Cultural Construction of Violence Research Paper

Cultural Construction of Violence - Research Paper Example For long, people have only considered violence as a trait that a person is born with; that one is either born violent or not. This, to many, implies that the proclivity of a person to engage in violent activities is long found in people’s genetics and there is less that can be done to completely eradicate it. This may seem to have some sense of truth in it as there have been cases where a young person may come out to be violent throughout his life. This is often seen with the kind of tenderness that he treats other people with including animals. However, if violence is a trait that one is born with, how can peer-inflicted violence be explained? Though the genetic makeup may have a significant effect on the behavior of a person, there are many questions concerning human violence that can still not be answered only by genetics. Moreover, violence also takes many forms and in different contexts. This implies that the definition of violence varies from one physical location to the other and can never be generalized. This having been taken into account, it is therefore true to say that the interpretations and meanings accorded to violence across societies, cultures and communities have significant effect on the trends of violence recorded in the areas. ... Violence is therefore not only genetically motivated but also structurally formed. The human genetics also have significant on the character and actions of people but violence can as well be culturally constructed. For instance, in intertribal wars undoubtedly involving extreme forms of violence as is the case of the Thull, a Kohistan community, living in the mountain slopes near the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, are culturally constructed. Here, the people find pride in engaging in cultural raids and retaliatory attacks that usually involve various forms of violence. This cannot only be explained using genetics as genetics do not provide room for generalization explanation of the acts of violence, more so involving large numbers of people. This makes cultural construction of violence be regarded as a serious form of creation of violent behavior among people. The research focused on the Thull, a Kohistan community. The Kohistanis rely majorly on transhumant pastoralism that in volves keeping goats and sheep. However, they also grow crops in their fertile fields as I found out. The people of Thull have undergone a great religious transformation. This is evident from their transformation from Buddhism, Hinduism and presently Muslims. This has also seen the absorption of other Pakistan members to their culture. However, their cultural effects and implications have mostly originated from the Pakhtum. The Kohistan area is geographically large and has thus been affected by political fragmentation and cultural diversities. Within the Thull Kohistan villages, there are also smaller lineages, of which each produce a representation to the

A Christmas Carol Essay Example for Free

A Christmas Carol Essay Explore how Dickens emphasises the importance of children and family relationships in A Christmas Carol In the novel A Christmas Carol the atmosphere I receive from the book shows me that dickens cares deeply about children. There are many aspects of when Charles Dickens emphasises the importance of children and family in A Christmas Carol. There are A lot of scenes that show this: the first cratchit scene (pages 37-42) which is the main one, belle and her family (pages 29-30) and scrooge living at his school and his sister coming back (pages 21-23). First I will talk about the cratchit scene. It shows the cratchits celebrating Christmas. Dickens says, Heres Martha mother! , this helps to create an atmosphere of warmth and love. It works because of the explanation mark, it makes it seem that all the children are overjoyed about playing the joke on Mrs Cratchet. On the scene with the goose, Dickens uses the phrase, Universal admiration, to describe how the family feel about the goose. It shows that even though they havent got a real turkey they dont take anything for granted. The phrase implies that the whole universe admires it but in reality its just an average goose. The quote Bobs voice was tremulous when he told them this and trembled more, Tiny Tim is growing strong and hearty, is very ironic because Tiny Tim wasnt growing strong and hearty, this shows that Bob was always trying to look on the brightside of things, his main priority was to keep the family happy. The family mean the world to each other and they are trying to make it a Christmas to remember. After they had eaten the goose Mrs Cratchet was ready to give out the pudding, she was terrified it wouldnt be acceptable, Suppose it should not be good enough,Suppose it break turning out. Mrs Cratchet was going through every bad possibility, she was so nervous. Although it was a little small it never crept into any of the familys head that there wasnt enough. When Bob Cratchet told her that it was the biggest triumpth since there marriage she replied, Now the weight is off my mind, She was delighted that it was a success! In the scene with Scrooge living at school and his sister coming back Dickens shows how your childhood can be so important. Scrooge sat down upon a form, and wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be. Scrooge was a very mean man and I feel that it was soley to do with his child hood, he wasnt short of luxurys but he was very lonely and he needed family. Scrooge obviously wasnt always a mean and a spiteful person, because whilst he is seeing all of his past he is experiencing a lot of feelings of how he used to be and what he had turned into. Scrooge has now realised what he has become, this is all because of his childhood. He said, There was a boy singing A Christmas Carol at my door last night, I should like to of givien him something. Scrooges childhood was so important for him because if his childhood had been different in anyway, for example; getting attention from his parents or feeling loved, he could of have been a totally different man. Before the ghost had shown Scrooge his chidhood or peoples familys he would not have given that Carol singer a second thought. ` In the scene with Belle and her family Dicken emphasises the importance of children and family by expressing how scrooge wants to be one of them. Scrooge said what would I not have given to be one of them! As a child scrooge was not allowed to have the fun and lafter that the children in this scene had, he was very enveous of the children, he wished he could of grown up in this family. He also said I should have dearly liked, i own,to have touched her lips or to have let loose waves of hair, i do confess to have the lightest license of a child. He so longed for frivolous childhood. To conclude I think that Dickens makes his readers aware of the importance of children and family by showing how Scrooge changes after seeing his and then other peoples childhood. The Cratchets show how they are so close and all pull together in good or bad times. The scene with Scrooge living at school and his sister coming back helps Scrooge realise what he had become as a result of his upbringing. The scene with Belle and her family show how much Scrooge envied a fun and happy childhood, to able to lark about and have games in a relaxed atmosphere. I feel that Dickens was a keen admirer of children and it was fitting how Tiny Tim ended the novel by sayin god bless us everyone!

Archetypal Characters Within the Slasher Film Sub-Genre Essay -- Film

Archetypal Characters Within the "Slasher" Film Sub-Genre One of the most telling traits of a society is how it entertains itself. Although Americans of the late twentieth century have many choices for distraction, one medium has had a particularly significant impact upon the fabric of American culture: film. Through pandering to the ideas and beliefs of the audience, filmmakers parallel those ideas and beliefs in their creations. This correlation was demonstrated in the glut of so-called "slasher" films during the period 1974-1984. Although the films were diverse in form and execution, the basic plot of these movies involved some sort of deranged psychopath gleefully stalking and killing a number of unfortunate teenage victims. Within this sub-genre there can be found a number of basic character styles, or archetypes. These archetypes not only serve to bind certain movies into the slasher category, but also to provide a window into the culture that they cater to. In order to present a specific example of each archetype, I have chosen four films that are exemplary of the overall sub-genre. Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) tells the story of a van full of traveling teenagers and their run-in with a family of backwoods cannibals. John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) has killer Michael Myers strangling baby-sitters on the night of said movie title. Sean Cunningham's Friday the 13th (1980) looses a hockey-masked psychopath upon a host of unsuspecting camp counselors. Finally, Tobe Hooper's The Funhouse (1981) finds four teens trapped in a carnival with a murderous sideshow freak. The most evident archetype within the slasher sub-genre is the Virgin. Usually the Virgin is the protagonist of the film, a female tee... ... of the sub-genre that began with the Wes Craven's Scream (1994). These films are not only helping to carry the archetypes of Halloween and Friday the 13th to a new generation of moviegoers, but also updating them as the culture has updated itself. Despite the changes some form of these archetypes will continue to exist, no matter how much American society alters. As long as a teenager yearns for the adrenaline rush from a masked murderer, slasher films and their archetypes will endure. Works Cited Halloween. Dir. John Carpenter, with Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis. Falcon Productions, 1978. Friday the 13th. Dir. Sean Cunningham. Paramount, 1980. The Funhouse. Dir Tobe Hooper. Universal, 1981. McCarthy, Ken. The Splatter Film Guide. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Dir Tobe Hooper. Rosebud Communications, 1974.

Inhumanity in Night Essay

Elie Wiesel’s Night is about what the Holocaust did, not just to the Jews, but also by extension, to humanity. People all over the world were devastated by this atrocious act, and there are still people today who have not overcome the effects. One example of the heinous acts of the Germans that stands out occurs at the end of the war, when Wiesel and the rest of the camp of Buna are being forced to transfer to Gleiwitz. This transfer is a long, arduous, and tiring journey for all who are involved. The weather is painfully cold, and snow fell heavily; the distance was greater than most people today will even dream of walking. The huge mass of people is often forced to run, and if one collapses, is injured, or simply can no longer bear the pain, they are shot or trampled without pity. An image that secures itself in Wiesel’s memory is that of the Rabbi Eliahou’s son leaving the Rabbi for dead. The father and son are running together when the father begins to grow t ired. As the Rabbi falls farther and farther behind his son, his son runs on, pretending not to see what is happening to his father. This spectacle causes Wiesel to think of what he would do if his father ever became as weak as the Rabbi did. He decides that he would never leave his father, even if staying with him would be the cause of his death. The German forces are so adept at breaking the spirits of the Jews that we can see the effects throughout Wiesel’s novel. Wiesel’s faith in God, above all other things, is strong at the onset of the novel, but grows weaker as it goes on. We see this when Wiesel’s father politely asks the gypsy where the lavoratories are. Not only does the gypsy not grace his father with a response, but he also delivers a blow to his head that sent him to the floor. Wiesel watches the entire exhibition, but does not even blink. He realizes that nothing, not even his faith in God, can save him from the physical punishment that would await him if he tried to counterattack the gypsy. If the gypsy’s attack had come just one day earlier, Wiesel probably would have struck back. However, the spiritual beating by the Germans had already begun. The incident that perhaps has the greatest effect on Wiesel is the hanging of the pipel. He is a young boy with an â€Å"innocent face† who is condemned to death because he is involved in a conspiracy that results in the destruction of a German building. When the time for the hanging approaches, the Lagerkapo refuses to kick out the chair, so SS officers are  assigned to do it. Unlike the necks of those he is hanged with, the young boy’s neck does not break when he falls, and he suffers for over half an hour. The suffering of the child is comparable to the suffering endured by many Jews during the Holocaust. He fought for his life, at times even seeing a bit of hope, only to be destroyed in the end. The Jews struggled for everything they had, from their possessions at the beginning, to their lives at the end. The result, however, was the same. At the end of the war, Wiesel looks into the mirror, and says he saw a â€Å"corpse.† This â€Å"corpse† is Wiesel’s body, but it has been robbed of its soul. This is similar to the loss suffered by people all over the world. Those not directly killed during the Holocaust were still alive physically, but their mind and spirit had long been dead. By the end of the w ar, Wiesel loses all of his faith in God and his fellow man, and this is the most difficult obstacle to overcome when he is released.

Nissim Ezekiel Treatment of Poetry Essay

Nissim Ezekiel’s poem â€Å"Enterprise† describes a metaphorical journey toward a specific goal. The travelers on this journey begin in a real physical place, a desert, and argue about how to cross this challenging landscape. One of the members of the group, who writes the most stylish prose, goes his own way. The rest of the group is left on its own. Some quit the team. The group is attacked by travelers, and over time become unmoved by anything they witness. Fatigue and the stresses of travel have settled in and many of the members of the group cannot go on. By the fifth stanza, the picture ahead is grim. The enthusiasm has faded and their burdens are heavy. Their vision is clouded with the disintegration of the group and their exhaustion. The well-focused goal presented in the first stanza is lost. The travelers are a disorganized group of aimless wanderers unaware any longer of the original motivation for their expedition. Their observations at this point in the poem are about trivial things. In the last stanza, the travelers reach their destination; however, it is not quite home. Ezekiel concludes that this type of expedition is not a worthy undertaking; living â€Å"at home† with inner satisfaction is the greatest achievement of all. The travelers’ consider their journey and have moments of introspection. They come to the conclusion that their expedition has been neither pioneering or notable for any reason. They had thought their journey would make a mark in history. The only problem is that others have made this journey before. It is nothing new. The journey of â€Å"Enterprise† is a metaphor for life and our focus on the destination as the only means for our goals. Some critics have noted that Ezekiel’s â€Å"Enterprise† is also his attempt to bring together two â€Å"homes†: his place of birth and his journey to a European city. His exploration of the idea of â€Å"home† is sophisticated enough to be compared to the same themes in the poetry of Robert Frost, for example.

Media Coverage of War essays

Media Coverage of War essays Is the American news media biased in favor of liberals and liberal causes? Just turn on your TV and channel-surf the major all-news networks and listen to what they are reporting about the war with Iraq. Television provided non-stop coverage of the events of Sept. 11 and the aftermath and now the war against terrorism. The New York Times, Washington Post, etc and all the tabloids filled their pages with news of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Across the United States, special newspaper editions recited details of the devastation and calls for action, day after day. Like a scene from a Hollywood movie, the members of the Senate of the United States stood up and sang God Bless America. Since then, the media has taking a biased approach to the war on Iraq. If we took a minute and jot down how many minutes each station devotes to showing President Bush and his policies toward Iraq in a negative light compared to how many minutes show him in a favorable light. Overwhelmingly he is shown in a negative light. Its as if there is an organized effort to use the media to stop the war. Many of the all-news networks feature people after people pointing out how Bush is in a rush to war and is alienating our allies like France and Germany. This is the liberal news media at its most powerful and at its most destructive to America. Except for FOX, they are giving aid and comfort to an enemy that is bent on Americas destruction. Every anti-war, anti-American protest from around the world is shown with lengthy footage, with interviews with people claiming they like America but just cannot stand this Bush warmonger guy. The question is not whether journalist are being fair, but how you define fairness in the first place...it is the most basic question: should they be partisan or an objective observer? Usually, it is easy to say journalists cannot be partisan, but it is not so ea ...

Citizens Police Academy Example

Citizens Police Academy Example Citizens' Police Academy – Coursework Example Citizen police academy Citizen’s police academy is a program that is designed purposely to sensitize individuals who are not police officers with the activities of the police. The purpose of the Citizen’s police academy program is not to train individuals for a police post or to work on a shift as a police officer, but to create awareness to the society on who and what it is to be a police officer, their roles and jurisdictions. Citizen police academy is not a law enforcement agency, but is a program that gives the civilians and citizens a chance to learn the law enforcement process at a non – threatening situation (Sherman 1980.The program operates in most states of America, including Chesapeake, Virginia. In Chesapeake, the program is known as Chesapeake citizen’s police academy (CCPA). Chesapeake citizens aged over 18 years are eligible to training that takes 14 weeks. The program is quite essential since it teaches the citizens various police facets, i ncluding use of force, crime analysis, crime investigation, drug investigation, firearms investigation and life behind the bars. During and after the training, individual volunteerism in the police unit or departments is encouraged.According to American Police Academy (1970), the program influences much on the police department. This training encourages loyalty and observation of the law. Through the training, citizens become obedient to the law and the police unit. The roles of the police are clearly revealed to the society, with the procedures they should take to handle a crime case. This enlightens the citizens to raise an alarm in case of any mistreatment or failure of responsibility in the police department. Through this program, the rights of the citizens and the jurisdictions of the police department are clearly observed. ReferenceSherman, L.W. (1980). The Police and the Violence. Philadelphia: American Academy of Political and Social Science.American Police Academy. (1970). Academy training bulleting. Washington, D.C; American Police Academy.

10 Facts About Spanish Conjunctions

10 Facts About Spanish Conjunctions Here are 10 facts about conjunctions that will be useful as you learn Spanish: 1. Conjunctions are a type of connecting word. Conjunctions make up one of the parts of speech and are used to connect sentences, phrases, or words with each other. Generally, a conjunction will link two words, phrases, or sentences of the same type, such as a noun with a noun or a sentence with another sentence. These sample sentences demonstrative just a few of the ways this part of speech can be used: asà ­ que (so): Estoy enferma, asà ­ que no puedo ir a la playa. (Im sick, so I cant go to the beach.)con el fin de que (so, with the goal of): Ella estudiaba con el fin de que sea doctor. (She studied with the goal of being a doctor.)o (or):  ¿Tà © o cafà ©? (Tea or coffee?)porque (because): Ganà © porque soy inteligente. (I won because I am smart.)si (if): Si voy a la tienda, comprarà © un pan. (If I go to the store, I will buy a loaf of bread.)y (and): Me gustan el chocolate y la vainilla. (I like chocolate and vanilla.) 2. Conjunctions can be classified in a variety of ways. One common scheme classifies conjunctions as coordinating (linking two words, sentences or phrases of equal grammatical status), subordinating (making the meaning of a clause depend  on another clause or sentence), and correlative (coming in pairs). Other classification schemes for Spanish list a dozen or more types of conjunctions such as conjunciones adversativas (adversative conjunctions such as but or pero that set up a contrast), conjunciones condicionales (conditional conjunctions such as if or si that set up a condition) and conjunciones ilativas (illative conjunctions such as por eso or therefore that are used in explaining the reason for something). 3. Conjunctions can be made up of more than one word. Spanish abounds with short phrases that are used as conjunctions and function as a single word. Examples include sin embargo (nevertheless), a causa de (because), por lo tanto (therefore), para que (in order that), and aun cuando (even if). (Note that the translations given here and throughout this article arent the only ones possible.) 4. Two of the most common conjunctions change form when coming before certain words. Y, which usually means and, changes to e when it comes before a word that starts with the sound of i. And o, which usually means or, changes to u when it comes before a word starting with the sound of o. For example, we would write palabras u oraciones (words or sentences) instead of palabras o oraciones and nià ±os u hombres (boys or men) instead of nià ±os o hombres. This change of y and o is similar to the way a becomes an before certain words in English, in order to help keep the sound of the first word from disappearing into the second. As with English a becoming and, the change is based on pronunciation rather than spelling. 5. Certain conjunctions are usually or always followed by a clause with a verb in the subjunctive mood. Examples include a fin de que (in order to) and a condicià ³n de que (provided that). 6. The very common conjunction que often doesnt have to be translated to English but is essential in Spanish. Que as a conjunction usually means that as in the sentence Creo que estaban felices (I believe that they were happy). Note how that sentence could also be translated without the that: I believe they were happy. But the que remains essential to the Spanish sentence. The que in such sentences should not be confused with que as a relative pronoun, which follows different grammatical rules and cannot be omitted in translation. 7. A conjunction can come at the beginning of a sentence. Although a conjunction is a linking word, it doesnt always come between the two clauses or words linked. An example is si, the word for if, which often is used to begin a sentence. It also is acceptable to begin a sentence with y, the word for and. Often, y starts a sentence to provide emphasis. For example,  ¿Y las diferencias entre tà º y yo? might be translated as What about the differences between you and me? 8. Many of the words that function as conjunctions can also function as other parts of speech. For example, luego is a conjunction in Pienso, luego existo (I think, therefore I am) but an adverb in Vamos luego a la playa (Were going to the beach later). 9. Distributive conjunctions are made up of two words that are separated by other words. Among these is o ... o, which usually means either ... or as in O à ©l o ella puede firmarlo (Either he or she can sign it). Also common is ni ... ni as in No soy ni la primera ni la à ºltima (I am neither the first nor the last). 10. Some conjunctions are used in explaining when or where something occurs. The most common ones are cuando and donde, respectively. Example: Recuerdo cuando me dijiste donde pudiera encontrar la felicidad (I remember when you told me where I could find happiness).

Unemployment in France Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Unemployment in France - Essay Example Unemployment in France Unemployment has taken the centre stage in past political campaigns, with leaders making promises on lowering the unemployment rate. It was evident with former president Nicolas Sarkozy before his election in 2007, and was atop agenda in the 2012 May elections between him and the current president, Francois Holland. As the second largest economy in the Eurozone, France’s trend in unemployment seemed to have staggered in the last one decade, but is highly escalating, especially since the end of 2011. France was among the nations’ worst hit by the global recession in 2008, which left its economy struggling. The nation sunk deep into crisis and had to be bailed out by the international monetary fund (IMF), to try position the economy into balance. France contributes a great share of unemployment in the entire EU economy. As of May, France marked the 24th month of growing unemployment, with 5.1 million people unemployed, as the president struggled to revive the economy that was already in a recession in the first quarter of the year 2013. Unemployment figures for 2012 and 2013 indicate more than 10 % growth, which has begun to cause tension among the citizens. Occurring in France, it is clear that unemployment is a problem affecting even the nations with considerable industrial activity. The youths are the majority, and besides having an impact on the economy, joblessness continues to be a personal and social problem. In the past 3 years, some quarters recorded zero growth rate of unemployment, and though the awaited hope after the elections, numerous companies have announced a substantial number of layoffs, which is actually an indication of a worsening situation in the labour industry. (BBC, 2012). (France Unemployment, n.d.) Many blame the former government, but much has to be done in the current leadership to reverse the situation, and at least keep the rate below a figure of 3 million. This paper focuses on the issue of unemployment in France, with a bias on the youth and the government strategies in place to counter the problem. Unemployment has merged with other economical problems to influence the performance of the general economy , causing quandary within households, social settings, organizations, and the authority in one way or the other. France is no different and has various socio-economic structures that cause unemployment; hence, the demand and supply of labour in its economic organization would guide in understanding the insufficiency and scarcity of jobs in the labour market. Youth unemployment has been the highest in France, as more skilled personnel have increased in the labour market. This adds to the frictional unemployment that the government has been juggling with, in the economy. 2.0 Discussion on the Economic Problem/Issue Causes of France’s High Rate of Unemployment Inflexible labour markets: It is not surprising that a powerful and industrialized country, such as France has always had a higher average unemployment rate than most of its competitors. France, though small in population, has been recording an increasing and constantly higher rate of unemployment than the US economy. Fran ce has had quite a rigid labour market, which has its benefits and shortfalls with the changes in the internal and global economy. It is one of the European countries termed to be inflexible in its labour market policies and institutions that hinder its economic efficiency, full productivity, and competition. During the last global recession, the risks and benefits of labour market rigidity and flexibility came out clearly. France’s rate of unemployment rose by 1.5 percent, compared to the US 5 percent over the course of the

Analysis of the Film Reader Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis of the Film Reader - Research Paper Example The circumstances which surround this affair are what make the situation more complex. The affair lasts for a while but when things begin to get complicated – like the boy becoming more demanding, and the mutual emotional attachment getting deeper, etc. – the woman decides to end the relationship abruptly, not knowing that this would have a deep impact on the boy’s life later on. The woman disappears from the boy’s life and he feels betrayed, but guilty for driving her away, partly blaming himself for allowing their special relationship to just slip away. The story, simply put, is divided into 3 parts – the lead character’s youth, young adulthood, and adulthood. It builds up with flashbacks interspersed in about two-thirds of the film. This is how the viewer is acquainted with the man who is now a lawyer, who was once the boy who figured in the sizzling affair years before. Somehow, at first, it is quite confusing to see the lead character, Michael Berg, looking out the window and then staring at a boy riding the tram. The eye-to-eye connection pointed to the linkage between the older man and his past, and how he cherished the memories he had as a young man. The complexity in the relationship comes out several years later, when, as a law student at Harvard, Michael gets to see the older woman he had a short-lived affair with – Hanna Schmitz – among the defendants in a case who was charged with the deaths of 300 prisoner Jews burned to death in a church. As the case unfolds, Michael gets to deduce the reason Hanna had wanted him to read for her during the time they were together – it was because of her illiteracy. Hanna’s companions connived against her and pointed to her as the one in charge when the case took place, and although she was merely one of the guards, they said it was her who made the report about the incident.

Economic Comparison between Brazil and Argentina (Economic Development Term Paper

Economic Comparison between Brazil and Argentina (Economic Development And Growth) - Term Paper Example Introduction Population and economic size Brazil became independent on September 7, 1822. It covers 8,511,965 sq. km with a population size of 203.4 million1. Its population growth rate is 1.02 percent per annum. Brazil is the leading economic powerhouse and regional leader in South America. It is the eight world largest economy in the world. However, the country is bedeviled by high unequal income distribution and crime. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development strategy. The country has a well developed service, manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors. The Brazilian economy experienced solid economic performance even in the face of global financial crisis. The economy recovered early as compared to other countries. It was during Lula’s reign when the country experienced high economic growth and improved social programs that improved lives of millions of Brazilian citizens. Domestic consumption is the key driver of the country’ s economic growth. However, the country experiences rising unemployment rates. Sound fiscal management, inflation control and floating exchange rate provided strong impetus for Brazilian economy to grow and develop over the years. The currency of Brazil is Brazilian reais. On the other hand, Argentina became independent on July 9, 1816. Its area coverage is 2.8 million sq. km with a population of 41,769, 7262. Its population growth rate is 1.017 percent annually. Argentina’s economy has experienced both good and bad times3. The country has suffered hyperinflation, currency depreciation, domestic debt default worth $85 billion, World Bank’s loan default and frozen banking system among others. This is because of poor governance by government officials. Between 1975 and 1990, Argentina paid interest on foreign debt. Furthermore, during the same period, the country experienced capital flights and tax evasion. In 2002, unemployment was 25 percent. The government also starte d repaying defaulted bonds worth $100 billion in an attempt to end shame from 2003. The Argentina’s economy grew at the rate of 9 percent annually from 2003 to 2007 following expansionary policies adopted by the government. The growth was negatively affected by global credit crunch between 2007 and 2009, which reduced growth rate to 0.8 percent. However, the economy rebounded and 8.5 percent growth in GDP was experienced in 2010. The Argentine currency is Argentina pesos. In fact, Brazilian geographical area, population, and economy is larger than that of Argentina. Argentina’s economy is less stable and volatile as compared to that of Brazil due to many past economic hardships. In 2008-2010 global financial turmoil, Argentina experienced diminished domestic growth as well as reduced domestic and global demand, which caused a mild recession in 2009. In 2008, many more people in Argentina are poorer than those in Brazil. In 2008, the population below poverty line in Bra zil was 26 percent while there are 30 percent in Argentina. Section one outlines each country’s natural resource deposits; section two indicates Gross Domestic Product; section three indicates unemployment rates; section four shows the budget; section five shows the inflation and section six shows foreign direct investment. In addition, section seven indicates international trade; section eight outlines exchange rate regime; section

Inequalities in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Inequalities in Education - Essay Example Hence, it is easy to understand that there is a strong correlation between policies of the political parties in power, and the impetus given to the field of education, especially in the present day context of multiculturalism. This essay shall briefly analyze the dimensions of inequality, the causal factors and the policy implications in the field of education, in the United Kingdom since the close of the twentieth century. It shall consider three major inequalities namely, a) economic gap/social class b) gender/sex c) race/ethnic minority, and study how policies have impacted these inequalities as regards education in general. It shall also discuss education with particular relevance to early years, and conclude that while the policies have positively impacted reduction of gender inequalities, more efforts are required to eradicate ethnic inequalities. Peter Taylor-Gooby in his work "Attitudes to Social Justice" published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (2005) cites David Miller to identify four principles of social justice namely, a) Equal Citizenship, b) The Social Minimum, c) Equality of Opportunity, and d) Fair Distribution (p. 2). Of these four, the third has particular relevance to education, and the inequalities within it. ... unity of opportunity is said to exist only when the chances of an individual getting education and jobs, depend solely on their own motivation and aptitudes rather than on other factors such as gender, class or ethnicity. When the differences in Social Class, Gender and Race/Ethnic origins prevent or deny educational or job opportunities, then these are considered to be impediments to achieving social justice, they are inequalities that obstruct fair distribution of opportunities and rewards. While Education is considered to be a tool that aids equality in society, "as the principle means of creating a more equal society", it is also said to contribute to "the reproduction of social inequalities" (Moore 7) and has important implications in ensuring 'social mobility' (DfES 7). Given that educations is a potential tool for implementing social justice, it is essential to study and record the inequalities that affect the process of education. Foremost among the factors affecting education is the difference in income levels; poverty affects educational possibilities. Poverty/Class as an Inequality: It is important to distinguish between "inequality and poverty" even though they are closely linked (Hills & Stewart 232). Poverty is measured by taking into account the incomes of the poorest households and comparing them against the median income; generally poverty line is defined at 60% of current median income, after adjustments. The differences in incomes lead to two types of inequalities - Vertical and Horizontal. The former indicates the difference between the topmost and bottommost income earners, while the latter indicates communities or nations with similar incomes (biz/ed 1). The New Labour government has changed its policies since the 1970s, and now no longer

Attempts to Repeal the Laws of Supply and Demand - The Market Strikes Assignment

Attempts to Repeal the Laws of Supply and Demand - The Market Strikes Back - Assignment Example Ultimately, the demand-supply coordinates are violated, hence shifting the curve principles outside the principle factors. The free market prices are fixed by the demand-supply laws; however when the law is not adhered to then this leads to what is known as cost distortion. While governments would impose price controls or create policies that would create crushing relationship between supply and demand, this would artificially distract the market mechanism. Hence, the cost dilemma would alter the relevance of the commodities and may lead to specific losses and out- of-the- market experiences. The market’s response to this would be termed in a balanced experience. The price in such instance would not fall below a specific level, known as â€Å"Price Floor’ and an attempt to repeal this would constitute to ‘product vacuum’ and would create scarcity and eventually imbalances in demand-supply

Inequalities in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Inequalities in Education - Essay Example Hence, it is easy to understand that there is a strong correlation between policies of the political parties in power, and the impetus given to the field of education, especially in the present day context of multiculturalism. This essay shall briefly analyze the dimensions of inequality, the causal factors and the policy implications in the field of education, in the United Kingdom since the close of the twentieth century. It shall consider three major inequalities namely, a) economic gap/social class b) gender/sex c) race/ethnic minority, and study how policies have impacted these inequalities as regards education in general. It shall also discuss education with particular relevance to early years, and conclude that while the policies have positively impacted reduction of gender inequalities, more efforts are required to eradicate ethnic inequalities. Peter Taylor-Gooby in his work "Attitudes to Social Justice" published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (2005) cites David Miller to identify four principles of social justice namely, a) Equal Citizenship, b) The Social Minimum, c) Equality of Opportunity, and d) Fair Distribution (p. 2). Of these four, the third has particular relevance to education, and the inequalities within it. ... unity of opportunity is said to exist only when the chances of an individual getting education and jobs, depend solely on their own motivation and aptitudes rather than on other factors such as gender, class or ethnicity. When the differences in Social Class, Gender and Race/Ethnic origins prevent or deny educational or job opportunities, then these are considered to be impediments to achieving social justice, they are inequalities that obstruct fair distribution of opportunities and rewards. While Education is considered to be a tool that aids equality in society, "as the principle means of creating a more equal society", it is also said to contribute to "the reproduction of social inequalities" (Moore 7) and has important implications in ensuring 'social mobility' (DfES 7). Given that educations is a potential tool for implementing social justice, it is essential to study and record the inequalities that affect the process of education. Foremost among the factors affecting education is the difference in income levels; poverty affects educational possibilities. Poverty/Class as an Inequality: It is important to distinguish between "inequality and poverty" even though they are closely linked (Hills & Stewart 232). Poverty is measured by taking into account the incomes of the poorest households and comparing them against the median income; generally poverty line is defined at 60% of current median income, after adjustments. The differences in incomes lead to two types of inequalities - Vertical and Horizontal. The former indicates the difference between the topmost and bottommost income earners, while the latter indicates communities or nations with similar incomes (biz/ed 1). The New Labour government has changed its policies since the 1970s, and now no longer

College and School Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

College and School Life - Essay Example The massive workload, demanding schedule, and culture shock combine to make university life far more stressful than high school. High school homework would be a welcome vacation to the college student that is carrying a full credit load. The necessity of solving a complex problem and writing a research paper on the results can bring the new student to the brink of a nervous breakdown. The desire to do well on a mathematics test can result in beads of perspiration and sweaty palms that were never there in high school. The intensity never ends as the stress of the university's standards makes the student long for the ease of high school subjects. A major component of doing well in college is doing the work on time. In high school the schedule is made for the student and there is little left to chance. However, college life demands that the student confront the challenges of 18 hour workdays, early morning classes, and conflicting schedules. College social life can be fun, but the student will risk their mental health by squeezing in a party in an already cramped routine. The high school student may suffer from the boredom of nothing to do, but the university freshman suffers the stress of never having enough time to do it. Confronting a new situation can be as stressful as it is rewarding.

Career Development Plan Part Iv - Compensation Essay Example for Free

Career Development Plan Part Iv Compensation Essay Now that we have structured our new team, identified their roles, identified ways to manage their performance and created an appraisal system we are now proposing a new compensation plan. This part will outline the plan, describe how it will help motivate employee performance, describe our total rewards program and outline how this program will benefit the individual and InterClean. Account Executive Financial Compensation Plan Compensation structures can be broken down into two distinct categories, financial and non-financial (Cascio, 2006). This section overviews the financial compensation plan for account executives, which includes pay and benefits. Account executive pay will be primarily commission based. Each account executive will receive a base salary at minimum wage, with the rest of their salary coming from commission. We feel that a generous commission structure will motivate performance because pay will have a direct correlation with sales volume. We structured our proposed commission plan to reflect InterClean new strategic direction (University of Phoenix, 2007), and how employees are rated in their quarterly appraisal. This means a focus on retention, up-selling and volume. Account executives will receive 8% commission on sales for the first six-months of revenue. 10% commission on sales after six-months of continuous revenue. 13% commission on sales after one-year of continuous revenue. 13% commission on up-sells and account executives that meet their quarterly sales volume will also receive a bonus equaling 3% of total revenue earned. New Business Account Executive, The New Business Account Executive has different goals, and therefore a different pay scale will apply. He or she will receive a base salary of $30,000 per year, plus a 3% quarterly commission on revenues earned from the accounts he or she acquired. We feel that this structure will adequately reflect the difference between new account acquisition and account retention. Cumulatively, the maximum amount of commission paid on revenues to account executives would be 19%. In related to the benefits Account Executives will receive the standard benefits due to all InterClean employees, including; †¢ Health Insurance with employee share of cost †¢ 401k match 14 days paid vacation †¢ 6 days sick time †¢ Health, Financial, Stress and Motivational Counseling through our employee wellness program. Managerial Financial Compensation Plan The managerial financial compensation plan will focus on overall team performance. We feel that creating a plan that rewards managers for team performance helps ensure management’s focus on creating a strong team that meets financial objec tives. Managers will receive a base salary dependent on their pay grade, ranging from $50,000 annual for the solution expert and $65,000 annually for the sales manager. The rest of their salary will be based on team performance as 3% commission on total revenues per quarter of all account executives that have met his or her goal, and 2% on total revenues per quarter if all account executives meet their goals. We feel that paying based on meeting objectives, and sharing in total revenues accomplishes two important things such as rewards managers who ensure account executives meet their goals by providing the tools and support they need. And it encourages over-achieving by not setting a limit on revenue sharing. In terms of the benefits, managerial employees share in the aforementioned benefits, and are given one additional week of paid vacation (five days) per year. As mentioned, compensation does not only include financial compensation; there are certain non-financial rewards that motivate employee performance, increase loyalty and decrease turnover. The following non-financial rewards were chosen based on a survey conducted in the United Kingdom (Employee Benefits, 2006) as additional â€Å"perks† for employees. Sales Employees, All sales employees are eligible the following reward package flexible working arrangements. Employees can work at home when appropriate on dates arranged between them and their manager. Flexible work time is the top-rated non-financial reward in the UK survey (Employee Benefits, 2006) and offering such an arrangement can increase productivity by diminishing stress caused by work-life conflicts. And corporate gym membership also ranked high on the survey, and using our corporate pull to offer a free membership not only encourages wellness, but exercise has countless benefits such as stress relief, increased creativity, and energy. Also, we will include employee discount at restaurants. Using the promise of higher volume by internally promoting local restaurants to our employees, HR has arranged for employee discounts at local restaurants. This benefit decreases the costs of lunch for our employees and gives them another reason to value InterClean. Managerial Rewards, The following rewards are available to managers in addition to the preceding rewards available to all employees such as use of company vehicle: Surprisingly, the UK survey listed â€Å"sports car as company vehicle† as the number one â€Å"benefit they don’t receive but wish they had† (Employee Benefits, 2006, para4. . Company gas card, not only should our sales manager ride in prestige, but we understand that the majority of driving they do benefits our company, so they also have use of our company gas card. The compensation and rewards system outlined in this plan are geared to motivate performance by tying pay directly to the revenue gained for InterClean. Our new strategy of fo cusing on solution-based selling (University of Phoenix, 2007) means we must grow retention, up selling, and total volume. This plan rewards all three by reducing the base pay of account executives, increasing commission and tiering commission based on retention and up selling. We reward achievers and not low-performers. Tying managerial pay directly to the performance of the team rewards good managers (Vigoda-Gadot Angert, 2007. ) Finally, offering a substantial but not overly high base pay takes into account fluctuating economic and environmental constraints. Offering bonuses quarterly rather than annual avoids penalizing employees for one bad quarter, which can happen to even the best sales person. Finally, our reward system is built to make InterClean a great place to work, that values the employees well-being and offers perks as part of the job. Offering this reward system can help InterClean retain the best possible account executives and managers (Cascio, 2006). Because we offer competitive pay and creative rewards that ease the work-life conundrum, and add a certain level of prestige to those who work for InterClean.