http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/society 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 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:08:53 -0400 Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:08:53 -0400 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/1463/anxieties-of-the-modern-world-assessing-the-risk-society-thesis By Nathanael Chouraqui - The core idea of this theory, which was first formulated by the sociologist Ulrich Beck in 1986, is that postmodern societies are oriented towards the idea of risk, defined as “a systematic way of dealing with hazards and insecurities induced and introduced by modernisation itself” (Beck, 1992) and that risk management techniques pervade most spheres of today’s social and political activities. The idea of controlling the future is, therefore, inherent in the concept of risk. As a result of this necessarily vain attempt to control the uncontrollable, it is argued that anxiety... Wed, 19 Oct 2016 08:44 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1463/anxieties-of-the-modern-world-assessing-the-risk-society-thesis http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1533/do-civil-society-organizations-undermine-state-building By Benjamin S. Osenbach - In spite of the long-standing debate among economists on the optimal level of government involvement in economic development, little has been said on an optimal level of involvement by non-governmental "Civil Society" Organizations (CSOs). In particular, little has been said to address the potential trade-off between the influence of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the influence of government. Using datasets such as the World Values Survey and the World Bank's World Governance Indicators, a multinomial logistic model is presented to model "political legitimacy" (a proxy for governmental... Wed, 31 Dec 2014 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1533/do-civil-society-organizations-undermine-state-building http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/876/baudrillards-vision-of-the-postmodern-society-and-the-hope-for-human-action By Gian Carla D. Agbisit - This paper is about the numbing of man’s critical impulse brought about by consumer society, a society obsessed with speed, and is characterized by a constant consumption of products—of good things turning into goods, of culture with price tags, and of the generation of the unreal to cover up the loss of the real. But this paper also argues that despite the radical change of focus—from the modern society’s concern for freedom and political change to the blurred postmodern distinction between real and unreal—there is an underlying political concern that must be addressed... Tue, 25 Mar 2014 09:39 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/876/baudrillards-vision-of-the-postmodern-society-and-the-hope-for-human-action http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/727/from-nostalgia-to-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-a-mass-society-theory-of-psychological-reactions-to-combat By Joshua A. Jones - This paper analyzes the evolution of the construct known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Specifically, it examines the ways in which its name has changed over millennia and how soldiers suffering from this mental condition were treated by society during different eras of human history up until it was accepted by the mental health community in 1980. Moreover, it identifies certain social factors that have influenced public perception of the disorder through the application of mass society theory. In some respects, its analysis bears resemblance to Foucault’s (1961/1965) examination of... Sun, 17 Feb 2013 01:24 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/727/from-nostalgia-to-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-a-mass-society-theory-of-psychological-reactions-to-combat http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1694/reevaluating-the-role-of-women-in-beowulf By Catori Sarmiento - This essay explores the roles of women in Beowulf in a contextual assessment. It is often an incorrect assumption that women within Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon culture are subservient to a patriarchal culture that places little to no value on them. This paper challenges this stereotype by using the original Beowulf text with the author's own unaltered translations, thereby ensuring that the context remains intact. By limiting the influence of a modern translation, this essay avoids stripping the poem of its Anglo-Saxon verbiage, inflection, power, and meaning. Doing so allows a return to the original... Sun, 30 Sep 2012 12:54 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1694/reevaluating-the-role-of-women-in-beowulf http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/702/from-proto-state-to-para-state-accountability-russian-political-regimes-under-yeltsin-putin-and-medvedev By Moritz A. Pieper - When on September 24th,  2011 Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin announced his bid to run for president in the presidential elections in March 2012, a supposition in Russia's political regime was confirmed that many observers suspected would come true ever since the assumption of office of president Dmitri Medvedev in May 2008. With a constitutionally correct departure from the presidency, Putin still remained the influential political heavy weight in Russian politics, making Medvedev appear to be merely a pale place holder for Putin's return to the presidential driver's seat in 2012,... Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:12 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/702/from-proto-state-to-para-state-accountability-russian-political-regimes-under-yeltsin-putin-and-medvedev 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/553/impression-management-considering-cultural-social-and-spiritual-factors By Ashley R. Norris - According to Sinha (2009), "Impression management is an active self-presentation of a person aiming to enhance his image in the eyes of others" (p.104). A symbolic interaction theorist, Erving Goffman, coined the term impression management in 1959 and from then on, sociologists and theorists have been adding insight and importance to the concept. According to Newman (2009), impression management is an “act presenting a favorable public image of oneself so that others will form positive judgments” (p.184). Impression management is a fundamental and universal process that involves a... Fri, 22 Jul 2011 08:05 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/553/impression-management-considering-cultural-social-and-spiritual-factors http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/387/the-formation-of-new-social-conventions-in-early-america By Sujay Kulshrestha - Early American society experienced moments of great change, politically, economically and socially. With the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Americans shattered previous paradigms of political thought, providing the opportunity for a new form of government to emerge from the ruins of tyrannical oppression. The founding fathers set up this new republic to be, simply put, a government for the people, by the people. This atmosphere of revolution and self-determination extended itself from the political arena to the social arena−Americans began to question longstanding social practices... Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:57 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/387/the-formation-of-new-social-conventions-in-early-america http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/213/differences-and-similarities-between-buddhist-monks-and-nuns By William K. Boland - These differences presented extra obstacles that Maechi Wabi as well as other Buddhist nuns have had to overcome in order to pursue the lifestyle of their choice. Though the question of equality between the two religions gender groups has often been addressed with the monks clearly emerging as the better treated, a gap still exists today between the two. After analyzing the similarities and differences between the “going forth” of Siddhartha Gotama and Maechi Wabi, it is clear that women wishing to become maechi nuns are often faced with more barriers and plagued with more issues that... Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:10 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/213/differences-and-similarities-between-buddhist-monks-and-nuns http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1678/bram-stokers-dracula-a-reflection-and-rebuke-of-victorian-society By Amanda M. Podonsky - The dated ideas reflected in Dracula focus primarily on the concepts of lust, sex, and evil as they were viewed during the late 19th and 20th century in what can be viewed as a strongly conservative society. At the time, sex and homosexuality were controversial topics, with emphasis constantly put upon the importance of using caution and awareness when involving such matters and encouraging an overall chaste and modest lifestyle. Such beliefs are boldly represented throughout the book, and often center on the glorifying resistance of temptation while advising against the inevitable temptation... Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:14 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1678/bram-stokers-dracula-a-reflection-and-rebuke-of-victorian-society http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/133/a-second-look-at-don-john-shakespeares-most-passive-villain By Natasha L. Richter - The audience relates to such an honest character, a person who so clearly admits that he can be no one but himself.  Don John seems to accept himself, even if his position as an outsider does cause him pain.  Conrad voices his acknowledgement of Don John’s true nature; however, out of concern, he warns him not to take actions which will disturb his recent acceptance by Don Pedro.  In response, Don John honestly replies that he “had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in his grace” and that any ill behavior stems from the fact that “it better fits my... Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:08 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/133/a-second-look-at-don-john-shakespeares-most-passive-villain http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/92/writing-a-necessary-undertaking-in-advanced-society By Kendra A. Palmer - Written language is one of the greatest human accomplishments; its formation signifies a breakthrough in human progress. The development of a standardized writing system seems to be a somewhat natural occurrence in the evolution of any given advanced society. It can be observed that, as a culture or a people grow and expand in other areas, an apparent need for written communication arises. There is a transition from a simply widely-spoken and understood language to a designation of a palpable system of letters and symbols which correspond to that language. Therefore, writing is one of a number... Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:50 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/92/writing-a-necessary-undertaking-in-advanced-society http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/19/religion-commodity-or-escape-sports-in-modern-american-culture By Joshua R. Keefe - American sport has become far more than contests with rules played on fields, diamonds, or rinks. Our current conception of sport is more than just a ball moving between groups of athletes, or a struggle for a finish line, or an effort to impress judges, as various critical studies will attest. American sport has produced something more than just the usual trappings of sport that bleed into other aspects of society: the refereeing and record keeping, the public accounts of events, the hero worship of the victors, and the training of youth. American sport has produced, especially in the information... Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:31 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/19/religion-commodity-or-escape-sports-in-modern-american-culture