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The Relationship between Faith and Reason
ââ¬Å"Faith and Reason resemble two wings on which the human soul ascends to the thought of truthâ⬠Explain the risks for a schol...
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
How to Convert Kelvin to Fahrenheit
How to Convert Kelvin to Fahrenheit Kelvin and Fahrenheit are two important temperature scales. Kelvin is a standard metric scale, with a degree the same size as the Celsius degree but with its zero point at absolute zero. Fahrenheit is the temperature most commonly used in the United States. Fortunately, its simple to convert between the two scales, providing you know the equation. Kelvin to Fahrenheit Conversion Formula Here is the formula to convert Kelvin to Fahrenheit: à ° F 9/5(K - 273) 32 or you may see the equation using more significant figures as: à ° F 9/5(K - 273.15) 32 or à ° F 1.8(K - 273) 32 You can use whichever equation you prefer. It is easy to convert Kelvin to Fahrenheit with these four steps. Subtract 273.15 from your Kelvin temperatureMultiply this number by 1.8 (this is the decimal value of 9/5).Add 32 to this number. Your answer will be the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit. Kelvin to Fahrenheit Conversion Example Lets try a sample problem, converting room temperature in Kelvin to degrees Fahrenheit. Room temperature is 293K. Start with the equation (I chose the one with fewer significant figures): à ° F 9/5(K - 273) 32 Plug in the value for Kelvin: F 9/5(293 - 273) 32 Doing the math: F 9/5(20) 32F 36 32F 68 Fahrenheit is expressed using degrees, so the answer is that room temperature is 68à ° F. Fahrenheit to Kelvin Conversion Example Lets try the conversion the other way. For example, say you want to convert human body temperature, 98.6à ° F, into its Kelvin equivalent. You can use the same equation: F 9/5(K - 273) 3298.6 9/5(K - 273) 32 Subtract 32 from both sides to get:66.6 9/5(K - 273) Multiply 9/5 times the values inside the parenthesis to get:66.6 9/5K - 491.4 Get the variable (K) on one side of the equation. I chose to subtract (-491.4) from both sides of the equation, which is the same as adding 491.4 to 66.6:558 9/5K Multiply both sides of the equation by 5 to get:2,790 9K Finally, divide both sides of the equation by 9 to get the answer in K:310 K So, human body temperature in Kelvin is 310 K. Remember, Kelvin temperature is not expressed using degrees, just a capital letter K. Note: You could have used another form of the equation, simply rewritten to solve for the Fahrenheit to Kelvin conversion: K 5/9(F - 32) 273.15 which is basically the same as saying Kelvin equals the Celsius value plus 273.15. Remember to check your work. The only temperature where the Kelvin and Fahrenheit values will be equal is at 574.25. More Conversions For more conversions, see these topics: How to Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit: The Celsius and Fahrenheit scales are two other important temperature scales.How to Convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: Use these when you need to convert Fahrenheit to the metric system.How to Convert Celsius to Kelvin: Both scales have the same size of degree, so this conversion is super easy!How to Convert Kelvin to Celsius: This is a common temperature conversion in science.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Learning German Verb Conjugations
Learning German Verb Conjugations One useful verb for any wanderer to learn is to travel. In German, the word fahrenà means to travel or to go. Learning to properly conjugate this word will help you tell your new friends all about your journey. If youre lost and looking for directions, youll be thankful you know how to say were travelingà toà Berlin when asking for help. In some cases fahren is also used to mean drive or have driven, this will usually be apparent from the context of the sentence. Stem-Changing Verbs German, like many other languages, has what is known as stem-changing verbs. This means that the stem or ending of the word is what changes based on who the action is referring to. These endings will remain consistent throughout the language for regular stem-changing verbs. Unlike in English, where I take and we take uses the same form of the verb in German the stems of the verb would change. This can make learning the language easier because you only need to remember the roots of most verbs. Unfortunately, nehmen is also an irregularà verb. This means there are times when it does not follow the normal rules of stem-changing verbs. Learn How Fahren is Conjugated in All Tenses The following charts will show you how theà German verbà fahrenis conjugated in all its tenses and moods. Fahren Present Tense -à Prsens Singular Deutsch English ich fahre I travel/am traveling du fhrst you travel/are traveling er sie fhrt es he she travelsit Plural wir fahren we travel/are traveling ihr fahrt you (guys) travel/are traveling sie fahren they travel/are traveling Sie fahren you travel/are traveling Examples: Fahren Sie heute nach Hamburg?Are you going/traveling to Hamburg today?Er fhrt mit dem Zug.Hes taking the train. Possible meanings ofà fahren:à to travel, go, drive, ride, sail, take, move, transport Fahren Simple Past Tense -Imperfekt Singular Deutsch English ich fuhr I traveled du fuhrst you (fam.) traveled er fuhrsie fuhres fuhr he traveledshe traveledit traveled Plural wir fuhren we traveled ihr fuhrt you (guys) traveled sie fuhren they traveled Sie fuhren you traveled Fahren Compound Past Tense (Pres. Perfect)à Perfekt Deutsch English Singular ich bin gefahren I traveled/have traveled du bist gefahren you (fam.) traveledhave traveled er ist gefahrensie ist gefahrenes ist gefahren he traveled/has traveledshe traveled/has traveledit traveled/has traveled Plural wir sind gefahren we traveled/have traveled ihr seid gefahren you (guys) traveledhave traveled sie sind gefahren they traveled/have traveled Sie sind gefahren you traveled/have traveled See more verbs in ourà 20 Most-Used German Verbs. Fahrenà Past Perfect Tenseà Plusquamperfekt Deutsch English Singular ich war gefahren I had traveled du warst gefahren you (fam.) had traveled er war gefahrensie war gefahrenes war gefahren he had traveledshe had traveledit had traveled Plural wir waren gefahren we had traveled ihr wart gefahren you (guys) had traveled sie waren gefahren they had traveled Sie waren gefahren you had traveled See more verbs in ourà 20 Most-Used German Verbs.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Women in Law School Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Women in Law School - Research Paper Example Instead, women have to face many challenges in order to find success in an environment which one would consider to be extremely hostile to them. This is the reason why there is need for the continued use of affirmative action to support women who would like to get into this field, to ensure that women are not only successful in getting admitted in law schools, but also that they are treated as partners to their male counterparts rather than as subordinates. While in the United States, affirmative action has largely worked to bring women into the male dominated field of law, more still needs to be done to ensure that even more women are interested in it and that once they get there, they are able to get fair treatment. There has been, in recent years, support for women to get into the field of law, and most of this support has come from other women in the field. It has been suggested that the best way of encouraging more women to get into the field is through giving more women opportu nities to fill up available leadership roles in law schools. Such a move would ensure that the voice of women is heard in the field and further, it will provide them with the opportunity for further advancement. Furthermore, it has been stated that the best way to deal with the problems that women face in law school and after is to build awareness that bias against women in law is still immensely strong and that this matter should be addressed. Literature Review McGinley (99) in her article states that there is still quite a large gap in the gender divide in the faculties of law schools all over the country. Not only do the women who work in law schools have to do jobs which are considered to be feminine by their male counterparts, but they also have to teach courses which many would consider to have been female-identified courses. McGinley argues that the leadership positions in law schools have been unfairly distributed, with women getting the lesser share than men. She states tha t while there are almost no women in any of the available leadership positions in law schools, men dominate nearly all of these positions, with eighty percent of the deans being men. Furthermore, men have been found to teach courses which can be considered to be prestigious as well as male-identified; furthering the rift between the sexes in law schools. She states that women have to go through differential expectations from their colleagues as well as their students and often have to bear the brunt of their male counterparts' intimidating behaviour at work. McGinley, in this article makes use of manhood studies and other research that has been conducted in the social sciences to make an identification of the gendered structures, practices, and traits that have come to bring harm to women professors practising law. She sets out to provide a hypothetical context that attempts to make an explanation of the reasons why women do not enjoy status equality in the legal field do not compar ed to their male counterparts. While many of the practices, which are conducted towards women in law schools, appear to be gender-neutral, they end up accomplishing the very opposite, because it works to propagate stereotypes and isolation which has been found to be harmful to women. The article works to reveal the gendered nature of the structures and practices of law schools, especially in administration, and sets out to challenge the belief of natural difference as a cause for the disproportion between men and women law professors. The conclusion of the study conducted in this article is that it is only through exposing these gender biased practices
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Dred Scott v.s. Sanford 1856 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Dred Scott v.s. Sanford 1856 - Essay Example Dred Scott v. Sanford was a case in which Dred Scott a slave born in Virginia between 1795 and 1800 sues an heir of the estate which owned him for freedom for himself, his wife, and children (Library of Congress n. p.). Purchased by John Emerson a major in the United States Army, as ââ¬Å"chattelâ⬠or ââ¬Å"personal propertyâ⬠Scott accompanied and traveled with Emerson extensively. However not all the states in the Union recognized and allowed slavery at that time; several states outlawed the practice of slavery passing ordinances and laws prohibiting its practice within their territorial boundaries (Library of Congress n. p.). One such state was Missouri, the ââ¬Å"Missouri Compromise of 1820â⬠forbid the importation of slaves within their territory and ultimately had a provision for the emancipation of slaves born in Missouri (Moore and Brown n. p.). With the passing of the bill by the House of Representatives in 1819, but failing to be ratified by the Senate the bill incited angry discussions between and within the northern and southern states. With Missouri identified as a, ââ¬Å"free stateâ⬠there was unequal representation, therefore the states condoning slavery found themselves at a disadvantage when it came to voting power. Over a 12 year period Emerson relocated his family and slaves throughout various regions of the United States settling in free and slave states (Library of Congress n. p.).
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Anti-Colonialism and Education Essay Example for Free
Anti-Colonialism and Education Essay In Anti-Colonialism and Education: The Politics of Resistance, George J. Sefa Dei and Arlo Kempf have given us a stimulating intellectual account of the issues surrounding the active attempt for educational liberation. The authors who have contributed to the volume have been well chosen to present creative approaches to this abiding problem in most of the world. As we engage the legacies of colonialism we are more certain today that the nonmaterial legacies are as important in our thinking as the material ones when we engage questions of resistance and recovery. The colonizer did not only seize land, but also minds. If colonialismââ¬â¢s in? uence had been merely the control of land that would have required only one form of resistance, but when information is also colonized, it is essential that the resistance must interrogate issues related to education, information and intellectual transformations. Colonialism seeks to impose the will of one people on another and to use the resources of the imposed people for the bene? t of the imposer. Nothing is sacred in such a system as it powers its way toward the extinction of the wills of the imposed upon with one objective in mind: the ultimate subjection of the will to resist. An effective system of colonialism reduces the imposed upon to a shell of a human who is incapable of thinking in a subjective way of his or her own interest. In everything the person becomes like the imposer; thus in desires, wishes, visions, purposes, styles, structures, values, and especially the values of education, the person operates against his or her own interest. Colonialism does not engender creativity; it sti? es it, suppresses it under the cloak of assistance when in fact it is creating conditions that make it impossible for humans to effectively resist. And yet there has always been resistance and there are new methods of resistance gaining ground each day. The intricacies of engaging colonialism are as numerous as the ways colonialism has impacted upon the world. Indeed, the political-economic, socialbehavioral, and cultural-aesthetic legacies of the colonizing process have left human beings with a variety of ways to confront the impact of those legacies. What we see in Anti-Colonialism and Education is a profound attempt to capture for the reader the possibilities inherent in educational transformation through the politics of resistance. Professors Dei and Kempf have exercised a judicious imagination in selecting the authors for the chapters in this book. Each author is an expert in the area of the topic, skilled in presentation of the facts based upon current theories, and articulate in the expression of a need for educators to understand the pressures ix FOREWORD both for and against colonialism. However, they all take the position that it is necessary to explore all formulations that might achieve a liberated sphere of education. Since education normally follows the dominant political lines in a country where you have colonial political principles you will ? nd colonial education. If you have the vestiges of past colonial practices, you will see those practices re? ected in the educational system. I remember a colleague from Algeria saying to me that when the French ruled the country the students learned that their ancestors were the Gauls. When independence came to Algeria, he said, the people were taught that their ancestors were Arabs. The fact that this was only true for those individuals who had Arab origins, and thirty percent did not have such ancestry, was uninteresting to the political agenda. And so it has been in every nation where you have a political intention to mold a country on the basis of domination you will also have resistance. One seems to go with the other regardless to how long the process seems to take to commence. This is not just an exciting work intellectually; it is a beautiful book edited with intelligence and executed with the kind of research and scholarship that will bring us back to its pages many times. Each author seems to feel the same desire to teach us to be truly human; that is enough for us to inaugurate our own anti-colonialism campaign in our schools and colleges. I shall gladly join the fray to make the world better. Mole? Kete Asante Elkins Park, PA 19027 USA x ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This book could not have been completed without the political interest and will of the many people who shared their knowledge in this joint undertaking. While the task of re-visioning schooling and education for the contemporary learner and teacher may be daunting at times, we believe strongly that it is by no means insurmountable. In fact, we have a wealth of knowledge with which to help transform education into a process and practice that serves the needs of the collective. We hope this book will contribute to the debate and discussion of how to address not only the imperialization of knowledge but also the various forms of intellectual colonization that mask themselves as everyday academic truth and valid knowledge. George Dei would like to thank the students of his graduate level course, SES 3914S: ââ¬Å"Anti-Colonial Thought and Pedagogical Challengesâ⬠in the fall of 2004 whose insights and discussions helped propel the vision for this collection. Arlo Kempf would like to thank Lola Douglas, Meghan Mckee and Randy Kempf for their support and loveliness. He would also like to thank George Dei and the contributors for their ideas and hard work over the duration of this project. We both owe a great deal of intellectual depth to our colleagues, peers and friends who constantly challenge us to think more deeply and avoid academic closure. It is in the actions and resistance of the people that theory is born and takes life ââ¬â to all who struggle against colonialism without the privilege of a pen in hand, we thank and salute you. Our academic objective for the book was also shaped by a desire to let our community politics inform intellectual pursuits at all times. We want to thank Geoff Rytell, who initially helped proofread sections of the book, as well as Cheryl Williams for her ongoing support. Finally we say ââ¬Å"thank youâ⬠to Joe Kincheloe, Shirley Steinberg and Peter de Liefde who made this book a reality. George Dei Arlo Kempf xi GEORGE J. SEFA DEI INTRODUCTION: MAPPING THE TERRAIN ââ¬â TOWARDS A NEW POLITICS OF RESISTANCE INTRODUCTION I begin this chapter with a question germane as to why and how we articulate anticolonial thought. Informed by Steven Bikoââ¬â¢s (1978) earlier work, I ask: ââ¬Å"Why is it necessary for us as colonized peoples to think and re? ect collectively about a problem not of our creation i. e. , the problem of colonialism? â⬠This question is central since colonialism has not ended and we see around us today various examples of colonial and neo-colonial relations produced within our schools, colleges, universities, homes, families, workplaces and other institutional settings. It is often said that globalization is the new word for imperialism. History and context are crucial for anti-colonial undertakings. Understanding our collective past is signi? cant for pursuing political resistance. Haunani-Kay Trask (1991) writes about the importance of the past to Indigenous peoples as a way to challenge the dominantââ¬â¢s call to amputate the past and its histories. For the people of Hawaiia, Trask notes that ââ¬Å"we do not need, nor do we want [to be] liberated from our past because it is source of our understanding . . . [We] . . . stand ? rmly in the present, with [our] back to the future, and [our] eyes ? xed upon the past, seeking historical answers for present-day dilemmasâ⬠(p. 164). In order to understand the knowledge and resistance of the past as it relates to contemporary politics of resistance, one has to know and learn about this past. As noted elsewhere (Dei, 2000, p. 11), for colonized peoples decolonization involves a reclamation of the past, previously excluded in the history of the colonial and colonized nations. They must identify the colonial historical period from the perspectives of their places and their peoples. Knowledge of the past is also relevant in so far as we as people must use that knowledge ââ¬Å"responsiblyâ⬠. But our situatedness as knowledge producers and how we perform ââ¬Å"the gazeâ⬠on subjects, at times accord power and privilege to some bodies and not others. Therefore, an anti-colonial struggle must identify and de? ne a political project and show its connections to the academic engagement. Franz Fanon and Karl Marx have both cautioned us that ââ¬Å"what matters is not to know the world but to change itâ⬠. This assertion calls for a recognition of the multiple points/places of responsibility and accountability. For example, what does it mean to talk of accountability as far as identity and subjectivity, however complex? It may well mean taking the stance that in political work for change, certain issues are not negotiable. In other words, we need to see there are limits and possibilities of ââ¬Å"negotiatingâ⬠in anti-colonial struggles and politics. As Howard (2004) asks: How much can be G. J. S. Dei and A. Kempf (eds. ), Anti-Colonialism and Education: The Politics of Resistance, 1ââ¬â23. à © 2006. Sense Publishers. All rights reserved. DEI accomplished if we decide to ââ¬Å"negotiateâ⬠around domination or oppression? Are we negotiating as part of a democratic exercise? Rabaka (2003) has argued that ââ¬Å"one of the most important tasks of a critical anti-colonial theory . . . is to capture and critique the continuities and discontinuities of the colonial and neocolonial in order to make sense of our currently . . . colonized life and . . . worldsâ⬠(p. 7). Therefore as we begin to ? esh out anti-colonial theory and practice, it is ? tting to ask some critical questions (see also Butler, 2002): Is there still a colonized South? What about a colonized North? Do we think of neo-colonialism/colonialism/post-colonialism as bridges, as new articulations, or as a continuation with no marked differentiation? What is ââ¬Å"postâ⬠about/in the ââ¬Å"post-colonialâ⬠? Is the theoretical distinction between neo-colonialism and colonialism spurious at best? What are the purposes and underlying intentions of making such distinctions? What are the convergences and the divergences in post-colonial and anti-colonial thoughts? Does ââ¬Å"neoâ⬠in neo-colonial mean ââ¬Å"newâ⬠, or ââ¬Å"transformedâ⬠? What is neo-colonialism? What are its antecedents and its marked practices? What are the mechanisms and institutions that constitute neo-colonialism? Why do we speak of neo-colonialism and not anti-colonialism? Are the structures, practices and ideas which enable colonialism really that different from those of neo-colonialism? Are the differences between neo-colonialism and colonialism more than theoretical? Whose interests are advanced in speaking of neo-colonialism/post-colonialism? What are the [dis]junctures and [dis]continuities between colonialism and neo-colonialism? How do discursive forces and material aspects interact to further our understanding of colonial? How do we speak of power, coercion, subjectivity, agency and resistance in anti-colonial discursive practice? What are the relations between neo-colonialism and White supremacy? The book does not presume to offer full answers to all these questions. But it is hoped the discussions that follow offer some entry points into a new politics of engagement towards the formulation of a critical anti-colonial lens. The power of the anti-colonial prism lies in its offering of new philosophical insights to challenge Eurocentric discourses, in order to pave the way for Southern/indigenous intellectual and political emancipation. In this discussion, anti-colonial is de? ned as an approach to theorizing colonial and re-colonial relations and the implications of imperial structures on the processes of knowledge production and validation, the understanding of indigeneity, and the pursuit of agency, resistance and subjective politics (see also Dei and Asgharzadeh, 2001). Colonialism, read as imposition and domination, did not end with the return of political sovereignty to colonized peoples or nation states. Colonialism is not dead. Indeed, colonialism and re-colonizing projects today manifest themselves in variegated ways (e. g. the different ways knowledges get produced and receive validation within schools, the particular experiences of students that get counted as [in]valid and the identities that receive recognition and response from school authorities. The anti-colonial prism theorizes the nature and extent of social domination and particularly the multiple places that power, and the relations of power, work to establish dominant-subordinate connections. This prism also scrutinizes 2 INTRODUCTION and deconstructs dominant discourses and epistemologies, while raising questions of and about its own practice. It highlights and analyzes contexts, and explores alternatives to colonial relations. Loomba (1998) sees colonialism as signifying ââ¬Å"territorial ownershipâ⬠of a place/space by an imperial power, while imperialism on the other hand is the governing ideology for such occupation. Anti-colonial thought works with these two themes/projects ââ¬â colonialism and imperialism as never ending. The colonial in anti-colonial however, invokes much more. It refers to anything imposed and dominating rather than that which is simply foreign and alien. Colonialism reinforces exclusive notions of belonging, difference and superiority (Principe, 2004). It pursues a politics of domination which informs and constructs dominant images of both the colonizer and the colonized (Memmi, 1969). Colonialism is not simply complicit in how we come to know ourselves and its politics. It also establishes sustainable hierarchies and systems of power. Colonial images continually uphold the colonizersââ¬â¢ sense of reason, authority and control. It scripts and violates the colonized as the violent ââ¬Å"otherâ⬠, while, in contrast, the colonizer is pitted as an innocent, benevolent and [imperial] saviour (see also Principe, 2004). This historical relationship of the colonizer and colonized continues to inform contemporary subject identity formation and knowledge production. It shapes and informs identities by recreating colonial ideologies and mythologies (Tuhiwai-Smith, 1999). In theorizing the anti-colonial discursive framework, I would highlight some key salient points. All knowledge can be located in the particular social contexts from which it emerges. Such location shapes the ways of knowing and understanding the social and political relations at play in constructing social realities. The anti-colonial prism takes the position that all knowledges are socially situated and politically contested. The anti-colonial discourse is situated in colonial relations of power that are contested through resistant practices against domination and oppression. In working with resistant knowledges, the liberating in? uence of critical anti-colonial discourse becomes clear. The anti-colonial discourse works with the idea of the epistemological power of the colonized subjects. The colonial knowing is situated and informed within particular social contexts (see also Harding, 1996). Such ââ¬Å"situated knowledgesâ⬠(hooks, 1991; Collins, 1990) also point to the importance of subjectivity, positionality, location and history. In this regard, the anti-colonial referent is to the epistemologies about, and of, marginalized, colonized subjects. Particular and different interests are served by knowledge systems, and the anti-colonial aim is to subvert dominant thinking that re-inscribes colonial and colonizing relations. The ability and strength of the anti-colonial prism to draw upon different discursive traditions to explain social and political phenomena is an important strength for multiple knowings. But anti-colonial thought, while borrowing from other theoretical frameworks, is not constrained by dominant epistemologies. It calls for a critical awareness of the social relations and power issues embedded in the ways of organizing the production, interrogation, validation and dissemination of knowledge in order to challenge social oppression and 3 DEI consequently subvert domination. It also calls for acknowledging accountability and power. Since the burden of oppression is not shared equally among groups, and that even among the oppressed we are not all affected the same way (see also Larbalestier, 1990), we must all be able to address questions of accountability and responsibility of knowledge. It is within such a context that one must evaluate the politics of anti-colonial thought, in its call for a radical transformation of the analytical and conceptual frames of reference, used both in the academy and in mainstream public discourse so that the minoritized, subjugated voice, experience and history can be powerfully evoked, acknowledged and responded to. Unless we are able to articulate the grounds on which we share a dialogue and challenge the power relations of knowledge production, we will be shirking the responsibility of acting on our knowledge. The academic project of anti-colonial thinking and practice is to challenge and resist Eurocentric theorizing of the colonial encounter. Such Eurocentric theorizing is best captured in representations of minoritized/colonized bodies and their knowledges, and through the power of colonial imageries. The anticolonial critique also deals with interrogations of colonial representations and imaginaries examining processes and representations of legitimacy and degeneracy through the mutually constitutive relations of power. Colonialisms were/are practised differently; they differ in their representations and consequently have myriad in? uences, impacts and implications for different communities. Colonial practices can be refracted around race, gender, class, age, disability, culture and nation as sites of difference. In many ways the ââ¬Å"anti-colonial thoughtâ⬠is the emergence of a new political, cultural and intellectual movement re? ecting the values and aspirations of colonized and resisting peoples/subjects. The Western academy cannot continue to deny the intellectual agency of colonized peoples. As resisting subjects, we will all have to confront and deal with the historic inferiorization of colonial subjects, and the devaluation of rich histories and cultures. What is required is critical educational praxis that is anchored in anti-colonial thought to challenge and subvert the ââ¬Å"Western cultural and capital overkillâ⬠, and shed the insulting idea that others know and understand us [as colonized subjects] better than we understand ourselves (see also Prah, 1997, pp. 19ââ¬â23). Colonized peoples require an anti-colonial prism that is useful in helping to disabuse our minds of the lies and falsehoods told about our peoples, our pasts and our histories (see also Rodney, 1982). We need to present anti-colonial discourse as a way to challenge Eurocentric culture as the tacit norm everyone references and on which so many of us cast our gaze (Kincheloe and Steinberg, 1998, p. 11). This approach to anti-colonial discursive thought and practice is also informed by the academic and political project calling for knowledge that colonised groups can use to ? nd authentic and viable solutions to our own problems. In this struggle we can point to some positive developments. For example everywhere today, we (as colonized peoples) are reclaiming and reinvigorating our marginalised, and in some cases, lost voices and are speaking for ourselves. Within educational academies in North America and in the South, there 4
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Treatment of Women in The Big Sleep, the Movie :: Movie Film comparison compare contrast
Treatment of Women in The Big Sleep, the Movie Version Often, we hear commentary about films that reading the book before watching the movie ruins the experience or that movies are never as good as the book on which it is based. The difference between forms is not as much about already knowing how the story ends as it is about the dumbing down of the work for a broader audience. However, Chandler wrote The Big Sleep as a piece of pulp fiction that was read by a large populace. So, with this knowledge, I expected my experience with the 1946 film version of The Big Sleep to be less than stellar. As I watched the film version, one glaring difference stood out; the romance between Vivian Reagan and Phillip Marlowe which did not exist in Chandler's book. Overall, there is a clear difference in the treatment of Marlowe's reaction to womyyn. "Shot during wartime, the film turns the draft induced "man shortage" into a satyr's fantasy; sloe-eyed heiresses, harsh-slingers with come hither looks, and horny lady cab drivers brazenly proposition Marlowe, who regrettably stiff-arms most of them in the name of business." (Hagopian) Two clear exceptions seen in the movie to the hands off, all work and no play attitude of Phillip Marlowe from the book are the romantic relationship with Vivian Reagan and the afternoon tryst with a bookstore clerk. The most obvious reason for the change in the relationship between Vivian Regan and Phillip Marlowe is the movie studio's rationale behind producing Hawkes' film version of The Big Sleep. Lauren Bacall, who plays Vivian Regan, and Humphrey Bogart, who plays Marlowe, had created a successful pairing previously in To Have and Have Not. Warner Brothers asked Howard Hawkes to find another script to work around Bacall and Bogart to create another box office smash hit. The piece that Hawkes choose was Chandler's The Big Sleep. So, Hawkes' intention was not to be true to Chandler's version of The Big Sleep, but instead to merely dupilcate the monetary success of To Have and Have Not. In order to maintain the element of romance between Bogart and Bacall which was a key ingredient to the success of To Have and Have Not, Hawkes had to create romance between Marlowe and Vivian which was not part of Chandler's version of The Big Sleep.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Omega Case Study Report Essay
This report is based on the case study of Omega. With external pressure, the company is now encountering internal problem, like high turnover and absenteeism rate. Personnel manager adopts attitude survey to analyses current situation. ââ¬Å"Job attitudes and job performance are perhaps the two most central and enduring sets of constructs in individual-level organisational researchâ⬠(David, Daniel and Philip, 2006:305). Organisations increasingly tend to use attitude survey to analyses their employeesââ¬â¢ attitude and opinion towards employers (Paul R, 1988:145). Omega case provides an attitude survey questionnaire and relevant data. This report is based on these data to analyses the current situation of Omega, also discuss the reason of high absenteeism and turnover rate among professional staff using organisational behaviour theories, and propose recommendations for Omega to step off the dilemma. 1. The questionnaire Before deep discussion, it ought to go into the questionnaire Omega adopts, ââ¬Å"Questionnaires can provide evidence of patterns amongst large populationsâ⬠(Louis and Gravin, 2010:1). However, the design of the questionnaire has some problems. The questionnaire is consist of closed questions and open questions, including five areas in attitude evaluation, but the order of each question is ââ¬Å"randomly presentedâ⬠, which could confuse respondents when they do the questionnaire and easily get bored due to misunderstanding the purpose. In terms of open questions, their existence is to check the close questions are enough or not. Actually, experienced researchers choose open questions to understand respondentsââ¬â¢ motivations and feelings in depth (Babara, 1965:175). 2.0 Current situation of Omega It can be describe the current situation of Omega as internal revolt and external invasion. Due to limitation, this report analyzes internal revolt of Omega. This part begins with a review of the literature on low job satisfaction. In addition, low organisational commitment, inefficientà communication system, improper leadership are also included. 2.1 Low job satisfaction In order to analyze the job satisfaction level, it is firstly should make assure what is job satisfaction. James (1992) defines job satisfaction as ââ¬Å"the extent to which employees like their workâ⬠. And Luthans (2011:141) suggests ââ¬Å"job satisfaction is a result of employeeââ¬â¢s perception of how well their job provides those things that are viewed as importantâ⬠. After explain job satisfaction, the measurement is put forward below . There are six facets of job satisfaction, which are the work content, financial rewards, hierarchical satisfaction, management, peers, and working conditions (Paul, 1997: 12). In terms of work content, Bozionelos (2007: 13) suggests five aspects to consider work itself, such as, skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback, which according Omegaââ¬â¢s situation, they are low. It is a little better of the financial rewards aspect than the work content but still is low. Employees do not hold the shares of Omega and they think company underestimate their effort and their value and just 34% employees think they are paid fairly. Hierarchical satisfaction is not very clearly discussed in this case. Management satisfaction in Omega is mediate. Nevertheless, 89% of respondents think their immediate superiors treat them fairly. Other factor, namely, level of support, is low. Coworker satisfaction is not high as well because only 42% of respondentsââ¬â¢ stay in company due to coworkers. Work condition in Omega supposes to be low because employees think manager does not care about the work condition, so work condition might be low. Through analyses above, job satisfaction of Omega could be judged as low. 2.2 Inefficient communication system David (1997, 42) defines communication process as ââ¬Å"the transmission of information, and the exchange of meaningâ⬠. Robbins (2010: 290) points out six main parts of communication process, such as the information giver, encoding, the information, the channel, decoding, information receiver,à interference and feedback. Omega lack channel and feedback of communication process, so the process is not seriously exist in Omega. There are many directions of communication in organisation, namely vertically up and down, horizontally with coworkers (Katherine, 2012:31). Robbins (2010:291) also points out the main role of downward communication is to explain the reasons of different decisions. In Omega even the result of questionnaire is sent to the home address of employee not through companyââ¬â¢s internal mail system. This could demonstrate the communication in company is really weak. David (1997, 42) defines communication process as ââ¬Å"the transmission of information, and the exchange of meaningâ⬠. Furthermore, Cal and Allison (2004:6) say feedback could be an important facet to assess communicational efficiency and different company will have different emphasis on communication process. In Omega, they seldom receive feedback from their superiors. Furthermore, employees even do not know what happened in other regions of company or some issues relate to Omega. Through these analyses the communication system in Omega is really inefficient. 2.3 Low organisational commitment Organisational commitment is one of attitudes employees have towards organisation. Allen and Meyer(1991,) suggest organisational commitment consist of three parts ââ¬Å"a desire (affective commitment: an emotional attachment to organiasation) to stay in a company; a need(continuance commitment: consider cost of leaving the company) to stay and an obligation(normative commitment: moral and ethical consideration) to stayâ⬠Though the questionnaire of Omega is not very clearly include organisational commitment questions, it still can be reckoned by similar questions. The question about belonging to Omega can be recognized as affective commitment question and only 23% of respondents think they have this feeling, which means the affective in Omega is low. In addition, when ask if any other company offered more than 5% salary will you leave Omega, 27% of respondentsà will leave. And when it is raised by 10%, the result is 52%, and raised by 15% then 75% will leave. However, 89% of them do not treat financial reward is the most important aspect of their job. In this way, it could be reckoned normative commitment in Omega is low, meaning there is little moral or ethnic factor employees consider when they choose to leave company. Though there is few content of questionnaire relating to continuance commitment, organisational commitment is still low from the other two aspects. 2.4 Improper leadership Robbins (2010:316) define leadership as ââ¬Å"the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goalsâ⬠. Furthermore, Bozionelos (2007:14) claims ââ¬Å"the main role of leader is to motivate his/her subordinates.â⬠He also points out leaders could motivate employees by using ââ¬Å"rightâ⬠style. According to OHIO style studies, high consideration sometimes is associated with less turnover and absenteeism. Employees in Omega mainly are highly educated, who have interests in company operations and have strong aspirations to get involved in their job, not just finishing the task superiors give them. Nevertheless, leaders in Omega ignore the workforce environment and adopt improper leadership, like ignoring their opinions and isolating them from the whole company, furthermore, providing unsatisfied working environment. In conclusion, leadership in Omega is improper. 3.0 Analyses high turnover and absenteeism The relationship between turnover and absenteeism is positive, which means high turnover relate to high absenteeism vice versa (Terry, 1978). There are several reasons to the high absenteeism and turnover rate. Robert (1993) figures out job satisfaction and organisational commitment negatively relate to the turnover and absenteeism. In terms of the relationship between the two, there are mainly two different views, one of which is ââ¬Å"the commitment mediate the effect of job satisfactionâ⬠(Porter, 1974), the other one of which is the two both have impact on turnover but separately (Dougherty, 1985). This report follows the latter view. In addition, motivation theories are also mentioned below. 3.1 Job satisfaction reason Bozionelos (2007: 13) implicates the relationship between job satisfaction and absenteeism is moderate strong and Bobbins(2010: 72) supports this view and think the relationship is moderate to weak. According to these two scholars, there are many other reasons independent on job-related aspect, like the traffic situation and family stuff like childââ¬â¢s sick, etc. And Bozionelos(2007: ) mentions unsatisfied employees are more likely truancy than satisfied ones participate in work, which means make employees satisfying could not make sure low absenteeism, but if employees are unsatisfying they will more likely absent. Tett and Meyer(1993) conclude the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover is also moderate. However, Carsten and Spector (1987) point out job satisfaction will lead to turnover when employees find it easy to find an other similar job. 47% of respondents would leave company if they find a comparable job. In this way, job satisfaction is strongly relate to quit. Given the theory mentioned above and analyses of job satisfaction level in Omega, It could make a conclusion that job satisfaction in Omega is low and moderately leading to high turnover and absenteeism rate. 3.2 Organisational commitment reason ââ¬Å"Empirical research on organisational commitment generally has shown commitment to be a significant predictor of turnoverâ⬠(Gary, 1987). Also, John and Dennis (1990) demonstrate organisational commitment could help organisation reduce withdraw behaviour, like absenteeism and turnover. Furthermore, some scholars support the view that high organisatioanl commitment could lead to high job satisfaction (Batemen and Strasser, 1984). In terms organisational commitment itself, Robbins(2010:64) demonstrate organisational commitment negatively relate to both absenteeism and turnover, and in particular, affective commitment have stronger relationship than other two type of commitment with turnover and absenteeism. Meyer (2002) after a meta-analyses support Robbins conclusion, and figure outà affective commitment is the strongest lead to high turnover rate(à = âËâ.17). However, in terms of absenteeism, except affective commitment, the other two commitments have positive relationship with absenteeism. Though there is few content of questionnaire relating to continuance commitment, organisational commitment in Omega still could explain the high turnover and absenteeism rate, because affective commitment is low, which is the strongest aspect influence withdraw behaviour. 3.3 Motivation reason Motivation theories could explain the high turnover and absenteeism is because lack of motivation will have influence job satisfaction and organisational commitment, which have discuss above to be proved could impact quit and missing the job. Motivation theories used in this report are equity theory. Mullins(2002:443) explains equity theory as ââ¬Å"focuses on peoplesââ¬â¢ feeling of how fairly they have been treated in comparison with the treatment received by others.â⬠He points out one of inequity behaviour is ââ¬Å"leaving the fieldâ⬠to find balance. In this way, employees are tend to absent and find other equal job. In addition, Laura (2000) suggests wage equity is related to worker motivation. Employees in Omega believe they are under inequity situation, because of inequity input and output. About 66% of respondents think they are paid unfairly. As a result, employees are tend to absent and change their job. 4.0 Recommendation This part is mainly based on motivation theory and motivation applications method. Apart from motivate employees, improving job satisfaction, consummating communication system are also used to propose recommendations. 4.1 Motivate employee Maslowââ¬â¢s theory and Herzbergââ¬â¢s theory are applied to suggestions. Though popular with its criticism, Maslowââ¬â¢s five level hierarchy theory is alwaysà the basic theory of motivation and is simply applied to real case. Maslow hierarchy need theory consists of five needs of a person, which, from the bottom to the top, are physiological, safety, love, esteem, self-actualization (Maslow, 1954). These needs are satisfied until the lower needs are fulfilled. Mangers need to identify dominant needs during employees then provide incentives to satisfy them in order to improve job satisfaction (Bozionelos , 2007: 29). In Omega case, manager should first identify what employees really needs. Except relatively satisfied salary, they also need more control in their work and more communication with superior. Next theory using to propose suggestions is Herzbergââ¬â¢s two-factor theory, which are hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors are mostly about work conditions and environment and actually hygiene cannot motivate employees, but if hygiene factors are not filled, they will lead to dissatisfaction. Motivators are mostly about work itself and work content. Robbins (2010:143) suggests it is advised to use motivator to motivate people, like ââ¬Å"promotional opportunities, opportunities for personal growth, recognition, responsibility and achievementâ⬠. Omega manager or personnel manager can follow this suggestion to redesign the job in Omega. 4.2 Improve job satisfaction Locke (1976) says job satisfaction is a ââ¬Å"positive emotional stateâ⬠, so improving job satisfaction is same as improving the positive emotion of employees. There are several aspects could lead to high level of job satisfaction. One of the most significant aspects relating to high job satisfaction is enjoying the job. Enjoyable job should provide necessary training, variety and authorization (Robbins, 2010:67). In Omega, managers could decrease close supervision when employees working, which probably could increase job satisfaction. 4.3 Consummate communication system As mentioned above, the communication process is important in anà organisation. Omegaââ¬â¢s manager should provide a platform for employees to express their opinions, complains and proposals. In addition, frequent feedback is also essential during the whole communication process even though it may be the last step. Formulating new feedback policy in accordance with jobââ¬â¢s need. 4.4 Improve employee involvement Lawer (1986) suggests ââ¬Å"job involvement has been considered the key to activating employee motivationâ⬠. In addition, employee involvement could also help improve job satisfaction (Steve, 1996). Involving employee can not only help improve job satisfaction but also help improve organiasational commitment. Daily update e-mail could provide latest news of company as well as satisfy employeesââ¬â¢ need to understand organisation. Furthermore, involving employee could develop a feeling of belonging to organisation. 5.0 Conclusion Through the analyses above, it is clear that there are numerous of problems in Omega. Low job satisfaction, inefficient communication system, low organisational commitment and improper leadership are the key problems. Some of them strongly relate to high turnover and absenteeism rate, some of them moderately relate. Recommendations are based on the problems, which most could be applied to real work. More importantly, taking actions to make ideas into reality is the key. 6. Personal reflection This part mainly discusses the writerââ¬â¢s personal opinion on management. Fortunately, this case study gives me a lot of thinking about management and leadership. As a manager in a company especially in a highly educated organisation must pay attention to employeesââ¬â¢ opinion towards company and management. Their involvement not only can level up their job satisfaction but also can help improve efficient of management. In addition, motivation system is another factor that should be taken seriously. Though there are many theories in motivation and many ways to motivate employees, actually,à manager could choose one and utilize effectively, then can benefit a lot. Personally speaking, leadership is more important than management. Management could just guarantee the implementation of task, but leadership have more function due to different leadership style. In terms of organisational commitment, managersââ¬â¢ leadership is very significant. Some companies have done a lot to improve organisational commitment but it is still low. That maybe because the improper leadership. Sometimes leadership is not could described in words just like art, which need talent. Reference: Batemen and Strasser, ââ¬Å"A longitudinal analysis of the antecendents of organisational commitment â⬠, Academy of management Review. 27.95-112 Bozionelos, N. (2007). Work motivation and its related processes, in Managing People, Durham Business School, University of Durham Cal W. Downs and Allyson D. Adrian (2004), Assessing organisational communication: strategic Communication Audits, The Guildford Press, 3-18. David A, Daniel A, Philip L, ââ¬Å"How importand are job attitude? Meta-analytic comparisions of integrative behavioural outcomes and time sequencesâ⬠David Buchanan and Andrzej Huczynski (1997), Organisational behaviour an introductory text. Prentice Hall ,Third Eth. Dougherty TW, Bluedom AC, Keon TL. (1985). Precursors of employee turnover: A multi-sample causal analysis. Journal of Occupational Behaviour, 6,259-271. GARY J. BLAU and KIMBERLY B. BOAL, 1987, ââ¬Å"Conceptualizing How Job Involvement and Organisational Commitment Affect Turnover and Absenteeismâ⬠, Academy of Management Review. 1987, Vol. 12. No. 2. 288-300. James L. Price and Charles W. Mueller (1992), ââ¬Å"Discriminant validity of measures of job satisfaction, positive affectivity and negative affectivityâ⬠, Journals of organisational Psychology, Vol. 65, 158-196. Lawler, E. E.,III.(1986). ââ¬Å"High-involvement management: Participative strategies for improving organisational performanceâ⬠, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 45-68. Laura Leete (2000), ââ¬Å"Wage equity and employee motivation in nonprofit and for-profit organisationsâ⬠, Journal of Economic Behaviour & Organisation, Vol.43, No.4, 423-446. JM Carsten and PE Spector (1987), ââ¬Å"Unemployment, job satisfaction, and employee turnover: A meta-analytic test of the Muchinsky modelâ⬠, ournal of Applied Psychology, Vlo. 72, No. 3, 374 ââ¬â 38 John P. Meyer and Natalie J. Allen ââ¬ËA three-component conceptualization of organisational commitmentââ¬â¢ human resource management review, Volume 1, Issue 1 John E. Mathieu and Dennis M. Zajac (1990), ââ¬Å"A Review and M eta-A nalysis of the A ntecedents, C orrelates, and Consequences of Organisational Commitmentâ⬠, Psychological Bulletin, Vol.108, NO.2, 1717-194. Katherine Miller (2012), Organisational communication: Approaches and Process, Lyn Uhl, Six Edition. 17-35. Laurie J Mullins (2002), Management and organisational behaviour, Financial Times Pitman Prentice Hall, 6th Ed, 417-455 Lois R and Gavin T (2010) ââ¬Å"Mixing interview and questionnaire methods: Practical problems in aligning dataâ⬠Practical assessment, research & evaluation, Vol.15, No.1. Luthans Fed (2011), Organisational behaviour : an evidence-based approach, Boston, London: McGraw-Hill, 12th ed. 123-156 Maslow Abraham H. (1987), Motivation and Personnality . New York : Harper Collins. Third Edition, 38-54. Paul E. Spector (1997), ââ¬Å"Job satisfaction : Application, Assessment, Causes and Consequencesâ⬠, SAGE Publications Ltd. 5-21. Paul R, Linda M, Vicino, Kantor, Greaves ââ¬Å"Attitude assessment in organisations: testing three microcomputer-based survey systemsâ⬠, The Journal of General Psychology, Vol.116, No.2, 145-154. Porter LW, Steers RM, Mowday RT, Boulian PV. (1974). Organisational commitment, job satisfaction, and turnover among psychiatric technicians. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol.59, 603-609. Robert P. Tett and John P. Meyer (1993), ââ¬Å"Job satisfaction, organisational commitment, turnover intention, and turnover: path analyses based on meta-analyses based on meta- analytic findingsâ⬠, Personnel psychological, Vol.46, 259-293. Steven P. Brown (1996), ââ¬Å"A Meta-Analysis and Review of Organisational Research onJob Involvementâ⬠, Psychological Bulletin, Vol.120, No.2, 235-255. Terry A. Beehr (1978), ââ¬Å"A note on the structure of employee withdrawalâ⬠, Organisational behaviour and human performance, Vol.21, 73-79.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Brandwashed, Martin Lindstrom (Zoom in- Zoom out)
ââ¬Å"By uniting us against a common enemy, fear also brings humans together. It has a preserve yet delicious binding quality. It's for this reason that we love to spread fearful rumors, sometimes blowing them out of all proportion just to heighten the sense of danger.â⬠(33. Brandwashed)Zoom In:In this passage, Martin Lindstrom denotes a method used by big corporations and advertising companies that literally scares people into buying things. Lindstrom explains that ââ¬Å"uniting us against a common enemy, fear also brings humans togetherâ⬠, which is a stark statement, but definitely not an inconceivable one. This is such interesting prose, because when we humans feel afraid, the last thing we are thinking about is how united we are. We are thinking about what we can do to eradicate the danger, and how we can feel safe. In 2009, sales of the well known hand sanitizer Purell rose by 50%, which also happens to be the year that the H191 pandemic (better known as ââ¬Å"swin e fluâ⬠) erupted.This statistic is fascinating because we can see how us humans were scared of something, in this case, getting the swine flu, but we managed to unite and buy 50% more hand sanitizer. This was our way of eradicating the danger, and feeling safe. The most enthralling part of this is that hand sanitizer does nothing to prevent the H1N1 virus, because it is spread through the air in the form of a cough or sneeze from a infected individual! You may be asking yourself ââ¬Å"How and why did people choose to buy Purell to feel protected from H191?â⬠. Well, Purell posted a statement on their website saying that ââ¬Å"According to the Centers for Disease Control, one of the ways you can help protect yourself from Swine Flu is by practicing good hand hygiene. specifically using an alcohol-based sanitizer.â⬠What they are trying to insinuate is that their product is the key to good hygiene ââ¬â and that without it you will not be as healthy, and will be at r isk of getting the Swine Flu. The CDC did say that hand sanitizer is good for hand hygiene, but the CDC never said that hand hygiene protects against Swine flu, because that would be a scientifically proven lie. Simply put by Lindstrom, the company totally blew the CDC's statement ââ¬Å"out of all proportion just to heighten the sense of dangerâ⬠. This example is really captivating, because it sheds light on a situation that most people wouldà never question. It really shows how big corporations are using fear to provoke emotions, which lead us to buying thing in order to once again feel safe.Zoom Out:Does fear really sell? Everyone is afraid of something but regardless of what that is, there is no doubt that fear sells. Since few products actually solve a personââ¬â¢s fears but rather placate fear temporarily, brands that effectively evoke feelings related to fear can establish long-term relationships with consumers who think they wonââ¬â¢t be safe unless they keep bu ying the brand. Anyone who pays for any kind of insurance is proof that fear sells for a long, long time. You choose to buy life insurance; because you are afraid of your familyââ¬â¢s well being once you are gone.There are so many ways to portray messages of fear, and thatââ¬â¢s why itââ¬â¢s used in so many diverse industries to sell both products and services. For example, the sunscreen industry shifted its messaging from helping people get the darkest possible tans, to helping people avoid getting skin cancer. By using a message that elicits feelings of fear in consumersââ¬â¢ minds, sunscreen brands turned what could have been a brand disaster into a brand opportunity. ââ¬Å"Cutting your sun exposure is easier than cutting out a skin cancerâ⬠. This message persuades us to buy more sunscreen, by making us fear the consequences of skin cancer.Personal:Almost every person that I know has been persuaded to buy something by fear, or has at least seen a form of adverti sement in which fear is used as a medium. I can recall an anti-smoking ad that I once saw on the morning news. It depicted footage of a real life open-heart surgery, gore and all, because the victim had smoked cigarettes his entire life. The commercial was so vivid, so vial, so real that I felt the need to reach for the remote, and change the channel.I have seen many commercials like that one since, all getting up close and personal with lifelong smokers who have debilitating deformities, all reaching out to try to get people to quit. These commercials have persuaded viewers to never go near a cigarette, and have definitely taught me that the consequences of smoking certainly outweigh the pleasure of popping open a pack and lighting one up. These commercials useà fear as a medium, but arenââ¬â¢t trying to sell anything, besides the truth.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Bringing Democracy to Africa
Bringing Democracy to Africa Free Online Research Papers Does Africa need elective, majority democracy or some other method of government? Maybe what Africa needs is a different method of government instead of modern democracy. History and the statistics seem to favour this view, and it is the aim of this article to explore it.Obviously there are various forms of democracies and numerous other methods of governance which nations can choose to model themselves around. I have this feeling that constitutional democracy achieved by majority vote maybe somewhat flawed for the African continent, as indeed it is not universally embraced outside Western Civilization. Africa found itself adopting models of government of former masters by default, without regard to how they ruled themselves previously. Someone I highly respect first suggested this notion to me and of course I naturally scoffed at it, dismissing it out of hand. On close inspection of trends within the African continent and disasters that countries there have encountered as they strived to institute democracy along the Western model really got me thinking, and researching. Historically, Africans have always had kingdoms, which kingdoms were successful and whose subjects were always proud of their king. The king either died in office or was overthrown. Kings were kings for as long as they could subdue all would be conquerors. The closest form of government to African culture was therefore Aristocracy, Meritocracy or Monarchism. Think about it for a moment, I will give you examples in Southern Africa with which I am familiar. Take Shaka the Zulu, and other Zulu kings before him in the Zulu Kingdom. He won his leadership by proving his ability to lead and by conquest. He could only step down by conquest or death. Can you imagine him giving up his leadership to someone else simply because ten, twelve or fourteen years making up his two terms were up? There were other empires in Southern Africa, like the Munhumutapa Empire. The Mambos (kings) successfully ran their kingdom which covered large parts of many countries in Southern Africa to the Mozambiquean C oast for several years, only to be dislodged largely by the coming of the Colonialists. The Swazi Kingdom is another example, the vestiges of which remain to this day. I believe this was replicated across the African continent beyond Southern Africa. I obviously advocate for progressiveness and civilisation and am by no means implying Africa should have remained in that state where rulership was purely by conquest, but the argument is that there are other forms of government which might have been more suited to our African background than democracy along Western Standards; where an adored and respected leader could lead for as long as he was able, where he could appoint successors to his rulership. The idea of constitutional democracy and multi-partism, in my humble submission, has more managed to destabilise the African continent than do anything else. There could then be a mixture of, say Monarchism and some form of managed democracy, for example that you find in the British Empire or in many Islamic Countries. Another aspect of African kingdoms which we threw away with constitutional democracy was the Theocratic inclination of the Kingdoms. The Kings was often a Spiritual leader as well, or worked closely with Spiritual leaders. In effect, the King was obliged to be a moral leader, which requirement present day leaders gleefully trample upon. In the end, what has happened is that a lot of African leaders have clung on to power, but have been largely demonised not really because of failure alone, but because in the first place, they were expected to have vacated office earlier. In many instances, those that felt the leaders had overstayed, particularly from the West, created conditions where their positions were not tenable anymore. Obviously former colonialists had vested interests to protect, apart from governance, which is why they have encouraged anarchy in other former colonies where it suited them, for example in the DRC. So despite the gospel of Constitutional democracy being preached to Africa, there is an interesting pattern of long-serving African leaders, turning their countries into de-facto Monarchs. Name them(and years in power!): Omar Bongo (41), Muammar Gaddafi(39), Gnassingbe Eyadema (38), Eduardo Dos Santos (28), Robert Mugabe(28), Hosni Mubarak (27), Yoweri Museveni(22), Paul Biya(25), Denis Sassou Nguesso(20), Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali (21),King Makhosetive Mswati (21), Lansana Conte(20), Milton Obote(15), Idi Amin, Kibaki, Nunjoma etc. An affinity for power characterise these leaders, using any and all at their disposal to remain in power. Consequently they have been labelled dictators, but would that perception have been different if they were doing this under a different governance model. Just lets take one extreme and notorious example of Robert Mugabe. For those in the know, you will agree with me that RG did not start as a despot. He was loved by his people, envied by his foes and admired by those that beheld. Why, the queen of England is said to have given him the highest order of the British Empire, he is Sir Robert Gabriel Mugabe! In his early rule education, medical and many critical aspects of social welfare were accessible to the ordinary people. Zimbabwe is highly literate today because of his policy of Education for All. The catastrophic developments in Zimbabwe that have really led it down the precipice were largely done by RG to gain political mileage, because his rule was threatened. Right from gra nting of unreasonable War Veterans pensions, parcelling out land in an unplanned manner etc, was all mostly done to gain political high ground. My question is, would it have been different if he had not been under this pressure and knew he would rule or occupy a position of respect no matter what he did or did not do? On the other side, only Nyerere, Mandela, Chissano and a few others are exceptions to the rule in that they have stepped down graciously without manipulating their Countriesââ¬â¢ constitutions etc to remain in power, handing over power or losing graciously; but they are by far in the minority. The writer hence concludes that this cannot be coincidence: democracy is foreign to African states and another form of governance must be found, otherwise we will always be going backwards and forwards in our quest for stability, development and progress. The recent developments in Kenya show the fragility of our democracies even when they ââ¬Ëexistââ¬â¢. Research Papers on Bringing Democracy to AfricaAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPETSTEL analysis of IndiaHip-Hop is ArtQuebec and CanadaBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Effects of Illegal Immigration
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Conditions at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory - 1911
Conditions at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory - 1911 To understand the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire of 1911, its helpful to get a picture of the conditions at the factory before and at the time of the fire. Conditions at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Most of the workers were young immigrants, Russian Jews or Italians, with some German and Hungarian immigrants as well. Some were as young as 12 to 15 years old, and often sisters or daughters and mother or cousins were all employed at the shop. The 500-600 workers were paid at piecework rates, so that pay for any individual depended on the skill of the work done (men mostly did the collars, which was a more highly paid task) and how quickly one worked. Pay averaged around $7 per week for most, with some paid as high as $12 per week. At the time of the fire, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory was not a union shop, though some workers were members of the ILGWU.à The 1909 Uprising of the Twenty Thousand and the 1910 Great Revolt had led to growth in the ILGWU and to some preferential shops, but the Triangle Factory was not among those. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris were concerned about employee theft. On the ninth floor there were only two doors; one was routinely locked, leaving open only the door to the stairwell to the Greene Street exit. That way, the company could inspect handbags and any packages of workers on their way out at the end of the work day. There were no sprinklers in the building. There had been no fire drills to practice response to fires, though a fire expert, hired in 1909 on the advice of an insurance company, had recommended implementing fire drills. There was one fire escape which proved not very strong, and an elevator. On March 25, as most Saturdays, workers had begun to clear the work areas and fill bins with fabric scraps. Garments and cloth were in piles, and there would have been considerable fabric dust from the cutting and sewing process. Most of the light inside the building came from gas lamps. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: Index of Articles Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fireà - the fire itselfThe 1909 Uprising of the Twenty Thousandà and the 1910 Cloakmakers Strike: backgroundââ¬â¹After the Fire: identifying victims, news coverage, relief efforts, memorial and funeral march, investigations, trialFrances Perkins and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Supplier Sourcing and Development; Contracting Risks and Arrangements Assignment
Supplier Sourcing and Development; Contracting Risks and Arrangements - Assignment Example The underlying decision must be evaluated in terms of its benefits and costs in relation to all business pursuits that should be undertaken. The benefits of make or insources and buy or outsource are critical to account for, alongside their relative costs. The most appropriate in terms of more benefits and lesser costs between make/buy and insource/outsource becomes integral to the decision made. The contracting process that the federal government observes has its benefits and shortcomings. Specifically, socioeconomic programs, goals and quotas constitute both positive and negative impacts (Trent, 2007). On the positive side, the aforementioned aspects are designed to benefit the various sectors of the economy. To the stakeholders involved in the contracting processes, fairness and equal opportunities are provided for by the said aspects. All players have equal opportunities to the benefits provided for by the programs, goals, and quotas. On the other hand, negative impacts are realized. Bureaucracy encompasses federally mandated practices, lengthening contracting processes relative to industrial or commercial practices in the same line. Also, inadequacy of resources limits business interaction between the federal government and other stakeholders in that
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