Marx, Durkheim, Weber essays

Marx, Durkheim, Weber essays Karl Marx considered one of the worlds greatest thinkers by the Wall Street Journal thought that people should try to change society. Exiled from his native country of Germany for trying to ignite a revolution believed the main struggle in human life was class conflict. One of the lasting impressions of his work Manifest der kommunistischen Partei (Communist Manifesto) (1848) was written in the explicit hope of precipitating social revolution. And although Modern day Communism, widely attributed to him, is very different from his Marxism; the founders of modern day communism drew from his ideas so much so that he was disgusted at some of the debates on his insights into sociolism. Although Marx did not consider himself a sociologist, many sociologist consider his work, especially his work in the class stuggles and his introduction of one of the major perspectives in sociology, conflict theory, to have propelled him as one of the most significant early sociologist. Emile Durkheim is considered by many to be the father of sociology. He is credited with making sociology a science, and having made it part of the French academic curriculum. During his lifetime, Emile Durkheim gave many lectures, and published an impressive number of sociological studies, to prove his one of his greatest contributions to science, his view on social integration, on subjects such as religion, suicide, and all aspects of society. A hundred years after his genius his studies are still quoted and studied all over the world. Max Weber is best known as one of the leading scholars and founders of modern sociology and like Marx and Durkheim is one of the most influential of all sociologists. With his most famous economic work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), Weber disagreed with Marx in that economics was the central force in social change. He believed that it was r ...

What is the Meaning of `Sure Thing` Essay Example

What is the Meaning of `Sure Thing` Essay Example What is the Meaning of `Sure Thing` Essay What is the Meaning of `Sure Thing` Essay Essay Topic: Sure Thing One of the key thematic aspects of David Ives short play Sure Thing (1988) is the question of whether the plays two characters, Bill and Betty, genuinely achieve communication adn connection by the close of the play or whether the perceived true communication and relationship between the characters is actually a result of superficiality and repetition. In order to fully understand the plays device of restarting the same scene again and again, it is necessary to regard both possible outcomes or thematic interpretations as equally viable and simultaneous. In other words both aspects of the them are intended by Ives: that people do and do not achieve true communication and build genuine connections and relationships during the course of repeated, almost absurdly repeated events.In fact the device of the bell can be interpreted as showing both the universality of the repeated encounter between Bill and Betty but also of the universal nature of seclusion and isolation: the inability for p eople to reach one another despite repeated attempts to find the right mode and the right words. An example of how the repetition of scenes works to indicate the failed or broken aspects of interpersonal communication is when the first exchange of dialogue takes place:BILL-TABLE #1: Excuse me. Is this chair taken?BETTY-TABLE #1: Excuse me?BILL-TABLE #1: Is this taken?BETTY-TABLE #1: Yes it is.BILL-TABLE #1: Oh. Sorry.BETTY-TABLE #1: Sure thing(Ives)The initial status between two strangers is a closed, almost impenetrable solitude with little room for affection or emotional response.   The exchange of dialogue is meant to indicate the walls that exist between people in modern society, the way that politeness and   decorum serve a function   of facilitating isolation and precluding human interaction The next exchange of dialogue (after the scene is reset by the bell) show a slight softening of the decorum and the socially facilitated barriers of formal discourse:BILL-TABLE #3: E xcuse me. Is this chair taken?BETTY-TABLE #3: Excuse me?BILL-TABLE #3: Is this taken?BETTY-TABLE #3: No, but I’m expecting somebody in a minute.BILL-TABLE #3: Oh. Thanks anyway.BETTY-TABLE #3: Sure thing.(Ives)It is important to note that Bettys line that she is expecting somebody reveal the first overt emotional reference of the play but that the emotion is still a function of personal defensiveness and serves to inhibit rather than encourage further interaction. The dual progression demonstrated by these two opening scenes: one a movement toward emotion and toward interpersonal communication, the other a simultaneous movement toward defensiveness and isolation exemplify the progression of dual themes that persist right through to the end of the play.By the time Bill and Betty have made a demonstrable connection one that the audience can at least belive may be genuine, there is still no change in the outer formality of the dialogue and its simultaneously evasive and self-pr otective function. More than learning to truly reach one another or truly communicate, the characters can be understood to have reached a mutual understand of permissable superficiality. A sample of the closing dialogue shows that Ives intends the ambiguity of the perception of the charatcers true connection and emotional response to function, in fact, as a way of expressing two themes simultaneously which contradict one another but are nevertheless apparent throughout actual human society:BILL-TABLE #3: Y’know I was headed to the-BETTY-TABLE #3: (simultaneously) I was thinking about-BILL-TABLE #3: I’m sorry.BETTY-TABLE #3: No, go ahead.BILL-TABLE #3: I was going to say that I was headed to the movies in a little while,   Ã‚  Ã‚   and†¦BETTY-TABLE #3: So was I.(Ives)In conclusion, Ives intended Sure Thing to express a dual theme: that human both incapable of reaching a state of true connection and communication but they are equally incapable of escaping the cons tant drive to seek just such a connection and relationship. In this way, the device of scene-repetition in the play is able to express to seemingly contradictory themes simultaneously in order to more fully represent the actual state of human relationships in the modern world.

Thinking Through Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Thinking Through Religion - Essay Example The assertion, "The unexamined life is not worth living", by Socrates is great for the clear-cut and straightforward message it gives. No ambiguity is involved, and it gives no scope for doubt. No purpose is served in the life of an individual, who is born and walks up to the grave! Every human being is endowed with an inner world to delve deep into it and to understand the real purpose of life and develop the technique to lead a spiritual life. The nobler instincts are more powerful than the desire that draws one to the secular comforts. The core desire of a human being is to search for meaning and purpose of life. The divine beauty of the inner world is the subject of practical experience. Wise men have written millions of pages about joy and happiness, but unless one crosses the barrier of mind and reaches the level of transcendence to enjoy the state of bliss, one’s life remains unexamined and it is the state of incompleteness. When one possesses the will to grow, not bein g satisfied with the state of status-quo, take it as the beginning of progress. The process of investigation is the continuous one and inner search means practical spirituality in which state every thought and action is positive and the individual visualizes divinity and unity in the working of the cosmos. He sees unity in diversity. Man’s search for meaning of life is the fundamental force of life and it is within everyone. With the procedure detailed in the sacred texts, the practical vision of divinity is attainable reality and that is the true purpose of life. To know the essence of human existence is the be all and end all of life. Each individual has to find the answer to his question, with investigation. Life is a continuous process of search of the unknown and the challenges on the path of investigation provide an opportunity for an individual to test his determination and will. Personal growth and spiritual growth are alternative beats of the same heart. Moreover, it is equally important to know that one's life happiness does not come from or depends on the other or though conditionings in the external world. Others can only contribute to trigger feelings, but an individual must search one’s own happiness. Thus, one's life is worth living when one remains involved in the process of self-examination in order to find true meaning and happiness of life. An unexamined life is not worth living. 2. Anthropic Principle means relating to human beings or their existence. Our existence on this Planet Earth depends on many cosmological considerations and even if a slight deviation in those factors would mean that we will not exist at all. The cosmos functions on countless alignments. The question arises, is it possible that such an arrangement exists merely by chance? Philosophers and the well-meaning scientists conclude that it is God who has that ultimate and immeasurable capacity and He has fine-tuned this Planet Earth for our existence. The rec ent advances in astronomy and physics have led the scientists to strongly conclude that there is ‘the soul at the heart of the universe’. This has led them to the process of self-examination and questions like: Who are we? Why are we here? What is God? For the first time in the known history of humankind, the contemporary scientists, theologians and mathematicians are likely to arrive on a common platform and their unanimous decision about the existence of God! â€Å"The Soul of the Universe†, is a remarkable program (video) on this fascinating and mind-boggling issue. I entirely agree with the anthropic principle and it goes in tandem with the spiritual truth. In fact, spirituality is the science of sciences. That which is not practical, and amenable to experiments, cannot be spiritual either. Consider the structure of protons. It has direct bearing on the livability of our Planet and consequently on the life of humankind. Some more examples that go to prove the

Collaborative Editing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Collaborative Editing - Essay Example The paragraph tends to get too wordy and as a reader I found myself getting lost. There were also a few grammar errors in this segment such as verb tense, comma placement, and sentence structure. The closing was a little too editorial and did not leave much room for the reader of the review to make their own decision on the political slant of the film. Also, stating the message of Orwell so plainly might take out all the enjoyment it can have as a children's film. The review of Jane Austen's "Emma" was well written and very interesting to read. The writer of the essay caught Austen's sentiments about life and conflict with some depth of understanding. The structure was easy to read and contained few, if any, grammatical errors. However, after I read it, I still was not sure it related the story of "Emma" as Austen may have intended it. Aside from the brief, and eloquent, overall description of the book as "a more common, frequent, and laughable mockery", there is little else told to the reader to help them understand the feeling of the story. A descriptive quote would have aided the reader to get a sense of the character. The review could also have benefited from an example of how Austen challenges the reader with her complex storytelling technique. The last paragraph sums up the writer's thesis of "Emma" very clearly.

Discuss Stevensons presentation of the charchacter of Mr Hyde in the novel Essay Example for Free

Discuss Stevensons presentation of the charchacter of Mr Hyde in the novel Essay The Character Mr Hyde, in the book Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson is left a mystery to the reader for the majority of this Victorian Gothic Horror. The suspense of this book would have been ever more relevant in Victorian times, due to the menacing and real evil of Jack the Ripper, a serial murderer who preyed the streets of London in the late 1800s. Jack is a person with which through the book, Edward Hyde shares certain characteristics, such as leading a double life. Investigators suspected Jack the Ripper to be a respectable man in daylight hours. They never did catch him. The first initial sighting of this stumping, little man was in the dark and early hours of the morning. This already suggests that Mr Hyde is not quite normal, as stereotypically bad things come out at night, so automatically the reader is intrigued. In addition, you can tell that he is going to be an important factor to the book when he tramples a child like a Juggernaut with no feelings and it is chilling to think what kind of a man does this. The person to witness the preliminary event involving Mr Hyde was Mr Utterson; Mr Jekylls friend and lawyer. In the event, a cheque with Mr Jekylls name on it was handled by Mr Hyde and given to the trampled childs family in the hope that they would keep his mistake a secret. No gentleman but wishes to avoid a scene. First impressions are the basis on which the majority of Hydes character is built, almost as if Stevenson doesnt let you see past Hydes (generally bad) first impressions to a sad creature that ends up weeping like a lost soul. Right at the beginning of the book, when we find Hyde trampling a child, Utterson has already taken a loathing to [his] gentleman at first sight and the ugliness of Hyde brought out the sweat on [him] like running. Then later, a witness to a murder remembers a previous meeting with Hyde, in which she had conceived a dislike for him. Further on in the book the effect Hyde has on people gets stronger as he grows in evil and stature. With his remarkable combination of great muscular activity and great debility of constitutionthis bore some resemblance to incipient rigor, and was accompanied by a marked sinking of the pulse. This quote describes Mr Hydes appearance, and the extent of his deformities. We begin to understand why he avoids daylight and why the public avoid him. There are numerous occasions of people feeling nauseous after meeting Hyde, and few people are unmoved on first meetings with him, Sir Danvers Carew is one of those who remain unmoved, but nothing good comes out of it. In the Carew Murder Case, we begin to understand the depth of Mr Hydes character. This is the first instance in the book where he is compared to an animal or being backward to society by dramatically changing his suspiciously polite mood to ape-like fury. This horrific change resulted in a vicious attack on Sir Carew, the person Hyde was so politely speaking to in the street who also happened to be a famous MP. Moreover, for an MP to be clubbedto the ground by a hailingstorm of blows was a crime of singular ferocity that London was startled by. A maid witnessed this cruel murder from a nearby house and gave Edward Hydes name to the police. The police then searched Hydes house in Soho, a downtrodden area of London that was lived in by the working class, the rooms were furnished with luxury and good taste but the house was in a mess, almost as if had been vandalised. This confirms to the reader that Hyde is a complicated and probably lonely person. There is almost an element of pity towards Hyde from the reader. In the final chapters the anticipation for something climatic to happen is at its largest and as anticipated, the mystery of Edward Hyde is unravelled and we see a somewhat unexpected side to him, although quite understandable because of his general unpredictability. Many questions arise within the reader when the usually brutal creature is found alone and dead in a cabinet as if he was vulnerable. Throughout the book, Edward Hyde is also depicted as being growing and ominous evil and as his inner evil grew he had also grown in stature, and to find him dead instead of the suspectedly murdered Dr Jekyll is certainly a shock to the reader. Many disreputable tales came out of that mans [Mr Hydes] cruelty and the fact he was still roaming the streets was unnerving to those who knew of him, yet he is found to have possibly committed suicide even though he had an immense love of life and fears [Dr Jekylls] power to cut him off by suicide In conclusion, I think that Hyde has been portrayed to be the pure evil of Victorian times and that Robert Louis Stevenson was really writing about the battle between good and evil. For example the times all through the book when Jekyll has had to clear up after Hydes mess (trampling the child was covered up with a cheque) is like the Victorians having to clear up after mistakes in their society and lives. Another example is Hyde being scared that Jekyll could stop him from living, which is saying that in the end good has more power over evil. In the book there is also an element of pity towards Hyde, as if he is the misunderstood character, but I suppose this pity for him could be a trap and in the end you will never see any real good out of him, this is along the lines of what Jekyll said in the final chapter. In this book, Stevenson has focused on Juxtaposition (opposites) and Jekyll and Hydes battle with each other is a metaphor of this. This book was a horror novel in Victorian times, and rightly so, with their obsession with hell and Jack the Ripper still roaming the streets this novel gave them even more reason to fear God and the evils that surround them.

Media Violence and School Shootings Essays -- Mass Shootings, School Sh

Another school shooting goes down and is preyed upon by the media for a gripping new story. Jonesboro, Arkansas, West Paducah, Kentucky, and Littleton, Colorado all have one thing in common. All these places are sites where school shootings have occurred. Why do school shootings happen and who is to blame when they do happen?. These are two questions that are still trying to be answered. Some people say that school shootings are due to the excess marketing of violence in movies, television, video games, and music. "'There is a difference between what one has the right to do and what is socially responsible', he says. It appears that they have targeted a mass audience for this material, and then they're 'horrified' when it's discovered what they've done. They're being duplictous-in the end, they're lying" says Andrew Schwartzman, president of public interest law firm the Media Access Group(Holland). I tend to agree with this point but I believe that there is a bigger an d more substantial factor when looking at school shootings. I believe that parents have to take most of the blame for school shootings. Why should parents have to take blame for something that their child has done wrong. Well, it is pretty simple. Parents are the only people who can control what kind of music their kid or kids listen to, what movies they see, what video games they play, and what kind of programs they watch on TV. The parents should be held accountable because it is not possible for the school to control what the kids do out of the classroom. Since the Littleton, Colorado shooting, school shootings have attracted attention to laws that make parents criminally liable for their children's actions. Since then, twelve states including, Alabama, Arkansas, California and Ohio, have come up with parental responsibility statues. Under these laws, parents can be prosecuted based on the failure to supervise their children("Parents"). Tom Lynch also believes that he is responsible for the violence that his kids are exposed to saying, "because as a parent, I can do something about the entertai nment viewing habits of my children. As far as I know, my wife and I are still in charge on the home front, and we plan to keep it that way as long as we're still paying for the Nikes"(Lynch).  ... ... morals, like going to church. I myself, believe that God can be the biggest or least influence in a kids life. Violence in the media and gun control are two of the biggest factors when it comes down to school shootings. But after it is all said and done it is the parents responsibility to control and bring their kids up right. That's what everything comes down to. It all starts in the beginning. Parents have to start from when the kid is wearing diapers. The parents have to decide on what the kids will watch on TV, listen to in their headphones, play on their computer, and watch at the movie theater. After all, the school can not supervise kids after school hours. This evidence found following the Colorado massacre seemed to indicate a parental failure to detect and deal with troubled behavior by teens suspected of the killings(Chi). Kids have way to much freedom in today's world. They don't know what its like to be told "no". From letting the youngster get whatever toys he wants, to letting the sixteen year old pick out his own car. Lets face it, kids today are spoiled by thei r parents and the people around them. And in the end: It kills!

Lotus Versus Zen Buddhism

William Bettley 4/3/2013 Cul 260 Prof. Grohe Zen (or Chan) and Lotus Buddhism A Comparison Essay Buddhism, like many other major religions has expanded past a simple definition. There are a large number of regions that practice this astronomically large religion, and throughout the years since its introduction to the world it has developed a large number of ways to practice the belief system. The sect with the largest number of temples in Japan is Zen Buddhism, the second largest number belong to the Lotus, or Nichiren Sect.Zen, being the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese character Chan, falls into a much larger sect of Buddhism, with many different branches; this paper will look into the Japanese Zen branch and the Soto-Zen branch. These branches will be compared to the almost exclusively Japanese sect of Buddhism, Nichiren. The Nichiren sect, that borrows its name from its founder, is an extremely large sect of Buddhism whose main sutra is the Lotus Sutra. The Nichiren sect of Buddhism is any denomination of Buddhism that derives its beliefs from the teachings of the ancient Japanese teacher Nichiren. Nichiren is comprised of more than forty different independent religious institutions. Nichiren, originally a monk of the Tendai doctrine did not see himself as the creator of a sect, nor did he give his followers a name. It was in his death that his teachings, based on the Lotus Sutra, were denominated to be the Lotus sect of Buddhism† (Buswell Vol. 2). The largest of the Nichiren branches has its largest temple in Yamanashi and is called Nichrenshu. â€Å"Nichiren adopted the Tiantai School doctrine of reality as three thousand realms in a single thought to explain the theoretical basis upon which ordinary people can reach Buddhahood.He found this single thought doctrine not as an access from meditation, but as concrete manifestations from the three great secret dharmas. He derived these three secret dharmas from the latter half of the Lotus Sutra, or the origin teachings, thus these three secret dharmas became the core of his teachings. † (Buswell Vol. 2) The Daimoku, or name, is the Myohorengekyo or name of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren believed this to embody the essence of all Buddhist teachings. He felt that all that Buddha is and was and ever will be can be embodied in a practitioner through the faith and chanting of this name.He felt that through reciting this mane, the essence of the Buddhist teaching can be transferred to the practitioner in a moment of faith. This was the first dharma of lotus teaching. As with most major religions, and religious sects, there is an identifying object. The Lotus sect of Buddhism is no different. The second dharma of Lotus teaching was the honzon, or object of worship. During Nichiren’s lifetime he developed a calligraphy Mandala, an example of which you can see above. This is an example of the item of worship you would bear reverence to in this sect of Buddhism, and this can be found in every Lotus Buddhist temple.Namu Myohorengekyo is inscribed down the center, and to the left and right are inscribed the names of Buddha, along with the representatives of the assembly of the Lotus Sutra. The third dharma is the most controversial. The kaidan is to some a platform of belief, while to others it is a physical thing. By definition it is a platform loosely described in Nichiren’s writings. It is more definitely an ordination platform. In the esoteric sense it means that wherever one embraces the Lotus sutra is the Buddha land.There is not much to say about this but to say that Nichiren has mixed reviews on what he believed this to be. â€Å"Zen is the Japanese pronunciation of the Japanese character Chan† (Buswell Vol. 2). This was one of the first quotes in my paper, and allows us to look at Zen in a different light. While it remains the Zen school of Buddhism in Japan, it is a branch of the Chan school of Buddhism, thus to look at Zen, you mu st first see Chan. This section will look into both the Japanese Zen Buddhism, and the Soto Chan Buddhism.Japanese Zen Buddhism is almost exactly like the original Chan School, because it took upon itself Chan concepts in Japanese style. There is not much of a difference between the Chan School and central Buddhist practice, and thus I will not look deeply into it. One of the primary notable things about the Zen school is that it, much like other schools, incited much violence between the schools because of a difference of views. Soto Chan Buddhism takes as its main concept that one is already Buddha, and to take up the mantle, you must sit in meditation without the attempting to become Buddha.This is interesting and much different from what we have learned prior in this paper. Most schools of Buddhism do not see themselves already being Buddha, and most strive to achieve Buddhism, and that takes a huge parting path from original Buddha teachings. Thus far in this paper we have brok en down many branches of Buddhism schools and how they differ in belief. That being the target of the paper would imply that this is the end, but I must make a few additional remarks. In Buddhism one strives to achieve enlightenment. In that cause Buddhism is different from many religions.It takes a walk away from heaven, and strives towards the land of Buddha. But like many other religions there is discrepancy, and thus there is conflict. That does not mean that Buddhism is bad, just normal. There is much more depth this paper could look into, but doing so would make this a Buddhism paper, and not just the cores of the sects I am looking into. To see more of how this paper applies to Buddhism, would much improve the knowledge of the coherency of this paper. References Buswell, Robert E. Encyclopedia of Buddhism Vol. 1 Macmillan Reference USA. 004 PP, 134-135 Buswell, Robert E. Encyclopedia of Buddhism Vol. 2 Macmillan Reference USA. 2004 PP, 595-598, 293 Princeton EDU Nichiren Budd hism, Author Unknown, https://www. princeton. edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Nichiren_Buddhism. html Yusa, Michiko. Japanese Religious Traditions. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print. All images belong to their original owners and no profit will be made from their inclusion in this paper. Any profit from this paper will be distributed to the owners of the original image holders at their request.

Multilateral vs bilateral diplomacy Essay

Governments need to develop international relations in different fields like security, and trade as well as to decide the option of engaging in a bilateral or multilateral basis with other countries through diplomacy. Bilateralism and multilateralism have supporters and detractors; however the multilateral approach has increased since the end of the Second World War and thanks to the globalisation that affects all the countries around the world. In this way, the international intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) have become important actors in global governance, cooperating in problem-solving agreements and providing activities to face global problems. IGOs can also be independent actors. Bilateralism is considered the reflection of the distribution of powers between the parties, where the dominant country generally takes advantage, while multilateralism is viewed as relations that follow a pattern of principles. This paper will argue why countries prefer multilateral engagement through international organisations rather than bilateral one with other states. The first part of the essay will focus on the need of states to engage with others. The second part will give a broader definition of bilateralism and multilateralism, the main strengths and weaknesses of each approach. The third part will cover the different role of multilateral organisations in diplomacy. Finally, the fourth part will explain the advantages of the multilateralism that place it as the preferred engagement among countries. Some examples and case studies will be used to remark this tendency. The essay however will finish with some challenges that the multilateralism approach face in the near future. Why countries need to engage with others As the whole society, countries cannot be isolated from the world, this means that they need to develop a foreign policy of how to deal with others, negotiating their interests and solving problems that can arise with the neighbours. This process is named diplomacy (Wright 2011). Diplomacy can be on an individual basis (bilateralism) or in groups of three or more (multilateralism) where states follow principles in their relationship. Asian countries rely mainly in the first approach, meanwhile European countries prefer the second one (Wright 2011). According to the  international relations theory, states may create international law and international institutions, and may enforce the rules they codify. Nevertheless, these rules do not determine a state to act in a defined manner, but instead the underlying material interests and power relations. Institutions also may increase information about states behaviour diminishing the significant uncertainty of cooperation. Also, they can increase efficiency, reducing the transaction costs and providing a venue where states can meet as well as they provide norms, practices and decision making procedures to shape expectations and allow a quickly settle on a specific course of action. It is important to remember that states are configurations of individual and group interests that were constructed from mix of history, ideas, norms, and beliefs and that project those interests into the international system through a particular kind of government (Slaughter 2011). Bilateralism and Multilateralism ‘Bilateralism is a value-free concept, and the substance and output are likely to be driven by the relative power between the two parties and, by extension, by the interests of the stronger party’ (Wright 2011). Bilateralism could be discriminatory if the powerful state tries to get the best deal according to its interests with other states on an individual and ad hoc basis as small states depend on its markets. However, this approach could also bring benefits like the risk reduction since actions are controlled and the probability for reciprocal benefits is higher (Wright 2011). ‘Multilateralism, by contrast, organises relations between three or more states along a set of basic principles that lay out certain expectations of behaviour that all parties must agree to and abide by, including the strongest party’ (Wright 2011). The different challenges that states have faced in terms of security, peacekeeping, disease control, human rights violations, and pollu tion in the last few decades have demonstrated that these factors are complex and cannot be managed by a country or a group, no matter how powerful or effective it can be, it is a global issue (Powell 2003). Policy prescriptions of multilateral organisations seem to be intrusive in terms of state sovereignty, becoming difficult to agree and implement in most cases (Roberts 2009). Multilateralism background and International Organisations Multilateral cooperation origins can be traced a long way back through congresses and conferences, such as the Congress of Westphalia from 1644 to 1648, the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and the Congress of Paris in 1856. In terms of committees, the first ones were set up to deal with technical matters like the Commissions to regulate the Rhine, the Danube and other rivers. In 1874, the Universal Postal Union was created after the Berne Conference to allow letters stamped and posted in one country could be transported and delivered in another. In terms of Peace, the First Hague Conference of 1899 and the Concert of Europe in from 1815 to 1914 were established. In 1919, after the First World War, the League of Nations appeared ‘to promote international cooperation and to achieve international peace and security’. Finally, the United Nations was born in 1947 after the Second World War with wider aims open to all states (Roberts 2009, Wiseman & Basu, 2013). The international organisations can belong to universal multilateralism (United Nations – UN), regional multilateralism (European Union – EU), value-based multilateralism (North Atlantic Treaty Organization – NATO) or minilateralism (G20) or a mix of some approaches (Wright 2011). They have changed the representation from nation-state governments’ diplomatic to non-state diplomatic actors thank to their role of diplomacy facilitation venue (Pigman 2010). Their participation model will vary depending on their category. Universal multilateralism is open to all states without taking in account their geographic location, size or regime. The barriers of entry are relatively low but the states participation can be on one-state/one-vote basis (General Assembly of United Nations) or weighting vote in the basis of population, wealth or financial contribution (International Monetary Fund – IMF) (Wright 2011, Pigman 2010, Karns & Mingst 2013). The regional multilateralism ‘focuses on policy coordination and cooperation among states in a specific geographic region’ while the values-based multilateralism relies on their own values in terms of security, economic or human rights matters. Finally, minilateralism ‘allows a powerful state or a small group of states to convene a select group that is capable of acting in a timely manner and in a way that is proportionate to the challenge at hand’. The participation in the regional multilateralism and the minilateralism is inclusive but depending on the institution and  culture of the members can be majoritarian or consensus (Wright 2011, Pigman 2010, Karns & Mingst 2013). Multilateral engagement through international organisations International institutions (IGOs) can play a complementary role with states being the universal multilateralism ones the preferred thanks to the benefits granted to the members. States, most of the time, join the IGOs pursuing their national interests or to solve problems mainly in public goods, telecommunications, transportation among others (Karns & Mingst 2013). It is also said that IGOs can build up democracy enhancing domestic constitutional mechanisms and strengthen the principle of reciprocity among countries allowing compensations or other ameliorative actions. IGOs also concede the opportunity to diffuse general interests against special ones thanks to the public agendas, and disseminate important technical information that can be implemented and adapted according to the nations’ needs. Finally, IGOs have empowered societies protecting individual and minority rights, fostering collective deliberation or discussion and improving the participatory strands (Keohane, Macedo & Moravcsik 2009). The United Nations (UN) is the best known of the world’s universal institutions, and even when all countries are welcome, not all receive the same treatment (Wright 2011). The UN has at the moment 193 members and six principal organs: the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Secretariat, being the most important the General Assembly and the Security Council. The General Assembly allows each member state has one vote however its resolutions are non-binding in a legal sense and only motivate governments to implement them. By contrary, in the case of the Security Council, the five permanent member countries (China, France, United Kingdom, Russian Federation and United States) has the right to veto, and together the other eleven members (elected for two years from the rest of UN members) can authorise to sanction and use the force to preserve or restore peace between nations (Pigman 2010, Wiseman & Basu 2013). Even if this participatory approach could disappoint countries, the fact is that most of the members prefer the UN as their main form of Diplomacy thanks to the opportunity to present proposals, express discomfort or ask for help in specific issues. The UN, through its vast network composed by foundations, major university centres, key NGOs, UN associations, think tanks,  institutes, and prominent individuals, can seek for solutions, programs and activities (Wiseman & Basu 2013). In terms of peace negotiation and new states democracy, the UN has some successful stories as Namibia and East Timor. In the case of Namibia, in 1990, the African country of Namibia became the 160th member of the United Nations after a long process of patient and persistent efforts from the UN that could persuade South Africa to fulfil its colonial mandate in the territory. During Namibia transition, UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group); consisting of people of 124 nationalities, almost 8,000 troops, and a civilian support and local staff of almost 2,000; worked for around one year to ensure the electoral process and monitor the ceasefire between the South West Africa People’s Organization and South African forces, and the withdrawal and demobilization of all military forces in Namibia (Johnson 2010). In East Timor’s independence, the UN also played an important role to end Indonesia’s 24-year occupation. The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) was established to provide an integrated, multidimensional peacekeeping operation and was fu lly responsible for the administration of East Timor until 2002 when its transition to independence was completed. The entire infrastructure required to ensure the prosperity of the new democracy was established, and it is told that the UN’s involvement in this small, remote country goes back much further – to the months after the brutal Indonesian invasion of December 1975, when a young, bearded Timorese by the name of Jose Ramos Horta pleaded at the UN Security Council for international support (Head 2012). Until now, only examples of ‘high politics’ (armed conflicts) have been given, however, the UN is also well-known for its support in ‘low politics’ (socioeconomic factors as poverty and resource scarcity) to its members (Wiseman & Basu 2013). Specialised economic agencies such as the UN Council on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are in charge of much of th e work (Pigman 2010). Important proposals have been raised in these topics, and countless programmes and projects have been executed in developing countries mainly. Examples are Mongolian microfinance plans that have helped this country to pass a centrally planned  to a market-driven economy and have an average annual GDP growth rate of about 5 percent. In Bulgaria, a project named ‘Beautiful Bulgaria’ focused on vocational training for the unemployed, training to small and medium enterprises, start-up financing for small businesses, renovating tourism sites, sporting facilities and playgrounds made possible in 2007 that Bulgaria was admitted to the European Union. The Danube River flows through many Eastern European countries before reaching the Black Sea. In terms of environment, the Black Sea and the Danube River Basin programme has given measurable improvement as countries collectively identified their transboundary problem and agreed to environmental solution. For decades, the discharge of polluted water into the Danube resulted in nutrient over-enrichment in the Black Sea, affecting fish stocks, beaches and the incidence of waterborne disease. The dissolution of the Soviet Union provided an opportunity for countries in the region to launch a collaborative effort to address this issue (UNDP 2011). The UN not only gives the opportunity to deal well-known issues like the ones mentioned before, but it also provides the chance to explore new fields in Diplomacy. An example of this is the current condemnation of United States (US) espionage by Latin America and other countries that feel their sovereignty violated even when the US defends its programme as a tool to fight against terrorism (Stea, 2013). The media has played a key role in this topic pushing the US actual administration to propose changes to the National Security Agency (NSA) program as the promise that US government will no longer store the phone call information, however these ‘changes’ are not clear enough yet for the international community (Ackerman & Roberts 2014). In 2001, United States achieved the support of the UN Security Council that require d states to freeze the assets of individuals or institutions believed to be associated with terrorism (Keohne, Macedo & Moravcsik), however the panorama does not look the same for this issue. Diplomacy through UN has mainly been successful in regulating the international travel through the certification of airports by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the establishment of safety standards; ensuring that products for export meet international standards (e.g. milk, bananas, coffee, tea); ensuring that international agreements are implemented by the member states, for example, agreements relating to shared resources (i.e. animals,  rivers/lakes, logging, etc.); promoting cooperation among various countries, especially within the south (East Asia), resulting in exchange of information, scholarships, businesses, etc.; raising public awareness through international conferences, e.g. Environment (Rio), Human Settlement (Istanbul), Gender (Beijing), the plight of children (New York); promoting technical assistance in various fields to its member states in the third world; and providing shelter and relief to millions of refugees from war and persecution, as well as supporting the repatriation and resettlement of refugees and displaced persons (UNDP 2011). Finally, the UN as venue has also allowed the increase of ‘public diplomacy’ (since conferences are open to the media, therefore to an international audience), the ‘behind-the-scenes bilateral diplomacy’ (because in many cases the UN resolution approaches the parties who after bilateral negotiations solve common issues), and the ‘polylateral diplomacy’ (the relationship between the state and non-state representatives composed by NGOs working with the UN) that could be seen as a network diplomacy (Wiseman & Basu, 2013). Multilateralism Challenges Most of IGOs are labelled as ‘western’, with a strong influence of some members like United States which have unresolved historical grievances. Countries like China, that in the 2000s played a leading role in the construction of multilateral structures in Asia, concerns Washington since it considers that Beijing is using soft power to marginalise the United States. Climate change also poses a threat to all states because the major carbon emitters cannot agree to find a solution as it affects their interests. Compromise not always produces the level of cooperation required to solve a problem (Wright 2011). Nowadays, some of the challenges are referred to asymmetries in the evolving process of multiple channels and levels of diplomatic representation and interaction with the rise of such new powers as Brazil, Germany, India and South Africa. Also, the UN diplomacy is now tied to a larger and more complex diplomatic community of diplomats and non-state actors (Pigman 2010, Wiseman & Basu 2013). Another issue is related to structures. ‘The UN’s basic structure has not evolved with the changing international political climate and configurations. Most obviously, the P5 member states’ privileged status has skewed the relations  between government representatives who otherwise hold equal legal status in the international state system’ (Kerr & Wiseman 2013). To maintain the institution’s legitimacy, efficiency and its role of global governance, deep changes need to be done. Sensitive topics and decisions should be addressed in a correct way. For example, nowadays, the Syria crisis has provoked a wave of critics against the UN that have qualified the organisation as incompetent to find effective solutions to this kind of situations that harms innocent people. Another difficult topic is in terms of the nuclear weapon testing even when the nuclear non-proliferation treaty was signed by 190 nations, including five nations that admitted to owning nuclear weapons: France, England, Russia, China, and the US. The nuclear stockpiles remain high, and numerous nations continue to develop these devastating weapons, including North Korea, Israel, Pakistan, and India. These failures of compliance of the non-proliferation treaty and the inability to enforce crucial rules and regulations on offending nations have increased the criticism towards the UN effectiveness. Finally, resolutions related to sensitive topics as the human rights for gay, lesbian and transgender people may provoke the refusal of member countries that do not share this idea, and that could interpret this as an imposition from Western countries (Crary 2011) Conclusion Diplomacy through multilateral engagement represents the favourite channel of most of the countries thanks to the benefits it represents. States can get active participation in forums and raise petitions as well as to sign agreements that not only involve another state-party but even non-state actors. Technical assistance, humanitarian aid, democracy enhancement, complaints are some of the advantages of the IGO’s as venue, being the United Nations the most well-known thanks to its structure. Other IGO’s like the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO are also important as venue to deal with common issues in a universal or regional basis. However, these IGO’s, mainly the UN, also face challenges that need to be solved to continue the model in the future. The current structure of the Security Council with 5 privileged members has been pushed in the last years to change and enlarge if the UN pretends to continue be considered as ‘the centrepiece of global governanceà ¢â‚¬â„¢, effective and legitimate. The rise of the so-called BRIC  countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) have made the decision making process more carefully as the shift of power in the system is undeniable. References Ackerman, S & Roberts, D 2014, ‘Obama presents NSA reforms with plan to end government storage of call data’, The Guardian, 18 January, viewed 19 January 2014, . Crary, D 2011, ‘U.N. Gay Rights Protection Resolution Passes, Hailed As ‘Historic Moment’’, Huffington Post, 17 June, viewed 19 January 2014, . Head, J 2012, ‘East Timor: UN ends peacekeeping mission’, BBC News Asia, 31 December, viewed 19 January 2014, . Johnson, K 2010, ‘Celebrating a United Nations success story’, LaCross Tribune, 23 April, viewed 19 January 2014, . Karns, M & Mingst, K 2013, ‘International Organizations and Diplomacy’, in A Cooper, J Heine & R Thakur (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Modern Diplomacy, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 142-159. Keohane, R, Macedo, S & Moravcsik, A 2009, ‘Democracy-Enhancing Multilateralism’, International Organization, Vol. 63, pp. 1-31. Osler, F & Heinbecker, P 2011, ‘The â€Å"New† Multilateralism of the Twenty-First Century’, Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 299-310. Pigman, G 2010, ‘Multilateral Institutions, Supranational Polities, Regional Bodies’, Contemporary Diplomacy, Polity Press, Cambridge, pp. 56-69. Powell, L 2003, ‘In Defense of Multilateralism’, Global Environmental Governance: the Post-Johannesburg Agenda, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, viewed 19 January 2014, . Roberts, I 2009a, ‘Legal Framework for Multilateral Diplomacy’, in Sir I Roberts (ed), Satow’s Diplomatic Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 287-315. ______ 2009b, ‘Theory of Multilateral Diplomacy’, in Sir I Roberts (ed), Satow’s Diplomatic Practice, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 317-320. Slaughter, A 2011, ‘International Relations, Principal Theories’ in R Wolfrum (ed), Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 722-727. Stea, C 2013, ‘Latin America Condemns US Espionage at United Nations Security Council’, Global Research, 17 August, viewed 19 January 2014, . United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2011, Case Studies of Sustained and Successful Development Cooperation: Supporting Transformational Change, UNDP, viewed 19 January 2014 . Wiseman, G & Basu, S 2013, ‘The United Nations’, in P Kerr & G Wiseman (eds), Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: Theories & Practices, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 319-335. Wright, T 2013, ‘Bilateral and Multilateral Diplomacy in Normal Times and in Crises’, in P Kerr & G Wiseman (eds), Diplomacy in a Globalizing World: Theories & Practices, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, pp. 175-191.

A Study On Cambodia Tourism Essays

A Study On Cambodia Tourism Essays A Study On Cambodia Tourism Essay A Study On Cambodia Tourism Essay Cambodia is non an stray instance: touristry is a cardinal sector in many of the least developed states ( LDCs ) , a grouping officially recognized by the United Nations in 1971. Still, their overall portion in international touristry is little, accounting for less than 1 % of planetary touristry grosss. Over the last few old ages, information and communicating engineerings ( ICT ) have had a turning impact on touristry publicity, selling and gross revenues. With the coming of new signifiers of ICT, a fresh type of touristry, e-tourism, has emerged that is radically transforming the international touristry industry. More and more people now prefer to seek for information on touristry finishs and offers on the Internet. But in most instances it is non developing states that benefit from new touristry chances. World touristry is largely concentrated in a smattering of rich states, which both run the concern and harvest the benefits. Most information on touristry chances in developing states is generated, updated and marketed online by major international service suppliers based in developed states. With their obvious technological advantage, these suppliers carry out most of the gross revenues minutess and absorb a big portion of the net incomes. In African LDCs, up to 85 % of entire net incomes from the touristry industry are repatriated to developed states. The state of affairs is non much better in the Caribbean ( 80 % ) or Asia ( 70 % in Thailand and 40 % in India ) . What can be done to change by reversal this tendency? One solution is for developing states to take Fadvantage of the new chances offered by ICT to trade name and advance their ain touristry industry. Unlimited and low-priced entree to universe markets and information and trade webs is indispensable. To accomplish this would necessitate wider engagement of local little and moderate-sized touristry endeavors in planetary ICT webs every bit good as advanced national ICT policies for the sector. But the challenge is worth it: e-tourism could assist developing states exploit the untapped development chances touristry offers and, if set up expeditiously, could give them better control of their ain touristry industry.

Book Report The Essential Guide to Writing a Catchy Book Report

Book Report The Essential Guide to Writing a Catchy Book Report WHAT IS A BOOK REPORT? A book report is a kind of essay that sums up, explains or reviews a given book. It can be either factual, asking the student to state and enumerate the facts or analytical, where the student is required to analyze plot, characters, themes, ideas etc. How to Get Ready to Write a Book Report Writing a book report is unthinkable about actually reading the book. The sad part about it is that proper preparation requires you to read the book at least once or more (sorry if you don’t like to read!).  So, the first part is just reading for enjoyment. You should get a general feeling, understanding of what the author is trying to say in the text and grasp its main message. You should get acquainted with the setting, plot, and characters of the book, pick major themes, understand the general setting. If you are an advanced reader and are able to work on the go, you can grab a pencil and a sheet of paper and write down your thoughts and ideas regarding what you have read. These notes will later become an important part of your book report.  In case you are not so experienced with reading and analysis on the go, the best way to work with the book is to read it once, then put it aside for a day or two and then come back to it. That way the information you process will settle down and you will be able to generate ideas. As soon as you feel you are ready, get that book in your hands for a second pass. Ideally, you will need to scan through the book bearing the topic of your book report in mind. Concentrate on what your teacher wants you to do, take notes. HOW TO WRITE A BOOK REPORT Formatting Structure Formatting your book report is probably the easiest part of the paper. It is best to work on it once you are totally done with the entire text. Formatting a book report is generally done according to APA standards; however, MLA formatting is not uncommon. As to the structure, the book report format is a kind of essay and will, therefore, take the basic essay structure and format. Reiterating what has been said, the structure of your book report should include the following parts: an introduction (with the thesis), several body paragraphs and a conclusion. BOOK REPORT FORMAT Language and Tone A book report is completely factual. It has to revolve around facts from the book, and should also include the following information on: Author Title Place and year of publication A brief summary of the content of the book For this reason, language and tone should be objective, impartial and impersonal. Please note, however, that should your teacher require a personal book report format, you will be required to write using the first person, so once again – please check with your instructor prior to starting the actual work. TOP 25 BOOK REPORT IDEAS Book Report: Tips on Writing Post-Writing TIP 1. It’s a good idea to start writing by preparing an outline. If you have done some preparatory reading, the notes you have taken are ideal for this. Once you are done jotting down the points you want to mention, proceed by putting some flesh on the bones, provide details and develop the main ideas. TIP 2. In order to write an effective book report, you will need to elaborate your outline into a draft. The draft doesn’t necessarily have to be tidy and neat – its main purpose is to embrace all the ideas that come up to your head in the process. TIP 3. Once your first draft is finished, read through it and make sure it is relevant and logical. Throw out thoughts that interrupt the logic and flow of the paper. It’s a good idea to review your paper again within several hours after you complete your draft (don’t do it immediately unless absolutely necessary). TIP 4. After your draft has been polished into the final version of your paper, check your grammar and spelling. Try to use a word processor if possible. Typed book reports look better than handwritten ones. They are easier for your teacher to read and they are easier for you to correct. BOOK REPORT TEMPLATE If you feel like you need  additional assistance with crafting your book report,  feel free to contact any of our custom essay writing professionals.  Our writers are experts in book report writing; they are only taking on assignments on the books they have personally read. In addition, there is a number of writers who specialize in book report writing; there are also some who have professionally explored and researched certain areas of literature and are experts in the field.  Whatever your requirement is, we know how to write the perfect book report! is available 24/7 to help and guide you through the writing process.

Columbian Exchange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Columbian Exchange - Essay Example But later, tomatoes became a part of the Italian identity and food culture, and the nutritious value of potatoes and corns was fully appreciated, thus, broadening the scope of the European cuisine. On the opposite side, the new world was also introduced to new foods. Sugarcane was perhaps the most prominent and damaging introduction. However, the relatively meatless culture was transformed once pork, beef, milk and cheese were introduced. The new comers were trying to create a familiar environment and so they brought with them different crops and animals such as rice, wheat, sheep, goats and chickens. Thus adding new species to the new world and dramatically changing its socioeconomic and cultural identity. The new comers also introduced their own military hardware, such as swords, armor and guns, in the new world. Those superior military equipments and weapons were used to control the Native American population. The horse, for example, was alien to the new world. In fact, it was even bigger than any of the locally available domesticated animals. It was used by the invaders to terrify the natives in battle. However, the local Americans quickly adopted the animal, and learned to use its power effectively against the very same people who introduced it.

Employment Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employment Relations - Essay Example The activities of the firm concerns with the products while the union concerns with the aspect of a service. These two goals may coincide and clash in various circumstances. To begin with, the labor unions are beneficial in protecting minority groups (Shelley & Cleveley 2007, p. 69). Minority groups offer a wide area of looking at the same. For instance, disabled individuals who take part in the labor force may experience a bias out of their scenario. If they do attain an adequate voice of addressing their concerns, large companies would assume that their companies are progressing. Apart from direct exploitation, minority groups would suffer from unintentional inadequate attention from the management. Firms may entail processes and regulations that compromise on minority workers’ situations. Trade unions are hawk eyed entities that assess companies in terms of very single operation. In certain instances, companies may have work operations that assign hectic and low paying assi gnments to certain workers. Such scenarios are handed down from previous systems and they may continue to occur under the unconsciousness of the management. An example would relate to bias against certain races in terms of job assignments. The trade unions would discover about such minority groups and investigate their plights. It is crucial to highlight that certain minority groups arise out of hypothetical situations. It might be visible after some period that minority groups develop out of departments that they work in the same. In addition, trade unions help in minimizing disputes that may arise out of workers and the employers. In this sense, the trade unions eliminate trivialities that may arise out of employees and their management. In notable instances, the management of firms may make assumptions about employees. This might relate to the view of employees as a group that operates on peer pressure. In this sense, the peer pressure would lead to unreasonable demands that push the firms out of their balance. This suggests that trade unions are intermediary rather than constraining forces to firms. It is crucial to highlight that disputes place employees out of firms. In turn, it constrains employees from growth in their careers. In addition, employers are likely to misperceive the actions of employees. Spotted employees may earn unconstructive reputation with their firms. This suggests that the affected employees are likely to receive limiting comments from their employers. In the end, it would be difficult for the employee to earn the trust of other firms. In addition, trade unions avail safe working environments for employees. The work environment might be a limited but an unsafe environment for the health of employees. The work environment should be a platform whereby both the employees and their firms respectively achieve their objectives of wages and products. In the achievement of the two divergent objectives, the work environment may digress and i njure employees. Harm is a diverse term that comprises both physical and psychological aspects. In physical harm, firms may entail work environments that injure the health of workers. For instance, there are manufacturing companies that involve in the production of harmful chemicals and products. In such a scenario, it is vital to provide protective mechanisms for workers. Alternatively, the firm would employ machinery that excludes employees from the core manufacturing processes that entail emission of toxic substances