Social Class: Maintaining Divisions Within Society

Social Class: Maintaining Divisions Within Society As social beings we naturally form groups for survival and support, as the popular saying goes No man is an island, and indeed, we are not. We form social groups that unite us with one another and give us a sense of security. These groups can be created from the tiniest of excuses, for example; a group of people that meet at the bus stop every Tuesday at 5am, after seeing each other regularly they easily form alliance and share mutual goals and norms i.e. getting the bus on time. It is within these groups that we receive our social identities. These social identities can be awarded within a small intimate group like a family or in a large scale group like a class in society. Their common goals create an us and a them response governed by a group conscience (Tajfel, 1971). This response can be a strength, for example, a great championship team attempting to win 4x400meter relay race, find that distinguishing themselves from others could be positive experience that builds self-esteem, making them work harder than others and mesh better. However, even though these social groups provide us with positive identities, securities etc., they can at the same time have a negative effect and create bias towards other groups whether they realise it or not. In this essay, I will discuss how specific social groups based on class and status, come to exist and explore their importance in society. The disadvantages or advantages experienced by a social group within a stratum reflect the amount of power they have in society. The power comes directed from the resources one is advantaged enough to have, for example, ranging from being able to afford an education, from which, one can gain employment, from which, one can move up to a moderate position within a company, from which, they have the income to buy a house, car and pay for healthcare; to owning an international chain of restaurants, from which, one can afford a luxury yacht that offers luxury cruises, generating enough income to buy a third house and another yacht or two. This is why sociologists believed that social stratification was the core factor that influences the sharing of power in society. There have been many attempts to determine a deciding factor for social power. Some feminists like Firestone (1971) believed that all societies were divided into opposed sex classes that were the basis of gender inequalities. She argued that all men in society oppressed women because of the biological, psychological and physical shortcomings they experienced due to pregnancy, child-birth and child rearing. Her ideas stemmed from the womens liberation movements in Europe and America in the 1960s and represented emancipation. Meanwhile, other systems presented a supressed, racially influenced explanation of social stratification. In the 19th century, the idea that race determined specifically by inherited biological distinctions was the deciding factor in social strata becoming prominent in society. Gumplowicz (1885) viewed ethnic and racial conflict as the fundamental mechanism of social development. Gumplowicz believed that it inevitable and natural for one ethnic group to surpass an other, giving chance for the strongest to emerge. Gobineau (1853-5) and Chamberlain (1899) promoted racial stratification and warranted the oppression of inferior ethnicities. Ideas like these were detrimental to the seemingly inferior ethnicity and fuelled thinkers like Adolf Hilter (1925) who sought to eliminate inferior races in favour of the Aryan race. Sexual and racial inequalities are undeniably influential, however, they cannot be individually crowned as the primary causes of social stratification. Race itself does not exist, it is a social construct, and there is only one human race (Gordon, 1964). Ethnicity instead of race, on the other hand, does exist, based on cultural differences springing from history, origin, religion language and the like, however, it is an inequality that contributes to social stratification but does not solely determine the outcome. Similarly, sexual stratification struggles to define all social division because men and women thrive in complete isolation. Men and womens sexual differences are the building blocks of society and essential for existence so they cannot be the core reason for stratification because stratification is division of society, they are requirements. Neither sexual nor racial inequalities can define a single source of stratification because people are so complicated and diverse, t hey cannot individually account for the complexities within society. Other sources of stratification are political status, religion or class. Max Weber (1948) suggested that a wider perspective that incorporates sex and ethnicity should be considered. He believed that there were three unique aspects that spread across humanity and influenced the distribution of power in society and life chances in their own way. The three aspects were class (economic power), status (communal power) and authority (authoritative power). Weber was initially influenced Karl Marx and further developed his own ideas specifically about class and status. Social class refers to a conscious group of people that share the same socio-economic background, whose life chances are decided by the class they belong to. The class system in Britain is a prime example, society is divided into the upper class (mostly aristocrat families, headed by the Queen); middle class (upper-middle class e.g. architects, barristers, high level doctors etc.; middle-middle class e.g. management, teachers, accountancy, social work etc.; and the lower-middle class e.g. clerical , administrative etc.); working class (skilled e.g. a white van man or self-employed contractor and unskilled e.g. customer service or telesales); and the underclass (long term unemployed living off welfare). Marx (1867) believed that almost every society was a class society with exception of the most primitive societies because they were smaller and undeveloped. He viewed possessing means of production, especially property, was the deciding influence in social division. He suggested society was of capitalist nature, distinguishing two conspicuous classes: the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie owned the means of production and derived majority, if not, all of their income from capital. They were known as the capitalist class. On the reverse were the proletariat, who did not own any means of production and instead work for the bourgeoisie. They were known as the working class. The bourgeoisie, owning the means of production, kept majority of the wealth generated by the proletariat; the bourgeoisie received surplus value from their resources, meanwhile, the proletariat only received a small percentage of their economic worth. He believed that skilled labour in particular had greater value and deserved higher wages. Marx strongly believed that the proletariat were oppressed to the extent that the existed in a state of false consciousness, where they were content with their hardship. He believed that over time the classes would collapse due to internal conflict and a revolution would ensue. He believed the solution to the class system was effective communism. Weber, influenced by Marx, overruled the idea of effective communism, thinking that the proletariat revolution was highly unlikely because the power of false consciousness was too strong. He understood the bourgeoisie/proletariat class relationship was not so black and white. There were grey areas such as the manager that does not own the means of production and governs the proletariat but does not receive surplus let alone receiving their fair wages. He suggested the distribution of power was not rooted purely in economic power. Both the possession and non-possession of economic assets disperse power in society because from both avenues income is secured, for example, working for an company is labour which has to be bought by the employer, thus, providing income/capital via the non-possession of economic assets. Weber viewed class divisions as having economic basis only and that individually class alone could not condition people into stratum. He believed that the increase in wages that Marx sought after would, if granted, would produce cause and effect experience from significant changes in lifestyles, subsequently creating antagonism in the disadvantaged groups. This revolution would be spurred by rational motives instead of stir from false consciousness. Instead of just class, there were two more aspects determining distribution of power and life chances in society: status (communal power) and authority (authoritative power). Status, for example, held ground when it came to prominent religious figures/poets that were highly significant in society with little economic power. Authoritative power could be executed by a senior police officer that has a lot of authority but not a lot of property. Other criticisms were that the boundaries between various groups are almost impossible to specify. Also, a moral stance was not identified, whether the motives for the division where good or bad. Dahrendorf (1959) also mentioned that in many western societies there are fairly large middle classes because education was more prevalent and available, creating the opportunity to progress. Weber understood that unlike Marx, explaining stratification in only terms of economic factors was unreasonable and stressing the importance of non-economic factors. He further developed his ideas on the non-economic factor of status. Social status refers to the ranking of an individual in a society as superior or inferior according to the values that they have in common. It is the reputation of the individual granted by lifestyle and duties, dictating their life chances, those that successfully conform to the required standard receive great honour and prestige (high status); and vice versa. In minute societies, status is determined by intimate details gathered from regular face to face interaction. However, in larger, complicated societies, ranking is generated by generalisations based on age, sex, family relationships, ethnicity, sexuality etc., putting one into a specific social group regardless of ability or accomplishments. It is the potentially boosting or diminishing assessmen t of lifestyle choices without any real information about the individual preferences. Diminishing status can be very dangerous because it can create a sense of negativity around those of said status, if not worse. For example, in the Indian Caste system, status is assigned according to ethnicity. They range from the religious scholars and leaders at the highest status group known as the Brahim, and the lowest status group known as the Dalits or the untouchables. This is a closed/ascribed status system where despite challenges one cannot change their status because they are born into it. An open/achieved status system is one where status groups are based on merit and achievement so there is social mobility. According to Parsons (1940) status is assigned depending on the most significant social position in a society, for example, lineage, gender, age etc. An example of status assignment are in a tribal society where older men have the highest ranking and young women have the lowest ranking until married off, then a young woman can increase her ranking via her associatio n with her husband. Modern societies alternatively, determine membership by specific public positions. Despite the large variety of occupations, those with the most prestigious receive higher status and vice versa. Strangers are usually judged based on the assumed status gathered from clothing to accents to cars. In contemporary societies status is assumed via income and consumption, and aspirations are geared towards earning higher incomes. Parsons was criticised by an array of sociologists, some argued that not everyone in contemporary societies share the same significant social positions. Therefore, a unified set of views cannot be assumed. Modern societies also have multiple value systems that dictate status. Others stated that in some value systems a person that is, for example, a black doctor despite the high status of being a doctor would be assigned a low status because of his ethnicity. Weber (1924) believed that when it came to life chances, status was a more important factor instead of class because majority of the population would be more likely to make sacrifices based on social status as it affected their day to day life more. From a Functionalist perspective, stratification is essential for society to operate smoothly; especially in industrial societies with complicated division of labour. They believe that the inadequate wages served to motivate people to aim higher, creating competition for important roles in society. Critics contended that the definition of important roles were inadequate and stated that the importance of roles does not directly reflect in wages. Society is not a meritocracy because many are born into their class and status. Also, how is inequality essential for society? Another perspective was the conflict theory stating that stratification is universal but inevitable, unnecessary and not vital for society. Stratification was fashioned and maintained by the elite to guard and enhance their interests. Inequality is not inevitable and it does not promote the ideal functioning of society. They continue to sustain disparity by controlling ideas and information of the masses to keep them in their boxes spreading ideologies such as scientific racism, the divine right of kings and a fair days pay for a fair days work etc. Information released to the public is often manipulated or filtered e.g. Paris Hilton being mentioned on BBCs 10 oclock News etc. Technology is used to monitor our habits e.g. mobile phones, surveillance cameras, oyster cards, credit cards, Facebook etc. The elite sustain by keeping close-knit social networks that pass their privileges from generation to generation. Having looked at the in-depth definition of stratification, I think society is divided for worse. Established class and status play an important role in keeping the rich rich and the poor poor. I support the Marxist view when it comes to the bourgeoisie oppressing the proletariat recklessly. However, as Weber stated it is more complicated that two distinct classes but the presence of the elite is still felt. However, communism is not necessarily the answer to societys woes. Stratification is naturally inevitable to a degree because the variety of innate differences in peoples abilities. It also provides necessary structure to govern large populations. Evolution states that after distribution of essential resources, the surplus will eventually rank some as more affluent. Symbolic interactionists mention that predominant symbols i.e. wealth, define all social interactions, which in turn develops a persons sense of self and placing in society. Wealth is not necessarily a bad thing, part icularly when it is earned through hard work; it is just harmful when its distribution is extremely lop-sided due to exploitation. The proletariat are the building blocks of society and they deserve a share of the capital. We all have same basic needs and it is selfish for people to have ridiculous amounts of excess i.e. four twenty bedroom mansions and a private jet while the majority of people elsewhere cannot guarantee where their next meal is coming from. This is inequality and an exhibition of the us and them mentality to highest order. It is not necessary for the groups to fuse into one group and develop intimate social ties; however the groups should have mutual respect towards one another as fellow human beings regardless of personal differences. The resources in the world are not infinite and they do not belong to a single social group. Diversity should not be punishment; it is what makes humans great, ideally the gap between rich and poor would be moderate. Other than that, stratification is natural and the wealth should be distributed more freely throughout to ease irresponsible division and unnecessary antagonism in society. Protein Denaturation of Egg White and Milk: Experiment Protein Denaturation of Egg White and Milk: Experiment Introduction: Proteins are the secondary crucial food components while carbohydrates are primary ones. However, proteins must be denatured their natural structure to be unfolded before the digestion. [ 1 ]In the practical, the denaturation of egg white and milk were examined. The white of an egg is a solution of protein in water which depends upon stable interactions with the protein active groups. Factors which influence the stability of the protein may thus be expected to influence the stability of the solution. Objectives: The purpose of the experiment is to: Examine and explain the changes in appearance of egg white that occur in different conditions in denaturation of egg white Examine the phase transitions that occur in denaturation of egg and milk affected by temperature change by making egg custard Examine and explain the changes in appearance of milk that occur in different conditions in denaturation of milk Examine and explain the changes and differences in properties between the original sample of yoghurt and two sample with respective addition of fresh milk and boiled milk Method: All of the practical were followed by the procedures listed on page 11 and 12 of Laboratory Manuals Guide 2014. Result: The observations are shown in the following: The changes in appearance of egg white that occur in different conditions in denaturation of egg white Before the treatment of different conditions, the egg white was clear yellow liquid in each of five boiling tubes. After the treatment of different conditions, the egg white in tubes made changes in appearance at certain time in water bath or at certain number of additions shown in the table. Visual appearance Time duration until the change to occur Number of additions for change to occur Tube 1(egg white in the water bath at 60à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™) Milky gel 1hour and 12 minutes / Tube 2(egg white in the water bath at 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™) Milky gel 1minute and 32seconds / Tube 3(egg white with additions of 1M Acetic acid) Three layers: water, silk-like white sediment and yellow egg white / 22 drops Tube 4(egg white with additions of 5M NaCl (aq) ) Two layers: silk-like white sediment i yellow egg white and water / 110 drops Tube 5(egg white with additions of equal of volume of distilled water) No observable change / / The phase transitions that occur in denaturation of egg and milk affected by temperature change by making egg custard The time duration for baking at around 130à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ in the oven was 30 minutes in order to make egg custard. Before the baking in the oven, the mixture was milky yellow liquid. After the baking for 30 minutes, the mixture became thickened and semi-solid phase. Moreover, a gel-like structure was formed. The changes in appearance of milk that occur in different conditions in denaturation of milk Before the treatment of different conditions, the milk was white liquid in each of three tubes and the conical flask. The measurement of milk in pHjwas 6.39 When 52 drops of 1M Acetic acid added into milk in conical flask, the formation of ppt occurred and the measurement in pHkwas 4.49. Since then, the three tubes that were treated to add 26 drops of 1M Acetic acid, add 1ml 5M NaCl (aq) and have no further addition were placed in the 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ waterbath. The time durations for changes in the three tubes were 1 minutes 22 seconds, 19 minutes and 20 minutes respectively. After the 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ waterbath, the mixture in tube with addition of 26 drops of 1M Acetic acid formed large white curd. Besides, the mixture in tube with addition of 1ml 5M NaCl (aq) was observed to have white ppt. Moreover, the control tube (no further addition) remained white liquid but had very little silk-like sediment on inner wall of the tube. Finally, the conical flask sample was taken for centrifugation for 5 minutes at 2,000rpm. After the centrifugation, the sample formed two layers: pale yellow liquid and milky sediment. The changes and differences in properties between the original sample of yoghurt and two samples of yoghurt with respective addition of fresh milk and boiled milk The original sample of yoghurt was light, fluffy, smooth and creamy and tasted a bit sour and the smell of milk was detected. Two samples of yoghurt with respective addition of fresh milk and boiled milk cultured in 38à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ incubator formed two layers: firm and thickened milky gel and yellow watery surface. They are not similar to the smooth and creamy original sample of yoghurt. Sourness was enhanced in the sample of yoghurt with fresh milk. However, sourness in the sample of yoghurt with boiled milk was similar to the original sample. Furthermore, the sample of yoghurt with fresh milk was detected a tangier taste in comparison with the sample with boiled milk and the original sample. Discussion: The changes in appearance of egg white that occur in different conditions in denaturation of egg white When egg white solution was placed in waterbath at 60à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ and 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, heat damaged hydrogen bonds from the connections of unfolding of tertiary conformation of proteins. Since then, there was a chance for long chain of polypeptides to interact with other polypeptides and the polypeptides were reformed to large molecular structure to form coagulum. Therefore, egg white solution in waterbath at 60à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ and 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ became milky gel. Besides, the time duration for change to occur at 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ was much shorter than that at 60à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. That meant the rate of denaturation of egg white at 80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ was faster than that at 60à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The reason was that the higher the temperature of the water bath, the more the heat energy was supplied to protein molecules per unit time. The higher kinetic energy of protein molecules vibrated more rapidly and violently. Therefore, the bonding disrupts faster and the rate of denaturation increased. When egg white solution was added with 22 drops of 1M Acetic acid, acid reacted with egg white to alter the electrostatic interactions and resulted in unfolding the tertiary conformation of peptide chain. It decreased the solubility of the egg white, and thus, formed silk-like sediment in the middle of three layers. When egg white solution was added with 110 drops of 5M NaCl (aq), excessive amount of NaCl (aq) easily attracted water from protein surface and removed it from the surface. The unfavourable interactions produced between protein molecules leaded to the connection of protein molecules. Hence, egg white solution with 110 drops of 5M NaCl (aq) became silk-like white sediment in yellow egg white. However, there was no observable change in egg white solution with additions of equal of volume of distilled water. As water didn’t react with the egg white solution, the solution remained clear yellow liquid. The phase transitions that occur in denaturation of egg and milk affected by temperature change by making egg custard Ovalbumin, from egg white protein, casein micelle and whey protein, from milk proteins, were involved. The mixture was thickened by the condensation of these three proteins during baking. They denatured by heat and became unfolded polypeptides with the chance to interact with other polypeptides and the polypeptides were reformed to large molecular structure. Meanwhile, the water was trapped into the network of polypeptides. Thus, the mixture became semi-solid phase or a gel-like structure. The changes in appearance of milk that occur in different conditions in denaturation of milk In the centrifuge tube, the top layer was pale yellow liquid and the bottom layer was milky gel. Pale yellow liquid contained water and water soluble substances such as water-soluble vitamins, minerals, lactose from milk. On the other hand, milky gel contained milk protein mainly. There was a difference between the milk conditions because of different mass of substances. Milk protein had large molecular structure and heavier mass. It formed in the bottom layer of the tube. By contrast, water and water soluble substances had smaller molecular structure and lighter mass. It formed in the top layer of the tube. The changes and differences in properties between the original sample of yoghurt and two samples of yoghurt with respective addition of fresh milk and boiled milk During the formation of yoghurt, the lactose-consuming bacteria and micro-organisms from air trapped inside the culture at favourable temperature and moisture condition grew and released enzyme to lactose fermentation to produce lactic acid that disrupted the milk protein such as casein micelles.[2] When casein micelles were destabilized by acidic environment, due to denaturation, micelles stuck together. Therefore, coagulation happened in acidic environment. Two sample of yoghurt formed firm and thickened milky curd. The sample of yoghurt with fresh milk was detected a tangier taste and more sourness in comparison with the sample with boiled milk. The amount of lactose-consuming bacteria in sample of yoghurt with fresh milk was much higher than that with boiled milk. It was because the fresh milk did not involve a process of boiling that killed bacteria at boiling temperature. High amount of bacteria produced excessive lactic acid. Thus, the sample of yoghurt with fresh milk tasted tangy sourness. To make commercial yoghurt, the first step is to denature boiled milk protein molecules by acidic environment was required and the coagulation was resulted in to form coagulum. Since then, a proportion of milk is taken to fluid called whey. Stabilizer such as starch has to be added to prevent whey separation so that whey is immobilized and retained within the yoghurt. This increases the smoothness and creaminess. References: Protein, wikipedia 2014 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein Production of yoghurt, The Dairy Council http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=81 http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_white http://www.ukessays.com/essays/biology/denaturation-of-egg-white-data-biology-essay.php

Health and Healing at Your Fingertips Essay

Throw out the bottles and boxes of drugs in your house. A new theory suggests that medicine could be bad for your health, which should at least come as good news to people who cannot afford to buy expensive medicine. However, it is a blow to the medicine industry, and an even bigger blow to our confidence in the progress of science. This new theory argues that healing is at our fingertips: we can be healthy by doing Reiki on a regular basis. Supporters of medical treatment argue that medicine should be trusted since it is ffective and scientifically proven. They say that there is no need for spiritual methods such as Reiki, Yoga, Tai Chi. These waste our time, something which is quite precious in our material world. There is medicine that can kill our pain, x-rays that show us our fractured bones or MRI that scans our brain for tumors. We must admit that these methods are very effective in the examples that they provide. However, there are some â€Å"every day complaints† such as back pains, headaches, insomnia, which are treated currently with medicine. When you have a headache, you take an Aspirin, or Vermidon, when you cannot sleep, you take Xanax without thinking of the side effects of these. When you use these pills for a long period, you become addicted to them; you cannot sleep without them. We pay huge amounts of money and become addicted instead of getting better. How about a safer and more economical way of healing? When doing Reiki to yourself, you do not need anything except your energy so it is very economical. As for its history, it was discovered in Japan in the early 1900s and its popularity has spread particularly throughout America and Western Europe. In quantum physics, energy is recognized as the fundamental substance of which the universe is composed. Reiki depends on the energy within our bodies. It is a simple and effective way of restoring the energy flow. There are no side effects and it is scientifically explained. Opponents of alternative healing methods also claim that serious illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and cancer cannot be treated without drugs. They think so because these patients spend the rest of their lives in the hospital taking medicine. How can Reiki make these people healthy again? It is very unfortunate that these patients have to live in the hospital losing their hair because of chemotherapy, losing weight because of the side effects of the medicine they take. Actually, it is common knowledge that except for when the cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, drugs also cannot treat AIDS or cancer. Most of the medicine these patients use are to ease their pain and their sufferings because of the medical treatment they undergo. Instead of drugs hich are expensive and have many side effects, you can use your energy to overcome the hardships of life, find an emotional balance, leave the stress of everyday life and let go of the @ 2006 Bogazici University SFL 6 of 6 everyday worries. Most of the chronic conditions such as eczema or migraine are known to have causes such as poor diet and stress. Deeprooted anger or other strong emotions can contribute to viral infections as well. Since balancing our emotions and start learning Reiki and avoid illnesses before it is too late. Some people may still maintain that in our material world, everything depends on time. It is even â€Å"lacking time† that causes much of the stress that leads to the illnesses we mentioned. How would it be possible to find time to do Reiki to ourselves and the people around us when we cannot even find time to go to the theater? This is one good thing about Reiki; it does not require more than 15 minutes of our time. There is no need for changing clothes or special equipment. It is a wonderfully simple healing art, an effective method of relaxation and stress-relief. Most important f all, it is less time consuming than medicine if we think of all the time we spend taking medicine for some complaints and taking some more for the side effects as well. Having said these, resistance to Reiki would be quite illogical. Reiki is natural and drug-free. What is more, it is easy to learn by anyone, regardless of age and experience. It can be used anywhere, anytime. It also enhances physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being and the benefits last a lifetime. It is definitely high time to get away from the drug boxes we store in our drug cabinet!

The Power of Hip-hop in the Business World Essay - 2228 Words

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Social Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About...

Social Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing There has been much discussion about whether or not Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ it is based more around social pressures rather than true love; this essay will see to what extent the play supports this idea. Shakespeare wrote the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ around 1598. It was located in Italy, because Italy at the time was seen as a romantic exotic country, writers during this time period were obsessed over Italy, a lot of the plays written were set in Italy. This play has a wide appeal to all classes which shows that it would be appropriate for all to watch. The title ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ suggests†¦show more content†¦Maybe this was because life expectancy was not extremely long; as a result she had to marry at a young age. Every girl throughout this time had a ‘dowry’ which was money or property brought by a bride to her husband at marriage. This was a sort of social pressure because marriages were usually arranged by the parents and was not a matter to be discussed with them you could have been expected to marry who they chose for you even if it was not true love. Things that were considered socially unacceptable were sleeping with someone before you were married, having a baby with someone else and trying to pass it off as your husbands. At the beginning of the play the men Don Pedro, Don John, Claudio, Benedick, Leanato and Antonio return from war, from the onset the play focuses on Beatrice and Benedick, as the two central characters. Beatrice is portrayed as a strong female character that speaks her mind, this is different because in the time period this play is set men were seen as more superior than women. Both Benedick and Beatrice are the comedy characters in this play that tend to argue a lot. When Beatrice hears that they are arriving back in Messina she immediately shows interest in Benedick ‘IShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Much Ado About Nothing909 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play Much Ado about Nothing traverses the complex social, and emotional trials and triumphs of romantic relationships; Shakespeare’s perspective on the subject is both very similar to ours today, and different. Although filled with sexual innuendos, and humorous trickery and shenanigans, M uch Ado about Nothing also dives into the complexities of social anxieties, defense mechanisms to cope with the social pressures, and the emotions involved. First, the characters in MuchRead More Beatrice of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Essay1746 Words   |  7 PagesBeatrice of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing One of the most intriguing characters from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing must be Beatrice. An intelligent, well-spoken (and, perhaps more interesting, outspoken) young woman, she is an almost exact opposite of her cousin, Hero. What makes Beatrice so different than what one expects of a woman during Shakespeare’s time? Why did Shakespeare decide to make her such a strong female character? It begs the question of what women wereRead MoreEssay about Renaissance Figures2969 Words   |  12 Pagesignoring the popes order to stop preaching, Savonarola was finally executed as a false prophet. ? Baldassare Castiglione, who lived from 1478--1529, was an Italian author and statesman. His Book of the Courtier (1528), a treatise on etiquette, social problems, and intellectual accomplishments, contributed to a Renaissance ideal of aristocracy embodied in the life of Sir Philip Sidney. The son of a noble family, Castiglione was educated at the humanist school of Giorgio Merula and DemetriusRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 PagesCelebrity as a role model h. Blame media for our problems i. Power + Responsibility of Media j. Media ethics k. New Media and Democracy 2. Science/Tech a. Science and Ethics b. Government and scientist role in science c. Rely too much on technology? d. Nuclear technology e. Genetic modification f. Right tech for wrong reasons 3. Arts/Culture a. Arts have a future in Singapore? b. Why pursue Arts? c. Arts and technology d. Uniquely Singapore: Culture 4. Environment

Learning About Human Behavior And Organizational Culture,...

Learning About Human Behavior Human Behavior in Organizations is a five week course; however the information that is presented over the five weeks is difficult to absorb and assimilate into everyday life. The amount of knowledge I could gain from this course would take me a whole semester to actually process. I thoroughly enjoyed the topics, case studies, and trying to decipher if a certain action is ethical and moral. What really defines ethical and moral? Is it one’s own cultural beliefs that dictate this or possibly the United States Constitution, the Holy Bible, and written laws? The topics I will focus on are organizational culture, team culture, motivation, managing conflict, and negotiations. These are a few key topics that stood†¦show more content†¦The team culture can become negative when one or more of the employees does not have the same values, work ethic, and personality. 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Urban deprivation is one of the characteristics of large cities in all parts of the world Free Essays

The inner city areas of many Global cities have an image of decay with poverty, pollution, crime, overcrowding, poor housing conditions and unemployment. Such problems are more prevalent in inner-city areas than in other areas of the city. Deprivation has been caused by old industries closing down and increasing the unemployment levels which are not tackled due to the old workers not being skilled enough to work in these new factories or line of jobs. We will write a custom essay sample on Urban deprivation is one of the characteristics of large cities in all parts of the world or any similar topic only for you Order Now This happens more in MEDC’s compared to LEDC’s where overpopulation and urbanization have cause the problems in the inner city. Counterurbanization has been another problem within MEDC’s as it has left houses derelict and the people would rather commute than live in the inner city. This has then led to out of town shopping centers being set up. In MEDC’s the inner city initiatives for reversing the decline of the inner city started back in 1945 with comprehensive redevelopment. This program involved large-scale clearance of old terraces in order to provide space for new housing and inner city environmental features. Over twenty years 1. 5 million properties wee knocked down in the inner city. Elswick and Kenton in Newcastle were two areas embarked for comprehensive redevelopment. Existing residents were moved either into new towns of Cramlington or to extensive council houses estates built in areas such as, Byker. Many local authorities followed identical planning and soon the landscape of the inner city was transformed with huge concrete and glass tower blocks separated by flat expanses of grass. At the time these high-rise flats were a great success architecturally however the policy failed due to redevelopment underachieving demolition. This gave a housing shortage and vast spaces of derelict land. This policy that lasted till 1967 also failed to tackle the social and economic problems. 1968 saw another scheme come into action; the Urban Aid programme gave grants to local authorities to expand services in deprived areas and to establish community development projects using self help. This scheme was a great deal more localized and it was unfortunate that the economic downturn limited the funds and therefore by 1977 the scheme had finished. The next year the new towns policy was abandoned in an effort to stop decentralization of people and businesses. For the first time inner cities were officially declared problem areas. In 1988 Margaret Thatcher introduced the â€Å"Action for cities† policy. From 1991 onwards-Local authorities were able to bid for funds for specific urban projects. An example is Sunderland; the money was used to redesign parts of the city center with a new shopping precinct. And bus station. A single government department, the end of the 1990’s had created the Urban Regeneration Agency. In Greater Manchester 4. 5 hectares of the city were destroyed with 30,000 homes left damaged form the bombing of World War II. By the end of the war 70,000 homes were deemed unfit for living mostly in the high density Victorian inner center. The plan for Manchester was launched in 1945 with the aim of clearing all Victorian housing. Following the repair of the war the Manchester Slum Clearance Programme restarted in 1954. Over five years 7500 properties were demolished mostly in the Miles Platting area. In 1961 the policy of comprehensive development took place with the clearance programme expanding in four main areas: Hulme, Beswick, Longsight and Harpurhey. Over 55,00 new houses, a mixture of low and high rise were built to replaced the cleared terraces reducing the housing density and population by up to 50% in some areas. The Hulme area was a typical Victorian area of Manchester and was tightly packed with terraces. Conditions were overcrowded and polluted with few housing having toilets. After the demolition of the terraces, shopping facilities were introduced in three areas. By 1972 the redevelopment of Hulme was completed with 5,000 new houses being built. Problems did arise with new properties leaking and then the heating bills were too high for the residents and many found the accommodation inappropriate. This area fell into a spiral of decline with growing unemployment, drugs and violence along with eh deteriorating environment. The Hulme city challenge was launched in 1992. This plan involved building of 3000 new homes, shops, roads, offices and community facilities to replace existing properties in a 60-hectare area. The funds of i200 million came from the government, local authority and private finance. Manchester faced other problems form the closure of the nineteenth century industries that left 24,000 jobs unavailable between 1974 and 1984. Plans included 2000 new houses and 375,000 square meters of industrial and commercial floor space to provide 10,000 jobs. In 1988 central Manchester was given n UDC to regenerate 200 hectares of land and buildings in the southern part of the city center. This area included six conservation areas, over ninety listed buildings, three universities, the Granada Studios Tour and the Museum of Science and Industry. However these were the areas of contaminated land, derelict warehouses, mills and canals. The IDC ended in 1996 and in the eight years of operation invested i420 million. Urban deprivation in the LEDC’s have been tackled in many ways however there have been schemes that have proven to be a lot more successful than the others. In Chennai there has been a rapid increase in population due to the rural to urban migration and the high birth rates. About one third of the population lives in the slums, mostly shantytowns. The planning solutions began with the building of four to six storey blocks however these largely failed due to high maintenance and lack of uptake as the tenants would be unable to afford the rent. If the rent were reduced the scheme would lose money. After this initial failure The Board took up a new idea of upgrading the slums. The aims set were providing one bath and one toilet per ten families; one public fountain per twenty families; one street light per forty meters of road and one pre school per two hundred families. Other initiatives required self-help financing after an initial investment had been made either by the World Bank or welfare organizations. These schemes encouraged greater community involvement. Some of the start up loans were gave to families to build their own homes. Site and service schemes were implemented with finance provided for the acquisition of land; purchase of building materials, road building and the provision of basic services such as, water and sewage. New owners were then responsible for building the property on their allocated land. The upgrading after that often led to the sale of homes to higher income groups. The generated some money for the poor families and allowed the Board to re-invest in new schemes. An area in the southern outskirts of Chennai was the location for a site and services scheme known as Velacheri. It provided fourteen hectares of land to house 2,640 families many of whom were being forced out of Chennai. Waiting for the new residents building their homes would have caused a delayed the rail building so contractors were used to begin the building of properties. Along with the roads, water supply, streetlights and many other services. These services did face problems with many being left unfinished and extra floors being added without regulation. Some families sold their home for profit and the poorest were unable to afford these houses. These are some example of the initiatives being taken in order to solve the problem of urban deprivation. However there have been many other schemes and one of the most successful was that of the Favelas in Brazil redevelopment that won several prizes such as, the famous Habitat Award from the United Nations. These have been more successful as it didn’t break up the families and kept the community spirit and the families could continue to access their place of employment. The similarities between the initiatives of the MEDC and LEDC worlds that have been undertaken for there reduction of urban deprivation are not all that similar. This is due to the fact that the MEDC’s have more finance so there are able to use other schemes to tackle their problems. Also the fact that the problems they face are of a different cause. In the LEDC’s it tends to be shanty towns are therefore have to look to house these people unlike the MEDC it not so overcrowding but unemployment due to the decline of the Industrial Revolution and recently Counterurbanization has left old Victorian buildings derelict and an eye-saw. How to cite Urban deprivation is one of the characteristics of large cities in all parts of the world, Papers

From Heaven To Hell Essay Example For Students

From Heaven To Hell Essay In the United States we often look to European and African countries for examples of dictatorship, civil war, inequality and genocide. In the 1990s, several countries experienced mass exodus, civil war, race war, religious war, and genocide. Yugoslavias Serbian population attempted to cleanse itself of Muslims and Croats, in Rwanda the Hutu population exterminated almost the entire Tutsi population, while in East Timor and several other countries refugees fled from the tyranny of their government. Less often however do we look, or even realize that our neighbors to the south are experiencing remarkably similar acts of violence, hate, and misuse of power. Bordered mostly by Mexico, Belize, and Honduras Guatemala is known for its volcanoes, exquisite beaches, gorgeous landscapes, ancient Mayan ruins, and a unique culture. However, it is also a country tainted by oppression, injustice, servitude, racial inequality, and genocide. Andrew Miller, a Penn State University student describes G uatemala: Guatemala, it has been said, is a country of extremes. Within can be witnessed the riches of breathtaking scenery, natural resources and cultural diversity. Simultaneously, however, one sees extreme poverty and exploitation of indigenous peoples which characterize the countrys history. Another view, by Jean-Marie Simon, describes the Guatemalan dark side, the reality of all Guatemalans. Guatemala is a place where the political, economic, and social panorama is unfairly skewed in every possible way. In Guatemala, life gets better for a minority, at the expense of millions of others. After centuries of race and class wars, Guatemala teetered between peace and war during the ten years of spring, or ten years of democracy. Unfortunately, Guatemala finally plunged into complete darkness and genocide followed. Guatemalas genocide now serves humanity, along with all other occurrences of genocide, as a reminder that we are all capable of committing acts of horror. History is the only reference that humanity has to use to answer the unanswerable questions that surround any genocide. The questions include why and how could this have ever happened, and what makes humans capable of terror? Through understanding and studying the causation and actual genocide in Guatemala, it may be possible to shed some light on the questions that humanity faces. What, one may ask, causes a country with such obvious beauty and potential to recess into a shadow of hate, racism, and classism that can only lead to one result, genocide? Guatemala was not always teetering between genocide and no genocide. Rather the genocide that occurred in Guatemala happened as a result of a sort of evolution from a dictatorship to a largely peaceful revolution to conditions embracing hate, violence, and finally genocide. Several factors influenced this transition from relative peace to extreme violence. Economic issues regarding land and labor fueled the fire, as did political issues. In fact, the United States of America greatly contributed to the violence by training Guatemalan police in torture tactics in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Between 1956 and 1963 annual U.S. military assistance to Guatemala multiplied by tens times. Conflicts between races and classes also contributed to the evolution. However, what remains amazing about Guatemalas genocide is th at it followed ten years of a relatively peaceful revolution from 1944 when Ubico was overthrown to 1954 when President Arbenz resigned (due to a coup led by the United States). In his history of Guatemala, Gift of the Devil Jim Handy, a Central America historian describes those ten years as Ten Years of Spring. Nevertheless, and while generally peaceful, the national revolution between 1944 and 1954 provided Guatemala with a foundation for decades of racial injustice, economic and political inequality, and the worst genocide in the Americas since the first arrival of the Europeans.General Jorge Ubico, who Handy describes as the archetype of Guatemalan dictators, led the dictatorship that existed before the ten years of spring. To many Guatemalans, the rule of Jorge Ubico too closely resembled the European and Japanese fascist dictatorships they were now joined in struggle against. During the last years of Ubicos reign, from the late 1930s to the early 1940s, Guatemala experienced a growth of workers, small businessmen, professionals, and students. While the indigenous and poor workers of Guatemala were the most involved in the opposition to Ubico, all of these groups of Guatemalans proved critical to the revolution as they led the desire for reform. They sought a new leader as well as economic and social reforms. Finally in 1944, students, workers, professionals, intellectuals, and young military officers overthrew Ubico. A year later, in 1945, a teacher was appropriately named president, Juan Jos? Ar?valo. Juan Jos? Ar?valo wanted to create a capitalist economy while leading a democratic and nationalistic revolution that was sympathetic to the working man and woman. In his inaugural speech he proclaimed, Now we are going to begin a period of sympathy for the man who works in the fields, in the shops, on the military bases, in small business. This is a monumental proclamation. In Guatemala it was and remains rare for any political figure with power to openly support the indigenous majority. For decades, the white minority had ruled with an iron fist creating barely bearable living conditions for the working man, woman, and child. Ar?valo sought to change all this, and began by signing into law the 1945 Constitution. The 1945 Constitution reflected Ar?valos first four political reforms. First, the constitution created new voting regulations. This is a substantial reform because it allowed illiterate men and literate women the right to vote. As well, the new voting regulations allowed Guatemala to catch up in voting rights with fully developed democratic nations. In the United States the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920, the 15th Amendment granted black men the right to vote in the US in 1870. The second major provision of the 1945 Constitution attacked Guatemalas history of dictatorships. It prevented the re-election of any president. This, in theory, ensured that Guatemala would no longer be subjugated to dictatorial rule and ensured democracy for the future. Thirdly, the new Constitution required the military to be apolitical and uphold the 1945 Constitutional decrees. Making the military apolitical is another device that Ar?valo used to prevent future dictatorships. An ap olitical military is only a tool for the government, and cannot act as the government in any way, thus preventing a man like General Jorge Ubico from taking power. Finally, the 1945 Constitution paid tribute to the students who had fueled Ubicos overthrow. The Constitution allocated money to the University of San Carlos and granted it autonomy and the right of association. This of course ensured that there would always be students and intellectuals to counter aspirations of dictatorial rule. Ar?valo did not stop his reformation of Guatemala with the 1945 Constitution; in fact, he almost immediately embarked on creating health and social reforms for Guatemala. Truly revolutionary, the health and social reforms instituted under Ar?valo targeted the poor and working class individual. The first four reforms focused on health and safety issues, while the fifth and sixth reforms were social in nature. Ar?valo first instituted rural health clinics, and then projects to provide potable water in isolated villages. White Cross-clinics were also set up and the infrastructure improved in the poor neighborhoods of the cities. To ensure a healthier lifestyle Ar?valo set up sewage systems in poor neighborhoods as well. The social reforms included a higher income (wage reform) and freedom for unions to organize and operate, which Ubico did not allow during his dictatorship. In 1946, Ar?valo also instituted the Social Security Law and began his school reform that would last until 1950. The Social Security Law did several things for Guatemala to ensure good health and prosperity. It establish the Guatemalan Social Security Institute (IGSS) and provid injur y compensation, maternity benefits and health care. The school reforms Ar?valo created from 1946 to 1950 also did several things to ensure future prosperity for Guatemala and all its citizens. Ar?valo allocated more money to schools for the expansion and improvement of the schools, and instituted literacy campaigns. By 1950 the Ar?valo government was spending over $7 million on educational projects. Never before had the Guatemalan government cared for or spent so much on the education of not just the white minority but also the indigenous and peasant majority. The ten years of spring also saw major attempts at labor and wage reform under Ar?valo. In 1947, the Ar?valo government passed into law the Labour Code. The Labour Code took steps towards providing economic equality and dignity for all Guatemalans. This is significant because it attempted to bridge the gap between the elite minority and poor majority. The Labor Code first provided workers with the right to strike. Before the Ar?valos Labor Code workers who went on strike faced serious punishments including torture, imprisonment, and even death. While the Labour Code did not completely abolish such acts of employer violence, it at least made them illegal and punishable under the law. The Labour Code also gave workers the right to collective bargaining, which is a tool for unions. In addition, the code set minimum wages, restricted child and female labor, and legislated working hours. Finally, the Labour Code created labor courts. Designed to deal with labor-management problems the lab or courts often reimbursed for lost wages if a strike was found to be the fault of management. In addition, in 1947, the Ar?valo government created the Agrarian Studies Commission. The government designed the commission to evaluate the use and ownership of Guatemalas lands and to study agrarian reform in other countries, with the intent of producing a report with recommendations for agrarian reform in Guatemala. Ar?valo also in 1947 abolished the Vagrancy Law and adopted Law(s) of Forced Rental. Eric Repas EssayDuring the Mendez Montenegro presidency the peak of the counter insurgency occurred, in which FAR was wiped out. The elections of 1966 marked the beginning of the end for the guerrilla forces of that era. Taking advantage of the guerrillas unofficial truce, the army unleashed a brutal counter-insurgency under the command of Colonel Carlos Arana Osor?o. As well, 1966 and the Mendez presidency saw the formation of death squads. The first death squad to appear was Mano Blanca, or white hand. The government and Mario Sandoval Alarc?n, a right-wing political leader of the National Liberation Movement (MLN) organized Mano Blanca. By 1967, a year after its formation, Mano Blanca was accompanied by over 20 other death squads that targeted over 500 individuals whose names appeared on the lists. The death squads that came into being during this time consisted mainly of off duty police officers and soldiers who acted as a sort of vigilante. During this time, the United States became even more involved with Guatemalan politics. The counterinsurgency was a campaign that included the use of U.S. advisers and American pilots flying napalm attacks on suspected guerrilla strongholds from the U.S. base in Panama.In the four years of the Mendez presidency, over 30,000 Guatemalans lost their lives. The indigenous peoples, during this time, were murdered, disappeared, tortured, raped, and beaten. A decade earlier the people of Guatemala lived in relative peace, now they lived in state of terror. Between 1966 and 1970, on the pretext of eliminating communism, some 10,000 non-combatants were killed in order to assassinate an estimated 300 to 500 guerrillas who retreated to the northern Pet?n jungle to recover and regroup. While the guerrilla movement had virtually stopped by 1970 when Carlos Arana Osorio took office disappearances, which most often led to death not only continued but also according to Amnesty International peaked during the 1970s. Between 1970 and 1 974, 15,325 Guatemalans ?disappeared.' Nevertheless, peasant organizations began to form during the mid-1970s. Much of the organization of peasant groups and unions was due to the Christian Democrat arty and the Catholic Church. Two prominent unions emerged at this time, the National Workers Confederation (CNT) and the Autonomous Trade Union Federation of Guatemala (FASGUA). As well by 1974 when Laugerud Garc?a was inaugurated the guerrilla movement had regrouped and grown. In addition to the previous guerrilla groups a new one emerged, the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP). The Guatemalan government and military responded forcefully to the growing guerrilla groups. Under the Laugerud Garc?a government, army penetration of the rural countryside began, establishing in many areas the groundwork for later occupation. In 1976, Guatemala received another blow; this one however came from Mother Nature. On February 4, 1976 an earthquake, that registered 7.5 on the Richter Scale, hit Guatemala. It killed 22,000 people, injured 77,000, and left one million peasants homeless. Nevertheless opposition gro ups and recouped continued to grow, and on May 1, 1978 the Committee for Peasant Unity, or CUC, publicly announced its existence. Rigoberta Mench?, an indigenous peasant woman from Guatemala turned human rights activist, explains how her father, a political prisoner and other peasants started the CUC. So my father came back very proudly and said, ?We must fight the rich because they have become rich with our land, our crops. That was when my father started to join up with other peasants and discussed the creation of the CUC with them. A lot of peasants had been discussing the Committee but nothing concrete had been done, so my father joined the CUC and helped them understand things more clearly. Thats how the CUC began to form as such. It organized the peasants both in the Altiplano and on the coast. It wasnt a formal organization with a name and all that : more like groups of communities, at the grass roots, that sort of thing, (emphasis added). Nevertheless, while peasant and student organizations grew along with guerrilla groups the repression continued. Massive violence began during the last year of the Laugerud Garc?a government, with mounting selective assassinations in Guatemala City and large-scale army repression in the countryside.Such violence continued into the Lucas Garc?a government. An example of this repression and violence is apparent in the Panz?s massacre of 1978. The governments scorched earth campaign against isolated peasant villages believed to support the opposition carried a deadly toll, with a massacre at Panz?s in May 1978 being perhaps the best known military operation of this type. On May 29, 1978, 500 to 700 Kekch?, an indigenous Mayan group from Guatemalas highlands, gathered in Panz?s to protest their expulsions from their land to the Mayor and an official of INTA. Once in the central square the military ringed the square and opened fire killing over 100 protestors. The dead were put into mass graves, supposedly dug beforehand. The government later asserted that the Indians had started the violence, and only admitted to killing 38 people. The violence and repression did not end unfortunately with the Lucas Garc?a government either. While Rios Montt declared in 1982 after a coup that he led, that there would be no more assassinations and fair trials from those who violated the law, rural repression soared immediately after the coup, and continues, though in lesser amounts, today. Since 1982 Guatemala has lived through two presidential elections, two military coups, two states of alert, two Constitutions, an eleven-month state of siege, a three month state of emergency, at least four amnesty periods, and four heads of state ? three of them army generals. Could all of this and the genocide of Guatemala been prevented during the ten years of spring? Possibly if Arbenz and Ar?valo had restricted union organization to non-communist unions, which would have, in theory prevented U.S. involvement. However it remains unlikely that this would have been enough. The UFCO and United State could have found, or created other reasons for the coup, which ultimately destroyed the democracy and peace in Guatemala. Now Guatemala is left with the remnants of genocide, oppression, and political instability. Terror remains a driving force in Guatemalan society, and to think it all could have been avoided if the United States had not led the coup on the Arbenz administration. BibliographyAndrew Miller: http://www.west.net/~tmiller/gh/Simon, Jean-Marie. Guatemala: Eternal Spring ? Eternal Tyranny. Pgs. 16-17. Handy, Jim. Gift of the Devil. USA: South End Press, 1984. Pg. 156. Handy. Handy, pg. 106. Handy, pg. 107. Handy, pg. 108. Handy, pg. 108. Handy, pg. 108. Handy, pg. 109. Handy, pg. 110. Handy, pg.110. Handy, pg. 113. Handy. Handy, pg. 115. Handy, pg. 115. Handy, pg. 115. Handy, pg. 115. Handy, pg. 116. Simon, pg. 21. Simon, pg. 23. Andrew Miller: http://www.west.net/~tmiller/gh/Jim Handy: Gift of the Devil: A History of GuatemalaJim Handy: Gift of the Devil: A History of GuatemalaSimon, pg. 25. Simon, pg. 25. Simon, pg. 28. Simon, pg. 28. Burgos-Debray Elisabeth, ed. I Rigoberta Mench?: An Indian Woman in Guatemala. Trans. Ann Wright. London: Verso, 1984. Pg. 115 and pg. 159. Simon, pg. 29. Handy. Simon, pgs. 109-110. Simon, pg. 14.