The Social Influences on the Great Depression and the Holocaust
analytical Essay
692 words
There are many views and perspectives of sociology that help us to better understand how social forces, social institutions, and social structures impact someone’s life, as well as help us to develop a sociological imagination. Social forces and social institutions played a major role in events such as the Holocaust and the Great Depression, and still continue to play a role in everyday life today. It is important that we understand how these factors contributed to these events so we can understand why these events occurred.
Germany was divided after its defeat in World War 2. Because of its division, the people of Germany were more likely to become racist. Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Germany, also contributed greatly to racism in Germany. The people of Germany during the time of the Holocaust were subjected to the racism Hitler had towards the Jews and minorities. These social factors played a huge part in Reiner’s racism towards immigrants. Reiner’s views are different from his mother’s because he supported Hitler, he lost his job to an immigrant, and because he feels insulted by immigrants. In his mind Germany is not a country of immigrants. He feels as if immigrants are inferior and treats them like they aren’t equal. His views significantly differ from his mother. His mother feels like everyone should be treated equal in a “better” Germany. She supports reunification, but Reiner is against it.
The Holocaust was a devastating event that happened in Germany. Looking at this event in the macro view of sociology, we see that social forces and inequality are the main reasons behind the Holocaust. Social forces are defined as forces that arise from the society of which we are a part. (Thio pp. 7) A social force is capable to br...
... middle of paper ...
...luence on my life. I believe that social forces that impact my life are actually quite similar to those that impact my grandmother’s life. Although they differ slightly, these social forces impact her life just as much as they do mine. The only real difference is that she has to attend work while I have to attend school. Despite growing up in a time of undeveloped technology, she is learning how to operate technology because technology is becoming more advanced every day.
While studying sociology, it is necessary to develop a sociological imagination. It is helpful to learn the views and perspectives of sociology in order to better understand how social forces, social institutions, and social structures impact someone’s life. By having a better understanding of how these things contribute to our lives, we also have a better understanding of why certain events occur.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sociology helps us understand how social forces, social institutions, and social structures impact someone’s life, as well as develop a sociological imagination.
- Analyzes how adolf hitler contributed to racism in germany, and reiner's views differed from his mother, who supports reunification, but is against it.
- Explains that the holocaust was a devastating event that happened in germany, and that social forces and inequality are the main reasons behind it.
- Explains the functionalist perspective that everything in a society is interdependent. they analyze the great depression using this perspective.
- Opines that social forces have impacted their life in a positive and negative way. technology is good for school work and entertainment, but when it crashes, they lose all of their work.
- Explains the importance of developing a sociological imagination while studying sociology to better understand how social forces, social institutions, and social structures impact someone’s life.
Related
- explanatory
- opinionated
- analytical
- What is Sociology?explanatory essayAfter reviewing the article titles given for this first assignment, I believe they indicate that Sociology, generally speaking, is not only a study of diversity or commonality in traits among people; it is also a science about factors in a person’s life and how these factors culminate responses. Interestingly enough, its topics of concern seem to be directly determined by current and common events of the world. Through the invention and expansion of new ideas, popular trends and fashions through time, Sociology adapts to responsibly to service the very subjects of interest it studies; for, even the slightest change of a person’s daily experience can have an insurmountable impact on attitude, personal growth, family dynamics and basic group behavior.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sociology is not only a study of diversity or commonality in traits among people, but also about factors in one's life and how these factors culminate responses.
- Explains that sociology studies the personal and global impacts of technology in everyday lives.
- Explains that sociology is the systematic study of the development, structure, interaction, and collective behavior of organized groups of human beings.
- Explains that today's family structures are as diverse as the people within them, and that social sciences have fundamentally altered their beliefs of acceptability and acknowledged their new roles.
- Explains that sociology studies the interaction of people in different situations, lifestyles, and religions. topical focuses within this field appear to be completely dependent or dynamically changed upon the types and amounts of change found in society.
- Explains that advances in computer technology and differences of family values have produced some of the biggest changes this science has ever seen. sociology has altered its established patterns of thinking to allow for changes currently being observed in the population.
676 wordsRead More - Social Location In Sociologyopinionated essaySociology is very complicated, it’s full of terms that can be misinterpreted. For example, social location is interpreted several ways. The most common it the assumption that it’s where you live, in actuality, it’s who you are, your social class, education, gender, race, ethnicity, and the culture. Your social location is affected, by sociological perspective, Henslin (2015) notes, “sociological perspective which stresses the social contexts where people live” (p. 2). As humans, we have to overcome social challenges every day some of us more than other.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sociology is complicated and full of terms that can be misinterpreted. for example, social location is interpreted several ways.
- Opines that society oppresses people by their social class, education, gender, race, ethnicity, and culture.
- Explains that they grew up in a very poor household filled with abuse and no supervision or structure. their husband's social location was very different from mine.
- Explains that college wasn't an option for their social class growing up. now that they're older, they can complete their dream of becoming a nurse.
- Opines that marriage was based mainly on the obligation and the duties that a couple vowed to one another. they share household duties and support the family financially.
- Opines that women are fragile and easy targets in their line of work. they struggle every day to do their job properly, but they do it the right way.
- Opines that a typical american family receives privileges that others do not, because of race, social class, education, and gender, even age and the way they present themselves.
- Explains that social location plays a huge role in our day-to-day life. henslin (2015) notes that sociology enables us to look at both parts of our current reality.
850 wordsRead More - Looking at the World Sociologicallyanalytical essayTo look at the world sociologically, one must first understand the definition of sociology. Sociologists, according to Peter L. Berger are people who are “intensively, endlessly, and shamelessly interested in the doings of men.” They study people in their natural habitat, which is wherever people gather. So in order to look at the world from this perspective, one should “think systematically about how many things we experience as personal problems are really social issues that are widely shared by others born in a similar time and social location as us.” (Pearson Custom Sociology, 5) This is known as the “sociological imagination”, first coined by C. Wright Mills. In The Promise, Mills describes how there is a connection between our problems and those of the social world. In order to understand these connections however, one must look at the different aspects that make up the social world and how they affect us. The various themes to understand when looking at the world sociologically are social structure, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and social interaction.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sociologists study people in their natural habitat, which is where people gather. this is known as the "sociological imagination", coined by c. wright mills.
- Explains that social structures are everywhere and basically make up how our society functions. there are many positives and negatives to observe when discussing social structure.
- Explains that race and ethnicity are terms used everyday in our society, but sociology says there is no such simple grouping of people. labels like black and white can have a negative connotation attached to them.
- Analyzes how eduardo bonilla-silva explains "color-blind" racism, which gives the whites a false notion of racial equality. the mass media portrays minorities in negative and stereotypical roles.
- Explains that gender and sexuality are related and linked because of cultural beliefs about how an individual should act in public based on their gender.
- Explains that gender begins with the assignment to a sex category on the basis of what the genitalia looks like at birth. social construction refers to the entire system of social processes that create and sustain gender differences and gender inequality.
- Explains that society believes that men and women are different and often have a preconception against same-sex relationships.
- Analyzes how social interaction has an effect on how individuals see the world around them. conforming can cause conflict and individuals or groups are labeled.
- Concludes that we as individuals need to look at the world sociologically. everyday we are confronted with conflicts and injustices. social interaction gives us tools to understand our personal self in relation to others.
1507 wordsRead More - Sociology and the Education System in Americaopinionated essayThe study of sociology is the issues, concepts, investigations, and more importantly, the systematic study of relationships among people. While the study of sociology focuses on groups, or society as a whole, it should not exclude an emphasis on individuals because individuals forms groups and groups produce individuals. We cannot study and fully understand one without the other nor can we study them as if they were merely in competition with each other. Rather, sociology is a personal encounter with the social force which shape our lives, especially those that affect our awareness and ignorance of how we create, maintain, and change those very social forces.
In this essay, the author
- Defines sociology as the study of human societies through the synthesis of theoretical analysis and controlled research, focusing on the social patterns and forces that influence humans.
- Explains that sociology focuses on groups, or society as a whole, but it should not exclude an emphasis on individuals because individuals form groups and groups produce individuals.
- Explains sociology's systematic study of relationships among people. it describes and seeks to explain social processes that give rise to, sustain, and change our social world.
- Explains that there is a strong undercurrent of racial inequality in today's school systems that negatively affect the quality of education that its students receive.
- Explains that some of the best high schools in the nation are magnet schools, private schools or suburban schools that serve the upper class.
- Compares the environments of good schools and mediocre ones. private schools are clean with air conditioning and have huge libraries and computer labs filled with new computers.
- Compares how public schools serve the lower class and middle class minorities who can't afford to pay for a better education or are unable to find transportation to suburban schools.
- Compares public schools to private schools in that they are filthy, have no air conditioning, don't have enough books for all students, and have a small library that doubles as classroom during the day.
- Explains that students attending public schools skip classes and miss days in school, and violence is a common event.
- Opines that inadequate funding, lack of college prep classes and programs, parent involvement, weak administration, teacher student apathy, and an undercurrent of racism almost guarantee the failure of poor and middle class minority students.
- Explains that most educators have given up on the idea that all schools can be free of segregation. minority families tend to gravitate toward larger cities in search of more blue-collar jobs.
- Opines that the government is unable to provide every student with an equal opportunity to learn or they just don't care about lower class and middle class minorities enough to try and make a change.
- Opines that the education system should be more equal to everyone, regardless of the school system. private schools produce kids that are more presentable, but in no way smarter than public schools.
1140 wordsRead More - The Sociological Imagination Summaryopinionated essayThis sociological imagination could be put simply as the more one knows, the less they actually know. Likewise, the history of a society nor the biography of an individual without studying both of the matters in depth first. In the article, “The Sociological Imagination” by C. Wright Mills, one is able to become more acquainted with the underlying fundamentals within the sociological imagination and understand the larger historical landscape that has such a huge influence on the individual. Through this analysis, one is able to sense of the causes and effects of the changes in their environment over time.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the sociological imagination can be put simply as the more one knows, the less they actually know. in c. wright mills' "the sociological imagination", one can understand the larger historical landscape that has such a huge influence on the individual.
- Agrees with 's statement that social imagination is the most prolific form of self-consciousness. they believe that people who understand the cultural importance of sociology in a culture are most successful.
- Argues that there is an unambiguous difference between an issue and a trouble. they disagree with this argument and challenge the examples that support it.
- Opines that to make the most of the sociological imagination, one must attain a new perspective on the world around them.
339 wordsRead More - The Holocaust and Nazi Germanyanalytical essayThe Holocaust is most well-known for the organized and inhumane extermination of more than six million Jews. The death total of the Jews is this most staggering; however, other groups such as Gypsies, Poles, Russians, political groups, Jehovah’s witnesses, and homosexuals were targeted as well (Holocaust Encyclopedia: Introduction to the Holocaust). The initial idea of persecuting select groups of people began with Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. In January 1930, Hitler became the Chancellor of Germany after winning over its people with powerful and moving speeches. From this point forward, it was a goal for both Hitler and his Nazi Party to rid the world of deemed “inferior” groups of people (Holocaust Encyclopedia: Timeline of Events).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the holocaust is most well-known for the organized and inhumane extermination of more than six million jews. the idea of persecuting select groups began with adolf hitler’s rise to power in germany.
- Explains that adolf hitler rose to power in germany in 1930, after running a strong political campaign during the disastrous economic depression resulting from world war one.
- Explains how the nazis persecuted political groups, including social democrats and communists, and used extreme propaganda to make the jews a threat to german society.
- Opines that if world jewry launches another war, it will not be the aryan nations of europe that will be destroyed, but the jews.
- Analyzes how hitler and the nazi party's hatred towards the jews led to hitler’s “final solution”, which was ultimately to eliminate the jewish race.
- Explains that the camps were called concentration camps because they concentrated the prisoners into one confined area. the worst living conditions were in barracks with no floors and bunks which were overfilled with people.
- Analyzes how elie wiesel, a holocaust survivor, was imprisoned at auschwitz, the most notorious death camp known to the holocaust.
- Explains that the allied forces continued to move their front across europe and push germany further back. the liberating soldiers knew what had been happening in the nazi concentration camps.
1094 wordsRead More - My Sociological Perspectiveexplanatory essaySociology is a part of everyday life. People experience sociological changes when they get married, get a new job, or get discriminated against. All of these things can alter a person’s perspective on a group of people or even the world. Since the beginning of this class, I have personally endured several sociological changes in my life. I recently started a new job. I’m meeting new and wonderful people and I no longer dread having to go to work. I have also begun setting plans for my wedding to the one girl who I know will make everyday better than the one before. But, perhaps the one instance that has affected me the most and the deepest was when my parents got a divorce.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sociology is a part of everyday life. people experience sociological changes when they get married, get new jobs, or get discriminated against.
- Narrates how their parents were in court everyday trying to get custody of their older sister and themselves. the worst part was after the divorce was over.
- Opines that their mother's inability to be loyal to her husband made them feel like the richest boy in the world had dwindled away.
- Explains that their father was on his own and trying to raise three children, so he had to take a different position at his work. it was up to their brother to watch over us at night and make sure we got to bed on time.
- Opines that their sociological perspective on family units and marriage is completely different from they might have been had this not happened.
812 wordsRead More - The Great Depression And WW2 Analysisanalytical essayThe Great Depression and WW2 Chapter 30 of the book “Sources of World Societies” contains documents that were relevant to the events going on during that time, The Great Depression and World War II. As we all know the Great Depression and the second world war were very pivotal in American history and helped lead to the current political landscape of the world today. The sub-events that fall under these two major events are: the post WW1 world, stock market crash, Nazi Germany and etc. This paper will touch on some of those events and will explain their role in the greater scheme of things in terms of what their role was in either the Great Depression and WWII. The sources contain documents from of some of the better known figures at that time such as country singer Woody Guthrie and the chancellor of Germany: Adolf Hitler.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that chapter 30 of the book "sources of world societies" contains documents that were relevant to the events going on during that time, the great depression and world war ii.
- Analyzes how woody guthrie's song "do re mi" highlights the hardships of people from the dust bowl affected areas.
- Opines that the woman who gave the speech in the 2nd document, "speech to the national socialist women's assocation", was misled about the recovery of the german economy after the first world war.
- Analyzes how the 3rd document titled "the nuremburg laws: the centerpiece of nazi racial legislation" shows how evil and insanity can run amok in society.
798 wordsRead More - What Is Sociological Imagination Essayopinionated essayI never would have thought it played such a significant role in the way I go through life until now. There are so many numerous social forces that go so above this paper and the more society increases in population the more social forces will change, and like evolution my perspective on sociological imagination will change. Change in society is unpreventable, so I believe one won’t hold on to all views of society throughout the course of their life. Although, I have come to a conclusion that my life experiences aren’t just by fate but my behavior and the way I give thought to solutions goes back to the history of the way I was brought up, but also the history of the world as a whole. While sociological imagination has to do with social forces, I’m a firm believer that my life experiences are due to the fact that I don’t agree with most of society
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sociological imagination is the ability to see and understand the how and the way of social forces.
- Explains that their family plays a significant role in how their life will play out.
- Explains that material culture and non-material culture play big roles in society and the way people think.
- Opines that the society that they grew up in has shaped their life experiences and why they chose to think that way.
- Concludes that sociological imagination has expanded their knowledge on their perspective on society. change in society is unpreventable, and one won't hold on to all views of society throughout the course of their life.
1023 wordsRead More - Social Causes And Effects Of The Great Depressionanalytical essayJessica Jung Period 7 1/25/16 Causes of the Great Depression The Great Depression was the worst economic collapse in the history of the industrialized world that affected everyone from children to elders. The social values of consumerism and isolationism that impacted the way that average Americans behaved was a huge part of what caused the collapse of the global economy. The stock market crash of 1929 set off the Great Depression.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the great depression was the worst economic collapse in the industrialized world that affected everyone from children to elders. economists blamed overproduction and underconsumption of consumer goods and food.
- Analyzes how consumerism became a social value for young americans after the great war. isolationism was the policy of staying apart from foreign countries and their political affairs.
- Explains that stock market speculation left a negative influence on american economy. speculators would buy stocks, and once prices went up, they would quickly sell them.
- Analyzes how overproduction and underconsumption of consumer goods led to the great depression.
- Explains that the world's economy and foreign balance was at an insecure state leading to the great depression.
1184 wordsRead More