Ghana Movie Analysis

Ghana has become a world dumping ground for electronics while people in America are not aware. This can cause different reactions that can be shown through sociology. The first theory is structural functionalism. Structural functionalism is viewed as ordered of interrelated parts which are institutions that make up society. Some examples of institutions are family, education, politics or the economy. When parts of society do not work together it becomes dysfunctional. In the short film, it shows that when we are done using our electronics we tend to throw them away. We do not think about what happens after or where they end up. While Ghana is receiving all those old electronics they need to put them somewhere. As Americans, this keeps us running functionally, while the people in Ghana are not. It is dysfunctional because we use this electronics and get rid of them hoping other people to dispose of them properly. Ghana works to do that, while Americans continue to live in a safe environment. Conflict theory is the next sociological perspective able to explain …show more content…
Symbolic interactionism can be defined as meaning through a symbol or a sign. In the film, it talks about the electronic waste traveled from America to Ghana. The waste is a symbol of humanity because as humans we see our old and unuseful possessions pointless. This is why we tend to throw a lot of old possessions away. In Ghana, they live off the waste we throw away. The people of Ghana melt the metal to receive gold from it and money. From this example, it shows that Americans are not known to work for what they want. It comes much easier for us. Americans rely on other people doing their work, making Americans materialistic. We rely on material objects. In Ghana, they work for what they want using as many resources as possible making them resourceful. From the film, we can learn from sociology there is meaning to everything in the