Thursday, November 28, 2019
Perception of Time Essay Example
Perception of Time Essay We often brag about the technological and scientific developments of todays modern society and how we benefit from these advancements. The barriers that were once created because of the diversity in culture were brought down by the modern trend of globalization. Culture is societys main foundation that is deeply rooted in our native land. Culture is a broad term encompassing tradition, ways, and means of leaving, traits and values. Every individual belongs to a certain culture to which he has to fit his activity, values, and attributes. Everyone is raised within the confinements of his or her own culture and brought up by beliefs, traditions, values, and traits which conform to the standards set by the culture that has long been intact in our society. The line of conflict between humans with regards to their culture starts when what is culturally acceptable to us may not be acceptable to others. Even science that we used to think is universal and adheres to generally accepted human principles is predominated with the culture of the people from the western hemisphere (Bartholomew 36). Some behaviors that do not comply with the standards of a certain culture are often remarked as an abnormality or deviance. Thus, even though science applies universal scientific principles, it is never neutral in determining what is deviant or abnormal and what is not (Bartholomew 36). It can never really explain why some cultures do certain practices that are not culturally accepted in other countries. We will write a custom essay sample on Perception of Time specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Perception of Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Perception of Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We used to separate behaviors and label them as normal, moral and legal. Other traits, practices and rituals that do not fit in what is accepted in our culture are recognized as otherwise. These activities reflect a persons prevailing norms, values, and beliefs that he adheres to at a particular time and place (Bartholomew 36). The psychological aspect that is responsible for the discrepancies in peoples culture and how it affects our perception is cultural relativism. Cultural relativism is a theory of knowledge that is responsible for the persons judgment on what is deemed as acceptable. This judgment is anchored to his or her beliefs, values, and attitudes that are shaped by the culture he or she was accustomed to (Bartholomew 37). Hence, the culture of individuals influences their perception on things around them. They view things according to their existing beliefs and values. Time is also perceived differently in many cultures. Individuals see time differently today than the people in the past used to ages ago. Through the invention of time devices, the people of modern times are able to track time by the hour, by the minute, by the second, and even by the millisecond. Thus, the peopleââ¬â¢s perception of time molds them and their minds. The ancient people were only aware of the fundamental timeââ¬âthe night and day. They used to determine time by making interpretation of the celestial and heavenly bodies. Through the use of these methods, humans also acquired an understanding of the future. They perceived the future in terms of contingencies of cause and effect relationship. People were able to utilize their environment to develop a perception of time. Their ancient clocks and calendars were the daily motion of the sun and moon, as well as the season changes (Falk n.p). In 1895, H.G. Wells book, The Time Machine, was made available for the public. Wells fiction novel opens to people the possibility of traveling through time. The idea seemed impossible, but well-known Albert Einstein explained that attaining the ability or means to travel to the future or to the past is not improbable (Gott 8). Einstein proposed his theory special relativity in 1905, describing the possibility of time travel based on the description of how time is measured differently by moving and still observers. It is further strengthened by his mathematics professor Hermann Minowski, looking at time mathematically as the fourth dimension (Gott 8). With all the psychological differences explained by cultural relativism, the different perception of time in each culture and society, and the possibility to travel through time, a clear, if not precise, definition of perception of time can be attained. 2.0 Sources Edwin A. Abbot in Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions provides an overview of a two-dimensional world and guides his readers through some of the implications of life in two dimensions. Meanwhile, Robert Bartholomew, in his article ââ¬Å"Borderlands: Deviance, Psychiatry and Cultural Relativism,â⬠explores the problem with cultural relativism, basically defined as the principle in which the belief of an individual is analyzed and interpreted in relation to the individuals own culture. Ray Bradbury in ââ¬Å"A Sound of Thunderâ⬠warns us that traveling to the past can be dangerous. Antonio Damasio, in his article ââ¬Å"Remembering Whenâ⬠explains the concept of mind time. Dan Falks ââ¬Å"Past, Present, Future PERCEPTIONS OF TIME THROUGH THE AGESâ⬠presents differences in perceiving time through different ages. Richard J. Gott, in his book Time Travel in Einsteins Universe: The Physical Possibilities of Travel Through Time, discusses applications of time machine, wherein time travel is possible and how time travel can be explained in terms of physics and quantum mechanics. Dorinne K. Kondo in her article ââ¬Å"On Being a Conceptual Anomalyâ⬠presents her experiences as a Japanese American woman. Robert Levine in A Geography of Time: The Temporal Misadventures of a Social Psychologist analyzes what it means to live beyond time or by time event. Richard E. Nisbett in his book The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differentlyand Why confronts conjectures of well-known philosophers with a different take on human thought influenced by cultural ideologies and principles. The videotaped program Only Human presents few experiments which were created to learn various aspects of human behavior. The book How to Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age by Theodore Schick, Jr. and Lewis Vaughn provides strange assertions and ideas abound in culture to illustrate the rational assessment of any claim. Finally, the videotaped program Time Travel shows that space is curved, time is relative, and time travel is theoretically possible. 3.0 Results People live by the underlying rules and principles in the society where they belong. They adhere to the maxims and dogmas that have long been in existence. They pattern their everyday life according to these unwritten rules that governing the society. To conform to the traditional beliefs and values is to live harmoniously with the other people. People coexist in a society that must adapt and do what is culturally accepted to avoid being ostracized by the general public. 3.1 Perception As mentioned earlier, cultural relativism explains the peoples differences in perception. Peopleââ¬â¢s judgment differs from one another because they pattern things according to their cultural preferences. If something fits their criteria as prescribed by their culture, then it is acceptable for them. Standards set by culture create cultural diversity in the world. According to Richard Nisbett, Westerners and East Asians looked at things differently resulting in dissimilarities in understanding. This is due to the difference in environment, social structures, philosophies, and educational background. In addition, it was discovered that Asian thought is holistic or a functional relationship of parts and the whole. They do not much rely on formal logic or categories. In comparison to the Westerners, people from the west mostly rely on formal logic to understand their behavior. In Dorinne Kondoââ¬â¢s article, ââ¬Å"On Being a Conceptual Anomalyâ⬠, she relays her experiences upon conducting a research in Japan. She was raised as an American so she had a difficult time adjusting herself on the ways of living in Japan. This is because the Japanese perceive White people as different and offensive (Kondo 524). During the course of her stay in Japan, she had to learn their traditions, values, and most of all, their practices to be able to cope up with the new environment she was in. There came a point when she saw herself differently, not as the observer on the immersion she was doing but as part of the participants in her research. There is an existing dilemma brought by cultural relativism especially in the field of mental health. Psychiatry is a branch of psychological science that deals with human behavior. Through psychiatry, we are able to find out if we have acquired any psychological disorders. Basis on the diagnoses on such behavioral disorders is human behavior only without in-depth consideration of the underlying social, cultural, and political circumstances that brought up such behavior (Bartholomew 38). Examining closely the behavior of peoples conformity to a group is discovering the power and influence of the majority in a certain society (Only Human n.p) Psychiatry can be considered as the most debatable branch of medicine. There is a necessary clarification on the term mental illness. ââ¬Å"Illnessâ⬠denotes an impairment or injury on any bodys part. People who were diagnosed with mental illness do not have any injury, but only suffering living difficulties (Bartholomew 38). Based from the ideas discussed by Nisbett and Kondo, an American may experience difficulty adapting to an environment different from his usual environment and therefore may be tagged as mentally ill by the Japanese, or it could be the other way around. This just shows that there is an existing conflict brought about by cultural relativism. Due to the diversity of culture, there is no strong fundamental basis on what is a behavioral disorder. 3.2 Time In a world where time is considered as a necessity while many of us try to squeeze in the tasks that we have to accomplish with the little time that we have, it is fascinating, and at the same time important, to learn how time was viewed and used through the course of human civilization. Across the centuries, humans have looked and treated time differently the way their ancestors used to perceive time. At present, there is an international standard of telling time and it is universal, for every nation adheres to that standard. Due to the rotation of the earth, people experience differences in timeââ¬âwhen it is day in the east, it is nighttime in the west. Humans have developed a biological clock or circadian rhythm based on the daily activities and lifestyle of a person. This clock is located in the hypothalamus of ones brain. This is responsible for how a personââ¬â¢s body perceives time. For instance, it is nighttime in his or her biological clock if he or she feels tired and sleepy (Damasio 36). When the region of the brain that is highly important for learning and recalling new information is damaged, a major disturbance occurs in a personââ¬â¢s innate ability to place events in a chronological sequence. This is what happens to amnesiacs or people suffering from amnesia. They lose the ability to estimate the passage of time in different scales (Damasio 36). Amnesia is a permanent damage on the brains hippocampus, a part of the brain essential to memory, and the temporal lobe, a region of the brain that serves as a two-way communication with the rest of the cerebral cortex. Damage in the hippocampus hinders the creation of new memories. Patients with an impaired hippocampus are known to have anterograde amnesia. They are unable to hold factual memories for longer than one minute. On the other hand, the amnesiacs that are unable to retrieve long-term memories are diagnosed with retrograde amnesia, which is characterized by an impaired in temporal lobe (Damasio 36). Amnesiacs do not have awareness of the correct time, which makes it difficult for them to place events in the right chronological order and store new factual memories. This deficiency greatly affects their way of living and their social interaction. The idea of time travel has not escape the imaginative minds of people. In 1895, H.G. Wells published the book The Time Machine, which opened the idea of time travel to the public. The proposition seemed so impossible but the physicist Einstein attempted to explain the possibility of such phenomenon through physics (Gott 8). In 1905, Einstein developed his theory of special relativity and explained how time is measured differently by still and moving objects. Einsteins mathematics professor Hermann Minowski expanded his theory and told that time could be treated mathematically as the universes fourth dimension (Gott 8). If their proposition is correct, their theory would allow humans to travel back in time or go forth to the future. However, Ray Bradbury stated the dangers of time travel to the past and the possible effects to the present once the course of history is altered. Hence, the events that happened in the past cannot be touched for it will greatly affect the current circumstances. 3.3 Perception of Time Time is treated also differently in every culture. The differences in perception of things could be attributed to the cultural relativism aforementioned. Awareness of time is very important to humans. Today, we are paid by the hour and our daily routines are based on time. Our early ancestors utilized everything that can be found in their environment to be able to tell time. They used the daily motions of the moon and sun. Assuming an unconventional movement of the celestial bodies resulted in certain phenomena, they were able to perceive the future through a cause-and-effect relationship (Falk n.p). For example, the Babylonians had their way of foretelling events by means of hepatoscopy, which involves sacrificing a liver. They believed that through this ritual, the gods allow them to foresee the future (Schick and Vaughn 97). Different cultures developed various methods and devices to determine time. For instance, the Romans developed the calendar, which was by Pope Gregory XIII. The perception of time could also be considered necessary in ones cultural requirements. This is evident in the empires established in Latin America. These empires dictated how to regulate time in order to fix civil, agricultural, and religious dates. On the other hand, Muslims, maintain strict daily routine of timely prayers to keep track of time (Falk n.p). Today, we treat time as inanimate, passing in a constant rate. We are all considered as slaves of time. We can never hasten up or slow down the passage of time. However, this was not the case for the Maya, as time is organic for them. According to the Mayas, time can be stretched, shrunk, or even overpowered by human activity. In fact, many cultures perceived time as organic in nature. In these cultures, time was told through human activities and not through the constraints of a clock or a calendar (Falk n.p). 4.0 Discussion In light of the findings provided by the sources, the existence of various traditions, beliefs, and values anchored to their culture has created a disparity in peopleââ¬â¢s perception. People act in accordance to their culture and society where they live. Behavior and action against the prevailing norms will be perceived by other people as a deviation or as a mental illness. This disparity in perception of right and wrong could be attributed to cultural relativism, or the difference in cultural beliefs and values. Throughout history, people have developed their perception of time. Our ancestors used conventional tools and devices to be able to tell time. Through the use of astrological components, they were able to acquire an understanding of the future events through cause-and-effect relationship by connecting a certain lunar or solar manifestation that resulted in certain events. Perception of time greatly depends on the brainââ¬â¢s functioning. An impairment of certain regions of the brain responsible for holding and storing memories and sequencing events in a chronological order deeply affects an individualââ¬â¢s perception of time. An example of this brain disorder is amnesia. Amnesiacs have an incorrect perception of time due to their ailment. The idea of time travel that seems unworkable was made theoretically possible by Einstein. In his theory of special relativity, he explained that the treating time as the universes fourth dimension can make time travel possible. Still, there are dangers in traveling back to the past because it may alter the course of events and the present situations. There is no universal perception of time. Time is perceived differently in various cultures. Some culture perceive it as inanimate, others treat it as organic that can be controlled by human activity.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Requirements to Become a Supreme Court Justice
Requirements to Become a Supreme Court Justice There are no explicit requirements in the U.S. Constitution for a person to be nominated to become a Supreme Court justice. No age, education, job experience, or citizenship rules exist. In fact, according to the Constitution, a Supreme Court justice does not need to even have a law degree. What Does the Constitution Say? The Supreme Court was established as a body in Article Three of the Constitution, signed in convention in 1787. Section I describes the roles of the Supreme and Lower Courts; the other two sections are for the kind of cases that should be examined by the Supreme Court (Section 2, since amended by the 11th Amendment); and a definition of treason.à The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office. Article 3, U.S. Constitution However, since the Senate confirms justices, experience and background have become important factors in the confirmations, and conventions have been developed and largely followed since the first selection of the court during the first presidents term of office. George Washingtons Requirements The first U.S. President George Washington (1789ââ¬â1797) had, of course, the most number of nominees to the Supreme Court- 14, although only 11 made it to the court. Washington also named 28 lower court positions, and had several personal criteria that he used to pick a justice: Support and advocacy of the U.S. ConstitutionDistinguished service in the American RevolutionActive participation in the political life of a particular state or the nation as a wholePrior judicial experience on lower tribunalsEither a favorable reputation with his fellows or personally known to Washington himselfGeographic suitability- the original Supreme Court were circuit ridersLove of the country Scholars say his first criterion was the most important to Washington, that the individual had to have a strong voice in protecting the Constitution. The most any other president has been able to nominate is nine, during the four terms of office of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1932ââ¬â1945), followed by six nominated by William Howard Taft in his single term from 1909 to 1913. Qualities That Make a Good Judge Several political scientists and others have attempted to assemble a list of criteria that make a good federal judge, more as an exercise of looking at the past history of the court. American scholar Sheldon Goldmans list of eight criteria includes: Neutrality as to parties in litigationà Fair-mindednessà Being well-versed in the lawThe ability to think and write logically and lucidlyà Personal integrityGood physical and mental healthà Judicial temperamentà Able to handle judicial power sensibly Selection Criteria Based on the 200 year history of selection criteria actually used by United States presidents, there are four which most presidents use in varying combinations: Objective meritPersonal friendshipBalancing representation or representativeness on the court (by region, race, gender, religion)Political and ideological compatibilityà Sources Abraham, Henry Julian. Justices, Presidents, and Senators: A History of the U.S. Supreme Court Appointments from Washington to Clinton. Lanham, Maryland: Roman Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1999. Print.Goldman, Sheldon. Judicial Selection and the Qualities That Make a Good Judge. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 462.1 (1982): 112-24. Print.Hulbary, William E., and Thomas G. Walker. The Supreme Court Selection Process: Presidential Motivations and Judicial Performance. The Western Political Quarterly 33.2 (1980): 185-96. Print.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Film School Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Film School - Personal Statement Example Therefore, I believe people can examine their own society through the movies and as an aspiring film-maker, I hope to someday touch lives by creating films that examine this society Movies like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," and "The Departed," gave me inspiration. After I graduated from high school my parents suggested that I take time off to find myself, it was difficult not being a student nor working and giving to the community. However, through watching films, I realized that no matter what kind of movie it was, every movie provided great insight and a message about life. I found myself researching why certain filmmakers decided to tackle a theme or what the inspiration was that launched their idea. For example, Martin Scorsese, the Producer and Director of, "Gangs of New York" had a personal interest in portraying the historical makings of Gotham City. His curiosity about his own city provoked him to create a piece of work that could be shared with a large audience. The Director, Ang Lee became another inspiration. His ability to cross the cultural, societal and linguistic barriers amazed me. Lee's leap from strictly small Chinese films to worldwide aw ard winners gave me hope that I too could stir the hearts and minds of society. These two directors, and many others compelled me to be a part of the industry that had such an effect on me. My interest in film grew when my friend who was a film maj
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
The films Juno and American Beauty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The films Juno and American Beauty - Essay Example The girl Juno here is a 16 year old female, who gets pregnant by her classmate Paulie and both plans to abort the baby. Juno is a girl with carefree attitude and does not care about what other people think about her. Juno in her tender age is ignorant about pregnancy and issue related to it and this quote confirms it. Juno MacGuff: I don't know, I drank like, ten gallons of Sunny D... I'm telling you I'm pregnant and you're acting shockingly caviler. Leah: Is this for real? Later by the influence of her friend she changes her mind and plans with Paulie to give the baby for adoption for this she gets the support from her parents. Juno with her friend Leah finds a couple to adopt the baby and the film later shows the Junoââ¬â¢s experience with the pregnancy and the emotional struggle associated with it. Long before the birth of the baby, Juno also confesses her love for Paulie. Also Paulie accepts the love for Juno and soon after she delivers a baby boy. In the meanwhile, the couple who about to adopt the baby faces a marriage breakdown. In the end of the movie, Vanessa (Single mother) who is supposed to adopt the baby accepts the baby and Juno and Paulie are shown to be passionately in love. The Movie American Beauty This movie American beauty explains the life of Lester who is writer in a magazine who dislikes his job. His wife Carolyn is a rude character, and their daughter Jane despises her parents. ââ¬Å"Carolyn Burnham: Are you trying to look unattractive? Jane Burnham: Yes. Carolyn Burnham: Well, congratulations. You've succeeded admirablyâ⬠. These dialoged shows the hostile relationship held by the mother and the daughter. Lester has a neighbor who is a colonel accompanied by his less social wife and a drug addicted son Ricky. The Lesterââ¬â¢s daughter Jane is in love with Ricky and wants to extend her relation with him. Lester on the other hand is deep down inside depressed and wants a person to share his feelings. Meanwhile he gets in touch with Janeââ¬â¢s friend Angela and gets infatuated with her. Lester begins to experience sexual fantasies about Angela wherein red roses are surrounded by Him. On the other side, Carolyn his having an affair with her business counterpart Buddy. Later Lester finds out about his wifeââ¬â¢s extra -marital affair but reacts indifferently. Jane in the later part of the movie gets involved with Ricky and Lester too gets friendly with Angela. In between all this Lester gets marijuana from Ricky and uses it and tries to sexually encounter Angela and finds that she is virgin and backs out. The father of Ricky accidently sees Lester nudely exercising and his son watching it, and concludes they r gay mates. Colonel rushes to Lester home and shoot him to death. Comparison between Juno and American Beauty The movie Juno and American beauty is both centered on teenagers and their romantic life and sexual activities. The movie is basically about the culture of teenagers in American and how th ey lead an unorganized and indisciplined life as this quoted depicts it. ââ¬Å"Angela Hayes: Jane, he's a freak! Jane Burnham: Then so am I! And we'll always be freaks and we'll never be like other people and you'll never be a freak because you're just too... perfect! ââ¬Å"Both these movies show to the viewers that the sexual life of American teenagers is active at an early stage. The movies also display the marriage failure happening in American society and how fragile relationship is. According to (Sarris) ââ¬Å"In American Beauty ,Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a man in his mid-40s going through an intense midlife crisis; he's grown cynical and is convinced that he has no reason to go onâ⬠Both the movies also show the emotional struggle undergone by teenage and adults of America. The movie Juno has an anti ââ¬â
Monday, November 18, 2019
Arabic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
Arabic - Essay Example Further, the contents of the media are substantially determined, by the culture; culture informs the beliefs and knowledge stock of people. Therefore, the media should consider issues that are relevant to the culture that the media represent. Cultural beliefs and cultural norms influence the structure and operations,Ã and the composition of the media. The social, religious and political issues inherent in the Arabic nations and the Arabic culture take precedence in the media while the rest of the issues from other cultures are squeezed in the rest of the space and time. In the 1990s, the governments in the Arab World owned most televisions channels. Satellite televisions are sprouting rapidly. This is not due to freedom of speech and money but due to political influence on their growth. The West has also influenced the growth of Arabian media through the Arab soap operas (Hammond 26). In 2003, Star Academy began when Reality television had entered the Arabic public discourse. That was when women fought for their political rights in Kuwait; election results were contested in Egypt and there erupted escalating violence in Iraq. The political crisis environment framed the current Arab- Western relations. It formed the backdrop that causes controversies surrounding the social and political impact of Reality television that assumes religious, cultural and moral manifestations (Hammond 28). Research in Media has stressed that the moral and social responsibility of news people should not agitate public opinion, but should keep the status quo. It is paramount to preserve national unity by not causing ethnic or religious conflict. Investigative journalism was not allowed in the Arab World due to limited freedom of speech. Personal reputation is a fundamental principle in Arab media; exposure of corruption and weaknesses in policy makers hold the news person in
Friday, November 15, 2019
The Senegalese Peoples Clothes Cultural Studies Essay
The Senegalese Peoples Clothes Cultural Studies Essay Senegal is a unique country with many languages, 36 to be exact. Linguists divide the languages into two different families. These families are Atlantic and Mande. The Atlantic family is generally found in the western part of the country. It includes Wolof, Serer, Fula, and Diola. The Mande languages are found in the eastern part and include Bambara, Malinke, and Soninke. French is the official language, because it was inherited from the colonial era when Senegal was under French rule. The most dominant language is Wolof. Wolof is related to Fula, which is also spoken by a large part of the population. The other languages are Bainouk-Gunyaamolo, Balanta-Ganja, Bayot, Crioulo, Upper Guinea, Badyara, Ejamat, French, Fulah, Gusilay, Jalunga, Jola-Fonyi, Bandial, Jola-Kasa, Karon, Hassaniyya, Kerak, Kuwaataay, Laalaa, Mandinka, Kobiana, Maninkakan, Western, Mankanya, Mlomp, Ndut, Nko, Noon, Oniyan, Palor, Pulaar, Bedik, Saafi, Serer-Sine, Soninke, Wamey, Wolof, Mandjak, Bainouk-Samik, an d Xasonga. There are probably many different languages in Senegal because many other part s of Africa have different languages because they were colonized by different groups and when people come into Senegal, they bring their language with them. Education for the deaf uses American Sign Language. They also have twenty ethnic groups of varying size, a very high amount for such a small country. One ethnic group is called the Mandà © people. These people have been primarily Muslim since the 13th century. Many of the Mandà © people believe in initiation groups such as Chiwara and Dwo and they believe in the power of Juju. The Mandà © peoples arts are primarily carvings and jewelry. The Mandà © produce beautifully woven fabrics, which are very popular in Western Africa. They also make necklaces out of silver and gold, bracelets, armlets, and earrings. The bells that are seen on the necklaces are meant, spiritually, to be a way of contacting spirits, ringing in both worlds so their nonliving ancestors could hear them. Mandà © hunters wear a single bell, so that it can be silenced when stealth is vital. Women wear multiple bells, giving a sense of community, because of their harmonious ring. Much of the music of the Mandà © people is played on a kora, a stringed instrument wit h at least 21 strings. It is performed by families of musicians. The Mandà © languages are Mandika, Soninke,à Bambara,à Dioula, Bozo,à Mende,à Susu, andà Vai.à Another Senegalese ethnic group is the Wolof. Wolof is the most dominant group, with 43.3% of the population. They are also mostly Muslim. Next is the Fula, the second most populous ethnic group with 23.8% of the population. They speak the Fula language and were Islamized long ago. A slightly smaller group, the Serer, encompass 14.7% of the Senegalese population. They speak the Cangin languages. The other ethnic groups are minor, representing less than 5% of the population. Europeansà andà descendants of Lebanese migrants are also present in Senegal. They are around 50,000 in number. The ethnic groups share many commonalities, including, while not the exact same languages, some language similarities. A lot of the words in each language are cognates from a different language. Also, they have no cultural boundaries. For example, it is common for a member of one ethnic group to marry someone from a different ethnic group. As mentioned earlier, Muslim is one religion found in Senegal. Muslims make up 92% of the population. 2% of the population is Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) and the other 6% are indigenous beliefs. The Islamization of Senegal dates back all the way to the eleventh century. The Christian part of Senegal is fairly recent. Women have high rates of illiteracy. They are responsible for cooking, cleaning, and watching the children. They are also in charge of agricultural work, like weeding and harvesting crops like rice, most commonly. In recent times, cultural change has led women to become office clerks, retail clerks, and unskilled workers in tuna canning factories and textile mills. There is a large range of housing types in Senegal. Most of the houses in Dakar, the capital city, are European-style. Outside of Dakar, circular mud huts are common in the villages. Professional builders build the houses out of brick and industrial cement. Along the coast of Senegal, there is an interesting mix of European and African architectures, such as in the island of Goree, which is famous for it. Normally, the men build the houses and the women decorate and maintain them. The Office of Moderate-Rent Housing is trying to implement low cost housing in Dakar. There is an average of 4.9 people in each household. Most Senegalese families have about ten people. Polygamy is common in Senegal. It has caused an extra woman living in a household and more children. Technology in Senegal has come a long way. Now, the African Regional Center for Technology, which has over 30 member states, is located in Dakar. Most research centers in Senegal are focused on agricultural issues. Dakar also has a center for mining and medical research and an institution directed toward African food and nutrition problems. Most of the Senegalese peoples clothes are made of local cotton. Clothes that are dyed or hand woven are reserved for special occasions. Dying is a special skill that is traditionally passed down from mother to daughter. They use vegetal chemicals, particularly indigo. While dying is passed down through the female side of the family, weaving is transmitted between the males of the family. Just like in the U.S., the fashion varies depending on the occasion. For women, they wear a Muslim gown called a bubu after work. They also have a head tie selected to match the color and design of the bubu. They like radiant colors. After work, men wear a shirt over short trousers. Hair dressing is another thing that is important to them. Girls often have their hair braided with beads and boys have their head shaved according to their familys style. For special occasions, they wear gold, silver, iron, and copper jewelry. For the Senegalese, breakfast normally consists of porridge or grits with milk. A traditional lunch is cooked rice with fish and vegetables served in a tomato sauce. For dinner, they can expect meat or fried fish. After they eat, they drink water to quench their thirst, but if they have visitors, they will offer them mango juice, or industrially made pop drinks. For almost all of Senegal, an important tradition is lively baby naming festivals. When the baby is about one week old, the older members of the village they are in assemble in the morning and name the baby while killing a goat, sheep chicken, or cow, dependent upon the familys wealth. After that part of the ceremony, the rest of the village joins and the party continues until late at night. There is a lot of dancing and singing for the baby. Tabaski is a two day celebration where Muslims slay a ram to honor when, from history, Abraham was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, to God. Celebrated around the world, including Senegal, by Muslims is Ramadan. It is a 30 day festival for spiritual reflection and prayers where all of the Muslims fast from sunup to sundown. They have to abstain from food, drink, gum, and any tobacco. They are not even supposed to swallow their own saliva. This is also for sympathy for the less fortunate. One popular form of Senegalese music is drumming. The tama is a single faced drum that has strips of leather attached to the outside and the base. The drum is held under one arm and beat with the other. The arm holding it is squeezed to adjust the pitch and tone. The other popular form of music is folk music. This music is played with the kora. The final type of music is singing where many voices come together to produce a song. There are also traditional Senegal dances. The most popular of which is the sabar dance. It is performed at weddings, parties, and other celebrations. The dance is unique and also competitive. During the dance, people gather in a large circle, and individuals or pairs go in the center and show off their best moves. The dancers show stomping footwork, outstretched arms, and jumps. Senegal is a unique country with a diverse culture. They have many ethnic groups, many similar languages, dominantly Muslim religion (with some others), long, decorative dresses, delicious food, beautiful art, interesting festivals and Muslim traditions, and energetic music and dances. They have medium sized families with a few people per household and some unique combinations of architecture.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Leper Lepelliers Functions As A Minor Character :: essays research papers
Upon returning to his school fifteen years after graduating, Gene Forrester, recalled his days at the Devon School in a surreal sense. In his own words, ââ¬Å"In the deep, tacit way in which feeling becomes stronger than thought, I had always felt that the Devon School came into existence the day I entered it, was vibrantly real while I was a student there, and then blinked out like a candle the day I left.â⬠Helping embellish this reality were his friends, including Leper Lepellier, who appeared in only five scenes in A Separate Peace. Elwin ââ¬Å"Leperâ⬠Lepellierââ¬â¢s role as a minor character was vital to the story, although not nearly as visible as Geneââ¬â¢s or Finnyââ¬â¢s. His appearances stole the attention of the reader, altered each characterââ¬â¢s own perceptions of the war, and forced the main character to act and think in ways he would not have otherwise. Chapter Tenââ¬â¢s journey to Leperââ¬â¢s Christmas location is a trip away from Devon both physically and emotionally. Leper steals the scene by inviting Gene to his home, proceeding to unsettle the reader to the extent that he cannot concentrate on the other characters. Quiet and subdued, Leper spent much of his time outdoors, sketching snails and trees, photographing beaver dams. He was what Brinker so scornfully called a naturalist. This gentle hobby extracted virtually no interest from the reader, besides a knowledge of Leperââ¬â¢s eccentric and lonely personality. Because he predictably behaved this way, reading the few tortured pages of his hallucinations in the army elicits strong emotion and reader interest; Finny and the Devon group of friends were insignificant compared to the horrific images Leper conjured in the readerââ¬â¢s mind. Gene felt the same emotions as the reader: ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t tell me whoââ¬â¢s got me and who hasnââ¬â¢t got me. Who do you think youââ¬â¢re talking to? Stick to your snails, Lepellier.â⬠Shocked at what his friend has become, Gene mentions his naturalistic manner, hoping to straighten him out. At this point, the reader is as helpless as Gene, wondering why Leper has changed, what the hallucinations mean, and most importantly, what will happen to between them in the pages to come. Leper also directs the reader back to Finnyââ¬â¢s accident, pointing a guilty finger at Gene when he says he and everyone he knew were all ââ¬Å"savages underneath.â⬠When Gene finally runs out of Vermont and away from Leperââ¬â¢s insanity, the reader now has another view on Finnyââ¬â¢s accident.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Zizek on Ideology and the Relationship Between Ideology and “The Real”
Zizek on Ideology and the Relationship Between Ideology and ââ¬Å"The Realâ⬠` CMNS 410 Professor Rick Gruneau December 13, 2011 Zizek on Ideology and the Relationship Between Ideology and ââ¬Å"The Realâ⬠Slavoj Zizek is one of the leading theorists on ideology since the 1990ââ¬â¢s and his conceptions of the real versus the symbolic versus the imagined are of particular importance when dissecting the question ââ¬Ëwhat is ideology? Zizekââ¬â¢s critique of ideology and attempt to unpack itââ¬â¢s inner workings is fascinating, he is a powerful intellectual who aims to expose the â⬠fakeâ⬠workings of society. In this paper I will outline Zizekââ¬â¢s definition and approach to the study of ideology, paying particular attention to the relationships he draws between ideology and ââ¬Å"the real,â⬠as opposed to ââ¬Å"the imaginedâ⬠and ââ¬Å"the symbolicâ⬠. Zizek opens the book Mapping Ideology (1994) with the introduction ââ¬Å"The Sp ectre of Ideologyâ⬠, where he defines and openly criticizes the idea of ideology and its illusory personality. First he presents us with the idea that ideology is a sort of matrix, ââ¬Å"a generative matrix that regulates the relationship between visible and non-visible, imaginable and non-imaginable, as well as changes in that relationshipâ⬠(italics mine, p. 1). He further explains not everything that seems to be ideological, necessarily is, claiming that unless there is a link to power relations in the social realm he does not consider something to be ideological. He points out that sometimes what we consider to be ideological in fact is not; but also how at other times, things which we may not perceive to be ideological, actually maintain a very strong ideological orientation. He states that the ââ¬Å"starting point of the critique of ideology has to be the full acknowledgment of the fact that it is easily possible to lie in the guise of truthâ⬠ââ¬â ideology that is ââ¬â and this is an important realization for it ispels a common misconception we have of ideology, especially here in the west that, ideology is about lying or misleading others and society. Instead Zizek posits the idea that the content of a message is not what makes it ideological, but instead it is the ââ¬Å"the way this content is related to the subjective position implied by its own process of enunciationâ⬠that makes it so (Zizek 1994, p. 8). In other words, regardless of whether the content (of a message or object or interaction) is true or false, it becomes ideological the moment that content functions to achieve ââ¬Å"some relation of social dominationâ⬠and even more importantly, he adds ââ¬Å"in an inherently non-transparent wayâ⬠, reiterating that often times ideology is in fact of a misleading nature but not necessarily in content (italics mine, p. 8); it is from this standpoint that we can begin to understand and critique the concept of ideology. It is important to note here, although Zizek stresses the importance of recognizing dynamics of power relations (rather than content) which constitutes ideology, he warns this can also be disadvantageous if it reduces ââ¬Å"the cognitive value of the term ââ¬Ëideologyââ¬â¢ and makes it into a mere expression of social circumstancesâ⬠(p. 9). Considering this, as Gerofsky (2010) explains, Zizek takes on Hegelââ¬â¢s theory of the triad as a heuristic for further developing the theory of ideology, which is something I will address later in this paper, after we go a little bit deeper in defining ideology. According to Zezik then, a necessary condition for something to be ideological is that there must be a relation or motivation to power in some way, and it must be done so in a way which is not apparent to the addressees (Zizek, 1994). However this is a rather general and overarching consideration when defining the term ideology and it is important to deconstruct the term even further before we proceed in analyzing its inner workings and effect on society. Zizek states ââ¬Å"ideology is a systematically distorted communication: a text in which under the influence of unavowed social interests (of domination, etc. a gap separates its ââ¬Ëofficial,ââ¬â¢ public meaning from its actual intention ââ¬â that is to say, ââ¬Å"we are dealing with an unreflected tension between the explicit enunciated content of the text and its pragmatic presuppositionsâ⬠(Zizek, 1994, p. 10). Ideology is a system, he argues, of principles, views, theories ââ¬Å"destined to convince us of its ââ¬Ëtruthââ¬â¢, yet actually serving some unavowed particular power interestâ⬠(p. 10). An example Zizek presents to illustrate this point is the way media portrayed the conflict and cause of the Bosnian war. News coverage consisted of innumerable accounts of the histories of not only Yugoslavia but ââ¬Å"the entire history of the Balkanââ¬â¢s from medieval timesâ⬠(p. 5). This incredible amount of information, of the struggles and relations between Bosnia and other countries over decades, if not centuries, gives audiences the impression that they must know and understand all the background information of this issue if they are to have an opinion on it or take sides, again presenting countless hours of information and debate on the issue. Zizek explains that although this is a sort of inversion of what we normally constitute as ideological messaging, and it is unlike the misrepresentation and incessant demonization of Saddam Hussein which was circulated to give justice to entering into the Iraq war, the Bosnian war ideological messaging that took place is in fact ââ¬Å"more cunning,â⬠the over exaggerated and false demonization of Saddam Hussein. ecause ââ¬Å"to put it somewhat crudely, the ââ¬Ëevocation of the complexity of circumstancesââ¬â¢ serves to [defer] us from the responsibility to actâ⬠(p. 5). He explains that instead of withholding information (as the media most often does), or misrepresenting information (Saddam Hussein), in the case of the Bosnian war the media over saturates audiences with information to the point of immobilizing them to make a decision or take action against the fact that this war is spurred by political, economic and monetary power interests. Zizek explains the purpose of going into war was portrayed as a need to improve unacceptable human rights conditions in the country, and although human rights conditions may very well be unacceptable in that country, and then improve as a result of the invasion, the true motivations for that war (power, domination, money) were kept hidden. This also illustrates the point made earlier about ideology not necessarily needing to be false in its information, but rather hidden in motive, for the information they presented was by no means false or limited, it was excessive, which proves to be just as debilitating a strategy on the general public. Zizekââ¬â¢s examples and definitions of ideology discussed above demonstrate the division of ideology from Marxââ¬â¢s false consciousness theory (Gerofsky, 2010), but perhaps one of the most important classifications Zizek makes in the realm of ideology, is its connection to dislocation (dislocating truth from falsity) and how this relates to the idea of ââ¬Å"the Realâ⬠(Stavrakakis,1997). Coming from the Lacanian theoretical background, the concept of Real versus Symbolic versus Imaginary is an integral part of Zizekââ¬â¢s theory, one which sets him apart from traditional conceptions of ideology. The question of the Real also cannot be separated from the dislocation and presentation of the truth, so these two must be considered together in asserting the concept of ideology. Zizekââ¬â¢s Real draws attention to a fascinating idea, that there is a difference between what is actually real in our world and what is simply a created real by our social structure and by society (Stavrakakis, 1997). The Real, the true real, is ââ¬Å"the part of our world as revealed in our experience, which escapes our attempts to symbolize and represent it in a final wayâ⬠(1997, p. ). The real is the raw and unstructured experience of what is not yet symbolized or imaged by our social structure, by language, by symbols, and it in fact cannot be symbolized in such a way. Unlike the social reality, the true Real is impossible to represent, explains Stavrakaki of Zizekââ¬â¢s theory, impossible to master or symbolize, whereas the social reality is nothing but symbolism and our desire to categ orize any part of our experience into a definition or material conception of some sort. The real is not only opposed to what is ââ¬Å"socially constructedâ⬠as real, the symbolic, but also it is even farther removed from the imaginary, which falls farthest away on the spectrum, from true reality. The symbolic comes closer to the Real but there is still a gap and something will always be missing from the symbolic real for language can never be a full representation of the real, the true Real however is always in its place. The symbolic real, however is still of importance to Zizek, for it plays the largest role in our society and is perhaps the integral component to ideology in the most general sense. The symbolic, although generally in the dimension of lauguage, Lacan (whoââ¬â¢s theories Zizek has based his own theories of ideology on) does not describe the symbolic as solely equal to language, because linguistiscs are also present in the realm of the imaginary sphere (Lucaites & Biesecker, 1998). The symbolic rather, is about the relationship to the ââ¬Å"Otherâ⬠, it is about difference and the signifiers which create a symbolic order. For Lacan the symbolic is characterized by the absence of any fixed relations between signifier and signifiedâ⬠(Lucaites & Biesecker, 1998). Lastly there is the realm of the imaginary, when Lacan discusses this stage he refers to the formation of the ego. Identification is an important part of the imaginary, for ââ¬Å"the ego is formed by identifying with the counterpart or specular imageâ⬠(Lucaites & Biesecker, 1998). The ego, fundamentally narcissistic, is centered on identification with alienation and this alienation is another feature of the imaginary. The imaginary is most fundamentally, however, a constitution of surface appearances, ones which are formed in deception as part of the social order. Going back to Zizekââ¬â¢s theory on ideology, he suggests that one of the most problematic areas of the concept, is that we as theorists, try to escape from the grip of ideology in order to observe the world from an objective position, however the moment we feel we have managed to take up a position of truth, from which we can condemn the lie of an ideology, we instantly fall back into the grip of ideology again because our understanding of the concept is structured on a binary arrangement, which is constantly playing on this relationship between reality and ideology. It is such the issue of ideology, that the moment we feel we are in the realm of truth, at last, we are in fact instantly back into the ideological exchange, without recognizing it (Stavrakakis, 1997). Zezik does not offer a solution to this, however he offers a way to counter the problem, and this is where the concept of the Real (vs Symbolic vs Imaginary) comes into play, to help us recognize and step outside the atmosphere of ideology that surrounds us. Instead of the binary relationship between reality and ideology, now there is a three way relationship. Zizek favours the Real over the other two constructs because he argues, the symbolic, although it is representing ââ¬Å"realityâ⬠it is in fact where ââ¬Å"fiction assumes the guise of truthâ⬠(Stavrakakis, p. 3), and the imaginary construct, is of course even farther away from that reality, therefore the Real should be the focus of our understanding. The Real is the ââ¬Å"only non-ideological position available,â⬠and although Zizek does not claim to offer access to the ââ¬Å"objective truth of thingsâ⬠, he explains we must begin with assuming the existence of ideology in every aspect of our society, and to take up an actively critical attitude towards it. This Stavrakakis argues is the main goal of Zizekââ¬â¢s theory, to expose the need for constant critique of the ideological realm, especially in a time where our society has proclaimed that ideology is a thing of the past and no longer relevant in todayââ¬â¢s world. Zizekââ¬â¢s theory of ideology is a contemporary one which moves beyond traditional definitions of this concept and is not concerned with the way ideological practices worked in the past and in history, instead he is intrigued with the here and now and argues strongly that the concept of ideology is far from extinct in todayââ¬â¢s society ââ¬â contrary to what many would like to believe. And he explains that rather than discarding the notion completely, what we need to do to understand todayââ¬â¢s politics in a completely new way of looking at it and defining what it means to be in ideological space and time. Those who believe we are past the concept of ideology, he argues, are in an ââ¬Å"archeological fantasyâ⬠and this is only a sign of the greater ability of ideology to ingrain itself without our recognition. In some of his famous presentations Zizek talks about the ideological meaning ingrained even in the simplest of human object and appliances, ones we donââ¬â¢t even recognize contain an ideological message. His famous example, and one he self critically acknowledges to be some sort of anal fixation which he needs to address, is the example of toilets and how they are constructed in different ideological environments. In France he explains, toilets are constructed with the hole at the back, so that when used, the excrement falls directly in the hole and disappears; he equates this with Franceââ¬â¢s extremely liberal ideology ââ¬â out of sight out of mind. In Germany, the toilets are constructed with the hole at the front, in a way that holds the excrement on a shelf (not in water or instantly disappearing) but rather in a way for the individual to see and observe the specimen for worms and any other diseases; he explains this is indicative of the strongly onservative ideology of Germany, where everything is business and completed as necessary. In the Anglo-Saxon world, specifically in America, he explains toilets are somewhere in between, when used the excrement falls in the water but still remains, it is not completely hidden but also not completely displayed; this shows the median position the Anglo-Saxon society usually takes on, not too extreme in either respect (Zizek presentation, You tube. com). This rather disgusting but nonetheless interesting observation does an excellent job of portraying his theory on ideology. First, ideology is very much still at play in our society and should be actively observed and considered (in order to minimize any negative and violent effects it may pertain), and secondly, in order to even be able to recognize the workings of ideology in our everyday lives, we have step outside of our customary reality to which we are so well accustomed to, for this symbolic reality is not the Real, and in taking ourselves out of the imaginary and symbolic which appears to be truth and reality, we can then perhaps attempt to get a true glimpse of what he calls the Real. References Gerofsky, S. (2010). The impossibility of ââ¬Ëreal-life' word problems (according to Bakhtin, Lacan, Zizek and Baudrillard). Discourse: Studies In The Cultural Politics Of Education, 31(1), 61-73. doi:10. 1080/01596300903465427 Lucaites, J. , & Biesecker, B. A. (1998). Rhetorical Studies and the ââ¬ËNew Psychoanalysis: What's the Real Problem? Or Framing the Problem of the Real. Quarterly Journal Of Speech, 84(2), 222. Stavrakakis, Y. (1997). Ambiguous ideology and the Lacanian twist. Journal of the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research, 8, 117-30. Zizek, S. (1994a). The spectre of ideology. In S. Zizek (Ed. ), Mapping ideology (pp. 1-33). London & New York: Verso.
Friday, November 8, 2019
Condole vs. Console
Condole vs. Console Condole vs. Console Condole vs. Console By Maeve Maddox A reader has asked for clarification regarding the use of the verbs condole and console. In searching for illustrations of current usage, I find that confusion between the words is more common in the writing of non-native English speakers, although native speakers do err with this pair. Both verbs refer to expressions of sympathy and comfort. The corresponding nouns are condolence (most often in the plural) and consolation. ââ¬Å"To condoleâ⬠is ââ¬Å"to grieve with; to express sympathy with another in his affliction.â⬠Condole is usually followed by with: We condoled with our friends over the loss of their parents. The airline official condoled with the relatives of the crash victims. Condole is used transitively when the object is death, as in formal expressions of sympathy: Politicians unite toà condole the death ofà APJ Abdul Kalam. The US State Department yesterday released a press statement to condole the death of Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche. Condole may also be used in an absolute sense: The hall was filled with hundreds of mourners who had come to condole. It seemed the entire village was there to condole. ââ¬Å"To consoleâ⬠is ââ¬Å"to comfort in mental distress or depression; to alleviate the sorrow of (someone).â⬠Console is always transitive: How do Ià consoleà a friend who just lost his brother in a tragicà accident?à Prince Harry Reunites with His Former Teacher Who Consoled Him After His Mother Died Here are some examples of the misuse of condole and console, with corrections: INCORRECT: At a funeral you are greeted by many people that wish to console with you and it can be difficult to thank all those who were there for you throughout your difficult time. CORRECT : At a funeral you are greeted by many people who wish to console you and it can be difficult to thank all those who were there for you throughout your difficult time. Console is transitive. It is not followed by a prepositional phrase like ââ¬Å"with you.â⬠INCORRECT: I just really wanted to come here, talk to the family andà condole the family, let them know there are other people out here worrying about them. CORRECT : I just really wanted to come here, talk to the family andà console the family, let them know there are other people out here worrying about them. One ââ¬Å"condoles a death,â⬠but ââ¬Å"consoles the family.â⬠INCORRECT: He said that no amount material assistance could undo the loss of life, however, it was a gesture to console with the families of the victims. CORRECT : He said that no amount material assistance could undo the loss of life, however, it was a gesture to condole with the families of the victims. ââ¬Å"Console the familiesâ⬠would also be correct. INCORRECT: At this sad moment, we pray that his bereaved family gets the strength to console with the irreparable loss they are facing. Neither condole nor console works in this sentence. The solution is to change console to another word altogether: CORRECT: At this sad moment, we pray that his bereaved family gets the strength to cope with the irreparable loss they are facing. cope: deal competently with a situation. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesHomogeneous vs. HeterogeneousWhen to Spell Out Numbers
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Gender and Leisure essays
Gender and Leisure essays GENDER DIFFERENCES IN TERMS OF LEISURE There are many approaches to defining leisure. Many languages, such as German, Spanish, and Japanese, have no equivalent term. Most languages have some concept of free time. In general use, leisure is what we do for fun. A slightly more sophisticated version would be that leisure is activity we do primarily for the experience. It is obvious that as the machines do most of our work, we will have more leisure time. At those times people may prefer to learn new languages, finding out more about their cultures, travelling, experiencing other countries Socializing will remain a popular aspect of leisure in the 21st century. Personal interaction with family members, friends, colleagues and individuals with common interests will take place in a variety of venues and locales. It is important to note that any form of pleasure-seeking has the potential to develop into addictive and self-destructive behavior Socializing will remain a popular aspect of leisure in the 21st century. Personal interaction with family members, friends, colleagues and individuals with common interests will take place in a variety of venues and locales. It is important to note that any form of pleasure-seeking has the potential to develop into addictive and self-destructive behavior Leisure activities vary according to the activity itself, time, place, economic status and cultures of people, and gender. In this paper, I will try to give a point of view about the differences in leisure activities according to gender differences; I will try to explore how and why gender shapes leisure and recreation as well as how and why leisure and recreation may perpetuate or transform beliefs about gender. There are different expectations for women and men, as it does for little girls and boys. Even when the same activities are encouraged, gender differentiates st...
Monday, November 4, 2019
Employment discrimination Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Employment discrimination - Research Paper Example The paper relates to the laws of employment discrimination in America. The research question is what the current state of employment discrimination in America is and what are laws that relates to employment discrimination in America? In United States of America people have long dreamt of a workplace that would provide access to equal opportunity to the Arab workers irrespective of age, sex race or other discriminatory criteria. Title seven of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted with the promise of equal employment opportunity to all irrespective of any sort of discrimination. The employer could no longer discriminate amongst the employees in matters such as hiring, promoting, pay, firing and other employment related decisions. The victims are required to file cases of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). David Wessel, a reporter at Wall Street Journal stated that 81% of the Arabs were deprived of the opportunities as enjoyed by the whites following a recent poll that was aimed at asking whether the racial minorities have equal job opportunities. According to the Wall Street report of 2009, the allegation of discrimination by the employees on the basis of age was at a recor d high of 4600 (Basu 71). There was an increase of 29% in the number of claims. Discrimination on the basis of age is a direct violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) that prohibits discrimination on basis of age (Kramer 92). The practices that are prohibited by the act are parallel to that under the Title 7 and are aimed at protecting people above the age of 40. Source: Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in American Constitution Society for Law and Policy; ââ¬Å"Age Discrimination Reaching New Heights, Lowsâ⬠; Official Website of American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, 11 March 2009; Web; 15 May 2015. The companies are
Friday, November 1, 2019
Leadership and Corporate Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Leadership and Corporate Culture - Essay Example To achieve this, corporate leaders must possess certain influences and powers that will enable them shape the cultures for the betterment of the organization and without infringing on the rights of either. The first tool most managers use is the delegation of duties. By delegating duties to their juniors in a responsible manner, the managers empower the employees who in turn will go to greater lengths to maintain consistency (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011).à Another crucial aspect is employee mentorship by the corporate leaders, who instill social and professional values on the employees that are in line with the attainment of the organizationââ¬â¢s goals. Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2011) state that the corporate leaders can put in place proper conflict resolution mechanisms and good communication network in their quest to transform the organizationââ¬â¢s culture. Perhaps the last but equally important power that a corporate leader can use to influence and shape t he general culture of the organization is to cultivate a culture of trustworthiness within the environment and outside the given organization. This normally has an effect of motivating the employees and subsequently identifying the organization with the said culture of motivation (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011).à Important ethical leaders in and organization and their various roles Varieties of ethical leaders exist with each having more or less distinct roles in an organization setting. Ethical leadership entails the consistent practice and advocacy for normative actions that promote social values through engaging the employees in communication, teamwork, and decision-making. Top on the list are the decision makers who always strive to make well-informed and timely decisions about matters pertaining to the organization. This group of ethical leaders plays a strategic and proactive role within the organization (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011). There are the public relati ons leaders whose main role in the ethical sense is to ensure good and effective communication with all the stakeholders within the company. Since communication is important in solving problems, these leaders can also play a role in conflict resolution. In addition, the mentors play a major role in motivating their junior within the organization by organizing such initiatives as the corporate social responsibility (Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell, 2011).à Illustration of the relations between ethical leaders and stakeholders According to Ferrell, Fraedrich, and Ferrell (2011), stakeholders contribute to, depend on, involve in, or feel the effect of the organizations activities and therefore their interests should form part of the organizationââ¬â¢s agenda. These include the shareholders, customers, investors, and partners, whose needs, interests, and preferences can seem farfetched but in the end determines the culture exhibited by the concerned organization. Since both direct an d indirect stakeholders affect the organizations culture, all the ethical leaders within the company normally exhibit cordial relationship with all the stakeholders irrespective of the background in terms of contribution, geographic location, and size. This way, virtually every stakeholder will get higher percentage
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