Sociology Photojournalism Assignment: Social Issues Analysis

This photojournalism assignment delves into sociological concepts, requiring students to identify, define, and visually represent key ideas from the Barkan textbook. The assignment explores themes of social class, discrimination, and the feminist movement, using visual representations and explanations to connect theory with real-world examples. The student's work includes analyzing social stratification, discrimination, and the impact of feminist movements. The assignment emphasizes the application of sociological principles to understand contemporary societal issues. The student's work demonstrates an understanding of how sociological concepts manifest in society through visual and textual analysis. The student's work includes a photo journal on social stratification, discrimination and gender roles.

Running head: PHOTOJOUNALISM ASSIGNMENT
Photojounalism Assignment
Student’s name
University
Author’s note

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PHOTOJOUNALISM ASSIGNMENT
Feminist movements has changed the perception of how the world should treat different
genders and their roles in the society. The evolution of feminism and the revolution emerging out
of it essentially speaks of justice and equality. The pioneers of the movement have time and
again claimed that gender is a social construct, and therefore, could be amended and
transformed. Traditionally, the terms sex and gender are used almost synonymously, often
interchangeably. However, they do not necessarily bear the same connotations. Sex refers to the
anatomical and biological differences between male and female that is assigned to individuals at
the time of conception. However, gender refers to the different cultural and social roles that
society assigns to people based on their biological sex (Barkan, 2011). Subsequently, this
assignments entail certain expectation from both men and women, which they are supposed to
fulfill. For example, men are usually thought to be both physically and emotionally strong, brave,
active, intelligent and aggressive; whereas the notion of femininity is adorned with delicate

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qualities, e.g. emotion, care, dependence, sensitivity, gentleness etc. In our daily lives as well, we
often come across such stereotypes, as if they are the standards of being perfect man or woman.
Boys are told not to cry like a girl, while girls are taught to sit properly, walk properly and
behave like a ‘lady’. And it is not at all surprising that violating the traditional expectations
entailed with the gender role are still not very welcome in many societies.
With purview of the traditional perception of the society, men are supposed to be stronger
than women, performing the role of the protector, savior and ruler. Women, on the other hand,
are the delicate ones, needed be saved and protected. Thus, this notion of gender role somehow
designates women with an inferior status than men, establishing male superiority and patriarchy
in its due course. Moreover, this male domination eventually started considering women as less
competent and less intelligent, denying them their fundamental rights.
This domination, eventually, has led to the age old oppression that women are facing all
over the world. And this is what feminist movements are trying to redress. According to the
central tenets of feminist theory, the oppression and discrimination is an outcome of the existing
patriarchal system, which essentially denies the rights of other genders (Hooks, 2000) Starting
from the women’s suffrage movement to the LGBTQA movement of the present day, feminists
have raise their voice against the inequality and injustice inherent in patriarchy.
As the image in the beginning of this piece shows, women repeatedly took to the streets
to make their voices heard. Corroborating with the essence of feminist theory, they claim that
care and emotions also their significant roles in society, without which strength and bravery
alone cannot take the society any further. They emphasized that women are given their due
respect and not treated as the inferiors. Thus, they claim equality for themselves. Also, their

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banner which says “EQUALITY, THE TIME IS NOW” highlights their call for immediate
action, as women have suffered for a long time now.
References
Barkan, S. E. (2011). Sociology: Understanding and changing the social world. Flat World
Knowledge, INCORPORATED.
Hooks, B. (2000). Feminist theory: From margin to center. Pluto Press.