Monday, December 30, 2019

The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay - 1216 Words

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a never-ending problem facing the two states. It began in the 19th century during the Ottoman or British rule. This was between the Arabs living in Palestine and the Jews living in Israel. It was Zionism for the Jews against Arab nationalism. This conflict was known as the Arab-Israeli conflict. The main issues were; border disputes, security, the control of Jerusalem, recognition as well as Palestinian freedom of movement. These issues are what spear headed the intensifying of the conflict thus it became as part of day to day activity between the two states. The Zionists believed that Palestine was their land as according to them it was part of their historic homeland- Land of Israel. The Arabs†¦show more content†¦There is great fear on the Israelis side if Palestinians are given the authority to rule Jerusalem. In order for this not to happen the Israelis are fighting to ensure this does not occur. During the late 19th century, Je ws were being massacred in Russia by Hitler. They retaliated by escaping and settling in Jerusalem their historic homeland (Flapan 2003). At that time, there were Palestinian nationals who were already occupying some parts of Jerusalem. In order to settle, the Jews displaced the Palestinians and took over their lands. The Palestinians thus became refugees and this was in 1948. This has disturbed the Palestinian Government ever since. Together with its citizens, Palestine wants its people restored to their homelands. This has led to serious confrontations between the two states which has caused collateral damage. Quite unfortunately, no signs of peace or reconciliation are evident between the two states. There have been a lot of concerns by the Israeli about their security and safety. Palestinians over the past years have attacked Israelis and caused grievous damages. This to the Israelis and other nations is an act of terrorism. Their opponents view the violence as jihad which is a holy war (Flapan 2003). They want to acquire the Jewish state and label it as the Arab state. Their violence has caused havoc to the Israelis. This has caused international recognition by other nations around the world. However Palestinians do not seem toShow MoreRelatedThe Israeli and Palestinian Conflict682 Words   |  3 PagesThe Israeli and Palestinian conflict has been an unwavering conflict that has plagued the world for longer than any can remember. I, myself am hopelessly torn on whether I am Pro-Palestine, or Pro-Israel. I find it difficult to make an informed and unbiased decision on the conflict with the two conflicting stories being relayed by the pro-Israel documentary as well as by the Pro-Palestine documentary. I feel as though it would be impossible for me to make a decision on the issue unless I was ableRead MoreThe Palestinian Conflict : The Israeli Conflict1406 Words   |  6 PagesSteven Sauer REL100 10/31/2015 The Israeli, Palestinian Conflict Lets begin as most historians do, in the late 19th century. The Ottoman empire ruled over what is now called Palestine. The population there, according to Ottoman records from 1878 was 87% muslim, 10% christian and 3% jewish. Everyone spoke arabic as the daily language and in Jerusalem the religious population was about equal. To give you a sense of life in the Ottoman Empire, an arab orthodox christian musician named Wasif JawhariyyehRead MoreThe Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay1202 Words   |  5 PagesThe Israeli-Palestinian conflict was started when the United Nations proposed the partition plan for Jewish homeland in 1947. The Jewish agrees with the plan but the Palestinians disagree because they think it is unfair for their land being taken. Since then, many wars have been fought between Israel and Palestinians such as: -1948 War of independence -1956 Sinai war -1967 six day war -1973 Yom Kippur war etc. These wars had made angry Palestinian lostRead More The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay3354 Words   |  14 PagesIntroduction The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most controversial conflicts in modern history. The expansion of Israel since 1947 is seen as the beginning of the conflict, although its origins go back to the end of the 19th century, when Jewish immigration to Palestine began to increase. Since the start of the conflict, several peace negotiations have been carried out, resulting in variable degrees of success. This essay will focus on how theorists of peace and conflict have analysedRead MoreThe Conflict Between Israelis And Palestinians1686 Words   |  7 PagesErin Shin Combs English 1-2 Acc., P. 1 18 April 2016 The Conflict Between Israelis and Palestinians On July 14, 2014, Mohammed Suliman, a Muslim living in Gaza City, tweeted, â€Å"Amir, 12, and Mohammed. 10, want to buy yogurt. Things are calm, they tell their mom. They leave the house. A blast is heard. They re dead† (Hosford). Tragic though it is, this is not a rare phenomenon in this region. In fact, 2,314 Palestinians were killed and 17,125 injured just in 2014 alone as a result of Israel’s activitiesRead More The Israeli and Palestinian Conflict Essay1126 Words   |  5 PagesThe Israeli and Palestinian Conflict - Many Questions, Few Answers Unless the Israelis and Palestinians could not compromise, negotiate and come to an agreement, peace is impossible in the Middle East and even the security fence that Israel is now building will not solve the conflict nor stop terrorist actions by Palestinian extremists. The Israelis and Palestinians need to compromise and negotiate, as suggested by the words written on that wall, â€Å"Peace comes (with) agreement not separation.†Read MoreThe Israeli Palestinian Conflict Of Palestine Essay2248 Words   |  9 Pagesinvolved killed since the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the late 19th century. Throughout the past several decades the Israeli Zionists and Palestinian natives have fought over a section of land in the Middle East for recognition as an independent or bi-national country. This has led to a war in which a peaceful solution, and not just managing the problem but attempting to end the problem is paramount. The history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict begins around 1880 whenever the originalRead MoreThe Arab Israeli Palestinian Conflict2122 Words   |  9 PagesThe Middle East has long been home to very deep-rooted conflict. For too long, the citizens of the Middle East have lived in the central of death and fear. The animosity between few, takes the hope of hundreds. The Arab-Israeli-Palestinian conflict is most notably the largest issue preventing peace in the Middle East, but it is by no means the only issue. The issue of bankrolling and foreign aid are also issues preventing peace; because the U.S provides so much funding and foreign aid to certainRead MoreThe Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay844 Words   |  4 PagesAn issue as complicated, sensitive, and controversial as the Palestinian – Israeli conflict is not one that can be resolved with a simple solution. It did not begin with the creation of the Current State of Israel in 1948, but something that has roots goin g back to the ancient times. The history of the persecution of the Hebrew people started with the start of Judaism in ancient Egypt. The Pharaoh of Egypt who prophesized in his dreams that a child born to the Israelites would one day grow up andRead MoreIsraeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay2633 Words   |  11 PagesThe conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Jews is a modern phenomenon, which began around the turn of the 20th century. Although these two groups have different religions (Palestinians include Muslims, Christians and Druze), religious differences are not the cause of the conflict. It is essentially a struggle over land. Until 1948, the area that both groups claimed was known internationally as Palestine. But following the war of 1948-49, this land was divided into three parts: the state of Israel

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Movie American Gangster - 1190 Words

The movie â€Å"American Gangster† is a very good Hollywood portrayal of a man named Frank Lucas. Frank Lucas was played by Denzel Washington with Russell Crowe playing Richie Roberts, who was the cop investigating the heroin distribution. During the 1960’s into the 1970’s, distribution of heroin in New York was at one of the greatest peaks of all time. Frank Lucas had a great mentor, whose name was Bumpy Johnson. Bumpy was a career criminal who spent most of his life in prison until he became a mob boss in the Harlem neighborhood in New York City. From there, he taught Frank everything he knew for 15 years until he died of heart failure. When Bumpy died, Frank Lucas turned his past mentorship and knowledge into one the biggest heroin distribution businesses in the Harlem neighborhood during these times. One of the most famous things Frank is known for as a drug distributer, was his ability to cut out all the middlemen in the distribution and go directly to the source. He did this because not only did it make him more money, but he was able to sell the heroin for cheaper plus he had the resources to ship the heroin from the Golden Triangle, which is in Southeast Asia, directly to him in New York. The Golden Triangle is where most of the opium and heroin was produced in the 1960’s. And to this day, it’s the second biggest producer of opium next to Afghanistan which is the biggest opium supplier. â€Å"Heroin from Southeast Asia is most frequently brought to the United States byShow MoreRelatedMovie Review : American Gangster919 Words   |  4 Pagesinvolvement. Was this involvement always a good thing though? The 2007 movie, American Gangster, addresses this very question by looking at law enforcement agencies during the 1970s, along with the corruption involved with police departments at this point in history. The particular corrupted agency focused on in the film is the New York Police Department, of which dirty detective, Nick Trupo, is a part of. The short clip shown from this movie makes the argument that although not all cops during this timeRead MoreGangster Films In The 1920s1281 Words   |  6 Pagesillegal and now millions of Americans were forced to seek alternative means of obtaining their alcohol, no matter how unscrupulous the source. Enter the gangster, a larger than life, pinstripe wearing, gun wielding renegade. It was this romanticized idea that would come to serve as an embodiment of society turning to the darker side. This idea would also take center stage on the silver screen with the emergence (and later alteration) of the gangster film. The gangster film would be continuously popularRead MoreThe American Media s Influence On The Italian American1517 Words   |  7 PagesThe American media has had a substantial influence on the Italian-American stereotype, especially that regarding mobsters. The American cinema has created movies and TV shows such as The Godfather, Goodfellas, T he Sopranos, and more. The media has the power to influence how people think and see things, including ethnic groups and races. This was seen extensively in the 2016 United States Presidential election. Hollywood has always had the strength to have ethnic groups be seen in a positive or negativeRead MoreCinema During The Great Depression And World War 21272 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Film Industry: perhaps no other form of artistic expression has induced the same air of life, reality, and fantasies in the minds of society. Otherwise known as Hollywood, this mass media franchise captured the minds of many when it began in the early 20th century. Despite the dismal consequences people had to face during this era, reinstating the fantasized American values of individualism, social equality, and progress gave citizens a reason to buy a movie ticket. Influential film makersRead More Realism and Idealism for the Godfather Essay1173 Words   |  5 Pages Realism and Idealism for the G odfather I will never forget what I felt when I first seen my first mobster movie, I was about 12 years old, it was real late at night and I just could not fall asleep. I was flipping the channels looking for something to watch, and that is when I encountered my first mobster movie. I was intrigued from beginning to end; it was like nothing I had ever seen before. The way they talked so confident and cool to the way they looked so sharp and sophisticated. AlthoughRead MoreAnalysis Of The Film The Simpsons 984 Words   |  4 Pagesas a gangster. He goes through the reasons why he decided to become a gangster. He explains how being a gangster makes him feel like a somebody and how they offer him protection. The Mafia gives Henry Hill a place to call his own. The mafia becomes his family. The movie Goodfellas is based off of a book called Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi which is based on a true story. One of the reasons this film was so popular was because it was based in reality. The film detail s what the life of a gangster is.Read Moredisadvantage of movie762 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Films, also called a movie or motion picture. Films usually include an optical soundtrack, which is a graphic recording of the spoken words, music and other sounds that are to accompany the images. Films are also a cultural artifacts created by specific cultures. They reflect those cultures, and, in turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment, and a powerful medium for educating or indoctrinating citizens. Some films have becomeRead MoreRealism and Idealism for the Godfather1166 Words   |  5 PagesRealism and Idealism for the Godfather I will never forget what I felt when I first seen my first mobster movie, I was about 12 years old, it was real late at night and I just could not fall asleep. I was flipping the channels looking for something to watch, and that is when I encountered my first mobster movie. I was intrigued from beginning to end; it was like nothing I had ever seen before. The way they talked so confident and cool to the way they looked so sharp and sophisticated. AlthoughRead MoreAfrican Male Humanity And Authenticity Is Disoriented By Using A Lesson Plan1057 Words   |  5 Pageshard to eliminate racial discrimination completely when we still see it every day. The media is one of the main sources of racism. We see ambiguous scenes of people and believe that what the movie portrays is true. The depiction of black male in films is distorted and usually engaged in aggression, gangster, masculinity, drugs, and murder. In the Persistence of Whiteness, Keith argues that â€Å"black masculinity is reiter ated in notions of aggression, submission, and criminality and simultaneously repositionedRead MoreEssay about The Motion Picture Code of the Great Depression1206 Words   |  5 Pagesto the maintenance of the national morale of America. During this time Hollywood played a valuable part, getting over eighty million Americans to attend theaters, but soon it would become a lot harder as America continued living in the Great Depression. Everyone in America, even the most troubling of poverty families attended movies. With a movie to watch, Americans sought refuge in a fantasy world. Films during this time were a perfect distraction. Not only for audiences but also for the artist

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Billy elliot notes Free Essays

Takes opportunity Headset, tracking shots Billy In cage hits other student â€Å"there’s always next year† not for Billy this Is his shot He wants this opportunity his reaction Is violent as this Is all he knows and this Is a sign that he needs you grow beyond this. Quotes from ballet dude â€Å"No child can succeed without the 100 percent support of their family’ We see the growth In Othello men as Cackle supports Billy Headset music of swan lake motif l feel like a bird it feels like electricity† Billy says this as he describes what it is like for him to dance These quotes convince the board that Billy is a natural talent and show his passion for his chosen path Montage Billy’s emotional reaction to getting in and Jackass’s pride in announcing it to the miners who face going back to the pit at reduced wages Juxtaposition of Billy getting away from the mines and the need for the family and other miners to return Landscape shot, voice over change in lighting Billy and Jackie at the grave yard mines in the distance Relationship is now close and has grown through the mutual experience and understanding that is now there Montage of images swan lake music , motif of closing doors, costuming headset Billy preparing to leave and the final scene of him dancing, Jackie and Tony in London at the performance and engaging with a now adult Michael Jack’s and Tony going back down the mines in a cage Mrs. Wilkinson alone in the gym her role in getting Billy into the works is done she has no evolution on the film Billy is now a success and is starting in swan lake the family are purporting him showing their growth as Billy is a success and has evolved Jack’s and Tony are well dressed and appear familiar with London , they do not Judge Michael Jacky pride is evident in his tears Billy Elliot notes By Barack Billy in cage hits other student â€Å"there’s always next year† not for Billy this is his shot He wants this opportunity his reaction is violent as this is all he knows and thi s is a â€Å"No child can succeed without the 100 percent support of their family† We see the growth in Othello men as Jackie supports Billy Jack’s pride is evident in his tears . We will write a custom essay sample on Billy elliot notes or any similar topic only for you Order Now How to cite Billy elliot notes, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

The Will to Win free essay sample

The rhythm of my footsteps treading fast upon the ground and the echoes of my own gasping breaths as I managed to take in the dense, humid air, killed the silence of the once serene forest and enlivened it in a sudden rush of adrenaline. The whistles and claps of spectators had gradually faded. I felt nothing, thought nothing, as numbness seemed to dull the aching of my body and push away the cries of my mind to just let it go and give it up. I was in the lead, yet had no idea by how far. The trees seemed to close in on me and a heavy gust dared me to surrender. No, not now, not yet, I mumbled under my breath. I couldnt let my team down; I gripped the bronze baton tightly in my hand as I pictured the twinkling golden trophy awaiting at the finish line. We will write a custom essay sample on The Will to Win or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My suffering did not weaken me, rather, fueled my drive to work harder. I picked up the pace, but was startled by the impending sound of crunching leaves from behind. I knew who was behind me: a girl from our rival school, East. A flush of adrenaline heightened my heart rate while my strides lengthened, helping me gain speed as I edged closer to the finish. My coach stood in the light, where the shaded trail opened up into a wide field of shimmering damp grass. Come on, Amanda. This is where your heart does the work! Give it your heart! he shouted, red-faced with excitement. Herds of spectators cheered and clapped while a jolt of passion struck me like lightening. This is it. My cheeks now burned as my legs, now two heavy cement blocks, pushed forward to their maximum speed. I took one huge gulp of the dense air before —rip! I looked back with a feeling of feat to see my opponent now a fair twenty seconds behind.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Bullshit Nike Corporate Mission Statement Research Paper Example

Bullshit Nike Corporate Mission Statement Paper Nines corporate mission statement To be the worlds leading sports and fitness company is Nikkei primary objective. Through the introduction of our new product, Nikkei E-plus, we hope we can bring Inspiration and innovation to every athlete In the world. We believe that If you have body, you are an athlete. The previously slogan of Just do It represents the detached, determined, unsentimental attitude of every sport men. Same as the new slogan for our new product Nikkei E-plus, Just drink It, It represents the same meaning as the previous slogan. It Is cool, funny, and classic. Nikkei E-plus long term financial goals are high single dealt revenue growth; mild-teens earnings per share growth; and Increased return on Invested capital and accelerated cash flows. Our first step Is to focus more to grow market share. Although In short term after Introduction of new product, Nikkei E-plus may be In lost state due to the large amount investment are invested into product development and marketing campaign. However, we have strong confidence that we can enter the sport drink market in just half of the year. Our market share will grow instantly in middle term and starts to turn lost into profit in 2 years. Our 3 years middle-term goal is to increase net income to $10 million through Nikkei E-plus in the year 2013. We will slightly adjust our pricing for Nikkei E-plus after it reach mid-high market share to ensure to get high return rate in long run. In 5 years long-run objective, we wish to achieve an aim that increase our net income 25% annually. We will write a custom essay sample on Bullshit Nike Corporate Mission Statement specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Bullshit Nike Corporate Mission Statement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Bullshit Nike Corporate Mission Statement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Monday, November 25, 2019

Special Education Jobs Without College Degrees

Special Education Jobs Without College Degrees Not all people who work directly with a special education need to have a degree or certification in the field. Here are some options for a special education career if you dont have the usual degree. Support Staff Support staff, who work as wrap around or classroom aides, work directly with children but are not required to have college degrees or certification in special education. Some college can be helpful, and because support staff does not take their work homeie. plan or write reports, it is often rewarding work with little stress. Some training may be required, but the district, school or agency who employs you will provide it. Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS) Often referred to as a wrap around a TSS is assigned to assist a single student. They are often provided by a county mental health agency or other outside agency at the request of the parents and school district. The responsibilities of the TSS revolve around that single student. That child may have been identified as needing wrap around support because of emotional, behavioral or physical needs that require individual attention. The first responsibility of a TSS is to be sure a childs Behavior Improvement Plan (BIP) is followed. The TSS will see that the student stays on task and that besides supporting the student in participating appropriately in class, the TSS also sees that the student does not disrupt the educational progress of other students. They are often provided in order to help a student stay in their neighborhood school in a general education classroom. School districts or agencies will hire the TSSs for students. Check with your local school to see if they hire TSSs, or whether you should contact an agency or perhaps the Intermediate Unit in your county. College is not usually required, but some college credits in social services, psychology or education can be helpful, as well as experience and interest in working with children. TSSs make something between minimum wage and $13 an hour, 30 to 35 hours a week. Classroom Aide School district will hire classroom aides to assist special education teachers, occupation therapists or in full inclusion classrooms to provide support to students with disabilities. Classroom aides may be expected to provide toileting, hygiene or hand over hand support to children with more severe disabilities. Learning support children need less direct support: they need help completing assignments, checking homework, playing drill games, or working on spelling assignments. Classroom aides are hired by the hour, and work between the time the students arrive and the students leave. They work during the school year this is often a great job for a mother who wants to home when her children are home. A college education is not required, but having some college in a related field can be helpful. Classroom aides usually make something between minimum wage and $13 an hour. Large districts may provide benefits. Suburban and rural districts seldom do. Para-Professionals Can Make a Special Education Program. The teacher with whom a paraprofessional works are responsible for a childs special education program as defined by their IEP. A good para-professional pays attention to what the teacher wants him or her to do. Often these tasks are laid out explicitly, sometimes they are a continuation of activities that have supported learning in the past. A great para-professional anticipates what is necessary to keep students on task, and when the teacher needs to hand off a child to the para-professional so the teacher can move on to other children. Para-professionals need to remember they have not been hired to babysit or to become the childs best friend. They need strong, responsible adults who will encourage them to give their best, stay on task and participate in their class.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Managing Virtual Teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Managing Virtual Teams - Essay Example Under the virtual arrangement, we shared out work and through communication while students go home, with some going as far as Europe but make tremendous contributions than when we at campus where laxity seems to crop up. In terms of the discussion given by Ernst, Hoegl and Siebdrat (2009), it is true that there must be a good coordination of the virtual team in order for results to be realized. The authors confirm my observation that my team relied on sharing out work and an active group leader who ensured that the necessary contribution was done through communication. According to Majchrzak, Malhotra and Rosen (2007), certain effective leadership of the team is very important in the determination of success of the virtual team. A different perspective is given by Balsmeier, Bergiel and Bergiel (2008) who argue that virtual teams face many challenges among them is the remote capacity to deal with conflicts since the members cannot have an open forum for immediate response likely to iron out differences. It is clear that a more keen interest must be paid to more seasoned organizations willing to adopt the virtual team arrangement. Among the best practices which must be implemented include a clear definition of the targeted goals and rewards for the team (Briggs, Nunamaker and Reinig, 2009). According to the author, this acts as a reminder of the need to keep motivated since there is lack of physical motivators. The authors also reckon that focus must be sustained and directed on the tasks. Familiarity is among the team members assists in understanding the contributions that each member can make. This implies that a virtual presence must be established through appropriate leadership guided by set out standards. Training of the team members may be useful and ensuring expeditious approach may also require anonymity for independence as

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Investment Portfolio for Investors and Executives Analysis Essay

Investment Portfolio for Investors and Executives Analysis - Essay Example From the data, volatility is a measure of variation in the average trajectory leading to a risk. BOQ stocks have the highest variation at 27.08%. This implies that there is an increase in the interests hence the frequency of financial data is high leading to high volatility. HVN stocks have high volatility, as well. There is a decrease in volatility where BHP and ANZ stocks are low indicating a returns pattern which is in a stochastic process. As a result of nonparametric analysis, the pattern in the volatility changes because of financial returns making the volatility of WOW and ASX300 low. The rate of returns of TLS stock is high because the risk is considerable; ANZ and BHP follow as there expectation of growth is low due to high risk. BOQ and HVN stocks have a low growth rate expectation because they have a high risk unlike the rest of the stocks.All the stocks have a negative skewness where TLS has the most negative skewness. This is because of the risk while HVN has a negative skewness because the risk is low. TLS stocks have a high measure of kurtosis, due to high risk expectation while BOQ has a low measure of kurtosis because of the risk and growth rate being low.HVN Company shows a negative Mu while the volatility is positive, this applies for BOQ, BHP and WOW. There is a positive Mu for ANZ and TLS as well as the volatility. The results provide grounds for future decision making as well as the future behavior of the stock. The observations are constant at 531 from 2010 to 2012. Symbol Instant. Alpha Betas ASX300 HVN.AX -0.23 0.84 BOQ.AX -0.12 1.08 BHP.AX 0.04 1.23 ANZ.AX 0.07 1.14 TLS.AX 0.07 0.43 WOW.AX -0.05 0.46 ASX300 1.00 Analysis of alpha and beta Alpha is the measure of the residual risk, where in the data BHP, ANZ and TLS stocks have a high residual risk while HVN, BOQ and WOW stocks have a low residual risk. Beta is how sensitive the stock returns are to the outcome on the index of the market. The sensitivity of HVN stock is between zero and one implying that there is an investment having low volatility. BOQ, HBP and ANZ stocks are above one implying that the volatility of the stock is more than index. ASX300 stocks have a beta equal to one implying that there is a matching index (Prime, 2007). On the basis of detailed examination concerning each stock situation in ASX300, the security from each different section has makes contributions that vary to the investment income. From the smart folio, the six assets shown in the portfolio attain almost 4% of excess

Monday, November 18, 2019

Porter forces five Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Porter forces five - Essay Example However, several forces shape the competition within the business industry. Porter identifies five distinct forces that affect the competition involving industries. These involve the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers and the threat of new entrants in to the market (Hill and Jones, 2010). In addition, the threat of substitute products as well as the rivalry between the existing competitors also forms the key factors that shape the industry. It is significant to note that new entrants may bring several changes in the market. These entrants may come up with good products that favorably compete the already existing ones. This follows that such entries always follow an up to date research. The entry of such new industries can pose major challenges to the already existing industries offering the same products (Hill and Jones, 2010). As such, the entry can lead to fluctuation in prices of goods thereby minimizing the profits made by the other industries. Such new entrants may also command a large customer base following their improved products sold at low prices, thus posing greater risks to the other rival industries. The rivalry amongst the existing competitors can also shape the business industry in many ways. Such rivalries may lead to price fluctuations (Ahlstrom and Bruton, 2010). This makes the consumers purchase goods at very low prices at the expense of the industry. In this case, the industry generally makes losses since they are forced to lower their prices to suit the current state of the market. Again, if such rivals compete on price, it presents a good opportunity for entry of new entrepreneurs in to the market, thereby flooding the market with well-researched goods (Henry, 2011). This leads to reduction in profits to such industries. The bargaining power of buyers also affects the industries in several perspectives. When the bargaining power of the buyers is very high, it means several goods will be bought at a

Friday, November 15, 2019

Was the Cold War an Identity Conflict?

Was the Cold War an Identity Conflict? The Cold War was a controversial war. Unlike previous wars the main actors never really frontally fought each other. By using client states to fight on their behalf, the USA and Soviet Union fought for their beliefs and identities. [1]Identity in IR can be associated with nationalism, and that is one of the reasons that the Cold War is seen as an identity conflict. The Cold War was in fact an opposition of different cultural, political, power and ideological identities.[2]This essay tries to clarify the semantics of the word identity, when this word started to have importance between the scholars an[3]d in particular why it is so important in order to understand better International Relations.[4] In this essay the main protagonists and events related to the Cold War will also be reviewed. After this important context is explained, the role of identities in the Cold War will be examined and described. By using some examples it should be clear why the Cold War was in fact an identity c onflict. What is Identity? To understand the role of identities in the Cold War it is first necessary to understand what identity really means, in particular related to IR. Defining identity is not easy and if we look at the word in the Cambridge Dictionary we find this definition: who a person is, or the qualities of a person or group that make them different from others [1]. But as James D. Fearon relates in his manuscript [2] dictionary definitions fail to capture the meaning of identity in every day and social science contexts.According to many scholars, identities play a central role in politics. Anthony Burke, for example, affirms that there would be no world politics, no people, no states and no international system without identity[3]. Before extending to groups such states or the international system[5] it is important to remember how the concept of identity starts from the individual. It is said that identity is what we make of it. Culture, education, family environment, media and many other factors shape every persons identity. Another aspect that should be pointed out is that rarely is identity forever fixed, and in fact identities can change throughout places and time. Relationships, for example, are a powerful factor able to change ones identity. Personal and national identities have a close connection as both mutually influence each other. A persons identity is influenced by the national identity of the country he/she was born in, and at the same time national identity is formed by putting together the single peoples identities of its inhabitants. [6]But as Jervis Robert asks: Can we treat national identity as singular in the face of internal differences? [4]. That is the reason why understanding the individuals identity and how they develop is important to understand how a group of identities work. We can refer to many aspects as identity. Identity in IR can often be related to nationalism, and this will be explained better later on. If we refer to cultural identity it is necessary to remember Huntingtons theory about the Clash of Civilisations [5]He argued that modern conflicts would happen mainly because of conflicts between civilisations. Regarding civilisations as cultural identities is evidence of how Huntingtons theory also applies to this case. Brief summary of the Cold War Besides clarifying the definition of identity, it is also important to understand the reasons for and the protagonists involved in the Cold War. As is well known, the Cold War happened mainly because of the tension between the two opposing superpowers, the USA in the West and the Soviet Union in the East. The Soviet Union was a communist system where, based around a central ideology, everyone owned the means to create a Commonwealth[7] while the United States was a capitalist system where almost everything was privately owned and run for profit. These two powers never really frontally fought against each other, instead, after World War II they started spreading their influence through the world and fighting each other using proxy wars, intimidation, propaganda and espionage. The Soviet Union and the United States spread their influence in the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, trying to overthrow the old European colonial regime. Nationalism and identity As human beings we are considered to be social beings and for this reason we feel the desire or the necessity of belonging to a community. As explained before, an identity is something that belongs to a person and it is indivisible. Everyone has his/her own identity but everyone as human being has the need for belonging to a greater community or identity. Extending this fact to a national view we can understand how nationalisms are born. The pride of belonging to a nation and the desire to make ones own country the greatest is a way of making yourself belong to a national identity, making your identity complete by being part of a greater identity. In western counties, in particular in the US, the idea that ones own country was better than other was common. And although Karl Marx believed that nationalism was something to avoid, communist countries, such as China and the Soviet Union, were strongly nationalist as well. Nationalisms and wars are often connected to each other or even though necessary for the existence of the other. [8]The pride of ones own culture and identity that comes with nationalism can cause people to believe that their own country is always right and keeps motivated people to make sacrifices for their own country and be willing to fight for it. We build our identity by excluding characteristics we dont like. If we extend this concept to IR we can see how identities had a major role in the Cold War. Soviet identity, as an example, was shaped in opposition to the capitalist world as well, as Americans were constantly afraid of the spread of Communism (the Red Scare[6]). Americans believed that democratic ideology was the best , and that by globally spreading their ideologies they would assist the world to modernise and improve it. Communists from the Soviet Union had the same feelings about communism. By thinking like this it was inevitable that the two super powers would be pitted against each other. Geopolitical divisions = clash of identities During the Cold War the clash of identities was physically and geopolitically visible. Germany, Vietnam and Korea are clear examples of how there was a clear division and conflict between the two super powers identities. During the Vietnam War, the contrast between the two political and ideological identities was clear. South Vietnam was anti-communist and for this reason it was supplied by the US, while North Vietnam was pro-Communist and by using weapons from the USSR and China they fought against the south and against the US. The same scenario occurred in Korea and Germany,[9] in this last one by creating the material and physical division of the wall.This clash of identities was sometimes also immaterial[10]. An example of this is the Red Fear that was spreading in the US during the war. The fear of the other and the fear of the contagion of unwanted ideologies, in this case, communism was a daily reality in the US during the Cold War. This fear was extended outside US borders By this point it should be clear that the Cold War was an attempt of preservation of national identities. The curious thing after all was said, as Jervis Robert 4 debates, is that the Soviet Union and the US had in fact a lot of similarities or parallels. As he ascertains, both implied a form of universalism and both were founded on ideas instead of nationalities or myths of common heritage or blood. Robert testifies that in a country where mostly everyone was an immigrant,[11] like the United States, it was possible to not be considered an American just by not believing in the correct ideas[12]. Another aspect that they[13] had in common was that both believed they were the standard to be followed in order to obtain global progress and modernity. How the Cold War ended The way the Cold War ended is another clear example of the importance that identities had in this war. In fact, the Cold War ended only when one of the two sides identities ended as well. As this war was happening mainly because of the contrast of the two main identities, when one of them failed there was no more reason for conflict to exist. CONCLUSION To summarise, it has been noted that conflicts of identities, if extended to an international level, had a major role in the Cold War. This particular war cannot be explained by classic IR. Just by analysing the role of identities in the global system this particular war can be understood properly. As was explained, identity can assume many different forms (political, ideological, cultural), and it is clear now how preservation and spread of identities were the two main reasons that for the Cold War. The two main ideologies of capitalism and communism started from the United States and the Soviet Union but rapidly spread globally creating internal conflicts in countries such as Vietnam, Korea and Germany. These clear distinctions and divisions, the development of the War and finally the way the Cold War ended make indisputable the fact that the Cold War was an identity conflict. BIBLIOGRAPHY Adler-Nissen, R. Stigma Management in International Relations: Transgressive Identities, Norms and Order in International Society, International Organisation 68/1 (2014): 143-176 Berenskoetter, F. Identity in International Relations in R. Denemark (ed.), The International Studies Encyclopedia (Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010): 3594-3611 Burke, Anthony. Identity/Difference. In M. Griffiths (ed.) Encyclopedia of International Relations and Global Politics. London: Routledge, 2006: pp.394-6 Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary Thesaurus  © Cambridge University Press s.v. Identity http://www.dictionary.cambridge.org/dictioà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/english/identity Fearon, J. What is Identity (as We Now Use the Word)?, unpublished manuscript (Stanford University, 1999) Jervis Robert. Identity and the Cold War. Cambridge University Press, 2010: pp.22-43 Samuel P. Huntington 1996, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order, Touchstone Books. Zachary Keck 2013, How Geopolitics Doomed the Clash of Civilizations, The Diplomat, . Individual, transnational(means in the space between) identity Dignity and Privacy in Health Care: Literature Review Dignity and Privacy in Health Care: Literature Review Annotated Bibliography To complete this assignment I am going to complete an Annotated Bibliography. An annotated bibliography is a bibliography of sources of information such as: books, websites, journals, articles. However under each source is an evaluation paragraph that is a brief description about the source that has been used. During this assignment the sources used will be based upon on the subject of privacy and dignity, and overall 15 sources will be used including one national policy. Finally the evaluation paragraph of each source will focus on a few points: 1) what the main points of the source are. 2) Are the main points of the source clearly presented to the reader? 3) Who is the source directed at- who is the audience? 4)Is the information in the source supported by someone or is the source unsupported. Alaszewski, H, Holdsworth, L,Billings, J, Dr Wagg (2009) ‘Privacy and dignity in continence care: research review Nursing Residential Care. 11 (8) pp 393-396. http://internurse.com [Accessed 5th December 2009] This article is written by three health professionals who specialise in research two of whom are research associates and one who is a researcher and one health professional who is a senior lecturer at a university. Therefore due to the nature of the authors the article is primarily based to health professionals. More specifically as it was published in Nursing and Residential care the health care professionals who work in nursing and residential homes. The layout of this article is very simple and the information is presented clearly with the use of subheadings to describe the different parts of the study. This article reviews a study that was carried out in relation to privacy and dignity in continence care. This review highlights that there four major themes identified from the study one of them being privacy. With the review commenting that maintaining privacy during toileting and continence care is vital to maintaing dignity. In addition that it was easier to maintain privacy in care homes that provided en-suite bathrooms for the residents. This article is not supported as it only gives reference to what the Health Care commission report caring for dignity says about dignity. Foss, T D (2006) ‘Grave Bearing: how dignity will be dealt with on wards. British Journal of Nursing. 15 (9) pp 481 http://www.internurse.com [Accessed 5th December 2009] This article is written by the editor of the British Journal of Nursing and bases the article around the new duty that the government has imposed on nurses, the new duty of the Dignity nurse. In the article the author argues that nurses simply have too many duties and adding another will make the nurses even more overstretched. In addition it is pointed out that nurses already show the patients respect and dignity in basic care as nurses play an important role in keeping up dignity in mixed wards, so why does it need to be actually stated as a new duty. The article concludes with the view that the government cannot deal with this with continuing learning courses as the nurses do not have the time nor do the trust have the money to send the nurses on them. As this article is published in the British Journal of Nursing and written by the editor of the journal this article is aimed at Health Care professionals especially who work on wards. As no reference is made to anyone else or any o ther publications this article is unsupported. McParland J, Scott, PA, Dassen, T ,Gasull, M, Lemonidou, C, Valimaki, M , Leino-Kilpi, H ( 2000) ‘ Atonomy and clinical practice 2: patient privacy and nursing practice. British Journal of Nursing. 9 (9) pp 556-559. http://www.internurse.com [Accessed 5th December 2009] This article is written by a number of health lecturers and outlines privacy and the nursing practices to enable the policy of privacy is adhered to. The article is presented clearly with an abstract box at the beginning of the article to inform the reader what information the article is going to contain, and all the information under sub headings. The article begins with a number of definitions of privacy and then informs the reader of patient privacy. A number of situations and examples of patient privacy are given in the article with it also stating how nurses can maintain patient privacy. This article is primarily aimed at the nursing profession as it was published in the British Journal of Nursing. This article may be extremely useful to student nurses to enable them to learn about privacy to maintain a good understanding of it and how to make sure it is maintained why they are on placement. Throughout this article many references are made to many people who have researched this area before, therefore this article is supported. Charles- Edward, I, Brotchie, J (2005) ‘Privacy: what does it mean for childrens nurses? Paediatric Nursing. 17 ( 5) pp 38-44. http://www.proquest.com [Accessed 6th December 2009] Although this article is appropriate for paediatric health professionals due to where it was published and the authors. Imelda Charles- Edward being the programme director for the Bsc (Hons) in child health nursing and it being published in the Paediatric Nursing journal, it is most appropriate for Paediatric Nursing students. The main reason for this being that includes a number of activates that could be completed in order to gain a good understanding of the subject of privacy and dignity while undertaking training. Due to this being aimed at paediatric nursing students the layout is very clear as it includes tables and is sectioned off with what the author calls ‘Time outs at the end of each section for the reader to complete. This article covers many issues to do with privacy and dignity including: the different definitions of privacy, physical privacy, privacy of information and adult secretes. Throughout the article the author makes reference to many other health professi onals and authors who have their own views on this subject and who have carried out studies on the subject previous, therefore this article is supported. Matiti, M R, Trorey, G M ( 2008) ‘Patients expectations of the maintenance of their dignity Journal of clinical nursing. 17 (20) pp 2709- 2971. http://www3.interscience.wiley.com [Accessed 6th December 2009] This study was carried out to research into patients expectations of dignity while they were in hospital and how it was maintained. Due to both the authors being health lectures at universities in England and the article being printed in a nursing journal this article is aimed at any health professional who works in a hospital setting as this is where the study was carried out. The information about the study is clearly presented in this article as the information is divided into the different sections of the study. For example the article provides information background to dignity, information on the methodology of the study, the study population, data collection and information on the findings of the study. As this is a study that was conducted it is not supported in the traditional sense as it only makes reference to what other people perceive privacy and dignity to be. Nazarko, L, (2007) ‘Bathing Patients with care and dignity. British Journal of Health Care Assistants. 1 (2) pp 73-76. http://www.internurse.com [Accessed 6th December 2009] An abstract box at the beginning of this article informs the reader that healthcare assistants play an important role in maintaining the hygiene of clients in their care and this role should be carried out with sensitivity to maintain the clients dignity. The article comments on this in more depth informing the reader that one of the main ways of respecting the clients dignity is to assess the risk of the client of getting in the bath/shower as if they can complete the task themselves then they should be left to do so. This article was written by a nursing consultant for older people and was published in the British Journal of Healthcare Assistants; therefore it is aimed more specifically at Healthcare Assistants. Nursing students however may find this useful as the article is simply written and explains what needs to be done to bath a client, therefore a student nurse may find it useful to use to find out how to bath a patient. As the article is like a guide to bathing clients no re ference is made to any other publications therefore this article is unsupported. Thomas, S, (2008) ‘RCN: Lets get political for patient dignity. British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing. 4 (5) pp 243-244. http://www.internurse.com [Accessed 6th December 2009] The author of this article Sue Thomas a nurse policy adviser for the Royal College of Nursing writes this article to inform health professionals about the barriers that face nurses when trying to make policy changes and how maintaining patient dignity can bring about policy change. The information is clearly presented with sub headings and quotations being easily distinguished by being in bold. The article highlights the barriers to dignity such as the obstacles that stop the nurses providing the dignity that the patients want. The article then provides recommendations that the RCN would like to see in place in order for the nurses to provide the dignity the patients want such as: no more mixed wards and curtains around beds that actually close. Although this was published in the neuroscience journal this article is aimed at all health professionals especially them in the Royal college of Nursing. Throughout this article there are many quotations by health professionals and results o f a survey carried out therefore this article is supported. Pownall, M, ( 2009) ‘Privacy and dignity: eliminating mixed sex accommodation in hospitals. Nursing Times. 105 (44) pp 15. http://www.proquest.com [Accessed 6th December 2009] This article is written by a freelance health journalist who uses the issue of mixed sex wards as an example of how individual trusts can monitor how they are maintaining privacy and dignity in relation to overall performance. The author states that this is achieved in three ways: 1) A committed board of directors e.g. providing the senior management with the right information and recourses to ensure privacy and dignity is maintained to patients in their care. 2) The care environment e.g. separated sleeping areas and washing facilities for men and women on mixed sex wards. 3) Individual action e.g. if it is unavoidable for a patient to be placed on a mixed ward try to relocate the patient as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience. The article is clearly presented and uses sub-headings to categorise the information. As it is printed in a nursing journal nurses and health care professionals may find this article beneficial. Walsh, K, Kowanko, I (2002) ‘Nurses and patients perceptions of dignity International Journal of Nursing. 8 (3) pp143-145. http://www3.interscience.com [Accessed 7th December 2009] The authors of this article, one being a senior lecturer and another being a senior researcher explains in depth the study and the results of the study they carried out in order to obtain nurses and patients perceptions of dignity. This article highlights that after carrying out the study nurses believe that there are many aspects and many different characteristics of dignity, the most important ones being aspects such as privacy and respect. With the study also concluding that the characteristics the patients associated with dignity were very similar to the nurses. Although the article is of length it is clearly presented with the use of sub-headings and the use of quotations in italics. As the authors have used quotations of the participants in the study and have related to other health professionals during this study this article is supported. As it was published in the International Journal of Nursing this article is not only aimed at audiences here in the United Kingdom but heal th professionals all over the world. Ashurst, A (2007) ‘Palliative Care: maintaining dignity. Nursing and residential care. 9 (1) pp22-24. http://www.internurse.com [Accessed 7th December 2009] This article has been specifically written for palliative care staff in nursing or residential care specifically for the care of the elderly and terminally ill. The author- a consultant editor for the journal highlights guidelines to follow to ensure dignity is maintained for the care of the terminally ill during their stay at residential homes. Ashurst sates to maintain privacy and dignity towards the end of the patients life emotional support must be obtainable which may include respecting the relatives wishes- this may include involving themselves in the care of their relative. He also sates that respect for the patients wishes should be at the forefront of the care for the patient regardless of what the nursing staff believes to be the best course of treatment. Ashurst clearly presents the main points of this article to the reader by using a simple layout with the uses of sub-headings, pictures, columns and quotations in bold and inverted comers. As this is not legislation but me rely guidelines it is not supported in the traditional sense as the author only uses the opinions of members of the health profession. NHS Executive- Safety, Privacy and dignity in mental health units- guidance on mixed sex accommodation for mental health services. (2000). http://www.dh.gov.uk [Accessed 9th December 2009] This policy is a National Health Service policy for all NHS trusts in England written by the NHS Executives. It provides guidance for the practical steps that need to be taken out by all NHS staff to ensure that safety, privacy and dignity are maintained for the patients in mental heath units with regards to mixed sex accommodation. It is split into two main sections. Section A being operation policy. This provides the audience with guidelines to meet the overall objects of providing a safe environment and safe facilities for mentally ill patients which maintain their privacy and dignity. Section B being design guidance. This section elaborates on the guidelines given in the previous section by specifically relating it to mental health facilities. As this is a NHS policy and is therefore legislation it is not supported as it is not a matter of opinion. Although this policy is long in length it is clearly presented with the use of sections and sub-sections being clearly numbered. The policy also includes models as aguidance to possible accommodation arrangements for new/existing accommodation in order to maintain privacy and dignity in mental health facilities. Professor Ian Philip, National Director for old people, Department of health- A new ambition for old age- next steps in implementing the national service framework for older people. (2006) http://www.dh.gov.uk [Accessed on 9th December 2009] This report written by the national director for old people outlines the next steps for implementing the national service framework for older people and follows on from a previous report on ‘Better Health in old age. The author states that it is the department of healths ambition that within five years all older people will be treated with respect and dignity and in all care settings. He believes this will be achieved by following 10 programmes of activity. An example being: improving dignity in care by strengthen activities such as ensuring the dignity towards and at the end of a persons life. As it is a government policy this report is primarily aimed at everyone in the United Kingdom, however more specifically those who work with older people and those in the health sector. The layout is easy to understand with each programme easy to identify by the use of sub headings in a different colour. Bullet points are also used to keep the text short and direct in some areas with the use of pictures also to brake down the writing.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Decisions to Drop the Bombs on Japan Essay -- World War 2 II Two Bombs

Decisions to Drop the Bombs on Japan War in itself is an atrocity, to kill or be killed in the name of whatever government chooses to go to war over. Taking lives in order to save lives is the most outrageous oxymoron ever heard, yet during the end of WWII taking the lives of Japanese people saved America from fighting on home soil. Many factors play a role in the final decision to drop the atomic warheads on America's enemy, yet in the end after all is said and done America was simply defending her land and right for freedom. America was under attack in a war fought on foreign soil. No one wanted the war to be brought on American soil and all American's wanted the war to be over to assure safety of the American people. The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were necessary to bring the war with Japan to an immediate halt. Dropping of the A-bomb took thousands of lives and rendered many others sick while completely destroying in total two entire cities. The force of the first atomic bomb (Hiroshima, code name: "Little Boy") was equivalent to 12.5 kilotons of TNT and the second bomb (Nagasaki, code name "Fat Man") was equivalent to 20 kilotons of TNT (Clancey). It is difficult to fathom the power held within each bomb. Twenty thousand tons of dynamite! To dream of dropping this much power on any living thing is total genocide. Many members of the atomic bomb scientists because of the tremendous power each nuclear reaction would generate had discouraged the u...

Monday, November 11, 2019

Did the Ancient Greek Gods Exist Essay

The Ancient Greeks regarded their religion and mythology with much respect and loyalty. Although the Ancient Greek Gods are now seen as an explanation created by man, for natural forces and the world around us, there has been much evidence both for and against the debate that these Gods were real. The Greeks believed that the Earth was created with the birth of Gaia, or Mother Earth, from the dark void known as Chaos. It was believed that Gods were all-powerful giants and heroes, who were responsible for our creation. The Olympians were a younger race of Gods led by Zeus, who eventually overthrew the formidable Titans, led by Zeus’ tyrannical father Cronus. Once in power, the Olympians, named after their home Mount Olympus, were each given certain responsibilities and powers over natural forces and aspects of life. Such as the sky, ocean, death and war. Many have debated that the Gods have made their presence clear, through their influencing and intervening with our history and punishments that they have cast upon us. Whereas others argue that they were mere stories told to inspire others, teach morals and explain the unknown. The mythology of the Gods were mainly passed on through stories and supported with archaeological evidence, the main literary account was by Homer and his two epic poems. Although they mainly accounted for the events surrounding the Trojan War, they include much proof on the impact and influence the Gods had on Ancient Greek history. In Homer’s epic poem Illiad, Zeus is shown sending Agamemnon a false dream, thus influencing his military decisions during the Trojan war in an attempt to depopulate the Earth. Although the existence of Agamemnon cannot be proven, the city of Troy can be. The archaeological ruins of the city can be found in what is now known as Turkey and shows signs of being destroyed and rebuilt several times, most likely due to an earthquake and even a war, from which there was evidence of much slaughter. The Ancient Greeks worshipped the Gods, believing they had power over everything around them and perceived them as almighty deities. The Gods were believed to have normally taken on human form, exhibiting the same emotions and traits. They were also known for regularly intervening in human history. Many people have argued that like some Ancient Chinese deities, many Gods were in fact based on actual figures of history and that over time, like the Chinese gods, their true identities were simply forgotten and they were continually perceived as almighty gods. Such as Guan Yu, a Chinese general who was deified as the Taoist God of War, during the Sui Dynasty (581-618) for his contributions to the civil war. He continues to be worshipped by the Chinese and is a figure of Chinese folk religion. Like the Greek Gods, Guan Yu is worshipped with alters, ceremonies, sacrifices and festivals. However after many centuries of being seen as a God, many are unaware that he did in fact exist. The Historical Theory, continues to support the idea that all people mentioned in mythology were once real people, only their story is passed on and changed over time. Comparisons have also been drawn with the similarities between the basis of Ancient Greek mythology and its factual history. The Greeks believed that there were three generations of Gods; Uranus and other creation gods, the Titans and the Olympians. Many believe that this is merely a reflection of the three major Ancient Greek civilisations; Minoan, Mycenaean and Hellenic. Even with the Gods, they portray heavy social struggles between threatening communities. Professor Martin P. Nilsson concluded that the Gods were a mere reflection and dramatization of Ancient Greek civilisation. Although the Gods were worshipped for their allegiance, they were also known for their wrath and harsh punishments such as the Minotaur, a ferocious monster with a thirst for blood and the result of a God’s punishment. It all began as a sentence cast by the God, Poseidon, onto the King of Crete, Minos for not sacrificing a prized white bull. To punish him, fellow goddess Aphrodite made Minos’ wife Pasiphae fall in love with a bull hence resulting in the birth of the Minotaur, the unnatural offspring of man and bull. The Minotaur was infamous for its human body and bull head. Uncovered representational arts such as vases, alters and ruins have proven the high amount of bull worship in Crete and even parts of Spain, possibly due to the existence of the Minotaur. However many argue that it was from the bull sensation that came the origins and inspiration for the tale of the Minotaur. The creature eventually grew for a horrific taste for blood, forcing Minos to imprison it in a twisting labyrinth under his palace, Knossos. Several years ago, Oxford university geographer Nicholas Howarth uncovered an underground cave complex consisting of a dark, twisting network of tunnels on the island of Crete, just miles away from the ruins of Knossos. Locally, it is even known as Labyrinthos Caves. The Minotaur was eventually slain by Theseus, a demi-god, further supporting the argument that the Ancient Greek Gods existed. As mentioned, over time people have come to accept the Ancient Greek gods as something the Greeks created to understand the world around them. The Physical theory reinforces this argument, claiming that all mythology and religion is formed from the basis of the natural elements; air, fire and water. Similarities can be seen with that of the Ancient Greek gods, such as Poseidon who was â€Å"God of the Sea† and was believed to have domain over the ocean. Many argued that the Gods were mere symbolic personifications of the uncontrollable nature around us, from which the Ancient Greeks found hope and security. Sigmund Freud’s symbolic communication and dream interpretation suggested that with the proper psyche and desperation, the Greeks could have used the Gods as a verification of control. Many have continued to attempt to interpret the mythology of different ancient civilisations. One of the most successful would be Herodotus, who uncovered the relationships and connections between Ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythologies. He believed that the Ancient Greek Gods were directly inspired by Egyptian mythology. Gods such as Zeus were paired with the Egyptian god Amun. Through historical linguistics, it was believed that these gods actually derived from common archetypes of the Proto-Indo-European religion. Thus concluding that Gods were a mere copy of other cultural religions and myths. Despite the scepticism that many feel towards the argument, the evidence is overwhelming and reinforces the debate that the Gods did exist, whether they were immortal Olympians or simply heroic human beings. As immortal wrathful giants, the gods were able to influence entire battles and punish those they believed evil, whereas if they were only human beings, their story would be able to inspire and teach others heroism and bravery. Although the argument involving the Physical theory and Herodotus is viable, the natural elements are the foundation of life and therefore can be twisted to fit any argument and have similarities found anywhere if one simply looked hard enough. Although we may never learn the truth, the existence of the Ancient Greek gods are more realistic due to the possibilities faced with the idea that they could have been either almighty gods or average human beings.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The role and significance of Cordelia in the novel Cats Eye Essay Example

The role and significance of Cordelia in the novel Cats Eye Essay Example The role and significance of Cordelia in the novel Cats Eye Paper The role and significance of Cordelia in the novel Cats Eye Paper Essay Topic: Literature Elaines struggle throughout her life can be greatly attributed to Cordelias role during her childhood, which ultimately led to Elaines retrospective of her artwork and also more personally her whole life. Cordelias influence over Elaine in her earlier years carried through in her subconscious and affected every relationship she would have in her future, with males and more importantly with females. Cordelia made Elaine feel inferior, abusing her both mentally and emotionally causing her to have a warped idea of what female friends are. Cordelias methods of showing friendship was by demeaning the people who surrounded her mainly because she herself was demeaned and caused to feel inferior by her family, mainly her father. By doing this Cordelia had control over Elaine which allowed her to speak to her however she felt and persuade her to do things she would not normally do like going down into the ravine for her hat in the cold. Elaines need to have a girl friend caused her to endure the abuse from Cordelia and Grace because she never knew what it was like to have a female companion. She had grown up playing with her older brother Stephen and had always dreamt of having friends that were girls. Due to this Elaine accepted her first experience with girls as how a female friendship should be structured. It is unfortunate that her first encounter with female friends was so traumatic because it seemed to have set a precedent for all her upcoming relationships. It was only later on in her life that Elaine truly realized how much she missed a relationship with females. As she gets older she begins to yearn for the opportunity that she never had, to have a true relationship with a woman. When Elaine finally builds up the courage to walk away from her friends it is only at this time that she realizes that the only power Cordelia had over her was her own weakness. Elaine has not been free of Cordelia since the first day she saw her standing on the pile of dirt in her yard. Ever since that day Elaine has been in a struggle to maintain a good relationship with Cordelia and as a result of this she gets manipulated. For instance when Cordelia invented the stack of plates as a way to control Elaine and keep her in line. For most of her friendship with Cordelia, Elaine believed that their treatment of her was their way of trying to make her a better person but she never knew what she was doing wrong or why she needed to be changed. Elaines struggle with the constant abuse from Cordelia affected her throughout her life, which is evident by her constant fear of confronting Cordelia while she was in Toronto. However this fear is survived by her need to confront Cordelia at her retrospective. Elaine is disappointed when she doesnt encounter Cordelia and while looking over her paintings she suddenly realizes that all along it was Cordelia who had a real problem and it is only at that moment that she is able to fully forgive Cordelia and ultimately forgive herself.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Married life Essay Example

Married life Essay Example Married life Essay Married life Essay Marriage is the third main ideal to be presented in Act 1 of the play. Whilst it is not strictly an ideal in itself, the manner in which it is presented leaves a sense of mocked ceremony. The female leads treat marriage with a deadly seriousness in all respects, with Lady Bracknell saying: an engagement should come on a young girl as a surpriseIt is hardly a matter that she could be allowed to arrange herself this seeming dedication to the meticulous arrangement of a marriage in order to achieve the best results ironically destroys any romantic element, and in that aspect chances of true love. The male attitude to marriage is quite different. When talking with Jack in private, Algernon takes a rather dismissive stance on marriage: A man who marries without knowing Bunbury has a very tedious time of it, this negative view is also shown in In married life three is company and two is none. This is again representative of a characters embodiment of an ideal, or the anathema to one in this case. The attitude of the men changes when in the company of the women, in order to appear courteous and honourable, as the woman superficially believe they are. This pretence of behaviour is something of a microcosm for the ideal of marriage itself. The explicit female view of marriage is dismantled with various epigrams, for instance Lady Bracknell saying that after her husbands death, Lady Harbury looks quite twenty years younger. Again Gwendolens statement that her ideal has always been to love some one of the name of Ernest, is obviously facetious, and through that it is clear that the women have an equally sceptical view of marriage as the men. Yet they are inexorably drawn towards it because of the perceived duty to live up to the romantic ideal of marriage. Wildes satire of this situation again helps to dismiss the validity of the ideal presented. Marriage is probably the most complex of all the ideals presented in Act One of the play, in that the view presented very much depends on the interaction of the two sexes, which in itself is a questionable motif, consequently a definite opinion can not be drawn from it. Ultimately, the presentation and satire of the age of ideals is light hearted and insincere, however there are several poignant facets of this dissection of society that are worthy of note. The duality of human nature, whilst being an over-used speculation is particularly applicable in the play, as it is the habit of the characters to have sincere feelings and yet be incapable of showing them at all. The motiveless and consequently worthless existence of the upper classes is starkly compared to the diligence of a few hard working men of the lower echelons measures up unfavourably. Whereas the objectification of women is quite clearly the biggest irony in the play; as is quite clear from the actions of Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell, they are in fact the ones in charge.

Monday, November 4, 2019

The New Deal legislation affected African American and Mexican Essay

The New Deal legislation affected African American and Mexican American - Essay Example th of spontaneous rebellion" (HISTORY IS A WEAPON), The New Deal tried to create an image of good will by simply refurbishing the people of the middle class. It provided jobs but only to half of the people and providing the bare minimum to the lowest group of people (Zinn 205). Though there were many employments provided to the people after the great depression historians like Howard Zinn are contradictory in their opinions. According to Zinn, the New Deal had not completely transform the American economy but only protected the corporate capitalism of America buy absorbing the threatening situations but occasionally (RADOSH). There were many programs included in the New Deal policy. Emergency Banking Act/Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was done to re instill the faith of the Americans in the banking system. Civil Works Administration (CWA) was a policy to provide psychological and physical benefits to the 4 million workers o f USA. Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 was specially aimed at protecting the lands of the Native Americans. Federal Securities Act of May 1933/ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was a very important policy that made it mandatory to disclose all information related with stocks. Works Progress Administration (WPA) 1935-1943 helped in providing employment to the people (New Deal Achievements). These policies transformed the economic system of the country to a great extent. The New Deal provided mixed results for both the two minority communities of America. While the black community received some marked benefits the impact on the Mexican American community was even lesser. The New Deal provided authorative positions for the black people in the US government like Mary McLeod Bethune who was hired by the Roosevelt to lead the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration (The New Deal Affects Many Groups 505). Though the president voted for equality of the races, he did not completely support the cause as he

Friday, November 1, 2019

English language learners lesson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

English language learners lesson - Essay Example It must be remembered that the aim of this process is to let the student express herself through the effective use of English. Anticipatory Set: It is anticipated that through this lesson, the teacher would be able to set the right mood for learning between her and the student. Through letting her speak for thirty minutes, it is rather expected that she [the student] would already have better chances of being at ease in class thus be able to set the kind of attitude that she needs to apply to learn more from the upcoming three and half hours ahead. Teaching: As noted earlier, this lesson is based upon the need of making the student speak for better evaluation on the part of the teacher. Considerably, it is through this process that the speaking approaches used by the student cold be carefully examined by the teacher as to which parts of speaking should she be assisted on. Guided Practice/ Monitoring: Through inquiring questions, the student would have a better chance following a specified pattern of discussion about her self and interests that had been further set by the teacher. Independent Practice: it shall be encouraged that the student handle a casual conversation with her peers as w... Guided Practice/ Monitoring: Through inquiring questions, the student would have a better chance following a specified pattern of discussion about her self and interests that had been further set by the teacher. Closure: To finish this phase of the lesson the teacher shall give an introduction to the second phase of the first lesson. Independent Practice: it shall be encouraged that the student handle a casual conversation with her peers as well. It might not be easy, but she should also be motivated to use the English language while she creates her own ideas during a conversational practice with her friends. Lesson 1:Part B Duration: 20-30 Minutes "Knowing the Teacher and Creating A Connection" Objective: the second phase shall allow the teacher to help his/her student know more about the personality of the individual that is sitting in front of her. This phase shall open the chance for the student to ask anything to the teacher hat she might be interested about. This phase shall set the mood of the student towards her instructor and towards the lesson later on. Standards: Let the student ask. If the student's role was to speak during the first phase of the first lesson, she is now encouraged to ask. This shall help her be more inquisitive in using the English language for beneficial and causal enquiry. Anticipatory Set: once this phase is applied, it is expected that the student would have better chances of making a great connection about her interests and the interests of her teacher giving her a better mood for the next lessons ahead. Teaching: Answering queries effectively and efficiently for the knowledge of the student is essential in this lessons so as to let the teacher set a pattern of answering

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Slavery in latin america Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Slavery in latin america - Essay Example Despite everything, this paper seeks to identify the context in which this book was produced and determine its implication on the study of Africans in Latin America. The journey for Africans, who were captured and enslaved in America, involved eleven million Africans, but only four hundred and fifty thousand of them, went to America; actually, the other millions went to Caribbean and Latin America1. In this case, the book â€Å"Black in Latin America† by Henry Louis Gates explores changes in events during the history of slavery in the West and its implication to culture. Moreover, analysis of this book gives substantial insights on the newly created and vibrant culture by Africans and understanding of influences caused by Africans, Portuguese and Spanish cultures. Context in Which the Book Was Produced The book â€Å"Black in Latin America† by Henry Louis Gates was produced in year 2011 to mark a celebration and the will of numerous Haitians and Dominicans to assert the ir African ancestry. Moreover, the book was produced during a period attributed to denial of African heritage by numerous Dominicans. In fact, the author of this book established an organization in Dominican Republic, which was referred to as Kong Brotherhood. Furthermore, the book was produced due to the assertion of African heritage in Haiti, which was denied by many Haitians. ... Moreover, it is written in a context that relates to events in the modern world, which are compared to the past to foster understanding of the influence caused by slavery. Furthermore, this book depicts facts related to race and African ancestries focusing on acknowledgement or denial of their past and the way these African ancestries interrelate with other cultures in a multicultural world of Latin America. The history of Africans in Latin America is unveiled by the author in this book, whereby ideas gathered from slaves’ experiences are extended to the present; in fact, this involves an illustration of the history of Africans in six Latin American countries, which include Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Haiti, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Moreover, these experiences entail art, music, dance, politics and religion, though it also focuses on presenting the anti-black racisms, which was aimed at expunging African culture2. Brazil has the world’s largest slave economy; thus, th is book sought to explore ideas that facilitate understanding of the way a country such as Brazil attained this status by enslaving Africans. Furthermore, there is a correlation identified between slavery and other aspects of life such as culture, religion, music and politics in a country such as Cuba. In fact, the book points out that this correlation is attributed to the amount of labour supply offered by the slave imported to Cuba with aims of generating significant profits during the nineteenth century in the sugar industry. Nevertheless, there are other ideas in this book, which are based on the context of communist revolution that occurred in 1959. In fact, that was a period when racisms instilled fear among numerous

Monday, October 28, 2019

Department of Defense Essay Example for Free

Department of Defense Essay Effective organization management is determined by the level and quality of public relations employed by the leadership in it. This has mainly been the case due to the direct demand for organizations to enhance their images to the external world upon which they rely on. Of greater importance are the services industries which directly rely on the consumers perceptions of their services as opposed to direct supply of products. Being considered as a direct intrinsic system to activate their system for external image, most of the leaders have been strongly embarking on it to ensure higher returns for their organizations. Such has been the case with the (DoD) Military Public Affairs system which has greatly tried to integrate itself with the community via offer of different services and direct interlink with them. Community relations objectives Arguably, ethical demands are considered to be intrinsically derived and externally displayed with emphasis on cohesive relations between organizations and the public. Therefore, it originates from the core of the management and effected by the established systems. In the theory of public relation ethics, Albert Sullivan argues that public relations involves a direct internalized system which is expressed externally via direct activities and interlink with the public (Pearson, 1999). Pearson continues to say that ethics begin with the people’s minds that must conceptualize it to become part of their system. Military Public Affairs has internalized the system by inculcating it to the immediate internal network necessary to develop the correct culture for the DoD. The Department emphasizes on its commitment to fostering good relations on mutually acceptable terms with the public, at home, and abroad on which the military depends on. Of greater importance is the emphasis by the DoD on the need for holistic adherence to human dignity and sanctity at all times (Department of Defense (DoD), 2007). Though military specialists have been calling for less involvement of the military with the public issues, the department has defied odds and ensured direct interface upon which the public have increasingly been informed on the roles and duties of the department in relation to their security and that of the international community. Besides, the policies of the Department of Defense have increasingly been taught to the public and opened for direct criticism as well as possible recommendations on improvements for the same. Direct support and integration with the community According to Russel (1966), human actions and desires are direct reflections for the sense of mind which is often used to denote the best possible consideration that would guarantee highest returns for them. However, this has been a major center for conflicts between the people and their systems in the society. Russel ethics indicates that external consideration is of essence for extended benefits. However, scholars have argued that care should be taken to reduce the negative effects that result from the actions perceived to be good. As a result, the Department of defense has been supporting organizations through loans and fund-raising. The head of DOD Component Command may provide a limited basis for equipments and logistical support to needy organizations especially those dealing with humanitarian services (Department of Defense (DoD), 2007). Besides, the Department officers have been offering voluntary support to these charitable organizations during their off duty periods to boost their development and human services capacity. The department also offers selective benefits and preferential treatment to specific organizations especially those in military operation regions. To ensure it commits itself to serving the community, the department dissociates itself from involvement and support to partisan political activities (Center and Jackson, 1995). Therefore, this assists it to be highly impartial and more effective in serving the community. Increased information and coordination with the public By the time Pearson wrote down the Public relations theory, it was clear that vast criticism had strongly risen on the implication of truth and direct impacts that resulted from its revelation. However, Pearson regards to truth as the direct mirror that indicates an individual or an organizations consideration necessary for establishing the correct picture is pasted in the respondent’s minds for making the correct decisions. Joint civilian meetings and instantaneous meetings with the management served as a direct platform for the system where most people were able to change their minds about the military as well as improve the direct interlink with the system (Department of Defense (DoD), 2007. Through this system, most people had benefited from assistance scheme of the department. Recently, strong appraisals have been posted to the department for ensuring increased information to the community as it directly provides the officers to the department. Conclusion Effective organization management is determined by the level and quality of public relations employed by its management and leaders. Arguably, this has been the main premises that the department of defense has embarked on to ensure better and effective disposal of its duties. Previously, there was strong misconception between the people regarding the role of military until the DoD moved in to clear its image. The direct interlink of the department by giving back to the community has not only raised the confidence of the people to the system, but also improved the general utility of the department. Organizations should struggle to establish better interlink with their consumers and public. Reference List Center, A. and Jackson, P. (1995). â€Å"Public relations Practices, Upper Saddle, N. J. Prentice Hall. Department of Defense (DoD), (2007). Department of defense directive: Public Affairs Relation Policy, Washington: DoD. Russel, B. (1966). â€Å"The elements of ethics† Philosophical essays. London: Longmans, Green. Pearson, R. (1989). Sullivan Theory of public relations Ethics. Public relations review. XV(1989):52-62.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Want to Sell a Website? The Process :: Sell Website

Selling a Website - The Process Initial Seller meetings are conducted by the Seller's Broker (a professionally trained Business Broker, holding a Real Estate Agent license where necessary), and the Seller is educated on the process of selling a business. A Representation Agreement is filled out by the Seller's Broker & signed by the Seller. Immediately after signing the representation Agreement, the Seller provides the Broker the following: Complete lists of all equipment and other assets to be included or excluded in the sale; Profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and tax returns of the Business covering the last three years; The most recent interim profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and sales tax returns; Real and personal property leases; Copies of all patents, licensees, loan documents, contracts or agreements; All agreements relating to employee benefits; Any environmental reports; and Copies of all other documents needed to present a fair and accurate description of the Business to prospective buyers. During the representation period, seller will provide monthly updates of each such document during the period of this agreement where any material change has occurred. Seller consents to Broker publishing, advertising or distributing information about the Business to prospective purchasers and to cooperating brokers, and contacting landlords and any others regarding any of the information about the Business. Seller's Broker writes a narrative on the Business; the Representation Agreement is entered into the Sunbelt proprietary database, and a Business Profile is created. Seller's Broker introduces the Business to all of our other brokers during weekly office meetings. All other brokers match the Seller's Business Data (SBD) against Buyers in their respective queues (Buyers who have previously been interviewed, signed a Confidentiality Agreement and filled out a detailed Buyer's Profile); Seller's Broker plans an advertising strategy; and the SBD is added to web sites in such a manner so the general public cannot identify the business. Buyers in queue and Buyers who have responded from the advertisements will have their backgrounds and finances evaluated to see if they are qualified Buyers. If qualified Buyers are interested, they will be shown a Business Profile. If further interest is shown, the Seller's Broker will arrange a meeting with the Seller. If a Buyer wants to make an offer at a fair price, the Buyer's Brokerwill write the offer and secure a deposit. The Seller's Broker will present all offers to the Seller.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Slaverys Coexistence with Other Economic Systems :: A Respectable Trade Capitalism Slavery Essays

Slavery's Coexistence with Other Economic Systems Slavery as economic order based on the ownership and exploitation of human beings as property is widely covered in A Respectable Trade. The film, however, does not solely reveal slavery and its characteristics. It is a film rich in reference to other economical orders as well, because besides elaborately showing from different aspects the processes typical for the establishment of slavery, it touches on and gives examples on economic relationships that are rather characterized as capitalist, feudal or self-employment-related. The action in A Respectable Trade takes place in 1788 in the English city of Bristol, starting with the marriage between Frances Scott and Josiah Cole. Frances, an educated and refined young woman of genteel origin, is left poor and with no inheritance after the death of her father. For lack of a better alternative, she marries the rough and uneducated Josiah who trades with ships, led by the motive to import slaves directly to England, have them educated and polished by his wife, and sell them as house servants at a better price . Josiah is far from successful in his trade: he only manages to import eight slaves and eventually to sell only two of them. However, this is enough to elucidate the main characteristics of slavery as an economic order. The arrival of his slaves, the process of educating them and their final escape represent a peculiar slavery-cycle that elaborates on important economic issues such as the slaves' status, the creation of subservient attitude in them (or at l east the attempt to), the strategies of breaking up their independent spirits, and their resistance. A typical characteristic of slavery is that slaves are considered just another element of the productive resources. They are regarded as property, as chattel, and can be freely sold as such. Never considered human beings with consciousness and will, slaves are often described with the term 'instrumentum vocale', meaning that they are seen just as instruments capable of producing human speech. Naturally, like any human beings, slaves have a consciousness of free and independent people, and it takes time and effort to impose on them an attitude of subservience and obedience, a consciousness of being no longer human beings but enslaved pieces of property. In A Respectable Trade that is achieved in several different ways. Firstly, the slaves are imported by ships to England - extremely far from their homeland, especially in the context of the 18th century. Slavery's Coexistence with Other Economic Systems :: A Respectable Trade Capitalism Slavery Essays Slavery's Coexistence with Other Economic Systems Slavery as economic order based on the ownership and exploitation of human beings as property is widely covered in A Respectable Trade. The film, however, does not solely reveal slavery and its characteristics. It is a film rich in reference to other economical orders as well, because besides elaborately showing from different aspects the processes typical for the establishment of slavery, it touches on and gives examples on economic relationships that are rather characterized as capitalist, feudal or self-employment-related. The action in A Respectable Trade takes place in 1788 in the English city of Bristol, starting with the marriage between Frances Scott and Josiah Cole. Frances, an educated and refined young woman of genteel origin, is left poor and with no inheritance after the death of her father. For lack of a better alternative, she marries the rough and uneducated Josiah who trades with ships, led by the motive to import slaves directly to England, have them educated and polished by his wife, and sell them as house servants at a better price . Josiah is far from successful in his trade: he only manages to import eight slaves and eventually to sell only two of them. However, this is enough to elucidate the main characteristics of slavery as an economic order. The arrival of his slaves, the process of educating them and their final escape represent a peculiar slavery-cycle that elaborates on important economic issues such as the slaves' status, the creation of subservient attitude in them (or at l east the attempt to), the strategies of breaking up their independent spirits, and their resistance. A typical characteristic of slavery is that slaves are considered just another element of the productive resources. They are regarded as property, as chattel, and can be freely sold as such. Never considered human beings with consciousness and will, slaves are often described with the term 'instrumentum vocale', meaning that they are seen just as instruments capable of producing human speech. Naturally, like any human beings, slaves have a consciousness of free and independent people, and it takes time and effort to impose on them an attitude of subservience and obedience, a consciousness of being no longer human beings but enslaved pieces of property. In A Respectable Trade that is achieved in several different ways. Firstly, the slaves are imported by ships to England - extremely far from their homeland, especially in the context of the 18th century.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Extremism: Political Philosophy and International Political Issues Essay

MANY counterterrorism and security experts believe that extremism and terrorism have a cause and effect relation. If this were true, it would be almost impossible for Pakistan to tackle the issues of terrorism and militancy without effectively responding to growing extremism and radicalism in the country. Countering extremism and extremist ideologies is an important component of the current debate on internal security and counterterrorism. Though extremism has yet to be defined in Pakistan at least there is a consensus in the country that terrorism is a major issue and needs to be addressed on a priority basis. On the other hand, the realm of extremism is very broad, and different segments of society hold diverse views regarding the phenomenon. Let us first take a look at the different views on extremism that are prevalent in the country and then examine the question of breaking its links with terrorism. Extremism is defined in Pakistan in a number of ways, and is used mainly in the political, religious, and social contexts. Political scientists consider it a political phenomenon, triggered by inequality, socio-economic injustices and state policies. In 2008-9, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, an Islamabad-based research group, consulted several experts in the fields of political science, international relations, faith studies, science, media and human rights. Their opinion was sought through detailed discussions and a survey on issues of terrorism and extremism. Out of 16 experts, 11 agreed that extremism was a political phenomenon; only three looked at extremism in the light of an ideological struggle, whereas two experts linked extremism to the misinterpretation of religion. The experts also differed on what they considered to be the reasons behind extremism. Most of the respondents pointed out political, social and economic disparities as the main causes of extremism. A similar study that was conducted by the institute in 2009 to collect the views of teachers in madressahs showed that the majority of clerics and madressah teachers believed that extremism was a political issue. However, the respondents believed that regional and international political issues were more important. A large number of madressah teachers also thought that extremism in the country could only be countered if Pakistan distanced itself from the US-led war on terror. Very few discussed the religious and ideological aspects of extremism. They considered Talibanisation to be an outcome of state polices, and the state’s failure to enforce Islamic law in the country. The teachers also expressed concern over the ‘Westernisation’ of Pakistani society. Such narratives are also reflected in public opinion, and policymakers follow the same discourse. Even the debate in the right-wing media reflects the same approach. The opinions of those that are among the first targets of extremism are of obvious significance. Public opinion is shaped by the media as well as by religious and political leaders. It ultimately influences the political trends that a society is witnessing. But signs of confusion are discernible in public opinion with regard to extremist and violent groups. Another survey conducted by the institute to map the political behaviour of the masses revealed that though more than 56pc of Pakistanis acknowledge the services of religious scholars for Islam, over 53pc oppose a political role for the scholars. Public opinion considers the provision of justice and basic necessities as crucial to the exercise of countering extremism. Interestingly, marginalised segments of society including religious, sectarian and cultural minorities, women and those associated with the creative arts appear to hold a different view of extremism. According to the survey, they unanimously defined extremism as imbalanced ideological attitudes — attitudes that were conceived in a state of mind where an individual regards himself as superior to others and acts as an inquisitor. They classified the causes behind extremism as falling under three main categories: the misinterpretation of religion, political, economic and social inequalities and the lack of rational and logical behaviour. Such divergent perceptions on extremism are not surprising as the Taliban in the tribal areas, the Malakand region and adjacent parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa first targeted women, confining them to their homes and banning their entry in markets. Girls’ schools, Sufi shrines, cultural heritage sites and music shops have been torched and bombed. Violent activities and threats by the Taliban brought cultural activities and creative expressions, such as painting and poetry, to a halt in the affected areas. Each segment of Pakistani society has its own viewpoint on extremism and on how to counter it. The prevalence of diverse and often conflicting viewpoints makes it almost impossible for society to generate a collective response to issues of extremism and terrorism. Whereas the intellectuals lay more emphasis on ideological and empirical aspects when it comes to countering extremism, social experts and religious scholars vehemently assert that that is not an effective solution. More comprehensive studies and analyses may yield a clearer answer, but can the state afford to prioritise any particular set of causes said to be responsible for extremism and terrorism? Can the rationalisation of certain ideological, political and socio-cultural thinking patterns provide a quick fix for terrorism? Especially when views on extremism and also terrorism are paradoxical? At the same time, adjusting counter-extremism goals in the narrow operational framework of counterterrorism is an uphill task. Western counterterrorism frameworks cannot help Pakistan. In these frameworks, extremism and terrorism are not separated and a single policy is followed to deal with both challenges. The reason is that the challenge of terrorism in the West mainly originates from parallel societies of immigrant communities there. Adopting such an approach here would be devastating, as terrorism is not a community-oriented phenomenon in Pakistan. The government has to focus on countering terrorism to bring down the level of violence in the country. Until violence in the country is not reduced, both state and society will continue to suffer from the chicken and egg syndrome.