Cultural Differences and Conflicts in the Workplace

Cultural issues have become more significant in the business world due to the increasing wave of globalization. The operations of organizations that have international operations are affected by many factors, among them being the cultural differences in the different countries of operation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Differences and Conflicts in the Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Culture is said to be dynamic and evolving continually.1 The increased development and integration of global and regional economies have a significant influence on the evolution of culture. Moreover, different nations have different cultures. For instance, the culture of the United States of America is different from that of other European and South American nations. People in the United States, Germany, and the UK believe in individuality more than teamwork. On the contrary, workers in India and Mexico believe in operating in teams than individuals.2 In the US, Germany, and the UK, people work to protect their own interests, as opposed to safeguarding the interests of their employers. Workers have more personal freedom and autonomy in the US, Germany and the UK, unlike in other nations. Therefore, innovation is high in the three countries. Workers are highly responsive to hierarchy in India and Mexico, as opposed to the US, Germany and the UK. Performance measurement in the US, Germany, and the UK is individualistic, as opposed to Mexico and India, where performance is measured based on groups.3 The approach to workers should be cross-vergence in the UK and Germany. This is where the leader balances between globalization and localization. In Mexico and India, the approach should be divergent because these nations are relatively more conservative. In the United States, the approach should be convergence because the US is a more globalized nation comprised of many cultures. According to the case, most of the problems that Jim is facing are as a result of the different culture in Mexico compared to the culture of the United States. Jim being an American is used to the American culture, thus he is finding it difficult to understand the Mexican employees. First, bureaucracies are not many in the United States, while there are complex bureaucracies in Mexico.4 The power distance in the United States is less compared to the power distance in Mexico.5 Consequently, employees in Mexico are not comfortable discussing issues in the presence of Jim.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Jim, on the other hand, is not following the right procedures in conducting the employee meetings. In Mexico, the manager is expected to tell the employees what needs to be done. In the United States, on the other hand, the employees discuss what needs to be done. The other cultural dimension is based on the individualistic and collectiveness index.6 In the US, workers are more individualistic compared to Mexico, where workers believe more in collectiveness. This could be the reason for Jim’s problem with Carlos. Jim did not consult Carlos before and during the meetings. Carlos, probably, thought Jim was acting selfishly, leading to the cold blood between the two. Jim seemed to be less effective in leading the sales team in Mexico, in contrast to the fact that he was highly effective in the same role in the United States. He was viewed as a good problem solver and an effective manager in the US. However, he was less effective in leading the team in Mexico because he did not understand the culture of Mexico.7 The different cultures in the two countries had a major influence on the performance of the manager. A manager needs to understand the culture of a nation to be in a good position to lead the employees. Unless Jim understands the cultural differences between M exico and the US, he will find it difficult to have any positive influence on the sales team. The problem with Carlos is, probably, due to the fact that he is not following the right procedures, as per the Mexican culture, in executing his duties. The fact that Jim also seems not to understand how things are done in the organization could also be another reason for the deteriorating relationship with Carlos. Jim also gave suggestions at a meeting on how to address some issues. Some of the suggestions he gave were not even in his own team. Carlos was probably not happy about this character in Jim.  The reason for Jim’s problems in the coaching meeting is that he posed a question to the employees, instead of telling them what they were supposed to do. He was expected to give directions on what needed to be done, rather than asking them to discuss the problem. Jim needs to adapt to the culture of Mexico in order to do away with his difficulties at work. He needs to take time t o learn the culture so that he can understand the work relations. Understanding the differences and dynamics in the culture of Mexico and the employees will make Jim highly effective in solving any future conflicts, as well as addressing the current problems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cultural Differences and Conflicts in the Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bibliography Luger, E., Hofsteede’s cultural dimensions, München, GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2009. Minkov, M., Cultural differences in a globalizing world, Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing, 2011. Vance, C.M. Paik, Y., Managing a global workforce, 2nd edn, New York, M.E. Sharpe, 2011. Footnotes 1 M. Minkov, Cultural differences in a globalizing world, Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing, 2011, p. 96. 2 CM Vance Y Paik, Managing a global workforce, 2nd edn, New York, M.E. Sharpe, 2011, p. 64. 3 Ibid. 4 CM Vance Y Paik, Managing a global wor kforce, 2nd edn, New York, M.E. Sharpe, 2011, p. 64.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 5 E. Luger, Hofsteede’s cultural dimensions, München, GRIN Verlag GmbH, 2009, p. 15. 6 M. Minkov, Cultural differences in a globalizing world, Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing, 2011, p. 98. 7 M. Minkov, Cultural differences in a globalizing world, Bingley, Emerald Group Publishing, 2011, p. 99. This essay on Cultural Differences and Conflicts in the Workplace was written and submitted by user Braylen Rivers 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.

Appellate Jurisdiction in the US Court System

Appellate Jurisdiction in the US Court System The term â€Å"appellate jurisdiction† refers to the authority of a court to hear appeals to cases decided by lower courts. Courts that have such authority are called â€Å"appellate courts.† The appellate courts have the power to reverse or modify the lower court’s decision. Key Takeaways: Appellate Jurisdiction Appellate jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear and decide appeals to decisions made by lower courts.In the United States federal court system, cases originally decided in the district courts can be appealed only to the circuit courts of appeals, while decisions of the circuit courts can be appealed only to the U.S. Supreme Court. Decisions of the Supreme Court cannot be further appealed.The right to appeal is not guaranteed by the Constitution. Instead, the appellant must â€Å"show cause† by convincing the appeals court that the trial court had failed to properly apply the laws involved or to follow proper legal procedures.The standards by which an appeals court decides the correctness of a lower court’s decision is base whether the appeal was based on a question of substantive facts of the case or on an incorrect or improper application of the legal process resulting in the denial of due process of law.   While the right to appeal is not bestowed by any law or the Constitution, it is generally considered to be embodied in general tenets of law prescribed by the English Magna Carta of 1215. Under the federal hierarchical dual court system of the United States, the circuit courts have appellate jurisdiction over cases decided by the district courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction over the decisions of the circuit courts. The Constitution gives Congress the authority to create courts under the Supreme Court and to determine the number and location of courts with appellate jurisdiction. Currently, the lower federal court system is made up of 12 geographically located regional circuit courts of appeal which have appellate jurisdiction over 94 district trial courts. The 12 appellate courts also have jurisdiction over specialized cases in involving the federal government agencies, and cases dealing with patent law. In the 12 appellate courts, appeals are heard and decided by three-judge panels. Juries are not used in the appeals courts. Typically, cases decided by the 94 district courts can be appealed to a circuit court of appeals and decisions for the circuit courts can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court also has â€Å"original jurisdiction† to hear certain types of cases that may be allowed to bypass the often lengthy standard appellate process. From about 25% to 33% of all appeals heard by federal appellate courts involve criminal convictions. The Right to Appeal Must be Proven Unlike other legal rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, the right to appeal is not absolute. Instead, the party asking for the appeal called the â€Å"appellant,† must convince the appellate jurisdiction court that the lower court had incorrectly applied a law or failed to follow proper legal procedures during the trial. The process of proving such errors by the lower courts is called â€Å"showing cause.† The appellate jurisdiction courts will not consider an appeal unless cause has been shown. In other words, the right to appeal is not required as part of â€Å"due process of law.† While always applied in practice, the requirement to show cause in order to gain the right to appeal was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 1894. In deciding the case of McKane v. Durston, the justices wrote, â€Å"An appeal from a judgment of conviction is not a matter of absolute right, independently of constitutional or statutory provisions allowing such appeal.† The court continued, â€Å"A review by an appellate court of the final judgment in a criminal case, however, grave the offense of which the accused is convicted, was not at common law and is not now a necessary element of due process of law. It is wholly within the discretion of the state to allow or not to allow such a review.† The way in which appeals are dealt with, including determining whether or not the appellant has proven the right to appeal, can vary from state to state. Standards by Which Appeals are Judged The standards by which a court of appeals judges the validity of a lower court’s decision depends on whether the appeal was based on a question of facts presented during the trial or on an incorrect application or interpretation of a law by the lower court. In judging appeals based on facts presented at trial, the court of appeals judges must weigh the facts of the case based on their own firsthand review of the evidence and observation of witness testimony. Unless a clear error in the way the facts of the case were represented to or interpreted by the lower court can be found, the appeals court will generally deny the appeal and allow the decision of the lower court to stand. When reviewing issues of law, the court of appeals may reverse or modify the lower court’s decision if the judges find the lower court wrongly applied or misinterpreted the law or laws involved in the case. The court of appeals may also review â€Å"discretionary† decisions or rulings made by the lower court judge during the trial. For example, the appeals court might find that the trial judge improperly disallowed evidence that should have been seen by the jury or failed to grant a new trial due to circumstances that arose during the trial. Sources and Further Reference â€Å"Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.† Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law SchoolAbout U.S. Federal Courts.† United States Courts

A memo discussing an issue at work from the perspective of an employee Assignment

A memo discussing an issue at work from the perspective of an employee - Assignment Example The title of â€Å"Operations Manager† seemed to assure me that by joining this company, I would make a nice addition to my existing experience of management, that would be both beneficial for me in my professional career, as well as for the company I join. I thought that being a Senior Operations Manager, I assumed a responsibility to identify the loopholes in the current framework and culture of this company, and devise and implement ways through which they could be precluded. In order to materialize my plans, I first studied the culture of this company, and identified the stakeholders in addition to studying the contract, bill of quantities and all other documents. I also had discussions with employees from various departments in order to study issues that they had that had a significant role in hindering the progress of work. One thing that I particularly found out as a result of this survey and study was that this company lacks flow of communication between individual fun ctional departments. The lack of communication gives rise to lack of awareness. This in turn, causes disparity in the knowledge about status of work between different departments that are fundamentally involved in the operations. The disparity of knowledge results in lack of preparation for the on-going works in the departments. For example, last Monday, I expected the Administration Department to have set a car ready for me and the Consultant so that we could visit the site and I could get the approval of withheld payment against Non Conformance Reports (NCRs). I had indicated the Administration Department about the same one day in advance through a notification memo. However, when the time came, there was no car, and the Administration Manager said that he expected the NCR visit to be due on the following Monday. I had to face embarrassment in front of the Consultant and also, the payments that could have been released last Monday might take another month to be considered for rele ase now. Also, I often experience great difficulty in drawing cash from the Finance Department, as they tend to do a lot of paper work before considering the release of payment, and even after that, feel reluctant to give me the cash. This causes delay in the flow of operations and as a result, progress of the work lags behind schedule. This fundamentally happened so because no one in the company assumes the ultimate responsibility to keep the departments notified. Even if some one takes the charge, the departments would not listen because they would not acknowledge the superiority of any one department over others. In my view, the Senior Operations Manager should have extreme power and rights over other departments because he assumes a central role in the flow of work. But it seems like the functional organization structure is too strong in this company and the functional departments would not listen to my instructions or notifications unless you declare the superiority of Operatio ns Department. Therefore, I request you to arrange a meeting in which you openly declare that all departments are to abide by the instructions of the Senior Operations Manager. The way things are running presently does not let me exercise my abilities as a manager. As a result of which, both the company and I are suffering. Memo 2 To: The Employee From: The Manager Date: 26 January 2011 Subject: Re (Notification of a problem) I am

Prostate cancer among African American men Essay

Prostate cancer among African American men - Essay Example In essay "Prostate cancer among African American men" author describes the connection between genetics, social status, health and cancer occurrence among Afro-American in the USA. Despite an intensive campaign that is directed to men in order for them to undergo regular medical screening, the majority of them are still reluctant resulting to increased cases of deaths caused by prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is a major type of cancer that affects the reproductive system of males especially those above the age of 45 years. However, there are cases of insistent prostate cancer that results in major complications on the reproductive system. This paper seeks to discuss medical compliance treatment of prostate cancer among African American men. As mentioned earlier, African-American men are at high risk of prostate cancer development. According to the 2003-2007 US medical report, for every 100,000 African American men, 234.6 cases of prostate cancer were reported in the US as compared to 150.4 cases per 100,000 white men. Due to the high number of cases of prostate cancer among the African American men, their mortality rate is more than double as compared to the white men. For example, between 2003 and 2007, 54.2 cases of mortality rates were reported for every 100,000 African-American while only 22.3 cases of mortality rates occurred among the white men. In 2001, more than 31,500 deaths due to prostate cancer were reported. Since 2001, at least 221,000 cases of prostate cancer are reported per year (Chronic Disease Indicators, 2012). One of the major obstacles that are affecting the efforts of the medical personnel is lack of early detection guidelines. In the same way, men are hesitant to screening thus making it difficult to curb the diseases during its early stages. In its endeavor to address the challenges faced by the African American men as far as control of prostate cancer is concerned, American Cancer Society, advocates for adoption of two major strategies . First, it recommends that men at the age of 45 years should emulate digital rectal examination (DRE). Secondly, the society recommends for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test for men who are between the ages of 45 and 50 years. Even though a task force that is concerned with prevention services depicts that there is insufficient evidence on the implications of DRE and PSA on the prevention and control of prostate cancer, the task force argues that a strong relationship between doctors and patients should be maintained to ensure that men are interested in undertaking regular screening. Additionally, the task force maintains that PSA is a better strategy of early detection. However, it is still unclear of how early detection

How does a post colonial reading of Jane Eyre expose the authors deep Essay

How does a post colonial reading of Jane Eyre expose the authors deep anxiety regarding the idealogy of imperialism - Essay Example Jane’s Experiences The character of the protagonist Jane Eyre is the center of a struggle that is purely based on class. As an orphan, Jane suffered the consequences of poverty even though she is educated. Getting meager income from being a governess, she found herself in a low social standing -- hence, powerless. As a woman, she also experienced the vicious treatment from men in a patriarchal society (Morris, 1999). Due to these experiences, Jane identified herself with the millions in fervent yet in silent revolution against such inequalities. By studying her dialogues, it can be observed that Jane compared herself to a champion for the slaves who struggled hard for the attainment of freedom and the eradication of oppression, in a very indirect way. In her own terms, she fought against the notion that men are superior to women, and attempted to subdue that men's unjust treatment towards the women can always be justified. Although Jane acknowledged the fact that the social an d economic as well as cultural inequalities are realities that she needed to embrace, she remained firm in her belief that a time will come when ‘people will be liberated from such hell-like conditions’ (Glen, 1997). A feminist in her own right, Jane remarked: Women suffer from too rigid a restraint, too absolute stagnation, precisely as men would suffer; and it is narrow-minded in their more privileged fellow-creatures to say that they ought to confine themselves to making puddings and knitting stockings, to playing on the piano and embroidering bags. It is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them, if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for their sex. (Dunn & Bronte, 2001, p.99) Britain’s Colonial Rule The Victorian era marked Britain’s international expansion of power, wealth and culture. The empire, which included India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Hong Kong Gibraltar, Rhodesia and several islan ds in the West Indies and various colonies in the African coast, was the biggest in the world during the period. Generally, the prevailing attitude of the British about the view that the English was destined to rule the world and that they had the supreme responsibility to instill culture to the ‘uncivilized’ was a key factor in its exploration and subjugation of peoples. This was heavily examined by Bronte, which can be gleaned from her works particularly in Jane Eyre (Berg, 1987). Although the author distanced herself on the issue of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, she still tackled slavery in some of her works. In the novel, Jane eventually inherited the wealth of her uncle which was derived from Madeira, a fictitious British colony. In an honorable manner, she divided the amount and the estates she obtained among her cousins. However, it should be pointed out that because of this inheritance sourced from slave colonies, Jane obtained the freedom that she longed for ( Bell, 2008). Mr. Rochester, Jane’s husband, was depicted to have worked and found his fortune in the West Indies. There, he found himself attracted to a half-Creole and Jamaican-raised Bertha who he saw

The Vision Mission And Values Of Good Leadership Business Essay

The Vision Mission And Values Of Good Leadership Business Essay Leadership is the exercise of power; it can be defined as the act of making something happen that would not otherwise occur (Warner Burke, 2002) This is easy to write the definition of leadership but its quite hard to practice in real life. The behaviour does matter first in leadership and the skills are second. There is hell of difference between manager and a leader. The manager more likely depends on management skills, planning, organizational and communication skills but the leader does have the skills of a manager as well as some more qualities. Some people born with qualities of a good leaders and some people develop such qualities in their to be a good leader. There are many qualities which a leader must have like confidence, charisma and the qualities continue to grow in a leader with experience. There are different styles of leadership. Some leaders have no style, which is right for some situation and wrong for some situations as well. Managers, Stake holders, staff, all people have different style of leadership according to different situation. For leadership to work well, people (employees and interested outsiders) must be able to connect their expectations, aims and activities to a basic purpose or philosophy of the organization. This foundational philosophy should provide vital reference points for employees decisions and actions Vision: Defines the desired or intended future state of a specific organization or enterprise in terms of its fundamental objective and/or strategic direction. Vision is a long-term objective. Mission: Defines the fundamental purpose of an organization or an enterprise, describing why it exists. Mission is a short-term objective. Values: Beliefs that are shared among the stakeholders of an organization. Values drive an organizations culture and priorities. And every body like executives, managers, staff, customers, suppliers, stakeholders, etc, need solid philosophical principles in term of mission vision and values on which to base their expectations, decisions and actions. Evens ,(1963)similarity hypothesis The more the similar parties the parties in dyad are ,the more likely a favourable outcome It means if every individual and and teams know their duties and if they match their goals with strategic direction of the organization than they would have the same thinking and they will work together on the same path which is the strategic direction of the organization to get better outcome . Strategic direction of organization is very important on march 6,1990 west Germany Daimler Benz and Japan Mitsubishi group revealed that they had secret meeting in Singapore .to work on a intensive cooperate among their different projects and lines of business .because germens cooperate structure does not mash or fit with Mitsubishi group of management approach . For this the organizational direction is being used was GSA(global strategic alliance ) which create new horizons in fact by this creates new products and ease the problem of worldwide excess productivity capacity became the essential part of every organizations structure and brought different national origins together. Leadership approaches and styles: Great Man Theories: This theory indicates about the leadership that great leader is born, not made. This kind of theory represents the heroic personalities who were got the qualities of leadership when they were born. Great Man theories assumes that leadership is integral These theories often represent great leaders as heroic, fabulous, and destined to rise to leadership when needed. The term Great Man was used because, at the time, leadership was thought of primarily as a male quality, especially in terms of military leadership. Trait Theories: Similar in some ways to Great Man theories, trait theory focuses on the people receive assured qualities and characters that make them better matched to leadership. Trait theories repeatedly classify specific personality or communicative features shared by leaders. But this theory raises the question as if certain traits are key features of leadership, how do we clarify people who hold those qualities but are not leaders? This question is one of the problems in using trait theories to illuminate leadership. Contingency Theories: This kind of leadership style emphasis on specific variables which are directly related to environment to have control on style of leadership which is best suited for the situation. According to this theory, the leadership style must be different in different situation. The leader can change their behaviours in different kind of situations. Contingency theory says that the success of a leader depends on the number of variables the leader use in different circumstances and the abilities of the admirers. Situational Theories: This kind of theory illustrates that leader choose the best action must be taken by the leader based upon the situational variable. Decision making in different type of situation does matter in this theory. Behavioral Theories: Behavioural thory believes that the great leaders can be made rather they born with qualities. This leadership theory focuses on the action of leaders rather the mental level, personality and internal qualities. Behavioural theory says people can learn to become great leader through getting knowledge, experience and observations. Participative Theories: The participative leadership theory illustrates that the leaders must take his/her followers into account. In this theory the followers take participate in decision making and the members feel more relevant and committed as well. The leader allows the members to participate in decision making process. Management Theories: Management theories (also known as Transactional theories) emphasis on the role of administration, association, and group performance. These theories base leadership on a structure of incentive and penalty. Managerial theories are frequently used in industry; when workforces are fruitful, they are satisfied; when they fail, they are reproached or penalized. Relationship Theories: Relationship theories (also known as Transformational theories) focus upon the networks formed between leaders and admirers. These leaders stimulate and inspire people by helping group members see the prominence and higher good of the job. Transformational leaders are absorbed on the presentation of group members, but also want each person to achieve his or her impending. These leaders frequently have high principled and moral standards. Leadership could be described in different levels in organization as Direct leadership Which is part to element leadership or direct line is in the organization were staff see their leader all the time . Organizational leadership They are the leaders on hundreds or some time on thousands of the staff but this is indirect leadership to help him there must be the staff at direct level to help the leader for decision making. Strategic leadership Strategic leaders are generally responsible for large organizations and may influence several thousand to hundreds of thousands of people. They establish  organizational structure, allocate resources, and communicate strategic vision. Strategic leaders work in an uncertain environment on highly complex problems that affect and are affected by events and organizations outside their own. Strategic leaders apply many of the same leadership skills and actions they mastered as direct and organizational leaders; however, strategic leadership requires others that are more complex and indirectly applied. Strategic leaders, like direct and organizational leaders, process information quickly, assess alternatives based on incomplete data, make decisions, and generate support. However, strategic leaders decisions affect more people, commit more resources, and have wider-ranging consequences in both space and time than do decisions of organizational and direct leaders. Perhaps of paramount importance-because they exert influence primarily through subordinates-strategic leaders must develop strong skills in picking and developing good second-tier leaders strategic_clip_image001.gif (586ÃÆ'-416) http://www.leadafrika.com/Templates/strategic_clip_image001.gif Strategic leadership skills and characteristics: There are many leadership skills and characteristics a person should posses to become a quality manager and to succeed in the globalized world of business.These leaders have certain characteristics such as the leader should be employers brand Should posses emotional intelligence,creativity, innovativeness, and flexibility, posses certain leadership characteristics as high ethical standards, energy, prioritization skills, commitment, dedication, goal orientation, empathetic, and extroverted. Leaders adapt leadership styles accordingly in order to better create and develop new ideas or reform existing ones. Some leaders may choose a certain leadership style based on the culture of their organization. A manager should provide leadership and direction to management levels according to the organizations goals, mission, and vision. Conclusion: Leadership is about the influencing and motivating peoples these days and leader are not born and leader can be developing through organisation structure and development training as well. Among the two leadership styles discussed, there are some that have a better fit in different organizational models. In the non-profit sector, using a servant leadership style would be effective the majority of the time, yet the other two models can be used for specific purposes. The leadership styles are noted in all organizations. However, there is a primary style shared in the organizational culture. There are many other styles not examined in this analysis, which opens the opportunity for further research in this area. Further research can be conducted using other leadership models and other industries. Supplementary research can also be done within each industry subdividing it further. The decision of which style to use in each industry would depend on the leader, follower(s), and tasks. A lead er should learn and practice those skills needed to be a successful leader. In conclusion, individual leaders who have the skills and qualities necessary to succeed are better equipped to execute the styles of leadership discussed. To become a successful leader one should utilize the best suiting style to everyone in every situation. The style of leadership used varies by organization and leader. While organizations may have a primary style of leadership, this is not the inclusive selection or style. The leadership technique and characteristic of the leader varies as the various experiences change. The leader must know to adapt and adjust their leadership style according to the current events of the organization. As the organization evolves through its growth stages, it calls for the use of different leadership styles.

Symphonic Imagery in Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Wuthering Heights Essays

The elder Catherine and Heathcliff shared a fantastic loyalty untempered by any civilization. Their dedication to one another to the exclusion of all other society is alluring, but unworkable in real life. In the end, their unchecked ardor is consumed by its own fire: Catherine wastes away on Thrushcross Grange, and Heathcliff turns his thwarted passion on everyone who reminds him of what he has lost. Heathcliff and the elder Catherine seem to despise reading -- Catherine does say, after all, that she took her "dingy volume by the scroop, and hurled it into the dog-kennel, vowing I hated a good book" [Chapter III, page 26]. The real objects of their resentment, however, are the moral and religious lessons that are forced upon them via books as punishment for being naughty children. To chastise them for going out on the moors, "The curate might set as many chapters as he pleased for Catherine to get by heart, and Joseph might thrash Heathcliff till his arm ached. . ." [VI, 50] Reading and memorizing Scripture passages is placed by Joseph on the same level with a beating: an attempt to tame a wild soul. Catherine and Heathcliff will not be tamed, and so they reject learning, as well. This should not be construed as a condemnation of education, but against the passionless Christian value system of pity and duty and charity that Heathcliff later rails against. The evening that he sleeps at Wuthering Heights, Lockwood is troubled by a dream of Jabes Branderham, author of one of the holy tracts that Catherine was forced to read. [III, 28-9] Branderham manifests himself as a creature both horrible and boring at the same time. When Lockwood finally denounces the preacher, the congregation tears him apart. Sleeping in Catherine's bed, Lockwood is having her nightmares, seeing religion as a terrible force that promises to civilize but actually turns people into zombies obsessed with correcting the sins of others -- and that force converts through reading. When Lockwood awakens, he blocks Catherine's ghost's entrance to her home by piling religious tomes against the window, just as Joseph attempted to stifle her with them in life. She still pushes against these books, intent on her longing to enter. Nellie says of Catherine in adulthood that "she never endeavored to divert herself with reading." [XV, 153] When Edgar brings a book to her in her malaise, Catherine does not touch it, only allows the wind to flutter its leaves.

Early Civilizations

Early Civilizations HUMA215-1205A-32 Topics in Cultural Studies Unit 1 Discussion Board Shannon Sullivan There were many different forces that have contributed to the cultural makeup of early civilization. The beginning of human culture predates back to thousands of years which can be seen through evidence that has been discovered. This evidence that was left behind by the earliest of humans is found by cave paintings that helped to understand how these prehistoric individuals lived and survived in their everyday life.One aspect that contributed to the cultural makeup is from geographical areas from where these early humans lived. The geographical region determined what their main focus was when it came to agriculture, hunting, trade and religion. The availability of these natural resources would affect the kinds of houses they lived in, the types of weapons and tools they used, the food they ate and the type of containers they used to store food and supplies (Trigger, 2003). A numbe r of social issues occurred because of this cultural makeup. These issues were the cause of war and conflicts between many of these early humans.One of the factors that caused social problems was a result of different spiritual and religious beliefs. Others factors were political, economic and the development of one’s social class. Since early civilization started, humans lived successfully in small hunting and gathering tribes. This was the dominant way of life until agriculture began to gradually replace hunting and gathering of necessities such as food, clothing and homes which was some of the main cultural influences on early civilizations (All World History for Us, n. d. ). Revisionist history can be bad.The problem with revisionist history is that it usually is written by someone who has a curriculum that they want to publicize. Most of this comes from inaccurate information from an unbiased viewpoint. Their minds tend to be made up prior to looking at the facts. This r esults in choosing facts that support their viewpoint and ignoring facts that disprove their predetermined ideas. Another problem with revisionist history is that it tends to judge people, cultures and experiences in the past by the values, ethics and morals of today's society.People in the past lived with the knowledge, superstitions, values and ethics of their day and should be studied to find the correct information. The only good thing about revisionist history is when the correct information has been given. All World History for Us. (n. d. ). Farming and the Emergence of Complex Societies. Retrieved from http://worldhistoryforusall. sdsu. edu/eras/era3. php Trigger, B. G. (2003). Understanding Early Cilivizations. Retrieved from http://catdir. loc. gov/catdir/samples/cam034/2002074052. pdf

Monasteries in the Middle ages essays

Monasteries in the Middle ages essays Monasteries dotted Europe during the medieval period. They were large houses where men, known as monks, lives quiet lives of prayer and work in an effort to get close to God. Larger monasteries were headed by an abbot, who was elected by the other monks to rule over them, and these monasteries were also known as abbeys. Monks made vows, solemn promises to God of obedience, stability and conversion of their lives to the life of a monk. Monastic life was generally an order of hard physical work, scholarship and prayer. The day of monks was regulated by regular prayer services in the abbey church. They prayed for others souls. It was a harsh life St. Benedict had established which reflected the two primary principles of monastic life Ora et labora and Prayer and work. These services took place every three hours, day and night. When the services were over, monks would be occupied with different tasks. Other specialists took care of the sick, buildings, masonry and education. The cellelar was in charge of food, storage and preparation. Abbeys grow their own food and healed common maladies with herls from their gardens, and taught local children. They imbibed on wine from their vineyards. Out in the field, monastic farmers were the agricultural experts taking on any craggy outcropping and turning it into a verdant field. Monks were by far the best educated members of society and monasteries acted as libraries for ancient manuscripts. Many monks were occupied with laboriously copying sacred tasks generally in a room called The Scriptorium. Printing didn not exist in Europe until 1450, so every document and book had to be copied by hand. Moral structure governed monastic life and it was a communein which all possessions were held in common. If nothing different happened in their daily routines, every monk spent their time on t ...

Free Essays on Report On Barbara Moss

Barbara Moss wrote "Change Me into Zeus's Daughter" which tells about her life growing up with an abusive and alcoholic father. If something were not well in her father's life he would take it out on Barbara or her mother. Her father would come home drunk on various nights at three o'clock P.M. and would wake up everyone in the house. He would make everyone clean house and was cars. Sometimes the eight kids would only get a few hours of sleep before they were awaken to do house hold chores which would sometimes last until morning when they would have to go to school. One time Barbara's father shot the family dog and also a pony, which they had only had for a very short time. Her book, "Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter", starts out with her father leaving to go to Pennsylvania in hope of getting a new job, which he had recently lost. His brothers lived in Pennsylvania and he was hoping that they could help him get a job. Apparently Barbara's father did not get a job and never sent home any money for the family of eight kids. They soon ran out of food and Barbara and her family had to move in with their Aunt Janet for a year. Barbara as a child did not have a beautiful face. She had many painful operations to get her face to look as it does today. As a child she wanted a beautiful face and a beautiful life, which she did not have in her childhood. Growing up she had no medical or dental care. Barbara went to art school and is a visual artist. Many of her paintings have been in well-known magazines and have been bought from her. Even though Barbara grew up in her family with all the bad memories of her father, she has forgiven him. Her mother was very forgiving also and she would forgive him the day after he would get drunk. She was a very loving person and would shave her husband's face every morning before he went off to work. She did this every day that they were married. Barbara feels that if her mother could forgive him than... Free Essays on Report On Barbara Moss Free Essays on Report On Barbara Moss Barbara Moss wrote "Change Me into Zeus's Daughter" which tells about her life growing up with an abusive and alcoholic father. If something were not well in her father's life he would take it out on Barbara or her mother. Her father would come home drunk on various nights at three o'clock P.M. and would wake up everyone in the house. He would make everyone clean house and was cars. Sometimes the eight kids would only get a few hours of sleep before they were awaken to do house hold chores which would sometimes last until morning when they would have to go to school. One time Barbara's father shot the family dog and also a pony, which they had only had for a very short time. Her book, "Change Me Into Zeus's Daughter", starts out with her father leaving to go to Pennsylvania in hope of getting a new job, which he had recently lost. His brothers lived in Pennsylvania and he was hoping that they could help him get a job. Apparently Barbara's father did not get a job and never sent home any money for the family of eight kids. They soon ran out of food and Barbara and her family had to move in with their Aunt Janet for a year. Barbara as a child did not have a beautiful face. She had many painful operations to get her face to look as it does today. As a child she wanted a beautiful face and a beautiful life, which she did not have in her childhood. Growing up she had no medical or dental care. Barbara went to art school and is a visual artist. Many of her paintings have been in well-known magazines and have been bought from her. Even though Barbara grew up in her family with all the bad memories of her father, she has forgiven him. Her mother was very forgiving also and she would forgive him the day after he would get drunk. She was a very loving person and would shave her husband's face every morning before he went off to work. She did this every day that they were married. Barbara feels that if her mother could forgive him than...

Iraqi arrest perpetrators of saydet al najat church Assignment

Iraqi arrest perpetrators of saydet al najat church - Assignment Example The church building is easy to track as it is one of the two in the Muslim neighborhood located in Baghdad, Iraq. in the At the church grounds, everything appeared normal. The church compound was silent; an individual could hear a pin drop. We proceeded to get a seat in the church as the Sunday proceeding had got underway and the preacher was giving the sermon. Approximately ten minutes into the sermon, a commotion got heard from outside the church. A car screeched into the compound, and there was hesitation by the preacher in his speech. The sound of boots hitting the ground outside the got heard from within the church building. Everyone in the building got visibly terrified from the facial expressions. Shouting from outside the church could now get heard too. The shouting together with the sounds of the boots neared the church building entrance (Pope, 2002). The preacher had by now stopped preaching. He asked the ushers to head outside and check on what was taking place. No sooner had the first usher got to the entrance, that gun sounds got heard. Everyone in the church started running helter skelter looking for a hiding place and heading out of the building via other church exits. Everything was happening so fast while time appeared to halt. My husband had meanwhile taken the child and lay under a church bench. I quickly followed suit! The shooting got rampant as cries got louder. Bullets were flying all over the building as evidenced by a shell that fell just besides me under the seat. My husband held our daughter’s mouth to prevent her from wailing. As the gunmen ceased to fire, they quickly ran out of the building shouting to each other in jubilant mood. Ten minutes passed, and not a soul moved about in the church. Police sirens got heard from outside the compound. Within seconds, police got in the building asking those still hiding to come out. There was hesitation at first, but slowly people crept out of their hiding places. The devastation was c lear, dead bodies got left scattered in the church. Bullet shells lay all over the building (Pope, 2002). Blood marks were everywhere. The police led the survivors into waiting police cars as they continued with their investigation. News crews had gathered outside as survivors got received by counselors. My family and I got taken for a check up in a nearby ambulance. This experience could get described as twenty minutes in hell. Fast forward a month later and hundreds of Iraqi Muslims and Christians in Baghdad's Karrada neighborhood take to the streets in celebration. This followed the announcement that the perpetrators of the attacks on the Sayedat al-Najat Church got arrested. Residents of the neighborhood that saw the October 31st attacks launched fireworks and played patriotic songs in cafes, shops and residences. Al-Qaeda leader arrested The Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of the terrorist cell that gets believed to be responsible for the attack that targeted th e church in central Baghdad late last month. Scores of people got killed and wounded. Security forces made the arrests during a raid on November 24th at dawn targeting a residential building in the al-Dawoodi neighborhood in central Baghdad. The building got used by the suspects as headquarters, Maj. Gen. Ragheef, director of internal affairs, Ministry of Interior, said in a press conference held Saturday evening in Baghdad (Pope, 2002). Ragheef said the group consisted of 12 suspected terrorists,

Reality and Fantasy of Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms Research Paper

Reality and Fantasy of Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms - Research Paper Example While some have concluded her character as an embodiment of an adolescent male fantasy† (Hatten, 76; Lockridge, 170), others have used her recovery to make a case for her realistic character. Catherine had just opted to give her services in the war as a volunteer 8 years after her engagement with her fiance, who was also fighting in the war. However, amidst the World War II, her fiance dies and gradually Catherine gets involved in a romantic relationship with Fredric. Although Catherine presents a very submissive and self-abnegating character, I want to explore her character to argue for its realism. For decades, Catherine’s character has been a complex and problematic one, drawing diverse set of interpretations by various scholars. Catherine is looked upon as a character far from reality and a figure essentially inspired by male fantasy of an ideal lover. Both Catherine and Frederic present a commonality in their evaluation of the Italians as they both feel negative of them. Catherine and Frederic meet in Italy where Frederic is serving as a volunteer ambulance driver for the Red Cross in Italy while Catherine is a volunteer Red Cross nurse. At several instances, Frederic hints at his lack of motivation for entering the Italian army, saying that he was a â€Å"fool† (Hemingway, 109) thereby implying a false sense of drive for soldering (Mandel, 61). On another occasion, Catherine tells Frederic how she only joined the services and moved to Italy out of support for her late fiance but later, as the story progresses, her motivation to help the wounded men is evident out of her humanitarian motivations. Catherine presents a very strong character of a woman who working for the soldiers in a world order which is chaotic. A World War is going on and Catherine is serving in Italy although her initial motivations for coming are not present