Sociologically Imagining Disease And Health ESSAY

Examples of papers:

1:

From the article The Positive Functions of Poverty By Herbert J Gans the problem from which the authors are responding essentially entails how poverty works for certain groups of people, but does not for others. An example of this is on page 4 where Gans says “ In America, poverty functions to provide a low-wage labor pool that is willing—or, rather, unable to be willing– to perform dirty work at low cost. “ (Gans) Because poverty exists,  it forces people to do a lot of work that the rich won’t do, poverty forces people that are low income to do a lot of the dirty work and often high risk jobs. This is an example of how Gans depicts how poverty ultimately benefits the upper class and exemplifies why poverty continues to survive as a function in society. The thesis of this Article is to show us that poverty isn’t inevitable, but that poverty is intentional and the functioning product from those who benefit from others’ poverty. Gans demonstrates his functionalist perspective and how it applies to poverty by pointing out that “Indeed frequently one group’s functions are another groups’ dysfunctions.” (Gans) Here is yet another example of his approach to the functions of poverty in our society. 

 The second article given is called Militarization & Economic Transformation in Colombia & Mexico Drug War Capitalism By Dawn Paley. The overall problem Paley suggests is that the war on drugs is near impossible to win while so many involved on opposing sides all benefit from the continuation of the war. In this instance like so many others, the way things run are all in specific order to benefit a certain group. For example, on page 3 quotes “The drug war strategy is complex and dangerous, since it links a multiplicity of apparently opposed legal and  illegal actors who nevertheless receive benefits in the form of increased power or wealth.” (Paley) This quote highlights how both the parties; the drug cartels waging the war, and the political governments claiming to end the war are mutually benefiting from the existence of the war. Thus providing no real incentive for its resolution. The thesis of this article speaks on behalf of questioning who benefits from what. This article explains that while the war on drugs is an important one, it’s always going to be a process of two steps forward and one step back because of the zeal for power and wealth coming from both sides.  

When comparing the two articles together, the similarities were very apparent. And that is; the ways from which one group prospers off another. You see this in The Positive Functions of Poverty when Gans explains how the low wages that are paid to the poor, tend to subsidize leisure activities of the more affluent, or when it forces the poor to do the dirty work in the economy etc. (Among the many other examples Gans uses). You also see these same trends in Militarization & Economic Transformation in Colombia & Mexico Drug War Capitalism when Paley explains how in every situation and angle you see benefactors prospering off each other in a repeating cycle, Paley characterizes the way in which political violence is positioned by states to shock and demobilize the popular classes. 

I agree with the way these authors lay out their thesis. I like how they both take apart and evaluate how and why people and things work the way they do. It’s important to understand how our society functions and or dysfunctions. This allows for the proper change to take place, as well as allows for a more systematic understanding of sociology to take place.

 Both these articles bring a whole new perspective on how I can sociologically imagine. Both these articles highlight the author’s capacity to depict and essentially pinpoint the true functions of our society. In my own life there are plenty of functions that continue to reproduce themselves. For instance with sports, I grew up in the sport of gymnastics, and for my own selfish desires, I also want my little sister to grow up with that sport. Not because I think she’s meant to be a gymnast or because she wants to, but because I want her to experience and succeed in that same area. Obviously this isn’t the same as people benefiting off war or drugs, or poverty, but it’s the mutual aspect that I benefit off the back of someone else.                                                                                                                                   

2:

                              Sociological functions

            In the article “Militarization & Economic Transformation in Colombia & Mexico
Drug War Capitalism”, Paley’s problem is that “There has been too little analysis about the reasons behind and mechanisms of this war, and its economic impact on Mexico and beyond”. In his article Paley points out that it is increasingly clear that there is more work to be done in order to properly piece together the reasons for U.S.-led militarization in countries such as Mexico and Colombia. The article “The positive functions of poverty”, the problem the author is addressing is “demonstrating that the application of a functionalist perspective, popular in America sociology for many decades is not incompatible with a conflict perspective”. Gans writes that “if functional analysis only identifies the functions of social phenomena without mentioning their dysfunctions, then it may intentionally or otherwise agree with or support holders and conservative values” (31). In the article Gans shows how functional alternatives that would substitute for the poor were dysfunctional for the affluent

The thesis in Paley’s article is the importance of examining “how the expanding “war on drugs” connects to the expansion of transnational corporate control over markets, labor and natural resources.” The war on drugs is a front for the American government to have an influence on these countries’ laws and internal affairs. Paley proves this by providing statistics on drugs trafficking from Colombia to the US which has risen from 2000-2006. Instead of changing this strategy that clearly didn’t work it is still in place as it favors US investors. Paley writes “This comprehensive strategy proven to increase foreign direct investment. It had to ensure that the local police and army, and eventually the entire legal system, would operate according to U.S. standards. This strategy is colloquially known as the war on drugs”. In Gans’ article the thesis is, “functional analysis is applied to examine the persistence of poverty and fifteen functions which poverty and the poor perform for the rest of the American society”.

The two authors ideas overlap in that they show how a social phenomenon function. In Paley’s article the “war on drugs” performs a few functions, one is it explains the need for U.S.-led militarization in countries such as Mexico. The existence of the war on drugs enables the US army to stay in the country and influence its laws. “Colombia’s economic system were targeted for reform, and under Plan Colombia, “USAID provided technical assistance to the [Government] to help it design and implement policies ranging  from  fiscal  reform  to  financial  sector  strengthening to improving the environment for small businesses, and many others” (Paley). This is also seen in that the drug flow into the US from South America has increased from 2000-2006, but the investment climate in south America has improved. In Gans’ article he writes several functions the poor and poverty performs an example is that they subsidize activities that directly benefit the affluent. Thus, existence of the poor is very profitable to the affluent.

I do agree with both articles in the sense that the affluent and powerful only help the poor and Countries (in “the war on drugs”) until the needs of the affluent and powerful are met. In the Paley’s article the US spends billions of dollars in the “war on drugs” but doesn’t win this war, they only use their presents to influence laws in the countries and boost US investments. Gans’ article shows that the elimination of poverty through providing a functional alternative will generate dysfunction to the affluent. Therefor for poverty to be eliminated its alternative has to be sufficiently dysfunctional to the affluent or the poor should gain enough power which is almost always economically linked and change the system.

In conclusion, this reading has helped me understand sociological imagination in that I help perpetuate a sociological function. I buy into the idea that overpriced shoes and clothes look better than affordable and good quality ones. This has led me to spending a lot of money that I don’t have on clothes that I could have found for a third of the price and the quality would still be the same. Most high-end clothing lines and stores thrive on people believing that the label rationalizes the price of the clothes and shoes. This is a great example of how one can help perpetuate a function.