Abstract Globalization Essay Example for Free

Abstract Globalization Essay Abstract Globalization is a term now circulating frequently in both popular media as well as formal academic disciplines. It has many meanings, some of which are contestable, others simply descriptive. This work attempts to explore some implications of globalization for the field of curriculum studies. This paper is an attempt to explore some of the symbols of nationality that are embedded in, or associated with, our curriculum, and to suggest that these may present some problems in terms of values and of equality. The work will explore the hegemonic relationship exerted by culture through the curriculum, relating this particularly to the ways in which a curriculum might be assessed. The particular curricular examination suggests that African-American life and history are reflected in various conceptions of the curriculum. Therefore the study will also consider how functional approach to teaching social skills to African American students is infused throughout the curriculum. Curriculum Development Introduction A vague presumption has come to pervade the publics understanding of education, namely that its content should somehow be apolitical and value-free. If values are not explicitly addressed in the classroom then what is taught are simple â€Å"facts† unadulterated and value-neutral. Values, however, are not a separate category of the mind, but arise, part and parcel, out of our total understanding of reality, our worldview. It is this realization that three of our contributors bring to bear, each in a different way, on the problems of the contemporary curriculum. James B. Macdonald (1971) asserts: The process of curriculum development includes selection from the total culture and the creation of a pattern of encounter that will maximize the authenticity of the material and the probability of its being internalized by learners. As a system of ideas and beliefs, it includes aspects of the cognitive world isolated by disciplines and/or subjects in terms of facts, information, generalization, principles, laws, and the like. It also includes awareness of and facility in the use of expressive symbols such as art, music and language. Further, it includes systems of value orientation for action in the form of such things as modes of inquiry, seeking new knowledge, respecting the integrity and worth of individuals, being concerned for other peoples, using democratic procedures , and so forth (pp. 97-98). Macdonald takes issue with the attempt of all scholars to mimic science as the only reliable path to â€Å"truth. † For him, restructuring the curriculum does not mean trying to integrate the disciplines as they now exist, but rather, seeking an altogether new worldview -what he calls a new â€Å"anthropology. † His point is that we need to consider values, meaning, and purpose in the curriculum in order to create a more adaptive and accurate vision of the world. A balance must be maintained between local culture and global culture. Thanks to that balance, groups win be able to develop or reinforce local cultures, and at the same time will be able to communicate with the main global culture in a mutually reinforcing relationship. We must of course agree as to what language to use to communicate throughout the global network. The problem is not very different from what we do for instance in air traffic control. At a certain moment we must accept that in order to communicate we must have a common global language. This does not negate local languages and cultures on the contrary. The fact that one speaks English does not prevent him/her from communicating in his/her native Italian, nor does it reduce his/her pride in Italian culture. By speaking English, he/she is able to communicate that culture to other cultures, and vice versa. The â€Å"Global Education† mentioned in the abstract might be understood as the universal education of humankind a worthy goal. But we first have to ask: what will we teach? There are too many facts to be taught, yet they are insufficient. We need instead to exercise our intelligence to grasp and teach what is best namely the promotion of our well-being. The cultural/historical dimension, whereby students are stimulated to broaden their perspective on life, is already being addressed in some programs of curriculum reform. At my home institution, Temple University, for example, a two semester course entitled â€Å"The Intellectual Heritage† is required for all undergraduate students. This course introduces seminal texts and ideas from Western, African, and Asian traditional intellectual histories and cultures. Through classic works such as the Tao Te Ching, the Koran, and the Analects, the heritage of all humankind, students are able to enlarge their intellectual and historical vision, while becoming sensitized to the values of their own, often unexplored, roots. This suggests that curriculum must include voices, visions, and perspectives of people of color and other marginalized groups. Literature Review Henderson noted in her paper that conventional economic theory is based more on the values of economic theorists and their wealthy sponsors than on actual observation of real economies (Davis 1988). Not only economics, but everything that is taught bears the stamp of someones values whether those of a legislator, a teacher, a textbook writer, or a group of academic theorists. Value-neutrality is one of the most pervasive misconceptions of modern education. The curriculum is not unbiased, and students are not left to form their own opinions. Whatever is taught bears the imprint of the values implicit in society, and if by chance those values are part of the cause of a societys problems, then it becomes necessary to address them openly and critically in the educational curriculum. This, of course, is the real meaning of â€Å"academic freedom,† something that the American public has yet to accept. The problem of what set of values, what sort of vision of humankind, we could put in place of or at least use to modify our present faulty vision is taken up by Charles Weihsun Fu in a brilliant analysis of the distinctions between two of the worlds dominant worldviews: the Eastasian and the modern Western. Fu skillfully juxtaposes the Confucian and Judeo-Christian understandings, pointing out the social and political consequences of each, and especially their inherent weaknesses. More specifically, he contrasts their respective bases in personal morality and social responsibility on the one hand and in law and contractual relationships on the other. Fu concludes with a proposal for interweaving these two approaches which, if introduced into the Western curriculum, could serve simultaneously to correct our destructive tendencies toward alienation while softening our pretensions of moral superiority. His arguments seem to us to feed well into those of Johan Galtung, who discusses the path to global peace under the next theme. The process by which change is to be accomplished likewise is addressed by Frances Moore Lappe, as she critiques our political value system. Too often, Lappe argues, the curriculum teaches only superficial explanations for societys problems, relying upon the unexamined assumptions of single disciplines, which are often graced with the label of common sense. She calls for the introduction of dialogue into the curriculum to force us to delve deeper into the underlying causes of problems, thus revealing their true complexity. Such dialogue ultimately demands the critical self-evaluation of values and a sense of political engagement that she believes are essential for an active, informed, truly democratic citizenry. If they are to achieve a productive dialogue rather than a polarizing debate, both Western traditionalists and the multiculturalists must face some facts. The growing number of people of color in our society and schools constitutes a demographic imperative educators must hear and respond to. The 1999 Census indicated that one of every four Americans is a person of color. By the turn of the century, one of every three will be of color. Nearly half of the nations students will be of color by 2020 (Council for Exceptional Children 2002). Although the school and university curriculums remain Western-oriented, this growing number of people of color will increasingly demand to share power in curriculum decision making and in shaping a curriculum canon that reflects their experiences, histories, struggles, and victories. People of color, women, and other marginalized groups are demanding that their voices, visions, and perspectives be included in the curriculum. They ask that the debt Western civilization owes to Africa, Asia, and indigenous America be acknowledged (Grossman 1998). The advocates of the Afro centric curriculum, in sometimes passionate language that reflects a dream long deferred, are merely asking that the cultures of Africa and African-American people be legitimized in the curriculum and that the African contributions to European civilization be acknowledged. People of color and women are also demanding that the facts about their victimization be told, for truths sake, but also because they need to better understand their conditions so that they and others can work to reform society. The significance of culture in curriculum implementation is supported by Michaels (1981) study of differences in narrative styles used by African American children and their European-American teacher. In Michaels study, a European-American teacher did not make explicit the literate narrative style employed in school learning and, thus, African-American children did not acquire a prerequisite skill for reading acquisition. Narrative styles are culturally acquired. The narrative style employed in school is based on the European-American culture and does not need to be made explicit to most members of that culture. Schools and the curriculum are often portrayed as culturally neutral and, because the practice of schooling has become traditional, it is difficult to identify the specific aspects of culture that are present. A more specific example of teachers response to students cultural or ethnic background is found in a research study reported by Perry Gilmore (1985) in which African-American childrens access to advanced literacy is denied on the basis of their level of acculturation rather than acquisition of prerequisite skills. Creators of the standard curriculum as members, of the society, function in multiple settings (e. g. , systems) and, as a result, are socialized by many agents. Attitudes about what children should be taught and how they should be taught are shaped. Likewise, attitudes about social issues such as race and ethnicity are also influenced heavily by multiple systems-giving messages, sometimes conflicting messages, about the importance of these factors. Branch (1993) suggested that the ethnicity and race of the teachers/educators and learners figure prominently in the learning equation. He posits that the attribution of characteristics to learners influences how they perform in the classroom, perhaps as much as their abilities. Frequently, teachers view African-American childrens academic performance as a function of their race and ethnicity and the children themselves may develop limiting self-perceptions as a consequence of their interactions within the ecosystem. For example, Fordham and Ogbu (1986) reported that some African-American high school students perceive academic excellence as an instance of â€Å"acting White. † Background It was not easy, even in the heyday of nineteenth-century nationalism, to define what was meant by national identity. Nations were often based on some notion of unity, or of consanguinity, or of some shared culture, or appearance, or language. None of these seems to be either a necessary or a sufficient condition, however. The United States manages without consanguinity, for example—though it currently seems to see language as a defining issue, as can be seen in the moral panic about the possibility of non-English speakers forming a majority. The pedagogic will seek to produce structures and curricula that are designed to maintain national identity, particularly at moments when national authority might seem to be in question. Bernstein (1971) expressed part of this when he wrote that â€Å"how a society selects, classifies, distributes, transmits and evaluates the educational knowledge that it considers to be public reflects both the distribution of power and the principles of social control†. If existing power structures and distribution are to be maintained, knowledge, and the particular kinds of knowledge that constitute cultural capital, must be selected and transmitted to particular groups. Such cultural capital must be identified, protected and valued over other cultural phenomena. Authorities need to assert their identity and control, and, in the context of the arguments presented in this paper, they need national and cultural symbols to do this, and they need control over the way in which they are transmitted. Some of the unhappy facts of our condition are being disseminated through the media, but in spite of this we still suffer from serious misunderstandings about the nature of global problems. While we have all been told that there are environmental, economic, and political crises the greenhouse effect, species extinction, the hole in the ozone layer, the Third World debt, the instability of political institutions and have been informed that there are some causative agents such as carbon dioxide emissions, deforestation, poverty, and a dearth of the appropriate sustainable development, we clearly do not comprehend. We misunderstand precisely because an insistence on the facts alone constitutes that little bit of knowledge that is a dangerous thing. Western traditionalists and multiculturalists must realize that they are entering into debate from different power positions. Western traditionalists hold the balance of power, financial resources, and the top positions in the mass media, in schools, colleges and universities, government, and in the publishing industry (Duckworth 1996). Genuine discussion between the traditionalists and the multiculturalists can take place only when power is placed on the table, negotiated, and shared. However, multiculturalists must acknowledge that they do not want to eliminate Aristotle and Shakespeare, or Western civilization, from the school curriculum. To reject the West would be to reject important aspects of their own cultural heritages, experiences, and identities. The most important scholarly and literary works written by African-Americans, such as works by W. E. B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson, and Zora Neale Hurston, are expressions of Western cultural experiences. African-American culture resulted from a blending of African cultural characteristics with those of African peoples in the United States (Wald 1996). Rather than excluding Western civilization from the curriculum, multiculturalists want a more truthful, complex, and diverse version of the West taught in the schools. They want the curriculum to describe the ways in which African, Asian, and indigenous American cultures have influenced and interacted with Western civilization (Combleth 1988). They also want schools to discuss not only the diversity and democratic ideals of Western civilization, but also its failures, tensions, dilemmas, and the struggles by various groups in Western societies to realize their dreams against great odds. The inclusion of African-American literature (a) clearly reveals the conflicts and contradictions of class, race, and gender bias in a democratic society, (b) puts students in touch with their own bias and that of their peers, and (c) helps students learn to challenge bias in themselves, their peers, and the larger society, and in the literature they read. The teachers personal commitment allows to overcome aspects of the school culture and resistance and racial conflict among students to reach a point of shared understanding and experience for students. The racial conflict clearly raises the issue of personal and group identity, however. Method Curriculum development is designed to reflect the course of study in schools. It is intended to present information to students in an organized manner through various instructional methods and strategies. Teachers must be cognizant of creative and innovative ways to individualize and maximize learning for pupils by providing practical learning activities. Designing curriculum involves two major methodologies (Grossman 1998). The first methodology is experimental instruction. Experimental instruction is designed to intrinsically motivate student interests inside and outside of the classroom. The second approach, systematic instruction, involves teacher/student interaction. The major purpose of systematic instruction is to develop a skill or concept and design materials and activities that enable students to achieve the selected objectives. Curriculum development in most school districts is concerned with developing academics in order to equip pupils to master the complex tasks presented by our society. This approach is valid for most pupils. However, due to poor social and interpersonal skills development of many minority and young African-American students, social skill development may be necessary before academic skills can be mastered. It is generally agreed by most professionals in the field of education that schools should be involved in teaching social and interpersonal skills. For example, social skills education and interpersonal skills development are ideal ways to teach responsibility for self and others and for exploring the meaning of human interaction and relationships. A social skills curriculum can also help students understand: (1) how to develop self-esteem along with their emotions and how their emotions affects others; (2) how to develop positive social relationships; (3) respect for others; (4) respect for rules and regulations; (5) ways to develop moral and character; (6) ways to examine ones values; (7) ways to make responsible choices; (8) their potential and worth as human beings; (9) How to develop a sense of responsibility toward others and ways of behaving appropriately in public places; (10) the role and duty of responsible citizens; and (11) how to develop effective communication skills. Curriculum strategies outlined in this text are designed to address the social skills and others as they relate specifically to African American students. Experimental, direct, and systematic curriculum methodologies were employed. The phenomenon of educating African-American students has been studied and investigated extensively, resulting in numerous educators advocating that these â€Å"special† students demonstrate inappropriate social skills/ behaviors inside as well as outside the classroom. Developing the appropriate social skills for successful interaction with peers and significant adults (teachers, parents) can be considered one of the most important accomplishments of childhood and early adolescence should be addressed as soon as possible. This is particularly true in the area of establishing and maintaining relations with peers and authority figures. Not only can social skills deficits have a negative impact on future interpersonal functioning, it may also affect current functioning, reducing the quality and quantity of the learning experiences to which students are exposed in their educational settings. Social skills have been defined as goal-oriented, rule-governed, situation-specific learned behaviors that vary according to social context. Social skills involving both observable and nonobservable cognitive and affective elements that help elicit positive or neutral responses and avoid negative responses from others. As such, social behavior constitutes an intricate interfactional process. As a result, the behavior of school-age children influences and is influenced by that of their partners (e. g. , teachers, mentors, tutors, and peers) within the interaction. Society expects that when children reach various developmental stages, they will demonstrate greater foresight and more controlled behaviors. Society also expects that children will be capable, not only of meeting increased demands within learning tasks, but also more complex, subtle social situations. Failure to meet these expectations may increase their sense of social alienation and helplessness. The curriculum presented here is designed to enable African American students to become socially contributing members of society by meeting expected standards. Strategies have been developed to assist educators in providing these students appropriate social skills training to enable them to operate successfully in the schools and society. Intervention techniques have been selected based upon research techniques to assist young Black students in controlling aggression, assuming responsibility, and becoming productive members of the group. The author highly endorses that proactive approach be employed when teaching social skills to African-American students. Since proactive instruction provides children with social intervention before negative behaviors occur, this approach is preferable to reactive teaching. Whereas proactive instruction teaches social skills before social rejection is experienced, reactive instruction waits for the individual to fail and then applies intervention strategies. Many African-American students have problems developing appropriate social skills due to the problems outlined throughout the text. Proactive instruction will prevent many of the negative consequences of inappropriate social skills, as well as improve the self-image of young African-American males. Recommended strategies for proactive instruction may assist the boys in: 1. dealing positively with accusations 2. accepting the feelings of others in a nonthreatening manner 3. respecting the feelings of others 4. avoiding fights and conflicts 5. dealing effectively with teasing 6. giving praise or compliments to others 7. accepting compliments from others 8. apologizing for inappropriate behavior 9. expressing anger in a positive way 10. showing affection and appreciation toward others 11. practicing self-control These instructional activities may be expanded or modified as needed. As indicated, African-American students must be taught appropriate social skills if they are going to be contributing members of society. The social skills outlined here should be infused throughout the curriculum and integrated as needed by the teacher. These strategies are seen as immediate, useful sources for teaching pro-social skills to African-American students. Additionally, the curriculum is based upon in-depth research and years of teaching and observing the social skills development of African-American students. Results The initial step in developing a social skills curriculum is to identify those general social behaviors that are critical to successful social functioning. These general social behaviors are then rewritten as general objectives, which provide the framework for constructing other components of the curriculum. The second stage is to sequence specific objectives as they relate to the general objectives. All specific objectives are designed to achieve the general objectives. Specific objectives are stated in behavioral and measurable terms. The third step is to identify activities and resources that can achieve the stated objectives. Activities should be functional and reflect real life experiences that African-American students are exposed to. As much as possible, parents should be involved in reinforcing the social skills taught. Parents may be used as resource individuals and may offer suggestions relative to material and activities. The fourth step is to include cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity into the curriculum. This approach affords young African-American males the opportunity to appreciate and understand their own self-worth and sense of importance and belonging as well as identify Blacks and other minorities who have made significant contributions in several fields. An additional benefit is that the young Black males can identify and associate with appropriate role models. A curriculum that does not highlight the contributions of Blacks and minorities gives an inaccurate and distorted view of the many significant contributions made by them. Multicultural activities and strategies enrich the curriculum by showing differences in cultural styles, patterns, and interests of diverse groups. Conclusions and Recommendations A social skills curriculum should be based upon those social skills needed to function successfully in ones society. Much of the research reviewed indicates that a significant number of y African American students have not mastered the social skills needed to function successfully in our society. A functional approach involves exposing the learner to real-life situations, concepts, and activities such as self-identity, acquiring self-concept, achieving socially acceptable behavior, bonding, respecting the rights of others, maintaining good interpersonal skills, achieving independence, employing problem-solving skills, taking turns, and communicating appropriately with others. It is language the exquisite use of symbols that makes us truly human, and I would like to see a core curriculum in which students study the origins of language not just parts of speech (Frisby 1993). I would also like to see students consider how symbol systems vary from one culture to another, how language can be shared, and perhaps all students should become familiar with a language other than their own, so they can step outside their own language skin to understand better the nature of communication. And surely a course of study on the centrality of language would include mathematics, which is a universal symbol system. All human beings respond to the aesthetic. This condition is found in all cultures on the planet, and students, in the new core curriculum, should study the universal language we call art. When Picasso confronts the unspeakable agonies of war, the dismembered child, the scream of a bereft mother, the shattered home, and puts them on a huge canvas called â€Å"Guernica,† he makes a universal statement about destruction that can be felt in the heart of every human being (Spears-Bunton 1990). I am suggesting that for the most intimate, most profound, most moving experiences, we need subtle symbols, and students should learn how different cultures express themselves through the universal language of the arts. Bibliography Bankee N. C. Obiakor F. E. (1992). â€Å"Educating the Black male: Renewed imperatives for Black and white communities. † Scholar and Educator: The Journal of the Society of Educators and Scholars, 15, 2:16-31. Bernstein, B. (1971). â€Å"On the Classification and Framing of Educational Knowledge†, in Young, M. F. D. (ed. ) Knowledge and Control: New Directions for the Sociology of Education, London: Collier-Macmillan. Bok, Derek. Higher Learning. Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard University Press, 1986. Branch C. (1993). â€Å"Ethnic identity as a variable in the learning equation. † In E. Hollins, J. King, W. Hayman (Eds. ), Teaching diverse populations. Albany: State University of New York Press. Combleth, Catherine. (1988). â€Å"Curriculum In and Out of Context,† Journal of Curriculum and Supervision, 3:2, pp. 85-96. Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). (2002). Addressing over representation of African American students in special education: The prereferral intervention process An administrators guide. Washington, DC: National Alliance of Black Schools Educators. Davis, Allen J. (1988). â€Å"Education for Citizenship: The Role of Progressive Education and Interdisciplinary Studies,† Innovative Education 13, 1. Duckworth E. (1996). The having of wonderful ideas and other essays on teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press. Falvey, M. A. (Ed. ). (1995). Inclusive and heterogeneous schooling: Assessment, curriculum, and instruction. Baltimore: Brookes. Frisby C. (1993). â€Å"One giant step backward: Myths of Black cultural learning styles. † School Psychology; Review, 22(3), 535-557. Fu Charles Wei-hsun. (1988). On the Task of Constructive Modernization of Confucian Ethics and Morality, Taipei: Universitas (Philosophy and Culture) Monthly. Fordham S. Ogbu J. U. (1986). â€Å"Black students school success: Coping with the burden of acting white. † The Urban Review, 18(3), 176-205. Grossman, H. (1998). Ending discrimination in special education. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas. Hirsch E. D. , Jr. , (1993). â€Å"The core knowledge curriculum Whats behind its success? † Educational Leadership, 50, 23-30. Macdonald, James B. (1971). `Curriculum Development in Relation to Social and Intellectual Systems. In The curriculum: Retrospect and Prospect, part I, pp. 97-112. Seventeenth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Chicago: University of Chicago press, 1971. Michaels S. (1981). â€Å"Sharing time: Childrens narrative styles and differential access to literacy. † Language in Society, 10, 423-442. Obiakor, F. E. (1994). The eight-step multicultural approach: Learning and teaching with a smile. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Obiakor, F. E. (1999). Beyond the steps: Multicultural study guide. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt. Obiakor, F. E. , Schwenn, J. O. (1996). Assessment of culturally diverse students with behavior disorders. In A. F. Rotatori, J. O. Schwenn, S. Burkhardt (Eds. ), â€Å"Advances in Special Education: Assessment and Psychopathology Issues in Special Education† (Vol. 10, pp. 37-57). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Spears-Bunton, Linda A. (1990). â€Å"Welcome to My House: African American and European American Students Responses to Virginia Hamiltons House of Dies Drear,† The Journal of Negro Education, 59:4, pp. 566-576. Wald, J. L. (1996). â€Å"Diversity in the special education training force. † NCPSE News, 1, l6.

Threats :: essays research papers

Anthony, soaked in his own perspiration after a friendly soccer match, barged through his classroom door angrily, with his soccer ball within his arm. He sat down, disposing his gear- grassy socks with its stink, goalkeeper’s gloves – into an NTUC Fairprice plastic bag. The thirteen-year-old then lay back in his chair, deep in thoughts, unaware of the quietness of an empty classroom late in the afternoon. â€Å"Boy, what an idiot you are! If you do not turn up for the next soccer practice, I’ll replace you with that boy from 1C, that Weixiang!† – The sight of his soccer match, Mr. Anderson, yelling into his face kept flashing within Anthony’s mind. The pot-bellied English man had a reputation for deafening his students with his voice, not much difference from using a loud hailer. Anthony is proud of his position, as goalkeeper of the C’ Division soccer team of the school. Never could he imagine Weixiang, that scrawny egg-shaped spectacles-rimmed nerdy homo-sapien replacing that post due to missing a few soccer practices for the sake of competing at Counterstrike games with his long-timed rivals at the cybercafe nearby. It is a hard-earned achievement for Anthony Tan, previous top-scorer in his lowly unheard Primary School; he has intentions of converting from his library-dwelling old self, to the sporty, sociable stud of Bukit Timah Secondary School. The ‘stud’ packed his school bag. His eyes felt dry. â€Å"Darn. I have been wearing these contact lenses since six this morning,† he thought, rubbing his left eye with the back of his hand. All he wanted to do was to shoot his way home to remove the irritating focuses. Anthony swung the bag across his back in a fashionable manner – similar to those American kids on TV hanging out at their school lockers. He dribbled his favorite ball – most desired 13th birthday gift, indication of start to teenage-hood. Out of the dark classroom, along the dimly lit corridors, attempting to make his way out of the school compound while showing himself as a well-inspired fan of Paolo Maldini. Dribbling on, with pillars in place as his defenders. He stopped. Slowly, in a dramatic manner, our hero ascended his right leg to a certain level. Anthony gave the soccer ball a hard deserving kick. How he wished it was the head of his Mathematics teacher. Our friend then discovered – venging anger on non-living objects with the hint of cruel imagination does cure vengeance within the heart.

Sociology and Family Members

Family SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology Instructor: Sheila Farr November, 12th 2012 The sociological institutions I have chosen for this paper is family. â€Å"The family is the first group of people with whom the child has contact, and they are the most important, especially in the early years. They provide food, shelter, care, education, and support. They describe and define the world to the developing child. They teach values, morals, and beliefs. † (Vissing, 2011) A person is defined by the family and they are taught how to live a certain way, but as they grow up society start to influence their decisions.In this paper I will evaluate the impact Sociological theories: Functionalism, Conflict, and Interactionism, will have on a family. How does each theory apply to the selected sociological institution? â€Å"The family is regarded as the most basic institution for all individuals because it is directly responsible for the care and protection of its members. The family co nsists of people who are biologically related but may also contain people with whom we live and people with whom we have close emotional bonds. (Vissing, 2011) The way Functionalism applies to a family is functionalist sociologists developed an analysis which showed that the family had evolved into a superior form. Studies by Murdock, Goode, and others were able to show that the family, in changing its form, had been left free to concentrate on the most important functions. Parsons (1956) saw the two most important functions to be the socialization of the young and the stabilization of the adult personality. â€Å"The functionalist view of the family is the notion of ‘fit’.The isolated nuclear family was seen to be a good ‘fit’ for post-war American society. The family had been left free to make a good job of rearing the children, with more ‘professional’ parents working alongside teachers and childcare experts. The family was also able to con centrate on the demanding relationship between husband and wife. The family provided both the child and the adult with the physical and emotional support needed for their roles in society. It also provided the motivation to be successful in an industrial world which laid stress on achievement by individual effort.The functionalist account of the positive role of the family in society coincided with a period of strong public support for the American family. Berger and Berger (1983) argue that this was a period when the American family was seen as a success, particularly in the way it placed the needs of the individual at the heart of family life. † (Wilson, A, (1985) pg. 21) The way Conflict applies to a family is the conflict role can be intense and uncomfortable, as people feel forced to make choices between work and family.Relatives may be upset when major conflicts occurs such as â€Å"financial pressures and money management; trying to balance home, work, community, and p ersonal responsibilities; infidelity; decision making and conflict resolution; dealing with health problems; addressing personal, educational, and occupational needs of family members; maintaining a home and household; dealing with substance abuse, crime, or domestic violence problems; co-parenting; divorce and stepfamilies; and dealing with aging parents. A family shoulders a tremendous responsibility and usually requires assistance from others as a result. For some people work may come first and may be seen as a violation of the role of being a dedicated family member. Individuals may feel a sense of being â€Å"damned if I do, damned if I don't,† no matter what they end up doing. Often work comes first because responsible adults feel that they cannot care for their family if they lose their job.When people feel important at work and home, they have a greater sense of generatively; when they do not feel valued or do work that isn't inherently meaningful, the feelings of sta gnation and alienation occur. When people feel competent and happy, the systems perspective holds that they may transfer those feelings to other areas of life, whereas when people feel stagnant and hopeless, those feelings likewise impact other aspects of their personal world. The way Interactionism applies to a family, Symbolic interaction theory analyzes society by addressing the subjective meanings that people impose on behaviors.A close emotional bond exists with them, what they think of us really matters, especially in the early years when children are being socialized to understand both themselves and their place in the world. † (Vissing, 2011) What are the similarities? What are the differences? The similarities between the theories are how they affect a family as a whole. Functionalism impact the functionality of family when everyone doing their part and there are no problems and, Conflict affects the family relationship as a whole, and Interactionism affects how the f amily interact with one another and other people.The differences between the theories are, functionalism is about the morals and values that are taught to a family to help them thrive in society, Conflict is based on outside influence that impact the family, and interactionism focuses on the behaviors family members pick up from socializing with different groups of people. How does each theory affect the views of the individual who is part of a family? Functionalism affects the views of the as a whole family, each individual person plays a role in how the family functions in society.Conflict affects the views of the individual because that person will struggle for to be heard, they will disagree and their actions will cause stress in the family. Interactionism affects the views of individual because they are learning new things as they socialize with others. They may start to act and dress differently and do things they never done before. How does each theory affect the approach to social change within the selected institution? Functionalism, see social changes as undesirable because of the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise.The way they approach social change is by not taking an active role in changes in their social environment, if things are going good they like for it to stay that way. Even if the family can benefit from the changes, they don’t won’t to run the risk of causing problems for themselves or their family. The family prefers to let the changes happen naturally without interfering. Conflict, approach to social change is by putting the changes into perspective. The social conflict can have a positive impact, when properly understood, in promoting groups to find common ground, form alliances, define core values, and identify the differences.Interactionism, approach to social change in family is people can chose to embrace the morals and values they were taught or reject them. Every indiv idual has their own set of beliefs in a family and these beliefs are exercised depending on the individual. Family unit does not operate as a collective, even though it is believed to do so. Each individual in the family has different values that are attributed to age, associations, values, etc. A child could have complete different view on a particular subject than their parents.Within the Sociological institution selected, how does each theory affect the views of society? Functionalism, view society as functioning best when there is agreement about the social values and norms. â€Å"Conflict can have a positive impact on society views, when properly understood, in promoting groups to find common ground, form alliances, define core values, and identify the differences. † (Harper, N) Interactionism, society imposes a different set of values that can influence family member to do things different from the norm. To conclude, each theory has a different impact on a family.They e ach give insight into how society impacts a family and individual members. As person venture in the world they start to see things in different way. Functionalism is believed to focus on the family being close and being in agreement on thing. They appear to have no problem cause of the agreement to not interact with any changes and just to let them happen and go with the flow. â€Å"From a functionalist point of view, the family may change form and be quite diverse in its composition, but families have always existed and will continue to exist because what they do is so important.Children are born to people who will love and care for them, and are socialized about how to care for themselves and be a productive member of society. Families are the link to most of the other institutions. † Conflict, causes a family to weight the pros and cons of different situations because the child is now older and they are influenced by what they see from other social institutions. â€Å"Fro m a conflict approach, families may not receive the support or assistance they need to adequately do all the things that are required of them.Some families function well, many need help, and other families are fragile or dysfunctional. The ability of the family to function depends on how the rest of the institutions interface with them. Conflict theorists acknowledge that the family cannot adequately do its job without contributions from the other social institutions. † Interactionism, is about the habits family members pick up from socializing and being apart and around different groups of people. â€Å"Symbolic interactionists focus on the messages that family members receive and impart to each other.Since the family is in the position of having the most intense interactions when children's identities and bodies are being formed, what they say and do will have a significant impact on them (Cherlin, 2009; Benokratis, 2010; Lamanna & Riedmann, 2011). † (Vissing, 2011) R eference: Harper, N. Journeys into Justice Retrieved from: http://www. journeysintojustice. com/author. htm Vissing, Y. (2011) Introduction to Sociology. Salem State University. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Wilson, Adrian. Family. Routledge, 1985. p 21. Retrieved from: http://site. ebrary. com/lib/ashford/Doc? id=5003764&ppg=31

Essay on Open Communication Is a Necessity - 1727 Words

An important aspect of communication focuses on strong relationships between management and employees, and effective leaders create these relationships. In the words of Stapeleton et al. (2007) â€Å"contentment of employees and their ability to interact with management are closely correlated to employee satisfaction† (p. 812). Stapleton et al. (2007) also reported â€Å"strong correlation exists between how staff is treated by senior management and how they perceive their work experience† (p. 812). Research clearly shows that management has to invest in relationships with their employees. These relationships prove that communication facilitates success. Statepton et al. (2007) noted that communication is a vital tool for an organization†¦show more content†¦Gove (2007) also declared leaders must clearly assure that officers understand completely their roles and functions. This understanding motivates officers, and ultimately officers and staff alike wil l work more closely toward the same goals. According to Gove (2007) two different empowerment strategies exist. The Relational approach allows officers the opportunity to make certain decisions. They can adjust their hours; they can seek their own ways to complete department goals. The Motivational approach places emphasis on communication, goal setting and feedback. Most organizations do not have an actual defined strategy, but management must realize that the way they communicate with their employees dictates the mood, morale and productivity of their organization. Rouse (2009) claimed â€Å"incompetent leaders undermine performance objectives† (p. 465). Rouse (2009) went on to suggest supervisor communication, or lack thereof best indicates the extent of employee morale. Ineffective or incompetent leaders lack the communication skills to influence staff performance. 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