The city of London has historically been the heart of Western Europe. While across the channel Paris grew in reputation as the favored hub for artists, musicians and litterateurs, London was (and still is) the financial centre of Western European democracies. Given this background, the confines of metropolitan London had expanded gradually. Needless to say,…
Category: General
Social determinants of health in the context of globalization and modernization
The phenomenon of globalization is as old as organized commerce. In its early days, the wealth generated by globalization was limited to a small elite community. But as modes of transport, communication and remote business organization advanced it has led to sustained living standard improvements in many industrial societies. This has happened to the extent…
The growth of Asian arts in Europe and America
The infiltration of pieces of Asian art into the museums and art houses of Europe and America goes back a long way. In spite of the obvious cultural differences between the hemispheric East and West, the exchange of artefacts across the divide is as old as international commerce. Asian art has not only found patronage…
How the poor are punished twice by Affluenza?
John de Graaf and team’s well researched and eye-opening book “Affluenza: The All Consuming Epidemic” brings up several issues ailing contemporary industrial societies, such as deceptive mass advertisements, over-population, environment damaging toxic dumping, corporate greed, etc. Such lifestyle and social trends are no where more ostensible than in the United States of America. The USA,…
Why is Body Piercing a Popular Trend Among Youth Today?
Body piercing, alongside tattooing, has become more common over the last few decades, especially made popular by the hippy culture of 1970s America. Body piercing is related to other forms of body modification such as branding, cutting, binding, inserting implants, etc in an attempt to change the appearance of the individual’s body. More broadly, body…
David Gartman’s ‘Three Ages of the Automobile: The Cultural Logics of the Car’ and Michael Moore’s ‘Roger and Me’
David Gartman in ” Three Ages of the Automobile: The Cultural Logics of the car ”, argues that the history of automobility may be divided into three ”ages” Does Michael Moor’s Film, Roger and Me, substantiate or contradict Gartman’s analysis? Explain. According to David Gartman, the automobile has carried additional connotations beyond its basic function…
The problem of starvation: Possible solutions
Food, alongside air and water, is an essential resource for human survival. While these natural resources keep us alive and help life to grow, when they are not available, it would lead to starvation and even death. Sadly, at the turn of the twenty first century, a large number of people are on the edge…
Why is gay marriage treated as taboo and how this understanding is being challenged today?
Homosexuality, for major part of human history has been considered a taboo; the origins of its condemnation can be traced back to primitive religious beliefs and ancient superstitions. As societies become more advanced and modern, with attendant increase in awareness of the subject, a greater degree of tolerance and understanding of homosexuality is seen these…
Do governments in the developing world censor TV and Internet?
The issue of regulating internet and television content is highly significant, given the exponential growth in the use of this medium for commercial and informational purposes across the globe. When the internet was thrown open for commercial use during the mid 1990s, most of its content originated from theUnited States of America, making English the…
Molecular Genetic Diagnostics in the 21st century
The advent of molecular genetic diagnostics has opened up new opportunities in the field of preventative and restorative healthcare. The newly available genetic diagnostic technologies have given rise to legal and moral conundrums that have not been sufficiently resolved. Just as the debate on the broader implications of genetic technology continues, the number of patients…