The tuesday edition of the NRC-Handelsblad, my favorite newspaper, has a science page. So, it wasn’t difficult at all to find articles relating to the three main questions of sociology. But then again, it hasn’t been that difficult the last few days as well. Any suggestions for a more difficult source of news from one of my readers?

Today’s Source: NRC Handelsblad

Rationalization: Do safer cars alter our behavior? ((De automobiel rijdt straks op eigen houtje, NRC Handelsblad, 10-06-08, p. 8))

Today on the science-page of my newspaper an article on automobiles who start to think for themselves. Using lasers and cameras they are able to detect, and save, pedestrians. Isn’t that lovely, isn’t that safe. Of course they are, but wouldn’t they benefit only hold with unaltered human behavior? It reminded me of an investigation (I think it was in London) which showed that drivers of bigger cars drive more recklessly. So, the perception of safety of the driver might indirectly endanger the fragile people on the curbstones.
Just another example of how modernity might change our thinking, and how simple interventions might lead to unexpected results.

Inequality which imposes inequality ((Senioren en scholieren de dupe van staking, NRC Handelsblad, 10-06-2008, p. 3))

For ten days, Dutch bus drivers have been on a strike. Despite legitimate reasons (being the victims of liberalization of transportation market), by court rule bus drivers are no longer allowed to continue their strike. The newspaper today pays attention to those who suffered most by the strike: the youth and the elderly. Clearly, this is because these people have the least resources available to compensate for the loss of public transportation. It would be interesting to investigate in a detailed manner how one inequality results in an unequal position for other people.

Cohesion: Imposing social pressure? ((Gewelddadig gedrag is te voorspellen, NRC Handelsblad, 10-06-08, p. 8))

Criminal behavior can be predicted. That is the central statement made by Henny Lodewijks, a psychologist, who investigated a method of assessing the risk of criminal behavior of youth delinquents. He compared a standardized method to experts’ opinions. Presently, this is used to receive an indication of whether or not a detained youth can be released, or not. To me, this seems to be a noble cause. However, it reminds me of a discussion we had during a course on individuality (In Dutch) I co-initiated: how far can society go to impose norms on people. To what extent can we decide that a youth is ready or not ready to return to society?

Today’s Source: NRC Handelsblad

Rationalization: Gene-technology and mode of thought ((Gentech moet van slecht imago af, NRC-Handelsblad, 06-06-08, p. 6))

While the debate on the selection of embryo’s (see yesterday’s Sociology Today) is still roaring in the Netherlands, Piet Schenkelaars argues that gene technology should be relieved from its bad image. This closely connects to the question how technology and our means of food production connects to the way people think. According to Gerhard Lenski, with his ecological-evolutionairy theory, mode of food-production in societies has developed, strongly influencing the structure of society (division of labour) and mode of thought (more activistic attitude). Perhaps the possibilities delivered by gen-tech and the promise to increase food production even further will have strong influences on human thought and morality indeed.

Inequality: Migrant educational equality ((Toename afhakers in eerste jaar van HBO, NRC Handelsblad, 06-06-08, p.3))

There is always a lot of news on inequality. What to choose? Today I did not select the poor position of rejected refugees in South Africa, but a more positive development regarding inequality. Absolutely one of the more important issues in the newspaper today. But no, for today a somewhat more optimistic issue.

In a short article on the increasing number of students not completing their higher education, it is also mentioned that the number of migrants finishing a higher education is relatively increasing. So, their unequal education position is starting to become more even.

Cohesion: Troubles with the Antilles people? ((Toename overlast Antilliaan in R’dam, NRC Handelsblad, 06-06-08, p. 3))

According to the newspaper article, people living in the Dutch city Rotterdam have had more nuisances and problems with immigrants from the Antilles. Clearly, this connects to the main sociological question of who has contact with whom, and, more directly, who has conflicts with whom. It could however have been categorized under ‘inequality’ just as well, for to a large extent different patterns of criminal behavior can be attributed to differences in social economic position.

The reason that I mention it, is that I think that the headline on the article is misleading: it sounds like that these people have started to misbehave more seriously. But, according to the police, it is due to their changed policy: the police started using a zero tolerance policy. Thereby, the conclusion should be that we’re only talking about a methodological issue, not a substantive one.