Sociology Essay: Impact of Social Changes on Identity and Belonging

This sociology essay explores the impact of social changes on identity, belonging, and social cohesion. The essay examines how societal shifts affect individual experiences and feelings of belonging, particularly focusing on the concept of 'whiteness' and its implications in Britain, drawing on Nayak's work in 'Critical Whiteness Studies.' It discusses the challenges of racial identity, the diversity of ethnicities in the 21st century, and the concept of cosmopolitanism, referencing the article 'How Real Is Cosmopolitanism in Europe?' The essay delves into the complexities of race discrimination, including direct and indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation, while also considering the impact of migration on the concept of 'whiteness' and social integration. It highlights the influence of social and political factors on white identities and the importance of understanding unspoken accounts related to racial thinking.

Sociology
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Outline and discussion of one key text ......................................................................................3
Discussion of other relevant readings.........................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
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INTRODUCTION
“Social changes are altering people’s understandings and experiences of identity,
belonging and place. This presents new challenges to social cohesion and for community
building” This is the statement on which this whole report is based upon (Carvalho, 2017). This
report is basically prepared in order to understand the meaning of above statement. To develop
an overall understanding of the above statement, it is important to divide this statement into 2
segments. This classification of the whole report will help the targeted audience to develop an
overall concept idea. The first part of this report is being discussing the changes incorporated in
institutional and societal setup is affecting the ideas and opinion set of different individuals
existing in these set-ups. These changes may have a huge impact over personal experiences of
people which will ultimately reflect in their identity. These alterations will also effect the feeling
of belongingness of individuals in their society. Furthermore, this whole process leads to the
questions mark on to analyse these changes and how they are impacting the society. On the
second hand, other part of this report focuses on specific reaction of an individual in response of
the change in the society. The impact on person's stance in society may lead to as a threat to the
unity in cultural setup of the society. Any threat to cultural unity of the country is not good for
the development of the society. In light of above explanation, this assignment will attempt to
outline the awareness for the major ethical issue of racial identity of society members. In
addition to this, report will attempt to explain racial issues amongst the white community and
explain what the concept of ‘whiteness’ is. Following on from this, the second part of the essay
will aspire to clarify how ethnicities (and the way in which they are viewed or portrayed) are
much more diverse in the twenty first century, in comparison to previous years. In order to do so,
the essay will refer to the article ‘How Real Is Cosmopolitanism in Europe?’ This essay will then
attempt to identify if there is a causal link between the understandings of identity and belonging,
in relation to recent major societal advancements and alterations that are a consequence of the
twenty-first century.
MAIN BODY
Outline and discussion of one key text
This essay is draws because theory of whiteness is the key aspect (Ehrenberg, 2018).
Whiteness is the major challenge that Britain will face in reference with community building and
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social cohesion. Whiteness is the social and political factors that is connected with white
identifies. Thus, keeping in mind, the essay is made on the Nayak works in the article called
'Critical Whiteness Studies'. But now a days, 'whiteness' is a sociology and racial studies has
ignored (Fox and Alldred, 2016). Due to this fact, it is being prefer by modern world, it is so
conventional that they don't need to discuss it. Ignore this, this essay of Whiteness continuous to
discuss with a question format. Example- one of the notion addressed by Nayak is the first notion
that should be abolished.
Further, this is explained that bourgeois, whiteness is a issue which is a powerful social
change that is becoming lesser overtime. According to this, social control is hold by white people
in Britain. This defined what is the culture of their community and what is the social norm. this
involves various references related to clothing, social activity and religion. Keeping this in mind,
person who comes from ethnic minorities, different from countries cultural and norms are never
be united in the Britain country. Because they cannot comply with the social factors. As a
consequence, 'Whiteness' is the term which is needed to take in mind for the sake of wider
community. Whiteness is the main issues that emphasis on actual feeling and thoughts of the
person. This is because it provides more reliable and valid results of a person's experience living
the their community. Moreover, it is clear that there is individual emphasis on deconstruction of
the disclosure of knowing race thinking, which clearly ignores those account of people that are
unspoken. Keeping in mind, it is important to investigate about the unspoken account of people
for racial thinking like- humour, guilt and anxiety (Horowitz, 2018). 'Psychoanalysis allows the
individual to evaluate how races can be lived out in the imagination. A next example found in the
work of Franz fanon which he mentioned in his statement 'Black Skin, White Masks'. This
statement in his text discloses the idea that whiteness can be found anywhere in the thoughts or
feelings or behaviours of any person etc.
Moreover, it is approved that ethical minorities are more notions of white superiority.
This results in arguing that black people can also wear white masks, this is a sense o0f
determination that creates lack of whiteness. And their ethnicity. This is the significant issue for
identity crises. The same thing is also founded in the book called 'The Invisible Man' written by
Ralph Ellison. He only emphasis the idea that by fails to be white, this is an ultimate invisible in
the sense that people who look at him only sees his self-reflection. Then the next writing of
Nayak is the 'Critical Whiteness Studies' is the future of white thinking. Critical white thinking is
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the growing field whose target is to reveal the invisible structure that produce white supremacy.
It is the certain conception of racism that is connected with the white supremacy (Itzigsohn and
Brown, 2020). Nayak another writing called 'New Geographies of Whiteness' finds out the
effects of whiteness on all over the world. Another research done by Nayak in China. He
identifies that the concept of being white is highly associated by the beauty, fairly, purity and
delegated in Chinese culture. Chinese culture usually made whitening creams for the black
people's so that their beauty increase and also wife amount of customer purchases that product.
Despite this, the overuse of these products creates a huge negative impacts on the people skin.
This suggestion is given by the Chinese market that do not make overuse of these products.
In South America and Japan, studies about 'Whiteness' and make aware and change ideas
of customers of using these products by media and advertisements. In recent study, it is noticed
that increase in migration results in reducing the concept of white purity. It is recently seen that
increase in migration reduces the feeling of white culture in Britain. As it changes and accepted
the social, changes done in the country. For example- if white people lost their pride of being
white and pure, then non- white people also lives freely and they no longer feel bad for them as
compared to white people. This brings confidence among non- white people.
It is seen that concept of Nayak writing of whiteness id growing in Britain since long
time. And it is also suggested that wish to be a white is and being white is the most successful
thing to retain the Western countries. This concept is also growing that different interpretations
are involving in the different countries for the whiteness of people. This shows that whitening
racism issue is the next very important issue in all over the world. It is not only in Britain but
also in other countries. Despite this, it is assumed that increase in migration helps the non- white
people to stand in the country. As this helps in reducing the concept of whiteness from the
country (Jacobsen, ed., 2017).
Race discrimination is the ethnic and racial groups. It is made up of two or more groups
that are Black Britons, black Jew and black Sikhs and Asians etc. There are different types of
race discrimination. These are: Direct discrimination- this is situation when someone treats the
individual in very bad way on the basis of racism. Then second is indirect discrimination- this
happens when a company has its policy of week that put person black colour as a disadvantage.
Third is Harassment- it is a situation when someone makes person feel humiliation and offended
and degraded in performing some work for his race. Then lastly Victimisation- it is a situation
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when a person complaints about the racism related issue in Equality Act. It also occurs when any
other person supports that person.
Despite of these, Nanak's writing of 'Whiteness' is the future more issue for the feelings
of non- white people (Lindgren, 2020).
Discussion of other relevant readings
'How real is Cosmopolitanism in Europe?'
Cosmopolitanism is the concept of which lends the idea of giving equal rights and values
to every individual in society. In accordance with this concept, there is a common notion that
there should be no discrimination in the society, based on any view, such as, race, religion,
income level,etc. Furthermore, this concept of cosmopolitanism is basically the idea which can
be related in global view also. From global point of view it is the concept in which various
classes of society, not keeping in view their diverse ideas are brought together on the same
platform. This is the process in which different cultural backgrounds barriers are broken down
and there is a process of social integration. This concept has resulted in devising the term,
“citizen of the world”, this means resulting in the situation where people develop an association
of cultural values to different societies around the world. This whole process will result in
removing discrimination from the society. Depending on different impacts, it can be clearly
stated that cosmopolitanism can result into positive or negative change both in the society. It has
had positive connotations when, for instance, it has been thought to mean that a person is worldly
and well-travelled rather than narrow-minded or provincial (Musgrave, 2017). It has had
negative connotations when it has been used to stigmatize some groups, including Jews, as an
alleged threat to the community.
Pichler, a famous theorist in this area has worked in this field and his famous work can be
referred for help in this matter. His work in known as, 'How real is cosmopolitanism in Europe?'.
This theory is concentrating on discussion of global connections within various societies. This is
a result of improvisation in level of cosmopolitanism in Europe. Cosmopolitanism is basically
the concept of bringing together different communities on same platform. This group ism is done
on the basis of similarities in their cultural values. Earlier in the time, this concept was only
related with the small and middle class community of society who was capable of travelling
around the globe and was able to mingle with other parts of the society and cultural value. In
recent times, it is evidently clear that cosmopolitanism concept is very vital to be included in
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change process. Various features of this concept is determined as the result of accepting and
integrating different cultural society as one bunch on the same platform (Oakley, 2018).
Moreover it is the result of increased migration and mobility of different people around the
globe. Furthermore, cosmopolitanism is the idea that is opening and wrenching the set
boundaries that divides different societies and it ultimately results in opening up of different
cultural values those may be similar or differences in shared experiences of different individuals
those are residing around the globe. It is basically the idea in which whole world is brought
together on same platform and it is reflected in improvisation on loyalty in human nature and
towards societal setup. In the view of above description, it can be clearly stated that social
changes are somehow being a beneficial thing for the purpose of social integration. This whole
process is ultimately leading to demolition of cultural borders and also allow people to convert
whole globe into small villages. This creation of small villages further leads to increased sense of
belongingness that are a result of similar experiences. Yet there are so many arguments in favour
of social changes those are benefiting the society, but they can also be referred to as less
effective as they are not matching up the pace of other changes in the society. There is a famous
work of Francis and Archer which is basically describing the emotions of getting included in
global culture (Archer and Francis, 2006). Furthermore, both theorists are explaining various
contributing factors towards as hoe non-white migrants are indulging themselves as getting
identified as British citizens. With the help of above description, Francis and Archer has devised
the notion of “The notion of Laddish behaviour”. This is basically the idea of getting rude to
another gender of community. This can be explained through unjustified behaviour of boys
towards girls at school level. This research is based on previous findings on investigation on
British Chinese children, specially of those who belongs to second generations of migrants. This
type of migrants can be explained as those who are born in the country of their migration or have
lived major part of their life in this country. This is the reason for cause of problems in relation
with their feeling of identity and also belongingness. It is generally the point where offspring
immigrants gets stuck in between of different cultures and the ultimate result is culture gap.
Offspring immigrants are those children whose both parents are belonging to different countries
and thus, the result is that they are confused that which culture they have to follow. There is huge
population of children who are born in British society but their parents belong to Chinese culture.
These children find them less associated towards Chinese culture as compared to the intensity of
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association by their parents (Plummer, 2016). This whole concept is leading to the most visible
fact that second generation is less associated with the culture of migrant countries as compared to
their friends in English culture. Ultimately the situation arises in which children are not at all
associated to any culture and sense of belonging to culture is lacking from them. This behaviour
becomes the reason of Laddish behaviour in all terms. This type of behaviour raises question
mark on the process of social integration and leads to the problem on for cosmopolitanism
concept. It is evident from the theory given by Francis and Archer that huge population of British
Chinese cultured boys are well behaved and they are not incorporated laddish behaviour in their
personality. The main issue is related with this laddish behaviour only as it comes under scrutiny
with the motive of clearing the idea of this process corrupting the western culture in society. This
suggests that British-Chinese boys conform to this behaviour only when they are amongst solely
British ‘lads’, as it is found not to be part of Chinese culture, and the behaviour is not acted out
when they are at home (Pyyhtinen, 2016).
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that it is very visible from the above
explanation of questions that it is not a regular act that students of Chinese culture are coming up
to act in school as in this culture, it is presumed that education is the most vital segment of
everyone;s life. Therefore, parents are extremely strict for education of their wards. In addition to
this, it is argued over here that young Chinese British boys are not coming in front for acting in
schools, colleges or even at homes. They are acting up in social groups so that they can get the
feeling of inclusion in western groups (Rodríguez, Boatcă, and Costa, 2016). This finding is
concluded from the interviews results of Francis and Archer who are working as teachers in
schools. These representations are explaining that Chinese British students were mainly the part
of those students who are well behaved and holds high intelligent quotient. This is elucidated
from this report and questions raised in this report, it is very visible that the change in level of
cosmopolitanism, transport links and globalisation, it is clear that unity in cultural value has
improved and racial discrimination is becoming less or extinct. To illustrate, this is concluded
from the findings of the report “how real is cosmopolitanism in Europe?” From this report, it is
argued that advancements is modern societal set ups are causing the destruction of borders
dividing the whole societal setup (Rosa, 2019). In addition to this, this report determines that the
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reflection of breaking down of global borders in favour of people moving to Britain. This
migration is becoming fruitful for the situation of racial discrimination (Weinberg, 2017). This
means that increased migration means that the concept of whiteness will weaken and
discrimination too. Furthermore, it is reflected from above readings that increased migration
causes increased incorporation of changes in modern society and this is due to the increase in
alterations in changes in level of globalisation and transport. On the other hand, the arguably
outdated ideology found in the works of various readings demonstrate that feelings of social
exclusion are far from extinct for migrants entering the United Kingdom, despite previous social
changes and authors that may suggest otherwise. This is arguably due to the fact that the growth
in globalisation is too slow and does not affect the majority of migrants living in the United
Kingdom. This is found in the survey carried out by that suggests that 14 percent of people from
a study of 28,929 would classify themselves as a citizen of the world (Williams, Sloan, and
Brookfield, 2017). In addition to this, it could be argued that there is a country wide ignorance to
the internal feelings of cultural deprivation found in the first and second generation migrants
residing in the United Kingdom, which is as a result of them having a split culture – which
British citizens fail to empathise with.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Archer, L. and Francis, B., 2006. Challenging classes? Exploring the role of social class within
the identities and achievement of British Chinese pupils. Sociology. 40(1). pp.29-49.
Carvalho, T., 2017. The study of the academic profession–contributions from and to the
sociology of professions. In Theory and method in higher education research. Emerald
Publishing Limited.
Ehrenberg, V., 2018. The People of Aristophanes (Routledge Revivals): A Sociology of Old Attic
Comedy. Routledge.
Fox, N.J. and Alldred, P., 2016. Sociology and the new materialism: Theory, research, action.
Sage.
Horowitz, I.L., 2018. Foundations of political sociology. Routledge.
Itzigsohn, J. and Brown, K.L., 2020. The Sociology of WEB Du Bois: Racialized Modernity and
the Global Color Line. NYU Press.
Jacobsen, M.H. ed., 2017. Postmortal society: Towards a sociology of immortality. Taylor &
Francis.
Lindgren, S., 2020. Data Theory: Interpretive Sociology and Computational Methods. John
Wiley & Sons.
Musgrave, P.W., 2017. The sociology of education (Vol. 40). Routledge.
Oakley, A., 2018. The sociology of housework. Policy Press.
Plummer, K., 2016. Sociology: the basics. Routledge.
Pyyhtinen, O., 2016. More-than-human sociology: A new sociological imagination. Springer.
Rodríguez, E.G., Boatcă, M. and Costa, S., 2016. Decolonizing European sociology:
transdisciplinary approaches. Routledge.
Rosa, H., 2019. Resonance: a sociology of our relationship to the world. John Wiley & Sons.
Weinberg, E.A., 2017. Sociology in the Soviet Union and beyond: social enquiry and social
change. Routledge.
Williams, M., Sloan, L. and Brookfield, C., 2017. A tale of two sociologies: Analyzing versus
critique in UK Sociology. Sociological Research Online. 22(4). pp.132-151.
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