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

Industrial Revolutions: First and Second

Similarities Between Revolutions

• Both were part of a transition from an agrarian society to an industrial one.
• Manual labor was replaced by factories, machines, and a new class of industrial workers.
• Both utilized fossil fuels (*e.g., coal*, *oil*).
• Both contributed to increased production and global trade through improved transport.
• Both fostered the development of new types of economic investment.

First Industrial Revolution (1750-1840)

Period and Countries

It started in England in the early 1750s and spread to Belgium and Germany between 1780 and 1840.

Sources of Energy

Fossil fuels, primarily coal.

Type of Energy

Mechanical energy produced by steam engines.

Transport Advances

• Rail transport (from 1830)
• Maritime

Equality

Egalitarian theories are based on a concept of equality that all people, or groups of people, are seen as having the same intrinsic value. Equality is therefore closely linked to justice and fairness, as egalitarians argue that justice can only exist if there is equality. Increasingly, with growing polarization within societies, equality is also linked to liberty, as different people have differing possibilities to be free and autonomous.

Development

Development is a sustained increase in the standard of living and well-being of a level of social organization. Many consider it to involve increased income; better access to basic goods and services; improvements in education, healthcare and public health; well-functioning institutions;... Continue reading "Key Concepts: Equality, Development, Globalization, Inequality, Sustainability" »

Slide 1: Remembering the Good and Bad Times at 11

Slide 1: Remember the good and bad times when you were 11 years old? (rhetorical question) Well, Today's presentation will give you deeper insight into the key messages behind the documentary of 'I am Eleven', commentary by Genevieve Bailey. My ideas, opinion and explanations of elements in the documentary connected to my personal life will be expressed. I will share some of my thoughts and experiences as an 11-year-old and how it has changed the way I am today.

Slide 2: Shifting to Australia at 11

Slide 2: First of all, shifting to Australia at the age of 11 was a difficult process. There was a lot of new things to discover and experiencing these moments, meeting new people and getting used to... Continue reading "Insights into 'I am Eleven' Documentary and Personal Reflections" »

Liberalism and the Old Regime

Core Principles of Liberalism

• Individualism: Promotes independent thinking and private initiative.
• Anti-Clericalism: Advocates for the separation of church and state, rejecting religious interference in politics.
• Key Figure: John Locke, the precursor of liberalism, who championed political, economic, and social freedom.
• Objectives: Fighting against monopolies and state control to ensure personal and societal liberty.

The Old Regime and Absolutism

The Old Regime was a political system defined by absolutism, where power was centralized in a single individual without legal boundaries. In response, Enlightened Despotism emerged as a defensive government strategy against the spread of Enlightenment ideals.

The Rise of the Bourgeoisie

Emerging... Continue reading "Liberalism, Industrial Revolution and the Fall of Absolutism" »

Types of Power

• Coercive power: Dependent on fear.
• Reward power: Occurs when people go along with the wishes or directives of others if doing so produces positive benefits.
• Legitimate power: The power a person has because of their position in the formal hierarchy of an organization.
• Expert power: Based on expertise, special skills, or knowledge.
• Referent power: Comes from admiration of another and a desire to be liked by that person.

Expected Reactions to Power

• Resistance: Coercive
• Compliance: Reward, Legitimate
• Commitment: Expert, Referent

Dependency: The Key to Power

Dependency is central to understanding power: the greater B's dependency on A, the greater the power A has over B.

Important / Scarce / Cannot be substituted

Influence Tactics

• Rational persuasion
• Inspirational

Consequences of the Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution brought profound changes across society, categorized as follows:

• Economic Consequences:
  • Increased production leading to a consumer society.
  • The heightened need for raw materials.
• Political Consequences:
  • Shift from absolute monarchy to parliamentary monarchy.
• Social Consequences:
  • Transition from an agricultural society to an industrial society.
  • The persistence of the Ancien Régime's class-based society into the industrial era.
• Cultural Consequences:
  • Transformation of traditional culture into a new urban culture.
• Social and Cultural Consequences:
  • Creation of new classes leading to new ideologies.

The Emergence of the Proletariat and Trade Unions

The emergence of Trade Unions occurred in 19th-... Continue reading "Industrial Revolution: Social, Economic, and Political Transformations" »

The Aim of Art and Theatre in Pygmalion

According to George Bernard Shaw's Preface, Pygmalion succeeds as didactic art, demonstrating that art and theatre can be used to teach.

The Relevance of Phonetics

In Act I, the Note Taker explains to Colonel Pickering that phonetics is crucial because speech reveals a person's origins and many aspects of their identity.

Eliza's Motivation

Eliza seeks lessons from Professor Higgins to improve her pronunciation. She believes proper speech is essential for her dream of opening a flower shop.

The Bet and Conflict

Higgins bets he can transform Eliza into a refined lady within six months. Pickering agrees to cover the expenses if Higgins succeeds. This bet becomes a source of conflict because Higgins and Pickering... Continue reading "Pygmalion: Analysis of Themes and Characters" »

The construction of the other. Who is the other? is the subject of analysis of anthropology, the native. The other we have learned does not exist objectively, detached from the values, objectives, intentions of the observer. We have argued that values (ways in which people understand the world around them) are socially constructed (they are products of specific cultures, times and places). The idea of progress, is a typical Western Europeans already present in the classical world of Rome and Athens but refined during Renaissance and culminating with the Industrial Revolution and its underlining geopolitical structure- central state and colonialism/imperialism. Such a cultural primacy was originally justified by theories (ways to understand... Continue reading "The Construction of the Other: A Postcolonial Critique" »

Globalism

Globalism is a philosophy that views the world as a single, interconnected community. It advocates for political and economic unification on a global scale.

United Nations (UN)

The United Nations is a prominent global organization dedicated to promoting world peace and economic prosperity.

General Assembly

The General Assembly is a principal organ of the UN where representatives from member countries discuss international issues and make recommendations for action. It cannot enact laws but determines the UN's budget.

Security Council

The Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It has five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten elected members.... Continue reading "Global Governance: Key Institutions and Agreements" »

Urban Innovation: Diversity and Creativity as Growth Drivers

This article by Richard Florida summarizes recent advances in our thinking about cities and communities, focusing on diversity and creativity as the fundamental drivers of innovation and regional growth.

Geography Is Not Dead

One of the most persistent myths about modern cities is that geography is dead. This narrative has existed since experts predicted that technologies—ranging from the telegraph and telephone to the car and airplane—would render cities obsolete. While some argue that the economy inhabits a digital space, the reality is that people and businesses remain highly concentrated.

The high-tech, knowledge-based economy and the creative industries that drive modern growth... Continue reading "Urban Innovation: How Diversity and Creativity Drive Growth" »