Examining The True Definition Of What Globalization Means Cultural Studies Essay

Examining The True Definition Of What Globalization Means Cultural Studies Essay It seems that nowadays just anybody can say something about globalization, or at least they think they can. No matter if they are scholars, social scientists, activists, politicians or ordinary people. A lot of people use the term globalization to push their own political agendas, like far left/right wing politics or feminism (see as an example Ruether 2005), in scientific (or better, scientific) journals that dont respect the scientific rigor. Others think that globalization is bringing cultural uniformity, but it seems that this is not true, there is a change in diversity (see Schuerkens 2003). But, when we are looking out for a definition of globalization we find a great confusion, and the more we search the more the image of globalization gets blurred, and theres no agreement on a unified definition of globalization. So while there is no agreement about what globalization is, the entire discourse of globalization is founded on a quite solid agreement that globalization is (Bartel son, 2000:180). It seems that the word globalization was used for the first time in 1962 in an article entitled The US Eyes Greater Europe, in The Spectator (Cerami cited by Van Der Bly 2005:877)  [2]  . Now, 47 years later, the word globalization is used on the Internet much more than the older words socialism (first time mentioned in 1837) and communism (first time mentioned in 1840) together, and even more than capitalism (first time mentioned in 1854) (Van Der Bly 2005:878)  [3]  . Economists already have a more or less commonly accepted definition of globalization and that is an international economic integration that can be pursued through policies of openness, the liberalization of trade, investment and finance, leading to an open economy (Van Der Bly 2005:875). They are developing also indicators in order to measure the openness of an economy such as trade flows, amount of foreign direct investment, portfolio capital flows and investment. Sociologists, on the other hand, didnt succeed to build a common definition. As a matter of fact also the existing definitions have some problems, as we will see, with their scope, extension, field, etc. We can still dream about the sociological indicators of globalization  [4]  . Lets see first some of the most important definitions and features of globalization. For the dialectic Globalization-as-a-Condition vs. Globalization-as-a-Process Van Der Bly dissects Tomlinsons definition of globalization that is (as cited by Van Der Bly 2005:880) an empirical condition of the modern world, which I call complex connectivity. By this I mean that globalization refers to the rapidly developing and ever-densening network of interconnections and interdependencies that characterizes modern social life. Van Der Bly finds logical flaws in this definition because it defines globalization explicitly as a condition, but the rest seems talking about a process. So, is globalization a condition of the modern world or a process? If it isa condition in wht it is different from modernization or modernity? If it is a process the term leads to a neglect of the present, and that leads to the second dialectic. In the dialectic Globalization-as-Reality vs Globalization-as-Futurology, Van Der Bly explains that sociological studies of globalization can easily fall in the trap of futurology because it is not clear to what extent the reality relates to the concept of reality that is skatched (2005:882). When globalization is defined as a process it is implied that it refers to an outcome that is in the future which, by definition, cannot be measurable and definable. For this reason the possibilities to use the concept globalization as a research framework are restricted, so sociologists must turn to futurology and use its research methods such as scenarios, trend analysis, chaos theory, simulation games and mathematical modelling. So, because we must go in the future it is very unlikely that there will be reached a consensus over the definition of the concept. Another problem that rises with the concept of globalization as a process, and we fall in the realm of futurology, is that usually it is not presented to the public as futurology, so it creates fear (nightmare scenarios) or false hopes (utopias). In either way, as Van Der Bly says, it creates the iamge of a powerless individual, or evena powerless society, which has no free will to construct its, always unknown, future (2005:883). For the dialectic One-Dimensional Globalization vs. Multidimensional Globalization Van Der Bly says that even though a concept of a multidimensional globalization is more or less accepted by sociologists, it makes even more difficult to to clarify the term and give it a meaning because it reduces the possible significances. How could that happen? Well, lets think about globalization of economical flows, then about globalization of politics, then about the globalization of arts and culture, and so on What do these globalizations have in common? Not much, the least we can say. This multidimensional approach, as Van Der Bly says, surely fits the reality and its interconectedness among different fields of society and human behavior, but then it blurs the term with intrinsic contradictions and paradoxes that are absent in a more one-dimensional definition of globlization (as the economic one). So, we can conclude that multidimensionality leads to an underestimation of internal contradicti ons of globalization. (Van Der Bly 2005). Van Der Blys suggestions for the future of globalization are the following: sociologists should consider the idea of globalization as the idea of an open society, and discuss which empirical parameters indicate the level of openness of a society  [5]  , as economists have done with the openness of the markets. Sociologists should aim to strive for a commonly accepted definition that explicitly creates space for human agency and focuses on clarity (2005:891). Bartelson (2000) distinguishes three senses of the idea of globalization in the sociology of International Relations (macrosociology): Globalization as Transference Globalization as Transformation Globalization as Transcendence Globalization as transference means that globalization is an intensified transference or exchange of things between preconstitued units, be they political, economic or cultural. Thus conceived, globalization signifies a process of change that originates at the level of the unit, mainly in terms of the unintended consequences of the interaction between units. (Bartelson 2000:184). In this sense globalization is not very different from older concepts as internationalization and interdependence. Globalization as Transformation means that globalization is a process of transformation that occurs at the systems level, and it affects the system as much as it affects the identity of the units (Bartelson 2000:186). Globalization as transcendence means that globalization as a concept implies the transcendence of the distinctions that together condition unit [in the Interntional Relations sense], system and dimension identity (Bartelson 2000:189). It is a concept that dissolves the divide between inside and outside. It also despatializes and detemporalizes human practices as well as the conditions of human knowledge, and it projects them onto the global as a condition of its existance (ibid.). Bartelson thinks that globalization has a position that the concepts of civilization and revolution had before and during the French Revolution, since these concepts also lacked stable referents, but functioned as vehicles of social change by signifying change in its purest, most necessary and irreversible form: change as the condition of possible objects and possible identities in a possible future (Bartelson 2000:193). We can note the futurologist approach. For Sparks the various theories of globalization are not an accurate guide to the investigation of the world (Sparks 2007). Sparks distinguishes weak and strong theories of globalization. Weak theories are concerned with structures of domination, with the centrality of the economic in social explanation, with the destruction of less profitable forms of cultural production by the large capitalist corporations, and with the articulation between these capitalist corporations, and the political and military power of the state (Sparks 2005:135). These weak theories, according to Sparks, are better understood as a development of the imperialism paradigm. On the other hand, the strong theories, according to Sparks, have sufficient common underlying features to constitute a paradigm. From the point of view of media and culture Sparks finds five main elements for this new pardigm called globalization (2007:136-138): Understanding globalization requires a new methodology that is radically non-reductive, otherwise well be unable to find evidence of any direct relationship between, say, Backs autonomous logics of media products (culture), their international trade (economics) and the exercise of state power (politics). Symbolic exchanges, and international circulation of media products, are today central to the functioning of the global world in the way that the exchanges of raw materials and manufactured commodities were central to earlier epochs. The global epoch is characterized by the fact there is no dominating or controlling centre to the contemporary world In the global epoch, it is no longer viable to talk of isolated national units, either of economic life or culture. The global epoch is marked by the erosion of the power of the Westphalian state system, in economics, politics and in culture. [Sparks took this idea from Beck] Sparks concludes that none of the five elements mentioned above hold water. He takes one element after the other and deconstructs them (see Sparks 2007:138-150). In short, the USA is still the single greatest economic power in the world  [6]  , culture industries are not greater than other sectors, immigration is not a new phenomenon in the USA nor in EU countries, or anywhere else (and, after all, the majority of world migrations happen inside the various states), teh process of urbanization is not new, it has at least 200 years (Marx wrote about it more or less 200 years ago), the states are more interdependent but nevertheless they are still states, Internet may be global, but a quarter of the population of the planet dont have electricity (so, no Internet for them), etc The final conclusion is that [t]heories of globalization, as currently advanced by such writers as Giddens, Beck and Appadurai, are far from providing an accurate picture of the contemporary world that they ar e virtually useless (Sparks 2007:152). What can we say at the end? Well, it seems that current concepts of sociology are not necessarily obsolete and a paradigm shift is not systematically required (Martin et. al. 2006:513). Sociologists have discussed the concepts present in the Globalization Theory for at least 90 years. Many authors had the good idea to think a little bit more about the concept of globalization, and they found out that the concept is pretty empty. So, we can pose a question: Is globalization a concept that should be used in the social sciences? We can use plain mathematics too. If the term globalization hasnt a particular meaning, or various classical theories can easily digest various meanings and theories of globalization, in my humble opinion then, globalization is nothing, zero. And what do you get when you multiply zero by any number? Right, you get zero. Thats whats going on in the social sciences with the concept of globalization, we get a lot of theories built on sand, and eventually they will fall one day. Also Van Der Bly says (2005:879) that [t]he disadvantages [of the concept of globalization] arise exactly because confusion is caused by the combination of broad and yet undefined and implicit points of reference in the subject. If something means everything, eventually it becomes nothing []. We should bear in mind the bad fate of another unclear, blurry concept from the recent past, that of postmodernity that lost all its credibility, and makes laugh people from other scientific fields (for example, see Sokal 2008). Sociologists, in my humble opinion, should avoid another trap of that kind. My suggestion is to avoid the concept of globalization in any form, to use theories that hold water and that have shown a great endurance in the past time, and maybe to get along with analytical sociology, but thats another paper.

Poliomyelitis Essay -- Communicable Diseases, Nursing

Brief summary of poliomyelitis The purpose of this paper is identifying poliomyelitis which is a fecal-oral group communicable disease worldwide and discussing health interventions to control and eliminate outbreaks and considering ethical dilemmas. The pathogen of poliomyelitis is poliovirus, an enterovirous that is transmitted by fecal-oral route through feces. Respiratory inhalation occurs and the virus initially replicates in the oro-pharynx and then invades the gastrointestinal tract. It can be transmitted via fecal-oral, airborne, water-borne processes, and asymptomatic carrier. (WHO, 2009) Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic self-limited disease and mild symptoms of combined fever, malaise, fatigue, nausea, headache, flu-like symptoms, stiff neck and back, and pain to severe fetal paralytic disease which may cause death from respiratory failure. Children under five years of age are most at risk. (WHO, 2010) Paralytic poliomyelitis produces muscles pain and affects the lower part of body like the legs. Poliovirus incubates for five to thirty days and becomes communicable two days after disclosure and can remain communicable up to six weeks. Poliomyelitis can be diagnosis by clinical evaluation of viral cultures like spinal fluids, stool samples, throat swabs, and serum antibody levels. (Webber, R., 2010). Public health interventions In Unites States, poliomyelitis is not endemic therefore even one case can become an epidemic. Geographically more than 125 countries remained polio-endemic in 1988. Overall global incidents have decreased by 99% since 1988. Between 2009 and 2010 twenty three poliomyelitis free countries were re-infected due to imported virus. The countries of Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Paki... ...rol: A global perspective (3rded) Cambridge, MA: CABI publishing World Health Organization - Case definition for the four diseases requiring notification in all circumstances under the International Health Regulation (2005). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/ihr/Case_Definitions.pdf POLIOMYELITIS Report Immediately Retrieved from health.utah.gov/epi/diseases/polio/plan/PolioPlan061510.pdf The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studied the illness and death rates before and after widespread implementation of national vaccine recommendations (in place before 2005) for 13 vaccine-preventable diseases; diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella (including congenital rubella syndrome), invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), acute hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella (chickenpox), Streptococcus pneumoniae and smallpox.

Transformations of the American West

Brittany Exam 3 Essay 9 Dec 2012 Transformations of the American West The three most important transformations of the American West were the completion of the railway system, economically, the diversity of the people, socially, and the conservation of land, politically. All of these transformations have made an unmistakable impact of the American West and what it is today. The largest economic transformation in American Western history was the building of the railroad systems. It was the key factor in united the East and West. The railroads were by far the biggest, most impressive technological achievement ever for that time period.The pace at which goods, people, livestock, etc. changed from the steady speed of a horse, ox, or mule to the most powerful driving force the country had ever seen. The United States would finally be a united continental nation. Barren fields that flowed as far as the eye could see were turned into boon towns like Wichita, Abilene and Dodge. People of an e normous diversity traveled to the West. Civil War veterans, former European peasants, poor families all wanted to own land and start farms. And so they did, fields that had once been nothing but grass became rolling fields of wheat.Railroads carried hundreds of thousands of western longhorn cattle to markets in the east for sale. This was the key to making the â€Å"cowboy† much more famous than just a young, dusty, man with nothing but a saddle and a horse. Buffalo hunters also traveled by railroad. So many people traveled to hunt the animal, that it almost became extinct. The building of these railroads was no easy feat. The mountains of the Sierra Nevada were a big slow-down for the production by the Central Pacific railroad company. Making that even more difficult, was the fact that the companies had a hard time holding onto workers.About 3 out of 5 used the company for a free ride to the West and then disappeared. The plans called for about 5,000 workers, but only about 600 were showing up. That’s when the Chinese immigrants came into play. A large part of their population was making a living looking for leftover gold and silver. At first, they were thought to be incapable due to their size and inexperience, but they proved that to be untrue. Before long, nearly 11,000 Chinese were employed by the Central Pacific and there were advertisements in China offering employment for immigrants.This large work force in addition to lots of black powder gave them what they needed to make it through the mountains in about 3 years. Beef prices were low due to the amount of cattle in the West so, to compensate cattle needed to be sold in eastern marketplaces where they weren’t as present. In less than 20 years, 6 million steers and cows were moved along cattle trails to railheads for shipping. As the railroads were being laid in the Great Plains, people were flocking to the west. People who had never before seen a buffalo. They shot the bison for s port, even organizing hunting excursions.People enjoyed it. So when word got out that people were being paid to kill bison because of their interference with the railroads, their meat, and their hides, they were slaughtered extremely quickly. The government even provided free ammunition. The bison population dropped from about 25 million to almost 100, nearly causing extinction. All of these aspects not only created many jobs, but also drew enormous profits, while moving crowds of people to the west. The railroad was an economic machine and absolutely transformed the west.The biggest social transformation of the American West was the amount of diversity in the people moving west. The West represented a lot of the same qualities that the original new America represented. Anyone could be a land owner, have a fresh start, escape racial inequality, find a job, etc. People of all races and religions were pursuing the same dream. The Homestead Act played a large part in attracting people to move to the west, by way of railroad, and work the land in order for nearly free ownership rights. The population skyrocketed in the west.States even competed to get the most people to move to their state. Immigrants moving to those states included Scottish, European Jews, German-Russian Mennonites, Swedish, Dutch, French, Bohemian, Norwegian, and many Americans from the East. Cowboys also came in an array of ethnicities. They were confederate veterans, assimilated Indians, freed slaves, and white men, and they all rode the long dusty trails together just trying to make a buck. After the civil war, many freed slaves and former buffalo soldiers moved to the West and worked the land in peace from racial inequality.All these people played a part in settling and transforming to West, making it the diverse place it is today. The biggest political transformation of American Western history was that of the environmental/conservation politics. The country had never had such a need for la nd conservation because before, we had so much unsettled land, but as people moved westward, things changed. Land was being destroyed to build railroads, trees were being cleared, animals were being hunted, land was being settled very quickly, and natural resources we diminishing.The frontier was being lost, and it would take government and political action to help preserve some of the land that was remaining. Lumber and coal companies wanted to do anything and everything they could to maximize jobs, growth, and profits. Conservationists, scientists, and outdoorsmen wanted to reduce waste, emphasize beauty for tourists, and protect wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt was an avid hunter, and he fought for the conservation movement when he saw the destruction of the natural animal habitat in the West.Roosevelt used his entire career to make this a national agenda, and it is still present in politics today. The Newlands Reclamation Act in 1902 created dams to help irrigate and preserve 230 mi llion acres of farm land. The Yellowstone Act set aside a large portion of land in the Wyoming/Montana area to be a park. It was created to preserve timber, mineral deposits, and natural wonders, like the geysers in the park. It was enacted by the Senate and Congress in 1872. It was the first national park.In 1889 preservationist started organizing a movement to save the sequoia trees in the Yosemite Valley of Californian, eventually leading to the creating of Yosemite National Park. In 1891 Congress passed the Forest Reserve Act. This allowed the President of the United States to set aside forests which cannot be destructed. There became political groups, conservationist and preservationists, that had really never before existed. Conservation and preservation were political transformations that still hold true to be extremely important in American politics today.

Cognitive Model Of Abnormality Essay - 996 Words

Many of which are counteracted by various stressors and risk factors (e.g., injury, involuntary career termination, performance expectations, and possible overtraining) that may increase the risk of mental disorders compared to the general population (Wolanin, Gross Hong, 2015). Taken together, stress and anxiety affect everyone daily, but research has found that many athletes struggle with these conditions more than the rest of the population (Fullerton, 2010). So, in an attempt to understand the treatment of psychopathology and abnormal behavior among athletes, it’s reasonable to look at the cognitive model of abnormality, a key factor in changing an athlete’s distorted thoughts and perceptions. Cognitive Model of Abnormality Cognitive†¦show more content†¦Another significant factor that can seriously affect any performance, as we all know, is when specific situations trigger those automatic thoughts and cause emotional reactions, resulting in survival reflexes (i.e., fight, flight or freeze). Thus, a critical determinant in athletic performance is the automatic processing of information that is obtained, stored and retrieved. Having considered this, it’s also reasonable to look at issues that contribute to the impairment of optimal performance. Otherwise known as the discrepancy between what the performer knows to do and how they are going to do it, when under an immense amount of pressure. According to Hays Baltzell (2016), performance and the anticipation of performance increases levels of physiological and cognitive arousal, resulting in increased levels of anxiety and the over-thinking that goes with it. Noting the compelling nature of the cognitive model, clinical sport psychologists recommend helping athletes to recognize these automatic thoughts and learn various techniques to manage or change those thoughts into positive self-statements. Therefore, clinical sport psychologists working with athletes, not only seek to enhance an athlete’s mental performance, but also assist athletes with psychological disorders, looking to overcome their problems by developing new, more functional ways of thinking (Comer, 2015). Beck Weishaar (2014) in particular, have focused on this cognitive approach which affordsShow MoreRelatedCognitive Theories And Theories Of Psychology1526 Words   |  7 Pagesbehavior, cognitive, humanistic, and biological approaches. The ultimate goal of each method is to help individuals change unhealthy thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. However, these different approaches use different techniques to form assumptions and explanations about abnormality. In this essay, cognitive and psychodynamic are the two approaches that will be discussed. Even though these two approaches have a few similarities, their differences are more obvious. COGNITIVE APPROACH The cognitive theoryRead MoreThe Biological And Psychological Explanations Of Schizophrenia1405 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay I will try to explain schizophrenia and talk about the main biological and psychological explanations, also showing how similar and different they are. Schizophrenia is defined in the oxford dictionary as a long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behaviour, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mentalRead MoreAnorexia Nervosa (Phychology)1084 Words   |  5 PagesPSYCHOLOGY EXAM ESSAY PLAN TWO OR MORE EXPLANATIONS FOR MENTAL DISORDERS There are several approaches in psychology which attempt to explain mental disorders. The biological approach sees a mental disorder as a medical problem, it assumes mental illness to have a physical cause and the treatment offered is physical. Behavioural approach emphasise learned behaviour, its treatment is based on conditioning principles. New adaptive behaviours are learned. Other approaches which propose causesRead MoreThe Case Study Of James, A Twenty Year Old Male University Student Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesPSYCH 108- JAMES CASE STUDY This essay will explore the case study of James, a Twenty year old male university student who has been referred by his GP to the counselling services for having a chronic low mood. Becks Basic cognitive model is an idea that aims to provide linkage between key negative events in a person’s history and mental illnesses, most particularly depressions. (Watkins, 1997)The first step of the model is labelled early life experiences and the development of core and conditionalRead MorePsy410 Worksheet693 Words   |  3 PagesWeek One Assignment Worksheet Matching Match the definitions to the correct theoretical model. 1. ___J__ Experiences as a child affect life. Child is influenced by caretaker but also has a part in development. 2. __F___ 2–3 years of age and the body wants to retain and eliminate. 3. __K___ When a stimulus elicits a specific response 4. __H___ 6–12 years of age; skills and activities are the focus, rather than sexual exploration. 5. __O___ Overall, people are good. Humans strive forRead MoreWilliams Syndrome As A Neurodevelopmental Disorder Essay892 Words   |  4 Pagesdiagnosed generally at 6.4 years old (Morris, Demsey, Leonard, Dilts Blackburn, 1988). People with WS usually show a developmental delay at the early age and are affected all life long. Williams Syndrome is characterised by some abnormalities in physical, behavioural, and cognitive. Individuals with WS will suffer various cardia, vascular and gastrointestinal problems (Wessel et al. 1994, Hallidie-Smith et al., 1998,). They also have some distinctive facial features, including a small upturned nose, longRead MoreA Clinical Case Study On Mild Cognitive Impairment Essay1409 Words   |  6 Pagesmajor changes in the way our brains work may be signs of cognitive changes. This essay showcases a clinical case study on Mild Cognitive Impairment. It describes the process of cognitive development according to theorist Jean Piaget. It overviews the three basic cognitive function of the brain. It explains several cognitive impairments related to the elderly. Last, it details cognitive assessment used to detection and measurement of cognitive impairments in the elderly. Case Study A 78-year-oldRead MoreRichard s Behavior At School1530 Words   |  7 Pagesinstructions are provided; he does not clean his room and frequently does not follow his baseball coaches’ instructions. Richard also has difficulty maintaining organization—his room and backpack are messy, his assignments, including the timed in-class essay, are disorganized, and his writing is not legible. Richard regularly loses his homework assignments and has difficulty locating his school supplies, such as the notebook paper, which are necessary items for tasks and activities at school. ExtraneousRead MoreDifferent Approaches to Mental Disorders in Psychology2113 Words   |  9 PagesGiven the amount of different mental disorders, the search to understand what causes them all seems vast. This essay will aim to present the assumptions that different models make about the origins and treatment of psychological disorders. Although there are a number of paradigms in the area of abnormal psyc hology, the biological, psychodynamic, behavioural and cognitive are the four major models which place distinct interpretations. Each of the different approaches is considered to the degree that itRead MoreWhat is normal about abnormality?1905 Words   |  8 Pages Abnormal and Clinical Psychology â€Å"What is normal about abnormality?† This essay will explain why it is difficult to define, classify and diagnose normal and abnormal behaviour. It will evaluate abnormality through cultural issues and diagnostic techniques and strive to, illustrate the possible causes of mental disorders. Abnormal and normal behaviour is not easily defined. What is abnormal? It is to deviate from the norm. What is normal? Normality is dependent on religious beliefs, developmental