Colonial legacies, inequality, and social problems in Africa and America

Sociology Discussion Responses

Response to Post #1

I agree with you completely about the moral travesty of the continuing social and political inequality in many African nations as well as the continuing detrimental effects, even today, of European colonialism on the African continent. Likewise, it is inexcusable that racial inequality still persists today. However, the inability of many African societies to overcome the challenges that still bar significant social reform and progress today are, unfortunately, also largely attributable to the degree to which the government authorities in some African nations have ignored the needs of the population and even diverted international supplies sent by Western nations intended as relief for the impoverished masses.

As you point out in your post, South Africa serves as a model of how much progress can be made under the leadership of individuals like Nelson Mandela, although local culture, practices, and customs also present significant obstacles, as you point out as well. Specifically, traditional beliefs about marital relationships, marital fidelity, and about the transmission of AIDS, for example, have substantially contributed to the difficulties of addressing that social problem. As you suggest, some of the most important approaches to improving the conditions in some of the most impoverished areas have more to do with improving the simpler aspects of modern societies that we may take for granted, such as access to transportation to medical facilities and even sanitary drinking water.

Response to Post #2

Your post makes a very important point that the social problem that we refer to as homelessness actually encompasses a wide variety of different underlying problem that sometimes merely manifest themselves as homelessness. Similarly, the situation of being homeless, especially for substantial periods of time also operates as an independent cause of additional problems encountered by individuals who experience homelessness. In that regard, the measures you detailed are extremely important because they do address some of the most important problems that can both lead to and perpetuate homelessness. Specifically, it supports the education of individuals who may have experienced homelessness in the first place because of their lack of education and corresponding inability to secure gainful employment. In principle, this approach to resolving the homelessness problem perfectly exemplifies the maxim distinguishing feeding the needy and teaching the needy how to fish. In that regard, there may be no better possible long-term solution to homelessness than enabling individuals most at risk to resume their education and eventually become self-sufficient and thereby avoid homelessness in the future.

Response to Post #4

As you point out, domestic violence is a serious social problem. Just as in the case of homelessness, domestic violence typically results from other unresolved social and personal problems and is also an independent cause of social and personal problems in individuals exposed to it. Moreover, domestic violence is also multigenerational and cyclical, occurring repeatedly in successive relationships and also in generation after generation. It contributes to an insidious process in which exposure to domestic violence increases the likelihood that children will become either offenders in their adult relationships or that they will become prone to being victimized by domestic violence based on learned expectations and patterning of behaviors in their families of origin.

As you suggest, one of the most complex aspects of this problem is the extent to which it is subject to stigmatization and shame among victims. That plays a significant role in their perpetually subjecting themselves to abusive situations and environments. Unfortunately, the problem is cyclical in that exposure to and victimization by domestic violence undermines self-esteem and low self-esteem is a precipitating factor in further victimization as well being a barrier to seeking the benefit of social resources that may be available.

Response to Post #5

Your post seems to suggest that the disabled are still subject to widespread discrimination in contemporary American society. I would be curious to know whether you believe the various aspects of equal opportunity legislation enacted in the U.S. since the 1960s (and particularly in 1990) have made a substantial difference in that problem. I was under the impression that employment discrimination (especially) against the disabled has been sharply reduced since the Americans with Disability (ADA) Act of 1990. I would also be curious to know whether you believe that individuals suffering from certain types of disabilities are better protected against discrimination that individuals suffering from other types of disabilities and what factors you believe may be responsible for that difference. For example, I would imagine that mental disabilities might be much more subject to discrimination by virtue of stigmatization as well as because individuals suffering from mental disabilities might be more reluctant to assert their status to benefit from protections available under appropriate legislation.

Response to Post #6

I would disagree with one point in your post: namely, that women do not represent a large population. I believe that women represent more than half of the population which would actually make them the largest identifiable group potentially subject to discrimination and prejudice to the extent that it exists. While I completely agree that women should have the same employment rights and opportunities as men, I would be curious to know whether you think that there are any aspects of gender that might make certain occupations more challenging for women based strictly on undeniable anatomical differences, for example. Specifically, I would ask whether you believe that hiring standards and qualification tests (such as for firefighting and law enforcement positions, since you mentioned them) should use the same standards for all candidates or whether you believe that female applicants should have to meet lower standards, such as in connection with physical fitness and strength tests.