An analysis of how, with careful consideration of the wall drawings and of the culture that created them, and their physical journey, we can justly determine much about the life and society of the stone age.
3,568 words (approx. 14.3 pages), 6 sources, 2000, $ 99.95
From the Paper "It is hard to comprehend a culture without technology. What would we do without these necessities and pleasures of life? To determine the answer, let's take a look at a totally unfamiliar society- the cave dwellers. They lived without technology, existing upon nature alone.The cave dwellers haven"t left us a lot to go on, but what they did leave us is rich in knowledge. What we have found are their cave paintings. What we can learn from these is debated. Some argue that these cave drawings only teach of location and a bit about the society. Others argue that we can learn not only that, but we can learn why they were drawn; and what the message becomes to us. The question is, then, can Paleolithic art be interpreted accurately enough to give a adequate depiction of Cro-Magnon life" I believe that with careful consideration of the wall drawings and of the culture that created them, and their physical journey, we can justly determine much about society and the stone age."
Abstract This is a discussion paper on the distribution of water in the southwestern part of the United States. There is an emphasis on how the limited amount of water makes it a commodity thereby a cause of increasing social and political tension over water distribution. There is also an emphasis on the environmental consequences of changing naturally-occurring water patterns.
From the Paper "Psychology is a science dealing with behavior and mental processes. It concerns the hows and whys of individual human behavior. Psychological research employs the scientific method, which utilizes the techniques and procedures of naturalistic observation and experimentation to deal with facts, data, and their interpretation according to certain principles. In a given study, the dependent variable under study is considered to be a function of the 'independent variables. Typically, one independent variable is manipulated - the experi-mental variable, while the other independent variables are controlled. Statistical methods are then employed to anal, the research data to ascertain if the findings support or refute the experimental hypothesis......."
A look at how the Amish have adopted alternatives in order to keep their traditional lifestyle with respect to power, agriculture, transportation, and communications.
2,280 words (approx. 9.1 pages), 3 sources, 1999, $ 70.95
From the Paper "The Amish of Pennsylvania have riddled American society since the dawn of the modern era. While rapid new technological changes have greatly altered the shape of modern society, the Amish still cling to their antiquated ways and strong traditions. However, as the Amish continue to remain outside the technological loop that dominates modern earth, they risk the chance of eventually becoming obsolete. As a way to keep their faith, the Amish have slowly began to negotiate the use of electricity, the telephone, automobiles, and farming equipment. In their quest to keep their traditional lifestyle, the Amish have adopted alternatives with respect to power, agriculture, transportation, and communications."
Abstract This paper presents an overview of the causes of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and the difficulties faced by the population fighting the disease.
From the Paper ?Only 10 percent of the world's population lives south of the Sahara, but the region is home to two-thirds of the world's HIV-positive people, and it has suffered more than 80 percent of all AIDS deaths."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the practice of affirmative action, with reference to America's history of discrimination and the Civil Rights movement, from America's beginnings to the present day.
From the Paper "Affirmative action is not a cure at all. It will not eliminate racial discrimination, nor will it eliminate competition the good jobs. Affirmative action programs can only ensure that everyone has a fair chance at what is available. I believe, the larger question to ask is: why are there not enough decent paying, challenging, and safe jobs for everyone? Why are there not enough seats in the universities for everyone who wants an education?"
Abstract This paper discusses puritan concepts that are still inherent in American society today. On one side, there are the Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock, the blunderbuss and the turkey, and on the other there is also the commonly-held 'dark side,' the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans: witch-hunts, elitism, intolerance, narrow-minded zealotry. The former is seen to be more influential today.
From the Paper ""I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church." (Thomas Paine) History is primarily the history of ideas. The ideas, concepts and constructions which emerged from Europe in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries had an impact on the whole of the Western world from Europe to its colonies and beyond. The faith in reason, science, technology, progress, human rights, commerce, the nation, and humanity in general, would eventually find its way into a global context. While various Puritan concepts are under fire today, the world has yet to replace them."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the phenomenon of gifted children. The paper includes definitions of "gifted" and the different types of gifted children, as well as a discussion of the problems such children face, the inadequacy of schools to deal with such children, and what parents of such children can do.
From the Paper "Although these outstanding abilities may sound as if they are desirable and appreciated assets, many parents of gifted students report that their children's abilities are as much a handicap as those experienced by learning disabled or mentally challenged students. They see the problems the students experience in both academic and social environments and are faced with tough challenges and questions: How can I help my child integrate into society? Is our school fully capable of developing his/her talents? Do their talents in some way fit into society? How do I encourage my child to achieve their intellectual potential? WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I JUST DID NOTHING?"
Abstract The ideology of Jeans in the United States has been changing for decades due to the shift in pop culture. Because of the diversity of American culture, the idea behind the jeans has evolved from hard-working to self identification. The author examines the changing symbolic significance of jeans for American society over time and the symbol they serve for popular culture.
From the Paper "Jeans, or to be exact, blue jeans, have been carrying its very symbolic significance for America over the last 150 years. For the past century and a half, the culture of jeans has changed the ideological symbolism from initial proletarian wardrobes (toughness, independence, and hardworking) in the mid-nineteenth century to modern twenty-first century representation of selfness (uniqueness, individuality, and personal styles). Not only has the ideology changed over time, but the jeans per se, its design, style, embellishment, or even marketing strategy also change from "western-era" plain style emphasizing durability, through "rebellious-period" creative style stressing anti-tradition, to "post-war epoch" advocating casualness, following neck-and-neck along the societal pulsation. Jeans therefore can serve as an accurate barometer of trends in contemporary, now and then, popular cultures."
Abstract A paper about the problems with the MPAA, The Motion Picture Association of America and their rating system. The author describes what the MPAA is, their role, and strategies for rating, revealing their inconsistencies and inherent biasness in certain aspects.
From the Paper "We finally reach a point where we have to ask if the MPAA is doing a "good" job. I have found that the MPAA often has the right idea, but seems to continuously fall short when rating movies. By falling short, I mean that there are constant inconsistencies in film ratings dealing with moral aspects (homosexual content, violence, etc.) These problems need to be further addressed and solutions,such as the ones mentioned above, need to be considered. The effectiveness of ratings also needs to be addressed. As is, ratings are not as effective as one might hope they would be. Evidence has proven this by showing lack of consistency, bias, confusion, etc. Rating films is not a "bad" idea, but their current state is not really working. The MPAA needs to focus more on just explaining what is in the films instead of over-rating them to the point of forcing film makers to edit their creativity."
Abstract The appearance of new technologies can often dramatically change the face of a culture such as the emergence of the Internet. This paper looks at how culture and technology are intimately linked and how changes in the technology effects culture. Includes projections into the future.
From the Paper "Technology has a profound effect on, and may even destroy the culture in which it appears. If we accept that technology profoundly changes the cultures it is immersed in, an investigation of current technologies may provide useful in prediction cultural change. The Internet is a recently emerging technology that may have powerful cultural ramifications, including increased global cultural homogenization."
Abstract This paper discusses the environment and its relationship with technological progress. The author uses figures, numbers and statistics to demonstrate the environmental paradox, the faulty thought that things are worse than they were before, when in fact they are getting better. The author also looks briefly at future advances in technology such as cloning and genetic engineering and argues for the far-reaching advantages it will provide the human race and environmental science.
From the Paper "In this paper I set out to prove the environmental paradox. The world is getting better and better every day, we live in the greatest time the human race has ever had ? and people say it's going to the dogs. I would like to end this paper with a quote from P.J. O?Rourke: ?Things are better now than things have been since men began keeping track of things. Things are better than they were only a few years ago. Things are better, in fact, than they were at 9:30 this morning, thanks to Tylenol and two Bloody Marys.? (O?Rourke, p. 2) "
Abstract This paper explains exactly what affirmative action is and how it affects society. The author explains how it could be viewed as reverse discrimination or whether it is just making up for years of mistakes. The author takes a stand and says that affirmative action should be outlawed.
From the Paper "One way that the use of affirmative action can be limited is by giving more money to institutions that have a strong minority population (Sterlitz, 1999). This would give them better opportunities to get a job based on their skill instead of on their race. Sterlitz (1999) says "these institutions would give direction and guidance that is needed by all to play a major role in his/her community."
Abstract This paper is a very detailed discussion on the controversial and complex process called globilization, including its major contemporary trends, the controversies surrounding it, its economic, political, technical, legal, organizational, ideological and cultural dimensions. The author submits that that subjective ideological patterns may be imposed upon Globalization issues.
From the Paper "According to Modelski, the process of Globalization is a range of waves coming from frictions between different civilizations. In my view, Globalization phenomena imply a special reorganization of production, inter-dependence between macro economies, mobility, diffusion and transfer of factors of production. Many agree with Sachs, that development is often the cause of rather than the solution to our problems, some of which include the dissolving family ties, hostile environment, lack of reliability and predictability."
Abstract This research attempts to examine the extent to which the media influences the lives of adolescents. The author attempts to investigate how the media impacts the socialization of the youth culture and whether the media is so powerful that it has come to replace other socialization agents such as the family, school and peers. The author examines the way socialization agents impact stages of development and how each contribute to another aspect of the individual's forming personality and attitudes. The author makes use of various sociological theories for supporting evidence.
Table of Contents:
Chapters
1.0 Statement of Research Problem
1.1 Research Problem 2
2.0 Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives
and Review of Literature 3
2.1 Introduction to the Media as an Agent of Socialization 3
2.2 Getting to Know the 3
2.3 The 4
2.4 How the Media Socializes 5
2.5 Media as an Industry 5
2.6 Development of Gender Roles
and Consciousness of Achieved Status 6
2.7 Global Impact vs. Role in North American Society 7
2.8 Pros and Cons of Media Dominance 7
2.9 Independent and Dependant Variables 8
2.10 The Test 8
2.11 The Respondents 9
2.12 The Choice of a Questionnaire 9
2.13 Possible 9
2.14 Validity of Respondents 10
2.15 Questionnaire Distribution 10
2.16 Questions to Answers 11
2.17 Conclusion to Theoretical Perspectives
and Review of Literature 11
3.0 Administration Overview 12
3.1 Time Schedule 12
3.2 Budget 12
3.3 Ethical Issues 13
4.0 Measurement Overview 13
4.1 Existing research 14
5.0 Analysis Overview 14
6.0 Implications 14
6.1 Practical Applications 15
Figure #1 The Questionnaire 16
References 18
From the Paper "There is a problem in Canada that youth are unaware of the significance of the media and its influence on their day-to-day lives. The main questions that will be investigated in the research and hopefully answered if not fully understood by the end of the study would be as follows: How important is the media in the socialization of Canadian popular cultured youth? Is the media the most influential agent of socialization in a teenager's life? Has the media replaced the family, school and peers for being the centre of acquired knowledge for youth? Existing sociological theory suggest we have varying agents of socialization that have different effects on us at different stages of our development and life course. Agents of Socialization are people, groups or institutions that teach people what they need to know in order to participate in society. During the elementary years of school peers are the most important influence. A peer group is a group of people who are linked by common interest, equal social position, and similar age categories. Even as adults we are still influenced by our peers. In this study it will be discussed that the media because of its worldwide accessibility has become a great contributor to socialization than the peer group between the ages of 15-18. The stage of development, which will be conveyed, is called anticipatory socialization (to be discussed in further detail in the theoretical discussion section). This influence at the ages of 15-18, which is referred to, as adolescence will carry on for the future generations as a vital agent of socialization through, out their adult lives."
