Summary
Highlights
Marge Bolero Horton from UWI Mona introduces the revision workshop, noting the disruption caused by COVID-19. Encourages applications, highlighting extended deadlines and tuition fees remaining the same. Dr. Orville Beckford is introduced as the facilitator.
Dr. Beckford welcomes students and emphasizes that Unit 2 builds on Unit 1. The exam is all multiple-choice, requiring comprehensive understanding of the syllabus. He provides a question paper with answers for preparation, going back to the Cape syllabus to highlight the key areas.
Discusses population theories, starting with Malthusian theory. Population growth is influenced by birth/death rates and birth control. Malthus argues food supply increases arithmetically while population grows geometrically. Marxist critiques of Malthus focus on ignoring social relationships and capitalism's role.
Neo-Marxists propose population control through planned parenthood. The demographic transition model is explained, outlining the stages of population growth based on birth and death rates, relating these stages to the Caribbean’s historical context, including slavery.
Explores urbanization, focusing on the increase in urban areas due to migration from rural areas. Both positives, like centralized economic activities, and negatives, like urban drift and overpopulation leading to slums, are discussed in the context of Jamaica.
Transitions to crime, outlining the functionalist perspective. Crime is inevitable, reinforcing norms and values. It provides employment which acts as a warning device. Albert Cohen blamed subcultures of lower-class males because they lack access to opportunities. Merton's strain theory details the relationship and connection with poverty.
Robert K. Merton's strain theory is explained, detailing conformity, innovation (positive and negative), ritualism (positive and negative), retreatism, and rebellion as adaptations to societal goals and the means to achieve them.
Discusses poverty and development theories. World Systems Theory explains how core countries exploit peripheral countries. Brain drain and unequal relationships between developed and developing nations are explored. Includes historical context and Western dominance of international trade. Referencing Eric Williams Slavery and Capital.
Explains Arthur Lewis’s industrialization by invitation theory, which intended plug in investment gaps by offering tax incentives to foreign direct investment. Oscar Lewis focuses on the cycle of poverty, which predisposes poor people to poverty. Herbart Gans argues poverty exists because its functional for society.
Highlights economic determinism and indicators of poverty with the use of GDP, GNP, per capita income, cost of living, Gini co-efficient and the balance of payment. A test of the audience commences and a lively explanation with real world context and phone cards ensues.
This segment covers social indicators of development, health (life expectancy, infant mortality), the literacy measure in the Caribbean region, and gender development. Other factors for analysis are HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, hypertension, obesity, and the Caribbean society's perspective on mental health. An analysis from audience is reviewed and applauded.
A review of historical and modern environmental and societal issues such as climate change, Caribbean perspectives and approaches, economic and political issues, and potential future change are explored and analyzed with perspectives from audience analysis and feedback from questions from the facilitator.
This segements offers an in-depth analysis of major Caribbean social factors such as poverty and economic influencers by global companies and organizations. Final advice comes from the facilitator and the viewers on how to approach future educational opportunities and goals.
Dr. Beckford outlines the short- and long-term measures to address Caribbean social issues. A social issues call for solutions occurs with some of the participants which result in long and short term solutions being debated. In closing Dr. Berckford reviews tips for solutions, reviews the UWI campus, and opens the floor for applications.