Rumble Fish Essays (271 words) - English-language Films, Rumble Fish

Rumble Fish Hinton Rumble Fish is the sequel to The Outsiders. The characters names are different, but it is still taken place in the same time period. In the story Rumble Fish, Rusty James is a greaser who has a lot of fights in and out of school. He meets up with the Motorcycle Boy and whenever Rusty is in a big situation or fight, the Motorcycle Boy always helps him out. Rusty isn't a great kid. He has a police record and has been suspended for possession of a knife. Bad things can happen to you if you don't have a knife in certain situations. For example, Rusty was in a fight and it was going to be fought with knives. Nobody in his group had one, so Rusty lost. Then he met the Motorcycle Boy and everything was back to normal until the big fight. Rusty got hit, stabbed, and knocked out. Usually the Motorcycle Boy would help him out, but instead he wasn't there, nowhere to be seen. Rusty was put in the hospital. The main conflict in the story is Rusty James, and his fighting all of the time. It isn't good for him or his reputation. Rusty usually wins and someone always is looking to beat him at his own game, which is fighting, Rusty's specialty! The conflict is resolved when Rusty James is in a fight against another greaser and the Motorcycle Boy isn't there to save Rusty. After all of this happens, everyone starts making fun of Rusty. The mysterious thing is that the Motorcycle Boy is never seen again. Now Rusty has no friend's what so ever! Read Rumble Fish by S.E. Hinton, It's worth the read!

The Representation of Irish Nationalism

The Representation of Irish Nationalism Introduction The attempts to revive the Irish political nationalism have seen considerable Irish literary achievement. The country’s long history as a British colony and the effects of that colonization shapes the struggle for Irish nationhood and identity even today, both politically and imaginatively.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Representation of Irish Nationalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The country’s struggle for independence intensified towards the turn of the 20th century culminating in partial independence in 1921 from British colonization (Abrams 2304). The long history of colonization has had profound effects on the cultural, political, economic and social aspects of the Irish; a situation Ireland is struggling with even today, in its efforts to establish a distinct Irish culture and an Irish nation state. The nationalist struggle for Irish identity and nationhood began in the t urn of the 19th century culminating in partial independence from British colonization in 1921 (Abrams 2305). This struggle is integral to Irish recent history and is a central focus for the many political activists, poets, artists and writers who attempt to give the Irish national spirit a voice. The three literary works: Yeats’s â€Å"September 1913†, â€Å"Easter 1916†, and Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† revolve around the period preceding and after the Irish independence and subsequent creation of an Irish State. The three literary works touch on the problems and the issues associated with the Irish nationalist struggle in the early 20th century and its aftermath. The Themes: Yeat’s â€Å"September 1913† and â€Å"Easter 1916† Yeats’s Poetry comprises of poems written by an Irish poet, William Butler Yeats in the twentieth century (Yeats 1). In the two poems, â€Å"September 1913†and â€Å"Easter 1916†, Yeats u sed the themes of national unity, nationalism, social division and the freedom of expression in the context of his country, Ireland. Through themes and figurative language, the poems reveal Yeats’s feeling regarding the Irish struggle for independence. In particular, the theme of nationalism dominates in the â€Å"Easter 1916† poem, where he mentioned the national heroes who died during the rebellion such as MacDonagh (Abrams 2308). He said, â€Å"Now and in time to be, /whenever green is worn,† (Finneran 182). Green in this context referred to the national color of his country and a color of the Irish solders’ uniforms. In this case, he alluded that the struggle for independence was still on in Ireland.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In â€Å"September 1913†, Yeats introduces the theme of freedom from oppression. Although Yeat s was a patriot and advocated for independence of Ireland, he often criticized his country for the suppression of the right to free expression. In this poem he says, â€Å"Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone, / it’s with O’Leary in the grave† (Finneran 108), which shows that Ireland he had imagined no longer existed. His mention of O’Leary implied that the heroes who fought for Ireland’s freedom died in vain. He also alluded that Ireland lacked patriots who were willing to continue fighting for its freedom: â€Å"Yet they were of a different kind, /the names that stilled your childish play, /they have gone about the world like wind†, (Finneran 108). The middle classes comprising of the contemporary Roman Catholics had failed to fight for the same cause Yeats had fought for during that time; as such, Yeats felt betrayed by the contemporary Irish society (Abram 2303). Another theme that Yeats uses in his poems is that of social division, w hich appears in â€Å"September 1913†. Yeats detests the contemporary middle classes in Ireland and their corrupt practices (Abrams 2303). In the first three lines of this poem, he detests the money grabbing practices: â€Å"What need you, being come to sense, /But fumble in a greasy till, / and add the halfpence to the pence (Yeats 8). In this case, Yeats viewed the middle classes as selfish as they cared less about their history and only cared about money. Neither, did they care about the Irish freedom fighters or their religion, Catholic. In contrast, in Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead†, Gabriel seems scornful of Irish language and Ireland as a whole; he claims that he is â€Å"sick of own country, sick of it† (164). In this regard, Joyce laments the lack of real Irish nationalists as represented in the character Gabriel. Similarly, in the â€Å"September 1913† poem, Yeats appears to favor â€Å"aristocracy and peasantry for their economic benefits but hates the middle classes because of their indifference to Irish freedom or nationalism† (Abrams 2303). As Yeats implies, â€Å"their selfishness destroyed the once romantic Ireland and made nationalism appear meaningless or less prominent† (Abrams 2307).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Representation of Irish Nationalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In contrast, the premise of national unity stands out in Yeats’s masterwork of â€Å"Easter 1916†. This poem, written after the Easter rebellion in 1916, expressed the spirit of unity by the use of the word â€Å"our† to emphasize the importance of reconciliation of the middle classes who were behind the rebellion. In contrast, Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† criticizes the cultural imperialism that threatens the harmony of the Irish and the revival of the Irish language and culture (Abrams 2306). The mood in â€Å"Easter 1916† is harmonic and apologetic; he apologizes for his misjudgment of the middle classes in his earlier poem, â€Å"September 1913†. He says, â€Å"Polite meaningless words, and thought before I had done, of a mocking tale or a gibe, to please a companion† (Finneran 180). In this regard, he recognizes their role in the rebellion and implies that the middle classes carried the Irish honor and as such, were part of the Irish history. In the â€Å"September 1913† poem, Yeats had indicated that he resented the middle classes for their critical attitudes towards Ireland (Finneran 111). Nevertheless, their role in the Easter Rebellion saw him change his mood from resentful to reconciliatory to promote unity. Themes: Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† In ‘The Dead’, Joyce includes the Irish language to bring out the theme of national pride. During the last decade of the 19th century, the Irish underwent profound cultural revival; â€Å"they str uggled to define their identity† (Abrams 2307). A movement emerged to revive the national culture and language. As such, the Irish developed a renewed interest in the Irish language and literature including learning Gaelic that had been forgone as Irish adopted English language in public communication (Abrams 2307). Thus, this cultural revival gave the Irish a sense of identity and national pride. Joyce’s â€Å"The Dead† was written during this cultural revival: a time when the search for Irish identity and nationalism was at its peak. In â€Å"The Dead†, Gabriel’s interaction with Miss Ivors shows the significance that the Irish attached to Irish language. Gabriel totally refuses to acknowledge Ms. Ivors’ Irish nationalism. â€Å"Was she sincere? Had she any life of her own behind her propagandism?† (Joyce166).Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Similarly, Ms. Ivors disapproves of Gabriel’s regular travel abroad and challenges his assertion that the European languages contain more cultural elements compared to his Irish language: â€Å"why do you go to France and Belgium, said Ms. Ivors, instead of visiting your native land†, Well, it’s partly to keep in touch with the languages, said Gabriel† (Joyce 164). In this regard, Joyce compares the cultural values and language of Ireland and those of Britain as represented in the character Gabriel Conroy. In this story, West Ireland symbolizes Irish Nationalism, with Gabriel representing disloyalty to Irish culture and language, whereas Ms. Ivors appreciates her native culture. As Gabriel implies in his speech, the West of Ireland values and practices contravenes the Irish traditions on hospitality (Joyce146). Further, following Ms. Ivors provocation, Gabriel develops a negative attitude towards anything Irish. Thus, Joyce uses the two characters to contr ast two different attitudes developed towards Ireland during the Irish struggle and its aftermath. Gabriel, though cultured in Irish culture, holds a low opinion of his nation; instead, he turns to British culture, which he perceives as sophisticated and better (Joyce 164). Ms. Ivors, on the other hand, is passionate about her native culture and leans towards the Irish traditions and culture. She spends her holidays in West Ireland where she can use her limited native language, Gaelic, freely (Joyce 157). She even accuses Gabriel of betraying his own culture by calling him a ‘West Briton’, (Joyce 166) as he identified himself more with English culture than his own native culture. This turns out to be true as Gabriel, in his speech after dinner, quotes from Robert Browning, an English poet. He even criticizes the true nationalists like Ms. Ivors: â€Å"the new generation growing up in our midst† (Joyce147). Here, Joyce alludes to cultural imperialism by the Englis h culture that threatens to erode the revival of Irish culture, and by extension, the Irish nationalism. Yeats in his â€Å"September 1913† directly criticizes the middle classes for their indifference towards Irish culture (Finneran 118). In contrast, Joyce, through two characters, Gabriel and Ms. Ivors, ridicules cultural imperialism warning that there are consequences for cultural traitors towards the end of the story. One can see Gabriel’s paralysis as due to his association with English culture rather than his own culture (Joyce 166). Yeats in the â€Å"September 1913† also shows the element of cultural betrayal but, hints that the Irish struggle for independence would continue. He criticizes the middle classes of doing little to protect their country and rues the death of Irish nationalism. He laments the loss of the glory that once his romantic native land prided. Yeats, unlike Joyce, used figurative stylistic devices to highlight the Irish situation duri ng their struggle for independence. Yeats used symbolism in â€Å"September 1913† and â€Å"Easter 1916.† In the â€Å"September 1913† poem, the expression â€Å"wild geese spread† and â€Å"wing upon every tide† (Finneran 108) symbolizes the Irish nationalists in asylum, in countries such as Austria, France and Spain. The inclusion of the names of the freedom fighters such as O’Leary symbolizes the Irish glory. In addition, the title â€Å"Easter† in â€Å"Easter 1916† poem symbolizes the rebirth of the Irish nation state. It is an illustration of the renaissance of Yeats’s view about the middle classes because of their position in the Irish Rebellion. Conclusion Irish literature is central to Irish nationalism and the modern Irish experience. Yeats, through the two poems, â€Å"September 1913† and â€Å"Easter 1916† captured the cultural reality of the Irish in this era. He believed that the Irish culture had the power to revive and reflect the Irish identity: â€Å"Now and in time to be, /whenever green is worn,† (Finneran 182). Similarly, Joyce in â€Å"The Dead† alludes to cultural imperialism and its consequences on nationalism. Thus, the dominant theme explored by Irish literature regards nationalism and continuity of the Irish culture. Abrams, Mayers et al. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: W. W. Norton Company, Inc., 1986. Print. Finneran, Richard. The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. New York: Simon Schuster Inc., 1996. Print. Joyce, James. Dubliners. New York: Signet Classics, 1967. Print. Yeats, William. Selected Poems and Three Plays by William Butler Yeats. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1962. Print.

Free Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Free Trade - Essay Example Privatisation; this means transfer of past public owned organisation services and goods to private sector Limited intervention; governments should not interfere with markets expect in building infrastructure. Unembroidered market prices; this implies that governments will desist from controlling market prices. Export - led development; this are development strategies that emphasize export and foreign trade instead of protecting domestic industry. (Dornbusch, pp.69-85) Do open market economies grow faster than closed ones Many studies on market economics have argued that open trade system enhances a faster growth of economy. The point for this strong favour in terms of open trade is based on studies and on a conclusion that outward- based economies realize faster growth rates than those economies that are inward oriented. However, this seems to be overstated, as Dornbusch, (pp.69-85) observers, currently the advantages of open markets are being oversold continuously in the related literatures and in the IMF and World Bank publications. Yet, it is hard to understand the advantages of liberalization of markets among market economies. Economists reports that the effects of openness are very complicated and general mixed as to what extend the trade polices impact the growth of economy. More so the fact that studies explain trade openness in different ways makes it hard to classify countries depending on their level of trade openness. Thus, it does not come as a surprise when different results are obtained when different measures are used. (Dornbusch, pp.69-85) The correlation between free market and the economic growth of a country is a hotly debated issue in the trade and development literature. Until now, this issue remains unresolved. It is important... This essay stresses that the correlation between free market and the economic growth of a country is a hotly debated issue in the trade and development literature. Until now, this issue remains unresolved. It is important to note that, many literatures on this topic have put a lot of attention on the correlation between trade policies and economic growth instead of emphasizing trade levels and growth. This paper makes a conclusion that free trade or open trade is characterized by removal of trading barriers between countries. This is meant to stimulate more trading between countries which is faster and without any hindrance. The policy makers of these policies argue that free trade leads to higher economic growth in countries. However, free trade policies advanced by the IMF and the WB has lead to poor and middle economic countries to experience more economic hardships brought about by stiffer monetary policies. Some of the economies collapsed or stalled. A good example is the Asian crisis. Keeping in mind all the arguments presented open trade definitely is a cause of concern and cause of slow economic progress amongst the populace of the world but it is extremely important to remember that it is not the only cause of concern, some of the policies undertaken by states are implemented incorrectly which result in growing poverty and economic hardship being witnessed in many countri es especially African states. However, it cannot be stated that liberalization or open market is the ONE and ONLY cause of increase in economic hardships amongst the world’s populace.

Business and Ethic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business and Ethic - Essay Example Members of different groups traditionally have been underrepresented and disadvantaged socially, politically, and economically. Also, critics distinguish social categorization processes; the nature of evaluative, conscious, and affective issues that are elicited; and the sign of stereotypes and differentiated emotional changes (Gilbert et al 2001). Discrimination and prejudices are unethical because they violate constitutional rights and freedoms, they are illegal and unlawful. Social and individual differences have a great impact on human relations and discrimination issues and lead to such problems as low motivation and poor communication, unequal treatment, unfair labor relations and aggression. Thus, the constitution and modern society is based on freedom of expression and freedom of speech. every individual has a right to express different attitudes and opinions, have certain religious beliefs and belong to a particular culture. In spite of these issues, the main cause of discrimination is different attitudes caused by social variations and backgrounds. Complicating the interpersonal dimensions of dealing with competence, of course, is the competitive atmosphere, both within and among firms. In order to avoid discrimination and prejudices, definitions and descriptions of competent work must be clear, consistent, and fairly applied.

Development, impacts, implications of a contemporary political movment Essay

Development, impacts, implications of a contemporary political movment for change (Environmentalism) - Essay Example The beginnings of an environmental crisis which looms large over the world can perhaps be traced to the Industrial Revolution in Europe which led to natural resources being used, often indiscriminately, for the purpose of scientific progress (Reynolds, A Brief History of Environmentalism, n.dd). At a parallel level, European colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America were also subjected to much ecological damage for industrial growth. Though Henry David Thoreau pioneered environmentalist thinking in the USA, it was John Muir who laid the foundation of the Sierra Club in 1892 through which the government received ample financial aid for it to undertake wilderness conservation measures (Reynolds, n.d.). The emergence of environmental activists such as Wangari Mathai from Kenya shows that environmental concerns cannot be divorced from an engagement with the imbalances of power engendered by colonialism. In contemporary times ecocriticism has become an integral part of most academic disc iplines. It has been particularly influential in the field of postcolonial studies where scholars have found a close connection between the discursive and economic power wielded by the West and the environmental damage inflicted by Western nations upon the nations of the Third World. The first breakthrough in American environmentalism came with Rachel Carson’s work Silent Spring (1962) which spoke of the impact of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a commonly used pesticide on the environment. The work created immediate controversies and numerous American industrialists clamoured for its ban, accusing the author of baseless indictments. However, the work caused enough stir for President John F Kennedy to order a thorough investigation into its claims. The research revealed the hugely detrimental effect that DDT had not merely upon the physical environment but also on human health since it was commonly used as an agricultural pesticide. Following this the use of DDT was ba nned in the USA (Lear x-xi). This is an important episode in the history of environmentalism for it fortified American environmentalist movement besides proving the efficacy of protest movements led by seemingly politically disempowered individuals against multinational conglomerates. It is a sad fact that even today, several countries continue to use DDT and many such pesticides. These continue to affect the lives of millions of people and their health even today. The reasons for this can be traced to the lobbying power of the corporate firms that produce these pesticides and the lack of civic action on the part of the citizens of these nations. This can be remedied to an extent through the spread of awareness of environmental issues. In short, the issue of environmentalism needs to extend its reach to these nations in order for it to be an effective tool. In the 1970s began the era of international cooperation on the subject of ecological conservation, the manifestation of which w as the Earth Summits summoned by the United Nations. The first among these was held in Stockholm in 1972 and was titled â€Å"UN Conference on the Human Environment, Stockholm† (â€Å"Earth Summit,† The United Nations Official Website n.p.). These forums of international debate and discussion have laid bare not merely the urgent need to incorporate the

The Relationship Between Feminism and Anthropology

The Relationship Between Feminism and Anthropology The relationship of feminism and anthropology can bring a new development to the way ethnographies are written and done. Lila Abu-Lughods statement feminist ethnography is an ethnography with women at the centre written for women by women can be seen as an effort to find a distinct way of doing and writing ethnography. In this essay I will look at the roots of feminism and feminist anthropology. I will then discuss Abu-Lughods statement and try to explain how her statement is beneficial to anthropology and whether it is possible to do research her way. I will secondly look at the advantages and disadvantages of the statement. I will focus on notions of partial identity and objectivity. Finally, I will conclude by discussing some of the issues surrounding the empowerment of women, and that although Abu-Lughods statement does have some benefits it misses the important point. I will argue that feminist ethnography should be used as a political tool for disadvantaged women and it should reflect a collective, dialectical process of building theory through struggles for change (Enslin:1994:545). Feminism can be defined as both a social movement and a perspective on society. As a social movement, it has challenged the historical subordination of women and advocated political, social, and economic equality between the sexes. As a social and sociological perspective, it has examined the roles that sex and gender play in structuring society, as well as the reciprocal role that society plays in structuring sex and gender (Oxford dictionary 2007). There are three main categories in which the different waves of feminism can be divided. Among the first one which was from 1850 to 1920, during this period most research was carried out by men. Feminists aimed to bring the voice of women in ethnography, they gave a different angle on experiences of women and the surrounding events. This brought a new angle because male ethnographies only had the opportunity to interview other men e.g. what were women like. Important figures during this period were P.Kayberry who worked with B.Malinowski at LSE. She focused on religion but she examined men and women in her work. Moving on to the second wave of which was from 1920s to 1980s, here the separation between sex and gender was made by important feminists. Sex as nature and gender as culture. This takes us to the nature culture dichotomy which is important when we are focusing on the subordination of women in different societies. The dichotomies between sex/gender, work/home, men/women, and nature/culture are important in social theory for raising debates. Important figures in the second wave feminism were Margaret Mead she made a lot of contribution in her work on the diversity of cultures here she helped to breakdown the bias that was based on concepts of what is natural, and she put more emphasis on culture in peoples development. Most important works of Mead was Coming of Age in Samoa (1928). Another important figure was Eleanor Leacock who was a Marxist feminist anthropologist. She focused on universality of female subordination and argued against this claim. This second wave of feminism was influenced by a number of events in history, the 1960s was closely linked to political ferment in Europe and North America, like the anti-Vietnam war movement and the civil rights movement. Feminism was something that grew out of these political events during the 1960s. Feminism argued that politics and knowledge were closely linked with each other so feminists were concerned with knowledge and we have to question the knowledge that was being given to us. Feminism during 1960s called for the establishment of womens writing, universities, feminist sociology and a feminist political order which would be egalitarian. Feminists became interested in anthropology, because they looked to ethnography as a source of information about whether women were being dominated everywhere by men. What are some of the ways that women are living different societies, was there evidence of equality between men and women. Did matriarchal societies ever exist and to get the answers to such questions they turned to ethnography. This takes us to the issue of ethnography and what we understand about women in different societies. It became obvious that traditional ethnographic work neglected women. Some of the issues surrounding women are; ethnograhies did not talk about womens worlds, it did not talk about what went on in womens lives, what they thought and what their roles were. When we discuss the question are women really subordinated, we realize that we do not know much about women in different societies. B.Malinowskis work on the Kula did discuss the male role in the exchange of valuables. But during the 1970s Anette Weiner (1983) went to study the same society and she found out women are playing an important role in Trobriand society too. Their involved with the Kula, exchanges, rituals etc but Malinowski never wrote about it. Female anthropologists of the 1970s would go and look for important men, and then they would study their values, their societies, what was important to them. These anthropologists assumed, that men followed male logics in this public/private divide in line with this divide between the domestic and public sphere. They would also assume that what went on in the public sphere, economy, politics was more important the domestic side. The concept of objectivity came to be regarded as a mode of male power. Feminists claimed that scientific ideals of universality, timelessness, and objectivity were inherently male-dominated and that the more feminist attributes of particularism, empathy and emotionality were devalued (Abu-Lughod 1990). Feminists argued that to take over male domination these female attributes had to be given more importance and made clear. Abu-Lughods ideal way of doing research is when a female ethnographer takes part in the ethnography, rather then removing herself, who listens to other womens voice and gives accounts (Abu-Lughod 1990). The female ethnographer is able to do so because although the women studied differ from the ethnographer, she shares part of the identity of her informant. The female researcher therefore has the appropriate tools to understand the other womans life (Abu-Lughod 1990). this is why according to Abu-Lughod female ethnography should be an ethnography with women at the centre written by and for women. Abu-Lughod says that early feminist anthropologists did not really do anything about knowledge. They had good intentions but they didnt do much as they were trapped in ways of thinking that had been given to them by the masculine nature of the academy. Let us now discuss the first part of Abu-Lughods statement, whether feminist ethnography should be an ethnography with women at the centre written by women. Abu-Lughod claims that women understand other women in a better way. The female researcher shares some form of identity with her subject of study (Abu-Lughod 1990, Caplan 1988). For example some women have experience of form of male domination which puts the researcher in a good position to understand the women being researched. At the same time, the researcher keeps a certain distance from her informant and therefore can both have a partial identification with her subject of study, so blurring the distinction between the self and other, and still being able to account being able to account for others separateness (Strathern view in Caplan 1988). In a Weberian sense, the female researcher can use herself as an ideal type by analyzing the similarities and differences between herself and other women. According to Abu-Lughod, this i s the best objectivity that achieved (Abu-Lughod 1990, Weber 1949). Pat Caplan (1988) offers a good example of partial identity and understanding between women. According to Caplan the most important task for an ethnographer is to try and understand the people whom she is studying. Caplan writes about the research she did in Tanzania, East Africa. In her twenties, the women in the village were happy, satisfied and free but when she went back ten years later she realized the problems women were facing daily. While Caplan could not empathise with her informants at an earlystage of her life, because their identities were too different, she could atleast do in her thirties. In comparison a male ethnographer would probably never have realized the difficulties women are facing in their society (Caplan 1988). There are two criticisms to this argument. Firstly, to understand women, the female ethnographer has to take men into account as well because as it has been argued in the second wave of feminism the relationship between men and women is an important factor to understand society. So the partial identity between women that gives Abu-Lughods statement its importance but it loses it when a man enters the stage (Caplan 1988). Secondly, there is a danger to feminist ethnographers who only base their studies on women, treating women as the problem or exception of anthropological research and writing monographs for a female audience. In the 1980s feminist writers have argued that the construction if only two sexes and genders is arbitrary and artificial. Peoples sexual identities are infact between the two extremes of male and female. By only looking at womens worlds and dealing with an limited female audience, feminist ethnographers, even though stressing the marginalized part of the dualis m, enforce the traditional categories of men and women rather then allowing for a plurality of gender of genders (Moore 1999, Caplan 1988). Nancy Hartstock says why is it that just when subject or marginalized peoples like blacks, the colonized and women have begun to have and demand a voice, they are told by the white boys that there can be no authoritative speaker or subject (Abu-Lughod, p.17). To be in favour of Abu-Lughods argument it can be said that maybe the putting forward of this kind of ideal types, or points of reference, of men and women is what we need in order not to fall victim to daunting relativity and imprecise ethnographic work ( Moore 1999, Harraway 1988). For Abu-Lughod it is important for the ethnographer to be visible, this is because the reader can contextualize and understand the ethnographer in a important way. Whether the ethnographer is a woman should also be made clear. The ethnographer would also have to tell the reader about all of her background e.g. economic, geographic, national so the reader can properly understand the research. By only saying that the ethnographer is female and that sh e is doing research about women for women, the differences between all these women are overlooked. For example what would a white middle-class American single woman have in common with a poor Sudanese woman from the desert who has seven children, than she has in common with a middle-class Indian businessman who flies to San Francisco atleast twice a year? (Caplan 1988). Women are different everyone in the world and they come from different cultures so how can a ethnographer even if shes female say that she can write ethnographies about women and for women in general? It is unlikely that a non-western, non-middle class, non anthropologist will read the female ethnography written by a feminist scholar (Abu-Lughod 1990, Caplan 1988). There is a danger to implicitly apply Western stereotypes of feminity when doing research on women in parts of the world where the idea of being woman might be very different from the one we are familiar with (Abu-Lughod 1990). This criticism, is not totally dismissing Abu-Lughods statement because the anthropologist explicitly talks about partial identity not absolute identification or sameness. Abu-Lughods theory is strong in a way also, because she emphasizes particularity rather than universality and generality. In Donna Haraways words, The only way to find a larger vision, is to be somewhere in particular (Haraway 1988, p.590). Abu-Lughod focuses on stopping the male-centeredness in human science. This, as has been argued, is not enough: If women truly want to counter the male-centeredness in ethnographic writing, they not only have to get rid of the fact that it is mostly written by men for men, but should also counter all the other aspects of alleged scientific ideals such as universality, objectivity, generality, abstractness and timelessness. Female ethnographies, in that sense, do not have to be about women only in order to be distinct from conventional or male ethnography (Lutz 1995). On the other hand, feminist scholars have argued that male researchers tend to ignore womens lives and accounts, regard it as inappropriate to write about them or find it unnecessary to deal with their issues (Caplan 1988). In that sense, in order to compensate this imbalance, someone, i.e. the feminist scholars, has to do the job in order to give more power to women (Caplan 1988, Haraway 1988). The participation of women in public life has changed specially after the second world war, but there are still differences: womens voices are considered as being less competent, irrational, emotional and not worthy (Lutz 1995). Feminist scholars have also faced difficulties in the professional world, they might not have faced prejudice against their theories but situations like finding publishers for their research, less job opportunities (Caplan 1988). Feminists in return have reacted to this by adopting a tactic of resistance, rather than assimilating to masculine topics or styles of writing, they have stressed and looked for their distinct feminist ethnographic style (Lutz 1995). Abu-Lughod has therefore by bringing up her theory given power to anthropological feminists she has given them a tool to reflect different realities in a female way. This argument raises another question of who is actually being empowered by a feminist ethnography. Is it the women who are being studied? Or the feminist ethnographers themselves? What should matter more than reflexive ethnography or a feminist style of writing. What should matter more than the way an ethnography is constructed, or the way it is seen by the reader; what should matter more is the conclusions the researcher draws from ethnographic work and how it its put into praxis and used to empower the informants themselves. This applies more to a female ethnography that needs to counter the discrimination of women all over the world (Enslin 1994). It is important to give women their voice by writing about them but also accounts of marginalized women by themselves (e.g. autobiographies of black non-western women) remain marginalized, even in the field of womens writing or studies: feminist ethnography in Abu-Lughods terms thus undermines the agency of the women who are being studied (Enslin 1994). Female ethnographic writing has also been criticized for being exploitative. When a female researcher tells personal life stories and problems of the women whom sh e is studying, the researcher tends to give more intimate details than more positivist masculine researchers do, for her own academic purposes she is misusing her informants (Enslin 1994).

The Harsh Treatment of Women in Afghanistan Essay -- Culture

The Harsh Treatment of Women in Afghanistan Since the tragedies of September 11th 2001, Americans have really opened their eyes to the political state of Afghanistan. The poor treatment of women in Afghanistan is an issue that, for many Americans, just seems to be coming to light as a serious concern that requires outside attention. Extreme Islamic leaders in the country persist in limiting the freedom that Afghan women have. Women in the Taliban-controlled country suffer unusually hideous acts of torment and are forced to abide by outrageous regulations because of stringent enforcement methods. Afghan women daily live lives restricted by Taliban law and risk having to endure cruel punishment and torture, yet Afghan political leaders continue to justify the their treatment of Afghan women. The Islamic women of Afghanistan are denied many of the same liberties that Americans take for granted everyday. Although the religion that they have faith in, according to Janelle Brown’s â€Å"Terror’s First Victims†, â€Å"guarantee[s] women status in society as individuals and religious d...

Consultative selling Essay

For the last five years, I have held the fulltime sales position of Client Partner with a performance improvement origination. In this roll, I sell individual, team, and organizational solutions to mainly Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 organizations. My position as a Client Partner is a consultative sales job. I partner with clients helping them achieve better results. Consultative sales are quite different and very unique, from traditional or transactional sales. In the Consultative sales it is not about convincing the potential client that you have the product they need, or how you have the best price. Consultative sales are about results based conversations. Key concepts to Consultative selling are relationship building, effective listening, and closing the sale. Within the role of consultative selling, one must have the ability to build relationships, demonstrate effective listening, and then close the sale in order to be successful. I have been in this role for nearly five years. The last two years have been spent in the field, meeting face to face with clients and potential clients weekly. The face to face meeting is essential to the consultative sales role, as this is where the three key concepts are demonstrated. Prior to moving to the field, I had very limited experience in live consultative selling. My first year was really trial by error. I am confident in this first year; I lost many sells and even client relationships due to my lack of skills. However, I can recall one of the most satisfying consultative selling face to face client meetings where using all three key concepts, resulted in a large client engagement. The client was Orica they are the largest manufactures and full service explosive organization specializing in the mining and engineering fields. I received a call from someone in Orica, the individual was technical lead, and she was looking for time management training. She did not want to spend much time with me on the phone, nor did she want me to come out and meet with her face to face, she simply wanting the course outline and pricing to be sent over to her. This is the non-optimal consultative selling situation. However, two weeks later, I heard back from her, stating she wanted to go forward with the time management training program. Again during this conversation, she limited how much information she wanted to provide. All she communicated was this was for an engineering group of 25 employees who had challenges around working very long hours. In addition they were challenged with too many emails in the day. Although any sale is very much appreciated, this sales situation is not optimal. With consultative sales we are looking to solve business problems. If we do not fully understand the problem (diagnose) we cannot solve it (prescribe). Most often when we land sales as these, the clients do not reach the desired results, resulting in no future sales. During this work-session, I went out and sat in on the time management training. I joined in one of the tables. I began to participate to principals outlined in this session. This allowed me to hear the group responses to the questions, hearing what the actual challenges this particular group faces. Throughout the program, I checked in with my contact and would ask however thing was going. Unfortunately, she would not have much to say. Shortly after the work session ended I received a call from my consultant who delivered the program. He communicated to me that within the group today the Vice President of Learning and Development for Orica had been a participant. At the end of the session, the Vice President asks our delivery consultant many questions about the particular solution, and its capabilities. Due to the lack of communication from my original contact, I was never aware this executive would be attending! It was soon uncovered that there was building interest. The fact that there could be additional opportunity was great news! Two days later I called on the Vice President of Learning and Development for Orica, as soon as the conversation began, my intent was building a relationship. I called the Vice President asking for an appointment, with the intent of hearing his feedback on the work session along with giving a high level view of who FranklinCovey is and potentially have a deeper dive in conversation if he felt it was in alignment with Orica. I did not lead the conversation with what else I could offer Orica, but really wanting to hear his thoughts. He immediately agreed to appointment. The next day I drove out to his office. In the key concept of relationship building, one of the ways to do this is with a face to face appointment. In addition one must lead with questions that are personal, this always help to build rapport and allows me to really begin to understand the client. The second part to the questioning is to demonstrate effective listening. As soon as I arrived for the appointment, almost immediately as we shook hands I notice he had a unique metal bracelet on with multiple engravements. I asked him about the bracelet, and this began a fifteen minute conversation, he explained that he served two terms in Afghanistan with the United States Navy as an E. O. D. (Explosive Ordinance Device). The names inscribed on the bracelet are those friends who were killed. I spend the next hour really trying to understand him personally. I asked question, after question, the conversation flowed so naturally. The conversation evolved to where I uncovered his biggest challenge in moving to the civilian world which is finding purpose. There I had begun to build his trust. The questioning and effective listening have paid off. Through effective listening I navigated the conversations from personal question, to business framed questions. I really began to question the current organizational strategies, and structure, and goals. When I demonstrated effective listening, the questions naturally flow. The conversation did not sound interrogative, but genuine. Through this conversation, I uncovered so much more than just organizational time management needs. It allowed me to uncover the fact they are looking for a global time management solution, they needed a project management solution, an entry level managers training program, and even a solution to help them execute on their goals. Almost always when I schedule a face to face client meeting, it is always scheduled for an hour. This client appointment had gone nearly two hours and forty five minutes. The meeting thus far was spent building the relationship though effective listening. During the late portion of the conversation I looked down at my page full of notes, it is time for me to make my recommendation. I made a series of recommendations. My first recommendation is around the time management needs, then project management, then I tie in all the global and manager needs. I held off on the execution needs for the time. At the final closure of the meeting, I make the promise to send him what we talked about and the associated pricing. He shakes my hand and communicates he has already made his decision, and he would like to start with the first phase immediately. Because I was able to build the relationship, demonstrate effective listening, I did not have to sell him on the data. He didn’t need case studies, or industry comparisons, or how our solutions match to their competencies. He trusted me. He believed I did have the solution. He was ready to move. Had I not had the meeting with him, and was limited to the first contact within Orica; I would have never had this account produce what it has. When I initiated my face to face meeting with the potential client, I recognized almost immediately how well he responded to my personal questions. Walking into the meeting I knew what needed to be achieved, I needed to be closing a sale. I was aware of the key concepts behind a consultative sales role, but was unsure how I would achieve this. Opening the conversation with a personal question relating to his bracelet he was wearing, immediately set the tone for the remainder of the time together. It really was exciting to have the conversation flow so naturally. One question led to the next and the next after that. It was an enjoyable conversation that allowed me to learn so much about the client personally and his background with the war. I also enjoyed hearing more about his transitions and its struggles moving from military to civilian organizations. During this time of the conversation, I was not concerned about talking about the solutions I could offer, or how I would close the sale, I was simply engaged in what the client had to say. With this appointment I was able to experience first hand why being face to face is vastly more valuable than a virtual meeting. Had I not been meeting with this client face to face, I would have not seen his bracelet, and chances are never had the opportunity to ask him about his background. I also realized that once I was in the midst of this personal conversation that was so very interesting, I was able to demonstrate effective listening. Because of the nature of the conversation, I was easily able to listen effectively. As I ask one question, how he responded would result in my next question. I was able to be very specific in my questions, really trying to understand the personal challenges he had face along with the new challenges as a result of becoming a civilian. As I reflect on the results of listening effectively, I realize how I was able to navigate the conversation to uncover many challenges within the organization. At the end of the client meeting, I looked down at the notes I had taken. I was genuinely impressed by how specific and deep my notes were. I could now make very specific recommendations. This really was an experience I had wanted for very long. The more specific and clearer understandings of what the client’s needs are the clearer and more specific of a recommendation I can make. As I talked through the solutions and then followed it up with the recommendation on next steps, the client was extremely engaged. He was even surprisingly enthusiastic, that I was able to provide solutions to the challenges to which he had been tasked. What came as an even bigger surprise, he agreed to my recommendations on the spot! He wanted to talk though the details of starting the implementation. This was the first client appointment I had experience where I had demonstrated building the relationship, through effective listening resulting in a client agreeing immediately to the recommendation. As a result I know have a deep pervasive relationship with the client who is so fulfilling and rewarding. In addition to this joyous relationship, I also have a large revenue producing account. This is the dream of every sales person. Since experiencing such success in executing the three key concepts, I have change and altered how I facilitate a face to face client appointment. I now see that the face to face appointment is more impactful and valuable to the sales process. Demonstrating the three key concepts at the meeting is vital to the success of my business. When meeting face to face with clients, I focus on building the client relationship by primarily focusing on the person to whom the meeting is focused. If I can build repoire by effective questioning and listening, the recommendation, and making the sale will come much earlier. This experience has also resulted in deeper personal relationships. In addition to applying these principles in a professional environment, I have now begun to practice these concepts in personal relationships. I spend time really focusing on gaining deeper relationships through effective listening. I have now gained the experience on how to grow deep pervasive relationships. An essential element of sales is building client relationships. â€Å"The fastest way to get what you want is first to help others get what they want† (Gaffney 2010). The best behavior change we can make as a sale professional is to simply get over ourselves and start focusing on our client and their needs. â€Å"Commonality of purpose unites you with people; it builds rapport that leads to trust and to the development of a long-term, profitable relationship’ (Graffney 2010). The key first step of the sales process is establishing trust though development of the relationship. The client or potential client is not interested in what we have to say or what we are selling, unless they see how it is in their best interest. When engaging with client the universal truth â€Å"Focus on the client is the key to getting what you want† (Graffney 2010). When meeting with a client, we need to maintain this as a paradigm; building the client relationship and not falsely ‘pretending’ to be interested. The interest generated prior to the sale must be intentional and genuine. A clients sustainable success is based on the principle; â€Å"success in business is about-helping your client, not helping yourself’ (Graffney 2010). The top 10 percent know that they can only be successful if they’re focused on helping people rather than helping themselves making the sale. Consultative selling is about starting a dialogue to uncover a prospect’s problem and then helping them solve the problem in the best way possible. In order to uncover the problem we must have the ability to not only ask questions, but to demonstrate the skill of effective listening. Listening is both a behavior and a skill† (Bonet 2001). Many believe they have the skill of listening. Effective listening is â€Å"receiving information, giving meaning to the information, deciding what you think or feel about that information, responding to what you hear† (Bonet 2001). Most of us are not good listeners. Research indicates â€Å"We listen to 25% of our potential which means, we forget, ignore, distort, or misunderstand 75% of what we hear† (Bonet 2001). When we are able to listen effectively we are able to â€Å"understand problems, and build relationships† (Bonet 2001). If we are not effectively listening to prospects or clients; how is trust established? Without trust there is no client relationship. â€Å"Consultative selling, in a nutshell is the art of effective questioning, listening, and probing the client to effectively ascertain their problems, challenges, goals, and objections; then presenting solution options, which is customized to meet their specific needs and are designed to form long-lasting working partnerships with the client to maximize their investment (Bennett 2006). Consultative selling us focused almost exclusively on the clients rather than the product they are selling. The object is to understand the client’s situation to the degree that the â€Å"sale and implementation of the product or service becomes a seamless integral part of the client’s ongoing business operation† (Bennett 2006). It is apparent when the sales individuals executes successfully on building the client relationship through effective listening, advancement of the sell through competent recommendations is inevitable. The success I experienced from the client face to face meeting has the potential to change almost all of my personal engagements with others. For example; by applying the same concepts to both personal and professional relationships I can deepen and broaden these relationships. The skillset of being intentional on building relationships through effective listening can transform almost any relationship. People enjoy talking about themselves. If we genuinely want to develop and grow any relationship, personal and professional, by taking the attention off of ourselves, and focus on the learning about others, people respond positively. The behavior of effective listening communicates to the individual that they are unique and special. I have learned that people are accustomed to only talking about themself. People are often pleasantly surprised when they learn you are not there to talk about yourself, but rather learn about them! Prior to this experience I would be very nervous and almost sick over high value appointments. I was under the belief that I need to have a strong business case, and with that alone, I would be able to make the sale. This experience demonstrated that focusing on the client through effective listen is the most effect way to gain sustainable results. I will now have the confidence and ability to meet and work with larger more complex clients. By applying the same principles of building the client relationship though effective listening, I can make competent recommendations, that the client will trust. This will allow me to grow my business and the depth I am able to penetrate. Finally since this experience, I am now aware the building relationships requires being intentional. A quote that really emphasis this, is by former GE CEO, Jack Welsh â€Å"Be interested, not interesting†. The experience with this particular client taught me how true this statement is. I have since experienced the same success in the personal setting as I did in the professional. I look forward to additional successes, based on this model.

Triboluminescence of Wintergreen Lifesaver Candies

Triboluminescence of Wintergreen Lifesaver Candies For several decades people have been playing in the dark with triboluminescence using wintergreen-flavored Lifesavers candy. The idea is to break the hard, donut-shaped candy in the dark. Usually, a person looks in a mirror or peers into a partners mouth while crunching the candy to see the resulting blue sparks. How to Make Candy Spark in the Dark wintergreen hard candies (e.g., Wint-o-Green Lifesaversteeth, hammer, or pliers You can use any of a number of hard candies to see triboluminescence, but the effect works best with wintergreen-flavored candy because wintergreen oil fluorescence enhances the light. Select a hard, white candy, as most clear hard candies do not work well.   To see the effect: Dry your mouth with a paper towel and crunch the candy with your teeth. Use a mirror to see light from your own mouth or else watch someone else chew candy in the dark.Place the candy on a hard surface and smash it with a hammer. You can also crush it beneath a clear plate of plastic.Crush the candy in the jaws of a pair of pliers You can capture the light using a cell phone that works well in low light or a camera on a tripod using a high ISO number. The video is probably easier than capturing a still shot. How Triboluminescence Works Triboluminescence is light produced while striking or rubbing two pieces of a special material together. It is basically light from friction, as the term comes from the Greek tribein, meaning to rub, and the Latin prefix lumin, meaning light. In general, luminescence occurs when energy is input into atoms from heat, friction, electricity, or other sources. The electrons in the atom absorb this energy. When the electrons return to their usual state, the energy is released in the form of light. The spectrum of the light produced from the triboluminescence of sugar (sucrose) is the same as the spectrum of lightning. Lightning originates from a flow of electrons passing through the air, exciting the electrons of nitrogen molecules (the primary component of air), which emit blue light as they release their energy. Triboluminescence of sugar can be thought of as lightning on a very small scale. When a sugar crystal is stressed, the positive and negative charges in the crystal are separated, generating an electric potential. When enough charge has accumulated, the electrons jump across a fracture in the crystal, colliding with ​exciting electrons in the nitrogen molecules. Most of the light emitted by the nitrogen in the air is ultraviolet, but a small fraction is in the visible region. To most people, the emission appears bluish-white, although some people discern a blue-green color (human color vision in the dark is not very good). The emission from wintergreen candy is much brighter than that of sucrose alone because wintergreen flavor (methyl salicylate) is fluorescent. Methyl salicylate absorbs ultraviolet light in the same spectral region as the lightning emissions generated by the sugar. The methyl salicylate electrons become excited and emit blue light. Much more of the wintergreen emission than the original sugar emission is in the visible region of the spectrum, so wintergreen light seems brighter than sucrose light. Triboluminescence is related to piezoelectricity. Piezoelectric materials generate an electrical voltage from the separation of positive and negative charges when they are squeezed or stretched. Piezoelectric materials generally have an asymmetric (irregular) shape. Sucrose molecules and crystals are asymmetric. An asymmetric molecule changes its ability to hold electrons when squeezed or stretched, thus altering its electric charge distribution. Asymmetric, piezoelectric materials are more likely to be triboluminescent than symmetric substances. However, about a third of known triboluminescent materials are not piezoelectric and some piezoelectric materials are not triboluminescent. Therefore, an additional characteristic must determine triboluminescence. Impurities, disorder, and defects are also common in triboluminescent materials. These irregularities, or localized asymmetries, also allow for an electrical charge to collect. The exact reasons why particular materials show tribol uminescence can be different for different materials, but it is probable that crystal structure and impurities are primary determinants of whether or not a material is triboluminescent. Wint-O-Green Lifesavers arent the only candies that exhibit triboluminescence. Regular sugar cubes will work, as will just about any opaque candy made with sugar (sucrose). Transparent candy or candy made using  artificial sweeteners  will not work. Most adhesive tapes also emit light when they have ripped away. Amblygonite, calcite, feldspar, fluorite, lepidolite, mica, pectolite, quartz, and sphalerite are all minerals known to exhibit triboluminescence when struck, rubbed, or scratched. Triboluminescence varies widely from one mineral sample to another, such that it might be unobservable. Sphalerite and quartz specimens that are translucent rather than transparent, with small fractures throughout the rock, are the most reliable. Ways to See Triboluminescence There are several ways to observe triboluminescence at home. As I have mentioned, if you have wintergreen-flavored Lifesavers handy, get in a very dark room and crush the candy with pliers or a mortar and pestle. Chewing the candy while watching yourself in a mirror will work, but the moisture from saliva will lessen or eliminate the effect. Rubbing two sugar cubes or pieces of quartz or rose quartz in the dark will also work. Scratching quartz with a steel pin may also demonstrate the effect. Also, sticking/unsticking most adhesive tapes will display triboluminescence. Uses of Triboluminescence For the most part, triboluminescence is an interesting effect with few practical applications. However, understanding its mechanisms may help explain other types of luminescence,  including bioluminescence  in bacteria and earthquake lights. Triboluminescent coatings could be used in remote sensing applications to signal mechanical failure. One reference states that research is underway to apply  triboluminescent flashes  to sense automobile crashes and inflate airbags.

Criminal Mythology Produces a Distorted View of Reality

Criminal Mythology Produces a Distorted View of Reality Criminal mythology is a belief of what crime is, and what causes crime. The concept evaluates the qualification of an act as a crime. In addition, it also analyses the causes of crime, and the common belief about the real reasons behind crime. While some people propose that crime is a natural phenomenon, others believe that it is an action initiated through free will.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Criminal Mythology Produces a Distorted View of Reality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, some of the myths support a theory that the criminal mind is a result of social orientation, and can be corrected through appropriate measures (Lombroso et al, 2006). The society regards many criminals with contempt. Consequently, the society rejects and condemns a criminal for the crime he or she has committed. The perspective of the society is that crime is not a rational act since the circumstance of the event of a crime is not evaluated. In fact, most of the common myths about the criminal mind are misguided by tradition and the values of culture in the particular society in question. For a criminal, there is a substantial reason behind every action that he or she does. Either the crime is a result of rational evaluation of the circumstances that the criminal faces or the criminal has an abnormal approach of evaluating situations (Young, 1996). Sometimes, people claim that a person who commits crime acts in the direction that avoids direct confrontation with the predicament of the circumstances. In this case, an act of crime that has been committed once is not likely to be repeated, since the probability of the circumstances of the crime recurring are minimal. In a different perspective, one may choose to see the crime for what it is. In this essence, a person who has committed a crime is guilty of the offence and is subject to some corrective measures to prevent the crime from happening a gain in the particular society. Even when the circumstances of the crime are convincing from the perspective of the evaluator, the criminal remains guilty of the gravity of the entire action done. It is considered that the criminal has the mind to commit the crime before the event itself. This myth assumes that there is always an alternative way to deal with a situation. In this regard, the criminal should take a course that does not aggravate the law. Crime is considered a result of the state of mind, and not the circumstances. Thus, the person behind an act of crime is liable for the event of crime.Advertising Looking for essay on criminology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Serial murders, among other crimes, are subject to superstition in most societies around the world. Serial murder, in the understanding of the contemporary society, is the killing of more than two people by one killer within a relatively short time. The reason behind murders committed by serial murderers is not physical. It is widely accepted that serial murderers kill for psychological reasons. One reason is that the murderer seeks to satisfy an intense urge to take a life, and the second reason is that the murderer has some mental defect, which makes him or her result to a violent reaction to some kind of aggravation. Although modern explanations of the reasons behind serial murders are relatively accurate, there is disagreement between experts of psychology over the cause of the mental disturbances behind murders. Serial murder is a crime that has been subject to association with paranormal activities more than any other offence (Warner, 1999). When successive murders occurred in a society in ancient times, people sought to explain the murders through superstition. Accounts of demons being the culprits behind murders were common in ancient times. Superstitions continued to evolve with time, and were applied in all soci eties until the beginning of twentieth century. Today, most of the ancient myths about murders have been discarded, but people have resulted to forging other unrealistic explanations of the force behind crime. Some crimes have been explained by the society in a bizarre way. Several myths about crime have existed for a long time in history. Vampires are believed to be degenerated forms of human beings who commit murder, and feast on human flesh and blood. This myth proposes that murderous criminals are vampires. This means that some form of demonic spirits possess the criminals. The demons are the reason behind crime according to this myth. The legend of the vampires originated in Europe. Vampires are believed to be possessed forms of the dead people who have led evil lives. In some cases, vampires are considered reincarnations of people who had a reputation of witchcraft. This belief dates back to the thirteenth century.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Crim inal Mythology Produces a Distorted View of Reality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Historians believe that the myth is a distortion of accounts of pagan worship early into the millennium. The belief in vampires led to people accusing vampires of murders in mysterious crimes. During the nineteenth century, the myths about the vampires had spread such that the influence on people resulted to execution of those they thought were vampires, or exhibited such behaviour (Summers, 2003). This myth ignores the reality and the circumstances in which the crime was committed. It is an easier way to explain a crime, rather than accept that another individual is behind the heinous act. When a crime was committed, people would assume that a vampire was behind the crime. The grievous act was usually murder. This is because people believed that the vampire needed to feed on the blood of the victims. The residents of a neighbourhood would then go to a grave yard to perform some rituals to identify the vampire. Once a grave was identified, the corpse would be exhumed and examined for signs of vampire activity. When the guilty corpse was identified, people would then perform rituals on it to kill the vampire spirit in it. These kinds of interpretations of crimes avoided the reality and the real criminals continued to live free. Serial murders were the most common crime associated with myths. This crime was associated with monsters with supernatural power more than any other crime. Perhaps this is because of the gravity and mysterious nature of serial murders. People wanted to find an answer to the mysteries. Werewolves are other mythical creatures thought to be capable of committing crime. Werewolves are mythical humanlike creatures with the ability to switch their appearance between a human figure and a wolf figure. According to myths, a person became a werewolf through a bite from another werewolf, or through a spell that was cast on a human being. The myth of the werewolves appeared in Europe in the nineteenth century. However, it is thought that the myth was forged out of another ancient Greek myth. The myth supposes that a person was changed into a wolf by a god after committing murder. Werewolves were believed to have long fingernails, and fed on human remains. These mythical creatures were accused of murders in Europe. Often, people would be accused of being werewolves, and committing a grievous crime. These people would then be cut to examine if they had fur in their flesh. Punishment would be administered to people for being werewolves without seeking to establish the real criminal behind a crime.Advertising Looking for essay on criminology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other treatments such as forced conversion to Christianity were the most potent ways of dealing with werewolves according to beliefs. Serial murders would be attributed to werewolves, which had the speed and the strength beyond any human capability (Donnell, 1996). The two myths discussed above represent common ancient myths about crime. Although the two myths are not common in today’s society, they are similar concerning contemporary beliefs about crime. The myths are used to escape reality. Human beings seek solution for every event that they observe. Failure to get a logical explanation regarding a crime may lead to people blaming supernatural creatures with powers beyond our capabilities (Samenow, 2012). This effectively puts a case of a crime to rest since there are no efforts put towards trying to solve the crime. When a society has deep beliefs in such myths, it is difficult to objectively investigate a crime, and result to an appropriate reaction. In 1888, a string of murders occurred in a poor region in London city. These murders were of similar characteristics and were thought to have been perpetrated by one person. However, the assumption that a single killer committed the murders was a result of the attention that the media directed towards the incidents. The popular belief led to the christening of the killer as â€Å"Jack the ripper†. In addition, the murders were brutal, and whoever committed the murder exhibited signs of mental defects. This is because the murders were committed by slitting of the throats of the victims. In some cases, the corpses were found without some parts and organs. At one point during the height of publicity of the incident in the media, a letter purported to be from the killer, claiming responsibility, was sent to the authorities. Authorities could not establish whether the letter came from the murderer. Police suspected that the letter came from a person who wanted to escalate publicity of the incidents. The victims of the murders in London were prostitute women in a slum settlement. Moreover, the inhabitants of the slum were of various ethnic backgrounds. Persistent economic strain and the racial tension that prevailed within the community in the area could be the cause of the murders according to authorities. Not all murders of the London city could be associated to one killer by the authorities. However, five of the murders had a similar pattern. All the same, the police could not effectively deny that one person had committed over twelve murders due to lack of proof. In one incident, a victim claimed to have been attacked by a gang of three and not one person. However, the media associated the murder with the serial killer. The media played a big role in making the murders appear heroic. The media portrayed the serial killer as a defiant force that could not be apprehended (Eddleston, 2001). Due to glorification of the ability of the murderer to evade police, the killer was asso ciated with mythical supernatural power. However, the police associated the murders with racial tension or and occultism. The murders in London portray events of extreme and brutal violence. Mysterious supernatural powers could not be the killer behind the murders. One of the reasons that point objectively towards crime is the fact that the corpses of the victims were missing body parts in most of the incidences. It is only in one case in which the victim was not severely mutilated. However, signs of an interrupted mutilation session were evident. While the media portrayed the killer as a hero, the reality is that the murders were brutal crimes committed by a person or people with a motive. The loss of organs in most of the bodies supports this fact. According to the nature of the murders, they seemed to be premeditated actions. In all multiracial communities, racial tension is common. In extreme occurrences, members of a certain community commit gruesome murders. An example of such murders is the London incidents. Most of conflicts between communities result in grievous violence and even murder. For example, the black race has been associated with crime especially in areas where it is the minority. In countries were racial segregation has been a norm in recent history, conflict between races is more intense. It is true that some races have a high tendency of crime than others. However, the significantly higher rate of crime among members of these races is not directly associated with the unique physical characteristics of the particular race. Extreme deprivation of material resources and racial oppression is the major reason why some races have a higher crime rate. For example, the black race in America has exhibited high crime rate among its members for quite a long time. People of other racial descents associate this phenomenon with the nature of the black race. The race is portrayed as naturally evil, and ready to commit crime at any time given the right e nvironment (Adams, 2010). This is a typical myth around the world, where the black people are stereotyped as criminals. The proponents of the myth ignore the plight of black people over centuries. Black people established as minority race in countries where they were sold as slaves throughout the first and the second millennia AD. It is not until late twentieth century, the black people were recognised as an equal race among other supposedly superior races. The deprivation of resources, and the segregation that prevailed prior to the middle of the twentieth century, pressured members of the black race to engage in criminal activities. Poverty and psychological torture elicited violent reaction from members of the black race over time (Friedman, 2004). Due to the continued social oppression of members of the black race, racial tension has arisen between the races such that given an opportunity, a black person is likely to do harm to a member of any other major race. This phenomenon i s common among members of all minority communities. In the United States, all minority communities who have experienced political, social, or economic deprivation have a higher tendency to commit crime (Winerman, 2004). Association of minority races with crime is a contemporary myth concerning the likelihood of a person to commit a crime. While the statistical figures supporting association of racial differences and variation in crime are true, the reason behind the differences is often a myth. References Adams, A. (2010, February 9). The Effect of Race and Crime Type on Perceived Guilt. The Effect of Race and Crime Type on Perceived Guilt. Web. Donnell, E. (1996). Werewolves. Royston: Oracle. Eddleston, J. J. (2001). Jack the Ripper: an encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Abc. Friedman, L. (2004, May 6). Professor Tackles Myths About Crime In America. Stanford News ServiceLAW . Retrieved from https://news.stanford.edu/pr/94/940101Arc4530.html Lombroso, C., Gibson, M., Rafter, N. H. (2006). Criminal man. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Samenow, S. (2012, February 3). The Basic Myths About Criminals : Inside the Criminal Mind. eNotAlone: relationship advice and articles. Retrieved from https://www.enotalone.com/ Summers, M. (2003). The vampire in Europe (New ed.). London: Kegan Paul International. Winerman, L. (2004, July 5). Psychological sleuthsCriminal profiling: the reality behind the myth. American Psychological Association (APA). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug04/criminal Warner, M. (1999). No go the bogeyman: scaring, lulling, and making mock. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Young, A. (1996). Imagining crime: textual outlaws and criminal conversations. London: Sage.

Identifying Stakeholders and Interests Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Identifying Stakeholders and Interests - Essay Example This organization is mainly concerned with the creations of fair systems of trade that would benefit the farm workers and ensure that they get fair remuneration. It conducts research on the various aspects related to farm workers to ensure that they get satisfaction from their work efforts (Fair Trade, 2010). It is clear that this organization has concerns on the interests of farmers and thus, it supports the labor laws. The stakeholders that are also associated with labor laws are those in the Office of Disability Employment Policy. The stakeholders in this case wish to change the systems used in employing and addressing the issues that affect the people with disability. They have suggested the things incorporations for the systems to change effectively. The first thing to change is the elimination of the disincentives in the federal programs. These disincentives have been detrimental to the people with disabilities and in turn, it violates the law on inclusion of all regardless of race, state of ability or ethnicity. The other thing that needs attention is the collaboration and synchronization of the federal programs (ODEP, 2010). The stakeholders in this department have the aim of improving the efficiency of labor laws meaning that they support the labor laws. The National Mediation Board (NMB) is also an organization built to address the issues that affect human capital. However, this organization has some political issues surrounding it and thus, it does not support the labor laws. The first issue in this organization is that all the senior members have reached the retirement age. This means that the organization does not protect the interests of the young who are unemployed and could fill the management positions when given the chance. This organization is also weak in its procurement procedures and thus does not obey the existing labor laws. It should therefore be changed for it to meet the labor laws (Smith & Erez, 2011). The stakeholders at

Operations and IT Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operations and IT Management - Essay Example This will significantly reduce conflicts when we come to implementation or operations of the managers. The information lifecycle approach has strengthened customer relationship management, which is a widely applied strategy for running a company’s relations with its customers, clients as well as sales prospects. It encompasses the use of technology to organize, computerize, and harmonize business processes-mainly sales activities, but, in addition to those for marketing, client service, along with technical support (Fitzsimmon, 2005). The predominant goals are to find, attract, and convince new clients, nurture and lock in the customers, which the company already had before, entice previous clients back into the fold, and minimize advertising costs and client services. Customer relationship management illustrates a company’s broad business plan including client interface sections as well as other departments. Computing and valuing customers’ correlation is crucial to implementing this strategy. This has tremendously reduced conflicts between operations managers and information technology managers, due to specialization and division of areas of jurisdiction within the business system. Information privacy and data security; operations managers and information technology managers are now working concurrently to ensure that there is information security. Given the fact that security is an area of concern in the business sector, the two bodies have no choice but, to pull together as a team in considering the desire for information and data privacy, as well as the legislative and cultural standards. Some clients would like their pertinent information to remain their secret, and not to allow any other unauthorized persons, without their permission access to it. Information lifecycle approach enables business firms to keep different business documentation for a different