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

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

The Significance of Culture in Social Sciences

Social sciences are deeply intertwined with the study of culture. Here's a look at how different disciplines approach it:

Cultural Anthropology

Focuses on the origin of cultures, their evolution, development, and expressions, including music and language.

Sociology

Aims to scientifically understand the sociocultural reality of people, though sometimes struggles to fully grasp its nuances.

Social Psychology

Contextualizes and provides a framework for understanding how culture influences the formation of social and individual personalities.

History

Explains past societies and provides a sense of continuity to cultural changes and developments.

Economics

Examines how the economic organization of people is influenced... Continue reading "Understanding Culture's Role in Social Sciences" »

The Moderate Decade in Spain (1844-1854)

The Moderate Decade refers to the period in Spanish history between May 1844 and July 1854. It was primarily characterized by the government of the Moderate Party.

When Ramón María Narváez and the Moderates seized power, they quickly marginalized the Progressives within a few months. The Constitution in effect was the progressive one of 1837, and soon efforts were made to draft another based on moderate principles.

Key Objectives of the Moderates

The primary objectives of the Moderates were to combine order with certain liberties, prioritizing order to establish a liberal state and achieve the country's transformation and growth. The work of the Moderates was of utmost importance, as their government... Continue reading "Spain's Moderate Era: 1844-1854 Political Transformation" »

Cold War: Tension Between East and West

The Cold War was a period of tension between state powers and blocs in which each party adopted policies aimed at strengthening itself at the expense of its opponent. The Western Bloc was capitalist, while the Eastern Bloc was communist.

• Capitalist Politics (USA): Representation of democracy and freedom.
• Communist Politics (USSR): Representation of social justice and the solution to social problems.

Globalization: A New World Order

Globalization is a phenomenon of economic, social, political, and cultural interconnection generated by technological advances in communication and the global expansion of multinational corporations. It is a process of significant change and transformation of the organization of... Continue reading "Cold War Tensions and the Rise of Globalization" »