Nagel’s Negative Good vs Negative Evil

?Chapter 9 short writing assignmentShannon Prendergast Nagel explains negative good. as the absence of something bad and he describes a negative evil as the absence of something good. He is comparing these as they apply to death in this chapter. Assuming that death without anything is either good or bad to the person who dies. . He describes death as being either a negative evil or negative good. It can be described as a negative good because it can lack something bad. If someone is dying from a painful disease there death will result in the lack of the bad pain they were feeling. It can also be described as a negative evil because they will miss out on the great experiences of life (sun shining, flowers blooming, laughing. ) But for these to be true we must think we don’t exist after death. If we believe otherwise it could be these things don’t change for us. If you were a bad person you may continue to suffer, or maybe the sun and flowers are more beautiful after death if you were a good person. An example of a negative good in my life is the death of my brother-in-law. He suffered from depression (unknown to family) He was in a dark place and felt much turmoil and pain within. He committed suicide and this could be considered a negative good for him because his pain was ended. It can also be considered to be a negative evil because he will never see his children’s smile, hear there laughter or watch them grow. He was young and there was much life to live. I hope that there is existence after death and that people are at peace with there pain after death and can watch over there loved ones. Another example in life of a negative good is I had to leave a job I loved, but it happened to open the door for me to go back and finish my degree. The losing of the job was in turn not a bad thing because it produced something that otherwise would not have happened. There is also a negative evil in this situation and that is that I was unable to sign up for the class I wanted to take. It was not necessarily bad; it just lacked a something good. In wrapping up the difference between negative good and negative evil, I would like to believe that every negative has a positive and when a bad happens to us it is because a good is on its way. As far as death goes I believe we go on to a wonderful, place. whether it be as ourselves or not. After all did we ever not exist, or do we live forever just changing forms. Maybe are cells evolve into different thing and everyone lives forever somehow.

Modern Beliefs and Religion Essay

Children are influenced by the environment that they are subjected to. It is the responsibility of practitioners and other adults who are in contact with children to ensure that they are presented with positive ideas and images in order to support their moral and spiritual development. Task 1: A child’s spiritual development includes the development of their sense of self, their potential, their understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, and their motivation to achieve. Their moral development involves children gaining an understanding of the difference between right and wrong, a concern for others and the will to do what is right. They begin to be able to reflect on the consequences of their actions and learn how to forgive others and themselves. Moral and spiritual development is taught through all subjects of the curriculum and in particular RE and PSHE. Early years care practitioners help to support children’s moral and spiritual development throughout their early development stages. Practitioners help to do this by using inclusion, this is where they provide children with the opportunity to learn and develop through activities and other types of school work. However, the practitioners may need to amend activities to meet all the different children’s needs and requirements; e.g. a child with special educational needs may need work sheets in a certain font size to enable them to read it with ease. Another way in which practitioners may help to meet each child’s aims is to provide ability appropriate activities. It is important for early year’s practitioners to do this as the children will then realise that everyone can join in activities even if they have specific needs. This will result in the children feeling valued and building on their self-esteem. An early year’s practitioners should behave morally correct for the children to follow and look up to as a role model/example as children imitate and learn behaviour from others who are significant to them. To support children’s moral and spiritual development it is essential for the early year’s practitioner to praise and encourage children’s healthy behaviour. Practitioners should encourage children to tell the truth, keep promises, respect others, care for the less fortunate, and to accept responsibility for their own actions. Behaviour like bullying, lying, cruelty, irresponsibility, and selfishness should be expressed to the children as morally wrong, and it could upset or hurt other individuals. How care practitioners support moral and spiritual development through; The learning environment: The school, but mainly the classroom provides a suitable environment for promoting and supporting moral and spiritual development. Children learn to lead, use their initiative, and become disciplined through learning what is right and wrong. It will help to create positive personal relationships between children and adults, and they should be encouraged based on the value of and respect for every individual. The learning environment will help the children to be knowledgeable about the different celebrations that take place in a diverse society e.g. Diwali, Christmas, Easter and so on. Sensitivity: Practitioners should emphasis to children that they should values themselves and others as everyone has a place and a role within society. Also, the preparation for life within a diverse society should be included into the children’s teaching to ensure they are aware that there are many different cultures and beliefs living in one society. Another role the practitioners need to take is to ensure children are aware of the role of the family in society. Inclusive behaviour: This involved promoting values, for example, explaining to the children that they should tell the truth and not lie to other children or adults. With this children should respect others and treat people the way in which they want to be treated. Practitioners should include all children within the day to day activities and plan for those with extra specific needs. Considering spirituality even without a structured belief system: Children should be able to explore their own beliefs and think about what they may belief without the practitioners putting bias views on them. Practitioners should encourage children to look more deeply into their own belief and explain it is okay to have a different belief compared to their other peers. Task 2: Early year Practitioners must make sure that they are keeping each individual safe so that they don’t victimize any child in the setting regarding their religion or beliefs or any other structure in their life such as culture as this will destroy the child’s self-esteem or may begin to lose their beliefs. At placement each practitioner values each child to making sure that that they are not picking on any child because of their religion or beliefs. Practitioners must make sure that they include all children to the activities making sure that the children are in a diverse atmosphere at all times so the children will be able to follow their beliefs. The practitioners should set up activities that relate to a religion introducing the children to different religious celebrations etc. so that the Children would be aware of other religions around them. Practitioners should read books that include different religions for the children to gain more knowledge about there and other religions. At placement spiritual development is promoted as we have many books about religious celebrations such as; Christmas, Ramadan, Easter and many more. This teaches the children to respect other beliefs as they are aware of other religious festivals. At early years settings practitioners must persuade children to tell the truth and also telling them what will happen if they were to be lying to one of the practitioners. For the practitioners to be able to encourage children to tell the truth practitioners should have activities like role play for the children to take part in as by this activity the practitioner can show the children that it is bad to lie. Practitioners should also encourage discipline to children, such as if a child is doing the wrong thing such as ripping a book the practitioners that see it must talk to the child immediately and let them know that ripping a book is wrong and explain in detail for the child to understand. This way children learn from their mistakes what they did was wrong, by punishing the child for instance putting the child in time out will persuade them not to do it again. Care practitioners also need to teach children about valuing themselves and others around them. This will in return build an atmosphere in which peers respect one another and also respect members of staff/adults. Practitioners can help children grasp a sense of valuing themselves by praising them if they have done something good, for example, if the child helped to tidy up, or doing something extra than what they normally would do, then praising the child will make them feel good about themselves. The child will feel as though they have achieved something good and will therefore be happy with themselves. However, the practitioner may find it hard to teach the children to value others around them as children find it difficult to empathize how others feel and respect others when they are young. This mainly comes with age, but a firm grounding from the practitioner will help. Teaching them things like the common saying of ‘treat people how you want to be treated’. When children have been unkind to one another the practitioner may want to ask them questions like ‘How would it make you feel if someone did that to you?’ This will allow the children to begin to value others as they will realize that unkind actions may hurt or upset others.

Influence the Age of Exploration Had on the New World and Africa Essay

The Europeans, during the Age of Exploration, had an influence on both the New World across the Atlantic Ocean, and the much closer continent of Africa. In both Africa and the New World, Europeans had similar influences in that they negatively affected the natives in their search for riches such as spices and precious metals, and wherever they traveled they would spread Christianity to the natives. One example of this is when Cortes arrived in the Aztec empire he demanded they convert to Christianity, and when the Portuguese began colonizing east Africa it didn’t take long for the Jesuits to come. However the spread of diseases, the slave trade, and the economic takeover of natural goods differed in the New World and Africa. Africans were accustomed to the diseases of Europe, the natives of the Americas were not enslaved as the Africans were, and the Europeans were unable to take over the natural resources of the Africans because of their stronger government structure. In both the New World and Africa the Europeans were constantly in search of riches and devoted to the spread of the Christian faith. Christopher Columbus’s first expedition across the Atlantic was in search for spices. In Africa, they wanted precious metals such as gold. In the New World and Africa the native people had their land taken from them by the Europeans so that they could search for these valuable things. When the Portuguese were settling the east African coast they forced the leader of the Mwene Mutapa to grant large sections of land to their officials. In the New World the natives also lost land but the Europeans were much more forceful. When Cortes came to the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan a battle broke out that killed the majority of the local population. This negatively influenced both the two worlds. Another influence on the native population was the spread of Christianity. The Spanish had forced the Aztecs to convert to Christianity but when they refused, a battle broke out. In Africa Jesuits had started to come to the Portuguese settlements in hopes to convert natives. Although the Portuguese Jesuits were less violent than the conquistadors, both Africa and the New World were influenced by the spread of Christianity European exploration and colonization had different effects on the New World in contrast with Africa in regards to disease effecting society, the effect politics had on slave trade, as well as the economic takeover of natural goods in the New World. European diseases alone wiped out at least half the population of the Americas. When Columbus arrived to  Hispaniola the population was 100,000 but just 77 years later and it had dwindled to 300. Diseases had a massive impact on the New World whereas it had little to no effect on Africa. Due to the fact that Africa is so much nearer to Europe, they had more exposure to these diseases, specifi cally Malaria. African ancestors were able to build up a stronger immunity to the diseases carried be European therefore it had contact with Europe via the Trans Saharan Trade Route, it is believed that African ancestor’ exposure to many diseases created resistance in further African generations. Therefore, the African population was much less effected by diseases carried by Europeans explorers than the Native Americans. When the Europeans arrived to the Americas they were able to take the population by storm. The Native Americans were weak and defenseless compared to the Spanish, who had horses and modern weapons. Columbus himself called these people â€Å"naà ¯ve innocents.† Due to their innocence it was easy for the Spanish to capture them and put them to work in sugar cane fields. This was quite the opposite however of the slaves captured from Africa. These slaves were actually negotiated between African slave traders and the Europeans. Slave merchants were paid with East Asian textiles, furniture, and spices. This differentiates from the completely forced capture of the slaves in the Americas because Africa was already well established. The indigenous people had a strong form of government and trade was strong along the Trans Saharan Caravan Trade Route. The Native Americans on the other hand did not have a stable enough government to withstand the Europeans. Looking at this form and economical stand point, natural resources were taken over in the Americas by the explorers. They harvested all the sugar cane, gold, and silver for their own trade purposes. The Indians were forced to work the fields, not own them like before. In Africa though, due to its strong establishment, Europeans could not forcibly take resources. Instead they negotiated and traded with slaver merchants to get what they wanted: slaves who would be forced to go the Americas to be the labor force for harvesting the natural resources there. The New World and Africa were affected by the Europeans during the Age of Exploration in similar and opposite ways. Both were negatively affected in the European’s search for riches and spices. They were also influenced by the spread of Christianity by the Portuguese Jesuits and Spanish conquistadors. There were differences however in the way European  diseases effected the foreign populations, how slavery in Africa was handled compared to the New World, and the economic takeover of natural goods in the societies.

Controversy Analysis Essay---- internet virtual life against the real Essay

Controversy Analysis ---- internet virtual life against the real - Essay Example The controversy on whether the internet impact is exactly positive or negative in family lives is still on debate, and no clear answer has come up yet. This paper will analyze the various viewpoints and positions held about families’ real life and internet virtues. Introduction Technology emerged weirdly back in 1884, in Washington, when telegrams were produced to assist in sending messages from one location to the other (Giovanni 3). Later on, in 1969 in California Los Angeles, the first attempt to send messages through the computer was invented when a professor and one of his students set up a phone line connection between two computers. One computer was located at the University of California Los Angeles, and the other one at Stanford Research Institute. These two individuals were experimenting whether a computer could send a message from one computer to the other. Their intention was to send a command line with the word ‘login’, but the computer managed to sen d the command ‘lo’ and crashed immediately. That is how ‘Hallo’ became communication trend to date. After the incident, another experimental computer network cropped up approximately in 1970, with an intention to connect four American University Research centers. From then on, more experiments arose, and the systems evolved gradually to what is today’s internet (Giovanni 5). Currently, the internet is being is the most favorite trend of communicating used by billions of people worldwide, for different activities. Analysis Information and communication technologies (ICT) are tremendously contributing to economic growth, relieving workloads in work places, simplifying education and improving people’s daily leisure. Originally, this ICT as a sector was marked by criticism and unending debates of how and when it should be used. This was as a result of the negative effects that was attributed to ICT especially tot eh growing generation. For instanc e, children in the most developed countries in the world spend most of their time working and playing with computers of different forms. In the UK for instance, most homes have access to computers and the rate is rapidly growing (Voogt & Gerald 358). Statistics show that approximately eight million households had access to computers by the end of 2000. However, such statistics seem to cultivate much on technology accessibility rather than the influence that these devices bring about. This is because understanding technology is not how many people has access to it, or how much people uses the internet but the controversial factors that emerges after using the internet. To begin with, it is essential to bring back the pictures of the family lives before the internet took the center stage. Most families in the past strictly followed the rule of traditional virtues where family bonding was the most crucial factor to consider. For instance, such families’ weekends were exceptional because families spent their time together at home or went outdoors together. Meals were shared together, and most of the time would be spent together watching TV or doing outdoor activities like shopping. Things have changed in the present days. Families no longer share light moments together. In essence, the internet has become the best companion for many people thus family bondage has been weakened. In contrary, today’

Alexander the Great & His Glorious Battles Research Paper

Alexander the Great & His Glorious Battles - Research Paper Example ... It was not the Macedonian Phalanx which penetrated to India, but Alexander." The terms like ‘brilliant’ and Genius† truly represented the character of Alexander. According to Major General J.F.C. Fuller, only a genius â€Å"binds the Great Captains into a common brotherhood.† Alexander’s greatness could be seen in his genius through his visibility, physical and moral bravery, strength, aspirations to materialize the dreams he had, purposefulness, triumphs and accomplishments, which created a feeling of appreciation, reverence, safety and respect among his forces. ? Napoleon Bonaparte was a great admirer of Alexander the great. If one wants to learn the art of war, one should read time and again the war initiatives of Alexander. Alexander was supreme on two fronts, head of the army and political head of the state of Macedonia and knew well that military pursuits were just the tools to achieve political aim of long term peace. Alexander was great be cause he had the insight of using military might and political insight not to indulge in mass killing of enemy forces, a popular perspective of indulging in wars as impressed upon by Clausewitz during the nineteenth century. Alexander pursued a cherished mission of winning the enemy not by looting enemy wealth to bereft the future victorious lands of all the necessary resources or earn the anger and wrath of the enemies unnecessarily. The primary mission of waging wars against foreign lands was to strategically win the confidence of the people through political maneuvering.? The principles followed by Alexander helped in his winning adventures, which included respect for energy, attention, fast turnaround time, sudden action, and cherishing the mission. Alexander had deep understanding of other strategically crucial warfare elements such as playing offensive tactics, using the military power economically, and setting up of safer bases, and risk-free communications. ? The glorious ba ttles fought by Alexander attached the title of â€Å"great† to his name because he fought the battles by adhering to warfare principles, as stated above. He fought different warfare by following a line of thought in leading battles, sieges, small aggressions, guerrilla war tactics, and revolts, making him distinct from other great commanders. Military commanders in his army were adapted in fighting a traditional war fought openly, they were not expert in the guerrilla warfare designs or circumventing the enemy base. Special about Alexander’s battles was that he never lost a battle during the 10 years war adventures initiated between 335 and 325 BC. He regularly led the warfare during his battles at least once a year, each year. His army was very well trained and full of vigor combined-arms army, gifted to him by his father, to complete arduous tasks whatever the circumstances. Alexander’s army was the unparalleled army of that time. ? Alexander took good care o f his soldiers. He never considered them like paid laborers but always boosted their morale by setting an example of bravery before them through his individual power. He did not expect them to accomplish what he himself could not. He set an example of team-spirit in the army unit, and did not let any opportunity miss for the welfare of his soldiers. His humanistic attitude towards his comrades and appreciation of those in front of the whole unit who have set examples of

Factors Which Explain Variations in Employee Voice Essay

Factors Which Explain Variations in Employee Voice - Essay Example The sole concern of these bodies has been to render adequate support to the employees in availing their rights depicting precise notions of the employers’ duties in given political, societal and economic situations (Donado & WÃ ¤lde, 2012; Serrano & et. al., 2011). Â  Theoretically, employee voice is often depicted as a notion of replicating the involvement of employees or laborers in the decision-making process of any organization. The concept tends to be a multidimensional approach towards employee-employer relationship and thus it acts as a phenomenon related to employee engagement (Kular & et. al., 2008; Dundon & et. al., 2004). As stated by Budd (2006) in this framework, at the industrial level, three basic interlinked objectives exist behind the establishment of employment relations and as determinants, these aspects also signify the degree of variations between employee voice related practices in different countries. These three objectives are efficiency, equity, and voice (Budd, 2006). Efficiency, in this context, refers to the balance between employers’ objectives and employees’ needs. To be specific, employers are always driven towards greater profits and simultaneously, employees operate towards the achievement of grea ter wages.

Using theories and research from the psychology and work module, and Essay

Using theories and research from the psychology and work module, and with reference to your placement year, critically examine the importance of individual differences and organisational behaviour at work - Essay Example In this paper I will attempt to elaborate on how individual differences and organizational behaviour influence the work process. To better deliver and communicate my point I decided to focus on two topics – leadership and approaches to work motivation. The organization that I choose as placement is in the customer service industry, so the priority for the company is to keep the customers satisfied, creating company loyalty policies. Drenth (1998) outlines briefly that the history of work psychology dates back from hundred years ago, when scholars, researchers and psychologists started to analyze the circumstances of the industrialization on the overall work processes. The specificities around that workload, and the labour market in the industrial era posed significant questions about the sickness absences, child labour, occupational stress, welfare differences and training and development devices. All these led to the creation of organization psychologists who provided care for the workers (Drenth, 1998). Even though technology become all too important, human factor enriches the work process to an irreplaceable degree. Therefore, studying human factor determines the main tendencies in work psychology. People at work are constantly interacting with each other, they exchange skills, obtain new knowledge through training, though still each employee besides the particular work role that he is performing remains individual, with his unique behavioural characteristics, personal attitude, reactions and style. The topic of leadership is significant not only for the organization and psychology at work, but also for the whole social science field. Furnham (2005) notes that authors from various disciplines from literatures, economics, and management are trying to determine the factors that make â€Å"good† leaders and what are their strengths and personal

Comparative paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparative paper - Essay Example This paper aims to particularly focus on how the vivid depictions of the Nazi and Soviet crisis in both books have been instrumental in providing global readers a wide-eyed awakening to a path to peace and to a future hope of minimizing global and political violence. To achieve this would mean understanding the rationale and causal effects of the perpetrations of the inhumanity in the genocidal murders and the grueling experiences in the Soviet prison camps, and eventually rethinking whether the same would have been possible were it not for the modern methods that were adopted to further brutalize the population. Arendt and Solzhenitsyn not only witnessed the tragic events of the mid-twentieth century, both of them had first hand experiences of the horrendous fates of the era. These particular events in both their lives have led them to write on Eichmann and The Holocaust and One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich, respectively. Several researches have probed on the questions of how and why the holocaust happened and why of all places did it occur in Germany. The book on the Holocaust provided several excerpts from Arendt's previous commentaries on the trial of this Nazi named Adolf Eichmann, a Gestapo chief, who later history would place as the man responsible for the mass extermination of all the Jews who were held in concentration camps. While many writings have ascribed the root cause of the holocaust to that of the anti-Semitic views of Adolph Hitler, Arendt in her book pinned the guilt to Eichmann, after the arrogant Eichmann himself openly boasted that he would die laughing with the feeling of great satisfaction in having brought millions of Jews to their death. There were a number of cultural and historical issues that evolved from the trial of Eichmann and most were considered either as pernicious to or are erosions of the justice system. Amongst the European countries, it is easily noticeable that in the twentieth century, Germany had the most radical form of capitalism that would in effect, exclude all other socialist labor movements. This fascism has been characterized by anti-Semitism and extreme racism. Due to this inherently murderous ideology for an elect race, the Jews eventually were scorned upon to be an inferior race. Arendt concludes in her book that the hanging of Eichmann was justified for the reason that he had supported and executed the policy of the Reich to be a superior race, ultimately having the effect of being the only ones who can inhabit the earth. The book of Solzhenitsyn sets the story on the Soviet labor camp and describes an entire one day in the life of the prisoner Ivan Denisovich Shukhov. This literary masterpiece was the first ever to openly give an account of Stalin's repressive governance. This book made known that the prisoners in the Gulag system were never allowed to leave the camps despite the end of their prison terms. The theme created in this book focused on authoritarian oppression and the many difficult ways of surviving labor camps, especially from the cruelty of the prison officials. Through Ivan Denisovich Shukhov, Solzhenitsyn has provided the world with the many tragic and traumatic experiences that a prisoner suffered in the

Modern management techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Modern management techniques - Essay Example Construction as a process consists of a wide range of activities including building and infrastructure assembling. Examples of activities in the construction industry include residential construction, bridge erection, roadway paving, large-scale painting jobs, and demolitions. Management of the construction industry comprises of project manager, the project manager ensures that there is smooth operation in the industry. Construction manager and design engineer, who assumes the role of a supervisor, assist the manager. Construction, however, is a hazardous involvement and construction workers are, thus, exposed to hazards while delivering their services. These hazards include unguarded machinery, electrocutions, falling from rooftops, and sustaining injuries from construction equipments. Employers and workers need to work towards reducing these hazards. In order to achieve this, the identification, reduction, and hazard elimination are essential. Management, therefore, should work tow ards reducing these hazards, and failure to accomplish will lead to failure to accomplish organizational goals and objectives as described by Emre (2007, p.200). Effective and successful execution of activities industry achieved by putting in place effective planning, budgeting, scheduling, and ensuring safety in the construction site. ... Technological changes in the modern society have profoundly affected construction industry with its structure and the undertaking of its daily operations. Management of the industry should ensure that it adapts to modern managerial techniques and procedures in execution, planning, and design processes. Construction process in the modern industrialized world has led to translating of constructions designs into practice; while adapting to the modern trends in its design. Integration of advanced specialists has been successful in the modern world, especially in the construction industry (Deakin, 2002, p.120). Presently, the construction specialists like engineers, construction managers, designers and developers, who initially used to be in separate companies, have now been united in one company. This has seen construction process accomplish its duties in the most effective way, since all the specialists involved from start to the end of the project. Planning and execution have been easi ng, and performance specification achieved. Construction industries have played a significant role in contribution of the country’s economic growth. The industry is significant in offering of employment opportunities to the majority of the population, specialists and other workers have been able to earn a living, thus, leading a successful life just for working in these industries. Construction has also had significant contribution into Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country. Being one of the significant indicators of economic growth of a country, GDP has increased because of contributions of the construction industry. GDP is a tool used

Miley Cyrus symbol of pop culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Miley Cyrus symbol of pop culture - Essay Example She further showcased her transformation into adulthood during the August 2013 Video Music Awards where wearing skin-colored undergarments and using stuffed animals, she greatly pushed the line of what viewer generally expected from prime media. From a gender perspective, the pornification of nearly everything has quickly emerged to be a substantial problem in our culture, and according to Empire et al (2013), this practice has only grown more entrenched and widespread as a result of the availability of the internet on the phones of teenagers. While the problem is particularly pervasive, pop music is where the two tectonic plates of commerce and sex are seen to most vigorously interact as is easily evidenced by the recent transformation into adulthood by Miley Cyrus. There is evidently no doubt that women have slowly become increasingly sexualized in music videos over the last few decades. The apparent need for women to display their nudity so as to sell records as is witnessed in Miley Cyrus’s recent music video’s is arguably not the best thing for the female gender. Questions can be raised as to whether Miley Cyrus is in actually in control over her own personal destiny or is simply being exploited by record companies and managers who stand to financially make the most gains from her nudity and other recent exploits. While feminist might be strongly critical of Cyrus’ recent transformation, she has nevertheless seen an increase in her popularity and following. On the racial front, Cyrus is reported as having reported that he wearing gold teeth and twerking with the African American artist Juicy J at the House of Blues in a bid to signify that she was now dangerous and wild, was all an attempt to try and cause her new songs to essentially feel black. This strategy has largely been successful as she has managed to connect with both her white and black

Modern Dance Essay Example for Free

Modern Dance Essay The idea of dance has always been interesting and a mystery to me. When I was younger, I used to participate in Indian dance performances for birthday parties, weddings and/or anniversaries. I was fairly decent and I remember that it gave me a sense of freedom. I loved to dance. It was a way of expressing my uniqueness. However, things changed, life moved on and the stress of it all hid those feelings for another lifetime. They remained hidden for the past four years here at UCR until now, my senior year. Now was the only time in my college career that I had time for anything other than major related, science-y courses. I was excited to take a class that didn’t involve four hour laboratory times or quizzes every week. I wanted to take a class that made me feel free. That’s when I remembered how dance made me feel when I was younger and Dance 005 seemed like the perfect fit. In the short time that I have been able to take this course, I have learned quite a lot about my body’s capabilities. Usually, when I do something physical, whether it be sports or working out at the gym, I push myself hard. With dance, I felt as if I needed to take my time, and let my gracefullness take the lead. I wanted to accomplish a different side of me. I wanted to allow myself to do something that I wasn’t necessarily used to. I felt as if my strengths were mainly the numbered combinations that we learned in class. I do well with order, direction and a planned out routine. However, on the other hand, when we would practice improvisation, I found harder to relax and â€Å"go with the flow. † I realized that I don’t work well with spontaneous, no rule moments. I still struggle with that part of the class and I believe it isn’t something that can be taken care of with one course. I also enrolled in a dance of Mexico course and I enjoy noticing the differences between modern dance and cultural dance. Viewing the live performance by Paradigm put many things in perspective. My view on dance expanded with every dance performed that night. It was interesting to see the different outlooks on the idea of dance as a whole. It can be theatrical, comedic, sad, happy, etc. It all depends on how the emotions are absorbed by the audience as a result of the performers. Writing the reflection paper on the performance helped me understand the real meaning of it all. It made me take the time to recall reactions and go into depth about how the idea of modern dance came about. Dance, to me, meant structure but walking out of the theater that night shook that assumption to its core. I learned that the modern dance movement based works upon experience, using their bodies to express emotions using many gestures. It seemed like each dance was a type of impulse control. Each performer was allowed to express any feeling that came to them within boundaries. And the boundaries were what made up the show and made it enjoyable for the audience. One idea of dance that stuck with me was when we performed our pathway dances. I think that was also my favorite part of this class so far. I enjoyed watching each dance with and without music. The music made each dance come alive in some way. I also liked the fact that the musician matched the dance with a separate tone that allowed for comedic relief during what could have possibly been a boring, simple routine. The way he described music adding to dance as a sort of parallel was also quite interesting. I don’t think I have ever heard music and art spoken in that way. This class gives an insight into a different, calmer than my usual workload, form of expression. Another idea of dance that I can take away from this course is whenever we added pedestrian movements into our dances. I loved that we could incorporate anything and everything we do in life to dance. For instance, I just recently started going to the cardio kickboxing class at the rec center. And I remember I added some of the moves I learned from that class into this class by adding a little flare and art value to them. It just goes to show that anything can be art by tweaking something just a smidge. I thoroughly enjoyed taking this class. To be brief, it was entertaining, interesting, and I can actually say I know something about the art of dance and not just how to dance. I think it’s important to have knowledge about everything in this world. No need to be an expert on the matter but a little taste of different culture never hurt anyone. And I believe that this class gives a small slice of a worldwide tradition of dance.

The Due Process and Offender Supervision Models Essay Example for Free

The Due Process and Offender Supervision Models Essay The criminal justice system has been described on various models for dealing with offenders. According to Herbert Packer’s â€Å"Two Models of the Criminal Process† in 1964, he described the criminal justice process in the US as a result of the struggle between the two models or value systems. These two are the crime control model and the due process model. These two differs in their approach in dealing with offenders. The crime control model was described like that of the â€Å"assembly-line conveyor belt† since it aims to resolve the case and bring punishment to the offender as efficiently as possible. This model operates on the idea or â€Å"the presumption of guilt† that suggests that if the offender has been charged and arrested then they are really guilty of the crime and deserves punishments. The due process model also aims to convict the guilty but at the same time protect their rights and prevent innocent people from injustices, police abuses and inequality. This method might work in favor of the offender but not with the victims of crimes. It tends to slow down the process and may hinder the truth. This model has been described as the â€Å"obstacle course† for an efficient justice system. A new model also came out which seek to improve the current criminal justice system. These two new models include the punitive and non-punitive model. Punitive model is said to combine the crime control and due process model. This model asserts the retaliatory importance of punishment for the offender together with the need of the victims and the accused. The non-punitive model on the other hand have given emphasis on the attempt to minimize the pain of both victimization and punishment by promoting crime prevention and restorative justice this according to Kent Roach’s Four Models Of The Criminal Process. The criminal justice models have continued to improve its system as the crime offenders haven’t decrease from the years that passed. The rights of the victims and the offender have been both considered. The models serves as guide for law enforcers to minimize victimization at the same time provide efficient justice system. Community Corrections models The community corrections take many forms and types and each was tried and tested to identify which among is the best method to help rehabilitate crime offenders. What is the role of community corrections? This community correction pertains to pretrial diversion and intermediate sanctions given to felons or misdemeanants. It also refers to non incarcerative, yet supervised way of dealing with offenders. Community corrections takes the form of probation and parole, day reporting centers, house arrest, electronic monitoring, half way houses and many others. Among these probation and parole are the commonly utilized forms of community corrections. Community corrections operate on basic principles and philosophies. One of these is reintegration or residential stability which pertains to the need of the offender to be place in a home or community environment. The provision of professional services like medical or psychological assistance is also important. The offenders need to undergo rehabilitation. There must also be accountability between the offender and the supervisor to monitor and evaluate the progress. There is also economic efficiency which emphasizes the need of the offenders to find and hold a job to help them return in the society. These activities are based on the philosophy of restorative justice, the idea that offenders need to have a complete life change to be able to rejoin in the community once again. Community corrections has helped to lessen the overcrowding of jails, keep the cost of criminal justice down and provide as a final stage of the criminal justice process as mentioned in the Megalinks In Criminal Justice. In offender supervision there are also models or approaches being followed or adapted to be able for the officers to handle the offenders under their supervision and guidance especially in probation and parole. The Casework Supervision Model of 1900 to 1970 is a model concern with diagnosis and treatment. It is where that the officers saw themselves as â€Å"caseworkers†. The Brokerage Supervision Model of 1970 to 1980 identified that the officers are not adequately skilled to deliver specialized services. A Community Resource Management Team therefore is needed to provide services for employment training, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, family counseling and many other kinds of services. The next one is the Justice Model of Supervision of 1980-1995. It concerns with risk management and control, it also emphasized surveillance to effect compliance with court orders. Another model is the Broken Windows Model which gives emphasis on partnership with police and treatment providers, transparency and program evaluation of effectiveness according to Wes Krause’s Community Corrections. The Models and their Effectiveness in Dealing with Offenders Both the criminal justice system and community correction system have various models or approaches to consider. These models have been adjusted and modified to meet the changing needs of times and to improve its system. The crime control model and due process model are considered not enough to give justice to victims adequately that is why the punitive and non-punitive models are being adapted in the criminal justice system. The latest models of punitive and non-punitive models seek to remedy the problems that arise from previous models of criminal justice system. In punitive model for example the justice system combines the crime model and due process model to adequately meet the needs of both the offender and the crime victims. In the non punitive models some agree that punishment is not the solution in solving crime but can be solve through the use of crime prevention and restorative justice and other alternatives to incarceration. In the field of offender supervision, the Casework Model is traditionally and extensively used it is where that the officer becomes the primary agent of treatment and moral recovery. Later models seem to revitalize the existing approach making it more visible in the public and increase the success rate for probationers and parolees. The Promise of the Current Practices The current trends in the criminal justice system will definitely affect the future system. The future of law enforcement depends on which model will dominate the system in the future. If the Crime Control Model will dominate it is expected that the police will have fewer limitations to combat crime while if the Due Process Model dominates it is expected that pretrial detention will not be use to often and people are entitled to remain free until they are proven guilty. Also the Restorative Justice will be another alternative for the punitive justice currently used in the US. Reintegrative Shaming a form of restorative justice can also be adapted on the future law enforcement. Technology will greatly affect the current and future trends of criminal justice system. There will be increase in the use of interactive televisions, DNA profiling and DNA database. Electronic surveillance will create greater chance for monitoring of the offenders. In terms of community corrections, it faced issue on whether to devote more on punishment or rehabilitation. Intermediate sanction programs face a lot of problems like lack of funding and the inability to be as intensive as possible. The caseloads of officers continue to increase in number while the government continues to look for alternatives to incarceration. The community corrections had identified which method worked and doesn’t work out effectively in dealing with offenders. Work Cited Krause, Wes. â€Å"Chapter 6 the History of Supervision Philosophy and Practice†. Community Corrections. 19 November 2008. http://criminaljustice. csusb. edu/Krause/CJ431/CJ431Chapter6. pdf O’ Connor, T. â€Å"Community Corrections†. 2 July 2006. Megalinks in Criminal Justice. 19 November 2008. http://www. apsu. edu/ Roach, Kent. â€Å"Four Models of the Criminal Process†. 1999. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology: Northwestern University School of Law. 21 November 2008 http://findarticels. com â€Å"Chapter 14 Understanding and Predicting the Future of Criminal Justice†. 19 November 2008 http://www. unt. edu/cjus/Course_Pages/CJUS_2100/2100chapter14. ppt.

Power Relations In Diego Velazquezs Las Meninas English Literature Essay

Power Relations In Diego Velazquezs Las Meninas English Literature Essay The author of the painting Las Meninas (1656), Diego Velà ¡zquez (1599-1660) worked at the court of Philip IV, thus at the centre of the centralised power structure of one of the original nation-states of Early Modern Europe. Las Meninas has been argued both in Velà ¡zquez time and in ours to be his masterpiece. My purpose in this essay is to argue for an interpretation of this painting and its shaping by an exploration of power relations rather than by perspectival considerations. My interest in the present essay will be to analyse Las Meninas within the perspective of power relations, in an effort to provide an alternative reading to the literature based purely on the technical aspects of the painting. A lot has been written regarding the great unclearness that the painting Las Meninas seals, but, there is a question that we must acknowledge in presence of the visual intricacy of the painting, what indeed did Velà ¡zquez paint? I am not looking to provide the final answer to this question in this essay. However, I believe that by analysing Las Meninas within the perspective of power relations, I can contribute to the scholarship on Velà ¡zquez and provide an approach that can also contribute to the answer of this question. Las Meninas (fig. 1) (Spanish for The Maids of Honour) is an oil on canvas painting with 318 cm ÃÆ'- 276 cm. The setting is a large room and it has long been unclear whether the interior represented in the painting is real or imaginary. F. J. Sà ¡nchez Cantà ³n identified the room by the paintings in it as the main chamber of an apartment in the Alcà ¡zar of Madrid that had been occupied by Prince Baltazar Carlos before its assignment to Velà ¡zquez.  [2]  However, F. Ià ±iguez Almech was unable, when analysing the seventeenth-century plans of Alcà ¡zar, to identify any room that would correspond to the one in the painting, being possible that Velà ¡zquez did not depict any actual room.  [3]   Fig. 1. Diego Velà ¡zquez, Las Meninas, 1656, Museu Nacional del Prado, Madrid. Available from: Museu Nacional del Prado Galerà ­a On-Line (accessed 29 March 2010). The painting presents a composition distributed in well organised spatial structure that provides to the depicted room a sensation of realism, proximity and depth, being the composition concentric, with the Infanta Margarita Marà ­a de Austria as its focal point.  [4]  The depth of the painting is accentuated by the frames on the wall on the right, by the canvas on the left and by the two empty chandeliers on the ceiling. In addition, the painting combines discreet colours, providing harmony to the painting (white, grey and black of the attires with details in red, beige of the canvas, and again tones of black and grey in the non-illuminated parts of the room).  [5]   On the right of the room, one has an oblique view of the wall with apertures which seem to be windows that let light into the room. On the left, the view of the room is cut by a large canvas seen from the back. The painter himself, Diego Velà ¡zquez, is portrayed in front of this canvas with a paintbrush on his hand, who seems to have just stopped working on the canvas for a moment in order to gaze out his models. Velà ¡zquez was fifty-seven years old when he painted Las Meninas and depicted himself in it, but without wrinkles, white hair, or any other sign that could indicate his actual age. The canvas Velà ¡zquez is working on is not visible to the viewer. More or less to the centre of the canvas stands a little girl identified as the Infanta of Spain, Doà ±a Margarita Marà ­a de Austria, who also gazes out in the manner of a portrait, and around who the other figures gravitate . . . like planets of an intricate, subtly ordered system, and reflect her light.  [6]  She is s urrounded on both sides by two young women attendants (the meninas of the title), being the one on the left (Doà ±a Marà ­a Agustina Sarmiento de Sotomayor) kneeling at the feet of the Infanta and offering her a bà ºcaro in a tray, while the other on the right (Doà ±a Isabel de Velasco) inclines a bit to the Infanta and turns her glance outwards the canvas. To the right of this group, in the corner of the canvas, stand two dwarves of distorted appearance, also court attendants. The woman named Marà ­a Barbola gazes outwards, while the midget who steps on the dog is Nicolasico Pertusato. On a more distant plan is Doà ±a Marcela de Ulloa, lady of honour, who turns her head to address a man (escort for ladies of the court), who stands beside her and looks outwards. Some distance behind them is the rear wall of the room, which has a door where stands Don Josà © Nieto Velà ¡zquez, Aposentador of the Queen, also gazing outwards. To the left of Josà © Nieto, the King Philip IV and the Queen Marà ­a Ana de Austria are reflected in a mirror. Some of the figures in the painting present little problem of identification, namely Velà ¡zquez and the Infanta; the others are less obvious. This identification of the figures in the painting is based on Velà ¡zquez earliest biographer, Antonio Palomino, who named the figures in Las Meninas on the basis of the known population of the court in Book III of his Museu Pictà ³rico y Escala Óptica, which was first published in 1724.  [7]  Palomino also identifies the two paintings in the upper part of the back wall with the then current royal holdings: Minerva Punishing Arachne and Apollos Victory over Marsyas, both originally by Peter Paul Rubens.  [8]   The Infanta occupies the centre of the visual focus, together with the King and Queens reflection on the mirror and the painter. The superior half of the painting is occupied with lamps and spots of light that enter trough the openings on the right wall; there are shadows covering the back superior part of the wall. The scene is taken from an angle that closes itself in the right with an opening in the wall. In the left, in another diagonal plan, the painting that is being painted by Velà ¡zquez leaves the figures in second plan and cuts obliquely the space. In the back, the mirror and the door make allusion to unknown spaces, which together with the spatial configuration of the portrayed room open the painting to the exterior and pulls the viewer to inside of the composition. As Madlyn Millner Kahr points out, the mirror in the painting contributes its own special brand of magic. In Las Meninas it directs the observers attention to events going on outside the picture (the presence of the royal couple), which in turn brings the observer within the picture area.  [9]   On her article Velà ¡zquez and Las Meninas, Kahr divides the cast of characters with a wide range of ages and physical types into different groups.  [10]  One of these groups is the dog, the midget and the female dwarf. According to Kahr, these three characters form a group apart due to their position in space and their compositional unity.  [11]  The central group, as Kahr argues, stands behind them, being constituted by the Infanta and the two meninas. The painter, Doà ±a Marcela de Ulloa and the guardadamas forms another group; and the last group is composed by the Aposentador of the Queen standing in the stairs and by King Philip IV and Queen Marà ­a Ana reflected on the mirror.  [12]  Thus, Kahr divides the characters in groups of three. This division provides unity, coherence and structure to the painting, and by placing the group of the Infanta and the two meninas as the central one, Kahrs group division concurs with Palominos consideration that the painting is a portrait of the Infanta.  [13]  The light that enters the room by the right side wall apertures mainly illuminates the Infanta, Doà ±a Maria Agustina Sarmiento and partially the other menina, that are highlighted in relation to the darkness behind them, reinforcing the conception that Las Meninas is a portrait of the Infanta of Spain. Carl Justi also described Las Meninas as a portrait of the Infanta Margarita as the centre of a recurrent scene of the palace life.  [14]   Joel Snyder agrees that considering the painting as the portrait of the Infanta Margarita, as Palomino and Carl Justi do, is a movement in the correct direction, but it fails to explain the presence of all the other figures in it that compete for our attention.  [15]  Jonathan Brown states that the subject of the painting is no one in particular, but that the painting is a claim for the nobility of Velà ¡zquezs art.  [16]  However, Snyder points out: To suggest that Las Meninas is a demonstration of the nobility of painting and of its proper place in the liberal arts, as Jonathan Brown does, is to locate the interest of the painting in the conditions of its origination and in the means employed to produce the demonstration. This is surely interesting and, if correct, revealing; but, again, it does not bring us to terms with the subject of the painting with what the painting is tout ensemble.  [17]   Firstly, the tout ensemble of the painting may be explored individually (considering the power relations between each figure in the painting), in order to then identify the subject of the painting. In approaching this issue, one should agree that one can identify the presence of the centralised power in the painting Las Meninas. The power in this painting may be recognized in several aspects. There is in the painting two distinct social groups: the working class and the one that enjoys the labour of those who work. On the one hand, we have the painter, the maids, the lady of honour, the escort for ladies of the court, the Aposentador of the Queen, and the dwarfs represented; while, on the other hand, we have the aristocracy represented in the Infanta that occupies the centre of the painting and King Philip IV and Queen Marà ­a Ana de Austria reflected on the mirror. When one questions why Velà ¡zquez depicted himself together with all the members of the royal household, the answer may be that he wanted to indicate that he also belonged to this illustrious circle. Sira Dambe states that in Golden Age Spain, the art of painting, still relegated to the rank of craft, had not yet been accorded equal status with the higher arts, such as music or poetry.  [18]  Therefore, this painting may be seen as Velà ¡zquezs proclamation of . . . power and status as a creator.  [19]  The ecclesiastic power is also present in the cross of the Santiagos Order in the chest of the painter, which was not originally painted by Velà ¡zquez, being painted after the artists death by the Kings demand.  [20]  When analysing the Fable of Arachne and Las Meninas, Jonathan Brown states, [Velà ¡zquezs] claim for the nobility of his art are firmly embedded in these multi-layered works, and in Las Meninas the gentleman painter, stands confidently at the easel, bas king in the glory of the monarchs person. And on his breast, the vibrant red cross of Santiago marks the artist as a nobleman.  [21]   In addition, one can also identify the presence of the artistical power of the painter over the remaining figures due to the dominium of the artistic language, but at the same time, the artistic needs to obey to a superior power, and in this case, the kingship. This statement finds support on the royal couple pictured in the mirror that accordingly represent the royal power. On her article Picturing Power: Representation and Las Meninas, Amy M. Schmitter affirms: The Kings representation is a force of power, a manifestation of royal power that embodies, displays, and extends it. It is a representation that acts, that represents by presenting, exhibiting, or exposing titles and qualifications, by figuring them in painting, by being a sign, by bringing to observation, and by playing in public. It thereby constitutes its subject, the royal power and the royal office, by representing it.  [22]   One can agree that the depiction of the King Philip IV and the Queen Marà ­a Ana de Austria on the mirror and of the Infanta Margarita as main focus of the painting represents directly in the painting the royal power it represents those that should be looked with reverence and submission. Furthermore, with the glances one receives and returns in the painting, the represented royal power gazes with control and vigilance over everyone else. Regarding the power relations between the remaining figures of the painting, one can argue that the meninas, the guardadamas and the lady of honour, by their own social condition are subordinates of the kingship. The two dwarfs are also condemned to the royal power and have as their function to entertain the royal household. The dog that is being stepped by the dwarf on the right is condemned to an even lower position (a submissive animal). In this perspective of power relations, the presence of Josà © Nieto Velà ¡zquez becomes enigmatic. Despite being the Aposentador of the Queen and therefore ruled by the royal power, he is portrayed in profile on the stairs of the back door, seemingly indicating an indecision of staying under the gaze of the royal power or leaving. From this analysis, one can agree that all the figures of the painting are entangled in the webs of power. Although the delimitations of power are well defined in the painting, representing the historical, political and economic conditions of seventeenth-century Spain, another way of looking at this issue is through the indirect allusions also present in the painting, such as the dwarf, positioned in perfect diagonal alignment with the painter. The two associate by contrast: the painter as the creator and admirer of what is beautiful, and the dwarf as symbol of deformity. In common, there is the fact that both are represented images of social groups placed aside from power. One should, nevertheless, consider this opposition from another angle. From the contrast itself between what the painter and the dwarf represent, one can obtain an exchange of parts by acknowledging that the arts represent both the sublime as well as the grotesque. Therefore, there is in this aesthetical inscription a subversion of the institutionalised values of power. The power of kingship is also central in Michel Foucaults chapter on Diego Velà ¡zquezs Las Meninas, being this the opening chapter of his book The Order of Things.  [23]  According to Foucault the function of the mirror reflection of the King and the Queen is to bring to the painting what is external to it. In the chapter Las Meninas, Foucault attributes the theme of the painting to the external space and gives the Infanta and her maids (internal space) the function of entertaining the King and Queen that are in front of the representation (outside space) as Và ©lazquezs models.  [24]   Foucaults critical analysis derives from the observation angle of the Infanta, the King and Queen in the mirror and how their gazes define the centre of the picture. The mirror in the back leads to the conclusion, as Foucault states, that it is about a question of what looks and what is looked. From these encounters of gazes and perceptions, the author notes that the notion of double arises from this painting. To Foucault the double reveals itself in the painting from inside the painting itself. The painting that Velà ¡zquez is painting in the portrait will be the representation of the reflexion of the King and Queen in the mirror at the back.  [25]   On the chapter dedicated to Las Meninas, Foucault argues that the Classical age, roughly the period from the seventeenth-century to the eighteenth-century, was a period when the intellectual world focused on the representations of the real. Accordingly, Foucault defines the subject of Las Meninas as the representation itself. To quote from Foucault: Perhaps there exists, in this painting by Velà ¡zquez, the representation as it were of Classical representation, and the definition of space it opens up to us . . . But there, in the midst of this dispersion which is simultaneously grouping together and spreading out before us, indicated compellingly from every side, is an essential void: the necessary disappearance of that which is its foundation of the person it resembles and the person whose eyes it is only a resemblance. This very subject which is the same has been elided. And representation, freed finally from the relation that was impeding it, can offer itself as representation in its pure form.  [26]   Therefore, Foucault argues that in Las Meninas representation tries to interpretate itself. In contemporaneous philosophy, it is the language that is going to establish the relation between the similarities with the world, making possible representation. Thus, one can affirm that the turning point from classic epistà ªmà ª to modern epistà ªmà ª is the passage of language as mediator (in representation) to object of knowledge. In the modern epistà ªmà ª, language does not reveal more directly the identity of the world, but it reveals the relations between things and the Man. It is from here that occurs the questioning of Man as centre around whom all the knowledge is created. Thus, Velà ¡zquez painting represents what is to come. The modern epistà ªmà ª is anticipated in Velà ¡zquezs Las Meninas it is the utopic function of art of anticipating the future. Consequently, to Foucault, Las Meninas is represented in an epistemic system the subject of representation should rema in invisible (the empty space of the kingship is the place that in the modern episteme will be occupied by the Man). Foucault points out: At once object since it is what the artist is copying onto his canvas and subject since what the painter had in front of his eyes, as he represented himself in the course of work, was himself, since the gazes portrayed in the picture are all directed toward the fictitious position occupied by the royal personage, which is also the painters real place, since the occupier of that ambiguous place, in which the painter and the sovereign alternate, in never-ending flicker, as it were, is the spectator, whose gaze transforms the painting into object, the pure representation of that essential absence.  [27]   Moreover, Foucault argues that the mirror portrayed in Las Meninas portrays the confrontation between representation and reflexion, being that a painting is different from a mirror and a representation goes beyond a reflexion. Therefore, the painting is a representation for the observer, and in the painting of Velà ¡zquez one has the painting itself, and inside it one has other represented paintings and also a canvas in first plan viewed from the back. In all, this painting is a representation that has as subject a kind of empty place that we can fill with several models. Foucault argues that instead of instituting a simple relation of mimesis as the main theme of the painting, the figures of the royal couple would be indicated as a kind of essential emptiness.  [28]   According to Foucault, the canvas on the left is the place for a dichotomy between visible/invisible. What the painter looks is doubly invisible, because it is not represented in the painting, and because we cannot see ourselves. The mirror in the back is the only visible representation, but despite that fact, no one looks at it. However, what is there represented, has nothing to do with what the painting presents, it reflects something that is exterior to the painting. In the place occupied by the spectator, are the models of the painter. Therefore, the painting allows to see what is doubly invisible. The characters in the mirror are the less noticed, but it is around them that all the representation happens. It is to them that all the other characters look gazing outwards the painting.  [29]  Thus, there are three looks that meet on the outside of the painting: of the model, in the moment he is being painted, of the spectator that contemplates the scene, and of the painter in the moment he paints the painting (the one in front of us, and not the one represented in the painting). Quoting from Foucaults The Order of Things: Of all the figures represented before us, they [the royals] are also the most ignored, since no one is paying the slightest attention to that reflection [in the mirror] which has slipped into the room behind them all, silently occupying its unsuspected space; in so far as they are visible, they are the frailest and the most distant form of all reality. Inversely, in so far as they stand outside the picture and are therefore withdrawn from it in an essential invisibility, they provide the centre around which the entire representation is ordered: it is they who are being faced, it is towards them that everyone is turned . . . from the canvas with its back to us to the Infanta, and from the Infanta to the dwarf playing on the extreme right, there runs a curve . . . that orders the whole arrangement of the picture to their gaze and thus makes apparent the true centre of the composition, to which the Infantas gaze and the image in the mirror are both finally subject.  [30]   One should note here that Foucaults theory emphasises the interior look it constitutes the interior from the exterior as a device built from the outside to the inside of the webs of power. Las Meninas, in Foucaults interpretation help us see this paradigm. By observing the painting, it is noticeable that the modern subject is constituted by surveillance, by the absent look (but at the same time very present), of a power that determines everything, from the characters clothing, gestures, attention, social position, in sum the ways of feeling and seeing are determined by a power that sees all and controls all. In view of these arguments, Foucault points out: In the profound upheaval of such an archaeological mutation, man appears in his ambiguous position as an object of knowledge and as a subject that knows: enslaved sovereign, observed spectator, he appears in the place belonging to the king, which was assigned to him in advance by Las Meninas, but from which his real presence has for long been excluded.  [31]   On his article Velà ¡zquez Las Meninas, Leo Steinberg presents similar arguments to Foucaults, including the viewers of the painting as part of a sphere which the partitioning picture plane cuts in two.  [32]  As Steinberg points out, if the picture were speaking instead of flashing, it would be saying: I see you seeing me I in you see myself seen see yourself being seen and so on beyond the reaches of the grammar.  [33]  What particularly interests me in Foucaults and Steinbergs approaches is the placing of the modern Man (in Foucaults case), and the observer (in Steinbergs case), as pivotal figures in the interpretation of Las Meninas, being that in their approaches the Man/observer holds the power he occupies the place of the royal power. To conclude, when one considers all these different approaches to Las Meninas, one is presented with a complex web of power relations. Firstly, the painting was produced in seventeenth-century Spain, a original nation-state of Early Modern Europe, and in and with the court of Philip IV the centre of a centralised power structure. Secondly, the painting depicts the royal power interiorly with the portrayal of the Infanta and the King and the Queen in the mirror, and at the same time exteriorly trough the implied presence of the royal couple reflected on the mirror. Thirdly, the painting also portrays all those ruled by the monarchic power, such as the maids of honour, the lady of honour, the guardadamas, the dwarfs, the Aposentador of the Queen, and also the painter. Fourthly, it also depicts Velà ¡zquezs proclamation of power by portraying himself in the royal household as a nobleman, and at the same time it celebrates his artistical power. Finally, the painting invisibly portrays the Man/observer that occupies the same place of the royal couple outside the painting, and that this way holds the power both as subject of representation and holder of knowledge. Therefore, one can conclude that what Velà ¡zquez did indeed paint in Las Meninas was power royal power, artistical power, and intellectual power. The setting and the figures of Las Meninas are merely incorporations of power relations, being the painting on his whole a metaphor of power.

Cal Poly: Building for Sustainability? :: University Issues Essays

If you walk up Poly Canyon Road and take a left, crossing Brizzolara Creek, you will come to the agriculture portion of main campus. The abbotoir stands next to the bull pen and the creek. The bridge crosses a fish ladder to aid the salmon back up the creek to where they can spawn. If you continue walking you will come to a reservoir with pumps and machinery used by engineering students. On the other side of the reservoir, there is a small bird sanctuary and beyond are fields that are often full of students learning how to survey the land. Behind you a stand of trees blocks out the bustle of campus life and in front of you the fields are ringed by beautiful mountains. But this is all about to change. The abbatoir is going to be moved and the fields will become the concrete foundations of a new residential complex: Student Housing North. Student Housing North is a huge residential development that was approved and added to the Master Plan in 2001 and is projected to be completed in stages beginning in 2007. The complex will be comprised mainly of apartment style upper class housing but will also include restaurant and retail spaces. The plan is to double the number of students living on campus. The project will include two new parking structures in order to support the increase of students. A lot of controversy surrounds this aspect of the new project. The development aims to reduce traffic and congestion because 2,700 students will be living on campus instead of commuting to school everyday. But the problem is that Student Housing North is going to sit right next to Brizzolara Creek, an environmentally sensitive area, and a new bridge will have to be built to accommodate the road leading to the complex and the new parking structures which will have a negative influence on the creek. But on the other hand it will reduce the number of commuters and will create a living and learning community. The plan includes a village center with shops and dinning facilities so the inhabitants will not feel the need to drive off campus.

Costs and benefits of free speech and press -- American Constitution U

Freedom of speech and press, or freedom of expression, are "fundamental rights". Without these freedoms a truly free society cannot exist. By definition, they allow the citizens to communicate their ideas both verbally and in print. There are many advantages, as well as disadvantages, that an individual receives these rights. However, as with most constitutional freedoms, free of expression can be limited under certain circumstances. The First Amendment in the United States Constitution states ?Congress shall make no law?abridging the freedom of speech, or the press?? According to the Framers, the freedom to express individual views is vital to a free government and from their personal experience the freedom to write and publish also needs to be sheltered from government intervention. Every state constitution contains securities of free expression similar to the U.S. Constitution. An extra safeguard for the individual's right to free expression is stated in Section 1 of the 14th Amendment: ?No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States, nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.? By incorporation of the 14th Amendment, the rewards of the 1st Amendment not only include protection from the federal government, but state governments. Free expression sponsors development of individuals by allowing people to have their own opinions and is also essential in shaping governmental policy. Also, by permitting citizens to influence public opinion by persuasion rather than violence, free expression allows for peaceful social change. For example, in the 1950s and 60s the civil rights movement peaceably brought ... ... at issue. Freedom of speech not only protects the right to speak out, but the right not to speak. This includes when a person is first arrested and their right not to speak is kept by Miranda Rights. In the Fifth Amendment, a person has the right to keep silent in court if they will incriminate themselves. Still, if a judge grants immunity testifying is mandatory but nothing said will be used against you. Free expression protects us from the government. Obviously the benefits outweigh the costs, but, the negative aspects are remedied through limitations on free expression so as not to interfere with a person?s life, liberty, and property. The right not to speak is protected through various Amendments in the Constitution most noticeably Amendment 1. It is through these guidelines that free expression has become fundamental law and establishes a truly free society.

Relationships Essay -- essays research papers

Relationships are one of the most unstable aspects of life today, no matter what two people are involved. How you feel about something or someone can change within a day, an hour, or even a moment. Friends come and go, families get torn apart, and boyfriends never last. It’s all part of life’s cycle. And although we all wish we could do without, sometimes you never can.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hardest part of life is letting go. Growing up in the same place for 17 years will give you friends that go way back. But guess what? Who you were 17 years ago isn’t who you are today. People change. And yes, it’s sad and hard to acknowledge that, but it’s a fact of life. You can grow up with someone and at the same time grow apart. Why is that? Experiences shape how people are. Just because you’ve spent years with someone doesn’t mean you’ve gone through everything with them. Yes you’ve been there for them when they needed to cry and someone to hold. But you can’t understand how that experience affected them. You may think you do, because you know how you would react if that same situation happened to you. News flash: You aren’t them so it doesn’t really matter what you think. All you can try to do is just be there and help them through all the hurt and the pain, but sometimes that just isn ’t enough. Each of you goes your separate ways with nothing but memories left behind. And when that awkward moment arises when you do run into each other, all you have is â€Å"Do you remember†¦?† and â€Å"I can’t believe†¦!† and then it’s over and you’re on your way. You go back to your Pacelli 2 house and shift through your pictures and remember all those once upon a time’s when you were younger. You laugh as you recall the time you both got stuck in the fence when the construction workers were chasing you out of the school. â€Å"Now that was a fun time,† you recall. But college happened and of course you promised you’d stay in touch but then her parents got divorced and you had a new boyfriend and it was just easier said then done. By the time the summer came you didn’t even know each other anymore. Maybe you weren’t as good as friends as you thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The relationship between friends is a very complicated one at that. They are the people that may very well know you better than yourself. They’ve seen you at your best and they’ve seen you at your worst n... ...r his phone call. But you’re too scared to be without him because you don’t want to be alone, and you’re worried he’s the best you’ll ever find. Of course, if he were the best he wouldn’t ask you out to dinner and then cancel last minute, three nights in a row. He wouldn’t call you from a party at his friend’s house the night you and him were supposed to go out to the movies. No, that wouldn’t happen. He wouldn’t stop by you’re apartment to see if you wanted to go out to breakfast, but then not call you in an hour. You’re friends tell you that you’d be better off alone, but you don’t think so. You feel better thinking that someone out there cares, even though you know he doesn’t. But no one needs to know that. They don’t need to know you cry yourself to sleep every night thinking that something’s wrong with you. They don’t need to know that he makes you ha te yourself. No, they don’t need to know that. Nobody does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Relationships don’t exist. You merely interact with people, not knowing when they’re going to be leaving next. You want and wish them to stay, you want them to be there for you and to love you. But can that happen? Sadly, I wouldn’t know.

Problems and Prospects of Eco Tourism in Jharkhand

Tourism, the Sun-rise industry of the millennium has emerged as the largest economic activity of the world. Tourism is now recognised as an industry that generates a number of Social and economic benefits. Its importance as an important instrument for economic development and employment generation, particularly in remote and backward areas, has now been well recognised all over the world. A glimps through the tourism activity in this country, it appears, has been suffering from a very narrow Connotation in the sense that domestic and foreign tourists make a short visit to places of historical, Archaeological and religious importance. Adventure tourism is also being promoted in some parts of the country. It will not be out of place to mention that tourism also offers immense opportunities for economic activities of the local population and thus, can be rightfully treated as an industry with people's participation, Govt. Support and involvement of NGOs. Much is needed in this area. Eco-tourism is an advanced thought on development of tourism in the natural surroundings of forests, wild animals, local population preserving the scenic beauty of the area and also the cultural background of human population. It may be mentioned here that farming and forests are the two main planks of the cultural ethos of the tribal people of Jharkhand and may be regarded as a positive and helpful human factor. The beauty of this concept is the active participation of people inhabiting the area for promoting tourism without degrading the natural surroundings. In this way many income generating activities for the local population will emerge and they will be benefited economically and socially also mixing with the domestic and foreign visitors. ECO Tourism : The Concept :- The term ECO-Tourism was first coined by a Mexican environmentalist Hector Lascurain in 1983. Initially the term was used to describe nature-based travel to relatively Undisturbed natural areas with an emphasis on education. The concept has, however, developed into a scientific approach to the planning, management and development of sustainable tourism, products and activities. It can be defined as travel to natural attractions that contributes to their conservation, respects the integrity of local communities and respects the integrity of local communities and enhances the tourist's understanding of the natural attraction, its conservation and local community. It is decentralised in nature and seeks to integrate rural development. According to the world tourism organisation :- â€Å"Tourism that involves traveling to relatively undisturbed natural areas with the specified object of studying admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural aspect (both the Past or the present) found in these areas is defined as ECO-Tourism. As per the general definition ECO-Tourism is :- (A) Nature Based (Visitors are mainly interested in observing and appreciating nature and traditional cultures in natural areas) (B) Contributes to the Bio-diversity Conservation (C) Supports the well being of local people. D) Involves responsible action by both tourists and local people to minimize negative environmental and Socio-cultural impacts. (E) Requires the lowest possible consumption of non-renewable resources. (F) Stresses local ownership, as well as business opportunities for local people. Potentials of Eco Tourism in Jharkhand Jharkhand, formally a part of united Bihar became the 28th State of Indian federation on the 15th Nov. 2000. The whole State is constituted of 22 Districts, 211 Community Development Blocks, 3744 Panchayats and 33,315 Villages. The state is extended from roughly 220 N. Lat. to 24037†² N. Lat. and 830 15†² East longitude to 87010†² East longitude with a total area of 79,714 Sq. km. It covers roughly 2. 4% land of total Indian territory. It is Surrounded by Orissa in the South, W. Bengal in the East, Chhattisgarh and MP in the west and Bihar in the North respectively. In a very broad sense, this state forms part of the Chotanagpur plateau and is one of the oldest part of the world. Its geological history starts from pre-Cambrian era when the solidification of the Earth was in process. This region has witnessed many earth movements, constructions and destructions, Folding and faulting etc due to which the whole region has become tough and Undulating. But this may also be regarded as a free gift of God in the form of different landscapes and a number of water falls with full of scenic and Natural beauty. Actually from Garhwa, Palamu to Singhbhum via Lohardaga, Ranchi, Dist. there is a fault line scarp Zone. The whole area is full of undulations which is ideal for rapids and falls. The general slope of the relief is from west to East. Almost all the famous water falls of Jharkhand fall on this line like Sukha Dari and Bal Chaura in Dhurki Block, Garhwa Dist, Gursendhu, Hirni, Hundru, Jonha, Dassam, Panchghath etc. in the eastern side of Jharkhand. All these sites have been developed like picnic spots only till date. If some stay arrangements are made available to Tourists there, I think is will be a nice opportunity to stars ET in Jharkhand within a very short period of time. Tropic of cancer passes roughly from Ranchi causing tropical climate throughout the state. The climate is generally uniform and steady. The temperature is extreme in nature. while in summer it rises up to 470C, in winter it is 180C during day and as low as 80C during Nights. The annual average is, however, 250C. The peak rise in temperature would be in April. In terms of rainfall, on an average the state receives more than 1200 mm per annum with great uncertainty of rainfall. Thus, whole Jharkhand is hot in Summer, cold in winter and prone to heavy rains during the monsoon. Rock formations are mostly made up of Dharwarian Khondalites in association with unclassified crystalline, Charnockites, Archaean granites and gneisses. Jharkhand is important for mineral resources also and is known as ‘Rhur Region of India or ‘storehouse of mineral resources of India†. By and large, coal is most significant mineral with about 183 mines. Jharia, Chandrapura, Bokaro, Karanpura, Giridih, Hazaribag and Rajmahal are important for coal. The other most significant minerals are mica, bauxite, Iron-ore, chinclay, Fire clay, graphite, copper, Chromite, Tungston, Uranium, Dolomite, Feldspar etc. Incidentally, the mining and industrial activities also result in disturbing the eco-system of the area and a very consencious effort is needed at various levels to either totally stop the damage or minimise the adverse effects. Eco-Tourism, rightly implemented, may also offer a solution to this problem. The natural vegetation is by and large mixed tropical dry forest in the North and moist deciduous type in the south with over 23 thousand Sq. Km of recorded forests or 29. 27% of its geographical area. The land of Jharkhand boasts of having the best sal forest of Asia in Saranda or one of the best pine forests on the lofty Netarhat Plateau. The important trees are Jamun, Mango, Jackfruit, Teak, Sal, Sagwan, Palas, Bamboo, Neem, Pipal etc. with numerous flowering and Medicinal plants. These trees are completely dedicated to the welfare of others. No where this tradition has been as best preserved than in Jharkhand – literally meaning â€Å"The land of forests. † The beauty and the splendor of the vegetation on this land remains Unmatched even during the hottest summer months when the gregarious flowering of the Palas trees give it the name the flame of the forests. These forests not only provide the best abode to our most magnificent wild mammals, tiger, elephant and gaur, but to the most enlightened spiritual traditions of Bhagwan Budha, Mahavir, Rabindra Nath Tagore and Birsa Munda, Forest percentage is higher in chatra, Hazaribag, Giridih, Gumla, Lohardaga, Ranchi, Singhbhum, Garhwa and Palamu. As the state is endowed with natural forests, the wildlife habitat too is rich. The important wild animals are wolves, hares, chital, Nilgai, Monkey, Common Langur, Elephant, Tiger, Gaur, Deer and Sambhar etc.

Intelligence vs. Brain Size

Intelligence vs. Brain size Project 2: Data Collection College Algebra 161 November 15, 2012 Intelligence vs. Brain size The Data Collection project was designed to teach students how to collect, and organize, describe and document data using Excel lists and graphs. I chose this particular subject to research to further my understanding of the evolution of human species. â€Å"Can intelligence and brain size be directly related, and as intelligence increases, what happens to the size of our brains? I conducted my research through the internet by searching for previous, creditable research by someone trained the in the field of Anthropology. The website that I found to have to most useful information needed to conduct an extensive research with adequate background history in the subject was Creation Studies. org. The website contained an article written by the institute’s chief technical advisor, Steven Rowitt, Th. M. , Ph. D. After reviewing the information contained in the a rticle, I was able to formulate a hypothesis.My hypothesis is that as humans evolve, and intelligence increases, so does the size of the brain. The tools used in this project were the website from which I obtained the information and Microsoft excel which I used to document and chart the data. Using that data I was able to formulate a graph, and a mathematical model that could test and support my hypothesis. The graph shows you the trend of growth in brain size, per ____(one thousand years.However you decide to chart it)———- The mathematical model formulated from the graphed data, will allow future testing to see if the trend still continues, or if the size of a human brain reaches a maximum or minimum. The goal was to chart previous data collected by experts to support my hypothesis as well as predict and test the size of human brains in the future if the trend continued and develop a linear equation to represent the findings. I began by collecting 12 points of data of the average size of human brains at a specific time (years) in history.I recorded the average size of the brain in the year that correlated it. After collecting the data, I plotted the data in Excel and used a best line fit to give me a linear equation/linear regression model to represent my data. See table below: We entered the data is as follows: The independent variable was the number of rubber bands which represented the x axis. The dependent variable was how far the egg fell, which represented the y axis. We chose a domain of 0 to 25 because the number of rubber bands we used ranged from 0 bands to 15 bands.By choosing a domain or an x-axis of this amount, it gives you a graph that allows you to see the line past 15 rubber bands. We went with a range for of 0 to 90 inches because according to our data, the maximum number of inches that the egg dropped was 67 inches so in order to get a better picture of the data we extended the y-axis to 90 inches. The linear regressio n model that fitted our data was D(r) = 3. 948r + 5. 758, with the y-intercept being (0, 5. 758) and m= 3. 948 inches.Interpretation for the data in the context of the study based on our linear regression model, is at zero rubber bands, the egg would fall 5. 758 inches, and with each added rubber band the egg would fall an additional 3. 948 inches. To test this linear regression equation we were given a length of 67 inches. To mathematically solve for 67 inches to predict the number of rubber bands needed, we solved for (r) as follows: D(r) = 3. 948r + 5. 758 67(r) = 3. 948r + 5. 758 r = 15. 5 What we concluded from our mathematical prediction was that it would take 15. rubber bands to have a successful fall of 67 inches. Because it was not realistic to use 15. 5 rubber bands, we went with 15 instead. This was a realistic prediction because the length that the egg fell was 66 inches, without imposing any damage to the egg and leaving us 1 inch from the original test value of 67 inch es. Had we used 16 rubber bands instead, based on our linear regression model which states that for every rubber band added the egg would fall an additional 3. 948 inches it would have left our fall around 69. 48 inches and as a result leaving us more than 2 inches from the original test value of 67 inches. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Reasons for error in the project could be based on several components. The elasticity of the rubber bands varies from band to band which would cause a difference in the length of the fall and a change not res ulting in a slope of 3. 948 inches. During the earlier part of the project, for an unknown reason, but not as a result of the test, the egg cracked, resulting in a possible change in the distribution of the weight of the egg and affecting the resulting length of the fall.And further more if our linear regression equation was tested in the future, the results may not be the same if another egg was used due to the mass of every egg varying. In summary, after testing several jumps involving a different number of rubber bands each time and recording the corresponding length of how far the egg fell we had enough data to plot a scatter graph and formulate a linear regression equation that we could test any hypothesis without having to repeat the project itself.Discoveries made during the project was the close comparison in the tested data and the mathematical equation formulated by using excel or a scientific calculator. For an example when we tested 1 rubber band, the egg fell 10. 5 inch es. Using the equation to solve for the answer: D(r) = 3. 948(r) + 5. 758 D(r) = 3. 948(1) + 5. 758 D(r) = 9. 706 inches The experiment itself and the equation formulated from it, although not precise, it is an accurate representation of real outcomes of the amount of stretch in the rubber bands as shown in the comparison model above.

Immigration: Racism and Greece

Introduction Nowadays, it has been observed in several countries that immigrant students do not have an equivalent school performance with their native classmates (Pisa, 2003). This essay is concerning the different school performance of the immigrant and Pontic Greeks students in Greece. The first section of this essay is about the immigration to Greece, and it explores the reasons of the increasing immigration to Greece, the second explores the attitudes of Greeks towards immigration, whereas the next section highlights the racism and xenophobia in Greece’s society.Section four is about the ethnocentric school curriculum in this country, whereas, the next section is about, the differnces of the socioeconomic status and cultural capital towards these two groups of immigrants. Finally, the next two sections are about the intercultural education in Greece and its problems. Immigration to Greece Before we go into the procedure of analysis of our topic it is obvious that we shoul d explore the fact of immigration to Greece.The first decades after World War II, a lot of Greeks left their country and they immigrated in many countries such as USA, Canada, Germany and Australia which were more economically developed, because the rates of unemployment and poverty in Greece were extremely high (Katsikas &ump; Politou, 2005), however, Greece nowadays has become a country where many immigrants from different countries arrive, hoping that Greece will offer them the opportunities to have a better life (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).The Mediterranean countries have become a magnet for many immigrants replacing the traditional immigration countries like Germany and France (Brenner &ump; Fertig, 2006). Moreover, immigrants in Greece exceeds the needs of the Greek industry, and Greece has the highest proportion of immigrants between the European Union countries (Siar, 2008). Greece has become the centre of immigration since 1980, when many Greeks who have immigrated to other countries returned back, morever, in 1985 many repatriated Greeks returned back from the U.S. S. R and Albania, finally, the last two decades many economic immigrants from many developing countries from the Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa came to Greece (Katsikas &ump; Politou, 2005). A research which was conducted by Eurostat in 2006 has shown that in Greece there are 884. 000 immigrants and the majority of them came from Albania, the 62% of immigrants in Greece are Albanians (Siar, 2008).However, there are a lot of people from many countries such as Pakistan, India, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Egypt (Siar, 2008). Moreover, the last decades a lot of ethnic Greeks returned to Greece such as Pontic Greeks and Greek Albanians and also there are a lot Greek citizens who returned to Greece from countries such as Cyprus and Turkey (Fakiolas &ump; King, 1996).Furthermore, we should mention that many irregular immigrants especially from Asian countries , live in Greece, and their number becomes every year more and more increased, this happens because they try to enter to Greece through Aegean sea, which is very difficult to be controlled, due to the fact that there is a line of seashore which is 18,400 km and a vast amount of islands which are near to Turkish coasts, thus, it is quite easy from them to enter to Greece (Siar, 2008).In addition, nowadays, in Greece, there is an increasing number of asylum seekers, who try to enter to the most industrialised European countries, the majority of them comes from countries like Iraq, Pakistan, and Afganistan, unfortunately, Greek state, does not usually recognize them, and only few applications get a positive response (Siar, 2008). Moreover, it is quite useful to explore the reasons that Greece attracts many immigrants. First of all, the majority of European countries have stricter immigration policy than Greece, as a result, a lot of people immigrate to Greece (Leghari, 2009).As we have mentioned before, Greece has many islands and a vast coastline, moreover, it has a lot of mountains, it is obvious that Greece’s borders are very difficult to be secured, as a consequence, many irregular immigrants enter the country (Leghari, 2009). Greece, is situated, between the developed and developing countries, as a result, many people from the developing countries immigrate to Greece because their countries very usually face a lot of conflicts and changes (Leghari, 2009).The fall of Communism in many countries made people to leave their countries, the immigration of Pontic Greeks, it was a result of the fall of Communism in U. S. S. R (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). Another important reason which promotes immigration to Greece is the fact that the last decades there was an economic development (Leghari, 2009). Moreover, there was a decline in Greece’s population and as a result, there was a need of labour force (Leghari, 2009).In addition, we should menti on that there is a lack of workers in the construction sector because Greeks do not want to do these kind of jobs (Leghari, 2009). As a result, the majority of immigrants in Greece do these kind of jobs, according to, the Greek Ministry of Interior the 32% of immigrants work in the construction sector (Siar, 2008). Finally, the fact that Greece’s economy, is characterized by an informal sector gives the opportunity to many irregular immigrants to work in this sector (Leghari, 2009).It is obvious that all of these reasons promote immigration, however, it will be quite useful to explore the attitude of public opinion and Greek policy towards immigrants in Greece, because this, will help us, to shed light on the differences in school performance between Pontic Greeks and immigrant students, the next section of this research is about the attitude of Greek policy and public opinion towards immigrants. Attitude of Greek Policy and Public Opinion Towards ImmigrantsFirst of all, we s hould mention that although, in Greece there are a lot of immigrants there is no any effective immigration policy (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). The first decades of immigration to Greece, it was quite obvious that there was no such policy because there were no indications of the extent of this phenomenon, however, until now, there are not effective policies, as a result, we are able to assume that maybe Greek politicians and also society, believe that mass immigration will have an effect on Greek’s homogeneity (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).On the other hand, any migratory policies applied in Greece favors some specific groups, such as Pontic Greeks, moreover, Greek citizenship was granted to them when they arrived in Greece (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). This happens because Greece is one of the most homogenized societies (Rozakis, 1997), and Greece’s homogeneity comes from the fact that Greeks national identity is based on Greece’s gloriou s history and orthodox religion (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002). In line with, Triantafyllidou and Veikou: Greek national identity includes both ethnic and civic features, which are dynamically organized and interact with the changing international context and internal needs of the society† (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002: 195). However, nowadays, there are a lot ot social changes in Greece due to the fact of mass immigration, as a result, there is a need Greece’s national identity to be reconsidered and redefined to meet the demands of global and national changes (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).It is obvious, that this fact led Greeks to believe that immigrants will elimintate their national identity and as a result, they do not have a positive attitude towards immigration. On the other hand, Greeks have a positive attitude towards Pontic Greeks, and they have a better treatment than immigrants from other countries such as Albania, we are able to assume t hat Pontic Greeks were a privileged group of immigrants, moreover, this positive attitude towards Pontic Greeks is based on media which have a more positive attitude to them than to other immigrants (Voutira, 2004).This happens because Greeks believe that Pontic Greeks are Greeks with some common habits and they have the same religion as a result, they believe that Pontic Greeks have, like them, national consciousness, however, they do not examine the fact that some of them do not even speak the Greek (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002).One of the most important factors of the construction of Greeks national consciousness was the fact that many Orthodox Greeks lived in some other places which some centuries ago were under the control of Greece and made Greeks believe that these lands should be one day controlled by Greece again, helping Greeks Orthodoxs to be integrated with their homeland, this is, what is called in Greece ‘Great Idea’(Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 20 02). It is obvious, that these reasons, guide Greeks to have positive attitudes towards Pontic Greeks.We are able to assume that a better reception is granted to Pontic Greeks when they come to Greece, and their acceptance in Greek society is secured, due to their ‘Greekness’(Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002), as a result, it is obvious that their Greek roots make it easier to be integrated in Greek society, this better integration of Pontic Greek renders us capable of understanding that Pontic Greek students have more chances to have a better school performance than the other immigrant students.However, their Greek roots, it is not the only reason which give them the opportunity to have a better school performance, the next section, explores another reason, which promotes their better educational attainment, this reason is the fact that Greece’s society is characterized by xenophobic and racist beliefs. Xenophobia and Racism in Greece Immigration helps the rec eiving countries to develop their economies, however, sometimes in many countries there are negative attitudes against immigrants (Card, Dustmann, &ump; Preston, 2005).In Greece, a research which was conducted by Anna Triantafullidou and Andoni Mikraki has shown that Greeks since 1995 have not xenophobic attitudes against immigrants, moreover, the 31% of Greece’s population believed that immigrant’s rights should be more extended and only the 4% of the total population had negative attitudes against immigrants (Triantafyllidou &ump; Mikrakis, 1995).However, the high rates of immigration this decade, has triggered the xenophobic and sometimes racist attitudes in Greek society, people nowadays in Greece believe that immigrants increase the rates of unemployment and criminality and very often these stereotypes are guided by the media, moreover as we have mentioned before, Greek society is a homogenized society and Greeks believe that the mass immigration will have an effe ct on Greece’s homogeneity (Hatziprokopiou, 2005).On the other hand, it is quite difficult, to give an explanation, to the growth of xenophobia and racism in this country, however, these attitudes become more and more frequent, this is clear, if we consider the institutional racism which is very usual, in the police stations, the maiority of policemen in Greece tend to believe that immigrants are criminals (Hatziprokopiou, 2005).Moreover, racist attitudes, are a daily phenomenon, even in Greek TV series, there are racist attitudes, for instance, they show immigrants in some ways, such as, criminals, prostitutes, or domestic servants, with this way, there is a reproduction of stereotypes and xenophobia (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). However, these attitudes are very usual, in global history, because when there are a lot of social problems in a society, people try to find a weak social group to blame for these problems (Fenton, 1984), and Greece nowadays has a lot of roblems, due to t he social changes due to immigration (Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002), and the economic recession. As a result, there is a growth of racist and xenophobic attitudes. Moreover, these racist beliefs are very common in Greek schools, very often Greek students have negative attitudes towards immigrant students, their perception often is guided by their classmate’s country of origin, some specific immigrant groups especially Albanians are faced xenophobic attitudes and stereotypes even in classrooms (Dimakos &ump; Tasiopoulou, 2010).Of course, we cannot characterize Greek society, as a racist society, because it has been observed, that when there is a contact between Greeks and immigrants, there is a development of interpersonal relationships, and friendships, it is obvious that, that media, social problems and Greece’s immigrations policy promote the racist attitudes towards immigrants (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). It is obvious, that the reproduction of the racist beliefs a nd stereotypes have an effect on school performance.As we have mentioned before, a better reception is granted to Pontic Greeks due to their ‘Greekness’(Triantafyllidoy &ump; Veikou, 2002), as a result, Pontic Greeks students do not have to face racist stereotypes in education, this issue, help us to understand that they have more chances to have a better school performance than the other immigrant students. Of course, Greece’s homogeneity and racist attitudes towards immigrants, are not the only reasons which have an effect on school performance, the next section is about another important reason which guides the differences in school performance, this is the school curriculum.