Category: Basic Concepts
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) – Summary
Who is Jean-Jacque Rousseau? Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a prominent theorist, writer and philosopher during the Enlightenment in 18th century Europe. His first significant work on philosophy was titled ‘A Discourse on the Sciences and Arts’. Rousseau argues in this essay that the advancement of science and the arts has corrupted virtues and morals. These ideas…
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Lev Vygotsky’s Socio Cultural theory: Explained with Examples
Lev Vygotsky is credited with setting up the framework for sociocultural theory. The objective of sociocultural theory is to understand how an individual’s mental functioning is tied to their culture, history and the institutes they have been a part of. The sociocultural view of the world focuses on the roles that human interactions and culturally…
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Sociology of Childhood: Significance, Social Construction, Examples
Childhood is a significant period in the lives of most individuals, and it is generally considered to be a natural biological stage of development that heavily influences one’s thoughts, ideas and attitudes. This article will mainly discuss the period of childhood from a sociological perspective, focusing on the notion of childhood as believed by society….
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What is Racism? 4 Types of Racism- Explained with Examples
When an individual’s race is the grounds for any form of oppression, the resulting actions are ‘racist’ in nature. When this oppression or prejudice is widespread and targeted at particular ethnic groups, it is referred to as ‘Racism’. This is not to be confused with discrimination, specifically because oppression takes into account power – wherein…
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The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life: Explained with Examples
This article explores how the self develops and portrays itself in everyday situations. Introduction The way one presents themselves in society is of utmost importance. It paves the way for how people perceive them and, consequently, how they perceive themselves. One must have a constant good self-image which will allow others to be fond of…
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Critically examine various ‘theories of revolution’.
A revolution is a fundamental change in political power or organizational structures in a relatively short period of time. It is generally due to the rising discontent of the population against the current authorities—for example, the French Revolution and the October Revolution. Charles Tilly sees revolution as an outcome of a power struggle between competing…