President George W. Bush began two new wars during his time of office, and frequently used hyperbolic military rhetoric when giving speeches to the world. By awarding America's first African-American president a peace prize, the Nobel selection rewarded America's election of a more diplomatic president rather than Obama's actual accomplishments. This stamp of foreign 'approval' of American voting behavior caused a great deal of anger amongst Republicans.
Q3. Using conflict theory, discuss why we entered the war in Iraq.
Conflict theory is often associated with Marxism: it views all of human history as a series of conflicts between haves and have-nots, or different social classes. This is also seen on a global scale, whereby the 'haves' of the international community use their power and authority over the have-nots of the world. A conflict theorist would state that America entered Iraq to show its domination over the developing world, and the Arabic world, even though Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with the bombing of the World Trade Center. Additionally, foreign conflicts can be helpful in reducing tensions at home by creating a sense of national unity, and America was extremely polarized in terms of its political culture at the time of the war.
Q4. Describe "family" as a necessary social institution.
Notions of what constitutes a family have changed radically over the years, as the family unit has shifted in its composition...
However, family still remains an important concept. Raising children, providing emotional stability for family members, and preventing individuals from 'falling through the cracks' of society through isolation and economic hard times are all essential functions of the family.
Q5. How might the refusal by the Republicans to discuss bank reform legislation be translated into a social problem?
A failure to discuss banking reform could result in another wave of subprime losses, if investment bankers were to extend such risky loans once again. Americans facing foreclosure and the loss of their homes today suffer personal misery, and also the presence of 'for sale' signs in communities cause property values to plummet. Conversely, if banks are too conservative with lending to the general public, buyers who are good credit risks could have trouble purchasing a home and extending the dream of American home ownership to their children.
Even if housing does not form the next 'bubble,' allowing a small segment of society to use its expertise to confuse and defraud another segment fosters class tension and social instability. An elite is perpetrated through the passing-on of wealth, assets, and greater access to education. By refusing to pass banking reform, that elite is perpetuated, rather than curtailed through the legislative inaction of a nation that purports to be a democracy.
