Tuesday 12 February 2013

Politics, Society, Culture and History


Using the lists, statements and points of discussion introduced in the studio workshop as a starting point, write four short statements that summarise your individual positioning/ opinions in relation to the following contexts:

Politics
Society
Culture
History

You should write a clear statement (50-100 words) that explains what you believe and why in response to each of the four words. The statements should be positive rather than negative affirmations. If you don't like something or are against a certain viewpoint, you should aim to communicate the positive response to it as discussed in the session.

During the studio session on Friday we were asked to write down the first 10 words which came to mind for each of the topics written above - politics, society, culture and history. My words were:

Politics
-David Cameron
-Barack Obama
-Voting
-Debate
-Government
-Riots
-Labour
-Protest
-Conservative
-Law

Society
-People
-Places
-Status
-Class
-Education
-Age
-Development
-Living
-Law
-Behaviour
-Political Correctness

Culture
-Habit
-Race
-Diversity
-Tradition
-Language
-Landmarks
-Interests
-Religion
-Beliefs
-Values
-Multiculturalism

History
-Age
-Time
-Development
-Change
-Past
-Factual
-Chronological
-War
-Social Rights
-Law
-Determination
-Fight

Politics
I believe that politics are an essential part of society. Politics determine particular laws and order which aim to maintain a safer, more structured sense of agreement. The development of law and the government is improving in making a stronger sense of justice and equal rights. Without these laws, society would become broken and extremely unpleasant.

Society
Society is defined on many aspects such as people, culture, technology, class and behaviour. In Britain there is a great sense of a diverse and multicultural society. This generates an interesting and vast variety of different values, beliefs and traditions. However there is still presence of a divide in class depending on financial statuses or difficult circumstances. In my opinion, a strong society is one with a clear sense of community, understanding and respect for one another.

Culture
Living in such a diverse and multicultural environment is a great way to learn about a variety of different cultures. Each culture follows their own traditions, religious beliefs and values. These are highly influenced by peoples upbringings and backgrounds. There is a vast amount to learn about the similarities and differences among cultures, each engaging in their own, unique way.

History
History plays a crucial role in understanding the order and reason for events leading up to the present day. Many events in the past have shaped, rearranged and challenged previous standards, causing both minor and major turning points within society. Not all historical events were good, in fact many wars for example were brutal, unforgiving and terrifying. History is the bridge between the past and the present.