Confronting Stereotypes Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Confronting Stereotypes - Assignment Example By assigning characteristics to large groups, it aids humans in simplifying, organizing, and predicting the society they function. As a result, there is decreased the need to process new information that would distinguish people by individual traits. Sociologist Charles Hurst believes that â€Å"†¦stereotypes (are) the lack of personal, a concrete familiarity that individuals have with persons in other racial or ethnic groups. Lack of familiarity encourages the lumping together of unknown individuals (Hurst 6).† Whatever the theory, it’s clear that stereotypes present a problem for society as they inhibit integration and function in large part to maintain a social caste system where upward mobility faces resistance. One can just view the cases of the maquilas workers on the Mexico – Florida border and the gender stereotypes they endured when attempting to receive fair and equitable wages and positions. Stereotypes are in direct opposition to our right as human beings to the pursuit of happiness and personal betterment. Begin by writing in black marker on the poster board one of the stereotypes you identified the day before as particularly relevant. For example, ‘Women Should Be Mothers and Men Should Work.’ Ask the students what it means to be a woman and if they believe they should be allowed to hold careers. Write their responses down. Then ask the students what it means to be a man and then record the responses under a different column. At this point, you should circle the responses under the woman category and circle the responses under the man category. There should be some overlapping responses and you should draw a line or circle chart that illustrates these. The journal activity can be used to prompt the upcoming classroom discussion, but should also tacitly leads students to internalize the negative effects of stereotypes and the way they have been unconsciously influenced to accept them as facts.