Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Turkey Syria Relations Since 1998 Research Paper

Turkey Syria Relations Since 1998 - Research Paper Example The relation in general remained undulating with both countries involved in sabotage and terror activities. The base of this relation was laid with the joining of Hatay Province from Syria to Turkey after referendum under the French mandate in 1939 (Federal Research Division 120). It caused serious anger and revolt in Syrians and this hatred lead to deterioration of relations after the Syrian independence. The relations are made more complicated with each representing different blocks of Islamic sects; Sunni and Shia blocks. The Arabs along with Turkey consist of Sunni majority whereas; Iran and Syria represent the Shia block. Each block is backed by group of countries and strong ties among people are maintained with Islam being the pillar. The relations, however, took new turn in 1998 and a limited period of golden era soon followed. 2. Adana Agreement Adana Agreement was signed in October 1998 and it gave way to efforts for increased cooperation and dialogue among the two countries (Khalilzad, Lesser, and Larrabee 33). Under this agreement, security meetings, hotline, exchange of high level security officials as well as diplomatic missions started. The events that lead to this agreement however, must be discussed to give perspective and insight into current state. 2.1 PKK / Kurdish Nationalist Party Kurds are mainly in the eastern part of Turkey, northern part of Syria and Iraq as well. The total Kurdish population amounts to 22.6 million (Aras 93). They are regarded as ethnic minority but started separatist movement against Turkey in the 1970s. Kemal Ataturk gave very strong fundamentals on which Turkey nationalism is based on. Turks are therefore, extremely rigid on any change in these fundamentals which include one nationality, language and exclusion of religion from governance. These principles by Kemal Ataturk led to the exclusion of Kurds from Turkish society (Sayyid 66). Their language not being Turkish and refusal to abide by Turkish laws for seculari sm lead to evolution of Kurdish opposition groups and hence the formation of PKK. Kurds are known as the largest ethnic minority and they demand separate land to practice their language, traditions and customs. Kurdish language was banned from schools in Turkey and checks were imposed on public use of this language. Bans were even imposed to restrict distribution of Kurdish songs by 1983 (Yildiz and Breau 11). PKK under these circumstances gained attention among Kurds in Syria and Iraq as well. The movement slowly gained momentum and attacks against Turkish military and state security departments started. Kurdish identity was accepted to some extend in 1991 under Prime Minister Turgut Ozal’s government. The ban on Kurdish language was removed, but its wide public use was still restricted (Eickelman and Anderson 192). 2.2 Syrian Support for PKK The shared border area between the two countries is mainly Kurdish majority area. This shared area provided a buffer for the Syrian go vernemnt to support Kurdish movement. Safe havens were provided to Kurdish chain of command along with military support including training camps in the 80s and 90s (Larrabee 14). The issue was recognised by Syria as an opportunity to politicise and form basis to start terror activities agaisnt Turkey. Military support provided to Kurds escalated the issue and isolated attacks on Turkish Military and state security increased particularly in this Kurd majority area. 2.3 Syrian Double Role Security

Monday, October 28, 2019

Investigation to determine the viscosity of glycerol Essay Example for Free

Investigation to determine the viscosity of glycerol Essay This document reports on an experiment that examined the relationship between temperature and viscosity. The terminal velocity and up-thrust experienced by a sphere of fixed weight and radius was calculated by dropping it into a measuring cylinder filled with glycerol heated to different temperatures. Using Stokes Law viscosity corresponding to each temperature level was worked out. This generated a range of data points with viscosity corresponding to each temperature level. These data points were statistically analysed. The results corresponded to those indicated by theory i. e. temperature and viscosity are inversely related; as temperature increased viscosity decreased. This report is in five sections. The first details the plan and the science on which the experiment is based. The second describes implementation while the third analyses the results. The fourth section evaluates the both the experiment and its results. The fifth concludes. 1 Plan 1. 1 The Question Is viscosity affected by temperature? When temperature increases does viscosity decrease or increase and if it does are the changes systematic or random? These are the questions I investigate in this experiment. 1. 2 Key Concepts Archimedes principle A body immersed in a fluid (totally or partially) experiences an upthrust (i. e. an apparent loss of weight) which is equal to the weight of fluid displaced. 1Ships dont sink in water because of upthrust. Upthrust is also the cause for weight loss when a body is partially or wholly immersed in a fluid. Viscosity Viscosity is the virtue by which a fluid offers a resistance to the motion through it of any solid body. 2 The theory of viscosity is almost identical to the theory of friction between two solids, just that viscosity is the term used for fluids. Viscosity is basically the resistance between the particles within a fluid. In a solid molecules are tightly packed i. e. there is a strong intermolecular force. Therefore when you move a solid, it moves as a whole as all the particles move together. In a fluid this is not the case. This is because due to lower intermolecular force the particles move at different velocities in relation to each other. This feature can be understood by discussing what happens when pouring a jug of water into a glass. In liquids the molecules flow in layers. See the right water flowing from a jug, it looks simple, but in reality it is quite complex. Actually only the top layer of water is flowing, the bottom layer is still. This is explained with the help of the diagram on the left. The red line is the upper layer of water in the jug which flows in the glass, when this layer has flown into the glass the maroon layer starts flowing and the finally the black layer. This is because the black layer is closest to the solid (which in this case is the jug); the resistance offered by the solid is greater than the resistance offered by the layers of the liquid. This is because the number of molecules that make contact between the solid and the liquid layer are more than those that make contact between the liquid and liquid layer. The number of molecules that have contact between the liquid layer and air is the least. Hydrogen Bonding Unusually strong dipole-dipole attractions that occur among molecules in which hydrogen is bonded to a highly electronegative atom. 3 Hydrogen bonding is a much stronger variant of Van Der Waals Forces. This strong bonding causes great friction between the layers of liquid and therefore gives glycerol its property of high viscosity. Glycerol has a high viscosity as opposed to other alcohols because, it has three -OH functional groups attached to it. Therefore more hydrogen bonds are formed, thus increasing the attraction between two neighbouring molecules (greater bond strength). Thus unlike alcohols that are volatile, glycerol is not only non-volatile, but is also very thick and viscous. Stokes Law Stokes Law plays an important part in understanding the motion of a solid (in his experiment he used a sphere) through liquids. Stokes law states that when a body is under free fall in a tube containing a liquid of infinite length there is a point when there is no more acceleration in the body and the body reaches terminal velocity. Stoke further went on to say that this was due to the viscous forces acting within the liquid. The layers of the liquid in contact with the solid start moving with the velocity of the solid particle whereas the layers far away from the body remain at rest. The viscous forces being frictional forces act against the acceleration of the body and therefore there is a point when the viscous forces equal the resultant force driving the body. This is when the body reaches its terminal velocity.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

A Character Analysis of Charlie in Fitzgeralds Babylon Revisited :: Babylon Revisited Essays

A Character Analysis of Charlie in Fitzgerald's Babylon Revisited In considering Charlie Wales plight in Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited," I believe Charlie is a victim of his own success. As a successful businessman two times over he has burned many bridges behind him and for his well intentions he is blind to that continued fallacy. He does not seem to realize that the success he enjoys now is the envy that brought about Marion and Lincoln's contempt prior to Helen's death. I see Charlie attempting desperately to act out of character. Adept at business he has shown ability, humility and perseverance. However, he seems to be out of touch with the manifested feelings of others his path has crossed. I do believe Charlie is not truly ready for parenthood. It appears he is fighting a demon, longing for a piece of his life that was lost in his past. Motivated by guilt I believe he is substituting materialism for love believing money buys happiness. He would substitute a governess for parenting for he realizes his business ventures will not lend time to child rearing. We can all sympathize with Charlie on the surface, we have all made mistakes that we have to live with. Charlie is attempting to move forward with his life and erase the mistakes of his past. The ghosts of his past torment him repeatedly throughout the story, his child's guardians despise him and his old friends do not understand him. Duncan Schaffer and Lorraine Quarrles represent all that wrong with Charlie's life. Charlie attempts to steam forward and like a anchor they keep him moored in place. I can not truly sympathize with Charlie though there is a sense of empathy within me. I sense that with Lincoln Peters also.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Demarcation in Philosophy of Science Essay

The demarcation problem in the philosophy of science is about how to distinguish between science and nonscience, and more specifically, between science and pseudoscience (a theory or method doubtfully or mistakenly held to be scientific). The debate continues after over a century of dialogue among philosophers of science and scientists in various fields, and despite broad agreement on the basics of scientific method. The demarcation problem is the philosophical problem of determining what types of hypotheses should be considered scientific and what types should be considered pseudoscientific or non-scientific. It also concerns itself with the ongoing struggle between science and religion, in particular the question about which elements of religious doctrine can and should be subjected to scientific scrutiny. This is one of the central topics of the philosophy of science, and it has never been fully resolved. The Purpose of Demarcation Demarcations of science from pseudoscience can be made for both theoretical and practical reasons. From a theoretical point of view, the demarcation issue is an illuminating perspective that contributes to the philosophy of science. From a practical point of view, the distinction is important for decision guidance in both private and public life. Since science is our most reliable source of knowledge in a wide variety of areas, we need to distinguish scientific knowledge from its look-alikes. Due to the high status of science in present-day society, attempts to exaggerate the scientific status of various claims, teachings, and products are common enough to make the demarcation issue pressing in many areas. The demarcation issue is therefore important in many practical applications such as the following: Healthcare: Medical science develops and evaluates treatments according to evidence of their efficiency. Pseudoscientific activities in this area give rise to inefficient and sometimes dangerous interventions. Healthcare providers, insurers, government authorities and – most importantly – patients need guidance on how to distinguish between medical science and medical pseudoscience. Expert testimony: It is essential for the rule of law that courts get the facts right. The reliability of different types of evidence must be correctly determined, and expert testimony must be based on the best available knowledge. Sometimes it is in the interest of litigants to present non-scientific claims as solid science. Therefore courts must be able to distinguish between science and pseudoscience. Environmental policies: In order to be on the safe side against potential disasters it may be legitimate to take preventive measures when there is valid but yet insufficient evidence of an environmental hazard. This must be distinguished from taking measures against an alleged hazard for which there is no valid evidence at all. Therefore, decision-makers in environmental policy must be able to distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific claims. Science education: The promoters of some pseudosciences (notably creationism) try to introduce their teachings on school curricula. Teachers and school authorities need to have clear criteria of inclusion that protect students against unreliable and disproved teachings Ancient Greek Science An early attempt at demarcation can be seen in the efforts of Greek natural philosophers and medical practitioners to distinguish their methods and their accounts of nature from the mythological or mystical accounts of their predecessors and contemporaries. Medical writers in the Hippocratic tradition maintained that their discussions were based on necessary demonstrations, a theme developed by Aristotle in his â€Å"Posterior Analytics†. One element of this polemic (passionate argument) for science was an insistence on a clear and definite presentation of arguments, rejecting the imagery, analogy, and myth of the old wisdom. Aristotle described at length what was involved in having scientific knowledge of something. To be scientific, he said, one must deal with causes, one must use logical demonstration, and one must identify the universals which ‘inhere’ in the particulars of sense. Criteria for Demarcation: Logical Positivism also known as Verificationism * Held that only statements about empirical observations and formal logical propositions are meaningful, and that statements which are not derived in this manner (including religious and metaphysical statements) are by nature meaningless. * The Viennese philosophers who introduced the positivist paradigm effectively laid the groundwork for the modern philosophy of science and one of its most important strands of thought. The early Positivists favored a rather strict approach to the demarcation and strongly affirmed the empirical nature of science, meaning that questions that cannot be empirically verified or falsified are irrelevant to scientific thought. * These philosophers, who called themselves logical positivists, argued that to produce a meaningful claim, one must always return to the tangible observations that result from that claim. * By the late 1970s, its ideas were so generally recognized to be seriously defective. Falsifiability * Proposed by Karl Popper. In his monumental book, â€Å"The Logic of Scientific Discovery† he proposed the idea that scientific hypotheses must be falsifiable; unfalsifiable hypotheses should be considered pseudoscience. Popper’s emphasis on falsifiability changed the way scientists viewed the demarcation problem, and his impact on philosophy of science was enormous. * Popper’s demarcation criterion has been criticized both for excluding legitimate science and for giving some pseudosciences the status of being scientific. Postpositivism * Thomas Kuhn, an American historian and philosopher of science, is often connected with what has been called postpositivism. * In 1962, Kuhn published The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, which depicted the development of the basic natural sciences in an innovative way. According to Kuhn, the sciences do not uniformly progress strictly by scientific method. Rather, there are two fundamentally different phases of scientific development in the sciences. In the first phase, scientists work within a paradigm (set of accepted beliefs). When the foundation of the paradigm weakens and new theories and scientific methods begin to replace it, the next phase of scientific discovery takes place. Kuhn believes that scientific progress—that is, progress from one paradigm to another—has no logical reasoning. He undermines science as a whole by arguing that what is considered science changes throughout history in such a way that there is no objective way (outside of time or place) to demarcate a scientific belief from a pseudoscientific belief. Science, Kuhn argues, is like politics: institutions believe that certain ways are better than others at different points throughout history; however, it is impossible to be more or less certain of our basic assumptions about the world. Within a democracy (a specific political paradigm) there can be progress: an economy can grow, schools can be built, and people can be given healthcare. However, if a revolution occurs and the country becomes socialist, the government is not inherently better or worse than before, but simply begins to follow a different set of assumptions. Paradigm shift * A paradigm shift is a phenomenon described by philosopher Thomas Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. * Kuhn posited a process to explain the persistence of incorrect ideas, and the seemingly rapid and sudden abandonment of these ideas when they finally are rejected. * People tend to believe in what they know, and science is basically conservative. A current â€Å"paradigm† or theory is difficult to dislodge. It takes either a large volume of evidence, or a particularly powerful single piece of evidence to overturn major scientific theories (scientific revolution). When this occurs, it is called a â€Å"paradigm shift†. Lakatos’ research programs * Imre Lakatos combined elements of Popper and Kuhn’s philosophies with his concept of research programs. Programs that succeed at predicting novel facts are scientific, while ones that fail ultimately lapse into pseudoscience. Feyerabend and Lakatos * Kuhn’s work largely called into question Popper’s demarcation, and emphasized the human, subjective quality of scientific change. Paul Feyerabend was concerned that the very question of demarcation was insidious: science itself had no need of a demarcation criterion, but instead some philosophers were seeking to justify a special position of authority from which science could dominate public discourse. Feyerabend argued that science does not in fact occupy a special place in terms of either its logic or method, and no claim to special authority made by scientists can be upheld. He argued that, within the history of scientific practice, no rule or method can be found that has not been violated or circumvented at some point in order to advance scientific knowledge. Both Lakatos and Feyerabend suggest that science is not an autonomous form of reasoning, but is inseparable from the larger body of human thought and inquiry. NOMA * The concept of Non-overlapping Magisteria is a relatively recent attempt at proposing a clear demarcation between science and religion. It explicitly restricts science to its naturalistic foundations, meaning that no conclusions about supernatural phenomena like gods may be drawn from within the confines of science. â€Å"As to the supposed ‘conflict’†¦between science and religion, no such conflict should exist because each subject has a legitimate magisterium, or domain of teaching authority—and these magisteria do not overlap.† Criteria based on scientific progress Popper’s demarcation criterion concerns the logical structure of theories. Imre Lakatos described this criterion as â€Å"a rather stunning one. A theory may be scientific even if there is not a shred of evidence in its favour, and it may be pseudoscientific even if all the available evidence is in its favour. That is, the scientific or non-scientific character of a theory can be determined independently of the facts†. Instead, Lakatos proposed a modification of Popper’s criterion that he called â€Å"sophisticated (methodological) falsificationism†. On this view, the demarcation criterion should not be applied to an isolated hypothesis or theory but rather to a whole research program that is characterized by a series of theories successively replacing each other. In his view, a research program is progressive if the new theories make surprising predictions that are confirmed. In contrast, a degenerating research programme is characterized by theories bein g fabricated only in order to accommodate known facts. Progress in science is only possible if a research program satisfies the minimum requirement that each new theory that is developed in the program has a larger empirical content than its predecessor. If a research program does not satisfy this requirement, then it is pseudoscientific. According to Paul Thagard, a theory or discipline is pseudoscientific if it satisfies two criteria. One of these is that the theory fails to progress, and the other that â€Å"the community of practitioners makes little attempt to develop the theory towards solutions of the problems, shows no concern for attempts to evaluate the theory in relation to others, and is selective in considering confirmations and disconfirmations†. A major difference between his approach and that of Lakatos is that Lakatos would classify a nonprogressive discipline as pseudoscientific even if its practitioners work hard to improve it and turn it into a progressive discipline. In a somewhat similar vein, Daniel Rothbart (1990) emphasized the distinction between the standards that should be used when testing a theory and those that should be used when determining whether a theory should at all be tested. The latter, the eligibility criteria, include that the theory should encapsulate the explanatory success of its rival, and that it should yield test implications that are inconsistent with those of the rival. According to Rothbart, a theory is unscientific if it is not testworthy in this sense. George Reisch proposed that demarcation could be based on the requirement that a scientific discipline be adequately integrated into the other sciences. The various scientific disciplines have strong interconnections that are based on methodology, theory, similarity of models etc. Creationism, for instance, is not scientific because its basic principles and beliefs are incompatible with those that connect and unify the sciences. More generally speaking, says Reisch, an epistemic field is pseudoscientific if it cannot be incorporated into the existing network of established sciences. Rejection of the Problem * Some philosophers have rejected the idea of the demarcation problem, such as Larry Laudan. Others like Susan Haack, while not rejecting the problem wholesale, argue that a misleading emphasis has been placed on the problem that results in getting stuck in arguments over definitions rather than evidence. Laudan * Larry Laudan concluded, after examining various historical attempts to establish a demarcation criterion, that â€Å"philosophy has failed to deliver the goods† in its attempts to distinguish science from non-science—to distinguish science from pseudoscience. None of the past attempts would be accepted by a majority of philosophers nor, in his view, should they be accepted by them or by anyone else. He stated that many well-founded beliefs are not scientific and, conversely, many scientific conjectures are not well-founded. 3 Major Reasons why Demarcation is sometimes difficult: * science changes over time, * science is heterogeneous and; * established science itself is not free of the defects characteristic of pseudoscience

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Culture and Identity

BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 29 CHAPTER 2 Culture and Identity BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 30 ContentsKey issues The meaning and importance of culture Dominant culture Subculture Folk culture High culture Mass, popular or low culture The changing distinction between high culture and mass culture Global culture The concept of identity Different types of identity The socialization process Primary socialization Secondary socialization Socialization and the social construction of self and identity Theoretical approaches to the role of socialization in the formation of culture and identity Structural approaches Social action approaches A third way: structuration Social class and identity Social class Life chances Objective and subjective dimensions of class Social class cultures Is social class of declining importance in forming identities? The continuing importance of social class Gender and identity Sex and gender Gender a nd biology The signi? cance of gender as a source of identity Gender stereotypes and hegemonic gender identities in Britain The social construction of hegemonic gender identities through socialization Changing gender identities 31 31 31 32 32 32 33 35 36 Is there a crisis of masculinity? Is gender still an important source of identity? 4 74 38 41 43 44 44 46 46 47 47 50 50 51 51 52 53 59 60 61 61 62 63 63 65 70 Sexuality and identity Gender, sexuality and ‘normal’ sex Changing sexual identities Stigmatized or spoiled sexual identities Gay and lesbian identities A note of caution Ethnicity and identity What is meant by an ethnic identity? Diaspora and globalization Changing ethnic identities: new ethnicities and hybrid ethnic identities Ethnicity as resistance Ethnic identities in Britain Nationality and identity What is nationality? Nationality as a source of identity What is meant by a British identity? Globalization and declining national identities A British identity crisis?Disability and identity The social construction of disability Disability, socialization and stereotyping Disability as a ‘master identity’ Disability – a stigmatized or spoiled identity: an identity of exclusion Age and identity The social construction of age Age groups and identity Leisure, consumption and identity Postmodernism and identity The creation of identity in a media-saturated society How much free choice is there in choosing identities and lifestyle? Conclusion on leisure, consumption and identity Chapter summary Key terms Exam question 76 76 76 77 77 78 79 79 80 81 82 82 87 87 88 88 91 92 93 93 94 95 95 96 96 97 100 100 101 103 109 110 111 112 BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 31 CHAPTER 2 Culture and Identity K EY I SS U ES ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? The meaning and importance of culture The concept of identity The socialization process Socialization and the social construction of self and identity Theoretical approac hes to the role of socialization in the formation of culture and identity Social class and identity Gender and identity Sexuality and identity Ethnicity and identity Nationality and identity Disability and identity Age and identity Leisure, consumption and identity The meaning and importance of culture The term ‘culture’ refers to the language, beliefs, values and norms, customs, dress, diet, roles, knowledge and skills, and all the other things that people learn that make up the ‘way of life’ of any society. Culture is passed on from one generation to the next through the process of socialization. Although there are many aspects of everyday life which are shared by most members of society, there are di? erent conceptions and de? nitions of culture within this general approach. These are discussed below.The dominant culture of a society refers to the main culture in a society, which is shared, or at least accepted without opposition, by the majority of peop le. Dominant culture The dominant culture of a society refers to the main culture in a society, which is shared, or at least accepted without opposition, by the majority of 31 BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 32 32 | Culture and Identity people. For example, it might be argued that the main features of British culture include it being white, patriarchal and unequal, with those who are white and male having things they regard as worthwhile rated as more important than those who are female or from a minority ethnic group.Similarly, those who are rich and powerful (who are mainly also white and male) are in a position to have their views of what is valuable and worthwhile in a culture regarded as more important, and given higher status, than those of others. Subculture When societies are very small, such as small villages in traditional societies, then all people may share a common culture or way of life. However, as societies become larger and more complica ted, a number of smaller groups may emerge within the larger society, with some di? erences in their beliefs and way of life. Each group having these di? erences is referred to as a subculture. Folk culture Folk culture is the culture created by local communities and is rooted in the experiences, customs and beliefs of the everyday life of ordinary people.It is ‘authentic’ rather than manufactured, as it is actively created by ordinary people themselves. Examples include traditional folk music, folk songs, storytelling and folk dances which are passed on from one generation to the next by socialization and often by direct experience. Folk culture is generally associated with pre-industrial or early industrial societies, though it still lingers on today among enthusiasts in the form of folk music and folk clubs, and the Morris dancing which features in many rural events. A subculture is a smaller culture held by a group of people within the main culture of a society, in some ways different from the main culture but with many aspects in common.Examples of subcultures include those of some young people, gypsies and travellers, gay people, different social classes and minority ethnic groups. Folk culture is the culture created by local communities and is rooted in the experiences, customs and beliefs of the everyday life of ordinary people. High culture High culture is generally seen as being superior to other forms of culture, and refers to aspects of culture that are seen as of lasting artistic or literary value, aimed at small, intellectual elites, predominantly upper-class and middleclass groups, interested in new ideas, critical discussion and analysis and who have what some might regard as ‘good taste’.High culture is seen as something set apart from everyday life, something special to be treated with respect and reverence, involving things of lasting value and part of a heritage which is worth preserving. High culture products are often found in special places, like art galleries, museums, concert halls and theatres. Examples of high culture products include serious news programmes and documentaries, classical music like that of Mozart or High culture refers to cultural products seen to be of lasting artistic or literary value, which are particularly admired and approved of by elites and the upper middle class. An elite is a small group holding great power and privilege in society. BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 33Culture and Identity Morris dancing is an example of traditional folk culture | 33 Mass culture, sometimes called popular culture or low culture, refers to cultural products produced for sale to the mass of ordinary people. These involve massproduced, standardized, short-lived products of no lasting value, which are seen to demand little critical thought, analysis or discussion. Beethoven, the theatre, opera, jazz, foreign language or specialist ‘art’ ? lms , and what has become established literature, such as the work of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen or Shakespeare, and visual art like that of Monet, Gauguin, Picasso or Van Gogh. Mass, popular or low cultureMass culture, sometimes called popular culture or low culture, is generally contrasted with high culture. This refers to everyday culture – simple, BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 34 34 | Culture and Identity Video games are an example of popular culture undemanding, easy-to-understand entertainment, rather than something ‘set apart’ and ‘special’. Mass culture is seen by many as inferior to high culture. Such aspects of culture are a product of industrial societies. They are aimed at the mass of ordinary people, but lack roots in their daily experiences as in folk culture, and are manufactured by businesses for pro? t rather than created by the community itself re? ecting its own experiences of daily life.Popular culture involves mass-produced, standardized and short-lived products, sometimes of trivial content and seen by some as of no lasting ‘artistic’ value, largely concerned with making money for large corporations, especially the mass media. Popular culture might include mass circulation magazines, extensive coverage of celebrities, ‘red top’ tabloid newspapers like the Sun or the Mirror, television soaps and reality TV shows, dramas and thrillers, rock and pop music, video games, blockbuster feature ? lms for the mass market, and thrillers bought for reading on the beach. Such culture is largely seen as passive and unchallenging, often fairly mindless entertainment, aimed at the largest number of people possible.Some Marxists argue that mass culture maintains the ideological hegemony (or the dominance of a set of ideas) and the power of the dominant social class in society. This is because the consumers of mass culture are lulled into an uncritical, undemanding pass ivity, making them less likely to challenge the dominant ideas, groups and interests in society. BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 35 Culture and Identity | 35 The changing distinction between high culture and mass culture Some now argue that the distinction between high culture and mass culture is weakening. Postmodernist writers, in particular, argue that mass markets and consumption now make the distinction between high and popular culture meaningless.There has been a huge expansion of the creative and cultural industries, such as advertising, television, ? lm, music, and book and magazine publishing. This means there is now a huge range of media and cultural products available to all. Technology in industrial societies, such as mass communication technology like the internet, music downloads, cable, satellite and digital television, ? lm and radio, printing for both mass production and personal use in the home, the global reach of modern mass media tec hnology, the mass production of goods on a world scale and easier international transportation, make all forms of culture freely available to everyone.Such technology enables original music and art and other cultural products to be consumed by the mass of people in their own homes without visiting specialized institutions like theatres or art galleries. High culture is no longer simply the preserve of cultural elites. People now have a wider diversity of cultural choices and products available to them than ever before in history, and can ‘pick and mix’ from either popular or high culture. High culture art galleries, like Tate Modern in London, are now attracting very large numbers of visitors, from very diverse backgrounds. Live opera is now available to the masses, through popular ? gures like the OperaBabes, or concerts in the park.Strinati (1995) argues that elements of high culture have now become a part of popular culture, and elements of popular culture have been incorporated into high culture, and that there is therefore no longer any real distinction between high and popular culture, and it is ever more di? cult for any one set of ideas of what is worthwhile culture to dominate in society. For example, artist Andy Warhol painted thirty pictures of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa in di? erent colours, arguing that ‘thirty was better than one’, turning high culture art into popular culture. Although Warhol’s work has been marketed to millions through postcards and posters, at the same time it is widely admired by the supporters of high culture.In 2007 there was some controversy in Britain when the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, generally seen as an institution of high culture, held ‘Kylie: The Exhibition’ – an exhibition of costumes, album covers, accessories, photos and videos from the career of the then 38-year-old pop singer Kylie Minogue. This drew widespread accusations from critics th at high culture was being ‘dumbed down’. High culture art forms are themselves increasingly being turned into products for sale in the mass market for consumption by the mass of BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 36 36 | Culture and Identity ordinary people, and there is no longer anything special about art, as it is incorporated into daily life. Technology now means mass audiences can see and study high culture products, such as paintings by artists like Van Gogh, on the internet or TV, and have their own framed print hanging on their sitting-room wall.The originals may still only be on show in art galleries and museums, but copies are available to everyone. High culture art like the Mona Lisa or Van Gogh’s Sun? owers are now reproduced on everything from socks and t-shirts to chocolates and can lids, mugs, mouse mats, tablemats, jigsaws and posters. (Visit or for some bizarre images and uses of the Mona Lisa. ) Classical music is used as a marketing tune by advertisers, and literature is turned into TV series and major mass movies, such as Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Global culture Global culture refers to the way globalization has undermined national and local cultures, with cultural products and ways of life in di? erent countries of the world becoming more alike.The same cultural and consumer products are now sold across the world, inspired by media advertising and a shared mass culture spread through a media-generated culture industry, and they have become part of the ways of life of many di? erent societies. For example, television companies sell their programmes and programme formats like Big Brother and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? globally. Companies like McDonald’s, Coca Cola, Vodaphone, Starbucks, Nescafe, Sony and Nike are now symbols that are recognized across the world, along with the consumer lifestyles and culture associated with them. As Ritzer (2004) shows, using the exampl e of the American food industry, companies and brands now operate on a global scale.For example, McDonald’s is a worldwide business, with 26,500 restaurants in more than 119 countries (in 2007), Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken operate in 100 countries, and Subway in 72 countries, with Starbucks growing at a colossal speed. It is now possible to buy an identical food product practically anywhere in the world, promoting a global culture and also weakening local cultures, as local food outlets close in the face of competition and local diets change. Combined with global marketing of ? lms, music, computer games, food and clothes, football and other consumer products, these have made cultures across the world increasingly similar, with people watching the same TV programmes and ? lms, eating the same foods, wearing the same designer clothes and labels, and sharing many aspects of their lifestyles and identities.Global culture refers to the way cultures in different countries of the world have become more alike, sharing increasingly similar consumer products and ways of life. This has arisen as globalization has undermined national and local cultures. Globalization is the growing interdependence of societies across the world, with the spread of the same culture, consumer goods and economic interests across the globe. BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 37 The Mona Lisa †¦ Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, c. 1503–1507, oil on poplar, The Louvre, Paris †¦ now has a spliff to relax and a mobile to keep in touch Mona Stoner, c. 2006, posted on internet: Fine art is now available on cubes to play with Source: The Mona Lisa is transformed into a window blindIn what ways do these pictures illustrate the erosion of the distinction between high culture and popular culture? Try to think of other examples of this BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 26/3/08 10:47 Page 38 38 | Culture and Identity Activity 1 Refer to the pictures on this page, and explain in what ways they illustrate global culture. Try to think of other consumer products that are also global. 2 In what ways do you think consuming these products also involves lifestyle choices? For example, what’s the difference between having a coffee in Starbucks and in the local cafe (apart from the coffee itself)? Explain what lifestyle you think is identi? ed with your selected products. Identify and explain, with examples, three differences between high culture, mass culture and folk culture. 4 Identify and explain three reasons why the distinction between high culture and popular culture might be weakening. Globalization means that many of the same product brands are now found in many countries of the world. The concept of identity Identity is about how individuals or groups see and de? ne themselves, and how other individuals or groups see and de? ne them. Identity is formed through the socialization process and the in? uence of social institutions like the family, the education system and the mass media. The concept of identity is an important one, as it is only through establishing our own identities and earning about the identities of other individuals and groups that we come to know what makes us similar to some people and di? erent from others, and therefore form social connections with them. How you see yourself will in? uence the friends you have, who you will marry or live with, and the communities and groups to which you relate and belong. If people did not have an identity, they would lack the means of identifying with or relating to their peer group, to their neighbours, to the communities BROWNE CH 1–4 (M1203). qxp:John Q7 3/4/08 15:49 Page 39 Culture and Identity | 39 in which they lived or to the people they came across in their everyday lives. Identity therefore ‘? ts’ individuals into the society in which they live.The identity of individuals and groups involves both e lements of personal choice and the responses and attitudes of others. Individuals are not free to adopt any identity they like, and factors like their social class, their ethnic group and their sex are likely to in? uence how others see them. The identity that an individual wants to assert and which they may wish others to see them having may not be the one that others accept or recognize. An Asian woman, for example, may not wish to be identi? ed primarily as an Asian or a woman, but as a senior manager or entertainer. However, if others still ‘Look, don’t identify me by the size and shape of my body, my social class, y job, my gender, my ethnicity, my sexuality, my nationality, my age, my religion, my education, my friends, my lifestyle, how much money I earn, the clothes I wear, the books I read, where I go shopping, the way I decorate my house, the television programmes and movies I watch, my leisure and sports activities, the car I drive, the music I listen to, the drinks I like, the food I eat, the clubs I go to, where I go on holiday, the way I speak or my accent, the things I say, the things I do, or what I believe in. I’m just me. OK? ’ continue to see her primarily in terms of her ethnic and gender characteristics, she may ? nd it di? cult to assert her chosen identity. Similarly, the pensioner who sees him or herself as ‘young at heart’ may still be regarded as an old person by others.Individuals have multiple identities, asserting di? erent identities in di? erent circumstances. An individual may, for example, de? ne herself primarily as a Muslim in her family or community, as a manager at her work, as a lesbian in her sexual life, or as a designer-drug-user in her peer group. While the example of the Muslim, lesbian, drug-taking manager might seem a somewhat unlikely mix of identities, it does suggest that it is possible for people to assert di? erent identities or impressions of themselves in di? erent soci al situations. Identities may also change over time. For example, as people grow older they may begin to see themselves as di? erent from when they were younger,

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Feral Child Essay

Feral Child Essay Feral Child Essay Smith 1 Noah Smith Ms. Pino HSP3U 11 October 2014 Mizoram’s Wild Flower Common children’s movie characters such as The Jungle Book’s Mowgli, or the character Tarzan may not seem very realistic, but in fact it is quite the opposite. These fictionalized characters millions of people have grown to love bear a striking resemblance to some real life humans. The concept of a human being raised in the wild secluded from the rest of the modern world may seem like the works of inspired Disney writers. But it is what creates such inspiration that continues to baffle and intrigue scientists around the globe. What happens to a child when it is abandoned to its own devices at an early age can be shocking, but nonetheless the stories behind such circumstances are not the work of fiction. But much rather real world happenings. The story of Chhaidy, a girl native to India is one that sheds light on the clear importance of early life socialization. Chhaidy was born in Theiva, a small village in Mizoram. She was brought up into the Maras, an Indian tribe of once revered headhunters. At age four the village of 150 homes was rocked by the disappearance of two of their children. The jungle surrounding their village had swallowed up Chhaidy and her male cousin. Five days later after near constant searching for the pair, only one returned to the village. Chhaidy was never able to be traced, it was not until 38 years later that she was finally rediscovered in the neighbouring state Myanmar. Chhaidy was Smith 2 discovered living naked in a cemetery and was adopted by a family where she lived for four years. Eventually Chhaidy was returned to her biological parents. Now 42 years old she is faced with the daunting task of resocialization. Having lost all but two words of her native tongue (Mara Dialect), she is forced to readapt to her once home. One day at the age of four Chhaidy and her cousin Beirakhu were playing in the jungle fields adjacent to their village. The duo eventually could not find their way home, due to the sever weather conditions of the jungle a massive rain storm forced the children to find shelter. The locals lost hope for the survival of the children as the chances of these two young ones surviving the night in the harsh conditions of the jungle alone were difficult to generate hope from. But the hope was revived when they searching villagers discovered the boy next to a stream in a very disturbed state. No trace of Chhaidy was found. After the boy recovered, he told the tale of their survival. In which they stumbled upon a women living in the forest who took them in. Hopes were high until the boy brought them back to where he believed the house was. The hope quickly faded away as house nor women was discovered. For the next 38 years, Chhaidy lived in near complete isolation in the jungles of India. Rumors and tales of a dubbed â€Å"Jungle Girl† spread like wild fire from camp to camp, but no hard evidence was ever given to support the claims of this naked wild child. It is rumored that Chhaidy did in fact have some human interaction when she would stumbled upon a village. Some would feed a cloth her before having this mysterious girl run back off into the wild. It is believed that during her life in the wild Chhaidy went as far as the border of China. When she was discovered, the jungle girl was wearing tattered clothing native to China. Which supports the claims of her minor human Smith 3 interaction. After being found living naked in a cemetery, the child was adopted into a family where she lived for four years. Again tales of a â€Å"Jungle Girl† being found spread through the nearby communities, eventually reaching as far as her biological parents. Their hope was renewed when they heard of this girl. The parents travelled to the village to see if this girl was in fact their long lost child. The mother was skeptical at first, but after closer examination. She

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Amendments of the Bill of Rights essays

The Amendments of the Bill of Rights essays The Bill of Rights, consisting of ten amendments, was ratified into the constitution in the year 1791. The document's purpose was to spell out the liberties of the people that the government could not infringe upon. Considered necessary by many at the time of its development, the Bill of Rights was written to protect U.S. citizens from abuse of power that may be committed by the different areas of their government. It does this by expressing clear restrictions on the three branches of government laid out previously in the Constitution. Each amendment either states what the government cannot do or limits its powers by providing certain procedures that it must abide by. The Bill of Rights expresses civil liberties-liberties that are for the people and states that the government cannot take action that would go against or infringe upon on these rights. The First Amendment guarantees the people the freedom of expression, which includes the freedoms of religion, speech, press, and assembly, as well as the right "to petition the government for a redress of grievances." The original reason for adopting the First Amendment was that the first settlers who came to the Americas in search of religious toleration and political asylum wanted to make sure that injustices would never happen again. The Second Amendment is the right to bear arms. This amendment was added to the Bill of Rights so that Congress could not pass laws to disarm state militias. The Third Amendment is the prohibition against the quartering of troops in private homes. The Fourth, Fifth and Sixth amendments all protect a person who is a suspect in crime from being treated unfairly. The Fourth Amendment prevents against unlawful search and seizure. It prevents police and other government officials from searching people's homes, offices, and from seizing their property wit hout reasonable grounds to believe that a crime has been committed. The Fifth Amendment has five important p...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Dubai - Ten Geographic Facts

Dubai - Ten Geographic Facts Dubai is the largest emirate based on the population of the United Arab Emirates. As of 2008, Dubai had a population of 2,262,000. It is also the second largest emirate (behind Abu Dhabi) based on land area. Dubai is located along the Persian Gulf and it is considered to be within the Arabian Desert. The emirate is known around the world as a global city as well as a business center and financial center. Dubai is also a tourist destination due to its unique architecture and construction projects like the Palm Jumeirah, an artificial collection of islands constructed in the Persian Gulf to resemble a palm tree. The following is a list of ten more geographic facts to know about Dubai: The first mention of the Dubai region dates back to 1095 in the Andalusian-Arab geographer Abu Abdullah al Bakris Book of Geography. By the late 1500s, Dubai was known by traders and merchants for its pearl industry.In the early 19th century, Dubai was officially established but it was a dependent of Abu Dhabi until 1833. On January 8, 1820, the sheikh of Dubai signed the General Maritime Peace Treaty with the United Kingdom. The treaty gave Dubai and the other Trucial Sheikhdoms as they were known protection by the British military.In 1968, the U.K. decided to end the treaty with the Trucial Sheikhdoms. As a result, six of them Dubai included formed the United Arab Emirates on December 2, 1971. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Dubai began to grow considerably as it gained revenue from oil and trading.Today Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two of the strongest emirates in the United Arab Emirates and as such, they are the only two that have veto power in the countrys federal legislature. Dubai has a strong economy that was built on the oil industry. Today however only a small portion of Dubais economy is based on oil, while the majority is focused on real estate and construction, trade and financial services. India is one of Dubais largest trading partners. In addition, tourism and the related service-sector are other large industries in Dubai.As mentioned, real estate is one of the major industries in Dubai, and it is also a part of the reason why tourism is growing there. For example, the worlds fourth tallest and one of the most expensive hotels, the Burj al Arab, was built on an artificial island off the coast of Dubai in 1999. In addition, luxury residential structures, including the tallest man-made structure the Burj Khalifa or Burj Dubai, are located throughout Dubai.Dubai is located on the Persian Gulf and it shares a border with Abu Dhabi to the south, Sharjah to the north and Oman to the southeast. Dubai also has an exclave called Hatta which is located ab out 71 miles (115 km) east of Dubai in the Hajjar Mountains. Dubai originally had an area of 1,500 square miles (3,900 sq km) but due to land reclamation and the construction of the artificial islands, it now has a total area of 1,588 square miles (4,114 sq km).Dubais topography mainly consists of fine, white sandy deserts and a flat coastline. East of the city, however, there are sand dunes that are made up of darker reddish sand. Farther east from Dubai is the Hajjar Mountains which are rugged and undeveloped.The climate of Dubai is considered hot and arid. Most of the year is sunny and summers are extremely hot, dry and sometimes windy. Winters are mild and do not last long. The average August high temperature for Dubai is 106ËšF (41ËšC). Average temperatures are over 100ËšF (37ËšC) from June through September however, and the average January low temperature is 58ËšF (14ËšC).

Saturday, October 19, 2019

White Collar Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

White Collar Crime - Essay Example White collar crimes are a major threat to economic development in any country or society, as they are much more difficult to track and prevent. This is due to the fact that they are perpetrated by men and women of high social status and integrity, who use positions entrusted to them to facilitate criminal activities either for personal or corporate gains. Such crimes include and not limited to corruption, identity theft, tax evasion and embezzlement among others such as money laundering (Simon & Eitzen, 2000). This paper is a critical evaluation of white collar crimes as compared to conventional crimes. White Collar Crimes White-collar crime is a terminology which was first used by Edwin Sutherland to define criminal activities perpetrated by men and women of high social status, whose occupations facilitate them with an avenue to commit crime (Friedrichs, 2003). In this context, these people use their positions and influence to attain financial gains at the expense of their employers . For example, a government minister may use his position to influence the awarding of tenders in his or her ministry, so as to favor certain individuals who would be willing to reward the minister for doing so. This may be done at the expense of other more deserving and experienced contractors. In such a circumstance, the minister will have committed a serious white-collar crime punishable by law i.e. corruption. One of the major characteristics of this type of crime is that it is nonviolent. This is due to the fact that it occurs in a legitimate environment in which the perpetrator will seem to be conducting normal business (Pontell, 2002). For example, a traffic police officer carries out the duties of ensuring that road users obey and observe traffic rules. In the course of performing his duties, he may be forced to arrest a driver for breaking one of the rules. In this context, the officer by virtue of his position as a law enforcer has two choices which he can make i.e. either to arrest and detain the driver or to come to an agreement which may entail accepting money in exchange with the driver’s freedom i.e. accepting bribery. This is as opposed to conventional crimes, such as robbery, murder, rape among others, which are committed with a sense of violence in them. This is due to the fact that in such crimes, perpetrators have to contest with their victims so as to benefit from the process. A bank robber for example will have to use a gun so as to scare his victims and if he feels threatened, he may be forced to shoot. The same case happens to rapists and carjackers, who must use force so as to subdue their victims. Based on these issues, it becomes much easier for these crimes to be detected as they will always involve witnesses, who in turn will report to the authorities (Reiman, 1998). On the contrary, white collar crimes are difficult to detect and therefore will mostly go unreported maybe until when it is too late. For example, a person may not have to appear physically in a bank so as to commit robbery. In this computer era, one may use his technical knowledge to access accounts online by the way of hacking, mostly on credit cards, and make purchases without the knowledge of the card holder (Newman & Clarke, 2003). This makes it difficult for the police to arrest the culprits unlike when they are confronted with a hostage situation. In this context, white collar crimes are perpetrated by people with opportunity and technical knowhow, thus making them much more complex as compared to other conventional crimes. As the rate of white collar crimes continue to increase, the society at large continues to suffer the consequences. For example, it is estimated that the US government loses more than $300 billion, on annual basis, to these crimes, which include tax evasion by wealthy individuals (Pontell, 2002). Such money could be used to improve the lives of

Friday, October 18, 2019

Consequences of High Incarceration Rate Term Paper - 1

Consequences of High Incarceration Rate - Term Paper Example Research addressing the impact of parental incarceration on children has identified developmental, emotional, psychological, social, educational, and behavioral consequences for these children (Trice & Brewster, 2004). There is some consensus in the literature identifying some of the serious, detrimental consequences for children of all ages who experience parental incarceration. These issues must be identified and addressed as children of incarcerated parents are viewed as a unique, group with special service needs. The Bureau of Justice Statistics in an August 2000 special report identified a total of 1,284,894 prisoners of which, 721,500 were parents. Within this group of incarcerated parents, 46% resided with at least one minor child at the time of incarceration (Mumola, 2001). Of this group of parents incarcerated, 32% reported having more than one child less than 18 years of age (Mumola, 2001) and 37% reported living with their children in the month previous to their arrest (Mu mola, 2001). In the same year, 2.1 percent of the 72 million minors in the United States in 1999 had a parent in prison, which represents almost 1.5 million children (Harrison & Beck, 2006). Fathers were less likely to report living with their children prior to incarceration than mother, (47% federal inmates versus 73%). Of fathers imprisoned in 1999, reported the childs mother was their primary caregiver 90% of the time where as only 28% of incarcerated mothers cited their childs father as the primary caretaker (Mumola, 2001).

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Operations Management - Essay Example In addition, it encompasses proper overseeing of all processes involved in the conversion of raw materials into finished goods. For smooth association among all the levels of management works and professional ethics should be recognized and practiced. Indeed, proper initializing and implementing of management operations from the primary motivating factor for the company in its bid to achieve desired goals. In most cases, there are two levels of management. They include higher-level officers and line officers. The higher-level official carry out the roles of shaping the company’s strategy whereas the line official make tactical decisions intended to support the initialization and implementation of the strategy. The company This paper intends to examine the Abu Dhabi national hotels company. It opened its doors 30 years ago and it has consistently sustained high level of operations management that has seen it grow to high levels (EDITORS OF TIME OUT, 2011). The superior and exem plary customer service offered together with the element of design and architecture has been the pillar factors for the unprecedented continuity characterized by rapid expansion across the globe. Operation management systems This paper intends to examine the operations management system appreciated in the company. ... he management operations systems of the Abu Dhabi Company involve the management department, tourism services division and the purchasing divisions (EDITORS OF TIME OUT, 2011). The management of the company endeavors in providing bespoke, understated luxury and circumspect, attentive service in a modish and elegant ambience. This statement forms the mission of the company, which has continually motivated both the employees in low levels and the managerial team to work towards achieving this noble objective. The weakness of the management system The internal control systems are weak in the sense that the audit trail is not subsequent in most cases and this result to relatively larger material omissions. The internal control systems on purchasing, and sales of raw materials and food products respectively, cannot facilitate proper trailing of transactions and this contributes to lack of transparency and accountability (CHEN, 2009). This situation does not exactly enable reporting of the rue and fair position of the company. In fact small, numerous immaterial omissions form material omissions, which are significant in determining the true position of the company. Mission and vision The mission, of the Abu Dhabi Company is â€Å"Experienced Management for the Abu Dhabi Tourism Industry†. The values believed by the Abu Dhabi hotel and resort include integrity, respect and service excellence. The vision of the company is â€Å"Discover the pinnacle of service and hospitality among Abu Dhabi Hotels. The mission mentions the company but does not touch on anything doing with the clientele and products. Similarly, the mission does not mention of the channels applied when transporting goods to clients (EDITORS OF TIME OUT, 2011). Priorities of the company The competition should be

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example In short we can say that there is no satisfactory outcome of an ethical dilemma and despite this, decisions have to be made. The outcome of the ethical dilemma affects both the subject and object leaving both unhappy at the end of the day. How I became Aware of the Term: I came to know about the ethical dilemmas and its severity when a lady in my neighborhood faced this situation. Let us call the lady ABC. She was pregnant and belonged to Jehovah Witnesses Sect of religion. Unfortunately she met an accident in which she lost her blood. When she was brought to the hospital her breathing rate was 28/m and she was complaining about weakness in the head. After careful evaluation and several different tests including ultrasonography the doctors suggested blood transfusion to save her and the baby. The situation became worst when she refused to accept blood as it was against her religion. Doctors suggested other ways of blood gain like blood products but she refused both the methods on rel igious grounds. In her worst situation she delivered a baby. But after two hours her condition became even worst and she died of cardiac arrest. The doctors were bound to follow the religious ethics as they could not do anything against anyone’s religion. This is a complete and true example of ethical dilemma. The Dilemma: â€Å"The major ethical dilemma was that by honoring the patient's autonomy and religious beliefs, the physicians and interdisciplinary team were faced with compromising their moral duty to administer professional care in accordance with established standards.†Ã‚  (Chua & Tham, 2006). ANA Code of Ethics and the Facility at the Hospital: While treating her, the Doctors were bound to follow a particular principle of ANA code of Ethics; that is to respect and honor the religious beliefs of the patients. Preserving her religious values, the doctors did not infuse blood and at the end she died. The provision of ANA code of Ethics further highlight that th e ‘nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient’ and hence, all other factors become meaningless once the patient gives consent to the treatment, in our case it could be an acceptance of blood diffusion. Both the parties were affected by following the ANA code of ethics, the Doctor and the patient with her family. The ethical dilemma relating to the religious beliefs of the patients are complex in nature. The religious and social beliefs, if not handled properly, may give rise to other ethical threats like discriminatory practices, bias on religious basis and so on. Any attempt to force or taking uninformed health saving practice poses a greater risk to the nursing profession leading to a deterioration of reputation of nurses. Hence, there is a strong relationship between a religious factor and the abidance of ANA code of ethics in making decisions when the patient’s life is at stake. Under such circumstances, a nurse must use his/her convincing abilities through proper communication with the patients and their families. The decision, however, lies with the caretakers and the patients regarding practices that are against their will, religion or social norms. The nurse has a responsibility of confidentiality towards the patient as per ANA code of ethics. In order to convince the patient on blood

Devil's Knot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Devil's Knot - Essay Example They arrested the three teenagers only on the basis of doubt and items possessed. Interrogation was done without the presence of any of the parents of the three teenagers or even the attorney. The crime seen was repeatedly changed and re recorded from the three teenagers to suite the situation and the time of the murder so that the post mortem report should also match the same time as recorded by the police. At one point the boy said they skipped the school and the murder took place in the afternoon, which did not match the murder time, and so they were encouraged to change the time of the murder. The crime sent shock waves to the entire Arkansas City and terrible tragedy what these three little boys went though before their deaths had to be painful terror. The stepfather of one of the accused was very abusive and always lied and was very much ready for the cameras always and the Press thought that this stepfather was involved with the police. The police than to accept the crime that they never committed left the three teenagers with no option. As the interrogation continued the case caught a wild fire by the press and the media and always featured as breaking news by the TV and new paper. Feeling the pressure the police had to bring the accused before the press show every body that they are already on the job.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Ethical Dilemma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Dilemma - Essay Example In short we can say that there is no satisfactory outcome of an ethical dilemma and despite this, decisions have to be made. The outcome of the ethical dilemma affects both the subject and object leaving both unhappy at the end of the day. How I became Aware of the Term: I came to know about the ethical dilemmas and its severity when a lady in my neighborhood faced this situation. Let us call the lady ABC. She was pregnant and belonged to Jehovah Witnesses Sect of religion. Unfortunately she met an accident in which she lost her blood. When she was brought to the hospital her breathing rate was 28/m and she was complaining about weakness in the head. After careful evaluation and several different tests including ultrasonography the doctors suggested blood transfusion to save her and the baby. The situation became worst when she refused to accept blood as it was against her religion. Doctors suggested other ways of blood gain like blood products but she refused both the methods on rel igious grounds. In her worst situation she delivered a baby. But after two hours her condition became even worst and she died of cardiac arrest. The doctors were bound to follow the religious ethics as they could not do anything against anyone’s religion. This is a complete and true example of ethical dilemma. The Dilemma: â€Å"The major ethical dilemma was that by honoring the patient's autonomy and religious beliefs, the physicians and interdisciplinary team were faced with compromising their moral duty to administer professional care in accordance with established standards.†Ã‚  (Chua & Tham, 2006). ANA Code of Ethics and the Facility at the Hospital: While treating her, the Doctors were bound to follow a particular principle of ANA code of Ethics; that is to respect and honor the religious beliefs of the patients. Preserving her religious values, the doctors did not infuse blood and at the end she died. The provision of ANA code of Ethics further highlight that th e ‘nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient’ and hence, all other factors become meaningless once the patient gives consent to the treatment, in our case it could be an acceptance of blood diffusion. Both the parties were affected by following the ANA code of ethics, the Doctor and the patient with her family. The ethical dilemma relating to the religious beliefs of the patients are complex in nature. The religious and social beliefs, if not handled properly, may give rise to other ethical threats like discriminatory practices, bias on religious basis and so on. Any attempt to force or taking uninformed health saving practice poses a greater risk to the nursing profession leading to a deterioration of reputation of nurses. Hence, there is a strong relationship between a religious factor and the abidance of ANA code of ethics in making decisions when the patient’s life is at stake. Under such circumstances, a nurse must use his/her convincing abilities through proper communication with the patients and their families. The decision, however, lies with the caretakers and the patients regarding practices that are against their will, religion or social norms. The nurse has a responsibility of confidentiality towards the patient as per ANA code of ethics. In order to convince the patient on blood

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Vaccinations and autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Vaccinations and autism - Essay Example According to them, the exposure to mercury preservative called in thimerosal increase the autism of contracting the autism spectrum disorder. Moreover, this paper examines the studies on this topic to suggest a different realities and truth. Vaccination plays a critical role in the society in reducing the cost, diseases, and loss of human life. The government and society incur direct medical cost and vaccination plays a role in reducing the direct cost immeasurably (Solt, 2010). In essence, vaccination reduces the cost of treating medical complications caused by preventable diseases. The societal cost such as special education for children with special needs, supplies in the hospitals, and loss of productivity is huge. Studies and research have shown that publication to link vaccination and autism is a pipe dream and replete to failure. There is a widespread of misinformation on the effects of vaccination to human health. Propaganda has been spread that vaccination is a family planning method introduced to developing nation. Moreover, other people give personal accounts of contracting autism and other condition after vaccination. Misinformation can lead to contraction of preventable diseases hence the need of societal involvement in the debate (Stanovich, 2007). The global increase in the spread of autism diagnosis is caused by the increased awareness and diagnostic criteria. This has increased the perception that exposure to vaccines leads to autism. Research conducted by price and colleagues (2010) explored the correlation between prenatal and infant ethylmercury exposure from immuglobulin preparation. The study established that vaccination does not cause autism spectrum disorders as suggested by politicians and other lobby groups. The research asserts that there is no solid evidence that support the fact that vaccination and exposure to thimerosal causes autism. In essence, the

Monday, October 14, 2019

Spreadsheet project Essay Example for Free

Spreadsheet project Essay The user of my spreadsheet is a games company owner who needs to collect and distribute data to predict capital expense of wages for the future. They need to be able to see the expenses of their company and how, if the input into the spreadsheet is altered, the output is changed also. My spreadsheet is a model that simulates the real thing. As a company owner, the user should be able to record the various categories of income and expense and decide their course of action depending on how the store is doing on the spreadsheet. It should allow the user to make comparisons of profit/loss for that particular week, month or year. However, I will be going through this product as though I were the user and make references to the actual user of real life at appropriate times. I will be presenting the worksheets over a time span of a month so as not to make it too complex to understand. The product is aimed at the soul user of the system, which will be the storeowner. The name of my company is called Nintendo Universe. My company designs computer games for a number of consoles that we build. We sell accessories along with toys and magazines. We are basically a wholesaler selling our components to other big businesses. Our main headquarters is in California, America. We have a second headquarter in Tokyo, Japan. We have various factories and warehouses that produce and store these products and export them to big businesses on request. I have a total of 480 employees, out of which 100 are employed for the headquarters. Two hundred staff members are in the two production factories. The rest of my staff works in the various warehouses. I am the sole owner of the company. As this is a large trading enterprise, I have chosen to have a board of directors who are assigned various shared responsibilities and they own percentages of share in the company. As the executive director I overlook at all aspects of the business and with the help of my associate directors we try to promote sale, reduce loss, supervise the role of our employees and ensure that the company is run smoothly. Therefore they have a rotating system that will benefit and make our employees job easier. They are currently doing very well financially and may soon have to expand my business. This will in effect mean more vacancies and hopefully in the long run more profit. The problem is that Nintendo have been using manual methods such as using pen and paper and storing staffs information in cabinets. Therefore I will be creating a new and improved method of storing information better than their previous manual methods. With the current system the company is unable to do this because it is impractical and will take a lot of time just to find out the results for one small criteria but with the new system answers to many criteria changes can be found instantly. The companys current situation will have to be taken into account, this will be achieved through an interview with the people concerned after which the advantages and disadvantages must be studied. Each cell in a spreadsheet has its own address. For instance the intersection with column D with row 4 will give a cell with the address D4. (As shown above) Spreadsheet grids are frequently very large and only a small section of the sheet can be viewed on the screen at any one time. One sheet can be linked to another, so that as data is changed in one sheet, the other sheet is automatically brought up to date. The Formulas entered in a spreadsheet can refer to absolute data (fixed data) e. g. the price of a can drink is fixed at any time or relative data e. g. the time taken to drink 1 can will vary from time to time. Spreadsheets also have Macros, which are a set of commands recorded by the computer, which then can be replayed whenever the user wishes. These are particularly useful for tasks that will over and over again. Excel (Spreadsheet program) is able to use database features such as querying this is called filtering. This is something, which only sophisticated spreadsheets have. Why you need to use a spreadsheet: A spreadsheet is a powerful tool for experimenting with different mathematical models and asking What if! It can calculate totals and averages in a matter of few seconds whereas a manual system will take longer and is more likely to carry a higher percentage of human error. A spreadsheet also has the ability of formatting and displaying the results in different ways. It also comes with a library of formulae and functions as part of the program. The formulaes assist us in financial calculations, handling dates and times, for mathematical and statistical work and for logical expressions (e.  g. the SUM function and IF statement). Recalculation in a spreadsheet can be set manually or automatically which is not possibly if we were to do this by a manual system. What spreadsheet offers the business? : Spreadsheets will offer the business a lot because it will be much easier and reliable than manual methods. Features such as being able to copy formulas, change data without redoing formulas or losing original figures, produce graphs and copy into other packages are just some reasons as to why my business will benefit from the use of spreadsheet programs. These programs will also be a great benefit to me personally seeing as I deal with the finances I will be able to do calculations much quicker than using manual methods i. e. calculators. I could also receive and give stock orders between the branches more easily by linking with the other branches via Internet or another networking system. Finally spreadsheets are a more accurate representation of real life unlike manual methods. This in affect means being able to view the data in forms of currency, weight, distance etc and also being able t print out this information for reference. Access: If you are going to run an organization like the one in hand then a database program will not be very help towards your purposes because it does not have the ability/function to work out in depth, sophisticated, long calculations which you the user will need to work out calculations e. g. wages, overtime, working hours, profits/losses. It is also hard to access and very complicated to use. However it does provide an easy access to every particular thing under any field. The table is accurate and neat and already created for you to use. It also prevents from time consuming in every area. Access is used for storing, sorting and being able to easily retrieve certain types of data, this type of software is used for compiling information on customers, items etc. and being able to track, change and even rearrange the data. Why not to use a Database: A database is a collection of related data items, which are linked and structured so that the data can be accessed. It is designed to hold information and extract the relevant information very quickly. This program is not fully designed to carry out calculations, which a spreadsheet can perform. Therefore both programs are highly specific in the type of jobs they are designed to do. Desktop publishing: This is used for designing templates and presentations, using colour, clipart, and photographs. In this application a mixture of word/writing and pictures or designs are used. This type of software is used mainly to layout newspapers or magazines and other presentations, it is also in use to design web pages.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Comprehensive perspective of radical feminism

Comprehensive perspective of radical feminism In Rosemarie Putnam Tongs book, Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction, she describes the perspective of radical feminism. By splitting radical feminism into two different parts, the radical-libertarian feminists and the radical-cultural feminists, Tong shows how two parties that have the same basic theory and goal can have significant differences. In the beginning of the chapter, Tong points out that a feminist must insist the sex/gender system is the fundamental cause of womens oppression (Tong, p. 46). This differs from the liberal view of feminism because the radical feminists want an entirely new system opposed to working with the system for change. Tong illustrates two very different methods for achieving a solution to womens oppression, the radical-libertarian and the radical-cultural feminists. The radical-libertarian feminists oppose the concept of femininity and all things including reproductive, mothering and sexual roles. They believed in an androgynous society which combines both masculine and feminine characteristics exemplified by society. This expressed radical feminists original desire to transcend the limits of the sex/gender system by daring women to be masculine as well as feminine (Tong, p. 47). The radical-cultural feminists differs from radical-libertarian because it rejects masculinity and encourages women to be more like women and emphasizes the values and virtues associated with women (Tong, p. 47). Both methods have conflicting ideas about sex, reproduction, and mothering. The radical-libertarians believe in all forms of sexual expression and freedom as long as pleasure is achieved for both parties. Any form of sexual restriction is looked at as cruel (Tong, p. 62). Pornography is looked at as a way to control sexuality (p. 68). On the other hand, the radical-cultural feminists see male sexuality as flawed (Tong, p.62). When looking at reproduction and mothering, radical-libertarian feminists look at reproduction as a weakness. They are also against biological motherhood and prefer reproduction to be done artificially. Radical-cultural feminists see reproduction as a womans source of power, hence men always trying to control it. The best choice is for women to be mothers on their own terms (Tong, p. 80-81). Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger was one of the cornerstone representatives of radical feminist movement of the twentieth century. In her book, Woman and the New Race, Sanger discusses birth control and womens rights to her own body. As she states clearly in the beginning of the section, no woman can call herself free who does not own and control her body. No woman can call herself free until she can choose consciously whether she will or will not be a mother (Sanger, 138). Sanger compares both man and woman and the effects of pregnancy on both of them. Though men do suffer from the consequences of the situation, Sanger feels women suffer much more. The woman is the one who has to face the physical difficulty of bearing and rearing the unwanted children (Sanger, p. 139). Like many liberal feminists, Sanger touches on the fact that a change needs to be made. Unlike other feminists though, Sanger took action. Regardless of what is right, the fact is that women will never gain freedom until women take it for themselves. Women should not accept but challenge as pointed out by Sanger. Instead of looking into the past like most of society would, look at what should be. Before it is a mans problem, it is a women and she should therefore be able to decide for herself (Sanger, p. 139). Birth control is womans problem. The quicker she accepts it as hers alone, the quicker will society respect motherhood (Sanger, p. 139). Sanger brings up an important fact about motherhood. No one can enjoy something they never really wanted in the first place. By giving women the right to choose, society is making it more likely for woman to be satisfied and enjoy motherhood. By just giving woman the choice is a satisfying enough step for Sanger. This relates to radical feminism in that as Tong stated earlier, Sanger wanted a completely new system of womens right to her own body rather than just fixing what society saw as acceptable (Sanger, p.139). Kate Milletts Theory of Sexual Politics relates to radical feminism by showing how thoroughly culture and society are dominated by men. The central thesis to this theory of sexual politics is that when one group rules another, the relationship between the two is political. When this is carried out over a long period of time it develops into a belief. She defined sex as a status category that contained political implications. Such areas in society like the military, industry, technology, universities, science, political office, finance, and police force are all powered by males (Millett, p. 219). Politics equals power and according to Millet, males dominate female and elder males dominate younger (Millett, p. 220). Millet also touches point on democracies, aristocracy, and patriarchy. In a democracy, females have not held office except in small areas. This differs from an aristocracy in that women are permitted to hold power and the elder male rule is not present either. In a patriarchy, men hold power over women, children, and most areas of society (Millett, p. 220). Milletts beliefs of sexual politics can be related to Tongs original theory of radical feminism. Millet wished to destroy the sex/gender system and create a new society where men and women are equal throughout society. Millett also believed in the idea of androgyny and that it was only valid if feminine and masculine qualities are worthy enough separately (Tong, p. 51). This androgynous person must combine the balance of the best masculine and feminine characteristics (Tong, p.53). Tong ends chapter two with a critique of radical feminism. This theory of women is shown to be fascinated by roles and stereotypes that ignore the flaws of women. It is also described as being a historical by social feminists. Radical Feminism is the root to womens oppression. Women realize their strength and power and want society to acknowledge that. Women are given few choices in a male dominated society. Sanger and Millett focus on the lack of choices when dealing with birth control and political power. Both want a change and an entirely new system.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Evil Actions of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Shakespeares Play Essa

Macbeth is a tragedy written by Shakespeare roughly between the years 1603 and 1606. It was a play written following the death of Queen Elizabeth. The king at the time - James I of England/King James VI of Scotland was known to be a big supporter of theatre, witchcraft and demonology. Shakespeare and his associates soon into their career became known as the King’s men. The Kings ancestry was traced back to Banquo, a character from the play. At the beginning, Macbeth is spoken about by the three witches and we can tell that Macbeth must have had a reputation for being popular. He is called ‘brave Macbeth’; and is involved in bloody conflicts. Described as the hero, we learn that Macbeth himself killed Macdonwald in a battle that could have gone either way without the help of Macbeth’s talent on the battlefield. He is also portrayed as a heartfelt and caring man, when he himself decides that it is the wrong thing to do to murder the country’s own king – Duncan so that he can be king like the witches said. Everything about his character near the start of the play is good, and it seems as though he was the person people idolised at the time. Lady Macbeth gets a letter from Macbeth, in which she learns that the three witches had told Macbeth his destiny was to become King. ‘All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Glamis!’ ‘All hail, Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor!’ ‘All hail, Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!’ She thinks that Macbeth is too weak to do anything about confirming this prophecy, and as a result decided to transforms herself instead, hoping that with her support, Macbeth will allow the witches’ predictions to come true. She enters the play confident and ready for anything that tried to get in her ... ...t this is what they wanted to be, and what they thought they were for a while. However, when it came down to doing the dirty work, they couldn’t pull it off and they realized that they just weren’t those kinds of people. We know that Lady Macbeth couldn’t make it, because she committed suicide in the end from an â€Å"illness† caused by the murder; and Macbeth didn’t really want to become that way in the first place and was just influenced by his wife. I think that Lady Macbeth got caught up in the thought of her husband being the king, and she believed that she could become evil and that she was strong enough; but, in the end, she wasn’t, and Macbeth, rather than separating from her, letting down his wife and not getting involved in the evil acts Lady Macbeth thought she was capable of, went along with it, and in the end got killed from the acts of their selfishness.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Hard Times Essay

Mr Gradgrind says ‘ is it satisfactory to me†¦ to know that you do not come to the consideration of that question with the previous habits of mind, and habits of life, that belongs to many young women’ in reference to fancy and emotion when deciding whether to marry Mr Bounderby or not. Later on in the page we are told that Louisa was ‘ compelled to throw herself upon his breast and give him the pent-up confidences of her heart’. However this doesn’t happen because Mr Gradgrind fails to see it. This is because of the ‘artificial barriers’ that have been set up between him and his daughter and these barriers are primarily fact and his utilitarian views. It is a utilitarian view because he believes the decision should not be made based on the individual happiness of Louisa but on what will be best for everyone and therefore looking past her. It also is criticising Utilitarians and Mr Gradgrind through the use of dramatic irony in the sense that we see that Loo yearns to talk to her father but he doesn’t and we are criticising his inability to see it. The barriers being set up are metaphorical barriers he has put between himself and his daughter emotionally to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The barriers are themselves blocking out ‘subtle essences of humanity’ with reference to fancy. By saying that fancy is an essence of humanity in accompaniment with Gradgrind’s will to get rid of fact we see that Dickens is showing us that utilitarian principles strip us of these essences of humanity and therefore de-humanises us. Furthermore it is a very human ideal for a daughter to confide with her father or parent in general but here Louisa has been stripped of that showing us even more then de-humanising qualities of fact. Dickens then goes on to say that these subtle essences of humanity ‘will elude the utmost cunning of algebra until the last trumpet†¦ blow even algebra to wreck’ saying to us that fancy and emotion will always beat fact. The ‘last trumpet’ is judgement day so Dickens is saying that fancy will win until the end of eternity. This passage clearly shows Dickens preferences to emotion and how he feels it is superior although he does give fact some credit when he says ‘blow even algebra’ as if algebra is a tough subject to blow. Then dickens talks about how ‘with his†¦ utilitarian†¦ face he hardened her again’ telling us that utilitarianism is hardening Loo. First of all this builds sympathy for Loo because we were told earlier that Loo wanted to throw herself upon her father but she cant because of the barriers and is hardened again and secondly builds up our dislike for Gradgrind and utilitarianism more because of its hardening qualities.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

HAPA children Essay

The present paper describes the results extracted from qualitative naturalistic ethnographic observation that was conducted among the sample of college students, both multi- (â€Å"Hapa†) and monoracial, to investigate their childhood experiences in regard to racial identity. The research immersed the concepts of â€Å"race† as a new social construct and of multiracial identity against the three coping strategies: a race-conscious, a race-neutral, and a class-conscious one. To reflect the multiplicity and worthiness of individual responses, the method of in-depth interview was chosen. Results showed that there is strong correlation between racial identity in comfortable/uncomfortable self-positioning and the socio-economic status of the family, psychological climate within a family, the presence/absence of role-models, and the degree of racial awareness in the broader (school) context. More research is needed to assess the type of correlation between multiracial identity in regard to â€Å"Hapa† children and educational level of their parents, the period of naturalization in the current locality, and gender of â€Å"Hapa† subjects, as well as the effect of coping strategies on multiracial identity. Introduction The word race refers to a class of people who are perceived as physically unique on the basis of certain traits, such as skin color, hair texture, and facial features. These unique features allow people to distinguish others’ origins based on their appearance. However, when interracial marriage became more popular, the population of mixed-raced children increased dramatically, and people can no longer identify others’ race based on their appearance. Interracial relationships became a trend and part of American culture. The U.   S. earlier census established six categories for race: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, White, and Hispanic or Latino. However, in the 2000 Census there were already sixty-three categories for race (there were eleven subcategories under â€Å"Hispanic ethnicity† alone). Interracial marriages include unions among these 63 groups. Regardless of what types of ethnic groups are involved in the relationships, one important outcome of these relationships is children. An identity crisis has become the most debated issue about mixed-raced children. The research will focus on the identity development of one distinct mixed-raced group, the Hapa. â€Å"Hapa† is a Hawaiian word used to describe half-Hawaiian mixed-raced children. Nowadays, the word â€Å"Hapa† has become a popular term to describe half Asian and half White children. The research will compare the differences in developing identity between Hapa children (a mixed-raced group) and children of a single race. It is argued here that Hapa children tend to have a harder time when developing their identity in comparison to children of a single race. Cross’ model of Black racial identity development (Cross, 1971; found in Tatum, 2004, p. 117+) was adopted to assess individual perceptions and experiences in regard to race and identity within a sample of college students. Modern discourse on the issues of race and multiraciality was analyzed to identify four possible sets of factors (socio-economic status, the SES, acculturation, national origin, and demographic characteristics; in Morning, 2001, p. 61+) affecting self-identification in a race-biased context. The U. S. college students were recruited to participate in the survey on the point. The present research fits into the paradigm of qualitative, naturalistic and ethnographic research (Boas, 1943; Blumer, 1969; Lincoln and Guba, 1985; Woods, 1992; LeCompte and Preissle, 1993; in Cohen et al. , 2000, p. 136). (3) It is qualitative since it operates non-numeric data, i. e. the data is derived from observations and conversations and not from statistic analysis. The aforementioned respondents shared their feelings and attitudes on the point of racial issues in political, cultural, and social spheres in regard to phenotypical and ideological conceptualizations of â€Å"race. † The research is naturalistic since the testing of hypotheses took place in natural and naturalistic environments as opposed to artificial and controlled settings such as laboratories. The research is ethnographic since it dealt with people in their variety and subjectivity of perceptions but still constituting a cultural group (â€Å"Hapas†). Thus, the key characteristics of qualitative, naturalistic and ethnographic research being the set of flexible constructions of meanings on the issue of â€Å"race† taken by the â€Å"insiders† of a community can be observed here. The present research paper is structured along the traditional model. In the Literature review section, current interpretations of race, multiraciality and identity development are analyzed to be applied further to the current research. In the Method section, the research strategies and tools of the present investigation are discussed within the framework of qualitative, naturalistic and ethnographic investigation. In the subsequent sections, the data collected through the questionnaires and interviews is discussed. The Conclusion section summarizes the facts revealed in the survey and restates the hypothesis to arrive at the implications for the further study and practice in regard to the issues of race and identity. Literature review Spencer underlined that multiracial identity is deeply rooted in the assumptions â€Å"that race exists and that the offspring of persons from two different racial groups is a multiracial individual† (1999, p. 88). There is a popular concept of phenotypes or â€Å"physical expressions of genetic inheritances† (Ifekwunigwe, 2004, p. 4) lying in the foundation of the theory about human races. Recently, however, more and more researchers have started to argue the notion of â€Å"discrete or pure biological ‘races’† (Jones 1996, Rose et al. 1984; in Ifekwunigwe, 2004, p. 3). They stressed the importance of internal differences that persisted within a group modeled as a solid biological race. The modern concept of racial formation predicts that race is a social construct to a greater extent than a biological one. Ropp drew a bottom line in the argument stating that multiracial subjects did not fit into the biological race network (2004, p. 263). Omi and Winant defined the process of racial formation as â€Å"the socio-historical process by which racial categories are created, inhabited, transformed, and destroyed† (1994, p. 55). In the first edition of the book, they argued that â€Å"racialization [is the] extension of racial meaning to a previously racially unclassified relationship, social practice of group† (Omi & Winant, 1986, p. 64). Williams stressed that â€Å"races have been socially constructed in such a way that they have remained separate, monoracially-boundaried, exclusive, and unequal† (p. 168). The reference to races being created â€Å"socially† implies that people create the network of prejudices, attitudes and perceptions masking their personal and political bias by referring to skin, hair and other physical or â€Å"phenotypical† parameters.