Sociology Paper on Functionalist Essay Example for Free

Sociology Paper on Functionalist Essay Q. Describe the different forms of marriage patterns found across cultures. A. Marriage is a legally recognized and socially approved arrangement between two or more individuals that carries certain rights and obligation and usually involves sexual activities. In the United States, the only legally sanctioned form of marriage is monogamy which is a marriage between two partners usually a man and a woman. Polygamy is the concurrent marriage of a person of one sex with two or more members of the opposite sex. The most prevalent form of polygamy is polygyny the con current marriage of one man with two or more woman. Polygyny has been practiced in a number of societies; including parts of Europe until the Middle Ages more recently Islamic societies in Africa and Asia have been polygynous; however the cost of providing for multiple wives and numerous children makes the practice impossible for all but the wealthiest men. The second type of polygamy is polyandry the concurrent marriage of one woman with two or more men. Polyandry is very rare, when it does occur, it is typically found in societies where men greatly out number women because of high rates of female infanticide. Q. Describe the functionalist perspectives on families. A. functionalist emphasize the importance of the family in maintaining the stability of society and the well being of individuals. According to Emile Durkheim, marriage is a microcosmic replica of the larger society; both marriage and the society involve a mental and moral fusion of physically distinct individuals. Durkheim also believed that a division of labor contributes to greater efficiency in all areas of life even though he acknowledged that this division imposes significant limitations on some people. Contemporary functionalist perspectives on families derive their foundation from Durkheim. Division of labor makes it possible for families to fulfill a member of functions that on other institution can perform as effectively. In advanced industrial societies, families serve four key functions: sexual regulation. Families are expected to regulate the sexual activity of their members thus control reproduction so that it occurs within specific boundaries. At the micro level, incest taboos prohibit sexual contact or marriage between certain relatives. Socialization. Parents and other relatives are responsible for teaching children the necessary knowledge and skills to survive. The smallest and intimacy of families make them suited for providing children with the initial learning experiences they need. Economic and psychological support. Families are responsible for providing economic and psychological support for members. In preindustrial societies, families are economic production units; in industrial societies, the economic security of families is tied to the workplace and to micro level economic system. Provision of social status. Families confer social status and reputation on their members these statuses include the ascribed statuses with which individuals are born, such as race/ethnicity, nationality, social class, and sometimes religious affiliation. One of the most significant and compelling forms of social placement is the family’s class position and the opportunities (or lack thereof) resulting from the position. Q. Describe the concept of remarriage and define a blended family. A. Remarriage is when a man or woman divorce and gets married again with the same person or another. Among individuals who divorce before age 35, about half will remarry within three years of their first divorce. Most divorced people remarry others who have been divorced. However, remarriage rates vary by gender and age. At all ages, a greater proportion of men than women remarry, often relatively soon after the divorce. Among women, the older a women is at the time of divorce the lower her likelihood of remarrying. Women who have not graduated from high school and who have young children tend to remarry relatively quickly; by contrast, women with a college degree and without children are less likely to remarry. As a result of divorce and remarriage, complex family relationships are often created. Some people become part of stepfamilies or blended families, which consist of a husband and wife, children from previous m arriages, and children from the new marriage. Q. Describe the functionalist perspective on education. A. Functionalist view education as one of the most important components of society. According to Durkheim, education is the influence exercised by adult generations on those that are not yet ready for social life. Durkheim asserted that moral values are the foundation of cohesive social order and that schools have the responsibility of teaching a commitment to the common morality. From this perspective, students must be taught to put the group’s needs ahead of their individual desires and aspirations. Contemporary functionalist suggest that education is responsible for teaching U.S. values. In analyzing the values and functions of education, sociologist using a functionalist framework distinguishes between manifest and latent functions. Manifest functions in education include teaching specific subjects such as science, mathematics, reading, history, and English. Q. Provide a brief overview of education, define education, and describe cultural transmission. A. Education serves five major manifest functions in society: socialization, from kindergarten through college schools teach students, the student role, specific academic subjects, and political socialization. In primary and secondary schools, students are taught specific subject matters appropriate to their age, skill level, and previous educational experience. At the college level, students focus on more detailed knowledge of subjects that they have previously studied while also being exposed to new areas of study and research. Transmission of culture. Schools transmit cultural norms and values to each new generation and play an active part in the process of assimilation. Social control. Schools are responsible for teaching values such as discipline, respect, obedience, punctuality, and perseverance. Social placement. Schools are responsible for identifying the most qualified people to fill available positions in society. Change in innovation. As student’s populations change over time, new programs are introduced to meet societal needs; for example sex education, and multicultural studies have been implemented in some schools to help students learn about pressing social issues.

Judgmental Attitudes, Isolation, and Forgiveness in Marilynne Robinson

In Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead narrator and reverend John Ames seeks to transcend the isolation he feels from the title town through a letter to his son. John Ames holds the ironic role of moral leader and recluse, which leaves him alienated from the people who respect him. His isolation is a byproduct of his independence; an independence that distances him from those he loves: Jack Boughton and his son. This estrangement is represented in the text by his heart condition which prevents him from watching his son grow up, metaphorically epitomizing the damage that his years of solitude have done to him. Therefore, in order to find a way to transcend his temporal life and imminent death, he writes a letter to his son offering something guidance, as consolation for leaving him in poverty and destitution. The letter serves to offer his son guidance and understanding of his father’s identity after he dies and as a plea for forgiveness for the narrator’s isolation, critical ways, and for leaving his son’s life too soon. Ultimately, Gilead portrays a forced distance between father and son due to the father’s death. It reveals the isolation of independence and it expresses forgiveness in the face of loneliness. Through this construction of a father-son relationship, the text critiques independence and reveals a value in forgiveness, acknowledging that the impermanent nature of humanity leaves distance between people and that the nature of writing gives some level of permanence. Ironically, John Ames’ role as preacher causes him to become the estranged moral leader in the community that respects him so much. Those who respected him for â€Å"all those hours [he] was up [there] working† on his sermons and studies distanced themselv... ...ent it causes between him, Jack, and his young son illustrates the dangers of independence and self-reliance in Gilead. Ultimately, the novel acknowledges the imperfections of others but does not offer a method of change so much as an emphasis of understanding and forgiveness. The letter of John Ames to his son reveals a plea from a father to his child of his own faults and his desire for forgiveness because of them. Ultimately, writing allows an individual to live on after death and have a level of permanence which allows one to have an enduring identity. Gilead critiques judgmental attitudes and isolation and reveals the value of forgiveness through John Ames’ story. Forgiveness allows one to transcend misunderstandings and differences and recognize the value of others. Work Cited Robinson, Marilynne. Gilead . New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004

Kanoa K. Essay

Kanoa K. is by far one of the most unforgettable characters of my life. He is not only my boyfriend, he is my best friend, someone I know would help me through difficult times, and someone who has helped me through tough times. If Kanoa were a fictional character, it would be very difficult to determine whether he is a believable character. He is one of the most perfect and awesome people I know, making him unbelievable. Kanoa is always helping his friends and me; he has a kind heart and is a good person, which is something I only truly find in a few individuals. Another thing that makes Kanoa an unbelievable character is his uniqueness. He is not your ordinary boy, Kanoa is masculine yet sensitive; he knows himself very well and is different from most. Kanoa is a â€Å"skater† but isn’t a jerk, punk or fool, I believe that this is because he knows what he is and what he’s not, he doesn’t let stereotypes get to him. It is not typical for a sixteen-year-old to know himself or herself so well. Some things make Kanoa Kruse a very believable character. He is a deep, complex individual who has hopes and dreams just as everyone else does. He has a direction in life; an idea of what he wants to do with his future, a notion of what he wants his lifetime occupation to be. Because Kanoa is a human being, he does make mistakes. Whenever Kanoa makes a mistake, he learns and grows from the experience. Kanoa has changed over the years, as anyone does. At first, he started of as a person I passed by in the hallways. The first day I saw him, I was eleven. I didn’t know who he was, not even his name, the only thing I can remember thinking was, â€Å"oh, he’s cute†. He was 13, an eighth grader. Since I was a sixth grader, the â€Å"lowest class†, I didn’t make a single effort to know him; he was just a pretty face. A year passed and I made some new friends, one of my friends was a fair-haired, English boy named Jacob. Jacob and I began to talk a lot; one reoccurring topic of our conversation was Kanoa. Jacob told me that I would get along really well with Kanoa; the three of use should hang out sometime. I didn’t remember whom Jacob was talking about, I only knew Kanoa by face and not by name. Kanoa and I did not get to meet each other that year. In December 2007, I cut out my horoscope for that month out of a fashion magazine. My horoscope stated that on the twenty-sixth of this month, one of my close friends would try to hook me up with one of their friends. At the time, I just rolled my eyes and tacked the clipping to my corkboard, I didn’t believe, even in my wildest dreams that this horoscope would come true. On December 26, I woke up to the buzzing of my cellphone, it was my close friend Jacob, He told me that his friend Kanoa wanted to be â€Å"hooked up† with me. Jacob had been telling Kanoa about me and Kanoa wanted to give things a chance and see how they end up, I decided to accept his offer and get to know him. Since then, Kanoa and I have been dating. At first, he started of as a pretty face, then he became a friend of a friend and now he is one of the most important people to me, I know he will always be here for me when I need him.

Richard Nixon Was a Conservationist President

If you were asked to name one of the most environmentally conscious green presidents in United States history, who would come to mind? Teddy Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, and Thomas Jefferson are prime candidates on many peoples lists. But how about Richard Nixon? Chances are, he wasnt your first pick. Despite the fact that Nixon continues to rank as one of the countrys least favorite leaders, the Watergate scandal wasnt his only claim to fame, and it certainly didnt represent the most profound impact of his presidency. Richard Milhous Nixon, who served as the 37th President of the United States from 1969 to 1974, was responsible for the establishment of some of the nations most important environmental legislature. President Nixon tried to gain some political capital--hard to come by during the Vietnam War and a recession--by announcing an Environmental Quality Council and a Citizens Advisory Committee on Environmental Quality, reported the Huffington Post. But people didnt buy it. They said it was just for show. So, Nixon signed legislation called the National Environmental Protection Act, which gave birth to the EPA as we know it now--right before what most people consider the first Earth Day, which was April 22, 1970. This action, in itself, has had had far-reaching effects on environmental policy and endangered species conservation, but Nixon didnt stop there. Between 1970 and 1974, he took several more significant strides toward protecting our countrys natural resources. Lets take a look at five more monumental acts passed by President Nixon that have helped maintain the environmental quality of our nations resources and also influenced numerous other countries around the globe to follow suit. Clean Air Act of 1972 Nixon utilized an executive order to create the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an independent government organization, in late 1970. Shortly after its establishment, the EPA passed its first piece of legislation, the Clean Air Act, in 1972. The Clean Air Act was, and remains today, the most significant air pollution control bill in American history. It required the EPA to create and enforce regulations to protect people from airborne pollution known to be hazardous to our health such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead. Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 This act was also the first of its kind, designed to protect marine mammals like whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, elephant seals, walruses, manatees, sea otters, and even polar bears from human-induced threats such as excessive hunting. It simultaneously established a system to allow native hunters to harvest whales and other marine mammals sustainably. The act created guidelines regulating the public display of captured marine mammals in aquarium facilities and regulated the import and export of marine mammals. Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 Also known as the Ocean Dumping Act, this legislature regulates the deposit of any substance into the ocean that has the potential to harm human health or the marine environment. Endangered Species Act of 1973 The Endangered Species Act has been instrumental in protecting rare and declining species from extinction as a result of human activity. Congress granted numerous government agencies broad powers to protect species (particularly by preserving critical habitat). The act also entailed the establishment of the official endangered species list and has been referred to as the Magna Carta of the environmental movement. Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 The Safe Drinking Water Act was a critical turning point in the nations struggle to protect the imperiled quality of fresh water in lakes, reservoirs, streams, rivers, wetlands and other inland bodies of water as well as springs and wells that are used as rural water sources. Not only has it proved vital in maintaining a safe water supply for public health, but it has also helped keep natural waterways intact and clean enough to continue to support aquatic biodiversity, from invertebrates and mollusks to fish, birds, and mammals.