Abstract This paper reviews five reasons why dispossessed and oppressed individuals should have a voice in society. Specifically, the paper looks at the social costs that attend failing to pay attention to the needs of these individuals and at the poor public policy that flows from ignoring the dispossessed. Finally, the paper explores the ethical and moral issues that come with overlooking the less-fortunate and considers the impact upon the reputation of a society if it fails to offer social justice in its own land while hectoring others abroad about their human rights record.
From the Paper "At the level of the individual, the costs associated with not heeding the voices of the down-trodden can be very grim, indeed. For one thing, people who struggle with their sense of self and who lack a strong sense of self-empowerment are people who are much more susceptible to thoughts of suicide (Martin, 2006). At the same time, people who feel as though they cannot change their lives for the better - in no small measure because no one seems to care what they think - are people who are very much likely to fall prey to mental illness - such as depression (Laitinen et al, 2006). Thus, there are compelling reasons why, at the level of the individual, people need to be given a sense that they are not viewed as ciphers by others and that their needs will be accepted as genuine."
Tags: community, dispossessed, maltreatment, support
Abstract This paper defines several sociological concepts: Class, gender, oppression, inequality, ideology and alienation. The author points out that the oppression of women in society is seen by many sociological theorists as being related to class divisions and generally to the way that society is structured in terms of different categories or 'classes' of people. The paper relates that a subtle form of oppression is the denial of self-esteem and a sense of worth, especially in younger children, which particularly is prevalent among the youth in western and more industrialized counties.
Table of Contents
Class and Gender
Introduction
Oppression and Inequality
Ideology and Alienation
Gender, Class and Oppression Conclusion
From the Paper "Both gender and class are therefore viewed as concepts that describe inequalities and forms of oppression in a society. Many sociological analyses of society stress the relationship between these forms of inequality and oppression. For examples, one of the central issues in terms of Marxist analysis is power and privilege, as well as conflict within society on the basis of class and gender and race. In other words these inequalities and social disparities lead to conditions that create oppression and conflict within society."
Abstract This essay discusses how gay and lesbian adolescents are an at-risk population. The paper argues that this phenomenon is the result of the homophobia that exists in the society at large. In the context of the discrimination against gay youth, therefore, the social worker's role becomes extremely significant. Indeed, there needs to be outside intervention to help gay youth deal with the oppression around them.
Abstract This paper explains how Jamaica's tourist industry after 1960 reproduced colonial forms of oppression in an industry controlled by colonial elite investors and beneficiaries that capitalize on cheap labor supplies; explanation of results of mass tourism as pursued by various Third World countries, and in Jamaica's example; note higher basic costs, low industrial or other development, cultural decay; reinforcement of colonial/postcolonial elites in a dual economy and dual society of much poverty. Itwaru, Fanon, CLR James, plus other refs.
From the Paper "Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean, discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1494, named earlier by the Arawak Indians, 'Xaymaca' or the 'land of wood and water'. The Spanish introduced slaves from Africa after 1513, as labourers in a new sugarcane industry. In 1655, Jamaica became a British colony, continuing on till its independence in 1962. Just before independence, economic development began that centered on cultivating tourism, in keeping with other emerging colonies of the British Commonwealth Caribbean. This paper shows that tourism involves a carrying on of colonial phenomenon in independent Jamaica, including the class gaps of a colonial society. The moneyed classes were those to invest directly..."
An examination of the history of the movements of Huey Long and Father Coughlin, as discussed in Alan Brinkley's book, "Voices of Protest: Huey Long, Father Coughlin and the Great Depression."
Abstract This paper discusses Alan Brinkley's book, "Voices of Protest: Huey Long, Father Coughlin and the Great Depression," which examines the social history and popularity of the movements of U.S. Senator from Louisiana Huey P. Long and Charles E. Coughlin, a Catholic priest from a suburb of Detroit. The paper discusses the history of the movements and compares them to today's political climate.
From the Paper "Long and Coughlin zeroed in on the vague anxieties with which society had wrestled for many decades over ''the animosity toward concentrated power, the concern about the erosion of community and personal autonomy" (Brinkley, 261). Their efforts turned the focus of the public away from the cultural issues that had dominated the politics of the 1920s and focused it on the economic realities of the 1930s and the Great Depression. Their rhetoric addressed issues of privilege, wealth and centralized power as well as the failure of conventional political institutions to deal with these areas (Brinkley, 261). Brinkley maintains that Long and Coughlin are representative of a long tradition of opposition to "large, inaccessible power centers, a tradition that stretched from the American Revolution to the populist revolt and beyond" (Brinkley, 261). However, he also shows that even by the 1930s, American society had begun a process of economic centralization that was already far too advanced for a genuine reversal to be a possibility (Brinkley, 262)."
Abstract This paper discusses fat phobia in Western society and how it affects girls and women of all ages. The paper specifically demonstrates how overweight women are the targets of discrimination, hatred and fat-phobia. The paper defines the terms 'fat', 'overweight' and 'obese' and then examines the ways in which fat women are discriminated against.
Table of Content:
Body Image Issues Since 1900
Fat Oppression and Women
From the Paper "Women are far from merely oppressed from the outside. They have internalized the fears and phobias towards fatness, maintaining lives of undue discipline and self-policing of behavior. How many women count their calories or read nutrition labels for fat content while insisting they are not dieting? Women manipulate their lives so that food appears to be a non-issue for them. Men will often whine that they are annoyed when women won't eat in their presence, yet women believe they are doing that so men will find them more attractive. The oppression of fatness in our culture is not one that only affects those deemed 'medically overweight.' Pick up any magazine or watch any television show (particularly during daytime TV) and you will realize how prevalent notions of 'thin is the only option' are. The fat woman in the ad is often portrayed as lonely, searching for a new career and looking for that perfect love. The only way she can ever achieve these goals is to be thin, at any cost."
Abstract This paper looks at Japan as a female-oppressedsociety where they can resist dominant power and ideology. Women can utilize their power within the home to expand their power in the public sphere.
Abstract This paper summarizes an article based on male voices and the perception of sexual orientation, specifically male homosexuality and the voice characteristics that people attribute to them. The paper discusses a group of people who listen to a number of recorded voices that range from "gay-sounding" to "straight-sounding" and then cross analyze the results by studying the pitch of each voice recorded how it influenced the listeners' response.
From the Paper "Male Voices and Perceived Sexual Orientation Male Voices and Perceived Sexual Orientation Introduction The background of the research is based on a study that was conducted by three Canadian University Professors who studied the perceptions of male voices in terms of which sound gay and which sound straight. The authors described how they discussed this research topic openly with their students. Their students agreed, "gay men speech mirrors the patterns of stereotypical high-pitched women's voices" (Smyth, Jacobs, & Rogers, 2003, p. 331). The authors developed a gay-sounding and straight-sounding scale based on listener ratings to record and measure the perception of sexual orientation based on a person's voice (Smyth, Jacobs, & Rogers, 2003, p. 329)."
Abstract In this essay, the voice of the narrator in Wilfred Owen's World War I poem "Futility" is explicated. Three of the aspects of the poet/narrator's voice that are examined are his gentleness, his tiredness, and his anger. Each of these qualities is used to show the fuller picture of the poem and of what Owen is trying to say and describe about death, war, and the world in which he lived.
From the Paper "In the chapter of 'Introduction to Literature, Criticism, and Theory' on the topic of voice, Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle make the claim that literature is "the space in which, more than anywhere else, the power, beauty and strangeness of the voice is both evoked and bodied forth". The point that is being made is that in literature, the voice being used to give the information, to tell the tale, to speak to the reader is much more important than the voice used on a cereal box or in a car owner's manual. The person or persons who are the voice are just as much a part of the reading experience as the letters on the page are. As Bennett and Royle add, "reading literary texts involves hearing extraordinary voices"."
Speaks of the parallels between the oppression that existed before the civil rights movement as spoken of in Ernest J. Gaine's famous novel, "A Lesson Before Dying", and the societal oppression that is still felt today in 2005.
Abstract Ernest J. Gaines' famous novel, "A Lesson Before Dying" accents the tension inherent among African-Americans across the country during the 1940s. This essay draws parallels between the societal oppression felt by African-Americans before and during the civil rights movement and the oppression that is still felt by young Americans today.
From the Paper "Gaines's novel examines the difficulties facing African Americans in the rural South during the 1940s, but the historical content covers nearly a century. Between 1910 and 1970, more than six million blacks left the South. During this time, the Civil Rights Movement did much to increase civil equality among the races. But, these strides did not come without blood, sweat, and tears. Jefferson's struggle in the novel parallels the paramount effort, determination, and persistence made by many African Americans during the Civil Rights movement. The road was long, but the benefits of staying the course were innumerable. College students can learn a lot from Gaines's novel. Discrimination and oppression still exist in 2005 even though it has taken on new forms and faces. No fight worth fighting is ever easy, and if college students want to change society, they must stand for their rights and use their voices."
Tags: discrimination, oppression, racial, tension, Jefferson
Abstract In this article, the writer looks at views of radical feminists who believe that gender is the focus in order to end women's oppression. The writer suggests that focusing on the body as a site of the oppression of women would be more effective. Further the writer describes that a different approach was taken by other radical feminists to focus on the body as the site of women's oppression.
From the Paper "Radical feminism has focused on gender as the site where the struggle to end women's oppression needed to begin. However, this can be made more specific and more effective by focusing on the body as a site of women's oppression. Since sex oppression is the basic form of oppression, it appeared logical to focus on the biological origins of that oppression in order to identify and explain its ultimate source."
Abstract This paper introduces, discusses and reviews the book "Personal Voices" by Emily Honig and Gail Hershatter. The paper examines both personal and social changes experienced by women in China over the past 100 years.
From the Paper "Just as the government of mainland China has undergone extensive change in the last years, so have the women of China as they struggled to adapt to a changing political landscape. This paper will review the book, "Personal Voices" by Emily Honig and Gail Hershatter and discuss some of the societal changes as well as personal changes that many women have gone through from pre-Liberation China to the People's Republic of China, the time period covered in the book. Specifically, this discussion will focus on the different roles..."
Abstract This paper examines the impact of the cell phone on modern day society. The paper explains that with the increase in usage of mobile phones, comes new problems and the need for rules and regulations. The paper points out that when used properly, cell phones can connect people with business, important information, and other people, but when used too often, cell phones can cause us harm and work to weaken our socialization skills.
From the Paper "Cell phones are becoming increasingly popular to people all over the world. "With the cell phone's debut in 1984, 92,000 early adapters raced to own one. Twenty years later, it is now estimated that more than 171 million Americans use a cell phone" (Sellman 60). When cell phones were first introduced, they were bulky, expensive, and had a limited operating life and range. But now cell phone reception, battery life, operating locations, and various options have improved. Cell phones are not as bulky anymore. In fact, some are downright tiny and incredibly light. Cell phones are being incorporated with everything today. Automotive makers are finding ways to have built-in cell phone holders and charging stations. Cell phone producers are trying to find more and more ways to pack music, video, pictures, internet, and business software into the cell phone."
Abstract The paper discusses the goals and ideals of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and outlines its efforts and achievements from before World War I until today. The paper outlines the many and complex services the HIAS currently offers and shows how it has continued to provide security, resources, networking and connections to Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants into the United States. The paper also devotes time to describing how the HIAS has been integral in establishing the Jewish community of New York. The paper labels the HIAS as one of the most effective and efficient relocation agencies.
From the Paper "The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society began when a group of Jewish immigrants founded the organization in order to offer food and shelter to those immigrants fleeing Europe. (Idealist) The founding tenet of the organization is based upon the Jewish teaching of welcome, protection, and love for the stranger. The principles of Piddyon Shevuyim (redeeming the captive), Chesed (kindness), and Hachnasat Orchim (hospitality) are also among the founding tenets of the organization. The overall purpose is to create the most compassionate and welcoming support for refugees as they integrate into their host countries. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society maintains its presence in several oppressive countries and areas all over the world, including the Middle East, former Soviet Union, Africa, and Latin America (Wikipedia)."
Tags: citizenship, naturalization, relocation, refugees, oppression, Jews, minorities, New, York
Abstract This paper mainly discusses the post-industrial society and the transition process from industrial to post-industrial society. By using the articles and the ideas of Castells, Bell, Negri and Hardt, the writer explains how the post-industrial society has emerged, and predicts the shape of post-industrial society in future. The writer also tries to construct his own point of view about the post-industrial society and explains the reason why he calls post-industrial society a digital society.
From the Paper "Post-industrial society is a conception of late 20th century, which simply emphasizes the declining dependence of the societies on mass manufacturing industry and the increasing roles of service sector, knowledge and information technologies in production. By contrast the industrial society, which precedes post-industrial society, refers to the mass production (factory-based) as the dominant form of production. I think the best definition regarding post-industrial era has come from Daniel Bell, who is also considered as the father of post-industrial society. He suggests that post industrial society includes the birth and growth of a knowledge class, change from goods to service sectors and change from blue-collar to white-collar occupations. For him, all of these could be based on an increasing dependence on science as a means of innovation as well as a means of technical and social change."
Tags: globalization, industrial, post, society, sociology, digital, production, communication, network
