Premium Essay

Social Science

In:

Submitted By obey
Words 2442
Pages 10
The ideas that a society creates about witches can be seen to support norms and values in that society and when analysed along with a structural model of the society, can also provide insights into the organization of the culture and society. According to Bourdillion and Phil (1976), witchcraft refers to any threat, involving an element of furtiveness, to personal security by the violation of the human person or of human life or by the violation of any deeply held value. Thus, an emotional person who too readily gives rent to feelings of jealousy, greed, hatred, frustration or any very unpopular person may be called a witch. An accusation is a statement saying that one thinks of a person is guilty of doing something wrong, especially of committing a crime. Many anthropologists, including Evan-Pritchard and S.F Nadel, looked at the range of witchcraft accusations among the Azande (Zande) of Sudan, Mandurucu of Brazil, Nupe of West Africa and among the Shona. Open accusations of witchcraft are almost always preceded by tension and conflict within the community and these accusations normally arise in a community that I s already divided, whether by quarrels over succession and leadership, disagreements over the distribution of family wealth or unpaid debts. For Whiting, cited in Cohen and Earnes (1982) witchcraft accusations is an effective mechanism for social control in simple and intermediate level political systems. Witchcraft beliefs and accusations are considered static elements, societies either do or do not have them, but for those with them hide behind witchcraft to cover the real nature of these social conflicts. However, the beliefs and accusations serve to maintain societal order.

Mitchell (1965) cited in Cohen and Earnes (1982) argues that witchcraft accusations are believed to increase as a result of the anonymity and disruption of urban life. A good

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Social Sciences

...The Social Sciences Anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology are all sub-disciplines within liberal arts. Each of these disciplines contributes to our understanding of the physical and intellectual world. Anthropology contributes to our understanding of human behavior and biology. Economics helps us to make rational decisions about resources while geography explains the earth and its natural phenomenon. History is important because aids in our understanding of the world, and how it has transformed. Studying political science helps us to understand who gets what, when, and how. Psychology is important because it explains the mind and brain and their relationship to our lives. And, the study of sociology increases our understanding of how to develop good societies. Although each of these disciplines are important, based on opinion, they can be ranked in importance. I would rank them in order by political science, history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and geography. In my opinion, political science, or the study of politics, is the most important social science because all other sciences involve a political process. The political process or politics is simply who gets what, when, and how. Political science is particularly interested in the study of governments’ power and authority, citizens, justice, wealth and resources, and relationships with other governments. It is easy to see how each of the other social...

Words: 537 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Social Science

...neighbouring are cultural specific. By discussing and also by providing tangible qualitative evidence that will support the definition of the question; “What makes a good neighbor?’ In doing so, rules governing appropriate conduct in the neighbourhood are not contained instead, what people have is culturally specific knowledge about how to interact with those living around them, they acquire and develop this knowledge through socialization, practice of being neigbourg. (Jovan Byford, 2009, chapter 6, making social lives) Research had been carried out by social scientists on Neighbouring in Uk in relation to the question asked by people ‘What makes a good neibourgs?’ After many studies over the years, social scientist found a common agreement with view to what residents in the neighbourhood want from those living around them. Each individual relationship with his neighbourg depends on variety type of factors, age and sex group, cultural or ethnic background, personality characteristics, social-economic position, length of time of living in the area. Neighbourgs are expected to have a general disposition towards friendliness, while at the same time, respecting others need for privacy and reserve (Wilmott, 1986, P55) Skilled neighbourds when everybody are aware that...

Words: 456 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Social Science Liberal Arts Degree

...PROGRAM OF STUDY Liberal Arts and Sciences: Social Science Associate in Arts   The Liberal Arts and Sciences major is designed for students planning to transfer to either the California State University or University of California. To earn the Associate in Arts degree with a Liberal Arts and Sciences major, students must complete either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) UC or CSU option or the CSU General Education Certification pattern and one of the three areas of emphasis. The areas of emphasis are: Mathematics and Science, Social and Behavioral Sciences or Humanities. The area of emphasis requires a minimum of 18 units with a grade of "C" or better in all courses in the area of emphasis. The courses identified for each area of emphasis fulfill major preparation requirements as demonstrated through ASSIST articulation. A minimum of six units must be within a single discipline and in the case of the Mathematics and Science area of emphasis at least one mathematics course must be completed. Select courses based on ASSIST data for major preparation articulation with selected transfer institutions. Consult a counselor for specific information regarding the intended major at the college the student is choosing. Courses used to complete a student's area of emphasis can double count for general education just as they may for any other major. Although the associate degree recognizes the completion of lower division general education requirements...

Words: 891 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Psychology a Social Science or a Natural Science

...Scope of Psychology - Natural Science or Social Science Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Sociology, and Psychology, are amongst the most important sciences on planet Earth. Based on their field of study these branches of science are broadly categorised as Natural and Social sciences. At first glance one can tell that Sociology is categorised as a Social Science and subjects like Physics and Chemistry are categorised under the Physical science category of Natural Sciences, whilst Biology is categorised under the Life Science category of Natural Sciences. To keep this essay as relevant as possible I shall only be focussing on the Life Science division of Natural Sciences. Like Botany and Zoology, Biology studies living organisms such as plants, animals and several microorganisms. On the contrary, being a Social Science, Sociology studies the working, functioning and the behaviour of society as a whole. So what about Psychology? Is it a Social Science or a Life Science. To get a clear idea we must first define Psychology. Psychology is the study of behaviour and mind, embracing all aspects of conscious and unconscious experience as well as thought. To my utter disappointment, simply defining psychology will not resolve our dilemma, but it does give a clear idea of things. Psychology as a science is interested in what people think, what they feel and how they behave, the subject studies everything from the human brain to consciousness, memory and mental health ,whilst studying...

Words: 623 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Social Science Research

...Homework 1 What would be the key impacts of studying these problems on the community? There are many problems in my locality and or community that requires social scientific research. One of the biggest problems in my African diaspora community is the epidemic of skin bleaching. Considering this issue as an epidemic might sound extreme but when looking at the statistic of skin bleaching amongst the Africans and African diaspora, it has clearly become more than an individual’s preference or choice. Conducting a social scientific research will help to answer the question of why Africans are prone to skin bleaching, ways to inform the people about the effects of skin bleaching and skin bleaching recovery. Gentrification is another issue that requires social scientific research. This problem is evidence in almost all major cities. Due to race and economical statues, minorities are concentrated in areas that are the worst parts of the cities while the white majority live in the best parts of the cities. Researching this problem will bring to light the effect of gentrification on the minorities and also to those majorities who might be “innocent” to the issue. It would also force the government to do something about it on the polity level. culture appropriation should also be research because our society allows for a certain group to “borrow” the culture of another group that has been exploited without giving the credit where it’s due. culture appropriation happens...

Words: 708 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Social Sciences

...Society for the Study of Social Problems Social Stratification and Health: Education's Benefit beyond Economic Status and Social Origins Author(s): John R. Reynolds and Catherine E. Ross Source: Social Problems, Vol. 45, No. 2 (May, 1998), pp. 221-247 Published by: University of California Press on behalf of the Society for the Study of Social Problems Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3097245 Accessed: 27/02/2009 14:10 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=ucal. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For...

Words: 14230 - Pages: 57

Premium Essay

Historical Method In Social Science

...materials, evaluating them critically, organizing them into an organic whole and explaining the significance and relevance of the organized data in a narrative format. There are distinctions between the method and methodology as method is common to all sciences, independent, underived and definite, whereas methodology is not as it is a view or perspective to look through. Historical method is useful for theoretical and practical purpose as it provide useful and important information towards the solutions of the problem that makes possible to study the development of a particular idea, concept, philosophy or theory. 1.2.2. Methods of Inquiry The historical research has been heavily influenced by the social science research methods of...

Words: 1386 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Are the Natural Sciences More Reliable Sources of Knowledge Than Social Sciences?

...Are the natural sciences more reliable sources of knowledge than social sciences? To be able to determine the reliability of knowledge within the sciences, an understanding of what is meant when referring to knowledge is required as well as an understanding of how this knowledge is created. Knowledge has been defined in various ways, depending upon the context is to be used in. As Çakir (2012, p.665) defines it: “Knowledge is the communication between individuals who share decisions and actions”. When relating to the creation of “knowledge” within the sciences, this is the most fitting definition due to the method of study and peer review that allows information to be taken as truthful. This essay will look at some of the differences between the two branches of science, the different ways in which natural and social science discover new information through experimentation, the natural evolution of the sciences, and how dissension among members of the social sciences holds them back from creating reliable knowledge. The natural sciences have been the subject of study for over six hundred years, starting in the fourteenth century and progressing steadily throughout the years. The natural sciences set the foundations for inquiry and have previously gone through the trials and errors that the social sciences, having only been the subject of study for around two hundred and forty years, are currently going through. While the history of the of social sciences has been noted to have...

Words: 1858 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Science And Social Hierarchies In Gattaca

...Social hierarchies are social differentiations based on education level, training, knowledge,and skills. The 1997 film Gattaca details the effects of determining a society's structure based solely on human capability testing, in which test results decide the fate of each individual with little to no freedom of choice. The film combines science and social hierarchies to argue that science and technology have the ability to create social hierarchies that go beyond educational, racial, or economic status and have the ability to manipulate and create new hierarchies through genetic manipulation, but will never be able to effectively build social structure because of individuals’ determinism and inevitable motivation to break free, like Vincent...

Words: 345 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Review Bent Flyvbjerg Making Social Science Matter

...book Making Social Science Matter: Why social Inquiry fails and how it can succeed again Advanced Organisation and management Theorising 1 The “science wars” of the mid to late 1990s appears to have been an ideological contest of wills between the natural and social sciences. The natural science ‘camp’ included such heavyweights as a Nobel prize-winning physicist and a Harvard biologist and geneticist. The latter, R.C. Lewontin in the New York Review of Books harshly chided the U.S. National Opinion Research Center sexual practices study authors. “It is frightening to think that social science is in the hands of professionals who are … deaf to human nuance”. He concluded that social scientists’ propensity to impersonate natural science “can only engender the scorn of natural scientists”(p2). Given the apparent harshness of this critique, it may seem surprising to find a social scientist seeming to agree with the positioning of the natural scientists. This is precisely what Bent Flyvbjerg’s appears to do, albeit with a different premise, in the first chapter of his book ‘Making Social Science Matter: How Social Inquiry Fails and How it can Succeed Again’. Flyvbjerg articulates the case for a revision of the theoretical underpinnings of social science and the development of a new version of an old concept through a return to and reinterpretation of the Aristotelian concept of ‘phronesis’, or practical wisdom. Flyvbjerg argues for a re-routing of social science away from...

Words: 2147 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Abs 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash

...ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/abs-417-week-3-discussion-question-2-social-science-research-ash Product Description The file ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash has solution of the following task: "In 250 ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/abs-417-week-3-discussion-question-2-social-science-research-ash Product Description The file ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash has solution of the following task: "In 250 ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/abs-417-week-3-discussion-question-2-social-science-research-ash Product Description The file ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash has solution of the following task: "In 250 ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/abs-417-week-3-discussion-question-2-social-science-research-ash Product Description The file ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash has solution of the following task: "In 250 ABS 417 Week 3 Discussion Question 2 Social Science Research Ash Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/abs-417-week-3-discussion-question-2-social-science-research-ash Product Description ...

Words: 300 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Consider the Importance of Essay Writing to Academic Practice in the Social Sciences, with Particular Reference to Priest (2007) and Ballard and Clancy (1988). Draw on Ssk12 Materials and Your Own Experience

...academic practice in the social sciences, with particular reference to Priest (2007) and Ballard and Clancy (1988). Draw on SSK12 materials and your own experience. In this essay I have stipulated the importance of essay writing in the social sciences outlining knowledge development, bringing fourth the importance of linguistics with the understanding of cultural laws and language within the areas of social science, showing the importance of jargon language with comparisons between two subjects and what is expected from the student in the governing of essay writing. I have also reflected upon essay writing from a teachers perspective, noting the expectations a teacher looks for in essay writing, and adding my perspective with an understanding of the essay cultural system. I have also outlined my experience with the understandings of cultural expectations in disciplines and essay writing concerning linguistics. The importance of essay writing academically in the social sciences is structured in the knowledge internalization, the student writes about the facts that have been a subject of a lecture or read in an article, furthering the knowledge and retention of a given subject, “learning to write essays is empowering. It is learning to take one’s place in the world of ideas” (Priest, 2007). The importance also lies in the intellectual development of a students knowledge within the social sciences, stimulating a students...

Words: 1205 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Social Science Fiction, a Sub-Genre of Science Fiction Seen in Television

...thinking of science fiction television programs, one usually thinks of aliens, space ships, and laser blasters, this tends to shed a more childish light on the genre and most people tend to dismiss it as being no more than mindless entertainment. While there has certainly been a surplus of the campy science fiction shows on the air, some shows have used the science fiction genre to tackle serious social issues as well. This essay will take a look at two shows 54 years apart and will analyze how both use social concerns of the time period and create memorable narratives that speculate about human behavior and interactions. The first show this essay will look at is the generation defining classic The Twilight Zone (1959-1964), and the second show is a modern cult hit from the United Kingdom Utopia (2013-2014). //Through a comparative analysis of the episode “The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street” from The Twilight Zone (1959-1964) and “Episode 5” of the British cult hit, Utopia (2013-2014) this essay illustrates how the science fiction genre can be and has been used generation after generation to highlight certain social issues. Whereas The Twilight Zone uses America’s anxieties of communism and consumer culture to cause paranoia in the early sixties, Utopia uses big business, government conspiracies, and overpopulation in a plot that stirs up concern for the environment. Ultimately this essay will illustrate how social issues lay the foundation for a compelling science fiction narrative...

Words: 1662 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Social Science

...Social science is described by Sills as a house with each room containing their own social science disciplinary. Social science involves social structures and public issues amongst their disciplines, with each discipline using their own concepts to achieve a common understanding. It is has multiple disciplines which covers subjects like Economics, history, and geography. Sills explains that the significance of social science allows for the better understanding of oneself in the world. He states thatsocial sciences is not concrete and differs depending on the generation. The social sciences needs to bemore heavily considered especially in our current society because there are many youths have no idea how their actions are affected by social structures.Sociological imagination is the interaction between the individuals and other individuals as well as the social structures in place. The term was coined by Mills in the 19th century during the industrial revolution. To have a sociological imagination, a person must be able to pull away from the situation and think from an alternative point of view. The movie lottery at birth helps us understand the concept of socio imaginti. Mills believed in the power of the sociological imagination to connect personal troubles to public issues. Soci imaginat is more applicable today than in Mill’s time because society is going through very fast transformations. Socio imaginati explains the nature of sociology and its relevance in daily life.Mythistory...

Words: 1642 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Social Science

...over the centuries * 0001AD - 2030 * Golden age of India 300 ad begun from this period * Colonial America 1300 - 1600 AD * www.stevelarson.org * In 1830 the population of a billion reached the first time * Industrial revolution – 1850 AD * 1975 – the population was 4 billion!! * 6 billion in year 2000!! * 5 major early disciples/branches of social science 1. Anthropology – interested in culture 2. Economics – interested in self (utility, max. satisfaction) 3. Psychology – interested in self (mental health and behaviour) 4. Sociology – interested in society 5. Political science – interested in society * Social science explores the three variables – “self, culture and society” 1. Ways of seeing * 1960, Daniel Bell was one of the three most important American sociologists * Wrote a book called The end of Ideology * After world war 2, new countries were forming in Africa and Europe and the concept of ideology was formed then * The behaviorist revolution was invented * There were not a lot of departments of economics or social science before WW2, but for political economy there were departments * Bell’s book was about political modernization * Economic development is about creating a self developed free economy * There was a competition known as the cold war in the early 20th century * 1920, cold war was ended, soviet union was collapsed * 1995, in provincial election in Ontario NDP and...

Words: 519 - Pages: 3