Assignment 5

1. According to the slides, we define:
1. Power as the ability to force someone to do something against their will.
2. Prestige as the amount of respect and status a person has in society
3. Privilege as the special advantages or benefits an individual or group of individuals may enjoy.
2. The three variable sociologists use to define social class is: income, occupation, and education. I would probably label the social class of my family to be the "Working Class" as both of my parents have jobs, but they do not require a college degree.
3. I am 20 years old, female, and consider myself a West Indian. Still, I do not believe that it was my race or ethnicity that blocked me from any opportunities, but that it was because of where I live. Growing up in urban Jersey City, our education systems were not always the best. I always felt that as a high school student, I didn't receive as much help and information that I thought I deserved when it came time for me to start applying to colleges. I did most of it on my own, as my parents never went to college in the US, and my guidance counselors helped very little. In the end, the most important things at my school were usually "Finding ways to get the students under control" rather than helping the majority of us figure out our options for the future. But still, I tried to keep that from affecting me.