Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Social sciences

Higher education institutions must be flexible and develop ways of integrating information technology and communication into the training process. Alongside this is a need for a new conception of the student-users, role changes in the teachers, and administrative changes in relation to communication systems and the design and distribution of teaching. This implies, in turn, changes in the canons of teaching and learning towards something more flexible. To understand these processes of change, their effects, and the potential for systems of teaching and learning, we must view changes and technological advances in the context of innovation processes.

Keywords: Flexible education, computer mediated communication, virtual environment, higher education,... Continue reading "IT Integration in Higher Education Institutions" »

Understanding Cultural Spheres

Cultural Spheres: In principle, these can be understood as relatively closed entities. However, they are quite complex, self-sufficient, and may receive influences from other areas that constitute the whole distribution of culture. Everyone understands their culture, especially its identity, which is used by many people of every class. People want to preserve their cultural identity and regard it as a supreme and sacred value. However, in this way, cultural spheres are only ideological constructs, simply myths. If cultural spheres are not substantive entities, then monism, relativism, and pluralism evaporate. Phenomenal entities, defined by groups or nations, are either isolated from other areas or mixed. They... Continue reading "Understanding Cultural Spheres: Monism, Relativism, Pluralism" »

Key Principles of Democracy

• Mandate Periods: This refers to the limited period of time officials are allowed to be in power. This prevents abuse of power and provides opportunities for other political parties and their candidates.
• Popular Sovereignty: Sovereignty is entrusted to a government that has popular support. This government is attributed powers to establish laws and enforce them.
• Legality: Elected officials are subject to the same laws as other citizens, ensuring equality between them.
• Control: The three branches of government have limited and specific actions and monitor each other.
• Purpose: To respect the principle of freedom and equality. All people are free and equal before the law, and all have the same rights as citizens. This principle

A New Social Order

Establishing a new social order should be achieved through a revolutionary process. The mode of production would culminate with the class struggle, and all classes would be eliminated. In this way, the emancipation of workers will occur, overcoming past social situations. Economic and material factors determine social and political intervention. Marx gave much importance to the economic issue.

Alienation in Capitalist Society

Feudalism and the Industrial Revolution

Marx analyzes the evolution of work in different societies and states how it changed throughout history as a function of the mode of production of each era. The medieval economy was based on feudalism, which superseded slave societies. The key was the property of farmers,... Continue reading "Marxist Analysis: Class Struggle & Alienation" »

Intergroup Organizations

Organizations or groups are engines in community work. It is not always simple groups or development mode associations. One mode of community work is the constitution of intergroup organizations, committees, platforms, and coordinators who are represented in the various groups and entities.

Sometimes these intergroup organizations try to connect or federate the efforts of relatively homogeneous organizations, as when trying to coordinate actions with specific sectors of the population. On other occasions, intergroup organizations are precisely the means to connect entities that are different around common issues and comprehensive projects.

This practice of organizing connects with concepts like partnership, integration

Emergence of Spain's Consumer Society

Despite limitations, economic development led to the emergence of a consumer society in Spain. The widespread use of appliances (two-thirds of households had television in 1969) and cars (one-quarter of Spanish families owned a car that year) were key elements exemplifying this new society.

The consumer society, marked by access to more information and greater mobility, brought about a new mindset, especially among the younger generation, which clashed with the traditionalism of the system. Key changes included:

• Progressive relaxation of the importance of the Church and religious habits.
• New relationship habits and patterns of social relations between the sexes, including the incorporation of women into the

Definition of Sociology

Sociology is the systematic study of human life, groups, and societies. Its scope is broad, encompassing microsocial interactions and macrosocial processes.

Sociological Questions

Sociological questions can be:

• Factual: Questions of fact.
• Comparative: Relating to other societies.
• Developmental: Comparing the present with the past.
• Theoretical: Focusing on knowledge to interpret facts and discover their causes.

Theories

Theories are abstract constructs used to explain a wide variety of empirical situations. They are only valid if they are contrasted with empirical research.

Concept and Content of Culture

Culture refers to the entire lifestyle of members of a society, including dress, work patterns, ceremonies, and assets. Despite... Continue reading "Sociology: Definitions, Concepts, Characteristics, and Cultural Diversity" »

Analyse the relationship between population trends and international security. What factors might determine whether a population issue is a threat to international security? How does the international community tend to respond to such problems?

Intro:

• Several factors can determine whether a population issue is a threat to international security.
• These can be in regards to migration, fertility rates and terrorism.
• International community has tended to respond in accordance with nation-based responses, rather than coordinating a joint approach between themselves.

The State of Human Security

Demographic trends can hinder the achievement of human security, and thus affect the security of a nation. Many country governments have expressed concern about... Continue reading "Population Trends and International Security: Threats and Responses" »

1. Coherence

Coherence is a semantic property of discourse, based on the interpretation of sentences. It involves selecting and organizing information that aligns with the text's meaning, ensuring the receiver clearly perceives the message. The meaning of a text is derived from the sum of the sentences that constitute it. These relationships form the "microstructure" or local structure, which is superimposed by a "macrostructure" or general structure formed for each sub-topic or block of meaning within the text.

• Local coherence manifests in the sentences that constitute the text.
• Linear coherence allows for the relationship between phrases and sentences that correspond to the same idea.
• Global coherence is determined by the overall semantic content

Metaphysics and Marxist Analysis

Metaphysics: One of Marx's major contributions is his method of analyzing social and economic reality, and the historical development of society.

He interpreted history using Hegel's dialectical method from a materialist perspective, focusing on the development of contradictions (thesis, antithesis, synthesis).

Historical Materialism Explained

Historical Materialism: The only existing reality is matter. Historical and social analysis explains all social, political, and cultural aspects in terms of productive forces and production relations.

Marx distinguishes various structures that form the whole of society:

The Infrastructure of Society

• The basic infrastructure of society is the economic system, the way people are