Biography of Anna Comnena, the First Female Historian

Biography of Anna Comnena, the First Female Historian Byzantine Princess Anna Comnena (Dec. 1 or 2, 1083–1153) was the first woman known to personally record historical events as a historian.  She also was a political figure who attempted to influence royal succession in the Byzantine Empire. In addition to The Alexiad, her 15-volume history on her fathers reign and related events, she wrote on medicine and ran a hospital and is sometimes identified as a physician. Fast Facts: Anna Comnena Known For: First female historianAlso Known As: Anna Komnene, Anna Komnena, Anna of ByzantiumBorn: Dec. 1 or 2, 1083 in Constantinople, Byzantine EmpireParents: Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, Irene DucasDied: 1153 in Constantinople, Byzantine EmpirePublished Work: The AlexiadSpouse: Nicephorus Bryennius Early Life and Education Anna Comnena was born on Dec. 1 or 2, 1083, in Constantinople, which was then the capital city of the Byzantine Empire and later of the Latin and Ottoman empires and finally of Turkey. It has been called Istanbul since the early 20th century. Her mother was Irene Ducas and her father was the Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, who ruled from 1081 to 1118. She was the eldest of her fathers children, born in Constantinople just a few years after he took over the throne as emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire by seizing it from Nicephorus III. Anna seems to have been a favorite of her father. She was betrothed at a young age to Constantine Ducas, a cousin on her mothers side and a son of Michael VII, the predecessor to Nicephorus III, and Maria Alania. She was then placed under Maria Alanias care, a common practice of the time. The young Constantine was named a co-emperor and was expected to be heir to Alexius I, who at that time had no sons. When Annas brother John was born, Constantine no longer had a claim on the throne. He died before the marriage could take place. As with some other medieval Byzantine royal women, Comnena was well-educated. She studied the classics, philosophy, music, science, and mathematics. Her studies included astronomy and medicine, topics about which she wrote later in her life.  As a royal daughter, she also studied military strategy, history, and geography. Although she credits her parents with being supportive of her education, her contemporary, Georgias Tornikes, said at her funeral that shed had to study ancient poetry- including The Odyssey- surreptitiously, as her parents disapproved of her reading about polytheism. Marriage In 1097 at the age of 14, Comnena married Nicephorus Bryennius, who was also a historian.  They had four children together in their 40 years of marriage. Bryennius had some claim to the throne as a statesman and general, and Comnena joined her mother, the Empress Irene, in a vain attempt to persuade her father to disinherit her brother, John, and replace him in the line of succession with Bryennius. Alexius appointed Comnena to head a 10,000-bed hospital and orphanage in Constantinople. She taught medicine there and at other hospitals and developed expertise on gout, an illness from which her father suffered. Later, when her father was dying, Comnena used her medical knowledge to choose from among the possible treatments for him. He died despite her efforts in 1118, and her brother John became emperor, John II Comnenus. Succession Plots After her brother was on the throne, Comnena and her mother plotted to overthrow him and to replace him with Annas husband, but Bryennius apparently refused to take part in the plot. Their plans were discovered and thwarted, Anna and her husband had to leave the court, and Anna lost her estates. When Comnenas husband died in 1137, she and her mother were sent to live in the convent of Kecharitomene, which Irene had founded.  The convent was devoted to learning, and there, at age 55, Comnena began serious work on the book for which she will long be remembered. The Alexiad A historical account of her fathers life and reign that her late husband had begun, The Alexiad totaled 15 volumes when it was completed and was written in Greek rather than in Latin, the spoken language of her place and time. In addition to recounting her fathers accomplishments, the book became a valuable source to later historians as a pro-Byzantine account of the early Crusades. While the book was written to praise Alexius accomplishments, Annas place at court for most of the period it covered made it more than that. She had been privy to details that were unusually accurate for histories of the time period. She wrote about the military, religious, and political aspects of history and was skeptical of the value of the Latin churchs First Crusade, which occurred during her fathers reign. She also wrote of her isolation at the convent and of her disgust with her husbands unwillingness to carry through with the plot that would have put him on the throne, noting that perhaps their genders should have been reversed. Legacy In addition to recounting her fathers reign, the book describes religious and intellectual activities within the empire and reflects the Byzantine  concept  of the imperial office. It also is a valuable account of the early Crusades, including character sketches of the First Crusades leaders and of others with whom Anna had direct contact. Comnena also wrote in The Alexiad about medicine and astronomy, demonstrating her considerable knowledge of science. She included references to the accomplishments of a number of women, including her influential grandmother Anna Dalassena. The Alexiad  was first translated into English in 1928 by another pioneering woman, Elizabeth Dawes, a  British classical scholar and the first woman to receive a doctorate in literature from the University of London. Sources Anna Comnena: Byzantine Princess. Encyclopedia Britannica.Anna Comnena: Byzantine Historian of the First Crusade. Women in World History Curriculum.

Party Government and the United Kingdom (UK) essays

Party Government and the United Kingdom (UK) essays Party Government is the type of Government we use in the UK; five main features can be identified from party government. Firstly, in nearly every general election it is just one party that wins a majority and forms the government, there have been exceptions, but usually, a one-party majority is a case. Secondly, party manifestos can be written, particularly around an election, and the party is winning the majority has a mandate to carry out of the policies in the manifesto, even the unpopular ones. Thirdly, the Government, and also the opposition party, have nearly all control of parliamentary time and agenda. Private Members Bills are occasionally discussed, but the bulk of the time is reserved for the government or opposition party. Fourthly, many official posts, including ministers and chairs of committees, are appointed by the leadership of parties, mainly the Government and opposition parties. This means a great deal of patronage is involved in party government. Finally, opposit ion to the government is normally through the official opposition party and other large parties that didn't form a government. Pressure groups and the public also have an impact on the opposition, but opposition is mainly in the form of the opposition parties. Party government, has its benefits to the country, but also its disadvantages. The main advantage to Party government is the fact that after a general election a clear and decisive government can form. This government normally stays united and rarely splits, providing a stable government. Another advantage of party government is that the electorate knows the policies that the government will be carried out because their election manifesto states their policies. The Doctrine of 'Manifesto and Mandate' allows the government to follow its policies without any major opposition because it says that a government has been elected, and so has authority to carry out its policies. Also, the fundamental dis...

Systems Design and Management Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Systems Design and Management Strategy - Essay Example Global business can penetrate the remotest areas of the countryside. We can communicate to anyone whose location maybe in any part of the globe because of technology, mobile communications, the internet, Information Technology, and so on. Technological changes have brought about further innovations and inequalities because of the digital divide in the community setting where there is lack of technological attention from the government. But organizations with their advanced technology and availability of manpower are more benefitted. Global organizations have their websites and most of them conduct business online. People sell and buy products and services through the internet. There is also the emergence of the knowledge economy, a new innovation in business which is performed, conducted and enhanced through the knowledge, talents and capabilities of employees. In this set up, knowledge is both a product and resource. The organization is more concerned with the people and the knowled ge they possess. Firms value people-embodied knowhow. They invest much on labor capital. Organizations like this produce ‘stars’ in the industry. According to Groysberg et al. (2008), stars are among the best in the industry and are far superior than colleagues in performance. They usually do â€Å"estimates, accessibility and responsiveness, service quality, stock selection, industry knowledge and written reports† (Groysberg et al., 2008, p. 5). The knowledge that stars acquire include the knowledge and experience they have inside the organization, and it is not good to hire or pirate stars from other companies because they usually perform not quite well in the new organization. Their expertise was attained in the organization they blossomed and therefore it matches with the organization. In the new environment, the so-called star won’t perform well. 1.1 Trends in management A management trend in the age of globalization is clustering or team working. Thi s requires some skill and talent, and cannot be simply taken for granted. It requires determination to put individual talents into a single force to work for change or introduce ideas that can provide further innovations for the organization. By having clusters and groups, talents and capabilities of members are maximized. The ways in which the workforce gets direct orders from top management – the deeply centralized order – is seldom done any longer. With globalization, the technique is to manage the organization horizontally. The internet can do wonders. Mobile communications also are valuable tools. Communication is fast and effective. Team formation is considered a special feature for improved organizational performance. Introducing the principles of team formation in the workplace is like implementing total quality management. They present a strong foundation for global organizations in the present system, and can be an effective way of providing work and life bal ance for the workforce. (Knights and Willmott, 2007, p. 125) Through team building members become flexible and respond to new challenges or solve problems within (or beyond) their reach. Members are more motivated to work because of the responsibility and power bestowed upon them by management. Allowing individual members to hold responsibilities of problem-solving – even decision-making which is traditionally done by top management –

Zara's Supply Chain Methods Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Zara's Supply Chain Methods - Case Study Example The USP can be identified using the business model of Zara and by understanding its competitive edge over other players in the market. The case also aims at developing a strategic analysis of the market conditions, communication, branding and the competition faced by Zara. Zara does not advertise as much as its competitors. Its average advertising spend is 0.3% while 3-4% is the standard industry spend. This gives them a strategic cost advantage against their competitors. This also makes their expansion strategies more economical. The main alternative to advertising used by Zara is its store layouts and displays. Zara has a team of around 200 people exclusively working on acquiring global prime real-estate locations. They are also responsible for frequent refurbishing of the stores and creative window displaying. There is a testing facility in their headquarters where different layouts are tested and the best is selected for various stores at different locations. The peculiar business model of Zara helps them in reducing their advertising store by giving them alternative options to attract customers. This is by influencing the buying behaviors of customers. Zara updates its collection twice every week. So a usual customer of Zara knows that new styles will be awaiting them every week, making them want to pay another visit very soon. Also, if a customer does not find anything interesting to buy, he knows that he will get more choices in the coming week. New styles in Zara are added very frequently, but are not replenished. This creates a scarcity and the customers of Zara pay frequent visits to the stores so that they don't miss out on certain styles. Zara, because of its unique branding has got itself a cult image through the years. Each Zara store is redesigned every 5 years to keep up with the current fashion. Zara targets a broad range of customers and do not define their target market by age and lifestyle like traditional retailers. They target people of all age group who are educated and are sensitive to fashion and react to changes in fashion. As fashion is more globalized in recent times, Zara offers standardized fashion wear. Also, their pricing strategy is different. Outside of Spain, and particularly in the UK, it is based on more premium prices. Partly to compensate for higher distribution and rental costs, prices can be up to 40 per cent higher. Zara's positioning as an aspiration brand in the UK has the added benefit of giving the perception of clear water between itself and mass-market fast-fashion rivals such as New Look or H&M. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS USING ANSOFF'S MATRIX Market Penetration Strategy Through its unique business model, Zara encourages its existing customers to buy more. Every new style reaches the store shelves from design table in about two weeks. This fast-fashion methodology helps in remaining updated to the latest trends and makes the customers visit the stores more often. This quick inventory turnover is due to its vertically integrated supply chain and its total control over its system. Market Development Strategy Zara identifies potential segments in the market as a first step in their market development. By giving equal importance to all such segments, Zara

Employee Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Employee Relations - Essay Example In order to support the topic a case study pertaining to the UK retail catering sector has been provided. The report is concluded through personal views and ideas that had been generated during the course of the research. 3 This report is intended to evaluate the extent to which the National Minimum Wage has been successful in bridging the gap between male and female workers in the retail catering sector of the UK. While undertaking extensive literature review and drawing ideas from relevant sources, the report has discussed the employment conditions prevalent in the nation and has also tried to throw light upon the element of equal employment opportunities. It has further analysed the British workforce, and while evaluating the provisions for equitable payment of wages has discussed the role that the National Minimum Wage. In order to support the topic a case study pertaining to the UK retail catering sector has been provided. The report is concluded through personal views and ideas that had been generated during the course of the research. Gender discrimination in workforce in UK has been in existence for many decades. Women workforce was primarily found in low paid, part-time and low status jobs. There were relatively less number of women working in managerial, higher levels of judiciary and politics and senior level jobs. The reason behind such low concentration of women was the fact that women were assumed to have a different role in the society. They are traditionally known to look after the family and rise up the child (Goldsmith & Nickson, 1997). However the numbers has changed drastically in the 21st and more and more women are joining the workforce which is a consequence of an increasing number of women pursuing higher education. In 2005 number of working women in UK was 70%. Work can be categorized as Part time and Full time. Women mainly undertake part time work. In UK the percentage of women and men

Examining The Guest By Albert Camus English Literature Essay

Examining The Guest By Albert Camus English Literature Essay The modern work I chose to examine was The Guest by Albert Camus. I chose this piece because I felt that it was easy to relate to the sense of isolation that was faced by the character Daru. The political theory and psychology in the piece were self evident as it played a big role on the actions of the character in his lonely state. In my opinion the title The Guest, suggests that there is more than one person that Daru doesnt know about. The main character Daru can be examined to be a self-righteous, trusting, full-hearted person. His caring for the prisoner and actions toward him made him feel like he was doing the right thing to help out a fellow human being. The political theory around this piece can be described as volatile in the sense that it assumes to the reader that a war is about to happen. Then Ill wait for the declaration of war! and there is talk of a forthcoming revolt. bring awareness of the actual political unrest among the two feuding parties, the Algerian French colonial government and the Algerian Arabs. I believe this feud is what places Darus post in such a remote environment. The idea that Daru doesnt know what exactly would be the reason for him having a gun would be further supported by the fact that his shotgun is in his trunk which means he obviously doesnt use it. When Balducci told him that he ought to have it near his bed because if there is an uprising no one is safe, were all in the same boat. I believe he is hinting towards the fact that I think he knows people are following him to retreave the prisoner. I feel that the severe political unrest will begin to happen after the end of the story. The psychological impact involved in Darus isolation was that he was caught up between the legal system that imposed itself on the Arabs family quarrel and his emotions to do right as a man. When Daru said every bit of this disgusts me, and first of all your fellow here. I believe he was fighting with his inner morals which to him were to do the right thing and to not turn the Arab over but in turn, set him free. He doesnt have any problem with his choice in refusing to turn him over and firmly stands by his decision. Instead of taking the prisoner off and setting him free, he wished that the Arab would just run away that way he would be alone with no decision to make. The statement that mans stupid crime revolted him, but to hand him over was contrary to honor supports this entirely. The statement, he could see nothing but the dark yet shining eyes and the animal mouth, in my opinion means that he didnt see the prisoner as a monster or a killer but just as a normal person incapable of murdering another human being. I believe that when Daru was feeding the prisoner and treating him like an actual human being the Arab developed some sort of Stockholm syndrome while in the custody of someone who I believe he grew to trust in a short amount of time. I think that when the prisoner asked Daru if he would come with them to the prison, he knew that his fellow Arabs were following him to get him back. I believe he was trying to protect Daru from what was going to happen. When Daru was walking the Arab south to the nomads where he would be safe, his heart grew heavy and I honestly dont think that Daru wanted him to leave since they formed a very strange and mysterious bond among men. When Daru returned to find the message you handed over our brother. You will pay for this. written on his black board I believe he was unsure why they would be after him considering that he just let their brother go, not only with food but also with money. He finds himself felling misunders tood and what I believe is frightended when he dosent see anyone in sight. The psychological impact in my opinion is greater on the concept of isolation more so than the political theory involed with the character and his struggles. I think the author did a good job dehumanizing the prisoner in an attempt to make Daru seem like he is still alone although someone is there. The imagery and detail also given make it easy to visualize just how alone and torn Daru actually is. I believe that the storys title should be changed from The Guest to The Unseen Guest just to make it play a little more to the psychological aspect of the piece. (words: 1024)

A Hero of Our Time - Gregoriy Pechorin is No Hero Essay examples -- H

A Hero of Our Time  Ã‚  - Gregoriy Pechorin is No Hero Is Pechorin, the protagonist of Mikhail Lermontov's novella A Hero of Our Time an honorable man? Much of Pechorin's behavior proves him to be a cruel and insensitive man, who seems to bring only havoc and destruction to a situation. He is often aggravating, self-serving and insensitive to others. However in other instances, Pechorin proves himself to be the least reprehensible character. He shows himself to be a man with great self knowledge and knowledge of human behavior.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pechorin can be seen as a dangerous man, who is insensitive and manipulative to others for self-serving reasons to the point of their destruction. Over the course of this book, A Hero of Our Time, Pechorin plays a major role, whether intentionally or recklessly, in the cruel destruction of four secondary characters: Princess Mary, Grushnitsky, Bela and Maxim Maximych.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pechorin finds entertainment in playing with people's lives and emotions. Princess Mary, the young beautiful and slightly pompous Moscow princess and Grushnitisky, a young, arrogant, superficial and self-centered cadet, two young people beginning to fall in love, are Pechorin's victims. "The stage is set," Pechorin cries, delighted, to his friend Dr. Werner, "We'll see if we can provide a denouement for this comedy. Evidently fate means to see that I am not bored."(102-103) Envious of their happiness, particularly Grushnitsky's, as well as their utter blindness, Pechorin takes it upon himself to make sure their relationship is obliterated. He uses their individual and human weakness against them.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The most manipulated character of this novel is Princess Mary. The majority of her interactions with Pechorin serve only to... ... be truly blamed for his behavior because he is tormented by eyes that seek truth and purity in a corrupt and deranged society. Pechorin is a man of contradictions, for he writes honestly to himself, "I was born with a passion for contradiction. My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason." (98)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Pechorin is a contradiction within himself. He is a disturbing and dangerous character masked behind the innocent facade of a beautiful and heroic young man. His redeeming quality is that he understands this about himself. However it isn't enough.    Works Cited and Consulted Brown, William Edward. ed. Critical Essays on Mikhail Lermontov. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1997. Lermontov, Mikhail. A Hero of Our Time. Ed. Neil Cornwall. Trans. Martin Parker. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle, 1995.

Napoleon was a child of the Enlightenment Essay

Assess the validity of this statement by using specific policies and attitudes of Napoleon. During the time period of the French Revolution, many governments came and went as a result of the unorganized and often times, radical political regimes that were recklessly installed by desperate people longing for equality and liberty. The French were inspired by the new liberal notions and ideas of political and economic rights for all proposed by Enlightenment thinkers. As different forms of governments and their leaders among them passed, one man named Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power by manipulating the Directory and the French people to enable him to assume authoritative powers over his subjects and, as a side effect, majority of continental Europe. Bonaparte used his autocratic powers to maintain the rights achieved during the revolution and inject new Enlightenment he had been educated from the small island of Corsica as long as they did not interfere with his thirst for power. Napol eon Bonaparte rose to power via the arrogance of a political leader who failed to comprehend the influence of Bonaparte and his army. Napoleon Bonaparte issued a constitution, the Constitution of Year VIII, to clarify his new political intentions he would impose. With this constitution, he created an illusion to the French people that people from all fractions of the political spectrum would be content with. His constitution appealed to the common man and democratic supporters with â€Å"universal male suffrage.† An elaborate system of checks and balances between each sector of his government appealed to republican supporters. Also, the Council of State would satisfy any monarchists that remained in France. However, as an intellectually-inclined individual from his education in philosophy and military strategy, Bonaparte provided the French with a sound and stable state and what appeared to be a constitutional government in which he knew that the public would eat up his legal proposition. Bonaparte also simplified and cleaned up the French government and its legal system with reforms such as the Civil Code o f 1804, or more commonly known as the Napoleonic Code. Napoleon Bonaparte created reforms that were based off of the education he received as a boy from the Age of Enlightenment that would thus act as a tool for nation-building and continental domination. Napoleon Bonaparte demonstrated from his enlightened point of view that religion could be separate from government–but does not have to be totally eradicated from society itself to achieve such an intention–with the concordat with Pope Pius VII. He also treated all faiths equally by emphasizing that the state was supreme over whatever religion or denomination it may be like how he enacted laws on both Protestant and Jewish communities in the Roman Catholic dominated France. Bonaparte maintained the abolishment of the practice of primogeniture. Napoleon also went on a rampage all of Europe to expand his empire. As he marched throughout Europe, he liberated peasants by eliminating the economic and social practice of serfdom. Napoleon Bonaparte developed in an environment that was saturated with philosophical ideas pertaining to social and religious ideas that Enlightenment thinkers studied and discovered new ways of the ways people could interact such as religious toleration and social equality. Napoleon Bonaparte grew up in a home that was greatly influenced by Enlightenment ideas and principles. This statement can be reached with Bonaparte’s actions that were obviously liberal and new to the decades prior to the French Revolution. He did assume total control over France and the continent of Europe, but he did permit some liberty and freedom to his loyal subjects. Bonaparte used Enlightenment ideals to gain power and used them to maintain power by convincing he was still providing what the liberal bourgeois and nobility had been fighting for and along with some new ideas that did not go against his drive for authoritative powers. In all Napoleon Bonaparte utilized his Enlightenment education to manipulate the French and free many serfs and to control France and later Europe.

Free Essays on Zero Tolerance

In Bedford, Texas, a 16-year-old honor student was expelled after a security guard noticed a kitchen knife on the floor of the student's car. The knife apparently had fallen unnoticed as the student carted some of his grandmother's possessions to Goodwill. He was ordered to spend a year in a juvenile-justice education program and banished from district property and school-sponsored activities. In Deer Lakes, Pennsylvania, a kindergarten student was suspended for bringing a toy axe to school. Zero tolerance is a policy concerning issues in today's society that are thought to be extremely dangerous. The three main focuses of the policy are incidences of violence, drugs, and alcohol. Zero tolerance treats children as if they were adults, and removes the "innocent until proven guilty" philosophy on which our country thrives. This policy could be extremely harmful to the lives of the students it affects and, "[...] disrupts the lives and educations of good students nearly as often as it does those of troubled students." This happens by treating all offenses dealing with the aforementioned issues and all students equally, even if the student has had a flawless record and had obviously no harmful intent (Starr 1). Before the zero tolerance idea came about, the school system treated discipline in a completely different manner. Each student would be evaluated based on their prior record, where and when the incident occurred, and what the circumstances were surrounding the incident. If a student was a relatively good kid with no past disciplinary actions taken against him or her, they were much more likely to have a punishment that actually taught them something, rather than creating a sense of resentment towards the school authorities, and "the system" in general. Before the era of zero tolerance, a kid with a great future ahead could not screw it all up by making one simple mistake. The line that zero tolerance crosses is one of intent. Z... Free Essays on Zero Tolerance Free Essays on Zero Tolerance In Bedford, Texas, a 16-year-old honor student was expelled after a security guard noticed a kitchen knife on the floor of the student's car. The knife apparently had fallen unnoticed as the student carted some of his grandmother's possessions to Goodwill. He was ordered to spend a year in a juvenile-justice education program and banished from district property and school-sponsored activities. In Deer Lakes, Pennsylvania, a kindergarten student was suspended for bringing a toy axe to school. Zero tolerance is a policy concerning issues in today's society that are thought to be extremely dangerous. The three main focuses of the policy are incidences of violence, drugs, and alcohol. Zero tolerance treats children as if they were adults, and removes the "innocent until proven guilty" philosophy on which our country thrives. This policy could be extremely harmful to the lives of the students it affects and, "[...] disrupts the lives and educations of good students nearly as often as it does those of troubled students." This happens by treating all offenses dealing with the aforementioned issues and all students equally, even if the student has had a flawless record and had obviously no harmful intent (Starr 1). Before the zero tolerance idea came about, the school system treated discipline in a completely different manner. Each student would be evaluated based on their prior record, where and when the incident occurred, and what the circumstances were surrounding the incident. If a student was a relatively good kid with no past disciplinary actions taken against him or her, they were much more likely to have a punishment that actually taught them something, rather than creating a sense of resentment towards the school authorities, and "the system" in general. Before the era of zero tolerance, a kid with a great future ahead could not screw it all up by making one simple mistake. The line that zero tolerance crosses is one of intent. Z...

Racial Identity and Religion

Racial Identity and Religion Introduction Cultural differences can be explained using multicultural concepts that may include racial identity and religion. These two concepts can summarize the behavioral norms in both a single cultured and a multicultural society. Both concepts are important in enhancing the development of co-habitation in the contemporary fast growing world.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Racial Identity and Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Multicultural concepts do also come in handy in societal development especially when they tackle the subject in question on an interaction perspective. This is because development does not take place in single isolated variables. They take place in totality. This work gives a brief but comprehensive discussion of the two multicultural concepts which are quite significant in the understanding of cultural differences. Racial Identity It should be noted that the genesis of ra cial concepts is closely related to the classification of human beings. Many racial theories have attempted to demarcate and elevate one particular social group from others, thereby justifying the oppression and exploitation of certain ethnic groups who are presumed to be inferior. The inferiority concept here refers to the level of intelligence, degree of morality, physicality of the individuals in the social group and culture of the social group (Fedelina and Guido-Dibrito, 1999). As a result, there was the institutionalization of enslavement of Africans by the whites. Another act that is related to racialism is the terrorism committed against particular groups. Racial identity is the subjective sense of an invigorating sameness and continuity. The concept is known to interact closely with the social class, culture, gender and other biological factors. Racial identity takes on many forms. The concept begins during the early stages of childhood development and develops rapidly amon gst groups so visibly recognized by race. Such messages are conveyed through metacommunications which are subtle and often unspoken messages that are learned early in life and reinforced without the aid of spoken words. Thus, it may not emanate from the teachings of parents. This is pretty evident especially in racially integrated schools. In such schools, there are racially homogeneous eating areas in lunch rooms. The unspoken rule in these lunch rooms is that boundaries must not be violated. Thus, whites eat with whites; blacks eat with blacks, Hispanics with Hispanics and so forth. This instance explains the fact that even without parents verbal teachings on racial orientations, racialism can still be conveyed implicitly in racially segregated housing patterns and socioeconomic relationships.Advertising Looking for research paper on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As an individual matures, he or she develops a personality that is informed by social and moral attitudes, behaviors, and feelings. It should be noted that social and personality developments are strongly intertwined with racial presumptions that are learned through copying (Fedelina and Guido-Dibrito, 1999). This habit is internalized and further enhanced by the need to conform the prevailing racial norms so that the individual’s characters are socially acceptable. It is quite disheartening to understand that racial segregation still has its roots in the modern society. In places where race is still a powerful divider, sociocultural backgrounds and ethnical similarities do not matter a lot even if it is within the particular social group. The reality of sociocultural and ethnical similarities is quite irrelevant in such situations. A good example is the relationship between the Whites and the Blacks in America. Their cultural similarities are so obvious to people living outside the United States. However, racial spheres still exist and it is the major tool that obfuscates the two races. Religion Religion is the culture of a belief in a deity or a superior being that is believed to control natural phenomena among those who practice it. Religion concerns with nature and life’s purpose especially when viewed in the perspective of creation and a holy being (Culture and religion, 2010). Religion is actually a wide subject that requires extensive research concerned with the development of personalities in a multicultural society. There are so many religions at present and they include Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Shinto, Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism among many others. The above are just the major religions. Otherwise, there are many other religions whose beliefs are practiced by fewer numbers of the population. In a multicultural society, it is quite difficult to enhance specific religious convictions. In the western society, for example, Caucasian, Afro-Caribbean, South Asian an d Chinese people jostle every street. The presence of these people comes along with different cultural and religious backgrounds. Such kinds of society are usually faced with the problems of decisions on how to adjust to make their own ways. Such people may insist upon many religious beliefs as essential tools for the satisfactory livelihood of the entire community in question. Thus, there must be a visible line that distinguishes between religion and culture is such a pluralistic society (Culture and religion, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Racial Identity and Religion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is here that pluralism must take effect so as to take care of the various modes of freedom. These forms of freedoms include the freedom to believe or not to believe, and the freedom to conform or not to conform. Also in this system lies the freedom from the domination of one religious group. Religi ous beliefs are taught to children and enhanced through internalization and the need to maintain the individuality and character of the religion. Some people tend to be exclusivists by thinking that only their religion is right. Integration plays a major role in the adaptation and acceptance of different religious groups. It is through integration, adaptation and acceptance that a particular religious group may secure homes, incomes, and amenities together with other different groups. In many urban multicultural societies, religious affiliations have continued to diminish in use as a benchmark for public decision making. The act of assimilation in exclusivist societies is quite difficult taking into consideration that most of these societies come from rural backgrounds. Exposure to different religious beliefs other than ones own is a factor that plays a big role in acceptance of the other religions. However, it should be noted that integration of particular religious groups is quite different from assimilation. Assimilation is not easy when dealing with enhancement and maintenance of a particular religion. However, integration is quite easy because it comes along with acceptance that means trust. As it is well known, trust is not a threat to the society as a whole. Conclusion Many racial theories have attempted to demarcate and elevate one particular social group from others, thereby justifying the oppression and exploitation of certain ethnic groups who are presumed to be inferior. Racial identity is the subjective sense of an invariant sameness and continuity. The concept is known to interact closely with the social class, culture, gender and other biological factors. On the other hand, religion is the culture of a belief in a deity or a superior being that is believed to control natural phenomena among those who practice it. In a multicultural society, religion requires integration to develop the culture of acceptance and adaptability.Advertising Looking for research paper on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference List Culture and religion, (2010). Culture and Religion: Thoughts on Religion. Retrieved from cultureandreligion.com/html/thoughts_on_religion.html Fedelina, A., Guido-Dibrito, F. (1999). Racial and Ethnic Identity and Development. New Directions For Adult And Continuing Education. No. 84. Web.

Interpersonl therpy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Interpersonl therpy - Essay Example IPT is one of the short term therpies tht hve been proven to be effective for the tretment of depression. Short term usully involves up to 20 sessions (usully weekly meetings, 1 hour per session) nd mintins focus on 1-2 key issues tht seem to be most closely relted to the depression. Although depression my not be cused by interpersonl events, it usully hs n interpersonl component, tht is, it ffects reltionships nd roles in those reltionships. IPT ws developed to ddress these interpersonl issues. The precise focus of the therpy trgets interpersonl events (such s interpersonl disputes / conflicts, interpersonl role trnsitions, complicted grief tht goes beyond the norml berevement period) tht seem to be most importnt in the onset nd / or mintennce of the depression. IPT is time-limited therpy tht previews in totl 12-week tretment schedule (Mufson & Moreu, 1998). The gols of IPT re to identify interpersonl problem res with which the dolescent is struggling nd to focuse on how those problems re currently impcting their reltionships (Mufson & Moreu, 1998). There re three tretment phses identified s prt of the IPTmodel--initil, middle, nd termintion. Initil Phse occurs during s... te history of current interpersonl reltionships, identify the interpersonl problem re(s) tht my hve precipitted the onset of the depression, discuss gols nd techniques of IPT tretment, nd contrct for tretment. The middle phse of IPT tretment consists of sessions five through eight nd it is during this time tht the mentl helth counselor nd client begin to directly work on the interpersonl problem res identified during the initil stges of tretment. The min gol of the middle phse of IPTtretment is to ssocite these interpersonl problem res to the depressive symptomology currently being experienced by the dolescent. Five interpersonl problem res re exmined during this time: grief, interpersonl role disputes, role trnsitions, interpersonl deficits, nd single-prent fmilies (Mufson & Moreu, 1999). The focus of these interpersonl problem res hs been modified from IPT to meet the developmentl needs nd issues of depressed dolescents. The termintion phse of IPT occurs between sessions nine through twelve (Mufson & Moreu, 1999). In this phse, dolescents re helped to individute from the mentl helth counselor nd to gin sense of efficcy for coping with future problems. During the termintion session, mentl helth counselors nd dolescents process wht hs occurred in counseling, discuss possible res tht could cuse future problems, nd explore problem-solving strtegies relted to those res. Cognitive-Behviorl Therpy Cognitive-behviourl therpy (CBT) is the ne mongst number of structured psychotherpies tht hd proved to be effective in the cute tretment of depression. CBT is generic term referring to therpies tht incorporte both behviorl interventions (direct ttempts to reduce dysfunctionl emotions nd behvior by ltering behvior) nd cognitive interventions (ttempts to reduce dysfunctionl

#6 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

#6 - Coursework Example This ensures that citizens can go about their daily lives without fear of unreasonable intrusion by the government. Unreasonable search and seizure are both infringement on the rights of individuals to privacy and freedom. Search means the â€Å"examination of a person, place or vehicle for contraband or evidence of a crime† (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 195-6). Seizure, on the other hand, means â€Å"the taking by law enforcement or other government agent of contraband, evidence of a crime or even a person into custody† (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 195-6). => A stop is one of the ways â€Å"to balance the rights of an individual and the governments need for tools to carry out its jobof protecting society from lawbreakers† (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 212). It is â€Å"a brief detention of a person based on specific and articulable facts for the purpose of investigating suspicious activity† (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 212). However, a stop should be "[due to a] reasonable suspicion [and not merely a] reasonable belief† (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 212). The difference of a stop from an arrest is that in an arrest, â€Å"the person is not free to go† (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 212). In an arrest, the Miranda warning is necessary, while in a stop, no such warning is needed. This is because a stop is not a detention and the person is usually free to go after a short time. One good example of a stop is when a driver is stopped because of a simple traffic violation. No Miranda warning is needed, and usually, the driver is free to go after a few minutes (Harr, Hess, and Orthmann 212). An arrest, however, is a more complex process. For example, a person is stopped or frisked and the police officer finds a probable cause for an arrest (i.e. drugs found in pockets), then the Miranda warning is delivered and an arrest ensues. => â€Å"A frisk is a limited pat-down search for weapons for the protection