Synthesis Paper on Gay Marriage

Caroline Treinen Ms. Pajer English 101 Synthesis Essay Who are we to dictate who someone loves? The definition of love is the action that two people share. The definition does not say love only occurs between a man and a woman. The article, â€Å"Gay marriage proposals destructive to society, Vatican official says,† is an argument against gay marriage. The author, John Thavis, claims that homosexuals are just struggling to find themselves and that same-sex marriage disrupts the normal sexuality and fertility of a couple.In â€Å"Support for Homosexuals’ Civil Liberties†, Kristin Kenneavy discusses how religious outlooks influence a family’s beliefs on same sex marriage. The two articles show the different views on gay marriage by explaining different attitudes toward homosexuality, the future implications of gay marriage and the role that religion determines when it comes to beliefs on same-sex marriage. The American gay movement was inspired from Germany because in 1867 â€Å"a renegade legal scholar named Karl Heinrich Ulrichs went before the Congress of German Jurists, in Munich, to plead for the repeal of sodomy laws†(Ross).Magnus Hirschfeld had established the first gay-rights organization. Henry Gerber founded a Society for Human Rights in Chicago. New York then turned into a very popular gay life town. New York even â€Å"passed laws against cross-dressing, onstage representations of homosexuals, and gatherings of gays in clubs†(Ross). One of the main reasons that people look down upon gay marriage is because the Bible states that a man and woman need to come together as one in order for the human race to be successful and to reproduce.If the number of gay and lesbian couples grow, the human population won’t and America will struggle with our leadership position as one of the strongest countries in the world. Most people would agree that same-sex marriage is a sin, but so is abortion, gluttony, and stealin g, but everyone still performs those deeds. Why are they wasting so much time arguing about same-sex marriage and not paying any attention to any of the other sins that so many people perform?In â€Å"Gay marriage proposals destructive to society, Vatican official says,† Cardinal Ratzinger asserts that â€Å"recent legislative proposals for gay marriage are part of a larger modern rupture between sexuality and fertility. † He is stating that gay marriage could destroy the status quo of marriage. He argues that normal marriage is a man and a woman uniting as one, not a man and a man or a woman and a woman. A man and a woman are meant to be together not only for physical purposes, but also for moral ones.There is no way that two men or two women could be together morally because it is not in the Bible. He states that homosexuals are considered people who are suffering and want to find their way, but making gay marriage legal doesn’t really help these people. Ratzi nger said that â€Å"this is a trend that separates us from all the great culture of humanity, which have always recognized the particular significance of sexuality: that a man and a woman are created to jointly be the guarantee of the future of humanity. †On the other hand, in â€Å"Support for Homosexuals’ Civil Liberties†, the author states â€Å"traditional gender role attitudes and support for homosexuals’ civil liberties are found to negatively co-vary over time. † Religious attitudes differ in both their approaches to the roles of men and women in family settings and their approach towards homosexuality. The author explains that typical household is a male, who has a job, and a female, who is a housewife and children, who usually just go to school and watch cartoons.If two men are a part of a household, it destroys the stereotypical household and the familial dynamic. Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI â€Å" said gay ma rriage proposals were just one example of the tremendous changes challenging European culture. † He believes that gay marriage promotes the idea that any type of union is morally acceptable, which in this case it is not because it is destroying the status quo of normal marriage. Ratzinger claims that the European culture has â€Å"passed from a Christian culture to an aggressive form of secularism that at times is intolerant.As an example of this intolerance, the cardinal cited a case in Sweden where a Christian minister was imprisoned for preaching against homosexuality on the basis of Scripture. † Ratzinger is complaining that his perfect Catholic culture is turning into a distorted version of secularism, which asserts the right to be free from religious rule and teachings. Someone who preaches against homosexuality can risk imprisonment because it is against Catholic beliefs. In â€Å"Support for Homosexuals’ Civil Liberties†, Kenneacy also comments on the future implications of gay marriage.Religious beliefs play an important role in defining social acceptance and functions of families. Gays and lesbians don’t receive worldwide support when it comes to protection of their civil liberties because they aren’t considered full citizens. He writes that â€Å"heterosexual dominance works by reserving the private sphere of romance, marriage, and family for heterosexuals only. That dominance is legitimated by constructing lesbians and gays as natural outlaws to the family. † Lesbian and gay couples aren’t considered natural, which is why they are basically shunned from being considered natural.More liberal religious traditions have supported the practicing homosexuals. The conservative religions have been in groups that are vocally opposed to civil liberties for gay men and lesbian women. Cardinal Ratzinger considers religion to be a big determination in his belief that same-sex marriage should not be allowed. He states that â€Å"Islam represents a special challenge for Europeans. In a positive sense, he said, Christians should be reflecting on the deep religious practice of Muslims, their firm faith in God, their awareness that we â€Å"are all under God’s judgment† and the observance of common religious practices. But he also believes that Muslims should learn from the Christians and how religious freedom is important to them. Kenneavy believes that the Catholic Church determines the belief in same sex marriage and â€Å"has unequivocally voiced its view that the acceptance of homosexuality threatens the family because homosexual family forms are not ordained by God. † The duties of a husband and women are supposed to be performed by a man and a woman, not two men or two women. In the Bible, a family of two men or two females is not natural. It is not right.Although many Catholics look negatively upon homosexuals and marriage, other individual Catholics may no ne cessarily completely go along with the church policy about homosexuality. But other than that most Catholics are considered to have conservative beliefs when it comes to accepting homosexuals. One of these articles supports gay marriage and the other one strongly doesn’t, but they both have a sense of Catholicism, which states that marriage should be between a man and a woman. The Catholic Church believes that homosexuality threatens the family because homosexual family forms are not in the bible.Bibliography Brewer, Paul R. â€Å"The Shifting Foundations of Public Opinion about Gay Rights. † Journal of Politics 65. 4 (2003): 1208-1220. Business Source Complete. Web. Kenneavy, Kristin. â€Å"Support for Homosexuals’ Civil Liberties: The Influence of Familial Gender Role Attitudes Across Religious Denominations. † Project Muse 90. 4 (2012). Web. Ross, Alex. â€Å"Love on the March. †Ã‚  The New Yorker. N. p. , 12 Nov. 2012. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. .

Advantages of mobile phone Essay

Imagine waking up one morning and noticing your smartphone is missing. Really missing, not just buried under your blankets or abandoned in a coat pocket. Now imagine that happened to every single smartphone user. One of the most common criticisms about 21st century society is our dependence on technology, particularly smartphones. It’s no secret many of us rely a teensy bit too much on our mobile devices and, perhaps as a result, we’re abandoning some real world know-how in favor of convenience. Here we consider what most of us would essentially have to relearn without access to smartphones. Unlike the traditional cell phones, smartphones put the Internet in your pocket so you will be able to surf the Internet at any time on your phone. For instance, with your smartphone, you are able to search recipe websites and locate new recipes to cook. The phone also offers news websites and weather updates if you need to check the weather before you head out for the day .In addition, when you are on the bus heading back home, having a slap-up meal in your favourite restaurant, or on a weekend trip away; regardless, you’re never more than a few minutes from getting in touch with your nearest and dearest. Instant access to your emails and social media like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare means that you know what all your friends are doing, where they are, and what they think about anything from news to music to sport, right now. You can Facebook chat with your brothers who are overseas, or tweet at your best mate to say how much you’re looking forward to seeing them later; near or far, smartphones have made keeping in touch a real doddle. On the other hand, smartphones have many tools such as digital cameras, clocks , GPS navigation system, torch light and so forth. These tools will definitely help us in our daily life. Smartphones have combined everything we need to organise our lives into a single handheld device. We can set an alarm for the morning or a reminder about a doctor’s appointment, snapping a quick photo of a film poster to look at later, we can store ideas, memories and feelings within seconds. Besides, when we use the phone’s GPS system, we won’t have to worry about getting lost on the road or having trouble driving in a city that we are not familiar with at night. we can also download game apps to relax ourselves Smartphones also benefit in education system. Some lecturers use to record their lectures and create it where students can upload teachers’ lectures. Students who have smartphones can research various websites for research purposes easily. Teachers can use smartphones for file sharing, especially if they have the Dropbox app. This app is great for distributing information. Teachers can tell their students to make Dropbox accounts and create class-shared folders so that students can just submit their essays and projects from their computers or smartphones. Dropbox can save teachers time and paper.Moreover, we can use our smartphone to do our homeworks and assignments to find some information. By using our smart phones to find information is much faster than using a computer or a laptop. We don’t need to turn the computer on and off and we don’t have to connect to the Internet line for using the Internet. Many students also tend to use the dictionary in their smart phones. So, they will learn more and more words in a day.They will also learn the pronounciation of unfimiliar words .This will definitely improve their grammar and writing skills. To conclude, smartphones are an technological invention to follow the evolution of the society. Today, it is impossible not to think of using smartphones in everyday life. They became really important and essential as they are used for work or for private life. Smartphone brings many convenience in our livesFinally, the NSA affair showed that governments keep people under surveillance. More than the fact that this is a international issue between the United States and other countries, people can reflect on this and tell to themselves that using a smartphone can allow a governments to keep an eye on the society.

Comparing The Powerful Images of the Tyger and the War photographer Essay

William Blake and Carol Ann Duffy both utilize powerful imagery to describe the â€Å"War Photographer† and â€Å"The Tyger†, making similar statements about them. In addition, both poems use vivid imagery associated with the theme of religion and war. The use of imagery by both poets emphasizes the parallelism between the â€Å"The Tyger† and the â€Å"War Photographer† as it suggests that both these characters prey on death. For example, William Blake describes the Tyger to have a â€Å"fearful symmetry† and â€Å"fire† in its eyes. The words â€Å"fearful† and â€Å"fire†, create a semantic field of ferocity and danger associated with the Tyger. Furthermore, this highlights the savage and formidable side of the Tyger, making the predatory nature of such an animal prominent. The use of the word â€Å"symmetry â€Å" not only indicates the Tiger’s symmetrical appearance but also, on a deeper level may imply the ordered and mechanical manner in which it kills its prey. This is because the fact that its appearance remains symmetrical suggests how emotionless and insensitive it is when using the death of other animals to fuel its own ruthless mind and body. Although the â€Å"War Photographer† isn’t portrayed to this extent of barbarity, the fact that he uses death and suffering as a source of income is certainly similar to the Tyger’s situation. This is exemplified when Carol Ann Duffy says that the War Photographer â€Å"stares impassively at where he earns a living.† The use of the adverb â€Å"impassively† conjures up images showing how the War Photographer is so unemotional and machinelike in the way he takes pictures of the death and suffering of War just to â€Å"earn a living.† Therefore, in this way, the mental images formed in reader’s mind from each poem illustrate that the War Photographer is synonymous with the Tyger as they both cold-heartedly use the medium of death to improve their own lives. However, on other hand, the dichotomy of both the Tyger and the War Photographer is also made clear with the use of imagery. For example, William Blake also depicts the Tyger to be â€Å"burning bright.† This emphasizes the magnificence of the Tyger in a much more â€Å"bright† and positive manner, juxtaposing its deadly and dangerous side. The use of bilabial plosives in the ‘b’ sounds in â€Å"burning† and â€Å"bright† creates an explosive and energetic sound, creating images of an animated and vibrant animal, contrasting to the alternative dull and spiritless perception of the Tyger. Moreover, the depiction that the Tyger is a thing of beauty rather than terror is accentuated when the Tyger, which is â€Å"burning bright†, comes from â€Å"the forests of the night.† This paints a picture of the Tyger being something good coming out of evil as the words â€Å"forest† and â€Å"night† have connotations of something dark and sinister, contrasting to the magnificence of the Tyger’s brightness. William Blake also goes on to ask the question â€Å"Did he who made the Lamb make thee?† This is referring to God as the Lamb is depicted as the ‘Lamb of God’. This question reinforces the idea that there must be something good coming out of this seemingly deadly creature if God is its creator. The reason for this is that God is often pictured an omnipotent, benevolent figure and the fact that he created the â€Å"Lamb†, a symbol of complete innocence and purity, reinforces this. Therefore if he created the Tyger, there must be a positive outcome to its invention. Perhaps Blake is conveying the image to the reader that the valuable purpose of the Tyger is to create a natural order of balance in the world. Although on the surface its predatory nature seems only to have negative impacts, it is required to ensure the survival of not only its own species but also to prevent the overpopulation of prey species like the Lamb. This imagery implies that the Tyger needs to prey on animals such as the lamb in order to keep balance in the world, and to allow the circle of life to happen, a concept that is reinforced by the cyclic structure of the poem. Similarly, in War Photographer Carol Ann Duffy mentions how the War photographer â€Å"sought approval without words to do what someone must.† This adds a sense of morality to his job and the purpose of it, just like the creation of Tyger benefits the world in a much larger sense; he doesn’t do it just to earn money. This produces a contrasting image on the War Photographer as it suggests he is doing something right and â€Å"what someone must† as making people aware of the death and suffering in the world, is a step closer to resolving this problem of war. Furthermore, powerful imagery used by both C. A. Duffy and William Blake, emphasizes the duality of the Tyger and War Photographer. On the surface, both the Tyger and the War photographer seem to be emotionless and insensitive in the way they prey on death but the larger, meaningful purpose of each character is also portrayed. Powerful imagery is also presented in both poems via the theme of religion. For example, in War Photographer, strong religious imagery is created with use of the Bible quote â€Å"All flesh is grass.† This implies that all life is as temporary as grass and just like grass life will shine for its season but then wither, fade and die. Alternatively the â€Å"flesh† could be a metaphor for death, suggesting that death in war is as common and in huge numbers as blades of grass. Nevertheless, both these interpretations highlight the ephemeral nature of life in war. Perhaps Carol Ann Duffy uses the fact that quote stems from the Bible to almost blame Christianity or religion for allowing or creating War, which makes life so fragile and transient. Furthermore, maybe, C. A. Duffy conveys these religious images to the reader, to highlight the doubt she has in the supposed altruism of God for creating war. William Blake uses religious imagery similarly in the Tyger. â€Å"What immortal hand or eye, Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?† This questions the nerve of the â€Å"immortal† God to create such a â€Å"fearful†, dangerous creature. Perhaps Blake uses the terror of Tyger to represent the suffering and death in the world and in this way, he creates striking images to question whether God is truly beneficent. This image of an uncompassionate God is reinforced when God is questioned to have â€Å"dread hand† and â€Å"dread feet† for creating this creature. The use of the adjective of â€Å"dread† to describe God produces powerful images that oppose the assumed kindness of God, implying that this all-powerful figure may also harbour malicious intent. Perhaps Blake is alluding to the fearful Jehovah like image from the Old Testament, questioning whether in fact he is a benevolent figure for creating the death and suffering that the Tyger embodies. Therefore, the religious imagery in both the War Photographer and the Tyger question whether God’s good will for creating suffering in the world emphasized through the creation of the Tyger and War. An apparent difference in the portrayal of images between the 2 poems is that the War Photographer is closely related to humanity, whereas The Tyger focuses on images beyond human. In War photographer, C.A. Duffy emphasizes the effect of War on humans such as the â€Å"War Photographer† and the †readers† of his pictures. For example the War photographer’s hand is described to â€Å"tremble† when he is forming the pictures of â€Å"agonies.† The words â€Å"agonies† and â€Å"tremble† paint a vivid image of the hardships of his job and the amount of fear he has when witnessing the horrors of war. Therefore, the plight of the War Photographer evokes the base instincts of empathy from the reader. Carol Ann Duffy also goes on to mention, â€Å"The reader’s eyeballs prick with tears† when seeing the â€Å"agonies† in the pictures that the War Photographer takes. The use of the verb â€Å"prick† to depict how the readers weep when seeing theses pictures, illustrates how superficial and apathetic this response is, the photos just â€Å"prick† the surface of their â€Å"eyeballs†, it is not heart-felt or deep. Perhaps this displays that these readers forge even this feeble gesture of respect, as they have to go the extent of pricking their eyeballs to make themselves cry, as it does not come naturally. This is to â€Å"prick† is quite an abrasive or forceful verb may imply that they are forcing themselves to artificially show that they care, when truly â€Å"they do not care.† This gives the impression that the readers suffer from compassion fatigue, they are desensitized by the sheer number of horrific photos of War that are presented to them and subconsciously, they realise this lack of compassion but they do not want to display it. In this way C.A Duffy, brings this insensitivity that masked by artificial a cts of kindness of the viewers (of pictures of War), to the forefront of the reader’s mind. Furthermore this imagery is quite because it questions whether the reader (of this poem) deep inside, have this same indifference to the pictures of War, many readers would relate to the way they are often dismissive of these images (like the readers in the poem), making them almost feel guilty. However the visualization in the Tyger creates very different effects on the reader. The lexical patterning of the words â€Å"immortal†, â€Å"distant†, †wings† and â€Å"heaven† creates a strong impression that the only 2 figures in this poem (The Tyger and its creator) are superhuman and celestial, creating a very mystical tone to the poem. This is reinforced with auditory imagery through the incessant trochaic metre of the poem and the repetition of the word Tyger, very much chant or hymn like, re-iterating the supernatural theme to the poem as hymns are sung to emphasise the magnificence of God. Therefore, this leaves the reader is awe and amazement of the power of these 2 figures that belong to a world much beyond the one of a human. Thus, the imagery in the Tyger and the War photographer also has very different effects on the reader, one leaving you with emotions of empathy and guilt and the other with a sense of wonder. In conclusion, Carol Ann Duffy and William Blake both present powerful images of the figures of the War Photographer and the Tyger that make them very alike.

Analysis Report Tata Steel of India Research Paper - 1

Analysis Report Tata Steel of India - Research Paper Example The Indian Government has pursued a policy of progressively opening India’s local economy to foreign competition, and there is currently no levy or tax restriction on the import and export of iron and steel products. (India Ministry of Steel, 2009) The consequence of this is considered to be increased competition in the sector, and lower prices, particularly as set by Chinese steel producers for export. China produced over 10 times the steel capacity of India, at 567 million metric tons in 2009 compared to 56.1 million metric tons produced by India in the same period. (India Ministry of Steel, 2010) Nevertheless, Tata Steel has produced a corporate strategy to meet these competitive challenges, and this includes sustainability policies directed at the greater welfare of workers, the environment, and community. This report will review Tata Steel’s sustainability policies as implemented by corporate management to determine the success of these programs and to recommend ch anges that are mutually beneficial to the stakeholders of the company. Tata Steel states publicly that â€Å"the primary purpose of a business is to improve the quality of life of people.† (Tata Steel, 2011) This tenet constitutes the cornerstone of the company’s sustainability policy and represents the wider mandate held by corporate management on behalf of stakeholders. In India, there is a need for social and economic development that uplifts people out of poverty. One of the main processes that enable individuals to improve their living condition in the modern, globalized economy is the possession of a professional, well-paying job. Another factor is the level of education that an individual receives in the formative years of development.

GM Bonus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

GM Bonus - Essay Example All of these developments come in the wake of a massive downturn in the demand for automobiles in the United States, which in turn nearly led to complete insolvency of the major automobile companies by the U.S. government. As a consequence GM received approximately $49.5 billion in loans to help bailout the company. However it is the case that GM experienced a remarkable return towards profitability and has thus far repaid $23 billion. From the industry perspective, other American car companies were not far behind in providing bonuses to their employees as well. Ford (Which did not receive a bailout) paid out $5,000 to each of their factory workers, and Chrysler will pay out a smaller bonus of less that $750 to their factory workers (Despite the fact that the company is currently losing money). The reasoning behind why these bonuses are being given out is largely because these companies are hoping to retain workers that are likely to defect to other automobile companies. From the employee perspective one could argue that the bonuses would indeed help to keep their employees loyal and help to build a positive rapport with the unions where it would be presented that profits are being spread across the whole company. On the other side of the spectrum would be the concerns from the government and American taxpayer. Understandably, some government and civilian representatives seek to have their entire loan repaid before bonuses should be sent out. Whilst there is merit to this argument, it is also the case that there is a loan repayment schedule that GM is adhering to and any excessive profits could theoretically be used to either repay the loans faster or reinvest in new property, plant and equipment. In essence these bonuses could be argued as an investment in the company human capital as it helps to retain some of the most skilled labor. Krisher, T. (February 14th 2011) GM to Pay

2008 May issue of Women's Health Magazine Critic Essay - 1

2008 May issue of Women's Health Magazine Critic - Essay Example Articles such as Burn More Fat were the highlight of this issue of Women’s Health Magazine and the lead article was assisted by the picture of a slim and trim model. In a time where increasing criticism was being given to the extreme to which models were going to look as slim as possible, this was a brave move on the magazine’s part but was a move executed very intelligently since the magazine was strewn with complimenting articles on good health and physical fitness altogether. It was apparent that the issue of the magazine had chosen to bring together a combination of looks as well as health in this issue. The article also held a subscript which gave the article a tacky sort of appeal. The subscript said A Rock Solid Body by 1st June. This was not a particularly wise decision since not all women desire having a rock solid body and a large number of women still choose to look womanly and feel soft and comforting to their partners when they are in their presence. In thi s regard, the article seemed quite out of place in the magazine that was sporting other articles that focused on the woman’s health. This article seemed to go a little overboard. However, other articles such as Lost in Translation – What he’s trying to tell you were quite amusing and entertaining and needless to say, it was articles such as these in the May issue of Women’s Health Magazine that kept the reader riveted. Moreover, it was articles such as these that drew the attention of the reader towards the magazine in the first place. Designed for the reader’s amusement and relationship intelligence, this was an article that must have been responsible for a significant number of sales for the magazine since it stood out amongst the rest of the articles in the fact that it was the only article on relationships in the entire May 2008 issue of the magazine. Perhaps the first thing to catch the reader’s eyes was the article All New Way’s to Healthier Eating which

Eliezer's Struggle to Keep his Faith in God Essay

Eliezer's Struggle to Keep his Faith in God - Essay Example Elie lost a mother and a small sister during the holocaust that aimed at slaughtering the Jews. Elie confronts the worst in humanity and the worst in him (Bloom, 39). Despite this dilapidating and worse environment, Elie keeps faith in God, though in sceptical on the delay to safeguard His people. It is vital to notice that, Wiesel perception about God changes when nothing happens to rescue people from the hands of the Germans. Wiesel remains sceptical on how God handles situations (Bloom, 38). This change in mind however does not change Elsie’s belief in God’s existence. It is noticeable that, Wiesel believes that, God’s power should be manifested in hard situations especially those facing the Jews. It is imperative to note that, Elie loses faith in God during the de-humanization process that was instituted by the Nazis, but continues to believe that, God exists. This context vividly explains Wiesel’s mind and understanding about God. Wiesel believes that , God is supernatural and no one can kill the dreams about God (Bloom, 34). It is however, paradoxical to realize that, the Nazis murder Elie’s vision about God. Elie laments, â€Å"Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith. Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me, for all eternity, of the desire to live† it is flamboyant that the tone of anger and indelible grief in this passage reveals. Elie’s deep passionate feelings and believe about God was cleared off by the Nazi in a profound disillusionment (Bloom, 34). Wiesel believes that, the fear of God should be extended and manifested in human beings (Bloom, 56). This concept is vividly revealed in the love and passionate feelings expressed by Elie towards his ailing and weak father. Wiesel believes that God does the same to humankind. Elie is seen not thinking of abandoning his father, but of how to keep from losing him. This is exactly what God does to humanity (Bloom, 34). W iesel believes that, God does not abandon people but sticks with them. This context brings in a paradox, in that many people died and t question that disturbs Wiesel emerges, â€Å"Where is God?† After a dramatic execution of a resistance fighter at the camp, in which the young boy is strangled on the gallows because he is too light to break his neck, Elie’s disillusionment is markedly angrier and bitterer (Bloom, 39). Elie’s indulgence and perception about God tends to change after this incident. It is noteworthy, that Elie doubts God’s presence and undertaking. This is evident by the voice of man asking Elie from the background â€Å"where is God?† This depicts the change of mind and passion in God’s faith (Bloom, 40). Despite what Elie witnesses, a staunch element of trust takes centre stage, particularly, when a background voice answers the question on the presence of God. â€Å"He is here; He is hanging here on this gallows† (Blo om, 36). The happening of these events is attributable to Wiesel’s change in faith about God (Bloom, 39). It is imperative to note that, before the holocaust, Wiesel believed that, God is the sole protector and retaliator of the Jewish people. Wiesel believed that, whatever had happened before was according to God‘s great plans on the Jewish people (Bloom, 41). Wiesel accepted God’s will without further questioning. More over, when things got

News Article Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

News Article Analysis - Essay Example In such a situation, contrary to economic rules, budget deficits and printing money do not drive up inflation and slashing government spending has a disastrous effect on incomes and employment. Low inflation discourages borrowing and spending and encourages sitting on cash. The persistent weakness in the economy forces businesses to cut prices and prevents workers from bargaining for better wages. Paul Krugman argues for the need to provide monetary and fiscal stimulus to the economy to reduce unemployment and increase economic activity. He fears that letting these problems fester in the belief that these are short term problems would cause larger problems in the longer term. Conventional economic theory suggests that money supply is the most important factor in causing inflation, the classic explanation of â€Å"too much money chasing too few goods†. The $ 2 trillion that was injected into the economy should have caused the high inflation that many economists feared. However this perhaps was not real money injected into the system but more in the nature of a book adjustment for the distressed financial institutions. The two other factors that could have driven inflation were however absent in the US economy, the demand-pull factor and the cost-push factor. The demand-pull factor has been weak because of high levels of unemployment and the pessimism about the future in large sections of the people. There was no cost-push factor perhaps due to the fact that the crisis was global in nature. The Euro zone has been in recession and the China growth rate has slowed, reducing demand for a whole range of commodities. Conventional economic theory was formulated in a time period where each country’s economy was significantly insulated from others through geographic distance, tariff barriers and other obstacles to trade. These theories perhaps need re-examination in the light of the interconnection in global economy. Paul

Module 4 Written Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Module 4 Written - Essay Example Latin American countries characteristically have high inflation rate, with some countries having as much as three digit percentage. In fact in a 70 year history of Argentina, the country averaged in excess of 200 percent inflation rate, Brazil on the other hand averaged 390 percent from 1980, and attaining a high of 6821 in the first quarter of this year. Venezuela rates are very high, a rate of 63.4 percent. The concept of Purchasing power parity (PPP) would imply that the currencies of these countries shall depreciate compared to the United States dollar so as to consolidate the purchasing power across the countries. According to Keown, Martin & Petty (2008), PPP reflects the relative value of purchasing a product in one county versus another. A high inflation rate has the effect of making their exports cheap while making imports expensive, thereby discouraging demand for Latin American imports and forces a downward pressure in their Latin American currencies. Depreciation of the c urrencies compensates the rising prices on Latin American exports when viewed by imports from the US and other countries. Interest rate parity exacts pressure on the forward rates to contain a large discount as a result of the high interest rate prevailing in Latin America, which shows a snag of hedging Latin American currencies. Hence, the option to hedge bears more sensibility if the expected rate of depreciation exceeds more than the forward rate. It is also important to factor in that certain remittance cannot be hedged anyway as a result the value of uncertainty in future remittances The forward rate of a Latin American currency would have a big discount; as a result the Latin American interest rate would be higher than that of the US. The discount operates as the prediction of the rate of change in the value of the Latin American currency given a lengthy period of time, which I represented by the forward

Intrinsic Motivation Essay Example for Free

Intrinsic Motivation Essay Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is learning development in which people acquire a new language – more commonly known as â€Å"second language† in addition to their native tongue. The second language is often referred as â€Å"target language† or â€Å"L2†. In addition, second language denotes any new language learned after early childhood years. This means subsequently languages learned – i. e. third or fourth language is still referred to as second language. A number of personal and environmental factors may affect the decision to learn a second language. Examples of such factors include family influences, social groups or peers, teachers, school, age, and self-concept. An individual may pursue a study on acquiring a second language skill for various reasons and motivations. In a study of UK and European students, it has been stated that the reasons a student pursues a study a foreign language are the following: 1) to be able to develop a career advantage for opportunities in the future; 2) a students personal inclination to learn the language; 3) to be able to learn and appreciate to cultural differences; 4) for an enhanced comprehension of the culture where the language is used; 5) and to be able to reside in nations where the language is used. The current teacher booklet aims to help the SLA teacher increase the intrinsic motivation of SLA learners by presenting sundry topics, including attitudes and motivation in second language learning; clarifying erroneous beliefs about language learning; what the SLA teacher ought to focus on: sources of language anxiety; the learning environment as source of language anxiety; variables of self-confidence; socio-psychological issues of language anxiety and self-confidence; instructor-learner interaction and classroom procedures; and interpretation of educator beliefs on language learning. Attitudes and Motivation in Second Language Learning In the book Attitudes and motivation in second language learning, Gardner and Lambert (1972) have identified Integrative Motivation and Instrumental Motivation as the common reason for a student’s desire to study a second language. In the context of language learning, a learner may pursue the study of English such as a second language because of one’s desire to work in abroad as well as for travel purposes. The learner’s practical rationale for acquiring a second language is referred to as instrumental motivation. On the other hand, a person may pursue the study of English language in order to successfully integrate within the community where one is currently living. The learner’s purpose can be referred to as integrative motivation. Following a learner’s utilitarian purpose, the clear benefit of acquiring English as second language is to have a competitive edge in the labor market. Such skills are very valuable as businesses are increasingly becoming global. In fact, professionals who are fluent bilingual speakers have the competitive edge compared to monolingual speakers. In addition, travel and migration of people has becoming a growing trend in recent years prompting a necessity to understand and integrate within the society which one lives in. Given that there a significant number of SLA learners, it is worthwhile to examine how the teacher may be able to increase the confidence and intrinsic motivation and lessen the anxiety of the SLA learner. Clarifying Erroneous Beliefs about Language Learning Horwitz, Horwitz Cope (1986) believe that the problem of anxiety and the accompanying erroneous beliefs about language learning, as discussed in their literature focusing on classroom anxiety, represent serious impediments to the development of second language fluency as well as to performance. In their discussion of clinical experience with anxiety as a barrier to second language development, they categorize this personality factor as that of apprehension, worry and even dread and anxious language learners often have difficulty concentrating, become forgetful, sweat, and have palpitations. Further, Chang, Horwitz, and Schallert (1999) report that there are generally two types or constructs of anxiety, which are related to second language learning in both speaking and writing. The report suggests that second language classroom anxiety refers to the anxiety felt by students in interacting with native-speaking students. It is the more general type of anxiety felt by most school students. On the other hand, second language writing anxiety refers to language-skill-specific anxiety felt by students. Chang, Horwitz, and Schallert (1999) suggest that these are two separate constructs and that anxiety levels in speaking or writing may be felt differently. Nevertheless, the report asserts that level of self-esteem is an important component for both constructs. In a research on English as Second Language, Huang (2004) reports that foreign students (i. e. Chinese) studying at North American universities have faired very well in TOEFL. While Chinese students have obtained very high marks, many still have difficulties in understanding academic lectures, taking notes, writing assignments and giving presentations. Further, this report would also illustrate that the two independent constructs reported by Chang, Horwitz, and Schallert (1999). Huang (2004) reports that the students in the study have proficiency in reading ability and grammar, and that listening and the speaking were the weakest. Moreover, the study also reports low level of confidence of foreign students in participation and interaction in classes due to this difficulty; thus, limiting their overall performance. Cummins (2000) supports that even though many have excellent English language skills in terms of social proficiency, many are still struggling with the type of cognitive academic language necessary for the success in the mainstream classroom. The Learner’s Willingness to Communicate Skehan (1989) further suggests that a learners willingness to communicate has also been related to anxiety. His research points toward some language learners attempting to avoid communicating in a second language due to fear of embarrassment over their current skill level in speaking the second language. Perhaps this is part of the reason why many second language learners, who study overseas, tend to remain connected to other foreign second language learners and avoid prolonged social contact with native-speaking peers. Though the reasoning behind each individuals level of willingness to communicate will likely vary based on the number of people present, the topic of conversation and the formality of the circumstances, avoiding discussion using the second language is a common anxiety among language learners. While many studies have shown the level of anxiety of second language learners increases because of erroneous personal beliefs of the students, most of studies assert that self-confidence is an important component in overcoming of both in classroom and writing anxieties. What the SLA Teacher Ought to Focus On: Sources of Language Anxiety Furthermore, Young (1991) provides a list of potential sources of language anxiety. In her review of the literature on language anxiety, Young asserts that language anxiety can have a variety of sources – that is, anxiety can be associated with the learner’s perceptions, teacher’s beliefs, as well as the instructional practice to second language learning. She argues that language can come from the following: a. personal and interpersonal anxieties, learner beliefs about language learning, instructor beliefs about language teaching, instructor-learner actions, and language testing. Personal perceptions and beliefs can have a great effect on the progress of language learning. These perceptions have been well-documented in the studies related to age and language learning. Hyltenstam (1992) asserts that age in relation to language learning is an important factor in achieving native-like fluency for second language learners. That is, younger students tend to learn the second language faster than their mature counterparts. On the other, self-perception of more mature learners tends to hinder in the development of second language skills, which can more appropriately termed as trait anxiety. For example, adults, who are pursuing study of a second language, may have a clear mission why they are pursuing such course and far more determination to persevere than their younger counterparts. However, a number of mature students, who enter a foreign language class, were victimized by various prejudices about second language learning. â€Å"I’m too old to learn† or â€Å"I’m linguistically challenged† are common erroneous beliefs that adult learners often succumb to. Ehrman et al (2003) suggest that the feelings of uneasiness, such as late start or a belief that one needs a special predisposition for learning learning, can be attributed to the barriers created by the student’s ego as one matures. Adult learners may perceive their performance in a foreign language classroom as unnatural or ridiculous in comparison to their experience in the first language acquisition process. Therefore, these factors often contribute to the apprehension and tension felt by adult learners in the context of second language learning, more specifically in the aspect of speaking, writing, and learning. In short, adult learners suffer language anxiety more as compared to their younger counterparts. Certainly, not all adult learners become paralyzed by negative emotions the moment they step into a foreign language classroom. However, it is a common perception of educators, who have lectured to a group of adults, that some non-native speaking students may be reluctant to participate, more especially when they realize or assume that other students are more fluent. Nonetheless, it is important to emphasize that this emotion is not alien to younger learners, but in the studies it have been well-documented that with age the tension and anxiety associated with learning a new language is stronger and more difficult to overcome. The Learning Environment as Source of Language Anxiety Furthermore, the learning environment can also be a source of language anxiety. MacIntyre and Gardner (1994) would denote this as situational anxiety. Hadfield (1992) has introduced the concept of classroom dynamics to describe everything that happens in and between the participants, both the teacher and the students. Heron further elaborates on the existential anxiety of students in a classroom setting. Moreover, Heron also lists three aspects of existential anxiety in relation to classroom dynamics: 1) acceptance anxiety, 2) orientation anxiety, and 3) performance anxiety. Acceptance anxiety would relate to apprehension of being judged in a foreign class. Often times, students as well as teachers may show approval and disapproval behaviors to others. Fellow students may show impatience or mock another as a sign of their approval or disapproval to their fellow students. This often manifest as a sign of competition for teacher’s approval among students in the classroom. Teachers may also exhibit judgmental attitude in their criticisms as well as their bodily movements to their students. The teachers may open criticize or mock a student in a class. A more subtle criticism can be observed when a teacher would correct an error of a student. Whether the teacher corrects the error explicitly, by providing the correction, or implicitly, by indicating the kind of error and giving the student the opportunity for self-correction, can make a difference in the student’s self-confidence. Orientation anxiety would relate to the personal understanding of the situational contexts of the discussion or what is going on. Teacher’s role in facilitating learning is undermined by the failure to manage classroom discourse. This leads for students to at times feel of being deprived of control. In a discussion, when turn stealing overrules turn taking, such feelings can occur. The student may feel the lack of control over his role in classroom interaction when he is late to answer a general question or the question is directed to another person. More often, students would find the teacher’s unclear or unsatisfactory explanation as frustrating and leaving a feeling of no control over the language as a system. Finally, the anxiety is further instilled with domineering and controlling teachers, who leaves students feeling they have no influence over what is going on in the classroom. Lastly, performance anxiety would relate to the apprehension or feeling of isolation in a class. The feeling of isolation may also express itself as a feeling of disregarded. The feeling of being alone among one’s peers is not uncommon in highly territorial classrooms in which students never want to change their seats or switch conversation partners. Moreover, this would relate to student’s anxiety to talk using the target language with fellow students in fear of being appearing stupid and judge as well. Hence, research reports would suggest that foreign students will tend to group with fellow non-native speakers and exhibit behavioral avoidance when studying in the mainstream English classes. Variables of Self-Confidence Self-confidence is a positive image yet realistic view of one-self and the situation. A confident person is someone who trust his own abilities, have a general sense of control in their lives, and believe that, within reason, they will be able to do what they wish, plan, and expect. According to Skehan (1989), available research does not show a single clearly-defined relationship between personality traits (such as self-confidence) and second language. He further points out that a major difficulty in investigating personality variables is that of identification and measurement, pointing toward a relatively new area of potential research needing attention. However, existing literature suggests that language anxiety can be correlated with students’ negative concepts of themselves as language learners, and negative expectations for language learning. With this in consideration, self-confidence levels can be viewed not only as a personality trait with complex factors affecting high or low confidence, but also as an outcome of high anxiety levels. This assumption is of considerable interest as anxiety tends to create negative self-perceptions about language performance and can then be tied directly to an increase in negative attitudes towards second language learning and a decrease in risk-taking and sociability. In different respect, overly high levels of confidence in language learning can have similar negative effects on language learning, hindering advancement in language proficiency as over-confidence, due to self-perceptions of high degrees of performance in oral/written communication or in positive socialization, can lead a language learner to believe that he or she has learned all there is to know about a language and lose sight of mastering higher complex linguistic skill in the SL. For example, an individual who sees that his or her skill level in the second language is superior to other SL learners who struggle with the SL, he or she might make substantial mistakes in grammar or comprehension, but remain completely unaware of their errors and thus not improve in the acquisition of the second language. Horwitz (1986) brings up an interesting concept regarding self-confidence by citing that language learning is a profoundly unsettling psychological proposition because it directly threatens an individuals self-concept and worldview. A bold statement, but it does indicate that language learning, as a whole, can be a major contributor to variable self-confidence levels based on how each individual interprets their learning in terms of culture, grammar, or any other related language learning aspect. Variable self-confidence levels in second language learners are profoundly impacted by a complex set of individualised variables that it would be difficult to label each and every possible contributor to self-confidence levels. Simply recognising self-confidence levels in SL learners as a result of language learning and of anxiety opens a variety of potential research methods to begin measuring cause and effect of variable self-confidence. Instructor-Learner Interaction and Classroom Procedures Young (1991) asserts that a learner’s beliefs about language learning can contribute to the psychological anxiety in students. Skills such as proper pronunciation, depth of vocabulary, and fluency may vary in importance for learners in relation to second language learning. Similarly, Horwitz also studied the effect of various learners’ perceptions to language learning. In fact, Horwitz reports that a number of foreign language students in his study may have unachievable personal goals and misconceptions about language learning. For example, a few respondents expressed their optimism in achieving native-like fluency in the second language in two years of study, while others expressed their belief that language learning is tantamount to learning how to translate. Clearly, these idealistic beliefs contribute to language anxiety, more evidently when their beliefs and reality clash. A very good example would be the overly optimistic goal of beginners to achieve native-like fluency in the target language in two years. Over time, the students would naturally tend to get frustrated to find the reality of their imperfect pronunciation even after a lot of practice. On the other hand, an instructor’s beliefs about language teaching can also be a source of anxiety among second language learners. The manifestations of instructor’s belief can more clearly be seen in the methodology or approach in which an instructor conducts the second language class. For example, most instructors, who employ the Grammar Translation Method to teach English, will undoubtedly argue that the most fundamental reason for learning the language is to give learners access to English literature, develop their minds through second language learning, and to build in students the kinds of grammar, reading, vocabulary, and translation skills requisite to pass any one of the variety of compulsory tests necessitated in educational institutions. These instructors often emphasize on the strict rules of grammar syntax and proper form in sentence construction. While the teacher believes that his role in class is to constantly test and correct student’s errors, some of the students might develop anxiety over their class performance. On the other hand, some instructors may choose to employ a different methodology in language teaching. Some instructors may choose to use Total Physical Response method for learners to enjoy the sessions and create a less stressful environment for the students. Practitioners argue that recreating the natural process for children first learning their native language will facilitate the learning of the second language in the same way. More importantly, it asserts that language learning method involves a substantial amount of listening and comprehension with a mixture of various physical response such as smiling, reaching, and grabbing. Thus, the aim was to lower the affective filter in order to accelerate language learning among students. Taking into account the beliefs of both learners and instructors as well as the sources of language anxieties felt by students in a classroom setting, it is also important to look into the dynamics of the learning environment. Hadfield (1992) has identified seven traits of a good classroom dynamics as shown in Table 1. Table 1: Traits of Good Classroom Dynamics 1. Student groups are cohesive and have a positive, supportive atmosphere. Group members are interested in each other and feel they have something in common. 2. The members of the group are able to compromise. They have a sense of direction as a group and are able to define their goals in group as well as individual terms. 3. Group members are not cliquey or territorial but interact happily with all members of the group. Members of the group listen to each other and take turns. 4. Individuals in the group are not competitive and do not seek individual attention at the expense of others. Members cooperate in completing tasks and are able to work together productively. 5. Group members are able to empathize with each other and understand each other’s points of view even if they do not share them. The members of the group trust each other. 6. The group has a sense of fun. 7. Group members have a positive attitude to themselves as learners, to the language and culture being studied, and to the learning experience. Interpretation of Educator Beliefs on Language Learning Many paradigms and principles in mentioned in existing literature in teacher cognition are generally by nature unobservable and researchers have defined such principles differently. Freeman defines the categories in teacher education as â€Å"knowledge, beliefs and perceptions that shape what the teachers know, and therefore what they do in their teaching. † The keywords in Freeman’s categorization would be knowledge, beliefs and perceptions. These keywords would therefore define the scope of the teacher’s competency in relation to language teaching. Ellis (2006) would further refine the three words to discuss the teacher’s biographical experience and how it contributes to their professional knowledge. Ellis (2006) proposes â€Å"knowledge, beliefs, and insights† as refinement of the Freeman’s categorization. Knowledge (cited after Woods by Ellis) would be related to facts and the â€Å"things we know†. Beliefs refers to the instructor’s â€Å"acceptance of a proposition †¦ for which there is an accepted disagreement. † Ellis further elaborates on this irony as â€Å"ESL students need explicit focus on grammar as well as communicative practice. † Lastly, insight would relate to the instructor’s â€Å"personal practical knowledge: knowledge which is experiential, embodied, and reconstructed out of the narratives of a teacher’s life†. Ellis (2006) further elaborates insight as â€Å"an understanding gained from personal experience that allows us to see how previously understood realities could be different. It illuminates something previously unseen, makes sense of something previously incomprehensible, or lends a new perspective on something taken for granted. † Conclusion Different language experiences will result to rich and diverse insights, which can be very useful to second language teachers. However, there is yet to be a methodical study of a knowledge database of the learning experiences of English second language teachers. Formal education would require and ensure teachers are equip with the knowledge about phonology, grammar syntax, bilingualism, and motivation and methodology, etc. In addition, beliefs about the theories within language learning are also formed in the process as teachers develop a technique or approach in second language teaching. More importantly, teachers gain insights from the personal experiences, particularly in teaching second language. These insights are gained from reflection and recognition the complex, interwoven, rich, and diverse nature of what teachers â€Å"know†. The contents of this teacher booklet all aim to give the SLA teacher some insight into the areas in which he exerts significant impact. If taken to heart, he will indeed be able to make a dent in language learning by lessening the anxiety of his students and increasing their self-confidence. References Chang, Y. S. , Horwitz, E. K. and Schallert, D. L. (1999). Language Anxiety: Differentiating Writing and Speaking Components. Language Learning, 49 (3), 417-446. Cummins, J. (2000). Immersion education for the millennium: What we have learned from 30 years of research on second language immersion. Retrieved on October 23, 2007 from www. iteachilearn. com/cummins/immersion2000. html Ehrman, M. E. , Leaver, B. L. Oxford, R. L. (2003). A brief overview of individual differences in second language learning. System, 31 (3), 313-330. Ellis, E. M. (2006). Language learning experience as a contributor to ESOL teacher cognition. Teaching English as Second Language or Foreign Language, 10 (1). Gardner, R. C. Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and motivation in second language learning. Rowley, Mass: Newbury House. Hadfield, J. (1992). Classroom dynamics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Horwitz, E. K. (1986). Student effective reactions and the teaching and learning of foreign languages. College of Education: The University of Texas at Austin, Texas. Horwitz, E. K. , Horwitz, M. B. Cope, J. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70 (2). Huang, J. (2004). Voices from Chinese students: Professor’s use of English affects academic listening. College Student Journal, 38(2), 212-223. Hyltenstam, K. (1992). Non-native features of near-native speakers: on the ultimate attainment of childhood L2 learners. In R. J. Harris (ed. ) Cognitive processing in bilinguals, 351 367. Amsterdam: North-Holland. MacIntyre, P. D. Gardner, D. (1994). How does anxiety affect second language learning? A reply to Sparks and Ganschow. The Modern Language Journal, 79 (1). Skehan, P. (1989). Individual differences in second-language learning. London: Edward Arnold Young, D. J. (1991). Creating a low-anxiety classroom environment: What does language anxiety research suggest? The Modern Language Journal, 75 (4).

Interracial Marriages Amongst African Immigrants In Hungary Sociology Essay

Interracial Marriages Amongst African Immigrants In Hungary Sociology Essay In many countries throughout the world, marriage is primarily an agreement between two families. An alliance through marriage between two successful families can enhance the power, prestige and well being of all the members in that family. Interracial marriage is a potential venue where both partners can enrich their world-view depending on ones value and ability to accommodate cultural difference. The extent to which interracial marriages are accepted in our global society is a function of the cultural parameters within which these dynamics occur. It is apparent that the figurative shrinking of our globe seems to represent conditions that allow opportunity for the number of intercultural marriages to expand. This paper seeks to provide an overview of interracial marriages, taking into consideration, its reasons, evolutionary historic nature and its importance to African immigrants. History of Interracial Marriages Before discussing how historical changes have influenced interracial relationships, it is imperative to examine how relationships have evolved throughout history. During Medieval times, the families of would be couple arranged their marriage. Much of society placed emphasis on wealth and land ownership. People did not often marry outside of their class. Therefore, it was the role of family to find a suitable partner to make the transition into matrimony (Amt, 1993:77). Also, love was not a factor in the decision making process (Stritof, 2001). In the middle Ages, marriage was seen as a sacrament. Therefore, the transition into marriage was made in order to prevent sin and to procreate as the Bible dictates (Shahar, 1983:15). However, during colonial times, the role of the family was altered. The transition into marriage shifted from the parents control to the individuals control. In spite of this shift, though, the family did still largely influence whom the individual chose to marry . Children were guided and taught on how to choose the most suitable partner. During this time, romance became part of the marriage interest; it was an opportunity to love (Wilkins, 1998:502). Interracial relationships are historically determined. Interracial marriage started in the United State of America. Laws against interracial marriages date back to 1661. These laws were enacted to prevent whites from marrying outside their race. Individuals who married cross-culturally could be arrested (Schwalbe, 2001:23). These laws were not limited to African Americans, for example in Arizona whites and Native Americans were prohibited from marrying each other, on the other hand, in Montana whites could not marry Asian Americans (Schwartz, 2000:114).Similarly, in colonial Mexico, sexuality, marriage, and superstitious love and fertility rituals were subject to control by the Spanish inquisition (Stoler, 1989:134). Moran (2001:29), argued that anti-miscegenation laws established racial boundaries, racial purity, contained ambiguity, and preserved public recognition of sexual decency. Bardaglio (1999) holds that the anti-miscegenation law sought not so much to eliminate interracial sexual contact as to channel them. The main purpose of this law was to keep the black and white race apart. And it is for this reason that Stoler (1994:199) argued that the mà ©tissage (mixed blood) was conceived as a dangerous source of subversion, it was seen as a threat to white prestige, an embodiment of European degeneration and moral decay and represented, not only the dangers of foreign enemies at national borders, but the more pressing affront for European nation-states. This is what the German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte (1962:149) so aptly defined as undermining the essence of the nation, and its interior frontiers. Therefore, sexual meanings and intimacy are social and cultural constructs which are the main forces conditioning human relationships. It is in this light that, Zelizer in Purchase of Intimacy (2005:1) holds that taboo against romantic affaire in workplace and sex for hire both rests on the twinned belief that intimacy corrupts the economy and economy c orrupt intimacy, intermarriage should be forbidden. In addition to the above, Roger (1990:315), holds that the United States is the only country in the New world which has carried its law against interracial marriage from its colonial period into its national one. In this light, Garrison questioned the states right to interfere with the private realm of marriage and he argued that marriage is not a province, and does not belong to the power of legislative assembly, therefore it is a wrong approach for the republican government to decide on the complexional affinity of those who choose to be united together in wedlock, and it may as rationally decree that corpulent and lean, tall and short, strong and weak persons shall not be married to each other as that there must be an agreement in the complexion of the parties ( cf Washington 1986:84). The right to select ones mate is one of the most ancient, most sacred of individual rights, and when the state interferes in this, except in the case of the mentally unfit, it but adds humour to the witticism (Roger, 1988:80) However, in 1967, the Supreme Court Case Loving v. Virginia declared laws against interracial marriages as unconstitutional (Schwalbe, 2001). This allowed individuals to explore other relationship opportunities and thus the rise of interracial marriages. These laws limited the pool of eligible mates and the transition into marriage was directly affected. These laws displayed the views of society; therefore, individuals wishing to make transition into marriage often followed these laws in order to gain societys approval and to avoid adversity. Reason for interracial Marriages As seen above, interracial relationship during the colonial era was considered a taboo or an abominable practice. Association with a European, talk less of marriage or dating a European woman was perceived as a challenge to European supremacy. Europeans regulated social conduct between races, so as to maintain racial purity. In spite of these regulatory mechanisms that were put in place, African immigrants still engaged in interracial marriages. The reasons for interracial marriages among immigrants vary from one person to another. For example, in some cases, the criteria for citizenship acquisition vary considerably between European states. Within the E U., the minimum residency; before aliens are eligible to apply for citizenship varies from three (Belgium), eight (Hungary) and ten (Austria and Hungary) years (Babcock, 2006:12-23).Some states requires shorter periods for applicants from states with whom they have cultural or historic ties. There are also variations in the requirements that states impose on those wishing to become their citizens. This is both natural and permissible. But, those requirements are nonetheless framed by moral considerations, which define their scope and limit (Caren, 1989:13-49).Many states exclude third country nationals from significant social and economic benefits such as employment benefits and health insurance, even if they have lived in their new state for several years. Citizenship, therefore, if only for instrumental reasons, is clearly a status worth having. But it is als o an intrinsically valuable status position, important as it signifies a persons equality under the law, full civic inclusion and ultimately immunity from deportation. As result, third country nationals have adopted various mechanisms to remain within EU member states. Examples of these mechanisms include commodification of sexuality, finding a shelter, or a job (in the formal or informal economy or as family labour), achieve legal status based on marriage terms (e.g. arranged or contract marriages). For instance, irregular immigrants attempt to legalise their residence with the help of various strategies. For most, illegal migrants apprehended by the authorities, entering the asylum process is the major form of legalising their stay in Hungary. In 1999, there were 11,500 asylum applications, with 5,100 submitted by citizens of former Yugoslavia and 6,000 by non Europeans. Thus, Hungary is primarily a transit country for asylum. Economic condition prevailing in Hungary can offer only a partial explanation to this phenomenon. Another equally important factor is the lengthy asylum procedures, and scarce opportunities for integration. For these reason, asylum seekers generally seeks protection elsewhere, many in other member countries of the E.U. Therefore, the most common reason for terminating an asylum procedure is that the applicant disappears (Ejalu, 2008). Similarly, Bledsoe and Sow (2008), carried out a study in Germany, and they argued that, Cameroonians in Germany, engaged in interracial relationship in order to maintain family reunification. Cameroonian women, who stay in Germany, are often those who gain residence rights by bearing a child for a German man, who is willing to recognise the child officially, irrespective of any long term paternal obligations. Using the German Federal Statistical office figures on the children of unmarried parents, Fleisher found that, in 2004, although there were about twice as many Cameroonian men than women in Germany, many more were born to Cameroonian women, than to Cameroonian men, that is, an equivalent of 240: 92, respectively. Among married partners, 49 children born to parents who were both Cameroonians but 169 were born to a Cameroonian and German conjugal pair. Again, there were considerably more, proportionately, children born to a Cameroonian German marriages who were born to Cameroonia n women and their German husbands, than Cameroonian men and their German wives. In addition to the above, for Cameroonian men, the pathway to legal residence in Germany is entirely different. Most German women who strike up relationships with Cameroonian men are substantially older than their partners, and are unwilling or unable to have a child. As well, the likelihood of becoming a parent of a German child, independently of its mother, is almost out of question, for a Cameroonian man. Claiming residence by producing a German child is thus much rarer for a Cameroonian man, than a woman from Cameroon. For a Cameroon man, without a job, the best route to acquire residence, is contracting and sustaining marriage with a German woman for at least three year, after which he can obtain residence, although authorities continue to exert surveillance, and may investigates cases of divorces after years. Fleisher found that, in 2004, there were 163 bi-national marriages between a Cameroonian and a German in Germany, most of them Cameroonian men marrying German women-but ju st six marriages between Cameroonian men and women. The further complexity is that, many Cameroonian men desire children and want to return home eventually. Confronted with the logic of singularity on which family reunification rules of marriage rest, some men quietly retain marriage with a woman back home by which they have borne children, or ask their families members to find a wife, whom they visit periodically before their final return. This is because, a Cameroonian man may come to see marriage to a German woman as a temporary necessity and look to Cameroon for his main family future, he may come to see traditional or at least Cameroonian marriages as the base, and formal marriage in the west as the temporary distortion. (Fleischer,2003). African immigrants may feel inferior due to a mental, physical, social handicap and enter an interracial relationship after determing that acceptance will be found only outside of a culture of birth. A marriage based on this motive may be consciously considered to be a second best or stand-in marriage interracial may be an act of aggression toward another race. Deviance and revenge by one partner can humiliate the in-law. They will either complement this need by feeling personally inferior or angry and rebellious against parents, culture and society (Blau, 1977:31). Leon (1984), suggests that idealism may be a motive ofliberal marrying inter-culturally. Identification with the underdog, an inferiority complex, rebellion, and rescue could be an outgrowth of this idealism. Importance of Interracial Marriages. Throughout history, the structure of interracial relationships has seen a drastic evolution. What once was seen as non-normative and forbidden practice is now seen as common. Specifically speaking, there has been an increase in heterogamous, cross-cultural, relationships. This rise in interracial relationships can be attributed to the reversal of anti-miscegenation laws, the lack of potential mates, the breakdown of segregation, immigration and advancements in technology. These changes in romantic relationships and the transition to marriage have allowed people to explore alternative lifestyles and relationships. Noticeably, interracial romantic relationships and marriages have become commonplace. According to Schwartz (2000:17) an increase in interracial marriages is as a result of immigration, increases the chances of meeting people from different racial backgrounds. For instance, the United States of America is considered a melting pot. The U.S.A. has many different races enmeshed into one society (Schwartz, 2007:23). This has allowed African immigrants to have many different types of romantic relationships/interracial marriages. Immigration has effected the transition into marriage by providing mates from many different backgrounds. Also, immigration has affected many peoples views on marriage by introducing people to new cultures. Interracial marriages among African immigrant is advantageous because it is seem as a gate way to integration and assimilation especially on the part on those immigrants who are being excluded from their societies The degree of social control and the institutionalised discrimination is a function of existing relationships between the majority(host country and minority. An increase in the number of primarily relationship (indicated by interracial marriage) between these groups signals a dissolutions of discriminatory and subordinating practices and less incumbered entrance of minority into social institution of the majority group (Gordon, 1964:35). On the other hand, interracial marriages may indicate a weakening of ethnic cohesion and a loss of highly value ethnic culture (Murguia, 1982). Beaumont (1958[1835]:245), suggests that intermarriages are certainly the best, if not the unique, means of fusing the white and the black races. They are also the most obvious index of equality. While the U.S court of 1873 considered interracial marriages as immoral, others saw it as a cultural betrayal .Opponents of interracial dating contend that those who date or marry outside of their race are betraying their families and abandoning their cultural heritage. Many African immigrants believe interracial marriage erodes the solidarity of the African community. Lawrence Otis Graham feels that interracial marriage undermines [African] ability to introduce our children to black role models who accept their racial identity with pride. Graham also fears that biracial children will turn their backs on their black heritage when they discover that it is easier to live as a white person (cf Sollors, 2000:23-58). On the other hand, proponents of interracial relationships contend that interracial romance is a step towards eliminating racial hatred. According to Mitali Perkins (2007:50), Where exploitation and anger have separated the races in society, an interracial family called by God is a compelling example of the gospel of reconciliation. Yvette Walker believes that Racism . . . will have to be bred out. We cant make policies to change it. And certainly, in an interracial relationship the children are raised in a climate of tolerance. She and others contend that the rising incidence of interracial children will eventually lead to a society where race will no longer matter because everyone will blend into one race, the human race. More importantly, assert many supporters of interracial relationships, colour should not matter when it comes to love. They echo Martin Luther King Jr.s famous sentiment that people should be judged not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their characterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (cf Perkins 2007:206) African immigrants believe that interracial marriages offer the best opportunities for couples and professionals to experience, learn, develop, and educate themselves. Empowerment traits for interracial marriage and intimacy are core ingredients in promoting positive relationships in order that each of the couples families might work towards achieving optimal interracial satisfaction and simultaneously cope with external forces such as nationality, community, family, and individual. (McFadden, 2002:220). In the past, African immigrants were considered as inferior, Buirj (1993:176-179) argued that immigrants are lazy, incompetent, and inefficient because they lack both the cultural and symbolic capital. Michele Lamont (2000) recapitulates the negative feeling toward immigrants and reflects the continuing availability of cultural repertoires stressing the moral failure of immigrants. In the view of historian David Kennedy, in United States on the one hand à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦immigrants were judged to be noble soulsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦whose talents and genius and love of liberty account for the magnificent American character. On the other handà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [they] were thought to be degraded, freeloading louts, a blight on the national character and a drain on the economyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(cf Lamont, 2000:105). Scientific opinion at present tends to admit that an African immigrant is not inferior in any essential character of mind; and is approximately equal to other races in his ability to acquire culture (Du Bois, 1899). Despite the long-entrenched, labels to racially categorise African population in history, a trend has emerged towards a more fluid view of racial identification. Schacht and Knox (2000:279) argued that due to an interracial marriage/dating relationship amongst immigrants, there has been a gradual, if not, socially recognised shift in how immigrants are perceived. They have gained recognition. Moreover, interracial relationships are a step toward a more integrated and egalitarian society. For example, the future of Africans belongs to the person who is the product of many different cultures. Through interracial marriage, different cultures will develop their unique identities and come together in harmony. Benefits of interracial marriages would be that an African [immigrant] child would learn more tolerance and respect towards all races. Such children may be open to new ideas, and less hostile regarding ones religious creed or nationality. Many wars are fought over both religion and patriotic fanaticism, and a child of mixed background is not going to really purely identify with either one of the other racial background, thus, the child is less susceptible to being nationalistic to a fanatical degree. (Innocent, Sirefman, 1992). However, interracial marriages enable Africans immigrants to acquire citizenship and to engage in the political affairs of the host country. It is therefore a gateway for immigrants with citizenship status to shape and influence decisions at the national level. Thus, immigrants often view citizenship as crucial for the future prosperity of their children and their immediate relatives. The possibility of reuniting with family members is the major reason for acquiring citizenship. Citizenship also carries with it status and prestige among extended family members in the country of origin. Immigrants who have naturalised tell stories about how parents and relatives at home in Africa boast about their accomplishments. Praise and accolades are given to those who have become citizens (Arthur, 2000:24) Citizenship in other word, affects the shift in the cultural identities of immigrants (Afolabi, Falola, 2008: 49). Furthermore, interracial marriage is seen as strategic for integration and a form of assimilation. Park and Burgess (1969:735) define assimilation as a process of interpenetration and fusion in which person and groups acquire the memories, sentiments and aptitude of other groups and by sharing their experience and history, are incorporated with them in a common life the process of interpenetration is arguably best examplied in intermarriage which is often seen as the final step in the assimilation process. For African immigrants, it is a gate way to better life. Intermarriage is a clear signal that minority groups have adopted the cultural patterns of the host or majority population, such as its language and customs. On the other hand, during the assimilation process, African immigrants tend to lose their distinctive characteristics as they pass through the stages of assimilation, eventually intermarrying with the majority population (Alba 2003; Gordon 1964: 89) Theoretical Framework Using the status exchange theory (Merton, 1941, Davis, 1941), I have argued that interracial marriages would frequently involve an exchange of status characteristics. Highly educated Africa immigrants would trade their educational status in order to reap the benefits associated with the racial status of a potential white spouse. Similarly, whites with low levels of education would trade their racial status for the educational status of a potential black spouse. Consequently, a black-white marriage is likely to involve a black spouse with greater education than the white spouse because these types of individuals would each have something to gain from the union. Interracial marriages involving white spouses with greater education than their black spouses would be much less likely because blacks would have nothing to offer their potential white spouse in return for the white spouse marrying down in terms of race. Both Merton and Davis believed that this process of status exchange was ap plicable only to black male-white female unions because a black mans educational background would be more closely tied to future potential earnings and prestige than would a black womans education. Lacking empirical data to confirm this hypothesis, Merton provided the framework for a future test of the theory. According to Merton, the correct procedure would be to compare the relative frequency of three types of interracial marriage: educationally homogamous unions (Group A), unions in which the white member marries upward (white hyper- gamy) in terms of education (Group B), and unions in which the white member marries downward (white hypogamy) in terms of education (Group C).2 Group B should be the most common type because it involves the expected exchange of status characteristics, and Group C should be the least common type. Numerous scholars have since shown that this test fails because most interracial marriages are educationally homogamous. Individuals have a strong tendency to marry partners of a similar educational background, and this tendency has been increasing over the last half-century (Schwartz and Mare 2005). Thus, to some extend educational status is not the only means used by African immigrants to engaged in interracial relationship but the desire to acquired integration t hrough various means such as citizenship and resident permit is another reason for interracial marriages as already highlighted above. To conclude, in spite some of the miscegenation laws put in placed in the past, the desire to acquired citizenship, resident permits are reason of the that have pushed Africans immigrants to engaged interracial marriages, in order to reap the benefits of the host country in which they find themselves.

Free Essays - Social Expectations in Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Social Expectations in Oedipus the King It is made clear that the citizens of Thebes were religious and had a deep reliance on the gods. "You cannot equal the gods..."p161. It was expected socially, that the citizens of Thebes recognized the gods power, and so for Jocasta to refer to the prophecies as "hollow" would not have been generally accepted behaviour. The priest is an elderly and religious man, something we realise is well respected in Thebes as Oedipus who is king, speaks with the priest on an equal level. The elderly were considered to be wise and therefore socially it would be expected that even the king should be polite to them. "Speak up, old man. Your years, your dignity..." p. 159 Oedipus is rude to Teiresias who is also a wise and religious man. "You're a nuisance here..."p185. Oedipus is not living up to his social expectations here, signifying he is fast approaching his downfall. Oedipus is seen to have double standards with regards to the idea of murder. He is aware that he has killed someone, yet to hear that King Laius was killed, he seems appalled, "...so daring, so wild, he'd kill a king?"p166. It is depicted as being morally less acceptable to kill someone of "royal blood". The king was someone who the people of Thebes turned to when they needed help, "find us strength, rescue!" p. 161. Oedipus had set himself high social expectations after helping free Thebes "from the sphinx". Oedipus was admired as being "best of men" p. 161, and therefore socially the citizens would have expected him to help them when they needed it. Oedipus was kinder to the citizens and more open with them than was generally expected from a king, "my children" p. 162. He spoke to them directly and not through a messenger, showing the closeness between the people and their king, "Here I am myself..." p. 159. Oedipus and Creon put all their efforts in to finding the killer of Laius. They take it on as their moral obligation as it has gone so far without justice being made, "But you, loyal men of Thebes who approve my actions, may our champion, Justice, may all the gods be with us.

What an American Is Essay example -- Papers America Character Patrioti

What an American Is Webster?s Dictionary defines American as or its inhabitants. But is that all America and an American truly is? Is a person American simply because of geography? According to Identities, ?America is a confluence of cultures.? Americans are people whose lives depict men and women who are trying to be as successful and robust as possible, this quest is symbolic to citizens of many other countries. This is why America illustrates the Statue of Liberty, a structure that symbolizes freedom throughout the world. America is composed not only of these peoples, but the cultures and the ways of life of these people. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes a fearless and powerful figure. Steinbeck agrees that Americans are fearless when he writes, ?Americans seem to live and breathe and function by paradox.? Americans are fearless and risk taking, spending time and money doing things like skydiving, bungijumping, and other extreme sports. Ignoring in most cases the risk factors involved in such activities, believing that nothing is going to go wrong, that it will occur perfectly and flawlessly. This is a trait that many Americans have the refuse to believe that they are in danger. Most Americans believe that even though the limb they are on is weak, it?s strong enough for their safety needs. Americans daily routines are can also be described as fearless. Case in point for many is the commute to and from work. Most people speed and drive aggressively because they always are in a hurry. Americans have the idea of being perfect drives, for instance, and never making mistakes. The Statue of Liber ty can also be described as fearless. The Statue of Liberty is what most people think of when asked what symbolizes... ...s. If America performs a positive action in a foreign country or domestically, Americans are pleased with the government. Americans also acquire anger when the government does an action that citizens do not approve of. However, Americans are represented in their government and have a choice, because America is a nation build around the idea of freedom. The Statue of Liberty is the source of this idea of freedom. In conclusion, America is a huge nation of people who are to trying to work hard to be as successful as possible, just as the women that the Statue of Liberty exemplifies. The Statue of Liberty literally means Statue of Freedom, and that is the most precise definition an American can have. An American is a free person who is given the right to live his/her life without intervention. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes this freedom to many Americans.

Does God Exist? :: essays research papers

In this essay I discuss why there is proof that there is a supernatural being known as God, who has created everything we know and experience. The mere claim, there could be a "Proof for the Existence of God," seems to invite ridicule. But not always are those right who laugh first and think later. Remember how all-knowing doctors/scientists laughed at every new discovery. They laughed when they heard for the first time about diseases that were supposedly caused by animals so tiny that you could not see them. They continued to laugh at virtually every discovery that challenged their previous believes in an attempt to preserve the status of "have-studied-for-years-and-must-therefore-know-everything-already." They always laughed first but, when things became clear, they must have felt very, very... On the other hand, many well-known scientists now admit that certain discoveries tend to indicate that God rather does exist than not. The problem, I suggest, lies in certain preconceptions. If we picture God as a person, then the question comes up: where is God? However, if we picture God as something that could be everywhere, surrounding us like air or awareness, then, understanding if and what God is - all of a sudden - becomes a possibility. I am sure you can agree: if there is a God, then God has to exist and has to be aware of His Existence (can you even picture an unconscious God). Also, He must exist on his own, which means: God must be self-energetic. That is the safest thing we can say without too much speculation. And, in fact, that is precisely what God is: God is self-energetic Awareness. But I don't want to presuppose that God's existence is a fact before the proof is established. Simply by looking at what constitutes our world, we can say that all matter consists of energy, proving the existence of energy. How, then, do we know this energy exists? The simple answer is, we are aware of it. We then only have to find out how this awareness came about. Did it come from dead matter or lifeless energy as the materialists have us believe? Or, did Awareness exist first or did Awareness co-exist with energy, out of which the Awareness then formed matter? Is awareness a by-product of electro-chemical activities in the brain? Is Awareness the out-put or the Generator? We are more certain considering our thoughts.

Diophantus’ Arithmatica

Diophantus, known as the Father of Algebra, lived in Alexandria, Egypt during the 3rd century A.D.   Little else is known about his personal life.   He was the author of the first Greek text on the essential branch of mathematics we know as algebra.His book, Arithmatica, included thirteen books with numerical answers to algebraic questions.   Using only positive rational numbers because zeros, negative numbers and irrational numbers were not available to him at the time –Diophantus algebraically solved linear and quadratic equations, in addition to simultaneous linear and quadratic equations.   With awareness of essential theorems in the number theory, he also found algebraic solutions to questions such as finding the value of y so that some polynomial equations in y are either squares of numbers or their cubes.Arithmatica solved a total of one hundred and thirty mathematical problems for its readers.   Apart from this important text on algebra, Diophantus has been c redited with introducing techniques for solving both determinate as well as indeterminate equations.   He also developed the method of using symbols for words in algebra.   Still, Arithmatica continues to be remembered as one of the most significant works of his life, for the simple reason that the sciences of modern times could not have progressed without the tool of algebra.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a matter of fact, algebra is an integral part of modern existence.   Both industry and our daily lives depend on this tool.   As examples, algebraic formulas for calculating loan installments; bank interest; distance, speed, and time; and volume, area and perimeter are as indispensable as the variables, relations and functions used in the analysis of activities that involve costs.So, whether we are dealing with the business of construction, managing expenses as consumers, or working on new innovations in chemistry labs, we know it is virtually impossible to do away with algebra †“ thanks to Diophantus who first introduced the importance of this mathematical tool to the world.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Cosmetic Products Through Door-to-Door Selling, Specialty Stores, Department Store Counters, and Supermarkets and Hypermarkets?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of selling cosmetic products through door-to-door selling, specialty stores, department store counters, and supermarkets and hypermarkets? ?Door-to door selling The advantage of using door-to door selling is the salesperson can make initiative to go around door-to door to persuade customers to buy the cosmetic products instead of waiting the customers to visit your shop. The company is able to save money for setting up a visible shop which usually costs a lot. Besides, there is no need to take attention on the design and decoration of the shop and display of goods.Sometimes, the customers really have no intention to buy the products, but due to continuous persuasion of the salesperson, they buy it in the end. Using door-to door selling method has a great potential to earn unlimited revenues. It is also considered convenient to customer as products are delivered directly to them. Salesperson can explain the functions of the cosmetic products a nd recommend what is suitable for the customer face-to face and one-by one. This is typically vital in sales of cosmetic products as each person suits different kind of cosmetic products and customers will have lots of question to ask the salesperson.It is important to provide good services to customers in door-to door selling. On the other hand, there are also disadvantages of using door-to door method to sell cosmetic products. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, customers might have lots of questions about the cosmetic products and cause time consuming. Especially for cosmetic products, for those who have been using, they will be loyalty to particular brand and will not change dramatically which appears to be risky as they do not know whether the new brand suits them even you kept on persuading them.It is difficult to provide consistent good quality of services. Besides, it is also difficult to employ and retain salesperson due to the unattractive working conditions. Most of the people will reject to attend to the salesperson. As a result, the salesperson may even not have a chance to promote the products. ?Specialty stores Firstly, specialty store for cosmetics provide professional services by trained salesperson and beauty consultants. This can attract many consumers as they can save money to consult a professional consultant and yet can get recommendation, free analyze of their skins, newest information and trends.Specialty stores also provide full range of merchandises of specific cosmetic brand. This provides convenience to customers. Specialty stores can also be renovated and designed based on the theme or concept of the brand. This is helpful to build the identity of the brand in order to attract more customers. However, to train the salesperson and beauty consultants, the store has to spend a lot of money and time. And also, it is very costly to renovate the specialty stores. Without sufficient and a big amount of fund, it is totally impossible to operate a specialty store.Specialty stores might not be able to attract customers who initially do not have interest in this brand to step in. In addition, specialty stores have to put in effort to draw traffics on their own, unlike selling products in department stores and supermarkets. ?Department store counters Setting counters in department store is the most popular channel in cosmetic products. Department store attracts all groups of customers and offers a wide variety of brands of cosmetic products to customers.The cost of setting up counters in department store is much less compared to setting up a specialty store. However, setting counter in the cosmetic products department is very competitive as all different brands of cosmetic products are put together in a particular area. Especially for cosmetic products, customers can go to every counter and try each product. Customers can just walk around and compare among the brands. Besides, the space is rather small and has to pu t in great effort in the location of displaying the products to attract customers. ?Supermarkets and hypermarketsSelling cosmetic products in supermarkets and hypermarkets cost cheaper. Usually there is no salesperson promoting the products, thus can save money on recruitment. Basically, most cosmetic products sold in the supermarkets and hypermarkets are basic, lower-priced mass products. Without salesperson, the cosmetic products appear to be less attractive. Furthermore, similar to setting counters in department stores, supermarkets will diversify their products into different departments. Thus, all cosmetic products will be placed together which is highly competitive.