Social autopsy refers to a process of evaluating the economic, political, and social conditions that control the unequal distribution of suffering and survival in a natural calamity. Therefore, social autopsy, as a research method, explores the impact of social contexts on outcomes of humanitarian crises (Kalter et al.,2011. The term is relevant to the study of inequality because it refers to a method that uncovers systemic injustices, such as the exploitation of the poor by the bourgeoisie. In addition, the elite’s tendency to selfishly allocate resources to their agenda while ignoring the plight of the lower class is often exposed when a crisis hits all classes of society. For instance, as Eric Klinenberg writes in his research paper that is based on the “social autopsy of the 1995 Chicago heat wave”, social autopsy is crucial in understanding the dynamics of disasters in the context of unequal distribution of power in society (Klinenberg,2003). The heat wave put the urban poor at risk of starvation while the bourgeoisie was comfortable in their own homes. In addition, he also shows how urban social networks have helped the urban poor, primarily made up of African Americans and Latinos, survive crises. Moreover, because disasters such as heat waves and tsunamis tend to impact economies through the closure of businesses, the economic vitality of the urban community is key to their survival. Therefore, because of its ability to uncover such factors, Klinenberg supports the use of social autopsy.
Part 2: Blacked Boxed
Technology is increasingly becoming blacked box, a term that refers to the phenomenon in which computer algorithms seem to accomplish tasks beyond the ability of the operator to inspect how the algorithm is working. Modern technology has become so complicated to the extent that people can only observe the outputs and inputs, but the internal functioning of the system cannot be perceived. Resulting from the limited capacity to understand how algorithms work, it has become difficult to recognize the discriminatory practices and social biases of technology. Therefore, human engineering, computing, and development have resulted in the creation of “black boxing” computers that interfere with the appropriation of aid by the welfare office. Payments and welfare beneficiaries are often “reprogrammed”, a term that refers to the unexplained fluctuations seen in the administration of benefits-it remains unknown what exact criteria are used to decide how benefits are released to American citizens. As a result, it can be argued that to blame unfair practices regarding discriminatory practices against minorities on a computer algorithm. “Black boxing” computers are, therefore, a scapegoat that can be repeatedly be sued to disguise institutionalized unfair practices that promote inequality.
Part 2.
Technology has a significant capacity to fuel inequality. The propagation of negative ideas such as racial and economic discrimination are fruits of the “dark side” of technology. For many years, the idea of progress was primarily based on the belief that countries, by becoming more technologically advanced, would create more opportunities through which people could take advantage of their acumen, training, skills, and talents. However, despite the many benefits of technology, to the extent that it represents prosperity, technology also signifies injustice and inequality. Technology has gradually gained the reputation of benefitting a small minority at the expense of the vast majority. Increasing technology has had the undesired effect of enhancing the elite’s ability to police disaffected populations. Where the distribution of resources is reliant on the distribution of access to technology, societies gravitate to an economic landscape where many are weak, and few are rich (Rhaman,2012).
Concerning racism, technology has helped propagate racist messages that are directed against minorities such as American Latinos and African Americans. Online conversations on social issues such as crime and immigration are manipulated to promote attitudes and ideas that are discriminatory. Political figures and media coverage have, through technology, the capacity to generate racist discourse. Scholars of racism use the term “cyber-racism” to describe the spread of mistrust, racial hate, and divisive ideology by far-right groups. Technology, therefore, enables the propagation of fake news, polarization, bias, prejudice and online abuse, factors that work to enhance inequality. For instance, there exist websites, forums, and blogs argue that ethnic conflict is inevitable and that racism is a misconception driven by myths. Technology has also helped propagate misogynistic and sexist ideas that are commonplace in the film and music industry. On the other hand, improvements in technology have helped increase inequality by replacing poor industrial workers with machines. Such a change only helps the bourgeoisie save on costs and make more money while poor workers lose their source of income. Technology, therefore, actively undermines social and economic equality.
Part 3.
People living with disabilities make up about Inequality in disabilities is evident in the fact that people living with disabilities experience poorer health, fewer household resources, lower employment rates, and lower education levels in comparison to people without disabilities. Regardless of national poverty, national wealth, or national boundaries, people living with disabilities all over the world face discrimination. Across the world, people with living disabilities make up to 20% of the world’s most impoverished people because of lack of access to education, a factor that is associated with poverty. Furthermore, being excluded from school, as seen in the deficiency of education resources allocated to people with disabilities, members of this population are pushed into a vicious cycle of increasingly scarce employment opportunities, increasing poverty, increased discrimination and more vulnerability to impairment, injury and sickness. Some of the factors that aggravate the situation for this group include low self-esteem, poor health, and limited social contacts. Disability discrimination is defined as being treated in a biased manner because one has a disability, is associated with someone with a disability, or is perceived to have a disability.
Moreover, disability discrimination can present itself in the form of victimization, harassment, discrimination arising from disability, failure to make reasonable adjustments, indirect discrimination, and direct discrimination. For instance, direct discrimination is seen when, during interviews, because they are assumed to be sickly, weak, and to have a tendency for absentees related to ill health, job applicants with disabilities are denied employment regardless of their qualifications. Indirect discrimination, on the other hand, has to do with particular policies and organizational cultures that have a more negative effect on people with disability than on those who are non-disabled. For instance, requiring all employees to have driving licenses could, without the employer being conscious of its discriminatory implications, exclude people with disabilities from income-earning opportunities. This form of discrimination is also seen in institutions of learning which do not put up infrastructure that is favourable for people with disabilities. Therefore, children with disabilities may fail to join some schools because they cannot accommodate their transport needs, have not invested in the necessary staff and learning resources that they need, or do not have systems in place to protect them against discrimination.
Other ways through which disability discrimination is seen in schools is in the fact that learning institutions can discriminate against a disabled pupil concerning access to opportunities, exclusion, teaching methods used, and admission (Rieser, 2006). In addition, schools have a responsibility to ensure that internal examinations are accessible to all students, regardless of disability. Furthermore, in the field of medicine, disability discrimination exists within the ranks of health workers, and those who cannot live up to the “macho ethos” and inflexibility that the traditional medical system has long been known for suffer prejudice. The discrimination may arise in the form of the stance of the profession, the attitudes of employers, attitudes of colleagues, and at the level of the individual. Physicians and medical students with disabilities are not treated with the same respect as the non-disabled or given access to the same amount of opportunities as the non-disabled (Garden,2010). There exists a general assumption that the non-disabled are more qualified or capable of dealing with adverse situations in the hospital.
Additionally, some racial groups experience more disability discrimination than others. For instance, Latin Americans claim to toe experience more discrimination when with a disability than when non-disabled. In addition, in the provision of benefits, opportunities, and medical attention to people with disability, racial minorities such as African Americans face more exclusion than their white counterparts. Ultimately, disability discrimination comes in various shapes and forms but is substantially disruptive to the lives with people with disability.
Fredman, S. (2017). Disability equality: a challenge to the existing anti-discrimination paradigm?. In Disability and Equality Law (pp. 123-142). Routledge.
Garden, R. (2010). Disability and narrative: new directions for medicine and the medical humanities. Medical humanities, 36(2), 70-74.
Kalter, H. D., Salgado, R., Babille, M., Koffi, A. K., & Black, R. E. (2011). Social autopsy for maternal and child deaths: a comprehensive literature review to examine the concept and the development of the method. Population Health Metrics, 9(1), 45.
Klinenberg, E. (2003). Denaturalizing disaster: A social autopsy of the 1995 Chicago heat wave. In Violence in War and Peace: An Anthology. Blackwell.
Lareau, A. (2002). Invisible inequality: Social class and childrearing in black families and white families. American sociological review, 747-776.
Rahman Khan, S. (2012). The sociology of elites. Annual Review of Sociology, 38, 361-377.
Rieser, R. (2006). Inclusive education or special educational needs: Meeting the challenge of disability discrimination in schools. In Education, Equalit