The Functionalism of Gangs in New Zealand Essay Example for Free

The Functionalism of Gangs in New Zealand Essay Gangs have been perceived as a predominant and rising social issue in New Zealand since as early as the 1950s. Associations of crime and deviance have been the focus of media and law enforcement throughout this time but the issues associated with gangs do not prevail singularly within the construct of the groups. It is too easy to point the finger to those on the fringes of society and say that they are the cause for social instability. It is harder to look at those ‘issues’ that seem to impede society and say that they actually have a function that keeps society stable. This essay will seek to underline the key influences of gang life in New Zealand and its effect on society from a functionalist perspective, employing Erik Durkheim’s theories, New Zealand sociologist expertise and other affiliated sources. The purpose is to explore the functions of gangs within the context of society as a whole to prove that they indeed have positive attributes that keep communities and society healthy. The three main areas this essay will be targeting are cultural breakdowns, economic instability and ‘unity and purpose’. The rise of gangs in New Zealand began as early as the 1920s but there was no systematic study of them until the 1950s (Gilbert, J. , 2013). The struggle for identity is one of the main causes for the increase in gang memberships during the New Zealand urbanisation that many Maori experienced in the 1960s. They suffered enormously from a break in traditional forms of their cultural structure as they migrated to the cities for work. The problem that arose from the exodus from rural to urban living was the breakdown of their cultural identity and traditional forms of power and hierarchy (Gilbert, J. . Cited by Turner (1973) in the European Journal for Social Psychology; ‘an insecure social identity for members of a low-status group would follow when they have some awareness that their inferiority is not completely inherent, fixed or legitimate’ (p304). This suggests that Maori who were part of the urbanization saw and noticed the change to their social status and took action to change their social inferiority. It was here gangs became an effective tool within society to deal with the large numbers of individuals that were not coping within a functional system. Ill-equipped to deal with the many realities of city living, and with the breakdown of traditional forms of authority, young Maori faced with ‘multiple marginality’ formed gangs in unprecedented numbers. † (Gilbert, J. , p292). Gangs here have proven not only to become effective surrogate communities for those who have suffered from cultural breakdowns but also have actively provided a rise of status for individuals who had become marginalized. It is this function, creating identity and community, that gang membership has proven to be a staple for maintaining healthy individual lives. Emile Durkheim’s most famous work is his study of suicide which recorded and proved statistics of suicide in relation to crisis such as economic instability and people who experienced ‘anomie’ (lack of social regulation) or ‘egoism’ (lack of social integration) (Cree, p 10). His argument was that intensely personal decisions, such as suicide, were actually influenced by the functions of the community and society people are part of. If the functions and stability of those environments then breakdown, statistics recorded by Durkheim have shown that there is an increase in depression and suicide. A functionalist perspective would then argue that the provision of gangs recreated stability for many Maori during the urbanization period, and not only in ways of community and hierarchy. Gangs were also a provision for economic stability. â€Å"The faltering economy of the 1980s reshaped gang membership. With few employment options to entice members toward conventional lifestyles the gangs became not just vehicles of rebellion but a means to achieve social and material fulfilment. † (Gilbert, p 292) Economically gangs provided security through many forms of work, both legal and illegal. Even now substances like marijuana are an important economic aspect of communities facing decline in isolated and rural areas of New Zealand, such as the East Coast and Northland (Giddens, p 239). Although the work gangs provided was often illegal it was (and still is now) an essential component for those who were struggling during economic upheaval. If anything, even in modern New Zealand, the system of the gang actually controls and manages the illegal behaviour of the individuals within it, as they have to conform to the power structures and hierarchy. The structures of power within gangs were not only good for consolidating members into their communities but also for providing unity amongst its members through having a shared purpose. Through this unity they have evolved into more sophisticated entities and are commonly known as a significant part of certain communities (Gilbert, p286). The reason that this is so is because many gang members share common identities with the communities they are embedded in, on economic grounds as well as cultural grounds. In these communities gangs often provided security and a focal point for decisions and issues that surround the people. This security can be critical for specific communities, the majority of which face marginalization because of ethnicity or economic status. Emile Durkheim suggested in his 1895 work that ‘law and morality’ were the key components for individual happiness. â€Å"Durkheim thus insists that human happiness is realised, not through the satisfaction of individual wants and needs, but through the creation of social harmony,† (Cree, p 10). It is here we see and can begin to accept the importance of the unity of the gang. A functionalist at this point would argue that it is by the existence of entities such as gangs, who create social acceptance for those marginalized, that quells higher statistics of suicide within New Zealand. The gangs provide unity, hierarchy, purpose and social standing; all of the things Emile Durkheim believed were essential for individual happiness and a prosperous society. This essay has covered several different aspects of gang evolution within New Zealand which have significant and positive attributes that contribute to a functioning society. In this regards I would argue that gangs are not an issue that needs a solution within New Zealand, nor would society benefit from their eradication. In saying this this essay did not cover many of the negative aspects of gangs, including gang violence and rivalry. In its defence this essay would conclude, there is no social structure – whether schools, businesses, families or churches – that do not have negative attributes, but that does not impede them in terms of their function within a healthy society. Gangs within New Zealand society play a larger role for social stability than people realise. Society within New Zealand does not have adequate coping tools to deal with people who have been marginalized or faced with extreme identity crisis due to cultural shifts within their life. Gangs have proven with their structures of hierarchy, provision of security and accessibility within lower socio-economic communities that they have an important function within society and play an essential role in maintaining the social health of those drawn to their communities.

Injection or protection? :: essays research papers

Injections OR Protection Although testing on animals seems the only way to further advance our medicine, technologies, and prevent products from harming people, it doesn’t necessarily make it right. I think we can all agree that injecting defenseless animals with dangerous chemicals resulting in serious side effects or possible death is cruel and unusual. Coincidently, in the U.S. we consider such acts as illegal forms of punishment. Yet in the case of animals, it’s called science. Which leads to the question, what rights do animals have? Aren’t animals and humans different which therefore lead to a different set of rules? So what exactly separates the two species? The answer might lie in searching for the differences between man and beast. Let us test the senses in order to see a difference there. Sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste are all common characteristics that both species share, except for a few instances in certain animals and certain disabled humans. Moving on, both are a ble to sense danger, evade danger, feel pain, sense positive and negative emotions, display affection and dislike. The fact that we even test on animals is an admittance of the distinct similarities between the two. If man and animal were so different, there would be no gain in knowledge due to experimentation. This supports my claim that animals share the same intrinsic rights as humans. Therefore, animal rights should be protected somewhere in our nations constitution. Is it something so minute as having less legs, a set of thumbs and the ability to walk upright? Some would argue that animals are soulless beasts that walk the earth and exist only to serve man’s purpose. So why would there be such a thing as wild and untamed animals? They do not exist for the purpose of man and are able to carry on their lives self sufficiently. It is now obvious that animals can exist and thrive without human intervention. This refutes the possibility that animals are here only to serve und er and function for the betterment of man. It is only through our intervention that we have dominated and controlled animal nature. Through our own perceived superiority, man has decided that animals are expendable for the greater good. As necessary as it may be to preserve human life, I don’t think it’s ethical to use animals as the testing ground for vanity products. When I say vanity products I’m referring to hair, body, and make-up accessories.

Policies to Reduce Pollution

The two policies that are mostly used to reduce pollution are the taxation of the pollution producers (Pigovian tax) and standards-change approaches. The Pigovian taxes are usually generally levied as an excise tax, which will raise the price of the goods produced. This causes the company to produce less which in turn lowers pollution. The standards-charge approach is to tax the pollution directly. The government determines the level of pollution that it thinks is appropriate, and then will charge a fine for each unit that is above the appropriate amount. This is how the standard-charge approach rewards the companies that produce less pollution and punishes the companies that exceed the allotted pollution amount. Unfortunately, standard-charge approaches don’t enable policy makers to control the air quality. The government has to estimate how much a company will reduce their pollution when they are fined. If the government sets a fine to low, the company may determine that it is cheaper to pay the fines rather than reduce its pollution. This also will not give the company an incentive to reduce their pollution level below what the government has set as the desired limit. The positive benefits to these measures are that our ecosystems are healthier and this also helps the health of the people living in the local environment. Air pollution is known to cause a great deal of disease in the population, especially respiratory disease. The environments ecosystems will benefit when people and companies lower their use of fossil fuels, this will help to lower greenhouse gases. Taxes and fines always have some sort of losses involved, both to the companies and to the government applying the fines. When the different taxes are levied, companies will find ways to reduce costs by either cuts in staffing or outsourcing what they are able to send to foreign companies. Another cost involves the failure of the government. The different taxes and fines levied on companies are paid over to the government and the government is notorious in their inefficiency in the use of their funds. Most government agencies are overly bureaucratic and cumbersome which can create unnecessary regulations that are impossible to enforce. It is impossible to determine the exact level of pollution reduction needed to produce a healthier living environment. At this point in time, society controls the pollution levels until the costs outweigh the benefits of additional controls. This assumption isn’t always valid. It has been proven, through past actions, which as air quality improves it becomes more difficult to reduce the levels of pollution at a reasonable cost. Even though society demands a clean environment for health reasons, it is a higher concern depending on income levels. The higher the income level the more of a concern it will be. Those with a lower income that are without medical insurance are less inclined to worry about pollutions that will harm them over time. Pollution should be reduced so that it will not negatively affect the health of the population or the environment. Unfortunately we also have to weigh the lowering of pollution against the cost of job loss and the cost of goods. In the end, as long as the government policies are able to reduce pollution to a level that is socially acceptable they can be viewed a success.

Tok Essay That Which Can Be Asserted Without Evidence Can...

|TOK Essay Title : â€Å"That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence† Do you agree ? | |Word Count: 1240 Words | Evidence is a thing or things that help in attaining knowledge. The statement â€Å"that which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence† means that it is possible to confirm and dismiss the same if there is no evidence or proof to form an undebatable judgement. In this essay I am going to analyse this quote from the prospective of different Areas of Knowledge. I will proceed in this way because they†¦show more content†¦high unemployment or high inflation)?† There are two main schools that present this issue: the Keynesians argue in demand policies while New Classicals argue that supply management policies allow a long-term improvement in these deficiencies. The question that arises from this reasoning is the following: â€Å"Is there then a â€Å"true† theory and a â€Å"false† one?† The answer is No, as both these contrasting theories are based upon reason and sense perception. However, to a degree they also dismi ss the other theory. In fact, as the discussion is about which theory is best for governments to improve its macroeconomic deficiencies, there can be only one theory that respect this statement. Here again it is shown how a scientific claim based upon reason and sense perception is not necessarily true as it can be displaced by another theory based upon other evidence. Therefore, in this Area of Knowledge I agree with the statement â€Å"That which can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence†. A key knowledge issue is the counter argument to the underlying assumption of the title. If one is to base an argument or a knowledge claim on the need to provide evidence, then one must also provide evidence to dismiss a competing argument. What this means is that in order to dismiss an assertion, one would indeed require evidence in order to prove the dismissal. The statement is