http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/topic/49/opinion Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Tue, 05 May 2026 06:36:32 -0400 Tue, 05 May 2026 06:36:32 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1836/todays-poland-as-a-bastion-of-conservative-populism-targeting-families-in-a-populist-power-grab By Jaroslaw S. Myjak - On the same day, in the Silesian city of Rybnik, some two and a half hours’ drive to the west, the democratic candidate, Rafał Trzaskowski, appealed to the civil liberties of individuals, and limits to state power: transparency and honesty in public life, checks and balances, and the accountability of authorities—as well as the values of the European Union. The populist incumbent, Andrzej Duda, spoke about people’s prosperity and job and financial security, all framed in terms of the needs not of individuals, but of families. With this platform and discourse, the populist leader... Fri, 13 Nov 2020 09:31 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1836/todays-poland-as-a-bastion-of-conservative-populism-targeting-families-in-a-populist-power-grab http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1807/the-keto-diet-and-long-term-weight-loss-is-it-a-safe-option By Natalya F. Giroux - The ketogenic diet, or keto diet for short, is a fad diet that has gained significant attention in recent years as a popular weight loss approach. The diet is characterized by a depletion of carbohydrates which in turn place the body in a state called ketosis. In this metabolic state, the body breaks down fat stores directly and produces ketones to be used as fuel, which correlates directly with the ability of the diet to induce rapid weight loss. Fierce debate surrounding the diet originates from mixed opinions of the diet’s safety and efficacy, especially in the long term, based on the... Thu, 01 Oct 2020 02:07 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1807/the-keto-diet-and-long-term-weight-loss-is-it-a-safe-option http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1537/the-economic-argument-for-expanding-gmo-regulation-in-america By Daniel M. Weinzapfel - The necessity to grow crops faster and more efficiently has long been a goal for the agriculture industry. Now, through the development of GMOs, this goal is being achieved. However, many critics doubt the reputation of GMOs, instead arguing that we must be more wary of the relatively new science. Overall, the general trend among scholarly authors is that GMOs should be regulated more strictly, as the benefits of increased GMO regulation outweigh the state of the current system. Most scholarly discussions have moved past the perspective that GMOs should be regulated because of health concerns... Thu, 09 Feb 2017 11:38 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1537/the-economic-argument-for-expanding-gmo-regulation-in-america http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1497/consumption-as-postmodern-ideology-in-china By Christopher E. Barnett - Jean Baudrillard makes the argument that in a postmodern globalized world, in which competing utopian metanarratives from both sides of the political spectrum have been exposed as failures, society is no longer constructed or ordered through common political ideology. The phenomenon has spread globally to nearly every modern city. Individuals no longer subscribe to the exposed metanarratives like liberalism or communism, and are instead consumed by consumerism. Hypersaturated by media that promotes consumerism, individuals are also incessantly distracted, tempted by advertisements, “news... Thu, 17 Nov 2016 03:43 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1497/consumption-as-postmodern-ideology-in-china http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1356/defeating-apathy-and-alienation-in-scotland-true-victors-of-the-scottish-referendum By Shaun Docherty - The seeds of this rebellion were initially sewn during the 1980s when the incumbent Conservative Government began to impose its newly embraced neoliberal ideology in the UK, creating a legacy of mass unemployment and social upheaval still experienced today. These events were particularly poignant in Scotland, demonstrating to the nation how they were the victims of a democratic deficit: where although the unpopular Conservative Party were a minority in Scotland, they still possessed a mandate from Westminster to impose a new devastating political economic doctrine which few north of the border... Wed, 17 Feb 2016 02:26 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1356/defeating-apathy-and-alienation-in-scotland-true-victors-of-the-scottish-referendum http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1247/neither-can-live-while-the-other-survives-how-the-representation-of-the-syrian-conflict-neglects-the-citizen By Jessica C. Bridges - The power of heads of state and government officials is indisputable. The many faults of overreliance on the ‘demi-Gods’ of modern world politics could be listed and detailed with great delight, yet an ignorance of ‘real-world’ psychology would be remiss in the context. The major hazard to highlight, and add to the jumble of opinions already distributed, is this: a blind acceptance of a narrative provided by the two leading competitors for the prize of… (peace?) in Syria leads one down a dangerous path that bolsters a bellicose Waltzian ‘balance of power&rsquo... Thu, 22 Oct 2015 10:01 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1247/neither-can-live-while-the-other-survives-how-the-representation-of-the-syrian-conflict-neglects-the-citizen http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1215/press-play-for-politics-the-weapon-of-a-eurovision-song By Tinatin Japaridze - Christopher Neil, Grammy-nominated producer and my co-writer on the Icelandic entry in 2009, “Is It True?,” notes that the ESC is a piece of televised entertainment and should be regarded as such. “It was never supposed to, nor should it, reflect political or social realities. A song contest is not meant to be a barometer of tensions between nations or economies.” Tracing back to its inception in 1956, “much of Europe was still miserable, exhausted and broke from World War II, but the ESC was not meant to reflect that world.” On the contrary, the goal of its... Tue, 13 Oct 2015 09:54 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1215/press-play-for-politics-the-weapon-of-a-eurovision-song http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1183/kant-and-mill-on-physician-assisted-suicide By Anna Kozlova - In Diane’s case, this maxim would be that, “If I suffer in indignity, I should end my own life.” If that were to be adopted, nobody on this earth would remain alive due to the every-day struggles we all face. This is a particularly strong maxim to disobey, as it is considered a perfect duty to oneself, due to the fact that it is without exception, and not influenced by personal inclinations, as imperfect duties may be (Kant, 1964, p. 29). Additionally, Kant has countered the case for suicide by disagreeing that the act of killing oneself can come from self-love. As Kant explains... Tue, 29 Sep 2015 11:02 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1183/kant-and-mill-on-physician-assisted-suicide http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1120/pottermania-capitalist-eye-candy-viewed-through-a-neo-marxist-lens By Tinatin Japaridze - “Beware: Capitalist-Consumerism poses a danger to our Socialist ideals,” the Soviet-propaganda papers such as Pravdaand Izvestyahad proclaimed since the harrowing days of the Cold War. But by the early 1990s, the evergreen motto of the USSR, “We have everything,” had been supplanted for a new post-communist mantra: “Everything can be bought for money.” The hard currency shops in the USSR that exclusively catered to foreign visitors had finally lifted the iron curtain for their own citizens. Arbat Irish House, one of Moscow’s first Western-style grocery... Fri, 11 Sep 2015 08:55 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1120/pottermania-capitalist-eye-candy-viewed-through-a-neo-marxist-lens http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1179/a-new-cold-war-explaining-russias-new-confrontations-with-the-west By Michael McFaul - What I want to do today is answer one really big question. If we have time maybe we’ll get to the second question, but I want to answer one big question, because that’s what we should do as academics. It comes from an experience I had right after I left government. I came home to Palo Alto, and one of my neighbors said, “Mike you should come over for lunch, we’re interested in hearing about your experiences in Moscow.” So I went over to lunch and we started talking, and my neighbor started telling some stories about his time in government. My neighbor is George... Wed, 15 Apr 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1179/a-new-cold-war-explaining-russias-new-confrontations-with-the-west http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1010/intelligent-design-in-the-complexity-of-the-human-body By Jacob H. Rhodes - In a previous article I wrote about fine-tuning in the Universe and the empirical evidence for a Grand Designer that can be found within our reality. This argument of course occurs within the context of ongoing fiery debate between theists and secular scholars, and so, in the pursuit of academic harmony and scholarly camaraderie I will once again attempt to shorten the chasm between science and religion. However, instead of examining the Universe and the order that can be found within its laws, in this piece I examine the complexities of the human body and its mutualistic relationship with Earth... Wed, 11 Mar 2015 04:50 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1010/intelligent-design-in-the-complexity-of-the-human-body http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/939/the-gender-binary-working-towards-uniqueness-in-american-education By Kenneth J. Macri - Many individuals grow up with gender-biased tendencies and don’t even realize it. They grow up with an unwarranted perception of what gender is supposed to be, and they conform to conventional gender roles inside the classroom, resulting in those roles being mimicked outside of the classroom. Mary and David Sadker argue that “boys were far more likely to receive praise or remediation from a teacher than were girls. The girls were most likely to receive an acknowledgement response from their teacher.” They also go on to argue that “teachers give boys greater opportunity... Tue, 11 Nov 2014 11:11 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/939/the-gender-binary-working-towards-uniqueness-in-american-education http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/929/mits-stata-center-the-static-soul-of-a-dynamic-body By Parham Karimi - Princeton’s 19th century Gothic Revival and Stanford’s California Mission style (with local sandstone and red-tile roofs) were among the many standouts of this era.[1] But as architectural historian Mark Jarzombek asserts, the design of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) at that time was especially distinctive. Unlike other, more traditionally self-contained campuses, MIT became an integral part of the city it was located in. It was “not only resolutely urban, but also an important element in Boston’s emerging neoclassical silhouette.”[2] When MIT&rsquo... Sun, 26 Oct 2014 12:24 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/929/mits-stata-center-the-static-soul-of-a-dynamic-body http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/928/third-grade-reading-and-retention-policies-to-improve-education-outcomes By Hannah R. Jenuwine - Third grade reading proficiency is believed to be an important benchmark in education. The transition from third grade to fourth grade marks the shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” other subject material. Third grade proficiency is also an indicator of a student’s later academic success. In a 2010 report by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 55% of U.S. students from moderate- and high-income families were not proficient in reading in fourth grade, with 83% of U.S. students from low-income families not proficient. This difference... Wed, 22 Oct 2014 02:23 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/928/third-grade-reading-and-retention-policies-to-improve-education-outcomes http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/911/humanity-and-its-place-in-nature-rethinking-the-reality-of-wilderness By Thomas R. Smith - The Western concept of wilderness encompasses pristine, untrammeled land viewed as “the last remaining place where civilization…has not fully infected the earth” (Cronon, 1995, p. 69). Indeed, many Americans possess this dualistic vision that separates nature and humanity, thus leading to the creation of preservation areas that restrict human habitation. Of course, the protection of what is perceived as “pristine” and “virgin” land completely ignores the fact that humans inhabited these lands for millennia without permanently damaging them. Instead, these... Sun, 07 Sep 2014 10:42 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/911/humanity-and-its-place-in-nature-rethinking-the-reality-of-wilderness http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/910/describing-the-world-or-transforming-it-considering-the-roles-of-the-arts-and-the-natural-sciences By Amrita N. Singh - We often acquire knowledge about the world through the detailed process of description. We understand even more by describing and explaining to others—people often report that they only really understand a topic once they have described it to someone else. Further, description is primarily about the way we perceive the world to be. Through this, we can refine our understanding and gradually acquire more knowledge; however, this begs the question as to where fundamentally new paradigms—radical changes isome n core beliefs—come from. According to Robert Gass, “transformation... Sun, 31 Aug 2014 11:01 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/910/describing-the-world-or-transforming-it-considering-the-roles-of-the-arts-and-the-natural-sciences http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/890/the-consequences-of-food-waste By Kyra K. Payne - The copious amounts of forgotten and disregarded food that are tossed mindlessly into our landfills are a global travesty of massive proportions. Americans alone waste enough food in a day to transform the Rose Bowl, a football stadium capable of seating 90,000 people, into a landfill (Bloom, 2010). As an affluent nation, securely cushioned by wealth and privilege, America expends vast resources to feed its population, producing over 590 billion pounds of food annually and simultaneously squandering between 25 and 50 percent of the food that is produced (Bloom, 2010). In a recent study by the... Tue, 22 Apr 2014 10:52 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/890/the-consequences-of-food-waste http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/885/jane-eyre-as-a-female-gothic-novel By Aparna Srivastava - Charlotte Brontë invests gothic elements in Jane Eyre with a symbolic meaning to create a new, ‘female’ language. It is through this female Gothic language that Brontë creates a heroine whose autobiographical mode of writing is used to trace a story of female rebellion and search for identity. Although the use of gothic as the new ‘female’ language is a subversion of the predominant phallocentric language of the time, the need for a woman writer to make her assertions through the gothic, the symbolic and therefore the indirect implies that this new female gothic... Mon, 07 Apr 2014 10:08 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/885/jane-eyre-as-a-female-gothic-novel http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/877/debating-the-existence-of-god-god-exists By Jacob H. Rhodes - The debate between science and religion over the existence of a higher power often leads to little more than a shouting match. We become so emotionally invested in our personal opinions of whether or not God exists that when presented with dissenting points of view, all civility is thrown out the window and the opportunity for civil discourse is lost. Theists of all creeds and faiths and atheists of all shapes and sizes spend their days on the internet or at Starbucks debating one of the biggest inquiries in human existence: does God exist? But in this brief commentary, I will assert that you... Wed, 26 Mar 2014 10:24 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/877/debating-the-existence-of-god-god-exists http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/867/asceticism-in-the-modern-world-the-religion-of-self-deprivation By Betsy C. Chadbourn - Among the questions that have attracted my attention during my theological career thus far, nothing has struck me more forcibly than the possibility of asceticism existing in the modern world. Modern asceticism initially appears an absurdity. A non-existent. Something of the past, along with the once thriving Christian religion that laid its foundations. Before, we associated the ascetic with monkish values, the valorisation of chastity, a life of deprivation. Repulsion toward the flesh. Hostility for food. Enmity on all we call pleasure. Yes, modernity is surely an exodus from such; a secular... Fri, 14 Mar 2014 04:53 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/867/asceticism-in-the-modern-world-the-religion-of-self-deprivation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/828/is-paganism-a-religion-exploring-the-historical-and-contemporary-relevance-of-paganism By Betsy C. Chadbourn - Years of adversity and oppression have pushed the once thriving practice of Paganism into the shadows. Even in our contemporary world of so-called religious freedom, some are still afraid to admit to their beliefs or to identify as a Pagan. To many, it may come as a surprise to find groups of otherwise ordinary people who refer to themselves as Witches and ask to be treated seriously as members of a religion, on a par with Jews, Methodists, Catholics, and the like. Should we bypass our ignorance as such a traditional society and embrace these alternative movements? Is this contemporarily revived... Wed, 11 Dec 2013 08:28 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/828/is-paganism-a-religion-exploring-the-historical-and-contemporary-relevance-of-paganism http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1277/reliving-american-slavery-in-12-years-a-slave By Dustin R. Turin - As if for the first time, the film unveiled the simple and uncorrupted evil that was American slavery, the institution we would rather forget but which stalks nevertheless through our nation’s all-too-recent history. The place whereto we are delivered is soul-crushing, a black hole of hatred so virulent as to extinguish any notion of redemption. We bear witness to a reality from which we have been feverishly running: American slavery, in its fundamental brutality, by virtue of its massive scale, and on account of its lengthy tenure, was one of the worst crimes in human history. Yes: as bad... Wed, 20 Nov 2013 11:34 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1277/reliving-american-slavery-in-12-years-a-slave http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/744/net-neutrality-a-human-right-for-the-digital-age By Sujay Kulshrestha - Though an internet speakeasy seems far-fetched in our age of free speech, it suggests why the neutrality of the internet is such a precious resource. Since its inception, the internet has existed in a largely uncontrolled and apolitical form, with few restrictions on its growth and eventual ubiquity. With certain exceptions, such as child pornography and obscenity, the growth of the internet in the Western world has followed a model of "net neutrality," in which internet content and access have remained largely unregulated. Unfortunately, concerns about copyright infringement from entertainment... Sun, 11 Aug 2013 08:20 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/744/net-neutrality-a-human-right-for-the-digital-age http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/741/from-physician-to-patient-the-effects-of-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-ppaca By Sujay Kulshrestha - During the 2008 Presidential Election, voters designated health insurance reform as a key issue for their future president to work on. With 46.3 million Americans uninsured in 2008, voters demanded change, and upon his election, President Barack Obama set in motion the process of drastically overhauling the entire healthcare system in the United States (Census Bureau 20). Speaking to a joint session of Congress in September 2009, Obama declared that he was “determined to be the last” president to advocate for healthcare reform (Obama). After his efforts throughout the first fifteen... Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:39 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/741/from-physician-to-patient-the-effects-of-the-patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-ppaca http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/719/assessing-state-judicial-selection-the-missouri-plan-vs-partisan-elections By Alexander E. Hopkins - Since the United States Constitution was ratified in the late-18th century, the question of state judge selection has been an important topic in legal theory. Since 1976, it has been one of the most widely debated issues in law school journals throughout the country (DuBois, 1986, p. 31). The main question that is pondered is whether judges should be independent on the bench or accountable to constituents. The five main methods of selection are: Gubernatorial Appointment, Legislative Election, Partisan Election, Non-Partisan Election and the “Missouri Plan” (Baum, 2007, p. 107). For... Sun, 13 Jan 2013 10:33 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/719/assessing-state-judicial-selection-the-missouri-plan-vs-partisan-elections http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/700/ignoring-islam-us-education-in-need-of-intervention By John J. Smith - The United States’ education system is unprepared to discuss Islam, despite the pertinence of religious education in the modern world. With the events of September 11, 2001, the words “Muslim” and “Islam” have become parts of the American vernacular; however, the biased media coverage of 9/11 connoted the religion of Islam with villainy and extremism. An investigation of textbooks before and after 9/11—finding that most textbooks either abridge or neglect Islam—demonstrates the lack of religious education in secondary education. This education is necessary... Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:43 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/700/ignoring-islam-us-education-in-need-of-intervention http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1664/not-just-a-game-sport-and-society-in-the-united-states By Kenneth J. Macri - Sports are an essential and important aspect of American society; they are indispensible when it comes to their impact on a plethora of public arenas, including economics and the mass media. Sport coincides with community values and political agencies, as it attempts to define the morals and ethics attributed not only to athletes, but the totality of society as a whole. Fans of spectator sports find a reaffirmation of key societal values through sports, as they give meaning to their own lives. “By becoming fans, spectators engage in certain kinds of pleasures, fulfilling their own desires... Sun, 12 Aug 2012 11:11 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1664/not-just-a-game-sport-and-society-in-the-united-states http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/624/dissent-protest-and-revolution-the-new-europe-in-crisis By Andrew R. Myers - The understanding of the political landscapes of current times varies widely in form and content. Some assure the larger community that threats of collapse are fear mongering in form and invalid in content. Others see a changing western world and radical departure in the ideologies of its inhabitants. Though this paper takes a negative view of the prospects for a stable, peaceful future, the tone only remains negative to expose the meaning of current events, to encapsulate the “vague” calls and attitudes of a movement protesting the current global situation. Europe, though perhaps... Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/624/dissent-protest-and-revolution-the-new-europe-in-crisis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/611/the-right-of-return-an-obstacle-on-the-road-to-peaceful-negotiations-between-israel-and-palestine By Antonia C. Stinnett - The level of displacement surrounding the Israel-Palestinian conflict is astounding. At this point there are over nine million Palestinian refugees scattered throughout the globe (King-Irani 924,). Arguing that their situation is dehumanizing and infringes upon their human rights, Palestinians have consistently demanded the right of return as a prerequisite for peace negotiations (Tovy 40). This paper argues, on the other hand, that if Palestinians seek the success of negotiations with Israel in the establishment of a two-state solution, this demand must be overlooked. As this paper argues, a... Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:05 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/611/the-right-of-return-an-obstacle-on-the-road-to-peaceful-negotiations-between-israel-and-palestine http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/610/a-preservationists-perspective-on-levittown-communities-urban-planning-and-designs-awkward-dilemma By Michael Gray - Suburban housing is the backbone of an unsustainable living pattern. Long commutes to work and long drives for groceries, other supplies, and recreational activities increase America’s need for expensive fossil fuels. The isolated nature of subdivision style housing also decreases opportunity for interpersonal communication, which lessens the community experience and overall quality of life in a city. Modern smart growth principles, a dominant trend in planning theory and urban design, aim to concentrate housing as well as amenities closer to city centers. Smart growth advocates therefore... Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:54 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/610/a-preservationists-perspective-on-levittown-communities-urban-planning-and-designs-awkward-dilemma