Description
Respond to two colleagues in one of thefollowing ways: share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting,validate an idea with your own experience, or expand on your colleague’sposting.
(Note: Youdo not need to respond to the discussion questions, it is included for your reference so you are aware of whatquestions the students are replying to) I posted my colleagues’ responses tothe discussion question above, please respond to their post. Begin the responsewith Hi Nicole/Hi Jazmin) (I need at least a half page response for eachperson) Please include references and provide the url link to all journalarticles you use as references. Use current (meaning within the past 2 years)scholarly journal articles as references. Please use APA 6th edition format.Thanks)
Discussion Post:
Structural functionalists view society as a set of interrelated parts. They argue that solutions to social problems, such as the one you will propose this week, may lead to additional social problems. Some examples include: urban development projects, which ultimately displace current residents and divide unified communities and racial disparities in schools, which lead to forced integration and increased hostility or even violence between the races.
- What other solutions may lead to additional or exacerbated social problems?
- Do all solutions come with a price?
- Can you think of a viable solution to any social problem that has no negative consequences?
Resource:
Nicole’s Post:
Structural functionalists maintain that society is connectedresulting in one change within society impacting other elements. The initialimpact might intend to be positive with the residual effects negative. Thereare also examples of solutions to social problems resulting in positive changealso. The example of urban development projects seems to align with thesociological term of gentrification. Which is less about solving asocial problem and more about benefitting stakeholders financially. Making itmore fiscally motivated than altruistic. Which can result in racialdisparities and increased hostility between races.
Removinga child from their home due to abuse and/or neglect allegations can lead toadditional social problems. Whereas there are many circumstances which call forthe immediate removal of a child from an abusive situation there are many whichdo not warrant the removal. Children are re-traumatized when suddenlyplaced into foster care regardless of their situation within their home.The placement into foster care can exacerbate trauma by a change insurroundings and loss of community. A viable solution is placement into afamiliar relative or home monitoring while the allegations are investigated.Mandatory trauma informed therapy can assist with addressing the disruption andabuse/neglect. The quick, inept removal from the home causes additionalproblems for the child and further breaks down the family unit. It isalso crucial to keep siblings together which is not always a priority. Iveworked with child services and understand there is a focus on reunification.With this focus, there should be an emphasis on avoiding temporary placement ofchildren in foster care. I do believe all solutions come with a price,but detrimental impact can be mitigated with strategic processes.
Jazmin’s Post:
Structural functionalism makes sense and I can understand why some people view the world or life from this perspective. I like the war example used in this weeks article. The article states, In the case of a national political organization, however, its territorial boundaries ordinarily coincide with a relative break in the normative order regulating social interaction. . . . In other words, the danger of war is endemic in uninstitutionalized relations between territorially organized collectivities. Institutionalized patterns in political units in America, whether good or bad, keep us safe from other territorial countries.
Another huge social problem is world hunger. A simple solution seems to be the production of more food and farming but unfortunately that could lead to more harm on our environment. I do believe majority of solutions come with a price. The price could be human behavior, having to rearranging funds or finding the funds to pay for a certain change, or even a persons integrity.
A social problem whose solution has no negative consequences, in my opinion, is police brutality. If police are held accountable by superiors and the legal system when they use excessive force, especially force that ends in death, it is more likely to happen less. Even typing this, I am thinking of some negative consequences other people may point out. The word negative is subjective and we all see the world differently
