The Social Factual Norms By Durkheim Sociology Essay

The Social Factual Norms By Durkheim Sociology Essay Over the past years the headlines of newspapers have read everything from Neighbour says Nia chucked on line (NZHerald: 2008) to just this month very violent brain injury killed baby (NZHerald: 2011). In New Zealand on average one child is killed every 5 weeks due to Child Abuse. This figure should not come as a surprise; as over the past decade stories of fatal child abuse cases have been frequently covered in the news (Child matters: 2011). Norms are a social fact (Durkheim: 1982). These are the words from the famous French sociologist Emile Durkheim. He went on to explain that we are born into a pre-existing order, with rules and norms that have already been premade and set. And that if we want to live in this society we are born into, we must learn to abide by these pre-determined sanctions (Durkheim: 1982/1895, p56-57). These already set norms include those associated with the issue of child abuse. We dont have to think twice when reading horrendous articles in the newspaper of children being put in clothes dryers and severely beaten. We already know that it is morally wrong. Although in different cultures around the world different types of abuse may be seen as a form of, what they see as normal punishment. These social facts still exist around us. They were there before we were born and will still remain weather we choose to agree or disagree with them; most of which have consequences if you do chose to stray from them. This brings us Sharyn Roach Anleus 5 key questions surrounding norms; 1) whose norms? , in the case of child abuse it is our society/country of New Zealands norms. The norm is that it is not right to abuse children, or anyone. It is seen as a bad thing and as a country I am sure that there will not be many people who would say that it is ok to abuse. 2) How do some norms become official or legal? Harming a child is wrong and when hearing about these inhumane acts of violence against children we may be urged to do something about it, but if we are being real with ourselves, on our own; without economic or political power it would be difficult to put forth and solidify our beliefs into laws. Although with this issue there are many people with power who share the beliefs of our society. Such as Green MP Sue Bradfords; the anti smacking law was passed in 2007(NZ Herald: 2007). Since she had political power, with the support of the community the bill was passed. Three years have passed an d a new law will be passed that will see those people who turn a blind eye to child abuse prosecuted (DominionPost: 2011). This will be a positive thing as many cases of child abuse drag on for months as the people involved; who could have very well saved the Childs life have been to afraid or not bothered to report the abuse happening. Why are some norms more important than others? Does visibility make a difference? And can there be deviance without breaking social norms? As said in the book straying from these social norms can lead to deviance over a period of time. The example given is that of a soft drug user over time leads to hard drug use. This approach can be put into context with child abuse. Child abuse may be as obvious as bruises or as subtle as a parent neglecting their child. There can never be a good reason for child abuse to occur; but there definitely is a reason behind it .The straying could be the perpetrator; an adult being a parent, relative or friend showing their anger, due to various causes (e.g. stress in the home, work etc) through minor outburst such as yelling at the child or accidentally slapping them over time letting it get out of control and making it a regular occurrence of more severe abuse. Interactionist theory of deviance argues that deviant behaviour is learned. As is other behaviours. Just as deviance is socially constructed; Child abuse is considered as sociological fact as it is not an innate behavioral pattern for human beings to follow. It is mostly a learned behavior usually from interactions with the parents of the abusers. Sociology is the study of society, or to be more precise it is about group interactions within society. We are all part of groups such as school, cultural ethnic groups. One of the first groups that we interact with is with our families. This is where we learn much of what influences us as adults, and if abuse is what is learned as a child, it is most likely to be performed when the abused children grow up.The oxford dictionary of Sociology defines Child abuse as referring to: The maltreatment or injury of a child by an adult or adults. Such abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or a combination of all three. It might be perpetrated by one person or by several, within a family or outside it, and in public or in private. (Oxford: 2011) Over the years what may have been seen as an act of firm punishment is now; being discovered as a form of deviance. In the chapter Straying: Deviance in Being Sociological, Michael Lloyd makes it clear that norms are a key attribute when defining Deviance. The deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label (Becker, 1963, p9).Behaviors that are considered deviant are highly biased.Crime/deviance is defined by those in power. In context in the Kahui child abuse case where the father of the twins was wrongly accused for months over the killing of his twin babies. A stigma was formed which led people to think badly of him. And because of this label it seemed to the public that he was the abuser and that he had done it. Instead of him fighting for his right, because so many people were already against him due to this label, there was nothing he could do about it as a majority of people would not believe him. Until it was found that it was actually the babys mother who was the abuser then was this stigma lifted, and peoples view towards him changed. The damage would have still been there today and will take a while for him to socially construct himself again. Another form of social construction can be seen in Georges Canguilhems analysis of normality. Ian Hackings looping effect links on to the labelling theory as stated in his example person A does not want to be person H. if others think of a person as someone they are not(false accusation, stereotyping) That person will change their behaviours because they are aware of what others are saying about them. For example the deviant; the person doing the child abuse. Or the abuser that becomes out of the child that has been abused, may because of the stereotype of there being previous abuse in their household they may or may not want to live up to that labelling .But because of what others are saying they will get treated like the deviant whether they like it or not creating a looping effect. Harold Garfinkels documentary of identification method revealed that the jury he was studying the jurors came up with the outcome then filled in the reasons. These theories show that deviants are socially constructed through social interactions; the way people are treated influence how they act . And without deviance there would be no social change (Lloyd: 2007) The authors main purpose to introduce the complexity of the relationship between straying and how over time can lead to deviance was supported by including the viewpoints, theories and ideas of different people. Lloyd did not make many assumptions apart from assuming that the reader knew the meaning of straying; saying that it is a term used in everyday talk so we can do without a definition'(Lloyd,2007,p317-318). Through this text Michael Lloyd could be seen as being biased towards deviance being a social fact in society. He addresses the five questions surrounding norms which Sharyn Roach Anleu summarised following Emile Durkheims theory of norms being a social fact. These questions prove that deviance is an area of sociology that is full of debate and competing theories (Lloyd, 2007, p319). By including this and a commentator Colin Sumners claim that, the field reached a dead -end by the late 1970s Lloyd has saved himself from being completely biased by taking into account differe nt viewpoints of the topic. The sociological theories; Beckers labelling theory, Ian Hackings looping effect theory of human kind Harold Garfinkels identification of the documentary method of interpretation and ideas from this chapter help to understand and explain what is happening in the very serious social issue of child abuse in New Zealand.

History Of Haiku :: essays research papers fc

In Japan, short poems have a long history. The earliest Japanese poetry such as that of the Manyoshu, written in 759 A.D., includes stirring narrative, dramatic and short lyrical poems which scholars believe were originally written as part of the pre-Buddhist or early Shinto ceremonial rituals (Haiku). This anthology includes anonymous songs and prayers designed to celebrate and pacify the gods, prayers for safe voyages, formal eulogies on the death of an Emperor or Empress and courting, marriage, planting and harvesting rituals. The 5 syllable, 7 syllable, 5 syllable haiku has evolved and been reinvented many times over the centuries. One such form is the 31 syllable waka composed of five 5-7-5-7-7 syllable phrases. Developed as the early imperial court of the late eighth century consolidated cultural, social and political forms, the waka took its place as one of the important regularized poetic forms of the period. Within imperial circles, minor officials and scribes gained recognition as poem-providers and word specialists due to their ability to compose waka (Haiku). Nevertheless, early Japanese poetry went beyond official usage. In the 14th century, an intellectual game developed where one person would write the first half of a waka-like poem, and another would complete it, adding the two 7-syllable stanzas.As many as four people took part in composing such poetry in what developed as a serious poetic form, with many complicated rules to ensure that the elegant court-poetry diction and aesthetic ideals were maintained. However, in large social gatherings where Japanese rice wine, or sake, was often served, participants became inebriated and started writing haikai, comic linked verse, which ignored many of the rules and allowed any subject matter at all, from the truly crude and erotic to pure slapstick, daffy comedy. According to Dr. Kerkham, it was this lower-level poetic form which Matsuna ga Teitoku, haikai master, tried to clean up and popularize and teach to his student Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). Basho's haiku, written while travelling around Japan, made him one of Japan's most celebrated poets.

Compare and Contrast the Colonization of Jamestown, Plymouth

HIST 1301: U. S. History to 1865 Fall 2012 Essay Assignment #1 Question: Compare and contrast the colonization of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay. Be sure to discuss the settlers involved, the purpose of the colonies, the success or failure of the colony, important developments associated with colonization, and the role of religion in the colony. HIST-1301-009 – U. S. HISTORY TO 1865 Essay Assignment #1 Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay are all belong to English Colonization. There have some similarities and differences among these three places.Jamestown has no settler, but only 100 male adventures which was leaded by Captain John Smith looking for quick profit. Then, Thomas Gates sails 500 colonists and Lord Delaware arrives with 150 colonists in Jamestown. However, different with Jamestown, although Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay were settled by different people; Plymouth was steeled by Separatists from the Church of England and Massachusetts Bay was stee led by Non-Separating Congregationalists, but those settlers are all Puritans. The settlers of Plymouth are 101 men, women and children.In Massachusetts Bay, over 1000 Puritans sail for America in 1631 after 1630. Jamestown is for those adventures looking for a quick profit. But in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, both of them settled up not for quick. Plymouth was settled to avoid persecution. Massachusetts Bay was settled to reform the Church of England, to some extent, the colonists build a new society in there. Unfortunately, not like the success in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, the colonization of Jamestown is failure. From 1607 to 1624, people in Jamestown died from 14,000 to 1,132.In Plymouth, after they settled the colony up, it still had many people died at the first winner. The colonists helped the Wampanoags, and colony became self-sufficient in the following year. Then, civil government also grew out of church government. As Plymouth’s success, Massachusetts Bay also success in colonization. The colonists formed the New England Company, and Charles I grant a charter to the company. Finally John Winthrop moved the company to America to ensure the Puritan control. Even though Jamestown is failure, there still have many developments in colony. Related article: Jamestown and Plymouth Compare and ContrastTobacco became goods in exportation, colony accepted the Head-Right Policy to gain more settlers, and colonists granted the right of Englishmen. In Plymouth, colonists signed for the Mayflower Compact and became civil government because they landed off course and outside governmental jurisdiction. Massachusetts Bay had General Court. It was form by Winthrop and a few people, after more and more people got in, it finally became a legislative body in 1634, and became bicameral in following year. From Jamestown, there is no any religion get involved.Just some adventures want to get money in the short time, so they established the colony. However, different from Jamestown, religion plays a crucial role in Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. First of all, the settlers of Plymouth are Separatists from the Church of England, and the settlers of Massachusetts Bay are Non-Separating Congregationalists. Both of those settlers are Puritans . Furthermore, Plymouth’s settlers established colony for avoid persecution, and Massachusetts Bay’s settlers established colony for reform the Church of England. Religion relates to these two colonies at the beginning.

Salem Witchcraft Trials essays

Salem Witchcraft Trials essays Arthur Miller wrote the play The Crucible based on what happened during the Salem Witchcraft Trials. Is Arthur Millers projection of what happened during the actual trials accurate? As you will find out, Miller used more dramatic license then you might expect. Why did Miller decide to change some of the events that occurred Was it to intrigue the reader or were some of the events reflections from his own life.? In the play Reverend Parris has one daughter and a young woman, Abigail, who is under his care. In reality, the Parris family also included two other children, an older brother, Thomas (b. 1681), and a younger sister, Susannah (b.1687)(Brown). Another major difference is that in the play Betty claims that her mother is dead, but in fact she was not dead; she died in 1696 four years after the events(Brown). Miller admits in the introduction to the play that he boosted Abigail's age to 17 even though the real girls age was only 11, and he never mentions that John Proctor was 60 and Elizabeth ,his third wife, was 41. In fact Proctor was not a farmer but a tavern keeper. other members of the Proctor family were; a daughter aged 15, a son who was 17, and Johns 33-year-old son from his first marriage (Nissenbaum). Everyone in the family was eventually accused of witchcraft. Elizabeth Proctor was indeed pregnant during the trialls, and did have a temporary stay of execution after convi ction, which ultimately saved her life because it extended past the end of the period that the executions were taking place (Brown). In the play Reverend Parris says, I am a graduate of Harvard college. when in fact he had not graduated. He attended for a while then dropped out (Gragg). In the play Abigail says Uncle we did dance referring to the time Reverend Parris caught them in the woods. In actuality there never was any wild dancing in the woods led by Tituba, and certainly Reverend Parris never...

Gender Stereotypes in Cosmopolitan

Gender Stereotypes in Cosmopolitan ity.

Fifth Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fifth Business - Essay Example The snowball that hit Mary Dempster caused the premature birth of Paul and the insanity of Mary. This episode in his childhood had brought Dunstan an unending guilt that had enveloped him all through his life. There were several people whom Dunstan had met that helps him understand his roles as well as let himself loose of the burden of guilt he had felt since that eventful day with Staunton and Mary Dempster. Myth finds a place in the heart of Dunstan and teaches him to grow. Magic is the escape of yore that Dunstan seeks and successfully rediscovers. Religion, myth, and magic are intertwined in Dunstan Ramsay's life, crucial for the completion of Ramsay as a person through the wonder they inspire. (http://www.geocities.com/echomyst/literature/fifth_business.html, para 1) Being a saint and being a mad person depend entirely on how people thought of one's personality. The religious practices and influences of one person according to his or her beliefs affect how people would see one's perception towards him or her. Dunstan Ramsay's taking full responsibility of Mary Dempster had taught him the saintly versions of life. She had shown him several miracles that had brought him closer to her that he regarded Mary as more than his friend, but a spiritual guide - a fool-saint who has nurtured his soul. His feelings towards him were even more than the maternal love he had felt towards his own mother. The miracles that Mary had shown her were those when she brought his brother back to life, that she appeared to him in his own war (World War I) related illness, and that she converts a dirty tramp into a minister - Surgeoner, whose life Mary changed forever and now heads the Lifeline Mission. (http://www.geocities.com/fossilfreak/books/fifth.html, para 3 & 15) However, Dunstan attitudes towards Mary were contrasted by the society such that they regard her as a "mad" woman that even her husband sees her a his "heavy cross." He had a totally different view of Mary's personality even though his innocence ked him to see her sexuality as "madness," he was still able to accept her as a "wise woman" and as a "saint." ("Dialectic") This situation in the novel only shows that a saintly representation of someone else to another person may sometimes be a madness to other people as dictated by his or her religious beliefs and the people he or she is associated with. Furthermore, these representations or views towards other people changes as one encounters other situations that might lead him to discovering new worlds of manly desires and characters. Conclusion There is therefore a thin line separating personal mythologies such as being a saint and being a mad person as perceived by other people. These perceptions are based on how one's personality is able to influence the life of another in a way that would relieve the burdens that a person carries in his life and grow maturely as a person. (http://www.geocities.com/fossilfreak/books/fifth.html, para 23) Works Cited: Dialectic, Morality and Deptford Trilogy. http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/SCL/bin/get.cgidirectory=vol12_1/&filename= LoVerso.htm. December 12, 2006. _______. http://www.geocities.com/echomyst/literature/fifth_business.html. December 12, 2006. Fifth Business Introduction The various religions present in the society encompass various beliefs as well. But

Deforestation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Deforestation - Essay Example Also, the reasons for deforestation are largely economic. Softwoods from areas under boreal forest are used in the paper and construction industries, while tropical hardwoods are used in the manufacture of furniture and for construction purposes. In South American countries, forest and woodland areas are also heavily exploited for wood-fuel, which is the main source of energy. Following Ehrhardt-Martinez (1998): "Deforestation in developed countries has reached very low levels, it accounts for the loss of 16.3 million hectares of forest per year in developing countries -- an area approximately twice the size of Portugal. An estimated 15.4 million hectares of forest loss occurs each year in tropical regions, with the worst losses occurring in Latin America and the Caribbean (7.4 million ha) (568) Clearly, the exploitative decline in forest and woodland resources is not sustainable in the long term and a number of environmental problems, including soil erosion and biodiversity losses, have developed as a result. Improved road access into deforested areas is likely to encourage population influx and increased shifting cultivation (Margulis 39). Farmers are then encouraged to trans... These strategies are very successful helping to establish a special culture of forest management and land use (Ehrhardt-Martinez, 569). For the highlands, this meant more emphasis on cattle-ranching, generating meat and dairy products for the growing urban markets, and less importance for traditional subsistence crops like corn, wheat and barley. The establishment of all-weather routes meant that areas which had only been accessible during the dry season could now be used for continuous product extraction, promoting permanent settlement which in turn also increased the demand for local food products. it should be noted that forests, while not the only, are still the main source of 'reserve land areas' to be gradually included in the pool of cultivated areas (WRM 1998). Due to the low commercial scale of remaining valuable timber species, it is usually not worthwhile to open a new road in a mountainous region just for the sake of timber extraction; this thus eliminates any prospective 'indirect' impact. The extraction of logs here may rather be a by-product of forest-clearing implemented for general purposes of colonization (Margulis 89). According to road distance and market requirements, either all types of firewood are cut and used across the board for conversion, or hard species with a high energy content are selected. In the case of across-the-board utilization, charcoal-burning would indeed be a candidate as a cause of deforestation, provided that the once-and-for-all rent from clearing and charcoal conversion is in fact the decisive motivation within the landowner's resource-use strategy. The problem of deforestation needs complex solutions and