Contemporary Social Structures Essay Example for Free

Contemporary Social Structures Essay Define and explain the concept ‘Contemporary Social structures’ and the role of such structures and the role of such structures in regulating life and beliefs. Structures are both the medium and the outcome of the practices which constitutes social systems- Anthony Giddens (1938) in simpler terms people shape structure, but structure determines what people do. Contemporary Social structures are restraints that affect the lives all members of society. Whether we are aware of it or not, we live in societies that consist of social structures, every society has its own set of social structures such as religion, class, gender and ethnicity. We also have the social structures that interlink such as the educational political social structure as public schools, colleges and universities depend on the government for their funds. social structures are embodied in our everyday actions, thoughts and beliefs as human beings, there are effective in controlling as well as organizing the behaviour of an individual or individuals as the main purpose of a social structure is to maintain a co-operative regime for all members of society, however there are consequences for certain groups in society. Every society has its own set of contemporary social constructions for an example class; gender and ethnicity are all constraints that all societies experience. An example of a social structure is class, a class structure is found in most if not all societies, it is one of the main sources of economic inequality, certain individuals would identify there being to classes in society: the Bourgeoisie who own all the means of production and the Proletariat who are exploited by the Bourgeoisie. As mentioned above Gender is also a constraint when regarding social structures, the term ‘gender roles’ has been commonly used to describe the prescribed roles of a male and female in society. In the past females have struggled to be accepted in to the workforce, even though this has changed dramatically during recent years equal opportunities are not the same for men and women due to the social structures and the way they regulate our life and beliefs, for an example a man is given 6 weeks maternal leave as society believes it is the males role to the ‘breadwinner’ while the female receives a years maternal leave as she is seen as the ‘homemaker’ that stays home taking responsibility for the children and all the homely duties. Although this may not apply to all societies some would describe Ethnicity as playing a part on what we as individuals can achieve in life by affecting our positions in the labour market. A social structure is formed by the distribution of wealth, power and prestige. They consists of beliefs about the world and both compel and regulate our actions, as mentioned previously religion , gender and ethnicity are social structures, they are all created within society itself , each and every group share common attitudes , views, values, social norms, lifestyle and in some cases material goods. Individuals in society stay within the prescribed guidelines of the social structures they were born and socialised into, that refers to being rich or poor, male or female or being young middle aged and old. Class structure determines our life chances and is the basic structure for all modern societies. According to McGregor (1989) class is the main cause of inequality. He explains that different clas s groups begin their lives with unequal opportunities which effects the type of education an individual will receive , the social connections an individual will make and the way that individual will speak ad behave. He also argues that the class that an individual belongs to is determined by various factors such as power, family background, wealth, lifestyle, mannerisms, social interactions, and employment; he also describes class as being separated in to three different groups which are the upper class, middle class and lower class. Abercrombie (2000), states that the upper-class is distinguished from others, by their wealth and power. In contrast to the other classes the upper class only consists of a few people, the individuals included in this group are employers who own large amounts of land and others who are self-employed, have careers as managers or professionals. Wealth is distributed among the wealth in many ways such as inheritance, with wealth individuals are given the opportunity to live the life they will lead. The educational system reinforces many inequalities insuring that those of the highest class have access to better opportunities and better chances of reaching success. Memb ers of the upper class attend private school together. From sharing educational experiences the upper class learn how to interact with each other; form long lasting relationships with each other which gives them an advantage, a series of events are created meaning that when their children go to private school their lives will follow the same path. From these important contacts the upper class make simply by going to school they have formed very powerful contacts who have the potential to enhance their career prospects and greater opportunities of success in which ever career they wish to pursue. In most societies there is a clear division of labour between men and woman and in general women are always in the inferior position. Gender plays a role in the way we are treated by other members of society. We are also taught to behave in certain ways depending on whether we are male or female. Males are typically expected to feel, think and behave in a ‘masculine way’ and females in a ‘feminine’ way. Some examples of this are girls playing with dolls, preparing for when they will be mothers and boys playing with action figures, learning the male traits such as aggression and dominance. In some societies a woman is born into a certain social structure that includes a life of housework, cooking and child rearing. Women are less likely to be offered positions in the labour market in comparison to men and are unable to attain positions of power with a high income such as men do. Women are employment but in some cases will still earn a lower income than the male dominated position. Conclusion: As explained in the essay, social structures are restraints that affect that will affect all members of society. Class is a basic contributing factor of all social structures to the unequal economy and affects the life of all members of society. Those who are at the top of the economy ladder come from wealthy family backgrounds. These people benefit in many ways such as promotional opportunities and job security. Migrants with non-English speaking backgrounds have difficulty in finding quality employment however its far more difficult for the women in this group, As gender is a factor in employment opportunities, women who are from an ethnic group of the minority have the least opportunity in the labour market, the limited education and training, poor health and nutrition, lack of freedom and denied access to resources are all factors that reduce the quality of life and hinder economic efficiency and growth for women, people of diverse ethnic groups and people with poor family backgrounds. Social structures unquestionably have an impact on our lives and depending on the circumstances the impact for some is usually one that is undesirable. Society cannot be blamed for the social structures that it has created, it is a gradual process, it has taken many years to create these constraints and it will take many more to break them down. References /Bibliography Fulcher,C . J.,Scott, 2007, Sociology,3RD ed, Oxford Abercrombie, N., 2000, The Penguin Dictionary of Sociology, 4TH ed, Penguin Books, London McGregor, C., 1989, `Class, in Four Dimensional Social Space, Jatenburg P.DAlton, Harper Row, Sydney Webb,W. Westergaard,H. Trobe.K Steele.L ,2008,AS SOCIOLOGY,2ND ed,Napier Press,Brentwood

Equal Partnership Rights for America :: Gay Marriage Essays

Equal Partnership Rights for America The president has often indicated that he would support a constitutional amendment against gay marriages. The Supreme Court has not yet seen a case dealing with marriage rights of homosexuals, and therefore the constitutionality of laws banning gay marriage have not yet come into question. Homosexuals would argue that they are seeking marriage rights equal with that of heterosexual marriage under the eyes of the law. Some people feel very strongly about this issue and see support for gay marriage as a governmental intrusion on a religious practice. Others see no correlation between mandates on marriages and religious freedoms. All opinions aside, this is an issue that the public simply isn’t very well informed about because there are other issues that have been seen as much more important, because they affect a greater amount of people. Despite other issues being in the public’s attention, the problems aroused by the prospect of gay marriage will soon make their presence known. The forefathers of our country inserted a clause into the Constitution known as the â€Å"full faith and credit† clause. Said clause (Article IV, Section 1, United States Constitution) insures that â€Å"full faith and credit† be given to the laws and judicial proceedings of all the states by all other states. That is, if a contract is signed in Arizona, one cannot simply move to Texas and the contract become null and void. The reason this clause can be a problem for those opposed to gay marriages is that some states are pushing to legalize or have legalized same-sex marriages or civil unions. The reason the national government cannot simply declare gay marriage illegal and thereby prevent the states from legalizing it is: 1. No authority is given to the national government (legislative branch) to make such a law; and 2. The legislation would likely not pass in the house and the senate. If any state were to pass a law declaring same-sex marriage legal in that state, all other states would have to recognize the legality of that contract and the rights that went along with it. So thousands of homosexuals would flock to that state (be it Hawaii, or Vermont) to be married, then be legally married everywhere in the United States.

Jack Ryan and Palisades Produce Essay

The workplace is littered with ethical dilemmas no matter where you work. For Pacific Trust the primary ethical issues that need attention are Jack Ryan’s negligent behavior toward his work with the Palisades Produce contract. His negligence caused him to be faced with lying to his superior or taking responsibility for his mistakes. The necessity for a course of action to help Jack comes partly from the underlying issue of Stephen Wood’s misconduct within the Middle-market Group. Jack Ryan had been closely working with Palisades Produce for over a year and in his excitement over finally landing them as a client, Jack did not closely read over the stipulations in the contract set forth by Gretchen Marks, Senior Banker in Risk Management. These stipulations were that Jack would obtain monthly Borrowing base reports from Palisades Produce. The Borrowing base reports show the bank how much collateral a company has to cover how much they are requesting to borrow from the bank. Without these reports, a bank could lend out money to companies that could not pay it back. Jack’s first step was to inform his boss, Stephen Wood, of the mistake he made. The response from Wood was for Jack to lie to Gretchen Marks by obtaining and submitting Borrowing base reports of the last four months at the current time as if Jack had always had them. This is clearly an unethical and unwise course of action for anyone to do. Since Jack has not seen the Borrowing base reports, he does not know if Palisades Produce has any flaws in their records or insufficient collateral. Such flaws would cause Pacific Trust to get into trouble by lending out money they could not get back. After leaving Wood’s office, Jack should have reported to Gretchen Marks to inform her about his mistake in not obtaining the Borrowing base reports. If Jack decides to follow the advice of Stephen Wood in order to maybe save his job, then he will most likely lose his job along with Stephen Wood. Covering up a mistake made in the business world can have dire consequences for any parties involved. The Borrowing base reports could be flawless; however, if there is an inconsistency at all with the reports, Gretchen Marks will inquire as to why Jack never brought such inconsistencies to her attention in the month they arose. This would immediately indicate that Jack had lied about when he obtained the Borrowing base reports, putting Pacific Trust and himself in a bad situation. Pacific Trust could not only fire but also sue Jack for his negligence if it did cause harm to the bank. In this case Palisades Produce would most likely leave Pacific Trust since Jack, the person responsible for courting the company, would no longer be with the bank. This course of action is definitely risky for Jack Ryan; he may lose his job either way. However, this is the only course of action likely to allow Jack to keep his job. Gretchen Marks could respect the honesty and responsibility of Jack and help him with the reports, allowing him to keep his job. The person partially responsible for Jacks ethically dilemma is Stephen Wood. Wood has been known to behave inappropriately in the workplace. Wood plays favorites and helps only those employees who do things his way. His use of derogatory language toward female employees on top of his temper issues should have been reported to a higher-up already. The attitude displayed by Wood shows that he is willing to make unethical decisions and having someone like this in your company is a liability. Jack does not have to reveal that Wood was going to help him with a cover-up, but Jack or one of the other subordinates of Wood should have filed a formal complaint on Stephen Wood’s behavior. Since Jack is a rising star within the company and Wood is highly regarded within the company, a complaint coming from Jack might carry more weight and consideration with the senior bank managers. This could sever the close relationship Jack has with Wood; however it would lead to a more effective and peaceful work environment. The reason Wood should be reported instead of being left alone is that since Wood was willing to do unethical things with Jack, he would probably attempt to do other unethical things if he has not already done so. These courses of action for the ethical dilemmas present in this case have the least negative impact. Jack taking responsibility will either hurt himself or hurt nothing at all if the Borrowing base reports are flawless. If they are not, Jack’s career and possibly Palisades Produce’s involvement with Pacific Trust will be damaged. Filing a report against Stephen Wood for workplace misconduct would allow all of the subordinates to work together in a more peaceful and effective environment because there would not be division amongst the employees based on loyalty.

Ida B. Wells and Her Anti-Lynching Campaign

African-American journalist Ida B. Wells went to heroic lengths in the late 1890s to document the horrifying practice of lynching blacks. Her groundbreaking work, which included collecting statistics in a practice that today is called data journalism, established that the lawless killing of blacks was a systematic practice, especially in the South in the era following Reconstruction. Wells became deeply interested in the lynching problem after three black businessmen she knew were killed by a white mob outside Memphis, Tennessee, in 1892. For the next four decades she would devote her life, often at great personal risk, to campaigning against lynching. At one point a newspaper she owned was burned by a white mob. And she was certainly no stranger to death threats. Yet she doggedly reported on lynchings and made the subject of lynching a topic which American society could not ignore. Early Life Ida B. Wells was born into slavery on July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She was the eldest of eight children. Following the end of the Civil War, her father, who as a slave had been the carpenter on a plantation, was active in Reconstruction period politics in Mississippi. When Ida was young she was educated in a local school, though her education was interrupted when both her parents died in a yellow fever epidemic when she was 16. She had to take care of her siblings, and she moved with them to Memphis, Tennessee, to live with an aunt. In Memphis, Wells found work as a teacher. And she resolved to become an activist when, on May 4, 1884, she was ordered to leave her seat on a streetcar and move to a segregated car. She refused and was ejected from the train.   She began to write about her experiences, and became affiliated with The Living Way, a newspaper published by African-Americans. In 1892 she became the co-owner of a small newspaper for African-Americans in Memphis, the Free Speech. The Anti-Lynching Campaign The horrendous practice of lynching had become widespread in the South in the decades following the Civil War. And it hit home for Ida B. Wells in March 1892 when three young African-American businessmen she knew in Memphis were abducted by a mob and murdered. Wells resolved to document the lynchings in the South, and to speak out in hopes of ending the practice. She began advocating for the black citizens of Memphis to move to the West, and she urged boycotts of segregated streetcars. By challenging the white power structure, she became a target. And in May 1892 the office of her newspaper, the Free Speech, was attacked by a white mob and burned.   She continued her work documenting lynchings. She traveled to England in 1893 and 1894, and spoke at many public meetings about the conditions in the American South. She was, of course, attacked for that at home. A Texas newspaper called her an adventuress, and the governor of Georgia even claimed that she was a stooge for international businessmen trying to get people to boycott the South and do business in the American West. In 1894 she returned to America and embarked on a speaking tour. An address she gave in Brooklyn, New York, on December 10, 1894, was covered in the New York Times. The report noted that Wells had been welcomed by a local chapter of the Anti-Lynching Society, and a letter from Frederick Douglass, regretting that he couldnt attend, had been read. The New York Times reported on her speech: During the present year, she said, no less than 206 lynchings had taken place. They were not only on the increase, she declared, but were becoming intensified in their barbarism and boldness. She said that lynchings that formerly took place at night were now in some cases actually perpetrated in the broad daylight, and more than that, photographs were taken of the atrocious crime, and were sold as souvenirs of the occasion. In some instances, Miss Wells said, the victims were burned as a sort of diversion. She said that the Christian and moral forces of the country were now required to revolutionize public sentiment. In 1895 Wells published a landmark book, A Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynchings In the United States. In a sense, Wells practiced what today is often lauded as data journalism, as she scrupulously kept records and was able to document the large numbers of lynchings which were taking place in America. Personal Life In 1895 Wells married Ferdinand Barnett, an editor and lawyer in Chicago. They lived in Chicago and had four children. Wells continued her journalism, and often published articles on the subject of lynching and civil rights for African-Americans. She became involved in local politics in Chicago and also with the nationwide drive for womens suffrage. Ida B. Wells died on March 25, 1931. Though her campaign against lynching did not stop the practice, her groundbreaking reporting and writing on the subject was a milestone in American journalism. Belated Honors At the time Ida B. Wells died she had faded from public view somewhat, and major newspapers did not note her passing. In March 2018, as part of a project to highlight women who had been overlooked, the New York Times published a belated obituary of Ida B. Wells. There has also been a movement to honor Wells with a statue in the Chicago neighborhood where she lived. And in June 2018 the Chicago city government voted to honor Wells by naming a street for her.