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Legacy
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What is Legacy?

Legacy refers to what individuals, institutions, cultures, and civilizations leave behind — the lasting impact of their actions, creations, and ideas on future generations. It appears across disciplines including history, political science, literature, music, architecture, and education, making it a genuinely cross-curricular subject. Students engage with it because it asks a fundamental question: how do the choices made in one era shape society today? The topic invites analysis of figures and institutions as varied as Roman civilization, Aristotle's philosophy of education, the Negro Baseball League, and architect I. M. Pei, grounding abstract ideas about influence in concrete historical and cultural cases.

The papers collected here approach legacy from several distinct angles. Historical analyses trace how past events and institutions — such as the Nineteenth Century's influence on the Great War or the enduring structures of Roman civilization — continue to resonate in contemporary life. Other essays take a biographical or cultural focus, examining how figures like John Coltrane or Sundiata shaped music and storytelling traditions. Some papers use case studies of specific organizations, such as the Girl Scouts or Smith and Wesson, to explore how institutional identity evolves over time. Reflective and policy-oriented approaches also appear, connecting personal development to broader historical and social legacies.

A strong essay on legacy stakes out a clear, arguable claim about why a particular inheritance matters and to whom. Evidence drawn from historical context, cultural impact, or documented outcomes carries the most weight. Writers should resist simply cataloguing achievements; instead, the analysis should explain the mechanisms by which influence transfers across time. The most common pitfall is treating legacy as uniformly positive — the strongest essays acknowledge tension, unintended consequences, or contested interpretations.

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Essay Doctorate
David Ruffin's cocaine addiction and treatment options
Most people today probably recognize his signing voice from his hits such as "My Girl," but few may remember David Ruffin of The Temptations music group from the latter half of the 20th century. Like many of his contemporaries, Ruffin fell victim to the ravages of drug abuse during the height of his career, leaving his millions of fans with a musical void in their lives. To gain some further insights into his untimely death from an overdose of cocaine, this paper provides a review of the relevant peer-reviewed and scholarly literature to develop a background and an overview of Ruffin, his use of drugs, and an appropriate screening instrument that could be used to evaluate a similar client's stage of dependence, change or recovery. An application of this diagnostic tool to Ruffin's unique circumstances is followed by a discussion concerning possible placement options and treatment modalities for clients with Ruffin's diagnosis, and the rationale in support of their choice based upon a personal conceptualization and etiology of addiction. Finally, a summary of the research and important findings are presented in the conclusion.
Essay Doctorate
Shirley Chisholm's advocacy for black feminism and education
Shirley Chisholm was one of the most influential black women of the 1960's through the 1990's. She went from a very poor background to become the first black woman to win a seat in Congress. She was also the first African American to run for president. Although she did not come close to winning the nomination, she set a precedent that black people, and women, can do anythig that they set their minds to. This essay discusses chisholm in relation to the concepts contained in Patricia Collins' book.
Paper Undergraduate
Student reactions to geographical and cultural divisions in North America and South America
Teh document contains a number of reactions to readings regarding poverty and social situations that might contribute to poverty or other challenges. Particularly, these challenges relate to marginalized peoples of the world. More often than not, imperialism and a sense of superiority has been at the basis of gross injustices committed by colonialist nations.
Thesis Doctorate
Effects of same-sex marriage and parenting on child outcomes
Homosexual marriage refers to legal matrimony between two individuals of the same gender and it is a phenomenon which has come under a great deal of scrutiny and debate during the last few years. As of the time of this writing nine states have legalized gay marriage, and 31 states have constitutional amendments which ban gay marriage to some extent—a fact alone which showcases this nation's level of homophobia and a reluctance to deliver fundamental rights, like the right to pursue happiness. However, the topic of this paper is to examine the impacts of gay marriage on parenting and the kids that grow up having two moms or two dads.
Essay Undergraduate
Similarities between Jesus Christ and Pope John Paul II
Even with the fact that they were separated by two millennia, Jesus Christ and Pope John Paul II were actually more similar than someone might be inclined to think. It was especially difficult for John Paul II to adopt…
Thesis Masters
The leadership and legacy of General David Petraeus
This paper looks at the career and leadership style of General David Petraeus and the applicability of his attributes to other organizations. His rules for living are discussed as his transformational leadership style. The manner in which he has thus far dealt with the recent scandal that was the impetus for his resignation from the CIA is also examined.
Paper Undergraduate
Egypt's approach to securing water rights in the Nile basin
The five-chapter study investigates Egypt's diplomatic position with respect to the Nile Basin Initiative, the various actors that are involved in this multinational enterprise and what steps can be expected in the near term in prosecuting its water-related goals in the region. A discussion concerning Egypt's interest in the Nile waters as well as those of the various Nile Basin countries is supplemented by primary research consisting of interviews with Egyptian principals and a convenience survey of Egyptian consumers concerning the Nile Basin issue.
Paper Undergraduate
Organizational culture management strategies in the UK, China, and India
Organizational culture is the workplace environment formulated from the association of the workers in the workplace. While executive leaders play a large role in defining organizational culture by their actions and leadership, all employees contribute to the organizational culture. The values and behaviors that contribute to the unique social and psychological environment of an organization make up the organizations culture.
Research Paper Doctorate
Eva Perón as a cultural and mythical symbol in Argentina
The Cultural and Historical Significance of Eva Peron
Paper Undergraduate
Aristotle and Cicero on rhetoric as a tool of persuasion
As children we are conditioned to a particular form of discourse that is framed by a significantly complex set of variables including our culture, gender, ethnicity, birth order, political identity and power, religion,…