SOCIOL 155BW Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Upper Class
Reading Notes
Baseball and Society
Name/Date: Edgar Mancia; April 23, 2018
Article/Book Title: Majority and Minority
Please type all Reading Notes!
Summary
Describe the main point or points of the article or book excerpt (3-4 sentences. (Please note that
if there is more than one reading assigned you can choose to summarize one reading or more
than one):
In this article, Gordon gives us a detailed explanation of the types of assimilation as well
as forms of pluralism that exists within society. From my understanding, he emphasizes the fact
that assimilation in America has largely been a one-sided process of Anglo conformity.
Everything is socially constructed based on the values of the upper class or the supreme race.
This is important because is has led to multiple forms of oppression on the lower class. They have
no choice but to conform to the values of society or implement their own structure. He makes key
distinctions between cultural and structural components.
Major Terms
List and define two major terms from the reading (be sure to cite appropriately, using the page
numbers from the reading!):
1) “Anglo-Conformity” (Gordon 227) – One of the theories of assimilation involving the position
and idea that immigrants should learn English, adapt to numerous norms, values amd institutions
as a way of conformity to integral Anglo-American society and the wider Anglo-Saxon majority.
2) “Degradation” (Gordon 231) – Decline to a low, destitute, or demoralized state. Made felt
inferior.
I Approve!
Provide one quote from the article (with proper citation!) and explain why you found this point
valuable or link this statement to other course material (2-3 sentences):
“How were they to maintain their self-respect when all that they knew, felt, dreamed, betony their
sheer capacity for manual labor – was despised or scoffed in America.” (Gordon 231)
The upper class would exploit these immigrants for hard labor and it made them lose a sense of
self-respect. Whatever they dreamed of while migrating, all came crashing down once they had to
conform to the values of society.
I’m Not So Sure…
Provide one quote from the article (with proper citation!) and explain why you take issue with
the author’s point or argument disagree or provide an alternative explanation, or both (2-3
sentences):
“Consequently, with due allowance for internal class differences, they have constructed their own
network of organizations and institutions, their own social world.” (Gordon 235)
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