Saturday, January 25, 2020

Politics Essays Making Democracy Work

Politics Essays Making Democracy Work Making Democracy Work A Review of Robert Putnam’s Making Democracy Work Introduction: Since its publication in 1993, Robert Putnam’s Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy has been hailed for changing the way academics and policy-makers approach the relationship between politics and society. Putnam accomplishes this feat not so much with his compelling arguments, but with the innovative methodology he employs. Much attention has already been given to the way Putnam combines quantitative and qualitative data in his research; he amalgamates numerical data on Italian institutional performance and civic culture, with the path-dependent historical legacy that predates it. Similarly, much attention has also been focused on the introduction of social capital as a new variable worthy of social scientists’ consideration. Since these topics have already been exhausted in reviews as well as other literature connected to Putnam’s book, this essay will attempt to go a different route. This essay will primarily argue that Putnam has successfully managed to combine both a structure and agency-centered approach into a cohesive research design project. Firstly, the structural approach is inherent in Putnam’s study due to the fact that he is attempting to analyze why Italian regions with the same political structure perform differently. Secondly, using network analysis, Putnam’s social capital and civic culture variables will be understood as being related to agency and of affecting institutional performance. Finally, the overall strengths and weakness that arise from combining the two approaches in a research design project will be highlighted. Overall, despite several unavoidable limitations, in Making Democracy Work Putnam shows that using a combined structuration approach is capable of harvesting a fuller understanding of a particular issue in this case, Italian institutional performance. The Study and the Setting: In 1970 the highly centralized Italian government set-up identical regional governmental institutions in each of the country’s twenty regions. The experiment offered Robert Putnam and his colleagues a unique opportunity to analyze institutional performance over time, and what precisely makes government work in a setting where national factors and institutional design are held constant. Despite the fact that all the Italian regions got identical institutions, the performance of these institutions varied widely across Italy. The discrepancy between the regions particularly between the North and the South led Putnam to believe that â€Å"social context and history profoundly condition the effectiveness of institutions† (Putnam, 182). Therefore, in the causal argument that Putnam puts forth in order to explain what affects institutional performance, institutions are framed as both an independent and dependent variable. So to speak, even though institutions do shape politics, institutions themselves are shaped by social context and history. For this reason, Putnam considers yet another independent variable in his complex causal relationship civic culture. Putnam’s Methodology: Before analyzing how structure and agency unite, and the way in which civic culture is measured in Making Democracy Work, it is worthwhile to take a look at the broader and overarching methodological backdrop on the grounds of which Robert Putnam’s study takes root. The setting for the study, as alluded to above, offered Robert Putnam and his colleagues the opportunity to embark on a twenty year voyage of inquiry; their choice of vessel, a sub-national comparison. Certainly with the case of Italian institutional performance a sub-national paired comparison is sure to prove more illuminating than a cross-national comparison because one can hold-constant for national context. That being said, it is necessary to note that often when one considers cultural, historical, economic and/or socioeconomic conditions, there will invariably be cases where greater variation exists within countries than does between them (Snyder, 96). The experience of Italy provides a unique backdrop for Putnam to study institutional performance because many factors are held constant, relatively speaking. Aside from holding institutional design constant, Italy is a far less diverse country than say India or even Russia with regards to language, religion, ethnicity, class and caste. Though it might prove hard for Putnam’s methods to travel beyond a Western context and be directly applied, it should not be held against him or discredit his book by any means. Just because the arguments might have difficulty traveling (and we should note that Putnam’s arguments in Making Democracy Work are the underpinnings of his second book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community) does not mean that they should be judged negatively. After all, this is the precise purpose of a sub-national paired comparison to develop theories or generalizations that one is unable to make through cross-national paired comparisons due to all the intervening variables that cannot be held constant. Furthermore, Making Democracy Work does not qualify merely as a sub-national paired comparison. Putnam really tests his arguments against a broad spectrum. In so doing, he avoids the common problem of selection bias, and derivatively of false dichotomies. Putnam does not pick and choose the regions he incorporates in his study. Making Democracy Work is extensive in that it includes and considers all of the regions in Italy equally, and weighs them up against the same credo (where information permits). In each region Putnam interprets quantitative data on institutional performance and then analyzes it alongside quantitative data regarding its civic culture. He then pushes the envelope by reaching far-beyond direct causal inference and into history. The historical qualitative data that Putnam accumulates, allows him, ostensibly, to isolate the main factor that leads to variance in institutional performance in Northern and Southern Italy social capital. Making Democracy Work benefits from diverse measurements the indicators used are wide-ranging, innovative, impressive, and provide for a superior demonstration of Putnam’s arguments. In fact, it is the combination of both the quantitative and qualitative data that earn Robert Putnam and Making Democracy Work the recognition of being simultaneously both a large-N and small-N sub-national comparison. Structural Forces: Having laid out the methodological framework that Putnam has developed it is now possible to focus on the structuration approach that he incorporates. The explanation of institutional performance the dependent variable is contingent to a certain degree on a structural analysis. While all the regions in Italy are constrained by the same national structural force the highly centralized government, the regions are also constrained by their own historical legacies and the structures that have emerged from the past. In this sense, according to Putnam, the history of the North has cultivated an arena/structure much more conducive to proper institutional performance than has the South. Putnam chooses twelve indicators as evidence of institutional performance, or â€Å"good government†. These indicators include: Cabinet stability, budget promptness, statistical and information services, reform legislation, legislative innovation, day care centers, family clinics, industrial policy instruments, agricultural spending capacity, local health unit expenditures, housing and urban development and bureaucratic responsiveness. Far from agency-centered, the conditions of these indicators are all determined by the structure in which they are situated. Essentially, the greater the influence of the structure, the more predictable the political behaviour is likely to be. Following Putnam’s path-dependent argument that historical legacies shape the structural forces (which come to light from such indicators), it is important to then consider the nature of the historical legacies themselves. In Putnam’s view the historical legacies worth exploring are those of civic culture. Analyzing the Affects Agency: The affects of agency on Italian institutional performance is not analyzed explicitly in Making Democracy Work. Putnam does not look at individual leaders, regional representatives, or even influential citizens in any of Italy’s diverse regions contemporarily nor historically. However, implicit in his definition of civic culture, as the â€Å"norms of reciprocity and networks of civic engagement† (Putnam, 167) is an understanding of agency nonetheless. If agency is based on the actions and decisions of a single person, it must also be based on the interactions and collective wills of many people. A horizontal-network analysis is an ideal approach to take when trying to understand the affects of agency in regional patterns of behavior. From a nominalist point of view the researcher must use a conceptual framework to define the boundaries of the network or who/what is and is not included in the research agenda. For his part, Putnam proposes four indicators in which one can find evidence of a civic culture; these indicators include participation in voluntary associations, newspaper readership, referenda turnout, and personalized preference voting (or lack thereof). Even though groups like football clubs are internally heterogeneous and diverse, network analysis helps Putnam to disentangle the inherent complexity and to highlight the important aspects of functioning as a group. To the point of emphasis, the fact that Putnam also correlates these â€Å"objective† measures with more opinion-based survey indicators of civic culture goes to show that Putnam is committed to incorporating the role of agency in his research design. Essentially, he moves from a nominalist to a more realist network analysis by focusing on the individuals. More specifically, Putnam shows that network boundaries are established based on the subjective perspectives of the network actors themselves. For this reason, the data in his research is based to large degree on surveys, questionnaires and interviews. The difference between the North and the South of Italy therefore, can be expressed in the different types of networks they produce. Putnam considers all of the following: the different types of networks that exist, the organization of the networks, and the individuals within the networks. Relating to the different types of networks, Putnam notices that the density of networks in the North is much greater than in the South. Not only do more social groups exist in the North, but membership in them is greater and the pattern of ties between the members is stronger. With regards to the networks’ organization, in the North there is a higher frequency of interaction, and a larger amount of emotional investment within the network. Lastly, as far as individuals are concerned, Putnam looks at subjective measures like trust, solidarity, personal closeness and ideological proximity to ultimately discern that in Northern Italy individuals are more likely to enter horizontal-networks and develop a more cohesive civic culture that fosters responsive government and higher institutional performance. Strengths and Weakness of Structuration: In a sense, Putnam has combined a structural and agency approach into a single research design. The structuration approach has several strength and weaknesses worth highlighting, particularly with reference to Making Democracy Work. Perhaps the major benefit of combining the analysis of structure and agency in the case of Italian institutional performance is that Putnam is able to recognize and demonstrate the interplay between the two. Putnam shows how structures and agents are co-determining and mutually implicating. When assessing the causal relationship between civic culture and Italian institutional performance the case is made that the two entities are defined by their internal relationship, such that the two entities derive their meaning by their relationship and have no meaning or basis without the other. People produce the structure, and the structure in turn reproduces the people. So to speak, agents and structures are ontologically equal in Making Democracy Work. Inherit in this methodological approach’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. One of the major problems with operationalizing the structuration approach is that it is often difficult to design a research strategy that can draw valid causal inferences. As with the case of Making Democracy Work, the difficulty in making inferences is determining whether something is a cause or an effect there has to be a starting point for an analysis. One inevitably has to choose a bottom-up or top-down approach treating either agent or structure as ontologically primitive. Robert Putnam, by discerning them ontologically equal has failed to choose a starting point for analysis. Instead of a parsimonious and simple linear causal relationship, Putnam points to vicious and virtuous circles that have led to contrasting, path dependent social equlibria (Putnam, 180). Good or bad institutional performance will further continue a history of good or bad civic culture. More so, the correlation between civic associations and social capital that Putnam professes is also circular: While to think purely in terms of linear causation is to do injustice to the overall interconnectedness of the variables, the danger of thinking in terms of equilibria is that you develop a ‘chicken or egg’ scenario. One begins to beg the question of where in history it is right to draw the line when studying Italian civic culture? Indeed, Putnam’s historical record has become the focus of considerable criticism from scholars. Sidney Tarrow, in â€Å"Making Social Science Work across Time and Space†, contends that social scientists go to history with a theory to prove, and do not objectively derive viable generalizations from history. History requires picking and choosing; one must even choose where in history to draw the line before beginning a study. However, if a line can always be drawn back farther one must ask whether cases can really be isolable and independent at all. For example, can the case not be made that because the North of Italy colonized the South, that the problems of the South are really the problems of the North? Some critics say that it is unfair for Putnam to displace the problem of poor institutional performance on the South and not to consider the possibility of contamination. However, Putnam can hardly be criticized for this everything can be understood as ex post facto something else. Irrespective of whether Putnam is right or wrong on where in history he draws his line, Making Democracy Work should be hailed for its attempt to regardless of its actual success at combining quantitative and qualitative data, and structure and agency, in creating a complex causal relationship. Conclusion: In Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy, Robert Putnam has successfully managed to unite both a large-N and small-N sub-national comparison into a single model of inquiry. Equally as impressive, he has successfully managed to combine both a structure and agency-centered approach into a cohesive research design project. Putnam uses a structural approach to analyze his dependent variable political institutions, and an agency-centered approach to analyze an independent variable that has an affect on the development of political institutions and their efficacy civic culture. In so doing, Putnam manages to turn political institutions into an independent variable too, highlighting the interconnectedness of the two variables. Due to this interconnected circular nature of Putnam’s argument, Putnam’s study of Italian institutional performance, though both descriptive and predictive, lacks convincing prescriptive capabilities. Nevertheless, despite its prescriptive shortcomings, Putnam shows that using a combined structuration approach is capable of harvesting a fuller understanding of a particular issue in this case, Italian institutional performance. Works Cited Putnam, Robert D. Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993). Snyder, Richard. â€Å"Scaling Down: The Subnational Comparative Method,† Studies in Comparative International Development 26:1 (Spring 2001), pp. 93-110. Works Consulted Dwainpayan, Bhattacharyya, et al. (eds.) Interrogating Social Capital: The Indian Experience. (New Delhi: Sage Publications, 2004). Furlong, Paul. â€Å"Review of: Robert Putnam’s Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy,† International Affairs 70 (January 1994), pp. 172. Kwon, Hyeong-Ki. â€Å"Associations, Civic Norms, and Democracy: Revisiting the Italian Case,† Theory and Society 33 (2004), pp. 135-166. Levi, Margaret. â€Å"Social and Unsocial Capital: A Review Essay of Robert Putnams Making Democracy Work,† Politics and Society24 (March 1996), pp. 45-55. Putnam, Robert D. Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2000). Sabetti, Filippo. â€Å"Path Dependency and Civic Culture: Some Lessons from Italy About Interpreting Social Experiments,† Politics and Society 24 (March 1996), pp. 19-44. Tarrow, Sidney. â€Å"Making Social Science Work Across Space and Time: A Critical Reflection on Robert Putnams Making Democracy Work,† American Political Science Review 90 (June 1996), pp. 389-397.

Friday, January 17, 2020

College Athletes Deserved to Be Paid

College Athletes Deserve To Be Paid November 17, 2011 College Athletes Deserve To Be Paid Almost every week there is some sort of story that makes the news about a university breaking the NCAA rules. The debate is bigger than ever to start paying college athletes to play sports. It does not matter which sport it is, athletes need more than just a scholarship to pay for expenses outside of tuition, room, and board. A scholarship is strictly limited to these, but what about the expenses outside of those?It is time to start paying college athletes to play sports to cover the expenses that occur outside of a scholarship and the sport. With the growing costs of living, more and more athletes are looking for ways to get more money than their scholarship gives them. In return, most of the athletes are breaking NCAA rules to get money, which hurts the school, coach, and their self. Colleges around the country are getting punished, and losing legendary coaches because of athletes needing more money. Schools have turned to firing coaches because of athletes breaking these rules.College athletes should be paid because they need more than what their scholarship gives them, some sort of cut of the millions of dollars the schools make off the athletes. Also to help protect the coaches and schools from being placed under some form of punishment. A college athlete getting paid to play has been a topic of discussion the past few years, and the problem is only getting worse. However, there are reasons why many NCAA officials and school officials believe athletes do not need to receive any more money than their scholarships.A major point that these officials use is that paying an athlete for playing will then eliminate the amateurism of the NCAA. The NCAA has always been known to create a playing environment that is strictly at an amateur level. If a college athlete begins to get paid then this therefore eliminates the â€Å"amateur† title, and they are then recognized as professionals. However, more and more athletes are looking for ways to make more money. According to Matt Hinton at rivals. com, Ohio State University is currently on probation for athletes selling or trading their memorabilia for money and other things (2011).This is breaking the NCAA rules, and has resulted in the university to be placed on probation and firing their coach. The NCAA is about amateurism, but even Olympic amateurs can make money off of endorsements. They should let athletes make money so these schools do not have to worry about getting in trouble. Another point, officials do not see why an athlete should be paid if they are already going to school for â€Å"free†. Athletes receive a scholarships based on what a school would like to give them, and for most of the time many athletes receive a full-ride scholarship.This scholarship usually pays for their tuition, room, and board. Often times, officials ask why an athlete needs more than what their scholarship al lows them. However, with scholarships they are strictly limited to on-campus purchases, and cannot help an athlete with any bills outside of the school. If an athlete has to travel to home and back for any reason a scholarship does not cover the trip. Where does the athlete get the money to pay for the trip? This is one example why athletes need extra money instead of just a scholarship.Lastly, many claim athletes are student-athletes, and paying them would result in them becoming just paid athletes. This is a good point, but the difference between a student-athlete and a student is a student can receive benefits outside of their financial aid, and/or scholarships. It is unfair to student-athletes and this is why they deserve some sort of payment outside of their scholarship. A student-athlete on a full-ride scholarship is there because the school believes the student is an outstanding athlete. The scholarship is strictly used for on-campus purchases such as tuition, room, and board .Often times the scholarship is also used for books, supplies, and sometimes school apparel. The issue with a scholarship is it cannot be used outside of the campus. However, there are many purchases a student needs during their time at the school, that a scholarship does not cover. For example, an athlete must cover on their own the cost of travel home, which sometimes can be costly depending on where their family lives. Also, regular bills, clothes, and food outside of campus have no way of being paid for by an athlete that is limited to a scholarship.It is unfair to athletes that spend all year with their sport to not receive some form of payment. A student on a full-ride academic scholarship is allowed to have a job, and to make money professionally. An example, a student who has a full-ride for academics can still sell their talent (music, writing, etc. ) for money, and they can also hold a job. This allows the student to receive more money than what their scholarship pays for. Zane, who plays football on a full-ride scholarship at Ball State University, told me it is nearly impossible to have a job while playing football.He said he has two weeks off during the summer to be at home, and other than that he has the opportunity to come home some weekends. He said they start in the summer and play through the season, and then following the season they begin practicing for the next (Personal communication, November 11,2011). This is a year-round obligation with no free time. There is no time for him to make any money because many companies do not want to hire someone who can only work a little bit compared to a student who has more free time. The sport is his job, and therefore should pay the athlete to play.It is unfair for a student who does not play a sport get paid for what they do, but an athlete that draws millions in for the university only gets a scholarship. Each year, college athletics make universities millions of dollars. However, the athletes that draw this money into the school receive none from it. According to the Huffington Post, the Big Ten and the SEC made around $8 million 2009-2010(Huffington Post, 2011). The players of these conferences see none of that money besides what their scholarship grants them.The players are what the fans pay to come see, and the schools know this. The schools are allowed to use any player’s name or face to sell jerseys, tickets, and other things. However, the player that is being used see none of the money they make the school. This is unfair to the athlete because he or she is the one who works hard for the school that people pay to see. If a player who wears a certain number is a national or even local star and helps sell that certain number jersey, then they should be entitled to some sort of percentage they are making the school.It is unfair for them to not be able to make any money off of their talents, but a music student is allowed to make money off of theirs. Athletes spend all year working for their sport and making the school money, but they receive a scholarship. A scholarship is coming from the school so the school is not losing any money since it has to be spent there. If athletes are allowed to make money this eliminates the argument of the school only benefiting from athletes. Also, receiving more than a scholarship will keep schools out of punishment, and keep coaches and programs out of trouble.When athletes begin looking for ways to make money this usually ends up hurting the school, coaches, and the athletes. This hurts the schools because most of the time making the money they need is breaking NCAA rules. Almost each week there is some form of story of a school that breaks a NCAA rule because of an athlete receiving money or gifts. This has resulted in many programs forfeiting wins, losing scholarships, and/or being placed on some form of probation or suspension. The athletes usually are suspended or ruled ineligible, and the coaches have b een fired.The Ohio State example I mentioned earlier resulted in them being placed on a two-year probation, and the school firing their coach. The coach helped develop that program into what it is today was fired for not reporting his players who were selling or trading their memorabilia. This school could still be known as a powerhouse with a legendary, national champion coach if the NCAA would allow players to receive money outside of their scholarships. Instead, the school is on probation, lost their great coach, and had to vacate all their wins from the seasons the players played. Hinton, 2011) This is not the only school that has lost a coach of great prestige because of athletes wanting a little more money. The debate of paying athletes should be over by now, and the athletes need to be paid. The NCAA is hurting the programs of many schools because of the fines, and punishments from athletes just trying to get a little more money than the get from a scholarship. It is time for the NCAA to stop worrying about the amateurism of the sport, and allow athletes to make money. This will protect the integrity of the coaches, and the jobs they hold now.If the NCAA continues to place rules on an athlete who makes the schools money it will continue to lead to many more coaches to be fired, and athletes being punished. Schools make millions off of these 18-22 year olds, and the athletes put all the time in. The NCAA needs to find a way to pay these athletes so they can afford to be in school outside of their scholarships. The student-athlete should be paid because they work year round, many hours a day for a school that makes millions off of all sports. It is time that the athletes get what they deserve.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legal - 1306 Words

Maddison Osenbaugh Professor Perkins ENG2211 27 October 2015 Same-Sex Marriage Many people don’t know the story behind the battle of same-sex marriage. They hear about it on the news but fail to see the big picture behind it. Legally, why all of the sudden is same-sex marriage such a big deal? Most people don’t know why people are fighting for this equality. Who brought the debate from the bottom (in their state) all the way to the Supreme Court to get justice for all same-sex couples? What is the Supreme Court’s final and current ruling in all same-sex marriage cases? Same-sex marriage is currently legally evolving into something bigger than just a marriage. Over the years same-sex marriage has become quite a popular debate among people in the United States. Same-sex marriage is one of the few topics that you’re either for it or against it. No one sits on the fence about same-sex marriage. People all over the country are fighting for equality and justice. Same-sex marriage is getting more attention than abortion. T hat thought has people outraged that something as simple as a marriage license could be more widely talked about than an unborn child. â€Å"Can it really be worth fighting? Same-sex marriage violates the natural parent-child bond in every family, and the right of the family to protection by society and the state.† (Forrow 24-25). Some people don’t believe that same-sex couples should have the right to have children, the popular belief is that theirShow MoreRelatedSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1288 Words   |  6 Pages Marriage is not precisely the same as it used to be interpreted. For example, women used to be their husband’s property. Sometimes the women were forced to marry whoever their parents wanted them to marry and most of the time they couldn’t leave the marriage. Nowadays women have more freedom. They can vote, they can run their own business, and they can marry whichever man they want to. The laws change as the people’s mind change . As they get more comfortable with the idea, they become more openRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal Essay1475 Words   |  6 PagesSame sex relationships relate to when a man or woman are attracted to someone of the same gender of themselves. It is being rejected as same gender marriage denies the obvious purpose between a man and a women which is procreation (Richardson-Self, 2012). Denying same sex couples the legal right to get married, could mean that they are being denied their basic human rights to enjoy human benefits (Richardson-Self, 2012). However, the opposing view is that if gay marriage was granted the legal rightsRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1403 Words   |  6 PagesSame-Sex Marriage â€Å"I now pronounce you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  At some point in a person’s life, they have heard or will hear those words. What follows, however, has changed somewhat over the years; although, the commitment has remained the same. Those words historically indicate that until the death of a spouse, that couple shall remain together. Who should be able to determine whom that spouse is for that person? Some people judge others for their sexuality and how it is affecting them, but they never stop andRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1144 Words   |  5 PagesGay Marriage There are many issues the revolve around same-sex marriage. Many issues like: Whether same-sex should be legalized and should there be an amendment on same-sex marriage? There are multiple side to view this, but gay marriage but in my opinion gay marriage is socially accepted. it should be legal and it does affect American teens in a broad spectrum of ways. There have been a lot of issues on whether or not same-sex marriage should be legal or not. According to Burns, â€Å" The unionRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal998 Words   |  4 PagesSame sex marriage ought to be legalized on the grounds that it is uncivilized and unmerited. Marriage is a commitment between two people that cherish one another. In almost every country and culture, marriage is a commitment of loyalty and love. Marriage is an authority contract gathering two individuals together, furnishing them with profits of holy matrimony such as tax cuts and clinical privileges. The debate throughout most countries today is whether or not the rights of these profits and commitmentsRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1659 Words   |  7 Pages Same-sex couples can hardly remember a time where they were not fighting for their right to marriage in the United States. After several court cases, California Proposition Six, and their struggle against the Defens e of Marriage Act (DOMA), same-sex couples found their way into U.S. society. Many misguided studies appealed to those opposing same-sex marriage, but after several years of integrating in society, same-sex couples found the support they were looking for. Before the Supreme CourtRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal899 Words   |  4 Pages In the United States, same sex marriage became legal nationwide on June 26, 2015, when the United States Supreme Court overruled the court in favor of same sex freedom and marriage. The victory of same sex marriage came to be recognized from the Obergefell v. Hodges case which was submitted when an American Ohio man was denied and regretted to get his name on his late husband’s death certificate. Same sex marriage has been a controversial social issue in the United States for several decades. SinceRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1491 Words   |  6 PagesSame sex marriage is one of the most debatable issues in the modern world. Marriage has been accepted as the social union between a man and a woman for the past thousand years. Homosexuality was viewed with scorn, and marriages among same sex couples were prohibited in most cultures across the globe. However, gay relationships are slowly obtaining acceptance, as homosexuals have come to be expressive in fighting their rights to marry in the early 90’s. As homosexuality grows in acceptance in theRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal892 Words   |  4 PagesLove Same sex marriage is now allowed in all states across the country. But it took years and years for this â€Å"issue† to be finally laid to rest. The first state to legalize same-sex marriage was Massachusetts in 2004. There was not a last state to legalize gay marriage. The supreme court realized how many states were now legalizing it, so they just had all of the states left legalize it as well. ProCon.org supplies information that â€Å"Twenty-six states were forced to legalize gay marriage becauseRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Should Be Legal2253 Words   |  10 Pages1776). The recognition of same-sex marriage is an issue influenced by numerous factors, and debates continue to arise over whether people in same-sex relationships have the right to marriage. Marriage provides many benefits, legally, financially, and personally. Same-sex marriage can open up those in same-sex relationships to tax benefits and financial demands comparable to those afforded to and required of peo ple in opposite-sex marriages. Same-sex marriage also gives them legal protections, such as

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Gender Inequality And Violence Against Women - 1375 Words

American culture has contributed attributed to the idea of what a man should be. From a young age boys are indoctrinated with the idea that in order to be a man one must be emotionless, though, and fearless. Unfortunately this ideology has created a plethora of problems within America and the creation of a dominate patriarchy that has led a loss of right for woman and violence against them. Although, this idea that women are second class which has been persistent in society is slowly changing, thanks to work of men who are willing to fight alongside women and stand up for their rights. Authors such as Tony Porter, Phil Plait and Jackson Katz are just some of many authors and speakers who are bringing the issue of gender inequality and violence against women to the forefront. Fortunately, by people bringing attention to issues such as these more activist will be willing to work towards a better future where gender inequality and violence are no longer issues. Part of the problem of gender inequality and stems from the idea of boys not being able express emotions, and must always act tough. The only exception to expressing an emotion is anger. Unfortunately, this ideology breeds negative behavior towards women later in life which inevitably leads to violence against women. By boys and men extending their patriarchy over women, men obtain the idea that are in control of women. With the idea the men are in control of women, this leads to superiority complex amongst gender, andShow MoreRelatedGender Inequality : A Social Problem1728 Words   |  7 Pagesand where its future lies. The best explanation on why gender inequality is, always has been, and will continue to be a social problem is from the functionalist perspective. Functionalist focus on how a society creates the social problem and then analyzes how and why the social issue has been maintained over the years. The objective reality is that gender inequality has and always will be a m ajor issue in society. The scope of gender inequality has changed drastically over the years, but there is stillRead MoreWomen ´s Right Movement: Gender Inequality1424 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"No Society treats its women as well as its men† is a quote from the United Nations Development Program when they were asked about the issue of gender inequality, which was featured in the Chicago Tribune News. Fifty years earlier, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which specified that everyone, regardless of gender, was entitled to the same rights and freedoms (The Universal Declaration of Human Rights). Fifty years later though, countries areRead MoreGender Inequality And Gender Equality1673 Words   |  7 Pages Gender inequality Women are one-half of the world population they deserve equal opportunity as men because at the end gender equality is part of humanity progress. Many women around the world are treated less favoured than men not only in countries that have traditional gender role but even in societies that believe in equal right for both male and female. Gender inequality means unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It results from differences in socially constructedRead MoreGender Inequality : A Critical Issue That Affects Women s Rights1662 Words   |  7 PagesGender Inequality Research Paper Gender inequality is a critical issue that affects more women than their male counterparts all around the world. Gender inequality is a form of legal discrimination towards women’s rights. In order to progress and grow as a community and society, gender equality needs to be acknowledged. According to LISTVERSE, the top ten â€Å"extreme† examples of gender inequality towards women that exists around the world today, specifically in the Middle East and North Africa, areRead MoreAnalysis Of Monique And The Mango Rains1416 Words   |  6 Pageswants to better the lives of women and children who constantly poverty, unhappy marriages, and endless work. Throughout the story it can be seen that there are many different concepts that the culture encounters every day, and for women it is not easy. Three of these major concepts include but are not limited to gender inequality, infant mortality and violence against women. While there is not technical term for violence against wo men it can be described as violence that causes physical, sexualRead MoreGender And Gender Violence1482 Words   |  6 PagesGender-based violence is the unequal power relationships between men and women. It includes rape, sexual assault and harassment, domestic abuse, and stalking. Gender violence reflects the idea that violence is often used to uphold structural gender inequalities. Gender violence includes all types of violence against men, women, children, gay, lesbian, and transgender people. Gender violence may be experienced differently based on the social variables of race, age, gender, social class or anotherRead MoreReport On Gender Inequality And Inequality Essay1403 Words   |  6 PagesDATE OF SUBMISSION: REPORT ON GENDER INEQUALITY Introduction Gender inequality is a state in which there is an unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. (forum, 2014). Gender inequality have been brought about by both people perspective and also through inheritance. Gender inequality have brought about degradation of economic status of the country. Gender inequality goes hand in hand with economic status of a country. Gender inequality plays a great role in increaseRead MoreEffects Of Gender Inequality On Children1275 Words   |  6 Pagescolonization and gender inequality began to exist, there were causes and there were effects of gender inequality in Nigeria and these effects were: Child Mortality: According to Unicef, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under five-year-olds and 145 women of childbearing age every single day and this makes Nigeria the second largest contributor to under-five and maternal mortality rate† (Unicef). What people tend to forget is that this is an effect of gender inequality, gender inequality decreases maternalRead MoreForms Of Violence Against Women1210 Words   |  5 Pages Forms of Violence Against Women Introduction In Pakistan, women live in a confined world that is structured by family, tribal, and religious customs. As such, women are subjected to not only violence but also discrimination on a daily basis. This has been brought about by the interpretation of Islam, the main religion in the country, which views women as persons needing maximum protection. This consequently leads to their oppression emotionally, physically, and mentally. They face various formsRead MoreGendered Violence And The White Ribbon Campaign1213 Words   |  5 Pagesgendered violence. Gendered violence is violence that occurs because of the role expectations associated with each gender, as well as the unequal power relationships between the genders (Defining Gender-Based Violence). The more common form of this is violence against women. One campaign that is working diligently to try and eliminate this problem is the White Ribbon Campaign. The White Ribbon Campaign is a movement of boys and men working to end violence a gainst females and promote gender equity.