Resistance and dissent against established institutions have proven to be difficult throughout the history of organized societies. Even today, many parts of the world languish under the rule of autocrats, plutocrats and oligarchs, where opposition to authority is silenced by coercion or crushed by force. Even in the so-called democratic countries there have been political…
Category: Society
Criminal Justice: Preventing rape as a weapon of war
The association between rape and war goes as far back as recorded history. Among all evil actions that human beings are known to commit, rape is only next to murder in terms of its barbarity and cruelty. It is also a sad fact that irrespective of widespread acknowledgement of the tendency of human beings to…
Disaster Management: The cases of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike
1. How did the flooding affect commodity markets? Describe, in detail, what happened to energy prices. Look at the markets for the following commodities: crude oil, unleaded gas, and natural gas. Does Ike constitute a supply or demand shock? Explain yourself clearly. Hurricane Ike moved inland from the Atlantic Ocean in the second week of…
The radical politics of David Gilbert
Throughout the history of the United States, there has been conflict between established order and the general public. Even the very conception of an independent union of states separate from the British crown was an act of rebellion. The story of David Gilbert is one of many such struggles for progress. Landmark events in our…
Apostles of Hatred Find it Easy to Spread Their Message by Leonard Pitts, Jr. – A Personal Reflection
Reading through the essay titled ‘Apostles of Hatred Find It Easy To Spread Their Message’ was a moving experience for me. As I completed reading it, I was left with mixed feelings of pity, anger and a sense of helplessness. I agree with most of what the author had to say in the essay. The…
The issue of Illegal Aliens in the United States
The issue of immigration has taken renewed significance in American political discourse over the last ten years. This was largely prompted by the flood of illegal immigrants crossing over from Mexico and other central American countries. Considering that Hispanic Americans already comprise 13 percent of the population and have the highest birth rates among all…
Ideological Racism vs Prejudice
How does “ideological racism” differ from prejudice? Which concept is more sociological? Why? How does institutional discrimination differ from discrimination? Ideological racism is a concept that is more entrenched into the fabric of society. In whichever society ideological racism thrives, one can expect its manifestation in the policy frameworks of leading institutions. Ideological racism is…
Documentary Film Analysis: Dark Days (2000)
The documentary film Dark Days, conceived and filmed by Marc Singer, is one of the modern classics of the genre. The film presents little known darker realities of the most prosperous city in the world New York. The usage of rudimentary cinematic devices and techniques is consistent with the central theme of the film. The…
Does living with someone before marriage increase your chances of divorce after marriage?
In many cultures, living with someone before marriage is strictly taboo. Yet, in liberal democratic societies in Europe and the United States, a different set of cultural values are adopted. In the latter regions pre-marital relationships are quite common. Varied sexual orientations and alternative living arrangements are also taking shape. There is also a tendency…
Book Review: Gambling with the Future by Yale D. Belanger
The history of the social and economic impoverishment of aborigines of North America in general and Canada in particular is fairly well documented. But the effect of European colonization and settlements in Canada has had a destructive effect on aboriginal gaming and gambling as well. This latter aspect of the history of aboriginal life under…