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

Leadership Development

Introduction

The Quest for a General Theory of Leadership (GTOL) involves a story about process, and another about product. The story begins with James MacGregor Burns who began thinking more generally about the phenomenon of leadership.

Every year organizations invest considerably in developing their leaders. Annual estimates range from $16.5 billion to over $45 billion for leadership development programs and other supporting management/executive education activities in the United States alone.

One emerging development in the field is that recent global survey data collected by researchers at Developmental Dimensions International suggest that leaders are increasingly dissatisfied with their organization’s development... Continue reading "The Quest for a General Theory of Leadership Development" »

Types of Interest Groups

Economic Interest Groups

Represent businesses, labor unions, and professional associations.

Environmental Interest Groups

Advocate for environmental protection (e.g., Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation).

Ideological Interest Groups

Promote specific political ideologies or beliefs.

Public Interest Groups

Work for the common good and broader societal benefits.

One-Issue Interest Groups

Focus on a single, specific policy issue.

Interest Group Activities

Lobbying

Directly interacting with policymakers to influence legislation.

Grassroots Lobbying

Mobilizing the public to contact policymakers and express their views.

Electioneering

Supporting candidates and political parties through endorsements and campaign contributions.

Litigation

Filing... Continue reading "Understanding Interest Groups: Key Terms and Concepts" »

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

Origins and Objectives

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) emerged as a global political commitment at the 2005 World Summit. Endorsed by UN members, its core objective is to prevent and halt genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. The impetus for R2P stemmed from the international community's failure to effectively respond to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.

Three Pillars of R2P

1. Responsibility to Prevent: States must uphold fundamental principles against mass atrocity crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
2. International Assistance and Capacity Building: The international community should provide assistance and support to states struggling to protect their populations.

In relation to the perspective of creative capital, creative capital theory differs in several respects from human capital theory: (1) it identifies a type of human capital, creative people, as the key to economic growth; and (2) it identifies the underlying factors that determine the location decisions of these people, rather than simply saying that regions are blessed with certain endowments of them.

The creative class begins fundamentally with the people Florida calls the creative class. The creative class includes a core group and creative professionals working in a wide range of knowledge-based occupations in high-tech, financial services sectors...

• Some patterns of the creative class: It's moving away from traditional corporate communities.

Unit 1: Principle Theories

1. Realism

The international system is defined by the absence of a central authority (Anarchy).

• States are sovereign and autonomous of each other.
• There is no structure or society to order state relations.
• State power is the key variable of interest. It emphasizes the distribution of coercive material capacity as the determinant of international politics.

Realism Assumptions:

• Survival: The principal goal of every State.
• Rationality: States are rational actors.
• Military Capacity: States should possess military capacity.
• Great Powers: States with economic and military influence are decisive.

2. Institutionalism

It relies on the idea of cooperation between States.... Continue reading "Key Theories in International Relations: Realism & Institutionalism" »

Theme 1: Matthew Arnold

Matthew Arnold was a famous literary critic, poet, and school inspector. His study of popular culture will focus mainly on culture and anarchy. Besides, he inaugurates a tradition, a particular way of seeing popular culture.

Popular culture is a culture that is widely favored or well-liked by many people. What is not high culture. It is seen as mass culture, an impoverished and devaluated form of culture. It is an “authentic” culture which originates from “the people” (folk culture) and finally, it is the practice of everyday.

His book Culture and Anarchy has had quite an influence on discussions about culture value. In the first chapter from his book, we can know what culture is. Firstly, culture can be related... Continue reading "Matthew Arnold and the Importance of Culture" »

After 1945, European countries found social and political stability due to several factors. One of the factors include a program called the Marshall Plan. It all started with $13 billion donation from the United States government to Western European countries for food, equipment, and money. This money was meant to restore the regular life of the Western Europeans. Aside from economic assistance, the Marshall Plan was part of the U.S. government containment policy. The Marshall Plan aimed to stop the spread of communism. The idea of the U.S. government was to provide support for war-torn countries in order to make them realize that communism was not the best system to adopt. The Marshall Plan’s goals can be summarized into two points.

1. Increase

Explain why the Mars expedition is a huge risk travel.

The Mars expedition is very risky because the launching can go wrong.

What happens if the space suit rips?

All of our oxygen would escape and we wouldn't have breathing.

What happens if the rover breaks down?

We would have to find a way to build another ship.

What would happen if you lost contact with Earth?

Probably we never come back to the Earth because we don't have communication.

Reasons why people shouldn't go to Mars.

• Homesickness
• High risk

Would you volunteer to go to Mars?

No, because it is too dangerous and I have a lot of risk.

Write about a candidate that is willing to go to Mars.

Sabrina is 40 years old and she is Japanese.

Why do people want to go to Mars?

For looking for a new adventure... Continue reading "The Risks and Rewards of the Mars Expedition" »

Equal Opportunities: Reality vs. Ideal?

Equality of opportunity is an ideal to which many societies aspire, but in practice, significant challenges remain in fully achieving it. While progress has been made in some areas, such as anti-discrimination legislation and efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, disparities persist in areas like access to education, employment, healthcare, and political representation.

Factors such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and socioeconomic status can significantly influence the opportunities a person has in life. Discrimination and prejudice can hinder equal access to resources and opportunities, undermining the principle of equal opportunity.

While measures have been... Continue reading "Equal Opportunity Challenges & Workforce Integration Impact" »

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

1. No Poverty
2. Zero Hunger
3. Good Health and Well-being
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
10. Reduced Inequalities
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
13. Climate Action
14. Life Below Water
15. Life on Land
16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals

Understanding Race and Human Diversity

Key Concepts of Race

• Race is a modern idea with no genetic basis.
• Human subspecies do not exist.
• Skin color is only skin deep.
• Variation exists within so-called races, not primarily between them.
• Slavery predates the concept of race.
• Race and freedom were born together, with