Language Learning Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Language Learning Activities - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that the linkword method, on the other hand, involves using images to link a word in a learner’s first language with a word in the foreign language the learner is learning. For example if an English speaker is learning French the instructor would provide the learner with an image of the object and its English word, and then link it with a French word for the image. In Krashen’s theory of second language acquisition there are five main hypotheses used to understand the process of language acquisition/language learning. These hypotheses are the acquisition-learning hypothesis, the monitor hypothesis, the natural order hypothesis, the input hypothesis and the affective filter hypothesis. According to the paper these three methods have advantages and drawbacks. There are certain fundamental principles that ensure success of TPR as a learning activity during the process of language learning. These principles are built upon the second language acqu isition theory by Stephen Krashen. The first principle states a language can be learned easier when a student can be in a position to receive a lot of comprehensible input from the natural surrounding. Comprehensible input means something that is simply understandable through communication which Krashen commonly refers to as the communicative act. The second principle is that a language learner benefits greatly from a ‘silent period’ during the learning process. The silent period is the period when the learner tries to understand and to respond to language instructions without attempting to speak. The silent period is natural and language learners speak only when language has fully developed in their brain. A learner will undergo a process of learning where he/she just receives input but stays for a certain period of time before they can speak the language.

Life Safety And Property Protection Environmental Sciences Essay

Life Safety And Property Protection Environmental Sciences Essay Life Safety Refers to the joint consideration of both the life and physical wellbeing of individuals. 1. This, in relation to buildings, includes both the occupants and firefighters and requires different levels of fire precautions, to that required for property protection and business disruption. To sum up life safety, the fire protection needs to ensure that all occupants can safely evacuate the building and firefighters if necessary can execute rescues, once the building is empty it can be acceptable for a building to burn down, with fire fighters just protecting surrounding risks. In fact some buildings are designed with this in mind, constructing the building to collapse in on it once a safety period has been reached. There are various guides to life safety standards the main ones being UK design codes for life safety systems and the USA Life Safety Code NFPA 101. These out line a standard to be followed for life safety and aim to establish minimum requirements that will provide a reasonable degree of safety from fire and similar emergencies in buildings/structures. Property Protection Measures that are undertaken usually by property owners in order to prevent, or reduce property damage. 2. This normally requires higher levels of fire prevention as it addresses fire behaviour far beyond the time it takes occupants to evacuate the building. It may also only protect certain areas of the property, i.e. to protect artwork or computer storage/server. The basic objectives for property protection are, to minimise the effect of fire on a business, to limit the effects of business interruption, to allow a business to be trading within 24 hours of a fire, and to protect the buildings within a business.3. To allow these objectives to be met, the FPA Design Guide4. lays down 12 principles to follow; these are summed up as; Building materials/products should not make a significant contribution to the early stages of a fire, the exception being joinery products. Prevention of premature structural collapse and excessive deflection. Construction should ensure that if a fire occurs heat and smoke damage will be confined as close to the fires source as possible. Arson should be considered and preventative measures taken. Construction should not allow fire spread to the surroundings. The building shall be fitted with an appropriate automatic fire alarm. The fire protection systems should be regularly maintained. The building owner shall ensure the standards for the buildings life. Environmental considerations must be given, including results of firefighting. All fire protection products shall be third party certified. All fire protection products/systems shall be installed by trained specialist installers. Fuel burners/services, or electrical appliance/services shall be installed/constructed in a way to prevent an ignition source. Meeting all the above criterias are recognised by insurers that a building has reached a good standard with regards to property protection. Guidance on the levels to which these are planned into any building project is laid down within various building legislation documents such as Approved document B 3., BS9999 5., CIBSE 6. etc. There are other factors which will also create the need for higher levels of protection; Insurance companies who will often put conditions forcing higher standards to allow lower premiums or even the offer of a policy. Buildings occupants, i.e. disabilities physical or learning, familiar or unfamiliar, awake or asleep etc, who may need more time to evacuate. Business disruption can, in some cases, cost a company more than the loss of property and even lead to closure. Computer/paper files, products produced, antiques, artwork, etc, can often be of more value than the building, and again there loss could lead to closure/financial ruin. Arson considerations, some areas may have a history leading to the need for additional external protection. Environmental impacts such as, the release of hazardous materials, the effect of fire on surrounding buildings or facilities and also considerations for methods of firefighting (i.e. avoidance of water course pollution). Taking the balance of these points into account the extra cost of additional property protection can sometimes become insignificant. However, clearly it can also be seen the cost difference between life safety and property protection is great and unfortunately will have a significant affect on any final decisions. Interaction between Life Safety and Property Protection Before decisions can be made in these areas it is important that all stakeholders are involved including, but not restricted to; Buildings end user Building control authority Local fire authorities Architectural and engineering consultants System installers Government health and safety departments Building insurers Possibly, government heritage departments, should there be an impact on listed/protected property. Arguably any life safety system will offer some form of property protection and visa versa. The different types of protection also need careful consideration to ensure the most suitable is chosen, these may include; Additional fire compartmentation Sprinkler Systems Fire detection and alarms Smoke control Special hazard systems , such as water mist, CO2, oxygen reduction, etc Or simply relocation/removal of a high risk. All the available systems can be part or all the relative protection required for both life safety and property protection; however a different level/standard may be required. An example would be a detection system for a large/complex risk, particularly industrial/commercial risk; the insurance requirement may be for a minimum L1/L2 (or P1/P2, L being life safety, P property protection) standard, where as the prescriptive standard may be L3/L4 or manual, which as a result of a risk assessment could quite easily meet the requirement of life safety. An open air shopping centre has very little in the way of requirements, however an under cover shopping centre will require sprinkler systems, automatic alarm systems etc, all these being for life safety, i.e. preventing the passage of heat and smoke into areas required for means of escape. In this example though property protection will be enhanced it is by no means the aim, however if a requirement of property protection was required (i.e. by the insurers), then extending the life safety systems or enhancing them could well meet the new requirements. There are different requirements within the actual sprinkler system for life and property, life requiring a wet system and twin water systems, where as property allows for a dry system but requires four pump units in the place of two 6.. Therefore the interaction between the two systems and final design will be assessed through risk assessment and cost/benefit analysis. Fire Safety Strategy for a large manufacturing and storage facility Problems When looking at a large manufacturing and storage facility, after consultation with all stakeholders, the risks need to be identified; Large manufacturing area, high numbers of staff, possible office areas, client areas etc, may well put the priority on life safety. However; Storage area, this may have finished stock which could command a very high value and limited if any staff, therefore property protection could be the priority. To bring the entire site up to the required standard for both, could work out initially at a high cost and then high ongoing maintenance costs to follow on a regular basis. Solutions Compartmentation between the two areas could be a solution, 60 minute fire resistant wall and equivalent fire doors could separate the areas. Alternatively separate buildings with suitable separation, be it by distance or water curtain/drencher systems. Linked fire detection system between the two may be required, but a higher standard in the storage areas where a fire could go undetected due to low, if any, occupancy. A sprinkler system may only be required in the storage area for the same reasons and high value of storage. Though the machinery in the manufacturing area could be of a value, or if damaged high business losses, could require the installation of a sprinkler system or other form of suppression in certain areas. Legislation v Insurance Justifying Fixed Fire Protection Techniques Holistic Approach and its affect on Fire Fighting Conclusion References Web,http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=endefl=enq=define:life+safetysa=Xei=5I5CTZCYKIqLhQf-5IWUAgved=0CBYQkAE,(accessed 28/01/11) Web;http://www.teachmefinance.com/Scientific_Terms/Property_Protection.htm, (accessed 28/01/11) Building Regulations 2000, Approved Document B: Fire Safety (Volume 2) Buildings other than dwellinghouses. Incorporating Insurers Requirements for Property Protection. RIBA Publishing, Crown Copyright 2007. FPA Design Guide for the Fire protection of Buildings: Essential principles, 2003. BS 9999; 2008, Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings. CIBSE Guide E: Fire engineering

The Assyrians :: essays research papers

The Assyrians There are different periods of the Assyrian empire. The first was called the Old Assyrian period which lasted from 2000-1550 BC. Then there was the Middle Assyrian period which lasted from 1550-1200 BC. The last was the Neo-Assyrian period which lasted from 1200-600 BC. The final phase of the Neo-Assyrian period is called the Assyrian Empire. The Old and Middle Assyrian periods ( 2000 - 1200 BC ) The name Ashur was used by the Assyrians to designate not only their country, but also their most ancient city and their national god. The cities of Ashur (near modern al-Sharqat), Nineveh, and Irbil formed a triangle that defined the original territory of Assyria. Assyria's early history was marked by frequent episodes of foreign rule. Assyria finally gained its independence around 2000 BC. About this time the Assyrians established a number of trading colonies in Cappadocia (central Anatolia), protected by treaties with local Hattic rulers. The most important of these was at Kultepe (Kanesh), north of present-day Kayseri, Turkey. Political developments Brought this enterprise to an end in 1750 BC. Assyria lost its independence to a dynasty of Amorite. Then Hammurabi of Babylon took over and established himself ruler of Assyria. The collapse of Hammurabi's Old Babylonian dynasty gave Assyria only temporary relief. It soon fell under the control of the Mitanni, until that state was destroyed by the Hittites c.1350 BC. The Early Neo-Assyrian Period (c.1200-600 BC) After the collapse of Mittanni, Assyria regained its independence and was able to hold it thanks to the weakness of its neighbors. The most important event in Assyrian history during the 13 century BC, was the capture of Babylon by King Tukulti-Ninurta (r.1244-1208 BC). Although the conquest was short-lived the memory of it remained strong. In the following centuries the chief adversaries of the Assyrians were the Aramaeans, who settled in Syria and along the upper Tigris and the Euphrates rivers, where they founded a number of states. In the 9th century BC, under Ashurnasirpal II (r.883-859 BC) and Shalmaneser III (859- 824 BC), the Assyrians finally managed to conquer Bit-Adini (Beth-Eden), the most powerful Aramaen state on the upper Euphrates. Shalmaneser then tried to invade the Syrian heartland, where he met with serious resistance from a coalition of kings that included Ahab of Israel. They successfully opposed him at the battle karkar in 853 BC. Internal disagreements marked the end of Shalmaneser's reign, and many of his conquests were lost. Assyrian power began with Tiglath-Peleser III (r. 745-727 BC) taking over the throne. He began on administrative reforms aimed at strengthening royal authority over the provinces. Districts were reduced in size and placed under

Patriotism in India

By patriotism we mean genuine love for one's own country. Patriotism must not be misinterpreted as one's hatred for other countries. If one loves his own country and hates other countries, then it is nationalism rather than patriotism. Mother and the motherland are superior to the heaven. We do never lose our honour for our mother even if she does not love us. Similarly we respect our country in all situations. We are indebted to our motherland where we are born and brought up.It is our moral duty to keep her head high. Patriotism is a virtue which can be expressed in different ways. A true patriot tries to do something for the development of his country. When Abraham Lincoln was a child he noticed the misery of the slaves in America. He liked America but did not like the slavery system. So when he became the President of America he abolished the ugly system and established democracy. Thus, he did some noble thing to keep up the prestige of his country.So he is a true patriot. India is also proud of being the motherland of great patriots like Rana Pratap, Shivaji, M. K. Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose. History is full of praise for these figures. They dedicated themselves to the cause of their dear motherland. M. K. Gandhi gave up his personal interest and struggled for the interest of our country. Nelson Mandela of South Africa is also a true patriot. A patriot is different from a politician.A politician shows no genuine love for any idea or for his country. Of course, patriots often indulge in politics. But they do not play dirty politics. Today, many touts and politicians claim that they are patriots. But in their activities they are antinational. They give secret shelter to terrorists. Their main aim is to reap some selfish gain for themselves. A true patriot never advertises. Patriotism is much different from narrowness.

Court Visit Report

Court visit report My first court visit was a civil appeal case under the hierarchy of appellant jurisdiction at the Intermediate court and my second visit was a criminal case under the original of criminal jurisdiction at the district court. Both courts are found in Port Louis, Mauritius. The difference between the two courts is that the appellant jurisdiction was already heard in a lower court whereas the criminal jurisdiction was heard for the first time in the lower court.The atmosphere and the surrounding of the courts were nearly the same as both had magistrate seat and desk, advocate seat and desk, benches, microphones, speakers, air conditioning system, witness box, bright lighting system and smoke detector. The differences between the courts were that in the intermediate court there was a computer and in the district court there was an accused box. In the court of appeal, the magistrate; in a black gown behind his desk on the podium, was facing the people.There was a court u sher in a suit who was passing documents and evidences to the magistrate and a formally dressed person in front the computer who was recording the proceedings. Both lawyers in black gowns sat on the first bench. Just behind their lawyers, formally dressed, sat both claimant and defendant. Both the court of appeal and the district court function in nearly the same way. The only difference is that in the latter the accused had no lawyer to represent him and hence he sat with the audience. A quite friendly atmosphere prevailed in both courts.Their ushers gave me the cases’ histories, details and facts. In the court of appeal, the lawyers were exchanging words with their client and I even got the opportunity to interview the claimant, the defendant and even the lawyers. In the district court I interviewed the accused who was sitting next to me and was rather stressed. In each court, when the magistrate came, the people stood up to show respect and remained silent. In the court of appeal Mrs Bibi Fatima Rughoonauth filed a civil suit against the Commissioner of Police for unlawful arrest.In the preceding civil case, she was accused of molesting a police officer on duty as â€Å"lichien (dog)†. When the proceeding started, the witnesses; all police officers in uniform, were individually called by the court usher so as to maintain confidentiality. Each witness went in the witness box and presented himself. The statement of police was read as evidence for cross examination. During interrogation, the magistrate even had to intervene once as the witness was not responding. During her interrogation of the witness, the defendant’s lawyer refuted the points raised by the plaintiff’s lawyer.After the second witness’s interrogation, the third one came and the plaintiff’s lawyer questioned him in such a persuasive and enforcing way that he cracked under the strain and revealed the truth. Due to time constraint, no verdict was given an d the case was postponed. In the district court, Mr Brado Michel Nicolas was prosecuted for breaching the road traffic act (amendment) 2003. The accused had a car accident and went to the police station to give his statement. He gave an alcohol test which came positive. Mr B. M. Nicolas; casually dressed, came in the accused box upon the court officer’s call.He was asked by the magistrate to remove his hands from his pockets as such act caused disrespect to court. The magistrate asked Mr B. M. Nicolas if he pleaded guilty but the latter requested the magistrate if he could hear his statement given in the police station once again. Then a police officer presented himself in front of the magistrate and read the statement of the witness in the witness box. Then Mr B. M. Nicolas pleaded guilty. The magistrate held the accused to pay a fine of Rs 3,100 (three thousand and one hundred Mauritian rupees).According to me it was a fair trial. Changes which I believe would help in maint aining order in the court and also its dignity are as follows: 1. A normal person, unaware of court functioning, should be briefed as when I was there, due to lack of information a witness went in the accused box and had to be guided to the witness box by the court officer. 2. Equipments in such an important and sensitive place as a court should be working properly since during my visit the microphones and speakers were not working and hence the court proceedings could not be heard properly.

Asia Essays - Economy, Stock Market Crashes, Free Essays

Asia Essays - Economy, Stock Market Crashes, Free Essays Asia A large economic downturn in East Asia threatens to end its nearly 30 year run of high growth rates. It is hard to understand what these declines will actualy do to the world market. The crisis has caused Asian currencies to fall 50-60%, stock markets to decline 40%, banks to close, and property values to drop. The crisis was brought on by currency devaluations, bad banking practices, high foreign debt, loose government regulation, and corruption. Due to East Asia's large impact on the world economy, the panic in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea, and other Asian countries has prompted other countries to worry about the affect on their own economies and offer aid to the financially troubled nations. The countries that are included in the East Asian crisis, known as Tiger economies, are Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. For these countries to participate effectively in the exchange of goods, services, and assets, an international monetary system is needed to facilitate economic transactions. To be effective in facilitating movement in goods, services, and assets, a monetary system most importantly requires an efficient balance of payments adjustment mechanism so that deficits and surpluses are not prolonged but are eliminated with relative ease in a reasonably short time period. The Asian crisis of recent falls into this category of inefficient balance of payments facilitated by depreciation of its currency. By competitively depreciating its currencies, Asia is exporting its deflation, its overcapacity and its lack of growth to the West, particularly to the US. No other group of countries in the world has produced more rapid economic growth and dramatic reduction in poverty than East Asia. Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand have virtually eliminated absolute poverty, and Indonesia is within reach of that goal. Nevertheless, this financial crisis has exposed weaknesses in Asian economies that must be addressed if the region is to return to its high growth of recent years. Despite the great cries of anguish we hear from bankers and corporations, the real victims of the collapse of globalisation in Asia, are the same people who were the victims of the miracle. Their low wages, or incomes from farming, are now devalued by 25% - 55%. Millions of casual construction workers are idle across the region. And now hundreds of thousands of public sector employees and finance sector workers are being sacked as the IMF enforces government budget cuts, bank and finance company closures. The East Asian crisis has affected almost all of the Asian nations, but the three hardest hit countries are Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea. The panic began in Thailand in May of 1997 when speculators, worried about Thailand's slowing economy, excessive debt, and political instability devalued the baht as they fled for market-driven currencies like the American dollar. Indonesia's economy soon fell soon after when the rupiah hit a record low against the U.S. dollar. Indonesia is plagued by more than $70 billion worth of bad debts and a corrupt and inefficient government. Thailand and Indonesia also suffer from being overbuilt during real estate booms that were the result of huge influxes of cash by optimistic foreign investors. South Korea faltered under the weight of its huge foreign debt, decreasing exports, and weakening currency. World Bank support for East Asian governments focuses on carrying out three principal objectives: 1.to build the foundation for restoring growth and raising incomes by adopting wide-ranging reforms in the financial sector, in corporate governance and competition, and in managing external debt. This builds on the IMF-led rescue efforts in the region; 2.to strengthen social protection for the poor and other vulnerable groups to help cushion the impact of the crisis; and 3.to improve the quality and transparency of key government institutions, including helping governments address problems of corruption and accountability. The World Bank believes these objectives are inseparable and essential components of winning and holding public support for difficult reforms. There must be visible help with the social costs of reform, particularly protection for the unemployed; the financial and corporate sectors must be better regulated, more transparent, and adequately capitalized to regain the confidence of investors, both foreign and domestic. Once confidence is restored, economic growth can resume, raising incomes for the poor in the process. The World Bank's Involvement to Date

Is a Prison Really Good For a essays

Is a Prison Really Good For a essays Is a Prison Really Good For a Rural Community? With a dramatic increase of crimes throughout the US one question that comes up is, where do we put all these criminals? Many over populated prisons have turned to rural areas to help out with this crisis. With a substantial amount land and resources these rural areas are targeted to be a solution. Stressing the idea of bringing rural and urban communities together the government turns to these rural areas. With the promise of an increase in the economy and to bring local jobs to the community, the process of bringing a prison to a rural area almost becomes a competition. The local government knows the positive effects a prison will have on the economy and will do everything it takes to win the right to have a prison within their area. The government does not however speak for the community itself though. Many locals around the nation fear the negative effects such as high property taxes, increased crime, a change in lifestyle, and many other changes. In this paper I will sh ow how a prison can bring down a small community and even change the area forever. The biggest pro-prison support is that bringing a prison into a small town will bring jobs along with it. This statement is true, but one would have to read between the lines to see how many jobs are actually produced locally by the prison. Fitchen (1991) gives a good example of what the hiring process within a prison system looks like, A 750-bed medium security facility does employ about 400 people, with an annual payroll in excess of $12 million. But the jobs and payroll are not just for the people already living in the community before the prison came to town. The state indicates that about 20 percent of the 400 jobs will be filled by local residents; but within the local hirings, only certain jobs go to locals (Fitchen, 1991:221). If the prisons actually follow the 20 percent rule that means o...

German Teenage Slang

German Teenage Slang The following is a handful of German slang that can be heard at times from teenagers. Keep in mind that not all German teenagers speak this way and that slang may vary from region to region.   A-L ugeln - to flirtabgallen - to throw upAmateurlocken - matted hairAtze - buddyBarrio - hang-out placeBD - stupidbuggi - to not care (Das ist buggi - Es ist mir egal – I don’t care)Bà ¼ffelbude - schoolchillen - to chill, relaxcremig - coolDrahtfresse - teenager with bracesDrinni someone who stays home all the timedissent - to get upsetdullie - dumb personEmo - from Emotional Hardcore Punk, signifies an emotional personfitnieren - to train in a fitness centerfriedhofsblond - gray-hairedFresskick - eating frenzyfroggy - crazygediegen - coolgruscheln - comes from grà ¼ÃƒÅ¸en (greet) and kuscheln (cuddle)Gà ¼llebunker - toiletHasenhirn - an idiotHeulsuse - woman that cries a lotHirni - an idiotHomie - buddyHood - neighbourhoodIkeakind - a Swedeimba - cooljedn - auf jeden Fall – absolutely/ of courseKackpappe - toilet paperknorke - awesomeKà ¶rperklaus - clumsy, awkward personKP - kein PlanLabertasche - blabbermouthlolen – to laugh out loudlush - cool M - Z Mcdreamy - Prince CharmingMOF - Mensch ohne Freunde – Person without friendsmà ¶bt - nerve-rackingMcDonalds – overgrown eyebrowsmegamßig – super bigOmega – loseroverlappt – totally uncoolphat – very goodrolexen – to boastSchnaddadeng! – Here, look!swag - very cooltrollig – dumbUnderbomber – underwearunst – coolvolle Mà ¶hre – awesomewambo – grosszappo – the end Also check out an overview of German youth slang over the 20th century by Spiegel.de

Marketing Mix Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing Mix - Assignment Example Anyone with the ability to express themselves in a convincing manner would have easily passed for a good marketer. I then discovered that I did not know what the process of marketing entails (Huang, pg.47). It is a general assumption that marketing entails travelling, talking and most importantly convincing. Most of my friends think that marketing is an easy and straight forward process. On the part of my relatives, marketing involves them asking of questions and ensuring they are convinced before they spend their money. The real issue of marketing is however a complex process. Marketing involves more than just words and convincing (Huang, pg. 67). A successful marketing is subject to a variety of factors like technology and skill. For the customer-company exchange to be successful, the marketing has to be efficient and up to the task. Use of modern technology in marketing is advisable. Despite saving time and money, managers have confirmed technology as a very efficient means of marketing. The marketing labor has to have a high level of skill and education in that field of practice. Drafting my marketing mix is not going to prove an easy job. In the face of prospective employers, I may require patience and technique to sell myself successfully. Employees also require skilled and experienced labor. I am going t gain skill through education, but time has to be consumed in the process of gaining experience I am also going to use technology to market myself to my prospective employees. I will develop a website from where potential employees can access any information they need about me. In as much as it is important to market myself to potential employees, it is a relatively difficult

Fine Art - Social Class as Seen Through Art from the Renaissance and Research Paper

Fine Art - Social Class as Seen Through Art from the Renaissance and the Great Depression - Research Paper Example But as both these periods introduced sea changes in the existing social patterns, the works of art of both these peiods were also a balancing act between hope and despair. Morover, they were a balancing act between the tastes of the dominant and the oppressed classes- more so the art of the great depression era. This is evident when the works of art of thes periods, as against the socio-economic backgrounds, are examined. During the renaissance art period, a fuedal social system was just about to transform into a capitalist society. But during the great depression, capitalism was already the norm though people were realizing for the first time in history, that all the hopes ensued by capitalism were after all not that real. The audience-Renaissance Art It has been observed that, â€Å"the art public of the Renaissance consists of the urban middle class and the court society of the residences† (Hauser, 6). This was because these groups in the society were the ones who had a say in matters of power. The working class consisted mainly of agricultural laborers and craftsmen who had no role in the political processes of the society. Art was unaffordable luxury for them. And the consequence of this situation has been that the renaissance art mostly catered to the elite and urban middle class tastes. ... evolving into middle class representations, the art of this period also developed itself into a preamble to capitalist views on life and creative expression. Renaissance art mainly decorated the mansions of kings and elites and also the wealthy churches (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou). For example, Jean Hey was entrusted with the task of decorating the Bourbon Court of France (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). The other side of this social phenomenon was that there was always a â€Å"level of material wealth that might afford one work of art but not another† (Woods, Richardson and Lymberopoulou, 14). And what naturally followed was that artists were prompted to create an elite class art under the aegis of their patrons. The audience-Great Depression Art When it comes to the art of the great depression period, the situation was totally opposite to what has been said above. It can be seen that â€Å"many artists became disillusioned with capitalism- the U.S. econo mic system- and turned to left-wing politics† (Damon, 14). And above all, many artists even used their art to support the proletariat class (Damon, 14). For example, Guglielmi, who was a renowned painter, was very much vocal in his support of the working class and his painting, ‘The Relief Blues’, showed a an urban family signing up to get relief funds from the government (Guglielmi). By following the path of realism, art could thus win a big audience including the working class and art became more appealing to the masses in this period. Murals, photographs and posters became popular and they created an interface between art and craftsmanship (Doss). The Artist- Renaissance Period In renaissance art, artists showed a tendency to revive the feudal values through rejuvenating classical art from

Is coporate social responsibility just a new trend or is it the modern Essay

Is coporate social responsibility just a new trend or is it the modern business 'modus operandi' - Essay Example The work presented by Carroll (1999) states that the history behind corporate social responsibility (CSR) is extensive and its modern foundations were in fact laid as early as the 1950s.1 Since the emergence of the concept till the present day, a key question that has risen relates to the ideological and theoretical basis of CSR and whether the concept carries any practical implications for modern businesses. Lindgreen and Swaen (2010) claim that CSR’s movement from an ideological concept to an applicable one has occurred, primarily because businesses now fully recognize and understand that ‘not only is doing good the right thing to do, but it also leads to doing better’. ... siness scenario of today, organizations are more concerned about CSR than companies of the past ever were which is reflected in the understanding that 80% of the companies listed on the Fortune 500 attend to various CSR initiatives and intensively invest in corresponding programs as suggested by their websites. 8 Evidently, this observation suggests that CSR has now become the modus operandi of modern businesses and not merely a new trend. However, this conclusion cannot be certified unless further studies, empirical researches and discussions are used within the scope of the paper. According to Visser (2010) the progression of the economic age has lead to significant changes in business models and operations, thereby, causing a corresponding change in how businesses deal with CSR.9 The latest stage of the economic age is marked by the slogan of responsibility moving from the management phase of business operations that functioned under the modus operandi of management systems.10 The modern business of today now operates under the modus operandi of business models that are integrated with the main principle of responsibility that a business essentially exercises through its products; this view claims that unlike optimistic definitions of CSR that cover a business’ responsibility towards all stakeholders, modern CSR specifically and exclusively targets the customers alone.11 While for Visser (2010) the internalization of CSR into an organization’s modus operandi is dependent upon the business model12, Murray and Dainty (2009: p245) suggest that this is possible via the means of establishing a successful structure that assist’s CSR management. 13 Commentators such as Sahlin-Andersson (2006) notes that corporate social responsibility is certainly a trend that has

Accounting (International Financial Reporting) Research Paper

Accounting (International Financial Reporting) - Research Paper Example Up to three members may be part time members. After 2 July 2009, IASB members are appointed for an initial term of five years, renewable for further three years.† (IFRSs in your pocket, 2010) Business firm can present its financial statement in the same format as their counterparts in other countries. It makes comparisons easier. This is especially useful for the investors to make investment decisions. The basic difference between GAAP and IFRS is that GAAP is a rule based accounting system and on the other sense IFRS is principle based system. In rule based accounting like GAAP, one needs to follow the rules specified for each of the business transaction while recording the transaction in accounts. Sometimes, the accountant foresees the effects of the accounting transaction on the end result and tends to interpret the rules with the objective of presenting good numbers to the public. Many scandals including Enron depict the loopholes in the present GAAP system which lacks a transparent system. In IFRS, a principle based accounting systems, which records the transaction in a transparent manner, which shows the true nature of each transaction. Also the consolidation of accounting concepts like IFRS makes the comparison of financial reports easier for the investor community. The transparency provided by IFRS help will them to make wise investment decisions. Mirza, A., Holt, G., & Orrel, M (2010). International Financial Reporting Standers (IFRS) Work Book. John wely and sons. Retrieved November 30, 2010, from

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder and different teaching methods in Research Proposal

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder and different teaching methods in the classroom - Research Proposal Example It is said great scientists Newton and Einstein too had Autism in some form or other. Only it has been recognized of late and meriting the attention of the social scientists to ease the ASD affected individuals out of the so-called disorder so that they can scale newer heights. Autism is a developmental problem found early in childhood that results in verbal, non-verbal communication or social interaction disability. Usually this disability becomes evident before the age of three and has a bearing upon educational performance when the child grows older. Autism is also known as autism spectrum disorder, pervasive development disorder (PDD), PDD- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), atypical autism, and Asperger’s Syndrome. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) occurring early in life will last for the rest of one’s life. It is not a single disorder but a syndrome of collection of characteristics in growing children. Though ASD is found in both males and females, the incidence is more in males. It is severe and pervasive when it affects almost all the faculties of the individual even though he may be very intelligent or high functioning. ASD also occurs when the individual has cognitive impairment also known as mental retardation or mental impairment. ASD can also occur due to neurobiological reasons affecting the physical brain or chemistry of the brain. When the individual is not able to communicate by using speech or language or when his speech is delayed or quality of communication or verbal skills are affected, he is deeme d to have ASD. In some cases, the individual cannot display unspoken language such as gestures, facial expressions. ASD also makes the individual unable to understand what others say and respond to them or their non-verbal movements. The individual will have difficulty maintaining friendship and social contact regardless of age even though he may want to keep the relationships. He will be sensitive to touch,

One Of The Hong Kong Listed Property Companies Invites Your Research Essay

One Of The Hong Kong Listed Property Companies Invites Your Research Institute To Formulate A Research Proposal To Them - Essay Example Hong Kong well illustrates patterns of a distinct Asian business model that has resulted in the growth and influence of large gargantuan business enterprises. The Hong Kong housing market is dominated by a hand full of these large companies that include Cheung Kong, Henderson Land, and SHK PPT among others. The growth of Cheung Kong, for example, underscores specific ways of pursuing business and industrial growth based on certain Asian principles and management styles. These styles project paternalistic family control and trust and the respectful acceptance of authority. Pyramid structures of benefit permeate the leadership hierarchy of these Asian firms along with family cross-shareholdings of subsidiary companies. Hong Kong’s rapid economic growth is described by Xiabin et al (2004) as a period of economic restructuring that has seen the country evolve from a manufacturing center to a business, commerce and finance center, with most of its working force moving into the serv ice industries. Influenced by processes of economic liberalisation, globalization, and government downsizing, the restructuring has resulted in a net rise of the middle-income population of Hong Kong, but since 1971 there has been a profound drop in the sharing of income by the bottom households while the income of the top 30% has shown a continual increase in income share (pp. 447-451). The authors note "there has been a steady exacerbation of income inequality in Hong Kong over the past 35 years" (p. 452) and, "There is no evidence of wealth trickling down from the top to the bottom" (p. 457). Nor have adequate services been expanded for the bottom poor. Xiabin et al (2004) emphasize the unsympathetic government policy of minimum intervention as a major factor in the ongoing policy of inequality. Resources provided for social welfare are sparse in comparison to resources for the more favored private sector. The authors propose the government avoids policies ameliorating income ine quality in order to maintain "business-friendly" policies toward private interests and avoid a "dependency culture" that would discourage unemployed people from working and affect economic growth in negative ways. Despite a sterling economic growth that has made it one of world's largest centers of concentrated among the world's wealthiest economies, Hong Kong demonstrates the highest degree of economic disparity among its seven million citizens. The United Nations report Hong Kong as having the highest Gini coefficient of 43.4, a measure of economic disparity between the rich in the poor, among all Asian cities (Oxfram). As of September, 2010, 10.2% of working families were living in poverty in Hong Kong (Oxfram). The Hong Kong Council of Social Service reported recently, October, 2010, that 1.26 million of the 7 million citizens were living in poverty, nearly one/fifth of the population (Wong, 2010). The contrast stands stark and grim where three million of seven million citizens live in public housing. Under current public policy, the gap between rich and poor in Hong Kong is steadily increasing. In 1997, The Canadian Magazine Maclean's highlighted the nearly 100,000 Hong Kong displaced workers living in the small spaces or "cages" where larger spaces are divided into small cubicles with wire (Wood, 1997). Web blogs and YouTube videos today provide stark

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder and different teaching methods in Research Proposal

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorder and different teaching methods in the classroom - Research Proposal Example It is said great scientists Newton and Einstein too had Autism in some form or other. Only it has been recognized of late and meriting the attention of the social scientists to ease the ASD affected individuals out of the so-called disorder so that they can scale newer heights. Autism is a developmental problem found early in childhood that results in verbal, non-verbal communication or social interaction disability. Usually this disability becomes evident before the age of three and has a bearing upon educational performance when the child grows older. Autism is also known as autism spectrum disorder, pervasive development disorder (PDD), PDD- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), atypical autism, and Asperger’s Syndrome. Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) occurring early in life will last for the rest of one’s life. It is not a single disorder but a syndrome of collection of characteristics in growing children. Though ASD is found in both males and females, the incidence is more in males. It is severe and pervasive when it affects almost all the faculties of the individual even though he may be very intelligent or high functioning. ASD also occurs when the individual has cognitive impairment also known as mental retardation or mental impairment. ASD can also occur due to neurobiological reasons affecting the physical brain or chemistry of the brain. When the individual is not able to communicate by using speech or language or when his speech is delayed or quality of communication or verbal skills are affected, he is deeme d to have ASD. In some cases, the individual cannot display unspoken language such as gestures, facial expressions. ASD also makes the individual unable to understand what others say and respond to them or their non-verbal movements. The individual will have difficulty maintaining friendship and social contact regardless of age even though he may want to keep the relationships. He will be sensitive to touch,

Exam two Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Exam two - Case Study Example It is essential to note that the authors have provided the basic building blocks for management theories and their ideas are effective even now and this is clear from the examples like United Parcel Services which implements the ideas of the authors. The ideas form a basis for building the efficiency on automation, computerization and also scientific management principles and for relatively larger organizations ideas like the fixed hierarchy of authority, and division of labor and defined regulations still hold good in the current work environments. Hence these theories are very effective. i) Centralized approach: In terms of the centralized approach, there decision making is strong, authoritarian and in a number of cases this is also charismatic. Also here all the controls follow the top-down method hence making the execution decisive and coordinated along with being really fast as well. This method is also helpful in dealing with major issues and changes (Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborn). However this can prove to be a disadvantage as well as the top management will not always have a clear picture of the events and working conditions in different locations and this can hence lead to issues as well. ii) Decentralized Approach: On the other hand considering the decentralized approach, it is essential to note that this method uses a bottom – up approach and concentrates on the culture and also learning dynamics (Ricky W Griffin). This method is also based on democratic and participative decision making which is very useful as it deals with all issues and tasks at hand locally without the interference of any management which is not present in the place. The decentralized business approach used in companies extends possible business opportunities for the entire business in terms of product improvement, design, research and expansion. The drawback of using this method is that it can lead to the division of

Historical Institutionalism Summary and Analysis

Historical Institutionalism Summary and Analysis Introduction In this essay I will argue that Historical Institutionalism offers a superior and more comprehensive view of change than the Sociological Institutionalism or Rational Choice Institutionalism alternatives. Is important to point out that the definition of change considered for this essay is the intended or unintended consequences of a strategic set of actions taken in a precise and determined time and space, in contrast to other possibilities in the same context (Hay and Wincott, 1998). To do this I will compare the competing views of Institutional Change that are presented in Rational Choice Institutionalism, Sociological Institutionalism and Historical Institutionalism to unveil that the view of the latter is more comprehensive than the other two due to the wide scope of the concept of change and the versatility provided by the cultural and calculus approaches included in the branch. I will examine the proposal of Rational Choice Institutionalism, first. Describe shortly what this new form of Institutionalism introduces to the discipline and evaluate what the scholars of this form consider that institutional change is. Then I will show how and why their vision is narrowed and cannot really explain most of institutional change on its own. Secondly, I will analyse Sociological Institutionalism, mentioning the elemental characteristics that separates it from the other two forms of New Institutionalism. Following I will explain the engine of change for sociological institutionalism and I will point out why there is not enough comprehension of how context affect the outcomes and why it is inherently contradictory by denying Rational Choice assumptions, yet assuming rationality in the way organizations operate. Lastly I will describe Historical Institutionalism to recognize their originality and explain the ambidexterity it possesses between Rational Choice Institutionalism and Sociological Institutionalism. I will clarify the calculus and cultural approaches to understand how they bring concepts of the two previously mentioned into the historical study. On the last part I will explain why is the analysis of change superior under the branch of Historical Institutionalism than both Sociological and Rational Choice Institutionalisms by pointing out how scholars on the first one have surpassed the critiques and flaws of the other two. Rational Choice Rational Choice Institutionalism is predicated on the idea that the individuals composing a society seek utility maximization (Tsebelis, 1990). In a process of rational negotiation, individuals consciously enact the rules determined to act upon every member of society. In that way, they choose rationally the characteristics that will shape their institutions (Shepsle, 1989). In other words, institutions are, for this approach, a set of rules, agreed by society in order to set the correct behaviour under certain circumstances and in specific situations. This way conflicts are prevented and the social costs of collective actions are contained and reduced (Hall and Taylor, 1996). To understand more about this current, we need to point out that the genesis of the Rational Choice Institutionalism is the study of congressional behaviour in the United States as a way of expanding classical Rational Choice into matter that did not fit the models provided up until then by the discipline, like stability of congressional outcomes (Hall and Taylor, 1996). When referring to change in institutions, Rational Choice does not offer much explanation or even -some would argue- does not consider the existence of a possibility that institutions might change. The term renegotiation-proof must come into consideration now. This concept defines the situation where none of the actors with considerable power to change an institution are willing to do so. Since the core affirmation is that institutions are selected rationally by rational thinkers that seek to optimize their benefit within society, it is logical to understand that there was a previous negotiation process prior to the adoption of such institution, in which all the related subjects to the institution where discussed and approved by the individuals.   According to Selten (1975) an institution must be the proof of renegotiation since that particular and central characteristic provides society with the consistency that precludes any deviation of the expected behaviour, therefore eli minating the cost of instability. Since the utility and effectiveness of institutions is locked to its capability to regulate the behaviour of the members of society, changes would bring instability, confusion and unexpected set of affairs that would increase social costs. It is, thusly, understood that one of the main duties of the state and the higher governmental apparatus is to maintain the institutional arrangement among the individuals, utilizing the processes of cooperation and socialization, (i.e. education) to inculcate this and minimize the virtual perception that institution do not serve the common good (Seznick, 1949; Lipset and Rokkan, 1967; Eisenstadt and Rokkan, 1973; Widavsky, 1987; Sunstein, 1990; Greber and Jackson, 1993 in March and Olsen, 1996). Instead of changing institutions, according to Rational Choice, it is expected that institution, when faced to different context from which it emerged, apply a pre-arranged framework that can support the inclusion of the new ideas and perceptions of the society but keeping the fundamental attributes of the institution itself. Therefore we may say that beforehand, institutions provide a plan of change that is intrinsic to the institution itself, preventing the transition from one to the other but not impeding the transformation of the original one, meaning that this variations are included in the starting vision of the institution (Shepsle, 1989) In other words, institutional change would only consist of institutions following the pre-set plan. For this reason, it is my consideration that the Rational Choice Institutionalism concept of change, should be replaced and referred more precisely as Institutional Evolution since it does not contemplate the substitution of one institution for another nor a transformation that suits better for reality or for the societys need, rather than the morphology of the existing ones according to the original projection. In brief, institutions do not really want to change, those who can change it rather reaffirm it through education to avoid the costs of uncertainty and re-adaptation. Therefore, we can state that Rational Choice Institutionalism studies the ways in which an institution is reinforced and reproduced within the members of a state, by sustaining the idea that spontaneous change or diversity has more cons than pros. Also it is comprehended in this argument the idea that a functional society works better with a faulty institution than without institutions. On the other hand, Rational Choice Institutionalism face the undeniable modification of an institution, it is assumed by this view that all transformation occur within the evolutionary plan of an institution, so that it is not viewed as a change, rather than a natural development through time. And, more importantly, departing from the point that institutions are rationally constructed for the benefit of an organised society, one might al so ask, as a valid criticism, cui bono from this arrangement. Sociological Institutionalism The second current of the new institutionalism is the one that arose from organizational theory in the field of sociology. Since the work of Weber, the sociologists turn their attention to the bureaucracies that shaped structures in different societies. Whether that was on state level, private enterprises, educational organizations, etc. Later in the 1970s, the need to separate those who study organizations from those focused on culture related analysis was explicit. But opposing to this, the new form of institutionalism arrived. It stated that the way bureaucracies where organized was not predicated on the premise of the greater efficiency, but they were often shaped to its core by the particular culture surrounding the structure in question. They found that this mandatory resemblance to the cultural identity was, in that way, in order to secure and support the complex process of cultural transmission. From this perspective, we can say that it seeks to answer the question of why do certain organizations take a particular shape and form (Hall and Taylor, 1996). Sociological Institutionalism is concerned with the legitimacy of organizations and bureaucracy. This branch of institutionalism considers that legitimate institutions get bureaucratized essentially following the norms that culture imposes. That is to say, institutions are shaped by culture, to the point that it is difficult to find two with a perfect resemblance since they must be adapted to the context in which they are reproduced or take place. Although certain degree of affinity can be found, for example, in the education systems of different countries, which researchers of this form of new institutionalism call isomorphism. If it is so that culture is the ultimate determinant of the shape of organizations and the structures of institutions, then there would be no room in this current for this type of isomorphism, but said concept is cleverly explained by the natural similarity of the needs of every human community in the world. Since we all have the same basic needs, and advance s in those specific areas have been done to make them more efficient, it is logical to think that structures in some degree will copy a functioning model (Meyer and Rowan, 1977). The most important factor for a social behaviour to be transformed into an institution and ultimately bureaucratized is the legitimacy gained among the actors of the society (Finnemore, 1996). The State is considered to be the ultimate example of such phenomenon. Finnemore (1996) argues that institutions are constantly challenged because of the contradictions within the dominant cultural norms, pointing at their constant need to refresh and renew their legitimacy to ensure endurance. In this idea lies the concept of institutional change according to the sociological discipline. They argue that organizations often adopt and promote new institutional practices, leaving aside the rational concern of efficiency and cost reduction, to increase the legitimacy of such organization (Hall and Taylor, 1996). Ironically, though, following Finnemore (1996), institutionalized bureaucracies are rationally substituted for other institutionalized bureaucracies for reasons that go against a rational scope. As for my opinion, sociological institutionalism does not really focuses on explaining the change in institutions but rather excuses the fact that institutions change by saying it is all a matter of the legitimacy of the organizations trying to stand the test of time. If it is so, that organizations have the power to shape the structural context of behaviour in such way as to regulate what is considered wrong and right behaviour, then there would be little stopping organizations from assuming total control of society they indirectly direct. Further, it is clear that they deny strongly the grand rational assumption that individuals act rationally (which I consider an appropriate critique) upheld by Rational Choice Institutionalism, yet they reinforce with the same effervescence the rational claim that all organizations act rationally in pursue of their interest moulding institutions accordingly. Finally, for a branch of new institutionalism that claims that context is the key concept in the development and understanding of the institutions, saying that change is only promoted by organizations, is undermining the possibilities of cultural diversity, as proven recently by the Arab Spring or , not so recently, the communist revolutions on the beginning of the 20th century. Historical Institutionalism Since the 1990s there has been an increment in the importance that ideas, economic interest and political institutions have and the relation between them. This has led to a great transformation of the historical institutionalism school trying to explain political outcomes (Bà ©land, 2005). Historical Institutionalism took great influence from structural functionalist, but for a change, they reject the idea that psychological, cultural, social or any individual trait could be extrapolated as a general characteristic of the system that contains them. Instead they suggest that institutional organizations shape the behaviour of the collective, thus generating political outcomes (Hall and Taylor, 1996). In this analysis they include the factor of rationality of the individual and the organizations but under an historical interpretation of the culture in order to decode the interpretation of both the norm and what was considered rational in such a context (Ferejohn, 1991; Thelen, 1999). This way, Historical Institutionalism has a pivotal approach that comprehends and exceed the previously two analysed (Hall and Taylor, 1996), specifically when one analyses the cultural and calculus approaches. Hay and Wincott (1998) argue that Hall and Taylor (1996) are trying to propose a dialogue between the Sociological Institutionalism and the Rational Choice Institutionalism by incorporating the cultural and calculus approaches to the Historical branch. The calculus approach assume that in every period of time, individuals tend to act strategically to maximize their gain, and institution provide a frame to make it easier to predict and limit the set of actions possible to take place. Now the Historical Institutionalism part in this approach is that the possibilities are reviewed into the historical context surrounding the decisions taken. The cultural approach contrast the calculus without denying it, analysing the degree on which individuals leave aside the rational decision, and lean to familiar structures or established routines. But for that it is necessary to comprehend the historical and contextual rational decision that was left aside and the familiar structures and established routines of such individual in that precise time (Hall and Taylor, 1996). The main contribution of Historical Institutionalism leads logically to the concept of path dependency. This is the assumption that the same processes can generate different results on different places because there are no two equal circumstances, an assumption that can be considered axiomatic, and therefor problematic (Hall and Taylor, 1996). One way to look at it is that the specific order in which things occur affect how they occur (Hay and Wincott, 1998; Fioretos, 2011). Following Fioretos (2011) the particular timing and sequence in which a phenomenon takes place contributes to four characteristics that remark the importance of context: i) unpredictability, by which it is expected that outcomes on similar events vary in great manner; ii) inflexibility, the idea that as more time passes, it gets harder to reverse the effects of such event; iii) nonergodicity, the probability that this effects can stand the test of time; iv) inefficiencies, the fact that abandoned ideas and altern atives might have produced more efficient outcomes but are out of the possibility range anymore. Another concept that is essential to path dependence is historical inefficiency (Fioretos, 2011: 376). The idea that the specific consequences of the path dependence of one precise experience would make institutional alternatives designed in a different context, far more likely to fail, despite of the fact that analysis of utility models may indicate their superior expected performance (Fioretos, 2011). The concept of path dependence, although taken from a blend between Rational Choice Institutionalism and Sociological Institutionalism, particularly from and formed inside the original contributions of Historical Institutionalism renders the first two approaches out-dated and unhelpful when talking about institutional change (Thelen, 1999). Change is comprehended as the outcomes, whether they are intended or not, of a set of strategic actions that are conceived inside the context of institutions in a definite time and space that provided the conditions needed to favour certain choices over others (Hay and Wincott, 1998). And that exact analysis is only provided by Historical Institutionalism thanks to the incorporation of calculus approach and cultural approach and path dependence. Since the concept of path dependence tell us that there is no way in which we can calculate with certainty what will be the overall cost of choosing an option over another when undergoing institutional change, considering unknown factors may intervene and affect the outcome, there is no way of formulating a model that can apply to any situation without risking a mayor margin of error (Harty, 2005). By leaving aside grand generalizations Historical Institutionalism can easily surpass the barriers of Sociological Institutionalism and Rational Choice, of assuming that organizations only use institutional change to reinforce their legitimacy and that every institutional change made in any context must fall into a rational choice, respectively. Moreover by not denying rationality, Historical Institutionalism does not fall in the contradiction of using Rational Choice to understand the behaviour of organizations or individuals, such as the case of the Sociological branch. Lastly, in my opinion, Historical Institutionalism is stronger than Rational Choice also, because it contemplates real change on institutions and not merely the evolution of them, since they hold no delusion of a supposed pre-calculated plan by institutions to transform within in order to avoid undergo real change. And is stronger than Sociological Institutionalism, also, as a result of giving the deserved and necessary level of importance to context as a determinant of the outcome and structure of the institutional change process. Conclusions We have showed that Historical Institutionalism has a more precise and deeper view of institutional change than the other forms of new institutionalism, Rational Choice Institutionalism and Sociological Institutionalism. I have compared the concept of change in the three branches, and found that Rational Choice Institutionalism and Sociological Institutionalism have a reduced view of what composes and provokes change leading to unsatisfactory conclusions that leave aside important parts of the reality without encompassing the inputs of one another. Rational Choice Institutionalism, due to its genesis, has defined a very limited scope, and only considers change to happen within and according to the institutions plan, assuming that in every step of the way, rationality is a perfect process undergone by every individual and actor in the society. Historical Institutionalism embraces a wider view of what constitutes change, enabling it to study a much substantial range of political situations that would be left out by Rational Choice. Moreover Historical Institutionalism goes as deep as to question what seemed like a rational choice in the context of analysis, providing with a view that does not deny rationality but also, does not consider it to be fixed and static. Sociological Institutionalism denies the absolute rationality that is assumed by Rational Choice Institutionalism. Scholars in this branch understand institutional change as the tool that organizations use to endure in time. They suggest that organizations are the ones that promote and seek institutional changes that fit their own maximization of benefits, but by doing this; they make use of the principle that they so firmly oppose from Rational Choice. Sociological Institutionalism only analyses context as a force that shapes the form of the institutions upheld by a society. Historical Institutionalism gives much more importance to context, saying it can determine not only the particular shape of an institution, but also argues that we should take into consideration the values and possibilities provided by the context. It also calls upon the importance of context in the elaboration of the concept path dependency under which it is understood that due to the specifics of some situatio ns, the same process may have different results. Lastly, since Historical Institutionalism does not deny rationality of actors, rather than question what rationality is, it does not fall on the contradiction that we saw on Sociological Institutionalism. We have seen how Historical Institutionalism, thanks to the calculus and cultural approaches and the path dependency concept is a synthesis of the Rational Choice Institutionalism and Sociological Institutionalism. Historical Institutionalism is capable of analysing much deeper into political phenomena by bringing together concepts of both and stating that results may not replicate in the exact same way due to the differences in context. Therefore not intending to push grand assumptions or create laws on studies and in that what being able to widen the range of situations to study. Bibliography Bà ©land, D. (2005) Ideas, Interest, and Institutions: Historical Institutionalism Revisited in Lecours, A. New Institutionalisms. Theory and Analysis, University of Toront-o Press. 29-50 Ferejohn, J. (1991) Rationality and interpretation: Parliamentary elections in early Stuart England. In Monroe K, The economic approach to politics Harper-Collins, 279-305. Finnemore, M. (1996) Norms, culture, and world politics: Insights from sociologys institutionalism, International Organization, vol. 50, no. 2, 325-47. Fioretos, O. (2011) Historical Institutionalism in Intenational Relations, International Organizations, 65, 367-99. Hall, P. and R.C.R. Taylor (1996) Political Science and the Three New Institutionalisms. Political Studies, Vol. 44(5): 936 57. Harty, S. (2005) Theorising Institutional Change in Lecours, A. New Institutionalisms. Theory and Analysis, University of Toronto Press. 51-79 Hay, C. and Wincott, D. (1998) Structure, Agency, Historical Institutionalism, Political Studies, Vol. 46: 951-57. March, J.G. and Olsen, J.P. (1996) Institutional Perspectives on Political Institutions, Governance, 9 (3), 247-64. Meyer, J.W. Rowan, B. (1977) Institutionalized Organizations: Formal Structure as Myth and Ceremony, American Journal of Sociology, vol. 83, no. 2, 340-63. Selten, R. (1975) A Reexamination on the Perfectness Concept for Equilibrium Points in Extensive games International Journal of Game Theory, 4, 25-55. Shepsle, K.A. (1989) Studying Institutions: Some Lessons from the Rational Choice Approach, Journal of Theoretical Politics, 1 (2), 131-47. Thelen, K. (1999) Historical Institutionalism in Comparative Politics, Annual Review of Political Science, 2, 369-404. Tsebelis, G. (1990) Nested Games: Rational Choice in Comparative Politics, University of California Press.   Ã‚  

Free Essay - The Poser of Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Poser of Guilt in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book that goes far into the lives of the main characters. After establishing the main characters--Hester, Pearl, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth--he shows how each decision they made affects all the others. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth all felt guilty at one point in the novel. Hester had "dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes" (50). Hester, here described as a beautiful woman, had committed adultery. Because of her sin, her punishment was shame by the branding of the scarlet `A'. She simply accepted the punishment. The scarlet letter makes people look at Hester differently, but she doesn't seem to care. Hester created the `A' to be very elaborate to make people notice it. Having the sin out in the open let her relieve any guilt. The `A' was meant to punish Hester for eternity. She was to wear it till she died, and then it was going to be engraved on her tombstone. While in the forest, Hester made clothes for people in town. Because she had sinned, she was not allowed to make "the white veil which was to cover the pure blushes of a bride" (76). After a few years, Hester had changed the meaning of her scarlet letter, "they said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength" (141). Her "punishment" had become an honor. Although Hester tore off the letter and went to England with Pearl, she returned to Boston and put the scarlet letter back on. Hester was certainly not the only person affected in all of this. Roger Chillingworth had a "slight deformity of the figure" which later reflected the transformation his soul would make (56). In the first meeting of Hester and Chillingworth, Hester asks, "Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?" and Chillingworth replies, "Not thy soul. No, not thine!" (70).

Manchester Airport operates in an increasingly competitive environment

Manchester Airport operates in an increasingly competitive environment and must differentiate itself not only. Finance All organisations must take great care in setting their financial targets. If they are set too low then they will be readily achieved and full potential will not be reached. At present the economic regulation of airports is targeted solely at reducing the charges to airlines. Non-aviation income is not regulated and the Airport, therefore, seeks to encourage the development of such revenue streams to sustain the profitability of the Company. To maintain its reputation as a quality service provider, therefore, Manchester Airport has to ensure that it increases capacity and markets itself to become more attractive as the â€Å"airport of choice†. External factors Which Affect financial Performance Numerous factors influence the financial activities and the financial performance of organisations Five major external factors which affect Manchester Airport are: 1 Constant change 2 Competitive environment 3 Single till 4 Government regulations 5 Economic environment Change Along with all other business the Airport operates in an environment which is constantly changing. For example: 1 The freight market is volatile and can fluctuate annually. Reasons for this include: 1. competitor activity 2. noise considerations – freight only aircraft tend to be noisier and older 3. technological development 2 World events can have an effect dramatic on both freight and passenger travel. For example: 1. Since 11 September 2001 the number o people flying across the North Atlantic has fallen dramatically and this has had an effect in business travel and some airlines. 2. the war in Iraq has also had an effect on travel 3. The SARS virus has had an effect on the number of passengers travelling to the very east of the world. 1 Charter flights are also in a volatile market and are affected by events such as: 1. the general economic conditions 2. foreign currency exchange rates 3. consumer confidence I tour operators 4. competitor activities 5. trades towards off-season holidays 6. weather conditions 1 the Airport must comply with regulations and legislation which is subject to change, for example: 1. The establishment of a single market within the Euro... ...atement, which indicates the broad methodology used and is titled Basis of Opinion. Statement of According Policies Principles of accounting policies are declared in this statement. Details are provided of particular accounting methods used such as description. Trading Account The trading account forms the first part of the Profit and loss Account. It is used to calculate the amount of gross profit or loss. Paying Wages and Salaries The payment of wages and salaries for Manchester Airport plc staff is handled by the Payroll Section which is part of one of the other group companies, Manchester Airport Aviation Service (MAAS), and is located on the Airport site. They hold information about all employees. This includes: 1 Name 2 Address 3 National Insurance Number 4 Starting Salary 5 Salary Scale From this information they are able to calculate the amount to be paid and deductions such as National Insurance payments, pension, tax and union subscription. The majority of staff are salaried, that is their payments are based on an annual figure, but are paid on a monthly basis. Some staff, mainly annual workers , are still paid on an hourly rate.

To what extent does the ending of Jerusalem

To what extent does the ending of Jerusalem forcefully call Into question the Issues of happiness and forever after? Comedy Is often described as ‘a movement from one kind of society to another Conventionally, this transition results In an Improvement to the Initial society, In which the protagonist fights against a hindrance, and thus prevails, becoming the leader of this regeneration. This Interpretation can be supported by Frye who stated that the story reaches Its ‘happy ever after' once the ‘new society crystallites around the protagonist'.Here, Buttonholer uses the ending to deliberately call Into question whether Johnny was a pioneer of the newfound society therefore achieving his happy ever after', or just a mere obstacle that had to be overcome by society in order for them to achieve their ‘happy ever after. ‘ Although there is evidence to suggest that he aided the reformation of society, one must conclude that the ending of Jerusalem forcefully calls into question the issues of ‘happiness' and forever after' through the character of Johnny as he is seen to be overcome by society as they achieve their pappy ever after' through the reformation of society.This is emphasized through Johnny's initial reluctance to change as he sets about preventing it from happening in juxtaposition to suspected death at the end of Jerusalem as he becomes part of the rooster ancestors. Within Jerusalem happiness and forever after' are called into question through Johnny's reluctance to change. This is seen through Ginger's description of him; ‘once a count, always a count! ‘ This indicates Johnny's rebuttal to the prospect of change, and his active avoidance to change.This is seen through his previous use of the word count' towards the start of the play when he is describing ‘all those sorry counts on the new estate'. Furthermore, the fact that Ginger uses it to describe Johnny Is significant, as Ginger now sees Johnny as a threat In the same way that Johnny sees the ‘new estate'. This Is seen through the use of the word ‘count' as It Is the strongest profanity, therefore emphasizing the significance of Johnny as a threat to society attempt to reform.In light of this, the ending of ‘Jerusalem' therefore calls Into question the Issues of happiness and forever after, as through Johnny's refusal to change, he loses is ‘happy ever after' as society gains theirs, therefore showing that the Issue with ‘happiness' and ;forever after' Is that; as one person gains their ‘happy ever after' another persons Is lost. Include Boll quote. In addition, Johnny's presentation as the traditional trickster' aids Buttonholer in calling into question the issues of ‘happiness' and ;forever after'.A trickster is a typical comic character that is involved in manipulating the other characters for lies, which challenge and mock society (them Facet and Parsons always sending me love letters'). This is also seen through his ‘gender and form variability, such as when he takes on the role of ‘Boron's dog Sheep' in order to mock Facet and Parsons. The issues of ‘happiness' and forever after' are then called into question, as a traditional comic ending for a trickster would be reconciliation, where they are punished for their crimes, as part of the transition into a new society, showing the transition into ‘happiness' to be brutal.This is seen In Jerusalem ending, as Johnny completes his portrayal as a trickster figure by being punished for his manipulation f characters and general devious behavior towards society, in a rather brutal fashion. This is shown when â€Å"He stumbles down the steps. He has broken ribs. Wrist. He's bloodied. † The trickster is punished violently here in a brutal fashion, which is emphasized through Butterscotch's use of short sentences in order to convey his injuries in the most explicit fashion.Through John ny's barbaric punishment by society in order to achieve ‘happy ever after' one is forced to question the issues with ‘happiness' and forever after' through the lengths in which Johnny is forced, and whether one achieves ‘happiness' through doing so. Buttonholer further uses the character of Johnny to forcefully call into question the issues of ‘happiness' and forever after' through his involvement in the ‘Green world'.This is shown through his existence purely in the woods, where he is shown to be a catalyst for the challenges society faces, as he is happy in the forest, therefore showing that through society gaining their ‘happy ever after' they destroy his. This is shown in the end of the play, where he fails to prevent the unwanted shift in society and remains in a state of desperation, calling back to England's history: â€Å"Come you Italians. You fields of ghosts who walk these green plains still. Come, you giants! † There is definite ly no sign of â€Å"forever after† here.This is seen through Johnny's refusal to conform to his new society, but also his refusal to give up fighting against the likes of Kenneth and Avon. Here, Buttonholer uses the character of Johnny in order to criticize society, further bringing into question the issues of ‘happiness' and forever after', as society manipulates and muffles people in order to gain power over them and achieve their ‘happy ever after'. This is seen through Facet and Parsons instant attempts to evict Johnny from the forest in order to build the new estate, as he is the only obstacle in the way.Additionally, the rather ominous ending where Buttonholer uses an ellipsis to create a rather unsatisfying conclusion is used to point out that the â€Å"struggle between Logos and Myth's† is still occurring in society and that it has not yet reached its conclusion. ‘happiness' and forever after' through the supercilious behavior of society towar ds Johnny, This becomes apparent through the extravagant lies Johnny uses to mask his unfulfilled life. An example of this is when he describes his life in the forest, where he has ‘seen the air go still and all sound stop and a golden stag clear this clearing.However, the reference to the ‘golden stag is seen within Catholicism as a symbol for Christ, therefore showing the spiritual fulfillment that the forest brings him, similarly to the spiritual fulfillment brought through religion. The use of this sudden fulfillment within Johnny's life emphasizes the issues with ‘happiness' and forever after'. This is shown through Johnny and his happiness within the forest, and the apparent fact that society removes his ‘happy ever after'.This therefore portrays the solipsistic nature of society and their inability to allow others to reach their ‘happy ever after'. Furthermore, the fact that no one aids him furthers Butterscotch's critique of society as they are solipsistic and therefore oblivious to others needs. This is shown through the fact that Johnny is a mere obstacle to society that needs to be overcome. This can be seen through the authoritative language used by Facet and Parsons when they address Johnny at the start of the play by saying; ‘reference 4. 06. 01006' as they are dehumidifying Johnny through their use of numerical language. This therefore calls into question whether our lives are fulfilled, and therefore the idea of ‘happiness' and forever after' as Buttonholer uses Johnny to illustrate that no one is truly happy. It becomes apparent through the course of the play that the idea of ‘happiness' and forever after' are being called into question through the use of Johnny. This is shown through his failure to keep his ‘happy ever after' therefore showing that although they exist, they are not achievable.

History of Eugenics: How Those in Power Shape the Perfect Human Essay

Eugenics, the study of hereditary traits with the aim of producing an ideal human, and â€Å"on a societal level, programs that control human reproduction with the intent of changing the genetic structureof the population†, (Lewis, 299) are not a new concept. The history of eugenics reaches as far back as 400 B. C. , and extends to dates as recent as 1994. From Athens to Sparta, United States to Germany and China, the quest to improve the human race has spanned the world. ‘Improve’, however, is a highly subjective term. Who decides what an ideal human looks like? And what are the appropriate ways to build a race of such people? The answers to these questions have changed throughout the centuries. People considered ‘ideal’ by the eugenics program in one culture would be scheduled to be euthanized as ‘undesirable’ in another culture a few centuries later. Upon reviewing the history of eugenics, it becomes apparent that the section of a society in power at a particular time in history, usually seeks to eliminate those least like themselves, in order to impose not only their values, but their very phenotype on society at large. The first written accounts of eugenics reach back to 386 B. C. In his work â€Å"The Republic†, a description and plan for an Utopia, or ‘ideal society’, the Athenian philosopher Plato is said to have written that procreation should be controlled by the state. Through a state-sponsored selection of mates, â€Å"race would be strengthened by improved children†. (â€Å"Life of Plato†). Men aged 30-45 would be allowed to reproduce, as well as women aged 20-40. Any child born in violation of these laws would be abandoned outside the walls of the city. Some of Plato’s ideas had already been put into action in Sparta, around 431 BC. In line with the concept of ‘Eunomia’, weak male infants were left to die on slopes of Mt. Taygetus. (â€Å"The true story†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) â€Å"The Spartans practiced an uncompromising genetics programme. Newborn babies were raised only if healthy and perfect, so as not to be a burden to the state and to ensure genetic up-breeding. † (â€Å"Leonidas the Spartan†). It is worthy of noting that the Spartans were Greeks- with olive skin, dark curling hair, and brown eyes. To them, physical fitness was more important than moral virtues: â€Å"Sparta was hardly famous for chaste women,† according to Euripides, a then-contemporary writer. â€Å"Leonidas†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) The ideal person was a strong, fit male, and a woman who could reproduce often, bearing healthy children. This ideal was written into law by the Spartan King Leonidas, and adhered to until the eventual fall of the Spartan city-state. The next worldwide resurgence of eugenics occurred in the Victorian era. In 1863, Britain’s Sir Francis Galton, who was a cousin of Charles Darwin, coined the term ‘eugenics. ’ (Lewis, 300). He theorized that the mating of two talented people would produce better offspring. (â€Å"Eugenics Timeline†). His ideas rapidly spread to the United States and Germany. The concept of selective mating to achieve the elimination of undesirable traits became popular. â€Å"Stanford President David Starr Jordan originated the notion of â€Å"race and blood† in his 1902 racial epistle â€Å"Blood of a Nation,† in which the university scholar declared that human qualities and conditions such as talent and poverty were passed through the blood. † (Black, Edwin. ) Soon after, in 1907, the US state of Indiana passed the world’s first mandatory sterilization law. (Smith, pg. 36-137). The aim of the law was to prevent the birth of children which might inherit such undesirable traits as ‘criminality, mental defects and feeble-mindedness’. In 1911, the â€Å"Preliminary Report of the Committee of the Eugenic Section of the American Breeder’s Association to Study and to Report on the Best Practical Means for Cutting Off the Defective Germ-Plasm in the Human Population†, a venture which was supported by Andrew Carnegie, one of the greatest philanthropists of that era, listed 18 solutions to resolve this problem. Number Eight was euthanasia of undesirables. A gas chamber was suggested as a possible option. (Black, Edwin). In 1918, Paul Popenoe wrote a widely used textbook, â€Å"Applied Eugenics†, which again recommended euthanasia: â€Å"From an historical point of view, the first method which presents itself is execution†¦ Its value in keeping up the standard of the race should not be underestimated. â€Å"(Black, Edwin). We may be tempted to believe that euthanasia as a form of genetic control never came to be used in the United States, but this is not the case. At the ame time Popenoe propagated his ideas, a mental institution in Lincoln, Illinois had a policy of feeding incoming patients milk from tuberculosis-infected cows. It was thought that an ‘eugenically strong’ individual would be immune. The institution had a 30-40% death rate of incoming patients. (Black, Edwin. ) But those deemed insane were only the first on the long list of people considered ‘genetically inferior’. They were closely followed by those deemed ‘feeble-minded’ or ‘licentious’. Most recent immigrants fell into the first group- IQ tests of the time determined that the average immigrant had a â€Å"moron-grade† intelligence level. Smith, John David. pg. 161) IQ was considered an innate characteristic, something that was definite, unchangeable and inheritable. Nevermind the fact that the IQ tests were administered in what usually the immigrants’ second language, by untrained secretaries or other flunkies , and skewed to favor Americans of ‘Nordic’ descent. Because of economic hardship during those times, many people in power sought to limit the tide of immigrants- which were coming mostly from Eastern European countries, as well as Italy. Eugenecists and their wealthy supporters shared an antipathy for [†¦] class struggle†, and considered ‘poverty’ another inheritable trait. In this way, they could successfully â€Å"blame the victims for their own problems†. (Allen, Garland E. â€Å"Social Origins of Eugenics†. ) Jews and Gypsies, in addition to African-Americans, were also considered of inferior genetic stock, because they did not represent the Nordic phenotype ideal that was most similar to those in the ‘ruling class’. Eugenic tests were conducted to support this agenda. The results were mostly skewed, and sometimes, as in the now-infamous Kalikak study, altogether manufactured. The Kalikak study was the basis of a book written in 1914 by Henry Goddard, titled â€Å"Feeblemindedness: Its Causes and Consequences. † The book became very influential, and led to many states adopting laws for the forcible sterilization of ‘feebleminded’ individuals, and other undesirable traits shuch as being ‘passionate’ or ‘sexually wayward’. In Sonoma, California, some women were sterilized because of ‘abnormally large clitoris or labia’, which doctors thought may lead to licentious behavior! Black, Edwin. ) Rapists and similar criminals were generally not subjected to sterilization; instead, most of the sterilized were women. It quickly becomes apparent that the less-than-ideal traits in the United States in this age were: being promiscuous, socially dependent, or from a non-Nordic country. These qualities are quite different from those considered undesirable a few centuries earlier, by the Athenians and Spartans. The spread of eugenics continued, from the United States to Germany. Germany was undergoing great economic hardship after WWI, and Hitler’s proclamation that they were of a superior ‘Germanic’ or ‘Aryan’ race and thus entitled to more of the world’s resources was very well received. In 1924, Hitler espoused his version of eugenics in his book ‘Mein Kampf’. Hitler even wrote a fan letter to US eugenics leader Madison Grant, calling Grant’s book ‘The Passing of the Great Race’ his ‘bible’. (Black, Edwin. ) Hitler’s ideas corresponded to the American eugenecists concepts of the superiority of a White Race. In the US, marriage between Whites and Blacks was forbidden by law in many states, with the aim of keeping the ‘superior’ White race ‘pure’. In fact, inter-racial marriage did not become universally legal in the United States until 1967. Because of their similar outlooks, American and Nazi eugenicists often corresponded and shared research. John D. Rockefeller even donated $410,000 ($4 million by today’s standards) to German researchers for eugenics research. The ‘research’ was done on Jews, Gypsies and others. In 1932, the Rockefeller Foundation gave additional funds for the Germans’ research on twins and â€Å"substances toxic to germ plasm†. In other words, human testing of lethal substances, or those causing infertility. As eugenics research continued, so did the collaboration of German and American scientists- in 1934 there was even a Nazi display in LA, for the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association. (Black, Edwin). The Germans seized upon the American idea of sterilization of undesirables, and by 1934, were sterilizing 5,000 people per month. By 1939, they had moved on to euthanizing 5,000 children with birth defects or mental retardation, followed by 70,000 ‘unfit’ adults. (Lewis, Ricky. pg 300) As WWII swept over Europe and Hitler gained control of more lands, his armies and his doctors embarked on a quest of purging the lands of their native, ‘inferior’ populations. According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, â€Å"in 1933, there were approximately 9 million Jews in Europe. By 1945, the Nazis had reduced that number to about 3 million. Roma (Gypsies) were also sent to the concentration camps, resulting in about 200,000 Gypsy deaths. Physically and mentally handicapped, homosexuals, and Polish intellectuals accounted for at least another 200,000. This totals about 6,400,000 victims of the concentration camps. The Nazis also killed between 2 and 3 million Soviet prisoners in labor camps or executions. Added to this toll should be the non-Jewish Poles and Soviets sent to forced labor who died due to malnutrition, unsafe work conditions, disease and â€Å"experimentation. † The experimentation in question was most notably conducted by Josef Mengele, an eugenicist who arrived in 1943 in Auschwitz. His aim was to conduct ‘anthropological testing’, which involved gruesome torture of his subjects. (Black, Edwin. ) Once again, the prerogatives of the class in power influenced the eugenics movement, by seeking ways to eliminate those not fitting the ‘Aryan’ ideal, which included men and women who were tall, blonde and blue-eyed, and of the ‘pure’ Germanic stock. After World War II, eugenics was declared ‘a crime against humanity’. (Black, Edwin. ) The American eugenics movement was renamed â€Å"human genetics† in 1949, and many of the same scientists continued their research. Meanwhile in Germany, Mengele’s boss and mentor became a dean of a university, and a member of the American Society of Human Genetics. The eugenics movement, though renamed, was not extinct. Eugenics laws were passed as recently as 1994 in China. â€Å"The Maternal and Infant Health Care Law’ proposed to â€Å"ensure the quality of the newborn population† and forbid procreation between two people if physical exams show ‘genetic disease of a serious nature’† including mental illness, seizures and other conditions that were ill-defined and not necessarily inherited. (Lewis, Ricky. g. 300) Given the oppression, infanticide, forced sterilization and genocide that resulted from humans’ attempts at eugenics over the course of history, it is difficult to see any positive aspects of the concept. Because the ruling class determines the ‘desirability’ of superior traits, any benefit to mankind in general is doubtful- the perceived benefit to some comes at the price of the suffering and death of many. Overall, eugenics seems to seek to negatively impact genetic diversity, which has long been a quality that has facilitated the survival of mankind. The presence of eugenics in modern times is the subject of much debate. Some interpret the assistance given to infertile couples in modern times as a form of eugenics, but this is hardly the case. These are merely the attempts of individual people to have a baby which looks like them, to fulfill their dreams of having a family. No one is paying them to reproduce any supposedly-superior genes (‘positive eugenics’), or trying to limit their reproductive rights (‘negative eugenics’), (Lewis, Ricky. g. 299) There is also the matter of the genetic research into the Human Genome, and by extension, into inherited genetic diseases. However, this research aims to limit human suffering, is non-invasive for the patient and leaves all decisions to the parents of the potentially-affected offspring. None of the aspects of ‘negative eugenics’, such as sterilization of the parents or the abortion of the fetus are mandated by any law, and any government at this time. Nonetheless, human rights activists and all citizens must remain alert, lest the ghost of eugenics should rear its ugly head again. Genetic history should never be a matter of public record, and a person’s genes should never be the basis of discrimination against them. Federal genetic anti-discrimination legislation was finalized in the US in 2008, and it is hoped that other countries will follow suit. We must always remember the injustices committed in the past, in the name of ‘creating the ideal human’, and strive to prevent them in the future.

Shoe Horn Sonata Essay Essay

Distinctively visual explores how we see and or visualize images in a way that allows us to become aware of various aspects in society. The play, The Shoe Horn Sonata written by John Misto and the film clip Stupid Girls by Pink, use distinctively visual elements to create a sense of awareness about women. Misto’s script pays tribute to the Australian female nurses in WWII, revealing the realities of war through the strength and resilience of Bridie and Sheila. Similarly, the characterization of the ‘stupid girls’ in Pink’s film clip, highlight the toxic messages of consumerism aimed at young girls. She ironically does this by exploiting her celebrity status through the media. Both composers position the responder to question the past and the media, and realize what woman have gone and are going through. In The Shoe Horn Sonata, Misto reveals the ignorance portrayed by the British and Australian government towards the women held captive in old Singapore. The contrast between the projected images of the â€Å"1942 Singapore† and the accompaniment of the patriotic song ‘Rule Britannia’ emphaises the idiotic attitude of the British government, as their belief towards the Japanese invasion was seen as surreal. This is further highlighted when the British state â€Å"don’t listen to rumour†. As a result of the British’s attitude the vivid images of â€Å"burning ships† and â€Å"women prisoners of the Japanese†¦skin and bone and dressed in rags† position the audience to become aware of the selfish views by the British. Similarly to this, the Australian government’s advice to â€Å"keep smiling† ironically implies their ignorant view towards the women. This is contrasted with the projected images of â€Å"Prime Minister John Curtain†¦quite distressed† and â€Å"emaciated male prisoners of war, starving† showing his concern for the dying male POWs. This shows an existence of sexism in which Misto positions us to become aware of this issue, raised during wartime. Misto uses ignorance of the British government to show the strength of these women who from the beginning have little support from a supposedly ‘great’ nation. Their ignorance becomes another struggle these women have to overcome in their journey to freedom. Showing what these women were up against, Misto demonstrates the significance of this event in history. By experiencing times of hardship, the strength amongst individuals continues to grow. Misto presents this through the motif of the shoe horn which becomes not only a survival tool but a catalyst for the growth of the relationship between Bridie and Sheila. In scene three the shoe horn is physically shown when Bridie and Sheila retell of their survival in the ocean, in which Bridie used it as a buoyant for Sheila. This is accompanied by the sound effect of waves which allows the audience to visualize the setting and empathise with the struggle they endured. At the play’s ending, the spotlight of the shoe horn is the final object seen by the audience, highlighting the significance of this object, representing all memories of the POW camp The ‘Blue Danube Waltz’ accompanies the shoe horn, which symbolises a sense of freedom as it becomes â€Å"the music of joy and triumph and survival†. When Sheila uncovers her buried past â€Å"So I went to the Japs† the shoe horn is revealed as a tangible object, highlighting her fearful memories of when she sacrificed her virginity to the Japanese. This depicts not only the horrible realities of war but also the strength of Bridie and Sheila’s relationship as Sheila states â€Å"I couldn’t let you die and leave me, I wouldn’t have survived†. The shoe horn was also used as a metronome for the sonata which showed a sense of unity and strength amongst the women, who fought to survive â€Å"fifty voices set us free†. Misto positions the audience to identify the suffering and pain these women had experienced, thus become aware of the harsh realities of war. However it is through their strength within themselves and as a group that allows them to survive. Conversely to this, Pink uses symbolism to show the influence of consumerism on the youth and the messages portrayed by the media. In the first scene Pink’s choice of age is used with the little girl representing innocence holding a Barbie doll signifying consumerism, emphasizes the influence that has already impacted on young girls. The juxtaposition of the angel and the devil symbolizes the choices that young girls face in order to live a normal lifestyle. In the bowling scene, the close up of the inflatable breasts shows the absurdity of the shot and emphasise the focus on ‘body’ rather than mind. This suggests that the media is convincing young girls to act, behave and be a certain way. Consumerism is dangerous as it can lead to more serious consequences e.g. eating disorders and oversexualisation. Pink  positions the audience to not only identify this issue but to take action so to prevent this happening further to the younger generation. Like Pink, Misto shows how the ignorance of the British has led to a deadly consequence of the women being held captive as POWs. The unconvential line of â€Å"if only they had† suggests that if the British had believed the invasion was occurring, then they would have saved more lives. Unlike Misto, Pink uses satire to manipulate the celebrity lifestyle to which young girls look up to. In the bulimia scene, when Pink states â€Å"I totally had more than three hundred calories today, that was so not sexy† followed by the close up of the toothbrush symbolizes the expected way to loose weight, hence body image is seen as a priority for young females. By cutting between the sex tape and car washing scenes it conveys the oversexualisation of the popular culture in contemporary society, to which Pink states â€Å"she’s dancing in the video next to fifty cent†. This suggests that through the actions of female role models, young girls are influenced to act like a â€Å"stupid girl† in order to live up to society’s expectations. Thus Pink positions the audience to become aware of the false images that these celebrities portray. Like Pink, Misto conveys the struggle that these women endure in order to survive, through the symbolism of the caramel representing their only luxury of food, which Misto positions us to empathise with their struggle. This inevitably shows the strength of the women prisoners but also the strength of women who fight to raise awareness about issues in the contemporary society. Both texts provide a detailed analysis on the struggle of women in the past and in today’s society, positioning the responder to identify with their pain and suffering. Through the use of distinctively visual elements, Misto emphasizes the strength of these women who fought to survive whilst experiencing the horrible realities of war as POWS. Similarly, Pink’s use of distinctively visual elements portrays the toxic and false messages the media impose on young females in order to live a ‘celebrity lifestyle’. However both the composers enable the audience to empathise with these women during wartime but to also take action towards the issue of consumerism amongst female teenagers.