Fascism Essays - Fascism, Far-right Politics, Nationalism

Fascism Fascism is a form of counter-revolutionary politics that first arose in the early part of the twentieth-century in Europe. It was a response to the rapid social upheaval, the devastation of World War I, and the Bolshevik Revolution. Fascism is a philosophy or a system of government the advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with an ideology of aggressive nationalism. Celebrating the nation or the race as an organic community surpassing all other loyalties. This right-wing philosophy will even advocate violent action to maintain this loyalty which is held in such high regards. Fascism approaches politics in two central areas, populist and elitist. Populist in that it seeks to activate "the people" as a whole against perceived oppressors or enemies and to create a nation of unity. The elitist approach treats as putting the people's will on one select group, or most often one supreme leader called El Duce, from whom all power proceeds downward. The two most recognized names that go along with Fascism is Italy's Benito Mussolini and Germany's Adolf Hitler. The philosophy of Fascism can be traced to the philosophers who argue that the will is prior to and superior to the intellect or reason. George Sorel, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Georg Hegal are main philosophers who's beliefs and ideologies greatly influenced the shaping of Fascist theory. Sorel (1847-1922) was a French social philosopher who had a major influence on Mussolini. Sorel believed that societies naturally became decadent and disorganized. This decay could only be slowed by the leadership of idealists who were willing to use violence to obtain power. Nietzsche (1844-1900) theorized that there were two moral codes: the ruling class ( master morality) and the oppressed class (slave morality). Nietzsche believed the ancient empires were developed from the master majority and the religious ideas and views grew out the slave majority. The idea of the "overman" or superman which symbolized man at his most creative and highest intellectual capacity was brought about by Nietzsche as well. Hegal believed people should sacrifice for the community. He thought war was also necessary to unify the state, with peace bring nothing but a weak society. Hegal also sustained that laws should be made by the corporate organization of the state. Fascism values human nature in a group for the benefit of the community. The group as a whole is called the human will, which is ruled by a select group or one leader, with the power being passed down from top to bottom. Fascism seeks to organize an organization led mass movement in an effort to capture the state power. When the power is in the firm grip of the ruler, or IL Duce, the government will be used to control the population and everything in it so the community will be benefited. Fascism's ideal government would be fashioned around the good of the community or nation. Everyone would work for the benefit of the nation and that is all. Regularly this would take place with the merging of the state and business leadership, with concern only of the nation. In this the nation will also take care of its members if the need should arise. This could be money ,shelter, food, or any other need that might come about. The ideology of Fascism has been identified with totalitarianism, state terror, fanaticism, arranged violence, and blind obedience. Adolf Hitler established his own personal ideology, Mein Kampf, which means My Struggle. The book was written while Hitler was in prison and not yet in power. Mussolini fashioned his ideology after he took control of Italy. Despite their two different angles on the use of Fascism Hitler and Mussolini both worked similarly on how they established their principles in the same basic manner. Their principles came from basic responses to various issues the leaders faced. Fascism is an authoritarian political movement that developed in Italy and other European countries after 1919 as a reaction against the profound political and social changes brought about from inflation, and declining social, economic, and political conditions. Italy, which was ready for a new political aspect, was the birthplace of fascist ideology. Benito Mussolini was the man who brought this ideology to Italy. Mussolini had been looking for the perfect opportunity to take complete control of the country and now was the time to do so. Mussolini said "Fascism, which was not afraid to call itself reactionary?does not hesitate to call itself illiberal and anti-liberal" (Nazi Fascism and the Modern Totalitarian State) this statement can be easily recognized in the steps

Evaluate two Theories. Piaget and Kolhberg Essays

Evaluate two Theories. Piaget and Kolhberg Essays Evaluate two Theories. Piaget and Kolhberg Paper Evaluate two Theories. Piaget and Kolhberg Paper This assignment will describe and evaluate two theories in developmental psychology. Firstly looking at Piagets Theory then followed by Kohlberg, then an evaluation of the similarities and differences of the two. It will provide evidence of how Piagets and Kohlbergs theory both suffer from the same criticisms as they both use dilemmas with a particular criteria ofa child and culture. The theory only considers a childs beliefs not its actual behaviour. Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland. Piaget used children to assess moral development. He did this by giving the children specific games to play the most opular one being marbles. As he studied he observed the way the children applied the rules and their reasoning to change the rules. In addition to this he also clinically interviewed children and asked hypothetical questions about lying and cheating. This gave him an insight about how children make decisions and what their beliefs consist of. He also learned how they determined knowing right from wrong. To Piaget children are born with very basic mental structure. An example of a story Piaget would give to a child would be there are two children one child has been told not to o into the cupboard to get a biscuit, the child does this and knocks over one cup in the process. The other child accidently knocks five plates off the dinner table, as they have walked through the door. Piaget concluded to the three stages shown below based on the childrens answers from asking questions similar to the above. Piaget hypothesized three stages; Pre Moral; Heteronomous; Autonomous reality. He believed that the pre moral stage children have no concern or awareness of rules; this is age zero-five years. Piaget then moved on to Heteronomous stage, here he oncentrated on children ages five-nine years. He believed that these children had adherence to rules and duties and obedience to authority. The third stage being Autonomous, Piaget concentrated on children who were ten plus years. He found that children were aware of rules and agreements and these can be considered critically, also rules can be selectively applied depending on intention or mutual agreement. The quote below backs up Piagets theory. In accordance with Piagets view a strong relationship was found in Weston cultures between age and childrens level of moral reasoning. Younger children more often display aspects of heteronomous morality and are inclined to Judge the consequences of a deed as more important than the motives of the transgressor when passing moral Judgement. (Hoffman, 1970;Lickona,1976;Surber 1982) Piagets theory has also been criticized According to Authors such as Berk (1994a) and Shaffer (1993) Piaget underestimates the Moral understanding of younger children. They contend that there are indications that children can make moral decisions at an earlier stage than Piagets research. Piagets critics believe that moral evelopment will continue through to adulthood and even then it can still be varied. Lawrence Kohlberg was a Jewish American psychologist. He specialised in moral and expand on Piagets work to form a theory that explained the development of moral reasoning. Kohlberg based his theories upon research and interviews with groups of young boys. He gave them a set of moral dilemmas and then interviewed them to determine the reas oning behind their answers. From doing this research Kohlberg created a model that consisted of 3 levels and 6 stages. Level one is Pre- Conventional. Stage one is Obedience and punishment; at this stage of moral development, children under 9 years old see rules as unquestionable and permanent. Conforming to the rules is important because it means to avoid punishment. Stage two is Instrumental-Relativist and it focuses on individuals point of view and how they Judge circumstances for their personal needs. Level two is the Conventional level; stage 3 is Interpersonal Relationships living up to peoples expectations and being a considerate human being, this will be most adolescents and adults. Stage 4 is Maintaining Social Order all laws should be obeyed and authority must be respected. Level 3 is Post- Conventional. Stage five is Social contracts and individual rights. At this stage people have different values; opinions and beliefs of their people around them. Rules are important in a society but people of the society should agree on these rules. Stage six Universal ethical principles; at this stage Laws should be obeyed, but changed if not ethical and even if they conflict with laws and rules. (Baron 1996) (Active Psychology) Stage six is only ever reached by 10% of adults as operation hinking is needed. The individual must be capable of abstract thought. We are not convinced that many people ever progress beyond stage 4 (Shaver and Strong1976) The best known criticism of Kohlbergs came from Carol Gilligan 1982 who claimed that women scored lower on Kohlbergs tests because those tests were male biased. (EPSA Philosophy of science Amsterdam 2009 Google book) In addition to being questioned about the influence of gender, others have suggested that Kohlbergs theory of moral development is culturally-biased. Specifically, esearchers have posited that the highest stages of his theory reflect a westernized ideal of Justice based on individualistic thought and that it is biased against those that live in non- Western societies that do not value individualism as much ( Shaffer, Wood, Willoughby, 2002) There are many similarities between Piaget and Kohlbergs theories; Children go through different stages of moral development. It is believed that clinical interviews were the best method for studying childrens moral development. Piaget and Kohlberg both gathered data by asking questions based on hypothetical questions. The differences; Piaget believed that moral development had completed by end of middle childhood. Kohlberg believed children continued to develop past autonomous reality. There is evidence that Kohlbergs and Piagets theories are both gender and culture bias. They both use dilemmas with particular criteria of a child and culture. Piaget influenced Kohlberg to research Moral Development and found stages beyond Piagets model. This was also affirmed by Shaffer. Both theories are both gender and culture bias. They both use dilemmas with particular criteria of a child and culture. Piaget influenced Kohlberg to research Moral Development and found stages beyond Piagets model. This was also affirmed by Shaffer. Bibliography A1, D. R. (Eighth Edition ). Deveopmental Psychology . Linda Schreiber . Taylor, l. (1999). Active Psychology. Pearson Education Limited . Cognition and Development . (n. d. ). Retrieved from Psychology4a: http://psychology4a. com/develop10. htm Louw, D. (n. d. ). Human Develpoment . Retrieved from Google Books : http://books. google. co. uk/ sevencounties. org/poc/view_doc. php? type=docid=41174cn=1310

Rape Shield Laws Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rape Shield Laws - Research Paper Example Center of discussion in this paper are rape shield laws, court rules or statutes which limit the defendant’s counsel ability to introduce the sexual history, past conduct or reputation of the accuser or victim as evidence during a trial relating to rape. Therefore, rape shield laws can prevent the victim from being discredited by the irrelevant information to the defendant’s innocence or guilt. In the United States, each state and the District of Columbia has a rape shield law applying to criminal cases and a few to civil cases. Rape shield laws apply to both state and federal criminal and civil cases except the certain limited circumstances, such as when the accuser’s consent can be illustrated or when the accused and the accuser have a shared history. Also, the defense may be required to prove that such evidence’s exclusion would amount to violation of constitutional rights of the defendants. Most of these laws were adopted in a bid to combat the practic e where the victims are discredited through introduction of irrelevant information concerning their reputation, sexual history or chastity. Most of these laws were adopted in the 1970s; the first rape shield law was passed in the state of Michigan in 1974 and since then all states have enacted one. Even though these laws were popular in the US, they were criticized for violating the rights of the defendant to confront the accuser as enshrined in the Sixth Amendment. It has also been criticized for being overly arduous for the defense, as well as violating civil liberties like the freedom of speech. (Flowe et al, 2007). So, what do rape shield laws do? Commonly, rape shield laws bar the introduction of reputation and opinion regarding the sexual history of the accuser. Additionally, they prove that evidence about victim’s specific sexual conduct is supposedly irrelevant unless such evidence is direct source of disease, pregnancy, or injury that may be an issue in the case, or has relation to particular sexual conduct with the defendant (The National Centre for Victims of Crime, 2011). Rape shield laws in eleven states have an exception which is known a â€Å"catch-all† which allows the judge to permit the introduction of evidence of any nature, even those that are normally barred by rape shield laws, if it is necessary to introduce that evidence in order to protect the accused constitutional rights. Various rape shield laws allow the judge to decide if the evidence in question is relevant or not. If it is relevant, the judge determines whether the evidence’s potential prejudicial impact outweighs its relevance, or not. Rape shield laws are relevant in the criminal justice system as they guard against the introduction of irrelevant evidence of the innocence or guilt of the defendant, but which can potentially prejudice the jury against the accuser or the victim (The National Centre for Victims of Crime, 2011). Flowe et al (2007) explain that rape shield laws are important to the victims as they help in ensuring that the rape victims are treated with respect, dignity, and fairness during criminal trial by making sure that the victim is not subject to a public airing about his or her past conduct, sexual reputation, and any other information which might be irrelevant. More importantly, rape shield laws increase the possibility that victims will report rape cases as they will be more likely to come forward to report. If the sexual history of the victims would have been examined or revealed in court as part of rape trial, it is very likely that victims will not report the rape cases with increasing regularity. However, it should be noted that rape shield laws only guard against the introduction of evidence or irrelevant information during trial, but do not protect the victims from publicity prior to the trial. This may probably deter many victims from reporting rape cases. Rape shield laws have been credited for the decrea sing

Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Paper 2 - Essay Example He argues that good performance profiles should define success and thus meeting the minimum requirements (Uttaro, Paras 2-3). Management position also requires a good performance profile, which removes non-fact based opinions. It is wise to avoid personal bias by using performance profiles to be aware of characters that have been proven by scientists to make employees satisfied. The other thing is by staying current. Good performance profiles are made by using recent performance of your employees. Taking note of current performance of employees is a good tool when developing performance profiles. The other important aspect is developing performance profile that maximizes odds. Making use of performance profiles enables one easily to hire people who will be productive and stay longer in your firm (Uttaro, Paras. 4- 6). After school, accountancy will be the career of choice. The job requires knowledge in preparing financial statements. It also requires a commitment, speed, and accuracy, and you need to have computer skills especially in Microsoft Excel. The best performance profile for the accounting job that will lead to effective performance can be seen below. First is to prepare a comprehensive plan to achieve accounting objectives with a distinct period that you want to accomplish. Secondly, one should conduct a comprehensive operational review. Work with other financial accountants and assess all aspects of the company’s operating performance. Develop a plan of action to deal with each of the issues. The other thing is to address operational issues. If the company is under- performing, you need have a group of people to execute the task and solve pertinent issues. Another thing is to evaluate the financial strength of the company. You need to review all the historical financial data, bu dgets, and forecasts. Evaluate critical areas of concern and determine new ways to improve performance (Uttaro, Para 8). Considering the

Fast Imaging Techniques (MRI) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fast Imaging Techniques (MRI) - Essay Example Consequently, the shortened duration of flat top reduces both ESP and the geometric distortion of the image (Jezzard and Balaban, 1995, p.71). Another consequence of increasing the receiver bandwidth is faster imaging. Although increasing the receiver bandwidth allows faster imaging, it may also significantly reduce the SNR, and this often leads to more noise outside the spectrum (Parrish, 2000, p.927). For example, as the bandwidth range is gradually increased, the system may begin to sample more inherent noise together with the generated echo signal, thereby resulting in the fall of SNR. There are a number of ways that can generally be used to help recover the signals lost as a result of a wider bandwidth during the optimization of image. Some of the choices include acquisition of more signal averages and improving the receiver coil technology. The first option is, however, counter-productive because it may increase the amount of time needed to perform the overall scan while the se cond option if often preferred because it helps maintain the original objective of choosing EPI. Lastly, with regard to the required T2 weighted image, increasing the receiver bandwidth may reduce the effects of chemical shift artefacts on the image. According to Ra and Rim (1993, p.145), this is because higher receiver bandwidth results in a wide range of resonant frequencies on which the distortion is spread in order to cover a smaller pixel range and minimize the geometric distortion. 2. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using segmentation in EPI. Segmentation is a new concept that has significantly made it possible to use EPI on most of the conventional imaging systems where constraints related to signal to noise would have otherwise prevented EPI. Segmenting EPI is increasingly becoming more important to a number of its properties that ensure improved image quality as compared to the conventional single shot EPI. For example, one of the potential benefits of segmentat ion is that it allows EPI to be able to effectively run on the conventional systems where single short EPI can not be used. This is because segmentation ensures less stress is placed on the gradients as opposed to single short EPI and is therefore critically important in situations where by the available SNR and hardware makes it difficult to acquire all the necessary k-space data before the elimination of the MR signal by the traverse relaxation (McRobbie et al., 2003, p.75). Another important advantage of segmented EPI is that it helps reduce the magnetic susceptibility of various artefacts. This is because phase errors often have less time to build up when segmented EPI as compared to single shot EPI. The shortening of echo train length also allows segmented EPI to be less prone to the effects of artefact variations. Segmentation can also be used to help reduce imaging distortion and enable higher image resolution as compared to single shot EPI. The other key benefit of segmentat ion of EPI is the fact that it can be used to increase resolution. This is particularly attributed to the fact that segmented EPI have relatively short echo train length, thereby leading to increased spatial resolution. On the other hand, normal single shot EPI usually have lower spatial

The Middle East And North Africa Mena Economics Essay

The Middle East And North Africa Mena Economics Essay Economic Integration is the elimination of  tariff  and nontariff barriers to the  flow  of  goods,  services, and  factors of production  between a group of  nations.  The purpose of Economic Integration is to allow the free flow of goods and service between nations that can benefit from the economic resources of partner nations. The Economic Integration Model used for this paper is MENA; commonly known as Middle East and North Africa. The countries and regions included in MENA are labeled in the map below http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/MENA.png The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is an economically diverse region that includes both the oil-rich economies in the Gulf and countries that are resource-scarce in relation to population, such as Egypt, Morocco, and Yemen. The MENA region includes the following countries: Algeria | Bahrain | Djibouti | Egypt | Iran | Iraq | Israel | Jordan I Kuwait | Lebanon | Libya | Malta | Morocco | Oman | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | Syria I Tunisia | United Arab Emirates | West Bank and Gaza | Yemen The MENA countries have signed a series of multilateral, regional, and bilateral trade agreements. Multilateral agreements are within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO), of which, with the exception of Syria and the West Bank and Gaza, all countries in the region are members or have observer status. Ten MENA countries have signed European Union-Mediterranean Association Agreements (EMAAs) with the E.U. These agreements replace the preferential access to European markets for goods from African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries with a reciprocal reduction in tariffs on many goods. However, these agreements generally exempt agricultural commodities. The MENA region is also an oil rich region and the regions economic fortunes over much of the past quarter century have been heavily influenced by the price of oil. During the recession of 2008 that effected global economies and the demand for oil, it led to increase uncertainty for the MENA region because of its high dependence on oil price in the international market. As an integrated unit MENA has been able to cope with global recession because of its combined trade policy. In the years to come, integrated regions similar to MENA might be the answer to future problems and hence makes it important to look at costs and benefits of economic integration in the light of MENA. The paper will firstly look at the current problems and challenges faced by the MENA region and then look at the benefits of integration to the region Challenges faced by the MENA region In order to understand the challenges faced by the MENA region collectively, it is important to divide the region into groups and look at these problems in a coherent segregated manner. According to a report by OECD titled Opportunities and challenges in the MENA region these classifications are: Resource-rich, labor-abundant countries are producers and exporters of oil and gas and have large native populations, which represent almost the totality of their residents. This group of countries includes Algeria, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Resource-rich, labor-importing countries are producers and exporters of oil and gas and have large shares of foreign or expatriate residents, who represent a significant percentage of the total population, even the majority in some cases. This group of countries comprises the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) and Libya. Resource-poor countries are small producers or importers of oil and gas. These countries include Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and the Palestinian Authority. (OECD, 2003) Unemployment The challenges faced by MENA include high unemployment levels (in particular among youth); pervasive corruption and lack of accountability and transparency; bloated public sectors with state-owned enterprises that crowdout the development of private enterprise and investment; low levels of enterprise creation; and, for a number of countries, a high dependence on fuel and food imports generating extensive exposure to commodity price volatility. Given that these challenges are both structural and interconnected, they can be addressed only through a coordinated and comprehensive strategy that involves governments, the private sector, civil society, and the international community which I will show later in the essay. The chart below from the World Bank shows unemployment rates for 2000 and 2009 in the MENA region, indicating the change in unemployment over nine years. (World Bank, 2011) Arab Spring Revolution Immigration is expected to increase in those countries most affected by the Arab Spring. Immigration to GCC countries, which already host significant shares of Arab immigrants, is expected to rise. Numerous accounts have been reported of Immigrants fleeing from Northern Africa to Europe. Furthermore, a survey of Egyptian young people by the International organization for Migration found that the onset of protests and instability may have acted as a primary push factor for youth who reported prior intentions to migrate. The surveys results showed that two-thirds of respondents with migration intentions who were working prior to the start of the protests were negatively affected by the events: 26 percent lost their jobs, 20 percent were asked to take unpaid leave, and 19 percent witnessed a reduction in their working hours. (International Organization for Migration, 2011) Inflation Data from OECD indicated that high inflation which is the product of a high dependence on fuel and food imports represents a major challenge for resource-poor countries. For the MENA region; consumer price inflation has remained high since the oil and fuel price spikes of 2007-08. This is particularly the case in Egypt, which registered an inflation rate of 5 percent during 1996-2005 and a significantly higher rate of 11 percent during 2006-10. A notable exception to high inflation has been Morocco, which has kept consumer price increases below 3 percent. (OECD, 2003) Costs and Benefits of Economic Integration in MENA Although the MENA region has registered a relatively high economic growth during the last few years, However;the absence of a vibrant private sector which would have been able to create more and better jobs, has meant that economic performance has not been reflected in improved living standards for the majority. As discussed earlier, some factors causing this deficiency are rigid labor markets, skills mismatches, the crowding out of private enterprise by SOEs and high corruption. But there are also other economic and structural factors, such as low levels of competitiveness in manufacturing sectors, lack of export-market diversification, and low intraregional integration which still exists in the region. Furthermore, although the Arab Spring provides an important opportunity for economic reform, although its immediate effects will be negative for those countries most affected by social and political instability Transition examples from other regions suggest that the medium-run gains from moving to more open and accountable governments are sizable. Income growth tends to stabilize at a higher average rate in the decade after transition, and income volatility at a lower rate, as compared with the previous period. The results will depend on how swiftly and credibly governments can commit to reform. In the meantime, as investors wait for political uncertainty to be resolved in countries affected by political turmoil, it is inevitable that investment will be delayed and economic challenges will emerge. Evidence from earlier transitions shows that these difficulties tend to be limited; growth typically dips for only one year and then returns to or exceeds previous levels. Integration via Trade in Goods Regional trade agreements (RTAs) have proliferatedin the MENA region in the past two decades. Such agreements can make it possible to reap benefits from internationalintegration, while tailoring the provisions ofthe agreements to the particular needs and adjustmentcapacities of the countries involved. They canalso have beneficial indirect effects. Opening domesticmarkets to partner countries, for example, can increasecompetition in sectors with previously highlyconcentrated industrial structures. Such precompetitive impacts are particularly important for countriesthat have only a nascent domestic competition policy.Also, regional cooperation can be effective in harmonizingcustoms procedures and domestic regulations.Adopting common rules on investment, forexample, has the potential to encourage increased inflowsof foreign direct investment by enhancing thecredibility of FDI-related policies and providing a restrainton sudden policy reversals. According to the World Bank many MENA countries have recently seen the share of intraregional trade in total merchandise trade increase dramatically over the past two decades. Compared to this; the extent of intraregional trade remains lowerthan in all other regions of the world, except for South Asia. Though the ratio of intraregional trade to GDP exceeds 15 percent in the Syrian Arab Republic and Jordan, in most MENA countries the ratio remains in the low single digits. In particular, resource-rich, labor-importing countries generally show a very low level of intra-MENA exports in relation to GDP, despite high total export-to-GDP ratios. (World Bank, 2005). Integration through Services For an economy, services typically contribute a major portion to the GDP. Therefore, it is important to remove barriers to entryfor both domestic and foreign firms and increasethe efficiency of services. The current regional integration agreements inMENA generally do not cover services trade, and in areas where the agreements do cover services, it is in the terms of intentions and tacit agreements. Moreover, there still exist differences in regulations and at times limits on the physical movement of individuals. In these cases it is currently creating a situation in which it is often easier for MENA countries service providers to operate in countries outside the region than within. The chart below from the World Bank represents the service exports for selected countries in the MENA region. Integration through Labor reforms If we compare the regions integration through trade and labor we can see that the MENA region is more integrated in the globaleconomy through labor mobility than through tradeand investment. According to a report by the World Bank on the MENA region titled Economic Developments and Prospects it has outlined that the regions share of global trade flows is below 5 percent, andthe region receives an even lower share of globalFDI flows. However, about 16 percent of all remittancespaid out to migrants in the world originate inthe MENA region, essentially the GCC countries,and 10 percent of global remittances are received byresidents of MENA countries. (World Bank, 2008) They have also explained a recent trend where MENAs share in remittances has come down significantly since the 1990s, at atime when remittances to India, China, Mexico, andthe Philippines have increased exponentially. Thus looking closely at these huge labor flows in the past it becomes important to ask here if immigrations are entirely conflict-driven flows. This is not the case if we look at the chart below where the share of refugees as a portion of Migrants has decreased dramatically. One of the primary factors favoring the increase in immigration still appears to be demographics. According to population projections from the United Nations in context with labor force participation rates, show that, if there is no migration then the labor force in GCC countries will keep growing at 2.2 percent per yearbetween 2005 and 2010, but after 2010, this growth rate will decline. Thus, without additional migrant workers, two GCC workers would still have to supportthree inactive persons over the foreseeable future. This shows that if there are no drastic changes then underlying demographic factors will continue to favor more migration. Integration through Capital Flows Two developments frame the context for recenttrends in capital markets in the MENA region: countriessuch as Syria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisiahave begun to deepen structural and institutionalreforms, increasing the demand for capital The oil boom has generated massive liquidity in theGulf states, thus increasing the supply of capital. Compared with conditions in previous oil boomperiods, a higher amount of the surplus is now availableto the oil-exporting MENA countries and is beingchanneled into project-based investments in the region.GCC countries have already allocated over$1.3 trillion in infrastructure and manufacturing investmentsover the next 5 years according to the EIU outlook for 2007 (Economist Intelligence Unit, 2007) On the other hand, Project-based investments have recently been increasingespecially in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, andTunisia. These intra-MENA investments are mostly basedon telecommunications, infrastructure, real estate,tourism, and banking. The Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency has list of multibillion-dollar investment projects in MENA which is getting longer. According to them some recent investment projects include: A$9 billion tourism project by Dubai Holding and Emaar Holding in Morocco, Kuwaits Telecom Group (Wataniya) expanding into Tunisia, DubaiHolding acquiring 33.5 percent of Tunis Telecom ($2.25 billion), and the Bukhater Groups $5 billion City Complex project in Tunisia. To date, there are 15MENA national investment promotion agencies,most of which were established in the past decade.New investments are facilitated by private groupsand finance houses, and governments are closelymonitoring reform indexes published by internationalagencies to analyze the effects of greater investments intra-region. (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, 2011) Integration through Infrastructure Investments In terms of Infrastructure investment recently, there have been cross-border infrastructure projects that are becoming more prominent in the region. Some of the examplesinclude cross-border electricity grids, gas pipelines,transport links, and telecommunication networks. However, there are still many regulatory and financial challenges.In the past, interconnection of power grids in theMENA region was primarily driven by governmentsconcerns about preserving power supply securityin their respective markets. On the other handother benefits,such as capital investments saving, are also considered,though these are not yet the main drivers fornetwork interconnection. The amount of exported and imported power still remains low in many cases. For instance reports from the World Bank show that only 12 percent of total capacity of theAlgeria-Morocco links is used, 17 percent in the case of the Algeria-Tunisia interconnection. (World Bank, 2011) With the exception of Yemen and Djibouti, transportsystems are well developed in MENA countries. Most countries have been able to develop extensiveroad networks, with high capacity in some areas, and modern facilities for air, sea, and railtransport. The key issue in the region is the quality of the transport assets as a result of the lack of appropriatemaintenance or of poor service operations due to institutional deficiencies. Cost-effectivetransport services, efficient facilitation, and transport infrastructure supplemented with good intermodalconnectivity are required to accommodate the growth in global and intraregional trade. However, regional integration initiatives still remain at an early stage of development in the transport sector.As a result of the closure of several borders in the region, land-based transport plays a minor role inintraregional trade in MENA. Conclusion In light of the recent developments and the challenges faced by the MENA region we can accurately see that there is still room for more substantial development in the region as a result of greater intra-regional economic region. Looking at results from the development of intra-regional trade and services we can see that the benefits outweigh the costs and it is important the reforms are taken at a governmental level to allow for greater de-regulation of markets and policies effecting trade flows between countries. Nevertheless, the recent oil boom and global commodity boom does leave tremendous room for development and growth in the region.

Othellos Fainting as a Point of No Return :: Free Essays Online

Othello's Fainting as a Point of No Return In Act IV, Scene 1 of Shakespeare’s Othello, Othello faints when confronted with the possibility that his wife has been unfaithful. Through the past few scenes, Iago, exploiting Othello’s concerns about his race, has performed a delicate act, slowly but surely leading him towards the inevitable conclusion that his wife and Cassio have ‘cuckolded’ him. When Iago finally refers explicitly to Desdemona’s sexual betrayal, Othello can bear it no longer and faints to escape the reality he cannot bear. From the outset, Othello has been uncomfortable in aristocratic Venetian society. He has deep insecurities about his ability to fulfill his role as Desdemona’s husband, both sexually and socially. Othello is elated when he realizes that beautiful young Desdemona is attracted to him since he perceives himself to be unworthy of her love, primarily due to his old age, physical unattractiveness, and most importantly because he is a black Moor. Thus, his realization of his racial identity figures prominently in his mindset. Sexually, he fears being unable to satisfy his wife’s desires; for it would be only natural for her to, having sealed the vows of marriage, seek a companion more like her. For he is â€Å"rude [†¦] in speech, / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace† (1.3:81-2), most unfit to wed the daughter of the noble senator Brabanzio[1]. Thus, he makes it clear that he prefers the military atmosphere to the aristocratic civilian one. While Othello has thoroughly internalized his concerns regarding his marriage, shrewd Iago is able to perceive and exploit them. Iago’s villainous brilliance is manifest in his ability to take himself into Othello’s confidence. The relationship that develops between the two is of great significance. Iago is most careful to avoid explicitly accusing Desdemona of adultery until the time is right. Instead, he gradually weaves the thought into Othello’s mind so that Othello is able to independently arrive at the same conclusion. While initially Iago exhibits deference and fear of his king, the power dynamic progressively shifts so that the two become almost equal allies in an unholy conspiracy. Othello, at one point, is almost thankful to Iago for revealing to him the truth, declaring that â€Å"I am bound to thee for ever† (3.3:218). Iago reciprocates in the next scene upon being appointed lieutanant, vowing â€Å"I am your own for ever† (3.3:482). Esp ecially in this scene, Iago can be seen as representing Satan himself, inducing good Othello to err thereby securing a vow of loyalty from his servant.

Why Sherlock Holmes Is Just as Original as C. Auguste Dupin

Why Sherlock Holmes is Just as Original as C. Auguste Dupin After reading two famous amateur detective stories by Edgar Allan Poe and two by Arthur Conan Doyle, I found myself questioning the originality of Doyle's stories as compared to Poe's stories. The stories in question are â€Å"The Purloined Letter† and â€Å"Murders in the Rue Morgue† by Poe and â€Å"The Adventure of the Speckled Band† and â€Å"A Scandal in Bohemia† by Doyle. All four of these stories had very exciting story lines and had very interesting mysterious aspects . Since the Poe stories of C.Auguste Dupin were written well before Doyle's stories of Sherlock Holmes, this leads to the question of whether or not Doyle's stories are genuinely original or if much of his stories ideas were copied from Poe. I believe that Doyle's detective stories are just as creative and original as Poe's detective stories. One of the biggest and probably most obvious similarities between the stories is tha t of the plots. In â€Å"The Purloined Letter†, Dupin is contacted by the prefect to help the police retrieve a letter that had been stolen.This letter was of great importance to a certain person and if this letter was released to the public it would reveal things that could ruin that person's reputation. The prefect knows Minister D- stole the letter. He also knows that the letter must to be very close the minister who stole it because the ability to produce the letter when needed is just as important to the minister as actually having it. The police have searched the minister's hotel room and were not able to find the letter.Dupin then goes to the minister's hotel room and easily retrieves the letter because he knows that the minister would hide it in plain sight, since he knew the police would come looking for it. Many of these aspects of Poe's story are repeated in Doyle's A Scandal in Bohemia†. In â€Å"A Scandal in Bohemia† Holmes is confronted by an import ant king to retrieve a letter and a photo of him with his ex lover that proves their relationship. If the photo was released it could hurt his reputation immensely. The king has tried many things to retrieve the letter but was unsuccessful.Holmes then goes to the woman's house and tricks her into revealing the location of the letter by faking a fire thinking that the photo would be the first thing she would grab. Because of these similarities between the two stories by Poe and Doyle it appears that Doyle had copied his ideas from Poe who had written his story years earlier. In â€Å"Murders in the Rue Morgue†, Dupin goes to investigate a murder scene. At this scene there are many clues that would lead one to think it was a human that committed the murder.However, it was difficult to come up with a motive for that person because bags of money were still on the floor and the women that were murdered hardly ever made contact with others which makes it difficult to believe that t here is someone who would want to cause them harm. Dupin goes on to find some more clues that lead him to believe it wasn't a human that committed the crime but a sailors Ourang-Outang. Dupin then gets the sailor to come to his house and gets him to admit that it was his animal that committed the murder.Again these scenarios in Poe's story are very similar to those in Doyle's story â€Å"The Adventure of the Speckled Band†. In â€Å"The Adventure of the Speckled Band†, Holmes is consulted about a very suspicious case. A woman was killed a few years ago and before she died she had said it was the speckled band that killed her. Holmes goes to the house where she was killed to investigate. At first Holmes believes the speckled band was a group of gipsies that would hang out on their property, but after further investigating he had realized it was not gipsies but a speckled snake that the girl's father kept inside the house.Another huge similarity between the two stories t hat would imply Doyle had copied Poe's ideas is the narrator of the story. In â€Å"Murders in the Rue Morgue† and â€Å"A Scandal in Bohemia† the reader is given a lot of information by the narrator about the main character. In both stories the narrator is a close friend who lives with the detective. Also the narrator always tells the reader everything that is going on and he is also a fairly smart person but not as smart as the main character. Holmes and Dupin also have very similar detective methods.Both characters are capable of seeing things that normal people are not. They will put themselves in the suspects shoes and think as they would to discover more clues. When they discover clues they will come up with a hypothesis and then investigate it until it is proven true or more clues are revealed to them causing them to come up with a new hypothesis. They also will never tell the narrator what they are thinking or ask him for advice. They do all of their sleuthing on their own and reveal it to the narrator once they have solved the case.In both â€Å"Murders in the Rue Morgue† and â€Å"The Adventure of the Speckled Band† the detectives inform their partner what they have been thinking all along and how they solved the mystery. Even though there are all these similarities between the Dupin and Holmes stories there are also many differences that give each story their own originality. For example, â€Å"A Scandal in Bohemia† is extremely similar to â€Å"The Purloined Letter† however, at the end Dupin is successful in his endeavour whereas Holmes is not.The ending of a story is always the most important and such a drastic difference between the two stories certainly provides Doyle with a little more originality. In â€Å"Murders in the Rue Morgue† which is very similar to â€Å"The Adventure of the Speckled Band†, Dupin comes up with his hypothesis and he is correct. In â€Å"The Adventure of the Speck led Band† Holmes comes up with his hypothesis but soon realizes that he was incorrect and is forced to come up with a new hypothesis. Dupin gives off the impression that he is the perfect detective that never makes mistakes and Holmes actually makes a mistake.This huge difference between the stories makes Doyle's story very original and not so much of a copy of Poe's story. One noticeably large difference between the Dupin and Holmes stories is that of the background story of the mystery or information as to why the crime happened. In the Dupin stories the plot jumps right to the events that happened and what Dupin does to solve it. For example in â€Å"Murders in the Rue Morgue† Dupin reads about the murder in the paper and then goes to solve it. There is no background information given on the people involved in the murder.In the Holmes stories the reader is given significant amounts of background information to the characters involved in the mystery. For example in â €Å"The Adventure of the Speckled Band† the reader is given much information on the background of the victims in the murder. Being given this information the reader understands more how the victim is feeling and can become more involved in the story. This effect on the reader is something that makes the Doyle stories very original and not an exact copy of Poe's stories.The biggest difference between Dupin and Holmes would have to be their personality. Dupin is described as a loner that sits at home and spends his time thinking whereas Holmes is a very well known person to other people and is also addicted to cocaine. Dupin can be seen as a very serious person where Holmes is more of a quirky and adventurous person. This difference between Holmes and Dupin gives Holmes a much more creative and interesting character than Dupin, implying that Doyle did not rip off Poe's detective character when he was making his own.All of the similarities between Doyle's stories and Poe's stori es would lead one to believe that Sherlock Holmes was just a rip off of Dupin. Since Poe was the first author to write about a detective it seems obvious that other authors would take ideas from his stories just as Doyle did. There was most likely something that Poe had read or experienced that gave him his ideas for Dupin so it is only natural for writers to get their ideas or concepts from other places.However, because of all the original ideas and differences to the Holmes stories I believe that Doyle's detective stories are just as creative as Poe's stories. It is the main ideas of the story such as the outcome or the personality of the main character that are different which causes the stories to actually be much different. For this reason I believe that the Holmes stories are genuinely original and that Arthur Conan Doyle made significant contributions to the detective story.

Critical Theory Essay Essays

Critical Theory Essay Essays Critical Theory Essay Essay Critical Theory Essay Essay Critical theory is a organic structure of thoughts by and large associated with the ‘Frankfurt School’ . It was during the early eightiess that a new signifier of theoretic enquiry which was extremely critical of tradional theories of IR. emerged. However the generation of the theory can be found in the plants of Kant and Marx with their accent on the ‘emancipatry intent of cognition and enquiry’ . In other words critical theory entails ‘enlightenment project’ which subjects cognition and instruction to the ideal intent of freedom and release. Jurgon Habermas gave a new life to the critical and emancipatory positions of Kant and Marx when he questioned the epistemic ( beginning of knoeledge ) and ontological ( nature of being ) foundations of bing societal order and said that all cognition is historically and politically based. Critical theory besides involves the review of modernness in the spheres of province capitalist economy. hi-tech reindustrialization and science-cum-computer oriented instruction system that have strengthened and perpetuated the hegemony and laterality of few. Among the outstanding critical theoreticians inclde Max Horkheimer. Theodor Adorno. Paulo Friere. John Forester. Herbert Mercuse. Andrew Linklater and Dieter Misgeld. etc. .Tendencies in Critical Theory:Following are of import tendencies in critical theory: a ) Critical Social Theory:The basic point of analysis in critical societal theory is society as a whole. It seldom focal points on province. It discusses all the societal constructions which are responsible for laterality. ignorance and development. Frankfurt Scool is the poineer of this tendency. B ) Critical International Theory:Critical international theory with its footing in emancipatory thoughts of Kant and Marx seeks to look for the possibilities of tronsforming international dealingss so that restraints of laterality are removed and univaresal freedom and equality achieved. It is really the extension of critical societal theory to the sphere of international dealingss. Key Aspects of Critical Theory: 1 ) Problem-Solving and Critical Theories:Problem-solving Theory: Accordinng to Robert Cox job work outing theory takes the universe as it finds it. It does non dispute the present order but legitimise and affects its smooth working by work outing the peculiar jobs that troubles it. Traditional theories of IR are considered to be working in febrility of bracing predominating constructions of universe order with their inequalities of power and wealth. 2 ) Critical International Theory: It argues that cognitive procedures themselves are capable to political involvements and. therefore. are to be critically evaluated. Theories of IR like any other cognition are conditioned by societal. cultural and ideological influence ; and the undertaking of critical theory is to measure such conditioning deductions. It non merely challenges the status-quo orientated theories but besides comes up with normative solutions in favour of emancipation.

Left-Handed U.S. Presidents

Left-Handed U.S. Presidents There have been eight left-handed presidents that we know of. However, this number is not necessarily accurate because in the past left-handedness was actively discouraged. Many individuals who would have grown up left-handed were in fact forced  to learn how to write with their right hand. If recent history is any indication, left-handedness seems to be far more common among U.S. presidents than it is among the general population. Naturally, this apparent phenomenon has led to many speculations.   Left-Handed Presidents James Garfield  (March-September 1881) is considered by many to be the first president who was  left-handed. Anecdotes indicate  that he was ambidextrous and  could write with both hands at the same time. However, he served only six months before succumbing to gunshot wounds after Charles Guiteau shot him in July of his first term. James A. GarfieldHerbert HooverHarry S. TrumanGerald FordRonald ReaganGeorge H.W. BushBill ClintonBarack Obama Getty Images for Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights / Getty Images Beating the Odds What is perhaps most noteworthy about left-handed presidents is how many there have been in recent decades. Of the last 15 presidents, seven (about 47%) have been left-handed. That might not mean much until you consider that the global percentage of left-handed people is about 10%. So among the general population, only 1 in 10 people are left-handed, while in the modern-era White House, almost 1 in 2 have been left-handed. And theres every reason to believe that this trend will continue because its no longer standard practice to steer children away from natural left-handedness.   Lefty Doesnt Mean  Left, But What Does It Mean? A quick count of political parties in the list above shows the Republicans slightly  ahead of the Democrats, with five of the eight lefties being Republican. If the numbers were reversed, perhaps someone would argue that left-handed people are more in line with left politics. After all, many people believe that left-handedness seems to correspond to creative, or at least out of the box thinking, pointing to famous lefty artists such as Pablo Picasso, Jimi Hendrix, and Leonardo Di Vinci. While this theory obviously wouldnt be supported by the history of left-handed presidents, the unusually high percentage of lefties in the White House may point to other characteristics that may give lefties an edge in leadership roles (or at least at winning elections):   Language development: According to scientists Sam Wang and Sandra Aamodt, authors of Welcome to Your Brain, 1  in 7 left-handed people use both hemispheres (left and right) of their brain to process language, while almost all right-handed people process language on only the left side of the brain (the left side controls the right hand, and vice versa). Its possible that this ambidextrous language processing gives lefties an advantage as orators.  Creative thinking: Studies have shown a correlation between left-handedness and creative thinking, or more specifically, divergent thinking, or an aptitude for developing multiple solutions to problems. Chris McManus, the author of Right-Hand, Left-Hand, suggests that left-handedness may be associated with a more highly developed right hemisphere of the brain, the side thats better at creative thinking. This may also explain the over-representation of left-handed artists.   So, if youre a lefty who gets annoyed with all the right-handed bias in the world, perhaps you can help change things  as our next president.

Unit 5 Part 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Unit 5 Part 2 - Research Paper Example Debate in the public domain with regard to gun control can amicably be resolved through legal goodwill paving way for the relevant legislation. In the United States, gun control issues have been a center of interest and debate by the stakeholders torn in between gun ownership legalization or completely banning guns. Several years of debate seemed futile in many instances but with political will, it is likely to end in a reliable solution. This paper will focus upon the debate of gun control presenting the argument that how this ban came to be challenged in the first place and how this ruling of the court was manipulated and used by lawmakers. It will then explain the justifications for arms possession considering the changing society and explain the precautions that will assist and promote proper use of guns. The changes in policy against the laws of gun control started after the ruling of a court in Columbia. According to the Christian Science Monitor (2007), a showdown was looming after a US appeals court ruled against gun ban in District of Columbia. The ruling seemed to depart from a 1939 Supreme Court ruling, even if precedents might not tie a judge. The panel stated in its ruling that owning a gun was a constitutional right. The provisions of the Second Amendment on which the Supreme Court based its ruling go to the extent of allowing a well regulated militia to maintain security of a Free State. The Christian Science Monitor pointed out that the security of the public goes further than allowing militia possess guns legally. Self defense and not mere constitutional right to possess a gun was the key argument in the judgment. Since the law in the District of Columbia stated that guns should be disassembled or trigger locked, it was argued that safety would be enhanced. It was hence the beginning of a platform to legalize the ownership of weapons due to the changing society and the importance of self defense and

Abortion From Perspectives of Functionalist Research Paper

Abortion From Perspectives of Functionalist - Research Paper Example The paper has identified that from perspectives of   Functionalist we must engage abortion from a macro perspective in terms of how it affects the whole of society and its relationship between societal parts. Abortion, in general, is legal, but when viewing it from the macro perspective, it becomes alarming. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the abortion rate for non-Hispanic Blacks in New York is 59.8%. Clearly, this statement makes the aforementioned billboard claim correct. From a functionalist perspective, little else is seen. This vision of the functionalist has sparked a growing concern that has not only swept the nation but has found its way into legislation to the thwart the taxpayer funding of abortions nationwide. The functionalist has a natural call for accountability. The perception is that abortions outside of cases of rape, incest and of concerns for health are an act of personal irresponsibility fueled by the passive acceptance of low moral standards. Acc ountability is imposed through removing the means financial absolution when it comes to acquiring abortions. It is felt that social systems work to maintain a social equilibrium. With more than half of the Black babies in New York being aborted, that equilibrium is lost with the given community. The lost equilibrium is viewed as the loss of social norms that must be returned to the previous state through social control mechanisms; in this case, legislation. The functionalist also views the individual from a perspective that enables how the individual is influenced by larger, more reaching social forces. The pro-life campaign that resulted in this billboard is a prime example of how the functionalist utilizes a social tool to influence the individual. While it is not a matter of whether the functionalist in this case is right or wrong, it demonstrates an example of the functionalist at work on a macro scale. However, the functionalist is not the only perspective in viewing abortions in New York’s Black communities. Conflict From the conflict perspective, the billboard was a result of the fact that the New York inner-city Black community has insufficient resources in which to cope with the reproductive health of women. The result is an abortion rate that now â€Å"outpaces life.† When compared to other ethnic groups, Blacks undergo disproportionately more abortions. Because the Black community lacks the resources of the richer communities, the abortion rates are higher. Abortions are thus performed for economic reasons as the Black community falls further behind the economic elite of America. The unemployment rate for Blacks aged 16 to 19 is 41.6%. From a conflict perspective, it goes to reason abortion rates will be higher in those who lack the means of financial provision.