Reading response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Reading response - Assignment Example Another interesting social structure is lineage from one generation to another. The lineage structure either follow symmetrical or asymmetrical pattern depending on wealth distribution among family members. It is evident that the funeral customs in the Korean society has changed with time. However, the change has occurred slowly as claimed by Hyun. However, the Korean view on death has not changed much. Some of the changed funeral functions include handling of the dead body, dealing with the spirits, and consoling the family members of the deceased. I think that Korean culture is so strong. Changes in other aspects of the society have not affected the culture so much. The family structures seem to remain relatively the same. However, lineages from one generation to another seem to be dependent on level of income. The burial rituals have changed and I expect them to change even much due to the advancement in technology. For example, Seoul residents may have very simplified burial rituals and modern structured family settings different from their

Economic and Social Inequality in the United States Essay - 1

Economic and Social Inequality in the United States - Essay Example America, while promoting liberty and freedom of speech, has been seen as a place where people are afraid of speaking their minds. This can be attributed to the cultural socio-economic history of the nations, with regard to trying to protecting the many ethnic groups which have lewd to a situation where people have to be careful what they say, rest they be in a situation where they are accused of hate speech. The most significant difference between American and European culture is the American consumerism. In the past five decades, American consumerism has been said to increase and it has also been attributed in part to the recent economic crisis. Europeans are seen as shyer with regard to spending and have been seen as more conservative. In line with this consumerism, American has also been seen as too concerned with money as opposed to trying to live more well-rounded lives. In this regard, quality if life matters less as long as one has a fat bank account in America. Americans are not all bad though. In fact, it is considered that Americans are some of the most inspiring people in the world, always seeing their problems as opportunities to do greater things (Katzenstein, 78). This is unlike people from most European countries such as Germany where people live more closeted lives and adventure is not considered as a good way to spend a life. These cultural differences have significant implications, both positive and negative, with regard to the economics of nations and are necessary to study and understand. In order to be able to successfully achieve these objectives, I will need to take Sociology 130AC: Social Inequalities: American Cultures- the course will help me gain a deeper perspective into the historical causes as well as consequences of inequality in the United States.  

Advocating anti-genocide movement in Darfur Essay Example for Free

Advocating anti-genocide movement in Darfur Essay The United Nations defines genocide as â€Å"acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. † In Darfur the Arab janjaweed militias have killed an estimated 100,000 non- Arab people, burned their villages, and sought to destroy their way of life. On September 9, 2004 U. S. Secretary of State Collin Powell told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that â€Å"genocide has been committed in Darfur and that the Government of Sudan and the [janjaweed] bear responsibility – and that genocide may still be occurring. (DiPiazza) People sometimes get the wrong idea of what genocide means. It is assumed that it is a hopeless case, impossible to stop for it is driven by millenniums of racial or ethnic conflicts. But looking back at history, genocide has mostly been created through calculated, intended decision by national leaders used as the most convenient way to solve a problem or to keep their power and destroy a person or group. And Darfur is not an exception to this. Mr. Bashir and Musa Hilal are not motivated by ancient hatred but of greed to power and influence. They are not extremists but rather coldblooded, amoral opportunists (Kristof). Drought, famine and civil war represent the interactive array of ecological, socio-economic, and political factors at play. Hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) were created from 2003 through 2005 (Arsdale). Competition over scarce resources – such as water and fertile land – had long challenged Darfur. The beginning of an oil industry in Durfur added to the tension. Claiming to represent non-Arab Africans in Darfur, rebel protested decades of government neglect. They demanded full economic, political, and social rights for Darfur. They also wanted oil wealth from the region to be shared equally. To combat the rebels, the government armed local Arab militias called janjaweeds. The Sudanese Liberation Army (SLA) arose in response to grievances bring expressed by citizens of Darfur. The SLA’s founding manifesto included its vehement protests against the central government’s â€Å"policies of marginalization, racial discrimination, exclusion, exploitation, and divisiveness. The Janjaweeds, on the other hand, traced their origin with raiders and bandits of various types in Sudan for centuries. In recent decades, so-called Arab cattle raiders occasionally would sweep into a non-Arab village and abscond with a few head (Arsdale). Since 2003, the government of Sudan and its Janjaweed militias has executed a systematic campaign of mass murder, rape, and starvation against the black African tribes of Darfur. As of today, more than 500,000 Darfuris have died, and more than 2. 5 million have been driven from their homes. It goes without saying that other measures have to be undertaken simultaneously to reach a sustainable peace in Darfur. So, the international community should strongly support the Abuja talks between the Sudan government and the main insurgent groups to help them reach a peace agreement, which could be a foundation for equity and good governance in Darfur. And since the negotiation of a lasting peace in Darfur unfortunately could take months, if not years, humanitarian assistance should be provided. Democracy is a first step in the struggle against totalitarian forces that resort to inhuman practices to impose their whim on others, including ethnocide and genocide (Hoeven et al. ). It is important to create the conditions of security that will allow for a safe and voluntary return. A political solution reached in the Abuja talks is a priority to help bring peace to the region. At the same time, there is a strong sense in Darfur that an inclusive, credible and grass roots process of inter-communal dialogue is needed to re-establish peaceful inter-communal relations and re-weave the social fabric of the region. Specific measures to address property and land usage rights will be indispensable to achieve peace and restore relationships between nomadic herders and sedentary agriculturalist tribes (Hoeven et al. ). The African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) evolved as the African Union has authorized the incremental deployment of thousands of personnel to carry out its responsibilities in Darfur. The African Union Peace and Security Council provided AMIS II with the following specific mandate for its peace support efforts: (1) to monitor and observe compliance with the 2004 humanitarian cease-fire agreement; (2) to assist in the process of confidence building; and (3) to contribute to a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian relief and, beyond that, the return of IDPs and refugees to their homes, and to contribute to the improvement of the security situation throughout Darfur (Darfur Crisis: Progress in Aid Peace Monitoring Threatened by Ongoing Violence and Operational Challenges). President Bush had made his statement regarding the issue at the Diplomatic Reception Room, White Palace: Americas commitment is clear. Since this conflict began we have provided more than $1. 7 billion in humanitarian and peacekeeping assistance for Darfur. We are the worlds largest single donor to the people of Darfur. Were working for the day when the families of this troubled region are allowed to return safely to their homes and rebuild their lives in peace. The people of Darfur are crying out for help, and they deserve it. I urge the United Nations Security Council, the African Union, and all members of the international community to reject any efforts to obstruct implementation of the agreements that would bring peace to Darfur and Sudan. I call on President Bashir to stop his obstruction, and to allow the peacekeepers in, and to end the campaign of violence that continues to target innocent men, women and children. And I promise this to the people of Darfur: The United States will not avert our eyes from a crisis that challenges the conscience of the world (Bush). Today, there are a lot of anti-genocide movements, recruiting thousands of people around the world advocating justice and human rights for the casualties and victims of this national turmoil. Politicians, Hollywood stars and even fellow citizens have been voicing out their concern and extending their help over the matter. Works Cited Arsdale, Peter W. Van. Forced to Flee: Human Rights and Human Wrongs in Refugee Homelands. Lexington Books, 2006. Bush, President George. President Bush Discusses Genocide in Darfur, Implements Sanctions 29 May 2007 The White House. 2 December 2007. http://www. whitehouse. gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070529. html Darfur Crisis: Progress in Aid Peace Monitoring Threatened by Ongoing Violence and Operational Challenges. Ed. United States Government Accountability Office: DIANE Publishing, 2006. DiPiazza, Francesca Davis. Sudan in Pictures. Twenty-First Century Books, 2006. Hoeven, Agnes van Ardenne-van der, et al. Explaining Darfur: Four Lectures on the Ongoing Genocide. Amsterdam University Press, 2006. Kristof, Nick. Darfur: Driving up the Price of Blood. Coalition for Darfur, 2007.

Miles and Flora in ‘The Turn of the Screw’ Essay Example for Free

Miles and Flora in ‘The Turn of the Screw’ Essay The children in the novella are very distinctive in a manner of how the reader can perceive them. They can be seen by many as good children or bad children. In Victorian times the majority of children were actually brought up in the lower class and the middle class, Miles and Flora were not, they were lucky enough to be in the upper class but they had to follow the ideals of their mother or father. They didn’t have a mother or father therefore the governess was the only option of a friend to have and confide in, this was seen as morally wrong in the society since many Victorians believed that their shouldn’t be friendships between different classes, they believed in a strict social hierarchy. The children can be seen as innocent in the novella by the governess’ first views of them. On her first sighting of Miles, the governess describes him as being ‘angelic’, this can be seen as quite confusing to the reader since she has only just met him, it is a very powerful word to use on first impressions. But mainly it has religious connotations, it conveys a very strong image of Miles being this perfect little child, and sets him up as an innocent character throughout the entire novella. Also the governess is ‘carried away’ by Miles as well as the Master; this suggests that the governess is always in awe of strangers making her seem very vulnerable. Miles is constantly referred to as ‘little’ by the governess throughout the novella. She calls him a ‘little fairy prince’ which shows how highly she speaks of Miles, this suggests how little he is in physical appearance but mainly the innocence of him, small things are usually very vulnerable and innocent and need comfort and support from somebody bigger than them. The use of ‘prince’ not only shows how pristine he is but also correlates with his Victorian upper class position in society. This perception of Miles stays the same even until the end when his ‘little heart, dispossessed had stopped’. Since there has been many sides to Miles in the novella, the end sentence conveys how innocent he really he is. He is only a little boy and that’s what the reader needs to remember. Flora is also spoken very highly of by the governess. Generally there is more of a loveable connection between the two because they are female, and the daughter looks up to both of her parents as role models but to the mother most of all. The governess thinks that Flora is ‘the most beautiful child she has ever seen’; this is kind of inferred in the quotation but also has a very loveable element to it and an innocence one too. The governess doesn’t really experience any problems with Flora in the novella; she wants to protect her all the time from the ghosts that she believes are terrorizing her. Flora’s position in society as being upper class is also linked to by the use of her ‘hair of gold’, ‘gold’ symbolizing money but also makes her stand out in the crowd, the author has made her out to be like a little prodigy. Another perception of the children’s innocence comes with the idea if there are actually ghosts corrupting them, which the governess thinks is happening. The fact that they are only children conveys the general idea that children tend to be scared of ghosts and don’t want to hear anything about them. The children may be getting scared by the governess’ dramatic reactions to her so called sightings of Quint and Jessel. When Flora is awake in the middle of the night looking out the window, the governess, straight away, believes that she is contacting ghosts and so her suspicions about ghosts are increased but they are only children and it turns out they were only having a joke. Children can still have fun even though they are of noble birth but the governess doesn’t seem to realize this. Maria Edgeworth commented on the grave dangers of leaving young children in the supervision of servants, in this case the governess is actually a servant in social hierarchy terms but the master in terms of profession terms. The children however can be seen as being ‘bad’. The quote in the title itself tells how Miles could be being sinister. When the governess wakes up to see why Flora is standing up at the window, she immediately believes that she is contacting either Quint or Jessel because she is extremely paranoid. But when she sees Miles on the grounds of Bly she panics because not only is he all alone without anyone supervising him, he is also looking above the window Flora is looking out so the governess believes he is contacting Quint. When talking to Mrs.Grose about what happened the previous night, she watches Miles and Flora walking the grounds and believes that ‘they’re talking horrors!’, this could have several implications, one could be that they are plotting and scheming against the governess to maybe overthrow her position and get their uncle back to them and another could be that they are talking to the horrors and in this case the horrors could be Quint and Jessel since the word horror is often associated with ghosts and the supernatural. One thing that could suggest that the children are deceiving the governess and manipulating her is the fact that the employer who is the children’s uncle is nowhere to be seen at Bly. Since being employed the governess is told strictly not to contact him about anything whatsoever, not even about his own nephew and niece. This surely arouses suspicion and could possibly make the reader think that maybe the children are actually bad. Perhaps the past between Miles and Quint had made the Master resort to madness like the governess possibly has as well. It could in fact possibly be that Quint corrupted Miles before the governess was at Bly which leads to the reason why he was expelled from his school which the governess believes is a massive concern. Are the children the cause of their uncle’s behavior? And maybe, what have they done to make him not want to stay at Bly? The governess has all these sorts of questions but knows that they she cannot contact him for the sake of her job, which drives her mad because she thinks she is being corrupted. The descriptions of the children actually change as the reader progresses through the novella. On first impressions the children are compared to being like angels and royalty which is all well and good but she has yet to meet their true personalities. She describes Flora as an ‘old, old woman’ which is honestly the most ridiculous thing that a child can be called. This obviously cannot be a description of her physical appearance since she is only 8 years old but possibly how the governess believes that she is corrupted by Miss Jessel. Perhaps every time Jessel is around, Flora’s soul seems to be aging or it could actually be that she is becoming smarter with every appearance of Jessel so she is scheming more. This could suggest a loss of innocence in Flora, she used to be ‘the most beautiful child’ and now she is an ‘old, old woman’. To conclude I believe that the children are actually innocent. They are only children so how in any way can they actually be sinister and possibly evil? Yes there is strong evidence that the children could be being bad and corrupting the governess but being evil is too much of an extent. Therefore I believe in the innocence of the children.

Social And Economic Effects Of An Urban Region Tourism Essay

Social And Economic Effects Of An Urban Region Tourism Essay The evaluation of the attributes which connect and differentiate the cities around us, give us a better approach in learning trends relative to our human patterns of living. This essay will examine and discuss the similarities and differences among the selected cities of study, and will subsequently draw conclusions based on the facts taken from the statistics Canada website. The essay will focus on the social and economic effects of the specified urban region in relation to the Central business district (downtown Toronto), as well as combine the facts together in order to predict our future outcome in terms of urban living. Moreover, the analysis will commence with the smallest community furthest north, and end with the city core of the GTA. Table 1: General Characteristics Variable Bradford Newmarket Aurora Richmond Hill Toronto Population in 2006 24,039Â   Â   74,295 47,629Â   Â   162,704 2,503,281 2001 to 2006 population change (%) 8.1 12.9 18.6Â   Â   23.2 0.9 Population density per square kilometer: 119.6Â   Â   1,951.00 959.9Â   Â   1,612.70 3,972.40 Census of Canada (2006). Community Profiles, http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E (19 Nov 2009). Located on the northern outskirts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), lies Bradford; a community populated by only 24,000 people. In terms of location, Bradford is roughly 70 kilometers away from downtown Toronto yet not too far from the 400 and 404 highways. As seen on the chart below, the population change from 2001 to 2006 is 8%. The communities just south of Bradford being Newmarket and Aurora hold greater population changes as they are situated closer to downtown Toronto (Central business district) and therefore have the balance between proximity to the CBD and optimal rural location. As seen on table 1, the population change increases steadily from Bradford to Richmond Hill, and culminates drastically at Toronto. The reason for this is the direct result of the relationship between population size and proximity to the city for the purpose of work. What can be learned from this figure are the essential characteristics which translate to the expansion of communities where the most sought after location is utterly possible. Richmond Hill being situated in the heart of the GTA between the city core, large neighboring cities: Etobicoke and Mississauga, and Newmarket in the north had the largest population increase of 23%. Moreover, although the population change is significantly less than Richmond Hill, Newmarket has the greatest density per square kilometer following Toronto. The reason for this being the clustering of commodities among the suburbs in order to accommodate the population, so the need to travel to downtown Toronto is not required. Richmond Hill on the other hand is located closer to the core and is more spread out geographically, hence the reason why commodities such as shopping malls and entertainment are scarcer, as people travel to the CBD for these purposes. Now going back to the city of Bradford, one can notice by table 3 below that the number of single detached houses is 75% of the overall housing breakdown. This is simply due to the fact that all other dwellings are allocated primarily for busier cities with a higher concentration of citizens and traffic. Moreover, the percentages of buildings with 5 or more stories increases Table 3: Occupied Private Dwelling Characteristics Variable Bradford Newmarket Aurora Richmond Hill Toronto Total 7,945 25,090 15,655 51,000 979,440 single detached houses 75.1% 58.8% 60.8% 63.6% 27.3% semi-detached houses 6.4% 7.6% 8% 4.1% 7.2% row houses 2.5% 11.8% 16.7% 13.8% 5.6% apartments, duplex 7.7% 5.5% 3.9% 3.3% 4.4% apartments in buildings with fewer than 5 storeys 4.3% 10.7% 6.3% 2.3% 16.6% apartments in buildings with 5 or more storeys 3.5% 5.4% 4.1% 12.7% 38.7% other dwelling 0.4% 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 0.2% number of owned dwellings (%) 82.9 82.5 85.8 86 54.3 number of rented dwellings (%) 17.1 17.5 14.2 14 45.6 Census of Canada (2006). Community Profiles, http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E (19 Nov 2009). Table 4: Income and Industry Variable Bradford Newmarket Aurora Richmond Hill Toronto Median income in 2005 all census families 82,836 88,514 98,482 80,121 59,671 Agriculture and other resource-based industries(% 4.2 1.38 1.2 1.05 0.8 Construction (%) 10.6 5.49 6.5 5.6 4.8 Manufacturing (%) 17.5 14.33 12 10.6 11.7 Wholesale trade (%) 6.3 6.04 7.2 6.7 4.7 Retail trade (%) 11.3 12.72 10.6 11.6 9.1 Finance and real estate (%) 4.7 6.63 8 12 10.1 Health care and social services (%) 7.7 8.86 7.8 7.65 8.9 Educational services (%) 6.8 7.45 8.2 6.6 6.7 Business services (%) 16.4 19.57 21.6 23 25.2 Other services (%) 14.4 17.53 16.9 14.9 17.1 Census of Canada (2006). Community Profiles, http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E (19 Nov 2009). progressively from North (Bradford) to south (Toronto), apart from Newmarket which as mentioned before seems to have a more advanced built urban environment. Apartments that have fewer than 5 stories make up 10.7% of all the housing, superseding even the most southern community of Richmond Hill. It is interesting to note also that in terms of Newmarkets population density per square kilometer (1,951), it has developed the most as a city offering the most commodities compared to Bradford, Aurora and Richmond Hill. Compared to the other communities, retail trade having almost 13% of the workforce surpasses even the city of Toronto. As seen on table 4 below, the third highest division of industry in Newmarket is retail trade. Therefore, bearing in mind Newmarkets distance from downtown Toronto it is clear that the combination of overall population, population density, and retail trade has made Newmarket the highest developing community in the GTA. Now taking a look back at the community of Bradford as seen on Table 4, construction, manufacturing and agriculture-based industries are the clear assets which are the direct result of being situated in a more rural, and lesser populated setting. Thus, Bradfords community was not developed as much as its neighboring communities of Newmarket and Aurora, and remained as a small farm-town based community over the years. From the business services perspective, the percentages increase in nearly perfect increments from Bradford to Toronto. This demonstrates how business is the highest and most essential in the CBD and gradually decreases the further north the community is situated. This is directly related to capitalization and management since the city is constantly being redeveloped in order to accommodate the growing population. Looking at business and resource-based industries in table 4 is a comprehensive method of understanding the makeup of communities. They are at complete opposit e ends of the workforce and are directly correlated with the population size and density of the community. Resource-based industries develop further away from downtown Toronto with communities of smaller population size, while business services increase with the density and higher population closer to the CBD. Manufacturing and construction can also be seen to decrease moving closer to GTAs core. In terms of income among all census families, the two communities which are the most different are Aurora and Toronto. Aurora had a median income in 2005 of $98,482, while Toronto only summed up to $59,671. The other three communities have roughly the same median income averaging out to around $84,000. Aurora seems to be a more prestigious and secluded community between Richmond Hill and Newmarket where proximity to the city is still good for homeowners who desire a rural upper class lifestyle away from the busy city life. Toronto on the other hand has the lowest median income since the population is much greater and more diverse in terms of industry and job opportunities. Lower class families often immigrate first to the city core prior to accumulating enough capital to begin a life in the suburbs. This is the sole reason why a large city like Toronto has a relatively low median income since the average is determined among the richest and poorest citizens where the poorest always pr edominate. A rural city like Aurora is a perfect residential location for wealthy homeowners who want to escape the hectic city life and will give up proximity for location as in EW Burgesss concentric zone model pictured below. source: http://yakkersy12geo.blogspot.com/2008/09/burgess-concentric-zone-model.html (19 Nov 2009) This model can be linked to the present overall setup of the five communities in terms of density and social class. Referring to Table 1, the density of Toronto is nearly 4,000 people per square kilometer and has the lowest median income. This translates to a majority of lower class and minority of upper class residents. As residential suburbs develop on the outskirts of the CBD, the higher class residential communities such as Aurora are pushed even further back where there is more land available to develop more expensive properties. As seen in Table 1, Auroras population change between 2001 and 2006 is nearing that of Richmond Hills even though its half as dense as Newmarket. This is simply because of the prime location and aspiration of homeowners to live in a non-suburbia type environment yet not too far from the city core. Furthermore, property values are lower further away from the CBD as a direct factor of longer time travelling to the CBD for work. Therefore homeowners can in vest the same amount of money in a larger property in Aurora than a property in Richmond Hill if accessibility to the city core is not a major concern. TABLE 2: Age Characteristics of the Population Variable Bradford Newmarket Aurora Richmond Hill Toronto Median age of the population 36.7 37.2 37.2 37.8 38.4 Percentage of the population under 15 years of age 20.8 21.2 22.2 19.3 16.4 Percentage of the population aged 15 over 79.2 78.8 77.8 80.7 83.6 Census of Canada (2006). Community Profiles, http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Index.cfm?Lang=E (19 Nov 2009). The Burgess model depicts age decreasing from the outskirts of the CBD into the center, although the five communities in the GTA are the complete opposite. Toronto had the highest median age of the total population as well as the highest percentage of the population aged 15 years and over. Contrary to this, the remaining four communities have a lower median age and younger overall populations. This major difference is representative of the fact that families are gradually migrating to rural areas or suburbs outside of the city, while the city core is progressively transforming into a hub of business, traffic, and commuting. It is also interesting to note that among the five communities, Toronto had the least amount of owned dwellings and the highest number of rented dwellings as seen in Table 3. This is due to the obvious high pricing of condominiums in the city as a result of the limited space available for residential space. People can be forced to live in the city for periodic wor k or are not financially able to buy a property. This can be also related to the size and density of the population where people are more inclined to buying a property where there is a greater tendency to remain for a longer period of time. Therefore, the percentage of single detached homes in the city core is significantly less than that of the suburbs. From table 3, one can notice the major differences of property layout. Overall, what can be learned from this analysis are the processes which have developed in each of the communities differently, with their own unique assets. The relationship between work and home, and the urbanization among satellite cities is what distinguishes our unique future. Based on the facts of this essay, one can assimilate their personal lives with that of the specified community and therefore learn the socio-economic trends of our everyday changing lives.

Commentary on Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka Essay examples --

Commentary on Telephone Conversation by Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka recollects vividly in Ake Mrs. Huti talking about white racism. He was thus mentally prepared to cope with the racism before he left for England. The race problem which has been treated with levity in the immigrant poems is treated from the poet’s personal experience in â€Å"Telephone Conversation.† â€Å"Telephone Conversation† involves an exchange between the black speaker and a white landlady. This poem more than any other is enriched by Soyinka’s experience of drama. It appears that the speaker is so fluent in the landlady’s language that she is unable to make out that he is black and a foreigner. But he, knowing the society for its racial prejudice, deems it necessary to declare his racial identity rather than be rejected later when she discovers that he is black. When he tells her that he is African, she seems stunned and there is â€Å"Silenced transmission of/Pressurized good-breeding.† When she speaks, her voice is Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled Cigarette-holder pipped. These details are evide...

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Reflective Writing Essays

Teaching Philosophy I believe the main purpose of teaching any subject is to encourage students to think critically and appreciate knowledge. Thinking critically is a skill students, no matter where their lives lead them, will need. A teacher should be dedicated to the content they are teaching and should love what they are doing. The fact that students are learning the subject is not enough; a teacher also has an obligation to foster an enjoyment of learning in their students and to show them how they can apply it to their own lives. Teachers should be able to show students that what they are learning in the classroom is relevant to their own lives. The subject material and the students’ response to the subject material should be helping them learn about themselves, and the people they want to be. As for the actual methods of teaching, the students should always be actively involved in everything they are learning. No student wants to sit in a desk for forty-five minutes listening to their teacher lecture. Discussion and having students solve problems for themselves should be main components of the classroom. I believe facilitating discussion, especially in an English classroom, is one of the most important aspects of a child’s learning experience. By discussing their ideas with the teacher and other students, they are learning to effectively express their opinions and think further about what they are learning. The teacher needs to play an important role in ensuring students feel comfortable about speaking about their ideas and encouraging them to give voice to their opinions. A teacher’s work should not be confined to inside the classroom but should extend outside as well. The students they are teaching are the ones in whose hands the future of the world lies, and so a teacher’s responsibility is to demonstrate to students that they need to have a commitment to the world they are living in. A teacher should help their students to know more their world and community through the subject matter they are teaching. This should manifest itself in teaching about tolerance, respect and fostering a desire to better the world they are living in.

Amory Lovins’ Logic in Natural Capitalism Essay example -- Amory Lovin

Amory Lovins’ Logic in Natural Capitalism In the first chapter of Natural Capitalism, author Amory Lovins proposes a new method of capitalism that recognizes the importance of natural and human capital in the industrial system. Conventional capitalism places value only on capital that yields financial gain, and ignores the human and natural parts of the equation. Lovins points to this as the reason for many of the environmental, social, and economic problems on our planet today. He argues that the destructive practices of conventional capitalism must cease, and that a new industrial revolution must happen that will change how human beings support themselves and sustain the resources of the planet. In this chapter he offers suggestions as to how to implement such a revolution. The chapter opens with a passage describing an idealistically perfect world. In this utopian society, unemployment no longer exists and the demand for welfare has dropped. Oil only costs five dollars per barrel due to the discovery of alternate fuel sources. Lovins paints a picture of a world that everyone would like to live in, and says that such a clean world can become a reality if people read his book and follow the suggestions within. He also describes all the bad things happening in the world as a result of conventional capitalism and what will happen if governments and corporations continue on the present path. Lovins explains the relationship between the dwindling amount of natural resources, and the companies that exhaust them for financial gain without concern for sustaining the ecosystem of the planet. The resulting social problems such as poverty, malnutrition, and anarchy are of no concern to the corporations... ...emotional rhetoric than it needs. This chapter is heavily spiced with emotional appeal to sway readers without really delving into the actual argument. The entire opening paragraph and the first few pages contain nothing but emotional appeal. Lovins uses rhetoric designed to sway the emotions of the reader with the utopian scenario that he promises will come from changing the current capitalistic practices, and the vivid descriptions of the horrors of our environmental crisis. However, one should not assume that this chapter is merely emotional persuasion. Lovins bases his argument on rational logic and his informational sources are distinguished experts in their field. He makes a strongly supported claim and his words give me food for thought. I believe it would be wise for people to listen to the logical claim that Lovins presents and follow his suggestions.

Micromax Mobile : How to Increase Market Share

Consumer buying behaviour report Micromax mobile phones By Mansi Choksey Roll no. 19 PGDM Marketing Product chosen: Micromax Mobile phones Issue to be addressed: How to increase Market share: Background on the company: Micromax Mobile needs no introduction today. Just two years back people were not aware of  the brand  at all but today it’s India’s third largest mobile selling company by volume after Nokia and Samsung (IDC Report). Brand’s success can be attributed to it’s ability to understand the need of the market ,aggressive marketing with a budget of Rs. 00 crore and smart  distribution channel  management. Its one of the leading Indian Telecom Companies with 23 domestic offices across the country and international offices in Hong Kong, USA, Dubai and now in Nepal. With a futuristic vision and an exhaustive R&D at its helm, Micromax has successfully generated innovative technologies that have revolutionised the telecom consumerspace. As pe r IDC report Micromax displaced LG to become third largest selling  mobile handset company  in india with a market share of 6%.Nokia is market leader with 62% share and Samsung is on second place with 8% market share. The company today sells more than a million handsets a month and is now a Rs. 1600 cr worth brand. The company has presence in more than 500 districts and 90,000  retail outlets. The company started its Mobile handset business in 2008 and the challenge was to establish an identity in a market dominated by big MNCs Like Nokia,Samsung,LG and Motorola. Today Micromax has become a brand which people relate and look up to for realizing their individual device preferences and other out-of-the-box solutions.Micromax, is now churning out 1 million phones a month. Micromax is on a mission to successfully overcome the technological barriers and constantly engender â€Å"life enhancing solutions†. The company's vision is to develop path-breaking technologies and effi cient processes that incubate newer markets, enliven customer aspirations and continue to make Micromax a trusted market leader amongst people. Micromax founders : Rajesh Agarwal: handles company finances Sumeet Arora: chief technology officer Vikas jain: handles alliances with other companiesRahul Sharma: risk taker with the big ideas 4 P’s of marketing for Micromax mobiles: 1. Product Micromax has been quite effective in the marking a difference with almost every product that it launched. The range that they have covered varies quite a large variety. Right from the handsets with 30 days battery backup, dual SIM, handsets switching networks (GSM -CDMA) using gravity sensors, aspirational QWERTY keypad handsets to operator branded 3G handsets to the most exciting OMH CDMA Handsets, etc. Every product of Micromax had the potential to grab the attention of media as ell as the consumers in a market which is already flooded with mobile phone handsets and a launch is there in ever y day or two. 2. Price Micromax specialized in entry-level and mid-segment handsets priced between Rs1,800 and Rs2,400 when it started selling the devices in 2008, confining itself to small towns and rural areas in the first 12-18 months. Encouraged by its success, the firm expanded to larger cities and now has a distribution network of 55,000 retailers, which it plans to scale up to 70,000 by the end of March as part of its strategy to raise sales to 1. million handsets a month. 3. Place Micromax is one of the leading Indian Telecom Companies with 23 domestic offices across the country and international offices in Hong Kong, USA, Dubai and now in Nepal. Micromax has invested Rs100 crore to set up a plant in Baddi in Himachal Pradesh as it feels outsourcing manufacturing completely leaves the door open for supply-side uncertainties. Production will be scaled up from an initial 50,000 per month. â€Å"If everything goes right, by the third phase in March 2011, the Baddi plant will b e making about 500,000 handsets,† Jain said.If the plant isn’t able to cope with the numbers, the fallback plan is to acquire a facility in South Korea, Taiwan or China, he added. 4. Promotion Having gained traction, Micromax is also working on a strategy to create awareness in the metros, which includes tying up with MTV for co-branded phones. Micromax has also tied up with a Bollywood celebrity â€Å"AKSHAY KUMAR† as brand ambassador. Micromax has also tied up some pretty big brands like Yamaha for enhancing their audio experiences and the X360 comes with an MTV branding and exclusive content.It is utilizing the integrated market communication tools like sponsoring events (cricket match and film awards), advertising through hoardings, TV, radio etc very effectively. With a 360 degree advertising and marketing strategy sketched out, the company has an optimistic outlook for the telecom consumer space. Currently present in more than 40,000 stores across the count ry, the company plans to have an aggressive market incursion to reach out to its customers through 70,000 operational stores in the coming year The following tools of IMC are being used by Micromax:Events and experiences For marketing of its products the company is riding on two enduring Indian obsessions–sports and films–to build its brand. Following up on its association with the popular Twenty20 cricket Indian Premier League (IPL), Micromax, a brand that is less than three years old, has become the title sponsor of almost all tournaments and series of which India is a part, including the recently concluded Asia Cup, the forthcoming India-Sri Lanka Test series and the India-New Zealand-Sri Lanka tri-series in August.The objective behind the cricket â€Å"roadblock†, as such behavior is termed in advertising, is to drive brand awareness and recall. The company believes that while cricket may boost a brand instantly, viewers may still not remember the brand afte r the match or the tournament. Even if consumers remember a series, they may not remember the advertisers. That's when they thought of a roadblock and decided to sponsor all cricketing properties post IPL. Bollywood is also a major platform for the brand, which is targeting consumers between 18 and 27 years.Bollywood's most bankable star Akshay Kumar was signed on as the brand ambassador six months ago. More recently, his wife Twinkle Khanna was engaged to promote Micromax's bling phone that comes with Swarovski crystals and a vanity mirror. To push its association with films, the firm also sponsored the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) Awards held in Sri Lanka, where Micromax recently launched its phones. The brand is now ready to enter Bangladesh and West Asia. Advertising Broadcast media micromax use television to broadcast their advertisements. Apart from using cricket, films, celebrity micromax also advertise through news papers.They also utilize hoarding and bill board s to advertise their products. Prime site recently kicked off a month-long campaign for Micromax mobile phones in Delhi, executed mostly through hoardings. Going further, this promotion will be extended to the other regions of northern India as well. All the Medias used by micromax are very carefully selected as to reach its target audience and through each medium the innovative aspect of the product is portrayed. The three advertising objectives of micromax mobile are * To create awareness * To increase recall of their brand * To create brand equity.Company’s current marketing strategy: 1. Tapping the Indian consumers by knowing what they need specifically: a. Indian context: When Nokia or Samsung roll out a new model they do so from its global portfolio rather than launching something specifically for India. Micromax realized the fact that there are certain unmet needs still there in the market which is not being addressed by big brands. Micromax’s strategy ,since th eir inception has been to identify the unmet latent needs of people and come up with a product which no one else has and thus fits well with the consumer need. b. Rural context:Micromax initially targeted rural market and once it established its presence went on to lure urban youth. Micromax’s first innovation – a handset with 30 days of standby battery life — crucial in a country like India where power failures are common. Also in rural areas its not easy to charge one’s mobile phones because not only are there power failures but also they don’t have money to pay for electricity every month and hence such a phone was introduced. Also One of the major aspects that contribute towards the substantial monthly growth of Micromax is its 80% sales in the rural areas.After building a strong presence in the rural market, where the prominence of both subscribers and operators is rapidly increasing, Micromax is now progressively moving towards establishing i ts foothold in the competitive urban towns as well. 2. Value for money & Cost effective: The company didn’t bank on price competition only rather it catered to the needs of people unaddressed by MNC brands. Big brand like Nokia, Samsung had not introduced Dual sim phones earlier. But with the onset of such phones launched by Micromax, Nokia , Samsung etc. ave tough competition and their phones are just a case of â€Å"me-too† products. Also Micromax has made sure that all their mobile phones are value for money and serve the purpose and the need of the customer. 3. R&D and Innovation : Versatile Product Portfolio: It was the first to introduce: a) Handsets with 30 days battery backup b) Handsets with Dual SIM / Dual Standby c) Handsets Switching Networks (GSM – CDMA) using gravity sensors d) Aspirational Qwerty Keypad Handsets e) Operator Branded 3G Handsets f) OMH CDMA Handsets, etc. . First mover advantage: They have introduced phones specially targeti ng the Indian people which were never even thought of remotely by the top players in the mobile phone industry like Nokia & Samsung. So they clearly have a first mover advantage. 5. Outsourcing the manufacturing: Instead of manufacturing itself, Micromax sourced its handsets from 12 factories in China, South Korea and Taiwan. It was model-based sourcing: Micromax would come up with an idea and give it to the factory best placed to deliver it.This is different from, say, Nokia, which would be compelled to stay in-house or go to a vendor-partner, even if another vendor had better capabilities to execute a particular model. 6. Smart distribution channel management: Micromax also looked at distribution in a new way, standing by its cash-only model. While rivals offered a 60-day credit line, Micromax refused to give credit. â€Å"If the distributor does not buy your handsets, there is no pressure on him to sell them,† explains Mr Agarwal. At the same time, Micromax offered to supply distributors regularly to keep inventories down.So, distributors didn’t have to shell out large amounts upfront or have a lot of money locked in. â€Å"If we give a distributor 1,000 handsets and ask him to sell them over a month, he will worry about his daily sales,† says Mr Agarwal. â€Å"But if we supply less, demand will be close to equal or more than supply. †Micromax has 34 super-distributors across India. Unlike a Nokia or a Samsung, it doesn’t interact with the 500-plus sub-distributors. Neither does it intervene in how the super-distributors sell or place the products. â€Å"We offer our super-distributors a 15% margin, which is higher than the ndustry average of 6-10%,† claims Mr Jain. 7. Unmet needs of consumer 30-DAY BATTERY PHONES April 2008: Rs 2,249; Now: Rs 1,999 The X1i, Micromax’s first phone, had a battery that could give 17 hours of talk time and go 30 days on a single charge. DUAL-SIM PHONES July 2008: Rs 1,999-12 ,999 For those who want two numbers but one handset PHONE-CUM-REMOTE May 2010: Rs 2,999 A mobile that can switch TV channels and even change the AC Temperature PHONE-CUM-STEREO Feb 2010: Rs 4,999 With 3D surround sound, fed by Yamaha and Wolfson BLING Feb 2010: Rs 5,500 A big hit with women, comes with Swarovski embellishmentsIN THE WORKS A mosquito-repellent phone. A phone that can be used as a computer mouse Micromax focuses on being different 8. Production related moves: Micromax is investing Rs 100 crore to set up a manufacturing plant in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, to ensure its outsourcing model does not cause supply-side uncertainties. Production is being scaled up from 50,000 units per month to 500,000 units a month by March 2011. How to increase the market share with respect to the consumer buying behaviour: Steps of consumer buying behaviour: 1) Need awareness:The beginning point of most purchasing is your potential buyer recognition of a need in their life. This need can be established by encountering a problem or prompted by a company's marketing. Already Micromax is into a lot of marketing through promotions, Ads, sponsorships of events, etc. But few suggestions on that front to make sure that their potential consumer hears them rightly is – * Now they are at the 3rd position in the mobile handset industry and they have achieved a good market share in a very short span of time, so their advertisements should focus on brand building. They don`t develop very creative advertisements, sometimes their advertisements are mere noises like the advertisement featuring Akshay kumar. They must add creativity to their advertisements. (Micromax Bling Ad featuring Twinkle Khanna is an exception to this point). * Break the resistance of no need by aligning their marketing with the current needs and wants of your market. * It’s a general norm that whatever is expensive is good to use, of high quality, has more life and is definitely something which wil l increase one’s status.So it would be a good strategy to increase the prices which will work for the image of Micromax because there is a risk of the brand being perceived not as an aspirational brand but a ordinary price warrior if it does not focus on the quality of the communication. * The needs of not even two consumers are the same. Therefore, they buy only those products and services, which satisfy their wants and desires.To survive in the market, a firm has to be constantly innovating and understand the latest consumer needs and tastes it will be extremely useful in exploiting marketing opportunities and in meeting the challenges that the Indian market offers. This reality can be turned into an opportunity by introducing â€Å"Customization of mobile phones†. a) People can goto Micromax mobile stores, and fill a form listing their options of the type of phone they want, color of the phone, screen size of the phone, features like audio player, radio, one  œtouch applications, etc. ;amp; all other specifications of the phone. ) Once that form is filled the Micromax staff can show a picture of the newly designed phone to the consumer on a computer and if necessary can make any changes and then finally place the order for such a phone. c) Payment terms and conditions can be advance payment – half the price of the phone at the time of placing and half at the time of delivery. This makes the consumer feel that the mobile phone company is not only generally consumer centric but it believes in the fact that every person is different and unique in his/ her own way and would have different needs and wants.Also this gives a chance to the consumers to become innovative and its definite that a consumer will definitely want to buy such a phone again from Micromax. 2) Information search: Its important to make sure consumers know about all the new variants and products that the company introduces. With the rise of the Internet, it has never been easier for buyers to research their purchase. It needs to make sure that all information is readily available on the website.They can break the resistance of lack of education by adding an educational seminar to their marketing mix to provide maximum information about their company, phones, promotions, variants, prices, etc. to not just the tech-savvy urban population but also the rural people. Their goal at this point in the buying process is to get their product or service in front of the consumer. They need to make them aware of their solution. 3) Check options: Once the consumer understands his or her situation and has gathered research on possible solutions, the mobile handset buying process enters an evaluation period.The consumer now starts to take a close look at specifics, such as the company providing the solution, the brand name of the product, and the features and benefits of each solution. Branding  and product differentiation are extremely important tools of per suasion during the evaluation stage. This is where the strategies listed above would help Micromax gain an edge over its competitors and increase the market share when a potential consumer would sit and evaluate his options while buying a cell phone. 4) Purchase: After a comprehensive review of solutions and specific products and services, the consumer makes a purchase decision.At this point in the buying process, supporting information needs to be provided to reinforce the decision to buy. Help the buyer by telling them what and why the company/ staff in the store would recommend a certain handset as they are the experts in that. Also Depending on urban / rural population, the company can provide different payment options or billing terms. 5) Evaluation of the purchase: The buyer will look for reinforcement from media, friends, and other sources confirming they made the right decision. Cognitive dissonance or â€Å"buyer's remorse† happens when the buyer begins to feel the p urchase wasn't right for them.To make sure such dissonance doesn’t occur they should offer warranties, there must be after purchase follow-up calls to make sure that the consumer is happy with the handset he/she has purchased, excellent after sales service by opening as many service centers as possible in all parts of India. It is crucial to building strong relationships with customers and encouraging repeat purchases that you not only provide a positive purchase experience and after sale support, but that you strengthen the buyer’s perception that they made the right purchase decision.

Business Plan: Anti-bullying dance event Essay

Business concept Discussions initially took place within the team to find the best possible project we would enjoy planning and eventually to execute. After a number of meetings we decided on a dance event and need to identify how that could benefit the student community. We want to promote health, and upon further discussions we thought of the idea to link anti-bullying. Once we were decided on our event we decided the best place to start was with the Student Union and Student Services to identify what is currently done at the university to provide awareness/information to students and lecturers. Whilst there is a place for students to seek advice when they are being bullied none of us where initially aware of this resource, and this seemed the perfect opportunity to raise awareness to benefit the university community. Discussions with Anwar Azari (Support Services Advice and Representation Manager) and Yasmin Bastow (Vice President of Academic Support and Campaigns) took place who were both keen to assist us with the event. This also led us to Peter Lovatt (Psychologist, Dancer and Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire) and Marcella Wright (Head of Equality) Objectives 1. Raise awareness of anti-bullying 2. To provide students the opportunity to learn about anti-bullying 3. Create awareness of the University of Hertfordshire’s zero tolerance of harassment and bullying 4. A dance event with different tutorials and a short presentation providing students and lecturers from the University to increase their knowledge on bullying, but do something fun whilst learning through linking dancing and anti-bullying. Market Research Approximately 70% of young people experience bulling (Cyber Mentors, 2011). According to Anti-bulling network (2011) bullying can occur at any time regardless of age. At the University of Hertfordshire there is a zero tolerance of harassment and bullying policy (University of Hertfordshire, 2011). Bullying UK (2011) identify that examples of bullying include name calling, damaging someone else’s possession with intent, spreading rumours, threats and intimidation. At least 20 children each year commit suicide because they are being bullied (Cyber Mentors, 2011). Primary research has been carried out to examine the demographics of students and lecturers at the University of Hertfordshire in terms of age and gender, their awareness of anti-bullying and if they would participate in our event and how much they would be capable of paying to join in. (See appendix 1 for the questionnaire and results of the research). Furthermore Dr Peter Lovatt; Psychologist, Dancer and Lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, uses scientific research to investigate the relationship between dance and health, dance & self-esteem, dance & thinking, dance & hormones, dance & emotion recognition. He works with choreographers to create new dance works which have a psychological basis (Lovatt, 2011) In honour of International Anti-Bullying Day, two schools, David Lloyd George Elementary and Churchill’s Secondary came together to create a message about acceptance and challenge through a flashmob dance in January 2011 (MrDarrenj88, 2011) The customer groups we will be targeting are: 1. University of Hertfordshire students at Hatfield campus 2. University of Hertfordshire lecturers at Hatfield campus Risks we have identified: 1. Breakages to equipment loaned to us for the event such as the projector or sound equipment 2. Health and safety of students, lecturers and the event organisers leading up to the event and during the event 3. Weather impacting on people travelling to the event 4. No one showing up/limited interest from students and lecturers 5. Unavailable venue or equipment 6. Dance societies not being available to assist with our event Reward we have identified from the event: 1. Community awareness of bullying issues and the effects that it can have on other people 2. Creating an atmosphere for conducive learning Measure success of the event 1. Individuals from the University of Hertfordshire take part in our event 2. To ensure that they are not just taking part for ‘free’ we will also ask for feedback to assess their knowledge of bullying straight after the event. Promotion and advertising The key target market for this event is university community; students and lecturers. We plan to promote the event through a number of marketing vehicles which include: Within the university; TV screens in restaurants, notice boards, social media sites linked to the University, Universe newspaper, support from Yasmin and her team in the Student Union, support from Anwar and his team in Students Support Services, and work with the various Schools at the University to provide awareness of the event. Additionally to ensure we provide direct awareness and opportunity for students to ask questions about the event we will distribute flyers to promote the event two weeks prior to our event. Financial cost of anti-bulling dance event The cost for the event has remained zero following discussions and negotiations with the many people we have met with. A summary of the resources required for the event and how they have effectively been funded is specified below: Resource How fund ed 1. Dancers 1. Student Society and in-kind Zumba teacher 1. Audio equipment 1. Media Students 1. Projector 1. Student Union 1. Posters 1. Student Support Services 1. Printing 1. Student Support Services 1. Speakers about bullying 1. Head of Equality 1. Venue 1. Open space in the Forum 1. 1. 1. 1. ________________ References Anti-bulling network (2011) Information. Available from: http://www.antibullying.net/communitymoreinformation.htm [Accessed 1st November 2011] Bullying UK (2011) Anti-bullying Advice. Available from: http://www.bullying.co.uk/advice/anti-bullying-advice [Accessed 1st November 2011] Cyber Mentors (2011) How many people are affected by bullying? Available from: http://cybermentors.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=40 [Accessed 1st November 2011] MrDarrenj88, 2011. Anti-Bullying Flashmob January 2011. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhYyAa0VnyY [Accessed 22nd October 2011] Lovatt, P. (2011) Psychologist & Dancer. Available from http://dancedrdance.com/default.aspx [Accessed 22nd October 2011] University of Hertfordshire (2011) Student Guide to A Safe and Secure Environment. University of Hertfordshire.

Italian Wars essays

Italian Wars essays During the period 13th and 16th century Europe was in a state of great ebullition and new classification. Wars, revolutions, politico-economical transition, social convulsions and illnesses overwhelmed fatally the stability of Europe. During the period of two centuries (14th and 15th century) the countries that were constituting Europe were trying to solve the various problems by using political regimes and a lot of times using radical methods. Italy had a lead role during that period (Renaissance) but also before that and especially the city-states that constitute the country. Many innovations, new ideas and methods that were used in all areas like economy, trading, politics, society and religion came from Italy the period of Renaissance influencing all Europe. This period also influenced arts, literature and culture. The areas that were influenced, progress and developed in Italy were the society of city-states, the political classifications and conflictions, the finance and also the arts and culture. During this period the society has begun to urbanize. In social area the bourgeoisie of the Holy Roman years was never forgotten. Trade and small industry were fully developed. In the South the agriculture was in decline. On the other hand in Central and North Italy navigation was developed. There was a complicate and confused social system. There wasnt a clear social hierarchy between the rich and poor. Every one had to recruit in the Territorial Army and they were fighting side by side. The participation in public life was an integral part of their lives. A simple example of what was happening in Florence the public businesses was operated from the citizens. In Venice the trade aristocracy was in charge. The political matters were an issue of personal high gear of the citizens. This progress brought competition among the cities and the once that had powerful politico-economy were occupying the smaller ones. Th...

Akindele Owolabi Essays - Gender, Violence Against Women

Akindele Owolabi Essays - Gender, Violence Against Women Akindele Owolabi Men's Health James Bridges Jr November 27, 2016 Sexual Violence and Victimization on College Campuses Sexual violence is a serious problem that can have lasting, harmful effects on victims, their families, friends, and communities. Sexual violence and victimization on college campuses needs to be eradicated. Speaking as a college student out here in a world where everyday there is rape, murder or abuse I can personally tell you that I am afraid. I have to be cautious when walking alone in the night, and constantly have to be looking around to make sure that my surroundings are clear. I know that I am a male and that is less likely, based off of percentages and surveys taken, that I will be raped but you still have to be cautious. In order to reduce interpersonal and partner violence we must first look at prevention. Prevention efforts should ultimately decrease the number of individuals who perpetrate sexual violence and the number of individuals who are victims. Many prevention approaches aim to reduce risk factors and promote protective factors for sexual violence. In addition, comprehensive prevention strategies should address factors at each of the levels that influence sexual violenceindividual, relationship, community, and society. The most common prevention strategies currently focus on the victim, the perpetrator, or bystanders. Strategies that try to equip the victim with knowledge, awareness, or self-defense skills are referred to as "risk reduction techniques." Strategies focused on the perpetrator attempt to change risk and protective factors for sexual violence to reduce the likelihood that an individual will engage in sexually violent behavior. The goal of bystander prevention strategies is to change social norms supporting sexual violence and empower men and women to intervene with peers to prevent an assault from occurring. Other prevention strategies address social norms, policies, or laws in communities to reduce the perpetration of sexual violence across the population. Some steps are; Know the signs Educate the students - have conferences on interpersonal and relationship violence Check in regularly - if you have a friend who you know may be in a bad situation in her relationship, call or text jus to see how she is doing Be on standby - if you have a friend or friends who may have told you they aren't completely comfortable in their relationship be the person they can call or text whenever As it relates to the question, "Is there an emphasis on Sexual or Partner violence on Historically Black Colleges and Universities?" I don't think there is one. To me there is an emphasis on sexual or partner violence on all women but particularly those in the later stages of high school going into college and those in college. This has been that way since I was young, but as I have grown and matured in this world, I have seen more children being abused or raped, even abducted, so it is hard to actually tell if there is even an actual age group preference. I believe that "these monsters" (rapists, abusers and abductors) don't care what gender or how old those they harm are. So to me there is no emphasis on HBCU's in general but an emphasis on all women, I know I didn't mention much about the men and that's because it is rare to hear that men have been raped or abused because based on past percentages and statistics it is usually the men who do these horrible crimes. But recently ther e has been more abductions of boys and that is something to note. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) against women is now recognized as a problem of global magnitude, owing to its detrimental consequences on the health, social and economic welfare of women and their children. It is a life-threatening problem primarily affecting women and girls. Exposure to IPV among women has been associated with increased morbidity and is documented as the third leading cause of mortality among women of reproductive age. IPV often has serious long-term consequences for the individuals involved, their families, communities, and society. IPV is not restricted to married couples, but also occurs among people in courtship and dating relationships. The phenomenon cuts across all age, social and economic constellations. However young women particularly college students experience high levels of IPV

Aids 2 essays

Aids 2 essays AIDS Related Stigma Since the appearance of AIDS in the late seventies and early eighties, the disease has had attached to it a significant social stigma. This stigma has manifested itself in the form of discrimination, avoidance and fear of people living with AIDS (PLWAs). As a result, the social implications of the disease have been extended from those of other life threatening conditions to the point at which PLWAs are not only faced with a terminal illness but also social isolation and constant discrimination throughout society. Various explanations have been suggested as to the underlying causes of this stigmatization. Many studies point to the relationship the disease has with deviant behavior. Others suggest that fear of contagion is the actual culprit. Examining the existing literature and putting it into societal context leads one to believe that there is no one cause. Instead, there would appear to be a collection of associated factors that influence societys att itudes towards AIDS and PLWAs. As the number of people infected with HIV increases, social workers are and will be increasingly called upon to deal with and serve PLWAs. Although not all social workers chose to work with PLWAs, the escalating incidence of HIV infection is creating a situation in which sera positive people are and will be showing up more often in almost all areas of social work practice. This paper aims to examine AIDS related stigma and the stigmatization process, hopefully providing insights into countering the effects of stigma and perhaps the possibility of destigmatization. This is of particular pertinence to the field of social work due to our growing involvement with the HIV positive population. Association to Deviant/Marginal Behavior one of the most clearly and often identified causes of AIDS related stigma is its association to deviant behavior. The disease has had and still does have a strong associ...

Stolen food Essays

Stolen food Essays Stolen food Essay Stolen food Essay In chapter three, struggling with the guilt of stealing the food, drink, whittles and file, and the good for keeping his promise and caring for a suffering human being, Pip sets off to deliver these things to convict, Pip runs towards the marshes. A boy with Somebody-elses pork pie! Stop him! The cattle came upon me with like suddenness, staring out of their eyes, and steaming out of their nostrils, Holloa, young thief! One black ox, with a white cravat on who even had to my awakened conscience something of a clerical air fixed me so obstinately with his eyes, and moved his blunt head round in such an accusatory manner as I moved round, that I blubbered out to him, I couldnt help it, sir! It wasnt for myself I took it!. Personification is used when Pip is passing the cattle. The cattle begin to speak to Pip calling him a young thief for stealing somebody-elses pork pie. Imbruing his hands in me Pip is worried the young man will stain his hands with Pips blood; Pip is obviously frightened at the thought of it. Sympathy is created here because he is very young and he is worrying so much. The serialised format allows for more tension, suspense and drama, this quote makes us think that Pip may actually be in danger with the young man. Later, Mr. Pumblechook, Mr. Wopsle, Mr. and Mrs. Hubble horribly terrorise Pip in perpetuity during the Christmas dinner. The anxiety grows within Pip in chapter five as he awaits Mrs. Joes discovery of the missing food. The fear Pip has is lifted by the conversation everyone is having about Pip being such a nuisance to raise and that people should feel sympathetic towards Mrs. Joe, which is something Dickens clearly does not want us to feel. They seemed to think the opportunity lost if they failed to point the conversation at me, every now and then, and stick the point into me. I might have been an unfortunate little bull in a Spanish arena, I got so smartingly touched up by these moral goads. In this chapter, Mr. Pumblechook and Mr. Wopsle notice similarities between the pig on the table. They are trying to say that Pip should be grateful for what he has and who he is; otherwise, if he were a pig, then he would be served to an ungrateful person, such as himself. Mr. Pumblechook appears as a self centred fool, Dickens purposely chose a silly name for a silly person. The sympathetic person here is Joe. Joe is too humble and shy to express his sympathy, so he gives Pip extra gravy as encouragement. Dickens has made it clear that Joe is more graceful and charitable than the wealthy Mr. Wopsle and Mr. Pumblechook who claim they themselves are charitable and graceful, while in actuality they hardly are. These moments in Pips childhood seem to be fresh in his memory, pointing out that he is distressed from the guilt he had enforced by Mrs. Joe, Mr. Pumblechook and Mr. Wopsle. Dickens has made us feel sympathetic towards Pip because Pip is very young and at that age he is too innocent to realise that he should not feel guilty and that his accusers should really be feeling guilty. Pip thinks he deserves to be treated in such a manner by his sister, Mr. Wopsle and Mr. Pumblechook, although Pip knows as an adult that he is treated dreadfully by them, he accepts it because of his guilt. Toward the end of chapter four, Mr. Pumblechook has a bit of the brandy Pip has stolen and filled the remainder of the bottle with tar water. Mr. Pumblechook starts to cough and Pip is frightened since he is sure that Mr. Pumblechook will notice. The pork pie that Pip had also stolen was on the menu for dessert, a symbol representing Pips guilt, shame and also misery. Having such a splendid meal is no comfort for having such a miserable day, especially Christmas day. Since the beginning of the novel, Pip also feels a different kind of guilt, a criminal guilt. The first type of guilt is the guilt that Mrs. Joe and others make him feel while this guilt is more pardonable because Pip knows that he should not be doing these things. Pip is constantly bound to being connected with criminals. We do not reprehend Pip because his conscience makes him pay for his crime as he constantly is in guilt throughout the novel. Through Pips agony and guilt, Charles Dickens indicates that Pip is the object of sympathy in the novel. The reader also feels sorry for him because of Pips anguish. The suffering Pip feels is mainly caused by the guilt he feels. He feels guilt from associating with criminals and even by thinking that he was a burden for his sister. He is continuously tormented by Mrs. Joe when he is young. Her views have inclined Pips self imagery, which has caused him to assume that his life causes nothing but despair and disturbance to those around him. Humour and irony are powerful devices in these chapters as most of the narrative is driven by guilt. The guilt has a depressing tone, so to lighten things up a bit of irony and humour is added. An example of humour is in the first chapter, where Pip calls his deceased parents by the only names he knows them as: Phillip Pirrip, late of this parish and also Georgiana, wife of the above. His deceased brothers are described as the five little stone lozenges. Another example of humour is when Pip politely requests that he be held the right way up when he first meets Magwitch and also when Pip expresses his delight when Magwitch enjoys the stolen food. The innocent way pip describes his sisters outbursts that are targeted towards either him or Mr. Joe are comical too. Throughout the first five chapters of Great Expectations, Pips narration stresses his negative characters and attributes, namely his guilt and dishonesty. The fundamental meeting betwixt Magwitch, the runaway convict who made sure that the young man was captured even for the price of his own freedom, and Pip, the young innocent boy who is guilt ridden by his very existence, will turn out to be an unlikely but major relationship in Great Expectations. The cardinal relationship that will be the rousing of Pips Great Expectations. We will also experience his ups and downs through is extraordinarily clear yet intimate narration.

Cohabitation in the US Essays

Cohabitation in the US Essays Cohabitation in the US Paper Cohabitation in the US Paper Essay Topic: In the Us â€Å"Cohabitation† means two people of the opposite sex living together before marriage. Today, about four million couples live together before marriage, although their future will most likely be in danger. Most couples cohabit to save money, to test run a marriage, or to stave off loneliness. The United States Bureau Census has found that cohabitors are 80 percent more likely to become divorced than those who do not live together before marriage. Of this 80 percent, 40 percent break up before marriage and 40 percent divorce within ten years. The responsibility of commitment to a partner, excluding sexual contact, may be lower of cohabitors after marriage. Forste and Tanfer in 1996 said that women cohabitors are 3.3 times more likely to have a second sex partner following marriage than non-cohabitors. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, cohabiting women have a depression rate three times higher than non-cohabiting women. These women also become more irritable, anxious, worried, and unhappy. Becoming a cohabitor is not always the safest road to take. The United States Justice Department says that women living in cohabitation are sixty-two times more likely to experience assault by a live-in boyfriend. In addition, 25 percent of single women suffer from neurotic disorders; whereas only 15 percent of married women suffer from these disorders. According to the United States Bureau Census, four out of every ten cohabiting couples have children present. Of these children, only 40 percent will see their parents marry. Children need the love and care of real parents because unstable and broken relationships may traumatize children for life. Supporters of cohabiting couples argue that living together before marriage is a test to see how compatible the couple may be. After all, most people would not buy a pair of shoes without trying them on first. Of the 50 to 80 percent of cohabiting couples in first world countries, 76 percent of them plan to marry, but a lower percentage actually does, according to Brown and Booth. Many say that a cohabiting couple would have more money because the couple and not the individual pay the payments, but according to Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, cohabiting couples are often more financially unstable than married couples. Whatever the reasons for cohabiting, these statistics document the dangers for anyone contemplating cohabitation. Couples who live together are more likely to divorce and not as happy as those who do not. Children will have the greatest impact on the future. Living in an environment of a cohabiting couple the child may not receive the love and care that is needed. Although it seems to be the â€Å"right† thing to do, living together before marriage is not always good for couples.

Whitmans Song of Myself Spirituality and Religion

Whitman's Song of Myself Spirituality and Religion Spirituality is a mixed bag for the great American  poet, Walt Whitman.  While he takes a great deal of material from Christianity, his conception of religion is much more complicated than the beliefs of one or two faiths mixed together. Whitman seems to draw from the many roots of belief to form his own religion, putting himself at the center. Examples From the Text Much of Whitmans  poetry resounds with Biblical allusions and innuendo. In the very first cantos of Song of Myself, he reminds us that we are formed from this soil, this air, which brings us back to the Christian Creation story. In that story, Adam was formed from the dust of the ground, then brought to consciousness by the breath of life. These and similar references run throughout Leaves of Grass, but Whitmans intent seems rather ambiguous. Certainly, he is drawing from Americas religious background to create poetry that will unify the nation. However, his conception of these religious roots seems twisted (not in a negative way) - changed from the original conception of right and wrong, heaven and hell, good and bad. In accepting the prostitute and murderer along with the deformed, trivial, flat, and despised, Whitman is trying to accept all of America (accepting the ultra-religious, along with the godless and un-religious). Religion becomes a poetic device, subject to his artistic hand. Of course, he also seems to stand apart from the grime, putting himself in the position of the  observer. He becomes a creator, almost a god himself, as he speaks America into existence (perhaps we could say that he really sings, or chants, America into existence), validating every element of the American experience. Whitman brings philosophical significance to the most simple objects and actions, reminding America that every sight, sound, taste, and smell can take on a  spiritual importance to the fully aware and healthy individual. In the first cantos, he says, I loafe and invite my soul, creating a dualism between matter and spirit. Throughout the rest of the poem, though, he continues this pattern. He constantly uses the images of body and spirit together, bringing us to a better understanding of his true conception of spirituality. Divine am I inside and out, he says, and I make holy whatever I touch or am touchd from. Whitman seems to be calling to America, urging the people to listen and to believe. If they wont listen or hear, they may be lost in the perpetual Wasteland of the modern experience. He sees himself as Americas savior, the last hope, even a prophet. But he also sees himself as the center, the one-in-one. Hes not leading America toward  T.S. Eliots  religion; instead, he is playing the part of the Pied Piper, leading the masses toward a new conception of America.

Website evaluation - Hebrew Poetry Research Paper

Website evaluation - Hebrew Poetry - Research Paper Example A. Authority/Source: The domain of the website is ".org", suggesting that the site belongs to an organization, most probably a non-profit organization. The "About" page (http://medievalhebrewpoetry.org/index.html) of the site clearly states its purpose, intended audience and author. According to the description, the site aims at providing information on Hebrew poems and poets to scholars, general readers, librarians, teachers and poetry lovers. However, it is further stated that the site is mainly aimed for general readers and poetry lovers only. The website also provides information about its creator and editor on the "About the Editor of This Site" page (http://medievalhebrewpoetry.org/abouttheauthor.html). The author's professional, publishing and teaching experiences are clearly stated (http://medievalhebrewpoetry.org/resume.html). It is apparent that the information on the site is authentic as its author and editor (Henry Rasof) has several publications to his credit. The site a lso acknowledges the contributors and publishers who granted permission for use of copyrighted information from journals, books, and other publications. The website also provides the author's email address, which can be used for verifying the site's credibility. The site was initially developed as a project for the author's MA degree; however, the author hopes to expand it further. The site also provides the address of the author for sending feedback ... Z. Idelsohn (http://medievalhebrewpoetry.org/idelsohnchapterfinal.html). Most other articles and poetry have been excerpted from similar publications. Most of the articles have appropriate footnotes and are backed by complete bibliographies for verification of factual information. The information provided thus seems credible. While excerpts of copyrighted information are accompanied with details of the original authors, the sites own articles are also accompanied with sufficient information on the author and his/her credentials. The site uses minimal graphical representations, which if shown, are appropriately labeled. However, their sources are not cited. For instance, a map of "Andalucia: Center of Islamic presence in Spain during the time of the medieval Jewish poets" shown on the site's home page (http://medievalhebrewpoetry.org/index.html) has an appropriate and detailed legend, but its source is not cited. C. Currency: Original articles by the author of the website do not state the date of creation. Therefore, it is difficult to determine when the article was actually written. For instance, the article "Abraham Ibn Ezra and the Metaphors of Imagination" (http://medievalhebrewpoetry.org/abrahamibnezrabiointro.html), originally written by Henry Rasof, the site's author and editor, does not state when the article was created. Since the information is related to historical and literary aspects of Hebrew poetry, the date of creation does not necessarily matter. There is no indication that the site is constantly updated or edited. According to information provided by the site, its articles were last updated on 7th June, 2008, indicating that the site is outdated. The site provides links to external sources and websites. All the links are

Chapters' summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chapters' summaries - Essay Example Mixed language tools can deliver the desired results and also cause hurt that will take time to heal. The leader has to deal with these standard tools with caution. The intentions of the leader may be right; but it needs to be told at the right time. One important point incidentally. The listeners mostly have estimate of the merit of the personality conveying the message to them. For example, a politician speaking on the subject of the current state of the economy may not command the same respect with the audience as compared to a reputed management consultant’s views on the subject. The audience has a pre-conceived notion that the former is playing to the gallery and he may state quite the opposite, in front of another audience. The combination of the language tools employed by the leader may produce tangible effects on some; with others it may be quite contradictory. This is the limitations with the mixed messages; they may outweigh the advantages they score. The audience is intelligent enough to understand whether the leader’s message comes out of his convictions or he is trying to outsmart the audience with clever use of the mixed messages and he is doing it quite deliberately. Blessed are those who have perfected the art of gifted communication. To an extent this ability is inborn but there is much scope for cultivating this quality. One needs to do framing in advance for the possible situations of interactions during the course of the day. A verbatim account of such dealing is impossibility as new situations crop up and new solutions will have to be found. If one has the spontaneous answer for an expected question it is perfect; but if one has the appropriate answer for the unexpected question, that leader is a genius. For example a cashier at the bank, may have some routine questions from the customer, like, ‘At

Maximising Sales and Client Base of Contemporary Art Gallery Essay

Maximising Sales and Client Base of Contemporary Art Gallery - Essay Example CAG would be catering to the needs of customers ranging from various age groups possibly from 16-65 and people from diverse lifestyles. The company has a strong belief in values and therefore the employees would be given a 10% gain sharing on the basis of their performance in the next year. Apart from this the company is aimed at acquiring 20% return on its applied capital assets in the next 15 months. Company has identified the following tasks on the basis of short term plan: Approach to the clients for the CAG to identify their needs and tastes more into the roots. Locate the sponsors and investors for implementing the objectives. Establish the infrastructure for the art gallery with all the latest facilities and equipment. Plan the first art exhibition and first musical concert which will held within the next six months. External Environment The external environment for CAG is explained using the PEST analysis. PEST is an abbreviation for political, economical, social and technolo gical analysis. It is primarily used to describe the macro environment for any newly started project in order to analyze the external factors which might influence the business in the short run or in the long run. In the recent times the horizon of pest analysis has broaden to PESTEL which further includes the environmental and legal factors affecting the business activity. Political The stable political condition of the country enables the company to carry out its operation smoothly and soundly. However the expected areas for the political intervention would be tax policy; this will be dealt through modern age accounting solutions such as the principle of depreciation which is a helpful tool in decreasing the tax rate and simultaneously increasing the company... Maximizing sales and client base of Contemporary Art Gallery The paper presents a deep business activity analysis of a Contemporary Art Gallery and future forecasting on the basis of PESTEL analysis and Seven Ps of marketing. It also describes a substantial and suitable mission statement and has also assigned the immediate tasks to be done to improve the business situation. The initial business plan is made on the basis of ‘The Pyramid of Goals’ presented in ‘The Business Plan Workbook’. Within the next 3 years, the aim of the plan is to achieve a significant position in the world of Art as well as in the artists’ lives. Over the next year, the sales and client base is expected to be increased by 15% which would enable the company to achieve the future goals as well. The company has a strong belief in values and therefore the employees would be given a 10% gain sharing on the basis of their performance in the next year. Apart from this, the company is aimed at acquiring 20% return on its applied capital assets in the next 15 months. The plan emphasizes that extending the business operations while considering different external and internal environmental aspects will facilitate the company to maximize its sales and increase the client base. The initial business plan clarifies the aims and objectives of the company and also encourages the employees by assigning them certain goals for a specified time period. Motivated employees play a vital role in increasing the overall productivity.

Skin problems related to makeup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Skin problems related to makeup - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to the use of makeup and the clogging of pores, this has an unhealthy affect for a number of reasons. First, due to the fact that the pores of the skin are the means whereby the skin is able to be moisturized and â€Å"breath†, clogging the pores has a negative affect not only on the health of the skin but on the aging process (Streamlining Beauty 88). Without being able to deliver the necessary moisture and oils to the surface, the aging process takes place at a faster rate as the skin loses its ability to be elastic and stretch. In such a way, even though the application of makeup is intended to make the skin more beautiful, as can be seen from the preceding discussion, it can actually have a diminishing return over time. As a means of understanding these determinants, ti is the hope of this author that the reader will be able to integrate a further and more complete understanding of makeup and its effects on skin health. ... The final health impact that makeup can have is related to allergic reactions on the part of the user. Although there is no way that any product can be made allergen free, by very nature of the diverse allergies that are exhibited by individuals, the fact of the matter is that many individuals are allergic to many of the thickening agents or minerals that are found within the common forms of makeup that are on the market today (Levy & Emer 175). Moreover, depending on the quality of the product, there are certain degrees of impurities that can be found within these products to a varying degree. As a function of this, the levels of pure ingredients that are interacting with the skin of an individual’s face are oftentimes unknown (Gray & Boothroyd 66). Due to the fragility and tender level of the skin that is exhibited on the face, as well as the fact that there are at least 7 orifices in the immediate vicinity, this is an especially worrisome point. As a function of these parti cular issues, the reader can understand that many of the negative skin health issues related to makeup are concentric around the overall cleanliness of the skin and/or the ability and desire of the individual user to ensure that they remove all makeup each and every night prior to going to bed. If this is engaged, the level and extent to which the pores will be clogged and the acne levels will increase will be reduced precipitously. However, with regards to the final issue that has been raised, the allergic reactions that many users experience when using makeup, this is not something that can be prevented or reduced. Ultimately, such a skin health issue is entirely dependent upon the environmental factors that determined the individuals

Teaching methods - literacy and reading Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teaching methods - literacy and reading - Essay Example A child’s interest in literature is essential for sound cognitive learning. Children’s writing skills are much influenced by the time and attention of the parents and teachers they receive in this regard. They begin by drawing random lines without any formal sense of colors or shapes. These random lines reflect the child’s approach towards self expression which is quite unstructured owing to the child’s immaturity. A child’s writing skills are much influenced by the time he spends in viewing alphabets and his reflection. The writing skills can be polished by making the child copy a line of words written by his tutor as he sees them. This art of language is naturally acquired by children as they observe people talk around them. However, the case is not the same with 2nd language acquisition. It is much easier for a child to learn his mother tongue as compared to the 2nd language that requires formal guidance and assistance of teachers and parents. The process starts with speaking individual alphabets that are then joined to form words, though not too large in the start. Listening is one of the most fundamental senses that a child is born with. No effort is required on the part of his parents and teachers to polish a child listening skills provided that he is not naturally deaf. In fact, a child’s ability to speak is fundamentally related to his ability to listen. Again, the problem may arise in case of listening and comprehending 2nd language. Children polish their ability to comprehend 2nd language by listening to songs and movies in the 2nd language. Just like listening, viewing is also one of the fundamental senses that are gifted by the nature to every child. The child gets the basic sense of life and the world by viewing and comprehending his surroundings. Without viewing and listening skills, a child can not interact with or respond to his surroundings. No one teaches a child how to see, he

Preparing to Participate in Groups Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Preparing to Participate in Groups - Assignment Example When leaders work collaboratively with other team members making them feel responsible and encouraging them to actively participate, I feel that it would result in the team producing better results and the goals would be accomplished on time. With reference to Chapter 8 "Leading Small Groups: Practical Tips", my advice to a prospective member of a problem-solving or decision-making group would be that when they are in the role of a leader, they ensure that there is effective communication between all the members of the team. Based on my previous experience of working in group projects I have realized that communication is the key to effective working and team building in groups. In one particular group project that I was working on, the topic was divided into smaller sections and each member was to present their findings after a few weeks. Unfortunately, due to lack of proper communication, two members of the group spent a lot of time researching the same topic resulting in a signifi cant waste of time and causing resentment among the team members.

Applied molecular biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Applied molecular biology - Essay Example One of the subclasses was germinal-center B-cell-like DLBCL which showed an expression pattern the same as the mature germinal-center B-cells and portended a more favorable prognosis with a 60% five-year survival rate. Besides that, two other DLBCL subclasses, these are, type-3 DLBCL and activated B-cell-like DLBCL, presented much less favorable prognoses with a 35% five-year survival rate. From all these and the researches, it may be possible to determine the patients that might benefit from more aggressive therapies such as chemotherapy regimens or bone marrow transplants when DLBCL is diagnosed. HD DNA microarray studies have highlighted molecular pathways that are important in cancer subclasses. Example, researchers have observed that several genes in the activated B-cell subclass of DLBCL were downstream targets of the NFkB transcription factor. They proved that NFkB activity is higher in this DLBCL subtype thereby suggesting that drugs targeting the NFkB may be effective in the treatment of these tumors. (Cain, 2011) Gene expression profiling of tumor specimens may be useful in the pre-selection of patients who may benefit from drug treatment. It can also be used in examining gene expression profiles of cancers following chemotherapy so as to determine whether the tumors are responding to treatment. In this method, detailed patient-specific molecular information would be used to predict an effective therapy. (Schwab,

The North American Berdache Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8500 words

The North American Berdache - Coursework Example Such people are also called two-spirited people. Way back in history the Spanish 'Conquistadors' came across two-spirited individuals in almost every town or village they visited in Central America. It was believed in the past that these individuals possessed numinous powers. History says that once in an encounter between a tribe and a group of women the soldiers of the tribe found that one of the women was a Berdache they ran frightened when the women started running after them. This proves the point that Berdaches contained significance in North America. However some writers criticize these individuals. Natives were and are usually thought of as warriors. Now when it is discovered about the Berdaches, writers criticize it as being a social failure. The reason being that such individuals believe that these people do not possess masculine qualities in them and hence are failure for their culture and their tribe. The writer Lang comments that in the past cross dressing that is male dressing like a female or a female dressing like a male did not mean they were necessarily Berdaches. He believed that dressing did not describe a person's society role, gender or even the partner he or she would choose for his or her life. A child's gender was decided by his or her tendency towards masculine or feminine activities. Clothing only mattered at the stage of Puberty to display a person's gender. Two-spirited people with a male body could go on a war, could even indulge in male activities such as sweat lodges. However they even had the capabilities of performing feminine tasks such as cooking and other domestic jobs. However now such feminine males are looked down by the society. People take them as a shame to the society and no longer look at their dual capabilities. These two spirited people or berdaches had sexual relations with any of the gender. How ever in the early days and even now Female bodied berdaches were involved in sexual relations with the female gender (now who are usually named as lesbians). A classic example of a relationship or a marriage was seen in the Lakota tribe which had male bodied berdaches, which would marry usually other males whose wife had passed away. They could take up the job of nursing the children of the family. Such people how ever did not gain much recognition, but some people believed that having sexual relations with two spirited people would get them magical powers. It was even believed that male-bodied berdaches having sex with another male will lead to the increasing of the masculinity of the other male. Another example brings in a totally new study of these two spirited