Monday, January 27, 2020
Negative Effects of Media on Youth: Causal Effect Analysis
Negative Effects of Media on Youth: Causal Effect Analysis Natasha Nguyen Why is it difficult to show that media causes harm to young people? Introduction The impact of the media on young people has long been an issue, with concern that younger audiences are negatively influenced by media. Effects research has been used to determine whether media causes harm on young people. However, media effects research has its difficulties in generating viable results. This paper will outline why it is difficult to show a direct causal effect from media resulting in negative outcomes and behaviours from young audiences. No media effects researchers believe in direct effects and a cohort of media scholars make valid claims supporting this statement. Barrie Gunter effectively explains the validity problems with media effects research, with Albert Banduraââ¬â¢s famous ââ¬ËBobo Dollââ¬â¢ experiment as an example. David Gauntlettââ¬â¢s views on the flaws of the effects model are also relevant to the discussion and McQuail makes very constructive points on how audiences can choose how they let media affect them. To further justify that it is difficult to show that media causes harm to people, the ideas discussed will be related to the case study of the murder of 2 year old James Bulger. Validity of Effects Research Early media effects experiments, such as the Payne Fund Studies, consisted of children participants being placed in artificial environments (Gunter 2008,p.1085). They were fed dosages of media violence controlled by researchers who then exposed them to environments where they could behave in aggressive ways if they choose to (Gunter 2008,p.1085). However, these studies have been criticized by scholars for lacking validity (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.272). The experiments were too far-fetched to produce any feasible results about media effects as they were artificial; taking users out of their natural habitats, feeding them media they would not usually consume and using unrealistic representatives for real-life violence (Ruddock 2013,p.27). Gunter (2008) is especially adequate at explaining the problems with validity in effects studies. He outlines the issues with conducting experiments in artificial settings. Participants are aware of researchers and act accordingly, doing what th ey thought the researcher wanted (Gunter 2008,p.1088). Gunter (2008,p.1102) reports how the selection of media extracts fed to participants were devoid of their original context and could be interpreted differently when embedded in their original source. Media effects research cannot be discussed without referencing Banduraââ¬â¢s (1963) Bobo Doll experiment (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.272). The study illustrated that when watching a televised model commit aggressive actions, children were more likely to imitate the actions if the model was rewarded instead of punished (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.272). This suggests an association between aggressive media influences on the children to mimic the aggressive acts but Gunter (2008) cautioned against mistaking association for causation. There were many flaws to that experimentation, with even Bandura (2009,p.110) himself discussing the severe constraints tied to controlled experimentation. Flaws in the ââ¬Å"Effects Modelâ⬠In response to traditional media effects studies, Gauntlett (1998) discusses the flaws of media effects studies, outlining why it cannot be used to prove that media causes direct harm to young people. Firstly, he discredits effects research for coming to social problems backwards. Researchers start with violent media and attempt to find ways to connect it to social problems, such as aggression, instead of beginning with social problems to find their causes (Gauntlett 1998,p.214). Gauntlett (1998,p.216) also criticizes the effects model for treating children as inadequate and more manipulable than adults, being influenced into behavior adults wouldnââ¬â¢t be. He questions the validity of effects research by discussing the use of artificial studies, claiming that they are selective and based on the belief that the subjects will not change their behavior as a result of being observed (Gauntlett 1998,p.219). In examining some of the flaws that Gauntlett presents, it is clear that it i s difficult to research media effects to show a direct causal effect as the methods traditionally used undermine the validity of the results. Audienceââ¬â¢s Choices on Effects The influence media has commonly depends on audience motivations, as information conveyed is not what influences audiences but rather peopleââ¬â¢s self-determined reaction to this information (Petty, Brinol Priester 2009,p.126). Pieslack (2007) delves into this concept through his studies of music and war. He states that people voluntarily expose themselves to the effects of media, citing soldiers at war as an example who become aggressive after listening to rap music because they want to become aggressive (Pieslack 2007,p.134). McQuail (1997,p.205) explains how typical effects models were perceived as a one-way process of causality, from media to consumer, where the audience was viewed as a passive recipient of media content. However, individuals have unique tastes in media, with some more inclined to expose themselves to media violence (McQuail 1997,p.206). This destroys the notion of media messages being forced upon individuals unwillingly, evidencing that young audiences know ingly visit effects upon themselves (Ruddock 2013,p.28). Young people often learn from media because they choose to (Bandura 2009,p.97). This demonstrates the difficulty in showing that media causes harm to young people as there may be a correlation between aggression but there is no proof of direct causation, with certain individuals choosing to let media influence them (Gunter 2008,p.1095). Audiences Backgrounds Media aggression does not have the same effects on everyone and some may be more susceptible than others to effects of media violence (Gunter 2008,p.1095). Individual media audiences have different psychological makeups that influence the way they respond to aggressive media (Gunter 2008,p.1112). The consumption of violence and aggression from media is complex and must account for the audienceââ¬â¢s differing psychological profiles (Gunter 2008,p.1097). Media violence can produce aggression when paired with troubled social conditions (Ruddock 2013,p.35). We cannot assume that violence from media consumers is directly linked back to the media as there are many other influences which can cause aggression in individuals. Peer influences, family conflicts and other factors may all influence aggressive behaviour (Sparks, Sparks Sparks 2009,p.273). It has also been reviewed that negative effects of media violence were mostly visible among the poor, less educated and socially disenfranc hised (Ruddock 2013,p.35). This proves that violent media effects are mostly a risk for individuals whom already had difficult lives and as a result, it is difficult to prove a direct causal effect from violent media. The James Bulger Murder In 1993, controversy over media effects on children surfaced following the murder of two-year-old James Bulger by two ten-year-old boys, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson. Bulgerââ¬â¢s body was found mutilated on a railway line two days after his murder. Though no evidence of it was brought to trial, violence in videos was considered a possible stimulus. There were many links made by the press between the crime and events in a film called Childs Play 3 (Bignell 2002,p.134). Venableââ¬â¢s father had rented the film however, Venables did not live with his father and had never seen the film (Bignell 2002,p.134). There was no way to connect the crime to the film and direct effects were never proven and authorities concluded that the crime was the case of two disturbed individuals acting on dark impulses, rather than on the influence of violent media. Thompson grew up in a brutal environment, being assaulted by five older brothers and an alcoholic mother. His tough upbringings may ha ve produced aggression when paired with violent media. He could have chosen to let aggressive media influence him voluntarily, wanting to become more aggressive to deal with his surroundings. This underlines Pieslackââ¬â¢s (2007) point about audiences voluntarily exposing themselves to media effects. The boysââ¬â¢ psychological makeup could account for their actions and their responses to aggressive media. Venables came from troubled family conditions, exhibited low self esteem and was temperamentally fragile. His difficult circumstances made him more vulnerable to the effects of media content, as discussed by Gunter (2008). It would be wrong to assume that violent media directly caused the boys to commit the crime as there was no direct proof and a range of other factors clearly had influence on the pair. Concluding Remarks It is difficult to show that media causes harm to young people and that a direct causal effect resulting in negative outcomes exists. The view that media has direct and powerful effects on audiences is more accepted by the general public than media effects scholars (Oliver Krakowiak 2009,p.517). Some researchers acknowledge that media violence can influence viewers but not in all circumstances, all audiences and not directly (Gunter 2008,p.1063). Media effects scholars such as Gunter, Gauntlett, Pieslack and McQuail disagree with direct causal effects. In researching media effects through experimentation, results compiled are questioned for their validity as research conducted in artificial environment can encourage unnatural participant responses. Aggressive behaviour cannot be solely blamed on violent media content as there are many other factors which influence an individualââ¬â¢s motives for being violent. As seen through the James Blumer case study, an individualââ¬â¢s mo tives, psychological makeup and social background can influence the level of power media has over them and disproves the idea of direct effects. Reference List Gauntlett, D 1998, ââ¬ËTen Things Wrong with the Effects Modelââ¬â¢, in R Dickinson, R Harindranath O Linne (ed.), Approaches to Audiences: A Reader, Arnold Publishers, London, pp.120-130 Gunter, B 2008, ââ¬ËMedia Violence: Is There a Case for Causality?ââ¬â¢, American Behavioural Scientist, vol. 51, no. 8, pp. 1061-1122 McQuail, Oliver, M Krakowiak, K 2009, ââ¬ËIndividual Differences in Media Effectsââ¬â¢, in J Bryant M Oliver (ed.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Routledge, New York, pp. 517-531 Petty, R, Brinol, P Priester, J 2009, ââ¬ËMass Media Attitude Change: Implications of the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasionââ¬â¢, in J Bryant M Oliver (ed.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Routledge, New York, pp. 517-531 Pieslack, J 2007, ââ¬ËSound Targets: Music and the War in Iraqââ¬â¢, Journal of Musicological Research, vol.26, no. 2, pp. 129-149 Ruddock, A 2013, Youth and Media, SAGE Publications, London Sparks, G, Sparks, C Sparks, E 2009, ââ¬ËMedia Violenceââ¬â¢, in J Bryant M Oliver (ed.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research, Routledge, New York, pp. 269-286
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Barbados Essay -- Geography History Island Barbados Essays
Barbados GEOGRAPHY Barbados is the eastern most island of the Caribbean, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela (13 10 N, 59 32 W). It is considered a ââ¬Å"Coral Islandâ⬠due to its vast coral shore beaches that surround the perimeter of the island. Overall, Barbados is 430 square kilometers, with 97 kilometers being coastline area. The circumference is approximately 55 miles around, and has a pear-like shape to it. Length and width wise, Barbados is 21 miles and 13 miles respectively. In Comparatively speaking, Barbados is 2.5 times the size of Washington D.C. Geologically, Barbados is actually 2 large masses of build up of coral on sedimentary rocks, that have formed the island over thousands of years. The terrain is relatively flat, but rises gently to the central highland region of the island. Along the coastline, the elevation is at itââ¬â¢s lowest (zero meters). Mount Hillaby is the highest peak on Barbados at 336 meters above sea level (1,147 feet). The climate in Barbados is tropical. It is often sunny, and there is about 3,000 sun hours annually. Trade winds constantly sweep across the island, keeping the temperature rather comfortable. Temperatures are very stable throughout the entire year. In January, the average high temperature is 83à °F, and the average low is 70à °. In July, the average high temperature is 86à °F, while the average low is 74à °F. Despite the constant winds, hurricanes infrequently hit Barbados. Occasional landslides are the only natural disasters that plaque the island. The west coast of Barbados is often referred to as the ââ¬Å"Platinum Coastâ⬠. It is renowned for the clear warm waters that lap gently on the beachââ¬â¢s gold and white sands and massive coral reefs. The... ...p Over a Centerpiece of Barbados Culture. The Toronto Sun. p. T6 King, John. (2003, August 8). Melody: A festival to fight for, guys. Retrieved on April 13, 2004. from [www.barbadian.com]. Norton, Graham, (February 2002). Barbados: British empire in the miniature. History Today. 52 (2), 52. Retrieved March 2, 2004, from Expanded Academic Database. Parliament of Barbados. (April 30, 2004). Retrieved March, 30, 2004, from www.parliamentbarbados.gov.bb The Abbreviated History of Barbados. Retrieved March 2, 2004, from http://www.barbados.org/history1.htm U.S. Department of State. (August 2002). Background Notes: Barbados. Retrieved March 2, 2004, from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26507.htm World Fact Book, (December 18, 2003). Barbados. Retrieved on April 13, 2004, from [http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bb.html].
Saturday, January 11, 2020
Characteristics of a Person
Characteristics of Personhood Rationality The ability to reason is seen as being one of the defining characteristics of personhood. Rationality can be summarised in our ability to make considered choices and decisions at a higher intellectual level. Rationality is illustrated in our ability to justify our thoughts and actions through reason, scaled to emotional or practical variables. Aristotle considered that the thought-processes that precede our actions are pivotal to personhood.Such thought-processes generally involve evaluating the positive and negative consequences of our actions, and deciding whether the ââ¬Ërewardââ¬â¢ is worth the ââ¬Ëcostââ¬â¢. This ability to predict consequences of our actions isnââ¬â¢t shared by the lower animals, and is pivotal in making the distinction between a person and a non-person. We have the ability to justify our beliefs and actions and to enter into reasoned dialogue with others. Rationality also leads to the ability to evaluate experience and draw logical, considered conclusions which will influence our actions in the future.The lesser animals lack this capability, a view which is illustrated in the following example: the squirrel stores food for the winter in order to survive, however the squirrel does not store food because it knows that food will be scarce in the winter; the squirrel stores food because of impulses governed by animalistic instinct, and nothing besides. The squirrel could not consider the possibility of an abundance of food in the winter, and decide that it did not wish to store food for the winter, and is confined to the demonstration of instinct.To further illustrate this point we could say that dogs have desires but they do not have choices. For example, when a piece of meat is left unattended, a dog would see it and eat it straight away because it desires the meat and has no regard as to whom it belongs or whether eating the meat would be of benefit to it. In this sense, animals suc h as dogs act on the basis of their desires. On the other hand, we as humans would firstly deliberate between the pros and cons of what to do with this piece of meat, taking into account the various factors and potential consequences of eating it.Humans will not simply act on the basis of their desires but will make a decision and then perform an action according to the decision that we make through our rationality. Possessing a network of beliefs Possessing a network of beliefs is a characteristic that predominately distinguishes humans as persons, as opposed to animals. A network of beliefs can be formed on the basis of reasons in accordance with our rational nature as persons are able to reflect upon the relative strengths and weaknesses of the evidence of these beliefs, basing our belief system on what others tell us and on our own experiences.It is believed that in comparison to most animals, humans have a much more complex network of beliefs. For example, a dog may avoid eatin g chocolate because of a bad experience devouring a whole box ââ¬â but it is doubtful that the dog is able consciously to hold the belief that ââ¬Å"chocolate makes me sickâ⬠. A human, however, has the ability to make a rational decision from past experiences and act upon this belief.For example, if a person eats chocolate and is allergic to it and is thus made ill by it, through a network of wider beliefs such as ââ¬Å"allergies causing illnessâ⬠, ââ¬Å"the feeling of being ill being horribleâ⬠, etc a person can deduce that ââ¬Å"chocolate makes me sick and therefore I wonââ¬â¢t eat it againâ⬠. Unlike animals we can have beliefs about the past and future and refer to these beliefs as the past and future; an animal may remember something as a belief from the past such as the chocolate but can only see how it will affect the present.We can also have beliefs about beliefs; humans have the ability to hold beliefs about possibilities and things that may ha ppen in the future, whereas animals can only have beliefs about the actual and fact. Language User Language users are beings who can communicate with others through a range of mediums. This means that they are able to talk about ideas in the abstract. Furthermore, language is necessary for the possession of genuine ideas and concepts about the world. Language allows people to understand their desires; without language, beings would be unable to communicate and request their desires.For example, a cow can feel hungry and desire grass but it doesnââ¬â¢t know that it desires grass and feels hungry because it does not have those concepts. These concepts are human linguistic concepts. A creatureââ¬â¢s mental horizon is broadened by the ability to represent the world by signs. Language gives the user the ability to express thoughts about an infinite number of things. Furthermore language allows the intelligent construction of arguments; it allows the user to criticize and justify. M oreover, language permits a new king of socializing, based upon discussions.It allows interaction and develops personalities. Language broadens peopleââ¬â¢s knowledge and their emotions. All of these examples mean that one is a person if one can use language. This is because language allows you to formulate your thoughts and having thoughts and self-awareness means you have the capacity to understand the thoughts of others. This means you are a person. Self Awareness Self awareness is the ability to experience and do things whilst understanding what it is thatââ¬â¢s going on and having an awareness of the fact that it is ââ¬ËIââ¬â¢ that is having the experiences.Descartes defines self awareness as having a conscious mind. He believed that using speech and reason were good examples of the mind working. He uses this theory to eliminate animals from what he classes as a person, and in turn describes them as ââ¬Ënothing more than a complex machine. ââ¬â¢ However, altho ugh we are unable to know whether an animal is self-conscious or not, they are clearly conscious in the sense that they are aware of their surroundings and at times can be unconscious. However, consciousness is not the same as self-consciousness.Another way in which self awareness can be described is by a personââ¬â¢s ability to talk about themselves using words such as ââ¬ËIââ¬â¢ or ââ¬Ëmineââ¬â¢. It is the ability to describe ones mental state to others and to understand them from the first-person point of view. Looking back upon your memories is another example and knowing that it is ones self that has experienced these memories. A good example to illustrate self-awareness is the ââ¬Ëmark testââ¬â¢. This is where a mark is placed on the head of a participant who is then placed in front of a mirror.If the participant tries to wipe the mark off their reflection in the mirror, then it is argued that they do not recognise the reflection in the mirror as them and therefore lack self-awareness. If, however, they wipe the mark off their foreheads, then clearly they understand that the reflection in the mirror is them and they therefore have a sense of self. Infant humans beyond the age of 24 months, as well as some animals such as apes, dolphins and elephants, can successfully complete the test whereas other animals are not.This shows that self-awareness is not a characteristic that can be associated with all animals and as such may be a way of distinguishing between animals and persons. Social Being One characteristic that is thought to be essential for personhood is that of being a social being. Humans, unlike other animals, have a ââ¬Å"prior awarenessâ⬠of the existence of other human beings. We identify ourselves in the context of our relationships with other human beings and through our various roles in society. Arguably, we can only recognise ourselves as a person if we have prior awareness of the existence of other such persons.T hroughout life, humans form complex social relationships with others which they often maintain and develop. Human beings have a more developed society than animals such as dogs and horses due to the fact that humans have plans, intentions and schemes. They are individuals but this individuality stems from society. This inherent social nature is dependant upon our ability to communicate, allowing us to establish social roles and connect with others. Through this we see our own identity, as belonging to groups: work, culture, nationality and so on. Arguably, our ââ¬Å"personaâ⬠might be largely formed because of these networks.To have a good life, we must interact with others in order to be able to reflect upon our own selves. In this sense, persons depend on society for not only specific ambitions and goals but also for language, beliefs and to compare themselves to other individuals. It is through this that we can discover the best way to live and therefore hopefully live a go od life. We cannot achieve a good life in isolation as we cannot share our thoughts and feelings with other people. Human beings are social animals and it can be argued that being a person necessarily involves having complex relationships with others.Penguins huddle together for warmth, instinctively, not for any reason more complex than this. They donââ¬â¢t have meetings, parties or ââ¬Å"heart to heartsâ⬠, and wouldnââ¬â¢t later reflect upon this, or develop because of it. Creativity, autonomy and individuality Autonomy is the ability to reason about whether to perform an action or not and suggests that persons are not controlled by our natural instincts, unlike animals. It appears that a person is not entirely influenced by basic instinct, and can refer to more complex thoughts and ideas in decision making.This is shown through the example that a dog does not reflect on whether to bark at the stranger in the street, or continue to go about its own business in the shad e, whereas a person will often reflect upon the reasons for and against acting upon their immediate desires. A person is able to rise above their basic animal drives and take a measure of control over their own lives. By enabling us to reflect on how to act, reason gives us some mastery over our passions, elevating us above the level of creatures of instinct.The capacity to reflect and reason gives us a measure of autonomy or self-control. Individuality allows each person to identify and emphasize the uniqueness of each of us and it is argued that an individual person is defined not so much by their shared human essence as by the particular characteristics of his or her own nature. Human beings in all societies give themselves proper names which uniquely identify them as individuals and some philosophers have argued that it is a natural tendency for all human beings to construct a unique personality.Also, animals appear to have no concept of creativity or imagination and only experi ence things for what they are. For example, an animal would not understand metaphor, because a metaphor is a representation of something else, and an animal cannot fathom this concept. Yet, people do have the ability to be creative and imaginative. Moral Sense Having a moral sense means that we are able to decide what we should and shouldnââ¬â¢t do, to identify what is good and bad, and to label actions moral or immoral. Kant says that a person uses their moral principles and this determines their actions.He also says that we, as moral persons, are able to recognise what our duties are and then we can further choose whether to act in accordance with these duties. Acting in accordance with our moral duties rather than our desires is what makes our actions truly free as we can transcend our desires in order to do what we see we ought to. For example, although we may not want to give ? 5 to famine relief, we realise that we ought to and recognising this duty can motivate us to act o n it. Morals tend to be related to humans, as animals donââ¬â¢t have the notion of orality. For example, in the case of a lion killing an antelope for food, we see this as an act of survival; therefore we cannot blame the lion for being immoral. However if a human killed an antelope for sport it could spark a moral debate, as some people would agree with it and some people would think it immoral. If we canââ¬â¢t attribute morals to animals, but we can attribute morals to humans, then there is a distinct difference between the two. This distinction illustrates that maybe we only attribute morals to persons.
Friday, January 3, 2020
Essay about The Endocrine System - 1431 Words
The endocrine system is a group of glands distributed throughout the human body. This group of glands secretes substances called hormones. These hormones discharge into the bloodstream (Shier, Butler Lewis, 2009). The endocrine system does not have a single anatomic location. It is dispersed throughout the human body. The final purpose of this system is to control, regulate, and coà ¶rdinate the functioning of the human body (p.291). Some body functions can be activated or inhibited by hormones, which are secreted in very small quantities. Hormone related diseases may be due to hyper secretion or hypo secretion. The hormones secreted by the endocrine glands regulate the growth, development and function of many tissues, and coà ¶rdinate theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Hyperthyroidism may result in exopthalmia (The eyes protrude) (p. 301). The parathyroid glands are in front of the base of the neck around the thyroid gland and secrete parathyroid hormones. The parathyroid hormone regulates blood levels of calcium and phosphorus (p. 301). The parathyroid hormone affects the bones, kidneys, and intestines (Shier et al., 2009).Adrenal glands are endocrine glands that sit atop the kidneys (Shier et al., 2009). The adrenal glands secrete hormones that increase the heart rate, breathing rate, the force of cardiac muscle contraction and elevates blood pressure and blood glucose level. This activity prepares the body for energy expending action, sometimes called fight or flight responses (Shier et al., 2009).According to Shier, Butler and Lewis (2009), ââ¬Å"other glands that produce hormones and thus are parts of the endocrine system include the pineal gland and the thymus glandâ⬠(p. 307). These authors also argued that the pineal gland, located deep between the cerebral hemispheres, secretes the hormone melatonin that acts on certain brain regions and functions as a biological clock. The changing levels of melatonin across 24 hours enable the body to know wh en it is daytime or nighttime.Shier, Butler and Lewis (2009) explain that the thymus gland, in the anterior superior mediastinum, secretes hormones called thymosins that play an important role in immunity. The thymus is related to the production of lymphocytes. The reproductive glandsShow MoreRelatedEndocrine Systems : The Endocrine System1170 Words à |à 5 PagesEndocrine System Iesha Alexander, Racquel Shannon, Jerome Crumsey Richard Parker Dorsey School of Nursing BIO 102 Endocrine System The endocrine system is inclusive of the glands of the body and the hormones they secrete. The secretion of these hormones helps to control numerous bodily functions. Hormones are chemicals that work in correlation with your bodyââ¬â¢s systems to function properly! These hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream. Some of the systems controlled by the endocrineRead MoreEndocrine System And Endocrine Systems1098 Words à |à 5 PagesEndocrine System Paper The endocrine system is the accumulation of organs that create hormones that direct digestion system, development and advancement, tissue capacity, sexual capacity, generation, rest, and state of mind, in addition to other things. Homeostasis is maintained by regulation of body temperature, pulse, pH, glucose centration, etc. A. How the Endocrine System interact with the Nervous, Digestive, Urinary and reproductive system? Nervous System- the Hypothalamus connects theRead MoreEndocrine Systems : The Endocrine System2202 Words à |à 9 Pages2016 The Endocrine System The Endocrine System is an extremely important system in the body, and is much needed for homeostasis and the survival of the organism. The Endocrine System consists of many components but is made up of Endocrine glands which have no ducts and usually secrete their hormones directly into the tissue fluid. It also contains many tissues that secrete hormones. The glands of the Endocrine system are located throughout the body but are mostly central to the body. The system has manyRead MoreEndocrine Systems And The Endocrine System1155 Words à |à 5 Pagesdiverse systems in the body, the endocrine system is much of the time overlooked and is easily confused with the excretory system. The endocrine system works with the nervous system in order to maintain homeostasis in the body. Independently the endocrine system is a small group of glands l ocated throughout the body, which include the pineal, adrenal, and thymus glands. Each gland in the endocrine system produces, stores, and releases hormones so when working properly the endocrine system plays anRead MoreEndocrine Systems : Hormones And The Endocrine System1390 Words à |à 6 PagesEndocrine System:â⬠¨ Hormones are chemical substances that act as messengers in the body. They are produced in endocrine glands scattered throughout the body. Together all these glands form the endocrine system.â⬠¨Ã¢â¬ ¨The endocrine system is coordinated by the pituitary gland, which responds to information from the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a portion of the brain and is made of nervous tissue. It constantly checks the internal environment ââ¬â that is, the conditions within the tissues, organs andRead MoreThe Endocrine System1467 Words à |à 6 Pagesof the pituitary gland secrete various hormones for various functions. The function of the thyroid gland is to incre ase the metabolic rate to speed digestion. Now that the endocrine glands of the head and neck area have been introduced, now the glands of the upper and lower torso will be introduced and overviewed. The endocrine gland located in the upper torso is the thymus gland, in the lower torso the adrenal glands, pancreas, and testis/ovaries can be found. The function of the thymus gland isRead MoreFunctions Of The Endocrine System1801 Words à |à 8 PagesUnlike plants, humans require organs and systems to produce hormones. One of the major systems we need is the endocrine system. The endocrine system is the collection of glands of an organism which secrete hormones directly into the circulatory system, which then distributes the hormones to specific organs. The main endocrine glands include the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, gonads(testes, ovaries) and thymus. Each have specificRead More The Endocrine System Essay 601 Words à |à 3 PagesThe Endocrine System The function of the endocrine system is to regulate the body functions by the use of hormones. The structure of the endocrine system is therefore the structure and location of all the main endocrine glands. The pituitary gland, thyroid, pancreas, adrenal glands, and the sex glands (testes) are some of the more important ones, but there are several others. The glands secrete hormones directly in to the blood, which act as messengers. The nature ofRead More The Endocrine System Essay1347 Words à |à 6 PagesThe endocrine system is a group of glands distributed throughout the human body. This group of glands secretes substances called hormones. These hormones are dumping into the bloodstream (Shier, Butler Lewis, 2009). The endocrine system does not have a single anatomic location. It is dispersed throughout the human body. The final purpose of this process is to control, regulate, and coordinate the functioning of the human body. Some body functions can be activated or inhibited by hormones, whichRead MoreThe Glands of the Endocrine System Essay1480 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Glands of the Endocrine System 5 The Glands of the Endocrine System The endocrine system is vital in maintaining homeostasis in the human body. Each gland of the endocrine system produces and releases hormones that enter the blood stream and travels to specific target organs. It is critical for this system to function properly in order to live a full life. The endocrine systems hormones are the chemical messengers that control many systems of the body. These messengers control metabolism
Thursday, December 26, 2019
The Call Of The Wild Adversity Analysis - 1044 Words
In many ways, adversity is the leading factor for change. People, animals, and things often alter their shape or ideas to fit with their surroundings. Usually, those surroundings include one driving factor that forces the change: struggles or difficulty. This idea poses the question, in what way do people deal with adversity? The books The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, and The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli, along with the article ââ¬Å"What Does It Take to ââ¬ËAssimilateââ¬â¢ to America?â⬠by Laila Lalami, carry a common theme: it is not just change that helps people deal with adversity, but adaptation. Change is the simple act of becoming different, whereas adaptation is the act of changing oneself to fit in oneââ¬â¢s environment. Adversity, howeverâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Jack London brings a natural instinct into the spotlight by defining that everyone has that primal call to the wild, and often one feels this when in a difficult situation. Giving into th is ââ¬Ëcall of the wildââ¬â¢ leads to a different kind of adaptation, it makes you become primal to survive in a primal situation. Further into the book it states, ââ¬Å"The others sat down and howled. And now the call came to Buck in unmistakable accents. He, too, sad down and howled.â⬠(London, 1990, p.62). This is the defining moment of Jackââ¬â¢s book when Buck lets go of all ties to humans and decides to carve his own path, adapting the way he needs to, not the way that humans encouraged him. Soon, Buck changes himself completely to fit snugly into the environment and to prevent further torturous struggles with humans. These quotes combine to paint a picture of total and complete change when it comes to a new and unfavorable environment. Adversity can, and will, lead to an adaptation of thinking and opinion to help you rise above the problem(s). In The Prince, Machiavelli describes the necessary lifestyle and tactics to gain power over those whom you may not like (or whom may not like you) and retain it. In Niccolo Machiavelliââ¬â¢s life as a public official, he ruled like any other ruler. Eventually, however, he was unseated from his power. Soon after he wrote The Prince as an example of how to overcome all adversity. For example, ââ¬Å"The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defendShow MoreRelated Human Interaction with Nature in the Works of Aldo Leopold and Elizabeth Bishop1690 Words à |à 7 Pageswith a wild animal comes about through hunting. In theory, hunting is a sport, ââ¬Å"a challenge of fang against bulletâ⬠(Leopold 129), in which the animal has a fair chance of escaping. In reality, however, there is no real challenge for the hunter in either case. Leopold and his companions, ââ¬Å"pumping lead into the packâ⬠(130), kill the wolf not by skill but by the sheer number of bullets, while Bishopââ¬â¢s speaker testifies, ââ¬Å"He didnââ¬â¢t fight. / He hadnââ¬â¢t fought at allâ⬠(5-6). Thus, both call into questionRead More Analysis of The Charge of the Light Brigade Essay1100 Words à |à 5 PagesAnalysis of The Charge of the Light Brigade This particular poem deals with the unfortunate mistake of Battle of Balaclava in 1854. In an attempt to retrieve their stolen firearms, the British, lead by Lord Raglen, took their light cavalry to the innocent Turkish territory, rather than the guilty Russians. In self-defence Turkey protect themselves by attacking the British troops causing hundreds of deaths but not, not the six hundred. Tennyson uses various techniques to involve the readerRead MoreAnalysis Of Where I m Calling From By Raymond Carver2284 Words à |à 10 PagesArtapong Intapatana September 16, 2014 English Literature: Critical Thinking and Composition Prof. Jennifer Smith Where Iââ¬â¢m Calling From Analysis ââ¬Å"Where Iââ¬â¢m Calling Fromâ⬠by Raymond Carver is a short story about a manââ¬â¢s struggle with Alcoholism, and his encounters at a drying-out facility or treatment center. The story itself seems very straight forward in the way itââ¬â¢s presented, 3rd person perspective, narrative writing style, realism (ENotes.com), but in actuality thereââ¬â¢s a lot more to the storyRead MoreEssay about Violence in America2573 Words à |à 11 Pagesrecently ran alarming stories about the epidemic of criminal and group violence. Rolling Stone in A Pistol-Whipped Nation and both Time and Newsweek ran alarming cover stories about the virtual epidemic of youth violence. Newsweeks Teen Violence: Wild in the Streets, decried the number of young people carrying guns, using them, being shot, and being killed. Accompanying all this was a casual if not blase attitude indicating that, as one expert quoted in Time put it, Violence is hip right now.Read MoreAre the Values of Liberali sm Universal Essay2531 Words à |à 11 PagesThis is an immensely complex questions which deserves much more time and space than can be devoted in this essay. However I will endeavor to apply the theories of a number of authors to the problem and arrive at a reasonable conclusion based upon my analysis of them. Throughout the course of the essay I will make reference to a number of authors, writing on subjects of Ethics, Philosophy and Feminism, with the intention of attempting to divine the validity to the claim of liberalismââ¬â¢s universality.Read MoreFrancis Bacon15624 Words à |à 63 Pageshas diluted all the effect of his own words said in the praise of the truth. One can find the same strange mixture of high ethics and utilitarianism in the essay ââ¬Å"Of Revengeâ⬠. In this essay Bacon condemns revenge by saying: ââ¬Å"Revenge is a kind of wild justice.â⬠And ââ¬Å"One who studieth revenge, keeps his own wounds green.â⬠He expressed that there is no place of revenge in high society and it is a high quality to forgive an enemy. Hereafter, Bacon spoils the effects by putting that in some casesRead MoreIntertestamental Period2955 Words à |à 12 PagesINTERTESTAMENTAL PERIOD NEW TESTAMENT ORIENTATION I NBST 525 AN ANALYSIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF ARTS IN RELIGION LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY BY: LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTIONâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦1 THE INTERTESTAMENTAL PERIODâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.1 HEROD THE GREATââ¬â¢S PALESTINIAN RULEâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦...7 CONCLUSIONâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦.â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦Ã¢â¬ ¦..9 INTRODUCTION The Intertestamental periodRead MorePopulation Problem in Bangladesh14871 Words à |à 60 PagesThe Bangladeshi English Essay Book An Analysis by Robin Upton, January 22nd 2006 Public Domain under (cc) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0 Jan 2006 - Robin Upton - http:// www.RobinUpton.com/research Contents Purpose........................................................................................................... 1 Introduction to Essay Books .......................................................................... 1 Impact of Essay Books ................Read More Psychosocially Therapeutic Aspects of The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway6795 Words à |à 28 Pagesmaximum self-control. At the end of the story he mentions, A man is not made for defeat...a man can be destroyed but not defeated. The book finishes with this symbolic sentence: The old man was dreaming about lions. It is a psychological analysis of Hemingway famous story that we have used it as a psychotherapeutic aid for hopeless and depressed people and also psychological victims of war in a more comprehensive therapeutic plan. The first sentence of the book announces itself as Hemingways:Read MorePsychosocial Aspects of the Old Man and the Sea6923 Words à |à 28 Pageshave maximum self-control. At the end of the story he mentions, A man is not made for defeat...a man can be destroyed but not defeated. The book finishes with this symbolic sentence: The old man was dreaming about lions. It is a psychological analysis of Hemingway famous story that we have used it as a psychotherapeutic aid for hopeless and depressed people and also psychological victims of war in a more comprehensive therapeutic plan. The first sentence of the book announces itself as Hemingways:
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
John Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men - 774 Words
Having lived at difficult times, John Steinbeck meets human nature and its flaws, which he successfully encompasses in his novel, Of Mice and Men. Throughout his career, Steinbeck has managed to craftily expose the entrails of humankind in an effort to reflect on its rather capricious psyche. In his novel, for instance, he portrays two wandering menââ¬âmentally impaired Lennie, and Georgeââ¬âwho seem to often get in trouble due to Lennieââ¬â¢s naivety. As the characters develop, it becomes clear that they establish the strongest of bonds, yet George numerous times proves humankindââ¬â¢s capricious psyche by demonstrating hate toward the unavoidable circumstances which mental disorders such as Lennieââ¬â¢s carry. In the final chapter, George hesitantly resorts to executing Lennie, thus conveying a universal message: one is not entirely depraved nor solely good, but a combination of both and therefore no act of killing is morally justifiable. Furthermore, George is not morally justified for having killed Lennie, since his feelings often shift between love, disgust, and selfishness. This may be seen when Lennie and he talk about the incident in weed, when Lennie and Curley have an incident, and when Lennie unintentionally breaks Curleyââ¬â¢s wifeââ¬â¢s neck. Although George certainly demonstrates affection for Lennie, he appears to be fairly selfish all throughout the course of the novel. When the characters first discuss the incident in Weed, George communicates his impatience, disgust, and selfishnessShow MoreRelatedJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1248 Words à |à 5 PagesIn Steinbeck s novel Of Mice and Men, He uses imagery many times to create a realistic setting and plot. Steinbeckââ¬â¢s depiction of migrant workers and their daily complications during the depression are objectively precise due to his use of imagery with idioms, dreams, nature, loneliness and animal imagery. The main theme of the book transpires to be loneliness and fate. While George and Lennie, the main characters have a synergetic relationship, fate steps in and does away with their dreams, whichRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men897 Words à |à 4 Pagesthat we possess. Many people feel certain emotions based on events that have taken place in their lifetime or how they were raised throughout their childhood. In John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s Of Mice and Men, he portrays the feelings of isolation and loneliness in three different characters. Georgeââ¬â¢s isolation is illustrated in Steinbeckââ¬â¢s, Of Mice and Men. George expresses many hard feelings towards Lennie at the opening of this story. ââ¬Å"ââ¬Ë...youââ¬â¢re a lot of trouble,ââ¬â¢ said George. ââ¬ËI could get along so easy and soRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1243 Words à |à 5 Pagesis what John Steinbeck achieves by portraying this through the characters in his novella Of Mice and Men. The main characters are affected by loneliness in their own different way throughout the novella. rf The loneliness is maintained by the challenges that the characters have to face, and they sustain those challenges of being inhumane towards each other. Crook, a figure in the story who experiences discrimination encounters the challenge of race, due to the bookââ¬â¢s setting in the 1930ââ¬â¢s duringRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1080 Words à |à 5 Pagesââ¬Å"I want you to stay with me Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebodyââ¬â¢d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself.â⬠The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck shows the relationship between two migrant workers in the 1930s, George and Lennie, along with the other members on the new ranch that they began working on. Georgie and Lennie dreamed of following the American Dream and owning their own patch of land and the novel revolves around the dream and the obstacles that stand in their way. Lennie, a strongRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1286 Words à |à 6 PagesThe realistic fiction novella O f Mice And Men by John Steinbeck explains the journey of two migrant farm workers. Lennie and George are forced to overcome the Dust Bowl and The Great Depression around 1938. This makes jobs even harder to come by because everyone wanted one. Lennie and George were kicked out of Weed and they now work at a ranch in Soledad. At the new farm the friendship between Lennie and George becomes harder to maintain. The people on the farm are all different shapes, sizes, andRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men2167 Words à |à 9 Pagesjobs. In John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie Small wander through California in search of a new job that would help them make enough money to live their American dream on ââ¬Å"the fatta the lanââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (Steinbeck 14). George and Lennieââ¬â¢s hard work and determination is not enough for them to live their dream. Lennie has a mental disability that slows the two friends down from living their dream; they have to ru n from job to job because of Lennieââ¬â¢s unintentional actions. Steinbeck incorporatesRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1360 Words à |à 6 Pagesfeeling, thinking and acting in everyday life. In the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, a duo of farmers, George and Lennie, search for work wherever they can. Their dream of having a farm of their own is coming into reach, while George has to wield Lennie away from the temptation of Curleyââ¬â¢s wife and the reality of what Lennie can do. John Steinbeck uses characterization to illustrate the nature of human existence. Steinbeck portrays George as a man who tries to help, and helps others soRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1448 Words à |à 6 Pages In the novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck discusses the idea of loneliness and how people who work at the ranch have no family and no future in lives. He indicates that all people at the ranch are lonely, but he specifically uses a few characters to highlight their state of being lonely and more miserable than the others. He emphasizes the loneliness of ranch life during the Great Depression, and shows how people are willing to try and find friendship in order to escape from the state ofRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men1205 Words à |à 5 Pagesand the time period of John Steinbeck s novella, Of Mice and Men, exemplifies the idea that people from minorities are held back from achieving their version of the ââ¬ËAmerican Dreamââ¬â¢. This goes to prove not everyone will overcome the overbearing tidal waves of their hardship s, which makes the American Dream nothing more than a dream to them. Crooks, the black stable hand, faces discrimination due to his skin color as this unfortunately was common in the 1930ââ¬â¢s. John Steinbeck uses Crooksââ¬â¢ situationRead MoreJohn Steinbeck s Of Mice And Men968 Words à |à 4 PagesSolidifying the theme of John Steinbeckââ¬â¢s Of Mice and Men, the protagonist George expresses his significant loneliness despite a strong kinship with his friend Lennie, ââ¬Å"ââ¬â¢I ainââ¬â¢t got no peopleâ⬠¦ I seen the guys that go around the ranches alone. That ainââ¬â¢t no goodââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (41). Published in 1937, amidst the horrific turmoil of the Great Depression, Steinbeckââ¬â¢s novella struck a sensitive chord with readers. Set in the heart of Californiaââ¬â¢s Central Valley, this story follows two men, George and Lennie, as they
Monday, December 9, 2019
Geopolitics Essay Example For Students
Geopolitics Essay Geopolitics is the applied study of the relationships of geographical space to politics. Geopolitics, therefore, concerned with the reciprocal impact of spatial patterns, features, and structures and political ideas, institutions, and transactions. The term Geopolitics has originally invented, in 1899, by a Swedish political scientist, Rudolf Kjellen and its original meaning is to signify a general concern with geography and politics. However, defining the concept of geopolitics itself is a considerably difficult task because definition of geopolitics tends to changes as historical periods of time and structures of world order change. Therefore, there have been numerous ways of interpreting the term and arguments on them all through the history. In this essay, I intend to examine how geopolitics has influenced on international relations and how it has evolved using well-known geopoliticians theories in a chronological order: Imperialist, Cold War, and New World Order. In early 20th century, geopolitics was a form of power or knowledge concerned with promoting states expansionism and securing empires. It was a time characterized by colonial expansionism abroad and industrial modernization at home. This is also the time when natural supremacy of a certain race or the state has considerably prevailed. The most historically and geographically fated imperialist rivalry of the period was that of between British Empire and the rising imperial aspirations of the German state in Europe. In order to investigate the geopolitical tension between them, the geopolitical writings of the British geographer Halford Mackinder and of the German geopolitician Karl Haushofer have to be thoroughly examined. In addition, it is also needed to examine the view of the far side across the Atlantic, the United States that emerged as a significant player on worlds stage later on. First of all, the starting point for almost all discussions of geopolitics is Sir Halford Mackind er, a member of the British Parliament who wrote The Geographic Pivot of History in 1904. He addressed the importance in the history of geopolitics for three reasons in his work; for its gods eye global view; for its division of the globe into vast swaths of history, and for its sweeping story of geographys conditioning influence on the course of history and politics. First, he argues that Geopolitics is a new way of seeing international politics as a unified worldwide scene and adopts a gods eye global view which looks down on what he calls the stage of the whole world:For the first time we can perceive something of the real proportion of features and events on the stage of the whole world and may seek a formula which shall express certain aspects, at any rate, of geographical causation in history. In this sentence, we implies the geopolitical experts, educated and privileged white men who can perceive the real political features. This sentence shows all the basic elements of imperialist geopolitics, such as the divine eye gaze on the world, only experts can perceive the real and the desire to reveal laws to explain all of history. However, this view has been criticized for the reason that imperialists only see within the structures of meaning provided by their socialization into certain backgrounds, intellectual contexts and political culture and beliefs. Second, he suggests the map of The Natural Seats of Power. To illustrate his thesis geographically, Mackinder labels enormous tracts of territory with simple identities like pivot area. He eliminates the tremendous geographical diversity and specificity of places on earth. Difference becomes sameness. Geographical heterogeneity becomes geopolitical homogeneity. Third, he argues the geographical causation of history in the app lication of the sweeping theory. At the centre of this theory shows the relationship between physical geography and transportation technology. Until the end of nineteenth century, sea power was the supreme, but by then, railroads were making it possible to move large armies quickly over vast land areas. Mackinder wanted his government, which had achieved glory as a sea power, to be prepared for the rise of a land power, obviously Germany at that time. In his famous heartland theory, he renamed Euro-Asia, the world island and the pivot area, the heartland. Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; Who rules the Heartland commands the world island; Who rules the world island commands the world. According to his simple strategic argument, what must be prevented is German expansionism in Eastern Europe and a German alliance with the Soviet Union for the time. In spite of his effort, his idea had a little impact on British foreign policy. The reason is said that his way of interpreting human history is too simplistic and far geographically deterministic, and he failed to aware of the emergence of revolutionary air power in 20th century led by mostly the United States. He underestimated the power of the United States while he overestimated the vast spaces of Russian heart land.By 1904, the United States had emerged as a significant player in international relations. They started expanding their territories with strategic naval forces. Admiral Alfred Mahan who announced sea power doctrine, which stressed the significance of overseas naval bases. He argued in an institutionally self-serving way that the path to national greatness lay in commercial and naval expansionism. All trul y great powers were naval powers. It is not necessary to acquire all territories and formally occupy them; what the Unite States needed was an informal empire based on open door trade and a string of overseas naval bases that would give its navy the ability to protect power in a troublesome region whenever it needed to do so. To back up this view in a concrete sense, Theodore Roosevelt applied social Darwinian ideology. He emphasized that all the races are in a struggle for survival and only the fittest and the strongest can survive. He wrote there is no place in the world for nations who have become enervated by soft and easy life, or who have lost their fibre of vigorous hardiness and manliness. Along with his view, the most civilized and superior state in the world, the United States had a right to exercise an international power in the region to keep troublesome and, namely, uncivilized states. In Germany, a former military officer Karl von Haushofer, who was anxious to avenge Germanys post-World War I humiliations and rebuild the German empire, advocated a strong nationalistic imperialist geopolitics. Like many of veterans of World War II, he had a deep hatred of the peace treaty, the Treaty of Versailles, which took away Germanys colonies and part of its national territories after the war. After the Treaty, he believed that Germanys need for Lebensraum (living space) was greater than ever. Haushofers crusade to overthrow the Treaty of Versailles led him to found the journal Zeitschrift fur Geopolitik in 1924. This journal helped Haushofer create a new school of geography. Mixing the social Darwinist ideas and the ideas of Mackinder, he attempted to reduce the complexity of International relations. In order to survive, according to Haushofer, the German state must achieve Lebensraum. The best way of achieving is for Germany to develop alliance with the heartland power, the Soviet Union. Furthermore, he argued that Germany should align with Japan and create maritime-continental block, stretching from Germany throughout Russia to Japan. Poems By Robert Frosts EssayThe new breed of communist politician who came to power was Mikhail Gorbachev. He launched a policy of glasnost (openness) in Soviet society in 1986 and envisioned perestroika (restructuring and renewal) of the USSR based on modernized and humane communist principles. His new political thinking helped bring about the end of the Cold War. Gorbachevs policy for arms reductions and his refusal to intervene to save communist dictatorships in Eastern Europe resulted in the fall of Berlin Wall and the beginning of the end of the Cold War in Europe at last. Furthermore, the geographical consequence of his new policies provoked a counter-reaction by hard-liners within the Soviet military-industrial complex in 1991, an attempted coup whose failure spiralled into the consequent dissolution of the USSR and the fitful emergence of the new world order of the 1990s. The end of the Cold War allowed the emergence of a new geopolitical order dominated by geo-economic que stions and issues, a world where the globalization of economic activity and global flows of trade, investment and images are re-making states, sovereignty and the geographical structure of the world. The existence of one of the superpowers, the Soviet Union completely disappeared from the world scene. The end of Cold War effectively left the US as the sole remaining superpower. President George Bush declared a new world order during the Gulf War and it was a way of achieving the national exceptionism of the US. He believed that Americans interests were universal interests for everyone. In practical term, the new world order for Bush was a world where the United States, in alliance with those who were willing to follow, did not ordering. Any change in the status quo geopolitical order unfavourable to the US and the interests of the West, such as Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, was considered unlawful aggression that would not stand. On the contrary, any change in geopolitics initiated by the US, for example, the US invasion of Panama was acceptable and can be justified. Many of geopoliticians argue that geopolitic in the post Cold War era can be explained as geo-economics. Focusing greatly on the economic ability of the state, Japan has emerged as most likely hegemonic contender at the time. What makes Japan look so good as successor in this sort of environments is that its economic prowess is not prevented by any military commitments. However, it is possible to interpret Japan as the antithesis of the USSR, another mammoth mismatch between economic and political power but the other way around. Although by no means likely to suffer the same fate as the Soviet Union, Japans weaknesses have been exposed by the post-cold war situation as for instance their failure to contribute physically to the Gulf War in 1991. There is much less talk now of Japan as a future world leader. For some of the environmentally minded intellectual and policy maker, the new geopolitics is not geo-economics but ecological politics or ecopolitics. Because the relationship of p olitics to the earth became more important than ever as state and people struggle to deal with environmental degradation, resource depletion, transnational pollution and global warming. In many cases, the owners of the land are not the same people as those who traditionally used it before development and imposed a very different understanding of the environment and the appropriate ways of using it. It also tends to be occupied by the state with power for their interests. Like this, the variable and processes in geopolitics differ from international environments and times they get involved. Besides, not only economic and environmental issues, but also the perspectives of race, culture and ethno-minorities came up with a considerable attention in geopolitics. Therefore, as the power of the world and the interests of them changes, new roles and new actors in international context emerge incessantly. The early geopoliticians had emphasis on the sheer friction of distance and the buffering function of space, the value of which were evaluated in terms of military technology at that time. However, the technological revolutions over the period of time have produced the variables and tools of power. For example, economic and environmental variables and technological developments have already started altering the ways of assessing distance, space, influence and power. However, it is important to note how dependent on historical context the evolution and application of the modern geopolitical assumption have been. Whatever the outcome of the period, the awareness of historical dependence remains strong. That is why the question of the current geopolitical understandings for the future has to be solved with examining the geopolitics of the past. It also seems certain that there are perceptible differences to interpret the concept of Geopolitics in historical and contemporary perspectives because it has been changing along with changing historical conditions. However, it is also possible to find some common denominators of geopolitical assumption of geopolitics, such as universality of national interests, the centralization of the state like Mackinders pivot theory, the reasoning of intervention and so on, all through the history. The ways to achieve tend to vary in accordance with prevailing issues and the interests of the power state at the time. To conclude, it can be said that the main purpose of each states geopolitics has been achieving power and maintaining the stance with power in international context. Although the history produced many contending perspectives on geopolitics that seemed to be merely an adaptation to newly emerged issues to keep pace with a rapid radical change. Thus it seems hazardous to assess Geopolitics in a facing contemporary context without considering how it has been evolved. Geopolitics is not only a way of interpreting current geopolitical realities but also an evolutionary process, which constantly reflects the whole picture in a wider historical context. Bibliography:Bibliography1. O Ttathail, Gearoid, Dalby, Simon and Routledge, Paul. The Geopolitics: Reader. Routledge (1998)2. Demko, George and Wood, William B. Reordering the World: geopolitical perspectives on the 21st century. Westview Press (1994)3. Taylor, Peter. Political Geography: world economy, nation-state and locality. Longman Scientific ; Technical (1993)4. Agnew, John. Geopolitics: re-visioning world politics. Routledge (1998)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)