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

Fandoms: From Passive Consumers to Active Producers

Question 4: Fandoms (Henry Jenkins, Pierre Bourdieu...)

To appropriately answer this question, one must deal with the definition of 'fan'. The term is an abbreviation of 'fanatic' and comes from the Latin word 'fanaticus', which has religious connotations and refers to devotees. It has negative connotations in society. Henry Jenkins, an American media scholar and lecturer of the second half of the 20th century, deals with different phenomena related to the fan in his book Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture (1992). He rejects fan stereotypes such as the comic, nerdy fan, the psychotic fan, and the eroticized fan. Moreover, he expresses the fan as a defensible position... Continue reading "Fan Studies: From Consumers to Active Producers" »

British Modernism

A Literary Response to Disillusionment and Lost Community

Modernism emerged from a profound sense of disillusionment and the loss of community and civilization. The horrors of World War I shattered faith in established institutions and traditional values, leaving individuals feeling alienated and questioning the meaning of life.

Modernist writers explored themes of pessimism, psychological turmoil, and the search for meaning in a world that seemed fragmented and uncertain. They challenged conventional literary forms and experimented with new techniques to reflect the complexities of the human experience.

Key Characteristics of Modernist Writing:

• Character: Modernist literature moved away from clearly defined characters, instead

EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement

A New Economic and Social Partnership

While not replicating the prior level of economic integration, this agreement surpasses traditional free trade agreements, fostering continued friendship and cooperation. It encompasses:

Free Trade Agreement

This establishes a new economic and social partnership, extending beyond goods and services to areas like investment, competition, state aid, and more. It ensures:

• Zero tariffs and quotas on compliant goods.
• A level playing field through high standards in environmental protection, climate change action, labor rights, and tax transparency, with robust enforcement mechanisms.

Fisheries

A framework for joint management of fish stocks allows the UK to develop its fishing industry... Continue reading "EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: A New Partnership" »

European Language Families

Slavic Languages

South Slavic:

• Slovenian
• Croatian
• Bosnian
• Serbian
• Bulgarian
• Macedonian
• Old Church Slavonic (Extinct)

Note: These languages were formerly grouped under Yugoslavia. Montenegrin is a sub-national variety.

East Slavic:

• Russian
• Belarusian
• Ukrainian
• Rusyn

Note: Rusyn and Ruthenian are considered sub-national varieties. The terms "Great Russian" and "Little Russian" (referring to Ukrainian) are extinct and considered offensive, as they imply Ukrainian language subordination.

West Slavic:

• Polish
• Czech
• Slovak
• Sorbian
• Kashubian
• Polabian (Extinct)

Note: Kashubian and Lachian are considered sub-national varieties. Slovincian is another extinct West Slavic language.

Germanic Languages

East Germanic:

• Gothic (Extinct)

North Germanic:

• Danish
• Swedish
• Norwegian
• Icelandic
• Faroese

West

Q.1. We All Have Multiple Identities: Exploring Social Groups

Statement: “We all have more than one identity and can belong to more than one social group.”

Discussion: This statement rings true in our diverse world. Let's consider a few examples:

• Individuals belonging to the same religion might feel distant from others within that religion due to differences in caste or sect.
• Conversely, people from different religions might find common ground and closeness through shared caste affiliations.
• Even within families, economic disparities can create rifts, as seen in strained relationships between wealthy and less affluent relatives.

Example: Athletes Carlos and Smith, both Afro-American, shared a racial identity that distinguished them from their... Continue reading "Understanding Social Identities and Differences: A Comprehensive Guide" »

A. Pluralism: - Groups compete openly to influence governmental decisions & policy. - Specific groups do not have official preferential access.

B. Corporatism: Certain major groups are officially designated as representatives of certain interests. Example 1: Major union representing labor (ex. the European Trade Union Confederation, the TUC in UK). Example 2: Major business organizations representing capital (Business Europe in the EU, Finance Watch). - These groups have a more structured interaction with the government in power and state administration.

Pluralism & Representation

Advantages: Equal opportunity for groups to influence policy, Marketplace of ideas. Disadvantages: Collective action problem (special interest vs interests of... Continue reading "Interest Group Representation: Pluralism vs Corporatism" »

Social Divisions: Not Just Big Countries Like India?

It is not correct to say that social divisions exist only in big countries like India. We can take the example of Belgium. The ethnic composition of this small country is very complex. Of the country’s total population, 59% live in the Flemish region and speak the Dutch language. Another 40% live in the Wallonia region and speak French. The remaining 1% of Belgians speak German. In the capital city, Brussels, 80% of people speak French while 20% are Dutch-speaking.

Multiple Identities in Different Contexts Explained

The statement "We have different identities in different contexts" can be supported by the following facts:

• It is common for people belonging to the same religion to feel that they

Groupthink: Seek Agreement and Effective Leadership

Reasons for groupthink include being out of touch, lack of order and resources, and being overruled. Symptoms of groupthink include omnipotence, closed-mindedness, and pressure toward uniformity.

Situational Leadership

Situational leadership suggests that there is no specific best style, but rather the best style is the one adapted to the situation at hand. One way of situational leadership is the leader's flexibility in adapting their behaviors to the demands of the situation. Another way is the leader's ability to read a situation and select the appropriate behaviors for that specific circumstance. An example of situational leadership is Hersey and Blanchard's model, which focuses on the leader'... Continue reading "Groupthink: Seeking Agreement and Effective Leadership" »

1. What force pulled a nebula inward to make our solar system? Gravity

2. How much of the solar nebula was pulled into the sun (percentage)? 99%

3. How were the planets made from the leftover gas and dust? The gas & dust contracted into planetesimals, which collided, merged and formed protoplanets. The protoplanets accumulated more rocks until they became planets.

4. How did Earth get its layers? Differentiation; the most dense matter moved to the center, lighter masses were pushed up.

5. Which gases made up Earth’s earliest atmosphere? What happened to them? Hydrogen and helium; they floated off into space because the Earth’s gravity was not strong enough to hold them down.

6. What gases were next to fill the atmosphere? Where did they