Sociology theories in the contemporary society
Introduction
Looking into sociology, many theories have been developed by different authors all aiming at delivering some information about the society. Theories were developed mostly in attempt to explain certain social phenomena that is alive even today or existed for some time in the past but is still relevant in the contemporary society.
One of the theories that create impact from in this book is structural functionalism which has changed its name to structuralism though maintains a lot of the original content with minimal alteration. In this theory, sociologists argue that the different constituent cultures in a complex society act as organs of one whole body, the society. This theory elaborates more about social diversity and illustrates why diversity has been embraced in the contemporary society. It also explains what has led to development of complex cultures and societies which are more accommodative to some social norms than the individual specific cultures in the society would accommodate. The theory emphasizes more on working together as one unit in solidarity and unity making our societies the best without any division among ourselves according to races or any other form of division criteria.
Articles reviewed
The first article I have chosen was written in 5th November 2012 by Kelsey Sheehy in one of the US newspapers on high school articles’ column. The title of the article is ‘what high teachers wish parents asked during conferences’.
Looking into this article deeply, it mainly explains some of the society problems affecting the whole society yet are ignored or not even noticed. The main argument lies in the lack of parental guidance and close monitoring of schooling habits of their high school teenagers.
The process of ensuring education is availed to all children appears to be everybody’s responsibility. This social responsibility is what makes all the people and the society to work hand in hand to ensure that children get elementary education at all costs. After acquisition of elementary education, the society breaks the ties present in provision of elementary education making some teenagers lack high school education. This is the reason why this article was written preferably by a teacher as an eye opener that the children are still a societal responsibility for the whole society to take care of specifically the parents.
In the example given on advice, it is clear that the society should work together (teachers, parents, children and other stakeholders in the society and not education sector alone) to ensure that the learners acquire what is necessary. This communal solidarity in solving this problem is a direct example of the structural functionalism theory in sociology. The article concludes by urging parents to join hands with the teachers in advising and guiding these learners on top of ensuring that they acquire their high school education. This is in contrast to some of the contemporary issues that take high school scholars as adults who can act out of their own clear consciences.
Closely related to this article is a similar article written by Rebekah Metzler, a political analyst and writer on 6th November 2012. This article explains on how the structure of the American leadership has developed over time and the opinion of the American people and society as a whole. This article further explains that the only people to decide the fate of president Obama are the citizens in general not people from a certain particular tribe, race or region. This is well exemplified in the title that all has been left in the hands of the American society in general not a person or region.
Quoting some of the campaigns speeches, these aspirants appear to realize the need for solidarity and working together as a single unit even if the people are from different social backgrounds and statuses. The aspirants urge the American people to work as a unit and elect a leader who will be a leader to all and this appears to be in close connection to the idea of structural functionalism theory.
The articles in general are written from a solidarity perspective. Solidarity forms one of the basic pillars of a complex society. This is because a complex society encompasses people from all walks of life regardless of their origin, skin color or even race. The statement ‘ all is left in the hands of the American public to decide the fate of the presidential candidates’ show that the American society has to act as one whole body thus the president will have to be elected by all the people regardless of their race, skin color or political party. The people are to unite in support of their presidential candidate choice and however wins will be the leader to one nation not his political party.
The other aspect of these ideas that makes them to be under the structuralism theory is the general acceptance that a certain universal law has to be followed. This is what makes the teachers to plead with the parents to help in guiding the teenager high school scholars and the presidential aspirants pleading with the American public to gain acceptance. This makes the articles under consideration very appropriate examples of structuralism in the modern society.
Structural functionalism theory
This theory in sociology is viewed as a framework that describes societies as complex units in social sphere with other smaller units which work together to promote social stability and solidarity. The main components of this theory are from both the social structure and social functions. The theory mainly involves norms, customs, traditions and institution.
Looking at the theory of structural functionalism in detail, this theory was developed by early American sociologists who approached cultural diversity from a positive aspect. This makes the theory to fall under the category of positivism theories of sociology and always argue in favor of diversity.
This theory also appears to borrow a lot of ideas from social solidarity. This means that the theory mainly deals with uniting the different cultures and peoples with an aim of promoting peaceful coexistence. This for this reason, this theory can be claimed to be a theory of the people who are from different backgrounds (Allan, 2010).
Elaborating more on the idea of positivism, this theory fully supports positivism. This is mainly exhibited by the way the theory treats certain aspects in the society. It tries to bring unison among the people and consider all of them.
A good example in current life and organization is the American congress. In the American history, this is the congress that has embraced cultural diversity most. This is because it contains virtually all types of religion and tribes or races. To begin with, the president is a black American who believes that America is a land where every citizen has equal rights and responsibility. His advisors are not all whites, gents of Christians as it would be the case in some situations. This makes his whole government a good example of a structurally diversified society that abides to structural functionalism.
Looking at other aspects of this theory, it does not strictly adhere to a code of conduct from one tribe or race. This is due to the fact that by following or enforcing abidance to a certain code creates a sort of discrimination which should not be the case. As a result, the people can do everything except what is prohibited by all the codes of conduct in the society.
Evolution of society. This theory is the main basis upon which the whole theory of functionalism is developed. This theory revolves around how the modern society came to be what it is today. As a result, this theory is said to have been developed by Spenser Herbert in the late 19th century. This idea tries to explain the acceptance that the people have gained for cultural diversity. Another aspect closely wound to this aspect is the specialization and division of labor. The society evolved to accommodate different cultures and traditions and as a result the people developed some modes of having specialized works for some people and divide the available labor among them (Allan, 2010).
Capitalism idea. This idea was initially borrowed from Karl Max, the person who began the Marxism movement. From the very beginning, Marxism called for socialism and not capitalism. The main advantage of socialism and contribution towards sociology is the communal ownership of public entities. This created solidarity among the people as they took care of their communal property. Capitalism on the other side called for private property ownership. This came on some conditions which were borrowed from socialism. As a result, capitalism supported structural functionalism forming the main basis of the industrial model of a society. Socialism caused militalia based society which proved ineffective due to lack of personal effort recognition.
Action theory by Parsons. Though this might sound a different theory all together, it appears to draw most of its contents from the functionalist theory. This is mainly because the theory argues that the main determinants of the society were individual actions. These action were however to be generally accepted as though they were a universal law. So as achieve these actions, the theory had to borrow the idea of accommodation of different norms from structural functionalism which was developed quite some time before it.
Challenges in gender and race. This is described more like a theory but in actual sense it is a part of the larger functionalism theory. This idea supports inclusion of all people in the society and recognizing their individual contributions towards the community without taking into account their gender or origin. This was done so as to enhance diversity and promote peace among different people. This idea also brings forward the need to involve women in almost all aspects of the economy thus creating an equal opportunity for all in the society.
Mind, person and society. This idea supports the general idea that every person has independent mode of reason but all the reasoning is governed by some norms and universal laws. These laws crop from the individual cultures but gain overall acceptance in the society. Every member of that society adheres to these rules but is restricted in one way or another from straying away.
These theories come in handy to support the idea that we have today in the society. A society where every person is judged by a universal law, equal treatment and recognition regardless of gender, race or age and equal opportunity allocation. This idea is the very heart of structural functionalism theory (Allan, 2010).
In the mid 20th century, this theory faced some challenges and great criticism and in the end became restructured into structuralism. Under the new name, it seeks to establish a society that is not dependent on the functions of the society but a law that shapes the structure of the society. Under this new theory, all the aspects of functionalism are present but only some more restrictions installed to enhance code of conduct (Allan, 2010).
Relationship between structuralism and the articles
Keenly analyzing these articles and the theory, there exists a great deal of relationship between the two. This has resulted in a very recent illustration of a social theory in describing a contemporary society so as to fully understand it without necessarily having to consider the past. Some of the direct relations include:
Complex society being comprised of people from different origins. This pillar of the theory is illustrated in the first article when the teachers request parents to join hands in helping the teenagers. This plea is a direct illustration of how functionalism is still relevant today. Still from the same article, teachers and parents are not from the same race or any other same group in the society thus by making a public plea to the parents regardless of their skin color or location to chip in enhancing education clearly illustrates the idea of structural functionalism. From the second article, the presidential aspirants’ campaign across the whole country without considering any voting bloc demographics whether the area is inhabited by democrats or republicans. This is a clear indication that the complex society works as a unit with the individual people playing the role of organs.
Words from the leaders. Communication in the two articles is not in any way restricted to only one group of people in the society. This is exhibited in the articles in the following manner. From the first article, the teachers do not selectively refer to high school parents. They generally call upon the parents in general to come to the aid of the teachers in helping high school learners. This shows that any parent can be involved making the whole process societal and not secluded to a certain group of the society. Looking into the presidential aspirants’ article, the aspirants address the whole country and not the individual states they come from. In fact, these people appear to have more consideration of other areas than their states of origin. This gives them some idea of being people of the whole nation and not a single state.
Information content of the articles. The main information content is not addressed to any specific person or audience instead it is addressed to the whole nation at large. The articles on teachers’ plea to parents does not address parents from one area of United States only but requests parents from the whole country to chip in. the American society is also not the only recipient to this information thus the wider society is served as well. This makes the American society a whole ‘body’ in its internal affairs but an organ in the body of the whole world society. This is also illustrated in the second article where the aspirants rely on the general public, whether democrats or republicans to gain power. After being chosen, the leader will join another group of leaders thus an organ in the world leadership.
The last though not a very direct observation is the solidarity aspect in the two articles. In the first articles, only one teacher speaks on the behalf of all other teachers with authority probably from the other teachers. This shows solidarity among the teachers. In confining with the parents to chip in the education and guidance, the teachers demonstrate a great deal of confidence in the parents brought about by the solidarity in the whole society. From the second article, the presidential aspirants have great confidence in their supporters. As a form of solidarity, each of the aspirants has made promises to the whole nation. This shows that there exists solidarity between the whole nation and the presidential aspirants on this issue of leadership.
Conclusion
Looking closely at sociological theories in practice today, a lot can be learnt. These theories are just but frameworks used to demonstrate a certain social phenomenon. Looking into the contemporary societies, these theories do exist and if closely looked into, a lot can be deduced.
The text given gives a detailed evolution of a society beginning with the ancient societies which were based on races and cultural groups. It explains the origin of each and every theory and illustrates how it is relevant and in existence in the current world.
Another aspect clearly addressed by the book is discrimination. This is featured in an article on racial and gender discrimination and elaborates on the consequences of this practice. Among the featured consequences is a reduced rate of civilization and over dependence. This results in under exploitation of resources and great social division.
Lastly, I would recommend this book for sociology learners who would like to know how to observe and discover any social theory being applied in a certain society. This is mainly because the book focuses on the different aspects of the society and not only one aspect.
Reference
Allan K. 2010. The social lens: An invitation to social and sociological theory. Pine Forge, 2nd edition
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/11/06/.
What High School Teachers Wish Parents Asked at Conferences
By Kelsey Sheehy
November 5, 2012 RSS Feed Print
Asking the right questions can help parents and teachers get the most out of conferences.
Parent-teacher conferences give parents some much-needed face time with their teen's teacher, but many parents don't take advantage of the opportunity.
"Parents need to be just as involved in teacher conferences, if not more, at the high school level as they are during the elementary years," says Rebecca Thiegs, a language arts teacher at Red Lion Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania. "The sad reality is showing us that it's the opposite in many public schools."
As high school students inch closer and closer to college, parents can help ensure their student is on the right path by participating in teacher conferences. If a student is headed in the wrong direction, teachers can use the time to advise parents on how to help their teen change course.
While showing up at parent-teacher conferences is an important first step, asking the right questions will help both parties have a productive meeting. Here are some questions teachers say they wish parents would ask:
1. Is my student giving his or her best effort?
Conferences are typically a time for teachers to walk parents through their student's grades, progress, and areas for growth. But grades don't always tell the full story.
[Get three tips to decide if your teen needs tutoring.]
A bright teen could pull off acceptable grades with minimal effort, but teachers can often tell if a student is phoning it in. If this is the case, parents and teachers can work together to help the student work up to their potential.
2. What could my teen do that he or she is not already doing?
Almost every student has room for improvement, and in an increasingly competitive college admissions landscape, each grade or activity could count.
Whether it's taking advantage of internship or extra credit opportunities, filling out college applications, or simply turning assignments in on time, teachers can tell parents what their student needs to do to take his or her academic performance to the next level.
3. What can I do to make your job easier?
Parents and teachers should be on the same team—the student's team.
By investing time at home to ensure homework is done and teaching the teen to take ownership of his or her schoolwork, parents can help teachers do their job more effectively, says Kirk Mango, a health and physical education teacher at Downers Grove South High School in Illinois.
"Place the responsibility for 'doing well' and turning in work on time right on the person who has the most control over making that happen—the student themselves," Mango said via E-mail.
[Learn why students perform better with engaged parents.]
4. How are you doing?
Teaching can be a thankless task. Many teachers are managing dozens of students on a daily basis, and take on responsibilities that extend far beyond classroom instruction.
"I'm a teacher, a psychologist, a security guard, a babysitter, a bank, a chef, and countless other jobs. And it's not like I'm doing it all for one child; no, I'm doing it for 70," says Vin Testa, a math teacher at Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C.
While the conference is about your student, Testa and several other teachers put this question near the top of their wish list.
"I want parents to realize what we're doing and how we're doing through it all, so that we can work together to provide the best education for their children," Testa says.
Obama, Romney Have Made Their Case, the Rest Is Up to Voters
It's been an up and down presidential race that's remained remarkably close until the end
By Rebekah Metzler
November 6, 2012 RSS Feed Print
Early voters fill out their ballots in the presidential election at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center in Miami, Fla.
After a hectic campaign season that's focused on the serious (unemployment) and the frivolous (Big Bird and bayonets) the two top presidential contenders are still dead-locked in polling. But the American voters will soon render their verdict on whether or not President Barack Obama deserves more time to fulfill the promises he has made, or if a better course is to turn the keys over to businessman and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
[READ: Where They Stand: the Final Polls of the 2012 Election]
Obama is trying to do the unprecedented—win re-election with the unemployment rate of 7.9 percent, a feat no one has accomplished before. President Ronald Reagan, one of the most hailed GOP heroes, won when the rate was 7.2 percent, but his predecessor, Democrat Jimmy Carter, and successor, Republican George Bush, lost their re-election bids with higher rates.
The American public may care about an array of issues, but in a down economy, things like a candidate's stance on environmental issues, education, or abortion rights tend to take a backseat in the voting booth.
The case Obama has made is that the economy was in a much deeper spiral than anyone realized (shedding nearly 800,000 jobs a month at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009) when he took office and that the recovery has taken longer as a result. He argues that by raising taxes on the most wealthy and cutting government spending elsewhere, he can reduce the country's record debt and grow the middle class.
[READ: Top 10 Election Game-Changers - Or Not]
Throughout the campaign, Obama has spoken of "giving everyone a fair shot" and making sure everyone "plays by the same rules" in order to restore the economy, which he says failed because of an unregulated Wall Street and tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. He's defended his moves to pass financial regulation reform and a sweeping healthcare law that will require all Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a fine beginning in 2014. Obama says the law will help lower the skyrocketing costs of health plan premiums and the overall cost of care, but it's a case that voters are skeptical about.
Romney has run a campaign based on his business experience and by projecting the image of a reassuring hand on the tiller. He argues Obama chose to pursue long-held liberal plans for things like healthcare reform and raising taxes on the wealthy instead of focusing solely on the economy. Romney also has been making the case that Obama is simply out of his depth as president.
A better course for the country is to repeal the signature health law, which ironically was based on a similar plan Romney passed as governor, repeal parts of the financial regulation reform package, and cut back federal spending in nearly every sector except defense. Romney also has plans to cutting taxes across the board in hopes of spurring economic growth.
[GALLERY: Early Voters Cast Ballots]
Since Romney was chosen as the GOP nominee, he and running mate Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin have held largely even with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, though the Democrats edged ahead following their nominating convention and when some disparaging remarks Romney made about Americans who don't pay income taxes were made public.
But Romney rebounded with an exceptional debate performance and the two have been virtually tied in national polling since. However, it's the state polls that matter now, as Romney and Obama battle for the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to secure the White House. And it's there—specifically in Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Hampshire—where it appears Obama may have an edge. His slight advantage in those swing states may prove too much for Romney to overcome, even if he runs the table in the other battlegrounds of Florida, Virginia, and Colorado.
In one of the great traditions of American politics, the final outcome will only be determined when the voters head to the polls—no matter how loudly cables news talking heads scream or how many campaign advertisements run.
