Friday, December 27, 2019

Human Rights And International Relations - 1572 Words

Dower, N. (2007) ‘Human rights and International relations’, The International Journal of Human Rights, pp.86-111 Whether there is a place for Human rights in the arena of international relation has sparked an interesting debate. Whereas some contend that the arena of international relations and foreign policy is evidently interest-led, some have sort to see an increase in a global agenda that places value on human rights and ethical considerations. Nigel Dower, bringing a philosophical background into his perspective on international relations, soundly falls within the debate that pushes for a place for human rights in international relations. Similar to his research area in world ethics, Dower’s article aims to present his support for an ethically global community. In this paper I will outline some of the key focal points of Dower’s article and how he develops to present his argument. I will conclude by evaluating that Dower’s article inserts some theoretical insight into the wider debate that encourages the necessity of a universalist/cosmopolitan view. Nonetheless, it fails to provide adequate applicable examples which as a result subdue a full understanding of why this has not been achieved, though desirable. Dower states from the onset the purpose of his article and firmly grounds it in the exploration of the ethical basis of international relations. His article attempts to explore the implications of international relations accepting the thesis that there areShow MoreRelatedThe Five International Relations Theories, Realism, Liberalism, And Feminism1241 Words   |  5 PagesThree of the five international relations theories, Realism, Liberalism, and Feminism have very interesting and different positions pertaining to global politics and issues. These theories, although quite different, effect the past present and future of global politics. Realists tend to believe the worst in humanity, that they are inherently selfish, and expect the worst. They are always prepared for war, and will go on the offensive if it means gaining more power and respect. Liberals do not thinkRead MoreAn Introduction Of International Relations1702 Words   |  7 Pages an introduction of International Relations, my views have consistently been fluid. From week to week with new information and new theories presented, researched and analysed along with my increasing knowledge of attributes and models of these principles. I have had assimilations, with the key concepts of nearly all theories, yet none sat wholly in my perception of international relations. I found concepts of the disciplines to be too black and white. International relations is such a complicatedRead MoreThe Characteristics Of The Liberal Theory949 Words   |  4 Pagesof democracy, free trade, multilateral cooperation and a rule-based international society that respects sovereignty and human rights (Introduction to Global Politics), to establish an state o f freedom and justice, we can clearly identify Japan as a liberal state. I would also divide the liberal theory in four different approaches: first, into the multilateral cooperation and acceptance of the international law and international system. Second, the multilateral approach structured on the basis ofRead MoreA Short Note On Constructivism And International Institutions920 Words   |  4 PagesConstructivism and International Institutions As technology leapt forward, facilitating and promoting the rapid spread of both goods and ideas throughout the world, the twentieth century saw the beginnings of true globalization and with it the birth of many international institutions. From organizations and documented agreements to global norms for state interaction, these institutions have changed the face of global politics and drawn analysis from all over the theoretical spectrum. Liberal theoristsRead MoreQuestions On International Human Resource Management Essay1716 Words   |  7 PagesSubmission of case study Please find completed case study on International Human Resource Management-Padi Cepat on the basis for your reading and action. Sign: Name: Patel Nimisha Paper Title International Human Resource Management Paper Code 95.892(B) Term 1 2015 Lecturers :Read MoreThe Issue Of Human Rights1256 Words   |  6 Pagessubject of human rights. The recognition of human rights is widely seen as abstract, yet human rights affect daily lives worldwide. We can understand human rights and its initial role on politics through the example of higher rule denying citizens everyday rights, worldwide. In particular, I will compare and contrast the theoretical perspectives of liberalism and realism, and assess that human rights can best be examined through liberalism due to its ability to bring light to international cooperationRead MorePaul Wilkinson s International Relations991 Words   |  4 PagesWilkinson is an international relations expert and author of his book, International Relations: A Very Short Introduction. Wilkinson explains in his book that is almost â€Å"mission impossible† to use a general theory to explain such a complex subject as international relations; however, Wilkinson considers himself as liberal in his in ternational relations views. According to the philosophers Machiavelli and Hobbes, a realist view human beings as selfish individuals by nature, human beings are a hazardRead MoreInternational Relations Affects Our Lives1089 Words   |  5 PagesInternational Relations is the sort of topic that is not often talked about in daily conversations, but is incredibly important to every single individual on the planet.   It is so far reaching that no matter who you are it is going to affect you.   No matter if you are the CEO of a massive corporation or a single mother slaving away with two jobs. There are very few things that are so encompassing to the world.   International Relations affects everyone because countries are no longer isolated likeRead MoreDemocracy In Australia Essay1602 Words   |  7 Pagesremain vigilant when interacting or doing business in China. Australia has joined strong allies the US, Japan and other Europe to condemn Chinas human rights violation and its commitment to restore international order on the United National Human Rights Council (Wen, 2017). In the 21st Century Australia is lobbying to ensure everyone have the same rights, treatment, equality before the law and equality of education, and healthcare, freedom of speech, free to worship and equality of opportunity forRead MoreIdealism and Realism in International Relations Essay1318 Words   |  6 PagesIn regards to the recent events in Ukraine, international relations (IR) have become a popular topic among people again. However, not many truly understand what the term ‘international relations’ entails. Unlike what we usually see in TV dramas, it is more than just people sending representatives to different countries to visit or negotiation about debatable agreements. International relation, sometimes known as ‘world politics’, began after the First World War. 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Thursday, December 19, 2019

U.s. Foreign Policy Policies - 916 Words

The belief in the superiority of the western value system, capitalism, liberal democracy, and its vulnerability to survive as the ultimate way has been shaken, but not completely discarded. We now have a world that is interconnected to nearly all other countries through globalism and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). As the United States prepares for the upcoming election that decides which presidential candidate will occupy the most popular and arguably the most powerful position in the world, we have to take a step back and look at the past experience of each candidate and their proposed foreign policy stance which will be enacted should they be elected. Any nation that is apart of a globalized market such as The United States must be careful when choosing their next president. More importantly they need a president that is in tune with the current international system and one that focuses on a foreign policy based on realism instead of a foreign policy based on idealism. In t he following, I will look at the foreign policies of the current presidential candidates and I will discuss which policies are in tune with the current international system and which ones are out of tune with reality.†¨ Political realism is a theory of political philosophy that tries to explain political relations. It takes the assumption that power is the primary end of political action in both domestic and international politics. The theory asserts that politicians either do or should striveShow MoreRelatedU.s. Foreign Policy Policies1370 Words   |  6 PagesThe U.S. foreign policy has always been linked to the domestic policy since the U.S. never feared of expanding its national interests over the national boarders. Isolation for the U.S. usually implied slow economic growth and the large number of destructive conflicts within, while impudent foreign policy always guaranteed an abrupt economic growth for the U.S. economy. After the U.S. intervened in the WWI and the WWII, the U.S. economy witnessed a tremendous economic growth, nearly elimination ofRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Decisions716 Words   |  3 Pagesreasons.† (Kaufman pg. 3). Here Kaufman begins to unravel the differences between these two types of foreign policy. The extraordinary are the issues surrounding war, terrorist attacks, cyber warfare. The mundane, is as simple as the labels on your clothing, but as complex as who is allowed entry into the U.S.. These topics do not elicit as much of a reaction, because as Kaufman argues â€Å"the foreign policy decisions that most people know about and follow closely are those that are extraordinary becauseRead MoreU.s. Bush s Administration On Foreign Policy Over The Last Forty Years1717 Words   |  7 Pagesdefinition of unilateralism and its application to US foreign policy over the last forty years. In defining the term, this essay will leave aside the debate between the competing concepts of unilateralism and multilateralism, which has occupied extensive literature after the 9/11 attacks and the following military actions. The essay will Definition of unilateralism (800 words) Meaning of unilateralism Unilateralism in american foreign policy Was Bush the first one? How long it has beenRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Policies Essay1312 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican foreign policy relates to what is done in foreign countries by the United States of America. The foreign policies include controlling of the governments of foreign countries or setting some rules in those countries. The foreign policy of America has always been changing all through the US existence. The changes have stemmed from the dynamics of exogenous and substantial influences of watershed up to the international system and also the effects and changes of endogenous inside the governmentRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Policies1297 Words   |  6 Pageswill explore how the U.S. intervened in Latin America, more specifically after the World War II. Indeed, the U.S. benefitted greatly from the aftermath of the war. A subsection will be dedicated to the Pink Tide in Latin America, with a focus on the U.S. foreign policy under President GW Bush and President Obama. The overthrown Presidents of Honduras and Paraguay were part of this movement and their outset signals a reversal in the region. The different policies set by the U.S. must be understoodRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Policies Essay2045 Words   |  9 Pagesmomentous in its ramifications as it was anticlimactic in its occurrence.† Soviet Premier Gorbachev’s dual policies of glasnost and perestroika had relaxed central control and encouraged self-sufficiency among the republics of Eastern Europe, but it also revealed the underlying economic weakness of the Soviet system. The collapse of the Soviet Union sent shockwaves through a U.S. foreign policy establishment that had, for decades, overwhelmingly focused on the containment of the Soviet Union. LackingRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Policies Essay1119 Words   |  5 Pageswith Clinton at 42% and Trump at 40.9% (as of September 15,2016). Donald Trump, who is a successful businessman, turns to a different path to become a p A government’s strategy in dealing with other nations is important in today’s world. The U.S. foreign policy is desi gned to achieve national objectives. There are many immigrated citizens coming into the United States every year. However, we question the ones who are undocumented immigrants. The United States has concerns about the Islamic State groupRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Policies1847 Words   |  8 PagesSyria because US-backed fighters coordinate and are enmeshed with the outfit. The newspaper also reported that the Pentagon had refrained in 2015 from attacking ISIS militants in and around the Syrian city of Palmyra in order to further the US foreign policy goal of regime change in Damascus. The United States has a long history of forming tactical alliances with political Islam to counter secular Arab nationalists, whom it views as inimical to its interests of dominating the Arab world, with itsRead More U.S. Foreign Policy Essay930 Words   |  4 PagesStates has remained consistent with its national interest by taking many different actions in foreign policy. There have been both immediate and long term results of these actions. Foreign policy is the United States policy that defines how we deal with other countries economically and politically. It is made by congress, the president, and the people. Some of the motivations for United States foreign policy are national security, economics, and idealism. The United States entry into World War IRead MoreU.s. Foreign Policy Approaches1424 Words   |  6 PagesThe United States (U.S.) uses two approaches to their foreign policy. The first approach is realism. This viewpoint stresses that the principal actors, states, will pursue their own interests in an anarchical world. States will try to establish a balance of power that restrains aggressive states from dominating weaker ones. The second approach is idealism. This view stresses that states should transform the system into a new international order where peace can prevail. This approach emphases the

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

A Good Man is Hard to Find Religious Allusions Essay Example For Students

A Good Man is Hard to Find Religious Allusions Essay Flannery OConnor uses Christianity as a fundamental thesis in her work, A Good Man is Hard to Find. The exploration for the meaning of the Christian faith in the story is based on OConnors view that contemporary society was drastically changing for the worst. OConnor, a fundamentalist and a Christian moralist focuses her powerful apocalyptic fiction on the South. OConnor views the lifestyles of the elite Southern people to be a faade. A Good man is Hard to Find focuses on Christianity being filled with sin and punishment, good and evil, belief and unbelief. The grandmother fully tells her opinion as she tries to convince the Misfit that he is a good Christian man before he kills her. The meaning of religion and true personification enlightens the characters when faced with reality. In A Good Man is Hard to Find, the grandmother is representative of godliness and Christianity which OConnor apparently believed to be more hypocritical than prevalent in the traditional Old South, the grandmother had on a navy blue straw sailor hat with a bunch of white violets on the brim and a navy blue dress with a small white dot in the print. Her collar and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace, and at her neckline, she pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady (1231). In this reading, the prominence is on purity and southern Christianity as if she is getting ready to attend church. The grandmother displays the proper image of a southern Christian woman in the presence of other people. Her clothing, her perfection, and her attitude are perceived as truly religious. In reality, the grandmother is exceedingly selfish. She preaches and gives sermons throughout the story yet in the face of danger she thinks only of herself. The grandmother uses gender roles, you wouldnt shoot a lady would you,(1236) and religious images to try to save herself. She preaches and prays to the Misfit as if he is Jesus, Jesusyouve got good blood, Jesus you ought not to shoot a lady (1239). She radiates an aura of holiness at the same time sounding self-serving. The Misfit symbolizes evil. At one point, the Misfit likens himself to Christ, stressing the fact that they were punished for crimes they did not commit. Christ accepted death for the sins of all humanity. In contrast, the Misfit did not accept reprimand and killed many innocent people instead. Yesm the Misfit said as if he agreed. Jesus thrown everything off balance. It was the same case with Him as with me except he hadnt committed any crime and they could prove I had committed one because they had papers on me (1239). Near the closing stages of tribulation, the grandmothers total religious transformation comes upon her while facing the final moments of her life. She is facing the Misfit listening to him reminisce on his life with his mother and father. At that moment, the grandmother realizes that everyone is a child from God above. She wants the Misfit to realize God forgives everyone and is saved by the grace of God. Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children (1239). The Misfit, in his exploitation of Christ, acts as judge and executioner to the grandmother, The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest (1239). In this quote, the implication may be on Christian theologies, since the Misfit believes he exemplifies Gods grace by eliminating the evil and introducing the three virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity. The significance of Christian theologies is the unification of the three Divine Spirits: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one Godhead. The Misfit deems himself to be a representative of all three Divine Spirits. .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 , .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .postImageUrl , .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 , .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:hover , .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:visited , .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:active { border:0!important; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:active , .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8 .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u42aa4cef624b638952f09c154cb912c8:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Should we have Dropped the Atomic Bomb? Essay The Misfit transforms the grandmother into a childlike state in death illustrating his beliefs that he has given her a fresh start or rebirth, as Jesus did. The religious interpretation of this story is the focal point of OConnors faith in the Catholic religion. The .

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Pestel Framework free essay sample

The political environment (Refer Section 1 in Appendix 01) does not favour Fonterra’s operating environment with heavy control over milk powder pricing. Political figureheads at times lead the public to perceive that multinational dairies are working towards destroying the local dairy industry. With the ending of a 26-year old war within the country there is stability in the political environment which in normal cases encourages foreign investment. However the government’s policies and tight regulations towards foreign investment and trade, creates an unfavourable environment for operating multinationals like Fonterra. Noted. In the economic front (Refer section 2 in Appendix01), with base commodity prices being reliant on global trends and heavy fluctuations on exchange rates, budgeting for the purchase of full cream and skim milk from New Zealand proves difficult with currency fluctuations most often surpassing budgeted variances. Subsidies by the government to selected local dairy companies also give unfavourable advantage to them over Fonterra. We will write a custom essay sample on Pestel Framework or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Socially, similar to world trends, the aging population in the country has opened up new opportunity for Fonterra to move in with its Anlene product, coincidentally at a time when mature markets like full cream milk come under heavy smear campaigns with global issues such as the melamine scare in China. Such incidents create negative perception on all powdered milk products that not only impact short term sales figures but also tarnish the brand loyalty Fonterra has established throughout the years (refer section 3 of Appendix01). When we analyse technological trends and their implications on Fonterra (Refer section 4 in Appendix01), many technological improvements ranging from foraging, nutrition, and flavouring to packaging, has influenced Fonterra to create its own biotechnology subsidiary called ViaLactia Biosciences, working on identifying, discovering and commercialising genes that affect pasture grasses, milk production and milk composition. One such discovery was the response to bone decay known as Osteoporosis that most ging populations of the world are facing. By combining bone strengthening nutrients like Calcium, Zinc, Protein and Magnesium, Fonterra was able to create the brand Anlene. Environmental influences on Fonterra’s strategy are discussed in detail in section 5 of Appendix01. Government sponsored environmental schemes both globally and locally such as deployment of Emission Trading Schemes (ETS) and application of Afforestation Grants Scheme (AGS) increases Fonterra operational costs by having to monitor their greenhouse emissions. Fonterra has to include many green initiatives in to their strategy ranging from simple measures such as waste water treatment to more far-reaching methods like emission trading schemes to forestry provisioning. In addition the trend to move towards more renewable energy globally would drive the energy costs higher for Fonterra. On legislative front (Refer section 6 in Appendix01), Fonterra plans and operates under strict legislative framework governed by many authorities both globally and locally as content claims on dairy product are heavily scrutinised. Furthermore, products such as Anchor 1+ that cater to infant nutrition require additional measures due to their sensitive nature throughout their lifecycle from production to transportation. Any mishap on the part of a multinational such as Fonterra can lead to a product recall. Therefore additional operational costs have to be borne in maintaining hygiene in areas such as production, packaging, storage and transportation. Refer Appendix01 for a detailed analysis on current industry trends and implications to Fonterra. An extremely good analysis.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

3 Questions To Guide Your Marketing Program With Michael Brenner

3 Questions To Guide Your Marketing Program With Michael Brenner Successful marketing takes more than just running ads, publishing articles, and designing newsletters. With so many moving parts, running a successful marketing program can be elusive. So, use a thoughtful and simple framework to cut straight to the heart of what it means and what it looks like to get consistent results. Today, we’re talking to Michael Brenner, the CEO of Marketing Insider Group and co-author of The Content Formula. He shares his global perspective and the secret to success when it comes to content marketing. Michael discovered that he had an aptitude for helping customers at scale Counter-intuitive nature of life applies to marketing; there’s a lot more to marketing than just advertising, which we hate and tune out We perceive marketing in the wrong way; it’s a two-way communication between a company and its customers What type of marketing works? Things that are not selfish, promotional, and interruptive, but aligned to what customers are wanting and what helps them Marketing starts with culture, and growth equates to the amount of empathy a company has for its customers, employees, and world Mission Statement: What is your purpose? Meaning? What do you achieve for the people you touch? Step 1: No matter what you are working on or what role you play in the company, always ask: What’s in it for the customers? Do less promotion in advertising and more content marketing or education Identify the amount of integration and interaction that occurs across the company Step 2: What’s in it for your colleagues? Marketing goes beyond the marketing department; it’s a collaborative and magical effort Step 3: What’s in it for the company? Conversions and ROI of content marketing Culture, empathy, and performance lead to effective and successful marketing Michael tries to do 2 things every day: Be thankful and show empathy (T E) Links: Michael Brenner Michael Brenner on Twitter Marketing Insider Group The Content Formula Jim Stengel’s Grow AMP on iTunes leave a review and send screenshot to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Michael Brenner:: â€Å"If you just help your customers, or help your buyers buy, and answer the questions that they have in that journey, then you can really succeed.† â€Å"There’s a lot more to marketing than just advertising.† â€Å"Selling is helping buyers buy, and marketing is helping buyers buy, as well, but at scale.†

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Ancient Practice of Bloodletting in Archaeology

The Ancient Practice of Bloodletting in Archaeology Bloodlettingpurposefully cutting the human body to release bloodis an ancient ritual, associated with both healing and sacrifice. Bloodletting was a regular form of medical treatment for ancient Greeks, with its benefits debated by scholars such as Hippocrates and Galen. Bloodletting in Central America Bloodletting or auto-sacrifice was a cultural trait of most of the societies in Mesoamerica, beginning with the Olmec perhaps as early as 1200 AD. This type of religious sacrifice involved a person using a sharp instrument such as an agave spine or sharks tooth to pierce a fleshy part of his own body. The resulting blood would drip onto a lump of copal incense or piece of cloth or bark paper, and then those materials would be burned. According to historical records of the Zapotec , Mixtec, and Maya, burning blood was one way to communicate with the sky gods. Artifacts associated with bloodletting include sharks teeth, maguey thorns, stingray spines, and obsidian blades. Specialized elite materialsobsidian eccentrics, greenstone picks, and spoonsare thought to have been used for elite bloodletting sacrifices in the  Formative period and later cultures. Bloodletting Spoons A so-called bloodletting spoon is a type of artifact discovered on many Olmec archaeological sites. Although there is some variety, the spoons generally have a flattened tail or blade, with a thickened end. The thick part has a shallow off-center bowl on one side and a second, smaller bowl on the other side. Spoons usually have a small hole pierced through them, and in Olmec art are often depicted as hanging from peoples clothing or ears. Bloodletting spoons have been recovered from Chalcatzingo, Chacsinkin, and Chichà ©n Itz; the images are found carved in murals and on stone sculptures at San Lorenzo, Cascajal, and Loma del Zapote. Olmec Spoon Functions The real function of the Olmec spoon has long been debated. Theyre called bloodletting spoons because originally scholars believed them to have been for holding blood from auto-sacrifice, the ritual of personal bloodletting. Some scholars still prefer that interpretation, but others have suggested spoons were for holding paints, or for use as snuffing platforms for taking hallucinogens, or even that they were effigies of the Big Dipper constellation. In a recent article in Ancient Mesoamerica, Billie J. A. Follensbee suggests Olmec spoons were part of a hitherto unrecognized toolkit for textile production. Her argument is in part based on the shape of the tool, which approximates bone weaving battens recognized in several Central American cultures, including some from Olmec sites. Follansbee also identifies several other tools made of elite greenstone or obsidian, such as spindle whorls, picks, and plaques, that could have been used in weaving or cord-making techniques. Sources Follensbee, Billie J. A. 2008. Fiber technology and weaving in formative-period Gulf Coast cultures. Ancient Mesoamerica 19:87-110. Marcus, Joyce. 2002. Blood and Bloodletting. Pp 81-82 in Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia, Susan Toby Evans and David L. Webster, eds. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York. Fitzsimmons, James L., Andrew Scherer, Stephen D. Houston, and Hector L. Escobedo 2003 Guardian of the Acropolis: The Sacred Space of a Royal Burial at Piedras Negras, Guatemala. Latin American Antiquity 14(4):449-468.

The Ancient Practice of Bloodletting in Archaeology

The Ancient Practice of Bloodletting in Archaeology Bloodlettingpurposefully cutting the human body to release bloodis an ancient ritual, associated with both healing and sacrifice. Bloodletting was a regular form of medical treatment for ancient Greeks, with its benefits debated by scholars such as Hippocrates and Galen. Bloodletting in Central America Bloodletting or auto-sacrifice was a cultural trait of most of the societies in Mesoamerica, beginning with the Olmec perhaps as early as 1200 AD. This type of religious sacrifice involved a person using a sharp instrument such as an agave spine or sharks tooth to pierce a fleshy part of his own body. The resulting blood would drip onto a lump of copal incense or piece of cloth or bark paper, and then those materials would be burned. According to historical records of the Zapotec , Mixtec, and Maya, burning blood was one way to communicate with the sky gods. Artifacts associated with bloodletting include sharks teeth, maguey thorns, stingray spines, and obsidian blades. Specialized elite materialsobsidian eccentrics, greenstone picks, and spoonsare thought to have been used for elite bloodletting sacrifices in the  Formative period and later cultures. Bloodletting Spoons A so-called bloodletting spoon is a type of artifact discovered on many Olmec archaeological sites. Although there is some variety, the spoons generally have a flattened tail or blade, with a thickened end. The thick part has a shallow off-center bowl on one side and a second, smaller bowl on the other side. Spoons usually have a small hole pierced through them, and in Olmec art are often depicted as hanging from peoples clothing or ears. Bloodletting spoons have been recovered from Chalcatzingo, Chacsinkin, and Chichà ©n Itz; the images are found carved in murals and on stone sculptures at San Lorenzo, Cascajal, and Loma del Zapote. Olmec Spoon Functions The real function of the Olmec spoon has long been debated. Theyre called bloodletting spoons because originally scholars believed them to have been for holding blood from auto-sacrifice, the ritual of personal bloodletting. Some scholars still prefer that interpretation, but others have suggested spoons were for holding paints, or for use as snuffing platforms for taking hallucinogens, or even that they were effigies of the Big Dipper constellation. In a recent article in Ancient Mesoamerica, Billie J. A. Follensbee suggests Olmec spoons were part of a hitherto unrecognized toolkit for textile production. Her argument is in part based on the shape of the tool, which approximates bone weaving battens recognized in several Central American cultures, including some from Olmec sites. Follansbee also identifies several other tools made of elite greenstone or obsidian, such as spindle whorls, picks, and plaques, that could have been used in weaving or cord-making techniques. Sources Follensbee, Billie J. A. 2008. Fiber technology and weaving in formative-period Gulf Coast cultures. Ancient Mesoamerica 19:87-110. Marcus, Joyce. 2002. Blood and Bloodletting. Pp 81-82 in Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia, Susan Toby Evans and David L. Webster, eds. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York. Fitzsimmons, James L., Andrew Scherer, Stephen D. Houston, and Hector L. Escobedo 2003 Guardian of the Acropolis: The Sacred Space of a Royal Burial at Piedras Negras, Guatemala. Latin American Antiquity 14(4):449-468.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

E-Banking and the Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

E-Banking and the Leadership - Essay Example Leadership and management are closely related but it can be easily said that leadership ability is an essential part of managing effectively. The differences between management and leadership lie in their motivation styles. For leaders, the leadership styles tend to be transformational or transactional whereas mangers tend to be more authoritative. Leaders have a vision and they are oriented towards driving a change. As for managers they are more focused on adapting to changes and implementation and achievement of goals. There is also a difference between the personality types of leaders and managers. While managers tend to try to achieve stability leaders are more inclined towards risks from changes. (Brown, 2009) Thus it may seem that management and leadership emerge from different ends of the spectrum but in reality the qualities of a good leader and manager compliment and enhance each other. Thus though these are two different approaches they tend to work well with each other bri nging about the best in the organization and from its people. Leadership and management has been a focus of many studies which have traced the roots of leadership characteristics as well as studied the different kinds and dimensions of leadership. A brief overview of these studies done over a long period of time is taken to draw conclusions about leadership and the basic differences between management and leadership.... There are multiple theories of leadership which explain whether leaders are born or evolved. They also describe the kinds and the qualities of effective leaders. There are also studies which identify different types of leaders. As compared to this the basic management functions consist of Planning, organizing, leading, controlling, decision making and problem solving. The University of Iowa studies The University of Iowa studies in the 1930's identifies 3 broad styles of leadership. They were labeled authoritarian, democratic and Laissez fair. The authoritarian leader was directive I his style and did not encourage participation from his followers. The democratic leader encouraged discussion and participation and tried to be objective. Nevertheless he was the one who made the decisions. In contrast the laissez fair leader allowed complete freedom to the followers to make and follow their own decisions. (Martin, 2005, p. 351) Trait theory These traditional theories of leadership inclu de the Trait theory of leadership which distinguishes leaders from non-leaders. It says that there are personal qualities and characteristics which define a leader and that leaders are born and cannot be made. Leaders are described as courageous, enthusiastic and charismatic and examples include Mahatama Gandhi and Nelson Mandela. Research later validated that all leadership traits can be broadly categorized under the Big Five traits of leadership which were extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, agreeableness and emotional stability. Recent studies have also found that emotional intelligence is strongly linked to effective leadership. (Robbins, 2010, p. 174) Behavioural theories The behavioural theories of leadership focused on observable behaviours

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Self-Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Evaluation Paper - Essay Example Having learned all the above, I can confidently say that I have attained my educational goals for this course. My goals in this course were not as deep and wide as what we have already covered in this course. The course being about Academic Reading and Study Skills, I never anticipated that we would go as deep as to studying topics such as analyzing an annotation and Academic vocabularies. One of my prime goals was to formulate a plan on how I can understand written materials in a shorter time period than I was before the course. I have achieved this goal. The skills acquired in ESL 23 come in handy in academics writing and in professional work. I expect to use note-taking skills in writing core information dictated by lectures in classes. Reading skills are also vital in understanding day to day material that we read such as newspapers and comprehensively understanding questions asked during examinations. Skills acquired in this course can be effectively applied in professional work such as research writing, journalism and report writing. Here, one needs to know how to write good summaries by separation the main and minor points in writings. There were lots of things to enjoy in this course. This is directly as a result of the professionalism and friendly learning environment created by the lecturer. Students also made the lessons interactive capturing my attention during the entire class period. The efficient course system was quite good since it ensured that vital knowledge in the course content was excellently passed to students throughout the semester. The least impressive situation regarding this course was the unanticipated urgency of the time line near the end of the semester. Having learned and increased my knowledge regarding vast skills in reading and writing, there are some strategies that I need to acquit myself to more. One of these is the SQ3R strategy. This is because it needs a lot of practice

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Hamlets Psychological Aspect Essay Example for Free

Hamlets Psychological Aspect Essay I decided to do this research work because I have enjoyed a lot reading this play: Hamlet. The inner motivations and psyche of this character have captured my attention. Therefore, the aim of this research is to depict Hamlet’s attitudes during the play. I will try to approach to his real feelings on life and death taking into consideration what critics and researchers have said about Hamlet. In order to clarify Hamlet’s personality and behaviour, I will provide some aspects of the historical context in which Shakespeare was inspired to write this play, and a brief summary of it to take into account the plot. Finally, I will make a conclusion in which I will try to summarise the most important impressions of this research. Historical Context of the play Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in the last years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, who had been the queen of England more than forty years. As she had no children the question of who would succeed her was a situation that provoked anxiety at that time. Due to this fact, researchers agree that many of Shakespeare’s plays from this period concern transfers of power from one monarch to the next. Another important issue dealt with in his plays is the general sense of anxiety, fear, uncertainty, betrayal and revenge. For instance, Hamlet displays all the themes mentioned above. Shakespeare was able to sum up the most impotant values of the Renaissance. Cultural phenomenon that began in the fifteenth-century and proclaimed the humanism: a new thought that revalued the social and popular aspect of life. People who belonged to the Renaissance period claimed that human beings lived in a world of appearances, in which they tried to hide their realities, that is to say, their deepest desires and what they actually were. Hamlet had to face one of the most difficult realities: injustice. A task that presents a dilemma to him: â€Å"to be or not to be†. While pointing out questions that cannot be answered, the play as a whole chiefly demonstrates the difficulty of knowing the truth about other people: who are guilty or innocent, which their motivations and feelings are. Brief Summary of the play Shakespeare begins the play with the death of the King of Denmark and the possession of the throne by the King’s brother Claudius, instead of the King’s son, that is to say the prince Hamlet, who was supposed to be the next in line. What is more, the new king Claudius suddenly married Gertrude, the dead king’s widow. Thus, the prince Hamlet got depressed by the unexpected situation. One night, Hamlet’s father appears as a ghost to tell Hamlet that he had been murdered by his own brother Claudius, that is to say, Hamlet ´s uncle. In his anger, Hamlet decides to fulfill his father’s request, which is to avenge his death. In order to confirm what the ghost has said, Hamlet organizes a play in which he represents the assessination scene. While the play is being performed, Claudius stands up and goes out feeling guilty. At the moment, Hamlet confirms the truth and discusses the situation with his mother. As Hamlet notices that someone is spying on them behind the curtains, he stabs his sword without checking who this person is. As a result, he kills Polonius, Claudiuss chief councillor. When Ophelia, Polonius ´s daughter, is informed about her fathers death she reacts with madness and eventually falls in a stream and drowns. After that, Laertes, Ophelia’s brother, is told that Hamlet is involved in Polonius’s death and Ophelia’s madness. Therefore, he wants to avenge his father’s and sister’s death trying to eliminate Hamlet. As Claudius promised Laertes to help him with the revenge, they plan to kill Hamlet as if by accident with a poisoned sword in a fencing match. Claudius also plans to offer Hamlet a poisoned drink during the fight. When the fencing contest begins, Hamlet’s mother Gertrude drinks the poisoned drink before Caludius can stop her and she dies. Hamlet turns away and Laertes wounds him with the poisoned sword, but Hamlet goes on fighting. During the struggle, they exchange swords and Hamlet wounds Laertes, who confesses the plan telling Hamlet that he is also sure to die from the effect of the poison. After hearing the truth, Hamlet stabs Claudius with the poisoned sword and forces him to drink the poison, too. Finally, while Hamlet is dying by the effect of the poison, he orders one of his friends called Horatio to tell the terrible story of the happening to everyone.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Published Financial Statement Accounting Essay

The Published Financial Statement Accounting Essay Annual report and accounts consists of different elements. A financial statement contains the financial information which is communicated to various users depending on their needs. The users can be internal or external users. The importance of this information varies, depending on the needs of specific users but according to the framework, the publication of financial information serves to reflect and to provide a clear image of the financial situation and performance of the entity which will help them to make a financial decision. Thomas and Marie (2012, 55). Users need financial information to assess the way the company uses its liquidity to fund its operations and investment, to be informed about its financial position and the nature of its resources for daily transactions, to estimate or predict the circumstances that may affect them, to be informed about the extent to which the company follows the laws and regulations. Usually the performance information is represented on the in come statement, the financial situation is represented on the balance sheet, and the information about changes in financial position is supplied in the notes to financial statements. Financial statements are the principal means of communicating financial information to various users. The framework defines seven essential users (Jill and Roger, 2007) but in contrast, Peter and Eddie (2002p 3) state that there are internal and external users who already have a relationship with the firm in economic terms or those who are interested in a future relationship. Starting with managers, Petter and Eddie (2002.3) noted that managers need information to assist them to make the decision and adopt and strategy of planning for the future. Furthermore, the manager who has been put in charge of presenting financial statements also needs this information to be sure that the management style, strategy and planning adopted are beneficial to the financial performance of the company. The conceptual framework states that the employees are principally interested in the type of information which permits them of having a clear idea about the stability and the performance of the company that they work for (Thomas and Ward,56 2012). Employees need information in order to ensure the stability of their jobs in the future, and to measure their ability to determine if there is a chance of getting a higher pay or promotion, and other benefits. The Investors need information about management policy, performance, stability and financial position of the company as well as to assess the risk and benefits provided by the investment in order to make a decision. Also, they need information to help them choose the proper time for transactions like buying and selling. Thomas and Ward (2012:56) Lenders are always taking risks which is why they choose the contract with lowest risk the framework noted that they are interested in information about performance and economic stability of the company, and also the information about the situation of liquidity available in the present and the future, in order to ensure whether the borrower is able to meet the deadlines for the payment of their loans and the interest. (Thomas and Ward, 2012:57). Regarding suppliers and other creditors, Thomas and Maries said that giving a loan and outputting goods without immediate payment is the same. This is the reason, they will be interested in the information that will help them at the beginning to decide whether to engage with company or not, and also to study the duration and the amount of credit to offer. According to the framework, suppliers and other creditors are interested in information that enable them to know whether they will be repaid at due date. Yet Suppliers and others creditors are interested in engaging with the enterprise for a shorter period compared to lenders who are concerned about liquidity position and the supplier seeks to know if there is a growth within the company and compare it with these production capacities. Jill and Roger (200741) states that the customers are interested in the information that enable them to evaluate the performance and ability of the company to continue its business and to know their capacity to meet the requirements of quality, the quantity and time to provide goods and services depending on customer needs. Governments and their agencies are composed by the tax authorities, financial and organization like central bank that has authority of control and regulations. Principally, the information is used as basis for calculating dues and taxes that the company has to pay. It has noted that the government and their agencies are interested in information about profitability and how it is distributed, with the aim of determining the tax policy, as they need information on the conduct of activities of entities to adjust them. (Thomas and Ward, 582012) The public is also interested in information about the performance of the company in order to define the level at which the company is progressing and its impact on economic development and social environment. To ensure that the information is useful to users for decision making, four qualitative characteristics need to be present in the information. Understandability the user must understand the information directly but should have basic knowledge of accounting and the economy. Relevance information must meet the needs of users in order for them to make decisions and enable them to compare the events of different periods. Reliability information must be reliable to give a real image of transactions and other operations. Comparability the information has to be available for comparison over time to determine the situation and the economic performance. (Jill and Hussey, 422007) It is true that the financial information addresses different user groups under standard characteristics, but it still has limitations on the usefulness of the information. The financial statement is based on historical costs. That is to say it is only monetary operations but the declaration is not correct. Also, with regards to the intangible assets there is no possibility of measuring the values of all of them in the sector of accounting. For instance, human resources are also ignored in most financial statements, and the brand value of the company is not on the statements either. Inflation is not included in the present value and all the information are based on estimates, so there is no real value on which the user can rely on. The financial statement does not take into consideration any anticipated financial condition that can happen in the industry and market which might affect the performance of the company and the decision taken by the different users of the financial statement which contains only financial information and ignores the non-financial information which is not sufficient for certain users as the case of public and employees. In contrast, investors are more concerned than other users by information presented in the financial statement. To conclude, the company is obliged to communicate the information under financial quality standards that are useful to different users, which are a total of eight. They are; managers, investors, customers, suppliers and other creditors, employees, lenders, government, and the general public. The objective of this information is to reflect the performance, position and stability of the company for the user to make a good decision. Despite the quality and control, the rest information is still not reliable and useful for certain users to make a decision.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBALIZATION ON TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY Essay

While discussing the topics of trade, development and political economy, globalization is often discussed. In general, globalization means a process in which world economies become highly integrated, leading to a global economy and highly global economic policymaking, through international agencies such as the World Trade Organization (Todaro & Smith, 2006). Since late 1980s, the increasing globalization in the manufacturing sector and service sector has also globalized the telecommunication industry. A large number of telecom companies are expanding rapidly from their home countries to other countries in order to increase their customer base and their sales, off course. Globalization has with it many challenges and economic benefits too. For many economists, globalization can cause serious troubles in the whole world, such as inequality is accentuated, environmental degradation, and dominance of rich countries etc. But at the same time proponents of globalization are of the view tha t globalization leads to the rapid growth of knowledge and innovation and improved living standards. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF GLOBALIZATION How globalization occurred or which forces gave birth to this phenomenon? The three chief economic and financial indicators that led to globalization are:  The international trade of goods and services, the widening and freeing of trade has led to globalization to increase at a rapid pace. The greater flow of capital because of growth of global capital markets. Globalization of financial sector is the most influential aspect of economic globalization. The greater movement of people around the globe has also contributed to rapidly growing globalization, breaking down cultural barriers. Globalization means integration of different markets in the global economy. Globalization may occur in different markets such as financial markets, commodity markets and even in the service sector (Scholte, 2000). Producers and consumers and national economies as a whole benefit from the process of globalization. For example, economies may benefit from specializing themselves in particular products in which they have comparative advantage. Firms may become cost competitive through globalization by accessing to cheap raw materials from other countries. Similarly, benefit of economies of scale is achieved through access to large markets and higher demand for products, thus reducing average production cost of the firm. Large multinationals are the main carriers of economic globalization. They are globally aligning their production and resources according to the principle of profit maximization. GLOBALIZATION OF TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY- CASE OF VODAFONE Initially telecommunication industry was owned and controlled by state-owned national telecommunication companies. But with the passage of time, innovation in technology and globalization has transformed the nature of telecommunication industry. Globalization has opened up markets and brought competition in this sector. National telecommunication companies were being privatized and the industry deregulated to make it competitive. All over the world, the multinational companies have become the main vehicle for accelerating globalization. Vodafone, a British multinational telecommunication company, is the world’s leading telecommunication having significant existence in Europe, United States, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa. It is one of the most rapidly flourishing global companies, which started as a holder of one of the first two mobile communications licenses in the UK and now it’s a dominant global brand. (Ibbott, 2007) provides a view that Vodafone created a social network that was involved in mergers and acquisitions and  deployment of a global network of mobile technology that serves a proportionate mobile customer base of 198.6 million in 2006. Ibbott (2007) explained what really globalization means as â€Å"A global company is one that permits its local operations to act in the image of the market locally and yet can act in a truly homogeneous way with respect to the supply and provision of its core products and services† Vodafone is a global company as its sourcing and supply chain activities are transferred to be entirely global for the major part of its investment, while services remain local (Ibbott, 2007). Globalization does not mean to open operations and branches in other countries but to make its operations global, not directed by the head office located in the parent country. CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBALIZATION ON TELECOMMUNICATION INDUSTRY- CASE OF VODAFONE Globalization has become a vital aspect of the global economy and strongly influences the comparative advantage of economies. (Salvatore, 2004) examined the effect of globalization on the comparative advantage of Europe for several goods and concluded that Europe has a comparative disadvantage in telecommunication with respect to Japan, United States and Dynamic Asian countries. The degree of globalization is a significant element in examining the international competitiveness of economies. Large multinational corporations are enjoying the benefits of globalization, the most. Almost 50 percent of total profits of Vodafone came from foreign sales, i.e. Asia Pacific and Middle East region. The CEO of UK-based Vodafone Group talking about global leadership said (Yunker, 2008), â€Å"Less than 5 percent of our profits comes from UK. We have had to fundamentally redesign this company as a global company. We are a highly consumer-centric company. In Germany, we feel German. In Italy, we feel Italian. In Spain, we feel Spanish. In India, we feel Indians.† Vodafone has experienced fall-out in Japan in 2005. It released â€Å"Converged-Handset† mobile phones in December 2005 in 13 countries concurrently, including Japan. Being, one of the world’s largest global companies, it did so without taking into account the domestic environment of each country. In this way they incurred great loss in both, number of  subscribers and profits. The company lost 200,000 subscribers in the first few months of the year and profits declined by 15.4 percent (Fackler & Belson, 2005). Customers also got many troubles like; lack of functions, the expensive bills and bad signals. Thus it failed to introduce same technologies in different countries. In order to regain its position in the market, they offered such services which are being provided by their competitors such as; low prices, flat monthly bills for calls and emails. Hence market competition forced Vodafone to survive in the market by competing with the same products at same rates as its competitors are offering. Due to globalization, consumer became more aware of their decisions. They take their decisions by taking into account their ethical and environmental concerns. This new dimension poses pressure on industries to improve their business through new public initiatives and laws. Likewise, increased global competition put serious pressure on Vodafone to evaluate its CSR policy and ethical stance. When globalization reached its pace and mergers and acquisitions among firms take place, multinational companies get authority to hire and fire their workers (Carlson, 2002). This was happened in Motorola, when they fired their 3000 workers on 2000 by shutting down their plant in Scotland. Similarly, in 2009, Vodafone restructured its business model, in order to save costs and to accommodate more customers-facing roles. Around 400 workers were made jobless from its headquarters or being deployed to some other places. Hence, it is being proven over the years that in large multinational organizations, large number of workers have been made jobless, thus, creating a sense of insecurity among workers. Taking into account the fact that globalization may also have adverse impact on workers; The European Globalization Adjustment Fund (EGF) has been established. The EGF aimed to support redundant workers, mainly in the areas where globalization has adversely affected the workers. The European Globalization Adjustment Fund has been established under Regulation (EC) No 1927/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006. It has an annual budget of EUR 500 million to assist worker for their employment. EVALUATION AND CONCLUSION The growing integration of the economies has been a heated debate all around the world over the last two decades. The consequences of globalization and its various dimensions have been widely debated and examined by academics, politicians, policymakers, and even the private sector. According to the United Nations Development Program, Human Development Report, 1999 â€Å"Globalization is shaping a new era of interaction among economies and people. It is increasing the interaction between people across national boundaries, in economy, technology, in culture and in governance. But it is also splitting production processes, labor markets, political entities and societies. So, while globalization has positive and dynamic aspects, it has also negative, disruptive, marginalizing aspects.† Critics of globalization argue that globalization is detrimental to economic growth, such as it increases income inequality among nations, economic instability may arise, workers are being exploited and governments become unable to raise taxes, on the other hand, the advocates of globalization are of the view that it brings higher rate of sustainable economic growth and improved living standards. In a study from the Centre of Economic Policy Research by European Policy Advisors, while analyzing the economic impact of globalization, it was found that the true benefits of globalization overweigh the costs associated with it. Similarly globalization has been affecting the telecommunication sector too. Due to increasing globalization, the telecommunication policy all around the world has widened their cross-border implications as compared to the past. According to the analysis of (Siochru, 2004), media and telecommunication sectors are the leading sectors in facilitating globalization. The globalization of financial transactions and manufacturing products is due to globalization of media and telecommunication sectors. REFERENCES 1.Carlson, B. A., 2002. Job Losses, Multinational and Globalization: The Anatomy of Disempowerment. Santiago: United Nations Publications. 2.Fackler, M. & Belson, K., 2005. A Major Backfire in Japan Deflates Vodafone’s One-Size-Fits-All Strategy. [Online] Available at:

Sunday, November 10, 2019

American history since 1876

Wars often have a significant impact upon the domestic development of a nation. Every nation at one point or the other has experienced a war of some sort and this has gone a long way in shaping economic, political and social lives of citizens. United States in particular had a fair share of wars especially looking back at the last two or so decades. The World War and the Cold War were very instrumental in shaping what the United States of America is today. This discussion looks at how these two wars brought about changes in the political, social and economic arenas (Martin, G.S. 2004). The Second World War commonly referred to as World War 2 was conflict in the military that was felt throughout the world by all nations. The Cold War on the other hand was subsequent to the Second World War and it was a conflict between the western region of the world led by U. S and the Soviet Union. The effects of the world war were evident in many countries and United States was no exception. The ef fects were both negative and positive. They were negative in the sense there was a lot of destruction of property and many lives were lost.However there are also many positive effects in that many developments were achieved. The first notable development was in the area of technology. It is during the world war that the forerunner was developed which would later bring about the development of television. This paved way for the growth of the economy of what was later to become the world’s superpower. It was not all about growth. As already mentioned the Second World War also had far reaching negative effects.One of the greatest economic devastations that have always been associated with the Second World War was the Great Depression where banks closed unemployment soared as factories closed down, people starved, there were long queues for bread and the rural folks lost their mortgages. It was due to deteriorated housing conditions, unbearable working conditions and unavailabili ty of essential commodities that is said to have brought the economic growth down. The government’s ability to control the economy through control over spending and consumption emerged during the great depression.It is thus believed that the Great Depression did contribute indirectly to the growth of the economy of the U. S. It is also clear that the Cold War left the U. S as the only super power with Russia having collapsed (Martin, G. S. 2004). The World War 2 and the Cold did also have effects on the social and cultural life of the Americans. It was evident that after such a long period of war American citizens were finding it hard to adjust to the ordinary life. It took them a couple of years before they could adjust but finally they were able to.However from research conducted there are clear indications that the general living standards of American citizens improved. In conclusion it is clear that the Second World War and the Cold war did have a great impact in the inte rnational community and United States in particular. The effects were both positive and negative. However in most cases the positive effects are more visible as America emerged as the world’s super power due to these wars. Words: 555 Reference: Martin, G. S. (2004). The Second World War: A Complete History, New York: SAGE.

Friday, November 8, 2019

How long is needed to digest starch Essay Example

How long is needed to digest starch Essay Example How long is needed to digest starch Paper How long is needed to digest starch Paper I am investigating the time needed for enzymes at different temperatures to digest starch. Enzymes are small protein molecules made in the pancreas and stored in the stomach. They are a biological catalyst that means they increase the rate of reaction in digestion. For enzymes to digest they need to be denatured; this is the term used to describe when enzymes are heated to reach their optimum temperature; when the enzyme is heated over its optimum temperature its bonds are broken and the shape of its active site changes therefore preventing the substrate from fitting into it, as each substrate is specific to one enzyme it will therefore stop reacting. After the enzyme is denatured it can never return to its previous state and because enzymes have a high specificity they can only catalyse one reaction. I am going to test for starch using iodine, when the iodine turns brown this will indicate that the starch is digested. Variables A variable is anything you can measure or change in an experiment. In this investigation there are certain variables, which must be taken into consideration before carrying out the experiment. These include: The pH of the experiment (input variable) If the pH is changed this will dramatically affect your overall results. I found this out through the preliminary work. As the pH of an enzyme increases (becomes less acidic) the enzyme activity increases until there is an optimum pH. As pH increases further (becomes more alkaline) the activity decreases. At very low pH and very high pH, the enzyme is denatured and does not work. The type of enzyme (input variable)- The type of enzyme you use is also very significant to your results. This is due to the fact that different types of enzymes have different optimum temperatures and therefore are denatured at different temperatures. The temperature of enzyme (input variable) This is another input variable which if changed will alter your overall results. This is due to the fact that enzyme activity increases as temperature increases, until an optimum temperature is reached; then the activity rapidly decreases until the enzyme no longer works. At high temperature the enzyme is denatured this is normally 50?C and above. When an enzyme is denatured its shape changes so that the active site shape is changed permanently and the enzyme does not work. In conclusion, it is obvious that altering the temperature of the enzyme will dramatically change your results. The temperature of enzyme and starch (input variable)- As you increase the temperature the rate of reaction increase. This is because when the particles are heated they gain kinetic energy and so vibrate and move faster than before. This would increase the amount of successful collisions; therefore making the reaction faster and changing your results. Sweetness of the solution (output variable) This is an output variable (it can be measured). When mixed with the amylase solution starch will break down into the sugar, maltose. This tastes sweet and so by tasting the solution you can guess how much maltose there is and compare it against the other temperatures. Time taken for the starch to be broken down (output variable) In this particular experiment we will only be changing one of the input variables temperature. The rest will be controlled in order to make it a fair test. The output variable that we will measure will be the time taken for amylase to digest the polysaccharide starch. Prediction I predict that the amylase will break down the starch most effectively at 40oC, and with decreasing efficiency towards 0oC, at which time the amylase would be unable to break down the starch at all. This is because body temperature is around 40oC, and enzymes are designed to work at this optimal temperature. The reason for enzymes behaving like this involves kinetic theory. Kinetic theory is the idea that, when a substance is heated e.g. enzymes are heated their particles gain more energy and are therefore more energetic and move quicker which results in more collisions per second so therefore the rate of reaction with the starch increases. When they are at a low temperature e.g. 3c they will take a longer time to react because they the particles will have less energy and move slower which will result in less collisions per second and a slower rate of reaction. Therefore, at temperatures over 40oC, I predict, the amylase will begin to denature to an extent that, at temperatures much over 50oC, it will be totally ineffective. This is because enzymes denature at around 40-50c because at higher temperatures the shape of the active site changes therefore prevents the reactant from fitting into the active site and so the reaction stops. Preliminary study The aim of my preliminary study was to investigate how long was needed to digest starch using enzymes at different pHs. I planned to determine the exact range of times to test and the volumes of starch and amylase to use after conducting the preliminary test for my final experiment. My results showed that the enzymes at pH 7 digested the quickest. Therefore this is its optimum pH. At pH 1 and pH 14 there was hardly any reaction this is because the rate of reaction for very low pHs (acid) or very high pH (alkali) are very low and often result in no reaction at all. After the preliminary test had been carried out, I decided to use 10cm3 starch solution and 5cm3 of amylase solution in the two initial test tubes for the main experiment. It proved easier to, before the experiment was started and while the starch and amylase were heating up, set up a tile with iodine drops already on it. A drop of the solution collected during the experiment could then simply be added to this. In order to decide at which point there was no more starch present, glucose solution was mixed with iodine in a beaker. This provided an indication of what colour the iodine would turn if there were no starch present, but there was glucose, produced by the enzyme. Based on the preliminary test results, the main experiment would be conducted at 10oC intervals between the temperatures in order to obtain an adequate number of sufficiently different results. Risk assessment Throughout the experiment, I took safety precautions to ensure that the experiment was conducted in a safe style: safety goggles were to be worn at all times. All parts of the experiment would be undertaken with care, to ensure that there was no spillage. Any spillages of iodine or starch would be washed thoroughly with soap and water. If any starch solution, iodine indicator or amylase were accidentally ingested, medical attention would be sought immediately. To make my experiment even safer I be used a water bath for all of the temperatures, water baths are a safer option than Bunsen burners and often more effective. Less equipment to deal with, heat not as extreme and no open flames equal less of a chance for accidents. They are often more effective because the temperature of the water can be controlled more easily and the heat gradually increases, unlike the Bunsen burner where it is very difficult to control the heat. The heat increase is almost instant and low temperatures are hard to achieve because of the severe concentration of heat.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Sexual Expression Essays

Sexual Expression Essays Sexual Expression Essay Sexual Expression Essay When one speaks of sexual expression, the increasing phenomenon among humans is greatly affected by changes in sexual behavior and attitudes which suggests that expression comes to lie near the core of energy that structures the society (Schwartz, 1998: 191). Humans with a curious nature have produced complicated sexual behaviors more than any animal by experiment; however societies have defined sexual activities in an acceptable realm and tend to limit sexual expression in a manner that society condones. Sexual expression however has greatly increased over time for both men and women thus driving political battles and arguments for and against it. It has likewise enhanced sexual diversity and the acceptance of sexual behavior and union that society and conservatives once shunned and alarmingly regard as inconvenient in a well-principled and moral society. Yet people may have forgotten that sexuality is a positive force that polarized genders and is often dich otomous with human functions (Kottak, 1979: 250). Though sexual behavior varies across regions and cultures, Thomas agrees that environmental and cultural conditions play a significant role in the satisfaction of sexual needs among individuals and groups (1999:77).The human developmental state influences the drive for sexual expression as maturation is achieved when sex organs and glands allow sexual stimulation enhancement coupled with the presence of other sensory stimulus (Thomas, 1999:77). Cultural factors likewise illustrate environmental conditions that are likely interpreted by the individual as the allowance and acceptance of sexual activity as an opportunity to achieve certain goals. The American society who has always been considered as highly egalitarian is inclined to believe that the laws should change with the times and be realistic (Allot, 2005). Nevertheless, personal and social ambivalences, as well as a strong moralistic streak in the different states even to this day tend to complicate and confound the usual American legal approach (Swartz, 1994:351). The ongoing debate regarding marriage for transsexuals has been introduced in the United States by the Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA,2003) which proposes to change the American Constitution’s discrimination against same-sex couples (Allot, 2005). However, most states have absolute bans on same-sex marriage covered by constitutional and state laws except for California, District of Columbia, New Mexico, New York and Rhode Is. (United States data, 2008). Practically, only Vermont and New Hampshire allows same-sex unions although Oregon and Alaska at one point allowed such, recent laws have decided to ban it ultimately.murdoch.edu.au/elaw/issues/v8n1/sharpe81_notes.html n66Sexual acts and expression are governed by state laws where most states remains steadfast against public display of sexual behavior sparking heated debates on the validity of classification. In Doe v Ventura, sodomy la ws faced a declaration of violation on the right to privacy that was guaranteed by the Minnesota Constitution under State Laws. This law has now been applied and categorized to private, consensual, noncommercial oral sex and other acts of sodomy by consenting adults, without regard to sexual orientation, including heterosexual married couples. With respect to the principle of evolution, the close similarity between man and primates in sexual expression definitely obeys the laws of nature (Darwin, 2004:551). Were it not for education and morals that society has sought to establish in order to govern man and his sexual behavior, sexual expression would be freely enhanced as a surrounding physiologic condition necessary to life. By the simple observation of primate sex life where sex functions as a source of pleasure and in conflict resolution among the sexually active primates, one sees an inherent sexual activity similar to humans (Darwin, 2004:553). In primate culture where the natu ral order of needs prevails, sexual activity produces a certain kind of bonding that is seen to resolve any aggression where a majority of mating occurs after conflict, thereby projecting a common idea that sex is used as a weapon for submission and control among aggressive primate males particularly of the Bonobo origin (Hamid, 1998:146).In the observance of primate culture and behavior, human behavior can be traced on primate heritage where sexual response is used to reconcile or avoid conflict (Hamid, 1998:147). The human custom of shaking hands where body contact is enhanced among aggressors is seen as the similar behavior among primates of Bonobo origin which uses sexual contact for the resolution of conflicts. Although sexual limitation is practiced among humans through mechanisms of control, behavioral similarities exist but are subdued among humans due to a coherent use of language communication that can help enlighten the degree of understanding. Thus in the study of sexual expression among humans, it is interesting to note and scientifically accepted that several factors work to subdue the natural human sexual response and expression. Such modes of control that the society has established has aroused conflicts but could be subdued by relative forms of conflict resolution. Embracing a primate-led concept might be of help in this aggressive society!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Enron case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Enron - Case Study Example d the corporation and it was realized that their reported financial condition was sustained considerably by an institutionalized, methodological, systematic and crafted planned accounting fraud, which was to be known as the Enron scandal. The corporation did this through a complicated arrangement of special purpose entities they referred to as the Raptors. The Raptors were expected to cover their expenses if the stocks in their start-up businesses collapsed. Most surprising is the fact that the corporation took spent 16 years to grow from about $9 billion assets to $60 billion, but only spent about a month to go bankrupt. The Company collapsed so fast and so entirely. In fact it made history as the largest bankruptcy and accounting scandal in American. The absence of truthfulness by management about the company led to their downfall. The overriding benefits and public trust ended immediately. For years the management lied about the financial reporting thus worsening the economic ability. They made employees loos job and lack of investors trust was evident. The senior management team believed Enron had to be perfect in everything it did and that they had to safeguard their reputations and their compensation as the most successful management in the US. Three most common forms of accounting frauds above where witness that led to the downfall of the company. The corporation followed these illegal accounting practices in financing which subsequently ensure the company be valued more attractively and appealing to the investors by the by Wall Street analysts and rating agencies. Most notably was the fact that Enron as a company used various related parties in increment of equity and crafted its financial arrangements using various loopholes in laws. All these was surprisingly was conducted trying to not consolidate into its reports and accounts by at will not fulfilling certain ethical conditions. This was a principle and a plan that proposed by both Andrew Fastow and

Friday, November 1, 2019

Why obesity a serious problem and how should we solve it Essay - 1

Why obesity a serious problem and how should we solve it - Essay Example To some extent, obesity has also contributed to the loss of work hours in the work places not to mention the billions of dollars used annually in managing those with obesity (EOPUS). Concerns have been raised over the contribution of fast food companies like McDonald in the development of obesity. They have been accused of giving adverts that do not contain warning signs as that of cigarette and that thus the contribution of fast food to the worsening human population in America is comparable to that of the cigarette, which was fiercely fought in America generation after generation (Kava, Gilbert, and Elizabeth, 34). Obesity is thus feared to be taking the lead as one of the health hazards in the US particularly among the children and if remained unchecked, the country will not only spend much of their resources in medication but will also lose a significant segment of their population (Washburn, 98). This paper has considered the following essays on obesity to assert the dangers associated with obesity. In the essay, Zinczenco starts by recounting in his own life experience about the separation of his parents that made him lead latchkey life. From school he did not have any option but to seek the services of the fast food stores; MacDonald, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. This kind of life he says made him develop obesity but thanks to his joining one of the Health Magazines that prompted in him the need to take precautionary measures in the type of food he eats. He enumerates the problems that come with obesity and the statistical report from the Center for Disease Control about the expenses incurred by the government in treating obesity related diseases. The writer also gives a substantial recount on the children who have filed a civil litigation about the companies that are dealing in fast food for contributing to their worsening health. He takes

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Equity and trust law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Equity and trust law - Essay Example However, as Pettit3 argues, equity operates on the conscience of the owner of legal interest and so in the case of a trust; the conscience of the legal owner of the estate is required to carry out that purpose for which it was intended, or which the law obliges him or her to do. This is because English law is based on formalities which must be fulfilled in order for a transfer of trust to be considered as complete. These formalities are achieved in different processes, but all include some form of official government document which the donor of an estate must sign as an indication of the transfer of the estate. In English trust law, these formalities are considered as the absolute way to determine the absolute owner of an estate, without having to consider so many factors. The main issue with regard to the requirements of these formalities is that many property owners die before they have made a formal will and this leaves room for conflicts among the people who were related to them in different ways. While at times the court can find that there was intent by the diseased to place his or her trust to another person even if the said person is not an obvious heir to the diseased and in the interest of an express will or effectuation of transfer of interest, the law still depends a much as is possible on formalities and only considers other avenues where formalities have not been met. Even in such as the Paul v Constance [1977] 1 WLR 527 case in which the judge depended on other sources of evident to decide the case in favour of the plaintiff who was claiming property rights against the legal wife of the diseased person, the court had to gravitate towards any available formalities or the evidence of intended will to meet these formalities. The case indicates that being the natural heir to property is not enough for the court to decide in your favour. For instance, in the above case, Mrs Constance who was the defendant was the natural heir to the estate of Mr Const ance’s estate because they were still legally married by the time Mr Constance died. Conversely, Mrs Paul was only a live-in partner to Mr Constance and her rights in Mr Constance’s estate were very limited or even non existence. Yet, regardless of that, the court jugged in favour Mrs Paul. This only goes to show how complicated trust law can be. How such a case goes also depends on whether the judge(s) will choose to use technicalities or not. Regardless of the nature of this case and the unexpected outcome, it is clear that the court made the decision while keeping in mind the need for formalities in completion of transfer of trust as well as equity in such cases. To look at both sides, the court had to look at the faintest of evidence for intent by Mr Constance to transfer the will, and at the same time wanted to deliver a judgement that offered equity. The intention of the case is to deliver justice with the available evidence available. In the present case, it is clear that there is some evidence that the two aunts had received from Lady Meera the intention of transfer of trust. In the first case with regard to aunt Jemima, Lady Meera had left her the papers to the shares. In the second case, she had showed Aunt Beatrix the estate. These facts are important in the case and can determine the way the judge will decide to end the case. As a result, in trying to get custody of these property which the two aunts are

Monday, October 28, 2019

Catherine Parker Essay Example for Free

Catherine Parker Essay There are a variety of different types of narratives used in literary texts and films. In the adaptation process from novel to film, the visual narrative of the film also needs to be considered, whereas the novel is solely dependant on the written word and the reader’s imagination. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird and Lemony Snickett’s A Series of Unfortunate Events can be used to investigate the use of narrative in both text and film and the differences that occur in the adaptation process. When writing the novel, there is a greater opportunity to vary the style of narrative in order to provide the reader with as much information as possible, whereas in the film adaptation the addition of the visual narrative removes the opportunity to vary between different styles and it becomes much more definite. As a result of the visual information, the narrative is further affected by factors such as how something is said and the visual actions that accompany the words. ‘Film complicates literary narration by practicing two parallel and intersecting forms of narration: the verbal narration, whether through voice-over and/or the speech of characters, and the film’s capacity to show the world and its appearances apart from voice-over and character narration. † (Stam, 35) Lee’s novel employs the use of first person narrative through the female-child voice of Scout. However, in A Series of Unfortunate Events, the third person narrative used in the text has been maintained in the film via the use of voice-over, a technique often avoided by many directors and film producers. When adapting a novel, definite decisions have to be made, such as where and when the events are located and the exact time period in which events take place, and the narrative becomes a part of this. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel concerned with time and at certain points in the story, time is presented as moving fairly slowly, even suspended at times as the characters themselves watch the action, â€Å"the spectators were quiet† (Mockingbird, 185). There is also a cyclical notion of time present as the story moves through the seasons and events take place over a number of years, shown through Dill’s annual summer visits to his Aunt Rachel, and the development of the children, particularly Jem. â€Å"When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident† (Mockingbird, 9). Throughout both the novel and the adaptation, time is used as part of this narrative structure as there is a multi-layer of time as well as a multi-layer of narration. â€Å"in the motion-picture, a first-person angle of vision functions primarily to provide transitions and shifts in time and place† (Shackelford). The film becomes much more dependant on the narrative in order to portray this time span as the visual narrative will not show this development as effectively without using more than once actor to play the different ages of the children. The novel is written from the perspective of Scout, Jean Louise Finch, the youngest member of the Finch family. This use of the female child narrator may suggest that the narrative will be different to traditional, stereotypical novels of the time, due to the female-child narrator describing events involving rape and racial issues. However, what aids the text in being so successful is the fact that Scout doesn’t limit her narrative solely to events she has experienced herself, she also relays stories other people have told her and information she has overheard. â€Å"People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night† (Mockingbird, 15). Although it is through the voice of Scout that the story is being told, she does relay certain events as a watcher, giving the feeling of a third person narrative and enabling the audience to gain other people’s opinions and make their own judgements.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Conclusions Drawn By The National Reading Panels Study On Effective Reading :: essays papers

The Conclusions Drawn By The National Reading Panel's Study On Effective Reading Ever since the signing of the Declaration of Independence the United Sates has strived for the betterment of its society on a whole. This effort can be seen through not only the push for higher education, but also in the standards set in the curriculum for all students. Even though there is such a push for educating the students in America, it becomes surprising that certain simple aspects of education can be almost shaded by or lost under the bigger picture. One such aspect is trying to maintain reading levels, and keeping them up to speed with the corresponding grade levels. With reading levels seemingly on a steady descending scale, it has become necessary for certain actions to take place in hopes of finding ways to bring the levels back up to par. One course of action is conducting research on the manner resulting in the suggestions of possible solutions to the reading problem. Of multiple studies conducted on the matter, one that stands out to be both direct and promising is th e study conducted by the National Reading Panel. â€Å"The main goal of more formal educational research is to test theory and to advance scientific knowledge† (Samuels & Farstrup, 1992, p 5). As a result of the noticeable failing reading levels, Congress took it into their own hands to help solve the matter. â€Å"Congress directed the creation of the National Reading Panel to reevaluate educational research and give teachers and schools a roadmap to address this problem† (National Reading Panel, 2000 (NRP)). The panel was appointed in 1997, and used numerous studies and research that, once analyzed, was focused into certain areas that need to be incorporated in reading instruction. The areas that were highlighted in the resulting study were phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension (Manzo, 2000, p 1). These areas can be examined more closely in order to gain insight and information into their beneficial effects on effective reading instruction. Phonemic awareness is first on the study’s list of things that need to be taught in order for students to become better readers. This aspect of the report is based on the idea that students need the ability to manipulate the sounds that make up the spoken language. â€Å"If the children cannot perceive these sound segments they will encounter difficulty when trying to sound words out in both reading and writing† (Samuels & Farstrup, 1992, p 108).

Thursday, October 24, 2019

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