Are we living in an Age of Empire

Are we living in an Age of Empire The term â€Å"Empire† has a common meaning of the notion of a state headed by an emperor or a monarch together with culturally distinct people. The most salient political in the empire were customarily between noble elite and the lower. An Empire is a systematically organized governing organ that formulates and amends state’s policies. Empires act as a bridge between the government and its colonies in overseas countries. An Empire play a significant role in the importation and exportation of products.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Are we living in an Age of Empire? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An empire can be an official or casual association, in which a nation rules the political dominion of another government. An empire is earned through dictating. It is also achieved by using supreme power, taking sides, unions, fiscal manipulations and communal or literal reliance. Imperialism is any course of action together with martial belligerence through which a state builds and implements its authorities over other countries. Imperialism is the segregation and sustenance of an economical, cultural, and defensive affiliation between two or more countries. The primary objective of modern imperialism is to face out slavery, which act as a way manipulating and employing free labor in abroad countries. Imperialism is the act of emphasizing and investing in the local economy in order to increase the output and earning per capita in the country. This will help the state to exercise her political rule over other states to control and dictate their markets. Examples of empires include Akkadian, Babylonian, Bornao, British, Egyptian, Median, Ottoman,Oyo, Roman and the Soviet Empire. The British Empire has remained the single source of investment before the Second World War. The export of capital from Britain for investment in colonial territories was estimated to be roughly five percent of earning per capita in the period between 1871 and 1915. The averaged national income increased to six percent between the periods 1904 to 1914. It later increased to ten percent in the subsequent years. The British Empire ruled many overseas countries. South American was a British and its counties include Falklands Island and British Guiana. Honduras is a Central American state which colonized by the British. West Indian countries such as Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Grenada, Bahamas and Bermuda made up the British Empire. Some Africa states such as Gambia, South Africa, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Sierra Leon, Nigeria and Gambia were colonized by the British. Indian Oceans counties such as Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena and Ascension made up the British Empire. Pacific Islands consisting of Solomon Islands, New Hebrides, Tonga and Fiji were British colonies. Other countries include Hong Kong, Singapore, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Ca nada and Australia.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More British imported more commodities from overseas. She exported less and her expenditure was more than the income. This led to an existence of a trade deficit between imports and exports. The British Empire played a key role in reclaiming the economic instability by reducing the trade deficit. The empire controlled the inflow of goods from India. The imperial government had the mandate to dictate, force the citizens to pay taxes and lay siege to the industries. The governors stopped the boats, disrespect their economic, social, cultural and personal rights. The British Empire promised to maintain a well-equipped Navy before declaring war. The governors claimed that if they did not set free the territories of their Indian and American associates from the French imperialism, their land and wealth would be compromised or taken. Th e British Empire controlled the whole of Indian land and other hundred of thousands of people in the overseas. A combination of economic factors and the strong navy enabled Britain to emerge as Europe’s strongest nation. The Roman Empire consisted of three spheres. The first sphere is the outer ring of the frontier province in which the defensive armies were stationed. There was an inner ring of relatively rich tax-exporting provinces such as Egypt, Syria, Minor, Asia, Northern Africa, Southern Gaul and Spain. The Roman Empire also had a Center ring consisting of the city of Rome and Italy, the seat of the court and of the central government, which like the armies of the frontiers, consumed large volume of taxes. The Roman Empire model implies an increased monetization of the Roman economy, the commercialization of the Roman exchange rate, and elongation of the links between producers and consumers. The growth of the bankers, shippers, and traders propelled the level of urban ization. Even as the sphere of monopoly enlarged, the Roman Empire had no influence on the printing of money and minting of silver coins by the conquered states. In the 70Bc, Spain began using Roman coins as a means of exchange. Some trade agreements include Bilateral, Multilateral, regional (NAFTA and EU), non-regional (AESAN) and Global (from GAAT to WTO). The roles of World Trade Organization (WTO) include promoting world trade, providing a framework for trade negotiations and providing a mechanism for resolution of trade disputes. The United States of America holds seventeen percent of the total votes required to make changes. The U.S therefore, plays a key role in voting in favor or against trade agreements or disputes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Are we living in an Age of Empire? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The United States has voted against new international agreements and rejected the unilateral v iolation of old agreements. Agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol on climate and the international criminal court go against the interest of humans and therefore, they have been rejected. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a firm owned by a hundred and eighty-eight states trading together in order to enhance international economic cooperation, stabilize the fiscal and monetary aspects, promote global trade, increase employment level, boost economic progress, and face out deficiency around the world. The World Bank is a global financial institution that seeks to provide financial and technical assistance to the underdeveloped countries. The mission of the bank is to reduce poverty. The period between1997 and 1998, a research showed that African countries’ gross domestic product paid to the International Monetary Fund was estimated to be nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars. This was comparatively more than what the bank loaned to the continent. In 1998, internationall y underdeveloped nations owed the lenders from private banks to the World Bank approximately three trillion dollars. In 1997, the countries owed a hundred and fifty billion dollars. Unless the International Monetary Fund approves or adheres to the economic policies recommended, the underdeveloped nations may not automatically get the money they borrowed from the lenders. Some countries have been classified as poor and relentlessly indebted low incomers. Most of these counties are found in the sub-Saharan Africa. The gross domestic product increased from twenty-eight percent to Chad in the year 1987 to sixty percent in the year 1997. Tanzania’s budget is greatly diminished by the payment money owed to various lenders. This is estimated to be five times greater than the country’s expenditure on the primary education. The life expectancy in Niger is forty-seven years. Niger’s expenditure on the payment of debt is greater than the expenditure on education and medica tion. The sub-Saharan countries expenditure on the payment of debt is five times more than the expenditure on medication. The United States of America has a great military influence. U.S regulates global policies by using commands. It has implemented a strong navy in the sea to monitor the movement of sea vessels and fight pirates. The U.S has promised sustenance of the counties lying from Korea to Israel.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The U.S controls the global economy and the balance of trade. The U.S fulfills the needs of everyone in the world. The budget of the American military has been high with a gross domestic of five percent. This is high, compared to other economies for example China, Britain, Japan whose gross domestic products are two percent, three percent and one percent respectively. George W. Bush said the United States of America is a country dedicated delivering freedom to everyone despite the background affiliations. He said that America do not have any intentions to establish an Empire It is true that we are living in an age if empire. This is because of the decentralized system of governance, large flows of trade or large scale of inter-regional flows, the transfer of resources from the periphery to the centre, specialization, circulation of different currencies, and huge military spending and application of force by the governments.

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor SAT Scores, Admit Rate

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor SAT Scores, Admit Rate University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Admissions Overview UMHB has largely open  admissions, and most students with grades and standardized test scores that are average or better are accepted each year. While SAT and ACT scores are required for most applicants, if you rank in the top 10% of your school, there is no minimum score on the exams. For other students, youll need at least a 20 on the ACT or a 1030 on the SAT to qualify for regular admissions (higher scores if you are ranked in the lower half of your graduating class). Note that UMHBs admissions are largely not holistic. Grades, class rank, and standardized test scores will carry the most weight. The application does not ask for an essay, letters of recommendation, nor extracurricular activity information. Admissions Data (2016): University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Acceptance Rate: 79%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 450 / 560SAT Math: 470 / 560SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 21  / 26ACT English: 19 / 26ACT Math: 18  / 25What these ACT numbers mean University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Description: Founded in 1845, UMHB, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, takes pride in its Christian identity and its affiliation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. All students must agree to the schools policy of a faith-informed approach to education. The universitys residential campus is located in Belton, Texas, a small city in Central Texas situated midway between Waco and Austin. Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio are all within a three-hour drive, so the schools location is convenient to many major metropolitan areas. Academics at UMHB span a range of professional fields and majors in the liberal arts and sciences. Nursing is by far the most popular major, although business and education fields are also popular among undergraduates. On the athletic front, the UMHB Crusaders combete in the NCAA Division III American Southwest Conference. Athletics are big on campus, and many teams have met with national success including men and womens golf, men and womens basketball, and footbal l. Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 3,906  (3,278 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 37% Male / 63% Female91% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17): Tuition and Fees: $26,550Books: $1,300 (why so much?)Room and Board: $7,590Other Expenses: $3,030Total Cost: $38,470 UMHB Financial Aid (2015  - 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 97%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 96%Loans: 73%Average Amount of AidGrants: $13,776Loans: $6,704 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Elementary Education, Exercise Physiology, General Studies, Marketing, Nursing, Physical Education, Psychology Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 71%4-Year Graduation Rate: 32%6-Year Graduation Rate: 48% Intercollegiate Athletics: Mens Sports:  baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennisWomens Sports:  basketball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, volleyball Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics Interested in UMHB? You May Also Like These Colleges: Houston Baptist University: ProfileSam Houston State University:  ProfileBaylor University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphTexas AM University-College Station:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Texas at Austin:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphTexas Tech University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphStephen F. Austin State University:  ProfileTexas Christian University:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Houston:  Profile  |  GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Mission Statement: mission statement from  http://about.umhb.edu/our-mission The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor prepares students for leadership, service, and faith-informed discernment in a global society. Academic excellence, personal attention, broad-based scholarship and a commitment to a Baptist vision for education distinguish our Christ-centered learning community.

Free Essays on Good Emperors

The Five Good Emperors known as Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, were a series of excellent emperors who ruled in Rome from 96-180 AD, following the Flavian Dynasty. They were called this because they won the support and support of the senate, which is something their predecessors had been unsuccessful to do. The period of the five good emperors was mainly famous for the peaceful way of succession. Each emperor chose his successor by adopting an heir, preventing the political chaos related with the succession both before and after this period.(1) The first of these great emperors was Marcus Cocceius Nerva, ruling from 96-98 AD, who was selected to take the throne by the assassins of the prior emperor, Domitian. He was an old-fashioned man who promised to deal with the senate fairly and never put one of its members to death. The key things that characterize the control of Nerva are his excellent relations with the senate, his achievement of Dominitan's projects, his immense amount of expenses on securing public good will, his effort to boost resident loathe for Dominitan, and the fact that he initiated an arrangement of adopting heirs to make certain the run of the best candidates. He adopted Trajan to be his heir, and thus inheriting the throne after him. The second emperor, Trajan, was in power from 98-117 and began his reign with display, killing all the leaders of the group who had humiliated Nerva. He was named Optimus Maximus, meaning the best because of his respect for the senate and a series of foreign wars in which he attempted to expand the empire. He is well known for his assistance to public services, including a raise in the free distribution of food, the repair of roads, and the construction of the Forum, Market, and baths of Trajan. He adopted Hadrian, who became his heir. Publius Aelius Hadrianus, Hadrian, the third of the great emperors to rule Rome, was in power from 117-138. His first ac... Free Essays on Good Emperors Free Essays on Good Emperors The Five Good Emperors known as Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, were a series of excellent emperors who ruled in Rome from 96-180 AD, following the Flavian Dynasty. They were called this because they won the support and support of the senate, which is something their predecessors had been unsuccessful to do. The period of the five good emperors was mainly famous for the peaceful way of succession. Each emperor chose his successor by adopting an heir, preventing the political chaos related with the succession both before and after this period.(1) The first of these great emperors was Marcus Cocceius Nerva, ruling from 96-98 AD, who was selected to take the throne by the assassins of the prior emperor, Domitian. He was an old-fashioned man who promised to deal with the senate fairly and never put one of its members to death. The key things that characterize the control of Nerva are his excellent relations with the senate, his achievement of Dominitan's projects, his immense amount of expenses on securing public good will, his effort to boost resident loathe for Dominitan, and the fact that he initiated an arrangement of adopting heirs to make certain the run of the best candidates. He adopted Trajan to be his heir, and thus inheriting the throne after him. The second emperor, Trajan, was in power from 98-117 and began his reign with display, killing all the leaders of the group who had humiliated Nerva. He was named Optimus Maximus, meaning the best because of his respect for the senate and a series of foreign wars in which he attempted to expand the empire. He is well known for his assistance to public services, including a raise in the free distribution of food, the repair of roads, and the construction of the Forum, Market, and baths of Trajan. He adopted Hadrian, who became his heir. Publius Aelius Hadrianus, Hadrian, the third of the great emperors to rule Rome, was in power from 117-138. His first ac...

National Novel Writing Month

National Novel Writing Month National Novel Writing Month National Novel Writing Month By Mark Nichol On Tuesday, November 1, a couple hundred thousand people around the world will participate in National Novel Writing Month, which, despite its intuitive name, I’ll explain here: The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel (that’s about 175 manuscript pages, based on a count of approximately 300 words per page) in thirty days. That’s about 1,700 words, or six double-spaced manuscript pages, give or take, a day assuming that you write every day. Insane? More like insanely ingenious. The idea behind this seemingly insurmountable goal is to write for quantity, not for quality to dash off a first draft under the auspices of a worldwide project to distance yourself from the little voice in your head that tells you that you should go back and polish that passage, pare that paragraph, or prune that page. It’s basically hours and hours of feverish, fervent, frantic freewriting a technique for unleashing your creativity by abandoning any pretext of inserting your editorial alter ego into the process. Write, write some more, and just keep on writing, without looking back. The sponsors of NaNoWriMo, as it’s abbreviated, acknowledge that may seem like a risky endeavor. You may limp to a finish at midnight on November 30, only to discover that you have devoted much of your precious time to churning out what? What did you accomplish? The product of a few hundred thousand keystrokes. Is it ready for publication? Hardly. But no novel, no short story, no poem, no article or review or essay or other composition, is print-ready. That’s not the point. The point is that you will have overcome your trepidation at devoting so much time and effort toward crafting a towering achievement in prose, using the novelty of the project as an excuse. And then you will have a first draft of a novel (and then the real work starts). Last year, only a little more than 10 percent of participants reached their goal of producing the first draft of a 50,000-word novel. But nearly 200,000 others staggered away from their computers on the last day of November with at least the start of something satisfying. Sign up at the NaNoWriMo Web site, and explore the site’s features to help you motivate yourself. One of these is a tool that lets you update your word count daily. You can also post excerpts of your work in progress for others to read. So, are you going to give it a shot? Of course you are. Good luck! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should Know20 Pairs of One-Word and Two-Word FormsA Yes-and-No Answer About Hyphenating Phrases

Letter of intent - pharmacy residency program Essay

Letter of intent - pharmacy residency program - Essay Example My decision to pursue PGY1 residency program at CSMC stems from the multidisciplinary relationship that exists at the medical center, which is essential in allowing healthcare professionals play a fundamental role in patient care and management. As PGY1 resident, I believe that rotation opportunities and exposure to general hospital practice, teaching faculty and other challenges will enhance my skills and shape my skills in these areas. Consequently, I believe that my tenure at CSMC will open new opportunities for me in the future. Most important, I hope to gain considerable skills as a pharmacist, which would enable me to deliver critical services in areas of my interests such as infectious disease, critical care, and transplant pharmacy. While taking my clinical rotations at CSMC, I gained immense experience from working with pharmacists and physicians as it took part in developing appropriate therapeutic interventions. In particular, I learned how to tailor and optimize clinical therapies and minimize adverse effects of selected drugs on patients. Moreover, I took part in the delivery of more than 60 interventions. As result, I developed an intense passion and appreciation of pharmacy and the role of pharmaceutical care on patients. These experiences, I believe, will bolster my learning during my PGY1 residency program. Ultimately, I see myself honing my patient-specific skills not my to mentioning perfecting my decision making process. Considerable skills, attributes, and values strengthen my suitability for the PGY1 residency program. Firstly, I am many fundamental skills, which would allow me learn quickly and conceptualize new concepts in the program. Secondly, my time management skill, work ethics, and passion for pharmaceutical care stand to establish me as one of the leading students in the residency program. Given that CSMC is a leading teaching

Mathew Kohr vs Starbucks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mathew Kohr vs Starbucks - Assignment Example Before the jury, Starbucks responded by arguing that since the cup of coffee was offered for free, Mr. Kohr is not covered by similar protections as that of a paying customer. Nevertheless, WRAL reported that the argument of Kohr was due to the fact that the freebie is only offered to uniformed officers, which make up an agreement between the company and him. Again, during the trial, Kohr confessed that he had to drive home so that he could take a photograph of the injury before seeking medical care later. He went home so that his wife could take photographs of the burns he had sustained on his inner thigh. The lawyer who represented Starbucks, Tricia Derr insisted that Kohr failed to visit a care center urgently till more than two hours passed. Originally, the Kohrs mentioned two baristas in the case, including the International Paper, who is the manufacturers of the cups, before directing the suit solely at Starbucks (ABC News, 2012). The spokesman for Starbucks mentioned that the company serves four billion coffees annually in the paper cups, and only fifty-nine of them had collapsed. Part OneThough Kohr and his wife did not comment concerning the decision, lawyer Daniel Johnson said that the decision disappointed them very much. On the other hand, Starbucks mentioned that the decision made by the jury was pleasing, adding that it had a belief that the workers didn’t do anything wrong.In any civil actions that take place in the federal court, either of the parties may make the pre-trial motion for summary judgment.

The context of international business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The context of international business - Essay Example The company was founded by Jack Cohen in the year 1919, the number of stores as on April 2012 happens to be 6,351 stores. (Burgemeister, 2003, p. 192). The total revenue of the company happens to be ?64.539 billion as on 2012. The total market share in U.K. is 30.2%. The major global competitors of the company are Walmart, Carrefour, Aldi, Royal Ahold and Metro. Identifying the company’s main drivers of accessing foreign markets using theories of FDI FDI stands for foreign direct investment. There are various theories of FDI like the product life cycle theory, internationalization and eclectic paradigm theory of the OLI frame-work. Among these the internationalization theory has been used to identify the key drives. The internationalization theory states that a company operating in a matured economy needs to expand the horizon beyond the local market to get competitive advantage and economies of scale. In the early 90s Tesco was lagging behind Sainsbury’s as the second largest retailer in the country and the operations of the country was subjected to the U.K. market only. But the global economic reforms couples with the drive to become a global major retailer urged Tesco to enter the global market. The first phase of internationalization begun as Tesco entered Hungary in 1994. Since then there has been no turning back, Of-course there has been certain problems in countries like France, but looking at the overall perspective the results speak for themselves. Today Tesco is largest retailer in U.K. and the third largest retailer in the world right after Wal-Mart and Carrefour. Mainly Tesco is a general merchandise and grocery retailer and operates as following the business to consumer framework. External Environment Analysis External or macro environmental factors are those that cannot be controlled by an organization and yet the modus operand of an organization gets severely affected by the changes or developments in the external environment. The m ain external environmental factors include political, economic, social and technological factors. However, the legal factors are also to be included. Bit, since most of the legal legislatures in a country are developed by the government itself the legal factors are hereby included in the political factors. Here it is to be added that Tesco entered in U.S. in the year 2007. Therefore the PEST analysis has been based on the external environmental situation in 2007 -2008 only (Henry, 2008, p. 89). Political United States has always been a politically stable country. And the governments in U.S. have always welcomed business investments from both local and international firms. Many specialists have tagged U.S. as a very stable political country irrespective of the political regime. Probably due to such attitude of the political leaders of the country the country has become one of the strongest economies in the world. As mentioned earlier as far the legislative system goes the country as mentioned has a business friendly legal environment welcoming investments. Legal and Regulatory reforms in the 1970s actually resulted in de-regulation in various sectors and enhanced competition and efficiency.

Political science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Political science - Essay Example This is an issue that scholars and academics have spent a great deal of time considering since the conclusion of the Second World War. In 1945, the United States dropped two nuclear weapons on Japan, ending the war. To many, this suggests that nuclear weapons can be used to make peace and end war. Indeed, in the last seventy years no one else has used a nuclear weapon. Perhaps it makes sense to give these weapons to all countries, so that no one will wish to use them. However, as one scholar puts it: Given that nuclear weapons have not been used in war since 1945, that modern biological weapons have arguably never been utilized in warfare, and that the risk of chemical weapons is often considered exaggerated, one might think preventing the proliferation of WMDs is not a critical policy issue. However, the proliferation of new weapons systems can have a profound impact on international politics even at levels short of war. The impact on the coercive power of states and the potential for actual use make nuclear weapons potentially destabilizing in the international security environment. (Horowitz, 2). It is a bit naà ¯ve to believe that nuclear weapons cause peace. They are indeed a source of instability whether they are possessed by many or possessed by only a few. The main problem is that not all states are rational. Some behave in ways that are difficult to calculate. Indeed, some leaders suffer from mental illness. In fascist or dictatorial states, the leader of a power is unquestioned. Some states might want to commit national suicide by nuking another state that has nuclear weapons. Scholars and political scientists too often believe that everything in politics is a science and that the rational prevail. This is not what history teaches us. History shows that powerful weapons will be used in unpredictable ways. The

The Most Significant Moment of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Most Significant Moment of Life - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the true essence of our life is exhibited through the little moments of joy or sorrow that are dear to us and are close to our hearts. These moments may be seemingly minor and trivial but become the most treasured and meaningful memories. These noteworthy moments adorn our past for our lifetime and have an evergreen effect on our future. Not just joyous incidents, some heart-wrenching episodes affecting our dear ones or our surroundings can also remain etched in our memories. Such incidents serve as reminders of the realities of life and the ups and downs it encompasses. On the other hand, the beautiful and worthwhile episodes shared with our family, favorite pets, colleagues, and friends prove to us every day the worthiness of life. These precious memories give us the necessary boost we need when we are drowned in the daily chaos and obligations. The researcher’s Granddad possessed a very full of life and admirable personality. The author enjoyed the most when she used to spend her time at her grandparent's house. Every single moment the researcher spent with her granddad was filled with affection and a feeling of warmth. Even now when she thinks of even the most inconsequential episodes she spent with her granddad, the author is reminded of his honesty and kindness that reflected her personality. Childhood is a part of your life where the tiniest of gestures have a deep impact on one’s personality. The researcher’s granddad showed the importance of family, the significance of kindness and gave her the confidence that is needed to become a self-assured young girl that she is today. The author always worshipped his lively personality, the way he laughed and made jokes with his companions. His authoritarian personality with the spirit of kindness and love that, he had in abundance, especially for the researcher. Her granddad always took special care of her and the author used to accompany him most of the time. One particular incident has left a deep impact on the author’s mind and she still finds that she related to it some way or another. During one particular summer vacations, when the author was in 6th standard she went to her granddad's house as a part of her usual annual routine. As usual, the author spent the bright lively summer days in her grandparent’s house cherishing each and every moment. Summer vacations were a time which she used to wait for eagerly. It was an occasion when the researcher got the chance to spend time with one person who made her feel special through his affectionate soul and kind gestures. Granddad brought home a little, frail puppy that looked scared and homeless. Its innocent round eyes stared at the author with fear in them. Granddad had found him on his way home in a deserted street without its mother. The researcher was amazed and quite amused by this little creature. The puppy was just like a little baby; small, fragile and completely dependent on others. Granddad gave the puppy to the author and told her to take special care of the little creature. That day he taught the researcher a lesson that she followed the rest of her life. It was something that was obvious from his way of life and his personality. He taught her love and affection for family. He told her that if today the author takes care of the little, defenseless creature, it will grow up tomorrow and return her the kindness and affection she showed to it.  

Albert Camus Essay Example for Free

Albert Camus Essay How Aschenbach and Meursault in Death in Venice and The Stranger respectively, are driven by mind initially then change to being driven by the heart as the result of a key event In both The Stranger and Death in Venice, the characters change as the book progresses. There is mainly one action that sparks this drastic change. In The Stranger, this action is the murder of Raymonds mistress brother, and in Death in Venice this critical moment occurs when Aschenbach has the sudden urge to travel. Aschenbach and Meursault are both characters that move from one extreme to the other. They begin as characters who make decisions based solely on what their mind tells them. As the novel develops, these characters move to the other extreme, which is making decisions based solely on what their heart tells them. This transition from extreme logical thinking to extreme emotional thinking is what leads to the downfall of both Aschenbach and Meursault. As the novel begins, Thomas Mann introduces Aschenbach as a fairly likable German writer. Initially the reader sees Aschenbach as a normal character anyone can relate to. He lives a very stable life, and has never traveled before. Aschenbach is a character who is extremely involved in his work and one who organizes his entire life based on how he can best achieve quality in his work. At this point in the novel Aschenbach makes all his decisions using his mind rather than his heart. While taking a stroll, Aschenbach sees a man with red hair as well as long teeth. It is this man that pushes his mind in to traveling. Aschenbach begins to change as soon as he sets his mind to travel. In his daydream regarding his adventure he envisions a landscape, a tropical swampy region under a vapor-laden sky, damp, luxuriant and uncanny; it was like the portrait of a primitive world of islands morasses and slit-laden rivers (pg 3, Mann). The symbol of Aschenbachs departure on this journey is the sign of the beginning of his decline. It is from this point on that Aschenbach transforms from being a normal man who makes logical decisions with is brain, to one that makes decisions with his heart. As Aschenbachs journey progresses, he notices many men with red hair and long white teeth like the one that inspired him to travel. This shows the constant rapid declining of Aschenbach. His first sight of Tadzio in the hotel marks the beginning of the extreme heart-driven Aschenbach. His description of Tadzio clearly portrays his obsession. With astonishment Aschenbach observed that the boy was perfectly beautiful. His face, pale and charmingly secretive with the honey-colored hair curling around it, with its straight-sloping nose, its lovely mouth and its expression of sweet and divine earnestness recalled Greek statues of the noblest period, and, along with its extremely pure perfection of form, it was of such unique personal charm that the onlooker thought he had never come across anything so felicitous either in nature or in art (pg 20, Mann). Once Aschenbach begins to follow Tadzios every step, the reader notices that Aschenbach is becoming more and more indulged in Tadzios life rather than his own. His head and his heart were drunk, and his steps followed the dictates of that dark god whose pleasure it is to trample mans reason and dignity underfoot. Even when Aschenbach learns of an epidemic, he realizes that if he dies along with Tadzio, they will be able to meet in heaven. Aschenbach loses total control of his mind and gives in to Venice, a city, half fairy tale and half tourist trap, in whose insalubrious air the arts once rankly and voluptuously blossomed, where composers have been inspired to lulling tones of somniferous eroticism. Even when given the opportunity to leave Venice and escape cholera, his love for Tadzio weighs him down. Aschenbach then has fantasies about everyone else dying, and him being left alone with Tadzio. Now it can be clearly seen that Aschenbachs passion is coming directly from the heart, and no thinking is being done on his part. This extreme obsession from Aschenbachs heart immediately leads to his downfall. He dies in his chair, and it is hours before anyone notices. Albert Camus introduces Meursault as a character people are quite taken aback by.

Work of clifford geertz in history

Work of clifford geertz in history What Does The Work Of Clifford Geertz Have To Offer Research Into History? With the publishing of his book, ‘The Interpretation of Cultures in 1973, Geertz has often been hailed as the ‘champion of symbolic anthropology. Geertz outlined culture as ‘a system of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by means of which people communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes towards life He believed the role of anthropologists was to try and understand the underlying symbols of the culture in question, a term he describes as ‘Thick Description. Geertz also conducted extensive work on religion, particularly on Islam, in both Southeast Asia and North Africa. His most famous use of thick description is portrayed in the essay ‘Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight, and his theories still influence anthropology to this day. But how does the work of an anthropologist, concerned with analysing modern societies, apply to historians whose work concerns cultures from the past? In this essay I will examine how both anthropologists and historians attempt to examine humanity ‘in the mist, and how cultural historians in this endeavour have attempted to use an anthropological model to answer historical questions in order to do so. With the development of cultural history historians creation of the past as an ‘other, a place completely different from our own, they attempt to view history through an anthropological lens. But despite differences between historical and anthropological research there has been much interdisciplinary study between the two, with social and cultural historians attempting to use synchronic analysis as a way of viewing the past they are studying. History becomes a view of time and space all within a single plane that stays unmoving and none changing under the cultural historians gaze, just as the Bayeux tapestry shows the history and context of the Norman Conquest of England. Even with the rise of synchronic analysis, historians have not abandoned diachronic analysis as an analytical tool. Historians still feel they need to explain the context of the subjects they are studying in order for their research to be viewed as ‘complete. This has led to many criticisms of Geertzs work and how historians have applied his research to past societies. Geertzs detachment of culture and history has, in many cases, created more problems for the cultural historian than it has solved. Due to these difficulties, cultural historians have shied away from many larger historical debates in order to study features outside of the historical main-stream. They have focussed on small and, in some historians views, inconsequential histories, becoming bogged down in their own tedium. With this, social history has focussed on the development of social theory, rather than the society in questions development over time. With these views in mind, I have attempted to uses Geertzs analytical models with my own research: ‘Hearts and Minds: A Study on the impact of Christianity on paganism in the Byzantium Empire during the fourth century CE. Using examples drawn from my own work, I will attempt to see the merits of using an anthropological model while studying the religions of the past; those that were still evolving and those religions that were dying out. At this stage it is important to define the object which cultural historians have attempted to study with an anthropological view point; history itself. As a noun, ‘history can be defined as: 1) a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account; chronicle: a history of France; a medical history of the patient. 2) a systematic account of any set of phenomena without particular reference to time: a history of the American eagle. The definition of history as ‘a continuous, systematic narrative and as ‘a systematic account of any set of phenomena without particular reference to time, or, as phrased by Michael Chanan ‘the formal analysis of a given system as it exists in the present moment (synchronic) and analysis across time, or historical explanation (diachronic) means the historian has to show their awareness of both in order to fully explore the topic they are researching. The historian Marc Bloch stated that the ‘good historian was like the giant in the fairy tale. He knows that wherever he catches the scent of human flesh, there his quarry lies. While C. Wright-Mills remarked about the anthropologist: ‘What social science is properly about is human variety, which consists of all the social world in which men have lived, are living and might live. ‘ Cultural historians have embraced Geertz, using his ideas and methods and applying them to historical models, such as Matthew Eric Engelke and Matt Tomlinsons ‘The limits of meaning: case studies in the anthropology of Christianity. Although historians are not as prone to theoretical disputes as much as anthropologists, it is also true that Geertz does not serve as a marker in generalised struggles among historians. According to Paula S. Fass, the limitations of social history in previous historiography led to the development and ‘subsequent dominance of cultural history in the 1970s and 1980s. Despite the move in focus away from political elites towards the examination of social groups and their ‘behavioural tendencies , cultural historians felt that social history had ‘ignored both the uniqueness of individual experience and the ways in which social life is created through politics and culture due to the dehumanization of such social groups by reducing them to quantifiable data. Social historians reliance on structural explanations and development of group categories began to ‘deaden history as an exploration of contingent experience. By the mid 1980s, cultural historians were adapting work done by social historians, such as Herbert Gutman and Eugene Genovese, and taking them further by exploring ‘the way agency was attributed to participation in predefined group activity. Cultural historians increasingly used the anthropological and ‘post-modern perspective of identity as an ever-changing construct, what anthropologists refer to as ‘liminal experiences and deconstructing identity entirely. Due to this, social historians research potentials have become ‘quite limited due to the constrictions of primary sources in the construction of ‘ordinary life, while, in the words of Fass: ‘Cultural historians, in contrast, put their faith in a fuller exploration of language and because, in their view, all culture is connected, all forms of articulation could be examined as exemplary. Geertzs ideas have become so attractive to historians due to the development of cultural history, with historians focussing on the past as a place structurally different from the modern world: ‘worlds where peoples motives, senses of honour, daily tasks, and political calculations are based on unfamiliar assumptions about human society and the cosmic order. Phillip Pulsiano and Elaine M. Treharne in ‘A Companion to Anglo-Saxon Literature, explore the religious aspects in Old English poetry in relation to Geertzs definition of religion itself. Both anthropology and history, according to Geertz, are both similar and different, both looking for the same type of answers but asking different questions. Historians focus on broad sweeping actions and movements , while anthropologists focus on small, well bounded communities wallowing in the detail of the obscure and unimportant (or, as Geertz phrases it in his typically artistic style: ‘History (it is said), is threatened by the history-from-below rather than focussing on the Movers-and-Shakers, such as Kings, Philosophers and Bishops). Anthropologists ‘present static pictures of immobile societies scattered across the remote corners of the inhabited world, while anthropologists accuse historians of ‘schematicism, of being out of touch with the immediacies and intricacies, ‘the feel as they like to put it, considering themselves to have it, of actual life. With this said, it has not been unusual for historians and anthropologists to conduct research in each others field; historical research such as Roger Chartiers ‘The Cultural Origins of the French Revolution, Carlo Ginzburgs ‘The Cheese and the Worms: the Cosmos of an Sixteenth Century Miller, and Natalie Zemon Davis ‘Society and culture in early modern France: eight essays to name but a few. Despite the attraction of Geertzs theory to social historians, the differences between historical research and ethnography can hinder the historians full utilisation of Geertzs ‘Thick Description model. Historians are restricted to the textual evidence written by a literate elite, with the culture and symbols of those who existed outside of the elites literacy focus lost in the minds of those who lived through it; a stark difference from the ability of anthropologists to observe the effects of culture and its symbols when studying cultures ‘in the field. Despite historians criticisms of anthropologists reliance on oral testimony, with its possible ‘invented tradition and frailties of memory, Geertzs ability to examine the religious development of Morocco and Indonesia almost first hand must be greatly envied by social and cultural historians. Despite the difference between history and anthropology, many historians (especially social historians like Michael MacDonald and Robert Darnton) have embraced Geertzs ideas. However, this raises another question; why would historians, whose work is essentially diachronic in nature, be interested in the synchronic analysis of an anthropologist? It is important at this time to look at the meaning of synchronic analysis. As William H. Sewell Jr. explains: ‘Although a synchronic description or analysis is often glossed over as a ‘snapshot that ‘freezes time or as a ‘slice of time, that is not quite right. Such a description is, rather, one in which time is suspended or abolished analytically so that things that actually occur in the flow of time are treated as part of a uniform moment or epoch in which they simply coexist To put it otherwise, in synchronic description acts of cultural signification, rather than being treated as a temporal sequence of statement and counterstatement or as linked by causal chains of antecedent and consequence, are seen as components of a mutually defined and mutually sustaining universe of unchanging meaning. The use of synchronic analysis on what Geertz called ‘cultural systems presented cultural historians with the ability to explore the past with a new analytical model. Robert Darnton, in his book ‘The Great Cat Massacre uses such analyses to explore episodes from eighteenth century France, especially in his essays ‘Peasants Tell tales: The Meaning of Mother Goose (an analysis of the cultural significance to French, German and Italian fairy tales) and ‘Workers Revolt: The Great Cat Massacre of the Rue Saint Severin (in which he explores the cultural context of the massacre of cats in Paris by printing apprentices during the late 1730s). The use of thick description allows historians to suspend time rather than be carried along with historical narrative, and in the process analyse the transformations of the past with greater accuracy and depth. Geertzs ideas of thick description have allowed historians like David Sabean to explore witchcraft in seventeenth century Germany. Despite criticisms by anthropologists of the diachronic approach taken by historians in the past, many historians are still attached to the ideas of history in transformation. Many American ‘new social historians and those within the French ‘Annales school try to define themselves against historical narrative and by those ‘attempting to manage or side-step conceptual problems by writing historical accounts , such as Haim Hillel Ben-Sasson, as seen in his book ‘A History of the Jewish people. William H. Sewell Jr has best conveyed this view: ‘It [Geertzs theory] tells us, perhaps surprisingly, that adequately realized synchrony is more important to good historical analysis than adequately realized diachrony. In the eyes of professionals it is more important for a historian to know how to suspend time than to know how to recount its passage. This is shown in the work of historians such as Noriko Onodera, who examines the evolution and development of the Japanese language, and Stephen M. Feldman, with his analysis of the separation of the Church and State during the twentieth century. Although Geertzs theories have become popular with cultural historians, there have been many critics of not only his own work but how historians (especially those studying cultural aspects) have used Geertzs work in their own research. Although Geertzs work features events as they happen in real historical time, he uses a ‘literary device to make his work less formerly structured. This means that he uses the social and historical impact of the cultural model he is analysing as a writing style rather than a strict analytical tool. This is best demonstrated in Geertzs essay ‘Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight. William Roseberry, in an analysis of Geertzs essay (in his book ‘Balinese Cockfights and the Seduction of Anthropology), argues that Geertz does not take into account the history of its development, and that we should think of the ‘material social process as a ‘production rather than as a ‘product'(stating that the issues on development are mentioned but never taken up by Geertz). Roseberrys view, one which I personally agree with, is that ‘[the cockfight] has gone through a process of creation that cannot be separated from Balinese history. Geertz detached culture and history by treating history as a text to be read and scrutinised rather than being an essential thread in the fabric of Balinese life. Maybe due to this separation, historians, despite their enthusiasm, have been in many cases less than successful in their attempts to marry history with ‘Thick Description. For example, Roger Becks attempt to apply Geertzs description and interpretation to the symbol system of Mithraician mysticism is hardly successful, and neither is his comparison with the symbol system of the Mexican Chamulas. With historys diachronic roots, anthropology as a whole has had difficulty in finding fertile ground with historians outside of cultural history. With focus on ‘eccentric bits of evidence (or, as I view it, ‘obsession with the mundane), cultural historians and anthropologists writing about history search for evidence around a central point of argument and ‘build a mountain around a molehill and that molehill can lie on the periphery of the subject. Rather than pushing back the frontiers of historical research by opening up and exploring new channels of investigation through analysis of symbols within societies in the past, cultural historians have become intent with finding ‘hidden histories rather than bringing new light to work at the focus of historical debate. Despite the development of social theory by anthropologists and the rise of cultural history and its application to history, almost none deal with the explanation of historical change, with the main problem created by most social theory being the accounting for social order or social structure rather than the development and history of those roots. With my own research I have focused on the impact of Christianity on paganism in the eastern half of the Roman Empire during the fourth century CE, analysing how Christianity infiltrated aspects of the educated elite, society, the state apparatus and its depiction through art and on coinage. My work also focussed on a number of other factors: The peasants in the eastern half of the Roman Empire were naturally conservative and were initially hostile to the Christian community that were mainly based in urban centres. Eastern Roman peasants clung to their local pagan deities as they took care of their ‘first-order concerns: healing, death and family as pagan spirits and deities took care of these concerns there was no initial need to abandon them in favour of Christianity. Bishops and preachers that attempted to convert the peasantry failed as they were distrusted by the peasantry because of their connections to local government. Bishops and preachers also addressed them in Greek or Latin and in complex rhetoric styles, alienating them from the peasantry who spoke in their ‘everyday local dialects. The destruction of pagan temples in the urban centres and the construction of Christian basilicas on top of them or in their vicinity changed the power balance within such centres against the pagan cults. Only the establishment of monasteries away from the urban centres deep in the countryside led to the slow conversion of the peasantry through the contacts they made with them through local trade and due to the conversion tactics that the monasteries employed. Due to the amount of written documentation available to us, initially it may seem that Geertzs theories on symbolic systems in reference to early Christian rites and formal rituals may make Christianity in the fourth century eastern Roman Empire accessible to us. Although the study of early Christianitys cultural anthropology through field work is obviously impossible, the archaeological record of pagan temple destruction and the construction of Christian basilicas with the reused stone cannot be described as ‘thick description as the reuse of the stone from the pagan temples is not a symbolic act in its own right, but a form of cheap and readymade building material. However, Geertz himself has used written accounts from the past as effectively as he used his own field work and that of other anthropologists. This, however, cannot be said about localised pagan rituals; ones performed in homes and fields in small, personal shrines. Eric Wolf suggested that these rituals were due to peasants ‘first-order concerns, such as protection of the family unit in this world and the next. The lack of documented evidence, even if written by a condescending Christian elite, makes symbolic analysis extremely difficult. If we focus on pagan ‘lost ceremonies then Geertzs theory appears to be a hopeless endeavour. That is because, despite the richness and detail as a complex of symbols, textual evidence rarely mentions local pagan rituals for what they are, and when it does many aspects of them are either exaggerated or incredibly distorted, therefore destroying their immediate ritual context. Even if the ritual context had survived through the textual, or through the archaeological, evidence that would allow us to subject it to symbolic interpretation, it cannot now be interpreted in the way we can interpret Christianity; we cannot trace the evolution of a religion which is now extinct. To conclude, the work of Clifford Geertz has a lot to offer research into history, as long as his work is used correctly. In my introduction I stated ‘how both anthropologists and historians attempt to examine humanity ‘in the mist, and how cultural historians attempt to use anthropological models to answer historical questions in order to do so. In this endeavour, cultural historians have been unsuccessful. Geertz, and other anthropologists, benefit from the ability to view culture closely (and as Geertzs brush with the Balinese police shows, perhaps a little too closely). Cultural historians, in contrast, have to rely on the words of those they are trying to move away from, the literate elite, in order to view the lives of those who had no written history of their own. Rather than viewing humanity ‘in the mist, cultural historians, for instance have attempted to determine a peasants accent by studying the peasants reflection in a muddy puddle. Historians reluctance to abandon diachronic analysis undermines the benefits of synchronic analysis, despite anthropologists attempts to conduct historical research. Cultural historians attempts to ‘suspend time removes them from the historical development that took place, therefore allowing them to be caught up in the difficulties that anthropologist themselves have faced. This problem is only exacerbated by the reliance on textual evidence. As shown with my attempt to use Geertzs theories in relation to my own research, I too had difficulties overcoming this problem. As I used a large amount of archaeological evidence when researching the power shift from pagan to Christian domination in eastern Roman urban centres it was nearly impossible to apply ‘thick description and investigate symbolic systems due to their lack of context. Again, the reliance on textual evidence written by a hostile group means that there are other historical methods which would be more beneficial when symbolic contexts and restricted written records are unavailable. At face value, I understand the appeal Geertzs theories would have for cultural historians trying to uncover the mindset, culture and experiences of those who lived in the past. However, the ability for anthropologists to study their subject at first hand, and therefore place more emphasis on first-hand accounts, leaves cultural historians at a crucial disadvantage. Geertzs theory changed the face of anthropological research, but I doubt it will do nothing but frustrate the historian by reminding them of what they are missing. Bibliography Books R. Beck, The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire: Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun (Oxford New York, 2006) H. H. Ben-Sasson A History of the Jewish people (Cambridge, 1976) M. Bloch, ‘The Historians Craft (Manchester, 1954) P. Burke, The French historical Revolution: ‘The Annales School, 1929-89 (Stanford 1990) M. Chanan, Musica practica : the social practice of Western music from Gregorian chant to postmodernism (London, 1994) R. Chartier The Cultural Origins of the French Revolution (Durham, 1991) R. Darnton, The Great Cat Massacre (New York, 1984) N. Z. Davis Society and culture in early modern France: eight essays (Stanford, 1987) M.E. Engelke and M.Tomlinson (ed.) The limits of meaning: case studies in the anthropology of Christianity (New York, 2006) S. M. Feldman Please Dont Wish Me a Merry Christmas: Critical History of the Separation of Church and State (New York, 1997) C. Geertz Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia (Chicago, 1971) C. Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures'(New York, 1973) E. Genovese Roll, Jordon Roll: The World the Slaves Made (New York, 1974) C. Ginzburg The Cheese and the Worms: the Cosmos of an Sixteenth Century Miller (Baltimore, 1980) H. Gutman Work, Culture and Society in Industrializing America (New York, 1976) M. MacDonald, Witchcraft and Hysteria in Elizabethan London(London 1991) N. Onodera, Japanese discourse markers: synchronic and diachronic discourse analysis (Amsterdam, 2004) P. Pulsiano and E. M. Treharne A Companion to Anglo-Saxon Literature (Oxford, 2001) W. Roseberry, Balinese Cockfights and the Seduction of Anthropology (New York, 1982) E. Wolf, Peasants (Englewood Cliffs, 1966) C. Wright-Mills, ‘The Sociological Imagination (London, 1959) Journals P. S. Fass ‘Cultural History/Social History: Some Reflections on a Continuing Dialogue, Journal of Social History, 37, 1(2003), pp. 39-46 C. Geertz, ‘History and Anthropology New Literary History, 21, (1990) p.321-335 W. H. Sewell Jr., ‘Geertz, Cultural Systems, and History: From Synchrony to Transformation, Representations, 59 (1997) p. 35-55 Internet Sources http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/history (Dictionary Reference.Com, 2010) C. Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (New York, 1973) p.89 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/history M. Chanan, Musica practica : the social practice of Western music from Gregorian chant to postmodernism (London, 1994) p.95 M. Bloch, The Historians Craft (Manchester, 1954) p.26 C, Wright-Mills, The Sociological Imagination (London, 1959) p.147 W. H. Sewell Jr. ‘Geertz, Cultural Systems, and History: From Synchrony to Transformation Representations,59 (1997) p.35-55, p.36 P. S. Fass ‘Cultural History/Social History: Some Reflections on a Continuing Dialogue Journal of Social History, 37, 1 (2003) p.39-46, p.39 Ibid. p.39 Ibid p.39 Ibid p.39 H. Gutman Work, Culture and Society in Industrializing America (New York, 1976) and E. Genovese Roll, Jordon Roll: The World the Slaves Made (New York, 1974) Fass, ‘Cultural History/Social History: Some Reflections on a Continuing Dialogue p.39 Ibid p.40 W. H. Sewell Jr., ‘Geertz, Cultural Systems, and History: From Synchrony to Transformation p.38 C. Geertz, ‘History and Anthropology New Literary History, 21, (1990) p.321-335, p322 Ibid p324 Ibid.p.322 Ibid p.321 Ibit p.321-322 Ibid. p.322 See C. Geertzs Islam Observed: Religious Development in Morocco and Indonesia (Chicago, 1971) M. MacDonald, Witchcraft and Hysteria in Elizabethan London(London 1991) R. Darnton, The Great Cat Massacre (New York, 1984) W. H. Sewell Jr., ‘Geertz, Cultural Systems, and History: From Synchrony to Transformation p.40 See ‘Religion as a Cultural System in C. Geertz, The Interpretations of Culture (New York, 1973) D. W. Sabean, Power in the Blood: Popular culture village discourse in early modern Germany (Cambridge, 1984) See P. Burke, The French Historical Revolution: ‘The Annales School, 1929-89 (Stanford, 1990) C. Geertz, ‘History and Anthropology p.42 Ibid. p.41 N. Onodera, Japanese discourse markers: synchronic and diachronic discourse analysis(Amsterdam, 2004) p.23 S. M. Feldman Please Dont Wish Me a Merry Christmas: Critical History of the Separation of Church and State (New York, 1997) p.255 W. H. Sewell Jr ‘Geertz, Cultural Systems, and History: From Synchrony to Transformation p.37, c. Geertz The Interpretation of Cultures p.412 W. Roseberry, Balinese Cockfights and the Seduction of Anthropology (New York, 1982) p.1022, I bid p.1022 R. Beck, The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire: Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun (Oxford New York, 2006) p.69, Ibid P77 Fass, ‘Cultural History/Social History: Some Reflections on a Continuing Dialogue p.43 Ibid p.43 C. Geertz, The Interpretation of Culture p.8 E. Wolf, Peasants (Englewood Cliffs, 1966) p.59

Using Problem-Solving Approaches in Vocational Education :: Learning Education Educational Essays

Using Problem-Solving Approaches in Vocational Education Problem Solving for Teaching and Learning Agricultural education has emphasized problem solving as a means of helping students to develop decision-making skills and teachers to alter their teaching methodology. The traditional method of problem solving for decision making reflects Dewey’s five-step model for learning, expanded to six steps by Newcomb, McCracken, and Warmbrod (Straquadine and Egelund 1992): (1) identification of the problem situation: What is happening?; (2) definition of the problem: What must be done?; (3) search for information: What do we need to know?; (4) analysis of data: What are the important considerations?; (5) testing possible solutions: What will happen if this action is followed?; and (6) conclusion: What action is most promising? The problem-solving method of teaching incorporates problem-solving activities, but places the responsibility for learning on the student. It requires teachers to move from the traditional instructional model to one that engages teachers and students as partners in learning, with the teacher functioning in the role of facilitator or coach rather than leader or all-knowing authority. It requires the use of problems that have real meaning to students, thus motivating them to reach a solution. Educators and special reform groups in other subject areas refer to a process known as "problem-based learning," which has many similarities to the problem-solving approach. In problem-based instruction, all learning is done in context, within the learner’s social environment. Learning occurs as students negotiate with others and evaluate the viability of each individual’s understanding (Savery and Duffy 1995). Stepien and Gallagher (1993) discuss four critical features of problem-based learning: 1. Engagement. The problem raises concepts and principles relevant to the content area and addresses real issues that connect to the larger social context of the students’ personal world. 2. Inquiry. The problem is ill-structured in that it has no one right answer. It often changes as more information is found. It requires exploration to define and refine the questions and ideas surrounding the problem. 3. Solution building. In problem-based learning, solutions are generated by the students who are the problem solvers; teachers are the coaches. As problem solvers, students engage in observation, inquiry, and investigation into hypotheses and issues, and they formulate conclusions that are consistent with the nature of the problem. As coaches, teachers promote learning by acting as models, demonstrating behaviors they want their students to adopt. They prompt students to take ownership of the problem and responsibility for its solution, and then fade into the background.

Chemistry Sodium Thiosulpahte :: essays research papers

Introduction Over the next few weeks I will be doing several attempts of the same experiment that involves the reaction of sodium thiosulphate and hydrochloric acid, I will be closely watching the reaction and how long in takes for the reactants to react. As yet I have not decided which of the several variables I will be changing. I also aim to take results of the reaction down onto a table, which then will be transferred onto a line graph, which will show us the nature of the reaction. Variables There are five factors which affect the rate of a reaction, according to the collision theory: temperature, concentration (of solution), pressure (in gases), surface are (of solid reactants), and catalysts. I have chosen to investigate the effect of temperature on the reactants. Aim To see the effects of a change in temperature and concentration we affect the rate of the reaction. The reaction that will be used is: Sodium Thiosulphate + Hydrochloric Acid Na2S2O3 (aq) + 2HCl (aq). Plan I am going to investigate what happens when sodium thiosulphate and Hydrochloric acid react. As I have done this experiment before I have a good understanding of what I need to so hopefully nothing will go wrong, also I will be going back to results and information I used before the experiment to make sure I am doing everything right. As I want to have a fair test, so that I get accurate results, I will make sure that all the main variables will stay the same all the way through the experiment, concentration of both solutions will be kept constant, as there is no gas the variable of pressure wont have an affect on this reaction, as I am using no solids the variable of suface area wont be a problem, and finally as I am not using a catalyst it wont have an effect on the reaction. As well as these things being important there is a more important aspect that I will need to take into account and that is my own safety, and the safety of my fellow pupils. To make sure I don’t endanger myself I will be using the following apparatus: 1 thermometer 1 beaker 2 measuring cylinders 1 conical flask 1 tripod 1 gauze 1 heatproof mat 1 stopwatch 1 Bunsen burner 1 pair of tongs 1 pair of goggles To make it easy to follow when drawing graphs and when logging my data I will be using a table similar to this:

Perhaps Othello Essay

Perhaps Othello cannot be regarded as the greatest of William Shakespeare’s tragedies, but many readers and viewers have found it incredibly exciting, logical, and most intense of all of Shakespeare’s plays. When performed, Othello is implacable in its drive toward tragedy, drawing spectators into the greatly shocking play of a husband quickly pushed to murder his blameless wife. Moreover, the Afro-American warrior Othello – the only black character in Shakespeare – becomes a husband of a white woman. Thus, the tragedy also touches on important issues that have become pressing in present period: racial prejudice and attraction to the â€Å"Other† (Othello Study Guide). Othello also allows readers to consider such important human issues as the nature of sexual jealousy and the difficulty of feeling certain about anything or anyone in this world. This paper is designed, first, to draw attention to these relevant issues in the play. Second, it will attempt to analyze these issues by exploring their many contexts so that it is possible to present various ways of understanding Othello from theoretical perspectives. Othello Shakespeare’s chief source for Othello was a story found in Giraldi Cinthio Hecatommithi, a collection of interesting tales where the major topic is marriage (Othello Study Guide). If one compares Italian story with Shakespeare’s, he or she can see English playwright’s incredible skills in transforming an ordinary story into logical and effective drama. Shakespeare modifies some parts of the story to emphasize dramatic plot and make character presentation much sharper. Further, he makes significant changes in the text, inserting and removing some parts, to dignify his protagonist and turn a melodramatic story into excellent tragedy. Othello is not created on such a huge scale as Shakespeare’s other famous tragedies. The play has neither the superhuman and magical dimensions of Hamlet and Macbeth, where the readers meet Ghost and Witches, nor King Lear’s unceasing feeling of doubt and uncertainty regarding â€Å"Nature† and the gods. Nevertheless, Othello is the only one of the four tragedies to present the reader with two separate countries as locations: civilized world of Renaissance Venice and the island of Cyprus. A. C. Bradley (1962) describes Othello as the most â€Å"masterly† of Shakespeare’s tragedies in its construction (144). Bradley stresses the fact that Shakespeare uses virtually no delaying tactics to slow down the action in the play, as, for example, in Hamlet where the hero delays his revenge, and no subplot to develop complicating consequences, as the reader finds in King Lear. Acts from 2 to 5, taking place in Cyprus, form a persistent sequence without significant interruptions. Further, however, there are some variations in pace – the slower tempo of the willow scene in acts 4 and 3, where Desdemona and Emilia take stock of the situation. In this regard, Ned B. Allen (1968) arrives at a conclusion that the instances of long time, for the most part in acts 3 and 4, are the result of Shakespeare’s sticking to Giraldi Cinthio’s slow-paced tale more densely there than the playwright does in acts 1 and 2 (13-29). Arguing that â€Å"double time† is a skilful device to heighten the credibility of the action, Ridley expresses admiration for Shakespeare’s â€Å"astonishing skill† in placing close together allusions to long time with a strong impression of a thirty-three-hour time span on Cyprus (lxx). It is, Ridley believes, a literary technique of lulling the reader into thinking that more time has passed than the action declares. In this manner, the reader does not question why, logically, Othello would be killing his wife for her supposed unfaithfulness the very night after he has brought to completion their marriage. Interestingly, among Shakespeare’s tragedies, Othello may be regarded as the least connected with social or political developments and transformations. The play does not appear to have been written on the topic of a specific historical event or social movement in the beginning of 1600s. Othello is a domestic tragedy. Thus, it exposes power plays inside relations between representatives of patriarchal society – in particular, in father-daughter and husband-wife relationships. But not like King Lear, that constantly expresses uncertainty about received â€Å"authority† as the king’s status is depreciated, Othello does not deal with the wider political branches of this social power. Nor does Othello take into consideration faults in state power that the reader can observe in Shakespeare’s history plays and Coriolanus. Although Othello is of aristocratic birth, he is not the real or possible leader of his realm (while Lear, Macbeth, and Hamlet are all kings), upon whose decisions and thoughts depend the whole state and its people. At the same time, however, Othello is concerned with important cultural and social issues. Precisely, Othello’s exact color has been much considered with references to racist issues (Shakespearean Criticism). What is important is that Othello is a black warrior, in all likelihood from North Africa, and now dwelling in a white European society. The issue of racial difference is deeply embedded in the tragedy and is very well obvious in performance. How would the character have been considered by the Jacobean public, and how is he understood this day? Does Othello make effort to incorporate or refuse to accept racist stereotypes of that time? How much does Desdemona, a white upper-class representative, breaks the moral rules of her society by making decision to marry a black warrior, and finally does Othello give approval to or reject her open and bold resistance to authority and power? Taking into consideration these questions, one can analyze ways in which Othello contributes to the discussion on two groups – black African men and white women – that were often made seem unimportant in the beginning of seventeenth century. Even though it cannot be equated with present day racial discrimination issues, color prejudice appears to have developed in England under Queen Elizabeth and King James. Black was associated with evil, Africans’ dark skins was considered to belong to the devil. Taking into account the racial prejudices of the time, it is unusual that Shakespeare decides to make his tragic hero an Afro-American and his villain the white Iago. Critic John Salway, for example, considers that Shakespeare introduces the general preconceptions regarding Africans by means of the racist discourse of Iago and Brabantio – Iago glibly utters slander about Othello as â€Å"lusty Moor† and â€Å"devil†, while Brabantio, who â€Å"lov’d† Othello as a warrior, ascribes responsibility to him for winning his daughter’s love through â€Å"damned† witchcraft (30). John Salway considers that the playwright does so only to explode these prejudices in the course of the play. In this respect, Othello’s mistake is a natural human weakness rather than a fault coming from his race. John Salway also acknowledges the long-established medieval tradition, literary and decorative, that connected the black man with lower rank in society and damnation. The author argues, at the same time, that a countercurrent of religious discourse and art, for example, the special importance given to inner holiness over outward appearance and the description of Balthazar, one of the Magi bearing gifts for the infant Christ, as a black man, provided Shakespeare with an opportunity to develop Othello as a â€Å"great Christian gentleman† (45). Salway finds no prove in the tragedy that the character is really savage, since he gains his nobility again after his tragic loss of faith in Desdemona (55-56). Martin Orkin (1987), a South African scholar keenly aware of how Shakespeare’s Othello gives occasion for racist responses, is in basic agreement with Salway’s statements. He believes that Shakespeare works â€Å"consciously against the color prejudice that can be seen in â€Å"the language of Iago, Roderigo, and Brabantio† and denies such prejudices giving emphasis to the â€Å"limitations† of â€Å"human judgment† in general as the real cause of Othello’s tragedy (170-181). All this is right from the one side: Shakespeare creates his characterization of â€Å"valiant Othello† far beyond that of the traditional stereotype. On the other side, however, there are situations in the play when Othello’s actions do generate the sinful barbarian image. This is specifically the case in act 4, where the character loses his mind in a frantic mania of jealousy (â€Å"savage madness† is how Iago gives account of it), promises to â€Å"chop† Desdemona into â€Å"messes† after overhearing the dialogue that takes place between Iago and Cassio. Moreover, Othello behaves immorally by making a physical attack on Desdemona in public. Does Shakespeare try to demonstrate color prejudice by making Othello returning again and again to the traditional image of ‘black savage’? One resistance against attack on Othello’s behavior in the play is to claim that it is a victory of Iago’s hard-hearted intrigue with him, combined with the Moor’s dramatic readiness to consider as true the negative, oversimplified stereotype of himself. It seems that Othello’s humiliating performance is almost destined to cause the audience to become unfriendly, both Jacobean and present. By the concluding part of the play, Othello is divided between the individual characteristics he has attempted to maintain as an honorary white in Venice – where the Senate has allowed him military services and even more, in contrast to Brabantio, forgave his relationship with a white woman – and his strong inner sense of himself as an African â€Å"Other†. In being fatally overwhelmed by jealousy and murdering his wife, Othello eventually describes himself as more related by blood to the ignoble Judean and the malicious Muslim Turk than to the civilized and noble Christian. Some readers and viewers may feel that Othello compensates his rank as an inspiring tragic hero in the culmination, while others may dissent in opinion. And while it is right to claim that Othello does not give approval to the deeply felt prejudices of an Iago, how does the audience feel about Emilia’s racist comments in the final part of the play? Emilia becomes the center of tragic attention when she reveals Othello’s dreadful mistake and dismantles any â€Å"just grounds† for his believing that Desdemona committed sexual intercourse with other man. Preoccupied with her frank truth-telling, the spectators are encouraged to become accomplices of her views even though they are full of racial intense dislike. Emilia refers to Othello as the â€Å"blacker devil† describing his behavior as â€Å"ignorant as dirt† and feels sorry that Desdemona was â€Å"too fond of her most filthy bargain†. These examples demonstrate the difficulty of reaching an exact decision where the play stands regarding Othello’s blackness and racial prejudice. Because of the fact that the balance of dramatic sympathies shifts from episode to episode, readers are likely to agree with Emilia’s angry release of prejudice while rejecting Iago’s coldly malicious racism, in spite of the close relationship he has established with the reader. In this regard, one can compare Othello with Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. Just as The Merchant of Venice may at the same time destroy anti-Semitic prejudice (in Shylock’s probing speech â€Å"Hath not a Jew eyes? † and support it (with Shylock’s absurdly incongruous behavior and wish that his daughter â€Å"were hears’d at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! †), it can be stated that Othello stimulates discourse regarding the racist stereotypes of the sixteenth-century life even though it supports them to some extent. It should be observed, however, that to be totally free of racism and any discrimination, the playwright would have to invent a new language with no words containing a hidden implication, no unfair treatment of a color character, and no connection in the play between blackness and evil, whiteness and good. Expressing the same idea but differently, Othello cannot go beyond the language and traditions of its culture. According to Juliet Dusinberre (1976), if black-skinned men were considered as the â€Å"Other† in the sixteenth-century Europe, then women could be also called as a painful Other in patriarchal communities. The Reformation in England is at times thought as a period when attitudes and views toward female roles, at least inside marriage relations, were becoming more liberal and humanistic (Dusinberre 3-5). Puritans encouraged an equal marriage partnership, in contrast to the accepted without question subordination of wife to her husband, and valued married chastity above celibacy. However, it can be supposed that this elevation of the married relationships might have served as a method to contain women’s uncontrollable desire rather than to encourage a real self-dependence for them. It is easy to see that Desdemona is committed to the ideal of married chastity, but she is also a woman who tries to rebel. Obviously, her courageous rejection of her father’s wishes (and, globally, those of the Venetian upper class) so that it is possible to marry a black warrior and her honest desire to follow the â€Å"rites† for which she married Othello create behavior not conforming to accepted rules and standards in Venetia. The woman has stepped beyond the permitted boundaries of her race – â€Å"Against all rules of nature,† as Brabantio describes this – and the modesty that most people expect of female gender. Shakespeare, in spite of her faults, presents the rebellious and disobedient Desdemona as a character deserving admiration. Her powerful and effective language in explaining why she chose Othello despite her father’s unwillingness, her brave strong passion for the Moor, and her spirited and powerful (even though unreasonable) defense of Cassio are all probable to win the sympathies and admiration of the readers. Desdemona’s boldness, as well as Othello’s initial approval and praise of it (he describes her as his â€Å"fair warrior† when he comes to Cyprus), all say about a marriage with mutual love and respect for each other. When living in Cyprus, however, Desdemona becomes more isolated and open to temptation and persuasion. Once Othello incorporates Iago’s views, interpreting the meaning of Desdemona’s behavior as unfaithful and indiscriminate actions, the woman has no means of opposing her husband’s violent desire to control her life. It would seem, taking into consideration these issues, that there are contradictory messages present throughout the play about what behavior is right for women. The uncontrollable female who calls into question her place in the male-dominated community is given some capacity for independent action but ironically is then punished, primarily because Othello misinterprets her actions, but also, the drama may suggest, because of her desires going beyond acceptable boundaries of taste and convention of the time. Like with the issue of racism regarding Othello’s personality, Emilia’s role emphasizes the contradictory treatment of women in the tragedy. Her passionate defense of wives in act 4 produces the double sexual standard by which relationships between men and women are determined: And have not we affections? Desires for sport? and frailty? as men have? Then let them use us well; else let them know, The ills we do, their ills instruct us so. Since Emilia expresses a convinced belief that women are men’s equals in desire and have the full right to live and act like their husbands, her declaration is potentially ungrounded in its denial of gender qualities that work only to the advantage of men. At the same time, however, the meaning of the speech, as well as what the reader knows of Emilia so far, tends to decrease the power of the statement. Emilia has the similar gender of Desdemona but not social position. As a result, Shakespeare’s readers might make little of the sense of her statements, justifying them as fitting for serving women but not actual for upper-class women. Interestingly, Emilia has surrendered to her husband’s â€Å"fantasy† herself. She subordinated herself to his fanciful idea and thus affirmed the opposite of her philosophy of independence — by presenting him the gift. Conclusion Regarded by many scholars as one of Shakespeare greatest tragedies, together with Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear, Othello has a traditional tragic plot, tracing the hero’s fall from splendor and combining together human qualities of nobility with actins and decisions that lead to unavoidable suffering and loss. Othello is, at the same time, one of Shakespeare’s most emotionally touching works. The driving power with which the extremely effective but destructive series of events develops creates an exciting sense of chaotic violent and confused movement that captivates both readers and viewers almost as much as it drives the characters. Shakespeare’s character development and his incorporation of difficult issues in the play produced an incredibly complex play that considers a number of important moral and social questions. Works Cited Allen, Ned B. â€Å"The Two Parts of Othello†, ShS, 2, 1968, in Honigmann, E. A. J. Othello. Cengage Learning EMEA, 2001. Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy. London: Macmillan, 1962. Dusinberre, J. Shakespeare and the Nature of Women. London and Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1976. Orkin, M. Othello and the Plain Face of Racism, SQ, 38. 2, 1987. Othello Study Guide. Available from: http://www. shakespearefest. org/Othello%20Study%20Guide. htm Othello. Shakespearean Criticism. Available from: http://www. enotes. com/shakespearean-criticism/othello-vol-68 Salway, J. â€Å"Veritable Negroes and Circumcised Dogs: Racial Disturbances in Shakespeare†, in Lesley Aers and Nigel Wheale (eds. ), Shakespeare in the Changing Curriculum (London and New York: Routledge, 1991). Shakespeare, W. â€Å"Othello, the Moore of Venice†. Shakespeare Homepage. Available from: http://shakespeare. mit. edu/othello/full. html

Case Analysis: Vasant Scribes

CASE ANALYSIS VASANT SCRIBES Kamia -D10007 Ramanjot- D10016 Tushar-D10025 BATCH EX-PGP (2010-13 ) The case talks about a medical transcription company, Vasant Scribes and the challenges faced by it in terms of growth. The revenues and company had stagnated and had tried various methods to diversify into higher value added areas of medical billing & marketing analytics that hadn't worked. The case highlights the steps that were taken and the options available ahead. Case Facts Vasant Chemicals Limited was the flagship company of the Vasant Group.After Being in the bulk chemical category for about 25 years, Mr. Chowdary, MD wanted to move into a new economy business. Vasant Scribes Ltd was the outcome of a Brainstorming by the promoter of Vasant Scribes, who had a desire to make a foray Into the IT services sector. With the help of consultants and internal reviews, the group Narrowed down on Medical transcription services as the main focus area to enter the Services business. Vasant Sc ribes transcribed about 100,000 lines of transcription per day. It had about 320 employees spread over 3 locations in Hyderabad.The Company also outsourced Some transcription work to franchisees in Vijayawada, Coimbatore and Kolkata. Phase 1: Initial years and growth pangs (1999-2001) The key challenges that the company faced during this phase were: 1. Establishing credibility in the US transcription market 2. Winning its first clients 3. Managing manpower and maintaining a redundant work-force. Phase 2: The years of rapid growth (2001-2004) In 2001, the company initiated a number of measures to improve marketing efforts, Including engaging the services of a US telemarketing services company.This strategy started showing results in the second half of the 2001. At the same time, the efforts in establishing a US based subsidiary and sending the COO to the US started paying off. Some of the key achievements of the company in this phase were as follows: This account catapulted Vasant Sc ribes from a small company to a Medium sized company 1. Wins of some medium sized clinic accounts. Most of the initial clients were a result of doorto-door campaigns. Subsequent wins were a result of references from these clients. 2. Winning a large account due to previous relationship and experience with the client. . Establishing sub-contractors in order to increase capacities without risk of redundant manpower. 1|Page Diversification Dilemma The idea to diversify was fueled by the desire to continue to grow rapidly while at the same time not exposing the company to the risks of continuing to operate in a single sector. There have been continuing discussions amongst industry players about the changing face of medical transcription including the role of technology. Some of the key areas that were considered for diversification included: ? ppraisal transcription (being similar in nature to medical transcription) ? medical billing and coding (being a natural forward integration into a high-end Outsourcing business) ? legal transcription/outsourcing (unrelated business) ? voice mail transcription (being a natural extension to medical transcription) ? marketing analytics (unrelated business) Phase 3: Challenges of diversification (2005-2007) Pursue medical billing business. It was viewed as a natural forward integration of existing medical transcription business. The medical billing ervices were offered under a different brand name of Vantage billing services to distinguish it from Vasant Scribes, which had already gained repute as a medical transcription client. Medical billing industry ? ? ? ? Medical billing process were more complex, sophisticated technological support Risky affair High level of negotiation (CFO level involvement in contract ) Fragmented Industry Marketing Analytics business overview The job of a service provider was therefore twofold to demonstrate that they had the capabilities and to show the potential client that there was a need. e make say, $1 per person per hour, we make $5 per person per hour in the case of medical billing and nearly four times as much in marketing analytics. We believe that the company must Continue to grow on the value chain for growth and survival. † Vasant Scribes Today With the issue of continued sustenance in medical transcription temporarily put away, the company was now gripped with the challenges of growing the medical billing and Marketing analytics businesses. 2|Page Some of the key issues before the management were OR Problem statement 1.Should the company continue to pursue the medical billing business? If so, How should it attempt to grow it? In the past, the company had looked at Potential acquisition of companies to gain initial credibility. Should the company pursue this option? Or, alternately, should the company look to tie-up with a reputed medical billing company in the US (essentially repeat the same trick as with medical transcription)? 2. Should the company continue to look to grow in marketing analytics, or Should it temporarily defer the plans until the establishment of the medical?Billing business? If the company were to aggressively pursue the marketing Analytics business, what should be the strategy? 3. Finally, since medical transcription had become a very large and profitable Business, should the company concentrate all its energies on this, and deemphasize The growth and diversification plans? Analysis 1) Yes they should pursue medical business only as a short term goal (as a variance) till the MTs business boom up, it should continue to do business with the US medical billing companies for contractual business. ) Market analytics is very lucrative business but requires more deployment of Resources in the form of talent manpower, continues technological upgrade, knowledge hunting, Market analytics cover the scope of Business intelligence and analytic tools, Data warehousing platform software, Performance management and analytic applica tions which was very new to Vasant scribes . Manpower hired for Business could be used in Market analytics expansion scope. They should study the markets & gather the resources to enter the analytics’ market meanwhile continue with the MTs & Medical billing business.They should adopt GO TO MARKET STRATEGIES that depend on ever finer segmentation of target audiences by industry, region & organization size. The momentum, Diversity & size is huge in business analytics market annually 3) Vasant Scribe should deemphasize the growth in Medical billing services & should focus on MTS & Market analytics service, MTs would be have volume business & Market analytics concentrated on high margin, the scope explore by Nasscom reviled big revenues generation source for Indian IT companies due to weaker going US employment. Thus creating win-win situation for both (US & INDIA CO) . 3|Page

Minority: United States and Minorities Essay

What do members of minority groups gain and lose as they undergo a process of assimilation the process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of the dominant culture. As a minority you gain and lose it can be positive or negative. Every culture is different as we all know as a minority you have to adapt to the norms. As a minority you gain certain things such as learning a new language although it might be very difficult, given the right for a better education, being independence the right to do what you please. You might lose traditional food traditional behaviors, leaving family behind. However its normal. I experience most of these situation when I came here in a America as minority is was very difficult and a big change because as I aged I noticed and felt unwanted by majority of people living here you can tell by the negative stereotypes and discrimination But these situation happened around the world. When I came here I gained a self of independence going to school, working buying and things I desire to have, and going anywhere I felt like going. In contrast. iving in my country as woman I didn’t really have much independence although I was young I understand, but most woman went to school but usually they stay home they don’t work the man pays the bills buys everything needed for the house. I left my family behind but I also have family here and were all doing things to better our self in the future by going to school and become whoever we want to be that’s the beauty of America. According to Macionis â€Å" Minorities have two important characteristics. First, society imposes on them a distinctive identity, which may be based on physical or cultural traits. Second, minorities experience subordination. As this chapter shows, U. S. minorities typically have lower income, lower occupational prestige, and limited schooling. Class, race and ethnicity, as well as gender, are overlapping and reinforcing dimensions of social stratification. The Thinking About Diversity box on page 278 describes the struggles of recent Latin American immigrants to the Unites States. † (Macionis 277) As Macionis mentioned this is very true that minorities have lower income in my opinion it has a lot to do with racism which makes it hard to find a job and be able to sustain yourself and your family. As a minority in my nine family household most of us work but we still struggle to make ends meet. Also I thing as a minority in any country it’s very hard it takes years to adjust to the new culture and people. I think that some ways we can improve the contemporary American relation on a family level is to reach out to neighbors and community not being judgmental, get to know people as individuals not as a stereotype. At the community level/ school: join clubs or activities that are inclusive of all minorities. Town /cities policies: enforcing equal opportunity laws housing, availability for schools, support services. U.  S. government: funding to help minorities be successful here, visas to immigrate here All of these will help build relationship with minorities and see then as individual not a stereotype. In conclusion we do gain and lose certain things we admire by moving to a different country or region but having the advantage to experience different part of the world is exciting you learn new things each day. And no part of the world is perfect your always going to finds things you like or dislike about a place but as long as take advantage of knowing who you are and be yourself and learn to adopt to new things that’s all that matters.

Hamlet Essayys

Hamlet Essayys Hamlet Essayys Hamlet – Critical Notes Interest in Drama in created through tension between individuals: One of the most important elements of Hamlet that make it an interesting play is Hamlet’s conflict as a hero – whether he should avenge his father, or simply abandon his quest through philosophical moralizing. The demands of Elizabethan society and even our society would be that one should return an eye for an eye, most of our films and drama support this idea of righteous justice towards someone who has wronged us. Initially Hamlet also communicates this idea through the â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.† of the king. From Hamlet himself, he uses strong emotional language to swear that â€Å"I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records,† â€Å"And thy commandment all alone shall live†, clearly indicating that he knows exactly what is expected of him, and this is his role in the play and his life. What society expects is also shown through the reference to the Chain of Being, through which a false king would lead to the collapse of the natural system. Hamlet describes this in the metaphor, ’tis an unweeded garden, That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature possess it merely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Using the garden imagery to show that a false ki ng leads to weeds and other unnatural elements in the world. Thus at least initially, there appears to be no conflict, and Hamlet will merely be a revenge tragedy play. However, the play gets much more interesting when it becomes clear that Hamlet wants nothing to do with revenge, in fact, he is such a philosopher and thinker that he despises what is basically another bout of regicide. The critic Henry Mackenzie agrees with this idea that the play arises from Hamlet’s nature: even the best qualities of his character merely reinforce his inability to cope with the world in which he is placed. Textually, we can see this in the various ways Hamlet forces himself to stop his murder. His doubt, â€Å"[the devil] is very potent with such spirits, I’ll have grounds/More relative than this.† Show he is unwilling to simply go out and be a traditional avenger. Furthermore, his continues this idea of him trying to escape fate, â€Å"Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words,† shows that society â€Å"heaven and hell† prompt him to go and murder his uncle, but he refuses to simpl y be a whore of fate – he is going to forge his own destiny. This conflict as a central element in the play can also be seen in Hamlet’s polar opposite. Laertes have his father killed, but gives no two lines about wanting to kill Hamlet – and straight away he dies in the attempt – his demand for â€Å"[daring] damnation to be most thoroughly revenged for [his] father.† not only ends his life, but draws Hamlet’s avoidance of his fate to an end, and ends up with all involved dying, and thus formatting the tragedy. Another way that Shakespeare shows the conflict between society and the individual is through the play within a play dynamic of Hamlet. As a Avenger play, Hamlet is the tragic hero doomed to avenge his father. However, Hamlet as an individual refuses to, and this conflict, the putting off of the murder, is what makes the play philosophical and enjoyable. Unwilling Hero / Fate / Fight against Fate Both arguments are explored with excellent textual integrity by Shakespeare through a multi perspective approach of the conflict between individual and society. Again, the concept of fate here is central – Hamlet is fated to get revenge, even if it costs him his life. His own self doubt in berating his own inaction such as â€Å"How stand I then, That have a father kill’d, a mother stain’d And let all sleep?† Uses rhetorical questions to demonstrate the conflict in his heart. However contrary to popular belief, the Elizabethan perceptions of revenge had shifted from the Old Testament ‘an eye for an eye’ stance, to the New Testament perspective on revenge, ‘Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord’, so it is arguable that