References

 (2009). Class war. (2009). [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkIdwFZhQNAUAZzWJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=class+conflict&n=30&ei=utf-8&y=Search&fr=yfp-t-701&tab=organic&ri=25&w=386&h=515&imgurl

Agents of socialization. (1994). [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkPytPXNQykIAeC.JzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?

Bourdieu, P., Acosta, S., & Coriolan, M. (2009).Unequal childhoods presentation [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V68u2qwdc00

Elder, G. (1969). Peer socialization in school. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196902_elder.pdf

Ellen, M. (2012). Homeschool vs. public school: Who’s better socialized?. Off the Grid News, Retrieved from http://www.offthegridnews.com/2012/03/14/homeschool-vs-public-school-whose-better-socialized/

 Durkheim suicide - djjr sociology. (2010). [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkPije3NQvVQAbKmJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?

Harker, A. (2012, 11 08). Family! [Web log comment]. Retrieved from https://bblearn.uidaho.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=/webapps/blackboard/execute/launcher?type=Course&id=_16278_1&url=

Kearl. (2005). Suicide. Retrieved from http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/death-su.html

Lendman, S. (Designer). (2011). Class war in america. [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkP3GFphQgXIAP0yJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=class+conflict+in+americ&n=30&ei=utf-8&y=Search&fr=yfp-t

Manning, J. (2012). Suicide as social control.Sociological Forum, Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1573-7861.2011.01308.x/full

Matt, W., Cynthia, C., & Bernice, P. (2011). The sociology of suicide. Annual Review of Sociology, Retrieved from http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-soc-081309-150058

Neal, M. (2012). 1 in 12 teens have attempted suicide. NY Daily News, Retrieved from http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-09/news/32145173_1_teen-suicides-suicide-rate-text-messages

Richard, L., Grotevant, H., & Gunnar, M. (2006). Cultural socialization in families with internationally adopted children. National Institute of Mental Health, Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398726/

Scly4 summary of sociological approaches to the study of suicide [Web]. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPWakWYtpsg

Simpson, G. (n.d.). Suicide: A study in sociology [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://edurkheim.tripod.com/id19.html

Socializaiton. (2011, December 08). Retrieved from http://anthro.palomar.edu/social/soc_1.htm

Suicide and emil durkheim: Argument/counterargument. (2006, June 03). Retrieved from http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=52460

Tavernise, S. (2012). Survey finds rising perception of class tension. New York Times, Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/12/us/more-conflict-seen-between-rich-and-poor-survey-finds.html

Tomlin, C. (2008). Factors affecting socialization of children. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=553

The Study of Suicide: More Sociological Than Psychological

Emile Durkheim's sociological concerns focused primarily on how society maintains its social order and, encompassed within this, he spent the majority of his studies analyzing suicide and its impact on societal structure. Durkheim criticized the classical interpretation of suicide as a psychological fault and, instead, turned to sociology to explain why someone would choose to take their own life. He argued that the reasons behind suicide could be derived from social factors and societal context as opposed to individual, internal conflict. By analyzing the degree to which people feel integrated into their society and the environmental surroundings in which they live, Durkheim was able to develop three distinct types of suicide: anomic, altruistic, and egoistic. Anomic suicide occurs when the forces of society cause individuals to feel lost or alone. This is a common cause of teenage depression and suicide. Altruistic suicide happens when there is excessive regulation on an individual by society This often includes deaths brought about as a result of political or religious reasons. Finally, egoistic suicide occurs when people feel like they can no longer relate, connect, or contribute to society. This is common in elderly individuals who are retired, living relatively quiet, sheltered lives and no longer feel like they are a benefit to society. I chose to research this topic, found in chapter seven of our textbook, because it relates, somewhat, to trials and conflicts that people my age experience. Frequently people assume that suicides are a result of deep psychological issues but it is likely that there are sociological causes behind it as well.

("Durkheim suicide -," 2010)

The following video, entitled "Summary of Sociological Approaches to the Study of Suicide", discusses Durkheim's, along with other sociologists, unorthodox approach to analyzing the reasons behind suicide.

("Scly4 summary of," 2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPWakWYtpsg&feature=player_detailpage


The following journal article, entitled "The Sociology of Suicide", provides a useful analysis of Durkheim's classic beliefs regarding the sociological reasons behind suicide. In addition, it looks into how the views on the link between sociology and suicide have changed throughout the decades.

(Matt, Cynthia & Bernice, 2011)
http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-soc-081309-150058

An additional journal article, entitled "Suicide as Social Control", discusses suicide as an individual's means of exerting control or defiance over society and explores the four social conditions that Durkheim believed might be more likely to lead to one's self-destruction including very low social integration, very high social integration, very low moral regulation, and very high moral regulation.

(Manning, 2012)
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1573-7861.2011.01308.x/full

The links embedded below explore the sociological reasons behind suicide, analyzing the differences in  casualty rates between genders, races, countries, and time periods. The most significant difference seems to lie in the variance between males and females and blacks and whites.

(Kearl, 2005)
http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/death-su.html

("Suicide and emil," 2006)
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=52460


A recent news article, entitled "One in Twelve Teens Have Attempted Suicide", reveals the unfortunate results of a recent study claiming that the suicide rates in young teens has jumped to 7.8% in the past year. The study found that more females than males participated in self destructive behavior, much of it due to increasing societal pressures including bullying, parental expectations, etc.

(Neal, 2012)
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-06-09/news/32145173_1_teen-suicides-suicide-rate-text-messages


The following excerpt was taken from a discussion regarding Durkheim's sociological analysis of suicide

(Simpson, n.d.)
"Durkheim’s main argument was that suicide is not an individual act, as was previously thought by leading scientists of his time.  Accordingly, his theory was that suicide was a social fact that was tied to social structures.  He defined suicide as a social fact because it was something that happened driven by social causes, however hidden they were.

Durkheim then proceeded to theorize three different types of suicide that are found in all societies.  These include:

            1)      “Egoistic suicide, which results from lack of integration of the individual into society.” 

~This means that a person is not included in many things that happen in society, they feel unattached, helpless and useless.  Due to these feelings of inadequacy, the person takes his of her own life

2)      Altruistic suicide “. . . it results from the individual’s taking his own life because of higher commandments.” 

~This means that the individual feels that something larger than himself is causing him to take his own life, such as religious Martyrs or suicide bombers.

3)      Anomic suicide “. . . which results from lack of regulation of the individual by society.” 

~This means that the society is going through some sort of change, where the rules of the society are not as clear as they were.  The individual feels confused and does not know how to handle the major changes occuring around him/herself, and thus commits suicide."

Childhood and Socialization

As individuals, we are constantly being influenced by the inescapable pressures brought about as a result of our contemporary culture, societal expectations, and values or beliefs of the masses. From the moment we enter this world, and are declared either a boy or a girl, we are thrust into the socialization process that shapes and molds our identity. Our earliest years are when we establish our initial individual character and integrity, in fact, as we begin as a clean slate and are slowly defined and pieced together by the experiences we encounter. During our childhood, our family is considered to be the most powerful source of influence as children are keen observers and will imitate the behaviors and values they are exposed to most frequently. Children can also acquire an understanding of society thorugh school, peer relationships, sports, religion, and social media, however. Essentially the fundamental base of our social and cultural identities is established during adolescence through subtle cues and keen observations. I chose to research this topic, in Chapter four of our textbook, because I find it interesting that our personal identities begin to form from the moment we enter this world. I think many people tend to underestimate children and their ability to understand and interpret social cues or cultural influences, but childhood is arguably one of the greatest periods of social change in our life.

("Agents of socialization," 1994)

The following video, entitled "Unequal Childhoods", explores the differences in parenting and childhood development that may occur as a result of the environment in which a family is situated. As stated above, children are open, clean slates that are very susceptible to the influences of the society in which they live. Therefore, as discussed in the video, children who are raised in a middle, working class family will grow and develop differently than a child raised in a wealthy, upper class family.

(Bourdieu, Acosta & Coriolan, 2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V68u2qwdc00&feature=player_detailpage


The following journal article, entitled "Cultural Socialization in Families With Internationally Adopted Children", analyzes the parenting behaviors and cultural socialization of children adopted into American families from a variety of different countries, looking into how their socialization process differs from the average natural born citizen. As international adoption becomes an increasingly popular means of starting a family, this subject becomes more and more important in the sociological study of families.

(Richard, Grotevant & Gunnar, 2006)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398726/

An additional journal article, entitled "Peer Socialization in School" discusses the ways in which children grow, evaluate, and develop an understanding of our modern society through their early education. They are socialized through classroom teachings and peer relationships, among many other things.

(Elder, 1969)
http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196902_elder.pdf


The links embedded below discuss a variety of factors that affect the socialization of children including family and parental influences, punishment and discipline, and early friendships through factual analysis and actual "in-home" experiences.

(Tomlin, 2008)
http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=553

("Socializaiton," 2011)
http://anthro.palomar.edu/social/soc_1.htm


A recent news article, entitled "Homeschool vs. Public School: Who's Better Socialized?" evaluates the different socialization experiences of children educated within their home vs. children sent through the public school system and the differing levels of social maturity that result.

(Ellen, 2012)
http://www.offthegridnews.com/2012/03/14/homeschool-vs-public-school-whose-better-socialized/


The following excerpt was taken from a peer discussion regarding modern families in today's society: how they can be defined, major challenges they face, and the various purposes that they serve.

(Harker, 2012)

"Family is a cooperative social unit responsible for the nurturing and development of those within its confines, particularly the raising and socializing of children. Today, families are challenged by the quickly evolving social standards. Some of these standards are the increase in women's rights, homosexual marriage and adoption, and a growing diversity in cultural family upbringing.

I watched American Dad. It shows an extremely conservative father in a patriarchal relationship to his wife and kids and Roger the alien. The idea of the show is a sociopolitical satire of the current American paradigm. Stan serves as a satirical symbol of the 'ideal' conservative, American father, asserting himself as head of the family and often belittling the intelligence and authority of his wife, Francine. Francine plays the role of the 'ideal' submissive, conservative wife and while she is often stupid, she is no more stupid than her husband. Steve, the younger of two children, is rather carefree except when it comes to the specifics about how he will lose his virginity. Hailey, the older sister, is the rebel of the family and the foil of her father, being an extreme liberal with hippie tendencies. In a way, there are parallels to the real world, but being a satire one couldn't rely on it for fact. For instance, the extremely conservative, American father is typically a chauvinist in his dealings although he will not admit to it. The wife is submissive to this and the children often turn out awkward in the context of the real world and/or family matters. Steve, for example, has an obsessive problem with his sexuality as it often common in a conservative and/or religious household. Hailey represents the likely probability that there will be dissent from within the family to an authoritarian upbringing. In summation, it shows how certain families can be and have been, but as we have read there is so much diversity now in the family that to say it represents even a good portion of the families out there is a bit much.

Families a hundred years from now? Hard to say, but with my prediction, it will be a little closer to 1984 and Brave New World. Families will be increasingly smaller due to the strain of overpopulation, technology, and needing fewer persons to perform labor. The further we go along our evolutionary path, our social habits are being altered. Socializing appears to be less and less emotional and tactile as time goes on. I believe we will rely less on our social ties because of the simple fact that we rely less and less on others directly to accommodate our needs, mostly because technological advancement will replace these functions".

Welcome!

My name is Taylor Fletcher and I am currently a sophomore at the University of Idaho pursuing a degree in Biology. I introduce myself first and foremost as a college student as my education is one of the biggest priorities in my life right now as well as one of the greatest consumers of my time and resources it seems. But at only nineteen I realize that college is just another stepping stone in my life and I still have so much more ahead of me to look forward to. Aside from school I spend a good portion of my time running, reading, and atempting to catch up on sleep which always seems to be in short supply. In the summer I enjoy boating, camping, fishing, and hiking, along with other various outdoor activities, while in the winter I can be found anywhere that has snow for me to ski on. I am a proud member of Alpha Phi and an avid supporter of Greek Life as I can personally vouch for the positive effect that it can have on a young adult's life amongst the trials and turmoil that college life can present.

As I mentioned above, I am currently pursuing a degree in Biology with the intent of going on to medical school after I graduate to become a doctor. I've always had aspirations of becoming a  practicing physician, but have only recently settled on the idea of specializing in plastic surgery with an emphasis in post traumatic or birth defect reconstruction. I think it would be so rewarding to help an individual return or indulge in a sense of physical normality that may be missing from their life, hopefully bringing a sense of comfort, peace of mind, or ease of living. The idea of going to medical school and becoming a doctor has been so long in the making and has always seemed so far away, but now with the MCAT looming in just under a year its starting to become more of a reality. With this thought in mind, it is important for me to start focusing my sights by taking classes and participating in events that are going to make me a more well rounded person and set me up for a successful career path. This is whey I decided to enroll in a sociology course. Working as a plastic surgeon, I will, undoubtably, encounter a variety of different individuals. I will be working with patients, families, coworkers, superiors, and professors from differing countries, cultures, classes, upbringings, and backgrounds with a multitude of different languages, traditions, beliefs, customs, and lifestyles. It will be crucial for me to not only understand and be aware of the differences that I may share with these people, but to embrace it and work through it. Being a doctor provides so many other challenges other than the obvious medical ones, but gaining sociological insight and education will allow me to become a well rounded, worldly, and approachable doctor and individual.