Three Theoretical Perspectives

Three Major Perspectives Functionalist Conflict Symbolic Interactionist

1. A central question to guide thinking about a particular event What are … ? How is …? Who benefits...?

2. A vocabulary for answering that question

Goals of Presentation: Review each of the three perspectives Apply each perspective to the U.S.-Mexico border fence

1,952 The U.S. shares a 1,952-mile border with Mexico Some Informational Background on Border and Fences

Images of the Border Fences as Background

Society is a system of interrelated parts that function together Change in one part of society brings about change in another part Functionalist Perspective: Vision of Society Fence is the part So you build a fence, what other parts of society are affected?

Order & Stability in Society Disruptions to Societies Order & Stability Functionalist Perspective: Focus In what ways does constructing a fence support order and stability and in what ways does it disrupt it?

Functionalist Perspective: Central Questions How does a part contribute to Order and Stability? In what ways does a part disrupt Order and Stability?

Functionalist Perspective: Central Questions How does the fence contribute to Order and Stability? In what ways does the fence disrupt Order and Stability?

Functionalist Perspective: Key Vocabulary

Anticipated Anticipated consequences that support social order Anticipated Anticipated disruptive consequences to order Unanticipated Unanticipated consequences that support social order Unanticipated Unanticipated disruptive consequences to social order

Decrease in the number of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. Increased number of illegal immigrants staying in the U.S. and not returning home The fence doubles as a volleyball net allowing teams on each side to compete as part of cross-border celebrations Dramatic disruptions to grazing, watering and migration patterns of animals (if it can’t fly, can’t cross the border)

Advantaged and Disadvantaged groups are in Conflict Conflict Perspective: Vision of Society Who is “Advantaged” and “Disadvantaged” by the fence?

Conflict Here? The conflict is over scarce and valued resources Conflict Perspective: Focus WHAT and WHOSE scarce and valued resources are protected by the fence?

Conflict Perspective: Central Questions WHO BENEFITS and WHO LOSES from an existing social arrangement or by the way society is organized? WHAT and WHOSE scarce and valued resources are protected by an existing social arrangement?

Conflict Perspective: Central Questions Who benefits and who loses from the construction of the border fence ? What and whose scarce and valued resources are protected by the border fence ?

Conflict Perspective: Key Vocabulary

Those who possess the social, cultural, financial and political resources to: Establish and preserve a favored position in society Exert their will/demands even in the face of opposition.

Conflict Perspective: Key Vocabulary Those who do not possess the social, cultural, financial and political resources to: Establish and preserve a favored position in society Exert their will/demands even in the face of opposition.

Disadvantaged Groups Government of Mexico Equated the fence to the Berlin Wall and predicted it would harm bi-lateral relations

Department of Homeland Security Had point blank power to sidestep environmental and other laws. Advantaged Groups

Conflict Perspective: Key Vocabulary One party benefits at the expense of others. Competitive, antagonistic relations between unequal parties. “Structural Arrangements” produce conflict between groups

A farm worker in Mexico could expect to make $4.80 in an eight-hour day U. S. counterpart made $76.80 in the same period From a “Conflict” point of view: Illegal labor from Mexico is seeking to override the “Structural Arrangement” that limits what they can earn.

From a “Conflict” point of view, the fence is a line in the sand with regard to wages

Conflict Perspective: Key Vocabulary A point of view or explanation that members of “Advantaged Groups” promote to justify social arrangements that benefit them. Often disadvantaged groups internalize this explanation.

Ideology The fence stops the illegal worker from taking American jobs. Reality The fence secures a border that separates a high- wage economy from a low-wage economy.

Web of Social Interaction Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Vision of Society How did the fence change Social Interaction

1. Shared and evolving meanings 2. “Interaction” between individuals Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Focus

Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Central Questions What Meanings do people assign to what is going on around them? What factors shape Social Interaction How do people take account of what the other is doing or is about to do and respond accordingly ?

Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Central Questions What meanings do people assign to the fence? How does the fence shape the course of social interaction

Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Key Vocabulary

Anything (concrete or abstract) to which people assign meaning.

Images suggest that meanings have been attached to the border at different times. ATTACH GRAPHICS WHICH ARE “SYMBOLS” REPRESENTING YOUR TOPIC

Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Key Vocabulary Everyday encounters in which people interpret and respond to each other’s words and actions.

Symbolic Interactionist would be interested in how the fence shapes the course of interaction between the soldier and those on the other side

Symbolic Interactionists would observe interactions between drivers, passengers and border guards at the border crossing

Symbolic Interaction Perspective: Key Vocabulary The sum of existing expectations …and newly negotiated ones that characterize any interaction.

Negotiated Order At one time the expectation was that the illegal alien entered the U.S. and returned home regularly (seasonally) now a new interaction order has been “negotiated.” The undocumented stay in the U.S. and do not return home out of fear they cannot get back to the U.S.