EWS2601 Engaging with Society Quiz

Engaging with Society: Meeting the Challenges of a Changing World

• EWS2601 is a study course offered by the University of South Africa, focusing on societal engagement with contemporary challenges.
• Course materials span various themes, including identity, wealth, status, and crime.

Theme 1: “US AND THEM”: Identity and Difference

• Explores the concept of identity and its building blocks, differentiating between ascribed and achieved identities.
• Identity categories discussed include ethnicity, nationality, and gender, highlighting their role in social dynamics.
• Examines the significance of identity markers such as national symbols and tangible markers.
• Case studies, like the retraditionalisation of Maputaland, illustrate how identities evolve and face challenges.
• Xenophobia is defined and analyzed in terms of its causes and implications for society, particularly in the context of identity and conflict.

Theme 2: Wealth and Status

• Discusses social class defined by income and occupation, affecting individuals' social mobility and status.
• Analysis of economic dimensions, including the role of wealth accumulation and income disparity in class structures.
• Explores the concept of social closure and the dynamics of class reproduction over generations.
• Investigates poverty and inequality both in South Africa and globally, referencing national statistics like those from StatsSA.
• Highlights the shifting distribution of life chances influenced by apartheid, globalization, and financialization.

Theme 3: Society and the Challenge of Criminality

• Defines crime and punishment, exploring societal rules and their purposes.
• Discusses the factors that determine criminal behavior and the enforcement of laws.
• Examines the evolving nature of crime and its implications for societal structure and norms.
• Analyzes societal responses to crime, including restorative and punitive justice approaches.

Conclusion

• Emphasizes the interconnectedness of identity, wealth, status, and crime in understanding contemporary social challenges.
• Highlights the importance of critical thinking about societal issues and the role of academic discourse in addressing these challenges.

Globalisation and Social Interaction

• Globalisation significantly impacts daily life and social relationships, leading to increased connectedness beyond face-to-face interactions.
• Giddens highlights the shift from hunting and gathering societies, with limited interaction, to modern societies with advanced communication technologies.
• Historical examples, such as the Bushmen of the Kalahari, illustrate early human interaction limited to direct presence within groups.
• Advancements in technology, such as writing and postal services, allowed for communication across greater distances, improving social coordination globally.
• Instantaneous communication methods like the internet and satellite television facilitate contact, transcending geographical barriers.

Identity Formation

• Identity is multifaceted, influenced by various categories, including gender, race, ethnicity, class, language, occupation, and age.
• Identities are considered interactive; they are shaped by the specific combination of factors rather than isolated traits.
• Acknowledgment of shared human identities (e.g., being part of gender or national groups) coexists with individual uniqueness.

Nature of Identity

• The term "identity" embodies both sameness and individuality, complicating its definition.
• Shared identities exist (e.g., as South Africans or speakers of specific languages) alongside distinctive identities that may create conflict.
• Media, including international television, play a significant role in exposing individuals to diverse identities, potentially fostering dialogue or reinforcing traditional identifiers.

Responses to Globalisation

• Globalisation has provoked defensive reactions, such as the rise of fundamentalist identities that assert superiority and resist alternate values.
• Giddens warns that this fundamentalist stance, which dismisses dialogue, can lead to violence and suppression of differing identities.
• Historical interactions, especially in contexts of colonisation, often mirror an "undialogical" attitude where dominant groups impose values without engagement.

Cultural Identity and Tensions

• The challenge of negotiating cultural differences in a globalised world is underscored by the phenomena of xenophobia, emphasizing an "us versus them" mentality.
• Ethnic and racial identities frequently adopt primordial narratives to exclude others, often inaccurately tracing origins back through history.
• Recent research reveals that many perceived long-standing traditions are actually modern constructs.

Body-Modification Practices

• Body-modification practices, viewed as cultural property, raise questions about ownership and appropriation of symbols.
• Ta Moko, the traditional Maori tattooing art, exemplifies cultural identity closely linked to specific groups, illustrating its unique significance in New Zealand.
• Historical accounts note the tattooing of captives or adopted individuals in Maori society to signify new group membership.