Sunday, December 2, 2012

The New Definition of Family

The New Definition of Family


Is your definition of a “normal family” a married mother and father and their biological children living together under one roof?

What is a “family”? Statistically, it is no longer a mother, a father and their biological children living together under one roof (and certainly not with Dad going off to work and Mom staying home). Although perception and acceptance often lag behind reality, there is evidence that a new definition of family — while far from universally accepted — is emerging.
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Today’s modern family is not like the modern family of the 1950s… in what you can see in old “Leave it to Beaver” reruns on some cable channel.  Sure there are plenty of families out there that still consist of mom, dad, and the kids (and maybe some pets, too).  My family is like that. But in the 21st century, the modern family can be a lot more complex more times than it is simple.  There are step parents, step siblings, and half siblings.  There are single parents, and even grandparents or an aunt and uncle raising someone else’s kids.  There are also adoptive parents and kids.  And yes, there are even gay parents.  Within today’s modern circle, the idea of family has become a bigger circle and yet the concept still remains the same. And as our concept of the modern family changes in the present time, we must also be willing to change our perceptions of what that means.  Most religious scholars would say that a family is proper with mom, dad, and the kids.  That kids need a mom and dad.  Yet more studies are showing that kids need a loving and nurturing home and environment, and that can come from any of the various types of families that I mentioned above.  In that sense, the term family can take on any of those meanings and be acceptable. Families are the foundation of society. Its where we come into the world, are nurtured and given the tools to go out into the world, capable and healthy. Family can be defined as of having blood relations. However it is clear that in today's society families are no longer formed from that definition.  Coming to college and moving away from my "blood family" has allowed me to develop a family based on the bonds with my friends and the people around me. My freshman year the people I lived with in the dorms considered each other a "family." We supported and helped each other when others needed it, ate every meal together, did almost everything as a group and were always there for each other through thick and thin. Even to this day 3 years later they are still my support system and my family.


Immigration

Immigration

I chose to research immigration because it is an ongoing issue that will shape the lives of every one who lives here in the United States in multiple ways. Also it is an argument that is clearly two sided. Therefore I found research that covers both sides of the argument.

I am choosing my post to discuss as i believe i approached the topic from both viewpoints, rather than one-sided. Immigration is a very complicated topic in terms of ruling it either bad of good. I believe it goes both ways in our society today. Despite how you view it, our country was founded and built on immigration. Most of us, unless native American, came to this country as immigrants. So therefore it is impossible to rule it as completely negative. I believe immigration to be good for society if, and only if, done correctly. If people from other countries want to move here they should do it legally. This involves getting a green card, paying taxes and contributing to society in a positive manner. It is when immigrants do not do this legally, such as being an alien, that immigration does not work the manner it was instated over a hundred years ago. We are a country built on immigration but I believe it has reached a point today that it is doing more harm to the US than good. I understand some immigrants are coming into the US, and other countries, due to extreme measures, however maybe the issue is that the government makes it too difficult to legally become a citizen. If the methods were easier then we would not be seeing the mass amounts of illegal immigrants that are present today. It is harming our ecomony as they live freely in our country off the money we legally pay to the government in the form of taxes. Something needs to be done to solve this issue immediately. Maybe less emphasis should be placed on boarder control and more on the easier methods of becoming a citizen and living in the country legally.

With a Little Help from Our Feds: Understanding State Immigration Enforcement Policy Adoption in American Federalism

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This article discusses the authorization of enforcement personnel to assist in detaining violators of civil federal immigration law.

 Is Arizona's Anti-Illegal Immigration Law, S.B. 1070, Constitutional? PROS. 

The article discusses the constitutional aspect of the enacted Anti-Illegal Immigration Law in Arizona. It informs that the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act was framed to check illegal aliens from entering and seeking employment in Arizona.






Grad student's illegal immigrant life Video

 

Fixing the Immigration System for America’s 21st Century Economy 

This White House web site discuss the ways in which the immigration system will be fixed. I found this quote to be greatly inspiring and portrays my similar feelings on immigration.
"We are the first nation to be founded for the sake of an idea—the idea that each of us deserves the chance to shape our own destiny. That’s why centuries of pioneers and immigrants have risked everything to come here…The future is ours to win. But to get there, we cannot stand still."

-President Barack Obama


Illegal Immigration 

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This site provides great information and statistics on illegal immigration and covers multiple viewpoints.

 

Young Immigrant Activists Cast a Wider Net

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This article is interesting as it explains how the United We Dream organizations pushed for the reelection of Obama in order to open a path to citizenship. It discusses how Obama is looking to pass a comprehensive overhaul, rather than taking on the debate over immigration in smaller pieces. 

References:

Preston, Julia. "Young Leaders Cast a Wider Net for Immigration Reform." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Dec. 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/us/young-leaders-cast-a-wider-net-for-immigration-reform.html?_r=0>.

"3 Views on How US Should Combat Illegal Immigration." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/One-Minute-Debate/2012/0924/3-views-on-how-US-should-combat-illegal-immigration/Tighten-up-Eliminate-incentives-for-illegal-immigration.-Improve-detection-and-removal>.

"Fixing the Immigration System for America's 21st Century Economy." The White House. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/fixing-immigration-system-america-s-21st-century-economy>. 
 




Gender Socialization

Gender Socialization 

Gender socialization is the process of learning the social expectations and attitudes associated with one's sex. Sociologists explain through gender socialization why human males and females behave in different ways.  I chose this topic because of the varying views on whether differences between males and females result from innate, biological differences or from differences in the ways that boys and girls are socialized. In other words, experts disagree on whether differences between men and women are due to nature, nurture, or some combination of both.


This article is interesting due to its discussion on the gender stereotyping found deep in the roots of the Kalahandi tribe of India, specifically restrictions imposed on girls with regard to mobility and social relations, which are not found for their male counterparts.


The Role of Gender in the Socialization of Emotion

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This scholarly article discusses the role of gender in children's and adolescents' development, and how gender affects the process of emotion socialization.



 

Children's Views on Gender Roles 


Gender Socialization and Its Effects on American Girls

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This site discusses how toy stores and the toy sections of stores provide visual cues that specifically divide the toys into sexually appropriate toys. 


Gender Socialization in the Media from Childhood to Adulthood

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This article is interesting because it addresses how the movies and media children are exposed to shape their ideals of gender roles.

As gender roles change, are men out of step?

I incorporated this news article because of its different view on gender socialization. This article talks about how gender roles are changing due to the lower male college attendants and anti-intellectualism of young men and increase in stay-at-home dads.

 

 Referances: 

Kennedy Root, A., & Denham, S. A. (2010). The role of gender in the socialization of
emotion: Key concepts and critical issues. In A. Kennedy Root & S. Denham (Eds.),
The role of gender in the socialization of emotion: Key concepts and critical issues. New
Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 128, 1–9. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.


Mishra, Suchismita. (2012) Socialisation and gender bias at the household level among school-attending girls in a tribal community of the Kalahandi district of Eastern India.  Anthropological Notebooks. 18, 45-53

Ksaphner. "Gender Socialization and Its Effects on American Girls." HubPages. N.p., 3 May 2010. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. <http://ksaphner.hubpages.com/hub/Gender-Socialization-and-Its-Effects-on-American-Girls>. 

"As Gender Roles Change, Are Men out of Step?" CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 17 June 2012. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. <http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57454755/as-gender-roles-change-are-men-out-of-step/>. 




Sunday, October 14, 2012

We are the Creator of our Voyage

The study of Sociology is no ordinary voyage. The truth is, I am embarking on a journey that takes me into the depth and heart of the world that surrounds us, as an observer, a participant and a creator.  Sociology is the study of the world that we, human beings, create. 

Sociology takes a look at the world as we have created it.
It is not enough to merely live in the world that has been given to us, but also to analyze and understand the many workings of our lives. We must explore how individuals and collectivities are constructed, maintained and altered in a social manner. I am intrigued by these things and am eager to examine social dynamics including culture, values, socialization, cooperation, conflict, power, exchange, inequality deviance, social control, violence, order and social change.




The world we live in contains a continuous number of pieces that can be joined together to create a greater understanding. This study is what we call Sociology.