Sociology and Social Science Primary and Secondary Resources

Question: Discuss about theSociology and Social Science for Primary and Secondary Resources. Answer: Introduction The paper revolves around a detailed discussion on defining key terms in social sciences. Primary and Secondary resources have been adopted to provide the best definitions known. Scholarly references from reputed authors of the past have been adopted to ensure that the definitions are outlined clearly and the purpose of the definitions are met. The following few paragraphs include the definitions on human nature, rights and other human rights issues in Canada and across the world. The definitions have helped in understand the concepts in the best possible manner. Defining Human Nature, Human Rights, Natural Rights and Legal Rights Timeless question of all times is whether mankind inherently is good or evil. We have all sometimes in our life pondered over the probable answers to this question. Philip Zimbardo, a renowned internally operating psychologist has worked on this subject throughout his career. He is renowned for his controversial and revolutionary studies on the other sides of human nature. What kind of creatures are we human? A straight answer will be an intelligent, smart, analytical and upright ape that has a search for material possessions. What about the various subtle natures of human which raises controversial questions. Many deny that it exists. Many consider that humans can be anything that they want but this cannot be right probably. Humans, although they have cultural and individual variations, they are animals and like rest all animals they do have their quirks, characteristics and idiosyncrasies that distinguishes them as a different species (Lee, 2010). So, here we are pinning down the r eal essence of humanness. One of the very initial philosophical inquiries made were questions about the meaning of the term human rights. It is not a trivial question at all. In the words of Sartre human beings are stalkers of meaning. With the help of meaning we get to know the answer to why. On the international sphere in particular where cultural diversities mingle, positivism underpinning are not stable and where the mechanisms to be implemented are fragile, such a definition can be of great importance. Some schools of philosophy do say that the entire task of philosophical studies centralizes itself on meanings and significances. How one can understand what human rights are will influence his own decisions and judgments.For speaking about human rights one needs to have a conception about what rights human beings possess by their own virtue. It does not mean these rights are self-evident. The simple conclusion is that there are some human rights simply because humans are human and they have independence i n their merit and social environments. Like good there exists evil as well but who know who is responsible for so much evil spread in the world. In the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe thoughts were revolving such questions and also whether God was the one is the powerful and good than all. Some believe Devil is the source of all evils. However, the hunt for conclusions kept continuing till decades. But in the middle of the hunt for justified answers people were affected. People looking different from others, women who were weak were exploited without any defense (Lee, 2010). Human Rights Issues: Worldwide and Canada Since when there has been the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in the year 1948, protection of human rights has become a crucial matter in international legal sector. It is roughly speculated that over 250 international human rights instruments have been signed up since then. Issues of human rights have a dynamic outcome on the entire globe, in initiatives and in the action of states individually and also on the defense levels. As per the current trend, there have been serious violations in international policies in Human Rights which are considered to be potential threats to legality, security and peace of the entire world. Hence, frameworks and procedures are evolved continuously for monitoring the obligations of the state (Anonymous, 2016). The rights which are inherent to all mankind can be considered as human rights. And that is irrespective of human natures dark sides, race, nationality, sex, language, ethnicity, religion or any other social status. Such human rights involve the right for living life, liberty, freedom from any torture or slavery, freedom of expressions and opinions, right to work and earn, right to receive education and many more. Every human being has these rights without any kind of decimations. These human rights has been established by the United Nations in the year 1945 and is promoted and encouraged for the respect of all (UN, 2016). Discussing about Canada it can be said it has a reputation on the global level to be the defender of the human rights. It in fact has a great record for having provided the basic civil and political rights to all Canadians as per the protections guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, year 2014 witnessed majority of parliamentary members refusing to take important steps needed to solve problems of human rights. These were violence against indigenous women, about the legal status of a sex work, impact of extractive industries in Canada to the whole world. These are discussed below:- Violence against indigenous girls and women-The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recorded a data back in the year 2014, of 1181 murder cases and disappearances of girls and women in between years 1980 to 2012. Among homicide victims, indigenous women and girls were overrepresented. This is a growing concern and government has recently taken steps for a roundtable at ministerial level to address and issue inquiries to such violence. Sex work2014 also saw the Parliament debate about the criminal sides of sex work. 2013, Supreme Court of Canada strikes down the restrictions made previously which the court deemed as violation of rights and sex worker security (Clement, et. al. 2008). Positivism Assaults of natural human law during the 19th and 20th century were intensified. Philosophers and political reformers were of the opinion that rights are functions based on cultural variables. So, assaults on natural came from an area called legal positivism. Here philosophy dominated legal theories. Classical philosophers deny the existence of any prior source of human rights and consider authorities stern from the prescribed methodologies of states and officials. However such a mental setup rejects any effort for articulating ideas where law transcends empirical realities of the legal systems that exists. Under positivist logic, source of human rights can be found under enactments of law and sanctions made towards it. Moral philosophers claim that the meanings justifying human rights are futile in nature as they involve morality of judgments as well. They are self evident and cannot be explicable further. They also focus on the results of human rights and their motives. School of prescriptivists also claim that there is no need for one to be worried with what is to be achieved by issuing human rights but using what that has been accomplished. Human behavior and rights are in the root of all assumptions made by regulatory regimes. The regimes of human rights are no way different. Latest information is available regarding role of social situations as differentiated components of human rights and behavior (Anonymous, 2016). Conclusion The literature and subject is so complex that modern theories of rights can not elaborate or explain it in a justified manner. Rights theory developed will further benefit itself from flourishing philosophical and scientific explorations. Reputed scholars from varied backgrounds are still adding great insights to the entire subject, refining and developing their own theories also. It is very natural that any kind of analysis of human nature, rights will raise a lot of queries and doubts. This is a stirring field with a great open potential of new theories and justifications. There remains a haunting point as the gap in between international law of human rights and contemporary practices remains to exist. A better question will be whether with moral reasoning one can narrow down this gap existing in between moral principles and practices. The hope at the end is that whatever the questions be, it all affirms to the faith in finding rationality and meaningfulness in the existence of hum ans in a decent society. References Lee, J. (2010). Zimbardo on the Nature of Man. Anonymous. (2016). Introducing Human Rights. Compasito. Retrieved from: https://www.eycb.coe.int/compasito/chapter_1/pdf/1.pdf (2016). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved from: https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ Clement, H., Trottier, D. and Silver, W. (2012), The Evolution of Human Rights in Canada. Minister of Public Works and Government Services: Canadian Human Rights Commission. McFarland, S. (n.d.). Human Rights 101: A Brief College-Level Overview. Science and Human Rights Coalition. Western Kentucky University. Zimbardo, P. G. (n.d.). On the Ethics of Intervention in Human Psychological Research: With Special Reference to the Stanford Prison Experiment. Stanford University.