The Functions and Purpose of Art

Purposes and Functions of Art Art has many purposes and functions to some art’s purpose maybe to make a grand statement. And for other’s art is a part of history. For example, â€Å"Like foot prints left in the sand. † Each foot print has small details that decipher it from all the other foot prints that are left there. Faith Ringgold born October 8, 1930, is an African American artist. Best known for her painted story quilts an art form that combines story telling and quilt making with genre painting. Her art work is her voice, her opinion on racism and gender inequality. The piece of art work titled â€Å"TAR BEACH â€Å"which was created in 1988. That later became a world renowned children’s book. This book won the Caldecott Honor award and the Coretta Scott King award for illustration among numerous other honors. Tar Beach tells the story of Cassie and her little brother Bebe, and how they would go up to the asphalt roof of their apartment building with their family on hot nights. Because there was no air conditioning in their home, Cassie described Tar beach as a magical place with a view of all the buildings and the George Washington Bridge. The quilt depicts the two children on a roof top on a mattress, and their parent’s playing cards with the neighbor’s next to a table set with snacks and drinks. The combination of fantasy and hard reality in this work of art, with imagination as the key to overcoming obstacles. Tar beach is about attainment, love of family, art, helping others, courage, values, and dreams coming true. The purpose of this quilt story is to reveal the message embedded to show we as a people, Greeks, Jews, Whites, Asians, Blacks, we are all chosen if we chose.

Conflict in Organizations, Good or Bad Essay

Organizational conflict is a state of discord caused by an actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests between people working together. Conflict takes many forms in organizations. There is the inevitable clash between formal authority and power and those individuals and groups affected. There are disputes over how revenues should be divided, how the work should be done and how long and hard people should work (team and relationship conflict). There are jurisdictional disagreements among individuals, executives, managers, teams, departments, and between unions and management. There are subtler forms of conflict involving rivalries, jealousies, personality clashes, role definitions, and struggles for power and favor. There is also conflict within individuals — between competing needs and demands — to which individuals respond in different ways. A process that begins when an individual or group perceives differences and opposition between itself and another individual or group about interest and resources, beliefs, values or practices that matter to them. It occurs or arises due to difference in expectation and knowledge, poor communication, fear, attachment, incompatible values, harassments, stress, scarce resources, past trauma, misunderstandings and perceived oppression. It also arises usually during mergers and acquisitions, union negotiations, performance appraisals, interpersonal issues, changing job functions, downsizing and reorganizations. Conflict has negative effects on organizations such as, increase in turnovers, absenteeism, health issues, wasted resources, increase in production cost and decrease in job satisfaction and performance. Its positive effects include, increases effort of workers, diagnostic information, creativity, learning of new skills and forming of deep bonds. Conflicts can be handled through in tegrating, forcing, competition, sharing, smoothing, avoiding and compromising. There are two ways of looking at organizational conflict; the functional and dysfunctional. Each of these ways is linked to a different set of assumptions about the purpose and function of organizations. Conflict that occurs in organizations need not be destructive, provided the energy associated with conflict is harnessed and directed towards problem-solving and organizational improvement. However, managing conflict effectively requires that all parties understand the nature of conflict in the workplace. The dysfunctional view (bad) of organizational conflict is imbedded in the notion that organizations are created to achieve goals by creating structures that perfectly define job responsibilities, authorities, and other job functions. Here, each worker knows where he or she fits, knows what he or she must do and knows how to relate to others in the organization. This traditional view of organizations values orderliness, stability and the repression of any conflict that occurs. To the â€Å"traditional† organizational thinker conflict implies that the organization is not designed or structured correctly or adequately. Common remedies would be to further elaborate job descriptions, authorities and responsibilities, increase the use of central power (discipline), separate conflicting members, etc. This view of organizations and conflict causes problems. Unfortunately, most managers consciously or unconsciously, value some of the characteristics of this â€Å"orderly† environment. Problems arise when it is not realized that this way of looking at organizational conflict only fits organizations that work in routine ways, where innovation and change are virtually eliminated. Virtually all government organizations work within a very disorderly context — one characterized by constant change and a need for constant adaptation. Trying to â€Å"structure away† conflict and disagreement in a dynamic environment requires tremendous amounts of energy, and will also suppress any positive outcomes that may come from disagreement, such as improved decision-making and innovation. When a bad conflict worsens it becomes an ugly conflict. Ugly conflicts occurs where the manager (and perhaps employees) attempt to eliminate or suppress conflict in situations where it is impossible to do so. Ugly conflicts in organizations occur when: conflicts run for years, people have given up on resolving and addressing conflict problems, there is a good deal of private â€Å"bitching† and complaining but little attempt to fix the problem and when staff show little interest in working to achieve common goals, but spend more time and energy on protecting themselves Under these circumstances there is a tendency to look to the manager or formal leader as being responsible for the mess. In fact, that is how most employees w ould look at the situation. It is true that managers and supervisors play critical roles in determining how conflict is handled in the organization, but it is also true that the avoidance of these ugly conflicts must be a shared responsibility. Management and employees must work together in a cooperative way to reduce them, and increase the likelihood that conflict can be channeled into an effective force for change. The functional (good) view of organizational conflict sees conflict as a productive force, one that can stimulate members of the organization to increase their knowledge and skills, and their contribution to organizational innovation and productivity. Unlike the position mentioned above, this more modern approach considers that the keys to organization success lie not in structure, clarity and orderliness, but in creativity, responsiveness and adaptability. The successful organization, then, needs conflict so that diverging views can be put on the table, and new ways of doing things can be created. The functional view of conflict also suggests that conflict provides people with feedback about how things are going. Even â€Å"personality conflicts† carry information to the manager about what is not working in an organization, affording the opportunity to improve. Personal conflict Personal conflict refers to an individual’s inner workings and personality problems. Conflict sometimes has a destructive effect on the individuals and groups involved. At other times, however, conflict can increase the capacity of those affected to help deal with problems, and therefore it can be used as a motivating force toward innovation and change. Conflict is encountered in two general forms. Many difficulties in this area are beyond the scope of management and more in the province of a professional counselor, but there are some aspects of personal conflict that managers should understand and some they can possibly help remedy. Social conflict include interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup differences Role Conflict Another facet of personal conflict has to do with the multiple roles people play in organizations. Each member of the organization belongs to a role set, which is an association of individuals who share interdependent tasks and thus perform formally defined roles, which are further influenced both by the expectations of others in the role set and by one’s own personality and expectations. For example, in an organization, employees are expected to learn from the instructor by listening to him, following his directions, undertaking assigned tasks, and maintaining appropriate standards of conduct. The manager is expected to provide the employee with high-quality working materials and resources, give advice and direction, conduct evaluation tests and work appraisals, provide a conducive working environment, and set a good example. The system of roles to which an individual belongs extends outside the organization as well, and influences his functioning within it. As an example, a man’s roles as husband, father, son, and church member are all intertwined with each other and with his set of organizational roles. As a consequence, there exist opportunities for role conflict as the various roles interact with one another. Other types of role conflict occur when an individual receives inconsistent demands from another person; for example, he is asked’ to serve on several time-consuming committees at the same time that he is urged to get out more production for his work unit. Another kind of role strain takes place when the individual finds that he is expected to meet the opposing demands of two or more separate members of the organization. Such a case would be that of a worker who finds himself pressured by his boss to improve the quality of his work while his work group wants more production in order to receive a higher bonus share. Conflict within groups Conflicts between people in work groups, committees, task forces, and other organizational forms of face-to-face groups are inevitable. As we have mentioned, these conflicts may be destructive as well as constructive. Conflict arises in groups because of the scarcity of freedom, position, and resources. People who value independence tend to resist the need for interdependence and, to some extent, conformity within a group. People who seek power therefore struggle with others for position or status within the group. Rewards and recognition are often perceived as insufficient and improperly distributed, and members are inclined to compete with each other for these prizes. In western culture, winning is more acceptable than losing, and competition is more prevalent than cooperation, all of which tends to intensify intragroup conflict. Group meetings are often conducted in a win-lose climate — that is, individual or subgroup interaction is conducted for the purpose of determining a winner and a loser rather than for achieving mutual problem solving. The win-lose conflict in groups may have negative effects such as: divert time and energy from the main issues, delay decisions, create deadlocks, drive unaggressive committee members to the sidelines, interfere with listening, obstruct exploration of more alternatives, decrease or destroy sensitivity, cause defensiveness, members to drop out or resign from committees, arouse anger that disrupts a meeting, interfere with empathy, leave losers resentful, incline underdogs to sabotage, provoke personal abuse. Conflict in the group need not lead to negative results, however, the presence of a dissenting member or subgroup often results in more penetration of the group’s problem as well as more creative solutions. This is because disagreement forces the members to think harder in an attempt to cope with what may be valid objections to general group opinion. But the group must know how to deal with differences that may arise. True interdependence among members leads automatically to conflict resolution in the group. Interdependence recognizes that differences will exist and that they can be helpful. Hence, members learn to accept ideas from dissenters (which does not imply agreeing with them), they learn to listen and to value openness, and they learn to share a mutual problem-solving attitude to ensure the exploration of all facets of a problem facing the group. Intergroup conflict between groups is a sometimes destructive, sometimes necessary, since event occurs at all levels and across all functions in organizations. Intergroup conflict may help generate creative tensions leading to more effective contributions to the organization’s goals, such as competition between sales districts for the highest sales. Intergroup conflict is destructive when it alienates groups that should be working together, when it results in win-lose competition, and when it leads to compromises that represent less-than-o ptimum outcomes. Intergroup conflict occurs in two general forms- Horizontal and Vertical strain. Horizontal strain involves competition between functions: for example, sales versus production, research and development versus engineering, purchasing versus legal, line versus staff, and so on. A clash between a sales department and production over inventory policy would be an example of horizontal strain. Vertical strain involves competition between hierarchical levels: for example, union versus management, foremen versus middle management, shop workers versus foremen. A struggle between a group of employees and management is an example of vertical strain or conflict. Certain activities and attitudes are typical in groups involved in a win-lose conflict. Each side closes ranks and prepares itself for battle. Members show increased loyalty and support for their own groups. Minor differences between group members tend to be smoothed over, and deviants are dealt with harshly. The level of morale in the groups increases and infuses everyone with competitive spirit. The power structure becomes better defined, as the â€Å"real† leaders come to the surface and members rally around the â€Å"best† thinkers and talkers. On the other hand, each group tends to distort both its own views and those of the competing group. What is perceived as â€Å"good† in one’s own position is emphasized, what is â€Å"bad† is ignored; the position of the other group is assessed as uniformly â€Å"bad,† with little â€Å"good† to be acknowledged or accepted. Thus, the judgment and objectivity of both groups are impaired. When such groups meet to â€Å"discuss† their differences, constructive, rational behavior is severely inhibited. Each side phrases its questions and answers in a way that strengthens its own position and disparages the other’s. Hostility between the two groups increases; mutual understandings are buried in negative stereotypes. It is easy to see that under the conditions described above, mutual solutions to problems cannot be achieved. As a result, the side having the greater power wins; the other side loses. Or the conflict may go unresolved, and undesirable conditions or circumstances continue. Or the conflict may be settled by a higher authority. None of these outcomes is a happy one. Disputes settled on the basis of power, such as through a strike or a lockout in a labor-management dispute, are often deeply resented by the loser. Such settlements may be resisted and the winner defeated in underground ways that are difficult to detect and to counter. When this happens, neither side wins; both are losers. If the conflict is left unresolved (it becomes an ugly conflict), as when both sides withdraw from the scene, intergroup cooperation and effectiveness may be seriously impaired to the detriment of the en tire organization. Disputes that are settled by higher authority also may cause resentment and what is called â€Å"lose-lose† consequences. Such settlements are invariably made on the basis of incomplete information —without data that the conflict itself obscures — and therefore are poor substitutes for mutually reasoned solutions. Strategies for Managing Group Conflicts include: Avoidance – a management strategy which includes non-attention or creating a total separation of the combatants or a partial separation that allows limited interactions. Smoothing – technique which stresses the achievement of harmony between disputants. Dominance or Power Intervention – the imposition of a solution by higher management, other than the level at which the conflict exists. Compromise – strategy that seeks a resolution which satisfies at least part of the each party’s position. Confrontation – strategy featuring a thorough and frank discussion of the sources and types of conflict and achieving a resolution that is in the best interest of the group, but that may be at the expense of one or all of the conflicting parties. Trained conflict resolver can begin with an economical intervention, such as getting group members to clarify and reaffirm shared goals. If necessary, he or she moves through a systematic series of interventions, such as testing the members’ ability and willingness to compromise; resorting to confrontation, enforced counseling, and/or termination as last resorts To conclude, the notion that conflict should be avoided is one of the major contributors to the growth of destructive conflict in the workplace. The â€Å"bad† view of conflict is associated with a vision of organizational effectiveness that is no longer valid (and perhaps never was). Conflict can be directed and managed so that it causes both people and organiza tions to grow, innovate and improve. However, this requires that conflict not be repressed, since attempts to repress are more likely to generate very ugly situations. Common repression strategies to be avoided are: nonaction, administrative orbiting, secrecy and law and order. Thus, conflict affecting organizations can occur in individuals, between individuals, and between groups. Also, conflicts within and between work groups in organizations are often caused by struggles over control, status, and scarce resources. The constructive resolution of such conflicts can most often be achieved through a rational process of problem solving, coupled with a willingness to explore issues and alternatives and to listen to each other. Conflict is not always destructive, it may be a motivator. When it is destructive, however, managers need to understand and do something about it. A rational process for dealing with the conflict should be programmed. Such a process should include a planned action response on the part of the manager or the organization, rather than relying on a simple reaction or a change that occurs without specific action by management. If managers should subscribe to the flexible vision of effective organizations, and at each conflict situation provide opportunity to improve, they can have the chance to harness the energy of conflict, directing it to be productive. Rather than trying to eliminate conflict, or suppress its symptoms, their task becomes managing conflict so that it enhances people and organizations, rather than destroying people and organizations. So, the task is to manage conflict, and avoid what we call â€Å"the ugly†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.where conflict is allowed to eat away at team cohesiveness and productivity.

Culture Barriers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Culture Barriers - Research Paper Example They have a unique attachment with the animals. These peasants do not allow the unused houses to be taken down because they think that their ancestors are connected to these houses and the abolishment of these houses would mean abolishing the memories of their ancestors. Others view them as signs of fertility. All these cultural beliefs combine to contribute towards the spread of the Chagas disease. (Bastien, The Kiss of Death) A common factor observed in the Guaranis is the lack of awareness. One way to prevent this barrier towards improving their health conditions is by making them aware. This can be done by sending awareness teams from house to house to educate the people of the harmful effects of this disease and ask for their corporation in the prevention of this disease. The most important obstacle that can be faced by a public health professional is the lack of awareness amongst the Guaranis. Lack of awareness can come with several other obstacles like conflicts and resistance from the population of that region. Due to incorporation from the people the public health professional would be unable to carry on his/her projects which can be a downside to the prevention of Chagas. TCM is completely different from Western Medicine. The Traditional Chinese Medicine has five main components for treatment: herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, exercise, and nutrition. However, the Western Medicine is based on components like drug intake, surgery, supplements, radiation, and other quick remedifying treatments. (2007, October 17).   The approach used to measure the efficacy of TCM tends to use multiple interactive measures, and the result of which depends on the criteria that whether the internal harmony is restored in the body or not which makes the evaluation of TCM difficult. TCM has much to offer but it cannot completely replace the modern scientific based medicine either. According to the traditional Chinese’s view the human body is the smaller version

Philosophy in Coaching, comparing coaches Essay

Philosophy in Coaching, comparing coaches - Essay Example Philosophy in Coaching, Comparing Coaches Coaches are regarded as the teachers who are entitled with the task of teaching athletes and team members possessing different skill sets. Coaches will impart knowledge and training to athletes, which will make them to perform different activities effectively with greater teamwork. Additionally, coaches will make the athletes aware of the characteristics along with the values that are essential to develop as a successful athlete and individual. In this regard, there are different aspects of coaching philosophy on the basis of which coaches impart their knowledge along with skills to athletes. Coaches should possess different skills, competencies and self-esteem in this respect. Respectively, coaches with different skill sets will be facilitated with the opportunity of imparting athletes with tactical, technical along with life skills. Coaches are also required to possess effective leadership skills. Specially mentioning, there are other certa in traits that include self-awareness, self-belief and self-disclosure, assisting coaches to become successful in performing their respective task efficiently (Martens, 1981). In this regard, the essay tends to describe the different aspects of Coach Phil Jackson and experiences along with traits required for the development of his competencies. Additionally, it emphasizes determining the knowledge and the skills imparted to athletes for maximizing their performances along with addressing the similarities and the distinctions between two coaches named Coach Wooden and Phil Jackson. Discussion Phil Jackson is recognized as one of the best coaches in the history of ‘National Basketball Association’ (NBA). He was born in the year 1945 and was engaged with different games such as football, basketball along with baseball in the days of his high school. During his graduation, he was selected to play basketball for the team North Dakota. In that game, he assisted his team to a cquire third and fourth place in NCAA Division II Championship. After that, he played for several years as a substitute player in the team New York Knicks. He was an all-round player with intelligence and hardworking capabilities. He was not identified as a star basketball player in his career. In the year 1980, he retired and started his career as a basketball coach in lower-level leagues. It can be viewed that his career as a basketball coach took great heights and assisted Chicago Bulls in winning NBA titles for six times. Additionally, as a coach of Los Angeles Lakers, he assisted the team to win NBA titles for three consecutive years (A+E Television Networks, LLC, 2013). Phil Jackson has acquired adequate knowledge and traits from his parents, which eventually assisted him to face different uprising challenges in an effective way. Moreover, from his school days, he developed his spiritual aspects in order to develop confidence towards performing his diverse activities with bett er zeal and success. Furthermore, it has been apparently observed that in his career life as a basketball player, he developed team-oriented style at large. Additionally, he possessed certain in-built capabilities that include confidence, focused and self-possessed along with consistent attitude. In

Ethics and International Politics - 'What, if any role ought scholars Essay

Ethics and International Politics - 'What, if any role ought scholars and practitioners of international politics envision for morality & justice in the international realm of the political - Essay Example This, therefore, creates a need for applying ethical theories that can ensure a clear line between practical and moral issues in the international relations scene. As a result, there have to be some individuals such as scholars and practitioners who determine the direction of morality and justice. In this paper, I will examine the roles scholars and practitioners of international politics envision for morality and justice in the international realm of the political. Morality and justice in the international realm is a responsibility that requires a sense of duty in all the key players. According to Kant (1988), everyone has an obligation to assume the introduction of justice in terms of the arrival of perpetual peace and the ethical commonwealth. Morality can only be ascertained on the grounds that endless development of the capacity of humans to do good is a fact under consideration. All in all, sense of responsibility and duty in all humans are what directs us to assume the development of the world, bearing the concept of justice in mind (Kant, 1988). As such, since justice can be some necessity, then moral actions can no longer be regarded as noble, but rather rational. This is because of the need to act according to the projected development of the world’s gradual just system (Rakic, 2010). There is a wide distribution of potential in units of the realm, some of which has more potential than others and thus determines the shape of the realm, as well as poses the problems that the not so capable ones have to handle. This position, in one way or the other, creates tragedy between international politics and oligopolistic sectors of a unit’s economy. This is because the major actors with immense potential control the actions of the others with no potential. According to Frost (2003) and Mayall (2003), scholars of politics and international relations need to consider tragedy on a more serious ground than they have

(you decide for me) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

(you decide for me) - Essay Example This type of racism is rampant in white dominated societies. The other form of racism is economic racism; this mainly has historical orientation with regard to economic or social disparity affecting the current generation. Some of these practices include a biased technique of hiring of employees based on race, a biased salary payment procedure, use of inflated requirements with regard to educational qualification or rendering foreign credentials invalid with regard to applying for a position in an organization. It has been argued that, hypothetically, a capitalist economy or profit driven employer reduces racial segregations, in the sense that, capitalists would avoid extra cost by accommodating everyone and minimizing discrimination or any racist hiring policies. However, normally cultural norm or affiliations tend to overwhelm the capitalists ideology in the sense that, hiring an individual of a different race to a managerial position may hamper communication among the other employers, jeopardizing the company’s operations. This tend ency may continue to the outside of the company, as other companies tend to isolate it too. The other form of racism is the institutional racism. This is a form of racism incorporated within the policies of a given institution, its practices and institutional procedures. These policies of which may be lead to deliberately or unconsciously, direct or indirectly promote, support or ingrain differential advantage for individuals belonging to certain races. Generally, institutional racism involves overt racist acts by individuals of which is not adequately responded to by the organization. Institutional racism is not just limited to institutions alone, it extensively covers even governments, co-operations and even religions. For instance, there are governments or branches of government arms that perpetuate racism against individuals with foreign origin by denying them access to basic

Designing and Preparing the Evaluation Assignment - 1

Designing and Preparing the Evaluation - Assignment Example In this step, one determines where the program presently is. The result of the Assessment step is an analysis of the SWOTs (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) as per the data analysis. Here, a five-year strategic plan should be developed and written. The strategic planning workforce analyses the SWOTs and uses the results to make out and prioritize policies that the program aims to implement a stated work frame agreement. I will then revise my plan logic model and line up my yearly work plan with the prioritized policies and the timeline to be implemented. The key product of this step is the documented strategic plan. Of the most important sections of the â€Å"create† step are the executive summary, SWOT analysis, stakeholder list, program strategies, data sources list, aligned yearly work plan, implementation process, communication process, and revised five-year strategy. The step involves sharing out data concerning the plan in a manner that make the plan easily understood and essential for stakeholders. The results of the â€Å"communicate† step include the communication notes and products that I distribute annually about the strategic plan, such as evaluation, creation, and implementation. The strategies in the plan are practiced as illustrated in the strategic plan execution timeline. This step produces completion of actions in yearly work plans, as mirrored in the accomplishment of SMART aims. The implementation is recorded in my strategic plan in progress documents, using the indicators of the marketing training programs. In the evaluation step, I will evaluate the implementation of the plan and my program activities. I can develop questions and gather data to notify the yearly work plan for the following year. Data used in the evaluation are utilized in monitoring the progress of the five-year strategic plan.

Assigment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assigment 3 - Essay Example I was unsure why I was doing the same but during the course of the day; I started to realize so many negativities that were in his personality. I had never envisioned Rick to be that bad but that day made me think of very negative things about him. I saw that he was not only mean but also very authoritative in his actions and undertakings, and that he would things as feels like. I was against such a personality in my mind but I never realized until that day that he was a bad person to be friends with. In short, I had come across so much about him in my mind that day that I could not even gather the same in the years passed by. It was an eye-opener for me. In the evening, we two met at the basketball court but did not talk to each other. Our combined friends were astonished as to what exactly was going on between the two of us. This was a very unusual experience for me since I could not have envisioned something that would keep me at a distance from Rick for one entire day. It was a heartbreaking thing yet I was more than happy to be away from him. We had not talked to each other the whole day and my animosity for him was growing with each passing minute. I was literally cursing him for the bad things that existed within his personality. At about 10 o’ clock in the night, I bumped into Rick at the store. He was getting his usual dose of cola drinks and I was there to get some medicines for my family. We still did not talk to each other, let alone did not even bother to have a second gaze. Suddenly the salesman asked me to wait for Rick to stop shopping so that we could pay together. I was amazed and so was Rick that nearly everyone around us knew so much about our friendship that they took us as ‘one’ and not two separate individuals. Suddenly something happened and it made me go and hu g him instantly. It was one of those feelings that one has very little control about.

Reality Television shows Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reality Television shows - Essay Example Reality television began back in the 1950s. The show that is dubbed as â€Å"the granddaddy of reality TV† was a show known as Candid Camera. This show aired in 1948, and it was basically centered on taping how people would react to pranks, much like Punk’d. This show was responsible for placing hidden cameras or microphones in backyards or households, they were already there in the eyes and ears of concerned and vigilant citizens encouraged by government propaganda to report any signs of â€Å"un-American† activity (Holmes and Jermyn, 35). The very first Miss America pageant was aired in 1954, making the winner an instant celebrity. Since then, there have been many reality shows that have taken the nation by storm. Shows such as The Dating Game, An American Family, Big Brother, The Real World, American Idol, and so much more. People keep coming back to the show because they can associate to it, they fact that it’s unscripted makes the characters on the sh ow more relatable, and it offers you an inside view to almost anywhere. The hidden camera could document the world of institutions, from the judiciary system to the mental hospital (Oullette and Murray, 25) There are many genres on the reality TV front; one that is picking a lot of fans is the Reality competition genre. These shows follow the format of non-tournament elimination contests. The common scenario is the participants are filmed competing to win a prize, often living together in a confined environment. Usually, it goes on until only one person or one team is left, and they’re declared the winner/s. The elimination can be done either by voting, or by judges selecting who passes through. Examples of such shows are Big Brother, American Idol, America’s Got Talent, Star Search, etc. These shows don’t just come to mind. Social scientists continue to serve as consultants in reality TV to this day, screening contestants for shows and helping to design situati ons and guidelines for interaction (Oullette and Murray, 26). One show that has captivated is Survivor. This show was created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. It premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS. It was hosted by Jeff Probst and produced by Mark Burnett. As a result of the show, the latter has a second career as a management consultant, serving as motivational speaker and helping executives develop skills to compete effectively in the corporate â€Å"jungle† (Oullette and Murray, 27). The show centers on a group of castaways in different tribes left out in the middle of nowhere, and they must search and provide their own food, shelter, water, fire and they must look out for themselves. There are weekly challenges where rewards such as fine food, or much-needed rest is offered. The last three or two that are left standing are usually left at the mercy of the other eliminated contestants. They vote for who should win, and the winner gets one million dollars. This show has experience d a lot of success. It is commonly considered the â€Å"mother of American reality TV† because it experienced high ratings and was very profitable. It’s currently had twenty-two seasons and three-hundred and two episodes. Over the years, Survivor has been set in many different places such as Thailand, Polynesia, Australia, Malaysia, Vanuatu, Panama, to name a few. The most recent season is based in the beach of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Contract Law Part 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contract Law Part 1 - Essay Example Initially, it was not given much recognition by the courts. It was left to Lord Denning to assess its significance and reintroduce it in Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd. In this case the plaintiffs had leased out a number of apartments to the defendants. Thereupon, the World War had commenced. Consequently, the occupancy of these apartments reduced drastically. The defendants requested the plaintiffs and obtained a reduction in the lease amount. Afterwards, the World War came to an end and all the apartments were occupied. At this juncture, the plaintiffs demanded the originally agreed upon lease amount, for the period when the World War had been in progress. Lord Denning ruled that this was inequitable, because this would require the defendants to pay the full amount even though the apartments had been vacant2. Therefore, the plaintiffs were made subject to a promissory estoppel. It was held by the Court of Appeal in Williams v Roffey that where a party to an existing contract later agrees to pay an extra bonus in order to ensure that the other party performs his obligations under the contract, then that agreement is binding if the party agreeing to pay the bonus has thereby obtained some new practical advantage or has avoided a disadvantage. It was also held that executing an existing contractual obligation constitutes valid consideration, because it prevents the breaching of a contract with a third party3. Moreover, in CTN Cash and Carry Ltd v. Gallaher Ltd, it was decided that the practical benefit accruing to the promisor must be treated as consideration for extra payment4. In Central London Property Trust Ltd V. High Trees House Ltd, rent was reduced during World War II, as per the new agreement. After, the war was over, the landlord attempted to invoke the original contract, in order to obtain higher rent. The tenants invoked the principle of estoppel against the landlord and prevented him from enhancing the rent. In

Climate change Essay Example for Free

Climate change Essay The topic of the dissertation is very clear and well-defined. The problems that have been set forth by the researcher have also been posed with great clarity. To wit, the dissertation aims to ascertaon how green travel blogs perceive the problem of climate change and the manner by which it is affected by the tourism industry; how tourists, in their green travel blogs, choose to go â€Å"green,† looking into their knowledge of the negative effects of tourism on climate change; and how green travel blogs contribute in making tourists aware of the relationship between tourism and climate change. All these have been answered through an analysis of the discourse found in these blogs. The researcher acknowledges the strong relationship that exists between climate change and tourism, and thus analyzing the content of travel blogs will give clear indications about how tourism may further be enhanced through the perceptions of climate change derived from this medium. Simply put, this paper has given valuable input that shall help tourism flourish. Literature Review The literature review is clearly yielded from the most recent sources on the topic. It directly discusses the importance of the subject by beginning with the relationship of climate change and tourism, as indicated by the World Tourism Organization in 2003. It also did mention the requisites that are asked from the tourism industry to help mitigate the problems on environment and climate change, setting a strong rationale for undertaking the study. Empirical studies that further point out the relationship between these two variables were presented such as those of Becken and Hay (2007), Boniface and Cooper (2005), Hall and Higham (2005), Lockwood and Medlik (2002), Jones and Munday (2007), and Belle and Bramwell (2005), among others. From this backdrop, the review of related literature zooms in on the role of travel blogs as a medium for promotion, product distribution, communication, management, and research has been clearly suggested from various empirical studies. These have successfully gained popularity in order to ensure that they communicate initiatives in the fight against climate change and/or global warming. Major books and journal articles have been gathered and synthesized in a coherent manner to allow for an effective springboard for the research. Moreover, relevant transition from each portion of the literature to the next may be observed. There is synthesis and a demonstration of the interrelationships of concepts, making the review cohesive and critical.

Medical Translation: Functionalist Approaches

Medical Translation: Functionalist Approaches Medical Translation: functionalist approaches Translation is used in every day life and is used in multiple fields of work. Translation is defined in the Collins Dictionary as a piece of writing or speech that has been translated into another action and as the act of translating something. The two definitions point to the two different ways translation is explained, the first as being the product produced by the translator and the second as the actual process of translation. The dictionary of Translation Studies additionally introduces sub types of translation such as literary translation, technical translation, subtitling and machine translation. . .interpreting (Hatim, Munday: 2004). The sub type I shall be discussing is medical translation. At every milestone, translation was the key to scientific progress as it unlocked for each successive inventor and discoverer the minds of predecessors who expressed their innovative thoughts in another language (Fischbach: Wright1993). Translation has been used since Hippocrates and Galen in Greek and was translated primarily into Latin and Arabic, Arabic especially in the Middle Ages. This spread knowledge to the Western world producing translations into Castilian and English. [1] Whilst medical translation shares many features with other sub types in that it involves adapting to cultural differences, using technological tools and communicating through linguistic barriers, this sub type has many specialties of its own. When translating a medical text, one must be careful to communicate the specific knowledge correctly. Factual complexity and accuracy becomes a main priority for the translator. Medical terminology, communicative situations (among specialists, in the mass media, in education, to patients, in campaigns and internationally), medical genres and medical ethics also influence the way in which translation is produced. I shall be focusing on functional approaches to translation, introducing Vermeers Skopostheorie, Reiss theory of text types and functional equivalence and lexical equivalence, applying them to the aspects of specific audiences, Latin based terms, medical English standardisations and medical texts. Functionalism is the broad term used for the many theories that approach translation using functionalist methods. It focuses on the importance of the function or functions of the target text rather than the linguistic equivalence to the source text. Texts are produced with a specific purpose or function in mind. The starting point for any translation is therefore not the linguistic surface structure of the ST, but the purpose of the TT (Nord: 1997). It also includes the notion of translation as communication. Translation is defined as a purposeful, transcultural activity whose linguistic form depends on the function or the purpose of the target text. Action, communication and cultural theories are included under the title of functionalism. Skopostheorie, translational action theory and Reiss and Vermeers general theory of translation will be discussed in further detail. The main theory within functionalist approaches is Skopostheorie, (Skopos meaning purpose in Greek) by Hans J. Vermeer. Vermeer believes that linguistics alone is not enough for translation as he believes not all problems can be solved solely through language abilities but that the prime principal determining any translation process is the purpose (Skopos) of the overall translational action (Vermeer: Nord1997). He understands translation as a human action and that all actions are intentional and purposeful behaviours. Any form of translational action, including therefore translation itself, may be conceived as an action, as the name implies. Any action has an aim, a purpose. [. . . ] The word Skopos, then, is a technical term for the aim or purpose of a translation (Vermeer1989). He also adds that these behaviours take place in situations which happen in cultures which consequently leads to the Skopostheorie being culture specific as Holz-Manttari explains in further detail. From this thought, Vermeer derives a general Skopos rule, which states: translate/interpret/speak/write in a way that enables your text/translation to function in a situation in which it is used and with the people who want to use it and precisely in the way they want it to function. This rule is designed to solve dilemmas such as free vs. faithful translation or dynamic vs. formal equivalence. Another general rule mentioned which will be discussed again later is the coherence rule which concerns the target text must be coherent to allow the intended users to understand it in their situational circumstances. Another important factor of Skopostheorie is that of the addressee which is the receiver or the audience. The translation must be directed towards them, which is why purpose and the coherence rule are so important. *** Holz-Mantarris translational action theory goes further than the Vermeer in that she completely disregards the word translation, referring to it instead as message transmitters. She describes translation as a complex action designed to achieve a particular purpose. The purpose of this theory is to create the ability to send messages across culture and language barriers by experts (translators). She also highlights the actional aspects of the translation process such as the translator, initiator, message receiver and the situational conditions in which the action (of translation) takes place. She calls this intercultural cooperation. The audience, as mentioned before, is one of the most important factors in Skopostheorie. Medic al translation requires the translator to be faithful to the client as well as the source text*** In the medical field, there are two main types of audiences: the lay audience and the expert audience. Often, when translating medical technical terms, which is very common and can cause problems, terms can be changed or borrowed in order to make sense in the target culture. Because Latin was once the lingua franca of medicine and Greek was the original language of medical text, there still exists today a great amount of Latin and Greek based words and the use of Latin and Greek suffixes and prefixes. This topic has proved difficult for translators as it challenges the Skopostheorie in that linguistic equivalence is not necessary. We see here that this is not always the case. The use of Latin words is extremely common in English; words such as pneumonia and appendicitis are very common amongst both types of audiences. When translating into romance languages and even into Germanic languages, the word tends to be equivalent to that of the English with minor spelling changes: English Spanish  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   German Pneumonia Neumonia Pneumonie Appendicitis Apendicitis Appendizitis However, in some countries such as Germany and Denmark, Latin continues to act as the lingua franca in medicine and therefore is not understood by the lay audience. They are replaced by more popularized terms in order to reach out to a larger audience: German Danish Expert:   appendizitis expert: Appendicitis Non- expert: Blinddarmentzundung non-expert: blindtarmsbetoendelse Expert: Pneumonie expert: pneumoni Non- expert: Lungenentzundung non- expert: lungebetoendelse [1] Hippocrates, known as the Father of Medicine, was known for his medical knowledge which Galen and Perganum expanded 400 years after. The numerous articles of Hippocrates and Galen gave way to the need of medical translation. Aulus Cornelius Celsus, otherwise known as Cicero, was the first to translate the Greek works and terms into Latin in the first century AD. With the rise of Islam in the seventh century, and the establishment of medical schools in the major cities such as Baghdad and Damascus created the need for translation of Greek medical works into Arabic. By the Middle Ages, translation from Arabic to Latin saw the spreading of information to the Western world and Christian Europe and with the colonisation of the New World and the discovering of new drugs, translations into Castilian and English were produced in the sixteenth century (Fischbach: Wright1993). In the Renaissance, Latin was the Lingua Franca creating translations between Latin and vernacular languages and b etween vernacular languages themselves (Montalt and Davies, 2007). Bill T Jones | Choreography Analysis Bill T Jones | Choreography Analysis Bill T. Jones is a startling choreographer with an exhilarating presence and charisma. His compilation of Solos includes Tea for Two, Ionization, and Chaconne. All different from each other are depictions of Jones emotions and body movements to their extremes. Giving a brief explanation to each, Tea for Two is a depiction of emotions like desire and love, while Ionization has an extreme involvement of strong music, movement, and expressions which depict violence, and finally, Chaconne is a flickering performance that displays the involvement of artistic techniques and music insinuating a certain story, or feeling. This paper is an outlook of Jones work, especially in these performances, and how each performance is an artistic representation of a certain theme. The classical song Tea for Two is what Bill T. Jones performance is based upon. It is a solo which he presents twice; once on the stairs, and next in a studio. On the other hand, as a spectator I have realized that differences in the setting may lead to a vast distinction between two performances. Firstly, Tea for Two: On the Stairs. The performance is a depiction of love, freewill, and desire. I have felt that Jones performs with his full fervor on the streets out to celebrate. Also, the lyrics sung by Blossom Dearie speak for themselves as the dancer is blissful and content about the house created for him and his lover away from the busy life of the city. As a spectator, I have felt that it is a romantic ballad dance where Jones is conveying to his audience that he is happy regarding being alone with his loved one with no one to bother them enabling them to have tea for two and enjoying it without any interruption. Also, I have realized that Jones free style of dancing reflects his freedom and peacefulness. The daylight tends to capture the essence of love and happiness, while his facial expressions are of a happy man content with his living and life. In this dance sequence, the space is fully utilized with no sets, or props to disturb the concept of freedom he is trying to convey to the audience. A very natural and clean performance, which shows what little happiness in life, along with a loved one, can do to a human being. Furthermore, moving on to Tea for Two: In the Studio. Although Jones had performed the piece twice on the same music, the difference in the setting gave the dance another feeling. I felt that Jones is not performing with the same essence, or power. Also, I believe that his performance in the studio constrained him; impeded him from moving freely, unlike his performance on the stairs where you could feel the positive energy shimmering from every movement and line Jones had made. Moreover, Do you think Ill make a soldier, every round goes higher and higher, do you want to have your freedom? are the words of Bill T. Jones which he added after his performance to the piece in the studio. To me, this altered the mood after watching the performance as Jones left the audience in deep thoughts; also, as a spectator, I did not fully understand the intention of such a quote; however, it could be that Jones is doubtful while referring to himself as a soldier, and questionable regarding acquiring his freedom as he pictures it with his loved one. Moving on to another spectacular piece by Bill T. Jones entitled Ionization. Ionization is a piece choreographed to a classic music composition by Edgar Varese, and this dance piece is an excellent synchronization of different instruments with the moves of the body. Also, as a spectator, the dance is an ionization of the human body to different beats in life and is also built on the premise of how a body moves to the most sensitive distinctions of various kinds of percussive sounds. Different instruments such as the bass and the drums are a pleasure to hear when synchronized to the soft and soothing sounds of the piano and the saxophone. Also, as a spectator, I was awakened with the African like beats, as well as, beats similar to the roaring of a lion and sirens allowing Jones to shift within the space using stronger movements according to the beat of the instruments. Furthermore, I consider this solo performance by Jones very much attention grabbing as the way he communicated with his audience through his facial expressions was outstanding; also, the way he switched swiftly from one expression to another, yet having full control to make such switches apparent was expertly done. Moreover, violence could be seen gradually in the performance from the beginning to the end from his sharp stomp like movements to his facial expressions with accordance to the music played. However, although Jones performance fully caught my attention, the music he chose for such a sequence was somehow dominating making me focus in certain parts with the music played rather than Jones while performing. Additionally, Chaconne is framed around spoken text and the music of Bachs D-Minor Partita for Solo Violin. This solo performance accompanied by Bachs D Minor Partita could be about Jones personal memories accompanied by the appearance of written text on screen about a close friend of him, or it could be dedicated to his mother. Moreover, I believe that the text is directly related to the sad and painful moves of Jones in the dance sequence. Also, the text helped me as a spectator understand the mood of the performer and comprehend the purpose of the dance sequence as it felt that Jones was somehow impersonating the person in agony, or remembering how she felt during her instant of pain, especially during the part while he was on the floor with his hand forming a heart like shape and the text appearing. Furthermore, the music, which is entirely a mix of violins, added to the softness of the performance. Although there is a huge difference between Jones four performances, I have liked Chaconne the most as I have felt that it reflects certain hidden emotions within him which he is able to only reflect through dance and hidden speech. Last but not least, it is difficult to compare between two profound choreographers such as Bill T. Jones and Merce Cunningham; however, I have admired Jones style most as to me he managed to portray original contemporary dancing and choreography. Although Merce Cunningham is a pioneer in contemporary dancing, and I am not a guru in such a field to fully express my opinion; however, that is what I have realized after watching several pieces by both choreographers. Bill T. Jones is an exquisite performer and choreographer who is able to grab hold of his audiences attention from the moment he starts dancing. Also, his ability to establish choreography with clear messages sent is an attribute which I find significant. Bill T. Jones is truly proficient in his field of expertise, and really has the ability to keep his audience engaged wherever and whenever he performs.

Status Of Languages In Mauritius English Language Essay

Status Of Languages In Mauritius English Language Essay The study of this dissertation is based on the use of modern technology in the teaching and learning process at secondary level education. Being a language teacher (French language), I have focused my study on language classes being conducted in a technology-based environment, also known as a Language Laboratory. This dissertation will seek to evaluate the use and the effectiveness of a language laboratory to teach second languages such as English and French languages in Mauritian secondary schools. It is a comparative study between the St. Andrews School, situated at Rose-Hill, which is equipped with a language lab and the Vacoas SSS (Girls) which represents the classical classroom method of teaching languages. 1.1 BACKGROUND: STATUS OF LANGUAGES IN MAURITIUS In the official website of the Government of Mauritius, the status of languages in Mauritius is described as follows: English is the official language. French is extensively used and Creole is widely spoken. Asian languages also form part of the linguistic mosaic. (Government portal of Mauritius 2012) However, when unfolding the above-mentioned description of the linguistic situation in Mauritius, we will see that it is not that simple, due to its complex history of immigration and colonization. 1.1.1 COLONIAL HISTORY OF MAURITIUS The colonial history of Mauritius is the root cause of our multiethnic and multilingual society. It all started with the Arab and then Portugese sailors who are believed to have visited our island in the early XVIth century. Between 1590 and 1710, the Dutch colonized the island and their main activity was the exportation of ebony wood. For this purpose, they brought several Malagasy slaves in Mauritius. However they have not made major developments apart from the introduction of sugar cane, domestic animals and deer. In 1715, Mauritius became a french colony and it has been extensively developped especially when Mahà © de Labourdonnais governed the country as from 1735. Many slaves were imported mostly from Africa and Madagascar and a few Indians came from Coromanddel and Malabar Coast. Other French governors continued the development of the island until 1810 when the British took over. However, they decided to preserve the laws, customs, language, religion and property, that is, the civil and judicial administration of the island as it was during the French reign. During the English colony, sugar production increased to become a major foreign income earner, thus leading to economic progress which called for the expansion and development of means of communication and appropriate infrastructure. All these development necessitated the importation of more slaves from Africa and Madagascar. However in 1835 the abolition of slavery brought major changes in the island on the socio-economic and demographic fields. A large number of indentured laborer from different parts in India were coming to Mauritius to work in the sugar cane fields and later a small number of Chinese traders joined them in the island. In 1907 the immigration ceased, however many Indians had already settled permanently in the island and as a matter of fact they formed the majority of the population. The gathering of a mosaic of people from India, China, Africa and Europe lead to a process of hybridization and intercultural frictions and dialogues. In 1959, voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. In 1968 Mauritius gained its independence. (Government protal of Mauritius 2012) 1.1.2 ACTUAL LINGUISTIC SITUATION OF MAURITIUS Today the population of Mauritius is more than 1.2 million people, which consists of 68% Indo-Mauritians (Hindus and Muslims), 27% Creole (Af ro-Mauritians and mixed population), 3% Sino-Mauritians and 2% Franco-Mauritians (CIA, 2008). Rajah-Carrim (2005) has identified eleven main languages actually used in Mauritius and she further classified them into three categories: colonial languages (English and French) and language of everyday communication (Creole), and ancestral languages (Indian and Chinese languages) which are used on limited occasions. Mahadeo (2004) explains the linguistic situation of Mauritius in these terms : Given the number of languages (at least 12) used by different ethnic groups in an island with a population which now exceeds 1.2 million people and an area of 720 square miles, Mauritius presents an extreme case of individual multilingualism According to Chiba (2006), Mauritius is the most linguistically fashionable place on the planet. Mauritian swap languages depending on the circumstances, in the same way as others change clothes. He further illustrated his point of view with the following example: Over the course of a day a typical Mauritian might use English to write a school essay, Kreol Morisien to chat with friends, French to read a novel and Bhojpuri to spend a quiet evening with the family. Chiba (2006) then classified the use of the major languages as follows: Home: Kreol and Bhojpuri Government and schools: English Business: French and Kreol Literature, newspapers and television: French Casual speech: Kreol However Chiba (2006) pointed out that this table is only an overview since French is also often present in government and English is not completely absent in the media. In his Ethnologue: Languages of the world, Lewis (2009) has enumerated the main languages spoken in Mauritius with their respective number of users: English: 3,000 speakers (1993), French: 37,000 speakers, Morisyen: 800,000 speakers (2005), Bhojpuri: 336,000 speakers (2001), Urdu: 64,000 speakers (1993), Hakka Chinese: 35,000 speakers (1990), Tamil: 31,000 speakers (2001), Eastern Panjabi: speakers (1990), Marathi: 11,800 speakers (1990), Telugu: 10,700 speakers (1990) and Gujarati: 3,340 speakers (1990). The main colonial languages used in Mauritius are English, which is the official language and French which is considered as the second and semi-official language and which is widely used in the media and for oral communication. However other languages such as Spanish, Italian and German are also used especially in the sector of education and tourism. The lingua franca of Mauritius is the Kreol Morisyen which is considered by the majority of Mauritians, as their mother tongue. Moreover, this language as acts as a language of unity and many works are being presently carried out to standardise its orthographe and its grammar. The Kreol Morisyen is now present in the education system of Mauritius, at primary level where the students are given the choice to opt for this language or an oriental language. A quite large number of ancestral languages are also present in Mauritius such as Bhojpuri, Hindi, Gujerati, Kutchi, Mandarin, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and Arabic, but their use are limited to cultural instances. However the Bhojpuri language can be considered as another lingua franca of Mauritius since quite a large number of Mauritians still use it for oral communication. 1.2 AIM The aim of this study is to find out whether the language lab can be considered as a solution to the various language issues faced by Mauritian students, by evaluating its impact in the teaching and learning process of languages at secondary level of education. 1.3 OBJECTIVES The set objectives of this study are to evaluate: 1. The level of improvement, if any, in the language competencies of the students with the language laboratory 2. The students level of comfort and ease in a language lab, a modern class setting and with modern learning tools. 3. The students level of motivation, interest and response in language laboratory classes. 4. The Teachers response, the classroom management and the classroom atmosphere in a language lab. 5. A comparison between language classes in a language lab and language classes in a traditional language class. 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT Mauritians are considered bilingual; we can communicate in both English and French languages. Even if Mauritians use the Creole language to communicate orally, English is the official language in Mauritius and French is considered as a semi-official language in Mauritius. Both these languages are taught in primary schools as compulsory subjects alongside the Mauritian Kreol and some oriental languages which are optional subjects. In secondary schools, English and French languages are core compulsory subjects from the Form I till the School certificate classes and they are taught as second languages and not foreign languages. Thus we can say that all Mauritian students study English and French languages since the age of 5 or 6 yrs old, but still at the end of the secondary education, few of us can have a proper conversation or can write a letter without grammatical errors in these languages. A precise analysis of the statistics, published by Mauritius Examination Syndicate MES on the pass rate of Mauritian students, clearly shows that the level of Mauritian students in English and French is low. Even though the percentage pass is high, quality-wise the results are not good. (MES, 2011) There are various factors which can explain this problem and the main reasons are: the lack of motivation of the students in language classes, the lack of exposure to the languages, contact with other languages, the decline of the reading culture, the language subjects being considered as less important subjects and the exam oriented syllabus among others. This research will thus propose an alternative way of conducting language classes, namely using the language laboratory. It will try to measure its effectiveness, efficiency and relevance and whether it can be considered as a solution to the above mentioned problem. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS According to the objectives of the study, the research questions have been formulated as follows: 1. What are the language issues in the teaching and learning process of second languages in Mauritius? 2. What are the roles of modern technology in language classes and to what extent can technology be a remedy to these issues? 3. What is a language laboratory and what is its impact in a secondary school? 4. What is the students and teachers response in a language laboratory which is a modern class setting with modern teaching and learning tools? 5. To what extent can the students compare this modern language class with their traditional language classes? 6. Have the teachers and the students noticed an improvement in their language competencies with the language laboratories? If yes, which specific domain(s) of their language competencies have been improved? (E.g. grammar, pronunciation, vocabularies, reading, writing, spelling, fluencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)

Rheumatoid Arthritis Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, heart, blood vessels, and eyes. The prevalence of this autoimmune disease is between 0.3% to 1.5% of the population in the United States (Feinberg, pp 815). It affects women two to three times more often than men, and the onset of RA is usually between 25 and 50 years of age, but it can occur at any age (Reed, pp 584). RA can be diagnosed by establishing the presence of persistent joint pain, swelling in a symmetric distribution, and prolonged morning stiffness. RA usually affects multiple joints, such as the hands, wrists, knees, elbows, feet, shoulders, hips, and small hand joints. RA is usually characterized by the inflammation of the synovium, which lines the joints and tendon sheaths of the body.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The etiology of this disease is unknown. There are multiple factors involved in this disease, including autoimmune reactions and environmental factors. There is also a genetic predisposition that has been identified that can be related to the cause of RA. Rheumatoid arthritis develops as a result of an interaction of many factors. Much research is going on now to understand these factors and how they work together. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of several "autoimmune" diseases because a person's immune system attacks his or her own body tissues (Gordon, pp 16). A feature of rheumatoid arthritis is that it varies a lot from person to person. For some people, it lasts only a few months or a year or two and goes away without causing any noticeable damage. Other people have mild or moderate disease, with periods of worsening symptoms, called flares, and periods in which they feel better, called remissions. Still others have severe disease that is active most of the time , lasts for many years, and leads to serious joint damage and disability. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs in all races and ethnic groups. Although the disease often begins in middle age and occurs with increased frequency in older people, children and young adults also develop it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1987, the American Rheumatism Association developed seven criteria to define RA. First, morning stiffness in and around joints lasting at least one hour before improvement. Second, there is arthritis of three or more joint areas. Third, there is swelling of at least one ... ...person's tension can be released in more positive ways rather in a harmful manner towards himself/herself or towards others. The OT may also promote the person to participate in more social activities to get him or her to feel more competent and increase one's self-esteem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Persons with arthritis often do not comply with treatment and management routines, so the Occupational therapist may need to provide him or her with good learning or teaching techniques. The OT must also share with the patient the expectations about treatment and management, encourage personal responsibility for his or her care, and maintain a relaxed environment to encourage communication with other professionals and loved ones. The OT must also be cautious of any other health concerns that may arise due to the progression of the illness or even side effects from the medications. There are so many affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis and it is a growing illness that has been seen across the United States. In the future of medicine, more and more research will be done to find the cure to this illness, but for now, such treatment like Occupational therapy will further advance the lives of those living with RA.

Essay on Chaucers Canterbury Tales - Greed in the Pardoner’s Tale

The Pardoner’s Greed    The pardoner, in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale, is a devious character.   He is a man with a great knowledge of the Catholic Church and a great love of God. However, despite the fact that he is someone whom is looked at with respect at the time, the pardoner is nothing more than an imposter who makes his living by fooling people into thinking he forgives their sins, and in exchange for pardons, he takes their money.   His sermon-like stories and false relics fool the people of the towns he visits and make him seem as a plausible man, which is exactly what the pardoner wants.   In fact, the pardoner is an avaricious and deceitful character whose driving force in life is his motto, â€Å"Radix malorum est cupiditas,† which is Latin for â€Å"greed is the root of evil.†Ã‚   The pardoner’s entire practice is based upon his motto and is motivated entirely by greed. The pardoner is supposed to forgive sins, however, he views his position as a scheme to make money and turns it into a fraud.   His excellent speaking skills allow him to turn this profession into a scam.   He attracts the people with his storytelling and his sermons, which are pleasing to them, â€Å"By God, I hope I shal yow telle a thyng / That shal by reson been at youre liking,† (457-58).   One example of a sermon about his motto is the tale of the three rioters.   This tale gives an ironic explanation related to the rioters deaths, due to greed and the pardoners practice of his profession, which is also driven by greed (Rossignol, 267).   He tells the people what they would like to hear, so that he may pull them into his trap and later cheat them out of their money.   His technique to fooling people is to preach on the subject of   â€Å"Radix malorum est c... ...iving.   The pardoner submits himself to his theme of â€Å"Radix malorum est cupiditas.† His theme becomes a reality and he   allows avarice to take control his life.   Just as Jesus lived life living into eternal life, the pardoner lives his life dying into eternal death by committing his avaricious acts and deceiving people in the name of God.   Works Cited Brewer, Derek.  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"The Canterbury Tales.† An Introduction to Chaucer.   New York:      Longman Inc., 1984 Hussey, S. S.  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"The Canterbury Tales II.† Chaucer: An Introduction.   New York: Methuen & Co., 1981 Pichaske, David R.  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Pardoner’s Tale.† The Movement of the Canterbury Tales: Chaucer’s Literary Pilgrimage.   New York:   Norwood Editions, 1977 Rossignol, Rosalyn.  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"The Pardoner’s Tale.†Ã‚   Chaucer A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Works.  Ã‚   New York:   Facts On File, Inc., 1999

Conflict in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essays -- William Shakespeare

An individual’s response to conditions of internal and external conflict is explored throughout literature. In his play, Hamlet, Shakespeare delves into the themes of appearance versus reality, lies versus deceit, rejection versus self doubt and tragedy, and in doing so attacks the frivolous state of humanity in contemporary society. In order to explore these themes, however, he uses several forms of conflict to project his opinions and expand his ideas relating to the themes of the play. Internal conflict, as well as external conflict are dominant features of his works, and in Hamlet are made evident through a succession of dire events which can attack and destroy someone. However perhaps the most captivating form of conflict Shakespeare uses to expand and explore the ideas presented within the text is the conflict between the self and the universe. Old Hamlet is killed by his brother Claudius. Only two months after her husband’s death a vulnerable Gertrude marries her husband’s brother Claudius. Gertrude’s weakness opens the door for Claudius to take the throne as the king of Denmark. Hamlet is outraged by this, he loses respect for his mother as he feels that she has rejected him and has taken no time to mourn her own husband’s death. One night old Hamlets ghost appears to prince Hamlet and tells him how he was poisoned by his own brother. Up until this point the kingdom of Denmark believed that old Hamlet had died of natural causes. As it was custom, prince Hamlet sought to avenge his father’s death. This leads Hamlet, the main character into a state of internal conflict as he agonises over what action and when to take it as to avenge his father’s death. Shakespeare’s play presents the reader with various forms of conflict which plague his characters. He explores these conflict s through the use of soliloquies, recurring motifs, structure and mirror plotting. Shakespeare uses external conflict in order to explore the theme of consequence, action and reaction in reaction in relation to consequence. Using the idea of external conflict, the playwright is able to demonstrate the aftermath of a difficult decision, leading to personal moral dilemma. This is made evident to the viewer when Hamlet kills Claudius. External conflict is used to explore Shakespeare’s view that man is a complex individual and that all actions have a consequence. The conseque... ...proach; via another character. Shakespeare uses conflict in Hamlet as a way of exploring ideas. He does this thorough the internal and external conflict that his characters face within the kingdom of Denmark. The conflict that follows is an outcome of lies and deceit which brings about tragedy. From this play we learn of the difficulty associated with taking a life as Hamlet agonises as to how and when he should kill Claudius and furthermore whether he should take his own life. Hamlet being a logical thinker undergoes major moral dilemma as he struggles to make accurate choices. From the internal conflict that the playwright expresses to us it is evident that it can kill someone, firstly mentally then physically. The idea of tragedy is explored in great detail through conflict where the playwright’s main message is brought across to the audience; Shakespeare stresses to his audience the point that conflict be it internal or external it can bring upon the downfall of great people and in turn have them suffer a tragic fate. It is Shakespeare’s aim to show us the complexity of man and that moral decisions are not easily made. Source Cited http://www.enotes.com/hamlet-text

A Hypothetical Case

The first thing I would do in this situation if I were the President of the U.S would be to try to get more information about the situation. I would turn to my consultants to get to know where there is any other country that has its own interests in the country discussed.I would request data from the intelligence department to find out whether the revolutionaries get financial, political or some other kind of support from some country, organization or person.Than I would call the OAS meeting and consult them on a course of action they consider being appropriate in this situation. During it I'll emphasize the importance of assuring safety of the 200 American citizens that reside on the territory of the country.   I'll listen to their suggestions, and after that I would call an emergency meeting to discuss the situation with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Depending on the choice I would make after consulting the members of the Committee, I would either try secret negotiations with the rebellions or the political force that stands behind them, or call the emergency meeting with the Senate, where I would place the question for whether the U.S should land its Marines in order to help the previous government.As the President of the U.S I have the authority to call the emergency meeting of the OAS, the Senate and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in order to discuss the situation with them and make a decision. Landing Marines without getting an advice from the Congress might create a conflict with it, and the relations with the OAS would be strained if I recognized the rebelling group as the new legitimate government without calling a meeting with them.It is also that the force measures taken by the U.S may call negative reaction from international community, and I would pay much attention to this issue, as in the contemporary situation with terrorism the U.S cannot allow itself to loose the potential allies among the other countries.

Quintessential Techniques of Effective Management Essay

Goal oriented performance, combined with productivity and employee satisfaction to achieve a positive cash flow is the key to a healthy and lucrative business in today’s world. The success of employee performance is due in large part to the management of employee time and proper training. It is the duty of a supervisor to direct the employees towards satisfactory accomplishments in these areas and orient them towards the goals of the parent organization.   In order to lead with positive results a manager must not only lead the team, but be an effective part of it. The development of work team identity, performance goals, skill development, and a satisfactory rapport between management and employees falls on the supervisor. A good supervisor will understand that management is only as effective as the partnership he or she sustains with the employees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There has been a great deal of time and energy devoted to the research of effective management skills in the workplace. According to Joseph Wholey, the â€Å"theory of management is being able to develop a reasonable level of agreement on agency and program goals and strategies† (Wholey, 288.) A solidly founded program will ensure both fairness and objectivity. In order to do both, and effectively manage the time and skills of employees, a supervisor must assure that performance is be both carefully measured and documented. This begins with the establishment of a performance plan, agreed upon by both the supervisor and the employee. The plan should set both short-term and long-term employee goals. The team should review these goals quarterly. One of the most effective techniques for this type of a system is a monthly scorecard kept for each employee by the supervisor. During a performance review, the manager would examine the records produced during the previous quarter and records and evaluate the employee’s performance during that quarter as well as against past quarters. This performance rating should include ratings for individual goals, team goals, and open-ended comments, as well as an overall rating. After accessing the past information and reaching an agreement on the current rating, the supervisor and the employee should work together to develop new goals with higher team and individual expectations. The implementation of priorities for the upcoming year should also be written at this time. It is during these performance reviews, and not during the normal working shifts, that supervisors are able to get important information and feedback from their employees.   There is little productive about interrupting the scheduled work in order to ask how it is progressing. In order to maintain smooth supervisor and employee relations there must be respect for the job as well as the individuals. The responsibility of a supervisor during the normal course of the working day is to encouragement the successful maintenance of the work schedule rather than to bond with the employees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On occasion, there will be rough patches at work that are unaccounted for during these goal-setting meetings. Supervisors must support their teams through these difficult times.   It is imperative that the supervisor understands the development stages of teams in order to aide the team in getting through the trouble spots.   Fusion Associates discusses how performance goals are tied directly to team development. Developing performance goals and standards show participants how to establish SMART-based performance standards. It is one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, and Time-framed. The SMART approach enables team members to better understand organizational performance requirements and their own role in moving the business forward. Because SMART is a collaborative way to develop goals and standards, team members intuitively agree to the process and give their full commitment to its success. By using SMART with their team members, managers demonstrate their commitment to an open and consistent performance improvement process. (Fusion) In many cases the industry of the organization has a major effect on the way in which teams are organized, and supervision is handled. For example, in today’s telecommunication industry, sales figures drive the perception of company success. In this case, the effective supervisor must encourage employees to believe every call is a sale opportunity, rather than allow then to focus on the failed calls. An instance of this problem and solution can be found in the following case. Connect Wide is one of the leading local cable companies. The quarterly performance goals, based on sales, have been increased in regular increments without discussion with the employees. This has led to low moral amongst the employees.   The employees in turn complain that they can not sell, or up-sell, to customers who feel that the pricing is too high, or already run past due on their billing accounts. Once the problems have been defined, the management needs to implement a program to reverse the low morale and increase sales. A good supervisor would begin with designing a successful operating plan to present to the employees. This plan should include the encouragement, empowerment, and support of the employees during the change. Despite the poor beginning conditions, change is almost always considered with both reluctance and suspicion in the workplace. The implementation of changes for the betterment of both the working conditions and the sales driven goals would be well served by a mini-training course on transitional selling. Following this with a good marketing campaign should ease the burden of making hard sales for the employees. These implementations would both increase the revenue and therefore make goals easier to reach. When the individual, team, and department goals are met the supervisor is often rewarded. By passing these types of rewards down to the employees, it will sustain the motivation in the workplace. When a manager administers a plan successfully, what results is a motivated work force, which maintains productivity and reaches set goals. This type of direct intervention is often called management coaching.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Understanding the concept of management coaching and how the employee and company can all benefit is an important hallmark of a good supervisor.   One of the key components to successful coaching is observation of the employee’s performance in order to grant feedback. There two types of feedback the supervisor must be aware of, both which are valuable to employee development. The appropriate type of feedback needs to be given to the employee, depending on the developmental needs witnessed by the supervisor. Motivational feedback is the first type. This feedback focuses on positive actions which the supervisor wishes to see the employee continue.   This type of feedback most often elicits future performance gains from the employee. The other type of feedback is developmental.   Developmental feedback allows the supervisor to offer the employee ways in which to improve their performance. Clear, concise suggestions for what needs improvement must be balanced with an effort not to make the employee feel berated, especially in front of other employees.   This type of feedback is far more dependant on good communication skills. To reach the best performance standards employee coaching must be conducted with a conscientious approach to customer service.   Fleischer describes this as an   approach to retention seems like an efficient way to sustain revenue from existing customers.   But in practice, this attempt to prevent churn backfires because it creates a conflict between customers’ expectations of service and the company’s willingness to fulfill them. (Fleisher. 40) The coaching is a process does not require a great deal of time; however it is a great benefit to the company. The secret to successful coaching is to create and seize coaching opportunities, which present themselves everyday in the work place. This small investment of a supervisor’s time with his or her employees often results in large pay-backs of more motivated worker and larger profits. In conclusion, good management must be successfully implemented by a supervisor who leads his or her team towards redefined goals.   The must use encouragement, motivation, and listening skills in order to connect with their employees and help their employees connect with each other. These skills can be honed under various development paradigms. One of the most successful of these is coaching, the delivery of feedback to the employees, and listening for feedback from them in order to improve both sides. Works Cited   Human Resource Management International Digest 14.7 (2006):   ABI/INFORM Global.   ProQuest.   1 Nov. 2006 http://www.proquest.com Holiday Extras is flying high:   Found monitoring calls knock a minute off the average call, while improving quality to the customers.   Monthly staff turnover fell from 7.95 to 4.2 percent versus a year before.   Sales increase by 6 percent using transition keeping in mind each call could be a sell opportunity. Fleischer, Joe. Call Center Magazine 1 OCT. 2006: 40. ABI/INFORM Global.   ProQuest.   1Nov. 2006 http://www.proquest.com/ Don’t Just Say No — Is approach to retention seems like an efficient way to sustain revenue from existing customers.   But in practice, this attempt to prevent churn backfires because it creates a conflict between customers’ expectations of service and the company’s willingness to fulfill them. Fusion Associates.   Forging High Performance Teams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2005 7 Nov. 2006 http://www.fusionassociates.com/index.html Developing performance goals and standards show participants how to establish SMART-based performance standards. It is one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-oriented, and Time-framed. The SMART approach enables team members to better understand organizational performance requirements and their own role in moving the business forward. Webster, Richard .   Call Center Magazine 1 Nov. 2006: 42.   ABI/INFORM Global.   ProQuest.   1 Nov. 2006 http://www.proquest.com Beverly Stryker, Starbucks Coffee Company — Starbucks hired Stryker in 2003 to oversee and build upon a virtually non-existent quality assurance and training program.   Stryker took pains to convince her staff that the aim of the quality assurance program was not to spy on employees, but to improve customer interactions. Wholey, Joseph S.   â€Å"Performance-Based Management Responding to the Challenges.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   March 1999.   Vol. 22.   Univeristy of Southern California and U.S. General Accounting Office.   Pg. 288.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theory of management is being able to develop a reasonable level of agreement on agency and program goals and strategies.

Ashes for the Wind Essay

In the short story â€Å"Ashes for the Wind†, Hernando Tellez uses Juan Martinez to show that sometimes you have to make sacrifices in order to fight corruption and injustice. Through Juan, his wife Carmen and their baby, the author tries to show that people should not be pushed around and intimidated, which is why I think that Juan is a hero. To me being a hero can mean many things, wether it is to inspire, help or even take a stand and a first step towards something better and good; a hero is a hero and that’s who Juan is. He stood up to the authorities, even though at the time he may not have know or realized this, by sacrificing his life and his family’s, he sends a message and makes a point. Juan represents freedom, innocence and shows the corruption in the government. Freedom to vote for what you want and not what you are forced to; freedom to other farmers and people to make their own choices and not be thrown out, pushed away and punished because of corru ption or their votes. Innocence, in the fact that Juan and his family died an innocent death that was not deserved just because Juan voted for what he wanted and when the person who won turned out to be someone else they ordered his death under the suspicion that he was a resistor. These two things help to show the people that there is corruption in their government and that people aren’t being treated equally and fair, that someone has to do something about it and Juan took the first stand. He was a leader, a hero and for all we know could have been the reason for people to start a revolution, that eventually set things right again and saved lives of many people. It shows that through each action, not matter how big or small, we make our future.

Black History Month Essay

Since 1976 Black History Month has been a remembrance of the events in the history of the African American movement. It is celebrated annually in the United States and Canada in the month of February, and the United Kingdom in the month of October. In the U.S., Black History Month is also referred to as African-American History Month. Black History Month actually started as Negro History Week in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson. The goal of Black History Week was to educate the American people about African-Americans’ cultural backgrounds and reputable achievements. Mr. Woodson believed that black history was a missing segment in the minds of most American Historians of his day. Black History Month has certainly played a key role in establishing African American history as a historically significant part of American History. You may be thinking to yourself, it is no longer a missing segment in the minds of most Americans, so therefore it is not relevant by today’s standards. Nothing could be further from the truth, than that uneducated line of thinking. African American history IS American History!! I cannot argue that over a number of years it has become a more commercialized month, giving the opportunity to advertise and sell, more companies have used it for monetary gain. However, so has Christmas and Thanksgiving and don’t get me started about Valentine’s Day†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..but there is still a reason we continue to celebrate these Holidays†¦.I believe it is because at they’re core they are still a part of American history and tradition. Now they may have started elsewhere, but we have made them a part of our culture, our American culture. Even with the creation of black Friday and the 24 hours a day 7 days a week for 30 straight days of Christmas music on a popular radio station†¦.we still know it is important to gather with family, tell our sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Christmases past, teach them about important people in our family history both living and deceased. It is important to educate our youth and give proper respect to the people (family members) that had they not done what they did, some of our families may not be here today. They sacrificed and paved the way for everyone to be together on these holidays. That sense of family, tradition and pride in being an American is what Black History month is all about. Americans whom just so happen to be of African descent. Americans who gave up many if not all of their holidays so that they’re children and grandchildren would not have to. Black History Month tells the continuing story of American history from the African American perspective. I’ll give you a couple of reasons why it is so relevant for today’s generation and future generations†¦. We all know the stories of many great African American contributors†¦ Fredrick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr. George Washington Carver etc†¦ but, what about all of the non-African Americans who directly contributed to the abolishment of slavery, the education of an entire generation of displaced people. Those that gave their lives in the name of humanity. Who will speak for those American heroes?Why are they not mentioned in the same breath as Araminta Ross better known as Harriett Tubman? You ask why is Black Histoy Month relevant. It is relevant because we have barely scratched the surface towards recognizing, learning, teaching and understanding the true meaning of this American tradition. I thought about naming some of the non-African American contributors for those gathered here today, but then it occurred to me (I don’t need to) part of my purpose was to plant a seed, contribute to intelligent dialogue. I stated I would give you a couple of reasons.. The second one is this†¦..In our classrooms we still teach Greek mythology, we teach about the Great Roman empires, We teach American Indian history, we teach about Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, Thomas Edison’s light bulb †¦ and many many more historically important people and inventions. Yet these groups of people and inventions are no longer with us in the same capacity as they once were. And some of their ideas and inventions seem like they could have been created by a child†¦ by today’s standards. We teach about them because they are all†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦in one way or another connected to the development of the same race†¦The HUMAN Race!!! When you fill out an application for employment, school or the census, you’re asked to check a box White, African American, Hispanic American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander (maybe a few others) and then there is a box marked OTHER†¦.. Even with the diversity America has, who checks that box? Anyone mixed with two or more races? Anyone whose family history starts at Ellis Island? What if I told you OTHER is the fastest growing population in the world? What if in 25 years OTHER is the dominating population? I tell you this because I want you to think 50, 100, or 500 years from now when the OTHERS are the dominant race, how will they know of the contributions of African Americans? How will they know of the contributions of Irish Americans? Polish Americans? Jewish Americans? Filipino Americans? Asian Americans? American Indians? They will know because hopefully they will still be celebrating Irish American month in March, Filipino American Month in October, Hispanic Heritage month from Sep 15 to Oct 15, Jewish American Month in May and African American Month in February†¦That is how they will know†¦ Because no matter what box you check†¦ no matter what race creed or color you descend from, the key desc riptor is that of being an American.

Early Twentieth Century, continued Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Early Twentieth Century, continued - Essay Example The manner in which Mine Okubo was treated is perhaps the worst I would expect to come across in a country that I proudly identify with. Placed in her position, I would interpret such form of treatment as betrayal from a country that I expected to protect my rights and freedoms as an American citizen. After undergoing the evacuation and confinement experience, I would relinquish the American citizenship and seek citizenship in my ancestral land rather than continuing living in a country that would turn against its own people on grounds of race in times of trouble. Today, the experiences of Mine Okubo can probably be traced in people belonging to minority or marginalized groups such as the American Indians, African Americans, the Mexican immigrants and people with the Arabic identity (Cadge-Moore 157). Despite being American citizens, Native Americans continue to face discrimination in all aspects of life including education, employment, political participation and health care. Discrimination partially explains why these groups continue to be marginalized and leveraged in poverty in a global economic power base. Terrorism threats currently experienced in America have exposed people with the Arabic identity and other immigrants to similar treatment including confinement in camps and incarceration as terrorism suspects. The war on terror has seen the U.S. Government establish stringent measures at its main entry points to avert illegal immigration. This has indeed contributed to harassment of American citizens in the detention camps as they await verification, a phenomenon experienced by Okubo and other immigrants (Cadge-Moore 146). Therefore, it is clear that some American citizens continue to suffer at the hands of their very own country. Mine Okubo’s art in â€Å"Citizen 13660† serves to depict some of the historical injustices faced by minority groups such as the Japanese Americans and Indian