Romeo And Juliet Essays (3767 words) - , Term Papers

Romeo And Juliet Four hundred years ago, William Shakespeare wrote The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, a popular play that continues to capture the imagination and emotions of people around the world. The drama portrays the passionate, violent and often desperate lives of the youth of Verona. Even today, the tragedy resembles a blueprint of the problems that the adolescents of the twentieth century must face each day. In this play, Shakespeare explores the pitfalls of young love, and the consequences they receive from their actions. They explained their love to be true love and they knew that they had to be together, even though their families were enemies and it was truly forbidden for the two of them to marry. The whole idea of love in Romeo's and Juliet's thoughts was totally misunderstood, and they demonstrated in many sections of the play that they truly did not know what true love was. In this play, Shakespeare shows that love can cause and finish anything, even love that is not honestly discovered. The influence of parents played a major part in the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. To start with, the general situation is rather like a family conflict. The feud between the Capulets and the Montagues had been passed down through the generations, until the youngest child had been planted with the seeds of hate. From the beginning of the play, it is learned that the Capulet's held the decisive judgement of what Juliet's future would have in store. "But saying o'er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years. Let two more summers wither in their pride Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride." (I,ii,7-11) This demonstrates Capulet's intent of choosing Juliet's husband. Romeo and Juliet kept their relationship secret from the start, in fear that their love affair would be rejected by their feuding families. That is what led to the death of both lovers. Had they held a more open relationship, eventually, both families would have accepted it. However, considering the circumstances, the street brawl and the later death of Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet felt that their parents would not have been able to understand the love between the two youths. In today's society, youth are constantly advocating the change from total dependence on family, to their own independence. Young people often think they know better than their parents, often believing that instead of helping them, they are only punishing them. Romeo and juliet found that they new better then their parents, but after realizing the wrong they caused when both committing suicide. Romeo was too young to realize that he had to take responsibility for his actions and he had to accept the consequences. This is one of the pitfalls that Shakespere portrayed in his play for young love. Romeo did not understand the outcomes of his actions. He never realized this until the damage was done. He was too involved in his love for Juliet that he didn't devote himself to any other circumstances. Young love is often an ever-changing emotion that enthrals adolescents. When a boy sees a beautiful girl, he often thinks that he is in love. That is similar to the emotion Romeo experienced: "To call hers, exquisite, in question more. These happy masks that kiss fair laidies' brow, Being black, puts us in mind they hide the fair. He that is strucken blind cannot forget The precious treasure of his eyesight lost. Show me a mistress that is passing fair; What doth her beauty serve but as a note Where I may read who passed the passing fair? Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget." (I,i,238-246) Here, Romeo is saying how much he loves Rosaline, and that he cannot forget about her. However, a couple of scenes later, his love quickly changes: "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear - Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows As yonder lady o'er her follow shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight, For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." (I,v,51-60) How quickly young love changes. Juliet, a little more cautious than Romeo was, refused to allow him to swear his

Government Healthcare Pros and Cons

Government Healthcare Pros and Cons Government healthcare refers to government funding of healthcare services via direct payments to doctors, hospitals and other providers. In U.S. government healthcare, doctors, hospitals and other medical professionals are not employed by the government. Instead, they provide medical and health services, as normal, and are reimbursed by the government, just as insurance companies reimburse them for services. An example of a successful U.S. government healthcare program is Medicare, established in 1965 to provide health insurance for people aged 65 and over, or who meet other criteria such as disability. The U.S. is the only industrialized country in the world, democratic or non-democratic, without universal healthcare for all citizens provided by government-funded coverage. 50 Million Uninsured Americans in 2009 In mid-2009, Congress is working to reform U.S. healthcare insurance coverage which presently leaves more than 50 million men, women and children uninsured and without access to adequate medical and health services. All healthcare coverage, except for some low-income children and those covered by Medicare, is now provided only by insurance companies and other private-sector corporations. Private company insurers, though, have proven quite ineffective at controlling costs, and actively work to exclude healthcare coverage whenever feasible. Explains Ezra Klein at the Washington Post: The private insurance market is a mess. Its supposed to cover the sick and instead competes to insure the well. It employs platoons of adjusters whose sole job is to get out of paying for needed health care services that members thought were covered. In fact, multi-million bonuses are awarded annually to top healthcare executives as incentive to deny coverage to policy holders. As a result, in the United States today: Over a third of families living below the poverty line are uninsured. Hispanic Americans are more than twice as likely to be uninsured as white Americans while 21% of black Americans have no health insurance.More than 9 million children lack health insurance in America.Eighteen thousand people die each year because they are uninsured. Slate.com reported in 2007: The current system is increasingly inaccessible to many poor and lower-middle-class people... those lucky enough to have coverage are paying steadily more and/or receiving steadily fewer benefits. Latest Developments In mid-2009, several coalitions of Congressional Democrats are heatedly crafting competing healthcare insurance reform legislation. Republicans have generally not offered substantive healthcare reform legislation in 2009. President Obama has voiced support for universal healthcare coverage for all Americans which would be provided by selecting among various coverage options, including an option for government-funded healthcare (aka a public plan option or public option). However, the President has stayed safely on the political sidelines, thus far, forcing Congressional clashes, confusion, and setbacks in delivering on his campaign promise to make available a new national health plan to all Americans. Healthcare Packages Under Consideration Most Democrats in Congress support universal healthcare coverage for all Americans which offers various options for insurance providers, and includes a low-cost, government-funded healthcare option. Under the multi-option scenario, Americans satisfied with their present insurance can opt to keep their coverage. Americans dissatisfied, or without coverage, can opt for government-funded coverage. Republicans complain that the free-market competition offered by a lower-cost public-sector plan would cause private-sector insurance companies to cut their services, lose customers, would inhibit profitability, or go entirely out of business. Many progressive liberals and other Democrats believe strongly that the only fair, just U.S. healthcare delivery system would be a single payer system, such as Medicare, in which only low-cost government-funded healthcare coverage is provided to all Americans on an equal basis. Americans Favor Public Plan Option Per the Huffington Post about a June 2009 NBC/Wall Street Journal poll: ... 76 percent of respondents said it was either extremely or quite important to give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance. Likewise, a New York Times/CBS News poll found that The national telephone survey, which was conducted from June 12 to 16, found that 72 percent of those questioned supported a government-administered insurance plan - something like Medicare for those under 65 - that would compete for customers with private insurers. Twenty percent said they were opposed. Background Democrat Harry Truman was the first U.S. President to urge Congress to legislate government healthcare coverage for all Americans. Per Healthcare Reform in America by Michael Kronenfield, President Franklin Roosevelt intended for Social Security to also incorporate healthcare coverage for seniors, but shied away for fear of alienating the American Medical Association. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Medicare program, which is a single payer, government healthcare plan. After signing the bill, President Johnson issued the first Medicare card to former President Harry Truman. In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed his wife, well-versed attorney, Hillary Clinton, to head a commission charged with forging a massive reform of U.S. healthcare. After major political missteps by the Clintons and an effective, fear-mongering campaign by Republicans, the Clinton healthcare reform package was dead by Fall 1994. The Clinton administration never tried again to overhaul healthcare, and Republican President George Bush was ideologically opposed to all forms of government-funded social services. Healthcare reform was a top campaign issue among 2008 Democratic presidential candidates. Presidential candidate Barack Obama promised that he will make available a new national health plan to all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to members of Congress. See the entirety at Obama Campaign Promises: Health Care.    Pros of Government Healthcare Iconic American consumer advocate  Ralph Nader sums up the positives of government-funded healthcare  from the patients perspective: Free choice of doctor and hospital;No bills, no co-pays, no deductibles;No exclusions for  pre-existing conditions; you are insured from the day you are born;No bankruptcies due to  medical bills;No deaths due to lack of health insurance;Cheaper. Simpler. More affordable;Everybody in. Nobody out;Save taxpayers billions a year in bloated corporate administrative and executive compensation costs. Other important positives of government-funded healthcare include: 47 millions Americans lacked  healthcare insurance  coverage as of the 2008 presidential campaign season. Soaring unemployment since then have caused the the ranks of the uninsured to swell past 50 million in mid-2009.Mercifully, government-funded healthcare would provide access to  medical services  for all uninsured. And lower costs of government healthcare will cause insurance coverage to be significantly more accessible to millions of individuals and businesses.Doctors and other medical professionals can focus  on patient care, and no longer need to spend hundreds of wasted hours annually dealing with insurance companies.Patients, too, under government healthcare would never need to fritter inordinate amounts of frustrating time haggling with insurance companies. Cons of Government Healthcare Conservatives and libertarians oppose U.S. government healthcare mainly because they dont believe that its a proper role of government to provide social services to private citizens. Instead, conservatives believe that  healthcare coverage  should continue to be provided solely by private-sector for-profit insurance corporations or possibly by non-profit entities. In 2009, a handful of Congressional Republicans have suggested that perhaps the uninsured could obtain limited medical services via a  voucher system and tax credits for low-income families. Conservatives also contend that lower-cost government healthcare would impose too great of a  competitive advantage  against for-profit insurers. The  Wall Street Journal argues: In reality, equal competition between a public plan and private plans would be impossible. The public plan would inexorably crowd out private plans, leading to a single-payer system. From the patients perspective, negatives of government-funded healthcare could include: A decrease in flexibility for patients to freely choose from among the vast cornucopia of drugs,  treatment options, and surgical procedures offered today by higher-priced doctors and hospitals.Existing patient confidentiality standards, which would likely be diluted by centralized government info that would necessarily be maintained.Less potential doctors may opt to enter the medical profession due to decreased opportunities for highly compensated positions. Less doctors coupled with skyrocketing demand for doctors could lead to a shortage of medical professionals, and to longer waiting periods for appointments. Where It Stands As of late June 2009, the struggle to shape healthcare reform has only begun. The final form of successful healthcare reform legislation is anyones guess. The American Medical Association, which represents 29% of U.S. doctors, opposes any government insurance plan mainly because doctors  reimbursement rates  will be less than those from most private sector plans. Not all doctors oppose government-funded healthcare, though. Political Leaders on  Healthcare Reform On June 18, 2009, Speaker of the House  Nancy Pelosi told the press I have every confidence that we will have a public option coming out of the  House of Representatives  - that will be one that is actuarially sound, administratively self-sufficient, one that contributes as to competition, does not eliminate competition. Senate Finance Committee Chair  Max Baucus, a centrist Democrat, admitted to the press: I think a bill that passes the Senate will have some version of a public option. Moderate Blue Dog Democrats of the House say the public plan should occur only as a fallback, triggered if private insurers arent doing a good enough job on access and costs, per  Rob Kall at OpEd News. In contrast, Republican strategist and Bush advisor  Karl Rove recently penned a harshly dire  Wall Street Journal op-ed in which he warned that ... the public option is just phony. Its a bait-and-switch tactic... Defeating the public option should be a top priority for the GOP this year. Otherwise, our nation will be changed in damaging ways almost impossible to reverse. The  New York Times wisely summed up the debate  in a June 21, 2009 editorial: The debate is really over whether to open the door a crack for a new public plan to compete with the private plans. Most Democrats see this as an important element in any  health care reform, and so do we.

Culture - Definition, Discussion and Examples

Culture s Culture is a term that refers to a large and diverse set of mostly intangible aspects of social life. According to sociologists, culture consists of the values, beliefs, systems of language, communication, and practices that people share in common and that can be used to define them as a collective. Culture also includes the material objects that are common to that group or society. Culture is distinct from social structure and economic aspects of society, but it is connected to them - both continuously informing them and being informed by them. How Sociologists  Define Culture Culture is one of the most important concepts within sociology because sociologists recognize that it plays a crucial role in our social lives. It is important for shaping social relationships, maintaining and challenging social order, determining how we make sense of the world and our place in it, and in shaping our everyday actions and experiences in society. It is composed of both non-material and material things. In brief, sociologists define the non-material aspects of culture as the values and beliefs, language, communication, and practices that are shared in common by a group of people. Expanding on these categories, culture is made up of our knowledge, common sense, assumptions, and expectations. It is also the rules, norms, laws, and morals that govern society; the words we use as well as how we speak and write them (what sociologists call discourse); and the symbols we use to express meaning, ideas, and concepts (like traffic signs and emojis, for example). Culture is also what we do and how we behave and perform (for example, theater and dance). It informs and is encapsulated in how we walk, sit, carry our bodies, and interact with others; how we behave depending on the place, time, and audience; and how we express identities of race, class, gender, and sexuality, among others. Culture also includes the collective practices we participate in, such as religious ceremonies, the celebrati on of secular holidays, and attending sporting events. Material culture is composed of the things that humans make and use. This aspect of culture includes a wide variety of things, from buildings, technological gadgets, and clothing, to film, music, literature, and art, among others. Aspects of material culture are more commonly referred to as cultural products. Sociologists see the two sides of culture - the material and non-material - as intimately connected. Material culture emerges from and is shaped by the non-material aspects of culture. In other words, what we value, believe, and know (and what we do together in everyday life) influences the things that we make. But it is not a one-way relationship between material and non-material culture. Material culture can also influence the non-material aspects of culture. For example, a powerful documentary film (an aspect of material culture) might change people’s attitudes and beliefs (i.e. non-material culture). This is why cultural products tend to follow patterns. What has come before in terms of music, film, television, and art, for example, influences the values, beliefs, and expectations of those who interact with them, which then, in turn, influence the creation of additional cultural products. Why Culture Matters to Sociologists Culture is important to sociologists because it plays a significant and important role in the production of social order. The social order refers to the stability of society based on the collective agreement to rules and norms that allow us to cooperate, function as a society, and live together (ideally) in peace and harmony. For sociologists, there are both good and bad aspects of social order. Rooted in the theory of classical French sociologist Émile Durkheim, both material and non-material aspects of culture are valuable in that they hold society together. The values, beliefs, morals, communication, and practices that we share in common provide us with a shared sense of purpose and a valuable collective identity. Durkheim revealed through his research that when people come together to participate in rituals, they reaffirm the culture they hold in common, and in doing so, strengthen the social ties that bind them together. Today, sociologists see this important social phenomenon happening not only in religious rituals and celebrations like (some) weddings and the Indian festival of Holi but also in secular ones - such as high school dances and widely-attended, televised sporting events (for example, the Super Bowl and March Madness). Famous Prussian social theorist and activist Karl Marx established the critical approach to culture in the social sciences. According to Marx, it is in the realm of non-material culture that a minority is able to maintain unjust power over the majority. He reasoned that subscribing to mainstream values, norms, and beliefs keep people invested in unequal social systems that do not work in their best interests, but rather, benefit the powerful minority. Sociologists today see Marxs theory in action in the way that most people in capitalist societies buy into the belief that success comes from hard work and dedication, and that anyone can live a good life if they do these things - despite the reality that a job which pays a living wage is increasingly hard to come by. Both theorists were right about the role that culture plays in society, but neither was  exclusively  right. Culture can be a force for oppression and domination, but it can also be a force for creativity, resistance, and liberation. It is also a deeply important aspect of human social life and social organization. Without it, we would not have relationships or society.

Japanese Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Japanese Literature - Essay Example The four main principles of Keene help us in understanding the aesthetic appeal of Japanese literature more vividly. Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy that is related with the appreciation of things as they affect our physical senses and especially affecting in a pleasurable way. According to the first principle of Keene, which is suggestion, the Japanese artists and writers wanted to suggest things rather than expressing it completely. The writers never expressed a climax like in Western writing but gave an appealing beginning and end tot heir work without giving a proper reasoning. For example, the literary works about love does not describe much about the meeting of a man and women but explains about the yearning and longing in the minds of lover to meet each other. In the times of Kenko, the Japanese literature applied the principles of suggestion to great length .They tried to be imaginative and expressed the beauty of nature with single strokes of paining rather than filling up the canvas with colors. A second important characteristic of Japanese aesthetics is the element of irregularity .By this it means that, one cannot find uniformity in the artistic work of Japanese works. Japanese writers and artists believed that, uniformity spoiled the uniqueness of the work and also created disinterest in the person who is enjoying the writings or artistic work. The principle of irregularity implies that making a work irregular gives much space for the reader‘s to enhance their imaginative power .The incompleteness element of the literary works prompted the readers to long for completeness and for this they use their creative and imaginative power to a great extend. â€Å"The Japanese have been partial not only to incompleteness but to another variety of irregularity also called asymmetry. This is one respect in which they differ conspicuously from the Chinese and other peoples of Asia†(Keene,10). Simplicity is another principle of Keene which was highly reflected in the earlier works of Japanese literature. The poets and writers of ancient Japan believed in the simple beauty of nature which his subtle and serene. One of the poem which exemplifies the principle of Simplicity is the furu ike ya(the ancient Pond) kawazu tobikomu (A frog leaps in) mizu no oto (The sound of the water). Here the poet describe about the eternity of the pond as well as the sound which is created by frog as it jumps in water. This is such a simplified form of expressing the subtle beauty of nature which normal men forget to notice or perceive.Kenko is one writer who insisted on the element of simplicity and he claims that only wise men can be simple in his thoughts, expression and lifestyle. One another concept of simplicity in Japanese culture is the tea ceremony which is artistically carried out by Japanese since ages. Kenko believed that simplicity is sometimes more expensive than ornateness and is a luxury concealed in luxury. Last but not he lea st is the principle of perishability , where in the Japanese artists and writes saw the sadness evolved around the destructive aspect of nature. Persihability is that truth of life which

Hardins Argument Concerning Lifeboat Ethics Essay

Hardins Argument Concerning Lifeboat Ethics - Essay Example He also illustrates this fact with the example of a farmer, who cannot allow any more cattle in his meadow than its carrying capacity justifies. He argues that if a pasture is open to all, the right to use it will not be matched by a corresponding responsibility to protect it and it is not possible to expect everyone to use it with discretion. "In a crowded world of less than perfect human beings, mutual ruin is inevitable if there are no controls. This is the tragedy of the commons." (Hardin) Therefore, Hardin establishes his concept of 'the tragedy of the commons' in a highly convincing manner with ample illustrations and explanations and he maintains that an important task of education today should be the creation of an acute awareness of the dangers of the commons. One of the most significant interpretations of the arguments of Hardin concerning 'the tragedy of the commons' was offered by De Young in his article "Tragedy of the commons", in which the author comes up with serious criticisms of Hardin's arguments. According to De Young, Garrett Hardin's concept of the 'tragedy of the commons' has been important in understanding how humanity has come at the brink of several environmental catastrophes. He maintains that the dangerous situations in human life are the creations of the innocent behaviors of many individuals acting alone.

Product and Service Marketing Analysis Essay Example for Free

Product and Service Marketing Analysis Essay Product and service marketing are highly related. Take the success of a company like Apple, for example. The technology giant operates nearly 400 retail stores, employs more than 42,000 people and hosts more than a million visitors each day. In 2012, Apple’s retail operations generated nearly $19 billion. Furthermore, it’s estimated that Apple’s Fifth Avenue store generates more than $35,000 per square foot, making it the highest grossing retailer in New York – ever. Those statistics reinforce the company’s product and service strategies of those of a highly successful company. Apple continues to hold a number one spot on a list of the world’s most admirable companies. However, the success of Apple hasn’t always been so great. It wasn’t until the company combined good products with good services, that profits increased exponentially. Slide 12-12: Service Differentiation Apple actually had a point in business in which it struggled. That was in the 1990s when the company was selling products through larger retailers such as CompUSA and Sears. It was then, that Apple computers were shoved to the side, out of the main view of customers, as just another computer brand available on store shelves. Apple employees didn’t pay enough attention to the installation of the product in the big box stores in which it was being sold, so there wasn’t a true selling point for buyers. Also, the product delivery took a major hit. In fact, the brand became so weakened when retailers did not market the products properly, that the inventory wasn’t fully stocked. While Apple products plummeted in sales, the Gateway company was offering direct sales to consumers in its own stores, and Apple had to reinvent its business model, and quickly learn how to operate in a different manner. Less than two years after Apple launched its retail stores, Gateway shut down all of its shops and laid off 2,500 workers. Only three years later, CompUSA closed its chain of 23-year-old stores as well. Apple went against much of the advice it had received, and clearly the company was doing something right. Apple created retail stores that offer more than just a product. The stores offer a shopping experience that consumers often give raving reviews on. That includes ordering ease, smooth delivery, clear installation, the right customer training and consulting, and simplified maintenance and repair. Slide 12-11: Product Differentiation Apple Stores are now the highest performing stores in retail history. This isn’t due to just good in-store and online service. The products typically set the bar among all other technology products offered in the industry. Many Apple products come with customizable features based on a customers wants and needs. That includes hard drive and disk space, all the way down to the detail of an optional custom engraving on a product. In addition to the features, Apple products are known to hold superior performance quality. Sure, the products aren’t cheap, but typically when a customer buys an Apple product, they know that product will pay for itself over time. Slide 13-5: Categories of Service Mix When you’re dealing with a product that Apple designs and sells, it’s typically a highly technological device. That tangible good brings on accompanying services. The more advanced the product, the greater the need for those high-quality supporting services. When a customer goes into an Apple store looking for a new computer or an iPad, there’s a chance they don’t know how to maximize its use to its full capability. Apple found a way to assist costumers, so they can learn about the devices they’re purchasing for free. Employees at each Apple retail shop hold free workshops for consumers to teach the basics. In addition to workshops, customers can sign up for one-on-one training sessions to dig even deeper into their product’s capabilities. Slide 13-6: Service Distinctions These services offered by Apple require the client’s presence; therefore employees need to be considerate of the consumer’s needs. That is why Apple is known for hiring â€Å"customer-obsessed, empathetic employees.† Apple cofounder Steve Jobs offered a unique insight about how consumers interact with technology. Jobs said often the problem was that consumers are limited to thinking in terms of only what they know, instead of what is possible. Jobs once said that one of the keys to Apple is that the company builds products that turn the employees on. That is certainly to the benefit of the customers, that it â€Å"often means products are exactly what they want because Apple employees are so deeply entrenched in and committed to the customer’s experience.† Slide 13-8: Distinctive Characteristics of Service While many consumers know the physical products Apple offers are those of high quality, the company has made it a point to â€Å"manage the evidence,† and â€Å"tangibilize the intangible.† In doing so, Apple had to create stores that have a clean layout, in which traffic flows steadily, have employees that are busy, but they can still manage the workload, have equipment that is state of the art, have a symbol that suggests quality in both product and service, and finally, has a reasonable price for service. We already know that Apple services are offered for free, the company’s logo is iconic, and that the equipment is top notch. So, Apple’s stores had the main focus of a clean layout and employees readily available, yet still busy. When a customer walks into an Apple store, the aesthetics are clean and well thought out. Each product is on display for testing use, and the floors, walls, and counter spaces are clean and tidy. In addition to that, carefully recruited and trained sales associates are encouraged to take customers on a â€Å"ride.† They give each willing customer a short, informative tour of the space to be able to have a conversation and connect with each and every visitor. Then, of course, there’s the offering of support for each customer, which is just another delight to those who shop at Apple. The end result of Apple’s mix of product and service marketing combined is certainly one of success. Apple has the highest retail sales per square foot than any other U.S. retailer. The stores average more than $6,000 per square foot, which is more than twice the former gold standard Tiffany Company. That success did not come with quality products alone, but quality product marketing coupled with quality service marketing. The company’s marketing strategy is unique, but the company figured out how to attract and retain customers, generate an extremely large amount of word-of-mouth and brand appeal to give it a huge competitive advantage. Works Cited Chazin, S. (2013). The Retail Secrets of Apple. Retrieved from http://www.marketingapple.com/marketing_apple/2013/01/the-retail-secrets-of- apple.html on 07/23/2013. DuBois, S. (2011). World’s Most Admired Companies. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/mostadmired/2011/snapshots/670.html on 07/23/2013. Kotler, P; Keller, L (2011). Marketing Management (14th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Moorman, C. (2012). Why Apple is a Great Marketer. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2012/07/10/why-apple-is-a-great-marketer/ on 07/23/2013.

Reconciling Religious and Scientific Perspectives of Creation Essay

Reconciling Religious and Scientific Perspectives of Creation â€Å"In the beginning was the big bang,†[i] writes John Polkinghorne, a physicist turned theologian. As the reader follows through the remainder of his cosmic creation story, the reader is intrigued at how mystical and religious the story sounds. â€Å"The space boiled, in the rapid expansion of the inflation era, blowing the universe apart with incredible rapidity in the much less than 10-30 seconds that it lasted. . . . The world suddenly became transparent and a universal sea of radiation was left to continue cooling on its own . . .†[ii] Then, the story unfolds to tell of the creation of hydrogen and helium and the creation of stars. The death of stars follow, which in turn gives rise to conditions that are favorable for the formation of life.[iii] Though seemingly mystical, the story of the cosmic creation is also the epitome of logic. As we rewind the story of creation, we see a definite causal link between one event and another. Why do we have life? Because we have carbon. Why do we have carbon? Because of the chemical reaction in stars. Why do we have the chemical reactions in stars? Because . . . and this chain will continue, explaining one phenomenon as an effect of another. The story is in fact the triumph of human reason. However, if we rewind the story long enough, we find ourselves reaching a dead end – â€Å"In the beginning was the big bang.† A beginning is where there is no before. However, how can something be when there is no prior? The question of the origin is further complicated when we see how finely tuned the universe is. For the emergence of life, the universe had to have initial conditions at the point of origin ... ... with a whole number amount of spin (as opposed to half a spin). [xxxviii] Ferris, Coming of Age in the Milky Way, pp. 354-353. [xxxix] Polkinghorne, The Faith of a Physicist, p. 75. [xl] Ferris, Coming of Age in the Milky Way, p. 351. [xli] Ferris, The Whole Shebang, p. 224. [xlii] Greene, pp. 357-358. [xliii] Ibid., p. 358. Brian Greene then says that Brandenberger and Vafa verified this phenomenon through detailed calculations. [xliv] Ibid. [xlv] Ibid., p. 362. The Nugget that gave rise to our universe is one of the many nuggets that were formed in prehistory of our universe. This theory is still a speculation and is not widely accepted like the string theory. Therefore, the theory about the cosmic prehistory should be taken as a possible solution and not as the definite answer. [xlvi] Found in Davies, p. 148. [xlvii] Davies, p. 232.

How does George Orwell show this in the novel Essay

The pigs corrupt the animal’s minds and gain absolute power. How does George Orwell show this in the novel? In the novel ‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell, the pigs corrupt the animal’s minds and gain absolute power by using their wisdom and knowledge to exploit the uneducated and naive animals. They petrified the animals by using the dogs as their secret police; they made the animals believe that snowball was a traitor and that he had destroyed all their hard work, no matter what the pigs had to do to gain power they did even if it meant killing the animals because it would obviously still be to their benefits. They did not lose any opportunity to gain power; it was as if they were thirsty and hungry for power. Squealer is the pig which spreads Napoleon’s propaganda among the other animals. Squealer justifies the pigs’ exploitation of resources and spreads false statistics pointing to the farm’s success. In Animal Farm, the smooth-talking pig Squealer abuses language to justify Napoleon’s actions and policies to the working class by whatever means seem essential. By radically simplifying language—as when he teaches the sheep to bleat â€Å"Four legs good, two legs bad! (George Orwell, Animal Farm, Chapter 2 page 24) he limits the terms of debate. By complicating language unnecessarily, he confuses and frightens the uneducated, as when he explains that â€Å"a bird’s wing †¦ is an organ of propulsion and not of manipulation† (George Orwell, Animal Farm, Chapter 2 page 24). In this latter strategy, he also practices nonsense (â€Å"tacti cs, tactics†) as well as the usage of false vocabulary and statistics, engendering in the other animals of both self-doubt and a sense of hopelessness about ever accessing the truth without the pigs’ mediation. Squealer’s lack of conscience and unwavering loyalty to his leader, alongside his rhetorical skills, making him the perfect propagandist for any tyranny. Squealer’s name also fits him well: squealing, of course, refers to a pig’s typical form of vocalization, and Squealer’s speech defines him. At the same time, to squeal also means to betray, keeping in remainder of Squealer’s behaviour with regard to his fellow animals. Squealer is the insincere and expressive propagandist. We are told that he can ‘’turn black to white’’ and that he has a ‘’shrill voice’’ and ‘’twinkling eyes’’, which are his assets that he manipulates for his propaganda. He and the general persuasiveness of his character are fundamental to Napoleon’s success. Napoleon petrifying the animals also makes them think otherwise. In the novel the pigs use dogs as their secret police and whoever approaches to a disagreement of the pigs decisions are slaughtered by the dogs, making the unprotected animals even more petrified. As the pigs took more control the animals could not even lift their crowns up and say a word because of the terror and detriment they could possibly get from the secret police. They had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes† (George Orwell, Animal Farm, Chapter 7 page 64). The use of the dogs begins the evil use of force which helps Napoleon maintain power. Later, the dogs do even more dastardly things when they are instructed to kill the animals labeled â€Å"disloyal†. Since the pigs are the brains in the farm, they exploit the animal’s minds and gain absolute power by identifying an enemy to back them up. The usage of snowball for all the bad that happened â€Å"If a window was broken or a drain was blocked up, someone was certain to say that Snowball had come in the night and done it, and when the key of the store-shed was lost, the whole farm was convinced that Snowball had thrown it down the well. Curiously enough, they went on believing this even after the mislaid key was found under a sack of meal† (George Orwell, Animal Farm, Ch. 7 page 57). The pigs made the animals believe that snowball was the traitor and in this case they could turn to Napoleon and consider him the most suitable. The pig’s management of all sources of information also achieves power. Since the animals are presented naive they cannot prevent themselves from being manipulated. â€Å"It had become usual to give Napoleon the credit for every successful achievement and every stroke of good fortune. You would often hear one hen remark to another, ‘Under the guidance of our Leader, Comrade Napoleon, I have laid five eggs in six days’; or two cows, enjoying a drink at the pool, would exclaim, ‘Thanks to the leadership of Comrade Napoleon, how excellent this water tastes! (George Orwell, Animal Farm, Chapter 8 page 67-68). It is clear that whatever it took the pigs to gain power, without doubts they would consider, since it was clearly a benefit for them. The pigs used their wisdom and knowledge to take power over the uneducated and naive animals. Their thirst for power was so great that they killed the animals to demonstrate that they were right and it was for their benefit to consider whatever the pigs commanded them to do. At the end the animals listen and carry out what the pigs would tell them to do, even if it meant petrifying them or killing them.

Political Participation and Representation of Women in Indian Politics Essay

Women’s participation in mainstream political activity has important implications for the broader arena of governance in any country. Governance relates to a set of rules, institutions, and values that are involved in the management of state and society. Governance institutions and processes include political parties, parliaments, government and their interactions with society. Although governance is a generic term which could mean good government or management, the governance values, types of government, the nature of political processes, the political parties and organizations, which/whose interests are represented and protected, and the extent of power that the masses have to challenge the state or in suggesting alternatives in methods of governance etc. may vary in different political systems. Liberal democracy is founded on reason, law, and freedom of choice but the position of different social groups in the social and political space where power is located is not always equal in practice. This is particularly so in the case of women. The nature of society or state has a decisive impact on the extent and effectiveness of women’s political presence and participation. Notions of democracy, governance and the state are often not gender neutral constructs but result from both historical factors and experiences. The state and its organizational entities reflect the same social forces as other social organizations. It is thus necessary to examine the gender balance in women’s participation in the political process, decision making and policy formulation. The limited nature of female participation and representation in national decision making institutions has important consequences for women and for the legitimacy of the institutions. Where women constitute half the population in a political system which supports equality and where both women and men are legally eligible for political office, women’s participation should be equal to that of men. If this is not the case, it signifies deep flaws within the political system. Representation is not only a means of ensuring individual participation. It is also the responsibility of the representatives to act on behalf of the constituents, including women, who elected them and reflect their ideas and aspirations. Women’s disproportionate absence from the political process would mean that the concerns of half the population cannot be sufficiently attended to or acted ? Rtd Principal, Daulat Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, Delhi University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 2 Human Rights, Gender & Environment pon as it denies their viewpoints sufficient opportunity to be integrated in the political system. While the Indian democratic state is committed to the protection of individual rights within the context of citizenship, a closer look at how it operates for the women reveals that these rights are not accessible in the public and private spheres in their full potential to all the women in India. There are historical, social and cultural factors that have limited women’s capacity and chances to exercise their freedom to participate in the political processes. The evolution of Indian democracy through the 14 general elections so far has reflected a low representation of women in Parliament, State legislatures, in political parties and other decision-making bodies. The under representation of women in the political sphere is inextricably linked with the low and inferior status of women in society in India especially in the context of the declining sex ratio (Table 1), increasing violence and crimes against women and their marginalized status in employment, education and health sectors. (Human Development in South Asia:2000). The comparative position of gender-related development index (GDI) reveals that among 177 countries, India ranks 113th, indicating its very low gender-equity status as evident from the Table below: Table : Comparative Position of Gender-related Development Index of Selected Countries Adult literacy rate (%age 15 & above) 2004 g enrolment ratio for primary, secondary & tertiary. Although the gap between male and female literacy rates has been narrowing, there is still very large disparity in this regard. While male literacy rate in India is 75. 3 per cent, female literacy rate is only 53. 7 per cent. It is even worse among Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). Among, the SC 50 per cent males are literate, while only 24 per cent females can read and write and among ST, 41 per cent males and only 18 per cent females are literate. An average Indian woman has little control over her own fertility and reproductive health. More women are illiterates compared to men and more women drop out of school. There are fewer women in the paid workforce than men. Women’s work is undervalued and unrecognized. Women work longer hours than men and carry the major share of household and community work which is unpaid and invisible. Women and men earn unequal wages. Women are legally discriminated against in land and property rights. Women face violence inside and outside the family throughout their lives. Most women in India have very little say in decisions affecting their own lives. The cumulative effect of all this is that women tend to lack the self-confidence and skills needed to function effectively in the public sphere. (Sen, Kalyani Menon &. Shiva Kumar A. K: 2001). The under representation of women and absence of women from positions of power and decision-making reinforces their exploitation and deprivation. It is in this context that women’s greater political representation becomes all the more necessary. Political Participation and Representation of women in India Women in India raised the issue of representation in politics first in 1917. At that time it was basically a demand for universal adult franchise and political participation. By 1930 women had gained the Right to vote, which initially benefited women from elite families. Women’s involvement in struggles for political and civil rights in India were however sought to be linked to nationalist movements in alliance with males against the common foreign enemy. In any case women’s involvement in nationalist struggles changed their lives in that even though they were denied equal opportunities to shape the new state, they gained constitutional and legal rights. But even after the right to vote became a reality for all women, their representation in the parliament, political parties and other decision making bodies remained low even after independence, and after the Indian Constitution came into force in 1950. (Susheela Kaushik:1993:1996,Veena Mazumdar:1993). A few women no doubt attained University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 4 Human Rights, Gender & Environment positions as members of parliament and state legislatures and as leaders of opposition, etc. mostly through family dynasties or through male political patronage. However, the percentage of women in legislatures and decision making positions always remained low. Women do not share the power of decision- making and are not involved in policy making in Indian democracy in proportion to their numerical strength. Thus there is a gap between the formal idea of women’s participation and their meaningful use of power. (Susheela Kaushik:1993). The quest for greater political representation of women is, therefore, still relevant. (Asha Kapur Mehta et al:2001) Women in India have lesser opportunities of public influence or for entering politics. Women also lack opportunities to move within the hierarchies without patronage of male leaders or mentors. The women’s wings of political parties may have given visibility to women in the form of a platform for participation rather than integrating them into central power structures. Women do not have necessary resources to enter and compete in contemporary political arena. Thus improved social indicators in development graphs may not automatically ease women’s access to political power or improve political participation and representation. They do not necessarily translate into collective gains nor sustained political power. Of course the scope for women’s public activism varies across class, caste and region in India. The effectiveness of women’s participation also depends on the local configuration of power and cultural environment apart from problems of poverty, illiteracy, lack of economic resources, negative social and legal environments, family and household pressures, male dominated bureaucracy and politicians that the women face. The case for women’s wider participation and representation Women in India constitute nearly half the population of the country (Table 1), but they are poorly represented in the various governance and decision making bodies. The position depicted through the 14 general elections so far reflects a low representation of women in Parliament, State legislatures, in political parties and other decision-making bodies. Less than 8% of Parliamentary seats, less than 6% Cabinet positions, less than 4% of seats in High Courts and the Supreme Court, have been occupied by women. Less than 3% of the administrators and managers are women. The average percentage of women’s representation in the Parliament, Assemblies and Council of Ministers taken together has been around 10%. UNIFEM:2000). The Indian Constitution guarantees to all women the fundamental right to equality (Article 14) and equal voting rights and political participation to both men and women. As reflected in the Preamble, the Indian Constitution is firmly grounded in the principles of liberty, fraternity, equality and justice and contains a number of provisions for the empowerment of women. Women’s right to equality and nondiscrimination are defined as justiciable fundamental rights (Article 15) and there University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 5 Human Rights, Gender & Environment is enough room for affirmative action programmes for women. Equality of opportunity in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State is a fundamental right (Article 16). The Directive Principles of State Policy stress on the right to an adequate means of livelihood for both men and women equally (Article 39a), equal pay for equal work for both men and women (Article 39d), provision for just and humane conditions of work and for maternity relief (Article 39e). Directives for promoting harmony and renouncing practices derogatory to the dignity of women are also provided for in the Indian Constitution. The political rights of women are recognized without any discrimination, or distinction and they have the right to participate in decision making at all levels equally with men. The right to constitutional equality has been supplemented by legal equality by the passage of a number of Acts through which the traditional inequalities in respect of marriage, divorce and property rights are sought to be eliminated. However, in spite of these constitutional and legal provisions, the ground reality is that women have not obtained adequate and proportionate representation in the legislative and other decision-making bodies. There is certainly a need for women’s more effective role in decision-making processes for the democratic and constitutional assurances of equal citizenship and rights in the Indian Constitution to become a reality at the operational level. Citizenship is linked to political participation and representation. Lack of ability and opportunity to participate in the political system implies a lack of full membership in the system. For true equality to become a reality for women, the sharing of power on equal terms with men is essential. But the reality is that women continue to be marginally represented even in areas where the various policies have a direct impact on them. There is still a great gap between constitutional guarantees and the actual representation of women in the political system in India Political Mobilization and Participation Historically many women have been active in the informal political sphere in terms of political mobilization and they have participated in large numbers in political demonstrations and mass agitations as well as in the activities of nationalist and political bodies and organizations. The political mobilization and participation of women has been impressive in the Indian National Movement, in revolutionary Left movements, anti-price rise stirs, on legislation on rape, against the practice of widow immolation, in the anti-liquor movements and movements against deforestation etc. During the National Movement against colonialism women were mobilized actively particularly under Gandhi’s leadership and women’s organizations within the political parties participated actively in the cause against colonialism for instance in the Civil Disobedience Movements and Salt Satyagraha etc. But once freedom was won, the women’s wings were more or less marginalized and assigned areas that primarily dealt with women and children or other ‘welfare’ activities and women’s organizations ended up playing University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 6 Human Rights, Gender & Environment a secondary and supportive role to the male leadership in power. The leaders of such organizations were seldom women with independent political careers unless they were from political families with the backing of male political activists. It is worth noting that the political mobilization of women and their participation in elections has steadily increased since the first General Elections of 1952. (Table 2, 3, 4 & 5). Between 1952 –1980 for instance, women’s participation increased by 12% against the turnout of men which increased by only 6%. In the general elections of 2004, the all India percentage of women voter turnout was 48%. As regards women voters’ turnout, from 37. 1 per cent in the first general elections in 1952 it increased gradually over the years to 55. 6 by 1999. Notably, the gap between female and male voters was 15. 9 per cent in 1952, but it decreased slowly over successive elections and came down to 8. 4 per cent in 1996 (Table 3). It has remained at 8. 3 per cent in 2004 general elections. (Deshpande: 2004) This percentage increase in the turnout of women in elections has however not ranslated into a larger number of women being represented in the legislative bodies. Competitive elections and democracy has not necessarily led to better political representation of women in Indian politics. The candidates fielded by the various political parties are still predominantly male and women account for only five to ten percent of all candidates across parties and regions. As reflected in Table 6, the percentage of representation of women in the Lok Sabha varies from 4. 4 in 1952 to 8. 1 in 1984, declining to 5. 2 in 1989, rising to 7. 9 in 1998 and 9. 2 in 1999 and again declining to 8. 1 in 2004. In Rajya Sabha, proportion of female members started with 7. 3 per cent in 1952 and rose to 15. 5 per cent in 1991, but again declined to 6 per cent in 1998 and rose to 10. 3 per cent in 2005, again slightly declining to 9. 9 per cent in 2006. (Table 7). On the whole the representation of women in Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) and the State Assemblies remains low. (Tables 8, 9 & 10). Thus despite the increase in electoral participation of women, their representation in the formal political structures has not changed much. Table 11) Though voting is an important indicator of political participation and mobilization, it is not necessarily indicative of representation. Voting is a tool of political equality and it mobilizes women but voting by itself d oes not result in the desired end of equality. Almost all parties vie with each other in appealing to women’s votes at the time of elections but very few women get to contest in the elections. Almost all parties hesitate to field women candidates. Hence the number of women candidates fielded by various political parties has always been very low as compared to their numbers in the population. Table 12) Though a large number of women participate in voting, their low numbers in decision making bodies including those of political parties in India is notable. (Table 14) Among women who manage to rise in the political echelons, in spite of their ability in administration and the art of political articulation, very few women reach the level of cabinet ministers. Mostly they remain deputy ministers or ministers of state. When women reach the few ministerial positions, they are generally assigned University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course Human Rights, Gender & Environment portfolios in the social service sectors of Health, Education, Social Welfare, Women and Child Development etc. (Human Development in South Asia:2000) Representation By the 1980s, issues raised by the women’s movements in India led to political part ies realizing the importance of female voters and women’s wings became active. Mainstream political parties became conscious of women as a constituency and this was reflected in their election manifestoes and their considering women as candidates with potential votes. By the ninth Lok Sabha elections in 1989, one could find a conscious focus on women’s issues in the manifestoes of political parties. However, this did not translate into more seats for women in the political bodies and most parties resorted to tokenism and symbolism when it came to representation of women. Women issues were not taken up by parties in a serious manner nor translated into programmes, policies and legislation nor were they mandated specifically to address issues of women. Almost all political parties set up a women’s cell or wing but they worked as ancillary bodies. Very few women were able to capture seats of power. The number of women in the legislatures remained very small. Very few women reached the position of party president or leader of legislative party. (Ranjana Kumari:1994). More recently major political parties have indeed made a conscious effort to induct more women into the various levels of the party organization. The CPM has made an effort to induct more women into its district committees and state level bodies. The membership of women in the party however remains below 10%. But the membership of women in mass organizations as the Kisan Sabha and the CITU has shown an improvement. The CPM changed its stance on gender-based reservation only after 1988. The BJP had the highest percentage of women in decision-making bodies from the Parliamentary Board and the Election Committee down to the ward level. (Rita Manchanda:1998). Traditionally, the Congress Party has fielded the largest number of women candidates and has had the largest number of women members in Parliament though the Congress working Committee has a rather low level of representation of women. In spite of the efforts of political parties to induct more women, the extent of representation of women has not changed much. The number of women candidates in the 1998 parliamentary elections was not even half the number of women in the 1996 elections. In 1998 there were only 274 women candidates as against 599 in the 1996 elections. In the general elections in 1999, the same proportion of women were put up for elections by both the parties favoring the 84th Amendment Bill on the reservation for women in Parliament and the parties which were opposed to it. (Rita Manchanda:1998). The Congress Party led by a woman had only 10% of women among the candidates. The BJP and the CPM had 7% of women among the candidates. Jayati Ghosh:1999). The idea of 33% reservation for women in parliament was actively endorsed by most of the major University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 8 Human Rights, Gender & Environment political parties and this had raised expectation that many more women would be nominated to contest the elections. The election manifestoes and the public pronouncements of parties as well as th e print and electronic media highlighted the idea of women’s representation by reservation or by nomination of more women for elections signifying a more conscious political stand on women’s representation. However, these stances did not translate actually into more nomination of women candidates during elections. Many parties ended up allotting some seats to women candidates only as a token and to symbolize their pro women egalitarian policy. (Table 12) In the inner party structures in the decision-making levels and the posts within the party, women are even less represented in most political parties. Women have a very low representation if at all in the actual decision-making bodies and rarely influence the more significant party policies (Table 14). Most often they are relegated to the ‘women’s wing’ of the party where they are required to deal with what are considered to be â€Å"women’s issues’ such as dowry and rape cases and sometimes on more general concerns like price rise which are considered to affect ‘housewives’. Issues like child and family welfare are largely seen as women issues, and falling in a realm which is not political. By and large a masculine view of political priorities is in operation. Most of the women’s wings of political parties have very little power and have hardly any say in the decision making and important policy matters. Political parties assert that it is difficult to get sufficiently qualified women candidates. Other arguments have also been advanced. It has been held that women are not independent voters; a majority of them are illiterate; a majority of them make their choice on the basis of suggestions from male members of their families-husbands or sons; women lack information and political awareness or that women are not politically conscious. On the other hand, in reality women have been active and vocal both in times of peace and crisis. They have been active in movements of peace, women and child welfare, trade unionism, food adulteration, price rise and deforestation and many other issues. Power rather than Representation The real reason for the low political representation of women in the formal political structures and decision making levels, seems to lie in the compulsions of competitive elections and the quest for power by the political parties in a multiparty democracy. Increasingly the compulsions of the political parties due to narrow majorities, precarious coalitions and hung parliaments have made the question of power rather than that of representation the determining factor. Women’s issues and women’s participation and representation are encouraged only within the parameters of power and are constrained by the basic objectives and interest of the parties either to capture power or survival, if in power. While women are mobilized to vote by all the parties, at the stage of distributing tickets University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 9 Human Rights, Gender & Environment for standing for elections, the number of women drops dramatically. At this stage, political parties are driven more by power considerations with an eye on the ‘winnability’ of the candidates from the angle of the prospect of government formation. Women lose out at this stage as the imperative of ‘winnability’ seems to compel political parties to deny tickets to women unless they are sure to win. Women are considered to have less chances of winning, which is not necessarily true. In the 1996 elections, Uttar Pradesh had the largest number of women candidates contesting the elections: 55 for 85 seats. In Rajasthan 17 women contested in 25 constituencies. Orissa had 10 for 21 constituences and in West Bengal, 21 women contested in 42 constituencies. However Kerala with better social indicators including female literacy had only 4 women contesting. A total of 599 women contested the elections. With all this women constituted only 3. 4% of the total number of contestants. In 1998 there were only 274 women candidates out of a total of 4750 candidates contesting the elections. In 1999, out of 284 women who contested, 49 won, the success rate being 17. 3% and for men it was 11. 3 %. Women therefore had a better percentage of winning. In the General Elections of 2004, out of 355 women who contested from the main Political Parties, 44 won, the success rate being 12. 4 % whereas men’s success rate was 9. 8 %. (Table 5). It is interesting to note that though the number of women representatives in Parliament has not been very impressive their success rate in terms of percentage of contestants getting elected had always been igher than that of the male contestants. Women of Power and Women in power in Indian Politics In spite of the low political representation of women in Indian politics, it must be noted that some women leaders have an important place in Indian politics today. Jayalalithaa as leader of AIADMK, Mamata Bannerji as leader of Trinamul Congress and Mayawati as leader of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are instances in point. Some of them head impor tant and strong regional political parties which have been in alliance with major national political parties both outside and in national government. Even though the rise of some of these women leaders might be linked to their proximity to male leaders, they now hold a position of leadership within the party in their own right who can influence the decisions of their own party as well as the course of national politics. In addition, the example of Indira Gandhi who rose to be Prime Minister of India, and later of Sonia Gandhi, leader of the Congress Party, both of whom had the dynastic advantage underpinning their leadership and position of power and decision-making in the Congress Party and the government can hardly be ignored. But the positions of authority of these women leaders did not include any specific mandate to address only women issues. In this sense as leaders of political parties, they were as power driven as their male peers. Political leadership by women is not University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 10 Human Rights, Gender & Environment dramatically different from that of men. Women leaders are no better or worse than men. Nor have women leaders been typically anxious to give greater representation to other women within their own organizations or in the political process generally. Representation of women has not necessarily increased greatly under the leadership of women. In fact interestingly the 73rd Constitutional amendment and the policy and implementation of 33% reservation for women in Panchayats received strong support and impetus due to Rajiv Gandhi’s interest and advocacy in the matter. Thus the Indian political system cannot be said to be non-receptive to the emergence and dominance of women leaders even though the political representation of women has not particularly registered a significant increase over the last 14 general elections. While on the one hand most women politicians have found it difficult to rise within male dominated party hierarchies, on the other hand some women have managed to become leaders when they have set up parties of their own. Once they have established themselves as leaders, there has been an unquestioning acceptance of their leadership and decisions by the party rank and file, even if it is largely male. Women in parliament or legislatures do not necessarily confine themselves to women issues only. In the absence of a specific mandate for representing women issues, most of them feel that they represent both men and women of their constituencies. Like men they are drawn into the game of power with all its ruthlessness even though women’s approach to politics may not be identical to that of men. In fact even the women’s wings or organizations of parties are not necessarily marked by kind of feminist perspective or sensitivity. Also, the patriarchal articulations whether by male politicians and leaders or internalized by women candidates in presenting themselves as ‘bahus’ and ‘betis’ relying on traditional patriarchal notions of femininity are not absent in Indian politics. Many times women public figures do adapt to and adopt male priorities predominating in public life in order to be acceptable. Many women internalize the norms and roles of patriarchal political structures and merely replicate them instead of questioning them, resulting in reinforcing existing hierarchies of power. Questions have been raised as to whether an increase in numerical strength of women in the political process and decision making bodies automatically leads to a qualitative shift in power and whether women on balance pay greater attention to the concerns of women more than male politicians. Problems of tokenism, visibility, marginality etc. are often discussed in referring to women as a ‘minority’ operating in a male domain. Women’s rights and responsibilities to participate equally in political life should not however be treated as a ‘minority’ issue. The political space must belong to all citizens – women and men. There is no doubt that fewer the women in public life the lesser the likelihood of distinctively female values, priorities and characteristics finding expression. Hence women’s involvement in political University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 11 Human Rights, Gender & Environment process and decision-making in greater numbers can make a significant difference. Does that mean that only people similar to a group can represent its interests? This may not necessarily be true. In this context it is important to examine what interests women in the public/political sphere are furthering. It could be argued that issues important to women could be reasonably represented as well by male Members of Parliament. But many strongly feel that without a sufficient female presence in the national and other decision making bodies, it seems unlikely that issues which women as a group are more prone to be faced with – concerning reproduction or challenging other inequalities within the social and economic sphere – would be adequately addressed. While it is considered important to bring women to positions of power, it is equally necessary to sensitize those in power whether men or women about gender. Along with this the importance of women’s economic independence, education and awareness and their improvement in the socio economic sphere can hardly be stressed. The restructuring of gender relations within both the family and society is an equally important step towards freedom, equality and justice. Representation through Reservation Various strategies have been proposed to further the political representation of women in India. From a reservation of 33% seats at various levels including the Parliament, it has also been suggested that political parties reserve 33% of their seats for women in the elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party recently announced such a reservation in its organization. However, it has been questioned whether women constitute an undifferentiated category and whether collective identification and mobilization of women as a ‘disadvantaged’ group in general on the basis of gender is a viable proposition in the politically accepted sense of the term particularly in view of caste and class differences among them. Mere presence of women in Parliament even if greater in numbers will not mean much unless they are truly representative of women’s concerns covering all categories. In the ongoing debate about reservation of seats for women in the Parliament it has been pointed out that an undifferentiated reservation for women will reinforce the existing inequalities in women’s access to positions of power. It is the elite and politicized families from which there is a smooth entry for women in politics. Women playing supportive roles to males in the family and emerging from their shadows have also found easy entry. Another trend has been the entry of widows of prominent political figures into politics and positions of power. On the whole the important factors for women’s active presence in politics in India as trends show are in general: family background, political influence, family financial position, existing involvement in politics, literacy, local conditions, campaign strategy, influence within the party and personality traits etc. rather than only competence, capability and merit. The combined result of all these factors is that very few women manage to get or are given party tickets. If the factors of University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 12 Human Rights, Gender & Environment economic dependence, prohibitive election costs, threats of violence and character assassination are added, even fewer can get seats in the legislature. In any case, it is argued by those in favour of reservation, there is no doubt that democracy and representation will be strengthened with compulsorily more presence of women through reservation. This is evident from the impact of the implementation of 33% reservation of seats for women in the local bodies (panchayats) in India by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment as a result of which the representation of women in the formal structures of governance at the local level has recorded a steady increase. (Table 13). Women’s presence at the decision making levels will not only enhance the status of women but will also strengthen democratic traditions and make democracy more meaningful in fighting injustice and oppression while at the same time help to bring a different, explicitly female perspective to the political arena. Unless women are brought into the decision-making levels directly, important women issues will never be tackled with the seriousness they require. In addition, democracy demands the regard for not only the interests of those who support in elections but also the aspirations of those who expect to be represented. The recognition of the right of every citizen to participate in public decisions is a basic element of democracy, which, to be effective, requires that the needs and interests of all members of the society are respected and represented. Even if others might claim to represent them, there is no guarantee of justice and equity if one half of the population is consistently excluded from taking part fully in decision making as is the case with women in Indian politics and governance. There is therefore need for more inclusive processes of achieving representation. The value of inclusion of women in governance and decision-making institutions lies in the diversity of experiences women will bring to governance whether there are ‘female’ concerns or not. Comprehensive representation would be obtained if women constituting half the population find a proportionate number of seats in government. Conclusion It is important to stress that like the equal right to vote, participation and representation in legislative bodies may not in itself be enough for women’s political empowerment or to remedy the problems of discrimination faced by women in Indian society. Equality with equity is a goal which may not easily be achieved only by high representation of women in legislatures and other public bodies but has to be buttressed by other supportive measures. Even so, the demand for reservation of seats for women in political bodies to rectify the imbalance has gained strength in India in the light of persisting gender gaps in the various spheres of development. In the absence of any serious political selfcorrection so far, the demand for reservation of seats in legislatures and party structures has been stressed in India aiming at such an equitable representation. University of Delhi BA Programme II Foundation Course 13 Human Rights, Gender & Environment While the steady increase in the electoral participation and mobilization of women in India has increased the visibility of women in the legislative politics this has not happened in the exercise of executive and judicial power due to their lack of presence in the decision making structures. From this perspective, the important question is what are the benefits of democracy for women.. Electoral participation and quotas through affirmative action alone are not enough to result in gender equity.

Race and Your Community

Race and Your Community Free Online Research Papers My community is seven miles outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I live in a town, which can technically be classified as a city, due to the size of it. My town still tries to hold on to very old-school, traditional ways. The community tends to the elderly, does not have a liquor store, nor, are restaurants allowed to sell alcohol, other than a select few. All gas stations in the town are full-service and everything closes at 10:00 p.m.. The old-school mentality of my community still attributes to racism; although, in today’s world the racism goes un-heard and un-seen. Racism is not just the belief that one race is superior to others, but the act of negatively identifying individuals based on the color of their skin. An outsider looking into my community; one could classify it as a very cookie-cutter town. For being so close to the city, you would think it would have a more diverse feel. It is considered a liberal town. Mothers are mainly stay-at-home moms; there are three elite, private secondary schools in my town, and a Starbucks on every corner. So, as for as looks goes, it is a mainly white town, with a suburban feel. The members of my town that are in the 25-35 age bracket all look the same. Walking into the center of my town, you would notice there is not a tremendous difference among people. The girls all shop at the same stores and look very similar. The clothes are trendy, yet liberal. The girls are mainly petite, or tall, and thin. I feel that because Boston is so close, it attributes to the girls in my town to be stylish and body conscious. Unfortunately, those that look different are usually due to them not â€Å"looking the part.† Whether that be over-weight, looks, or the way they dress. It is actually sad but not entirely unexpected when Boston is a young, well-educated city. I notice that the leaders are just as cookie-cutter as the people that live in the town. They leaders are people that have lived in the town for all of their life. The ones that work in town hall have been working there for 20+ years. The leaders are very much involved in town safety and after school curricular activities for students. Having attended some town activities and met a few town leaders they seem to welcome everyone. I do not really buy into town politics all that much, so I have an inability to really believe them whole-heartedly. I feel the leaders like how the town has a reputation for keeping a lot of old-school traditions and want to make sure that it stays that way. As a member of the town, I can not really say how I have noticed them treating people who are different. There really is not an over-abundance of other cultures in my town. I feel the leaders appreciate the money that their restaurant brings into the town. My town has any type of ethnic restaurant available. I feel that this is the leader’s way of seeming like the welcome anyone with open arms. I feel that the members of my community treat others that fit the norm respectfully. I notice it when I conduct my personal business in the center of town. You can walk down the street and people say â€Å"hi† to you as you pass by. I have never really put much thought into how people of my town treat people are like me. When conducting the research for this paper I noticed how the clothing stores in the town would treat me and others in their store. They are overly nice and gracious. I guess it should not come to any shock as they knew we’re probably going to be spending some money in their store. I took notice though that at any one particular time the majority of the visitors happened to be white. There is no real blatant disrespect that takes place in my town towards people that are different. I feel that people in my town just think of people of different nationalities and/or cultures as a minority. The people of the town do not really have a concern about â€Å"blacks† coming in and taking over the town. There is no real concern of Asians, Mexicans, or Latino groups coming into the town and ruining the shiny image the town upholds to the neighboring towns. So for that reason, the very few minorities that do live in the town are treated with mutual respect. After taking some time to observe my local media stations to see what the people looked, I came to the realization that they are really not that different from me. The media stations in Boston seem to represent what I had early said. The residents of Boston are predominately young, so, the media portrays that of a younger culture. All the woman are very nicely dressed but in a trendy way. I feel they try to grab the attention of the young woman in the area. All of the media woman are no older than 40, if that. The men are also around the same age bracket. They are handsome, athletic, humorous, and intelligent. The media in Boston is funny. Each station tries to seem hip to what is going on in the town. They have various segments about food, cultural things that are going on in the town, and the all important, sports. Boston media knows that in order to represent people like myself they need to be at Red Sox games, Patriot games, and other various college sporting events around the city. Each media person speaks of their own account of the game. That is their way of making someone like me have a common similarity with them. It is quite charming considering half of Boston media did not even grow up in the area. Some similarities among people who are in leadership positions in my community mainly come from the same nationalities as I do. It is interesting to find out that most leaders in my community are either Italian or Irish. That is not entirely a far stretch considering that Boston has a huge Irish/Italian population. The leaders in my community are Irish old-timers that still follow strict customs. Among the customs that are most important is family. Coming from an Irish/Italian background I can relate to the leaders in that regard. Although, having grown up that way, I also know there is huge underlining discrimination against those of other nationalities. I just so happens I forced myself to look outside of my culture and take the time to learn about others. Perhaps it was acceptable to be racist back when my parents were in their early 20’s but I never wanted to carry around distain towards someone just because of their skin color. I feel that the leaders in my community have some of that underlining distain; the same that my parents had. Minority group interests are represented within my community. I feel that it is mainly done to keep up this faà §ade that Boston is such a well-rounded community. Boston is seen as a liberal city and the leaders want more than anything to keep up that persona. Boston has a large gay population, African-American, Hispanic, Middle-East, and South-East Asian community. Unfortunately, you do not notice that the city is so diverse unless you visit there areas in which those â€Å"groups† congregate and hang out in. Boston has various parades for nationalities but only â€Å"their† community. The gay pride parade only travels through a few blocks that are frequently traveled by gay people in the area. I feel that because I am such an open-minded person, I would like to change the inequities among gay people in my area. I feel that gays have the hardest time living a healthy, normal life. I have plenty of gay friends that are normal people. They are limited to number of gay bars that are in the area. If you visit San Francisco that would not be the case at all; but because Boston just wants to be seen a well educated city, they are limited to the number of bars were there would be people just like them. If I could change anything, I would increase the number of gay bars in the area and make them feel more welcome in the community. Instead of having the Gay Pride Parade travel through a limited area; I would have it travel throughout more parts of the city. Basically, anyone that does not fit into what is considered â€Å"mainstream† is going to have a hard time, compared to those that do. It is unfortunate and it should not have to be that way. I fall into the category of fitting in. I do not know what it is like to walk down the street and have people look at me because I am black or that I wear a turban. I can only imagine that the feeling is not that good and quite upsetting. Hopefully, at some point in my lifetime no one is going to care what color skin you have, or, that you are gay. Racism though is something that is imbedded in you at a young age. It is when you become an adult that you have the choice to want to expand your mind to other cultures. Little do some people know that it can be an interesting journey. Research Papers on Race and Your CommunityWhere Wild and West MeetNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Spring and AutumnHip-Hop is ArtPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyQuebec and CanadaHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionCapital PunishmentStandardized Testing

Biography of Charlie Parker

Charlie Parker's biography Charlie Parker is one of the few musicians who can say that jazz has been permanently changed. He can play a very fast line, and if you slow down to half speed, you will notice that each sound makes sense. Charles Christopher Parker was born in Kansas City, USA on August 29, 1920. He was born on the Kansas side of the state, but in fact it was born from the Kaw River in Kansas City, Missouri. Everyone who intends to write a suitable biography of Charlie Parker must eventually master the essence of genius itself. Very recently, in the life of the great contemporary jazz saxophonist Stanley Crouch, the first volume of the long-awaited two volumes is close to a conversation with the William Biddy fleet, he is a troublesome guitarist, After he arrived in New York in 1938, he explored his own style and new concept that jazz may still be his teens. I like birds (Parker), I told the writer, This is not a person who has to write down, go home and study, and I will do anyone when I meet next time. I like birds Things will do it as soon as you find out what it is. The legendary jazz musician Charlie Parker was born on 29th August 1920 at Charles Christopher Park in Kansas City, Kansas. His father, Charles Parker, is an African American performing artist and his mother, Eddie Parker, is a traditional American maid. Charlie is the only child who moved to Kansas City, Missouri with his parents at the age of seven. Back then, the city was the center of African-American music, including jazz, blues and gospel. Charlie discovered his musical talent by attending a public school class. As a teenager, he played the school band's baritone horn. When Charlie was 15 years old, Alto Saxophone was his favorite instrument. (A few years ago, Charlie's mother handed him sax to help cheer his father after he threw away his family.) During school, Charlie began a band at a local club It was. The famous saxophonist Charlie Parker was acclaimed for Bebop's inventio n. Next to Charlie Park is Dizzy Gillespie (one of the greatest trumpet players in my life). Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker are praised for the birth of Bebop. In 1945, Charlie Parker co-starred with Dizzy Gillespie and founded his own band. Dizzy Gillespie believes that Bebop was the way to adopt the world of racism at the time. After all, they joined the 6 - night night club tour and together they made a new jazz style, bop or bebop.

Paraphrase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Paraphrase - Essay Example However, misconceptions can arise from such ads that will affect the very lives of consumers. For example, the product being advertised claims or gives the impression that it can make the consumer become as fit as the model when in fact it has nothing to do with how the model looks like. Viewers who associate the product with the model’s great physique will then buy without actually researching further about the effects or importance of the product. Consequently, the issue on intelligent buying arises which makes the topic on advertising even more important. In Charles O’Neill’s The Language of Advertising, he presents how advertisers convey their messages in subtle ways that often trap the consumers in various ways. One of his points is that, advertisers often appeal to people’s emotions. For instance, he explains that in promoting the pick-up truck called the Ram, an ad that features the background of a farm and portrays hard-working farmers is used along with the reading of a poem entitled, â€Å"So God Made a Farmer† (323). Although the ad was simple and it did not use any attractive, naked men or women in the scenes, it was very successful because many viewers were emotionally touched by the ad, having them associate with the American culture that the ad reflects. Another means advertisers utilize is the use of sexual perceptions. They use men and women that are famous and beautiful which the majority would appreciate and desire to be associated with. Moreover, the advertisements adjust to the modern peo ple’s attention span. Since people are often busy, they do not have the patience to listen to long sentences that will appeal to their logic. Instead, they need short, simple sentences that may give them empty and often unreliable information. O’Neill argues that advertisers are making consumers stupid in many ways. For instance, because advertisements primarily aim to convince consumers that they need to buy their products,