Conflict Theory Essay

The issue of bullying has drawn a sufficient amount of attention to allow it to grow into a national concern. As defined by Oxford Dictionaries, a bully is “a person who uses strength or influence to harm or intimidate those who are weaker” (Oxford Dictionary n.d.). From being tormented, socially ignored, and physically assaulted to being harassed on the Internet, the issue of bullying appears to be heightening with no signs of stopping. With cases of bullying on the rise, it has become clear that, not only are males the targets of bullying, but so too are females. It is a common misunderstanding that males are the most prominent bullies, but in fact, females can be just as ruthless, especially in cases of cyber bullying. It is a recognized
Feminism is a branch of the conflict perspective as it looks at inequalities and associates them with gendered differences (Brym, pg #, 2014). According to the Brym textbook, Feminism “refers to the body of thought on the cause and nature of women’s disadvantages and subordinate position in society and to efforts to minimize or eliminate that subordination” (Brym, pg #, 2014). In a case of bullying, the feminist perspective would look at the reasons for this behaviour and make conclusions and connections about why a certain gender was targeted. Conflict theory addresses the inequalities between groups and analyzes those results. As defined in the Brym textbook, “it shows how major patterns of inequality in society produce social stability in some circumstances and social change in others” (Brym, pg #, 2014). Examining a case of bullying through a conflict theorist’s lens would consist of breaking down the qualities of the two groups and conclude, based on their abilities, the reason for the unacceptable behaviour. Symbolic interactionism, as explained in the Brym Textbook, “emphasizes that an adequate explanation of social behaviour requires understanding the subjective meanings people attach to their social circumstances” (Brym, pg #, 2014). Symbolic interactionists would analyze the symbols
There are numerous ways one could do that but the most effective way would be to develop two separate anonymous surveys, one for those in middle school and one for those in the workforce. It is important that these surveys be anonymous because some people will not feel comfortable opening up about their experiences in public and would feel more comfortable remaining unknown. The first survey, for those in school, would have simple questions about reasons for bullying and who is most frequently targeted, so it is easier for students to understand and answer the questions. The second survey, for those in the labour force, would have more prestigious and detailed questions including discussing discernment in the office, or the personality types and background on those who are discriminating. The most appropriate research methods for investigating this issue would be qualitative methods. As defined by Oxford dictionary, qualitative methods are “methods of investigating phenomena which do not involve the collection and analysis of numerical data” (Oxford Dictionary 2011). Qualitative methods, such as anonymous surveys, focus on empirical research and seek to learn more about