How effective is Peter Brook’s film version of Lord of the Flies?

â€Å"My devil had been long caged, he came out roaring. † This quotation, originating from Stevenson's novel Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, beautifully portrays the point that is focused on by Golding's novel Lord of the Flies. The slow regression from being ‘civilised' schoolboys to truculent savages is compacted into an allegorical story that includes many symbolic objects and stages, which could all be interpreted and presented differently. Peter Brook's film enlightened me of a whole new way of interpreting the novel. All films include certain aspects, such as, casting, location and music. Brook has used these basic building blocks to develop an innovative analysis of Golding's novel. Although Brook had added and taken out certain occurrences in his film version it still contains the original message of the novel, it is however presented in a different light. The setting of the film is on Puerto Rico, is an island off the coast of the Dominican Republic. This setting included all of the major places talked about in the novel, for instance the mountain, the fort, and the jungle. The location is includes nearly all the features that are mentioned in the novel and in this respect is very orthodox in its interpretation of the novel. The filming took place a short time after the writing of the book and the film was out by 1963. This suggests that the version shown as a film was formed whilst opinions about the book were still mixed and forming. Although Golding leaves us in some doubt to why the boys end up stranded on a desert island Brook tells us straight away that the boys are being evacuated at the beginning of a nuclear war Not all of the film concurs with the book. There are many scenes including the discourse between Simon and the Lord of the Flies, Ralph's conversation with the sailor and the scene where Jack refrains from killing a piglet. These scenes are key points in the book. I think the scene where Jack refrains from killing the piglet is not added so that the audience feel no empathy with Jack. However I think that the conversation between Simon and the Lord of the Flies is not added as it allows the audience to still keep a very tense part of the novel personal. Ralph's rather ironic conversation with the sailor is replaced by sheer emotional stare. I believe this not more effective than the conversation, however, it is almost equally as gripping. There were a few other scenes that were cut, but the three mentioned above were the only crucial points in the film where I could feel that a big part of the story was missing. There were also scenes that were added on like Piggy talking about post offices and Jack seeing a boy get whipped. Both of these new scenes helped to draw a clearer picture of both characters. The casting is an area where I doubt some of Peter Brook's judgement. Although I believe that Hugh Edwards playing Piggy is a perfect match, and that he portrays â€Å"the fat boy† well. However, Tom Chapin is not the ginger boy who's â€Å"ugly without silliness† that I was expecting. James Aubrey also doesn't fill the expectations that I thought were in the novel of Ralph being â€Å"built like a boxer. † Roger Elwin however was perfect for the role of Roger, â€Å"the slight, furtive boy whom no one knew. † Another major fact was that the all of the boys were amateur actors. This brought an idea of innocence in my mind, which the boys lost towards the end of the film but it did make some parts of the film disjointed and in coherent. However, I feel that if the boys were trained actors the emotions felt by the boys would have been more evident and therefore the regression of the boys into savagery would have been more exciting and understandable. This version being filmed in the early sixties is in black and white. It also contains many old pieces of music and terminology. I think this adds to the film as it was the era that Golding was writing in and therefore its probably close to what Golding himself might have been thinking. The contrast between black and white also shows up the stark contrast between good and evil. And in the jungle the black and white imagery enhances the mood even further. But, in the novel Golding refers time and time again to colours, textures and tones this part of the novel could only be captured in a colour version if the film. A modern setting for the film would help it to relate to modern people. If the setting was modern more people would be able to understand and enjoy the film, because some of the original terminology such as, â€Å"sucks to your†¦ † would not be effective with an average audience. When Golding wrote the novel it related fully to the environment it was written in. However now the socio-historic setting has changed and Britain no longer has the threat of the Cold War above it's head, so the threat could possibly be changed to the threat of â€Å"terrorism† or â€Å"tyrants. † Music is used many times in the film. During the introduction we hear the stark difference between the melodious hymns of a school choir and some loud music that draws a picture of bombardment. As I had read the book this symbolised in my mind how the boys who were originally ‘civilised' were going to be corrupted. We hear the choirs chant on Jack's arrival. This seems to bring hope to the boys initially but when Jack arrives the story changes. We hear this same chant from the Jack's ‘tribe' when they are regressing to savagery and ironically when the sailors arrive. This was very effective and made the point that although there was savagery on the island, the savagery in the rest of the world is even greater. The most emotive scene in the film is when Piggy is killed. During this scene Peter Brook brings together all the different factors he has been using throughout the film to reach a climax at this moment. The â€Å"loud derisive cheer,† of the savages was portrayed as World War Two air raid sirens. This was an excellent choice by Peter Brook, as it captured not just the savagery of the boys on the island but also savagery throughout the world as a whole. As the crescendo of the boys gets louder we see the fight between Ralph and Jack portrayed to softly really. There's not enough emotion on James Aubrey's face when he lunges at Jack, however you have to remember this is two twelve year-old children who are fighting and therefore the fight would have been jumbled up. Finally we see Roger, who's not shown fully in the light, using a lever to move a rock. Whilst this is going on we see where Ralph helps Piggy when Piggy shouts, â€Å"Don't leave me. † Then suddenly the audience hears and sees the rock thundering down and the last we here of Piggy is a high-pitched yelp. If Brook had shown Piggy strewn on the ground, I think it would have taken some of the imagination away. I think that Brook has left out some scenes from the film because he wants the audience to use their imagination. All in all I thought that watching this film gave me another way of thinking about the novel. Peter Brook's version of Lord of the Flies was effective up to the point that it gets the audience to use their imagination and also to think carefully about the film. However, in this day and age, where people like to use their imagination as little as possible it cannot be fully appreciated by all. The ending for instance contains an ironic appearance that can be grasped by all. However, the deeper meaning of civilisation being ‘corrupted' needs to the worked out. If a modern equivalent was made many of the scenes that Brook left out would be added in and although the film would be less disjointed it would have lost the great deal of stress on imagination that Brook's version did have. This film presents a version of Lord of the Flies that is highly effective in retaining the message of the original novel and enhancing it.

Poverty in Mexico Essay

The purpose of this report is to show that poverty in Mexico is a social problem which not only speaks as an economic problem , but from this, many other problems arise, such as migration and this affect the ethics and morals of other countries, such as ours that is so close to this problem. To understand this, we must first identify some of the most important factors that cause it, and by the hand , the consequences they themselves have . Inequality in Mexico is considered one of the big reasons for the poverty grow every day , where discrimination is directly reflected . In addition, in this country they have an exaggerated population growth , where four out of ten Mexicans are poor, according to the data reflected in the Mexican economy. Not being enough with this, we must include the consequences that this itself gives, such as violence, and with this we realize that ignorance in that country, becomes a negative result too of the deficiencies that mexican society has, ending all this in migration to other countries, such as united states. INEQUALITY IN SOCIETY In the past 25 years, real household income raised 1.7 % to 10% of the wealthiest Mexicans, but only 0.8 % for the poorest 10%. This is where we can prove that inequality in Mexico is undoubtedly a poverty country detonator, because it is much higher the percentage of poor than rich people. This is the result of a country where salaries for people in high command are very high, but for people in lower positions, as a worker, the pay is low even though they are people with fewer opportunities and more need. Faced with this, we need to be informed that Mexico is a country where discrimination is really practiced, against different population groups , either by age, cultural, ideological , and religious issues. Because of all these discriminations, old people, disabled people or just not sexually preferred gender people, live on a limited way, being unemployed , not  having the same opportunities for growth than others and being part of a society where poverty tend to get bigger. POPU LATION GROWTH IN AN UNPREPARED COUNTRY Between 2010 and 2013 the number of poor Mexicans increased in 500,000 people , from 52.8 million to 53.3 . This was because population growth in Mexico is high compared to what the government of the country can handle , causing â€Å"extreme poverty† , occurring when people have 3 or more social deprivations. With increase in population, there is more demand for services and, in the short term , need of work , and since Mexico is a country with more por people than the rich and middle class, the poor class is the one that grows the most, so increases become more and the government fails in covering them completely. The attention of the needs of a rapidly growing population becomes challenging for a country’s ability to manage its resources efficiently, and in Mexico since the resources are not enough for everyone, this just makes it even more complicated over time , for example, people living in rural areas, can not get access to potable water, electricity, food and ba sic needs to survive. RESPOND TO POVERTY Another aspect that is related to poverty , is violence , which occurs when people encounter obstacles to their personal and social development , which is why in addition to the factors that cause it , also the consequences of poverty affect the entire country. In September this year, the unemployment rate raised at 5.29 % according to INEGI, and because of this, the level of violence and crime in Mexico also increased . Although people can get a decent job , â€Å"sometimes it is not enough to cover our needs for living†, was the general answer in an interview made by the economist portal in the capital of the country, and poverty then starts to affect ethical and moral life, having the need to put by a side principles and having first the need to live well, or at least to live and this is where the country starts having more assaults, robberies , kidnappings and drug-related activities and illegal acts . In studies ,the highest rates of homicides and kidnappings occur in the poorest areas of the country. THE IGNORANCE IN PEOPLE Last but not least, there is a poverty that is not material, but it is one of the worst consequences of all , ignorance of the Mexican population. This problem is so big that it becomes at the same time the mos important proved fact that increased extreme poverty in the country. Ignorance is a result of the people in poverty that does not have enough resources to have studies and get a carrer, and because of this they have close doors to many job opportunities and growth. Government is aware that they need to invest more in education, to eradicate ignorance and by doing so, try to assure there will be less inequality and more social justice. However, in the country many times education is not the primary importance in people, and it is getting in the highest number of illiterate people , without any title study . â€Å"When someone knows rights and obligations, is able to be self efficient†, an study in poverty or ignorance declares. CONCLUSION As a conclusion, Mexican poverty is constantly growing not only because the factors that create it are really much more than we can come to perceive every day , such as discrimination, or inequality in jobs and opportunities, but also extends to a level of inequality based on race, religion and beliefs , making the moral of the country little , and this bringing violence, which is a result of the desperation of people in getting a prompt solution to their problems , an easy way to get money and an ignorant way to express their needs as human beings, and migration as the result of not getting what they need or what they expect to sruvive in their owm country, looking for ways of growth out there.† The poverty analysis should be focused on the possibilities for an individual to function, rather than the results you get from that performance † (Amartya Sen, 31). REFERENCES: C.Quesada (Agosto 2001) Amartya Sen y las mil caras de la pobreza. Recuperado de: http://www.iadb.org/idbamerica/spanish/jul01s/jul01s2.html Unicef (2010) Pobreza y Desigualdad. Recuperado de: http://www.unicef.org/mexico/spanish/17046.htm INEGI (20 Feb 2013) Estadà ­sticas de Pobreza en Mà ©xico. Recuperado de: http://www.inegi.org.mx/inegi/contenidos/espanol/prensa/Contenidos/estadisticas/2013/justicia0.pdf Yair Montes (1 Agosto,2013) El Economista, La situacià ³n actual de pobreza en Mà ©xico. Recuperado de: http://eleconomista.com.mx/columnas/agro-negocios/2013/08/01/situacion-actual  -pobreza-mexico Mario Luis Fuentes (Marzo 2013) Excelsior, Discriminacià ³n y pobreza siguen siendo grave problema. Recuperado de: http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2013/03/26/890852

Ethics in Environmental Conservation and Research Essay

Serious ethical challenges have confronted stakeholders in environmental conservation and research. The bulk of the challenges gravitates around the relationship between human beings and the non-human environment, and the impact of human activities on the continued existence of human beings and other elements of the non-human environment (Swart, 2008). Researchers have viewed these challenges through several ethical lenses to come up with different perspectives on the place of mankind in the system, and how human beings should interact with the environment. Ecological ethics originated from environmental ethics which, just like the Blackstone’s ethic of environmental rights and the utilitarian ethic of pollution control, focuses on the complex issue of human-nature relationship and the resultant environmental problems which include loss of biodiversity, pollution and scarcity of resources (Minteer & Collins, 2008). Ecological researchers emphasize that although human beings arevery important in the human-environment relationship, they must evaluate the benefits of their actions vis-a-vis the negative impact of such actions. Human beings must not harm the environment knowingly, particularly if the action leading to such harm is not necessary. According to Minteer & Collins, ecological conservationists must ask themselves whether â€Å"the expected value of an ecological study outweigh possible harm to research animals in the target population. † Because it allows a comprehensive view of the forces at play in ecological conservation and research, ecological ethics gives a better understanding of the ethical issues in conservation and research. Ecological ethics holds that the non-human environment is valuable and mankind must protect it. Blackstone viewed access to a clean and safe environment as a fundamental human right, meaning that no one should take away or compromise another’s right to a livable environment (Valezquez, n. d). At the core of Blackstone’s ethic is the argument that human beings must gauge and anticipate the impact of their actions to ensure that such actions do not threaten other people’s access to their environmental rights. Although Blackstone failed to give a clear guide on how it should be done, he argued that polluters should be held responsible for their actions. Non-human life is useful to human life as humankind depends heavily on the former to satisfy their needs. As such, human beings should protect the non-human environment and only assault the non-human environment to meet essential needs. According to the utilitarian ethic of pollution control, environmental problems are pointers to defects in the market. Utilitarians argue that human beings should invest in reducing pollution to the minimum possible, as it is harmful to the welfare of society. This implies that resources should be used when necessary and they should be allocated and used efficiently. According to Valezquez (n. d), utilitarians draw a line to separate the costs firms incur to produce a product (private costs), and the costs incurred during the production process but which the firms do not pay directly (social costs). These include the costs of pollution and health-care costs for pollution victims, and biodiversity loss. When firms consider only the private costs and overlook the social costs, resources are not utilized efficiently as firms do not invest in efficient production systems. The result of inefficient use of resources is wastages and pollution which contravene the very utilitarian principles on which the market system stands. Producers should therefore consider both social and private costs to arrive at the real prices for products. A prominent problem with setting the real price is that many firms are responsible for pollution and it is not easy to determine which firm is harming who and which is not. The most adequate of the three views is the ecological ethic. Ecological ethicists view mankind as part of a larger system which involves continuous interactions with the non-human environment. Mankind therefore stands to lose from environmental degradation and scarcity of resources. The utilitarian and Blackstone’s views may imply that mankind can justify environmental destruction by paying for the same and compensating those who are affected. According to the ecological view however, human beings have the important role of, not simply paying for harm occasioned by their actions but of, protecting the environment from harm and ensuring that harm is tolerated only when the benefits outweigh the adverse effects. References Minteer, B. & Collins, J. (2008). From Environmental to Ecological Ethics: Toward a Practical Ethics for Ecologists and Conservationists. Sci Eng Ethics 14: pp 483-501. Swart, J. (2008). The Ecological Ethics Framework: Finding our Way in the Ethical Labyrinth of Nature Conservation. Sci Eng Ethics 14: pp 523-526.

Strategic Sourcing within DoD at the Operational Level Thesis

Strategic Sourcing within DoD at the Operational Level - Thesis Example But, it so happens that when hard workers develop great amenities, the fellow nations tries to copy those technologies either in a friendly or in a forceful manner. However, the nation which has toiled so hard to develop those technologies knows the effort which it has put in for gaining those utilities and as such would not be ready to forego that advantage for any friendly gesture. The resultant would be a war. As such, the nation with great amenities should always be watchful of this dilemma and be on its toes to avoid such war situations so as to safeguard its best technologies. This is the main reason that all the nations around the world maintain their own defense departments to create a fear of loss to their neighboring countries. This fear could be maintained only when secrecy of the technology developed is maintained. The same is the case with the Department of Defense (DoD) of U.S.A. with its headquarters in Pentagon. The main purpose of DoD is to maintain and supply forces of military in order to avoid situations of war and safeguard the nation. In this journey, it is forced to develop sophisticated technology for which a lot of resources have to be procured including the precious human effort thereby stretching itself to find out ways and means of fulfilling its mission of nation’s security. Along with such development, care should be taken to safeguard that technology so that, in the game between two nations, enemy nations do not become conversant with those inventions. Hence, ultimate secrecy has to be maintained at every point thereby impeding the commercialization of the unique inventions which were developed for defense purposes. It so happens that during such inventions, an off shoot of those inventions stands to be of immense help to the common man that if known its utility, their commercial value could be established with no doubt. For instance: Rayban sunglasses, were originally developed for air force pilots to ban the

Instrumentation System Assignment Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Instrumentation System Assignment - Lab Report Example The movement is then transduced into an electrical output. Finally, the signal conditioning is needed, depending on sensor and type of application. The Bourdon tubes are example of the major types of sensing elements; they are sealed and deflect in response to any applied pressure. The Pressure gauge is a self-contained indicator used in converting the detected process pressure into proportional mechanical motion of the pointer. The pressure transducer might be a combination of the sensor element of the gauge with mechanical-to-pneumatic with a power supply or mechanical-to-electrical converter. The system might have a signal conditioner for converting the transducer signal into a proportional standardized output. Transducer’s accuracy denotes the degree of conformity or agreement of the measured value in relation to an accepted standard; usually expressed in percentage of the actual or of the full-scale reading of the instrument; for the percentage-full-scale devices, the error increases proportionally as the absolute values of the measurement drop. The repeatability the bourdons transducer refers to the closeness to agreement in a number of consecutive physical measurements of the same given variable. Linearity refers to the measurement of the wellness the transducers output increase linearly with pressure increase. Hysteresis error is a phenomenon characterized by the same pressure process resulting from different output signals dependant on whether the present pressure is approached from higher or lower pressure. Digital pressure instrument contain microprocessors that have improved the built-in diagnostic capabilities; increased their accuracy by the introduction of digital compensation that reduces the sensors’ nonlinearities; and have the capability of communicating digitally with the host device in availing different parameters. The Bourdon tube has elliptical hollow tube, when there is pressure difference between the outside and inside the

Limitations on Police Force Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Limitations on Police Force - Research Paper Example Thesis statement: The limitations on Police Force are dangerous to police officers and citizens because the same affect the proper functioning of law enforcement. How police officers are limited in their way of handling everyday actions? To be specific, police officers are properly trained and permitted to use physical force in critical conditions. In addition, police officers are authorized to maintain peace and security in a society and their actions must be considered as an integral part of their duty. Vincent (1990), opines that â€Å"The right to resort to the legitimate use of force and the law is a constant backup or factor that makes the police officer’s role different from all other occupations† (p.77). During internal/external insurgencies, the Police Force is fully responsible to keep law and order in the mainstream society. For example, when an internal or external insurgency occurs, it is the duty of the police officers to conduct search. In this situation, limitation on using physical force will hinder the progress of investigation. Williams (2005), opines that â€Å"Decisive, timely, and forceful intervention, when needed to overcome the suspect’s illegal acts, can lead to less severe resistance and fewer police responses involving high levels of force† (p.17). ... When the level of the force used by police officers goes beyond limitations, there exists high possibility for criticism from the public. Some of the limitations faced by the police officers while handling everyday actions include limited gun use, limited physical use and limited use of chemical agents. A. Limited gun use The police officers use guns in extremely critical conditions because they are aware of the consequences of the same. When the usage of guns in critical conditions is limited, there exists high possibility for injury or even death. Lieberman (1999), states that â€Å"Individual police officers may be sued for DAMAGE in federal courts for violation of a person’s constitutional rights† (p.354). Besides, this limitation hinders the police officers from handling their everyday actions in an effective manner. B. Limited physical use In certain situations (say, during violent demonstrations), the police officers may be forced to use their physical power to r educe the scope of large scale calamities. Shetreet (1988) makes clear that â€Å"Indeed, it may be the case that without the use of physical force by police officers during interrogation, occasionally persons who had committed crimes would escape conviction and punishment† (p.277). During these types of situations, limited physical use is impractical because the best possible way to control the outraging mob is to use physical force. So, limited physical use in certain situations will reduce the confidence level of the police officers. C. Limited use of chemical agents In certain situations, some chemical agents like pepper sprays are used by the police officers. The usage of chemical agents is less

Rise of the Strategic Bomber Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rise of the Strategic Bomber - Research Paper Example It had the capacity to destroy even the cities, harbors and other industries. It was strong enough to completely destroy the target area. When compared to a normal bomber, strategic bomber had the ability to transform the fertile place to a place where no habitat can exist. Strategic bombers were larger aircrafts which carried more bombs and weapons. The smaller fighter planes and jet bombers carried only the normal bombs that could move away the enemies. Strategic bombers were invented to destroy the enemies. They were specially designed aircrafts that were used by almost all the countries during the war period. (Quanback, 1976).The severity of World War led to the development of such machines. Bombers were the important component of any country’s military troop. (Boot, 2006). They satisfied the requisites of the military troops and hence they became an essential part of any war. Since then the strategic bombers have gone through tremendous improvement and it has spread to almost all the countries. The First World War led to the invention of these bombers since the soldiers alone could not manage in the war front. A special machine that could control the enemies was in need of the hour. Most of the European and Russian countries made use of the se bombers. Iraq was one of the countries which faced several attacks from the American nation. (MacIssac, 1976). These countries made the best use of such strategic bombers which in turn contributed to the development of these aircrafts. Post First World War, the bombers went through a drastic improvement. Till then the bombers were simple aircraft which carried bombs. These aircrafts were smaller in size and carried only a limited number of bombs. The engineers then designed aircrafts that carried more number of bombs and the size of the aircraft was considerably bigger. Cold war affected the development of these strategic bombers. During the beginning of Cold

Ming dynasty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ming dynasty - Research Paper Example Although it also saw a lot of problems and setbacks, the Ming Dynasty is considered to be one of the greatest eras of solidity and affluence in the history of China. Based on historical evidence, although there were other contributing factors to the success of the dynasty, this time of great progress and flourishing of the life in the country can be largely attributed to the effective governance and prudent reforms of its numerous emperors. The Mongols were the ones held power before the formation of the Ming Dynasty. It was the first emperor of the Ming, Emperor Taizu, who led the rebellion against the foreign rulers and overthrew the Mongolian power in China, leaving the locals to rule their own country. Immediately after the establishment of the new empire, he set out to make reforms that changed all aspects of Chinese life for hundreds of years. Also known as the Hongwu Emperor, he began a great feat to reform China and he did so successfully, starting with the revival of the economy. Great efforts were made to improve the yield of the fields and farms, such as the reconstruction of ditches and watercourses, which were managed poorly and disregarded during the previous dynasty. Many neglected lands were also brought back to life by restarting cultivation and agriculture there. Many other agricultural attempts to restore stability and progress in terms of agriculture were made. This included tree-planting programs a ll over the provinces. As a result, the agricultural yield in the entire nation steadily tripled in only less than a decade. (Twichett et al, 264) Hongwu also made these reforms not only to increase the agricultural production of the country, but to also make efforts that would benefit those who were suffering in poverty at the time. In order to allow the peasants to gain opportunities to better their lives, he made many migrate to other areas, and also tried to equalize the distribution of property to many

What is Stress Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

What is Stress - Assignment Example It should be said that these factors influence all people: adults and children, poor and rich, politicians and mineworkers. One can hardly find a person, who had never suffered from stress. The term "stress" has become familiar in our day-to-day vocabulary. In this short and at the same time capacious word we insert the comprehension of changes in own behaviour and a full scale of emotions and feelings, which come up in difficult situations or in danger, which have become essential of our modern way of life. However it is inherent to people to dramatise difficulties of a given moment. Human's existence had never been easy. Let us remember the history of mankind. The entire development of civilization from ancient times to today has been accompanied with continuous stress. In different times people suffered from hunger, wars, deceases, nature cataclysms, conflicts of interests, necessity to adapt to new forms of social structure and changes of technologies. So stress is not an "achiev ement" of modernity, it has just reshaped under the influence of new conditions.Nowadays the question of vital importance for the society is to cope with global work-related stress, which is observable in all spheres of human activity. . One of the most stress-liable groups is students. It is obvious that they have to cope with great physical and mental tasks. They often have to deal with lucubration in exams period. So stress is a 'shadow' of any student. That is why it is important for every student to know how to cope with stress. Let us consider General Exam Stress-Busting Tips, which have been offered by ISMA (n. d.), a registered charity with a multi-disciplinary professional membership, which exists to promote knowledge and best practice in the prevention and reduction of human stress. ISMA suggests all students Believe in yourself. Don't try to be perfect. Take steps to overcome problems. Don't keep things bottled up. Keep things in perspective. In the UK it is estimated that each working day 270,000 people are absent from work with stress, and in 1996 sickness absence cost UK business & 12 billion (Ameghino, 1998). The HSE report that almost twenty millions working days a year are lost because work-related illness, and off the two million suffers of job-linked illnesses, 500,000 workers say that stress is so bad that it is making them ill (Milne, 1998).Causes of stress According to Arthur (2004, p. 160), "employees do not become stress just because of character flaws or mental health vulnerability; rather the context in which people live and work can stress them". Work-related tress can be caused by various factors (stressors). The most widespread reasons of stresses are conflicts with the leadership and colleagues. Often the stress is determined by congestion with work, overwork. Stress can be provoked by numerous assignments and requirements of leaders, which must be fulfilled immediately, without taking into account opportunities of

The conflict between the Arabs and Jews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The conflict between the Arabs and Jews - Essay Example The partition of Palestine resulted in the creation of the State of Israel, and of the Palestine refugee problem. The dispute has resulted in major regional wars and two Palestinian Intifadas with tragedies on both sides. Throughout, there have been repeated attempts to resolve the conflict, from Bernadotte in 1948 through to President George W. Bush's roadmap in 2003." (Book Description, 2007). Therefore, the Arab-Israeli conflict, which started almost a century ago, continues to be one of the most serious issues of international dispute. Investigating the roots of the conflict, it becomes lucid that the establishment of the Zionist movement has been a major reason for the Arab-Israeli conflict. Similarly, following the Zionist movement, the modern State of Israel was established in the region which was regarded by the Jews as their historical homeland. However, the Pan-Arab movement maintained that it was a territory belonging to the Palestinians. All these issues contributed to th e deepening of the conflict between the Arab and the Israelis and the religious dimension of the conflict is often emphasised. This paper makes a profound analysis of the background of the Arab-Israeli conflict, incorporating the history of the Arabs and the Jews, the religious dimension of the conflict, Judaism and Islam, and the history of the land of modern Israel, in order to determine the basic issues involved in the conflict. In a reflective exploration of the ancient history of Israel and Palestine, one comes to recognize that the ancient Jewish kingdoms of Israel and Judea were consecutively conquered and subjugated by several foreign empires and kings. One of the major empires to conquer the land was the great Roman Empire and there were several revolts against the foreign rule in the region. In 135 CE, the Roman Empire overpowered the third revolt against its rule in the region and consequently expelled the surviving Jews from Jerusalem and its surroundings. Many of these Jews were sold for slavery and the Roman province was then renamed'Palestine'. "After the Arab conquest of Palestine in the 7th century the remaining inhabitants were mostly assimilated into Arab culture and Muslim religion, though Palestine retained Christian and Jewish minorities, the latter especially living in Jerusalem. Apart from two brief periods in which the Crusaders conquered and ruled Palestine (and expelled the Jews and M uslims from Jerusalem), it was ruled by several Arab empires, and it became part of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire in 1516." (The Arab-Israeli Conflict). Therefore, the land of the Palestine was occupied by people belonging to Arab culture and Muslim religion, although there were Christian and Jewish minorities. Represented by twenty one separate countries, the Arab nations today form a significant power in the region and there is only one Jewish nation with a tiny country in the region, i.e. Israel. To trace the history of the people of Israel (also called the 'Jewish People'), they trace their origin to Abraham of the Old Testament and they regard Abraham, his son Yitshak (Isaac), and grandson Jacob (Israel), as the patriarchs of the Israelites. It has been emphasised by several writers that the very embodiment of Jewish continuity is Israel which inherits all the

Home And Home Office Computers Essay Example for Free

Home And Home Office Computers Essay International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) deals with computer technology, offering both products and consulting services. It offers a range of hardware and software products. It also offers infrastructure services. IBM is a high performance organization and this is very evident from its operation and performance. IBM is a multinational corporation with its headquarters at Armonk, New York but spreading to all parts of the world. It is the largest computer company and the most profitable. It have 370, 000 employees in different parts of the world representing the largest information technology employer. IBM controls a big share of its market and has expanded to many parts of the world. These factors show that IBM is one of the high performance organizations of the world. The results of IBM show clearly its leadership role in the computer technology sector. Its operations of the recent past have produced results that show its high performance and its ability to continue performing well. The financial report for the year ended December 31 2006, posted in the company’s website (http://www. ibm. com/investor/financials/index. phtml), showed that the company had a net income of $9,492 million as compared to $7,934 million the previous years. There was growth in total revenue from $91,134 million in 2005 to $91,424 million in 2006. The earnings per share for the year 2006 were $6. 11 compared with $4. 87 the previous year. Using revenue, net income and the earnings per share as the performance indicators we can clearly see that IBM posted very good results and indicated growth. IBM has been expanding its operation to all parts of the world. IBM provides technology solutions to businesses, organization to all parts of the world with an aim of helping the users to achieve increased productivity and success. The company’s values of â€Å"dedication to every client’s success, Innovation that matters-for our company and for the world and trust and personal responsibility in all relationships† (http://www. ibm. com/investor/corpgovernance/cgbcg. phtml) have enabled the company to establish relationship all over the world thus resulting to gaining of a big share of the market. IBM is the largest computer company and the most profitable. Thus using the market share as the performance indicator we see that IBM is a high performance company. Besides that IBM have in the recent past made many notable acquisition meaning it’s aimed at growing. IBM is very concerned with the satisfaction of its customers. IBM uses tools, processes, procedures and mechanisms of generating feedback aimed at making sure the customer is satisfied. The company monitors and responds to problems of customer so as to achieve customer satisfaction. It also provides expertise assistance all the time to its customers. According to CRM today website (http://www. crm2day. com/news. crm/EpZuVZFUZaMbMinnv. php) a research carried out by Technology Business Research Inc showed that IBM had topped its competitors in customer satisfaction. This was attributed to the IBM’s PC Hardware quality and reliability. On March 2007 IBM was awarded the Genesys Gold Certification. This was for IBM’s expertise, innovation and customer satisfaction (Http://www. genesyslab. com/news. archives/2007/march/ibm-gold-certication. asp IBM values its employees and puts efforts to see that their employees are treated well. IBM does not discriminate employees on any ground be it physical attributes or genetics. IBM has been helped by its employees to become a high performance organization. Through good human resource management the company allows its employees from all over the world to participate in core decision making. IBM involved its employees in the formulation of the company’s values in 2003. The company has also facilitated discussion among its employees on key business issues. This has helped the company to brainstorm on new ideas that have contributed to improvement of the performance of the company. IBM also involved its employees in brainstorming on innovation ideas. All these efforts were aiming at involvement of the employees on the key issues affecting IBM operations. This issues ranging from employee relationship as expressed in the company values to various practices in the company and innovation (http://www. research. ibm. com/journal/sj/404/gongla. html). IBM’s good treatment of its employees has led to great benefits to the companies. Employees are more dedicated to the values of the company and to offering quality services to the customers. These have led to more satisfied customers translating to good sales. Good human resource management has led to great benefit to the company through innovation of the employees hence leading to more productivity and innovation. The human resources best practices by IBM include involvement of the employees in key issues affecting the company. The employees were involved in the formulation and rewriting of the company values. In this all the employees from all parts of the world contributed their ideas and were summarized to produce the three care values of IBM Corporation. IBM also involved its employees in contributing ideas on practices that can bring success to the company. Another best practice is good treatment of the employees. IBM do not discriminate any employee on any ground and offers employment to all. These practices have contributed much to making IBM one of the High performance corporations. Reference: CRM Today. IBM Tops Competitors in Customer Satisfaction. Retrieved on February 06, 2008from http://www. crm2day. com/news/crm/EplZuVZFuVaMbBlnnv. php GENESYS. IBM Awarded Genesys Gold Certification for Expertise, innovation and customer satisfaction. Retrieved on February 06, 2008from http://www. genesyslab. com/news/archives/2007/march/ibm_gold_certification. asp Gongla P. and Rizzuto C. R. Evolving communities of practice: IBM Global Services experience. IBM Systems Journal. Retrieved on February 06, 2008from http://www. research. ibm. com/journal/sj/404/gongla. html IBM. Financial Information. Retrieved on February 06, 2008 from http://www. ibm. com/investor/financials/index. phtml IBM. Corporate governance. Retrieved on February 06, 2008 from http://www. ibm. com/investor/corpgovernance/cgbcg. phtml)

Obama’s Education Promise, a Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example for Free

Obama’s Education Promise, a Rhetorical Analysis Essay â€Å"Education is the best provision for the journey to old age.† – Aristotle Today, 314.5 million people call themselves Americans. Each of them, with God permitting, will make the journey to old age. However, in this huge set of individuals, roughly fifteen percent of adults over the age of twenty-five have not received a high school diploma (â€Å"Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009†). By itself, this percentage feels rather small, and so we as Americans pride ourselves in our educational system. After crunching the numbers, however, this measly percentage actually represents twenty-nine million Americans, twenty-nine million individuals who lack an accomplished high school education. Aristotle would be displeased to say the least. In 2008, then senator Barack Obama delivered a speech to the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts titled â€Å"What’s Possible for our Children.† Though intended for his election campaign, the speech also reflected this introduction’s attitude, calling attention to the gaping holes in American education. More specifically, however, Obama promoted educational reform based on a three-point platform: â€Å"fixing† No Child Left Behind (an act which encourages state standardized tests to measure and regulate primary and secondary education in the United States), encouraging teacher reforms and furthering teaching employment, and increasing opportunities for minor ethnicities and other disadvantaged students. In retrospect, his speech met with great optimism and is often quoted by leaders in education. To explain this speech’s success more fully requires an analysis of Obama’s seasoned rhetorica l strategies, of ethos, logos, and pathos—respectively, as well as an explanation of how each of these three strategies establishes an effective speech. Obama sprinkles ethos, or ethical proof, throughout his three-point platform. In doing so, he gears his audience’s attention towards his assessment of the ethical standards in American education to inspire  motivation and change. For example, in the introduction, Obama states, â€Å"This kind of America is morally unacceptable for our children† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech†). Through this statement, Obama assumes the role of an ethical mediator; he creates situated ethos whereby, as a presidential candidate, he has the power to tell us as a society where we are correct and where we can improve. By equating American education with moral irresponsibility, he calls society to consider the issues he addresses later in his speech. One such issue is No Child Left Behind, his first premise. In discussing the problems within the act passed by former President Bush in 2001, Obama repeats the phrase â€Å"we must† almost religiously. Must is a strong word choice; it implies an obligation to something. As an audience member, we make the connection that the obligation is precisely what Obama stated in the introduction. We must make our educational standards higher for our children; thus, we become motivated to fix No Child Left Behind. Likewise, in his second point, which promises teacher reforms and employment, Obama begins with a simple commonplace: Individuals who do good jobs should be rewarded. Using the ethos from his introduction, he concludes that teachers who do good jobs should be rewarded, which gives motivation for teachers to do well. Obama even goes so far as to inspire change in education among ethnic minorities, his final point. In this point, he calls upon hope—hope that disadvantaged students will one day rise from the bottom with his new learning opportunity programs. His optimism and confidence calls us, his audience, to change. Obama further generalizes this notion of change during his conclusion when he states, â€Å"We have to hold ourselves accountable† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech†). By holding the audience accountable, educational reform becomes both a private and public matter. Therefore, the audience, 314.5 million Americans, feel more personally compelled, motivated even, to follow his advice—to change No Child Left Behind, to reward teachers for good work, and to give more opportunities to disadvantaged students—to reform much of the current educational model, in effect. Logos and pathos, however, are still needed to solidify such an undertaking. Realizing he is delivering a speech about education, an intellectual topic, Obama adds several textbook examples of logos, or logical proof, to his  speech. Simply put, after he explains the unacceptable educational current model to his audience using ethos, he uses logos to depict the reality of how unacceptable the system is. In his introduction, for instance, Obama equates knowledge to the â€Å"currency† of the Information Age, stating that an individual should use his or her knowledge to â€Å"sell† himself or herself to a career position. A cause-and-effect relationship soon follows to support this extended metaphor: â€Å"If the more than 16,000 Colorado students who dropped out of high school last year had only finished, the economy in th[e] state would have seen an additional $4.1 billion in wages over these students’ lifetime† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech). Logically, we as the audience then deduce that education , in reality, is profitable. It is in our interest to be well-educated, but as of now, we are losing money from being uneducated. From there, Obama makes a more explicit logical deduction to support his first premise. If we as Americans want to help the economy, we should fix No Child Left Behind. His logical reasoning for fixing the program stems from its seemingly insufficient economic policy, which stifles the paychecks of teachers who we as a society want to inspire. Because of such, he suggests that, while No Child Left Behind’s goals are noble on paper, its functional mechanics are illogical and unacceptable in the real world. By doing so, he gains more support from educators and economists. Obama also uses logos in his third premise, albeit implicitly. Back in the introduction, Obama quotes the following from Thomas Jefferson, a well-respected president from American history: â€Å"[T]alent and virtue, needed in a free society, should be educated regardless of wealth or birth† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech). Obama knows that the general public will agree with anything Thomas Jefferson says because he is so well respected in American history. Therefore, when he discusses the current issues of ethnic minorities, he conjures support from a broader spectrum of Americans because he is in accordance with Thomas Jefferson. In that respect, he is able to use logos as a means to show the unacceptable truth behind the educational system—to showcase the relationship between revenue and education as well as highlight student-teacher discrimination—to the widely diverse American people. Among all the strategies Obama uses in his speech, pathos, or emotional  proof, is the most commonly used, especially in the introduction and conclusion. The reason for this distinct placement of pathos is elementary: In order to grab the audience’s attention and illustrate the realities of America’s educational system, of which both processes require ethos and logos, Obama must connect to the audience’s emotions—to bring about changes in thought and heart. His most effective strategy that does so is his appeal to children. Countless numbers of times, Obama urges us as older Americans to provide better education for our posterity. By doing so, he uses our unconditional love for children, perhaps seeing our own children in other children, in a way that grabs our attention so that we may listen and critically think about what he has to say regarding education. On top of using the obligation to children as the basis for attention, Obama also invokes imagery during his oration. An example of this imagery is found in his third premise: â€Å"When they [students at disadvantages] look around and see that no one has lifted a finger to fix their school since the 19th century, when they are pushed out the door at the sound of the last bell—some into a virtual war zone—is it any wonder they don’t think their education is important? Is it any wonder that they are dropping out in rates we’ve never seen before?† (qtd. in â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech†) The very thought of a neglected child, or a child in a â€Å"war zone† for that matter, tugs at the hearts in the audience. By using such imagery in the third premise, the audience is helpless, for not many people can resist such raw emotion. The audience’s helplessness makes them vulnerable to changes in thought. In this case, the audience’s thoughts will largely favor Obama’s intent to dampen the disadvantages of ethnical minorities and mentally handicapped students. To conclude his emotional journey and to leave his audience emotionally â€Å"fulfilled,† Obama taps into the biggest patriotic commonplace in America—the â€Å"American dream.† He takes the one idealistic value that all 314.5 million Americans hold in common and equates the chance to educate oneself with that core value. It leaves a powerful, lasting impression on his audience and, alongside all the other pathetic strategies mentioned previously, heightens the audience’s interest in investing in educational reform. Hence, after looking extensively at all these different strategies at work,  is it any wonder why the speech did not meet with such critical acclaim? Ethos persuaded us as the audience that our educational system was ethically unacceptable. Logos described the current state of the educational system in a way that made us want to change it to Obama’s standards. Pathos sweetened our perception of that change, making us believe that educational reform will correct the current unacceptable model. Together, the three major strategies mixed in just the right proportions to yield instantaneous changes in audience perception and evaluation of America’s educational standards. It created waves which propagated Obama’s educational reform ideals to all parts of the United States. In fact, these waves continue to ripple throughout the American political arena; one needs to look no further than the 2012 presidential debates to confirm such a statement. Ultimately, education is on the minds of everyone, as well it should be. True as it is to say that agriculture started civilization, it is equally as true to say that education started modern civilization. Therefore, we as citizens of the entire world should be concerned with the development of our education, for when we lose our education, we lose our modern civilization. Aristotle is correct. As humanity matures, it ages. How does humanity mature? It educates itself. Without education the future remains uncertain, for there are no provisions to account for the uncertainty. As Americans, all 314.5 million of us would like to believe that the future of our nation is determined to stay. To claim such a belief with any amount of certainty, however, requires all 314.5 million individuals to be educated. Until then, we continue to build provisions for the hazy future that awaits us. Works Cited â€Å"Educational Attainment in the United States: 2009.† U.S. Census Bureau. Feb. 2012. Digital file. â€Å"Full text of Obama’s education speech.† denverpost.com. 2 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Oct. 2012.

Impact Of Colonization On Hauora Maori

Impact Of Colonization On Hauora Maori Tikanga, coming from the Maori word tika which means true or correct, has a wide range of meanings culture, custom, ethic, etiquette, fashion, formality, lore, manner, meaning, mechanism, method, protocol, style. It can also be described as general behaviour guidelines for daily life and interaction in Maori culture. It is generally taken to mean the Maori way of doing things and commonly based on experience and learning that has been handed down through generations. It is based on logic and common sense associated with a Maori world view. Kawa is the word used to describe the protocol or sequence of events which occur on the Marae particularly those related to formal activities such as pohiri, speeches and mihimihi, as well as working with Maori health providers and Maori committees who have Iwi and Hapu reps. Stratified Random Sampling In a stratified sample the sampling frame is divided into non-overlapping groups or strata, e.g. geographical areas, age-groups, genders. A sample is taken from each stratum, and when this sample is a simple random sample it is referred to as stratified random sampling. Outcome 2 Task 2.1 Random Sampling A simple random sample gives each member of the population an equal chance of being chosen. One way of achieving a simple random sample is to number each element in the sampling frame (e.g. give everyone on the Electoral register a number) and then use random numbers to select the required sample. Random numbers can be obtained using a calculator, a spreadsheet, printed tables of random numbers, or by the more traditional methods of drawing slips of paper from a hat, tossing coins or rolling a dice. Quota Sampling In quota sampling the selection of the sample is made by the interviewer, who has been given quotas to fill from specified sub-groups of the population. For example, an interviewer may be told to sample 50 females between the age of 45 and 60. There are similarities with stratified sampling, but in quota sampling the selection of the sample is non-random. Systematic Sampling In systematic sampling, the researcher first randomly picks the first item or subject from the population. Then, the researcher will select each nth subject from the list. The procedure involved in systematic sampling is very easy and can be done manually. The results are representative of the population unless certain characteristics of the population are repeated for every nth individual, which is highly unlikely. Task 2.2 The researcher should take into account tikanga and kawa when doing Maori research. He should know how to interview the participants without causing cultural offence. It is very important that the researcher develops a cooperative working relationship with local iwi and hapu. The researcher should remember that the Maoris always give their time and effort when they take part in something. So it would be a good idea to give them an acknowledgment for this. For example, the researcher could bring food to offer to the participants or give them financial reward for taking part in the research being conducted. Maoris believe in establishing, maintaining and nurturing reciprocal and respectful relationships. For Maori, the notion of relationships is a core value. The way that Maori interact with each other and the world around them is all based on the notion of inter-connectedness and the nurturing of reciprocal relationships. So it is very important for the researcher to respect their culture as well as establish a good relationship with the participants and their whanau. A big consideration for Maori researchers is their role as an insider or an outsider of the community they intend to research. Whether you are a member of the community under research will dictate how participants relate to you, what they will disclose, how they will engage, where they will engage, and their level of comfort in participating. Whether you are an insider or an outsider will also impact on your own perceptions of what is happening, and on the analysis of the data being retrieved so the material gathered from the research should be used carefully, appropriately and correctly. After conducting the research, the information should then be shared to the participants and their whanau. Also, before reporting pertinent data gathered from Maori participants, the researcher should ask permission from them first and their whanau. Outcome 3 Task 3.1 Maori Regional Tauranga iwi and hapÃ…Â « continued to lose significant amounts of land after 1886, notably through Crown purchasing, public works, pressures caused by actual and potential rates debt, and the processes of urbanisation and subdivision. The tangata whenua could ill afford to lose any land at all, and the scale of the loss has compounded the prejudice they suffered from the raupatu and its aftermath. Particularly disappointing was the lack of adequate protection or assistance for those groups that were left landless or nearly so. Even where Maori managed to retain land, they faced considerable difficulty trying to develop it. To a large extent, the cause of this was the land tenure and administration system imposed by the Crown on Maori owners. Along with their loss of land, Tauranga Maori suffered reduced access to and use of traditional resources from the rivers, sea, and forests of Tauranga Moana. The intensification of economic activity and the accelerating pace of urban development often led to degradation and pollution of those environments. Alongside that, development has endangered the cultural heritage of Tauranga Maori: despite some protections, many sites of cultural, spiritual, and historical importance have been modified or even destroyed. Where their environment and cultural heritage are concerned, the tangata whenua have had to fight hard to maintain even a faint shadow of the tino rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga they exercised at the time the Treaty was signed. Maori National The history of Maori grievance over Crown breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi dates back to the 1840s. As early as 1849 Ngai Tahu chiefs complained about the methods used in purchasing their lands. Around 1860, Maori still held onto most of their land, except for a few areas, particularly Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and parts of Northland. The 1860s saw confiscations of millions of hectares by the government and large areas of land lost through the effect of the Native Land Court. On 5 May 1863, Premier Alfred Domett sent a memorandum to Governor George Grey, proposing that Maori in a state of rebellion have their lands confiscated as a punishment. At first confiscation was intended to be relatively restricted, but it gradually became more and more elaborate. Land was confiscated both from tribes who had rebelled against the government, and those who had fought as government allies. It was envisaged that military settlers would be placed on confiscated land. Confiscations under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863 and its amendments took place in South Auckland, Waikato, Tauranga, Ã…Å’pÃ…Â tiki-WhakatÄ ne, Taranaki, and the MÃ…Â haka-Waikare district in Hawkes Bay. Confiscations also took place in Poverty Bay under separate legislation. The period between 1890 and 1920 saw a boom in government land purchases, despite Maori protests. By 1937, very little land was left in Maori ownership. Maori were devastated by the effects of land confiscations, disease, and poverty. They also suffered discrimination in areas such as health, welfare, housing, military service, and sport. The pakeha laws and governance have excluded Maori from their land and culture and also afforded only marginal opportunity for Maori to participate in the economy or governance. Other Indigenous Native Americans Regional Indigenous peoples of California were Native Americans who lived in California before colonialism. This group covered much the same area as present day California. They survived mainly on plant food including grasses and acorns. Along the coast they supplemented their food with fish and seafood, and in the interior with animals such as deer and rabbits. They lived in villages of about 100 people, not always related. Because the villages contained people who were unrelated, there was a form of society with relationships between villages. Europeans first came to this area in 1542, and missions were established soon after. The missions would become the dominant economic force in Spanish colonial Alta California. By 1803 the population of nominally converted Native Americans was about 20,000. Using Native American labour, the Franciscans were developing the missions into physically impressive places with stone and abode buildings. The missionaries had legal custody of Native American people who had gone or been taken to the missions and regulated their lives in every detail. They were forced to labour in the mission fields, shops, and kitchens and took care of the thousands of cattle the missions owned. During this time the Native Americans had their land taken from them by force, and thousands were needlessly massacred. Although there are still groups present in the area today, much of their cultural identity has been lost. Native Americans National Native Americans had inherited the land now called America and eventually their lives were destroyed due to European Colonization. When the Europeans arrived and settled, they changed the Native American way of life for the worst. These changes were caused by a number of factors including disease, loss of land, attempts to export religion, and laws, which violated Native American culture. A side effect of the Europeans greed and attitude is that they could take anything they saw. A determined effort was made to completely suppress the Native culture. This active suppression took many forms. Certain tribes were freely supplied with guns, so that they could wipe out their neighbours. Old problems between tribes were brought back into the open, causing wars. The army and many settlers treated the Natives as nothing more than pests to be got rid of. Laws were introduced that banned certain ceremonies, forced the children into the European education system, and tied whole groups to land that was useless and could not sustain them. The intention was to deny them of their cultural identity, which has the same effect as wiping them out. Native Americans never came in contact with diseases that developed in the Old World because they were separated from Asia, Africa, and Europe when ocean levels rose following the end of the last Ice Age. Diseases like smallpox, measles, pneumonia, influenza, and malaria were unknown to the Native Americans until the Europeans brought these diseases over time to them. This triggered the largest population decline in all recorded history. Fifty percent of the Native American population had died of disease within twenty years. They also brought guns, alcohol and horses. The effect of these was to change the way of life for the Native Americans. Horses and guns changed their way of hunting for food. Since the cultural groups had been based on their method of subsistence, changing this changed the groupings. Some major groups moved. Once they started to move fights over territory broke out. Groups who had had plenty of food, now didnt have enough. Task 3.2 Maori Customs Before colonization, Maori had their own unique identity. Tribes of Maori were called iwi and everybody belonged to one. Customs and protocols of the people influenced their way of thinking and way of living. Visiting tribes followed their hosts tikanga if they wished to return home safely and be welcomed for a return visit. By the mid 1860s, the Crown introduced legislation which began to enforce the growing assimilation attitude, with the Colonisers wanting Maori to be absorbed into the new colonial culture, and so the wearing away of the Maori people began. The mana of the Maori was weakened with the loss of a major part of their sense of belonging. Their customs and traditions were being compromised as the language was diminishing. The less Maori language was used, the less the transfer and understanding of qualities that Maoris used to value. Hapu and iwi almost become nonexistent because tribes struggle to stay together. Many sub-tribes go back to the larger tribe and some become a forgotten people. Lifestyle Maori early settlements were often at harbours or the mouths of rivers close to the sea, with good access to fishing and shellfish grounds. There was extensive hunting of seals and the large flightless bird, the moa. Increasingly Maori developed horticulture. With careful techniques, often involving the use of stone walls, and fire embers to warm soils, they succeeded in establishing several plants, especially the kumara (sweet potato). They also turned inland, and over several generations encountered the great forests. It moved from being largely maritime to one which, in certain places, was dominated by trees and bird life. Cannibalism was a feature, as was polygamy. Technology was limited to tools made of naturally occurring materials such as pounamu (the South Islands greenstone) and tuhua (obsidian); flax was used for weaving and other purposes. There was extensive trade in these goods, usually in the form of gift exchange. With the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, New Zealand became a British colony. This saw a great increase in the number of British migrants coming to New Zealand. Many had their passage paid for by colonial companies. The systematic colonial settlement of New Zealand was largely based on the ideas of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who believed the colonial settlements should be modelled on the structures of British society. Many New Zealand cities and towns were established and populated in this way. These settlements were intended to be civilised and self-sufficient, with small farmers cultivating their land, and living in peace with the native people. After the first European whalers and traders came to New Zealand, Maori lifestyle in some areas changed dramatically, and never returned to the way it was. One of the most popular commodities the Maoris were interested in trading for were muskets. As Maoris had no long-range weapons, muskets were a valuable asset to tribes. The introduction of muskets made inter-tribal wars far more dangerous, especially if it was a tribe with muskets against a tribe without. Language Maori had a language unique to any other country in the world. The Maori language, te reo, is described as a taonga of the Maori people, a special possession or treasure. Although there were slight differences in the dialects among different tribes, the messages and meanings were never lost. Proverbs and genealogy were passed through prayers, chants and songs. However, due to colonization English has been imposed as the mainstream language, causing a loss of the indigenous language. Initially, te reo was widely spoken by the Europeans particularly in interaction with Maori and by both Maori and European children. In the early 1860s, colonisers became the dominant population and English became the primary language. The Crowns effort to assimilate their own culture had laws which imposed te reo to be confined to Maori communities. Speaking in Maori was officially discouraged and Maoris were punished for speaking their own language. Schooling was enforced, first in te reo for Maori but by 1910, in English only. It was then suppressed either formally or informally so that young Maoris would be able to assimilate with the wider pakeha-dominated community. By the 1920s only a few private schools still taught Maori grammar as a school subject. Many Maori parents encouraged their children to learn English and even to turn away from other aspects of Maori custom. Increasing numbers of Maori people learnt English because they needed it in the workplace or places of recreation such as the football field. Korero Pakeha (Speak English) was seen as essential for Maori people. This led to the decline of Maori speakers. Spiritual Health Mori had their own spiritual beliefs. There was a belief that humans were part of nature the forests, seas and waterways. People saw themselves in a sacred relationship with the natural world, and the exploitation of natural resources was conducted under strict regimes of tapu (sacredness) and mana (spiritual authority) administered by tohunga (priests). They believed in a supreme being and also that each area of the universe was under the guardianship of a caretaker. Colonisation by Europeans had a significant effect on traditional Maori healing. Tohunga had limited ability to combat the diseases brought by Europeans. Though Western medicine was also relatively ineffectual at the time, this failure still strongly affected Maori confidence in tohunga. Some pakeha missionaries attributed the spread of disease to a lack of Christian faith. As their own healers appeared impotent, many Maori accepted this explanation and turned to Christianity. Over time, the whare wananga (schools of higher learning) which had trained tohunga started to close. The tradition of the tohunga declined. Psychological Health The significance of whakapapa according to tikanga Maori, whakapapa is the glue that binds whanau, hapu and iwi together. Knowledge of ones whakapapa is a vital aspect of being Maori. It has been pointed out that whakapapa defines both the individual and kin groups, and governs the relationships between them. It confirms an individuals membership and participation rights within her or his kin groups. Traditionally every adult person was expected to know and to be able to trace descent back to the tribal ancestor, or back to at least the common ancestor after whom the group with whom one lived was named. The rights and claims that an individual could make to the resources of the group she or he related to, or identified with depended on such knowledge. When the Europeans came, family structures became dysfunctional. Oppression of Maori culture was predominant. The colonisers denied the Maori their whakapapa which is one of the worst things to happen to a Maori. This led to trauma and abuse and neglect of the Maoris especially the children who were often separated from their whanau. Physical Health Evidence suggests that Maori life expectancy at the time of Captain James Cooks visits to New Zealand (between 1769 and 1777) was higher than that in Britain. Maori may have had a life expectancy at birth of more than 30, compared with less than 30 for people in Britain. After European contact, however, there was a major decline in Maori life expectancy. By 1891 the estimated life expectancy of Maori men was 25 and that of women was just 23. Between 1840 and 1891 disease and social and economic changes had serious negative effects on Maori health and a significant impact on the population. Tribal dislocation from the traditional Maori environment was brought about by the land wars and the large-scale land confiscations that followed. There was widespread loss of land through purchase and the operation of the Native Land Court, and new patterns of land use and economic activity. Maori changed housing styles, water supplies, sanitation and diet. These affected standards of health usually for the worse. Very large increases in the European population during this period meant Maori across the country were continuously exposed to new diseases. Many Maori children died in their first year of life, often from pneumonia and respiratory infections. In addition, many adults and older children suffered from epidemics of viral disease and typhoid fever, as well as from tuberculosis, a chronic disease that often ended fatally. Relatively high death rates combined with low birth rates saw a rapid decline in the Maori population between 1840 and 1878, with a slower decline from 1878 to 1891. Between 1840 and 1891 the Maori population may have halved. The population continued to decline until the century was nearly over. There were humanitarian responses to Maori health decline. The earliest providers of medical care were the missionaries. Government hospitals were set up in a few places for Maori in the 1840s. As the non-Maori population grew, hospitals became increasingly pakeha-dominated institutions, built and administered by the local settler communities. Many Maori were suspicious of hospitals for cultural reasons, and were deterred from entering them by fees. From the 1840s the government subsidised a number of doctors (native medical officers) to provide medical care for any Maori who could not afford to pay for treatment. Other Indigenous Group Native Americans Customs In North America the continuous interactions with Europeans lead to mutual trading. Native Americans received European manufactured goods: cloth, beads, steel, guns etc. in exchange for animal hides. Native Americans became dependent upon European trading which in turn forced Native Americans to alter their cultural structure. They moved from a socialist egalitarian society to that with a class distinction, a disparity between that of the proletariat in the form of the Native American and that of bourgeoisie, in the form of the European. As a result of the increased demand in Europe for American animal hides, both Europeans and Native Americans began hunting more animals than they needed to sustain themselves in order to gain more material possessions. Consequently, some Native Americans began practicing polygamy in order to have the women cure the excess of hides that the men had hunted. Many of the Native Americans had no such concept of land ownership. Native belief essentially held that the land was a gift from the creator, to be used in common by all of the society for survival and sustenance. In many native societies, no single individual owned the land and no legal institution existed to exclude certain classes of persons from the land. Land ownership, then, was a fluid concept, especially among the nomadic tribes who moved from area to area with the seasons of the year. The native peoples lived off the land. They did not practice wholesale extraction of resources such as timber, fish, and wildlife as did their European contemporaries. In part this was because the land could sustain their small populations and because their needs were relatively simple by European standards of their day. By contrast, the European settlers wanted the creature comforts to which they had been accustomed in Europe. These comforts included commercially manufactured food, clothing, furniture, and so on. Additionally, the new settlers needed to transfer as much wea lth as possible, and as quickly as possible, from the New World to their mother countries. Lifestyle Before they were colonized, lifestyle depended largely on the type and amount of food available, and how easily people could move around. The size of individual groups within each area was limited by the amount of food available and the ability to store food. Native Americans took the roles of farmers, gatherers, fishermen, and hunters as the changing seasons and their environments required. They usually lived in relatively small villages, but large towns were common where resources could support them. They lived day-to-day in social systems resembling extended families and were governed mainly by tradition. People in the east and in the river valleys of the Plains, in continuity with the Woodland tradition, depended mainly on farming. Along the Pacific coast, people relied on fishing, and sometimes whaling, and in the south on acorns, in continuity with the societies of the Archaic period. In the arid country between Rockies and the Sierra Nevada, small groups travelled from resource to resource within huge territories, surviving by maintaining an exquisite knowledge of their environments. When the Europeans came, they re-introduced horses to the Native Americans. This greatly impacted their lifestyle. This new mode of travel made it possible for them to expand their territories, exchange goods with other neighbouring tribes and easily capture game for their food. However, there were instances wherein the Natives were herded onto reserves rather than permitted to freely hunt and wander around their traditional homelands. Language There were almost a thousand languages spoken in the Americas before the arrival of Europeans. In addition, these languages showed tremendous variety between one another. A trio of individuals from three areas a hundred miles apart might very likely have been completely unable to communicate by speech. There was, however, a sign language used in some areas to allow communication between those of different tribes. The spoken languages were neither primitive nor simple and many had grammars as complex as those of Russian and Latin. None of the native languages of America had a writing system until the arrival of Europeans. The arrival of European culture was not kind to the indigenous cultures of the Americas. The population of the native civilizations of the current territory of the United States fell from about 20 million to the present level of less than 2 million. Beyond the shrinking size of the ethnic populations, the languages have also suffered due to the prevalence of English among those of Native American ancestry. Most Native American languages have ceased to exist or are spoken only by older speakers. Spiritual Health The Native Americans believed in the Great Spirit. The Native Americans believed the Great Spirit had power over all things including animals, trees, stones, and clouds. The earth was believed to be the mother of all spirits. The sun had great power also because it gave the earth light and warmth. The Native Americans prayed individually and in groups. They believed visions in dreams came from the spirits. The medicine man or shaman was trained in healing the sick and interpreting signs and dreams. http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00019/11.gif When the Europeans came, many Christian missionaries tried to force Native American people to abandon traditional religious beliefs and practices. Missions were introduced, and Natives were aggressively encouraged to convert to Christianity. Christian missionaries would sometimes launch attacks on Native American religious institutions when forcing them to convert to Christianity did not work. These harmful attacks destroyed their beliefs. Most of the groups had had some form of ancestral worship and this enforced change in religion altered their culture identity. Also, when the European settlers took over land traditionally belonging to the Native Americans, this meant they were dispossessed of their own lands. For a culture that was linked inextricably to the land, it was a real tragedy to be separated from their spiritual roots. Psychological Health The Native Americans had never experienced anything like the deadly diseases before that wiped out almost half of their population. Soon after, they began to question their religion and doubted the ability of shaman to heal. They came to believe that Europeans had the power to kill or give life. Native Americans experienced trauma as a result of colonization. Physical Health Native Americans knew a lot about healing and natural medicine. The medicine included herbs but also spirits. Native Americans believed that people should live in harmony with the nature and you heal by returning people to that harmony. Most of the tribes had special medicine men and women who did the healing. Sometimes they are called shamans. They used lots of different herbs to heal. These herbs were often fixed as tea, but sometimes they were burned and the smoke was a healer. They also did cleansing or purification. They did this most often in the sweat lodge. This lodge is like sauna. They were small houses in which they burned cedar or willow. They were burned over the stones which would get hot. Then they would throw water on to make steam. Native Americans believed that the smoke and steam will clean them off diseases. Native Americans also had lots of ceremonies that were about healing. While they may seem strange, these traditions kept Native Americans healthy for centurie s. Europeans brought diseases against which the Native Americans had no immunity. Influenza, smallpox, measles, and typhus fever were relatively harmless to the European settlers, but these diseases wiped out huge numbers of American Native Americans. Not only did diseases cause a problem, but the introduction of new foods also caused problems. Foods containing wheat and sugar resulted in heart disease and obesity among the Native Americans. Europeans seeds and plants which were brought to North America spread and took over native habitat. Not only did these lead to the extinction of some species of native flora, but the break in the food chain also affected the native animals of North America. This in turn upset the balance of plants and animals on which the Native Americans relied for their food and other needs. Task 3.3 Maori Contemporary Issues In 2008 Treaty Negotiations Minister Michael Cullen signed a deed of settlement with seven central North Island tribes, transferring ownership of over $400 million worth of state forest land and accumulated rentals. The agreement contains only financial redress, on account against comprehensive settlements to be negotiated with each tribe. The agreement is the largest to date by financial value, at NZ$196 million worth of forest land in total (including the value of the Affiliate Te Arawa Iwi and Hapu share). In addition, but not counted by the government as part of the redress package the tribes will receive rentals that have accumulated on the land since 1989, valued at NZ$223 million. As of July 2008, there have been 23 settlements of various sizes. Settlements generally include financial redress, a formal Crown apology for breaches of the Treaty and recognition of the groups cultural associations with various sites. In November 2008, Chris Finlayson, a Wellington based lawyer with experience in Treaty claims, was appointed Minister for Treaty Negotiations following the National Party victory in the 2008 election. As well as the much publicized land and financial compensation, many of these later settlements included changing the official placenames. The Maori Fisheries Amendment Act 2011 has amended the Maori Fisheries Act 2004. It enables the transfer of Mandated Iwi Organisation status and fisheries settlement assets from an existing Mandated Iwi Organisation to another separate entity of the same iwi, and exempts the asset transfer from the protective provisions of the Act that would require their sale. It requires that fisheries settlement assets (being income shares in Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd and fisheries settlement quota) held by an iwi must be held by a Mandated Iwi Organisation. Previously, if an iwi attempted to transfer the fisheries settlement assets to another separate entity of the same iwi, protective provisions of the Maori Fisheries Act required sale of the assets to the highest eligible bidder from other Mandated Iwi Organisations and Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Ltd. It enables the transfer of the status of a Mandated Iwi Organisation (MIO), and all fisheries settlement assets held by that MIO and its subsid

The True Message of Joy Luck Club and The Hundred Secret Senses Essay

The True Message of Joy Luck Club and The Hundred Secret Senses    Alice Walker calls Amy Tan's novel, The Joy Luck Club, "honest, moving, and beautifully courageous."   Publisher's Weekly describes the novel as "intensely poetic, startlingly imaginative and moving ... deceptively simple yet inherently dramatic."   Not only has Amy Tan's fiction been praised for its literary merit, but it also has been included in anthologies of multicultural literature for its portrayal of Chinese and Chinese-American culture.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, critics such as George Tseo vehemently disagree with these and other accolades, particularly regarding the cultural details of Tan's fiction and Mandarin Chinese dialogue.   "I take umbrage at Amy Tan's confused rendition of Mandarin not only because the true beauty of the language is obscured but because by doing so the Chinese culture is misrepresented."   He argues that Tan uses "phony" and "stereotypically wooden and metaphorical" Chinese dialogue, a one-sided over-emphasis on Chinese superstitious practices, and culturally implausible plots (339).     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sau-Ling Cynthia Wong, an associate professor of Asian-American studies at the University of Berkeley, corroborates Tseo's challenge of Tan's cultural accuracy.   Wong points out errors such as Tan's misuse of the term "tang jie" or "sugar sister" in The Hundred Secret Senses, Tan's third novel.   Not only has Tan confused the word "tang" with its Chinese homophone--which does not mean "sugar"--but she has ascribed a metaphorical use, meaning a friend as close as a sister, to a term which only refers to a blood relative in the Chinese kinship system (180-82).   Wong acknowledges that "errors of the 'sugar sister' type [lin... ...s. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 85-7. Schell, Orville. Critical Extract. Asian-American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 82-3. Shear, Walter. "Generational differences and the diaspora in The Joy Luck Club." Women Writers. 34.3 (Spring 1993): 193. Expanded Academic Index. Souris, Stephen. "'Only Two Kinds of Daughters:'" Inter- Monologue Dialogicity in The Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.2 (Summer 1994):99-123. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Ivy Books, 1989. --------- The Hundred Secret Senses. New York: Ivy Books, 1995. Willard, Nancy. Critical Extract. Asian-American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 84-5. Xu, Ben. "Memory and the Ethnic Self: Reading Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.1 (Spring 1994): 3-17.

Meditation and the Brain Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Meditation and the Brain When discussing the relationship of brain and behavior, the materialist view of human experience runs into conflict with the historically dominant religious accounts. Recent studies, however, suggests that there may be a "middle view" between the two world-views. Religions, especially Buddhism, stress the role of meditation in one's spiritual growth. Meditation has tangible psychological and physiological benefits, though, which can be explained strictly in neurobiological terms. Understanding of how meditation affects the brain, and, by extension, human behavior, also gives insight into consciousness, the role of feedback loops, and the nature of the I-function. The goal of Buddhist meditation is to detach oneself from desires and objects which are the cause of suffering. Other forms of meditation, while differing in terms of their metaphysical grounding (1), effectively separate the individual from the transitory nature of the world. In prayer, the effort is largely mental, but Transcendental Meditation (TM) and Zen meditation also involve the body. Body positioning is important to the meditation, and in Zen, the object is to have as little tension as possible in the body. "The body has a way of communicating outwardly to the world and inwardly to oneself. How you position your body has a lot to do with what happens with your mind and your breath . . . Although [Zen meditation] looks very disciplined, the muscles should be soft. There should be no tension in the body" (2). The correlation of physical states with mental states in meditation reinforces the correspondence between neural functions and behavior. Zen practice also has a revealing theory about the nature of the self, namely that it ... ...n." http://www.zen-mtn.org/zmm/zazen.shtml 3)"Buddhist Meditation and Personal Construct Psychology" by Phouttasone Thirakoul. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/Pilou.html 4)"Physiological Functioning." http://info.miu.edu/tm_research/tm_charts/1Phys.html 5)"Addiction and Zen." http://viacorp.com/addiction.html 6)"Psychotherapy, Meditation, & Spirituality." http://www.buddhanet.net/psyspir3.htm 7)"Grief and the Mindfulness Approach." http://www.buddhanet.net/psygrief.htm 8)" Wallis, Claudia. "Faith & Healing." Time. June 24, 1998. Vol. 147, no.26." http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/REL100/TIME960624.HTM 9)"God on the Brain," by Jeremy Creedon. http://www.utne.com/lens98/spirit/god.html 10) "Zen and the Brain (Review)," by Kimford O. Meadov." http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/journals/archive/jama/vol_281/no_4/review_2.htm

Platoon Plot Essay -- essays research papers

Platoon is a story of a soldier’s perspective of the Vietnam War. The movie is for the most part told out of the eyes of members of one platoon of the 25th Infantry Division. It is a movie dedicated to all of the people who fought in the Vietnam War. In the movie, Chris Taylor is a young man from a wealthy family, but while in college, chooses to help his country and do his duty in the Vietnam War. He is sent to Vietnam gets put in the 25th Infantry Division. Chris first has some rough times while over there. He gets bitten by ants while traveling through the jungle, and gets blamed for falling asleep while he was on watch. The North Vietnamese tried and were unsuccessful at ambushing them. However, it was not Chris’s fault (It was a soldier named Junior who fell asleep). Chris starts to miss home after some of these events happen. After being put on light duty, he gets mixed up in what some of the other soldiers were doing to deal with their depression - drugs and alcohol. He also meets some nice people such as King and Big Harold in the process. The Platoon soon sets out again, patrolling the jungle. They discover a Vietnamese bunker complex and soon after discover something else: Manny, one of their soldiers is missing. The soldiers go through all of the fortified area, and two of them set off a mine. Lieutenant Wolfe then gets word to move his men to a nearby village, which was thought to have Vietnamese soldiers in hiding. On their way, they discover Manny dead, tied t...

Balkan Wars

The Balkan Wars represent a historical period in Greece.   Why are these wars so important? Why did it occur in the first place? Which countries are involved, and why? Moreover, what were the political, social, cultural and economic conditions of Greece back then? The Balkan Wars consists of two battles that occurred from 1912 to 1913 (Papacosma 38).   These wars were fought on the onset of the apparent decline of the Ottoman Empire, and were founded on the neighboring countries’ desire to divide the territories (Perry 487).   In 1908, a group called the â€Å"Young Turks,† revolted in an effort to restore the empire, but to no avail (Perry 487).   After the revolt, Bulgaria and Serbia both wanted to acquire a part in the Turkish territories in Europe, like Macedonia (Papacosma 38). Thus, both countries agreed to a â€Å"treaty of mutual assistance† on March 13, 1912 (Papacosma 38).   On May 29, 1912, Greece made an agreement with Bulgaria (Papacosma 38).   In the latter part September of the same year, Montenegro also had an agreement with Bulgaria and Serbia (Papacosma 38).   Thus, the Balkan League was formed; it consisted of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Montenegro. The first Balkan War occurred when the Balkan League waged war on Turkey on October 8, 1912 (Papacosma 38).   The Balkan League was successful in their endeavor, and the Ottoman Empire was forced to surrender its European territories to the Balkan League on the grounds of the Treaty of London (Papacosma 38).   This treaty was signed on May 30, 1913 (Papacosma 38). Unfortunately, the division of the territories caused disagreement among the Balkan League (Perry 487).   This disagreement was the reason for the second Balkan War.   Bulgaria objected Greece and Serbia’s claims to Macedonia (Papacosma 38).   On June 30, 1913, Bulgaria attacked its former allies (Papacosma 38).   Soon after, Romania and Turkey joined forces with Greece and Serbia to fight Bulgaria (Papacosma 38).   Bulgaria was badly defeated, and was forced to sign the Treaty of Bucharest, which removed all of Bulgaria’s newly acquired territories (Papacosma 38). The overall condition of Greece during the period of the Balkan Wars was problematic.   It was King George who governed Greece at that time, and as a result of the war, Thessaloniki became a Greek territory (Barrett).   In March 1913, it was in Thessaloniki where King George was assassinated (Barrett).   Constantine I assumed the throne soon after (Barrett).   Then there was the presence of Eleftherios Venizelos, who became prime minister three years prior (Barrett). Venizelos had many supporters, but it did not include the king (Barrett).   Venizelos resigned on June 1913, and was elected again only to be forced to resign on October (Barrett).   In Thessaloniki, Venizelos formed a â€Å"provisional government of the New Hellas† (Barrett).   Meanwhile, King Constantine's government was attacked by the French and British because they want Greece to join the war (Barrett).   This forced the king to leave Greece, and was soon replaced by Alexander, the second son of George (Barrett). The beginning of the 20th century found the navy of Greece in a poor state.   At that time, Greece only had three battleships and several torpedo boats (Barrett).   Fortunately, there was a battleship that the Italian navy purchased, but did not use (Barrett).   Greece bought the said ship, and named it after George Averof, a rich patron (Barrett).   This ship was extremely helpful during the Balkan Wars (Barrett). Greek society was unstable as well.   In 1912, villages were attacked and ransacked by the Turkish army (Barrett).   Many Greeks were killed and properties were destroyed.   The villages that were affected include those located in Didymotichon, Adrianopoli and Malgara (Barrett). Hence, amidst social distress and political instability, Greece came to war to fight the Ottoman Empire.   It was indeed victorious, not only in the war, but also in improving the current state that Greece was in. Works Cited Barrett, Matt. â€Å"Venizelos and the Asia Minor Catastrophe.† History of Greece. ;http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/venizelos.htm;. Papacosma, S. Victor. â€Å"Balkan Wars.† Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992. 38. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. Revised ed. Boston Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1989. Pounds, Norman. â€Å"Balkans.† Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992. 38. Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars represent a historical period in Greece.   Why are these wars so important? Why did it occur in the first place? Which countries are involved, and why? Moreover, what were the political, social, cultural and economic conditions of Greece back then? The Balkan Wars consists of two battles that occurred from 1912 to 1913 (Papacosma 38).   These wars were fought on the onset of the apparent decline of the Ottoman Empire, and were founded on the neighboring countries’ desire to divide the territories (Perry 487).   In 1908, a group called the â€Å"Young Turks,† revolted in an effort to restore the empire, but to no avail (Perry 487).   After the revolt, Bulgaria and Serbia both wanted to acquire a part in the Turkish territories in Europe, like Macedonia (Papacosma 38). Thus, both countries agreed to a â€Å"treaty of mutual assistance† on March 13, 1912 (Papacosma 38).   On May 29, 1912, Greece made an agreement with Bulgaria (Papacosma 38).   In the latter part September of the same year, Montenegro also had an agreement with Bulgaria and Serbia (Papacosma 38).   Thus, the Balkan League was formed; it consisted of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Montenegro. The first Balkan War occurred when the Balkan League waged war on Turkey on October 8, 1912 (Papacosma 38).   The Balkan League was successful in their endeavor, and the Ottoman Empire was forced to surrender its European territories to the Balkan League on the grounds of the Treaty of London (Papacosma 38).   This treaty was signed on May 30, 1913 (Papacosma 38). Unfortunately, the division of the territories caused disagreement among the Balkan League (Perry 487).   This disagreement was the reason for the second Balkan War.   Bulgaria objected Greece and Serbia’s claims to Macedonia (Papacosma 38).   On June 30, 1913, Bulgaria attacked its former allies (Papacosma 38).   Soon after, Romania and Turkey joined forces with Greece and Serbia to fight Bulgaria (Papacosma 38).   Bulgaria was badly defeated, and was forced to sign the Treaty of Bucharest, which removed all of Bulgaria’s newly acquired territories (Papacosma 38). The overall condition of Greece during the period of the Balkan Wars was problematic.   It was King George who governed Greece at that time, and as a result of the war, Thessaloniki became a Greek territory (Barrett).   In March 1913, it was in Thessaloniki where King George was assassinated (Barrett).   Constantine I assumed the throne soon after (Barrett).   Then there was the presence of Eleftherios Venizelos, who became prime minister three years prior (Barrett). Venizelos had many supporters, but it did not include the king (Barrett).   Venizelos resigned on June 1913, and was elected again only to be forced to resign on October (Barrett).   In Thessaloniki, Venizelos formed a â€Å"provisional government of the New Hellas† (Barrett).   Meanwhile, King Constantine's government was attacked by the French and British because they want Greece to join the war (Barrett).   This forced the king to leave Greece, and was soon replaced by Alexander, the second son of George (Barrett). The beginning of the 20th century found the navy of Greece in a poor state.   At that time, Greece only had three battleships and several torpedo boats (Barrett).   Fortunately, there was a battleship that the Italian navy purchased, but did not use (Barrett).   Greece bought the said ship, and named it after George Averof, a rich patron (Barrett).   This ship was extremely helpful during the Balkan Wars (Barrett). Greek society was unstable as well.   In 1912, villages were attacked and ransacked by the Turkish army (Barrett).   Many Greeks were killed and properties were destroyed.   The villages that were affected include those located in Didymotichon, Adrianopoli and Malgara (Barrett). Hence, amidst social distress and political instability, Greece came to war to fight the Ottoman Empire.   It was indeed victorious, not only in the war, but also in improving the current state that Greece was in. Works Cited Barrett, Matt. â€Å"Venizelos and the Asia Minor Catastrophe.† History of Greece. ;http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/venizelos.htm;. Papacosma, S. Victor. â€Å"Balkan Wars.† Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992. 38. Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. Revised ed. Boston Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1989. Pounds, Norman. â€Å"Balkans.† Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992. 38.