Race as a Social Construct

Race as a Social Construct Omi and Winant’s discussion from â€Å"Racial Formations† are generally about race being a social construct and is also demonstrated in the viewing of Race – The power of an illusion. Omi and Winant have both agreed that race is socially constructed in society. Ultimately this means that race is seen differently in different societies and different cultures. Media, politics, school, economy and family helps alter society’s structure of race. In the viewing , also media as well as history seemed to create race by showing how social norms have evolved in different racial groups.For example, â€Å"Rules shaped by our perception of race in a comprehensively racial society determine the presentation of self, distinction of status, and appropriate modes of conduct† (Omi and Winant 20). In other words, people tend to make their own rules for categorizing racial groups. We humans (usually more powerful ones) have set these arbitra ry divisions and then call them real. Race is defined differently within each culture. For example, as explained in the viewing, people in Africa see a person that is white in the United States as black.This because they define their races by socioeconomic status not the color of ones skin. Race is a social construction. And as a social construction, race functions as a source of management that sustains the importance of certain groups and the maintenance of other groups. This concept only becomes reality when people behave in ways that perpetuate subordination. Race should be expressed as a concept but unfortunately people misuse race. Race has now replaced the older concept of culture.As a concept race came to be defined by superficial attributes like hair type and skin color. â€Å"Film and television, for example, have been notorious in disseminating images of racial minorities which establish for audiences what people from these groups look like, how they behave and who they are†(Omi and Winant 23). Race is just an idea and or a biological myth. According to the viewing , humans don’t differ much genetically. Actually humans are genetically the most similar species. Why are humans so genetically alike?Humans have not existed long enough and have yet to evolve into various subspecies. â€Å"Race is indeed a pre-eminently socio-historical concept† (Omi and Winant 21). So race is historically made and not biologically. There is nothing real about race, a social construct, unlike a river which is absolute. A river will escist regardless of people thinking, agreeing or accepting that it does exist. Race requires people to collectively agree that it does exist , unlike a river. Although race does not exist in the world in an objective way, it still is relevant in today’s society.It is obvious that race is real in society and it affects the way we view others as well as ourselves. Race is a social construct that is produced by the su perior race and their power to regulate. â€Å"The category of ‘white’ was subject to challenges brought about by the influx of diverse groups who were not of the same Anglo-Saxonstock as the founding immigrants† (Omi and Winant 24). Frankly, ‘white’ was the norm, the others were considered an outcast. The dominant group in society are the one whom created restriction for group membership by defining race as a biological factor. White is seen as a ‘pure’ category†, as stated in the reading (Omi and Winant 21). Those who were ‘black’ were biologically inferior to a ‘white’ person. This is how the color line became about. Because of the color line , race was used to justify the captivity of the vastly growing free ‘black’ population early in United States society. â€Å"Differences in skin color and other obvious physical characteristics supposedly provide visible clues to differences lurking u nderneath† (Omi and Winant 23).The existence of racial ideology helps create racial sterotypes and myths. For example, in the viewing it was pointed out that American Jews reportedly dominated basketball during the first half of the 1900s. However , now it seems as if African Americans dominate the NBA. Concepts like ‘Black athletic superiority’ is the belief ‘black’ people have traits that have been acquired through genetic or een environmental factors. These factors help them excel over all other races in athletic competitions.The theories of racial differences and their possible effect on athletic ability have been noticed since the nineteenth century. More interests were attracted to the subject soon after the 1935 Track Championships, were Jesse Owen’s record breaking performance had shocked white Americans. â€Å"Temperament, sexuality, intelligence, athletic ability, aesthetic preferences and so on are presumed to be fixed and discernib le from the palpable mark of race† (Omi and Winant 23). The dominant group in society has always defined race which sets every other race inferior.Race creates many differences in social status. Status is indicated by race. This can either include or exclude people from more social constructs. This can also prevent or allow certain powers or privileges. Race is a social construct fueled by agreement and acceptance. Throughout history race has been the core of our society. It is vital that people begin to realize that race is and will always be â€Å"an unstable and ‘de centered’ complex of social meanings constantly being transformed by political struggle† (Omi and Winant 26).

Somehow, changes took place

For quite some time the effects of drugs and alcohol to the individual and the society were clandestine. They were enjoyed and well-loved. They were a part of life to many people not so long ago.Somehow, changes took place and the humble and interesting results of these substances have gradually become unpopular. Experiences as shared by many families with members who have succumbed themselves to drug addiction and alcoholism were quite destructive and harsh.In fact, when the harmful effects could no longer be hidden, a huge number has already been destroyed. Those who were saved are lucky but still its rampant attractiveness to emotionally-weak persons leads them to greater danger.To begin with, there are accounts as to the constructive beginnings of alcohol around the world. In the 17th and 18th century, alcohol was a common part of life, involved in almost all aspects of life from everyday activities to special occasions (Levine, 2007).First, alcohol during this period, even today , brings life to social gatherings like parties. Alcohol was at the center of every celebration or any social gathering big or small (Heron, 2003).When it fact it has some truth, if not true at all, alcohol is a relaxing and pleasurable drink which makes a drunk person really â€Å"feel good.† In addition, occasions were said to be more â€Å"alive† when there’s alcohol around. Moreover, it is also used in religion and worship across time aside from its nutritional value and therapeutic purposes.The people during the colonial era though of drunkenness as â€Å"normal,† not really something to worry about, however, it was not appreciated as well. Different societies have their own culture of alcohol and drinking.Come 19th century, diversity in the image of drinking and alcoholism shed light. It was during this period that â€Å"drinking† was seen as an addiction and a disease. People who craved for alcohol were acts not seen for pastimes or for amus ements anymore but as a compulsion wherein the alcoholic drinkers were said to be â€Å"trapped† in a â€Å"hole† which they cannot escape from.In other words, the existence of â€Å"alcohol addiction† came into being. At this time, many anti-alcohol movements were created denouncing alcohol intake and since then alcohol and other fermented drinks have lesser popularity.The advent of the 20th century gave more prohibitions as to the use of alcohol. Restrictions to alcohol as codified in laws and regulations are prominent anywhere in the world today because of the numerous alcohol-related mishaps which have taken place.Accidents are proven to be of increasing possibility if they involve liquor consumption. In the United States for example, American minors or those below 18 years old are not allowed to drink and buy alcohol from business establishments.During the present times, alcoholism is considered a deviant behavior, often discouraged and tabooed by majority of society. To the more lenient ones, alcoholism is allowed but to a minimal and controlled extent provided that it does not harm oneself and others.This is common among Asian countries which are quite loose in their alcohol mandates. Habitual drinkers who are determined to reform are placed in rehabilitation programs and organizations like the Alcoholics Anonymous.If alcoholics are almost criticized by the civil society, drug addicts are instantaneously condemned by the general public. But despite our knowledge of the destructive effects of prohibited drugs, it is still a wonder why more and more people are locked in this vice.Many lives have failed because of too much drug intake. Some common addictive drugs include major stimulants as cocaine and amphetamines, opium, heroin and morphine.

My Life in Pink Essay

The story of this sensitively-handled film concerns a young MtF transsexual. It is by turns comic and heartbreaking. Seven-year old Ludovic lives in an upper-middle class Belgian suburban neighborhood. He behaves in a way that is quite natural to him, dresses in a dress or skirt whenever possible, and is quite convinced he will be marrying a neighborhood boy, the son of his father’s boss. His favorite television program is a kitchy girls program about a Barbie-like doll called Pam who lives in a flowery girly pink cartoon fantasy world and has magic powers. Young Ludovic dances Pam’s dance to the haunting song â€Å"Rose†, and like some other girls of his age fantasizes about marriage to a handsome romantic man who will sweep his female love off her feet. The film depicts the difficulties facing a child with gender identity issues and the way the Ludovic himself, the confused parents and family, society, school, other children, and the neighborhood (hostile, hypocritical, and ignorant) handle the situation. Ludovic is seven years old. At first thinks he is a girl, then becomes confused as everyone attempts to disabuse him of this, then tries to find an acceptable common ground (I am a girlboy, or I am a boy but I will grow up to be a girl, or something went wrong and and I should have been born a girl). When he was born, the extra X chromosome accidentally landed in the trash and he got a Y instead! Even an identity as a girlboy is not allowed him by those around him. The only ones who have any understanding of what he is going through are his psychologist and his grandmother who thinks it might be a phase he is going through, but also confronts the situation with some understanding. His sister also sees Ludovich more as he is than as others believe or want him to be. Under increasing pressure from an ignorant community which gives the family the cold shoulder, the parents naturally have difficulty in dealing with Ludovic’s transsexuality, and eventually send him to a psychologist with the intention of â€Å"curing† him, but of course there is no cure – only understanding. Eventually they come to accept the inevitable. The movie, perhaps a larger than life fictionalisation, is a microcosm of the early life experience of a transsexual. The movie deals with homophobia, bigotry, misunderstanding, the retreat of the transsexual into a fantasy life to escape from unthinkable real life, the attempt of the transsexual to hide the condition because of his/her punishment for showing it, and the reaction of the transsexual’s parents, family, and society. Common to the experience, particlarly when the movie was made, is confusion of homosexuality and transsexualism, denial of its existence, the attempt to cure it, the successful discrimination and hostility against the transsexual and his/her family, the realization of the existence of both male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuality, and finally resigned acceptance. The father is fired from his job, and the family moves to a poorer neighborhood, where they find some acceptance and Ludovic meets a young butch girl, perhaps a young FtM transsexual of about the same age. The final relief from troubles is belied by the music which turns somber as the camera pans away from the petit Ludovic, on his own away from the other children. As his pubescent sister says, prophetically, â€Å"it only gets more difficult as you get older†. The final scene dissolves into the haunting theme.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Case Analysis on Aravind Eye Care Essay

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Case Analysis on Aravind Eye Care System model - Essay Example This business model mainly targets Tier 4 consumers as exhibited by The World Economic Pyramid shown in Appendix 1. According to Prahalad & Hart (2002), Tier 4 consumers are mainly comprised by two thirds of the world’s population and these people are very poor since they survive on less than $1 per capita per day. In this case, it can be observed that Aravind Eye Care System is more concerned with the welfare of the people as a result of their level of income. However, the main challenge of this business model is that doing business in the world’s poor requires radical innovations in technology and business models. For instance, Prahalad & Hart (2002) posits to the effect that Tier 4 communities are often physically and economically isolated which entails that distribution and communication systems are essential for the development of the bottom of the pyramid model. Entrepreneurs targeting the consumers belonging to this category should make sure that their business m odels reflect the needs and interests of the targeted people. Business models that do not reflect the needs and interests of the targeted people are likely to face challenges since there may be a tendency by people to shun the services offered. A business model that is customer oriented is likely to appeal to the interests of many people. 2. The Aravind Eye Care System is driven by demand pull which is an opportunity for venturing into business. Basically, entrepreneurship is mainly concerned with recognizing as well as satisfying the opportunity while at the same time building something of recognised value. This entails that innovation is something the entrepreneur is continually doing (Burke, 2006). Dr V as he is affectionately known recognises the demand for eye care and is motivated to pursue a dream of venturing into business meant to eradicate all needless blindness in India among the poor. His business model is built on the nature of the demand that exists in poor communities in India. According to Lamb et al (2008), entrepreneurs are supposed to add value when they recognize a demand for a particular service. In order to design the business model to fulfil this demand, creativity is required in order to effectively satisfy the needs of the people targeted. The 4 P's of innovation namely: paradigm, position, product, process are often taken into consideration when designing a system that is meant to fulfil the demand that has arisen in the market. Nieuwenhuizen (2004) suggests that successful entrepreneur should idealise the main opportunity behind the business venture. This allows him to come up with an effective position of the product or service to be offered. This entails that the product should be carefully defined such that its design can appeal to the interests of the targeted people. The process of designing the product or service is ongoing and is characterised by pro activity, achievement orientation as well as locus control and human relation s (Nieuwenhuizen, 2004). The information management model might be useful in supporting decision making in this case. The model of information management can significantly contribute to improved decision making in business given that the success of any business can be attributed to the quality of information used when making important decisions. There is no business that can properly function without correct information (Kritzinger, Bowler & Goliath, 2003). Through information manag

Should Media Respect Privacy of Political Figures Essay

Should Media Respect Privacy of Political Figures - Essay Example The media, therefore, should respect the privacy of politicians’ children and relatives and restrain from exposing things they did or said when they had no control over themselves, as in times of sickness. In other situations, the media should have the right to investigate and expose what politicians say or do, because it has serious political, economic, social and moral implications for the whole country. Politicians decide the political fate of a country. They make war and peace; they make laws and preside over implementation; they set the rules to reward and punish people for their behavior; they can take away freedom as in preventive detention, take life as in death penalty, or spare life as in presidential pardons. While doing so, politicians might often have public well being on their mind, but the possibility of private profit and interest cannot be ruled out. For instance, the Republican President Richard Nixon staged the Watergate Scandal using public resources to wea ken and defeat the Democrat opponent. President George Bush took America to war against Iraq on the pretext that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, though he wanted to punish Hussein for allegedly trying to murder his father after the first Gulf War. If politicians could do such horrendous things even when the media could investigate and bring out the truth, and expose them, what could they do without the fear of exposure? The media must help the citizens know if politicians have taken vital political decisions purely to advance public well being, to promote their own personal interest, or settle personal scores. Similarly, politicians also play critical role in shaping the economic policy of the country. They enjoy the power to tax and spend, regulate internal and external trade and commerce, even control the monetary policy indirectly. Increasingly, political offices are being won with the help of contributions from supporter. Politics, power and corruption have alway s moved together. Several Members of Congress have gone to jail or been removed from office due to financial crimes, despite the constant fear of exposure by the media. If their privacy were respected by the media, politicians would go after the fast buck and still hold the office. Politicians are also social leaders and many of them are role models. We study their biographies and autobiographies to find inspiration and understand how they become successful. In addition, politicians frequently convince many people to vote for them, to attack their political opponents, and to become bigots or open-minded. They also quite frequently use their power and position to break social norms, win sexual favors from men and women under them, and tweak the law to stay out of prison when they commit crimes. In every presidential elections, candidates collect money from nefarious individuals and groups of people and return their contribution if the media exposes it. Members of Congress have lost t heir office due to their involvement in crime, sodomy, corruption, and sexual affairs. They have done all this despite the fact that the media could expose their misdeeds. If the media were to respect their privacy, many politicians would run amok committing crimes left and right because they can hide such crimes under the pall of privacy. Last but not least, acts and words of politicians have serious moral impact on

Caring for the Elderly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Caring for the Elderly - Essay Example As studies emphasize the continued activeness contributes to longevity and health of elderly, there has been significant initiatives to increase their activeness on a personal and community level (Caring for the Elderly). The elderly should not be marginalized, set aside or to be made feel unwanted or uncared for. The motivation is for the elderly to be able to enjoy the longevity that is afforded them by new developments in medical science to the fullest. Many programs has encouraged many senior citizens to stay active or become active. This has increased their quality of life while at the same has provided essential support among the individuals in their age group (Williams & Garland 379). However, success of the programs has been limited and health departments are turning to private and community groups to improve the situation of more senior citizens. In Northern Ireland, case study programs have been launched to assess the effectiveness of physical development programs for the elderly and the leanings from the programs are to be the basis of programs to be launched in Britain in 2007 (Northern Ireland Social Care Council [NISCC]). Among the popularized programs that have initiated by the Unite Kingdom's National Health Service include community exercise programs that include Tai Chi and dance. The programs are centered on the theory that improving the level of physical activity can enhance the overall all health of the subjects, enhancing or maintained include dexterity, agility, endurance and coordination (McGuire-Snieckus et al 8). Continued physical activeness can significantly enhance everyday physical activities since muscle tone and related body functions are maintained (Caring for the Elderly). Though there are strict considerations for individuals who have existing conditions particularly those who may have conditions that impair their judgment as well as for cardio vascular or immunological conditions (Garland et al 454). The objective is to be able to not just let them enjoy the activities but to also derive pleasure and fulfillment form their physical activities. Social Care Together with the studies that give evidence that beyond the physical activity that is involved in the programs, interaction during the activities also plays an important role for the individuals participating in the programs (McGuire-Snieckus et al 11). Thus, the physical activities or therapies serve as the host for other programs designed for the age groups that also aim to enhance their life and the effectiveness of their medications and treatments. The elderly should be considered a heritage to society: treasured and valued for their lives and learning. Parts of existing rehabilitation programs for the elederly are in combicnation with juvenile programs. The elderly serve as mentors for the troubled youths providing them real life insights regarding their addiction or other conditions. The program has had success because of the relationship that is fostered among the participants and on the side of the more senior participants it allows them to share their feelings and realizations from their lives (Lalor et al) According to researches, one of the most difficult sources of problem for the elderly involves their marginalization and diminished access to social institutions and activities that

RESEARCH Methods - Spain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

RESEARCH Methods - Spain - Essay Example The supply channels acts on the basis that the crude oil serves as basic input required for production; consequently, increase in the prices will trigger increase in production costs thereby causing companies to have decreased output. The impact can also be viewed from demand-side whereby it affects both investment and consumption. The longer the shock is viewed to last, the stronger the magnitude of its impact on the nations. Apart from the effect on supply and demand, oil price shock also impact foreign exchange and inflation. This is experienced on the in terms of indirect effect on real economic activity. Considering the above case, this paper makes use of both empirics and theory to determine the impact of the oil-price shock on an open-economy, while considering that the price can be perceived via multiple channels. The paper makes use of three cases for the study, United States, United Kingdom and Spain. The three matches the key features of the expected data most suitably. Spain is considered for this case because it is a net importing country hence can help determining the resultant effect of oil price shock. From this, the resultant model is used to explore the significance of oil price changes on GDP, Inflation and Trend Growth. However, our findings significantly differ from the already established literature. Most importantly, the research finding indicates that observed increase in oil prices affects the macro-economy through the supply side. This is in contrast to Hamiltons’ study of 1988, which pinpointed the demand side (Hamilton & Muns, 1988, 67). In which case, our study purports that increase in oil prices affect similarly on the negative given that higher oil prices will result to decrease in output of a firm on the basis of value-added evident in capital or labor. Additionally, the study indicates that higher

Homework Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Homework - Coursework Example nism perspective diverges from the two perspectives since it does not seek Truth or to make permanent epistemological or ontological commitments like those that produce modernist forms of scientific endeavor of meaning and human meaning making activity. German sociologist Max Weber will resonate very well with me. In his modern organizational theory, idealized organizational structure, duties and responsibilities for workers are clearly stipulated and behavior is highly controlled by policies, rules, and procedures. This contributions are worthy while as most of organizations today are governed by rules that control the behavior of the staff Systems-technical theory is the interdisciplinary study of organizational systems in general. The main goal of system theory is to elucidate principles that can be applied to different types of systems at all nesting levels in all fields of research. Institutionalization refers to the process of implanting some conception within organizations, social system, and society I general. The concept may also refer to committing a particular group or individual to an institution, such as a welfare or mental institution. The term is also be used in political context to apply to the organization or creation of governmental institutions and particular bodies with duties of implementing or overseeing policy. Deconstruction is a form of literary analysis and philosophical derived primarily deduced from Jacques Derrida’s work done in 1967. In the 1980s it designated more loosely a wide range of theoretical enterprises in distinct areas of the social and humanities sciences. In addition to literature and philosophy, other field of interest in deconstruction includes historiography, anthropology, feminism, linguistics, sociolinguistics, political theory, psychoanalysis, and lesbian and gay studies. Bank of America maintains environmental guidelines and policies related to forests, climate change, energy, environmental lending and

Research Methods - Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research Methods - Critique - Essay Example A critique of the research proves that the study is well directed so as to arrive at the hypothesis and thus contains remarkable strength needed for an authoritative study. However, certain oddities and speculation in the way towards the findings point to specific weaknesses of the research in methods and approaches used. The empirical study is based on a well-defined theoretical framework and its finding that approves the merit of the hypothesis. The loose ends of the study result mainly derive from the inadequacy of the relevant data in general, and that of the Netherlands in particular, where sociological factors limit the findings of the study. The speculative nature of the finding towards the end of the study constrains the appeal of the empirical result. There is a great relevance to this type of research and the objectives of the study prove this point. The research contributes to the study of complementarities among HR dimensions and the selection of Ireland and the Netherlands for data collection, where no such studies are conducted, also proves to be its strength. The introduction states the hypothesis clearly and illustrates the significance of the study. The hypothesis is logically presented, leading to the empirical analysis of the study. As the authors of Research Paper Handbook instruct the researcher, â€Å"Your thesis will show the special nature of your paper.† (Lester Jr & Lester Sr 2005). The paper clearly establishes the thesis that â€Å"the high performance HR management system is the most effective form of the HR management in enhancing the performance of the employees,† with the research method used. It also succeeds in emphasizing that â€Å"this superior effectiveness in part is derived from a com plementarities among the five HR dimensions.† (Horgan & Muhlau 2006). The clarification added for the ineffectiveness of the theory in the Netherlands almost satisfies the finding of the study. The authors provide relevant reasons

Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication Essay Example for Free

Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication Essay 1.1 Review the range of groups and individuals whose communication needs must be addressed in own job role â€Å"Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership. The leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader cant get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesnt even matter. — Gilbert Amelio President and CEO of National Semiconductor Corp. The above statement makes a huge impact, and in the role as manager this is so true. Communication both professionally and personally starts with considerate, open and honest foundations. My team includes over 50 staff members without including the many visitors, and members of the multidisciplinary team. Everyone is different and should be treated individually; you learn very quickly people’s individual communication styles. You are dealing with a wide range of personalities and abilities and your own communication style has to deliver to a diverse group with differing skill sets, and communication abilities. My level of communication within my job role is of extreme importance with regards to the client who should be at the heart of all communication around any establishment or company. Dealing with people with hearing impairments, disabilities, cerebral palsy to name a few, it is essential my communication is clear and not lengthy. Effective communication is what enables all the different departments to work well within the organization including liaising with external agencies and individuals such as the CQC, Social Services, Continuing Health Care, Hospices and health professionals. It is also essential that whatever the form of communication, be it written, electronic, organizational, promotional, verbal, non-verbal, confidentiality is maintained. Read more: Use and Develop Systems That Promote Communication As a manager in a care centre the groups and individuals I work with are varied and can range from clients with disabilities that effect many senses from hearing loss to those with sight loss or impairment. Plus the different members of the multi disciplinary team. Clients who are profoundly deaf may have the ability to sign or those with partial loss all need support to ensure they can be understood and they can communicate to the best of their ability. Key statistics state from Access Economics states that over two million people in the UK are living with sight loss and as we age we are increasingly likely to experience sight loss. Projected statistics of Dementia show there will be over one million people by 2021 and this effects peoples short and sometimes long term memory, speech, orientation, and general well being. We have clients that are borderline and able to stay with us because we can meet their needs. Dementia training is undertaking by all staff to increase the awareness and ability of everyone within the centre to support these individuals. Also in my care I have individuals with Parkinson’s, clients with Multiple Sclerosis, so it is a broad, challenging and extremely rewarding position when you see things ultimately manifest into cohesive functionality. 1.2 Explain how to support effective communication within own job role Within my role this is done by establishing the appropriate level of support and my role is to empower and promote the individuals rights. One of my observations during my time at work on the following criteria with relevant evidence as feedback from my assessor involved running a meeting with staff from all departments. Everyone has the right to communicate in which ever way is better for them and this is highlighted under the Human Rights Act 1998 which points out the freedom of expression and everyone should having the right to communicate. It is also part of my responsibility to see that the needs and preferences are assessed correctly and a benchmark can be established so we can see what level of support is required. This is done through completing documentation and making thorough assessments and continual monitoring. Any alterations are recorded and reviews and changes are highlighted to the team. There are always key elements to assessments and reviews, including the family and friends. Everyone has a responsibility to support individuals and bearing in mind ‘need to know’ information. The aim being able to achieve the highest goal to maintain effective open channels for everyone. In my role partnerships with: †¢ Family and friends †¢ Care Staff †¢ GP’s †¢ Nutritionalists †¢ Speech Therapists †¢ Social Workers †¢ Physiotherapists †¢ Consultants †¢ Other Nursing Home Managers †¢ Central Office All the above are people I may work with in order to gain information, which supports me in my role in making the best decisions and judgments’. Everyone needs educating and supporting including myself when looking at the individuals preferred method of communication, and everyone in the above list can give valid input in assessing for example swallowing by the speech therapists. This can include communication with the RN, GP for referral, to speaking with the catering chef and carers. By doing this with effective communication and documenting accurately we can ensure that everyone’s input is maximized and as well as being written and passed on verbally it is put into practice. This results in the clients personalized care needs being met fully and that best practice is recognized and understood by all individuals. Best Practice may require looking at staff training and that as a centre we have access to any specialist information, which may be through central office or outside sources. Training underpins knowledge and is the cornerstone to maintaining exceptional standards. 1.3 Analyse the barriers and challenges to communication within own job role. We hear it said ad ver batum, effective open honest communication is fundamental like breathing. It is a skill and when people communicate well it is a reflection of how smoothly things operate. Communicating in an appropriate and Communication is key. Appropriate, open, honest, practical, down to earth and accurate are words which can be associated with effective communication. There are barriers and challenges, which we will look at. A barrier is something which blocks and there can be many in the realms of communication. Anything that interrupts the flow. One thing can be the language used. Eradicating abbreviations, and avoiding corporate or professional jargon makes everything simpler. Physical Barriers: Possibly the environment, such as loud tvs can have a distracting effect. Temperature, lighting and how people are located, either close to each other. People may be in different locations as we have with central office. Failure of management to cascade information. Failure of technological equipment. Physiological/Emotional Barriers: Personal difficulties can effect concentration, clients with lack of understanding, or memory loss due to their condition. This could also include poor eyesight or hearing difficulties Poor Understanding and language differences: Different nationalities and cultural differences, understanding accents and sayings can be amusing or an ambiguity of words and meanings but again a barrier for everyone. Misinterpretation of body language could have an impact. Attitudes within an organization: This can be because of poor management, weak leadership. People refusing to communicate if they feel a lack of motivation or unhappy with work. General resistance to change can be another factor and lack of understanding about a subject or material. Is the content difficult an complex to understand. Values and Beliefs: Everyones values and beliefs can create underlying barriers often without people realizing which results in different responses to how something is dealt with. Use of Power, Corporate Bullying and Aggressiveness: These can lead to potential barriers because people do not function naturally or work to the best of their abilty Any of the above can result in the failure of communication or in a result, which was not wanted. The audience has to be considered and ultimately it is my role to act immediately to ensure barriers are overcome. 1.4 Implement a strategy to overcome communication barriers By assessing the situation, and implementing a plan initially we can quickly establish what needs to be done. By doing this we can see any barriers, which may arise. When dealing with a client a plan of care will identify the problems and what they would like to achieve. By working with everyone within the multidisciplinary team appropriate assessments with Speech Therapists for example can arrange the necessary aids, training if necessary for staff to understand food consistencies, how the client is to be seated and that they are mindful of the clients needs. Working with all professionals, interpreters, audiologists, GP’s etc, as a manager ensuring staff are adequately trained in all areas and mandatory training is up to date can eradicate many issues. 1.5 Use different means of communication to meet different needs Verbal, non verbal signing, signage, flip charts, pictures, Ipads, audio books, hearing aids, hearing loops, telephone amplifiers. Just a few of the many different ways we use to communicate within the care centre and not forgetting touch. A small gesture such as touch can go a long way and make a huge impression. Verbally I have communications with many people from the clients, staff, families, G.P’s etc and I have used an interpreter and translator for an Italian lady who was being assessed. Some research say the level of non verbal communication is as high as 80 %. There is so much we communicate through our body language, and we show how much we are engaged in communication by showing interest through our expressions. Flip charts and with new smaller technology such as IPads are a fantastic way to assist clients. Obviously hearing aids, and even the smart phones are voice activated and we have one client who loves the voice aid on the Iphone. We can see that we have a huge range and different ways of communicating. Essentially communication comes down to each individuals understanding and how we can best achieve that and making it personalized to each client.

Black Lives Matter Movement and Afrofuturism Comparison

Black Lives Matter Movement and Afrofuturism Comparison A comparison of the Black Lives Matter movement and Afrofuturism is the undertaking herein and follows. It is extremely relevant in terms of one of the constant ethno struggles persisting in society, nay, the world today.  Looking at it in those terms, the subject matter would be relevant any day, and, as Afrofuturism claims, it will remain relevant well into the future. Afrofuturism While the term Afrofuturism is credited to Mark Dery, a cyberculture theorist, attempting to explain the Black culture with internet culture (McNally 2).  Afrofuturism is the mechanism that creates and then portrays endless possibilities to the traditionally oppressed to rise above lifes challenges.  It is a mode through which imbalances are balances and unfairness turned fair, wrong transformed to right, etc.  Remember, the current mindset is that Blacks are not equal; schools are still segregated; whites are especially favored; and the future for Blacks is bleak.  Afrofuturism takes that situation and inserts into a futuristic setting the underlying theme is science fiction.  While the setting is similar to the strife and downtrodden status of Blacks, it reconstructs the expected ending from a continued life of suppression to superhero status and overcoming the odds (McNally 3).  Derys mindset is evident given the question proposed that Afrofuturism attempts to answer:   Can a community whose past has been deliberately rubbed out, and whose energies have subsequently been consumed by the search for legible traces of its history, imagine possible futures? (3). Dery further posits that in order to overcome the obliterated past, a hopeful future must be presented.  The challenge here is how to present a past that does not exist, for all practical purposes.  Thus, when history is depicted in Afrofuturistic conveyances, they are mythical in nature.  Afrofuturism is a dynamic rather than static definition which, at its bare bones, marries technology with storytelling with black.  Although, one definition includes a footnote to the effect that Afrofuturism is blind to color, race, gender, etc.  It is more a tool with which to reconcile the past with an anticipated future (Priforce). Another definition of Afrofuturism is proposed in the spirit of sociology.  That is, Afrofuturism is literary style which puts Black experiences in the central premise which is demonstrated through fantasy and science fiction (Huddleston 2). Still another definition suggests that, while the foundation of Afrofuturism is science fiction, it is science fiction written by Africans or Afrodiasporic which may be in the form of art, literature, music and scholarship (Yaszek 1).  Ã‚  The diasporic nature of the thing promises diversity within a diverse group.  The art is premised on a varied conglomeration of Blacks sprinkled around the world through no choice of theirs, but such that there is a spattering of absorbed cultures, but, unfortunately, providing the same results. Backpedaling for just a moment, another definition is in order that of diaspora.  Diaspora is Greek for to scatter.  Used in this context it means a similarly-region-specific population that has been disbursed across different areas but still have active ties based on the similar origins (What Is A Diaspora? | Idea).  So, African diaspora is that of people from Africa living in other parts of the world.  During the transatlantic slave trades, millions of Blacks were relocated throughout the U.S.  and the Caribbean (African Diaspora Cultures | Oldways) Yaszek considers Afrofuturism from the perspective of the author, artist or professor.  To that end, the main purpose of the telling of the story is, well, to tell a good story science fiction, or not.  The two next best reasons are somewhat political.  First, and as mentioned above, Afrofuturism is a vehicle with which lost history may be recovered, and, then, hopefully, understood.  Next, it also provides a forum within which hope is inspired for the future (2).  This, in a way, is an attempt to circumvent what may be described as foreshadowing or self-fulfilled prophecy in that the Black story is one of doom and gloom past and present.  And, since the future will be the present and the present will be the past, transforming the future (since there really is not anything that can be done in the present) in a positive light (or a powerful one) suggests that not only can history be changed but it challenges the norm. So, it is not surprising that the roots (no pun intended) of Afrofuturism commenced in the 1880s, alongside science fiction as a genre, with the writings of Charles Chestnutt, Susan Griggs and Edward Johnson.  All of whom authored books illustrating the Black plight, issues of slavery, creating a better world, and a society promulgated on Black knowledge and industry (Yaszek 4).  As the genre progressed to and through the 20th century, the separate-but-equal-paradigm wove its threads through the world of science fiction.  Black authors published in Black magazines and white in white.  It is worth mentioning because the distinction was not as the result of the actions of white people but due to the preferences of Black authors.  The reasoning should be unimportant, but for the sake of accuracy the claim is that the white magazines were almost too far-fetched and the Black stories were meant to be taken more seriously as story-telling rather than just science fiction entertai nment.  The afterthought is the perception that the white magazines included racially-motivated storylines. Returning to the underlying premise, that of a promising future and the potential of Blacks to use science to conquer battles and survive disasters, it is during the 1960s the white-washed science fiction intersected with Afrofuturism (Yaszek 7).  Obviously, the timing coincides with the crest of the civil rights movement.  In addition, it was a time when science fiction authors wanted to premise their work on societal relevant issues as well as scientifically modeled. The themes during this time period portrayed hope and a successful integration of two different societies which was reflected in films such as Bloodchild.  Other films were cautious and warned about history repeating itself with films such as The Spacetraders and Zulu Heart, both speculating that either Blacks will be deported from earth, chained together on a ship, or a role reversal such that while it is a replay historically it is the Blacks enslaving the whites.  Neither of which provides a positive takeaway. From 1980 to and through today, global Afrofuturism takes the definition a bit farther, technologically speaking.  This is a society of Afrofuturistics connected via internet from around the world.  The stories are still founded in the future based on the past lost; however, there is a worldwide collaboration such that the resulting stories mix histories, settings, and other region-specific attributes (Yaszek 9). This is probably the most appropriate place to introduce the Black Lives Matter campaign.  It is within this movement where the image of superhero takes on a less science fiction form and demonstrates how technology and black can make things happen, and, yes, possibly change the future. It has been only since 2013 that Alicia Garza posted the note to Facebook after the dismissal of charges against a white man for shooting a black 17 year old assuring others that our (black) lives matter.  It was the tipping point at which time Garza and others decided to change the world (not to sound too dramatic) (Day). This may sound like the atypical rally, protest or bandwagon.  Certainly, and unfortunately, the issue is the same as it has been repeated historically year after year after year.  However, the approach in this century is very different.  There is no single leader.  In movements past, male, black men such as Martin Luther King or Malcolm X played a major role in gaining interest and participation.  This time, they are all leaders.  Further, this movement is not racist it includes lesbians, women, gay, transgenders and bisexuals.  Rather than depending on media or word of mouth on the street to spread the word or organize rallies, Twitter offers a forum upon which news of black injustice may be circulated and Facebook supports the assimilation of rallies.  Photos, the ultimate purveyor of effective messaging, are shared via Tumblr and distributed on Instagram.  Events that had previously gone unnoticed or unknown were now on home pages and cell phones all over the w orld, potentially.  The audio associated with the gasping of the victim of a chokehold inflicted by law enforcement went viral (Day).  YouTube footage of a 14-year-old girl victimized by excessive force by police officers got over 500,000 views.  This is pretty strong, effective campaigning.  But, more importantly, it is real-time awareness.  It is what might change the future.  And, its technologically based.  Science fiction or This is where Black Lives Matter and Afrofuturism intersect.  The common thread is technology and the common goal is to change the future.  Black Lives Matter offers the here-and-now aspect of how Black Lives Matter which has always been missing from the story.  Instead, those stories unfold in history books or in movies long after the fact for obvious reasons.  Certainly, these types of things are not new.  What is new is realizing how broken society is and that the culture has to change. The next common thread is the skill with which these groups utilize technology, social networks and artistic media to work together towards a common goal.  The potential to complement each other is tremendous. If Black lives do not count or matter, it is very much like slavery.  People who were believed to be valueless and therefore mistreated in that vein.  The most important common thread between Black Lives Matter and Afrofuturism is the goal to dissuade racism and white supremacy.  And, to further, contradict those that, while not admitting it out loud, believe that Black people have no soul so it is okay to rape them, hang them, murder them, emasculate them, and torture them.  It was okay to do all of those things because they were thought of as being soulless and of no essential or true value beyond what monetary price they could bring. Another myth that in the past has been difficult to dispel and may have a better chance to dissipating is that of the belier that racism is no longer a factor, especially in the United States because a black President was elected.  People may think that this signals a quasi-release from any further responsibility for injustice in our society based on racism.  The fact is that while we have a black, there are many ways Obama and his family were disrespected further making the case for racism.  Even a perfunctory review of history demonstrates that no other President has been disrespected or disregarded like President Obama. The coalition of Black Lives Matter broadens the conversation around state violence to include all of the ways in which Black people are intentionally left powerless at the hands of the state, society and other individuals. To an extent, Black lives are deprived of basic human rights and dignity. Black poverty should be considered as violence or an assault. So, too, are 2.8 million Black people that are incarcerated the victims of a violent, oppressive condition.  Black Lives Matter brings those circumstances to the forefront and makes them relevant. Forgetting for the moment contributions made by Black people that are sometimes overlooked.  Society would have been deprived of a president.  Daniel Louis Armstrongs jazz and scat would never have been heard.  George Washington Carver would have never improved agriculture or invented adhesives and dyes.  Charles R. Drew would never have come up with the idea of blood banks and a system for preserving plasma long term.  W.E.B. Dubois would not have written Charlottes Web. Chicago may not have been founded if not for Jean-Baptiste-Point Du Sable.  William Henry Johnsons art would be nonexistent.  Martin Luther King, Jr., would be silent.  Contributions to the law and Supreme Court cases by Thurgood Marshall would be mute.  Elijah McCoy could not have improved the rail system or coined the phrase, The real Mccoy, meaning the best of the best.  Traffic signals and gas masks would go uninvented without Garrett Morgan.  If Rosa Parks did not get on the bus, this conv ersation may not be heard.  Mind blowing! Society can only make an educated guess on the number of contributions it missed because racism held back a talented black person or the contributions that the Black person killed by law enforcement may have contributed in his life.  Based on the black people that managed to break the bonds of racism to exhibit their talents, assumedly, society has missed out on millions of inventions, novels, songs, professionals, politicals, etc.  It is something that will never be known as there is no way to know which one of the black men sitting in prison may have invented the cure for leukemia.  This, for all intents and purposes, is part of the movement of Black Lives Matter and Afrofuturism.  A posit to realize the potential from within and without of the Black community.  A reminder that Black Lives Matter does not exist solely on the Black but on other oppressed groups such that it is the true belief that the most profound worth of the black man is that of every man that walks the earth.  Every single human being has potential.  The potential to contribute to the community, whether that community is diasporic or not; the potential to contribute to their own wellbeing and promotion whether in the name of culture, gender, ethnicity or sexual preference; and, the potential to matter. Just think for a moment of the results of forces joined between Afrofuturistics and Black Lives Matter members!  One would have the opportunity to exposure to Black history outside the white wash.  The other could contribute to changing the future by interacting with the real-time, present.  Or, science fiction creations could promulgate the future stories with real facts assimilated without any white washing.  Afrofuturism recovers the histories of counter futures created by hostile societies disapproving the diaspora that is Black.  Regardless Afrofuturistic individuals strive to redefine, translate, rework, restructure and then relate the future without the white-washed lens and based on what should have happened historically such that it could be repeated in the future (Eshun 301). The possibilities are limitless and that returns to the current definition of global Afrofuturism which contends that in this reframing (Science Fiction) of history and policy, those who are systematically oppressed are capable of transcending their less-than-desirable situation.  Nothing not even the sky is limiting.  (McNally 2). Works Cited African Diaspora Cultures | Oldways. Oldways. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. Day, Elizabeth. #Blacklivesmatter: The Birth Of A New Civil Rights Movement. the Guardian. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. Eshun, Kodwo. Further Considerations Of Afrofuturism. CR: The New Centennial Review 3.2 (2003): 287-302. Web. Huddleston, Kayla. Afrofuturism As Applied To Self-Perception: An Experimental Vignette. University of Washington (2016): n. pag. Print. McNally, Cayla. Fighting For The Freedom Of A Future Age: Afrofuturism And The Posthuman Body. Lehigh Preserve (2017): n. pag. Print. Priforce, Kalimah. Is Technologyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  -à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…  A #Blacklivesmatter Superpower? Recognizing #Afrofuturism. Medium. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. What Is A Diaspora? | Idea. Diasporaalliance.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 24 Mar. 2017. Yaszek, Lisa. Race In Science Fiction: The Case Of Afrofuturism. A virtual introduction to science fiction 1 (2013): 1-11. Print.

Theoretical And Practical Approach To Theatre Making Theatre Essay

Theoretical And Practical Approach To Theatre Making Theatre Essay This piece uncovers both the physiological and scientific actions behind the presentation of the voice. As an actor, theatre practitioner or theorist, we become aware that the presentation of communication is not a mere ability to speak, but an action from a complex organ which is bound up with our emotions and understanding which directs our physiological reflexes. For Linklater, the conveying of emotion must mean the feeling of emotion since our voice is powered by our very breath. Breath is chemically and physically linked to the bodys capacity and state of serenity. The natural relaxed voice occurs when the body is harmonious, relaxed and warm but any element of stress, excitement distraction can cause breath influxes which create tension and resonance which creates a new tone and inflection. (Linklater, 1976) Linklaters next piece continues that communication with the voice is not always the conveying of speech. However, in Western theatre it is recognised that speech and language is a primary form of expression. The voice and the actor must therefore become one. Both must be in their neutral state but not joined as they are in the actors human life but rejoined, both neutral and aligned to negotiate the new adornment of character in which to convey new expression. In this sense the actors own imagery behind their speech must be put aside and a new imagery must come from the character, this must occur organically, through exercises and development. Only here can the actor and their voice become unique and spontaneous in their role. Furthermore the learning of lines must be absorbed into the heart creating an understanding between the actor and their role. The actor must know more than the character in order to respond instinctively and naturally vocally within the action. (Linklater, 2006) Berry: Vocal Development In this chapter Berry focuses on the theory behind the vocal exercises he developed. These exercises help to convey how Linklaters ideas can be worked. For Berry the voice of the actor must be separated from the voice of the person and preconceived ideas. The way the individual communicates, their own anxieties and tensions must be removed in order to release full vocal potential. Berry laments that one can only get the best vocally if exercises are partaken. There are three stages of development for Berry. The first is relaxation and breathing. In this stage the actor develops the ability for vocal power by increasing the use of the lips and tongue. The second stage is the application of this to the actors role. They must be aware that their own vocal inhibitions are bound up with their acting voice, and that what they hear is not what the audience hears. Relying on their own voice would lead to a predictable style of acting, instead the actor must use these exercise to free the voi ce and allow the emotion of the role to become one with the voice, preventing the need for predictable pushing out and expression of emotions. Finally the third stage is the belief in both the exercises and an understanding of the second stage to create vocal freedom. The development of the voice through these three stages of exercises will create a new freedom, allowing the voice to respond instinctively to the action, beyond thought and technicality of the actors thoughts, but instead naturally and freely. (Berry, 1978) Lecoq: The Art of Mime Contrary to mimes generic image of speechless and silent expression, Lecoqs writings on mime express the important of the voice and indeed the concepts of freedom in movement and vocal as discussed above. Fundamentally Lecoq rejects the notion of mime being the expression of words without sound. The clichà ©d image of the mime, with exaggerated movements and facial expression, Lecoq would suggest fails to convey the practice of mime and its true art form. Mime in its simplest form is the idea of imitation. Here we can understand the art of dramatic mime that Lecoq discusses. This is creation of a theatrical situation with the body, often involving the impersonation of peoples. Such artists create the illusion of the person they mimic, vocally, in body and action. Their art lies in the ability to be this person in alternate scenarios. The actor must feel the movement, gestures and emotions as if they are their own, only the theatrics occurs when the addition of the actors true self i s added, their ownership of the movements produces the essence of mimicry. Symbolic mime requires the actor to partake in absolute mime, creating the environment and opening the audiences imagination. This requires a consistency of action, an understanding of the weight, placement and true abilities of the objects in the illusion. Finally there is the use of plastic mime, the use of the body as a language perhaps used with the constraints of face masks. The body must convey the story whilst the face illuminates the emotion. Lecoq theories a system for conveying mime through exercises designed to able the body. However, Lecoq laments that this system of exercises once used must be discarded of a true and spontaneous performance is to be conveyed. The body moves spontaneously, with reflective action and the system of exercises must not prevent this. All rhythm is organic and no two rhythms are the same and this is key to the creation of the art of mime. (Lecoq, 2006) Jos Houben: The Neutral Mask Once again this piece focuses on the freedom of expression necessary in acting. Through mask work, Shrubsall speaks of Houbens techniques, as inspired by Mosho Feldenkrais and Jacques Lecoq. The ability to separate and un-clutter ones own psychology which lays behind all our human movement, readying the body for meaningful spontaneous movement using techniques such as understanding the relationship between different parts of the body and their related movements. This is conveyed in the important of the mask in acting. The mask will only exist if there is a connection between the actor and the mask. They must become the mask. When the actor looks to the sky, the mask must convey this use of sight, his head expressing the movement and his back and shoulders responding as such. This piece is about the use of organic and functional movement, free from judgement and prior interpretation. (Shrubsall, 2002) Murray: Practical Exercises In this chapter Murray attempts to produce a series of exercises in which to share the experience of Lecoqs theatre and understanding how to prepare ones body for theatre as expressed by Lecoq. Murray defines the fundamental principles behind Lecoqs theories and hence his exercises. It is the idea that essentially movement provokes emotion and the body remembers this. This chapter focuses mainly on the teaching of these actual exercises rather than the theory behind but considers most primarily the bodys relationship between push and pull, balance and imbalance in the creation of Lecoqs work on tragedy, melodrama the neural mask and commedia delarte. (Murray, 2003) Conclusion There is a theme within these readings, that of body and movement in space and time incorporating ideas of freedom without influence. In order to grasp this freedom the readings suggest that the use of exercises is of prime importance for the natural, free vocal and bodied actor. The muscles of the mind and body must be warm and content in order to open up the actors full potential. There is the suggestion that acting without such consideration is meaningless and insincere. That to act is to be free from our human constraints.

polygamy in islam :: essays research papers

1. Definition of Polygamy Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry is completely prohibited. Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife? 2. The Qur'an is the only religious scripture in the world that says,"marry only one". The Qur'an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase `marry only one'. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one. Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives. In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one. Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (960 C.E to 1030 C.E) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife. 3. Hindus are more polygynous than Muslims The report of the `Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam', published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that the percentage of polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961 was 5.06% among the Hindus and only 4.31% among the Muslims. According to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife.

life during wartime :: essays research papers

There’s nothing I can say about the parade of still pictures, the faces on the television – except, perhaps, that they all seemed to share a fierce pride in their eyes, photographed for the first time in their Marine Dress Blues. Surely their families are proud of them. I certainly am, and I never got to know any of them. And now, I never will. Names scroll in little yellow letters across the bottom of our glowing screens: Sergeants, and Captains, and Privates. These men have died for us. More will follow. We asked them to go, and they went. All across this nation -- here and there, sparkling across the map like fireflies on a summer night – sedans are slowly rolling to a stop outside of small, modest homes. Men in uniform emerge, straighten their tunics, and walk slowly up driveways. Doorbells are rung. Maybe here and there smiles will evaporate in shock and surprise as doors are opened, but more likely the face will be one full of stunned realization that the very worst thing in the whole world has happened. And children will be sent to their rooms. And the men will speak in somber, respectful tones. And sons and mothers and fathers and wives will be told that the one thing they love more than anything in this world has been taken away from them, that their sons and daughters will not be coming home, that their fathers or mothers have gone away and will never come back, not ever. Why do we do this? What could possibly be worth this? The war is an abject and utter failure. What everyone thought would be a quick, decisive victory has turned into an embarrassing series of reversals. The enemy, -- a ragtag, badly-fed collection of hotheads and fanatics – has failed to be shocked and awed by the most magnificent military machine ever fielded. Their dogged resistance has shown us the futility of the idea that a nation of millions could ever be subjugated and administered, no matter what obscene price we are willing to pay in blood and money. The President of the United States is a buffoon, an idiot, a man barely able to speak the English language. His vice president is a little-seen, widely despised enigma and his chief military advisor a wild-eyed warmonger. Only his Secretary of State offers any hope of redemption, for he at least is a reasonable, well-educated man, a man most thought would have made a far, far better choice for Chief Executive.

A note on Porter’s Five Forces Model Essay

a) Rivalry between established competitors What are the major factors determining the nature and intensity of competition between established firms? Concentration In general, the fewer the number of firms in an industry, the easier is coordination of pricing behaviour, and the smaller the chance that one firm will initiate aggressive price competition An industry dominated by a single firm displays little competition and the dominant firm can exercise considerable discretion over the prices it charges. Diversity of competitors The ability of the firms in an industry to avoid competition depends not only upon the number of firms but also on their similarities in terms of objectives, costs, strategies. Example: Oil suppliers in OPEC: they were aligned in the 70’s and prices rose up. They were disaligned in the 80’s and prices decreased Product differentiation The more similar the offerings of rival firms, the more willing are customers to move from one supplier to the other. Where products are indistinguishable, the product is a commodity and the sole basis for competition is price Example of commodities: Raw materials : crude oil, gold bullions; Some finished products: DRAM chips, US Treasury bills Excess capacity and exit barriers The propensity of firms in an industry to resort to aggressive price competition depends upon the balance between capacity and output. The presence of unused capacity encourages firms to compete for additional business in order to spread fixed costs over a greater sales volume. Excess capacity may be the result of declining market demand or cyclical market demand or overinvestment. The period during which excess capacity overhangs an industry depends on the ease with which firms and resources can leave the industry. Costs and other impediments to leaving an industry are â€Å"barriers to exit†. Barriers to exit may be substantial where resources are durable and specialized, or where employees are entitled to job protection Example: Closure of mines in the 80s in Western countries were difficult as miners were heavily unionized Cost condition: economies of scale and the ratio of fixed to variable costs The more important the economies of scale are, the greater are the incentives for expanding sales at the expense of competitors. The higher the ratio of fixed to variable costs, the greater the willingness of firms to reduce prices in order to utilize spare capacity Example: This is typically the case in petrochemicals, tires, steel. b) Threat of entry If an industry is earning a return on invested capital in excess of the cost of capital, that industry will act as a magnet to firms outside the industry. An industry where no barriers to entry or exit exist is contestable. However in most industries, new entrants cannot enter on equal terms to those of established firms. The size of the advantage of established over entrant firms measures the height of barriers to entry, which determines the extent to which an industry can in the long term enjoy profits The principal barriers to entry are: Capital requirements Example: Exxon in the 80s spent almost $1 Billion in a vain attempt to catch up with existing players and become a player in the office computer systems market Economies of scale In some industries, particularly those which are capital intensive or research intensive, efficiency requires producing at a very large scale. New entrants are faced with the choice of entering either on a small scale and accepting high unit costs, or a large scale and running the risk of drastic under utilization of capacity while they build up sales volume Example: Commercial jet engines for commercial airliners: Big economies of scale, thus only 3 players [General Electric/Snecma; Pratt and Whitney; Rolls Royce] Absolute cost advantages Such advantages are usually associated with â€Å"first mover advantages†: by being early into the industry the established firms may have been able to acquire low cost sources of raw materials and by being longer they benefit from economies of learning. Example: in petroleum: ownership of oil fields prevents any second mover Product differentiation In an industry where products are differentiated, established firms possess an advantage over new entrants by virtue of brand recognition and customer loyalty. New entrants must spend heavily on advertising and promotion to gain similar levels of brand awareness, or accept a small market share which can be gradually expanded Example: Auditing, advertising, investment banking: established reputations and relationships are entry barriers Access to channels of distribution This barrier to entry is due to the distributors’s preference for established firms’ products: Limited capacity within distribution(eg shelf space), risk aversion, and fixed costs associated with carrying an additional product result in distributors’ reluctance to carry a new manufacturer’ product Exemple : Ice cream storage in small outlets Governmental and legal barriers Several barriers: Granting of a license by a public authority Examples: Taxi-cab services, broadcasting In knowledge intensive industries: patents, copyrights and trade secrets Procurement regulation: the costs of becoming listed as an â€Å"approved supplier† are a barrier Environmental and safety standards: the costs of compliance weigh more heavily on newcomers Retaliation The effectiveness of all these barriers to entry in excluding potential entrants depends upon the entrants’ expectations as to possible retaliation by established firms. Example of retaliation: Aggressive price-cutting, increased advertising, or legal maneuvers c) Competition from substitutes When there are few substitutes for a product, customers willing to pay a potentially high price In micro economic terms, demand is inelastic to price Examples: Gasoline; Cigarettes If there are close substitutes for a product, then there is a limit to the price customers are willing to pay and any increase in price will cause some customers to switch towards substitutes In micro economic terms, demand is elastic with respect to price. Example: frozen foods versus canned food and fresh produce The extent to which the threat of substitutes is high depends upon two factors: The propensity/willingness of buyers to substitutes Example: Efforts by city planners to relieve traffic congestion either by charging the motorist or by subsidizing public transport have been ineffective in the US in encouraging motorists to forsake their cars for buses The price performance characteristics of substitutes (ie the relative performance of alternative products in relation to their price) If two products meet the same customer needs and one performs better than the other across all criteria, the price of the superior products determines the maximum price for the inferior product  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ example: batteries of identical size and voltage: the one with the shorter life expectancy will only sell if it undercuts the price of the longer-life battery Where products are meeting more complex needs and no product dominates all performance dimensions, a niche position in the market may be sustainable despite premium pricing Example: Harley Davidson : inferior speed, acceleration, technical sophistication than Japanese motorcycles, but priced higher Difficulty in perceiving performance differences can also inhibit substitution on the basis of price Example: The subjective nature of flagrance makes comparison difficult for the consumer. Direct copies (same ingredients!) of popular perfumes at less than half the price have not gained substantial market share d) Bargaining power of buyers Firms operate in two markets: the market for inputs (raw materials, components, finance, labor services) and for outputs (products and services sold to customers – be distributors, consumers or other manufacturers). In both markets the relative profitability of the two parties to a transaction depends upon relative economic power. Two factors are important in determining the strength of buying power Buyers’price sensitivity Some key points on buyers’price sensitivity: 1) It depends on the importance of the item as a proportion of their total cost Example: For food processing companies, metal cans are one of the largest single items in their purchase of materials. These companies are highly sensitive to the prices of metal cans 2) The less differentiated are the products of the supplying industry, the more willing is the buyer to switch suppliers based on the basis of price Example: Supermarket chains can switch suppliers of packaged white breads 3) The greater the competition between buyers, the lower their profit margins, the greater their eagerness to achieve price reductions from their sellers Example: Automobile manufacturers place high pressures on their component suppliers 4) The greater the importance of the sold product to the quality of the buyer’s product or service, the less sensitive are buyers to the prices they are charged Example: PC vendors had to accept Microsoft’s Software prices Relative bargaining power Bargaining power rests ultimately upon refusal to deal with the other party. The balance of power between the two parties to a transaction depends on the credibility and effectiveness with which each makes this threat. Key determinants of the relative bargaining power: – the relative costs which each party sustains as a result of the transaction not being consummated – the expertise of each party in leveraging its position through gamesmanship 3 factors are likely to be important in determining the bargaining power of buyers relative to that of sellers: 1) Size and concentration of buyers relative to suppliers The smaller the number of suppliers, the less easy is it for a supplier to find alternative customers if one is lost. The bigger the purchases of the customer, the greater is the damage from losing the customer. The larger the size of the buyer relative to the supplier, the better able is the buyer to withstand any financial losses arising from failure to reach  agreement. Example: Buying consortiums are created to pool orders 2) Buyer’s information The first essential for the exercise of bargaining power by buyers is that they are able to compare the prices and qualities of different suppliers’ products or services. Examples: Lawyers, doctors, traders in the bazaars of Istanbul do not display the prices they charge Note that knowledge of price is of little value if the characteristics of a product or service are not easily ascertained before purchase Example: It is difficult to assess beforehand the value of investment advices, management consulting (or baldness treatment!)

Computers Are Necessary Part of Daily Life Essay

Computers are the necessary part of modern life. It is really true. It is very difficult to imagine our life without modern devices and especially without computers. The main thing it is of course Internet. It is the ocean of information. Information about all spheres of life, scientific, cultural, political etc. Internet is very important for us students. It is the source of information for compositions, reports, control papers. Sometimes our teachers want us to do it ourselves but we used to do it with the help of computers and canR17;t imagine ourselves going to the libraries as our parent did. Computers can help to find people who seemed to be lost forever. The example can be such web sites as Odnoklassniki.ru and VcontacteR30; My mum found her classmates that finished the school 20 years ago and her friends from OdessaUniversity. As for me I spend all my spare in time in contacts, speaking with friends not only from Odessa but for example from Canada. Also I know that if my dads want to know something about medicines they also use Internet and different web sites. Different studying programs are also useful; I like to use wwww.freetranslation.com to make my translations easier and faster. But of course there is another side of medal. Internet takes more time that many of us can allow. It is sometimes replace books, theatres and alive communication. We begin to forget that it is more better to communicate with our friends not only in online mode but to go together to have fun, or may be it is better to read interesting book then playing computer games where people kill each other on very high speed. Of course our 21 century is the century of technical progress. We canR17;t live as our grandma and grandpa, but we had to remember that everything must have its logical boarders and never computers, modern devices, Internet; games can replace people, their relations, love, friendship and real life.

Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 3

first it looked like a speck, then like an insect on a lightbulb, then like a kite. Gillian watched, too frightened to run, until it got close enough for her to realize what it really was. It was an angel. Her fear drained away as she stared. The figure seemed to shine, as if it were made of the same light as the mist. It was tall, and had the shape of a perfectly formed human. It was walking, but somehow rushing toward her at the same time. An angel, Gillian thought, awed. An angel†¦ And then the mist cleared and the shining faded. The figure was standing on the grass in front of her. Gillian blinked. Uh-not an angel, after all. A young guy. Maybe seventeen, a year older than Gillian. And†¦ drop dead gorgeous. He had a face like some ancient Greek sculpture. Classically beautiful. Hair like unburnished gold. Eyes that weren't blue, but violet. Long golden lashes. And a terrific body. I shouldn't be noticing that Gillian thought, horrified. But it was hard not to. Now that his clothes had stopped shining, she could see that they were ordinary, the kind any guy from earth might wear. Washed and faded jeans and a white T-shirt. And he could easily have done a commercial for those jeans. He was well built without being over-musdy. His only flaw, if it could be called that, was that his expression was a little too uplifted. Almost too sweet for a boy. Gillian stared. The being looked back. After a moment he spoke. â€Å"Hey, kid,† he said, and winked. Gillian was startled-and mad. Normally, she was shy about speaking to guys, but after all, she was dead now, and this person had struck a raw nerve. â€Å"Who're you calling kid?† she said indignantly. He just grinned. â€Å"Sorry. No offense.† Confused, Gillian made herself nod politely. Who was this person? She'd always heard you had friends or relatives come and meet you. But she'd never seen this guy before in her life. Anyway, he's definitely not an angel. â€Å"I've come to help you,† he said. As if he'd heard her thought. â€Å"Help me?† â€Å"You have a choice to make.† That was when Gillian began to notice the door. It was right behind the guy, approximately where the mist had been. And it was a door†¦ but it wasn't. It was like the luminous outline of a door, drawn very faintly on thin air. Fear crept back into Gillian's mind. Somehow, without knowing how she knew, she knew the door was important. More important than anything she'd seen so far. Whatever was behind it was-well, maybe beyond comprehension. A different place. Where all the laws she knew didn't apply. Not necessarily bad. Just so powerful and so different that it was scary. Good can be scary, too. That's the real gateway, she thought. Go through that door and you don't come back. And even though part of her longed desperately to see what was behind it, she was still so frightened that she felt dizzy. â€Å"The thing is, it wasn't actually your time,† the guy with the golden-blond hair said quietly. Oh, yes, I should have known. That's the clich†, Gillian thought. But she thought it weakly. Looking at that door, she didn't have room left inside for cute remarks. She swallowed, blinking to clear her eyes. â€Å"But here you are. A mistake, but one we have to deal with. In these cases, we usually leave the decision up to the individual.† â€Å"You're saying I can choose whether or not I die.† â€Å"To put it sort of loosely.† â€Å"It's just up to me?† â€Å"That's right.† He tilted his head slightly. â€Å"You might want to think your life over at this point.† Gillian blinked. Then she took a few steps away from him and stared across the supernaturally green grass. She tried to think about her life. If you'd asked me this morning if I wanted to stay alive, there would have been no question. But now†¦ Now it felt a little like being rejected. As if she weren't good enough. And besides, seeing that she'd come this far †¦ did she really want to go back? It's not as if I were anybody special there. Not smart like Amy, a straight A student. Not brave. Not talented. Well, what else is there? What would I be going back to? Her mom-drinking every day, asleep by the time Gillian got home. Her dad and the constant arguments. The loneliness she knew she'd be facing now that Amy had a boyfriend. The longing for things she could never have, like David Blackburn with his quizzical smile. Like popularity and love and acceptance. Like having people think she was interesting and-and mature. Come on. There's got to be something good back there. â€Å"Cup Noodles?† the guy's voice said. Gillian turned toward him. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"You like those. Especially on a cold day when you come inside. Cats. The way babies smell. Cinnamon toast with lots of butter, like your mom used to make it when she still got up in the morning. Bad monster movies.† Gillian choked. She'd never told anyone about most of those things. â€Å"How do you know all that?† He smiled. He really had an extraordinary smile. â€Å"Eh, we see a lot up here.† Then he sobered. â€Å"And don't you want to see more? Of life, I mean. Isn't there anything left for you to do?† Everything was left for her to do. She'd never accomplished anything worthwhile. But I didn't have much time, a small wimpy voice inside her protested. To be quashed immediately by a stern, steady voice. You think that's an excuse? Nobody knows how much time they've got. You had plenty of minutes, and you wasted most of them. â€Å"Then don't you think you'd better go back and try again?† the guy said, hi a gentle, prodding voice. â€Å"See if you can do a better job?† Yes. All at once, Gillian was filled with the same burning she'd felt when she got out of the creek. A sense of revelation and of purpose. She could do that. She could change completely, turn her life in a whole new direction. Besides, there were her parents to consider. No matter how bad things were between them now, it could only make it worse if their daughter suddenly died. They'd blame each other. And Amy would get one of her guilt complexes for not waiting to drive Gillian home from school†¦ The thought brought a little grim satisfaction. Gillian tried to quell it. She had the feeling the guy was listening. But she did have a new perspective on life. A sudden feeling that it was terribly precious, and that the worst thing you could do was waste it. She looked at the guy. â€Å"I want to go back.† He nodded. Gave the smile again. â€Å"I thought maybe you would.† His voice was so warm now. There was a quality in it that was like-what? Pure love? Infinite understanding? A tone that was to sound what perfect light was to vision. He held out a hand. â€Å"Time to go, Gillian,† he said gently. His eyes were the deepest violet imaginable. Gillian hesitated just an instant, then reached toward him. She never actually touched his hand, not in a physical way. Just as her fingers seemed about to meet his, she felt a tingling shock and there was a flash. Then he was gone and Gillian had several odd impressions all at once. The first was of being†¦ unfixed. Detached from her surroundings. A falling feeling. The second was of something coming at her. It was coming very fast from some direction she couldn't point to. A place that wasn't defined by up or down or left or right. And it felt huge and winged, the way a hawk's shadow must feel to a mouse. Gillian had a wild impulse to duck. But it wasn't necessary. She was moving herself, falling away. Rushing backward through the tunnel, leaving the meadow-and whatever was coming at her-behind. The huge thing had only registered for an instant on her senses, and now, whizzing back through the darkness, she forgot about it. Later, she would realize what a mistake this had been. For now, time seemed compressed. She was alone in the tunnel, being pulled down like water down a drain. She tried to look between her feet to see where she was going, and saw something like a deep well beneath her. At the bottom of the well was a circle of light, like the view backwards through a telescope. And in the circle, very tiny, was a girl's body lying on the snow. My body, Gillian thought-and then, before she had time to feel any emotion, the bottom of the well was rushing up toward her. The tiny body was bigger and bigger. She felt a tugging pressure. She was being sucked into it-too fast. Way too fast. She had no control. She fit perfectly in the body, like a hand slipping into a mitten, but the jolt knocked her out. Oooh†¦ something hurts. Gillian opened her eyes-or tried to. It was as hard as doing a chin-up. On the second or third attempt she managed to get them open a crack. Whiteness everywhere. Dazzling. Blinding. Where†¦ ? Is it snow? What am I doing lying down in the snow? Images came to her. The creek. Icy water. Climbing out. Falling. Being so cold†¦ After that†¦ she couldn't remember. But now she knew what hurt. Everything. I can't move. Her muscles were clenched tight as steel. But she knew she couldn't stay here. If she did, she'd†¦ Memory burst through her. I died already. Strangely, the realization gave her strength. She actually managed to sit up. As she did, she heard a cracking sound. Her clothes were glazed with solid ice. Somehow she got to her feet. She shouldn't have been able to do it. Her body had been cold enough to shut down earlier, and since then she'd been lying in the snow. By all the laws of nature, she should be frozen now. But she was standing. She could even shuffle a step forward. Only to realize she had no idea which way to go. She still didn't know where the road was. Worse, it would be getting dark soon. When that happened, she wouldn't even be able to see her own tracks. She could walk in circles in the woods until her body gave out again. â€Å"See that white oak tree? Go around it to the right.† The voice was behind her left ear. Gillian turned that way as sharply as her rigid muscles would allow, even though she knew she wouldn't see anything. She recognized the voice. But it was so much warmer and gentler now. â€Å"You came back with me.† â€Å"Sure.† Once again the voice was filled with that impossible warmth, that perfect love. â€Å"You don't think I'd just leave you to wander around until you froze again, do you? Now head for that tree, kid.† After that came a long time of stumbling and staggering, over branches, around trees, on and on. It seemed to last forever, but always there was the voice in Gillian's ear, guiding her, encouraging her. It kept her moving when she thought she couldn't possibly go another step. And then, at last, the voice said, â€Å"Just up this ridge and you'll find the road.† In a dreamlike state, Gillian climbed the ridge. And there it was. The road. In the last light before darkness, Gillian could see it meandering down a hill. But it was still almost a mile to her house, and she couldn't go any farther. â€Å"You don't have to,† the voice said gently. â€Å"Look up the road.† Gillian saw headlights. â€Å"Now just get in the middle of the road and wave.† Gillian stumbled out and waved like a mechanical doll. The headlights were coming, blinding her. Then she realized that they were slowing. â€Å"We did it,† she gasped, dimly aware that she was speaking out loud. â€Å"They're stopping!† â€Å"Of course they're stopping. You did a great job. You'll be all right now.† There was no mistaking the note of finality. The car was stopped now. The driver's side door was opening. Gillian could see a dark figure beyond the glare of the headlights. But in that instant what she felt was distress. â€Å"Wait, don't leave me. I don't even know who you are-â€Å" For a brief moment, she was once again enfolded by love and understanding. â€Å"Just call me Angel.† Then the voice was gone, and all Gillian could feel was anguish. â€Å"What are you doing out-Hey, are you okay?† The new voice broke through Gillian's emptiness. She had been standing rigidly in the headlights; now she blinked and tried to focus on the figure coming toward her. â€Å"God, of course you're not okay. Look at you. You're Gillian, aren't you? You live on my street.† It was David Blackburn. The knowledge surged through her like a shock, and it drove all the strange hallucinations she'd been having out of her mind. It really was David, as close as he'd ever been to her. Dark hair. A lean face that still had traces of a summer tan. Cheekbones to die for and eyes to drown in. A certain elegance of carriage. And that half-friendly, half-quizzical smile†¦ Except that he wasn't smiling now. He looked shocked and worried. Gillian couldn't get a single word out. She just stared at him from under the icy curtain of her hair. â€Å"What hap-No, never mind. We've got to get you warm.† At school he was thought of as a tough guy, an independent rebel. But, now, without any hesitation, the tough guy scooped her up in his arms. Confusion flashed through Gillian, then embarrassment-but underneath it all was something much stronger. An odd bedrock sense of safety. David was warm and solid and she knew instinctively that she could trust him. She could stop fighting now and relax. â€Å"Put this on †¦ watch your head†¦ here, use this for your hair.† David was somehow getting everything done at once without hurrying. Capable and kind. Gillian found herself inside the car, wrapped in his sheepskin jacket, with an old towel around her shoulders. Heat blasted from the vents as David gunned the engine. It was wonderful to be able to rest without being afraid it would kill her. Bliss not to be surrounded by cold, even if the hot air didn't seem to warm her. The worn beige interior of the Mustang seemed like paradise. And David-well, no, he didn't look like an angel. More like a knight, especially the kind who went out in disguise and rescued people. Gillian was beginning to feel very fuzzy. â€Å"I thought I'd take a dip,† she said, between chattering teeth. She was shivering again. â€Å"What?† â€Å"You asked what happened. I was a little hot, so I jumped in the creek.† He laughed out loud. â€Å"Huh. You're brave.† Then he glanced at her sideways with keen eyes and added, â€Å"What really happened?† He thinks I'm brave! A glow better than the heated air enveloped Gillian. â€Å"I slipped,† she said. â€Å"I went into the woods, and when I got to the creek-† Suddenly, she remembered why she'd gone into the woods. She'd forgotten it since the fall had put her own life in danger, but now she seemed to hear that faint, pathetic cry all over again. â€Å"Oh, my God,† she said, struggling to sit upright. â€Å"Stop the car.†

How Significant Was Slave Trade in the Growth of the British Empire

Mahfuz Chowdhury How Significant Was Slave Trade in the Growth of the British Empire in the Years c. 1680-1763? I agree to some extent that slavery played a significant role in the growth of the British Empire in the years 1680-1763. This is because slavery allowed the British to import a high amount of goods that were in demand such as sugar and tobacco which generated profits for plantation owners especially as slave labour was cheap. The slave trade was mainly involved in two key aspects: the growth of the sea trade and maintenance of existing settlements.Even though slavery was considered of great importance, there were other key factors involved with the expansion of the British Empire . Trading companies traded slaves and goods produced by slaves. The tax collected helped to fund the navy which protected trade and played an important role in war. So along with the trading companies; the Government; Royal Navy and War, were all factors that played an important part in the growth of the empire. Trade was one of the main key factors that allowed the British Empire to increase and grow steadily.This trading routine was the beginning of the Empire and from all the joint stock companies formed, Britain allowed its Empire to grow in profits and increase in size. The slave trade played a major role in the growth of seaborne commerce mainly across the Atlantic seas. The use of slavery helped the British a vast amount by bringing in increased profits and goods that were on demand such as cotton, tobacco and sugar. There was a triangular trade where a three point voyage took place. This helped Britain gain prosperity and wealth and also a monopoly on the Atlantic. By 1720, they had ‘transported 100,000 Africans, exported ? 1. million worth of goods and imported 30,000 tons of sugar’. 1 The growth of the British Empire was focused on seaborne trade. Therefore, they concentrated on the Atlantic trade. Britain would trade goods with African colonies for sl aves. The slaves were then traded in the Caribbean and North America to work on plantations. The goods produced were returned to Britain. As a result, slavery played an important role in helping trade and the growth of the British Empire. Slave trade and trading companies are linked. Joint stock companies such as the Royal African Company and the East India Company were mainly the most dominant companies in trade.The Royal African Company was the biggest British slave trade company. It began in 1672 after the failure of The Royal Adventurers of Africa due to interlopers and not rising up to its expected standards. It was created with the intention of making a huge profit from slave trade. The demand for slaves was high because it was considered that African slaves were used to the conditions of plantations in the Caribbean. Furthermore, because of high death rates and infant mortality, ‘the supply of slaves†¦needed regular replenishment’. Also slave labour was seen as the best form of labour as it didn’t require the workers to be paid which meant larger profits for plantation owners. In addition slave owners were able to force them to work long hours in harsh conditions. As mentioned earlier, slave trade was highly profitable because by 1720, they had ‘transported 100,000 Africans, exported ? 1. 5 million worth of goods and imported 30,000 tons of sugar’. 3 The Royal African Company became a monopoly and its profits and fortunes rose immensely from the other goods (like sugar) they imported too. However, just like The Royal Adventurers, the company’s James Walvin, Black Ivory: Slavery in the British Empire, Blackwell Publishing, 2001, pg 31 2 Kenneth Morgan, Slavery, Atlantic Trade and the British Economy 1660-1800, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pg 10 3 James Walvin, Black Ivory: Slavery in the British Empire, Blackwell Publishing, 2001, pg 31 Page | 1 Mahfuz Ahmad Chowdhury AA45161 History profits had been inte rfered by interlopers and they went out of business. Despite the Royal African Company ending, it put an end to foreign monopoly. By joining the slave trade, it helped British trading companies maintain its dominance.The British had supremacy over Africa which simulated exploration for new raw materials and food articles. This dominance helped bring a vast amount of profits in and therefore help the growth of the British Empire. The trading companies were crucial to the growth of the British Empire especially after 1688. In 1688 ‘The Glorious Revolution’ took place. The Dutch William of Orange replaced James II on the throne. This was very useful to the East India Company because they were unsuccessful in the East as their Dutch rivals were doing better than them.But with the new king, ‘a deal was done which effectively gave Indonesia and the spice trade to the Dutch, leaving the English to develop the new Indian textiles trade’. 4 This proved to be a good deal for the East India Company because by 1720 they had generated more profit than the Dutch. In relation to slavery, the East India Company played a small role in the transportation and use of slaves. Despite not using slaves, they were successful. For instance in Bengkulu, the East India Company was ‘regularly sending between 453,600 and 907,200 kgs per year to London’. This is important in highlighting the fact that trade would was successful without slaves. It also corroborates that trade was an important factor in the growth of the British Empire. Prior to 1688, the government also played a crucial role by passing laws to protect British overseas trade. A series of 29 laws were passed between 1645 and 1761 and were known as the Navigation Act. These were laws that ‘forbade goods being imported into England if they were not carried in English or colonial ships’. 6 In other words, the government was ‘confining the benefits of empire to the state a nd its own subjects’. This meant Britain received trade from colonies even if other countries offered a higher price. As a result, the economy was boosted. By limiting ships and crews to being British, skilled seamen were created which then allowed the navy to become a powerful and dominant sea power. These acts were pivotal in the success of trade at the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century. Furthermore, the government set up its own bank called the Bank of England. The creation of the Bank of England led to a stronger of the Royal Navy because of the virtuous cycle. People invested in the Bank of England with a promise of a return.The government then spent that money on the navy. This protected the transportation of trade and trading ports during times of war. This was especially important as Britain was focused on slave trade across the Atlantic. Taxes collected from the trade were then used to pay investors their money back. In addition, trading companies mad e more profit. All of this had positive knock on effects on other industries such as agriculture, iron, carpenters and many more. From 1689 – 1714, the number of ships increased from 100 to 131 and the number of cruisers increased from 8 to 66.This was essential in the growth of the British Empire. 4 Niall Ferguson, Empire, Penguin books, 2004, pg 23 5 http://www. britishempire. co. uk/maproom/benkulen. htm 6 www. sagehistory. net/colonial/topics/navacts. htm 7 Kenneth Morgan, Slavery, Atlantic Trade and the British Economy 1660-1800, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pg 10 Page | 2 Mahfuz Ahmad Chowdhury AA45161 History Not only did it protect trade which brought more wealth, it aided victory in major battles. For instance in 1707, the navy defeated the French at sea. Consequently, Britain went on to become the greatest navy.Moreover, it opened up new trade routes and brought Britain more colonies. War is another key reason for the expansion of the Empire. The main war was t he War of Spanish Succession which ended in 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht. The treaty gave Britain land such as Gibraltar and Canada. These new colonies meant that Britain was able to export new products. The new plantations also meant that there was a higher demand of slaves which Britain provided helping to generate more profit. Crucially though, from the French, they gained the Asiento – a contract with Spain to supply its South American colonies with slaves.A third major trading company was given a royal charter to trade in South America; the South Sea Company. It was known to ‘help British wealth creation considerably and too boost British power’. 8 The request from Britain for the Asiento in the treaty signifies the importance of slave trade to the growth of the empire. In conclusion, slave trade was crucial in the growth of the British Empire to some extent. But without trading companies, slaves couldn’t have been traded. Nor could goods produced by slaves be exported.In addition the government and its navigation acts helped trading companies reduce competition with other countries. The Navy was important in winning wars and protecting trade. It helped gain the Asiento by winning the War of Spanish Succession. Bibliography †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ G. Raudzens, Empire, Sutton Publishing Limited, 1999 J. Walvin, Black Ivory: Slavery in the British Empire, Blackwell Publishing, 2001 K Morgan, Slavery, Atlantic Trade and the British Economy 1660-1800, Cambridge University Press, 2000 N. Ferguson, Empire, Penguin books, 2004 8 George Raudzens, Empire, Sutton Publishing Limited, 1999, pg139 Page | 3