John Donne’s The Funeral Essay

â€Å"As with most poets of his time, Donne was obsessed with death. Mesmerized by its mysteries, charmed by its allure, and convinced of the existence of an afterlife (as a result of Christian theology), he finds himself at times unable to settle on a particular view of the subject. While a considerable portion of Donne’s opus deals with death either directly or indirectly, some poems depict death as insignificant while others present it as something he, and therefore humans, should fear. As a Christian, Donne believed (although perhaps did not understand) the concept of an afterlife. This conviction is shown by his understanding of death as a necessary stage before reaching the glory of heaven, the promised life with God† (http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/oliver.htm). John Donne’s â€Å"The Funeral† is a sonnet of strong emotions. The writer is leaving behind someone he loved and who loved him greatly. â€Å"The Funeral† is a way for him to say good-bye, to end this love the best way he knows how. The poem begins with a reference to the â€Å"subtle wreath of hair which crowns my arm† (3). This small braid was apparently a tradition from the Renaissance era where a woman would give a braid of her hair to the man she loved. He requests that it should be left alone because it is what completes  him, his â€Å"outward soul† (5). He seems to have made this small symbol of her affection everything he is about. He says he is leaving it to control and to keep her from dying. How does a small circlet of hair keep her alive? He is keeping her essence, her spirit, and her memory alive by keeping a part of her with him when he crosses over to the other side. Donne mentions that â€Å"These hairs which upward grew, and strength and art/ Have from a better brain† (12-3). The hair the woman gave him is strong and beautiful, but from something better. She seems to be from a higher and better stature than he is so just the fact that he has this braid of hair from her, he feels noteworthy. I take the statement â€Å"Can better do it; except she meant that I/ By this should know my pain† (14-5) to mean that he better remember her when he is gone, unless he knows how much pain he is going to be going through when he dies. Donne continues, â€Å"As prisoners then are manacled, when they’re condemned to die† (16). His death will mean the loss of her, so the pain he will experience could mean the heartache a prisoner feels having to leave his or her previous life once sentenced to death. A prisoner’s life is over as soon as they are given their condemnation just as a person’s life is concluded when they die . The third stanza brings him back to where he started, the bracelet of hair. He doesn’t care what her intentions are or were behind the hair, all he wants to assure is that it will be with him when he is laid to rest. The man states that he is â€Å"Love’s martyr† (19) and that if some other person happens to stumble on the hair, â€Å"it might breed idolatry† (19). The fact that he has the idea that this small braid of hair could create someone to adore it supports the theory that this woman was more than just an average person was. She must have been of some importance in order for him to want to protect it so carefully. He calls the hair a relic, which is â€Å"a part of the body, clothing, or other belongings of a saint, martyr, or other deceased holy person which is carefully preserved as an object of veneration.† The use of the word relic helps support the belief of the woman’s significance. The last two lines of the sonnet are what drive home the impression that whoever this woman was, she was important. â€Å"So ’tis some bravery, / That  since you would save none of me, I bury some of you† (23-4). She didn’t keep anything that would remind her of him, and yet with some courage, he is able to bury this small token with him. Another interpretation says that â€Å"save† used to be printed as â€Å"have† which suggests a sexual relationship. This would mean that she didn’t want him in the same way he wanted her, it takes audacity for him to keep something of hers with him for the rest of time. He was very over protective of the slight braid of hair that he obtained from this female. It is as if he had a small part of a celebrity that he didn’t want anyone else to even have the opportunity to see. It is hard to draw any definite conclusions about who this woman was and what the relationship between she and he exactly boils down to. It is safe to assume however that she was at least of some relevance to him and he was consumed with even the idea of her.

Need for Localization: Foreign Company’s Obligations to Local Essay

This paper gives a detailed analysis of the local culture and customs that the foreign companies would have to adjust to in order to remove the social and psychological barriers which they would inevitably have to come up against during their overseas operation. The paper lays emphasis on the flexibility approach and localization as the main aspect for foreign companies in order to succeed. The study reveals that although the impact of globalization has brought greater degree of homogenization in commercial procedures, it still remains a distant dream when different cultures mingle making it imperative for these companies to accept heterogeneity as the only way to enter foreign markets. Customs and norms are die hard behavioral habits and have been ingrained in the society over a long period of time and not easily removable or made to overlook. This is especially so while operating in foreign soils and in many instances this has been seen as one of the biggest hurdles facing companies. Rules of law and government rules and regulations may exist but assuming that all businesses are managed by people and for the people, interaction between people is inevitable for its success. Some parent companies may of course have lesser amount of interaction due to the nature of their products or services yet on the whole it is generally seen that whatever be the business norms of the foreign company it has to make discernible changes when it goes into business in a foreign soil. Franchises and branches are actually an extension of the parent company that has been grounded and molded in a foreign soil by a larger participation of the local community within the internal and external environment of the organization. It is also seen that the cultural differences may be slight, marginal or make very great impact on the business due to the cultural difference that exists between the organization’s country of origin and the foreign soil. Thus, it is quite imperative on the part of the foreign company to make some structural changes which should include a changed human resource practice and a changed view of the organization as a whole in certain aspects of beliefs, assumptions and behaviors and above all understanding the positive sides of other cultures. In case the foreign company is hell bent on imposing the customs and assumptions of its own country of origin stating them to be its organizational culture then it would sooner or later find itself out of business. Hence, being indifferent and unmindful of the local customs can be very catastrophic if it doesn’t allow a certain degree of flexibility in bases that are situated on the foreign land. Areas of Conflicts A foreign company while setting its operational bases in another country invites certain risks from conflicts that it not quite seen in the home country. Firstly, the company if it happens to be a Western one inevitably tries to go about its business taking for granted that globalization has brought in a greater degree of flexibility and that the English language is the only internationally accepted language of the world population. This may sound quite okay within cultures that are a part or partake of Westernized conducts and behavioral patterns yet when such a company tries to place its foot on say Africa, the Middle East and the Asian countries then it is a different story altogether. For one there is greater degree of difference between the two cultures which if not properly understood and practiced may prove to be disastrous for the company. For instance, it is the standard procedure in the Western business to make an agreement that after a fruitful negotiation followed with signing of documents and shaking of hands which indicates that the agreement has been done as per the unanimous consent of the parties involved. However, this doesn’t hold well in the Middle East where coming to a formal agreement would mean that the beginning of several serious negotiations is on the way. In other oriental cultures the start of any business transaction is preceded by a ritualistic performance, the majority being religious based as well after ascertaining the stars on the almanac. In China there are three traditional philosophies namely the Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism and are generally considered as the foremost philosophies for facilitating social interaction. A foreign company trying to open its branch in China would indeed be in conflict with the local customs and beliefs and hence do very poorly if it doesn’t understand the situation. This is more so with the Chinese mostly preferring a Chinese person as a mediator for any negotiation. In India too there are various religious and cultural festivals which form an integral part of the existence of the native person. In areas of human resource this is more pronounced and the foreign company must make allowance for the same by giving holidays and even be expected to participate by handing over of gifts, involving in the cultural events as well as make contributions to enhance their image with the local participants. Therefore, it is generally seen that the foreign company increases its business substantially while conforming to traditional beliefs and customs of the local people than they would otherwise. Multiculturalism and Cultural Assimilation There is growing evidence that the transnational organizations are adopting a policy of recruiting workforce from various cultures from across the world as it is by far the best way to expand overseas and also to understand and integrate better with the markets in these regions. Multinational companies should therefore make note of the fact that in their home ground things were a lot different than what they are likely to experience across the borders. Globalization as seen in the present does not imply homogenization, but the reverse as this means one has to deal with difference directly instead of from a distance as was earlier the case (Nolan, 1999). In multiculturalism, organization readily accepts the presence of varied cultural groups within its own larger cultural base. In the case of cultural assimilation the organizations by its policies prepares to assimilate those cultures of local communities and tries to effectively integrate them into its organizational culture. It is also true that both diversity and internationalization are needed to create diverse learning environment within companies in order to make them adaptive to local customs and hence remain competitive. For this the foreign company should have well laid out policies of manpower learning and understanding of the various cultures that would arise in the event of transfer of personnel. According to authors Stehle and Ernee, transfers are more likely to succeed when employees of the transfer coalition hold positive attitudes and trust towards the parent company (2007). An effective ethical principle is thus evolved in this way and the organization needn’t fear of any future uncertainties and confusion while carrying on its business in soils alien to its own customs and practices. By the process of assimilation the organization has send out the right message to the local communities. Attitudes towards ethics are rooted in culture and business practice and the term international business conduct and morals refer to the foreign company’s relationships with individuals and entities (Mahapatra and Kumar, 2009). Further those companies who are having certain degree of confusion to start operations in an alien soil can take other routes in the form of joint ventures and franchisees. The uses of joint venture can mitigate problems associated with lack of knowledge in norms, values and assumptions that are the foundation of organizational and individual behavior (Ang and Michailova, 2008). Conclusion Thus it is imperative for the foreign company to have an obligation to the local customs, languages, behavior, religion and cultural assumptions in order to consistently perform well and profitably. Once the company forms a distinctive identity with the local population with its overtures, responses and publicity campaigns the company can benefit both in its image and carry out future expansion programs. There have been several instances of the whole company’s leadership position even that of the parent company being entrusted in the hands of persons belonging to the local community with the target market which in this case means the local market too large enough to avoid or forego. The case of PepsiCo is an example as its leader is a woman of Indian origin and it is quite likely that she would be able to understand the cultural and religious sentiments of the people much better than those not native to the soil. Reference List Ang Siah Hwee and Michailova Snejina (2008). Institutional Exploration of Cross- Border alliance Modes: The Case of Emerging Economies Firm. Normative Pillars of Institutions. Management International Review. Mahapatra S N and Kumar Jitender (2009). Transnational Corporations and Marketing Ethics in Global Market in Post Globalization. International Business Ethics and Global Marketing. Abhigyan. Nolan W. Riall Communicating and Adopting Across Cultures: Living and Working In the Global Village. Cultural Basis of Difference. 1, 1. Westport, CT. Bargin & Garvey. Stehle Wolfgang and Ernee Ronel (2007). Transfer of Human Resource Practices from German Multinational Enterprises to Asian Subsidiaries. Research and Practice in Human Resource Management.

Challenges Faced by Managers in the Public Sector

Challenges Faced by Managers in the Public Sector There are different levels of management in the three different sectors of the economy. There are non-managerial employees, first-line managers, middle managers and the top managers. Robbins et al ;( 2009). This essay will critically evaluate the challenges faced by managers in the public sector organisations. The essay will assess the roles of the manager in this sector and the difficulties managers encounter whilst carrying out their duties. The challenges posed by organisational structure and design with an example from the Northampton Borough Council, the issues due to the organisational culture, privatisation of some of the public sector services, the strategic management of the public sector and the complexities due to the constant changing environment in which these organisations operate, and the challenges to managers of the most recent comprehensive budget cuts, will be evaluated in this essay. The typical roles of a manager in any organisation is to organise, lead, plan an d control the activities of the people and other resources within it towards achieving the objectives of that organisation; Naylor (2004). The role a manager plays is dependent on the level of management position although each level has its challenges. At the senior level, the manager’s role is much broader and in depth and it requires creativity and innovativeness; Robbins et al (2009). The senior manager is involved in decision making, strategic management planning and control, the manager, at this level of management is expected to have an understanding of all areas of the organisation to enable sensible handling of any given situation Hanagan;(2008). The role of the manager did not change in the 21st century rather the method of carrying out the above mentioned roles are different, for instance the manager has to organise work differently, communication is more sophisticated such as, the use of internet, mobile telephones and e-mail. In recent times, the management of cha nge is considered as the most important skill of management due to the pace of change in the 21st century Hanagan, (2008).The rapid changes in technology, enormous improvements in communication, the increase in focus on global economy, and the environment are issues to the modern day manager. In addition to the above, the role of the manager in the public sector is challenged by the constant changes in legislation and political policies subject to government in power Hanagan (2008). An organisation is an arrangement which has been set up for a particular purpose. Robbins et al (2009). Different organisations belong to different sectors of the economy. There are three sectors; the public, the private and the third sector such as social enterprises. This three sectors have some common characteristics which are: they all have distinct purpose, each organisation is made up of people, and all create a structure within which the people could carry out their duties Robbins et al(2009). Org anisations are grouped as public sector depending on certain factors such as; how much the organisation competes with similar organisations, goods and services are charged indirectly and how much it allows itself to be influenced by demand and supply of goods and services. The less such organisations are influenced by the above factors the more the organisations are considered as public sector organisations Hanagan (2008). Instances of these organisations are; Local Government council, Libraries, the National Police Force, the Defence Ministry, Colleges and Universities. The common features of these organisations are; they are set up to fulfil specific purposes, they are service motivated, they are accountable to many stakeholders and the public, they carry out their duties for the good of the people and they are funded through the use of taxpayers’ money. Avery important challenge to a manager whether in the public sector or in the private sector is to be aware of their rele vant stakeholders and operate the organisation in ways which will yield maximum returns to each stakeholder group Bloisi et al (2007).

Distribution Strategy and Plan Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Distribution Strategy and Plan - Coursework Example Early last year, representatives from the UNIQLO Company, including its chairman Tadashi Yanai, met Indian minister of state for industry and commerce, Nirmala Sitharaman. The Company also met with Indian minister of textile Santosh Kumar Gangwar. The purpose of these meetings was to establish sourcing arrangements with the various companies available in India. Currently in India UNIQLO operates under single-brand retail, where it has invested heavily in retail infrastructure and has set up stores strategically within India. UNIQLO had been eyeing the Indian market for a while prior to their initiative to penetrate its vast market but had postponed its plans in order to carefully consider the uncertainties that plague the Indian market. Using a local company’s distribution channel will allow UNIQLO to deal with consumers that it could not have economically reached using its own sales force. A network already established by other company’s provides you with a ready-made network and coverage of other regions of the country without prior investment of your own resources (Westwood 2011). In addition, working with an already established network of distribution will give UNIQLO access to a readily available array of customers, which will increase the size of its potential customer base without having to incur additional marketing and sales costs. Nokia’s exclusive stores, known as property dealers are franchised outlets. Franchisees ought to fulfill certain criteria, such as, in the emergence of a store that can be converted into a priority dealer, a certain number of footfalls must be available, and the store’s location should be prime in that region, among other standards. The Nokia Company assists these outlets in terms of visual marketing, furniture and so forth against a deposit from the store owner, refundable at the end of

Music Videos, Sexuality, and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Music Videos, Sexuality, and Culture - Essay Example In them, women are portrayed as sexual objects to be exploited by skillful males and not as mothers, sisters, and daughters (that is as people). They are simply figures to be gawked at and not humans deserving both respect and dignity. In the world of music videos, men wield all the power and need not care for social or moral customs. This hyper-sexualized reality of easy, submissive women perverts even traditional female gender roles. Women, prior to the 1960’s, often did live in submissive-like situations if they were housewives. They depended on their husbands for their livelihood. The difference is that then they were portrayed as being chaste and virtuous as well. Sex was only for after marriage. In the world of music videos, women are submissive and sexually ‘liberated,’ in that they are free to have sex outside of wedlock. But when they do, it is only to satisfy the needs of men. As such, it could be said that music videos tell the story of a juvenile, freshly pubescent male, despite the fact that they attempt to present their message as being ‘male’ in general. The consequence-free world of the music video allows men to act out their most juvenile desires: disrespecting women, sex with no real relationship, and, perhaps worst of all, the power to defile and even assault wo men whenever they want. The stories these videos do not tell are clearly those of women who have been the victims of violence and sexual assault or rape. These women are the victims of men living in a world which lacks morality and sexual taboos. Sadly, these men can have their desires realized by watching

Moving Beyond Customer Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Moving Beyond Customer Service - Essay Example 2. The communication techniques used by the staff of the hotel, including those at the front desk and at Ballroom A, were very courteous. Unfortunately, the general manager of the hotel was arrogant and disrespectful to the hotel guests. A potential conflict may be avoided if the general manager did not express his emotions with regards to how frustrated he has become with regards to persons with disabilities. Escalation of conflict from potential to actual may be prevented by considering how the client must feel that he could not attend the wedding because his wheelchair could not pass through the function room. A pleasing tone in communicating to the guests may also prevent the escalation of the conflict. 3. One conflict involved the non-availability of a room for one hotel guest, despite her presentation of a confirmation number for a reservation that was made two weeks earlier. A solution to this problem would involve the immediate provision of a room for this particular guest and possibly an additional feature, such as a free dinner from the hotel’s dining room, free of charge. The other conflict involved the inability of a disabled guest to get into the function room of a wedding. A possible solution to this conflict would involve the movement of tables in the function room and be assisting the guest in getting into the wedding reception. 4. The staff members of the hotel did not take full responsibility for resolving the conflicts because they called on the general manager for solutions to these problems. Conflicts could have been prevented if the front desk clerk provided a room for to the first hotel guest. In the case of the wedding incident, the situation could have been improved if the hotel assistant took the responsibility of assisting the guest in getting through to the wedding reception without the help of the general manager.

Body in the consumer society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Body in the consumer society - Essay Example According to the research findings before 1950s, scholars recognized that adoption of some tactics and strategies enhances a good relationship between the seller and the buyer, these tactics and strategies focused on selling more services and products and had little regard for customers’ needs. Such strategies meant embracing a ‘sell-as-much-as-possible’ philosophy by companies with no concern on the need to build strong and long-term buyer-seller relationship. Starting in 1950s, firms started realizing that old ways of marketing were becoming unpopular and were not effective. Competition in the markets and across industries was growing stiffer and companies were challenged to look at the buyer’s side of transaction particularly to improve the effectiveness of their marketing tactics and strategies. This brought the famous marketing concept that suggests that key factor in successful marketing entails understanding customers’ needs and seeking ways o f fulfilling them. The concept advocates that the first step should involve identifying the need of customers and then engaging in the process of production of the desired product or services and then marketing the products. This marketing concept has continued to be the root for the current marketing ideas and efforts. In the contemporary society, individual’s identity is deemed a construct of his or her consumption not only due to the non-physical and physical objects that an individual consumes but also due to the products’ symbolic nature.... 187). In the contemporary society, individual’s identity is deemed a construct of his or her consumption not only due to the non-physical and physical objects that an individual consumes but also due to the products’ symbolic nature. Some of the issues that have been linked to identity in the marketing include the body and especially the embodied self. Current marketing ideas have been linked with creation of identity whereby consumer buying behaviour has been related to the body, which includes the recent body modifications like cosmetic surgery and body art. One of the most popular body adornments that have long history in the body-related consumer behaviour is tattooing. Despite the growing practice in tattooing, there has been little attention among consumer researchers. Very few researchers have focused on tattooing as an industry in the service market. This study classifies tattooing as one of the service industries given that tattooing has service providers, clie nts, and it involves transactional business since it is a practice that is paid for. This study will therefore provide significant contribution by examine tattooing as one of the current ideas in marketing. This study seeks to identify the uniqueness of the object purchased in tattooing, in terms of practice and concept. The study will explore the factors influencing consumers’ choice in tattooing, nature of consumer experience as well as the enduring relationships (Stern 1995, p. 165). Body in the consumer culture Body can be consumed in two forms; one is the body as a canvass and in body modification like in tattooing, which has become an important part of service industry. The other one is dead body, which is also

Pepsi Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pepsi Generation - Essay Example In this commercial there are some kids dancing Michael Jackson’s dance steps with background music â€Å"Pepsi Generation†. When they are playing the dance the leading boy accidentally runs into Michael’s back. He is obviously shocked because he just saw his super idol surprisingly. Then this boy continues to dance with Michael, holding a can of Pepsi. In the end, these kids say goodbye to Michael with satisfaction. This commercial could succeed due to several reasons. The leading role in the commercial is played by Michael Jackson. Michael was the hottest and most symbolic star at that time. His presence was already a success for Pepsi. His dance, song, and fashion were all the trends young people chased for in the 1980s. He even reworked â€Å"Billie Jean† and named â€Å"Pepsi Generation† in the ad. Michael Jackson, his friends, and street kids dancing with â€Å"Pepsi Generation†, this scene makes Michael Jackson culture more into a fitted Pepsi commercial. Compared to using â€Å"Billie Jean† directly, the reworked song was more inspiring, catchy and suitable for commercial theme. Moreover, people who were influenced by this ad at that time will remind of Pepsi even when they heard of â€Å"Billie Jean†. From a costumers’ view, Michael Jackson was closely connected with Pepsi. Due to the superstars influence, Pepsi benefited from it greatly in the long run. The story in the commercial itself was a catchy one. These kids are big fans of Michael Jackson and all they can do is mimic Michael’s dance even though they may not able to afford his concert tickets or his CDs. However, when they are drinking Pepsi coke and dancing, they met Michael Jackson in person and even started dancing with him. That was such a huge surprise for them. Personally speaking I also have a super idol. Imagine one day I meet him on the street and even dance with him. I will definitely be crazy about it and never forget it in my

Criminology 1 question dark figure of crime Essay

Criminology 1 question dark figure of crime - Essay Example Many of undisclosed as well as unreported crime to the authority lead to unresolved issues within a society hence portraying unreliability both in the governance as well as to a given society. The United States of America uses two major crime data collection in their statistics. These methods include the national Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the uniform crime reports. The FBI crime department in United States of America majorly uses the Uniform Crime Reports system of data collection of crime. The FBI to detect crimes on murder, rape cases, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, as well as theft of vehicles uses this system of data collection. However, UCR data collection system has been re defined by FBI agency in United States of America. Meanwhile National Incident-Based Reporting system crime information system is another system that is used by FBI, having been revised from UCR as from 1980s.It majorly works based on justice systems characteristics, public attitudes on crime, persons arrested, known offenses, judicial defendant processes as well as supervision correction (Russell & Milovanovic, 2001). The ability of UCR system is that it only allows eight tracks of crimes to be detected while NIBRS tracks 46 crimes simultaneously. However, the arrests within UCR system have specific report on the incident that has happened while the counterpart contains more information arrests on each of the incident done per timeline. Meanwhile, UCR system of crime data collection mostly reports domestic violence giving less concern on simple assault unlike in the NIBRS system of crime data collection. The worse of all in the UCR system is that if a matter is about murder, the system only reports a single incident while the other system reports multiple offenses in relation to the victims and offenders. NIBRS system of crime data collection in regards to dark figure of crime is a new methodology of uniform crime report

G H 402 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

G H 402 - Assignment Example This document examines various ethical, economic, political and moral issues presented by e-health technologies across the globe. There are various ethical concerns about e-health technologies. For instance, there is concern about accessibility and affordability of the information among different users. The e-healthcare information should be accessible to all users cost effectively (Anastasius 58). However, there is concern about the accessibility of such information considering that many people lack access to the internet which is very critical for accessing electronic resources. The cost of obtaining such information may have reduced in terms of money, but how about the quality of the services offered to the users? There are various concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of the user information. The healthcare profession requires the patients’ information to be treated with much confidentiality and should be shared with third parties only with the patient’s consent. With a use of information communication technology (ICT) in a provision of healthcare services, there is an increasing con cern about the protection of user information (Anastasius 59). Furthermore, there is an issue of laws that are applicable in case in the event of breach of patient’s rights in the use of e-health services. In addition, the use of e-health services raises an issue of credibility of the information offered electronically (Anastasius 59). While professional and legal measures ensure the protection of patients’ information against unauthorized disclosure, the use of electronic health exposes patients to greater risk of loss of privacy of information. Health care providers should be morally responsible for ensuring the information they give to online users is credible and accurate while ensuring safety of users information (Anastasius 60). Healthcare has the political connotation in every nation because, in some instances, it is

A Portfolio Reflection of Three Teaching Strategies and There Usage Essay Example for Free

A Portfolio Reflection of Three Teaching Strategies and There Usage Essay This writer has been teaching for the past twelve years; the introduction came at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus after graduating with a BSc. in Sociology and Politics where I first started tutoring in Introduction to Caribbean Politics and Sociology in the undergraduate programme. After three year of working in administration full-time and tutoring part-time, I decided that desk work was not for me as I felt as though I would go out of mind (literally, as the job held no challenges for me and there was no prospects of promotion to anything else but more ‘paper pushing’. To that end I applied to a number of universities in the United Kingdom and was successful. While studying in the United Kingdom for my Masters of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice, I taught English as a Foreign Language to French and Italian students that summer in 1999. On return from the United Kingdom n September 1999, I started teaching in the Division of General/Continuing Education where I taught Caribbean Politics Society, Ethics and Citizenship (Cores) and Introduction to Sociology (Elective) to the general college student population; and resume tutoring in the Department of Government, Sociology and Social Work in the Faculty of Social Sciences, Cave Hill Campus. In April 2000 I started teaching in the Division of Commerce in the Department of Government and Political Studies and have since become the Head of the Department with responsibility for the Politics programme. During the summer of that year I lectured Introduction to Sociology in the Summer School Programme. I was asked to design a course for the Regional Police Training Centre to replace a previous course; this was called The Sociology of Crime and I was asked to teach the same. My interest in teaching also led me to create a number of courses at the college and one such course, The Sociology of Crime (Corrections Aspect) was adopted by the Training Division for an accelerated training course 2 for Prison Officers at Her Majesty’s Prisons; this I was also co-opted to teach as well. To date I remain the Head of Department, Government and Political Studies and I am a part-time lecturer/tutor in FOUN 1301 – Law, Governance, Economy and Caribbean Society at the Cave Hill Campus, a part-time lecturer in Drugs and Society (Summer School Programme), a part-time Tutor at the Regional Police Training Centre and Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds. The portfolio has been defined as a systematic and organised collection of evidence used by the teacher and student to monitor growth of the students knowledge, skills, and attitudes in a specific subject area (Blake et al. 1995). Others (DeBruin-Parecki, et al. , 1997) have provided a more contemporary view which envisions the portfolio as â€Å"a purposeful, collaborative, self-reflective collection of student work generated during the process of instruction†. This paper is intended to help the writer to systematically gauge her progress toward the teaching profession by developing a portfolio. More importantly, it is intended to help other teacher candidates think reflectively on their decisions and experiences. Institutions of higher learning across the nation are responding to political, economic, social and technological pressures to be more responsive to students needs and more concerned about how well students are prepared to assume future societal roles. Faculty are already feeling the pressure to lecture less, to make learning environments more interactive, to integrate technology into the learning experience, and to use collaborative learning strategies when appropriate. The emphasis of learning to learn in curriculum reform has signaled to teachers to adopt student-centred strategies of teaching and different modes of assessment. The basis for the foregoing can be found in the Ministry of Education White Paper on Education Reform (1995). During the researcher’s years of teaching she has observed some unfavourable social skills being displayed by students in the classroom. Simple courtesies such as sharing or 3 saying â€Å"good-morning† appear to be disappearing from the habits of some students. This is symptomatic of the serious underlying problems in our society that need to be addressed urgently. The regularity with which some reference is made to the conduct of our youth, whether it is by teachers, parents, the media or society as a whole is disconcerting. If not curbed, these children take negative behaviours into their adult lives and this can be detrimental to the society as a whole. Cooperative/collaborative learning, portfolio assessment and problem solving/critical thinking, as an alternative assessment, are increasingly being used in higher education facilities around the world and here at the Barbados Community College, specifically in the Department of Government and Political Studies. Before embarking on this course of study, much of the knowledge this writer operated with and under was done based on what was never wanted as a student, the old way of mere â€Å"pallaring†. Notably, the change from listening to teachers teach and answering examination questions to taking the initiative to learn and demonstrating competence with self-selected evidence is a great challenge to the students. This paper first discusses the various constraints and difficulties of using, cooperative/collaborative learning, portfolio and problem solving/critical thinking as assessment and instructional strategies. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for successful use of these three strategies as a useful form of teaching and assessment can be measured at the same time. Included in this paper will be examples of artefacts of each teaching strategy along with a rationale and description of teaching strategy. It can be asserted that many students find the transition into Higher Education quite difficult, particularly if they have not studied for some length of time; also coming from the high school environment the same is obtained as many of these students have been ‘spoon fed’ and find it hard to adopt the new mode of teaching. It is against this backdrop that the writer layout this paper reflecting on various teaching strategies, namely Cooperative/ Collaborating Learning, Portfolios, and Problem Solving/Critical Thinking. Teaching strategies can be defined therefore as ways in which instructional material and activities are presented and conducted in an effort to meet the needs of every student. Notably, teaching strategies will vary from tutor to tutor and is usually based upon which method/strategy (ies) a particular tutor is most at ease in using and its effectiveness. On the other hand a teaching method is a way of presenting instructional materials or conducting instructional activities. The use of this portfolio is designed as an educational tool to present knowledge gain through thorough reading and based on the information presented by the various groups in the course. This teaching strategy can be used to improve the attitudes and performance of Tutors and Teachers within the classroom. It consists of reflections, artefacts and projections on each teaching strategy i. e. ooperative/collaborative learning, portfolios, and problem solving/critical thinking. Notably, establishing clear, practical classroom rules at the start of the school year can help you keep students on track to learning while promoting good behaviour and responsibility. Strategies focused on increasing student participation and learning were developed and implemented in three statics sections of varying sizes over the last two years. Overall student perception of these strategies and their impact on learning in three sections of different size is very favorable. In addition, analysis of student ratings grouped by cumulative GPA indicates different strategies are perceived as helpful by different groups of students. However, implementing a combination of strategies seems to help all groups. Many of these strategies work across all class sizes and do not require significant investment in technology or hardware. However, more work needs to be done to determine the effect of these strategies on actual student learning or performance. 5 A word of caution is appropriate. This paper describes different strategies but it is important to note that strategies by themselves may not improve student learning. How strategies are implemented by the instructor and the instructor’s attitude plays a significant role in student learning. An appropriate quote comes from Louis Schmier: â€Å"Education without caring, without a soul, without a spirit, without purpose beyond subject matter is as viable as a person with a brain but without heart. Pedagogy, technology, and techniques are no substitute for love and caring†. A Reflective Paper on the use of Cooperative/Collaborative Learning as a Teaching Strategy Cooperation is working together to accomplish shared goals. Within cooperative activities individuals seek outcomes that are beneficial to themselves and beneficial to all other group members. Cooperative learning is the instructional use of small groups so that students work together to maximise their own and each others learning. The idea is simple. Class members are organised into small groups after receiving instruction from the teacher.

Totalitarian Individualism Essay Example for Free

Totalitarian Individualism Essay Thesis:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through the analysis of Hannah Arendt`s The Origins of Totalitarianism,   Frederick Nietzche`s Morality as Anti-Nature, and contemporary philosopher Scott Adam’s God’s Debris, this author will shed light on the human desire to follow trend, and validate Nietzche’s argument that devout faith in cause is the product of anxiety about the unknown.   This anxiety requires that their must be some form of structure, not necessarily full on totalitarianism, but not a society full of free thinking individuals either. Introduction:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism, he speaks on the origins of racism and what eventually led to Nazism.   He argues that the movement Hitler was able to form started as the result of apathetic and neutral masses that were oblivious to workings of their governments.   It is this type of majority that he credits as being the main provider of opportunity for a totalitarian minority to rule.   He talks about the social necessities for totalitarianism to strive, noting that those who aspire to total domination must liquidate all spontaneity, such as the mere existence of individuality will always engender, and track it down in its most private forms, regardless of how unpolitical and harmless these may seem (Arendt) The main focus of this ideology is to make one whole unit operating in the same given direction with absolutely no individual diverging parts.   Though Arendt acknowledges this to be a political tactic starting within national cultures and then working its way outward, the ideals inherent with this system of control are very telling about the human nature, and the human tendency to follow trend and form groups. This concept is very compatible with Scott Adam’s argument in his book God’s Debris. Adam’s initially presents his novel as a replacement for modern religions that find it hard to accommodate science within their canons.   He markets it as a new age creed to be followed by the next generation of masses.   Ironically, I fell for his ploy until reading Nietzche.   Scott Adams’ novel has become highly talked about and critically acclaimed in the contemporary philosophical community since its publication in 2001. In the introduction, he describes his novel as a thought experiment that poses philosophical questions to the common stances held in both religion and science.   The key argument of the book is: the purpose of life is to create communication systems (i.e. the internet, the radio and television).   As convincing as his novel is it is very clear that it adheres to some totalitarian ideals, and also to the human desire to know the cause of existence. Analysis: The Bible poses that God made man in his image. Scott Adams identifies with this concept in that he views god as an entity that thinks like man.   He argues, if God is all knowing, than the only thing God wouldnt know is what would life be like without he/she/itself. (Adams, pg14)    This curiosity leads to Gods self destruction and is Adams explanation for the Big Bang Theory.   This is very ironic considering that Nietzche argues that man is anxious about the unknown.   He says, with the unknown, one is confronted with danger, discomfort, and care,—the first instinct is to abolish [wegzuschaffen] these painful states (Nietzche, 5).   This is the first point where Adam’s argument is lacking, because he is treating God like a man and having him act exactly as a man would in this position.   Since the Big Bang is credited for the creation of the universe, Adams comes to the conclusion that we are all Gods Debris reforming God again. The again in the statement is key, because it poses the possibility that this is not the first time any of this has happened. Of course, until there is a universe, there can be no such thing as time. Plus, it only makes sense that God would be in a continuous cycle of self-destruction and rebirth, since everything else we are used to in our natural world operates in cycles. The main purpose of Adam’s argument is to pose that we are all attempting to form into one all knowing being through the creation of communication systems.   He is essential promoting a global form of totalitarianism.   He has also basically explained the meaning of life and the cause of creation.   This is all very comforting for one unfamiliar with Nietzche, who says, to derive something unknown from something familiar relieves, comforts, and satisfies, besides giving a feeling of power (Nietzche, 5).   This statement is true, because after first reading Adam’s ideology on creation I felt very powerful like I had the answer to the eternal question.   I literally felt like I was contributing to something larger than myself and that was my core purpose in life. I also no longer felt like an individual, but insignificant unless I was a contributing to the whole.   This feeling I felt even furthermore validates the view that Adam’s theory is one in the pursuit of global totalitarianism.   Arendt justifies it when he says, any neutrality, indeed any spontaneously given friendship, is from the standpoint of totalitarian domination just as dangerous as open hostility, precisely because spontaneity as such, with its incalculability, is the greatest of all obstacles to total domination over man (Arendt).    Here Arendt points out that a totalitarian system can not permit any individuality whatsoever; and by Adam’s definition, God can’t be reformed until every being knows what the others know.   His view does not promote racism, but it does imply the alienation of anyone unwilling to conform with the expectations of the information age.    Arendt goes on to explain what totalitarian systems do to individuals like this with an example from the Nazi regime: if he is purged from the party and sent to a forced-labor or a concentration camp. On the contrary, to the wonder of the whole civilized world, he may even be willing to help in his own prosecution and frame his own death sentence (Arendt).   This is only the natural fellowship that forms when people congregate, and it has all of the symptoms of a cult. The main thing that both the Nazi regime and Adam’s theory have in common, are its use of God as a core motivator.   With god as the center of Adam’s argument, there is a sense of obligation to adhere to his laws.   This is very similar to the Nazi regime that felt it was chosen by God as the racial elite to purge the world of those who were inferior.   Nietzche acknowledges the powerful hold that God has on the rational of man.   In fact, it is the entire theme of Morality as Anti-Nature.   He says: the world does not form a unity either as a sensorium or as spirit—that alone is the great liberation; with this alone is the innocence of becoming restored The concept of God was until now the greatest objection to existence We deny God, we deny the responsibility in God: only thereby do we redeem the world. (Nietzche, 8) Basically arguing that to deny God is to liberate oneself from burden, his argument has a very ironic undertone considering the number of wars that have been declared in God’s name, and the vast number of people who sacrifice their happiness to do what they deem to be God’s will.   The prime example of this is World War II.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The key argument that both Arendt and Neitzche propose is that some people have weaker wills than others.   Arendt argues this when he points out that the societies most vulnerable to totalitarian governments are those that have a non caring apathetic majority.   Those who don’t have the will power to get involved with their own governments, or to make a conscious effort to vote, these people tend to be taken advantage of and eventually disregarded by powerful totalitarian structures formed under their noses. Neitzche argues this notion when he says, †¦in the fight against a craving—castration, extirpation—is instinctively chosen by those who are too weak-willed, too degenerate, to be able to impose moderation on themselves; by those who are so constituted that they require ‘la Trappe’ (Nietzche,2).   Here he identifies that some people need to have a structure forced upon them by nature, because they are too weak minded to think for themselves.   They have no choice but to follow trend, or Hitler, whichever it may be.   Ironically, what Neitzche and Arendt deem to be weak will, Socrates refers to as ignorance and credits it as the cause for evil. Socrates was a man filled with faith in human nature.   Socrates’ philosophy of human nature doing evil was that a person only does evil in ignorance, for he believed everyone, just as himself wants only what is good.   The source of someone doing evil is brought about by unlimited desire.   Something that goes unmitigated becomes possessive of that person and they in turn want, and want, without satiation.   This is when the appetitive part of the soul (the part of the soul that wants sex, food, etc.) overtakes the rational (part seeking truth, and reason) of the soul resulting in moral weakness or akrasia. This idea is very compatible with the opening line of Morality as Anti-Nature, when Neitzche says, all passions have a phase when they are merely disastrous, when they drag down their victim with the weight of stupidity (Neitzche, 1).   Though Socrates and Neitzche agree on this aspect, they would disagree on Neitzche’s point that God should be disregarded.   In Neitzche’s defense Aristotle argued that by Socrates inciting a belief in God, he was also placing too much blind faith in the human nature to be virtuous.   It is no wonder why religious canons focus so much of their effort on regulating pleasure and passion; and as Scott Adam’s shows God can still be used to herd people in a totalitarian direction, even today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In sum, confronting this idea that to deny God is to liberate one’s self, it brings up many questions.   Theoretically speaking, if there is no God, what is their to prevent chaos, but the structure of man made law and a totalitarian society?   Even if God is used as a catalyst to erupt corrupt governments, these governments keep more piece than chaos can bring. It is the anxiety of the people that needs to be controlled, the anxiety of what life would be like without governmental control, the anxiety of what life would be like without God.   Though Nietzche speaks rationally for the individual who wants complete freedom, his words are lost on the Arendt’s masses, and especially those who devoutly follow the Reich.   The only hope within acknowledging that all societies’ sanity reside in the use of a mildly totalitarian system, is to have some citizens who pride themselves on being free thinking individuals, a totalitarian individualist culture. Work Cited Adams, Scott. Gods Debris. Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2004. Arendt, Hannah. The Origins of Totalitarianism. New York: Schocken, 2004. Nietzsche, Friedrich et.al. Twilight of the Idols. New York: Penguin Books, 1990. Plato. Complete Works. Ed. John M. Cooper. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1997

Supply And Demand And Their Determinants Economics Essay

Supply And Demand And Their Determinants Economics Essay Buyers are called demanders, and Sellers and called suppliers. In this chapter we are particularly interested in using a large number of independent buyers and sellers. The Product Market involves goods and services, and the Factor Market involves the factors of production (land, labor, capital, entrepreneurial ability). DEMAND IS A SCHEDULE that shows the amounts of a product consumers are willing and/or able to buy at each price using a series of possible prices during a specific time frame. The schedule shows how many units buyers (demanders) are willing and able to buy at the possible prices. The market price depends on the intersection of demand and supply. The (General) Law of Demand uses the assumption of ceteris paribus (other things being equal). This implies that as price increases, the corresponding quantity demanded falls. In other words, there is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded. The ceteris paribus assumption refers to constant prices of related goods, income, tastes, and all other things besides price. We will briefly touch upon the Marginal Rate of Substitution (MRS). This concept is related to the Income Effect and the Substitution Effect. The Income Effect is when a lower price increases the purchasing power of money income enabling one to buy more at a lower price or less at a higher price, when incomes are unchanged. The Substitution Effect is when lower prices give incentive to substitute the lower priced good for now relatively higher priced goods. The Marginal Rate of Substitution is the rate, at the margin, at which a consumer is prepared to substitute one good or service for another and remain equally satisfied (have the same total Utility); and is equal to the slope of an indifference curve (Managerial Economics). The demand curve shows an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded. It has a downward slope indicating a lower quantity at a higher price; or a higher quantity at a lower price. Quantity is on the horizontal axis and price is on the vertical axis. Market demand is the horizontal sum of individual demands. The transition from an individual demand schedule to a market demand schedule is done by summing individual quantities at various price levels. The market curve is the horizontal sum of individual curves. What other things affect demand (other that price)? Note that changes in the determinants of demand shift the location of the demand curve to the right or left. The determinants of demand are referred to as demand shifters. A change in a determinant of demand will change the demand schedule. A shift in the location of the demand curve is called a change in demand. Determinants of Demand 1. Tastes favorable changes increase demand, unfavorable changes decrease demand. 2. Population More buyers increase demand, fewer buyers decrease demand. 3. Income more income increases demand, less income decreases demand for normal goods. (An inferior good is when demand varies inversely with income). 4. Prices of related goods Substitute goods (can be used in place of each other). This implies that the price of the substitute and demand for the other good are directly related, e.g., if the price of Coors beer rises then the demand for Budweiser will also rise. Complementary goods (can be used together, such as tennis balls and rackets, or college tuition and books). When goods are complements, there is an inverse relationship between price of one good and the demand for the other (e.g., if tuition rises, then students take fewer courses such that book demand will be lower). 5. Expectations consumers views about the future prices, product availability, and income can shift the demand curve. A change in the quantity demanded denotes movement from one point to another on a fixed demand curve. That is, it denotes movement from one price-quantity relationship to another. Usually, the cause of a change in quantity demanded is a change in the price of a product under consideration. SUPPLY Quantity Supplied and its relationship to price which is normally referred to as Supply are developed into a SCHEDULE that shows amounts of a product a supplier is willing and able to produce and sell at each specific price in a series of possible prices during a specific time frame. The supply schedule shows those quantities that can be offered at various prices or answers the question, At what price will be required to induce various quantities to be offered? The general Law of Supply means that producers will produce and sell more of their product at a high price than at a low price. There is a direct relationship between price and quantity supplied. Given product costs, a higher price implies greater profits and thus an incentive to increase the quantity supplied. A change in any of the determinants of supply can cause a change in supply, and a shift in the supply curve. These determinants of supply are called supply shifters. An increase in supply involves a rightward shift, where a decrease in supply involves a leftward shift. Note also that any movement along a fixed supply curve is referred to as a Change in Quantity Supplied. Determinants of Supply 1. Resource Prices, i.e., the prices of the Factors of Production a rise in resource prices (of materials, labor, or other inputs) will cause a decrease in supply or a leftward shift in the supply curve; a decrease in resource prices will cause an increase in supply or a rightward shift in the supply curve. 2. Technology a technological improvement means more efficient production and lower costs so an increase in supply or a rightward shift in the supply curve. 3. Taxes Subsidies a business tax is treated as a cost so decreases supply; a subsidy lowers cost of production so increases supply. 4. Prices of other related goods If the price of a substitute goods rise, producers can shift production towards the higher priced good causing a decrease in supply of the original good. If a raw material has a by-product, an increase in supply of one good implies a corresponding increase in supply of the by-product. 5. Expectations Expectations about the future price of a product can cause producers to increase or decrease current supply. Inventories become important, e.g., the supply of gasoline as compared with heating oil. Number of Suppliers Generally the larger the number of suppliers the greater the supply. Weather conditions- Generally favorable conditions increase supply and unfavorable conditions decrease supply. STATIC ANALYSIS Static analysis is a sub-field of positive economic analysis that answers the questions about states of the economies, not about the process of change. One way of looking at economic phenomena is to examine the state of the economy under consideration by comparing one state with another. This is termed comparative statics. By the state of a given economy one would appear to mean its average performance over a fairly long period, short-run fluctuations being canceled out. A static model exhibits an unchanging economy. The static equilibrium model is a methodology that attempts to balance economic forces. In a static economy (in which wants are unchanging and resources are unchanging), the state of equilibrium is where all the individuals or business firms in it are choosing those quantities that they prefer to produce or to consume. Labor and capital (as well as other factors of production) are taken to be constant in a static economy. In other words, static theory can be treated as if it were in equilibrium, i.e., the quantities produced and consumed will be near their equilibrium quantities. By treating economic phenomena in this way, we can gain insights into the structure of the economy. Static equilibrium shows equilibrium at a point in time.

Sin In The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Everyone has violated either moral or religious law at least once in his or her entire lifetime. On the outside, they might be "looking pure as new-fallen snow; while their hearts are all speckled and spotted with iniquity of which they cannot rid themselves."(p.116) Some walk secretly with this heavy sin in their heart, while others get shamed in public because their sin is displayed openly. Since these sins are all different, the consequences and the significance may also vary in importance. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth sins and all of the wrongdoings vary in significance. The story develops when Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery. Even though Hester's mistake was driven by innocent passion for Dimmesdale, the puritans took this seriously. By wearing the scarlet letter A on her chest, the village people look at her as an outcast. The puritans don't look at the sin as an act of love but instead as the work of the devil. However, Hawthorne makes it so that Hester's sin seems less serious than that of Chillingworth. Hester's sin seems more innocent because it was driven by her affection for Dimmesdale rather than of the intelligence. Her sin can also be considered less serious because Hester is willing to accept her sin and deal with the consequences publicly. As for Chillingworth, his sin is the manipulation of a human being. His deathly sin is not committed because he needs to, but Chillingworth commits this sin because he wants to. " Never did mortal suffer what [Dimmesdale] has suffered"(p.150) and it's all because of Chillingworth. His only reason for why he is sinning is because Chillingworth wants revenge on Dimmesdale, which is more serious than Hester's sin. Chillingworth actually knows that his actions are hurting a human being and that's where the seriousness of his sin comes in. Unlike Hester Prynne, "He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart. [ Dimmesdale] and Hester, never did so!"(p.105) Meaning that Chillingworth dark sin is actually killing a human being. Even though Chillingworth's only intention is to get revenge on Dimmesdale, he is hurting the towns people as well as Hester and Pearl. By making Dimmesdale weaker and weaker, the puritans are loosing a minister that has always been there for them. Chillingworth is also hurting Hester and Pearl because he is preventing Dimmesdale from being with them.

The Voice of Billie Holiday Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Paper

The Voice of Billie Holiday      Ã‚  Ã‚   A woman stands before you, and although she isn't a politician, she expresses her moving thoughts on issues that affect all Americans. Her voice isn't harsh or demanding in tone. Her stature is slender and traced in a shimmer of light that reflects from her dress. A southern magnolia is lying comfortably above her ear. She sings. She sings of incomprehension, of hate, and of a race's pain. She sings low and confused. She sings as "Our Lady of Sorrow"(Davis 1), a representation of a whole people torn and discriminated against.   And though her speech is not spoken, she moves a crowd, one that gathers into many. Billie Holiday comes to prove that one woman's voice, singing one song, that calls awareness to one issue of society, can change the world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Music has come to shape our views of society, love, race, and creed. We can all remember a time when a song evoked an emotion. The song seemed to express every feeling within us. The artist sang the words we longed to say, and the music expressed all the things we couldn't speak. At the same time, music can help express the things we don't understand in life, creating a bridge between differences. Music of a different artist can represent the point of view of someone that you don't understand, that looks at you funny, dresses different, speaks oddly, and believes something you don't. Music can express the emotions you feel, and the emotions that someone else feels.. Ray Charles once said, "Thank God for music, it was a salvation"(Keep on Pushing). Music is emotion: whether rage, love, lust, hate or confusion, music teaches us that our views fall within the same staff as the views of those we don't understand. ... ... <www.nytimes.com/books/98/03/08/reviews/980.08davist.html.>. Davis, Francis. "Our Lady of Sorrows." 2000. 9 Nov. 2001. <www.theatlantic.com/issues/2001/11/davis.htm>. Ellis, James. "Black Female Jazz Artists and Race and Gender Conscious Protest: Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald." 12 Nov 2001. <www.wam.edu/~ellisj/news_femalejazz.htm>. Foley, Jack. David Marolick, Strange Fruit: Billy Holiday, Cafà © Society, and an Early Cry for Civil Rights. The Alsop Review. Running Press. 9 Nov. 2001.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   <www.alsopreview.com/foley/jfmargolick.html>. Keep on Pushing: Say it Loud. VH1 Productions, 2001. Margolick, David. "Strange Fruit: A Song that Reverberates in the American Soul." 14 Nov. 2001. <www.qkw.com/racematters/nytarchjb218.htm>.                                 

The Hole in My Heart :: Personal Narratives Health Medical Essays

The Hole in My Heart When I was younger, I loved to play sports. Basketball was my favorite and I was always one of the best on the team. I could jump high to get rebounds, I could use my long arms to steal many balls, I had a great shot and I did it all with grace. It was a beautiful thing and probably the only time I ever felt completely included in a group of people. Even though I was a valuable asset to the teams I played on, I was never the best. I missed many practices because I was too tired to play. I missed some games because I was sick, and I could never run as long or hard as any one else. My parents, teachers and friends reduced me to a lazy hypochondriac and by the power of suggestion, I almost believed it. At the end of the eighth grade, I could not do it anymore. I needed to sleep all afternoon, and sharp pains stabbed my legs with every step I took. Furthermore, I had just realized that I was a lesbian and the stress was causing me to be excessively distracted. How could I have existed wi th something so powerful living in my body for so long and not know it until now? I guess society’s expectations had blinded me. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20; as I reexamined my life as of that far, I could see that it had always been with me. So with the fatigue, stress, pain and illness I called it quits just a few games before the end of the season. During the next few years, I slowly limped around school, and slept through many hours of the day. I had already finished growing, so it made no sense that I slept as much as I did. I already knew why I limped; I have an extra spine bone that puts pressure on my sciatic nerve causing the sharp pains in my lower body, but there was a new unexplained weakness in my hips. It was not until a trip to Las Vegas when I definitely knew there was something wrong. I was eating dinner with my mom and sister when the skin on my wrists turned puffy and I had a strange feeling in my body and my mouth like what it feels like to touch a cotton ball with wet hands.

Assessment of Students’ Satisfaction on the Restructured Essay

1.0 Introduction At the University of Ghana there are reports that rooms originally built to take two students, are now officially allocated to five students (after minor modifications), but unofficially occupied by as many as eight or nine – to the knowledge of the university authorities! Apart from the obvious hygiene and health hazards posed, what kind of ambience does this provide for study after classes? All of which have brought most African universities to a state of serious deterioration. This is evident not only to those who work or study in those universities but to even the most casual visitor. – (Association of African Universities, 2004) Housing is a basic human need in all societies and fundamental right of every individual. In advanced countries, housing is more accessible to all categories of people including the poor and the needy as a result of subsidies from the government. The situation is not the same in developing countries of the world. In Ghana, for example, accessibility to housing by the poor is quite a difficult situation which is worsened by the harsh economic conditions and poor enabling environment. Likewise, accessing housing facilities by Ghanaian students at the university is no exception, especially where such university happens to be the dream destination of most Ghanaians entering into tertiary institution. In tertiary institutions worldwide, the provision of accommodation to the students’ population takes different models. This includes; non-residential, where students source for their own accommodation. Residential, where the university houses all its students and dual-residential, where the university houses its student population for a period of time only, probably the first and final year, while the students during the remaining period source for their own accommodations. The experiences of students in tertiary institutions in sourcing and securing for their own accommodation around university communities are likely to be interesting and significant. However, it is worth noting that, University of Ghana, the nation’s premier university has gone through a series of development when it comes to how to accommodate its students, both undergraduates and postgraduates. 1.1 Research problem University of Ghana has undergone a series of reforms when it comes to the residential policy for its students. The ever increasing number of enrollees in the institution is what defines this restructuring of the policy governing students’ accommodation over time. In the past two years what the incumbent vice chancellor of the university term as â€Å"Decongestion† has taken place in anticipation to the fulfillment of the university achieving efficiency in its field of operation. The drive has also been fast tracked by his informal goal that the university should achieve a world-class status. Effective August, 2011, the university effectively implemented its decongestion policy allocating rooms to a maximum of three (3) students and four (4) students in the main halls and annexes respectively. This was done to address the problems of overcrowding that resulted in adverse effects of poor sanitation, pressure on residential utilities such as reading rooms and libraries, kitchen and washrooms, among other poor conditions for effective personal studies by students. Residential facilities have been increased to make the policy successful. Even though, the problem of inadequate accommodation for students is not entirely solved, the restructuring have been effective since its implementation, and it is worth investigating the effects of the new policy, whether it has achieved its goal or it is towards achieving its intended goal or otherwise. 1.2 Purpose of the study The main reason why this research is being conducted is to evaluate the satisfaction of students with the current students’ residential policy and its effects on their studies. 1.3 Objectives of the study Specific objectives of the study are as follows: 1. To assess students perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now. 2. To assess students perception of security in the halls/hostels now. 3. To investigate students accessibility to some basic hall/hostel utilities. 1.4 Research Questions 1. What is students’ perception of sanitation in the halls/hostels now? 2. What is students’ perception of security and comfort in the halls/hostels now? 3. What is the accessibility status of students to basic halls/hostels utilities now? 1.5 Relevance of the study As a top university in Ghana and Africa and one which is striving to attain a world class status, adequate facilities should be provided and already existing ones improved, especially standards of services and facilities which include providing conducive on-campus student housing facility. The above research provides the grounding for this study and highlights the areas of new knowledge which are needed; to focus upon students’ satisfaction of residential facilities in University of Ghana. A key question is what is the level of students’ satisfaction with regards to the students housing facility (SHF) in the context of University of Ghana? The study contributes to a better understanding of SRS of UG. The results offer valuable feedback to the university authorities, facility managers and university hostel/hall administrators in terms of the present standards or the need for further improvement of the SHF through effective designs and management. The results will help to formulate guidelines in terms of allocation of rooms to students, maintenance and for future developments of student housing ensuring that the university is able to provide adequate and contemporary on-campus SHF. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction This section reviews existing literature on the student residential facilities. It is mainly made up of previous studies, journals, articles, periodicals amongst other sources. They form the secondary source of data to the study. 2.2 The Concept of Student Residential Facility Student housing has long been regarded as an essential component of the facilities provided by the higher learning institutions in assisting students to expand their intellectual capabilities. According to Hassanain (2008), well planned student housing facilities (SHF) promote desirable educational outcomes and help to achieve the broader objectives such as social cohesion and responsible citizenship. An earlier study by Zahran (1972) reveals that a good student housing promotes interactions between roommates of different backgrounds and specializations; and thus broadens the students’ knowledge. Amole (2005) argues that facilities such as study areas or meeting places for academic discussions and social gatherings provided in the student housing will encourage informal intellectual activities outside the students’ own faculties. Price et al. (2003) related student interpersonal growth to adequate facilities and Fay (1981) highlighted the importance of students’ satisfaction in the SHF as a strategy to enhance student development. Despite the importance of SHF, little literature is available to evaluate student opinions of their housing facilities. Most studies on post-occupancy evaluation focus on family housing either public or private residences, investigating the interaction between owner-occupiers or tenants and their housing settings. Majority of these studies utilized the concept of housing satisfaction when evaluating the interactions between the residents and their physical environment (Amole, 2009b). Arguing that housing satisfaction can lead towards improving individual’s quality of life, Salleh (2008) investigates dwelling, housing services and neighbourhood factors that influence the residents of private low-cost housing in Malaysia. The study revealed that the residents are more satisfied with their dwelling units and housing services if compared to their neighbourhood facilities. Elsinga and Hoekstra (2005) study housing satisfaction among European communities and find out that except in Austria, homeowners are more satisfied than the tenants because homeownership provides security, freedom and financial benefits. In contrast, James (2008) analyses the influence of age and type of ownership on the level of satisfaction and establishes that tenant satisfaction increases with the age at a much faster rate than the type of homeownership. However, student housing and family housing are not the same. Student housing comprises of basic bedroom units with other shared facilities such as bathrooms, toilets, laundry, kitchens, common lounges and cafeterias located either per floor level, per block or for the whole student housing accommodation (Amole, 2009a). On the contrary, the basic unit for family housing is a house which includes bedrooms, bathrooms, toilets and a living area all as part of the unit with other housing facilities such as playground, shops and school at the neighbourhood (Parkes et al., 2002). In addition, student housing offers limited security of ownership and freedom if compared to family housing. Therefore, the above findings may not apply in the context of student housing. Studies on residential satisfaction (RS) from the student perspective are mostly focused on factors affecting RS; such as reasons for students to maintain their previous residence (Cleave, 1996) and predictors of student residential satisfaction (SRS) (Foubert et al., 1998; Khozaei et al., 2010b). There are also studies on student housing with narrower scopes such as the effects of floor height on over-crowding (Kaya and Erkip, 2001); students’ perceptions on indoor comfort (Dahlan et al., 2009); students’ sense of attachment with a particular student housing (Khozaei et al., 2010a); coping strategies for students staying in student housing (Amole, 2005) and the relationship between satisfaction and levels of environment (Amole, 2009b). These studies offer little guidance as to whether the students are satisfied with SHF provided. Among the limited studies on SRS are studies by Amole (2007, 2009a), Hassanain (2008) and Radder and Han (2009). Amole (2007, 2009a) investigates RS among students in Nigeria and the findings indicated a low satisfaction with the SHF provided. Radder and Han (2009) researched student satisfaction levels in South Africa and the findings indicated again a level of dissatisfaction with campus residences. Alternatively, Hassanain (2008) found that students in Saudi Arabia indicated a level of satisfaction with the SHF provided. However, the studies were conducted in countries where the culture and climate are different from that experienced in the Southeast Asia region, which is likely to affect the perceived environment of the built environment. Therefore, the results of the studies may not be applicable to the study context. 2.3 Evolution of the accommodation structure Originally, halls in the university were built to accommodate two students per room. This provision was adequate for students because not many people sought for higher education. However, as the population of Ghana increased and the need to seek higher education became prominent in the country, the number students enrolled each academic year increased rapidly as well. Residential facilities were increased and expanded to accommodate the ever increasing number of student intake which demanded restructuring of student residential policy given the limited resources the university had. In the midst of the reforms, beyond the expansion and modification of the original rooms to accommodate two persons at a time, the number increased to five (5) in a room officially, both in the main halls and the annexes. The continuous increase in the student intake amidst the unexpanded residential facilities meant that, not all students could be accommodated on campus, therefore, private hostels began to spring up to absorb the excess students who could not secure accommodation on campus. The private hostels motivation to make profit meant that they charge high prices which were unbearable by many students. This brought about one of the prominent terms that everyone who has passed through the four walls of the University of Ghana is popular with â€Å"Perching†. 2.4 The issue of â€Å"Perching† The word connotes students who illegally share residential facilities with official occupants of a room. This resulted in overcrowding in the halls, putting extreme pressure on washrooms, reading rooms, hall libraries, dry lines, among other facilities that were originally constructed for two people. This was happening who many reforms were going on. The two most popular reforms were the â€Å"in-out-out-in† and the â€Å"in-out-out-out† policies. The former meant that, all first year students were qualified for accommodation on campus, this qualification did not mean automatic allocation of rooms to freshmen but allocation was subject balloting for a â€Å"YES† or â€Å"NO† and second and third year students were to look for their own accommodation. Under this policy, final year students like first year students also qualified to be accommodated on campus; it is however, worth noting that, even for the final year students, because of the limited number of rooms available, allocation of rooms was also done via balloting a yes or no by students. The latter policy, in-out-out-out raised a lot of eyebrows as it meant that only first year students were offered accommodation on campus. And for this policy allocation to level 100 students was automatic and assured. With this policy in place the problem of â€Å"perching† worsened. The official number of occupants in a room almost doubled for almost all the halls of residence. The adverse effects of poor situation created a lot of problems; poor sanitation, insecurity, discomfort, which had direct impact on students’ health, hygiene, and efficiency. 2.5 The current residential policy â€Å"The University of Ghana Hostels with a capacity of 26000 beds, which was to be built at the University of Ghana, Legon, with partnership between the university and six banks was a dream come alive as long as finding a solution to the perennial problem of accommodation in our public universities is concerned† this was an assertion made by Professor C. N. B. Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the university of Ghana (GhanaWeb, 2008). From the above statement I would to acknowledge the â€Å"Contingency theory† one of the prominent schools under the Open Systems perspective of Organizations. This theory as a branch of systems design emphasizes that design decisions are dependent on environmental conditions. Contingency theory is guided by the general orienting hypothesis that organizations whose internal features match the demands of their environments will achieve the best adaptation. Lawrence and Lorsch (1967), who coined the label â€Å"contingency theory†, argue that different environments place differing requirements on organizations. In a recent review article, Lawrence (1993) provides a partial list of factors that one or another theorist has considered important. They include size or scale, technology, geography, uncertainty, individual predispositions of participants, resource dependency, national or cultural differences, scope and organizational life cycle. With concentration on the resource dependency factor, it is indicative that, the adaptation and realization of the said solution was heavily contingent on the provision of financial resources by the six banks which are external to the organization. As the resources from the external environment was provided by the six banks, the expansion of the residential facilities have been a reality indeed, making it possible to establish four different hostels which accommodates about 7, 120 students. It is a combination of these factors that made it possible for the decongestion exercise in the five traditional halls feasible. Currently, some of the hostels have been restructured into halls and run as the traditional halls. The standard rooms accommodate four (4) persons as the annexes do. With other stringent measures put in place to control â€Å"perching† it is believed that, the purpose for which this restructuring was done is being worked towards. It must be stated categorically that, the main reason for this exercise is to improve students’ efficiency in the university. 2.6 Halls of Residence/Hostels The University believes in community living as an essential part of student life. It is therefore primarily residential, providing accommodation in Halls of Residence for both undergraduate and post-graduate students as well as flats and guest rooms for senior members and guests. There are five halls of residence (available to all students) and several Hostels. The present Halls and Hostels are as follows: Each Hall consists of junior members (students) and senior members (academic and senior administrative and professional staff), and is managed by a Council comprising members elected by persons belonging to the Hall. The Master (or Warden in the case of Volta Hall) is the Head of the Hall. Each Hall has Junior and Senior Common Rooms for students and Faculty, respectively. A tutorial system offers an opportunity for counseling students and ensuring their welfare at both academic and social levels. Students maintain interaction with each other and the wider community through recogni zed clubs and societies. Each Hall has a kitchen and a dining hall to cater for students’ feeding. Chapels and a mosque are also available for use by various religious denominations. A Chaplaincy Board co-ordinate the activities of religious groups. Social life on the campus is organised mainly by the Students’ Representative Council and the Junior Common Room Committees which provide various kinds of social programmes. LEGON HALL: Legon Hall was the first to be built on the permanent site of the University of Ghana at Legon and is, therefore, the Premier Hall of the University. Its foundation tablet was laid during the Michaelmas Term of 1951 and, in September 1952, the first undergraduates were accepted into residence. On Trinity Sunday, 31st May 1953, the first service was held in the Chapel and the first meal served in the Dining Hall. From these events, the Hall took Trinity Sunday every year as its birthday, celebrated by a common â€Å"Feast† for both its Junior and Senior Members. The Hall’s motto, Cui Datum (â€Å"To whom much is given†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ), was selected from St. Luke’s Gospel, in recognition of the special responsibility attached to the Hall’s seniority. Senior Members of t he University may be assigned as Fellows of the Hall by the Vice Chancellor and they usually keep their Fellowship for as long as they remain with the University. Persons of academic distinction outside the University may be elected as Honorary Fellows at a General Meeting of Fellows. The rest of the membership of the Hall is made up of persons in statu pupillari. The governing body of the Hall is the Hall Council, members of which are Fellows of the Hall. The principal Hall Officers are: The Master, the Vice-Master, the President of the Senior Common Room, the Senior Tutor, and the Hall Bursar. AKUAFO HALL: Akuafo Hall was established with the appointment of Professor D.A. Taylor, a Master-designate and a Hall Council in 1953. The Hall Council in 1954 decided to name the Hall Akuafo to commemorate the generous gesture of the farmers of Ghana in giving money for the foundation of the University College. A crest which depicts a cocoa tree, an open book and a drum, designed by Professor W.J. McCallien, and a motto, laboremus et sapiamus, suggested by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah, were adopted by the Council. A commemorative plaque with a Latin inscription composed by Professor L.H. Ofosu-Appiah was set up to show the gratitude of the Hall to the farmers of the country and to the British Government who gave the University College funds for the building of the Hall. The Hall was officially opened on 17 February, 1956, but the first students, numbering 131, came into residence on the 5th October, 1955. The Hall has its own statutes governing the election of officers and the administration of its affairs. Once a year, the Master has to convene a meeting of the Fellows, who form the governing body, to receive his annual report. The Senior Common Room is open to all Fellows and their guests, and the Senior Combination Room to all senior members of the University. Senior Members may also invite students to the Combination Room. COMMONWEALTH HALL: The first batch of students was admitted into residence in Commonwealth Hall at the beginning of the 1956-1957 academic year. In the Lent Term of that academic year, Ghana attained its independence from Great Britain, and the Hall, hitherto known as the Third Hall, was officially christened Commonwealth Hall to commemorate Ghana’s admission into the Commonwealth of Nations. The official opening of the Hall was performed in March, 1957. It is, so far, the only all-male Hall of Residence in the University. The motto of the Hall, Truth Stands, was taken from a quotation from Satyre by John Donne (1572-1631): â€Å"On a huge hill, cragged, and steep, Truth stands and hee that will Reach her, about must, and about must goe† This motto combines both the physical situation of the Hall (on a hillside overlooking most of the University and beyond) and the proper pursuit of a University education, the search for truth. It is the only Hall of Residence in the University which has a theatre and Amphitheatre for lectures and plays. The Coat of Arms of the Hall depicts the strength and unity of purpose of members of the Hall deriving from the bonds of association enjoyed by the individual members of the Hall. High Commissioners of the Commonwealth countries in Ghana are accorded Honorary Membership of the Hall. There is a Hall Council which administers the affairs of the Hall, assisted by the Tutorial Board and the Senior Common Room Committee. VOLTA HALL: Volta Hall started as the Fourth Hall in the 1959-60 academic year, on 16th November, 1960. The University College Council, on the recommendation of the Hall Council, named it Volta Hall. The Hall consists of the main hall originally designed to accommodate 82 students, and an annex with an original capacity for accommodating 198 students, the occupation of which began in January 1966. The motto of the Hall, chosen during the Hall’s tenth anniversary celebrations, is in the Akan language and it is: Akokobere Nso Nyim Adekyee. This means that the secret or knowledge of life and nature is a gift to women as it is to men. The Hall has a governing Body which comprises all the Fellows assigned to it and those elected by the assigned Fellows. The government of the Hall rests with this body which delegates some of its powers to a Hall Council. The Hall Council consists of ten members, including the Warden, the Deputy Warden, the Senior Tutor and the Bursar who are ex-officio members. The day-to-day administration of the Hall is carried out by the Warden with the help of the Senior Tutor, who deals with all students’ affairs, and the Bursar. MENSAH SARBAH HALL: Mensah Sarbah Hall, the fifth Hall of the University, stands in the southern part of the campus. The Hall consists of a main Hall built around a quadrangle and a number of Annexes standing to the north and east. The last two south annexes are attached to the Hall. Until October 1991, Mensah Sarbah was the only co-ed Hall of Residence in the University, which made it quite unique among the Halls. The governing body of the Hall is the Council, which is responsible to the full body of Fellows who form the Senate. Students’ affairs are handled by students’ own elected government headed by a President, while the general administration of the Hall is under the Master who is assisted by the Senior Tutor and Tutors on the one hand and the Bursar on the other. Other Hall Officers are the Chaplai n, who is responsible for the Roman Catholic Chapel, the Prayer Room Warden, who is responsible for the Protestant Chapel, and the Librarian. Senior Common Room affairs are managed by an elected committee under the President of the Senior Common Room. The Hall is named after the famous Ghanaian jurist, writer and statesman, John Mensah Sarbah of Cape Coast. It has been customary for the Hall to celebrate the birthday anniversary of this great man every year. This anniversary is known as Sarbah Day and is highlighted by a dinner and a get-together. The Hall has a crest designed to bring out the principal features of Mensah Sarbah’s life. It consists of three elements: a pair of scales, a stool with a book resting upon it, and a hill surmounted by a castle. The scale signifies the legal profession, the stool and the book symbolise culture while the hill and the castle are intended to depict the familiar landscape of Cape Coast with its many hills and forts. At the same time, the castle is intended to symbolise strength and honour. The Hall’s motto is: Knowledge, Honour, Service – three words which aptly summarise the guiding principles of Mensah Sarbah’s life. VALCO TRUST HOSTELS: The idea to build a grad uate hostel was first nurtured when Legon Hall Annex C was prepared exclusively for graduate students of the Hall. The quest for a suitable accommodation for graduate students gained attention when Valco Trust Fund offered to finance the construction of a graduate hostel. As a further boost to this course, Legon Hall Annex C was converted into an Annex of the Hostel. The Valco Trust Hostel, donated to the University by the Valco Trust Fund to ease pressure on student accommodation, is a block of purpose-built, self-contained flats for 190 students. The Hostel, which was completed in June 1997, is the University’s first hostel for graduate students. A second block with similar facilities was opened in January 2006. Located behind Mensah Sarbah Hall on the southern part of the campus, the flats are arranged in single and double study bedrooms with en suite shower and toilet. There is a shared kitchen for every twelve rooms. Facilities in the hostels include common rooms, washrooms and a restaurant. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ HOSTELS: The International Student’s Hostels are located on the southern part of the campus off the road to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research. For a long time, it had been the dream of the University of Ghana to create and strengthen links with other universities in order to enhance the international student presence on campus. The first phase was commissioned in June 1999 and the second in January 2006. The Hostels are co-educational and each has 43 single rooms and 85 double rooms. In addition, there are facilities such as a well-fortified security system, kitchenettes and restaurants. REFERENCES Amole, D. (2005),â€Å"Coping strategies for living in student residential facilities in Nigeria†, Environment and Behaviour, Vol. 37, pp. 201-19. Amole, D. (2009b),â€Å"Residential satisfaction in students’ housing†, Journal of Environment Psychology, Vol. 29, pp. 76-85. Association of African Universities (2004), â€Å"Challenges Facing African Universities: Selected Issues†, African Studies Review (2004) Vol. 47, No. 1, 1-59 Dahlan, N., Jones, P., Alexander, D., Salleh, E. and Alias, J. 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