Theory and Me

There are many sociological theories to explain and describe how different groups and cultures fit into society and the effect that they have on it. I will be addressing two theoretical perspectives in this paper: pluralism theories, and psychological theories. I will also discuss my knowledge of the racial and ethnic identities of my parents, grandparents, and myself. Furthermore, I will explain how the theoretical perspectives relate to one another in accordance with my racial and ethnic identity.

The pluralism theory was formed as a reaction to the idea of a “melting pot”, and “ethnicity remains a powerful force” (Aguirre, and Turner 34-36). To clarify, pluralism is when subgroups or minorities in a society retain their distinctive cultural identities. An ideal pluralistic society would encourage unique cultural traditions and practices, as opposed to blending in with the dominant society (which is known as assimilation).

According to the textbook, social identity theory is the most outstanding aspect of the psychological approach to understanding cultural relations (Aguirre, and Turner 34-36). This theory addresses how people view themselves according to the various perspectives they man have on their personality. One level of this theory is a social identity that emerges when people see themselves as members of a social category. For example: male/female, African American/Native American/et al, etc.. The psychological perspective takes into account how the cognitive processes may be affected by categorization with social identities.

My father was born in New York, after my grandparents moved there from Puerto Rico. I assume they moved to the United States to give my dad a better opportunity to be successful, which he di...

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...dentity and are also helpful in understanding how I relate to the rest of society, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic. I am very happy to have the racial and ethnic qualities that I have. They make me a stronger person, especially after having faced ignorance and discrimination. I am also able to connect with more people, because of the broader knowledge that I have of Spanish culture. The pluralistic nature of the Unites States is what makes this country so great. After seeing people in other parts of the world who are oppressed (Syria for example), understanding the cultural blending in the U.S. really helps to appreciate what we have here.

Works Cited

1) Aguirre, Adalberto, and Jonathan Turner. "Theories of Ethnic Relations." American Ethnicity - The Dynamics and Consequences of Dicrimination. Ed. Emily Barrosse. 6th ed. Riverside: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 34-36. Print.