Pardoners Tale/ Beowulf Essay

The comprehension of literary history gives us insight into the past, recognition of historical events and corruption written into the works of those who were present. By including societal behaviors, political tensions, and common folklore, authors have indirectly provided the reader with a broader and deeper understanding of the literature, as well as the period in which it was written. Besides insight into society as a whole, literary history has provided future writers with models of poetic device, style and content influencing literary works in todays present. Literary history is a vehicle to understanding the past and plays a major role in its influence on literature up to and including the present day. Knowledge of historical literature gives us insight into the traditions and societal conventions of the time in which the piece was written. One outstanding example comes from Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is a literary work which enables a reader to glimpse not only the societal customs but into the savage and seemingly uncontrollable environment of the first century. In the fight between Grendel and Beowulf it appears as though Grendel is represented by the degraded form of human life attempting to gain power through violence, in his attempt to overthrow Hrothgar and take control of Heorot, he is fatally wounded by Beowulf. The Beowulf poet describes Grendel and Beowulf as â€Å"Both .. enraged, fury filled, the two who meant to control the hall. † (Beowulf 36). The fight over control of the hall, could be seen as a representation of the struggle between good and evil, or perhaps the control of the king, over uncontrollable people. Taking into account the explanation of Grendel, a reader may also reason that the dragon symbolizes a threat from outside the human realm. One notes that the dragon is not given the humanistic qualities of Grendel, he has no kin and appears to have no mortal thoughts. Due to his lack of humanistic characteristics, the reader may believe that the dragon is less representative of a human threat such as a human-like enemy. One begins to understand a little from the Anglo-Saxon period as well as some of the pagan values from reading this piece of work by the Beowulf poet. Another, much later example supporting historical representation in a literary work, in this case religious tension, is evident in Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale. The Pardoner’s Tale was written in a time when the â€Å"Age of Faith was passing into an age of skepticism and all authority was being called into question by the English public. † The church was corrupt at a time when, if anything, it should have been protecting its followers. It was making no attempt to secure faith through true belief but instead portraying salvation and redemption as an item to bought and sold by the church. In Chaucer’s description of the Pardoner’s feelings about being the absolver of sins he writes â€Å"For myn entente is not but for to winne [for my intent is not to but make money]† (Chaucer 67) . Chaucer’s use of satire and his description of the Pardoner’s morals is a deep reflection of the religious and corrupt tensions of this period in history. Literary history generates great interest in the modern world and it is also imperative that we understand it so that we are aware of its vast influence all over the world. It engulfs whole historical periods and allows the audience a glimpse into the life and times of the author. Through the reading of Beowulf a reader is able to catch a glimpse of the Pagan societal culture. In Chaucer’s poem The Pardoners Tale one can see the shift in faith from the devout, to the skeptic. Through his satire, the audience is able to grasp the idea that the world was changing. Following the line of literary history, one observes the influences of one writing style over another and can understand that it plays an important role in understanding our present world. It explains major literary traditions, movements and authors of a country and region, it also allows the audience a porthole in which to experience the past and use it to influence future literary works.

Manufacturing Technology Essay

The automated systems was best said on my end. Transfer machines, cell phones and other automated devices are used to set a communication establishment upon anyone. It’s all about producing faster and having more efficiency in the industrial world. They also help reduce costs such as a bank you have ATM’s rather than having a clerk or 2 handling your withdrawals and deposits. You also have development of apps. These apps can take pictures of your checks and deposit them from there. Also manage your accounts with transfers and payments. It’s claimed that many human interactions really don’t require the human touch to it, which is true. Transfers of virtual products and or cash don’t need to be manually human handled. The article has been developed this year, which defiantly will have a fair and accurate perspective on the manufacturing technology that we have in mind now. Timings, R., & Wilkinson, S. (2000). Manufacturing Technology (2nd ed.). 1061-2890, Harlow, Essex: Longman. In this book we come across specific detail about percentage-wise wholes in how much costs were reduced at the time of the startup in manufacturing technology. It claimed that all manufacturing technology orders dropped 20.4% at the start of its creation and then suddenly rose 9.8% later that year. Every year since then there’s been a 3% up raise since the start of it all. Having it being written 15 years ago I am heavily against this book, just due to the fact of how much our technology has advanced. The book shows how transfer machines are being held against in the workload and reducing the efficiency of work from its employees which is just a big key factor in communication. With the advancement in technology this has got to be a joke. Almost all technology is set in touch screen adaptations, faster ram processors, and larger memories to keep companies moving and cost efficient. Blaedel, K. L. â€Å"SciTech Connect: Manufacturing Technology.† SciTech Connect: Manufacturing Technology. USDOE, 1 Feb. 1997. Web. 20 Jan. 2015. This set article claims that there are 4 projects that led to the main movement of manufacturing technology. It details exactly how they got to developing such a vast movement at the time which we could easily set apart from our age having it being published over 10 years ago. It shows exactly how to â€Å"develop an understanding of fundamental fabrication process†. Heap, J. (2004). International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management (Vol. 57, pp. 156-176). Bradford, England: Emerald Group. This book had several findings of out SME’s had an early development progress against productivity and performance management throughout different AMT’s. It shows the different effects in management and what manners they had at the time to reduce operation costs and team efficiency. Acquisition of Manufacturing Technology. (2013). MENA Report, Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/docview/1419103734?accountid=27203 Throughout this article we the write to see what acquisitions were involved to establish the different types of manufacturing technology in our more recent industry. Our updated technologies have claimed to make our recent years more cost efficient and productive by over 150%! I am all up with this article because it has its cited facts and it’s only 2 years from our current date, so this would be my most supported article just due to the date it was created. Milgrom, P., & Roberts, J. (1990). The Economics of Modern Manufacturing: Technology, strategy, and organization. The American Economic Review, 511-528. In this scholarly article, we learn the economics of modern manufacturing and what came with the update at the time and how it was processed and underwent a revolution. The scholarly article stated that the â€Å"mass production model is being replaced by a vision of a flexible multiproduct firm that emphasizes quality and speedy response to market conditions while utilizing technologically advanced equipment and new forms of organization.† This was the start of a new branch in observing what could be replaced and updated with technology. I do enjoy seeing the central difference of how technology has shaped the workplace with time. Doms, M., Dunne, T., & Roberts, M. J. (1995). The Role of Technology Use in the Survival and Growth of Manufacturing Plants. International Journal of Industrial Organization, 13(4), 523-542. In this scholarly article, we come to distinguish the relationship between principal strength, how we use to come across the usage of manufacturing technology and what growth rates it came with. It stated that the main findings at the time had a mindset of higher progression rates against technology would have a far less development and production failure. Tracey, M., Vonderembse, M. A., & Lim, J. S. (1999). Manufacturing Technology and Strategy Formulation: Keys to Enhancing Competitiveness and Improving Performance. Journal of Operations Management, 17(4), 411-428. When coming across this article we see how the main set of technology was set and how that generation at the time had evolved it into a more competitive and healthier implement. As stated, â€Å"Linear Structural Equation Analysis results show that the relationships between a firm’s practices in these two areas and its competitive capabilities are found to be statistically significant and positive†, which shows me they had their own strategic role in which they followed to test out their performance and which ways they could use to improve the marketing satisfaction. Shepherd, D. A., Mcdermott, C., & Stock, G. N. (2000). Advanced Manufacturing Technology. Journal of High Technology Management Research, 11(1), 19-33. doi:10.1016/S1047- 8310(00)00019-5 We come to the instruction of AMT’s and how their benefits improved our workload and consumer satisfaction. This article shows the specific studies in how AMT’s were tested and outweighed the beneficial manufacturing firms in all over the world. The flexibility and higher efficiency claims from them outsourced many operational downfalls to provide advantage across the marketplace. Cho, K. (1993). Manufacturing Technology in Korea. Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 12(3), 216-222. doi:10.1016/0278-6125(93)90331-M Set across this article we have a different perspective having most of us live in the United States. With 32 set studies across this article it has been set that they have had an establishment of implementing local manufacturers across the nation with the support of  educational programs in technology and engineering. A different set perspective against the U.S. showing us how other countries had a different goal with maintaining manufacturing technology. Anonymous. (2011, ). TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING HEALTH CARE. Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) This article was interesting to me to see the perspective of how manufacturing technology affected the health care industry. With 2 new hospitals opening up in other countries, hospitals have set out ads over the radio and television to help drivers understand the dangers of texting while driving and the rising amount of drivers ending up in the hospital from being distracted behind the wheel. I did enjoy reading this because I do commute 80 miles a day to work on the highway and easily see how much people are distracted behind the wheel. I wouldn’t know this new advancement in technology has caused such an uprise in car accidents, enough to open new hospitals around the world.

Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights Essay In 1791, the Bill of Rights Essay, consisting of 10 amendments, was ratified into the constitution. The documents purpose was to spell out the liberties of the people that the government could not infringe upon. Considered necessary by many at the time of its development, the Bill of Rights became the cause for a huge debate between two different factions: The Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. The Federalists were those who thought that there should be a new Union created with a strong centralized government and individual regional governments. They felt that it was not necessary for there to be a bill of rights because it was implied that those rights the Constitution did not specifically state would be handed down to the states. On the other hand, the Anti-Federalists were opposed to such a form of government on the grounds that the Constitution, in which it was outlined, lacked clarity in the protections of the individuals. The Anti-Federalistswhose memory of British oppression was still fresh in their mindswanted certain rights and guarantees that were to be apart of the constitution (Glasser 1991). A clear demonstration of the Anti-Federalist attitude was performed by Samuel Bryan, who published a series of essays named the Cenitnal Essays, which assailed the sweeping power of the central government, the usurpation of state sovereignty, and the absence of a bill of rights guaranteeing individual liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion (Bran 1986). Of course, the freedoms stated above are a portion and not the whole of The Bill of Rights. Ultimately, The Bill of Rights was adopted to appease the Anti-Federalists, whose support was necessary to ratify the constitution, and who believed that without the liberties granted therein, the new constitutionthat they thought was vague and granted too much power to the central governmentwould give way to an elite tyrannical government. The purpose of The Bill of Rights is to protect U. S. citizens from abuse of power that may be committed by the different areas of their government. It does this by expressing clear restrictions on the three braches of government laid out previously in the Constitution. As stated by Hugo Black, Associate Justice to the Supreme Court: The bill of rights protects people by clearly stating what government cant do by describing the procedures that government must follow when bringing its powers to bear against any person with a view to depriving him of his life, liberty, or property (Black 1960).' Each amendment either states what the government cannot do or limits its powers by providing certain procedures that it must abide by. To provide a few examples, one must take a closer look at some of these amendments. The First Amendment to the Constitution dictates that Congress shall make no law, which establishes a national religion, prohibits free speech or press, or which prevents the right to assemble or petition the government. In the language used, it expressly prohibits the legislative branch from making laws which would impose on the rights that were given to the people. According to Hugo Black, The Framers were well aware that the individual rights they sought to protect might be easily nullified if subordinated to the general powers granted to Congress. One of the reasons for adoption of the Bill of Rights was to prevent just that (Black 1960). The Third Amendment states that the right to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure shall not be infringed. Again, this amendment is laying down restrictions on what government has power to do. Amendment Six provides the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, and to have compulsory process for obtaining Witnesses in his favor, and to have Assistance of Counsel for his defense. This amendment states that if you are accused of a crime, you must have certain rights reserved which the courts are obliged to uphold. Furthermore, it outlines regulations that they must follow in order to protect those rights, such as obtaining witnesses and providing an impartial jury. The Eighth Amendment prevents the government from imposing excessive bail or fines and says cruel or unusual punishments, shall .

Plan for growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Plan for growth - Essay Example JCPenney has become a digital leader as well by advancing jcpenney.com website’s mobile commerce functionality. The website provides its customers with suitable and convenient shopping options using which, they can get the merchandise shipped to their homes. JCPenney’s current efforts are directed at developing an enterprise-wide inventory network that would make its customer service more efficient in terms of reduced delivery time. You have rightly pointed out that understanding the way customers like to receive communications is an essential element of growth and social strategy of any business. Nevertheless, having realized that young customers make a large part of the company’s customer base, JCPenney has directed its attention toward attracting younger customers by introducing more in-store attractions popular among young generation that can be exclusively found at JCPenney. The chief financial officer of JCPenney reflects upon the company’s growth st rategy and the ensuing increase in profitability saying, â€Å"By successfully focusing on our core business strengths, we delivered three consecutive quarters of positive sales and developed a strong foundation for growth† (Record cited in JCPenney,

Psychology insight paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Psychology insight paper - Essay Example Reflection, Integration, Application   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I’ve gotten to notice this girl in my study hall who seems to possess the characteristics of a stereotypical ‘intelligent’ girl. She walks steadily along the hall way; her feet seem to follow an invisible straight line. She opens the classroom door, lets out a shy smile, then blurts out a few hi’s and hello’s to other students on the way to her seat. She sits upright with both feet lying flatly on the floor. In calculated movements, she opens the bag, takes out a thicker-than-average book, and begins to read. Her head starts to move right, left, and, occasionally, up to pause without getting interrupted by conversations in the background. I’ve gotten the impression that she is an intelligent girl because she fits the stereotype. This observation got me thinking about class stereotypes, how they are shaped, and the reasons why people do/don’t believe in the m.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I began to look inward and discovered some realizations in trying to figure out why it’s so easy for me to notice distinct characteristics in people and them lump together those characteristics in stereotypical categories,. As a person I’m pretty much observant and mindful of my surroundings.

The relevance of Mutual Funds & their development over time Literature review

The relevance of Mutual Funds & their development over time - Literature review Example Whereas no legal definition exists for the phrase â€Å"mutual fund†, it is regularly used to refer only to those combined vehicles mostly under regulation and that the general public can buy. Mutual funds are at times known as â€Å"registered investment companies† or â€Å"registered companies†. It is important to note that hedge funds cannot be called mutual funds since they primarily cannot be bought by public (Bogle, 2010). Open-ended funds-these are funds that are accessible for subscription and therefore can be redeemed on a constant basis. These types of mutual funds are usually accessible for subscription all through the year and hence investors can trade the units at NAV correlated prices. Open-ended funds lack a fixed or a definite maturity date and one of the key aspects of them is liquidity. Close-ended funds on the other hand are funds that have a defined or definite maturity period such as 3 to 6 years. Close-ended funds are thus open for subscription for a particular period at the point of first launch. Normally, these funds are usually listed on a renowned stock exchange (Northcott, 2009). Interval funds-these funds merge the aspects of close-ended and open-ended funds. Interval funds can be traded on stock exchanges and are usually open for redemption or sale at preset intervals on the existing NAV. The following are types of funds that are on the basis of investment objectives. These include; Equity/growth funds-these funds invest a main part of their corpus in stocks and represent the biggest class of mutual funds. Nevertheless, there are numerous kinds of equity funds since there are several various kinds of equities. Equity funds can be categorized on the basis of either the size of the firms invested in or the manager’s investment style. They can be classified as value, growth and blend. Value in this case may

Integral Quantity Data types Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Integral Quantity Data types - Essay Example Yes, we can represent integers bigger than what int allows. Basically, integers have limit up to 2,147,483,647, and if we want to show number greater than this we have two options. We can use long or BigInteger. In this scenario, the limit for long is 9,223,372,036,854,775,807. For storing space and increasing the time of execution of program Java provides two data types (TutorialPoints, 2014; Oracle Corporation, 2014). Yes, for representing arbitrarily large integers we can use two other options: BigInteger and BigDecimal. However, it is not default because we write small programs in which our integer values can easily store and take less space. Hence, if BigDecimal or BigInteger becomes default it will require more space and the program execution will require additional time. Due to this reason there is not a single representation of integral quantities (TutorialPoints, 2014; Oracle Corporation,

Should college athletes be paid Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Should college athletes be paid - Research Paper Example These athletics provides an opportunity for post secondary education that could provide the beneficiaries a successful transition into professionalism. However, college athletics also comes with challenges, both personal and academic as documented by Block. Even so, there has been a concern for the well-being of college athletes from as early as 1905 as cited by Kissinger and Miller (2). There are arguments for and against paying college athletes which need to be well understood before making a decision on which argument to follow. There is a body of debaters who argue that college athletes should not be paid. This argument is based on the fact that paying such students would result in unfairness to the rest of the students. According to Hartnett, a college athlete gets a scholarship amounting to $25,000 per year for a full Division 1. This amounts to $100,000 in four years. Though the National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA argues that such scholarships only cover tuition, fees, textbooks and boarding, this has been noted to give college athletes greater advantage over the other students. They receive greater aid than average students. Secondly, college athletes are already being paid through scholarships and should not be paid any further than that. To put this into context, Block compares this scholarship to unpaid internship. This opinion columnist argues that students in unpaid internships get no pay but still undertake such internships for the soft skills. On the contrary, college athletes get financial reward in form of scholarship. This is a form of payment for college athletes and therefore, colleges should not spend any finances paying them. Finally, paying college athletes would widen the disparity between smaller and larger universities or colleges. This would be exhibited through their athletics teams. In support of this argument, Block argues that larger universities which earn more revenue would have the ability of buying

Are No-Suicide Contracts Effective in Nursing Practice Essay

Are No-Suicide Contracts Effective in Nursing Practice - Essay Example There are different thoughts in a patient’s head and psychologically the act provides the patient with a different mindset. In a sense, it assists in the fuelling positive thoughts in a patient. The no-suicide act also provides patients with a means of attaining assistance. Many patients suffer from severe emotional stress and they are unsure of what to do with their lives. The act provides the patients with reasonable steps they can take when they begin to feel suicidal. The use of the suicide act hinders different interventions as much faith may be placed on this method. Many studies state that nurses become less competent in the presence of a no-suicide contract. As the nurses are reluctant to implement other approaches, they may overlook obvious and much better intervention methods Apart from being able to detect early suicidal warning signs, the nurse should also be able to detect warning signs in the patient’s history (depression, drug abuse, recent divorce or unemployment, psychiatric disorders). The nurse should refer the patient to psychiatric department if he or she detects warning signs of suicide (verbalization- â€Å"I can’t live like this any longer†; reckless behavior; giving away valued possessions and abuse of narcotics) 8. Please develop 3 nursing interventions for the patient’s plan of care that are each directly related to the identified nursing diagnoses. Please include a rationale for each nursing intervention. Establishment of a therapeutic relationship with the patient. The nurse must be fully aware of the patient’s condition in order to understand the history of the problems and the different approaches taken in the past. The nurse must also understand the patient and his or her attitudes towards the current situation. Validation of the patient’s thoughts towards his or her condition. This is useful in establishing the relationship between the nurse and patient. It also assures the client that the

Bronze Age in Ireland Essay Example for Free

Bronze Age in Ireland Essay The arrival of the Bronze Age in Ireland was a gradual process, as there is no sharp division between the last Stone Age and the early Bronze Age. The Bronze Age is broken up into three groups including the Early Bronze Age, Middle Bronze Age, and Late Bronze Age. Nevertheless there is a general agreement that the Bronze Age started around 2000 B. C. and lasted until about 500 B. C.  As the era suggests, it was the new metal work technology practiced most effectively by the Beaker people in the north-eastern part of the country that caught the attention and imagination of those with artistic talents. As well as that it was the transition of the use of a different harder heavier metal from stone. Armor, weapons, daggers, and awls area few of the new items produced. The Bronze Age cannot be denied as a time of development. Gold items were also produced however there were mainly for ceremonial or decorative purposes. Silver, copper, and gold of which were the raw materials were all found around Ireland including West Cork, Tipperary, and Wicklow. The knowledge of how to make bronze came to Ireland from Europe. It is made from an alloy of tin and copper. The copper was mined in Ireland, chiefly in county Kerry at Ross Island; however the tin was imported from Britain, which is believed to have been obtained by a trading of gold already available in Ireland. Due to the richness of copper and gold in the country, Ireland had developed great trading power which was most definitely used to its greatest advantage. This is evident because Irish Bronze and gold objects are found in many parts of Western Europe. (Appreciation and history of Art). There are a mass quantity of many spectacular pieces of gold jewelry from this era that has been found over the years however many have been known to been lost or destroyed. The majority being found in bog land. The beginning of this time was more considered a Copper age as it was the main use. But later on, the introduction of tin made it possible to forge better and more sophisticated tools and weapons from the new alloy. However these tools and weapons would have been available to just a few sections of society and this brought about social changes which saw hierarchies established with the ownership and access to the new metal being the overriding factor in where one ranked in this hierarchy.

The African Union And Its Potential Politics Essay

The African Union And Its Potential Politics Essay On the 23rd of April 2007, an article was published in the New York Times entitled Africas Crisis of Democracy, which discussed the troubled presidential elections in Nigeria. According to analysts and observers, Nigeria was moving down a worrying path. Politicians and voters alike were becoming more and more disillusioned and started to lose confidence in the Nigerian political system and in democracy as a whole. Peter Lewis, director of African Studies Program at the John Hopkins University, was one of the researchers that conducted a survey on African public opinion and he ascertained that the political scenes in different African countries differed strongly from one another, especially during elections and in their aftermath. He stated that some countries have vibrant political scenes, while others go through the routine of elections but governance doesnt seem to improve (New York Times 2007).Lewis used the information generated through the survey to confirm the claim that people s confidence in democracy has drastically decreased. The results of survey showed that there was a 13 percent decrease, from 58 percent to 45 percent, in trust in a democratic political system since 2001 (New York Times 2007). Nigerias 2007 presidential elections were plagued by chaos, violence and fraud. These phenomena are not only present in Nigerian politics, but form a reoccurring theme in African politics in general. Many African democracies, according to Western standards, can be characterized as failed. In an article written by Ali Mazrui, states are claimed to be failed when they are unable to meet the following six criteria: exercise sovereign control over their territory; supervise their resources; effectively and rationally extract revenue from people, goods and services; build and maintain an adequate national infrastructure; provide for basic services like sanitation, education and healthcare; and lastly, states are bookmarked as failed if they are unable to bring up the capacity for governance and maintenance of law and order (Mazrui 1995: 28-29). Keeping these criteria in mind, it may be cautiously concluded that many African states are in trouble. The Angolan government can be drawn upon a s a relevant example; the government lost sovereign control over many regions of the country and as a result of this, the government also lost control over many of its resources, infrastructure and revenue (Mazrui 1995: 29). Apart from Angola, many other African states are unable to effectively control many of their countrys resources and set up an effective tax system. The consequences of these failings are that states become paralyzed by the lack of income and therefore cannot exercise their duty to provide basic services for their people, or even worse, a crisis of governance ensues. In the search for an overarching solution to these national problems, many scholars and heads of state have looked in the direction of the African Union (AU) to offer some relief and support. But what kind of organization is the AU and how can it be expected to help in solving structural political, economic and social problems that African states have? In this paper, an attempt will be made to answer these questions. Understanding Africas History It is important to understand the historical background of the African continent before even attempting to formulate a possible solution for the structural political and economic problems that the African states face today. Before colonialism and the formation of African nation states, the different regions of the continent were ruled by tribes with different ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Due to these differences, the tribes were often in conflict with each other over, amongst others, their territorial boundaries. Therefore, it could be said that there were already significant political centers and territorial division based on the heritage of common identity. During the scramble for Africa, the African continent was divided along the straight edge of a ruler, completely disregarding the already existing political formations and territorial divisions. Logically, the political elites of pre-colonial Africa had different political practices which strongly differed from those of the West, specifically on their concept of sovereignty. First of all, in the different regions of pre-colonial Africa control was exercised over people rather than land and secondly, political practices tended to be shared amongst the different political elites. That being said, it was not uncommon for different communities to have allegiances to a number of political centers (Herbst 1996-1997: 127-128). The political landscape of pre-colonial Africa was a web of territorial boundaries, defined by ethnic differences, and political allegiances to more than one political center. With the coming of Western imperialism these already existing divisions were abruptly disturbed. The initial transition from colonial status to independence in many African states proceeded quite swiftly and without major problems. This relatively peaceful transition can be attributed to the fact that in the last years of colonization, many of the leading African political figures were, for most parts, already in charge of their countries affairs (Emerson 1962: 277). After the abolition of colonialism, it was widely assumed that Africans would undo the boundaries that were set by the imperialists, but this did not happen. Also, the political structures introduced by the colonial intruders stayed intact. There were a few important reasons for why the expected territorial and political change did not occur in African countries. The first was that the leading political figures needed the state structure left behind by the West, because if the structure of the Western state was removed, there were no fitting alternatives that could compensate for it (Emerson 1962: 276). The only eff ective political structures present in Africa were the tribes, but these were of too small a scale to be of any significance (Emerson 1962: 276). Second, the inherited state system was in itself very fragile because of the absence of old-established political entities and robust communities which could lend stability the states (Emerson 1962: 279). Nevertheless, allowing the tribes to take over power as dominant elements, would have spiraled African countries into a state partial, if not total anarchy (Emerson 1962: 279). After colonialism, African states were left with a fractured internal situation. Many different tribes had been lumped together in attempt to achieve an easy governable unit, but in doing so, colonialism left behind great internal divisions that needed to be overcome in order for the states to function effectively. Apart from internal unity, the political elites of many new African states tried to achieve African unity through the ideology of Pan-Africanism. The most simplest and satisfactory definition of the phenomenon Pan-Africanism is that all Africans have a spiritual affinity with each other and that, having suffered together in the past, they must march together into a new and brighter future (Emerson 1962: 280). This idea of a united Africa and a shared African destiny sparked the initiative of the organization of Africas political elites into an intergovernmental organization. They joined forces in what was first known as the Organization of African Unity (OAU). However, the establishment of the OAU did not come to pass without a struggle, for there were definite differences in the objectives of the political elites that participated. There was a distinct schism between the post-colonial African states who envisioned an African partnership; the states were divided into two groups, the Casablanca and the Monrovia group. These two groups had slightly different ideological backgrounds, with the Casablanca group being more radical and the Monrovia group taking in moderate position. The Casablanca group envisioned a new Political Kingdom in which the participating states gave up most of their sovereignty, whilst the Monrovia group held firmly to the concepts of state sovereignty and self-determi nation in a partnership with other African countries. After long and numerous deliberations, these groups were dissolved by the establishment of the OAU in 1963 in Addis Ababa (BBC News 2001). However, in 2002 the OAU was replaced by a new organization, the AU, because the OAU was judged to be no longer adequate for the region (Packer and Rukare 2002: 365). The Constitutive Act of the African Union entered into force on May 26, 2001. The OAU as well as the AU were in part set up to help overcome the ethnic and social cleavages within the different African states, but before continuing with a further analysis of the AU and in which way it differs from the OAU and other intergovernmental organizations, it is important to broaden our understanding of these ethnic and social differences, and in which way they undermine a strong and legitimate state structure. In the case of Africa, overcoming these cleavages has proven to be quite difficult. The colonial era has left a deep mark on the African continent; because the imperialists divided the continent without taking the already existing divisions into account, many of the post-colonial African states are plagued by civil wars and unrest. The lack of an overarching national identity and the weak nature of the state system do not help in resolving the problem. What is needed is the reactivation of communalism; a common denominator which many, if not all Africans can rel ate to. According to Julius Nyerere, this may be found by introducing the ideas and beliefs of African socialism to all African communities. In a speech he made on the 13th of July 1966, Nyerere spoke of the difficulties that the formation of African unity faces. The development of the individual nation states will always be more important than the development of an African unity, because of the obligations that national governments have towards their people. This does not only pertain to political development, but also to the development of the national economy. So, when national governments take steps to develop themselves, it is inevitable that they will be taking a step way from African unity (Nyerere 1965 1967: 210). Nevertheless, Nyerere still believed that unity within and between states was possible; internal conflict and disunity can be overcome by the promotion of nationhood (Nyerere 1965 1967: 209) and an African unity can be achieved by deliberately moving to unity in every int er-state action (Nyerere 1965 1967: 210). In the Arusha Declaration of 1967, the precise ideology that formed the bases for African socialism were laid down. A few of the most important elements of the Declaration were: the absence of exploitation, the major means of production and exchange were in the hands of the peasants and the workers, the existence of a democracy and the conviction that socialism was a belief and not just an ideology (Nyerere 1965 1967: 233-234). There are many more important statements in the Arusha Declaration, the one just as important as the other, but they all amount to the following: respect thy neighbor as you would want to be respected, because all men are equal irrespective of race, religion or status and all share the responsibility of building up a strong nation state, through hard work and intelligence, that is free from poverty and inequality. Research Question The main purpose of this paper is to first of all understand what type of organization the AU is and if it can be compared to any existing inter-governmental or supra-national organizations. As the saying goes, with which one of these geese does the AU flock? After determining its nature, a further analysis of the Unions potential will be set out. The concrete research question is formulated as follows: What type of organization is the African Union and in which way can it contribute in solving any of the structural political, economic, and social problems Africa has? Employing a predominantly qualitative methodology, which will take the form of a literary analysis, this paper will try to answer the research question by first answering a few sub categories or questions. First, the AU and its goals will be compared to that of its predecessor: the OAU. After that, a short comparison with the UN and the EU will be made in order to determine what kind of structure the AU has. Then, the potential of the AU will be discussed by focusing on its Charter and the areas in which it succeeds and those where it fails. By using academic papers, commission reports of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty, the official website of different organizations, books and other sources, the objectives of this paper will hopefully be achieved. Comparing structures From the Organization of African Unity to the African Union The OAU On 25th of May, the OAU was established in Addis Ababa on the stool of Pan-Africanist ideals (Department of International Relations and Cooperation 2002). The basic ideas that underpinned the establishment of the organization was that African states needed to be strongly united against colonial oppression and racism, and also needed to improve the lives of the African peoples. Starting off with 32 member states, the OAU grew over the years to eventually gain a total of 53 member states. Unfortunately, by its fifteenth anniversary, the organization was seen to have failed in achieving its set goals: responding to serious intra-African conflicts and to act against foreign intervention (Packer and Rukare 2002: 365). Also, the OAU was plagued by an internal schism between radical (the Casablanca group) and moderate member states (the Monrovia group). Adding to this list of setbacks was the fact that many member states were troubled by a worsening economic situation. There was a drastic a nd immediate need for reform mainly because the contemporary challenges of the continent had changed. By 1988, the goal of eradicating colonialism and bringing forth independence in Africa was almost completely achieved. Still, the economic crisis was a very significant problem which was not being dealt with adequately, mainly due to two important principles in the OAU charter. The first was the sovereign equality of all member states and the second was the non-interference in the international affairs of states (The OAU Charter 1963: 4). According to experts, these two principles needed to be revised (Packer and Rukare 2002: 367). To say the least, the OAU was thwarted by the boundaries set by its own charter. The insistence of the OAU to maintain the territorial boundaries that were set by the colonizers prevented it from taking action in territorial claims, but also the insistence of upholding the two principles stated above restricted the OAU in intervening in many of its member states to stop economic degradation. The organization was also structurally and functionally weak, particularly with regard to the secretariat and the secretary-general (Packer and Rukare 2002: 369). The insignificant authority of the secretary-general made it impossible for him to supervise peacekeeping operations and act as negotiator in resolving conflicts. Furthermore, it was extremely difficult to achieve consensus in the OAU Assembly, because the member states were often unable to transcend their national interests (Packer and Rukare 2002: 369). The final problem that the OAU faced was chronic underfunding. In spite of all these problems and the proposal for the reform of the OAU, the African political elites chose to establish a new organization (the AU) instead of reforming the OAUs structure and revising its Charter. The important question that comes to mind is whether the AU can overcome the weaknesses of that the OAU and its Charter faced. The AU In 2002, the AU was established and replaced the OAU. The principle goal of the AU was to protect the security of the continent, rather than the sovereignty of individual states (Hanson 2009: 1). This is the first and foremost difference between the AU and the OAU, but the AU also plays an increasingly high-profile role in peacekeeping (Hanson 2009); another area where the OAU failed. The main objectives of the AU are the increase of development; combat poverty and corruption; and ending as many of Africas problem as possible (Hanson 2009). As one of the only international organizations in the world, the AU recognizes the right to intervene in the affairs of its member states on humanitarian and human rights grounds (Hanson 2009). These guidelines were based on the recommendations of a report entitled: The Responsibility to Protect. The report stated that sovereign state have the responsibility to protect their own citizen from avoidable catastrophe from mass murder and rape, from starvation- but when they are unwilling or unable to do so, that responsibility must be borne by the broader community of states (ICISS 2001: VIII). This key principle sets the AU apart from all other international organizations, including its predecessor the OAU. The European Union and the United Nations The European Union (EU) is an economic and political international organization founded under its current name in 1993. The objectives of the EU are the promotion of economic and social progress and the representation and assertion of the European identity on the international scene (NATO publications 2001). The EU hopes to achieve and maintain economic progress through the creation of a boarder-free Europe with an economic and monetary union, strongly represented by a single currency. On the issue of social progress, the EU promotes economic and social cohesion between its member states (NATO publications 2001). The EU asserts its identity on the international scene through a Common Foreign and Security policy as well as a common defense policy (NATO publications 2001). A commonality share with the AU is the basic principles of respect for national identities, democracy and fundamental human rights (NATO publications 2001). The United Nations (UN), founded in 1945 after the Second World War, is an international organization that tries to maintain international peace and security; develop friendly relations between nations; and promote social progress and better living standards (UN: website). The UN also tries to safeguard the human rights of all the world citizens (UN: website). The UN has a unique international character that assists in the Union in reaching every corner of the world. Apart from peacekeeping and international security, the UN also works on a broad range of fundamental issues from sustainable development to the promotion of democracy (UN: website). While both the EU and the UN are both inter-governmental organizations, the EU takes on the form of a more supra-national organization. Both of these organizations were also created through the decision of different states to cooperate in order to serve over-arching purposes in different issue areas. Nevertheless, the UN is able to tackle more problems than the EU, because it is not bound to one specific area of the globe. Also, the EU has the power to sanction its European member states to comply with the made agreements, by for instance threatening with economic sanctions. While the UN strives to achieve equality and respect for human rights, the EU is mainly concerned with regional economic integration. The African Union tends to resemble the UN more that the EU. Even though the AU can only have member states within a certain geographical area like the EU, the AU still lacks the power to force its member states into compliance due to the lack of legitimacy. This legitimacy can only be attained if and when member states agree to give up a part of their sovereignty to the AU. Also, the issue areas with which that AU is concerned include other issue beside economic integration. In concurrence with the UNs objectives, the AU also takes on the responsibility of peacekeeping role and promotes social progress and unity within and between the different African states. Even though the AU was intended to be somewhat of a supra-national organization, it still has a long way to going before it is able to reach its fully functional and reaches its true potential. The African Unions Potential and Shortcomings As stated above, the main objective of the AU is to protect the security of the African continent and promote African unity. The AU has embarked on a number of peacekeeping missions under the inquisitive eyes of Western observers, who were not too convinced of the ability of the AU peacekeepers. Amongst the achievements of the AU are a number of successful interventions in a few of the member states (Hanson 2009). The 2008 intervention in Anjouan resulted in the successful expulsion of the Islands separatist leader (Hanson 2009), and the 2003 intervention in Burundi by the AU was acknowledged as a success by the international community. Still, the AU has more shortcomings than it has successes. The short life span and experience of the AU in peacekeeping lead to an unsuccessful intervention in Somalia and Sudan. This failure can be attributed to the lack of sufficient political and material support. Like the OAU, the AU faced a number of organizational and financial barriers as well as the same tremendous challenges with respect to poverty and civil war. The inability to effectively organize regional economic communities, on which the AU was also dependent for funds, was another one of the numerous shortcomings of this relatively young organization (Hanson 2009). As things stand, the AU is still somewhat fragile but has all the makings of an effective organization. In order to achieve its full potential a number of obstacles need to be overcome: the first and most important being the financial boundaries that it faces. In order to overcome this boundary, that AU needs to invest in strengthening the economic community on which it is reliant for funds. Furthermore, it needs to find new ways of generating fund from the international community. The second obstacle that stands in the way of an effective AU is the successful cooperation between the political elites of the different member states. Only when consensus is reached between the political elites of the member states, can the AU act in uniformity. Conclusion: Answering the Research Question The research question that this paper intends to answer is: What type of organization is the African Union and in which way can it contribute in solving any of the structural political, economic, and social problems Africa has? Before initiating the analysis on the similarities and differences between the AU and other international organizations, the relevance of ethnic and social differences within the different African states was discussed. This was an important starting point, because the problems that ensued from these ethnic and social cleavages were partially the reason for the establishment of the AU. The fragile state systems, left behind by the imperialists, were unable to fortify their legitimacy strengthen their institutional structure, partially due to the absence of internal unity. One solution to this problem was put forth by Julius Nyerere in the form of African socialism, which advocated national communalism which would unite Africans at the national levels and unit Africa as a whole. After ascertaining the relevance of the social and ethnic cleavages, the AU, OAU, EU and the UN were compare with each other in order to uncover what kind of organization the AU was. The AU was discovered to share the most resemblance with the UN and therefore, like the UN, tends to be more of an inter-governmental organization than a supra-national one. In answering the next part of the research question in which way the AU can contribute in solving any of the structural, economic and social problems of Africa the potential and shortcomings of the AU were discussed. The AU has a very promising structure, but the organization still has a long way to go before it is fully functional. Therefore, it can be cautiously concluded that if the with the coming of years and through the overcoming of the many obstacles it faced, the AU will be able to make a relevant contribution to solving some of Africas many problem.

Free College Essays - Our Town by Thornton Wilder :: Wilder Our Town Essays

Our Town by Thornton Wilder The Stage Manager is a man of many roles. Usually a stage manager is part of the non-acting staff and in complete charge of the bodily aspects of the production. In Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, the Stage Manager goes well beyond his usual function in a play and undertakes a large role as a performer. In Our Town the Stage Manager is a narrator, moderator, philosopher, and an actor. Through these roles the Stage Manager is able to communicate the theme of universality in the play. The main role of the Stage Manager is that of narrator and moderator. He keeps the play moving by capsule summations and subtle hints about the future. "I’ve married over two-hundred couples in my day. Do I believe in it? I don’t know? M†¦.marries N†¦.millions of them. The cottage, the go-cart, the Sunday-afternoon drives in the Ford, the first rheumatism, the grandchildren, the second rheumatism, the deathbed, the reading of the will-once in a thousand times it’s in teresting"(699). Here the Stage Manager is giving insight about George and Emily’s future. He is hinting about their life and fate to come. "Goin’ to be a great engineer, Joe was. But the war broke out and he died in France. All that education for nothing" (673). The incidents discussed about are great events in George, Emily, and Joe’s lives. The Stage Manage emphasizes that the short things in these people’s lives are overlooked. There isn’t realization that it is the small parts of their lives that make a difference. His role as narrator differs from most narration. The Stage Manager’s narration shows casualness. The casualness connects the Stage Manager to the audience. "Presently the STAGE MANAGER, hat on and pipe in mouth†¦he has finished setting the stage and leaning against the right proscenium pillar watches the late arrivals in the audience."(671) The informality is evident since he smokes a pipe, wear s a hat, and leans formally against the proscenium pillar. He also greets and dismisses the audience at the beginning and end of each act. The stage manager interrupts daily conversation on the street. The Stage Manager enters and leaves the dialog at will. He is also giving the foresight of death in the play. His informality in dress, manners, and speech, connects the theme, universality, of the production to the audience.

Reggae Icons, Jamaican Culture, and Homophobia Essay -- Essays Papers

Reggae Icons, Jamaican Culture, and Homophobia "The world is in trouble/Anytime Buju Banton come/ Batty boy get up and run/ ah gunshot in ah head man/Tell dem crew†¦ it’s like/ Boom bye bye, in a batty boy head, rude boy nah promote no nasty man, them hafi dead." The average member of the reggae dancehall culture knows the message that this song is sending to its listeners. However, without a translation these lyrics do not mean a thing to someone who is not familiar with this culture and the vocabulary of dancehall artists. Translated the lyrics read: "The world is in trouble/When Buju Banton arrives/Faggots have to run/Or get a bullet in the head /Bang-bang, in a faggot’s head/Homeboys don’t condone nasty men/They must die." These lyrics from the song "Boom Bye Bye" by Buju Banton personify the manner in which the reggae dancehall culture of Jamaica views homosexuals. These lyrics will always be part of dancehall history because of the controversy they started amongst the homosexual North American community, who were offended by Buju Banton’s lyrics. The controversy brought about the question of whether this was a problem due to cultural differences or a hate crime against a group that is considered a minority, homosexuals. This song brings forth issues and different beliefs that are present in the Jamaican culture that contradicts those of the North American culture. The lyrics of dancehall reggae music in Jamaica seem to encourage the taunting and violence towards homosexuals. Of course it is normal for most reggae songs to deal with the social concerns and religious beliefs of Jamaicans because it is a big representation of the Jamaican culture. Homosexuals are looked down upon as outcasts because of their sexuality. Homop... ...ut his culture. I believe anyone, not only musicians, but any artist should be able to express themselves and their beliefs through their work. If it is the norm in your society to believe something is wrong then how can you expect a prominent artist to express himself in a manner that goes against the norm of his society. Personally I believe that he is signing about his culture and no one, no matter what the situation, should be criticized for expressing his or her beliefs. In conclusion the deeply rooted homophobia that is mistakably reflected in Banton’s lyrics and that, more importantly, pervades the Jamaican society, is a very controversial issue. Not only is there the question of whether Banton is correct because he is singing about his culture but despite the fact that he is expressing his beliefs does he have any right to threaten the lives of human beings.

Agoraphobia and its Impact on a Persons Life Essay example -- Agoraph

Agoraphobia and its Impact on a Person's Life A phobic disorder is marked by a persistent and irrational fear of an object or situation that presents no realistic danger. Agoraphobia is an intense, irrational fear or anxiety occasioned by the prospect of having to enter certain outdoor locations or open spaces. For example, busy streets, busy stores, tunnels, bridges, public transportation and cars. Traditionally agoraphobia was solely classified as a phobic disorder. However, due to recent studies it is now also viewed as a panic disorder. Panic disorders are characterised by recurrent attacks of overwhelming anxiety that usually occur suddenly and unexpectedly (Weiten, 1998). For a person diagnosed with agoraphobia, there are a number of restrictions and consequences associated with the disorder. A serious consequence is the incidence of severe and paralysing panic attacks. In the early stages of agoraphobia people suffer recurring panic attacks when in certain public places or situations. These attacks cause the person to feel generally uncomfortable in public settings. Eventually, fear of the recurrence of the panic attacks results in an obvious reluctance or refusal to enter all situations associated with the attacks. Other consequences of agoraphobia may include fear of being alone, fear of being in places where escape might be difficult, feelings of helplessness, dependence on others and depression. These consequences place many serious restrictions on a person with this disorder. Agoraphobia causes people to restrict their activities to smaller and smaller areas in order to avoid crowds, and open and public places or situations. This may finally lea d to the inability of a person to leave their home without suffering a panic attack. As with all other phobias, agoraphobia is often acquired through classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus (Weiten, 1998). Describing and explaining exactly how agoraphobia is acquired can be achieved by identifying the antecedents of the phobia. Antecedents are the events that precede a particular response. In the case of agoraphobia, this response is a panic attack. Agoraphobia is essentially anxiety of three kinds, phobic anxiety, panic anxiety (the panic attacks), and phobic a... ...hobic pattern has been broken (Weiten, 1998). The procedures leading to the acquisition and elimination of agoraphobia are based on a number of behavioural principles. The underlying principle is that of classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus (Weiten, 1998). Eliminating agoraphobia is basically achieving self-control through behaviour modification. Behaviour modification is systematically changing behaviour through the application of the principles of conditioning (Weiten, 1998). The specific principle used here is systematic desensitisation. The two basic responses displayed are anxiety and relaxation, which are incompatible responses. Systematic desensitisation works by reconditioning people so that the conditioned stimulus elicits relaxation instead of anxiety. This is called counterconditioning. Counterconditioning is an attempt to reverse the process of classical conditioning by associat ing the crucial stimulus with a new conditioned response (Weiten, 1998). This technique's effectiveness in eliminating agoraphobia is well documented.

Informative essy

The gang is notorious for its flamboyant use of the color blue. Wearing blue any and everywhere, gang members often get heckled by the police. The Crips are known to have an intense and bitter rivalry with the Bloods and various surrounding gangs. They are also locked in an ongoing struggle over the drug trade with the Vice Lords. Raymond initially called the gang the Baby Avenues in an attempt to emulate older gangs and the activities carried out by the Black Panthers; Raymond was fascinated with the movement of the Black Panthers.The Gang renamed itself the Avenue Cribs and then took on the nickname the Cribs, because of the young age of members. The name Crips was first introduced in the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper in a description by crime victims of young men with canes, as if they were crippled. Resources state, it could have Just been a misspelling error, either way the name stuck, and the Crips were officially Born Gangsters. Stanley Tookie Williams, generally acknowledged as co-founder of the Crips, started his own gang called the Westside Crips. Crip meaning â€Å"Community Revolution In Progress†.The Crips became popular throughout southern Los Angeles as more youth gangs Joined; at one point they outnumbered non-crip gangs by 3 to 1, sparking disputes with non-crip gangs, including the L. A. Brims, Athens Parks Boys, the Bishops and the Denver Lanes. The Crips eventually became the most powerful gang in California. In response, all of the other rival gangs, including the Pirus, formed an alliance that later became the Bloods. Along with friends, Williams and Washington created the initial intent of continuing the revolutionary ideology of the 960s.These aspirations were unattainable because of a general lack of political leadership and guidance. Washington and Williams were never able to develop an agenda for social change within the community. By 1971 the gang's notoriety had spread across Los Angeles. The Gang became increasingly violent as they attempted to expand their turf. By the early 1980s the gang was heavily involved with drug trade, majority being crack cocaine. In 1971, a Crip set on Piru Street, Compton known as the Piru Street Boys was formed.After two years of peace, a feud began between he Piru Street Boys and the other Crip sets. It would later turn violent as gang warfare ensued between former allies. This battle continued until the mid 1970s when the Piru Street Boys wanted to call an end to the violence and called a meeting witn other gangs that were targeted by the Crips. Atter a long discussion, the Pirus broke off all connections to the Crips and started an organization that would later be called the Bloods, a street gang infamous for its rivalry with the Crips.For many years, Crips were characterized by their tendency to wear blue in order to easily dentify each other. One suggested origin of the selected color is traced to the school colors of Washington High School in South L. A. Another the ory is the co-founder, Stanley Williams, had a good and close friend called â€Å"Buddha†, who wore blue shirts, khakis, shoes, and a blue bandana from his back left pocket. When Buddha died, Williams made blue the Crip color in honor of Buddha.A particular set of Crips, the Grape Street Crips, have been known to wear purple in addition to blue. The Shotgun Crips are separated into three sub-sets: The Nine, 139th Street; The Foe, 134th street; nd the Deuce, 132nd street in the city of Gardena, California and have been known to wear dark green, the city color of Gardena, in addition to blue to show that the Shotgun Crips are from Gardena. Crips also wear blue bandanas and British Knights sport shoes, which the Crips use BK as a acronym meaning â€Å"Blood Killas†.

A Culture of Resistance: The Chipko Movement

Society as a collective entity could easily influenced an individual but in the same manner the society could also be shaped by people. This is exemplified through the idea of cultutral resistance which is a political activity that enables individual to create or change political discourse and eventually political practices (Duncombe, 2002). The Chipko Movement of India is a good example to better understand this.The Chipko Andolan also known as hugged the trees movement is an environmental activist that started in the grassroots level. Its origins could be traced back in March 1973 at Gopeshwar   in the Chamoli district, in Uttar Pradesh, India.A group of citizens hold each other hand in hand to create a human chain and hugged the trees to prevent a sport company from cutting it down. The same incident took place in the village of Reni in the Himalayas during the year 1974.Women coming from this village also protected the trees by hugging them despite the license given by the Gove rnment Department of Forests that enables the contractors to cut them. Ever since the Chipko Movement attracted attention coming from other people in India (Dwivedi, 1996).The Chipko Movement addresses the problem of inequality that is happening in the distribution of natural resources. The usage of commodities like trees creates a conflict in the country of India because of the contradicting demands for it. The marginalized minority utilizes this resource as a means that would support their livelihood. On the other hand, trees are needed in order to address the demands of commerce and industry (Shiva & Bandyopadhyay, 1986).The inequlity in this situation is not only in terms of the unequal distribution of natural resources but also in terms of the power and influence that big corporations have as compared to the marginalized citizens of India. It is something that usual political practices could not solve and sometimes even tolerate as in the case of the 1974 incident in the Reni V illage, which is why the Chipko Movement decided on a new method of addressing the problem.In order to fully comprehend this movement as well as the tactics that it utilized there should first be an understanding of Mahatma Gandhi's ideology when it comes to conflcit as well as the diverse religion of India. Gandhi is famous for leading non-violent forms of struggle that overthrew the colonial rule of the British in India.He was able to combine the idea of â€Å"ahimsa† meaning â€Å"no harm† or â€Å"wanton killing†Ã‚   with social struggle. This non-violent activists deems that the truth will eventually emerged as long as one party is committed in standing for it (Kamieniecki, 1993).Gandhi's â€Å"Satyagraha†or the search for truth was adapted by the Chipko movement through the â€Å"Forest Satyagraha† which means the continuous search for truth in terms of the rights of trees. This movement follow the idea of non-violence in fighting for their c ause that goes as far as including non-human forms (Dwivedi, 1996).Forest Satyagraha does not only answer economic and environemtal problems because it also has its religious aspect. The major religions in India promotes compassion for all life regardless of its contribution to human beings (Kamieniecki, 1993). Its religious basis also comes from the fact that this movement is participated and led by women. Women play a very vital role in the family particularly in the Himalayan area.They are more in touch with the natural environment because they have the task of gathering woods and other agricultural products for their family while their spouses leave them behind to work in urban areas.Himalayan women are also more religious than their male counterparts which is why they believe that green trees are the dwelling place of â€Å"Hari† or the Almigthy Father. Every tree has their own â€Å"Vriksadevata† or tree god and that the goddess of the forests, â€Å"Van Deviâ⠂¬  will assure the safety of their family (Dwivedi, 1996).Mahatma Gandhi strongly believes in the importance of India's various values and cultures. He deems that the problems they are facing could find its solutions in the very ideals that they have. His concept of â€Å"Satyagraha† which was later on used by the Chipko movement as â€Å"Forest Satyagraha† is a clear example of how non-violent form of resistance could work against unequal and cruel foes like large corporations.This method that they have utilized is rooted in the very culture of India which is their strong religious belief that gives importance in valuing all forms of life (Dwivedi, 1996).The tactics that was used by the Chipko Movement tends to reform the issue of inequality in the local and structural level. It is well-known that Hindus practice the caste system wherein its citizens are divided according to particular groups (Perez, 2004).This kind of structural system already paved the way for ine quality to propagate. There are people who enjoy the privileged and powerful position and those who are marginalized. Being the case, inequality in the distribution of natural resources is bound to happen with such kind of system.The Chipko Movement strives to change this very inequality that is embedded within India's structure and it became evident in a more localized level in the issue of logging. This movement started tackling inequality in the issue of the utilization of trees in the grassrootsbut this problem is just an effect of what is really happening in the structural level.Their actions started in giving immediate response in what is happening in the local level but the attention it acquired enabled it to highlight the root cause of the problem in the upper level. It does not only stop within the state institutions of the Indian government but it also reach the international level.Many states are using the ideals of   the Chipko movement as an example on how the pressin g problems in ecology and environmental sustainability could be deal with. (Agarwal, _).Using a non-violent method to addressed the causes that the Chipko Movement is advocating for reflects that they decided to take a different approach in solving problems. It is an approach that   embodies their very culture and ideals.Their understanding of the problem is dependent upon the thinking that its solution would come from these factors that they uphold. This is supported by Gandhi's same belief in the power of India's rich cultural heritage and its capability to solve the dilemma that their country has (Dwivedi, 1996).This social movement greatly believes in non-violence and the preservation of all forms of life. These beliefs influence their understanding of the problem and the path that they chose to addressed it.They saw the importance of trees in their livelihood that is why they protected it through the embraced tree tactic. This non-violent form of resistance symbolizes their u nderstanding that to be able to solve this dilemma compassionate means should be practiced.If they decided to find solution to the problem by using adversarial tendencies then they contradict the very ideal that they are fighting for. It is the Gandhian principles of â€Å"ahimsa† and â€Å"satyagraha† that they based their movement on. They have to uphold these principles in the decisions that they make and in the actions that they take.

Nature VS nurture †Issues, perspectives and debates in psychology Essay

NATURE refers to our innate potential that is influenced entirely by physiological and genetic factors. NURTURE refers to the influence of the environment into & all the learning experiences we have after we are born. The nature-nurture debate has been hotly debated in psychology. At the outset of psychological research the nature-nurture debate was a point of argument between researchers from the behaviourist tradition and other approaches. More recently it has divided researches with regard to social and racial differences in intelligence. Nowadays it’s hard to believe that something as complex as human behaviour can be completely explained by either side of the argument, it’s more likely to be a product of both, as suggested by the Psychologist Robert Plomin. He would like to see the nature-nurture debate end as he says most human behaviours are not influenced by nature or nurture but by nature and nurture. He makes the point that twin and adoption studies have provided evidence for the fact that there is a genetic component to personality, intelligence and general behavioural disorders such as Schizophrenia and Autism. However the genetic influence on these traits and behaviour is only partial, genetics account for on average half of the variance of most traits therefore the environment must account for the rest according to Plomin. This means that they are interdependent. An approach that belongs on the interdependent side of the argument is the cognitive-developmental approach. A key assumption of this approach is that development occurs through the twin processes of nature and nurture. Piaget believed that children were innately curious and programmed to learn (nature) but they needed the right sort of stimulation and environment to be able to do this adequately (nurture). However a criticism to this approach is that Piaget underestimated children’s abilities, this produces a difficulty in his theories and suggests that children are not the way he envisioned them. This could indicate that they are not innately curious and even if provided with the right environment, don’t learn. This can be compared to the Leaning Approach; a criticism with this approach is that it doesn’t consider the effect of nature, similar to a criticism of the physiological approach, which doesn’t consider the effect of nurture. If the theories are proved false it’s tempting to say that that indicates nature and nurture have no effect individually, but must work together. An approach that believes that nurture is entirely responsible for our behaviour is the learning approach. The learning approach presents the assumption that all behaviour is learnt, through interactions with the environment, and at birth we are a blank slate ready to develop. Evidence for this comes from Watson’s study of little Albert. Albert was an 11-month-old baby when the study began; Albert was presented with a white rat, to which he responded with curiosity. After several sessions the presentation of the white rat was accompanied with a loud noise to which Albert responded with fear. After several sessions Albert displayed fear as soon as the rat was presented even without hearing the loud noise. This showed Albert had learnt to associate the rat with a loud noise, which he was frightened of. Albert generalised this fear with other things similar to the rat such as a white rabbit and a white beard. Albert had learnt this behaviour. So according to the learning approach it therefore follows that nurture is solely responsible for human development. Watson’s study was On the other hand is the physiological approach. This approach presents the assumption that genetics are responsible for human behaviour. For example research into genetics has shown there to be genes responsible for certain type of behaviour and characteristics for example tongue rolling and eye colour, and more controversially research has been carried out to find a gene responsible for homosexuality and criminality. Evidence to support this theory comes from research into Schizophrenia. This research has shown there to be an excess of dopamine in the brains of schizophrenics. Schizophrenia has been shown to run in families, 10 out of every 100 children who have one biological parent with schizophrenia go on to develop schizophrenia whereas only 1 or 2 in every 100 in the general population develop schizophrenia. Twin studies on monozygotic (identical twins) have also indicated that genetics are responsible for schizophrenia, as if one twin is schizophrenic there is between a 35 and 58% chance of the other twin also developing schizophrenia. Of course this is only a correlation and this relationship could be caused by another variable. Twin studies are hard to conduct because the necessary situation doesn’t occur particularly frequently in the population, therefore the sample is limited and difficult to generalise. This affects the reliability and validity of the results. The idea of the causes of schizophrenia is explored further in clinical psychology. Schizophrenia is the most commonly diagnosed form of mental illness; 1% of the whole population will be diagnosed at some point in their lives has having schizophrenia. Schizophrenia doesn’t seem to have one single cause but is rather the product of a relationship between biology, psychology and culture. Which suggests both nature and nurture play a role in the development of schizophrenia. As I said earlier twin, adoption and family studies give the clearest indication that genetics play a role in the development of schizophrenia. 10% of children with a schizophrenia parent will go on to develop the disease. This however, because it’s only a correlation, could be caused by another factor, for example the environment. Studies have been carried out using twins to find out the concordance rate of schizophrenia in twins. The increased risk of developing schizophrenia could be the result of difficulties that have arisen during the rearing of a child by a parent with such a disorganised personality. However adoption studies have been carried out which also suggest that genetics are responsible for schizophrenia. Heston (1966) compared the adopted children of 77 schizophrenic mothers with the adopted children of 50 normal mothers and found the former to be 5 times more likely to be admitted to hospital with schizophrenia. This study also shows that those children of schizophrenic parents were more likely to go on and be diagnosed as psychopaths, behaviourally disordered or neurotic. The study by Heston rules out the possibility that the experience of being adopted leads to the development of schizophrenia as the control group didn’t go on to develop higher levels of schizophrenia. However the sample isn’t large so is difficult to generalise and this type of situation doesn’t occur frequently so it is hard to do this type of investigation.

Diagnostic Control Systems: Implementing Intended Strategies Essay

The article authors, Johnson and Kaplan looks at how management accounting has evolved over the years and within different industries and how those management accounting reports have failed to help mangers make decisions to reduce costs and improve productivity. The authors state that contemporary trends in competition, technology, and management demand major changes in the way organizations measure and manage costs and how they evaluate short- and long-term performance. The article takes a look at management accounting over varies periods of times and specific industries and discusses how at each period of time the management reports were used. For example, in the 19th century after the Industrial Revolution it was observed that gains could be earned by managing a hierarchical organization. The management system at the time focused on conversion costs and produced only summary results. Fast-forward a several years to roughly around 1925, we see that the management accounting practices that are practiced today had been developed by that time. They had been evolved to serve the control and informational needs of managers of increasingly complex and diverse organizations. As time progressed it is not until after the 1920s that the authors believe that evolution of management accounting did not keep the pace with the improvement in corporations’ product and process technologies. It is stated that the systems today provide misleading targets for managerial review. They fail to provide the relevant set of measures that reflect the technology, products, processes and competitive environments. Which has resulted in what they consider as today’s problems: distorted product costs, delayed and overly aggregated process control information, and short-term performance measures that do not reflect the increases or decreases in the organization’s economic position. Johnson and Kaplan conclude by stating that if companies fail to make modifications in their management accounting systems, their ability to be effective and efficient global competitors will be inhibited. Diagnostic Control Systems: Implementing Intended Strategies In chapter four, Robert Simons introduces what is known as the third lever of control: diagnostic control systems. These systems are defined as the backbone of traditional management control, and are designed to ensure predictable goal achievement. The other levers (Belief systems, Boundary Systems and Interactive Control Systems) are mentioned in the reading as well, however the focus of chapter four is to discuss the diagnostic control systems. He highlights three features that distinguish the control systems: (1) the ability to measure the outputs of a process, (2) the existence of predetermined standards against which actual results can be compared, and (3) the ability to correct deviations from standards. The chapter goes on to describe critical performance variables. Those variables as defined are those factors that must be achieved or implemented successfully for the intended strategy of the business to work. The term, â€Å"key success factors† can also be used. In which effectiveness and efficiency are the prime criteria for the selection measures used in diagnostic control systems to ensure that they are managed both effectively and efficiently. Kaplan and Norton uses the term â€Å"balanced scorecard† to describe a systematic way of analyzing critical performance variables and measures associated with intended strategies. This method allows managers to use measures from each of the four categories (Financial, Customer, Internal Business and Innovation & Learning Measures) simultaneously to guide their business toward the desired goals. The author conveys the message that equipping management systems to control strategy is not an easy task. Managers have to understand their strategies and be able to recognize the relationships between strategic and operating decisions and how they affect the bottom line.

PRINCESS DIANA LESSON LEARNED Personal Statement

PRINCESS DIANA LESSON LEARNED - Personal Statement Example Thus, she considered human lives to be precious and she used her resources to help the needy individuals. This quality made her win the hearts of millions of people. Another very important leadership quality that was also held by the Princess was that of being alert and informed of the happenings around the world. She not only kept herself updated but also intervened and helped in situations where she could be of assistance. This positive attitude along with her active involvement made her a much liked personality. These lessons regarding the leadership of Princess Diana are of utmost importance. She formed a prime example of an effective leader because of her kind heartedness and compassion towards the people. Also her attentiveness towards the occurrences globally made her take active decisions for helping the people which made her popular amongst the masses. A leader can only be successful if he is aware and responsive to the issues faced by the common people. Also, a true leader is one who uses his power and authority for the goodness of the people. These qualities were possessed by the Princess and this earned her the love and following of many people from around the

The Overall Picture for Benefit-Cost Analysis for Illicit Drugs in Research Paper

The Overall Picture for Benefit-Cost Analysis for Illicit Drugs in General and for Cocaine and Heroin - Research Paper Example Rosen (1995) emphasised on the mathematics part of benefit-cost assessments. At the same time, he also emphasised that instead of benefit-cost assessments, cost-effectiveness may be the better approach to use for some projects or decisions involving intangibles. Stiglitz (2000) proposed a set of principles for measuring non-monetized costs and benefits. He prescribed a set of techniques for valuing time, life, and another alternative method of valuation (2000, p. 278-283). Rather than conceding on the concepts of â€Å"intangibles†, it seems that Stiglitz emphasised on monetisation end emphasised that the concept of benefit-cost analysis is â€Å"developing systematic ways of analyzing costs and benefits when market pride do not reflect social costs and benefits† (2000, p. 274). In 1998, the Risk and Policy Analysis Limited prepared a document for the European Commission elaborating on the techniques of benefit-cost assessment. The document is used for policy and propos als evaluations. We are guided by the said materials as we explore on the benefit-cost assessment of legalising the use of cocaine and heroin. As pointed out by the Matrix Knowledge Group (2007), the drug supply chain covers several continents. This is also discussed in Fox and Albertson (2010, Lecture 1 Slide 18). The drug supply chain includes the dealers who bring the drugs into the UK from overseas, the dealers who distribute the drugs at the national level or the dealers who buy the drugs in one city and sell it in another (Matrix Knowledge Group 2007, p. 17).

Racial and Ethnic Relations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Racial and Ethnic Relations - Assignment Example The Nazis and Serbs that did not get caught to be tried fled to other countries or went into hiding. These people are still being caught. The victims that survived continue to survive and tell their accounts so the world will not forget. The similarity of propaganda before the violence is present in both the Nazi and Serbian campaign of ethnic genocide. The Nazis used propaganda to insist the Jews caused the World War I, the economic woes of the German people, and all of Germany’s problems. The Serbs used propaganda to assert the Bosnians were causing economic woes, suppressing the Serbs right to their ancestral land, and religious persecution. Bosnia’s Serbs wanted to join Milosevic’s Serbia, but the ethnic Bosnians wanted to create their own country. As a result, the Serbs started a propaganda campaign against the Bosnians before actual warfare broke out. The Nazis and the Serbs used the cover of war to commit genocide. These ethnic cleansings did not begin dur ing peace times. Under the confusion of war and combat the major actions against citizens took place. Incidents occurred before, but not to the extent the rest of the world would be concerned. It began gradually and then snowballed into the ethnic cleansing. The manner in which the Jews and Bosnians were executed was different. The Nazis were more systematic.

Explain the logic behind the ideal of compassion in the Mahayana Essay

Explain the logic behind the ideal of compassion in the Mahayana perspective - Essay Example Bodhisattvas or the enlightened beings are characterized by a number of features that distinguish them from the arhants (Humboldt, n.d.). The bodhisattva path lays emphasis on karuna (compassion). The Mahayana tradition explains that arhant is a noble path as it stresses that every being should concentrated on the spiritual achievement of one’s self but in doing this one does not embrace the suffering of others. Buddha intended that Buddhism should be used as a vehicle to liberate all sentient beings from sufferings. This is possible through Mahayana which believes that compassion and compassionate love for all beings makes one help others to attain the same liberation. The basic doctrine of Mahayana centers around the tenet that eternal Buddha is present but hidden in all sentient beings and it is possible to understand this presence through the process of liberation from sufferings. Hence it focuses on the bodhisattva path and emphasizes that this liberation has to be for all beings and not for the self alone (Kaplan, 1998). To help all beings liberate from sufferings requires compassion for all beings. The goal of Mahayana is not to remain an arhant but to attain buddhahood. Thus to save all sentient beings from samsara is the basic concept on which Mahayana is based. Various definitions of compassion can be found. For instance, karuna in Pali is related to our concern for others. It is more than an attitude of mind. It is anukampa and daya. Compassion is essential for a just and a harmonious society. It is essential towards the path of wisdom; it is an action towards liberation by those who have become enlightened and by those who sincerely follow the path towards attaining it. When others suffer it makes the heart of good people tremble (kampa) and this is compassion (Jenkins, 2000). Effort to demolish others’ suffering is karuna. Mahayana emphasizes that one should postpone one’s liberation so

CTV Building in Christchurch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CTV Building in Christchurch - Essay Example This paper approves that it is clear from the above discussion that the CTV building collapsed due to the inadequate quality of the structure and design. Moreover, several issues such as lack of an effective decision making process, poor supervision processes and unethical business and operation practices are responsible for this collapse. After the 2010 earthquake government of New Zealand appointed the Christchurch City Council to inspect the safety standards of the CTV building. There was a chance for survival, but the Christchurch City Council appointed an inexperienced engineering supervision team. The owner and shareholders could have arranged for a better review process. This report makes a conclusion that the CTV building collapse was the major consequence of the Christchurch earthquake in 2011. From the above discussion, it can be stated that several reasons are responsible for this collapse. Inadequate design and quality of structure are the major reasons behind this incident. Government tried to arrange an investigation process in respect of the CTV building by appointing the City Council. However, inadequate decision making of the Christchurch City Council and the poor review process by the inexperienced engineers forced the council to give a green sticker. The Government of New Zealand along with IPENZ and the Royal Commission are trying to find out the real reason behind the collapse of the CTV building through several private investigation processes. ... It is true that the CTV building got a green sticker after the 2010 earthquake despite the critical situation of the building. Although the building was not eligible for a yellow sticker, signalling authorities and the group of engineers gave a green signal to the building in order to achieve a huge profit margin. In any earthquake prone zone, a building is to be designed according to the guidelines imposed by the government of that state. There were a number of people who were engaged in the designing of the building. There were chiefly three main entities: the designer of the building, the company that the designer represented, and the other management individuals of the company. The design component had two parts. The Structural Engineer was David Harding under the brand of Alan Reay Consultants Ltd and Alun Wilke Associates Architects was the architectural firm who had been employed for the construction of the building. Gerald Shirtcliff, who supervised the construction in the na me of William Fisher, did not have a degree in engineering. Harding used to work under the guidance of Alan Reay, the owner of the firm. During the establishment of the building, the CTV building did not meet the standards. On the other hand, the principle engineer and the owner did not follow the regulations or legal aspects during the review process. Alan Ray was the principle engineer of this building. He did poor supervision and passed the review report to the structural engineer. However, the owners and stakeholders did not even bother to review the building plans or rectify the challenges and issues accordingly. The government of New Zealand took one wrong decision by appointing the City Council for the investigation of the property. It was the key

Organizational Philosophies and Technology Paper Essay

Organizational Philosophies and Technology Paper - Essay Example Technology can, very easily, support an ethical business culture. This requires the development of an organization culture of ethics first, before employing technology to maintain that culture despite situations that challenge the company’s values. Ethics is crucially important for the success (and failure) of companies. In particular, in the case of successful companies, ethics provides a framework for actions that are conducive to relationships with others, the environment, and the public. These actions bring about mutually beneficial results, which lay the foundation for positive public relations. In the case of failed companies, ethics provides a challenge to be overcome with immoral, and sometimes unlawful, acts. Ethics, taken in this way, is defined primarily by the moral, social, and organizational context of the company. Company culture must take into account this context. For instance, a cosmetics company that tests its products on live monkey and other animals may ha ve to deal with the ethical context with changing social attitudes toward testing on live animals. For instance, the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association (CTFA) trade-group, consisting of 600 member companies, has controlled vast amounts of resources in order to sway public opinion its animal testing since the industry came under scrutiny in the 1980s (Farsetta, 2006). Companies utilize technology not only to gain favor with the public, but also to maintain and manage their ethical standards and guidelines internally amongst its employees. One way to control how employees interact with customers or vendors is to observe the employees’ emails and telephone correspondence. Some interpret this as a necessary method for avoiding unethical situations with relation to employee-customer relationships; others interpret this as a breach of employee privacy. Another method is filtering searchable websites at the company’s office. A more effective means of managing the e thical corporate culture of one’s organization is to have employees agree with the company to conduct themselves in an ethical manner, according to the company’s values and ethical standards. In return, the employers then give the employees enough privacy in order to do their work effectively. This alternative seems to spare companies the duty of spying on their employees to the extent that current technology allows. From this case, it seems technology has a wide range for ethical and unethical uses in the 21st century business environment. Methods like monitoring employees and filtering viewable websites, while seemingly superficial, contribute to a culture of productivity that excludes actions that detract from the company’s fundamental values. Additionally, it is important for senior levels of management to lead by example: setting these values and working them into the company culture from the top-down. Through these individuals, the company culture and gene ral tone are set for the remainder of the workforce to follow. Managers can either set this example using technology by communicating instantly with all of their employees or giving their employees technology-enhanced values training. Each of these methods ensures that not only will employees treat customers with respect and integrity,

Persuasive for school uniforms Speech or Presentation

Persuasive for school uniforms - Speech or Presentation Example Students benefit by reducing the number of concerns they must deal with during school hours, freeing their minds to focus more on the academic issues they should be concerned with while attending classes. There is a long history of the use of uniforms in school, most coming from the private sector until recent years, all of which demonstrate these benefits do exist. While most of the uniform policies used in public schools include relatively general restrictions, such as navy or khaki pants and solid color shirts with collars without brand name requirements or specific, school-related insignia required, there has still been a great opposition to these policies by people who mistakenly insist that school uniform policies somehow restrict a child’s ability to express him or herself. By including students in a recognized group as a member of a particular student body, uniforms are successful in building a sense of community and cooperation among children who might not otherwise w ork together. At the same time, regulations requiring specific items of clothing such as a ‘red or white solid colored shirt with collar’ serve to ensure that there are a large number of people in the market for these items, driving the price down as they become produced in mass quantities. Children who outgrow their uniforms are also able to donate them to children who can’t afford them demonstrating that the use of uniforms is cost effective. ... it must be remembered that there are a number of jobs in the ‘real’ world that also require a standardized uniform, sometimes much more rigidly defined than the school systems. â€Å"Police officers, firemen, airline employees, nurses, doctors, lawyers and all branches of the military have some form of required dress. Most of our blue collar workers are also required to wear a uniform in the performing of their jobs †¦ It makes them a part of a team that performs a certain job in a certain manner and provides for a more cohesive work environment† (Messer, 2008: 2). In the same way this process works for adults, making them a part of a team and encouraging a work environment attitude and approach, requiring uniforms in school also works for students, encouraging them to shift their thinking during school hours to school matters, in keeping with the seriousness of their clothing and that of their peers. Requiring students in public school to wear uniforms is al so a tremendous support for the school system. One of the immediate benefits is that a required student dress code makes any individual not in uniform instantly identifiable by staff, making it much easier for teachers and administrators to identify non-students/staff on campus and confine them until their purpose is clear. In addition, uniforms enable the school to restrict clothing with potential to conceal weapons, an increasing issue in today’s school systems nationwide. â€Å"Like other urban school uniform policies, Long Beach’s was intended to curb gang problems, and school officials not only credit it with having accomplished that goal, but also say uniforms have brought about a substantial drop in school crime, a drop in school suspensions and disciplinary problems and improved student attendance