Portrayals and portraits Essay Example for Free

Portrayals and portraits Essay The processes of public memory in regard to Sojourner Truth already are framed by the multiple figurations that existed in the public consciousness prior to the three specific commemorative campaigns that form the focus of this study. Although some of the specific details vary, the basic outlines of Truths life are accessible. Born as a slave in upstate New York around 1797 and originally named Isabella, Truth was freed according to the dictates of state law in 1827. She adopted the name of Sojourner Truth and began a life of freedom that progressed through three distinct stages. The first stage is marked by her involvement with the Kingdom, an infamous religious community led Robert Matthews, also know as Matthias. After Truth left the Kingdom in 1834 she traveled through New York and Connecticut, speaking at various religious camp meetings. Friends eventually directed her to the Northampton Association of Education and Industry in Massachusetts, a group founded on socialist and transcendentalist ideas. In this second stage, Truths involvement with the Northampton group introduced her to several notable public advocates, including William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, and Olive Gilbert, who would later become her first collaborator on her Narrative (Fitch Mandziuk, 1997, p. 16). When the Northampton Association disbanded in 1849, Truth entered her third stage as an advocate for the anti-slavery and womens rights causes. She lived and traveled in Ohio for a few years, finally settling in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1857 where she resided until her death. During this third stage, Truth traveled widely through eastern and mid-western states, often appearing as a popular speaker at conventions and meetings. Among the events in this third stage of Truths life that have become the fuel for her mythic meanings were her famous 1851 speech at a womens rights convention in Akron, Ohio and an 1858 confrontation with a hostile male audience in Silver Lake, Indiana where she bared her breast to prove she was female. In her own time, Truths contemporaries in their descriptions and accounts had transformed her tale variously to depict her as a tragic victim of slavery, a religious pilgrim, a comic caricature, and a fiery orator and advocate for womens rights (Fitch Mandziuk, 1997; Mabee Newhouse, 1993; Mandziuk Fitch, 2001; Painter 1994, 1996). While it is impossible to know how much control Truth actually exerted over the costuming and posing of these images, they do offer a striking alternative to the often grotesque, defiant, or devout descriptions of her that were available in print at the time. In all but one, Truth is seated. In these she is located in settings containing middle-class accoutrements such as bookcases, carved chairs, flowers, and books. In all of the portraits she is dressed in a fringed shawl and wears tailored clothing of heavy, patterned fabrics. In some she holds knitting; in one an open portrait of a young male rests in her lap. In the other portrait she is standing, her right hand resting on a cane with her left arm at her side. In all but two, she wears eyeglasses. In some she looks past the camera, directing her glance sideways or downward; in others her glance is more leveled and direct. The images are striking for their middle-class depictions; as Painter (1996) observes, In none of these portraits is there anything beyond blackness that would inspire charitynothing of the piteous slave mother or the weird Matthias Kingdom, no bared arms, no bodice taken down in public, nothing of Stowes amusing naif. The cartes de visite show a solid bourgeoisie (p. 196). These photographic images have been reproduced ever since on posters, buttons, cards, and t-shirts; importantly, they serve as the primary source material for any other interpretations and representations of Truths physical appearance. Contemporary campaigns to commemorate Truth in material form necessarily draw from these available portrayals and portraits. There is much room for negotiation and advocacy, however, around precisely which version of Truth will be visualized at a particular time and place, as well as who has the right to control and retain ownership of that image. As Painter (1996) concludes, Even today, when Truth can symbolize the angry black woman for most of her audience, others can see her as a kind of pet (p. 129). In the three recent debates over establishing statues of Truth, the ideological implications of the choices made indicate clear differences regarding her symbolic meanings. A preference for the bourgeois, devout, serious image among predominantly white communities marks her as a symbol of accommodation, while African American public memory continues to evoke the mythology of Gages defiant advocate and radical critique of white audiences. In each debate over how Truth would be remembered the concept of character provides an important lens to assess the meaning of each commemoration. From among the available portrayals and photographic records, each representation of Truth selected particular elements while deflecting others. The dimensions included in each characterization of Truth provide a revelatory index to the particular values of the community and the means through which her image was adapted to suit various purposes. Essentially, character provides the window to how questions of identity politics were negotiated in each instance. In the Portrait Monument dispute, the image of Truth in evoked by the National Political Congress of Black Women reference the angry orator first envisioned by Frances Gage in 1863. In this version, Truth symbolizes the defiant insistence on race as a central consideration in public debate and the processes of public memory, an adaptation of this persona often used by black women to challenge white exclusionary tactics. The characteristics depicted in the Battle Creek and Northampton statues invoke the alternative image of Truth as the upholder of principles of equality and faith. These two commemorations replicate the bourgeois aspects of Truths cartes de visite, yet also depict her in safe and comforting ways. The defiant Truth is subordinated in favor of likenesses that reflect abstract values and celebrate conciliation rather than ones that insist on recognizing am valuing difference. Evaluation of the dimension of character in the process of public memory thus reveals the ideological functions served by a particular commemorative representation. These campaigns to re-present Truth in a material form reveal the uncertainties in the process of public memory, as well as the ways in which the practice often accommodates and dissipates political challenges to the values held dear by dominant culture. Among the potential meanings of Truth, her symbolic appropriation as a sign of the ideals of equality and justice easily is reconcilable with our American democratic mythology and frequent delusion that inequities can be solved simply through individual acts of faith and hope. Consequently, Truth is appropriated in her most bourgeois, benign, and reverent form. The Truth commemorated is an image that is ambiguous enough for us to find residues of her race and gender meanings within it if we so desire, but is also abstract enough to be of no threat on either front. (Manziuk, 2003) Genealogical research, when conducted within the context of African-American history using a variety of resources, offers a more encompassing perspective of the African American family in American society. In other words, our individual family photographs can provide a wealth of information about society in general.

Challenges And Prospects: Bangladeshi Foreign Policy

Challenges And Prospects: Bangladeshi Foreign Policy Globalization has at present become a pervasive phenomenon of international relations, and in the process, is compelling developing countries like Bangladesh to assess its impact on its security and foreign policy. The traditional way of dealing with the security (which is basically state-centric and emphasizes military security), appears to have become inadequate for the task of formulating a policy that would be capable of effectively tackling the prospects and challenges of the dynamic and technology-dominated milieu. The question is how much of traditional security concerns remains relevant to policy-making, how and what to discard from the past to enable foreign policy successfully meet the opportunities and challenges of globalization. While globalization has, to some extent, eroded the power of the nation-state, the latter has not been rendered absolutely impotent. Bangladeshs security concerns will need to be addressed through correct policies, taking into account the fact that it is multifaceted and comprehensive. In general, Bangladesh could expect to face problems in the following areas: military, political, economic, environmental and societal. Before embarking on the actual analysis of Bangladeshs security and foreign policy, a brief review of the concept and process of globalization and security will be provided. Its impact on Bangladesh will be studied, focusing on both positive and negative aspects. Finally implications for policy will be discussed. Globalization The term globalization has become a buzzword in the present-day world. Although the term has attained extraordinary popularity in recent years, it was in evidence even a hundred years ago. In the last 25 years or so, the concept of global has transformed itself from a mere reference to mean total to an emphasis on the globe as a unit of analysis in its own right. Without claiming the world to have become a single society or that it is bound to become one, globalization refers to a process or trend.  [1]  Simply, the term globalization describes the increased mobility of goods, services, labor, technology and capital throughout the world. (http://canadianeconomy.gc.ca/english/economy/globalization.html). Or it can be described as, identity related to globalization processes seem unrelated to traditional boundaries of social groups, transcending territorial, religious and other boundaries.  [2]   It was actually in the 1980s and 1990s that the world witnessed the revolutionary impact of the process of globalization. It was primarily due to unprecedented technological innovation in the fields of communication and transportation that international relations became radically transformed, especially in the realm of trade and investment, and diffusion of information. Despite fact that there is a growing concern about dealing with the complexities and changes generated by the phenomenon of globalization, the term itself is still imprecise, and means different things to different people. To simplify matters, globalization essentially refers to the process of worldwide spread of six kinds of objects and activities: i) goods and services; ii) people; iii) ideas and information; iv) money; v) normative orientation; and vi) behavioral patterns and practices.  [3]  Of these, the flow of goods and services has had the most tangible impact: it has been instrumental in raising the level of material prosperity unprecedented in human history. Besides, the free flow of information and ideas is making it possible for the full flowering of human potentials. Proponents of globalization are optimistic that increase in global prosperity would usher in a stable and peaceful world. Critics of globalization however, are not so convinced that it is an unmixed blessing. They dispute the argument that as a result of the process of globalization, the nation-state is losing it significance due to the erosion of its functions which are increasingly being performed by non-state actors like multinational cooperations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). And it is the poor countries who faces the challenges of globalization more as, globalisation is not seen as transcending the role of the state, but rather as a consequence of the powerful role of rich countries poor countries find it difficult to devise policies to deal with the crisis, especially since none of them boasts strong multinational companies that may function as influential global players.  [4]  The focus of their criticism is that the process of globalization seeks to promote the economic at the cost of the social and political. They are concerned about the deleterious effect of unbridled market operations, which could destroy communal and social unity. Although globalization is very much a fact of life, it cannot be denied that the territorially organized nation-state continues to remain significant and capable of providing the necessary (perhaps not all) services to it s citizens. Again the resistance of globalization may assume the form of ultra-nationalism and racism. It is asserted that ethnic nationalism is much more deep-rooted and less time-bound (than modernists prefer to believe), therefore, better equipped to overcome the challenge of both globalization as well as regionalization.  [5]  Critics however, point out that, globalization contains the threat of a new form of hegemony, which would thus create social conditions conducive to new doctrines of civilizational superiority.  [6]  Thus, globalization tends to strengthen nation-states in some respects and weaken in others. Security- from individual to diverse and comprehensive approach Security itself is now regarded to have become comprehensive as far as its meaning and definitions are concerned, as a result of which there is a tendency to over expand and widen the security agenda. Traditionally, a public issue is deemed to have been securitized when it is presented as an existential threat, requiring emergency measures and justifying actions outside the normal bounds of political procedure.  [7]  But the non-traditional approach to security tends to make it all inclusive and comprehensive, thereby, making it analytically unwieldy. Park defines comprehensive security in terms of policies designed to protecting the peoples life not only from traditional forms for military threat, but also from various other forms of threats such as hunger, poverty, environmental disaster, scarcity of energy, etc.  [8]  Or it can be viewed as Security measures that starts from the assumption that dialogues at the level of the state and elsewhere contribute to the formulation of mutually acceptable definitions of common threats. The threats do not necessarily emanate from rival states, but also comprise threats to internal stability in the area of economics, social unrest, ethnic divisions, or serious environmental damage.  [9]   Transnational economic and financial forces at work possesses the capacity to wreak havoc with national economies- something that cannot be tackled by military means, but only with appropriate policies adopted primarily at the national level, but would also include international and regional cooperation. Hansen viewed it Now approaches towards security can only succeed with the cooperation of the main actors on the global stage which includes not only governments, but companies, banks and, at the political level, national political parties as well.  [10]  So, in this era of globalization, to deal security measures, the most pressing need for any country like Bangladesh is to take cognizance of the magnitude and complexity of the changes now sweeping the world. Bowman describes, New technologies are making the world much more interdependent. These technologies are accelerating the movements of goods, services, ideas, and capital across national boundaries. They are displacing trad itional security threats with nontraditional worries like international terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and environmental degradation while strengthening the capacities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to influence policy.  [11]   Foreign Policy of Bangladesh The basic objectives of Bangladeshs foreign policy are to promote its security, protect its territorial integrity, achieve socio-economic development, uphold its ideology and maintain its cultural identity and national dignity (http://www.bssnews.net/about_foreign_policy.php) -goals that are challenged in various forms by the process of globalization. The security interests of Bangladesh are said to lie in the consolidation of its hard-earned independence by accelerating the process of economic development and modernization. It is argued that the basic goal of its foreign policy should be the ensuring of diplomatic and economic cooperation and assistance from external sources. Bangladeshs foreign policy has been deeply informed by the dire need to achieve socio-economic progress through the optimum use of its abundant human and other resources, which, in turn, could be instrumental in maintaining national cohesion, as well as international prestige and influence.  [12]   Again the main constraints of Bangladeshs foreign policy are its geographical location, underdevelopment and overpopulation. In the era of globalization, Bangladesh, like other developing countries, is confronted with threats emanating from both external and internal sources: terrorism, drug trafficking, circulation of light weapons, poverty, political instability, environmental degradation, etc. The Security Agenda of Bangladesh External The geographical location of Bangladesh makes it obvious that India and Myanmar are the two immediate neighbors who are the potential threats to its territorial security. However, chances are that India (aware of political costs involved in such a move) would prefer not to threaten Bangladesh militarily, if its major strategic and economic interests are served without such efforts. Myanmar, too could pose such a threat to Bangladesh, but so far it has been limited to the influx of Rohingya refugees  [13]  in the 1990s in the South-Eastern part of Bangladesh, Coxs bazar, that caused considerable security problem and socio-economic burden for the country. Although these two neighbors are potential threats to the territorial security of Bangladesh, the problematic question is how could minimize its vulnerabilities in this regard. Some analysts make suggestions, that Bangladesh does indeed possess strategic value, which it can and should exploit  [14]  but reality does not seem to support such an assessment. In this era of globalization, it appears unlikely that either or both China and the United States would seriously court Bangladesh as ally against India, since both are now more interested in improving relations with India rather than antagonizing it. So, Bangladesh does have a big concern as far as the external sources of threats to its security are concerned, but they can be best dealt with and neutralized through astute diplomacy rather than the use of force, for which it is ill equipped. Bangladesh may resent the predominance of India, but there seems to be very limited options available to it deal with it in a truly effecti ve manner. No matter how disadvantaged Bangladesh may be vis-à  -vis its immediate neighbors, it must nonetheless be in a position to oppose policies on their part that could increase tension, create instability, or otherwise run against broad interests of Bangladesh. Prospects for the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in South Asia are another security concern of Bangladesh. With the testing of nuclear devices by India and Pakistan in 1998, possibilities of nuclear war occurring in the region has become a possibility. So, Bangladeshs security has been adversely affected by the development of nuclear devices and their delivery systems in South Asia. Bangladesh should, therefore, strive to play an active role in regional forums since the development of WMD transcends the barrier of distance and could affect Bangladesh too. Internal Military Military force, although being marginalized in the era of economic globalization, has not been rendered obsolete. Military forces continue to retain their coercive and deterrent power, functions that economic instruments are still unable to perform with as much as effectiveness  [15]  . Military power, it must be born in mind, is fungible, that is, can be used for purposes other than dealing with only internal and external threats. In the Bangladesh context, apart from deterring external military aggression and tackling internal political threats, Bangladesh armed forces are of considerable help for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the aftermath of natural disasters which the country faces frequently. Economic Economic security is a term that is fraught with controversy, since in an interdependent global economic system it is difficult to achieve absolute security. In this era of globalization economic security is an inseparable element of comprehensive security, and the impact of both private sector economic activities and governmental economic diplomacy are treated as two sides of the same coin.  [16]  As a least developed country (LDC) Bangladesh has certain in-built problems, (the most glaring being wide-spread poverty), that severely constrain the effective and independent conduct of its foreign policy. At present, the country is further disadvantaged by the stiff competition that it has to face in the outside world especially with India. As has just been discussed, the globalization process offers both opportunities and poses challenges for the world, particularly for the developing countries. But Bangladesh, although poor in most respects, is not entirely without resources: it h as manpower (cheap labor), water resources, and mineral resources (coal, oil and gas). If mobilized effectively, its vast but homogeneous and resilient population could take advantage of the information technology. The liberal international trade has led to an increase in the level of employment creating about 1.5 million jobs in the export sector. Therefore, there is an urgent need for Bangladesh to conduct its economic diplomacy, with vigor and vision. Among the challenges being faced by Bangladesh are how to promote its economic prosperity in the dynamic, complex and highly competitive world, and domestically to provide the foundation for the satisfactory performance of its economy. And how to attain this goal in an environment where major decisions affecting national life are often determined by the international market. For instance, interest rates are determined more by global trends than by national ones. Another salient feature of the globalization phenomenon involves migration. So, it becomes imperative that Bangladesh make diplomatic efforts to make it possible for Bangladeshi people to work in other countries where there are better opportunities. In this era of competition, Bangladesh will not necessarily get what it deserves, but only what it can negotiate. Bangladesh needs to take the advantage of the opportunities that globalization offers through the free flow of information and the use of English as an international language. This would help produce a better trained workforce capable of competing at the international level. It also has to negotiate preferential access to the markets of the Western countries, as well as those of India and China. In the case of India, asymmetry in the bilateral trade relations has to be redressed. It would, to some extent, depend on the negotiating skills of Bangladesh officials, as, to what extent they can ensure market access. (c)Environment In the environment sector Bangladesh faces a number of challenges concerning the control of the flow of the Ganges waters by India, desertification, deforestation, global warming, etc. Most of these problems originate or are caused by factors that are external to Bangladesh. Global warming, for instance, is a truly globalized phenomenon. It is estimated that a sea-level rise of 1 meter could lead to the submergence of as much as one-third of the coastal areas of Bangladesh, and in the process, may give rise to what is called the problem of environmental refugees, and threaten the territorial integrity of Bangladesh. Although the above-mentioned problems do not appear to pose any immediate threat to security of Bangladesh, these may do in the long run. After all, it must be borne in mind that, The environment, modified by human interference, sets the conditions for socio-political-economic life: when these conditions are poor, life is poor.  [17]   (d) Socio-Political A major focus of the new thinking in security studies is the socio-political conditions of the nation. Societal security is basically about identity of a group or community, and the political security is more about institutions and organizational security of the state. There can be a number of ways in which societal security could be threatened, for example, through migration and horizontal competition.  [18]  In the case of Bangladesh, its cultural identity could be diluted through the powerful cultural influence from foreign sources, especially from closest neighbor India. Bangladesh faces a dilemma in this regard, since modernization involves adopting ideas and practices from more developed societies, while at the same time protecting its own cultural values and identity. Political threats like terrorism, which is becoming increasingly lethal, for instance, could pose a serious challenge to the viability of a nascent democracy like Bangladesh, which is already assailed by a host of other problems.  [19]  This is a particularly negative aspect of globalization that is having a damaging impact on the security of Bangladesh, which may be subjected to what is termed as cultural militarization- that is, to the transformation of culture in ways that rather render violent responses to social problems normal and unexceptional. Cultural militarization marginalizes non-violent strategies for conflict resolution, ultimately leading to the brutalization of society and the weakening of human security institutions.  [20]   Bangladesh is also moving in that direction. Terrorism and the proliferation of light weapons are a dangerous combination, the incidence of which is increasing in Bangladesh due to the free flow of goods and porous borders. Poverty is another source of insecurity for Bangladesh. But whether globalization as such would alleviate poverty is debatable. In the final analysis, it depends on the capacity of the government to mobilize resources in an optimum way. That is something that can be achieved is there is political stability inside the country. Inability to achieve political stability would not only result in Bangladesh failure to take advantage of the positive aspects of globalization, but its foreign and economic policy agenda would be set outside the country. Discussion: Globalization- Prospects and Challenges? It is amply clear that Bangladesh has vulnerabilities in practically all areas: territorial, economic, environmental, and socio-Political. Bangladesh appears to be constrained as far dealing with its immediate neighbors are concerned, which means that it will need to cooperate with them despite the fact that its internal security and stability could be adversely affected by them. However this is not to deny the value of military power, which can always act as a deterrent. No matter how remote the possibility of aggression from the outside, Bangladesh should formulate a sound defense policy. While there are both external and internal sources of threats, on balance the latter are perceived to be posing more serious challenges for the security, stability and prosperity of the country. The main objectives of Bangladeshs foreign policy, viz., upholding its sovereignty, cultural identity, ideology are challenged by the forces of globalization. At the same time, while these factors do pose threats, it is difficult to determine exactly when and how they will evolve into threats to national security. The most pressing task before Bangladesh is to achieve political stability; otherwise, it will not be possible for its diplomats to project a positive image of the country. Foreign policy is, after all, is an extension of its domestic policy; therefore, as long as Bangladesh is domestically not in order, it would not be realistic to expect it to have a credible and effective foreign policy. Despite the challenges confronting the security and foreign policy of Bangladesh, it is yet possible to hope for a prosperous future. The tragedy would be that, if it cannot compete and negotiate with the outside world from a position of strength, if cannot take advantage of the positive aspects of globalization, and if it fail to peacefully resolve its own domestic social and political problems, the process of development would be retard- taking perhaps several more costly decades, instead of one. Bangladesh needs to deal with challenges like transnational economic and financial forces, cross-border terrorism, arms and drug trafficking, climate change and environmental degradation through cooperation and coordinated efforts at both regional and international levels. The main purpose of Bangladeshs foreign policy in the present era should be minimizing the degree of vulnerabilities and reducing threats to its security, as well as possessing the ability to shape its security environment through an effective and realistic assessment of its national interests, and the production thereof through pragmatic and active diplomacy. Conclusion It can therefore be argued that despite globalization, the real sources of Bangladeshs insecurity would continue to remain mainly domestic (which could be exacerbated and exploited by external sources), that demand attention from within the state. The basic challenge facing Bangladesh is to comprehend the nature of changes taking place in the international economy and to deal with them through creating conditions and institutions necessary for coping with a dynamic environment. Only the constructive efforts of a dynamic and modern state could achieve success in eliminating the main sources of insecurity. Otherwise, chances are that, widespread and endemic social and political conflict would reduce it to the status of a failed state, with people becoming more concerned with personal security than with national security. MAP OF BANGLADESH

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Stem Cell Research Philosophy Essay

The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Stem Cell Research Philosophy Essay Stem cell research. Straightforward words that mean a lot more than a newfound field in the scientific field. Stem cells have the chance to change everything that we know in the medical field as well as the potential to heal wounds and damaged organs. Yet using stem cells for research causes much debate and anger from those opposed to stem cell research but they are only focusing on the process and not the results of it.  Many oppose embryonic stem cell research because it kills a living human embryo in the process, which Pro Life advocates see as murder. There is an unending conflict between those who see as the potential to save lives, and those who see it as murder. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are cells that are created when a blastocyst is created after sperm enter the female egg. These stem cells are cells that havent been given a specific task yet, allowing scientists to extract them and use them for therapy. The cells, which are derived from several-day-old embryos, can theoretically differentiate into virtually any type of human cell, from blood cells to skin cells. Scientists hope to find ways of using them to repair damaged tissue. The potential use for these stem cells includes curing/treating a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities including Parkinsons disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, HIV, burns, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis (AAAS). There are multiple types of stem cells, which include adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells have the widest range of treatment because they can be differentiated into any type of cell, while adult stem cells can only be made into a few types of specific cells (Stem Cell Science). There are two main positions on embryonic stem cell research. The main reason the topic is controversial is because Pro life advocates, Christians, and many republicans see the destruction of the human embryo as murder or the ending of a potential human life. Critics argue that this destruction of human life is not worth the benefits because life is destroyed to potentially save another. The argument comes down to the same one as abortion, but at an even smaller scale. Blastocysts, which are destroyed in embryonic stem cell research are only made of 200 cells (there are 50 trillion in a human body) (Stem Cell Science). Pro life advocates argue that any destruction of potential human life is wrong, which creates tension between the scientific community and critics (Religious Tolerance). The Pro life argument targets those with strong religious backgrounds, and actively advertises that embryonic stem cell research is unethical. Opponents of hESC research believe that human life begins as soon as an egg is fertilized; and they consider a human embryo to be a human being. They therefore consider any research that necessitates the destruction of a human embryo to be morally abhorrent. Many critics of embryonic stem cell research, or ESCr, suggest that adult stem cell research is a better alternative because it does not destroy human embryos. Adult stem cells cannot be made into as many different types of cells that hESC can, which leads to disagreements. The pro life argument takes a strong ethical standpoint on science and medicine, which is a powerful and effective technique for making sure research is halted (NIH) (AAAS). The other side of the argument is the scientific viewpoint. Medical professionals and scientists hold that of stem cells have the potential to cure everything from Parkinsons to HIV. (NIH) The scientific community sees ESCr and its potential as a major breakthrough in medicine and science. The reason for outrage in the scientific community is that there is a large potential for life saving through ESCr, and that funding and public support is being threatened or ended because of the opposing side. Many scientists agree that ESCr has huge possibilities to cure Parkinsons and other infamous and deadly diseases. The main reason that scientists talk about the probability and potential of hESC is because due to opposition, much research hasnt been allowed to occur (Popular Issues) (PBS). Taking sides over embryonic stem cell research has its drawbacks. Scientists and politicians who take the pro-research side get attacked by people that are against it. Politicians especially come under fire due to the large support of anti-research that comes from many ethical foundations like the church. These foundations then lobby other politicians to fight funding for this research. This creates a conflict between the two opposing sides. Embryonic stem cell research is a topic that is contested by many, and would not be considered work safe due to the deep positions people take on the topic. The embryonic stem cell debate is a national argument, being more accepted in other countries than in America. There has been infamous legislation banning the funding for it by George W. Bush, and then the restoration of funding by President Barack Obama. Each party has their own view on the topic, with Republicans being generally more against ESCr, and democrats more for it. The Republican Party uses religious ethics to justify their standpoint on the topic, which is a very effective technique in America. Many people are very religious and so they immediately decide to be against ESCr (PBS) (Religious Tolerance) (Pros and Cons). A part of the controversy is over the use of adult stem cells. Many religious figures and politicians give adult stem cells as an all around better alternative to ESCr. This is contested by the scientific community due to the fact that adult stem cells can only be differentiated into less than half the cells that embryonic ones can. (NIH) Some opponents of ESCr also argue that research on stem cells obtained from adults is just as promising and makes research unnecessary. Most scientists, however, contest this claim citing great potential in the field of adult stem cells but several downsides with embryonic stem cells. Proponents of ESCr research advocate funding for both fields. Embryonic stem cells can be made into any type of cell in the human body. This allows hESC to be used to help with diseases like AIDS, Parkinsons, Alzheimers, brain cancer, and injuries such as spinal cord damage. Adult stem cells are a very popular alternative, but many scientists believe that cures lie in the study and research of all types of stem cells, not just adult ones. Lately, a new way to harvest stem cells has been proven effective; to take human skin cells and trick them into becoming stem cells (NIH). However, this is not an end to the moral issue, but instead may prove to make acquiring new types of stem cells harder, because Pro Lifers will say this is a way to avoid killing an embryo, even if it is already given up for science. A few major problems with the cells, is that they are simply not tough enough to undergo reproduction to create the new organ or cell type necessary. Also, the cells simply are physically older, and therefore cannot produce as well as embryonic stem cells, and are unsuitable for many operations. (Popular Issues) Though it is important to study this new kind of stem cell group, the use of embryonic stem cells cannot be discounted; as they are the most studied and have been established to be the most useful. Politicians and Lobbyists have put a stop to the growth of stem cell research, which can mean millions to those who are rightful to the treatments, while the research gained by the government is open to the public, which allows scientists to search for more cures. Former president Bill Clinton, under demands from the general population and elected officials, permitted stem cell research to be slowed down with the Dickey Amendment. This put a stop on all federal funding for stem cell research. While Clinton was still in office in, an ambiguity was found in the law that allowed for the embryo to be destroyed with non-governmental funds, and then experimented on with funding from the government. During this time, there was an increase in stem cell research, and numerous types of stem cells were discovered (AAAS) (PBS). President Obama passed legislation that allows funding for ESCr, which is a major step forward for research. Each political party opposes one another on this topic, so it is important for politicians to tell their followers which side theyve taken. The national community in the United States is divided on the topic of ESCr. Many are concerned about the ethical concerns of destroying embryos, but they also see the unbelievable benefits it could reap. Many are also faithful followers of the church, which mandates that no human life be destroyed. Pro Life advocates tell their followers that this is murder, which leads to opposition to ESCr. These attitudes reflect the Christian principles that America was founded upon. It also shows that a large amount of American politics and policies are affected enormously by religion (Religious Tolerance) (Popular Issues). I believe that the government should fund embryonic stem cell research and allow scientists to investigate the unbelievable potential in this field. Scientists have decided that they wont create embryos to destroy to get the stem cells for research, but use the many left over ones from in vitro fertilization, a technique of creating many human embryos to fertilize a woman, which often ends in many extra embryos being created. In-vitro leftovers allow embryos that would already be frozen and later destroyed to be put forward for a higher cause. People against ESCr argue that the use of leftover in-vitro embryos will lead to more abortions and embryos being destroyed (Religious Tolerance) (Science Daily). Much has been proven for the abilities of stem cells; one of the most recent is the creation of a hESC entirely from stem cells (PBS).This creates tension because people have always been against human cloning, as it poses the ethical difficulty of whether or not we can play God. Another problem with the stem cells is that if they are studied by mixing them with another organism, the new organism could become more humanlike and that is another moral problem that afflicts many people. These are very important ethical questions, but they should not be quarreled over by Congress, by politicians serving their citizens, who ironically consist of lobbyists; they should instead be debated and rules set by the scientific community, to protect the veracity of science, and prevent chaos through misunderstanding. Although there are many issues with the system, there is a large necessity to discover more types of stem cells. Without new stem cell lines we could otherwise see this type of scientif ic examination become purely theoretical in nature, which is like counting the number of how many angels you can fit on a pin. Stem cells are gifts to mankind, and are able to save untold amounts of people. We cannot allow an issue of religion and political partiality to discourage us from saving the people who need these stem cells the most. Stem cell research may be an ethical problem for some, but the prospects of growth and of treatment for the ill, far overshadows any hypothetical moral debate, as the lives of those who hurt, certainly should have treatments examined to provide a happy, and healthy life for them. The government should fund stem cell research, to provide the next person who needs help the treatment they ought to have.

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay -- The Great Gatsby

Man dreams of living the life of the elite social class and of the power and admiration inherent within. F. Scott Fitzgerald comes to terms with this American dream in The Great Gatsby, a novel about social life in the 1920’s. The social hierarchy of the times plays a very important role in this novel. Here Fitzgerald illustrates three specific social classes: old money, new money, and lower class, with old money and new money taking center stage. Gatsby himself personifies new money; he made himself into a rich man through shady dealings. Tom Buchanan, on the other hand, represents old money. He received everything he has on a silver platter. He earned nothing but his inheritance. At the time, it was extremely desirable to be old money, because people looked at new money as vulgar and uncivilized. By illustrating social-economic class differences, Fitzgerald depicts the illusion of the corrupted American dream. Old money, living in the guise of the American dream, denies the entrance of new money and the lower class into their social hierarchy. In the novel, Tom has a mistress who lives in the "valley of ashes," where most of the lower class citizens reside. Tom has been seeing her for years even though he married Daisy. No one objects to this because of his old money status. On page 19, Jordan Baker informs Nick of this scandal, "Why- Tom’s got some woman in New York." Jordan also informs Nick of the commonality and wide acceptance of this fact. Tom’s ...

Robert Gagnés Instructional Design Approach :: Psychology Psychological Papers

Robert Gagnà ©'s Instructional Design Approach Introduction When Robert Gagnà © initially published his influential book, The Conditions of Learning (Gagnà ©, 1965), his instructional design theories were heavily rooted in the behaviorist psychology paradigm. However, in later editions of The Conditions of Learning (Gagnà ©, 1970, 1977, 1985), Gagnà ©'s theories evolved to incorporate cognitivist psychology theories, specifically the information-processing model of cognition. According to Gagnà ©, "This model posits a number of internal processes that are subject to the influence of a variety of external events. The arrangement of external events to activate and support the internal processes of learning constitutes what is called instruction" (Gagnà ©, 1974). In the preface to the second edition of The Conditions of Learning, Gagnà © commented further on this shift to the information-processing model of cognition and it’s influence on his approach to designing instruction. He stated, "I consider this form of learning theory to represent a major advance in the scientific study of human learning" (Gagnà ©, 1977). In 1989, Michael J. Striebel noted, "Instructional design theories such as Gagnà ©'s theory, take the cognitivist paradigm one logical step further by claiming that an instruction plan can generate both appropriate environmental stimuli and instructional interactions, and thereby bring about a change in cognitive structures of the learner (Striebel, 1989). This paper will define and explore the three major aspects of Gagnà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s approach to instructional design, which include: nine events of instruction, conditions of learning and learning outcomes. How Gagnà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s theory correlates to the Walter Dick and Lou Carey’s systems approach to instructional design will also be considered (Dick and Carey, 1996). A Seminal MODEL Gagnà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s approach to instructional design is considered a seminal model that has influenced many other design approaches and particularly the Dick & Carey systems approach. Gagnà © proposed that events of learning and categories of learning outcomes together provide a framework for an account of learning conditions. The diagram below, from the third edition of The Conditions of Learning (Gagnà ©, 1977), illustrates his vision of how the events of learning impact the conditions learning, which ultimately result in the learning outcomes, or learning capabilities. In The Conditions of Learning, Gagnà © acknowledges that he was considering the question "What factors really can make a difference to instruction?" when developing his learning and instructional design theories. His model proposed that the conditions of learning—some internal and some external to the learner—that affect the process of learning make up the events of learning.

Findings Analysis Essay

I have found out my primary information about the idea of ‘slim-line kitchen electrical appliances ‘ by doing a quota sampling, which meant dividing the population into various age groups and backgrounds and carrying out questionnaires. In my results in source 14, which is my questionnaire, the first question shows the gender of the amount of people that help fill in the questionnaire. Out of 150 people that I questioned only 36.6% were males and females a greater percentage of 63.6(%). This shows that on average most of the people I questioned were females. Source 2 also supports this idea as it states that the majority of people living in England are females at 51%. Also the details in source 6 show the gender of people that purchase brown and white goods, the larger percentage goes towards the women at 54%. Also an evidence of this statement that there are more women than men in GB is illustrated in source 2, it shows that in 2003 there were more women than men- and that I think has increased during recent years because source 2 shows that women are at 51% of the population in UK, then source 6 shows women are at 54 and source 14 [the questionnaire] shows they are at 63 percent (you can see that in the chart below that shows these results), and I predict this is going to escalate far more in a years or so time; which means if S and S plc was to choose their target group then in my opinion women should be targeted not only for their percentage as a whole but as for the person that makes decisions about where the kitchen appliances go and what should be bought. The second question in the questionnaire asks for the age groups of the person that is filling in the questionnaire; the most widely held answer is the 45-54 age group. On a percentage out of 150 people 48% of the people come in that particular age group. Although my source 2 says that the majority of the people living in Great Britain are either between the age group of 35-44 or above 65, however my source is over 3 years old, which could make big difference as related to new market, but maybe the area that I was doing the questionnaire in; the majority of the people were between 45 and 54. The rest of the questionnaire still supports the idea of what S and S plc is trying to introduce. This means they have now got an idea of what the population’s wants and needs are. S and S plc need to confirm the target age group and then plan sale strategies. Question 4 asks the people what newspapers they read. Out of a variety of newspapers most of the people wrote their answer as ‘The Daily Telegraph’, 62% out of 150 people. This question is not completely pointless as it is a method of advertising for many companies including electrical stores such as Dixons, Comet and Currys. According to my source 12 quite a big percentage of the expenditure that a business is ready to pay for advertising belongs to the press area /newspapers. Out of 10 different electrical stores 76% of the money they spend on advertising is in the press column. Therefore it would be very beneficial for S and S plc to put their ads into the two top particular newspapers ‘Daily Telegraph’ being the top. Another quite high percentage of the advertising goes into the radio, which is also another method for S and S plc to attain more awareness. The next question asks the people how many people live in their household, majority of the people answered ‘4’ to the question. Out of 150 people 30% said ‘4’. Source 4 of my secondary data illustrates that 13.2% of the people out of 25,220 people have 4 persons living in their household and the majority of the people answered ‘2 persons’ out of the same audience 34.9% to be exact, however we know that my secondary information is about 2 years old which only shows me old data that is not accurate but as we know now the majority of the people have 4 persons in their household, because as times go on people make more decisions. This means that there are more people living in a single household now as opposed to 2 years ago, therefore white goods will be necessary for them in their daily life unlike single people living alone don’t need as much white goods because they won’t use it a lot. So if S and S plc were to get targets then goi ng for the more colonized houses because they will be a god idea and these will be their ideal customers. Question six asks the people what circumstances will aid them to consider buying slim white goods to replace them with the old. The choices included from ‘new models introduced’, ‘moving house’, ‘changing their kitchens’ and/or ‘when their old goods break down’. The majority of the people answered as when they move houses, 62.6% out of 150 people agreed to that. This gives S and S plc the opportunity to sell their products, if they know how many people are moving houses on average they can work out the amount of the kitchen electrical appliances that they need to produce, this will maintain the sale of the slim-line white goods as the results in source 5 show the statistics that, there are increasingly more people that either move or as a result separation move to another home alone. If S and S plc want to boost their sales they have to advertise it to the people that are moving houses [as white goods are very important in a househo ld, it is almost a necessity]. Source 3 also shows that the majority of the people in 1 household are 2 persons. And as more people move into the same house there is an even greater need of white goods, and as some houses are quite cramped slim-line white goods is the best option so that sort of people should be target to the S and S plc. Question seven enquires the people how long ago was the last time that they purchased/changed their white good. The majority of the people answered this question as last 5 years which sums up to be 48% out of the total of 150 people. This shows that the majority of people will not spend frequently on white goods as they are only replaced when they are damaged or too much out of date, this is simply because that the people are already used to the way that that particular white good works. Also another reason for people not to change their white goods purchased in last 5 years is that the white goods technology hasn’t changed much in the last 5 years so no reason to change their white goods, but as source 8 of my raw information shows that there is an increasing demand of new technology therefore sale for the slim-line white goods will produce profit to S and S plc as the â€Å"savvy consumers† is the prime driver of the market. The pie chart in the same source reveals th at the second highest percentage of consumers spending on electricals belongs to the household appliances this is a 23% of the expenditure. Question eight asks the people where they purchase their kitchen appliances; the applicants were given four choices out of which 3 were specialist retailers and one non-specialist. However you would expect a specialist such as Curry or Dixon’s to rule this sort of market, but the majority of the people’s answer was ‘other specialist retailer’ as these two retailers I mentioned are not experts and do not sell all brands that the people might be looking for. Some people have had good experiences with some brands that they wish to keep with. I predicted the majority of the shares should be owned by Dixon’s; this is also what my sources show namely source 11; it shows that the majority of the shares in the market belonged to these retailers in 2004. Source 9 of my raw information states that non-specialist such as ASDA and Tesco have a more constant product offering which is a step beyond WIGIG [when its gone its gone offer] that specialist retailers use as their sale strategies. These non-specialists sell varieties of brands and at a low cost too, thus increasing their sales. Source 9 also shows the statistics in the electrical retail market that this has caused. It has attracted customers from other markets such as PC and Audio-Visual markets because people would rather buy the same thing cheaper. This means that S and S plc should also increase and expand the variety of electrical goods the sell and do not necessarily have to be a specialist retailer for white/slim-line goods. This will increase their sales and give them a higher reputation in the electrical retail market. The ninth question in the questionnaire enquires if changes in the circumstances were to occur; [including those mentioned in question six], would they consider buying i.e. replacing them with slim-line versions of the goods. The majority of the people out of 150 answered â€Å"Yes†, this concluded to 86% the rest 14% answered â€Å"No†. People don’t find the urge to replace their existing electrical appliances as quick as any other item in the household, this is because these can be shared and it is only going to be a waste if you used it once and then dispose of it especially when it costs a lot. So as seen in question 6, most people will only replace their kitchen electrical goods when they move house. The idea of slim line appliances in kitchen is new so many people will not be too comfortable with using these, therefore sales for these will not increase soon after the promotion. According to the results I for this question it looks like quite a high percenta ge of people want to try it out and have a vision of what they will be when they buy them, because they know this will save space in their house no matter what the amount of people in the household. There are a number of reasons why people would want to purchase slim-line kitchen electrical goods. One that I think is different than any other is efficiency of the goods. If it saves the customers money, they will defiantly choose this item to last for a long time. Source 7 states ‘The largest amounts of customer spending go on housing/electricity/gas & other fuels’, so slim-line kitchen electrical goods were to decrease the money spent they would be able to buy more goods as they get more ‘disposable income’ SAY SOME STUFF ABOUT THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE !!. What S and S plc needs to do is to advertise their product so that it illustrates that it is efficient and takes less space they need to take this measurement in the plotting of the sale strategy, this could be S and S plc’s unique selling point, something that distinguishes S and S plc from other retailers. In source 7 [i.e. fig.11] you can see the statistics as to how much people spend on the men tioned factors. From the graph above you can see that even though the expenditures are increasing slowly if not very swiftly. This you can see in the tale where in the %change column you can see that even though expenditures were increasing as a percentage in midyear intervals for many years, it is slowly levelling out/decreasing. Question 10 asks the people if they were given a choice to own a slim-line kitchen electrical good would the replace it with their existing ones. 59.3% of the people answered yes. As I said, for replacement of kitchen electrical goods slim-line kitchen electrical appliances are best suited as they as well as being efficient this will also be more modern and will take less space, so this offers the customers an opportunity to work more efficiently and in a better/ bigger space. HELP!!! Question eleven is entitled to find out what the motivation is that leads the sales of kitchen electrical appliances in the market. The question was ‘ What motivates you to buy a new kitchen electrical appliance?’ We provided them with four possible answers these included the price, its capacity, brand name or energy efficient. A high percentage of people were motivated by looking at the appliance’s capacity, which is vital because if it has to be shared it must be sufficiently big. This added up to 21.3% of the people out of 150 that help fill the questionnaire. The higher percentage [48%] of the people said they were motivated by the price, so if it was cheap and had a big capacity more customers would purchase the product. Not much of the credit went to the brand name, although I would have guessed this would be a bigger motivation to the people because when many people have had experience with one brand they stick to it and pass on their reviews, then again it isn’t very often that people buy kitchen electrical appliances and it’s models changes from year to year. This means that when S and S plc rules the JnK plc companies in Asia, they won’t have much difficulty with introducing new products into the market and sell as much as possible. However more credibility goes to energy efficiency, so some people are interested in saving money per annual rather than once, at the purchase time, this answer was chosen by 12% of the total. This question too links to source 7 as it shows that more people are decreasing the amount of money spent on electricity, gas, & water etc. It shows that less people are ready to pay a lot of money for these appliances. The last question finishes off the questionnaire with asking the people if slim-line kitchen electrical appliances were in the market would the people buy them. The majority of the people chose to buy their goods only if their circumstances were to change. This means that even though slim-line kitchen electrical goods are a big success they will only be purchased when they need to replace them because people don’t want to change their kitchen appliances too frequently, only when they move or if the old one is broken. 42.3% of people chose this for an answer. This means that people are not desperate to own one but they reckon it is a good idea to own one Well this questionnaire gave S and S plc a good guidance on what the market is like and if slim-line kitchen electrical appliances would sell in that market and to choose their target and unique selling point.

Animal Feed Industry in India Essay

The Indian feed industry is about 35 years old. It is mainly restricted to dairy and poultry feed manufacturing. The quality standards of Indian feeds are high and up to international levels. Raw materials for feed are adequately available in India. The industry’s poultry feed production is about 3.0 million tonnes, which represents only 5 percent of the total potential and feed exports are not very high. The Indian animal feed industry is undergoing a very exciting phase of growth for the next decade. Production area The regions of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and coastal areas are rich in the production of animal feed due to high crop cultivation and industrial setups that give animal feed as the by product. Growth promotional activities The indian animal feed industry has modern computerized plants and the latest equipment for analytical procedures and least-cost ration formulation and it employs the latest manufacturing technology. In India, most research work on animal feeds is practical and focuses on the use of by-products, the upgrading of ingredients and the enhancing of productivity. The country has entered into a period of liberalization and this is bound to influence the livestock industry. There is no shortage of compound animal feeds anywhere in the country. The organized sector of the compound feed industry is facing serious problems resulting from a huge idle capacity, to the extent of 50 percent or more. New capacities are being added by global participants of the feed business and by national as well as multinational integrators. The nature of animal feed and the poultry feed industry has completely changed. Types Meat-meal, fishmeal, bone- meal and dicalcium phosphate of bone origin are the common raw materials available for animal feeding. Fishmeal and meat-meal were popularly used in poultry feed, but the increased production improved availability and better awareness of soybean meal that led to replacing fishmeal and meat-meal in most poultry rations. Tags:- Animal Feed, Animal Feed Industry In India, Animal Feed Manufacturers In India, Animal Feed Suppliers, Poultry Feed