Concept Application Project Essay Example for Free

Concept Application Project Essay Throughout the semester I have explored many topics in sociology. While exploring these topics, three main theoretical perspectives were used. I will briefly illustrate each of the main theoretical perspectives of functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic Interactionism. During this semester I have watched two films, Food Incorporated and The Vernon Johns Story. I will describe how a theoretical perspective is used in each of these examples. Then I will provide my own two examples where concepts and theoretical perspectives can be illustrated. My First example is the Boston Marathon Bombings and the second is the Mass Media’s coverage of the Boston Bombings. The Functionalist Perspective is a sociological perspective that emphasizes each part of society contributing to the survival of that society. In Sociology in Modules, they define the functionalists perspective as, â€Å"A sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability (Schaefer 15). Read more:  Conflict Perspective on Social Media † The functionalist perspective can be compared to the human body model. Each part of the body performs specific tasks. For example, our legs allow us to walk or run and our lungs allow us to breathe. Without each and every body part, one simply cannot perform to the maximum potential. Now when a functionalist is looking at a society, they may see different social groups that contribute to a larger population. The Conflict Perspective is a sociological perspective that views the world as a constant struggle. In our textbook, Sociology in Modules, they define the conflict perspective as, â€Å"A sociological approach that assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, including housing, money, access to services, and political representation (Schaefer 15). † There are many areas where conflict can arise in today’s society. Religious groups, political parties, and different social classes, may all have conflicting views with other or opposite groups. Examples of the conflict perspective include means of production versus labor and the concentration of wealth. In recent history, the conflict perspective is becoming more popular. With, â€Å"The widespread social unrest resulting from battles over civil rights, bitter divisions over the war in Vietnam, the rise of the feminist and gay liberation movements, the Watergate political scandal, urban riots, and confrontations at abortion clinics have offered support for the conflict approach (Schaefer 16). † Groups in society with different viewpoints often pose a great threat to conflicting parties. The Interactionist Perspective is the third main sociological perspective where the traditional way of thinking comes from typical human interaction between groups. Sociology in Modules defines the interactionist perspective as, â€Å"generalizations about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole (Schaefer 17). † The interactionist perspective is also know as symbolic interactionism. I believe it is much easier to look at it from a symbolic interactionism perspective because symbols are easier to understand. From a symbolic interactionist perspective, one may see the world we live in as full of objects. These objects can come on the form of people, places, things, thoughts, feelings, or symbols. Symbolic interactionism looks at these symbols to characterize groups by their symbol. Each symbol may be different. For example, a symbol could be the type of color of car you drive, what you wear to work or school everyday, or even tattoos. Groups in society are often characterized by their symbols. These symbols allow people with similar symbols to communicate with ease. Food Incorporated is a documentary film that portrays the corporate farming industry in the United States as unhealthy, harmful, abusive, and inhumane. Food Inc. the movie really gave me something to think about, it only reinforced my beliefs to eat healthy and support organic and free-range grass fed meats. The most meaningful thing to me was when one of the contributors said the corporate farming industry only wants to grow their products â€Å"bigger, fatter, cheaper, faster†. This agribusiness in only in it for the sake of business and they don’t see the other side. On the other side there are these products that are being mass-produced in factory farms. This seemingly only affects the lower class Americans who can only afford the cheapest of food products at the super market. From a financial standpoint, it only makes sense that people are forced to consume such low quality products at their demise. As the conflict theory would describe it, this is a constant struggle between the producer and the consumer. The producers are producing animal products in close quarter factory farms and feeding them corn, which is not a naturally occurring meal. Specifically cattle and chickens are given hormone shots to make them grown bigger, fatter, and faster. These farms do not treat the animals well at all. The animals live in horrible conditions, often times in their own manure. This causes disease to reach to food that eventually people eat. There are cases that come up all the time where products need to be pulled from the shelves in stores because of contaminated foods. The Vernon John’s story is a true story turned into a movie that portrays a Minister, Vernon John, who leads the African Americans in the fight for civil rights. This film demonstrated the development of social change in the south. First, the blacks do not measure up to the whites in social class. They often held position in social that were not important of looked down upon. For example, the position that Vernon John holds is viewed as a conflict by white law enforcement officials. During the early 1900s, Black Americans were being segregated from society. Secondly, During this time, African Americans were not recognized by society as having any value other than slavery. Race and ethnicity played a large role in society during this time. African American Racial groups formed and they were discriminated against. Vernon John is a leader of social change. He stepped up and faced the danger in speaking his views. The movie illustrates two great examples of hate crime in the 1920s. The first is when Vernon John was driving in his car late at night to bring a girl who had been raped to the hospital. The white policemen pulled Vernon John over and just antagonized him for no reason. Another example is when part of Vernon John’s church was set on fire. This was obviously planned by the white Americans out of hatred for Vernon Johns following and community. The blacks were heavily being discriminated against. Third, the government used force and power to exercise their will against Vernon John and the Black Americans. The movie demonstrates a great example of what goes on in society today. Although the United States may not be going through the exact same situation of discrimination as the 1900s, we are still facing sorts of discrimination and hate crimes today. Which leads me into my next example, the recent Boston Marathon bombings. The Boston Marathon bombings is an alleged terrorist attack that happened during the finish of the 2013 Boston Marathon. On April 15th, 2013, two Muslim brothers from Massachusetts detonated two explosives near the finish line of the Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 200 people. The 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings display the conflict some people have with society. I am not in the head of the bombers or the investigators so I am only speaking from an outside perspective. With that being said, I cannot imagine what they were thinking when setting off these two explosions in front of thousands of people. From the suspects point of view, they must have seen the world from a conflict perspective. They must have believed that they didn’t fit into society. In a Wall Street Journal article, one suspect claims â€Å"he and his brother were angry about the U. S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the killing of Muslims there† (Authorities Say Bomb Suspects Planned NYC Attack). My only guess is that their hatred for the United States is so fierce that they concluded in carrying out these horrible acts. It appears that other groups from over seas heavily influenced the suspects. This is just one example of how government, religion, and cultural differences can become conflicting in society. The mass media can influence the coverage of any story by the time it reaches the public. The mass media is defined by Sociology in Modules as, â€Å"print and electronic means of communication that carries messages to widespread audiences† (Schaefer 153). The leverage they have is huge in what information/sources they have and what they release. In the coverage of the Boston Bombings, the media helped the public understand of what precautions they should take around the threatened area. The media also helped people from across the country understand what was happening in Boston. In this case, I believe the media did a good job in providing accurate information to the public. However, this is not always the case. The conflict view states that gatekeeping can control what information reaches the public. For example the media can choose on which pieces of news to report on, leaving out specifics that could totally twist the story. They can also choose which sources they want to use which may also have an affect on the outcome of the story. Not all social classes have access to certain news sources. Many sources are behind a pay wall, which prohibits some potential viewers from accessing the information. The functionalist view would say that the mass media plays a role in society that keeps it moving forward. Sociology in Modules says, â€Å"the mass media is to occupy our leisure time—from newspaper comics and crossword puzzles to the latest music releases on the Internet. While that is true, the media have other important functions. They also socialize us, enforce social norms, confer status, and promote consumption† (Schaefer 154). This is all very true and it reinforces our viewpoints of the media. Overall, multiple theoretical perspectives can portray the mass media. Indeed, concepts and theoretical perspectives learned in class are used to illustrate events in society today. First, the example of the Vernon John’s story gives one the ability to see the upbringing of social change through the civil rights movement. The second example of the Food Inc. production is one that produces for profit without taking into consideration all the ethical and health needs of American citizens. Third, my example of the Boston Marathon Bombings illustrates conflict and hates crimes in our culture today. Lastly. The mass media acts as an agent between information and the public through print and electronic versions. The conflict and functionalists theoretical perspectives can be used to analyze the mass media. Therefore, social concepts and theoretical perspectives are used throughout the society we live in today. ? Works Cited Authorities Say Bomb Suspects Planned NYC Attack. WSJ. com. Associated Press, 26 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Food, Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Movie One, 2008. DVD. Schaefer, Richard T. Sociology In Modules. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. McGrawHills Connect. Web. 4 Apr. 2013. The Vernon Johns Story. Dir. Kenneth Fink. 1994. DVD.

Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Good evening. A couple weeks ago, I was attempting to clean my room when I unearthed an old yearbook from my days in middle school. Rather absentmindedly I opened the book to browse through it. However, before long I became immersed in the memories brought back to life and quickly lost track of time. Over an hour later, I set the book aside and marveled at how much had changed since then. Not only had people changed physically, but they had also changed their friends, habits and behaviors. Furthermore, we have all grown as a result of the changing world around us, a changing world that has witnessed the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, as well as the constant birth of new technologies which make our lives easier. These changes have shaped new outlooks on life, along with the way we perceive ourselves. The concept of change is as timeless as history itself. Change is inevitable, whether it be changes in your statues from a student to an adult, changes in your path in life or simply changes in your appearance as you approach old age. While change can, at times, appear menacing, it ...

Agree or Disagree with Dissections

Why Do We Dissect ? The art of dissection allows for people to gain knowledge about the organisms around them in a very unique way. Dissection involves the cutting open and examination of animals or plants. Some of the earliest dissections date back to the third century where they were performed by Greek physicians. They used dissections as a means of gaining a broader understanding of their own species. Today dissections are an essential part of life. Dissections are popularly used in autopsies to determine means of death and by students to gain a better understanding of animal and human body. I personally think dissections are the best way to learn about our own bodies through examining other animals. This is because of homology or similarities between certain animals and humans. I’ve experienced homology in frog dissections. The internal structure of the frog was similar to the internal structure of the human body. Dissections were performed live and virtually. The live dissection of the frog allowed me to gain a true understanding of the organ systems compared to a virtual dissection done on the computer. I believe live dissections are better, they allowed me to learn more about the specimen by providing a better sense of the size and structure of the specimen. Through a live dissection I also gained lab experience in using dissection tools, safety procedures and equipment. When preparing for a lab practical a live dissection is more sufficient than a virtual dissection. It is easier to identify internal structures when you’ve examined them up close In conclusion dissections are one of the best means of gaining knowledge about the body and internal structure of a specimen. They allow for humans to discover homology between them and other animals such as frogs. Dissections can be performed live or virtually and to me live dissections are supreme because they allow for a more in depth and hands on examination. Thus leading to a better understanding of the specimen. | |

Biography of Artemisia Gentileschi, Italian Baroque Artist

Artemisia Gentileschi (July 8, 1593–date unknown, 1653) was an Italian Baroque painter who worked in the Caravaggist style. She was the first female painter admitted to the prestigious Accademia de Arte del Disegno. Gentleschis art is often discussed in connection to her biography: she was raped by an artist colleague of her father and she participated in the prosecution of the rapist, two facts that many critics connect with the themes of her work. Today, Gentileschi is recognized for her expressive style and the remarkable achievements of her artistic career. Fast Facts: Artemisia Gentileschi Known For: Italian Baroque artist who painted in the Caravaggist styleBorn: July 8, 1593 in Rome, ItalyDied: circa 1653 in Naples, ItalyNotable Achievement: Gentileschi was the first woman to become a member of the Accademia di Arte del Disegno in Florence, founded by Cosimo I deMedici.Selected Artwork: Judith Slaying Holofernes (1614-1620), Jael and Sisera (1620), Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting (1638-39) Early Life Artemisia Gentileschi was born in Rome in 1593 to Prudentia Montoni and Orazio Gentileschi, a successful painter. Her father was friends with the great Caravaggio, the father of the dramatic style that would come to be known as the Baroque. The young Artemisia was taught to paint in her father’s studio at a young age and would eventually take up the trade, though her father insisted she join a convent after the death of her mother in childbirth. Artemisia could not be deterred, and eventually her father became a champion of her work. Trial and Its Aftermath Much of Gentileschi’s legacy lies in the sensationalism surrounding her rape at the hands of her father’s contemporary and her painting teacher, Agostino Tassi. After Tassi refused to marry Gentileschi, Orazio brought his daughter’s rapist to trial. There, Gentileschi was made to repeat the details of the attack under the duress of an early truth-telling device called a sibille, which progressively tightened around her fingers. By the trials end, Tassi was found guilty and sentenced to five years banishment from Rome, which he never served. Many speculate his punishment was not enforced, as he was a favorite artist of Pope Innocent X. After the trial, Gentileschi married Pierantonio Stiattesi (a minor Florentine artist), had two daughters, and became one of the most desirable portrait painters in Italy. Career as a Painter Gentileschi achieved great success in her lifetime—a rare degree of success for a female artist of her era. An incontestable example of this is her admittance to the prestigious Accademia del Disegno, founded by Cosimo de Medici in 1563. As a member of the guild, Gentileschi was able to purchase paints and other art materials without the permission of her husband, which proved to be instrumental when she decided to separate herself from him. With newfound freedom, Gentileschi spent time painting in Naples and later in London, where she was summoned to paint at the court of the King Charles I around 1639. Gentileschi was also patronized by other noblemen (among them the powerful Medici family) and members of the Church in Rome. Notable Artwork Artemisia Gentileschis most famous painting is of the Biblical figure of Judith, who beheads the general Holofernes in order to save her village. This image was depicted by many artists throughout the Baroque period; typically, artists represented the character of Judith as either the temptress, who uses her wiles to lure a man who she later kills, or the noble woman, who is willing to sacrifice herself to save her people. Gentileschi’s depiction is unusual in its insistence on Judith’s strength. The artist does not shy away from depicting her Judith as struggling to sever the head of Holofernes, which results in an image both evocative and believable. Judith and Holofernes (c. 1611).   Getty Images Many scholars and critics have likened this image to a self-portrait of revenge, suggesting that the painting was Gentileschi’s way of asserting herself against her rapist. While this biographical element of the work could be true—we do not know the psychological state of the artist—the painting is equally important for the way it represents Gentileschis talent and her influence on Baroque art. This is not to say, however, that Gentileschi was not a strong woman. There is much evidence of her confidence in herself as a female painter. In many of her correspondences, Gentileschi referenced the difficulty of being a female painter in a male dominated field. She was vexed by the suggestion that her work might not be as good as that of her male counterparts, but never doubted her own ability. She believed her work would speak for itself, responding to one critic that her painting would show him what a woman can do. Self-portrait as the Allegory of Painting (La Pittura), Artemisia Gentileschi. Public Domain / Google Cultural Institute   Gentileschis now famous self-portrait, Self-portrait as the Allegory of Painting, was forgotten in a cellar for centuries, as it was thought to have been painted by an unknown artist. That a woman could have produced the work was not considered possible. Now that the painting has been properly attributed, it proves to be a rare example of a combination of two artistic traditions: the self portrait and the embodiment of an abstract idea by a female figure—an achievement that no male painter could create himself. Legacy Though her work was well-received during her lifetime, Artemisia Gentileschi’s reputation floundered after her death in 1653. It is not until 1916 that interest around her work was revived by Robert Longhi, who wrote about Artemisia’s work in conjunction with her father’s. Longhi’s wife would later publish on the younger Gentileschi in 1947 in the form of a novel, which focused on the dramatic unfolding of her rape and its aftermath. The inclination to dramatize Gentileschis life continues today, with several novels and a movie about the artist’s life. In a more contemporary turn, Gentileschi has become a 17th century icon for a 21st century movement. The parallels of the #metoo movement and the testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford in the Brett Kavanaugh hearings put Gentileschi and her trial back into the public consciousness, with many citing Gentileschi’s case as evidence that little progress has been made in the intervening centuries when it comes to public responses to female victims of sexual violence. Sources Fine, Elsa Honig.  Women And Art: A History Of Women Painters And Sculptors From The Renaissance To The 20Th Century. Allanheld Schram, 1978, pp. 14-17.Gotthardt, Alexxa. Behind The Fierce, Assertive Paintings Of Baroque Master Artemisia Gentileschi.  Artsy, 2018, https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-baroque-master-artemisia-gentileschi. Accessed 4 Dec 2018.Jones, Jonathan. More Savage Than Caravaggio: The Woman Who Took Revenge In Oil.  The Guardian, 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/oct/05/artemisia-gentileshi-painter-beyond-caravaggio.ONeill, Mary. Artemisias Moment.  Smithsonian Magazine, 2002, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/artemisias-moment-62150147/.Parker, Rozsika, and Griselda Pollock.  Old Mistresses. 1st ed., Pantheon Books, 1981, pp. 20-26.