Red All Over

Stretching Sociology

So discussion in class this afternoon turned to the dichotomy between conservative rhetoric of personal responsibility, and social science which tells us that people's life choices and life chances are impacted greatly by larger social structures. We take a break (3 hour class), and I get to talking with the professor about our "Democracy Day" actions last week, and ongoing concerns about how difficult Hampshire makes it for students to have any say in decision-making. He transitions back into class by making a joke about viewing a student's problems as a failure to take personal responsibility vs. the product of how the institution is organized.

The more I think about it, the more I think the comparison makes sense. Obviously decision-making at Hampshire College as an issue pales in comparison to racial disparities in health and health care, but I really think it's the same basic phenomenon operating. Surely no progressive-oriented person at Hampshire would argue that poor people don't vote in national elections because they're lazy, so why is it okay to make the same argument about Hampshire politics? Could it be that some of the same factors affecting political participation generally -- lack of available time, understanding of the process, alienation from decision-makers, and sense of political efficacy -- affect participation in decision-making at Hampshire? And shouldn't we expect decision-makers to be concerned?