Equality and Difference Essay

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Equality and Difference in Australia Essay Examining: factors that influence commonality and difference social differentiation conflict and cooperation power and authourity Equality: equality opportunity to access what the society has to offer includes health, education employment opportunities and political representation. Social differentiation: is the process by which members of society are categorised in terms of ethnicity, sex, age, income, employment and education. Discrimination: is based upon prejudice and is any act or action carried out by a person or group against another based on prejudicial ideas. It can be direct or indirect. Power: ability to influence someone to do something they would not normally do Authority: legitimate use of persuasion/ influence Conflict: disagreements in society, incompatibility with decisions Cooperation: society working together to the same end. If an individual is to be treated with equality, they need to receive equal opportunity and political representation in divisions such as health, education and employment. Australia as a society in many way’s upholds these equality endorsing (supporting) values, but due to social differentiation, where the society is divided by lines of ‘race’, ‘gender’, religion or ability, the equality often becomes defunct (disused). Gender in particular within Australia is an issue which has progressed from an unequal social paradigm to a more equal construct that celebrate the difference between male and female. Aspects that have influences this progression to a more equal society, have been through the influence of governmental legislation and changing social views, which seek to eliminate overpowering stereotypes which intercept the movement to a fair society for both men and women. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles of males and females given by society.
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