Free essays on social issues are available online for people to read and gain knowledge about various societal problems, such as racism, gender inequality, poverty, global warming, and more. These essays provide critical insights and perspectives on the issues plaguing our society and can be a useful source for students, researchers, and activists looking to understand and address these issues. By accessing them, individuals can get an idea about how the problems arise, their impact on society, and potential solutions to overcome them. These essays are also a great resource for writers looking for inspiration or ideas to write their own social issue essays, speeches, or articles.
Unpacking Racism: Understanding Its Definition and Impact
Racism is a pervasive, complicated problem that has existed in society for a very long time. It is a phrase that often stirs up intense feelings and contentious debates. Although the notion of racism may seem simple at first glance, it extends well beyond personal biases or preconceptions. We will examine racism's many manifestations and significant effects on people and communities as we dig into its complex definition. Racism, at its root, is a way of thinking that values and…...
Racism
The Southern Colonies: Diversity, Agriculture, and Social Hierarchies
The Southern Colonies, a thriving and diversified territory that was founded in the 17th century along the southeast coast of North America, had a considerable impact on the formation of the early history of the United States. The Southern Colonies, which included Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, were notable for their emphasis on agriculture, different social structures, and the practice of slavery. Rich soil and a temperate climate in the Southern Colonies were perfect for growing cash…...
Slavery
The Chinese Exclusion Act: A Dark Chapter in American Immigration History
The Chinese Exclusion Act, a significant piece of legislation in American history, was passed in 1882, marking the country's first attempt to impose immigration restrictions on a specific ethnic group. Due to the strong anti-Chinese sentiments and worries about economic competitiveness at the time, the law aimed to impose a restriction on the immigration of Chinese laborers into the country. In order to provide light on the Chinese Exclusion Act's long-lasting effects on Chinese immigrants and its impact on the…...
Immigration
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Reconstructing Perspectives: The Successes and Failures of the Post-Civil War Era
There's an old saying: history is written by the victors. This notion can be applied to one of the most tumultuous periods in U.S. history: the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877), following the conclusion of the Civil War. A time of drastic change and societal rebirth, the period marked an inflection point in the ongoing journey of the United States. And yet, over 150 years later, the verdict is still out: Was Reconstruction a success, a failure, or a complicated mix of…...
Slavery
Sailing Through Time: The Colorful Tapestry of the Chesapeake Colonies
Ahoy, history buffs! Let's set sail on a voyage through time, navigating the choppy waters of the Chesapeake Colonies. These colonies, nestled along the picturesque Chesapeake Bay, were nothing short of revolutionary in shaping the trajectory of what would later become the United States. From the fragrant tobacco fields of Virginia to the bustling ports of Maryland, the Chesapeake region is a tapestry woven with threads of enterprise, adversity, and cultural amalgamation. So, anchors aweigh as we dive into the…...
Slavery
Exploring the Central Claim of “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass, a former slave and prominent abolitionist, delivered a powerful speech that challenged the national consciousness of the United States. His address, titled "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?", remains one of the most potent condemnations of American slavery. This post seeks to unpack the chief claim of Douglass's groundbreaking oration.At its core, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" seeks to expose the stark contradiction between the ideals of…...
Slavery
Dramatis Personae: Unfurling the Rich Tapestry of Characters in ‘Gone With The Wind’
The sweeping epic, 'Gone With the Wind,' penned by Margaret Mitchell, has captivated readers since its publication in 1936. Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War and Reconstruction era, the novel boasts a complex cast of characters that bring to life the tumultuous times. Each character is a vibrant piece of the narrative puzzle, contributing to the vividly painted historical canvas that is 'Gone With The Wind.'The fiery and resilient Scarlett O'Hara stands at the novel's heart. Hailing…...
Slavery
The 1790 Naturalization Act: A Cornerstone of American Immigration History
Understanding the historical underpinnings of America's immigration policy involves a deep dive into legislative history. One of the significant landmarks on this timeline is the 1790 Naturalization Act, the first legislative act that defined who could be recognized as an American citizen. This act and its subsequent amendments provide a lens through which we can understand the evolution of America's complex immigration narrative.Signed into law by President George Washington on March 26, 1790, the Naturalization Act of 1790 provided the…...
Immigration
Understanding Civil Disobedience: When Breaking the Law Makes a Point
In the vast panorama of historical movements and societal change, one concept continues to hold a unique place: civil disobedience. The term might seem contradictory at first glance. How can one be 'civil' and 'disobedient' at the same time? To understand this, we need to delve into what civil disobedience means and discuss some examples of actions that would be considered acts of civil disobedience.Coined by the American transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau in his 1849 essay, "Civil Disobedience," the concept…...
Civil Rights
Journeying Through Symbolism and Perseverance in ‘A Worn Path’
There's something remarkably powerful about Eudora Welty's 1941 short story, "A Worn Path." This narrative invites readers into an emotionally charged journey that not only illuminates the depths of human courage but also paints a striking picture of the racial and societal landscape of the era.At the story's heart is Phoenix Jackson, an elderly African-American woman who embarks on a challenging journey through the Mississippi woods to get medicine for her ailing grandson. Phoenix's character is as resilient as it…...
Human Rights
The Issues in the African Blood Lines in the African Diaspora
The African slave trade is described as historically the cruelest treatment of any group. African were up rooted from their homes and societies to be taken to foreign lands. Throughout the African slave trade, the word diaspora is used to explain the spreading of blacks. The text explained the word by referencing to the scattering of Jews throughout the West. This term originated in other historical and cultural contexts-namely Jewish and Greek history. Even though diaspora was defined, the real…...
African DiasporaCultureSlavery
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Use of Drones in War
Drones are a very interesting concept. On the one hand, they insulate us from the dangers of war, but on the other hand, they insulate us from the dangers of war. This is both a harm and a benefit. On the one hand, politicians are freer to take more direct actions without worry of public outcry, but, again, we now have a situation where politicians are insulated from the threat of changing political winds this is a moral hazard if…...
DronesPoliticsTerrorism
Drones Strikes as a Form of the United States Counter Terrorism
There is a boy playing soccer in the front quarters of his house, in a quiet village of Pakistan. The boy is about nine or ten years old, of average size, pretending to be the next world super star. He jukes around the yard with the ball close at his feet. He makes eye contact with the upper left corner of the wooden goal post he and his brother had built together, and shoots. Then there is an explosion. The…...
DronesPoliticsTerrorism
Controversial Issue on Targeting American Terrorists by American Drones
The question of the role played by due process in pursuit of American- born terrorists is widely debated. While some support the targeting of domestic terrorists inside and outside the US, others claim that killing American terrorists without a fair trial is an infringement of the right to due process provided by the 5th Amendment of the US Constitution. While due process is a guaranteed right, there are times when this individual right is outweighed by the interest of the…...
DronesGovernmentTerrorism
Arguments by Mary Ellen O’Connells Legal Use of Combat Drones
In Mary Ellen O'Connell's "Lawful Use of Combat Drones," she responds to the ongoing argument about the use of combat drones on and off the battlefields and how in her opinion, they are actually a lawful use of combat when used properly. Her whole argument centers around not only the appropriate use and location of drones, but the importance of having suitable people using a weapon of such magnitude. Connell explains that the significant issue about drone usage is that…...
DronesPoliticsTerrorism
The Arab Spring as a Period in the History of the North Arab Peoples
The Arab spring is a period in the history of the north Arab nations that the Arab citizens decided to revolt against the governments that were in power at that time. The Arab spring kicked off in the year 2010 in Tunisia. As much as the Arab spring started in Tunisia, its effects spread all the way to the rest of the Arab nations such as Iraq, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, and Kuwait. I fact, the effects of the Arab spring…...
Arab SpringGovernmentPolitics
The Arab Spring and Its Negative Effects on Egypt
The term "Arab Spring" means a lot of different things to different people. In a dictionary definition meaning, it refers to a "... wave of pro-democracy protests and uprisings that took place in the Middle East and North Africa beginning in 2010 and 2011, challenging some of the region's entrenched authoritarian regimes"(Britannica). It all started when a street vendor in Tunisia set himself on fire in front of a municipal building to protest his work conditions. This act of protest…...
Arab SpringGovernmentPolitics
The Conflict in Syria as a Result of the Uprisings of the Arab Spring
"The conflict in Syria began as an off shoot of the March 2011 Arab Spring uprisings". Specifically, it was all said to have started, when a group of young Arabic youth in the southern city of Deraa (located in Syria) began, spray painting "anti-government" graffiti on school walls and other various public/governmental buildings. As a result of the group's outrageous behavior, the Syrian governments wasted no time in making an example of these students, torturing many of them while they…...
Arab SpringIslamSyria
Changes in the Muslim World Caused by the Arab Spring
The Arab Spring that began in Tunisia in 2010 has brought about unprecedented changes to the Muslim world. Within the past several years, the revolution is responsible for numerous political reforms in Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen, but it has also prompted several bloody wars, most notably the Syrian Civil War. Complicating the situation are violent nonstate actors like alQaeda and ISIS, both of whom are thriving among the hostility, and strongheaded dictatorships like that of Bashar alAssad's. All…...
Arab SpringPoliticsSyria
The Negative Effects of the Arab Spring Crisis in the Middle East
It is now almost half a decade since Tarek al-Tayeb Mohammed Bouazizi, a petty street fruit vendor, set himself on fire after being humiliated by local police. That one single act by the vendor opened up doors to what would become one of the most memorable uprisings in the Arab world. This uprisings famously known as the Arab spring, a phrase coined by an American academic, and the effects that it had on Tunisia are the basis of this paper.…...
Arab SpringGovernmentPolitics
The Issues of the White Privilege Term and the Ways to Study it
White privilege is a system of benefits, advantages, and opportunities experienced by White persons in the society simply because of their skin color. In my article, the authors presents the results of a descriptive, exploratory study of White privilege in battered women's shelters. Based on a qualitative analysis, the authors show how White privilege is intricately connected to executive directors' claims of color blindness, the ordering of women of color, and viewing White as the norm. The second article is…...
PoliticsSocial IssuesWhite Privilege
White American Entitlement and Their Perception of African American Inferiority
The main misconception that whites in the mid-20th century had about blacks was the presumption that both races were getting what they "deserved". What I mean is that while many whites believed that blacks should be treated as human beings by this point in time, they still refused to fund public housing for poor blacks or integrate with them in the same neighborhoods because they were perceived to be inherently inferior by their own fault. Public housing was seen as…...
CultureSocial IssuesWhite Privilege
The Judgemental Approach of the Man From the Whiteness Project
White privilege implies that people with white skin are given benefits socially, politically and/or economically. The man who spoke on behalf of his "social group" in the Whiteness Project identifies himself as white above any other means of racial categorization consistently refers to himself as such and how he believes it pertains to affirmative action. He has put forth the notion that, opposite to white privilege, he believes minorities are now the group which enjoys the privilege based simply on…...
Human RightsSocial IssuesWhite Privilege
The Concept of White Privilege in the Arguments of John Stewart and Bill O’Reilly
One of the great pursuits of contemporary society is racial equality; this idea, despite its feel-good connotation, is actually a lie. There is no such thing as racial equality; by separating people into races, one is consciously creating groups of people that are separate, but unequal. This societal paradox reveals that contemporary society, as a whole, tremendously mishandles race. This is especially true when addressing the concept of "white privilege." White privilege suggests that white people are inherently more likely…...
PhilosophySocial IssuesWhite Privilege
The Premise of the White Privilege Debunked by the YouTube User Archduke
Sociology live posted a youtube video called, "White Privilege" that not only talked about how some people don't think white privilege is a thing, but it addressed why it is a thing using an academic article written by Peggy McIntosh in 1988 called White and Male Privilege. This video instantly ties into the reading by talking about how some white people will say "I don't have privilege" or "I worked for everything I earned". Some whites dismiss it with comments…...
PoliticsSocial IssuesWhite Privilege
A Study of Islamophobia in America
Inherent in the United States' dealings with Muslim-majority countries is the diplomatic relationship with those countries, and how the Middle East and Muslims are portrayed to the average citizen at home. For most non-Muslim westerners, how they viewed the Middle East would be largely dependent on how Islam is portrayed in the media and through other avenues such as educational institutions and online. For Muslims living in the United States, the portrayal of Muslims after various terrorist attacks perpetrated by…...
IslamophobiaPoliticsSocial Issues
I Am a Muslim: The Personal and Social Impact of Islamophobia
Have you ever been a subject of discrimination or one of society's victims? Whether it is sexism, racism, Islamophobia, or homophobia. Everyone believes they are accepted by society until one person makes a bad decision that leads to the suffering of the group of people they're associated with. For instance, due to the 9/11, Muslims, Desi people, and Arabs around the world are being punished for a horrible event that was pinned on them. Racists and Islamophobic people assume all…...
IslamophobiaPoliticsSocial Issues
The Issue of Islamophobia in the United States
"So far this year, Americans have been more likely to be killed for being Muslim-than by a Muslim." [Kru15] That may come as a surprise to a majority of Americans, and it seems ironic, but it is completely accurate. "Islamophobia," a fear of people who practice the Islamic faith and the ignorance of the teachings of Islam, has been created and over exaggerated by a majority of news companies since the terror attacks in New York on November 11, 2001,…...
IslamophobiaStereotypesTerrorism
The Use of Death Penalty in Lowering Crime Rates
The Death Penalty has been a controversial issue in society dating back to The Old Testament Times. Some people agree with capital punishment, however many others oppose it. In my opinion, the death penalty is ineffective to society because it does not lower the crime rates it teaches the lesson that murder is wrong by murdering and putting someone to death, and it is cost effective. One reason why the death penalty is ineffective to society is because it does…...
CrimeIs The Death Penalty EffectiveMurder
The Controversial Issue of Death Penalty
The death penalty has been around for over 150 years, killing criminals and even innocent beings. It is practiced in 31 states in the US, along with other countries. There are many different ways for capital punishment. For example, most places have done away with hanging people in public. The most popular way to go through with the death penalty is now lethal injection. Many believe that this is the least painful, and the least disturbing for the witnesses. Although…...
CrimeIs The Death Penalty EffectivePunishment
The Main Arguments in Favor of the Death Penalty
As a form of punishment, the death penalty is one of the oldest forms of punishments meted out against criminals guilty of grave crimes. In the modern world, many nations practise death penalty as the ultimate form of punishment for heinous crimes. Despite the widespread use of death penalty as a form of punishment, however, a critical look at death penalty shows that death penalty is not an effective form of punishment. This is because studies in social sciences have…...
CrimeIs The Death Penalty EffectivePunishment
A Debated about Whether Death Penalty of Juveniles Is Right or Not
In October 1989, a month after turning seventeen, Dwayne Wright went on a violent crime spree that lead to a robbery, attempted rape, and shooting of thirty-three year old Saba Tekle. When caught the next day, Dwayne confessed to the police and was tried in 1991. Before this crime, Dwayne grew up in a poor family and lived in a deprived neighborhood. He was exposed to criminal drug activities along with witnessing habitual gun violence and murder. At the age…...
CrimeIs The Death Penalty EffectivePunishment
The History of Death Penalty Dates Back to the Days of Hammurabi
Many people support the death penalty, and a lot of them use the defense that comes from the Bible: an eye for eye, and a limb for a limb. I on the other hand believe otherwise. Punishment by death, in my opinion, is 2500 prisoners are executed in at least 37 different countries, on an annual basis. There will be various statistics, opinions, history, and background information discussed throughout the residuum of this thesis. The history of the death penalty,…...
CriminologyIs The Death Penalty EffectivePunishment
The Unpredictability of the Death Penalty as a Crime Deterrent
Going into this paper I was very much in favor of the death penalty. Researching this subject has some what changed my mind. The first point that caught my attention was the cost of capital punishment, versus the cost of life imprisonment without the possibility of patrol. Also is the death penalty helping prevent or even lowering the number of homicides in this country? Also is the death penalty morally right, and what if we get the wrong person? Many…...
Is The Death Penalty EffectivePunishmentSocial Issues
An Evaluation of the Caste System and Its Affect on India
Throughout the world and the many religions that inhabit it, none have a bigger part in it's society than that of Hinduism in India. For centuries, the people of South Asia have been severely socially stratified due to the caste system. The caste system divides society into five castes; the brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas, shudras, and the dalits (or untouchables). However, ever since India had won its independence against Britain in August of 1947, the concept of caste was abolished along…...
Caste SystemHuman RightsSocial Issues
An Opinion on the Caste System in India
A caste is the division of a society based on social classes and occupations. The caste system is the process witch they place person into different groups based on how good they were on their previous life's. The caste system is a characteristic of Hindu religion. But, today that system is illegal because some people thought it was unfair; although, there are small villages were they still practice this. This essay will consider the reason why the caste system was…...
Caste SystemHinduismSocial Issues
A Contrast Between the Caste System in India and America
Caste is defined so as to be useful culturally. The cross-comparison of both systems (India and U.S.) shows some similarities. The comparison of interracial relationships and the five categories are both based on color, birth, ancestors and certain socio-economic conditions. In India, there are five groups which are the Brahman; the priest, the Kshatriya; the warriors, the Vishay's; the traders, the Shudra; the workmen and those who cannot belong to any of these groups are the untouchables. These systems are…...
Caste SystemSocial ClassSocial Issues
Describing the Traditional Caste System in India
The caste system was a system of social stratification in India, and some areas connected with Hindu culture such as Nepal, that divided people on the basis of inherited social status. It was a division in the society that was arranged in a hierarchy according to occupations and family lineages. Hindu caste system recognized four different classes among people based on these criteria and rigidly enforced it through a code of conduct that was specific for each class. A person's…...
Caste SystemHinduismReligion
The Caste System in India in City of Joy by Dominique Lapierre
The caste system in India is a very complex and difficult thing to understand. India's caste system is one of the oldest caste systems to exist. This system is believed to be more than 3,000 years old. This system divides people into four different groups: the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. This system also separates the untouchables into a different group, the Dalits. The Dalits are the lowest people in India. These people have jobs that are…...
Caste SystemCultureHinduism
The Caste System in India and the Oldest Form of Social Stratification
In recent times, India has been getting more frequent coverage of a woman getting acid thrown in her face or getting sexually assaulted by a group of men. These egregious crimes have been highly publicized in the local and international news making headlines all across the world. Laws have been put in place to protect these women from attacks from their male perpetrators but these laws have been proven to be ineffective as these attacks and acts of violence still…...
Caste SystemPoliticsSocial Issues
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