Questionner on Recruitment and Selection Process

Questionnaire Name: Gender: M/F Occupation: Contact number: 1. Does the organization clearly define the position, objectives, requirements and candidate specification in the recruitment process? oYes oNo 2. Which source is used by Zydus to hire new employees? oInternal oExternal oBoth 3. If internal, how they got their current position? oPromotion oTransfer oUp gradation oRetired employees 4. If external than which sources used by Zydus? oCampus interview oEmployees referrals oConsultant oAdvertisement oWalk ins oWebsite 5. Which type of interview method does company usually follow? Structured Interview oUnstructured Interview 6. What is the focus of interview? oPersonality oIntellectual ability oQualification oTechnical proficiencies oKnowledge oExperience 7. Treatment given to you when you came for interview at Zydus oVery satisfied oSatisfied oAverage oDissatisfied oVery dissatisfied 8. How well were the organization’s affirmative action needs clarified and supported in the selection process? oExcellent oAdequate oPoor 9. Where you provided appointment letter on the 1st day of the joining? oYes oNo 10. Was orientation/induction program provided to you? oYes oNo 11.Has your induction program helped you to understand your job, responsibilities, and performance standard? oYes oNo oNot Applicable 12. What type of induction training would you prefer? oOn job oOff job 13. How Induction is conducted? oBy Presentation oBy Premises oBy providing Manuals oAll Above 14. Explanation of norms, values and department policies and procedures oVery satisfied oSatisfied oAverage oDissatisfied 15. After recruitment and selection process have you under gone the period of probation? oYes oNo 16. How would you rate the HR department’s performance in recruitment and selection? oExcellent oGood oPoor

Absorbent Mind – Short Essay

The term â€Å"Absorbent Mind† was developed during Dr. Montessori’s seven-year internment in India. During this time period Montessori was able to work with older children. This experience helped her to recognize the unique aspects of the 0-6 child’s absorbent mind. The absorbent mind is categorized into two levels. The first level is that of unconscious learning, the period from ages 0-3. The child at this stage is learning through absorption of the environment, as well as through their innate instinctual nature.The second level of the Absorbent Mind is called the conscious level, which occurs between 3-6. At this time the child becomes physically active in her environment, exploring and pursuing activities with a desire for learning. Another key component to Dr. Montessori’s discovery of the Absorbent Mind was that of the child’s creative nature. â€Å"To explain the Childs self construction, Montessori concluded, he must possess within him, bef ore birth, a pattern for his psychic unfolding. † She referred to this inborn psychic entity of the child as a â€Å"spiritual embryo†. Associated essay: Montessori: Practical Life EssayIn order for the creative nature of the psychic embryo to develop the child’s horme, or biological needs, must be protected during the unconscious stage. This atmosphere of nurturing will allow the child’s innate creative nature or psychic embryo to develop to his full potentialities. During the two levels of the Absorbent mind the child is able to absorb all things present in her environment. The child will acquire the cultural norms and language of the culture. Montessori used two analogies to describe this period of development, the sponge and the camera.The child’s mind is like that of a sponge, absorbing everything in the environment. In the camera analogy, we think of the 0-3 child having taken pictures during the unconscious stage of development. Later the O-6 child will be able to develop these â€Å"pictures† or experiences and apply them to their direct learning. The role of movement for the 0-6 c hild is critical. As the child begins to move in the environment he experiences the surrounding objects. This experience of movement will enable the child to transition from the unconscious to the conscious learner.Dr. Montessori studied many different children, from many various cultures and through her observation she recognized that all these children were undergoing the same developmental process of the absorbent mind. Dr. Montessori went on to emphasize that the power of the Absorbent Mind is universal to all children. In order for the educator to aid the development of the child, she must create a prepared environment. This environment will allow for the child’s free exploration and most importantly the activity of the hands.

Behavior Therapy in a Multicultural Setting

Behavioral approach is based on the principle of explaining one’s behavior through observation. Through observation an individual is able to mimic the behaviors of others – a process more commonly known as learning. It is further believed that behavior is affected by our environment. Since behavior is learned, it can also be unlearned. This is one of the benefits of the behavioral approach.Therefore, behavior which is harmful to the society or runs against socially accepted norms may still be unlearned. As for behavior which serves to improve the state of the person, such behavior can be enhanced.The process of learning and changing a person’s environment are strong tools of behavioral therapists enabling them to address the particular needs of their clients. There are four major aspects of behavior therapy – (1) classical conditioning, (2) operant conditioning, (3) social learning theory, and (4) cognitive behavior therapy. Classical conditioning is the u se of significant associations to moderate behavior. Operant conditioning is the use of consequences to alter the condition and form of behavior. Cognitive behavior therapy is based on altering mental processes and behaviors, with the aim of influencing disturbed emotions.These can be applied in the work because these methods are not culture-specific. In a culturally diverse population, all except the social learning approach can be used for counseling. Social learning theory gives prominence to the reciprocal interactions between an individual’s behavior and the environment. This theory requires that individuals mimic observed actions after undergoing a process of understanding and internalizing the observed behavior. Since people coming from different cultures are exposed to different kinds of accepted behaviors, their internalization and understanding of social norms are also different.When counseling multi-racial individuals therefore, a view as to the particular culture from which the individuals came from must be taken. References Dayan, P. , Kakade, S. , & Montague, P. R. (2000). Learning and selective attention. Nature Neuroscience 3, 1218 – 1223. Kirsch, I. , Lynn, S. J. , Vigorito, M. & Miller, R. R. (2004). The role of cognition in classical and operant conditioning. Journal of Clinical Psychology 60, 369 – 392. McSweeney, F. K. , Hinson, J. M, & Cannon, C. B. (1996). Sensitization-habituation may occur during op

Economic Indicator Forecast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic Indicator Forecast - Essay Example State of Oregon projects that GDP will fall by 2.6% a rate that is not alarming in the short run given the resilience the economy has shown. Unemployment rate: Projections for unemployment (% of the labor force) are that the rate will be 5.2%. This is higher than the 4.7 % given by the Office of economic analysis (State of Oregon). The forecast is based on the fact that productivity growth rate has remained weak since 2004 GDP Deflator. IMF projects the figures for this indicator to be 2.0%. This is same as the figure given by the office of economic analysis Current account balance (% of GDP) IMF says that current account balance will decrease by 6.1% while the Office of economic analysis (State of Oregon) give their forecast as 5.0% this is attributed to the performance of the import market that will be adversely affected by the upward moving interest rates. Oil prices. Due to geopolitical factors namely volatility in the Middle East, and increasing demand especially in emerging mar kets, oil prices are set to remain high with both IMF and office of economic analysis agreeing on their projections that prices for the next quarter will be in the upward of $54 per barrel. Consumer price index (CPI). According to IMF, CPI will be 2.4% while the Office of economic analysis (State of Oregon) projects a 2.6% change. The rising cost of energy is among the factors that will influence this trend

Liberal Political Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Liberal Political Theory - Essay Example Liberalism has its roots in the Renaissance and the humanist movement, whilst liberal ideology was inadvertently developed further as a result of the Protestant Reformation, and the rise of capitalism. Prior to the emergence of liberalism it was generally accepted that governments had the power to dictate how their citizens actually behaved. The Protestant Reformation started in Germany but the factors that allowed it to survive effectively prevented the forming of a united German state or the complete success of the Protestant Reformation there. The Reformation though it was primarily about a concern to achieve religious reform had a profound influence upon the emergence of liberal thought and ideology (Chadwick, 1990, pp.63-64). The Reformation was in many respects the unwitting catalyst for both liberalism and capitalism. In the Protestant countries it broke the traditional partnership between the secular governments and the Roman Catholic Church. In the short-term the governments of the Protestant states usually gained increased powers to influence the beliefs as well as the behaviour of their populations. States were not at this point attempting to be neutral, as they wanted to control their people as much as they possibly could. The Medieval and the Early Modern view of the role of government was that the state had the full authority to make its citizens believe or behave in the ways that it wanted them to do (Royale, 2004 p. 5). All people within each country owed complete obedience to their government, which had the theoretical power (if not always the physical presence or military capability) to enforce its norms upon its entire population (Heywood, 2001 p. 29). In England, James I and Charles I found it impossible to maintain the traditionally sound relationships between the monarchy, Parliament, and the gentry class from which the majority of MPs,

Entrepreneurship & Innovation Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Entrepreneurship & Innovation - Dissertation Example As of 2010, more than half a billion people have embarked on new entrepreneurial ventures. One of these extraordinary entrepreneurs is Arthur Lok Jack. Arthur Lok Jack is an entrepreneur who possesses the following characteristics: risk-taker; innovative; has foresight and vision; resourceful; persistent; ambitious, intelligent and knowledgeable; hard-working; realistic; adaptable; business savvy; and practices networking. Risk-taking Risk-taking among entrepreneurs involves taking calculated actions designed to control and minimize the risks involved, at the same time ensuring that goals are achieved. This behaviour sets entrepreneurs apart from gamblers who depend on chance and from individuals who prefer to â€Å"play it safe† (Joseph 2003). Risk-taking behaviour is viewed as beneficial, as revealed in the positive association between risk and output wherein a higher level of risk increases the likelihood of getting impressive results (Analoui & Karami 2003). Penrose (1959) asserted that entrepreneurship involves determining opportunities within the economic system, including those which entail a high amount of risk. Rauch and Frese (2007) attributed risk-taking behaviour on the entrepreneur’s propensity to make decisions on situations which show low likelihood of success. This behaviour makes entrepreneurs stand out compared to risk-averse individuals. However, risk-taking may have different interpretations. For example, ordinary consumers might view such behaviour as reckless. On the other hand, business owners consider risk-taking as a move to minimize risk when making business decisions. Innovativeness Entrepreneurs constantly strive to find ways to develop and introduce new and unique products and services. Innovation may come in five forms: (1) introduction of a new product or improvement in the quality of existing ones; (2) new methods of production; (3) opening of new market; (4) new source of supply or raw materials or half-manufacture d goods; and (5) new industrial organization (Joseph 2003). Schumpeter (1935) envisioned an entrepreneur as an economic agent capable of creating novel combinations of production factors in response to investment opportunities. An entrepreneur is viewed as an indispensable element of the capitalist economy who embodies the principles of capitalist change, as well as industrial and technological change. There is mounting evidence that entrepreneurial innovativeness is significantly correlated to success. This applies to innovation on a personal and organizational level. Organizational level of innovation reflects how innovative an entrepreneur is. The relationship between innovation and success can be predominantly observed on new technology organizations compared to traditional industries (Rauch & Frese 2007). Rutherford and Holt’s (2007) investigation on the link between individual and corporate-level innovativeness pointed out two important facts. First, innovativeness is b ased on a personal willingness to develop and introduce improvements and innovations in work process. Second, individual focus on innovativeness is suggested since entrepreneurial activities are created and implemented by individuals. Foresight and vision Entrepreneurs are visionaries, able to foresee where the company should be in the future. Gillespie-Brown (2008) describes how an entrepreneur envisions the: (1) future of existing products and services; (2) reinvention of the business; and (3) generation of opportunities in present markets. Bellini (2005) defined foresight

Historical leaders (Harold Washington Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Historical leaders (Harold Washington - Essay Example Harold Washington, who was the first black mayor Of Chicago, was one such leader. His election was one of the single most important events in the Chicago's long and illustrious history (Preston, 1983). Born on April 15, 1922, Washington ascended the throne of the Mayor in 1983, and served until his death in 1987. Harold Lee Washington grew in the Bronzeville neighbourhood of Chicago, which at that time, was a major black residential area. In 1942, when Washington was 19, he was sent to the war as an Air Force Engineer. Originally he volunteered to be a part of the combat unit, but blacks were not considered qualified for that job. He served the Air Force for three years, and it was during these years that he understood the intricacies of racial discriminations and prejudices. This treatment also helped shape Washington's views on racial injustice and democracy. In 1946, Washington joined the Roosevelt College, which proved to be the brooding ground for his political activities. Immediately after joining the college, he became intensely involved with the activities and societies in college. He chaired a fund-raising drive by students, and then was named to a committee that supported citywide efforts to outlaw restrictive covenants, which were the legal means by which minorities were prohibited from leaving their ghettos. (Levinsohn 1983). It was here that he truly developed his leadership skills. His cool and composed character was revered by his colleagues, one of them once said that he had a "remarkable ability to keep cool, reason carefully and walk a middle line". He always declared his political boundaries, and never indulged in extreme activities. He treated his opponents with mutual respect, and never insulted their ideology. With the opportunities found only at Roosevelt College in the late 1940s, Washington's time at Roosevelt prov ed to be a pivotal point in his life and the city's history. (Levinsohn 1983). Thus one can see that he resourcefully utilised every opportunity that Roosevelt offered to him. At a relatively young age, he had already equipped himself with the tricks of the political game, and this knowledge assisted him greatly in his future political career. After earning his Bachelor's degree from Roosevelt College, Washington studied law at Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago. He continued his political engagements here, and was soon elected the treasurer of the Junior Bar Association, in spite of being the only black in his class. (Miller 1989). Soon after completing his professional education, Washington began working for Olympic athlete, Ralph Metclaffe in the offices of the third ward. While working under his ward boss, Washington began organising the 3rd Ward's Young Democrats Organisation on the sidelines. The Young Democrats pushed for various black centric resolutions and eventually gained popularity. Once again, Washington succeeded in walking the middle line, thus avoiding any sort of radicalism. Simultaneously, he also managed to make his and the YD's voice heard. Thus, by employing the tactics he had learned at Roosevelt, Washington continued to tread the political ladder slowly but steadily. One must also remember that these were the 1960's, when The Civil Rights Movement was at its very peak. The African

Examining Insurance Policies Part 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Examining Insurance Policies Part 3 - Essay Example Airport premises liability coverage is an additional coverage to an aircraft liability insurance policy that covers for bodily injury or property damage that results from the use of airport premises for both the parking and storage of the aircraft. This basically implies that the policy coverage will apply only to your premises (Prather 17). This policy will include any if not all of the following coverage; personal injury, premises and operations liability insurance, contractual and premises medical payment insurance. However, the good thing about this policy is that the policy may be tailored to meet the particular requirements of the insured. Hull and liability coverage will mainly cover the aircraft with all its components which include the engine, the propeller and all the other systems and the permanently attached equipment to the aircraft in addition to the avionics (viation Cases 1945). Under the aircraft liability coverage, claims from risks that ay result to property damage and bodily injury or death by members of the public and passengers. Some of the endorsements that I would recommend is the CGL policy coverage which can be provided to premises liability, products and completed operations. Other additional coverage that will be covered against include personal injury liability, liability incurred in advertising the host liquor liability in addition to hanger keepers coverage in the case of FBO operations (Prather 21). This coverage I believe would suit you best as you have other services like the class room instructions while also conducting aerial tours in his aerial photography side job. Some of the exclusions you should look out for include the ground hanger keepers’ legal liability which will come into play especially when you hire out the aircraft. The cover will provide for liability of damage to the property when the damage occurs as a result of negligence when the property is under the control

Plato's Allegory of the Cave Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Plato's Allegory of the Cave - Essay Example This is because we are being told lies every minute of our lives. Currently people are chained to a wall known as stereotypes. We are made to believe that the stereotypes we see in the media are precisely the same in reality, something which is not true. Most ignorant individuals have it that every Muslim is a terrorist .Generally, most people falsely believe that all American lasses are full figured idealists, Asians are quite smart, the Irish take Guinness the whole day, Canadians dwell in igloos, Mexicans are field laborer and Jamaicans are forever high. Most Americans currently think that anybody hailing from Middle East is a suicide bomber or a Muslim terrorist. The media which is the inferno behind us is portraying these stereotypes with ignorance fueling the inferno. People therefore, have to break free from the wall, get past the inferno and out of the cave to really observe things as they are in reality (Hanly, 2007). People thus, need to re-educate themselves on what they should believe about various nationalities as well as cultures surrounding us. Breaking free form the wall will allow us to view people for their individual characters and who they really are, instead of some ill thought of stereotypical

El Presidente Essay Example for Free

El Presidente Essay El Presidente tells the story of the Philippines very first president Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the deliverance of the Philippines from the hands of its colonists and the establishment of our first republic. Jeorge ER Estregan plays the lead role with Cesar Montano as Andres Bonifacio. The entire movie did not disappoint me as it was able to deliver what I was expecting based on the theatrical trailer they released. I am no expert when it comes to the Philippine History but I have some knowledge about our past so this films plot is not that new to me but this movie still gave me some new things about this particular matter of which I do not know if those were really part of our history or just an additional spice to the film to make it a little bit entertaining and that maybe because what director Meily described the movie as fiction film based on a historical figure according Abs-cbnnews. com. For example if my memory serves me correctly, I never read nor heard during my school days that the katipuneros used bow and arrows. In the movie especially during the ambush scenes, they use this kind of weapon to attack their enemies. Another thing is where Aguinaldo cut a small portion of skin on his arm and use his blood as an ink to sign a paper confirming his membership to the katipunan, in history I was taught that their would make that small cut in their arm but near their wrist and not on the other side of their arm just like what was done in the movie. One las last thing I noticed I which also impressed me is that both Bonifacio and Aguinaldo, in this film, know how to do a hand combat. The hand combat scenes were shown in the trailers and its nice to see them doing it not just fighting the Spaniards nor Americans their with swords, pistols and riffles. Performance of Jeorge Estregan as Aguinaldo is good but not great. He acted better in the Manila Kingpin than in this one. It was the performance of Cesar Montano as the Supremo that stole the scene, though those scenes of him is not that much, he was still able to portray the character of Bonifacio its great and he deserved to get the Best Supporting Actor Award for this one. Christopher De Leons portrayal of Gen. Antonio Luna is also a scene-stealer, I only knew Antonio Luna by name and nothing much of him until I saw this movie. While watching the movie, I thought they would not even mention Dr. Jose Rizal who was in prison and about to get executed during the time in the film as it was almost half of the entire movie has been shown and still no mention of Rizal until there was a meeting and the leaders of the Katipunan decided to have an election to establish the democratic government. In this kind of film especially a Filipino movie I am always expecting to see a feast or a simple gatherings where the characters would join and find time to relax while the conflict is at hand and again I thought I would never see this happens in this movie. I liked the entire rendition of the film and this is a kind of history-based movie that I would introduce to next generations of Filipinos to see not just to entertain them but also to educate them. Now I start to wonder what the Scenema Concept International and Viva Films to offer us in the next Metro Manila Film Festival.

Effect of Alcoholic Parent on Child

Effect of Alcoholic Parent on Child Behavioral Problems in Children with Alcoholic Parents Introduction Children tend to have behavioral problems when they have an alcoholic parent or parents. There are studies that link children of alcoholics to be at a higher risk of behavior problems, mental and physical health problems, social problems, and substance abuse problems later in life (Christensen, 2000 p.219 and Vernig, 2011 p.536). Alcoholism is a big issue when it comes to the development of children because some alcoholics tend to miss their children’s events, not be around all the time, or are too drunk to be mentally present. Children are also impressionable at young ages and tend to follow in their parents footsteps which is why children, especially young ones, need parents who are good, strong role models that set good examples and teach them. Alcoholic parents probably struggle in this department and set bad examples of how to cope with certain aspects of life. Children see this and act accordingly while developing many issues of their own throughout childhood and adultho od. The behavior of alcoholic parents has a huge impact on the way their children behave. Children of alcoholics have trouble with social situations and often have to do more help to keep the family together than normal families. They usually try to get attention, struggle in school, and are much more prone to mental and physical illnesses. Alcoholic parents often are associated with being absent in their children’s lives, whether they physically are not around, or they are mentally not around. This causes children to act out for attention. That could include getting into trouble at school, acting out at home, or other forms of acting out for attention. Parents who are absent because of their alcoholism cause their children to become important roles in the house to help out the â€Å"enabler† or the nonalcoholic parent, according to Peter Vernig (2011). Peter Vernig also states that oldest child often steps up to help the other parent. This causes issues mentally, physically, and socially with the child later in life. The entire family suffers from the parent’s habits (Vernig, 2011 p.535). Children other than the eldest child suffer as well, maybe to get attention from their siblings, or either parent. The other children in the family have their own roles and each has its own problems. For example, one often receives the least amount of attention and feels rejected because this child is often overlooked which causes mental illnesses from being neglected. The youngest child is typically a distraction from the heavy feelings of the family issues. Intelligence is not highly expected in this child. The second eldest child is used to draw attention away from the issue at hand. This child is the most prone to legal trouble, trouble in school, and they are most likely to be drug and alcohol abusers of all the children in a family. (Vernig, 2011 p.535-537) These categories break down which child is most likely to develop certain issues over the other children. Body One of the biggest problems with children of alcoholics is that they tend to be more prone to mental illnesses. Many children struggle with hyperactivity problems, anxiety, depression, low self esteem, and psychosomatic reactions (Christensen, 2000 p.219).   These emotional problems are a result of their parent’s actions. These children grow up seeing their parent in situations that create added stress for them. The parent may or may not be abusive, or may be absent for important things. Maybe the parent even argues with their children over certain matter that influence less support (Barerra, 1993 p. 603). This can lower the child or childrens’ self esteem. Low self esteem leads to or can lead to real mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. These children are much more likely to have substance abuse problems early in life. Some of the reasoning behind that is the genetics of mental health disorders, such as alcoholism, but some of it is because children with anxiety and depression can turn to drugs and alcohol to cope (Puttler 1998, Serec 2012, Vernig 2011).   Children of alcoholics’   mental health problems create issues for them not only during childhood, but also later in life (Vernig 2011, Serec 2012, Puttler 1998, Eiden 2009, Sher 2007). Their adulthoods often include some form of substance abuse often caused by their mental health problems. Alcoholics typically also have depression or anxiety of some form (Eiden 2009).   Children of alcoholics feel neglected because their parent or parents do not always pay attention to them, or they have to give up being a child in order to replace the support of their alcoholic parent. The oldest child steps up, while the younger children begin to feel neglected and ignored. These children act out and develop these mental problems as a result of the little attention they are paid. In early stages of development these children need more attention and care and often do not receive it. This causes anxiety, depression, and hyperactivity disorders (Eiden 2009, Vernig 2011, Puttler 1998). Physical illnesses are common in children of alcoholics just as the mental illnesses are. Children in these situations tend to become more prone to illnesses, especially in earlier childhood stages like infants, toddlers, preschool age, and middle school ages. These children need a lot of support, love, and help from their parents and lack of their basic needs causes more physical illnesses to occur. They need to be taken care of and given lots of attention. Studies show that alcoholic parents possess lower quality parenting skills than those of nonalcoholic parents (Eiden 2009). Children in preschool or of preschool age are 65% more likely to come down with illnesses such as colds and coughs more than other children. They are also more likely to have allergies and anemia or to be over or under weight   (Serec, 2012). Due to the poor parenting skills of alcoholic parents, children at young stages are more at risk to be hospitalized for their illnesses or injuries. They are more likely to spend more days in the hospital, need more medical treatment, and get more injuries than children without alcoholic parents (Serec, 2012). These children are not treated properly at home, or not as well as they should be taken care of. Physical illnesses occur in the children in adolescence as well, but are more common in those of the younger children. Aggravation of alcoholic parents towards their children is more likely than that of nonalcoholic parents, so that is possibly an aspect of why children tend to become sicker when their parents are alcoholics. Children of all ages try to get attention from their parent or parents when one or both of them are alcoholics. It is natural for the human body to need (or crave) love and attention. Younger children often need more love and attention as their brains develop, learn, and grow. Children cannot likely develop correctly when these needs are ignored. 8-27% of all children are said to have one or both parents that have an alcohol problem (Serec 2012). That means that 8-27% of the child population struggles with these problems and likely feels unwanted or wants attention and approval from their parents. Young children struggle more with attention problems because they have yet to establish a solid foundation or identity for themselves. They need the support from their parents. In order to get attention children will act out in school, get into trouble with the law, or just create trouble in general. They might intentionally fail in classes to get some attention. References Barrera, M., Chassin, L., & Rogosch, F. (1993). Effects of social support and conflict on adolescent children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic fathers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(4), 602-612. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.64.4.602 Christensen, H. B., & Bilenberg, N. (2000). Behavioural and emotional problems in children of alcoholic mothers and fathers. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 9(3), 219-226. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s007870070046 Eiden, R. D., Colder, C., Edwards, E. P., & Leonard, K. E. (2009). A longitudinal study of social competence among children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic parents: Role of parental psychopathology, parental warmth, and self-regulation. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 23(1), 36-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0014839 Eiden, R. D., Molnar, D. S., Colder, C., Edwards, E. P., & Leonard, K. E. (2009). A conceptual model predicting internalizing problems in middle childhood among children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic fathers: The role of marital aggression. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 70(5), 741-750. http://dx.doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2009.70.741 Puttler, L. I., Zucker, R. A., Fitzgerald, H. E., & Bingham, C. R. (1998). Behavioral outcomes among children of alcoholics during the early and middle childhood years: Familial subtype variations. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 22(9), 1962-1972. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00000374-199812000-00011 Serec, M., Ã…  vab, I., KolÃ… ¡ek, M., Ã…  vab, V., Moesgen, D., & Klein, M. (2012). Health-related lifestyle, physical and mental health in children of alcoholic parents. Drug and Alcohol Review, 31(7), 861-870. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-3362.2012.00424.x Sher, K. J. (2007). Psychological characteristics of children of alcoholics. Alcohol Health & Research World, 21(3), 247. http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=8b877c18-70ab-46b2-9733-946de849a88f%40pdc-v-sessmgr01&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=106080239&db=ccm Vernig, P. M. (2011). Family roles in homes with alcohol-dependent parents: An evidence-based review. Substance Use & Misuse, 46(4), 535-542. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2010.501676

Female Genital Mutiliation

Female Genital Mutiliation Female Genital Mutilation According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, means partial or complete non-therapeutic removal or injury of each of the external female genitals for religious or cultural reasons (utz-billing Kentenich 225). FGM is an injury, physical and mental harm towards women and girls. Female Genital Mutilation has existed for over two thousand years, and over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in about 30 countries (Wilson 2013). It happens to 2 million girls every year (utz-billing Kentenich 226). FGM is performed mainly in Africa. (utz-billing Kentenich 226). A narrative coming from the article from Bulletin of the World Health Organization describes a real story, â€Å"I was just seven years old when I was cut,† said Leyla Hussein, a British woman of Somali origin. â€Å"The first thing I hears was my sister screaming. Then it was my turn. Four women held me down while they cut my clitoris. I felt every single cut. The pain was so intense – I blacked out.† (Shetty,Priya 6). Instruments that are used to execute FGM are unsterilized knives, razors, scalpels, pieces of broken glass, and so forth, or sterilized instruments under medical conditions (utz-billing Kentenich 226). The ages of girls/women when they undergo circumcision differ regionally (utz-billing Kentenich 225). In Ethiopia and Nigeria, 7- to 8-day-old babies are mutilated. In Somalia, Sudan and Egypt, girls, between 5 and 10 years old, experience circumcision. In some regions in East Africa, women undergo the circumcision during the wedding night, in some regions in West Africa during their first pregnancy (utz-billing Kentenich 225). There are four types of FGM in practice. Type one (clitoridectomy) means â€Å"removal of the clitoral foreskin†; type two (excision) stands for â€Å"removal of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minor†; type three (infibulation) stands for â€Å"removal of the clitoris and the labia minora and majora†; other types such as â€Å"pricking, piercing of clitoris or vulva, scraping of the vagina†, and so forth, are classified as type four (utz-billing Kentenich 226). Many of women and girls who have undergone some forms of FGM suffer severe mental, physical and social consequences. Women will suffer different types of physical consequences of FGM, such as â€Å"bleeding, wound infections, sepsis, shock, micturition problems, fractures, and so forth, as well as undertaking chronic physical problems like â€Å"anemia, infections of the urinary tract, incontinence, infertility, pain, menstruation problems, dyspareunia, and so on (utz-billing Kentenich 225). Mental consequences of women after undergoing FGM include the feelings of â€Å"incompleteness, fear, inferiority and suppression† that have a great impact on the whole life of women (utz-billing Kentenich 227). FGM also causes sexual problems such as loss of sexual desire caused by dyspareunia and reduced or no ability to have an orgasm are confirmed (utz-billing Kentenich 227). According to the record from Utz-billing and Kentenich, women have some symptoms of â€Å"chronic irritability and nightmares’, and woman also have a higher risk for â€Å"psychiatric diseases† such as â€Å"depressions, psychosis, neurosis and psychosomatic diseases† (utz-billing Kentenich 227). Ground on the interview study done by 47 women in Senegal, over 90 % of patients count FGM as a traumatic experience and depict feelings of â€Å"helplessness, fear, horror and severe pain†; 78% did not expect the intervention; nearly 80% had â€Å"severe fear or affective disorders† after FGM (utz-billing Kentenich 227). FGM is deeply rooted in the tradition and culture of a society (utz-billing Kentenich 225); in some cultures or societies, FGM is being performed since the mists of time. Female Genital Cutting is a social norm, which means that men and women often support FGM without question since it is a conventional practice that has occurred in communities from generations to generations (orchid project website). FGM serves the encouragement of the patriarchal family system and can be an instrument for birth control (utz-billing Kentenich 226). FGM is considered as being closely connected with cleanliness, virginity, healthiness, beauty and morality (orchid project website). In some societies, the mutilated genital is a symbol of feminity, of transition from girl to woman and of beauty (utz-billing Kentenich 226). In some communities, the girl who does not experience circumcision is considered as â€Å"unclean and sexually promiscuous†(orchid project website). On the other side, many communities believe that a girl needs to be cut in order to marry well; even though mothers do not want their daughters to be mutilated because of her own painful experience, she is less likely to quit the practice as a result of â€Å"social sanctions in place† (orchid project website). In other words, the girls who are cut will have a good marriage because the goal is to guarantee moral behavior and faithfulness of women to their husband, and it also promotes purity and enhances fertility (utz-billing Kentenich 226). On this basis, FGM also serves for protection of the woman from suspicions and disgrace (utz-billing Kentenich 226), and the girls will be thought to be cleaner, more fertile and will be a virgin until her wedding night (orchid project website). In addition, economic reasons play an important role in practicing FGM. â€Å"Parents get money for the pride proportionally to the degree of the operation† (utz-billing Kentenich 226). Women who experienced FGM have good incomes and have a high social status (utz-billing Kentenich 226). Based on the research which a total of 500 Nigerian women answered the reasons for FGM done by utz-billing Kentenich, we could know that 95% response that FGM is executed for cultural and traditional reasons; 49% said that FGM helps to prevent promiscuity; 18% answered that not mutilated vulva is ugly; 11% believed that FGM prevents the death of male newborns; 9% claimed that the reason to perform FGM is due to pressure of relatives; 6% reported religious reasons (utz-billing Kentenich 226). Concerning human rights, none of the cultural, religious, or social reasons for the performance of FGM could be accepted, since FGM has no health benefits and always leave women with lifelong physical and emotional trauma, and FGM objects women the right of freedom from bodily detriment. FGM is already condemned by many international organizations; the fight to end FGM is now global, with international agencies such as WHO, the World Medical Association, the UNESCO, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICER), and so forth (utz-billing Kentenich 228), and has strong support from governments. Looking back to history, international pressure to end FGM has been aggrandizing since 1997, when the WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA issued a joint statement calling on governments to ban the practice (Shetty,Priya 6). The commitment was renewed in 2008 and, in 2012, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to enhance efforts towards the elimination of FGM (Shetty,Priya 6). Great Britain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Belgium have specific laws that ban FGM (utz-billing Kentenich 228). Africa, Egypt, Benin, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bisson, Kenya, Niger, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and the Central African Republic are in the course of e liminating the practice of FGM with specific laws (utz-billing Kentenich 228). Canada, USA, New Zealand and Australia also have laws against FGM (utz-billing Kentenich 228). For instance, in Germany, FGM is regarded as a simple, dangerous, serious bodily injury, manslaughter, or maltreatment of wards; offenders who execute FGM can be sentenced to 15-year imprisonment (utz-billing Kentenich 228). Throughout history, the very first international seminar about FGM was held in 1979, â€Å"recommending the adoption of clear national policies, establishment of national commissions, intensification of general public awareness, and TBA education† (Wilson 27). After several decades of doing cross-agency evaluated studies, papers, and articles recommending methods to eliminate FGM, and holding many conferences, six key factors for waiving FGM have become well recognized by NGOs and government bodies as good practice. These six key elements are â€Å"a non-coercive, non-judgmental human rights approach†, â€Å"community awareness raising of the harmfulness of the practice†, â€Å"the decision to abandon needs to be collective†, â€Å"requirement of community public affirmation of abandonment†, â€Å" intercommunity diffusion of the decision†, and â€Å"a supportive, change-enabling environment† (Wilson 27). Based on the six key factors mentioned above, ascertaining the most effective and suitable strategies for eliminating FGM has become a controversial issue referring to moral, disease, and legal models (Wilson 27). Furthermore, according to Diop, in order to effectively end FGM, â€Å"human rights-based education programs should be continued, legislation against FGM should be enforced and funding both locally and nationally for initiatives to end FGM should be increased† (Priya Shetty 7). Adopting a commonly stands, some argue that practicing FGM should be condemned and punished by legislation; however, formal legislation is considered as a poor instrument in terms of cultural change (Wilson 27). Moreover, the legislative approach does not work effectively. The situation is that several sovereign states have legislation which outlaw the practice of FGM, either as a specific criminal act or as an act of bodily hard or injury, and many states have an extraterritoriality clause which makes it unlawful for their citizens to go abroad to let FGM practice (Brown, Katherine, David Beecham, and Hazel Barrett 3). UK’s Female Genital Mutilation Act (2003) only applies to those who have permanent residency rights, so people having temporary residency visas, such as students, undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, and so forth, are uncommitted (Brown, Katherine, David Beecham, and Hazel Barrett 3). Therefore, as Diop said, legislation against FGM should be tougher and b e enforced so that FGM can be effectively solved. In other words, what governments should do is to implement appropriate legislation and policies to keep girls from being taken overseas and undergone the circumcision. Simple education campaigns that are designed to impart knowledge on the disadvantageous health outcomes of FGM can be problematic as well, although these education campaigns do a little work (Wilson 27). Women in some countries are not given the same educational opportunities as men. In other words, women have very little power; if they want to end the cycle of mutilation, they would be left behind and would be in trouble (Emily Deruy News). Since FGM is deeply rooted in the tradition and culture of a society, women fear that if they do not make their girls cut, these girls would not be good for marriage, which would make their lives be full of exclusion and poverty in many places (Emily Deruy News). Advocating education can be a possible solution for ending FGM. Education could lead women to the labor market, which would have an impact on weakening traditional family structures. School should be playing an important part in raising awareness of FGM. An education program adopted by every school can provide a breakthrough in cultural attitudes (Nursing Standard 35). School can also impart knowledge to girls from people from different cultures and from mentors who do not support FGM; in the meanwhile, girls may be less likely to continue the cycle of mutilation (Emily Deruy News). Not only women and girls should be educated, but also men and boys should be educated. Educating men and boys about the harm and risk of FGM is considerable. One report released by UNICEF presents data demonstrating that in many countries where FGM takes place â€Å"most women and men think the practice should end† (Priya Shetty 6). But the problem is that even though men want the FGM to end but th ey have to follow it because of social reasons (Emily Deruy News). On this point, the status of women should be increased via education so that women could have abilities to fight for themselves; however, increasing the status of women is also a complex and deep problem involving culture, societies, and tradition. Public declaration for ending FGM could be a possible solution. According to David Adam, â€Å"by spreading the message of abandonment along their social networks, neighboring communities are introduced to the idea of abandonment, often reducing or even removing resistance to the idea† (Priya Shetty 7). This solution works effectively. For example, the very first public declaration took place in Senegal in 1997, and since then the number of community abandoning FGM has grown exponentially (Orchid Project website). Moreover, communities in Guinea, Somalia and the Gambia have done public declarations of abandoning practice, which is good, and other communities are declaring as well (Orchid Project website). In addition, FGM messaging that encourages abandonment can be introduced in the social media, which could draw attention to people all over the world and let people start focusing on FGM (Orchid Project website). Also religious leaders, government officials, celebrities, and superstars can take good advantage of their influential voices in order to contribute to support FGM abandonment (Orchid Project website). Not only NGOs and governments want to abandon FGM, but also churches in Kenya are uniting in effort to end female genital mutilation. The Kenyan bishops and other faith groups are combined together to form a committee to help to end the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (National Catholic Reporter 6). Since â€Å"the church is interested in promoting values and cultures that will enhance human life†, what they have done is to sign the national plan for the clergy to outlaw the execution of FGM, and they consider FGM as a â€Å"retrogressive† practice which â€Å"degrades a woman’s life†(National Catholic Reporter 6). So the churches in Kenya think that FGM must be stopped. In short, compared to what NGOs and governments have done, churches do not have great influence on ending FGM, but churches play a helpful role in assisting to end FGM. Overall, those people and organizations that do not support FGM are always trying to find some ways to stop FGM; however, what they have done does not effectively play a part in ending practices in short term, but their efforts do work. Whereas, the progress in ending FGM is slow. On the basis of data from Priya Shetty, the rates of FGM in a few countries are decreasing. In Kenya, these rates in women aged 15- to 49- year-old fell from 38% in 1998 to 26% in 2008; in the Central African Republic, rates fell from 43% in 1994 to 24% in 2010 (Shetty,Priya 6). After several decades of effort by every single movement of abandoning Female Genital Mutilation, according to the UNFPA/UNICEF Joint Program, 10,000 communities have abandoned Female Genital Mutilation all over the world, which is a good sign (Orchid Project website). This phenomenon occurs in the countries, such as Senegal, Mauritania, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria (Orchid Project website). This data tells us that attitudes towards FGM have been changing in countries, even though it is not that obvious; however, this means even if the execution of FGM is still universal, there is a change in opinions taking place, which could help to pave the way for further action (Orchid Project website). In the light of Orchid Project website, some countries in West Africa made huge progress on FGM abandonment. For instance, over 5,500 villages have abandoned FGM in Senegal (Orchid Project website). It is still sad to know that more than 3 million female infants and children are at risk for undergoing FGM annually (Sipsma 120). The existence of FGM gives these innocent girls and women lifetime pain and injury. I think the existence of FGM is so ridiculous, and it is also ridiculous that women and men in some regions still subject to practice because of tradition, culture, and society, even though they all think FGM should end. Good thing is that some West Africa countries, like Senegal, stop executing FGM and attitudes towards practicing FGM is changing as well. According to this current trend, I could say confidently that ending FGM is a long-term program and is just around the corner, if every single person, NGO, and government continues to work on the projects of ending FGM whole-heartedly. Work Cited Brown, Katherine, David Beecham, and Hazel Barrett. The Applicability Of Behaviour Change In Intervention Programmes Targeted At Ending Female Genital Mutilation In The EU: Integrating Social Cognitive And Community Level Approaches. Obstetrics Gynecology International (2013): 1-12. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. Churches Unite In Effort To End Female Genital Mutilation. National Catholic Reporter 39.26 (2003): 6. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. Emily Deruy, â€Å"How Realistic Are the New ‘Solutions’ to the Female Genital Mutilation Epidemic?† ABC News (2013). http://abcnews.go.com/ABC_Univision/News/realistic-solutions-female-genital-mutilation/story?id=19750777singlePage=true> Web. 11 Dec. 2014 â€Å"Orchid Project†, http://orchidproject.org/category/about-fgc/why-fgc-happens/> Shetty, Priya. Slow Progress In Ending Female Genital Mutilation. Bulletin Of The World Health Organization 92.1 (2014): 6-7. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. Sipsma, Heather L., et al. Female Genital Cutting: Current Practices And Beliefs In Western Africa. Bulletin Of The World Health Organization 90.2 (2012): 120-127F. Academic Search Premier. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. Utz-Billing, I., and H. Kentenich. Female Genital Mutilation: An Injury, Physical And Mental Harm. Journal Of Psychosomatic Obstetrics Gynecology 29.4 (2008): 225-229. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. Wilson, Ann-Marie. How The Methods Used To Eliminate Foot Binding In China Can Be Employed To Eradicate Female Genital Mutilation. Journal Of Gender Studies 22.1 (2013): 17-37. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.

Teatro Campensino :: Mexico Spanish Essays

Teatro Campensino Teatro Campensino can be described as an artistic outreach program with political ramifications, the actors are farm workers that find it necessary to spread their message throughout villages composed primarily of poor, Mexican farm workers. The group performs skits that attack "white-washed Mexicans", the Vietnam War, and racism. In "Los Vendidos", director and writer Luis Valdez tackles issues that have plagued Mexican- American history. In fact, by analyzing his play one can deduce several social stigmas and draw parallels to the actual history through the character skits in the play. Furthermore, in order to analyze this play one must delve into the setting, name, characters, and the social ramifications of their situations in order to fully incorporate the scope that this play affects. The name of the play itself has social and political ramifications, that is it reflects the Mexican situation throughout history. Furthermore, the literal meaning of the title is quite ambivilous, "venderse" means to sellout, to betray, or to give away. This can be applied to how Mexicans are treated by Americans and other Mexicans. For instance, Mexicans have been discriminated against for generations, ever since the Spanish conquest. They have been "repatriated" into Mexico during the 1930s, and they have never received the same political or social programs that Anglo- Americans have, such as schools. However, it has also become evident that Mexicans have discriminated against each other throughout the years for various reasons. One of the most prevalent was the schism in the Mexican community between the "American- born of Mexican Parents†¦", "†¦those born and raised in Mexico†¦", and "†¦the largest group were those born in the United States whose parental line age ran back to the original settlers and the early immigrants of the Southwest." (Morin qtd. in Vargas 305). The Old Mexicans, those that were living in the present day United States were somewhat assimilated and accepted by Anglo- Americans because they were a good source of labor. However, the migratory patterns of Mexican immigrants, legal and illegal, allowed the farm owners greater accessibility to a cheap labor force. In fact, the migrations sent the wage of a farmhand to the basement and the Old Mexicans resented this phenomenon. Another way in which this play explores the social and political history of the Mexican-American is through the analysis of the set. For instance, in the window "Honest Sanchos Used Mexicans" indicates that the stereotypical Mexicans "sold" in the store are accurate representations of all Mexicans.

Physics of Black Holes :: physics science space

What are Black Holes? A black hole is theorized to be a collection of collapsed matter of whose gravitational pull is so strong that not even light can escape its force. The matter is is forced in a very, very tiny area and therefore the matter is very dense. Since light cannot escape, they are considered to be truly black. This, obviously, makes it hard to detect an actual black hole, and therefore, have only been theorizd to exist. These theories are slowly turning into "conclusive evidence." This evidence includes the particle dust given off from matter entering the black hole, as well as observations of orbits of bodies near the black hole. Black holes are usually formed after supernova explosions, in which the remnants of this explosion implodes within itself. It will continue to condense to a volume of zero and infinite density. This is known as a singularity. How do we know? History Karl Swarzschild first came up with the concept of black holes in 1916. This was based upon Einstein's theory of relativity. The Swarzschild radius is the radius where the escape velocity equals the speed of light. The Swarzschild radius can be calculated using the escape velocity equation: vesc = (2GM/R)^1/2 Substituting the speed of light for the v: R = 2GM/c^2 If you notice, the Swarzschild radius is only dependent upon the mass of the body. Anything that enters this radius will not exit, due to the tremendous amount of gravitational pull. So, How do we know? Again, as mentioned earlier, we can't directly observe a black hole. We can, however, make observations to the surroundings around the black hole. It used to be that theorists were the only scientific persons who acknowledged an existence of black holes, however, today, the story is quite different. The popular idea today is that black holes do exist and are common in all the galaxies so far investigated. One reason is Einstein's theory of General Relativity. This theory accounts for the existence of black holes, and if they do not exist, then the General Relativity theories by Einstein would be wrong. Considering all the tests and experiements done to date to try and disprove this theory have all been rejected, this seems unlikely. Also, scientists today look for high concentration of mass in a small area. Calculations and technology allow this to happen. Another factor in proving the existence of black holes is the Hubble Space Telescope. The Hubble Space Telescope has accumulated a large amount of data and information supporting the existence of black holes.

Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic Essay

Aldo Leopold is considered to be one of the greatest philosophers of environmental ethics of all time. Scientist, forester, environmentalist, and professor at the University of Wisconsin, Leopold has influenced and shaped today’s environmental ethics. He impacted many environmentalists with his environmental ethics and emphasized the importance of biodiversity and ecology. Leopold’s most praised work is â€Å"Land Ethic† in A Sand County Almanac that he wrote. In this essay he emphasized the importance of conserving our environment and being part of it, instead of destroying it. In Aldo Leopold’s essay he wrote â€Å"land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such.† This means that us as humans and the top predator on Earth should take care of the environment and not destroy it by depleting on its resources. Leopold explains in his essay that everything in the environment depends on one another to survive and keep a healthy environment. Leopold experienced this first hand while he was a forest manager in Arizona and New Mexico; he believed that they should kill all the predators, wolves, to allow deer populations to grow. But as he analyzed it deeper he began to see the healthy balance the ecosystem had. Instead of us humans acting like the top predator or conqueror of the earth, we should consider ourselves as just another member of the ecosystem that cannot survive alone. We also depend on the other members of the ecosystem to survive and maintain a healthy environment. Aldo Leopold’s Land Ethic applies to my final paper topic on acid rain because we as humans consider ourselves to be the conqueror of this earth. We do lots of things that are harming our environment and acid rain is just one of the many effects humans have on our environment. Acid rain happens because there are excessive amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere, and the reason why there is lots of CO2 in the atmosphere is because we produce it by burning fossil fuels for energy. For example driving your car and powering your home. All this CO2 in the atmosphere causes acid rain. Not only does acid rain impact us but it also impacts the environment. It lowers the pH level in lakes, killing many species of fish, loosing biodiversity and can cause the extinction of various species. By killing different species of fish, we are not respecting our land ethics because we are not caring for the other members of the environment and we need those members to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Land Ethic means respect for another member of the environment and for the community; we humans do not have the right to wipe out other species because we are the top predators. We must have respect for the all of the members in the environment and community to properly maintain a healthy and well balanced ecosystem.

Transatlantic Change in North American Colonies

Included in these changes were: lab or source, kinds of labor, organization of labor, race and the types of crops/ agriculture needed. These changes ere more significant because they lead to even more changes, development s, improvements, troubles, etc. Which all lead to society today. Over time, the demand for labor remained the same; things needed to be pro educed, which meant labor was needed in order to provide suppliers/ consumers with whatever they wanted/ needed.The source of that needed labor, however, did change. Indentured SE ravens were the source of labor throughout the colonies, but in 161 9, the first group of people were brought from Africa to the Americas to become slaves. To some, slavery was discovered to be much cheaper and more efficient that indentured servitude: mass amount s of Africans could be brought over to America at once, and they could easily be sold and try added anywhere among the colonies where need be.To others though, there wasn't much of a need for slaves. People still favored indentured servants, whom they'd been using for q tutee a while already, because they felt more of a personal servitude with them, so they we area bit reluctant to give them up. Indentured servitude would soon be almost overshadowed b slavery though, because 30 years after 1 793, comes the cotton gin which will raise the importance of plantations, thus increasing slave demand.Even still though, the labor source changed from indentured servitude to slavery, as did a change occur from subsistence farm s to plantations. With this change from farms to plantations, came a change from subsistence crops to marketed crops such as tobacco and, the most famous, cotton; all of this can be seen as a result of the major population growth and expansion of the county, as well a importation/ exportation changes (trading slaves for goods, triangular trade).To restate, concluding, continuity was maintained in aspects such as demand d/need for labor, need for crops/ agric ulture, importation, etc. It was the changes (labor source, which crops/ type of agriculture is used, what is being imported/ exported) that occurred from transatlantic interactions that hold even more significance because they lead t o changes, improvements, developments, etc.

Language Of Race Essay

(Review of Lawrence Blum, â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬ : The Moral Quandary of Race (Ithaca; Cornell University Press, 2002). Theory and Research in Education 1(3), pp. 267-281. ) Lawrence Blum’s book, â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬ : The Moral Quandary of Race, is excellent and thought-provoking. It is a model of moral philosophy done well, and, as importantly, done with a purpose. At no point does one wonder, as one does with all too much moral philosophy these days, â€Å"Why does this matter? † Blum makes it clear from the start why we should care about the language and concepts of race and racism, and he does a brilliant job of integrating careful philosophical analysis with contemporary examples, historical explication, and creative thought experiments. Blum’s purpose is basically two-fold: first, to fight against racism and racial injustice by proving that the notion of â€Å"race† is both descriptively false and morally inimical and replacing it with the more accurate and useful notion of â€Å"racialized group†; and second, to enable and promote productive dialogue about racism and racial inequality, especially between members of different racialized groups. He is explicit only about the second of these aims — as he comments in the preface and reiterates in similar terms throughout the book, â€Å"If we agree that racism is so important, don’t we need to know what it is? How can we talk intelligently, especially across racial lines, unless we do? † (p. viii) — but the first aim clearly determines the structure and content especially of the second half of the book. In both cases, Blum suggests that language is a key: we can both move forward in the fight against racial injustice and promote cross-racial dialogue about racism and other racial ills, he suggests, if we analyze and clarify what we mean by certain words that are often used too loosely (such as â€Å"racist† and â€Å"racial 2 discrimination†); recapture other terms that have inappropriately been divested of moral weight (such as â€Å"racial insensitivity† and â€Å"prejudice†); and abandon the language of â€Å"race† altogether because its history of use has made it inherently misleading. This is the primary thrust of the book. In this essay, I will question Blum’s emphasis on language and naming. I will suggest that disagreements about the racial language we use, such as about â€Å"what racism is,† are integral elements of the debate about race and racial injustice, rather than something that can and should be resolved ahead of time. Although Blum characterizes his analysis of racial language as being merely clarificatory, therefore, and designed to advance cross-racial dialogue from the outside, as it were, I will argue that instead he is doing something far different. At best, he is staking a partisan position within the debate itself; at worst, he is cutting it off from the start by building the answers to most of the important questions about racism and racial discrimination into his definitions. In addition to these methodological concerns, I also will query the practical results of implementing the linguistic shifts Blum proposes. I will argue, first, that implementation of â€Å"racialized group†-talk will be harder than Blum suggests (even among people who fully accept his arguments and are willing and even eager to abandon â€Å"race† in favor of â€Å"racialized group†), and second, that it is unlikely to have the social psychological effects Blum predicts. In both of these cases, I will consider teachers’ practices in implementing anti-racist curricula as an important test case, since teachers (along with parents and the media) play a crucial role in shaping the racial language and attitudes of the next generation. i Before I tackle these issues, however, a brief summary of (and a couple of quibbles with) â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are in order. 3 Blum establishes the moral and conceptual grounding for his project in his first and longest chapter, â€Å"‘Racism’: Its Core Meaning. † In this chapter, Blum provides a deft historical, moral, and conceptual analysis of â€Å"racist† and â€Å"racism. † He is concerned to construct a definition that preserves the strong moral opprobrium that attaches to â€Å"racism† while avoiding the â€Å"conceptual inflation,† â€Å"moral overload,† and â€Å"categorical drift† that have come to characterize the terms â€Å"racism† and â€Å"racist† — i. e. , the indiscriminate application of these terms to a wide variety of categories (such as motives, beliefs, acts, and people) encompassing any and all â€Å"racial ills† from bigotry to prejudice to racial discomfort, as well as even to non-racial ills such as discrimination based on age, religion, nationality, or physical appearance. By contrast, Blum limits the application of â€Å"racism† to things stemming specifically from antipathy and/or an inferiorizing attitude toward a racial group. He shows why antipathy and inferiorizing are both sufficient and necessary to his definition — for example, one may feel benevolent toward blacks in part because one feels superior to them, but feel antipathetic toward Asians because one assumes they are smarter than oneself; both attitudes would be properly classified as racist, and he argues persuasively that all other examples of racism could fit into one or both of these broad categories. Hence, Blum shows, although racism can be attributed to motives, acts, people, symbols, beliefs, images, epithets, remarks, attitudes, individuals, societies, and institutions (all categories that Blum discusses in detail), each attribution must be independently justified; one cannot just assume that a person who displays a racist symbol, for example, is a racist herself, or even that she necessarily has racist motives. In this respect, Blum is sensitive to the mitigating (although still morally suspect) issues of individual ignorance, unreflective adoption of social norms and behaviors, and unconscious attitudes, any of which may cause an individual to appear but not to be racist, or alternatively to be racist in fact, but to have adopted these racist attitudes 4 subconsciously or even unconsciously. ii Finally, in this chapter Blum gives significant attention not just to racism’s definition but also to its particular moral character. He argues that racism is morally evil not just because it violates â€Å"general moral norms† such as equality, respect, and good will, but also because of its â€Å"integral tie† to historical â€Å"race-based systems of oppression† that were clearly evil. â€Å"‘ Racism’ draws its moral valence from this historical context in two ways. First, the mere fact that these historical systems were based on race provides some of that opprobrium, even if current instances of racism no longer take place in the direct context of, for example, segregation, apartheid, or slavery. . . . [S]econd . . . we continue to live with the legacy of those systems† (Blum 2002: 27-8). In chapter 2, Blum asks â€Å"Can Blacks Be Racist? † and answers in the affirmative. No matter what preconditions one places on racism (e. g. that it must be ideologically embedded, or combined with social power), Blum argues, there will be (and are) some black people (as well as members of other minority groups) who meet these criteria and hence must be judged to be racist. Insofar as the denial that blacks can be racist is motivated by a desire to highlight the inherent inequalities among different racist acts and beliefs, however, Blum would agree — and argues that — there are important â€Å"moral asymmetries† in racism. Because of such acts’ â€Å"historical resonance† (p. 44), â€Å"greater power to shame† due to minorities’ positional inferiority (p.46), reflection of on-going patterns and prevalence of racism (p. 48), and contribution to maintaining â€Å"systematic racial injustice† (p. 49), â€Å"Everything else being equal, greater moral opprobrium rightly attaches to racism by whites against people of color than the reverse. This is the most important moral asymmetry in racism† (pp. 43-4). Chapter 3 catalogues â€Å"Varieties of Racial Ills,† which are acts or attitudes that deserve some (often substantial) degree of moral condemnation but do not rise to the level of â€Å"racism† as 5 such. These include racial insensitivity, racial ignorance, racial discomfort, white privilege,exclusionary same-race socializing, and racialism (a term used here to mean â€Å"conferring too much, or inappropriate, importance on people’s racial identity† (p. 59), but which Blum confusingly reuses with a different meaning in chapters 5-9). Chapter 4 then moves into an extremely careful and thoughtful discussion of â€Å"Racial Discrimination and Color Blindness. † He deduces four reasons that discrimination may be wrong: â€Å"(1) it unfairly excludes a qualified individual on the basis of a characteristic irrelevant to the task for which selection is being made; (2) it is done out of prejudice; (3) the prejudice is pervasive and (for that or other reasons) stigmatizing; (4) the discrimination helps to sustain the group whose members are discriminated against in a subordinate position† (p. 89). Hence, he argues, the term â€Å"racial discrimination,† which automatically carries with it the implication of moral condemnation, should be confined â€Å"to forms of discrimination involving race that either stem from race-based prejudiced [sic] or that disadvantage an inferiorized or stigmatized group† (p. 95). In contrast, he argues, forms of racial differentiation that avoid the four pitfalls listed above may be tolerated or even embraced: for example, racial egalitarianism, which does rely to some extent on racial differentiation but not on discrimination as defined above, is preferable to color blindness. Chapters 5-7 form an undesignated second section of â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , focusing specifically on the concept, history, and science of â€Å"race† in order to debunk it. Blum analyzes the empirical outcomes of thinking in racial terms in chapter 5, â€Å"‘Race’: What We Mean and What We Think We Mean. † He identifies four moral dangers of racial thinking: (1) â€Å"a moral distance among those of different races — an intensified consciousness of a ‘we’ of one race counterposed to a ‘they’ of another† (p. 102); (2) the â€Å"imposition of false commonality on all those classified as members of the same race† (p. 103); (3) the suggestion of â€Å"an inescapable 6 ‘racial fate’† (p. 104); and (4) â€Å"associations of superiority and inferiority of value† (p. 104). These lead into chapter 6’s fascinating discussion of â€Å"‘Race’: A Brief History, with Moral Implications,† in which Blum shows the historical contingency and relatively recent vintage of racial thinking, at least in the West. (Although Blum’s language about race’s recent arrival on the scene is fairly global, his examples are almost entirely confined to ancient Greece and Rome, Europe, and North America; this leaves the reader a bit confused about the intended scope of his historical analysis and claims. ) Finally, chapter 7 boldly asks, â€Å"Do Races Exist? † and marshals a fair amount of scientific evidence (in conjunction with the historical evidence from chapter 6) to answer a resounding â€Å"no. † This outright rejection of race sets up the challenge he confronts in the final two chapters (and unstated third section) of the book: how simultaneously to rid ourselves of the inimical concept of â€Å"race† while still promoting the causes of racial justice and equality — causes which, as Blum showed in chapter 4, require for their achievement that we name and pay attention (as opposed to blind ourselves) to differences among racial groups. iii In chapter 8, â€Å"Racialized Groups and Social Constructions,† therefore, Blum proposes to replace the concept of â€Å"races† with â€Å"racialized groups,† arguing, â€Å"The term ‘racialized groups’ is preferable as a way of acknowledging that some groups have been created by being treated as if they were races, while also acknowledging that ‘race’ in its popular meaning is entirely false† (p. 160). Blum further justifies use of the term â€Å"racialized groups† in chapter 9, â€Å"Should We Try to Give Up Race? † He argues that racial justice and even a positive sense of racial identity can be promoted by â€Å"racialization†: â€Å"its recognition supplies a more accurate understanding of the character of the racialized social order, encourages a stronger recognition of commonalities of experience and of political and moral commitments across ‘racial’ lines, and, arguably, would in the long run be 7 more politically effective in mitigating racism and racial injustice than would a belief in the reality of race† (p. 170). But Blum recognizes that merely transforming our language is not enough; this act will not itself transform the unjust social structures that inform and shape our language: â€Å"In the real world, ridding ourselves of the myth of race can not be severed from the politically more challenging task of changing the structural relationships among racial groups† (p. 178). Hence, he concludes by implicitly urging a two-pronged approach to promoting racial justice and equality: altering our language, on the one hand, and engaging in direct social action (especially integrationism), on the other. Critique I find most of Blum’s arguments compelling taken on an individual basis. â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  convinces me that the term â€Å"racism† should be reserved for race-related, morally egregious beliefs/motives/acts/etc. , that there’s a wide range of racial ills, that pursuit of racial equality does not amount to racial discrimination, that â€Å"race† is a morally inimical concept, and that â€Å"racialized group† better captures the historical genesis and conceptual construction we call â€Å"race. † I am not convinced, however, that these arguments taken together satisfy the central articulated aim of the book: namely, to promote cross-racial dialogue about race. This is not, as I’ve said, because I question his reasoning or his conclusions; rather, I question whether his method, of using substantive moral philosophy, is consonant with this aim. First, some reminders about Blum’s stated aim. As I noted at the beginning of this essay, Blum asks in the preface of â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , â€Å"If we agree that racism is so important, don’t we need to know what it is? How can we talk intelligently, especially across racial lines, unless we do? . . . . We need to clarify what racism is, to find a basis in history and current use 8 for fixing a definition† (p. viii). He reiterates this concern at the beginning of chapter 2: â€Å"My goal of an adequate account of racism is entirely antithetical to race-based attachment to definitions of ‘racism. ’ I am seeking an account that will facilitate communication between groups about the character, forms and extent of racism (and other race-related ills). For that we need some agreement on what racism is, and from there we can attempt to settle differences about its extent† (p. 35). Blum’s aim is clearly to establish a baseline for discussion — to foster productive communication by providing moral and conceptual clarification and then to get out of the way in order to allow the now â€Å"intelligent† and â€Å"facilitated† debate to proceed on its own. This is an admirable goal, but I don’t think that â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  achieves it — nor do I think that it could achieve it in its current form. This is so for a few reasons. First, it is misleading to suggest that moral philosophy is necessary to fix a definition of â€Å"racism. † So long as there’s an agreement, or at least mutual comprehension among the interlocutors, as to what each person means in using various terms, then that is sufficient to promote dialogue. For example, if all people accepted that only whites could be racist, then â€Å"cross-racial dialogue† could proceed on that basis; there’s no reason that Blum’s definition of racism (which asserts that all people can be racist) is necessary to promote dialogue. Of course, one of Blum’s implicit points is that there isn’t agreement about what racism is, and that such agreement, or even mutual clarification and comprehension, is very unlikely to arise on its own. Rather than revealing a troubling weakness or gap in the discussion, however, this reveal instead the essential nature of the debate about race and racism: namely, that debating the meaning of these terms is part and parcel of debating the things themselves. In other words, fixing a definition is not a neutral act. It is a partisan act. This is because much of the dispute about racism is bound up in how one defines the problem. If individuals unintentionally benefit 9 from the legacy of racism (e. g.via â€Å"white privilege†), are they morally responsible in some way? Is it racially discriminatory for an association serving mostly Latino youth to try to hire mostly Latino staff? Is it racist for a small business owner to hire people she â€Å"feels comfortable† with, if it turns out she tends to feel comfortable only with people from her own racialized group, since that’s among whom she grew up? These questions lie at the heart of the â€Å"conversation about race†; they cannot and should not be settled ahead of time. Thus, Blum’s second methodological mistake is to think that setting a neutral baseline for discussion is even possible. Blum’s approach is inevitably partisan — simply in trying to clarify meanings, he takes stances on a number of controversial issues — and hence he is within rather than above the fray. This is perfectly appropriate — taking and defending particular stances about how we ought to live our lives is what moral philosophy is, or at least should be, about — but it is not what Blum professes to be doing. Furthermore, Blum’s approach is at least partly opposed to his stated aim of promoting cross-racial dialogue about race and racism, insofar as to the extent that readers accept Blum’s positions as given, their avenues for debate about race and racism will be cut off rather than expanded. I hope (and expect) instead that readers will be drawn to engage with and debate the arguments themselves, as any good work of social and moral philosophy should inspire people to do; they do not, however, provide a neutral starting point for others’ conversations. iv My concerns about the match between Blum’s stated objective and the content of his book are irrelevant to my assessment of his arguments or his conclusions, most of which I think are generally on target. I do wonder, however, about the concrete, â€Å"on the ground† implications of his conclusions, especially but not solely for those responsible for educating the next generation. I will address two especially pressing questions: (1) How would one use the 10 language of â€Å"racialized groups† in a way that was clearly distinct from using the language of race, especially in institutional contexts? (2) Is there convincing psychological evidence to support Blum’s claims about the results of redescribing social and identity groups? For example, is there convincing evidence that thinking of oneself as being a member of a socially constructed racialized group has more positive psychological effects than thinking of oneself as a member of a biologically-determined race? These questions raise issues that are significant for assessing the practical import of Blum’s arguments in general; they are also crucial for determining how his conclusions would alter anti-racist curricula and pedagogy in the classroom, which presumably will be central to the realization of Blum’s moral philosophy. First, Blum’s claim that we can combat racism (at least to some extent) by altering our language about race has moral purchase only if there is some way to â€Å"operationalize† — and especially to institutionalize — this linguistic adjustment. Blum seems to acknowledge this, and to be optimistic about its potential: â€Å"Appreciating the difference between race and racialization, and at the same time attempting to do justice to the unreality of race and the reality of racism, may point us toward new ways of thinking and new forms of institutional practice† (p. 166). He gives one (and only one) example of how one might adopt â€Å"new forms of institutional practice† in relation to the Census, which is a key tool for tracking racial patterns and disparities in society — but also hence for seeming to legitimate racial categorization. In response to this dilemma, Blum suggests, â€Å"Were the federal government to encourage a broad understanding that the purposes for which the Census is now explicitly used do not require a commitment to the existence of races in any form, but only to racialized groups, the legitimate discrimination- monitoring function of Census racial categories could be severed from any implication of racialism† (p. 167). But then frustratingly, Blum gives no specifics about how the Census could 11 do this. Would Blum hope for a statement of disavowal of race? If so, where? Just in the preamble (which already includes a â€Å"baby step† in that direction (see p. 227, fn. 11)), which nobody reads? Or in the census itself, which seems impractical since it is intentionally kept as short as possible in order to maximize response rates? Instead of a statement of disavowal, the Census could replace â€Å"What is this person’s race? † (the question currently asked) with â€Å"What is this person’s racialized group? †, and then use quotation marks (or â€Å"scare quotes†) around terms such as â€Å"black,† â€Å"Spanish/Latino/Hispanic† (which is currently kept separate from the â€Å"race† question), and â€Å"white† to reinforce their constructed status. This is also unsatisfactory, however, for two reasons. First, â€Å"racialized group† will likely be either greeted with confusion or treated as a synonym of â€Å"race,† especially in the absence of an explanation of the term; in the latter case, it is likely to end up acquiring the separatist, hierarchical, and essentialist connotations or â€Å"race† (just like â€Å"disabled† and even â€Å"differently abled† acquired those of the maligned term â€Å"handicapped† they were designed to replace). Second, many of the choices given are not (yet) â€Å"racialized groups,† at least not in the United States, but are nationalities: Samoan, Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Asian Indian, Japanese. Should these terms all be in scare quotes? I would think not — but then how would one deal with the presence of scare quotes some places and their absence others? One could add â€Å"nationality and/or ethnicity† to the â€Å"racialized group† question, and then surround everything with quotation marks — but this then gets cumbersome, to say the least, and is likely to raise other dilemmas. As the Census example shows, institutionalizing â€Å"racialized group† language is hard in print, particularly when it comes to naming and labeling the racialized groups themselves (â€Å"black,† â€Å"white,† â€Å"Vietnamese,† â€Å"Native American†). It is substantially harder in conversation, 12 such as in the oral give-and-take of a classroom. Consider Ellen, a teacher of ten and eleven year-olds, who is eager to incorporate anti-racist education into her teaching. Ellen reads â€Å"I’m Not a Racist, But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  over the winter holiday and then sits down to revise her January lesson plans, which include a unit on non-violent protest designed both to fit into the school’s conflict resolution initiative and to lead up to the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. ’s birthday. As she reads over her plans, she quickly inserts a mini-lesson on â€Å"racialized group† at the beginning of the unit and converts â€Å"race† to â€Å"racialized group† throughout the unit. She adds in a two-day lesson called â€Å"What is Racism? †, and develops an interactive group activity for near the end of the unit designed to help students decide when it’s okay to refer to or take someone’s racialized group membership into account and when it’s not. Reviewing her social studies lessons on Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr. , and the March on Washington, D. C. , she is pleased. She also thinks her English lesson on an excerpt of King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail will prove challenging but inspiring to her students. But then Ellen suddenly gets worried. Throughout her lessons are references to blacks, whites, Indians, British, Hindus, Christians, Jews. Which of these are racialized groups and which are not? How can she help her students figure out the difference? How can she talk about â€Å"blacks† and â€Å"whites† to her class without her students falling back into racial thinking? She can hand-signal scare quotes each time, but will that just turn into a joke among the students? And which groups would she use the hand signals for? All of these concerns are predicated on the conclusion that language matters — that it influences how we think, reason, behave, and interact with one another. This brings us to my second question about implications of Blum’s conclusions: is there social psychological evidence in favor of them? Throughout the book, Blum clearly operates on the assumption that if people recognize the socially constructed, rather than biologically inherent, nature of racialized groups, 13 then they will better be able to fight against the â€Å"hierarchical† and â€Å"inegalitarian† (p. 107) assumptions inherent in racial thinking. This is partly because racial identity then becomes in some way a matter of choice. â€Å"Whether a group is racialized is a matter of its treatment by the larger society. Whether the group takes on a self-identity as a race is a different matter† (p. 148). In recognizing their racialized treatment, rather than believing themselves defined by an immutable racial identity, individuals who are members of racialized groups can decide how to respond. Will they embrace their racialized identity, as those do who proudly join the Asian- American club, volunteer with La Raza, or wear t-shirts proclaiming â€Å"It’s a BLACK thing — you wouldn’t understand† or â€Å"Hot Latina Mama†? Will they reject it, declaring â€Å"that’s not who I am† and/or trying to assimilate? Or will they try to subvert it in some way, say by reclaiming the term â€Å"nigger† (or â€Å"queer† in the [non-racial] case of gays) and defiantly using it as a term of affection for others inside the group? By choosing the extent and nature of their racial identities, Blum seems implicitly to be arguing, individuals and groups are empowered; whether they choose to appropriate, reject, or subvert the characterizations thrust upon them by racializing others, the very act of choosing liberates them from the racialist (and racist) assumptions of innate difference, inferiority, and/or stigma. Two substantial bodies of work in social psychology, however, cast serious doubt on this claim. The first is system justification theory — the theory that â€Å"psychological processes contribut[e] to the preservation of existing social arrangements even at the expense of personal and group interest† (Jost and Banaji 1994: 1). The second is the notion of â€Å"stereotype threat† — the idea that in certain situations (those posing â€Å"stereotype threat†), members of stigmatized groups worry about confirming a negative stereotype about their group through their performance on a task, and then, precisely because of this anxiety, end up performing worse on 14 the task than they otherwise would (and than others do) — thus paradoxically performing true to negative stereotype (see Steele and Aronson 1995; Steele 1997). I will address each in turn. According to system justification theory, people implicitly support the status quo, including hierarchy differences between low- and high-status groups, even when they are members of low-status groups, and even when they reject the distinctions on a conscious level. Thus, in studies done under both â€Å"authentic† and experimental conditions, women ask for lower wages than men do for the same work (or they work 25 percent longer than men if offered the same wage (Cite forthcoming)); individuals rate even initially unwanted outcomes (such as tuition increases, or a member of the opposing political party winning an election) more desirable the more likely they are to occur (Kay et al.2002); And they rationalize the legitimacy of existing inequalities (e. g. , if told that graduates of University B earn more on average than University A graduates, University A students will rate University B students as being smarter and better writers than they; if told the opposite, however, then University A students will express the opposite prejudice and rate themselves higher (cite forthcoming)). Even individuals who explicitly articulate egalitarian beliefs tend to demonstrate moderate to strong implicit attitudinal biases toward higher-status groups (whites, young people, men); this is true regardless of the individual’s own group membership(s) (Greenwald and Banaji 1995; Banaji 2001). In other words, individuals internalize prejudice, discrimination, racism, and/or oppression (Jost and Banaji 1994; Jost et al. 2002; Kay et al. 2002). â€Å"[M]embers of disadvantaged groups internalize negative stereotypes and evaluations of their own group, to at least some degree† (Jost et. al. 2002: 598). Thus, even if people know that they are members of a group that is treated (merely) as if â€Å"there were inherent and immutable differences between them; as if certain somatic characteristics marked the presence of significant characteristics of mind, emotion, and 15 character; and as if some were of greater worth than others† (Blum 2002: 147), they are still likely to believe, subconsciously at least, that these are accurate assessments of their group membership. It takes a great deal of inner strength to stand up to stigma, discrimination, and prejudice. Even those who consciously reject racialist presumptions may respond differently subconsciously. This may be because of internalized oppression, as discussed above. But it may also be a result of rational adjustments in motivation or expectations. Knowing that one â€Å"is discriminated against, stigmatized, or inherits a history of racial† disadvantage (p. 177) may very well (and rationally) lead one to adopt a presumption of disadvantage — a belief that one’s effort will not be rewarded because of on-going discrimination and racism, and hence a reduction in effort, motivation, and/or aspirations. There is clear evidence of both effort reduction (Stone 2002) and aspiration reduction even among people who consciously reject stereotypes, such as women who profess a liking for mathematics (Nosek et al. 2002). This lowering of expectations is clearly compounded if individuals accept, whether implicitly or explicitly, the idea that they really are inferior in some way (as system justification theory suggests). Furthermore, as Claude Steele’s acclaimed work on â€Å"stereotype threat† shows, there are significant psychological and performative costs even simply in knowing that one is a member of a group that is perceived in a negative light. For example, research over the past few years has consistently shown that black students do worse on verbal tests if told the test is a measure of ability than they do if they are told the test is non-diagnostic (Steele 1997); the same is true for women’s performance on math tests (Keller 2002). Similarly, white students do worse than controls on tests of athletic skills if told that the their performance will indicate their â€Å"natural athletic ability,† but black students do worse if told their performance indicates their â€Å"sports 16 intelligence† (Stone, et. al. 1999). This response to â€Å"stereotype threat† is evident even among very young children (ages six to ten): children above seven years old demonstrate high levels of stereotype consciousness (awareness of others’ stereotypes about various groups), and children who are members of stigmatized groups perform worse when they think they are being measured along stereotypic lines than they do on the exact same test when their stereotype awareness (and hence sense of stereotype threat) is not activated (McKown 2002). These results pose a serious challenge, I believe, to Blum’s claims about the practical import of his moral philosophy. Although it is true that this research has all been done under conditions of â€Å"race† rather than â€Å"racialized groups† being salient (insofar as â€Å"racialized groups† has not become a popular or widespread term), it strikes me as being highly unl.   

Beer Wars Strategic Marketing Management Essay

Introduction The market dynamics of the Australian beer market is given in the case study. The beer market in Australia is extensive due to high consumption by Australians. In the early 1800’s, there existed numerous independent breweries. Due to excise laws and better transport systems large breweries started acquiring smaller ones, and through widespread inorganic growth, by 1985 the industry became dominated by two corporate conglomerates, Elders IXL(CUB) and Bond Corporation. Both used aggressive marketing strategies for increasing market share. Top highlighted reasons for beer consumption were mixing with others, relaxing, allowing social drinking and enhancing appetite and the concept of beer being equal to ‘liquid food’. Women in general did not like the beer taste and contributed to only about 12% of the total sales volume, whereas 37% of the 54% adult drinking population admitted to be regular drinkers. Only 10% were ‘ocker boozers’ who contributed to 60% of the volume. Hotels/pubs and retail outlet routes formed the bulk of the sales. Standard beer was the most consumed at 70% followed by light beer at 24%. Males across all age groups equally represented beer consumption with little higher consumption in the 31-40 age group. The marketers strongly believed in the ‘beer image’ having a strong influence on beer brand preference. So the marketers started projecting the alcohol content by way of which they used to segment variants in different ways each brand being targeted at a specific segment. Several different brand imageries have been created. Lastly the several brands and variants that had been created with the hope of creating market share seemed to have fallen flat. A failed attempt in the same direction in the form of Swan Gold trying to entice consumption by women also failed. Problem: Due to increased competition, there was a flux of introducing new products continuously, which put in peril the older products of cannibalisation. The major objectives that the beer companies had were †¢Increase market share by acquiring customers †¢Maintenance of existing customers by ensuring no cannibalisation †¢product positioning and launch strategies for the newer brands and phasing out older brands Solution: Increase the beer market, instead of just market share The consumption of beer has been steadily increasing over the years (from around 5% in 1900 to 12% in 2000). But also around the same time, the consumption of Coffee and other milk based drinks had been exponentially increasing (from around negligible % in 1900 to around 20% in 2000). Therefore instead of eating into each others’ market share, the industry should try to increase consumption of Beer among the non-Beer drinkers and hence increase the whole pie. Encourage successful brands and terminate lagging brands Instead of keeping a huge number of brands which is leading to cannibalisation, the brands which are doing well must be encouraged and marketed well, on the other hand those that are not bringing in much profits should be discontinued. This would simplify marketing and would make it focused. Phase in brands tailored for women The exhibits show that women prefer non beer alcohol, in part due to the image of beer as a male bonding drink. Thus certain brands of beer that can be positioned as less bitter, and more female oriented can be launched. The marketing and advertising of these brands should be done in such a way that the women are targeted. Increase light beer Brands offering light beers and beers with less alcohol would serve two purposes. They would attract customers who do not drink, and also are better served in restaurants according to the exhibits given. Launching beer brands over considerable spans of time 2 versions of Power’s were launched in the same month (February 1991) while Forex Gold and Forex Light Bitter from Lion Nathan were launched with only a month separating them. Because of this no single brand is properly marketed and does not get the time to build itself in the minds of consumers. This also leads to cannibalisation.