Introduction
The theories of sociology serve to widen our understanding on the world’s problems. When faced with social challenges such as crime and deviance, we apply the theories in interpreting them. Without the theories, it would be almost impossible to decode social problems that are increasing on daily basis.
Construction is a theory, which postulates that we generate understanding and we offer meaning to issues through our personal experiences and knowledge. It follows that as we interact more our knowledge base expands.
As we grow up, we acquire knowledge that facilitates us to cope up with the wider society. The values differ from one society to the other. What is learned in one society is different from those of another society. Due to our mental constructs, we tend to use our own societal values to evaluate others. This can easily lead to subjectivity when interacting with members from other cultures.
Refugees and Asylum Seekers
The debate on refugees has been going on both in government and in the media industry. Lately, it has received wider media coverage due to its sensitivity. It has become a matter of national concern since early 1910s.The refugees started flocking the country during the civil unrests in their original homelands. Others wanted to be considered as asylum seekers. They were fleeing their states due to their differences with autocratic leaders.
The Australians on their part did not take the case of refugee lightly. They had their mental constructs, which were negative. Tracing their roots from Britain and North America, they viewed the new comers as invading their territory. The Arabs are considered as violent and deviant. They are associated with crimes such as terrorism and kidnapping. They are believed to disregard established law and order.
Opposition of refugee and asylum seekers can be noted in the language use in various newspapers and broadcast media. The use of phrases such as “we are soon to be awash”, “sneak in” and “exotic diseases” in the media shows clearly that people are not happy about the issue (Best, 1995).
It is claimed that the refugees intend to defile the economy. They can offer cheap labor as well as provide competition in the labor market. The language used in the media suggests that there are no legal refugees. Even those affected by floods are illegal immigrants. They are branded as deviants.
Even the proponents of the refugees who represent them in the press are dismissed in broad day light. They are reminded of the sovereignty of the state. Invasion by refugees is considered as interference in the internal affairs of Australia. It becomes a condition that when refugees report, they are required to be profiled. They do not have normal interaction rights. Those who fail to comply are to be detained.
Analysis of the Situation and Application of the Theory
The theory of construction therefore comes in handy in explaining the behaviors of both the refugees and asylum seekers as well as the citizens of Australia. The visitors in their quest for better life and opportunities they are faced with the challenge of hostility from Australians.
They tend to believe that they will be understood as people who are suffering and need assistance. In their mental constructs and socialization, they learned that those in need should be given assistance. They derive this from their holy book of Koran. Their departure from homeland is inspired by the spirit that they will get assistance from elsewhere (Bendle, 1999, p. 43). This kind of reasoning is passed on from parents to children.
As the need arises, the immigrants develop other mental reasoning. They desire to acquire wealth and property. They view foreign land as greener pastures for wealth acquisition. Since they are not well endowed with resources, they cannot establish business that will compete with others. They attempt to use short cuts such as stealing, kidnapping, robbing and annexing other people’s property.
These criminal activities do not go down well with the hosts. With increasing hard economic and social conditions, the refugees and asylum seekers no longer depend on aid alone. They have to involve themselves in everyday activities so as achieve their needs as well as fulfill their potentials
The foreigners who are treated as invaders continue motivating each other as they grow in number. They compete with the hosts for opportunities without fearing intimidation. They develop their own ways of solving problems to enable them survive. On their part, the hosts refuse to accept that they have to live with the foreigners. They are supposed to play the role of instructors; that is, teach the visitors societal values.
This could help the visitors understand and accept other people’s culture (Clinard & Robert, 2001). Because of the dynamic nature of visitors, the hosts should even take a more superior role of facilitation. A facilitator provide guidelines, asks but does not tell, and is always in continues dialogue (Roach, 2003)
Australians associate foreigners to all forms of deviance. For example if an Australian commits a crime, he/she is held responsible individually. No race or ethnic group is condemned. If by any mistake a foreigner is caught engaging in criminal activities or any forms of deviant behaviors, the whole group is condemned. The hosts will turn out in large numbers to justify the illegality of the group being in Australia (Downes & Rock, 2003).
The media has been playing a big role in racial discrimination. They unleash video clips showing the negative actions of immigrants. As one of the agencies of socialization, the entire public believes in what the media discloses. The state agencies are not left behind either. The commission in charge of equality and fairness has not been doing enough to reduce the disparities.
Instead of using the law to punish racism, it only highlights how racism has become persistent through the media. Other state agencies like the police are part of the perpetrator of racism. The police apply the law selectively. It applies double standards to foreigners. There is no innocence for immigrants. They are always guilty even before they are proven so (Goode, 1997).
It then follows naturally that immigrants have limited rights and freedoms on their life. The racists through their labeling perception have taken control of government decision-making machineries. Policies are made according to their wishes. Laws and other regulations pertaining immigration are made and implemented without consulting refugee representatives (Best, 1995).
The judiciary, which is the supreme counsel of the state, has also fallen prey of this conservative reasoning. In most of the cells and prisons, some one finds more foreigners than Australians. It is not because of their criminality but judges pass judgments according to the wish of the wider society.
Australians are taken to rehabilitation centers for counseling in case they are found guilty of minor crimes like domestic violence. This is not so for immigrants. They go straight to prison to be detained (Hodge & O’Carroll, 2006, p. 67).
The government, which is usually supposed to be the custodian of everyone interests’ in the society, has failed on its part in providing equal opportunities. Instead of being a utility as expected, the government has turned out to being a liability to foreigners.
The hosts have been taking advantage of the environment in exploiting the immigrants. The immigrants who register as voters are usually used as signatories in passage of cruel bills in government but are never given any chance to be part of decision makers (Best, 1995).
Example of labeling
Juvenile Delinquency
In the society, labeling of juvenile delinquents leads to their stigmatization causing negative development of the personality. The societal institutions such as the family, school, the government and the media term them as criminals who do not deserve any societal rights.
On their part, the delinquents assume the claims made are true and struggle to fulfill the claims there by succumbing to all forms criminal activities. The labeled person goes away from the social norms to proof the actions expected from a bad person. Frank Tannenbaum referred to this situation as dramatization of the evil, the person perceived to be evil turns out to be a real evil person (Bosman, 2010).
Labeling has been acting as a social control mechanism; it is applied either negatively or positively. They end up affecting the victim’s personality in many ways including repudiation of self-meaning refusal to accept the self-reality.
Emile Durkheim identified that this situation causes anomie, some section of the society will identify themselves with some forms of behaviors. They turn out to be idealists, that is, they believe in their own ways even though they might not be right. They start rationalizing every event to suit their viewpoints.
Value of the Theory
The theory is utilized by social scientists in analyzing the origin and injustices of racism. Differences in skin color, origin, political ideologies, economic status and other socio-cultural differences such as belief system, race, values and aspiration do not amount to variation in social behavior. Social behavior varies from one person to the other.
It is unlikely that two people probably from the same race will behave in the same way all the time. Many factors affect individual behavior. Other factors such as marital status, profession, social places, social structures and positions held by individuals in the society combine to influence individual actions. George Herbert Mead argued that life is a drama. Every one performs his own (Roach, 2003).
The theory has one advantage of collectivity. People who are believed to be from one race will tend to set goals that will assist them as a group. Among the African-American population, the theory has united them to the extent of attaining self-actualization. They identify themselves as brothers with the same vision of life. Social organizations in cosmopolitan regions are formed along racial or tribal lines (Downes & Rock, 2003).
On the other hand, the theory has ended up forming another social class front. When society is stratified, it is either in terms of economic capability or in terms of race. It is believed that the European race is superior followed by Asian race then American. It has aided sociologists to categorize society using skin color (Roach, 2003). In conclusion, the theory is not an integrating one.
It serves to discourage free interactions of people. It has extended to the institution of marriage. People marry those they believe are from their cultures. Women are the worst affected. They are believed to be weak and inferior to men.
In fact, in other cultures, like African traditional culture, women are never counted as people. To worsen the matter further, they are rarely allowed to participate in democratic processes such as voting and vying for public offices (Downes & Rock, 2003).
Since childhood, women are socialized in a way of manipulation to accept their deprived position. Some women sit back and watch their deprived position while others struggle to fit in the society. Labeling theory is the source of conflicts in all aspects of life, be it economical, political and socio-cultural.
The well-labeled race or tribe enjoys the available scarce resources and opportunities. Any political system will always cater for a particular race or tribe.
References
Bendle, M.F. (1999) The death of the sociology of deviance? Journal of Sociology, Vol. 35(1). pp. 42-59
Best, J. (1995) Images of Issues: Typifying Contemporary Social Problems. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
Bosman, J. (2010) For Juveniles in Family Court, Judges Seek Safer Alternatives to Prison. New York Times. Web.
Clinard, M. & Robert, F. (2001) Sociology of Deviant Behavior, 11 Ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Downes, D. & Rock, P. (2003) Understanding Deviance: A guide to the Sociology of Crime and Rule Breaking, Oxford, Oxford University Press, pp. 104-140.
Goode, D. (1997) Deviant Behavior, 5 Ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
Hodge, B. & O’Carroll, J. (2006) Borderwork in Multicultural Australia, Crows Nest, Allen & Unwin, pp. 21-42, 66-88.
Roach, A. (2003) Deviance and social control. In Jureidini, R. & Poole, M. (Eds.) Sociology: Australian Connections. Sydney, Allen and Unwin, pp. 312-n338.