Some Thoughts on what is to be Done

Many books have been written within the concept of development. It is evident from a historical perspective that there have been different perspectives as far as the term ‘development’ is concerned. Gilbert Rist, one of the greatest authors of his time has written very a comprehensive book on development. In his book, ‘The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith’, Rist attempts to vividly make evident that which has not been seen. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Some Thoughts on what is to be Done specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He offers a fierce critique of western models of development, especially those recommended to ‘developing countries’. While he provides a bare account of development, he is not to be considered pessimistic but instead aims to make people aware of the facts of development motives, especially by the western countries. This essay seeks to offer a summary of Chapter 13 of Rist’s book as well as to provide a conclusion from a personal perspective. A number of authors have recommended this book to an overwhelmingly large number of people who would like to understand the forces that have shaped North-South relations for over half a century now. The book has a total of 14 chapters, each with identifiably unique yet related content. In chapter 13, Rist attempts to provide an overview of the preceding chapters with an aim of highlighting important themes brought out in the book. The chapter is entitled, ‘Some Thoughts on what is to be Done’ and widely focuses on ‘development’ as a misrepresented concept. First of all, it points out the Western countries’ misconception of ‘development’ since they provide a misleading definition. From Western understanding, growth or progress should be an ever continuing process (238). The same idea is still perpetrated even to th e present and has resulted in a greater division between nations. The West’s aim is to justify its ostensible superiority in all conceivable human achievements. These include; the military activities, technological and economic domination. In order to ensure the penetration of their idea, they constructed and disseminated the concept of ‘underdevelopment’. This hegemony of ‘development’ created a ‘false opposite’ so that countries perceived to be underdeveloped would struggle to catch up (238). However, in order to sound ‘optimistic’, the West introduced the term ‘developing countries’ that only served to reinforce the illusion of attaining material prosperity for all humanity. At the moment, according to Rist, virtually all leaders of states have embraced the ‘development’ paradigm. Everyone is talking about ‘development’ yet in most instances, they all doubt this possibility, individ ually. However, Rist notes that since every belief gets used to periodic uncertainties, they do not alter the mutual consensus attained during socially binding rites (239). Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This tendency takes captive of individual doubts on the precept that everyone else believes what has been collectively agreed upon. As a way of getting nations to demonstrate commitment to the belief, there are several forms of obligatory practices (239). The use of conventional ways of defining and solving problems are used. According to Rist, ‘development’ serves to bring forth inequality and exclusion apart from the need to meet the needs of consumers. He also observes that the gap between North and South is always widening. Similarly, the gap between the rich and the poor in each of the nations is also widening. The continued feeding of the well-off grou p only serves to fuel the hopes of attaining the same status by the poor. This dream bars the realization that they are actually being exploited (239). The developing nations have been blinded by the numerous forms of ‘development assistance’ from the well-off nations, albeit the fact the aid barely reaches the target group but instead land on destitute authorities. The essay has offered a summary of Rist’s work from chapter 13 of his book. It has brought out his ideas on how ‘development’ as a concept has been misrepresented by the West at the expense of other countries. We can conclude that Rist’s arguments about development, to a significant extent, have the ability to enlighten people of all categories. It offers a new perspective of looking beneath the surface of every claim and engagements among nations as well as within independent countries. Work Cited Rist, G. The history of development: from western origins to global faith (2nd ed.) . Zed Books, 238- 239 This essay on Some Thoughts on what is to be Done was written and submitted by user Jaylee Sykes to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Ethics of the Union Carbide Disaster in India

The Ethics of the Union Carbide Disaster in India Ethics, as the distinction between right and wrong, is a subject that several individuals tend to ignore. The course of actions that people and organizations take can be supported by very many reasons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethics of the Union Carbide Disaster in India specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, in most situations, the desire to gain wealth or power can influence individuals or organizations to do very unethical things. The catastrophe that took place in 1984 at the pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, is a case in which the governments of the United States and India violated several ethical practices that eventually led to the world’s worst industrial disaster. The Bhopal disaster happened on December 3, 1984 in which about forty tons of vaporous methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas and other toxic chemicals from the factory were released into the atmosphere and resulted in the death and in juries of several residents of the nearby town. Although estimates vary on the extent of damage caused to the residents, Eckerman estimates that â€Å"over 500,000 persons were exposed to the gases; between 3,000 and 10,000 people died within the first weeks; and between 100,000 and 200,000 may have permanent injuries† (2005, p.9). The disaster raised serious ethical questions concerning the business practices of the American multinational company, the Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) and its Indian subsidiary, the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), which owned significant amount of shares in the plant. What the incident made painfully clear appertains to the moral conventions that the governments of the host and the parent country failed to adhere to (Cragg, 2005, p.11). The UCIL plant was established in 1969 as part of the local government’s Green Revolution initiative efforts aimed at realizing self-sufficiency in the production of crops. The use of pesticide increa sed in India in the 1960s and it was regarded as an essential factor in increasing its agricultural productivity. Consequently, the decision to produce pesticides locally, instead of importing them, was based on the above considerations. However, the government of India sanctioned the UCIL to set up the plant in Bhopal despite the fact that the country lacked adequate technology to maintain the production of such lethal chemicals. In a bid to spur economic growth, the Indian government ignored the safety and health considerations that were to be adhered to before establishing such a manufacturing plant.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The American international corporation, UCC, opted to establish the plant in India so as to gain a competitive advantage in the market. This is because as an emerging country in economic development, India provided low-cost labor, easier connectio n with consumers in other countries, and reduced costs of transacting business. Once UCC established the plant in India, it had little incentive to reduce environmental and human risks associated with pesticide production (Cassels, 1993). More so, this problem was compounded by the negligence of the Indian government to institute stringent regulations that can guard this malpractice. The Indian government was only looking for economic gains, not the other risks that were involved. On the other hand, as an American Company, the United States government failed to enact stringent checks and balances that could monitor the operations of UCC internationally. Its unethical practice was mainly motivated by the urge to establish stronger relations with the Indian sub-continent, while neglecting the fact that human life is more important than the so-called ‘good relations’ are. The Bhopal disaster has several unethical contributing factors that both the governments of the United States and India consistently ignored even after they were made aware of them. Prior to the hazardous gas leak, the plant stored MIC (methyl isocyanate) in large containers and filled them above the recommended levels, little maintenance was done to the plant to ensure its efficiency, several safety systems were not functioning properly, and some safety devices were switched off periodically to save money (Weir, 1987). Aware of these breaches to good industrial practices, the Indian government disregarded calls for putting these actions in check. Worse still, several slums mushroomed near the Bhopal facility, and the residents disregarded repeated warnings by the local media to vacate the place because of the danger that they were exposed to in case of an emergency. Interestingly, the local officials of the government failed to endorse the reports dismissing them as sensational. In addition, the residents failed to act to these reports because the government had failed to educate t hem on the risks that they were exposed to. Ironically, the American multinational corporation, UCC, spurred by the desire to gain a competitive advantage, attempted to hide its deplorable safety and maintenance records, non-existent catastrophe plans, and other malpractices in the Bhopal facility. Prior to the incident, the work conditions at the plant were in a bad state. Instead of providing the employees with good working conditions, UCC implemented a number of cost-cutting strategies that affected the employees and their conditions of working.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethics of the Union Carbide Disaster in India specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These strategies for reducing expenses resulted in reduced quality control and loose adherence to regulations of safety of the employees. For example, replacing old pipes was forbidden, no training was given to the employees, and they were compelled to use En glish instruction booklets although they did not understand the language fully. These unethical practices made several of the skilled employees to look for opportunities in other places. Although the employees made numerous complaints through their union, no one heeded to their cries and some of them were even fired or fined. In all these, the government of India supported the factory because it feared that some of its citizens could lose their jobs and eventually its tax collection could reduce. However, a catastrophe, which was being brewed by these unethical practices, was looming. Investigations after the Bhopal tragedy have revealed a number of equipment and safety violations. During the 1998 civil court cases in India, it was revealed that contrary to the UCC factories in the U.S., the factories in India lacked major preparations for tackling emergencies and there was no attempt by the management to institute such measures. For example, there was no notification given to local authorities about the amounts or the hazards of the substances that were being used and produced at the Bhopal facility. Other investigations revealed that the MIC unit had malfunctioned four years prior to the incident, there was limited number of manual back up systems, steam boiler used for cleaning the pipes was not working, and carbon steel that is prone to corrosion was used at the plant. The MIC plant was built according to the instructions that were given by the Indian government. More so, the authorities neglected several previous warnings and accidents that were pointing to an impending disaster. For example, in 1976, two trade unions raised alarms about the level of pollution in the factory and in early 1982, a MIC leak affected eighteen employees. Instead of enforcing stringent rules to curb this, the Indian government still relaxed its rules concerning the unethical practices of UCC within its territory. This makes the Indian government to be indirectly responsible for the catastrophe that affected the lives of many people in the area. It is astonishing to note that in spite of the serious health problems and deaths that took place due to the disaster, the governments of the U.S. and India have not established efficient systems for caring for and compensating the people affected. Instead of pushing for quick compensation of the victims, the two governments are accusing one another of responsibility. In some instances, UCC has failed to compensate the victims saying that the company is not under the jurisdiction of the Indian laws. As much as some progress is being made to compensate the victims adequately, this process could have been more efficient if the two governments had instituted better systems for tackling such emergencies. This negligence by the two governments seems to be supporting UCC’s unethical practices.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In conclusion, the governments of the United States and India, through neglecting some essential ethical business practices, are indirectly responsible for the occurrence of the Bhopal disaster. Instead of instituting adequate checks and balances to monitor the operations of UCC internationally, the U.S. government forfeited this significant role. On the other hand, aware of the various contributing factors that were pointing to an imminent disaster, the Indian government failed to institute appropriate measures that could have prevented the disaster from taking place. Reference List Cassels, J. (1993). The Uncertain Promise Of Law: Lessons From Bhopal. Toronto: University Of Toronto Press. Cragg, W. (2005). Ethics codes, corporations and the challenge of globalization.  Cheltenham: Elgar. Eckerman, I. (2005). The Bhopal saga: causes and consequences of the worlds largest  industrial disaster. Hyderabad: Universities Press. Weir, D. (1987). The Bhopal Syndrome: Pesticides, Envir onment, And Health. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

As an Employer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

As an Employer - Essay Example try is too high and at the same time these people stay longer without jobs, the government strains in terms of shelling out money to cater for their livelihood. For instance, the Brazilian economy was slugged in the year 2001 following 58% increment in unemployment rate from the previous year. It took another two years for the Brazilian economy to re-gain its stability (Taylor, 2006). Another relationship between the economy of Brazil and unemployment rates is in terms of spending power. High rates of unemployment leads to reduced rates of spending since the unemployed persons decides to save their money and drastically cut on their expenditure which in turn affects the economy. On the other hand, the employed persons also reduce their rate of spending due to insecurity of their own work and increased taxes by the government. If this trend continues, the government becomes unable to obtain or collect enough taxes to sustain the economy and this leads to economic instability in the country; as witnessed in the years 2001 up to the year 2004. In short the government can only sustain its economy if it obtains enough taxes and revenues from public spending. It is this public spending that unemployment targets in order to curb the economy and make it unstable. Most businesses in the country cut prices in order to sell their products and sometimes lead them out of busi ness thus casing even more unemployment (Taylor, 2006). Lastly, the Brazilian economy is related with its unemployment rates in terms of recession. In situations where the country experiences increased levels of unemployment, some vital economic factors such as health costs, income, healthcare quality, living standards and poverty are affected. These economic determinants at the end affect the stability, performance and growth of the country’s economy (Taylor, 2006). The last time unemployment rate was reported in Brazil was in September 2011 and the standings were at 6%. This is seen as a lower figure

Family Law - Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Family Law - Marriage - Essay Example Therefore now begs the question why would one marry. Physiologists believe that marriage is a link to mental balancing and physical health. Family fact organization site believe that marriage couples tend to have lower mortality rate, financial stability and general physiological well being. That means marriage can make one better wealth accumulator. All this benefits of marriage must have culminated from some factors found in a healthy marriage only. Marriage couples enjoy sex to the fullest than their counter parts who cohabit, because of the legality of their union. They are not worried when making love as their counterparts who are very conscious lest they cross boundaries of the â€Å"illicit sex†, example impregnating. According to studies marriage women are healthier physiologically and physically, feel more secure, increases influence, and couples tend to report lower level of depression and are less addicted to substances. The biggest disadvantages of marriage, both parties are core owners of their wealth. This means if one chooses to go, the wealth will be shared between the two parties . In conclusion, weighing cons and pros of marriage, it is moral to support its institution because of its advantages which outweigh the cons of marriage, and who doesn’t want to be wealthy? ... ea, gloves for the hand and goggles for the eyes, nature has shaped them and if by any chance they are used for any other purpose, they do not fit and the user may be termed as persons with mental depravity. Same sex marriage is not the issue; the issue is the sex itself. This is not about religion, or politics. This is the argument of reasoning. It goes beyond the Hawaiian constitution, for democracy is a say of the majority but that cannot overrule the truth and the fact of nature3. From researchers gay couples are obviously unfaithful to their spouse compared to the straight ones. They are poor parents, and their sexual pleasure and fantasy is far much brutal and uncontrollable. In other words gay marriage is legalizing some sort of future sexual offenders. HIV is also rampant to the gay community because of these very same facts they emphasizes on sex not family. If it has no benefit to society, it therefore of no reason whatsoever to be legalized in the institution of marriage b ecause it fail the test marriage4. I don’t know what the drive for same sex union is, but no matter the justification of it, there is nothing like same sex marriage. In my opinion legalizing a social sickness is legalizing a global confusion and judging them is not healing them. The main point is, same sex marriage does not exist, but the homosexuals and gays need counseling, accommodation and tolerance but not marriage. 3rd Task: 300 words abstract for the following essay: "To what extent does the law governing the allocation of parenthood successfully accommodate the diverse ways in which people become parents today?" In this context, presumably parenthood allocation means child custody and control giving the parent the power of right and responsibility. According to many state laws, a

The 14 Points Plan by Woodrow Wilson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The 14 Points Plan by Woodrow Wilson - Essay Example However Treaty of Versailles had little connection with these fourteen points and was not ratified by the US senate. On October 16, 1918, an interview was conducted by President Woodrow Wilson and William Wiseman. This interview was the basis of acceptance of these fourteen points by German Government. A negotiation report was also made on these fourteen points. These fourteen points were also accepted by Italy and France. After the session Britain signed acceptance to all the points except freedom of sea due to the condition of allies. These fourteen points are based on the research of inquiry. This speech included many principles of progressivism which promoted domestic reforms in US and translated then into foreign policy (Mulder, 71). This fourteen point speech is the only statement which aims to focus on wars as compared to any other nation fighting in World War I. Some nations tried to give indicators in relation to their aims, but majority of nations tried to keep their war go als private. This speech also reacted to Vladimir Lenin’s Decree on Peace in October 1917; in it Russia made an immediate proposal of withdrawal of war and promotes peace and freedom, which was further compromised by territorial annexations. 1.2 Fourteen points.The first five points of fourteen points focuses on international concerns, while the others refer to territorial questions.†¢Open diplomacy.There should be open peace in the nations, which means there should not be any private international understanding among nations. Open diplomacy should be promoted in order to be frank with the citizens and to understand public views. Freedom of the seas There should be absolute freedom to navigate on seas and territorial waters. It should be available in both the cases i.e. wars and peace. However, while enforcing international covenants it can be closed wholly or partly. But this can be done only in case of international actions and practices. Removal of economic barriers A ll economic barriers should be removed and a sense of equality should be created among all nations. There should be peace among all nations. Reduction of armaments National ornaments should be greatly reduced in order to ensure domestic safety in the nations. A guarantee should be given for the reduction of armaments. Adjustment of colonial claims There should be enhancement of open minded and free adjustment of colonial claims. It should strictly follow the principle of identifying sovereignty in relation to the interest of citizens. People should be given equal weight age with the colonial claims of government. Conquered territories in Russia There should be a migration in Russian territory. All issues affecting Russia must be resolved, so that they can work on the basis of cooperation with other nations of the world. This will create an unrestricted and blatant opportunity for the nation in order to be independent. It should be able to identify its own national policies and polit ical developments. Russia should be invited to enter as a free nation, making its own choices and beliefs. In spite of invitation, all kind of assistance should be given to this nation in order to fulfill its desires and needs. This help if given to Russia, will lead to test the nations goodwill and understanding their needs. It will differ from the

Comparison Of The Modern And Early Church Religion Essay

Comparison Of The Modern And Early Church Religion Essay Explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the early church, and how they compare to the church today; it is a very interesting topic since it involves the history of what early Christians did for the establishment of the Christian movement today. Looking into the Acts of the Apostles, so much can be learned on how people dedicated their lives to the church during that time. A question arises then asking, what is the church? Many interpretations have been said concerning the meaning of the Church. These interpretations can be traced back when Jesus declared to build his Church upon the revelation by Simon Peter that, when he said Jesus is the Son of God (Matt 16:18). Montefiore believes; the church can be considered fewer than two aspects; as an organism and as an organisation, without organization, organisms die1. Therefore, what is this organism and how is it linked with the organisation to make a church. To arrive at the better conclusion of this matter, I will be considering the book of Acts to get the a) background of the early church in Acts; and the b) explanation of what is the Church; c); strength and weaknesses of both the Early and Modern Church. THE CHURCH DEFINED The definition by Websters editors says: A distinct body of Christians having a common faith and discipline. In Greek language the word is translated as ekklesia, which means called out. Therefore, there are couple of things to look for, for the church to be established. Faith, discipline, and standing out from the rest. These explanation of what the Church is, gives an idea that, there are certain elements involved for a church to be established. Arguably, it means it should be made of people who follow Christ, having one faith and being disciplined, already set themselves different from the rest of ordinary people. THE EARLY CHURCH All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them (Acts 2:4). It was during the day of Pentecost which is believed the New Testament church was established. The Bible further explains that, those who were gathered during the day of celebration of Pentecost could not believe what they heard coming from the Christians who were filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in unknown tongues. But those who were gathered understood them, because they spoke in the languages. Unger comment that: the new age of the Church was foretold by our Lord Himself and was ushered in at Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given, received and deposited in the new people of God. Chapter two of Acts verses (42-47), they explains what happened after Apostle Peter preached the good news about Jesus and the number of people who gave their lives to Christ, and repented from their evil ways. So this is the organism and the organisation, Montefiore was referring to, the Holy Spirit, which is divine and the people filled with this Holy Spirit to be organisation. The acts of the risen Christ by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles are prominent in the book of Acts. Evidence from this book shows strong biblical convictions held by the believers of the community in Jerusalem, also in the surrounding areas. This is how the early church began marshalled by the Apostles and I will look into details, measures taken by this dedicated individuals in Acts working together to establish a church and compare them with the church of today. WHAT STRENGHTNED THE EARLY CHURCH BAPTISM Those who accepted his message where baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number (Acts 2:41). Jesus himself edged his Apostles to go to all nations and baptise those who believe the good news about his kingdom in water. This was taken serious by the Apostles, as it was a badge for new believers for belonging to Christ; they did it in faith, even thou further teaching came after baptism, it was their believe that any Christian solider has the right be given full proper uniform. The Apostles did all this because people repented, showed faith, they received the Holy Spirit and it proved to unite them strongly and bring them closer to each other which was what they wanted. It is a different issue with the church today as most believe in monitoring the ways of those who has given their life to Christ. The time spend trying to mould a new believer into a mature Christian is the same time lost to give the new believer the responsibility to recognise the important regiment he joined in Christ. Baptism it a seal to those who accepted Christ and it was done by the church in Acts to stabiliser new converts, but today it is not practised at the right time. Therefore, the new believers are not united with other and they end up being lost back to the world. HOLY SPIRIT According to the accounts of Acts, there is prove that, the people obeyed the Holy Spirit more than anything, and it gave them the unity as a community. Holy Spirit spoke (Acts 8:29, 10:19) and immediate response from those who were assigned by the Spirit to do something went on and accomplished the tasks as believers. Jews and Gentiles those who trusted in Christ were all given the Holy Spirit. This was so significant since at fist Jews disapproved the Gentiles as Gods people; but now because the Spirit dwelt in those who believed both are united and they were all called from indifference into unity to serve God by the Holy Spirit. The church of today when looking back on how the church in Acts responded to the Holy Spirit it has some eye brows raised. This is so because there are so many denominations under Christianity and they all have their own beliefs. So they all have different interpretation of the Holy Spirit impact in the church and some even do not pay attention to it at all. He promised to send a comforter to live amongst Christians and he will guide them in their everyday living. This is what held the church in Acts stronger since they believed Holy Spirit and God are one. But that is being missed within different Christian faiths today. Church members are controlled by their own understanding and intelligence, and those who claim to be controlled by the Spirit they always find themselves in dilemma of practical life and Spiritual life. FELLOWSHIP Examining the Acts of the Apostles, it is evident that a very strong fellowship was established between Christian believers in Jerusalem because of the love they had for each other (Acts 2:42). In John 1: 6-7, explains the fellowship principle of Christian living and it the same fellowship the church in Jerusalem practised. They shared possessions, sold properties to care for one anothers needs. The fellowship of the early church consisted different forms to make sure that everyone was involved in unifying the church. Personal attention which involved encouragement and advice from other church members, one on one with those they brought to church. Furthermore, they met in homes so that others adjust to the new society. This led to a bigger and a welcoming church congregation fellowship, which everyone was used to one another and that strengthened the church. Comparing what the early church practised in fellowship with the church today, not much difference but there is lack of commitment. Hardly members within the church fellowship in homes and if they do the number is always very small. No enthusiasm in encouraging and helping new converts to settle in with the new society. WEAKNESS OF THE EARLY CHURCH Major unsettling concern with the church in Acts is the issue of favouritism. It is exposed by none Palestinian Jews who spoke against unfairness of daily share which was given out to church members. This caused arguments and division within church members who were united by faith in Jesus. Even today favouritism is noticeable in the churches across, either because people come from same country, continent or same denomination, and all this bring weakness in the body of Christ. Another short fall from the primitive church is the extension of love that Jesus summoned his followers to show to their neighbours. It seems different with the church in Acts as the mutual love was first shown to those within the fellowship of the church. This in other way chased those who were willing to come to the church for the first time as it made them feel unwelcomed. CONCLUSION Explaining the strengths and weakness of the early church, compared to the church today is a very informative topic as it allows Christians to reflect on their purpose in the world. After consulting different sources concerning the topic, I have come to realisation that the early church was more profound in making sure that the good news about Jesus was spread without compromise. The teaching of the word about who Jesus is was so rich that, more and more people joined the church everyday. The fellowship of church members brought light to the community as it influenced their way of living. The church in the New Testament played their role to call out those who were in darkness to bring them to light which Jesus promised them if they love one another. Comparing both the early and the church today, very important thing that should be learned is that the early church was so excited to be followers of Jesus and they were spiritually motivated. Christians today need that excitement to occupy their daily life to glorify Jesus because he is the source of life and the world needs him at this age.

Essay --

Ganguly, Rajat, and Ray Taras. Understanding Ethnic Conflict: The International Dimension. New York: Longman, 1998. Print. This book offers interesting insight on the role nationalism plays in the cause of violence ethnic conflict. It does this by looking at the overlapping aspects of nationalism, conflict, social cleavages, and the reaction of the international community. They also take and explain three main approaches to ethnic identities: primordialist, instrumentalist, and constructivist. They then explain how the mobilization and polarizing of groups ultimately led to conflict and the goals of their perspective political movements. Samarasinghe, V. "‘A Theme Revisited’? the Impact of the Ethnic Conflict on Women and Politics." JOURNAL OF WOMEN POLITICS & POLICY 33.4 (2012): 345-64. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. This article focuses role and impact ethnic conflicts have on the shaping of a nations ideology towards women of the ethnic majority. It looks at the case of ethnic civil war in Sri Lanka, and more specifically that of Sinhalese women. The research done in this article was primarily conducted through field work and field surveys of educated urban women. The work concludes that the ethnic conflict enforced the areas â€Å"ethno-religious identity† as well as creating a space for its inclusion in the nation’s political arena. Okoye, Festus (ed ). Victims: Impact of Religious and Ethnic Conflicts on Women and Children in Northern Nigeria., 2000. Print. 12 Feb. 2014. This book looks at how conflict in Nigeria has impacted women and children. It looks at the social, political, and cultural impacts of such violence at entire generations of Nigerian people. It looks at the the potential future impact on the countries development,... ... challenge the patriarchal hierarchy of society† where women and girls were subordinate to their male counterparts. Therefore, this article reflects on how gender is impact in post-conflict interventions. Lives Blown Apart: Crimes against Women in Times of Conflict, Stop Violence against Women. London: Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 2004. Print. This book looks at specific cases of violence and questions not only why these acts happened, but what can be done to prevent further violence. The book maintains that government and media play a role in both creating and ending such atrocities. It explores the ways in which sexual acts of violence impact women and their society at large. The book seeks to explain how the long-lasting impact of such events play an active part in the rebuilding of society, and how this impacts all levels of the culture.

Global risk analysis Essay

This paper aims to review the publication of the World Bank Risk Management on the natural disaster hotspots. Specifically, this book is entitled â€Å"Natural Disaster Hotspots: A Global Risk Analysis†. In addition, this book was published in 1995 in order to address increasing risk brought by the natural disasters all over the world. As a result, this book gave light to the role of natural disasters in significantly shaping the lives of every people as well as its economy and its community. And so, a review in this book will yield great results to the readers of this paper. A Global Risk Analysis on Natural Disasters Natural disasters are described as any terrible event, not caused by human activity, which results in deaths, injuries or even damage to property. (Forces of Nature, 2007) As it name implies one cannot avoid the occurrence of natural catastrophes since they are not man-made activities. In other words, human activities cannot interfere with the occurrence of natural phenomenon. More importantly, their occurrence usually causes great damage on the lives and community of people. And as a matter of fact, it disrupts the everyday conduct of lives of human beings. In the book, the authors have presented the great risk faced by people with the occurrence of the natural catastrophes. More specifically, the study reveals that 3. 4 billion people, more than half or the world’s population, live in areas where at least one hazard could significantly impact them. Aside from this finding, other important findings in the book are as follows: (Uku and Tobin, 2005) †¢ Approximately 20 percent of the Earth’s land surface is exposed to at least one of the natural hazards evaluated; †¢ 160 countries have more than one quarter of their population in areas of high mortality risk from one or more hazards; †¢ More than 90 countries have more than 10 percent of their population in areas of high mortality risk from two or more hazards; †¢ In 35 countries, more than 1 in 20 residents lives at relatively high mortality risk from 3 or more hazards; †¢ More than one-third of the United States’ population lives in hazard-prone areas, but only one percent of its land area ranks in the highest disaster-related mortality risk category; †¢ Taiwan may be the place on Earth most vulnerable to natural hazards, with 73 percent of its land and population exposed to three or more hazards; †¢ More than 90 percent of the populations of Bangladesh, Nepal, the Dominican Republic, Burundi, Haiti, Taiwan, Malawi, El Salvador, and Honduras live in areas at high relative risk of death from two or more hazards; and †¢ Poorer countries in the developing world are more likely to have difficulty absorbing repeated disaster-related losses and costs associated with disaster relief, recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction. Indeed, natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones, droughts, landslides and floods cause tens and thousands of deaths as well as hundreds of thousands of injuries. Aside from deaths and injuries, natural hazards also cause economic losses around the world each year. As such, billions of dollars are expended also every year in the aspect of humanitarian assistance, emergency loans and development aids. (Dilley et. al. , 2005) And so, the key findings of the book imply that in almost all parts of the world, people are faced with great risks from natural hazards. As a result, the occurrence of these natural phenomena disrupts the regular conduct of personal and business activities of people and organization. This disruption, in turn, results to the overall socio-economic development of a nation. And in the case of the developing world, development will even become more elusive. With the annual occurrence of natural disasters, it is the poor nations that are greatly affected, such that they become poorer and poorer with every cyclical happening of natural phenomena. Despite the large losses of people and money from natural disasters, organizations especially governments are unable to address effectively the damages brought about by natural disasters. This claim has been evident on the recoded loss of human lives as well as properties annually due to natural catastrophes. For instance, the tsunami incident that happened in Thailand last December 26, 2004 had killed 229,866 people. Also, the international community has donated an estimated US $7 billion for humanitarian aid to all the victims of the tsunami incident. And so, the reluctance on the part of the government and the people can be traced on the fact that natural disasters are unavoidable phenomena. What they can only do is to experience this phenomenon and hope for the minimal damage it brings. This kind of thinking has been the target of the book. It aims to deliver the message that in spite of the potential threats brought about by natural disasters, the people and the government can coordinate in order to have a successful encounter with these phenomena. Furthermore, the book emphasizes more on the development issues rather than the typical issues on humanitarian aspect. It also identifies the regions which are highly at risk with natural hazards. In this way, development efforts can be better informed and designed to reduce disaster-related losses in the future. Because of the natural hazard cycles repeating themselves every few years, developing countries find themselves in a vicious cycle of loss and recovery without the ability to move forward and achieve sustainable development. As such, there is a need for the highly affected nations such as the developing world to cooperate with the international community in devising ways to manage disaster risk rather than merely giving humanitarian aids. It is through disaster risk management that the international community can truly help the developing nations. As mentioned earlier, the occurrence of natural catastrophes cannot be avoided. And so, it is best to have an effective risk management program on disasters than forever be included in the vicious cycle of damage and revitalization. By stepping out of the vicious cycle, one is removed from the path of continuous loss and recovery, thus achieving development. Based on the book, risk management on disasters is effectively done by primarily focusing on the two disaster-related outcomes- the mortality and economic losses. The risk level was then estimated by combining the hazard exposure with historical vulnerability for two indicators of elements at risk- gridded population and gross domestic product (GDP) per unit area- for six major natural hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods, drought and cyclones. The natural disasters were classified in three categories- geophysical, hydro and drought. The geophysical includes the volcanoes, earthquakes and landslides. On the hydro, it consists of the floods and hurricanes. And so, by calculating the relative risks for grid cells rather than for countries as a whole, the authors are able to estimate risk levels at sub-national scales. (Dilley et. al. , 2005) Conclusion Overall, the book served as a catalyst in enlightening individuals as well as organizations both in the public and private realm about the impact of natural disasters and how they will be able to address this phenomenon. Undoubtedly, the book has shed some light into the ways of escaping the vicious cycle of loss and recovery, which is brought about by the annual occurrence of natural disasters. This is especially true in the context of the developing world wherein development becomes elusive once countries have entered the natural hazard cycle. And so, in order not to aggravate poverty, countries especially the developing ones must properly manage natural hazards. The occurrence of natural disasters can be addressed by the international community not through humanitarian aid but by development programs in the context of risk management on disasters. REFERENCES Dilley, M. , Chen, R. , Deichmann, U. , Lerner-Lam, A. and Arnold M. (2005, April). Natural disaster hotspots: A global risk analysis. World Bank disaster risk management series no. 5. Forces of Nature. Glossary. Retrieved June 26, 2007 from, http://library. thinkquest. org/C003603/english/glossary. shtml. Uku, R. and Tobin, M. (2005, March 31). Natural disaster hotspots: A global risk analysis- Columbia University and the World Bank produce new report. EurekAlert.

The Mise-en-scene of Dr. Caligari essays

The Mise-en-scene of Dr. Caligari essays The film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a film that went against all film form previous to its release. It was released during the German Expressionist period in history, which had its heyday after World War I. During this period, Germans were interested in art, such as fictional stories, theatre, painting, and films. They felt that these different aspects of the arts should show the psychological thoughts and feelings of the main character. Many times these films would be very dark in their scenery and the way the shots were filmed in general. The mise-en-scene was very important in these Expressionistic films. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is the story of a doctor, who, not until the end of the film, do we find out his true profession. He works in an insane asylum and the story being told is that of the main character, a patient in the hospital. The authors disease keys us into the strange mise-en-scene (all of the backdrops, costumes, lighting, actors in the sequence) of the film. Lighting was an important part of the mise-en-scene in this particular movie. The cinematographers and set designers decided against using sunlight in the film. Any scenes that couldve been filmed outside a studio were shot inside with painted sets. They painted both light and dark shadows on the sets themselves. This gave the illusion of shadows that would normally appear using pure sunlight. These shadows illustrated a type of chiaroscuro, which is painting with light and shadow in art. Similarly, The term used for the lighting style of this film is low-key lighting. This means that there is a high contrast between objects, buildings, streets, stairs, or people inside the scene, causing us to look at a particular scene or character in the way the director wanted us to. Also important to the mise-en-scene is the sets themselves. The walls, floors, stairs, and ceilings are shaped and set up in a way that makes ones perc...

Words that Go Together with Fashion

Words that Go Together with Fashion Words that usually go together are known as collocations. Learning collocations will help expand your vocabulary especially when using English for Specific Purposes. This lesson uses the word fashion as an example of how you can use collocations to improve your English. Youll find a list of expressions used with fashion, a short story and example sentences to help you begin using these words to practice speaking about fashion. Heres a short introduction about fashion to begin: All the Latest Fashions The world of fashion is fascinating. Of course, theres all the latest fashions which can range from weird looking contemporary fashion, to popular fashions that you can find in all the shopping malls. One thing thats true about fashion is that it things come into fashion as quickly as they fall out of fashion. To be a fashionista, you better be able to keep up with the latest fashions coming out of Paris, New York and Milan.   Some people like to hold onto things that come back into fashion. Its certainly cheaper in the long run, but it will take quite a while for the fashion cycle to turn! Personally, I dont even try to follow fashions as Im too old for that sort of thing. However, I enjoy watching my daughter follow fashions and even set fashions amongst her friends.   New Fashions contemporary  currentlatestmodernpopular Im amazed at some of the contemporary fashion.  Current fashion focuses on very young adults.Youll spend a huge amount of money if you buy the latest fashions.Im surprised by some modern fashions.  Popular fashions dont need to be followed by those in their fifties. Verbs: Becoming Fashionable be in fashioncome into fashionbecome fashionableset fashionsstart fashionskeep up with fashionfollow fashionswear fashions Whats in fashion this year is different than last year.When did those shorts come into fashion?What do you think it will take for me to become fashionable?Beautiful young women and men often set fashions without knowing it.I try to keep up with fashion, but its breaking my bank account!Jennifer follows fashion by buying all the glamour magazines.Im afraid I cant afford to wear the latest fashions. Verbs: Going out of Fashion fall out of fashionbe out of fashiongo out of fashion Those jeans feel out of fashion ten years ago.Big sunglasses have definitely gone out of fashion.She likes to wear clothes that are out of fashion. I guess shes rebelling. Verbs: Fashion Cycles - Returning into Fashion come back into fashionbe back in fashion   Those skirts have come back into fashion this season. Im wearing my moms from thirty years ago!Did you know hats are back in fashion? Places to See Fashion fashion showsfashion shootsfashion magazinesfashion spreads in magazinesfashion runways Fashion shows are held in major cities around the world.The magazine is having a fashion shoot in Hawaii.Fashion magazines which feature fashion spreads weigh a ton!Youll see glamourous models on fashion runways.Have you ever been to a fashion show? The Business of Fashion fashion businessfashion industryfashion marketfashion tradefashion retailerfashion boutique / store / shopfashion designfashion photography Fashion business is big money, dont doubt it!The fashion industry is one of the hardest to break into.  The fashion market is very quick to change directions.He works in the fashion trade designing mens suits.Fashion retailers provide models for aspiring actresses.You can buy those jeans in your local fashion boutique.Beautiful fashion design depends on understanding the details.Good fashion photography can make all the difference in setting a trend. Fashion Businesses fashion brandsfashion companiesfashion houses  fashion labelsfashion lines Fashion brands are more important than well made clothing.Fashion companies drive billions in sales every year.Fashion houses from Europe set the trends by dressing stars in spectacular gowns.Fashion labels increase the price of any piece of clothing by more than 30 percent.Fashion lines are created by individual fashion designers. People in Fashion fashion editor  fashion designerfashion photographerfashion stylistfashion maven A fashion editor makes the final decision on whether a model will be presented in a magazine.A fashion designer is responsible for creating new clothing designs.Youll need a good fashion photographer to become successful with your designs.A fashion stylist is almost as important as a fashionable dress.The fashion maven decides what will become fashionable. FInally, learn how to use a collocation dictionary to build your own keyword lists. Teachers can learn more about using collocations on this lesson on using chunking to build vocabulary skills with set phrase.

Analyze the book Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody - How did Essay

Analyze the book Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne Moody - How did the system of discrimination work, and why was it so har - Essay Example Moody’s particular contribution to this important subject is to bring out the emotional and personal effects of this system of discrimination on the poorest people and spell out the awful consequences that followed any attempts at resistance against the overwhelming power of the white and racist ruling minority in Mississippi. The economic situation of the protagonist Anne’s family is very bad. The passages describing the various successive family homes, for example, detail the very basic conditions in a matter of fact way, showing how absolutely normal it was for African families to share one room, or even on occasion one bed (Moody, 13). Features such as wallpaper fastened on to the walls with tacks (Moody, 3), or a concern for economy in statements such as â€Å"Stop using up all that soap!† (Moody, 35) appear extreme to modern readers, because these small luxuries are taken for granted by the vast majority of American citizens today. The fact that an eight ye ar old is left in charge of younger siblings, while both parents work long hours in the fields is evidence also that conditions for share-cropping farmers were not much better than those which were endured by African Americans under the old rules of slavery. Grinding poverty is the daily normality for this group of people, and it saps their strength, taking away the desire and ultimately also the ability to find a better way of life. Anne’s mother, for example, struggles every day of her life to provide even these fundamental necessities for her children and this explains her attitude of dejection and hopelessness throughout the book. Anne, as a young child, longs for a more spirited resistance, but does not appreciate the weight of economic responsibility that keeps a mother tied to a succession of demeaning and low paid jobs. These harsh conditions are described without negative comment in the opening pages of the book, but as the child grows older and encounters the luxuri ous bedrooms and bathrooms that white people such as the Johnsons have, a note of envy and indignation appears. It is bad enough to suffer deprivation and hunger, but the proximity of a whole other world that is physically nearby but economically out of reach makes the situation even worse. Prejudice and power are certainly factors in the maintenance of a segregated society in Mississippi, but one the most powerful forces that sustained the system of discrimination was widespread and unrelenting poverty. Social differences in the novel are partly defined by the economic factors mentioned above, but also very much influenced by race. The book shows how a child growing up in the segregated South has difficulty in understanding the labels that categorize people into different racial groups. The young Anne cannot figure out, for example, why two of her uncles who look exactly like all the white people, cannot be classified as white. Her mother’s answer â€Å"Cause they mama ainà ¢â‚¬â„¢t white† (Moody, 36) appears illogical to the child, who naturally looks for visual signals in the color of skin, eyes and hair that a person has. By adopting the innocent and questioning attitude of a child, the author cleverly points out the inherently illogical and arbitrary nature of the social hierarchy. The reader is forced to

The Network Society - How Has It Changed in Humans' Work And Interacti Essay - 1

The Network Society - How Has It Changed in Humans' Work And Interaction - Essay Example Communication networks are inseparable from network society (Yang & Bergrud, 2008). Without digital communication, there is no real basis for a network society. We are living in the 21st century, without digital transfer of knowledge, information, news, finances, messages, there will be huge incoordination between the pace of electronic media and the fabric of society. Manuel Castells even goes to the length of saying that without accounting for the tools (electronic facilities like the internet) there is no possibility of comprehending or depicting the society (Yang & Bergrud, 2008). Network society is a blessing at one hand but it also creates some complications. The network can become very complex as digital information is readily available (billions of dollars can be transferred from one bank account to another by pressing ENTER of the computer keyboard). For this to work for the administration and public, all departments and sections of the society need to work in cooperation.