Sample Reading Reaction and Discussion Questions
The articles for today had two seemingly different views of how social inequality is generated. Ore believes that race, class, gender, and sexuality are all separate, but related, socially constructed locations. She argues that various institutions, including family, education, the economy, the state, and the media all play important and distinct roles in created social inequality. Grusky, on the other hand, seems to argue that social inequality is primarily generated through systems of social stratification (or hierarchy) via the economy that place people into a distinct class positions. Race and gender (he doesn’t talk about sexuality in the article) are given an almost secondary status in which they are ascribed characteristics that are strongly related to ones ultimate position in the class position.
While we haven’t learned enough about these issues to make a judgment between these two views, it seems to me both views are partially correct, but about different things. I believe that Ore is right to place race, class, gender, and (maybe) sexuality as equally important, but highly related, aspects of social life. Importantly, I don’t think that one can say that class is more important than race and gender because they are so bound up with each other. Class is partially dictated by race and gender, while distinctions between the races are often described in class terms, etc. On the other hand, I believe that Grusky is correct in his emphasis on the economy, and the state, as a very important institution in generating social inequality. So much of your position in society is based on material rewards, including your material possessions, your health and mental well-being, your status, your social circle, and the list goes on and on. While I believe that all of the other institutions are also important in determining social inequality, the economy is definitely an extremely important one.
Discussion Questions:
1. Who do you think is most correct in how social inequality is generated, Ore or Grusky? Why?
2. Do you think that the act of social constructing of differences must result in inequalities, or can there be social differences without inequality? In other words, is there always going to be social inequalities based on differences? Why or why not?
3. Ore argues that sex and gender is biologically defined but socially constructed, such that gender differences are largely due to socialization and cultural norms and expectations. Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
Comments
In response to question 3, I agree with Ore’s view that gender is a socially constructed reality. It is easy to see how the expectations for men and women (and definitions of “masculine� and feminine�) vary across societies and over time within our own society. It is tempting to think of gender and sex as being purely biologically determined. But as Ore notes in the reading, even from a biological standpoint, sex is not a binary category.
Posted by: Ryan | January 17, 2007 11:33 PM