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

Ideas and Sense of the Work

This is the story of a character whose features are close to those of a human being of flesh and blood, far from the figures of idealistic accounts. This character is developed in a particular social environment that conditions and adjusts him decisively. The work describes the learning process of an individual and, at the same time, his adaptation to a complex social environment to complete his final integration.

But this assimilation comes at the expense of human dignity. Having understood the world in which he lives, he adopts its rules and forms.

This novel offers an acute and severe criticism of the society of its time, targeting both the individual behavior of the characters—hypocritical and self-interested—and... Continue reading "Lazarillo de Tormes: Themes and Structure" »

The concept of globalization emerged in the twentieth century, following the crisis of the socialist bloc. However, throughout history, there have been various waves of globalization and internationalization of human relations.

Globalization has achieved much in the economic sphere. There is an unfettered freedom of capital movements, and some barriers to trade in goods and services have been removed. However, the movement of people, particularly migration, remains limited. The globalization of justice, human rights, ecology, and political decisions has been largely shelved.

The balance of the last 30 years concludes that globalization has not reached all countries. It has primarily benefited the most skilled sectors of the population in richer... Continue reading "Globalization: Impacts on Economy, Society, and Environment" »

Valle-Inclán's Esperpento: Deforming Reality

The grotesque serves as a powerful means of expression in Valle-Inclán's Esperpento, characterized by a profound deformation of reality. This literary style employs a double code: beneath an apparent tone of mockery and caricature of reality lies a meaning full of satirical intent, highlighting social contrasts.

Key Characteristics of Esperpento

• Employment of Violent Death: A fundamental characteristic, often leading to 'muñequización' (puppetization) of characters.
• Distortion Techniques: Achieved by merging human and animal traits, blending dream and reality, and reducing figures to simple masks or puppets of human behavior.
• Collective Characters: Often feature prominently, representing broader societal

The EC was created to approve a new constitution for Spain. The reform law established three procedures for initiating the process:

• Government Initiative: Presentation of a constitutional text for discussion, approval, and submission to the Chambers.
• Parliamentary Initiative: The Chambers themselves initiated a proposal without prior government intervention.
• Royal Initiative: The King could push a text through a referendum without it going through the courts.

The second option, parliamentary initiative, was chosen as the government waived its right to present a constitutional text. Given that no single party held a majority, maximum participation from all parties was essential.

• Selection, Sorting, and Organization: Congress appointed a committee

English Language Vocabulary

Common Nouns

• Reliance
• Employer
• Employment
• Experiment
• Population
• Scanner
• Amusement
• Assistance
• Belief
• Trainer
• Darkness
• Attraction
• Exhaustion
• Retirement
• Promotion
• Responsibility
• Conservation
• Accommodation
• Knowledge
• Admission
• Advertisement
• Annoyance
• Approval
• Arrangement
• Arrival
• Assumption
• Improvement
• Application
• Argument
• Brilliance
• Payment
• Disappointment
• Relief
• Departure
• Isolation
• Denial
• Friendship
• Boredom
• Proposal
• Strength
• Loyalty
• Illness
• Allowance
• Marriage
• Censorship
• Success
• Complaint
• Achievement
• Comedian
• Childhood
• Failure
• Proof
• Punishment

Useful Adjectives

• Payable
• Preceptive
• Pleasurable
• Successful
• Supportive
• Suspicious
• Safe
• Resistant
• Shameless
• Sleepy
• Mechanical
• Moral
• Mysterious
• Courageous
• Creative
• Cruel
• Changeable
• Childish
• Civil
• Golden
• Avoidable
• Able
• Accidental
• Curious
• Additional
• Adequate
• Admirable
• Affectionate
• Alcoholic
• Anxious
• Advantageous
• Productive
• Proud
• Protective
• Punctual
• Pure
• Famous
• Faulty
• Forgetful
• Meaningful
• Less
• Excited
• Fashionable
• Fortunate
• Fit
• Comic
• Responsible

Global

Historical Materialism: Marx's Core Theory

Karl Marx's historical materialism posits the denial of the autonomy of ideas concerning the conditions of human existence, emphasizing the dialectical and historical character of the material base. Friedrich Engels, in fact, considered Marx's historical materialism (along with the theory of surplus value) among his most significant scientific findings. It is, fundamentally, a sociological theory rather than a purely philosophical one.

Key Tenets of Historical Materialism

1. The Economic Structure: The economic structure forms the real basis of society.
2. Production Relations: This structure consists of the relations of production, which are the relationships established between individuals according to their

Nouns: Words with Gender and Number

A noun is a word that has gender (feminine or masculine) and number (plural or singular).

Types of Nouns

• Common: chair, furniture, bed, piano, horse, etc.
• Proper: Antonio, San Juan, Malaga, etc.
• Concrete: Refer to material objects that are perceived by the senses (not just by sight): perfume, music, star, book, etc.
• Abstract: Designate intangible realities, which are included as concepts: sympathy, freedom, equality, etc.
• Singular: Refer to a single unit in the singular form: stylus, pond, person, etc.
• Collective: army, public, neighborhood, people, etc.
• Countable: Refer to existing objects that can be counted and numbered: home, planet, notebook, car, etc.
• Uncountable: flour, water, oil, salt, etc.

Determiners: Accompanying

B-institutional functions:

1. Recruitment and selection of political elites - Parties share the role of recruitment and training with top bureaucrats, business, or intellectuals. Some countries have a closed list system, where the party bureaucracy is very extensive. Parties do not necessarily select the best, but the most disciplined, those who identify more with partisan ideologies and those who criticize less. This phenomenon of co-option of selecting interests creates a bureaucracy within parties, leading to oligarchization. It is consistent with the interests of party professionals who are paid by work.
2. Organization and conduct of elections - Political parties organize the elections and we elect representatives submitted by the parties. The

Systems Approach to Public Administration

The systems approach explains the phenomenon of public administration by applying principles from general systems theory. Originally developed in biology, this theory now serves as a valuable viewpoint and analytical tool for understanding social phenomena and natural events. From this perspective, public administration is viewed as a set of interconnected elements that interact with their political system. It receives inputs, processes and transforms them under governmental guidance, ultimately translating them into public services and outcomes.

Public Administration as a Discipline

Defining Public Administration

• A discipline must possess its own body of postulates and theories to explain its object of

The 1978 Spanish Constitution: Cornerstone of Modern Spain

We are examining a constitutional text, adopted by referendum on December 6 and promulgated on December 29, 1978. This document is a pivotal part of Spain's historical period of transition, which led the nation from a dictatorship to a monarchical, democratic, and parliamentary regime. Developed by representatives of various political parties within the Constituent Assembly formed for this purpose, it is directed to the Spanish nation and is therefore publicly accessible.

Historical Context: Spain's Democratic Transition

This Constitution is the fundamental law that enabled the creation of a new democratic state and shaped the "Spain of Autonomies." The historical context surrounding its... Continue reading "Spain's 1978 Constitution: Foundation of Modern Democracy" »