Hispanic in America Essay

America nowadays is knows as cultural diversity country and considered a home for many different cultures and races. The Hispanic term is not either a race or ethnicity, but is considered an American term use in USA to defined people who speak Spanish or their ancestors spoke Spanish at one point in their life. According to â€Å"U.S. Census 2000 State & County Statistical QuickFacts† â€Å"Hispanics or Latinos are those people who classified themselves in one of the specific Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino categories listed on the Census 2000 questionnaire† Therefore, sometimes people in general stereotype Hispanics in America as they all speak Spanish and have the same ethnic traits. Also People stereotype Hispanic as we are all from Mexico, uneducated with low wage job position, welfare recipients, have huge families and illegal immigrants. People in America stereotypes Hispanics as they all speak Spanish, but that isn’treally what I think it is. Hispanics are co nsidered very diverse groups where some speak just Spanish and not interest to learn a second language. Some others speak English only because they have been prohibited to speak their native language due to racism or they had not value their native language. Others speak indigenous languages. Moreover, the majority in these days speaks both languages. I think the last one is the most common nowadays because Hispanic people have realized the importance of the two languages in America for jobs and education. People have the general perception of Hispanics as they have the same traits as dark brown hair and eyes and tan or olive skin. In reality, not all Hispanics look or have those traits, not all look mestizos, a mix of Spanish and Indian. Some Hispanic look European, others look black. Others look Indian or mestizos. However the majority is considerate white Caucasian for the European influence in the colonization in Latin America. However, there are many other Spanish countries lik e Spain, Morocco, Nicaragua, Argentina, Islas Filipinas, Uruguay, Ecuador, Cuba, and some more. Even though they are Spanish speaking countries, their each have their own traits, ascent and heritage. According to the â€Å"The Crystal Reference Encyclopedia,† â€Å"Any person resident in the USA who comes from, or whose parents came from, Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America, including the Caribbean.† Hispanic has been stereotype as uneducated or gave up school with low wage jobs. However, the reality was  that Hispanics were considered uneducated by Americansbecause they couldn’t speak English and they were focused on their jobs to give a better life for themselves and their families. However, the reality nowadays is different; Hispanics recognized the education as a key of success. They are now interested in learn English as a second language and take advantage of some many educational programs out there. Actually, there are some Hispanic people with higher education than don’t work as gardeners, housekeepers, nannies anymore. On the other hand, some Hispanics have already overcome this stereotype. For example, more Hispanics are now in Hollywood, in the Congress and much more; and also I can fit myself in this category even though I still have a long way to meet my professional goals. The United States is known for being a nation of immigrants; hence, the Hispanic groups are stereotype as illegal immigrants. However, the reality is that not every single Hispanic that immigrates to America is undocumented. Back in the history, Mexican territory was given to U.S. In addition, the treaty offered U.S. naturalization to Mexican citizens who remain in the border and U.S. residency for the ones who remain in south border of Mexico. I think that is one of the biggest reasons Americans think that all the undocumented people are Hispanic. Also the Mexican borders are considerate the busiest crossing for legal and illegal people that immigrate from everywhere. People from a lot of countries use them as an entrance to U.S. because it seems easy to cross to the other side and be in U.S. Also the fact that one country is next to the other divided just by a long, tall fence. However, not all undocumented immigrants are Mexican. Unfortunately, stereotypes are just assumptions made by people to classify others base on skin color, clothing, language and physical appearance. Hispanics seem to become more prevalent group in the U.S; there fore, many people still considered Hispanic as uneducated, welfare recipients and low wedge jobs, big families, just Spanish speakers, and illegal immigrants until these days. However, Hispanic people are deeply rooted in traditions; even though, they have changed their country living is hard to change their heritage because is very special to us or sometimes we just carry it naturally. Work Cited â€Å"Hispanic American.† The Crystal Reference Encyclopedia. West Chiltington: Crystal Semantics, 2005. Credo Reference. Wed. 23 Oct. 2013 â€Å"Hispanic Origin.† U.S. Census 2000 State & County Statistical Quick Facts. Washington: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000. Credo Reference. Wed. 22 Oct. 2013

Integrative Essay on diversity in Education Essay

America is increasingly becoming a very diverse nation culturally and ethnically. In all the States, there is an increasing influx of non- native Americans and estimates from the U. S Census Bureau have projected that by year 2100, the non- native Americans who at the moment are the minority, will become the majority and the non- Hispanic whites will constitute a mere 40% of the entire population of the U. S (Osborn, 2005). As a result, education debates in recent times are increasingly centering on the issue of diversity, especially in public schools. Interestingly, many Americans treat school policies as well as programs that intend to embrace cultural diversity with much suspicion and misunderstanding; not really understanding the great importance of diversity as an educational element in our classrooms (Osborn 2005). The aim of this essay is therefore to address the issue of cultural diversity in public schools with emphasis on the kind of cultural identity that public schools should promote. Cultural Diversity and School failure American public schools are admitting an increasing number of students from diverse cultures and languages. However, there are certain mentalities that are associated with these minority groups which not only act as an impediment to their academic progress, but may also fuel cultural intolerance, a vice which has no place in American democracy. Reports from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NEAP) state that, students who come from poor backgrounds especially the colored students, generally perform poorly than those from a higher socio- economic status (Bowman, 1994). How can this difference be accounted for? Is it a colored gene factor that promotes such poor academic performance? Definitely not; yet this is not clearly understood and the general assumption is that colored students simply cannot perform well in academics. The reason of course lies in the differences between cultural experiences of different groups which encourage different attitudes and life skills. Thus without schools acknowledging these differences, they actually limit their ability in educating these children (Bowman, 1994). During a child’s development, there are differences in cultural expressions which are normal and should be considered as a basis for building skills and knowledge. However, most American schools ignore these differences and all children are judged on the behavioral characteristics of children belonging to the white middle class which is considered the only valid expression of competence. Hence children from minority groups are judged as inadequate. This is largely due to their inability to conform to these foreign standards (Bowman, 1994). The educational programs of American public schools are poorly designed and do not cater to cultural differences. Teachers are also bound by their own personal experiences and are therefore unable to appreciate the cultural differences and may judge children who behave differently in a harsh manner. Devaluing minority culture is a cause for inter- racial conflict among students and also presents students from minority families with a tough choice between identifying with their families’ belief systems and participating in school culture. Most students opt for the latter (Bowman, 1994). Promoting Cultural Diversity-Existentialists View Existentialism is a philosophy which lays emphasis on the unique individual experiences, in the face of a universe which is hostile. These experiences are considered in isolation as opposed to a group. The existentialism philosophy upholds the need for individual freedom of choice as and responsibility for one’s actions (Jaspers, 1952). Existentialism was the basis of several liberation movements in history. Such include the black civil rights movement and women’s rights movements (Lim, 1999). Even today, its demand for individual freedom and tolerance can be applied to the application of cultural diversity in public schools. As the philosophy of existentialism states, the individual who is self reliant should be able to have an authentic existence which is in opposition with the given mores such as the mass culture of the contemporary world (Rupp, 2001). Promoting ethnic and cultural identity within a multicultural setting is thus one way of achieving this. It is important for all students to be able to learn about the different cultures even as they uphold their own to establish tolerance as well as understanding between races. Conclusion There is need to change the school curricula so that it can accommodate the diverse cultural needs. This will make it both relevant to the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and sensitive to the issues of social justice. A bicultural curriculum presents the diverse cultures as equally important and powerful. Such programs which have been implemented in some schools have shown that where children are not made to renounce their culture, their academic performance improves dramatically (Bowman, 1994). Existentialism calls for authenticity of the self in the face of indifference (Rupp, 2001). The schools thus have a responsibility towards achieving this. One way is to bring in teachers of diverse backgrounds in their schools; teachers who will be better placed to understand the needs of the students based on their different cultural experiences. To sum it up, the type of cultural identity that should be promoted in schools is one that upholds the different cultures as equally worthy. It should also be based on understanding and mutual respect of others. REFERENCES Osborn, T. A. (2005). Language and cultural Diversity in U. S Schools. Connecticut: Praeger Publishers Bowman, B (1994) Cultural diversity and Academic achievement NCREL’S Urban Education Program, Urban Education Monograph series. Retrieved January 21, 2009. Rupp, G. (2001). Religion, Modern secular culture and Ecology Daedalus, 130, 23 Lim, W. S (1999). Development and culture in Singapore and beyond Sojourn: Journal of social issues in South East Asia 14, 249. Jaspers, K (1952). Existentialism and Humanism: Three Essays. New York: Russell F. Moore

The Odyssey – the Role of the Gods

The Role of the Gods The role of the Gods is very significant in the Odyssey. The ancient Greeks believed that the Gods were the source of all ideas, and everything that happened, good or bad, happened because of the Gods. However after the Trojan War, Odysseus claimed to the Gods that he did not need them, and he came up with the idea of the wooden horse on his own. This is the sin of hubris and arrogance, one of the sins that angers Gods the most. It is because of this that Poseidon vows to show Odysseus that he is nothing more than a mortal man, and men need the power of the Gods to survive.However according to Zeus, Poseidon cannot kill Odysseus, he can only hinder his journey. It is because of the Gods that Odysseus’ journey home was, in fact, an odyssey. The main Gods that play a part in Odysseus’ journey home are Zeus, Poseidon, Athena and Hermes, however there are also some minor Gods and Goddesses including Circe and Aeolus. Each of these plays their own crucia l part in the journey of Odysseus. The role of Athena is to be a guardian to Odysseus, and to guide Telemachus.There are many ways in which Athena helps Odysseus: She is the one that persuades Zeus to free Odysseus from the island of Calypso, she also calms the stormy winds sent by Poseidon. Also, Athena appears to the daughter of King Alcinous in a dream, convincing her to wash her clothes so that she will discover Odysseus washed up on the shore. Finally, when Odysseus arrives home to Ithaca, she disguises him as an old beggar, so he can roam his kingdom unnoticed, and spy on the suitors of his wife. Athena also plays a crucial role in the life of Telemachus.When Telemachus wants to find more information on his father, Athena appears to him as a family friend Mentor, encouraging him to seek the wisdom of Nestor and Menelaus. She also sends favourable winds to help him on his way. The role of Poseidon is equally as important. It is his job to set obstacles and tasks to prevent Odys seus from returning home to Ithaca. When Odysseus blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, Poseidon’s son, he swears vengeance on him. Poseidon destroys his raft, and one of his monsters, Scylla, eats six of Odysseus’ crew members.The rest of his crew are swallowed by Charybdis, Poseidon’s whirlpool. Finally, the roles of Circe and Calypso are to tempt Odysseus to forget about his kingdom, and more importantly, his wife Penelope. Calypso holds Odysseus prisoner on her island for seven years against his will. She encourages him to stay on her island forever and to forget about his kingdom of Ithaca. However she eventually lets him go on the orders of Zeus. The reason why the Gods put Odysseus through so much in the first place was because he was arrogant after the victory in Troy.The role of the Gods (particularly Poseidon) was to show Odysseus that all men need the Gods to survive. There was a point in his journey where Odysseus was reduced to nothing. He had no crew, no ship and he was in the power of the Gods. This is where he realised that men are at the disposal of the Gods, and he is no better than anyone else. As a result of his experience with the Gods, and his journey home, Odysseus learns to respect the Gods, he learns the true importance of his family and he learns to always be humble, and never become too arrogant.

Student Nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Student Nurse - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that he acknowledges that the course was indeed a very educative one. They got to learn a lot of lessons about nursing profession. From Nicki Harrington and Cynthia Lee Terry’s book LPN to RN Transitions: Achieving Success in Your New Role, he learnt that the transition from a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Registered Nurse (RN) is a long process that requires seriousness, commitments, perseverance, hard work and determination. Therefore, as an aspiring nurse, the author has to take this as a challenge to endure the long process and be ready to read very hard and pass all his examinations before becoming a model RN. This is he only way through which he will achieve his ultimate goals of contributing to the positive transformation of his society.This essay stresses that the author's highest point in the semester is when he got an opportunity to participate in an online course. It was actually enjoyable to get time to engage in private studies at h ome without necessarily having to physically attend lectures in the college. Also important is the fact that he had to write a series of assignments and submit them to the discussion board each week. From here, he managed to learn a lot of skills like time management, responsibility, accountability and punctuality. These are important skills that will help him to succeed as a student and a nurse in the future.  

Affirmative Action Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Affirmative Action - Essay Example an publicity, the government has ensured that racial discrimination against African-Americans and people of color are eliminated in employment industry. In the employment norm, the government has laid down strategies that ensure no barrier is created so that any qualified person is employed. Affirmative action in the U.S is fighting to ensure that there is no discrimination based on either gender or race. The affirmative action calls for equality in that every person should be given equal opportunity based on his or her qualification. In the U.S, an aspect of public policy has triggered employment industries to look in depth on the facet of discrimination, which has led to abuse of civil liberties of Americans. Various laws and policies have been laid down to ensure that there is equal employment opportunity and affirmative actions are dealt with. Public policies with inherent contradictions can be seen as a negative impact towards employment facet leading to disparate impact, color-blind and narrowly tailored actions (McCrudden 45-53). Approaches to affirmative action in terms of Catholic and Protestant applicants for the police service of Northern Ireland, the legal ability has laid down strategies that could see the government of European Union engage in positive action towards the issue of employment. Racial discrimination in regards to employment has been evident European countries for a long time. This has forced the members of the entire States to introduce effective measures that overlooked races context, disability and religion as far as the issue of employment is

Richard Frethorne, Letter to his Parents (1623) Essay

Richard Frethorne, Letter to his Parents (1623) - Essay Example One may also deduce from Frethorne’s letter that the masters do not care about the welfare of the indentured servants. The author of the letter reveals that the sick receive no medication at all. In addition, they have to wake up very early in the morning and work until very late. After a day’s toil, the indentured servants were appreciated with a mouthful of water, gruel, bread and beef (Frethorne 1). Although the servant does not talk about the conditions they were promised directly, one can observe that the shock they receive upon arrivals speaks contrary to their expectation. It would appear that they were promised a life full of bliss such that they did everything to come to the US. The sad and disappointed tone in Frethorne’s letter reveal what seems to be a betrayal. It points out to a possible breach of promise by their masters. The ill-treatment of the indentured servants reveals that the elite viewed this source of labor with contempt and little care. The health, conditions and general well-being of the indentured servants was the least of the master’s concerns (American History 1). It appears the demand was high such that labor was oversubscribed. Naturally, when supply is too high, demand and supply goes down. That is the reason the masters never cared about the indentured servants, as they knew they would easily sign up others. Frethorne reveals that the masters do not even buy for them clothes despite the harsh weather. One of the fellow servants ends up stealing Frethorne’s cloak so that he could buy something and eat. The servant observes that the masters have turned a blind ear to their suffering. He observes that their lives were marked pain, groans and tears. The shocking situation that awaited indentured servants was so severe that many of them were fed on close to a day’s meal over the week. Owing to these, many indentured servants like Frethorne longed for their return

To What Extent Can HRM Be Described as Strategic Essay

To What Extent Can HRM Be Described as Strategic - Essay Example This paper will focus on the extent to which the human resource management can be considered as strategic. Strategic human resource management (SHRM) The purpose of the HR strategies is to guide the human resource management development and implementation programs. The programs dedicate towards the means of communicating to all concerned the intentions of the organization about the management of the human resources. The Human Resource strategies provide a dynamic vision but they also determine to which direction the actions are required to be executed and realized. The strategic human resource management develops a stream of dynamic decisions which help in the formation of a pattern developed by the organization for the management of the human resource and also identification of specific areas which needs to be developed. The strategies will basically focus on the do’s and dont’s of the organization to maintain the organizational health stability (Armstrong, 124). In st rategic human resource management, the functioning system appears in a systematic cycle following a sequenced chronological order. These can be classified into five different dimensions: a) mission and goals, b) environmental analysis ,c) strategic formulation , d) strategy implementation and lastly d) strategy evaluation (Bratton, 40). Validation of strategic human resource management There are limitations to the strategic human resource management. They do not always take into account the circumstances that are unique to a company's structure which may require alteration to regular procedures. The strategic human resource may not be always cost effective in nature since it focuses more towards a centralization-based approach and ignore the factors such as implementation and operating costs (Armstrong, 385). The strategic human resource management may not find its optimal feasibility in smaller companies that do not provide hardcore corporate environment. It can be also said that t he concept of strategic human resource management are based on beliefs about the rationality of the approaches used to develop strategy. The process also seems to underestimate the significance of politics, power, and culture. The implications of the power and politics perspective of the HRM are manifold. It is a fact that anyone who has worked with the organizations in the development of the HR practices such as selection and appraisal systems has inferred that it is political rather than technical or strategic consideration which determines the development of the final product (Armstrong, 278). Focus on organizational processes such as power and influence, institutionalization, conflict and contest for controls needs to be given special emphasis in order to under how the strategic decisions will be successful (Klimosk and Zaccaro). The prevalent conceptualizations of SHRM are depended on the conventional rational perspective to administrative decision-making, acts of linear planni ng and choice and action. Managerial fallacy Critical organizational theorists have criticized these assumptions stating that the strategic decisions are not necessarily based on the output of rational calculation. The theorists argue that the image of the manager as a reflective planner and strategist is based on a

Occupational stress and its effects on overall performance within oil Essay - 1

Occupational stress and its effects on overall performance within oil and gas industry - Essay Example Extraction of oil and gas reserves for the off shore oil and gas industries with success in performance and productivity is vitally important for the economies of countries that possess these particular industries. However the industry is dangerous along with potentially of hazards. The work related to the offshore platform functions is regarded as an occupation that is widely stressful as the employees are exposed to stress associated with the onshore work as well as that of the tasks of the offshore. (Chen, Yu & Wong, 2009) The financial benefits gained by the oil and gas industries are associated with huge costs resulting from stress that are generally mismanaged. Various adverse incidents affect the employees as well as the organizations that are associated with these industries. Early retirement of the workers along with relations with the employees that are unsatisfying, with dissatisfaction among the workers regarding their job and hence poor productivity among them are some o f the adverse impacts suffered by the associates and the employees of the oil and gas industries. In addition to that the rate of accidents that are considerably increasing with more and more mechanization of the production techniques has been another contributing factor to the sufferings. Moreover cumulative stress trauma litigation is another increasing problem of this industry that is gaining attention with increased importance of stress reduction mechanisms. The restricted location in which the employees are forced to work for significant period of time in a continuous manner adds the potentiality of stress in these oil and gas industries. Hazardous duties in a confined environment with huge probability of incidents of escalations of hydrocarbons add to the level of stress and pressure associated with the industry’s functioning. These situations of optimal stress have its implication in turn on the productivity of these

Human Resource Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource - Essay Example To attract top performance, design the aspects to include where to place the ad of the fallen job vacancy with appetizing job descriptions, design methodologies of referrals, with the help of IT department design an appealing career web page portal and make time line when to give the candidates calls. Schedule and organize interviews to evaluate competency, skills and creating opportunity. In creating effective referrals programmes as the HR manager should use both employee referrals programs and internship models as the recruitment process is an all year event. This will create unlimited referral program in which the employees will assist continually in identifying of the best strong candidates for the job for future and current opportunities. No maximum cap should be placed for referrals submission and to create an effective program, tagging of a referral should be done and in-case hired an incentive fees (LuisR.Gà ³mez-Mejà ­a, 2012). This is an essential component of strategy in the hotel organization in that it helps the management to evaluate if the set out performance meets the business objectives. Performance managements links the behaviour of each individual employee to that of the hotel and with definition of expectation from each of the employees. This will help the hotels to determine the expectations met and those are not meet and take necessary actions which includes training, incentives or even disciplining of individual employees. To achieve this strategic goal a measurements are applied to the hotel goals and the feedback is timely communicated to the employees in the respective departments and the line managers advised to take appropriate actions. The strategic administrative purpose of the system helps the hotel to make use of the information generated on daily basis to aid in decision making in salary, benefits, hiring and in training programs recognition. This mode of management helps in retaining the best

Human Trafficking in America Essay Example for Free

Human Trafficking in America Essay According to the report submitted to the U. S. Department of State in 2004, every year there is an estimated account of 600,000 to 800,000 people being trafficked for force labor and sex worldwide. In the United States alone, there are around 14, 000 to 17,000 men, women and children of different nationalities being trafficked each year passing discreetly international borders just to come inside the territories of the United States. Of these numbers, 70 percent are female while 50 percent are children or minors and most of them end up working forcibly in the illegal sex industry. The report also said that most of these trafficked foreign nationals mostly come from Asia. In America, however, an estimated 200,000 missing American children (minors usually women) from the past years are also getting the risk of having trafficked also in the sex industry (Shurter). While the United States has an open policy in accepting foreign nationals to its territories, the succeeding events of terrorism in the American soil during the past years has reorganized its system of policies and became more aware in allowing foreign nationals to stay in America. But then America remained to be the main transit and destination country for trafficking people if compared to other countries in the world. To adhere to the strong commitment of fighting human trafficking in the US and other countries, the US government has enacted The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 or the TVPA to redefine pre-existing criminal penalties and provide better protection for the victims of human trafficking. This act establishes Cabinet-level federal interagency task force to use their federal program in providing services to the trafficked victims. Initially the monitoring program done by the US in the early 1990s was primarily focused on trafficking women for the sex industry. But ever since the U. S. Department of State has included in their report in 1994 that not only women are being trafficked, the department began monitoring all persons with questionable citizenship status in the US beginning in that same year. To greatly reduce human trafficking, the U. S. has begun initiating anti-trafficking programs to aid countries fight this illegal trade. The office of the TVPA was assigned to monitor and allowed by the US State Department to combat human trafficking in the international level while millions of dollars were poured out as grants to organizations around the world to implement programs combating human trafficking. The U. S. has also helped these countries in enacting their laws for anti-trafficking legislation and provided training to law enforcers, prosecutors, border guards and judicial officers in determining, investigating and prosecution of traffickers and providing protection for the victims. Two years after the resolution of TVPA, The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2000 was reformulated to 2003 to provide resources and initiatives in helping the 18,000 to 20,000 victims of human trafficking saved in the US. Then in 2006, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 was signed into a stronger law (Justice). To show that there is clearly the cause for alarm with human trafficking which brought about white slavery in the United States, CBS News correspondent Tracy Smith explores and exposes the world of human trafficking in America by making her own series of research in America’s suburbs and reported her findings for The Early Show in series. Tracy interviewed a number of people who were victims of illegal sex trade and one of these is Shauna. Shauna is a 17 year old girl from Florida who was looking for friends in school because she was the new girl in the campus. Finally she was befriended by another student and invited her for a sleepover in her house. But a man who posed as the friend’s father drugged her drink and woke up to a nightmare. She found herself tied still dizzy with the drug. Not long after, she was brought to a place where she was sold. She was raped and beaten if she refused to have sex. Her parents searched for her and finally she was found by investigator Brad Dennis in a club. According to Dennis, Shauna was a victim of human trafficking which becomes the growing problem in the suburbs of Florida. Tracy Smith has discovered that the syndicates who are behind the kidnapping and human trafficking know the profile of the most potential targets that can be used for their sex trade. In this manner they connive with other people to do their deeds. Dennis said usually girls who are victims of human trafficking are moved around a circuit by their captors hitting major hotels and convention centers looking for potential and moneyed clients. Wan Kim of the U. S. Justice Department said that this kind of business has now developed into a very prolific business and usually undetected. The problem for the authorities is that the people behind this crime have wide connections and they have become even wiser with the trade. They can keep women for years without people knowing they live there as sex slaves. In the case of Shauna, her case has never been pursued because until today her captors remained at large (Smith). Human trafficking has developed into a lucrative business formed by different individuals grouped together to run a ring of syndicate. However, this is not always the case. In 2008, Maribel Rodriguez Vasquez, a 28-year old Guatemalan woman was arrested in Los Angeles for her involvement in her family’s human trafficking business. She was the sixth member of her family who was nabbed by immigration authorities as she was charged with 50 counts of human trafficking cases specifically luring Guatemalan minors to the United States with a promise of well-paid jobs but all ends up being prostitutes. Vasquez who was known as the â€Å"L. A. Madam† by her clients was posted on television as one of â€Å"America’s Most Wanted†. But Vasquez’ case was only one of the few cases of human trafficking that was highlighted by the media which makes people believe cases of immigrant sex trafficking are not literally important to be known by the masses. Lisette Arsuaga, director of Development for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking in Los Angeles said we have a clear reality that human trafficking operates in every American city and even to towns but it is craftily hidden it is hard to uncover (Johnson and Rodriguez). The state of San Francisco is known for its liberalism toward sex and it has continuing history of arresting prostitutes around the city. Unfortunately it has also become one of the top American cities to be the favorite sanctuary of international sex traffickers and so large numbers of illegal immigrants pour out to the city each year. This is because sex trafficking is now an $8 billion international business and sadly traffickers consider San Francisco to be the best place to operate their largest commercial trades. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom who is not ignorant about this trade said although the city despised such reputation, being underground with unending source of clients makes the state helpless. Mayor Newsom said girls are forced to come to America because their families are being threatened and so the cases of human trafficking seem to be endless. While the U. S. Department of Justice states that thousands of illegal immigrants are being brought to the United States each year, there are still no quantifying data which assure that many of them fall as sex or force labor victims. The CIA is now involved to stop this trade and it has used its significant methods to come up with reliable sources of illegal immigrants. They now rely on law enforcement data, government data, international reports and academic research just to come up with backed-up information and track the sources of this trade. The CIA also confirmed that trafficked women for the sex industry generally come from Southeast Asia, the former Soviet Union and also South America. As usual, they are lured to work in the United States for more meaningful opportunities but once they are in, they are held captives and sold to brothels, strip clubs and outcall services. Even high-society call girls who come to the United States admit to the Federal investigators that being in captivity and held as sex slaves can be the most degrading and unimaginably unacceptable. In other parts of the world, human trafficking has also become an insatiable growing business which has overtaken drugs and arms trafficking. According to Barry Tang who is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement attache with the U. S. Department of Homeland Security in Korea, human traffickers in Korea are now highly organized with full logistical network between Korea and the United States. They have recruiters, intermediaries, brokers and even designated taxi drivers and influential pimps. On other countries, women are the usual traffickers and they acquire women from clubs, bars, colleges, restaurants and even pool halls. Their international contacts target mostly developed countries such as the United States, Japan and Australia because this is where the money is. When everything is settled in these countries, they even set up their own shops in the main cities particularly in California, New York, Las Vegas and Texas (May). As a conclusion, we may never stop human trafficking for the moment because it has already rooted itself in our societies. Not even America who advocates for human rights and preservation of human dignity find it hard to control such a phenomenal dilemma. But though this has become an uncontrollable ailment because it made its evil influence to the different form of culture and societies, we might still reduce its havoc in degrading human dignity by involving ourselves and be guardians for the sake of our children and our society. The governments are trying hard to pursue what is necessary but they cannot do it alone. We might not be the victims here but our children maybe their next target. Works Cited: Johnson, Alex, and Cesar Rodriguez. Human Trafficking in America. The World Race (2008). April 14, 2009 http://matthewsnyder. theworldrace. org/? filename=human-trafficking-in-america. Justice, U. S. Department of. Report on Activities to Combat Human Trafficking: Fiscal Years 2001 2005. (2006). April 15, 2009 http://www. humantrafficking. org/countries/united_states_of_america. May, Meredith. Sex Trafficking: San Francisco Is a Major Center for International Crime Networks That Smuggle and Enslave. San Francisco Chronicle2006. Shurter, David. The Problem with Human Trafficking in America. Now Public: Crowd Powered Media (2009). April 15, 2009 http://www. nowpublic. com/world/problem-human-trafficking-america. Smith, Tracy. Slavery in the Suburbs. United States, 2007. CBS Evening News. (September 12, 2007): CBS Interactive, Inc. http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2007/09/12/eveningnews/main3254966. shtml

Alternatives to Prison for Punishment and Rehabilitation

Alternatives to Prison for Punishment and Rehabilitation Crime has always been prevalent in the myriad spheres of our society and will never cease to exist. To combat crimes, methods have been derived to deter these depending on the gravity of the crime itself. The graver the crime the graver the punishment. These methods can prove to be inefficient. In this eventuality new ways must be thought and implemented for a safer and better community at large. Imprisonment has been used since a very long time ago and still used as a mean to deter and punish law breakers and again the worse the deeds, the greater the time of imprisonment. This method present many objectives and is most widely used, it keeps people guilty of a crime under strict control before their case is presented at the court of justice and act as a punishment as their freedom is snatched once they are convicted. Moreover it prevents them from committing more crimes. It also plays the role of a rehabilitation center that is the person leads a better life and is able to reintegra te the society. Finally it protects the public from them.(stern V 2006) However, these objectives are not always met by the mean of incarceration. As Professor Angela Davis (Professor of Criminology at Birmingham City University) puts it, prisons are obsolete. She votes for a â€Å"decarceration† and believes that the era of imprisonment has come to an end because often prisoner are those who suffer from racism and sexism (Wikipedia, Angela Davis). Moreover incarceration marginalizes the offenders, keeping them away from the social interactions of their formerly everyday life and this will create a sense of alienation which will further encourage criminal behavior. (William Bales, 2011) Evidence shows that, imprisonment further criminalise the offenders where they get indulged in more serious crimes where all they did was a misdemeanor. Often in the prison environment drug dealing takes place and non drug addicts become prey to temptations. Moreover wrong frequentations of notorious criminals make them divert to a world full of crime where they collude with them. Furthermore, the transmission of HIV and other diseases are prevalent there and this is alarming. (William Bales, 2011) Prisoner usually comes from poor environment where they are poverty stricken, unemployed and indulged in drug and alcohol activities and they commit crimes because of their illiteracy. Therefore in the light of the above, it is concluded that imprisonment is not the only possible means of deterring crimes. The justice policy institute concluded the crime rate has gone down since the states has put fewer person in prison. As prison population fell by 0.2%, a 6% drop in violent crime was noticed. These figures show that keeping fewer prisoners could have a positive effect on the safety of the public. (Heather C West, 2010) There are many alternatives to prison. But the gravity of the action committed by the offender should be taken into consideration. Firstly the fine. this is a monetary amount to be paid by the convict and this amount again depends on the gravity of the action committed and the economical status of him.Usually fines are paid for small offences such as speeding fines but for atrocious crimes it does not apply because it will be unfair to let the criminal free in the society. Compensation also is a type of fine paid to the family of the victims. (Matt Faye, 2010) Secondly probation. The offender is active in the society but he is under constatant monitoring by a probation officer. The offender is given a restricted area where he can go and if he refrains to do so, then he may be imprisoned. This alternative is flexible and is used in the Wales. (Matt, Faye, 2010). With technology the use of electronic monitoring is now possible.this technology is very practical and requires obligatory supervision.the convict wears ankle bracelets which is connected to a gps (global positioning satellite system) which gives the exact location of him. This costs 6 times lesser than imprisonment and reduces offenders risk by 31%. This study was conducted in Florida where more than 5000 offenders were supervised. (William Bales, 2011) Thirdly Capital Punishment. This type of punishment is the most finite type.The talion law an eye for eye a tooth for a tooth. Murderers forgo their rights as human when they take someone else’s life.Many more innocent person have been killed by released paroled murderers than people executed. Capital punishment is 100% effective as a deterrent because the murderer cannot kill again. It can also deter other crimes, a 1985 study (Stephen K. Layson, University of North Carolina) showed that 1 execution deterred 18 murders. (Wikipedia ) Moreover this will cut the cost of prisons will also be reduced. Fourthly, Suspended Sentences. The offender is not imprisoned but follows certain conditions. This system is used in overcrowded prisons where the offender must not commit any offence for a set amount of time. The offender is also supervised by a probation officer by this time. (Stern v 2006) Community measures The offender is required to do community works entirely or partially in prison. The work is unpaid. Normally some cleaning or maintenance. Rehabilitation, the convicts is allowed to follow some treatment (drug and alcohol addicts). Often those people commits crime and this can stop with proper rehabilitation facilities. Finding drug treatments to them will reduce the number of addicts in the prisons and is a suitable alternative too. (Stern V 2006) Juvenile Crimes child crime is different from adult crime. In most legal systems the offenders are not deemed to be fully functioning as moral agents. Thus, the best way to handle them is through rehabilitation rather than punishment.correction centres should be made for children beyond control instead of imprisoning them.(Wikipedia Crime committed by mentally ill offenders should not be punished by the means of incarceration because the latter is not conscious of what he/she is doing. Instead they should be conducted to a psychiatric centre to get treated. For these alternatives to be implemented, the convicts must follow a set of guidelines and must imperatively follow it.otherwise they will be imprisoned.some right are also restricted for them such as they won’t be allow to go to places where they want to go. Conclusion Alternative ways to prisons is a good thing while the offender respect the set of guidelines given.If the single bread earner of a family is jailed then the whole family is crippled and will fade into the darkness of poverty. if a mother is imprisoned then the child will lack maternal love and this can turn the child into a criminal.on a conclusive note it is better considering the condition where the person committed the crime. if a person commits a theft out of pleasure or greed he deserves the maximum punishment else if because of poverty then trainng programs can be offered. Bibliography Stern V Criminal Justice Reform Unit Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria(2006) united nations office on drugs and crimes, Alternatives to Incarceration http://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and- prisonreform/cjat_eng/3_Alternatives_Incarceration.pdf [accessed 24.02.15] William bales ,Karen mann 2011 Us department of justice ,office of justice programs national institute of justice september 2011 Electronic monitoring reduces recidivism.https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/234460.pdf[accessed [24.02.15] Matt Loffman and Faye Morten ,Joe Caesey February 2010.The quaker council for European affaires,council of Europe ,Investigating alternatives to imprisonment pg [8-12] http://www.qcea.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rprt-alternatives-en-jan-2010.pdf accessed [24.02.15] Heather C. West, William J. Sabol, and Sarah J. CRIME, INCARCERATION DOWN IN 2010: States are safely reducing prison populations SEPTEMBER 2011  http://www.justicepolicy.org/uploads/justicepolicy/documents/fbi_ucr_2010_factsheet_final.pdf accessed [24.02.15[ http://www.sistersinside.com.au/media/alternativestoprison.pdf accessed [24.02.15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis[24.02.15] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternatives_to_incarceration

Comparative Advantages Of Presidential And Parliamentary Systems Politics Essay

Comparative Advantages Of Presidential And Parliamentary Systems Politics Essay At the birth of every nation is the key structural question, how best to govern ones people and state. This has predominantly been met with two, very differing and opposing answers that of presidentialism and parliamentarism. The variables that determine this choice are inherently entrenched in the political, social and economic history of the state in question. As such one cannot dismiss one particular system on a political or ethnocentric basis, but evaluate it on its applicability and suitability to the state that it presides in, and the impact the innate strengths and flaws of both systems. However given the huge number of political systems to study and the national variations that occur within each state it would be impossible to present a comprehensive comparison of the systems, as such I will focus on two systems in particular, the United Kingdom and the Unites States of America. These can be regarded as the figureheads of their respective systems and the models upon which most other systems are based. The American constitution was created in 1787 with the radical idea that no single branch of the political structure should have precedence over another. As such the concept of separated power was introduced. This involved a significant departure from the traditional forms of government of the colonial states that had controlled and exploited the New World states such as the US itself. The governments of the industrialised imperialists tended to be dominated by the executive. This is another significant factor which encouraged these ex-colonial states to reject the democratically imperfect parliaments of the European imperialists in search of a fairer, more representative system inspired by the ideas of Aristotle  [1]  . Therefore both the executive and legislative is elected separately and therefore have dual democratic legitimacy. Therefore neither body is accountable to the other such as in the British parliament, so there is no danger of one branch holding more power and dominating the other. This ensures a more balanced government and one that more correctly expounds the political will of the public. The fact that there are bicameral and presidential elections makes the system much more representative and democratic then in the UK where only the legislature is elected. It also makes the political institution more flexible to the changing tide of public opinion. For instance if the British public becomes dissatisfied with its Labour government after its election it may have to wait five years before they can vote against them, whereas in the US elections for at least one aspect of government occur every two years, enabling government to better represent the contemporary political desires of its c itizens. This arouses another key component of the presidential model; it has set term times for its officials. For instance the President is in office for four years and can only be removed by being impeached by the congress, a very rare move. This gives the system a stability and removes the uncertainties of the parliamentary system where the threat of both the vote of confidence and anticipated elections always hang over the government. Anticipated elections though inducing a certain amount of uncertainty into the parliament, they also give the government a much greater flexibility then that of its American counterpart, enabling them to alter the political landscape of the parliament to react to the changing moods and reality of the domestic and international environment. New elections may be called before the obligatory five years for a number of reasons, for instance to strengthen a parties ruling majority, to introduce a new government if one cannot be created or becomes unworkable or t o respond to crises such as a huge scandal in government.  [2]   In terms of elections in the Congress the framers ensured that both houses of the bicameral legislative should be elected, in keeping with the founding democratic principles of the American constitution. This leads to a much fairer and representative governing of the people as all aspects of the legislative and presidency are elected by the people. However the relatively high number of elections may go some way to explaining the extremely low voting turn out of the American people, perhaps somewhat apathetic to elections they dismiss as commonplace and thus irrelevant. These dual Presidential and Congressional elections allow the opportunity for both a legislative and government division. If different parties occupy each house or the congress is united against the opposing administration there can be a divided government. This can lead to a deep division within the presidential system if the two sides disagree, it can be very difficult to enact legislation or concur on appointments to the Supreme Court  [3]  , famously described by Rauch under the term of demosclerosis. However, few examples of a unified government since WWII demonstrate that unification does not guarantee efficient, informed, timely and effective public policy  [4]  , as seen under Jimmy Carters administration and due to the individualist based nature of US politics rather then party orientated. In fact the potential delays associated with dual democratic legitimacy ensures that policies are not rushed and are mutual accepted by both the executive and legislature. The third branch of the presidential system is the Supreme Court, yet Schubert has shown that it is only since 1957 has the supreme court began to exert its power over the congress and president by asserting its constitutional right to veto laws it deems unconstitutional. Previously to this the Supreme Court had only struck down Presidents actions fourteen times, failing to maintain an effective separation of power by undermining the system of balance and checks that the US model is based on.  [5]  A more independent and aggressive judiciary helps to ensure that the constitutional rights of the public are preserved and to limit the powers of the executive and legislative. However there still remains the capacity for a combined, presidential, congressional and federal over turning of the Supreme Court ruling so as to ensure the balance of power remains. Though the British parliament encompasses a number of similarities with the US model such as a bicameral legislative and three branched system, it still remains profoundly different in how these institutions are created and distributed. Most importantly only the legislative is democratically legitimate. This means that the executive originates from and is appointed by the legislative. This has a number of critical implications. Without the potential legitimacy conflicts that may occur in America the government can rule much more efficiently and quickly then the grid locked Presidential model. However the executive is prevented from abusing this power by the fact they have no democratic power base and as such, are accountable to the legislative by a vote of confidence. This allows a flexibility in the parliamentary system that America lacks. If the government suffers from ineptitude, an unworkable hung government or national crisis the government can be expelled and new elections call ed. This has only occurred once in Britain in 1979 when the minority government of Labours Callaghan was removed with a vote of no confidence when the government had become hung and ineffective  [6]  . The UK also has an unelected head of state, albeit a de jure power role. Though this is extremely undemocratic when compared to the US system, monarchists argue that the royal family acts as a symbolic vessel for all the heritage and wisdom of the previous generations and is a fundamental institution of the British consciousness. The same can also be said for the lower house of the UKs bicameral legislative. The house of Lords is another unelected part of the parliament, albeit much less influential then the house of parliament. This gives the parliament a stability, in its continuity that the permanently changing congress lacks, even if this is at the expense of democratic inclusiveness. The house of Lords also acts as the highest judiciary court of the parliamentary system. They can repeal government decisions only by legal precedents as the UK has no constitution. This streamlines the political structure and thus reduces the opportunity for inter-branch conflict which would slow down and inhibit the mechanism of governing as demonstrated by the demosclerosis that occurs in the US. However this is an obvious merging of powers and allows room for the abuse of power and conflict of interests, and as such is a serious flaw in the UK system. The traditional form that parliament or legislature takes is that of a majoriatarian, where there is one dominant party with a majority of seats (51 %plus). With Britains tradition of a ministers loyalty to their party and the whip system, they have very disciplined parties compared to America. This allows the party with an absolute majority to pass their legislative quickly and efficiently. Whereas in the US, despite the importance of party labels, member of Congress are independent players who vote not primarily out of party loyalty but to advance their constituency and career interests  [7]  . This means that the fluidic environment of Congress relies on undisciplined parties in order for it to function in a divided government, the existence of a whip system in such a divided government would produce comprehensive grid lock. This is a final example of the inherent indigenous nature of politics, what works in one state may not work in another. This is evident in the wide spread failure of president democracies such as in South Vietnam. Americas attempts during the Cold War to remake the third world in its image have obviously been an over-riding disaster. Both these systems require a number of prerequisites in the nation they are being implemented in. America requires a lack of ideological rigidity, undisciplined parties and locally-orientated politics  [8]  , whereas Britain needs public deference to its political rulers and an allegiance to authority. So despite each systems blatant imperfections they are ideally suited to the two entirely different nations they exist in.

Free College Essays - Analysis of William Shakespeares Sonnet 19

William Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most significant English poets and dramatists of all time. Shakespeare is credited with writing 36-38 dramatic works and many sonnets. In most of the sonnets the form is of three separate quatrains and a closing couplet for emotional and dramatic climax. Some sonnets seem open and addressed to the world. Others are too cryptic and personal to be intelligible. Sonnets 18-125 deal gradually with many themes associate with a handsome young man. The poet enjoys his friendship and promises to immortalize him through his poems. â€Å"Sonnet 19" is addressed to time and is dedicated to a very special friend. In the first quatrain of the sonnet, the author talks about the devastating effects of time: it affects everything and nothing can escape its impact. The poet directly addresses time and vividly describes its effect on the sharp claws of the lion. Time wears away their strength, spoiling and eroding them. Shakespeare then writes that time forces the earth to â€Å"...devoure her owne fweet brood† (2). Everything that is born of the earth return...

The Radical Changes Resulting from the American Revolution Essay

All of us alive today have grown up learning about the American Revolution. Although it contains the word â€Å"revolution† in its name, there are many who don’t consider the American Revolution a real revolution. After considering the definition of a revolution – a radical change of an entire system, usually by war, resulting in a change of the way of life of the people involved – and the American society before and after the American Revolution, it is obvious that those who don’t consider the American Revolution a revolution are mistaken. Among the many aspects of colonial society affected by the American Revolution, those most greatly affected by the revolution were the attitude towards slavery, the role of women, and the role of trade. The Civil War, as well as events associated with it, being a large part of our history, is taught to all children in America at an early age. Growing up, we are taught the evils of slavery and how slaves were treated poorly. The evils about which we’ve been taught were actually occurring prior to the American Revolution. Over the course of the revolution, the attitude toward and treatment of slaves changed. Before the American Revolution, many people, though not all, thought of slaves as â€Å"subhuman† or as animals. Even among those who gave the slaves the good treatment they deserved, there was still a feeling that the whites were better than the slaves. How many black people did could have been seen living in their nice house with a few white slaves? None; that sight was non-existent. The few black people who were free had little money. Had they been wealthy, there was still no way they ever would have found a white person who would have been their slave. Nor would that have been allowed. ... ...heir own laws about trade (once the Constitution was written). The colonies, not Britain, could decide who they traded with and what taxes they charged; they had complete control over the system of trade. The term â€Å"revolution† requires a radical change of an entire system that changes people’s lives. Slavery, the attitudes toward women, and the trade system were only a few parts of the entire system that changed during the American Revolution. Not to mention the change in government from a Monarchy to a Democracy! People’s lives have been different ever since the American Revolution. Had the colonists never broken away from Britain, we wouldn’t be studying American history. Rather, we’d be studying British history. The large step of breaking away from England has radically changed the way the colonists lived and has had a huge influence on the way we live today. The Radical Changes Resulting from the American Revolution Essay All of us alive today have grown up learning about the American Revolution. Although it contains the word â€Å"revolution† in its name, there are many who don’t consider the American Revolution a real revolution. After considering the definition of a revolution – a radical change of an entire system, usually by war, resulting in a change of the way of life of the people involved – and the American society before and after the American Revolution, it is obvious that those who don’t consider the American Revolution a revolution are mistaken. Among the many aspects of colonial society affected by the American Revolution, those most greatly affected by the revolution were the attitude towards slavery, the role of women, and the role of trade. The Civil War, as well as events associated with it, being a large part of our history, is taught to all children in America at an early age. Growing up, we are taught the evils of slavery and how slaves were treated poorly. The evils about which we’ve been taught were actually occurring prior to the American Revolution. Over the course of the revolution, the attitude toward and treatment of slaves changed. Before the American Revolution, many people, though not all, thought of slaves as â€Å"subhuman† or as animals. Even among those who gave the slaves the good treatment they deserved, there was still a feeling that the whites were better than the slaves. How many black people did could have been seen living in their nice house with a few white slaves? None; that sight was non-existent. The few black people who were free had little money. Had they been wealthy, there was still no way they ever would have found a white person who would have been their slave. Nor would that have been allowed. ... ...heir own laws about trade (once the Constitution was written). The colonies, not Britain, could decide who they traded with and what taxes they charged; they had complete control over the system of trade. The term â€Å"revolution† requires a radical change of an entire system that changes people’s lives. Slavery, the attitudes toward women, and the trade system were only a few parts of the entire system that changed during the American Revolution. Not to mention the change in government from a Monarchy to a Democracy! People’s lives have been different ever since the American Revolution. Had the colonists never broken away from Britain, we wouldn’t be studying American history. Rather, we’d be studying British history. The large step of breaking away from England has radically changed the way the colonists lived and has had a huge influence on the way we live today.

Akbar the Great

Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar  (Hindi:   ,  Persian:   ? –  Jalal ud-Din Mu? ammad Akbar), also known as  Shahanshah  Akbar-e-Azam (14 October 1542   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 27 October 1605),[4][5]  was the third  Mughal Emperor. He was of  Timurid  descent; the son of Emperor  Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad  Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of northern and central India.He is most appreciated for having a liberal outlook on all faiths and beliefs and during his era, culture and art reached a zenith as compared to his predecessors. Akbar was 13 years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in  Delhi  (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. [6]During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful  Pashtun  descendants of  Sher Shah Suri, and at the  Second Battle of Panipat  he deci sively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king  Hemu. 7][8]  It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and  central India  into his direct realm. He influenced the whole of the Indian Subcontinent as he ruled a greater part of it as an emperor. As an emperor, Akbar solidified his rule by pursuing diplomacy with the powerful  Hindu  Rajputcaste, and by marrying a Rajput princess. [7][9] Akbar's reign significantly influenced art and culture in the country. He was a great patron of art and architecture  [10]  He took a great interest in painting, and had the walls of his palaces adorned with  murals.Besides encouraging the development of the  Mughal school, he also patronised the European style of painting. He was fond of literature, and had several  Sanskrit  works translated into Persian and Persian scriptures translated in Sanskrit apart from getting many Persian works illustrated by painters from hi s court. [10]  During the early years of his reign, he showed intolerant attitude towards Hindus and other religions, but later exercised tolerance towards non-Islamic faiths by rolling back some of the strict  sharia  laws. 11][12][13]  His administration included numerous Hindu landlords, courtiers and military generals. He began a series of religious debates where  Muslim scholars  would debate religious matters with  Hindus,  Jains,Zoroastrians  and  Portuguese  Roman Catholic  Jesuits. He treated these religious leaders with great consideration, irrespective of their faith, and revered them. He not only granted lands and money for the mosques but the list of the recipients included a huge number Hindu temples in north and central India, Christian churches in Goa. Akbar the Great Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar  (Hindi:   ,  Persian:   ? –  Jalal ud-Din Mu? ammad Akbar), also known as  Shahanshah  Akbar-e-Azam (14 October 1542   Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 27 October 1605),[4][5]  was the third  Mughal Emperor. He was of  Timurid  descent; the son of Emperor  Humayun, and the grandson of the Mughal Emperor Zaheeruddin Muhammad  Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. At the end of his reign in 1605 the Mughal empire covered most of northern and central India.He is most appreciated for having a liberal outlook on all faiths and beliefs and during his era, culture and art reached a zenith as compared to his predecessors. Akbar was 13 years old when he ascended the Mughal throne in  Delhi  (February 1556), following the death of his father Humayun. [6]During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the powerful  Pashtun  descendants of  Sher Shah Suri, and at the  Second Battle of Panipat  he deci sively defeated the newly self-declared Hindu king  Hemu. 7][8]  It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring all the parts of northern and  central India  into his direct realm. He influenced the whole of the Indian Subcontinent as he ruled a greater part of it as an emperor. As an emperor, Akbar solidified his rule by pursuing diplomacy with the powerful  Hindu  Rajputcaste, and by marrying a Rajput princess. [7][9] Akbar's reign significantly influenced art and culture in the country. He was a great patron of art and architecture  [10]  He took a great interest in painting, and had the walls of his palaces adorned with  murals.Besides encouraging the development of the  Mughal school, he also patronised the European style of painting. He was fond of literature, and had several  Sanskrit  works translated into Persian and Persian scriptures translated in Sanskrit apart from getting many Persian works illustrated by painters from hi s court. [10]  During the early years of his reign, he showed intolerant attitude towards Hindus and other religions, but later exercised tolerance towards non-Islamic faiths by rolling back some of the strict  sharia  laws. 11][12][13]  His administration included numerous Hindu landlords, courtiers and military generals. He began a series of religious debates where  Muslim scholars  would debate religious matters with  Hindus,  Jains,Zoroastrians  and  Portuguese  Roman Catholic  Jesuits. He treated these religious leaders with great consideration, irrespective of their faith, and revered them. He not only granted lands and money for the mosques but the list of the recipients included a huge number Hindu temples in north and central India, Christian churches in Goa.

Critically evaluate Samuel Huntington’s claims in “The Clash of Civilizations?” Essay

The abrupt end of the Cold War meant that the bipolar model of thinking which had dominated the sphere of World Politics for decades became obsolete. This new phase led to a renewal in thinking in the study of International Relations dubbed â€Å"the hundred schools of thought† which led to a wide spectrum of visions about the uncertain future of world affairs. One of the more prominent visions was the late Professor Samuel Huntington’s â€Å"Clash of Civilizations? † published in a 1993 Foreign Affairs article, where he predicted a growing pattern of conflict based on differences in cultural, religious and historical identity of entities he labelled civilizations instead of the ideological differences of the Cold War Era. Huntington’s thesis was a Realist response to Fukuyama’s 1992 book, The End of History and the Last Man. Fukuyama argued that the post-1991 world was left with no viable ideological alternative to liberal democracy and the free market economy predicting a new era of global consensus on democracy, justice, human rights and cooperation. ‘The nation will continue to be a central pole of identification, even if more and more nations come to share common economic and political forms of organization. ‘i Huntington’s premise was that ‘The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain as the most powerful actors in world affairs but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. ‘ii The controversial nature of Huntington’s thesis ensured the stern critique by some of his fellow academics for reasons including oversimplification, neglecting contradicting factors and inaccurate predictions. The tragedy of 9/11 and the events that followed revived the confidence in his thesis by his supporters who saw this as the conformation of Huntington’s predictions notably the inconsolable clash between Islam and the West. Huntington begins by describing the historical evolution of the nature of conflicts in the Western World; from the competition between monarchs and emperors for territorial and mercantile expansion leading to the emergence of nation states beginning with the French Revolution, to the rise of ideological conflict after the Bolshevik Revolutioniii. His Eurocentric bias is clear early as he quotes and perpetuates an idea put forward before by William Lind that these were primarily ‘Western Civil Wars’. Labelling World War II, the deadliest military conflict in history which involved the majority of the world’s nations, as such greatly diminishes the involvement and sacrifices made by people across the world. Notably the Soviet Union which was mainly composed of nations Huntington would regard as part of a Slavic-Orthodox civilization sustained the highest amount of casualties totalling at around twenty-seven millioniv. Later in the paragraph, Huntington writes ‘peoples and governments of non-Western civilizations no longer remain the objects of history as targets of Western colonialism but join the West as movers of history’ as if to suggest that events occurring in non-western parts of the world somehow do not constitute as history if they don’t involve or have a felt effect upon Western society. Although the leadership of the West in fields such as science, technology and engineering for the larger part in recent centuries is indisputable; Jewish philosophy, Hindu mathematics, Muslim astronomy and engineering contributed significantly to the foundations of what we know today and this shouldn’t be undermined. The sharing and borrowing of ideas between the different corners of the world through the millennia’s that’s still going on today suggests a long-term cooperation instead of a clash of civilizations in our common pursuit of knowledge. According to Huntington a civilization is ‘ the highest cultural grouping of people and the broadest level of cultural identity’v. He divides the world’s population into seven civilizations as well as hinting at the possibility of a Caribbean and an African civilization; Africa being indeed a continent known for its vast diversity of cultures and traditionsvi. He defines a civilization by what he calls objective elements such as language, history and primarily religion as well as by the subjective self-identification of people. Huntington argues the onset of globalization has led to increased levels of interaction between peoples of different civilizations, which in turn intensifies civilization consciousness and brings to the forefront their cultural differences which unlike ideological and political differences are fundamental and much less mutable and hence less easily compromised. It’s clear that people instinctively identify themselves closely to others who share common traditions, customs and history; I hold the belief however that Huntington downplays the penetration of globalization and focuses on one aspect of its possible consequences. It’s not the differences that drive cultural conflict between peoples; it’s the lack of understanding which in turn creates prejudices and fears. The increased interactions between peoples have led to a wider acceptance of and fascination with other cultures, helping us understand why foreign societies live the way they do. Huntington argues: ‘†¦Russians cannot become Estonians and Azeri’s cannot become Armenian’vii. An Estonian living in Russia will absorb aspects of Russian culture depending on one’s willingness, length of stay and the extent to which one feels alienated or accepted by Russian society. Thus the objective elements invoked are not convincingly definitive in determining one’s identity; an Englishman may choose to convert to Islam while a Chinese citizen in Shanghai may choose to learn French as a pastime. Globalization in itself has penetrated the long-standing limitations in global trade of the past; politicians ever increasingly have to consider the global implications of domestic policy. More than ever national states around the world are dependent upon each other; the United States Demands Chinese goods while China needs the US to buy its goods. Huntington ascribes ideas such as constitutionalism, human rights, the rule of law, free markets and democracy as Western; unable to gain a foothold in other civilizations. He writes: ‘Modern democratic government originated in the West. When it has developed in non-western societies it has usually been the product of the western colonialism or imposition’viii. suggesting that somehow peoples of other civilizations may not be able to sustain or see the benefits of a form of democratic governance. The people of India would point out that democratic government was formed in their country despite, not because of the Westix. Today more than two-thirds of the world’s governments operate in some form of democracy, which reaffirms the idea that democracy is a universal value, contradicting Huntington’s view of its general Western exclusivity. If asked, most Middle-Easterners would prefer the idea of a democratic to authoritarian governancex; the limitation of democratic development in the region however is a product of the unstable and incompatible political landscape rather than the irreconcilability of the culture. Defining the religious aspects of the Western Civilization, Huntington justifies the grouping of Protestant and Catholic Christians into a single entity by emphasizing shared experiences in European history such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution which in turn separates them from the Orthodox Christians beyond Central Europexi. Although it is evident that the closer proximity of those events has influenced Protestants and Catholics more than their Orthodox counterparts, the closer resemblance of Catholic and Orthodox practices and beliefs as opposed to Protestants is however neglected. Huntington consistently appeals to religion as the primary source of cultural identity, rightly so, to a Christian the creeds of their religion have a profound influence on their world view and thus how they would identify themselves. When speaking of the Islamic civilization however, Huntington doesn’t seem to make the effort to differentiate between the major denominations of Shia, Sunni and Sufism which have so strongly influenced the historical and especially current political landscape of the Middle-East. In a passionate attempt to warn his fellow Americans of the potential threats that their country may face in the post-Cold War environment, Huntington essentially perpetuated ideas that were dangerous and self-fulfilling. The existence of a Confucian-Islamic connection that may threaten the West described by Huntingtonxii is yet to be empirically verified, as the Chinese and US economies remain inter-linked and Barrack Obama moves towards a policy of dialogue in the Middle-East. Given the history of US foreign policy, legislators would have found Huntington’s paradigm easy to understand and convenient in terms of implementation. A worldview of distrust towards foreign powers that demands the maintaining of military superiority in the name of security panders to the powerful military industrial complex in the US. In order to maintain peace, global stability and have any hopes of dealing with transnational issues such as global warming, policy makers should regard all nations as members of the world community and work closer with international organizations such as the UN and WTO in establishing universal laws. The alienation and coercion of other governments will indeed create an atmosphere of antagonism and hostility.

Preliminary Studies of Religion Depth Course: Christianity Essay

Christianity is more than a belief in one God. It isn’t just something a person is baptised into to. Christianity is a source of hope for those who doubt, it is a guide for those who are lost and it provides answers for those who wonder. Christianity is the belief in one true God and from there come various interpretations that religions such as Anglicanism, Christianity and Lutheranism have taken and formed a more specific faith. In this preliminary year we will explore the beliefs, values, ethics, rituals and practices of Christianity. The course will open your mind to enlighten and enrich your knowledge on what is, the worlds most dominated religion. We just have to look over history to see the impact that one man has made on a society. Today characteristics of Christianity stem from the major events of Christ’s life and various interpretations of his predecessors. Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem in approximately 4 BCE. Up until age 30 we are unaware of the occurrences in Jesus’ life. Christians believe that God sent Jesus to preach God’s word and demonstrate the morals, values and ethics, through which Jesus lived. Christianity evolved around the first century AD, branching off from Judaism, Christianity shared the ethical teachings of Christ. Christians have faith in Jesus as the model of Christianity through the way he lived his life; preaching, healing and humbling the supreme presence of God. Jesus conveyed his unheard of message through parables to the outcasts of society; prostitutes, the disabled etc. were his followers. Faith came from the divine actions of healing, commanding the forces of nature and the forgiving of sins. So what do Christians believe? There are several principle beliefs of Christianity that share a commonness that dominates the foundations of Christianity. First of all they believe in the divinity as well as the humanity of Jesus Christ. This means that Christians take Jesus a legit being but that he is also one with God – divine. This leads on to the core belief of the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. This belief in itself forms the foundation of all Christian beliefs which this event solidifies the dominance of Christ within Christianity. From this divine event, there is a core belief in the trinity, a belief that God exists as 3 beings Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So another legacy of Jesus Christ is evident in Christian ethics based from the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes as well. The Ten Commandments are viewed as the Law of God, his divine message conveyed through the way one should live their life. The greatest commandment is found in Matthew 22:36-40 where he is asked what is the greatest commandment? He replies quite simply â€Å"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind† Jesus also then goes on to emphasise the importance of the 2nd greatest commandment; â€Å"love your neighbor as yourself†. The Beatitudes laid down by Matthew and Luke are expressed as teachings through the blessings of various virtues of Christians. The Beatitudes and Ten Commandments are focused on Humility, Love and Compassion and are heavily practiced today through the interpretations of Christians. Christian practices refer to the way one practices their religion. In todays society Christian practices vary depending on the interpretations of Christian variants which include rituals and sacraments for example prayer, communion and baptism. Prayer is used as a spiritual connection to God and is highly encouraged throughout the bible. Communion and Baptism are both sacraments that again interpreted accordingly express ones faith and dedication to God. Baptism is the first initial step towards a relationship to God and following his Laws and the teachings of Jesus. Communion on the other hand relates back to the belief in the death and resurrection of Christ, it establishes belief and a relationship between human, Jesus and God. All of these Christian practices are fully implemented in the Churches of today’s Christian societies and have been practiced as a part of this religion for thousands of years. So where to from now? Year 11 is a year of growth and learning. We will look at these aspects in further detail to obtain the fullest knowledge of Christian practices beliefs and ethics and the impact these have through the legacy of Jesus Christ. Since the birth of Christ his legacy whilst yes wasn’t embraced completely throughout his lifetime has had a huge impact on the modern society, over approximately 2.1 billion people world wide follow the faith that was built from one man, one belief and one teaching that went against everything that society knew. The legacy of Jesus Christ is everlasting, a continuous evolution of the interpretation of the core values, teachings and beliefs of Christianity. Good luck for your journey that you will all take for year 11 and thank you for attentively listening to the legacy of Jesus Christ.

The Buddhist Concepts of Rebirth and Release

Buddhism begins and ends with Buddha’s enlightenment experience, for this the ultimate source of Buddhist teachings and there are a mean towards moral and spititual development culminating in a Buddha like experience. At his enlightenment, the Buddha gained direct knowledge of rebirth, karma, and the four holy truths (Harvey, 1990, p. 32).In the first public teaching (known as the â€Å"turning of the wheel of dharma†) Siddhartha Gautam, the historical Buddha is said to have set out the fundamentals of Buddhist doctrine and practice and then proceeded to outline the four noble truths- the kernels of Buddhist doctrine which are duhkha, trsna, nirvana and the way to achieve nirvana. Birth, old age, sickness and death which give duhkha (sadness) are unsatisfactory, and the cause of this unsatisfatoriness gives rise to craving (trsna). End to this unsatisfactory state of mind can be achieved through nirvana.The eight steps to the path of nirvana involve the development of a ppropriate view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and finally appropriate meditative concentration. This Buddhist doctrine constitutes the essence of the Buddhist world view and provides the basis and context of all subsequent Buddhist philosophical reflection (King, 1999, p. 76). After six years of meditation, Buddha attained spiritual enlightenment or nirvana. Budha preached for forty five years and died at the age of ninety years.Buddhist enlightenment is related to the attainment of the five supernatural powers, but their attainment is not, the Buddha concluded, in itself the realisation of enlightenment (Iizuka, 1995, p. 151). The action and interest of those who attain nirvana are completely detached from all images and sound. However, internally the mind is in a condition of most intense activity. Since the person has reached the fullest stretch of his mental and spiritual capacity, and at a level of highest transcendental consciousness, he is infini tely at peace with himself (Iizuka, 153).According to Buddha, duhkha happens everywhere all the time because nothing is perfect in this world. Every life has the kamma (force) from the person’s previous lives, and being reborn means that everyone always suffers from the force of their previous lives. This means no life is perfect and only when people have reached nirvana will they be able to overcome duhkha. Duhkha according to Buddha is caused by selfishness and all our sufferings are caused by this selfishness. The ultimate goal of the people should be to break from this never ending cycle of rebirth.By stopping greed and selfishness, one can break out of the rebirth cycle, which brings perfect freedom in the form of nirvana (Penney, p. 14). The Buddhist believe that the ultimate goal of meditation is nirvana, liberation from samsara, liberation from the ever repeated cycle of death and rebirth conditioned by Karma, in which all deluded beings are caught up. The doctrine of rebirth formed an essential part of the world view which the Buddha inherited. Thus, the Buddha accepted that the goal of all spiritual striving was nirvana, release from rebirth.Consequently, he interpreted his own experience of enlightenment as the attainment of that goal (Bucknell, and Fox, 1983). Rebirth in Buddhism is seen both as a process which takes place after death, and also as a process taking place during life. This means, we are constantly changing during life, ‘reborn’ as a ‘different’ person according to our mood, the task we are involved in, or the people we are relating to. We may experience ‘heavenly’ or hellish state of mind depending on how we act.According to Buddhist philosophy, it is reasonable to suppose that this process of change, determined by the nature of our actions, does not abruptly stop at death, but carries on (Harvey, p. 45). Our present form and circumstances of life are part of an uninterrupted series of se parate existences that streak back into the distance past and will continue on into the interminable future. A constant and uninterrupted flow of beings living in the different stratified levels and passing on from one to another was the very essence of the world view called samsara.The schemes of things, rewards and punishments, human conditions in high or low states, all had their reasons for existence in this cosmic flux of inter-connected events and states. The conclusive evidence of Sakyamuni Buddha’s supreme enlightenment confirmed and endorsed the essential elements of the processes of samsara and rebirth (Cheetham, 1994, p. 9). Rebirth is a casual link between one life and the next, and not a soul reincarnating. Only a casual connection links one life to another, so our karmic accumulation conditions our next life.Contemplating rebirth helps us accept our own death without falling into the two extremes of eternalism or nihilism. The positive side of this rebirth conce pt is focussing an individual’s attention and energy to the present and make the most of one’s life. This constructive aspect of Buddhism while makes one realise about the transient nature of life, give them scope for improving the same to be able to rise to a higher realm (Halls, 2003, p. 54 ). The realm a being is born is determined by karma which is a ‘beings’ intentional actions of body, speech and mind, whatever is done, said or even just thought with intention or purpose.Though, rebirth in the lower realms is considered to be the result of relatively unwholesome or bad karma, rebirth in the higher realms is the result of relatively wholesome or good karma. Correspondingly, the lower the realm, the more unpleasant and unhappy is one’s condition; the higher the realm the more pleasant, happy, tranquil and refined one’s condition is. This rebirth hierarchy does not however constitute a simple ladder to climb and passing out at the top into nirvana or release.Nirvana or release may be obtained from any of the realms, from the human to the highest of the pure abodes and the four formless realms but not from the four lowest realms. Yet, rather than attaining nirvana or release, human beings generally rise and fall through the various realms which are precisely the nature of the samsara, i. e. wandering from life to life with no particular direction or purpose (Gethin, 1998, p. 119). The cycle of rebirth is thus seen as involving innumerable lives over vast stretches of time.If the cycle only involved human rebirths, it would have been difficult for a Buddhist to explain the population explosion. However, the cycle is seen to involve many other forms of life, such as animals so that readjustments between populations are made possible. This introduces the idea of different realms of rebirth. The first two of these realms are those of humans and animals kingdom. The latter includes sentient creatures as simple as insects. Plants are not included, although they are seen as having a very rudimentary consciousness, in the form of sensitivity to the touch.There are also realms of beings that are not normally visible, such as the realms of ‘petas’ or departed. As these are seen as having made of ‘subtle matters’, such a rebirth does not involve re-incarnation, that is getting a gross physical body again. In Buddhist painting of life cycle and rebirth, petas are seen as frustrated ghostly beings that frequent human world due to their strong earthly attachments (Harvey, 1990, p. 33). The Buddhist although believe in rebirth, do not accept that there is any substantial entity of self (atman) being reborn in this process.There is simply the process itself. Buddhist philosophical texts tend to represent rebirth using analogies of dynamic and ever changing processes, such as the flowing of a river or the flickering flame of a candle. Thus to talk about identity or the difference betwee n life in this Buddhist cycle of rebirth is inappropriate (King, 1999, p. 81). Nirvana is a difficult concept but traditional Buddhist understanding of Nirvana is quite clear. Literally nirvana means ‘blowing out’ or ‘extinguishing’, although Buddhist like to explain it as ‘the absence of craving’.When a being reaches a state of nirvana, the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion no longer arise in his or her mind, since they have been thoroughly rooted out. Yet, like the Buddha, any person who attains nirvana does not remain thereafter forever absorbed in some transcendental state of mind. On the contrary, he or she continues to live in this world, with the difference that his thoughts and deeds are completely free of the motivations of greed, aversion and delusion and motivated instead entirely by generosity, friendliness and wisdom.This condition of extinguishing the defilement can be termed nirvana with the remainder of life. Eventually , the reminder of life, like all beings, such a person must die. But unlike other beings, who have not experienced nirvana, he or she will not be reborn into some new life. Instead of being reborn, the person attains parinirvanas, which means that the five aggregates of physical and mental phenomena that constitute a being cease to occur (Gethin, 1998, p. 75). Persons with various deluded mind will not attain nirvana or release and these views are called prapanca.When one gains insight into and realises the dharmakaya, which in effect is the noble truth of cessation with respect to any or all form of prapanca, or self view, one attains the Buddha nature. It is the theories of self and attachment to self that bind us. Buddha nature thought, like the rest of Buddhism, aims to release us from this bondage. The Dharmakaya or Buddha nature, as the truth of cessation represents the active releasing from bondage that constitutes the Buddha way. Hence Buddha nature is not a substantive enti ty, not a self mind, but the cessation of all self views (King, 1991, p.95). The Buddha’s noble eighth fold path to liberation from suffering emphasized practical discipline and direct experience to countermand the human tendency to theorize about spiritual life and reify rather than to encounter it directly. The eight member of the noble eighth-fold path termed â€Å"samyak Samadhi† consists of eight stages of meditative practices known as jhana in Pali, for the purpose of transcending individuated consciousness and leading to enlightenment or nirvana (Whicher, 1998, P. 313).One of the central images of Buddhism is that of crossing the ocean of samsara and arriving at the other shore of nirvana or enlightenment, which is journey from the troubling world to the world as Buddha land. In Buddhism, this path or crossing to nirvana is the most difficult one, and there is no guarantee of completion of this path. The ocean of life is full of turbulence and this turbulent nat ure of life’s ocean is an intimate function of our own intentions or karma which we create through actions motivated by our likings and disliking.Since these troubles are our own creation, we must undo the trouble as well. Buddhist salvation is not breaking away from the world but about freeing all things by undoing the dualistic knot of our karma and the stranglehold of our habitually held likes and dislikes (Hershock, 1999, p. 111). In Buddhism, denial of the reality of the self in man is called absolute anatta. The anatta doctrine of the Buddhist philosophy has been from early times a pillar of Buddha dogma, together with all pervading impermanence and suffering.This doctrine is consistently propounded by orthodox Buddhists as one of the most outstanding characteristics of their system. The anatta doctrine raises many questions such as the reality of the moral agent and the existence and nature of moral responsibility, the continuity of individuality in the rebirth cycle, the nature of kamma, and the way it works and the relation of nirbana to the individual who attain it. However, Buddha refuses to answer the question whether the liberated man exists or does not exist after death.However, most of the Buddhist text implies that the liberated man is the personification of all reality (Ramon, 1980, p. 1-2). To conclude, the essence of life according to Buddhism is karma. Karma is called the law of cause and effect, which means every action we undertake creates a cause that will have in some point of time- even in rebirth have an effect. Our bad action in life will bring negative results and good actions will be rewarded with positive results. This is the ethical way how karma operates. This will keep in check our negative traits, and help us behave mindfully.The wheels of life in Buddhism signify through different symbolism the causes for this cycle of rebirth. Three animals at the center of the wheel symbolises endless cycles of sufferings with one ne gative action causing the next. The pig depicts the erroneous perception about the world and cock signifies ignorance about our own existence, giving rise to craving, lust, and desire. The ultimate negativism arising out of wrong perception of life is hatred and anger, symbolised in the wheel in the form of snake.The picture of Buddha at the top let of the picture symbolises liberation from ignorance, desire and hatred which are causes of all our sufferings. Thus liberation of the soul can be realised by following Buddha path and the ultimate attainment of nirvana (Halls, 2003, p. 50). References Bucknell, R. S and Fox, M. X (1983) The ‘three knowledges’ of Buddhism: Implications of Buddhadasa's interpretation of rebirth, Religion, Volume 13, Issue 2, pp. 99-112 Cheetham, E (1994) Fundamentals of Mainstream Buddhism, Charles E Turtle company Inc, USAGethin, R (1998) The Foundations of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, NY Halls, G. F (2003) the Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Buddhist Wisdom, Octopus Publishing Groups Harvey, B. P (1990) An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, Cambridge University Press Hershock, P. D (1999) Reinventing the wheel: A Buddhist response to the information age, Sunny Series of Philosophy and Biology, Albany, State University of New York Press IIzuka, T (1995) The Quest for life: Zen in business and life, New York University Press.King, R (1999) Indian Philosophy: An introduction to Hindu and Buddhist Thought, Edinburg University Press King, S. B (1991) Buddha Nature, Albany State University of New York Press Penney, S (1995) Buddhism, Core edition, Heinmann Educational Publishers, P. 48 Ramon, J. P (1980) Self and non-self in early Buddhism, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, N. Y. Whicher, Y (1998) The Integrity of Yoga Darsana: A reconsideration of the classical yoga, Sun series in religious studies, Albany, State University of New York Press

Economic Organization and Transaction Costs Essay

Economic Organization and Transaction Costs - Essay Example Often included in this category are the accrued transportation/ logistical costs. Accordingly, these expenses are crucial in deciding whether or not to make or buy a product/ service (Cheung, 1987, p. 55). The paper will conduct a literature search and review that is related to a case study in transaction cost economics. The focus will be on General Motors and the Fisher Body Company, during the 1920s, in regard to the pertinent economics of organizations. There is have to accentuate at the beginning that there is not and will never be one brought together hypothesis of vertical integration. While the writing on vertical integration has a tendency to concentrate on a basic dichotomy between the choice to "make" inside or "purchase" through the business, from a TCE or NIE viewpoint we must be delicate in the way that there are a wide exhibit of business based administration plans that speak to different options for both straightforward unknown rehashed spot market exchanges and vertic al integration. These two administration plans are polar cases. Hypothetical and exact research in the NIE convention looks at not just the determinants of the limits in the middle of firms and markets additionally the sources of different "half and half structures" of administration structure that lie between basic mysterious spot market exchanges and bound together various leveled associations with fluctuating regions of vertical and even control. These crossover structures incorporate different sorts of long-haul contracts, joint endeavors, double sourcing (incomplete vertical integration), holding organizations, and open undertakings (Williamson, 1996, 2000, p. 598).