How Do I Know If a Sociology Major Is Right For Me

My first semester of college was an academic drag. I arrived on the sun-drenched campus of Pomona College full of eager anticipation for the start of classes. It was a massive let down when I found myself mostly disinterested in the subject matter of the first few I enrolled in. I had loved literature classes in high school and imagined that an English major would be right for me. But in those courses I found myself frustrated by the in-depth, focused analysis of the texts at the expense of any other considerations, like the process of creating them, what social and cultural factors might have influenced the author’s perspective, or what the texts said about the author or the world at the  time they were written. Simply to fulfill a requirement, I enrolled in Introduction to Sociology for the spring semester. After the first class, I was hooked and knew that it would be my major. I never took another English class, nor another that was dissatisfying. Part of what was so intriguing to me about sociology was that it taught me to see the world in an entirely new way.  I grew up as a white, middle-class kid in one of the whitest and least racially diverse states in the nation: New Hampshire. I was raised by married heterosexual parents. Though I always had a fire inside me about injustice, I never thought about the big picture of social problems like inequalities of race and wealth, nor of gender or sexuality. I had a very curious mind but had led a very sheltered life. Introduction to Sociology shifted my worldview in a major way because it taught me how to use the sociological imagination to make connections between seemingly isolated incidents and large-scale trends and social problems. It also taught me how to see the connection between history, the present, and my own life. In the course, I developed a sociological perspective, and through it, began to see the connections between how society is organized and my own experiences within it. Once I understood how to think like a sociologist, I realized that I could study anything from a sociological standpoint. After taking courses on how to conduct sociological research, I was empowered by the knowledge that I could develop the skills to study and understand social problems, and even be informed enough about them to make recommendations for how to address them. Is sociology the field for you too?  If one or more of these statements describe you, then you just might be a sociologist. You often find yourself asking why things are the way they are, or why traditions or â€Å"common sense† thinking persist when they don’t seem rational or practical.People look at you like you’re nuts when you ask questions about the things that we typically take for granted as if you’re asking a very stupid question, but to you, it seems like a question that really needs to be asked.People often tell you that you are â€Å"too critical† when you share your perspective on things like news stories, popular culture, or even the dynamics within your family. Maybe they sometimes tell you that you  take things â€Å"too seriously† and need to â€Å"lighten up.†You are fascinated by popular trends, and you wonder what makes them so appealing.You frequently find yourself thinking about the consequences of trends.You like talking to people about what is going on in their lives, what they think about the world and the issues that course throu gh it.You like digging into data to identify patterns.You find yourself concerned or angry about society-wide problems like racism, sexism, and wealth inequality, and you wonder why these things persist, and what can be done to stop them.It upsets you when people blame individual victims of crimes, discrimination, or those who suffer the burdens of inequality rather than seeing and blaming the forces that do the damage.You believe that humans have the capacity to make meaningful, positive changes to our existing world. If any of these statements describe you, then talk to a fellow student or professor at your school about majoring in sociology. Wed love to have you.

Hamlet And Laertes By William Shakespeare - 1265 Words

â€Å"Hamlet and Laertes† William Shakespeare s Hamlet is one of his excellent tragedies which explores the difference between themes such as love and revenge or the complexities of life and death. In Shakespeare s play, Hamlet and Laertes show some comparisons and contrasts which give an abundance of interest to the play. In fact, Hamlet and Laertes display impulsive reactions when angered; both have fathers killed, and both are seeking revenge. Even so, both characters display a considerable likeness, which is trying to protect the same person, Ophelia. It is important to realize that both loved her, but in different ways. On the other hand, Hamlet had a lovely mother who was the Queen and Laertes never had a mother figure in his life (Shmoop web). One of those Hamlet s characteristics revealed in the play depicts him as an individual who was not naturally vengeful, but he was loyal to his father. Therefore, he swore an oath to his father to seek revenge. Also, Hamlet did not want to endanger his friends into the dangerous mission of seeking revenge against the new King, so he urged his friends to shake hands and become part of it, swearing in faith. He was not sure if the ghost was really his father rather than a deceitful demon (Hamlet-trailers). Therefore, he staged the Mousetrap to verify Claudius guilt. Hamlet built the plot of the play, knowing that his uncle killed his father in cold blood. As a result, Hamlet’s scorn of the new king grows throughout theShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet, Ophelia, Laertes And Laertes1308 Words   |  6 PagesEra. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia, Hamlet’s love and also the daughter of Polonius. She is a prime example of this as her father impl ores her to see Hamlet further more because of the possibility that he takes her name and her virginity. Ophelia truly loves Hamlet and was devastated when he shuns her in addition to pretending to be mad. She was affected by many of the decisions as well as the actions of the male characters in the play, including Hamlet, Polonius and Laertes. ThroughoutRead MoreHamlet And Laertes By William Shakespeare1469 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s characters Hamlet and Laertes, in the play Hamlet, attempt to attain revenge for their fathers, but contrast in their approaches to achieving revenge, and their view of life as a whole, their failures revealing the inevitability of fate. Just as Hamlet’s inaction hinders him from achieving his goal of killing Claudius, Laertes’s impetuosity similarly leads him astray from his goal their inability to achieve these goals. The power of fate is thereby revealed through the futility of humanRead MoreHamlet vs Laertes in Willia m Shakespeare ´s Hamlet531 Words   |  2 Pagesmost important themes of this play, the two avengers, Hamlet and Laertes have many similarities with one another. Although they both have difference ways of seeking revenge, they are found in similar situations making them two ideal characters to be compared. By making the two men so similar, Shakespeare intensifies the true character of Hamlet, making his differences from Laertes appear more clearly to the audience. The avengers Hamlet and Laertes both want to seek their fathers revenge, fight toRead MoreConflict Between Hamlet And Laerte By William Shakespeare1564 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout Hamlet, several characters die. For most, this happens through combat, such as the duel between Hamlet and Laerte, which kills them both. In the play, however, two characters die in quick, seemingly careless ways. The first, the fair Ophelia, is killed by her own madness in what seems to be suicide. The other, Gertrude, dies due to the c arelessness of her husband, who accidentally poisons her. In both of these cases, their deaths, and the events that led to them, represent a differenceRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet856 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is an American playwright and poet. He was born April 23, 1564 and died on the same day 52 years later on April 23, 1616. Throughout his life, he has accomplished many things. Some of his most famous works include but are not limited to Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet. For one of his famous works, Hamlet, Shakespeare uses plot to strengthen the point of corruption in the play. Another element used to further help the theme of the play is character. The final literary elementRead MoreFriendship And Relationships In Hamlet919 Words   |  4 Pagesreason to read a novel in school is not so much for the fun of reading, but for the lessons learned. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is not considered a classic without good reason. The pla y touches upon a wide variety of topics, teaching the reader a great deal about life. Shakespeare provides wonderful insight into everything from friendships to death. Of all the stories taught in British Literature, Hamlet is certainly the most important piece to keep due to the lessons in presents. It is definitelyRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Influence On The Course Of World History1440 Words   |  6 PagesWaldo Emerson, a famous essayist inspired by Shakespeare’s works. William Shakespeare was a renowned author, poet, actor, and playwright. He has contributed to many components of life today such as; founding modern English language, contributing to literature, contributing to modern theater, and contributing many of his works to modern English. William Shakespeare has greatly impacted the course of world history. William Shakespeare was believed to be born on April 23,1564, in his hometown of Stratford-upon-AvonRead MoreEssay on Revenge in Hamlet912 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is considered the greatest writer of the English language. Shakespeare wrote hundreds of pieces, from sonnets to plays. Hamlet is one of his most well-known plays. There isn’t any shortage of revenge in Hamlet, and so that is the theme we’ll be discussing. Hamlet and Laertes are the most obvious character with revenge in their minds, and that’s who we’ll be focusing on throughout the essay. Two months before the beginning of the play, the King Hamlet dies.Read MoreThe Fatal Opposition Of Hamlet And Laertes1035 Words   |  5 PagesOpposition of Hamlet and Laertes Newton s Third Law states that to every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (â€Å"Centripetal†). Many people have found this to not only be true in science but also in different situations, everyday life, and even in literature. In literature, when a character is equal but opposite to the protagonist, that character is called the foil. In the drama Hamlet by William Shakespeare, one character that is said to function as Hamlet’s foil is Laertes. Laertes is shownRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Longing For Revenge1304 Words   |  6 PagesLonging for Revenge William Shakespeare was born in England in April of 1564 and was an English poet and playwright . Shakespeare is universally known as the greatest writer in the English language. Shakespeare frequently produced tragedies that are continuously acted out today, along with many plays and sonnets.. Although Shakespeare is seen today as a great writer who changed the world, his reputation did not rise to these heights until around the 19th century. In all of Shakespeare’s astounding

Providian Trust free essay sample

Providian trust head quartered in New York, delivered financial and fiduciary services through a network of 216 branches. In 1994, this company managed $49. 4 billion in trust asset with a staff of 840 full time employees. Sixty percent of company’s fee income and 9% of gross earnings generated by its fiduciary business that year. Though they had a huge team working on the front and back office handling and record keeping and settling activities, there was always a chance for error and it was easy for everyone point finger at others when it occurs. Based in the facts presented in this case, LeBlanc wanted to convert the trust division’s outdated information into a more efficient system through which they can keep the date organized and respond to client request more effectively on time, and also generate and send the monthly statements on time with more accurate reports. Though the clients are happy about the statements that they have been receiving, they are not happy about the turnaround time that it takes for them to receive the reports. We will write a custom essay sample on Providian Trust or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Ultimately as we can see in this case, they is considerable level of resistance to automate the process and system as the employees feared about their job security. When Michael Walsh took over the responsibility, we have to note that two third of the $18million budget allocated for this conversion project already been spent. Project Justification Analysis LeBlanc justified that by having this conversion project successfully implemented with a budget of $18 million, they can earn more trust from the customers, and have the efficient data handling and as a result of this reengineering process, they can get $9.2 million profit, while reducing the work force from 840 to 660. Cost Estimate Overall Project Budget: $18 million Expected Profit annually: $9. 2 million Payback Analysis SWOT Analysis As in all projects, this effort taken by LeBlanc of Providian Trust Company, this has several threats and opportunities and its own strengths and weaknesses. Here’ my SWOT analysis of Providian Trust. Strengths Major support from the top management Financial stability to make an investment into technological advancement Workforce that can leverage previous experience and knowledge to support the conversion process Weakness Computer illiteracy among the current FTE Opportunities Earn customer trust More efficient record management and improved business process Provide timely, efficient and accurate monthly reports and statements to their clients Expand their customer base as the automation process can help providing services to more clients Threats Confusions among the current employees Threat of subject matter experts leaving the company during the conversion process Fear of failure Resistance to change Resistance to change Fear of failure among the employees Has cost benefits Timely response to clients on reporting Accuracy in reports and statements Threat of failure as no previous experience Computer literacy Threat of Losing most experienced finance officers and professionals Risk Analysis Apart from the 18 risks identified by Peter Storey, I would think the major risk involved in this whole conversion process are as follows: 1. Improperly defined decision making authority and employees structure 2. Delaying to provide training to the subject matter experts in advance might trigger job insecurity among them 3. Missing to identify mitigation plans for risks and creating proper project management reserve. 4. Failure to realize the profit as forecasted . Future expenses keeping up with the technology as Access *Plus upgrades their system into latest technologies 6. Efficiency and subject knowledge of new hires Planning Phase â€Å"Go† or â€Å"No Go† Decision – Based on My Assumptions To put first things first, I would like to consider the face that Providian Trust current close competitors have their system automated and are able to provide faster and accurate reports and services to their clients. While having such heavy competition, and in this fast growing technological advancement, it is surely not a viable option to have such a huge system being handled manually. Providian had over 10,000 clients with billions of dollars invested. So, In order to stay competitive, it is an ultimate need for Providian to automate their outdated trust processing and records management system. So, my vote is surely â€Å"Go† for it. Apart from having the fact that they can increase their profit by $9. 2 million a year, I look at the customer satisfaction and the trust that Providian can earn by delivering the timely reports and statements and having the increased ability to answer client calls with more accurate up to date information quickly. That is more important as it will generate good will among the customers and will create possibilities for attracting more customers into the business. Though this effort has lot of risks including the threat of losing most experienced subject matter experts, and the fear of failure among the employees, and the anxiety of FTEs about learning new computerized systems, this project has a lot more advantages. Providian should come up with a strong mitigation plan to meet the unexpected unpleasant surprises in terms of losing SMEs, failure and bugs in the newly implemented software system, etc.