Across religions and societies women and men have held different roles in societies. These roles have been explained and justified in many way. Some claim it is God’s will, while other give examples of differing roles allowing the family and work forces to run more smoothly. Likely the most upsetting explanation for differing roles based on gender is false science; in the Victorian era, men administered hysterectomies to women in hopes of keeping them level headed. Despite few societies which elevated women or gave women equality, like some Native American societies, women are generally placed lower than men in gender stratification. Because women make up half of the world population, lowing their status has dramatic effects. The damaging effects of women holding a lower societal place than men is evident when society improve once women are given rights.
Studies have investigate financial shifts when women control household finances rather than men in third world countries. Viviana Zelizer writes about women managing household fund in the Wall Street Journal article, “The Gender of Money.” Zelizer finds that, because women are more likely to be self-sacrificing than men, they typically spend money for the good of the family. This is seen in Bangladesh, where women pay back loans more quickly, and in the Philippines, where women spend money on household goods. There are a variety of damaging effects of gender stratification, including sexual abuse, unequal education, and unfair work force, but the positive outcome of equality is seen when women are given authority over family finances. Studies examining differences in men and women financial habits are not efforts to prove female superiority, rather to prove the power of equality.
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"Sociology Gender and Race".
Race and ethnicity are important to study because they affect the way humans treat each other. Despite efforts to end racism, it continues in the United States and elsewhere. In recent news, innocent black men have been killed at a significant rate. Despite the men commonality in race, they do not all necessarily share ethnicity. Race has to do with appearance and skin color, while ethnicity has to do with culture. For example, Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese people share similar facial and skin features; they have skin with yellow undertones, slanted eyes, and dark, usually black, hair. While these individuals share physical feature, they have very different histories and cultures; these differences make up the difference between race and ethnicity.
Another difference between race and ethnicity is that ethnicity can be chosen, while race cannot. Recently, an NAACP leader, Rachel Dolezal, was exposed as a fake African American. This woman was born into a white family with blonde hair and blue eyes. Despite her African American adopted father, husband, and children, Dolezal was not black; she is caucasian. Dalton Conley writes about how ethnicity can be chosen in his article, “Race: The Power of an Illusion.” Conley explains that a Korean woman was adopted at a young age by an Italian family. The woman speaks Italian and is culturally Italian, but when she visits the United States she is treated like a Korean, despite her lack of knowledge on Korean culture. Even though the woman was raised in an Italian home, knows Italian culture, and has an Italian family, she is racially Korean. Race is something humans do not chose and they cannot get rid of, while ethnicity is learned and adopted.
Societies as old as Plato have used various structures to define peoples place in this world. Plato’s Republic has three social classes, the rulers, the auxiliaries or soldiers, and the workers. Some critics believe Plato’s class system is the most perfect because each group is dependent on the other, therefore no group takes advantage of the other. The rulers were loyal to the soldiers and workers because the soldiers kept them safe and the workers produced goods. The soldiers and the workers were faithful to their ruler because the rulers gave them leadership and property to live on. The workers were make products for the soldiers because the soldiers kept them safe, and the soldiers were good to the workers because the workers produced their goods. Plato’s class system kept each group in balance with the other.
While the United States is suppose to be the land of equality, American society also employs a class system. Joseph Kahl and Dennis Gilbert suggest that the United States class system with six categories: 1) capitalist, 2) upper middle, 3) lower middle, 4) working, 5) working poor, and 6) underclass. Henslin’s Essentials of Sociology investigates Kahl and Gilbert’s social ladder. Unlike Plato’s proposed society, the class system identified by Kahl and Gilbert is unbalanced. The poor are more likely to be a minority group, while the rich are typically white. The poor also live a more unhealthy and shorter life. The capitalist class is the top tier; these individual are usually born rich and pass on their wealth. The upper middle class are professionals who have gone to college. Unlike the capitalist class, these individual’s status is not determined by wealth, but by education. The lower middle class are blue-collar workers. They have finished college and spend their life working and producing goods. The working class also have high school educations and work in factories. The working poor are those in the service industry and those who take on temporary work. The underclass typically do not hold a job and are supported by welfare or other government supported systems.
On the surface, marriage and family seem simple; most definitions of marriage and family is based on individuals experience. But, by examining marriage and family more closely, it becomes clear that marriage and family is different for people with different backgrounds and lifestyles. Pearson Education looks at marriage and family in their book Understanding Marriage and Families Across Time and Place. In the United States, family is seen as two or more people related by marriage, birth, or adoption. Another definition of family is a group of people responsible for procreation and socialization; this definition of family was employed by anti-gay marriage activist who claim same-sex marriage should not be legalized because same-sex couples cannot produce children. A third family definition include a group of people who love each other, are committed to each other, and are dependent on each other.
Just as there are several ideas of what makes a group of people family, there is also multiple definitions of marriage. One definition of marriage claims that one man and one woman are to be group together. The man is the provider, while the woman is the nurture. This definition is seen as old and outdated by some. A newer definition of marriage includes same-sex couples. Previously, homosexuality was seen as unnatural, but thanks to growing tolerance and new legislation, same-sex couples can be legally married in some countries; however, same-sex couples continue to be persecuted elsewhere. A final form of marriage is remarriage. In previous decades and centuries, couples were married and expected to stay together for life. But, due to growing divorce rates, people may have multiple spouses throughout their lifetime. While some cultures and religions continue to view divorce and remarriage as immoral, more people groups are accepting remarriage as the new norm.
