Reflection on “Sexuality and Gender”
There are an infinite number of social elements in society; amongst them are gender and sexuality. Gender is your sense of being male or female and individuals playing masculine and feminine roles as defined to be appropriate by your culture and society. There are certain actions, reactions and behaviours which are specific to both the males and females. Gender is also used by sociologists to study both males and females. Sexuality is the condition of being characterized and distinguished by sex and can be defined as the quality or state of being sexual. As discussed in class sexuality, quite often it is an aspect of one's need for closeness, caring, touch and determines a person’s sexual likes or dislikes and interests (Leroux, 9 Nov 2010). Sexuality is defined biologically to determine the sex of an individual, whereas gender is associated with social roles and norms in a society. Both gender and sexuality are categories of people. It is very easy for us to think of gender as male or female, and of sexuality as sexual activity between man and women only, but there are many more binaries and conflicts to the terms. Strong social and cultural forces lead us to distinguish men from women and heterosexuals from homosexuals. We learn these distinctions throughout the socialization process, and we continuously construct them anew in our daily interactions. Most people use positive and negative sanctions to ensure that others conform to conventional heterosexual gender roles; some people resort to violence to enforce conformity and punish deviance. We do not yet understand well why some individuals develop homosexual orientations. Some scientists believe that the cause of homosexuality is mainly genetic, others think it is chiefly hormonal, while still others point to life experiences during early childhood as the most important factor. It is important to note in this connection though that homosexuality has become less of a stigma over the past century. Especially since the middle of the twentieth century, gays and lesbians have gone public with their lifestyles and built large communities. As discussed in class, same-sex marriage was legalized in Canada back in 2005 (Leroux, 9 Nov 2010). If we refer back to the term gender; how gender roles play off in society, and how the media has an impact on it. We can see that it is usually something that is done. Norms justify male domination and have much more social power than women do. When women and men are more equal socially, and norms justify gender equality, the rate of male aggression against women is lower. The media reinforces normality of traditional gender roles in many ways; a woman’s role in society is to become a housewife and mans role in society is to become the provider and authoritative role. Gender and sexuality exist in any and every society. Sociologically speaking, gender relates to how a person, a male or female, expect to behave and be treated by society. On the other hand, sexuality is more of a biological determination, or physical attributes of a male or a female with no specific expectations.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Critical Reflection Paper 3
Reflection on “Multiculturalism in Canada”
Canada is country that is built on the concept of multiculturalism; it recognizes ethnic and racial diversity within a society. There is a mixture of races, cultures and ethnicities residing in Canada. As more and more immigrants come to Canada searching for a better life, the population naturally becomes more multicultural. A look at the 1991 Canadian census shows that the population has changed more noticeable in the last ten years than in any other time in the twentieth century, with one out of four Canadians identifying themselves as black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native(3). Canadians gain a lot of knowledge about cultures from different countries, the variety of foods, clothes, beliefs and so on. About ten years ago, I immigrated to Canada from Egypt and met people from all different kinds of ethnic backgrounds; this helped me learn and experience a lot of new cultures and try different types of food. One thing I recognized from my experience is that everyone is able to celebrate their own cultural beliefs and religion freely and at the same time Canadians and immigrants come together every year to celebrate Canada. Canada’s society is a mixture of different kinds of people from around the world which makes Canada a unique country and gives it more than one culture. In 2001, approximately 250,640 people immigrated to Canada. The newcomers settle mostly in the major urban areas of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal (1). Canada encourages newcomers to settle in Canada and integrate into Canadian society while maintaining and celebrating their own traditions and languages. However, there are also some challenges to multiculturalism in Canada. Werner Patels (2006) argues that if we are so concerned about the mentality of immigrants, we should start by requiring them all to learn English to a level where they are functionally fluent in it. As any linguist will confirm, when you learn a language, you not only learn its words and grammar rules, but you also absorb the mentality that goes with it, as every language, based on its structure, comes with a specific way of thinking, formulating thought and presenting arguments(3). I believe that for an immigrant to have commitment towards Canada, they should be able to learn and speak one of the official languages of the country. This helps release the tension of multiculturalism if immigrants were not to keep to themselves and share their cultural practices. The trouble with extreme cultural relativism is that some cultures oppose the most deeply held values of most Canadians; other cultures promote practices that most Canadians consider inhumane. Multiculturalism's emphasis on cultural relativism potentially leads to a clash of cultures in Canada. However, multiculturalism is widely accepted by many Canadians and overall seen as a good thing in Canada and it should not be taken for granted in today’s society.
Canada is country that is built on the concept of multiculturalism; it recognizes ethnic and racial diversity within a society. There is a mixture of races, cultures and ethnicities residing in Canada. As more and more immigrants come to Canada searching for a better life, the population naturally becomes more multicultural. A look at the 1991 Canadian census shows that the population has changed more noticeable in the last ten years than in any other time in the twentieth century, with one out of four Canadians identifying themselves as black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native(3). Canadians gain a lot of knowledge about cultures from different countries, the variety of foods, clothes, beliefs and so on. About ten years ago, I immigrated to Canada from Egypt and met people from all different kinds of ethnic backgrounds; this helped me learn and experience a lot of new cultures and try different types of food. One thing I recognized from my experience is that everyone is able to celebrate their own cultural beliefs and religion freely and at the same time Canadians and immigrants come together every year to celebrate Canada. Canada’s society is a mixture of different kinds of people from around the world which makes Canada a unique country and gives it more than one culture. In 2001, approximately 250,640 people immigrated to Canada. The newcomers settle mostly in the major urban areas of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal (1). Canada encourages newcomers to settle in Canada and integrate into Canadian society while maintaining and celebrating their own traditions and languages. However, there are also some challenges to multiculturalism in Canada. Werner Patels (2006) argues that if we are so concerned about the mentality of immigrants, we should start by requiring them all to learn English to a level where they are functionally fluent in it. As any linguist will confirm, when you learn a language, you not only learn its words and grammar rules, but you also absorb the mentality that goes with it, as every language, based on its structure, comes with a specific way of thinking, formulating thought and presenting arguments(3). I believe that for an immigrant to have commitment towards Canada, they should be able to learn and speak one of the official languages of the country. This helps release the tension of multiculturalism if immigrants were not to keep to themselves and share their cultural practices. The trouble with extreme cultural relativism is that some cultures oppose the most deeply held values of most Canadians; other cultures promote practices that most Canadians consider inhumane. Multiculturalism's emphasis on cultural relativism potentially leads to a clash of cultures in Canada. However, multiculturalism is widely accepted by many Canadians and overall seen as a good thing in Canada and it should not be taken for granted in today’s society.
Critical Reflection Paper 2
Reflecting on “Nationalism and Heritage Minutes”
During class we discussed what do the Canadian heritage minutes tell us about Canada? The Heritage Minutes were produced by the privately owned Historica Foundation, created by Charles R. Bronfman and the CRB Foundation to “enhance Canadianism”. The use of satire in these commercials portrays multiculturalism with no conflicts, they show Canada is politically progressive, and also show Canadian pride and the importance of our Military. The Canadian heritage minutes show important events and figures in Canadian history and inspire Canadians to learn more about their history and nationalism. There is also a use of “Canadian comedy” in some of the heritage minutes which are used to address historical things about the country that become traditional. The Canadian identity is often combined of ideological effects of Canada that are presented in the Canadian heritage minutes such as; that it is generous, that public health care and education are valued, and that it is a safe country to live in. This is how nationalism is presented in the Canadian heritage minutes and they present how the nation has been historically defined. There are also symbols which the heritage minutes presented that show elements of nationalism such as how the Canadian flag was brought about with the maple leaf and the color red. Canadian nationalism is also featured in the heritage minutes through our ability to communicate with one another despite the bilingual barrier; this is demonstrated in the heritage minute video about two politicians from Upper and Lower Canada who demonstrate French/English cooperation when LaFontaine seeks election in Toronto and goes on to help shape democratic reforms for all of Canada. Another factor is the survival of Canadian victims such as women struggling against female discrimination to practice medicine in Canada; this is demonstrated in the heritage minute video about Jennie Trout's struggle against prejudice to become the first woman licensed to practice medicine in Canada. In the heritage minutes series they present the role of important figures in Canada who have an impact on the development of the Canadian nation. Hockey is a huge sport in Canada that brought its citizen together and captured the heart of the nation. An example from the heritage minute’s video is about the legendary hockey star Maurice "Rocket" Richard, who scored 8 points after spending 8 hours moving his family from one end of Montreal to the other:
http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10217
The heritage minutes succeeded to encourage the growth of one type of national interpretation by establishing a “community of discourse” for Canadians.
During class we discussed what do the Canadian heritage minutes tell us about Canada? The Heritage Minutes were produced by the privately owned Historica Foundation, created by Charles R. Bronfman and the CRB Foundation to “enhance Canadianism”. The use of satire in these commercials portrays multiculturalism with no conflicts, they show Canada is politically progressive, and also show Canadian pride and the importance of our Military. The Canadian heritage minutes show important events and figures in Canadian history and inspire Canadians to learn more about their history and nationalism. There is also a use of “Canadian comedy” in some of the heritage minutes which are used to address historical things about the country that become traditional. The Canadian identity is often combined of ideological effects of Canada that are presented in the Canadian heritage minutes such as; that it is generous, that public health care and education are valued, and that it is a safe country to live in. This is how nationalism is presented in the Canadian heritage minutes and they present how the nation has been historically defined. There are also symbols which the heritage minutes presented that show elements of nationalism such as how the Canadian flag was brought about with the maple leaf and the color red. Canadian nationalism is also featured in the heritage minutes through our ability to communicate with one another despite the bilingual barrier; this is demonstrated in the heritage minute video about two politicians from Upper and Lower Canada who demonstrate French/English cooperation when LaFontaine seeks election in Toronto and goes on to help shape democratic reforms for all of Canada. Another factor is the survival of Canadian victims such as women struggling against female discrimination to practice medicine in Canada; this is demonstrated in the heritage minute video about Jennie Trout's struggle against prejudice to become the first woman licensed to practice medicine in Canada. In the heritage minutes series they present the role of important figures in Canada who have an impact on the development of the Canadian nation. Hockey is a huge sport in Canada that brought its citizen together and captured the heart of the nation. An example from the heritage minute’s video is about the legendary hockey star Maurice "Rocket" Richard, who scored 8 points after spending 8 hours moving his family from one end of Montreal to the other:
http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10217
The heritage minutes succeeded to encourage the growth of one type of national interpretation by establishing a “community of discourse” for Canadians.
Critical Reflection Paper 1
Reflecting on ‘State Formation’
When we come to define a state we can say that a specific territory has a state that has authority over every resident of the area. ‘Authority of state’ means the ability to declare and enforce the law of the land. State has a monopoly over the legitimate means of power; they claim the right to apply coercive force. As Max Weber’s definition of the state is “an entity that has a monopoly on the legitimate use of force in any given territory.” A state comes into being, through the use of force; it is applied by violence that is to be done by people who are authorized by the state. The question brought up in the lecture notes is “How did the Canadian state come-into-being through violence?” An obvious answer would be that the laws announced by the state determine the duties and the rights of the state subjects. For example, in today’s society one of these duties is the payment of taxes; giving away a part of our income to the state is law enforced on everyone. There are also the rights to express you opinions but that does not change most of the laws enforced. If we compare the nation with the state out of curiosity; we could ask ourselves ‘Is the nation an entity that has a monopoly over the legitimate means of power on any territory?’ Now the state is ‘real’ in the sense of having clearly drawn boundaries, both on the map and on the land. For example Canada is shown on the map separate from the United States and the United Kingdom. However, the same cannot be said about the nation; the nation is not a ‘reality’ because it does not exist. The nation only exists as an entity as long as its members mentally and emotionally ‘identify themselves’ with a collective body. Nations usually occupy a continuous territory, but hardly any nations have a monopoly of residence on any territory. Within any territory there is people living side-by-side who define themselves as belonging to different nations. The nation usually consists of a group of people who share a common culture and language. Nationalisms normally demand power, the right to use coercion, in order to preserve the nation. As stated in the lecture notes “What makes the use of force legitimate in state formation is that it is recognized in law as such.” It has come to my attention that the nation is what complies with the law. The state makes the law and the nation has its claim to the land. As much as the state needs nationalism for its legitimating, nationalism needs the state for its effectiveness. The national state is the product of this mutual attraction.
When we come to define a state we can say that a specific territory has a state that has authority over every resident of the area. ‘Authority of state’ means the ability to declare and enforce the law of the land. State has a monopoly over the legitimate means of power; they claim the right to apply coercive force. As Max Weber’s definition of the state is “an entity that has a monopoly on the legitimate use of force in any given territory.” A state comes into being, through the use of force; it is applied by violence that is to be done by people who are authorized by the state. The question brought up in the lecture notes is “How did the Canadian state come-into-being through violence?” An obvious answer would be that the laws announced by the state determine the duties and the rights of the state subjects. For example, in today’s society one of these duties is the payment of taxes; giving away a part of our income to the state is law enforced on everyone. There are also the rights to express you opinions but that does not change most of the laws enforced. If we compare the nation with the state out of curiosity; we could ask ourselves ‘Is the nation an entity that has a monopoly over the legitimate means of power on any territory?’ Now the state is ‘real’ in the sense of having clearly drawn boundaries, both on the map and on the land. For example Canada is shown on the map separate from the United States and the United Kingdom. However, the same cannot be said about the nation; the nation is not a ‘reality’ because it does not exist. The nation only exists as an entity as long as its members mentally and emotionally ‘identify themselves’ with a collective body. Nations usually occupy a continuous territory, but hardly any nations have a monopoly of residence on any territory. Within any territory there is people living side-by-side who define themselves as belonging to different nations. The nation usually consists of a group of people who share a common culture and language. Nationalisms normally demand power, the right to use coercion, in order to preserve the nation. As stated in the lecture notes “What makes the use of force legitimate in state formation is that it is recognized in law as such.” It has come to my attention that the nation is what complies with the law. The state makes the law and the nation has its claim to the land. As much as the state needs nationalism for its legitimating, nationalism needs the state for its effectiveness. The national state is the product of this mutual attraction.
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