Marginalization In Society

Critical Thinking
Marginality is a huge issue within U.S. society. Differences in race, class, and gender are the root cause of the issue. A few examples of people that tend to live in the margins of society are the homeless, Muslim Americans, Native Americans, the Untouchables within the caste system, and many more. Understanding marginalization is of high importance because it can help open the minds of those who have been isolated. It is a huge reason that many people become interested in the ideas of sociology. The skit that the group has written basically uses the ideas of being marginalized by society and the affects that it has on the person. It is a highly stereotypical skit only to express the extreme ideas of some groups in the world …show more content…
Jerry’s group, or the “nerdy” group of our skit was made to represent those who tend to live in the outgroups of society. Not exactly in isolation, but still lesser than the other groups. They were mean to be a metaphor for the outgroups of society, such as middle to lower class white men. Not many are able to move into the ingroup of society, but they are not entirely isolated from society. Typically, they will create their own category rather than be isolated by the rest of society due to their lower-middle class status. They were used as a stepping stone between the outgroups and the character Anna. Anna analyzed Jerry’s group in the end using the structural-functional approach. She saw them as a necessary part of the society within their school, but also could see that they were a bit of a social dysfunction when it came to the norms of interaction. They were seen as the middle group of the high school society and were used as a metaphor for those in U.S. society that tend to identify with the outgroup. They are important because they can easily represent a variety of groups that are forced near the margins in U.S. society, such as Atheists that are not exactly excluded from society but are still looked at in a different …show more content…
We created Sarah’s group to represent those who wish to fit in with the in group, but struggle to find a way to do so. They were meant to be a metaphor for those who realize that their race, class, or gender may not allow them to join the dominant group of society. Most people in America attempt to become a part of the elite in society. Few are able to become a part of the top percentage of society, but most try in their own ways. Sarah attempted to become a part of the top by allowing herself to be controlled by those who are there. She allowed herself to pretend that she was the same, but in the end, she was still forced below the in group. Sarah’s group can be used to express how gender can be an issue in society. Though the skit was not gender based (because it did not fit with the theme), it is easy enough to use Sarah’s group as how females and males often find themselves at different levels of social standing. Women tend to show that they are equal to men, however society, being the patriarchy it is, tends to push down those ideas in favor of making men out to be superior. This does not go to say that all women are exactly as Sarah was in the skit, but it can show that women do want to be a part of the dominant group even though they are still pushed out. Sarah’s group was important to the skit because they were able to show the way social hierarchy tends to force people into place, especially when they try to