Weighing the Weighing the PerspectivesPerspectives

Jason JosupaitJason JosupaitElizabeth KohlmeierElizabeth Kohlmeier

Jessica PatschullJessica PatschullMelissa TrappMelissa TrappMegan StewartMegan Stewart

Summary of movieSummary of movie In Milagro, a small town in the American Southwest, In Milagro, a small town in the American Southwest,

Ladd Devine plans to build a major new resort Ladd Devine plans to build a major new resort development. While activist Ruby Archuleta and development. While activist Ruby Archuleta and lawyer/newspaper editor Charlie Bloom realize that this lawyer/newspaper editor Charlie Bloom realize that this will result in the eventual displacement of the local will result in the eventual displacement of the local Hispanic farmers, they cannot arouse much opposition Hispanic farmers, they cannot arouse much opposition because of the short term opportunities offered by because of the short term opportunities offered by construction jobs. But when Joe Mondragon illegally construction jobs. But when Joe Mondragon illegally diverts water to irrigate his bean field, the local people diverts water to irrigate his bean field, the local people support him because of their resentment of water use support him because of their resentment of water use laws that favor the rich like Devine. When the Governor laws that favor the rich like Devine. When the Governor sends in ruthless troubleshooter Kyril Montana to settle sends in ruthless troubleshooter Kyril Montana to settle things quickly before the lucrative development is things quickly before the lucrative development is cancelled, a small war threatens to eruptcancelled, a small war threatens to erupt

Information found at imdb.com Information found at imdb.com

PerspectivesPerspectives EcosystemEcosystem

FunctionalistFunctionalist ConflictConflict

Rational/Social ExchangeRational/Social Exchange Social ConstructionalistSocial Constructionalist

EcosystemsEcosystems Everything effects reciprocallyEverything effects reciprocally Dynamics and the way our Dynamics and the way our

transactions occur with each othertransactions occur with each other It is a way of seeing case phenomena It is a way of seeing case phenomena

(the person and their environment) (the person and their environment) in their interconnected and in their interconnected and multilayered reality, in order to multilayered reality, in order to comprehend complexity, and avoid comprehend complexity, and avoid oversimplification and reductionism. oversimplification and reductionism.

EcosystemEcosystem Example:Example:

When the dam was built, it destroyed When the dam was built, it destroyed their agriculture and created hardships their agriculture and created hardships in their lives.in their lives.

The building of the resorts in their town The building of the resorts in their town caused an awareness and appreciation caused an awareness and appreciation of their community of their community

Caused an uproarCaused an uproar Brought the community closer togetherBrought the community closer together Made them think of their heritage (300 years Made them think of their heritage (300 years

of living on the land)of living on the land)

FunctionalistFunctionalist

To view society as a set of To view society as a set of interrelated parts that work together. interrelated parts that work together. These parts serve a function and These parts serve a function and contributes to the overall stability of contributes to the overall stability of the society.the society.

Systems are constantly changing, Systems are constantly changing, but that these changes processes are but that these changes processes are incremental and are self-correcting incremental and are self-correcting when the system gets out of balance.when the system gets out of balance.

FunctionalistFunctionalist When each event happened, it effected When each event happened, it effected

the results of how social system the results of how social system operatedoperated When the pig got shot it, was the result of When the pig got shot it, was the result of

stress over keeping the bean fieldstress over keeping the bean field When the old man bought bullets, the rest When the old man bought bullets, the rest

of the town followed his lead of rising up of the town followed his lead of rising up against the systemagainst the system

Petition to gather awareness and stand Petition to gather awareness and stand ground for the protection of their land and ground for the protection of their land and heritage heritage

ConflictConflict Social systems are not united, but divided Social systems are not united, but divided

by class, gender, race, or other by class, gender, race, or other characteristics that reflect differences in characteristics that reflect differences in social power as much as anything else.social power as much as anything else.

Groups in society are engaged in a Groups in society are engaged in a continuous power struggle for scares continuous power struggle for scares resourcesresources

Problems are defined as social and Problems are defined as social and structural rather than on the individualstructural rather than on the individual

Basically, problems are solved only by Basically, problems are solved only by social change, not by individual social change, not by individual adaptation. adaptation.

ConflictConflict Town vs. Resort: This divided the community. The Town vs. Resort: This divided the community. The

land developers pushed their agenda because land developers pushed their agenda because they had more power and could easily influence they had more power and could easily influence this vulnerable population. this vulnerable population.

Poor vs. Rich: The land developers were rich and Poor vs. Rich: The land developers were rich and had power. The poor, vulnerable population had had power. The poor, vulnerable population had little advocacy or power. little advocacy or power.

Political influences vs. scarce political resources: Political influences vs. scarce political resources: The more money one has, the more influence they The more money one has, the more influence they have over other low-income people by way of have over other low-income people by way of politics. They could manipulate the system in a politics. They could manipulate the system in a way that would benefit their agenda. The town way that would benefit their agenda. The town people had very low resources, such as a grass people had very low resources, such as a grass roots newspaper and a lawyer. The developers roots newspaper and a lawyer. The developers had more resources, such as political had more resources, such as political representatives and money to influence policy representatives and money to influence policy makers. makers.

Rational/Social ExchangeRational/Social Exchange

People make choices based on People make choices based on analyzing the benefits versus the costanalyzing the benefits versus the cost

Assumes that people will make choices Assumes that people will make choices that will serve their own best interestthat will serve their own best interest

Assumes that human beings have Assumes that human beings have capacity to reason, make choices capacity to reason, make choices based on consideration of available based on consideration of available alternatives and anticipated alternatives and anticipated consequencesconsequences

Act in their own best interestAct in their own best interest

Rational/Social ExchangeRational/Social Exchange Town made choices by what would benefit Town made choices by what would benefit

them in the endthem in the end Bean field gave them positive outcomes Bean field gave them positive outcomes

compared to what the building of the resort compared to what the building of the resort would have brought. would have brought. Land developers wanted to buy most of the landLand developers wanted to buy most of the land An increase of the cost of living due to the An increase of the cost of living due to the

building of the resort building of the resort Builders took advantage of law enforcement to Builders took advantage of law enforcement to

apply their own agenda apply their own agenda The bean field created a sense of community and The bean field created a sense of community and

carried on their heritage and tradition carried on their heritage and tradition

Social ConstructionalistSocial Constructionalist

Emphasizes the role of the human Emphasizes the role of the human mind and the shared subjective mind and the shared subjective understanding of localized understanding of localized experiences in defining the social experiences in defining the social worldworld

Assumes that there is no objective Assumes that there is no objective reality, rather, reality is defined by reality, rather, reality is defined by perceptions and is a social perceptions and is a social construction. construction.

Social ConstuctionalistSocial Constuctionalist

Places of congregation and additional Places of congregation and additional outlets of communication among members outlets of communication among members of the community: of the community:

BarBar

ChurchChurch

NewspaperNewspaper

word of mouth word of mouth The town’s people were a vulnerable The town’s people were a vulnerable

population and experienced a social reality population and experienced a social reality different than the white, wealthy land different than the white, wealthy land developersdevelopers