Baptism : Its Meaning and Functions

Baptism By Reshma Soodeen Caribbean Nazarene College In partial fulfilment of the requirements for Course: DT 200 Survey of Theology Lecturer: Mrs. Donnamie Ali Date: April 15, 2013 Introduction Baptism seems to be one of the most controversial points of doctrine and therefore, there are many traditions and teachings regarding the subject. According to Purkiser (1978), the concept of Baptism varies greatly in theological significance as well as mode. In terms of believes, the continuum extends from infant baptism to adult believer’s baptism.Some groups argue that full immersion into the water is necessary during baptism, while others argue that it is not. The idea and significance of Baptism varies tremendously in the different branches of the Christian churches. Baptism is mentioned several times in the bible. In Matthews 3:2-12, John preached to the Jews, that they should repent for their sins in preparation for the coming of the Kingdom. He spoke about Baptism with water as well as baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. The belief is that Baptism accomplishes the washing away of sin.Acts 2:38, â€Å"†¦Then Peter said unto them, Repent , and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Bible also states that, on judgement day, Jesus will judge all who has lived, and separate the saved from the unsaved. The saved will go to eternal life in the Kingdom, while in unsaved will be cursed with eternal punishment. (Matt. 25:31-46). With this in mind, one can see the importance of finding the answer to the question, What can I do to be saved? Romans 3. 23 states that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.This means then that everyone is in need of salvation. According to Acts 4. 12, salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. To be saved one must hear the good news of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:14), Believe that Jesus Christ is the son of Go d (Hebrews 11:6; Acts 8:37; Mark 16:16; John 8:24), Repent of our sins (Luke 13:3), Confess faith in Jesus Christ ( Romans 10:9), be Baptised (Acts 2:37-41; Peter 3:21; John 3:3-5; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3-8; Colossians 2:12; Galatians 3:26-27; Mark 16:15-16 and Ephesians 4:5), remain faithful and carry one’s cross daily (Rev 2:10; Matt 24:13; Luke 9:23).In the most basic terms, baptism can be thought of as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. It is a symbol which points to the idea of a greater reality. When the church performs baptism, it testifies to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and signifies the sinner’s union with Jesus in all that he did and accomplished on behalf of mankind. Baptism along with the Lord’s supper or communion, is also a seal. In baptism the Lord places his mark upon the baptized. The repentant and professing Christian receives the seal of heaven’s ownership. Powell 2008). This paper will look at Baptism with water as well as, its meaning and its functions. What is Baptism? Baptism is the outward sign of accepting Jesus Christ. Although baptism by itself does not save, baptism and salvation goes together. Baptism is something that one does after they have accepted Christ into their lives. There are many questions surrounding the concept of baptism, two of which are: should infants be baptized and should it be full immersion or is sprinkling sufficient? These questions go back to about 400 AD, to a man named Augustine.Augustine came up with the idea of â€Å"original sin†, which means that at birth, everyone inherits the sins of Adam, and is therefore separated from God from the beginning of their lives. Parents were obviously and understandably concerned about this, and decided to baptise their children in the event of them dying before accepting Jesus Christ as their saviour. Since full immersion of infants would have been risky, they decided to sprinkle the children with water. Matthew 18:10 indicated that children are kept safe by God until they can fully understand the importance of accepting Christ.Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10) (Swindoll n. d) Baptism symbolises Jesus’s Death Burial and Resurrection. According to Rice (2000), when the word Baptism is used in the Bible, unless otherwise stated, it refers to Baptism by water and that the word baptize comes from the Greek word â€Å"Baptizo†, which means to dip, plunge or completely immerse in liquid.The word â€Å"Baptizo† was also associated with the art of dyeing. Just as in the process of dyeing, the material is completely dipped into the dye liquid and when lifted it revealed a new look, so too in baptism the believer is completely immersed in water. Immersion during Baptism symbolises the death of one’s sins, and the becoming of a new creature, being born again into the household of God and his son Jesus Christ. After immersion one is raised again from sin, to a new life through baptism.Baptism symbolises the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans 6:4 states that â€Å"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should also walk in newness of life. † (Copeland n. d) Baptism symbolises the cleansing of one’s soul. Baptism symbolises the washing and cleansing of one’s soul. Ananias, when he was sent to Paul in Damascus, said to him: â€Å"†¦ arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins†¦ † (Acts 22:16).Peter said to the multitude in Jerusalem â€Å"†¦ Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins †¦ † (Acts 2:38). Paul, writing to the Corinthians and reminding them of their position in Chr ist, said â€Å"†¦ but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus †¦ † And to the Ephesians he refers directly to the medium of this cleansing when he says: â€Å"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word† (Eph. :26). (Hoeck 1998). It is the Lord’s promise that the same way that water washes away dirt, the blood that was shed by Jesus Christ, washes away sins of those who accept him. ( Albani n. d) Baptism is an act of obedience Baptism is an act of obedience, which should be an immediate part of one’s acceptance of the gift of grace offered by Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19 says, â€Å"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus Christ himself took water baptism by immersing in River Jordan in order to fulfil all righteousness. (John 3:3). T he Word of God asks believers to follow Jesus’s steps of humble obedience, which includes water baptism. John the Baptist called the Jews to confess their sins and demonstrate repentance through immersion in the Jordan River. Jesus, who is without sin, joined the crowd at the river and asked John to baptize him.By following his example in the waters of baptism, believers are publicly confessing their faith in the Saviour and identifying themselves with Him. In a conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus declared, â€Å"I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and spirit† 1 Peter 2:21, †¦ â€Å"because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:† Baptism is an act of obedience to God after salvation. (DeMichele n. d) Baptism unites believers with ChristBaptism represents the sinner’s spiritual union with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection. Romans 6. 1-5, â€Å"†¦What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Those who are united with Christ died when Christ died, were buried when Christ was buried and just as Christ rose, they too rise out of the water to a life of righteousness. Of course the dying, burying and rising are all symbolically represented in the act of baptism. Because of their unity with Christ by faith, they receive the benefits of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.Believers, through faith, participate in all that Jesus did and therefore, baptism can be seen as a picture of that spiritual reality. Baptism is the sacrament that unites believers with Jesus Christ and makes them members of God’s family. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, baptism initiates believers into the Church, bestows the promise of God’s grace upon them, assures that God will forgive their sins and calls them to a life of Christian service and fulfilment. Through baptism believers become adopted sons and daughters of the God.At the very moment of adoption, the children of God receive their inheritance which is eternal union with God. (Brito, 2008) Baptism provides an eschatological confidence that the life in Christ is a never ending life. â€Å"Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. à ¢â‚¬  (Romans 6:8-10). These verses reveal an important link between the doctrine of baptism and the doctrine of eschatology.Because one is united with Christ, in his death and his resurrection, through Baptism, the believer has confidence of a future resurrection. Baptism makes the believer an adopted child of God, a sharer in God’s nature, a co-heir with Christ, and a temple of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is said to be the seal of eternal life. This seal is for â€Å"the day of redemption†, when Christians who is faithful to the seal, will die â€Å"narked for eternal life†, with the hope of seeing God. The eternal life that is spoken about here is a life that is meant to be enjoyed in the Kingdom of God.John 3:16 states, â€Å"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. † This clearly states that the condition for having eternal life is believing and identif ying with God. Baptism into death followed by a figurative resurrection to â€Å"newness of life† constitutes the way of salvation. Romans 1:16, â€Å"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek†, clearly states that salvation is reserved for those who truly worships. Powell 2008) Baptism has a corporate significance According to Powell (2008), baptism has a corporate significance. Baptism along with the Lord’s Supper (communion), establishes the church as the body of Christ. This means that the entire church is the body of Christ and lives in union with God. The focus here is not the number of members in the church, or their great diversities, but that together they make up the body of Christ. â€Å"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. (1 Corintians 12:12). Water baptism as well as acceptance into church membership, are practices taught and commanded in the scriptures. The function of baptism however, is to recognise and not to effect actual membership in Christ. Kay (2003), states that since the early years of Christianity baptism has been considered the rite of initiation into the Christian community. In the body of Christ, all members share in a common dignity, and therefore, there is no inequality resulting from race, nationality, social status or sex.The Apostle Paul states, â€Å" †¦There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Likewise 1 Corinthians states, â€Å"†¦For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into[a] one Spirit†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In Baptism believers change masters, and separate themselves from the world of sin. Baptism represents a change of masters. Ma n passes from one master to another. Everyone must have a master and by divine grace, some have already chosen their master by accepting Jesus Christ as their saviour.Those who now believe in Jesus Christ and are now free from sin, was once living in sin and were slaves of sin. In Romans 6, Paul described sin as a cruel, master that enslaves humans and uses them as tools of wickedness. Although Christ’s death has made it possible for one to be freed from sin, it does not mean that one is free to follow his or her own path. What it means is that one has had a change of masters, and should live in a way that will be pleasing to Christ. Believers would have experienced a change of ownership, and as a result they now belong to a loving, holy and righteous God.They now strive towards the goal of obedience to God which will result in eternal life. Paul wrote, â€Å"Thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching which was deli vered to you, and having been made free from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. † (Romans 6: 17-18) (Newton 1998) Paul indicated that there were two elements involved in liberation from the control of sin. Firstly one must obey from the heart, and therefore forcing someone to â€Å"ritualistically obey† has no value.Paul stated that one dies to sin and is liberated from its control when one is buried with Christ and is motivated to obey God; baptism is the moment when their ownership changes. â€Å"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. †(Romans 6:6-7). This doctrine of sanctification, developed by Paul, is normal and expected of believers as a result of their union with Christ, through Baptism. The former self is dead by virtue of immersion into Christ and therefore the believer is no longer a slave of sin.Baptism sig nals and signifies a new master, Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states , â€Å"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have become new. Therefore having died to sin in baptism, the new man in Christ is now freed from sin. † Baptism is a covering in Christ Nakedness was depicted as a state of sin (Rev 16:15), when sin first entered the world, that moment of disgrace and fear, when Adam and Eve recognised that they were naked and made garments out of fig leaves to cover their nakedness (Gen 3:7).God assured them that their man-made covering was not enough to rid their sins, and he stripped them of it and provided them a covering of his own. Just as Adam and Eve were covered with the covering of the Lord, so too, believers must also â€Å"put on† Christ, and baptism is the divinely appointed way of doing this. â€Å"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on C hrist. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:26-28) Conclusion The idea and practice of baptism seems to be a divisive subject in the Christian community. Some think that it should be reserved for people who are old enough to make a mature commitment to Christ, while others believe that it is legitimate for the children of Christian parents to be baptised as a sign that the family is united in following Christ and to save the child in the event that he or she does not get the opportunity to accept Christ before dying. Nevertheless baptism is regarded as an outer expression of an inner spiritual reality.It symbolises Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection and unites believers with Christ in the Kingdom of God. Baptism itself does not save, and therefore a person must be a Christian before the actual, public water baptism. Repenting of sins and accepting the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is what assures believers of salvation. When believers come to Jesus in this way, they are completely forgiven of their sins by God. This is atonement. When a person accepts Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in their hearts, and they become new creations, with a new hope and a changed life direction.They are set free from the power of sin to live a new life in Christ. This is redemption. Such peoples’ hope is in God’s kingdom. They seek Jesus and his Kingdom as of first priority. (Matt 6:33) They become children of God. They are saved and God sees them as his precious children. As they live out their journey on earth, they grow in Jesus’ likeness, his holiness, and in his image. This is sanctification. Baptism is a symbol and public declaration of faith. It reveals atonement, redemption and sanctification. Baptism was commanded by God. It is an act of obedience. In the New Testament, baptism is about conversion and discipleship.Baptism has corporate si gnificance. The church is seen as a separate entity from the world, and faith and baptism are the distinguishing marks of followers of Christ. Baptism is the sign of becoming a disciple of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20); it is dying to the old, pre-Christian way of life and rising again to a new life as a follower of Jesus (Romans 6:1-11); it is new birth into the Kingdom of God (John 3:5). As a disciple of Christ, it’s important to publicly stand with Him in celebrating a new life. That makes baptism a great first step for a new follower of Christ to take! ReferenceAlbani, F. Is baptism necessary for salvation? http://www. bibleprobe. com/baptism. htm Retrieved on 26/03/2013 Brito, U. United with Christ in Baptism. http://apologus. wordpress. com/2008/10/31/united-with-christ-in-baptism/ Retrieved on 26/03/2013 Copeland. K. Understanding Water Baptism http://www. kcm. org/real-help/article/understanding-water-baptism Retrieved on 01/04/2013 DeMichele, R. Beleiver’s baptism in the Bible. http://www. biblebelievers. com/DeMichele1. html Retrieved on 23/03/2013. Hoeck B. Repentance & Baptism: Coming to God. http://www. truthontheweb. org/baptism. tm Retrieved 26/03/2013 ( copy this address into the address bar and it will open) McPherson J. Fundamental Wesleyan Society http://www. fwponline. cc/v16n1/v16n1joemac. html Retrieved on 01/04/2013 Newton, B. (1998) A change of ownership. http://www. sjchurchofchrist. org/websitepublisher/a-change-of-ownership-. html Retrievedon 12/04/2013 Swindoll, R. (n. d) Signposts Along Life's Journey (1997), Insight for Living. http://www. clarifyingchristianity. com/get_wet. shtml Retrieved on 10/04/2013 http://www. biblelight. org/bs15. htm http://www. atgrace. com/information/general/baptism/purpose-baptism

Globalisation VS regionalisation Essay

Discuss with the Introduction to part III (pp. 289-293) and Chapter 20 in Stubbs & Underhill as a starting point the relationship between globalisation and regionalisation. Characterise in continuation of this the differences between regional integration in Europe and The Far East. For instance, you may reflect upon whether the recent financial crisis has set a new agenda for regional integration (Stubbs & Underhill, Chapters 21 and 24) In the past decades, numerous trading blocs have been created throughout the world, playing a significant role in the world economy and trade. However, as regionalization became of an increasing interest, there has been much discussion on its effects on globalisation and their relationship, as it is the other important trend in the world economy development next to regionalization. Discussion on the relationship between these two trends has been filled with ambiguity and will be clarified through the following pages. Furthermore I will take a look at differences between regional integration in Europe and Far East in regards to globalization. Additionally the impact of the recent financial crisis on regional integration will be discussed incorporating my own understanding of the subjects. Historically, before 1980, globalization was perceived rather negatively, leading to efforts of governments to protect their markets from the global competition by encouraging regional developments. Accordingly, regionalism was their response to the need for stressing their independence from global economy, caused by the growing force of globalization. 1 After the end of Cold War, globalization started to be perceived not as the ? enemy? , but more as a phenomenon of the age that has the capacity to bring advantages of a significant scale to those who can keep up with the flow and adapt to the changing enviroment, shifting the emphasis of the philosophy of regionalism into „ positioning a region so as to strenghten its participation in the global economy in terms both trade and capital flows. â€Å" 2 Furthermore the economic globalization affects the state also in political terms, creating a need for transformation of nation-state into competition-state as the nation-state can no longer protect its market in the same way as before, due to political globalization. Due to increasing global competition changes are made. These changes affect the states in a way that reduces their domestic political effectiveness and autonomy in order to enhance international competiveness. 3 In that sense, one of the crucial factors that triggered expansion of regionalism after 1980 was the political globalization. More specifically, the speeding globalization has led to increase in sense of regional identity, resulting in greater perception of common economic political and cultural interests of neighbouring countries that distingiush them from the rest of the world, enabling these countries to realize the benefits emerging from being a part of a region,4 and consequently the fast development of the European Union encouraged the need to counteract its increasing collective economic power. 5 „ The comparative advantage of the regional project is that it may be more effective in governing globalization than the nation-state while at the same time potentially offering more legitimacy and collective identity than globalization itself. â€Å" 6 Throughout the literature, scholars argue that the trends of regionalization and globalization reflect counterproductive relationship, as they stand in opposition to one another. Such tighter connections, as provided by regionalization, can lead to greater preference for trade with countries within the region, rather than in a global scale, which can be perceived as a concerning fact in relation to globalization. However, as I perceive it , these two trends do not compete, on the contrary, they complement each other. Regional developments strive to put states on fair trading terms, resulting in stronger regional economies. Stronger regional economies enable states to participate in world trade more effectively and therefore, regionalization contributes to the overall expansion of globalization. Similarly, in order to diminish the growing regional competition, states will form regional trading blocs and therefore, globalization contributes to the deepened regional trade. „New regionalism†¦ rather than being constructed in opposition to globalisation, it is, on the contrary, buttressed by a growing enmeshment while at the same time creating an institutional and political capacity to ? modify the conditions of globalisation. â€Å" 7 Regional integration of European Union (UN) has a comparatively longer and more intensive tradition compared to East Asia. Europe was the first one to realize, after WW2, the interdependence between its own welfare and stability of the region they were located in, expanding the European regional organizations, which they managed to reboost after the end of Cold War. After the period of euro-scepticism and euro-sclerosis, the goal of relaunching of Europe became of an increasing importance. This was intented to be managed through the unification of european market. Deepening globalization led to strenghtening neo-liberal forces, which meant the commitment to global free trade, i. e. internal and external market globalisation, with the aim „ to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. â€Å"8 Different reasons for the formation of regional groupings reflect different circumstances surrounding the actors. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), for instance, represents smaller or economically weaker countries that may seek for the regional integration in order to resist the emergence of a regionally dominant state. Conversely, as with the candidates for EU, they may choose to link themselves as closely as possible with the regional leaders. In case of EU, the regionalization is a result of political, institutional, and cultural factors as well as those related to transformation in corporate organization. This can be explained through the link between the region and the identity, that is most advanced in Europe. Inspite of representing the most advanced form of integration, the member states of the EU, especially the larger ones, do not appear ready to give up the role that they play individually in the regional and global settings, but still, to a large extent are involved in â€Å"steering† both regionalization and globalization collectively, that is, through the EU and its institutions. The East Asian crises emerging in 1997-98 had two main implications for the political economy of the region. Firstly, the increase in discussions about regional integration as a more intensive regional co-operation became desirable, leading to expansion of ASEAN by the participation of China, Japan and South Korea. 9 Secondly, the crisis enhanced the prospects for the continued development of an â€Å"East Asian† , as opposed to a â€Å"Pacific†, understanding of the region. 10 At the same time, two significant trends arised including the growing interest in monetary co-operation and bilateralism. Regarding the monetary integration, in contrast to EU, East Asia has failed to attempt to establish an Asian Monetary Fund, continuing in search for new monetary regionalism. Secondly, the growth in bilateral trading agreements can be partially explained through the growth in interregional agreements, such as between EU and MERCOSUR. EU gaining competitive advantage in the field of political agreements on market access in other regions leaves other actors in position of cathcing up with EU in this circle of bilateral competition : „ The more Europe and other regions integrate, the more will East Asia, not the least China, turn from its traditional bilateralism towards increased emphasis on regional co-opertain as a political instrument. â€Å" 11

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How Can Financial Innovations Lead To Financial Crisis - Assignment Example Nevertheless, lack of supervision and regulations account for the negative side of integration of financial markets. Owing to the global financial markets deregulations, financial managers used creativity in spreading risks with ignorance that the same virtue will have adverse effects on the world economy (Llewellyn 2009 p.55) Financial globalization attributed to growth in the size of financing markets leading to cross-nation misbalance which caused the financial crisis. The developing countries are disadvantaged on the global financial systems. The collapse of the U.S mortgage market revealed the bottlenecks of the global financial markets with complex financial products lowering trust on the whole system. Currently, the global financial crisis is done through innovative investment instruments for instance securitization, derivatives and auction rate securities which were designed through quantitative techniques by mathematicians in an effort to eliminate risk. Securitization is the structured financial process where risks of banks are distributed by pooling loans into sellable assets. This was one of the greatest financial innovation in the 20th century where loans were being converted into securities with the buyer receiving regular payments and the banker disseminating the risk. Banks borrowed more money for lending to create more securitization for loans as they engaged in buying, selling and trading risks believing they have effectively spread the risks only to end in a financial crisis (Keys, Mukherjee, et al, 2007 p.67) The mortgage defaults were caused by the tightening of the monetary policy triggering disturbances in the financial institutions worldwide. The escalating subprime mortgage defaults led to a significant fall in house prices causing a severe liquidity crisis. The risks associated with subprime mortgage crisis involve the credit risk, which is borne by the lending financial institution representing the potential that the issuers of debt security might fail meeting the obligation of making remitting periodic payments and interest to investors.  

Don't have a topic choice one Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Don't have a topic choice one - Research Paper Example Despite the fact that various developments are considered to have taken place, some groups remained assertive that further action is needed to resolve gender issues. In some cases, media has been arguably blamed for frustrating the gender mainstreaming process as much as it is expected to play a pivotal role. This paper proposes a study to assess the role of media in reconciling gender issues, such as in terms of women representation and content inclusivity. Problem Statement Various developments have taken course regarding the gender issues. Some of the developments have pertained to media. Whereas some articles have pointed out that there are still problems within the media in supporting gender mainstreaming, there are those that insist media has made various developments in fostering gender mainstreaming. The question is then how these could be effectively ascertained. Importance of the Research Policymakers are concerned about the state of gender mainstreaming and the need to rea lize equality for all persons. This study would go a long way in informing the policy makers about the situation. This will in turn help formulate appropriate measures to address the problem. If the results would present the media positively, it would form a basis for the society to celebrate the achievements. Hypothesis H1: Media has responded positively to the requirements of gender mainstreaming. H2: Media has not aligned gender representation. H3: Media has not assured women about the inclusivity of content. Variables There are two variables that would be given uttermost considerations. These are media representation of media and inclusivity of media content regarding gender, as far as gender sensitivity is concerned. Aims of the Study 1. To find out the state of treatment of gender subject in the media. 2. To find out the state of women representation in the media. 3. To ascertain the state of content inclusivity with regard to media. 4. To suggest the need to take measures. Ba ckground and Literature review The subject of gender issues is traced to a period that was characterized by gender movement in Western society. This was in response to various discrimination policies. In America, women did not vote, access education, or even engage in politics. Rampant incidences of sexual violence directed at women were not uncommon. Worse still, women were always the main victims of domestic violence. Women were looked down upon and discriminated in all areas of life. However, the evolution of the world was accompanied by various changes pertaining to women rights owing to emergence of women rights movement so that there were various developments between 1900 and 1970 (Stratigaki, 2005). With several years down the line, it is expected that a lot of developments have taken place. As far as media and gender issues are concerned, literary works on gender issues are well documented. The United Nation Platform for Action (1996) singled out the portrayal of women in me dia as that marred with stereotypes, further singling out that women possessed limited access to the creation of the products of the media, as well as in making decisions pertaining to media and culture. Woodward (2003) defines gender mainstreaming as the process where the public policy gender element is recognized and incorporated into gender dimensions in policy provision. Gender mainstreaming is characterized by a set of three essential elements, which include equal

Family or Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Family or Art - Essay Example The law and politics, human emotions, failings and desires, as well as survival and reproductive success in the biological sense all contribute to the notion of ‘family’ as we know it today. There are also fine and subtle variations determined by location (and dislocation, such as is caused by migration), race, religion, and a host of other complications devised, and brought about unwittingly, by humankind. In this family portrait the most important aspects are composition and palette. Prominence is given to the pet in the foreground. The color scheme also shows that the bespectacled boy, drawn in red, seems to have preference over the shadowy presence of sister, mom and dad. All are unsmiling: this could have a number of reasons. Is the pet being given away? Is the boy in trouble? Are boy and dog ganging up on the rest of the family? The three heads in the background could be snipped off at the corner, leaving boy and dog, who occupy most of the frame. This possibility gives this family a fault-line. All is not as happy as it looks on first look. The monotone color choice for this picture is deceptive, suggesting less happiness and unity than is visible on closer inspection. A mother and daughter are occupied in a yoga exercise that unites them in shape, concentration and harmony. They are almost one shape, so they make a family: they are dressed similarly, and only a singular purpose could keep a person in that pose. They both want to do this very much. They like to be together: are all families like this? This picture looks old-fashioned, like a woodcut, but its premise is contemporary. A single mother can bring up her daughter alone and they can enjoy harmony. The Gravenor family looks very correct, contained and harmonious, thanks to the artist’s composition and choices of color. Father, mother and two daughters? Or father, wife, daughter and grandmother? From this

Science in American Popular Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Science in American Popular Culture - Essay Example The popular American culture signifies contribution of all these sections. The rich, complex and yet unique American culture has major influence of European cultural patterns, particularly in language, the arts and political institutions, but it has a good share of the cultural diversity from the people of Africa, Asia, and North America as well1. Working diligently throughout the week and then spending the weekends with friends and family is one of the popular American ways of preparing oneself for the week ahead. The government too has been supporting and facilitating such system, because it is sound economics. The business will thrive only when we spend money from our kitty. The system too doesn't require complex scientific postulates; instead it works with pure interests and influences. Economic prosperity too is not a guarantee under a flourishing democracy, as we can see in cases of India and Brazil, the world's first- and fourth-largest democracies, respectively. These nations have been struggling for centuries to escape poverty. In fact, at times, the smooth correlation between politics and economics defies even the common wisdom. For example, while autocratic regimes are known to have a destabilizing effect on nation's economy, South Korea and Singapore crossed the threshold to development and prosperity under autocr atic regimes2. This further indicates that popular culture defies the scientific deduction and rational logic. It all depends on the patience and temperament of the people. America has seen maddening rush for Harry Potter series, a fictitious character, living in a fictitious world of wizard, making everything possible with his magic tricks. How does one explain this craze for Harry Potter and his brand of magic tricks The final Harry Potter book 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' is stated to have a record first day sales of 8.3 million copies3. That does not involve any science at all. J.K Rowling knew how to play with the emotions and sentiments of the people. She is a wonderful marketing professional as well and came out successful in implementing her progressive plans. An average American citizen is a peace loving person. But unfortunately, today America is involved around in many such missions which are proving to be detrimental for the popularity of American culture and its ways of life. While the search for the Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan is proving to be a big headache for the country, the Iraq venture too is proving to be a costly affai r. Carrying out massive strikes in Iraq, in search of the illusive WMDs and plunging huge manpower and resources guarding a foreign land certainly doesn't involve any science in it. It's apparently the game of power politics or is it the dual for controlling the vast oil reserves. Well, we're all waiting for the appropriate answer. President Bush has seen sharp decline in his popularity but he continues to have a firm grip on the administration and country's affairs. If we go by a pure scientific deduction then the dissatisfaction of majority of the people should have resulted in the stepping down of the President. But it is a part of

Mass programming Essay Example for Free

Mass programming Essay PLDs are standard ICs, available in standard configurations. They are sold in high volume to many different customers. PLDs may be configured or programmed to create a part customized to a specific application. They have a single large block of programmable interconnect and consist of a matrix of logic macrocells that usually consists of programmable array logic followed by a flip-flop or latch. Types of PLDs are PROM, EPROM, PAL and PLA. PROM uses metal fuse that can be blown permanently. EPROM uses programmable MOS transistors whose characteristics are altering by applying a high voltage. PAL or Programmable Array Logic consists of a programmable AND logic array or AND plane, and fixed OR plane. PLA or Programmable Logic Array has a programmable AND plane followed by programmable OR plane. Based on type of programming PLDs may be classified as Erasable PLD (EPLD) and Mask-programmed PLD. It is characterized by customized mask layer and logic cells (Smith, 1997: 14). (Smith, 1997) Advantages Fast design turnaround. Disadvantages Mass programming is not possible. It is more complex than PLDs. A field programmable gate array is a VLSI circuit that can be programmed in the user’s location. A typical FPGA consists of an array of hundreds or thousands of logic blocks surrounded by programmable input and output blocks and connected together via programmable interconnections. There is a wide variety of internal configuration within these devices. The performance of each device depends on the circuit contained in their logic blocks and their efficiency of their programmed inter connections. Here none of mask layers are customized. There exists a method for programming basic cells and the interconnect. The core of FPGA is a regular array of combinational and sequential programmable basic logic cells. It has a matrix of programmable interconnect that surrounds the basic cells and programmable I/O cells around the core. A typical FPGA block consists of look up tables, multiplexers, gates and flipflops. The look up table is a truth table stored in a SRAM and provides a combinational circuit functions for the logic blocks. These functions are realized from the truth table stored in the SRAM (Smith, 1997: 16). (Smith, 1997) Advantages Design turnaround is a few hours The truth table can be re-programmable. Easy to layout on PCBs. Disadvantages The memory is volatile and presents the need for the look up table content to be reloaded when power is disrupted. Routing is easily blocked. The design requires extensive CAD tools to facilitate the synthesis procedure. FPGAs may be broadly classified as homogenous and heterogeneous FPGAs. As the name implies homogenous consists of only one type of logic cell and heterogeneous contains different types of logic cells. They can also be classified as Island type, Hierarchical and Row based FPGAs. Island Type FPGA It is common to Xilinx and Altera. Here, the logic blocks are arranged in a matrix form. They are interconnected by horizontal and vertical routing wires. The routing wires are connected using programmable routing switches. (Sharma, 2005) Hierarchical FPGAs It comprises of a tree based interconnect structure. The leaves represent logic blocks. Two types of connecting boxes are present. The hexagon shaped boxes represent non compressing switches (no. of root going tracks = twice the no. of incoming tracks) and the diamond shaped boxes represent compressing switches (no. of root going tracks = no. of incoming tracks).

Environmental Factors for International Marketing

Environmental Factors for International Marketing A Key Challenge For International Marketers Is To Develop A Good Understanding Of The International Business Environment. Identify The Key Environmental Factors That Are Of Importance To The Success Of International Marketing And Discuss Their Impacts On International Marketing Decisions. 1. Introduction Due to technological advances and rapid economic growth, the level of world trade has increased considerably over the last four decades. Merchandise exports, for instance, grew from a value of $160 billion in 1963 to almost $16,000 billion in 2008 (WTO, 2009). Motivated by the many rewards and opportunities international exchange offers, more and more countries and companies have become largely involved in international marketing. However, the implications entailed in this â€Å"process of planning and conducting transactions across national borders† are rather different to those companies usually have to face when conducting domestic marketing (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007, p.4). Differences in cultures, economic conditions, and governmental systems amongst countries mean that the marketing activities of companies taking their operations outside national borders are affected by a new series of environmental factors. In order to be successful at international marketing, it is vit al that marketers attain a thorough understanding of these factors as they impact the international business environment and take them into account when carrying out decisions on marketing activities (Hollensen, 2007). Consequently, this essay aims to identify both these fundamental environmental factors and the effects they have on the international marketers decision making. The essay will firstly consider the factors that derive from culture, such as language and religion. Secondly, the economical elements that influence the international business environment will be examined. Finally, the essay will take into consideration legal and political factors. 2. Cultural Environment According to Hofstede (1980), culture is â€Å"the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another†. Given that culture affects consumers behaviour, understanding cultural dissimilarities is crucial for the success of international marketing (Usunier Lee, 2009). Hall (1976) states that there are high context cultures, such as the Japanese one, where the context is equally as important as the words used, and low context cultures, such as the North American one, where communication is often solely conveyed in words. Companies need to be aware of and adapt their marketing concepts to these differences as otherwise it can easily lead to misinterpretations in communication. They need to take into account the element of language which consists of a verbal (the words used and how they are spoken) and a non-verbal part (e.g. gestures and eye contact). The challenge for them is to attain both a thorough understanding of the language in terms of its technicality and the context in which it is used (Hollensen, 2007). In Japan, for example, IBM changed the classification number of its series 44 computer as the pronunciation for the word four is similar to the word death (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). A further important source of culture is religion. Marketers need to be aware of the differences between the main types of religion as well as the variations within them (Hollensen, 2007). In Hinduism, for example, peoples capacity of consumption is determined by their status. Companies need to take this into account when making planning their marketing strategy. Also, as the main holidays are linked to religion marketers need to consider when they take place when planning marketing programs. The exchange of Christmas gifts, for example, occurs on 6th December in the Netherlands, whereas in other countries they are opened on 24th or 25th December (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Also, companies need to take into account the values and attitudes of countries. The more these shared beliefs or group norms are embedded into the culture the more care companies have to take when implementing marketing activities (Blackwell et al., 2005). Societies that place a high value on tradition are more reluctant to change and may perceive foreign companies with scepticism (Hollensen, 2007). In Japan, for example, many bureaucrats feel that the consumption of foreign products is disloyal to their country (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Another element of culture is aesthetics which determines what people find appropriate and what not. This can differ considerably from one culture to another meaning that marketers need to be aware of them and adapt their marketing concepts accordingly (Usunier Lee, 2009). Henkels FA soap, for example, modified its advertisement spot for the North American market by having the model wear a bathing suit instead of being naked, as in the ad for the European market (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Furthermore, it is important that managers understand the different manners and customs of countries (Usunier Lee, 2009). General Foods orange juice Tang, for example, is marketed as a breakfast drink in the United States, whereas in France it is positioned as a refreshment as there is no habit in drinking orange juice at breakfast (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). There is also the element of education that needs to be taken into account. When designing products or services, for example, companies need to be aware of the level of intelligence of the consumer so they can adapt the complexity of the product or the service to the user (Hollensen, 2007). According to Dallas (1995), the best way for companies to overcome these cultural obstacles is to embrace the local culture. They need to take a localised approach by adjusting products to the markets, building relationships with locals and employing them. This allows marketers to gain information and experience at firsthand, attain an in-depth understanding of what influence consumer behaviour in the market, and cooperate efficiently with employees, the government, and other local partners (Usunier Lee, 2009). This would also allow companies to avoid accusations of cultural imperialism, which happens when marketing approaches are seen as too radical. McDonalds and Coca-Cola, for example, have been accused of forcing American standpoints into other cultures and consequently had to deal with boycotts from consumers (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). 3. Economic Environment International marketers equally need to be aware of economic factors when undertaking marketing decisions (Hollensen, 2007). Population figures provide a basic indication of the attractiveness of the market in terms of size and potential growth by looking at life expectancy, age distribution and population growth. They allow marketers to identify the segments and the geographical areas they should target (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Low population growth rates, for example, usually characterise highly economically developed countries with good disposal income (Bradley, 1999). Also, income levels need to be taken into account as they provide an indication of the purchasing power of the market and allow companies to adapt their marketing concepts accordingly (Hollensen, 2007). A packaged goods company, for example, brought out a more economic version of its product in countries that have lower income levels by using cheaper raw materials. Nonetheless, marketers should not greatly rely on this indicator as there are certain types of products that because of the high value they create for the consumer are not affected by income levels. In China, for example, due to being a good upgrade for bicycles and a cheap alternative for cars, sales of motorcycles are high in the country despite the fact that the price of the product represents a high proportion of salary (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Besides, marketers need to consider consumption pattern which allow them to identify the proportion of income that consumers spend on necessities, including food and rent, and consequently the proportion that is left to spend on less important areas of consumption, such as household goods and leisure (Bradley, 1999; Hollensen, 2007). Given that purchases in these areas can be cancelled or postponed unexpectedly, companies can determine the level of confidence in the market (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Another important economical element is inflation as it strongly affects consumers buying habits and ability to buy. In markets with high inflation rates companies need to modify their product making it less expensive to produce so that they can lower their prices to respond to customer needs and sustain demand (Hollensen, 2007). In addition, marketers need to consider the availability and quality of local infrastructure. Transportation, communication, and energy networks have an important effect on the companys functions. They also provide an indication for the demand of industrial products and services (Bradley, 1999; Hollensen, 2007). The fact that two billion people live without electricity and that the access to a telephone is very limited in Asia, for example, informs industrial products and services companies that there are important marketing opportunities for them there (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Furthermore, companies need to consider regional economic integrations as they can create both opportunities and benefits, and threats and problems for them. The European Union, for example, provides many benefits to companies operating within Europe, such as economies of scale thanks to the large single market. For non-EU companies, however, this integration may create problems (Hollensen, 2007). With the aim of protecting European farmers, for example, the EU has now and again imposed restrictions on the inflow of certain agricultural goods from the U.S. (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). A thorough understanding of these factors allows companies to obtain a good assessment of the market and reduces the possibility of implementing marketing concepts that could have disastrous results (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). 4. Political And Legal Environment The political and legal environment of the companys home country, its host country and the general international environment also has important effects on the marketing activities of international companies (Hollensen, 2007). The politics and regulations of the companys home country can determine its opportunities outside national borders (Hollensen, 2007). One of the main types of regulation that international marketers need to be aware of are embargoes and sanctions which are used to distort the free flow of trade. They need to know where they are applicable and take them into account when planning marketing activities so that they do not breach them and face subsequent sanctions (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Governments also employ export and import control systems. Export controls prevent or delay companies from selling their products in certain countries whilst import controls are used to protect and stimulate the domestic market. Marketers need to take them into account so they know where the company can do business and where it can obtain its supply from. Finally, governments may induct special measures to ensure that their companies behave in a correct manner in the international business environme nt. One of the major areas concerned is boycott, which is when companies reject to conduct business with someone (Hollensen, 2007). The governments control in this area can force companies to decide whether to stop transactions and lose profit or to continue trading and pay charges. The Arab nations, for example, have blacklisted a number of companies who conduct business with Israel. In response, the United States imposed several laws to prevent U.S. companies from complying with the Arab boycott as it has political ties with Israel. Companies may lose out to firms whose home country does not employ such measures (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Nonetheless, according to Czinkota and Ronkainen (2007), it is best to avoid adopting inappropriate behaviour as it may lead to damages to the companys reputation, boycotts by consumers and cancellation of transactions. This might cost the company more money than it gained through adopting such behaviour. Companies are also affected by the legal and political environment of the host country. Marketers firstly need to determine the level of political risk, i.e. the likelihood of political changes that could adversely affect the company, by looking at the host countrys government, its political actions and its stability (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). U.S. companies, for example, who are a major target for terrorist attacks because of their home countrys actions and capitalistic image, need to particularly take into account the stability of the host country (Harvey, 1993). Marketers also need to be aware of the actions of the host countrys government. Price controls, for example, which are used by the government to respond to inflation, can put international companies into a difficult situation where it has to decide whether to stop their operations or to carry on in the hope that the controls will be changed and they can regain the sacrificed profits (Frank, 1984). Companies also need to be familiar with the laws of the host country and the restraints they place on their operations. In France, Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, for example, there are laws that restrict imports of U.S. entertainment to protect and preserve their cultural industries (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). However there are also laws that are aimed at assisting companies with their international operations, e.g. subsidies (Hollensen, 2007). Shortages of regulations can also create problems for companies, e.g. the lack of intellectual property rights in China (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). Therefore, companies need to attain a good understanding of how the countrys legal and political systems work to reduce the impact of the problems they cause. By undertaking in-depth research on the countrys history, culture and political setting before entering it allows companies to avoid making investments that could have disastrous outcomes. An in-depth knowledge of the country would also allow the company to anti cipate, plan and adapt into the local community. Hiring locally, undertaking local charity work and joint ventures with local businesses show the government that the company cares about the local community and does not just see it as an object it can exploit. This reduces the amount of interference by the government giving the company more freedom in its operations (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007; Hollensen, 2007). Marketers must also consider the overall international business environment. Relations between countries and governments have important effects on the operations of international companies. The U.S. governments differences with South Africa, for example, forced U.S. companies to leave their operations in the country. Relations between home and host countries are governed by bilateral agreements, as well as by multilateral ones between sets of countries (Hollensen, 2007). Marketers need to continuously monitor the international political environment keeping up to date with political affairs so that they can anticipate changes and plan and modify their marketing strategy accordingly. In terms of the legal environment, managers need to be aware of certain laws and treaties which because of the respect they receive from many countries have a strong influence on the way companies operate (Czinkota Ronkainen, 2007). The World Trade Organization, for example, gives an outline on the behavi our that it finds acceptable from its member states (WTO, 2010). 5. Conclusion International marketers are faced with quite many and quite a range of factors in the international business environment that can have profound effects on their marketing activities. They need to be aware of the main sources of culture, such as religion, language, education, values and attitudes, aesthetics, and customs and manners. Given that they are embedded into societies and individuals it is necessary for companies to adapt their marketing activities to the market and not force a different standpoint on the consumer. International marketers also need to consider economical factors, such as population, income, inflation, economic integrations and infrastructure. They allow them to assess the attractiveness of the market and identify the segments and the geographical areas they should target. This reduces the risk of investing money in marketing activities in markets that are unprofitable. Finally, companies need to take into account the legal and political factors affecting the home country, the host country, as well as the overall international business environment. They need to be aware of the different governments, their political actions, their stability, and their relation with other countries, and constantly monitor them by keeping up to date with economic affairs around the world. This allows them to determine the level of political risk so that they can anticipate and plan for threats and take advantage of opportunities political changes offer them. 6. Bibliography Blackwell, R. D., Miniard, P. W. and Engel, J. F. (2000). Consumer Behaviour. London: Thomson-South Western Bradley, F. (1999). International Marketing Strategy. London: Prentice Hall. Czinkota, M.R. and Ronkainen, I.A. (2007). International Marketing. London: Thomson-South Western. Dallas, S. (15 May 1995). Rule no. 1: Dont diss the locals. Business Week [online]. Available from: http://www.businessweek.com/archives/1995/b342416.arc.htm [Accessed 10 February 2010]. Frank, V. H. (1984). Living with price control aboard. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 62, March-April, 137-142. Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Doubleday: Anchor Press. Harvey, M. G. (1993). A survey of corporate programs for managing terrorist threats. Journal of International Business Studies [online]. Vol. 24, No. 3, 465-478. Available from: JSTOR [Accessed 19 January 2010]. Hollensen, S. (2007). Global Marketing: A Decision-Oriented Approach. London: Prentice Hall. Usunier, J. C. (2009). Marketing Across Cultures. London: Prentice Hall. WTO (2009). International Trade Statistics 2009. WTO. Available from: http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/its2009_e/its2009_e.pdf [Accessed 19 January 2010]. WTO (2010). Understanding the WTO. WTO. Available from: http://www.wto.org [Accessed 10 February 2010]. Short Course in International Marketing Blunders : Marketing Mistakes Made by Companies that Should Have Known Better (3rd Edition)

Existence of God Essay -- Literary Analysis, Suma Theologica

In the â€Å"Suma Theologica,† by Saint Thomas Aquinas, Aquinas combines the doctrines of Christianity with Aristotelian philosophy, through the assertion that as a result of observation, utilization of the senses, and an empirical mindset, one can substantiate the existence of God. Aquinas holds the conception that in the quest for God’s existence, philosophy and theology are interwoven together and both play complementary roles. He infuses numerous theological doctrines, mainly from Saint Augustine, alongside Aristotelian ideals such as, the first mover, to corroborate his argument for the existence of God. Instead of basing his argument on human reason and rationality like his predecessor, Saint Anselm of Canterbury, Aquinas holds that it is instead through an empirical mindset that one is able to ascertain and comprehend the existence of God. Aquinas deems that all knowledge acquired originated from the experiences of our senses. He believes that by experiencing eve nts, the human being is aware of the fact that there exists an effect for every action that is undergone. Through this realization, Aquinas recognizes that there must exist a cause that triggered that event into existence, culminating in the conclusion that everything in existence must be characterized by a cause. This argument presented defines the cosmological argument, a belief that there is a first cause, which is God, who is seen as the source of the cosmos that sets in motion a cycle of cause and effect. To prove this argument, Aquinas presents five different variants, each with subtle distinctions that display two reoccurring themes, the importance of sense experience and the notion of causality, to prove the existence of God. In Aquinas’s first argument, he lin... ... cause and effect stopped at the Big Bang, as it does to claim it stopped at God. The Big Bang Theory, which has no previous cause, could have easily prompted the chain of cause and effect. Why must we presume the world to have a beginning and claim that the cosmos could not have been a cause of itself? Since Aquinas, at the time, does not fully understand the workings of the Universe, his claim that the infinite regression arbitrarily stopped at God, is misleading, since the regression could have stopped as the universe itself prompted the chain of cause and effect. I wholeheartedly agree that Aquinas’ cosmological argument proves the existence of an â€Å"uncaused cause,† however I believe that it fails in acknowledging other means of creation and holds no validation that the first cause attributes the characteristics of the God of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

Modern Day Relevance of The Declaration of Independence Essay -- Decla

Modern Day Relevance of The Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents produced by an American thinker. Reading The Declaration of Independence presents the reader with a window into the world of revolutionary America. It conveys the dynamic nature of the time better than any written work of the period. The real importance of The Declaration of Independence lies not in the purpose for which Jefferson created it, to declare independence from Great Britain, but rather how future generations have interpreted Jefferson's words. Jefferson's document originally guaranteed basic rights for a select segment of the American population. Today it has become a document which has been interpreted to guarantee the basic rights of everyone living in America and abroad. In a way it has become a document with a life of its own. It has become something far more substantial than anything Jefferson or his contemporaries, writing within an eighteenth century mindset, could ever have believed it would bec ome. When Jefferson first stated in The Declaration of Independence that, "All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights," he most certainly did not mean "all men." If he had then it would be hard for him to justify the fact that a sizable percentage of the American population was enslaved. He meant that all white, property-owning Americans were equal to their British counterparts. No consideration was given to women in The Declaration of Independence, they did not hold an equal status with men in the Jeffersonian model of an American republic. "All men," was certainly not the all-encompassing phrase that has been circulating in America ... ...England's policies on the American colonies. There was no way for him to know that The Declaration of Independence would be used to give, and preserve, basic rights for all people; American citizens or not. It is as if The Declaration of Independence has matured along with the United States. America is a country that has been home to a diverse population since its founding. The Declaration of Independence is interpreted in such a way that it has become a tool to accommodate America's heterogeneous population. The poetic nature and riveting tone of the document has inspired the generations of the past to gain and protect their "unalienable rights". What those rights are has been subject to change with each passing generation. 1. Much of this information has been taken from John C Miller's, The Wolf by the Ears: Thomas Jefferson and Slavery. (NY, 1977), pp. 52-53.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair Essay -- essays research papers fc

“Bernice Bobs Her Hair';   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Have you ever at one time or another felt like an outsider? Many people do, trying desperately to fit in with their social counterparts. Whether it be in school, at work, or life in general, many yearn to be accepted by their peers and feel as though they are a part of some sort of “club'; that is viewed by others as the “in'; crowed. F. Scott Fitzgerald tries to express this turmoil with the short story “Bernice Bob’s Her Hair';. He attempts to show the inner workings of the popular youth and the means in which one can successfully enter it. By creating the distinct characters of Marjorie, Bernice and Warren, one can see the realistic lives of youth in America and what they do when it comes to achieving and successfully maintaining one’s popularity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the world of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Marjorie is portrayed as a self assured, popular young woman. This was shown very early in the story, during which a party was taking place. After noticing that Bernice, her dopey cousin, was consuming much of Oswald’s time, she proceeded to Warren to ask if he could take over being Bernice’s company and dance with her. Warren submissively said yes, even though he desperately wished to spend time with Marjorie. As he did so, Marjorie was whisked away by a boy to dance, the second or third of the evening. Her status gave her the convenience of asking favors, with the confidence of knowing that they would be carried out without resistance. This confidence also emerged after she told Bernice what a drag people like her are to be with. When Bernice went up stairs later on that day and announced to Marjorie how right she was, Marjorie's immediate response was “I know';(1). This “know it all'; attitude arose a gain when she declared that the reason Madonna did not smile in her world renowned portrait was because her teeth were crooked, even though it is widely assumed and most probable that it was due to that period in time; at that time is was very uncommon to smile for a portrait since it did not look dignified or proper. She also felt confident after noticing that her achievement in bringing Bernice into the popular realm started to surpass her own popularity. As she saw that Bernice was wooing W... ...are about such things as frivolous as that. People like Warren are too self conscious and would most likely grow up without a sense of identity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is said by many that it does not matter in life whether one is popular or not. I beg to differ. Sure, one does not necessarily need to be popular in order to be successful in life, but popularity does bring its advantages. For one thing, being likable can get one a better chance at career advances or even getting a job at all since employers tend to hire employees they feel most comfortable with. Also, being likable means being able to easily make friends which, in the working world, could mean an increase in the amount of connections one might make as well as an increase in one’s level of connections. No one should ever discredit popularity as being a cruel concoction created by children who wanted to feel better about themselves. It can indeed help one down the road of life if he or she uses it wisely.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Works Cited: 1. Fitzgerald, F., Scott. “Bernice Bobs Her Hair';.

Changes in the business environment Essay

By looking out the definitions of HRP from Dessler (1999), Stone (2002), and Schuler (1998), HRP can be defined as the systematic and continuous process to ensure that organization’s human resource needs are fulfilled by ensuring that the right people with the correct skills are available when required. Shortly, HRP is essentially focus on matching the individual and the needs of the organization to gaining a competitive advantage in marketplace. HRP is important because the HR plan affects all HR activities and acts as the strategic link between organizational and HRM objectives (Stone 2002). It can reduce the human resources cost by helping management to anticipate and correct the shortages and surpluses of employees. An addition, HRP will provide a better basis for planning employee employment in order to make optimum use of workers’ attitudes and to improve their job satisfaction (Nankervis et al. 1999). HRP provide more opportunities of working for women and minority groups in the labour market. Moreover, the HPR provide a tool for evaluating the effect of alternative human resource actions and policies. Nowadays business environment is multifaceted and complex, thus the changes in business environment will have a great impact on the HRP of the organization. By the definition of HRP, to be a success organization, the organization must achieve the business objectives through the effective utilization of human resources. Therefore, organizations need to forecast the internal and external supplying of human resources through the process of HRP. Usually, the present employees who can be promoted, transferred, demoted or developed will make up the internal supply. When the internal supply of employees cannot meet the demand, organization is needed to look up the external human resources from labour market. This show that labour market is an important factor in determining human resource strategy, therefore the changes of labour market will bring the effects to the HRP of organization. Normally, business environment can be categorized to 2 which are internal environment and external environment. The internal environment involves those factors that are found within the organization, for example, organizational structure and organizational culture (Stone 2002). By  analyzing those factors of the internal environment, HR planner will be able to identify the organization’s strength and weakness in order to achieve the business objectives. The structure of an organization is referring to the organization’s framework or design which can directly affect employee productivity and behavior (Stone 2002). It refers to how work tasks are assigned, who reports to whom, and how decisions are made (Eadie n.d.). Usually there have 2 forms of the organizational structures, one is hierarchical structure and the other one is flat structure. For the hierarchical structure, organizations have narrow span of controls over their employees. In contrast, organizations have wide span of controls over their employees with the flat structure. Thus, the structure of an organization has a powerful influence the types and numbers of employee in the organization, further the size of the labour market. Therefore, base on the structure of the organization, HR manager can anticipate the number of employees that required by the organization. The organization culture is the pattern of basic assumptions, values, norms, and artifacts shared by organizational member (Cummings and Worley 1993). It tells employees how things are done, what is important and what kind of behavior is rewarded (Moorhead and Griffin 1995). Thus it has an impact on employee job satisfaction as well as on the level and quality of employee performance. However, each employee may assess the nature of an organization’s culture differently, one of them may view it positively but one of them may view it negatively. Therefore, HR managers will be major players in shaping the cultures of organization in order to enable the long-term success of the organization. The external environment involves those factors cannot be found within the organization. External environment can be categorized to 2 elements that are societal environment and task environment (Anthony et al. 1999). The factors of external environment include legal and political, economic, social, and demographic, labour market, competition, technological, and industrial relations. Each factor either separately or in combination with others, can place constraints on human resource management. Therefore, HR managers must  analyze the external environment to identify any strategic opportunities and threats that may be present in the future, so that the organization can take the advantage of external opportunities and minimize external problems. The labour market is the geographical area from which employees are recruited for a particular job (Mondy et al. 1999). Changes in the labour market create constraints i.e. societal trends and culture for employers finding applicants with the right levels of skills (Noe et al.). The unemployment rate, education levels, occupation levels, and the mix of the age and sex will be the four key used to examine the measures of labour market (Anthony et al.1999). Those people who are not working and not looking for the job, for example households, retires, and students are considered as being â€Å"out of the labour forces†. Therefore this kind of unemployed people will not be the factor of unemployment rate measurement. Usually, the unemployment rate will be high during the recession of economy because the companies fire many people out. Thus, the demand for the workers of organizations is reducing but the supply of workers from the labour market is increasing. Labour force is an uncontrollable factor by HR planner because they can’t control the number of the workers in the labour market. But employment rate is a controllable factor because HR managers can use the statistical and mathematical technique to predict the available workforce based on the past information. The economy of the nation, on the whole and its various segment, is a major environmental factor affecting human resource management. There is a case in mid-1997, when economy is booming; recruiting qualified workers is more difficult than less prosperous time. Therefore, HR managers of some organizations had to use incentive scheme to entice needed employees. On the other hand, when economy is experienced downturn, more applicants are typically available. It is because many workers losing job and the high unemployment rate, thus all of them will strive for any opportunity to get a job. Beside that the HR manager also consequently develop staffing strategies to accommodate the downturn economy. Such strategies my include job entrichment, outsourcing, the development of new product lines or new services, flexible job options (e.g. job-sharing or part-time), or  downsizing (Nankervis et al. 1999). Unfortunately, the downsizing is the main option that chose by many organizations in the early 1990s. The people cannot anticipate the crisis of economy, thus economy crisis is considered as an uncontrollable factor for the HR planners. Beside that the issue of SARS is also an uncontrollable factor of economic for the HR planners. Although economy crisis and SARS are unpredictable, HRP still play an important role for the organizations. It is because an organization with HRP can forecast the needed workers quickly than the organization without HRP during the time of economy crisis or SARS. The changes of the social are came from changes of the lifestyle of people and the changes of the nature of employment in the labour market. Today, more and more young people with a high level of education are not willing to work long time for one organization only because they want to enjoy the higher quality of lifestyle. Therefore, they are keeping on to seek the new job with the better salary and benefit that provided by the other organizations. But not all those seeking work can find a job at prevailing standards, and therefore it creates a shortage of workforce for organization. Hence, HR managers need to provide more fringe benefits to attract employee remaining in organization. Traditionally, the nature of employment is the full-time permanent employment. During recession of the economy, many organizations decide to downsizing or outsourcing their business to remain the competitive advantage in the market. Thus, this lead the nature of employment is increasingly changed to part-time or casual employment in organizations. According to the Bureau of statistic of labour force in Australia (figure 1), there is a strong evidence to show that the part-time and casual employment is increasing important between the 1973 and 1997 (Nankervis et al.). The nature of employment is a controllable factor by HR planner because they design the recruitment of employees, for example, what type of workers and how many workers that they would like to employ from labour market. The baby boom that occurred after the Second World War created a substantial increase in population and changes the demographic. Those baby boomers will reach the employment age during the 1960s and they will create a bulge in  the workforce. While the population of baby boomers has generally grown at high rate, whereas the population of baby busters, who are the next generation has grown at lower rate. Therefore, the imbalance in the age distribution of the workforce has major impact for employers and HR planners. Beside that, since the occurrence of the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Affirmative Action (AA), the participation rates of women in the workforce are increased. The increasing number of women in the workforce is a trend that HR planner needs to recognize and accommodate. Thus, employers are obliged to provide more flexible employment options and childcare assistance to those women workers. The government can control the population in a country, for example the China issue the policy that one family only can have one child Therefore, the demographic can be considered as a controllable factor for the HRP. But sometimes HR managers cannot anticipate the fast increases of the population i.e. population explosion, thus it is an uncontrollable factor for the HRP. The changes of technology have an effect on business which dealing with human resource management. The improvement of technology advances the improvement of productivity of an organization. Today, the computer field is large and employing millions of people directly and indirectly because the computer allows much quicker access to and processing of information. Thus, more and more organizations have deserted the tradition way and bring in the technique of computer for their business operations. As technological changes occur, certain skills are no longer required, and therefore it lead to major reductions in the number of employees needed. Shoshana Zuboff (1988) was also arguing that the effects of the computer have yet to be felt since work itself will change completely as information becomes more readily available right at the workstation (Anthony et al. 1999). For example, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) plans to reduce its workforce by 15000 employees as a result of technological changes. AT&T has also used automation to reduce the number of long-distance operators by two-thirds. Most experts do not expect the number of new jobs to match the number of lost through technological changes (Drucker 1993). Recently, there is occurring a computer virus called â€Å"So Big. F†. According to the newspaper, this virus has damaged the computer system of many organizations in short  time. If the computer system breaks down, the organization may need more employees to do the jobs that were done by the computer before. Since the HR planners cannot anticipate the occurrence of â€Å"So Big. F†, this is an uncontrollable factor of technology for the HRP. As every advanced economy becomes global, a nation’s most important competitive asset becomes the skills and cumulative learning of its workforce. This means that the people make organizations go. Therefore, how the people are selected, trained, and managed determine to a large extent how successful on organization will be (Cascio 1998). But as the changes of the environment, the task of managing people today’s world is particularly challenges. Thus, more and more organizations emphasize on the HRP to forecast the demand for and supply of human resources. That is why the personnel department transforming to human resource department in many organizations.

Ancient Greek Theatre Essay

In this essay I’m going to be writing about Ancient Greek Theatre the origins of it and how effects the modern world Theatre. The question I’m going to answer in this essay is how did Greek Theatre represent Greek culture? I’m going to use a variety of sources in this essay to provide historic information about Ancient Greek Theatre. I’m also going to look into the culture’s practices of citizenship, philosophies, gender, faiths, or origin myths. To begin with I’m going to start with the origins of how theatre started. Western Theatre was born in Ancient Greece in between 600 and 200 BC. Ancient Greek Theatre was a mixture of myths, philosophies, social commentary, dance, music and etc. But it begins as a religious ceremony. The Ancient Athenians created a theatre culture whose form, technique and terminology have lasted two millennia, and they created plays that are still considered among the greatest works of world drama. Athenians plays fo cused on the God Dionysus, which was a God of many things including fertility, agriculture, and sexuality. Athenians plays were legendary and were known to be the greatest works of world drama. The Athenians created the world of tragedy’s in plays which is a common concept in plays in the modern day world. Tragedy derived from the word tragos which meant goat and ode which means songs it was meant to teach religious lessons. Tragedies were viewed as ritual purifications. It dictated how people should behave and it also inquired free thought, in Athens it brought radical ideas of democracy, philosophy, mathematics and arts. It boasted philosophers like Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Democritus. The traditional tragedy in Aeschylus’ time (circa 475 BC) consisted of the following parts the prologue which described the situation and the set, and then there was parados an ode song that the chorus would sing when they made their entrance. Then there were the five dramatic scenes and lastly the exodus which is the climax and the conclusion. Around 484 BC there was a new playwright named Aeschylus which turned the dithyramb into drama. Aeschylus most prevalent work was The Oresteia. Aeschylus makes a point that has been used by Historians, Dramatists, Psychologists and Crime Writers; that the root of evil and suffering is usually human arrogance. In 468 BC Aeschylus was defeated and then there competition was Sophocles. Sophocles contributed the addition of a third actor and an emphasis on drama between humans rather than between humans and gods. Sophocles’ plays are about the folly of arrogance and the wisdom of accepting fate. Sophocles believed in the Greek gods, but his plays are covered with existential insights that have been pronounced many times since. Euripides was popularity surpassed Sophocles and Aeschylus. His plays were about real people he placed peasants alongside princes and gave their emotions equal weight. Tragedy’s wasn’t the only theatre in Athens there was also Comedy. Greek Comedy’s had two periods which was Old Comedy and New Comedy. In the comedies they used three actors a chorus who sang, danced and sometimes participated in the dialogue. The New Comedy was more aimed at the common people than the religious lessons. Menander was the creator of most of the popular comedy playwrights in that era. His characters wore classic models and the style he used created in emphasis on mistaken identity, romance and situational humor became the model for succeeding comedy, from the Romans to Shakespeare to Broadway. There were rules that they had to follow in theatre which was called the three unities. The three unities were time, place and action. The unity of time limits the duration of an action roughly, of a single day. The unit of place makes sure all actions were located in one place. The unit of subject represents every aspect of a play and how it relates to one topic. One must remember that Aristotle was providing these ground rules during the fourth century B.C.E. At the time, plays were performed outdoors and the use of multiple settings would be expensive and complicated to produce. The audience would likely get confused in the process of changing sets and props. Greek theatre had a major impact on the modern world because tragedies are used in most of the plays in the modern world. For example, The Death of a Salesman’s is a tragedy because the dad ends up dying at the end of the play. Tragedy’s gives modern day plays their edge; they are called dramas in the modern world. The definition of a Drama is A prose or verse composition, especially one telling a serious story, that is intended for representation by actors impersonating the characters and performing the dialogue and ac tion. This describes what the Greeks believed tragedy’s was. Then they helped the modern theatre world evolve into a greater aspect of life. The Greeks had men playing all the roles in the plays and had chorus was used to tell the stories and maintain a since of ceremony and ritual. It established the mood though rhythmic chanting and dancing. It connected the artist by making responses and asking questions. In modern theatre we used dancing and chanting and chorus for our musical plays and for the regular plays we use music to connect the audience with the mood of the play. Also instead of a chorus to narrate the play we just use a regular person to narrate the play. The answer to the question how did Greek Theatre represent Greek culture? Is Greek Theatre showed how the Athens was very religious and they used the tragedies of theatre to tell people how to ask and also give people a voice. Greek Theatre playwrights represented how the society behaved in that era. They used religious traditions as a main part of the plays which slowly disappeared later on the era and culture transformed into playwrights that dealt with common people instead of Gods and how you should worship them. Greek theatre was greatly influential in the modern world and the plays are still used today. Bibliography 1. Ceehorn, Ashley. What Are the Three Unities in Greek Theater? Read more: What Are the Three Unities in Greek Theater? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8187974_three-unities-greek-theater.html#ixzz1bh3UB4gq. N.p.: eHow Contributor, 2011. 2. Http://anarchon.tripod.com/indexGREEKTH.html. 2004. 3. Girard, Phyllis M. Greek Theatre: A Reflection of Ancient Greek Society (A Program Alternative for High School Gifted Students). Programs for Gifted Students. N.p.: Guides – Classroom – Teacher, 1978. 4. Phillips, K. Ancient Greek Theatre. 2000.

Politics and Hierarchy in Shakespeares As You like It Essay

In William Shakespeare’s play, As you Like It, there are lots of interesting themes which both drive the action and speak to the culture that the author lived in. Among those interesting themes are the classic Shakespearean ideal of love, issues dealing with family relationships, and perhaps more importantly, politics and hierarchy. In this comedy, the dichotomy between certain characters becomes evident early on and continues for the entirety of the work. Over time, the reader comes to understand that many of the decisions made by Orlando and Oliver in their conflict are due to the perceived hierarchy of the society and the politics that would result from the decisions. In addition, the relationship between Duke Frederick and Duke Senior is one that explores lots of hierarchical themes associated with living in England at the time. These pertinent examples and more are explored in a light, intellectual way throughout the play.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Politics and hierarchy are primarily relevant when one considers the relationships between the various characters. One important plot aspect is the relationship between Orlando and Oliver. Orlando is a victim of circumstance and he is fully aware of his plight. In a way, he is a sympathetic character that has no recourse in trying to make his situation better. In his relationship with his older brother, Orlando is constantly under emotional torment from Oliver. Their conflict is at the heart of the story and it is an important theme throughout. Where does this conflict come from? Ultimately, it is the result of a decision that was made by the father of the two boys. Oliver received the inheritance from the father and took advantage of the land in his father’s estate. From that, there exists a hierarchical battle between the two brothers for the rest of their life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The stark contrast in the hierarchy is best represented by these two brothers because the example is so pure. Oliver is different from Orlando not only because he owns the estate, but also because he has other advantages that put him above Orlando in social status. During the comedy, there are many times when Orlando can be found telling his servant Adam that Oliver refuses to educate him and provide anything for him. Though the reader does not know much about the relationship of the brothers before their father died, one can reasonably infer that they had a decent relationship. Once Oliver elevated himself to a greater status in the hierarchy, he not only abandoned Orlando, but even took the initiative to make his brother’s life harder. This even comes to a violent head when the two brothers engage in a fight when Oliver comes to see Orlando. Orlando gets the better of that conflict and makes sure that Oliver understands that. Since this is a comedy, Shakespeare makes sure that the conflict between the brothers is presented in a sarcastic nature that the readers can enjoy. Clearly, Orlando makes light of his own plight and even makes a comment about his relatively low status in comparison to his brother. In the play, Orlando remarks to Oliver, â€Å"I am helping you to mar that which God made, a poor, unworthy brother of yours, with idleness† (Shakespeare). This sarcasm is put into the play to provide a light moment, but it also represents the fact that Oliver looks upon his brother as being something of a joke.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is another hierarchical aspect of their relationship that must be considered. During that time, there was a huge gap in education for the wealthy and the poor. As such, those with money could go to the few schools that existed, while people without money had to learn skills in order to survive. From this, a certain perception began to exist that colored uneducated people as being somewhat barbaric. This interesting dichotomy is presented well by Shakespeare, as he attempts to inform the reader that Orlando is both a better fighter and a more vindictive person, while his brother Oliver was much more cultured. This was one of the many ways that people were separated by class during that time. It was all based upon money, wealth, and power, but other things came as a result of that.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As only Orlando’s brother, Oliver should have never taken a role of sovereignty over him. Instead, their relationship should have still existed like a normal one during that time. However, William Shakespeare uses the relationship between the two brothers in this play as a means of displaying his own political thoughts during the time. A Paul Yachnin article published in the HighBeam Encyclopedia indicates the fact that Shakespeare did this in many of his plays. In that article, Yachnin writes, â€Å"In the play, the political and social relations between masters and their subjects places loyalty at the center of the system of relations devoted to instituting a regime of absolutist politics† (Yachnin). The loyalty between the brothers is at the center of their conflict, as Orlando feels that his brother has not been loyal to him because of social status. On the flip side of that, Oliver feels that Orlando should look up to him as something of a master, when in fact, they are just brothers. This is an interest dichotomy between the two characters that plays itself out in a series of fights, both physical and verbal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to the aforementioned hierarchy in Shakespeare’s play, politics also play a huge role in driving the action. Though politics are not a major player in the relationship between Orlando and Oliver, they do power the relationship between Duke Frederick and Duke Senior. In fact, this is one of the primary plot sequences that is very important to the storyline. Duke Frederick oversteps his bounds in this comedy, as he is not supposed to move to the top of the political latter over his brother. In English society at the time, people were locked into their roles in society. This was true even among the rich people. Though they were clearly above poor people in society, they had to worry about staying put in their position in the upper crust of the political scene. When Duke Frederick supplants Duke Senior in the political scene, a huge conflict is born. Interestingly, Shakespeare finds a creative way to intertwine the two separate stories, drawing connections between the social roles of the various characters in the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Politics play a substantial role in the plight of the two dukes because they cause Duke Senior to have to live somewhere else. When Duke Frederick takes the place of his older brother, there is no option that allows both of them to just live in harmony in the same area. Instead, Duke Senior is banished from the duchy and has to live with plain nobles in a wooded area. Though he did not get banished to living with the peasants who were living completely off of the land and good graces of the upper crust, Duke Senior did not get to take advantage of the life with which he had become accustomed. That is a very important theme for the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Alan Bloom book, Shakespeare’s Politics, has an interesting take on the inner workings of how the author thought. There is lots of speculation about what sort of political thinker William Shakespeare was and the majority of that can be seen in his works. In As You Like It, it is clear that Shakespeare both searched for and figured out the answers to many of the most important questions of his day. According to Bloom, the author tosses harsh criticism on some of the systems that existed during his day (Bloom). Some examples of this include Shakespeare’s constant criticism of the class system, which he believed was bad for English society. While Shakespeare may have taken harder political stances in some of his other works like Julius Caesar, he certainly addresses the current landscape in each of his works. When dealing with the two Dukes in As you Like It, Shakespeare makes light of how their folly makes both of their lives more difficult. It was an interesting approach to take because most of the political thought during the time was breaking down the class distinctions between the reach and the poor. Very few authors or thinkers had even considered the politics that existed among the distinct groups. Shakespeare had the progressive vision to try his best to understand what sort of political motives drove advancement within certain social castes. In this comedy, he finds that even the rich jockey for position, as Duke Frederick used â€Å"creative† means to get rid of his older brother and take control of the power in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Robin Headlam Wells wrote a book about how Shakespeare used politics as a major theme in his work. In the book, Shakespeare, Politics, and the State, Wells writes about how Shakespeare constantly uses the voices of his characters to present problems within the political and hierarchical system (Wells). In this particular comedy, the beauty of the work is that each of the characters has their own role in the madness that existed within the English political system at the time. He uses all of the characters to make it well known that no one individual person or individual group was affected less or more by the makeshift caste system that England used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare himself was one of the people who understood how the political system could impact just about everyone. In order to understand the uses in his book, one has to understand Shakespeare’s political opinions and his experiences with politics. One website indicated that, â€Å"Shakespeare knew people who had been arrested and tortured – friends and family members† (William-Shakespeare.org). This is interesting to consider in that he knew that people who did not have affluence had a hard time surviving in the current political system. As such, his criticisms of the current political system had to be somewhat hushed by the constant fear that he might be prosecuted for such comments. Given the fact that Shakespeare had family that had been the victim of political happenstance, it is interesting to consider his take on the dynamic of Orlando and Oliver. The author understood the plight of Orlando more so than he did the situation of Oliver, so in many ways, he favors Orlando in his writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As you Like It is an interesting play by William Shakespeare that addresses many different themes that were prevalent in English society during the time of the author. Among those are the common themes of politics and hierarchy. In his breakdown of the various relationship of individuals within the comedy, Shakespeare actually sheds a little bit of light on what it might have been like to live in England during that time.   Works Cited Alexander, Catherine. Shakespeare and Politics. 13 September 2004.   Cambridge University Press. Bloom, Allan. Shakespeare’s Politics. 1 December 1996. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Shakespeare, William. As You Like It. Wells, Robin Headlam. Shakespeare Politics and State. December 1986. Palgrave McMillan Publishing. William Shakespeare and Elizabethan Politics. http://www.william-shakespeare.org.uk/william-shakespeare-politics.htm Yachnin, Paul. High Beam Encyclopedia. Shakespeare’s Politics and Loyalty. 22 March 1993. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-14363559.html