Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers French Indochina and the Lover Essay Example

Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers French Indochina and the Lover Essay Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers, European Identities and the Cultural Politics of Exclusion in Colonial Southeast Asia. Ann Laura Stoler Race and the Education of Desire, Fauoult’s History of Sexuality and the Colonial Order of Things. Ann Laura Stoler Introduction We will be presenting two essays by Ann Laura Stoler. The first essay, â€Å"Race and the Education of Desire†, Foucault’s history of sexuality discusses class, race and desire in terms of family and state regulations which are identified as the moral [bourgeois] code in the colonial context of Indochina. The second essay, Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers, European Identities and the Cultural Politics of Exclusion in Colonial Southeast Asia is focused on the construction of colonial categories in relation to people belonging to various geographical and cultural roots. Background of French Colonial Expansion: During the nineteenth century, France embarked on a series of conquests, annexations, and campaigns of pacification. From 1900 to 1914 the pacification of various colonies continued, agreements were signed with local authorities, and administrative organizations were put in place that imposed French models for schools, hospitals, and the army. Colonists began developing infrastructures which facilitated the exportation of raw material to metropolitan France. French Indochina It was a colony of commerce which was under the French rule in the 1860s and in the 1870s the Europeans began to settle here, in 1900 approximately 91 thousand settlers were classified European in the Indies. The metis population is also included in this estimate. We will write a custom essay sample on Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers French Indochina and the Lover specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers French Indochina and the Lover specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sexual Affronts and Racial Frontiers French Indochina and the Lover specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Race and the Education of Desire, Foucault’s history of sexuality Stoler represents bourgeois classism in its linkage to racism. The Bourgeois code is discussed as a desire to defend its members from the pollution of the primitive others. The former are considered as threat and enemy of the White culture. Bourgeois fear of assimilation [re]establishes boundaries and influences the entire society [the other social groups]. This moral bourgeois code, represented in the film, is politically defended and implemented in everyday life, it presents prescriptions for both, bourgeois [the lower-class Whites] and natives. In other words the external boundaries of the group are required to be defended by all its members. Hence, racism is established as exposed to the individual and the group explicit regulations. The moral code basically defines appropriate gender and sexual behavior of both men and women. Male and female sexual boundaries are different in that man’s sexuality is less regulated than that of women. Male sexual behavior requires less attention in the colonial context. Man’s outside- camp [home] sexual relations remain unregulated as far as they do not include interracial marriage. The concombinage with native women turn into wide-spread practice. However, the opposite also became a practice as well [ white women with native men] [p. 183] Masculinity defines its hierarchy: at the bottom the native men. The former’s sexuality became under question. The native men were deprived by their masculinity within the colony; they were effeminized. They were seen as less capable men [in the context of Indochina], both sexually and socially. They were gazed as primitive unable to [reason]†¦. â€Å"it takes two of you to do the job† Crossing the race and class boundaries becomes a morality issue. The invisible ties separate different classes and races. However, that question becomes more complex in the colonial context. The sexual relations among economically lower status bourgeois and middle class native complicate the race and class categories. Besides, those interracial relations did not challenge the racism [the invisible ties played out their role], neither the created stereotype regarding the native men. Nevertheless, the boundaries were policed from the both sides of the borderline. Natives were also defending the racial purity of their community. They used those stereotypes for their own purposes. Their weakness became their strength, a strategy to protect the purity of their culture. â€Å"No two of me four of me. You don’t know how weak I am† In the geographical setting of French Indochina†¦ I will mention how sexuality plays a crucial role on creating and confusing colonial categories. The French film â€Å"The Lover† provides us with a creative insight to see, as Stoler describes, those who â€Å"ambiguously straddled, crossed, and threatened† the imperial divides. I will look closely at the story of â€Å"metissage† and mention the generation that emerged from it : â€Å"metis† in colonial context at the turn of the century. This will bring us to an overall view of how gender and race intertwined, how racial frontiers are created with respect to sexualities. And how much they mattered†¦ For general Western spectatorship, Vietnam does not exist outside of the war. And she no longer exists since the war has ended, except as a name, an exemplary model of revolution, or a nostalgic cult object for those who, while admiring unconditionally the revolution, do not seem to take any genuine, sustained interest in the troubled reality of Vietnam in her social and cultural autonomy. The more Vietnam is mystified, the more invisible she becomes. (Trinh T. Minh-ha, When the Moon Waxes Red, 100) Sexual Affronts European Identities and the Cultural Politics of Exclusion in Colonial Southeast Asia â€Å"The neat boundaries of the colonial rule† were maintained by referring to the distinctions between: * Cultural sensibilities * Physical attributes * Political sentiments How did this story reflect the  "tensions of Empire†? It’s plot was a combination of: * Racial category * Sexual Morality * National identity Locating Sexuality in Empire The cultural contingency of sexuality†¦ †¦appears in colonial contexts 1) Sexuality Race A sexual subculture emerges in the colonial context: Constructions of racial difference, in turn promotes or restricts particular reproductive relationships. Demography, Eugenics and Moral Degeneration are intertwined within the Imperial codes of race and sexuality. Racial hierarchies regulate sexual desire, by encouraging or discouraging it. 2) Invention of private/domestic realm ? public/civil realm Separation of social life into distinct gendered realms implies, first and foremost, that sexuality is associated with the private realm by masking the sexual politics of the colonial institutions. The heterosexual underpinnings of colonial imperial hierarchies and domestic / public spheres are always conscious in the colonial setting. Joane Nagel – Ethno-sexual Frontiers An ethno-sexual double standard: Powers of domination prevent â€Å"our† women from having sex with â€Å"their† men; but our â€Å"men† can have sex with their women without sancion. It is important to note that the Empire itself is sexualised as the penetration and domination of feminized primitive lands and peoples by virile and masculine bodies. â€Å"Concubinage† as one of the new sexual subjectivities Emotional and economic shelter for those on the margins of the normative heterosexuality. Sexuality emerges in the colonial context as a â€Å"weapon of the weak† (Scott 1985). â€Å"Metissage† – a cultural category â€Å"Metissage† is both referred to as â€Å"cultural creolization† and â€Å"cultural cross-breeding†. Metissage is an extension of the word â€Å"metis†, encompassing social, cultural, historical, racial and aesthetic concerns that can not be fully translated into English. â€Å"Metissage under debate† In Stoler’s essay, we are confronted with the fact that such a bonding was an object of political, legal and social debate. It was conceived as†¦ * A threat to White prestige * An embodiment of European degeneration * An indicator of moral decay Metis Metis is translated as â€Å"half-breed† â€Å"half-caste† or mixed blood and carries with it a negative connotation. Discussion of children of mixed parentage the odd one out in an exotic asylum- Emmanuelle Saada, â€Å"Children of The Colonies: The Metis of the French Empire: Citizens or Subjects? † Associate Professor and Director of the Center for French and Francophone Studies Colonial Representations of sexuality in the moving pictures †¦ The 1980s and 1990s The colonial syndrome Colonialism became a topic that was dealt with in many domains, from studies of colonial cultures to research in history and anthropology. Cinema played an important role in this exploration of the colonial past. Those films are the imaginings and refigurings of colonial culture and life and of colonial wars: for Africa, Claire Deniss Chocolat (1988); for Indochina, Jean Jacques Annauds LAmant (1992), Regis Wargniers Indochine (1992). Even though these films do not mean to be truthful renderings of the past, they are presenting images of the former colonies, of life in the contact zone from a Eurocentric point of view. They capture what overseas stood for in the minds of French spectatorstropical, exotic places: the teeming life of the oriental neighborhood of Cholon in LAmant, the haunting beauty of the Bay of Ha Long in Indochine, the wide landscapes of Africa in Chocolat. Pictures of the landscapes of L’amant and Indochine here! They show the French colony as a territory, and as a multiethnic society where French individuals from different classes and regions lived side by side with native populations under rules, established hierarchies and asymmetries designed to privilege the French and to exploit the land and the natives. These films provide concrete examples of what colonization meant the importation of French traditions through the French administration, which organized and ruled different countries of the Empire. The Lover (L’amant) Director : Jean-Jacques Annauds Adaptation of Marguerite Duras 1984 novel. Narrative of The Lover Set in French Indochina in the 1930s, the narrative explores a young French schoolgirls erotic affair in a colonial background. The protagonist is a 15 year-old girl, the daughter of French school teachers who left France to resettle in Indochina in order to better their social status. She is sent to a Saigon boarding school, and on her trip meets Tony Leung; a 32-year old wealthy Indochinese man of Chinese origins. They look at each and they both see a blinding white flash; its kismet. (fate) They meet in his bachelor room where they revel in a wide variety of creative sexual encounters. She comes from a troubled family. Having failed in a land-exploitation scheme, the mother falls into semi-madness. She leaves her children entirely free to do as they wish. It appears that her family would not approve of an interracial tryst. But neither would his father, since in order to inherit his wealth, he must not break from a traditional Chinese arranged marriage. Annaud organizes the screenplay around this interracial relationship, the impossible metissage. The following spot from the Lover will provide for us visual representation of those compicated relations which occured in the colonial context. The Lover, in depth analysis The film is a representation of the socially constructed character of race and the detrimental effects of these classifications had on non-white peoples in the colonies†¦ Metis in Indochina: In Indochina the term applies to persons of French-Vietnamese descent. â€Å"Metisse† or woman of a mixed race always invoked the erotic and the exotic imagination in the French Literature. It is the primitivism that the European appealed to. She is the representation of the â€Å"domesticated primitism†. (the film – young metisse – highly eroticised) To a large extent, the female protagonist functions as the â€Å"exotic† metisse. The director represents her as an â€Å"exotic spectacle† to be gazed, so that the â€Å"female subjectivity† is centralized in the film’s representation. The young Duras is a â€Å"cultural metisse† – she is the ideal metisse, a European but born in the colonies. And she is transformed into an erotic figure. â€Å"Slender wrists and thick black hair† The young Duras’ physical features indicate her belonging to the Indochina geography, and this very resemblance of her to the girls from Indochina makes her Chinese lover feel related to her†¦ This time, the adolescent white European woman is subjected to the male Oriental gaze – typically contrary to the stereotypical colonial gaze†¦ Screening of the exotic â€Å"Other† The use of eroticism and sexual attraction between the races is inscribed in the films screenplay, as well as the fascination for the Other, be it for a geographical or human landscape. The Lover exposes directly the colonial situation from the position of the colonialist. It examines the parameters of an exotic passion between two people from different social and racial backgrounds, but it is limited to the geography of the Cholon bachelors bedroom. Braving the Boundaries†¦ Duras herself braved both French and Chinese cultural taboos by involving in a relationship with a long-time colonial ruler over the Indochinese population. Their romantic affair is an imperial narrative which places (class) exploitation out of the picture. Yet the class difference between the young French girl and the Indochinese/Chinese man is one of the major components of their relationship. At least, it is one by which Duras justifies the relationship: she is the daughter of a deprived colonizer in need of money, and he is the wealthy, educated son of a Chinese merchant. Once this class distinction is established, exploring interracial desire does not lead to rethinking colonial consciousness, but takes the shape of a cinematic tool as sexuality became a power tool†¦ Inter-racial intimacy overshadowed by the colonial ties †¦ The Lover explores the colonial ties between France and Indochina under the primarily erotic and sexual components of a nubile order, leading to a surface exploration of interracial intimacy. The stories conclusion shows the European reabsorption of the colonizer, whereas the native reintegrates the colonial space assigned to him/her. The Chinese lover marries his Chinese bride †¦ The film is much concerned with the characteristics that racial difference bestowed upon the Indochinese, neatly illustrated by his discussion of possible mixed marriages. Maurice Rondet-Saint’s book: Dans notre Empire Jaune (1917), is concerned with the characteristics that racial difference bestowed upon the Indochinese. It seems to be more particularly the individual role of the mother who fails to upbring her children as an ordinary member of the White colonial society. In this sense, those children were exposed to the native culture. Hence, they become less White, polluted by the â€Å"uncivilized†. The profoundly gendered view of the issue of culturally mixed race children is emphasized by Stoler that even fully European children in colonial context were seen â€Å"White but not quite†. Conclusion Mixed-race sexual relations [especially women] posed a threat because they blurred the sharp distinction between citizens and subjects on which the colonial order rested. This film explores the central place of the  «metis problem » in the management of colonial sexuality. Indochina in that context served as a laboratory for the â€Å"metis question†, but it is also an account of a global Empire marked by the persistent challenge of maintaining boundaries between citizen and subject. By exploring the intersection between sexuality, race and class in the colonial context through a cinematographic representation, we hope we have provided with a solid insight on the matters raised by Stoler on Racial Frontiers, Colonial Identities and the place of desire. Extras: Two figures in academia with an insightful touch on the colonial Indochina: 1) Panivong Norindr, in Filmic Memorial and Colonial Blues: Indochina in Contemporary French Cinema in the book Cinema, Colonialism, Postcolonialism. Perspectives from the French and Francophone Worlds. Ed. Dina Sherzer French culture- its love affair with Indochina- resulting in a number of novels and films. He considers three filmsIndochine, LAmant, and Dien Bien Phuin order to examine how they participate in the construction of a collective memory of Indochina. He concludes that these films sustain and reinforce the founding myths of the colonial presence in Indochina. 2) Srilata Ravi, in â€Å"Metis, Metisse and Metissage: Representations and Self-representations† in the book Asia in Europe, Europe in Asia By Farid Alatas (Syed. ), Srilata Ravi, Mario Rutten, Beng-Lan Goh : Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Works Cited Nagel, 2000. Ethnicity and Sexuality. Annual Review of Sociology. 26 Pratt, 1992 – Imperial Eyes: Travel Writing and Transculturation. London: Routhledge Scott, Weapons of the Weak: Everyday forms of Peasant Resistance. New Haven, CT. Yale University Press.

Report of Experiences in Assessments in Matoska International School

Report of Experiences in Assessments in Matoska International School Introduction At Matoska International School, assessment is one of the key elements of the teaching and learning process. Assessment is concerned with the gathering of valuable feedback from student in term of what the student know, what the students feel and what the students are able to do at various stages of the teaching learning process in response to what they have learned.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Report of Experiences in Assessments in Matoska International School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The school has multi faceted assessment criteria that aim at evaluating different types of learning such as skills, knowledge and attitudes. It also means that students are an integral part of the assessment process and that the students are encouraged to develop critical thinking as well as a self evaluation mentality. Assessment at Matoska International School is not only for the purpose of gathering in formation for the sake of enriching the teaching and learning process but is intended to aid in the development of students’ learning and learned abilities. As such it is an ongoing process that also involves the environment, the community as well as the student’s family members. The student is continuously informed of the assessment criteria and adequately prepared before any assessment test is administered (Matoska n.d). Assessment is therefore a continuous process of varied activities intended to develop the student and involves various parties such as the parent community, and the family members while the student is the central figure in the entire process. Assessment methods At Matoska, teaching and learning is multifaceted and as such the assessment criteria is modeled along the Bloom concept of learning domains. It evaluates various aspects of learning such as knowledge skills and attitudes. Knowledge learned is assessed through summative tests at the end of eve ry learning unit. The learner is required to define, describe, knows, lists, or recall knowledge learned. The learner is also expected to show the ability to analyze knowledge learned. Assessment also tests the learner’s attitudes. This involves testing whether the learner’s skills, concept and beliefs have been affected by what has been learned. As such the learner will be observed to identify how he/she cooperates, influences, questions and internalizes learned values. Furthermore, assessment is also intended to evaluate the learners ‘doing’ abilities. This includes testing the learner fro creating, constructing, composing designing and such other physical abilities. Assessment involves both qualitative and quantitative evaluation.Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Quantitative assessment involves awarding of numerical score or grades while qu alitative assessment appeals to a teachers emotion and responses such as good, satisfactory, excellent are involved. Qualitative assessment is used in assessing both written and unwritten tests. Furthermore, assessment also tests a learners psychomotor skills; the ability of the students to do what they have learned in class. Therefore, the assessment at Matoska involves a variety of methods (Matoska n.d). To begin with the teachers use the paper pencil methods. This involves written response where students will write tests that may either involve multiple choices, short answers or essays. Written assessment is done both as a continuous measurement method of a student learning. Therefore it is achieved through writing daily class room assignment as well as the end of every learning unit or semesters exams. Non paper and pencil assessment involves unwritten evaluation such oral tests and manual task. A student is required to give oral responses to questions as well as completing manu al tasks such as simple laboratory experiments while following simple procedures. Unwritten assessment is also part of co curricula activities such as debating, group discussions, music, as well as sports and physical education. The teacher will also observe the student developmental needs in communication skills, interpersonal skills and the way the student relates to the environment around them (Gredler1999). The purpose of assessment The methods mentioned above are student centered and as such the main purpose of using them is to make the student be part of teaching learning process. Thus the student becomes an active participant in the learning process. Students are encouraged to develop self evaluation mechanism and as such they reflect on what they have learned. They are therefore become aware of their own personal academic progress and as such the student will make self directed effort to improve their grade (Matsoka, n.d; Badders, 2000). The tools mentioned above are also ve ry useful in gathering information about the teaching learning process. This information is valuable as it will inform the teaching methods applied to the whole class in general as well as for specific learners. Diagnostic tests help the teacher to understand the student entry level knowledge and learning needs. Assessment is also part of the professional teacher’s duty. At Matoska, teachers are supposed to administer tests and examinations at predetermined times in fulfillment of their professional duties. Such include Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment, administered every spring to students to grades 3 to 5 (Matoska n.d.).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Report of Experiences in Assessments in Matoska International School specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Assessment generates valuable information As mentioned earlier, the methods of assessment are used to generate valuable information about the entire t eaching and learning process. The tools for assessment thus have been able to yield valuable information to the teacher as follows. Over a given period of learning a student takes a series of tests of which an average score is calculated. Continuous tests measures learning abilities on given topics. These tests are used by the teacher as to gauge the student’s immediate needs per topic which are addressed before progress to the next topic. Therefore the tests help in gathering information about a student’s continuous progress and needs. The averaging of tests scored is very useful in giving an accurate measure of a student’s academic performance over a given period of time, such a school semester. The series of assessment test a variety of knowledge, skills and talents. This reveals students’ strength, weaknesses and development needs (Marzano 2006). The assessment has also been very valuable in yielding information on teaching methods that will aid a stu dent’s improved learning. It is through assessment that teachers identify weak areas and thus have to vary teaching methods to address those areas (Matoska n.d.). If students score poorly in communication skills or have poor written skills, the teacher will vary the teaching methods, to incorporate teaching communication, both verbal and written. Rating assessment methods The assessment methods applicable at Matoska have been rated very highly and proved satisfactory. The purposes of using these particular methods have had a very significant impact on the curriculum at Matoska International School. These methods are very valid as have allowed students to exhibit what they know and are able to do. Such assessment includes writing down grammatically correct sentences, ability to identify herbivore from carnivores among other activities. The scores for these assessments are recorded, analyzed and used for future reference as well as improving the learning process at the school. The assessments are reliably useful as they can be applied to all students at all time not only in Matoska but in other schools in the district. These assessments have been able to produce similar results if applied to various schools and students at different times. They also produce data reliable data that that accurately reflects individual student’s knowledge, attitudes and skills learned.Advertising Looking for term paper on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Assessment methods are also upgraded periodically to reflect the current thinking in classroom assessment. Furthermore, the methods have been structured in such a way that they address the time available. This reflects the efficiency of the methods in use (Badders 2000). Insight and problems encountered The assessment process has yielded useful insights. Credible assessment is an interactive process between teaching and the learning process where the student is the central figures in the whole process. It therefore means that communication is valuable in the whole process as goals and intentions have to be clearly communicated to the student. To facilitate this mean that the relationship between the student and teacher has to be right for any effective communication to occur. Traditional assessment only involved the teacher as the only one who would develop assessment tools. However modern methods are also encouraging the student to do a self evaluation that will help in student dir ected studying. There are also some problems encountered in using the assessment methods identified in this essay. Assessment is a much more complicated affair especially when it comes to qualitative assessment. The use of adjective such a s good, excellent and such other words that express the quality of learning do not have a universal application because of their subjective nature. What is satisfactory performance to one student may be poor performance from another. Therefore qualitative assessment becomes difficult when assessing student with varying abilities using the same criteria (Black Dylan, 1998). Conclusion Teaching, learning and assessment have symbiotic relationship. Teaching and learning are directed towards assessment while assessment is directed towards further learning which may result in further assessment. As such none can exist without the other. Traditional assessment was content oriented but with changes in the education system, a more student approach has be en adopted. This has resulted in better assessment methods being adopted which have lead to improvement of educational standards. Matoska International School values assessment as an integral part of its teaching and learning process. It is also student centered and as such other than assessing knowledge, the student’s attitudes and physical abilities are also part of assessment the intention of which is to produce an all rounded individual. Reference List Badders, W. ( 2000). Methods of assessment. Web. Black, P., Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy Practice5 (1). Web. Gredler, M. (1999). Classroom assessment and learning. New York: Addison Wesley Longman. Marzano, R. (2006). Classroom assessment and grading that work. Virginia: ASCD. Matoska International PYP assessment policy. Web.

Total quality management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Total quality management - Term Paper Example An article in the New York Times that displays a graph will be critiqued. A top-down flow diagram, cause-and-effect and flowchart will be drawn to explain the processes and problems surrounding purchasing a vehicle. Finally, an example of a poka-yoke will be given. The first dimension of quality that Garvin proposes is performance. The advertisement gives the primary operating characteristics of the services provided. The second dimension is features. The advertisement gives the secondary aspects of performance that supplement the basic functions of the services offered. The third dimension is reliability. The services offered in the advertisement have measured to verify their reliability. This is especially important because the services offered are consumed over a specific duration of time. The fourth dimension is conformance. The testing services offered in the advertisement meet the standards that are set by Prometric. The fifth dimension is serviceability. This dimension does not have relevance to the services offered at Computech Computers Inc and as such, repair and restoring of services does not need to be considered. The seventh dimension of quality is aesthetics. The advertisement makes the services offered to look, feel and sound in teresting to the reader. However, it is not possible to please everybody and individual preference will dictate whether the advertisement had aesthetic value. The eighth and final dimension of quality is perceived quality. The advertisement infers the good quality of the services offered by use of images, assurance that the company is authorized by Prometric and the provision of full time qualified instructors (Garvin, 1988, pp. 113-174). External customers are people or businesses that purchase the services or products offered by a company. External customers are the ordinary customers who purchase the company’s products or services. Internal customers

Conflict theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conflict theory - Assignment Example The class conflict theory notes that the society has been dominated by class antagonism and struggle over resources. The reason why I have liked the theory is that it highlights issues that continue to affect the modern society. For example, there has been a struggle for available resources in the current society such as employment opportunities, and other resources such as land and water. Hence, various argument presented in the theory are an explicit depiction of what is happening in the society today. Another example is on how capitalism continues to dominate the society. In fact, as it is those countries that have enormous resources continues to accumulate more and hence the increase of few rich people and at the same time vast population being poorer. Secondly, I like the concept that poverty in society is because of exploitation. I believe that there is no way one can accumulate resources if what rightful belong to them is taken by privileged in the society. Therefore, such an individual will not be able to get enough to sustain his/her life and life of those that solely depends on him or her. I also like this concept as it helps in highlighting ways that can be reversed to be able to reduce poverty and inequality in the society. There are different italicized key concepts that are applicable in my practice. One of the italicized key concepts is ideologies. The ideologies are described as one’s idea that may lead to a certain ways of doing things. I believe this concept is applicable in my practice as I also have my own ideas that act as a guide to various things I do. The other concept that is applicable in my practice is on one-Dimensional Man. The concept argues that a man have been unable to maintain self through the influence of ‘outside’ things such as technology. I identify with this concept as I have managed to embrace technology in various aspects of life. For example, currently, I use a modern

Comparison and Contrast of the Story of Joseph in the Bible and the Essay

Comparison and Contrast of the Story of Joseph in the Bible and the Koran - Essay Example The Koran and the Bible present similar accounts only for Joseph and Moses, whereas they widely differ in accounts of Noah, Abraham and Jonah. The story of Joseph has the main basic theme, but some of the details presented differ in some ways. The Biblical story of Joseph is presented in detail, whereas the Koran presents a broader version. The paper will analyze the differences between the two stories. These are discussed in detail; 2. The Dreams In the Bible two dreams are mentioned. The first dream is of sheaves that bow down to Joseph’s sheaf. The second dream mentions eleven stars, the Sun and the Moon bowing down before Joseph. The Koran mentions only one dream which is the second dream. There is no mention of the first dream. Furthermore, both versions vary in accounts of Joseph telling his father Jacob about the dreams. In the Koran version Jacob advised Joseph to keep the dream to himself and not tell his brothers. Jacob seems to understand the meaning of the dream an d understands that Joseph has been selected by God and may possess special knowledge to interpret dreams. As per the Koran the reaction is as follows: â€Å"My little son! Relate not thy vision to thy brothers, lest they concoct a plot against thee: for Satan is to man an avowed enemy! Thus thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories and perfect His favor to thee and to the posterity of Jacob† (Sura 12:5-6). He believes the dream to be true. Whereas, as per the Biblical account, Jacob seems unsettled and keeps the dream under consideration that it may come true. 3. Cause for Hatred The Bible has explained the cause of hatred of Joseph’s brothers. Joseph shared his dreams with them. The brothers are jealous of his dreams and that he has been granted higher position and respect. Other reasons explained also include more affection of Jacob towards Joseph since he was born to him in his old age. As per the Bible, â€Å"because he had been born to him in his old age† (Gen 37:3). Furthermore, Joseph also brought his father bad reports about his brothers. Apart from these reasons, signs of favoritism are shown towards Joseph from his father. This specially includes the colored shirt given to him. The Koran on the other hand does not mention any colored shirt, though the favoritism is the only cause explained for the hatred of his brothers for Joseph. 4. Sending Joseph with his Brothers The Koran mentions detail account of Jacob not trusting his sons. They ask permission from him to take Joseph along with them. The Koran mentions this part in a way that Jacob had knowledge of enmity that his sons were against Joseph and their intentions were not good. He was worried but allowed his sons to take Joseph along with them after some pressure and pleading. This account is not mentioned in the Bible. Furthermore, the plan to kill Joseph or to get rid of him was not premeditated as per the Bible, whereas, as per the Koran this comple te activity was planned before and the permission to take Joseph along with them was a part of this plan. 6. Selling Joseph Both the books have account of Joseph being sold into slavery. The Bible has detailed account in this act. Though, the plot is the same that Joseph was sold to a caravan headed

Suitability of leadership styles to implementing changes

Suitability of leadership styles to implementing changes Leadership styles are the main subject of this chapter. First will be looked at what leadership is, thereafter the differences between managers and leaders are mentioned in short. Then, different leadership styles are described and the characteristics of an effective leader are given. Finally, the relation between leadership and changes in the organization as a result of organic growth are discussed and the most suitable type of leadership to implement these changes are given. What is leadership Leadership is a widely studied phenomena in the scientific literature but it is hard to give a consistent and comprehensive definition of it. This is, according to Grint (2004), due to lack of agreement on four problems which are related to leadership; (1) the process problem is leadership derived from the personal qualities, or is it social process? (2) the position problem has the leader formally allocated authority, or leads he with informal influence? (3) the philosophy problem are actions determined by context and situation, or by intentional influence? (4) the purity problem is leadership an individuals, or a group phenomenon? In the same year of Grints research publication, Northouse also reviewed his theory about leadership. He stated that leadership is a process and involves influence, occurs in a group and involves goal attainment. However, an universal definition of what is meant by organizational leadership is commonly stated as the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organizations of which they are members. In short, leadership is a combination of the leaders traits, the behaviour of the leader, and the situation in which the leader exist. This means that leadership could be different in every situation. Differences manager and leader In many management books and scientific articles the terms manager and leader are used interchangeably which imply that these words have the same meaning. Because this is not correct and can lead to misconception, the main differences and comparisons between a manager and a leader, based on an article of Abraham Zaleznik (1977), are given in short in table 3.1Managers and leaders. Table 3.1 Managers and leaders Managers Leaders Attitudes toward goals Take an impersonal, passive outlook Goals arise out of necessities, not desires. Take a personal, active outlook. Shape rather than respond to ideas. Alter moods; evoke images, expectations. Change how people think about whats desirable and possible. Set company direction. Conceptions of work Negotiate and coerce. Balance opposing views. Design compromises. Limit choices. Avoid risk. Develop fresh approaches to problems. Increase options. Turn ideas into exciting images. Seek risk when opportunities appear promising. Relation with others Prefer working with people, but maintain minimal emotional involvement. Lack empathy. Focus on process, e.g., how decisions are made rather than what decisions to make. Communicate by sending ambiguous signals. Subordinates perceive them as inscrutable, detached, manipulative. Organization accumulates bureaucracy and political intrigue. Attracted to ideas. Relate to others directly, intuitively, empathetically. Focus on substance of events and decisions, including their meaning for participants. Subordinates describe them with emotionally rich adjectives; e.g., love, hate. Relations appear turbulent, intense, disorganized. Yet motivation intensifies, and unanticipated outcomes proliferate. Sense of self Comes from perpetuating and strengthening existing institutions. Feel part of the organization. Comes from struggles to profoundly alter human and economic relationships. Feel separate from the organization. Different leadership styles and effectiveness To achieve success, a leader needs an appropriate leadership style which fits within the whole organization. Therefore it is crucial to know which different leadership styles there are and which of them are most effective in certain circumstances. Although there are several studies about these topics, just some theories and styles will be explained in this section. The two most fundamentally different and common used leadership styles are transactional leadership and transformational leadership. Transactional leaders adjust their style to the existing organizational culture and operates within that framework. The structure is given in which their goals and needs have to be reached. This leaders implement only incremental changes. In contrast of that, transformational leaders have a clear vision of what have to be done, and the organization has to alter to reach this vision. So, the groups wants and needs and the organizations culture need to change. They lead trough implementing radical changes (Bass, 1990). Rooke and Torbert (2005) looked at another way to the topic of leadership. They argues that there are seven transformations of leadership, although seven ways of leading, which they called action logics. Each of the seven transformations is a leaders dominant way of thinking and leaders have the possibility to move through these categories. Out of their research of thousand leaders, they observed the next action logics showed in table 3.2 Seven ways of leading, with their characteristics, their strengths and the percentage of the sample that belongs to it. Table 3.2 Seven ways of leadingthis action logic Action logic Characteristics Strenghts % of research sample profiling at this action logic Opportunist Wins any way possible. Self-oriented; manipulative; might makes right. Good in emergencies and in sales opportunities. 5% Diplomat Avoids overt conflict. Wants to belong; obeys group norms; rarely rocks the boat. Good as supportive glue within an office; helps bring people together. 12% Expert Rules by logic and expertise. Seeks rational efficiency. Good as an individual contributor. 38% Achiever Meets strategic goals. Effectively achieves goals through teams; juggles managerial duties and market demands. Well suited to managerial roles; action and goal oriented. 30% Individualist Interweaves competing personal and company action logics. Creates unique structures to resolve gaps between strategy and performance. Effective in venture and consulting roles. 10% Strategist Generates organizational and personal transformations. Exercises the power of mutual inquiry, vigilance, and vulnerability for both the short and long term. Effective as a transformational leader. 4% Alchemist Generates social transformations. Integrates material, spiritual, and societal transformation. Good at leading society-wide transformations. 1% The managerial implications of these findings is that the Opportunist, Diplomats, and Experts are associated with below average corporate performance. The Achievers are associated with effective implementing of organizational strategies, but only the Individualist, Strategists, and Alchemist (which accounted for 15% of the sample) have the capacity to innovate and to transform organizations in a successfully way. Because there is no single style that is effective in all situations, Flamholtz created his Leadership Effectiveness framework whereby the situation determines which style of leadership will be most effective. According to Flamholtz, leadership effectiveness is dependent on leadership tasks, situational factors, leadership styles and the combination of the style-situation fit. An overview of Flamholtz Leadership Effectiveness framework can be seen in figure 3.1 The Flamholtz leadership effectiveness framework. Figure 3.1 The Flamholtz leadership effectiveness framework Leadership Effectiveness Leadership tasks Work Orientation People Orientation Situational factors Organization Work to be done People doing the work Leadership styles Directive Interactive Nondirective Style-Situation Fit The leadership tasks consist of work orientation and people orientation. Work orientation, which means that the work has to be done, is related to goal emphasis and task facilitation. People orientation gives care to the needs of the people doing the work, and is related to personnel development, interaction facilitation and supportive behaviour. The situational factors can be divided into the degree of task programmability, which is the extent to a work task can be specified prior its execution, and the potential for job autonomy, which is the extent to someone can work without supervision. Each leadership category in Flamholtz framework pertains two leadership styles. Autocratic and benevolent autocratic belong to the directive category. This styles declares what is to be done respectively without, and with an explanation. Consultative and participative belong to the interactive style. A leader with such a style respectively gets opinions before deciding on the plan presented, or first formulates alternatives with a group and then decides. The last two styles, consensus and laissez-fair, belongs to the nondirective category. By the consensus style has every member of the group an equal voice in making decisions, the laissez-faire style leaves it up to the group to decide what to do. Overall, to achieve a high level of effectiveness a leader has to find a balance in emphasizing the work and people orientations of leadership tasks

Wolves: An Unwanted Predator Essay example -- Wildlife Animals Gray Wo

Wolves: An Unwanted Predator Vigorous as a predator, affectionate toward its pack, the gray wolf elicits both fear and admiration among humans. This fear, along with ignorance, inspired a movement to eradicate the gray wolf from the lower forty-eight states in the early 1900’s. By the early 1930’s, gray wolf populations had been completely eliminated from the Rocky Mountains (Bangs, et al 147). In 1973, congress passed the Endangered Species Act that protected any wolves that naturally migrated from Canada (Bangs, et al 147). Public opinion began to shift and the value of the wolf on the ecosystem was realized. While the public support for a reintroduction increased, there remained many people who opposed the gray wolf. People living in the proposed restoration areas feared that the gray wolf would threaten both their livelihood and their personal safety. The reintroduction of the gray wolf to the Rocky Mountain Ecosystem should not be carried out because it bends the rules of the endang ered species act, interferes with the wolves’ natural migration back to the ecosystem and introduces a new threat to livestock in the area. The reintroduction of the gray wolf to the Rocky Mountain Ecosystem distorts and disregards the laws of the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973 to protect endangered species and their necessary habitat (McMurray 52). The purpose of listing a species as threatened or endangered under the ESA is to prevent that species from becoming extinct. The ESA implements recovery plans that stipulate specific regulations and restrictions regarding the threatened species and its habitat (McMurray 52). Under this act, any wolf that migrated to the United States ... ...e up for its past mistakes; rather, Mother Nature will restore the natural balance of her world. Work Cited Bangs, Ed., et al. â€Å"Gray Wolf Restoration in the Northwestern United States.† Endangered Species Update. July-August 2001. v18 i4. pp 147-152. Donnelly, Karen J., â€Å"Canine In the Wild.† World and I. Jan. 1999. v14 i1: pp180+. Li, Jennifer. â€Å"The Wolves May Have Won the Battle, But Not the War: How the West Was Won Under the Northern Rocky Mountain Wolf Recovery Plan†. Environmental Law. Summer 2000. v30 i3. p677-701. McMurray, Ashley. â€Å"Federal Delistings: A Case Study of the Gray Wolf†. Endangered Species Update. May-June 2002. v19 i3. pp 51-53. Richardson, Valerie. â€Å"Decrying Wolves†. National Review. March 20, 1995: pp 28, 29. United States Congress. Endangered Species Act. Washington D.C. 1973.

Divine Command Theory Essay

There are millions of people who believe in God, but among these people the differences lie in to what extent each believes that God has control over what is right and wrong. Are people’s moral standards right because God commands them, or does God command them because they are right? The Divine Command Theory most simply states that God’s commands are what is morally right, and what God forbids is morally wrong. This means that loving one another is right because God commands humans to do so. Advocates of the Divine Command Theory believe this, and believe that morality is the same as that which God commands. Things are good because God created them and/or willed them. Divine Command Theorists believe that there are objective moral standard that are the same for everyone and are independent of individual beliefs. These moral standards are true for everyone regardless of whether or not they believe them or know of them. These ultimate moral standards exist in commands given by God. God commands only things that are good, and he would never command a person to act immorally. God is all-powerful, all knowing, and all loving. God commands these things in order to do what is good for us as humans, and his commands are automatically morally right. The opponents of the Divine Command Theory do not believe that God has that much control over the earth and what is morally just and unjust. They believe that morality is subjective, and that even if there is a God morality would still be subjective. What does it matter anyway what God commands or thinks since it is just another subjective opinion? One of the only reasons that people obey God’s commands is that they fear that they will be punished in someway if they do not. They fear that they will go to hell if they do not obey, or that something bad will happen to them. This would mean that their motives are merely self-interested. But, a Divine Command Theory advocate would argue that God created us, and it is our obligation as his creation to obey Him just as a child would obey its parents. Is it even possible though to compare one’s parents with the divine? Opponent’s say that it is not possible to compare the divine with a child’s parents. However, to continue with the comparison, if a child were to want  to do something and the parent told them â€Å"no, because I said so†, then, like God, the rationale for the action being wrong is simply because it is commanded. If the command were to change to ordering the child to kill, then the right thing to do would be changed to killing. Likewise, if God’s commands are automatically what is right, then if God were to command humans to kill, killing would be a morally just action. Supporters would argue that the situation with God is different. They would also argue that God would not command something that is immoral. But, why wouldn’t God command something immoral? The only answers would be because it is wrong or because God only commands that which is right. But saying this would therefore disprove the Divine Command Theory entirely. This states that what is right and wrong is independent of God, and that what God commands and condemns is subject to these independent standards of what is right and what is wrong. This also proves that a supporter could not say that God is good because â€Å"God† and â€Å"good† do not have the same definition. In order to state this, one must concede that in order for this to be true God must be independent of the standards of goodness that the definition of â€Å"good† entails. There are only two possibilities for the existence of God and moral standards: 1. God creates the moral standards, or 2. God is subject to the moral standards that are independent of him. If God is independent of what is right and wrong and commands what is right and wrong, then God becomes another rational being who decides from these standards of right and wrong what to command. The moral values are accepted by God and therefore commanded. If this is true, then in no way does God create the moral standards. The only way for a Divine Command Theorist to prove their beliefs is for them to prove that without God there would be no morality. If God commands things because they are good, then humans could live moral lives without God because God is also subject to the standards of morality. Humans could, as rational beings, understand the moral values that determine right and wrong and choose how they should live. Humans could decide what actions are moral or immoral without God. Divine Command Theory advocates may try to support their beliefs by saying  that there is nothing above God, good and bad is determined by God’s commands, and things are good and moral because God commands them. However, if there is nothing independent of God causing him to decide what to command, then there is nothing to prevent God from commanding evils such as murder. The only answers again are that God wouldn’t do that because God is good, or that God only commands that which is good. Both of which again disprove the Divine Command Theory. Divine Command Theorists feel that those are not the only answers. The main reason behind God not commanding evil is because God is a loving God, an all-loving God. Because he is such, He would not command evil, and evil would not be moral. God actually exists and loves his creations. He loves and cares for them, and commands in a way that is considerate of their well being and creates a unity/togetherness among them. Not to act according to his commands is to act contrary to a loving way, and to act in this manner is wrong. How does one know what God’s commands are? Are they sent directly from God into people’s brains or souls? Are they given to us via a messenger i.e. a priest? It would seem easy to say that rational human beings have an intuition that tells them what is right and wrong and that God is not the one telling them what is right and what is wrong. There is no need for a God to tell humans what is considered moral and immoral because humans have knowledge and a sense that is independent of God to tell them the right ways to live. God does not create the moral laws. The moral laws exist separately from God and can be understood by any rational being. All that humans need in order to live a moral life is an understanding of these moral laws and a conscience to guide them through their life. Advocates would argue, however, that this is not the case. The moral laws exist because God commands them, and his commands are found in the Bible’s teachings. God commands us through the teachings of the Bible to live a moral life. He teaches us that to love one another is a moral way of life, and evils result in an immoral life. This can be seen in the Ten Commandments and various other passages in the Bible. A person can  understand the way of life that God intended through what can be read in the Bible and inferred from it. This is where morality and God’s commands can be found. However, the Bible can be very contradictory and unclear. In many passages God directly commands murder, and in others commands that death is the correct punishment for actions such as homosexuality. Are things immoral with the exceptions of the instances when God deems them as the right thing to do? Can God say that murder is wrong but change it to right depending on the situation? Is a person supposed to read the Bible and make their own decisions about what the passages mean and what they are telling humans are the right and wrong ways of life? The Bible should not be the source of God’s commands. Suppose that a person reads a book that someone has told them contains the moral standards given to humans by God that all people are supposed to live by, and this book says that a person should kill people over the age of 50, would it be morally correct for this person to kill everyone over the age of 50? There are many religions that do not worship God based on the Bible. Are these religions wrong, and are they worshipping incorrectly? The Judeo-Christian God cannot be the absolute correct belief. If God created all human beings, then he wouldn’t only enlighten Christians of his existence and the correct moral laws. If God’s commands are found in the Bible, then does this mean that before the composition of the Bible there was no God or moral laws? The use of the Bible to explain the Divine Command Theory is a very unstable method. Clearly, the Divine Command Theory is a very sensitive subject to discuss. Despite the strength of each argument, there is no real proof on either side of the argument than can without a doubt prove that what God commands is right because he commands is or that God commands that which is right because it is right. Both can be considered valid arguments of the amount of control God has over the moral standards of the universe, but it is much easier to attempt to disprove something that has no concrete evidence. The question of whether moral standards exist because of God or if God is  subject to them remains a very good one.

Free Essays on My Inner Shrimp Essay Anaylsis

in the quote are fancy - sounding and diffi... Free Essays on My Inner Shrimp Essay Anaylsis Free Essays on My Inner Shrimp Essay Anaylsis To make one’s writing more effective, the author must utilize a variety of elements of style. Examples of these styles include schemes, tropes, word style, and specificity. The essay, â€Å"My Inner Shrimp,† by Garry Trudeau, uses a high style of writing and a multitude of tropes. Word style makes use of the author’s choice of word usage. High style contains complex sentences and sophisticated words. Most formal writing is composed in high style. This style is not used in conversation due to its formal nature. Because of its complicated nature, it has a tendency to confuse the audience and clutter the writings of inexperienced authors (Mulder 61). The story, â€Å"My Inner Shrimp,† contains many examples of high style. â€Å"I feel the pain of the diminutive irrespective of whether they feel it themselves, because my visit to the planet of the teenage midgets was harrowing, humiliating, and extended† (Trudeau 507). This particular quote displays the high style of writing. The elaborate word usage shows the author’s intent to portray a formal essay. All of the adjectives describe the mood of the author’s time spent in an intolerable world. Another example of high style writing is, â€Å"Almost as an afterthought, I ascended the staircase to inspect the loft, ducking as I entered the bedroom† (Trudeau 507). This arrangement of words would not be used in casual conversation. The content of this sentence depicts the use of proper english. Through Trudeau’s choice of the words ‘ascended’ and ‘afterthought’, instead of less descriptive words, he formalized the passage. The high word style is once again shown in the following passage, â€Å"My first week of school, I was drafted into a contingent of students ignominiously dubbed the ‘Midgets,’ so grouped by taller boys presumably so they could taunt us with more perfect efficiency† (Trudeau 508). The words in the quote are fancy - sounding and diffi...

Cognitive And Non-Cognitive Abilities Example

Cognitive And Non Cognitive And Non Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Abilities Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Abilities In order to identify the cognitive abilities as well as non-cognitive abilities those are associated with emotional intelligence, it is necessary to first understand the definition of emotional intelligence. The term emotional intelligence issued to refer to the ability to of understanding and react to one’s own emotional issues as well as the issues experienced by others in order to solve personal and other’s emotional issues. This definition suggests that the cognitive abilities associated with emotional intelligence include ability to study, absorb heaps of information in order to practice the cognitive ability of making decisions in consistency with that particular information (Dahl et al., 2012). The non-cognitive abilities associated with emotional intelligence includes intrapersonal as well as interpersonal skills that are necessary for knowing others and knowing oneself as well as adapta bility skills which includes the ability of problem solving. In daily life emotional intelligence can be used to solve various problems experienced by loved ones such as mothers. My mother is not a kind of person who shares her personal issues with anyone. Therefore, emotional intelligence can help me identifying the emotional issues she is experiencing. For example: she may not be cooking food properly or may be spending time in unproductive activities. These are signs that a person is experiencing emotional issues. By looking at her activities and identifying that she is suffering emotional issues I can find a solution to such issues and help her solve the issues. This in turn will help her in indulging herself to the full potential in her own work. ReferencesDahl, D., & Cilliers, F. (2012). The relationship between cognitive ability, emotional intelligence and negative career thoughts: A study of career-exploring adults. SA J. Hum. Resour. Manag., 10(2). doi:10.4102/sajhrm.v10i2 .461

Women and Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Women and Politics - Essay Example Policy decisions in such circumstances are necessarily to be meticulous at least for the time being. American deregulation of genetically engineered food products such as Geep meat (a cross between a sheep and a goat) and certain forms of new vegetables into Canadian market is the best example of the like situation. Media analysis on this issue had critically assumed that the decision should have been of Canadian origin.(Joel Schalit, 1994 ). Going back in centuries, we can have an overall idea of politics through Aristotle2. His science of politics encompasses two different fields namely ethics and political philosophy. As regards ethics his contention that practical wisdom could not be acquired solely by learning general rules is noteworthy. Answers to the abstract question of whether egoistic behaviour serves the general good can be got from general equilibrium theory with respect to some idealized circumstances. This theory does not matter if people are in fact egoistic3. The conventional alienation of women in politics has almost disappeared. The gender gap has become the defining feature of the US elections since the previous two and a half decades. In fact the gender differences were apparent in many races since 2006 and still continue to be long-term trends. Women as voters have developed themselves as an efficient controlling factor in elections. This showed their knowledge of politics would set trends in politics. (Susan J. Carroll, 2006). The recent voting trend in the Super Tuesday Races of February 5, 2008 confirms the gender gap. In California and Masachusettes, where Hilary Clinton won the gender gap was just 14 while in Utah where Obama won the gap was 204. The role of media that is considered to be a formative pillar in any democracy still lacks its interest in propagating the achievements of women politicians. The Round Table conducted by IPU in 1997 made efforts to its fullest strength to bring the women politicians more in

Revise the paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revise the paper - Essay Example This paper focuses on Bird’s article â€Å"College is a Waste of Time and Money†, the paper analyses and critiques the arguments that Bird offers in support of her view that college education is a sheer waste of time and money for the majority of people. The paper concludes with a recommendation on what need to be done so as to improve college education. The main theses of Bird in her critical view of college education is that college education is not good for many young people, and many young people go to college not because they want to learn or they see any value in college education, but, they go to school for some other reasons. Bird claims that many young people go to college because of reasons that are not relevant to the actual meaning of education. For instance, Bird claims that many young people go to college simply because going to college has become the conventional thing to do after completing high school; Bird also claims that some other young people go to college because they do not want to work, so that they can get the financial support of their parents or taxpayers. Caroline Bird goes on to argue that since many students do not go to school willingly and they do not see any sense of college education, many of college students are sad and sullen throughout their college lives; the students feel unwanted and they fee l that they have been damped in college to stay there temporarily because the world had no place for them. Consequently, Bird concludes that college education is a sheer waste of time and many. A critical review of Bird’s argument on this issue, however, reveals some logical fallacies that Bird committed in supporting her theses. Before we expose the two logical fallacies in Bird’s argument in support of her theses, let us explain the main strength of Bird’s argument. The main strength of Bird’s argument