Sociology Dissertation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8500 words

Sociology Dissertation - Essay Example This research study proposes to examine the rising incidence of obesity within a social and environmental context by applying sociological theories. Where obesity is concerned, the media has been attributed a significant proportion of the blame, because it propagates a sedentary lifestyle which contributes to obesity. In addition, unhealthy foods are advertised on TV, as a result of which children are influenced into unhealthy eating patterns from childhood, which in turn lead to obesity. Since obese children are likely to grow into obese adults, this research study will focus on the impact of the mass media in contributing to obesity in children and influencing their body image. The Dissertation will be divided into four chapters. The first chapter will provide a general introduction to the study, the methods used and limitations. The literature review till comprise the second chapter. The third chapter will describe the methodology used and the fourth and concluding chapter will present the results that are obtained. Broadly, the subjects to be covered in this study include the causal factors in obesity and suggestions that have been made by researchers to deal with the problem. Sociological theories will be assessed and the most relevant ones will be applied to the problem of obesity. Media theories will also be examined in the literature review, to the extent that they may be relevant in the context of obesity. Research carried out by other researchers into the impact of the media and its influence on eating habits, especially on children will also form a part of the literature review. Examining the impact of social and environmental factors on obesity is a broad ranging issue, which may not lend itself to adequate coverage within the scope of this limited study. Therefore, it is proposed to narrow down the scope of the study to obese children and

Analyze one song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyze one song - Essay Example The key is to critically analyze and determine why songs impact us the way they do. To demonstrate this point, this student will analyze the song â€Å"Always Remember Me† by Ry Cuming. The specific aspects that will closely look at involve the songs instrumentation, lyrics, and electronic production. When analyzing any given song, one needs to look at how the instrumentation employed impacts the listeners’ mood as the music fills their ears. No matter how impactful the lyrics of a song might be, it is of little use if the musical content does not work. It would be similar to a car having a perfect engine, yet no tires. This particular song has instrumentation that truly seems to place the listener into the music studio of Ry Cuming. Viorica Barbu-Iurascu reminds us that â€Å"Music is the metaphysical counterpart to everything physical† (170). Perhaps like no other media, music transcends us to another place. We can leave the world behind as our consciousness be comes completely involved with the music that is playing within us. Naturally, some musical composers accomplish this transformation to the metaphysical world better than other, but this is still the aim of the musician. Music becomes an art that must be studied and examined closely to truly appreciate its beauty. â€Å"Always Remember Me† is composed of music that represents the lyrics being sung. The musical arrangement of this song begins with a softly playing guitar. This immediately sets the tone for what is to come by providing the listener with a soothing introduction into the lyrics to come. In essence, this opening prepares all who listen to relax, settle down, and be moved by arrangement. Without this type of opening, the song would not be nearly as effective in transforming people to that metaphysical realm that Iurascu talks about. As the lyrics begin to be sung, something interesting happens. The guitar playing moves softly to the background. When lyrics are not being sung, the guitar once again becomes the centerpiece and gradually becomes louder. Reflecting upon this, the author feels that Cuming has done an effective job at using the instrumentation to be a focal point of the song. Whereas most songs rely on the lyrics and the rhyming of such words, this particular artist seems to be more focused on allowing the guitar to speak to the listener. The softly playing melody really rocks most who listen into a new arena and a new realm of thinking. It is almost as if the old adage ‘forget all of your troubles for the moment’ rings true with this song. The music has a way of comforting and soothing the soul. The arrangement does not ‘jar’ the listener awake, rather it allows them to sit back and really be metamorphosed into another place and time. It is common to want to analyze the lyrics in a song. We seem to be obsessed with trying to understand what the artist is trying to say through his or her music. Analyzing m usical lyrics, however, must go deeper than merely just trying to understand what the words mean. As Katrina McFerran writes, â€Å"Lyrics are not simple statements of information; they are creative and multifaceted expressions of experience† (38). So, as one seeks to analyze the lyrics of any given song, they must move beyond simply trying to ‘understand’ what the words mean and move into the realm of experiencing what moved the artist to write the words in the