A Functionalist Perspective On Prison Sociology Essay

A Functionalist Perspective On Prison Sociology Essay Choose a social institution (i.e. family, education, religion, prison, economy, mass media) and explain it using the three major sociological perspectives: Functionalist Perspective Conflict Perspective Interactionist Perspective Sociological Perspectives 3 Abstract The social institution that I chose is prison; I chose the prison system because I wanted to see how prisoners are seen by society and why according to these three major perspectives. Functionalist Perspective – Functionalists such as Charles Darwin and Emile Durkheim view society as a system of highly interrelated structures or parts that operate harmoniously. (Tischler, pg. 21) The functionalist, interactionists they more so are subjective to the aspects of social life, instead of the objective structural aspects of social systems. The interactionists, is shifted away from stable norms and values, and toward continually readjusting the social process. Conflict theorists, on the other hand, such as Karl Marx and David Hume, view society as constantly changing in response to social inequality and social conflict. (Tischler, pg. 21) Sociological Perspectives 4 Crime-Functionalist Theory Functionalists believe that crime and deviance are inevitable and necessary for a society. Crime shows other member of the society what is right and wrong. Social consensus decides how right and wrong is determined. Crime can lead to social change, say the functionalists, because the existence of crime proves to the people in society that the government does not overly control the citizens. Crime can also help the economy of a society by creating jobs for law enforcement officers, psychiatrists, probation officers and the like. Even in the functionalist society, too much crime can be bad for the group, causing it to lose the standard harmony and eventually causing the society to collapse. (www.criminology.fsu.edu) Crime-Conflict Theory How conflict theorists see crime, and the laws governing them, are products of a struggle for power and control. According to the conflict theorist, a select few powerful individuals and groups make the laws, and those laws are enforced to outlaw any behavior that threatens their interests. The poor and powerless are much more likely to be arrested and convicted for serious crimes such as rape and murder, than the more powerful and wealthy. The crime rate among the poor is very high because of a lack of opportunities that were meant to improve the economical status and living conditions. The poor also lack education, skills, and a strong support system that is necessary for individuals to become productive, valued members of society (www.unc.edu).) Sociological Perspectives 5 Symbolic Interactionist Theory Sociology has another theory that could also explain race relations according to dominant and subordinate groups like whites and blacks in America is the Symbolic Interactionist theory. This theory focuses on how we â€Å"learn conceptions and meanings of racial and ethnic distinctions through interactions with others and how meanings, labels, and definitions affect racial and ethnic groups† (Mooney 176). One example the author uses is simply the difference in terms that use the word white and black and the difference in the connotations of these terms. For example, typically words that contain the word black are negative, such as blacklist, blackball, and black sheep. Studies clearly still demonstrate that whites are seen as more intelligent, harder working and more self-supporting than blacks. This labeling helps lead to the very thoughts we have about minorities, which in turn helps perpetuate their subordinate place in society.

A Christmas Carol by Chales Dickens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Christmas Carol by Chales Dickens - Essay Example The problems included poverty, overwork and insanitary housing which were faced by the middle class, affecting their bodily and spiritual health. In A Christmas Carol, the family was however happy and contented with one another, looking happier in the partying mood. Scrooge on his part kept a close eye on the last of the children, Tiny Tim (Charles 2012). The rise of masses in this period benefited the actual masses as a result of working together and uniting in fighting their problems. Their moral and religious union was maintained. For instance, in the story A Christmas Carol, Cratchit’s family is portrayed as one buried in poverty. They were poorly dressed in scanty clothes and leaking shoes. Like in the Cratchit’s family, Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast, is predicted as a character liked by the others. They tend to celebrate him, and continue feasting on this Christmas day despite their problems. However, Mr. Scrooge is portrayed as the Ogre of the family, who se name threatens everyone in the party. Leisure and sport were other phenomena that characterized this period. The two represented cultural products of a changed and hierarchical society. Leisure was appreciated as an activity which allowed people to enjoy their lifestyles, giving them the freedom from the politics of the time. For instance, the situation of poverty and sufferings did not deter Cratchit family from loving each other and embracing the happy moments, such as that of Christmas. In conclusion, it can be seen that problems and suffering should not be a limit to people’s joy and merry-making. The Cratchit family is such a family beating all odds to make a happy moment for all. They have forgotten all their sufferings and engaged in leisure and feasting. The citizens as represented by the Cratchit family were full of love, affection and social warmth for each other. The values formed the basis for demand for greater human selflessness. Their

International Economics, Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Economics, - Essay Example The success of RTA is mainly due to low trade barriers with all global partners. This means the most positive impact will be gained from free trade as researches show that least amount of tariff or no tariff is most advantageous for a regional trading agreement to become successful. Custom union, common market and economic union, all impose a certain amount of tariff on the goods. This greatly affects the amount of goods to be traded as an economist said: ‘the successful expansion of trade among the members of a regional trade agreement tends to be associated with increasing extra regional imports as a share of GDP and with the growth of world trade.’, and extra regional imports will only be increased if there will be no or minimal tariff. Economic unions and custom unions are only beneficial for international trade and can only produce positive results if implemented in conjunction especially in case of EU, and this what happened in 1990’s. Trade can only be flourished if the country undertakes international trade and involves in exchanging goods and services from different countries around the globe. International trade means starting trading of goods with foreign countries which means foreign exchange pouring in the country, leading to more GDP and resulting in more finance for the industries to make exportable goods. As exports will increase due to more exportable stock, trade will be flourished. International trade improves the relations between two or more countries. Improving relations means more chances of your own good to be sold in their markets, thus fostering trade (Nayan et al, 2010). International trade increases the productivity of a country; more production takes place leading to more people getting employed in the country, and therefore with more share in the GDP, there will be more growth in the world of trade.