Political socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political socialization - Essay Example There are many different agents of political socialization, which have various kinds of influences on the people who are exposed to them. The basic understanding of the processes of political socialization could be considered from the point of view of the shaping of individuals’ minds towards certain directions. Some of the agents of political socialization include family, the media, peer influence, school, religious affiliation, geographical factors, environmental factors, and other realities that influence perceptions and attitudes towards tasks (Greenberg 41). Individuals may awaken to political realities in accordance with the general direction provides by the family. Usually, parents or the elderly people in the family teach the younger members of the family about certain political subjects. In most cases, such early contact with political realities eventually affects the manner in which people come to perceive of political matters in their future. Studies have pointed out that family is usually the most important agent of socialization for any individual or a group of individuals. It is therefore important to consider the fact that family affects people and individuals in a very significant way. The media is another most influential agents of political civilization (Greenberg 55). The function of the media as an agent of socialization could be seen in terms of its standard roles, which includes informing, entertaining, and educating. Many people come to learn of political realities through the information they get from the media. The media may have a lot of influence on the attitudes and opinions regarding certain political positions. Generally, the media provides the kind of information that helps people to make decisions regarding political matters. It expands the understanding of people by reporting and analyzing political events, personalities, ideas, and situations. Families and

DinkaAgaar of South Sudan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DinkaAgaar of South Sudan - Essay Example Information was also given to Deal by various government officials and military officers, to try and determine the root and level of the violence and torture experience by the DinkaAgaar. Perhaps the most central concept of the research is that of Cieng. This is, as a noun, â€Å"human relations, conduct, behavior, habit, personality, custom, law, rule, way of life, culture, essence, and nature† (Deal, 2010, p571) and dictates the reason behind much of the violence within the group. The definition of Cieng seems to be the object of study in much of social anthropology, and the fact that it plays such an important role in the group dynamic explains the reasons for much of the behaviour. Deal (2010, p571) suggests that the importance of Ciengensures that the good of the group outweighs the good of the individual, and therefore, some of the torture and violent behaviour continues as it is thought to be an important part of Dinka culture. The main approach used by Deal (2010) is t hat sanctioned by Malinowski; fieldwork, taking the time to get the ‘native’s perspective’ through participant observation and communication with the members of the tribe. Torture and other forms of violence may seem unsavoury to an outsider, but when torture â€Å"appears to be a manifestation of deeply held perceptions of self and society within the people one studies, the calls to intervene are not so sharp† (Deal, 2010, p571) and an anthropologist needs to be sure not to use personal ethical frameworks on the tribe in question. This is perhaps the most appropriate methodology to use when studying such a culture. 17 months is a long period of time to be conducting fieldwork, but perhaps is needed to gain the trust of the group and a true appreciation for their lifestyle. Going in and collecting surveys full of quantitative information can be useful in some approaches, but may be likely to give bias. Deal (2010) was incorporated into the society and was even given a Dinka name by which he was addressed (p566), and as such it is certain that there was a certain level of trust in the researcher by the group. This is not without its failings, as there may be a situations where the group is misrepresented by the researcher due to sympathetic bias. However, it seems more appropriate than using a Western framework on a distinct culture. Additionally, Deal listed the types of information he gathered during the fieldwork period, and these were numerous and came from a number of different sources, so it seems certain that the majority of the research was free from particular bias (Deal, 2010, p564). As the research here focuses on the use of violence and torture as part of the justice system, the most interesting thing to be learnt is about the use of different moral and legal codes by the Dinka people. The use of violence within this tribe must only be seen from their social perspective, as they use violence as a means of starting war, rev enge, and justice (Deal, 2010, p567). Torture is also used to exacerbate the differences between the Dinka and the neighbouring Nyueii, as well as a punishment from indecent contact with these rivals (Deal, 2010, p566). Violence is part of the Cieng defined and used by the Dinka, and it is used to define ‘us’ from ‘them’ in the tribe. In conclusion, this research uses a wide range of material to illustrate the use of violen