Feedback on Exam 3
General confusion over structure and culture of ‘isms’
1.
What
kinds of race relations have existed in the U.S.? Which one do you think should
be our goal? What are some changes we need to make to attain this goal?
Patterns: genocide, segregation, assimilation,
pluralism
Genocidal
patterns = American Indians, slavery
Solutions:
1.
Education
is not a panacea.
Problems with see education as a panacea. (only works if there is an even playing field. If we have true meritocracy. Impossible in a system with class reproduction.)
§ Many of the problems in our education system are due to how we structure the financing of it. Tied to property values.
§
Problems
in the culture of education --- lack of family support among some groups.
§
Problems
in the administration of education -- biased testing: teachers don’t make these tests.
Who does? Who requires them?
How did get more minorities in college? Are “black schools” the answer?
2.
The
MTV effect; melting pot vs. a salad
bowl
3.
Need
interaction between diverse people, not just education. Example, in our neighborhoods, churches,
schools, work, etc…
4.
everyone
thinks racism is bad. “I am not a racist.’
But then they buy into the institutionalization of racism.
a.
Examples
– pizza and crime, jobs, housing and loans, CRJ, media, community, education,
etc…
b.
People
against Affirmative action/qoutas
i.
If
blacks don’t get as good jobs as whites it is because they didn’t do well in
school. And since they had an equal opportunity to do well in school, their
lower social status is their own fault. We should not have to do anything about
it collectively.
2.
What gender pattern did the clips on sexism in the
business world (employers, car dealers, golf courses), marriage and family
(divorce), and health care (cancer) depict?
Sexism hurst as all (as does any other ism)
Jobs – most qualified not getting jobs
Child custody = sexism. “mother knows best.”
Health research favors men’s illnesses
3.
How do homophobia and heterosexism differ? How
pervasive is heterosexism? Provide examples to make your points.
From a psychological perspective, homophobic men
are afraid of their own sexuality.
§
Internalized homophobia
§
How is this data collected?
§
Problems with this approach – individualized
explanation, no social causes, so we don’t have to take responsibility for it,
don’t have to change our behavior
§
Same problem with biological/psychological
explanations of homosexuality
From a sociological perspective, homophobic men
are:
§
insecure about their masculinity
§
failing at presentation of self
§
distorted looking glass self
Homophobia is a pathology, a a psychological disorder; but understandable considering that we encourage (almost require) people to be heterosexist. This is why there is so much internalized homophobia among homosexuals.
Institutionalized Heterosexism;
§
we practice
a generalized “Don’t ask, don’t tell policy.”
§
Media
§
Boy scouts
§
Sports
§
Marriage and family
§
Housing
§
Work
§
Religion
§
Military
§
Culture
§
Health care
Myth: most
gay men are feminine. And are very
different from straight men
4.
Taking a conflict theory perspective, identify some
of the inequalities of our institution of marriage and family? Provide
examples.
Most people focused on gender relations in marriage
and family – women doing more work, taking a seat behind men, etc. and men
expecting this and women wanting to do it.
Child care, domestic work, mental health
Example:
what happens in families where the woman makes more money than the man?
But there are other problems:
Property and inheritance; reproduction of class
inequality
Endogamy; reproduction of race inequality
Violence; against women and children
Divorce; difficulty of getting one
Single parents
Bonus (10 points): Taking a functionalist
perspective, what are some of the functions of our institution of education?
Provide examples.
Functions include:
Education
Socialization
Day care
Post pone marriage and family
Postpone labor market entry
Prevents crime