Abstract In this paper, the writer looks at the approaches Emerson and Thoreau take to social criticism. The writer shows that they share a common dislike of a large society that dwarfs and silences the individual. It then shows that the two authors have many differences in their style of criticism. Whereas Emerson writes to inspire the masses to change and create a better society, Thoreau writes in a less optimistic style, aiming to affect individual readers, so that they might rise above their flawed society rather than be a part of an improved one.
From the Paper "The two American literary pioneers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau gave voice to a philosophy of individualism and a mode of life striving to reach something beyond ordinary existence. In fact, the two were close friends, sharing very similar thoughts concerning American life in the 19th century. Thoreau was a neighbor of Emerson?s, and for a short time was actually employed by Emerson as a handyman. Emerson played a key role in having Thoreau's early work published ? both in the Transcendentalist newspaper The Dial (of which Emerson was the editor), as well as to a wider audience."
A study of the methods used by the two most populous nations on earth, emphasizing the difference between China's coercive policy and India's voluntary policy.
4,122 words (approx. 16.5 pages), 23 sources, 2000, $ 110.95
From the Paper "Overpopulation is perhaps the single most pervading force of today's society. Transcending boundaries of political science, economics, sociology or any other field working with issues relevant to contemporary society, the mathematical certainty of exponential population growth is simple; By the time we begin to sense overpopulation, it is only a short time until the problem reaches mammoth and uncontrollable scale. Particularly in the third world, where resources are scarce, the imperative for action for clear. China and India are the two most heavily populated nations of the world, yet have taken radically different approaches to population control. India has maintained a strictly non-coercive population policy, and indeed the population has skyrocketed. China, on the other hand, has succeeded in curbing the population growth rate quite significantly by taking a much more proactive stance. While pragmatically effective, China's policies are so authoritarian and coercive that they lead to consequences considered simply inhuman by many."
A look at the fact that adolescents are faced with more sophisticated risks today than they were at the beginning of the century due to the breakdown of the family, the media, the repercussions of the Civil and Women's Rights Movements, etc.
2,374 words (approx. 9.5 pages), 6 sources, 2000, $ 72.95
Abstract This explores the subject of adolescence: how juveniles today differ from youths from the past in dealing with issues such as sex, schooling, and the effects of media.
Abstract This paper takes a look at the Jazz Age during the twenties in America and how the music both reflected and inspired great social change. The author discusses the history of Jazz music, how it originated and spread and how it came to express the nature of society.
From the Paper "The Twenties was a crazy time in America. There was crime and violence, illegal alcohol and drugs, and dancing and jazz music. Despite the depression and prohibition, jazz music was able to lift the spirits of Americans and get their knees knocking and their arms flailing. Jazz spread like wildfire through the nation, and taught Americans how to make the best of a "depressing" situation. Some jazz represents the spontaneity and confusion of the decade while the more serious jazz shows the underlying rhythm of the twenties. If one listens to jazz music from the 1920s one can sense the mood of the times, and feel the excitement that jazz brought to the nation."
Abstract A personal analysis of the importance of capital punishment for the prevention of future murders. The author provides information on capital punishment, its history and public opinion on the subject to support his argument.
From the Paper "When someone has raped and murdered a child, that person has relinquished his right to live. The reason I favor capital punishment is because I have so much regard for human life. Murder is the most terrible crime there is. Anything less than the death penalty is an insult to the victim and society. It says, in effect that we do not value the victim's life enough to punish the killer fully. How many criminals have been let out of prison only to go on killing, raping, and stealing? Why should we allow criminals to harm innocent children, women, and men? No one can deny that the execution of a murderer is a horrible spectacle. But we must not forget that murder is more horrible. The penalty should be exacted only after the guilt is established beyond the shadow of a doubt and only for willful, premeditated murder. But the law of capital punishment must stand, no matter how often a criminal begs for mercy. After all, the victim did not receive mercy. Words are not enough to show that life is sacred. Active justice must be administered when the sacredness of life is violated."
Tags: justice, law, punish, death, crime, kill, moral, society
Abstract This paper talks about how the media portrays violence in children. The author argues that the media claims violence is caused by movies or television and provides evidence why this is not accurate, suggesting other reasons why violence in children has developed over the past century.
From the Paper "One morning a high school student named Kip Kinkle woke up, and chose to shoot his parents in his own home. He then proceeded to school and shot his way through Thurston High School cafeteria. No one believed that such a tragic event could happen more than once. The media portrayed the event in great detail. They outlined the actions of Kinkle, telling his story in almost a heroic fashion and detailing his killing spree. Just one year later, the mass attacks by two students at Columbine High School in Colorado has resulted in attempts to understand the influence the media has on shaping personal views of violence and the implications of copycat crimes."
Abstract An argumentative paper examining the social problems and effects arising in American democracy due to the presence of illiteracy. The author searches for a solution, and presents a few ideas concerning the issue.
From the Paper ?An entire side of a can of WD40 (household product used for unstitching valves and fixing squeaky wheels) is devoted to health warnings. "Heat may cause can to burst violently", "deliberate or direct inhalation may be harmful or fatal", "If swallowed, do NOT induce vomiting". Okay?so we have to be careful when handling WD40 ? but you wouldn"t know that if you couldn"t read those warnings. Startling numbers of Americans cannot read something as simple as a warning on the side of a can. Those same people cannot read their lease agreements for their apartments, street signs, the electricity, heat, water and phone bills which could leave them without those basic commodities. Believe it or not, these people incapable of performing basic daily skills do exist in our great Land of Opportunity. The problem is obviously rooted in our educational system, but the solution must go past just educational reform ? and we are light years away from even accomplishing that yet. Educators, social scientists, authors, and most anyone concerned with solving the poverty problem in the U.S. have been calling for action from the government as well as from the American people."
Tags: american, government, problems, reform, social
Abstract A personal paper about television violence. The author offers a descriptive account of television violence in the past and how violence is portrayed today relating the effects that this has on society. The author argues that parental guidance relies too heavily on society to raise their children, leaving their children to be exposed to violence.
From the Paper "Over the last twenty years people have changed their views on violence. It is no longer possible to surprise viewers with graphic images or explosions because they are too familiar. Overall, TV has the same amount of violence it is just more powerful and realistic. It is also all relative to the time, twenty years ago it took less to upset the public, so violence was used sparingly, now we are numb to it and we must be overexposed to get the same effect. As far as the relation of TV violence to the sadistic manifestations of current day fanatical children, I believe there aren"t any; all the TV shows do is give them a scapegoat. Rather than viewing their actions as being a product of society, it is my opinion that blame should be cast upon the parents, who don"t build firm relationships with their children in the short amount of time they spend with them. They rely on society to raise their children, and don?t even inform them on the proper ethics and morals needed to deal with the conflicts portrayed on TV. So when children are faced with a problem, they resolve it the only way they know how, violence."
Abstract This paper addresses the controversial educational procedure of inclusion, where students with special needs are "included" into the school system in classes whose students do not have special educational needs. This paper investigates the research that indicates that the inclusion process does not have any negative effects for either the special needs students or the class as a whole, and does not place additional burdens on the teacher. This paper includes an introduction, a definition of inclusion and research conducted in the field. The paper shows that inclusion programs are designed to promote acceptance of special needs students in public education.
From the Paper "This criticism, while perhaps well- intentioned, is not justified by the scholastic journals. Indeed, the majority of critical sources suggest that the opposition is misinformed, and that studies find that students with special needs do not have a negative impact on their classrooms. This particular theme, where students who can be considered "tradition" students as they do not have special needs, is often not the primary focus of research targeting inclusion policies but is often noted in the articles relating to the subject."
Abstract This paper discusses the affect that wealth has on health and postulates that people born with lower social status have a higher liklihood of sickness and health complications. It touches on subjects from issues of not enough money for food to sexual practices.
From the Paper "Even though we are taught in schools how different we are from ancient societies, we are not all that different. An individual is still born into his or her social class and he or she is brought up to live like those of his or her class. In our modern society individuals are able to more easily build his or her future on his or her dreams, but the reality is that dreams and hopes are hard to come by. Sadly due to the social classes impounded upon us at birth individuals must over come many obstacles in life, of which one is health. In our society, health can be purchased, as though it were a commodity, not something available to everyone but only to the wealthy. Such a commodity should not exist since we have a right to be healthy, however it does. For obvious reasons, it is much harder for lower classes to purchase this health, and therefore, for obvious reasons, such classes are less healthy."
This paper examines how hip hop and in particular rap music gives African Americans on the margins of society a powerful voice to express political discontent.
4,135 words (approx. 16.5 pages), 23 sources, 2001, $ 110.95
Abstract This paper discusses how the musical styles of hip hop and rap create a powerful venue for African Americans to express their feelings regarding politics, racial discrimination and society in general. To compliment the main thesis, this paper includes an in-depth history of the origins of hip hop, analysis of politically significant songs and the effects of mass media on hip hop.
From the Paper "In the United States of America we pride ourselves as being the freest nation in the world. Unfortunately, there are times in our history in which certain groups have been unrightfully deprived of their freedom. This can be said for African-Americans who endured 244 years of slavery and another century of institutionalized racism. As Ralph Ellison has suggested, "Afro-Americans have had rhythmic freedom in place of social freedom, linguistic wealth instead of pecuniary wealth" (West, 1999, p. 474). The late 1970s signaled a new era of rhythmic and linguistic wealth: rap music. Hip hop and in particular rap music gives African Americans on the margins of society a powerful voice to express political discontent, but these messages are being obscured by the violence and sexism in some rap music. While political discontent is expressed through all the elements of hip hop, rap music has become the most powerful, creating a link that transcends location, age, religion, and race."
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze conflict in the team environment. Topics covered include: Why conflict occurs, how to manage and resolve it and strategies to avoid it when developing and working with teams.
From the Paper ?Teams are defined by Jon Katzenbach in "The Wisdom of Teams" as "small groups of people with complementary skills committed to a common purpose, approach, and performance goals for which they hold themselves mutually accountable." Team building is extremely popular in business today. According to the Industry Week "1999 Census of Manufacturers," nearly 68% of small-company plants use teams to varying degrees. Teams can add to the productivity and profits of a business, but they can also be extremely stressful for the members involved if they aren't managed correctly.?
Tags: resolution, arbitration, mediation, fight, argue, business, work, together
Abstract This paper demonstrates how mass media plays an important role in communicating to individuals what other people in their society think and enable leaders to broadcast their messages to large audiences. It explains in depth that public opinion is shaped both by relatively permanent circumstances and by temporary influences. The paper intelligently displays how mass media in the United States facilitates cohesive public opinion for a large population spread over wide geographic area.
From the Paper "When we ask to what extent the mass media influence our perceptions of who belongs and who doesn?t, on the role of race in America, on the "deviance" of certain groups within American society, a large measure of what we are asking falls under the more general rubric of how public opinion is formed, as Riggs suggests. Public opinion is shaped both by relatively permanent circumstances and by temporary influences. Among the former are the ideas that characterize the popular culture of a given place at a given time. In the U.S., for example, the youth-oriented culture of the early 21st century affects the attitudes of many people toward aging and the elderly and the images of whites vis-?-vis other groups within the mass media certainly affects American perceptions of race."
Abstract This paper provides a definition of an organization, organizational theory, and its use in management. A discussion of open and closed systems, bureaucracy and the advantages and disadvantages of rules and regulations within an organization.
From the Paper "What is an organization? An organization is a socially structured and coordinated system which is composed of two or more people with the aim of achieving a common goal, or mission. The individuals who collectively constitute the organization are directed, by managers, towards achieving their shared goal within sub-systems and boundaries which serve to separate the organization's internal environment from the external environment with which it interacts."
Abstract This paper presents a discussion about how divorce affects children and teenagers. The writer takes a sociological path in exploring the long-term affects on the individuals and examines how this impacts on their future relationships in society.
From the Paper "During the last four decades the divorce rate began to climb not only in America but also across the globe. As families began to live in separate houses researchers took on the task of studying the affects of the divorce on children and teenagers (Dunn, 1999). Now, four decades later the results are in and the experts agree divorce has an undeniable negative impact on children and teenagers. This is not to say the negative impact cannot be counterbalanced but it must be recognized as a given for groups of people affected by divorce if the world wants to correct the affects from a sociological point of view(Dunn, 1999)."
