Honors Social Science Inquiry (HNRS-110)

Frederick H. Deknatel, born September 26, 1864 in Paris, France and died April 15, 1949, lived most of his life as the president of a small hardware manufacturing firm. After the death of his wife, he moved to Hull House and became the head of the Boys’ Club, and later auditor and trustee. Deknatel most likely met Jane Addams after moving into Hull House and he worked as a secretary for Addams during his stay. He helped plan her events and correspond with those who wanted her to give speeches.

This relationship explains why Deknatel came to the defense of Addams when people began attacking Addams for supporting lynching of African Americans. Deknatel wrote a letter to the Editor of the New York Tribune, explaining how Addams felt about them writing about how Addams is in favor of lynching and coming to her defense against that being true. The letter states, “Sir: Miss Addams’s attention has been called to an article in your paper in which, among other misrepresentations, she is quoted as being in favor of the lynching of negroes. It is difficult to understand how sentiments so completely at variance with her opinions could be ascribed to her, in view of the fact that she has not only often spoken and written against lynching, but is a non-resistant in principle, and does not believe in the death penalty or the use of force in any form.” Deknatel wrote the letter January 6, 1902 in Chicago, and when looking at history reports lynching was a big thing in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. African Americans were being lynched for anything as long as a white person deemed it reason enough. The ABA article, A History of Tolerance for Violence Has Laid the Groundwork for Injustice Today states, “Between 1868 and 1871, a wave of terror swept across the South, resulting in the deaths of thousands of African Americans—some killed merely for failing to obey a white person.” Lynchings were also a way white people to establish dominance over minorities as the article also states, “Lynching soon emerged as a primary tool to enforce racial hierarchy and oppression while terrorizing black people into accepting abusive mistreatment and subordination.” And with both Deknatel and Addams being white people, for there to be an article in the world stating how Addams supported lynchings is not good for her brand and what she wants to help accomplish. It turns her followers against her and makes her look like a fraud, when in reality is fighting to help make society better. Wikipedia states, “Jane Addams (September 6, 1860 – May 28, 1935) was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker,[1][2] sociologist,[3] public administrator[4][5] and author. She was a notable figure in the history of social work and women’s suffrage in the United States and an advocate for world peace.”

So the letter was written to defend Jane Addams and protect her brand and image in the community. The letter was also written by a friend and associate. 

“Jane Addams.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Feb. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Addams.

“A History of Tolerance for Violence Has Laid the Groundwork for Injustice Today.” American Bar Association, www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/black-to-the-future/tolerance-for-violence/.

“Frederick H. Deknatel to the Editor of the New York Tribune, January 6, 1902.” Jane Addams Digital Edition, digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/15812.

“Deknatel, Frederick H. (1864-1949).” Jane Addams Digital Edition, digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/253.

Erving Winslow was an author and activist that lived from 1839-1922. After he graduated from Harvard, he served on the United States coast survey and the United States sanitary commission during the Civil War. Some of his works include The Anti-Imperialist League: Apologia Pro Vita Sua and Neutralization: America’s Opportunity. Winslow was involved with the anti-imperialist league to try and prevent America’s annexation of the Philippines. A few others who were also involved included Jane Addams, Mark Twain, and Andrew Carnegie. Of course, this group was not supported by those who wished to Annex other countries. One newspaper article written in 1911 discusses how the secretary of the interior of Philippine Insular government attacks the league and Winslow specifically. He states that Winslow, who was the secretary of the league with making false claims to the public. After America won the Spanish-American war in 1989, the Treaty of Paris was signed where Spain ceded its control over the Philippines. Nationalist groups in the Philippines began to fight against America leading to the Philippine-American war that killed 20,000 Filipino troops and 200,000 civilians as well as 4,300 American troops. After the Treaty of Paris, the anti-imperialist league began to decline and eventually disappeared in 1920.

In a letter to Jane Addams written on August 7, 1912, Winslow criticizes Addams for supporting Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt fought in the Spanish-America war and when he became president in 1901, he agreed with his predecessors that Philipinos were incapable of self-government. Unlike previous presidents, he created a ceasefire in 1902 to stop the bloodshed between the American military and nationalist Philipino groups fighting for independence. Winslow claims that supporting Roosevelt is contradictory for “those who are laboring for social welfare” because the effects of the war “increase of the navy, the fortification and appropriation of the Panama Canal and the hypocritical support of women’s suffrage to be decided by the votes of women instead of a natural right.” 1

This source is not directly relevant to the topic of LGBTQ in the military, but it is interesting to see how a society can react to imperialism and war. I am interested in how support or anti-war attitudes may have affected the LGBTQ community later in history. For example, if there was a war happening and you needed more members, it may be likely if you were homosexual this was ignored. If the public no longer wishes for war, or if the country is not involved in a conflict, being part of the LGBTQ community might become more of an issue. 

Again, the source was written in 1912. It makes sense that Winslow wrote to Addams during this time because Theodore Roosevelt was running for President. His Bull Moose Party’s foundation was defined as progressive. He called for “direct election of U.S. senators, woman suffrage, reduction of the tariff, and many social reforms.” 2 One can infer that Addams likely supported Roosevelt due to his platform coinciding with her beliefs. Roosevelt was not elected though, instead, Woodrow Wilson became president. Winslow wrote Addams numerous times about the Philippines and wrote three letters in 1912 about the race for president. This shows that on behalf of the Anti-imperialist league, he was actively trying to change Addams’ mind throughout 1912.

The letter was written in Boston, which was where Winslow lived. His environment may have influenced his beliefs. For example, some of his fellow league members may have lived near him, like Andrew Carnegie who also lived in Massachusetts.

The fact that it was a letter to Addams shows why he tried to convince her that Social workers should not support Roosevelt. The tone of the letter was chastising, but not extremely harsh. For example, he ended his letter signed with “your obedient servant” 3 His purpose is reflected by his wording, his background, and the situations happening during his time period. 

Work Cited and Footnotes

1 and 3 “Erving Winslow to Jane Addams, August 7, 1912.” Jane Addams Digital Edition. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/5221.

2 “Teddy Roosevelt Nominated as Bull Moose Candidate.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, February 9, 2010. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/teddy-roosevelt-nominated-as-bull-moose-candidate

“American Anti-Imperialist League.” American Anti-Imperialist League – New World Encyclopedia. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/American_Anti-Imperialist_League.

History.com Editors. “Andrew Carnegie.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, November 9, 2009. https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/andrew-carnegie.

“Philippine-American Conflict.” TR Center – Philippine-American Conflict. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/Learn-About-TR/TR-Encyclopedia/War-and-Military-Affairs/Philippine-American-Conflict.

Surveys are a very effective way to collect data while also saving time and even money. Surveys can also be sent out to people across the country and even the globe, which helps get a wider basis of answers and more accurate, representative data. Surveys are usually online or through mail, which is convenient for those on the go or who are rushing to complete them. Other traditional methods, such as focus groups and interviews, can discourage people from participating because they are seen as a huge time consumer and in today’s society, as it has always been, time is money. Surveys are very practical, especially with today’s technology (for example, Google Surveys). Though the effortless forms of surveys, whether in person or online, is seen universally as a good thing, those taking the surveys will obviously not share the same world views, and their answers will differ. Even two siblings taking the same survey could have completely different answers based on their personal beliefs, and the exposure to the topic(s) they are being asked about. Gender does play a role in how we see the world. As females, we are portrayed as weak and very dependent on men. We care immensely  about our rights and issues related to us, such as domestic violence. Men are more focused on their own gender problems, which they do not have a lot of. Unless they are an activist or just very woke, there is a slim chance that they will think certain issues are of importance. The same theory applies with race and social class, in that the issues that apply to certain people will matter more to them than those issues that don’t. For example, those who can not afford health care are most certainly fans of universal/free healthcare, while those who can afford it with ease probably don’t spend as much time thinking about the issue. Those who struggle to make ends meet will most likely fight harder for more rights and help for the poor than those who can spend money with ease. Our race, gender, and social class affect the way we view the world and in turn, affect how we would answer potential survey questions.

This graphic, taken from the SurveyAnyplace Blog, (1)  shows the most basic advantages of surveys. With the anonymity of surveys, such as the one we made for class, people are less afraid to speak their minds. When a survey taker knows that their name or a certain characteristic of themselves will be associated with the answers they give, they are less likely to speak their true mind, especially if the opinions they hold are controversial. When the surveys are anonymous, there is a higher chance of the questions being answered completely and honestly, which helps the data remain accurate. Though, as stated before, those of different genders, races, and social classes will have different answers, the style of surveys allow those answering them to speak their true mind and save time while doing it. 

References 

[1] “10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Questionnaires.” Survey Anyplace, August 20, 2019. https://surveyanyplace.com/questionnaire-pros-and-cons/.

James Addams, a progressive activist, wrote this document, listing proposals to defend the immigrants. According to The New York Times article, Jane Addams devotedly fought for labor rights and immigrants, even though she was most famously known for her role in fighting for women’s right and civil rights.[1] Addams’ article was published on September 29, 1912 in the Chicago Tribune under the heading “Jane Addams Tells of Progressive Plans to Protect the Immigrants.” The source can be found here.[2] I was looking for documents dealing with the rights of immigrants and the different political perspectives regarding the issue of immigration and I was immediately hooked by the title of the newspaper article containing Addams’ work since it was exactly what I was aiming to find.

Another Chicago Tribune article called “Wave of Immigration May Be Only Starting” the growing numbers of immigrants into America, listing the data collected of the numbers of immigrants coming in earlier years. At the time it was published only a million immigrants were predicted to enter the United States, but it proved to be even more than that. It shows America’s concern and belief that this increase does not stop there.[3] Additionally, a newspaper article in The Times-Democrat states that Washington is trying to propose solutions to the immigration issue since they are stampeding into the nation in large numbers. Not only were the immigrants at a loss, but the rulers of the nation as well. Many come to believe that the reason for immigrants not finding work was that workers were unwanted to work where they applied, but the main reason during the Progressive era is that the nation had an aversion toward these non-English speaking immigrants.[4] Addams is against the fact that the government at the time had been making the immigration process stricter and harder to pass, especially for the immigrants who were regarded as “unfit” to contribute to America; that the government hastily fought to not let immigrants in when there was a high need of laborers in the nation, especially since America was starting to go through a transformative process from being an agricultural nation to an industrial one. In this time period, America began to have anti-immigrant sentiments, and this is what Addams was speaking against in this article. The fact that Jane Addams lived in Hull-House in Chicago is evident in her writing because, in the document, she makes the connection between her experience to those of the many immigrants who have no choice but to live in the small tenement houses. Her experience at Hull-House caused her to be more empathetic towards immigrants since she had been made more aware of their struggles by living in an identical environment.

In the document, Addams provides different stories as well as specific examples and statistics of some of the struggles immigrant families faced at the time, responding to local and nationwide events. According to the Library of Congress, the time period between 1900 and 1915 was comprised of a skyrocketing rate of immigrants coming into the United States. These “new” immigrants, however, differed from those that came before them since they came from non-English speaking nations.[5] In the document, Addams expresses her concerns about the unfair labor force that was unwilling to provide the future citizens with opportunities in the land of opportunity, mentioning that both industrial and agricultural jobs were still needed due to people fleeing the overcrowded cities and those fleeing from the farms to take the jobs in the cities. She also touches upon the unjust working conditions which put the health of the immigrants at stake. She additionally emphasizes how the government only aimed at pushing immigrants into the melting pot but does not help out concerning basic matters. The government officials refused to control situations that should have been overseen by the government since many immigrants had been left indolent, powerless, and dependent.

She alludes to the future, saying that immigrants will eventually become threats to society if they are left on their own in the new nation with nothing set for them to do, being left to degenerate, which will cause the nation itself to crumble. They are only becoming a bother to the nation because the government is not taking action or implementing any organizations for the immigrants; they are coming to America at a loss for what to do.

[1] Addams, Jane. “Jane Addams Tells of Progressive Plans to Protect the Immigrants.” Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), Jane Addams Digital Edition, September 29, 1912. Page 4. https://digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/8875.

[2] Knight, Louise W. “The Story of Jane Addams.” The New York Times, May 3, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/03/opinion/the-story-of-jane-addams.html.

[3] Dorsey, George A. “Wave of Immigration May Be Only Starting.” Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), April 6, 1910. Page 10. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349266823/?terms=immigration.

[4] “Exodus of Aliens: Thousands of Immigrants Returning to Europe.” The Times-Democrat (New Orleans, Louisiana), December 9, 1907. Page 2. https://www.newspapers.com/image/166233430/?terms=immigration.

[5] “Progressive Era to the New Era, 1900-1929: Immigrants in the Progressive Era.” The Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/timeline/progress/immigrnt/.

Sociology tends to be heavily overlooked and not as recognized as a science, though, it is just a different type of science. There is an endless number of theories that describe social and human behavior and allow society to be seen through a different lens. Though research for sociological sciences is done with mostly qualitative studies, that should not take away from it being a science. Four major sociological perspectives have evolved over time: symbolic interactionism, functionalism, conflict theory, and feminist theory. These theoretical framework allows for both individuals in the sociological field and out of to understand all these phenomena.

Throughout the rest of this semester, the focus of my project will be to examine mental health awareness programs on public college campuses in New Jersey. This is something I am very passionate about because an individual’s college years are some of the most stressful, yet so influential as it is a very transitional period from being an adolescent into adulthood.

While the issue I will be researching is fairly clear, it is important to apply a sociological perspective to it as well. The first one that is applicable is the conflict theory. This theory represents human behavior, in the social context, is shaped by conflicts between two competing groups. Generally, conflict theory emphasizes the inequality of a social group. Conflict theorists would argue that those with the fewest resources are those that have the least amount of resources will be usually the ones that are classified with a mental health illness. (1)

The conflict that can be seen in the mental health field is the difficulty of getting mental health help. There are grassroots organizations that fight with bureaucratic groups to help provide better support for people that are in need. This is not always seen as a big issue because this tends to mainly affect those that are from poorer backgrounds and may not necessarily have the resources or funds to get better help and therefore have to go through the state or federal care.

Then, there is the symbolic interactionist perspective. This theory is another way to explain social behavior but rather than conflicts, it is demonstrated by examining how individuals interact with one another through symbols and are socially constructed. In simpler terms, how one feels about themselves is developed by how they act and interact with others. Most individuals that have a mental health disorder experience this perspective because of self-stigma based on all the nasty things that have been said about individuals with mental health disorders, the fear of rejection, and the feeling of needing to hide this aspect of oneself.

Applying these sociological perspectives to my topic helped me see my topic through a deeper lens and helped me see some other routes that I may take through my research. Specifically through the conflict theory, I will also be doing a fair amount of research to see the intersectionality present and see if a trend emerges among minority students having access to sufficient mental health care compared to the majority.

References

1. Crossman, Ashley. “The Sociology of Deviance and Mental Illness.” ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, August 19, 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/deviance-and-mental-illness-3026266.

Social issues, where to start? If there’s one thing any society will never fail to have, it’s social issues. However, that doesn’t mean that these issues should be ignored. The goal of any society should be to eliminate or lessen these issues as much as possible, for that is the true mark of advancement. Here, I’ll discuss some of the less noted, but equally important issues in our modern American society.

Ableism

Ableism is an often well-ignored issue, which is shocking considering that 12.6% of the American population is disabled. That’s almost 40 million Americans. People sometimes think that disability rights and equality are all said and done with. We have the occasional wheelchair ramps, there are elevators in most buildings, and we have lots of braille on many public restroom signs. What those people don’t realize is how hard activists have had to and still have to fight for those little pieces of accommodation. Ableism comes from the concept that disabilities are something to be “fixed” in someone, that anything and everything must be done to make them as close to “abled” as possible. There is also a lot of patronistic behavior that comes with ableism, as there is the assumption that a disability makes someone’s life a tragedy and destroys their independence. While there are struggles in day to day life with disabilities, and some assistance from others may be require, most disabled people would argue their lives are pretty worth living. Leah Smith explains this base definition pretty well.

I consider this to be an important issue considering that while I carry no physical disability, I have friends who are or have been wheelchair users. I, myself, have autism, which is considered a disability itself. There is a long historical background for this issue, from eugenics being carried out against the disabled, the protests disabled Americans have carried out in our nation’s capital, the long history of the freak show, and the fight that continues for proper accommodations, awareness, representation, and equity. I will definitely have to narrow my focus on a topic like this, for there is a lot of smaller issues that fall under the wide umbrella of ableism.

Sex Work

People often believe that sex work is a horrific occupation, full of sad, broken girls who have no other options. There is a belief that criminalizing sex work helps women, and prevents sex trafficking, when often the opposite is true. The criminalization of sex work causes much of the abuse that sex workers experience to come from the hands of law enforcement. Violence against sex workers is taken less seriously than violence committed against the average citizen. More information can be found here. Criminalizing an industry that most people consume some from of product from — because porn is sex work — does nothing but hurt the people involved in the industry. The stigmatization of sex work in general does nothing but hurt the feminist movement, despite the desire of some feminists to separate themselves from sex work. This blog, written by a now retired stripper/activist, is very helpful. Sex work advances sex positivity, which helps women everywhere. The more sex work is demonized, the more sex itself, and the feminine aspects of the sex industry, are demonized as well. Women aren’t the only sex workers as well, there are plenty of men in the industry who face similar issues, although less to do with the added factor of being female in a female-dominated industry. Sex work is real work, and by pretending it isn’t, we invalidate the people who work in it.

I consider this to be an important issue because the sex industry is very alive and thriving, yet we still choose to try to squash it down and pretend it’s this horrible, evil thing. I don’t think sex positivity can really truly happen until our society’s issue with the sex industry is addressed. There is a major historical background for the discrimination and stigmatization that sex workers face, especially when it’s commonly considered the oldest profession. I will definitely have to narrow my focus, as there are many, many issues this industry faces.

Transphobia

Transphobia is generally known as discrimination or prejudice against transgender people. Considering that the concept of being transgender is rather new to most cisgender people, otherwise known as people who identify with their assigned gender, there is a lot of stigmatization of transgender people. There is a huge risk of violence for people who are openly trans, due to the extreme transphobia in today’s society. The average life expectancy for trans women is between 30 and 35. Transphobia is killing people, whether it be through suicide or an act of violence. We often hear about the debates over bathroom laws and how young a child should be allowed to transition. It is a complex issue depending on what smaller issue you are looking at, but that is any social issue. Trans rights are incredibly important, and deserve to be addressed.

I have and have had friends who are trans, so while I have no personal insight on this issue, it’s something people in my life have struggled with. There is a major historical background for this issue, with many examples of trans people throughout history who are often erased or brushed over due to transphobia. This is not a new issue, although it is new to much of the cisgender population. I will also need to narrow my focus on this issue, as it’s something that impacts nearly every aspect of the lives of trans people.

Racism and discrimination is a social topic that spans across the entire nation. There is not a culture or person, who does not face discrimination. Racism and discrimination is a form of conflict theory. Conflict theory is said to be, “human behavior particularly in a social context is influenced by or results from conflicts between competing groups.” Conflict theory originated from Karl Marx in the 1800’s and he believed, “that conflicts arose between two main classes or groups of people…” Racism and discrimination is a form of conflict theory because these situations happen either between different ethnic groups or people with differing ideas. An example of this are the conflicts that occur between black people and white people. Many of the conflicts stem from the days when black people were enslaved by their white counterparts. The days when a white person could openly say and feel that they are better than a black person. How does this relate, is what someone might and the answer that can be given is this relates because that feeling that a white person is better than a black person is still continued in this day. Black people feel the need to compete with their white counterparts because they feel held back due to their skin color. They feel the chance they can have to be a success is being denied because they are a few shades darker than what society has deemed is the normal color that an individual should be. And it’s not only color that plays a role in this conflict. Differences in how the cultures speak, dress, or even forms of entertainment causes racism and discrimination. 

Which leads to how symbol interactionism can be a form of racism and discrimination. Symbolic interactionism is said to be, “a way to explain social behavior in terms of how people interact with each other through symbols.” As aforementioned above, the way a black person speaks compared to a white person can be used as a symbol of intelligence levels. A white person is believed to speak “proper” English, while a black person is believed to speak in “broken” or improper English. They are believed to know all the latest slang terms and most are looked at as having a reading capability of less than the 12th grade. Which causes them to be looked down upon as not being educated. But racism and discrimination happens within the community as easy as it does outside the community. The black community discriminates against their own culture if they feel a black person is too intelligent. For some reason the black community associates intelligence and manners as a “white” thing, so anyone in the black community who has both are discriminated against and considered to be proper and not black. Which makes no sense because intelligence and manners are for everyone but in certain communities are not teaching their children those values so they associate them as being characteristics of another race and culture. This association leads to racism and discriminination within their own community and outside their community.

“Is There a Difference between Black and White Funerals?” Jacaranda FM, www.jacarandafm.com/shows/breakfast-martin-bester-and-tumi-morake/there-difference-between-black-and-white-funerals/.

Haas. “”@BasketballPics: Handshakes with White People vs Handshakes with Black People (@NBAMemes) Pic.twitter.com/kL5oB8sP3S’ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.” Twitter, Twitter, 17 Nov. 2013, twitter.com/haasspitta/status/402170795956649984.

Economic disparity is the unequal distribution of income and opportunities among different groups of society.  It has changed throughout different time periods of America’s history and is indicative of a prevalent inequality within a given society.  Although it has narrowed and widened, the issue always prevails.

Functionalist Perspective

When it comes to economic disparity, the Functionalist Theory poses that all aspects of society – the wealthy, the working class, and the individuals stricken with poverty – are imperative in maintaining stability within a large working system.  This theory argues that it is beneficial to have extremely wealthy individuals as well as extremely impoverished individuals within the same society because they both maintain those worthy at the top and those unworthy at the bottom. This theory sees the economic disparity issue to be an incentive to work harder for those who wish to be at the very top and encourages those already at the top to keep working hard to remain there.  This theory sees every part to be integral within a functioning society, whether the reasonings are positive or negative. Those located at the top of the economic ladder are necessary to keep society thriving, so they have the most prestigious and best-paying careers. Contrarily, the lower classes are significant in society because they occupy the jobs that the wealthy and educated are overqualified for, such as janitors and garbage collectors. In this theory, social inequality leads to a meritocracy.^1  Although not everyone wishes to have those jobs, they are necessary in a functioning society because someone has to do them. Overall, the functionalist theory sees that within the larger picture, each small detail is necessary to have an efficient-working society.

Conflict Theory

Conflict theory poses that economic inequality is detrimental to society because it creates a system of winners and losers.  This theory sees the disparity as being a powerful group dominating over a weaker group of society. In order to maintain the status quo, “those in power repress the powerless.”^2  domination is most usually achieved as a result of cultural hegemony, such as thoughts, values, beliefs, worldviews, norms, and expectations.^3  For example, today’s billionaires such as Jeff Bezos exercise power at the expense of the poor people. The poor individuals do not get fair opportunities to compete alongside Bezos.  The competitive nature of this social issue creates social stratification. Additionally, the elite of society are often advantaged and given breaks (i.e. tax breaks) with hopes that they will invest that money so it will go back into the economy.  Ultimately, however, it is at their own discretion.  The wealthy possess power and use it as leverage so that they maintain control over sectors of society.  This creates conflict and hostility between the groups of society.  The lower group of society is unable to rise above because they are kept below by those exercising power and wealth.  Conflict theorists would argue that economic disparity is a system in which people are meant to be kept down by the elite of society who dominate over everyone else.

Bibliography

(^1, ^2, and ^3) Crossman, Ashley. “The Sociology of Social Inequality.” ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, January 28, 2020.

(Image 2) Crossman, Ashley. “What Is Conflict Theory?” ThoughtCo. ThoughtCo, July 3, 2019.

(Image 1) Deluce, Alex. “The U.S. Income Inequality Crisis: The American Dream Vanishing?” Gold Telegraph, March 8, 2018.

Child abuse can be defined as physical, mental, or sexual abuse or harm, neglect, and/or abandonment of a child by their parent or guardian and has occurred since the beginning of time. While it has been around forever, the topic of child abuse has recently been hidden from society as its actions are deemed unacceptable; the topic is easier to hide than it is to deal with the response from the community. Through different sociological theories, different perspectives give different explanations and opinions on the topic of child abuse. The functionalist perspective and the feminist perspective give two opposing views on the topic of child abuse.

Functionalist Perspective

The functionalist perspective sees all parts of society put together to form a larger picture. The good and bad aspects of society are all important to a functionalist perspective as society cannot function properly without them. While child abuse is an important social issue that most view needs to be resolved, functionalist theorists try to see the give and take aspect of it; with having cases of child abuse, more jobs opportunities are available. Across the world, organizations and businesses have been constructed to help prevent child abuse, educate on the topic of child abuse, and help victims of child abuse cope and recover. Child Protective Services is perhaps one of the largest businesses in this field that helps children and victims who may be at risk with their given guardian. Without the social issue of child abuse, Child Protective Services may not be needed and thousands of workers would lose their jobs. The functionalist perspective sees the issue in the bigger picture as it analyzes how society would function without the issue; in this case, unemployment rates would grow.

Feminist Perspective

The feminist theory often analyzes a social issue in relation to gender and power. The topic of child abuse occurs in victims of both genders and child abusers have been reported of both genders, however, feminist perspectives place blame predominantly on the male gender because they fall under the patriarchal family system where men make the family decisions and have the ultimate power. In past times, children were often viewed as property of their fathers, as were women and wives; this gave power to the male gender. When children were seen as property rather than people, men often took more advantage of their children. Research has additionally found that most child abusers are of the male gender.  While times and gender roles are changing, the feminist theory still accounts men for the issue of child abuse. Men are deemed to be more physical and have more agression; men are typically in control of the family. In addition, men also get blamed for the abandonment of their children after leaving the family dynamic more than women do. Feminist theorists often fight for the end and prevention of child abuse as their focus tends to defend smaller groups, in this case children and female children in particular as sexual abuse has been a prevailing topic. Feminist theorists fight for the end of child abuse and view the topic through a gender power dispute.

Sociological theories each provide a distinct perspective on social issues. Functionalists view an issues place in society and how society would be affected from it. In this case, unemployment rates would grow as organizations and business would go out of business. On the opposite end, the feminist perspective views how child abuse should end and focuses on how the male gender can be attributed to child abuse cases. While both make valid points, they touch on opposite sides of the spectrum in terms of opinion. Sociological theories allow society to view topics from different perspectives.