Sociology :: Sociology Essays

Intro to Sociology When asked about transsexuals, Mildred Brown, author of True Selves quoted that it is a â€Å"dilemma of feeling trapped in the wrong physical gender.† Transsexuality is a phenomenon, which really has not been scientifically examined. Through talk shows such as Jerry Springer, Jenny Jones or the Maury Show, society tends to see a one-sided view on this matter. While watching the Maury Show, â€Å"Man or Woman†, the audience’s reaction to the transsexuals on stage were not of disgust but more of awe. They were in awe that a man could look so much like a woman and how some women showed very masculine features. The guests on this show were inevitably labeled as "freaks" regardless of whether it was verbally spoken or not. The talk show was a brief one. Maury Povich, the host, introduced 12 beautiful women onto the stage. There were two black women, five Hispanic women, and five white women on stage. They all flaunted their flawless bodies. Some were voluptuous; others were more on the thinner side, yet none of them seemed to be any â€Å"different† than any other model/porn star. All the guests on this show were in their mid twenties to their mid thirties. The theme of this show was for the audience to see if they could tell the difference between a man and a woman. Watching the faces in the audience, I noted that each and every one of them were judging all the guests. were 100% men, and some were 100% women. They all stood in a line and for each one, the cross-dressing guests would either prove the audience wrong or right in their judgments. On more than half of the guests, the audience was proven wrong. It was incredible to see some of these guests strut their bodies as the opposite gender. Some of the men looked so much like women that the audience was in complete shock when they revealed their true gender. Now came the interrogation. I call this an interrogation because all these guests are individually put on under the spotlight. Maury Povich digs under their skin to try to expose how â€Å"freakish† they really are. The audience is silent and their faces are wrinkled in confusion to try to understand why the guests are the way they are and who or what made them become like this. The guests sit on their chairs with their head held up high, legs crossed, gloating under all the attention they are receiving.

Bullying: who does what, when and where? Essay

In this paper, bullying was defined as a form of aggressive behavior or negative actions reoccurring over time between children who bully and those who are victimized (Fekkes, Pijpers, & Verloove-Vanhorick, 2005). Furthermore, Fekkes et al. (2005) suggested bullying as a group phenomenon involving not only the bullies and their victims, but also the bystanders. Other problems addressed by this research included the negative impact bullying has on children’s mental and physical health and the level of involvement that is necessary for effective intervention strategies to be successful. The specific research questions posed investigated the extent to which children are involved in bullying behavior, the level of involvement of others (i. e. , teachers, parents, classmates), and the effectiveness of current intervention strategies used to stop bullying behaviors. The purpose of the data presented by this research was to gather information and to utilize that information to compose novel efforts in combating bullying in schools. Fekkes et al. (2005) presented a range of empirical literature to support the need for this research. Studies by Williams et al. , (1996); Salmon et al. , (1998); and Forero et al. , (1999) were included to support the problem of negative health issues associated with bullying behaviors (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Studies by Atlas and Pepler (1998) and Hawkins et al. (2001) supported the notion of bullying as a group phenomenon and the effectiveness of bystander intervention (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Participants in this study were 2766 children from 32 Dutch elementary schools. These children had participated in a longitudinal study on the effectiveness of an anti-bullying policy at schools. It is important to note that the data were collected prior to any implementation of the anti-bullying policy. In November 1999, children from 9 to 11 years old were administered a questionnaire in the classroom. The questionnaire addressed frequency of bullying behaviors, types of bullying behaviors, where bullying behaviors took place, who intervened to stop the bullying, and whether or not the interventions were successful. According to Liebrand et al. (1994), Mooij (1992), and Olweus (1994), this questionnaire was based on the Dutch version of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire, a well-documented questionnaire that was used in numerous studies on bullying (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Using statistical analyses to analyze the data from the questionnaires, Fekkes et al. (2005) found that active bullying was prevalent at schools. Physical forms of bullying behaviors, such as hitting or pushing, were found to be most typical of boys. Girls were found to initiate bullying behaviors that were relational in nature, such as isolation tactics and rumor spreading. Bullying was found to take place on the playground as well as in the classroom. Nearly half of children being bullied did not report it to their teacher but did speak to their parents about it. A similar finding was also reported by Whitney and Smith (1993) (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Intervention attempts by teachers were found to have little effect, if any, on bullying occurrences. All of these findings provided the insight needed to recommend future intervention strategies. The prevalence of bullying behaviors among children in this age group was found to be consistent with the findings of similar studies conducted cross-culturally. Fekkes et al. (2005) compared the findings of this study to others in Norway, the UK, Italy, and Germany. With regard to gender differences in bullying behaviors, Whitney and Smith (1993), Borg (1999), Junger-Tas and van Kesteren (1999) found similar results among the direct and indirect nature of bullying behaviors among boys and girls (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Olweus (1993a) found that levels of bullying were lower on playgrounds with more teachers present (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Consistent with Whitney and Smith’s (1993) study and Rivers and Smith’s (1994) study, teachers are not regularly told about incidents of bullying behaviors by victimized children (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Because so many of the findings of this paper were consistent with other studies, the next logical step for future researchers would be to systematically integrate the various aspects of this topic into an intervention model with a comprehensive approach. Fekkes et al. (2005) recommended many strategies to assist such interventions. One such recommendation stated that teachers should create an environment in which children feel comfortable talking about their negative bullying experiences. Olweus (1993a) suggested the establishment of class rules aimed at minimizing bullying behavior (as cited in Fekkes et al. , 2005). Fekkes et al. further suggested that in addition to establishing class rules to minimize bullying behaviors, class discussion of the rules on a regular basis may aid in establishing an anti-bullying culture within that community. Another possible step for future research may be to replicate the study with a younger set of participants. Data collected from a younger age group may provide more insight into the early stages of bullying behaviors and early intervention strategies may aid in minimizing the prevalence of incidents of bullying in the higher elementary grades. Overall, I believe this study provided some valuable insight with regard to prevalence of bullying behaviors without the aid of an established intervention program. One of the strengths of this study was its large number of participants as well as findings which were consistent in similar studies in other countries. Such a large sample size provides for a clear snapshot of the pervasiveness of this problem. An additional strength of this study involves its use of an adapted version of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire which has been used in many studies on bullying. Using such a well-documented tool lends to the consistency of the findings across multiple studies. Something that stood out to me was that there was no mention of effects of bullying behaviors on peer bystanders, positive or negative. I feel this was a limitation because bystanders were referred to as having a certain degree of power when taught effective intervention strategies Fekkes et al. , 2005). Another limitation I observed was the limited age range of the participants. I feel that with younger participants, it may be possible to do comparison studies to try to pinpoint just when bullying behaviors begin to surface within the social structure of the classroom. A final limitation of this study was its use of a quantitative design to address issues more qualitative in nature. Fekkes et al. (2005) state that the aim of the data presented was to provide insight on the topic. This may be more effectively accomplished by doing a current literature review on the prevalence of bullying behaviors and current intervention strategies. Fekkes et al. (2005) describe their current involvement in a project aimed toward development of anti-bullying policies within schools in the Netherlands. They also describe how this study will be used in that capacity. This paper being linked to such a project also raises questions for me about the integrity of the purpose of the study.

Misuse of Plastic Essay

Human being plays a key role in environment as he has a capable mind and will power to do everything by the skill and technology he has developed so far. But most of his activities done for his development and welfare have been causing seriously negative impacts on the virgin environment he has been blessed with. We can prepare a long list of human activities that have been disturbing, destabilising and degrading the natural environment. The explosion of human population has enhanced the negative impacts of human activities on environment. Man has adopted such a life style which has no room for conservation and preservation of environment as he has become just a consumer in the modern world. He has destroyed many terrestrial and aquatic habitats causing numerous species of plants and animals to go extinct. He has cleared forests and has killed numerous wild animals to disturb the balance of the nature. His activities leading to pollution have been causing a number of local and global environmental problems ranging from spread of epidemics, depletion of ozone layer, global warming and climate change. The fertile land degraded by human activities has been converted into vast desert and his activities of misuse and overuse of water and reclamation of water bodies has been leading to the crisis of water in many parts of the world. Most of the fossil fuels have so far been used up by him due to whom an energy crisis is overhead. Most of the human population of urban areas has been migrating towards cities leaving agriculture aside and this is causing urban congestion, encroachment to monuments and government land on one hand the a steep fall of agricultural production on the other. Lots of wastes created by humans have spoilt the landscape and urban areas are under immense stress due to over congestion. Civic bodies in urban areas are under hard pressure to manage civic amenities and improper management of civic facilities is sure to endanger the community life. The word civic relates to the life of city or town area and amenities are features of city or town area that make the place pleasant, comfortable and easy to live in. Thus,civic amenities are features of a city or town area that make the area pleasant, comfortable and easy to live for human beings.

Blake Coleridge Swift Essay Research Paper The

Blake, Coleridge, Swift Essay, Research PaperThe Symbolism of ChristWilliam Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Jonathan Swift were really different writes but are bound by basic Christian beliefs. In their Hagiographas there are strong mentions to Christ and symbolic images of Him. Blake writes # 8220 ; The Lamb # 8221 ; as a symbolic representative of Christ. Coleridge uses many signifier of spiritual symbolism in his verse form # 8220 ; The Rhime of the Ancient Mariner # 8221 ; , but the thing that stands out the most is how the millstone represents Christ. Swift writes in # 8220 ; Gulliver # 8217 ; s Travels # 8221 ; , of a adult male named Pedro de Mendez who is a savior to Gulliver. These three writers show us how Christian positions and Jesus are a portion of life non merely in the Bible but besides in current society. Blake uses our inquiries about religion to stress the importance of Christ in our lives.Blake emphasizes the connexion of which the kid is of course cogn izant, when he writes, # 8220 ; I, a kid, and thou a lamb, We are called by his name # 8221 ; ( p.1289 ) . The tone, nevertheless, is the echt simpleness of a kid # 8217 ; s address. The first poetry is a series of inquiries addressed to the lamb,which represents Jesus. The 2nd stanza begins with the kid being able to reply those inquiries. Blake writes, # 8220 ; Little Lamb, I # 8217 ; ll state thee # 8221 ; ( p.1289 ) . Meaning that the kid understands Christ being the Jesus. These inquiries are asked strictly for the satisfaction that it gives the kid in replying and to demo the kid # 8217 ; s apprehension of God. Blake shows Christ in a manner that is guiltless like the kid. Blake writes this verse form utilizing the illustration of the lamb found in nature to stand for Christ and uses the kid to stand for adult male seeking to understand God. Blake uses the lamb to stand for Christ in nature in the same manner that Coleridge uses the millstone to stand for Christ in natu re.Coleridge uses spiritual and natural symbolism, which correspond with one another and play the most of import functions in this verse form. Although there are many different readings of this verse form, one thought that has remained common throughout the verse form is that of the spiritual symbolism nowadays. Particularly that of Christ and his ability to salvage, which was present throughout this verse form. The symbolism is that of the millstone. The millstone saves the Mariner for bad conditions and keeps the crewmans ingood wellness merely as Christ healed and kept His people from evil. Coleridge writes that a spirit similar to God, # 8220 ; loved the bird that loved the adult male who shot him with his bow # 8221 ; ( p.1498 ) . Those lines are an analogy with God who loved his boy who loved the m en that killed Him. The Mariner is shown as the people how turned from Christ and killed Him even though Jesus continued to love them. Coleridge besides has the Mariner hang the millstone around his cervix like a rood. The â€Å"crossbow† used to kill the millstone symbolizes the â€Å"cross† on which Jesus was nailed. Coleridge uses the millstone to typify Christ and the Mariner is the illustration of adult male losing religion and fighting to recover his religion in God. Coleridge uses the millstone as an illustration of a Jesus in the same manner that Swift uses Pedro de Mendez as a Jesus to Gulliver. # 8220 ; Gulliver # 8217 ; s Travels # 8221 ; , written by Swift, shows us that adult male is of course inclined toward immorality, yet his ain ground can convey him to a cognition of moral truth. The connexion of the 4th ocean trip to this theory is obvious. The Yahoos typify adult male as the hopeless evildoer. The Houyhnhnms symbolize adult male, directed by ground, into the way of righteousness and God. Gulliver tries to go a Houyhnhnm but they can non ground that he has the ability to be the same. Gulliver doesn # 8217 ; t recognize that ground International Relations and Security Network # 8217 ; t the lone manner to God until he meets Pedro de Mendez. Mendezrepresents Jesus in that he saves Gulliver and takes him in to feed, clothe, and supply a topographic point for Gulliver toremainder. Mendez treats Gulliver as an equal even though Gulliver treats Mendez as a lesser Yokel, as Christ loved all even those who betrayed Him. Swift shows how Gulliver inquiries and attempts to understand Christ merely like Blake shows the kid seeking to understand Christ. In all three narratives there is a individual who inquiries faith and a figure that tries to convey visible radiation to this inquiry of religion.These three authors all portion a common job with a major character and happen an reply to that job in their Christian belief of Christ # 8217 ; s being and love. Blake uses the kid to oppugn his Godhead and the lamb to stand for Christ. The lamb replies by stating the kid that their land is that of God. Coleridge shows how adult male inquiries God # 8217 ; s land and destroys it but how Christ still saves adult male from rolling from the way that leads us to His land.Fleet uses Gulliver to demo how adult male inquiries faith but so uses Mendez to stand for Christ who believes in religion. All three writers write from really Christian positions and demo how Christ is present in all people # 8217 ; s lives. They show us that the image of Christ can be seen in many thingsand that Christ directs us to faith. These authors use the symbolism of Christ in many different parts of nature, to demo that He represents all that Christians believe.

International Business Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Business - Dissertation Example Introduction China has risen to become a leading player in international business. China’s rise has been gradual, since the late 1970’s to date. In prior years, China was a socialist state but in the past three decades, China has done a lot to convert itself into a consumerist economy. From the 1980’s China began to relax some of its restrictions on trade operations (Tseng & Zebregs, 2002). This relaxation of trade constraints has made China a very lucrative place for International Business. Foreign investment has had a huge impact on business development in China. This essay is going to discuss foreign investors, rules governing foreign investment in China, and how some of these rules have been relaxed to contain foreign entrepreneurs. Relevance statement The significance of this essay is that it will act as a supportive lead to people wishing to do business in China, especially foreign investors. In modern times, there has been a rush by investors to set up bus inesses in China. Competition for investment in China is very high and businessmen need to know what to expect of China’s trade regulations. ... For this reason, various works of literature have been written in a quest to understand how China has managed to get to the top of international business. As indicated earlier on in this essay, China had very strict laws on how to conduct business especially with foreigners. Nonetheless, China realized the disadvantages of such strict policies and improved its relations with international markets by initiating various government reforms towards the relaxation of trade policies. For example, Li (2001) states that the government of China did way with a provision that required all foreigners running firms in the country to locally source for raw materials. Today, foreign entrepreneurs in China are allowed to purchase raw materials form outside China, in order to facilitate the growth of their businesses. The fact that China accepts individual investors form foreign countries to operate in the country is an achievement. Previously, China only allowed investors to set up businesses by use of joint ventures. According to Graham & Harm (2006) joint ventures continue to be the most prominent form of foreign investment in China. Methodology In this essay, I will use qualitative methods such as interviews and questionnaires to collect information. I will also use quantitative techniques such as statistics to affirm the information. I will distribute questionnaires to various foreign investors in various regions in China. This will enable me get actual information on how the relaxation of various economic policies has eased foreign business in China. I will also interview government officials to find out what specific policies have been done away with, or relaxed to allow for more foreign investment. In order to obtain statistical data on the growth of foreign ventures

Evolving evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evolving evolution - Essay Example The article offers the three constructs of Darwinian theory that include natural selection, heredity, and variation. Darwin believed that evolution was a gradual process where randomized changes to genetic profiles occurred while the organism sought â€Å"favorable variations† (Rosenfield & Ziff, 2006, p.1). Thus, Darwin believed that evolution consisted of unpredictable conditions that would best suit the organism for adaptability to a changing environment. However, advancing researchers such as Mendel began to recognize tangible genetic characteristics in organisms that were directly related to evolutionary changes with a new emphasis on genetic heredity. Not wanting to completely refute Darwin position, a new variation on Darwinian theory known as Modern Synthesis was released in the 1940s that began to recognize genetic importance in evolutionary patterns. Brakefield (2006) refers to the neo-Darwin knowledge of genetics as a catalyst for what Darwin believed as random muta tions as genetic morphology, the real constraints on classical natural selection theory. The article then describes further contemporary knowledge of the nature of the double helix as an explanation of how biological mutations occur, which in this case supported Darwin’s view that evolution occurs over time. The article describes Darwin’s view on the complexity of the eye as a means of describing certain knowledge inconsistencies during Darwin’s time period in an attempt to ascribe eye evolution to his classical view of natural selection. Offers Lamb (2011), a contributor to Scientific American, the eye is often regarded by opponents of evolution as â€Å"a system that cannot function in the absence of any of its components and therefore cannot have evolved naturally from a more primitive form†. Darwin, himself, argues that such complexity makes it difficult to support classical evolutionary theory, but acknowledges that elongated periods of time made such adaptations probable

CJ3Book Review The body of the Condemned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CJ3Book Review The body of the Condemned - Essay Example But they each define a certain penal style.† (Foucault, 1995, p. 7) Foucault points out that modern forms of punishment are, thankfully, not carried out in the same spirit or with the same purpose. Many legal reforms were instituted between the old world of executions and torture and the new world of prisons and labour camps, the main difference being that what used to be a public spectacle became, over time, a regimented process, more bureaucratic than anything else, that is carried out behind high walls and locked doors. For Foucault what is significant about this change is that the punishment is no longer something visibly displayed, and it no longer focuses so sharply on the human body of the convicted person. Foucault concedes that penalties such as imprisonment, forced labour, deportation and the like do also affect the human body but they do so indirectly: â€Å"The body now serves as an instrument or intermediary†¦physical pain, the pain of the body itself, is no longer the constituent element of the penalty.† (Foucault: 1995, p. 11) He observes that a whole army of â€Å"technicians† are now involved in the penal side of the criminal justice system, and one need only think of the modern prison to realise that he is right. Warders, chaplains, social workers, educators, even doctors and psychologists all participate in the process. In states and in periods where in states where the death penalty is or was permitted, there is also an increasing presence of technicians in the process. The methods chosen for death have veered away from elements of spectacle and torture and have become swifter, for example the guillotine in France, the hangman’s noose in England and the lethal injection in America. Technical experts accompany the convicted person right up to the moment of execution. Drugs are used to dull the sensations of inmates, and also to make sure that executions are free of physical pain. Foucault calls this a kind of d isconnection which makes the penalties non-corporeal and therefore distanced from the physical being of the person. Punishment in this way becomes, for Foucault something abstract, with only the most fleeting actual contact with the body of the victim. If modern punishment systems do not target the prisoner’s body any more, then the question of what exactly it does target then arises. Foucault suggests: â€Å"The expiation that once rained down upon the body must be replaced by a punishment that acts in depth on the heart, the thoughts, the will, the inclinations† (Foucault: 1995, p. 16) Some people might refer to this as the soul of the person, and cite moral or religious beliefs to underpin this view, but Foucault looks instead at the way attention has shifted away from the past crime that has been committed, and towards the person who has committed the crime and now deserves some kind of punishment. There is in modern criminal justice systems a belief that punishmen t can be used to change a person’s behaviour for the better, and perhaps even influence his nature and personality in a positive way. This can be done in a way that suppresses part of the person’s personality. Foucault also observes a modern fascination in the causes of crime, by which he means all the circumstances which surround it, including the background of the criminal and all the various factors which contributed to his committing the crime. This is a very important point, because it brings Foucault to make a serious judgement about modern