SOC 466 Ashford University Victim Blaming Discussion

Instructions: Your reflection paper will be based on the review of Crawford’s (1977) article entitled “You are dangerous to your health“. You are welcome to read the whole article, but you should definitely read pages 663-64 and 671-78. The reflection paper should contain the following information:

1. Briefly describe the ideology of victim blaming. What does the ideology entail? (at least 4-5 sentences) [5 points]

2. Explain why this ideology is popular? Who benefits from it? (at least 3-4 sentences) [4 points]

3. Discuss whether such ideology impedes or facilitates the policy or legislative efforts to reduce the adverse impacts of fundamental causes or upstream factors on health outcomes (see McKinlay’s 1979 A case for refocusing upstream, Link & Phelan’s 1995 Fundamental Causes of Disease, and Braveman and Gottlieb’s 2014 Causes of the Causes). You should offer one real world example to advance your argument. For example, you can argue why ideology of victim blaming impedes or facilitates policy initiatives to reduce (higher) number of chronic diseases observed among lower educated individuals. (at least 7-8 sentences) [10 points]

4. Do you think this ideology is still prevalent (This article was written in 1977!)? If so, explain why? If not, explain what has changed? Regardless of the position you hold (i.e., ideology has changed or has remained the same), you should offer a convincing argument. (at least 4-5 sentences) [6 points]

Your general observations and course readings should be sufficient to support your arguments, but you are welcome to seek additional resources (e.g., newspaper articles, research papers etc.). I would prefer you to upload 1 page (single spaced–max 2 pages) typed Word document, but you have the option of copying your paper to CANVAS text entry box.

I will attach the reading below.