2014 Fall Sociology I

2014-fall-sociology-ii

WELCOME TO SOCIOLOGY

The Study of Society

Sociology focuses on identifying, explaining, and interpreting patterns and processes of human social relations. This introductory course is designed not just to teach you some of the major findings of sociology, but to help you master fundamental sociological skills, including the ability to think with a "sociological imagination" as well as integrate "technological fluency" with "informational literacy" utilizing basic computer-based data analysis—skils which have broad applicability in a range of educational and work settings.

Our goal in this class is for you to gain a different perspective of a diverse world often taken for granted and to gain new insight into the ways that society shapes people and the way people shape their society. Our objectives are directed at building competence as a critical thinker and change agent so that you will better able to raise relevant questions about the direction in which society is moving, interpret social trends, and examine significant social problems.

It is my hope that this hands-on experience of "doing" sociology will both enliven your interest in sociological analysis and help you develop practical skills that you can use in other contexts as well. We can best understand the process of social interaction when we understand the person in place and in time. Our syllabus sets the place, time and process of this course for you the person.

Welcome to my world, your world, our world.
Dr. Michael Thompson

Alexis Germaine
12:30 pm 9-15-16

Sociological Benefits of The Lagalization of Marijuana

Their are some disadvantages to the legalization of marijuana, although their are many social research interests and studies that show great benefits to the legalization of this social drug. Some think this will allow children to adapt bad habits, but some research already shows that this act could save many and allow the freedom of choice in younger ages to not always be as tempted to pursue such a substance since the drug would not be considered against the law. When you stamp a rule on something this causes many people to want to pursue it more and further land themselves in trouble with the law, much like the effect of prohibition in the 1920's. This legalization may even ease the tax payers money from being squandered on non violent "offenders" that are being criminalized and locked up in our jails and federal prison systems. When looking at this socially, we see the benefits of taxing the substance and in turn bringing more money into the states to use on important matters such as health care, paying off financial debts, helping the homeless and unemployed and much more.

The most beneficial aspects that can come from the legalization of marijuana is from healthcare at this point. The University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, or CMCR is focusing on the benefits and adverse effects of medicinal use of the substance. They are discovering that use of the substance can help with, severe appetite suppression or in most cases people with Anorexia, Bolemia, and weight loss caused by other medical problems, chronic pain, particularly Neuropathic pain; severe nausea and vomiting caused from cancer and its treatments, and severe muscle spasticity from diseases like multiple sclerosis. I believe that medicinally the substance would also greatly assist society with chronic stress disorder, PTSD, and other anxiety related disorders. When we think about all of this it is general to know that this effects the world sociologically as something that is seen that helps a majority of the people. The CMCR has also discovered that medicinal use of marijuana cuts a percentage of deaths that are caused by pain killers; In fact it cuts deaths down by 25%. By making the substance more available this in turn allows a less dangerous way for society to deal with pain.

When you legalize marijuana some other effects would be the income of money into a state that has opted to legalize. For instance, when you look at Colorado the state has brought in approximately 14 million dollars in its first month alone after legalizing the substance, this is a huge benefit economically. Just think, if you kept this kind of money flowing into the states it can help society with better healthcare, military, help pay off foreign debts, help bettering societies education processes, poverty, starvation and much more. A big problem with marijuana being illegal in some states still is our prison systems and how much of the american tax dollar is wasted on the citizens who get into trouble and have to go through a court process and possible sentanced served. You can also compare a lot of the illegal marijuana states to the prohibition in the 1920's. Where as they took alcohol away from the people and this started a rise in the crime rate at the time leading to bootleggers and illegal consumption. Society is always more tempted to want what it cannot have, which can be seen many times in history for other reasons/ and or substances. Another example would be Chicago and there no guns law. Chicago is one of the leading states on crime and murders where as states that allow guns see a massive decrease in this area.

In conclusion to sociological benefits to the legalization of marijuana, many others including myself would be highly interested in seeing more research and studies in the use of marijuana in many aspects. For me personally and why i chose this topic, it is because i suffer from PTSD, anxiety disorder, and ailments that can cause unpredictable nausea; among with other things that if researched it could lead to a better way of helping the ailments rather than just being prescribed medication that had killed so many people in the U.S. The institution of Humbolt also had great research study ideas into human behavior, local economy impacts, labor markets, determining the ecological and public health impacts of marijuana production on rural communities, as well as the nature of environmental crimes and many more studies of interest that could be better pursued if a statewide legalization of the substance had occurred. The benefits out way the disadvantages enough to at least say, as a society, that we should be taking a much deeper look into the sociological benefits of marijuana, as well as economical, and medicinal.

resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/10/colorado-marijuana-tax-revenue_n_4936223.html
http://humboldt.edu/hiimr/about.html
http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/
https://halcyonorganics.com/social-benefits-of-regulation/
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Cameron Coles

Social Identity is a person’s sense of who they are based on their group membership. Identity can be many things, but in society social identity is based off your physical appearance. Your social identity can change over time for example the person you were when you were in high school isn’t the same person you are as an adult hopefully you’ve matured. Social identity plays a major part in how you interact with other people. Most of the time people gravitate towards people who are just like them. People of the same ethnic group and same culture tend to be more involved with each other. I feel that your ultimate identity is developed in stages. It start when you’re young all the way to pre-k when you first start interacting with other kids.

You start experiencing how some kids are mean and judge you off your appearance and how you take that can affect your self-esteem. How you respond to these experiences will start to shape your behavior. As you begin to grow and age you start to get introduced to different social activities in society. Examples off some of these activities are smoking, drinking, partying, sex, tattoos,athletics etc. When your involved with some of these things this how society classifies you. A lot of the time how you were raised can shape your social identity as well. When you grow up in certain environments it can have a major influence on your identity. If your from an urban area your introduced to many things pretty fast which force you to make decisions in your life early.

If your from a small quiet town like a rural area you probably are used to working hard and simple things. http://allthingsinthemiddle.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/identity-mind-map-19cc91t.jpg?w=700&h=428You ultimately determine your social identity. You pick and choose the groups you get involved in. Most of the time when you float towards the negative groups it is because of your self esteem and insecurites. In society today starting with the younger generation most kids want to fit in. Fitting in now days is an attenton thing. Once you start to involve yourslef in certain activities you start to develop habits. Depending on how you grow thruogh these experinces positive or negative through out your youth mold you into the adult you may become. Parents play a mmajor role in your social identity as well because there the ones raising you. Parents can give you insight and prepare you for some of the things you will encounter in your youth. With preparation certain social situations may look familiar because your parents tried to warn you aboutt them. You as an individual is ultimately the ke though. It is you and only you has control of what you involve yourself in.

Resources
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/theory%20clusters/interpersonal%20communication%20and%20relations/social_identity_theory/
http://www.bbcprisonstudy.org/resources.php?p=59

Shaq Dent

Whats your identity?

A social identity is the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. In other words, people get their social identity from their surroundings and the people they are associated with. For Example, if you hang around people who are affiliated with gangs, sag their pants, curse, and act rudely to people, then you are going to be just like the people you hang with. The longer you hang around that group and are affiliated with them, the quicker you will become just like them and absorb their attitudes and ways. Therefore, your now known as that dude that gang bangs with those dudes on the corner. Your identity is now chosen because of the surroundings you put yourself in. That goes for everyone though. Wherever they choose to go and whoever they choose to be around and whatever they choose to do gives them an identity. You could be known as a good person, a bad person, a cowardly person or a scary person. People can identify you off of your behavior and surroundings.

Sociologists use the concept of social identity to explain how people understand who they are and why they do what they do. According to social identity theory, people classify themselves and others as belonging to specific groups. People regard groups more like themselves more positively, identifying themselves as members of such groups in contrast to others. The social identity theory was developed by Tajfel and Turner in 1979. The theory was originally developed to understand the psychological basis of intergroup discrimination. Tajfel et al (1971) attempted to identify the minimal conditions that would lead members of one group to discriminate in favor of the in group to which they belonged and against another out group. Social Identity Theory asserts that group membership creates ingroup/ self-categorization and enhancement in ways that favor the in-group at the expense of the out-group. The examples (minimal group studies) of Turner and Tajfel (1986) showed that the mere act of individuals categorizing themselves as group members was sufficient to lead them to display ingroup favoritism. After being categorized of a group membership, individuals seek to achieve positive self-esteem by positively differentiating their ingroup from a comparison outgroup on some valued dimension. This quest for positive distinctiveness means that people’s sense of who they are is defined in terms of ‘we’ rather than ‘I’.

In the Social Identity Theory, a person has not one, “personal self”, but rather several selves that correspond to widening circles of group membership. Different social contexts may trigger an individual to think, feel and act on basis of his personal, family or national “level of self” (Turner et al, 1987). However, I found out that you can have many identities in your lifetime. For example, you may have joined a group of gangs and did what they did and earn your identity as a gang member. But say you want to get out of that gang and change your life around to be someone successful and have a good life. You’ll be known as as coward by your former gang and to other people, you’ll be known as a that one person who made a good decision to get his/her life together. To some people, you will still be known as a gang banger and they wont trust you or anything because of your former identity. Now, you have a couple of identities because of the surroundings and action you chose. That’s why its important to gain a good social identity wherever you are in life period.

Resources
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/theory%20clusters/interpersonal%20communication%20and%20relations/social_identity_theory/
http://www.bbcprisonstudy.org/resources.php?p=59

Chase Hartwell
Mr. Thompson
Sociology
26 September 2014

Social Identity

What is social identity? Social identity is the things that make us who we are based on our past and present life events. We put ourselves in groups and every group we are a part of is made up of different things that help make us who we are. We all have multiple identities: gender, race, political affiliation, religion, location, etc. Everyone has his or her own unique social identity. We are all different from each other but have some the same features as other individuals or groups. Frequently, we find ourselves a part of multiple groups; these can be as small as church groups or as large as an entire nation. Everyone is a piece of some sort of social class.

Sociologist, Henri Tajfel and John Turner developed the social identity theory, which describes social identity as the pride that we put into the groups, and that we are members of. These groups are what make us the people we are. We may not choose some of the groups we are a part of but we learn to accept them and should be proud of the person we are whether it’s a choice or not. According to Taifel, we tend to exaggerate the differences between groups and similarities of things in the same group. Some of these, like race, have caused major issues in history, but because of different concepts and events in history some try to look at everyone as equals.

We want a positive outlook on the groups we are apart of to improve peoples view on us. Some people devote enormous amounts of time, money, and effort to their groups. This shows the amount of devotion one would put in to make them who they are. We all have different social identities, but all have someone who falls in the same group as us that we might not enjoy.

References:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_identity_theory
http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/social-identity-49

Bethany Littlechild

Social Identities

Is There Life After High School?

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“If only I could be more like Sam.” “I would have a ton of friends and everyone would love me.” Growing up and developing during our teenage years, we often lack confidence and feel inferior to our peers most of the time. High school, is considered by some, to be the best time of our lives. It is for some, anyway. The kids who dress the best and whose parents have a lot of money, ranks those teens higher up on the social ladder. Maybe it’s not the fact that they have a lot of money. In some cases, people actually have earned their high social status by being a caring, fun, and outgoing individual. Either way, teens in high school are going out of their way to be noticed by others and to stand out, or to make a ton of friends. A lot of teens alter who they are just to fit in. Although some teens try so hard to fit in, they will find out after high school, there is more to life and the “outcast” can go on to be a very successful person. Who were you in high school and where do you stand today? What was/is your social identity?

Henri Tajfel created the social identity theory. According to the article, social identity is defined as “a person’s sense of who they are based on their group membership(s)”. http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html Depending on the particular group one fell into, their status gave them a sense of pride and self-esteem. Groups give us a social identity and tell where we stand in the social world. People tend to form a prejudice against the “out” group. The “in” group will try to find something negative about an “out” group in order to keep their higher status or to create a better self-image. It becomes a mentality of “us” and “them”. When evaluating others as “us” or “them”, Tajfel says there are three mental processes. The first is categorization, or finding which category a person thinks they belong to. The second is social identification, which allows a person to identify how they need to act in order to fulfill the role of whatever category they fall into. (For example, if you identify yourself as a jock, you would start doing the things jocks do and act like they do). The third is social comparison, which is comparing oneself in a group to those in other groups. In order to maintain a good image, one would want to compare positively and be in the “in” group.

Is there life after high school? Why do so many kids put an emphasis on where they stand socially in school? They are still growing and are part children still and haven’t learned yet what life is really about. In the article, “The “In” Crowd: Winners in High School, Losers in Life?”, Ralph Keyes argues that a person’s high school experience has an effect on their psyche years following graduation. http://www.gallup.com/poll/17167/In-Crowd-Winners-High-School-Losers-Life.aspx Keyes believes that people who are unpopular in high school go on to lead more satisfying lives with more success. The popular kids, however, lead mediocre lives or some end up in dead-end jobs. From my personal experience, I have seen people who were popular in high school who are still stuck in that time period and still talk about it. Their life is mediocre. I have seen unpopular kids go on to be more successful in life. I believe it’s because the unpopular kids are driven more by personal success and not by where they stand socially. It simply isn’t as important to them. There are exceptions to the rule. I also know people who were popular in high school and are very successful today. The bottom line is, whether you were popular in high school or not, you can still go on to lead a very successful life. The past has no bearing on today. It’s a matter of what you want out of your life. If you want something in life, work hard, and good things will follow. I believe there is life after high school.

References:

Lyons, Linda (2005) “The “In” Crowd: Winners in High School, Losers in Life”
http://www.gallup.com/poll/17167/In-Crowd-Winners-High-School-Losers-Life.aspx

Mcleod, S. A. (2008) Social Identity Theory
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Brandon Trotter

Social Identities

Social Identity is an individual based perception of what defines the “us” associated with any internalized group membership. Most people place themselves in specific groups such as Upper Class, Middle Class, and Lower Class. The first thing most people think of when they here Upper Class is rich white people that has an very high income. Middle Class people are those who doesn’t have a lot of money but have enough to get by. Lower class people are those who live in poverty or homeless and cannot afford many things. In the worlds eyes we see a big ratio of blacks in the lower class because of the way we act, and carry ourselves. From my perspective I hate the fact that blacks get looked down on because of our skin color. “ African-Americans suffer from a poverty rate of 27.2 percent—the highest of any group—compared to 25.6 percent of Latinos, 11.7 percent for Asians and 9.7 percent for whites” http://thegrio.com/2013/09/18/blacks-income-remains-the-lowest-of-any-group/. To know that there is an high percentage that when you get older that there is an big possibility that you will live in poverty is scary. But it’s your choice if you fall into what society already thinks about you because it’s your decision on if you want to be wealthy or poor.

This section is going to be on the difference between men and woman rights. “The differences between men and women were socially defined and distorted through a lens of sexism in which men assumed superiority over women and maintained it through domination”. http://www.oregoncounseling.org/ArticlesPapers/Documents/DifferencesMenWomen.htm Women’s role is to cook and clean for the other spouse. The Men’s role is to work and provide for the family. Because of peoples gender as a society we don’t treat everyone the same. Men’s life is very difficult. We go out and do hard labor for a price that doesn’t match the work we do, while the women is cleaning the house. If a men like the same sex it’s an even harder life for him just for the simple fact no straight men wants someone around them that may like him. He would also get talked about or even beat up just because he chose to be gay. But in men’s eyes it’s okay for a girl to like the same sex just for the simple fact what men don’t like a girl that likes girls? Women don’t get the same privileges that we men do. We men can play video games, fart, and burp and it’s all good, but as soon as a girl tries to do any of the following she’s wired or she’s a dike because she’s being human. Also we men get to play any sport we want to, women don’t have that privilege. Women think that the 9 months of pregnancy that they go through men really don’t feel the pain that they do. But what they fail to realize is what about the thing that they can’t do we men got to step in and do such as lift heavy things, cook, and deal with them mood changes that they have. We still get to do the habits that we got, while the women can’t do anything. The main question over this whole section is what really is the difference between a male and a female? Males is more physical and more active like go to the gym and workout or go play sports. While women like to stay home and play with the kids, put make up on, and fix food. So really there an difference between men and women but they should be treated equal.

Sources
http://thegrio.com/2013/09/18/blacks-income-remains-the-lowest-of-any-group/.
http://www.oregoncounseling.org/ArticlesPapers/Documents/DifferencesMenWomen.htm

Adam Simmerman
Dr. Thompson
Sociology
100214

Social Identities

What is a social identity? A social identity is the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. (1) Everyone has a social identity whether they know what it is or not. In a society people judge others based on how they act, look, or dress. Social identity can provide people with a sense of self-esteem and a framework for socializing, and it can influence their behavior. (2) For example young people may try to fit in with a social group that they think is cool or will make them more popular. When this happens they may lost sight of who they really are and what they want to be. In that case social identities can be harmful. In the movie The Breakfast Club the five main characters are judged and thrown into the social groups; a brain, an athlete, a basketcase, a princess, and a criminal. In high school that’s exactly how people are sorted. Any high school in the country there are social groups. The smart, brainy kids that get cool grades and constantly do homework. The “cool, popular” kids that play sports and usually put themselves above the rules. The “basketcases” who have so much going on outside of school that they cannot focus and do well in class. The princesses that have everything handed to them in high school, whose parents are loaded. And the criminals. Those are five major social identities that young people are generally put into. Is it right? No, not necessarily but that is just how it is. In the movie these five completely different people are all trapped in Saturday detention. Their only assignment for the day is to write an essay explaining who they think they are. Instead they spend the whole day messing around with the principle and really getting to know one another. In the end they find out that they all have their own messed up things to deal with and they are much more similar than they thought coming into detention. The movie is a great example of how people that are polar opposites can come together and be friends. The only question is will the relationships last on Monday when the whole school joins them in the halls?

Social identities in high school really are not that important in the long run. That nerdy kid that the athletes forced to do their homework in tenth grade is going to grow up to be a doctor and make ten times as much money. The main point is that social identities will change. In high school teenagers are trying to learn who they are and what they want to become in the next five years. If, as a society, we can stop grouping kids into groups based solely on how they act, their religion, their skin color, what they do in their spare time or their home life then schools will be much better off. Without all the harsh judging in high schools we could cut down on bullying and tragic school shootings such as Columbine. Both students involved in the Columbine shooting were classified as gifted children and had supposedly been bullied for four years throughout high school. A year later, an analysis by officials at the US Secret Service of 37 premeditated school shootings found that bullying, which some of the shooters described "in terms that approached torment," played the major role in more than two-thirds of the attacks. (3) In conclusion social identities in school should not be used so strongly because they affect people very harshly and can lead to horrible things like suicides and school shootings.
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Resources
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_identity_theory
2. http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre#Bullying

Danielle Rodriguez
Mr. Thompson
Sociology
10/06/2014

Social Identities

Social identity covers a large number and wide scope of subjects and areas. It is the image acquired by socialization, personal identity, and it is built up on reflection of personal history and construction of a biography of how that person came to be that person. Social identity is all about you and how you and others perceive you to be!

It began with the social identity theory founded by Henri Tajfel. He believed that the groups such as social class, family, and sports team etc., people belonged to is a significant source of pride and self-esteem because they give a sense of belonging to the social world. Society enhances status groups which people are a part of to increase self-image. It shows society a part of who we are and how we should be identified as individuals. When a normal cognitive process comes into play, we begin to stereotype people by exaggerating the differences between groups and the similarities of things in the same group. Social categorization is when we categorize people in in and out groups!

A different portion of social identity is already a part of every individual before they even enter this world. At the time a fetus is created in the womb, it has a social identity. One, its gender is a characteristic in which it will be identified as. Second, if the fetus parents are carriers of a disease, abnormality/deformation, or developmental disability and the baby is affected the baby is categorized into that social group whether it be Down syndrome or a webbed toe! Fact of the matter is that as a fetus is developing in the womb, its physical appearance will be categorized as well as its ability to function “normal” within society, giving it a social identity. After birth, the baby is given a name that people will identify it as. The new born, from day one can also be identified by its sense of individuality or uniqueness, better known as its personality.

A person’s history is a different way social identity can be defined by. Someone social identity can be a reflection of their background for example where they are from, where they were born and raised and also their parents races, ethnicity, or cultural that carried on to them! The roles one plays throughout their life is a fragment of their social identity as well. A child is less likely to have more of a social identity or groups in which it belongs to than an adult because it has only been taught things by its parents/ providers and not from their own experience. As you become older your biography of how you came to be the person you are increases through life experiences. Both the good and bad experiences are a part of your social identity and how you and other people see yourself!

Social identity marks people as sharing an identity with others; label to indicate the type of person; cluster of personality characteristics linked to certain social or occupational roles, categories and groups; fundamental to a person’s way of being.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Jairo Garcia

Who Am I?

What is social identity? A particular label that has been applied to someone in order to indicate the type of person that they are. That is a short simple definition of a something that could mean so many things and put in different words. We all identify ourselves with the social groups we hang around with. These social groups range from family to our college teammates. Other examples are ethnicity, political, relationship, gender, and affiliation. So a person can identify themselves with a bunch of of different groups and all those groups could be connected somehow. There are those social groups that identify themselves from something drastic that happen in their life. For example, people that are affected from breast cancer themselves or someone close to them. They are going to be involve with a social group that helps fight against breast cancer.

There are those people that take their social identity social group in depth. Is a us against them situation. A perfect example of this are fraternity houses. They identify themselves as a certain group that puts them against other groups. Who can throw the biggest party? Who can rush the most freshman? Who can out prank who? It is a non-stop competition against each other.“The central hypothesis of social identity theory is that group members of an in-group will seek to find negative aspects of an out-group, thus enhancing their self-image.”. That is a social identity theory by Tajfel, H., and Turner, J.C.

What does social identity mean to me? To me it really doesn't mean anything other than a theory that someone came up with. Everybody is different, there is no other person that is like anybody else. As for social groups we all have to socialize and stand for something but not every group we associate with makes us who we are. It all starts when you're born and the people around you are the ones that influence you to be who you are. I am part of a lot of “social groups” some I can identify myself with but others I don’t. This world has become a place of followers when we can all be leaders. I identify myself as Jairo Garcia I am my own person and I shape my life.

Resources
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/stross/ant393b_files/ARTICLES/identity.pdf
http://wat2146.ucr.edu/Papers/00a-alt.pdf

Social Identities

Riley Gallagher

A persons identity is how an individual classifies themselves. These forms of personal identity are usually created from a young age and how an individual is raised. For example a child born and raised on a farm in a rural town, is more then likely to be some form of a country kid. Or an individual raised in New York City will be about the complete opposite. These upraising lead us to gain our personal identity, which eventually lead us to our social identities.

Social identities is defined as the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. This idea of peoples social identities was originated by Henri Tajfel in 1979. We form these social identities by figuring out our personal identities and being with people who have the same interests. These social identity groups are every where in our life School,Work,Public events. Some of these most common social groups are jocks,stoners,nerds,goths,etc. These groups though also do not only form though by common interests, they can also form by common features like race, religious faction,wealth, or location. Are personal aspects that make us the person we are all combine to make up and influence our social group.

Henri Tajfel also stated that these groups were important for us because they give us a sense of belonging and identity in society. He also stated how when we are part of a social group, we will put down other groups who are opposite of us. A great example of this is how jocks often hate nerds because they are the complete opposite. A time in history when this occurred as in Germany during World War Two with the Jews. The Jews looked different and acted different from the Germans. The Germans then emphasized that by making them wear stars on their clothes. these social groups will thrive on any negative that an opposing group portrays. Though this is common it can be a negative in severe cases in ways such as racism and religious persecution. Often times these social identities are a cause of stereotypes to form also. As stated earlier, a child raised on a farm in Kansas is expected to be a farmer. However that doesn't always have to be the case i was born in a small rural town surrounded by farms in Nebraska. I am the opposite though of a farm boy, I drive a mustang and listen to rap music.

As people age our social identities never quit changing. A person can only be a jock for so long without having to eventually become something else. An Individual will not be forever able to pride themselves on grades and school. In addition our location will change our social identity. As we discussed in class at home one has to be a parent, a friend, and a spouse. However at work one has to be a co-worker or leader. Either way our social identity is a major aspect of making and defining who we are and can influence who are friends are and how we act around others.

http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/theory%20clusters/interpersonal%20communication%20and%20relations/social_identity_theory/

Kirsten Schorer
Sociology
09/24/14

What is social identity?

Social identity is how we identify ourselves in relation to others according to what we have in common. There are many things that contribute to a person’s Social identity. Such as gender, age, race, religion, and more. All of these make up our entire identity. People can have many different identities. The identity you had in high-school, in college and the real world. these 3 ill be very different. because as you get older you learn and grow. Throughout your life you ask your self-questions.” What am I about?” “Who am I going to surround myself with?” You choose who you want to be in this world, but society helps out too.

To break it down, were going to talk about high school. An experience that most people have, it was either a good or bad time in your life. In high school People automatically decided whether they want to be your friend, or if they want to pick on you. Just by looking at you. You will be judged based on what color your skin is, who your friends are, if you are athletic, what you wear, what you drive, your religion. I could go on forever.

People develop a sense of membership and belonging in particular groups. They become friends with other people if they have things in common. There is a food chain in high school. There was the top where all the “popular” kids are. And from there it dwindles down to the bottom. Where the kids who were weird and had bad hygiene. There was a small middle, you were somewhat friends with the popular kids. But you didn’t associate together outside of school. That was high school, its left in the past when you graduate.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-social-identity-theory.htm

Eloy Sandoval

[Social Identities]

Social identity is how we identify ourselves based on what we have in common with other people around us. One way we can identify ourselves is from which part of the world we originated from or grew up in. Another way which relates to where we came from is the religion we grew up knowing and practicing, this is a huge impact of the choice we make and where we go to school and what group we may hang out with. Our political stand point can determine identity based on how much it means to us or how much it affects how we deal in our daily lives. While some identities can be as simple as a mother, grandparent or sibling others can be stigmatized such as a person with a disease such as aids or a homeless person or a drug addict. Although we may have one main identity that resembles us we also resemble many identities such as being a mother who’s an actress and a democrat. This identity that we have as a person shapes who we are as people it influences our behavior and self-esteem. It also can impact our socializing toward other people with a different identity as our self. We usually pick our friends and the people we associate with by the identities they share with us, if we believe and act different from one another than we won’t get along with those people as if you would with the same identities.

We start understanding our identities as an early age, when were about two or three we identify our gender and understand if we are a boy or a girl. Through the ages of the teen years you explore different social identities as your experiment with hairstyles, piercings, music choice, tattoos, and the way you dress to fit in with a certain group of friends.

The social identity theory they categorized in three steps. The first step is categorization is when categorize objects in an easy way to understand them such as name a person by their skin color or occupational status because it’s an easy way of knowing and it becomes very useful. If we assign people to a category than it helps us discover what category we belong too. The second step is social identification, we adopt the identity of the group we belong too, if you adopt a certain identity chances are that you will begin to act in the way you believe your certain identity should. For instance if you have the identity of a father you don’t act like a college party animal that you may use to be, you take on the role as a mother and become more responsible because you have a different duty achieve. The third and final step is social comparison, once we have put ourselves in a certain group and have identified that group in a certain category we tend to do a humanly act just like others and compare our group from different groups among us. Our self-esteem like mentioned before is not only based on our identity it is also influenced by our whole group. We compare our identities with one another to understand prejudice. Two groups can be rivals and are forced to compete in order to have a winner. This results in a competing identity that we take with us the rest of our lives.

Social identities come in many forms and people can have one or many. But we have to remember it isn’t just something we wake up and attach to ourselves it’s a true and vital part of the person. It plays a crucial and meaningful part in our lives.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Lacie Langhofer

In this world we live in, it is easy to get caught up in our own personal, little worlds. “Who am I? What type of music is my favorite? Do I like the color red or blue more?” These simple questions we find we are asking ourselves on an everyday basis. But does it really matter?

Not only here in the United States are there many different identities, but around the entire globe. Identities can be broken up into various sub-categories. For instance, we have gender identities, age identities, spiritual identities, class identities, national identities, regional identities, and personal identities. Sound like a lot? It is, but every individual falls into each category, whether we believe it or not.

Gender identities are the way we perceive ourselves from birth; a boy or a girl. Before we were born, our parents and family and friends bought us pink colored things or blue colored things depending on the gender we were. If a baby was born a girl, it was instilled upon us the color to represent this was pink. The same goes for little boys with the color blue. As we continue to grow, our parents, family, and friends all influence our gender identity, but overall it is our personal decision to associate with what color, type of clothing, or all around communications and actions we choose.

Age identities are simply the way we associate amongst people based on our age at that particular time. Every culture has its own way of recognizing different age groups. Take media for example, watching Mtv or Vh1 usually targets age groups in the teens, whereas TNT or Turner Classic Movies (TCM) targets folks of an older age. This is seen in almost every type of culture. Different areas around the world also treat generations differently. In Asia, getting older is seen as a positive thing. You are considered wiser, and treated with more respect. In parts of Europe though, getting older is sometimes receiving a remote location to live in with almost no interaction with younger generations except maybe your family.

Spiritual identities vary among culture and the context in which it is being displayed. In some areas, it is considered a must to have somewhat of a spiritual connection with something, whereas in other areas, having a spiritual connection may not make a difference in your life or the lives in others one way or another. Having a spiritual connection or a spiritual identity can lead to many conflicts in not only people, but countries as well. Some individuals may even kill to follow what they believe in.

Class identity is simply the way individuals are placed in a society. Here in America, we often hear the terms “high class,” “middle class,” “lower class,” and even “poverty.” These terms are simply based off our income and where we stand in society among other people. A lot of times, individuals may not consider to what class they belong until often confronted with another person of a different class.

National and Regional identities often fall hand in hand. An example of national identity is to simply consider yourself an American, African American, Korean and many others, based on where you live and what you consider home. Regional identities are usually seen as a generalization of a group of people based on where they are from. Sometimes, these generalizations can lead to disagreements and conflicts among people.

Lastly, personal identities tend to fall along the same lines as gender identities. Personal identity is exactly as it says. It is you, and what you describe as yourself. What you like, what your preferences are, what color you like best, and so on. Ultimately, it is how we perceive ourselves and how we associate with other individuals on an everyday basis.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
https://moniviestin.jyu.fi/ohjelmat/hum/viesti/en/ics/14
http://leanhrblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/social+identity.png

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Carlisa Russell
Mr. Thompson
Sociology
September 18, 2014

Who are you?

The term identity stated by the dictionary is the sense of self, providing sameness and continuity in personality over time and sometimes disturbed in mental illnesses, as schizophrenia. In psychology and sociology, identity is a person's conception and expression of their own (self-identity) and others' individuality or group affiliations (such as national identity and cultural identity). The concept is given a great deal of attention in social psychology and is important in place identity.

Social identity relates to how we identify ourselves in relation to others according to what we have in common. For example, we can identify ourselves according to religion or where we're from (Asian American, Southerner, and New Yorker), political affiliation (Democrat, Environmentalist), vocation (writer, artist, and neurosurgeon), Race (African, Or Black American) or relationship (mother, father, and great-aunt). In addition, some identities are stigmatized (person with AIDS, homeless person, hungry, alcoholic) and many social identities can be multiple. Together, the different roles a person plays can help him realize his overall identity and the person he or she see themselves.
Social identity can provide people with a sense of self-esteem and a framework for socializing, and it can influence their behavior. In addition to how you view yourself, social identity also influences how other people treat you.

While gender identity usually occurs between the ages of two and three, many other forms of identity continue to evolve throughout a person's life; for example, a lawyer who formerly specialized in corporate law but who switches to divorce law may change his social identity from a corporate lawyer to a divorce lawyer. During my years of adolescence, being a teen I undergo the process of defining my social identity. Experimenting with body piercing, new hairstyles, music preferences, tattoos, gold teeth (s) and different forms of dress are ways in which I try to fit in with a group or decide which group is right for me. While you want your teenagers to be able to fit in with friends (if they're a good group of kids), you want them to maintain their individuality and have the self-esteem to resist doing anything that violates their own values or those of their family.

Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_%28social_science%29
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=social+identity+dictionary
My Knowledge

Haley Heydman
Dr. Michael Thompson
Sociology
28 September 2014

What is Social Identity?

Social identity is the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. Social identity relates to how we identify ourselves in relation to others as well as to what we may have in common. There are several what people may call "social identity" groups. For example, religion, ethnicity, political affiliation, relationship, or even vocation. There are also three “stages” to the social identity theory and those categories being; Social Categorization, Social Identification, and Social Comparison. Which specific group you fit under is your choice.

Some people go more into depth as to what exactly their social identity group is. Those who do so look more for what is called an in-group (us) and an out-group (them). The social identity theory states that the in-group will discriminate against the out-group so that he/she can enhance their self-image. According to Tajfel, H., and Turner, J.C. “The central hypothesis of social identity theory is that group members of an in-group will seek to find negative aspects of an out-group, thus enhancing their self-image.”.

Social identity can and also provides people with a certain scene of self-esteem as well as a framework for socializing. It may also influence behavior in different situations. Another scenario would be someones gender identity. This usually occurs between the ages of two and three while other forms of identity continue to evolve throughout a person's life. Although people are categorized in the same way we tend to see the group we belong in to be different from the others and therefore members of the same group are considered more alike than they really are.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Summer Fields
Mr. Thompson
Social Identity
10 October 2014

Social Identity is the portion of an individual’s self-concept derived from the perceived membership in a relevant social group.

Henri Tajfel had a great contribution to psychology, which was the social identity theory. He stated that the certain groups which people belonged to, such as, social class, family, and sports teams were an important source of pride and self-esteem. To increase our self-image, we must enhance the status of a group that we belong to. We put people into groups based on a process of social categorization. Tajfel’s theory states that the in-group (us) will discriminate against the out-group (them) to enhance their self-image. Also, an in-group will seek to find negative aspects of an out-group to enhance their self-image.

Stereotyping is another way we group people. By stereotyping, we put people into groups and categories because of the difference we see in people. Tajfel said that this is based on a normal cognitive process. We see a group to which we belong and think of it as the in-group while the out-group is all other people who might be “different than us, so we consider them the out-group. Social categorization is an example of prejudice attitudes that leads to in-groups and out-groups.

There are three mental processes according to Tajfel and Turner involved in evaluating others as “us” or “them.” These are social categorization, social Identification, and Social Comparison. Assigning people to a category can tell us things about people as well as ourselves. Categorizing helps us to understand the social environment as well. We can belong to many different groups ourselves. Social identification is adopting the identity of the group we have categorized our-self to be in. By categorizing our-self in a certain group, we will then adopt to the way that certain group would act to conform to the norms of that group. The last mental process Tajfel and Turner talk about is social comparison. After categorizing our-self as part of a group/groups and having been identified with that group, we then compare our group with the other groups we see. In such a way that two groups identify themselves as rivals, they compete with each other in order for the members of the group to sustain their self-esteem.

Some examples of social identity are race, gender, first language, ethnicity, national origin, socioeconomic class, and sexual orientation. There are different races, such as White, Black, Native American, Biracial, and many others. We might categorize our-self as well as others by our race. Many people discriminate against people by their sexual orientation. This is another way that we might group people as in-groups and out-groups. Some examples of sexual orientation that might be grouped are Heterosexual, Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, and Queer. We might group and categorize such people because they are different than us and we would consider them as the out-group. Gender is also another way to categorize people. May times women are seen as emotional, kind, understanding, helpful, and soft while men are usually considered to be the muscles of the family, strong, able to take on the tough tasks that come up, and the head of the household. Gender can also be categorized or grouped by the certain jobs one has. There are specific jobs that we categorize for men and then for women, such as men are usually firefighters, truck drivers, and mechanics, while we se women more often in cosmetology, nursing, and childcare providers.

All in all, social identity is the process by which we define ourselves in groups and categories that we share with other people. We put ourselves in groups, usually the in-group and the people we might not agree with or that we see different than us are placed in the out-group. It’s about how we see ourselves as well as others in many ways.

References:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
https://www.google.com/#q=social+identity+definition
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/stross/ant393b_files/ARTICLES/identity.pdf

Racial Identities

Tahnee Saxton
9/30/14

A social identity is a title we give ourselves and those around us based on many different things. Gender, race, and religion all play a key role in identifying our social norms; however, a person’s race and ethnicity is the base of their social identity. Race can be a free ticket into “the social norm” among a certain population, or it can be the stumbling block that prevents a person from entering “the social norm” they may desire to be in. Other people can view us in different ways than we view ourselves. But most times a person can tell a lot about us by our race.

Psychology Today states that there are two ways society defines race. The first way is called biological conception, meaning the genetic similarities in a population through periods of time. Traditions from way back such as farming, hunting, building, and dancing are found in us today through long lines of lineage. Slaves remain discriminated against and royalty remains royal. What race a man is has a huge influence on his life. The traditions of his parents and grandparents, the land that he calls his home, his profession and career, his hobbies and interests, his personality and creativity, and his skills and talents are all influenced by his race. African American people are known to run faster, lift more, and jump higher. Asian people are known for development, technology, and higher learning. Native American people are known to be resourceful, positive, and confident. Hispanic people are known to family-oriented, religious, and happy. A person’s heritage and background has a big effect on the choices they make in their life.

The second way society defines race is called folk-conception. This is when we stereotype because of looks or other attributes that people share. For example, color, language, dialect, actions, and body features are all stereotyped when somebody states their race. This is where our society struggles. The stereotypical thoughts, comments, and brutality we take towards certain people because we pick their social identity for them, rather than taking time to get to know them, is appalling.

Certain stereotypes form with each race. Because I am a white female, I stereotype other races even though I shouldn’t. For example, when I see a black male the first things that pop into my mind are rap music and city life. Even though that is his social identity in my eyes, his real social identity could be completely different than that. He could like country music and live in a small town, but because his identity is already fixed by the majority of society I automatically follow along. Another example is when I see a Mexican. The big stereotype stamped on Mexicans is that they are lazy, illegal, and unemployed. Even though I believe that this isn’t true, I still place them under that specific identity. This creates blurred lines of who people are and who people aren’t.

The Pacific Sociological Review says that individual people paint pictures of their own race and different races based on their personal experience. Furthermore, discrimination and racial stereotypes do not commonly arise from one person, they come from a power-thirsty group that share the same ideals. Social identities can be built by race, and torn down by race. In struggle to find our own identities we rely on our race and traditions. But when people tear them down is when racial identities cause problems. In a way, our race makes us think we must act like the stereotype. To know our own social identity we rely on our racial identity. To find others' social identity we must understand their racial identity, not just the stereotype of it.

References:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/philosophy-dispatches/201209/the-roots-racism
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1388607?uid=3739672&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21104717047467

Canadian Culture

Reid Fritzke

When people think of Canada they often think of how cold the weather is, how there is nothing but empty space that we ride polar bears, and drink maple syrup. There is much more to Canada then just friendly and polite people. Sport, music, media and nationalism have such an impact on our identity that it shapes our Canadian culture. Canada greatly values its Patriotism, its multiculturalism, and its education.

Canadian Patriotism revolves around a solid cultural connection to Canada and its people. Our Cultural diversity, geographical landscape, the freedom from oppression and war, and our extreme passion for sports are many reasons showing the patriotism and life that Canada has for their country. Canada’s landscape is greatly shown through its diverse territories from the North Pacific Ocean to the North Atlantic Ocean. They are known for Rocky Mountains, bodies of water, and its flat terrain and prairies. One of the best ways Canada is patriotic is through sports, when it comes to team Canada in every sport and especially the winter Olympics Canada’s true supporters and colors come out to cheer on the country. Cultural diversity is shown throw many different ways but mainly values its multiculturalism and the acceptance of different religions and races.

Multiculturalism reflects and shapes the country. The open immigration policy had lead to extremely diverse society with all the different races, religions, languages, and ethnic orgins. Canada was also the first country to accept multiculturalism as an official policy as they take great pride in valuing everyone’s values and beliefs. The policy shows belief that all Canadian citizens are equal and have all the power to keep their identities and continue on the same way of life. The main focus on this policy is equality so everyone believes they are valued the same. Multiculturalism represents potential of Canadians to take part in political, social, cultural, and economic affairs. This cultural understanding encourages racial and economic harmony in its policy, which is a great showing for people and the country. A great thing about its multiculturalism is it provides a strong education and learning system for all people and immigrants.

Education is an important belief in Canadian culture, as they value education as a necessity and a value aspect to have growing up and continuing to pursue your life. The education system consists of 13 a going to school which is kindergarten to grade 12. The government provincially pays for public schools allowing a free education to everyone. Most all public schools have and follow and standard curriculum making everyone receive the same type of education. The curriculum is province wide through the country which is beneficial for people that move or transfer. Canadian guidelines reflect that schools cover Canadian culture and history of its region, teaching and explaining our citizens about our country. About 95% of the schools are publicly run; the other five percent are catholic, private, or sports academies. Provinces teach French as a second language except for Quebec as their primary language is French. Canadian culture believes it’s important to be educated and continues to do so providing a strong education system.

Canadian Culture greatly values its beliefs in its Patriotism, Multiculturalism, and its education system. Canada strongly believes these are all important essentials that create and identify who they are as a country. The patriotism, multiculturalism, and education makes Canada a peaceful and comfortable country for everyone and has many benefits that other countries do not have.

References:

http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/canada.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Canada

Timothy Cubit
Sociology
01/02/2014

In this world we live in today it’s really easy to get attached to our own life or get attached to what we see or hear. We start to ask questions like who am I? Where do I belong? How can I fit in? A lot of us ask these questions on a daily basis. But the real question is, is it really important to us or important to other people?

In the world today a lot of people are searching for identities, but a lot of people don’t know searching identities can be really is it if you really think about it. There are a lot of different identities in this world. Such as, gender identities, age identities, personal identities and also spiritual identities. All these things are a part of identities but people in this world are lost because of identities some people don’t know who they are because they think being their own identity people will judge them and dislike them for who they are but little do they know there is nothing wrong with being yourself. But that’s easy to say and hard to do. But everybody in this world are a part of those categories whether they know it or not.

Age identities are basically ways to interact with people based on your age in today’s society, but everybody is different such as different cultures do things different for age groups. Like in U.S growing up age was a big deal because if you was young you’ll watch, cartoons such as cartoons, Disney channel etc. those shows target like the young age kids, And MTV. BET, VH1 targeted like the teens growing up to be adults. But people all around are different most people interact with younger age groups if your family ,because it don’t matter how old you are you have to interact or sometimes in the family the teens hang out, the younger kids hangout and of course there are the adults. So different people do things differently.

Gender identities are ways we look at our self from birth. Girl or Boy. Before we was born our parents knew what they was having. So the for the boys the parents will buy boy toys, and red colored things and for the girl’s parents will buy Barbie dolls and purple colored things. But as today as everybody gets older they see things, they also hear things so as we get older people make their own decisions and this is when people make their decision if males want to play with dolls , and females want to play with boy toys. And this is when people start to get confused with their identity and don’t know who they are. So they do what other people , they don’t know what they are doing they just do it because they see other people do it, and that’s when people start to judge them and look and them different , so they feel some type of way. But overall it’s really our decision on what we do and how we interact with people.

Religion identities are something we are born into, because most people in this world as they are born, their parents or somebody in their family is a certain religion so as they get older they are taught that religion. So they have to abide by the religion rules, and most people don’t know no other religion because growing up their parents made them go by that religion. And some people today get judged based off their religion because everybody is different. But that’s another reason why people can’t find their identities because they are confused off other people judging them so they end up changing their identities. People can be find their identities if they just be they self and just do what they do.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_identity_theory

Zachary Bird
10/4/2014

Social Identities

A new student enrolls at a new school. He walks down to the lunchroom and grabs a tray of food and turns to sit. When looking out into the lunch room he looks around and already starts to identify all the groups that people associates themselves in. At each table the groups congesting of athletics, honor roll, popular, loners, gothic, stonier, techies and much more, distinctive groups. This is called social identity in which someone is defined, or labeled as a specific type of person.

How does one become to associate themselves with certain types of groups? The formation of a persons, identity starts at an early age. When we are born into the world with our race, then by what are parents belief in as religion, political views, wealth etc. and this in influences our personal identity.

Personal identity or self self identity refers to our unique, personal qualities such as our beliefs our abilities and skills, etc. In the next stage of life a person enters into school and the social realm. With our personal identity established a person starts recognize the social groups they are interested in and start to be a part of. This could also be referred to as the collective identity.

Collective identity includes all the qualities that arise from being part of a society culture family, groups, clubs, etc.. so as a person navigates through school and they become part of the drama club, play sports or excel in school they are becoming part of a labelled group. Usually a person identifies with a particular social type a perceived by others to a social type when there is a feeling it adequately describes certain features in her or his life.

There are sometimes a time when we want to separate being unique and part of a group, but at the same time be both. An example is our names. We might share names of others, but our name given to us at birth is ours and our personal property. We also hold onto the fact that our birth certificates, fingerprints, photographs and any other personal identifications is our unique individual mark in life.

Entering the workforce after school takes on another identity. Also referred to as secondary identity. secondary identities are built on a primary foundation established earlier in life. This is usually associated with the workforce. A person takes on an occupational identity by what their job maybe. So when one describes a person it is usually by what they do. So when I say a baker, farmer, banker, lawyer and so on, what comes to mind? Automatically you envision a baker with a chef hat and bakes lots of good food. A doctor would have scrubs a stethoscope and helping people. A lawyer has a suit and sits in a court defending people. If you ask the baker what he thinks of himself, he may say I'm a baker, but also a dad, a son, a christian and I like to play sports. So how would you label that? He does not fit into a stereotype to himself. He has a bunch of types.

As life goes on our identities will forever keep changing we will never settle into our identity. At homes we will be son, husband, christian soccer coach, best friend and caretaker. While at work you’ll maybe the co-worker and boss. In your eyes and everyone's else eyes our identifies are labeled into a mixture of who we are until we die nothing will stop labeling our identities.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Identity_(social_science)

http://www.alleydog.com/glossary/definition.php?term=Social%20Identity%20Theory

Social Identities & Religious Identities

Abbey Martin
10/05/14

Social Identity is a persons sense of who they are based on their “group”. These groups gave us a sense of social identity, or sense of belonging to the world. We divide the world into “them” and “us” based through categorization of who people are to us. We enhance the status of a group to increase our self-image, or social identity. For example, athletic groups sometimes bash on other athletic teams because it makes them “look cool.” It just makes them feel like a bigger and badder social class because they can be mean about another sports team and people will laugh along and agree. To some people social identity might be a big deal but to others it might not. Some people like to be known as the best. Some people like to not be known, but still be the best. For example, NFL football players are known as the best football players around, right? We always hear about such players who are “cocky” or maybe just overly confident. They are they types of people who like the attention of being a bigger social class than maybe a big college football team. They make sure everyone knows they play for the NFL and they never let people forget it. Social identities are all over us, but sometimes we don’t even see ourself doing the same thing and categorizing them.

Religious identities is somewhat the same but maybe different also. Personally, I think people are a lot more judgmental when it comes to religious views. They're are some people who think that there is only one thing to believe and that is what they are. When really a lot of people believe different things. For example, if you are a Mormon you are said to be a “goody good” or to say the least, you don’t party. You are known for not drinking alcohol, doesn't matter your age, or you are know for not having sex before marriage. There is plenty of things that describe a “Mormon.” Religious Identity may also be connected with Ethnic Identities to some people. A religious identification may have specific religious content and assumptions that may cause it to operate in different ways from other identities. People might look at the way people dress and put then into religious categories right away. I am from Utah and I personally am not Mormon but I do know what one looks like. Which isn't very nice of me to place them in that category and make it sound so bad. But I know everyone in Utah, even the Mormons, put themselves into this category. If someone is wearing clothing that goes at least to their knees, and covers their shoulders, then you automatically assume they are Mormon. They usually have 3 or more kids in the families also. They don’t believe in tattoos either. It kind of depends on where you are from, the better you are at realizing what religion people are. Since living in Kansas, I have noticed a lot of people are Catholic. A lot of them do where crosses around their neck or a bracelet of some sort.

I think it is okay to judge people about what religion they are based on what their appearance looks like. Everyone does it, no one is perfect. That is what Social Identity is all about, people judging other people for what group they are in. Whether that be a sports team or a religion.

References:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
http://soc.sagepub.com/content/40/6/1135.abstract

Who are We?

Aubrey Mills
Social-identity

Who am I? Is a question that everyone has asked themselves at some point in their life. Each and everyone of us have our own personal identity, but exactly what kinda of identity are we talking about? Are we talking about how we all look different? Well first that’s not true because some twins look exactly alike therefore have everything in common from looks down to the same size of clothes.

The definition of Social identity is the portion of an individual self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. Many kids now days use their social identity to classify themselves into specific groups such as those that have more money than the other kids or those that are prettier then the rest of the girls in the school. Many times this grouping of individual occurs more on the female side then the male side. We will often end up calling this the us kind of group and the them kind of group. This is known as in-group (us) and out-group (them). The reason that we group people is because we like to find people that we have something in common with because it makes us feel more secure about ourselves and that we are able to compare ourselves to others. This grouping of individual starts as early as daycare and will last all through adulthood. Some will even group people in their religious perspective such as those that are Catholic vs those that are Lutheran. We will even group people by the color of their skin and where the originated from. Grouping people in those that are the parties and those that are the social butterflies. Some will even group people by their size weather its that there are heavier then they are or that they are taller then them. Grouping is even the way that gangs establish who is in their group and who isn't. They may have you doing something that is illegal or dangerous to see what exactly what you are capable of doing.

Many people don't see what kind of pain it can bring to those that are getting socially left out because they are “different” then the other people. This can often lead to depression. Those that are different then the others in groups are often bullied that can lead to sever depression or even suicide. We are often left out at after school activities or are the ones that are chosen last in games in a physical education class be cause we might not be as good as the others or just because we are different.

In all honesty we are all the same in side and out from all having four limbs, two eyes, one nose, one mouth, two ears, to all the same organs. Like mentioned earlier the reason that people classify themselves is because they want to feel different compared to others and so they have something that the can them a reason to have an excuse to make fun of them for. Have you ever wondered what it would be like if we didn't classify people into groups. Everyone would get a long, there wouldn't be any fights between gangs and kids in high school. But in a way that's what makes us as kids learn to stand up for our self’s and to choose our friends the way that we do.

Resources
http://www.chegg.com/homework-help/definitions/social-identity-49
http://www.psych-it.com.au/Psychlopedia/article.asp?id=75
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Social Identity, the Way We See it

Kylee Blount
October 5, 2014

Identity is the fact of being who or what a person or thing is. But the real questions lies in the matter of who determines identity. Different people see identity in different ways, the way I see myself could be a completely different sight through someone else’s eyes. Furthermore, you can develop several diverse identities that coincide with distinctive situations. The topic of identity is a tricky one, are we looking at how I identify in particular situations, who a stranger identifies me as, or the way a close friend sees me?

A stranger walking past me on the street might slap an identity on me because of what I’m wearing, or the look on my face, or a mood I’m projecting, or maybe I remind them of someone else they have encountered over the years. But the judgments placed on me by someone who doesn’t know me are unfair and most likely not an identity I would embrace. There’s so much more to how I identify than what a stranger can gather in passing.

Then it comes down to the people that know me best. How do they see me? The most prominent people in my life could all see me differently, without my knowledge of anyone seeing me different than I see myself. Teachers probably each see me differently depending of the subject. In some classes they probably view me as an intrigued student who works hard and is passionate about school, but in others they might see me as just another student who just needs their class to graduate. Then there are my friends. What reflection of myself do I portray to them? Do they see me as the person who always has their back? That friend that they can take advantage of to get what they want? Or am I the girl that they can’t have a good time without? I guess there’s always the possibility that that they could see me as all three.

To me though, the only identity that really matters is the way I identify with myself. That’s the identity that everyone should see, but maybe not everyone does. I’m the only person that knows my entire past, my deepest and most personal thoughts. The reflection I see in the mirror is the reflection that I think everyone else sees, whether they do or not it’s not something I think about on a daily basis, because I don’t have those preconceived notions of myself that other people might have about me.

Looking at the alternate identities that I might have I have come to the conclusion that maybe my identity is a mixture of all the different ways people see me and the way I see myself.

References:
http://www.utexas.edu/courses/stross/ant393b_files/ARTICLES/identity.pdf
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Who We Are

Mara Nash
Sociology
10/5/14

Social identities are like a recipe with ingredients from your past, your current activities, and your future plans. When you put them all together in one person you get a unique identity that can only be embraced by that person. However, there are those cases where people don’t like the identity that they have created for themselves, and then they try and change how others view them and how they see themselves as well. This is also an important factor to your identity.

Your identity can’t be escaped, as much as you try and reinvent yourself you still have that pesky past that you can’t change. People have to learn that they are unique no matter how their identity is portrayed. I don’t understand why some people worry so much about pleasing others when they don’t take the time to please themselves. We have all come from different places, we have all made choices that have gotten us to where we are today, and we all want something different in the future.

The way we were raised plays an important role in the identity we will embrace as adults. This upbringing can effect how we treat others we encounter in our everyday lives and the way we parent as well. However, even people or siblings who were raised in the same fashion can have extremely different identities because of other experiences they may have had.

The things you spend your life doing are a major part of your social identity, because this is a reflection of what you like to do, or what you are willing to endure to get something else important to you. Athletes obliviously share a common bond but even this can have some variance when it comes to identity. Especially when it comes down to what sport they play. Each sport has a different culture, some have pro sport options, where others end at the collegiate level, and other sports have different options, such as Olympic opportunity. All this including the athletes drive to achieve these possibilities are going to play a part in determining identity.

Future aspirations are the last part of the three major factors that help determine a person’s social identity. Where people want to end up in five years and how they plan to get there show a lot about a person and their identity. For instance, if someone plans on becoming a doctor that is going to make their identity extremely different that some one who wants to be a lawyer. Or will they? They will have different responsibilities in the work place, yes, but they could have gone to the same amount of years of school, they will have put in a similar amount of work to achieve their degrees, and they could have the same motives, to help others. So how different are their identities really going to be?

Everyone has a different identity that can be influenced by many factors, but just because two people have chosen a different path doesn’t mean that they’re identities are as different as they may seem.

References:
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/theory%20clusters/interpersonal%20communication%20and%20relations/social_identity_theory/
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html

Gender Identities

Sara Burwell
10/5/14

The question "Who are you?" is forced upon us from a young age. We were taught having an identity is important from a social stand point. Social identity, by definition, is the portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group. Our social identity is what will make us stand out from all others when we apply for jobs, scholarships and colleges.

Our social identities are often based on gender. By definition, gender identity is how we feel about and express our gender and gender roles. This is expressed by clothing, behavior, and appearance. Before babies are even born parents buy pink clothes and toys for girls and blue for boys. "Boy" and "girl" colors are established when we are very young. If a boy decides his favorite color is pink it is generally frowned upon because it is thought of as a "girl" color. Boys should like blue, green, and purple while girls should like pink, yellow, and red.

Masculinity is often described as male qualities such as strength and aggressiveness. Femininity is often associated with women with qualities such as nurturing and weak. Society believes men should only express masculine traits and women only feminine. This is highly unrealistic because all males express feminine qualities and all females express masculine qualities. A person who expresses both qualities equally are called androgynous.

Gender roles are how we act to express being a man or woman. These roles are shaped by society, religion, family and culture. The roles we play differ from place to place. Gender roles have four kinds of stereotypes including personality traits, domestic behavior, occupation and physical appearance. Personality traits are how men and women should act, women more feminine and men masculine. Domestic behavior is the roles men and women play in the home. Women are expected to take care of the children, cook and clean the house. Men are expected to do household and car repairs. Gender also plays a part in our occupations. Men take jobs where manual labor is required such as construction. Women are thought to take jobs such as receptionists and nurses. However, recently the men and women occupation line has become blurred. Male nurses are becoming more common while women are taking more lead roles such as doctors. Physical appearances play a large role in how we perceive gender identity. Society expects women as small and graceful while men are expected to tall and broad shouldered. These physical appearances are still expected to be upheld.

Because society expects men and women to uphold these roles, women can become hyperfeminine. This means they exaggerate the feminine qualities they think are suppose to boost male's egos. Males are also at risk of becoming hypermasculine meaning they exaggerate masculine qualities. Although most men and women do not possess these qualities, it could put a strain on relationships and subject women to abusive relationships while men could become more domestically violent.

The media is the main source of negative gender identity. Magazines are a common example because they alter the appearance of men and women to fit our expectations of what a "perfect" person should look like. This gives young girls and boys an unrealistic goal. Children grow up with insecurities of what they look like because the media and their peers say it is not acceptable. These roles and stereotypes have been ingrained in us since before history was recorded. Men and women were expected to play a certain role in society and at home. These expectations are slowly changing and becoming less relevant to how we see individuals. We are becoming more tolerant of people who are "different" than us when in reality we are all more alike than we care to admit.

References:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-info/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-gender-identity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_identity_theory

Importance of Social Identities

Jenae Chegwidden
10/5/2014

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Our social identity determines who we are and where we fit in within society. By definition, social identity relates to how we identify ourselves in relation to others based on our group membership. These social groups can be based off of our family, social class, or ethnicity. For example, if your father is a successful doctor, your whole family is likely to be looked highly upon. People will look to your family with high expectations of living and well doing and aim to reach your standards. Furthermore, your family is expected to associate with people within the same social class. If your family has a lot of money, it is expected that you be friends with other families who make a lot of money and have similar standards of living. Likewise, if you are poor and live in the ghetto, you are expected to stay in the ghetto and continue that lifestyle. Moreover, people get group based off of their ethnicity. If you are Caucasian, Chinese, or Mexican it is of the norm to marry and be friends with people within the same race. These ways of grouping ourselves gives us a since of belonging in the social world.

Learning one’s social identity is begun at a very small age. For instance, as a little girl plays with her dolls, she learns from her mother how to nurture them and subconsciously begins understanding her role as a girl or woman. Likewise, if a little boy came home wanting to start playing football, his father will likely encourage him and sign him up right away to start playing. This teaches him that that is what he is supposed to enjoy as a boy. However, if a boy came home from school one day and told his father he wanted to begin a dance class, his father may laugh or put it off as something he will look into later. This makes a boy realize that maybe dancing isn't meant for a boy. Learning these subliminal messages while growing up separates us from male and female. This can be the one of first ways of social categorization.

Social categorization is the process we use to separate social groups. Within our groups, we discriminate and hold prejudice views against those in other groups. For instance, in high school, the “popular” group of girls will laugh at the awkward kid in class simply because that kid didn't reach their standards in clothing or looks. They do this to increase their self-image. It separates “them”, the “out” group, from “us”, the “in” group. This separation is what leads to racism. For example, Caucasian people are known to look down on African Americans. This is because instead of looking at them as an individual, they see them a group. As a group they see African Americans in a lower social class and out them as a lesser.

I believe we need social identity in order to thrive, both as a person and as a whole world. Social identity is what separates me from you and Americans from Canadians. It is also what makes our society grow and develop. Without it there would be no competition between markets and nothing would advance. We wouldn't have fancy new phones developed every few months because there wouldn't be Samsung or Apple. It would be one phone developer, and without competition there is little motivation to create the next big thing. The competition motivates us to do more and become more. And without social groups and identities no one would know where they belong or who to compete with in this world.

References:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm

Social Identities

Mallory Kern

Social identities are an import factor in everyone’s life. No matter your race, age, or gender. It plays a big role in life. Ideas people use to understand and people’s behavior make the culture of a society. People learn how to be a member in society by their culture, specific skills their good at, their abilities to do things, what kind of people they already were. When people are labelled that is there social identity, a label that indicates the type of person other people view you as. Social identities do not refer to a specific personality that you may have.

Commonly used identities are like women, child, father, Asian, Jew. They can also be a defined occupation role that you have, social positions can also be used as an identity, and stereotypes that people put on you. Some people have multiple identities, they use certain identities around certain people or crowds or some people see certain identities just on how they feel about you. They also probably identify themselves in more ways than one. Identity is used in both social identity and to the idea of person identity. Personal identity makes someone as unique person, and is a link with social identity and self. Self is a person’s own individuality, a personal history as to who they are.

Public social identities are considered as citizens, peasants, and lords but they had no real sense of private self that is differed from these social identities. Some societies that are growing have some individuality have tendencies to use the self-idea. A child’s identity before birth is what the parents think their child will be. Parents will decorate their room a certain way, pick out a certain name that fits the gender and pick out clothes that will either be for a boy or girl. They will not know the true identity until the child is born, the moment a child is born there identity is staring. Parents play a very big role in the defining characteristics of their own identities. Depending on if you are a boy or a girl is how your parents will treat a certain situations, if you’re a boy they expect you to be more masculine but if you’re a girl they treat you more delicate.

Being a different race is highly salient for most races. Their children learn early on that they are different from others. Being white is not so salient for the most. Their children don’t see themselves as being different or being white. Secondary identities, most import people use in modern societies is occupational identity. National identity has become very important for Britain and the United States, it is our secondary identity for the white majority populations. For many ethnic minorities their primary identities as black or Asian remain salient and these identities are reinforced by the actions of those who exclude and oppress them.

The production of identities must be seen in relation to the narratives that people construct to account their actions. People now have a choice on how they would identify themselves with others. Some problems with identity is how to build and keep it the same and not let others change how you think of things. People shape their future actions and behavior on how other people react to what they say. There is no real identities, people try and make their true identity, but we have to make ourselves and other believe it as well.

With the growth of the internet people present themselves in ways appropriately with the use of a narrative. Communication at a distance allows people to say things that they wouldn’t normally say to the persons face. We have more courage to hide behind pen and paper or a computer to say something that they don’t want to say to someone’s face or we are afraid of what they might say back if we say it to their face. Social networking has also been good. For some people is has become a very important sense for their self-presentation.

Resources
Sociology Fourth Edition
www.simplypsychology.org

Savannah Gamble
Dr. Michael Thompson
Sociology
3 October 2014

The Identity Of A Child

“From birth, each individual has the right to have an identity. The identity of an individual is the assertion of his or her existence in a society. It is also a matter of recognition of their individuality and what differentiates them from their peers.”

Once you are born, you are automatically given an identity. An identity can be anything such as your birth date, social security number, and even your last name. Many people don’t think that children have their own “identities” because they are young and dependent on others. It is very important for children to understand what their identity is. Once a child is born it already has its own social identity, but there are also other identities it will receive its own personal identity such as their last name, the characteristics they have, and how they behave in certain situations.

Most children learn about themselves and figure out their own identity by their family and the people they are around. This includes the type of relationships that they have with their friends, family, and even teachers. Identity is also based on the type of experiences children have, if a the child have positive experiences as they are growing up then they will begin to build a positive identity. If they have negative experiences then they will begin to build a negative identity. When children feel safe, secure, and supported they grow in confidence and will begin to learn.

In the article Identity and Belonging it explains a lot about how a child gets their own identity and what different things can be a part of a child’s identity. The article talks about how relationships with family members and other adults play a big part in building their own personal identities. Family members play a major role in a child’s identity. By showing a child that you love and care about them will help them develop a stronger identity. Children are going to treat others the way that they are treated, this is why it is so important for the parents/ guardians and even the siblings of the child to show them respect, love, and care.

When children are developing, they start to develop a “self- concept”, which is how they act, their values, and a lot of different other things that they believe define who they are. By age three, most children have developed their Categorical- self. Categorical-self is a specific way a child views itself. In the article Identity and Self- Esteem it talks about how as children grow up their identity becomes stronger. They start to describe themselves as how they perceive themselves, and they also start to compare themselves to other kids that are their age. As the children grow up and start to compare themselves more and more to other kids their self-esteem and identity may decrease.

There are 5 different key things that children will need to learn to help improve their identity. The first one is basic skill or ability, second is effort, third is practice and perseverance, fourth is maintaining a positive, optimistic attitude, and lastly number five is asking for help when necessary. If children learn these five important things then it will be easier for them to go through challenging things and work through it, meaning they will understand that they have some control over their own self-esteem and identity.

Resources:
Identity and Belonging: http://www.ncca.biz/aistear/pdfs/principlesthemes_eng/id&belonging_eng.pdf
Identity and Self-esteem: http://sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=37688&cn=1272

Social Identities and Adolescence

Alix Johnson
October 6, 2014

Social identity is how we relate ourselves to other people based on things that we have in common. We identify with others primarily through gender, religion, class, age, race, and sexual orientation. Many social identities are comprised of multiple connecting aspects and may be marred with stigmatisms such as alcoholism or any other malady that is frowned upon socially. Social identity provides the basis of self esteem and the building blocks for socialization. Placed in a situation where a problem needs to be solved, it would be logical to choose someone who would be able to solve said issue, but we are more likely to choose someone who is similar to us because we connect with them.

Social identity also influences how other people treat you. Although gender identity usually occurs early on in life, many of the other forms of identity evolve throughout an individual’s life. During adolescence teenagers go through the process of defining their social identities. Experimentation with body piercings, tattoos, music preferences, hair styles, and clothing is common as teens search to find a group that they fit into. Teens test limits and push boundaries, becoming more aware of themselves and others. Different roles, ideologies, and behaviors must be experimented with in order to select an identity. Failure to choose a vocation often can be the result of a failure to achieve a sense of identity. Adolescents are capable of visualizing multiple selves that they may become at once as well as the long term consequences of their actions.

Self-esteem is a big part of social identity, and it varies greatly between boys and girls. Teenage girls have been taught that their sense of self lies with the functionality of their relationships with others; therefore, teenage girls experience high self-esteem when they are engaged in supportive relationships with friends. Boys on the other hand, are taught to value autonomy and the importance of independence. So boys are typically more interested in discovering their independence and asserting their sense of authority.

Social influences play a different role in the lives of adolescents than they did before. The options for exploration increase vastly at the age of 18 when teens are given the responsibility of an adult legally; typically, the activities that are now deemed legal have probably been carried out by the teen before anyway as a part of pushing boundaries and experimenting. College opens up innumerable venues in every aspect of identity to explore with a stronger affirmation because most teens are out of the house and away from the close scrutiny of their parents.

Teens are more susceptible to stress and rewards than children or adults due to changes in dopamine levels and neurotransmitters in the limbic system. Since adolescents are capable of thinking abstractly and reasoning logically, it is easier for them to contemplate the different identities that they could assume. The earlier that a teen decides on their identity, the quicker they surpass their peers in development. When an issue of identity comes up, the teen who has already decided can solve the problem easily and move on to building their identity further, whereas a teen who hasn’t decided spends time pondering the issue and using it to influence their decision further. Adolescence is a crucial stage in developing social identity, and it is where the majority of exploration and decision making is done.

References:
http://people.howstuffworks.com/what-is-social-identity.htm
https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/human-development-14/adolescence-73/socioemotional-development-in-adolescence-284-12819/

Who am I Really?

Luis Hernandez
Social Identities

You make ask yourself what is a social identity? To me your social identity is who your really are, whom you become over the years and what your known as. Every day in life you will experience new things meet new people and through those events you will grow as a person and create the character you want to be. You build yourself from your culture, race, religion, location, surroundings and the groups of people you socialize and grow with. No one is the same in the world we live in we all have our own characteristics that makes us different from everyone else. No matter who you grow up to be you will always know where you belong.

Sometimes your social identity comes from groups like sports, family, and social class. Usually we choose groups that are important to us and that bring pride and self-esteem. Usually this divides our world into two groups they can be classified as us and them. Us is who we are in our group we tend to be different from others due to their identity they are the group called them or everyone else.

Social identity provides one with a sense of self-esteem and some sort of socialization and it can influence their behavior. Usually one favor with the members of their own group because they feel more comfortable and believe everything their group believes in or is comfortable with doing. So however you see yourself and how you act takes a toll on how people around you treat you.

That’s what I think social identity is, you can be whoever you want, be the person you want to be, choose your on environment and surroundings, but be sure to be happy with the identity you have become.

http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/theory%20clusters/interpersonal%20communication%20and%20relations/social_identity_theory/

Kaziah Rolle
Sociology
Michael Thompson
6 October 2014

Bahamian Culture

One may ask, what is culture? According to the online Oxford Dictionary culture is "The custom, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group." I am from the Bahamas and my culture serves as a very important part of the person I am today. The customs and artwork involved in Junkanoo, the food we have and the Dialect we speak in the Bahamas all represent the different aspects of my culture.

Junkanoo is one of the most popular events that happens in the Bahamas. It only happens during the summer months for tourist called "Goombay." Then for Boxing Day, which is the day after christmas, and for New Years day the Junkanoo festival is one of the highlights of the holidays. There are over twenty different groups that participate in the Junkanoo festival. These groups comprise of over 8,000 residents of the Bahamas. It is a competition of who can make the most extravagant, and well put together group of the year. The groups battle from 12 a.m to nearly 3 p.m on the 26th of December each year. And the overall winner of best music, best costumes, and best lead piece is the winner of the whole festival. This group gains bragging rights for the next week in a half and then for New Year's Festival whoever won would gain bragging right for the rest of the year. Another important element of our culture is the food we eat.

Bahamian food is always highly season and cooked until completely done. That's how I distinguish my country's food from many others. Our diet consist of mostly meat and seafood. The main meats we eat are chicken, pork, goat meat, and beef. Then we eat all sorts of seafood such as dolphin, lobster, snappers, crawfish, conch, and salmon. The foods we eat can be cooked in any formed from fried, to roasted, to scotched, and grilled. Our foods are very distinct and take very much skill and repition to prepare. Some significant food that a tourist would try are the scotched conch, which is a mollusk that is prepared in a certain wait called scotching. Also our pea and rice, which is brown rice season and had peas in it. Lastly one of the hardest dishes to explain is souse, which is sort of like a soup, but not really, it is boiled meat of your choice mixed in with onions and other vegetable. The souse usually comes with Johnny bread. Johnny bread is just regular bread.

When I am speaking people always ask what language I am speaking, or if in the Bahamas we speak a different language. The answer is no. As a Bahamian I have a very thick accent, and we speak very fast. In the Bahamas we do speak in a different dialect though. One may ask what is a Dialect? According to google a dialect is "a particular form of a language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group." So a more informal way of defining a Dialect is just like the Queen's english and American English. Its all english, yet spoken a bit differently. We used words such as "bey" which means boy and "bright" which means light complexion. It's still english, but we just have a different meanings for certain word. Lastly as a Bahamian we speak quite fast. So all of the elements of how we speak combined make it harder for non- bahamians to understand what we are saying.

Reference:
https://www.google.com/#q=define+dialect
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/culture

Olivia Sampson

Was the Sandy Hook Massacre Caused by Violent Video Games?

Most people remember the tragedy of the moment when 20 innocent children and 6 staff members by Adam Lanza, in Sandy Hook Elementary School. Adam Lanza was like most people who loved to play “Call of Duty” a popular shooting video game.

The NRA proposed that there was a connection between video games and shooting. Basically what he meant was he believed that the new generations were to be stupid and gullible of everything that we see and hear. Thinking that the newer generation does not have a sense between real life and video game life. Guns don’t kill people; it is the way the person was raised, the choices his or her has made and any possible mental disorders.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie asked for a restriction on the sale of violent games to children. Regardless of how unwarranted, we react psychologically to events such as the catastrophe at Sandy Hook. History shows us that the panic regarding electronic media ultimately appears absurd, and it is difficult to detect today. (www.sociology.com)

Lots of data are pretty sloppy and very confusing to prove the fact that there is a connection between violence video games and shooting in real life. According, to the www.sociology.com website, the U.S Supreme Court has rejected the studies just because there isn't enough research or evidence to share with the American citizens. Not just because, there isn’t enough data, it is hard to conduct a research with what is going on in someone’s head while playing video games and wanting to shoot people because of the video game. Yes most of the most famous shooters were called “Big Gamers” meaning played lots of video games, according to Gretchen Carlson on Fox and Friends T.V. show. Yes they were addicted to games. What if the subject was more broad out like thinking about their lifestyle. Do they automatically come home from school/work to play video games, do they have friends, do they different interests or are they alone most of the time? According to Carlson,” This whole is issue is so much more complicated than just gun control, there are so many other factors, mental illness [and] video games are just two of them".

A newer research done by Henry Jenkins noted that there is a correlation and not a causal relationship showing that aggressive people like to do things that are aggressive. That statement to me is unclear. It can be like being aggressive for athletic people or for kids who are very active. Aggressive to me means playing sports, be active, and learning new skills to improve themselves. There isn't an actual definition of being aggressive or liking things that are aggressive. Everything means different to everyone.

Some studies showed a bar chart saying that 71% are semiautomatic handguns, 28% are rifles, 23% revolver and 21% are shotgun. Out of these concealed carry items 42% contains high-capacity magazines. The government feels that it is the congress’ duty to discard all of the concealed carry and interrupt the second amendment, that is caused by massive shootings that are influenced by violence video games. I don’t think that the government can control the issues that are caused by American citizens. Not every problem has a solution that could be solved right away. It will take baby steps to create a possible solution for the shooting part. It is against our Rights for the government to invalid our personal properties. However, instead of the government taking care of the problem allow the city or state to figure out the problem. Every state is different; we have different cultures and beliefs. Rural areas refuse to give up their concealed carry because they use it for safety. Americans live in a society that the pizza delivery guy arrives faster than the Emergency Crew. It is still unclear to prove any relationship between violence video games and massive shootings.

Resources:
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/09/10/fox-amp-friends-hypes-flawed-link-between-mass/195811
http://www.sociology.com/2013/05/sandy-hook-massacre-caused-violent-video-games/

Carlisa Russell
Mr. Thompson
Sociology
September 15, 2014

Bahamian Culture

I have been thought about my culture from I was a little girl growing up being around my neighbors and relatives at home. In my country The Bahamas, our first language is English with the exception of a few Haitian’s who still speak their native language Creole. Bahamians takes pride in their rich and colorful history and celebrates it with their various festivals and exhibits. Religion is an important part in our life, we have a lot of churches. Christianity is the dominant religion in the Bahamas such as Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of God, Methodist, and Roman Catholic and for me I fall under being and Anglican.

Music is also a vital part of The Bahamian culture, our music is largely associated with junkanoo, a celebration that occurs on Boxing Day (December 26) and on New Year’s Day (January 1). Bahamian musicians that I love are The Baha Men and Kirkland Bodie. Junkanoo in our country is largely celebrated with lots of consuming and competitions which draws our number one industry” The Tourist” attention.

Dining in the Bahamas is a wonderful experience, it is said that Bahamian food is never bland, so you better get your plate ready to experience variety of tastes. The Bahamas is heaven for seafood lovers, fresh seafood’s are available all over the island with variety of presentations whipped up by different restaurants. The Conch is one of the popular delicacies in The Bahamas; including conch stew, conch chowder, conch salad, and the popular deep fried conch fritters.

In my country during the summer the climate is humid from May to September and rain falls between May to October, winter is from October to April and the hurricane season extends from June to November. The ocean is usually calm and warm that makes it perfect for swimming, snorkeling and other water sports. Lying on the white sand beach, enjoying the sunset and feeling the Bahama breeze in your face is an experience that is second to none. A massage along the beach while the Bahama breeze touches your skin is the perfect relaxation. Rich marine life, wide variety of plants and animals and picturesque locations that you never knew exists.

If you’re looking for a place to relieve stress, to clear your mind, to rejuvenate your body, to be one with nature. To experience the exceptional or to experience living in pure luxury then head on to The Bahamas and feel the Bahama breeze.

Resources
1. http://www.nassauparadiseisland.com/about-the-island/our-culture/
2. http://www.myoutislands.com/bahamas-resorts/culture.cfm
3. My Knowledge

Tanner Adams

Does Religion cause Hatred?

It’s clear that religion has been known as a study of sociology ever since it was established. Religion is also something that will never go away as long as there is candidates and hopeless lost people looking for signs of a better life. If there are people on the planet there will always be religion, because there is no sign of it going away, it just keeps growing and growing. Religion is a belief or worship of a colossal power, or a god like structure, and hatred is a state of an infuriating dislike. It’s clear that not all hatred is caused from religion but if you look at the picture religion always has a small part in it.

It seems as if in today’s society everyone is trying to be in a religion. The main reason for this is because everyone wants to be a part of a group of people who possess the same ideals and worship the same deity that they do, and it all comes down to that no one wants to be alone in a society full of profane groups. But does religion maintain stability in the world, or without religion would the world be chaotic? Even though religion offers many positive aspect and good deeds, religion is also used for bigots and hatred such as the Westboro Baptist church.

Hatred is also another major sociological subject of violence resulting in killings, riots, and strife. Hatred is something that will also never go away due to the fact people believe that violence is the best route to take to solve the normal problems that are laid in front of them. It also doesn’t help that religion causes hate and ignorance in people into thinking that if you don’t believe in the same god or god’s that you’re wrong or that you are their enemy. There is no religion that exists in today’s day and age that doesn’t focus on the wrong doing of other religions, and that causes problems between all types of different religions into having hatred towards one another.

It’s said that there is no possible way that religion can be the number one cause of war because some of the bigger situations of hatred have been based on race or ethnicity, such as Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler. On that note there is no denying that religion doesn’t cause hate and violence. In my opinion as long as there is religion there will be violence and war. My reasoning behind this statement is that if you ever have sat in a sermon or service they simply preach about the word of the bible and the guidelines that you are abided to live by. Also, in a religious service it’s common for them to hate amongst other religion because there is no possible way that the other religion is right when it goes against everything that your religion abides by. As said by Temple Emanu-El Rabbi Jonathan Miller “religion brings out the good and bad in everyone”.

What people expect out of religion is merely the outcome that they tend to achieve. The hatred that is caused from religion really depends from your heart. Though religion can dictate the way that you live it can’t truly dictate who you are as a person. Most of the hatred in the world comes from the heart and mind of an individual, but they tend to try and cover it up with religion. All in all, it’s obvious that religion puts off hate, but is it sometimes the individual’s fault for their choice of hatred?

Resources
http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2013/04/the_new_hate_does_religion_cau.html
https://globalsociology.pbworks.com/w/page/14711247/Religion

Jamie Wright
Introduction to Sociology
Mr. Thompson
September 16, 2014

Spanish Food Culture

Culture varies depending on where you’re from, how you were raised and who you choose to be surround by. Most of us narrow the Spanish culture to just the Hispanic population, but little do we know, there are many different parts to it. We see Spanish foods like the typical cuisines we sometimes experience here in the U.S, but there is so much more for our taste buds to explore.

Waffles, bacon and scrambled eggs; the typical American breakfast we enjoy most mornings, unless you’re the average college kid barely walking through the classroom door right as class starts. We all occasionally enjoy a nice sit down breakfast. But we all also have different ideas of what breakfast is to us. Most Spanish usually skip breakfast, but if they do plan on grabbing something quick to start their day, they settle for a hot “cup of joe” or some hot chocolate. And if they’ve got the munchies, they go for more of the lighter side of things, like a churro. Now personally, I’d avoid deep fried diabetes in stick form for breakfast. Which honestly, there isn’t anyone in this world, who doesn’t enjoy the dark bitter taste of coffee in the morning after a night at the bar or a special night with a special someone; “The best part of waking up, is Folgers in your cup.”

La comida; it just rolls off your tongue doesn’t it? Now this is a meal you can’t really afford to miss, otherwise you’re just silly. The Spanish take the lunch times very importantly. In fact, their lunch meals are almost like what we would consider a sit down dinner here in America. Most Americas skip right over the appetizers and get right to the main course, or we simply grab a big mac super-sized at McDonalds and call it good. But for the Spanish culture, they take pride in the lunch hours. For lunch, they start out with an appetizer, or as they would call it entrantes. Appetizers consists of cured Spanish hams and cheeses, since cheese is oh so popular in Spanish culture. I know, you’re thinking “tapas should be a Spanish appetizer.” Well you’re right and wrong. It really isn’t considered an appetizer since it can be eaten as both a main course and appetizer, heck you can even eat it for dessert if your little heart desires. Now hold on, we’re not even done yet. The first course would consist of soup dishes. “Soup?! What?! But that’s an appetizer!” Si, you are right and wrong… again. To us, soup is just a filler. We have the main choices of soup and salad to start our feast. But I guess they like it after their appetizers. After soup, comes the fish. At this point, we’d be practically full. You have the choice between fish or meat. A famous fish dish would be Paella de Marisco. This would be your basic sea food platter. A famous meat dish would be Cochilla Asado: Roast Lamb. At this point, if you aren’t full, you’ve got to be en loco en de la cabeza. But they go for the desserts, which they mostly order flan; a custard with caramel sauce. After lunch, they take advantage of naps. They have siestas, which is a serious thing in their culture. Everything shuts down for one to two hours every day so they can enjoy a time of rest. I highly suggest we start this tradition too.

Due to their little break during the day, the Spanish don’t leave their jobs until 8 at night. So dinner is just about 9-10:30m. Just like breakfast, their dinner times are light. They start off with their basic appetizer and then head to their main course. You would think things would be different from lunch, but they finish up their day with the same choices between fish and meats. Spaniards are commonly seen having dinner sometimes as late as midnight during the summer.

Whether you want to start your day with a simple cup of coffee, fine dine like a boss and nap it off, and finish your day with a basic meal, then the Spanish culture is for you. No, just kidding. But there are so many things that they consider normal to them, that we see as downright crazy. I think it’s important we broaden our horizons and experience the cultural differences in food, because there is too much to miss out on.

References
http://spanishfood.about.com/od/discoverspanishfood/a/lacomida.htm
http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/food/eating-customs.asp

Edwin Chessell
Micheal Thompson
Sociology
September 30 2014

Yoga Cross Cultures

Today, millions of people take the time out of their day to participate in some sort of yoga. It’s a social phenomenon that has just recently taken western culture by storm, only in the last 30 years or so. Many people now consider themselves “yogis”, but western culture yoga is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to the actual practice of traditional yoga. Our culture has taken yoga and created a false truth as to what it really is.

Yoga originated in the East from India nearly 5000 years ago. 5000 years ago this was practiced, not as a way of stretching and breathing practice, but as part of the Hindu religion. Coming from the word “yuj” meaning “to yoke” or “unite” it was a mix of both physical and spiritual exercises for the purpose of mastering mind, body, and emotion. It used ethical and moral guidelines to meditate and achieve ones ultimate self, which is the highest level of being in the Hindu religion. There are also many different types of yoga, some of which do not involve physical exercise at all. Traditional yoga involves 8 stages or “limbs” as they’re called, but here in the west we mainly only use 2 or 3 of them. This is where the big differences appear.

As yoga was practiced as religion in India, here in the west it is used mainly as athletic training and, or for wellness reasons. We do take part in the exercises associated with the practice, but we take no part in the spiritual side. Because of this most (not all) western yogis disassociate yoga with its Hindu roots. Because of the social construct of the church, people who associate with a church such as Christianity do not want to be called a Hindu just because they are doing yoga. Another big difference is money. When yoga was taught in India in its original form, it was free to learn. A person would go to a teachers home and take part in the practice for the purpose of learning and trying to become one with the ultimate self. But as we know, in America, money runs the system. Now instead of following yoga’s original roots, a class could cost hundreds of dollars. As I stated earlier, yoga in the west is only one part of a bigger picture. We pay to do Hatha or exercise yoga, where as there is still Jnana (knowledge), Karma (action for no reward), Bhakti (devotion) and Raja (meditation) yogas to name a few. In our culture we take advantage of opportunities like this to make money, such as we did, since yoga for money is only a 30 year old practice.

Eastern and western cultures are very different to say the least. Where we have the freedom to express our religion, no matter what it may be, they mainly believe in a similar versions of one religion. Most western religions believe in a creator god or at the very least a god, while many of the eastern religions do not believe in the existence of a creator god. The yoga we therefore practice here in the west is just a small part of a much bigger picture. To quote Mr. Mark Carlton, “Hindu’s would look at us doing yoga as an adult would look at a child playing with a toy phone.”

Sources
hafsite.org/media/pr/yoga-hindu-origins
www.xojane.com/issues/yoga-religious-culture-appropriation
wisdom from India – lecture 4- Video

——
Miranda Shelton

Fashion and Culture

In today’s modern world we tend to judge a book by its cover, so to speak. What do you think of when you see a little girl dressed in a filthy t-shirt, no shoes, and uncombed hair? You most likely are thinking that the little girl comes from a poor family with a low social class, and that her parents aren’t educated. Reverse the scenario, picture a little girl who is wearing a beautiful pink dress, white shoes, and her hair is perfectly combed. Now what are you thinking?

Culture, not just in America, but all over the world is connected through fashion. The way a person dresses and presents themselves is how we are going to perceive them. Fashion can describe so much about a person. It can tell you where a person is from, what their religion is, what social class they belong too, their education level, their profession, their personality, etc. Clothing is a way of communication and can be a way of conveying a message.

Throughout history women and men have expressed themselves through the way they dress. In today’s society, we are especially keen to fashion. We have fashion magazines, websites, models, T.V. shows, and commercials. We use fashion as a way to identify ourselves and communicate with others. How you dress every day is communicating to those around you. If you see a woman wearing a bonnet and full length dress she is communicating to the world that she is of a particular religion, certain part of the world, and that she is modest.
When you see a big feathered head dress, face paint, and eagle feathers, you are picturing a Native American chief. That is communicating to others in the tribe that he is in power and that he is important. The clothing the chief is wearing is showing you that this is his way of culture. The eagle feathers, head dress, and face paint is all communicating to the outside world his pride and his heritage.

Another example of fashion as a way of culture is Rosie the Riveter. When World War II struck and women had to take charge in the work force their clothing changed. Many of the men were outraged by women now wearing functional work shirts, jeans, and work boots, but this was the women’s way of conveying the message that they are independent and in-charge of their own lives. When Rosie the Riveter posters started spreading throughout the United States, women all over began to be influenced and conform to this way of fashion. This struck a new way in which women were expressing themselves.

Lets take Kim Kardashian for example. She is a fashion icon, who dares to try new things, and wears the most expensive clothes in the world. What message is she communicating? She is communicating a sense of wealth. Anyone who wears Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, or any high fashion brand is showing that they are from a high social class and come from a source of money.

Fashion drives back as far as the days of Adam and Eve. They were both born nude, but used fig leaves to cover themselves and convey a sense of modesty. Back then, clothing was used as a function. For example: hunters and gatherers wore clothing that was more protective and less restrictive.

Fashion and culture will always be linked together. Any message a person wants to communicate about themselves to the world can be expressed through what they wear. Clothing has been and always will be a way of self-expression. Although our culture is ever-changing you can count on fashion always being a form of communication.

Resources
https://www.notjustalabel.com/editorial/fashion-trends%E2%80%99-impact-society
http://www.articlemyriad.com/clothing-communication-culture-sociology-fashion/

Shelby Siebert

Different Food Cultures

How many different foods have you eaten from different cultures besides American foods? Mexican? Chinese? Italian? All these different food cultures and more are linking the world together. As people travel around the world, different foods are being brought in different cultures, states, and even out of the country.

As we grow and travel to other countries we eat all sorts of different foods, Mexican, Chinese, American, Italian, etc. As we sit down and eat with other people from different cultures we automatically start to question our surroundings. Our sense of taste is just as important as our sense of sight and sound. Tasting the foods of other cultures is a powerful way of exchanging ideas and traditions. The foods we eat can help transport us to different worlds, the different foods might connect us to the places we have lived in or traveled to or possibly even the rituals of past generations.

The associations that are formed between food and identity can often slip into stereotypes. The English are associated with fish and chips, Americans with hamburgers and the Italians with pizza and cheese. It is not uncommon for these stereotypes to slip together. The Germans are said to eat only pickled cabbage, and the French are said to eat only snails and frog’s legs. These different cultures of food often links particular communities to certain food smells or strange flavors.

The traveling and migrating that people have done over centuries have ensured that traditions are constantly changing, adapting, and shifting. Many of the food traditions we associate with national identities have complicated histories. Spaghetti that is so closely linked to Italy has its origins in China. In today’s world economy and all sorts of foodstuffs are traded and eaten around the world, from hamburgers in America to pizza in Germany. The patch of cultures in Britain has injected a rich diversity of foods in small towns and cities. In most places it is not hard to find Italian food or Mexican food. As food is an indicator of cultural traditions and values, it is also an indicator of how these develop and alter over time and space.

As we continue to exchange tastes, traditions and recipes in the globalized world, it brings different cultures closer each minute. Food helps us to share each other’s traditions, and to celebrate our country’s culture diversity. Besides the variety of multicultural foods, there is still evidence of racism among many people. How much do people truly accept a community just by eating their foods? Do we believe that a supermarket shelf shows that British society embraces all people from different cultures and traditions, or do they just like to try new things to eat?

Resources
http://bestbritishfood.com/learn.shtml
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/one_world/lesson_plans/index.asp?article=lessonx5

Gabriel Bird
Dr. Micheal Thompson
Sociology
October 4 2014

Cross Culture and Satellite and Internet

If I would say clogging bagpipes and kilts skirts what would come to mind? Most likely people that have an irish culture. Another example is going to Oktoberfest. One would Know that this is a german festival part of the bavarian culture. This festival has been celebrated since 1810. A handed down tradition from ancestors to ancestors. In most cases a person's culture is recognizable and is defined by the beliefs behaviors, objects and other characteristics common to the members of a particular group or society.

Learned behavior patterns and perceptions could be broke down to three layers or levels of culture. the most recognizable one would be the body of culture. This is the traditions that identifies your specific society. This could be the languages we speak in, the traditions that we do, or the beliefs that we have each one separating us from one another.

The second layer of culture is called the subculture. This is a more complex layer of identity. As people come to America they bring their own culture with them. They are very recognizable in their new society by the way they talk, dress, and other different variables that set them apart. They are categorized as African Americans mexican americans and so on, It becomes a blurred Line between their old dominant nationality and the subculture they live in. The traditions they have become intertwined and most times eventually disappear. The only thing that they would have left in common is their ancestry. They are becoming part of the cultural mainstream of the nation.

The third layer of culture is called cultural universals. This is described as learned behavior patterns that are shared by all of humanity for the most part. For an example I’m taking a trip to another country and when visiting there I notice the common traits we all share. Some of the traits we share is art, making jokes, classifying people based on marriage or kinship terms of mother, father, choosing body ornamentation having rules to regulate sexual behavior, having leadership rules to implement community decisions. Every country have the behavior of knowing what is right or wrong wanting their own privacy. The list goes on and on of the universal things we all share from culture to culture. The only difference is how each culture develop their own way to carry out or expressing them. An example would be if a crime is committed different cultures carry but the punishment in different ways. Here in America we have laws and a system to prove their guilt. While in Somalia they have no justice. Most europe countries have no juries, they have panels of judges.

Coming to America many people can lose their cultural identity and become “Americanized.” This is also known as the melting pot. Because many different ethnic groups come to America for freedom they are blended into many different cultural groups. Holding on to tradition is sacred for some, others want to fit in and adapt to the new cultural influences that they come into contact with For example a way one ethnic group may worship god may not be the same in a new country. They may have to find one close to their ethnic background and adapt their faith and worship with the new way of worship. Unless they make their own church to go to.

Culture is a very diverse distinguished part of our society. No matter if we live in other nations or people move here and bring their culture with them it’s a part of who we are. It’s a way of life that we hold on to and want to keep and pass on to our generations for years to come. It’s a small fragment of our identity. Culture is forever changing us.

Reference:
http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/society-and-culture/section1.rhtml
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/sciences/sociology/culture-and-societies/culture-and-society-defined

Lennin Olivares
Micheal Thompson
Sociology
Oct. 5, 2014

Mexican Culture

The Culture in Mexico has changed tremendously the last few decades. In the cities it has become more alike with the United States. The small areas in Mexico still play a part on defining Mexico and their culture. The population in Mexico is around 122.3 million which almost have live in the cities.

In Mexico there is no official language. The government recognized that there was 62 indigenous Amerindian languages including Aztec, Nahuatl, and the Mayan family of languages, as national languages. Around 6% of Mexico’s population does not speak Spanish, some of the Spanish words are common with other languages including English. For example, coyote, chocolate, tomato, and avocado all originated from Nahualt. I speak Spanish from that most people would hear around the United States. I always thought that there was one kind of Spanish until I did the research and came across with more than one language.

Most of the religion in Mexico is Catholic. There is also many other different religions, such as Christians, Evangelicals, Seventh-day Adventist, Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists. So many different religions but for the most part its Catholic. My religion is Christianity and same with my parents. My grandparents on my mom’s side are Catholic same way with most people I know down in Mexico where I’m from.

The clothing used in Mexico is influenced by were you tend to live. The most typical way of dressing is the same way as in the United States. In some places the men will wear the same clothing as usual but will also wear a large blanket called a sarape and boots. When I was a little boy in Mexico I always saw people wearing sarapes and boots. They almost looked Indian but my family always dressed casual like you would normally see in the United States.

Mexico is known for the Mariachi music. Mariachi originated from the southern parts of the states. The instruments that were involved were the guitar, violins, basses, five-string guitars, and trumpets. The song “La Cucaracha” is well-known. The Mariachi bands weren’t the only music. There is Corridos, Ranchera, Norteño, and Mariachi. Folks songs were called Corridos have been popular since the 19th Century. I remember when I was a little boy I always loved going out to restaurants and listening to Mariachi bands. I constantly would hear Corridos and Mariachi music. I grew up with that type of music. My dad would always have parties and would play different kinds of music like that. I enjoy having Mexican music blasting and enjoying ourselves.

The food that is eating my Mexicans is based on the income in the household. The diet of working class Mexicans includes staples such as corn or wheat tortillas, along with beans, rice, tomatoes, chili peppers and chorizo, a type of pork sausage. The diets of middle- and upper-income Mexicans are more closely related to the diet of Americans and Europeans and include a wide variety of food items prepared in wide range of foods and goods. My family I would say makes good enough income to prepare anything. There are traditional foods that we still make in our household, as a matter of fact Mexican food is basically the only food we eat in our household. When I came to college it was hard to eat just American food all the time since we always had Mexican food in our house.

My family and I have always been tradition and followed our Mexican traditions. We are Christians so we don’t follow some of the traditions because of our beliefs but we still keep original traditions that go on in Mexico. We as Mexicans really did go through a change but we are happy that we can still have some traditions.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Mexico
http://www.livescience.com/38647-mexican-culture.html

New Mexican Culture

By: Samuel Carrasco

When people think of New Mexico, they think of sunshine and desert plans. New Mexico is a large state with a rich heritage and great diversity. The land was home to several Native American tribes, and was settled by the Spanish, and later was a part of Mexico before being ceded to the United States in the 1840s. As a result there is not one culture in this large state but rather it is a place where you take in many unique aspects from the different groups that have left their mark. Native American and Mexican festivals, exhibitions and craft markets take place throughout the year, while the state is home to several cultural centers and museums with a focus on these unique ethnic groups. There are several historic ruins dating back to the time before the arrival of the Europeans including one of the most northern Aztec sites, which dates to the 12th century and includes a multistory pueblo settlement, and the Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument.

As I lived in Land of Enchantment since day one of my life. I got to experience all the different tourist attraction, For example: Albuquerque’s hot air balloons festival, The Carlsbad caverns, white sands, and etc. Also New Mexico has an important role in the United States. By it oil that it produces, or the amount of jobs that it provides.

The state's total area is 121,412 square miles (314,460 km2).The eastern border of New Mexico lies along 103° W longitude with the state of Oklahoma, and three miles (5 km) west of 103° W longitude with Texas. On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two-thirds, while the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that. The western border with Arizona runs along the 109° 03' W longitude. The southwestern corner of the state is known as the Boot heel. The 37° N latitude parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado. The States New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in the northwestern corner of New Mexico. New Mexico, although a large state, has little water. Its surface water area is abhe rich and vibrant Native American history is celebrated today in museums, ceremonial dances, arts and crafts, language, villages and the lifestyle of New Mexico’s tribes. New Mexico tribes have witnessed and experienced many changes in their long histories, but the development of modern casinos, resorts, hotels and golf courses for their visitors have greatly improved their economic status.

The tribes welcome visitors to experience their living culture: Come visit the nations that walk in two worlds. Remember that each tribe is a sovereign nation and must be treated with respect and honor.out 250 square miles (650 km2).

Resources
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Mexico
http://www.newmexico.gov/visitor/Culture_and_Art.aspx

Tung Tran

Tet Nguyen Dan

Tet Nguyen Dan is the most important festival and public holiday in Vietnam. Tet Nguyen Dan usually falls on the first new moon in the first month of the Lunar Calendar and the beginning of spring, which in the Gregorian Calendar usually is between the last week of January and the third week of February. According to Lunar Calendar and Chinese zodiac myth, Tet Nguyen Dan 2015 falls on February 19th, and it will be year of the Goat. Therefore, people who are born in 2015 base on Lunar calendar will have the zodiac sign of a Goat. Basically Tet Nguyen Dan takes place at the same time with Chinese New Year. Even though Tet Nguyen Dan has big influence from Chinese culture, Vietnamese celebrate Tet Nguyen Dan in their own unique tradition.

Tet Nguyen Dan is not only the major traditional event of the year, but also a greatest opportunity for family members and friends to get together and share love. Tet is a huge celebration lasting three days. Families save money, store food, buy new clothes, and plan far in advance for Tet. The Vietnamese take extreme care to start the New Year out right. Before New Year day, they spend whole week to clean and decorate the house, shop for all the need, and prepare foods enough for three days holiday. Because they believe that working on New Year day will result a whole year of difficulties. For that reason, they only spend three days new year with lot of food, drinking, and fun.

The marketplace is very busy the week before with a lot of small event come along such as Flower Street, firework, dragon dance, lot of shopping, and special countdown concerts. The atmosphere is very festive. The color of red and gold, symbolizing good luck and happiness is seen everywhere. At 12 o’clock of the last day of the year, every service close down, and people come home to their family, clean up and get all ready for first day of the year. Vietnamese believe that their deceased ancestors will visit the family for the holiday. Alters are decorated in the homes with incense, flowers, and photograph of deceased relatives. A tray full of fruit, coin, and a tall beautiful vase of blossoms are placed in front of the alter symbolizing good luck and prosperity. Vietnamese are religious, so they usually go to Pagoda or church to thank God for the past year, pray for a good coming year.

Tet Nguyen Dan is the time for visit from family to family, from friends to friends. Vietnamese is especially superstitious about the first visitor who step in their property. If the first visitor is rich, prestigious, and happy will promise a good fortune for the owner. Usually the first visitor is a relative, or very close friend of the family. The first day of Tet is reserved for family and relatives. The second day is set aside for special guests and close friends to visit. And the third day is for school and work associates. The third day is also a day to visit the graves of deceased relatives. Negative talk and arguments are strictly avoided. The visitors always bring smile and joy to the house. They leave with all the best wishes for the family such as “money come as a storm, and out like a turtle” or for elderly, they always say “I wish you great health and live over 100 years old”. It seems ridiculously superstitious, yet it is great tradition.

References:
http://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/time/calendar/pdf/2015e.pdf
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/story.htm

Ariana Jacquez
Mr. Thompson
Sociology

++Track, Hack, and See

In today’s world, especially in our generation there is so much technology that it is beginning to define our generation. While no other generation has seen an era with this much technology introduced to them. I remember when MySpace, walkmans, and VHS was the thing. Today if you asked kids just a couple years younger than me what those things were they would have no clue. In just a matter of years we have gone from a little technological to booming with technology and while all of this is amazing, is it all that it’s made out to be?

I could name you four major social media websites that while doing what they’re supposed to are not necessarily safe. First let’s start with Facebook, a social media website that allows you to keep in contact with old friends and meet new ones, sounds great right? Wrong, although Facebook does it’s job it allows the government to have access to your PRIVATE information. “Government agencies around the world demanded access to the information of over 38,000 Facebook users in the first half of this year.” If this statement doesn’t make you feel violated I don’t know what will. So the question goes, if the government can get information from one social website, can they get it from all of them? I say yes.

Who doesn’t have a cell phone? Who doesn’t have a smart phone? “Smartphone penetration has not only passed half of all mobile subscribers, but has gone well beyond 50% of all adult Americans for the first time.” This means that over half of the people who are subscribed to a telephone company have smart phone and while they are all great and dandy and do everything we want them to, the government easily looks them at. The government has the ability to track, hack, and see everything on your phone. They enjoy this way of search of seizure because there is no warrants involved and majority of people have no clue.

Lastly are the things that identify us in the systems such as license plates, I.D.’s, and credit cards. If the government wanted to know anything about you all they would have to do was get any of these numbers and it would pretty much tell them anything they needed to know about you including where you live, who you are, and any other information they would need to know. It is not as advanced as the technological ways that I listed above but still effective. In fact today people are beginning to learn the ways of hacking and are hacking peoples computers, phones, social networks and stealing money off of peoples credit cards.

So what is our world evolving into? Our government can hack things and steal from us but it’s against the law for a citizen to do it? Since when has it been okay for law enforcement to do a search and seizure without a warrant but still they do. This is not the example that should be set for our country or world. But if the government does it why shouldn’t everyone else?

Resources

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/aug/27/facebook-government-user-requests
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markrogowsky/2013/06/06/more-than-half-of-us-have-smartphones-giving-apple-and-google-much-to-smile-about/

Blake Mari
Dr.Thompson
Sociology

Are gun laws constitutional in the United States, according to the second amendment?

When searching “American Freedom” in a Google search engine you are presented with over 469,000,000 results. This freedom is a result of the ten articles in the American Bill of Rights that was accepted on December 15, 1791 (Nardo 9). In the Bill of Rights the second amendment states that “a well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” (Nardo 103). This amendment is now being threatened by the federal government and multiple state governments.

To understand what the second amendment means I would like to start by describing the words used in the text. The second amendment says that “a well-regulated militia” is the reason for it to be necessary for the people to bear arms. This text could mean one of two things. Gun control advocates want the text to be interpreted as militia meaning an organized entity like the National Guard. With the National Guard being created over a century after the adoption of the Bill of Right it is impossible to interpret the word militia in a way that it was meant strictly for the National Guard. Another way to look at the words is that all United States citizens are part of the reserve militia set up in the Civil War era. A good example of this interpretation was the court case Presser vs. Illinois. The amendment also says that “the right to bear arms” belongs to “the people”. Now as you can expect the gun control advocates have another way of reading this other than what the plain words read. Control advocates are pushing for the interpretation to read that “the people” really means “the states” and that “the states” have the right to own guns. This would also mean that the states would have the power to be a check and balance for the National Guard, and as most people know no states act as a militia entity over the National Guard. The text “the people” is also used in the First, Third, Fourth, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments meaning that if the text was supposed to refer to the states it would have to be changes in all the amendments it is used in (Cothran 63-66).

The Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights is not the true reason the gun rights are being presented and pushed in America. Guns have been used as an accessory to multiple violent crimes. Some examples of these crimes are the Columbine School shooting, the Aurora theatre shooting, and the Sandy Hook School shooting. These were obviously very tragic crimes, but are guns to blame for the massacres? After all who was to blame for the Boston bombing, the bomb, or the two people that made and planted the bombs. When taking a closer look into the separate shootings there is one major similarity, the people behind the guns.

The United States Constitution was made to be the ultimate law of the land and outline the laws of the United States. The interpretation of the United States Bill of Rights is intended to be read as it is wrote. This means that the Gun laws made in Colorado are unconstitutional and will be a great candidate to be appealed in the court system. The overall final decision of interpretation and laws should be determined by a judge in the United States Judicial System. If the laws did get appealed the chances are likely that history would be repeated like in the case of U.S. vs. Miller. In this case Mr. Justice James C. McReynolds ordered the second amendment to be read as the Founding Father wrote it (Cothran 64). The New laws that are being made and enforced in the United States are not constitutional and the citizens will only see more of these laws being made if nothing is done soon.

Resources
Nardo, Don. The Bill of Rights. San Diego: Greenhaven Press Inc., 1998.
Cothran, Helen, ed. Gun Control. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2003.

Ariana Jacquez
Mr. Thompson
Sociology

Smart Government, Stupid Society

In recent years the government has taken it upon themselves to watch what the public is doing through a couple different ways but the biggest two being cell phones and drones. Both are able to see anything or anyone they want and what they’re doing at all times. It gives them the ability to track and have photos of specific people or a group of people. With just these two things they are able to know almost everything needed to know about a person in return making many people feel intruded on and maybe even a bit unsafe. Drones being the more recent of the two is raising quite a bit of questions.

Drones are something that has recently come into play in the United States and some would say they are just there; it’s not a big deal, while others don’t see it as quite so normal. The real concern is are drones affecting the way people live their daily lives knowing that they’re there? Are people changing and maybe acting different, following rules? The drones are mainly used for photography and surveillance but there are a couple ways that people are trying to stay positive about these flying objects such as; competitively, photography for personal use (home improvement, or pictures from the sky).

Drones are seen as the enemy to the public but can you blame the public eye for seeing them as something negative? In the book 1984 the drone is used to catch people in the wrong and is used as a way to see every move of the society. Many people feel as if there is not type of privacy and so the question again is does knowing that there is a possibility of the government watching your every move change the way you act socially? No, but is there concern? Yes. For some its more of a privacy problem and knowing that they are being watched and feel violated but if you look at the crime rates in some of the biggest cities, it has not gone down since drones have come out. People who commit crimes do it in front of cameras all the time so what makes the government think that drones are going to stop them now? They aren’t, those who break the law will always break the law regardless. This is not the only way they track peoples lives though, the phone raises even more concern.

So the same question is raised, does being tracked through your phone change the way you act and are socially? No, they don’t people aren’t going to get rid of their amazing phones just because they are being watched but are we really using smart phones or dumb phones? Yes the phones we use are technically smart but so smart that the government can hack our cameras and see everything we are doing in our daily lives. Again, people are not going to just stop using their phones or even protest it because technology has become such a big part of today’s society but the amount of information that they can get from just our phones is unbelievable. They can access our location, which we are most in contact with, where we work, where our family works and lives. This raises many concerns because they do not have to have a warrant to find out all of this information just the simple click of a couple buttons and you don’t even know.

The fact of the matter is the government knows that when it comes to technology you’re always going to have the majority of today’s society for whatever new technology is brought to the table. Whether it invades your privacy or not and the government is always going to have a way to explain themselves because they are the government. The public is going to continue to allow these things to keep happening because they get technology, the ruler of our world.

Resources

http://nypost.com/2014/08/19/5-surprising-uses-for-your-high-flying-drone/
https://www.aclu.org/how-government-tracking-your-movements

Paige Armbruster
Dr. Thompson
Introduction to Sociology
6 October 2014

Social Control in Society

Social Control in sociology refers to the way in which people’s thoughts, feelings, appearance, and behavior is regulated in social systems. The two different types of social control are formal and informal. Formal social control tends to be carried out by people who are in power such as the government, police officers, or the principle of a school. Informal social control can be used by anyone. As we go through our actions of everyday life we use both forms of social control. We use formal social control when we pay taxes or abide by stop lights. On the other hand, we use informal social control when we give disapproving looks or verbally criticize the way others do things that are outside of social norms.

Formal social control includes written and formalized laws carried out by agencies authorized by the government. A personal example of formal social control would be receiving my first speeding ticket. I was given the ticket in an attempt to prevent me from speeding again. The police had the control to give me a ticket because I was breaking the law. Another example of formal social control would be following speed limits and stopping at stop lights. We all use this form of social control every day when we drive. We use formal social control to protect ourselves against deviant social behavior. Formal social control is much more effective due to enforced consequences like prison, probation, and fines.

Informal social control does not contain any written rules or laws and is carried out by social networks and organizations, but not the government. A personal example of informal social control would be the criticism and disapproval I receive from my parents when I hang out with friends they aren’t fond of. This is informal social control because although there is no law stating who I can and can’t be friends with, my parents feel differently about my decision to be hang out with these friends. My parents express their disapproval through looks, comments, and ridicule. Another example of informal social control is when I raise an eyebrow to the cashier with purple hair at Wal-mart. This is an example of informal social control that we all use every day. We all look at people differently who go against social norms. Any situation which cannot be handled with informal social control is subject to be handled with formal social control.

Through the different types of social control we can regulate society. Social control protects us and helps to assure us of everyday life.

Resources

http://top100opinions.com/2009/10/differences-between-formal-and-informal-social-control/
http://isleoflindentrees.blogspot.com/2011/03/formal-and-informal-social-control.html

Daniel Byrd

Minimum Wage

Minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labor. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in many jurisdictions, differences of opinion exist about the benefits and drawbacks of a minimum wage. Supporters of the minimum wage say it increases the standard of living of workers, reduces poverty, reduces inequality, and boosts morale and forces businesses to be more efficient.[1] In contrast, opponents of the minimum wage say it increases poverty, increases unemployment (and therefore lowers the desire to work), is damaging to businesses and ultimately increases poverty of workers and businesses alike.

Sometimes a minimum wage exists without a law. Custom and extra-legal pressures from governments or labor unions can produce a de facto minimum wage. So can international public opinion, by pressuring multinational companies to pay Third World workers’ wages usually found in more industrialized countries? The latter situation in Southeast Asia and Latin America was publicized in the 2000s, but it existed with companies in West Africa in the middle of the twentieth century.

Among the indicators that might be used to establish an initial minimum wage rate are ones that minimize the loss of jobs while preserving international competitiveness. Among these are general economic conditions as measured by real and nominal gross domestic product; inflation; labor supply and demand; wage levels, distribution and differentials; employment terms; productivity growth; labor costs; business operating costs; the number and trend of bankruptcies; economic freedom rankings; standards of living and the prevailing average wage rate.

In the business sector, concerns include the expected increased cost of doing business, threats to profitability, rising levels of unemployment (and subsequent higher government expenditure on welfare benefits raising tax rates), and the possible knock-on effects to the wages of more experienced workers who might already be earning the new statutory minimum wage, or slightly more. Among workers and their representatives, political consideration weigh in as labor leaders seek to win support by demanding the highest possible rate. Other concerns include purchasing power, inflation indexing and standardized working hours.

Arguments in favor for minimum wage is it increases the standard of living for the poorest and most vulnerable class in society and raises average. Increases incentives to take jobs, as opposed to other methods of transferring income to the poor that are not tied to employment (such as food subsidies for the poor or welfare payments for the unemployed). Stimulates consumption, by putting more money in the hands of low-income people who spend their entire paychecks. Hence increases circulation of money through the economy. Most of the lowest-wage jobs are in services such as cleaning, security and carework. It is difficult to outsource many of these direct service jobs to other areas or countries with lower-cost labor. Hence there is a weakness in the argument that higher wages would mean that jobs would be lost to lower-wage areas.

Arguments against minimum wage laws are as a labor market analogue of political-economic protectionism, it excludes low cost competitors from labor markets and hampers firms in reducing wage costs during trade downturns. This generates various industrial-economic inefficiencies. Reduces quantity demanded of workers, either through a reduction in the number of hours worked by individuals, or through a reduction in the number of jobs. Hurts small business more than large business.

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage
http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-minimum-wage-chart.aspx

World inequality Julian Sanchez-Pinto

Our world is full of inequalities, unequal opportunities, gender, economic and social, but today we will focus on the economic and social inequality.

In all societies, from the most primitive to the most developed, are more or less pronounced social inequalities. There are and have been strongly egalitarian societies and other high inequality and sociology has addressed reflect on the state of equality or inequality among human beings. Some of the best known classical thinkers in this field has been Rousseau, who in his Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality Among Men was one of the first to systematically study the origins, forms and consequences of social inequality. For Rousseau there are two types of inequality. Natural inequalities, based on the difference in age, skin color, health, muscle strength, mind; and political inequalities, which are man and create privileges of wealth, honor and power. And only these engender strife and war between societies and within them. And as we approach this issue from sociology, we are referring to those inequalities that produce discrimination, conflict and war.

Rich and poor countries, central and peripheral, North and South, first World and third World, used at different times in different historical contexts names, but ultimately speak of the same: some have economic power and other countries.

When analyzing the complexities of the world, it is clear that its most obvious feature is the fact that nearly two-thirds of humanity live burdened by poverty and scarcity, while the remaining minority has an increasing economic growth.

Now a day, difference between rich and poor people is growing. For example in Spain my home country always has-been rich and poor. But never in recent years the Distance between them was so great, neither the wide difference of income. The hight percentage of people without work have affect to the family income. More than 1.7 million Spanish households, according to the latest Labour Force Survey, have all members unemployed. And only 67% of those registered in employment offices receiving aid or state provision. As a result, Spain is one of the most troubling positions in statistics measuring social inequality and has become, for the first time in the country of the Twenty more distance between high and low incomes.

Me personally i has got the luck of born in developed country, in a family without economical problem, i have never miss a plate of food. But the islands where i from are very close to Africa, probably the continent more affected by the economic inequality. I normal the arrival of "illegal" immigrants canoes. 80 people in the same canoe, putting his life at risk looking for the opportunity to develop their self. Most of these people came from Senegal

This African country with 12 million inhabitants, has serious social problems, as 56% of its population is approximately in a state of poverty. Being the most affected rural populations.

Some of the causes of this reality is stagnation in agricultural production, lack of modernization and infrastructure of these areas and to support small producers, weather problems and price variability are relevant factors that directly affect the lives of people in this place.

Extra information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_inequality
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_inequality
Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWSxzjyMNpU

Heather Cleveland

Child Poverty throughout the United States

Poverty in the United States is a growing issue. But how are the children in poverty affected by what the government does for the people in poverty? How do you even distinguish who is “poor?” The government distinguishes the poor by the federal poverty line. The poverty line is based on the family income. That being said, I lived in poverty and I feel I am well on my way out of it. Just because the parents didn’t have the right job or amount of money doesn’t mean the child is not going to. Neither of my parents went to college and got any kind of degree. For me it gave me more of a reason I wanted to succeed. Growing up always needing the help or assistance from the government became embarrassing. As I got older, I realized how important the aid was. Without it, in some parts of my life, there would have been no way I would have ever gotten a meal on the table or had a roof over my head. Poverty is everywhere and the children affected by it are suffering daily.

Poverty has been an issue for many years through race, gender, education, and age. By the year 2000 “twenty-three million adults in this country (13% of America’s workforce) cannot read, write, or calculate at levels function effectively on the job” (Mitgang, 1989; Berger, 1989). With 13% of the American workforce not having the essential literacy skills makes for the amount of people in poverty to increase. This is because those who cannot read, write, or calculate at functional effective levels then the numbers of jobs are limited. If this 13% continued to increase from 2000 then the family incomes with the minimum wage jobs would have also increased. Sanders notes that “More than 75% of the workers who will be employed in the year 2000 are already employed, and the number of persons over the age of 65 is now greater than the number of teenagers in this country (Sanders, 1988). For my generation this is a great deal because of the age of retirement. As less people work the longer my generation will have too. It is becoming more common for people to retire and take a lower level job to help bring more money home other than just their social security. Since the amount of workers now is less than the older workers “there will be fewer young people for entry-level jobs, yet entry-level positions will require more training. Forty-four percent of workers in the year 2000 will be women who will be demanding equal pay and opportunities for equal jobs and promotions (Nolte, 1992). This prediction will mean that of all new positions will require a form of postsecondary education. The people that are unprepared for the jobs that are available seemed to be what is hurting our economy more than the deficit from the rich and the poor. “Other factors contributing to a concern for the nation's "human capital" include the increasing number of limited English-speaking workers and mothers with young children now entering the workforce. Further, more than a third of the future workforce will be members of non-white populations that are often unserved or poorly served by today's educational system” (Mitgang, 1989).

Increasing more by the day, poverty continues to be a huge problem in America that trickles into many different causes. From being born into poverty to not having the education or skills to get out of poverty. More and more we see youth falling below the poverty line due to these causes. This growing amount of youth poverty it is seen now that children are now being affected more by epidemics of illness and by the nonexistent opportunities they tend to encounter through life. As poverty continues to be a social norm in America, the more youth will be affected, and the more future generations will fail. Through my personal experiences in life I know how hard it is to try and become successful growing up in poverty, so personally I can testify to the affects poverty has on the youth of America.

Resources:

Berger, Joseph. (1989, October 1). Workers requiring on-the-job training. Austin American-
Statesman, D1.
Mitgang, Lee. (1989, September 25). School woes elude easy solution. Austin American-
Statesman, p. A7.
NOLTE, W. (1992). Prosperity or poverty: Working adults and community colleges. Community
College Review, 20(2), Retrieved from http://diamond.kwu.edu:2170/ehost/detail?vid=4&sid=d1e7b5eb-1774-4b0c-ad0f-ea41ef8bfa70@sessionmgr112&hid=114&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==
Sanders, Carol S. (1988). Economic development: Commitment, communication, and
coordination. Journal of
Studies in Technical Careers, 10(3), 117-124.

Production, Inequalities and Social Division
Dohar Harianja

Ghettos, Gated Neighborhoods , or Gated Ghettos

A recent trend in urban development such as Gated Communities, causes pro and contras for those living surrounding the gates. Social classes are treated and viewed differently and these prejudice are deeply embedded into making them hard to eliminate. One transparent example is the gated community feelings of insecurity and fear of robbery, assault, theft, a home intruder, children being run over, and noise pollution are all contributing factors to development of gated communities.

Gated Communities in the United States are classified into three major categories Lifestyle, Prestige, and Security Zone. The gates dividing the lifestyle communities from the rest of society, provide security and separation for the leisure activities within. These include retirement communities and golf and country club leisure developments. Second are the Prestige communities, which lack the amenities of the Lifestyle communities, but where the gates still are valued as markers of distinction and status. The Lifestyle and Prestige communities are developer-built, and primarily suburban. They range from the enclaves of the rich and famous to the subdivisions of the working class.The third category is the Security Zone. Crime and fear of outsiders are the most common motivators in the development of these gated communities. (Edward J. Blakely, Mary Gail Snyder. Fortress America: Gated Communities in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1997)

Many of those living in gated communities are police, communal services, such as education, recreation, and entertainment. These new developments create a private world that shares little with its neighbors or the larger political system. Gated communities generally have gates and fences that provide the perception of security, safety, and privacy, thus increasing property values. Resident of these private communities may let their children play more freely in their neighborhood. There is peace of mind that comes with knowing who is coming and going within the community.

Gated communities usually have resources for the residents and they pay home owner association fees.This may include a gym, pool, golf course, tennis courts, clubhouse, landscaping, and parks. All of those things are only available to those who live inside gated community.

Through the gated community has plenty to offer those who reside within, there are some negative aspects to consider.The gated community is not to deter or prevent crime but to provide the perception of security and exclusivity. Gated community could actually be more vulnerable to crime or an intruder because the security of such community, tend to focus on those entering and exiting the gate itself. Some may consider another negative of the gated community to be the rules and regulations. Too many regulations may make one feels as though like no freedom in your own home. Residents usually have to call the gate security and notify them when expecting visitors.

I know even without gated communities society would still have entitled class in, but these communities create more class segregation. If criminal minded people want to enter these communities, they can hack the gate entrance. The reason gated communities have been built is not only for security but also for a life style. The communities mostly live within the gates to create a barrier between themselves and the rest of society. The physical and social distance between poor and rich neighborhoods represents a spatial poverty trap.

Resources
http://www.asu.edu/courses/aph294/total-readings/blakely%20--%20dividedwefall.pdf
http://www.booksandideas.net/Gated-Communities-Ghettos-for-the.html

Donna Ronco
Sociology

Social Inequalities of Gender Roles in the the Workplace

According to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Census, woman earn just 77% of what men earn for the same amount of work. [National Committee on Pay Equity]. The gender wage gap in the U.S. is lower than in many other countries, the gap has barely narrowed since the mid 1990s.

Woman who have children are penalized for taking time for their children. The theory behind work place inequality is because of childbearing, maternity leave and child care hold woman back. One observation stated that woman and men work differently causing a variation of outcomes.

A relatively neglected factor is role stereotypes which underline certain expectations about gender. People are taking bigger and bigger steps towards providing more flexibility with woman have parental leave and making policies for more woman to be able to go back to work. A lot of these opportunity's are wasted by stereotyping and basis.

References:
www.discovery.com/tv-shows.curiosity/topics/examples-gender-inequaily-around-word.htm
www.theguardian.com/business/economics-blog/2013/dec/06/gender-equality-woman-stereotypes-stop-process
www.businessweek.com/articles.2014-01-30/gender-inequality-theworkplace-what-data-analytics-says

Branson Addington

How Identities are Made and Maintained

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Everyone has their own identity. What does this mean? A social identity is all the beliefs and opinions and facts about one person that makes them stand out from those around them and make that person an individual. There are many different factors that play into making an identity, and I would like to talk about how a social identity is obtained, group identities, and the effect of identities on an individual.
Firstly one must know what a social identity is before looking into how it is obtained. According to the Social Identity Theory, one’s social identity is that person’s sense of who they are based on group memberships. There is no limit on the different possible outcomes one could get when you delve into the vast number of possible memberships. These memberships could be simple things like gender or age. The more specific memberships could be religious views or political standings, for example a liberal Catholic or a conservative Baptist. These characteristics are what give us our identity.

Once we become part of a group, then we may begin what is known as the process of obtaining a group identity. A group identity is obtained when one decides that they share the same beliefs as a certain group and can consider themselves a member of that group. A person is not limited to being a member of only one group. According to Henry Tajfel and his social identity theory, there are three steps to becoming part of a group identity and then the maintenance of social identity and self-esteem. The first step or stage would be categorization. Humans naturally want to categorize everything, partly because it helps us remember things, but in this case it is done because it tells us things about the group we analyze, and gives us a picture in our minds when a group comes to our attention. The second stage is identification. Identification is the act of becoming a part of the group we wish to be a part of and then adopting the feelings that that group has, thus conforming to the norms of that group and proclaiming oneself as that group. The final stage is comparison. Comparison is the act of looking at your group and comparing it to another group. This is where self-esteem comes into play. A group will not want to be deemed inferior to another group, so that group will say things or do things to see themselves as better than the other group.

There are some things that may change our identity. Sociologists have an interesting say in the way our self-esteem is raised or lowered. Henry Tajfel, a renowned sociologist and the creator of the social identity theory, said that humans raise their self-esteem by proclaiming the greatness of one or more of their memberships or groups. For example, an American could say “America is the greatest country in the world”, or a Catholic could say “Catholicism is the only way to salvation.” This in effect makes the person believe that they are better than those around them who do not have the same belief, thus making them feel empowered. In contrast, a lowering of self-esteem would be the exact opposite of praise, saying something like “my country is not great” or “my football team is no good.”

In conclusion, a social identity is obtained by becoming a part of a group or groups. This identity makes a person conform to the norms of that group and act in the way that that group would want. There is group comparison which makes a person of a group looks to the outside and compare themselves with other groups. This can be done to raise or lower self-esteem, usually the former. There are many different things that give a person a social identity, but the fact of the matter is that most people will decide who they are by what groups they are for or against.

Resources:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html
http://www.jstor.org/stable/258189

Toby Nickell

Social Inequality in the World

The world as we know it today is messed up or even messy. Social inequality seems to have hit a peak. A great example is poverty in Africa compared to the poverty in the U.S. America has more social opportunities due to its better schooling systems, healthcare, etc. African schools have limited resources and are constantly striving to keep their doors open.

The U.S. does a descent job with trying to keep its social inequalities low. We strive to treat everyone equal. I recall hearing it many times during my first 12 years of school. School in the U.S. is funded greatly by the government. We receive lots of money especially low income families. We in America have more opportunities and making it through the educational stages in which we need to meet our jobs standards. It may be harder to pay off such loans but in the long run the rewards can be stellar. Opportunities for us are endless.

Healthcare in the US is a great boost. Americans are more likely to live a healthier and longer life then the citizens of low income non-healthcare countries. Healthcare has many benefits. Which is the the reason which we spend so much attention, time, and money on it. This is all for the hopes and dreams of the American People. This step in lower income countries will greatly benefit them and possibly help then gain more and more respect from the world leading countries in todays world.

Our educations are so broad you can become anything u want no matter your financial settings as a kid. Yes it is possible in Africa too but not quite as much of their population has the tools or neccesary elements it takes to make a stellar impact from a low income backround like all the different types of grants and help from the government in which an American child recieves.

Imagine yourself being an African child from a low income family. How would you strive to meet your goals and receive ur education in the field of study that you wish to go into? Can you eventually become the human being you want to be? If moving to a different country from Africa to lets say America. You may be looked down on just because of ur backround. People may say he/she has a low education and has not paid as much money to earn the same position as I have. The boss' here in the U.S. may not even consider hiring you because of your backround.

More and more we see this happen. The growth of the larger countries cannot be reached by the smaller ones with less economic value. What led to this. Countries have been very vain in the past. Saying what is mine is mine and excluding others from their top inventions which still happens today. Countries seem to have been left behind, little do we know these countries could really impact socialogical views around the world. These countries are the least to blame for the worlds troubles while yet we treat them so disgracfully for the fact that they are less than us. Poverty is everywhere yet we act like its nowhere. We have the resources to fix poverty and to help but we don't. For all we know the next Albert Einstein human being could come from Africa but if we don't give that child the resources he needs the chance of becoming the genius he could is shortened. This is why we must encourage our leaders to become more world equality to better brighten peoples futures and even ours.

Resources:
http://web.stanford.edu/~jbaugh/saw/Michael_Social_Inequality.html
http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/13690_Chapter3.pdf

—-
Tiffani Hapke
Dr. Thompson
Sociology
6 October 2014**

Gender inequality

Gender is seen closely related to the roles and behavior assigned to women and men based on their sexual differences. As soon as a child is born families and society begin the process of gendering. The birth of the son is celebrated, the birth of a daughter filled with pain; sons are showered with love and respect, while daughters are punished and pushed around.

When a girl falls down, her parents immediately give their hands. However, when a boy does, his parents expect he rises for himself without their help unless he is very little and weak. Despite most parents' saying that they do not want their children to behave and think in stereotypical ways, they treat their children differently based on the child's gender. Since initial gender roles are assumed during infancy and young childhood, the gender gap is developed in the child. When I think about how females are different from males, the first thing that usually comes to my mind is the biological characteristics. Women have less muscle, higher voice, more hairs and more emotion compared with men in general.

Men were seen as having evolved from hunters to family breadwinners and providers, with women as childbearing, childrearing, and domestic experts. In the workplace, occupations remain gender segregated overall, with ''women's work'' providing lower pay, fewer benefits, and less security than ''men's work,'' even if comparable in form or content. At home, women continue to shoulder the lion's share of household labor, child care, and domestic responsibility, even when employed in the paid labor force.

References
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html
http://www.harvardindependent.com/2011/12/gender-inequality-in-the-workplace-education-does-not-equal-success-1201/

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