Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and exercises for Social sciences for University

Alfonso XII and the Restoration: The Cánovas System

The Cánovas Political System

Antonio Cánovas del Castillo was one of the most significant politicians in Spanish history. Linked to O'Donnell's Liberal Union, he drafted key manifestos and ruled Spain from 1874 to 1881 and from 1883 to 1885, until the death of Alfonso XII. He was eventually assassinated by an anarchist.

In 1870, he summoned the courts under existing laws, gathering notable figures to draft the 1876 Constitution, which established:

• A constitutional or parliamentary monarchy.
• Shared sovereignty between the King and the National Courts.
• A bicameral system consisting of the Senate and the Congress.

This remains the longest-standing constitution in Spanish history, facilitating a bipartisan...

Corporate Philosophy and Values

The philosophy of an organization generates a priority scale of values, setting the criteria for internal behavior. It's the "being" of a company, the shared vision shaping its corporate culture. This culture manifests in actions addressing environmental issues, opportunities, and management changes. Core business values provide direction, guiding daily operations and fostering a sense of identity and belonging. They promote ethical behavior—professionally, personally, and socially—and a capacity to achieve common goals. Ethical professional conduct converges business and labor interests. When professionals act ethically and responsibly, aiming for effectiveness and productivity, it's reasonable they receive...

Media Saturation: Drill in Media and Entertainment

Life is a simulation influenced by media saturation and the inflation of media discourses within transnational capitalism. The proliferation of media companies subjects individuals to the media as the primary means of participating in public life. Events often feel beyond our control, compelling us to engage with media discourses that simplify reality.

We often mistake this simplification for reality, unaware that we are living in a simulation. The pervasive influence of media leads us to believe that everything presented is real, blurring the lines between authenticity and fabrication. Our social lives are increasingly shaped by media portrayals of social reality. The perception of reality...

Social Group Concepts

Tribus

An anthropological concept referring to joint families with a common patriarch.

Categorías

A more ambiguous term used to define a group of people related by certain characteristics (e.g., property can be a category).

Estamentos

Typical of the Middle Ages (e.g., the nobility, the clergy).

Clases sociales

A term coined by philosopher Karl Marx to designate different social groups and their role in relation to their level or means of production. Today, its strict sense has diminished as division is less simple. While the term capitalism is sometimes used loosely, sociology often uses concepts like middle class, lower class, and upper class.

Clan

A group of people with a head, often linked by an economic relationship. For example,

Spanish Language: Characteristics and Usage

In 1998, the Cervantes Institute Yearbook presented the situation of Spanish in the world:

• Homogeneous Language: The Spanish language has a significant degree of leveling and a slight risk of fragmentation. Its relative homogeneity is based on the fact that Spanish has a simple vowel system (with only five vowel phonemes), a consonant system consisting of seventeen units common to all speakers, and a significant lexical and syntactic uniformity with few variations.
• Language of First-Order Culture: Spanish has been a very important vehicle for contributions to world culture and Western thought. It is enough to list authors in literature ranging from Cervantes to García Márquez.
• International Language:

Key Aspects of Research Methodology

Characteristics of Research Objectives

Research objectives must be expressed clearly to avoid deviations in the research process. They should be attainable and consistent with each other and the overall study design.

Formulating Research Questions

The research problem should be posed as a direct question. Raising it directly offers the advantage of clarity, minimizing distortion in the research focus.

Justifying Your Research

All research must be justified with clear reasons. Most research is performed with a specific aim or purpose, investigating sufficiently. Research cannot be conducted on a whim; its appropriateness and benefits must be clearly explained.

Evaluating Research Potential

Research is undertaken for...

1970s Educational Landscape

The 1970s are known for the General Education Act of 1970 and its new teaching guidelines. The ministerial order of 1970 introduced these "New Teaching Guidelines," which echoed international trends. At the classroom practice level, a series of "pedagogical fads" emerged, with four major ideational cores spreading among the most active teaching staff:

• Globalization
• Environmental Research
• The Corporeal in School (Physicality in Education)
• Piagetian Psychology

As the decade progressed, teaching was conceived in two primary ways: traditional teaching and active teaching.

Traditional Teaching

Traditional teaching emphasized discipline and autonomous treatment with a fixed time for each subject area. It relied on textbook material...

Understanding School Governance: Board, Faculty, and Leadership

The School Board: Community Participation

The School Board facilitates the participation of various groups within the educational community. It embodies representative democracy, political autonomy, and the collective voice of the school community. Its key objectives include:

• Approving and evaluating school projects and initiatives.
• Approving the annual general programming of the center.
• Reviewing candidates participating in selection processes.
• Deciding on the admission of students.
• Reviewing the resolution of disciplinary conflicts.
• Proposing measures and initiatives that promote coexistence within the school environment.
• Promoting the conservation and renovation of school facilities

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...

Chapter 1: Political Systems and Elements

1. The Political System and Its Study (1)

2. Form of Government and Political System (1, 2)

3. Territorial Structure of Political Power (2, 3, 4)

4. Electoral System and Elections (4, 5)

5. Political Culture and Political Behavior (5, 6)

6. Political Parties and Party Systems (6, 7)

7. Other Political Actors (8)

8. Public Policies (8, 9)

Chapter 2: The Political System of Great Britain

2. Constitutional Political Formation

(9)

• 2.1. The Modern State (9, 10, 11, 12)
• 2.2. Sources and Principles of the British Constitution (12, 13)

3. The Political Institutions

(13)

• 3.1. The Crown (13, 14)
• 3.2. The Parliament (14, 15, 16)

4. The Cabinet Government

(16, 17, 18)

• 4.1. The Prime Minister (18)

5. The Central Administration

(18)

6.