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Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, 2008.
This paper compares the writings of Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, social theorists who observed the behaviors and idiosyncrasies of groups of people to determine how a modern society can make itself better.
1,100 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that, while Max Weber explores the rational for religion and government, Emile Durkheim's biggest concern in his writings is how society can maintain its integrity in the modern era. The author points out that the differences between Durkheim and Weber are few although they did observer society from opposite ends of the spectrum. The paper relates that, while Durkheim focused on the social aspects of society, Weber focused on the economic aspects and bureaucracy. The author underscores that both philosophers felt a need to break away from the traditions that surrounded them, to modernize society and to help it evolve. The paper states that Weber's understanding of the connotations of people's actions gave him insight into the evolution of a modern society; whereas, Durkheim was a Darwinist who believed that basing science on a single hypothesis was not a reliable choice.
From the Paper
"Durkheim is often referred to as the father of sociology. He was concerned that shared religious and ethnic backgrounds prevented society from maintaining its integrity. Along with Herbert Spencer Durkheim broke society up into categories defined by the function they held in society and whether or not they contributed to the health of society. Durkhiem was opposed to Weber's view that society was a sum of its parts. He believed that the action of individual people is what created a healthy society. His theory was called methodological Individualism."
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Charles Lambert's "Social Theory", 2008.
A comparison and contrast of social theory and classical theory.
1,185 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 4 sources, MLA, AU$ 54.95
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Abstract
This paper compares and contrasts social theory with classical theory, noting that a comparison of the two brings together a modern view that man is his surrounding with the classical view that man makes his own surroundings. The paper outlines the differences between the two theories but also points out that both theories are connected in their basic need for understanding man's relationship with himself and within society and that both theories observe the interactions of man.
From the Paper
"American social theory varies from European social theory in that Americans are self reliant in the observations of their surroundings. We do not look far beyond the obvious. We study our surrounding and base our perceptions on the immediate rather than the past. European social theory takes into account the ramifications of our past colliding with our present. This collision develops into the social theories that govern our actions. In European social theory, there is still a certain about of classical rhetoric that is used to permeate the observances of the present."
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The Working Poor, 2008.
A personal perspective on Barbara Ehrenreich's book "Nickel and Dimed".
941 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 3 sources, APA, AU$ 45.95
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Abstract
In this paper, the writer discusses how his perceptions of America's working poor were greatly affected by Barbara Ehrenreich's book "Nickel and Dimed". The writer then discusses how Ehrenreich shows the exploitation of working people and the real situation of of millions of lower-income citizens. The writer also describes the unfair situation where those who give the most to America are the most exploited.
From the Paper
"In some critical respects, my perceptions of blue-collared Americans were reinforced - at least when it came to how they were treated by their employers. For instance, I knew full-well that unscrupulous employers could take advantage of uneducated and trusting working-class men and women, but some of Ehrenreich's anecdotes about her life as a faux waitress in a small Florida community were genuinely startling - even when one is cognizant of the fact that the exploitation of waitresses in the hospitality sector is pervasive and can be especially severe when immigrant waitresses are the targets (American Civil Liberties Union, para.1-8)."
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Social Colloquialisms, 2008.
A research proposal on social labeling and its significance, with a focus on the subject of gender.
1,186 words (approx. 4.7 pages), 5 sources, APA, AU$ 54.95
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Abstract
The paper relates that social labeling is identified as qualifying terms attached to specific constructs found within general social interactions. The paper explains that the purpose of this study is to identify those social colloquialisms that are used to identify gender within common parlance. The paper states the scope of the study, the research questions, the methods of assessment as well as the format and timetable.
Outline:
Purpose of the Study
Scope of the Study
Methods
Outline and Timetable
From the Paper
"The pervasiveness of social labeling has resulted in the investigation of these words as representative of values shared throughout a specific society. Early research by Brooks-Gunn and Lewis (1979), for example, sought to identify why children between 9 to 24 months of age were more likely to associate the label "daddy" with an authority figure while the label "mommy" was more likely to be associated with a nurturing figure. The authors found that these two terms were heavily saturated within information communicated to infants and children, such as nursery rhymes, and that the children absorbed these social labels without attaching any qualifying information to these terms."
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The Complexities of the Family Unit, 2008.
A look at the changes in family structure seen in American society today.
759 words (approx. 3.0 pages), 1 source, APA, AU$ 37.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews the changing nature of the American family. Specifically, the paper looks at the complexities of cohabitation, divorce and step-families with an eye towards outlining what precipitates the first two and what dangers accompany the latter. In the final analysis, it is fairly evident that the American family now encompasses a wider range of arrangements than ever before - and this presents both opportunities for people who might not be happy in a traditional family structure, as well as dangers that were far less common when the nuclear family was the predominant social unit.
From the Paper
"Examining the available evidence collected by Eshleman, it seems clear that different cultures have different ideals vis-a-vis non-traditional relationships among adults. To wit, Puerto Ricans tend to be much more accepting of non-marital cohabitations while Mexican Americans cleave faithfully to the marriage ideal (Eshleman, 2000, p.288). Suffice it to say, if a society is not receptive to non-marital cohabitation, this can place great pressures upon the couple - and can create an uncomfortable situation for any children they may have. Be that as it may, Eshleman (2000) points out on page 151 of his text that non-marital cohabitation is becoming increasingly accepted in the western world and may emerge as a permanent, legitimate alternative to traditional marriage. Certainly, cohabitation seems to offer practical financial benefits, sexual benefits, and a measure of privacy that few other arrangements can match. Additionally, cohabitating couples are much more likely to keep their finances separate (this can be considered a practical financial benefit), are more likely to express low levels of commitment to the relationship, and tend to break up more readily (Eshleman, 2000, p.152 and 155). Clearly, if children are involved, there is a distinct possibility they will find themselves in a one-parent home at some point simply because the parental imperative to stay together is not nearly so strong."
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"American History X", 2008.
This paper discusses the issue of racism that is present in the film "American History X".
1,665 words (approx. 6.7 pages), 8 sources, MLA, AU$ 73.95
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Abstract
In this article, the writer maintains that while 'American History X' tries to be a movie about ultimately overcoming racism, it fails in this task.
The writer looks at the unstated contrast between the white characters and the black characters in the film and discusses that throughout this movie, the various groups interact in ways that reflect confrontation and eventually violence rather than cooperation. The writer also discusses that the implicit message in this film is that whites have made huge sacrifices on issues of civil rights. The writer notes that according to the film, the whites are the ones who have gone through the transformation, so they are now the ones suffering from discrimination.
From the Paper
"Throughout this movie, the various groups interact in ways that reflect confrontation and eventually violence rather than cooperation. In one of the critical scene, a flashback, three black youths try to break into Derek's car. Alerted by little brother Danny, Derek rushes out to his car and shoots two of the three youths. This is his murder scene, and he clearly enjoys the power of life and death over the black youths."
"This movie tries to be a story about the dangers of white supremacy, but in many ways it is almost literally the opposite of that. It contains many white supremacist messages and a great deal of problematic imagery and material. While the filmmakers may not have intended that it be read in this way, they may have inadvertently perpetuated many of the very stereotypes that they claim to have wanted to challenge. This is often a problem of insidious rather than overt racism."
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Suicide: The Social Context, 2008.
This paper explores how suicide is viewed in the context of cultural boundary transgressions.
2,517 words (approx. 10.1 pages), 8 sources, MLA, AU$ 102.95
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Abstract
The paper discusses how suicide is imagined to be a transgression of cultural boundaries and the sanctity of life. The paper then questions if there can be a suicide that does not transgress cultural boundaries. The paper also considers how suicide is situated within the cultural definitions and constructions of death that dominate various cultural settings. The paper reviews the relevant literature and concludes that a suicide must always be a transgression of cultural boundaries since it has only as much cultural importance as is granted to the act by the norms and prescriptions of the larger social context.
From the Paper
"Suicide speaks to the nature of our cultural boundaries and our implicitly agreed upon notions of death and dying. Implicitly, there seems to be a common thread that runs through diverse cultures condemning the practice of suicide. When openly discussed, few non-reflexive cultural texts consider suicide to be a laudable act. There are, of course, exceptions. Kelleher provides Biblical examples of military suicides that are presented in a positive light after the shame of defeat, and all but praises the use of suicide--via hunger strikes--for political purposes (Kelleher 9-11). But outside of fairly narrow exceptions, suicide is imagined to be a transgression of cultural boundaries and the sanctity of life."
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The Mafia and Immigration, 2008.
This paper explores immigrants and their potential social connections to the mafia within the United States.
1,359 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 14 sources, APA, AU$ 61.95
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Abstract
The paper reveals that large formal organized networks of criminals that operate within a single city or a larger geographic region are often outcomes of immigration. The paper looks at the historical, immigrant background of the mafia within the United States. The paper shows how the defining characteristics of organized crime stem from exclusion from processes that are found within a normal social order.
From the Paper
"Immigration within the United States has tended to be regional and community-specific, where immigrants from specific ethnic populations are more likely to take up residence within the same region and form communities comprised of their native ethnic groups. These processes are used to help provide a sense of collective purpose within the immigrant population as these persons face a new and unfamiliar environment. The close community environment also helps the immigrants to maintain unique cultural traits and customs that may not exist within the new territory or within the cultures of the native population."
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| Essay # 104005 |
temporarily unavailable
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Gatsby and Wealth, 2008.
This paper analyzes the premise of social class status in 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
888 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 1 source, APA, AU$ 42.95
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Abstract
In this literary study, the writer examines the premise of social class in relation to F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby'. The writer notes that by understanding the lower class aspirations of Jay Gatsby for the upper class Daisy Buchanan, Fitzgerald creates a polarization of class that dooms their love affair. Further, the writer points out that by realizing the lengths that Gatsby will go to as a member of the upper classes, he invariably cannot ever attain Daisy through materialistic means. In essence, the writer concludes that the premise of social class in 'The Great Gatsby' dooms the love affair between Daisy and Jay within this capitalistic novel of greed and excess during the roaring 20s.
From the Paper
"The rise of Jay Gatsby's fortunes relied on illegal bootlegging to acquire his house, and the other materialistic pleasures that he has gained in his activities. The central focus of the novel, however, does not merely focus on his wealth, but focuses on his dream of having Daisy Buchanan. All of the accumulated wealth revolves around this particular woman, as she represents Gatsby's obsession with her as a symbol of the American Dream as a materialist object. One interesting aspect of the novel is that Gatsby feels that he must provide wealth and security to Daisy if he is to be able to 'have' her, as a social class status symbol of newfound wealth. In this manner, he is at once a possession, but Fitzgerald does indeed make sure to reveal that he does truly love her on a deeper level."
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Regulating Internet Gambling, 2008.
This paper examines the structure, revenue gain and government legislature surrounding the Internet gambling industry.
735 words (approx. 2.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 35.95
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Abstract
The paper focuses on the regulatory framework for Internet gambling in order to determine if there exists an optimal solution to regulating versus banning gambling on the Internet. The paper reveals that, although Internet gambling is seen as a social cost, regulated Internet gambling could be a viable source of tax revenue for many states.
From the Paper
"As technological advances increase and the world becomes more interconnected, the framework of gambling has begun to change. The prevalence of internet gambling is astounding, and provides elements that were absent in conventional gambling arenas (Rose 134). However, as this trend continues, there are some very important questions to be answered. How is internet gambling regulated, in wake of the fact that this is done via the web? How is State revenue affected by these non-state gambling operations?"
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Self-Identity and Cultural Inheritance, 2008.
This paper is a personal essay reviewing the intersection between an individual's cultural inheritance and the formulation of his personal identity and persona.
1,110 words (approx. 4.4 pages), 8 sources, APA, AU$ 51.95
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Abstract
This paper reviews the curious intersection between our cultural inheritance and the formulation of our personal identities and personas. Specifically, the next several pages look at the defining features of the cultural group of which the author is a part, and then looks at how the author's native language (and a few others) and his cultural inheritance have both shaped his self-identity. The author concludes that, in the final analysis, we are most often the product of sociological (or socio-linguistic) factors and less so intrinsic or biological ones.
From the Paper
"In an interesting study on language learning within different social and cultural contexts, Mei-Yu Lu (1998) illustrated a number of differences between various groups of children with regards to how each group used language to communicate. For instance, a study conducted by Wong-Fillmore (1989) found that Chinese-speaking children tended to be more adult-oriented insofar as they interacted more frequently with adults than with peers; it is also worth noting that these children (in contrast with other minority children) focused chiefly upon meeting the expectations of adults.", Wong-Fillmore found that Hispanic-speaking children were more peer-oriented and turned to peers first when confronted with problems they could not resolve on their own (for another study that corroborates these findings, please see Heath, 1986). Given my own observations, I would expect that Anglo-Saxon children, especially if they found themselves in the minority within any classroom or social setting, would turn first to the adults around them than to their peers - largely because the retiring nature of Anglo-Saxons (on balance, of course, for generalizations are always a dangerous thing) would make them gravitate towards formal and predictable modes of discourse
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Mass Media Violence and Children, 2008.
This paper analyzes the effects of mass media violence on children and the growing issue of television censorship in the 20th and 21st centuries.
1,615 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 5 sources, MLA, AU$ 70.95
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Abstract
This paper discusses the dangers of violent television programming that have been influencing children within the family unit. The author examines different media of this type of cultural violence and the government and television corporation regulations that allow this type of programming. The paper evaluates the research on violence and children within the family unit to gain a greater understanding of why censorship and monitoring groups have played a greater role in regulating violence in the mass media construct. This paper concludes that the various aspects of classical conditioning, aggressive personality acquisition and other psychological factors compromise the total scope of how mass media television plays a large role in conditioning children.
From the Paper
"The premise of censorship has arisen due to the nature of television programming, which is available for children to watch alongside their elders. The problematic solutions for media violence and personality identifiers are the main objective in gaining a greater sense of rights for how children should be perceived in TV and film programming. The negativity of studies on media representations reveals why children should have a larger role in creating policies for televised and media based programs to give a more positive psychological affirmation to their behaviors."
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"Code of the Street", 2008.
A critical review of Elijah Anderson's " Code of the Street: Decency, Violence, and the Moral Life of the Inner City".
1,252 words (approx. 5.0 pages), 1 source, APA, AU$ 57.95
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Abstract
This paper analyzes the text, "Code of the Street: Decency, Violence, and the Moral Life of the Inner City" by Elijah Anderson. The book is analyzed based on how it reflects four major tenets of strain theory, social learning theory, control theory, and labeling theory.
From the Paper
"The first of these social theories that is demonstrated within Anderson's text is that of Strain Theory. In strain theory, it is argued that social structures that are constructed and adopted by society can cause the society's citizens to commit crime. First of all, Anderson does not demean or belittle the actions that many "criminals" in the inner-city perform during their daily lives. He argues that in this sector of society, there is a "code" and a decency that its citizens live by, not arguing that this is morally right, but showing that it is a code and manner of life, nonetheless. These are not merely subhumans going about criminal lives; this is a living, working society that adheres to its own standards and rules."
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The Social Sciences and Youth Violence, 2008.
This paper discusses the causality of youth violence from the perspective of the social sciences disciplines of anthropology, psychology and sociology
935 words (approx. 3.7 pages), 4 sources, APA, AU$ 45.95
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Abstract
This paper explains that this anthropological study of youth violence takes an ethnographic approach. The paper then points out that psychology looks at youth violence in terms of cause and effect and how those related issues can determine methods of prevention through intervention with human behavior. In addition, the paper relates that sociology studies the culture of youth violence seeking ways to change the manner in which society functions to correct the problem. The author concludes that these social sciences need to reexamine themselves and make efforts to bring their methodologies into the twenty-first century; however, there is room for all of the current disciplines to co-exist in today's world.
From the Paper
"Judging by recent events, the questions asked by Courtney (1999) are as relevant today as they were when the article was written. Courtney asks why do boys and men commit 95% of the violent crimes in the United States? Why do teen homicides frequently have the common denominator of boys killing boys with guns? Why do one in 10 high school boys carry guns to school, in contrast to one in 70 girls? The answer, Courtney explains, has roots in today's society. Although we tell boys to solve things peacefully, boys are often represented in the media as resolving issues by fighting."
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The Social Worker Counselor, 2008.
A look at the delicate and complex balance of power between a social worker and her client.
1,795 words (approx. 7.2 pages), 3 sources, MLA, AU$ 77.95
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Abstract
This paper relates that there is a delicate and complex balance between the social worker's power and the right to self-determination of the client. The paper then discusses and examines this power imbalance and looks at how such power imbalance between the social work and client implies certain responsibilities on the part of the social worker. The paper also demonstrates that the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Ethical Standard 1.02, i.e. Self Determination, implies that the social worker has some responsibility to empower the client so that the client is able to achieve self-determination. In addition, this essay also discusses a situation in which the social worker may be relatively powerless, as well as situations in which it might be prudent for the social worker to restrict the client's right to self-determination.
From the Paper
"For example, the social worker should not try to dissuade a woman from becoming involved with a particular man on the basis that the social worker believes this man is not a good influence and should not be around the woman's children. In particular, if the social worker implies to the client that the social worker will withhold certain benefits from her if she does become involved with this man, this would constitute abuse of the social worker's power over the vulnerable client."
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