563 words

Stephen Prothero and Wilfred Cantwell Smith on religious literacy and scholarship

Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know -- And Doesn't," Prothero claims that "Americans are both deeply religious and profoundly ignorant about religion." The professed religiosity of most Americans belies a lack of actual knowledge about religion.

~3 min read

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870 words

Narrative analysis and institutional bias in healthcare decision-making

Crepeau (2000) entitled "Reconstructing Gloria" attempts to unsettle rather than describe or confirm existing healthcare paradigms by using a narrative analysis of the team meetings of hospital workers at a mental health facility.

~5 min read

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639 words

Urban legends and society's fears in media culture

Urban legends about in our culture, as Neal Gabler points out in "How Urban Myths Reveal Society's Fears." Some urban myths started out as true stories but were later exaggerated to become the hyperbole they are now. For example, some rappers really are from the projects -- the ghetto.

~4 min read

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577 words

Steven Mintz's "Moralists and Modernizers": Pre-Civil War American Reform

In the decades of the eighteenth century leading up to the Civil War, the United States and many Western European nations were engaged in societal changes which continue to this day.

~3 min read

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445 words

Moral conflict and class rage in Faulkner's "Barn Burning"

Topography and spacial relations have a uniquely important role in William Faulkner's literary works. Faulkner's works are often interpreted as literal depictions of his life growing up in Oxford, Mississippi.

~3 min read

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955 words

Personal growth through academic writing and business perspective

It's interesting that by participating in the local academia environment (even in the business realm) some of my fundamental beliefs are challenged, though still not overthrown.

~5 min read

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580 words

Panofsky and Bedeaux on symbolism in the Arnolfini Portrait

How does the author identify symbolism? What symbols does he find the most evocative? Of the author's interpretations, which symbols do you find most plausible?

~3 min read

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918 words

Learning academic writing conventions and research paper techniques

As this course began, I believed myself fairly decent at using the written word to convey my thoughts, feelings and perceptions to the average reader. I did not know, however, that academic writing was much more structured than what I had been previously exposed to.

~5 min read

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744 words

Erika Bachiochi and Catholic arguments against abortion's harms

Abortion is not an acceptable procedure because it harms women, it goes against the will of God, and it takes the life of a human being.

~4 min read

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824 words

Glenn Ligon's exploration of race, sexuality, and family in contemporary art

Glenn Ligon was a prolific artist that produced works in a range of different themes and in different mediums. Ligon is a contemporary artist that was born and raised in the projects of New York City and this undoubtedly influenced much of his work.

~5 min read

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