Sociological Perspectives on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Gender Equality: Achieving SDG 5
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 focuses on gender equality, emphasizing that women’s rights are human rights and that achieving gender equality is crucial for a fair and peaceful society. Women across the globe face disproportionate levels of discrimination, violence, and unequal opportunities. Sociological knowledge can provide insights into understanding how gender is constructed and how societal norms cause gender inequality.
Sociology posits that gender is not an inherent biological trait but rather a social construct that is achieved and maintained through societal norms and behaviors. The concept of “doing gender” emphasizes that gender is something we perform in our daily lives through interactions based on societal expectations. This theory, rooted in symbolic interactionism and explored by sociologists such as Herbert Blumer, argues that gender roles are reinforced through socialization and interaction. Women are often expected to abide by specific roles, such as caregivers, while men are seen as providers, causing an unequal power dynamic in private and public spaces. Understanding how gender is socially constructed helps policymakers and activists challenge these norms and promote equality by restructuring how societies understand gender roles.
One key barrier to achieving gender equality is the patriarchal structure prevalent in many societies. Patriarchy is a social system where men hold primary power and dominate roles of leadership, authority, and control over property. Karl Marx’s conflict theory highlights the power struggles between different social groups. In the context of gender, it shows how patriarchal systems maintain male dominance by subjugating women in political, economic, and social institutions. For example, women often face obstacles like the glass ceiling, which limits their ability to advance to leadership positions within their careers, furthering the gender inequality gap. This system often excludes women from decision-making processes, limiting their access to resources and opportunities. To achieve SDG 5, efforts must be made to dismantle these structures by promoting policies that ensure equal participation of women in all aspects of society. This can include enacting laws and policies that eliminate gender discrimination and creating institutional structures that empower women.
The feminization of labor is an important phenomenon where women are increasingly integrated into the workforce but are often relegated to lower-paying and insecure jobs. This trend reflects the structural inequalities in society that disproportionately affect women. For example, women are overrepresented in care work and service industries, which are typically undervalued and underpaid. This economic difference is closely related to gender roles and the expectations that women are inherently suited to caregiving responsibilities. Additionally, Max Weber’s rationalization theory explained how modern institutions, such as the economy, prioritize efficiency and profits in the workforce, often at the expense of equity and fairness. In a rationalized economic system, women’s labor is often undervalued and seen as less productive than men’s labor, especially in areas where profits are prioritized over the well-being of workers. Achieving gender equality within the workforce requires addressing economic inequalities through policies regarding pay equity, parental leave, and improved working conditions for women in lower-paying job areas.
C. Wright Mills’s concept of the sociological imagination is particularly useful in understanding gender inequality as it relates experiences to broader social and historical factors. C. Wright Mills discussed the difference between personal troubles and public issues, showing how individual struggles are often caused by larger societal problems. For example, a woman’s inability to break through the glass ceiling in her career may seem like a personal failure but could actually be a reflection of gender discrimination. By applying the sociological imagination to gender inequality, policymakers can better understand the root causes of women’s unequal experiences in society. This approach may encourage developing solutions that address structural and cultural factors causing inequality rather than placing the burden on individuals to overcome obstacles.
Gender inequality does not exist in isolation but rather intersects with other forms of inequality, such as race, class, and sexuality. Intersectionality relates this concept by suggesting that these overlapping identities can cause compounded disadvantages. For example, women of color, particularly Black and Latina women, often face both racial and gender discrimination, limiting their access to education, employment, and healthcare. Additionally, W.E.B. Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness can be used to understand the experiences of marginalized women as they face both gendered and racialized societal expectations. When women experience multiple forms of inequality, they face unique challenges in achieving equality.
One of the main ways gender inequality is maintained is through socialization, where individuals learn and internalize understandings of societal norms and expectations. From an early age, many children are socialized into gender roles that shape behavior deemed appropriate for boys and girls. For example, growing up, female classmates and I were often encouraged to be nurturing and passive, while male classmates were taught to be assertive and competitive. This process reinforces traditional gender roles and limits opportunities available to women and girls. To achieve gender equality, efforts must be made to challenge and change the ways gender norms are taught. Education among parents and teachers can promote gender equality and encourage girls to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as STEM. Furthermore, changing media representations of women can help shift societal ideals and expectations, opening up new possibilities for women and girls.
Overall, sociological knowledge provides valuable insights into understanding and addressing gender inequality. By analyzing how gender is socially constructed, sociologists can help guide efforts to achieve gender equality.
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Achieving SDG 16
Sociological knowledge plays a key role in understanding and addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. By examining social structures and inequalities, sociological knowledge can inform efforts to reduce conflict and develop societies that are fair and equitable.
One way sociology informs peace and justice efforts is through understanding social conflict. Karl Marx’s theory of conflict highlights the power struggles between various social classes, revealing how inequality is embedded within systems of dominance, power, and exploitation. This theory can be applied to racial and ethnic conflicts where the unequal distribution of power creates tensions that can lead to violence. For example, ethnic and racial inequalities in housing access, employment, and education often lead to systemic oppression, which, in turn, leads to a breakdown of peace and justice. By addressing these inequalities, societies can reduce conflict and promote social stability.
Max Weber’s rationalization theory and meaning-making also offer important insights into how institutions can either perpetuate or challenge injustice. Max Weber argues that institutions, such as the legal and economic systems, are shaped by rational processes that can override ethical considerations, leading to the rationalization of injustice within the government. For example, the justice system in many societies disproportionately affects racial minorities through practices like mass incarceration and racial profiling. This is evident in the “War on Drugs” in the United States, where Black and Hispanic communities were disproportionately targeted, causing social and economic exclusion. Understanding these processes through sociological knowledge can facilitate the creation of policies that are more just and equitable.
Additionally, racial and ethnic inequality is deeply intertwined with SDG 16, as these forms of inequality are commonly maintained through violence and institutional discrimination. W.E.B. Du Bois’s concept of “double consciousness” discusses the lived experiences of marginalized racial groups who must constantly navigate dominant culture while being oppressed by it. This double standard can create feelings of alienation and conflict within minority groups, further destabilizing social peace. Racial inequality has also been reinforced by historical and structural violence, such as Jim Crow laws, segregation, and discrimination in housing policies. The Great Migration of African Americans from the South to the North, for example, was driven by both economic and racial violence as Black Americans sought to escape Southern racial oppression. However, many faced different forms of racial inequality in the North, where they were denied access to housing and employment opportunities. This historical context can help sociologists advocate for policies that address the systemic causes of racism and racial inequalities.
C. Wright Mills’s concept of the sociological imagination is also crucial in addressing social justice and inequality. It allows individuals to connect their personal experiences to broader social and historical contexts. For example, although poverty and unemployment might appear to be individual problems, they are actually public issues rooted in larger economic and social structures. This framework enables policymakers to address these issues by creating solutions that focus on structural change, such as eliminating discriminatory practices in housing, education, and employment. The sociological imagination can also be used to identify the causes of conflicts and inequalities. For example, mass incarceration in the United States, which disproportionately impacts Black and Latino communities, is not solely an effect of individual behavior but rather a broad array of racial and economic inequalities within the legal system.
To achieve peace and justice, strong institutions are key to providing the foundation for maintaining social order and equality. However, institutions can also be a source of inequality if they are structured in ways that perpetuate discrimination and exclusion. Sociologists like Emile Durkheim argue that institutions play a vital role in maintaining social unity but must evolve to reflect the needs of all members of society. To build stronger institutions, sociological knowledge must be applied to identify the ways these institutions contribute to enforcing inequality. For example, the United States housing system has historically been a breeding ground for racial discrimination, with policies like redlining preventing minorities from accessing affordable housing. Over time, these policies have contributed to racial wealth gaps and social instability. Addressing these institutional inequalities through sociological research can help build stronger and more inclusive institutions. One approach could involve sociologists examining changes in unionization rates and the financialization of the economy to demonstrate how economic shifts have disproportionately affected racial minorities, leading to increased inequality and social unrest.
Overall, sociological knowledge provides valuable insights into achieving peace, justice, and strong institutions by addressing racial and ethnic inequality.
No Poverty: Achieving SDG 1
Within the field of sociology, poverty has been a primary focus. Understanding its causes, effects on communities, and potential solutions are key to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1: No Poverty. Sociological knowledge provides insights into how poverty is shaped by larger social forces.
Firstly, poverty is not just a lack of money; it is a lack of opportunities and resources needed for one’s survival and well-being. For example, W.E.B. Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness, which is the awareness that the norms that govern a predominant society apply differently due to race, is an important sociological concept for understanding how marginalized groups, especially African Americans, navigate poverty while being systematically oppressed. W.E.B. Du Bois’s ideas explain how race shapes economic disadvantages, social barriers, and psychological burdens. These factors affect life chances for people of color in poverty by reducing access to healthcare, education, housing, and social connections, all of which are crucial for poverty reduction.
Poverty also reinforces relative deprivation, a sociological concept where people feel disadvantaged compared to others in society. Max Weber’s theory of social stratification emphasizes how poverty is about the denial of power in addition to income. This concept focuses on the role of class and status and how being poor can affect one’s life chances, limiting one’s ability to gain education, employment, and social advancement. These ideas demonstrate that poverty is not a natural or inevitable condition but rather is shaped by social structures and historical processes.
Karl Marx’s conflict theory provides further reasoning for poverty being a class struggle. This theory suggests that capitalism inherently produces inequalities, with the owners of capital accumulating wealth at the expense of the working class. This exploitation of labor creates systemic poverty as workers receive only a small fraction of the value they produce. Current forms of shareholder capitalism and the financialization of the economy further exacerbate wealth inequalities, where businesses prioritize profits over wages and benefits for workers. As a result, this shift from industrialization to deindustrialization illustrates how economic changes can lead to widespread poverty. Furthermore, in recent times, with artificial intelligence and automation gaining more prevalence, many American workers find themselves unemployed, contributing to the shrinking middle class.
Neoliberal policies also significantly impact poverty rates by reducing social welfare programs and cutting taxes for the wealthy. For example, the 2008 financial crisis demonstrates how neoliberal policies can disproportionately affect the poor by leading to substantial job losses and deepening inequality. Housing and urbanization have further reinforced inequalities, especially for racial minorities. In the past, the practice of redlining against Black families, which involved the refusal of loans and segregated housing processes, left many minority groups trapped in neighborhoods with poor living conditions and inadequate resources. These events have repercussions down the line, as Americans raised in the bottom quintile are likely to remain there as adults. However, programs such as Section 8 and the Great Society program attempted to provide relief from housing costs for the poor, but their effects have been mixed. Gentrification (when wealthy residents move into poor neighborhoods) has contributed to homelessness and economic inequality. Understanding these housing relationships through sociological knowledge can provide insights into the structural barriers surrounding poverty and the need for housing policies targeted to increase affordability and access to housing.
To address the UN Sustainable Development Goal of No Poverty, a sociological approach is required that goes beyond simply economics. John Maynard Keynes’s macroeconomic theory discusses the need for government stimulus to spur economic growth, suggesting that public investments in infrastructure, education, and social services can help reduce poverty. However, sociological research on poverty requires qualitative methods to fully understand the lived experiences of those facing poverty. Ethnographies and interviews can provide valuable insights into how people navigate and experience poverty.
Furthermore, Herbert Blumer’s theory of symbolic interactionism highlights the importance of understanding how poverty is socially constructed. People’s views of the poor, shaped by media influences and political discourse, can influence public policies. For example, the shift from AFDC to TANF in the late 1990s created stigma surrounding people who receive welfare, leading to stricter eligibility rules and a decrease in relief for many who needed it.
Overall, sociological knowledge offers a deeper understanding of how to address poverty. By applying sociological theories, we can better understand how poverty operates within society and how efforts can be made to reduce it by addressing systemic inequalities in areas such as housing, education, and employment.