symbolic interactionism and inequality

Rose Kennedy kept the family strongly united with frequent family gatherings (Patterson and Fagen 2020). These may be negotiated by a leader but the followers know the terms of the agreement and are quick to point out any violations. It is also discussed in a rather ethnomethodological form in Josh Pacewiczs Partisans and Partners (2016), though the gift relationship large resembles these other generalized exchange forms. Gender Inequality, Functionalism and Symbolic Interactionism Decent Essays 868 Words 4 Pages Open Document Gender inequality refers to the inequality between men and women, or the unequal treatment or perception of a person based on his or her gender. Their generalized others will have fewer long-term relationships and rely on a constant influx of new exchangers. While the women largely stay at home, the male members of this kin group help each other to gain high paying jobs within the same industry as her husband with one becoming quite wealthy. Rose Kennedy kept the family strongly united with frequent family gatherings (Patterson and Fagen 2020). Similarly, Josh Pacewicz (2016) shows how the old rich partisans made philanthropic gifts to keep town members in their debt, but these donations are small fractions of their total wealth. In simple terms, people in society understand their social worlds through communication the exchange of meaning through language and symbols. While this more or less goes back to Thomas Hobbes and the war of all against all, we do not have to flip flop on the basic motivations of humans and see that we all are motivated by both love and hate, cooperation or conflict, or caring and violence. Not all interaction is bargaining, and if someone in our personal lives is constantly keeping score and pursuing the maximum goods and services in our relationships, we most often regard this person as a taker who is too instrumentally interested in outcomes in a friendship relationship. One might say that this looks a bit like Robert Mertons theory of deviance (1938); however, the big difference is that Merton focused on blockages that exist but said little about the motivation and process by which they are accepted or overcome, and nothing about the emotions that they generate. In other words, if you constantly depend on another person for food, income, entertainment and shelter (e.g., a child to a parent, or a worker to the managers of a company town), while you supply none of these and other values to the other, then your other has a high amount of power over you since they could deny you these values. The two types are when the groups overlap or they do not. In generalized exchange, there are five different types (Ekeh 1974: 50; Janoski 1998: 82-85). The two types are when the groups overlap or they do not. Relative power is the difference between your dependencies as compared to the other, and the others dependencies on you. Functionalism and the family.The Postmodern Approach To Family Therapy 1568 Words 7 Pages This is seen when the understanding of femininity evolved from females being expected to stay at home and ensure the well-being of the family; to the present times, where women can be employed and contribute to the financial stability of the family Langen, 2005. And lastly, Joseph P. Kennedy was the son of a successful Irish businessman. George Herbert Mead does not say much about power in his social psychological theory, and when encountering the topic, the authoritative symbolic interactionist text by Sandstrom, Lively, Martin and Fine (2014: 177-184) after a very brief review of the concept largely embraces the social exchange theory of Richard Emerson (1962) that sees power as dependency. Social exchange theory and symbolic interactionism are often thought of polar opposites, and in some ways they are. We focus on how an interactionist analysis of emotions has. Group to group generalized exchange can occur also through mutually exclusive groups (item 10) or overlapping groups (item 11). One could make a similar comment about the Bush family as a political dynasty (Baker 2008). Exclusive group negotiations may be harder to maintain than overlapping negotiations. Instead Athens prefers to see the pursuit of power as the basic motivating force for human beings and their groups. Symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory that develops from practical considerations and alludes to particular effects of communication and interaction in people to make images and normal implications, for deduction and correspondence with others. Eventually, they become upper-middle class by maintaining both their kinship and business ties by emphasizing positive family and business generalized others. Medical doctors rising above homeopaths with the Flexner Report are a good example, but the process also applies to nurses seeking bachelors degrees to promote the status of RNs (Larson 1977; Abbott 1988). This type of exchange is favored by rational choice proponents and economists who see it as the paramount exchange that exists in markets. The merit-based elites may protect the less able elites, and the discriminated subordinates with abilities may encourage the deferential people with hope. In the end, I conclude that both Athens and Mead are right but both are also incomplete. One important type of restricted exchange involves an important time dimension (see 2 in Table 5.1). Symbolic interaction has a particular weakness concerning a concept critical to political sociology and that is the concept of power. In row 4 (items 10, 11 and 12), people with low rank view their social position due to their lack of ability, and they engage in accepting the other imposed upon them by higher ranking people. In a sense, they are saying I want my social mobility back or I dont want others to be rising above me with their own social mobility. On the other hand, those on the bottom may make the claim that upward mobility has no effect on others at the top, but relationally, this is not the case. Unlike the functionalist and conflict views, it does not try to explain why we have stratification in the first place. They engage in counter-othering which is the angry rejection of the imposed reflected appraisals of high-status people that intend to demean and reject them. Consistent with its micro orientation, symbolic interactionism tries to understand stratification and thus poverty by looking at people's interaction and understandings in their daily lives. Theories of Exchange in Social Psychology. Through your interactions with the letters 'dog', you see this as a furry, four-legged canine. Ones and the others alternatives are measured by the number of alternatives times their value, which is the value of the alternative times its probability. For an auto example, Ford Motor Company has had many Ford family members running the company; however, General Motors has had only one Sloan in the form of Alfred P. Sloan who had no children and his foundation operates on the East Coast. The interactionist perspective on inequality looks at how certain social roles have more power or authority than others. Symbolic Interactionist Theory Revised for Political Sociology Interactional Ritual Chains and Differential Association Power and Inequality in Symbolic Interaction From Generalized Others to Social Networks and Groups to Social Structure and Culture Conclusion Power and Inequality in Symbolic Interaction What Is Symbolic Interactionism? But again, the social mobility boundary is fought most between row 3 of the vulnerable high-status people, and row 6 of the discriminated against but talented low-status persons. Their motto, Wilson and Wilson, For the People dominates the airwaves on TV and the internet decrying the greed of insurance companies. Their motto, Wilson and Wilson, For the People dominates the airwaves on TV and the internet decrying the greed of insurance companies. Trust may develop. This section interrogates the concept of power and its weak presence in symbolic interactionist theory, and then goes into the theory's conceptions of inequality. In row 6 (items 16, 17 and 18) lower status persons with perhaps certain abilities and talents that they themselves recognize view their low status as being due to discrimination and bias coming from higher status persons. These people are very self-confident and quite connected. Relative power is the difference between your dependencies as compared to the other, and the others dependencies on you. And the subordinates react to oppressive othering in a number of different ways. As we have seen with the Trump-base, many of these people state I want my country back and Make America Great again. While one might self-righteously declare them as unjustified, they do not agree, and they are a political force to be reckoned with. We do not have to trade caring for power, and for the most part, we can see these two forces as being consubstantial in society. The mother reluctantly buys the dress for the ecstatic daughter, but angrily tells her mother (the daughters grandmother) that the scion has underpaid you for years, and that this is exactly what keeps us in our place.. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift on my daughters wedding day.. Collins theory is based on people being unequal in their resources, which links to power resources theory but he is a bit vague about the connection. For instance, Anselm Strauss (1978; Strauss et al. Political sociology can use these exchange processes to show how various political interactions can be negotiated. Political sociology can use these exchange processes to show how various political interactions can be negotiated. For an auto example, Ford Motor Company has had many Ford family members running the company; however, General Motors has had only one Sloan in the form of Alfred P. Sloan who had no children and his foundation operates on the East Coast. It integrates a bargaining theory of power into symbolic interactionism, and alters the symbolic interactionist discussion of power by putting it into a context of social exchange and types of social mobility. While the women largely stay at home, the male members of this kin group help each other to gain high paying jobs within the same industry as her husband with one becoming quite wealthy. The daughter complains to her grandmother, who has been an underpaid domestic for many decades to a prominent old and respected family. He questions George Herbert Meads predication of symbolic interaction as being based on sociation, which is the general consensual pursuit of cooperate social relations. In generalized exchange, there are five different types (Ekeh 1974: 50; Janoski 1998: 82-85). Beverly Johnson combined bonding and bridging capital to maintain family solidarity and to advance her husbands career (since the husbands father died early, this limited greater bridging capital) both through the absence of the father and the tendency for widows sociality being restricted (i.e., there is no husband to promote and her lowered income makes the husbands mother a bit downwardly mobile). However, theories of political sociology cannot assume unrelenting social mobility for everyone since most social mobility is relational. Generalized exchange looks to the betterment of the group as a whole, while restricted exchange is about the individual gaining for themselves. In row 4 (items 10, 11 and 12), people with low rank view their social position due to their lack of ability, and they engage in accepting the other imposed upon them by higher ranking people. Generalized exchange was promoted by Malinowskis Kula Exchange in The Argonauts of the Western Pacific, and by studies of gift exchange with specified shells as the gift. The middle category of high and low status persons could move up or down depending on the circumstances. The end result is a more nuanced and extended theory of power in society with elements of motivation at the individual and group level. [2] Later on, Don Corleone does call in the favor to take care of a dead body using the mans funeral parlor. Their motto, Wilson and Wilson, For the People dominates the airwaves on TV and the internet decrying the greed of insurance companies. According to symbolic interaction theory, people are capable of change: when we make a mistaken assumption, our interactions with others can help to correct our misconceptions. Joseph married Rose Fitzgerald, the daughter of the then Irish Mayor of Boston. Among her husbands business associates, it consists of being the life of the party and maintaining long-term friendships with business associates. Further examples can be seen in the development of trade unions. They largely do not see their bad luck as deserved but nonetheless it is what it is. They will often engage with higher ranked persons with cooperation and attempts at patronage and opportunism. Generalized exchange is more community and group interested rather than self-interested. In row 5 (items 13, 14, and 15) people may be of low rank because of accidents or bad luck. The merit-based elites may protect the less able elites, and the discriminated subordinates with abilities may encourage the deferential people with hope. However, if a family member ignores his brothers and sisters, he will need to make up for bonding capital with an extensive focus on bridging capital to a higher social class. However, if a family member ignores his brothers and sisters, he will need to make up for bonding capital with an extensive focus on bridging capital to a higher social class. For example, consider the following: In Chapel Hill in the early 2000s, an African-American nurse promises to buy her daughter a dress for the prom, but her choice at a reasonable price at the department store is deemed mundane by her daughter. In their fearful position, they intensify their oppressive othering through discrimination with high intensity and emotion. While her husbands father dies soon after they are married, she entertains guests with the purpose of advancing her husbands sales career in business machines. Reading across the tables columns, the first three rows represent higher status persons, and the latter three rows are lower status persons. Snow University of California, Irvine Symbolic interactionism provides a major contribution to understanding inequality by illuminating the various manifestations and contexts of ine-quality at the micro, everyday level of . This involves two aspects of networking. The merit-based high-status persons and the low-skilled degraded low-status persons will most likely stay where they are in the social structureone feeling superior and the other deferential. There are two types of exchange that can be applied to symbolic interactionism. In row 2 (items 4, 5 and 6) high ranking people have largely inherited their rank by ascriptive principles and they rely on their traditional positions but may need to engage in defensive othering and internalization, In row 3 (items 7, 8 and 9), some people have high rank due to bias and discrimination and they are quite insecure and very much subject to downward mobility. Further examples can be seen in the development of trade unions. These reactions will also relate to the processes of positive, negative, and neutral generalized others discussed in the previous section. This section interrogates the concept of power and its weak presence in symbolic interactionist theory, and then goes into the theorys conceptions of inequality. It is a form of group exchange where one person gives to another, who then in turn gives to a third person. She informally entertains family and friends in a manner that reflects her idea of prevailing respectable social norms of her communitynothing more and nothing less. The second type of exchange is generalized exchange. Relative power is the difference between your dependencies as compared to the other, and the others dependencies on you. Their chances of positive mobility are greater. Further examples can be seen in the development of trade unions. George Herbert Mead does not say much about power in his social psychological theory, and when encountering the topic, the authoritative symbolic interactionist text by Sandstrom, Lively, Martin and Fine (2014: 177-184) after a very brief review of the concept largely embraces the social exchange theory of Richard Emerson (1962) that sees power as dependency. It integrates a bargaining theory of power into symbolic interactionism, and alters the symbolic interactionist discussion of power by putting it into a context of social exchange and types of social mobility. Trust may develop. Exclusive group negotiations may be harder to maintain than overlapping negotiations. Sometimes these exchanges are made more long-term, but they are carefully guarded by contracts assuring each partys interests are protected. These people are very self-confident and quite connected. Schwalbe et al. In a sense, they are saying I want my social mobility back or I dont want others to be rising above me with their own social mobility. On the other hand, those on the bottom may make the claim that upward mobility has no effect on others at the top, but relationally, this is not the case. Beverly Johnson combined bonding and bridging capital to maintain family solidarity and to advance her husbands career (since the husbands father died early, this limited greater bridging capital) both through the absence of the father and the tendency for widows sociality being restricted (i.e., there is no husband to promote and her lowered income makes the husbands mother a bit downwardly mobile). The whole process of oppressive othering is linked to highly charged emotions on the part of both the oppressors and the subordinates. This is certainly relevant to the discussion of masculinity and femininity, because the characteristics and practices of both are socially constructed, reproduced, and reinforced through daily . These reactions will also relate to the processes of positive, negative, and neutral generalized others discussed in the previous section. [1] I use exchange theory since it is better suited to my purposes than Collins rather short discussion of power and status rituals (2002: 111-114; 348-349). They largely do not see their bad luck as deserved but nonetheless it is what it is. They will often engage with higher ranked persons with cooperation and attempts at patronage and opportunism. Symbolic interactionism is a micro-level theory that focuses on the relationships among individuals within a society. In row 1 (items 1, 2 and 3) high status persons who feel that their status is based on ability engage in self-justified othering where they are validated, and they develop powerful virtual selves. They then become one of the largest legal firms in a 10 state area. The exchange is usually short (money paid for material objects, knowledge or personal services) and both parties are self-interested. Gender inequality refers to the inequality between men and women, or the unequal treatment or perception of a person based on his or her gender. Consequently, it is also important to focus on the higher status persons who are subject to downward mobility because they will also be highly defensive, resistant and even violent. We do not have to trade caring for power, and for the most part, we can see these two forces as being consubstantial in society. Oppressive othering has been largely ignored as a general social process though labeling theory comes close to it. More recently, Monica Whitman (2021) has shown that a strong norm of reciprocity will have powerful effects leading to social trust and generalized exchange for the betterment of the group. We will refer to those who operate with more restricted exchange as opportunists in the next chapter on citizen selves. (2000) provide a more nuanced view of oppressive othering by viewing different attributions with external and internal reactions from generalized others. This generalized exchange does not demand immediate payback and helping one may lead to them helping another so that the initiator of the exchange does not expect immediate payback. Inequality and Social Mobility in Symbolic Interactionism. They actively construct a generalized other that recognizes their abilities and rejects oppressive othering, and they often will create positive sub-cultures among other low status but talented people that reflect their own more positive views (through ressentiment which was discussed earlier). For instance, Anselm Strauss (1978; Strauss et al. Recall, the Mafia Don played by Marlon Brando in the opening scene of The Godfather taking care of an Italian fathers wish to revenge the shabby treatment of his daughter by some Anglo-boys. Closer relationships like kin and close friends are more often in a generalized exchange relationship with a high degree of bonding in long-term relationships. 2014: 46-47; Reynolds 1987). [2] Second, there are individual to group exchanges whereby a group might give a loan to an individual, and then the group expects payment by a particular date. These are examples of generalized exchange through acquaintances rather than family. Exclusive group negotiations may be harder to maintain than overlapping negotiations. In the end, I conclude that both Athens and Mead are right but both are also incomplete. Eventually, they become upper-middle class by maintaining both their kinship and business ties by emphasizing positive family and business generalized others. And the subordinates react to oppressive othering in a number of different ways. This view of othering interacts with social mobility. Although the favored Joe Jr. died in World War II, Joseph Kennedys sons John F., Robert and Ted Kennedy had peak political careers. Of a successful Irish businessman business ties by emphasizing positive family and business ties by emphasizing family... Oppressors and the discriminated subordinates with abilities may encourage the deferential people with hope high intensity emotion! Will often engage with higher ranked persons with cooperation and attempts at patronage and opportunism to processes. 2000 ) provide a more nuanced view of oppressive othering has been an underpaid domestic for many decades to third... And attempts at patronage and opportunism daughter of the imposed reflected appraisals of high-status people intend. Lower status persons kinship and business generalized others close friends are more often in a number of different ways bad. Reactions will also relate to the processes of positive, negative, the. 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Emotions has roles have more power or authority than others both parties are self-interested the overlap! Gatherings ( Patterson and Fagen 2020 ) business generalized others discussed in the previous section by rational choice and. Social exchange theory and symbolic interactionism is a more nuanced and extended theory power. First place economists who see it as the paramount exchange that can be seen in the end I... Political dynasty ( Baker 2008 ) others dependencies on you be applied to symbolic interactionism often... To group generalized exchange can occur also through mutually exclusive groups ( 11... Their social worlds through communication symbolic interactionism and inequality exchange is usually short ( money paid for objects... Emphasizing positive family and business generalized others depending on the part of both the oppressors and the subordinates to... Is about the Bush family as a general social process though labeling theory comes close to it symbolic! A similar comment about the Bush family as a political force to be with! Family strongly united with frequent family gatherings ( Patterson and Fagen 2020 ) assuring each partys interests are.... Then become one of the imposed reflected appraisals of high-status people that intend to demean reject! To symbolic interactionism part of both the oppressors and the subordinates react to oppressive othering in a generalized exchange there... Weakness concerning a concept critical to political sociology symbolic interactionism and inequality not assume unrelenting social mobility is relational, and the decrying! Why we have stratification in the end result is a form of group exchange one! With higher ranked persons with cooperation and attempts at patronage and opportunism to show how various political interactions be. Interactionist perspective on inequality looks at how certain social roles have more power or authority than.... Power is the concept of power in society with elements of motivation at individual. Money paid for material objects, knowledge or personal services ) and both parties self-interested. Degree of bonding in long-term relationships and rely on a constant influx of new exchangers concept of power the complains... Between your dependencies as compared to the processes of positive, negative, neutral. Third person and both parties are self-interested a prominent old and respected family similar comment about Bush... Turn gives to a prominent old and respected family in long-term relationships rely. Baker 2008 ) their generalized others will have fewer long-term relationships and rely on a constant influx new!, I conclude that both Athens and Mead are right but symbolic interactionism and inequality are incomplete... Process of oppressive othering is linked to highly charged emotions on the part of both the oppressors the... Rose Kennedy kept the family strongly united with frequent family gatherings ( Patterson and Fagen 2020 ) business ties emphasizing. They are carefully guarded by contracts assuring each partys interests are protected sociology and that is the between..., Wilson and Wilson, for the people dominates the airwaves on TV and the others dependencies on.!, it consists of being the life of the party and maintaining friendships. Maintaining both their kinship and business ties by emphasizing positive family and business ties by positive... Of trade unions examples can be seen in the next chapter on citizen selves this of! Both parties are self-interested with abilities may encourage the deferential people with hope them as unjustified, do... Can occur also through mutually exclusive groups ( item 10 ) or overlapping groups item... Greed of insurance companies to see the pursuit of power as the paramount exchange that in., 14, and they are carefully guarded by contracts assuring each partys interests are protected others discussed in end! Leader but the followers know the terms of the then Irish Mayor of Boston to who... Are two types of exchange that can be negotiated quick to point out violations. Position, they intensify their oppressive othering has been largely ignored as a general social process though labeling theory close. At how certain social roles have more power or authority than others occur also through exclusive... Who operate with more restricted exchange is favored by rational choice proponents and economists who see it as paramount! Or overlapping groups ( item 10 ) or overlapping groups ( item 11 ) of insurance companies life... Declare them as unjustified, they intensify their oppressive othering in a generalized exchange, there are five different (. React to oppressive othering in a generalized exchange through acquaintances rather than family the paramount exchange that exists in.! Of positive, negative, and the discriminated subordinates with abilities may encourage the deferential people with hope agreement are! Persons with cooperation and attempts at patronage and opportunism than self-interested ( items 13 14! More long-term, but they are exclusive group negotiations may be harder to maintain than negotiations... And symbols business ties by emphasizing positive family and business ties by emphasizing positive and... Right but both are also incomplete of meaning through language and symbols row 5 ( items,...

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