Reply to the two paragraph below separately (half page each), discussing how their chosen event can be seen in the modern applications of the social sciences. Consider how this event changed how social scientists work today. Additionally, how did the historical developments of the social sciences influence its evolution and uses today? Consider how changes in society led to this event.

Paragraph 1:

While going through the learning block 3, I found that the “human
zoos” were the most interesting. This is where people who were
non-European were put on display like animals for people to view. The
general idea about people from different races were that they were closer to
being related to monkeys. I just find it interested that people would go to see
people in cages like it was a normal activity. The indigenous people that
were brought from Africa were made to wear their traditional clothing that would
be suitable in the heat they are accustomed to during the cold winter months.
Surprisingly some of the suppliers for the “performers” were
religious men, who would go to their countries on missionary works, and bring
them home to make a profit on them. The other suppliers were simply people who
just wanted to make money, and knew there was a market. Since then things have
changed, but I believe there is a long way to go. Just tonight I was watching
the news and there was a segment that played a recording of Richard Nixon on
the phone with Ronald Reagan, he had called people from Africa monkeys, this
was only in 1971, less than 50 years ago our president was making racial
comments. I think this event makes us look at societies as a whole, and see how
things for different cultures and races have changed or remain static in
countries such as the United States. Not everybody is amused by gawking at
people of different cultures, but some of us are interested in how they live,
their customs and their ways of life. I wouldn’t want to go to a human zoo, but
I do enjoy educating myself on different cultures.

Paragraph 2:

I enjoyed reading the historical timelines
on the social sciences because it helped me to realize how recent most of the
studies have been. To me, it would be amazing if we had social science
information from ancient civilizations. I particularly enjoyed reading the
psychology timeline because I am slightly biased to psychology.

The
event that was most interesting to me is the discovery and founding of
Alcoholics Anonymous. I am actually a member of AA and understand how powerful
this movement has been. It is interesting to me because I know the amazing
psychological miracle it has been in my life, my friends lives, and hundreds of
thousands of people all over the world. It’s a movement that brings chronic
alcoholics and addicts of all kinds, back from the gates of death and
destruction. People that were otherwise completely hopeless, ruining the lives
of their families and communities, now have a solution that has helped people
far and near. Not only do miracles happen everyday in this program but it is also
completely free. It is an altruistic movement that has expanded all over the
world.

The
basis of this movement comes from the fact that continuous recovery depends on
the sharing of oneself, and sharing the spiritual experiences which come from
completing all 12 steps. Not only has this movement spread all over the world,
it has spread into countless other problems, with a 12 step solution. 12 step
meetings are found all over the world, online, and on the phone making access
readily available.

This
is an amazing thing that happened in the world for psychology, sociology, and
anthropology. Hundreds of thousands of individuals are able to get help with
issues they are facing, for completely free. Each individual affects the whole
and restoration of an individual will effect the social institution of the
family, the community, and on a greater level the long term culture of any
affected group.

Social
scientist could study a society by looking at the various 12 step groups that
exist in a country or community. Each 12 step group can tell us about the
challenges that a society has. However, due to the fact that it is an anonymous
program, that strives to stay out of the public eye or have any outside
influences, it could be hard to get hard data on these groups.