The dark one Essay

The dark one Essay The dark one Essay There is no place in this world more mysterious than the Dark One's prison. Throughout time, only fragmented stories and legends have survived to be passed down from one generation to the next. Who is to say what is true and what is false. Yet the stories are all we have and so they keep being told. This is but one At the dawn of everything there existed two beings, the creator and the dark one. The creator was compelled to forge life and so the world was born. Every rock, stream, plant and animal perfectly weaved into a pattern so complex, only the creator himself could ever understand its true beauty. Yet there was also the dark one, a being who existed only to destroy. The creator had no choice but to banish the dark one into another realm. It was on this day, the birth of everything that shayol ghul came into being. The link bridge on our world between everything the creator had made and the dark one's prison. A cage to withstand for all time...but every cage has its flaw. Who can say how it was that creator overpowered the darkone long enough to imprison him, perhaps it was the power of life given off by this new world or perhaps it was a fortunate moment of weakness. All that we know is that he was trapped. A place devoid of life, devoid of any joy, a bitter hell with only his own madness for company. Yet this was the prison's weakness. As the years went by the dark one fed and grew from the madness that caged him, until the day the smallest of cracks formed...but it was no freedom he reached out to, only the sickness that life was to him. A tendril that reached out with a solitary purpose: to corrupt all. Who can say how much time passed from that first moment his cage cracked? Secrecy beyond all known was required for his plan to work. The dark one had reached out in careful steps, corrupting thirteen men and women who could wield the One Power. One by one they came to him, some of the strongest channelers the world had ever known, swayed to his voice by the lure of power

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Book and Movie

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Book and Movie Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo is a novel we highly recommend for ages 8 to 12. Why? Its a combination of the excellent writing by the author, a story both poignant and humorous and a main character, 10-year-old Opal Buloni, who, along with her dog Winn-Dixie, will win readers hearts. The story centers on Opal and the summer she moves with her father to Naples, Florida. With the help of Winn-Dixie, Opal conquers loneliness, makes unusual friends and even convinces her father to tell her 10 things about her mother who abandoned the family seven years ago. The Story With the opening words of Because of Winn-Dixie, author Kate DiCamillo captures young readers attention. My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog. With these words, ten-year-old Opal Buloni begins her account of the summer her life changed because of Winn-Dixie, a goofy stray dog she adopted. Opal and her father, whom she usually refers to as the preacher, have just moved to Naomi, Florida. Her mother abandoned the family when Opal was three. Opals father is the preacher at the Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi. Although they are living at the Friendly Corners Trailer Park, Opal does not have any friends yet. The move and her loneliness make Opal miss her fun loving mother more than ever. She wants to know more about her mother, but the preacher, who misses his wife very much, wont answer her questions. The author, Kate DiCamillo, does an excellent job of capturing the voice of Opal, who is a resilient child. With the help of Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to meet a number of people in her community, some quite eccentric. As the summer progresses, Opal builds a number of friendships with people of all ages and types. She also convinces her father to tell her ten things about her mother, one for every year of Opals life. Opals story is both humorous and poignant as she learns about friendships, families, and moving on. It is, as the author states, ...a hymn of praise to dogs, friendship, and the South. An Award Winner Kate DiCamillo earned one of the highest honors in childrens literature when Because of Winn-Dixie was named a Newbery Honor Book for excellence in young peoples literature. In addition to being named a 2001 Newbery Honor Book, Because of Winn-Dixie was awarded the Josette Frank Award from the Childrens Book Committee at Bank Street College of Education. This annual childrens fiction award honors outstanding works of realistic childrens fiction that portray children who successfully deal with problems. Both awards were well deserved. Author Kate DiCamillo Since the publication of Because of Winn-Dixie in 2000, Kate DiCamillo has gone on to write a number of award-winning childrens books, including The Tale of Despereaux, awarded the John Newbery Medal in 2004, and Flora and Ulysses, awarded the 2014 John Newbery Medal. In addition to all of her writing, Kate DiCamillo served a two-year term as the 2014-2015 National Ambassador for young Peoples Literature. My Recommendations: The Book and the Movie Versions Because of Winn-Dixie was first published in 2000. Since then, paperback, audiobook and e-book editions have been published. The paperback edition is about 192-pages long. The cover of the 2015 paperback edition is pictured above. I would recommend Because of Winn-Dixie for children 8 to 12, although the publisher recommends it for ages 9 to 12. It is also a good book to read aloud to kids 8 to 12. The childrens movie version of Because of Winn-Dixie opened on February 18, 2005. We  would also recommend the Because of Winn-Dixie movie for children between the ages of eight and twelve. Its on the list of the Top Kids Movies Based on Books for Kids Ages 8-12. We recommend your children read Because of Winn-Dixie before seeing the movie. Reading a book allows readers to fill in all of the gaps in a story from their own imaginations, whereas if they see the movie before reading the book, memories of the movie will interfere with their own interpretation of the story. (One caveat: If your kids dont like to read, you can use the movie to interest them in reading the book afterwards.) While we like the movie version of Because of Winn-Dixie very much, we  like the book even better because of DiCamillos writing style and because theres more time and attention spent on character and plot development than in the movie. However, one of the things we particularly like about the movie was the sense of place and time it creates. While a few critics found the movie cloying and trite, the bulk of the reviews matched my perception of the movie as very good and gave it three to four stars and cited it as touching and funny. We agree. If you have children 8 to 12, encourage them to read the book and watch the movie. You might also do the same. For more about the book, download the Candlewick Press Because of Winn-Dixie Discussion Guide. (Candlewick Press, 2000. latest edition 2015. ISBN: 9780763680862)

Chinese language - take home final exam ( Reading comprehension in Coursework

Chinese language - take home final exam ( Reading comprehension in English) - Coursework Example Language policy was also part of government projects such as nation building and democratization. Ideology also had great role in shaping policy as the countries emphasized on unity. For example, Mainland China used Herderian ideology of â€Å"one language, one nation† whereas Taiwan used both herderian and Chinaisation ideology. Hong Kong adopted monolingualism and lingusitic purism. All the three countries adopted Modern Standard Chinese language (PTH), whose standard pronunciation is Beijing Mandarin or dialect. The two conferences on script reform in 1955 simplified Chinese character writing system, promulgated spoken PTH, and developed phonetic alphabet for unification of China (Cheng, 22). The phonetics formed the basis for language policy in all the countries. In 1958, the National People’s Congress approved Hanyu Pinyin Fangan ‘scheme for the phonetic alphabet of Chinese’ leading to emergence of a phonetic script. This pinyin offered standard pronunciation for Chinese characters and did not replace logographic Chinese script (Zhang, 567). Taiwan and Hong Kong use the traditional complex Chinese character script as the official written script. In PRC, Putonghua is medium of instruction in school, official language in workplaces and broadcasting. Prior to adopting Putonghua in 1949, PRC promoted Guoyu as the national language (Cheng, 16-22). In Hong Kong, English was the official language until 1974 when the official languages ordinance was passed giving Chinese (Modern standard Chinese,) co-official status with English. English occupied a higher status until 1987 when Chinese acquired equal status with English as working official language through an Amendment to the language ordinance (Zhang, 573). The difference from PRC policy is that Hong Kong used PTH in written form and Cantonese as the spoken form whereas PRC promoted PTH in written and spoken form (Cheng, 156). Since 1997, Hong Kong uses English and Chinese as medium of

Marketing Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

Marketing - Dissertation Example The other section of the literature review concerns cosmetic companies, their practices regarding animal testing, and the history of protests against these companies, which has led to the European Union instituting a marketing ban of companies who animal test and has also led large companies to scale back their animal testing procedures, if not eliminate them altogether. The methodology section explains the different types of research – qualitative, quantitative and secondary – and why secondary research was chosen. In the data analysis portion, the sales of six companies are examined, along with the results of a Google search on these companies. The Google search will determine if the overall â€Å"buzz† for each company is negative or positive, with regards to their animal testing practices. Then, the impact of the positive or negative buzz for each company is determined through the use of Facebook pages, and the fans of pages that are either negative or positi ve for each company’s animal testing practices. ... On the one hand are the researchers, who claim that the tests are necessary so that the cosmetics do not harm human skin or eyes (Takamatsu, 2000, p. 129). On the other hand are the activists who claim that animals have the same rights as humans to be free of pain and fear, and that the tests are unnecessarily cruel(Leslie &Sunstein, 2006, p. 3). Many people undoubtedly fall into some kind of grey area between these positions, recognizing that what is done to animals in these laboratory settings is heinous and wrong, yet also realizing that the potential for humans to suffer permanent damage because of the cosmetics that they wear would also be heinous and wrong. Many people assume that there is a better alternative to animal testing, and, if there is not, one must be found. At any rate, when these types of tests began to be publicized, there was an outcry that prompted many cosmetic giants to fold and promise to stop animal testing(Nye, 2006, p. 1). This study seeks to understand th e negative impact of cosmetic testing on these companies. The study will not just determine what the possible negative impact will be for the companies who continue to animal test, but will determine what has been the past negative impact for other companies who have animal tested. In general, the study will seek to quantify, in terms of dollars, cents and lost reputation, the damage done to cosmetic companies who were shamed into stopping animal testing in the years past. Further, the attitude of consumers is another factor that will be quantified. Some of the literature indicates that having a positive social message is not necessarily enough for a company to capitalize – they also must have a quality product at the right price(Li & Tang, 2010, p. 27). Might this

The Socialist Movement Responsible For Bringing Mussolini To Power Essay Example for Free

The Socialist Movement Responsible For Bringing Mussolini To Power Essay In 1922, following several years of hard work by the Fascists, Benito Mussolini was sworn in as Italys Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Interior Minister by King Victor Emmanuel. However this event did not simply just happen, as many different factors built up to Mussolinis appointment. It is certainly arguable that the failure of the Socialist movement was responsible for bringing Mussolini to power, but it is undoubtedly not the only factor that led to this fateful appointment. However, a large majority of these other factors can be linked back to Socialist failures, and so therefore I believe that the failure of Socialism is the most important reason for Mussolini coming to power in 1922. Despite having a growing amount of support in the post-War period, the Socialists had a number of clear underlying weaknesses that Mussolini would be able to exploit, and which therefore were extremely beneficial to him gaining power. The party lacked real order and a strong leader, attributes that Mussolini intended to instil into his party and to exploit to gain support. Historians argue that the Fascists were able to drastically over exaggerate the threat of Socialism to those even remotely opposed to the Socialists, and evidence appears to back this theory up. A prime example of this is the events surrounding the proposed General Strike of August 1922. The Socialists plans to take action drastically backfired, when through a lack of support and a small resistance from the Fascists, their efforts failed after a day. The Fascists however dramatically played up both the danger that the Socialists were stirring up, and also how the Fascists had been the ones that had broken it up and saved the country from turmoil. By continually emphasising the supposedly vital role that they were playing, Mussolini and the Fascists were able to make themselves a permanent feature of Italian politics, where they would then be able to prove how vital they were to stability within Italy. Finally, it has been argued by many historians that the Socialists certainly had the capability to become a mighty force, yet its leaders believed that this was inevitable and therefore did not do what was necessary to make it a reality. I believe that Tom Behan bests describes this, when he comments that the leadership believed that all they had to do to win this revolution was wait for it to drop into their laps. In contrast, Mussolini and the Fascists took advantage of every opportunity presented to them and fought hard to gain the power that they did, and this is indeed another crucial aspect to why the Fascists were able to succeed whilst the Socialists capitulated. It is clear that Mussolini was able to use the Socialists failings and declining support to boost his own partys image, with these methods having a major effect on Mussolinis rise to power. As well as the direct failures of the Socialist party, there are also a number of other issues that have close ties with the Socialist movement and were therefore exploited by Mussolini and the Fascists to gain power. The conclusion of World War One brought with it a new Socialist following, and this resulted in the Socialist party asserting itself as a major contender for power within Italy for years to come. This increasingly large following was buoyed by the recent Communist revolution in Russia, and rumours that a similar uprising was on the horizon spread throughout Italy. However, along with the growing support for the Socialists came a large and growing opposition to their party, with many people fearful that an uprising similar to that found in Russia would have an extremely detrimental affect on their personal wealth. There was a clear divide within Italy between those who supported Socialism and those who were against it; you were either for or against, with little in betwe en. Included within this opposition was the growing number of people with strong Nationalist beliefs, whose desires for a strong Italy were ignited by the mutilated victory that they believed had be gained from the War. The Nationalists hatred of the Socialists and yearning for a powerful Italy gave Mussolini a window of opportunity that he was able to whole-heartedly exploit. After being previously excluded from the Socialist party and after seeing this opportunity, Mussolini set up his own party, the Fascists, not necessarily because of his beliefs, but to fuel his desire for power and to be back involved within politics. With this lack of a strong political ideology, Mussolini was able to create a party that incorporated ideas from both the Left and the Right, creating what he believed to be a combination that would generate support from the angry Nationalists yet not turn those with Socialists views completely against them. The use of violence by the Fascists against the Socialists was another extremely effective policy used by Mussolini, which was used to amplify the strength of the Fascist party and in doing so helped to gain support and ultimately bring Mussolini to power. It has already been established that those who were not supporters of Socialism were opposed to it, and this gave Mussolini a very large amount of people that he could attempt to bring around to his way of thinking. By forcefully opposing the Socialists, he was potentially appealing to around 60% of the population, and Mussolini believed that he would be able to turn a large proportion of these people towards Fascism. He felt that the fear and respect that the violence brought, accompanied with peoples desire for a strong leader, could lead to him gaining power, and it certainly proved to be a factor. Following the events of Fiume, which will be discussed later, Mussolini was fairly confident in the knowledge that violence towards his opposition would gain respect and support from the masses. DAnnunzio had confirmed this, and with a similar ideology, Mussolini believed that he could gain success on an even larger scale. Finally, this violence was also able to exploit the weaknesses in the Liberal government and remove them as a serious contender for long term power within Italy. The Liberal government had proved in Fiume that they were weak and could not stand up to violence, and this again proved to be the case. They could not stand up to Mussolinis overly-exaggerated strength, and this turned many influential figures, such as King and his family, away from the party as they too looked for strong and decisive leaders who would be able to further Italys status. With so much support being taken away from the other contending parties through the use of violence, it enabled the Fascists to take full advantage, and so is therefore an extremely important reason why Mussolini was able to come to power. Another important aspect of Mussolinis rise to power is the effects of the 1919 and 1921 elections. After only gaining 5,000 votes in the 1921 elections, which was approximately one vote for every thirty-four gained by the Socialists, Mussolini and the Fascist party realised that they would need to change their ideology if they were to gain power at any stage in the near future. Therefore, Mussolini decided that it would be necessary to change his partys policies to turn them away from the perception that they were still a Left Wing party. The Fascists believed that instead of fighting the PSI for the Left Wing votes, they would be better off moving toward more Right Wing polices to take advantage of the large amount of people who were opposed to Socialism. By taking advantage of this hostility, and by using many of the other actions that have and will be discussed, he believed that he would be able to gain power within Italy, and this certainly proved to be the case. This is also an extremely important point when analysing how strongly Mussolini felt about his partys ideologies. It is widely argued that he was purely interested in gaining power by using whatever means he had available to him, and the ease at which he shifted his ideology appears to back up this theory. Following the 1919 elections, the elections of 1921 also played a vital role in Mussolinis rise to power. For the first time, Prime Minister Giovanni Giolitti placed the Fascist party on his electoral role. Giolitti enjoyed the support of the Fascists, and tolerated the violence used against their opposition and to gain control of local governments. His belief that the Fascists would prove to be a more moderate and responsible party upon taking power is an excellent example of how Mussolini was able to manipulate important people to achieve his ambitions throughout his rise to power. Within the election itself, the Socialists (approximately 30%) and the Catholic party gained the most votes, but with such conflicting ideas they in effect cancelled each other out. This meant that a coalition Liberal government became the dominant party, which played right into Mussolinis hands. With such an easily exploitable party in control, the Fascists would be able to prove how important they were to Italys stability by proving how weak and ineffective their opposition were. Again, this is another important factor as to how Mussolini was able to come to power in 1922, and as we have seen, has a large deal to do with the Socialists inadequacies and failures. On the contrary, there are also a number of aspects that are very important in understanding how Mussolini and the Fascist party were able to come to power in such a short period of time but that are not related to the Socialist partys failures. The first of these are the events that occurred in Fiume through the actions of Gabrielle DAnnunzio. Angry at the so-called mutilated victory, many Nationalists believed that action had to be taken so that Italy could prove itself as a great nation, and to do this some believed it was necessary to forcibly take control of areas that the people believed to be rightfully theirs. This led to Gabrielle DAnnunzio, the writer and war-hero, to take matters into his own hands. With 2,000 other Nationalists, DAnnunzio marched on Fiume and took control from the inter-Allied occupying forces. These events were extremely important in aiding Mussolinis rise to power, as he was able to see the weaknesses that he could exploit within Italy, and used a large amount of DAnnunzios ideas for how to make his party appear more powerful. Features such as the wearing of military uniforms and black shirts, using the Roman salute, giving grand speeches to his followers at rallies (which included the use of rhetoric), using castor oil to humiliate opponents, and his method of government were all copied from DAnnunzio, as Mussolini could see how successful they had been when previously used. Also, the events illustrated how force could be used to gain and retain power, and therefore the weaknesses of the current government. It became clear to Mussolini that if he used violence to achieve his aims, it was highly likely that the government would be incapable of stopping him, especially if he played up his partys strength to make them appear unstoppable. This proved to be greatly important for Mussolini in 1922 as the time of his appointment approached, as if the King and government had stood up to him he would have been defeated, but he had played up his strength so much that nobody was willing to challenge them. The next reason that led to Mussolinis appointment, that did not regard Socialism, was the fact that there was a genuine liking for Mussolinis own individual qualities and the Fascist ideology as a whole. As we have already seen, Mussolini acquired many of the ideas that DAnnunzio employed and used his own qualities to make them effective tools for the Fascist party. Mussolini was able to give grand speeches to his supporters, which showed others that he had confidence in what he was doing and this was enough to turn some people to the Fascist way of thinking. The fear that had been generated in recent years following events like the Biennio Rosso diminished in Mussolinis presence, this being comforting for many people following years of turmoil. Many people purely craved a decisive and powerful leader, not necessarily sticking with their traditional parties, but following anybody that they believed would get something done and improve the state of their country. Mussolini offered this, and this is therefore one of the many possible solutions for why he was able to gain power in such a short time period. It has already been made clear that the prolonged weakness shown by the Liberal government greatly helped Mussolinis rise to power, and this can be examined further. With Mussolini already gaining the support of those opposed to Socialism, he was also able to not only turn people away from the Liberal government, but to use them to make his own party appear more powerful and more effective. The Liberals were failing with both internal and foreign issues, and so any successes made by the Fascists were amplified by these demonstrations of weaknesses by the Liberals, therefore gaining support for the Fascists and aiding Mussolini in his quest to gain power. Next, the Liberal government were not able to deal with the violence used by the Fascists towards the Socialists, and this made it appear both acceptable and a necessary step to gaining a secure Italy. The events of July 1921, when only a dozen officers were able to defeat nearly five hundred Fascists through force, shows that the thuggish actions of the Fascists could have been comfortably dealt with, yet the Liberals and the Monarchy still did not conclusively act. With Giolitti also adding the Fascist party to his electoral role and therefore assuring their position as a genuine political force to be reckoned with, people no longer saw the Fascists as a radical party attempting to cause chaos, but as a party who really knew how to get things done. In comparison to the Liberals, Mussolini and the Fascist party appeared to be a lot more competent and effective alternative, and only boosted Mussolini on his route towards power. Finally, it is impossible to ignore the role that the King throughout Mussolinis rise played, King Victor Emmanuel III. Described as a man who was cowardly, pessimistic and lacking in confidence, it was clear that it would not take much for Mussolini to gain power when the opportunity arose, and it is widely argued that if a stronger man had been King then Mussolini would have never achieved his position of power. With the threat of the March on Rome rising, he made his decision regarding the Prime Ministers call for Martial Law before quickly changing it, this proving the last straw and emphasising the Kings weakness and incompetence. If he had stood by his original decision and taken forceful action against Mussolini and his proposed March on Rome, then it is highly probable that Mussolini and his party would have been crushed there and then. Historians argue that Mussolini was sure that if the King and government had used force against him his plans would have failed, backed up by the evidence that he had an escape plan to Switzerland prepared. However, the weak King did no such thing and the hype that Mussolini had created about the strength of his party and men was just too much for him to handle. Even with the debate that Mussolini was not entirely in control of the Fascists and was therefore pressurised into the sudden push for power, the facade that had been created was large enough to see the Fascists through, and so can therefore be regarded as insignificant. The Kings actions were just the final deeds that enabled Mussolini to come to power, yet even at such a late stage it is clear that, with just a small bit of courage, Mussolini could have been stopped, and so therefore the Kings role can be deemed a vital aspect of Mussolini coming to power. On balance, although not the only reason that culminated in Mussolinis rise to power, it is clear that the failure of Socialism was the most important factor that led to his appointment. As well as the direct failures of the Socialists that Mussolini was able to use to his advantage, many other important issues can be linked closely to the weaknesses of the Socialists which were therefore exploited my Mussolini. Historians such as Behan also acknowledge how the capacity was there for the Socialists to succeed, but unlike the Fascists were unable to capitalise on this. This accumulates to give the impression that although the other ideas are very important, Socialism and its links with other problems was the most important of all of these, and it is can unquestionably be argued that if there had been no Socialist party present between 1919 and 1922, then Mussolini may never have got to his position of power.

The Egoist :: Free Essays Online

The Egoist George Meredith's The Egoist: A Literary and Critical History George Meredith was an English author, critic, poet, and war correspondent. He was considered to be a successful writer. He published several works of fiction and poetry. These works included: The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, The Tragic Comedians, Modern Love Poems of the English Roadside, and Poems and Lyrics of the Joy of Earth among many others. Toward the end of his career, after the tragic deaths of his wife and son, Meredith received the Order of Merit. He was born in 1828 and died in 1909 (Casal). The Egoist is arguably his greatest work of fiction and "is celebrated as a major in the history of the British novel. It presents Meredith's learned insight into psychology, sociology and Social Darwinism in a highly refined and stylized prose"(DiMauro 250). The novel is about Sir Willoughby Patterene, a highly narcissistic gentleman, in his quest to find a socially acceptable wife. In Willoughby's youth his two aunts nurtured his narcissism. He was the self-proclaimed "son of the house." Which is a reference to Louix XIV, who believed that he was the center of the entire universe (DiMauro 250) Throughout the narrative Sir Willoughby has little luck with women. "His first fiancà ©e, Constantia Durham, abandons him three weeks before the wedding; the second, Clara Middleton, grows to abhor the cynosure, leaving Willoughby to court Laetitia Dale, the daughter of a cottager on the Patterne estate, whom Willoughby had once renounced as being below his station" (DiMauro 250). The Egoist is a fictionalized work rooting from a lecture Meredith gave at the London Institute called, On The Idea of Comedy The Uses of the Comic Spirit. This lecture later became book titled An Essay on Comedy (Casal). French dramatist, Jean Baptiste Molirà ©re, primarily influenced Meredith's comic views, particularly the novel Tartuffe. Being that the novel was born out of Meredith's comic findings, the full title of the work is called The Egoist: A Comedy in Narrative. The story of The Egoist is: Based upon drama rather than fiction and reflects Meredith's understanding of comedy as a means of criticizing society and analyzing the individual. Meredith was the first to replace an elaborate plot structure with careful psychological analysis of characters, an innovation that would greatly influence the modern novel. (DiMauro 250) Meredith was fifty years old when he began work on The Egoist. In 1879 he gave the manuscript to his publisher, Charles Kegan Paul. The Egoist :: Free Essays Online The Egoist George Meredith's The Egoist: A Literary and Critical History George Meredith was an English author, critic, poet, and war correspondent. He was considered to be a successful writer. He published several works of fiction and poetry. These works included: The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, The Tragic Comedians, Modern Love Poems of the English Roadside, and Poems and Lyrics of the Joy of Earth among many others. Toward the end of his career, after the tragic deaths of his wife and son, Meredith received the Order of Merit. He was born in 1828 and died in 1909 (Casal). The Egoist is arguably his greatest work of fiction and "is celebrated as a major in the history of the British novel. It presents Meredith's learned insight into psychology, sociology and Social Darwinism in a highly refined and stylized prose"(DiMauro 250). The novel is about Sir Willoughby Patterene, a highly narcissistic gentleman, in his quest to find a socially acceptable wife. In Willoughby's youth his two aunts nurtured his narcissism. He was the self-proclaimed "son of the house." Which is a reference to Louix XIV, who believed that he was the center of the entire universe (DiMauro 250) Throughout the narrative Sir Willoughby has little luck with women. "His first fiancà ©e, Constantia Durham, abandons him three weeks before the wedding; the second, Clara Middleton, grows to abhor the cynosure, leaving Willoughby to court Laetitia Dale, the daughter of a cottager on the Patterne estate, whom Willoughby had once renounced as being below his station" (DiMauro 250). The Egoist is a fictionalized work rooting from a lecture Meredith gave at the London Institute called, On The Idea of Comedy The Uses of the Comic Spirit. This lecture later became book titled An Essay on Comedy (Casal). French dramatist, Jean Baptiste Molirà ©re, primarily influenced Meredith's comic views, particularly the novel Tartuffe. Being that the novel was born out of Meredith's comic findings, the full title of the work is called The Egoist: A Comedy in Narrative. The story of The Egoist is: Based upon drama rather than fiction and reflects Meredith's understanding of comedy as a means of criticizing society and analyzing the individual. Meredith was the first to replace an elaborate plot structure with careful psychological analysis of characters, an innovation that would greatly influence the modern novel. (DiMauro 250) Meredith was fifty years old when he began work on The Egoist. In 1879 he gave the manuscript to his publisher, Charles Kegan Paul.

Comparative Public Administration Essay

The Arab Spring has created opportunities for countries across North Africa and the Middle East to redesign their constitutions. There are ongoing debates on whether these countries will adopt the Anglo-American model or look at other paradigms. Political leaders and scholars have turned to a number of academic fields such cultural studies, sociology, economics, and political science in attempt to answers some of these questions. However, no other field of study will provide more insight into the development of these new government structures than comparative public administration (CPA). Simply put, it is the study of comparing two or more public administrations by using multiple disciplines. This definition, however, does not sufficiently describe the complexity of this field or its contributions to other academic areas, government employees, and country leaders. Perhaps the area in which CPA provides the most aid is in its cross-national analysis. Through this research, countries are able to learn from one another. CPA is not limited to cross-national comparison though as it evaluates different administrative processes and systems within countries. To fully appreciate CPA, however, it is necessary to understand how politics factors into it, its progression over the years, and its analysis towards delineating future challenges to public administration. Politics in CPA The study of comparative public administration challenges the notion that public administration and politics are separate entities. Specifically, it has recognized that bureaucrats, pressure groups, and elected officials are all political actors in the policymaking process. In Germany, for example, politics influence policy formation because the law requires public agencies to consult with interest groups before making legislation and regulations. In other countries like the United States, public administrators and pressure groups engage in clientela politics which are mutually dependent relationships. Agencies rely on interest groups not only to shape policies but also for their survival. The interest groups lobby politicians and gain public support in order to help the agencies compete for government resources. At the same time, pressure groups benefit by gaining access to the decision-making process where they are able to represent their interests (Peters, 2010, p. 182). Nations w ith a single dominant party, in contrast, use politics to develop parantela relationships. The Chinese Communist party, for example, works with the bureaucrats on behalf of the interest groups, thereby ensuring policies decisions do not steer away from the party’s ideology. CPA also researches politics between public administration and other formal institutions, and it investigates the political strategies each side uses to assert their power and control over policies and budgets. The bureaucrats, for example, have technical knowledge and information which they use to their advantage. In Norway, civil servants collect and analyze vast amounts of data to develop complex plans and budgets which politicians do not have skills or the time to understand. The overwhelmed political leaders have little choice but to accept the administration’s plans. Another useful device that civil servants use in Japan and France are advisory bodies. Although these advisory boards are attached to the ministries, the members are usually civil servants or interest group associates co nnected to the government agencies. Thus, the bureaucrats determine many of the final outcomes of policies (Peters, 2010, p. 219). Nevertheless, political institutions have their own devices to counter the bureaucrats. Political leaders create their own specialized institutions and counterstaffs to gain independent sources of information. The president of United States has the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to monitor public expenditures while the Congressional Budget Office oversees the national budget on the legislative side (Peters, 2010, p. 220-221). Executive leaders also hire their own experts such as the Executive Office of the United States and the Office of the Chancellor in Germany. Since civil servants’ positions are permanent, elected officials exert their policy goals through political appointees as in the United States, Belgium, and France. In Germany, however, the minister may directly replace the senior civil servants with their own personnel (Peters, 2010, p. 226). Changes in CPA Traditionally, the field of comparative public administration focused on â€Å"public administration† aspects such as the bureaucratic structures and systems. In recent years, academics have shifted to the theme of â€Å"public management† where CPA identifies best practices to enhance the performance of bureaucracy. The theory of â€Å"New Public Management† (NPM) emphasizes generic management and market-based principles. It favors loosening bureaucratic rules to allow more creativity and flexibility, thereby â€Å"letting the managers manage† (Peters, 2010, p. 329). Moreover, NPM encourages competition by privatizing government services. An alternative approach to NPM is the participatory concept of governing. The participatory model streamlines the hierarchy found in traditional administrative system by empowering the lower echelons of civil servants (Peters, 2010, p. 334). Government workers become more productive through involvement in policy decisions (Peters, 2010). Other managerial reforms have included performances measures on the managers themselves and on the organization as a whole. This new tactic focuses on â€Å"making managers manage† (Peters, 2010, p. 335). Since employment is typically permanent in most agencies, leaders recognize that this status have made some civil servants comfortable and unmotivated in their jobs. CPA evaluates different methods to measure employee performances and explores different strategies to encourage them to work, including a variety of rewards and punishments (Peters, 2010, p. 336). Organizational performance reviews are challenging since there are many factors outside the agencies control that impact its successes. CPA aids in this process by identifying the indicators of poor performances in organizations, while also taking into consideration the external influences (Peters, 2010, p.341). Notable Challenges to Public Administration The study of CPA emphasizes a comparative approach to identify new challenges that public administration will face in the 21st century. One such challenge will be the issue of accountability. As mentioned above, many countries have transferred public services to the private sector. However in their attempts to increase efficiency, they have lost accountability. Transparency and ethical standards are no longer guaranteed. In order to solve this dilemma, a restoration of some form of government control is necessary. The challenge will be to find new models that balance efficiency and accountability (Peters, 2010). Yet, the biggest challenge will be finding long-term economic solutions in the face of demographic changes. In many societies, the over-65 population is increasing more than twice as fast as the overall population (Peters, 2010, p.8). Unless policy changes are made, this demographic shift will create unsustainable public expenses leading to budgetary deficits which could compromise pension programs and health care systems. By comparing public policies, governments can analyze policy options and understand the implications of their choices. Some countries have already changed their pension plans by increasing the age of eligibility for retirement; however, they may soon have to make difficult decisions regarding austerity measures such as benefit cuts. Conclusion It is important to understand that CPA does more than recognizing similarities and differences. CPA provides descriptive analysis and theories that help advance government institutions, improve government performance, and expand policy options. Before CPA can achieve its purpose, politics must be recognized as an influential factor in the research. In every aspect, politics is involved in the governmental decision making processes, especially policymaking. CPA research explores alternative strategies to improve public management and helps anticipate future challenges. As new regimes are formed, the field of CPA will be a valuable source of information to aid leaders in the process of nation-building. In return, existing CPA theories will likely be changed and new theories emerge through the research of the new governments in the Middle East and other parts of the world. Reference Peters, B. G. (2010). The Politics of Bureaucracy: An Introduction to Comparative Public Administration (6th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Sociology and Family Members

Family SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology Instructor: Sheila Farr November, 12th 2012 The sociological institutions I have chosen for this paper is family. â€Å"The family is the first group of people with whom the child has contact, and they are the most important, especially in the early years. They provide food, shelter, care, education, and support. They describe and define the world to the developing child. They teach values, morals, and beliefs. † (Vissing, 2011) A person is defined by the family and they are taught how to live a certain way, but as they grow up society start to influence their decisions.In this paper I will evaluate the impact Sociological theories: Functionalism, Conflict, and Interactionism, will have on a family. How does each theory apply to the selected sociological institution? â€Å"The family is regarded as the most basic institution for all individuals because it is directly responsible for the care and protection of its members. The family co nsists of people who are biologically related but may also contain people with whom we live and people with whom we have close emotional bonds. (Vissing, 2011) The way Functionalism applies to a family is functionalist sociologists developed an analysis which showed that the family had evolved into a superior form. Studies by Murdock, Goode, and others were able to show that the family, in changing its form, had been left free to concentrate on the most important functions. Parsons (1956) saw the two most important functions to be the socialization of the young and the stabilization of the adult personality. â€Å"The functionalist view of the family is the notion of ‘fit’.The isolated nuclear family was seen to be a good ‘fit’ for post-war American society. The family had been left free to make a good job of rearing the children, with more ‘professional’ parents working alongside teachers and childcare experts. The family was also able to con centrate on the demanding relationship between husband and wife. The family provided both the child and the adult with the physical and emotional support needed for their roles in society. It also provided the motivation to be successful in an industrial world which laid stress on achievement by individual effort.The functionalist account of the positive role of the family in society coincided with a period of strong public support for the American family. Berger and Berger (1983) argue that this was a period when the American family was seen as a success, particularly in the way it placed the needs of the individual at the heart of family life. † (Wilson, A, (1985) pg. 21) The way Conflict applies to a family is the conflict role can be intense and uncomfortable, as people feel forced to make choices between work and family.Relatives may be upset when major conflicts occurs such as â€Å"financial pressures and money management; trying to balance home, work, community, and p ersonal responsibilities; infidelity; decision making and conflict resolution; dealing with health problems; addressing personal, educational, and occupational needs of family members; maintaining a home and household; dealing with substance abuse, crime, or domestic violence problems; co-parenting; divorce and stepfamilies; and dealing with aging parents. A family shoulders a tremendous responsibility and usually requires assistance from others as a result. For some people work may come first and may be seen as a violation of the role of being a dedicated family member. Individuals may feel a sense of being â€Å"damned if I do, damned if I don't,† no matter what they end up doing. Often work comes first because responsible adults feel that they cannot care for their family if they lose their job.When people feel important at work and home, they have a greater sense of generatively; when they do not feel valued or do work that isn't inherently meaningful, the feelings of sta gnation and alienation occur. When people feel competent and happy, the systems perspective holds that they may transfer those feelings to other areas of life, whereas when people feel stagnant and hopeless, those feelings likewise impact other aspects of their personal world. The way Interactionism applies to a family, Symbolic interaction theory analyzes society by addressing the subjective meanings that people impose on behaviors.A close emotional bond exists with them, what they think of us really matters, especially in the early years when children are being socialized to understand both themselves and their place in the world. † (Vissing, 2011) What are the similarities? What are the differences? The similarities between the theories are how they affect a family as a whole. Functionalism impact the functionality of family when everyone doing their part and there are no problems and, Conflict affects the family relationship as a whole, and Interactionism affects how the f amily interact with one another and other people.The differences between the theories are, functionalism is about the morals and values that are taught to a family to help them thrive in society, Conflict is based on outside influence that impact the family, and interactionism focuses on the behaviors family members pick up from socializing with different groups of people. How does each theory affect the views of the individual who is part of a family? Functionalism affects the views of the as a whole family, each individual person plays a role in how the family functions in society.Conflict affects the views of the individual because that person will struggle for to be heard, they will disagree and their actions will cause stress in the family. Interactionism affects the views of individual because they are learning new things as they socialize with others. They may start to act and dress differently and do things they never done before. How does each theory affect the approach to social change within the selected institution? Functionalism, see social changes as undesirable because of the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise.The way they approach social change is by not taking an active role in changes in their social environment, if things are going good they like for it to stay that way. Even if the family can benefit from the changes, they don’t won’t to run the risk of causing problems for themselves or their family. The family prefers to let the changes happen naturally without interfering. Conflict, approach to social change is by putting the changes into perspective. The social conflict can have a positive impact, when properly understood, in promoting groups to find common ground, form alliances, define core values, and identify the differences.Interactionism, approach to social change in family is people can chose to embrace the morals and values they were taught or reject them. Every indiv idual has their own set of beliefs in a family and these beliefs are exercised depending on the individual. Family unit does not operate as a collective, even though it is believed to do so. Each individual in the family has different values that are attributed to age, associations, values, etc. A child could have complete different view on a particular subject than their parents.Within the Sociological institution selected, how does each theory affect the views of society? Functionalism, view society as functioning best when there is agreement about the social values and norms. â€Å"Conflict can have a positive impact on society views, when properly understood, in promoting groups to find common ground, form alliances, define core values, and identify the differences. † (Harper, N) Interactionism, society imposes a different set of values that can influence family member to do things different from the norm. To conclude, each theory has a different impact on a family.They e ach give insight into how society impacts a family and individual members. As person venture in the world they start to see things in different way. Functionalism is believed to focus on the family being close and being in agreement on thing. They appear to have no problem cause of the agreement to not interact with any changes and just to let them happen and go with the flow. â€Å"From a functionalist point of view, the family may change form and be quite diverse in its composition, but families have always existed and will continue to exist because what they do is so important.Children are born to people who will love and care for them, and are socialized about how to care for themselves and be a productive member of society. Families are the link to most of the other institutions. † Conflict, causes a family to weight the pros and cons of different situations because the child is now older and they are influenced by what they see from other social institutions. â€Å"Fro m a conflict approach, families may not receive the support or assistance they need to adequately do all the things that are required of them.Some families function well, many need help, and other families are fragile or dysfunctional. The ability of the family to function depends on how the rest of the institutions interface with them. Conflict theorists acknowledge that the family cannot adequately do its job without contributions from the other social institutions. † Interactionism, is about the habits family members pick up from socializing and being apart and around different groups of people. â€Å"Symbolic interactionists focus on the messages that family members receive and impart to each other.Since the family is in the position of having the most intense interactions when children's identities and bodies are being formed, what they say and do will have a significant impact on them (Cherlin, 2009; Benokratis, 2010; Lamanna & Riedmann, 2011). † (Vissing, 2011) R eference: Harper, N. Journeys into Justice Retrieved from: http://www. journeysintojustice. com/author. htm Vissing, Y. (2011) Introduction to Sociology. Salem State University. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Wilson, Adrian. Family. Routledge, 1985. p 21. Retrieved from: http://site. ebrary. com/lib/ashford/Doc? id=5003764&ppg=31

Religion vs. Nationalism Throughout the Ages essays

Religion vs. Nationalism Throughout the Ages essays Historians can never agree on anything. Whether it be debating the disappearance of the Anasazi Indians in the west or whether George Washington really did chop down the cherry tree, they always seem to leave us hanging. In the New York Times article Religion and Nationalism, Historians Trace and Unholy Alliance, four historians debate the fundamental causes of war. Most of the wars in pre-enlightenment Europe were heavily rooted in religious differences but as the world progressed, conflicts became less about religion and more about cultural difference. Historians Anthony Marx, a political science professor at Amherst College, and Linda Colley, a historian at the London School of Economics believe that nationalism begins with an act of demonizing a religious other. Pre-enlightenment Europe was a very turbulent time in the continents history. Conflicts between Catholics and Protestants not were not only happening in the streets but between the governments as well. The clash between Henry VIII and the Catholic church where Henry wanted an annulment and the Catholic church didnt want to compromise its power demonstrated how demonizing religious others can bring a country together. The same goes for the French Wars on Religion. The St. Bartholomews Day Massacre is the quintessential clash between Protestants and Catholics not only in the streets but also between members of the royal family. The Edict of Nantes, granting Protestants freedom of religion in France is by far the quintessential law granting religious freedom in France. Historians Eugene Webber, a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, and David Bell argue, Early modern states were fundamentally different...entities in which the sense of a nation had not yet been firmly established. However, most countries masked their political conflict with that of religion. This statement encapsulates t...

The 3-Step Change Management Process That Will Boost Your Career

The 3-Step Change Management Process That Will Boost Your Career Over the course of 40 years, Dr. John Kotter developed an 8-step change management process. Its scope is incredible. And its worked in organizations big and small for decades. Do you want to lead change in your team, your company, or even in your own life? If so, theres huge value there. As marketers, though, we can take a leaner approach and apply it even faster even by the time youre done reading this post. This post is for you if you want to: Lead lasting change in your marketing team, Transform the way you (and your team) work, And become more productive than ever. The 3-Step Change Management Process That Will Boost Your Career by @jordan_loftis via @The 3-Step Change Management Process That Will Boost Your Career You will learn three simple steps to leading (and sustaining) change. Create a sense of urgency. Take action and find quick wins. Go back through the loop to sustain momentum. As youll see, each step is directly driven by your teams goal. At , we talk a lot about goals why? Theyre incredibly important. In fact, our own research shows marketers who set goals are 429% more likely to be successful than those who dont. Im not talking about fluffy New Years resolutions, either. (^^^ After all, the University of Scranton found that 92% of people who make those resolutions dont hit them.) Instead, were tackling specific and challenging goals, which the classic study, Goal Setting And Task Performance, found was a linchpin of success. Specific means there is a number and a deadline on your calendar. Challenging means it will achieve significant growth in your team, organization, or personal career. For example, you may want to leverage this change management process to revolutionize the way your team works. Leverage this change management process to revolutionize the way your team works.The Specific And Challenging Goal To Fuel Your Change Management Process We work with thousands of marketers in over 100 countries. Our customers range from companies like Microsoft to agencies and lean marketing teams. One thing unites them all: they are done with the old, outmoded, crappy way marketing works. Theyre sick of endless spreadsheets Theyre over confusing email threads Theyve had it with single-function tools that werent built for marketers in the first place We call the old way of doing things  makeshift marketing. And it refers to mashing disconnected tools into one martech stack. And thousands of smart marketers are sick of letting it gobble up their budgets and productivity. While thousands have defeated this ugly beast its taken a dead-serious approach to do so. In this case, setting the specific and challenging goal of  transforming from the old way things worked, to the new way. You have to overcome the reality of change aversion. This is our natural inclination to resist change and even to reject a new solution as bad because its different. You have to fight this in your team - and even in yourself. Setting a specific and challenging goal is your first step. It might look something like this: We will refine all of our marketing processes for maximum efficiency by July 1, 2018. Your goal specifically outlines the change youre after AND puts a date on the calendar. This is the focusing force of your new change management process: Create a sense of urgency around accomplishing your goal. Enable action toward your goal by racking up quick wins. Sustain positive momentum even after your goal is accomplished. Step One: Create A Sense Of Urgency First up, lets talk urgency. Recently, I met with my boss, our head of demand generation. Id been working on a project with a pretty important goal. And while I was working hard, my progress didnt have quite the velocity we needed it to. So we had a frank conversation. He told me, Were accelerating the timeline. Were hitting your goal this week, not next month. Thats right my roadmap had a few weeks left to make the project successful. After this conversation, there was just five days! Thankfully, Nathan didnt simply dump an impossible deadline on my shoulders. He offered to go shoulder to shoulder and help accelerate growth. And in just five days, we accomplished what Id planned on achieving in weeks. How did we do this? Urgency. Urgency is a force or impulse that impels or constrains. And its a productive marketers secret weapon. It makes you focus, prioritize, and then act. Urgency makes you focus, prioritize, and then act.How To Create A Sense Of Urgency With Loss Aversion Now, what is your goal? There are many levers to pull to increase urgency in accomplishing it but the most powerful is loss aversion. Research has shown: For human beings â€Å"losses loom larger than gainsand the pain of losing is psychologically about twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining. (Kahneman Tversky, 1979) If youve ever done any conversion copywriting, you understand this. People prefer to avoid loss rather than acquiring equivalent gains. For example, whats more compelling to you not losing $100 you have? or gaining $100 you dont have? Psychologically, we work harder to avoid loss than to make gains. This is the first lever you can pull to create a sense of urgency. Ask yourself: What will I lose if I dont meet [your goal] by [specific date]? The bigger the goal, the more you have to lose by not hitting it. As depressing as this may sound, its actually invigorating to see whats really at stake if you (and your team) do not change. Step Two: Enable Action With Minimum Viable Marketing (MVM) Next in our change management process, take action and get to quick wins with minimum viable marketing. It helps you quickly test ideas to learn what works - and what doesnt - before you heavily invest into marketing campaigns or projects destined for failure. In Garrett Moons new book,  10x Marketing Formula, he devotes an entire chapter to Minimum Viable Marketing (MVM). He explains: The MVM concept stems from the minimum viable product (MVP) methodology, which was popularized in the world of startups by Eric Ries in a book called The Lean Startup. At their essence, MVPs are a way of quickly validating business ideas by producing the minimum number of features to satisfy early customer or audience needs. The MVP process decreases risk by testing assumptions against reality. For our simple change management process, MVM is the perfect framework for action. First, because it enables you and your team to rack up quick wins that get fast results and build momentum. Second, because it actually allows you to decrease long-term risk by testing ideas in small before you roll them out in large. Heres an excellent example Garrett cites in  10x Marketing Formula: Use A Minimum Viable Project Mentality In 1981 American Airlines was in dire financial straits. They were low on cash and high on expenses. This is never a good place to be. To pull themselves from the money pit, they cooked up what seemed a clever, homerun of a marketing campaign. To get millions dripping into their coffers, they offered  unlimited first-class travel for life  for $250,000. To most of us, a quarter-million bucks sounds steep (and it’s roughly $600,000 in today’s dollars). However, to the consumers who spend as much time in the air as they do on the ground, this was an incredibly good deal. A  Los Angeles Times interview  recounts one of the frequent flyers who took advantage of this deal: â€Å"We thought originally it would be something that firms would buy for top employees,† said Bob Crandall, American’s chairman and chief executive from 1985 to 1998. â€Å"It soon became apparent that the public was smarter than we were.† The unlimited passes were bought mostly by wealthy individuals, including baseball Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays, America’s Cup skipper Dennis Conner and computer magnate Michael Dell. Mike Joyce of Chicago bought his in 1994 after winning a $4.25-million settlement after a car accident. In one 25-day span this year, Joyce flew round trip to London 16 times, flights that would retail for more than $125,000. He didn’t pay a dime. â€Å"I love Rome, I love Sydney, I love Athens,† Joyce said by phone from the Admirals Club at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. â€Å"I love Vegas and Frisco.† American Airlines soon went upside down on this big bet- and they still kept it going for nearly ten years! Oops. This historic marketing blunder is a good lesson for us 10x marketers. Because this story is far from an isolated incident. Here’s how it goes. A giant X-factor company puts loads of money into a big campaign. Problem is, this campaign does more harm than good. And whether money is lost from lack of sales, or poorly projected financial impact, the big bet goes belly up. So, test your assumptions by building in stages to learn as quickly as possible. Use MVM In 3 Steps With The Lean Feedback Loop This method of MVM capitalizes on what startups call a â€Å"lean feedback loop.† It works in three stages: Build it. What projects or ideas will do you believe will help you quickly reach your goal? What lean version of this idea can you launch to test it and get quick results? Measure it. Is the idea working? What key data points who if youre toward your goal, remaining stagnant, or even shrinking? Learn from it. Based on key metrics is the idea working, and therefore worth investing more time, energy, and resources into? By working the change management process in this way, youll notice you are concerned with learning as much as winning. Learning is winning. Lets look at some example projects Launching A Podcast With A Lean Loop Build: Smartphone recording of pilot podcast episode shared as a key blog post. Measure: Measure traffic, number of listens or downloads, and listen to comments. Learn: Will a podcast be a viable marketing channel between us and our target audience at this stage? Timeline: One week. Rebranding With A Lean Loop Build: Start with core positioning statements, value propositions, and key messaging. Measure: Present the messaging to sales and target customers on calls for one week to gauge resonance. Record all calls for the marketing team to review. Learn: If the messaging is clear and relevant, continue to the next stages. But repeat this process of testing each major element before investing further. Timeline: One week. Adopting New Marketing Strategy, Processes, Or Tools Build:  Get a free demo of the software with a real person. Ask questions specifically about how it would work for your team. Then,  hold a kickoff meeting with your team to introduce them to the new tool. Measure: Set benchmarks for success. What results are you working for? What numbers will tell you if your new tool is growing them? Learn: Look at the data and make the call. Does your team like the process? Has your tool made your life easier? Are you getting closer to your goals? Timeline: Two weeks. Step Three: Sustain The Momentum Of Your Change Management Process Now that youve gotten results, its time to sustain the momentum youve created. There are tons of amazing books to help you get better marketing results There are game-changing marketing strategies you can adopt There are clever ways to 10x your ROI in short order but the truth is, none of it matters if you dont maintain the results youre getting. This third step is the most important. Why? If you rest on yesterdays success, you will be tomorrows failure. Thankfully, this can be the easiest part of the process. To sustain momentum, propel your team back into the process of urgency and action.

The Italian Feminist Movement in the 1970s Research Paper

The Italian Feminist Movement in the 1970s - Research Paper Example An Italian Feminist Movement took place during the 1970s and this movement led to women being considered not only equal to men but also provided them with their right of choice (Torre 2010). The Italian Feminist movement did not just begin in the 1970s but it transpired through a series of events which had started years ago. One of the pioneers of this movement is considered to be Anna Maria Mozzoni, the founder of the League for the Advancement of Women’s Rights in 1881. She urged the women of Italy to fight for their own rights and not rely on the system. During her time, women did not come out of their homes due to discrimination and advancements and modernization had not laid their effects on Italy (Sarti 2004). At that time women still were speechless and did not have their own voice, and had to rely on the patriarchal symbolic framework, an underlined aspect of Italian culture. This was the aspect which was fought by numerous activists later to come such as Anna Kuliscio ff. She was a famous political activist who through her rebellion nature fought long and hard against the system. Becoming the first woman lecturer at Milan University, she argued against the male dominance in the Italian society. For Kuliscioff, Italian women needed to achieve freedom and equality by challenging the family system which led to an oppressive culture against women. She also fought against the Italian rules which did not allow the females to cast a vote. The entire movement against women oppression faced a setback with the rise of Fascism in Italy. The National Fascist Party was led by Benito Mussolini. Their ideology was led by the notion that considered women as mothers and wives. To fulfill the Fascist dream of creating a new Italy, it was a must that women perform their roles as child bearers. Females were sidelined in the political sector and they were not granted proper rights in their working organizations, as according to them the role of women was to concentra te on performing their duties as mothers. That is why in this era abortion and divorce were criminalized (Ancora et al2006). Union Donne Italiana (UDI) was formed in September 1944 by a coalition of women from the southern province which was at that time liberated by the Allies and from the women of anti-Fascist resistance movement. UDI struggled for the rights of women in the postwar period. After the war, women were enfranchised which was one of the most notable political gain for women. Women exercised their right to vote first time in 1946 elections. UDI started their weekly publication by the name of Noi Donne (We women). Although Noi Donne was influenced by Italian communist party, PCI,it did not lay emphasis on political issues and emphasized primarily on women’s work rights and their needs at home. In the 1970’s, a different and more aggressive group of feminists arose with a strong political orientation and set of beliefs. This was owing to the formation of Ne w Left, the student revolts in 1968-69, the changing values of personal freedom and gaining equal status in society, and the motivation of self-fulfillment. The new issues to be addressed now were family rights, divorce, birth control, abortion and sexual violence. The new feminist group which was profoundly focused on women autonomy in all its social relations appealed only to the radical feminists and left the traditional feminists and their political allies with

Women in Male dominated jobs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women in Male dominated jobs - Essay Example In the United States, job positions that are iconic representation of male-domination include positions of Secretary of State and directorship of federal institutions. Since US gained independence in 1776, 68 persons have occupied the Secretary of State’s office (Smith, 23). Expectedly, 3 out of the total 68 occupants were female, while the rest were male. In this context, a ration of 65:3 in terms of male and female office occupants respectively is a symbol of female underrepresentation in executive fields. Technically, underrepresentation of women in high positions is not without causes. Among the common causes of female underrepresentation include gender discrimination, and limited self affirmation within the female population. Traditionally, sex and power have an intricate relationship. Every society believes that women are emotionally weak, and lacks capability for objective judgments. This misconception explains why in the United States, women were not allowed to work and were expected to remain at home performing household chores. After the feminism period in the 1960s, the American society reluctantly invited women into the nation’s workforce (Lindsey and Martin, 90). Because of the structured gender discrimination, women lacked adequate education; hence could not be promoted into leadership positions. This element of inadequate education caused a corresponding limited self affirmation among women. In this regard, the synergistic effect of gender discrimination coupled wi th limited self affirmation propagated subordination of women in the labor force to date. Fortunately, liberation of women not only invited the female gender into workplaces but also laid the foundation for progressive transition of women in male dominated fields. Inasmuch as women are still underrepresented today, it emerges that the female gender has moved up the leadership ladder with time. Gradual entry of