Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Social sciences

Regarding the difference between a language and a dialect can be confusing. A language is a mental phenomenon, the language lives in the mind because it is a cognitive ability. However, a dialect is a certain type of linguistic variety. It is the way of speaking of a community which is a bit different from the standard one. One problem is dialectal continuum:

The distinction is very broad. If we ask how many languages there are, we will not have an exact answer because there are over 4000 and 6000 languages. It is difficult to say which is a language or which is not. The word 'language' is a concept more political than scientific, the decision in the end is political. For example, the Swedes, Danish, and Norwegians speak highly similar linguistic... Continue reading "Language vs Dialect: Power Dynamics and Societal Influence" »

United Nations (UN)

The UN facilitates international cooperation in law, security, development, human rights, and peace.

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: Focuses on education, science, and culture.

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization: Leads efforts to combat hunger and improve nutrition.

ILO

International Labour Organization: Addresses labor issues and work relations.

UNICEF

United Nations International Children's Fund: Provides aid to children globally.

WHO

World Health Organization: Coordinates international public health initiatives.

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency: Promotes peaceful use of nuclear energy.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization: A military alliance for collective defense.

OPEC

Organization

The Victorian Age

Social and Historical Context

The Victorian age covers a wide period and was very productive, literarily speaking. We find the so-called professional writing: writers devoted their lives to writing. Literature became a profession. It constituted an outstanding moment for the development of non-fictional works. Poetry was cultivated, but the novel was the preferred genre.

Queen Victoria ruled Britain from 1837 to 1901. She brought important political and economic development to her country. It was the age of Colonialism, and a new philosophy was introduced. We are speaking about expansion and development. Queen Victoria was very young when she became queen. She was born in 1819 and died in 1901. She was in her teens when she became... Continue reading "Victorian Era: Society, Politics, and Poetry" »

Globalization and Globalism

Globalization is the increasing interconnectedness of people across countries, while globalism refers to the fluctuating level and extent of these connections. Globalism, therefore, is a key component of globalization, constantly evolving based on the specific type of linkage. The authors identify four distinct forms of globalism:

Economic Globalism

This involves international trade, the flow of jobs across borders (e.g., scientists conducting research abroad or relocated customer service centers), and international investment.

Military Globalism

Countries with limited military capabilities form alliances with stronger military powers. This often involves establishing military bases or defense agreements.

Environmental

The Rainbow Nation

Nelson Mandela often referred to South Africa as the "Rainbow Nation" to capture the diversity of the country's population and to emphasize the vision of unity in the post-apartheid era. The term "Rainbow Nation" reflects Mandela's commitment to building a nation where people of different races, ethnicities, and backgrounds could coexist harmoniously.

The Madiba Clan

Nelson Mandela belonged to the Thembu royal family, and his clan within the Thembu people is called the Madiba clan. "Madiba" was also a term of respect and endearment that many South Africans used to refer to Mandela.

Flags in 'Invictus'

In the movie "Invictus," during the first rugby match, you would see the national flags of South Africa and Australia. The scene... Continue reading "Nelson Mandela, South Africa's Rainbow Nation, and 'Invictus'" »

Technological Advancements

Another important impact the Industrial Revolution had was the improvements and developments it brought to the printing press. The development of more efficient and productive printing machines helped publish newspapers and made them more available to the masses. The telegraph is a great example that reflects the improvements seen in communication. Also, developing the steam engine as well as the iron and coal industry helped improve the transportation systems of society. Coal was used to power the steam engines, and iron was used to construct bridges and railroads, representing the huge progress made in transportation.

Social Issues and Worker Reforms

Eventually, with all of the mentioned social impacts that were produced... Continue reading "Industrial Revolution: Technology, Society, and Reform" »

Red Flag Laws

• According to Joseph Blocher and Jacob D. Charles, legal professors at Duke University and Pepperdine Caruso Law School, respectively, “extreme risk laws provide a way for guns to be quickly and temporarily taken away from a person who does not necessarily fit into a prohibited class but is at risk of harming themselves or others.” Thus, this solution does not profile specific groups but collects information to ascertain individuals' ability to bear arms.

Implications

• Combining a national ERPO and a gun safety course can help reduce teen mortality rates and improve gun reform.

• The implementation of our solution will subsequently elicit a more knowledgeable understanding of gun violence, causing a decrease in school shootings.

• According

^{Lazarsfeld's theory:}

The two-step flow of communication model hypothesizes that ideas flow from mass media to opinion leaders, and from them to a wider population. It was first introduced by sociologist Paul Lazarsfeld et al. in 1944[4] and elaborated by Elihu Katz and Lazarsfeld in 1955[5] and subsequent publications.[6] Lowery and DeFleur argue the book was much more than a simple research report: it was an effort to interpret the authors' research within a framework of conceptual schemes, theoretical issues, and research findings drawn broadly from the scientific study of small groups [7] Unlike the hypodermic needle model, which considers mass media effects to be direct, the two-step flow model stresses human agency.

For example, in the field... Continue reading "Lazarsfeld's Two-Step Flow Theory of Mass Communication" »

Types of nouns

Common noun A common noun is a noun that refers to people or things in general, e.g. boy, country, bridge, city, birth, day, happiness.

Proper noun A proper noun is a name that identifies a particular person, place, or thing, e.g. Steven, Africa, London, Monday. In written English, proper nouns begin with capital letters.

Concrete noun A concrete noun is a noun which refers to people and to things that exist physically and can be seen, touched, smelled, heard, or tasted. Examples include dog, building, coffee, tree, rain, beach, tune.

Abstract noun An abstract noun is a noun which refers to ideas, qualities, and conditions - things that cannot be seen or touched and things which have no physical reality, e.g. truth, danger, happiness,