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

Key Theories in International Relations

Theories: The discipline of international relations began shortly before World War I in Western Europe and the U.S. There are two primary ways to conceptualize the war: diplomacy, favored by those seeking peace, and force, the basis of foreign policy at the time. This period saw a clash between idealism and realism. All the great powers were involved, and the increased presence of the media amplified public opinion.

Politically, an idealistic proposition known as the League of Nations emerged. This organization proposed a global alliance of countries to prevent future wars.

Current Theoretical Perspectives

• Realism (State-Centric) - Thomas Hobbes: A key figure in establishing the concept of order. Hobbes's

The Predominance of Social Rights

There is a predominance of social rights when contrasted with the broader category of economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR).

Defining Social Rights

Social rights are generally understood to include the following categories:

1. Property Holder (Workers): Rights inherent to workers in their social class dimension.
2. Property Holder (Workers) - Group Rights: Rights of those groups (workers, families, children) that express the idea that man is the subject of law not only as an individual but also as a member of a social group.
3. Economic Freedoms: Freedoms that possess economic content.
4. Credit Rights: Rights that materialize as positive benefits provided by the state towards individuals or groups, designed to effectively

Understanding Socio-Economic Formation

The text explains that to achieve desired outcomes, individuals engage in work, establishing relationships of production that form the foundation of society. Improvements in these relationships correlate with increased productivity, influencing what Marx termed the legal and economic superstructure. This superstructure shapes consciousness, justifying reality from a social perspective.

Justification of Social Change

The text highlights the contradiction between productive forces and relations of production. When this contradiction arises, it triggers a shift in the societal foundation.

Productive forces and relations of production constitute the infrastructure, the real basis of society. This infrastructure... Continue reading "Understanding Socio-Economic Formation and Historical Materialism" »

South African Terminology

Acacia: A small tree with white or yellow flowers.

Acting: Temporarily doing the job of another person.

Afrikaans: A South African language developed from the 17th century.

Afrikaner: A South African descended from the Dutch who speaks Afrikaans.

Amen: A word used to show sincere approval of something that has just been said (used, for example, at the end of a prayer).

Authority: The power to give orders to other people and make them obey.

Ban (v): To forbid someone by law from doing or saying something.

Banning area: The area where, by law, a banned person must stay.

Bantu: A word used by white South Africans for black people.

Black Consciousness: A South African organization, led by Stephen Biko, which believed that black... Continue reading "South African Terminology: Definitions and Meanings" »

• Labor Movement: The main feature of this period is the gradual disappearance of estate society and its replacement by a class society based on property rights and equality before the law. This new partnership will allow far greater social mobility, either by the business success either by the administrative career and, above all, military. A new group formed by the dominant social gentry, the landed oligarchy owns large estates, and senior state and army. Below urban middle classes emerged not too many (rural and urban small landowners, officials ...). The rural population was the majority of the population finally appeared a small group of industrial workers the Surge .----- working class in industrialized areas (Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga

Scientific and Technical Texts

Scientific Texts: Refer to general and abstract knowledge about a subject.

Technical Texts: Refer to applications of knowledge.

Characteristics

• Specialized topics
• Specific purposes (or communicative intention)
• High degree of formality
• Written channel
• Academic field of use and dissemination of publications
• Specific language

The Language of Scientific and Technical Texts

Pursuit of objectivity, cool and impersonal language: enunciative sentences, rejection of stylistic ornamentation, present tense, passive voice.

Precise and clear vocabulary: using univocal terms, rejection of ambiguity (symbols), words of Greek or Latin origin.

Lexicon of Scientific and Technical Training

Regular language mechanisms:

• Derivation: power of language
• Composition:

Karl Marx (1820-1883): Historical, Philosophical, and Cultural Context

19th Century Context

Economic Context

Karl Marx's work developed during the 19th century, a period marked by the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine propelled advancements in railways, steel production, and steamships, leading to large-scale industrial production. Marx believed that these evolving productive forces drive changes in production relations when conflicts arise. The bourgeoisie, promoters of the industrial revolution, clashed with the proletariat, who suffered the alienating effects of industrialization. These effects included excessive working hours, subhuman labor conditions for women and children, dismissals without retirement, meager wages, lack of insurance... Continue reading "Karl Marx: Philosophy, Economics and Influence" »

Hume: Historical Context

England after the Revolution of 1688:

• Bourgeois revolution, parliamentary monarchy, supremacy of Parliament.
• Individual rights and religious freedoms.
• Political and economic freedom: abolition of monopolies.
• England becomes the leading economic power, industrial and capitalist.

Pre-revolutionary France:

• Enlightened despotism: everything for the people but without the people.
• Increasing influence of figured secularization, deism, atheism.

Rousseau: Historical Context

Pre-revolutionary France:

• Enlightened despotism: the monarch has absolute power he receives from God. The king is the sovereign (who has all authority).
• Influence of Enlightenment ideas in the monarchies of the continent to girders of the nobility and high bourgeoisie.

Women and Curriculum: Advancing Equality

The newly achieved equality of rights between men and women, which allows us to define ourselves as citizens today, represents a significant step in overcoming major obstacles faced by women's movements in their origins. The educational context and curriculum content are the primary areas where our efforts must be focused. These elements are crucial because they shape egalitarian relationships, promote the comprehensive development of students, and challenge discriminatory visions and identities against women that persist.

Integrating Women in the Curriculum

The intention is to advocate for a co-educational practice founded on equal education. Curriculum design must reflect the need to educate students... Continue reading "Empowering Women: Curriculum for Gender Equality" »

Analysis of "Catalan Nationality" (1906)

The text presented for analysis is a political and historiographical work from 1906, written during the Spanish Restoration. This analysis constitutes a secondary source, as it was written in 1987 about the original 1906 document. The title, Catalan Nationality, reflects the political thinking of the era and articulates a principle of Catalan nationalism. It outlines two distinctive forms of this nationalism, differentiated by the relationship proponents believed Catalonia should have with Spain. It is important to distinguish this political nationalism from Catalanism, which primarily advocates for the preservation of Catalan culture and language.

The movement emerged during the Regency period in Spain,... Continue reading "The Origins of Modern Catalan Nationalism" »