The roots of social control theory can be traced back to Emile Durkheim, who in the late 1800s proposed that "The more weakened the groups to which [the individual] belongs, the less he depends on them, the more he consequently depends only on himself and recognizes no other rules of conduct than what are founded on his private interests" (209). Hirschi expanded upon this theory to include the influence of social bonding on antisocial behavior. As described by Tittle (1995), Hirschi's social control theory "contends that everybody is motivated toward deviance, but only those who are relatively free of the bonds of commitment to, and belief in, the conventional order, attachment to others, and involvement with conventional institutions of society actually manifest their deviant motivation in unacceptable behavior" (7).
There is little question that ethnic minorities are the ones most likely fall into this category. This is not because they are 'born criminals' but rather because they are frequently isolated from conventional society and therefore are not tied to the conventional institutions of acceptable behavior. Unfortunately, the more people tend to believe that criminal behavior is innate to certain races and ethnicities, the more isolated these groups become, and in turn, the more likely they are to commit crimes.
According to Paul Gordon Lauren, the true regulator of criminal activity is, for most people, not the threats of the criminal justice system, but their own set of morals, values and beliefs. These morals, values and beliefs are shaped by one's surroundings. Most people do not commit murder or other crimes because they know deep within themselves that it is wrong and they simply could not live with their own conscience if the committed such a horrendous offense against humanity. However, for those who are raised in environments where criminal behavior is rule rather than the exception; where poverty is rampant...
However, affirmative action does reveal a rift in American political culture. Equality has always been an endemic American value, touted in the Constitution and branded as a key feature of American life. Yet diversity has recently become a keyword in American political culture. Preserving both equality and diversity has become the most current political challenge in the United States and this challenge is encapsulated in the debate over affirmative
First, American ideas about freedom have evolved over time, and this might be the natural model for freedom. To believe that an emerging democracy would immediately look like modern day America ignores the fact that freedom continues to evolve in America. Moreover, freedom is guaranteed by certain institutions, such as an independent judiciary, that generally develop over time. In Presidential address: American freedom in a global age, Eric Foner gives
The Continuum of Globalization Discourse on globalization has flourished in contemporary scholarship, even though the actual forces and phenomena shaping patterns of world trade and the interchange of ideas and culture have extended deep into human history. Technology has invariably shaped the new wave of globalization, with public policy and international interdependency creating formal, legal pathways of global integration. Even as information sharing and intercultural communication have created the means by
Racism can be stated as the attitude or practice of recognizing authority/supremacy of one group over another. It is either founded on race, color, ethnicity or cultural heritage. It is, if truth be told, a global tradition and is not only limited to a particular area or group of people. One can notice racism at all individual, group or institutional levels. Racism is spread and conserved by the introduction of
Racism and Ethnocentrism in the Media Even though they are straightforwardly and often confused, race and racism ought to be distinguished from ethnicity and ethnocentrism. Despite the fact that extreme ethnocentrism may take the matching offensive form and may have the same calamitous consequences as tremendous racism, there are important differences connecting the two concepts. Ethnicity, which shares culturally contingent features, classifies all human groups. It pertains to a sense of
Racism Unfortunately, racism is a pervasive element in American society. As the reaction to the 2008 Presidential election at the University of Mississippi shows, many Americans cannot tolerate a person of color in a position of power. The right-wing rhetoric that continually denounces Obama in the media stems in part from covert racism, rather than being just attributable to different political beliefs. The causes of racism are complex and multifaceted, and
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