Interpersonal Communication Reflective Paper on the Movie Crash Essay

The motion picture Crash is an extremely thought provoking movie about the underlying racial tensions in our society, with the representation of black, Hispanic, and Middle Eastern ethnicities and the stereotypes associated with each. The movie Crash is unique because instead of showing characters at their best, like most popular movies do, the characters are instead stressed out and pushed to their own emotional limits. In the movie, crashing comes from beliefs in stereotypes, pre-conceived judgments, and racial discrimination. These negative elements run rampant throughout the movie in attempt to show a typical day in the life for the people of Los Angeles. No matter how hard some of the characters try to negate their own racial stereotype, in some way or form it becomes inevitable that they must live out the stereotype to exist in the society they live in. The character I will be analyzing throughout this paper is Officer John Ryan who was played by Matt Dillon. Ryan is a middle-a ged police officer in Los Angeles, California who has been with the force for seventeen years, with a knack for being exceedingly racist in his multiple encounters with African Americans. Although Officer Ryan is an incredibly verbal person, his use of nonverbal communication speaks even louder. From the beginning of the movie, Ryan displays character of a man that’s full arrogance and superiority. He seems to have a â€Å"better than thou† attitude. This is prevalent in the way he way he carries himself; shoulders back, chest out, and head cocked. He has looks of the â€Å"typical† All American male; tall, dark, and seemingly handsome with a loud and stately voice. I depict Ryan as a white supremacist. Not only is he racial, but also sees himself as being above those of color. He seems to think that he is entitled to the power that comes from his ethnicity. He believes that because he is a white male living in North  America, he is somewhat at the â€Å"top of the food chain†. Throughout the film, there are consecutive occurrences when Officer Ryan uses nonverbal and interpersonal communication to assert his authority and social supremacy. The first instance being when Officer Ryan pulled over Cameron and Christine, a classy black couple, for p resumably taking part in oral sex whilst maneuvering a vehicle. Ryan had so much underlying hatred towards blacks; he used his power to exercise inappropriate behavior towards an innocent couple of color. After asking Christine to put her hands on the car, he then began to feel her up and touch her body in an unacceptable manner right in front of her husband, the whole time acting as though he was â€Å"checking for weapons†. And after witnessing the conflict between Officer Ryan and Cameron, Hansen suggests that Officer Ryan be removed from the LAPD. He was soon shocked to find that the LAPD does not share workplace values or norms that are expected of law enforcement officers. Ryan’s actions are noted by his superior, however, because he has such a strong network density (how connected each network member is to other members) the superior officer refuses to dismiss Ryan, but transfers Hansen to another car. hen he shook hands with Hansen, he held on and squeezed extremely tight, assuring him that after years of doing this, he will become a different person; implying that after some time of working in the force, he, too, will become racist. Again, he was using this hand gesture to exert authority over one of his colleagues. In our society, particularly the South, there are many people with mindsets alike Officer Ryan. Although there are many people who would instantly recognize the racial injustices of his behavior, there are also many people who would justify it because of the general stereotype of blacks. The media somewhat perpetuates the stereotype of blacks simply by showing their gang activity, criminal accounts, and poverty levels. However, I think that officers Ryan’s hatred toward blacks stems from bad personal experiences of his own, particularly one with his father. As a result, every offense a black person commits reinforces his misinterpretation of the black population as a whole. Instead of seeing a person who commits a crime as a sinful human being who has made wrong decisions in life, he assumes the reason they commit such crimes is merely because they are black. As we continue lookin at Ryan, there were two very significant emotional moments for Ryan’s father with health coverage, Ryan  experienced the primary emotion of anger. He interpreted this event in an extremely negative way: because Shaniqua was black and made him angry, he believed that all black people were against him. While it is debatable whether or not he always had a negative mood towards African-Americans, there is certainly no denying a change in feelings. The result of this emotion was neuroticism on Ryan’s part, focusing only on the negatives, and subsequently venting on Cameron and Christine Thayer which violated socially acceptable display rules. The second emotional event for Ryan was when he eventually saves Christine Thayer from a car crash. He must save Christine by communicating with her, but the fear and anger she has towards Ryan because of his abuse hinders his ability to do so. It is in that moment that Ryan realizes what his actions and mismanagement of emotions had caused. Only through supportive communication, sharing messages that express emotional support and offer personal assistance, is John able to save Christine. There is a sense of reappraisal in Ryan’s second emotional encounter. The crash made him rethink about his previous actions toward African-Americans, and thus caused a change in how they impacted him emotionally. Conclusively, I see Officer Ryan as a very intriguing character. At the beginning of the movie, I thought he was just a racist jerk who didn’t care about anyone except for himself. The way he treated Cameron and Christine made it very apparent that he didn’t feel any shame in completely humiliating and taking advantage of two innocent people. However, as the movie progressed, you see him living with his dad and waking up in the middle of the night to take care of him and his health problem. Then you see him seeking out extreme measures to try and receive some alternate health care for his hurting father. And finally at the climax scene of the movie you see him risk his own life to save a black woman. At the end of the movie, I saw Ryan not as a selfish uncaring person but as a man who has let certain individuals change his perception on an entire race of people. Because he is a cop, he deals with all of the black people who DO live up to their stereotype and hardly ever comes in contact with the black people who are good and responsible citizens. He let his bitterness consume him.

Competency Statement to Support Social and Emotional Development and to Provide Positive Guidance

Social Development and Emotional Development goes hand and hand. They are closely related . Social development refers to the young child feelings about himself or herself, the people in his or her life, and the environment in which they play and lives. Emotional developments color the experience of every young child mood. At our center we provide social and emotional security for each child. I help each child to know, accept and take pride in him or herself and to develop a sense of independence. In our preschool class we treat each child as an individual. All children have different rates of development and different personalities. As a teacher I show the children that I am very concern about them and their feeling and this helps children during their discuss times. Every morning I greet the child and their parent, I receive and give hugs too each child upon arriving and departure. In my classroom I respond quickly and calmly when children are having a disagreement, children tend to look too the teacher to help solve the disagreement. Responding quickly also help children from hurting other. (For example; John and Bob were playing car, at the block center, John wanted the car that Bob had bob would let John see the car so John took the car from Bob and hit him. I went over to John and said your friend is sad because you hit him and took his car, we do not treat our friends like that we have too learn too share and keep our hand by our side, and do you remember the book we read about hitting our friends and how that makes they sad. Also John you must learn too use you words â€Å"my turn please†. When children are unhappy because something has change in their life I like too find a book too read too cheer them up. Their were two best friends but one had to moved too another school. The friend that was left was so sad so I asked the class too share ideas of things that we could do too cheer him up. The children wanted me too read a book; I read a book about Feeling, as I read I was pointing at the different facial expression. I encourage the class too draw pictures that reflect the boys feeling and picture that would cheer him up Sharing is something we practice everyday what ever they are playing with becomes mines, mines and mines my class has a hard time sharing to encourages sharing we play lots of activities with four at each tables, for instance we do board games, art activities, we pair up and share a book, table tubs, outside we take turn riding the bikes, and sharing the balls. It is important that we use all of our resources to develop our children social and emotional skill teaching them how to interact and share with other peers.

300 - a Gender Analysis

Gender The film industry has created the conventional gender roles of society into their movies; A majority of films have supported some of the male and female stereotypes. In the history of the film industry, the role of men is primarilythat of the stereotypical working class man or hero, while the roles of women are primarily portrayed as being somewhat inferior to men. In the 1930s through the 1970s, men held the leading roles in films while women played smaller roles. Men were typically employed, successful gentlemen, while the woman’s only job was a housewife. The film industry was mostly dominated by men. In terms of jobs, women were given mostly family roles and rarely were shown outside of their homes, while men had successful careers and did many activities outside of home. â€Å"Women were shown doing housework and men were the beneficiaries of their work† (â€Å"Women’s roles in the film industry† Women in film). As women were given a more active role in society, the gender roles in movies changed. However, many types of gender stereotypes in films still exist. Action genre movies in particular account for many of the gender stereotypes in the film industry today. Men are typically portrayed to be the hero, while women are often portrayed as sexual objects. In the movie 300, the Spartan men served and protected the city of Sparta, while the Spartan women did domestic chores and bred more warriors. Because this movie was set back in 480 BC society portrayed men to be superior to women. Some of the main characters in 300 are prime examples for the different gender roles. King Leonidas is the proud, triumphant King of Sparta. In the film, the character Leonidas possesed as a couple different male stereotypes. King Leonidas is portrayed as the hero throughout the different action sequences. Throughout the movie Leonidas takes charge of his troops and leads them into battle. Leonidas is hero not only because he is the King of Sparta, but also because he is the commander of the troops. Before King Leonidas leaves for battle with his three-hundred Spartans, he confronts his wife and refrains from saying â€Å"My queen, my life, my love,† because he, like all other Spartans, is not soft and does not want to show emotion to his queen (Zack Snyder. 00). The narrator speaks of how Spartan men are raised like brutes and are â€Å"hard warriors† (Zack Snyder. 300). This particular phrase is important to the story because it reflects the gender role of men during that time period. King Leonidas can also be classified as the family man stereotype. Throughout the film he trains his young son for battle. He plays the role of protector not only for his individual family, but also for Spart a. In the movie 300, King Leonidas represents many male stereotypes. In contrast, the character Queen Gorgo stands for many female stereotypes in the movie. The queen portrays the domestic female stereotype. In the film Queen Gorgo cares for her young son and stays at home while her husband, King Leonidas, is fighting for their country. Like many of the women in the film, Queen Gorgo performs many domestic tasks such as retrieving food and water for her family, as well as looking after her child. Queen Gorgo is also a sex object. She is easily seduced by her King. She bribesone of the councilmen with sex. At times in the film the Queen, among many other women, wear little clothing. The 300 Spartans also wear little clothing in the film. Due to the lack of clothing, the Spartans show their ripped and brute physique to reinforce the male stereotype of being brawny and strong. Lastly, the queen represents the female stereotype of beauty. The queen is an attractive woman with a small frame, much like how the media portrays what a woman should look like. Her attractive looks and sexual qualities are a large part of Queen Gorgo’s character. Queen Gorgo represents an abundance of the female stereotypes in society. The captain of the Spartan troops also shows male stereotypes. The captain is a close ally of King Leonidas. Throughout the film, the captain portrays the male stereotype of being a family man. The captain’s son, Astinos, is barely old enough to be in battle with the Persians. The captain is skeptical of allowing his son to enter battle, but decides to encourage him to serve their country. Throughout the different battles with the Persians, the captain protects his son from harm. When Astinos is killed by Persians, the captain goes on an extremely violent tirade and kills every Persian in sight due to his overpowering vengeance. After the death of his son, the captain proclaims to the king that his heart is filled with hate, and King Leonidas replies â€Å"Good. † King Leonidas feels that it is necessary for a soldier to feel hatred toward his enemies. This particular scene portrays another male characteristic of not showing emotion towards a certain subject. The captain is another character that shows the male stereotype present in this film. Although many of the characters in the movie portray the prevalent male and female stereotypes in society, there are a few characters that stray away from these social formalities. Councilman Theron is an example of one of the characters that does not abide to the brute and warrior stereotypes in the film 300. Theron is no older than the Spartan men who fight for their city, but he lacks the physical strength that the Spartan warriors possess. Because Theron is not a typical man in Sparta, he wears a gown that is similar to the gowns worn by Spartan women. Along with Councilman Theron, there are other men that are on the council of Sparta. These men are far less in physical size than the Spartan warrior and are given duties that are similar to women. The men in the council are unique to the majority of men in Sparta that serve their city. Since the men wear â€Å"woman-like† clothing, it labels women’s apparel to be very revealing. These men reinforce some of the women stereotypes prevalent in the film. There are also some specific scenes in the movie that break some of the male and female stereotypes. Directly after Astinos is killed in battle, the Captain begins to break down and cry. The captain immediately showed his emotion for the loss of his son. This scene in the movie shows how even the most masculine man has to show some emotion at some point in time. In the end of the battle against the Persians, after King Leonidas has been shot by many arrows, he stands up and shouts, â€Å"My queen, my life, my love† (Zack Snyder. 300). This phrase is contradictory to the general actions of Spartans, and men in general, because it shows emotion. Both of these sequences in the film show how every man must show emotion, regardless of who they are. 300 demonstrated the many male and female stereotypes in society. Although most of the men were relatively similar, there were a few men in Sparta who went against the normal gender role. Like many other action movies, 300 showed various roles that supported some of the gender roles in the film industry. The main characters primarily demonstrated the conventional gender roles, but they also expressed some contradictory qualities. The film industry provides arious different types of gender roles through movies. advertising. Home | Saint Marys College, Notre Dame, IN. 20 Apr. 2009 lt; http://www. diigo. com/05lfx Women in Film. Yahoo! GeoCities: Get a free web site with easy-to-use site building tools. 20 Apr. 2009 lt; http://www. diigo. com/05lfw 300 Movie Spartans. Mens Movie Guide. 20 Apr. 2009 lt; http://www. diigo. com/05lfv 300 (Widescreen Single Disc Edition). Dir. Zack Snyd er. Perf. Gerard Butler, Lena Headey. DVD. Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures International, 2006.

Church of Scientology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Church of Scientology - Essay Example The Church of Scientology International was established by L. Ron Hubbard in 1954. Groups connected with Scientology consist of Applied Scholastics, Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Concerned Businessmen of America, Hubbard Dianetics Centers, Narconon or Criminon, Religious Technology Center, Sterling Management Systems and The Way to Happiness Foundation. Issuing ventures include New Era Publications, Bridge Publications, Inc. and Freedom magazine. The Church of Scientology developed from the inspired mastermind of Lafayette Ronald Hubbard. He was born in 1911 and he spent a lot of his childhood on his grandfather's Montana farm while his parents served overseas in the U.S. Navy. Throughout the 1920's, Hubbard began to visit his parents in Asia, where he gained knowledge about Taoism, Buddhism and other eastern beliefs. Hubbard afterward developed a profession as a science fiction writer and declared to have traveled all around the world. He supposedly received near deadly injuries in World War II and developed his distinctive hypothesis of science and philosophy while curing. These findings were later exposed to the public in his book, Dianetics. In 1954, Hubbard constructed the Church of Scientology to support his thoughts and techniques as a religious group. His books and church reached globally, while Hubbard became an enigmatic recluse. He died in 1986, after spending the majority of his last years wandering around silently on his ship. (Jacob, 2003). The Sea Organization frequently known as Sea Org was established in 1967 by L. Ron Hubbard. Orgs, for example "Los Angeles Org", are semi-autonomous unions which staff themselves as they see fit. The Sea Org is a more devoted, more influential group inside Scientology which completely staffs the superior Orgs. The Advanced Organization of Los Angeles, for example, is teamed up by Sea Org members. Even as every Org implements rules and manages penalizing dealings in its own area of the bigger organization which is the CoS, Sea Org members grasp the uppermost jobs. The Sea Org is often characterized as the leaders of Scientology, equally in terms of control in the organization and devotion to the cause. Scientologists seeking to move forward within the organization are encouraged to unite the Sea Org, which occupies dedicating their full time to Scientology missions in exchange for meals, berthing and a so-called honorarium. Members sign a contract pledging their faithfulness to Scien tology for the next billion years, consigning their future life span to the Sea Org. The Sea Org's motto is the Revenimus. (William Sims Bainbridge, 1980). However, the Church of Scientology teaches that mankind is everlasting and celestial. Man is cool, calm and collected to three extents including soul or "thetan", mind "an accumulation of all experiences in multiple lives" and body "the temporary and physical dimension". God is an indistinct perception. Scientology describes the Supreme Being with phrases such as infinity and the all ness of all. Engrams are the unaware mental metaphors that we record in our imprudent mind that have negative causes on our present and future lives. They are studied from our past lives, prenatal incidents, early infancy and stop us from recognizing our godly nature plus experiencing a

Human Trafficking Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Trafficking - Assignment Example Williamson). International brokers and agents play a significant role in the displacement of human from one place to another or from one country to another. Most of the times, children and women are displaced from one place to another or from one country to another on the promises of bright future and better job opportunities which may be unachievable for them within their own country. However, this group comes to know the reality the time they reach their destination and realize that they have been deceived by the agent and learn the exact nature of the work; they are expected to do in future. Soon they realize that escaping from the situation can be difficult and dangerous for them. Child Labor: Child labor is also a form of illegal abuse and a forced labor that may cause adverse affects on the physical, mental, moral and social development of children and it may hinder the process of their education. According to an observation made by International Labor Organization that there a re approximately 246 million children around the world who are engaged illegal drug trade, forcibly involved in youth militia and armed conflicts, child prostitution and pornography or involved in debt bondage and other illegal activities. Emergence of Youth Militia: In major parts of Africa, children are forcibly recruited in diamond mines and to serve in civil and political wars. The political and civil instability in Sierra Leone has given rise to the army of child soldiers who have maintained their power and authority in the region. This army of children is brutally involved in the killing of thousands of innocent lives, rape, sexual abuse, illegal drug trade and sexual slavery. In third world countries, children and youth have played an important role in giving rise to youth violence. This emerging power of youth is also termed as the establishment of â€Å"Urban youth culture.† In other parts of the world such as Gulf-region which includes Palestine, Israel, Iraq and ot her Middle Eastern countries, we cannot neglect the political and civil instability which has also contributed in the formation of youth militia. Thousands of Palestinian children have lost their lives while transporting, throwing or exploding bombs or other explosive materials. Several groups have been established which comprised of young combatants against Israeli oppression. Furthermore, when mentioning the emergence of youth militia, one cannot ignore the rapid emergence of â€Å"Child Martyrs†. These child martyrs have given a new name to suicide terrorism which is the results of wars. Recruitment of child soldiers is a part of international law which is constituted on the basis of law of wars. According to this law, regulation of child soldiers under lawful recruitment is appropriate only if they are supervised or commanded by someone. It also states a particular age and criteria for the recruitment of child soldiers however; the law does not support the unlawful recrui tment of minors or the use of children in any civil or international war. Human Slavery: Human slavery is a part of human trafficking which allows the illegal trade of human especially women and children for different purposes. Human slavery exists in almost all the cultures and it has been there in the history from ages. Children and women are used forcibly and unlawfully in different

On book ( ideas and opinions) by Albert einstein Essay

On book ( ideas and opinions) by Albert einstein - Essay Example Religion is the endeavor of mankind to be thoroughly and clearly conscious of religious values and goals and expand their influence (Einstein 46). There has been an argument over the last century that conflict between knowledge and belief cannot be reconciled. Belief that does not depend on knowledge should be opposed. The school has played a significant role in providing knowledge to open ones way of thinking. Through clear thinking and understanding, we can be able to support convictions. Science teaches us how facts relate to each other or how they condition one another. One should use knowledge in the most complete and transparent approach to achieve goals of human aspirations. Intelligent thoughts play a role in the formulation of goals and moral judgments. It makes interrelation of ends means clear thus leading to fundamental and ultimate ends. Religion plays an extremely vital role in making clear the essential ends and valuations and setting them in the emotional life of a person. Authority of fundamental ends exists as powerful traditions in a healthy society. They come into existence through revelation via the medium of powerful personalities (Einstein 49). The Jewish-Christian religious tradition gives us the principles for ones judgments and aspirations. The tradition gives a firm basis of ones valuations and aspirations. Unfortunately, we can only get it inadequately with ones weak powers. The function of education is to promote a young person develop with fundament principles of science and religion. This will help them look for substance and not the form (Einstein 51). When we compare the above principles with life and spirit of ones times, we realize that we civilized are in danger. This has arises since the rulers are the ones striving to crush the spirit of humanity. Oppression of individuals, nationalism, and intolerance are the one that threaten to choke the cherished traditions (Einstein

Quality Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Management - Research Paper Example These patterns have been caused by migration of students from one country to the other and from one community to the other, which calls for concern from administrators and educationists (Sharma, 2012). Texas A&M University-Commerce is one of the institutions that have been equipped to prepare the students for an interconnected world. This implies that the interconnectedness of the world is the main concern of the university as it intends to prepare the students to be able to cope with the highly competitive world (Babo & Azevedo, 2012). The institution accomplishes this through focus on better global competence. To ensure that the institution’s objectives are accomplished an initiative has been established on this effect and is known as the Quality Enhancement Plan or QEP. This is one of the most used quality management tool that ensure that the institution is well prepared to equip the students with the most appropriate education so that they can be prepared for the modern job world (Texas A&M University-Commerce, n.db). This includes application of the most up to date facilities, which deliver both traditional and non-traditional learning opportunities. These ensure that the students meet the high expectations of both the job market and the institution’s goals. The mission of Texas A&M University-Commerce is â€Å"to discover and disseminate knowledge for leadership and service in an interconnected and dynamic world† (Texas A&M University-Commerce, n.da). The institution intends to meet the mission through nurturing partnerships for the social, intellectual, economic, and cultural vitality of the region of Texas as well as beyond. The mission is one of the indicators of their commitment in meeting their strategies. The QEP brings international structures as well as process that seek to enhance and improve the global competence of students by application of two other programs that include the Global Fellow Program and the

Leisure and recreation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leisure and recreation - Essay Example The media boom has definitely resulted in the "active" forms of entertainment taking a back seat. Leisure is time spent in non-compulsory activities. Because leisure time is free from compulsory activities such as job, running a business, performing daily chores, academics and other routine tasks, it is often referred to as "free time". The distinction between leisure and compulsory activities is not strict, as compulsory activities may be done for pleasure as well as for long-term utility1. Capitalist societies often hold a positive view towards active leisure activities. Many active leisure activities require an investment of time and money. Thus, it is more difficult for the e lesser privileged to engage in such activities and they remain confined only to the affluent section of the society. Capitalist societies often accord members who have more wealth with greater status. Some types of inactive leisure that also require an investment of time and money, such as "doing nothing" in a vacation atmosphere, are also viewed positively. On the other hand, an individual who "does nothing" at home is often referred to as "lazy" by others in the capitalist society, regardless of their financial and socio-economic status. The wealthy person who does nothing but lounge around the pool at home is seen as lazy. However, the individual's financial investment helps assess the level of status an activity can give a person. So it is that "doing nothing" by your own pool has higher status than "doing nothing" watching television without cable. The term "Workaholics" describes those who work compulsively at the expense of other activities. These individuals prefer to work rather than spend time socializing and engaging in other leisure activities. Many see this as a necessary sacrifice to attain high-ranking corporate positions. However, these days increasing attention is being given to the effects of such imbalance upon the worker and the family. Historically, "workaholics" would not have been considered a negative asset , rather they would have been highly commended in the US. In earlier days, American society was driven by the Protestant work ethic which was inspired by the Protestant preacher John Calvin. There are a variety of Protestant sects that stem from Calvinism. A socialist society would probably tend to view activities that do not contribute to society in a negative manner. However, there are different forms of socialism. According to Kent State University professor Marcus Verhaegh, there were Americans who believed in the concept of leisure socialism in the 1960s and '70s. The general belief was that we live in a world of plenty. Thus, if everyone is content with a smaller piece of the pie, everyone can then have their basic needs met. If everyone's basic needs are met, many in society can use their free time to pursue the arts, mysticism, athletics, various hobbies and other leisure activities. Socialist writer E. Belfort Bax wrote in 1884 of a similar vision for socialist Europe in the article "Socialism and the Sunday Question" for Justice Again that work should be spread about so that everyone is provided with times of rest. His focus was on the elimination of one universal day of rest, but the general ideas are quite similar to those that emerged in nineteenth century America. Recreation is defined as the employment of time in a non-profitable way, in many ways also a therapeutic refreshment of one's body

Traditional and Nontraditional Family Structure Assignment

Traditional and Nontraditional Family Structure - Assignment Example Thus nontraditional family forms include single parenthood, singlehood, cohabitation, Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual- and- Transgender (GLBT) relationships and even polygamy (Grant, 2012). Inasmuch as single parenthood do existed even prior to the 20th century due deaths of spouses, by then, single parenthood was surrounded by a certain level of stigma (Grant, 2012). This is contrary to what is happening now; where single parenthood is considered more acceptable. Additionally, unlike in traditional family set up where single parenthood mainly resulted from death of a spouse, today divorce and woman’s decision to have a child alone are key drivers. For instance, Artificial Insemination has become an option to have a child while single. Cohabitation is also a form nontraditional family (Bornstein, 1991). This is where a housed is shared by unmarried couple. It is normally taken to be an alternative form of marriage which has continued to gain popularity in the U.S. Some couple cohabitate with a claim that they are testing their compatibility in marriage. Besides, families created and the relationship formed by GLBT, may also be considered as a structure in the nontraditional family set up. Unlike traditional structure where a family is mainly husband, wife and children, nontraditional structure presents more complicated structure including even people of the same gender. Nontraditional families’ influence on spots participation depends on the nature of the family and the nature of the stakeholders (Bornstein, 1991); influence may either be negative or positive based on that nature. For example, in a single-parenthood family, a child or children may be actively involved in sports or otherwise; the determining factor being the nature of the parent (Bornstein, 1991). If the parent supports child’s involvement in sports or even himself/herself participates, the participation will be raised, and vice versa

The Relations Between Islamic Fundementalism and Muslim Democracy Essay

The Relations Between Islamic Fundementalism and Muslim Democracy - Essay Example Since the beginning of 1990s, there have arisen Muslim oriented parties, but which are not fundamental or Islamist in their ideals, and which have successfully vied and won political seats in countries such as Bangladesh, Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Unlike fundamentalists who advocate for the introduction of Sharia or Islamic law, the proponents of Muslim Democracy are seen to be more realistic in their view since they are found to be accommodative of religious and secular ideals in their approach to politics (Kepel, 2003). They are seen to disagree with the notion that a Muslim country must be governed by Sharia law, but are seen to lean towards the creation of electoral processes that are viable and accommodative of different shades of opinion so as to serve interests that are both Islamic and secular, thereby respecting the thus created democratic space whether they win in the elections or lose. They are not seen to have the motive of integrating Islam into politics but are only seen to exploit its potential through the teaching of Islamic values to help them win elections. All the same, democratization processes which are all inclusive seem to be more appealing than the path of religious and ideological change and Islamic democracy hence they are seen to be on the upper hand in shaping the political destinies of many countries in the Islamic world. Fundamentalists on the other hand do not view Democracy as an issue to be taken seriously or legitimately but only as a means to ascend to political power so as to acquire the platform through which to build an Islamic state (Roy 2006). The observers of the changes being experienced in the Muslim world have associated these changes with influence due to interaction locally and globally and the advent of internet technology. The success of Muslim democracy does not seem to have resulted from any theological or ideological process, but for being seen to address issues from a practical perspective that gives assurance to the electorate that its needs are all well taken care of. The two concepts of fundamentalism and Muslim democracy in their various ways have resulted in regime change in their respective countries, including change that was facilitated by fundamentalists in Iran and Morocco, the changes that have been occasioned by the Muslim Democracy proponents in the areas affected by the Arab spring namely Egypt, Tunisia and Libya (Kepel, 2003). The concepts are both at the forefront in struggling for political power in ruling governments even as each espouses its ideals to convince the masses, though Muslim democracy seems to be on the upper hand. There are various factors that have contributed to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism’s openness to democracy. After gauging the preference of masses, the trend has been that Islamist or secular parties are not currently as popular as those with Muslim values and moderate Islamic policies. This latter principle along which M uslim democratic parties are molded, is attracting a large section of voters since they are also more compatible with world politics. Putting a lot of rhetoric and theory aside, Muslim democracy party ideals have similarities with the Christian Democratic Party’s trend of Europe in the past and thus have had appeal as compared to the

The portrayal of Crooks In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

The portrayal of Crooks In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Essay In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck we learn about the daily life of the black stable-buck Crooks and how he is portrayed by the life on the ranch. American people in the 1930s were in the midst of a Great depression. The Great Depression affected everybody. Many people became unemployed and work that was available was hard to find. During the Great Depression, the Wall Street Crash, which was the collapse of the stock market. The shareholders lost lots of money and found it necessary to reduce the number of employed to save money. Between 1928 and 1933, industrial and farm production fell by 40% and wages by 60%. In 1933 14 million were unemployed and farm prices had fallen, so the cost of transporting animals cost more than the animals were worth and the income slipped to $5 billion. Therefore, for the white worker life was exceptionally hard. Also in the 1930s, black people suffered from racial prejudice. This made the blacks feel worthless and they did not mix with the whites. The cause of this prejudice was the reminisce of the slave trade which happened in the 18th and 19th century. White Americans considered the blacks as worthless and treated them as lowly citizens, perhaps comparable to that of animals. When people saw sense the law changed and the slave trade was stopped. In edition to the effects of the Great Depression, and the inequality white workers suffered is the issue of racial prejudice. In the novel, John Steinbeck creates a character called Crooks. He excludes himself from the white workers because of the racial prejudice he has suffered in the past. Crooks lives in the harness room instead of the bunk house with the white workers, this is the result of many years of racial prejudice and exclusion. had his bunk in the harness room Crooks is a tall old black man with a crooked back. He has no friends in the ranch because he is only the black man and the white workers dont like to mix with him. guys dont come into a colored mans room very much. Crooks is permanent to the ranch as the others are not, so over the years he has picked up more possessions. As he lives in his own room he can also have more things than the other workers and he can leave all his objects on the floor. The result of an accident made his back go cripple, this meant it was hard to travel and this helped to gain personal possessions. scattered about the floor were a number of personal possessions being a stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent As Crooks was cripple he felt intimidated so he had a shot gun in his room. Although it could be used for shooting vermin and for his job, but it might also be used for the intimidation of other people. and a single-barreled shotgun. In the novel it tells us that Crooks has lots of books, this includes the Californian civil rights book. These books seem to comfort him as he has no friends. The civil rights book shows us that he knows his rights and knows how he should be treated a mauled copy of the Californian civil rights code for 1905. In addition to Crooks loneliness and isolation the dialogue between Crooks and Lennie is tight and Crooks seems to be angry at Lennie for coming into his room to be friendly. you got no right to come in my room you go on get outta my room. Crooks also might be afraid of Lennie. This might be because Lennie is a big man and he does not know his own strength. a huge man He stood up and moved dangerously towards Crooks. Whilst Crooks and Lennie are talking Crooks makes Lennie get angry because he said that George might not come back. Lennie relies on George for everything and he would not like it if George left him. Spose George dont come back no more. ` George wouldnt do nothing like that. I been with George a long time. Hell come back tonight -` Lennie has a very babyish mind and can really only talk about one thing. He gets obsessions. Like when he was talking to Crooks, he would not stop talking about what George and him are going to do when they get enough money and slims pups that he likes. The rabbits were gonna get, and I get to tend em How long do you think itll be before them pups will be old enough to pet? Crooks thinks it funny to discriminate Lennie because of his simple mind. This is because Lennie relies on George and Crooks has picked up on it and calls him names. Your crazy as a wedge. Jus talks, an you dont understand nothing. Besides Crooks experiencing loneliness another character in the novel Curleys wife also experiences it because she is the only woman in the ranch. Curleys wife admits to Lennie that she is lonely and that she only wants someone to talk to. I get lonely. The reason why she is lonely is because she lives in a patriarchal society. The male dominated society means that when she is bored she flirts with all the men and they think that she is always giving them the eye. I seen her give slim the eye. Today, there is still an issue on racism. In the fifties and the sixties a lot of icons have come forward to fight the rights of inequality. Some of the main ones are Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King fought in the non violence matter and Malcolm X fought in the violence matter. Although they both fought for freedom. Here is a piece from his speech: I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal. To the present day people have died through racism, but it is not so much an issue. People have been brought up to treat everyone as equals, although there are a small minority that dont. This shows that the 1930s were prone to racism and loneliness among blacks and that nowadays there is little.

The western end of the Kennet and Avon canal since the early 19th century Essay Example for Free

The western end of the Kennet and Avon canal since the early 19th century Essay 1790 Prospectus: The 1790 prospectus was created to show the importance of the canal and its mandatory construction. The prospectus basically said that the journey from Bristol to London was slow and tedious and often required the same amount of time as a trip to the West Indies. There were also problems with the new French leader; Napoleon, who was using privateers in the channel to make sure that his continental system deprived Britain of trade and resources, by intercepting the British ships in hope of republicanism spreading to this part of Europe. The canal would therefore solve the problem of the long and dangerous journey. The authors of the prospectus produced it to show the importance of the canal and all of the problems that it would solve (i.e. advertising the canal). It was, maybe a chance to exaggerate the benefits of the canal and get different groups of people on their side. There were a few major groups that the prospectus was aimed at to convince and persuade them and was the main reason that the prospectus was drawn up. They said that it would speed up trade and make it quicker and cheaper to transport goods such as coal from the Somerset Coalfields, slate, corn and American goods e.g. tobacco, rum and cotton. These attractions would bring in traders and thus more trade for the canal and more money from toll payments for cargo. They used the prospectus to persuade shareholders to invest in it and use it as a business. Shareholders were enticed by the prospect of a revolutionary new idea that could give them a large dividend. This invested money would make sure that there was enough capital to build the canal and aid with other financial expenses such as labour (wages). This money would also ensure that parliament gave permission for the construction of the canal and this was important because many MPs were rich land owners at that time and the canal planners needed their permission so that the canal was able to pass through their land. Widcombe Flight: There is not a lot of evidence to support the justification for the canal as put forward in the prospectus at Wicombe Flight. In general there is more evidence to suggest trade within Britain being a major reason for the canals construction i.e. Bristol to London (Tilbury) rather than trade from America to London via Bristol e.g. barley from Bradford-on-Avon, used in the malt house on the side of the canal. The only evidence that suggests this American trade link is the Sydney Wharf warehouses which may have been used to store some American goods e.g. sugar cane and cotton, in transit to London. Its difficult to find any more good evidence because warehouses have been converted and used for different purposes such as residential homes. The atmosphere has also changed with much less trade going on and more tourists on a quiet holiday, making it harder to imagine the trade that went on in the 19th century. The canals uses have changed dramatically since the early 1800s mainly due to the introduction of new types of transport such as rail. Narrow boats are being used now for holidays and people are walking dogs along the tow-path suggesting that the canal is used less for trade and more for tourism. I saw evidence of horses being used to pull boats in the 1800s such as the tow-path, change line bridges and stables. These stables are now an architects house and show how horses are no longer Guillaume Wright 10C2 GCSE History Around Us Coursework C/W 12/5/01 used to pull boats and how businesses have profited from the spare, cheap land on the bank of the canal. The other architects house above Top lock had a large chimney and suggested that it used to be a maltsters and shows that agricultural (barley) and industrial (malt breweries) uses have declined. Warehouses have been converted into restaurants and houses showing the change from trade to leisure and residential uses. There were people fishing on the banks which suggested the canal is also directly involved with leisure and is used for tourism. This site was useful to a certain extent in understanding the 19th century canal uses because it gives evidence of old-fashioned trade and ways e.g. barley and the use of horses. It also has limitations as to its usefulness because the area gas changed so much. The whole atmosphere has changed and buildings have altered their uses. Thimble Mill is now a restaurant and wine bar and the Hilton Hotel used to be a pump house powered by steam, used to pump the 100,000 gallons of lost water flowing downhill at the locks. Its very hard to imagine all of this happening now. Sydney Gardens Print The Sydney Gardens print was made in 1812, only two years after the canal was built, and depicts a beautiful sunny day at the section of the canal that passes through Sydney Gardens in Bath. In the print, Cleveland House is not shown either because the owners of Sydney Gardens thought it degenerated the areas appeal, or because it was not relevant to the canal at the time, as it did not become the canals headquarters until 1825. There is an attractive oriental summer house included in this version, that is not there any more, so the area could gain credibility and attract the wealthier people to somewhere where they could sit in the shade so as to keep their skin white (the fashion and a necessity for people in a high-class society). A small decorative pleasure boat which would have been very rare in those days, is travelling along the canal whereas you were more likely to see coal-barges and narrow boats due to the trade industrys heavy use of the canal. There are also other small differences like the tow-path that ends at the bridge and wealthy stylish people walking along the tow-path instead of horses (to tow the boats) so as to attract people to Sydney Gardens and use the canal leisure activities. Other changes include subtle alterations in the decoration of the bridge, less foliage around the canal to give a more open atmosphere and the fact that its a sunny day to give the overall effect of a perfect venue for a visit or day-out. The print is probably bot very accurate as it changes and alters some of the main features and distorts reality for the Sydney Gardens owners profit and gain. This is and artistic impression of the area and so is only the artists portrayal of it so details may have been altered, maybe so that the artist could impress the Sydney Gardens owners and earn more money and respect. Overall, you cannot trust rely on a picture that has been changed so much and had a motive to be changed. This interpretation was probably produced because it was specially commissioned by the owners of Sydney Gardens to increase profit from tourism because Sydney Gardens was privately run and needed to make a healthy profit to keep people such as the shareholders contented. Because of this and as they didnt want the canal to be seen as an eyesore they applied conditions for the canal builders such as four ornamental bridge (costing 2,200 pounds) and the canal to be sunken down into a ditch and these features are predominant in the print so as to advertise the best parts of the canal. It was produced to show a picturesque scene, set on a calm, sunny day with a beautiful canal which was a comparison to other fashionable cities such as Venice, which improved the areas credibility, especially for the more wealthy as these would bring more money to the area. In the 1700s Bath had built up a reputation of a beautiful Georgian town for the wealthy and offered luxurious attractions such as the Guillaume Wright 10C2 GCSE History Around Us Coursework C/W 12/5/01 Roman Baths, and so Sydney Gardens wanted to attract these wealthier people to their park for a larger profit and an excellent and maintained reputation. Dundas Aqueduct The Dundas Aqueduct funded by Charles Dundas, was one of John Rennies greatest architectural achievements when he built the canal. There was a crane and a few warehouses along the canal which suggests the lifting and storing of goods such as cotton and rum from Britains West Indian trade, rather than coal because this was often transported loosely. There is very little other evidence to suggest trade from the West Indies apart from these warehouses (storing goods in transit to London) to Britain and Dundas Aqueduct mainly consists of evidence of home-based trade such as the bulge (Dundas Marina) in the canal which shows the anticipated build up of traffic along the canal as though they were expecting a lot of trade from around the area. The major piece of evidence is the entrance to the Somerset Coal canal at Dundas, which suggests that trade and goods were regularly coming in from the coalfields and transported to other areas such as London (home trade). The Kennet and Avon canal is wider than the coal canal which suggests that they expected a lot more coal and other goods from other areas to be transported along the canal as well as the Somerset coalfields produce. This 1864 print of the Dundas Aqueduct was produced from the Illustrated London News, and was probably made to show London the thriving business and beauty of the area and to impress wealthy Londoners, who provided trade for this part of the canal with trade from the West Indies (Stonegate at Dundas shows that there were toll collections for cargo). It was also to show off John Rennies architecture, maybe for his personal career in the opportunistic city of London or maybe just to impress people. It showed off its leisure qualities (fishermen), despite a the heavy industry and gave the impression that its a pleasant place to visit and so would be good for the areas economy. It may also have been to impress venture capitalists in London who might invest much-needed money into the canal for repairs and maintenance. There are reasons to believe the pictures accuracy because nothing seems to have been left out, added in or changed dramatically (unlike the Sydney Gardens print) and unattractive features such as the railway and the railway arch are included as well as industrial features such as coal barges and horses. There is a boat going into the coal canal which suggests that it was still involved in business and trade and this is accurate as the canal made a profit until 1890 (print made in 1864). There also seems to be no major motive for any deviations from reality (unlike Sydney Gardens print) and features such as the stone work, decorations and style are very much the same as they are today. Having said this, there are still doubts as to its accuracy such as the exaggeration of the beauty of the area with the impressive cliffs and forests in the background. There is a cobbled bridge (entrance to Somerset coal canal) which has now been replaced by a metal swing bridge, and it is a matter of opinion whether the cobbled bridge ever existed. It is most likely to be very accurate as the cobbles are accurate when cross-checked with other tow paths in Bath for horses that look similar. Taking into account all of these factors, in my opinion, the photograph is accurate. Devizes Museum The Devizes museum holds artefacts and displays from the working days of the Kennet and Avon canal, and it is important for historians to check the authenticity of the artefacts so that the museum can paint a realistic picture of canal life in the 19th century. Cross referencing can be useful for checking artefacts, as dates and material use can be verified with any dates on the artefact e.g. the loading gauge rods may have a date imprinted on the artefact that can be checked with the dates of when they were used and when the technology was available. Horse equipment could be checked with similar equipment from the time to check for any obvious differences or fake parts. The material that the artefact is made from could be scientifically tested and dated using a method such as carbon dating on objects such as the narrow boat rudder, although this is not a particularly accurate method. Letters and prints can be checked (e.g. photos showing scenes from the late 19th century) by verifying the scene where the photo was alleged to have been taken. They could also check the type of photograph and whether the technology existed at that time. For items such as the mock up of the canal cabin or the model of the crane, there is the possibility of verification with people who have used and experienced these artefacts or cross-check with diaries or letters from canal workers or Victorian travellers. This is the most accurate method, as long as the source is reliable. Finally, they could check the mechanics of something like the pulley to see if it works like it should do (taking into consideration the possible damage and weakening of the artefact). There are limitations to these artefacts usefulness in determining what it was like in the 19th century. For useful objects such as the narrow boat rudder and the pulley, there is likely to be a fair amount of damage, or it will be repaired or altered in order to put it on display in the museum and so its hard to imagine how it worked. Because culture and technology has changed so much, its difficult to imagine how objects such as the crane and the pulley would have been used, as the canals uses have changed so dramatically from the 19th century. Again, there are limitations for the model of the cabin as, although it shows the visual side it gives no sense of the noises, smells, cramped conditions, and the general atmosphere of trade and travel. It is also hard to obtain realism in the working models (e.g. crane and pulley) as they are likely to work too smoothly and its hard to imagine the scale and size of it. With letters such as the one from John Ward, warning about navvies, its left up to the imagination as to what it was like and sections may be exaggerated leading to a misrepresentation of the area in the 19th century. Conclusion Hypothesis: The Kennet and Avon canal was only built in order to benefit the Somerset Coal canal. For the purpose of contradicting this statement, I can say that, no where in the prospectus is the Somerset Coal canal mentioned and it suggests that the main purpose of the canal was to create an inland navigation system from Bristol to London to benefit trade from the West Indies as well as home trade, by by-passing the long, tedious and dangerous journey across the channel. In fact the prospectus was drawn up in 1790; before the Somerset Coal canal was even built (1804-5), suggesting that the Somerset Coal canal just wanted to benefit from the Kennet and Avon canal rather than the Kennet and Avon being built purposefully for the coal canal. There is no specific mention of coal among the home trade section of the prospectus and there is also the fact that we saw evidence of other types of home trade around the canal such as Hugh Bairds maltsters who used barley from places such as Bradford on Avon to make alcohol. There was also plenty of information at the Devizes museum explaining the canals use as a method of transit for West Indian goods. There are no reasons that can support this statement fully, but there is evidence of coal being transported along the canal such as the warehouses at Dundas and Sydney Gardens. This isnt true but a major result of the construction of the Kennet and Avon canal was that it was beneficial to the Somerset Coal canal, shown by the entrance at Dundas which links the canals together. Again coal is mentioned as information in the Devizes museum as a good associated with the Kennet and Avon. Overall, I think each site we visited was good at helping us understand the old uses of the Kennet and Avon canal.

Literature Review of Industrial Policies

Literature Review of Industrial Policies What types of industrial policies are there? Discuss, comparatively, the experience of  Brazil and South Korea. Discussing the literature of industrial policy. The Industrial Policy plan of a country, sometimes shortened IP, is its official strategic effort to encourage the development and growth of the manufacturing sector of the economy.There are role of government which takes measures aimed at improving the competitiveness and capabilities of domestic firms and promoting structural transformation. [4] A countrys infrastructure (transportation, telecommunications and energy industry) is a major part of the manufacturing sector that usually has a key role in IP 1. What kinds of industrial policies are effective? One aspect of this question is whether governments should use industrial policies to make the most of their country’s current comparative advantage, or instead invest in higher-productivity industries that are not competitive in the short-term. According to Justin Yifu Lin, World Bank Chief Economist, where industrial policies fail this is â€Å"due mostly to governments’ inability to align their efforts with their country’s resource base and level of development† (Lin, 2010). For Lin, developing countries should first seek to profit from the (mostly labour- and resource-intensive) products and services that they are currently most competitive in. They will accumulate human and physical capital in the process. This capital, Lin argues, can be reinvested over time in more productive industries. An article in the †The Economist† draws similar conclusions. Ha-Joon Chang, in contrast, argues that dev eloping countries should defy their comparative advantage. For Chang, the cost of moving capital between industries (e.g. from sewing machines to car plants) means that countries should actively promote high-productivity industries at an early stage in their development. Some argue that while manufacturing should be given special policy treatment, governments should not favour particular manufacturing industries (cf. UNIDO, 2011)2. One way to do this is by improving the infrastructure that manufacturers require, e.g. by promoting industrial clusters (UNIDO 2009). The creation of export-oriented Special Economic Zones is a well-known example of this. Critics argue that such an approach may only attract short-term investment, achieving little if any positive spillover into the wider economy (Good and Hughes, 2002 ). Another question is which kinds of industrial policy are most effective in promoting economic development. For example, economists debate whether developing countries should focus on their comparative advantage by promoting mostly resource- andlabour-intensiveproducts and services, or invest inhigher-productivityindustries, which may only become competitive in the longer term. An example of typical industrial policy can be import-substitution-industrialization (ISI), where trade barriers are temporarily imposed on some key sectors, such as manufacturing. By selectively protecting certain industries, these industries are given time to learn (learning by doing) and upgrade. Once competitive enough, these restrictions are lifted to expose the selected industries to the international market. ISI was most successful in countries with large populations and income levels which allowed for the consumption of locally produced products. Latin American countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and (to a lesser extent) Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela, had the most success with ISI. The Brazilian ISI process, which occurred from 1930 until the end of the 1980s, involved in boosting exports and discouraging imports (thus promoting the consumption of locally manufactured products), as well as the adoption of different exchange rates for importing capital goods and for importing consumer goods. Moreover, government policies toward investment were not always opposed to foreign capital: the Brazilian industrialization process was based on: governmental, private, and foreign capital, the first being directed to infrastructure and heavy industry, the second to manufacturing consumer goods, and the third, to the production of durable goods (such as automobiles). Volkswagen, Ford, GM, and Mercedes all established production facilities in Brazil in the 1950s and 1960s.. Industrial policy covers many areas of policy. In the historical and comparative literature on the industrialization processes in East Asia and Latin America, the following areas of industrial policy have been persistently disputed: trade strategies, the role and extent of directed credits and subsidies, and innovation policies. In a country whose government has industrial policies, the market force is more or less distorted due to government intervention. It can also be the case that the government uses industrial policy to correct market distortion resulted from domestic monopoly. However, there is no uniformity in the essence or the extent of industrial policies. Different paths chosen by the governments lead to different patterns of industrial development. Even similar strategies could bring about different results when implemented under different environments. A scarcity of natural resources has motivated South Korea to look at its human capital as its biggest endowment, and the country has invested heavily in education, science and technology, and a â€Å"knowledge-based† economy. The South Korea is one of the few countries in the world that has managed radically to transform its domestic economy from one based on agriculture to that of a leading world industrial power, with a constant increase in income per capita and a high growth pattern (Figure 1). Industrialisation and the shift from light to heavy and chemical industries boosted the rising growth pattern and favoured a virtuous integration into foreign markets (Figure 2). For many years, Brazil employed various policies to alter its productive structure in order to increase the participation of sectors believed to have great potential to generate economic growth. Behind these initiatives lay the idea that since the terms of exchange tend over time to deteriorate as far as agricultural production is concerned, it would be appropriate for developing countries to make an effort to industrialize, principally by imposing protectionist tariffs [Prebisch (1950) Singer (1950)].1 The aim here is not to present a detailed report on Brazil’s industrial policy (IP, for now on) over the last few years [for this, see Suzigan (1995), Guimarà £es (1996) and Bonelli, Veiga Brito (1997), Suzigan Furtado (2006)], but rather to describe briefly the tools used to promote industry. Between the 50s and the 80s, various types of trade protection were basically used (import taxes and non-tariff barriers such as the examination of similarity, indices of nationalizat ion, contingency mechanisms, import licensing, preference in government procurement), along with export stimulation (favored exchange rates for exports of manufactured goods and tax exemptions) and subsidies for production in selected sectors (tax exemption and reduction and acceleration of capital depreciation). Besides this, there was an intense flow of credit to sectors considered to be priority and the strong direct presence of the State in various productive activities. To all this, add the obstacles against adopting new technologies (the Information Technology Law (â€Å"Lei de Informà ¡tica†), for example), large state investments in infrastructure (especially up to the late 70s) and expansion of higher education (principally as of the 70s). Brazilian industrial policy developed within the context of a paradigm shift in the relations between State and Society, in which the public sector sought to bring about a business environment favorable to productive investment, w hile the private sector busied itself with seeking out opportunities and making investments. Brazil’s Industrial, Technological and Foreign Trade Policy (PITCE), unveiled in March of 2004, has unique features which clearly distinguish it from previous policies. Its purpose is to bring increased efficiency and competitiveness to Brazilian companies and place them in international markets, thereby creating jobs and increasing incomes. ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Nonetheless, it must be remembered that there is no consensus concerning deterioration of the terms of trade [see Hadass Williamson (2001) for pertinent references]. On the other hand, Sarkar Singer (1991) find indications that the terms of trade for exports of manufactured goods from developing countries also tend to deteriorate, which would justify the prescriptions set forth by Prebisch (1950) and Singer (1950) even in a more advanced stage of development. 2 These tools were not used with the same intensity in all periods. For further details, see Suzigan (1995) If IP appeared to be successful in changing Brazil’s productive structure, there is no evidence that it managed to promote sustained growth over many years. Comparison with countries that found themselves in a similar stage of development is quite illustrative. We see that Brazil’s per capita income in the 60s was higher than many of the countries in East Asia, but during the 80s it was surpassed by all of them. By way of illustration, in 1980 Brazil’s per capita income was 131% of South Korea’s, 40% of Japan’s and 108% of Taiwan’s, whereas in 2000 it had dropped to 50% of South Korea’s, 28% of Japan’s and 39% of Taiwan’s (see Figure 1). From the 90s on, a movement is perceived to open the economy and diminish the role of the State as entrepreneur. The impact of trade opening on industrial productivity has been widely documented [Ferreira Rossi-Jà ºnior (2003)], but this apparently was not translated into exceptionally high growth rates, especially if compared with previous periods (characterized by the intense use of vertical policies) or with the countries of East Asia (see Figure 1). This being so, many authors point to the performance of the Brazilian economy in the last fifteen years as evidence of the need to adopt sectorial policies [see Kupfer (2003), for example]. Work Cited Wikipedia. Industrial policy UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) www.unido.org Industrial Policy and Territorial Development. Lessons from Korea An industrial policy for Brazil (AlessAndro Teixeira. President of the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Development (ABDI) ) Import Substitution and Industrialization in Latin Amercia: Experiences and Interpretations. (Latin American Studies Association) Import Substitution Industrialization. Looking Inward for the Source of Economic Growth Industrial and innovation policies in Brazil: recent paths and main challenges (Institute for Manufacturing)

Arguing for Authenticity: A Comparison and Contrast of Two American Mod

â€Å"[F]uture commentators on American poetry and political issues will not be able to ignore [historical context of the author]† argues Barry Ahearn, author of the article â€Å"Poetry: 1900 to the 1940’s,† which discusses the importance of the â€Å"authentic voice of the region† in poetry that gives each work legitimacy (Ahearn 373). The author uses criticism regarding various authors and responds to each with a different argument, such as the mentioning of alcohol in female poetry versus using the â€Å"cultural clichà © †¦ of Appalachian moonshine† in female poetry (Ahearn 372-373). Ahearn discusses writers such as: Sterling A. Brown, Langston Hughes, H.D. (Hilda Doolittle), Robert Frost, Robinson Jeffers, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Lorine Niedecker, George Oppen, John Crowe Ransom, Charles Rezikoff, Muriel Rukeyser, Gertrude Stine, Wallace Stevens, Sara Teasdale, William Carlos Williams, and Louis Zukofksy. The purpose of mentio ning so many others, so claims Ahearn, is to gather a survey of works between 1900 and the 1940’s. The author talks more about some writers more than others; for instance, Ahearn points out William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens differing qualities to the point of describing them as so opposite that they are, in fact, almost dependent on each other. For the purposes of this paper, however, I will be examining how the author discusses Langston Hughes and Robert Frost; both of which he describes in great detail. The discussion of these writers creates a wide range of Modernist authors that influenced each other and the people who read their works. The author claims that it is the authenticity of the writer that creates a more accurate work of literature, and the life experiences of these authors, that adds to th... ...thesis statement. The individual sections of this article were well written and each seemed to have its own thesis statement. Each section could be expanded and turned into a very interesting paper on its own. Though it seems that the author wanted to talk about too many authors at one time, creating an article that gives many ideas, but not as much connectivity or flow. Works Cited Barry Ahearn. "Poetry: 1900 to the 1940s." American Literary Scholarship 2008 (2008): 365 386. Project MUSE. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. . Works Cited Barry Ahearn. "Poetry: 1900 to the 1940s." American Literary Scholarship 2008 (2008): 365 386. Project MUSE. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. .

Stephens Journey to Maturation in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young

Stephen's Journey to Maturation in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce    In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the author James Joyce uses the development of Stephen from a sensitive child to a rebellious young man to develop the plot of the novel. In this novel, Joyce suggests that through Stephen's experiences with religion, sexuality and education, Stephen not only becomes more mature but these experiences also inspire him to redefine his world and his understanding of his true feelings about art. Religion, besides the practical need for food and shelter is one of the most powerful drives in Stephen's life. Religion serves as Stephen's guidance and saviour yet it is also responsible for his tormented youth and distracting him from his artistic development. As a child growing up in a strict Catholic family, Stephen is raised to be a good Catholic boy who will follow the teaching of Catholism as his guidance in his life. The severity of his family is shown when his mother tells him either to "apologise" (4) or "the eagles will come and pull out his eyes" (4). Stephen is taught by his mother to be tolerant when she "[tells] him not to speak with the rough boys in the college" (5). Similarly, Stephen's father also taught him a Catholic quality by telling Stephen "never to peach on a fellow' (6). Evidence of Stephen following the "never to peach" (6) quality is shown when Stephen agrees not to tell on Wells for pushing him into a ditch. However, as Stephen matures into his adolesce nce, religion becomes his savior rather than his guidance. As Stephen's family condition declines, he sees priesthood as a way to escape poverty and shame. In fact, priesthood is an opportunity for Stephen's personal gain... ...lly as [he] can, using for [his] defence the only arms [he] allow [himself] to use - silence, exile, and cunning" (226-269). By discussing how education affects Stephen from a child to a young man, Joyce has shown the reader Stephen's development as an artist and human being. The novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is an autobiography of James Joyce who delivers the influential aspects in his life and his artistic development to the reader through the eyes of the fictional character of Stephen Dedalus. In the novel, Stephen's journey to maturation and to become an artist is influenced by his religion, sexuality and education. Yet, Stephen is able to overcome the obstacles result from these aspects and experience his life to its fullest.    Work Cited Joyce, James. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. 1916. New York: Penguin,1993.   

Religion at the time of the Communist Manifesto Essay -- Karl Marx Rel

Religion at the time of the Communist Manifesto Following the Industrial Revolution in 19th century Europe, change was in full swing and religion began to have different meanings for different people. The upper-class citizens used Religion, namely Christianity, and the power that it possessed in an attempt to keep their high status in society, while the lower class turned to faith so that their lives could possibly improve. Instead of religion being the cornerstone of faith and worship amongst all people, it was being used for power and money by the upper class. Even worse, religious leaders were using the upper class people as well, gaining money and authority from their endorsement. A man by the name of Karl Marx saw what was happening and thus spoke out about it, declaring religion as â€Å"the opium of the people.†[1] He had a vision for equality, and wrote it down in the form of the Communist Manifesto; however nowhere in this document were aspirations of religious harmony. Religion was becoming the c atalyst for class separation and social mayhem in 19th century Europe, and according to Karl Marx, equality was only possible with the abolition of it as a whole. In a time where industry was at a peak, and the wealthy citizens, or bourgeois, were getting richer and richer, religion was being used as a way to make money and ensure the power of the upper class, while the lower class proletariats could but watch their lives fade away into the horrific conditions of the working class, with little hope due to the lack of lower class education.[2] As religions spread out freely, the authoritarian peoples frequently used their power to embrace religion as a moneymaker, and prevent liberty from turning ... ...eger, 1961.) 33 [4] Armstrong, 178 [5] Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party, trans. Samuel Moore (Chicago: Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company, 1989) [6] Friedrich Engels, The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844 (London: Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1892) 45, 48-51. [7]) McClellan, 63 [8] Sherman, Dennis , and Joyce Salisbury. The West in the World. (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2001.) 617 [9] Lichtheim, 42. [10] Butterfield, Herbert. Christianity in European History. (London: Collins, 1951) 5. [11] Sherman, Salisbury, 617 Links: Professor Santamarina's webpage http://www.marxist.com/Theory/marxism_and_religion.html http://www.faithnet.freeserve.co.uk/marxism.htm http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bookchin/comman.html http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/index.htm

Strategic Management Process

Organizations develop some form of a strategic management plan to enter, maintain, or continue to enhance their position with other competitors within their industry. The primary goal of any organization is to provide a product or service to produce a profit. Though the objective remains the same regardless of the organization, the strategic management processes may vary. Prior to describing the components of a strategic management process, one must first understand the definition of strategic management.Strategic management is â€Å"a set of managerial decisions and actions that determines the long-run performance of a corporation† (Wheelan & Hunger, 2010). The concept of strategic management allows a company to set goals in order to secure sustainability for the future. There are four steps in a strategic management plan: situation analysis, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and strategy evaluation (Whelan & Hunger, 2010). These steps are performed in this speci fic order when developing a new plan of management.Situation analysis involves reviewing the internal and external environment as well as the organizational framework of a company. When focusing on internal environment of a company one must focus on the different working relationships within the organization. To analyze the external environment would include evaluation of relationships the company has with its customers, suppliers, creditors and competitors. (Coulter, 2005). The second step in strategic management plan is strategy formulation. In this step the strategies for the company are formulated focusing on its strengths.Strategy formulation can be categorized into three organizational levels: operational, competitive and corporate (Coulter, 2005). Strategy implementation is the next step. In this step the strategies that were formulated in the previous step are put into action. This includes development of operating procedures necessary to implement the strategies set forth. To be successful the problems should be prioritized based on the seriousness of the issue and should focus on the important issues first (Coulter, 2005). The final step is strategy evaluation. In this step the entire process is under scrutiny.This includes how the strategy was executed and the effectiveness of it. In this step changes are made as necessary. For example if goals were not met the strategy should be modified (Coulter, 2005). The Internal Revenue Service began using a strategic management plan in 1985. They use the plan to fulfill the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993. As part of the strategic management process The IRS plans and budgets, develops measures, implements the plan, and evaluates the results (http://govinfo. library. unt. edu/npr/library/studies/caseirsa. pdf).In conclusion a strategic management plan is a continuous process and is important to the successful future of a company. Strategies will change as objectives and goals change. The use of a strategic management process is important to the sustainability and longevity of a company. References Coulter, M. (2005). Strategic Management in Action. (3rd ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. http://govinfo. library. unt. edu/npr/library/studies/caseirsa. pdf Wheelen, T. L. , & Hunger, J. D. , (2010). Concepts in strategic management and business policy (12th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education

Gender Non-Conformity

Most parent think when they see their son playing dolls and having delights with fashion has tendency to become a gay and so with girls who are mostly fun of playing ballgames with boys has the possibility to become a lesbian when they grow older. The American society assumed that there are only two sex preferences, male and female. Sex refers to whether male or female, feminine of masculine. Gender sometimes is closely interchange with sex. This is the misconception our society had. Though gender is related to sex but both have distinct visibility. We have the so called low and high masculinity and vise versa on females. Boys who do what girls usually do such as, cleaning the house, cooking, doing the laundry, belong to the low class masculine and boys who are irritated with a girl thing, do not even wash their own underwear or even fix their bed belong to the high masculinity and vise versa with girls. But this doesn’t mean that those who are in the low masculinity are said to be gays, only that they can live by themselves. The question why parents are more accepting of a daughter exhibiting a liking for truck and sports rather than a son exhibiting a liking for playing dolls and cooking is that parents are more centered to a son’s development rather than a daughter’s. It is because of the â€Å"man† identity. A boy when he grows older must be strong, straight, focus and a builder. He has to support and protect his family. Girls are very meticulous, gentle, caring and etc. A mother, who sees her daughter playing sports with boys, doing hard chores that are intended for boys may feel more comfortable believing that her child is strong and capable of doing things in both genders.   Aside from that, gays are very expressive. They want to feel like a woman who is too awkward to look at rather that a girl wearing jeans and loose shirts. According to Throckmorton, a psychology professor at Grove City College, Pennsylvania, â€Å"people who don’t conform with gender norms are like homosexual. According to the study, children who grow up to be heterosexual typically go through a stage where they perceive the opposite sex as different from themselves, or exotic, and eventually transition into seeing members of the opposite sex as erotic. If a child is gender non-conforming, then he or she is likely to perceive members of the same sex as different from themselves, and eventually develop an erotic attraction to members of the same sex later in life. He also stated that parents should avoid the mindset that if their son doesn’t have any interest in baseball that there is something wrong with him. (Lee, 2006) The negative responses to the expressions of non-traditional gender behavior in young males are functional in the society. It is very obvious that there is discrimination and abuse. Gays and lesbians are fighting for their rights until these days. This negative expression greatly affects on young boys. Acceptance for non-conformity of gender among boys is rarely seen in our society. Good for those who belong to a family that support him whatever and whoever he may be. There are many reasons to encourage a full range of gendered behavior in sons and daughters. One of this is role modeling. We should always remember that children learn from what you are and not what you say. Your own practice is always the greatest influence. This is the most basic responsibility of the parents. The greatest parenting challenge lies in being responsible for guiding, teaching, and urging your child toward his best self-which includes the need to notice his mistakes and help him correct them- while simultaneously accepting and loving him as he exist now, before his faults are rectified. (Bobbie Sandoz) Reference: Psychological, Anthropological and Sociological Foundations of Education, Alicia S. Bustos, Socorro c. Espiritu; Katha Publishing Co., Inc. 1996 The language of Parenting’ Blue Mountain Press;SPS Studios, Inc., 2001 http://www.southernvoice.com/2006/4-7/news/national/gender.cfm http://cjwww.csustan.edu/hatecrimes/99/anti-gay/anti-gay%20web.html http://www.lambda.org/youth_suicide.htm http://www.southernvoice.com/2006/4-7/news/national/gender.cfm http://www.youth-suicide.com/gay-bisexual/construction/6-gay-youth-suicide-feminine-males.htm

Claddagh Rings Essay

Today’s society is extremely fashion and style conscious. Most styles and trends are in one day and out the next, from clothing, jewelry, and accessories. However some trends are timeless and never go out of style, like the Irish Claddagh ring. But what is the origin of the jewelry and why is it still such a popular trend today? All these questions can be explained by looking at the origin, legends, meaning, and usage of the ring. The history of the Claddagh ring is surrounded in uncertainty due to the many popular folk stories that circulating around the origins of the ring. However what we do know for certain is that the ring originated from the Irish town of Claddagh(cite48). Claddagh was a small fishing village outside the city of Galway (cite48). This is where the name of the ring comes from. As with most story there are always many variations, in the case of the Claddagh ring and its origins there are numerous. One variation is how Margaret Joyce took the fortune inherited from her late husband, a Spanish merchant, and used it for charitable causes. She was reward for her charitably when a eagle one day dropped the the original Claddagh ring into her lap. cite48) The most likely legend of the rings origin is generally attributed to Richard Joyce. It goes that around 1675 Joyce was captured by Algerian pirates and sold as a slave while traveling to the West Indies. Joyce was sold to a Turkish goldsmith who taught him his craft. Joyce was released after William III was accession to the throne of England in 1689 and released all prisoners held captive by the Moors. Joyce served his master for fourteen years and when released his master offered half his wealth and his daughters hand in marriage if Joyce would continue to practice under him. Joyce declined this offer and returned to Claddagh where he married, had his on business as a silversmith and created the first Claddagh ring. The historical facts from this version of the story hold more truth to the origins of the ring then any other legend given that King William III did in fact release all Moors’ slaves. (cite 48 49) The Claddagh ring has a distinctive design. It features two hands clasping a heart that is surmounted with a crown. The ring itself is a symbol of love and marriage. Its believed that the heart represents love, the hand friendship, and the crown loyalty(cite 49). Going back to Richard Joyce if he is, and mostly likely was, the creator of the Claddagh ring the design itself depicts his loyalty and love of his country, since he did refused his masters offers to come home to Ireland. The Claddagh ring when created was used as a wedding or betrothal ring passed down from mother to daughter during a time of marriage (cite 49). This tradition it ensured the survival of the ring. (cite 49. ) The rings unique design also ensured its survival because it could be worn by both sex since it represents friendship and loyalty. Claddagh rings are still a expression of romance today. Today you can find the Claddagh symbol on different types of Celtic crosses, pendants, candles, and other jewelry. Its popularity in today’s society has been boosted threw media and pop culture, with celebrities wearing the ring and movies like Ladder 41, which describes how they way in which one wears the ring shows if they are in love or still open to friendship. Regardless of which legend of how the ring originated is true the facts is that the Claddagh ring has survived through history, keeping a symbolic meaning that is still significant.

The Buddhist Concepts of Rebirth and Release

Buddhism begins and ends with Buddha’s enlightenment experience, for this the ultimate source of Buddhist teachings and there are a mean towards moral and spititual development culminating in a Buddha like experience. At his enlightenment, the Buddha gained direct knowledge of rebirth, karma, and the four holy truths (Harvey, 1990, p. 32).In the first public teaching (known as the â€Å"turning of the wheel of dharma†) Siddhartha Gautam, the historical Buddha is said to have set out the fundamentals of Buddhist doctrine and practice and then proceeded to outline the four noble truths- the kernels of Buddhist doctrine which are duhkha, trsna, nirvana and the way to achieve nirvana. Birth, old age, sickness and death which give duhkha (sadness) are unsatisfactory, and the cause of this unsatisfatoriness gives rise to craving (trsna). End to this unsatisfactory state of mind can be achieved through nirvana.The eight steps to the path of nirvana involve the development of a ppropriate view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and finally appropriate meditative concentration. This Buddhist doctrine constitutes the essence of the Buddhist world view and provides the basis and context of all subsequent Buddhist philosophical reflection (King, 1999, p. 76). After six years of meditation, Buddha attained spiritual enlightenment or nirvana. Budha preached for forty five years and died at the age of ninety years.Buddhist enlightenment is related to the attainment of the five supernatural powers, but their attainment is not, the Buddha concluded, in itself the realisation of enlightenment (Iizuka, 1995, p. 151). The action and interest of those who attain nirvana are completely detached from all images and sound. However, internally the mind is in a condition of most intense activity. Since the person has reached the fullest stretch of his mental and spiritual capacity, and at a level of highest transcendental consciousness, he is infini tely at peace with himself (Iizuka, 153).According to Buddha, duhkha happens everywhere all the time because nothing is perfect in this world. Every life has the kamma (force) from the person’s previous lives, and being reborn means that everyone always suffers from the force of their previous lives. This means no life is perfect and only when people have reached nirvana will they be able to overcome duhkha. Duhkha according to Buddha is caused by selfishness and all our sufferings are caused by this selfishness. The ultimate goal of the people should be to break from this never ending cycle of rebirth.By stopping greed and selfishness, one can break out of the rebirth cycle, which brings perfect freedom in the form of nirvana (Penney, p. 14). The Buddhist believe that the ultimate goal of meditation is nirvana, liberation from samsara, liberation from the ever repeated cycle of death and rebirth conditioned by Karma, in which all deluded beings are caught up. The doctrine of rebirth formed an essential part of the world view which the Buddha inherited. Thus, the Buddha accepted that the goal of all spiritual striving was nirvana, release from rebirth.Consequently, he interpreted his own experience of enlightenment as the attainment of that goal (Bucknell, and Fox, 1983). Rebirth in Buddhism is seen both as a process which takes place after death, and also as a process taking place during life. This means, we are constantly changing during life, ‘reborn’ as a ‘different’ person according to our mood, the task we are involved in, or the people we are relating to. We may experience ‘heavenly’ or hellish state of mind depending on how we act.According to Buddhist philosophy, it is reasonable to suppose that this process of change, determined by the nature of our actions, does not abruptly stop at death, but carries on (Harvey, p. 45). Our present form and circumstances of life are part of an uninterrupted series of se parate existences that streak back into the distance past and will continue on into the interminable future. A constant and uninterrupted flow of beings living in the different stratified levels and passing on from one to another was the very essence of the world view called samsara.The schemes of things, rewards and punishments, human conditions in high or low states, all had their reasons for existence in this cosmic flux of inter-connected events and states. The conclusive evidence of Sakyamuni Buddha’s supreme enlightenment confirmed and endorsed the essential elements of the processes of samsara and rebirth (Cheetham, 1994, p. 9). Rebirth is a casual link between one life and the next, and not a soul reincarnating. Only a casual connection links one life to another, so our karmic accumulation conditions our next life.Contemplating rebirth helps us accept our own death without falling into the two extremes of eternalism or nihilism. The positive side of this rebirth conce pt is focussing an individual’s attention and energy to the present and make the most of one’s life. This constructive aspect of Buddhism while makes one realise about the transient nature of life, give them scope for improving the same to be able to rise to a higher realm (Halls, 2003, p. 54 ). The realm a being is born is determined by karma which is a ‘beings’ intentional actions of body, speech and mind, whatever is done, said or even just thought with intention or purpose.Though, rebirth in the lower realms is considered to be the result of relatively unwholesome or bad karma, rebirth in the higher realms is the result of relatively wholesome or good karma. Correspondingly, the lower the realm, the more unpleasant and unhappy is one’s condition; the higher the realm the more pleasant, happy, tranquil and refined one’s condition is. This rebirth hierarchy does not however constitute a simple ladder to climb and passing out at the top into nirvana or release.Nirvana or release may be obtained from any of the realms, from the human to the highest of the pure abodes and the four formless realms but not from the four lowest realms. Yet, rather than attaining nirvana or release, human beings generally rise and fall through the various realms which are precisely the nature of the samsara, i. e. wandering from life to life with no particular direction or purpose (Gethin, 1998, p. 119). The cycle of rebirth is thus seen as involving innumerable lives over vast stretches of time.If the cycle only involved human rebirths, it would have been difficult for a Buddhist to explain the population explosion. However, the cycle is seen to involve many other forms of life, such as animals so that readjustments between populations are made possible. This introduces the idea of different realms of rebirth. The first two of these realms are those of humans and animals kingdom. The latter includes sentient creatures as simple as insects. Plants are not included, although they are seen as having a very rudimentary consciousness, in the form of sensitivity to the touch.There are also realms of beings that are not normally visible, such as the realms of ‘petas’ or departed. As these are seen as having made of ‘subtle matters’, such a rebirth does not involve re-incarnation, that is getting a gross physical body again. In Buddhist painting of life cycle and rebirth, petas are seen as frustrated ghostly beings that frequent human world due to their strong earthly attachments (Harvey, 1990, p. 33). The Buddhist although believe in rebirth, do not accept that there is any substantial entity of self (atman) being reborn in this process.There is simply the process itself. Buddhist philosophical texts tend to represent rebirth using analogies of dynamic and ever changing processes, such as the flowing of a river or the flickering flame of a candle. Thus to talk about identity or the difference betwee n life in this Buddhist cycle of rebirth is inappropriate (King, 1999, p. 81). Nirvana is a difficult concept but traditional Buddhist understanding of Nirvana is quite clear. Literally nirvana means ‘blowing out’ or ‘extinguishing’, although Buddhist like to explain it as ‘the absence of craving’.When a being reaches a state of nirvana, the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion no longer arise in his or her mind, since they have been thoroughly rooted out. Yet, like the Buddha, any person who attains nirvana does not remain thereafter forever absorbed in some transcendental state of mind. On the contrary, he or she continues to live in this world, with the difference that his thoughts and deeds are completely free of the motivations of greed, aversion and delusion and motivated instead entirely by generosity, friendliness and wisdom.This condition of extinguishing the defilement can be termed nirvana with the remainder of life. Eventually , the reminder of life, like all beings, such a person must die. But unlike other beings, who have not experienced nirvana, he or she will not be reborn into some new life. Instead of being reborn, the person attains parinirvanas, which means that the five aggregates of physical and mental phenomena that constitute a being cease to occur (Gethin, 1998, p. 75). Persons with various deluded mind will not attain nirvana or release and these views are called prapanca.When one gains insight into and realises the dharmakaya, which in effect is the noble truth of cessation with respect to any or all form of prapanca, or self view, one attains the Buddha nature. It is the theories of self and attachment to self that bind us. Buddha nature thought, like the rest of Buddhism, aims to release us from this bondage. The Dharmakaya or Buddha nature, as the truth of cessation represents the active releasing from bondage that constitutes the Buddha way. Hence Buddha nature is not a substantive enti ty, not a self mind, but the cessation of all self views (King, 1991, p.95). The Buddha’s noble eighth fold path to liberation from suffering emphasized practical discipline and direct experience to countermand the human tendency to theorize about spiritual life and reify rather than to encounter it directly. The eight member of the noble eighth-fold path termed â€Å"samyak Samadhi† consists of eight stages of meditative practices known as jhana in Pali, for the purpose of transcending individuated consciousness and leading to enlightenment or nirvana (Whicher, 1998, P. 313).One of the central images of Buddhism is that of crossing the ocean of samsara and arriving at the other shore of nirvana or enlightenment, which is journey from the troubling world to the world as Buddha land. In Buddhism, this path or crossing to nirvana is the most difficult one, and there is no guarantee of completion of this path. The ocean of life is full of turbulence and this turbulent nat ure of life’s ocean is an intimate function of our own intentions or karma which we create through actions motivated by our likings and disliking.Since these troubles are our own creation, we must undo the trouble as well. Buddhist salvation is not breaking away from the world but about freeing all things by undoing the dualistic knot of our karma and the stranglehold of our habitually held likes and dislikes (Hershock, 1999, p. 111). In Buddhism, denial of the reality of the self in man is called absolute anatta. The anatta doctrine of the Buddhist philosophy has been from early times a pillar of Buddha dogma, together with all pervading impermanence and suffering.This doctrine is consistently propounded by orthodox Buddhists as one of the most outstanding characteristics of their system. The anatta doctrine raises many questions such as the reality of the moral agent and the existence and nature of moral responsibility, the continuity of individuality in the rebirth cycle, the nature of kamma, and the way it works and the relation of nirbana to the individual who attain it. However, Buddha refuses to answer the question whether the liberated man exists or does not exist after death.However, most of the Buddhist text implies that the liberated man is the personification of all reality (Ramon, 1980, p. 1-2). To conclude, the essence of life according to Buddhism is karma. Karma is called the law of cause and effect, which means every action we undertake creates a cause that will have in some point of time- even in rebirth have an effect. Our bad action in life will bring negative results and good actions will be rewarded with positive results. This is the ethical way how karma operates. This will keep in check our negative traits, and help us behave mindfully.The wheels of life in Buddhism signify through different symbolism the causes for this cycle of rebirth. Three animals at the center of the wheel symbolises endless cycles of sufferings with one ne gative action causing the next. The pig depicts the erroneous perception about the world and cock signifies ignorance about our own existence, giving rise to craving, lust, and desire. The ultimate negativism arising out of wrong perception of life is hatred and anger, symbolised in the wheel in the form of snake.The picture of Buddha at the top let of the picture symbolises liberation from ignorance, desire and hatred which are causes of all our sufferings. Thus liberation of the soul can be realised by following Buddha path and the ultimate attainment of nirvana (Halls, 2003, p. 50). References Bucknell, R. S and Fox, M. X (1983) The ‘three knowledges’ of Buddhism: Implications of Buddhadasa's interpretation of rebirth, Religion, Volume 13, Issue 2, pp. 99-112 Cheetham, E (1994) Fundamentals of Mainstream Buddhism, Charles E Turtle company Inc, USAGethin, R (1998) The Foundations of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, NY Halls, G. F (2003) the Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Buddhist Wisdom, Octopus Publishing Groups Harvey, B. P (1990) An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, Cambridge University Press Hershock, P. D (1999) Reinventing the wheel: A Buddhist response to the information age, Sunny Series of Philosophy and Biology, Albany, State University of New York Press IIzuka, T (1995) The Quest for life: Zen in business and life, New York University Press.King, R (1999) Indian Philosophy: An introduction to Hindu and Buddhist Thought, Edinburg University Press King, S. B (1991) Buddha Nature, Albany State University of New York Press Penney, S (1995) Buddhism, Core edition, Heinmann Educational Publishers, P. 48 Ramon, J. P (1980) Self and non-self in early Buddhism, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, N. Y. Whicher, Y (1998) The Integrity of Yoga Darsana: A reconsideration of the classical yoga, Sun series in religious studies, Albany, State University of New York Press