Essay Causes and Effects of the Spanish American War

On April 19th, 1898, The United States impulsively waged a war with imperialist Spain that would forever change our country for better and for worse. There are many different factors that led to the war, but in my opinion, one key cause is of much greater importance than the others. As a result of the war, American became known as an imperialistic nation and a world power. How could such a â€Å"little† war have such a large impact on American society at the turn of the 20th century? The first reason for the Spanish American War was public opinion. In 1895, American citizens took notice of a Cuban revolt against their corrupt Spanish oppressor. The Cuban insurgents reasoned that if they did enough damage , the US might move in and help the†¦show more content†¦From 1895 to 1898, the yellow press exploited high public tensions for headlines regularly. In fact, Hearst is reported to have told one of his photographers: â€Å"You furnish the pictures and I’ll furn ish the war.† While public tensions before August 1898 were surely high, nothing turned the public against Spain like the tragic blowing up of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. The lives of 260 American officers and men were lost. The yellow press and American investigators quickly blamed spanish officials in Cuba for the mysterious wreck. Although it is extremely unlikely that the spanish had anything to do with the Maine’s sinking, the War-Mad American public accepted this conclusion out of rage, overwhelmingly persuading President Mckinley to begin the war. McKinley personally did not want to fight a war against Spain, for he had seen enough bloodshed as a General in the Civil War. But the public, encouraged by the Cuban patriotic cause, yellow journalism, and the sinking of the Maine, clamored for a war. Finally, President McKinley yielded and gave the people what they wanted. He believed that the people should rule, even if they don’t know what’s best f or themselves. Public pressure was the main reason we went to war with Spain, and the biggest cultivator of public unrest was the blowing up of â€Å"The Maine†. On the other hand, there were also business and military interests than partly led to the war as well. In 1895, the US had an investmentShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Cause And Effect Of The Spanish American War953 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican imperialism in 1898 was not a sudden abandonment of anti-colonial tradition but was a logical extension of commercial expansion, something the US had been doing throughout its history (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901,: Effects of the Treaty). President McKinley was not interested in wars of conquest or of territorial aggression. His interest in expansion was to make the United States first in international commerce and as a means to implement its humanitarian and democraticRead MoreThe Spanish American War s Impact On America892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spanish American War’s Impact on America When addressing the Spanish-American War, and the changes that it ushered in for America, it’s important to look at more than just the war itself. The people involved in the war, weather individuals or groups of people, were the real force of change. From people who fought in the war itself, mindsets that emerged from the victory, or the economic advantages gained; all point to one important thing. America became a larger world power in the aftermath ofRead MoreCauses And Effects Of U.S. Imperialism812 Words   |  3 PagesIn analyzing the causes and effects of United States Imperialism from 1870 to 1916, one finds that there are three main factors. These major factors of United States Imperialism in this time period are: Hawaii, the Spanish-American war, and Theodore Roosevelt. In this time period Hawaiian islanders were very happy to live traditionally, but Americans were not content with the traditional ways of the Hawaiians (Buschini, n.pag.). Even though America seemed t o be on the road to imperialism with HawaiiRead MoreThe Spanish American War965 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spanish-American War was the event that placed the United States of America on the world stage. It showed the world the United States militaries might and strength and proved that the United States could back up their beloved Monroe Doctrine. It placed America as an Imperialistic Nation, which was one idea looked down upon by so many of its citizens. This war and its effect on the world had its pros and cons, but one thing is unarguably for certain, this event changed the way America has beenRead MoreThe Spanish American War in 18981256 Words   |  5 Pages The quote A Splendid little war by Secretary of State John Hay summarizes the Spanish American War in 1898. While this war could be seen as an act of aggression by the 20th century standards this war was beneficial to the United States of America while being deviating to the Kingdom of Spain for many reasons. There were many causes for the Spanish American War. The first long term cause was the Wilson Gordon Tariff. This tariff ultimately decreased tariff rates for may Europeans nations excludingRead MoreThe Revolutionary War : Wim Klooster s Book Revolutions1114 Words   |  5 PagesWorld expresses the deep roots of the revolutionary war period throughout various locations and circumstances. He strives to express the causes, effects, and the political civil war which caused the great uproar in the once colonial lands. This shift in history is noted in Klooster’s book and expanded upon in his chapter entitled â€Å"The Revolution’s Compared.† He notes the various commonalities between the American, French, Haitian, and Spanish American revolutions. Klooster’s organization, sourcesRead MoreThe United States Involvement During The Civil War1180 Words   |  5 Pages1898, Spain declared war on the United States. The U.S. prime objective was for the true Cuba n independence. In pursuing such goal, the string of conflicts began with the inhumane treatment of Cuban civilians in concentration camps by the Spanish, ‘yellow journalism,† and the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. The United States involvement in the war was a combination of all of these factors; however, the most influential factor was the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. The outrage of American citizens advancedRead MoreEffects Of Spanish American War On U. S1734 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of Spanish-American War on U. S. A. The Spanish-American war occurred in 1898 between the United States and Spain where the U. S. interrupted Cuba’s struggle for independence which resulted into the Philippine revolution. Some historians explain that the war publicized by the Hearst and Pulitzer newspapers which blame the sinking of the ship U. S. Maine on Spain, which had been sent to protect America’s interest and Americans living there. There was rising pressure on Congress to push theRead MoreThe Conflict Of The Civil War968 Words   |  4 Pagesa catalyst of societal restructuring and reform as war. Following the internal conflict of the civil war, the country experienced a state of peace with a focus on reconstruction and betterment of the overall public. These years of peace came to a close with the eruption of the extremely controversial Spanish American war, the first bloodshed America administered on foreign soil. Following the quelling of the controversial feelings the American public had towards external intervention, global conflictsRead MoreCuban Revolution By Andrew Caminiti1476 Words   |  6 Pagesback to 1868 when the United States defeated the Spanish Army giving Cuba its independence. The Cubans elected Fulgencio Batista who did not allow any more elections to take place. This angered many and a new revolution leader formed, Fidel Castro. Fidel overthrew the Batista Regime and named himself dictator. He started close economic ties with the Soviet Union. Shortly after this the United States ended any ties with the Cuban government. The causes of the Cuban Revolution were terrible conditions

The Effects of Slavery Depicted in A New Song by Langston...

Slavery in America began in 1607. Blacks and a small percentage of whites were owned by people whom were called masters. The majority of slaves were involved with the responsibility of field work and picked such things as cotton, sugar, crops, etc. The blacks that were not slaves had only a limited amount of rights which included their own water fountain and the backseat of the bus. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, a movement to end slavery was in progress. By 1865, President Lincoln signed The Emancipation Proclamation and the Land of the free had began. A New Song by Langston Hughes and Fences by August Wilson were both based on black characters. Both the poem and the play base their theme on their inherited history and the†¦show more content†¦August Wilson’s writing relates to Langston Hughes because he separates his race from the whites also. For example, in Act One, Scene One, Troy spins a long tale about his fight for several days with the Devil. The story of the Devil endears Troy to audiences early on by revealing his capability to imagine and believe in the absurd. Troy turns a white salesman into a Devil. Troy calls a man the Devil who tried to sell Troy furniture in exchange for monthly payments by mail. Because devils normally portray evil, it is evident that Troy thinks Whites are evil. Again, Troy is linking his past to his present. The fact that he was treated badly in earlier years by whites, makes him believe that all whites are the same. At the end of the poem the narrator illustrates the end of slavery with examples such as â€Å"Revolt! Arise!† and â€Å"The past is done!† This is an indication that the blacks rebelled against the whites. The blacks are free. The reader can insinuate that slavery is over. In conclusion, The Civil Rights Movement inspired authors around America to speak out about slavery. Although the play and the poem were based on two different characters, they both related in such ways that taught readers a little lesson on history. A New Song took experiences of a slave and molded it into a short poem. Fences ,explained in more modern day, was

Looking For Alibrandi and Erik Erikson free essay sample

Erik Erikson was a German developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory on psychological development of human beings. Erikson believed that personality develops in a series of eight stages over the lifespan: Trust vs Mistrust, Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt, Initiative vs Guilt, Industry vs Inferiority, Identity vs Role Confusion, Intimacy vs Isolation, Generativity vs Stagnation and Ego Integrity vs Despair. Examples of these stages can be recognised in the film Looking For Alibrandi. Looking For Alibrandi follows Joesphine Alibrandi at her final year in high chool, the year she meets her father, falls in love, looses her best friend and find the truth about her family. By reflecting on my own life experiences and the characters in Looking For Alibrandi, I am able to see how the theory applies to the process of growing up. Eriksons theory is evident through Josies character in Looking For Alibrandi. Due to her age, Josie is classified in the fifth stage, Identity vs Role Confusion. This is a major stage in development where the child has to learn the roles they will occupy as an adult. It is during this stage that the adolescent will re-examine their identity and try to find out exactly who they are. Josie is a confused girl, searching to find where she belongs in two different cultures. It is during Tomato Day where Josies negative feelings towards her Italian culture are expressed, this might be where I come from, but do I really belong here? . However, out of the resolution of her family conflicts she finds a sense of belonging and commits to her own sense of identity whats important is who I feel I am. Josies new acceptance of her culture is shown in the losing scene, in contrast to the opening, where Josie invites her friends to celebrate Tomato Day rather than leaving with them. Thus, Erik Eriksons theory accurately applies to the process of growing up. Identity vs Role Confusion is also shown through John Bartons character in Looking For Alibrandi. Eriksons theory states that if the parents continually push their child to conform to their views, the teen will face identity confusion. Those who remain unsure of their beliefs and desires will feel insecure and confused about themselves nd the future. John feels enormous pressure to live up to his fathers expectations and the absence of support from his family results in John committing suicide. John tried to be what his father wanted him to be and didnt attempt to make an identity for himself, l dont know what I want. Johns death is evident of role confusion, precluding him from progressing to further stages, showing Eriksons theory does apply to the process of growing up. Eriksons theory is also evident through Nonna Katias character in Looking For Alibrandi. According to her age, Katia is placed in the eighth and final stage of Eriksons theory, Integrity vs Despair. This phase occurs during old age and is focused on reflecting back on life. Those who feel proud of their accomplishments will feel a sense of integrity. Successfully completing this phase means looking back with few regrets and a general teeling ot satistaction. Katia is otten tocusing back on lite as seen through all the photos and stories she shares about her past, I was most beautiful of them all. Although, she does regret parts of her life such as staying with Francesco, l did my duty, I stayed with him. That was my penance. Katia successfully completed this stage with feelings of contempt and only few regrets, showing Eriksons theory does apply to the process of growing up. Industry vs Inferiority is a stage I have successfully achieved in Eriksons theory. This stage covers the early school years from approximately age 5 to 1 1 . Through social interactions, children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities. Children who are encouraged and commended by parents and teachers develop a feeling of competence and belief in their skills. In primary school, I was voted to be one of eight prefects, a leadership role held within the school. This accomplishment increased my confidence in my abilities and therefore lead to further leadership roles such as class captain in high school. Thus, Eriksons theory has successfully applied to my own life experiences in the process of growing up. However, there are circumstances where both the film Looking For Alibrandi and my wn life experiences have not matched Eriksons theory. This is evident through Christina Alibrandis character in Looking For Alibrandi. Christina is in sixth stage of Eriksons theory, Intimacy vs Isolation. Erikson believed it was vital that people develop close, committed relationships with other people. Those who are successful at this step will form relationships that are committed and secure. Christina tries to be part of long term relationships as seen when she goes on a date with doctor and talks about her previous relationship with Michael Andretti. However, she is unable to maintain an intimate, committed relationship and doesnt have a marital partner. According to Erikson, less committed relationships are more likely to suffer emotional isolation, loneliness, and depression. Despite this, Christina has a very strong relationship with her daughter Josie who says Id die if my mum died. Therefore, Eriksons theory does not apply to the process of growing up in Looking For Alibrandi. Eriksons theory states that personality develops in a series of eight stages over the lifespan.

The Social Construction of Difference

Introduction Social constructionist inquiry is concerned with explaining the processes by which people come to describe, explain, or account for the world in which they inhabit. Social constructionist attempts to articulate common forms of understanding as they currently exist, as they have existed in prior historical periods and generally, as they might exist should creative attention be so directed (Gergen and Gergen, 2003, p.15).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Social Construction of Difference specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, what humans’ regards and take to be experience of the world does not in itself dictate the terms by which the world is understood neither does what is regarded to be knowledge of the world constitute a product of induction or of the building and testing of general hypotheses. The construction position suggests that the process of understanding is not automatically driven by the forces of nature but is the result of an active, cooperative enterprise of people in relationship. Social constructionism has evolved to become a theoretical orientation to socio-cultural processes that affect humans’ basic understandings of the world. In addition, the concept of social construction as evidenced in many literatures is fundamental to a social science approach to the analysis of social problems. Therefore, the goal of this essay will largely be to unpack the complexity of social life by employing techniques of observation and analysis using sociological perspectives. Understanding the concept of social construction A lot of literature has addressed the issue of social construction especially concerning social problems whereby different explanations have been forwarded. To this level, the dividing line in social construction specifically of problems has occurred in terms of definition, interpretation and explanation of a range of social issues (Sar aga, 1998). As a result, the basic dividing line between different social constructions is the distinction between the natural and the social whereby ideas and concepts about the natural basis of social arrangements or social problems are widespread. An example is given by Yen Le Espiritu (in Foner and Fredrickson, p. 219) on how various social groups have tried to define themselves through their racial identity, for instance, the Asian Americans including the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and Filipinos joined hands to resist American imperialism and racism despite them having different political and economic ideologies.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This notion is echoed by Tehranian (2009, p. 67) while narrating on how historical grouping contributed to the creation of races, more so the creation of white-black American conflicts based on skin color. Many thoughts about the nat ural basis of society or of social problems within the society refer to a set of claims about the universal laws of biology or evolution that determine how people might behave. The ideas, in most instances, place an emphasis on competition, conflict, and struggles for the evolutionary success where they identify a range of attributes as the biological basis of human society, and usually insist that these are unchanging and unchangeable. The claim of this understanding is that natural, which are biological attributes emerge as explanations of social patterns hence biological differences between men and women are drawn upon to explain differences in social behavior or patterns of social inequality. The above analysis of natural in relation to social widens our understanding of distinctive type of social construction where the claim has been that, humans’ social world is formed and constrained by a variety of natural causes and conditions (Saraga, 1998). Emphasis on natural in t his form of social construction provides a strong claim to authority and truth by referring to a world of natural laws that appear as universal and immutable. As a result, many of the social constructions that refer to natural conditions or causes tend to warn against attempts to change or tamper with these natural laws. On the other hand, social interference is likely to have undesirable and unnatural impacts. Despite the existence of this distinction between ‘natural’ and ‘social’, both types of approach to social issues provide excellent examples of social construction and each provides a way into defining, interpreting and acting in the social world that humans inhabit (Saraga, 1998). Moreover, the two types provide a framework within which events, actions, and types of people become meaningful, which in turn gives people the opportunity to position themselves in relation to them. Social constructionism Social constructionism posits that anything in the world that possesses a meaning in people’s lives originates within â€Å"the matrix of relationships in which we are engaged† (Gergen and Gergen, 2000 cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.35). The theory claims that meaning arises from social systems, and humans have no role of assigning such meaning. The conviction of the theory is that â€Å"humans derive knowledge of the world from the larger social discourses† which generally vary across time and place, which in turn represent and reinforce dominant belief systems (May and Mumby, 2005, p.35). At the same time, the theory â€Å"stress the significance of language to construction processes, including its ramifications for identify development† (Leeds-Hurwitz, 1995 cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.35).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Social Construction of Difference specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Hruby, social construc tionism strives to understand how humans create knowledge (cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.36). Accordingly, the theory postulates that knowledge is an effect of social processes and humans construct the world through social practices. Social constructionism rejects the essentialist explanations that â€Å"certain phenomena are natural, inevitable, universal, and biologically determined† (DeLamater and Hyde, 2001 cited in May and Mumby, 2005, p.36). Social constructionism holds some assumptions that have guided how social world has been understood. The assumptions include: 1) there should be critical stance towards taken-for-granted ways of understanding the world, where the theory encourages people to be suspicious of how they understand the world and themselves. In this regard, the theory advises people to challenge categories of social identity such as gender and race because the categories do not reflect the real and necessary divisions (May and Mumby, 2005). In this case , questions need to be asked as to why people highlight and classify some aspects of personhood and not others. 2) All knowledge is historically and culturally specific where labels, classifications, denotations, and connotations of social identity in many cases constitute products of their times and that the outlined processes of constructing social identities depend greatly on social, political, and historical factors. In addition, humans depend on current ideologies to establish social identity categories and their meanings. 3) Social constructionism sustains knowledge, and uses language for purposes of reproducing knowledge as humans enact numerous roles within the various contexts. Further, language become essential in helping people to make sense of the world as it allows the people to share experiences and meaning with one another; lastly 4) social constructionism indicate that knowledge and social action are largely interconnected (May and Mumby, 2005). Essentialist perspect ive In 1970s, Saul Kripke and Hilary Putnam ignited a renaissance of essentialist thinking which rested on the understanding of meaning that relied heavily on the concepts of modality and possible worlds. For instance, this perspective by the two founders made many people to be convinced that water is basically H2O, tigers are generally animals, heat is solely molecular motion, material objects could not have been originally constituted differently from how they were originally constituted. In addition, an animal could not have originated from a different sperm and egg to the ones it actually originated from, and perhaps mind is not identical with the brain (Oderberg, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Many writers have argued that essentialist group beliefs are central to racism. The different forms of racism presented such as racial and ethnic are natural, inevitable, and hence unchangeable. These categories in many instances are adopted to represent human types indicating that an individual is fundamentally a certain kind of person. In its nature, racism attempts to fix social groups in terms of essential, quasi-natural properties of belonging within particular political and social contexts (Verkuyten, 2005). Certain traits of mind, character, and temperament are usually considered to be an intrinsic part of an ethnic or racial group’s nature (Davis, 2001) and therefore give definition to ethnic or racial fate. More research done indicates that there are still traces of biological forms of essentialism, and contemporary discourses focus on culture (Verkuyten, 2005). For instance, Blum (2002) describes the belief in cultural inherentism among different groups as follows: â€Å"these people (Jews, whites, Asians) just are that way (stringy, racist, and studious): it is part of their culture† (Verkuyten, 2005, p.124). Other researches done on new or cultural racism show that the idea of fundamental and inherent cultural differences is used to exclude and abnormalize ethnic minority groups. Racism and Ethnicity Before exploring the concepts of race and ethnicity first, social construction is viewed as the way people make ‘reality’ of everyday happenings in their environment. People and groups interact together in a sort of social system form where over time the people provides definitions to â€Å"concepts or establish mental representations of each other’s actions, and these concepts after some time become habituated into reciprocal roles played by the actors in relation to each other† (Davis, 2001, p.1). James Davis, narrating an interview that was conducted by a blind, black anthropologist, he writes quoting the wor ds of the black anthropologist as, â€Å"I am not black and you are not black either, if you go by the evidence of your eyes† (Davis, 2001, p.1). From this statement, it becomes clear that construction of race is ambiguous. For instance, all white people do not look the same, there are situations it is becomes difficult to tell who is a black and who is a white, since many people who have been labeled black could as well qualify to be white due to their physical characteristics. However, Lee and bean (2004) reflect on the differences in identity that existed in American, whereby one was viewed as either black or white in respect that, if one was not a pure white, they were viewed as black regardless of their ethnicity. According to Gwaltney, (1980), â€Å"looks do not mean much the things that make us different is how we think, what we believe is important and the ways we look at life† (cited in Davis, 2001, p.1). According to Haney-Lopez (2006), ‘white’ a s a category of human identity and differences is an extremely intricate phenomenon since races are not biologically differentiated groupings but rather social constructions. Race is seen to exists alongside a multitude of social identies that shape and are themselves shaped by the way in which race is given meaning. Accordingly, people live race through class, religion, nationality, gender, sexual identity and so on. Like just other social categories race is highly contingent, specific to times, places and situations and as such being white or black turns to be where one is. The essence here is that, how is a person defined as a black, both socially and legally in countries such as United States of America. As a nation, the adoption of definition of who is black or white has been contentious in USA, for example, some individuals defined as blacks in essence could pass as white and vice versa. Who therefore has assumed the role of defining the race? In USA, the state and federal cou rts have determined and in partial capacity tried to define ‘whiteness’ and ‘blackness’. Haney-Lopez (2006) asserts that courts for a time in deciding racial prerequisite cases have generally relied on both rationales to justify their decisions. However, from 1909, the trend changed, and subsequently the Supreme Court decisions favored common knowledge a situation that demonstrated the court regarded the issue of race categorization to originate in social practices. On his part Richard Alba, observes that the racist caste system was sanctioned by the U.S.A Supreme Court in 1896 during the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, in which the court found out that, â€Å"separate but equal facilities met constitutional tests† (Alba, 2009). In December 1985, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals reinforced a district’s court decision noting that no one could change the racial designation of his or her parents or anyone else’s (Davis, 2001). During the same period, the appellate court also affirmed the necessity of designating race o birth certificates for public health, affirmative action and other important public programs. Concluding about the role of law in race construction, Haney- Lopez observed that, â€Å"the operation of law does far more than merely legalize race; it defines as well the spectrum of domination and subordination that constitutes race relations† (Haney- Lopez, 2006, p.xxi). Apart from the courts other key institutions of social, political and economic have in their actions defined race. For instance, U.S.A Bureau of the Census enumerates blacks and I doing so does not provide any scientific definition but relies on one accepted by the public and by the courts (Davis, 2001). The Census Bureau in actual sense counts what the larger nation wants counted and although various operational instructions have been tried, the definition of black being used by the census reflects the nation’s cultural and le gal definition. As such, racism has operated at the macro level of the society and in its operation ha shifted away from a conscious personalized conviction of the inferiority of ‘another’ race. Such conviction has expressed itself in attitudes of prejudice and acted out in discriminatory behavior and thereafter follows social practices that become depersonalized through institutionalization. Over time, prejudice may decrease but patterns of discrimination may persist supported by the inertia of custom, bureaucratic procedure, impersonal routine and also the law. Obama as a Black president The issue of race and how it is perceived in society differently came to the forefront during Barrack Obama’s quest for president. There are those who saw him as ‘white’ since he belongs to the educated elite, others postulated he was a black due to his originality to a black father, while others were convinced that Barrack was a multiracial. According to Lee and B ean (2004), the impression that people are racially defined by their color may not hold water as it may propel some people to classify the Blacks as a racial group, while others recognizing Latinos and Asian Americans as white. Writing such as, â€Å"is Barrack Black/White enough† filled newspapers and other media sources. People question and investigated his identity; but to Barrack, the issue of race identity as he narrates in his book, â€Å"Dreams of my father† has preoccupied his minds, he candidly says that questions such as, who am I, confronted him a lot. Obama was born to an American mother and an African father before spending his childhood in Hawaii not forgetting that he was in Indonesia for about four years. However, how is Barrack race issue constructed? In 2009, the National Association of Black Journalist, in their article titled, ‘Acting White: Is Obama Black Enough?’ asked whether Obama was an African America. To them Obama did not portra y the physical and intellectual experiences of black people, Obama’s ‘degree of blackness’ was questionable, Obama’s characteristics and behaviors were totally different of those Africans, and that Obama was highly-educated, self-responsible and overachieving a rare element in most Africans. Therefore, their conclusion was that Obama was not an ‘African enough’. On the other hand, there are those who saw Obama as neither black nor white but multiracial (mulatto). Further, there are those who say Obama as totally An African, and articles such as, ‘Is America ready for a black president? ‘Between gender and race: which is more acceptable? Is America at crossroads: black or woman? All this statements represented one thing, that Obama was an African America. But narrating in his book, ‘Dreams from My Father, Obama writes that, â€Å"I learned to slip back and forth between my black and white worlds, it is an interior journal foc used on a boy’s search for his father, and through that search a workable meaning for his life as a black American† (cited in Harris, 2010, p.132). As later, Obama would be asked, in which category he belongs to, Obama candidly answered, â€Å"both† (Harris, 2010, p.132). What is evident is that before Obama wrote this book, he did not see his life as a representative of either the black experience or the American experience, but towards elections in 2008, this perception changed and Obama felt that his identity was representative of both. Obama’s case shows how the issue of race/identity is fluid where he is able to accept his identity as an African American, American and multiracial. This circumstance shows how the issue of race changes with time, political expediency and even cultural orientation. As it was evident, Obama would fit in both categories comfortably depending on time, circumstance, or political situation. Therefore, the way race is able to change and modify indicates that as a social constructed phenomenon it disqualifies to be biological. Haney Lopez, writing in ‘The Social Construction of Race’ says that the concept of race categorization is a social construct whereby it occurs because of human interaction and not as a natural differentiation. Analyzing Lopez’s position, it can be deduced that, race is a social construction since people as social beings participate in interaction and through it; they are able to construct its abstract significance (cited in Howard, n.d, p.1). Lopez therefore advices that due to the volatility in the definition of race, the same should not form the basis of trying to provide the classes into which human beings fall. Conclusion Today, different theories and approaches exist used to address the modern world social problems, patterns of social differentiation and organization of social welfare. Of note is the fact that all these approaches have to operate in a social world in which meaning of things shape how people act. What is evident is that, people and not nature create and conform to the different identities created, such as racial and ethnicity, and as created categories in society, they have a cultural and historical origin. They are in essence social and not biological in nature. This assumption does not mean that they do not exist but they are live and health in modern society and in understanding them it is wise to investigate them from the perspective of cultural and social interaction than from the biological perspective. References Alba, R. D. (2009). Blurring the color line: the new chance for a more integrated America. NY, Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=AUiVwEe6Xv4Cpg=PA285dq=America%27s+Changing+Color+lines,hl=enei=DhykTN-hNcyZ4AaWuNnIDQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=America%27s%20Changing%20Color%20lines%2Cf=false Davis, F. J. (2001). Who is black? One na tion’s definition. PA, Penn State Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=9d9FC-gcWaACpg=PA222dq=Who+is+Black%3F+F.+James+Davishl=enei=rCSTTOb7GtPi4ga6grzTBAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=Who%20is%20Black%3F%20F.%20James%20Davisf=false. Espiritu, Y. L. Asian american panethnicity: Contemporary national and transnational possibilities, in Foner, N and Fredrickson, G. M. (2005). Not Just Black and White: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Immigration, Race, and Ethnicity in the United States. NY, Russell Sage Foundation. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=uHmccaV4MuACpg=PA217dq=Asian+american+panethnicity:+Contemporary+national+and+transnational+possibilitieshl=enei=53qoTP7kL8uUOrKw2LYMsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCUQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=Asian%20american%20panethnicity%3A%20Contemporary%20national%20and%20transnational%20possibilitiesf=false. Gergen, K. J. and Gergen, M. M. (2003). Social construction: a reader. CA, SAGE. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=eKgEoZNjr1QCprintsec=frontcoverdq=the+social+constructionhl=enei=FOaRTKW8M4qN4Qb40PmWBAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepageqf=false. Haney-Là ³pez, I. (2006). White by law: the legal construction of race. NY, NYU Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=gxYqorjC4gUCpg=PR21dq=%27race%27+and+the+construction+of+Human+identity,hl=enei=jxmkTNGNH4n_4AaWoqj_DAsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=3ved=0CDIQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepageq=%27race%27%20and%20the%20construction%20of%20Human%20identity%2Cf=false Harris, H. E. (2010). The Obama Effect: Multidisciplinary Renderings of the 2008 Campaign. NY, SUNY Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=XyUdS8NzDQACpg=PA132dq=Obama+as+blackhl=enei=STmnTLDuNJXP4AaMsbCoDQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=Obama%20as%20blackf=false Howard, J. (N.d). On the Social Construction of Race. The Occidental Quarterly Online. Retrieved from http://www.toqonline.com/2010/06/on-the-social-construction-of-race-2/ Lee, J. and Bean, F. (2004). Immigration, Race/Ethnicity, and Multiracial Identification. Annual Review of Sociology, Vol. 30 pg. 221. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0sid=5srchmode=1vinst=PRODfmt=3startpage=-1vname=PQDdid=691458491scaling=FULLpmid=18604vtype=PQDfileinfoindex=%2Fshare3%2Fpqimage%2Fpqirs101v%2F20101003084130759%2F20023%2Fout.pdfsource=%24sourcerqt=309TS=1286109693clientId=29440 May, S. and Mumby, D. K. (2005). Engaging organizational communication theory research: multiple perspectives. CA, SAGE. Oderberg, D. S. (2007). Real essentialism. NY, Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=gO_40ZwgdkMCpg=PA21dq=essentialisthl=enei=5hGSTPKHJ4aROJqIofoGsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=2ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepageq=essentialistf=false. Saraga, E. (1998). Embodying the social: constructions of difference. NY, Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.c om/books?id=kEkbPIX-mxkCprintsec=frontcoverdq=the+social+construction+of+differencehl=enei=78uRTPGMBc614AbGvfjYAwsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=7ved=0CEcQ6AEwBg#v=onepageq=the%20social%20construction%20of%20differencef=false. Tehranian, J. (2009). Whitewashed: America’s invisible Middle Eastern minority. NY, NYU Press. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=OCI5SvjKRw8Cpg=PA64dq=from+friendly+foreigner+to+enemy+race:+selective+racialization,+coveringhl=enei=DYaoTOHlBYyZOvHMxY8Msa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CCUQ6AEwAA#v=onepageq=from%20friendly%20foreigner%20to%20enemy%20race%3A%20selective%20racialization%2C%20coveringf=false. Verkuyten, M. (2005). The social psychology of ethnic identity. NY, Routledge. Retrieved from http://books.google.com/books?id=GzpkIa0U6bYCpg=PA126dq=essentialisthl=enei=5hGSTPKHJ4aROJqIofoGsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=3ved=0CC8Q6AEwAg#v=onepageq=essentialistf=false. This essay on The Social Construction of Difference was written and submitted by user Lady Deathstrike to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.