Why Do Social Groups Use Symbolic Boundaries

The author’s incorporation of personal observations and prior studies done on the subject consolidate the argument. The ‘magnified moment’ of the author’s son’s soccer game opening ceremony (Barbie Girls vs Sea Monsters) and the manner in which the adults reacted hints that a greater force at play than just instinctive behaviour. The example of how Messner’s son was happy to play with toy with no worry of gender appropriateness

Symbolism is a way we can express our beliefs or ideas through physical objects; however, they also divide people into groups. A paragon of this situation is the

To begin, the construct of social reality in a capitalist system reinforces systems of inequality and privilege. This is done mainly through the creation of dominant culture. Within our society, members are identified, classified and categorized by social characteristics. This stems from the social construction of reality. Johnson explains this concept through sociologist’s diversity wheel. It examines ones’ race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, abilities, age, religion, relationships, education and much more to create a generic identity for a person based on what society deems as reality and significant (14). An example of this is the construct of Irish immigrant’s identity in society. Although their physical characteristic was of fair skin, the social reality deemed and identified them as non-white through the construct

The last sociological perspective and the most challenging to recognize is symbolic interaction. Symbolic interaction focuses on how human beings interpret symbols and communicate and forge a sense of self ( Halperin, 2/13/15). Symbolic interaction has five/six questions that need to be answered “What communication is taking place? What symbols are being used &/or how is the communication taking place? How does the communication shape perception? How are the parties being influenced by their interaction with one another? What social roles are being played out? (Halperin. 2/13/15).

The paper serves as a critical analysis of Thomas F. Mathews’ “The Mistake of the Emperor Mystique” chapter in his book The Clash of Gods: A Reinterpretation of Early Christian Art. The scope of the analysis extends only to the chapter, the works included in the chapter and some supplemental sources by other art historians. It examines Mathews’ central argument and auxiliary claims, paying attention to his use of sources. Additionally it probes the validity of his assertions, drawing comparisons to other works or historians.

Society is constructed over different opinions and translations that individuals have over each other. The academic reading, “The Social Construction of Difference”, points out two different views that a group of people may have over another. In the academic reading the author, Allan G. Johnson, defines two different kinds of approaches that are known as privilege and oppression. Privilege is commonly defined as a group of certain people having more value from those who are not consider like one of them. Oppression is defined as privilege groups of people feeling superior in which leads to taking control over those who don’t share common identities with them. Based on the academic reading, “The Social Construction of difference”, the reality of social construction is based upon privilege and oppression.

Privilege and oppression provides a framework for understanding how institutional structures and ideologies shapes individual experiences. Privilege and oppression also explains “how power operates in society” which led to the formation of “a dominant group and a marginalized group” (Launius and Hassel, Threshold Concepts, 72-73). “Oppression can be defined as prejudice and discrimination directed toward a group and perpetuated by the ideologies and practices of multiple social institutions” (Launius and Hassel, Threshold Concepts, 73). While, privilege refers to the “benefits, advantages, and power that accrue to members of a dominant group as a result of the oppression of marginalized group”,

Yet, notwithstanding for children who recognize unequivocally with their introduction to the world gender, gender policing can bring about enduring issues. Girls run a consistent danger of being taught to partner womanliness with silliness, and we may be showing boys a type of inconspicuous misogyny also.

One is its divergence from the idea that sameness is equality. Rather than ignoring group differences and promoting policies that are applied to all identity groups equally, politics of positional difference recognizes group differences and advocates treating some identity groups differently, in order to promote greater equality and freedom (Young. 62). Another aspect is Young’s recognition of structural (or systemic) racism, which “differently positions people along social axes.” Due to racism, some identity groups are positioned lower on the social axes than other, which lead to disparities in status, power, wealth, opportunities for development, and access to goods and resources (Young. 64). Because structural racism causes disadvantages for some identity groups, Young advocates for the implementation of policies which provide special rights to these disadvantaged identity groups, in order to compensate for their detriment and promote true

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

Gender stereotyping and gender preferences have been a problem in society for many years. Modern day society has only just emerged from the ideology and mind-set that males are the dominant gender. However, some of this still lingers within the educational system. Hatton (1998) states that boys have been the preference over girls in the classroom as boys are more lively and interesting. Teachers rely on the good behaviour of the girls, which makes them ‘less interesting’, so that the time can be spent with the boys (Hatton, 1998). Gender is the distinguishing biological aspects of a person that considers them to be a male or a female (Davies, 1998). However, in this modern society we live in, ‘gender’ cannot so easily be labelled this black and white. In Australian schools today, the schools experience transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) young people (Ullman, 2015). This is to say that there are some young people who do not conform to what society biologically says they are. A metaphorical theory that Ferfolja, Diaz and Ullman (2015) discuss called the ‘unseen half’ perfectly places this social unjust issue of gender inequality. This theory states that diversity, individual or communities, within the educational system often undervalued or found difficult to understand are rendered ‘invisible’ in day-to-day practices (Ferfolja, Diaz, & Ullman, 2015). As recent as 1979, women were

Gender role is defined as the socially constructed and culturally specific behavior and appearance expectations imposed on women (femininity) and men (masculinity). Many girls are subjected to gender role stereotyping and different treatment Through socialization, individuals learn to behave in accordance with the expectations of others in the social order (Hult, 83.). Gender ideology is involved when one attaches a color such as pink and blue to sex and when one designates types of toys as male, female or neutral. Most play behavior is an outcome of gender role stereotyping that stems from cultural ideology. Early research provides that by first grade, boys recognize sports, whereas girls recognize grades

Gender is present in the processes, practices, images, and ideologies, and distributions of power in the various sectors of social life. For example, at school, children learn gender roles, as well as, embed specific gender patterns. Sociologist Barrie Thorne describes the typical scene she observed while doing research on playgrounds: “Boys controlled the large fixed spaces designated for team sports: baseball diamonds, grassy fields used for football or soccer, and basketball courts. There was also a

Gender coding is not a natural or biological characteristic. People are born with different physical and biological characteristics, but make sense of their gender roles through cultural influences. “Stereotypes are amazingly powerful, and we may not realize the degree to which our thoughts, beliefs, and actions are shaped by them” (Silverman, Rader, 2010). Boys and girls are labeled as masculine or feminine, which is considered the “norm” for society. Children are not born masculine or feminine, they learn these roles from parents, peers, media, and even religion. Concepts of gender identity are sometimes placed on children even before their birth, such as with the selection of paint colors for the nursery.” Children begin to form concepts of gender beginning around the age of 2, and most children know if they are a boy or girl by age of 3” (Martin & Ruble, 2004). From an early age, children are encouraged to identify with gender coding. Gender is formed at birth, but self-identification as being male or female is imbedded into their minds by parents and society. A child learns to understand their gender role and their identity by what is taught and expressed to them by others. Yet as a child grows, gender coding can cause cultural confusion, and insecurity issues throughout the course of their life.

In the eyes of many children, the interaction of the two genders is almost forbidden. "Boys are icky" and "girls have cooties" are some of the things we often hear from children. However, In the adolescent period the boys and girls begin to look at each other much differently. It is during this stage that the interaction between the two genders becomes "cool."