Sociological Analysis

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While the material culture of everyday objects has been a common subject of sociological analysis, there is a range of conceptual approaches a sociologist may take, which will naturally affect resulting theories. To illustrate this, two studies with contrasting views of objects and their position in the social world will be examined: Ariztia’s study of material culture in the home decoration practices of families in Chilean, and Baker’s ethnography on object exchange within online rock fan communities. First, the general approach each author takes regarding the nature of objects and material culture will be discussed. The two studies’ forms of analysis will then be compared and contrasted to show the variation in their approaches. To begin, Ariztia’s study focuses on the home decor and arrangement of household objects in the residences of families in a neighborhood in Chile, and their relation to social class and mobility in the context of cultures assembled in the area. The analysis is based on data from fieldwork conducted in Santiago, including interviews with families as they moved in. …show more content…
93). He interprets homemaking practices as being grounded in personal and social meanings, with decoration as a means to appropriate a residence into a home. Ariztia’s analysis of materiality crucially does not reduce these objects to symbols of social divisions. Instead, he argues the practice of decoration results in the active production of class and culture (p. 95). This is emphasized by his focus on personal accounts of social belonging in decoration choices, as the arrangement of old possessions in a new home requires the production and consideration of individual narratives of social mobility and is therefore not a neutral process (p.

Sociological Analysis

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Sociological Analysis

People are divided into their social status according to wealth, gender, and ethnicity. These classes give people boundaries and limitations, which may reduce their ability to improve their social status as the years go by. Plutarch, a Greek historian, once said, “An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics” (Collins 1). Although a certain level of inequality still exists in society today, it does not seem to stack up against the dire situation of the…

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Sociological Analysis

Sociologist often interpret advanced education in regards to testing and understanding the knowledge and how the individual actually accumulates over the schooling system. This quote from a Penn State graduate student explains “This is a major flaw that the schools and teachers have nothing to do with- but what they have done to make this test and good grades in general into a money issue is the incentives” (Foundry). Throughout sociology people often believe that striving to be in the higher classes…

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Sociological Analysis

The Sociological Effects on Mexican-Origin Students and Discrimination in the United States The Latino population is estimated to be around 52 million in the United States, resulting in 17% of the total population, making it the nation’s largest ethnic or race minority, while concluding Mexicans as the largest subgroup at 64% (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2014). Moreover, the migration of Latinos has created a new issue with the large amount of students in the classroom, especially in bordering towns…

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Feminist And Sociological Analysis

Feminist theory in its most general form can be defined as the philosophical and sociological analysis of the concept of sex. Traditionally, it has been employed to describe the morphological and physiological differences, on the basis of which human beings (and many other living organisms) are classified as male or female. But in addition to biological differences between people there is a division of social roles, forms of activity, and the differences in behaviour, mental and emotional characteristics…

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Feminist Sociological Analysis

The most appropriate social approach for examining the society the the twenty first century would be group three; Feminist Sociology. The Feminist Sociology group is one of the major contemporary sociological theories, which analyzes the status of women and men in society with the purpose of using that knowledge to better women's lives. Feminist theorists also question the differences between women, including how race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, nationality, and age intersect with gender. This…

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Sociological Portrait Analysis

I sketched my sociological portrait, I found myself looking at the multiple statuses I hold in society and how each came about. I am not only a father to an young adult, but a son, a brother, a friend to many, a neighbor, a student once again and a blue-collar worker. Each of these statuses developed during various times in my life, and requires me to take on, at times, numerous roles. These statuses have defined who I have become and the impacts I have on society. My sociological portrait will be…

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Sociological Theory Analysis

When trying to find an explanation for why or how events or situations occur, sociological theory is a necessary tool. Sociological theory is a way of observing the world and trying to interpret and analyze the data at different levels and from different perspectives. There are three different types of theories that sociologists use to explain social phenomenon; structural functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. Each has a different perspective and can be used to try to understand…

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Sociological Imagination Analysis

When The Sociological Imagination was published in 1959, American author and sociologist C. Wright Mills had written what the International Sociological Association has deemed one of the most important books for the field of the twentieth century. Mills believed that in order to properly study people and society, one must exercise the sociological imagination, “a quality of the mind that allows us to understand the relationship between our individual circumstances and larger social forces” (Ferris…

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Sociological Imagination Analysis

In the introduction of the “The Sociological Imagination”, Charles Wright Mills’ discusses the importance of the intricate relationship between private matters and public issues as well as the changing role of sociology within the social sciences. He defines the Sociological Imagination as a way for “us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society” (C Wright Mills 1959, p. 6). Expanding on the idea that by living, we contribute to the way society is shaped even…

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