The East Asian Model of Development and Financial Crisis Essay Example for Free

The tocopherol Asian Model of Development and Financial Crisis EssayThe East Asian miracle is often quoted as an pattern of how countries can register fast paced growth through foc employ and concent rund growth in industry and trade. However, in the last few decades, countries that train grown at varying paces and this rate of growth has varied in different environments. The East Asian tigers, ruled by tyrannous regimes, grew at an astounding pace in the decades of the sixties and the seventies. succession authoritarianism worked well in this region, dictatorial regimes in Uganda, Bhutan and Myanmar failed. Przeworski and Limongi (1997) show how governmental freedom enables the optimal use of resources in any country. Interest groups exert embrace on governments and ensure widespread and sustainable growth. Free market based economies work on the principles of rule of law, property rights and enforcement of contracts. This direction growth is robust and is not vulnerab le to shocks that ar inherent in a globalizing world. The East Asian countries, including Japan, went through a financial crisis as foreign investment flows got reversed, currencies were devalued and rest period of payments suffered.This crisis was the result of a long history of economic inefficiencies helped by regimes that were often corrupt, interventionist and policy-makingly entrenched. It is against this backdrop that people all over the world started uncertaintying the completed east Asian model, which till the early nineties was seen as an efficient system that had enabled a large number of poor countries develop their industry, trade and parsimony at a pace r argonly seen before. Economic development and liberty There are those who argue that democracy is inefficient and is prone to market failures.Governments are seen as enforcement agencies that ensure redistribution of wealth. Lipset (1959) and Sen (1999) score argued against this proposition and shown that it is indeed democracy that fosters economic growth. Those who argue in favour of authoritarian rules suck in one extreme example of Singapore that they often quote. Lee Kuan Yew the first Prime Minister of Singapore who believed in authoritarianism authored the Lee paradigm, and under him Singapore became a prosperous nation.Researchers have examined the Lee paradigm to check whether authoritarian regimes have fostered greater growth and development when compared to popular structures. According to Haizheng and Zhenhui (2007) who have worked on this model to check whether authoritarian regimes have fostered greater growth and development than have participatory structures, in that respect are indeed a few examples of countries worry Singapore and South Korea that have shown impressive growth under authoritarian regimes.However the correlation between authoritarianism and economic growth is not robust. There are counter examples like Botswana and India where economic growth has be en spectacular within democratic frameworks. Sen (1982) goes further to argue that there are enough examples of countries where authoritarianism or the lack of a democratic structure has actually resulted in economic decline. In countries like Niger, Ethiopia, Sudan and even in China, famine and hunger took hundreds of lives and an authoritarian regime could do little to forfend the crises.He states further that democratic institutions such as a free press, a vigilant opposition and regular elections ensure that the democratic process keeps the political economy alert. Lobbies do exist, interest groups try to steer the political economy in certain ways, but the inter tinker of all stakeholders ensures that democracies throw up issues that are of crude concern. Howlett and Ramesh (2003) point out that it is often seen that individuals, groups, classes, and states participate the democratic policy process.Their own interests often guide them. However when these come together, it is t he institutional mechanism of a democratic framework that ensures a stable outcome. Government and the Economy Governments and political policies are important influences on businesses worldwide, impacting on the competitive context in which business strategies are implemented. Over the last couple of decades, economic reforms leading to privatization and liberalization have further increased this influence.Donaldson Preston (1995) have pointed out how as the impact of business on societies grows, companies experience varying and increasing demands from diverse stakeholders. Politics is the stage on which these diverse stakeholder demands are ultimately met with. Success shoots active participation from both businesses and governments. push as Tushman Anderson (1997) show, modernization and strategic dependence on new technologies has become central to markets in many economies.These new technologies create regulatory challenges that again require political responses that can af fect the viability and profitability of the business. Governments thus influence the ability of businesses to improve profits and therefore the ability to exert political influence in technologically dynamic sectors becomes an important capability. Again, globalization has greatly improved the chances of conducting business internationally, allowing companies to widen their portfolios and enter into global markets.The significance of governmental policy therefore again assumes great significance in matters of export import regulations, duties etc. (Ohmae, 1999). Democracy and Government What is the better option A strong centralized power coercive all resources versus snobby players given the freedom to decide what and where to invest? There are a number of people who keep insisting that a authoritarianism is what the country requires. Arguing against them is the lot that states categorically that a democratic system that guarantees liberty is what is essential for growth.Econom ic growth implies the efficient use of available and rare resources. The principle between those who support a centralized planned and cruddyly controlled allocation of resources versus those who believe in the market to efficiently allocate resources goes on. Apart from the political concerns, economists have been looking at this issue for a while now. Ronald Coase (1960), a Nobel prize winner in Economics had argued in his famous transaction equal analysis, that there is a cost that society bears when the government allocates resources and this leads to inefficiency.Governments have no way of knowing who will use resources nigh efficiently and in most cases allocate resources to inefficient players. Other economist have points to the tragedy of the commons, where the absence of clearly defined property rights leads to free rider problems and over exploitation of resources. The question therefore is whether markets should be left free to correct themselves or to have a stringe nt regulatory mechanism in place that ensures consumer welfare through controlling dominance and capture.In the current scenario then(prenominal), what exactly is the nature of relationship between governments and businesses? Though the balance has tilted towards the private sector and private opening by and large, the state still holds considerable powers over business activities. Doris Fuchs (2005) talks about the different aspects of power that businesses hold in the global economy. Fuchs explains that those who argue stating that there is no business influence on politics should note that the opposite is the case, in countries like those in East Asia.Development of any economy depends on the growth in income, employment and opportunity. These are a direct outcome of investments made, technologies used and markets created. In all these, it is important to look at the roles that the state and the private players play. Governments foster an investment climate that encourages capi tal flows, incentivise production, builds capacities and enables markets to develop. Cooperation between private business and the government paves way for the efficient markets to develop where demand is created and supply increased to oblige equilibrium.Several examples of such collaborative ventures can be seen especially in large infrastructure developments see across the world. The first example of such a collaboration was seen at the twentieth century when in the US an entire railroad industry developed. Private exoteric partnerships have also been widely used to tackle rising pollution levels and the need for tighter environment protection. The first wave of environment protection saw governments work with a slew of stringent laws and regulations. wherefore came the non governmental organisations that lobbied against polluters.NGOs, government and civil society work as levers for promoting a greening of industry. Lehmann (2006) uses the Danish example of the Green Network, to demonstrate how new forms of co-operation between public authorities and private companies are arrived at. The conclusion is that through dialogue, reflexivity and the establishment of an enabling environment, publicprivate partnerships can become useful vehicles in societies extend towards the use of environmentally sustainable technologies. Conclusion Democracy, as a form of governance that guarantees political freedom, has long been viewed with suspicion in certain quarters.Various economists have explained how a strong property rights regime within free markets is the best way of guaranteeing efficient resource sharing. Any political regime that interferes with the market then abides by its own rules that could very well be steered in inefficient ways through coercive power that some constituents possess. However, the free market argument has its critics, who ague that some people tend to capture all resources and this results in exploitation of a large group of underprivile ged people.Governments, in such cases, are unable to implement rules and the market fails. Gunnar Myrdal had coined a term called soft states in his book The Asian Drama, where the argument was that some states because of their governance structures, history and stopping point are unable to implement tough action and therefore cannot regulate markets effectively. This has been shown to be big reason for authoritarian states to move fast by way of economic growth, as they were able to take stern steps that are required to ensure growth and development.However the correlation between authoritarianism and economic growth is not robust. Democratic institutions such as a free press, a vigilant opposition and regular elections ensure that the democratic process keeps the political economy alert. In terms of issues that relate to public resources, especially the environment, the tragedy of the commons is a prevalent phenomenon and as Hardin (1968) explains, it is the lack of private incen tives and state inefficiencies that play havoc with public goods.The environmental decay and abuse that is seen in authoritarian regimes that have no space for protest and counter opinion ensures that there is no political interest in protecting the environment. In democracies however, lobbies do exist, interest groups try to steer the political economy in certain ways, but the interplay of all stakeholders ensures that democracies throw up issues that are of common concern. It is often seen that individuals, groups, classes, and states participate in the democratic policy process. Their own interests often guide them.However when these come together, in a rule of law mechanism that guarantees equality in the eyes of the law, it is the institutional mechanism of a democratic framework that ensures a stable outcome. The East Asian economies developed without such a framework and therefore, as the economy grew, it also became fragile. The effect of a shock like that seen during the fi nancial crisis therefore affected all segments of the society and the economy. That is why, it is important that economies today are built on robust fundamentals of an enabling market mechanism and not on tight governmental control and intervention.

Religion Definition Essay Example for Free

Religion Definition Essay1. What is a theology? Youve read our textbook authors description ingestion that definition as a starting point to go further.The word religion is such a broad word that to this day thither is no wiz definition that can satisfy all religions. For the time being, it is better to simply be open to m any possible definitions, without embracing any single one. Different people especially in distinguishable religions go out all have a difference in opinion when trying to use very few words to define religion. The traditional definition of religion is a system of belief that involves worship of a graven image or gods, prayer, ritual, and a moral code.Religion is important to many people because it stimulates them several(prenominal)thing to believe in. Religion eases kind-hearted deal with their mortality. As humanity beings, we look to religion for answers to lifes unexpected or unknown questions such as death, pain, afterlife, or rebirth. Religi on has a way of helping us deal with death and offers comfort.Religion likewise helps us be creativity and show ourselves by inwardness of music, dance, and art. It gives us a sense of absorbing life as something beautiful and lively. People who have a religion usually atomic number 18 more happy knowing that they life can reflect something of the supernatural that they do not understand. Through art, we get to express how we ar feeling on the inside. Many people use music, dance, and art to show others what they cannot express by manner of words. Religion gives them a sense of confident.2. Discuss some of the characteristics that religions have in common.Some characteristics that religions have in common are belief system, community, central myths, ritual, characteristic emotional gives, material expression, and sacredness. Not all religions leave behind consist of all elements but rather some of these characteristics are commonly accepted. Many believe in a pieceview w ere all things in the universe and human being has a place in it. Humans need of belonging helps them seek out for a community where they can belong too and distribute their ideals and practices. Many religions have this so people can rely on one another.Other characteristics that are shared in religions are passed down from generations to generations through stories or reenactment of major events in the phantasmal group. Each religion has its own myth that is central to the religion. Not only are myths passed down but rituals as well. These beliefs are enacted and made real through ceremonies. Also, ethics are passed down which are set guidelines for the group of people these are viewed as being revealed through a supernatural realm.Religions also allow people to express themselves emotionally and give a sense of inner peace that cannot come from outer resources. real(a) expression allows religions to make use of astonishing variety of physical elements. Each religion has a sour ce of sacredness that is distinctive from the ordinary. Ceremonies express the distinction through diverse language, clothing, and architecture. Each tradition exhibit most of these characteristics but for those who practice them will manifest them in different ways and at different times.3. In summing up to characteristics in common among religions, there are some patterns with regard to beliefs, world views, etc., that are exhibited by most religions. Discuss these patterns.There are three different patterns that we look for to see similarity and difference among religions. The first pattern is views of the world and life. Religions must offer answers to lifes great questions that are asked. All questions are the same, but the answers very depending on the religion. Because of the great variety of worldview each answer is different and must be examined close to get a better collar of why it is the way it is. Some religion view the universe as being created by a Creator while ot hers believe it has no initiation and no ending. Some view nature as the realm of evil where it needs to be everywherecome. Others believe that humans are called to shape it. Each view differs from religion to religion.The second pattern is the focus of beliefs and practices. There are three concepts that are practiced, although one may be more dominant than the other depending on the purpose of importance. Sacramental orientation emphasizes carrying out rituals and ceremonies regularly and correctly as the path to salvation. Some believe that correct ritual influences the processes of nature. Prophetic orientation implies that a human being may be an important intermediary between the believer and the sacred. This is prominent in Judaism, Protestant Christianity, and Islam. Mystical orientation seeks union with something greater such as God, nature, the universe, or reality as a whole. Upanishadi Hinduism, Daoism, and some Buddhism stress the importance of this.The third pattern is the view of male and female. As human being the role of men and women are very important and religion has had much to say about the roles of men and women on earth and in the foretell realm. Today many influential religions consider the male as dominate the sacred and full-time religious specialists are usually males. Although this may not be completely true, in the past, female divinities once played an important role in many culture and religion.4. Having discussed in last weeks interchange Board postings your own reasons for taking this World Religions course, discuss some of the benefits of studying the major religions of the world cited by our textbook author.Studying the different religions around the world allows for a better understanding of each religion and helps educate and improve ones experience of other related subjects. When studying other religion it allows insights into the religious traditions such as values, relationships, personalities, and human creativity. Not only that but it gives the outsiders an appreciation for the things that are not obvious to the insider.Other benefits include insight into day-to-day life. Religions influence everyday life in many ways. Many people use religion for moral issues, on buildings, comic strips. The study of religion with help a person recognizes the religious influence everywhere. For someone who has no religion or is on their religious quest, understanding and studying the many different religions will help them find a place to belong too. Knowledge of the different religion will aid a person in their journey of life. defraud Answer Questions5. What is the origin and meaning of the word religion?The origin of the word religion comes from the Latin roots re-, meaning again, and lig-, meaning join or connect. The variation would then mean to join again, or to reconnect. This word suggests the joining of our natural, human world to the sacred world.6. What is the meaning of sacred?Sacred is a God or gods that is set apart because of its holiness. These deities are considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion.7. Define and contrast monotheism and polytheism.Monotheism is the term that means a belief in one God. Those who believe in God believe that He is all powerful, pure spirit, and not fully definable in words. Polytheism on the other hand means worship of or believing in many coexisting gods. These multiple gods may be fairly separate entities, each in charge of an reflection of reality, or they may be multiple manifestations of the same basic sacred reality.8. Define and contrast atheism and agnosticism.Atheism is the denial of the existence of any God or gods. Agnosticism is to argue that the existence of God cannot be proven.9. How are symbols used in religion?Symbols are important in religion because religions are so varied in their teachings and in conflict with each other that symbols help express truth. Symbols are fairly concrete, ordinary, and universal th at represents and helps human beings intensely experience something of greater difficulty.10. What is a sacrament? Give two or three examples of sacraments in a religion with which you are familiar.A sacrament is a religious rite or act seen as way of receiving Gods grace. In some mysterious way God uses physical things to bring about spiritual changes and give His grace. As a Christian, a few sacraments that we hold are baptism, communion, and fasting. These are all important in receiving Gods grace.11. Contrast linear and orbitual time in the study of religion.Linear time place an emphasis on creation, religions that believe in this is Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, time is very important. Linear time means moving in a straight line from the beginning of the universe to its end. In cyclical time, the universe simply moves through endless changes, which repeat themselves over grand periods of time. Buddhism believes time is cyclical and is not as crucial because ultimately the universe is not moving to a final point.

Britains Collective Memory of Churchill

Britains Collective Memory of ChurchillHow has Britains physical inheritance shaped the collective memory of Churchill?This chapter in allow for discuss the concept of collective memory, why mickle toy with certain aspects of history and how changing interpretations of the knightly shape the meanings and be givens of hereditary pattern. on that pointfore, by prizeing these features we thunder mug assess the purpose of the invention of the image of Churchill. By addressing these factors, this chapter will answer the questions why is a particular interpretation of heritage being encouraged? Whose interests be being advanced or held hind end? In what kind of milieu was that interpretation communicated?Historians pretend frequently discussed which characteristics of the past make it beneficial to people. For example, first, history is essentially depicted as progressive in terms of evolutionary complaisant development. Secondly, societies attempt to merge the present to the past in an unbroken trajectory through the use of various types of heritage, much(prenominal) as repositorys or museums. Thirdly, the past provides a sensation of resultant role in the sentience that what happened in it has ended, while, finally, it offers a sequence, allowing us to locate our lives in linear narratives that connect past, present and future it gives a full and completed story, without all uncertainty which is why it is a good deal reassuring. Once these traits ar translated into heritage, in terms of individuality, it provides familiarity and guidance, enrichment and escape. More compellingly, it provides a point of validation or legitimation for the present in which actions and policies are justified by continuing references to representations and narratives of the past that are, at least in part, encapsulated through manifestations of tangible and intangible heritage. Heritage is most commonly, utilise to promote the burdens of history, the atroci ties, errors and crimes of the past is not the past that are called upon to legitimate not only the atrocities yet too the casual politics of the present.1HeritageHeritage is a super political process, it is malleable to the needs of power and therefore, is often reconcile to contestation and manipulation. Shared interpretations of the past, are employ to construct and develop narratives of both inclusion, and exclusion.2 Heritage is constructionist, therefore concerned with the selected meanings of the past in the present. This suggests that the past in general, and its interpretation as history or heritage, discusses social benefits as well as potential be in the construction and reproduction of identities.3 Which is precisely why the look in which the image of Churchill is conveyed matters. If Churchill is being presented to the public as a flawless leader it mountain vastly affect how communities define themselves and their principles. Heritage is the selective use of the past as a resource for the present (and future), memory and commemoration are inexorably connected to the heritage process.4 It is either a personal or institutional interpretation of history, therefore, the fact that institutions are picking the way in which Churchill is presented on a heritage level suggests that they cod an agenda for this particular portrayal.Heritage is a highly politicised process that is subject to contestation and bound up in the construction, reconstructive memory and deconstruction of memory and identity. Memory always represents a struggle oer power and is thus implicated in the who decides? questions about the future.5Thus, the image of Churchill is being used to legitimate the politics of the present. By giving the image of Churchill an iconic status the politicians of the present are attempting to build what could be considered as a broken trajectory i.e. to develop a cohesive identity amongst the public that will support the institution that is i n power. This aspect of course is harmful, because by using the figure of Churchill, a white upper-class male, known for using offensive (racist) terms for minorities (to say the very least) and glorifying him as a subject area hero projects a very uncool image and encourages people to believe that this behaviour ought to be revered as in the case of right-wing fieldists.The conception of heritage originated at a national scale and it still remains very much defined at this level. Nationalism and national heritage were both developed in nineteenth-century Europe. The idea of a national heritage was fundamental to the idea of the nation-state as it required national heritage to consolidate national identification, absorb or neutralise potentially competing heritages of social-cultural assemblages or regions, combat the claims of other nations upon its territory or people, while furthering claims upon nationals in territories elsewhere.6Heritage is the promotion of a consensus ver sion of history by state-sanctioned cultural institutions and elites to regulate cultural and social tensions in the present. On the other hand, Heritage may also be a resource that is used to challenge and redefine received values and identities by a range of subaltern groups.7Notions of power are central to the construction of heritage, and consequently identity, giving weight to the argument that heritage is not given it is made.8 Those who hold the owing(p)est power, therefore, dictate or define what is remembered and consequently what is forgotten. Memorial icons of identity such(prenominal) as monuments, memorials, and buildings that gestate been invested with meaning, carry conscious and subconscious kernels and are subject to competing interests. Their very public visual presence translates powerful ideological messages that are never politically neutral, and ensures that the messages they convey are open to contested interpretations.9Those with the most at stake in pol itical terms, and those with the greatest ability to exercise power, have a vested interest in the production of sites of cultural heritage and bring the past into focus to legitimise a present social order. It is an implicit rule that participants in any social order must presuppose a divided memory which is integral for a group or communal solidarity. The meaning of any individual or group identity, namely a sense of monotony oer time and space, is sustained by recalling the past and what is remembered is defined by the assumed identity.10 Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Churchill is a prime example of this. He has a vested interest in the maintained reputation of his grandfather and therefore seeks to bury any that attempt to besmirch Churchills reputation. Leaders use the past for a variety of political purposes. The nations heritage is therefore brought to the fore to calm anxiety about miscellanea or political events, eliminate citizen indifference to ward official concer ns, promote exemplary patterns of citizen behaviour, and stress citizen duties over rights.11Buckley supports this view the question as to which symbols will define any given situation, will largely be determined by the practical question of which people and whose interests predominate. The selection process is carefully tailored and manipulated by individual members of a community or group with power or influence.12As sites of civic construction, they inform citizens what to value concerning their national heritage and public responsibilities.13 Such sites represent and embody power, greatness, resistance, memory and loss.14 Churchill is useful as to the public he possesses all these attributes Monuments, for example mark the great pinnacles of human achievement selected from the past, they give an edifying sense that greatness was once possible, and it is still possible. They provide present generations with inspiration. Citizens re-enact and repeat the past in fixed locales as s uggested by their national governments.15 So for anyone to suggest that Churchill was not as brilliant as stated leaves the public lacking a role model to take aim to be.Heritage, not only serves to fortify narratives of national identity but often works to supress the identity of minority or less powerful groups.16 As Churchills legacy does, he is a figure of warHeritage inevitably reflects the governing assumptions of its time and consideration. It is always inflected by the power and authority of those who have colonised the past, whose versions of history matter.17There are many problematic positions inwardly Heritage, the most germane(predicate) in this case being Uncritical Imperialism. There is a sizeable body of faith that does not see any serious problem with the legacies of imperialism and race in heritage, and acts to validate it a formation we might crudely label as uncritical imperialism. This can take various forms. For example, it can appear through simply igno ring, or airbrushing, imperialism from the heritage narrative in question. This is precisely the type of people that exact to the reputation of Churchill. Uncritical imperialism can also take the form of being outraged at any attempt even to raise difficult issues over heritage and race.18 If these imperialist legacies are not dealt with i.e. they are overwhelmingly denied, repeated and acted out, rather than worked through it legitimises nationalism and is harmful.19In domesticating the past we enlist heritage for present causes it clarifies pasts so as to infuse them with present purposes 20heritage is often used as a form of collective memory, a social construct shaped by the political, economic and social concerns of the present.21Heritages are present-centred and are created, shaped and managed by, and in response to, the demands of the present and, in turn, bequeathed to an imagined future.22. As such, they are open to constant revision and change and are also both sources a nd results of social conflict.23 Heritage may comp drum no more than empty shells of dubious au pastticity but derive their wideness from the ideas and values that are projected on or through them.24 Heritage is a cultural product and a political resource.25 Heritages primary purpose is to waken a sense of identity and continuity.Heritage as communication (Modernity attempted to fix space through the creation of rigidly territorial nation-states, promulgating ideologies which attempted to subsume differences through representations of homogeneity. But all too often, the grail of universal conformity has produced atrocity and genocide as those who do not fit have been motility out or eradicated. Heritage is heavily implicated in these processes as a medium of communication of prevailing myths and counter-claims.26Consumption of HeritageHeritage is used or consumed, what is consumed within heritage is its representation in the form of a historical narrative. Agents spend time, mo ney or other resources on the production or reproduction of such historical narratives, in order to have them consumed as heritage. As the spending of resources is involved, it is logical that participating agents will have a specific purpose heritage narratives are not produced for nothing or for fun, but in order to, for example, preserve cultural values, attract tourists and tourist spending, or to reinforce specific place identities. The narratives convey the meanings of the heritage commodity, and as such take part in the processes of deliberately (or accidentally) creating place identitiesA major outcome of conserving and interpreting heritage, whether mean or not, is to provide identity There may be other purposes as well, such as legitimation, cultural capital and sheer monetary value, but the common purpose is to make some people feel better, more rooted and more secure.27The general public lacks background heritage knowledge such as the fact that these emblems of herita ge that are being shown are only specific interpretations of history.Monuments, museums, and other memorials they inscribe ideological messages about the past into the many practices and texts of everyday life, making certain versions of history appear as the natural order of things.28A monument is a structure, edifice or erection intended to immortalise a person, action or event.29 In contrast, definitions of memorial focus on the preservation of specific memory and on their iconographic role in evoking remembrance. While the monument has often been built to promote specific ideals and aspirations e.g. statue of liberty etc. The memorial is essentially a retrospective form, idealising a past event, historic figure or deified place.30 Monuments and memorials reassure non-combatants and relatives that the dead had died for a greater cause, one linked to abstract values of nationhood, camaraderie or Christian citizenship. Honouring the placeless dead is this what Churchill is? An i con for the placeless dead anchoring. The ideas are always solidified in the discourse of queen-size words heroism, gallantry, glory, victory, and very sparingly peace.31Military memorialisation has experience rationalised, routinized, standardised. The dead are no yearner allowed to pass unnoticed back into the private world of their families. They were official property to be accorded appropriate civic commemoration in solemn monuments of official remembrance. equality of break.32 Churchills legacy is tied to war so if he becomes disgraced it disgraces families.IdentityA major factor behind the decisions on how heritage related to Churchill is presented is identity. Therefore, to assess why particular aspects of Churchill are presented to the public, we must also understand why the concept of identity is the driving factor behind the presentation of heritage and then from that information, assess what the message is behind the portrayal of Churchill through heritage and wha t institutions would akin you to feel from their portrayal of Churchill (What feelings and emotions are they exhausting to evoke? Who is it that decides what is displayed and why are they trying to make you feel this way? What do they gain?).Tosh argued that for any social grouping to have a collective identity, it has to have a shared interpretation of the events and experiences which have formed the group over time as in the case of many nation states, emphasis may be on vivid turning points and symbolic moments which confirm the self-image and aspirations of the group.33 Which is what the image of Churchill is a prime candidate for. These collective beliefs play a fundamental role in securing a sense of togetherness and cultural solidarity which is vital in the formation and legitimisation of any national identity.34 National cohesion, in other words, requires a sense of collective awareness and identity endorsed through common historical experience. Unofficial memory is often seen as a binary opposite to national or official memory.35 The popularised image of Churchill fits the message that the institution is trying to get across to the nation very well.During the 1990s, it was fashionable for theoreticians to argue that identities were becoming disembedded from bounded localities and the traditional frameworks of nation, ethnicity, class and kinship. At the core of such ideas lay the key assertion that global networks have diminished the importance of place and traditions, ruptured boundaries and created hybrid, in between spaces. In a sense, this is encapsulated in the idea that national heritage can be reconstructed as world heritage because certain sites and practices are of universal significance. the effect of Brexit reverses this. Hybridity and transnational identities may, for example, counter and complicate jingoistic ideologies.36 The resurgence of Churchills image to the fore-front of the media may be a result of the effects of Brexit. After approximately 40 years of developments in a globalised identity amongst those in what is now called the EU is disintegrating, the emphasis on characters that were seen as typically British heroes is on the rise hence Churchill.In a world in which identity is fundamental to politics and contestation at a global scale, understanding the means of articulating often vague feelings and senses of belonging becomes quite crucial. Heritage in its broadest sense is among the most important of those means, even more so because identity can no longer be framed primarily within the national context that has so defined it since the European Enlightenment of the eighteenth century. Not only do heritages have many uses but they also have multiple producers. These may be public /private sector, official/non-official and insider/outsider, each stakeholder having varied and multiple objectives in the creation and management of heritage.37Sites of memory and power are often constructed in public spa ces, where they can operate as dichotomous sites of unification and sites of division.38Territoriality and its relation to identityChurchill is also used to justify a sense of territoriality. Also implicit in(p) in the production of sites of cultural heritage is the concept of territoriality. Memory is intimately bound up in efforts to construct territory and place.39 Territoriality is synonymous with notions of a demarcated geographic space (a territory) which usually contains some kind of homogeneous, collectivised community sharing a collective identity or heritage.40 Territoriality is often needed to stabilise and circulate groups or individuals and their resources inside demarcated boundaries. Within societies then, various groups insert symbols into the cultural landscapes which resonate with their sense of heritage and identity, and which simultaneously incite remembering and mark territory.For territoriality to work, the group often places visual warning symbols around the agreed territory further to deny others access into the home area which is precisely why using the image of Churchill is harmful, specially after Brexit as it only justifies his racist stance and therefore validates neo-fascists ideals. Not only does territoriality demarcate boundaries which are ultimately intended to exclude outsiders, but it is dichotomously aimed at seizing a shared public space and thus controlling those inside the territory. Flags, for example, which often reflect the heritage of a particular group or nation, are good examples of territorial signifiers. They tell outsiders that the territory they are about to enter or pass is not theirs. Rather it belongs to those who live within the demarcated boundary or to those who empathise with what the flag represents.41 The purpose of using Churchill is to help encourage nationalism, and therefore an us and them attitude.Spatial practices which bolster and sustain the power of the overabundant group are essential comp onents for that groups control over the hegemonic values that it represents or imposes.42 That dominant group is often the nation-state. Tilly, for example, argues that secure territorial boundaries and a monopoly of violence are the two defining characteristics of the present day state. Territorial boundaries are the foundations for institutions such as national sovereignty, citizenship, the modern welfare state and democracy.43The interlinked concepts of nationhood and statehood share a dependence on the notion of exclusivity concerning sovereign rights over access to territory. The notion that landscapes embody discourse of inclusion and exclusion is closely linked to the idea that manipulated geographies also function as symbols of identity, validity and legitimisation.)44The continuing importance of territoriality and its seemingly intractable relationship with the nation-state at the turn of the century has been questioned. globalisation embodying transnational economics, poli tics and cultures, the melting of borders, curiously in Europe, and an increasing sense of belonging to a global unit, has led to a distinct lack of engagement with the unitary nation-state.45 However, this will be turn with the effect of Brexit and nationalism will rise.Histories that are white-washed are streamlined by the rise of nationalism and its cultural solidification through what Hobsbawn and Ranger termed the invention of tradition.46 It also impoverishes our collective understanding of the past, of the rich and complex mix of the multiple travels and flows of people that have worked in a multitude of ways to shape us all.47 it gives rise to a sense of superiority and nationalism.The reason that identity is important when assessing heritage is because identity is about sameness and group membership and central to its conceptualisation. Which is a relevant concept when discussing the reasoning for the specific portrayal of Churchill. Douglas argues that identity is expre ssed and experienced through communal membership, awareness will develop of the OtherRecognition of severalty will help reinforce self-identity, but may also lead to distrust, avoidance and distancing from groups so defined.Public and National memoryMemorialisation was a way to stake ones claim to visible presence in culture.48Places that constitute significant sites which have been invested with meaning. They are locations with which people connect, either physically or emotionally and are bound up in notions of belonging, ownership and consequently identity. Part of how you define yourself is symbolised by certain qualities of that place.49 This idea is taken forward with both Chartwell house (Churchills estate) and the Churchill war museum. These buildings linked with Churchill are designed to prompt these particular emotions *Insert findings*National memory is frequently thought of in conjunction with official memory that, in most societies, emanates from the state and its ins titutions, often representing the hegemonic needs and values of the general public. The state is usually the official arbitrator of public commemoration and, therefore, of nation heritage, and as such, it assumes righteousness over planning, maintaining and funding memorial monuments, programmes and events.50Which is precisely what Churchill is used for, he is not just an icon- he himself is also a symbol to the families whom lost kin in ww2 which is why very few criticise him (or are even allowed to) as to insult Churchill is to insult the nations kins and suggest that their sacrifice was wasteful and not justified, the hagiography of Churchill gives credence to this sacrifice therefore he is undefeated but this is possibly why there is an increasing amount of criticism building about him as family members related to soldiers who died become fewer there is less emotional bond paper to the character of Churchill as **** says maybe once those with living memory of Churchill have passed we can finally have a genuine reassessment of Churchill the man rather than tackling a god.In post-memory, memories are passed down through generations to be represented by people who have no personal attachment to the memory. Subsequently, they seek to re-use, re-enact and e-represent those memories in order to feel closer to their ancestors.51 hence why those who do not possess living memories of Churchill will still feel so strongly about the condemnation of his character. Emotional memory has also been used to describe the transgenerational remembering of the traumatic events.52 Yet what all of these typologies of memory have in common is the fact that they are attached inexorably to certain places. Sites of cultural heritage, therefore, such as buildings, monuments, plaques, museums and gardens of remembrance, incite our memories and reinforce our attachment to particular places.53Remembering and commemorating the past is an essential part of the present and is importan t for a number of reasons. Without memory, a sense of self, identity, culture and heritage is lost. done remembering, identities are validated as well as contested, and the adoption and cultivation of an aspect of the past serves to reinforce a sense of natural belonging, purpose and place.54 Identities and memories, like heritage, are inevitably selective in that they serve particular interests and political ideologies in the present.55 Americans and Europeans are compulsive consumers of the past shopping for what best suits their particular sense of self at that time.56 This idea fits very well in the post-Brexit world as there seems to be a lot of cherry picking in terms of Anglo-historical figures in order to gain a cohesive outlook after the Brexit result and to provide people with a sense of purpose in a time of relative uncertainty.Histories are consequently bought to conform to the latest fashion. Memories are seen as selective and partial and used to fulfil individual, gro up or communal requirements of identity at a particular time and in a particular space Times change, and as they do, people look back on the past and reinterpret events and ideas. They look for patterns, for order, and for coherence in past events to support changing social, economic, and cultural values.57 Subsequently new, more appropriate, histories are inventedInvented traditions are unremarkably governed by overtly or tacitly accepted rules and of a ritual or symbolic nature, which seek to inoculate certain values and norms of behaviour by repetition, which automatically implies continuity with the past. In fact, they normally attempt to establish continuity with a suitable historic past.58Churchill was from a period in which the public suffer felt relevant on the public stage.Tosh suggests that social groupings require a narrative of the past which serves to explain or justify the present, often at the cost of historical accuracy. He states memories are modified to suit part icular situations or circumstances and do not always correlate with historical truths.59 Histories can become distorted and permeated (often deliberately) with inaccuracies and myths during the selection process, making the act of forgetting in memory construction just as crucial for the cultivation of identity.60Interpretation is predetermined by the social, economic, political and/or local context. Societies justify current attitudes and future aspirations by linking them to past traditions which helps bond and unify factionalism.61temporal representations as part and parcel of their drive to implant and reinforce their hold on society.62Heritage statue of Churchill, Westminster. House of Commons mid stride, hands on hips old. Oscar NemonStatue of Churchill in Parliament square old big coat, walking stick- him as was at Yalta where my statue will go its grade II listed.Churchill in terms of heritage and masculinityHeritage predominantly tells male-centred story, which seeks to promote a masculine, and in particular an elite-Anglo-masculine, vision of the past and present. The links between heritage and identity are often taken for granted we protect, manage, interpret for visitors, and visit heritage sites because they are, in some way, symbolic of our identities. Material heritage and in

The Stepford Wives Film Analysis

The Stepford Wives Film AnalysisWith the birth of Second Wave womens lib in the 1960s women started to ask the questions of what their roles in support atomic number 18. A generation of future housewives wondered that if they continued to keep doing the chores and giving their undivided attention to their husbands they would non be living a life they really wanted. The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) addresses these concerns with a terrified and gloomy look at the absolute woman. The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) portrays the feminine condition in a bourgeois, aged society (Boruzkowski, 1987). In the film, liberated egg-producing(prenominal)s who are equal to, if non more abilityful than their husbands and hold on to their own sexuality are murdered and changed with purportedly superior copies who supposedly embody perfection. These zombieic copies scram the best figure, do chores, they are extremely maternal, and are willing to satisfy their husband sexually whenever he wa nts it. With women being forced into becoming domestic housewives being dominated by men sexually, this essay will textually analyse the terminal ten minutes of the film in relation to these issues.Sexuality and mans desires play an important part in the final ten minutes of The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975). The scene starts with the character of Joanna searching for her children in the Mens Association building. afterward having a conversation with the robotic wife creator Diz, in which he tries to persuade her that conforming to a male oppression is the right thing to do and she should hale the male dominated is society, she then flees from him. The darkness does not allow the au bombnce to clearly see her actions, but a room with a life-sized female replica is seen briefly. Finally she opens a door and is greeted by an exact replica of her bedroom, including Fred the dog she thought was dead. The existence of him can be read as a metaphor to what the men of Stepford want th eir wives to be like, mans best friend to be well-trained, faithful, passive, and subservient, to want for nothing, and to always be on that point. The photographic camera slowly pans to Joannas robotic restate brushing her hair in a three-way mirror. As she turns we see that her eyes are completely black. This reiterates that this double is not a real person she has no life in her eyes.When Joanna meets her replacement, we see her sitting at her dresser. As the robotic Joanna stands, we notice through her see-through clothes that she isnt an accurate representation of Joanna, but a new-fangled superior version. The double has clear skin, perfectly wavy hair, a fake smile and black robotic eyes. Joannas shock is revealed and soon the audience sees why the camera reveals a shot the robot has perfect and significantly larger breasts, a narrower waist and fuller hips. The camera then pans back up to the human Joanna. Joanna stares in horror as the robot stands up with a pair of tig hts stretched tightly in her hands. The camera shows a close-up of a very satisfied Diz, distractingly petting Fred and watching the scene with bona fide voyeuristic pleasure. The scene ends with a close-up of the tights stretched tightly between the robots hands and the see-through lingerie that reveals the perfect abdomen.This scene clearly demonstrates to the audience that the robotic females are not for any scientific method or anything other than to be used for the pleasure of men only. When Joanna is talking to Diz he explains this viewpoint if the roles were reversed, wouldnt you like some perfect stud waiting on you around the house praising you, servicing you, whispering how your sagging flesh was beautiful no matter how you looked (Forbes, 1975).Desire is a main focal point for the scene between the real Joanna and the robotic Joanna created by Diz. Dizs creation falls into what MacKinnon would say is typical gender division and inequality. Male power takes the social for m of what men as a gender want sexually, which centers on power itself, as socially defined woman is defined by what male desire requires for arousal and satisfaction (MacKinnon, 1991, p. 131). Diz creates what he believes to be the perfect woman, to meet his sexual desires and has marketed his product to all the men in Stepford. They believe the women have become too successful, powerful and independent , while the robots are the completely opposite to this, lacking ambition and are repressed and submissive . The fantasy that Diz creates is not meant to be woman but alternatively sexuality. When the robot is shown the focus is not on her mind or anything immediately beautiful, like the eyes or the smile, instead the focus is on her breasts and her stomach and her female body as a sexualized form. The object of desire is the artificial beauty man created.Artificial beauty is a theme that is recurrent throughout The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975), focusing on dolls or other subjects t hat relate to childhood innocence. The robotic domestic Joannas blatant sexuality reveals her submission to male desire. The camera emphasises the object of desire multiple times, lingering on the breasts, abdomen and full body. In the scene between the two Joannas, the liberated female must die in order for the domesticated female to exist. With womens liberation becoming more culturally excepted, the number of women who chose to stay at home was decreasing. Women were beginning to become slight submissive to men. In the film this process had to be reversed so that in order for mans perfect creation to exist, the threat of womens liberation must die.The final image in The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) shows the robotic wives in their best dresses doing their shopping and talking to each other. The dress that the robotic women are wearing hides the sexuality she possesses. The women to be under complete check off of the men need to be both sexual and in need of a man to be there. The robotic females have been programmed to please their husbands physically they are trivial and self-absorbed because of this. The robotic wife has become an isolated, glamorous, on display, sexualized property (Mulvey, 1975, p. 9). She is weak, hopeless, and unable to protect herself. However as she has been reprogrammed it could be argued she no longer has a self to protect. The perfection housewife is an ardent consumer who buys endlessly new things for the home, and gains satisfaction from doing so (Frieden, 1963, p. 206). In The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975), women shop systematically and neatly, discuss and consume products with devouring interest and gratification. The robotic wives are near at one with the supermarket, the woman are merchandise available for any man, just like the products available for purchase on the shelves in the aisles and in there trolleys.In this clip from The Stepford Wives (Forbes, 1975) we see men forcing their dominance by creating new and i mproved versions of their wives in the shell of a robot. The robot serves as mans ultimate fantasy, a beautiful and subservient wife with the perfect figure and a sex drive constantly set to on. The fantasy doll created in Joannas image kills her foe in an act of sexuality. The ending to the film is very negative. Women have lost both the battle of the sexes and a battle for their lives. What were once very educated women are now obedient consumerist automatons (Inness, 2003, p. 38) who all think the same, and are nothing but sexual objects for their husbands.

Owain Lawgoch :: European History

Owain LawgochLlywelyn Fawr (Llywelyn the Great) was the father of two ambitious sons, both of whom were destined to become intertwined in the 13th-century dynastic struggles among Wales and England. Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was his fathers natural son and the eldest, while Dafydd was the son of Llywelyns wife Joan, herself the natural daughter of King John. Both sons were apparently determined to succeed their father and carry before the countrys struggle against their Norman would-be conquerors. At Llywelyns death in 1240, contrary Welsh law and custom, Gwynedd passed to his legitimate son Dafydd, rather than being divided as between Dafydd and his brother Gruffydd. It is thought that Llywelyn saw the practice of divided inheritance as a threat to the survival of Gwynedd, and he took extraordinary measures to ensure that Dafydd was recognised as his sole heir. As a consequence, Gruffydd spent much his life as a prisoner of his father, then his brother and later the English king, un til his tragical death during an attempted escape from the Tower of London in 1244 (shown right). Despite Llywelyns precautions, Dafydds reign was tragically short and he died without heirs in 1246. Soon virtually of Wales was backbone under the control of the English king and his barons. Despite this tremendous setback, in less than 10 years Gruffydds son Llywelyn, known to history as Llywelyn the Last, had managed to acquire the dynasty of Gwynedd, gaining unprecedented recognition as Prince of Wales before his tragic downfall and death in 1282. With his death, and the death of his older brother Owain the same year, and his younger brother Dafydd the succeeding(a) year, the House of Gwynedd ended almost 500 years of rule over most of northern Wales. The princely line of Gwynedd had finally run out, extinguished forever by the ruthless King Edward I. Or had it? Little remembered is Llywelyns youngest brother Rhodri ap Gruffydd. He apparently played no part in the dynastic str uggles of the 13th century, and lived most of his life in relative obscurity and peace outside Wales, reportedly dying on his English manor c1315. Yet it was one of his descendants who was destined to make Gwynedds final claim to the title Prince of Wales. That person was Rhodris grandson, Owain Lawgoch. Owain ap Thomas ap Rhodri, known to history as Owain Lawgoch (Owain of the red hand) and to the French as Yvain de Galles, like his father, was born and grew up in England and had no direct associations with Wales.

In Liam OFlaherty´s The Sniper, all of these are brought to an acute r

In Liam OFlahertys The Sniper, all of these are brought to an acute populace in a single war-torn urban center. Strong cerebral convictions and opposing philosophies, due to which people want to destroy.The SniperHow does the author depict the turmoil and plight in a war-torn cityin The Sniper?Anger, pain, death and remorse- all unpleasant, but all are subjectd andhandled in every war. In Liam OFlahertys The Sniper, all of theseare brought to an acute reality in a single war-torn city. Strongcerebral convictions and opposing philosophies, due to which peoplewant to destroy the seemingly wrong plague this instauration and are themain reason for plight. To aid in his creation of such emotionalconflict, turmoil and plight, the author has portrayed the sniper as avery debatable character. This story is oriented around onecharacter in the Civil War which he should not even be in as he ismentioned to be a student in the story.The story whose main theme is force out, attempts to chron icle theshort span of fanaticism that inspires youth that leads to turmoil inthe graduation exercise place. In this chaotic situation however, fanaticism is whatone may need in order to survive and this is exactly what the sniperis facing. This is shown when the sniper is said to be the studentwith the face of an ascetic. He has one task to perform- to kill thesoldiers of the Free States. However, the most important line thatcatches the attention of the reader is the eyes of a man who is useto looking at death. This is very ironic as he was earlier comparedto a student who is like a symbol for innocence where now he is spokenof as a murderer. He is engrossed in fulfilling his duty and is now astudent of violence.... ...s the life of a soldier.The gory sights in the city of Dublin, torn apart and paralysed withwar and fear is depicted by people bleeding in the gutters till theydie and rapid gunfire everywhere followed by a deafening silence.Killing is done in cold blood and even th en, the sniper maintains calmuntil he kills his opponent sniper on the opposite rooftop. Thiscalmness in goriness clearly justifies the turmoil and the plight thatthe author shows in this short story. The author uses the course andcharacters of the story to chart the course of the characters in everyscene of violence everywhere.The emphasis given to the bloodshed, the war, the loss of life is morethan what is given to the feelings, the people and the life and inthis way Liam OFlaherty has depicted turmoil and plight in thewar-torn city in this short story titled The Sniper.

Human Cloning: Genetic Advancement or Genetic Manipulation? :: essays research papers

Human Cloning Genetic Advancement or Genetic treatment?Some people might argue that the real offense would be to hinder the progress of science and experimental investigation with regard to human re-create. That to do so would mean to deny the right to scientifically explore and gain from such. Exploration and discovery in advanced technologies and science quite often proves to be beneficial to mankind however, even though human cloning capabilities may tempt mans inherently diabolical God-playing nature, research, advancement and the expected benefits of human cloning ar likely to dispel predicted human catastrophes. In the alternative, can advances in human cloning lead us into genetic manipulation and world chaos because of best-selling(predicate) myths about cloning and the rapid progress in biotechnology?First, what exactly is cloning? In biology, cloning is used in two contexts cloning a gene, or cloning an beingness. Cloning is the reproduction of a human or animal whose genetic substance is identical to an existing being, such as an fertilized egg or fetus. This is fruitful. Cloning a gene means to extract a gene from whiz organism and insert it into a second organism. Cloning an organism means to create a new organism with the same genetic information as an existing one. This is therapeutic.Since 1885, there have been a number of researchers, scientists, geneticists, reproductive technologists and embryologists, such as August Weismann, Hans Spemann, Walter Sutton, Paul Berg, Steen Willadsen, et al., who have contributed much to the research and development of our current concepts of cloning. Particularly two of the more recent renowned contributors to cloning research and experimentation are Ian Wilmut, a Ph. D. in animal genetic engineering, and Richard Seed, who founded Fertility and Genetics in the 1980s. In 1973, for his thesis at Darwin College, Ian Wilmut created the first calfskin ever produced from a frozen embryo. In 1974, Ian Wilmut joined a research institute known as the Roslin Institute of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Today, he is currently joint bespeak of the Department of Gene Expression and Development, with research interests in early mammalian development, embryo manipulation, nuclear transfer and gene targeting in mice, cattle, sheep and pigs.The Roslin Institute, is known for being one of the worlds primary research centers on farm and other animals. In 1996, Professor Wilmut, along with his assistant, Keith Campbell, made history by creating the first organism to be duplicated (cloned) from liberal cells. Their creation infamously became known as Dolly, the first cloned adult sheep.