a Multicultural Educator, author James Banks explains that every student should receive an education of high quality and with that they should attain skills that will help them to flourish in a multicultural world (196). Also on page 196, authorRead MoreThe Problem Of Multicultural Education Essay1682 Words   |  7 PagesProblem in Multicultural Education The common topic of the three articles is multicultural education. In the article, â€Å"Faculty perceptions of multicultural teaching in a large urban university,† the authors believe that â€Å"lack of understanding of multicultural teaching is evident in spite of the growing literature on theories of multicultural education and data documenting best practices† (Bigatti, S. M., et. al, 2012, p. 78). The authors of this article defines the meaning of the multicultural teachingRead MoreMulticultural Education And Its Importance1205 Words   |  5 PagesMulticultural Education and Its Importance in Schools and Society. Multicultural education is a term used to describe a wide variety of programs and practices. Multicultural instruction may be a thought alternately an idea that know understudies ought to have an rise to good fortune to take in over class in any case about their gender, social class, Also racial/cultural qualities. Multicultural training will be likewise a instructive change development. It includes downright one school alternatelyRead MoreMulticultural Education Essay1031 Words   |  5 PagesMulticultural education refers to applying various aspects of different learning styles and techniques to reach children of different racial, cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Because the extent of these variations is so diverse, educationists have begun to integrate material within the classroom to ensure each child is efficiently and equally benefitting scholastically. There are some Americans however, who disagree with multicultural education; these people think that multicultural education