Thursday, November 24, 2011
Organic Solidarity: A Myth?
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Beck's Risk Society on a Global Scale
The challenge of voting in today's world
This
informal article is inspired by numerous ideas I have acquired through my Jr.
College and 1st Year University education. It applies epistemology,
anthropology, sociology, and globalisation studies to understand and address
two contemporary problems.
In his book Risk Society,
Ulrich Beck notes that modernisation has produced many hazards and risks
characteristic of the 20th and 21st Century. Two major
problems are especially pertinent today:
1. Climate
Change and
2. Economic
Collapse
These two problems are truly global in scale. Their impact is or will be
felt across the world regardless of borders and their solutions necessarily
involve concerted, multilateral action. The unilateral actions of single
nations or political blocs cannot conclusively solve these problems. However, concerned
voters find it difficult to make informed decisions about these issues due to
its specialist nature. Only select government agencies, NGOs, industry experts and
academic communities possess the technical knowledge to thoroughly assess and
address these problems. Voters’ relative ignorance compromises their ability to
cast sound votes and make informed choices through the democratic process and,
even if they do, such unilateral action does not solve the problem because
concerted multilateral action is lacking. In light of these issues, it seems
that national democratic processes cannot cope with the demands of global
problems.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
'Colour Coding' is Skin Deep
A University of Melbourne Final Essay Assignment
Under the Freshman Sociology subject "Understanding Society"
Passed with High Distinction (H1)
============ ============ ============
By Benjamin L.C.Y., written during Semester 1, 2011
BEST FIRST YEAR ESSAY
Melbourne University Arts Students' Society (M-ASS)
Annual Essay Competition 2011
in conjunction with National Australia Bank (NAB)
BEST FIRST YEAR ESSAY
Melbourne University Arts Students' Society (M-ASS)
Annual Essay Competition 2011
in conjunction with National Australia Bank (NAB)
Tutor's Comments - Dr. Jackson, I.:
Ben, this essay presents an integrated and nuanced overview of the situation with a strong technique and structure. All the technical aspects are good. If anything, the essay could be strengthened by more explicit use of theory in analysis of the role that stereotyping plays, eg. as explored by Goffman, Mead, Cooley and others, and by investigation of the nature and basis of race and ethnicity as constructions. As it is, it is an elegantly written essay that describes [the] key aspects associated with the topic but it doesn't have much 'bite'; perhaps explicit indication of scenario outcomes via statistics of incarcerations [eg. 'Stolen Generations' in Australia], inter-racial marriages etc., thus to ensure it reads clearly as an academic essay rather than an op-piece. Nevertheless, this essay indicates your deep understanding of issues related to the topic nd its overall location within the academic discipline.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
War Characters & Consciousness in 2 Texts
War Characters & Consciousness in 2 Texts
A University of Melbourne Short Essay Assignment
Under the Freshman Arts IDF subject "From Homer to Hollywood"
Passed with High Distinction (H1)
============ ============ ============
By Benjamin L.C.Y., written during Semester 1, 2011
Question 8:
"In Homeric and medieval representations of war characters have little consciousness; while in more recent representations of war characters are weighed down by their self-awareness."
Critically analyse this claim by choosing two characters we have studied and discuss how the representation of consciousness has changed over time.
Tutor: Dr. S Young
Ben, your essay shows a great amount of consideration of the topic, and your response is excellent. You show an in depth understanding of how the the conscious mind is depicted in your texts, & your depiction of Hecuba's despair and Rivers' trauma is very effective. You have used evidence to good effect throughout & present a very well crafted response. Well done & best wishes for next semester.
H1, 27/30
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Marx & Weber, walking down Wall Street...
The Order of Business
A University of Melbourne Short Essay Assignment
Under the Freshman Sociology subject "Understanding Society"
Passed with High Distinction (H1)
============ ============ ============
By Benjamin L.C.Y., written during Semester 1, 2011
The Order of Business
A brief comparison of Marx and Weber on the rise of industrial capitalism
“What are some of the ways that the earlier sociological perspectives of Marx & Weber understood the social forces that have, or will bring about, social change?”
Tutor's Comments:
Ben, this is an exemplary essay; congratulations. You have captured the essenceof the theories and integrated the comparison skilfully and the religious contextualisation works well. The essay structure creates a logical sequencing of comments. The essay, as presented, is however undermined by technical issues related to technical issues related to an essay format itself that are easily remedied and are noted on the essay itself. Take care of overuse of emphasis because this deadens the effect, and keep an eye on word length. This essay is well over the limit. Also, ensure that you don’t appear to be altering the essay question as set. However, as said, these are technical issues that don’t detract from the very strong demonstration of your understanding of this material. Well done.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Semantics
The Arts & Social Science student is NOT environmentally friendly. He/she will print 10 essay drafts in search for that perfect one.
Economists may say that it's an imperfect distribution of resources. The writer will same the same about his/her draft.
Geddit? :PP
Also, in the Old Arts Building:
The faculty is alive and well! ;)
Economists may say that it's an imperfect distribution of resources. The writer will same the same about his/her draft.
Geddit? :PP
Also, in the Old Arts Building:
The faculty is alive and well! ;)
Friday, April 22, 2011
Racial Stereotyping - "Colour Coding"
It's automatic.
Or so says Jones & Fazio (2010) in "Person Categorization and Automatic Stereotyping Effects on Weapon Identification". It was published in the Personality and Psychology Bulletin, 36(8), pg 1073-1085. The corresponding author is attached to the psychology department of the Ohio State University.
Stereotypes are cognitive representations of categories of people and their associated attributes. In the absence of individuating information, they allow us to 'predict' others' actions (ibid). I'm not sure if stereotyping really corresponds to action prediction, but I do know that under certain situations, even the most liberal and cosmopolitan people will make that mistake.
Or so says Jones & Fazio (2010) in "Person Categorization and Automatic Stereotyping Effects on Weapon Identification". It was published in the Personality and Psychology Bulletin, 36(8), pg 1073-1085. The corresponding author is attached to the psychology department of the Ohio State University.
Stereotypes are cognitive representations of categories of people and their associated attributes. In the absence of individuating information, they allow us to 'predict' others' actions (ibid). I'm not sure if stereotyping really corresponds to action prediction, but I do know that under certain situations, even the most liberal and cosmopolitan people will make that mistake.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I am an ARTS Student!
I've just finished reading the Chanson de Roland and have no mood for Shakespeare's Henry V just yet. Interestingly, I 'look' like a science student, as a classmate remarked one day. It created quite a furore on facebook. I've written the following piece of nonsensical dribble to demonstrate my academic grounding in the arts and social sciences. Don't take it seriously - it's an improvised rant that should prove entertaining for the informed audience...
Rene Descartes: "I think, therefore I doubt, therefore I am" (the real quote)
Immanuel Kant: "An analytic statement"
Karl Marx: "He's oppressed"
Sigmund Freud: "He's repressed"
Edward Said: "He's 'Occidentalised'"
Ludwig Wittgenstein: "You're all talking nonsense - "he's" my Beetle"
Erving Goffman: "Descarte's posing a dramatic identity"
William Shakespeare: "All the world's a Goffman"
Edward Carr: "Is his history of accepted judgements?"
Robin Collingwood: "No, it's about Great Men"
Friedrich Nietzsche: "Yes! They have the will to power!"
Mao Zedong: "Does it grow out of the barrel of a gun?"
Michael Foucault: "It's power-knowledge, the politics of discourse define knowledge!"
Lee Kuan Yew: "I aim to be correct, not politically correct! You should too!"
Peter Winch: "You're all ethnocentric"
Jeremy Bentham: "Then let's reform everyone in my Panopticon"
John Mill: "As long as it's utilitarian..."
Deng Xiaoping: "Yea, it doesn't matter it the cat is black or white as long as it catches the rat"
John Locke: "No! He's got the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Thomas Hobbes: "Only if the Leviathan approves"
George Orwell: "But freedom is slavery, at least in 1984"
Jean Rousseau: "You civil savages"
Albert Camus: "Fellow monsieur, Sisyphus is more interesting than you"
Francis Bacon: "Settle it with the scientific method: by far the best proof is experience"
Thomas Kuhn: "But observation is theory-laden"
Karl Popper: "I'll falsify that!"
Ambrose Bierce: "Harangue: A speech by an opponent, who is known as an harrangue-outang"
Emile Durkheim: "But each has a Function in society"
Adam Smith: "Yes, individual pursuit for the common good."
Winston Churchill: "Nevar waas soul mulch owed buy so many twoo so few"
Aldous Huxley: "But we need functionalism for a brave new world"
Plato: "I'll hide in my cave until your ideas take Form"
Ben: "Damn I've run out of wine"
Rene Descartes: "I think, therefore I doubt, therefore I am" (the real quote)
Immanuel Kant: "An analytic statement"
Karl Marx: "He's oppressed"
Sigmund Freud: "He's repressed"
Edward Said: "He's 'Occidentalised'"
Ludwig Wittgenstein: "You're all talking nonsense - "he's" my Beetle"
Erving Goffman: "Descarte's posing a dramatic identity"
William Shakespeare: "All the world's a Goffman"
Edward Carr: "Is his history of accepted judgements?"
Robin Collingwood: "No, it's about Great Men"
Friedrich Nietzsche: "Yes! They have the will to power!"
Mao Zedong: "Does it grow out of the barrel of a gun?"
Michael Foucault: "It's power-knowledge, the politics of discourse define knowledge!"
Lee Kuan Yew: "I aim to be correct, not politically correct! You should too!"
Peter Winch: "You're all ethnocentric"
Jeremy Bentham: "Then let's reform everyone in my Panopticon"
John Mill: "As long as it's utilitarian..."
Deng Xiaoping: "Yea, it doesn't matter it the cat is black or white as long as it catches the rat"
John Locke: "No! He's got the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Thomas Hobbes: "Only if the Leviathan approves"
George Orwell: "But freedom is slavery, at least in 1984"
Jean Rousseau: "You civil savages"
Albert Camus: "Fellow monsieur, Sisyphus is more interesting than you"
Francis Bacon: "Settle it with the scientific method: by far the best proof is experience"
Thomas Kuhn: "But observation is theory-laden"
Karl Popper: "I'll falsify that!"
Ambrose Bierce: "Harangue: A speech by an opponent, who is known as an harrangue-outang"
Ambrose Bierce: "Harangue: A speech by an opponent, who is known as an harrangue-outang"
Emile Durkheim: "But each has a Function in society"
Adam Smith: "Yes, individual pursuit for the common good."
Winston Churchill: "Nevar waas soul mulch owed buy so many twoo so few"
Aldous Huxley: "But we need functionalism for a brave new world"
Plato: "I'll hide in my cave until your ideas take Form"
Ben: "Damn I've run out of wine"
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