How do functionalists and conflict theorists differ in how they approach and understand gender inequality?

As with Reflection Paper 1, your task is not to simply present the information from the reading, but to discuss theories, concepts, issues, and data regarding the topic you choose. Feel free to draw upon personal experience, whether from your present situation or past events that relate to the topic or issue.

Reflection Essay 2 Topics:

1. What are the three different types of authority identified by Max Weber? Explain the premise of each in your own words and provide real-world examples. (Chapter 5)
2. In 2007 the rock band Nine Inch Nails announced that it had severed all ties with the record industry. The front man, Trent Reznor, announced that “Nine Inch Nails is now totally a free agent” and that it was a “great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit.” The band went on to release a free album on the Internet and encouraged Web surfers to “remix it, share it with your friends, post it on your blog, play it on your podcast, give it to strangers, etc.” In what ways can the band’s actions be understood as a reaction to the negative aspects of bureaucracy? (Chapter 5)
3. What does George Ritzer mean by “The McDonaldization of Society?” (Chapter 5)
4. There are many competing and often incompatible ideas about how to best deal with criminal behavior. Deterrence, revenge, incapacitation, and rehabilitation are all believed by some to have merit. Discuss the ways these methods for dealing with deviance reflect the different ways in which society views criminals. (Chapter 6)
5. Conflict theorists believe that society’s definition of deviance is designed in such a way that people with the most power will be seen as most “normal” and even idealized by the rest of society, while those with the least power will more often be considered deviant and subject to the negative sanctions that come with a deviant identity. Give at least two examples of how laws can target people with less power and label their behaviors or lifestyles as deviant. (Chapter 6)
6. The American Dream is the pursuit of material and personal success and the idea that anyone can achieve such success. How does widespread belief in the American Dream and individualism actually serve to reinforcesocioeconomic barriers? (Chapter 7)
7. Oscar Lewis’s concept of a culture of poverty suggests that a fatalistic and resigned attitude exists among the poor, leading them to accept their social status. Discuss some of the major criticisms of this controversial point of view. (Chapter 7)
8. According to Max Weber, the traditional source of wealth—owning the means of production—is not the only factor in determining social status. How does Weber conceptualize power and prestige? Why does he argue that power and prestige, in addition to material wealth, are important factors in determining a person’s social status? (Chapter 7)
9. Compare and contrast the approaches to race taken by functionalist theory and conflict theory. (Chapter 8)
10. How does a person’s race affect his or her life chances? (Chapter 8)
11. In chapter 9, we learned that gender role socialization is a lifelong process. Describe how (a) the family, (b) schools, (c) peers, and (d) the media support heteronormativity throughout our lives.
12. How do functionalists and conflict theorists differ in how they approach and understand gender inequality? (Chapter 9)
13. Explain how gender inequality persists from a symbolic interactionist perspective. (Chapter 9)

Requirements:

Format: Microsoft Word (doc. or docx.), at least 750 words, double spaced, 1 inch margins. Use a font no larger than 12 pt. font. Use APA (Links to an external site.) or MLA (Links to an external site.) format for any citations you include in your paper, including the textbook (provide in-text citations for any sources you quote in your paper).