Sunday, January 26, 2020

Difficult To Define Identity Sociology Essay

Difficult To Define Identity Sociology Essay For all assignments of 1,000 words or more handed in after the due date and without an agreed extension, a five percent penalty applies for the first day of the missed deadline. After that, a subsequent penalty of 2% per day will be applied for the next thirteen calendar days after the due date (including Saturdays and Sundays). No assignment can be accepted after more than fourteen calendar days except in exceptional circumstances and in consultation with your lecturer or tutor. If students face a significant illness or serious issue, it may be that  Special Consideration  is warranted. If an extension of work is granted this must be specified with the signature of the lecturer or tutor. 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If you wish to seek access to your personal information or inquire about the handling of your personal information, please contact the University Privacy Officer on 9905 6011. Students Statement: I have read the universitys statement on cheating and plagiarism, as described in the Student Resource Guide (refer http://www.monash.edu.au/au/pubs/handbooks/srg/srg-119.html) This assignment is original and has not previously submitted as part of another unit/subject/course, I have taken proper care of safeguarding this work and made all reasonable effort to ensure it could not be copied, I acknowledge that the assessor of this assignment may for the purposes of assessment, reproduce the assignment and: Provide to another member of faculty; and/or Communicate it to the universitys plagiarism checking service (which may then retain a copy of the assignment on its database for the purpose of future plagiarism checking). I understand the consequences for engaging in plagiarism as described in University Statute 4.1. Part III Academic Misconduct (refer http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/calendar/statutes/statutes04.html#Heading110) I certify that I have not plagiarised the work of others or participated in unauthorised collusion when preparing this assignment. Signature: Sophie Boinnard Date 21-10-2011 Question 6: Discuss why is it difficult to define identity? The best way to characterize identity may be to see it as a multi-dimensional space in which a variety of writing blend and clash (Sarup, 1996, p.25). Approaches to identity are multiple and from various fields such as sociology, psychology and psychoanalysis. This vast array of theories offer as many different attributes and definitions to identity which prevent the construction of a simple definition. I will argue that identity cannot be reduced to a simple and unified definition. This is most evident by understanding and analyzing the broad differences and interconnectedness between the major theories on identity, such as psychoanalysis, symbolic interactionism and performativity, which all have something to offer, each focusing more on the aspects that are relevant for their field of study. The wish to define identity can be traced back to the Enlightenment philosophy in Europe, when humanism and the quest to find who we are and how we should behave as rational and free beings (Mansfield, 2000, p.15). Identity was then studied as a philosophical construct, and the theories, influenced by Descartes and his notion of duality of the human mind between an emotional self and a rational thoughts as constituting our identity, led to believe the subject as being I think therefore I am (Sarup, 1996, p.46). This Cartesian approach considering the self as unified stayed the main view for many years. However we now live in a post-Cartesian world, and the development of fields such as psychoanalysis, sociology and social psychology led to a shift in the way to look at identity, by decentralizing the subject (Sarup, 1996, p.46) to take into account different evolution of society and the complexity of human beings. With the development of psychoanalysis, initiated by the researches and theories of Sigmund Freud, the approach to the study of identity changed focus and meaning. Freud believed that most of our identity is based upon the result of the negotiation of actions and reactions between the individual and the external environment (Elliott, 2007, p.53), such as the family, culture and society. According to him, we are not born with an identity, but we construct one through the process of identification. This is especially true in the early ages of your life when you learn what is acceptable according to social criteria and what has to be prevented, which is then repressed according to Freud into the unconscious; the Oedipus complex is a good example of structuring the subject in terms of identification (Sarup, 1996, p.30). It is the result of these interactions which will define who we are. It is important then to notice that for Freud ones identity construction is mostly unconscious and re sides within oneself (Lawler, 2008, p.78); the focus is, as such, placed on the individual and his capacity to adapt and positively interact with the world. Following psychoanalytic traditions, academics such as Eissler theorized the sense of identity as being based on memory elements which in turn depend on the capacity of the ego to consider these memories as its own, and be then able to either repress or integrate them successfully (De Levita, 1965, p.106). Stephanie Lawler, also on memory, argues that identity is not something fundamental and essential, but something produced through the narratives people use to explain and understand their lives (Lawler, 2008, p.17). As such they use their memories to interpret their lives, and at the same time these memories are already interpretations of a past experience: memories themselves are social products. What psychoanalysis can bring to the study of identity is that it gives a way to consider the place of unconscious and non-rational elements of identity (Lawler, 2008, p.83) which are psychoanalytic elements that are necessary to understand the construction of identity but which are often denied by theorists exploring social dynamics impacts (Sarup, 1996, p.39). Furthermore, by placing the unconscious and ideas of repression at the centre of his model of identity, Freud shows that we can only know ourselves incompletely and with difficulty, rendering identity blurred and unfinished (Lawler, 2008, p.99). However, by concentrating so much on the selfs experience of identity, this approach might lack depth in understanding the impact of some social forces such as inequality, oppression and domination (Elliott, 2007, p.70). Another approach that developed around that time but in the sociological field, is the theory known as symbolic interactionism. Largely influenced by Meads theory, it gives less importance to the individual than psychoanalysis and in contrary concentrates on the effects of interactions between the social reality and an individual. In fact, Mead believes that a subjective self is fashioned and shaped by the cooperative interaction with the world and others. It is indeed through the use of symbols which meanings we learn and understand thanks to experiences, to languages, values and culture and according to our surrounding environment that we are constructing our identities (Elliott, 2007, p.32). In other words, according to Mead, we make sense of ourselves only by the time we make sense of the world and others around us, by developing a sense of difference and recognition through symbols such as language. As such, it is necessary to distinguish between the I, representing the intern al needs, feelings, whishes and the me, representing the socialized self, which appears in reaction to what we see around us (Carriera Da Silva, 2007, pp.51-59): it is the consciousness of ourselves we develop in reaction to developing a sense of others, a differentiation from them. Something common with psychoanalysis is the importance of childhood in development of the sense of self, as Mead believes in the importance of the processes of play and game in becoming a healthy mind which can interact with others and society (Carriera Da Silva, 2007, pp.48-51). However Strauss, who on that aspect shares symbolic interactionists view, rejects the idea that the self is determined only through early childhood, and would then be static, and in contrary argues about a theory of adult identity change (Musolf, 2003, p. 167) showing that we are flexible beings, and are continuously socialized into new identities (Musolf, 2003, pp. 77, 170). Finally, Strausss theory incorporates the structural influences on social behaviors that he believes are neglected in the basic theory. Language is very important, with for example our names being the first act of self-introduction and as such functions as a social object by which others may initially typify us (Musolf, 2003, pp. 164-16 5). However, symbolic interactionism has been accused of being too rationalistic, cognitive and conscious, and indeed seems to have little recognition of the relation between desire, wishes, fantasies and social control that is argued in psychoanalysis (Elliott, 2007, p.35). Later on, approaches started to focus more on how identity functioned to try and explain what it is. This is the case of Anthony Goffman who, departing from symbolic interactionism, believes in the strategic performativity of the self in everyday life as constituting different identities for ourselves where the social sphere therefore represents a stage where we have to act an identity (Lawler, 2008, p104). Our self is reflected to the world as a faà §ade, and the individual is the creative and reflective agent who decides and in doing so constitutes self identity on how to carry out such roles as well as the staging of role performances (Elliott, 2007, p. 38). We therefore have a set of identities for which we know how to perform and what expectations people have of them, and we are constantly constraint to be on display and perform, as well as adding roles to adapt to every situation (Musolf, 2003, p. 164). Taking further Goffmans performativity, Mills argues that the performing self appeared as a result of the structural transformation of society into a bureaucratic consumerist one, and that it leads to the disappearing of real bonds in society replaced by a cash nexus as the only uniting element (Musolf, 2003, pp. 164, 172). Goffman takes some distance from symbolic interactionism however as he focuses on interactions and as such gives no importance to the difference between the I and the me; this leads to questioning the presence of a real self existing outside such practices the real identity of the I, hiding behind the personae and roles people assume, but he seems to leave undeveloped this aspect of the theory, concentrating on studying the faà §ades we show and not the true identity we might have behind it (Hetherington, 1998, pp. 150-151). As such theorists like De Levita have interpreted that for Goffman, the roles we play do not hide anything comparable to what Jung would argue (1965, p.132). According to Jung, the persona regroups the totality of the roles which a certain individual fulfils and portrays to the world, a similar idea to Goffmans performance but their ideas shift as for defining the place of identity in this schema. Indeed it is explicit for Jung that the persona only is a shield for our true identity (De Levita, 1965, p.132) which is not so clear for Goffman. In contrary, he argues that the roles/performances are what make us persons; we are constantly acting, but what those roles add up to is our identity (Lawler, 2008, p.106). Take a lecturer for example; he will act differently while teaching in classes than how he is with his friends over lunch, and even differently than how he will act with his children in the evening. It doesnt mean that he is someone else more true outside of these contexts, or that he is fraudulent about his identity, but that all these roles represent who he is. Today, with the increasing influence of the media as a social force, Goffmans theory might be more adapted than ever as these media perpetuate performance demands. Indeed, as Altheide argues, our everyday life saturated by the media reshapes identity into another piece of merchandise that we shill just as advertising promotes corporate products with which we play as a toy (Altheide, 2000, pp. 13, 20). Another way of thinking about identity comes from Giddens theory of reflexivity and social change. Today according to Giddens, people are more self-aware, and therefore can make strategic decision for their future and about who they are or want to be (Giddens, 1991, p.35). Identity is not passive and has to be reflexively made from a multitude of often competing choices, and the settings of uncertainty and multiple choices render the notions of trust, risk and ontological security central to the reflexive self. Indeed, as Giddens puts it, trust is at the origin of the experience of a stable external world and a coherent sense of self-identity (Giddens, 1991, p.51). His concept considers how in late modernity humans develop a psychological self and re-focus on their identity, to try and reflect on a sense of self, helped by the many experts, information and advices, largely psychological and sociological (Elliott, 2007, p.45), which are now available about how we should live our lives , such as self-help books or TV shows like Dr Phil which reminds of what Rose calls the psy complex (Rose, 1999). Therefore our identity becomes what we believe or interpret ourselves to be and how we want to shape ourselves. His way of characterizing individuals as being almost self-mastering leads to many critics, considering his theory as too individualistic (Elliott, 2007, pp.48-49). Giddens is critical of overly pessimistic accounts of the post-modern self as fragmented (Heaphy, 2007, p.94). Instead for Giddens, individuals actively participate in forging their self-identities and in doing so contribute to social life in a way that has global implications. Giddens analysis begins with the premise that all human beings possess an awareness of what they are doing and why they are doing so, and they monitor themselves in producing and reproducing social conventions (Heaphy, 2007, pp.95, 119). The problem with this approach is that Giddens fails to take into account power relations and the possible lack of choice or the different consequences of choices. As Lash indeed argues, contradiction and contingency, he suggests, are far more characteristic of the contemporary self than Giddens theory of reflexivity will allow and he therefore counsels to use Foucaults insights on power and control where reflexivitys shows limitation (in Heaphy, 2007, pp.112-113). To have a greater account of power relation in the creation of identity, one should turn to Foucault and Foucauldian theorists. Foucaults argument is that particular kinds of identity are made up within relations of power/knowledge (Lawler, 2008, p.55). To put it simply, he argues that how we are is an effect of what we know ourselves to be, or in other words, we are addressed, and address ourselves as certain kind of person, and through this process we become that person. Lawler gives the example of the subjectivation of sexuality, showing that we dont understand sexual preference as something we do but as something we are (2008, p.59). Subjectivation is therefore the idea of becoming subjects by gaining specific identities (Lawler, 2008, p.62). Foucauldian scholars follow his theory and have argued that society is governed through self-surveillance, initiated by social institutions, to encourage individuals to actively condition and shape themselves according to social norms (Heapy , 2007, pp.33-34). Another important element is the idea that we are not regulated by the media but regulating ourselves with it, using different means such as counseling or self help books, because of our strive to be a certain type of person in order to be normal, healthy, self-fulfilled (Lawler, 2008, p.63) which relates to theories previously discussed. According to Rose, the language of psychology provides an important way of constructing ones identity, of identifying ones deepest thoughts, wishes and conflicts (Rose, 1999). However one of the critic against Foucaults ideas relates to the lack of insight into why people make subjectivation investments in some forms of self-understands and not in others, or also how such understandings come to constitute the self (Lawler, 2008, p.76). As we have seen through these renowned examples of how to frame identity, there are many approaches to the study of identity, which define or characterize it in different ways, blurring the possibility to give a simple unified definition. Identity is not a thing but a process in constant change of shape and meaning, and that is why it is difficult to grasp it. Because identity is a broad and nebulous concept, it is complex and multiple, and can mean different things depending on your purposes of research and approach. Some of these theories concentrate on how to see the individual from societys perspective, while some others study the positions of these individuals within the society, but what seems common to most of them is the idea that identity plays a role of mediator (Sarup, 1996, p.28) between the external and the internal, between the self and others. Reference list: Altheide, D. (2000). Identity and the Definition of the Situation in a Mass-Mediated Context. Symbolic Interaction, vol. 23 , pp.1-27. Carreira Da Silva, F. (2007). G. H. Mead: A critical introduction. Cambridge: Polity Press. De Levita, D. (1965). The Concept of Identity. Paris and The Hague: Mouton co. Elliott, A. (2007). Concepts of the self. Cambridge: Polity Press. Giddens, A. (1991). Modernity and Self-identity. Stanford: Stanford University Press. Heaphy, B. (2007). Late Modernity and Social Change. London and New York: Routledge. Hetherington, K. (1998). Expressions of Identity. London: Sage Publications. Lawler, S. (2008). Identity: Social Perspectives. Cambridge: Polity Press. Mansfield, N. (2000). Subjectivity: theories of self from Freud to Haraway, New York: New York University Press. Musolf, G. R. (2003). Structure and Agency in everyday life. Lanham: Rowman Littlefield Publishers. Rose, N. (1999). Obliged to be free in Governing the soul: the shaping of the private self, Second edition. London: Free Association Books. Sarup, M. (1996). Identity, Culture and the Postmodern world. Athenes: University of Georgia Press. Mark sheet Addressing the topic Excellent Very Good Good Fair Pass Poor Expression of the argument Engagement with relevant literature Use of relevant examples Originality and critical insight Range of concepts Integration of concepts Conforms to requirements of academic writing Punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, paragraphing In-text referencing

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Edgar Allen Poe Essay

Edgar Allen Poe was a poet and writer who lived a dreadful and terrible life, which helped him create remarkable and horrifying stories in the 19th century. While growing up Edgar Allen Poe lived a horrible life watching his mom, stepmom and wife die because of tuberculosis. Through all the pain given to Edgar Allen Poe through those tragic events he was able to construct stories and poems of death, love, horror, and religion. By examining Edgar Allen Poe story â€Å"The Black Cat† you will be able to understand his creation of a miserable and painful world from his usage of symbolism, imagery, and plot. In the story â€Å"The Black Cat† Edgar Allen Poe utilizes symbolism many times in the story. The black cat is the main symbol in the story because it represents that the cat is evil. First of all the cat is named Pluto, which means god of the underworld. Secondly, some people are superstitious and believe a black cat is bad luck and can give you trouble just as it did for the narrator. Edgar Allen Poe employs symbolism in order to force the reader to see his views on life, religion, love, and death. In the story â€Å"The Black Cat† Edgar Allen Poe utilizes imagery many times in the story. At one point in the story there are talking about an axe and a cellar. We can imagine that in a story like â€Å"The Black Cat,† going to the cellar is a bad idea. We can almost smell the stuffy cellar smell floating up at us. The imagery is vague and murky, until we get to the axe. We all know an axe is deadly and dangerous and can probably picture an image of him when he holding it ready to kill someone. Edgar Allen Poe makes use of imagery to improve the setting, to improve the mood, and to improve suspense. The whole story â€Å"The Black Cat† is about a guy that’s sentenced to death so he tells his story on why he is sentenced to death. The narrator is a drunken person who has a cat named Pluto who he starts to dislike and then cuts it eye out, and then hangs him on a tree. Soon when he wakes up and his house goes on fire and him, wife and his servant escape. Soon another cat comes with a missing eye and he follows the narrator around. Next, they get a new house and they go up to the cellar and he found an axe. Then, the narrator tries to kill the cat, but he accidently he kills his wife. After that, he stuffs the body and the cat in the wall. Finally, the murder is discovered and the man seems convinced that the cat exposed him on purpose by letting him be stuffed up and then making noises so the police could hear it and arrest the narrator. Edgar Allen Poe was a poet and writer who lived a dreadful and terrible life, which helped him create remarkable and horrifying stories, such as â€Å"The Black Cat† in the 19th century. Edgar Allen Poe throughout his life has created the most unique symbolism throughout â€Å"The Black Cat.† He has also created in depth and vivid imagery to help us understand what’s going on in the story. Furthermore, he has created a dramatic, intense, and a horrifying plot in the story. In conclusion, from examining Edgar Allen Poe story â€Å"The Black Cat† you were able to understand his creation of a miserable and painful world from his usage of symbolism, imagery, and plot.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

The New Fuss About General College Essay Samples

The New Fuss About General College Essay Samples Your solution shouldn't be a book report. Before you write your essay or participate in a college interview, you'd be prudent to determine your own response to the question. Because the essay is a little too dry at this time, some extra voice would really provide the essay a boost. To discover what should be finished, you ought to take a look at an excellent deal of other essay examples. The type of essay you're looking for will be provided to you within the deadline provided to you. Sit down, consider the story that you want to write. The ideal thing about us is that each time you can buy original essay papers for sale. Custom writing means a critical company with high standards. Show how you fit in the campus culture and how you are going to affect the community through specific examples. Stephen connects his previous experience to his present-day maturity through self-knowledge. Colleges want a feeling of maturity and introspectionpinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your private growth. If you would like to create a college essay which works, you will need to provide importance on the content you will offer the admissions officer of your intended university with. Just because you've already written a college essay for a single university doe sn't mean that it may also apply on your next applications. Developing a good college essay may lose its purpose in the event the content of what you've written is not what the university is asking for. Writing the college application essay can be among the most daunting elements of applying to college. The essay for Florida state university isn't required, but it's highly suggested. Colleges are more inclined to admit students who can articulate certain explanations for why the school is an excellent fit about them beyond its reputation or ranking on any list. In addition to its growing cultural and ethnic diversity, State University is turning into a master at developing a niche for every single student. Thus, it is not just the perfect place for me, it is the only place for me. The Hidden Facts on General College Essay Samples One of the most difficult features of college life is finances. So should you need to employ college essay writer online, we're just the people that you will need to contact. Picking a career path is just one of the most daunting decisions you will make in your whole life. You've so many options here that you may discover the essay prompt daunting. You are going to receive unique texts, which will be finished in time. Essays are an essential compo nent in the college application procedure. Our writers always create unique content that's absolutely free from all grammatical error. While it's true that there are a few excellent writers in college some find it extremely challenging to write. There's great news and bad news in regards to college essays. You may easily buy unique college essays and don't neglect to tell friends and family about it. Now you can get genuine college essay online, one that is going to fit your financial plan and get your work done also. General College Essay Samples - Is it a Scam? Because you are interested in getting the essay to communicate the ideal information about you, you should do thorough preparation for the sample college admission essays to accomplish its purposes. All you have to do is specify if you want your essay to be delivered. Your college essay should contain information that are related to the instruction offered to you. Writing your own personal essay for admission in to college can be very tough. Scholarship Essay Examples are supplied for insight on how best to write a scholarship essay. Following your nomination, you're required to forward an essay. Stephen's essay is quite effective. Writing a college admission essay can be quite tough. Choosing General College Essay Samples Thus, the essay is supposed to coincide with the applicant's qualities and interests in order for it to boost the probabilities of admission. It's very useful to take writing apart so as to see just the way that it accomplishes its objectives. In the majority of instances, the prompt is quite elaborate and open to interpretation. Therefore, if you're comfortable sharing personal particulars about your life that will assist an admissions.

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

New England Institute of Technology Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA

The New England Institute of Technology is a private university with an open admissions  policy. All students who meet the schools requirements for admission will be accepted. Located in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, New England Tech offers over 50 associates, bachelors, and online degree programs. Programs range from trade fields like plumbing and automotive repair to veterinary technology and game development. With a quarter system for classes, the school allows students to earn an associates degree in as little as 18 months and a bachelors degree in three years. Classes begin four times per year, and students can start in any quarter. The New England Tech curriculum balances analytical skills with hands-on training in technical fields, and academics are supported by a 13-to-1 student/faculty ratio. Considering applying to New England Institute of Technology? Here are the admissions statistics you should know. Acceptance Rate New England Institute of Technology does not provide data about the number of students who applied and were accepted. SAT Scores and Requirements New England Tech does not require SAT or ACT scores except for applicants to Health Sciences majors. Applicants to other majors may include standardized test scores with their application, but they are not required. Requirements Applicants to Health Sciences majors at New England Institute of Technology are required to submit SAT or ACT scores. A minimum SAT composite score of 1100 is recommended for potential Health Sciences applicants. NEIT does not require the SAT writing section. ACT Scores and Requirements New England Tech does not require SAT or ACT scores except for applicants to Health Sciences majors. Applicants to other majors may include standardized test scores with their application, but they are not required. Requirements Applicants to Health Sciences majors at NEIT are required to submit SAT or ACT scores. A minimum ACT composite score of 22 is recommended for potential Health Sciences applicants. NEIT does not require the ACT writing section. GPA New England Institute of Technology does not provide data about admitted students high school GPAs. Note that applicants to Health Sciences majors must have an average high school GPA of 3.0 or above. Admissions Chances New England Institute of Technology, which has an open admissions policy, does not have a selective admissions process. Any interested applicant who meets the requirements for admission will be accepted. Applicants may apply on the New England Tech website or on the Common Application. Students must submit high school transcripts, a GED certificate, or homeschool certificate along with their application. The personal essay portion of the Common Application is optional. Minimum course requirements include four years of high school English and three years of high school math. Some programs, such as majors in Health Sciences, have additional course requirements, including three years of science. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and New England Institute of Technology Undergraduate Admissions Office.