Example Of Ascribed Status
Social imagination gives individuals an in-depth understanding of society and how it affects their own lives. The concept of social imagination looks at a problem on multiple levels. There is a relationship between one’s personal issues and society. According to Witt (2016) “social imagination is our recognition of the interdependent relationship between who we are as individuals and the social forces that shape our lives” (p.3). Social forces such as unemployment, laws, access to quality education and affordable healthcare can influence a person’s life. Renowned sociologist C. Wright Mills identified that Private troubles and Public issues are two views to consider when analyzing social forces. “Private troubles are problems we face in immediate
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relationships with particular individuals in our lives and Public issues are problems we face because of the positions we occupy within the larger social structure” (Witt, 2016, p.3). While working as a professional firefighter, I can recall responding to a homeless shelter located in the downtown area of the city. I often wondered what caused such misfortune for these men and women at the shelter. The faces of homeless people are changing. Today, they are the faces of children, young adults, military veterans, and single parents. According to The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (2017), in America today, there were approximately 564,708 people who experienced homelessness on a given night in the month of January 2017. While working as a professional firefighter, there was a homeless shelter in the downtown district of the city. The shelter was divided into two sides and there was a men’s side and women’s side. Our fire station responded to the shelter frequently. There were occasions when coworkers would return from a call at the shelter and vent their frustrations back at the fire station. Some people tend to believe homeless people are scammers and they need to find a job. The concept of social imagination allows individuals to look at this homeless situation from a different perspective. Private troubles could easily lead to homelessness. The loss of a job or a medical condition could eventually lead to homelessness. Public issues such as denied access to health care, poverty, and unemployment can contribute to a large group of people becoming homeless. Social imagination can help resolve some social problems in society when more people are able to critically think about the social forces driving the issue. Conflict perspective is another concept to help individuals better understand the social problem of homelessness. “The focus on power and the allocation of valued resources in society between groups is the conflict perspective “(Witt, 2016, p.16). As a lower-class citizen in America today, poverty is a social force that has a tremendous impact on homelessness. When analyzing poverty and how it relates to homelessness, poverty places an individual on the edge of being homeless because any minor setback, such as an unexpected expense places an immediate strain on their finances. The conflict perspective would suggest these individuals were affected by the lack of education, gainful employment, income, or affordable health care. The lack of these resources increases the chances for an individual to become homeless. Education typically affords individuals an opportunity for a better paying job. Access to affordable healthcare is essential to a person’s overall health. Individuals without health care are at risk for poor health and financial hardship. Both circumstances can lead to a person becoming homeless. The rising cost of homes reduced take-home pay, and changes to the economy all have been contributing factors to homelessness in the United States. While there are stereotypes surrounding homelessness, Conflict perspective identifies social forces associated with this social problem. Our society is structured so that those with resources are at an advantage and people without resources are at a disadvantage. Next, the Social structure has an impact on homelessness. According to Witt (2016) “Social structure represents the underlying framework of society consisting of the positions people occupy and the relationships between them” (p.97). Social structure interprets everyday situations for individuals in society and everyone in society occupies a social status. “Status is the most basic component of social structure” (Witt, 2016, p.97). Sociologist categorizes statuses on how individuals achieve them. An ascribed status is a position in society symbolized when a person is born and the Achieved status is voluntarily received by a person through his or her own abilities and effort.
A son, a Hispanic, or a senior citizen are examples of ascribed status. Achieved status are an employee of the year, airline pilot, nurse, or schoolteacher. A person’s ascribed status can influence their achieved status such as the case of an individual or group of homeless people. In 2017, the United States’ homeless population was 553,742. Of this number, 224,937 were homeless Black men and Black women, accounting for 40.6 percent of the total homeless population, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Blacks make up approximately 12 percent of the total population in this country, but they account for almost half the homeless people in America. This demonstrates how social structure can have an impact on a person or group’s social issues. A child doesn’t have access to healthcare or the opportunity to attend college prevents him or her from attaining a job that pays more than minimum wage. The child becomes an adult and he can’t find affordable housing. He is living just above or right at the poverty
level. While our status may change over a period of time, our social structure determines the height reached on the social stratification ladder. Social forces such as poverty can create a path to homelessness for an individual. Social concepts and theories can be applied to an individual’s life or to a social issue such as homelessness to analyze and make sense of these situations. These concepts take a close look at society by examining patterns of history and everyday social correlations. Social theories and concepts can be applied to everyday experiences for a clearer picture of today’s world around us.
relationships with particular individuals in our lives and Public issues are problems we face because of the positions we occupy within the larger social structure” (Witt, 2016, p.3). While working as a professional firefighter, I can recall responding to a homeless shelter located in the downtown area of the city. I often wondered what caused such misfortune for these men and women at the shelter. The faces of homeless people are changing. Today, they are the faces of children, young adults, military veterans, and single parents. According to The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (2017), in America today, there were approximately 564,708 people who experienced homelessness on a given night in the month of January 2017. While working as a professional firefighter, there was a homeless shelter in the downtown district of the city. The shelter was divided into two sides and there was a men’s side and women’s side. Our fire station responded to the shelter frequently. There were occasions when coworkers would return from a call at the shelter and vent their frustrations back at the fire station. Some people tend to believe homeless people are scammers and they need to find a job. The concept of social imagination allows individuals to look at this homeless situation from a different perspective. Private troubles could easily lead to homelessness. The loss of a job or a medical condition could eventually lead to homelessness. Public issues such as denied access to health care, poverty, and unemployment can contribute to a large group of people becoming homeless. Social imagination can help resolve some social problems in society when more people are able to critically think about the social forces driving the issue. Conflict perspective is another concept to help individuals better understand the social problem of homelessness. “The focus on power and the allocation of valued resources in society between groups is the conflict perspective “(Witt, 2016, p.16). As a lower-class citizen in America today, poverty is a social force that has a tremendous impact on homelessness. When analyzing poverty and how it relates to homelessness, poverty places an individual on the edge of being homeless because any minor setback, such as an unexpected expense places an immediate strain on their finances. The conflict perspective would suggest these individuals were affected by the lack of education, gainful employment, income, or affordable health care. The lack of these resources increases the chances for an individual to become homeless. Education typically affords individuals an opportunity for a better paying job. Access to affordable healthcare is essential to a person’s overall health. Individuals without health care are at risk for poor health and financial hardship. Both circumstances can lead to a person becoming homeless. The rising cost of homes reduced take-home pay, and changes to the economy all have been contributing factors to homelessness in the United States. While there are stereotypes surrounding homelessness, Conflict perspective identifies social forces associated with this social problem. Our society is structured so that those with resources are at an advantage and people without resources are at a disadvantage. Next, the Social structure has an impact on homelessness. According to Witt (2016) “Social structure represents the underlying framework of society consisting of the positions people occupy and the relationships between them” (p.97). Social structure interprets everyday situations for individuals in society and everyone in society occupies a social status. “Status is the most basic component of social structure” (Witt, 2016, p.97). Sociologist categorizes statuses on how individuals achieve them. An ascribed status is a position in society symbolized when a person is born and the Achieved status is voluntarily received by a person through his or her own abilities and effort.
A son, a Hispanic, or a senior citizen are examples of ascribed status. Achieved status are an employee of the year, airline pilot, nurse, or schoolteacher. A person’s ascribed status can influence their achieved status such as the case of an individual or group of homeless people. In 2017, the United States’ homeless population was 553,742. Of this number, 224,937 were homeless Black men and Black women, accounting for 40.6 percent of the total homeless population, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Blacks make up approximately 12 percent of the total population in this country, but they account for almost half the homeless people in America. This demonstrates how social structure can have an impact on a person or group’s social issues. A child doesn’t have access to healthcare or the opportunity to attend college prevents him or her from attaining a job that pays more than minimum wage. The child becomes an adult and he can’t find affordable housing. He is living just above or right at the poverty
level. While our status may change over a period of time, our social structure determines the height reached on the social stratification ladder. Social forces such as poverty can create a path to homelessness for an individual. Social concepts and theories can be applied to an individual’s life or to a social issue such as homelessness to analyze and make sense of these situations. These concepts take a close look at society by examining patterns of history and everyday social correlations. Social theories and concepts can be applied to everyday experiences for a clearer picture of today’s world around us.