Essay about Classical Philosophers - 1050 Words

Classical Philosophy The golden age of Greece was an age of thinking, of knowledge, and of the arts. Some of the greatest minds of any time projected their ideas upon the masses. They were called philosophers. These were men whose minds developed some of the most abstract and revolutionary ideas of the time. Some of them were put to death for their ideas and their beliefs and became martyrs for their cause. During this age, three philosophers in particular stood out from the rest. Socrates Socrates was the first of the three great philosophers. Before devoting his life to his teachings and philosophies, he was a stonemason and also served as a soldier of some distinction during the Peloponnesian war. He never wrote any of his teachings†¦show more content†¦Comparative with Socrates, before starting his own philosophical career (if that is what one can call it), he served in the Peloponnesian war. After the war was over, he devoted a significant portion of his life to following Socrates and documenting his conversations with the youth of Athens and also learning from him at the same time. Plato was very interested in a career in politics, but after the death of Socrates and numerous other occasions involving the politicians of Athens, he gave up his ambitions and fled to Egypt, and after that, traveled to Italy. In Egypt, he learned of the water clock and later introduced it to Athens. His trip to Italy was of greater importance. There he met Pythagoras and came to appreciate the workings of mathematics. He also learned with the disciples of Pythagoras, learning from them and developing his idea ‘... that the reality which scientific thought is seeking must be expressible in mathematical terms, mathematics being the most precise and definite kind of thinking of which we are capable. The significance of this idea for the development of science from the first beginnings to the present day has been immense.’ nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Not long after his return to Athens, there was a period of war and again he entered military service and was decorated highly for his bravery in war. It is also generally believed that he began to write his texts during this period. In mostShow MoreRelatedSocrates, A Classical Greek Philosopher1497 Words   |  6 PagesSocrates, born in 470 BC in Athens, Greece, was a classical Greek philosopher and is believed to be one of the founders of Western philosophy. He lived a good 71 years until his death in 399 BC. Although Socrates never wrote anything down, we still know quite a bit about him. Everything we know, we have learned through the writings of one of Socrates’ students, Plato. One very famous phenomenon we learn from Socrates is Socrates’ Socratic method. It essentially laid down the building blocks of WesternRead MoreRaphael’s The School of Athens: Classical Philosophers in a Renaissance Work1159 Words   |  5 PagesThe European Renaissance was the time period after the Dark Ages. In the Renaissance, radical new ideas like humanism and individualism took foot. Also, art and science were re-embraced for the first time in Europe since classical times. Art in the Renaissance became m uch more realistic and advanced using new techniques such as chiaroscuro (using high contrast to add depth to a painting), foreshortening (adjusting line length and angle to make 2-D objects look 3-D), and much more accurate perspectiveRead MoreSocrates : A Classical Greek Philosopher And The Father Of Western Thought752 Words   |  4 PagesIndividual Creative Paper Socrates was a classical Greek Philosopher and the father of Western thought. He was born in Athens Greece, in (c. 470-399 B.C.E.) (Archetypes of Wisdom, 95) Little is known about his life, but what we do know through the writings of his students, especially Plato, is that Socrates had a unique philosophy and charisma. Socrates was born to Sophroniscus a sculptor, and mother Phaenarete, a midwife. Because he was not from a royal family it is assumed that he most likelyRead MoreEssay on Wrights The Orrery1100 Words   |  5 PagesDerby for being a talented portraitist, his works in Liverpool far surpassed the portraits he painted for middle-class citizens.1 He intricately portrayed scenes of brilliant thinkers in their studies with the atmosphere of his humble hometown. A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery was the second of three paintings produced by Wright of Derby in which the scholars were depicted in their studies at night, by candlelight. â€Å"The Orrery† was painted in 1766. The sequence of candlelight paintings was doneRead MoreLiberalism And Its Impact On International Relations Essay1427 Words   |  6 Pagesbut will try to touch the essential values and norms regarding liberalism. Liberalism is based on human experience and habit absorbed from society. So in same manner in this essay I will be trying to review and address liberalism and different philosoph ers Kant, Locke, Doyle and many more. When there is liberalism, one of the important issue that liberalism talks is international institutions and their impact on international politics and international relations of states. As liberalism argues forRead MoreMusic Makes Children Smarter : Music Essay1610 Words   |  7 Pagesof our brain had a major role that can progress to become intellectual when exposed to classical music, and later on, was exposed to another conclusion, that classical music, only has rapid effect in specific amount of time. Professors and theorists dispute with disagreement that listening to classical music is uncertain and does not necessarily make people smarter. Listening to other music other than classical, however, was proven to be more effective. Harmony Project is a nonprofit organizationRead MoreClassical Liberalism Is A Political Philosophy Originated1594 Words   |  7 PagesClassical Liberalism is a political philosophy originated in the 18th century based on the idea of individual liberty created to preserve an open and accepting, and open-minded society. Classical liberalism is very solemn when advocating for the value of freedom in which emphasizes the importance of religion, speech, press, assembly, and markets which includes free trade market capitalism, and economic liberalism. Up until around the 1900s, this ideology was commonly known as Liberalism, howeverRead MoreThe Renaissance Man Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pagesindividuals with the God-given power to shape their destiny. Such a rebirth of the ideas and energy of ancient Rome became evident and accepted. The people of this time period liked the idea of individualism and of building upon the achievements of the Classical period to achieve a new era of gre atness. Therefore, the â€Å"Renaissance Man† came to play a critical role in society. The role of man in Renaissance society was to reform society culturally, psychologically, and physically through the applicationRead MoreIvan Pavlov s Theory Of The Conditioned Reflex1706 Words   |  7 Pagesreflex. His name was Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. Ivan Pavlov conducted a well-known experiment for teaching a hungry dog to salivate at the sound of a bell when presented with food. This experiment led Ivan Pavlov to become known for his development on Classical Conditioning, which captured the attention of everyone, especially physiologist and psychologist. Ivan Pavlov was born September, 14, 1849 in Russia. Ivan Pavlov’s father was a priest and his mother was a homemaker. Initially, Pavlov studied theologyRead MoreLiberalism Is Defined by a Desire to Minimise the Role of the State890 Words   |  4 Pagesliberals have different views on the state and how â€Å"large† it should be. Over the years the trend has fir liberals to become more â€Å"state-friendly† moving from classical liberals who preached for fragmented government to modern liberals who were state friendly, however since the 1960’s/70’s Neo liberals have tried to reverse this trend. Classical liberals such as John Locke, â€Å"the father of liberalism†, have argued that in order for the state to achieve and uphold its core principles such as individualism

Organizational Behavior Concepts Of ATT Essay - 1854 Words

AT T is the largest communications company in the world. The company is the leading U.S. provider of wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. They have even expanded to include entertainment with television services called UVERSE TV. With the many accomplishments of this media giant its portrayal of evidenced practice of some successful organizational behavior concepts reveal clear understanding of leadership. AT T has proven success through effective organizational behaviors that include focusing on organizational structure, organizational culture and communication. Organization culture is the matter that holds a company intact. This is what makes each†¦show more content†¦(2006) Among Americas Top Companies for Minorities by The Diversity Network and Fortune magazine. (2006) Among 50 Top Employers for Minorities by Fortune magazine. (2005) Among the Top 50 Companies for Hispanics by Hispanic Business magazine. (2005 — 2006) Among Americas Top Corporations for Womens Business Enterprises by the Womens Business Enterprise National Council. (1999 — 2006) The companys philosophy is to provide employees with continued opportunities to grow and develop their careers. Management is charged with successful implementation of various diversity initiatives as part of this philosophy. ATT leaders are expected to understand the importance of cultural competency. ATT is an organization that has a culture of people oriented practices. Employees are not expected to deliver extraordinary results with an ordinary culture. AT T clearly recognizes and acknowledges that employees are the key to success. The invitation to apply for employment on the company’s web site indicates the value of employees identified by management. â€Å"Realizing that talented, dedicated people are key to a companys success, ATT employees receive a competitive benefits package that provides security, value and protection. ATTs benefits are designed to help employees reach their career objectives and their personal goals† (ATT .com). Contests and activities ar e just two examples of how the company ensures their culture meets expectations.Show MoreRelatedOrganizational Behavior Concepts of atT Essay1954 Words   |  8 PagesAT T is the largest communications company in the world. The company is the leading U.S. provider of wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. They have even expanded to include entertainment with television services called UVERSE TV. With the many accomplishments of this media giant its portrayal of evidenced practice of some successful organizational behavior concepts reveal clear understanding of leadership. AT Read MoreOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper850 Words   |  4 PagesOrganizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts Paper The following essay will be described the organizational behavior terminology and concepts applied in the organization. The following topics will be presented: Organization culture as internal and external environment of control. Diversity as of individual differences based on gender, race and ethnicity, age, disabilities, and sexual orientation. 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This paper outlines the three stages of Lewin’s model of planned change – unfreezing, movement, and refreezing – and discusses the importance of each relative to changing employee behaviors. Lewin’s Three-Stage Model Lewin’s approachRead MoreKey Resources That Affect Creativity Are Time And Money778 Words   |  4 Pagescreativity by serving as a role model, persevering through tough problem, as well as encouraging trust, collaboration and communication within the team.(Bateman, 1999) †¢ Organizational Support - Encouragement from supervisors certainly fosters creativity, but creativity is truly enhanced when the entire organizationsupports it. Organizational leaders must put in place appropriate systems or procedures that value and recognize creative contributions. †¢ Managerial Implication- Positive approach to innovationRead MoreLeading Employees Of Different Cultural Backgrounds1266 Words   |  6 Pageswork force is made up of people all around the globe, managing such a diverse work force is a challenge. An organization is doomed if the management fails to lead, motivate and inspire their diverse workforce. One aspect of management specifies the behavior, attitude and the level of motivation in any given situation this could be even more problematic in multicultural work environments. There could be many different factors as well as conditions that could influence the management’s style which includesRead MoreLeadership: an Integrative Approach1334 Words   |  6 PagesLDR/531 March 10th, 2012 Professor Miguel Rodriguez Carrasquillo Leadership: An Integrative Approach Leadership, as stated by Yukl (2010), is a multifaceted concept that has kept a passionate interest among its followers and people since it takes into account the characteristics of the leaders, followers and the surrounding environment. Also, in his work Yukl (2010) portrays the term as both a specialized roleRead MoreThe Role Of Organizational Behavior By Embracing Performance Management Research Essay759 Words   |  4 Pagesvalues’, Academy of Management Journal, 42(5), pp.507-525. Aguinis, H., C. Pierce, (2008) ‘Enhancing the Relevance of Organizational Behavior by Embracing Performance Management Research’, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29 (1) pp.139-145 Atrill, P., E. McLaney, (2011) Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists, 7th Edition, Harlow: FT/Prentice Hall Barney, J. (1986) ‘Organizational Culture: Can it be a source of sustained competitive advantage’? Academy of Management 11(3), pp. 656-665. BarneyRead MoreMusic Games International ( Mgi )1692 Words   |  7 Pageslack of organization and control, views were aired in an unstructured manner. Since there was no particular leader to call order, meetings could go on for long hours without members reaching an agreement. Organizational behavior entails a lot in an organization. The concept in which, diverse models and philosophies are articulated towards enhancing job performance, facilitating leadership, encouraging innovation among other critical elements that should be taken into consideration. Thus

David Petrie - Distracted Driving free essay sample

His standpoint is extremely clear; he argues for greater publication and law involvement for enforcing â€Å"pull over and stop† in the occasion of child distraction. Petrie supports his standpoint with personal experiences and statistical evidence. He began by describing the different kinds of distractions that experts at the U. S. Department of Transportation say there are: visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. He then tells the reader that these experts believe texting to be the most dangerously distracting action since it involves all three types of detrimental distractions. Once laying out the well known side of the arguments, he continues in the next paragraph to addresses his alternate or rather additional view of the argument. He quickly jumped to a personal anecdote as a means of bringing the subject close to home, for his target audience, and more relatable. His sentence structure becomes shorter and his diction relaxes greatly. At this point it became questionable as to whether Petrie was composing and arguing seriously or taking this subject into a too comfortable and informal direction. We will write a custom essay sample on David Petrie Distracted Driving or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although his personal experience shows his knowledge of a stressful and distracting situation, he does not have direct evidence that this led to a hazardous outcome. Luckily Petrie backed up this story with a paralleled structure from the first paragraph stating how the three forms of distraction applied to his experiences in dealing with a young child in the backseat. Petrie furthers his desire to make the distracted driving campaign broader to include more than just texting while driving. He brings in statistical polls to support the need for a wider range of distractions to be publicized for more drivers to be made aware of. Statistics showed in favor of young children being one of the leading causes of driver-distraction crashes for people ages 20 to 29. The author asks a rhetorical question to spark thought over what should be done about the situation. Petrie presents the Department of Transportations way of fixing distracted driving; they say to Put it down! . Petrie suggests instead that it should be Pull over and stop. This solution encompasses quite a variety of situations with a simple message that can be followed under most circumstances. Under his specific circumstances, he put action to the previous message: â€Å"Pull over and stop† and he also found an alternative to match his personal problem: a pacifier clip, something to soothe his distracting baby. To conclude Petries argument, he poses a question to the audience inquiring their opinion on what the message should be to distracted drivers. It is a very valid point that Petrie argues. Child distraction has been a problem since the invention of any transportation vehicle. The new enemy of the road; texting has become capitalized on, but to the point of causing other distractions to fall behind in a shadow. He has successfully brought light to a lesser publicized distraction in a comfortable, but statically supported argument. Petrie emphasized the need to recognize more than one contributing factor to distracted driving. His fight was to recognize children in the backseat as a major contributor.

Language Research Methodology and Design Routledge

Question: Discuss about the Language Research Methodology and Design Routledge. Answer: Introduction: The methodology chapter of the dissertation talks about the various methods that have been used for carrying out the research. It is only when a proper research method is selected the outcome of the research can be fruitful. The complete research is based is on both primary as well as secondary research data. A number of research tools and techniques have been used in order to carry out the research. A detailed literature review has been done using various secondary research sources like books and journals. For the research philosophy, positivism approach has been undertaken. For the research approach, deductive analysis has been used. It is on the basis of this methodology, it has been easier to analyze the existing models and theories related to the topic of the research (Flick, 2015). Again, the analytical design has been used for research design. Most importantly, a survey method was used to understand the perspective of the people of UAE. For the primary data collection, both probability and non-probability sampling technique have been used. A survey among 20 Emirati acquaintances has been conducted. Research philosophy: Research philosophy stands for a set of beliefs. Three research philosophies have been identified, namely, positivism, realism and interpretivism. For this particular research, positivism approach has been undertaken. This philosophy helps to carry out the research by the means of an in-depth study by using various theories and models. This has helped to investigate the research topic in a logical and critical manner (Clark et al. 2014). On the other hand, realism and interpretivism have not been selected because these are based on human perception and the same can vary from one person to other. Research approach: Among the two approaches, namely inductive and deductive research approach, the deductive method has been selected so that the analysis can be carried on the basis of the existing theories and models (Mackey and Gass, 2015). On the other hand, deductive approach has been avoided because coming up with new theories is not a helpful idea. For this study, the analytical design has been selected because it is the right method of carrying out a research in the initial stage. Other two designs, namely, explanatory and exploratory have been avoided because proper information might not have been gained. Analytical study helps to get detailed information about the topic (Silverman, 2016). Survey method has been used as the research strategy because it has been observed that it is important to understand the view point and the perspective of the people of UAE. The study is not based on focus group or case study because if such strategy was undertaken, it would have resulted in some kind of bias result (Skinner, 2015). Sampling method and sampling size: As mentioned, both probability and non-probability sampling method have been used because there always remained chances that the requisite information could be gained from any respondent (Pickard, 2012). The sampling size was kept small and the survey was done among 20 people. This was done to be precise and accurate on the analysis of the findings. Bigger sampling size could have created dilemma at the time of data analysis. Primary as well as secondary data have been used for gaining proper information. Data gained from both the research techniques has contributed equally to reach a proper conclusion of the research study. The analysis and the findings of the research were mainly depended on the data collected from the primary research. Only qualitative data collection method has been used for collecting primary data. A survey was conducted among 20 people of UAE. Travelling to UAE personally had been costly but in order to complete the research, carrying out this primary research was indeed important. As evident, understanding the use of renewable energy and the present situation in this oil rich country can only be known if the residents of the country are personally investigated. This has helped to reach an evident and more accurate consequence of the research. Secondary data collection method: For the literature review, the secondary sources like books and journals were used from both online sources and those that were available in hard copies. Mainly journal that were published in the last 6 years have been used for understanding the current situation of the use of renewable energy. It has to be said that online sources have been really helpful while writing the research paper. Data analysis technique: For the analysis of the secondary data, the literature review was written basically in the form of annotated bibliography. Moreover, a critical analysis of the various topics was also done. The information was supported with proper citations, to avoid any kind of plagiarism issue (Silverman, 2016). For analysis the quantitative data, the numerical digits have been converted into percentages and they have further been demonstrated in form of tables, charts and graphs. Doing so, it has helped to underlay the findings in a linear form that has contributed in easy analysis. Ethical consideration of the research: It is very important to carry out the complete research in an ethical manner. For the secondary analysis, it is important to cite the sources from where the information has been gathered. It has been done to avoid any plagiarism activity (Marais et al. 2015). At the time of conducting the primary research, awareness was made on the fact that each respondent answered with their full consent. None of the respondents were forced to answer. In addition to this, there was no logo or symbol of any Company on the survey paper that could signify any kind of advertisement or promotional activity. Collection of data was strictly done for the sake of academic purpose (Miller, 2012). In addition to this, a consent letter from the University was made available wherever there required permission. Time table: Activities 1st to 3rd Week 4th to 10th week 11th to 13th Week 14th to 17th Week 18th to 21st Week 22nd to 23rd Week 24th Week Selection of the topic Data collection from secondary sources Creating layout Literature review Analysis and interpretation of collected data Findings of the data Conclusion of the study Formation of draft Submission of final work Fig: Gantt Chart (Source: Created by the author) Reference list: Clark, Vicki L. Plano, and John W. Creswell.Understanding research: A consumer's guide. Pearson Higher Ed, 2014. Flick, Uwe.Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research project. Sage, 2015. Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015.Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge. Marais, Hendrik C., and Magdalena Pienaar-Marais. "Analysis of Research Methodology in Business and Management Studies as Reflected in the ECRM 2015 Proceedings." InECRM2016-Proceedings of the 15th European Conference on Research Methodology for Business Management": ECRM2016, p. 167. Academic Conferences and publishing limited, 2016. Mertz, Norma T., and Vincent A. Anfara Jr. "Closing the Loop."Theoretical Frameworks in Qualitative Research(2014): 227. Miller, T. I. N. A. "Reconfiguring research relationships: regulation, new technologies and doing ethical research."Ethics in Qualitative Research2012: 29-42. Pickard, Alison.Research methods in information. Facet publishing, 2012. Silverman, David, ed.Qualitative research. Sage, 2016. Skinner, D. "Qualitative methodology: an introduction." 2015. Taylor, Steven J., Robert Bogdan, and Marjorie DeVault.Introduction to qualitative research methods: A guidebook and resource. John Wiley Sons, 2015.

Goya, Beethoven, Wordsworth free essay sample

Artist, Writers, and Composer Soya was most important Spanish artist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. HIS full name was Francisco Joss De Soya, Born In Fondness, he later moved with his parents to Sarasota and, at the age of fourteen, began studying with the painter Joss Lug;n Martinez who live from 1710 to 1785. Soya came to artistic maturity during this age of enlightenment. The painter brothers Francisco and Ram?n Bayou y Scubas had set up shop In 1763 and Soya Joined their shop/ studio, eventually marrying the brothers sister Josef.Soys intro to the royal workshops was a relationship that lasted the rest of his life and spanned four ruling monarchies began in 1774. As Soya continued to move in circles of royal patronage, he received more commissions from the aristocracy. Between 1785 and 1 788, he painted executives and their barnacles from the Bank of San Carols, Including the count of Altair. We will write a custom essay sample on Goya, Beethoven, Wordsworth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At the age of forty, Soya was appointed painter to King Charles Ill, and, in 1789, he was promoted to court painter under the newly accessioned Charles IV.Soya became isolated from political and Intellectual life In Madrid, between 1820 ND 1823; he completed a series of very private works In fresco at his small country retreat, Quanta del Sword (the Deaf Mans House). Today referred to as the Black Paintings, they are compelling in their sinister and often horrifying scenes with dark. Emotional undertones. Throughout his life the composer Ludwig van Beethoven completed numerous works. Each piece has Its own style and design, and included variation and modulation.Little is known about Beethovens actual birth, due to the idea that Beethoven believed himself to be two years younger than his family and community suggested he was. Beethoven was the second child born to his parents, and was their only child who would ever show any Interest and talent In the fine arts, namely musical composition and performance. Life in his home was peaceful for the majority of the time, but when young Ludwig newfound talent in music surfaced, his carefree youth soon turned to a violence filled quest for what his father desired most In life; Fame and Fortune. Beethovens father, a drunk, who would often pull the boy from his bed at unspeakable hours of the morning and he force him to practice the piano until dawn, or until the small child could no longer function due to sleep privation. With his newfound talent came a very unpleasant childhood, due to his fathers brutality, Beethoven was also a fan of counterpoint which Is two melodies played on top of one another.Although Beethovens works evened from chronicles to sonatas, his specialties and basically favorites were piano concertos, symphonies, string quartets ; piano sonatas. William Wordsmith was born April 7, 1770, at Courthouse In Cumberland, England. His poetry, and especially his poems on solitude, must have been extremely Influenced by the death of his mother and the splitting up of his family when he was only 8. At that time, fate sent him to live in Washed, England, where his teacher started him on writing poetry.Wordsmith otter. Fate again came in when, as a young man, he received an inheritance which gave him the freedom to study literature. One might guess that this is when he first became part of the Romantic Movement. The poetry of William Wordsmith beautifully displays the characteristic themes of English Romanticism. Wordsmiths poems express basic feelings and soaring emotions, idealize the simplicity of a simple life, portray the glories of nature, and give height to the imagination, with symbols, colorful imagery and high ideals.

Germany and the Treaty of Versailles essays

Germany and the Treaty of Versailles essays World War I ended on November 11, 1918, and the Treaty of Versailles was written soon after. The Treaty of Versailles, often known as the Peace Treaty, marked the beginning of a great period of poverty in Germany. The diplomats attending the Versailles Peace Conference intended to draft a general peace treaty to end the state of war and to redraw the map of Europe. To represent the United States at the Peace Conference was Woodrow Wilson. Representing the United Kingdom was David Lloyd George. France was represented by George Clemenceau. These three people were referred to as the 'Big Three.'1 Italy's role was quite limited. Other leaders of other nations came to this grand meeting in Versailles that is located near Paris, France. By November 11, when the truce that marked the end of the war was signed, eight million soldiers lay dead; twenty million more were mutilated or spitting blood from the gas attacks. At the end of World War I, twenty-two million civilians had been killed o r wounded. By the end of the war, four mighty empires, the German, the Austro-Hungarian, the Turkish, and the Ottoman, had fallen.2 The leaders of the many nations led by the 'Big Three' labored for six months, from January to June of 1919. Finally, these people signed the Peace Treaty at the Palace of Versailles. The principal aim of the Peace Conference was to create conditions favorable to the progress of civilization on new lines such as economic policy and political structure.3 Almost immediately, the 'Big Three' began to quarrel. The Germans had thrown themselves on the mercy of the Allies: they depended upon the Allies' promise to base the final peace settlement applied impartially to all, including Germany. Clemenceau and Lloyd George were primarily concerned with punishing Germany. Lloyd promised, "We shall squeeze the orange (Germany) until the pips squeak." Wilson was obsessed with creating the League of Nations. Woodrow Wilson marked major ...

A Critical Analysis of Duncan Joness Moon Essay

A Critical Analysis of Duncan Joness Moon - Essay Example The movie setup represents a futuristic aspect whereby human beings have managed to solve their fuel problems, and hence managed to substitute the earthly fuel reserves with newly discovered oil supplements on the moon. Therefore, Sam’s role was to make observations, and communicate with other members of the extraction team on earth. For, a common case, human beings perceive science fiction to be associated with scientific innovations and matters concerning the space and the moon in general. Human being's perception about science fiction involves the belief that the moon and other features found within the earths galaxy basically indicated untapped fields. As a result , most of the scriptwriters and movie directors tend to incorporate the aspects of complex machinery, with amazing features and abilities. This feature basically forms an illusion that some of the features that are relayed in the movies will be realized after a number of years. This feature makes up the entire co ntent of the science fiction movies. The features will be the basis of discussion in the following essay. The movie moon, clearly illustrated the various innovations that the modern day scientist has not been able to achieve. It is a clear reflection of the scientific milestones that human beings hope to achieve in the near future. According to the movie, the human being character exhibited , gives the impression that the post -modern human being is surely and educated on the various earthly complications, that affect life, on the surface of the earth. Secondly, the human being exhibited in the movie is also knowledgeable about the various environmental implications of mining, and the results of disruption of activities in the biosphere. According to Science Tech Story (2013), Science fiction movies are usually far from reality. The Creators of such movies, do not usually have the real data and reference material that can back up their illustrations. They base their work on mere spe culation, and also the relation to the present innovations, that have come up in comparison to the previously produced science fiction films. In comparison to Cinema, science fiction according to Bradshaw. P (2009), takes an animated view, most of the highlighted subjects are usually fabricated, or the authors merely make an assumption of futuristic occurrences. Generally, the information reflected upon is entirely false, or there is some little bit of truth in it. Scott. A.O ( 2009), noted that science fiction movies tend to adopt some of the already proven information. In addition, they make certain alterations to it, in order to enable people to relate to it, which might in a way influence how they respond to the movie. A cinema on the other hand is not different from science fiction, according to Velasco. R. J (2013), cinema is basically the British name for movie theatres. Science fiction is in itself a component of both cinema and television. Many schools may hold the opinion that one is the improvement of the other, but in real sense both are different from each other. Science fiction is a field that is endowed with numerous scientific modifications. To be able to come up with efficient technology, involving both cinema and television viewing, there must be an application of efficient technological advancements that back up this invention. This among other issues generally relates to both fields. Science fiction is a field related to advancement in technological creations. Some of the innovations made in the yester years that served as key indicators of the changes are displayed by the televisions. Science fiction relays the future as time with significant changes in motion. When the same

Talk about Electrical Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Talk about Electrical Engineering - Essay Example For example, advances in electronics engineering, a subfield of electrical engineering has led to  the development of more advanced communication devices such as mobile phones and automated machines used in the industries. The work revolves around research, development, installation and monitoring of various electrical engineering devices and equipment. In the recent past, technological breakthrough in material science field has led leading to the establishment of solid-state transistors, thus propelling the field into greater heights. Additionally, radio and laser technology, which has found numerous applications, have led to significant development in the production of various electrical devices and equipment (Markoff, 2012). Electrical engineering degree courses usually run for five years in many universities across the globe. The same principles are taught in the various subfield with emphasis on specific concepts bringing forth the difference. Once graduated, individual are registered under certified unions, which usually air their views and assist them in fighting for their right, s in case they are violated. On the other hand, registered professionals are bound to abide to the codes of ethics, failure to which, they may be expelled or suspended which would consequently affect their jobs and work environment. Markoff, J. (Feb 20, 2012). Engineers Take Aim at a Barrier in LED Technology. The New York Times. Retrieved on Nov 27, 2012 from

Further Principles of Trusts Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Further Principles of Trusts Project - Essay Example The management of the amount has been left entirely to the discretion of the trustees, who by default, now have the power to invest the funds for the benefit of the entire trust of the deceased. Hence at the outset, the immediate dispersal of funds to the nephews and nieces is not a mandatory requirement on the part of the trustees, who have the power to invest it as they see fit. IT must be clarified straight away, that the trust fund for the nephews and nieces does not entitle them to immediately be entitled to all of the proceeds, hence dispersal of the total amount of 500,000 pounds is out of the question. It must also be noted that among the nephews and nieces of Alan Benson, the deceased, only two are above the age of 18. The Trustees now have the power to invest trust funds by default and they have the option to invest the entire capital of 500,000 pounds for the benefit of all the beneficiaries, i.e, the four children, until all of them reach the age of eighteen. Since the Trustees will be expected to invest the funds or manage them to the best of their ability for the benefit of those named as beneficiaries of the trust, there is a pre-existing factor working against the breaking up of the total trust amount into its four constituent parts of 125,000 pounds, which each child will be entitled to. By immediately disbursing the funds of the trust as requested in Tahir Hussain’s letter, the trustees run the risk of being accused of mismanaging the funds, especially if the proposed ventures, i.e, expansion of existing business and vacations trips, etc are not successful and res ult in a loss of monies, thereby contravening the goal of allocation of these funds for the benefit of those children. It is significant to note that no restriction has been imposed in the will on the trustees’ power of investment of the funds, which suggests that the original intent of the deceased may have been to ensure that the allocation of 500,000

The Power Of Love

The Power Of Love Patricia Becker-â€Å"Interaction on the basis of a parent-child relationship must be observable attention for one another†. All parent and child relationships have experienced times of hardship and adversity that when overcome make the bond stronger. Unexpected changes in the parent-child relationships cause disturbances and can escalate the existing problems in their lives by means of psychological pain and societal dilemmas. However, it can also further help to improve the parent-child relationship. The grieving parents that lack hope must depend on their love for their children in order to overcome these times of hardship and unhappiness. Parents, like Ma in Emma Donoghues Room and the Man in Cormac McCarthys The Road, rely on their childs love to overcome the psychological effects from feeling lost and hopeless in a society with no order; they commit their lives to the sole protection of their child from danger, and strive to find happiness through their children. Within society there are laws, social norms that allocate order. However when society goes through a sudden change, there may be psychological effects that occur to the people who have trouble adapting to new environments. As the parent and child are forced to adjust and adapt to a new world that is unfamiliar to their standards, their relationship will have to face conflict and experience misunderstandings along the way. However, their bond between each other will assist them in adapting better to the new social norms of society. In the Room by Emma Donoghue the character of Ma becomes subject to a significant life change when Old Sritharan 2 Nick kidnaps her. Old Nick takes away Mas freedom and removes her from society. She is then left to face the physical and mental pains from the world that Old Nick creates for her. Mas new world was â€Å"just basic [twelve-by-twelve], vinyl coated steel. But he added a sound proofed skylight, and lots of insulating foam inside the walls, plus a layer of sheet lead, because lead kills all sound (Donoghue, 84). Ma is forced to live in this isolated room and it begins to compromise her mental stability as she is taken away from society and what she calls â€Å"the real world† (Donoghue, 85). As a result of this imprisonment, Ma experiences many psychological effects as things â€Å"seemed to get smaller or bigger†¦. sometimes [she] heard voices from the TV telling [her] things† (Donoghue, 94). Although Ma is forcefully held in confinement for several years in this room, she becomes a new person once her son Jack is born. Jack gives her the ability to overcome these times of suffering and misery because she now has a new purpose in life. She shows her love for Jack, when she cries out, â€Å"Yeah, but for me, seeing Jack was everything. I was alive again† (Donoghue, 233). To Ma, Jack symbolizes purity, innocence and happiness, the same qualities, which she once possessed in her previous life. With Jack present she begins to regain what she has lost and is able to slowly overcome the psychological effects of feeling hopeless in an unfamiliar society. When Ma eventually escapes the room, she is confronted with adversity and struggle when trying to deal with the outside world, as she no longer is accustomed with the social norms of society. In the outside world, photographers, media and unknown civilians, hound Ma and Jack. As a result Ma is mentally and emotionally overwhelmed, as she feels psychologically weak. Tim Grice in his paper, Changes in Social Identities argues that any new person joining a new social environment equals a sudden change and the person will have to accommodate to the new social standards and this may cause a new Sritharan 3 psychological state of adjustment. Even though Ma is unable to put up with all the problems that she has faced in her life, she begins to overcome these obstacles and strives for happiness because of Jack. Like Ma in the Room, the Man in The Road also feels hopeless and doomed for failure, as the world he once lived in has collapsed due to an apocalyptic epidemic that has wiped out the majority of civilization. The Man is confused about his current life; he is angry with God; he shouts, â€Å"On this road there are no godspoke. They are gone and I am left alone and they have taken with them the world† (McCarthy, 32). He has developed this hatred for God because he feels God has taken away everything from him. The Man experiences suffering and misery because he is unable to cope with the lack of order and the social norms of the new world. This causes him to feel hopeless and uncertain about life. In spite of these changes the Man must overcome and fight to achieve a new found happiness, he perseveres because his belief is that the Boy is â€Å"carrying the fire† (McCarthy, 283). The Man believes that the carrying of the fire symbolizes good and purity; it signifies that his only purpose left in life is his son. This will force him to overcome the shambles of society and continue to search for happiness in this world of chaos. The new world is â€Å"barren, silent, godless†, but yet the Man is still willing to fight and survive the fight through love for his son. In a society with no rules or order, there is bound to be unforeseen problems and conflicts that terrify and frighten people. It is much easier to cope with these dilemmas when you have someone special to fight for. When parents must face an obstacle, the deep feelings for their child are exposed as they strive to keep him or her safe. Despite all the psychological pain Ma has experienced in the room, she was able to acquire new motivation in her life; this being the birth of Jack. Before his birth Ma felt dead, hopeless and defeated. Jack makes her feel alive Sritharan 4 again as she now has the duty to protect her son from Old Nick. Ma tells Jack that â€Å"[she] just [doesnt] want [Old Nick to] look at [him]. Even when [he was] a baby, [she] always wrapped [him] in a blanket before [Old Nick] came in† (Donoghue 26). Jack is Mas only purpose left in life; he symbolizes her happiness and joy. Ma does not want Jack to go through what she has experienced and does not want Old Nick to blemish the innocence and purity of Jack. Ma has taken great care and gone through some rough times with Old Nick in order to protect Jack. As a result of these overcome hardships, the bond between Ma and Jack becomes more and more strong. Once Jack and Ma escape from the room, they are troubled with the social norms of society and begin to panic, as they are unfamiliar with this new environment. The media is constantly following the two and in one instance a reporter calls Jackâ€Å"a freak. Ma is able to avoid further confrontations with the media and protect Jac k from these obscenities. Jack is able to overcome any sense of emotional pain because of his mothers love. She repeatedly tells him, â€Å"Youre the one who matters, though. Just you (Donoghue, 256). Ma spends most of her life dedicated to Jack because as there love for one another continuously grows. As a result, they are more effective in their fight for survival and able to overcome their miseries. Ma and Jacks relationship are similar to that of the Man and the Boy as they also share the same protective love in such a cruel and brutal world. The Man will do anything in his power to keep the Boy out of harms way because he is the most important aspect of the Mans life. The Boy was born into a world filled with pain and suffering, where this epidemic revealed the true â€Å"frailty of everything† (McCarthy, 28). The only objective for the Man was to protect the Boy from the â€Å"bad guys† (McCarthy, 79). Through all the times of despair and suffering, the Mans lov e for the Boy grows to become stronger than ever which is evident when the Man states, â€Å"My job is to take Sritharan 5 care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you† (McCarthy, 77). The Boy represents purity, innocence and happiness to the Man he will do anything to protect the Boy. Both the Man and Ma hoped that their children would not have to be born under the current circumstances that consist of misery, but because of their children they are motivated to overcome these obstacles. Trying to adjust and adapt to a new society can result in many difficulties for an individual. It can bring pain to ones life and even make him or her confused and uncertain of his or hers own existence. It is much easier to overcome these fears and struggles when one has someone important in their life. Like Ma in the Room, the only thing that allows her to persevere and fight for survival is her son Jack. Without Jack she would have given up on herself in her state of hopelessness and confusion. Michael Myers argues in Subjective and Objective measures of Parent-Child Relationship that maintaining a joint attention relationship between a parent and child will further develop the relationship, as they are able to connect their thoughts and feelings. Without Jack, Ma would have already taken her own life because of the negative impacts the past has placed on her. To her, â€Å"Jack was everything† (Donoghue, 233), and because of Jack, she felt alive again. Jack was a symbol of hope and faith for Ma. Similarly, the Man in The Road also depends on the love for his son to keep him on the path of happiness and freedom. The world the Man now lives in is a world that is cruel and barbaric, yet he is still able to find a sense of hope and purpose through the connection to his son. The Man always expresses his love for his son as he says to him, â€Å"The one thing I can tell you is that you wont survive for yourself. I know because I would have never come this far† (McCarthy, 57). He would have never gotten this far in such a world if it was not for his son; his son represented the fulfillment and joy in the Sritharan 6 Mans previous life. The Man continues to live and persevere for survival because his son is everything to him. This is shown when he tells his son, â€Å"You have my whole heart. You always did. Youre the best guy. You always were† (McCarthy, 279). Without the Boy, the Man would have given up, but since they had a reason to live they â€Å"never gave up† (McCarthy, 137). Both Ma and the Man express sadness and confusion in their chaotic surroundings, but they are able to cope with such difficulties because their children give them a sense that someday they will find true happiness. This is why it is easier to overcome times of hardships and obstacles when there is someone special keeping one from giving up. In the novels Room by Emma Donoghue and The Road by Cormac McCarthy, it is evident that a grieving and hopeless parent like Ma or the Man must depend on their love for their child in order to overcome times of suffering and pain. Both parents rely on their childs love to overcome the adversities of living in a new environment, commit their lives to protect their children and find ways to stay happy with their child.

The Life and Contribution to the Development of the British Empire of J

The Life and Contribution to the Development of the British Empire of James Cook I) Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this paper is to describe the life and the contribution to the development of the British Empire of one of the most important English explorers. It was in the second half of the 18th century when James Cook, originally a poor farm boy, explored and mapped vast uncharted areas of the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean. However, James Cook was not ‘only’ an explorer. He can also be called a scientist – he managed to introduce new principles into seafaring and cartography. For better understanding, the paper is divided into five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction, which throws light on the purpose and structure of the paper. The second chapter is a brief introduction to the situation in Great Britain in the 18th century. It helps to explain why and how the so called â€Å"the First British Empire† was built up and later destroyed, and what led to the creation of â€Å"the Second British Empire†. The third chapter deals with Capt. Cook’s life and his three unique expeditions to the Pacific. The fourth part of the paper summarises Cook’s achievements and his contribution to the development of the British Empire. The fifth chapter forms the conclusion of the paper. II) A brief introduction to the situation in Great Britain in the 18th century. Great Britain became a great world power in this period. Under the leadership of William Pitt the Elder, Britain’s Prime Minister and at the same time a man who believed that the strength of the nation's economy depended on overseas expansion, the country gained vast territories all over the world and the so called â€Å"the First British Empire† was founded. The reasons why Great Britain was so successful can be divided into four groups: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Revolutions† – the Industrial Revolution, a financial revolution and a revolution in agriculture made Britain the leading power in Europe. The creation of the Bank of England in 1694 helped to raise capital for colonial wars and to support British trade. At the beginning of the 18th century a series of mechanical inventions enabled the building of the world's first mechanised factories. A steam engine invented in1769 provided the power to drive machinery and thus enabled mass production of goods. The new ways of making products more quick... .... Impà ©rium. Praha: BB art, 1999 CD-ROM: Encarta 98 encyclopedia. „Cook, Captain James.â€Å" Microsoft. CD-ROM.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Microsoft Item: X03-22823 Web sites: http://152.105.19.10/scouts/nunthorp/seeonee/badgewk/history http://www.britannia.com/history. http://freespace.virgin.net/chris.jones/ccsu72.htm http://freespace.virgin.net/chris.jones/ccsu73.htm http://geography.about.com/science/geography/library/weekly/aa101397.htm http://mmbc.bc.ca/source/schoolnet/exploration/cookdeath.html http://members.tripod.com/cuculus/cookbio.html http://winthrop.webjump.com/jcook.html http://www2.lucidcafe.com/lucidcafe/library/95oct/jcook.html http://www.arcticculture.about.com/culture/arcticculture/library/yafeatu res/bl-Cook1.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/archive/voyager/history/hs_cook.shtml http://www.captaincookstudyunit.com http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/7557/cook.html http://www.jetcity.com/~kirok/cook.htm http://www.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/lewis_clark/ch4-25.html http://www.mariner.org/age/cook.html http://www.nmm.ac.uk/education/fact_cook.html http://www.pacificcoast.net/~regent/cookbio.html http://www.south-pole.com/p0000071.htm

Expansionism and Continuation of Past Us Expansionism

Between the years 1860 and 1877 a revolution was brought on in the United States due to constitutional and social developments. Significant constitutional developments such as secession in 1860 and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 play an important role in the road to revolution. Social developments play a smaller role in this revolution. Freed slaves are the root of social developments such as the Black Codes, the Freedman’s Bureau, and the Ku Klux Klan. Politics and states’ rights, black suffrage, and civil rights issues all combine to create a revolution. However, while certain constitutional developments during this time period have proven to be revolutionary, the social developments of this era have proven to be exactly the opposite. Document A shows the first colossal step of secession, that being the South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession. In 1860, South Carolina is the first state that secedes from the Union. This is a vital constitutional development because after South Carolina secedes, other states begin to follow and secede from the Union as well. Document A discusses delegated powers and how powers not delegated to the US government are reserved for the people to handle, which is what the South strongly believes in. The Northern Unionists, on the other hand, believes to strengthen the federal government, which is shown in Document B. Senator John Sherman, a Northerner, describes states’ rights as a lack of nationality and how it is the reason the United States government is being overthrown. Unionists claim that the strong principles of states’ rights ruin the Union and will lead to financial and political ruin in the future. Sherman is advocating the restoration of the National Bank by saying that Americans should depend on the United States for currency and trade. Northern Unionists want a stronger central government and after the Civil War they get what they want. The end result of the Civil War is that the central government has the most power it has ever had up to this point in history. While the social developments during this era are not necessarily revolutionary, these developments have helped shape America to what it is today. Black suffrage is an important social development that helps change American society. Document D represents the different opinions of moderate and radical republicans on the issue of slavery. Moderate republican, Gideon Welles argues that slavery should be set aside instead of abolished. An important request that Blacks have after they are freed is that they should be given the right to vote. Document C is a petition from African American citizens to the Union convention of Tennessee, in this petition former slaves are sternly stating that they helped fight for the Union army and therefore, they deserve the right to vote. If former rebellious Southerners are allowed to vote, then African Americans should be given the right to vote as well. Document C especially shows that Blacks don’t have any rights during Johnson’s Reconstruction era. White supremacists, or the Ku Klux Klan, believe strongly that African Americans should not vote and they will go to radical extremes to prevent them from voting. Document I symbolizes the cruelty of the Ku Klux Klan by showing two white supremacists shaking hands over a crest with two Black people cringing in pain. This image not only represents the cruelty of the KKK, but also how social developments are not revolutionary. When the Northern military left the South, this allowed for the Redeemer governments to rise to power. These Redeemer governments were catastrophic and only proved that the New South was, in fact, worse than the former South before secession. Since this New South is found to be atrocious, in no way is it revolutionary. Other social developments, such as the Freedmen’s Bureau, play a small part in the change of American society, which is technically a small revolution in itself. The Freedmen’s Bureau is designed to help Blacks and poor whites with food, shelter, and education (Document E). However, as stated in Document E, the Freedmen’s Bureau was going to give Homesteads to the freed slaves, but the government kept none of its promises. Freed African Americans demand the right for land and they find it unfair that once again Southerners, former traitors to the Union, are handed land when they do not rightly deserve it. Rather the African Americans deserve the land because they were loyal to the Union in the Union’s time of need. African Americans are speaking out more, which is a positive development because these demands are what eventually will get them their rights. Senator Lot Morrill describes the Civil Rights Act of 1866 as absolutely revolutionary (Document F). Senator Lot Morrill, a Unionist, is responsible for the Morrill Tariff Act. This act is designed to raise tariffs to provide land to states for education. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 is not only an important constitutional development, but also a social development. The 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments are all beneficial constitutional developments because hese amendments show that the federal government has more power than state governments. The Civil Rights Act considers African Americans as citizens. From the time of South Carolina’s seceding in 1860 to the final withdrawal of Union troops from the South in 1877, the nation of America was filled with revolutions. There was constant development in this time both socially and constitutionally. It was a result of these developments that the Revolutions of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the Redeemers would take place.

Veils essays

Veils essays When someone mentions the word Veil many people think of Bridal veils. But there are other types of veils around; Islamic veils, Spanish mantillas and historical headwear. The tradition of women wearing veils dates back centuries and it crosses many cultures. In Islamic cultures where women have been subordinate to men, the veil may be worn even today to shield womens faces. Veils were popular in European fashions back in Gothic times, around 1400, and before. Women covered their hair with veils for church or to show they were married. Fifteenth century fashion included peaked hats for women with veils attached at the peak. A Wimple is a headdress worn by women over the head and around the neck, cheeks, and chin. From the late 12th until the beginning of the 14th century, it was worn extensively throughout medieval Europe, and it survived until recently as a head covering for women in religious orders.The wimple originally was adopted as a chin veil by Western women after the crusaders brought back from the Near East such fashions as the veil of the Muslim woman. The wimple, usually made of fine white linen or silk, framed the face and covered the neck and sometimes part of the bosom. Purdah, Hindi Parda (screen, or veil), a practice that was inaugurated by Muslims and later adopted by various Hindus, especially in India, and that involves the seclusion of women from public observation by means of concealing clothing (including the veil) and by the use of high-walled enclosures, screens, and curtains within the home.The practice of purdah is said to have originated in the Persian culture and to be acquired by the Muslims during the Arab conquest of what is now Iraq in the 7th century Ad.Muslim domination of northern India in turn influenced the practice of Hinduism, and purdah became usual among the Hindu upper classes of northern India. During the British hegemony in India, pur...

Australian Social Class Essays

Australian Social Class Essays Australian Social Class Paper Australian Social Class Paper Life chances include access to resources such as lath, education, occupation, housing and health. An individuals opportunities to access such resources vary according to social classes. To illustrate the extent to which a persons social class impacts on his or her life chances in Australia, this paper will begin with an examination of social class, including the major theories behind the concept of class. Life chances will also be defined, as will inequality and social mobility within Australia. Finally, evidence on how social class (particularly socio-economic status) Impacts life chances will be considered. Social class can be described as the hierarchical grouping of Individuals based on their economic position. While Australia is often described as an egalitarian society that is free of class barriers, Holmes et al argues that The rhetoric of equality becomes incomprehensible when basic measurements of inequality are looked at in any detail (Holmes, Hughes, Julian 2006 p. 91). According to data gathered by the United Nations Development Program, Australia is the worlds fifth-most unequal developed nation. Between the mid sasss and mid sasss, incomes of the top 20% of earners grew four times faster than that of the bottom 20%. Mishmash 2009, The Age 16 Gauge 2009). A study by Andrew Leigh revealed that in the early 1 asss, a CEO In a top 50 company earned 27 times more than the national average; only a decade later it was 98 times more. While these figures represent significant inequality wealth Australia, Elegies study also revealed that the Inequality gap In accumulated wealth Is twice as wide as it is in take home pay (Mishmash 2009, The Age 1 6 Gauge 2009). The existence of class within Australia can be explained from various theoretical perspectives, most of which are based on the class theories of Marx and Weber. Marx identified a two-class model, including an upper / ruling class that own the means of production and a working class that provide the labor for the ruling class. Weber expanded on Mars theory with the addition of two middle classes and also identified other indicators of class from within the social order that are more transparent, such as status groups. ASPI defines status as a system in which people are ranked on the basis of the amount of honor, prestige or esteem they receive (ASPI 1996 pop) While status differences can Influence variations In lifestyle, ASPI argues that It Is class differences that Influence life chances. Socio-economic status refers to a combination of the dimensions of class and status, of which wealth Is a central determinant. Almost all class theories recognize the existence of a ruling class, middle class and working class in Australia, however there is now debate over the existence of an underclass, consisting of the permanently unemployed and low income earners. The upper class consists of the wealthiest 5-10% of the population, whose wealth comes from the control of property and capital. ASPI argues that those who own and intro the economic resources are in a position to make important decisions about their own lives and the lives of other people, and often therefore determine the life chances of others (ASPI 1996 p. 77). The middle class consists mainly of individuals with non manual occupations and can be broken down to include upper middle class (professions egg doctors, dentists, lawyers etc) and lower middle class (routine white collar Jobs). The working class has been distinguished by its non ownership of the means of production. According to Marx, their role is to provide labor power to the lulling class. Traditionally consisting of manual workers and consistent with low income, the inferior market situation of this class is reflected in life chances. According to Van Krieger et al, various studies have shown that manual workers are more likely to die younger, suffer from poor health, miss out on home ownership, be convicted of a criminal offence and have children that do not go on to higher education. Perhaps the key determinant of socio-economic status or social class is wealth. Referring to the total assets or property that a person possesses, ASPI argues that Wealth confers economic and social power; it provides security in times of unexpected expenditure and provides greater freedom of choice in everyday life (ASPI 1996, pop). It is wealth that enables the purchase of assets such as housing and allows access to educational and health facilities. Without these, life chances are inhibited. Evidence suggests that wealth is heavily concentrated in Australia. A 2002 HILLS survey revealed that the bottom half of the population own less than 10% of the total household net worth While the wealthiest 10% account for 45% of total household net worth (Headed, Marks, Wooden 2004 p. L). Wealth is strongly linked to inheritance, thus maintaining its concentration. Just as wealth is linked to inheritance, so too is poverty. According to Orgy Where persons starts in the income and wealth distribution curve has an important bearing on their life chances (Orgy 2006, Pl 7). A 2005 study by The Brotherhood of SST Laurence found that those born into poverty have far higher instances of infant mortality, poor immunization against disease, higher risk of mental health problems, low birth weight babies and youth suicide (Scuttles Smyth, 2005 p ). Within Australia, evidence suggests that an individuals life chances are redundantly determined by his or her ascribed inequalities, such as gender, race and family background. In an a society with equality of opportunity it would be the achieved inequalities such as education, occupation and skills that would determine life chances, however as argued by ASPI He ascribed attribute of family background has a major influence on the education an individual will receive and on ten occupation en/seen wall enter, regardless AT ten telltales AT ten Uninominal (Aspen 1996, pop). The ascribed attribute of family background is a key determinant of social class. Social mobility refers to the ease and frequency by which indiv iduals can move up the social hierarchy to a higher class. Social mobility can occur either within an individuals lifetime (intra-generational mobility) or between generations (inter- generational mobility), and cab be used as a tool to measure the degree of equality within a society. In an egalitarian society, social mobility would be fluid. An individual born into a low social class would not necessarily remain stagnant within that class. This is not the case in most developed countries, including Australia. ASPI argues hat While it is possible in theory to move up the hierarchy, rags to riches stories are very rare and mobility is fairly limited (ASPI 1996, p. 72), while Orgy argues that there is a high degree of inter-generational transmission of poor social and economic outcomes in Australia (Orgy 2006, pop). There are several barriers inhibiting social mobility in Australia, resulting in a cycle of disadvantage for many. Such barriers include income and assets, employment, education, health and housing. The 2005 study by The Brotherhood of SST Laurence revealed that educational opportunities have a significant impact on the lower class. Children born into the underprivileged areas are less likely to have access to pre- schools, less likely to achieve adequacy in literacy and innumeracy tests and more likely to begin and remain in lower paying vocations. Perhaps one of the more compelling examples originates from a study conducted in Victoria and New South Wales that states 25% of all early school leavers come from Just 5% of postcodes (Scuttles and Smyth 2005, p. 17). Limitations on the lower classes to achieve wealth impacts their ability to provide adequate housing for their children. Scuttles and Smyth argue that a child raised without a secure home faces barriers to higher educational achievement and later Job security, which may lead to homeless raising families who in turn become homeless (Scuttles and Smyth 2005, p. 5). There are significant inequalities within Australia, indicating the existence of a hierarchical class structure. Australian society consists of an upper class, a middle class and a working class, although there is also debate on the existence of an underclass. An individuals position within this class structure largely ultimately determines his or her life chances. Opportunities to achieve desirable life outc omes, including wealth, occupation, quality education, good health and housing differ between the social classes. A lack of social mobility in Australia means social class in Australia operates cyclically. Those born into economic disadvantage are not only likely to remain that way, but will also eventually pass on their economic circumstances to their offspring. Similarly, those born into higher socio-economic families are more likely to have access to quality education, achieve occupational success, acquire wealth, enjoy better health and produce offspring that will in turn share the same opportunities.

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 128

Essay Example The historians oppose this concept. They illustrate that cultural and demographic constraints resulted into generally restrained courtship approach. Contemporary writers during the period deplored sexual activities, which they believed were not only rampant but also widespread. The popular culture during courtship period was considered immoral (Robert 39). Parents had significant role during selection of marriage partners. The initial stage of parents’ involvement is when courtship is serious. The parents had the responsibility of providing of formally providing or withholding consent. However, parental consent was not a legal requirement until 1754. In reality it took a lot of courage and will for a couple to continue with their courtship, in the presence of strong and open opposition from the parents or other respectable community members. Parental approval was greatly considered a desirable issue. For poorer couple, parental involvement was majorly a formality. The rich parents had economic factors to consider before providing consent; for instance, inheritance, family reputation, and dowry (Keith 92). The England community showed less control system and more flexible approaches in terms of parental control during courtship and marriage, than other world communities. Courtship and marriage were affected negligibly according to social class. There is no adequate illustration of a sub-society, during the period under study in terms of marriage. But, the concept that societal limitations illustrated a huge aspect of the attitude of the society towards reproduction, courtship and marriage, was mainly influenced through individual attraction, status in society and age. The social class factor was a significant factor to consider if property and wealth was involved. It was in some cases very difficult to marry into a family that is of high status financially or even

Case Study on Employee Relations Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

On Employee Relations - Case Study Example Having employed over 100 employees and with a possibility of future expansion, the business owner has decided that he would want to engage his employees more in the running of the company using the employee relations techniques. This is aimed at ensuring that employees perform at their most efficient optimal levels. This report is thus aimed at focusing on the various issues that ensure employee relations is handled well in solving conflicts once they arise and to avoid disputes from degenerating into serious matters in the future (Armstrong, 2006:167). These enterprises have employees of not more than 250 ,while small enterprise have less than fifty employees the medium sized enterprise have not more than 250 employees. The Small and medium Enterprises have played a very big role in the growth and stability of the economy as it consists of over 90% of all operating firms and they contribute to the creation of employment for over 65 million people. They have contributed to over 40% of the Gros Domestic product (GDP) in the United Kingdom and at the same time they have led to the growth of economies, increase in competition and innovation for the firms (Armstrong, 2006:167). Benefits employee relations Employee relations ensures that all stakeholders in the business are involved in the decision making process. This is because it entails involving all the parties together by building team work, cohesiveness and solving problems together. Employee relation is also important in reducing conflicts within the organization. All organizations have different people from different religion, age groups, and races and therefore differences are bound to arise and to be able to reduce these problems employee relations is important. The business owners are seeking for new ways that they can win the confidence and commitment of employees and also ensure that employees are satisfied with their jobs. They also seek to motivate the employees, reduce the rate of absenteeism, reduce the rate of labor turnover and eventually gain a competitive edge over their competitors. A more participatory management style would make the business achieve all these issues (Gennard and Judge, 2005:302). The issues for employee relations in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) The small and medium sized enterprises are faced with many issues such as lack of harmonization, tension between control and consent, loose structures of governance together with lack of professionalism in the human resources processes. Most of these firms do not have clear guidelines as to what is expected of employees. Thus we find that most employees will do what they think is right as there are no proper procedures to be followed (Murphy, 2002:10) . Constraints for SME The economic meltdown is a major concern for the SMEs today and the effects of this recession has led to the businesses adopting cost cutting strategies in areas of human resource training, practices and the development policies. The banks have also affected the operations of these businesses as they charge very high

Taxation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Taxation - Research Paper Example Taper Relief: Land: non-business asset Qualifying holding periods: 7 whole years Chargeable gains before taper relief 74,286 Chargeable gains after taper relief @75% 55,714.5 Explanation In the above scenario, the acquisition date is assumed to be 1 November 1998. This entails that there could be no indexation allowance in this scenario because indexation allowance is deducted on gains obtained from disposal of assets that were acquired before April 1998. Because only three acres of land were sold for 80,000, the cost that is subtracted from the acquisition cost is the one that is deductible, as shown in the calculation. The retained or unsold part of the land has not been taken as allowable cost. Because the asset was acquired after 5 April 1998, therefore, it is subject to tamper relief. The qualifying holding period from 1 November 1998 to 14 December 2005 appear to be 7 years and 44 days, however it should only consider whole years, which in this case is 7 yeas. The land is assumed to be a non-business asset and thus the tamper relief is applied @ 75% which reduced the chargeable gains by 25%. D): Disposal Proceeds 6,300 Less: Costs 1,340 Gain before indexation 4,960 Chargeable Gains Nil Explanation Racehorse is a wasting chattel and therefore is always exempted from the calculation of capital gains tax. The gains obtained on a wasting chattel is never included in chargeable gians. No tamper relief has to be calculated because racehorse is already exempted from capital gains tax. E) Because the asset was purchased in May 1971 and held at 31 March 1982, the chargeable gains are to be calculated with the help of 'Rebasing rules': Rebased gain (new...Therefore, the qualifying period will be counted from 6 April 1998. This makes 7 years and 146 days or whole 7 years. It was a non-business asset, therefore the rate for taper relief has been applied at 75%. In the above scenario, the acquisition date is assumed to be 1 November 1998. This entails that there could be no indexation allowance in this scenario because indexation allowance is deducted on gains obtained from disposal of assets that were acquired before April 1998. Because only three acres of land were sold for 80,000, the cost that is subtracted from the acquisition cost is the one that is deductible, as shown in the calculation. The retained or unsold part of the land has not been taken as allowable cost. Because the asset was acquired after 5 April 1998, therefore, it is subject to tamper relief. The qualifying holding period from 1 November 1998 to 14 December 2005 appear to be 7 years and 44 days, however it should only consider whole years, which in this case is 7 yeas. *Indexation allowance for rebasing rules is always based higher of allowable costs before 31 March 1982 (i.e. acquisition cost in the above scenario) and the 31 March 1982 market value. Because of the fact that market value at 31 March 1982 is higher than that of the acquisition cost, 6500 has been taken to calculate indexation allowance. The oil painting was acquired in May 1971, there

Colonization of Brazil Essay Example for Free

Colonization of Brazil Essay In 1549, the Captaincy Colonies of Brazil were united into the Governorate General of Brazil, where they were provincial captaincies of Brazil; Luà ­s Teixeira, 1574. Main article: Colonial Brazil Explorer Pedro à lvares Cabral landed on April 22, 1500 in what is today Porto Seguro, Brazil. Permanent habitation did not begin until Sà £o Vicente was founded in 1532, although temporary trading posts were established earlier to collect brazilwood, used as a dye. From 1534 to 1536, 15 Captaincy colonies were created in Portuguese America. The captaincies were autonomous, and mostly private, colonies of the Portuguese Empire, each owned and run by a Captain-major. In 1549, due to their failure and limited success, the Captaincy Colonies of Brazil were united into the Governorate General of Brazil. The captaincy colonies were reorganized as provincial districts to the Governorate. The captaincies continued to be ruled by their hereditary captain-majors but they now reported to the Governor-General of Brazil. The new system was implemented so that Portuguese America could be managed correctly and provide a steady and wealthy income for the Portuguese Empire. The capital of the new governorate established its capital at Sà £o Salvador and the first Jesuits arrived the same year. With permanent settlement came the establishment of the sugar cane industry and its intensive labor demands which were met with Native and later African slaves. From 1565 through 1567, Mem de Sà ¡, the third Governor General of Brazil, successfully destroyed a ten year-old French colony called France Antarctique, at Guanabara Bay. He and his nephew, Està ¡cio de Sà ¡, then founded the city of Rio de Janeiro on March 1567. In 1621, Philip II of Portugal divided the Governorate General of Brazil into two separate and autonomous colonies, the State of Maranhà £o and the State of Brazil. Regarding this period it is preferable to refer to Portuguese America rather than Portuguese Brazil or Colonial Brazil, as the states were two separate colonies, each with their own governor general and government. Between 1630 and 1654, the Netherlands came to control part of Brazils Northeast region, with their capital in Recife. The Portuguese won a significant victory in the Second Battle of Guararapes in 1649. By 1654, the Netherlands had surrendered and returned control of all Brazilian land to the Portuguese. In 1751, the State of Maranhà £o was restructured into State of Grà £o-Parà ¡ and Maranhà £o, with a new capital and government. In 1772, the State of Grà £o-Parà ¡ and Maranhà £o was split into two new states, the State of Grà £o-Parà ¡ and Rio Negro and the State of Maranhà £o and Piauà ­. The new states would fair poorly and only last 3 years. In 1775, the three colonies of Portuguese America (the State of Brazil, the State of Maranhà £o and Piauà ­, and the State of Grà £o-Parà ¡ and Rio Negro) were united into a singular colony, under the State of Brazil. This arrangement would last until the end of Colonial Brazil. As a result, Brazil did not split into several countries, as happened to its Spanish-speaking neighbors.

Cooperative Education Opens Doors for Students :: Journalism Journalistic Essays

Cooperative Education Opens Doors for Students As the college application deadline draws nearer, high school seniors across the country will make their final decisions as to what handful of colleges and universities will receive the applications they rigorously spent their autumn weekends working on. Each year students consult different college prep tools to aid them with their continual search for the â€Å"right† school. Whether it city versus suburban, large versus small or public versus private; high school seniors today have a schmorgous board of options for furthering their education. However, a trend in education that is growing more popular in recent years, perhaps most notably at Northeastern University, is cooperative education. Northeastern was ranked #1 in 2003 among institutions that require students to combine classroom learning with real-world experience by U.S. News and World Report. Cooperative education, more commonly known as co-op, is emerging as a poplar way to stay ahead of the competition while in college. Started in 1909, one of the first co-op programs in the United States, Northeastern has a unique program that alternates periods of classroom learning with period of â€Å"real world† working experience outside the classroom. Students work full time in fields that are related to their future education pursuits and these are usually paid jobs. The co-op job allows the student to try out various jobs while still an undergraduate. The typical Northeastern student graduates with as much as two years of on-the-job experience already on his resume. Katie McDonald, 19, a sophomore at Northeastern is currently going through the process of beginning co-op. McDonald, who is a nursing major, will start her first job this January at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. â€Å"At first I was shocked at the whole process of interviewing and finding a job. Freshman year I looked forward to it, but once it came I was a little overwhelmed. Once I got started with it though, I found the process relatively easy. Now that I have interviewed and have a job I am really excited to begin,† said McDonald. Although students aren’t guaranteed a job every co-op period, known among students as â€Å"No-op†, there are faculty advisors who stay in close contact with employers to develop and maintain interesting salaried positions. Finding a co-op job, similar to any competitive job hunt, depends upon the candidate’s qualifications as compared with others, the current needs of the organization, the specific demands of the position and the job market in general.

Cultural Erasure Essay

The Caribbean can be many things to many people: a geographic region somewhere in America’s backyard, an English-speaking outpost of the British Empire, an exciting holiday destination for North Americans and Europeans, a place where dirty money is easily laundered, and even an undefined, exotic area that contains the dreaded Bermuda Triangle, the mythical lost city of El Dorado, the fabled Fountain of Youth and the island home of Robinson Crusoe. Enriched by the process of creolization, the cosmopolitanism of the average Caribbean person is also well recognized: ‘No Indian from India, no European, no African can adjust with greater ease and naturalness to new situations’ (Lamming 1960, 34). As a concept or notion ‘the Caribbean’ can also be seen to have a marvellous elasticity that defies the imposition of clear geographic boundaries, has no distinct religious tradition, no agreed-upon set of political values, and no single cultural orientation. What, then, is the Caribbean? Who can justifiably claim to belong to it? Of the various peoples who have come to comprise the region, whose identity markers will be most central in defining the whole? For not all citizens of a nation or a region will be equally privileged and not all will have equal input in the definition of national or regional identity. In other words,  because power implies a process of social negotiation, and because power is unequally distributed in social groups, some parties to the process will be more represented than others. This is where the notion of erasure is tied to any appreciation of identity, and played out in the history and politics of colonization and decolonization in the Caribbean. As might be imagined, the colonially-conditioned divisions of race and gender figured (and continue to figure) prominently in the entire process and bring to mind Bob Marley’s advice to Caribbean people: ‘emancipate your minds from mental slavery’ (Redemption Song). Erasure is in large part the act of neglecting, looking past, minimizing, ignoring or rendering invisible an other. Rhoda Reddock (1996) examines the academic and political consequences of erasure at the level of ethnicity, and draws attention to four (among many other) neglected minorities in the Caribbean: the Amerindians of Guyana, the Karifuna or Caribs of Dominica, the Chinese in Jamaica, and the  Sindhis and Gujaratis in Barbados. Although some of these are indigenous and some have lived in the Caribbean for hundreds of years, they are commonly overlooked, even by those who today claim ‘authentic’ Caribbean roots and a commitment to the region as an integrated whole. In this essay I focus on three recent studies that address the ways in which identity and erasure have come dialectically to embody several erased peoples and groups of people in the Caribbean. I begin with the contributions of Sandra Pouchet Paquet, who focuses on the heyday of colonialism, slavery and women in Caribbean history, and laments the fact that ‘The female ancestor is effectively silenced if not erased’ (Paquet 2002, 11) in the writing of that history. To this end she cites Carole Boyce-Davies and Elaine Fido, who, in assessing the literature and historiography of the region, also spoke of ‘†¦ the historical absence of a specifically female position on major issues such as slavery, colonialism and decolonization, women’s rights and  more direct social and cultural issues’ (1990, 1). Next I examine the contributions of Geert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers (2003), who move from the slave period and colonialism proper and begin to discuss the uneven dismantling of colonialism in the various Caribbean countries, and its persistence in others. In the process they focus on erasure at the wider sub-regional level of groupings of countries. Thus, Oostindie and Klinkers protest the common academic and political tendency to assume that the Caribbean is principally an English-speaking group of countries; a tendency that simultaneously erases or minimizes the presence and contributions of other Caribbean peoples. These authors charge that while this erasure is undeniable in the cases of the Spanish- and French-speaking Caribbean, it is particularly evident with regard to the Dutch Caribbean. For while much has been written on the wider region generally, it is ‘seldom with serious attention to the former Dutch colonies of Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba’ (2003, 10). And as they go on to argue, most general histories ‘tend virtually to neglect the Dutch Caribbean’ (p. 234). This ‘neglect’ is synonymous with erasure and constitutes a major obstacle for anyone wishing to develop a truly comprehensive understanding of the entire region. Finally, there are Smart and Nehusi (2000), who invoke the idea of erasure and the attempt by African-ancestored people in the Caribbean, but especially in Trinidad, to resist erasure and reclaim their identity. Smart and Nehusi look at efforts of Afro-Trinidadians to forge a diasporic identity in which culture (Carnival) is the centrepiece of African, ancestral lore. Thus, in describing the trade in African slaves and the institution of New World slavery as ‘the largest crime in human history,’ Nehusi speaks of the Maafa, or the African Holocaust, as a terror that has been hushed up: ‘one part of that crime has been the attempt to forget, to pretend that it did not happen and to present a history ethnically cleansed of all traces of this genocide †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Nehusi 2000, 8). Very much in line with the thinking of Smart and Nehusi, Paquet views slavery as a crime and speaks of the ‘depravity of the slave owner’ (p. 42) as she applauds the efforts of Mary Prince to expose the horrors of the system: ‘Prince lays bare for public scrutiny the criminality of slave owners and the legal system that endorses their conduct’ (Paquet 2002, 41). In developing his argument Nehusi hints at a conspiracy or historical hoax which witnessed the abandonment of  black Trinidadians and their treatment as ‘non-persons by a continuing Eurocentric system which refuses to recognize them and their traditions as valid and refuses to recognize the history of struggle, mainly by Afrikan people.’ (Nehusi 2000a, 11). To this Ian Smart adds that ‘Africans all over the globe who have been subjected to white supremacy must be engaged unremittingly in the struggle for liberation in order to be made whole again’ (Smart 2000b, 199). This notion of being ‘made whole again’ speaks directly to the idea of erasure and the recapture of lost identity. Sandra Pouchet Paquet is principally concerned with two things: (a) finding the Caribbean identity and (b) autobiography as a literary genre. She uses the latter to pursue the former. Autobiography does not only tell a story of the biographer, but of the very society and community that shaped and nurtured her/him. So it is not simply a personal recounting of episodes that have shaped one’s life; but if properly written, autobiography can give valuable insights into the social worlds of the various storytellers. To this end Paquet exposes the ‘historical silencing of the female ancestor’ as evidenced in the ‘discovery and republication of the nineteenthcentury narratives of the Hart sisters (Elizabeth and Ann), Mary Prince, and Mary Seacole between 1987 and1993’ (2002, 13). These women bring to light what an inadvertent male scholarship had previously buried: a strong female culture of resistance both before and after emancipation. Unlike similar approaches, this work is careful not to essentialize women. Instead it is sensitive to their individual differences while weaving together common strands in their biographical experiences and narratives to produce a common story of erasure, resistance and strength. In her words they ‘throw light on the idiosyncrasies of a female culture of resistance in the Caribbean before and after emancipation’ (Paquet 2002, 13). Focusing on the signal contributions  of strong women like Elizabeth and Anne Hart, Mary Seacole and Mary Prince, who prepared the way for future leading male Caribbean writers such as C.L.R. James, George Lamming, Derek Walcott and V.S. Naipaul, Paquet does not mince words. In fact she openly acknowledges the unconscious impact of patriarchy, even on those men, and the ways in which they too contributed to the alienation, erasure and misrepresentation of women in Caribbean literary culture (p. 73). Clearly reflecting different social trajectories and individual strengths, the narratives of these four women nevertheless contain and speak to essential elements in the forging of a Caribbean identity. Dialectically, their efforts to reverse erasure through resistance culminated in a powerful story of struggle, setback and triumph of the human spirit. The Hart sisters, whose father was a free black, a plantation owner and a slaveholder, both married white men of influence. This gave them an important measure of social capital and they were able to use their religion (Methodism) and social status as the bases from which to promote ideas about racial equality and the empowerment of women. Mary Seacole was a unique woman for her time. The child of a free black Jamaican woman and a Scottish officer, she always set her sights on the wider world beyond Jamaica, and in time she became a creole ‘doctress’, a traveller and adventurer, entrepreneur, sutler and hotelier. The idea is not to romanticize her accomplishments for Seacole was human and vulnerable, and she betrayed all the contradictions of a woman placed in that age and time: resistance, accommodation and admiration for imperialism which contained ‘the civilizing values she professes to honor’ (Paquet 2002, 56). For while she railed against the injustices of race and sex discrimination she did not directly chal- lenge the idea of a British empire as much as she struggled ‘to redefine her place in it’ (p. 56). Seacole could thus be seen as a prototype of the modern-day Afro-Saxon. Then there was Mary Prince, a slave woman who did not have the privileges of the Hart sisters or of Mary Seacole, and thus has a  different take on the colonial situation. Comparing the two Marys (Seacole and Prince), Paquet writes that Prince embodied ‘an embryonic nationalism formed in resistance to slavery’ while Seacole reflected ‘an acceptance of colonialism after slavery’ (p. 52). Mary Prince was a rebel in spirit and action, and her life story is partly a struggle against erasure that illuminates another dimension of the contradictions of the time: Mary Prince was a ‘West Indian slave marooned in England by laws that made slavery illegal in England, while it was still legal in the colonies’ (p. 31). And as Paquet reports, the erasure and contradiction continue even in the twentieth-century male texts referred to above that are ‘devoid of reference to her resistant, militant spirit’ (p. 32). Though generally muted (erased) the voice of the black woman becomes audible in the narrative of Prince whose ‘individual life story establishes and validates a slave woman’s point of viewâ€⠄¢ while simultaneously serving as the foundation for ‘selfidentification and self-fulfilment in anticipation of the historical changes’ that would later follow in the wake of emancipation (p. 33-4). Thus, viewed together, the autobiographies of the Hart sisters, Mary Seacole and Mary Prince afford us an insight into the practical and intellectual worlds of very different women, and into their multifaceted struggles whether as slaves, as women, as free coloureds, as rape victims, and finally as silenced products of colonial brutality. In humanizing themselves through their autobiographies these women are able to expose the dehumanizing conditions under which so many millions were erased. Another key motif in Paquet is that of home and its relationship to errantry, travel, departure and return. These are central themes in Caribbean literature and reflect the post-colonial condition where the forced migrations associated with slavery and indentureship are the backdrops against which post-colonial peoples now seek to establish diasporic existences and to fashion a new ‘way in the world’. The initial trauma of forced removal from their ancestral lands has led to a spirit ual yearning for rootedness and symbolic return to home. Further, the yearning in question is best represented in the notion of primordialism, for it is only at home that one supposedly finds the acceptance and security from which to begin to negotiate one’s way in the world. Thus, ‘travel as exploration and transforming encounter turns on the quest for El Dorado, the lost world, the aboriginal landscape, identity,  origins, ancestry psychic reconnection, and rebirth’ (Paquet 2002, 196). Viewed in this way the Caribbean is both home and an African diasporic home away from home, and to this end Paquet invokes Wilfred Cartey, Carole BoyceDavies, Claude McKay, George Lamming and Edward Kamau Brathwaite to make the case for a ‘holistic Caribbean’ that comprises ‘a culturally diverse yet traditional’ culture block that stresses ‘the genealogical connection with Africa’ (p. 745). While departure could be non-voluntary or forced (slavery), Paquet also focuses on voluntary departure, as in the Caribbean migrant to England or some other metropolitan centre. Often for economic reasons, it is a sort of voluntary exile in Lamming’s thinking, that has given rise to scores of Caribbean diasporas in various Eu ropean metropoles. London, Berlin or Toronto is really a twice-migrant; first from Africa and second from the Caribbean. The connection to an African home is the centrepiece of much contemporary Afrocentric politics, but that connection is largely mythical and imagined, although many commentators seem willing to forget this fact. This speaks directly to the idea of home and belonging as articulated by two unapologetic Afrocentrists, Ian Smart and Kimani Nehusi (2000). For example, there is Nehusi who sees home as ‘a nurturing place, a space of spiritual, psychological, social, and physical comfort, freedom, security and satisfaction, and ultimately confidence, because we know that we will be understood there †¦ humans feel at home only when they can be themselves in culturally familiar ways. Home is therefore †¦ a space that not merely permits but encourages us to be our own selves and in which we are ‘easy’ – not merely familiar, but comfortable too (Nehusi 2000a, 1-2). This essentialist and romantic theme of ‘Africa as home’ is picked up by  Smart who treats all black people as Africans and affirms that the ‘African mind is one that deals with the big picture. The African mind is fundamentally driven by and towards holism’ (Smart 2000a, 51). And apparently unmindful of the process of creolization, Smart goes on boldly to assert that ‘[t]he core of Caribbean culture is the African heritage’ (2000a, 70). All of this is by way of setting the stage for the claim that Trinidad is an African country whose central cultural marker is the Carnival. According to Smart, Nehusi and several of the contributors to the volume in question, Carnival is an African festival that has become the national festival of Trinidad: ‘Carnival is â€Å"a black thing†, a Wosirian (Osirian) mystery play that was celebrated annually in Kemet (Ancient Egypt) from the very dawn of history’ (Smart 2000a, 29). Lamentably, however, the African origins and the signal contributions of Africans are bring erased by a class and colour conspiracy to wrest the festival from its original African founders. In essentialist language, these authors assume that Trinidad means African, that African means black, and that black means poor or working class (Smart 2000a, 63). Thus, the non-black presence in the Carnival, whether as masquerader, bandleader or owner, or costume designer, is all part of the Eurocentric (which is code for white and upper class) attempt to silence and erase the African. For one contributor, Pearl Springer, the consequence is that the Carnival has been reshaped in such as way that the African presence in the national festival is erased or reduced to that of a street vendor and ‘hired hand’ that does the physical labour in making the mas (Springer 2000, 22). Nehusi is in full agreement with this take on erasure of the black person: ‘Afrikan Trinidadians have been abandoned, declared nonpersons by a continuing Eurocentric system which refuses to recognize them and their traditions as valid and refuses to recognize the history of struggle †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (2000a, 11). Another contributor, Patricia Alleyne Dettmers, invokes the universal African and has no difficulty speaking of ‘Africans †¦ born in Trinidad and Tobago’ (2000, 132). Of particular significance here is the fact that these Afrocentric commentators who rail against the erasure of Africans and the suppression of African identity, simultaneously engage in their own erasure of the East Indian, the Chinese and other ethnic groups in  Trinidad (Allahar 2004, 129-33). Thus, in the same volume, Patricia Moran, affirms that ‘the Caribbean woman is basically African’ (2000, 169). As is clear, like the wider Caribbean region as a whole, the books and authors under review here are not free of contradiction and ambivalence. For the Afrocentric case put forward by writers like Smart and Nehusi (and their five co-authors) clearly looks past the well known erasure of the East Indians’ presence and contributions they have made to such countries as Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. For this reason David Trotman wrote sarcastically of Trinidad’s supposed multi-racial paradise on the eve of independence (1962) and the racially coloured anticipation that filled the Trinidad air at the time: ‘it was a multi-racial picture from which the Indian seemed strangely absent’ (1991, 393). Trotman speaks of the privileging of African traditions to the neglect of Indian ones, and takes issue with one calypsonian, whose calypso titled ‘Portrait of Trinidad’ only identified the Afro-associated elements of steelband, calypso and carnival as national cultural achievements. This led Trotman wryly to observe: ‘In this portrait the Indian is painted out’ (p. 394). Paquet also laments this erasure as it is articulated by George Lamming and V.S. Naipaul (2002, 176, 189-90). The authors of the studies contained in Smart and Nehusi (2000) speak ideologically to what supposedly binds the community together, for example, common blood lines, common ethno-cultural experience, common collective memory, common African origins and so on. I say supposedly for much of this idea of community cohesiveness is rather mythical or fictional. It is part of the essentialization of Africa and Africans that is common among Afrocentrist commentators, and in the process all others are erased. Further, in the move to homogenize and essentialize Africans, they conveniently ignore those social and structural features that divide the community. I am thinking here of internal, class, colour, economic, and  political inequalities within, say, the so-called African diasporic community, not to mention ideological cleavages related to religion, inter- and intra-ethnic rivalries. Given the role played by myths of ethnic descent in the invoking of national unity and cultural identity, Smart and Nehusi problematize the political dimensions of cultural nationalism as it applies to the Trinidad carnival. They give cultural nationalism a colour – black – which means there are major implications for those who are defined out of the societal culture, for example, those who claim East Indian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc., descents. To affirm that Carnival is Trinidad’s national festival implies that the so-called Indo-Trinidadians, who, for whatever reasons, do not see carnival as their national cultural marker, are somehow less than full Trinidadians. In the minds of black nationalists, then, the carnival, which was born in Africa, is the supreme African festival and belongs entirely to black people, who, regardless of where they were born, are Africans! Africa is home for all Africans. This is why Smart depicts the Trinidad carnival as ‘the quintessential African festival’ (2000a, 72), and Nehusi sees the street parade segment of the celebration as symbolic of the Africans’ reclaiming their physical, spiritual and cultural freedom: ‘Possession of the streets was a sign of Afrikan possession of self, a spiritual re-connection with ancestors through millennia of cultural practice, a liberation through expression of impulses carried in genes for uncounted generations †¦.’ (2000b, 96). Some critics have charged that the foregoing constitutes part of the larger racist agenda of those black nationalists who want to define carnival in ethno-racial terms: ‘Trinbagonians can then rightly claim their festival as â€Å"we thing† only because it is a â€Å"black thing†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Smart 2000a, 72). The loose invoking of the royal ‘we’ must not be taken as referring to all Trinbagonians, however, for it is tied to the deliberate erasure of the East Indian. Thus, the contributors to the volume in question can be seen as endorsing the myth of merry Africa and spinning tall tales of racial identity and solidarity among Africans the world over. They are unequivocal in their claim that Africa is the cradle of human civilization and the source of ancient human history. In spite of these facts, however, contemporary history is said to be written and produced by white supremacist barbarians bent on erasing the major contributions of Africans. Thus, Alleyne-Dettmers essentializes ‘barbaric Europeans’ (2000, 139), and both Smart (2000b, 199) and Moran (2000, 174) condemn what they refer to generally as ‘European barbarism’, while Olaogun Adeyinka speaks more specifically of the ‘heroic struggles of Africans’ to liberate themselves ‘from Spanish, French and British barbarism’ (2000, 111). Patricia Moran wants to rewrite history for she fears that there is a conspiracy on the part of what she calls ‘white bandits’ and those ‘Aryan marauders’ (p. 175), who, even today, would steal ‘we thing’, which is carnival and steelband! In the assertion of an absolute African identity there is the absolute erasure of the East Indian and other ethnic groups that comprise the society. As the foregoing assessment of Smart and Nehusi (2000) suggests, in the public’s mind, the term Caribbean brings immediately to mind the English-speaking countries of the region and their African-descended populations. Somewhat less immediate are the Spanish-speaking countries of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Even less immediate are the French countries (provinces) of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the independent, French-speaking country of Haiti. Then there is the almost forgotten, erased, Caribbean: the Dutch-speaking Netherlands Antilles and Suriname. Although scholarship on the Caribbean has devoted considerable attention to the situation of East Indians in Trinidad and Guyana, and their erasure at the hands of both the colonial authorities and the various ‘black’ governments that inherited the seats of power following independence, not much is known about their counterparts in Suriname and other parts of the Dutch Caribbean. In fact, when addressing Caribbean studies generally, Suriname and the other countries of the Netherlands Antilles are usually an  afterthought; a curious appendage of the better-known English- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. This leads to an incomplete picture of the region for if one were to assess the situation of the East Indians in the Caribbean, the Surinamese case seems to parallel that of Trinidad and Guyana, but the lessons learned in the latter were lost on the former. Indeed, in the years leading up to Suriname’s independence (1975), the East Indian population had the same fears and misgivings as their counterparts in Trinidad and Guyana a decade and a half earlier. And if political independence in these two countries was black in complexion, the social and political erasure of their East Indian populations could be expected to be repeated in Suriname. Thus, Gert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers wrote that: ‘quietly the Hindustani population were only afraid that those who would receive independence (i.e. the Afro-Surinamese) would use this for the enlargement of their own political power’ (2003, 112). As a consequence the East Indians generally opposed independence and opted for continued colonial dependence on the Dutch (p. 103, 112). For Oostindie and Klinkers (2003), then, this is only one reason why any comprehensive attempt to understand the history and sociology of the Caribbean must include the contributions that the Dutch countries have made to the shaping of the region’s wider culture and politics. Yet one must not homogenize all the Dutch countries, for Suriname and Aruba, for example, are quite politically, socially and culturally distinct. And whereas the sentiments of ‘black power’ informed the political sensibilities of Curaà §ao’s population, the ‘political elites of Aruba had always tended to emphasise the Euro-Amerinidian roots of their island as opposed to the African character of Curaà §ao’ (2003, 122). Indeed, as these authors point out, after losing Indonesia the Dutch lost most of their appetite for empire and appeared to retain their Caribbean possessions only reluctantly. And after the independence of Suriname, an  unusual situation was presented whereby the mother country seemed willing to free itself from the responsibilities of Empire, but the colonies in question would not let them off the hook (p. 116, 145). This is reminiscent of what Rosemarijn Hoefte and Gert Oostindie call ‘an example of upside-down decolonization with the metropolis, not the former colonies, pressing for independence’ (1991, 93). As Oostindie and Klinkers convincingly argue, whereas in the British West Indies (BWI) the sentiment for independence was strong in the 1950s and 1960s, this was not the case in the French West Indies and the Dutch West Indies (2003, 46-7). Suriname was the exception, but it was continental and not part of the socalled Antilles or Netherlands Antilles. In the case of the United States, Puerto Rico was a mixed bag with a significant proportion desiring statehood and an equal number preferring the continuation of the status quo, while an insignificant minority has always favoured independence. The US Virgin Islands, on the other hand, has never had any pretensions at independence of any kind. What is most striking about all these non-sovereign Caribbean states today (the remaining British Overseas Territories, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Martinique and Guadeloupe, Curaà §ao, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire and Aruba), is that they have a higher standar d of living than the independent states, which leads some to make the perverse claim for continued colonization. The fact of the matter, however, is that all the economies in question are almost totally subsidized by the mother countries so local or indigenous economic development is virtually nonexistent. The higher standards of living are thus quite precarious and artificial and could crash any time the colonial power decided to withdraw. This led to the obvious conclusion that because: ‘from the Dutch side, millions of guilders are pumped into the Antilles and Suriname on a yearly basis,’ it would be far more preferable that ‘today rather than tomorrow that the Netherlands would get rid of the Antilles and Suriname’ (Oostindie and Klinkers 2003, 116). But as noted by Paquet earlier, decolonization is intimately tied to identity, whether juridical or socio-cultural, and wrapped up in the complex Caribbean traditions of errantry, travel, migration and return. So following  the insights of Derek Walcott, after all the travel is over, return to home is on the agenda; but ‘home’ is a nuanced Caribbean with African sensibilities. Further, because finding self is the prerequisite to finding home (Paquet 2002, 171, 173, 186-7; Smart and Nehusi 2000), and because self- knowledge leads to self-realization (Paquet 2002, 184, 187, 191), identity and belonging are inextricably tied to (political) action. Thus, in the case of the remaining British Overseas Territories, there is the ongoing debate over citizenship, passports and legal rights that led to the clumsy creation of a category of ‘British dependent territory passport holders’. This has given rise to what Oostindie and Klinkers call a group of persons with ‘a form of paper identity’ that has turned them into ‘citizens of nowhere’ (2003, 195). The same applies to the Surinamers and other Antillean peoples, who want to retain their distinctive Caribbean cultural identities, but who, mainly for economic reasons insist on retaining Dutch passports, Dutch citizenship, and all associated rights and privileges. And just as growing economic problems (unemployment) and social problems (racial discrimination) led the British in the 1960s to restrict free movement of British subjects from the former colonies to the metropolis, the French sought to encourage economic development in Martinique and Gua deloupe in order to reduce the numbers of those emigrating to France, and The Hague has made similar attempts to limit the numbers of Surinamese and Antilleans who have claims on Dutch citizenship. Once more the parallels are compelling but the consequences of erasure prevent them from being fully grasped. Another instructive parallel that seems lost in the erasure of the Dutch Caribbean concerns the idea of regional federation or integration. When Jamaica decided to pull out of the federation of the ten British West Indian territories in 1961, Trinidad’s Eric Williams announced that 1 from 10 leaves naught, implying that the idea of federation was dead (Knight and Palmer 1989, 14-15). For their part the Dutch Antilles, which are composed  of six islands, were faced with an almost exact dilemma when Aruba was granted ‘separate status’ in 1996. With continental Suriname already independent, Aruba’s status aparte led to a virtually identical sentiment of ‘one out of six would leave nil’ (Oostindie and Klinmkers 2003, 122), and seemed to end all hope or talk of Antillean independence. Based on the forgoing it is clear to see how the Caribb ean, both historically and in contemporary times, is a political project subject to the power politics of entrenched interests, whether of a class, race or gendered nature. Further, as social groups strive to root themselves and to establish identity markers, such politics will see the erasure of some and the promotion of others. The three studies reviewed here highlight dimensions of the colonial period in the Caribbean as well as the politics of decolonization and the politics of nation building in the modern age. While recently the latter has tended to assume clear ethnic dimensions, considerations of class, race and gender are not to be minimized or ignored, for the modern Caribbean was constructed on the politics of social inequality that are directly tied their statuses as dependent capitalist satellites of imperialist centres in an increasingly globalized world. *** References Allahar, Anton L. (2003) ‘â€Å"Racing† Caribbean Political Culture: Afrocentrism, Black Nationalism and Fanonism’. In Holger Henke and Fred Reno (eds) Modern Political Culture in the Caribbean. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, pp. 21-58. Allahar, Anton L. (2004) ‘Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Nationalism in Trinidad: Afrocentrism and Hindutva’, Social and Economic Studies (53)2: 117-154. Alleyne Dettmers, Patricia (2000) ‘Beyond Borders, Carnival as Global Phenomena’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 131-162. 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