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

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

Industry Maturity and Corporate Models (1945–1970s)

The industries of the Second Industrial Revolution reached full maturity during the 30 years following the Second World War. Big business grew in size and number, especially in the three largest European economies (Britain, France, and Germany). As in earlier periods, American firms were the largest.

• Large corporations were vertically integrated. For example, the automobile company Ford used to own a tire company, a glass company, a metal company, and distribution centers. All of these were related to car production.

A large body of literature focuses on the difference between the American model of enterprise (shareholder) and the European model of corporation (stakeholder). As we have seen,... Continue reading "Post-War Industrial Transformation: Corporate Models and Policy (1945–1970s)" »

Romanticism: From Revolution to Manifesto

This period, spanning from the French Revolution to the mid-19th century, concludes with the Communist Manifesto. International and domestic conflicts arose in England, yet religious disputes no longer dominated political life. Economic transformations fueled class conflicts between the bourgeoisie and lower classes, as well as between the gentry and the industrial bourgeoisie, driven by economic interests. The era witnessed the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Reign of Terror, France's rise as a military power under Napoleon, and economic crises. In England, figures like Nelson and Wellington emerged, and Bentham advocated for reforms, fearing the spread of revolution amidst the Napoleonic Wars.... Continue reading "Romanticism and the Rise of the Novel: A Literary Exploration" »

List the 6 Areas of Teacher Knowledge (Richards, 1998)

1. Theories of teaching

2. Development of teaching competences and skills

3. Content knowledge of the different subjects

4. Psychopedagogical and didactic knowledge

5. Knowledge of the school context

6. Practical knowledge

Specific Knowledge for English Teachers

Specific knowledge, often gained through experience, is crucial for effective teaching. According to Richards, skilled English teachers should excel in:

1. Selecting learning activities

2. Preparing students for new learning

3. Presenting learning activities

4. Asking questions

5. Checking students’ understanding

6. Providing opportunities for practice of new items

7. Monitoring students’ learning

8. Giving feedback on student learning

Why is Lesson Planning Important?

Lesson planning... Continue reading "Essential Teacher Knowledge and Lesson Planning in English Language Teaching" »

Which Bases of Power Are Most Effective?

Research suggests that the personal sources of power are most effective. Both expert and referent power are positively related to employees’ satisfaction with supervision, their organizational commitment, and their performance, whereas reward and legitimate power seem to be unrelated to these outcomes. One source of formal power—coercive power—can be damaging.

The General Dependence Postulate

The greater B’s dependence on A, the more power A has over B. When you possess anything others require that you alone control, you make them dependent on you, and therefore you gain power over them. As the old saying goes, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king!” But if something is plentiful,... Continue reading "Understanding Power Dynamics and Dependence in Organizations" »

Agenda Setting

Agenda setting describes the news media's ability to influence the salience of topics on the public agenda. *Agenda-setting theory* was formally developed by Max McCombs and Donald Shaw in a study on the 1968 American presidential election. When the media focuses on just a few issues and subjects, the public tends to perceive those issues as more important.

Priming

Priming is the process in which the media attend to some issues and not others, thereby altering the standards by which people evaluate election candidates. A number of studies have demonstrated that there is a dimension of powerful media effects that goes beyond agenda-setting.

Framing

Framing is related to the agenda-setting tradition but expands the research by focusing... Continue reading "Understanding Media Influence and Voter Behavior in Elections" »

China's Rise and the Global Security Dilemma

The rise of China can be viewed as both beneficial and detrimental, depending on the perspective adopted. If China ascends to the top tier of global powers, it would inevitably create global insecurity for many nations, particularly the U.S.

In the international system, states concerned with security inherently compete for power. As this contest for power intensifies, security concerns increase, fostering an atmosphere of fear, especially among great powers due to their significant military capabilities. This dynamic also creates a shift in the global power structure.

From Unipolarity to Bipolarity

Currently, the structure is in a “unipolar moment,” where the U.S. reigns as the world’s regional... Continue reading "US-China Rivalry: The Shift from Unipolarity to Bipolarity" »

Social media: Pros/contra: The technologies which allow us to share information, pictures and ideas among others things are what we call social media. However, one thing is sure that social media has become an integral part of the lives of people of all ages today. Therefore, it is important for all to understand the advantages as well as disadvantages of social media in order to make the right choice for themselves.

:) Social media has made communication a lot more easier than ever before. Now, with a touch of a button people could communicate with anybody any where in the world. Websites such as Facebook makes communication with others an easy task. Social Networking makes it possible to reach many people in a very short time. This has led... Continue reading "The Impact of Social Media on Youth: Pros and Cons" »