Two emerging topics in social science that are also global concerns are the current wars we are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya as well as the slowly recovering economic situation in America.Although the U.S. still has a presence in Iraq, we are more focused on the current wars in Afghanistan and Libya.There are various reasons for these wars like social unrest and the ambitions of political and military leaders such as in the case of Libya, but I feel that Afghanistan proves the more complicated of the two.Some of the factors that contribute to the war in that region are various such as intense ethnic rivalry among various groups, the need to protect the country’s honor as well as religious and political division.Even with the recent death of Bin Laden there doesn’t seem to be a foreseeable end to the war in Afghanistan.
On U.S. soil we have huge concerns about our economic stability on this slow road to recovery from the recent recession.Another related concern is on our government’s spending habits and the possibility of large cuts in aiding social institutions.Many American’s still find themselves out of the job some three years later from the start of the recession with no stable prospects in front of them.
I chose this article because it gives a nice summary on the U.S.' current standing on the legalization of same sex marriages.
Links: http://gaymarriage.procon.org/ This site provides unbiased arguments for and against the legalization of gay marriage in America to promote critical thinking on the subject.It also highlights current facts about gay marriage from different standpoints and a list of countries that have already legalized it.
This site is a government site which gives detailed reports on population statistics for the U.S. including family living arrangements, different races and economics. The detailed reports date from 1993-2010 and there are also links to papers on related subjects such as same sex households and multicultural families.
Babymamas
The reason I chose this chapter is because it is about family; the different types, the variations in acquiring a spouse, its functions and its lineage.I come from a multicultural family and I characterize myself as a Eurasian, having both European and Asian heritage.My husband’s family comes from Fiji by way of India, and together we have a daughter with a variety of ancestry.I also chose this chapter because although both of our parents came from traditional relationships; starting with marriage then moving on to having children, we however, chose to do the opposite.We first dated then had our daughter two years later then waited two years after that to get married.This is far from what we would consider a “traditional” marriage and family that is why I chose the supporting materials I have presented here.Some reflect the traditional American family of the 1950’s, gay marriage and the “babymama” factor of having children with one or multiple partners without marrying any of them.
I chose this article because of the uniqueness of the prison situation and I believe that it shows a good example of the power of deviance.The inmates at this prison in Venezuela continue to deviate from societal norms and continue to commit crimes even while incarcerated.Just from reading this article and having a small understanding of the prisons geography (on a known departure point for drug shipments into the Caribbean and US) I can hypothesize that a few of our deviant theories are displayed here, such as the strain theory and the illegitimate opportunity theory.
Id, Ego, & Superego
Links:http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/mind_brain/This is a site I frequent as it has a good variety of scientific articles in various subjects.It also has a large section related to the “mind & body” which highlights articles related to psychology, behavior and related disorders.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childdevelopment.htmlThis site is part of the National Institutes of Health and it focuses on early childhood development.It also has some information/links on behavioral problems and learning disabilities.
I chose this chapter because it covers topics that interest me such as personality development and deviant behavior.Personality development is ones innate and learned characteristics reflected by their behavior which I feel ties in with certain people deviating from societal norms by acting badly or committing crimes.I chose the supporting materials I have presented here because they reflect topics such as Freud’s concept of personality, deviant behavior and from Robert Frost’s poem; the factor of personal choice in anything we do.
"Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be."
I chose this article because I feel that it is important since it touched on a few concepts that we studied in this chapter such as the predecessors of modern humans, human evolution and the existence of an ancestral Eve.
Animated reconstruction of evolution - BBC science
Links: http://www.becominghuman.org/ This site showcases articles and research about human origins and evolution. It is also interactive which gives it a special advantage over other sites.
http://www.creationism.org/index.htm This site reflects the opposing view towards evolution which is scientific creationism. It offers outside links to other creationism sites as well as articles, books and textbooks on the subject.
I chose this chapter because ever since a young age I can remember being fascinated with human evolution, mainly for the “where did humans come from” factor.I feel that overall, human evolution and evolution in general are extremely strong opposing theories to my own personal beliefs in God as a Christian.These contending subjects do add some confusion to my ideals but I think that adds to my fascination.I chose these supporting materials because I think they are good reflections of differing beliefs being that both human evolution and scientific creationism are touched upon.
"The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that fits all cases."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Social Science is an area of study that interests me because I am fascinated by the different forces, from culture and politics to society and economics, and their ability to influence an individual’s actions. No one person has the same point of view as another and that can be largely attributed to one’s environment. Social Science also happens to be my major at UMUC and I chose it because I feel its study has so many applications in government and the private sector, which gives me more options for a fulfilling career.
