This week’s reading presents examples of how social structures and those with power can negatively influence different groups (particularly minorities), bringing up examples such as the education system and hierarchies. In my social problems class, I learned how many factors such as race, wealth, and education interact with each other and form the basis of social problems.
I agree with the reading, which pointed out how the history of racism was socially engineered in a way to oppress other minorities. In this sense, we can see that there is a social problem and the best way to tackle this would be through social change, or as the author called, it, reverse social engineering. I recall my social problems class which pointed out different methods of tackling these social problems. Put simply, the first step was identifying and raising awareness to the problem, then gathering support against the problem which would hopefully lead to social change and legislation. We can see many examples in the reading of these very steps taking place, such as Rosaline Tung’s case where, after she brought up the problem with the EEOC (raising awareness), it led to changes in the tenure process (legislation), but even then we still need to push harder to promote further change and betterment of the present system.
In this light, we can see this very book – or even this class – as a first step to fighting the social problem we are now faced with. Perhaps we can use what we learned from the reading or what other issues we can learn from this class in our own fight against this social problem of discrimination, not just against Asians and Asian-Americans, but for all groups.
I end this with the question, how can we do our part to promote social change?
References:
Valverde, K.-L. C. & Dariotis, W. M. (2019). Introduction. Fight the Tower. United States: Rutgers University Press
Sharma, D. & Amita, Pharshy, A. (2015). Stages of Social Change. [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://change4everyone.wordpress.com/
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