Writing Assignment #1 - Theory, T Fields

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Campbellsville University *

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210

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Sociology

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Jun 7, 2024

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docx

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Fields 1 Timothy Fields SOC-210-1001 Karen Boyd June 2, 2024 Theoretical Perspectives In The New York Times article "Affordable Housing Crisis", the severe challenges many Americans face in finding affordable housing is brought to light. It calls attention to the unfortunate reality of rapidly increasing rental prices and low wages, which has led to a gap between the demand for affordable housing and the supply. This practice has been fueled by underfunded government housing projects and greedy real estate developments. It has pushed many families into uncertain living situations, leading to homelessness and contributing to social instability. From the structural functionalist view, society is a complex system where various parts work together to maintain stability and social order. In the affordable housing crisis, this perspective suggests that the housing market should serve the purpose of providing shelter, promoting social welfare, and supporting economic stability. However, according to the article this function needs to be provided due to the imbalances and ineffective governmental intervention. This failure in the housing sector affects other social systems, including education, health, and employment, as people who do not have stable housing struggle to maintain jobs and health, affecting children's school performance. Functionalists can argue that restoring function in the housing market is crucial to restoring social order and harmony.
Fields 2 The social conflict perspective focuses on the conflicts of interest within society, mainly between different social classes and power groups. In the article, the affordable housing crisis can be viewed as a result of existing class conflicts, where lower economic classes suffer disproportionately. The real estate market, dominated by wealthy investors and developers, neglects the needs of the less wealthy for higher profits. The article states that this is seen in the trend toward building luxury condos rather than affordable housing units. Conflict theorists can argue that this situation exemplifies the rich exploiting the economic system to maintain and enhance their wealth and power, exacerbating social inequality. Symbolic interactionism examines society through the everyday interactions and meanings that individuals attribute to these interactions. In the housing crisis, this perspective would focus on how individuals experiencing housing instability understand their situation and the societal reactions they face. The stigma of homelessness or living in temporary housing can affect one's self-esteem and identity, as seen by the personal stories in the article. These individuals might focus on the societal views of failure, which can influence their actions and interactions within their communities and the broader society. Symbolic interactionists would be interested in how changing the societal narrative around housing and homelessness could reshape these interactions and potentially reduce the stigma associated with housing. The affordable housing crisis, as described in the New York Times article, is not just a problem, but a call to action. It can be used as an example of how sociological perspectives can provide insights into societal issues. Each perspective offers a differing lens to view the problem: structural functionalism points to systemic dysfunctions, social conflict highlights power imbalances, and symbolic interactionism brings attention to individual experiences and societal
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