Ethical Dilemmas And The Ethical Dilemma - 1778 Words

Ethical dilemmas occur when there is a disagreement about a situation and all parties involved question how they should behave based on their individual ethical morals. (Newman Pollnitz, 2005). The dilemma that I will be addressing in this essay involves Michael, recently employed male educator working in the nursery, and parents of a baby enrolled at the centre. The parents have raised concerns about male educators changing their child’s nappy as they have cultural practices that do not allow this practice to take place. This situation is classed as an ethical dilemma as there is a dispute between cultural beliefs and legal requirements within the workplace. There are four parties involved (parents, child, educator and director), all†¦show more content†¦This will allow the parents and child to feel a sense of belonging in the child care centre. Element 6.1, quality area 6 of the National Quality Standards (NQS) outlines the importance of relationships in regard to the parents, their child/children and educators. (Australian Children’s Education Care Quality Authority [ACECQA], n.d.). Michael has considered the families cultural beliefs and has decided to remain respectful of their request, but is concerned about his rights concerning gender discrimination (Australian Human Rights Commission, n.d.). Michael has a right to retain his position in the nursery room regardless of the issue with nappy changes for this one child. To allow for minimal disruption and any further consequences, the situation is to be kept confidential. This is a short- term resolution. The situation should be monitored and there may be long-term issues if the parents fail to form a relationship with Michael. Therefore, this may result in Michael requesting a change of room in the future (Ethical group discussion, 2017). The resolution was reached through exploring the steps involved in the ERC. As a group, (each group member representing a person in the dilemma) we examined eight steps in the ERC. Throughout each phase, the child’s primary best interests were considered by all parties. As the director progressed through the ERC, it became clear that both the parents and Michael have legal rights that need to be addressed.Show MoreRelatedEthical Dilemmas Of The Workplace1538 Words   |  7 Pages1. Discuss an ethical dilemma that you have had to face in the workplace. Ethical dilemmas often occur when a manager or an employee is faced with two or more conflicting choices. Give as many facts and details as possible in describing your dilemma. The most difficult ethical dilemma I have dealt with was a summer job I had this past summer, while I was working for a bakery in my hometown. This past particular summer really tested what I believe is right and wrong and how to speak up. One of myRead MoreEthical Dilemma Assignment1766 Words   |  8 PagesCONSENT FORM Thank you for being willing to take part in this interview exploring ethical conflict or turbulence. I would like to transcribe the content of this interview to form a written document to be submitted to Sheffield Hallam University as a piece of assessed piece of coursework. It is important that you only take part in this interview if you want to. As such I would be delighted if you would complete and sign this confidentiality questionnaire prior to the interview taking place. (i)Read MoreEthical Dilemmas Of The Workplace1291 Words   |  6 PagesEthical Dilemmas in the Workplace As a manager, you are the role model for staff. You set the standards, adhere to guidelines, and exemplify what you expect staff to model. By doing so, you are establishing and sustaining an organizational culture of ethics and integrity, which is the backbone of all successful endeavors. However, even the best structured organizations face ethical dilemmas in the workplace. It is how management recognizes and addresses these occurrences that will either set themRead MoreCase Analysis : Ethical Dilemma1318 Words   |  6 PagesTitle of Paper: Ethical Dilemma One INTRODUCTION Mrs. Smith, is an 81-year-old widow. She has been widowed for over twenty years. She has been very independent with some assistance from neighbors due to her son living out of the area and unable to assist. Recently, she has had issues with her independence. She has set two accidental fires that caused damages to her apartment, as well as had a recent fall in the bathtub. These issues have gained her son’s attention which has led him to requestRead MoreEthical Dilemma Case Study842 Words   |  4 PagesAn ethical dilemma is a situation by which its difficult to determine whether a situation is can be handled without disappointing both sides. Therefore, an ethical dilemma exists when the right thing to do is clear or when members of the healthcare team cannot agree on the right thing to do. Ethical dilemmas require negotiation of different points of view (potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall 2011pg 78). The case study briefly explains a situation between daughter and father regarding the fathersRead MoreEthical Dilemma at Workplace Essay1192 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Introduction – What is an ethical dilemma? Ethics is the term we give to our concern for good behavior.   It is human nature to not only be concerned with our own personal well being, but also that of others and of human society as a whole.   The difference between moral dilemmas and ethical ones, philosophers say, is that in moral issues the choice is between right and wrong.   In ethical ones, the choice is between two rights. Everyday Im faced with decisions of right and wrong, most of whichRead Moret Types of ethical dilemmas Mastery67Questions123Materials Essay2477 Words   |  10 PagesTypes of ethical dilemmas Mastery 67% Questions 1 2 3 Materials on the concept: Typical Moral Dilemmas Confronting Business Communicators Ethics and Law for Management Communication Top of Form 1. As part of an effort to hire younger workers, a multinational organization assures applicants that they will get to visit its offices in other countries and work with the employees there. However, only two out of every nine workers actually get selected for such projects. What moral dilemma best fitsRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemmas of Collecting Data and the Consequential Revision of Commodities, Culture and the Politics of Representations Definitions 1751 Words   |  7 Pagesinformation or data has become assets to companies, being regarded as property to be bought and sold to between companies. However, this has put forward the following primary ethical dilemmas surrounding human rights: the right to informed consent and the right to personal data. In addition to the creation of ethical dilemmas, the collection of human data has brought about a need for a revision of definitions. Commodities are known as a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be boughtRead More Will the Real Lupe Garza Please Stand Up? Essay1216 Words   |  5 PagesAn ethical dilemma is defined as a moral issue, where a situation has two equivalent undesirable alternatives and neither choice will resolve the ethical predicament. Lupe Garza, mother of two children, is a temporary employee at a plant. Garza is an excellent and talented worker, and supervisors have taken notice in her skills. A human resource specialist named Sara Jones, mislead Garza in thinking she would unquestionably obtain a permanent job position at the plant, causing Garza to turn downRead MoreThe Ethical Principles Of Respect For Autonomy984 Words   |  4 Pagesthe nurse to administer blood despite Mark’s refusal. This situation presents an ethical dilemma to the health professionals involved in Mark’s care. The ethical dilemma is whether to uphold his decision not to receive the blood and therefore risk his life or give him the blood to save his life despite knowing his religious status and beliefs. There are several ethical principles involved in this scenario. The ethical principles of respect for Autonomy, Beneficence, Non-maleficence, Veracity and Fidelity

The Legalization And Regulation Of Marijuana - 2123 Words

Marijuana has had a long and sordid history in the United States. There is an ongoing debate in the country about the legalization and regulation of marijuana. The purpose of this report is to show the positive impact of the Federal legalization of marijuana. This report will show the benefits and drawbacks that will occur with Federal legalization. The first thing that will happen with legalization is the elimination of arrests for simple possession of marijuana. This will free up valuable law enforcement resources to target more serious and violent criminals. With the elimination of federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement, the federal government will save an estimated 3.5 billion dollars per year. This is strictly from†¦show more content†¦If we use the current model of Colorado for the nation, recreational and medicinal will be taxed at different rates. Medical marijuana will be taxed at 2.9 percent, while recreational will be taxed at 15 percent. This led to 16 m illion from medicinal use and 53 million from recreational use in tax revenue for the state of Colorado in 2014. These numbers are lower than the expected revenue; this is due to the fact that because of taxes it is still cheaper to buy black market marijuana. As production of legal marijuana continues to grow, the prices will drop. There will be more growers trying to sell their wares to dispensaries. This will lead to a higher quality of marijuana which the street dealers will have trouble keeping up with. With the legalization of marijuana a new industry has opened, the pot tourist. Colorado is now home to many recreational pot tours. This not only increases the tax revenue for the state, but also benefits other tourism related businesses. This is all dependent on a well regulated system. Regulation has many steps to follow to stay effective. The first step is preventing minors from purchasing marijuana. This is a major point of contention with the ongoing debate over legalizatio n. It is viewed by some that with legalization, minors will be able to obtain marijuana more easily. By using the data collected from Colorado, this has been disproven at least initially. A resident of Colorado will be able to

Community Scientific Management and Organisations

Question: Discuss about the Community Scientific Management and Organisations. Answer: The workers in America, Australia and Europe will not accept Taylorism in its original form. This method involves scientific management where the employees with less efficiency are considered less intelligent and the efficient ones are praised at the workplace (YouTube 2008). The employees would find the concept of Taylorism insulting assuming that the employees possess low level of knowledge. One of the key ideas generated from the Ford and Taylorism theory is the change in method of production. In the current society, Ford, Audi and various other companies implement the concept of assembly lines in relation with scientific management. The assembly line automated technique is less time consuming thereby enhancing the total number of cars (Evans and Holmes 2013). The Taylor theory also eliminates unnecessary movement of workers for enhancing productivity. The theory further involves managing the workforce directly by eliminating the trade unions. Taylor asked to segregate planning and doing. However, in reality the planners are also engaged in doing so that they can make realistic plans for the organisation (Antaya 2015). The workers shall avoid Taylorism as it unnecessarily puts pressure on the employees to work faster. Therefore, it results in exploitation of employees. Taylor also uses functional foremanship where there is unity of command. It creates chaos and confusion in the organisation where the workers have to report to all the bosses. Taylor also followed a mechanical approach where too much focus was given to efficiency. The human element is ignored and the human beings are considered as robots. Taylor also assumed that the employees are motivated simply by financial gains. However, in reality the employees want social needs satisfaction too. Taylor disregards the importance of group performance while in todays world individual performance is not everything. The people need to perform in groups that make an organisation successful (Grachev and Rakitsky 2013). Therefore, the workers of Europe, Australia or America would not apply the theory in the original form. However, it can be applied after certain ramifications to apply the theory successfully. Usually, call centres are identified as a place to work involving high amount o stress. The Taylorism principles affect the working conditions significantly that increase the turnover rates. Taylorism is often referred as the tyranny of the assembly line (Evans and Holmes 2013). The call centres recruit low skilled employees as contingent or casual workers, they have been considered as exemplars of lowering standards for service work. Call centres are customer oriented organisations that brings the question of Taylorism in the centre. In a Tayloristic paradigm, efficiency can be gained through strict management of tasks and standardization of processes (Aitken 2014). People usually denote the employees of call centre as machines. The employees at the call centres find it demeaning to work for managers who are obsessed with the duration taken on a call for serving the purpose and customers. Therefore, its roots are said to be grounded in Taylorism (Evans and Holmes 2013). The costs decline if more number of customers is handled in less time. The managers do not consider the human factors of why the call leads to failure or there is a need to call again. Taylor views knowledge as prime productive resource. The service workers need to come up with solutions and not follow procedures stringently. However, it is seen that the people in call centres have to follow processes and procedures. One of the major observations about the similarity of call centres and Taylorism is high turnover rate. It is further argued that call centres follow division of work specialising in niche. The division is done based on the level of expertise of the employees so that roles can be assigned accordingly. In reality, the telephone calls are monitored and the staffs do not have much autonomy. This is similar as seen in the case of Taylor where the organisational system has to be strictly monitored based on targets and bonuses (Mart, Valverde and Heraty 2013). Therefore, it can be stated that Taylorism is highly applied in case of call centres. The call centre employees denoted as machines are similar to that of Taylorism approach. According to YouTube (2008), the clip showing history is at least 100 years old. There are people who believe that the world has moved on but there are some parts of the world that believe that Taylors ideas are much required. The principles of scientific management such as rewarding employees with financial incentives, principle of division of work, simple production techniques and various others have several benefits. Scientific management leads to enhanced production as it improves the business operations. There is cooperation between managers and employees. Another benefit of scientific management is that the managers have control over production. Also, through specialisation the workers excel in doing the same work that helps in saving time and enhancing productivity. There is less scope for inaccuracy as there is better planning and decision making. Through large scale production, the cost per unit is reduced thereby boosting productivity level (Watson 2013). Further, Taylorism lays emphasis on financial rewards such as high wages for the employees. This helps the employees in achieving higher standard of living and motivating the employees to perform in a better manner. The scientific management theory increases the benefits for consumers who are able to obtain best quality products at fewer prices. Quick decision making is another advantage of Taylorism (Abrahamson, Berkowitz and Dumez 2016). If the scientific management method is followed, there is better and optimum utilization of resources. There shall be less wastage which is much required in the current world. With scientific management theory, the working conditions are made better. Large scale production benefits the investors and owners (Shafritz and Whitbeck 2013). It is interpreted that the correct utilization and application of the theories in current age can lead to organisational success. Therefore, Taylorism can be applied to a certain extent in the current world. References Abrahamson, E., Berkowitz, H. and Dumez, H., 2016. A More Relevant Approach to Relevance in Management Studies: An Essay on Performativity.Academy of Management Review, 41(2), pp.367-381. Aitken, H., 2014.Scientific management in action. 1st ed. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Antaya, S., 2015. At War with the Machine: Canadian Workers Resistance to Taylorism in the Early 20th Century.The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History,3(1), pp.7-19. Evans, C. and Holmes, L., 2013.Re-Tayloring Management. 1st ed. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Grachev, M. and Rakitsky, B., 2013. Historic horizons of Frederick Taylor's scientific management.Journal of Management History, 19(4), pp.512-527. Mart-Aud, N., Valverde, M. and Heraty, N., 2013. Human resource management in the Spanish call centre sector: the bird cage model of call centre work.The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 24(2), pp.308-329. Shafritz, J. and Whitbeck, P., 2013.Classics of organisation theory. 1st ed. Oak Park, Ill.: Moore Pub. Co. Watson, T., 2013.Management, organisation and employment strategy. 1st ed. London: Routledge. YouTube, 2008.Ford and Taylor Scientific Management (Edited). [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PdmNbqtDdI [Accessed 18 Dec. 2016].

Witness Study Guide free essay sample

Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging Article by Rosemary O’Shea WITNESS Director Peter Weir INTRODUCTION Peter Weir is an Australian director whose films are internationally renowned. In Gallipoli (1981), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), The Mosquito Coast (1986) and Dead Poets Society (1989), he has created films that deal with groups under pressure. In Witness (1985) he provides the film audience with a window onto the world of the Amish in America. An Anabaptist Christian denomination particular to North America, the Amish are a devout, peaceful people. They keep themselves separate from the rest of society, believing that worldliness in the form of such modern developments as cars, tractors, electricity and telephones will distract them from devotion to God and living a simple life. Predominantly farmers, the Amish preserve traditional ways, wear plain, old-fashioned clothing and have a strong, supportive community spirit. This unites them and creates an intense sense of belonging. We will write a custom essay sample on Witness Study Guide or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Identity and Belonging in Witness Witness presents two contrasting worlds to viewers – gentle Amish farm life and the seedy world of big city crime and crime fighters. Weir’s film explores what it means to belong to these groups. He shows the moral certainty and strong bonds that come from belonging to a group which is different from the mainstream, as if this separation helps people achieve clarity about who they really are. A personal sense of self may be at odds with others’ opinions of you. People make judgements based on other people’s appearance and the groups they belong to. These stereotypes can be inaccurate and simplistic. In Witness, this is exemplified by the tourists’ amusement at the Amish. It is depicted also through the characters of Schaeffer and McFee, for whom being senior police officials provides an effective mask for their real identities as corrupt officers. Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 1 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging Weir explores the role that choice plays in determining identity. It becomes clear in the film that to be a member of a group is a powerful determinant of your sense of self. Values, attitudes and behaviours that have been instilled since childhood are internalised and not easily altered. Powerful cultural barriers exist between people from different groups, which affect their ability to form close relationships. The title of the film is worth considering in terms of the Context Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging. These two disparate groups are reluctantly connected when the boy, Samuel, witnesses a murder. The duty in Amish life is to bear witness to God’s teaching. This is a binding force in their culture. When the entire community witnesses Schaeffer’s crime and corruption it is enough to defeat him. This is a powerful victory for the pacifist, anti-violence stance of the Amish, and Weir gives a final endorsement to the strength and goodness of the group. IDEAS ARGUMENTS IN THE TEXT Witness explores a number of key ideas relevant to the Context Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging. These are outlined below and will be developed further in the following section. Overview of key ideas and arguments The Amish have resolutely chosen to separate themselves from mainstream American society. This choice demands significant sacrifices, not only of modern conveniences, but sometimes of full self-expression. Nonconformity by Amish members is not tolerated as this would compromise their separate identity and what makes them unique as a social group. However, as Witness shows, there is great support and acceptance for those who belong. Most people define their identity by the social group (or groups) to which they belong. John Book, his sister Elaine and the police officers, Carter and Schaeffer, are all products of a modern, complex world which requires them to come into daily contact with violence and corruption. The simple moral clarity of Amish life is denied to them. In this wider society, choosing to belong to a group Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 2 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging such as the police force can mean the chance to do good by fighting crime. However, it can also involve acts of violence and corruption in the pursuit of power and money. The film depicts the clash of these two cultures, exploring how people behave when they are estranged from their accustomed milieu and exposed to the scrutiny of strangers who are inclined to judge them by their allegiances. Witness also shows that a growing understanding between people from different cultures can force a painful evaluation of one’s own values, beliefs and sense of self. Analysis of key ideas and arguments Self-fulfilment and belonging to a group ‘No man is an island’, metaphysical poet John Donne tells us in his Meditation VII. Humans are social beings who thrive through their connections with others. We start life in family groups and identify ourselves as members of national and ethnic groups. We choose to mix with like-minded people in friendship groups and often find much in common with our work colleagues. Our beliefs and interests see us joining political parties, churches and football clubs. There is great satisfaction in associating with people who share something in common with us. In this sense, the groups we belong to show us and the world who we are. We develop a stronger sense of self when surrounded by people who understand and support us. John Book desires to do the right thing. He never falters in his determination to solve the murder of the undercover policeman and is never tempted to become part of the corrupt officers’ group. Book’s passion for justice is a fundamental part of his identity and is expressed in the career he has chosen. Book’s strong moral ethic is shared by Eli, who has taken on the support of his widowed daughter-in-law Rachel and grandson Samuel. Eli believes in a literal interpretation of the teachings of the Bible and lives his life accordingly. His behaviour bears witness to the Amish philosophy and belonging to the group allows him to lead a life that seems the most desirable and righteous to him. Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 3 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging Although we can assume that belonging to the Amish community was Eli’s birthright rather than a conscious choice, Witness shows him as a man who embraces the group and all its teachings wholeheartedly. The Amish community and its beliefs shape his identity and give his life meaning. Belonging to a group can provide a sense of being one part of a larger whole and sharing this belief with other group members can be very satisfying. Like the police investigating the murder scene, the Amish are shown working together towards a common goal. The raising of the barn, for example, shows the men combining their skills with mutual respect and without competition to get the job done. Here, Weir uses swelling music to establish a euphoric mood as the building takes shape with the work of many hands. The group may offer support and encouragement. At the funeral of Rachel’s husband we witness the subdued grief of the community at the loss of one of their own people. The women gather around Rachel in the dim room while the men stand together talking. This mutual support is seen again at the end of the film when the men run to answer the alarm bell, to come to the aid of whoever needs them. The common purpose and shared values of the group allow the Amish to find fulfilment in their ordered lives. Even for those who manipulate their position in a group for their own ends, such as the corrupt police officers Schaeffer, McFee and Fergie, there remains the possibility of self-fulfilment. The police force, and the respect that belonging to it confers, serve as a cover for these men to carry out their crimes. These men cynically subvert the general good standing of the police force in the community to continue dealing drugs. As a result, their true identities are not immediately apparent to the world outside their group. Witness also pays tribute to the family group, showing the strength of family bonds under stress. Book, for example, worries about his sister’s fatherless children and her uncertain lifestyle because he understands the value of stable family life. Elaine is generous to her brother, offering her car to him and hospitality to Rachel and Samuel when he needs a place for them to stay. She wants him to settle down and find happiness. Eli and Rachel are full of concern for Samuel and show their love for the child when he is in danger through their Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 4 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging instinctive embraces. The ideas of home and intimacy are important, suggesting that there is no other group that quite fits your needs and knows you as well as your family. The experience of belonging to a family transcends culture and Weir shows, especially through the character of Samuel, that it is a social group which helps to form the individual’s identity at crucial moments. Discussion questions †¢ †¢ Why is Book not even tempted to join the corrupt officers and become rich by dealing drugs? In what ways do Elaine and Rachel show that motherhood and family are important aspects of their identity? Choosing not to belong The choice to leave a family, religious or political group can be a painful one, carrying with it a feeling of disloyalty. Sometimes, however, rejection can occur pre-emptively, when the choice is made not to join a particular group. In order to live out their beliefs, people may decide to reject the life offered by mainstream society in favour of belonging to an exclusive group. The Amish tenaciously retain their traditional way of life by cutting themselves off from virtually all that the modern world has to offer. Television, radio, cars and farm machinery are absent from their lives and their 19th century clothing styles symbolise their rejection of progress. Eli articulates this best. Be ye separate’, he tells Samuel sternly, quoting the scriptural precept on which the Amish base their lives. This old-fashioned lifestyle is a cause of amusement to the American public, who regard them as an endearingly quaint tourist attraction. However, Weir seems to endorse the Amish way, by showing that they function simply but effectively. Samuel shows Book how the water pump and the grain storage system w ork and there is an air of quiet prosperity about the farms. The film presents the unhurried pace of Amish life almost idyllically, with shots of blue skies and clear water. It is very effectively contrasted with the sleazy Happy Valley nightclub and the dangerous men’s room at Penn Station. Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 5 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging With these contrasting landscapes and social groups, Weir challenges the idea that progress and modernity are indisputably beneficial. There is visual humour in the shot of the Amish buggy travelling slowly, a long line of traffic in its wake. Weir also contrasts, more seriously, what it means to be a single mother in both of these groups. Rachel is supported by a loving, stable community while Elaine’s crowded, chaotic house plays host to a succession of lovers and surrogate fathers for her boys. To choose separation from a volatile and dangerous world brings its own security. Weir compares the relative value of the two communities with definite nostalgia for a simple way of life no longer possible for most people in modern Western societies. It is not easy to gain acceptance into an exclusive group. We hear Eli’s concern when the wounded Book is brought to hide at the farm. Contact with the ‘English’ is dangerous in his eyes. The solemn Amish folk smile at the spectacle of Book dressed in the ‘plain’ clothing of the community. It is his embarrassed scowl as much as the ill-fitting suit that clearly shows he does not belong. Book and his hosts both understand that he is putting his real identity, purpose and police officer’s ways on hold for a while. Only his carpentry skills, which the Amish regard as useful, win him acceptance among the men. As Rachel tells him, ‘Whacking’s not much use on a farm’. Eli’s final blessing has been hardwon. ‘You be careful out among them English’, he tells Book. This shows that he sees the policeman as changed and vulnerable, not quite Amish but no longer really belonging to the dangerous outside world. When the three corrupt police officers, a secretive clique in the police force with their own sense of exclusivity, descend on the community, the Amish are forced to confront the evil that they try to avoid. They bring no weapons when they run to answer the alarm bell, just their belief in the power of good to overcome evil. When Schaeffer fumbles for his identity card the Amish ignore it. They stare in silent witness at an evil man whose actions, not his status and power, tell them who he is. The film suggests that the Amish community are strong enough to survive the violence and crime that has occurred so close. While they have experienced events unlike any they have previously witnessed, the community remains unaltered and uncompromised. Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 6 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging Discussion question †¢ How may an expanded view of the world and learning more about other groups change people’s understanding of themselves? Belonging to a group and self-sacrifice Belonging to a group may mean subjugating your own desires and opinions for the greater good and goals of the group. If the compromise becomes too great, and the group no longer seems to fit with the individual’s sense of self, a person may choose to abandon the group. Very often, however, this choice seems too frightening, and people settle for the familiar rather than the unknown, comfortable where they belong and ready to accommodate their identity to the group ethos. In Witness, Rachel becomes stifled by the narrow options before her – to continue as a widow or to marry the mild-mannered Daniel. The intrusion of Book, an outsider into their group, forces her to reconsider her position in the community. She faces a strong sexual desire for a man other than her husband. This desire causes Rachel to question the limitations of her ordered, gentle world and to consider the possibility that outside it she could be a totally different person. As a result, Rachel’s manner changes and we see the possible emergence of a more independent woman: she removes her bonnet, the outward sign of her Amish identity, and goes to Book. Such impulses are well under control by the end of the film. The film’s final shots see her returned to her bonnet, positioned in the kitchen, accepting that her place is with the Amish. The decision to join a group may require further choices which may alter the individual’s sense of self. Carter and Book have freely chosen to join the police force. This indicates their values based on their sense of who they are. Each man’s private ethics are publicly expressed in their desire to belong to an organisation that fights crime and seeks justice. However, their exposure to the evil and violence of the criminal world involves a sacrifice of these ethics, manifested in the counterforce they must use to fight crime. When Book manhandles the suspect outside the nightclub we are encouraged, like Rachel, to be appalled by this display of violence. We respond similarly when he excessively beats the mocking tourist. Book is desensitised to violence; it has become second nature for him to rely on violent force to resolve problems. Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 7 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging Those who defy or corrupt the group must be punished by exclusion. The Amish ‘shunning’, which Eli warns Rachel to avoid, would cut her off from the life of the community. If she were judged to have offended their laws by her open attraction to Book she would no longer be able to speak and eat with her people. To be set apart from the group in this way would be unbearable for those who live in such a close-knit community. Denied a secure place in the group that has always nurtured them, they may begin to question their very identity. Total loyalty is required if the group is to keep its integrity. When a group grants power to some of its members so that they can lead, that power may become very attractive. Even among the Amish, the leaders (or Elders) have the authority to make decisions about the lives of other members. We witness their self-importance as they walk under their large umbrellas and leave Eli in the rain. When the power of leadership corrupts those who hold it, the group is used to serve the interests of those who command. This is clearly seen in Witness in the example of the senior police officers, McFee and Schaeffer. They retain only the mask of responsible law enforcement officers. Their murders of the undercover policeman and Carter, and their ruthless pursuit of Book, show they are prepared to abuse their authority in the group for their own gain. In order to profit from drug trafficking, they have sacrificed their ethics and the wholeness of their identity. Discussion question †¢ In what ways can a group be damaged or destroyed when its members’ values or beliefs change? Identity under pressure What happens when your sense of self becomes destabilised? When people enter an unfamiliar culture they often begin to question their own beliefs and customs. How difficult would it be to adopt another culture permanently and how would it affect your own identity? Do we freely choose who we become? Witness shows us how uncomfortable it feels to be displaced from a familiar group, alone and unsupported in a strange community. The film takes the wideeyed Samuel and his mother through the backstreets of Philadelphia. The audience views scenes of sleaze and violence anew, through the horrified eyes Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 8 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging f the Amish woman and her child. Rachel’s prayer over the meal in the hot dog diner shows how out of place she is in secular society. Book’s attack on the young tourist is such unlikely behaviour for an Amish person that it arouses the suspicion of the police. Both Rachel and Book stay true to themselves, reacting to the unfamiliar world around them in ways that ar e consistent with their sense of self – a devout Amish woman and a tough, short-tempered police officer. Their identities have been formed by the groups they belong to; they have internalised the groups’ values. Rachel can no more easily become a modern American woman than Book can become Amish. In the end, the power of their established identities is stronger than their desire to be together. Nevertheless, the film plays with the possibility that Book could live his life among the Amish. His strong attraction to Rachel makes even this hardened Philadelphia cop consider the idea briefly. Just like the audience, he is drawn into the simple world offered by the community, exploring the farm and experiencing nostalgia for a life that Weir presents so idyllically. It provides a potent antidote to his city life. Book is content to work with Eli, make toys for Samuel and adore Rachel silently, almost taking on the role of her dead husband in the household. However, he has few real points of contact with the Amish, apart from his use of hammer and nails. His rage at the irritating tourists shows that he cannot accept the pacifist beliefs of the community. Even when he gulps down lemonade, Book is presented as a man accustomed to grabbing at the pleasures of life. This is contrasted with the small sips taken by the more moderate Daniel. The energy and forcefulness that attract Rachel to Book are the very qualities that make him ill-equipped to truly belong in the Amish community. Book and Rachel yearn for each other. As the song ‘(What a) Wonderful World’ plays on the car radio, Weir intensifies the emotion of the film. They hold each other as they dance, 1950s style, innocently but with terrible longing. There is a moment of crisis in Witness when Rachel is prepared to throw away her world. Having come to love Book, she finds her fundamental values and way of life challenged by her desire for him. The scene in which she is naked symbolises her willingness to set aside all the trappings of her religion and culture in order Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 9 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging to offer him her essential self. It is a measure of Book’s greater worldliness and experience of life that he knows their love is impossible. Although dress signifies identity in Witness, the possibility of false appearances is presented as something to be cautious of. At Penn Station, Samuel approaches the Hasidic man confidently, assuming from his clothes that he is Amish, only to find to his dismay that he is a stranger. In the men’s room, the murdered drug dealer is really an undercover policeman and the murderer is actually a senior police officer. Weir sets up this confusion in the early scenes to suggest that we cannot rely on appearances to judge who and what people really are. Later in the film, we see McFee standing proudly with his citation in the photograph; despite his crimes he presents himself as every inch a police officer in his uniform. We see Book posing as an Amish farmer and Schaeffer identifying himself as a policeman to convince the Amish that he is to be trusted. Weir suggests that it is not always easy to know another person or to see beyond the disguises we present to one another. Clothes or costumes, in this context, may be a distraction from understanding the truth. Samuel seems wise beyond his years when he tells his grandfather that he can tell a ‘bad man’ by his deeds. ‘I can see what they do’, he says sadly. ‘I have seen it. ’ Discussion questions †¢ †¢ Do you think that Book has changed in any way by the end of the film? What future do you predict for Rachel? Points of view on the Context The following discussion topics, writing topics and activities are designed to assist you to develop your understanding of the ideas explored in the Context Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging. By discussing and considering different responses to the issues raised by Witness, you will learn to articulate your own point of view. Insight English for Year 12  © Insight Publications 2007 10 Article on Witness by Rosemary O’Shea Area of Study 2 Context: Exploring Issues of Identity and Belonging Discussion/writing topics †¢ The Amish have gained more than they have lost by rejecting the modern world. Make a list of all the advantages and disadvantages that their separateness has brought them before you begin the discussion. †¢ There is an old saying, ‘Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man’. The statement suggests that adult identity is formed by the experiences of early childhood and implies that people have little control over who they become. Do you agree? †¢ †¢ †¢ Were Rachel and Book wrong to give up their love? Surely love conquers all? What adjustments would Rachel have had to make to join Book’s world? What pressures could make an individual decide to abandon a group that has previously been important in their life? Consider all the groups you belong to. Which of them have you chosen? Which have been chosen for you? Which of these groups has had the strongest influence on the formation of your identity? Activities †¢ In Witness, Rachel tells Book some of the things his sister, Elaine, has said about him in their off-screen conversation. In pairs, create the dialogue of this conversation between the two women as they discuss Book. What other insights into his character could Elaine make? In small groups, research and prepare an oral presentation on groups which are separate from mainstream society for different reasons, such as remote Aboriginal communities, tiny regional towns, prisoners in jail, exclusive religious organisations or people who live in nursing homes. How does belonging to such a group influence the sense of self of its members? †¢ Write the reflection that Book might make on his way home from the Amish community. What would he admire about their way of life? What reasons would he give to convince himself that his relationship with Rachel would never have worked?

Germination Lab Report Sample

Germination Lab Report Paper Conclusion and Evaluation: The aim of the experiment is to observe how does using the same plants and conditions except watering them with different amounts of water will affect the ate of germination. The amount of the temperature,oxygen and light(by placing all the plants into the same place) is controlled. Some errors may caused by; * The plants were kept in room temperature 230 as measured but the temperature may varied in night and day. * The plants were placed in front of the window so each plant may take the sunlight with different slope. This may caused some plants to get more sunlight than the other plants and light effects the germination. Also this may caused a greater temperature on some plants . 10 days is a short period of time to get accurate results because it took too much mime for the plants that watered with 40 ml water to germinate. * If a ruler with smaller scale was used we could get more accurate results. Some improvements could be; * If the temperature would be kept constant by a heater in an isolated place. To prevent the plants from taking the light with different slopes is to place a light source above of every plant. If the experiment lasted more than 10 days the plants could grown more so the difference in heights of the plants for different amounts of water could be seen more precisely. * If even more amount of water levels could be used there would be more information to prove the hypothesis. The first sign of germination is the absorption of water. This activates an enzyme, respiration increas es and plant cells are duplicated. Soon the embryo becomes too large, the seed coat bursts open and the growing plant emerges. We will write a custom essay sample on Germination Lab Report specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Germination Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Germination Lab Report specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The tip of the root is the first thing to emerge and its first for good reason. It will anchor the seed in place, and allow the embryo to absorb water and nutrients from the surrounding soil. Some seeds need special treatment or conditions of light, temperature, moisture,water etc. To germinate. Seed dormancy is very complex, but it protects that living plant material until conditions are right for it o emerge and grow. *** In the experiment it has been observed that as the amount of water increases so does the rate of germination. When the adequate amount of water is reached ,which means the cotton soak up enough water the germination rate is maximum after 10 days. But when too mulch water is used the germination rate starts to decrease. The maximum rate is observed during 20 ml water ,while in ml and 40 ml of water the germination gets slower. Monitoring water content of seeds is a must. Too much water can cause the seed to drown and not grow or can cause mold problems if not careful. Too little water and the seed wont grow. The soil should be damp to the touch. *** Thats why plants that 30 ml and 40 ml water is used the water level was over the cotton layer in the glass, so the water was too much for the plants causing them to not germinate easily and have some mold problems as the color of the cotton layer starts to get darker. In the end of nova p value 4,EYE-1 5; 0,05 so hypothesis is rejected and hypothesis alternative is accepted. Let is observed that changing the amount of water does effects germinatio n as significant difference is observed between different amount of water used.

comerce clause essays

comerce clause essays The United States Constitution gives very specific powers to congress. These powers are very limited and are each enumerated in the text of the Constitution. One of the powers is [t]o regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes (Article I, Section 8). This is the only reference in the constitution that speaks about commerce. The Tenth Amendment states that [t]he powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. By reading these statements in the constitution most people would believe that the states have enormous power to control the day to day activities within their state borders. James Madison, who was one of the biggest supporters of a powerful federal government, wrote the following in the Federalist Papers. The powers delegated by the . . . Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite. The former will be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce. . . . The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs; concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State (1778). But during oral arguments involving the application of the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution, Justice Antonin Scalia pressed the Solicitor General [Seth P. Waxman] to name a single activity or program that our modern-day Congress might undertake that would fall outside the bounds of the Constitution. The stunned Clinton appointee could not think of one (Moore, 1999) How did we get from federal powers that are few and defined to powers that have no bounds? One of...

On the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On the instruction - Essay Example This problem can be solved through parental, guardian as well as educators’ intervention so as to be in a position to educate children about the constructive use of the internet. It should be everyone’s responsibility to provide internet safe education to the children so that they become aware of the risks they are likely to encounter through the use of the internet. The other solution that can be implemented in order to deal with this particular problem is related to empowerment of the children so that they can become masters of the destiny in as far as internet use is concerned. There are different ways of implementing these measures which are likely to provide a long solution to the problem that is related to adverse impacts of the internet on children. According to the Internet Society, â€Å"the most effective way to deal with perceived problems arising from Internet use is to empower children and young people so they know how to safeguard themselves against the a dverse effects of using the internet.† Whilst other strategies are used by different governments such as filtering or blocking websites that are thought to contain malicious information to children, it can be seen that these techniques have their own shortfalls. A holistic approach that is people centred should be implemented in order to address this problem. Empowerment of children with regards to the use of the internet is very effective since this strategy is designed to produce positive benefits of using the internet. There are different empowerment techniques that can be used such as teaching the children about appropriate language to use as well as imparting knowledge to them about their respective communities’ social, cultural and ethical norms that shape their behaviour. Every person belongs to a culture that has norms and values and these create the identity of the people living in that particular area. The culture of people also shapes their identity hence it is the role of the parents in particular to impart knowledge about their cultural values to the children. This can help the children to distinguish between something that is good from bad. Children who are aware of their cultural values are likely to maintain them throughout their lives. These values also help them to know the things they are allowed to do as well as things they are not allowed to do in their society. Morally upright children often display positive traits about their culture and this can redeem them from behaving badly when they are using the internet. It is also important for the parents as well as the educators to educate their children about the positive benefits that can be derived from using the internet. As stated by the Internet Society, it can be observed that the internet is not evil since it has significantly improved our lives in various ways. There are more benefits that are likely to be obtained from using the internet than the negative aspects such as the ones mentioned above. Essentially, parents and the educators should always strive to educate their children to be in a position to make a distinction between something that is bad from good. Whilst the parents and teachers spend most of the time with their children, it can be noted that they cannot control their behaviour all the

The Various Breeds of Cattle at Brawith Hall Estate Farms Essay

The Various Breeds of Cattle at Brawith Hall Estate Farms - Essay Example It is of great importance to note that, seemingly trivial and innocuous changes to performance practices could lead to the decline of breeds or strains adapted to the specific systems of performance in practice. There also lies in occurrence the inhibition of growth and development of the livestock at Brawith hall Estate Farms, Parasitic worms. Parasitic worms spend some, or rather most of their time living and feeding in a live host. This is when they cause the most damage to livestock. So far, resistance in cattle worms is respectively uncommon, although there exist viable indications that at some point, there would arise a problem. Producers should not be lulled into thinking it will not happen, as it probably will. Fortunately, through better grazing management, as those, which ought to be established by Brawith hall Estate Farms, and the use of effective chemical treatments, the costs on performance can be respectively minimized. It may be realized that adult cattle could obtain resistance to most of these parasites, the majority of them, except the liver fluke, so treatment usually focuses on the young stock, particularly during their first grazing season when they are most at risk (Wood, 2009, 87). Focusing on the Liver Fluke, it is being categorized amongst the most destructive parasite that attacks livestock: not only in Europe but also across the world. Brawith hall Estate Farms should practice yearling, and adult cattle should be treated after housing. Pesticides and other repulsive measures, inclusive of various chemical products tend to vary in their ability to kill immature larvae, and the timing for use is specific to the product being used (Kahrs, 2004, 121). Animals kept outdoors may require additional treatments, depending on the fluke risk. Given the resistance issues, emerging with the flukicide triclabendazole it is important to limit the use of this product. Use an alternative product for treating mature fluke in cattle. Other basic tactic s to curb the menace are readily available, and may not necessarily require any sort of major investment to the harbor. These measures include keeping stock off wet areas, which harbor the mud snail could help reduce the incidence of disease. A similar procedure, which would aid the process of nurturing the livestock at Brawith hall, is that all cattle should be dosed at the rate recommended for the heaviest animal in the group. Weighing two or three of the biggest animals and taking an average will give the most accurate guideline. If the weight range is such that the lightest animal might receive more than a double dose, divide the group into two, and calculate a dose rate for each, based on the heaviest animal in each sub-group. Inappropriate methods, such as under-dosing, using faulty dosing equipment, or treating in inappropriate conditions, can encourage wormer resistance to develop. This is because worms with some resistance to the product can survive a lower dose treatment, where a full dose would have killed them. It is rather conclusive to state that, use of wormers, should be put in place, only when it is very necessary. There occurs a trade-off between tolerating some level of worms on the farm and minimizing potential selection for wormer resistance.

Human Resource Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Resource Management - Research Paper Example ed customer requirements, difference in the cultural values among the people or the workers, an overabundance of stakeholders like customers, investors and so on with varied claims, diverse economic, political as well as legal environments and lastly the assortment of strategies of the competitors (Financial Times, 2007). Cultural Factors Cultural factors are considered to be the slightest substantial factor but for international organizations, they turn out to be one of the most important factors. Culture is perceived to be the features and behavioral structure of the people of a particular society. Cultural factors include religion, customs and approaches, language, values and mind-sets, education, material constituents, social foundations and aesthetics. Culture can also be said to be the complete system of life of the people in a specific society. For organizations to be successful, it is vital that they take into deliberation and adapt to the culture of the country or society. U nderstanding the cultural factors assists in endowing with competitive advantage to some extent to the organizations (Lan & Unhelkar, 2005). For instance, the Indian culture is quite open to new products, ideas and thoughts and accepts change without much hesitance. Thus, the people in India working as employees can adapt to the different working style and ways without much hesitance, whereas the Japanese culture is quite rigid and is not open towards accepting all and every kind of alterations in their society. Thus, organizations branching out in Japan should take it into concern and should be careful to practice their business operations according to the societal ways. Any alteration in the ways of working in the organizations would not be readily accepted by the local employees and... This essay stresses that the growing organizations require complying with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or the OECD. This is considered as the developer of rules in case of industrialized countries. The International Labor Organization, involved with the issue of ‘direct investment’ in the developing nations, can also be considered as another developer of code of conduct for globalizing companies. This article makes a conclusion that organizations need to concentrate and focus on multiple factors while planning their global expansion. The success or the failure of organizations is dependent on the proper treatment and understanding of the above mentioned factors. It is quite important for organizations to take these issues into consideration so as to attain competitive advantages along with global success. Successful global expansion would ensure the sustained existence of such organizations in this fiercely competitive age. It should be kept in mind that the adaption of effective human resource management strategies is the most significant aspects to be considered while expanding globally. It can not only minimize the risks associated with environmental and cultural divergences, but can also reward the organization with better productivity and sustainable growth in the market. With this concern, the human resource management practices should be altered according to the cultur e, preference and trends of the host market.

Ethics, Metaphysics and Epistemology

Ethics, Metaphysics and Epistemology Poyan Keynejad Group I: Ethics (#2) According to Aristotle, humans highest good involves the pursuit of deriving happiness from living and thinking well. To this end, Aristotle justifies this particular claim through explaining: the chief good is evidently something final. Now we call that which is in itself worthy of pursuit more final than that which is worthy of pursuit for the sake of something else. Now such a thing is happiness, for this we choose always for itself (Aristotle 570R/571L). In this light, Aristotles argument here is that the highest good can only be that which is achieved through actualizing something which is worthy of actualizing in and of itself, and for Aristotle nothing fits this description better than that of happiness, whether such happiness be derived from theoretical or practical pursuits. On the other hand, the Socrates of Platos Crito takes a slightly different approach to the highest goodness. Toward the beginning of Crito, Socrates remarks that the good life, the beautiful life, and the just life are the same (Plato 42R). To this end, the highest good for Socrates involves living responsibly and thoughtfully at all times and regardless of the context of ones circumstances. Socrates puts this idea of the highest goodness into action by refusing to flee his death sentence in Athens. Socrates makes the argument that in being an Athenian citizen, he has taken an oath to follow the rulings of Athenian law, regardless if such a law is used to condemn him to death. In defense of his responsibility to the rule of law, Socrates bemoans us to not value either your children or your life or anything else more than goodness, (Plato 46L) or, other words, living thoughtfully and responsibly. In weighing both of these arguments for the highest good against one another, I must say that while I do not inherently disagree with Socratess argument, I find Aristotles account of the highest good to be more compelling. This is because in Platos Crito Socrates only vaguely lays out a general philosophical conception of what it means to live a good life, whereas in Aristotles own conception of the highest good he lays out a structured argument for what such goodness entails, namely that the highest good must be something which is worthy of pursuing for the sake of itself, which for Aristotle is embodied in the actualization of happiness. In this light, I find Aristotles account of goodness more compelling than Socratess account because it is structured in a clear and logical manner. Though I will also qualify my remarks by saying that I do generally sympathize with Socratess conception of goodness; I just find it less compelling than Aristotles competing conception. Group II: Metaphysics (#4) Saint Anselm argues for the existence of god on the basis that god is something à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [of] which nothing greater can be conceived, and thus according to this line of thought such a god cannot exist just in the understanding, [because] we could conceive it to exist in reality too, in which case it would be greater (Anselm 40R/41L). To this end, Anselm is maintaining that if one accepts the premise that god is something à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [of] which nothing greater can be conceived, then it logically follows that such a god must exist, in that the only thing greater than having the concept of such a god in ones mind is the reality that that god exists outside of the mind, therefore fulfilling Anselms premise of god being something à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [of] which nothing greater can be conceived (Anselm 40R). On the other hand, Saint Aquinas argues for the existence of god on the basis that every cause must have an action and thus that there must have been a first cause that was caused by god, seeing as how, at least in Aquinass eyes, the universe is finite and as such it must have originated from a first cause. To this end, Aquinas maintains that everything has been changed by something else, But this cannot go back to infinity. If it did, there would be no first cause of change and, consequently, no other causes of change, (Aquinas 43L) meaning that without a first cause there would be no universe in the first place. In this light, Aquinas posits that the only thing capable of causing the first cause is god, and thus he bases his argument for gods existence on the idea that such a god would have been necessary to cause a finite universe. From my own amateur perspective, I find Aquinass aforementioned argument for the existence of god to be stronger than Anselms argument. This is because Anselms argument for gods existence seems grounded purely in rhetoric and semantics, as if his argument were just a word game. On the other hand, Aquinass argument for gods existence is grounded in a problem of physics that, short of modern science, only the existence of a god could reasonably resolve. The premise that a finite universe must have had a first cause is a premise that virtually any person could easily accept. Thus on the basis of its premise and its logical conclusion, Aquinass argument for god seems stronger than Anselms argument. With regard to persuasiveness, Aquinass argument for gods existence is certainly persuasive in the sense that one cannot rationally conceive of a finite universe that did not bear a first cause, in that such a universes very finiteness requires an originary causation. Thus, short of having any knowledge of the Big Bag, Aquinass contention that god must have caused the first cause is a reasonable one, as it would be difficult to come up with an idea of any other entity that could be capable of causing the first cause. Group III: Epistemology (#6) Descartes imagines an evil demon at the end of Meditation because he uses this concept to illustrate that most knowledge is dubious and that one must start from a position of skepticism if they are to be able to truly find a trustworthy foundation for verifiable knowledge. To this end, Descartes remarks how, in realizing that he would need to start his pursuit of knowledge from scratch, I would need to tear down everything and begin anew from the foundations if I wanted to establish any firm and lasting knowledge (Descartes 157L). Thus, in devising a theoretical evil demon that can mislead humans into positions of false knowledge, Descartes is beginning to tear down everything and begin anew in his pursuit of firm and lasting knowledge (Descartes 157L). Zhuangzi makes similar arguments in pursuit of establishing skepticism in his own scholarship. For one, Zhuangzi makes the skeptical argument that knowledge is ultimately impossible because, for him, the divide between subjectivity and objectivity cannot be overcome. He argues such because he maintains that Everything is merely subjective; there is no such thing as objectivity. So there is no such thing as knowledge (Zhuangzi 322). In this sense, he views knowledge as impossible because humans are only capable of having imperfect subjective perspectives. Building off of this contention of ultimate subjectivity, Zhuangzi makes another skeptical argument on the basis of universal variability, with universal variability being the notion that since everyone perceives things differently, There is no way to decide which perceptions ought to be trusted, (Zhuangzi 322) which again provides us with the implication that objective knowledge is impossible. The main similarity between Descartess skepticism and Zhuangzis skepticism is that both philosophers make certain theoretical arguments in order to illustrate how, in many cases (or in all cases for Zhuangzi), what we take to be knowledge is in fact quite untrustworthy. On the other hand, the main difference between Descartess skepticism and Zhuangzis skepticism lies in what both are trying to achieve through their skeptical arguments. Descartess only endeavors in skepticism so that he can weed out all false knowledge from his perspective and thereafter establish a firm foundation for real knowledge. On the flip side, Zhuangzi does not have a constructive end to his skepticism, in that he maintains his skeptical arguments solely for the purpose of illustrating how there can be no firm foundation for real knowledge. In this sense, Descartess goals and Zhuangzis goals are quite different when it comes to skepticism.

Michael Manley

Michael Norman Manley (December 10, 1924 – March 6, 1997) was the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica (1972 – 1980, 1989 – 1992). The second son of Jamaica's Premier Norman Manley and Jamaican artist Edna Manley, Michael Manley was a charismatic figure who became the leader of the Jamaican People's National Party a few months before his father's death in 1969. Contents [hide] 1 Reforms 2 Diplomacy 3 Violence 4 Opposition 5 Re-election 6 Family 7 Retirement and death 8 Sources 9 Notes Reforms Manley soundly beat the unpopular incumbent Prime Minister Hugh Shearer (his cousin) in the election of 1972 after running on a platform of â€Å"better must come,† giving â€Å"power to the people† and leading â€Å"a government of truth. † Manley instituted a series of socio-economic reforms that yielded mixed success. Though he was a biracial Jamaican from an elite family, Manley's successful trade union background helped him to maintain a close relationship with the country's poor, black majority, and he was a dynamic, popular leader. Unlike his father, who had a reputation for being formal and businesslike, the younger Manley moved easily among people of all strata and made Parliament accessible to the people by abolishing the requirement for men to wear jackets and ties to its sittings. In this regard he started a fashion revolution, often preferring the kariba shirt or bush jacket over a formal suit. Diplomacy Manley developed close friendships with several foreign leaders, foremost of whom were Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Olof Palme of Sweden, Pierre Trudeau of Canada and Fidel Castro of Cuba. With Cuba just 145 km (90 miles) north of Jamaica, he strengthened diplomatic relations between the two island nations, much to the dismay of United States policymakers. At the 1979 meeting of the non-aligned movement, Manley strongly pressed for the development of what was called a natural alliance between the Non-aligned movement and the Soviet Union to battle imperialism. In his speech he said, â€Å"All anti-imperialists know that the balance of forces in the world shifted irrevocably in 1917 when there was a movement and a man in the October Revolution, and Lenin was the man. Manley saw Cuba and the Cuban model as having much to offer both Jamaica and the world. In diplomatic affairs, Manley believed in respecting the different systems of government of other countries and not interfering in their internal affairs. Violence Manley was the Prime Minister when Jamaica experienced a significant escalation of its political culture of violence. Supporters of his opponent Edward Seaga and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Manley's People's National Party (PNP) engaged in a bloody struggle which began before the 1976 election and ended when Seaga was installed as Prime Minister in 1980. While the violent political culture was not invented by Seaga or Manley, and had its roots in conflicts between the parties from as early as the beginning of the two-party system in the 1940s, political violence reached unprecedented levels in the 1970s. Indeed, the two elections accompanied by the greatest violence were those (1976 and 1980) in which Seaga was trying to unseat Manley. Violence flared in January 1976 in anticipation of elections. A State of Emergency was declared by Manley's party the PNP in June and 500 people, including some prominent members of the JLP, were accused of trying to overthrow the government and were detained, without charges, in a specially created prison at the Up-Park Camp military headquarters [1]. Elections were held on 15 December that year, while the state of emergency was still in effect. The PNP was returned to office. The State of Emergency continued into the next year. Extraordinary powers granted the police by the Suppression of Crime Act of 1974 continued to the end of the 1980s. Violence continued to blight political life in the 1970s. Gangs armed by both parties fought for control of urban constituencies. In the election year of 1980 around 800 Jamaicans were killed. While the murder rate in Jamaica has long been high, Jamaicans were particularly shocked by the violence at that time. In the 1980 elections, Seaga's JLP won and he became Prime Minister. Opposition As Leader of the Opposition Manley became an outspoken critic of the new conservative administration. He strongly opposed intervention in Grenada after Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was overthrown and executed. Immediately after committing Jamaican troops to Ronald Reagan's invasion of Grenada in 1983, Seaga called a snap election – two years early – on the pretext that Dr Paul Robertson, General Secretary of the PNP, had called for his resignation. Manley, who may have been taken by surprise by the maneuver, led his party in a boycott of the elections, and so the Jamaica Labour Party won all seats in parliament against only marginal opposition in six of the sixty electoral constituencies. During his period of opposition in the 1980s, Manley, a compelling speaker, travelled extensively, speaking to audiences around the world. He taught a graduate seminar and gave a series of public lectures at Columbia University in New York. In the 1980s a Judicial Enquiry, the Smith Commission, was held on the 1976 State of Emergency. Manley admitted that he declared it on evidence that was manufactured to help him win the forthcoming election. In 1986 Manley travelled to Britain and visited Birmingham. He attended a number of venues including the Afro Caribbean Resource Centre in Winson Green and Digbeth Civic Hall. The mainly black audiences turned out en masse to hear Manley speak. Re-election By 1989 Manley had softened his socialist rhetoric, explicitly advocating a role for private enterprise. With the fall of the Soviet Union, he also ceased his support for a variety of international causes. In the election of that year he campaigned on a very moderate platform. Seaga's administration had fallen out of favor – both with the electorate and the US – and the PNP was re-elected handily. Manley's second term was short and largely uneventful. In 1992, citing health reasons he stepped down as Prime Minister and PNP leader. His former Deputy Prime Minister, Percival Patterson, assumed both offices. Family Michael Manley had 5 children: Rachel Manley, Joseph Manley, Sarah Manley, Natasha Manley and David Manley. Retirement and death Manley wrote seven books, including the award-winning A History of West Indies Cricket, in which he discussed the links between cricket and West Indian nationalism. Michael Manley died of prostate cancer on 6 March, 1997, the same day as another Caribbean politician, Cheddi Jagan of Guyana

How to Date a Browngirl, Blackgirl, Whitegirl, or Halfie by Junot Diaz Essay

There were three literary device use in this short story ( style, tone, and many different languages). Each device blended well with each. As you read the story you can get the sense of style, tone, language of the writer. As you start the story your stuck until you finish be the literary device being used. Junot Diaz style is very amusing. As he explain his story, he is straight forward . The style of the story is not made for anyone who is easily offended. The style of the story was made for anyone to read. If the reader is from an Urban area they can relate to the story and if not, they may find this story be funny. The style of the story makes it feel like you’re given step by step directions on dating. The narrator explains how to handle yourself in different situations whether if it getting away from the bully when you have you girl around, hang the up the phone if the father answers, or how please the mother. Diaz starts off with a funny and playful tone from the start, making the readers want to know what was more to come. As Diaz opens the story, he opens with a funny paragraph â€Å" You’ve already told them that your too sick to go to Union City to visit that tia who likes to grab your nuts (He’s gotten big, she’ll say.)† (pg.255) He continues with the same tone in every paragraph. There is no way to can get bored with the story. Also, the tone in the story makes the reader feel like it’s one of their friends or crazy drunk uncle giving advice on dating. It makes the reader feel more open as they read the book. Diaz uses many different languages throughout the story; if the reader is not prepare it may catch them off guard. The different types of languages in the story help give it color and life. One of the languages the narrator used was slang, using slang it gave validation in what type of environment the story was taking place. One the languages used in the story is connotation â€Å" If she’s white girl you know you’ll at least get a hand job.† This type of language had intensity, value, and a image to the readers. In this story I assume that this story was made for humor or a dating tool for teenage boys that live in urban areas on how to date different types of girl within or outside the neighbor hood. This was a funny story and I enjoyed it. I don’t read at all unless it has to do with the news, sports, or military information. I feel that if I can understand what is a literary device, I understand more what I am reading and actually enjoyed this short story.

buy custom Factors That Affect Brand Equity essay

buy custom Factors That Affect Brand Equity essay Brand equity determines the performance, sustainability, and comparative advantage that a brand may enjoy or lack on the market (Kapferer 304). The two terms denote the relative strength of the brand over others. In the competitive corporate world, companies and firms have prioritized brand building as an integral aspect of business strategy. Brand equity is contextualized within the overall structures and framework of total quality management (Kapferer 328). Companies direct significant percentages of their budgetary allocations towards enhancing of their brand equity. Normally, the overall objective is to target the perceptions, sensibilities, opinions, and preferences of the clientele towards the brand. Competition by firms to enhance the image of their brand equity is considered as the virtual terrain for the battle for the psychological attraction of the clientele (Simovic 56). The process of brand building often works through covert and overt ways. The subliminal psychological impact on the minds of the consumer and appeal across different segments of the market are the fundamental objectives of enhancing brand equity. Various studies have explored the different factors that contribute to brand equity in the corporate world. However, few studies have focused on the actual nature of associations between these factors within the understanding of brand equity. Some of the factors that have been explored include marketing communication, pricing and price promotion, product category, distribution intensity, and the perceived quality of a product. This study will attempt to explore the various levels of impact that these five variables have in brand equity. The understanding of these associations and levels of impact will assist in contributing or annulling some of the theories and propositions that have been developed with regard to brand equity. These variables will be explored in terms of their efficacy in controlling the minds of customers towards designated business goals and objectives. The forces of globalization and liberalization of the market economy have made it important for corporate strategists to develop unique systems of brand equity in order to stay ahead in the competition (Simovic 89). The successful completion of the various aspects of brand equity will mostly involve the development of an integrated system that fits within the framework of total quality management. There is a need for studies to explore the fundamental building blocks and the shifting nature of associations that affect the relationships between the variables and brand equity. Such studies would be resourceful for corporate planners and strategists to revise their methods of doing business in line with the shifting market trends. This position draws from the fact that markets are not static. The corporate space is fluid and responds to different kinds of global and local stimuli, macro-economic factors, and micro-economic influences. Aims and Objectives To determine whether there exists any association between marketing communication and the enhancing of brand equity. To explore the nature of association that exists between pricing and price promotion and the nature of brand equity on the market. To investigate the impact of product category on the nature of brand equity on the corporate market. To examine the effect of distribution intensity on the brand equity of a given product. To relate the kind and nature of perceived quality of product and brand equity of a given product. Methodology Target Population This study will target 150 regular consumers of fast foods in New York. The target group will be limited between the ages of 18 to 70. The respondents will be divided into halves across either gender. The selections will observe variations across the demographic categories of race, religion, sexual orientation, educational level, age, income levels, and political concerns. The choice of the sample size, age bracket of the respondents, and the mix in demographic variables will allow the study to capture a representative sample of the American urban population. Only the central parts of New York will be considered in the study. Outlying regions and annexes will be excluded from the study. The population of New York is among the largest in the United States comprising of nearly 18.9 million within an area of 17,400 square kilometers. Further, the study will particularly target respondents who will have lived within the city of New York for the last five years. The assumption made would be that this period is sufficient for an individual to integrate into the culture of a place and adopt certain aspects of lifestyles that rhyme with the dominant patterns of life. Immigrants, tourists, and businesspeople in the fast-food sector will be excluded from the study systematically. The exclusion of immigrants would be because they have not acclimatized sufficiently in the American urban society to warrant their involvement in the study. Tourists will also be excluded for the same reason. Businesspersons in the fast-food line of service will be excluded due to the high likelihood for bias in the information that they keep. Participants will be recruited through a personal contact with the city population at their different times of visit into recreational facilities. The researcher will establish contacts with more than 200 clients at the fast food stores in order to provide room for non-compliance. One of the assumptions that will be made regarding this study is that the clients to be found at the restaurants are more likely to be frequent consumers of the fast food than those who may be found in other areas of the city. Two or three graduate assistants will be enlisted in the task of establishing and retaining contacts with the target group. Studies have observed that a target population of 150 respondents and above is the most appropriate in capturing representative information on any given subject of the study (Kumar 78). Such a sample should reflect heterogeneous qualities in terms of demographic factors. Study Area This study will take place in New York City. New York is the most populated city in the United States of America. New York is an international destination for business, entertainment, technology, and other areas of modern interest (Lankevich 77). Current statistics puts the population of New York at 8,175,133 (Lankevich 151). New York reflects the worlds cultural diversity being home to about 800 different languages. There are about 4000 mobile vendors in New York. Many of these vendors deal in the fast food industry (Lankevich 45). The city is distinguishable from other cities in the United States because of the peculiar culture and manner of speaking. New York City is culturally diverse, which makes it convenient for the study of customer prefernces and opinions on the matter of brand equity. The concentration of major businesses at the different parts of the city shows that the city has a significant business potential and a research clientele. The corporate culture of the city and the relatively high levels of education in the city would influence the participation of the population. The choice of New York City as the study area would benefit from the mix of associations and the high volume of international business that affects the way in which consumers respond to forces that determine brand equity. New York has been regarded as a global nexus of business, which responds to the global forces that determine the conventional trends of business and consumer preferences. Some opinions hold it that New York acts as a global pace setter in the world due to the influence it wields across the different segments of the society. This will give the study an increased opportunity for generalization. This study will, therefore, explore the opportunities in order to expose the internal factors and forces that determine brand equity. Data Collection Methods Primary data will be collected through written questionnaires and interviews. This is because the study is primarily a quantitative approach. The questionnaires will be issued to the respondents and given sufficient amount of time to enable their cooperation. The information collected from the questionnaires will then be synthesized, organized and analyzed in order to a unified body of knowledge. Linkert scales will be used to explore the degree of opinion or perspectives adopted by the respondents on the various variables that regard brand equity. A mixture of closed-ended question and open-ended question will be used in the questionnaires. Interviews will be structured in a manner that would in the extraction of relevant information from resource people on the matter of brand equity. Businesspersons, business experts, and researchers will be responding to specific elements of the questions. Each question in the interview will be scheduled to take between 5 to 10 minutes. The information from the interviews will be collected by way of tape recorders and notebooks. The information will then be synthesized in order to align them with the objectives of the study. The responses will be coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Secondary information will be obtained from archival records, peer-reviewed journals, business databases, and other sources of published works that explore the matter of brand equity and its influence on consumer trends and preferences. Priority will be given to the most recent publications. Publications that fall within the past ten years will be considered. These publications will be organized according to particular themes that are consistent with the objectives of the study. Information from the secondary sources will be clustered into tables and matched with existing bodies of information as represented in the literature review. According to the studies on approaches in methodology, pairing and matching of information helps in harmonizing of disparate forms of information into a meaningful whole (Goddard and Stuart 91). Test for Reliability of Research Instruments Validity Since this is a quantitative research, it will be important for the study to determine the reliability of the instruments. It is usually important to determine whether the selected instruments have the capability to measure, the kind of relationships that they are designed to determine. This enables the researcher to make an early decision on whether to procede with the research instruments of whether to adopt other kinds of instruments. Another important aspect of this test is that it helps the study to determine the possible degree of error that might result from the measurements. In this study construct validity will be determined the suitability of a given test to a particular construct. The constructs to be measured will include the responses from the respondents regarding their preferences for particular products within the context of brand equity. The test of construct validity in this quantitative research will be used in the task of determining the possible variations in the nature of responses across one particular variable. Usually one group among the subjects will show a higher degree of the construct than the other. Reliability Reliability tests in research are used in the determination of the internal consistency of the test throughout a specified period of time (Kumar 56). It is the test of the stability in the results even if conducted in a different environment if it happens under the same conditions. Reliability and validity tests are understood within the need to provide works of research with the element of space-less and timeless universality. Reliability is usually measured in terms of coefficients such that it can be considered as low reliability or perfect reliability (Kumar 118). The test for reliability is usually considered as one of the internal elements that prove the authentic qualities of any work of research. It is usually considered that reliability tests will confirm whether a given finding can be relied upon in order to offer a generalized assessment regarding the topic under study. In this study, reliability tests were conducted through the coefficient of stability. The coefficient of stability is usually determined through the test-retest reliability. This study will conduct a pilot study based on a smaller sample of respondents in order to test the reliability of the instruments. Two studies will be conducted under the same conditions across different periods. The correlations between the two studies will be used to determine whether the instruments used in the study are reliable or not. Ethical Considerations Some of the information to be extracted from the respondents during the interviews and questionnaires may be of high confidential nature. It is for this reason that the study will choose to represent the information in terms of codes in order to conceal the identities of the respondents. Although the respondents will be within the age of consent, it would be appropriate to handle the information obtained in a manner that does not jeopardize some of their private interests. Another ethical consideration to be factored into this study is the search for official permission before the research takes effect. Seeking official permission before the study is one of the preliminary aspects of carrying out a research process. It is often considered as a fundamental factor because it helps to anchor the study within the standard parameters that are acceptable for the research process. Challenges Likely To Affect the Research Process Some of the challenges that are likelyy to affect the research process include non-cooperation by some respondents and time constraints. This research will involve dealing with members of the public whose daily schedules are difficult to follow. The researcher is likely to encounter problems of maintaining correspondence with these respondents because of this factor. The costs of maintaining contact with the respondents may pose significant budgetary constraints on the part of the researcher. However, one of the safeguards taken in anticipation of this challenge was exceeding the supply of questionnaires to the respondents. This move will shield the entire process against the possibility of errors that may arise because of poor compliance on the part of some of the sampled respondents. Another possible challenge that could be encountered in the course of the study is time constraints. Unforeseeable obstacles to the process may pose practical challenges towards the completion of the process. Some of these challenges may eat into the time schedule allocated for another part of the study. This would imply constant revision of the time schedules and adjust of the periods in order to compensate for the lost time. This would probably imply some element of mismatch between the time of the researcher and the supervisor. The methodologies developed for this study have been designed in such a manner that allows the ease of adjustments of the time factor. However, this threat has been taken care of through the allocation of slightly more time on every stage of the research in order to provide room for adjustment. Studies have pointed out the need to balance between quality and quantity in the execution of a research study. The study is also likely to experience budgetary challenges because some of the items and tools could exceed the estimated price by the time the study is on course. Acquisition of special software management date is one of the likely challenges that would impact negatively on the financial aspects of the research. Data Analysis Studies have pointed out that the process of data analysis must involve the matching of the objectives and the hypothesis of the study in order to promote cohesiveness and harmony in the research body. The analysis of data will be conducted through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The information obtained from the respondents will first be translated into codes. The codes will then be entered into the software for the purposes of analysis. The process of analysis will involve regression tests, cross tabulations, frequency evaluations, and percentages in order to establish the nature and degree of associations that exist between the variables. Some of the methods that will be used during the process of data analysis are the chi-square, which will provide the degree of correlation between the various variables. The suitability of the chi-square as an analytical tool is derived from its potential to pair one or more variables in order to determine the degree of association that exists between them. Usually the magnitude of the correlation degree is used to tell whether there exists a significant association between the two variables. Various independent variables will be correlated with the dependent variable and other independent variables with the view of analyzing the way they affect or are affected within these associations. In this study, brand equity will be the dependent variable while the independent variables will include marketing communication, pricing and price promotion, product category, distribution intensity, and the perceived quality of a product. The information will be presented in terms of tables, charts, and histograms. The cross tabulation between the variables will be done in order to ascertain whether there exists a significant association between the different variables. The representation of the information obtained will be done in a manner that is consistent with the objectives of the study. The inferences that would be drawn from the study will be matched with the hypotheses in order to validate or invalidate the hypothetical basis of the study. In this manner, the study will contribute towards supporting to existing theories of providing critical evidence that offers competing perspectives regarding the dynamics and aspects of brand equity. Time Table Generally, this study is designed to be conducted within four months. The first month will involve the gathering of information from the respondents. This will involve the preparation and administration of questionnaires to the respondents. The second month will involve harmonizing, transcribing, coding of the information obtained from the primary sources. The third month will involve the analyzing the information and writing first draft of the report. The fourth month will involve editing and presenting the report. Month I Month II Month III Month IV Gathering of information Harmonizing, transcribing and coding. Analyzing and writing first draft Editing, reviewing draft and presentation Structure of Final Work Introduction to the concept of brand equity Factors affecting brand equity The impact of marketing communication on brand equity The effect of pricing and price promotion on brand equity The role of product category on brand equity The effect of distribution intensity and brand equity The impact of perceived quality of a product on brand equity Conclusion Buy custom Factors That Affect Brand Equity essay

Adolf Hitler1 essays

Adolf Hitler1 essays Founder and leader of Nazi Party, Head of State and Commander of the Armed Forces, Adolf Hitler was born in Austria on April 20, 1889. Hitler was born to Austrian customs officials, Alois Schickelgruber Hitler, and his third wife, Klara Poelzl, both from Austria. Hitler was a resentful and discontent child who was moody, lazy, and having a short temper. As a young man Hitler was very hostile towards his father and strongly attached to his mother, whose death from cancer in December of 1908 really had a big impact on his life. After spending about four years in the Realschule in Linz, he dropped out at sixteen years of age with intentions on becoming a painter. In October of 1907 Hitler left home and headed to Vienna, where he was to lead the bohemian, vagabond existence until 1913. The Viennese Academy of Fine Arts rejected him and he spent five years of misery in Vienna as he later recalled. Hitler's views didn't change much within the years he still had a very strong hatred towards Jews and Marxists. In Vienna he received his first education in politics by studying the techniques of the popular Christian Mayor, and Karl Lueger, where he picked up stereotyped, obsessive anti-Semitism with it's brutal, violent sexual connotations and concern with the purity of blood. From Georg von Schoenerer, Lanz von Liebenfels, and the Austrian Pan German leader, Hitler learned to discern in the Eternal Jew, the symbol and cause of all chaos and corruption in politics, and the economy. In May 1913 Hitler left Vienna for Munich. When war broke out in August 1914, Hitler joined the Sixteenth Bavarian Infantry Regiment, serving as a dispatch runner. Hitler proved to be a courageous soldier, and received an Iron Cross for bravery, however he never got past Lance Corporal in ranking. He was injured a couple times, and then badly gassed four weeks before the end of the war. He spent three months recuperating in the hospital, temporarily b...

Reflection on two articles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection on two articles - Research Paper Example One of the prominent expressions of Muslim politics in recent decades is the permissibility of ‘hijab’ and ‘niqab’ (a set of conservative dress codes for Muslim women) in public spaces. While this dress code is mandated in some of the orthodox Islamic nations in the Middle East and elsewhere, it is a point of debate in the context of secular and democratic settings. The recent flare up of the issue in France is a typical example. While liberal politicians and their contingent electoral base cite reasons of tolerance and diversity, the opposing camp (albeit the more vocal one) argue that such religious symbols undermine French national cultural identity and secularism. The authors illustrate how just as the esoteric ‘language of politics’ restricts the range of possible outcomes, there is a symmetric ‘politics of language’, where political groups jostle to control public thought. The case of Iraqi political affairs under the prolonge d rule of late Saddam Hussein illustrates this twin exploitation. Saddam Hussein tried to garner public support for his invasion of Kuwait in 1991 by stating geopolitical threats imposed by America and its allies. He also invoked the politics of language by portraying his mission as one of ‘jihad’. He also cleverly equated the triangular alliance of the USA, Saudi Arabia and Israel as the ‘infidels’. Such Koranic references are deep-rooted in Iraqi (and Muslim) societies that it is easy to fathom the political mileage to be gained through their exploitation. Another salient point is that in the realm of Muslim politics, authoritarianism and coercion seldom prove effective. To the contrary, it is persuasion – artful, rhetorical, logical or otherwise – that brings about consent and stability in the population. This is evident in the fact that even seemingly totalitarian regimes back up their legitimacy by associating with Islamic texts and doctr ines. 2. What evidence do you find in support of Khayr Al-Din's reform agenda in 19th Century Tunisia? How does he try to harmonise between Islam and Western ideas of liberty? Khayr Al-Din Pasha is a pivotal reformist figure in Tunisian political history. Indeed, he is such a polymath that he contributed reformist ideas in the areas of Tunisian military, socio-politics and beyond. At a time when Tunisia was suffering the excesses of Ottoman imperialism, Khayr Al-Din galvanized the spirit of the whole nation through his reform agenda. Khayr Al-Din was a truly enlightened thinker and he aspired for the most ideal Tunisian society and polity. He viewed the established conception and orthodox methods of governance as the major hindrances to real progress. Khayr Al-Din understood the importance of the principles outlined in Aqwam al-Masalik. The work outlined how to bring about the co-operation between statesmen and theologicians and how to make them work toward a common reform agenda. N ot only did Khayr Al-Din devise ingenious ways of achieving this cooperative atmosphere, but he also worked toward creating a fresh and forward-looking post-colonial mindset/collective consciousness. Another inspiration and key ally for the reform agenda was the writer and thinker Qabadu. Qabadu articulated a romantic vision of future Tunisian society in his prose and poetry works, which Khayr Al-Din