Social Construction of Gender

Introduction Gender as a topic has become very popular over the recent past. The global society has witnessed many changes in social construction of gender. According to World Health Organization, gender is a socially constructed trait, conduct, position, and action that a given society considers suitable for men and women. Lockheed (45) defines gender as a given range of characteristics that distinguishes a male from a female.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Construction of Gender specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gender refers to those attributes that would make an individual be identified as either male or female. As can be seen from the above definitions, gender is more of a social than a physical attribute. We look at gender from a societal point of view. Lepowsky (90) defines social construction as an institutionalized characteristic that is largely acceptable in a given society because of the social system. Social construction, in a narrower term, refers to the general behavioral patterns of a certain society shaped by beliefs and values. A socially constructed characteristic therefore varies from one organization to another. Different societies have different beliefs and cultural practices that help define them. Therefore, a social construction of one society would be different from another society. To social constructionists, social construct is a notion or an idea that is considered obvious and natural to a certain group of individuals in a given society, which may be true or not. This means that it holds just to the specific society. In this regard therefore, gender and associated beliefs would vary from one community to another depending on perceptions. On the other hand, essentialists hold there is a set of characteristics that are universal in a certain entity. This means that a given entity can receive a single definition, regardless of the societal set up. In this rega rd, gender is a universal entity, irrespective of the society and the cultural beliefs associated with it. This perspective dilutes the notion that gender is a social construction. This is because it gives it a universal definition, where there is a remarkable difference in the social construct of different societies in the world. This is due to differences in religion, cultural beliefs and civilization. To validate this discussion, the essay is based on social constructionist thinking as opposed to essentialism. Social Construction of Gender Gender is socially constructed. As Lepowsky (31) notes, there is a remarkable difference in the way different societies view the two genders that is, male and female. This scholar says that issues related to gender purely take the approach of social constructionists. He says that societies in the world have varied characteristics, depending on cultures.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He notes that the way one society would view the relationship between the two genders would vary from another, which also depend on a number of factors. Lerro (74) is opposed to this notion. He says that gender is best viewed from essentialists’ perspective. He holds that universally, women have always been regarded as the weaker sex, irrespective of the society. In many regions in the world, women have been treated with low esteem. This is because of the fact that they are physically weak as compared to men. To various societies across the world, women are expected to be below men socially. Although the current wave of change has seen women take active roles in income generating activities, many societies still consider them as home keepers who should always be willing to receive and obey instructions from men. This scholar’s argument is valid. However, his explanation, though leaning towards essentialism, still points out that gender is a social construct. Although many societies have almost a similar perception regarding gender, the fact is that they have construed the meaning of gender. The perception is a mere creation of the society members. According to Lepowsky (53), gender cannot take an essentialist approach. The current world has varied perceptions towards women. The society in Saudi Arabia defines gender in a very different way as compared to the United Kingdom society. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic society that follows strict teachings of the holy Quran. In this society, there is a big social gap between men and women. The society defines a woman as a subordinate who should always serve men. When it comes to addressing issues of importance, a woman must consult a man because by virtue of being a woman, the society assumes that one cannot make a decision personally. This is a very sharp contrast to how this gender is viewed in a liberal country such as the United Kingdom. This society has comp letely narrowed the gap between the two genders that what remain are the physiological differences between the two genders. The country has embraced equality between the two sexes, a fact that saw it elect a female Premier Margret Thatcher. The social environment in Saudi Arabia is very different from that in the United Kingdom. Because of this, the two societies have different views on what the two genders are and how they should relate. While one society is of the view that gender is just but the biological differences that makes one male or female, the other society sees more. It sees difference in roles, freedom, and positions in the society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Construction of Gender specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Relationship between the Two Genders The society is waking to a new down where women and men are considered equal. The only differences existing are biological. Man has been t he dominant sex over years. Terms such as mankind, chairman and fireman were used to refer to both men and women. However, these are currently considered sexist titles, which should be avoided at all costs. Although the global society is still largely patriarchal, there is an observable effort to create equality between the two sexes. However, men are not willing to relinquish their prestigious positions in the society. In social centers such as schools and colleges, men would try to prove that they are in control. Plante (6) notes that jokes are always essential in our society. Although they are always taken from the face value as a form of entertainment, it has a purpose beyond entertainment. This scholar gives an analysis of sexist jokes used by men towards female students in learning institutions. What comes clear is that men still rely much on their physical superiority, as their way of showing dominance. They use force in order to make female students listen to their jokes, wh ich is highly sexist. When it comes to sex, men completely change. Chappell (19) gives a confession of a certain girl and her sexual encounter. Through this, it can be observed that when a man has the desire for sex, he is willing to bend very low to a woman. However, things change immediately after the process. He becomes rude and he would easily pick mistakes from the same woman. Sex, Gender and Gender Conformity Gender identity is the biological characteristic that would define an individual’s gender. In this regard, it would be appropriate to just categorize humanity based on sex. This would mean that the two categories would be men and women. However, because of these biological differences between the two sexes, there is another way of classifying the two sexes that is, gender. Gender is more of a social than a biological difference between the two sexes. As Plante (110) notes, in this approach, the two genders are analyzed based on the abilities and inabilities. Becaus e men are considered stronger physically, they are given a higher rank in the society because it is assumed that their capabilities are superior to those of women. Sex in itself is a gendered word. In many societies, sex is used to emphasize the difference between the two genders. Because societal pressure, the ‘weaker’ sex (woman) is forced to conform to the position they are given. They conform, not because they like the assigned position, but because they are not allowed to oppose the decision. They may not necessarily accept the position given to them by the society. However, because the society is intolerant and very rigid, they are left with very limited option other than conforming to the norm.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In some instances, women are exposed to physical abuse from their male counterparts who are keen on asserting their authority in the societal set up. Plante (136) says that this high handedness has seen many women suffer in silence, simply because they are women. Gender identity disorder is a syndrome that is always traumatizing. An individual who cannot clearly be categorized as a man or a woman may find either himself or herself at the center of social stigmatization. Such an individual lacks a gender to identify with in a society that is so keen on identifying individuals based on gender. Conclusion It can be seen from the above discussion that gender can be defined differently, depending on the community in question. Depending on the societal structure of a given community, gender will assume a meaning depending on how men and women relate. Unlike sex that is defined based on biological differences, gender is defined based on the behavioral patterns of the two genders and the so ciety’s perception of the concerned individual. Every society has its own way of viewing men and women and the relationship between the two. In some societies, women are treated with very low esteem. In such societies, gender is held with high esteem, as a way of showing the boundary that exists between men and women. In other societies, civilization has made a woman be accepted as equal to a man hence the term gender has lost its previous meaning. Issues of gender have raised many questions in the current society. In the current world, women have acquired a new status. They no longer depend on men for everything. As a number of authors note, gender has to be given a new definition other than what it was before. Based on how gender is defined, the current society needs a to re-define it. Works Cited Chappell, Marissa. The war on welfare: family, poverty, and politics in modern America. Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010. Print. Lepowsky, Maria. Fruit of the Motherland: Gender in an Egalitarian Society. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993. Print. Lerro, Bruce. Power in Eden: The Emergence of Gender Hierarchies in the Ancient World. Manchester:Trafford Publishing, 2005. Print. Lockheed, Marlaine. Gender and social exclusion. Paris: Education Policy series publishers, 2010. Print Plante, Rebecca. Doing gender diversity: readings in theory and real-world experience. New York: West view Press, 2010. Print. This essay on Social Construction of Gender was written and submitted by user Selah Vang to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Congress of Vienna Essay

The Congress of Vienna Essay The Congress of Vienna Essay The Peace Settlement of the Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna, which consisted of the five great European powers Britain, France, Austria, Russia, and Prussia, met from September of 1814 until June of 1815. The major people, led primarily by Klemens von Metternich, who took part in the Congress were Castlereagh, Maurice de Talleyrand, Fredrick William III, and Alexander I. The strategy of this anti-nationalistic congress was to restore social and political order in Europe through establishing a balance of power by keeping France from pursuing further aggression and to settle growing disputes. The Congress wanted to restore harmony to Europe and give power to conservatism, opposed to the growing liberal ideas. The extreme conservatism of the Congress, especially Metternich’s program, would lead the Congress of Vienna to certain problems. When the Congress of Vienna met, they met to achieve three goals: to create a balance of power, to contain France by surrounding it with stronger countries, and to establish legiti macy. They agreed to redraw the map of Europe to establish an equilibrium of powers, preventing a country from creating an uprising. They established buffer states between the great powers to prevent France from expansion. To create harmony within Europe, Metternich created the Principle of Legitimacy that stated that the old dynasties who had been driven from the throne should be restored to power. These old dynasties were the Bourbons to France, the House of Orange to Holland, and the Habsburgs to Northern Italy. The Quadruple Alliance agreed to defend the Principle of Legitimacy as the status quo of the Congress against any threat to the balance of power. The socials views of the Congress of Vienna were centered around conservatism and stopping the ideas of nationalism and liberalism from spreading, especially to the Americas. The Congress set up a stong aristocracy to accompany the restoration of the old dynasties. Within the Congress, a key alliance was set up between Francis I of Austria, King Fredrick William III, and the Czar Alexander I called the Holy Alliance. In this, the three pledged to base their relations with other nations on Christian principle to combat the forces of revolution. The Concert of Europe was a

Adaptation And Evolution

The Scientific Method is the most logical way in order to prove whether your hypothesis is wrong or not. Many processes are counted before a result of a test can be considered as a law or a theory. In this case a hypothesis can in a way or another also be considered as the theory. Â  As an environmental science teacher, I would explain that in this generation, what was nearest thing to the truth is the one that is gaining the advantage to belong to the set of things that can be considered as true. If the basis of the statement is scientific then I can say that he should say otherwise. It is a convention that before a certain fact is considered as true it must satisfy the scientific method of doing things. Biological evolution is a theory because in the duration of its study they had reached the point wherein they come up with the scientific model that could be viewed as the approximation to the truth. Only approximation could be attained due to the fact that the things that we know in this world are constantly changing and is based on the current knowledge or scientific observations that we had.(Moran, 2003) Â  The theory therefore of biological evolution is the nearest thing to the truth in this generation. We cannot absolutely say that it is the truth because no one in this world knows all the facts and necessary data to back up the biological evolution and at the same time prove that we came from creation of GOD in heaven. another thing is that we do not know the things that might happen maybe in the near future another fact is to be known to the rest of us that can totally alter the ‘truths’ that we consider today. Since science does not deal with absolute truths but with hypothesis theories and models that had undergone intelligent trials and comparisons from the past and in the present it is nearest to the truth and at the same time could be explained scientifically unlike the unexplainable nature of the creation. Creation is only explainable in terms of religion but there is no tangible evidence that it had occurred unlike the biological evolution which had presented every detail of the assumption and had been tested in time. In other words I could explain that the statement had been said due to the technical misconception of the word theory and also due to the never ending battle between the creationists and biologists on who is telling the absolute truth. Evolution through natural selection as the earth’s history told us would take years and even millions of it to take place or before a certain ‘evolved species’ would materialize. In this case the effectivity of the proposed solution to the increasing pollution in the air is not possible for another ten or million year. When this happened then the environment would greatly suffer. As of today, the efforts of minimizing the use of chemicals and other industrial inputs are high but with minimal results. The environment is continually depleting from the robust and sound area to live by. The effect of air pollution in the environment is increasing thus making the earth an area less safe for its inhabitants. The climate change (global warming) is one of the results of the pollutions in the air that is very alarming. It causes changes in the environment that we can no longer tolerate in the near future. If the scenario continue to take its toll there would come a time that we can no longer live in this earth. The neglect that most of us had done is now a big ghost that would hunt us in our dreams. The depletion of our natural resources and the degradation of the environment is beginning to prove their importance in our life by giving us little or very minimal harvest and lots of pest and diseases to compete with our crops resulting to less and less foods available in the market. The above statements are very important in order for me to explain my response in the second statement/question. As an environmental science teacher, I must be able to explain first the implications of the pollution in the environment and the whole world to be general. What I was trying to explain is that there is a possibility that evolution of species with developed lungs to detoxify the pollutants would materialize in the future. That we cannot deny the fact that human beings evolve thru time in accordance to the environment that they live in. With all this facts in hand, we can say that it is true but come to think of it. Do we have to wait for that thing to happen and let the environment work for itself for its survival? Don’t we think that we owe nature or the earth for our existence and we should as a sign of gratitude do something to save the earth from total depletion and destruction? Through time that would elapse in the long wait of the evolution process, are we sure that there are still the place called the earth by then? In short we cannot deny the evolution process to happen and at the same time we cannot just let the earth to be destroyed as we wait for the moment in our existence that we had developed the lungs that can detoxify the pollutants in the air. If the evolution happens then good. We had acquired another form of survival mechanism but in order to live and have a place to live we must be concern about the welfare of the environment. References: Moran ,Lawrence. Evolution is a Fact and A Theory. 2002. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/evolution-fact.html

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 4

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example Leadership is interpreted by different theories for different situations. To some, it means control; to others, it means representation. â€Å"Leadership is ‘the behavior of an individual . . . directing the activities of a group toward a shared goal’† (Yukl, 2010). Yukl’s definition suggests that leadership is the authorization to make decisions on the behalf of others. Management is a process that interconnects and transverses every aspect of the organisation. As the integrating force, the company management coordinates, synthesizes and directs the myriads of variant activities within the organisation to maximize shareholder value. According to Easterby-Smith, a manager’s tasks include: 1) organization and coordination; 2) anticipating problems and handling them to ensure the continued operations at an acceptable level; 3) effectively overcoming functional, cultural and technical obstacles and perhaps rebuilding the organization’s structure (Mark Easterby-Smith, 2012). Decisions are based upon the unique variables of a scenario. The choice and much of the success of a leadership style depends upon the character traits of the leader. Businesses suffer and eventually fail due to inadequate or improper leadership. Values have also changed; in some instances values have disappeared from company visions and missions. Neither the employee nor the customer affects decision making, just profits – and increasing shareholder value. The employee’s perception of how the organization values his or her contribution is also important. â€Å"Perceived organizational support (POS) is the degree to which employees believe the organization values their contribution and cares about their well-being† (Robbins, 2011). Employees can sense how much the organization values their input. In order to achieve its goals, leaders must be multi-dimensional. â€Å"Effective leaders make frequent use of task-oriented and person-or iented behaviors† (Yukl, 2010). The key is consistency. If a leader can be found that can perform using the high-high model of leadership, he or she should be considered a highly valuable asset. The leader can effectively serve the staff only to the extent of his or her character. â€Å"The values are likely to be internalized by managers who grow up in a particular culture, and these values will influence their attitudes and behavior in ways that may not be conscious† (Yukl, 2010 In the past, management was mainly seen as a technical, functional and mechanistic activity related to effective organisation and implementation of resources. Although synthesis, coordination and direction are really important functions of managerial behaviour, it does not mean that they are homogeneous; on the contrary, managerial functions are extensively diverse (Bandura, 1982). Consistency is paramount during periods of recession. Implementation of sustainability programs must exist to ens ure the long run success of the operations. This is considered true by Fiksel (1999) in his study of strategies employed by top international corporations to maintain superior business performance Case Scenario: D2 Manufacturing (See Appendix A) The D2 car manufacturing case scenario will be analyzed by use of the ‘Appreciative Inquiry 5D framework’ method (Cooperrider & dan Whitney, 2001): a. Definition b. Discovery c. Dream d. Design e. Destiny The following questions will be

Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competition - Essay Example The regulations are put in place to help reduce the conflicts in the commercial; procedures like those of maximizing profits. The entities may require raising the profits and the only way they find to do this is to raise the prices of their products where the burden ends up with the people. The government, therefore, comes in and regulates this to avoid conflicts as well as to ensure that the functioning of the business is taken care of. These regulations come with laws like the minimum wage laws which act in the same way as minimum price laws. When this is implemented, workers who produce less than the minimum wages are laid off leading to unnecessary unemployment. The market efficiency and transparency reduces due to these regulations especially if they work against insider trading. The result of this is that the share price becomes higher than that which would have been if the insiders were allowed to use their information. Inadvertently, the outsiders who were to be protected end s up paying higher prices for the same shares and loses more than they would actually have lost. These regulations have led to market imbalance in some cases. If the amount demanded and supplied is the same and the regulations bring about a fall in the prices, then the supply will reduce and the demand will increase. To solve these imbalances, there have arisen cases of black markets and other dubious means of avoiding the effects of the regulations. Monopoly market structures are the most affected by these regulations as they work independently. The government advocates for the customers to have access to their information, set the price controls and also regulate their operations in the countries of operations. The effect of these is that new markets are opened that bring about competition and thereby increased efficiency and quality services. There is liberalization which is promoted that leads to the mobility of labor, financial capital, goods and services. These bring about new businesses into the industry and intensify competition. [Djankov, Simeon et al, 2002] The competitive market structures are effected through the laws that govern their operations and competitive strategies. Certain acts are prohibited like setting very low prices to accrue short term losses at the expense of the other competitors so that they may even end up closing down. The regulations also govern the number of similar businesses in a certain area. The monopolistically competitive markets have been forced to provide enough information regarding their products. In these markets the consumers have relied on the advertisements which sometimes have given a super perspective of the products. The government regulation has had to control the prices in these firms because in the long run, these firms set prices that are very low to kick out their rivals from the market through their slightly differentiated products which is prohibited. Sometimes these firms set high prices especially bec ause the marginal cost is less than the price in the long run. In a monopsony, the government works together with a monopsonist consumer to ensure that the partial regulations are in place to work at the right time. The government analyses how the consumer is to be protected and also when there should be the intervention from other sources. The second market structure that also faces regulation is an oligopoly market structure. This market structure involves a situation which falls in between perfect competition and monopoly. It refers to few firms

Foam Stored Pressure Fire Extinguisher Essay Example for Free

Foam Stored Pressure Fire Extinguisher Essay Introduction The fire extinguisher is a portable device used to put out fires of limited size. Such fires are grouped into four classes, according to the type of material that is burning. Class A fires include those in which ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, and paper are burning. Class B fires are those in which flammable liquids, oils, and grease are burning. Class C fires are those involving live electrical equipment. Class D fires involve combustible metals such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Each class of fire requires its own type of fire extinguisher. Foam extinguishers use an aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) agent that expels a layer of foam when it is discharged through a nozzle. It acts as a barrier to prevent oxygen from feeding the fire. Although each class of fire has a specific extinguisher, the foam extinguisher is useful for both Class A and Class B fires; however, it is best suited for Class B. This description explains to the general homeowner the structure, assembly, and operating principle of the foam fire extinguisher. Fire extinguishers come in many sizes depending on the preference of the buyer. Foam fire extinguishers consist of a metal cylinder filled with an aqueous film forming foam usually under pressure of some form of non-flammable gas. A siphon tube directs the foam up through an assembly consisting of a handle and operating lever, which is secured during any period of non-use by a safety pin. The operating lever, when depressed, allows the foam to spray out of a hose connected to the siphon tube. Most extinguishers are replaced after a single use in order to assure dependability and to lessen the possibility of malfunction. The foam fire extinguisher contains five interlocking parts: *Safety pin *Handle *Hose *Operating lever *Siphon tube (See Figure 1 on following page) Figure 1 Parts of a foam stored pressure fire extinguisher. Description and Function of Parts Handle. The handle is usually a solid, unmovable piece of metal that stretches horizontally above the cylinder. Attached securely to the metal cylinder, the handle is the part by which the fire extinguisher is meant to be carried and held while in use. Operating Lever. The operating lever is connected to the handle above and to the siphon tube below. After the safety pin has been removed, the operating handle can be depressed, allowing the foam inside to be released into the hose. Safety Pin. The safety pin is constructed of a durable metal and is intended to keep the operating lever from being depressed while not in use. The pin is intended to be removed before any use of the fire extinguisher. Hose. The hose is a piece of rubber tube approximately two to three feet in length. The hose is connected to the siphon tube through the operating lever. When the lever is depressed, it is through the hose that the foam is allowed to escape. During use, the operator must hold the hose in order to direct the foam spray. Siphon Tube. The siphon tube is a stainless steel rod approximately the same length as the cylinder. Located inside the metal cylinder, the siphon tube is connected to the operating lever. When the lever is depressed, the foam is powered up the tube by the pressurized gas and expelled through the hose. Metal Container. The metal container containing the extinguishing foam varies in size depending on how much liquid it holds. The typical household fire extinguisher usually contains approximately 2 liters of foam. The cylinder is constructed of several layers (See Figure 1). The outer layers are usually thin layers of fire resistant sheets. In the middle, the bulk of the cylinder is made of steel. The innermost layer is a thin sheet of aluminum that separates the steel core from the foam inside the container. Summary and Operating Description As described, the foam stored pressure fire extinguisher is quite simple in its design. Constructed from parts intended to make the extinguisher easy to use and also to allow the extinguisher to be safely kept in any household, the foam stored fire extinguisher is a necessary part of every home. For safe recognition, all fire extinguisher use picture/labeling to designate which types of fires they are to be used on. Most fire extinguishers are labeled with colored geometrical shapes with letter designations. Although the foam stored pressure fire extinguisher can be used on both Class A and Class B fires, it is best used for Class B; therefore, it is most likely to be only labeled with the Class B shape and letter designation (Figure 2). However, some companies place both Class A (Figure 3) and Class B descriptions on the cylinder allowing users to know that it can be used for both classes of fires. Figure 3 Class A fire labels. (Crown Fire Equipment) Figure 3 Class B fire labels. (Crown Fire Equipment) In the case of a Class A or B fire involving combustibles (such as wood, cloth, or paper) or liquids (such as oil or grease) the foam fire extinguisher is very useful. In an operating cycle, the fire extinguisher is picked up and held by the solid handle. After the safety pin is removed, the operating handle is depressed, allowing the foam inside the metal container to flow up the siphon tube and out of the hose to extinguish the fire.

The Knoll - Original Writing :: Papers

The Knoll - Original Writing He was sitting there in the midst of the darkness, keeping an observant eye on his watch. He knew the minute the big hand hit five it would all begin. He was very composed and new what he had to do. In the distance he could see the silhouette of the house and the trees dancing alongside it. The crisp winter's wind was blowing right through his thick sleek trench coat. His long slender fingers curled around the rifle trigger one by one; ensuring he had the future target in position. He placed the rifle back down on the tripod and examined his surroundings. The rustic house was very old with Tudor beams running through it, making the entire building feel cold and deserted. It was surrounded by tall overgrown cedar trees. They shaded the building, leaving elegant shadows draped down the walls. The grey malicious sky complemented the building well, a perfect backdrop. Meanwhile on the knoll in front of the house was the assassin, hidden amongst the trees and the gloomy undergrowth. There was a quiet rustle as the tyres of the car rolled slowly over the stones, to the left of the assassin a vehicle appeared, moving gingerly down the drive. As it passed the trees the rusted bonnet began to become visible, a murky once white colour. It gradually came into full view and he could see that the roof of the car was made out of black bin liners tied together, flapping around in the wind making a whipping noise as they contracted. The sea-blue boot of the car had an indent to the left side of it. This made the car look very misshaped and abnormal. As the car came to a halt, a puff of smoke came out of the exhaust which blurred the view of the assassin as he could not see what was going on. He did not move because he would give away his position, so he sat there waiting for the smoke to disappear. He was becoming very anxious, what if the victim disappeared, and all

Patronus Charm

â€Å"A Patronus is a kind of positive force, and for the wizard who can conjure one, it works something like a shield, with the Dementor feeding on it, rather than him. In order for it to work, you need to think of a memory. Not just any memory, a very happy memory, a very powerful memory†¦ Allow it to fill you up†¦ lose yourself in it†¦ then speak the incantation â€Å"Expecto Patronum†. † —Remus Lupin teaching Harry Potter the Patronus CharmThe Patronus Charm is a charm that evokes a partially-tangible, positive energy force known as a Patronus (pl. Patronuses Patronuses are also called spirit guardians though this may only refer to corporeal Patronuses. It is primarily designed for defence against otherwise unbeatable Dark creatures like Dementors and Lethifolds, though there are other uses such as messaging. It is apparent from old woodcuts and scrolls that the Patronus Charm has been used since ancient times.To successfully cast the spell one must muster a happy memory (the happier the memory, the more powerful and tangible the Patronus will be) and incant â€Å"Expecto Patronum†. It is unknown if there are any other elements required in casting, such as physical gestures (aside from drawing and pointing the wand forward prior to or during incantation). The happy memory one requires when casting does not necessarily have to be a specific moment in your past. Arguably more important than content, is how the memory or thought makes you feel now.Harry Potter, for instance, is often seen to produce his more powerful patronuses when he his merely thinking of the people he loves. Harry also often thinks of his friends Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger and produces successful Patronuses. One time Harry also used the thought of Dolores Umbridge being sacked to produce a patronus for his Defence Against the Dark Arts O. W. L. Harry uses his love and happiness, evoked from thinking of his friends and family, to produce a patronus, rather than having to remember emotions felt in the past.A non-corporeal Patronus is one which does not resemble any living creature and has few distinguishing features (if any). Non-corporeal Patronuses resemble a burst of vapour or smoke without any clearly defined form shooting from the tip of the wand. While they may be partially effective at halting dementors (but not repelling them), non-corporeal Patronuses are not â€Å"fully-fledged† Patronuses, and are regarded as a more primitive or weaker version of the true Charm.

Suicide Essay

Suicide has always been an objective of primary interest and main concern to people of different cultures and historical periods. Suicide as a phenomenon has been discussed and described In literature, philosophy, and sociology. There are various definitions of suicide that have been proposed by the writers and researchers, such as the Intentional act of killing oneself, the act of terminating life, and the act of deliberate self-destruction. Some difficulties arise when we try to explain seclude specifically because the nature of suicide is very complex, and it is hard to justify suicidal behavior or distinguish it from other behavior.For example, a person, who knows that smoking leads to the serious health risks but deliberately engages in this activity and dies consequently, has not committed suicide. On the other hand, if a mentally ill individual arranges the circumstances for his or her deaths (by cutting veins, Jumping off buildings, etc. ), we can say that this person has com mitted suicide. In America, suicide rates are going up rapidly since 1999. But in our modern society, if a person commits suicide, it does not mean that that this person is bad and fragile. All of us experience problems during some periods of our lives.But the mall point Is that some people know how to handle these problems and some of them are getting lost because they see no light In the end of the tunnel and eventually give up. Thus, people normally commit suicide to end up agonizing emotional pain. These people are unable to see other options of solving their problems: they feel very isolated and distressed. The factors that contribute to stress or trauma and cause suicide are: financial situation, working environment, school, death of a loved one, loss of Job, physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, etc.Philosophical revelation about suicide sakes us back to the time of Socrates, including Plato and Aristotle. In his Laws, Plato declared that suicide is outrageous and people, wh o committed suicide, should be buried in unidentified graves. However, according to Plato, suicide under some circumstances can be excused: when person's mind Is morally degraded; when suicide Is done by Judicial order; when the self-killing results from shame of participating In disgustingly unfair procedures.In contrast, the Stoics thought that suicide may be reasonable If the quality of life Is not available to an Individual and one's life is lacking the desired advantages. The philosopher Seneca claimed that an intelligent person â€Å"lives as long as he ought, not as long as he can. † (R. Frey, 1978) Suicide is forbidden by almost all religions and is viewed as a severe sin. Church has demanded that since suicide involves self-killing, then the person who destroys his or her life is sinning in the same way as if this person killed another individual.Life is given by God and it is sacred, therefore, the Christians are against suicide and euthanasia. Suicide violates God' s privilege in determining when people shall die. The nineteenth century carried new developments that have formed theoretical Hough about suicide topic. It was viewed as the predictable response of a suffering person who was Ignored by society. Also, It was the time of recognition of psychiatry as a telephone that could treat depression, hysteria and other disorders accountable for seclude.And finally, In the work of sociologist Druthers, suicide was described as a social disease producing extensive isolation. The sociologists had explained suicide analysis various causes, such as climate, season, and religion. Thus, he concluded that suicide rate is greater in the warmer months in all countries. He also masticates that suicide is greater in Protestant countries compared to Catholic countries. In general, Druthers viewed suicide as a social fact and considered social reasons, such as lack of connections between people and less integration in family constitution.Druthers developed t he four classifications of suicide: * Egoistic suicide. The factors responsible for it are depression and disappointment. He concludes that the people who strongly attached to their families or some other type of groups are less likely to come across these issues. * Altruistic suicide occurs when attachment is too great and the person is forced to commit self- ailing. Druthers provides examples of old and ill people or women who want to die after the death of their loved ones. Anomic suicide results from breakdown of standards and values, when a degree of regulation is too low. This can happen either during economic depression or quick economic expansion. * Fatalistic suicide occurs when regulation is too strong. The people are blocked by harsh discipline and they see no possible ways to improve their lives. Many of the modern sociological theories have been originated based on a Druthers idea of social integration. However, some of them have created new approaches in the study of s uicide.Thus Breed (1963) interviewed the families of people who committed suicide and introduced into sociology a research method, which provided sociologists with true situations of suicide. Are there any rational circumstances under which suicide can be morally Justified? The moral position on this question holds that it is wrong because people life is sacred. Although this theory is related to the religious version, it is also can be found in the work of Ronald Drink (R. Drink, 1993). Based on this view, individual life is valuable; and suicide violets our obligation to honor our lives.

Free Essays on Childrens Sexual Behavior

The American family has been thought to have tremendous power in regards to a child’s sexual behavior. In its healthy and well-functioning state, it should provide the framework for nurturing and growth and helps lay the foundation for the future generation. When the decision is made to have children, the parents embark on a journey filled with unexpected challenges, rewards, and disappointments. As children grow, parents are put in the sometimes uncomfortable position of needing to provide sexual education and guidance. Also, older siblings have a lot to do with their younger brothers and sisters views on sexuality. Now, is it a problem that an 8 year old is no longer a virgin? Depends on who you ask, but if you ask me, there’s something seriously wrong with that picture. When asked what he thought of it, his older brother replied, â€Å"That’s awesome, good for him, I wish I was like that at his age, I didn’t lose my virginity till I was 16.† When I heard this I was disgusted. I don’t even feel that it’s possible for an 8 year old to know what he’s doing. Granted he watches porn with his older brothers, and he’s seen his brother have sex before, but I can’t fathom how someone at that age has the mental and physical maturity to totally understand the act he is committing. The only thing I can think of is that it was done out of curiosity, and also because he’s just a young boy looking up to his older brother and wanting to do what he is doing. In this situation, I can totally understand how that would be the case, where his parents left it up to school, older siblings, and peers to teach pretty much him about sex. I have been to my friend’s house on a number of occasions and realized that there is no censoring whatsoever, in regards to television, language, and content spoken about around the house. How should a parent react when their 8 year old goes up to someone and lays his head in her cleavage and sa... Free Essays on Childrens Sexual Behavior Free Essays on Childrens Sexual Behavior The American family has been thought to have tremendous power in regards to a child’s sexual behavior. In its healthy and well-functioning state, it should provide the framework for nurturing and growth and helps lay the foundation for the future generation. When the decision is made to have children, the parents embark on a journey filled with unexpected challenges, rewards, and disappointments. As children grow, parents are put in the sometimes uncomfortable position of needing to provide sexual education and guidance. Also, older siblings have a lot to do with their younger brothers and sisters views on sexuality. Now, is it a problem that an 8 year old is no longer a virgin? Depends on who you ask, but if you ask me, there’s something seriously wrong with that picture. When asked what he thought of it, his older brother replied, â€Å"That’s awesome, good for him, I wish I was like that at his age, I didn’t lose my virginity till I was 16.† When I heard this I was disgusted. I don’t even feel that it’s possible for an 8 year old to know what he’s doing. Granted he watches porn with his older brothers, and he’s seen his brother have sex before, but I can’t fathom how someone at that age has the mental and physical maturity to totally understand the act he is committing. The only thing I can think of is that it was done out of curiosity, and also because he’s just a young boy looking up to his older brother and wanting to do what he is doing. In this situation, I can totally understand how that would be the case, where his parents left it up to school, older siblings, and peers to teach pretty much him about sex. I have been to my friend’s house on a number of occasions and realized that there is no censoring whatsoever, in regards to television, language, and content spoken about around the house. How should a parent react when their 8 year old goes up to someone and lays his head in her cleavage and sa...

Disney's The Little Mermaid and Life is Beautiful Essay

Disney's The Little Mermaid and Life is Beautiful - Essay Example The prince loves her and rejects the neighborhood princess whom his father wants him to marry. He claims he wants to marry the girl he saw at the temple that saved his live, thinking it was Ariel. However it turns out that it was the neighborhood princess and so Ariel is not married by the prince. Life is Beautiful is about a Guido, a Jewish man who on coming to Italy meets Dora a beautiful Italian woman from a wealthy non-Jewish Italian family, falls in love with her at first sight. Although engaged, Dora dumps her fiancee for Guido. They get married and have a son named Giosue. The World War II breaks and all Jews are taken concentration camps. Guido cheats Giosue that the events unfolding were a game so that he does not panic. He tells him there is tank to be given to the winners and so he should cooperate by keeping quiet, not asking for his mother, not complaining of hunger and not trying to come out of where his father had hidden him so that they could earn more points and win the tank. Guido sneaks him food in the hideout. Despite these efforts, Guido is shot dead by a Nazi soldier after placing Giosue in a sweatbox as the last test and was on his way to get Dora so that he could reunite his family. Similarities and differences The two movies revolve around the theme of love. The first love that is evident in both the movies is father’s love towards their child. Ariel’s father had a good reason to deny Ariel a chance to swim to the surface of the sea. He knew the barbaric fish eaters would find her and kill her. He also knew that there were other sea characters that are out to destroy her life like Ursula. In Life is Beautiful, a father’s love is clearly seen where Guido does not want his son, Giosue to panic because of the WWII events. He hides him, sneaks him food, cheers and promises him a heavy prize for cooperating. In both the movies, father’s love drove the Guido and King Triton to fight to keep their children safe at a ll costs, including restricting their movements. Apart from a father’s love, the other type of love that is so evident is attraction between two people and both cases involve love at first sight. In Life is Beautiful, Guido had just come to Italy to do business and meets Dora, a primary school teacher, whom he falls in love with at first sight and even calls her a princess. Despite being engaged, Dora is deeply drawn to Guido, his fun and charismatic nature and decides to break her engagement with her aristocratic and arrogant fiancee to be with Guido (Bullaro 97). In The Little Mermaid, Ariel sees a prince on the first day she swam to the surface of the sea and rescues him from drowning. Her actions are a direct result of the deep feelings she had developed towards the prince just at first sight. The prince is also drawn to Ariel and this makes him reject his father’s orders to marry the neighborhood princess. Evidently, the message of love, sacrifice and dangers of s uccumbing to inconsiderate treatment or risks in the name of love is evident in the two movies. The two women are ready to risk anything to be with the men of their choice. Dora for example, breaks her engagement and is ready to have an estranged relationship with her mother. The magnitude of her love for Guido can be seen where she pleads to be allowed to

Aegisplc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Aegisplc - Essay Example The common stocks of the company are traded in the London Stock Exchange under the symbol CEY and it is also traded in the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CET. The value of CEY common stocks as of February 22, 2013 is $54 (Yahoo, 2013). The company has offices in London, Egypt, and Australia. The majority of the firm’s employees are located in Egypt. The total revenue of Centamin Plc in fiscal year 2011 was $340.4 million (Annual Report: Centamin, 2011). The firm’s revenues increase by 183% in comparison with the previous year. In 2011 the net income of Centamin Plc was $177.79 million. The profitability of the company is outstanding. The firm’s gross profit in 2011 58.8%, while its net margin was 52.27%. The net margin is a measure of the absolute profitability of a company. The firm’s earnings per share (EPS) in 2011 was $16.68. EPS is a financial metric that tends to have an effect on the market price per share (Garrison & Noreen, 2003). A high EPS ratio is a desirable outcome. The total assets and total equity of the company as of December 31, 2011 were $834.52 million and $806.22 million respectively. The return on assets of the company in 2011 was 21.33%, while its return on equity metric was 22.08%. Both financial metrics are outstanding illustrating that the company is generating good revenues in rel ation to both its assets and equity. The current ratio of the company is 10.34. Current ratio is a solvency ratio that measures the ability of a company to pay off its current obligations. The formula to calculate current ratio is current assets divided by current liabilities. The company’s current ratio is outstanding considering the fact that a current ratio is good if is above the 1.0 threshold. Another solvency ratio is working capital. Working capital shows the ability of a company to pay its current liabilities solely with its current assets. The working capital of the firm in 2011 was