The Sociological Effects of Residential Schools Essay

During the 19th century the Canadian government established residential schools under the claim that Aboriginal culture is hindering them from becoming functional members of society. It was stated that the children will have a better chance of success once they have been Christianised and assimilated into the mainstream Canadian culture. (CBC, 2014) In the film Education as We See It, some Aboriginals were interviewed about their own experiences in residential schools. When examining the general topic of the film, conflict theory is the best paradigm that will assist in understanding the social implications of residential schools. The film can also be illustrated by many sociological concepts such as agents of socialization, class†¦show more content†¦In this way the aboriginals were thought to be eliminated as a threat since they are no longer banded together through their beliefs, nor were they competent enough to gain power and success on their own. Cultural assimilation is the process by which a person or a group’s culture comes to resemble those of another group. As the each participant throughout the film narrate their harsh experiences, it is evident that this process was brutally enforced and implemented by the Canadian government. The system separates the children from their families at a young age, and forbade them to practice their Aboriginal rituals or speak their own language, and were taught that these ways are primitive and uncivilized. (Hanson, n.d) This process can be analyzed through the concept of socialization agents, which is defined by the people and institutions that influence ones attitude and behaviour. Families are considered to be primary agents of socialization, since they are the earliest source of learning and emotional connections. They play a critical role in forming individual behaviour and passing on culture from one generation to the next through language and rituals. (Tepperman, Albanese Curtis 2012. pg. 57 ) However since the children were separated from their families at an early age, they became alienated from their roots, and the ties through which aboriginal culture can be passedShow MoreRelated The Examination of the Residential School System in Canada Essay932 Words   |  4 Pagesmissionaries established a form of formal education for Aboriginal children, which was to be governed at residential schools. However, this tradition did not last long due to rising conflicts. European missionaries believed Aboriginal children were in need of assistance to become more civilized, and wanted them to be integrated into their European culture (Ravelli Webber, 2010). Once sent to residential schools, the children were prevented from seeing and speaking to their families, aside from very shortRead MoreThe Canadian Government And The Aboriginal People1503 Words   |  7 Pagesindustrial schools that would be run by the churches and government funded. They chose children to go to these schools because they are easier to manipulate and mold than the adults and felt that school was the best way to do so. With the hopes of the assimilated children will teach their children their new way of life and that their traditions and culture will diminish or be completely gone in a few generations. In the 1880’s, the government began to construct the residential schools across CanadaRead MoreUrban Segregation And Its Effects On Residential Preferences Shaped By Libera l Market Forces And National Identity890 Words   |  4 PagesThe authors introduce the topic of â€Å"inherited residential segregation patterns† (Leetmaa) among ethnic groups in post-communist Tartu, Estonia within the context of immigration policies implemented during the Soviet communist era. Using two dimensions – â€Å"preferences and segregation –ethnicity and neighbor affluence† (Leetmaa ,163), the study explores the possible causes of residential segregation in post-Soviet Tartu and its effects on residential preferences shaped by liberal market forces andRead MoreSocial Disorganization : A Social Fault1294 Words   |  6 PagesSocial disorganization is a theory brought up from the Chicago School of Thought in which is explained as being ecological rather than individualistic. Social disorganization is not about what people do however it is about a community not being able to come up with moral consensus. In social disorganization individuals cannot agree overall on how the neighborhood should be enforced. This does not necessarily mean that the individuals are immoral or bad people, but they simply cannot come to an agreementRead MoreSociology1037 Words   |  5 Pagesyour personal feelings cloud your judgment†, â€Å"learn from your mistakes†, and â€Å"a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips†. The sum total of these familiar phrases can define what leading sociologist C. Wright Mills describes as sociological imagination. Sociological imagination guides our thinking through past, present and future, and our vision from myopic to the big picture. Think of it as looking as far as your eye can see and then imagine what can be seen through the Hubble telescope. Read MoreThe General Strain Theory Of Female Delinquency1253 Words   |  6 Pagestheory used to explain female delinquency is the general strain theory (GST). According to Bartollas, â€Å"GST explains female delinquency by contending that many females experience harsh discipline, parental rejection, peer abuse, negative secondary school experience, homelessness, and a strong need for money;† these strains can cause females to cope through delinquent behavior (73). The social learning theory also explains female delinquency as â€Å"some females tend to associate with others who provideRead MoreEssay about Obesity and Fast Food1324 Words   |  6 Pagesweight problem. While fast food may be one of the contributors to the obesity epidemic, it surely doesn’t stand alone. There are many more reasons why people living in the United States are overweight. Some of these reasons include problems within the school systems, peer pressure, education, and even just where a pe rson lives. It’s clear fast food restaurants are part of the problem; look around and you see that they are everywhere. Just take a short drive down Cypress Avenue in Redding and you willRead MoreOrphan: Annotated Bibliography1130 Words   |  4 Pagesopportunities. Public policy must be made to assure children are properly educated. It is a logical conclusion that children without adult supervision will likely not attend school as regularly, partly because the child will have other responsibilities than their education. It is assumed that improvements in the quality of schools would be more enticing and less likely for students to quit. However, the researchers involved fail to determine probable ways in which necessary funds could be acquired.Read MoreSocial Class And Education : How Socioeconomic Status And Family Background Can Affect The Learning Outcomes Of Many Children1605 Words   |  7 Pageschildren in school. Lois Weis points out that the students who are from low-income families are suffering educationally because they have no choice but to attend schools that are in poor areas and they tend receive a lower level of instruction (Weis, 2016). Students who fall under a category of middle to upper class can attend schools that are in better areas and they receive a more advanced level of instruction. P ast studies have suggested that children do poorly in school because the school is unableRead MorePoverty and Crime (Sociology)1600 Words   |  7 Pagesunexplained reasons that influence crime in impoverished urban areas? Does family structure influence crime and an individual’s participation in crime? Does the lack of community organization and structure, such as neighborhood watch programs, after school activities, knowing your neighborhood police patrolmen, etc, influence and allow for crime to occur in these communities? Does living in a suburban setting affect a child’s developmental pattern differently when compared to a child reared in an urban