Understanding W.E.B. Dubois essays

Understanding W.E.B. Dubois essays Few men have influenced the lives of African-Americans as much as William Edward Burghardt DuBois. He was a scholar, activist, writer, and an international diplomat. During his time, he was at least involved in if not in the forefront of every movement advocating equal rights for African Americans. DuBois inspired the creation of numerous organizations and periodicals. Dubois dedicated a part of himself to numerous worthy causes, but that same generosity had a detrimental effect on the outcome of his efforts. As a result of distributing his efforts amongst many worthy causes, DuBois rarely followed his individual dreams to complete fruition. Although DuBois may not have taken every step he could, he went farther than many people will ever go to better the lives of their people. DuBois made monumental contributions to history, politics, and to lives of African Americans that have been paralleled by few and eclipsed by none. In his work, The Souls of Black Folk, DuBois described the life and problems that black people in America faced. He had a very different plan in the struggle for black equality and for the abolishment of racism. Some leaders spoke of a "separate black nation" while others wanted blacks to simply stay submissive. DuBois believed that assimilation was not the best means of treating discrimination against blacks. Work, culture, liberty, - all these we need, not singly but together, not successively but together, each growing and aiding each... in order that some day on American soil two world-races may give each to each those characteristics both so sadly lack (DuBois 220). Education was a key to a diverse and cultural society. Being a well-respected intellectual and leader, he worked to reach goals of education and peaceful resolutions between the races and classes. The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color-line, - the relation of the darker to the lighter races of men i...

The History of Sexuality of American Women Origins and Causes

The History of Sexuality of American Women Origins and Causes Speaking about the question of sexuality in the modern American society, it is necessary to refer to the problem from the point of biological characteristics associated with the term of sexuality and from the concept of gender equality and social relationships between men and women.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The History of Sexuality of American Women: Origins and Causes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The history of sexuality in relation to the history of American women has the deep roots, and it should be discussed with references to the progress of the public’s vision of sexuality in its association with women. Furthermore, the discussion of the history of sexuality as the part of the history of American women is important for the analysis of the origins and causes of the modern situation in society in relation to the problem. Thus, sexuality is an important factor for determining the social positions of men and women according to the historical development of the public’s attitude toward the issue of sexuality. Following the ideas of the contemporary researchers, it is possible to state that sexuality is the socially constructed category (Kerber, Hart, Dayton, 2011, p. 11). That is why, it is necessary to discuss this issue with references to the most important social tendencies associated with the historical events in the USA. During the 18th-19th centuries, the problem of sexuality was discussed only from the male point of view. Sexuality was closely associated with definite gender roles acquired in the society. In spite of the fact women were traditionally perceived as the symbol of sexuality for men, these ideas could not be discussed openly. Thus, women’s sexuality depended on the male vision of the problem, and it was connected with the notions of family and motherhood (Kerber, Hart, Dayton, 2011, p. 67). Traditional ways to perceive the women’s sex uality were the discussion of women as wives and mothers.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The questions of sexuality during the Victorian Era were based on the usual male dominance and marriage as the single way to express women’s sexual desires and affection. However, women’s diaries and letters of that period support the idea that although the social norms limited women’s direct expression of their sexuality, it developed not because of social principles, but because of biological factors. The long-time association of sexuality and gender roles resulted in the boost of the feminist movement in the first half of the 20th century (Kerber, Hart, Dayton, 2011, p. 404). Feminists paid attention to the social status of women, to their equality with men, and to their right to marry or not. Moreover, the question of sexual preferences became urgent. It i s important to concentrate on the feminist movement as the significant part of the history of sexuality because the progress of this movement contributed to the transformation of relationships between men and women. The question of the male dominance became controversial not only from the point of social interactions but also from the perspective of the sexual relations. It is also necessary to concentrate on the next stages of the process with references to those women who became social activists declaring the ideas of sex education and birth control and who began to work as therapists and psychologists to resolve the problems of sexuality (Kerber, Hart, Dayton, 2011, p. 380). Modern vision of sexuality is based on the ideas of sex appeal, sexual attraction, heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Nevertheless, the history of sexuality in the USA provides the audience with the viewpoint that the notion of sexuality includes a lot of social aspects which are significant to be di scussed in the course. Thus, the history of sexuality is necessary to determine the connections between the idea of virginity, religious viewpoint, and family relationships in the 19th century; between the rejection of the idea of marriage and gender equality during the 1920s; between the transformation of gender roles and sexual relations during World War II; between the problem of birth control, contraception, sexuality, and issue of abortion; between the sexual revolution of the 1960s and sex education; between the shift of gender roles and gender equality in relation to the questions of sexuality in the 1990s. T he progress of the notion of sexuality in the American society emphasizes the process of developing a new type of the American woman (Kerber, Hart, Dayton, 2011, p. 408)Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The History of Sexuality of American Women: Origins and Causes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The hi story of relations between men and women in the American society depends on changes in the public’s vision of the problem of sexuality. Today, the period of the male dominance in discussing the issues of sexuality is changed with the equality of male and female roles in relation to their sexuality. The history of the 20th century accentuates the right of the modern women to speak about their sexuality openly. That is why, the course should be developed for both young men and women to present them the history of sexuality from many perspectives and help them understand the importance of this category for the development of the American society with references to such notions as gender equality and social roles. Reference Kerber, L. K., Hart, J. S., Dayton, C. H. (2011). Women’s America: Refocusing the past. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Major changes in family forms and structures that have taken place in Essay

Major changes in family forms and structures that have taken place in Australia since Federation - Essay Example Gilding (1995, p.8) contends that the family form is a ‘social ordering of kinship and co-residence’ that is politically asserted with the aim of attaching relations based on reliance and commitment but that the family members alter and modify that form to meet their own needs and demands. The historical definition proposed by sociologists and anthropologists was the ‘nuclear family’, which was thus considered as the norm to the extent by some that the construct was a universal ‘basic living unit’ (Baker, 2001, p.7). Today the term ‘nuclear family’ is still under contention, with some believing the ideal is a myth (Eichler, 1997, cited in Baker 2001) to which very few households have and do actually adhere; for others it is the norm but declining (Briggs, 1994; Gilding, 1995). Bittman & Pixley (1997) believe the fact that the nuclear family is declining at the rapid pace as proposed by government statistics and researchers, is itsel f a myth. While they agree there is a diversity of family units, they assert that the measurements are invalid because they are taken at a particular point in time and that people move via a succession of changes wherein they move in and out of a nuclear family structure. What is apparent however, despite the myth or reality of a nuclear family being the norm within Australian society, is that the family structure and form has changed and become more diverse, particularly over the last four decades, for a number of reasons. Since the post war period more Australians have been marrying later and divorcing earlier; marrying partners from different ethnicities; making choices on whether to have children, how many and when; living in de-facto relationships (cohabitating) with and without children, living within homosexual or lesbian partnerships, with or without children, and mixing their family roles (Briggs, 1994). It is quite common to find Australian children living in sole parent f amilies, step parent families, extended families, same-sex families and foster families (Saggers & Sims, 2004). This diversity has been a progressive process over the last century due to the changes in fertility patterns, with women giving birth to 6 children on average pre-Federation to the current day average of 2 children per woman; increasing lifespan resulting in an aging population and an increase in the number of divorces and people choosing not to marry (Bittman & Pixley, 1997). Family diversity in Australia can also be attributed partly to immigration resulting in cultural and ethnic diversity. Immigrants bring a plethora of different beliefs, ideals, behaviours and languages, together with their family structures and relationships, and the roles each member plays within those family forms. Cultural diversity also incorporates Australia’s indigenous people, who again bring their own family structures and values to the stage. Thus the Australian family now incorporate s those that are not only diverse in terms of size (single parent, nuclear or extended families); they are also diverse in terms of organisation (Saggers & Sims, 2004) and the way in which children are raised, how elderly parents are cared for, and they are diverse in expectations of gender. Social changes and