Critique for generation velcro Essay

Summary for â€Å"Denaturalizing ‘Natural’ Disasters: Haiti’s Earthquake and the Humanitarian Impulse from p.264 to p.268 in â€Å"Become an Active Reader† by Andrew D. Pinto, On 12 January 2010, at 16:53 local time, Haiti experienced a catastrophic magnitude-7.0 earthquake 25 kilometres west of the capital, Port-au-Prince. More than 220,000 people died and 2.3 million were displaced, while the magnitude-8.0 earthquake that struck Chile on 27 February 2010 resulted in fewer than 800 deaths, despite its higher magnitude. Why was Haiti’s experience so different? Most commentators have pointed to physical factors. However, although many have noted Haiti’s poverty and internal strife, only a few commentators have identified these as key determinants of the level of devastation caused by the earthquake. Even fewer have suggested looking at the historical record or where Haiti stands in the current world order for an explanation. What is considered â€Å"natural†, in the context of disasters such as Haiti’s, is seen as independent of human actions. Any analysis of such events must â€Å"denaturalize† them by examining the historic, political and economic contexts within which they occur. Without this, the humanitarian impulse informing international efforts to support Haiti’s recovery and development may serve to merely reinforce the historic relationship between wealthy countries and Haiti and may fuel continued underdevelopment. Knowledge of Haiti’s history is integral to an informed understanding of the earthquake and its outcome. Soon after Spanish colonized the island, native people vanished because of imported disease, malnutrition and maltreatment. Plantation of sugar cane became fields of misery for tens of thousands of trafficked African slaves, while Spain and France reaped the profits. The French Revolution triggered Haiti’s independence in 1804, which was the first example of slaves winning nationhood by their own resistance. However, with its economy ruined by revolutionary war, Haiti was forced to agree to unfair trading relationships with nations that refused to recognize its sovereignty. Throughout the 19th century, France, USA, German and Britain invade Haiti to deprive its national coffer. Foreign interference and political destabilization have continually undermined governance in Haiti. For example, USA enabled Haiti to pass the constitution that allows foreign ownership of lan d, and helped to emerge dictators such as â€Å"PaPa Doc† Duvalier and his son â€Å"Baby Doc† one after another. Western countries  supported them during â€Å"Cold War† ostensibly to fight against communism but also to support the interest of foreign companies who benefited from low-cost Haitian labour. Jean-Bertrand Aristide who was supported by the poor and working class was elected as the president in 1990 and 2000, but he was removed in a coup twice, because his popular reforms threatened the status quo of Haiti’s oligarchies and foreign interests. External forces played a role in both coups, leaving Haiti’s political health tenuous ever since. With this historical background in mind, one can examine the response of the global community to the 2010 earthquake. The immediate response by the international community succeeded in many ways. As a result of humanitarian impulse, no major epidemics have yet occurred in any of the camp but cholera. However, some aspects of the post-earthquake response have been problematic. Focus on the immediate humanitarian response appear s to have prevented a consideration of how the ground work for future development could be laid. At the time of publishing, the vast majority of those displaced are still living in tents or other temporary structures and over 95% of the rubble has yet to be cleared. The provision of the essential social services by the Haitian government is unlikely in the near future. The humanitarian impulse is too often fitful and fragmented. Furthermore, the involvement of high-income countries in the root causes of the devastation caused by â€Å"natural† disasters in low-income countries is rarely examined. So actual histories should replace the more palatable fictional histories that attempt to explain away wealthy nations’ past contributions to the persistent poverty in the world. Acknowledging actual histories may have little impact on the technical details of the initial emergency response, but it may make a difference in how relief efforts are subsequently carried out, particularly in the long-run. Appeals for funds can be combined with educational initiatives to explain to policymakers and the public why an event has occurred and how it relates to social, economic and political forces. Acknowledging the actual histories that have led to Haiti’s underdevelopment would require wealthy nations to probe their own political, social and economic involvement in Haiti’s underdevelopment. Although a laudable humanitarian impulse has driven relief efforts in Haiti, it alone is insufficient for the task of rebuilding the nation. In numerous countries where humanitarians operates including Haiti, respecting history  and seeing the connection between historic actions and present conditions is essential.

Nathaniel Hawthorne vs. Shirley Jackson Analysis Essay

As a common reader I’ve come across many authors that have intrigued me due their style of writing, choice of words, paramount of symbolism, sense of irony, use of color, etc†¦ but no two authors have caught my attention more than Nathaniel Hawthorne and Shirley Jackson. These two authors are completely different in every way including their writing styles! Both of these authors have written short stories that have been extremely famous with the public. For example, Nathaniel Hawthorne is mostly known for his famous short story called â€Å"The Scarlett Letter.† Shirley Jackson on the other hand, is best known for her thrilling short story called â€Å"The Lottery.† After reading a short story from these two authors’, you’ll quickly notice why they are so difference from each other! Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, MA. After losing his father, Hawthorne began taking a grand interest in his dad’s worldwide adventures ! He even began reading the logbooks his father had submitted while he was at sea! (BRD Groupe Societe Generate) As the years went by, Nathaniel left home and attended college until 1825 where he graduates and returns home to begin his writing experience. When Nathaniel returned home, he began his writing in semi-seclusion, leading him to write with the style he did and the topics he chose. As I mentioned earlier, â€Å"The Scarlett Letter† is one of Hawthorne’s most famous short stories and one of the best examples to capture his character as a person. This particular short story demonstrates Nathaniel’s writing style to the fullest!! He has a very formal, romantic, fictitious, way of writing and you can clearly pick it up as you read each page! His writing has even been criticized by many other readers. For instance, William Heath who has been known to analyze the sexual element of Hawthorne’s writings, finding a â€Å"profound ambivalence towards women† in many of his works. He speculates about the deeper sexual tension in Hawthorne’s life and how it surfaces in his books. He discusses his sexual anxieties, such as his fear of passion with his wife, and possible feelings of incest, which are backed up by family history. He cautions against assuming that he  feared passion because he was incapable of it. He finds Hawthorne to be â€Å"a straight-laced moralist.† His stories tend to become parables to decipher, rather than dramatic. (Literary Criticisms) Nathaniel Hawthorne had something that many authors’ use now a day as an inspiration to write, and that was his beliefs. His beliefs and lifestyle, led him to create themes for his short stories! Hawthorne was known for his extremely descriptive way of writing which made him such an amazing and admirable author. Back in the 19th century, there were no easy ways to produce photographs for books, so Hawthorne made sure to write lengthy, imaginative, visual descriptions so the person reading the story could still feel what he was saying. (BRD Groupe Societe Generate) Besides writing with such great descriptions, Hawthorne was known for conveying modern themes of psychology and human nature through his symbolism. (BRD Groupe Societe Genera te) One unique element about Hawthorne’s writing was he never had any characters confronting themselves and this was all due to his lifestyle! Unfortunately, Nathaniel Hawthorne died on May 19, 1964 at the age of 60. He left with us his classic, old, contemporary classic short novels! Shirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1915 in San Francisco, CA. She spent most of her life in California where she began writing poetry and short novels as a young teenager. When Shirley turned 17 she attended the University of Rochester and sadly withdrew a year later! Shirley Jackson spent a year at home practicing her writing by producing a minimum of a thousand words a day. (Shirley Jackson Biography) In 1937 she attended the University of Syracuse and published her first story called â€Å"Janice†. As the years passed, Jackson began having her stories published in The New Yorker and The New Public and was then offered a teaching position at Bennington College. (Shirley Jackson Biograp hy) By 1948 Shirley Jackson had published her most captivating, exhilarating, chilling short story ever; â€Å"The Lottery.† Her writing style was known as very gothic and dark. She used witchcraft and abnormal psychology to create themes and twisted plots! The great thing about Shirley Jackson was that she was known to write with not just one style of writing, but two! One of them was detached hilarity which is also known as detaching from extreme amusemen;t and the other type of style is known as tenebrous horror, which is also known as dark horror. (Times) Her choice of words were very eerie and gruesome and truly paints a picture in a readers  head that gives goosebumps! Many writers have also criticized Jackson for her way of writing especially being that it’s dusky and deep. Fortunately it has been good critique! It’s been known that a lot of writers, both in and out of the horror genre, know how to create a sense of dread. What makes Jackson’s sensibility so distinctive is that her brand of dread tends to be self-aware and even, at times, self-amused. (Times) Her distinctive way of writing appeared in many other places such as, McCalls, Redbook, The Saturday Evening Post, Harper’s Bazaar and The Ladies’ Home Journal. (Times) Sadly, Shirley Jackson died on August 8, 1965 at the age of 49. Both of these writers are very different because one is romantic and basically coming from ones beliefs and the other is very gloomy and twisted. Shirley Jackson creates a very scary illusion as you read her stories. She makes you feel like you can jump into the book and construct an adventure of your own! Nathaniel Hawthorne on the other hand, takes you to this very soft, modern style. He writes with so much detail that you get sucked into the stories within seconds. Your mind paints vivid pictures due to his imagery! The unique element about both these authors is that they also have a couple things in common. For instance, they both were truly dedicated to their writings and succeeded in allowing a readers imagination to spiral out of control. Another common quality they had was they both wrote in a classic way. Shirley Jackson was best known for writing classic horror and Nathaniel Hawthorne was known for his classic, clarity writing. Personally, my favorite out of the two has to be Nathaniel Hawthorne because his choice of details and words build pictures that make me feel like that story was specifically meant for me! Personally I don’t like scariness so Shirley Jackson would definitely not be one of my top favorite authors! â€Å"Slidashare Present yourself.† Nathaniel Hawthorne. N.p.. Web. 19 Nov 2012. . Raffert, Terrence. â€Å"Her Darkest Place.† Sunday Book Review. The New York Times, 26 2010. Web. 19 Nov 2012. . . â€Å"The Works of Shirley Jackson.† . N.p.. Web. 19 Nov 2012. . . â€Å"BRD GROUPE SOCIETE GENERALE.† Hawthorne Writing Style. N.p.. Web. 19 Nov 2012. .

The Ideal Man Essay

Ideal Man Essay: Rewrite Alicia Luttrell AP English October 11, 2012 From ancient times to present day, authors from around the world have tried to pursue the ideal man. After reading some of their stories, it is easy to see that each story depends on the type of culture the author was raised in. Throughout this pursuit, the ideal man has taken on many different forms. The ideal man may be thought of as someone who is perfect, but some may see him as someone who overcomes faults or doubts. He could also be seen as someone tries to become the ideal man or is well-known and liked throughout the land.In Flight, the young man Pepe has to learn to become a man after his father dies. His mother tells him almost daily that he is lazy and needs to get to work. As Pepe’s mother starts to rely more on him, she sends him into town to pick up some medicine and supplies. This is the start of Pepe forming into a man. His mother is instilling responsibility in him to help out the family. He goes on a journey and ends up proving that his mother should have never sent him because he kills someone. He runs from his crime and tries to get away from facing the consequences.Although he wanted to be like his father, the ideal man in Pepe’s eyes, he was young and foolish. The doubt of his mother didn’t help though. John Steinbeck wrote this story to show the reader that just because there is a void to fill does not mean that the person filling that void is ready for the task. Pepe tried to be like his father and fill his shoes. Some readers might view trying as a characteristic of an ideal man. Although Pepe tried he still lacked strength and courage to face his mistakes.The strange story of The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World is an example of creating an ideal man. The town’s people created a life that they thought this handsome man, they found on the beach, should have lived. Instead of just burying and being done with him, they chose to give him a l ife story so that he would not be forgotten. They gave him the name of Esteban, which means great and beautiful. The women compared him to their husbands, even though they knew nothing of him. The town’s people went out of their way to give him a lavish funeral, one that everyone would remember.These people were using Esteban for their own self-improvement. They saw how this man was forgotten and did not want the same thing to happen to them. This thinking caused them to change their life styles and better themselves. In the short story, A Good Man Is Hard to Find, there are many characteristics that could be put together to make up one ideal man, but separately everyone has flaws. The main character of the story, the grandmother, is in search of a good man. She is always quick to say someone is a â€Å"good man† before she knows anything about them.For example, when she meets Red Sam he mentions to the family that he let some â€Å"fellers† charge their gas las t week; she instantly decides that he is a good man. Red Sam was caring, generous, and thoughtful, things that an ideal man should be. On the other hand, Red Sam was lazy and rude towards his wife, not a characteristic of an ideal man. When the grandmother meets the Misfit, even though she knows he is a criminal, she still calls him a â€Å"good man. † He is kind to her, but in the end he kills her because she knows too much.Flannery O’Conner wrote this short story to let the reader know that just because someone may seem like â€Å"good man†, it does not always mean that they are. Red Sam seemed kind and caring, but he was really just lazy and rude. The Misfit turned out to be a cold-hearted killer after seeming like he cared to stop and help the family on the side of the road. There are people that are in the world today who seem good, but are nowhere close to it. They can say whatever they want but their actions will speak for themselves. As all of these stor ies show, being an ideal man is near impossible.Many people possess qualities that would make up an ideal man, but never all the qualities needed. They can never possess all the qualities because every perspective of an ideal man is based on what the reader believes in. Pepe was not mature enough, Esteban was not remembered for what he actually did, and Red Sam and the Misfit appeared like good men, but were not even close. There will never be an ideal man living in society. The ideal man will only live on through the stories, movies, and imagination people create. The ideal man is all based around culture and belief.

STRATEGY EVALUATION AND REVISION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

STRATEGY EVALUATION AND REVISION - Essay Example Like all other aspects of life, sport has also been subject to certain modifications time and again. In modern times, sport has been subject to tremendous competition and rivalry. Sport England has come up with number of strategies to develop the community sport in England. The prime objective of the Sport England is to have a set of talented professionals by 2012 London Olympics. For this purpose various strategies like tapping young talents, recruiting expert coaches, maximising the number of volunteers, integrating the club framework are being adopted. Sport England has partnership with NGBs, Youth Sport Trust, local authorities. The analysis of the strategies of Sport England reveals that the steps are quite outstanding and has created a general interest among the mass for the development of community sport. The importance and relevance of sport in human life has long been understood and accepted. The best of the minds and talents, irrespective of their working spheres have acknowledged this fact. As the famous scientist Benjamin Franklin observed, â€Å"Games lubricate the body and the mind†, the relevance of sport can be related to the spectrum of daily or day-to-day life. In simple words, sport can be defined as an activity where the participating and competitive forces apply their physical and mental abilities to win over the competitor within a periphery of declared regulations. Though in United Kingdoms, the activity is known as ‘Sport,’ in United States, it is popularly called ‘Sports’. Today, sporting teams and their related activities with highly professional partners make an industry. Generally, we refer it as the sporting industry or fraternity.

Why do we study the classical theorists Of what use are such concepts Essay - 1

Why do we study the classical theorists Of what use are such concepts as Clausewitzs trinity - Essay Example Their findings have enabled us to understand some concepts faster as opposed to if we were to start from square one. Generally, the works of classical theorists help us take in and process an otherwise a large quantity of knowledge (Ritzer 2003). Concepts such as Clausewitz’s concept of a trinity have proved to be very useful to both theorists and practitioners. The concept has helped students to focus on critical aspect of life that could have been obscured with the experiences of the world that keep on changing. The Clausewitz’s concept of a trinity is an interactive set of three elements which drive the events taking place in a war in the real world. The three elements or forces include people, government and armed forces. Clausewitz’s concept of a trinity has greatly influenced the current strategic theories and policies of war. The concept has familiarized students of military art with the events of war. The theory has stood the test of time and is still being applied in war situations today (New 1996). New, Col Larry D. "Clausewitz’s Theory: on War and Its Application Today." Airpower Journal , 1996. HYPERLINK "http://www.airpower.au.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj96/fall96/new-lar.html"

Creative skills for a creative industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creative skills for a creative industry - Essay Example Creative industry simply refers to all socio-economic potential activities trading with knowledge, creativity, and information.The sector has been one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. Creative sectors and governments across the globe increasingly recognize the importance of the industry as a generator of wealth, new job opportunities and source of cultural engagement. Creative industry is what propels the creative economy (Kelley, & Littman, 2001). The success that has been exhibited in the creative industry has been as a result of innovation and creative skills in art, culture, technology and business. Intellectual property is as a result of creativity, and it was developed with the unification of all activities that do trade with all the creative assets. Intellectual property is the framework where creativity is translated to economic value. The creative sector is based on the individual skill, creativity and talent that has the potential to create jobs and wealth throu gh the development of intellectual property. The main sectors in the creative industry are the art and antique market, advertising, design, crafts, architecture, designer fashion, music, intellectual leisure software, software, publishing and radio and television. Creativity has become very popular in the sector and has had a wider societal impact on the world population. Creativity has been at the periphery of the interface between culture, economics, information and technology.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Procurement, innovation and FM services 9 3.1 Innovative procurement routes based on contingency approach 9 3.2 Innovative procurement routes through e-procurement 10 3.3 Innovative procurement routes based on real options 11 3.4 Innovative procurement routes – needs and challenges 11 4. Conclusion 12 References 13 1. Introduction The increase of competition in all industries worldwide has been a phenomenon of the modern market. Under these conditions, firms that are interesting in keeping their competitive advantage need to emphasize on innovation. Traditionally, innovation has been regarded as an element of the organizational strategy; indeed, most of organizational plans include rules that promote innovation. Current paper focuses on the examination of innovation in relation to FM but also in relation to the procurement process. In order to understand the context of innovation in FM, it would be necessary to refer primarily to the definition of the above concept, as given b y Dogson et al. (2008); the above definition can be described as follows: ‘Innovation depends upon a firm’s ability to create new products and services and make and deliver them’ (Dogson et al 2008, p.235). Apart from innovation – especially in regard to Facilities Management, current study focuses on the identification of the forms of procurement – as it can being transformed, aiming to become more innovative; the requirements of procurement, especially regarding its alignment with the innovation process are critically discussed aiming to identify the terms under which innovative procurement routes can be related to improved FM services. The two key issues presented above are discussed in the sections that follow. It should be noted that the main body of the paper has been divided into two major parts – divided into sub-sections – so that the answers to each of the questions of the case study to be clear. It is concluded that innovati on can be indispensable part of Facilities management supply chain management but their relationship is likely to change continuously, such as in the case of procurement and innovation. 2. Innovation in facilities management supply chain management 2.1 Supply chain management during the innovation design In the context of innovation, FM supply chain management can be highly differentiated, aiming to support the increase of organizational competitiveness within its market. It should be noted here that the potential update of FM supply chain management using the rules of innovation would be a complex process; an indicative form of this process is presented in the study of Chan et al. (2005). In the above study reference is made to innovation as a condition for the improvement of FM supply chai

Business environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Business environment - Essay Example These include social, political, economical and technological. These factors can make or break a business. In simple words the outside environments consists of stakeholders. A stakeholder is any group within or outside the organization that has a stake in the organization's performance. External environment mainly consists of people who have stakes in the activities of the business such as the government, local population, pressure groups and investors. To illustrate how these people are affected by the organization's activities, let's look at some examples: The factor that I consider to be the most important in the external environment is social and cultural values that have to be followed and respected by the businesses. If this business does not follow the social values of the country, it will face a legal action against it and will have to shut down. This is how social and political factors are related. So, no business can prosper if ignores the social environment of the country it is operating in. This obligation of organization management to make decision and take actions in conformity with the normal social values and practices of the country, which enhances the welfare and interest of the society, is known as the social responsibility of the business and it cannot survive if it chooses to ignore this factor. Although at first, it might become very complex to grasp the concept of social environment b... Although at first, it might become very complex to grasp the concept of social environment because different people have different thoughts about as to which actions will improve the society's welfare. Social factor is wide a category which also includes the ethical practices of the businesses, its conformity with the tradition of the country and its responsibility to follow legal laws of the country. As already discussed above, social environment is linked with the business's legal, ethical and discretionary policies. Similarly, social environment may also affect the political, technological and economic environment, either directly or through a series of patterns. All modern societies lay down ground rules, laws and regulation that businesses are expected to follow. The respect that the business has for these rules and regulations defines the legal responsibility in the social environment for the business. Businesses are expected to fulfill their economic goals within the legal framework. For example, oil companies may be asked that they are allowed emit only a certain amount of gases in the environment. Their failure to follow this legal instruction will mean that they have violated the necessary requirement and for that they may be sued or forced to shut down. Similarly, companies producing waste may be asked, not to dump this waste in the places of scenic beauties such as beaches, island etc. If they still do this then they are ignoring their legal responsibility in the social environment. If they are found guilty they may be fined or kicked out of the country. So, all businesses are expected to follow these laws. Since, most of the laws ar e made by political setup of the country,

Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Shakespeare - Essay Example Shakespeare wrote the second series of history plays at the peak of his career, roughly around 1595-1599, covering the history from around 1398-1420. Although the events he writes about occurred around two centuries before his time, but Shakespeare expected his audience to be familiar with the characters and events he was describing. The rise and fall of kings and the battles between the houses were woven into the cultural fabric of England and formed and integral part of country's patriotic legends and national mythology. The specific details of important historical events have obscured with the passage of time and thus, the heroes and battles of an event are to a degree, cloaked in myth. The plays innovatively mix history and comedy, moving from lofty scenes of kings and battles to base scenes showing ruffians engaging in robberies and drinking. The strength of the plays is its remarkable richness, a variety of textures and a fascinatingly ambiguous take on history as well as on political motivation. Shakespeare drew on a number of sources for writing his history plays as he did in almost all of his work Since it is not possible to know Shakespeare's beliefs, attitude and the methodology he used in writing his plays, we can only hypothesize on the basis of his textual evidence regarding his authorial intentions and the underlying didactic message found in the second tetralogy

How are fashion and appearance central to the construction of social identities Essay Example for Free

How are fashion and appearance central to the construction of social identities Essay We live in a world were physical appearance is the measurement of our self-worth. Media advertisements more often than not show how people can improve their appearance and why it is important. From job interviews to social events, how people look and dress determine other people’s impression. In this age of increased self-consciousness, fashion and appearance play a crucial role in establishing the social identity of a person. Fashion, as defined by many books and other resources, can be defined as the prevalent style and custom at a certain point in time and the word may also mean the study of this certain fashion trends. Even though there are many things that can be considered prevalent at a certain time, fashion more often than not points more to clothing or clothing style. Different periods of time have different fashion. There is no other applied art which affects the everyday lives of the people other than fashion. Fashion design is responsible for the clothing that we wear since the ancient times. Clothing does not only help us keep warm but it also shapes us in the psychological and social aspect. Basically, clothing forms a basis of a person’s social identity. Fashion has become a part of the culture since the early times. Different ethnic groups have different clothes which reflect their culture. Fashion based on some researches done by cultural scientists played a role in social and cultural structure, social differentiation and social integration (Davis, 1994, p. 16). Social identity is the way people are categorized or label themselves. This can be in forms of their race or ethnicity. This can also be defined as how people associate or identify themselves into certain groups which serve to heighten their self esteem because they have the same social identities. Since people are social animals, sociologists deemed that social identity is an important aspect of a person. People want to be assured that they belong to one group or they positively compare with other group of people. When talking about social identity in terms of fashion, it is more than how majority of sociologist in the world restrict the concept as mere social class or status. Social identity includes how people communicate with others through symbolic means such as the way they dress or through clothing. It is also the configuration of attributes and attitudes which people seek to attain and discuss about themselves. Fashion contributes to the redefinition and reconstruction of a certain social identity by continually adding something new to cultural artifacts. Everything undergoes evolution and perhaps fashion is one thing that changes fast it is fashion. People change the way they dress when the weather changes. People change the way they carry their clothes when something in their environment shifts. Studies and researchers which were geared towards understanding the culture of a certain society more often than not focus on artifacts which are evidences of the past and present culture of a place. The woven pieces of clothing are often considered as indicators of social customs and social hierarchies. Anthropologists consider clothing as less prone to changes done by the capitalist market and are therefore richer or more stable indicators of sociological and cultural truths. Because of this, anthropologists invested far more energy and resources in investigating and examining the significance of the structure, form, and pattern of clothing than other cultural artifacts. For an instance, the way American Indians wear their clothes which were originally made from animal skin is still the same as before. Emergence of new ways of clothing did not change their original culture (Breward, 2003, p. 64). Fashion and its effect on nineteenth century Attempts to reform the way people dress first appeared during the nineteenth century. The people were starting to get tired of the constricting features of clothing and the too elaborate features of dresses. Women who were fighting for their rights such as Elizabeth Stanton, Elizabeth Miller and Amelia Bloomer were the women who designed the then very famous bloomer dress which was consisted of an uncorseted mid-calf dress which was set over pantaloons (Stearns, 1994, p. 12). Many improvements were made since then to people’s clothing. Different eras reflected different styles of clothing and are more often than not also reflective of the prevalent social identity. For example, during the Victorian era it can be said that the clothing of the people were like straitjackets which aimed to constrict the movements and manners of people. Women during the Victorian era were expected by the society to move and behave only when instructed by their male counterpart. Another example of how clothing or fashion plays a role in the construction of social identity is the wearing of uniforms of the military, police or religious personas. The wearing of uniforms based on social researches done impose an aura of confidence and authority so that they can make the people around them follow their orders either willingly or unwillingly (Crane, 2001, p. 3). Clothing also affected the way people measure their social status or whether they were rich or poor during the early nineteenth century. Clothes were generally considered as one of the most valuable possessions during this time. During the Industrial Revolution, clothes were started to be manufactured by machines or in factories and these clothes cost more than average. Newly made clothes were not available to the poor because of the cost and they were left to use hand-me-downs or used clothing. Clothes were very expensive that it was even considered a form of currency by the rich and often replaced gold as means of payment. Fashion and clothing are also means in which people differentiate themselves from others. Rare fashion finds such as antique clothes are used by people who want to express their uniqueness from others. They may wear it as everyday clothing or on special occasion. Regardless of when they will wear it, these kinds of clothing are worn by people to establish an identity which is different from others (Barnard, 2002, p. 61). Another example of how clothing constructs social identities was when large immigrants arrived in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century. The immigrants who arrived immediately disposed their new clothing and used the new clothes available in the country. Through this method, anthropologists were able to deduce that the people wanted to start a new social identity so they immediately dropped their old ways of clothing. Hats were also famous article of clothing during the nineteenth century and it played the most important role in distinguishing the social status of a person. The bowler hat which was designed in England in 1850 was originally made as an occupational hat but was soon adopted by the people from the upper class for sports. It was not too long until people from all social strata adopted the bowler hat for everyday use. Another example, the cap with visor which was mainly used by military officers, was also adopted by the working class by the middle of the nineteenth century. The visor cap, then known as the peaked cap was considered to be the most common head covering for the working man. Fashion and its effect on the twenty-first century In the recent years, especially the twenty-first century, clothes were not deemed with the same economic importance unlike in the previous centuries. Because of the cheap ready-made clothes that were made available to all social classes, clothes were not used as replacement for gold unlike before. Even though the economic value of clothes was not as significant as before, their symbolic value remained as important as before. The availability of clothes to all social classes made it possible for those who are not so very affluent to still express their individualities and own cultures. Another example of how clothes changed the way people perceive their social identities is if before women were not allowed to wear tight clothes or those which confine their body. Today women can wear tight clothes such as leotards and spandex whenever they like because of their liberalization. Women of today are not expected to conform much to how the society expects them to behave or to act. They are also not forced to stay at home anymore but women are now doing what the men do. Indeed, the gender equality experienced in this century is reflected in the way women dress. Cross-dressing or the wearing of clothing that is associated with a different gender, is also another way of how fashion reconstructed the social identity of people (Bullough, 1993, p. ). Homosexuals before were forced to follow the prescribed way of dressing for their gender. Unlike today where in homosexuals are free to dress the way they want, without being afraid of other people and punishments. They can wear women’s clothing and express their identities freely unlike before. Teenagers or adolescents also use fashion to set their own social identity from their parents or those fro m an older generation. If we turn on the television or visit a high school, we can see teenagers strutting outrageous clothes such as those with bright colors or elaborate designs. If people from an older generation prefer simpler designs of clothes, teenagers prefer those with dramatic effects to highlight the generation difference (Sloan, 2009). Perhaps this is how the youth of today’s generation set their social identity. If ever we see an old person dressing up the way the teenagers do, these persons are often considered out of the ordinary. This social identity is somehow embedded in the minds of the people and teenagers are now remembered this way. People who prefer work than leisure or vice versa can also be determined by the way they dress. During they first years of the twentieth century, the three-piece business suit was considered by many to be the epitome of the high social class and are often worn during important events. Though some wear the business suit as everyday apparel, others still consider it as a social class distinction. There were also strict regulations as to how a business should be worn and made. There were exact measurements for the lapels, collars and sleeves. The strict regulations about business suits were deemed as a factor in how people will achieve success. The use of the popular T-Shirt was associated with leisure. Because of its availability and cheap cost, majority of the public during the early twentieth century prefer shirts over the business suits. As time passed, t-shirts were used by people to set off political agendas such as imprinting political statements on t-shirts or other humorous statements. No matter what social class people belong in, rich or poor, t-shirts are favored by these people. Fashion transmitted by popular culture or music come and go very rapidly. Clothes designed because of the effect of the popular culture and the entertainment media are often highly androgynous. There are people who call themselves gothic and they are identified socially by their gloomy appearance and wearing of black colored clothes. Established rock groups also affect the fashion scene by popularizing leather clothes. Rap musicians like rock groups popularized the baggy clothes worn by some teenagers today. Indeed fashion drew a line between different genres of music and avid fans of the different music genres also follow this fashion therefore setting a social identity for them. Fashion undoubtedly constructs and affects the social identity of a person in more ways than one. Fashion and all the attributes it entails are a vast reservoir of meanings and culture of a certain society. From fashion magazines to television advertisements, fashion is a way of introducing something new to the public. Because of what they see in these popular advertisements, the people’s way of thinking is affected. People also depend on clothes and trend of fashion to express themselves and their uniqueness. Without this part of our culture, people will have lesser chances of expressing themselves and their individuality.

Impact of Globalization on International Conflicts

Impact of Globalization on International Conflicts Introduction Globalization is a process that relies upon strategies internationally with the aim of expanding business operations on the face of the world. This is with the help of global communications, which have been made possible due to advancements in technology, developments in the political front, socioeconomic, and the environment. Another definition to globalization is cross-border interactions being intensified and countries depending on one another. This definition shades light on how the international system has changed. Relationships have changed in individual states due to depending on one another and whatever events are ongoing outside their boundaries are more likely to have an impact within their territories. In this paper, we shall look at the conflicts and how different nations are embracing globalization to help root out these conflicts, (Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, 1995).[1] Global change is a rapid process and it is hard to keep track of the new and many developments. Nevertheless, trends are observable and they all add up to globalization. Currently, there is a contradiction in globalization being in full force and the global governance processes that are in existence have insufficient power, the scope and an authority, which ensures that a certain direction is followed, as well as regulations that all lead to beneficial results for all parties involved. Thus, more often than not, globalization does not offer equal effects and it is disruptive. New challenges also have rose in institutions (the public ones), which become less autonomous and are weak in their support. The process of globalization is turbulent, as analysts have found out. In addition, it may be touted as representing a rational economy, however, there is a dark side to it. Critics have always brought out the side of globalization that runs soley on economic power. In addition, it favors the western cultures and their corporations, which puts a lot of communities and jobs at risk. Rich countries have an exploitative nature; they harness cheap labor from countries that are poorer. This creates threats to the environment and does not uphold the principles of democracy and/or social stability. This is through plunging political institutions of the nation into unavoidable forces of change in the economy. Moreover, quite a volume of essays highlight that globalization is uneven, (Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, 1995). This can be analyzed in terms of its processes as well as its effects. It results in concentrations and deprivations which, on average, encompass a well defined structure of power. Globalization creates conflicts, which, on one end, focus on cultural issues as well as identity, and on the other, the issues are primarily economic. From historical archives, social change can be closely associated with the ever-rising levels of conflict. Sorokin did a study, which explored this, largely, (1937: 409-475). His study encompassed twelve countries and it showed to what extent what he refers to as social strife was at its greatest in eras when a certain society was involved in a change that was significant (for example, religion). Such a moment of change is transitional and it cannot pass by without it being muddled in conflicts of values and interests. There is also the paradox of reflectivity. Analysts say that increased reflectivity comes from effects of rapid changes. These changes emanate from societies from all over the world. These rapid changes in turn contribute to incidences of conflict. There is also the effect of globalization in terms of identity. Basically, globalization seeks to homogenize people but it is also a fact that it increases social heterogeneity as an awareness. There are quite a number of groups whose identity rests upon race and ethnicity, religion, and language. These groups have used media in a global sense to voice their discontent. At the end of cold war, ethnic revival was unleashed. It goes without saying that cold war was a conflict [2]among states and it propagated the primal need for a national identity in a worldwide society. During the 1990s, this notion was weakened by globalization. It was less effective in ensuring that people complied or being able to integrate a society nationwide. This means that minorities are better off in reasserting their identity in reference to cultural forces of hegemony. These minorities therefore identify the state as not being a reliable promoter and protector of their interests (which are domestic in natu re). They see the state as collaborating more with external forces (Scholte, 1997). Therefore, in the 1990s, we can argue that conflict is not primarily found between and among states, but rather, the state and its groups. In this case, we can comfortably say that globalization has helped root out conflicts between states but resulted in creating conflicts within the state itself. In the economic world, globalization compels businesses to embrace diverse strategies in relation to the new trend of ideas so as to bring on average the rights and interests of a person and the entire community. This makes the businesses have a competitive front in the world. This also gives business leaders, management, and labor a significant change. This is through accepting the contribution of workers and that of the government so that company strategies and policies are developed and implemented. In this case, globalization has reduced conflicts. It enables companies from different countries to share ideas, transact business together, make dealerships, et al. however, it should be noted that some companies may decide to undertake competition. Either way, it is healthy. Businesses will be motivated to embrace new ideas, strategies, and policies. The reduction of risks can be done through diversification. Companies will be involved with financial institutions internationally and thus making partnerships with businesses locally and with other nations. The process of globalization also increases the dire need for knowledge on the differences of culture between countries as well as the culture of the corporate world. Employers from time to time send their experts to other countries so that they can build subsidiaries and/or support the ones that are already in existence, (Beaverstock, 2012). For a successful subsidiary, language skills are fundamental, so are the influences of the sub culture, the styles of communications of which they are different, societal behaviors. This points out to the fact that in terms of economy, globalization does not create a conflict, it deals away with any conflict that is present. In the economic front, there is what Schumpeter refers to as ‘creative destruction’, (1942: 84). Firms are catapulted into innovation because of competition; surely, a firm cannot just look at its competitors embracing new ideas while it is just stagnant. Innovation here involves both products and the process of production. On the other hand, industries and regions can undergo destruction or marginalization. This is because competitors may become more innovative in a certain area and take lead. In an economy, that has become globalized, national boundaries and distances have diminished, (Ake, 1995: 26). This is because the many obstacles have been done away with thus ensuring market access. Cost of transaction has been reduced significantly as well as the time [3]and distance being compressed and this refers to the international transactions. Several changes have been brought about by globalization. They include trade dynamics, flow of capital, and technology transfer. Markets and production present in different countries have made these countries depend on one another. International competition, as said earlier, is increasing in intensity and in turn increases the strategic interactions across the border. This further makes the various business enterprises to organize and structure themselves into transnational networks. Globalization is characterized by increasing interdependence on various levels. For example, foreign direct investment goes hand in hand with technology t ransfer and the knowhow. It also includes the flow of capital, which is in form of international loans, equity, profit repatriation, et al. this facilitates the export of goods and services from countries that are investing. In this case, also, globalization has brought countries together to a united economic front. The aim is to develop interdependent business across different countries. It is due to globalization that we have trade blocs, (Sorensen, 2004). Members in the same block undertake transactions as it were within their national boundaries. However, we can note that the countries outside this trade bloc suffer from what is called trade diversion. This country will not be able to get the benefits the countries within the bloc are getting. It is from this trade ties that conflicts arise. A country may feel sidelined and thus any ties to the countries in the trade bloc may be severed. Conclusion Globalization by definition is a process, which relies on international strategies while aiming to expand businesses globally. The goal of globalization in this case is to give organizations an upper hand in competition through lowering costs, increased number of products as well as services and customers. Globalization has an hand in conflict creation as well as conflict resolution. In the economic arena, globalization has unified various economies and countries. International trade is now a possibility and countries depend on one another. Cross border costs when conducting trade have been lifted and transport and communication between countries conducting trade have been improved. Borrowing of ideas for implementation in other countries has also resulted because of globalization. New businesses have been started in other countries and this is because there are set policies and strategies. In addition, for businesses to be global, knowledge and language skills come in handy to under standing a foreign market and knowing the consumer needs. Globalization also enhances cultural diversity. People from different ethnic groups, big and small, have a worldwide audience for their cultural values and beliefs. Lastly, international trade may be facilitated by globalization, however, due to the emergence of trade blocs, some countries are left out. This is trade diversion and it may create a conflict between countries in a trade bloc and those without. This means, therefore, that globalization increases and reduces conflicts in the international system at the same time. However, the larger part it plays is to reduce conflicts or resolve them. Reference List Ake, C. 1995. The new world order: a view from Africa. In Holm, Hans-Henrik and SÃ ¸rensen, Georg Eds., Whose World Order: Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War, Boulder: West view. Beaverstock, J. V. (2012). Highly skilles international labour migration and worldcities:expatriates, executives and entrepreneurs. In B. Derruder, M. Hoyler, P. J. Taylor, F.Witlox, International Handbook of Globalisation and World cities (pp. 240-249). Cheltenham, Uk: Edward Elgar Publication Ltd. Scholte, Jan Aart. 1997. constructions of collective identity in a time of globalisation.http://nexxus.com.cwru.edu/amjdc/papers/76. Schumpeter, Joseph. 1942. Capitalism, socialism and democracy. New York: Harper. Sorensen, G. (2004).The transformation of the state – beyond the myth of retreat;Palgrave Macmillan. Sorokin, P.A. 1937. Social and cultural dynamics, vol III, fluctuations of social relationships, war and revolution. New York: America Books Co. Holm, Hans-Henrik and Georg SÃ ¸rensen. 1995. Introduction: what has changed. In Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, Whose World Order: Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War. Boulder: West view. [1] Holm, Hans-Henrik and Georg SÃ ¸rensen. 1995. Introduction: what has changed. In Holm and SÃ ¸rensen, Whose World Order: Uneven Globalization and the End of the Cold War. Boulder: West view. [2] Sorokin, P.A. 1937. Social and cultural dynamics, Vol. III, fluctuations of social relationships, war and revolution. New York: America Books Co. Scholte, Jan Aart. 1997. Constructions of collective identity in a time of globalization.http://nexxus.com.cwru.edu/amjdc/papers/76. [3] Sorensen, G. (2004).The transformation of the state – beyond the myth of retreat;Palgrave Macmillan