Personal Study - Introduction

News Article Analysis - Social, Cultural and Political

Social

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/06/indian-supreme-court-decriminalises-homosexuality
This article is about the celebrations which are in order after India's supreme court have ruled to decriminalise homosexuality throughout India. A law which has been in place for 160 years, saying that homosexuality is "against the order of nature" has now been lifted. The LGBT community throughout India has been campaigning and battling for 24 years and are finally celebrating as the day has come that it is no longer a crime for this community to be themselves. This is a social article as it is about the way in which people have changed to become more accepting of a community and are beginning to see that homosexuality is not a sin. People have influenced the supreme court in recognising and starting to accept that this opinion on the LGBT community is dated and are starting to follow other countries who have also decrimalised homosexuality.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/13/scarlett-johansson-exits-trans-role-rub-and-tug&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwjrgNTXgKfdAhUzhaYKHZgtDykQFggFMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&cx=007466294097402385199:m2ealvuxh1i&usg=AOvVaw2Kh4hEUz68TTX36ZzXGVBm
This article is about how Scarlett Johansson has dropped out of a transgender role in the drama "Rub & Tug" after recieving a large amount of backlash from the transgender and LGBT communities. The backlash was recieved because people believed that the role should be played by a transgender actor and that a cis person shoild nit be cast to represent the transgender community when there are a lot of amazing trans actors that would be able to take the role. Johansson dropped out of the role commenting that it was a "real opputunity for the industry to expand on the autentic transgender portrayls". This is a social article as it comments on the issue of actors being asked to represent minority groups when they are part of a majority group. This is not the first time something like this has happened though, disability charity Scope have critisised the cast of an able-bodied actir as the lead role in Elephant Man. They commented that it was a "missed opportunity" to expand diversity in the industry.

Cultural

https://www.theguardian.com/healthcare-network/2018/jul/12/ae-children-terror-choke-polluted-air-london

This article is about pollution and how this affects the people in and around London, especially affecting the children that are in hospitals. This is a cultural problem because of the behaviour of society with the growing amount of traffic and cars that are on the road which is a cultural change due to the way that we live. In the past, people did not use to use cars regularly but with the growing popularity of not only driving but an interest in cars, pollution is a growing issue. It is a cultural article due to the change in lifestyle of people as cars have advanced and people may have to commute long distances to their jobs, it could also be down to a form of laziness with people hopping in a car to travel a short distance. These cultural changes are affecting the pollution which is especially evident in a major, capital city like London. 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/06/save-earth-disposable-coffee-cup-green
This article is how people are living a "four-plant-lifestyle" meaning that we are living as if we have four planets, not one. the number of pollutants are, in effect, destroying the earth that we are living on. We cannot maintain the way we are living as we are living in a throwaway society, with one-use plastics and products produced by corporate companies. Every person should take responsibility for the waste that they create which ultimately ends up in landfill sites or the ocean, which is a problem for our wildlife, polluting the natural habitats of sea life. This is a cultural article and a cultural change has happened which now makes us live in this "four-planet", "throw away" world. People do not think before they purchase products with large amounts of unnecessary packaging and with the invention of materials such of plastic with an inexpensive cost to manufacture, corporate companies are not switching to more environmentally, disposable materials. This cultural change in the way we live is damaging our planet.

Political

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/sep/06/white-house-anonymous-nyt-op-ed-woodward
This article is about the current state madness which the Whitehouse is in, whilst Donald Trump is in Congress. An anonymous reporter form New York Times has commented on the state of which the Whitehouse is in at the minute due to his presidency. Within the article, Donald Trump is described as a "Crazy Loon" who is "endangering the entire world". His political decisions and lack of knowledge about the world of politics are causing mayhem within America. Donald Trump has not come from a political background was voted into presidency through his clever use of social media. This is a political article as it comments on the current state of politics in America, explaining that is currently going on within the political scene. It is also interesting that it has been reported by an anonymous source, as this helps to show the current state of politics within America and how some things cannot be reported on with source as though not to upset Mr Trump.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/06/government-talks-drug-companies-medicines-stockpiling-brexit
This article is about what the effects of Brexit are going to be on vital drugs and medicines if we have a no-deal Brexit. The article talks about how the government have met with drug companies with the intention to start stockpiling important medicines and drugs, this, however, would cost £2bn. The government have said that they need to be responsible and prepared for all eventualities, resting on the upcoming decisions on Brexit which are being made. This article is a political article as it talks of the government and Brexit which is the deal of Britain exiting the European Union as chosen by a vote.