My degree of study, thus far:
So as a sociology minor I have to take a handful of classes that mean I've learned what sociology is, and how it applies, etc. However, what I have found is that I am becoming more and more frustrated with many (though not all) sociologists as I go along. Though intro soc and family soc didn't make me feel like this my two current classes, gender soc and youth soc, have. It seems that more and more sociology is becoming and academic study of how come nothing is anyone's own fault. Specifically, society is to blame for our problems and though we can try to understand it there isn't a whole lot you can do about. Now I know this frustration is likely a direct result of my personality and upbringing as I was raised in a very capitalist, conservative and individualistic family, but, I also have a hard time believing that all of society's problems are based on society's way of socialization.
With Sociology of Youth, for example, I just finished reading an article about how 'youth at risk' are constructed by the very school systems that label's them as at risk. And while I can believe that is true to a degree, the author seemed oblivious to the fact that sometimes youth make bad decisions and have to live with consequences. Though I'm sure it exists, I'm sure fewer and fewer children are dropping out of school to make money for their family because they are too poor. I honestly think that some students do not see the value of an education and act accordingly. No amount of de-streaming or relocating of schools is likely to change that. I think teachers have enough on their plates for their low pay with just having to teach basic material to hundreds of students without being held responsible for all of the socialization of their students. Furthermore, the second-chance schools are exactly what they are called, and implies that there was a first chance. Which leads me to believe that there was a situation which provided means for students to leave their first chance. Now I am aware that there are instances that are sometimes situations beyond students' control that results in them being put in second-chance but I also think that there are some students who, in a way, choose to be there. I think that this article completely negates the choices that youth make for themselves, leaving to be worked over by society. The author presented facts saying that students that were in advanced learning programs (like IB or AP) are more likely to have parents that graduated from a university or college. And though I don't dispute the results I highly doubt that these advanced programs ask the parents what kind of education they received and then assign their children to the learning program accordingly. There are definitely other factors at play.
In short, I recognize that sociology is about analyzing society but I think I'm also realizing that they play the victim card way too often. Gender sociology really does that with the whole "straight man is keeping me down all the time, as a female/homosexual/etc I will never have a chance". Its just so defeatist.
Although its also nice that I finally feel passionate about my fields of study, even if its a little bit of disgust.
With Sociology of Youth, for example, I just finished reading an article about how 'youth at risk' are constructed by the very school systems that label's them as at risk. And while I can believe that is true to a degree, the author seemed oblivious to the fact that sometimes youth make bad decisions and have to live with consequences. Though I'm sure it exists, I'm sure fewer and fewer children are dropping out of school to make money for their family because they are too poor. I honestly think that some students do not see the value of an education and act accordingly. No amount of de-streaming or relocating of schools is likely to change that. I think teachers have enough on their plates for their low pay with just having to teach basic material to hundreds of students without being held responsible for all of the socialization of their students. Furthermore, the second-chance schools are exactly what they are called, and implies that there was a first chance. Which leads me to believe that there was a situation which provided means for students to leave their first chance. Now I am aware that there are instances that are sometimes situations beyond students' control that results in them being put in second-chance but I also think that there are some students who, in a way, choose to be there. I think that this article completely negates the choices that youth make for themselves, leaving to be worked over by society. The author presented facts saying that students that were in advanced learning programs (like IB or AP) are more likely to have parents that graduated from a university or college. And though I don't dispute the results I highly doubt that these advanced programs ask the parents what kind of education they received and then assign their children to the learning program accordingly. There are definitely other factors at play.
In short, I recognize that sociology is about analyzing society but I think I'm also realizing that they play the victim card way too often. Gender sociology really does that with the whole "straight man is keeping me down all the time, as a female/homosexual/etc I will never have a chance". Its just so defeatist.
Although its also nice that I finally feel passionate about my fields of study, even if its a little bit of disgust.