Participation

When talking about Race in Canada and the geographic races, you asked where we would locate ourselves in terms of geography

I answered and explained I would locate myself in the Indian race.

Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay

Throughout the semester we have learned several themes that can be related to real life that have been brought up time and time again. The themes we learned varied from debunking, the sociological imagination, critique and functionalism. A reoccurring theme in Sociology that I learned about was culture. This course connected with plenty of people, theories and stories in relation to culture. Culture plays a big role in the way an individual views, acts and thinks. It has a great influence on the way we perceive the world. This Sociology course helped me broaden my view on cultures and become more accepting of other cultures as well.

Culture is defined as “a complex collection of values, beliefs, behaviours, and material objects shared by a group and passed on from one generation to the next”.(Ravelli, pg.69) Living in Canada, we are surrounded by a number of cultures, we are known to be a multicultural society. It is only natural for us as individuals to adapt to our surroundings and become accustomed to everyone and everything around us, thus meaning that culture is inherited. If one cultures belief opposes your own, or poses as a threat, a person’s initial reaction would be to feel insulted and want to defend your own culture. Culture is how we classify and identify ourselves by what we believe in, how we act, and by the way we dress. According to Dr. Charles Quist-Adade, culture can be defined as “the most powerful force in society” and “the DNA of society”. With this definition in mind, I believe Quist-Adade’s explanation is very accurate. Culture is the main characteristic in society that keeps everyone connected. Also, during lecture 5 we learned that culture is shared, transmitted, human, cumulative, and learned.

In relation to culture, we have also learned about cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is defined as the “appreciation that all cultures have intrinsic worth and should be evaluated and understood on their own terms”. (Ravelli, pg. 81) Cultural relativism is the opposite of ethnocentrism. According to Quist-Adade ethnocentrism is “an extension of cultural relativism”, and “the belief that the products, styles, or ideas of one’s society are inferior to those that originate elsewhere”. Ravelli (pg. 81), describes ethnocentrism as “the tendency to view one’s own culture as superior to others”. Ethnocentric individuals are unable to enjoy other cultures and don’t give them a chance, they automatically believe that no other culture is as good as their own. Learning about this topic has helped me become more open minded to other cultures, and to become more knowledgeable about them. I have also learned not to judge other cultures before really getting to know them. Although some cultures may challenge your beliefs and have completely different views than your culture, it is still best to be open towards them.

Cultural relativism was very helpful in association with this course for numerous reasons. To begin with it assisted in understanding certain sociological issues. It played a big role in my understanding of society as a whole and how it works. There is a lot of diversity in the world, and if individuals do not want to learn other cultures, the world would be a very different place. We would not be able to appreciate other cultures for what they really are. During this course I have unlearned not to be ethnocentric and to be more understanding of other cultures and not to have preconceived notions about them. As well as to focus on other cultures and become more familiar with them.

When I picked this course I didn’t really know what to expect, but just after a few classes I was really glad I enrolled in it. I learned an enormous amount of things, about different aspects, especially culture. Specifically I learned that a lot of cultures are very similar after all. Although we may all look different, we are all somehow alike and connected. Also, I learned to appreciate my society more. Living in a multicultural society is able to give you new experiences and understandings.

All in all, this class was able to give me a better view on cultures and help me look at them with a different perspective. I learned to appreciate my society that much more.

 

 

Work Cited

Ravelli, Bruce, Sociology for Everyone. 2011 
Pearson Canada, Toronto, Ontario.

Quist-Adade, Charles. SOCI 1125. Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey. 2011. Lecture.

Class Discussion

Question- What is microsociology? and what is macrosociology?

Macrosociology focuses on society as a whole, whereas microsociology’s main focus is on the individuals and smaller group interactions.

Class Discussion

Question-”Why does socialization make us adequately human?”

Socialization makes us adequately human by how we shape our environment and the relationships we have in society. It also makes us adequately human by how we interact with each other.

 

 

Social Justice Event

Social Justice Event

 

The social justice event that I attended was a pub night at the Delta Lion Pub & Bistro. It was organized by Dr. Charles’ Sociology 2311 class and held on November 12^th. The tickets for the fundraiser were $20 and consisted of entry to the event, a drink and a meal at the pub. The group of students put this event on to raise awareness and money for underprivileged students in Ghana. Their goal was to raise enough money so children can have the ability to go to school, something we receive as a privilege. The money they were able to raise was used to support children in learning and assist in buying school supplies, as well as fund for educational programs and scholarships. The fundraiser took place in a separate room inside the pub, but individuals who attended were also able to socialize in the actual pub. There were about 50 people who attended which consisted of friends and family of the group members. While at the event you were able to purchase 50/50 raffle tickets to win door prizes. There was also a toonie toss and silent auction individuals were able to participate in. Before the event, I used to volunteer, donate and help whenever I had the chance to. I used to take every chance I had to help the less fortunate in local areas and around the globe, but after the fundraiser, my desire to help increased a lot. I have thought of several ways to donate and even encouraged my friends to do the same. I realized we take the smallest things for granted, such as pencils and books. Donating old books can make a large impact on ones educations in Ghana. I am very glad I attended this social justice event, it encouraged me to do what I can to help in the future. I know now not to hesitate when wanting to help the underprivileged.

Canadian Culture-Video

Canadian Culture-Video

Affective Reading Method

This video is about Canadian Culture and how two men are searching for it, while singing. The two men search for Canadian culture in Eskimo sculptures and beaver tails and also talk about how it is cold in Canada. The video gives a positive perspective on Canadian culture considering how it shows how everyone, no matter what their culture is, is accepted in our country. I feel that Canada is portrayed accurately in this video, because I know that Canada is a welcoming and peaceful country. I thought it was pretty cool how the song was based only on Canadian culture, and they sang about things that apply to us Canadians.  I believe Canada is a multicultural place and is very accepting of everyone, no matter their culture or race is. I also believe that the men in the video love Canada and Canadian culture because they sing so highly of it. I know that Canadian culture is very accepting of everyone and is a great country to live in. The video did a good job highlighting some great things about Canadian culture.

Stanford Video Experiment-Video

Stanford County Prison Experiment- Video

Affective Reading Method

 

This video is about Zimbardo’s experiment that was conducted at Stanford University.  The experiment was done to study the psychological effects of becoming a prisoner or prison guard. Participants were told they would be participating in a two week experiment, which ended after only six days due to the level of realness it had reached. Prison guards began to treat the prisoners poorly and with much disrespect. The guards were given clothing and weapons as a sign of superiority and position. After just a short 36 hours, one of the prisoners started to act wild, causing him to yell, scream and curse. The prisoners all eventually began to act out, which made the guards feel as if they had the right to abuse and punish them. Philip Zimbardo himself even got absorbed in taking his role as superintendent too seriously.

I feel that the experiment taking place in the video was really interesting, and fascinating. I also feel that it was rather captivating to see how the individuals took on their roles. I think the video gives a good view on how people are treated in prison, but it also portrays the harsh reality they face. I believe that the experiment that took place was pretty accurate when showing how prisoners and guards act in real life. I also believe that the prisoners and guards were expected to act a certain way which they ended up doing in the end. I know that the experiment was unsuccessful and since the prison guards had so much authority, they believed they could do whatever they wanted.