#8220;Analytical Essay Sample on Gender Norms Based on #8220;#8221;The Last Man#8221;#8221; #8220;

#8220;Analytical Essay Sample on Gender Norms Based on #8220;#8221;The Last Man#8221;#8221; #8220; Introduction Gender is simply defined as the cultural and social construction of masculinity or feminity (Perry 8). This definition is not only enough when talking about gender as the term encompasses several factors like sexual orientation, common appearance and even forms of communication. However, this being a very wide term has led to formation of stereotype implying that men and women have to adhere to some gender roles for them to be seen socially as fit and hence some recognition in the society. In opposition to this stereotype which I believe it intends to impose and force some roles basing on gender hence favoring one gender or another. Women gender norms in the society The topic of women gender norms in the society is very instrumental in shaping up the society which is a building block to the nation. Therefore, when talking about gender roles there are various ideologies that arise hence emergency of stereotypes. This influences the way a group of people will behave and act in order to be accepted in a given gender group. For example, there has been a stereotype on how a perfect woman and man should look like. One who does not subscribe to these activities is seen as an outcast and thus not accepted in the society. Not that this attributes are from the holy book of God but just by man as observed from televisions, magazines and advertisements. In other words, for a woman to be considered perfect, it involves beauty in shape, dependent, caretaker, housewife, respectful, loving and nurturing. This is not true as one cannot possess all these characteristics at ago. Depending on the outcome the society will either reject or hold an individual. On the other hand, a perfect man is considered to be strong, masculine and a provider. According to Vaughan in the book The Last Man (Vaughan 22), he dwells on the positive ideology concerning women where he represents women as being strong physically as opposed to the stereotype of them being weaker sex. This is clearly brought out when Yorick is beaten almost to death by a woman who fights impressively disabling them. In addition, to this we are informed that women show the ability of leading armies and nations. They also demonstrate intelligence in the biological research where they lead from the front. In this case the stereotype of women being cooperative is not true as they turn out to have more convincing power than men hence outdoing them. An example of this from the last man is when Women like Rep Brown and Rose are concerned for the common good (Vaughan 66). Chauvinistic stereotype of men is also demonstrated when Yorick who is a staunch traditionalist believes that there is nothing a woman can do but instead he ends up being held by a supermodel lady with a gun. Instead of fearing for his life he thinks the woman is after raping him as he assumes she is a weaker sex (Vaughan 47). This is not true as the supermodel is not interested sexually but she is after killing him. Another stereotype disapproved in the comic book is the one of women being peace loving and cooperative than men. On contrary Yorick becomes surprised to learn that the militias of republican wives are demanding for their husbands. This just shows that whenever women want something that they believe is rightfully theirs they will push very hard to get it. Despite of several criticisms the book still holds on traditional and artistic norms which reinforce stereotypes concerning gender. The relationship between Yorick and Beth is related to dating norms of medieval operation. Yorick here is portrayed as a knight who has to endure so many things in order to reach his beloved one. This tells us man is meant to be the seeker and provider which is not the case any longer as presently it is either way. Another gender norm that surfaces is feminism. This comes out in this comic book when all the women including Agent 355 having colored lips, which not even a single man in the story dares to have. Literary in the current situations which kind of man will have time for lipsticks; hence signifying this character is meant for women. The comic medium here is based on paint differentiating between men and women. (Vaughan 105). The ideology in the book continues to suppress the gendered norms of tradition. This is because from the book we learn that oppositional ideologies will still be persisting at least in one way or another. Even though there is evolution in the way society perceives gender some norms cannot completely be eliminated. Ironically there is a justification of women being perceived as subjects for sex. When we are told that the truck super model posed with her gaze to right, nipples protruding towards the observers. This simply justifies that it is women who have to attract to their side by showing what they have and not the other way round. Conclusion This being a very intriguing topic needs a sober approach during the discussion depending on one’s experience and information from the available literature.

Seeing Similarities Between Plants and Animals Essays

Seeing Similarities Between Plants and Animals Essays Seeing Similarities Between Plants and Animals Essay Seeing Similarities Between Plants and Animals Essay Seeing Similarities Between Plants and Animals As you look around outside, you may see birds perched in trees, frogs croaking on lily pads, and even dogs digging in the grass. Our world is filled with plants and animals, yet when a person thinks of the phrase plants and animal, they automatically begin thinking about the differences between the two. As different as they may seem, plants and animals are very similar in the following areas: reproduction, human uses, and the requirement of water. Even though plants and animals can be distinguished from one another, evolution has bridged the gap between the two more than most people realize. All organisms need to reproduce for the continuation of their species, otherwise that species would die off. Both plants and animals reproduce and in the process create offspring. You will never see a plant with the same type of reproductive system as in an animal; however, plants do form their own versions of these organs called gametes. Two aspects of reproduction are the process of fertilization and birth. The process of fertilization is nothing more than the male and female sex cells combining. Two sperm cells are involved in the fertilization process with plants; one combines with the egg cell and the other becomes the seed. In the process of fertilization with animals, only one sperm fertilizes the female egg. Life for a new plant begins when it emerges from its seed. Part of the growth process occurs while still in the seed and the remainder occurs after birth. For example, do you remember when you were in elementary school, and had to place a bean seed in a plastic bag with water? After about a week, you were able to see roots sprout from the seed. This showed us how plants were born. Meanwhile, life for an animal begins when exiting the mothers womb or from an egg. In both cases, birth is experienced; however, with plants the process is called mitosis and with animals it is called meiosis. As can be seen, plants and animals have reproduction similarities. Humans have always found uses for plants and animals, chiefly in the areas of clothing and food. Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden wore grass skirts, eventually, and the cavemen from prehistoric times wore animal hides. Obviously, our uses for plants and animals have grown since the above mentioned times. Much of our clothing comes from plants. Cotton is the foremost fiber used to manufacture clothing. Whether it be the Levis, the Polo shirt, or your favorite Snuggie, it is made of cotton in some degree. A summary of the 2011 annual meeting of the National Cotton Council stated that the demand for cotton is so high that it is creating a challenge for the farmers of cotton to keep up. The absorbent fibers of cotton can withstand high temperatures, allowing the fibers to be combined with other plant and synthetic fibers. Synthetic fibers are also produced from plants. Examples of synthetic fibers include the following: polyester, rayon, and nylon. Synthetic fibers can be produced very cheaply and in large amounts. They are strong, wrinkle-resistant, and glossy. No wonder the 70s were so popular! In the same fashion, animals have provided an important source of clothing for the human race. Whether it is the alligator shoes on your feet, the snake skin belt around your waist, or the rather heavy leather jacket on your back, they all are made from an animal. Buttons, fabric dyes, decorative items like mother of pearl and tortoise shell also come from animals. Some of the main foods that we obtain from plants include the following: corn, soy, rice, fruit, wheat, nuts, and oats. We also get herbs and spices for seasoning from plants. Can you imagine what your favorite dish would taste like if there were no such thing as seasoning? Humans seemingly consume every part of certain plants from the root to the fruit. Humans use animals mostly for the meat that they provide, such as chicken, beef, pork, fish, and lamb. Other animal meats that humans consume are deer, rabbit, wild boar, bison, frog, and goat. Some people even choose to indulge in bat meat. We also use the eggs and milk products that some animals produce. Have you ever wondered what a marshmallow is made out of? Animal gelatins are an ingredient in not only marshmallows, but also a whole range of foods like candy, mayonnaise, and ice cream. The clothing and food that humans create from plants and animals will continue to grow with time. By the same token, water is crucial for the growth and transportation of nutrients in all plants and animals. Plants and animals both need large quantities of water in a constant supply to aid in the growth process. Plants mostly use water during photosynthesis. Plants draw the water in from the soil and combine it with the carbon dioxide from the air. This is how they make their food. Water also helps the body of the plant to stand upright. If the plant does not have enough water, it will cause the plant to lose turgor pressure and it will begin to droop and eventually wilt. . Turgor pressure is the pressure of the water inside the plants body that helps it to maintain its shape. To put it in another way, what happens if your Ford Tauruss tires lose air? They lose their form because there is no air pressure within the tire. Its the same thing with turgor pressure in plants, except with water. In like manner, animals need water for growth, too. If an animal does not take in adequate amounts of water, it will begin to experience dehydration. This can be lethal to animals or lead to other serious health problems, such as weight loss, lack of energy, sunken eyes, or dry mucous membranes. Water also aids in the transportation of nutrients through the bodies of both plants and animals. In plants nutrients are drawn in from the soil through the roots, and travels up the plant through the xylem vessels, which move the water to the different parts of the plant. In animals, basically the same thing happens, except the water transports nutrients through organs. Man has come a long way in our understanding of the world around us; furthermore, evolution has brought closer together two elements of this world that the average person would easily overlook. Reproduction, human uses, and the requirement of water are all areas in which plants and animals share similarities. So think twice the next time you hear the phrase plants and animals because, as you have read, they are alike in more ways than most people realize.

Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict Essay

Palestine, Israel and the Arab-Israeli Conflict - Essay Example Since the end of the first World War, the land known as Palestine had been under British Colonial rule. In the early years of Palestine, there were a much greater amount of Muslims than Jews occupying the land at almost seven to one. (Wikipedia.com, 2006) As further persecution came in the time of the second World War, the aftermath resulted in an even larger influx of Jewish people in Palestine. Instead of the more lopsided difference in Muslims to Jews, it was now a two to one difference. In 1948, Britain pulled out of Palestine, at the same time recognizing the State of Israel and splitting the land between Jews and Arabs. This decision was further agreed upon by the United Nations. However other Arab nations did not agree, thus starting the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Israel won this war and many other conflicts after that. As a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, however, many Palestinian Arabs lost, or were forced out of, both their homes and livelihoods. The Israeli government, after the war, created the Absentee Property Law which allowed Israel to confiscate the property of the Palestinian Arab refugees who were not in the country at that time. (Nabulsi, L., 2006) With the Palestinian Arab refugees having no home-state, this issue leads us to more current issues that face Israel and Palestinians to this day. Recent Issues Much of the recent conflicts in Israel are due to disagreements between government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority as to the future of a Palestinian state, the fate of the Palestinian refugees and the survival of an Israeli state (Wikipedia.com, 2006). Terrorist activities brought about by the formation of groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah in the area have made life difficult for both Palestinian and Israeli people. Life is a daily struggle between normality and chaos. Peace has been brokered by almost every President of the United States since the late 1970's. "Roadmaps" were written to lead the two sides to an agreement, but a terrorist attack against Israeli people by Palestinian suicide bombers would lead to retaliation by Israeli military forces, so on and so forth. Organizations such as the Palestinian Liberation Organization, now the Palestinian Authority (PA) led at one time by Yasir Arafat, did some good in leading the Palestinians to an agreement with Israel. The Oslo Peace Accords were the most recent attempt to come to agreement. However, due to many Palestinians desire to have no Jewish state, and in turn no Israel, it is with great difficulty that any agreement may ever hold. Solution In the current setting of the Arab-Israeli conflict, it seems there will never be a solution to the problem or an end to the violence. From the street level, with violent attacks at times a daily occurrence, it is clear that an agreement is far off. "The Palestinian street has definitively rejected Oslo [Peace Accords], and top officials of the PA now say that UN resolutions must form the basis for future status talks," (Beinin & Hajjar, 2000).  

Health Demand, Elasticity, Principle and Agent in Determining Demand Coursework

Health Demand, Elasticity, Principle and Agent in Determining Demand for Medical Care - Coursework Example The cited unique factors may be classified within the â€Å"health status† variable that impact expectation but their role are far too important in the healthcare setting to be relegated as a mere sub-factor. This is the case because the patients are the ones seeking care and that demand is initiated based on their healthcare needs. Afterwards, the physician then prescribes the quantity as well as type of treatment/medical product or service to be needed. For instance, a person is admitted into emergency care because of severe diabetes. Upon examination, the physician has determined that one of his legs has to be amputated in order to save his life. Here, the demand for the surgery and the medications entailed were determined based on the condition of the patient and the judgment of physician. I believe that if the patient is insured the impact of income and price may be diminished. This can also be highlighted in the dynamics behind the decline of price and its impact on dema nd. In conventional goods, a decline would precipitate demand. However, in the case of health care a decline in price, say, of a diabetes drug, would not immediately translate into demand or a significant change in the demand curve because it will be dependent on the number of diabetics and their need and health status. Imagine a situation where consumers have incomplete information about their health status and about the productivity of medical care. Examine the roles of the principal and the agent in helping consumers to determine the demand for medical care in the described situation. Provide at least one (1) detailed example of such roles in action to support your response. Let us suppose that the patient is covered by medical insurance. He is, in effect, the principal in this situation while the physician serves as his agent, acting in his best interest since his decisions are made to improve the patient's well-being. This is the ideal scenario where the agent recommends care services and medications for the client’s benefit. For instance, the physician could prescribe highly-paid and, therefore, effective procedures. The patient without any medical knowledge as to his condition or the treatment would not have known the difference between such procedures and low-paid primary care. But t he condition and the physician’s influence move the demand curve towards highly-paid care and specialties.

Social Consequences of New Media

Social Consequences of New Media Identify the most consequential features of ‘new media’ and assess how and why sociological theory and concepts deal with these. Abstract This essay establishes the background of new media technologies within the context of their historical development. The argument is then addressed towards the largest social consequences tial outcomes of new technologies as through analysis of the augmentation and facilitation of social communities and online interest groupsthe key consequential developments of new media, culminating in the premise that online community augmentation is the most crucial in order to provide social structures for the existence and promotion of other new media consequences. This argument is then placed into a framework of related theoretical endeavour and elucidates salient arguments in order to establish the premise within contemporary academia. The essay closes with a summation of the discussion along with concluding comments. The term ‘new media’ has gained a great deal of currency over the past two decades. It is also worthy of note that the term has gained status as a collective, singular noun form as if it was in reference to a single, coherent entity. This practice has become increasingly common, not only in marketing circles and journalistic reportage but also in the world of academia. Whilst the term in itself is incredibly vague, the utterance of such increasingly implies solidarity of existence as a totally formed and fully achieved social and material practice. Whilst there is little truth in this premise, this nature of conduct continues, and in doing so undermines development of coherent debate. Throughout this paper, the term ‘new media’ will be applied to the technological practice, development and subsequent social construction of those technologies which have been borne of internet and digitally associated technologies. In addition to this, it must be pointed out that it would at best be truculent, and at worst benighted, to talk of the consequences of new media in terms of cause and effect; this does not do the subject justice nor does it recognise the transience of the situation. It is for these reasons that throughout the course of this critique the consequences of new media technologies will be catalogued in a historically linear form in order to demonstrate the manner in which such technologies lead to further technological developments, each built upon the innovation of the previous. This essay will address the inception of those technologies which have now come to be known as new media and establish them within a historical framework with particular e mphasis placed on the development of the World Wide Web. Scholarly endeavour on these matters is subsequently placed into context of existing examples of new media development, along with their societal consequences. These arguments are then consolidated with broader, underpinning theories which argue for the case of community augmentation as the primary consequence of new media technologies. The essay then closes with a summary of key points raised with according conclusions. Current developments in new media technologies can be traced back to the inception of internet technologies and the consequential developments which ensued. When John Licklider joined ARPA, Leonard Klienrock was already developing ideas for ‘packet sending’. This was a method of sending information in broken up pieces, or ‘packets’. The information would be reassembled at the other end. Because the files were broken up before sending, they would be more difficult to eavesdrop, therefore of great appeal to ARPA. In 1965 an experiment saw computers in Berkley and MIT linked over a low-speed dial-up telephone line, forming the first ever Wide Area Network (Sadar, 2000). ARPA scientists continued the development of networking protocols and in 1972 TCP/IP was born. This would allow different networks to communicate with each other. Now it was simply a matter of time and growth, as at this stage computers consisted of large mainframes that were not available to the majority of people. In 1982, whilst ARPANET was still the backbone of the system, they adopted TCP/IP. This is considered as the birth of the internet; an international network of computers all using the standard. Expansion of the system was also occurring due to advances in computer technology and in 1984 the number of online hosts was over 1000. Governments started using and promoting the system for educational purposes and by 1987 there were 10.000 hosts (over the following two years this number had swelled to 100,000) (Baym, 1998). The year 1991 saw the launch of the World Wide Web (WWW) which consisted of a network of searchable and retrievable sites that employ the use of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). This protocol automatically searched for the site and retrieved it for automatic viewing. Tim Berners-Lee and other scientists had been developing ideas for making data easily retrievable since 1989 and several browser/editor programs were made shortly after. This formed the basis of what would become new media technology as it is now known (Baym, 1998).An important consequence of the proliferation of new media is the digital divide. In economic terms, the digital divide emphasises the gap between those with privilege and those without. Those without suffer a more limited access to the means of information distribution that new media has come to be synonymous with; internet access, email, smartphones, etc. The consequences of this are broad reaching since they can affect people not just on their individual access to digital information services but also by geographical location or by their access to social entities such as businesses, educational services and public services. This gap also exists between nation states and is known on an international scale as the global digital divide (Halford Savage, 2010). The historically recent rise in new media has also prompted an interest in the academic study of mobilities; an area of the social sciences which was largely disregarded until the phenomenon. The turn in attitude is due largely, if not wholly, to the ubiquity of locative media and mobile communications in increasingly novel forms (Urry, 2000). These new technologies are augmenting and supplementing the manner in which members of society communicate with one another, and indeed their locations, on the move. Such ICTs (Information and Communications Technologies) are increasing in ubiquity, as increasing numbers of people begin to carry smart technologies with them, and rising numbers of architectural structures and public borders are becoming embedded with responsive entities which can relay pertinent information. Transport structures, public service buildings, architecture of interest, etc. are becoming increasingly embedded with satellite connectivity, GPS, responsive software, sens ors and other interactive data transfer forms (Urry, 2004). It is uncontroversial to argue that the most important and far-reaching consequence of new media is the increased ability for social and community forming; the world has witnessed a massive rise in online groups and communities. For many people it is now possible to be part of multiple online groups simultaneously. Much of the general debate around the value of the virtual communitiesdebate which surrounds new media also highlights the increase in digital representation and through subcultures. From the early days of online chatrooms and social portals which existed entirely in textual form, the development into widespread social media has brought with it a sharp rise in both the globalisation of culture and digital representation of the self through online platforms. Debate on such representation has become which have developed from new media technologies has become polarised in academic debateia. On the one hand is the groupA strong argument in scholarly endeavour which argues maintains that the internet has created a new platform for with which to resurrect traditional notions of community (perceived as fading in ‘real life’) which could be perceived as diminishing in modern culture; this and is a positive step towards achieving a new global solidarity, particularly with the co ncurrent development of cultural globalisation. The opposition to this school of thought maintain that cyberspace detracts attention from the issues faced in ‘real life’ community and is therefore erodes it. This point of view is eloquently allegorised in the opening page of Jean Baudrillard’s Simulations (1983). Baudrillard paraphrases the Jorge Luis Borges tale of cartographers who create a map of the empire to such detail that it perfectly covers the land it represents. Whilst the map is celebrated the land underneath it declines into wasteland. This is only brought to the attention of the people when the map itself erodes, revealing an uninhabitable â€Å"desert of the real† (Baudrillard, 1983). It is uncontroversial to argue that the most important and far-reaching social consequence of new media is the increased ability for the formation of communities which were previously unavailable. These community groups are salient and consistent throughout the development of new media technology and additionally it is now possible for many to be part of multiple societal groups simultaneously. Such communities are so influential because they underpin and promulgate the existence of other key elements of new media technology development, such as social change, cultural globalisation, digital identity, the mobilisation of smart technologies, etc. Theorists Wellman and Gulia argue that the current debate on virtual communities is problematic for several reasons. They state that the polarisation of opinion makes the debate Manichean, and also that a sense of the history of community is absent. In addition to this, they contend that the debate on virtual communities is largely unscholarly and is parochial in the sense that it forces a divide between ‘real life’ communities and those online. They go on to say that the notion of a traditional community is nostalgic and saturated with myth (Wellman Gulia, 1999). Whilst Wellman Gulia make some fair points, certainly the polarisation of the online debate (and also the separation of online life and real-life in theory) the two extremes of opinion have produced a substantial amount of research on the matter. When defining community it is useful to look at the work of German sociologist Ferdinand Tonnies, who developed the terms Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft. Gemeinschaft (translated roughly as ‘community’) is described by Tonnies as traditional community, characterised by bonding through kinship, friendship, shared religious beliefs and community loyalty. Tonnies termed modern, capitalist societies as Gesellschaft (community, or association), where social interactions and relationships are much less personal, more calculated and contractual, where the society experiences increased isolation of individuals living within it (Tonnies, 1988). There is also important work regarding broader communities, in particular Benedict Anderson’s theories concerning nations, or as he terms â€Å"imagined communities† (Anderson, 1983). Since the members of a nation cannot possibly interact with (or have knowledge of) everyone within that nation, certain symbolic resources and rituals (or as Anderson refers â€Å"invented traditions†) are utilised to coalesce people and create a sense of shared identity (flags, national anthems, etc.). Anderson maintains that these types of communities depend on their members believing in them, and are maintained through the shared practice of cultural customs and devices (Anderson, 1983). These Current definitions of digital community, whilst useful, suffer the same drawbacks as most in that they can be taken to extremes within their own boundaries, and do little to draw the line as to how far to go. A useful analogy is presented by David Bell (2001), who asks â€Å"I drive a car. To what extent could I argue that I belong to a ‘community of car drivers’?†. Bell goes on to explain that his car driving community satisfies all aspects of popular community definitions. Identity as a ‘car driver’ is institutionalised by a driving licence, which not only provides certain privileges but also acts as a proof of identity in a broader sense, and this is a commonality with other car drivers. Bell continues to describe a ‘set of knowledges’ which all car drivers possess (of driving, of the road, etc.), some of them formalised and some tacit. Whilst the Highway Code formalises one strand of such knowledge there also exists a tacit und erstanding in the form of driving etiquette and the like. The final point Bell makes is that of facilitation. The car also facilitates his membership of off-road communities (Bell, 2001). Whether or not Bell’s example does satisfy a definition of community is still debatable, but it does raise some important points when trying to define community, especially when comparing or contrasting to those which exist online. The same terms of Bell’s analogy could just as simply be applied to MySpace or EBay, both of which have had a far-reaching and consequential impact on capitalist societies; MySpace in many ways became the prototype of digital self-representation, with its ability for photographic and thematic customisation, coupled with a platform for creative endeavour or the broadcast of opinions. This paved the way for a broad range of online social media platforms which developed or augmented the original MySpace model. Conversely, EBay provided a platform for commerce which laid down an archetype for online trading. The eBay model for the first time allowed people to generate income through private auctioning on a global scale, in many cases providing en tire businesses to operate solely within the confines of the site. Regardless of their achieved scope and proliferation of use, but would the question remainsthat mean regarding whether or not that these ‘created communities’ satisfy a Gemeinschaft definition of community, and even if they did this would not necessarily make them communities in the nostalgic sense. , would that make them a community in the nostalgic sense? Bell explores this matter by offering a distinction between the terms (sometimes used synonymously by critical theorists) ‘community’ and ‘sub-culture’: Clearly there’s a slippage between the two words, both taken to mean the same thing – Baym’s own work has used both to describe the same group of online soap fans, for example. But I think that the two words have very different connotations, so I started to wonder where the boundary between terms like these lies. (Bell, 2001:101) In this statement Bell makes a valid point. In the labelling of factions and groups as ‘communities’ more often than not the term either becomes encapsulate, including a whole host of assemblies which are perhaps better described in another category, or becomes exclusive to the point of rejection of all those groups which fail to satisfy the nostalgic and seemingly outdated notion of traditional community. With these comments in mind it seemsIt is important to establish a boundary by which to sector those groups which, although they may satisfy certain aspects of community ‘new technology’ consequences, are not engaged in sufficient humanistic interaction to be defined as such. This does not present an immediate problem as there are many online groups which fit this description and do not label themselves as communities, but remain consequential of new media. However, the emphasis on human interaction seems to be the key to which distinctions can be drawn between online organisations and actual communities. One notorious commentator on the subject, Howard Rheingold, states just that: Virtual communities are social aggregations that emerge from the net when enough people carry on†¦public discussions long enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form webs of personal relationships in cyberspace. (Rheingold, 1993:12) Since traditional community is no longer possible in its pure form, due predominantly to capitalism and globalisation, people have searched out the areas of their community which they now lack. Humans , being social animals (and at best, survivalists) have utilised the internetnew media in tandem with the development of technology to maintain and keep control of the things which they inherently hold dear. In this case, the elements of community which contemporary society have consequentially eroded with new media are also supported by new media. These consequences are now are now to be found online in forums, groups and interactive spaces. New media technology The internet does not house communities, but symbiotically supports those areas of community which no longer exist outside of the webof such developments, and arguably, due to such developments. Online platforms such as MySpace or Facebook provide many services, but do not create a social network for its users. Rather, new medi a they allow users to supplement their existing social networks with online support. Furthermore online Interactions can take place which will allow families who are miles apart to keep in touch in ways that have previously been impossible, thus they are solving previous difficulties pertaining to traditional community, predominantly that of distance and (the resulting factor of) time, and strengthening these communities in ways that previously could not be achieved. It is now possible for community to become reinforced by new media technologies in ways that were previously impossible, thus strengthening the weak elements that existed in the Gemeinschaft-style structure. Utilising technology, traditional communities are able to function over distance in real-time, in cybernetic unison. References Anderson, B. (1983) Imagined Communities: reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism, London: Verso. Baudrillard, J. (1983) Simulations, USA: Semiotext[e] Baym, N. (1998) ‘The emergence of an on-line community’, Cited in S.Jones (ed.) Cybersociety 2.0: revisiting computer-mediated communication and community, London: Sage. Bell, D. (2001) An Introduction to Cybercultures, London: Routledge. Halford, S. Savage, M. (2010) ‘Reconceptualizing Digital Social Inequality’, Information, Communication and Society 13 (7): 937-55. [online] Available from: www.cresc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Paper No 86_0.pdf (Accessed 18/11/20130). Rheingold, H. (1993). The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. New York: Addison-Wesley. Sardar, Z. (2000) ‘Alt.civilizations.faq: cyberspace as the darker side of the West’, Cited in Bell, D. and Kennedy, B. M. (eds.) The Cybercultures Reader, London: Routledge. Tonnies, F. (1988) Community and Society (Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft). (C. P. Loomis, Trans.). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction. (Original work published in 1887). John Urry (2000) Sociology Beyond Societies London: Routledge. John Urry (2004) ‘Mobile Sociology’, ch.13 in Frank Webster (ed.), The Information Society Reader London: Routledge. Wellman, B. Gulia, M. (1999) ‘Virtual communities as communities: net surfers don’t ride alone’, Cited in Smith, M. Lollock, P. (eds.) Communities in Cyberspace, London: Routledge. Bibliography Benton, T. Craib, I. (2001) Philosophy of Social Science: The Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Benton, T. Craib, I. (2001) Philosophy of Social Science: The Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought, Basingstoke: Palgrave. Castells, M. (2001) The Internet Galaxy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Craib, I. (1997) Classical Social Theory: An Introduction to the Thought of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Simmel. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Flew, F. (2002) New Media. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Lievrouw, L.A. (2006) ‘New Media Design Development: Diffusion of Innovations Vs. Social Shaping of Technology’, in Lievrouw, L. Livingstone, S. Handbook of New Media: Social Shaping and Social Consequences, London: Sage Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S., Grant, I., Kieron, K. (2003) New Media: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge. May, C. (2002) The Information Society: a sceptical view. Cambridge: Polity. Sayer, D. (1991) Capitalism Modernity: An Excursus on Marx Weber. London: Routledge. Webster, F. (2006) Theories of the Information Society, 3rd edition. Routledge. Woolgar, S. (ed.) (2002) Virtual Society?Oxford: Oxford University Press.References Anderson, B. (1983) Imagined Communities: reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism, London: Verso. Baudrillard, J. (1983) Simulations, USA: Semiotext[e] Baym, N. (1998) ‘The emergence of an on-line community’, Cited in S.Jones (ed.) Cybersociety 2.0: revisiting computer-mediated communication and community, London: Sage. Bell, D. (2001) An Introduction to Cybercultures, London: Routledge. Rheingold, H. (1993). The Virtual Community: Homesteading on the Electronic Frontier. New York: Addison-Wesley. Sardar, Z. (2000) ‘Alt.civilizations.faq: cyberspace as the darker side of the West’, Cited in Bell, D. and Kennedy, B. M. (eds.) The Cybercultures Reader, London: Routledge. Tonnies, F. (1988) Community and Society (Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft). (C. P. Loomis, Trans.). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction. (Original work published in 1887). Wellman, B. Gulia, M. (1999) ‘Virtual communities as communities: net surfers don’t ride alone’, Cited in Smith, M. Lollock, P. (eds.) Communities in Cyberspace, London: Routledge. Bibliography Castells, M. (2001) The Internet Galaxy. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Webster, F. (2006) Theories of the Information Society, 3rd edition. Routledge. Lievrouw, L.A. (2006) ‘New Media Design Development: Diffusion of Innovations Vs. Social Shaping of Technology’, in Lievrouw, L. Livingstone, S. Handbook of New Media: Social Shaping and Social Consequences, London: Sage May, C. (2002) The Information Society: a sceptical view. Cambridge: Polity. Flew, F. (2002) New Media. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Benton, T. Craib, I. (2001) Philosophy of Social Science: The Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Craib, I. (1997) Classical Social Theory: An Introduction to the Thought of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Simmel. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sayer, D. (1991) Capitalism Modernity: An Excursus on Marx Weber. London: Routledge. Benton, T. Craib, I. (2001) Philosophy of Social Science: The Philosophical Foundations of Social Thought, Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Native Americans in California Missions Essay

Spanish wanted to colonize some of America, just like the Europeans. Building religious based Missions all throughout California was a way for them to maintain ultimate social, political, and economic control. Spanish explorers arrived on the border of California during the 16th century. The very first Franciscan mission was built in San Diego during 1769. By 1833, twenty two Spanish Missions existed from Southern California to Northern California. Native Americans made up about one-third of those who lived and worked at the Missions. There were an estimated 310,000 Indians living in California during the 16th century. The Spanish provided the Native Americans with the necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. Although the California Missions had the right intentions of providing for the Native Americans, the Spanish acted in an inhumane and unfair way. Junipero Serra arrived in San Diego in 1768 and lead a group of Franciscans to find property and more importantly, workers. He welcomed the Native Americans with open arms and open doors. In a primary document written by Junipero Serra himself, he admitted that he used the Native Americans solely for work. However, he said that providing them with food and shelter compensates for their hard work. â€Å"So if families other than Indian come from there, it will serve the same purpose very well—that is, if we can provide for them†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Serra). Serra’s defenders state that he respected the Natives’ culture. However, his criticizers argue that he used force to urge the Native Americans to live at the Missions against their will. Although the Natives did not agree with Serra’s beliefs and actions, they were very respectful for the most part. For those who did not respect Serra received physical punishment with â€Å"whips, chains, and stocks to enforce religious obedience† (Serra). Junipero Serra was a great leader who made sure the California Missions were in order. The California Mission had worthy intentions and plans for the Native Americans. The Spanish welcomed them into their ‘homes’ and provided them with the essentials such as food, clothing, and shelter. However, living at the Missions had its consequences. The Native Americans were forced to change their entire lifestyles – from their beliefs, their daily routines, to the way they dressed and what they ate. Although anthropologists conducted that some Native Americans enjoyed their new lives, more than eighty percent refused to convert their ways of life (Sandos, 13). For thousands of years, the Natives were accustomed with their own lifestyle and beliefs, and all of a sudden, everything was stripped away from them. Even their personal identity was taken away from them. The Franciscans provided each individual with Spanish names which were to be used instead of their native birth names. â€Å"The missions were not agents of intentional enslavement, but rather rapid and therefore violent social and cultural change† (Archibald, 24). The Native Americans ended up becoming tax pay citizens along with being under Spanish wing twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Franciscans had very different beliefs and traditions from the Native Americans. The Native Americans were forced to convert their religion to Roman Catholics. The Native Americans were more of a â€Å"spiritual† group rather than a religious group. Instead of believing in personified figures, such as Jesus, they believed spirits lie within their nature. Native Americans feed their energy off of nature. They believed that they are protected by the Mother Nature that surrounded them. The Spanish used religion to explain their actions, which made it ‘okay’ for them to convert the Native American’s beliefs because they were backed up by their god (California). Every person living and working at the Mission had to be officially baptized as a rite of passage. On Sundays and holidays everyone was obligated to go to church and worship. The Natives were forced to memorize Catholic rituals, songs, and scriptures. Prayer lasted four hours on Sundays and feast days. On a regular basis on typical days, prayer lasted two hours. Catholicism was a huge part of living at the Missions. The Missions were surrounded by Spanish soldiers so everyone was watched very closely. Once the Native Americans accepted the Spanish lifestyle, it was nearly impossible to escape. It was as if they were held against their own will. A few sources compare the treatment of Native Americans to slavery (Archibald, 48). Slavery is defined as an economic exploitation that benefits only the slave-owner. In the California Missions, the Native Americans worked solely to provide and maintain a certain lifestyle for the Spanish. Besides minimal food and shelter, the Native America’s natural human rights were stripped from them. Native America women made clothing, prepared meals, cleaned the rooms, and whatever domestic chores needed to be done at the Mission. Native American mothers even had to care for Spanish children instead of focusing on their own (Mission). The Native American men had to hunt for food and build new Missions. In addition, they learned carpentry, leatherworkers, smiths, and farm work. The Franciscans controlled their days into a rigorous schedule announced by church bells (Archibald, 104). If the workers were not done with their tasks by the chimes of the church bells, they would suffer major consequences. The Franciscans did not view their actions as imprisonment because they believed that the providence of food and shelter compensates for Natives’ hard work. In reality, the Missions were not a place to live a life of ease nor was it a place to acquire personal fortune and prosperity. The Native Americans were not worked to death like the slaves in southern United States at this time. However, the strict regulation, cruel and unusual punishments and forced new traditions are extremely inhumane acts. According to Julio Cesar, â€Å"When I was a boy the treatment given to the Indians at the Mission was not good at all. We were at the mercy of the administrator, who ordered us to be flogged whenever and however he took notion† (Mission). Every Mission had two priests. One priest’s duties were to preach and teach about religion. The other priest’s duties were strictly on the work field. He instructed and gave the Native Americans and other workers their duties. The lifestyle in the California Missions was set in a very rigorous schedule so it was nearly impossible for the Native Americans to take a break or escape the hardship. The Natives resisted colonization after just a short time living and working at the Missions. There were a few deadly rebellions conducted by the Native Americans. They destroyed Mission property and even threatened to kill priests. The most infamous attack occurred in San Diego. On November 4, 1775, hundreds of men completely destroyed the Cuiamac Rancheria Mission of San Diego. The men also killed three Hispanics, including the Father, Padre Jaime (Sandos, 92). In addition, in 1824, another great Indian rebellion in California occurred at the Missions of Barbara. A large part of the Mission building was wrecked by a large fire. On the same day, hundreds of Native Americans attacked the Spanish defenders and soldiers. Leaders of the rebellion were severely punished. Seven were executed and the others were imprisoned or required to do even crueler labor. The Natives revolted because of their poor treatment and forced labor enforced by the soldiers and Fathers (Sandos, 73). These rebellions were among the many others throughout the 16th century in the California missions. This proves that the Native Americans were furious about getting different beliefs and work forced onto them. The Spanish settlers caused a lot of health problems to flourish all throughout California. Soon after the arrival of Spanish colonists, diseases spread from Southern California to Northern California so Native American fatalities heightened. Highly infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles, and syphilis killed thousands of Native Americans, especially children, so the Indian population dropped drastically (Sandos, 64). About sixty percent of the Mission Native Americans’ death was due to introduced diseases. In just a few decades, the Native American population in California decreased from 310,000 to about 100,000. Since the California Missions held many residences, people lived in such confined spaces which caused contagious diseases to spread rapidly. In order to keep the population at a steady rate for enough workers, Mission leaders separated Native American children from their parents to maintain the children’s health to save them to work at the Missions as they got older (California). The Natives were furious that their families were being separate. Mothers were not there to care for their children, so the Native children were on their own. There was a lack of physicians to care for the ill so not everyone could be helped. Diseases were not the only reason why the Native population dropped drastically. They went through rigorous changes in diet so their bodies were not used to the food they were eating. In addition, malnutrition caused toxins in their bodies. In addition, the intense demanding manual labor is a factor that contributed to their inability to overcome the sickness. Death rates were higher than birth rates so the Mission had to keep recruiting different tribes all throughout California (Mission). By 1834, there were only about 15,000 Native American residents in the twenty two Missions. The Spanish were only in contact with the Native Americans for personal gain. The Franciscans maintained total economic, social, and political control all throughout California. Very few Native Americans chose to stay at the Missions voluntarily. During their time at the Missions, they had to conduct harsh labor and all of their rights were taken away from them. Although they provided the Native Americans with food, shelter, and clothing, the Franciscans treated them like slaves. The Spanish’s involvement backfired since a majority of Native Americans died due to illness, making them nearly extinct. The physical and metal demands required were a major strain on the Native Americans.

Experiential Learning Essay

The tradition of didactic learning is naturally giving way to the new era of experiential learning which allows the individual to enhance the knowledge based on real interaction (experience) with the world of knowledge. As the name suggests, ‘experiential’ itself is a way of experiencing the patterns of accessing knowledge, with emphasis on individual reflexes, at micro level and macro levels. However, it should not be confused with experiential education which deals with broader issues of educational structure and objectives. How it works? The experiential education is constructivist to the core. It depends on the active mental process of involvement of the learners. The learning builds understanding by the application of inquiry and reflection. This understanding is called the ‘mental model’ of the process. For instance we can take the mental model of the heart and how it works to pump our blood. It can be compared to an individual, or a learner guided by another, or a group of individuals working together to make out meaning from their inquiry. The process can evolve from our individual mental model and inquiries about something (construction), that can then be enhanced by our additional experiences and reflection (re-construction), and further modified by our interactions with others who are also engaged in inquiring about the same topic (re-co-construction). At the heart of the experiential education model we will find this evolving and scaffolding of learning through continuity and interactions. Why we need experiential learning? I hear, and I forget I see, and I remember I do, and I understand. —Ancient Chinese proverb As the Chinese proverb itself explains a lot regarding why we need experiential learning, yet here are some more reasons why it should be opted. A simple research on thinking and learning can take you to the outcome that learning through actively engaged process can actually make a huge impact on the understanding level of any individual. What we learn by doing is something that gets stored in our data stock forever. Kid’s Play School can be taken as a simple example to establish this very fact. It’s totally unlike formal education system, where only the information is being passed. â€Å"Give a person a fish and they can have a meal, teach the person to catch fish and they can eat fish for a lifetime. † This proverb throws some more light on the topic of experiential learning and how it benefits us. At times it is also seen that watching a video clip can also make us learn things. It to a great extent is helpful. But there’s still a huge difference lingering between the two. You can easily forget the content of the video clip or maybe you confuse it with some other clip, but what you experience in real life, can neither be forgotten nor confused. Its damn clear always, crystal clear! Therefore, it is highly recommended that whatever you are learning, you should for once experience it too. Be a part of this experiential and adventurous family. Wonder Outdoors welcomes you aboard.