Homophily Research Paper

Whether we are from different cultures or religions or if we look at the behaviour of animals we all like to be connected socially and feel accepted in society. (Yalom)

The traditional idea of American friendship has evolved drastically over time. In this age, no longer do you see the close group of friends chatting at the ‘Central Perk Café’ or engaging in many misadventures in the basement of Foreman’s house, such as they did in ‘That 70’s Show’. The aged image of a group of friends and their wise, perceptive teacher, Mr. Feeney, happily standing in the halls of John Quincy Adams middle school is fading out. This overused 1970’s-1990’s idea of friendship no longer applies to most American friendships today because our culture has swayed into a more modern viewpoint, due to the

What this novel does not touch on is the harsh levels of discrimination that some Asian-American families faced during the 20th centuries, some people telling at them to go back to Vietnam, Korea, or wherever they came from, some refusing service, perhaps throwing them out for being different, similarly to how African-Americans were treated during that time, and similar to how some Muslims are being treated today. However, more insidious than moments of outright hostility, and maybe more powerful, are the constant weak reminders that you’re different, that you’re not one of them. The “sign at the Peking Express” (Ng 193), the “little boys on the playground, stretching their eyes to slits with their fingers” (Ng 193), you even “saw it when waitresses and policemen and bus drivers spoke slowly to you, in simple words, as if you might not understand” (Ng 193). All these tiny things, these little reminders that you’re not the same as everyone else around you, may have more impact on the people being discriminated against than blatant in-your-face

America is a complex and diverse web of individuals marked by social stratification, a system by which a society ranks categories of people in a hierarchy (Macionis, 2011, p.204). The film People Like Us: Social Class in America discusses the class system, social stratification based on both birth and individual achievement, which the American people use to define others (Macionis, 2011, p.206). It explores the many variables that contribute to the determination of a person’s class; such as, ancestry, education, and money. Ancestry will be a main focus because it has such a strong influence on the class system of today. The film provided an informative and entertaining

Nonetheless, these feeling changed. Even though my understanding of ethnicity and race was limited my interest for understanding grew. For example, one weekend among peers at Connecticut College my last name was referred to in conversation about the Jewish population on campus. Without any hesitation the people around me highlighted a distinction that I was not Jewish due to my German name and looks, and therefore not included with the concern of the discussion. I came to wonder why such a distinction was made. I knew that

Madera High is an ordinary high school in a fairly small town of about 60,000 people. Although the usual picture of bullying portrayed in the media does not occur here, there are still other forms of bullying and harassment that happen often. Cyberbullying has become the new form of harassment that teens use to bully other students. Social media is now the platform bullies prefer to use rather than the physical confrontation that bullying used to be. Through recent years, it has become an epidemic that has taken over the internet and social networks. It has made it even harder for students to get away from the bully or the person harassing them. At Madera High the amount of bullying seen at school by other students and staff is fairly low,

The author went on to state that once we act on our personal and professional connection to different cultures in our lives then members of the racial continuum of color populations of Brown, Asian, Native American and multiracial will be able to gain presence, position and power in our schools. To sum it- we

People of the same social class tend to be friends. People of the same level of attractiveness tend to be drawn to each other. Athletes that play the same sports flock to each other. I feel as if often times, we fall ignorant to the real world. Sometimes, I think we close our minds off to possibilities and opportunities just because we don't expand our network and step out of our comfort zones. Everyone has a story. Growing up and going to a private Catholic school, I’ve seen this happen my whole life. The rich kids are friends with the rich kids, and everybody else just kind of coexists. My mom always told me to not be friends with someone just because you share similarities. I have carried this value on through life. By closing yourself off to one group people, you limit your exposure to different experiences. Through meeting other people and people that are different from yourself, you can expand your

She articulates this idea that we want to have an identity and feel safe around those of the ‘same’. Lastly, Tatum makes a point that racial identity can persist into Adulthood, it is not only in schools but also in the corporate world. Part III Understanding Whiteness in a White Context: This section discusses the development of white identity and how many white people neglect to really think about their identity. Thinking about race may make many people uncomfortable but having those difficult conversations and acknowledging privilege and oppression is the action that needs to be taken. Tatum suggests affirmative action. Part IV: Beyond Black and White: Disuses important issues of other racial minorities including, Latino, American Indian, and Asian Pacific American. Tatum also discusses identity development in multiracial families, this can be a complex identity development with many factors coming into play, however, parental encouragement of biracial identity has been seen as highly beneficial. Part V Breaking the Silence: This final section offers suggestion on embracing a cross-racial dialogue. We can no longer can be silent and must work toward social change and a more equitable world for all.

According to an article published in The New York Times entitled “Friendship in the Age of Economics,” there are three distinct forms of friendship, and all types of friendship leave each friend vulnerable. Moreover, all types of friendship leave some sort of significant impact on each friend’s life. “They [friendships] render us vulnerable, and in

In a world where words and color have so much meaning and power, I’ve grown confused by the word “race” and the bizarre pigments it assigns. We’re called the human race, yet while we run together in the single race of life, we have split into teams: white, yellow, brown, black. My bewilderment fails to end there. Though his cheeks are ruddy and spotted with moles, my father is called white, and my mother, though pale as porcelain, is a yellow woman. As for me, I belong nowhere, hopping between my mother and father’s people, unwanted by either.

In Anderson and Collins’, chapter on “Why race, class, and gender still maters” encourage readers to think about the world in their framework of race, class, and gender. They argued that even though society has change and there is a wide range of diversity; race, class and gender still matters. Anderson and Collins stated, “Race, class, and gender matter because they remain the foundation for system of power and inequality that, despite our nation’s diversity, continue to be among the most significant social facts of peoples lives.” (Anderson and Collins, 2010) When I was a little girl, I never knew that people were classified in to groups such as race, class, gender. I knew there were people that had a different color of skin than

The social construction of race and the conjured up idea of different races affects many Americans on a macro and micro scale or institutionally and individually, respectively. To sociologists, this idea of a socially constructed race matters because race has a tremendous influence on people’s lives.

The subject of race, within the field of sociology, can often be viewed as both a fluid concept and a cultural experience. Contrary to popular belief, race is not biological, but is a socially constructed category of people that share the same biological traits. Race can often change over time and is formed primarily by our personal views and the views of others. These can range from ethnicity to self-presentation and feelings of place within society. One example of the fluidity of race can be seen based upon the classification of the White or Caucasian race. In today’s culture, this race has been drastically increased to include a vast array of “white” individuals.

It is about the situation in which a person has repeated contact with other people in order to lead to a friendship: “you have more friends if there are more people you meet on a regular basis” (Stauder 2014). Repetition of contact with humans is more significant than the number of people met. Contact opportunities are influenced not only by social structure but a person’s opportunity for contact and association. This idea of interaction structures starts to acutely explain empirical research: “young people in higher education are likely to have friends covering a broad spread of backgrounds, working-class are likely to be limited” (Pahl 2000: 108). This is not due to personal attitude or prejudices, but the situations and opportunities in which contact with people leads to friendship. University is increasingly mixed in terms of students' class and ethnicity, whereas a local community may tend to have less variation regardless of whether it is middle- or working-class. A person needs to be willing and open to friendship, and which people one chooses to become friends with depends on who one meets, so friendship necessarily occurs within the confines of social structures. This echoes Giddens' theory of structuration, wherein “human agency and social structure are in a relationship with each other” (Gauntlett 2002). It is the application of macro and