Informal report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Informal report - Assignment Example As a point of departure, the procedures for the survey process were agreed between the company management team and the union, which represents the workers. For instance, the issue of testing employees at mid-contract was ruled out since it undermined the workers’ rights in terms of initial appointment regulations. However, the 63% of the production and 82% of the white-collar workers agreed to have workers tested during hiring time. On the other hand, the 62% of the production and 72% of the white-collar workers agreed the workers to be tested when they appear to be under the influence of drugs. This is an indication that, the policy drafting should be flexible to accommodate the wishes of the majority workers in order to avoid the crash with the worker’s union. The survey was done using questionnaires that were distributed between the two categories of workers because they were perceived to offer lucid and reliable information (Employee Drug Testing, 26). The data coll ected was then analyzed and percentages calculated. Some of the primary areas investigated include the production and transport sections. These areas serve a fundamental role in the company in its bid to achieve the corporate citizenship. Some of the instances investigated and considered in the drafting of this policy include non-violent and physical approach to workers in convincing them to take up the drug testing exercise. In case a worker refuses to undergo a drug test, he/she should not be forced to avoid the risk of civil and criminal complaints that involves assault. Procedural consultative avenues were considered to greater extent in removing the excesses that may come along with this process of drug testing (Cresce, 23). Another factor considered during this survey is the circumstances, in which the testing should take place. In case of Random and cause, they should be clearly spelled out in the policy such that the employees can be able to know when they can be called for such

Sport and Society in Ancient Greece Essay Example for Free

Sport and Society in Ancient Greece Essay Ancient Greece is one of the most ancient civilizations in history and some historians say it is one of the greatest. They have survived many invasions and attacks from barbarians and Persians as well. The Greeks those times were divided into city states and they don’t have any form of alliance with each other. They don’t help each other on wars they except for times that they don’t have a choice. The Greek society is basically unique. Greece had never been united under one sole ruler. And even the city states are fought among each other on whom or which city-state should rule Greece. These qualities of the Greece made the Greek history interesting. Mark Golden’s book, Sport and Society in Ancient Greece, had elaborated the key points of the Greek society subjected on common theme. The book uses the Greek sport and games to give very good description of the Greek society. It expressively explained the sport as very important part of the society of Greece. In addition to this, he related the Greek sport to religion, social status, gender, age and other things that constitute to study of its society. Golden uses the sports arena to surface the differences among individuals and groups of the Greek society. The fact that it is theme-oriented made the book readers friendly. Most history professor uses this book as a very good guide to teach history. The themes use in the Golden’s book made it reader friendly. Identifying the themes of the book would be relatively easy. One of the themes he used is the Greek sport. In fact, it unites all ideas in the book. He used the Greek sport as a standpoint of the differences of the Greeks. He explained it using various events in the competitions and its competitors. He explained why most explained that in every event there is a kind of group that can participate. He also expressly give emphasize the difference of participants in the athletic events to the equestrian events. In virtue of this, he elaborated the tension between to the two types of contest. He explained that he sees the difference on the participants of the said events reflect on how the Greek society was comprised. Another theme he used in his book was the stories of Iliad and Odyssey. He uses explain the start of the games and the religious beliefs of the Greek society. The stories of Iliad and Odyssey was widely use in their religious activities. The fact that most of the games was done in tribute to the Gods of Greece. They do this by reliving the great stories of both Homer’s epic novel. They believe that Homer’s epic novel were very accurate about the Gods activities. They had lived with this belief with so many years. The next theme which Mark Golden used in the book was the historical background of Greece. He stated several historical events in Greece that influences the Greek culture and the games. He had explained briefly how some games had started and the changes that the Greeks had implemented to the games. He had emphasized the importance of these historical events to the Greek society. The last theme that I will list here is the relation of the social status to events a Greek can participate. He uses this theme through out the book. He basically discusses the social hierarchy the Greek have in their society as times came by. The book clearly differentiated the differences on how a group of Greeks or an individual can participate in the sport or the games. Golden stated that in the equestrian events slaves can only win as jockeys and other rules they applied in this event. The social discrimination in the Greek society was highlighted in the book. The themes he uses simply put the book in position that it is easy to read, can be use as teaching material because of its reliability, and its distinct use of other literatures of other historians. With this book, I could relive the moment the games had begun and gone on until today. I lived in Athens during the time Olympics had been established. It was a glorious moment for the Greeks. Everyone believed that these games can unite the whole of Greece where it could fight and function as one whole country. The start of the game signaled a turn in the history of the Greeks. The feeling of this glorious moment is very pleasing to me and to other Greeks as well. Imagine that a Greek won’t face another Greek in the battlefield again. I would join the games to prove the dominance of Athens over other city states. Joining the games as an Athenian is a privilege and a great honor for me. And befriending other Greek is as not bad as it looks in the past. Being at war with other Greek is pain that a soldier must overcome. Being a soldier, killing other Greeks is the most painful thing to do. It is as if it was killing your own brother. Nowadays that pain is nothing but a pigment of the past. I’m glad that my sons would not feel that pain that anymore. They will not go up against other Greeks except at the games. And it is for the gods after all. They had blessed us of something great. I thank our Gods that they found a way to stop the quarreling between city states of great Greece. After reading the book, I’ve come to think that the Greek games and sports are done to unify Greece and for entertainment. The world had mimic the Greek games and created Olympics. It symbolizes the unity of the nations participating in the Olympic Games. The fact that culture of Greek is carry out by the nations in the Olympics. It raises a sense of pride among the Greeks. Another thing is a realization that sports does come from religion. The games were held in religious festival in ancient times. The sports today are said to have a purpose of camaraderie, enjoyment, and battle of skills. It is shocking to know that it came from religion. The showing of facts in the book of Mark Golden had convinced me that sports started as tribute to the Gods. And that the relation of the religion and sports is undeniable. He presented reliable evidences that strengthened a claim made by a priest. The idea of classifying the participants that participate in an event was a shocking revelation. I thought at first that the classification of participants was done only to make the games fair. And that is invented after the world wars. It is shocking to know that these classifications were really done due to social status in ancient Greece. The structure of the games from those times to these days is very different. But to know that they have the same purpose is quite a relief. The most important idea that occurred to after reading Mark Golden’s book is that literature has something to do with sports. If you look at sports and literature at plain logic, they are very different because literature uses mental capabilities while the sports and games use physical abilities. The connection of literature and sports was established clearly in Mark Golden’s book. He clearly stated the relation of the two. The realization of the relation between the two is quite interesting and mind bugling. Mark Golden’s book clearly is one of a kind. Historians who read his book were very enthusiastic to discuss Greek history to his class. The reliability of the book make more convincing to historians or even to non-historians. The book is really a must read to people to who likes Greek history. Works Cited Golden, Mark. Sport and Society in Ancient Greece. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998

Discrimination laws: An analysis

Discrimination laws: An analysis What are the strengths and weaknesses of the law relating to either race discrimination, sex discrimination or disability discrimination? Relating to disability discrimination: Disability discrimination is legally prohibited and controlled in the UK via two main statutory instruments, the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA) (previously the Disability Discrimination Act 1995) and the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) Act 1999. Further legislation extends the scope of coverage; for example, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 providing children equal access to education regardless of their ‘ability’. The main aims of these legislative pieces is to effectively end discrimination towards disabled people and provide them an egalitarianism in society mainly reflected through equal rights in employment; access to goods, services, facilities, products and places; buying, selling and renting land and/or properties and to maximize ease of use of the public transport system (to be implemented by the government). The law in this area remains rather unclear, however, despite the limited and rather straightforward statutory coverage p rovided. This opacity has generated a collection of strengths and weaknesses in the law relating specifically to disability discrimination, some of which will be discussed and explored below. These strengths and weaknesses demonstrate how the law is virtually ineffective in attacking such a concept as discrimination because of enforceability. For the purposes of this essay, focus will reside with anti-discrimination in employment. The greatest weakness in the law in relation to disability discrimination is, as touched upon above, it’s recondite ness. The legislation suffers from the proof problem, qualifying for protection under the Acts. How is a does one define who is and who is not disabled? What is and what is not discrimination? How can you be sure you are being discriminated against as these tests are all a matter of perception, excepting of course when there is clear-cut objective discrimination like a dismissal or non-accommodation of physical ability (Corker, 1999). With regard to defining who is and who is not disabled the DDA states: those who have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities are disabled (DDA 1995 s1.1). The DDA was further extended on April 7th 2005 to include those with some mental illnesses and those suffering from cancer, HIV and MS (multiple sclerosis), yet it did not encapsulate th ose suffering from depression. The reason given by the Commons for this exclusion was because the illness was re-occurring rather than fundamentally long-term and the DDA only covers those illnesses which are long-term (BBC 2005). Depression may be a severely debilitating disorder and much research has attributed depression with biological roots, therefore being an effect of a physical long-term disability which merely manifests sporadically. Yet the purpose of the DDA, to render those with disabilities equally amongst society by removing the constraints their disability places on them, is lost with depressed persons. Many argue however, that a line must be drawn somewhere in order to prevent the floodgates from opening and every even minor disability, from scraped knees to headaches, to fall subject to the anti-discrimination legislation.   This lack of definition within definition is supplemented with a series of guidance notes, issued by the DRC, on interpreting the various terms. Yet, as would be perceived, these notes are merely guidance and not fundamental law and therefore have no enforceable effect. Only a judge could make the decisions as to whether or not a person qualifies as disabled. To activate the process of filing and issuing proceedings, paying court fees and actually going to court while waiting for a potentially adverse outcome is not a walk in the park. Of course this is all providing the perpetrator is difficult. This discrepancy between legal theory and practical application is an obvious flaw in the anti-discrimination regulation and will be touched upon again later. The greatest strength in the law relating to discrimination is its generation of awareness. A simple effect, but a nonetheless extremely important one. Awareness is the first step in a winning battle against discriminating, changing the mind-set of the population en masse. Employers are focused on accommodating the disabled, businesses think more about how effective a disabled person remains. Colleagues are alerted to the fact that a disabled person functions equally well as one who is fully abled if given the right environmental conditions. Yet this legislation may also suffer from institutionalization. When a person is diagnosed as being depressed, checked into an institute and treated by all being depressed then the disorder is perpetuated. On a simpler note, a child who is told they are mentally slow at a young age may begin to live up to that expectation, having been ‘institutionalized’ into stupidity (Cohen, 2002). With physical disabilities this concept applies le ss but with mental disorders it may have some side effects. Further, even with physical disabilities, many disabled persons attempt to integrate themselves into society as much as possible. This legislation, when implemented as intended may instead cause it to be more difficult for the person to move beyond their ‘pigeon-holing’.  Ã‚   A further strength in the law regarding disability discrimination is the provisions it makes for those who defend the disabled. It falls under the term victimisation in the statute and covers both disabled and able people who have either provided evidence or information in a case of discrimination or brought proceedings of discrimination under the DDA, regardless of whether these proceedings were followed through or not (Corker, 1999 and Halsburys, 2005). This applies particularly in the scope of employment, where colleagues may become involved. This provision enhances fair justice as the witness, in this instance the colleague, will know they are protected from being discriminated from by statute and can speak up.   However. The case is never that straightforward. A fundamental weakness with this facet is also the proof problem. What is discrimination, who is being discriminated, who is disabled and so on. Further, a point must be made on the incompatibility (often) between theory and practice. It is fine for a business to change the working area of a disabled person, allowing them greater benefits than other workers, but it doesn’t often follow that the abled workers will not continue to socially discriminate against those who are disabled who are now, due to the anti-discrimination legislation even bigger targets through their labeled, identification parade like treatment. Students suffering from dyslexia often receive special treatment through time extensions during exams and even the possibility to take exams on a computer versus writing. Many have argued that this should be abolished as ultimately they will have learned the same amount than others and just because they have a learnin g disability does not mean that they should receive special treatment over others, especially not those who are of lower than average intelligence. Ultimately could this also not be classed as a disability? Conceptually the anti-discrimination regulations would work well to enhance egalitarianism but how individual people react to it, thereby shaping the environment in which we work, is questionable. The silent treatment, passing work on to others, not being invited to travel and to particular meetings can all feel like discrimination but an abled person can equally be passed over due to lower performance ratings (Butler and Drakeford, 2003). How to find the link between corporate behaviour and discrimination is a problem. The behaviour is also often a matter of perception and some people may be more sensitive than others, reading everything against a backdrop of disability.  Ã‚   The anti-discrimination legislation has another side to it too. The party who is to accommodate the disabled and implement the regulations. This area of law is effective in so far as it clearly lays out for an employer, or other persons who interact with disabled people, what it is that they must do to comply. It also imposes limitations. Employers with 20 or less employees do not need to comply (DDA 1995 s7.1). This prevents the regulation from causing a financial hindrance to those businesses which are smaller and potentially therefore generate less turnover. This is important so as not to become a cause of possible financial and economical ruin. There is a fine balance to be met between protecting the discriminated and imposing rules on the discriminator.   Acceptance and equality within society are fundamental facets, and at that perhaps even the most important ones, that define and shape our society (here in the UK) yet capitalism, consumerism, competition and entrepreneurship ultimately generate the economical and fiscal foundations upon which our high standard of living is based. The weaknesses this area of law experiences are perhaps rather just reflections of a balancing act, attempting to maintain the core backdrop to our standard of life while dabbling at moving the concept of total egalitarianism from ideology to reality. References: BBC, April 7 2005. Peers back down on Disability Law. London: BBC News.   Berlins, M. and Dyer, C. (1994) The Law Machine (4th Edition). Harmondsworth: Penguin.   Butler, I. and Drakeford, M. (2003) Social Policy, Social Welfare and Scandal. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Cohen, S. (2002) Folk Devils and Moral Panics (3rd Edition). London: Routledge. Corker, M. (1999). The UK Disability Discrimination Act – disabling language, justifying inequitable   social participation. In Silvers, A. and Francis, L. (2000). 10th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities. New York: Routledge. Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Discrimination Act 2005. Queens Printer of Act of Parliament (internet version). The Stationery Office Limited (hardcopy). London. Halsburys Laws: Disability Discrimination. Butterworths Legal Series, 2005. www.butterworths.co.uk/halsburys Slapper, G. and Kelly, D. (2003) The English Legal System (6th Edition). London: Cavendish. Smith, O. (2000) Challenging the Closed Class Concept of Disability under Disability Discrimination Legislation. Liverpool: University of Liverpool, School of Law

Women in Literature :: Essays Papers

Women in Literature The Arizona Territory was a beautiful and impressive area that deserved to have exquisite writings to represent the land. It was particularly the men who were allowed to publish their thoughts. Women’s writings were not looked upon as scholarly and not published for public enjoyment. In the late 1800's and early 1900's women's literature was underrepresented. The ideas of women and their creativity was discouraged. In Southern Arizona, this discouragement existed for a variety of reasons. Some of these reasons attributed to this was that there were more limiting resources, an overabundance of women who were illiterate, and geography. Despite these and other stumbling blocks, two women overcame the odds and are seen as great women authors and literary achievers. Sharlot Hall and Frances Gillmor proved that women had a great deal to convey and exhibited the talent of literary expertise to accomplish their goals. Not only do they write about beauty and harmony, they write ab out the conflicts with the Indians and the hardships that other cultures had to endure in Arizona. One reason that few women published literature was because they came to Arizona primarily with their husbands who were in the Army and needed to relocate. These women, who came from populated and larger cities, were exposed to a different way of life in Arizona. There were few educational facilities in the west to teach young ladies about literary traditions. A lot of these women had to take care of themselves, their children, growing food and teaching. They were rooted to the same spot, sometimes for months at a time. This deprived them of a lot of mental stimuli that may have gotten in more populated areas.(1 pg. 48) Therefore sheltered women in Arizona were not encouraged to write stories or poems. Not that they didn’t know how, they told stories all the time. Children loved to hear the stories of their mothers lives and backgrounds. Women just never knew there was a medium to get their work out, so that more than just their children were partial to stories and poems o f landscapes and journeys across many different lands. There is a wealth of information about Ms. Sharlot Hall. Her life was very complex and together it all ties together to tell the story of her fame.

A Report on Blackwattle Bay Career Education Program

The most important goal of secondary education is to prepare students for their future, whether it is for higher education or for the world of work. It is a reality that not all high school graduates can proceed to tertiary education, some would have to forgo college and enter the world of work.Secondary education should be able to provide the right amount of training and education that would help the graduate become successful in his/her chosen life path (Hamilton & Hamilton, 1994).Secondary education does not also limit itself to providing academic and skills training but also in developing the personality of the student and by teaching life skills which they will use in their daily lives. In doing so, students are no only equipped academically with skills and knowledge but also become responsible young adults. Education’s ultimate goal is to teach and transform the minds of the young in the hope that they will become productive citizens of the country.With the many issues a nd controversies that the educational sectors are facing, it is no wonder that more and more schools are trying to address the issues of providing quality education that would result to student success in and out of school (Myrick, 2002).For some, innovation and the use of technology had helped in motivating students and in enhancing instruction, others focus more on providing excellent support for the needs of students that would aid in decision making in terms of their future and life goals.This support programs include career guidance, counseling, social action, volunteerism and spiritual guidance. Other schools emphasize academic preparation and excellence by providing programs such as remedial classes, enrichment classes, advanced courses in science and math, tutorials and the like (Cobia &Henderson, 2007). As most educators agree, a school which provides holistic education and personal development are the best kind of schools whether it is public or private, and rural or urban .In recent years, the general public had been averse to sending their children to public schools owing to the negative reputation that it has been given for not providing quality education, for not having excellent teachers and for the lack of funding given to such schools. More and more parents had sent their children to private schools for secondary education, in an attempt to reverse the negative perception towards public schools especially in the inner cities; the Sydney Secondary College was created in 2002 in order to revitalize public education.The Sydney Secondary College system is composed of three campuses located at Balmain, Leichhardt, and Blackwattle Bay. Students attend either Balmain or Leichhardt for their grade 7 to 10 education then move to Blackwattle Bay for their 11th and 12th years.Although Blackwattle Bay accepts applicants from different schools, students from Balmain and Leichhardt are given priority. The college system is unique in the sense that the learni ng environment of the Blackwattle Bay campus is very similar to a true college or university wherein students take courses that are geared towards enhancing the students’ chances of being accepted in tertiary education.Moreover, the college concept also posits that juniors and seniors would benefit more from a more mature and challenging learning environment than a regular high school.

Free Essays on Death

The DEATH Penalty Capital Punishment is an Unlawful and Ineffective Deterrent to Murder. The United States is one of the few countries left in the world to practice the savage and immoral punishment of death. Retentionists argue that the consequence of death prevents people from committing the crime of murder. It is proven that the death penalty does not deter persons from committing murder, nor does it serve as an example of the consequences of capital crimes to society. Furthermore, it is impossible to guarantee that the criminal justice system will not discriminate against or execute the innocent. Above all, the methods of execution are horrifying and barbaric, as well as the devaluing of a human life. We must realize that the life of a murderer is worth as much as the life of the victim. An indecent justice, one that takes human lives based on ideals of vengeance and violence, is an immoral system that is unacceptable. The most widely used argument in support of capital punishment is that the consequence of execution influences criminal behavior more effectively than imprisonment does (â€Å"Against the Death Penalty†). Although the argument may sound reasonable, in reality the death penalty fails as a deterrent. First, punishment can only be a useful deterrent if it is rational and immediately used. Capital punishment cannot meet those conditions. The number of first degree murderers who are sentenced to death is small, and of this group an even smaller number of people are eventually executed. Moreover, the possibility of increasing the number of convicted murderers sentenced to death and executed by requiring mandatory death sentences was declared unconstitutional in 1976 Jewett 2 (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty). Murder and other crimes of violence are not always premeditated. For example; gang violence, drive by shootings and kidnapping for ransom are serious crimes that continue to be committed bec... Free Essays on Death Free Essays on Death The DEATH Penalty Capital Punishment is an Unlawful and Ineffective Deterrent to Murder. The United States is one of the few countries left in the world to practice the savage and immoral punishment of death. Retentionists argue that the consequence of death prevents people from committing the crime of murder. It is proven that the death penalty does not deter persons from committing murder, nor does it serve as an example of the consequences of capital crimes to society. Furthermore, it is impossible to guarantee that the criminal justice system will not discriminate against or execute the innocent. Above all, the methods of execution are horrifying and barbaric, as well as the devaluing of a human life. We must realize that the life of a murderer is worth as much as the life of the victim. An indecent justice, one that takes human lives based on ideals of vengeance and violence, is an immoral system that is unacceptable. The most widely used argument in support of capital punishment is that the consequence of execution influences criminal behavior more effectively than imprisonment does (â€Å"Against the Death Penalty†). Although the argument may sound reasonable, in reality the death penalty fails as a deterrent. First, punishment can only be a useful deterrent if it is rational and immediately used. Capital punishment cannot meet those conditions. The number of first degree murderers who are sentenced to death is small, and of this group an even smaller number of people are eventually executed. Moreover, the possibility of increasing the number of convicted murderers sentenced to death and executed by requiring mandatory death sentences was declared unconstitutional in 1976 Jewett 2 (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty). Murder and other crimes of violence are not always premeditated. For example; gang violence, drive by shootings and kidnapping for ransom are serious crimes that continue to be committed bec... Free Essays on Death In Virginia Woolf’s essay â€Å" The Death of the Moth,† she is suggesting no matter how much energy one has now they will eventually die. I feel this essay works because of the reality of her words. Her point is well stated in the symbolism that she chooses to use. In explaining her essay she uses the moth as a symbol for life, she also uses the window as life and then death, next she uses energy to symbol the change from child to adult. Throughout the essay Woolf is explaining the moth standing for life. When she firsts sees the moth all she can think about is how life is so simple and energetic. Woolf wonders if while this moth is flying around the window trying to find a way to escape, it is in someway a little pathetic and lifeless. Woof states, â€Å" He was little or nothing but life† (Woolf 771). This explains why she is so intrigued by the acts the moth is doing at the moment. Woolf used the window the moth is trapped in as a symbol for life and then it turns to death. This is because while the moth is wondering how to get out of the window it looses all its energy and then dies right where just minutes earlier it was full of energy. After all the dancing Woolf sits and thinks about why things are happening the way they are. Why was the moth all the sudden dying? She could not explain what was going on except for that is seemed that â€Å"death was stronger then her† (Woolf 773). This expression only goes on to say that Woolf may have been more afraid of death after seeing the moth die in such a way that was not fair. Woolf then goes on to say that energy all together represents the change from childhood to adulthood. This means that when Woolf first sees the moth she thinks of it as a child full of energy and ready to dance all over the place. As the moth is dancing it is turning into an adult and loosing energy every minute. Woolf explains, that she almost tried to help the moth but then decided against it because t... Free Essays on Death The Debate over the merits of capital punishment has endured for years, and continues to be an extremely indecisive and complicated issue. Adversaries of capital punishment point to the Marshalls and the Millgards, while proponents point to the Dahmers and Gacys. Society must be kept safe from the monstrous barbaric acts of these individuals and other killers, by taking away their lives to function and perform in our society. At the same time, we must insure that innocent people such as Marshall and Millgard are never convicted or sentenced to death for a crime that they did not commit. Many contend that the use of capital punishment as a form of deterrence does not work, as there are no fewer murders on a per- capita basis in countries or states that do have it, then those that do not. In order for capital punishment to work as a deterrence, certain events must be present in the criminal's mind prior to committing the offence. The criminal must be aware that others have been punishe d in the past for the offence that he or she is planning, and that what happened to another individual who committed this offence, can also happen to me. But individuals who commit any types of crime ranging from auto theft to 1st-Degree Murder, never take into account the consequences of their actions. Deterrence to crime, is rooted in the individuals themselves. Every human has a personal set of conduct. How much they will and will not tolerate. How far they will and will not go. This personal set of conduct can be made or be broken by friends, influences, family, home, life, etc. An individual who is never taught some sort of restraint as a child, will probably never understand any limit as to what they can do, until they have learned it themselves. Therefore, capital punishment will never truly work as a deterrent, because of human nature to ignore practised advice and to self learn. There are those who claim that capital punishment is in itself a form o... Free Essays on Death Capital Punishment is an Unlawful and Ineffective Deterrent to Murder The United States is one of the few countries left in the world to practice the savage and immoral punishment of death. Retentionists argue that the consequence of death prevents people from committing the crime of murder. It is proven that the death penalty does not deter persons from committing murder, nor does it serve as an example of the consequences of capital crimes to society. Furthermore, it is impossible to guarantee that the criminal justice system will not discriminate against or execute the innocent. Above all, the methods of execution are horrifying and barbaric, as well as the devaluing of a human life. We must realize that the life of a murderer is worth as much as the life of the victim. An indecent justice, one that takes human lives based on ideals of vengeance and violence, is an immoral system that is unacceptable. The most widely used argument in support of capital punishment is that the conse quence of execution influences criminal behavior more effectively than imprisonment does (â€Å"Against the Death Penalty†). Although the argument may sound reasonable, in reality the death penalty fails as a deterrent. First, punishment can only be a useful deterrent if it is rational and immediately used. Capital punishment cannot meet those conditions. The number of first degree murderers who are sentenced to death is small, and of this group an even smaller number of people are eventually executed. Moreover, the possibility of increasing the number of convicted murderers sentenced to death and executed by requiring mandatory death sentences was declared unconstitutional in 1976 Jewett 2 (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty). Murder and other crimes of violence are not always premeditated. For example; gang violence, drive by shootings and kidnaping for ransom are serious crimes that continue to be committed because the criminal thinks he is to... Free Essays on Death Two sisters are home alone when a robber enters the house. The younger sister (8) is shot and killed, while the other one hides in horror and witnesses the shooting. Though she manages to escape and save herself, she can never fully recover from what she had seen with her own eyes almost twenty years ago. This story is not unique for there are many witnesses of murder everyday. The idea of putting another human to death is hard to completely fathom. The physical act of putting someone to death is easy to execute, but the emotions involved in carrying it out, is beyond the understanding of someone who as not witnessed such a tragic event. I know it must be painful, dehumanizing, and sickening. However, this act is sometimes necessary and it is our responsibility as a society to see that it is done. Capital punishment debates can quickly turn heated and argumentative because of the very dramatic nature of the topic. Most people either completely support capital punishment or are comple tely against it. Unfortunately there is no middle road that you can take, you can’t half kill a person for a crime. I will argue that capital punishment for first degree murder is a necessary part of living in a civilized society. Upon arguing for the death penalty you must understand that the death penalty is morally correct, and it will bring a closure to the victims family. Capital punishment is not only justifiable but is morally correct and should be the mandatory sentence for such crimes once an individual is found guilty. It would be neither unjust nor immoral to execute such an individual. It is not logical to believe that a person raised in our society does not know that the crimes of murder or the rape of a child will not be tolerated. Regardless of an individual’s background or status, individual choices lead to results that carry personal responsibility. It is inappropriate to make excuses for these criminals simply because they were negle... Free Essays on Death Fall is Death The sky is the color of hard gray stone Death’s hand is stretching out Birds and animals awake with a shock Frost dances in the dawn In the high empty sky, the cold sun shines With fires that forget to warm But the chill wind burns with a stinging bite The trees blaze with cold flame The sun is buried in the high, dead hills She dies there in fire and smoke The heartbeat of the earth slows down and fades Life is swallowed up in the dusk The birds of the air have gone over the clouds The beasts of the forest sleep And the small creeping things that live in the earth Lie slain by the breath of the night Now white light and ice shine high in the sky Death’s hand is squeezing hard Birds and animals cower and hide And slowly, each leaf Falls And I Walked Onto the Battlefield And I walked onto the battlefield. I marched between the lines as bullets whipped by and shells exploded. I halted in the midst of fierce combat. There was a cool gentle breeze. And I opened my trench coat. Cradled there, within my right arm, the tiniest of forms barely eight months amongst our world. And I waited with her there. Guns, and machines, all paused in their barrage, as each in time spotted the child, fell silent until only the breeze spoke. And I lifted her aloft. Her voice came gentle, at once quiet but gaining volume, gaining strength, gaining light until the battlefield rang with song as my fingers caressed her.. For she laughed. As soldiers holding guns, from side to side, whipped their heads up. For she laughed louder. As soldiers in trenches, from side to side, looked up at her, eyes lit wide. For she laughed louder still And each men, at once heavy, but lighter lighter in futility, lighter in hope together the soldiers laughed too. For they remembered their childhood and had discovered the child within themselves. And then one by one, they tur... Free Essays on Death The Debate over the merits of capital punishment has endured for years, and continues to be an extremely indecisive and complicated issue. Adversaries of capital punishment point to the Marshalls and the Millgards, while proponents point to the Dahmers and Gacys. Society must be kept safe from the monstrous barbaric acts of these individuals and other killers, by taking away their lives to function and perform in our society. At the same time, we must insure that innocent people such as Marshall and Millgard are never convicted or sentenced to death for a crime that they did not commit. Many contend that the use of capital punishment as a form of deterrence does not work, as there are no fewer murders on a per- capita basis in countries or states that do have it, then those that do not. In order for capital punishment to work as a deterrence, certain events must be present in the criminal's mind prior to committing the offence. The criminal must be aware that others have been punishe d in the past for the offence that he or she is planning, and that what happened to another individual who committed this offence, can also happen to me. But individuals who commit any types of crime ranging from auto theft to 1st-Degree Murder, never take into account the consequences of their actions. Deterrence to crime, is rooted in the individuals themselves. Every human has a personal set of conduct. How much they will and will not tolerate. How far they will and will not go. This personal set of conduct can be made or be broken by friends, influences, family, home, life, etc. An individual who is never taught some sort of restraint as a child, will probably never understand any limit as to what they can do, until they have learned it themselves. Therefore, capital punishment will never truly work as a deterrent, because of human nature to ignore practised advice and to self learn. There are those who claim that capital punishment is in itself a form o...

Free Essays on Andrew Jacksons Presidency

Andrew Jackson In the election of 1828, Andrew Jackson ran against John Quincy Adams. Everyone that wasn’t in support of Adams, ran against him. Jackson was able to modify some of the awkward things that Adams did when he became President in the previous election. Jackson’s supporters told others that Adams was a member of the upper class and that Jackson himself represented the â€Å"common man.† And since Jackson was a military chief and commander, Adams followers said that if Jackson became President that he would become an over powerful dictator like Napoleon Bonaparte. Just like people were saying at the time, this really was a personal election. In spite of all the clashing of ideas, Jackson turned out to be the easy winner, probably based on the fact that there truly was more common people than wealthy ones. The day Jackson sworn in as the new President, that started the Jacksonian Age. When Jackson went on his way to the capital, tons of â€Å"common† people gathered in crowds to see him and cheer him on. Since Jackson was a every day person, he let other ever day people in to work in the white house. This system became later known as the Spoils System. But these new people weren’t getting the job done as well as previous members did before. Jackson had many other ideas that he wanted to be completed when he was President. Jackson wanted to veto the national bank, war on the Bank of the Untied States, and to get rid of all the Indians. Jackson didn’t like the bank because he believed, and like most of the westerners, that the bank had too much power. Jackson and his followers saw the Bank as undemocratic. The private employees who ran the Bank became rich off of the public funds. That is what Jackson really despised. Jackson had sent an angry message to Congress saying that he vetoed the Bank and powerful enough reasons. One of his man reasons was that he believed that the Bank helped make the u... Free Essays on Andrew Jacksons Presidency Free Essays on Andrew Jacksons Presidency Andrew Jackson In the election of 1828, Andrew Jackson ran against John Quincy Adams. Everyone that wasn’t in support of Adams, ran against him. Jackson was able to modify some of the awkward things that Adams did when he became President in the previous election. Jackson’s supporters told others that Adams was a member of the upper class and that Jackson himself represented the â€Å"common man.† And since Jackson was a military chief and commander, Adams followers said that if Jackson became President that he would become an over powerful dictator like Napoleon Bonaparte. Just like people were saying at the time, this really was a personal election. In spite of all the clashing of ideas, Jackson turned out to be the easy winner, probably based on the fact that there truly was more common people than wealthy ones. The day Jackson sworn in as the new President, that started the Jacksonian Age. When Jackson went on his way to the capital, tons of â€Å"common† people gathered in crowds to see him and cheer him on. Since Jackson was a every day person, he let other ever day people in to work in the white house. This system became later known as the Spoils System. But these new people weren’t getting the job done as well as previous members did before. Jackson had many other ideas that he wanted to be completed when he was President. Jackson wanted to veto the national bank, war on the Bank of the Untied States, and to get rid of all the Indians. Jackson didn’t like the bank because he believed, and like most of the westerners, that the bank had too much power. Jackson and his followers saw the Bank as undemocratic. The private employees who ran the Bank became rich off of the public funds. That is what Jackson really despised. Jackson had sent an angry message to Congress saying that he vetoed the Bank and powerful enough reasons. One of his man reasons was that he believed that the Bank helped make the u...

International Law history essays

International Law history essays International law is the body of legal rules that apply between sovereign states and such other entities as have been granted international personality (status acknowledged by the international community). The rules of international law are of a normative character, that is, they prescribe towards conduct, and are potentially designed for authoritative interpretation by an international judicial authority and by being capable of enforcement by the application of external sanctions. The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, which succeeded the Permanent Court of International Justice after World War II. Article 92 of the charter of the United Nations states: The International Court of justice shall be the principal judicial organ of the United nations. It shall function in accordance with the annexed Statute, which is based upon the Statute of the Permanent court of International Justice and forms an integral part of the presentCharter. The commands of international law must be those that the states impose upon themselves, as states must give consent to the commands that they will follow. It is a direct expression of raison d'etat, the "interests of the state", and aims to serve the state, as well as protect the state by giving its rights and duties. This is done through treaties and other consensual engagements which are legally binding. The case-law of the ICJ is an important aspect of the UN's contribution to the development of international law. It's judgements and advisory opinions permeates into the international legal community not only through its decisions as such but through the wider implications of its The successful resolution of the border dispute between Burkina Faso and Mali in the 1986 Frontier Dispute case illustrates the utility of judicial decision as a means of settlement ...

Learning Team Charter Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Learning Team Charter Analysis - Essay Example The group must lay down some criteria on what kind of violations would merit being kicked out from the group. It would also be good to solicit feedback from the member who failed to perform as expected. Feedback can be used for planning when drafting guidelines. As for team B, the distribution of workload is properly managed by the leader. They also observe correct protocol by having the immediate supervisor address the issues first. This reflects more organized way of doing things. However, additional strategies can be formulated to make the whole process efficient. First, the conflict manager can have one-on-one discussions with team members who have issues before elevating them to the instructor. Second , models for conflict resolutions can be discussed to see which approach is more appropriate. In conclusion, conflict resolution in groups begins with carefully laid established guidelines that team members can rely

Personal Brand Building and Networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal Brand Building and Networking - Essay Example The author presents several core steps towards the development and control of a personal brand. Foremost, the author explicates that it is imperative for any individual, willing to create an appealing personal brand, to familiarize themselves with search engines to confirm whether the results that emerge prove a unique identity. The author of this article takes a technical stance when giving examples of useful tools used for cleaning up an individual’s web presence. This is to ensure that the emergent information that does not appeal to the individual disappears for new branding. Creating a reputation with handy tools online is the author’s next point. A personal website falls into this category. It is necessary to further claim personal web profiles and individual URL addresses on all, social interactive sites (Royse). Being active in networking is imperative for gradually creating a personal brand. Next, purchasing a unique domain is pertinent because the ownership av ails an opportunity to customize a person’s profile. Failure to secure a domain name leaves reputation in the possession of unknown parties, which may destroy a personal brand. Google Alerts aids in monitoring the individual’s website. The next useful step is creating a blog where sharing of individual perspectives and personal brands is easy. Blogs help in expanding personal networks beyond borders because it reaches many people, portraying expertise in various topics. Posting material that is helpful to counterparts and the entire world depicts social responsibility and progressive leadership qualities. The author stresses that personal brands, like company brands, deteriorate with time. A feedback loop is a channel through which an individual can obtain support, advice, and counsel from colleagues, family, and mentors (Royse). It enhances constant rejuvenation on an individual and establishes a tacit and unique personal brand. Personal Branding Wailen-Daugenti, in h er article, affirms that companies promote their brands to augment social awareness, visibility, popularity, and sales by giving instances of Apple and Nike companies that invest immensely in brand promotion. According to Daugenti, a personal brand offers individuals a chance to promote and highlight their careers. She points out that personal brand is pertinent because numerous recruiters use search software to perform track checks on their job candidates (Wilen-Daugenti). Social networking provides a diverse branding platform. She gives examples of how social networking hubs such as Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube have large numbers of subscribers. Personal brands depict how qualified an individual is to their potential customers, employers and recruiters. It is important to appreciate admirable brands of people that have succeeded in leadership and profession. People willing to establish their unique brands should network and interact with other people who can rate their brand (Wi len-Daugenti). Building a personal brand begins with listing skills, talents, accomplishments, goals, and individual traits that may be of use when perfective a personal brand. The author recommends the virtue of evaluating the brand periodically.  

Report explaining the difficulties in recruiting, training, motivating Essay

Report explaining the difficulties in recruiting, training, motivating and rewarding staff in a given Financial Services company - Essay Example current employees, the research findings revealed that employees are very much satisfied with NatWest’s training and development programme including its motivational strategies and reward system. However, there is a need for NatWest HR manager to consider the importance of job analysis to increase the company’s ability of hiring the right person to perform a specific role and responsibility within the financial institution. A member of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group – the Group, the National Westminster Bank also known as â€Å"NatWest† was established back in 1968 when the National Provincial Bank and Westminster Bank decided to enter a merger contract (NatWest, 2009a). Since then, NatWest managed to establish 3,600 branches that provide the people with a wide-range of personal, business, and commercial banking services such as the use of debit and credit cards, telephone banking, home, car, and commercial loans, corporate bonds, Wealth management services, and the touch-screen share dealings which assists the UK government’s privatization programme among others (NatWest, 2009a, b) The application of effective recruitment process, training programmes, motivational strategies, and rewarding of staff are among the key issues that needs to be addressed to enable NatWest’s HR manager to keep employees satisfied with their current job. In line with this, a quantitative and qualitative research survey will be conducted to examine NatWest’s employees’ perception with regards to the company’s recruitment process, training programmes, motivational strategies and reward system. Based on the research findings, difficulties and challenges NatWest is facing will be identified. Considering the global crisis, financial institutions around the world are facing tight competition in terms of being able to capture a bigger market share as compared to other financial institutions. In line with this, the HR manager of NatWest plays a crucial role in terms of

Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Management - Assignment Example The manager will be efficient but if the program had no relevance with the organization’s objective, then he or she would be efficient but not effective. If the program costs more, the manager would be effective but not efficient. Manager of an organization can improve both simultaneously by introducing the emergent technology. In busy offices, time wasting can cost the company immensely. For instance, the manager can introduce a printer that can print data from computers and this can improve efficiency and effectiveness within the workplace (Ehman). Good reputation is the most important thing as it adds value to an organization. Being ethical and socially responsible is part of having a good organization. For instance, Aflac is an insurance company that has had recognition for being among the most ethical companies in the world. They have made this successful by treating shareholders with integrity and honesty. Wal-Mart is almost the largest retailer and private company employer in the world. Despite the huge profits, it has faced stiff allegations from employees that they are not treating the right. First, the company employs illegal immigrants so that they can cut down costs. Sometimes they go unpaid when they work overtime. Many workers also complain of sexual discrimination and denial to medical care plans. Social account is an imaginary account built by being helpful to people and it is measurable by the strength of one’s relationship within a network. We can earn, save, and spend this capital. It takes time and investment to earn social capital and the best way is to use attitudes and behaviors, which will build social capital (Townsend 24). Social capital can be of use in critical situations of an organization in order to improve its reputation. It is essential to propose a leadership process that can work passably with performance appraisal of Management by Objective. This is in the view of

Strategic International Business Management Essay

Strategic International Business Management - Essay Example However, before going internationally, the company needs to address its weaknesses, including frequent product recalls, negative international publicity, and bad accounting practices. The potential target market for Tesco chosen for this paper was the Chilean market. Chile is a highly attractive market for Tesco due to its competitive position in the South American region in terms of economic ranking, openness to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), basic business requirements and other parameters. Retailing industry in Chile is growing and is forecasted to show positive growth in future. Also, there is a growth of demand for imported, exotic and sophisticated products among the urban population of Chile, which is a good business opportunity for Tesco. Hypermarkets and Supermarkets in Chile is one of the most popular establishments for grocery shopping as this segment has the highest % share. The number of supermarkets and hypermarkets is continuously growing in Chile and indicate that t here are growth opportunities for Tesco. Among three market entry strategies suggested, it was recommended to pursue acquisition strategy in order to enter the Chilean retail market. With the development of international logistics, information technology, global integration, and liberalization of markets more and more companies seek the opportunities for international expansion. One of such companies is the UK-based retailing chain, Tesco Plc. The company already operates in the European and some Asian markets. However, the firm seeks for other markets for international expansion. The aim of this paper is to suggest a potential international market for Tesco’s expansion, to analyze the external environment of the proposed country and to provide recommendations regarding the selection of a market entry strategy for Tesco. Tesco is a network of retail stores selling grocery, general merchandise, electrical products, apparel and other non-food items (MarketLine Advantage, 2015).

Masters Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Masters - Personal Statement Example dation soon after my academic feat has also furthered my insight into the field of law, giving me an opportunity to put in practice theoretical concepts learnt at the university and during diverse training seminars. The undergraduate studies and training have fuelled my interest in law to higher levels, prompting me to consider pursuing a postgraduate degree in International Commercial Law. I have acquired significant skills relevant to the practice of law in the course of my academic training, internship and life in general. Skills like client orientation, problem resolution, organization and planning, business competence, adaptability and focus on quality, will come in handy in my professional development, which I hope your esteemed institution will accord me. I am diligent, focused and motivated to succeed as an international business relations lawyer. I intend to exert diligence in my postgraduate studies, while bringing my leadership skills and critical reasoning ability to presenting legally viable arguments to this globally renowned course.   I look forward to learning from honored professors the intricate nature of International Commercial Law. I am also eager to interact with like-minded scholars and advance my skills and knowledge to become effectively global-oriented. In a progressively competitive and interconnected world, I hope to acquire focused legal training that will help me in critical analysis and development of laws that govern international commerce. I appreciate the fact that becoming an international lawyer requires time and significant effort. I am willing and ready to make this commitment and approach the course with due diligence not just for enhancement of my career prospects, but also for the benefit of my future

Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Management - Assignment Example The manager will be efficient but if the program had no relevance with the organization’s objective, then he or she would be efficient but not effective. If the program costs more, the manager would be effective but not efficient. Manager of an organization can improve both simultaneously by introducing the emergent technology. In busy offices, time wasting can cost the company immensely. For instance, the manager can introduce a printer that can print data from computers and this can improve efficiency and effectiveness within the workplace (Ehman). Good reputation is the most important thing as it adds value to an organization. Being ethical and socially responsible is part of having a good organization. For instance, Aflac is an insurance company that has had recognition for being among the most ethical companies in the world. They have made this successful by treating shareholders with integrity and honesty. Wal-Mart is almost the largest retailer and private company employer in the world. Despite the huge profits, it has faced stiff allegations from employees that they are not treating the right. First, the company employs illegal immigrants so that they can cut down costs. Sometimes they go unpaid when they work overtime. Many workers also complain of sexual discrimination and denial to medical care plans. Social account is an imaginary account built by being helpful to people and it is measurable by the strength of one’s relationship within a network. We can earn, save, and spend this capital. It takes time and investment to earn social capital and the best way is to use attitudes and behaviors, which will build social capital (Townsend 24). Social capital can be of use in critical situations of an organization in order to improve its reputation. It is essential to propose a leadership process that can work passably with performance appraisal of Management by Objective. This is in the view of

Masters Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Masters - Personal Statement Example dation soon after my academic feat has also furthered my insight into the field of law, giving me an opportunity to put in practice theoretical concepts learnt at the university and during diverse training seminars. The undergraduate studies and training have fuelled my interest in law to higher levels, prompting me to consider pursuing a postgraduate degree in International Commercial Law. I have acquired significant skills relevant to the practice of law in the course of my academic training, internship and life in general. Skills like client orientation, problem resolution, organization and planning, business competence, adaptability and focus on quality, will come in handy in my professional development, which I hope your esteemed institution will accord me. I am diligent, focused and motivated to succeed as an international business relations lawyer. I intend to exert diligence in my postgraduate studies, while bringing my leadership skills and critical reasoning ability to presenting legally viable arguments to this globally renowned course.   I look forward to learning from honored professors the intricate nature of International Commercial Law. I am also eager to interact with like-minded scholars and advance my skills and knowledge to become effectively global-oriented. In a progressively competitive and interconnected world, I hope to acquire focused legal training that will help me in critical analysis and development of laws that govern international commerce. I appreciate the fact that becoming an international lawyer requires time and significant effort. I am willing and ready to make this commitment and approach the course with due diligence not just for enhancement of my career prospects, but also for the benefit of my future

Opression in a Thousand Splendid Suns Essay Example for Free

Opression in a Thousand Splendid Suns Essay Taslima Nasrin once said: â€Å"Those religions that are oppressive to women are also against democracy, human rights, and freedom of expression. † This quote also applies to a book called a thousand splendid suns by Khaled hosseini and Deepa Metha’s Film Water. A thousand splendid suns in a book about two women in Afghanistan with an abusive husband. They struggle for survival and for their human rights that have been overlooked by the Taliban and a patriarchal society. Water is a movie about widows living in India. They are sent to the country side to live with other widows supposedly so they can live pure lives. In actuality they are cast aside and denied the basic respect all humans deserve. Ironically, the only way they can make enough money to survive is by committing acts as impure as it gets. They are forced to turn to prostitution. These two stories show that a cultural society’s refusal to change religious practices causes the oppression of women. The characters Mariam, kalyani, and chuyia demonstrate this. Mariam is a woman living in Afghanistan from the book A Thousand Splendid Suns. Mariam grew up very poor living in a small hut excluded from society. As a child she was taught only to endure and was never given the opportunity to stand up for herself. Mariam was the daughter of a maid that her father Jalil had an affair with and he was very ashamed of this. To solve this â€Å"problem† he got rid of her. Jalil married her off to a much older man named Rasheed. Shortly after the start of their marriage, Rasheed rapes her. He justifies it with the Quran. â€Å"‘It’s what married people do. It’s what the prophet himself and his wives did. There is no shame. ’† (Hosseini, 77). In this quote Rasheed refers to the prophet Muhammad in the Quran. This shows how Rasheed perverted the events Quran, the sacred Islamic text, to justify the rape of a young girl who hadn’t even turned 16. Marrying young girls still in their teens is an old custom that is embedded in Islam and the Afghan culture. Society’s refusal to change this practice caused the ruthless humiliation of a young girl and in the long run made the oppression of all women an accepted practice. Kalyani is a character in the movie Water. She is a widow most likely in her 20s who never met her husband. Her husband died shortly after her marriage and was sent to the ashram as a young girl. Since she is the only young widow in the ashram she is forced to turn to prostitution to bring in extra money so the widows can at least have enough money for 1 meal a day. Her entire life story shows the subjugation of women. She was married at around the age of 10 because of religious traditions that have not changed in hundreds of years. This tradition has given men the power to oppress women. This oppression is shown through the death of the husband. If the husband dies before the wife, the wife is sent away. If the opposite happen the husband is free to remarry as he pleases. This happens because of the religious belief that when a husband dies, half of the woman also dies. This makes it easier to mistreat women because it makes them seem less than human. It is also believed that the death of a husband is punishment for something done in a previous life. Society’s refusal to change theses Hindi beliefs and practices create the oppression of women by making their mistreatment seem justified and by making them seem less than human. Chuyia is a young girl who was married at the age of 8 and was widowed the next day. She doesn’t even remember getting married but is forced to suffer the same fate as Kalyani. She is young and innocent and her innocence causes her to question practices that everyone else simply accepts. Deepa Metha uses this character to point out inconsistencies in the Hindi religion and traditional society. At one point in the story she asks why there isn’t a place for men to go if they are widowed. She is quickly ridiculed by both men and women. This event shows that the refusal to change religious practices has brainwashed both men and women to accept and even endorse the oppression of women. Taslima Nasrin words are clearly tied to the theme of these two stories. She explains in her quote that a religion cannot be providing people basic rights if it discriminates against women. The theme reiterates the same message by declaring that religion can sometimes cause oppression of women. These three characters show how traditions and old religious practices have made the oppression of women possible all over the world. By displaying this message in the authors’ books and movies, the authors hope to encourage all people around the world to not follow blindly old traditions and practices. They want people to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong. When people fail to do this, bad things start happening such as the oppression, humiliation, and subjugation of women who are actually just as intelligent, strong, and able as any man.

Identity Formation and the Development of National Interest

Identity Formation and the Development of National Interest Constructivism Ideas, Identity and Foreign Policy In the analysis of international politics, the process of identity formation and how national interests are conceived should represent central issues, as they are inextricably linked to a states foreign policy. The importance of identities results from the fact that they perform two vital functions: expressing to the self and others who the self is, as well as expressing to the self who others are. Due to the first function, having a certain identity determines an associated set of preferences regarding the choices of action in various circumstances and when different actors are involved. That is why a states identity generates its interests and subsequent behaviour towards fellow members and situations related to the international system. The second function implies that a state perceives others according to the identities it attributes to them, while simultaneously reproducing its own identity through social interaction and practice (Tajfel, 1981:255). These notions have been conce ptualised and emphasised in IR theory by constructivist scholars, who argue that global politics originates not only in the international system but also in an international society. Constructivists stress the constitutive effects of ideas and norms that set the parameters within which identities and interests are formulated (Brown and Ainley, 2003:49). When studying inter-state relations, it has become essential to analyse how ideas are created, how they evolve and influence states perceptions and response to their situation. In order to achieve such an objective, constructivism plays a key role by promoting the tenet that the manner in which the material world shapes and is shaped by human action and interaction depends on dynamic normative and epistemic interpretations of the material world (Adler, 1997:322). From this perspective, constructivist frameworks show that even the most enduring institutions are based on collective understandings. Their important contribution to the st udy of IR lies mainly in emphasising the ontological reality of intersubjective knowledge, along with its epistemological and methodological implications. That is why constructivism argues international relations consist primarily of social facts, which have acquired such a status due to human agreement. They represent reified structures that were conceived ex nihilo by human consciousness, subsequently being diffused and consolidated until they were taken for granted (Adler, 1997:322-323). Constructivist scholars also believe that actors attach meanings to and cognitively frame the material world as well as their experiences. So collective understandings or the distribution of knowledge offer the reasons why certain elements are as they are, as well as the indications as to how actors should deploy their material capabilities (Wendt, 1992:397). One might deduce from the previous statement that the context of collective meanings structures the preferences and behaviour of political actors, which would suggest that constructivism features deterministic tendencies. On the contrary, its theoretical premises have a much more nuanced nature and the constructivist position within the agency-structure debate asserts that the two elements are mutually constitutive. Constructivism argues that meaningful conduct is possible only within an intersubjective social context, since agents develop relations with and understandings of others via ideas, norms and practices. In their absence, actions like the exercise of power would be devoid of meaning because ideas and norms have constitutive effects on identity, specifying the features that will enable others to recognise that identity and respond to it accordingly (Jepperson, Wendt and Katzenstein, 1996:54). In this process, agents exert their influence by consciously perpetuating and repro ducing the social context through their prolonged actions and practices. A significant point to remember is that structure becomes meaningless without some intersubjective set of ideas and norms, so neither anarchy nor the distribution of capabilities alone can socialise states to a particular conduct (Dessler, 1989:459-460). Until now the discussion of constructivism has mentioned several times the notions of constitutive effects or being mutually constitutive, but without describing more elaborately what they entail. The relation of constitution must be differentiated from that of causality, as constitutive theories enquire about the conditions which instantiate a phenomenon, rendering it possible. In this respect, Robert Cummins employs the concept of property theories because they have a different objective from causal explanations: to account for the properties of things by reference to the structures in virtue of which they exist (Cummins, 1983). Another key aspect of constitutive theorising refers to the fact that the counterfactual claim of necessity is conceptual or logical, not causal or natural (Wendt, 1998:106). For instance, the conditions constituting a phenomenon define what the latter is, which conveys a relationship of identity not causal determination. These two components are inextricab ly linked, so that when the conditions come into being, the phenomenon comes into being with them. By contrast, causal explanations rest on two different assumptions: the factors causing an event exist independently from their outcome and are also temporally prior to it. If one applies these theoretical assumptions to the context of ideas, several implications become immediately apparent. The significant role that ideas play in international relations is fully acknowledged only when we recognise their constitutive effects (Wendt, 1999:87). The relationship of constitution derives from the fact that ideas create political outcomes by shaping their properties, meanings, perceptions or interpretations. These are in turn dependent on their ideational source, they exist only in virtue of those ideas terrorism cannot be conceived apart from a national security discourse that defines it. The national security discourse is in turn inextricably linked to constructing a notion of terrorism, since without it the concept would be meaningless. When analysing foreign policy, dominant schools of thought in IR theory usually ignore ideas and identity or regard them as intervening variables at best, helping to account for outcomes which surpass the explanatory abilities of traditional materialist factors like power and interests. The approach in question is problematic as it does not encompass fully the ideational impact ideas in fact create materialist causes. The bottom line of what becomes most contested in the materialist-idealist debate is the relative contribution of brute material forces to power and interest explanations as opposed to ideas (Wendt, 1999:94). At this point it might be useful to consider briefly the traditional view of materialism which originates in Marxism. The classical Marxist dichotomy portrays the material base as the mode of production, while culture, ideology and other ideational factors belong to a non-material superstructure. Wendt believes the same principles can be extended and applied to re alism; after all, modes of destruction are as basic as modes of production (Wendt, 1999:94). Both instances contain a crucial issue, namely that ideational factors become completely separated from economic and military considerations. Here D.V. Porpora noted a conceptual contradiction, considering the fact that Marxism defines the modes of production not only via forces, but also via relations of production. Relations represent ideational phenomena embodied by institutions that ultimately refer to shared norms (Porpora, 1993:214). The obvious implication points to the fact that the material base of Marxism is actually infused with ideas and norms, which also reveals their constitutive role concerning materialism generally To further reinforce such an argument, it is necessary to challenge the conventional materialist view of interests by acknowledging their nature interests are actually cognitions or ideas. This perspective has been promoted by two distinct fields of knowledge and their associated scholars: cultural anthropology and philosophy. Drawing on cognitive psychology, the anthropologist R.G. DAndrade (1992:28) sees interests, desires or motivations as schemas (frames, representations, ideas), which reflect knowledge structures that make possible the identification of objects and events. A significant aspect to remember is that schemas are not given by human nature. DAndrade (1992:31) admits that some interests can be rooted in biological drives which alludes to their material nature, but biology fails to explain most of the goals human beings seem capable of pursuing and these are learned through socialisation. In this sense, the anthropologist offers the example of an interest for achievem ent: it implies a social standard about what counts as a legitimate aspiration and the individuals desiring to achieve have internalised that standard as a cognitive schema (DAndrade, 1992:35). A very similar opinion has been advanced by R.B.K. Howe who draws on philosophy to articulate a cognitive theory of interest or desire. He too acknowledges that biological mechanisms influence interests, yet even very primitive desires are mostly directionless and depend on beliefs or ideas about what is desirable to render them meaningful (Howe, 1994). That is why ideas play a key role in defining and directing material needs; one perceives a goal as valuable, which in turn determines ones interest in accomplishing it. These perceptions are learned sometimes by interacting with nature which resonates with materialist factors, but mostly they are learned through socialisation to culture an inherently idealist phenomenon (Howe, 1994). Consequently, having reached similar conclusions starting from different premises, scholars in cultural anthropology and philosophy identify the cognitive basis of interests, or that ideas and not material drives create interests to a great extent. In foreign policy analysis, the concept of national interest has been accorded considerably more explanatory ability compared to other variables, particularly due to the influence of the classical realist and neorealist frameworks. However, is its nature inherently materialist and objective as the realist school of thought would have one believe? Or does it rather represent the product and construct of different interpretation processes, in which case ideas and identity become essential? The neorealist approach to international relations rests on the assumptions that the distribution of material capability in the states system can be objectively assessed and that threats to national interests can be accurately recognised. Such a perspective largely ignores that threats are not self-evident and the national interest, when confronted with a problematic situation, becomes a matter of interpretation (Weldes, 1996:279), hence the significant influence of ideas and identity. Moreover, cons tructivism convincingly challenges the objective and materialist view of realism concerning national interests, reintroducing the crucial role of ideas and identity. It does so by promoting the tenet that people act towards objects, including other actors, on the basis of the meanings that the objects have for them (Wendt, 1992:396-397). Wendts work has had a fundamental contribution in reconceptualising the national interest as the product of intersubjective processes of meaning creation. Nevertheless, consistent with the neorealist tradition, he regards states through the black box metaphor, their internal processes being irrelevant to the construction of state identities and interests. Wendt (1992:401) argues that the meanings which states attach to phenomena and subsequently their interests and identities are shaped via inter-state interaction. This does reflect an important facet of identity formation, but also neglects the historical and political contexts in which national in terests are deeply embedded, because the interpretations defining state interests cannot be restricted to the meanings and ideas generated by inter-state interaction. After all, any state is inextricably linked to the domestic actors that take decisions in its name. These agents do internalise the norms characterising the international environment, yet they also approach politics with an already formed appreciation of the world, the international system and the position of their state within it (Weldes, 1996:280). The national actors ideas and interpretation of all these issues stem partly from domestic political and cultural contexts. As Antonio Gramsci (1971:112) noted, civil society is the sphere in which the struggle to define the categories of common sense takes place. After revealing interests as expressions of ideas, one might advance the counterargument that such a conceptualisation applies only to individuals, becoming irrelevant in the case of states and the international system. The latter brings forward another essential point of this paper, which argues that states articulate a constructed collective identity that influences what they perceive their interests to be. It is best shown when taking into account the example of foreign policy, a domain in which various actors make decisions according to their ideas and perceptions of the national interest. Following the collapse of the communist regime, Romania and its political leaders were faced with the opportunity to choose the appropriate future course for the emerging democracy. Their decision was to actively pursue a transformation for the new state, seeking to create a collective identity with the West. But before proceeding with the empirical discussion, it has become imperative to defin e and conceptualise one of its central notions identity. This context particularly deals with state identity because it represents the most relevant instance for analysing foreign policy. In the philosophical sense, identity can be defined as whatever makes an entity what it is, although such a definition is too broad to render the concept meaningful. That is why, for analytical purposes and conceptual utility, identity will be understood using a two-faceted definition. On the one hand, it can be regarded as a property of intentional actors that generates motivational and behavioural dispositions (Wendt, 1999:224). On the other hand, identity cannot be conceived without recognising that which is like, other and simultaneously like and other, or without an understanding of the self which comes from this recognition (Norton cited by Campbell, 1992: 78-79). Both facets of the definition suggest that identity contains at base a subjective or unit-level quality rooted in an actors self- understandings. Their meaning will often depend on whether others represent that actor in the same way, a feature which configures the inter-subjective quality of identity (Wendt, 1999:225). Even a simple example can illustrate the point in a more enlightening manner: Helen might think she is a lecturer but if that belief is not shared by her colleagues and students, then her identity will not operate in their interaction. In other words, both internal and external structures constitute an identity and it takes form under two types of ideas: those held by the Self and those held by the Other. The character of this internal-external relationship varies, which leads to the existence of several kinds of identity, rather than one unitary phenomenon susceptible to a general definition. Building on the work of James Fearon (1999), a typology that features several kinds of identity will be presented here, all inextricably linked and feeding into each other: personal and social, type, role, corporate and collective. First, personal identity is constituted by the self-organising, homeostatic structures that make actors distinct entities (Greenwood, 1994). These structures have a material base represented by the human body, as well as a social component. The latter points to a set of attributes, beliefs, desires, or principles of action that a person thinks distinguish her in socially relevant ways and that (a) the person takes a special pride in; (b) the person takes no special pride in, but which so orient her behavior that she would be at a loss about how to act and what to do without them; or (c) the person feels she could not change even if she wanted to (Fearon, 1999:25). What differentiates the personal identity of intentional actors from that of other entities is a consciousness and memory of Self as a separate locus of thought and activity (Wendt, 1999:225). It cannot be denied that people constitute distinct entities in virtue of biology, but without consciousness and memory a sense of I they are not agents. This aspect resonates even more in the case of a state, since its people must have a common narrative of themselves as a corporate actor. Therefore, the state itself might be considered a group Self capable of group-level recognition (Wilson and Sober, 1994:602). In the former, an identity is just a social category, a group of people designated by a label (or labels) that is commonly used either by the people designated, others, or both. This is the sense employed when we refer to American, French, Muslim, father, homosexual, (p.10) National identities, like American or Russian, are examples of type identities. There are almost no contexts in which it would make sense to speak of the the role of an American, except in a theatre play where role means part. Other social categories that are almost wholly type identities include party a_liation (e.g., Democrat or Republican), sexual identity (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etc.), and ethnic identity. Some identities or social categories involve both role and type. For example, mother is a role, but nonetheless we expect certain beliefs, attitudes, values, preferences, moral virtues, and so on, to be characteristic of people performing the role of mother (understandings that may change through time.) On the other hand, some role identities, which mainly but not exclusively comprise occupational categories, have few if any type features associated with them (for example, toll booth collector). Lastly, collective identity brings the Self-Other relationship to another stage and its logical conclusion identification. The latter represents a cognitive process in which the distinction between the two becomes blurred and sometimes even transcended, namely Self is categorised as Other. Identification tends to be issue specific and always involves extending the boundaries of the Self to include the Other. In this respect, collective identity uses both role and type ones and at the same time goes beyond their limits. It builds on role identities since both depend on the mechanism of incorporating the Other into the Self, which generates a socially constituted Me. The essential difference refers to their contrasting objectives: role identities use the mechanism to enable the Self and Other to play distinct roles, whereas a collective identity aims to merge the two entities into a single one. In the case of type identities, the situation is slightly more complicated. Collective iden tity builds on them as both require shared characteristics, but not all type identities are collective because not all involve the identification process Especially over the past decade, the discipline of IR has experienced what Yosef Lapid and Friedrich Kratochwil (1996) called the return of culture and identity in IR theory. The 1950s and 1960s had brought for IR scholars an intense preoccupation with the role of national identities, particularly in the context of early EU integration studies by Karl Deutsch and Ernst Haas. Unfortunately, later on the concept became once again marginalised in favour of more objective and scientific approaches like neorealism and rational choice. The recent return of identity does not necessarily imply that the current use of the term may be considered equivalent to that of the 1950s-1960s. Rather, since the late 1980s, a new strand of theory regarding identity has emerged and slowly developed, which rejects essentialist notions while emphasising the constructed nature of social and political identities (see for example McSweeney, 1999; Albert et al., 2001). One of the works that is most often cited when discussing the relationship between state identity and foreign policy is that of David Campbell. In his 1992 book Writing security, he challenges the traditional narrative of asking how foreign policy serves the national interest and instead examines how the practice of foreign policy helps write and rewrite state identity. According to Campbell Danger is not an objective condition. It is not a thing which exists independently of those to whom it may become a threat (Campbell 1992: 1). As danger is an effect of interpretation (Ibid: 2), nothing is more or less dangerous than something else, except when interpreted as such. In terms of the non-essentialistic character of danger, the objectification and externalization of danger need to be understood as an effect of political practices rather than the condition of their possibility. As danger is never objective, Campbells argument continues, neither is the identity which it is said to threaten. Rather, the contours of this identity are subject to constant (re)writing, and foreign policy is an integral part of the discourses of danger which serve to discipline the state. Campbells theory a declared challenge to conventional approaches which assume a settled nature of identity is thus that state identity can be understood as the outcome of practices assoc iated with a discourse of danger. We speak about the foreign policy of the state x or state y, thereby indicating that the state is prior to the policy, but Campbells creative insights come to challenge such a position. He explains that national states are paradoxical entities which do not possess prediscursive stable identities (Ibid: 11). As states are always in the process of becoming, for a state to end its practices of representation would be to expose its lack of prediscursive foundations'(Ibid: 11). Ironically, the inability of the state project of security to succeed is the guarantor of the states continued success as an impelling identity. The constant articulation of danger through foreign policy is thus not a threat to a states identity or existence: it is its condition of possibility'( Ibid: 12). Building on such theoretical understanding, this paper offers an account of the processes through which Romanian state identity and its insecurities are produced, reproduced, and potentially transformed.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Essay example -- essays research papers

POLYCYSTIC OVARIES SYNDROME Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS) is an ovulation disorder and infertility that occurs in many women. Polycystic ovaries syndrome dates back to 1845 where it was described in a French manuscript as being â€Å"changes in the ovaries†. It was called â€Å"sclerocystic†. Polycystic ovaries syndrome is a problem that occurs in with the ovaries. A â€Å"polycystic ovary is characterized as being a tough, thickened, shiny white covering overlying a layer of many small cysts just under the ovarian surface.† (Thatcher, 10). That was the description that was found in the French manuscript and is still being used to this day for doctors to define polycystic ovaries. A wedge resection in the early 1900’s was the first form of treatment for this syndrome. PCOS involves more than just the ovaries filled with small cysts. Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome causes infertility in women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome can cause a number of symptoms. Its can cause everything from obesity to missed periods. It also causes women to have more of the male hormone in their bodies, which cause male hair growth. Not all of PCOS patients have excessive hair growth some may have other skin conditions, like acne. PCOS is the one of the most notorious cause if missed menstrual cycles and â€Å"infertility due to the lack of ovulation†. (Thatcher, 12)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three main reasons women with PCOS get medical attention. The first is that they have missed menstrual cycles. A woman’s period should not be light, short, or irregular. There are steps that a woman’s body needs to go through in order for women to become pregnant. There is a normal menstrual cycle that a woman’s body   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   should go through and if it doesn’t then the women has an irregular cycle. This process the movement of an egg to a fertilizing position, developing a lining in the uterus, then the shedding of that lining when the egg doesn’t become fertilized. The second reason woman get medical attention for PCOS, is that they have worries about their physical ... ...e to me in order to try and regulate my periods. If I did not want to have a child then he would have prescribed some type of birth control pill to aid in this process of regulating my cycle. The little cysts form when my egg comes out and does not go any further than the outside of my ovary. My egg latches on to my ovary and forms into a cyst. This is what caused me irregular menstrual cycles. I am currently overweight and trying to get it under control by exercising and dieting. PCOS is something that is common among a lot of women and it can happen to anyone even the healthiest woman.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Work Cited Hammerly, Milton M.D and Kimball, Cheryl, â€Å"What to Do When The Doctor Says its PCOS†, (Fair Winds Press, 2003). Thatcher, Samuel S. M.D, Ph.D., â€Å"PCOS (policystic ovary syndrome) The Hidden Epidemic,† (Perspectives Press, 2000). Personal Experience, Christina Chivalier, Feb. 2005.

pauls case Essay example -- essays research papers

Paul’s Case Paul's Case is about a young, Calvinist man who did not feel that he belonged in his life. He lived on Cordelia Street in Pittsburgh, PA. Cordelia Street was littered with cookie cutter houses, suburbanite-like city-dwellers, and a general aura of despair. Paul's room was no different. Paul felt that his abusive father, uncaring teachers, and classmates who misunderstand him aren't worthy of his presence and company. One of the reasons Paul may not have fit in was because there is a chance that he was learning disabled. Paul worked at Carnegie Hall as an usher. It is here that Paul's real love lies. Paul lost himself in the music of the symphonies, the characters of the plays, and in the artful scenery. Paul also enjoyed gallery art, as evidenced by the hours he spends in an art gallery, staring at one painting, before his shift at Carnegie one night. He became lost in seemingly all forms of creative expression, whether it is a floral arrangement in a shop window or an orchestral swell at the beginning of a symphony. It is at Carnegie Hall that Paul became struck by the glitter and the starlight of the stage. He was not star struck in the sense that he wanted to perform in any way, he was simply content to observe others' performances. He is struck in the sense that he wants to live the way the characters in the plays do. He imagines them living to all the extent of their money, glutting on beautiful music, art, and life. Paul, unfortunate for him, was,...

IKEA’s brand Essay

Due to the recent uproar in German media, IKEA’s brand and image are being-Â «rimshed, and I believe IKEA needs to respond to this situation immediately. IKEA’s supplier, Rangan Exports, haJviolated its supply contracts by using child labor for the production oflndian rugs, and such media exposure could lead to sizeable long-term problems such as disruptions in supply and sourcing, lost sales and profits, and reputation risk. I have applied 4 key decision-making criteria to the alternatives IKEA could employ to rectify this situation (Exhibit 1). Above all, since IKEA has been linked to various environmental/social issyes in the past, it should take a proactive stance on the issue of child labor by participating in the media. Without such action, IKEA runs the risk of hurting its image, potentially leading to a cut in its bottom line and slog growth opportunities (Exhibit 2). When looking at the first two alternatives, IKEA could deal with the issue of child labor through its own relationships with suppliers by forming a New Initiatives Steering Committee to manage the issue of child labor. On the other hand, IKEA shares a very important relationship with its suppliers and has many issues to manage on a day-to-day basis, like development and innovation (Exhibit 3). It is very likely that other issues, like child labor, could be overlooked from time to time. For instance, despite IKEA’s past initiative of adding an addendum to its supply contract, Rangan committed a breach of contract by utilizing child labor. For the third and fourth alternatives, IKEA could also step back and allow Rugmark to monitor the use of child labor on its behalf. By joining hands with Rugmark, IKEA would be able to re-emphasize its spirit of responsibility and increase consumer confidence. In addition, Rugmark is an Indo-German organization and such an association could help boost their image and sales in Germany, which account for 30% of total sales. In all the alternatives stated previously, IKEA needs to determine if it should terminate its contract with Rangan or not. If IKEA keeps Rangan on board, it will eliminate supply disruptions and prevent a drop in sales. However, sourcing a new supplier will send a stronger message to other suppliers about the consequences of breach of contract and the division will avoid future costly media outbreaks. For the last alternative, IKEA could withdraw from the Indian rug industry, because it accounts for a tiny part ofiKEA’s turnover. However, Indian rugs are complementary products to other IKEA product lines and discontinuing them would take away from the full line of products. Also, by retracting from the Indian carpet industry and not dealing with the issue of child labor, IKEA’s image as a socially responsible company could be tainted.