Example Essay Conflict Theory PDF

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Conflict Theory Essay...

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THIS IS AN EXAMPLE ESSAY WRITTEN BY A PRIOR STUDENT WHO UNDERTOOK THIS COURSE IN A PREVIOUS YEAR. THE TOPIC OF THIS ESSAY IS DIFFERENT TO THE TOPICS PROVIDED THIS YEAR.

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EXAMPLE TITLE PAGE Student Name: Sherlock Holmes Student Number: s1234567 Course Convenor: Dr Elise Sargeant Assessment Item: Essay Essay Topic: Conflict Theory and Mental Illness

Sociology is a science which helps understand the social world, involved with looking at patterns in society to gather information about what people do, feel, think and how they interact (Krieken et al., 2017). Societal observations are likely to encounter problems within, and to understand such problems, one may refer to sociological theories, which provide key ideas about society and order (Bessant & Watts, 2007). The three major theories in sociology include functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism. This paper will focus particularly on conflict theory and allude to the perspectives it provides to understand the social problem that is mental illness. One in five Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental illness (ABS, 2007), highlighting the prevalence of this social problem in Australian society. Conflict theory provides an alternate explanation on how conflicts and inequalities between members of society contribute to the number of individuals suffering a mental illness. The following paper will discuss both conflict theory and mental illness in addition to breaking down two relations between the two, one regarding economic divisions and one regarding social status divisions. A social problem is difficult to define, as what constitutes a social problem in one culture, time frame or society, may differ to another. Due to varying definitions of ‘social problems’, sociologists presume that such problems exist ‘as an objective condition or arrangement in the texture of society’, and it is a condition ‘seen as having an intrinsically harmful or malignant nature’ (Blumer, 1971). Not only is a social problem viewed as harmful by a society, it is one that is recognised as an indicator of an area in need of social change (Horsfall, 2012). Competing interests and societal developments are two broad areas which contribute to the crop up of social problems (Horsfall, 2012). Mental illness exists as one of the many social problems prevalent across the globe today. Mental illnesses encompass both mental health and behavioural disorders from depression and anxiety to eating disorders and substance abuse (AIHW, 2020). Broadly, mental illness

can be defined as a disorder interfering with one’s cognitive, emotional, or social abilities (ABS, 2007). Mental illness in Australia has been a prevalent social problem for decades and efforts have been made to combat and reduce the harmful effects of the problem, such as the development of a National Mental Health Policy and funding to non-government organisations which provide mental health services (Judd & Humphreys, 2001). The extent of mental illness in Australia sees intentional self-harm as one of the leading causes of death, with approximately 8 lives lost each day to mental illness (ABS, 2018). In addition, Lifeline, one of Australia’s largest mental health services, reported a suicide rate of 12.6 per 100,000 in 2015, with higher rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Lifeline, 2015). The World Health Organisation sees individual attributes, environmental and economic factors, working conditions and stress as some of the determinants or causes of mental illness (WHO, 2019). Conflict theory sees society as made up of differing groups of people, with competing and conflicting interests. The paradigm largely views social order as a result of the struggle and conflict that exists between the rich and poor (Hungerford, 2008). Those who have studied this sociological perspective view conflict as a struggle for both status and scarce resources (Bartos & Wehr, 2002). The struggle for status and scarce resources is essentially one of the effects of industrial capitalism. Capitalism brought about the organisation of productions, profit, wage workers and labour (Dillon, 2019). One of the most significant conflict theorists Karl Marx, focused a lot of his work on such effects of capitalism and its creation of class inequality. He observed that society was grouped according to economic interests (Hungerford, 2008). One key focus of Marx’s view on capitalism and its creation of societal inequality, was his identification of the groups within being the bourgeoise and the proletariats. The bourgeoise are the owners of means of production, and the proletariats are the workers within, meeting the production demands (Dillon, 2019). The works of Marx and

the prominence it gave to the economic gap between high earning capitalists and the lower working class, fundamentally argued that conflicts between these groups were largely due to economic, class and status inequality between them as a result of the capitalist system. Such gap is therefore how conflict theorists arguably explain social problems. Conflict theory may explain economic divisions between classes in society as a notable contributing factor to mental illnesses and disorders suffered in societal structure. The first way in which this perspective would address this explanation, is discussing the ways inequalities created by the capitalist system can contribute to a state of depression or stress in members of society. There are many reasons as to why a person may experience stress/distress as a result of class and economic inequality, from financial stressors to individuals experiencing emotional distress from wanting to be a powerful figure in society, or apart of the ‘upper class’. It is these feelings which can worsen and bring about the suffering of a mental illness. It has been found that occupations involving notions of control and planning are associated with a reduced risk of acquiring the mental disorder that is depression (Hudson, 2005), compared to low-income workers or proletariats. Hudson’s (2005) study additionally found that mental illness among low-income groups is largely caused by economic stressors. This therefore suggests that conflicts theory’s premise of economic inequality sees the oppressed suffering economic stressors from their lack of resources or sufficient wealth, subsequently resulting in their acquirement of a mental illness. There is additionally a strong presence of substance abuse in lower social classes of society (Aneshensel et al., 2013), which could arguably have the conflict theory explaining the abuse as a coping mechanism to the stressors which capitalist class divisions create. An additional link between this theory’s discussion of economic divisions and the social problem of mental illness, is associated with conflict theory’s conception over ‘the struggle for scarce resources’ (Bartos & Wehr, 2002), whereby class inequality prevents some

members of society from seeking resources or services to address their needs. This is related in one of two ways. First, class inequalities prevent ‘lower class workers’ already suffering from a mental illness to be able to receive services as equally adequate as those in the ‘upper class’, due to minimal wages and long working hours. Secondly, mental illnesses may arise in consequence of low-income earners unable to obtain resources due to financial pressures brought on by class inequalities. In Australian society, the mental health effects caused by inability to obtain resources are felt strongly by Indigenous Australians, whereby economic and social disadvantage are listed as one of the significant factors impacting on Aboriginal wellbeing (beyondblue, 2020). Indigenous Australians earn 33% less weekly income than non-Indigenous Australians (AIHW, 2019), essentially placing them amongst Australia’s middle-lower class of society’s income earners which results in their increased struggles to afford health and lifestyle services and resources. In 2018, suicide accounted for a quarter of Indigenous child deaths (ABS, 2018). Conflict theory may explain the prevalence of ill mental health amongst this class to be caused by economic factors resulting from the economic inequalities created by Australia’s capitalist system. Writings of conflict theorist Max Weber focused a lot on social stratification between class groups outlined by Marx, particularly on social statuses/circles (Gane, 2005). Gane (2005) noted Weber’s idea that to hold a certain social status, or to belong to a particular social circle, you are expected to live a certain ‘style of life’. Under conflict theory, what status you hold may be strongly influenced by your economic/class position that affects your style of life. Inequalities between classes and groups within society inevitably creates a degree of social segregation between the ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ classes. Such segregation therefore results in little interaction between individuals belonging to these differing groups and having a low degree of interaction and integration can heavily impact one’s social health, which then

impacts one’s mental health. This is transparent through the vivid scenes of people from similar wealth and social status’ grouping together. Rubin et al. (2016) assessed the relationship of social status and mental wellbeing among university students in Australia, finding that students with lower social status, have less social contact with friends at university, and that lower levels of social contact, result in higher levels of depression. This study additionally notes that one’s social class and economic status, influences their subjective social status (Rubin et al., 2016). An American study on social stratification, additionally found that due to lack of resources, middle-lower class students are more disadvantaged in their social integration with others. This study further discussed barriers faced by middle-lower class students for social and upward mobility that effects their ability to socially adjust/interact, referencing C. Wright Mills’ argument that elite universities do not meet the needs of ‘non-elites’ (Thiele & Gillespie, 2015). Lee & Kawachi (2017) flips this idea on its head, suggesting that when people interact with high-status members of a society, it can be frustrating, stressful and create feelings of unfairness which is in turn detrimental to ones self esteem and thus bad for their mental health. Conflict theory argues that social problems, alike that of mental illness, result from the stratification and divisions which exist in society’s unequal system. Conflict theory’s discussion regarding class conflicts in society, can be applied to mental illness as the financial burden economic divisions create for middle-lower classes in society, induce the likelihood of mental disorders within this class. Further, the lack of sufficient resources felt by today’s ‘proletariats’ additionally explains a causal relationship between conflict theory’s economic discussions and mental illness. Lack of social interaction is in one part brought on by one’s social status, and studies have suggested that an absence of social ties and support are in fact associated with mental illnesses such as depression.

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