Race As A Social Construct - 1566 Words

Rachel Marx PHL-137-01 Dr. Wolf March 17, 2017 Race as a Social Construct Charles W. Mills argues that even if there is no biological notion of race that can underwrite our social one, our social one still has some objectivity to it. He provides details for many hypothetical and real life instances in order to back up his argument. My view, along with Mills’, is that race is socially constructed, and has been socially constructed long before I even had an opinion on the topic. I will explore every avenue of what Mills offers on the topic and will formulate a further opinion based on each subject individually. Mills discusses a word with attached meaning called quace. This is a hypothetical system where you are assigned a code, such as†¦show more content†¦Along with quace, you cannot say who you truly are in the horizontal racial system because it is so randomly decided with hardly any individuality behind it. In a vertical racial system the polity and economic order are expressly structured on a hierarchical axis in which R1 R2 R3. This means there is a superior race in this system, which is those who are R1. The simple goal of the system is to give privilege to the R1s and to classify the R2s and R3s as the subordinate groups. R1s are seen as more intelligent in this racial system and we would even have the opportunity to speak of the R1s as a supremacist system. With this system, you can identify yourself because there are so many distinctions between classes, however, you cannot identify yourself in the exact same way as race. You cannot identify yourself in this way because to the eye we cannot distinguish if someone is an R1, R2, or R3 as easily as the way we could if they were Caucasian, African American, Asian, etc. Mills next discusses objectivism. This suggests the independence of what we choose and what we believe. Within objectivism, there is realism and constructivism. Starting with realism, it can be defined as viewing that it is objectively the case that there are human races. For instance, we know that there are multiple and specific human races attached to human beings. Digging deeper on the meaning, constructivismShow MoreRelatedRace as a Social Construct646 Words   |  3 PagesRace as a social construct An imagined concept with real consequences The concept of race is fundamentally a social construct. It is based on a notion of difference, of ‘otherness’, ‘blackness’, ‘whiteness’, identity, nationalism and multiculturalism. ‘Race’ matters, as despite being biologically disputed, its social impact is immense. Despite being an unreal social construct, it is real in its consequences. It affects life prospects and influences health, wealth, status and power. As such, a criticalRead MoreRace As A Social Construct1057 Words   |  5 PagesRace as a social construct refers to a group that is socially and culturally defined on the basis of physical criteria. During European colonisation, Europeans came into contact with people from different areas of the world and after speculating the physical, cultural and social differences between the groups; these groups were placed in races. By defining racial classifications, racism ensues. Racism is discriminating, exerting prejudice and o r power over a group or individual based on the beliefRead MoreRace As A Social Construct1087 Words   |  5 PagesThe concept of race is an ancient construction through which a single society models all of mankind around the ideal man. This idealism evolved from prejudice and ignorance of another culture and the inability to view another human as equal. The establishment of race and racism can be seen from as early as the Middle Ages through the present. The social construction of racism and the feeling of superiority to people of other ethnicities, have been distinguishably present in European societies asRead MoreRace as a Social Construct Essay891 Words   |  4 PagesRace as a Social Construct Omi and Winant’s discussion from â€Å"Racial Formations† are generally about race being a social construct and is also demonstrated in the viewing of Race - The power of an illusion. Omi and Winant have both agreed that race is socially constructed in society. Ultimately this means that race is seen differently in different societies and different cultures. Media, politics, school, economy and family helps alter society’s structure of race. In the viewing , also mediaRead MoreEssay on Race as a Social Construct1635 Words   |  7 PagesRacialization, to differentiate or categorize according to race, is still prominent in todays society. Race, a social construct, was created by society. There is no gene in the human body that defines what race you are, therefore, it is only an idea that individuals came up with. Yet, people in todays society still categorize individuals by their race and stereotype individuals by what race they most resemble. People grow into this society with the idea embedded into their heads that the whiterRead MoreInequality: Race And Racism. The Race Is A Social Construct1371 Words   |  6 PagesInequality: Race and Racism The race is a social construct that has real life consequences. The race is a fiction created by the dominant part of the society in order to legitimize their supremacy on those they wish to regulate. Racism: a term that was first coined by the Nazis in the 1930s in their attempt to make Germany clean of Jews . The race is a social construct that has both biological and cultural aspects but not based on scientific truths. The origin of the racial differences can be trackedRead MoreRace Is A Biological Reality Or A Social Construct?1566 Words   |  7 PagesI used to think that race was a social construct more of a biological reality until I read all these articles. They changed my perspective and I have come to realize different things. My opinion is now divided into two; I am in that middle point where I can see both ways of the argument as valid and reasonable and agree with both. First, I will explain why I think it is a biological reality, then, I will explain why it can also be a social construct, and lastly how have these debates shaped the viewsRead MoreSocial Construction Of Race And Gender1529 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Construction of Race and Gender, Patriarchy and Prejudice and Discrimination in the Society Social construct may be defined as the social mechanism or a category which has been created by the society. It may either be a perception which is created by an individual or an idea which is constructed as a result of the culture. The present society has created a large number of constructs which are not good. In this paper, the discussion will be done on the social construction of raceRead MoreDebating Sex and Gender and After Identity1486 Words   |  6 Pagesdemonstrate how sex, gender, and race are all social constructs. Do you agree or disagree with her argument, and why? Concepts of sex, gender and race in English language have undergone uncountable naturalization and universalities, to a point that they are now considered to have always been present. There are numerous arguments that revolve around the three concepts of human diversity. Dr. Warnke for example argues that the three concepts above are social constructs (Warnke 153). This paper isRead MoreDebating Sex and Gender and After Identity1479 Words   |  6 Pagesdemonstrate how sex, gender, and race are all social constructs. Do you agree or disagree with her argument, and why? Concepts of sex, gender and race in English language have undergone uncountable naturalization and universalities, to a point that they are now considered to have always been present. There are numerous arguments that revolve around the three concepts of human diversity. Dr. Warnke for example argues that the three concepts above are social constructs (Warnke 153). This paper is

Edgar Allan Poe s The Cask Of Amontillado - 1401 Words

Poe Final Paper Edgar Allan Poe, a well-known writer, even today, was born January 19, 1809, and died October 7, 1848. During his lifetime, Poe had written sixty-six short stories and seventy poems, and his writing was inspired by a dark past. Poe’s mother died of tuberculosis after his father abandoned them. Then, while living with a foster family, his foster mother died and his foster father disliked him. These events caused Poe to have a particular style of writing and in each of these a reader is able to see similarities between the characters, theme, setting, and Poe’s use of symbolism. In ‘The Cask of Amontillado’, ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ and ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ a reader can make these connections and see how Edgar†¦show more content†¦His mental stability is later questioned towards the end of the story when he announces he can hear his sister come back from the grave. â€Å"‘Do I not distinguish that heavy a nd horrible beating of her heart? MADMAN!’ here he sprang to his feet, and shrieked out his syllables, as if in the effort he were giving up his soul – ‘MADMAN! I TELL YOU SHE NOW STANDS WITHOUT THE DOOR!’† In ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ the nameless murderer kills an innocent man because of his â€Å"vulture† eye. At the beginning the narrator states that he has â€Å"the sense of hearing acute† and keeps asking the reader â€Å"How, then, am I mad?† and â€Å"would a madman have been so wise as this?† The narrator does not believe he is unstable for what he is doing. His oversensitivity could have also been a reason why he hears the dead man’s nonexistent heartbeat under the floorboards. It is clear that Poe creates a psychological problem in the main characters of his stories. In most of Poe’s writing, his stories usually have the element of death. As said in the beginning of ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’, the narrator killed the old man, â€Å"I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.† Later on in the story the reader finds out how the

Black Panther Essay Example For Students

Black Panther Essay The Black PantherThe black panther is a type of leopard. It belongs to the family Felidae, and is classified as Panthera pardus. Black panthers are found in Africa, Asia Minor, Middle East India, Pakistan, China, Siberia, and Southeast Asia. The male panther is called a panther, a female panther is called a panthress, and an immature panther is called a cub. The physical characteristics of the Black Panther vary. They are covered with black fur, with some darker areas that you can only see in certain lighting. The color of the panther depends on its location. The black panther has a long dark tail to go with its dark body. It has compact muscles and walks with a flowing movement in its limbs. The height of a male black panther is about nine feet, and a female is seven to eight feet tall. The male weight can weigh as little as 85 pounds and up to 198 pounds, but a female can weigh from 75 to 130 pounds. The life span of a black panther is about twenty-one years. It is considered a small cub for six months, and a large cub from six months to one and a half years. A cub remains with its mother until it is 18 to 24 months old and then it leaves to establish a territory of its own. A panther is considered a sub-adult from 1.5 to 3.5 years and a prime adult from 3.5 years to nine years. An old adult ranges in age from nine years up till around age twenty-one. The black panthers habitat is usually the jungle, where its black coat provides a great camouflage. The panther usually lives in or near a tree, and is a great tree climber. After the panther kills his prey, he takes it to the top of the tree to keep it away from other predators. The black panther has a few enemies. The lions are not fond of them, and will kill them when they get the chance. Baboons also can attack and drive the panther away and kill it, and the hyenas also drive the panthers away, and kill them so they can have the dead prey for themselves. But the panther is a very good fighter. During the day, the panther will rest, feed, hunt, walk, and court. During the night he will feed, hunt, court, and travel. The panthers are near the top of the food chain. Even though they lack the cheetahs speed, they have their own gifts. The panther is very graceful, powerful and very aggressive. The panther has an incredible jumping ability. It can jump up to twenty f eet and ten feet high without much difficulty. The panther stalks his prey and waits until it is near, and then attacks. Then he grabs his prey by the neck and suffocates it until it dies. The black panther is a carnivore and his diet consists of animals as small as mice, to predators twice his size. During the day the female that is raising the young will sometimes hunt. Panthers dont have a mating season but usually mate during January and February. The panther usually abandons his usual habitat to mate. During mating, the male grasps the females skin and holds it until mating process is complete. Then the female turns and swats the male away with her forepaw. After mating, the pair splits up and the female cares for the resulting cubs. One source says, ?the average rate of producing cubs is 15%,? so a lot of females are unsuccessful in having cubs. The panther usually lives a solitary life, except for his cubs and mate. The panther is very defensive of his territory, but respects other panther territories. There is no hierarchy, and no king. Is the black panther in danger of becoming extinct? The Black Panther is nowhere near being extinct. The Convention in the Trade of Endangered Species says ?the African Leopard, by no means, is to be considered an endangered species, with a population of about 700,00 in Africa.? Also a research team of scientists stated that ? 322 leopards could be hunted annually as trophy animals in Namibia without decimating the population.? In the city of Acharya Mumbai, Kenya a city of 13 million people, on June 25, 1997, man-eating panthers were traveling through the suburbs near the Sanjay Gandi National Park, causing great fear among the people. Some foresters said, ?the panthers are being blamed for murders committed by humans.? Overall, the panther is an exquisite creature. With a powerful body and sleek skin, who can say that the panther looks like a wimpy animal? When I picked the black panther as my project, I did not know how much I would learn about the panther. I think the black panther is an interesting and exciting creature. .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 , .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .postImageUrl , .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 , .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:hover , .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:visited , .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:active { border:0!important; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:active , .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972 .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u6f4957c17cc56fc2b60678022e196972:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Kelvin Estevez Essay 1. 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Multimedia Systems free essay sample

Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion. Raw video can be regarded as being a series of single images. There are typically 25, 30 or 50 frames per second. There are two types of video recording systems/formats. Also, the term video (video meaning I see, from the Latin verb videre) commonly refers to several storage formats for moving pictures. These are Analog Video and Digital Video. The world we sense is full of analog signal; electrical sensors such as transducers, thermocouples, microphones convert the medium they sense into electrical signals. These are usually continuous and still analog. These analog signals must be converted or digitised into discrete digital signals that computer can readily deal with. Special hardware devices called Analog-to-Digital converters perform this task. For playback Digital-to-Analog must perform a converse operation. Analog Video Analog Video is usually captured by a video camera and then digitised. We will write a custom essay sample on Multimedia Systems or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Digital Video Digital video is a type of video recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal. Digital video comprises a series of orthogonal bitmap digital images displayed in rapid succession at a constant rate. In the context of video these images are called frames. We measure the rate at which frames are displayed in frames per second (FPS). Since every frame is an orthogonal bitmap digital image it comprises a raster of pixels. If it has a width of W pixels and a height of H pixels we say that the frame size is WxH. Pixels have only one property, their color. The second half contains only the even-numbered lines. Those halves are referred to individually as fields. Two consecutive fields compose a full frame. If an interlaced video has a frame rate of 15 frames per second the field rate is 30 fields per second. All the properties and formulas discussed here apply equally to interlaced video but one should be careful not to confuse the fields per second with the frames per second. Properties of compressed video The above are accurate for uncompressed video. Because of the relatively high bit rate of uncompressed video, video compression is extensively used. In the case of compressed video each frame requires a small percentage of the original bits. Assuming a compression algorithm that shrinks the input data by a factor of CF, the bit rate and video size would equal to: BR = W * H * CD * FPS / CF VS = BR * T / CF Please note that it is not necessary that all frames are equally compressed by a factor of CF. In practice they are not so CF is the average factor of compression for all the frames taken together. The above equation for the bit rate can be rewritten by combining the compression factor and the color depth like this: BR = W * H * (CD / CF) * FPS The value (CD / CF) represents the average bits per pixel (BPP). As an example, if we have a color depth of 12bits/pixel and an algorithm that compresses at 40x, then BPP equals 0. 3 (12/40). So in the case of compressed video the formula for bit rate is: BR = W * H * BPP * FPS In fact the same formula is valid for uncompressed video because in that case one can assume that the compression factor is 1 and that the average bits per pixel equal the color depth. Bit rate and BPP As is obvious by its definition bit rate is a measure of the rate of information content of the digital video stream. In the case of uncompressed video, bit rate corresponds directly to the quality of the video (remember that bit rate is proportional to every property that affects the video quality). Bit rate is an important property when transmitting video because the transmission link must be capable of supporting that bit rate. Bit rate is also important when dealing with the storage of video because, as shown above, the video size is proportional to the bit rate and the duration. Bit rate of uncompressed video is too high for most practical applications. Video compression is used to greatly reduce the bit rate. BPP is a measure of the efficiency of compression. A true-color video with no compression at all may have a BPP of 24 bits/pixel. Chroma subsampling can reduce the BPP to 16 or 12 bits/pixel. Applying jpeg compression on every frame can reduce the BPP to 8 or even 1 bits/pixel. Applying video compression algorithms like MPEG1, MPEG2 or MPEG4 allows for fractional BPP values. Constant bit rate versus variable bit rate As noted above BPP represents the average bits per pixel. There are compression algorithms that keep the BPP almost constant throughout the entire duration of the video. In this case we also get video output with a constant bit rate (CBR). This CBR video is suitable for real-time, non-buffered, fixed bandwidth video streaming (e. g. in videoconferencing). Noting that not all frames can be compressed at the same level because quality is more severely impacted for scenes of high complexity some algorithms try to constantly adjust the BPP. They keep it high while compressing complex scenes and low for less demanding scenes. This way one gets the best quality at the smallest average bit rate (and the smallest file size accordingly). Of course when using this method the bit rate is variable because it tracks the variations of the BPP. Video can be recorded and transmitted in various physical media: in magnetic tape when recorded as PAL or NTSC or SECAM electric signals by video cameras or in MPEG-4 (Moving Pictures Expert Group-4 format) or DV (Digital Video) digital media, when recorded by digital cameras. PAL, short for Phase Alternate Line, is an analogue television encoding system used in broadcast television systems in large parts of the world such as Europe, Asia, Australia, parts of Africa (Kenya etc) etc. ). NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system used in most of North America, most countries in South America, Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories. SECAM (Sequentiel couleur a memoire, French for Sequential Color with Memory), is an analog color television system first used in France, Russia, parts of Africa etc. It is, historically, the first European color television standard. There is also 3D-video, digital video in three dimensions apart from 2D-video. Characteristics of video streams Number of frames per second Frame rate, the number of still pictures per unit of time of video, ranges from six or eight frames per second (frame/s) for old mechanical cameras to 120 or more frames per second for new professional cameras. PAL and SECAM standards specify 25 frames/s, while NTSC specifies 29. 97 frame/s. Film is shot at the slower frame rate of 24photograms/s, which complicates slightly the process of transferring a cinematic motion picture to video. The minimum frame rate to achieve the illusion of a moving image is about fifteen frames per second. Interlacing Video can be Interlaced (Interlace is a technique of improving the picture quality of a video signal without consuming extra bandwidth. Interlaced video was designed for display on CRT televisions. ) or Progressive(Progressive or non-interlaced scanning is a method for displaying, storing or transmitting moving images in which all the lines of each frame are drawn in sequence. ). Interlacing was invented as a way to achieve good visual quality within the limitations of a narrow bandwidth. The horizontal scan lines of each interlaced frame are numbered consecutively and partitioned into two fields: the odd field (upper field) consisting of the odd-numbered lines and the even field (lower field) consisting of the even-numbered lines. NTSC, PAL and SECAM are interlaced formats. Abbreviated video resolution specifications often include an i to indicate interlacing. For example, PAL video format is often specified as 576i50, where 576 indicates the vertical line resolution, i indicate interlacing, and 50 indicate 50 fields (half-frames) per second. In progressive scan systems, each refresh period updates all of the scan lines. The result is a higher spatial resolution and a lack of various artifacts that can make parts of a stationary picture appear to be moving or flashing. A procedure known as deinterlacing can be used for converting an interlaced stream, such as analog, DVD, or satellite, to be processed by progressive scan devices, such as TFT (Thin Fluorescent Tube) TV-sets, projectors, and plasma panels. Deinterlacing cannot, however, produce a video quality that is equivalent to true progressive scan source material. Display resolution The size of a video image is measured in pixels for digital video, or horizontal scan lines and vertical lines of resolution for analog video. In the digital domain (e. g. DVD) standard-definition television (SDTV) is specified as 720/704/640? 480i60 for NTSC and 768/720? 576i50 for PAL or SECAM resolution. However in the analog domain, the number of visible scanlines remains constant (486 NTSC/576 PAL) while the horizontal measurement varies with the quality of the signal: approximately 320 pixels per scanline for VCR quality, 400 pixels for TV broadcasts, and 720 pixels for DVD sources. Aspect ratio is preserved because of non-square pixels. New high-definition televisions (HDTV) are capable of resolutions up to 1920? 1080p60, i. e. 1920 pixels per scan line by 1080 scan lines, progressive, at 60 frames per second. Video resolution for 3D-video is measured in voxels (volume picture element, representing a value in three dimensional spaces). For example 512? 512? 512 voxels resolution, now used for simple 3D-video, can be displayed even on some PDAs. Aspect ratio Aspect ratio describes the dimensions of video screens and video picture elements. All popular video formats are rectilinear, and so can be described by a ratio between width and height. The screen aspect ratio of a traditional television screen is 4:3, or about 1. 33:1. High definition televisions use an aspect ratio of 16:9, or about 1. 78:1. The aspect ratio of a full 35Â  mm film frame with soundtrack (also known as the Academy ratio) is 1. 375:1. Ratios where the height is taller than the width are uncommon in general everyday use, but do have application in computer systems where the screen may be better suited for a vertical layout. The most common tall aspect ratio of 3:4 is referred to as portrait mode and is created by physically rotating the display device 90 degrees from the normal position. Other tall aspect ratios such as 9:16 are technically possible but rarely used. Pixels on computer monitors are usually square, but pixels used in digital video often have non-square aspect ratios, such as those used in the PAL and NTSC variants of the CCIR (Consultative Committee on International Radio) 601 digital video standards, and the corresponding anamorphic widescreen formats. Therefore, an NTSC DV image which is 720 pixels by 480 pixels is displayed with the aspect ratio of 4:3 (which is the traditional television standard) if the pixels are thin and displayed with the aspect ratio of 16:9 (which is the anamorphic widescreen format) if the pixels are fat. EDITING VIDEO Editing videos typically involves: removing frames, inserting frames, mixing audio with video, giving special effects on video, adding transitions between two clips, superimposing clips and adjusting transparency, applying filters to the clips, and adjusting volume of audio. We can also fade-in and fade-out the audio in various frames. In order to edit videos, it is helpful to understand the concept of timecode. Timecode, a unit of measurement, can be used as an address of a frame, and it can also be used as a unit to measure the duration of a video clip. The timecode used by SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) has become a standard and is in the form Hrs: mins: secs: frames. For example, a clip with duration of 00:02:31:15 plays for 2 Minutes, 31 seconds, and 15 frames. At the rate of 30 frames per second (fps), 15 frames will take half a second (0. seconds) to play. This clip will, therefore, play for 2 minutes and 31. 5 seconds. Thus, a fraction of a second is measured in frames, and to know the time with millisecond accuracy, we need to know the fps of the clip. The same code can be used to address a particular frame. For example, 00:1:30:12 is the address of the 12th frame that comes after 1 minute and 30 seconds of playing a clip. There are many software packages which support such editing. Some that are well known among these are Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Strata Avid Video, Asymmetric M Digital Video.