This essay will look at and critically examine diverse experiences within society relating to health
inequalities in society in general and then focus on the deaf community while utilizing aspects of
sociological theory throughout. The evaluation of how socio-economic factors may influence health and
well-being within the deaf and hard of hearing community will be discussed furthermore it will be
discussed how health inequalities may lead to social exclusion within the deaf and hard of hearing
community. Exploration of the influence of poverty and several aspects including social class, age,
gender, race, ethnicity, disability and mental health wellbeing will be related to the deaf and hard of
hearing community. It will be demonstrated how an understanding of the aspects of social justice and
anti-oppressive practice may be applied in establishing the health inequalities within the deaf and hard
of hearing community while promoting social inclusion. The essay will then conclude discussing how
empowerment and social justice may create equality using aspects of the Equality Act (2010).
Sociology as explained by (www.dictionary.com, 2019) states “the science or study of origin,
organization, and functioning of human society; The science of fundamental laws of social relations,
institutions, etc.
When relating to sociology within this essay two theories are going to be discussed the first theory will
be Marxism and the second will be functionalism. Marxism was created by Karl Marx who was born in
Germany in 1818 and died in London in 1883. Marxism is well known as a conflict theory it states that
society is against each other establishing that there is a big divide between the rich and the poor. Where
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Often Marxism may be related to communism because Karl
Marx wanted everybody to have equal shares of everything which may be portrayed as communism, but
Karl Marx never wanted this to happen he believed in a society where things were equally distributed
, therefore creating equality within society. Sociologist associate Marxism as the way things are in society
today or the direction in which society is going to be heading. The opposing theory to Marxism was
capitalism which focuses on economic systems that own private companies that are based on a means
of production. In theory capitalism relates to the few rich people that own the most wealth in the world
through owning top rated business which were referred to as the bourgeoise. The bourgeoise having the
lower classes working for them who were referred to as proletariat by Karl Marx. Often the work was in
unsanitary conditions and for very low pay (YouTube, 2019).
Functionalism in sociology was created by Emile Durkheim who imagined society as a moving watch that
needed all the parts to work together to function. If there is a part in the watch that does not work or
one of the clogs stop working for example the watch would not work. Durkheim viewed society in this
way explaining that all the people in the world need each other to work and function. Just like a cell
needs the nucleus or else it would degenerate. Society needs everyone to function together doing
whatever jobs they do to create a functioning society. (Khan Academy, 2019). Institutions are a part of
the wider system and meet the needs of society. These can include education, big businesses, criminal
justice, media and religion amongst others.
Durkheim also highlights the concept of Social facts which are created by society and are a way of
thinking and acting and will always be around. For example, Durkheim’s theory may suggest that deaf
people in society may be inadequate of contributing to a working society due to their extra needs and
support.
Durkheim argued that institution indirectly cause harm to society he explained this as being called latent
functions. As suggested by (McCormack et al.,) individuals are controlled to act in the restricted ways
inequalities in society in general and then focus on the deaf community while utilizing aspects of
sociological theory throughout. The evaluation of how socio-economic factors may influence health and
well-being within the deaf and hard of hearing community will be discussed furthermore it will be
discussed how health inequalities may lead to social exclusion within the deaf and hard of hearing
community. Exploration of the influence of poverty and several aspects including social class, age,
gender, race, ethnicity, disability and mental health wellbeing will be related to the deaf and hard of
hearing community. It will be demonstrated how an understanding of the aspects of social justice and
anti-oppressive practice may be applied in establishing the health inequalities within the deaf and hard
of hearing community while promoting social inclusion. The essay will then conclude discussing how
empowerment and social justice may create equality using aspects of the Equality Act (2010).
Sociology as explained by (www.dictionary.com, 2019) states “the science or study of origin,
organization, and functioning of human society; The science of fundamental laws of social relations,
institutions, etc.
When relating to sociology within this essay two theories are going to be discussed the first theory will
be Marxism and the second will be functionalism. Marxism was created by Karl Marx who was born in
Germany in 1818 and died in London in 1883. Marxism is well known as a conflict theory it states that
society is against each other establishing that there is a big divide between the rich and the poor. Where
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Often Marxism may be related to communism because Karl
Marx wanted everybody to have equal shares of everything which may be portrayed as communism, but
Karl Marx never wanted this to happen he believed in a society where things were equally distributed
, therefore creating equality within society. Sociologist associate Marxism as the way things are in society
today or the direction in which society is going to be heading. The opposing theory to Marxism was
capitalism which focuses on economic systems that own private companies that are based on a means
of production. In theory capitalism relates to the few rich people that own the most wealth in the world
through owning top rated business which were referred to as the bourgeoise. The bourgeoise having the
lower classes working for them who were referred to as proletariat by Karl Marx. Often the work was in
unsanitary conditions and for very low pay (YouTube, 2019).
Functionalism in sociology was created by Emile Durkheim who imagined society as a moving watch that
needed all the parts to work together to function. If there is a part in the watch that does not work or
one of the clogs stop working for example the watch would not work. Durkheim viewed society in this
way explaining that all the people in the world need each other to work and function. Just like a cell
needs the nucleus or else it would degenerate. Society needs everyone to function together doing
whatever jobs they do to create a functioning society. (Khan Academy, 2019). Institutions are a part of
the wider system and meet the needs of society. These can include education, big businesses, criminal
justice, media and religion amongst others.
Durkheim also highlights the concept of Social facts which are created by society and are a way of
thinking and acting and will always be around. For example, Durkheim’s theory may suggest that deaf
people in society may be inadequate of contributing to a working society due to their extra needs and
support.
Durkheim argued that institution indirectly cause harm to society he explained this as being called latent
functions. As suggested by (McCormack et al.,) individuals are controlled to act in the restricted ways
