Integrity vs Despair Essay Example for Free

Integrity vs Despair Essay As we grow older and become senior citizens we tend to slow down our productivity and explore life as a retired person. It is during this time that we contemplate our accomplishments and are able to develop integrity if we see ourselves as leading a successful life. If we see our life as unproductive, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness. From what I could tell, my pt falls into the Integrity stage. He was always positive about what came his way and he seemed in good spirits even though he was sick and in the hospital. Physical: My patient was in excellent overall physical condition considering his age. Aging adults, especially the very old, are vulnerable to skin breakdown. Pressure ulcers are due to impaired circulation. My patient had a reddened area on his elbow and he said it was from getting in and out of bed and pushing his self up with his elbows. Emotional: The elderly have a development of a greater emotional complexity with better comprehension and control of emotional reactions. My patient seemed to be in great emotional status in the time I got to spend with him. He was in very good spirits even though he was in the hospital. Cognitive: The slowing that occurs in all cognitive tasks where speed of response is a factor is the most pervasive cognitive change with developmental aging. Also, oxygen is necessary for proper physical and cognitive functioning and is carried through the blood. The elderly with poor circulation may experience forgetfulness and other symptoms of poor cognition. My patient showed no signs of forgetfulness in the time I spent with him. He told me stories about when he was in the military from many years ago. He also had a very good memory. I explained to him why I pressed on his thumbnail to check his capillary refill and a couple hours later he was talking to his sister on the phone telling her what he had learned. Social: Older persons may get frustrated or embarrassed because sometimes it is hard from them to understand what is being said. They may have to have people repeat themselves, or endure shouting when a speaker tries to be heard. My patient doesn’t seem to have a problem socializing but did have a hard time understanding what I said and would ask me to repeat myself. When I spoke to him I just used a louder voice so that he could understand and hear me better.

A Study Of Computer Ethics Violation

A Study Of Computer Ethics Violation There has been a widespread use of ICT in teaching and learning process. Computer is one of the most technologies used in learning activities by students in universities throughout the world. It is a mean to facilitate learning, improve academic success, provide access to many resources and give opportunity for communication (Kay Lauricella, 2011). Even though the computers provide students with advantages, they might also lead to several ethical problems. There is extensive unethical usage of computer among students. Kuzu (2009) stated some of these unethical computer using behaviors such as using unlicensed software, copying files or programs without authorization, contempt of peoples work, accessing personal information of people and publishing this on the Internet without authorization, communicating on the Internet in disrespected way, downloading of others files and e-mails, opening adult web sites and sending viruses. These are some of the unethical practices of computer which lead to the build a big construct that is computer ethics. Martin and Yale-Weltz (1999) stated that there are characteristics caused by computer use namely: new concerns emerge rapidly, computer ethics, and computerized information. The term of computer ethics refers to a part of social and humanistic studies of computing (SHC) which is theoretical of the way in which different forms of information technology shape these computer ethics which have been developed to address individuals or social systems (Breij, 2001). On the other hand, Shelly (2010) is more specific and described the term computer ethics as ethical guidelines that lead people to the right way of using computers and information systems. Moreover, Barnard, de Ridder and Pretorius (2003) state that computer ethics is the study of behavioral activities of IT professionals that is useful for all of society. Baase (2003) definition is quite closely to Barnards definition and describes computer ethics as a list of professional ethics same as medical, legal, teaching and accounting ethics. Computer ethics aim is to make decisions that depend on criteria of ethics, and then to provide more generalized ideas in terms of theoritical evaluation, ethical insights, normative standards, educational programs, legal advice and so forth (Floridi Sanders, 2002). Ethical issues are very essential in every society. The increased growth of computer usage has been generated a lot of questions of what is good and is not good ethics regarding the activities of computer use. Therefore, there are some organizations that pay attention in social and ethical results of extensive computer usage such as Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society, the Data Processing Management Association (DPMA). ACM is one of these organizations which is special interest group that address the side effects of using computer and its aim is to raise awareness about the impact that technology has on society (ACM, 2012). In this case, AC M has established a code of ethics and professional conduct in 1992. It is clearly that computer has become a part of the educational environment which students use it as research and communication tool. At the same time, using computer has created ethical problems and violation of computer ethics is on the rise (Maslin, Zuraini Ramlah, 2009). In other word, there are different practices that students do and relate to the use of computer unethically. As Frestone and Mitchell (2004) stated that downloading music, movies and software is unmoral due to the copyright issues. Moreover, students are generally more tend to pirate software and other intellectual property (Kini, Ramakrishn Vijayaraman, 2004). Intellectual property is mind creation, names, designs, etc. It is divided into two types: industrial property and copyright which includes poem, films, designs, music and games. Maslin, Zurainy, Rashidah, Ramlah and Norshidah (2010) found that a round more than half of students are aware of abuse of computer ethics in terms of intellectual property and privacy. Therefore, there are a lot of discussed sites of computer and networks. Information privacy, intellectual property rights, code of conduct and green computing are some examples of those sites (Shelly, 2010). In addition, Namlu and Odabasi (2007) build an unmoral computer using behavior scale (UECUB) to define unethical computer behaviors. A factor analysis of the related items discovered that the factors can be categorized into five groups; intellectual property, social impact, safety and quality, net integrity and information integrity. Based on the experts in the field of computer security, universities are one of the lowest secure places (Maslin Zuraini, 2008). Furthermore, academic dishonesty in these days technology is classified as an issue for higher education (Underwood Szabo, 2003). Scheyvens, Wild and Overton (2003) found that the level of plagiarism is in high level in graduate students more than in undergraduate students because of the high degree of demand for critical and analytical writing. Therefore, different groups of people whether they are organizations or individuals have become more concerned about ethical issues caused by interconnected world (Martin Woodword, 2011). IIUM is a unique university all over the world. It integrates traditional and moral values in the all modern areas of disciplines. The essential aim of establishing IIUM is to generate international center which can combines beneficial knowledge and Islamic values in all types of disciplines which can lead to the right way of Ummahs leading role in variety fields of knowledge (IIUM philosophy, 2012) According to Tun Sri Mohd Sidek Hj Hassan (The president, IIUM Community), IIUM must be highly ethical even as it strives excellence (IIUM Code of Ethics, 2008). Concerning this, As an Islamic- oriented institution, IIUM students are expected to be ethical concessionaires at all time. IIUM has established the IIUM Student Code of Ethics which is a code of practices depending on the strong basic of Islamic values with a view to gaining a high level of morality in commitment with IIUMs core values namely, Integrity (trustworthiness), Justice and Fairness, Adab and Professionalism. IIUM Code of Ethics defines integrity (Istiqamah) as trust (Amanah) and stresses the need for sincerity, accountability, justice and transparency in all academic conduct (IIUM code of Ethics, 2008). Besides that, IIUM is committed to supplying a wide range of internet services to all its population and facilities by providing access to broadband and wifi to all its members whether they are students or staff as well as providing them with a number of computer laboratories in each Kullyah. Based on these services, students use computers whether they are university computers or their personal computers in their university or personal lives. In IIUM, There are several Kulliyyahs the Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology (KICT) is one of its kullyyahs which was opened in November 2001. Since that time, KICT has produced knowledge workers who have a variety of ICT skills and knowledge and Taqwa of Allah. KICT offers Cyber Law and Islamic Ethics (INFO 4502) as Kullyyah required course for all students to equipped them with more information of ethical computer use (KICT, 2005). At the same time, the Institute of Education (INSTED) is one of Malaysias top education schools in IIUM. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in different specialization. INSTED provides the strategies that reduce the gap between theory and practice (INSTED, 2012). Unlike the KICT, INSTED does not offer Cyber Law and Islamic Ethics as an Kulyyah required course. In this case, students are not familiar with the ethical practice of computer use. Recently, some studies have conducted in IIUM related to assess the ethical behaviors in terms of academic integrity practice and computer ethics among IIUM students. To clarify, Moshood (2010) conducted his study to examine the IIUM students perceptions toward academic integrity practice. Integrity practice in the IIUM campus was determined by two important sub- constructs (awareness of academic integrity policy and commitment to academic integritys implementation). On the other side, Maslin, et al. (2007) investigated the awareness of computer use among undergraduate computer science students from UTM and IIUM. Generally, many researches have been done in computer ethics field. The large number of these studies conducted to investigate students awareness and perceptions of computer ethics and ethical beliefs (Adebayo, 2005; Akbulut, Usal, Odabasi Kuzu, 2008; Acilar, 2010; Jabour, 2011; Maslin Zuraini, 2008; Maslin, Zuraini Ramlah, 2009; Molnar, Kletke Chongwatpo, 2008; North, George North, 2007; Perryer Jordan, 2002; Peterson, Rhoad Vangght, 2001; Virginiam, Kelly Kathleen, 2011; Teston, 2008). Furthermore, these studies investigated the impact of gender, computer experience, age and program of the study on ethical judgments and ethical awareness. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM It is obviously that universities and educational organizations pay a huge attention in providing computers to their students or members. Despite the increased using of computer and its applications such as Internet and shared resources in human lives activities all over the world, however some users of computers such as students do not practice the code of computer ethics due to their ignorance of these ethics or due to their lack knowledge regarding these ethics. In addition they are not familiar with the idea that ethical issues related to computer use might be of importance to them in their future career as computer professional (Namlu odabasi, 2007) Therefore, they do not aware of the side effects of violation of computer ethics. It is noteworthy that in Malaysia, computer ethics is not offered as an individual subject, but rather the topic integrated in some related courses such as Management Information Systems or Cyber Law and Ethics course (Maslin, et al, 2009). In IIUM, KICT offers the course of Cyber Law and Ethics as a required course for all students to equip them with more information of ethical computer use (KICT, 2005). On the other hand, INSTED does not require this course for the students who are under this institution. Therefore, on the absence of computer ethics guidelines as a subject or chapter in the INSTED courses, there is a need to assess students violation of computer ethics and make comparison between KICT as-they have at least background about computer ethics- and INSTED students. In addition, According to IIUM website, the philosophy of the university is to create international center of educational excellence which integrate Islamic Knowledge and values in all disciplines. Furthermore, In IIUM, integrity (Istiqamah) is recognized as the essence of the university code of ethics. IIUM Code of Ethics (2008) requires students to the code of ethics strictly in their academic works and general lives. This code of ethics contains many core values such as piety, honesty, trustworthiness, responsibility, sincerity, accountability, justice and transparency. With this code of ethics, IIUM students practices are expected to be ethically (IIUM Codes of Ethics, 2008). In addition, IIUM requires integrity practice to be able to produce ethically outstanding scholars in various fields of studies (Moshood, 2010). As a result, it requires firm commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies. Consequently, IIUM administrators and faculty are expected to be comm itted to implement the integrity policies in campus. Therefore, this study firstly will examine the level of students violation of computer ethics in two different Kullyyahs with the existence of Islamic values in the university. Moreover, the researcher will investigate if there is any relationship between students violation of computer ethics and the level of IIUM faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policy from students perspective. Finally, there are some researches were conducted in the field of computer ethics. The large number of these studies conducted to investigate students awareness and perceptions of computer ethics and ethical beliefs (Adebayo, 2005; Akbulut, Usal, Odabasi Kuzu, 2008; Acilar, 2010; Jabour, 2011; Maslin Zuraini, 2008; Maslin, Zuraini Ramlah, 2009; Molnar, Kletke Chongwatpo, 2008; North, George North, 2007; Perryer Jordan, 2002; Peterson, Rhoad Vangght, 2001; Virginiam, Kelly Kathleen, 2011; Teston, 2008). Furthermore, these studies investigated the impact of gender, computer experience, age and program of the study on ethical judgments and ethical awareness. In IIUM context, there are only one study was conducted in terms of academic integrity practice and one study in term of computer ethics. To clarify, Moshood (2010) conducted his study to examine the IIUM students perceptions toward academic integrity practice. On the other hand, Maslin, et al. (2007) investigated the awareness of computer use among undergraduate computer science students from UTM and IIUM. After examine the literature, It is clear that there is a lack of studies which conducted to evaluate the real violation of computer ethics among students. To add, there is no study investigate whether there is any relationship between students violation of computer ethics and the level of IIUM faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policy from students perspective or not. Therefore, this research aims to assess the level of students violation of computer ethics, examine any significant difference between KICT and INSTED student violation of computer ethics and to investigate if there is any relationship between students violation of computer ethics and the level of IIUM faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policy from students perspective. Conceptual framework The study of Peterson , Rhoads Vaught (2001) revealed that age as a factor has an effect on ethical behavior. They found that older people have high level of ethical behavior than younger. In term of investigating different program on students ethical computer use, Akbulut, Uysal, Odabasi Kuzu.(2008) investigate the effect of program on unethical computer using behavior. They found that there is no significant difference among different programs of study. By contrast, Maslin, Zuraini Ramlah (2009) found that there were some significant differences in ethical awareness of computer use among undergraduate computer science students from different universities (UTM and IIUM) In addition, Maslin, et al. (2009) have developed this model of ethical awareness of computer use: In IIUM, Integrity (Istiqamah) is recognized as the essence of the university code of ethics (IIUM Code of Ethics, 2008). Academic integrity, according to the Center for Academic Integrity (International Center for Academic Integrity, 2011), is defined as a commitment, even in the face of great difficulties, to five basic core values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Based on these values, principles of behaviors come into being that help academic communities convert these ideals into practice. Based on previous studies and model, in present study, the researcher will investigate the effect of age and program of study (Kullyyah) on students violation of computer ethics. The model will be as following: The extent of faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies from students perspectives. Age Program of the study (Kullyyah) Violation of computer ethics PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study is to assess the level of computer ethics violation among IIUM students whether they are undergraduate or postgraduate students in two different Kulyyahs and to find if there is any significant difference between KICT and INSTED students in their violation of computer ethics. Moreover, this study aims to examine if there is any relationship between students violation of computer ethics and the extent of faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies from students perspectives. RESEARCH QUESTIONS This study designed to address the following questions: What is the level of violation of computer ethics among IIUM students? Is there any statistically significant difference between KICT and INSTED students in their violation of computer ethics? Is there any relationship between IIUM students violation of computer ethics and the extent of faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies from students perspectives? Is there any statistically significant difference between different groups of students ages in their violation of computer ethics? DELIMITATION Conducting this study will not generalize to all universities in Malaysia. It will be limited to IIUM only. Specifically, this study will focus on only two Kullyyahs (KICT and INSTED). Although there are several aspects of students misconduct behavior, however this study will be restricted to find out the level of computer ethics violation. Furthermore, this study will find out only the effect of faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies from students perspectives on students violation of computer ethics. However, there are others factors affect students violation of computer ethics. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The results from this study will make a meaningful contribution to our knowledge concerning computer ethics violation in our University. Moreover, this study will provide data about the level of IIUM students unethical practice of using computer that could help the lecturers to be informed about their students violation of computer ethics and help them to find what they think that help their students if the level is low. Furthermore, the leaders of the KICT and INSTEAD will be awarded about the level of students violation and make their decisions of how the level of ethical practice in using computer be improved if the level is low. Finally, this study will give a clear picture about the nature of the relationship between students violation of computer ethics and the extent of faculty and managements commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies from students perspectives which helps the policy makers of IIUM to take more notice on academic integrity practice in IIUM campus. DEFINITION OF TERMS Computer ethics: Moral guidelines that govern the use of computers and information system. In this study computer ethics will only cover intellectual property, privacy and shared resources (adapted from Shelly, 2010). Intellectual Property: A broad category of materials, inventions and original works that are legally recognized as proprietary assets of an individual or organization which cannot be used without permission or legal licensure (Adapted from Techopedia.com, 2010) Privacy: The degree to which personal information, digital communication and digital devices can be accessed and shared by individuals (Adapted from your Dictionary.com, 2012) Shared Resources: Known as network resources, refer to computer data, information, or hardware devices that can be easily accessed from a remote computer through a local area network (LAN) or enterprise Internet (Techopedia.com, 2012). IIUM: International Islamic University Malaysia. IIUM is a unique university either in Malaysia or on a broader plane of the world. Since its inception English is used both as its medium of instruction and the language of its administration. It blends harmoniously modern and professional disciplines with traditional values and moral virtues. Its students originate from more than 100 countries representing nearly all regions of the world. IIUM has spared no effort to ensure that it provides the best tertiary education possible in all branches of knowledge. 6. KICT: Kullyyah of Information and Communication Technology in IIUM. 7. INSTED: Institute of Education in IIUM. 8. Violation: an act that disregards an agreement or a right (AudioEnglish.net, 2006). 9. Academic integrity: refers to the extent that core ethical values ( honestly, sincerity, piety, quality and originality) are transparently observed and strictly implemented in all academic pursuits. This is expected to facilitate the attainment of comprehensive excellence in the academic process as highlighted in the IIUM fundamental mission for learning. 10. Commitment to Academic Integritys Implementation It contains four indicators that measure the extent of the university administrators and facultys commitment to the implementation of academic integrity policies. The four observed variables include (Code of ethics is well implemented in IIUM; Academic integrity practice is adequated emphasized by lecturers at the beginning of each course; Consequences of dishonest practices are well discussed in most of my classes; and Defaulters of academic integrity rules are given appropriate sanctions in IIUM.

Globalisation: Japan And Chinas Economy

Globalisation: Japan And Chinas Economy Globalisation is currently happening rapidly around the world, aiming to bring different ideologies and infrastructures from various countries and join them together and turn it to be worldwide interconnected. According to The United Nations ESCWA, globalisation is actually not a new phenomenon since it has already emerged in nineteenth century, but it started spreading bit by bit from the World War I until the third quarter of twentieth century and it has been defined in many certain ways such as economic field and social field. Globalisation can be defined as entrenched and enduring patterns of worldwide interconnectedness on physical, normative and symbolic ranges, causing distant happenings and developments and it may bring serious local impact towards affected countries. The original idea of globalisation is not trying to bring the new principles, materials or infrastructures to replace or take over the old one, just embed within more expansive sets of networks and interregional relations power (Held D. McGrew A. 2003, P.3). Today, the world has been slightly changed by globalisation, and it may keep changing in the future, many countries have benefit from globalisation, but also fall victim to it, therefore it is valuable to explain the effect brought by globalisation with the examples of China and Japan. China is actually one of the countries that fall victim to the globalisation, the major issue is unequal distribution of wealth which caused by local inflation, and numbers of other negative effect such as environmental pollution, and family member staying apart in the nation. China is the country that having the largest population size in the world, there are more then eight hundred labour force out of thirteen hundred million total population size currently in the country, ranking number one in labour force in the globe according to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. It is an undeniable fact that China nowadays is the world factory, many international firms are likely to manufacture and produce various variety of goods such as toys, clothes, computers, and vehiclesà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ parts, but also perform different kinds of outsourcing in China, due its largest number of factory workers, good quality of the products and the low wages of factory worker. Outsource is various business processes in order to achieve a huge variety of business objectives ranging from decrease of cost to invention and business alteration(Mani D., et al, 2010); However, these factory workers not only working with low salary, but also have to work long hours and having no government welfare. The Chinese Government did not increase the lowest wages standard and trying to retain it instead even inflation has happened in the region in order to keep and gain more foreign companies produce goods and perform outsourcing in China. The inflation appeared because foreign investment increased in China therefore lead to a boom in the economy which causing local inflation. Meanwhile, the other simultaneous occurrences of workers earning retained low salary and working with no welfare, they have to spend more money for living because most of the goods in society have increased in price; by the time the economy has increased by more foreign investment, more workers are tend to work within these sort of careers, however, the number of jobs did not increase as the amount of workers increased, therefore more workers may be unemployed or underemployed (Kwong Leung T. Chack Kie W. 2003, P.16). Nevertheless, owners of local companies have earned more profits due to more foreign investment has been made in the country, but these owners did not provide higher salary to the workers while companysà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ profit increased. It is causing a current social problem in China that the rich gets richer, and the poor gets poorer, consequently engendered the issue of unequal wealth distribution as a result of globalisation. Secondly, increase in environmental pollution will be caused as a result of the increase in production in China. According to the World Health Organisation report in 2007, there were six hundred and fifty six thousand Chinese citizens killed by indoor and outdoor air pollution and another ninety five thousand and six hundred were killed by consuming polluted water. Variety of a large amount of chemicals and may be even toxic materials is possible to be discharged into the air, water and soil during the production process, acid rain is one of a very common effect due to these problems; meanwhile, after one manufacturing is finished, the discarded after-manufacture raw materials turned to be useless and majority of them will be piled up and place at a landfill, releasing detrimental substances and this is harmful to the local environment. It is able to be believed that this is another reason of China falls victim into globalisation. Thirdly, majority of factory workers came from different areas in China initiate the family crisis. Numbers of these workers were even moved from rural areas within the nations and working far away from home, this part of workers are willing and likely to work even earning low wages in the factory. Nonetheless, they still chose working there because comparatively the amount of money they earn as working in the factory is a lot more then the sum of they earn at home place and so from rural areas. It is possible for them to make the earnings to afford normal live in city, and even send money back home, therefore many workers like to work in a factory even with low wages. It is possible to say that this is another reason of China fall victim to globalization due to the family problem, and it is able to be widely believed that the given reasons and examples are capable to explain why China is one of a victim in consequence of globalisation. Japan is one of a country that can be said as benefiting during the globalisation process according to its exports of goods, services and technology toward many other countries around the globe and its culture and language exchange with the other countries. Base on the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Japan has stop rising rapidly until 2007 and start increasing less from 2008, and even more in 2009 as well. However, Japan is still the second largest economy around the globe, just behind the United States of America (International Monetary Fund Report, 2005). Japan has a huge amount of export with its vehicles, electric equipments, technologies. This is a fact that all these goods from Japan are currently using by different individuals in different countries. Japan has a very large quantity of export with the local products of vehicles and electronic devices. There are many famous vehicles manufacturing company has export products to the other countries, for instance, United States of America, India, Australia, China, Indonesia and some other nations; for electronic devices, for examples, computers, laptops, cameras, printers, mobile phones and various of other sort of electronic devices are extremely well-known around the world. The brands of these goods are very familiar in daily life, such as Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda, Sony, DoCoMo, Canon, Panasonic, Sharp. These are very common brands of motor vehicles and electronic tools. Japan is one of a member of G8 and it is the only single country which joined the group within Asia. Meanwhile, Japan is also one of a member of World Trade Organisatio, can be also called as WTO (Central Intelligence Agency World FactBook, 2010). This is showing that Japan is capable to trade with other nations and states. Hence, in the course of large amount of exporting goods such as motor vehicles and electronic devices, this raise up the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Japan most of the time and make Japan to be the second largest economy in the world for a long time. Japanese culture is another issue that is valuable to be mentioned. There are many different kinds of Japanese culture have keep spreading all over the world. For instance, gourmet culture, music culture, and some other sort of popular culture such as cartoons and anime have been spread around the world; For gourmet culture, it can be said without questions that sushi can be easily seen in the majority of developed countries, this lead to a Japanese food culture bring into the other places and increase the reputation; for music culture, a lot of music style and different types of genre of Japanese music are very music have been bought into the other nations especially Asia, hence, the musical manner imported towards other places and so increase to CDs sales in foreign market; for the popular culture such as cartoons and anime, some well known cartoons and anime are not only broadcasting in local Japan, but also broadcast in many other countries such as Asia countries, and a big amoun t of these cartoons and anime are selling in the other foreign nations as well. These is able to proof that Japanese popular culture have been spread and bought into the other places, and simultaneously increase the popularity and reputation about Japanese culture therefore raise up Japan local economy due to the demand of Japanese goods which are related to its culture have increased. For example, more Japanese chiefs and local Japanese raw materials for gourmet field are demanding more and more in other nations; Japanese music get into foreign markets therefore the export of Japanese music CDs can sell are at higher price because the demand enlarged; for culture of cartoons and anime, it is probably the same occurrence of music CDs, also the level of popularity and reputation increased, so increase its sales thus higher the demand and lastly improve the Japan economy. Nevertheless, other than the economical benefit in the globalisation, the introduction of mentioned different types of culture importing to other states, widened the areas that adopted Japanese c ulture and civilisations, so Japan has also benefited from globalisation in this area as well. Lastly, according to various categories of Japan exported goods has imported to other nations, the reputation of Japanese culture improved within the other nations, therefore, individuals in other countries getting more interested in Japan culture and so does Japan, too. Because of that, more tourists are likely and feel interested travelling to Japan, for this reason, the tourism level in Japan increase and bring up the economy with the expenses from the tourists and earnings from tourism; Consequently, it is possible to say that Japan has benefit from globalisation in the economic and cultural area since large amount of exports of goods and culture. In conclusion, globalisation is able to be said as happening in a fast pace around the world, it is advantageous to some countries, however it is disadvantageous to some of the others. For example, China is being disadvantaged as the result of regional inflation, and plenty of additional effects have been brought, for instance, polluting the environment, and causing some family members aloof from the families. These points are able to proof that China has fall victim from globalisation. On the other hand, Japan can be said as one of a country that being benefited due to globalisation with the reasons of great amount of export, such as motor vehicles, electronic instruments, and so do different sort of cultures including eating culture, musical culture and the cartoons and anime culture, and also increase in tourism, these caused an increase of Japan economy, so it could be believed that Japan is benefited from globalisation. Globalisation is aiming to develop society and bring the pr os together and share it to the whole world even though some cons might be brought to particular nations, but it is still a positive incidence to the community.

Discrete Choice Experiment :: Analysis, Random Utility Theory

The CE is founded on neoclassical micro-economic consumer theory. It assumes that consumers are highly rational decision makers who seek to optimize their utility by selecting the best option among the available alternatives, subject to constraints such as time and income (Ben-Akiva & Lerman 1985). So, a consumer makes a decision by evaluating the costs and benefits of the given alternatives, and selects among them which yields the highest utility to him/her (benefits-cost). In the CE, the choice is discrete in nature (Hanemann 1984), that is, only one alternative from the given choice set can be selected. Therefore, it is also known as discrete choice experiment (DCE). The alternative j will be chosen over some option g, if expected utility for individual, i , (Uij) exceeds the expected utility (Uig) for all alternatives. This implies that the probability of selecting an option is likely to increase with utility from the option and probability (P) that individual, I, will choose option j over other options g in a complete choice set R, is given by: P (jïÆ' ·C) = P{ (Uij >Uig, s.t. ï€ ¢ g Є R, and j ≠ g)} (2) Usually, in non-market valuation studies using CE model, respondents are given a choice card containing three alternatives including status-quo (current situation) to select. These alternatives in the choice set are outcomes of policies or programs related to the problem being investigated and distinguished by different levels. The levels could be either qualitative or numerical. The effects of the alternatives are described based on the Lancaster’s characteristics theory of value (Lancaster 1966). The theory states that an individual derives utility from the attributes possessed by the goods rather than the goods per se. The choices; therefore, are considered as a function of the attributes that the given alternatives hold. Including the outcomes of policies or programs related to mitigate the damaged caused by invasive plant species, Mikania in particular, a monetary value is included as one of the attributes as the policy cost to the respondent. Since, the alternatives are evaluated indirectly through their characteristics; it may be possible that consumers may have preference ordering over the attributes included (Lancaster 1966). It is widely accepted that an increase in a level of the preferred attributes or positive externalities such as; biodiversity, forest products and income generating activities, will result, ceteris paribus, in high utility from the goods or services to respondents. On the other hand, the utility from the goods or services decreases with increasing the level of the unwanted attributes or negative externalities such as abundance of invasive plants, pollution and in most cases monetary value.

Good Advice is Difficult to Define :: Definition Essays

Good Advice is Difficult to Define Advice is hollow, if you don’t know the history of the problem, or the amount of discomfort it is causing. When an expert relays advice or information they will not know the history or comfort level of their reader and will tend to try to generalize or speak to every possible situation. When the class considered the expert’s advice on contractions it was impossible for these authors to speak to their concerns and individual situations. I have very little experience in dispensing advice through writing to a large audience. My experience as an adviser has been restricted to verbal advice usually given one on one and face to face. When I am receiving advice this is also how I am most comfortable. I am also most comfortable giving advice about subjects that I have had formal training in. For example, I am comfortable giving advice about car mechanics, and sobriety. The former I have had over twenty years of training in and the later I had a year of formal and on the job training in a detox unit. I also have the life experience of being an alcoholic, but was not as comfortable about giving advice on this subject, until I had the formal training. I believe in order to give advice or hear advice, the adviser’s opinions or bias on the subject should be shared with the advisee up front. I have found this saves time for both of them because as in the case of my classmate who raced snowmobiles and ignored his parent’s advice, if you are not ready for or do not need information, it is seldom of benefit. I think in the case of the written advice examined in class, it was easier for the class to dismiss much of their expertise, because we were evaluating their opinions rather than being required to use their expertise by our professor. If the class had needed this information to receive a passing grade the reaction may have been different. This brings me to my next point, which is, the advisor is more effective when they understand what the advisee needs the advice for, and what their level of understanding is on the subject. If the advisee has some knowledge of the subject it is not helpful to talk down to them, but if they have little knowledge of the subject it is not helpful to delve into an in-depth discussion of every detail, using terms they don’t understand.

Cultural Erasure Essay

The Caribbean can be many things to many people: a geographic region somewhere in America’s backyard, an English-speaking outpost of the British Empire, an exciting holiday destination for North Americans and Europeans, a place where dirty money is easily laundered, and even an undefined, exotic area that contains the dreaded Bermuda Triangle, the mythical lost city of El Dorado, the fabled Fountain of Youth and the island home of Robinson Crusoe. Enriched by the process of creolization, the cosmopolitanism of the average Caribbean person is also well recognized: ‘No Indian from India, no European, no African can adjust with greater ease and naturalness to new situations’ (Lamming 1960, 34). As a concept or notion ‘the Caribbean’ can also be seen to have a marvellous elasticity that defies the imposition of clear geographic boundaries, has no distinct religious tradition, no agreed-upon set of political values, and no single cultural orientation. What, then, is the Caribbean? Who can justifiably claim to belong to it? Of the various peoples who have come to comprise the region, whose identity markers will be most central in defining the whole? For not all citizens of a nation or a region will be equally privileged and not all will have equal input in the definition of national or regional identity. In other words,  because power implies a process of social negotiation, and because power is unequally distributed in social groups, some parties to the process will be more represented than others. This is where the notion of erasure is tied to any appreciation of identity, and played out in the history and politics of colonization and decolonization in the Caribbean. As might be imagined, the colonially-conditioned divisions of race and gender figured (and continue to figure) prominently in the entire process and bring to mind Bob Marley’s advice to Caribbean people: ‘emancipate your minds from mental slavery’ (Redemption Song). Erasure is in large part the act of neglecting, looking past, minimizing, ignoring or rendering invisible an other. Rhoda Reddock (1996) examines the academic and political consequences of erasure at the level of ethnicity, and draws attention to four (among many other) neglected minorities in the Caribbean: the Amerindians of Guyana, the Karifuna or Caribs of Dominica, the Chinese in Jamaica, and the  Sindhis and Gujaratis in Barbados. Although some of these are indigenous and some have lived in the Caribbean for hundreds of years, they are commonly overlooked, even by those who today claim ‘authentic’ Caribbean roots and a commitment to the region as an integrated whole. In this essay I focus on three recent studies that address the ways in which identity and erasure have come dialectically to embody several erased peoples and groups of people in the Caribbean. I begin with the contributions of Sandra Pouchet Paquet, who focuses on the heyday of colonialism, slavery and women in Caribbean history, and laments the fact that ‘The female ancestor is effectively silenced if not erased’ (Paquet 2002, 11) in the writing of that history. To this end she cites Carole Boyce-Davies and Elaine Fido, who, in assessing the literature and historiography of the region, also spoke of ‘†¦ the historical absence of a specifically female position on major issues such as slavery, colonialism and decolonization, women’s rights and  more direct social and cultural issues’ (1990, 1). Next I examine the contributions of Geert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers (2003), who move from the slave period and colonialism proper and begin to discuss the uneven dismantling of colonialism in the various Caribbean countries, and its persistence in others. In the process they focus on erasure at the wider sub-regional level of groupings of countries. Thus, Oostindie and Klinkers protest the common academic and political tendency to assume that the Caribbean is principally an English-speaking group of countries; a tendency that simultaneously erases or minimizes the presence and contributions of other Caribbean peoples. These authors charge that while this erasure is undeniable in the cases of the Spanish- and French-speaking Caribbean, it is particularly evident with regard to the Dutch Caribbean. For while much has been written on the wider region generally, it is ‘seldom with serious attention to the former Dutch colonies of Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba’ (2003, 10). And as they go on to argue, most general histories ‘tend virtually to neglect the Dutch Caribbean’ (p. 234). This ‘neglect’ is synonymous with erasure and constitutes a major obstacle for anyone wishing to develop a truly comprehensive understanding of the entire region. Finally, there are Smart and Nehusi (2000), who invoke the idea of erasure and the attempt by African-ancestored people in the Caribbean, but especially in Trinidad, to resist erasure and reclaim their identity. Smart and Nehusi look at efforts of Afro-Trinidadians to forge a diasporic identity in which culture (Carnival) is the centrepiece of African, ancestral lore. Thus, in describing the trade in African slaves and the institution of New World slavery as ‘the largest crime in human history,’ Nehusi speaks of the Maafa, or the African Holocaust, as a terror that has been hushed up: ‘one part of that crime has been the attempt to forget, to pretend that it did not happen and to present a history ethnically cleansed of all traces of this genocide †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Nehusi 2000, 8). Very much in line with the thinking of Smart and Nehusi, Paquet views slavery as a crime and speaks of the ‘depravity of the slave owner’ (p. 42) as she applauds the efforts of Mary Prince to expose the horrors of the system: ‘Prince lays bare for public scrutiny the criminality of slave owners and the legal system that endorses their conduct’ (Paquet 2002, 41). In developing his argument Nehusi hints at a conspiracy or historical hoax which witnessed the abandonment of  black Trinidadians and their treatment as ‘non-persons by a continuing Eurocentric system which refuses to recognize them and their traditions as valid and refuses to recognize the history of struggle, mainly by Afrikan people.’ (Nehusi 2000a, 11). To this Ian Smart adds that ‘Africans all over the globe who have been subjected to white supremacy must be engaged unremittingly in the struggle for liberation in order to be made whole again’ (Smart 2000b, 199). This notion of being ‘made whole again’ speaks directly to the idea of erasure and the recapture of lost identity. Sandra Pouchet Paquet is principally concerned with two things: (a) finding the Caribbean identity and (b) autobiography as a literary genre. She uses the latter to pursue the former. Autobiography does not only tell a story of the biographer, but of the very society and community that shaped and nurtured her/him. So it is not simply a personal recounting of episodes that have shaped one’s life; but if properly written, autobiography can give valuable insights into the social worlds of the various storytellers. To this end Paquet exposes the ‘historical silencing of the female ancestor’ as evidenced in the ‘discovery and republication of the nineteenthcentury narratives of the Hart sisters (Elizabeth and Ann), Mary Prince, and Mary Seacole between 1987 and1993’ (2002, 13). These women bring to light what an inadvertent male scholarship had previously buried: a strong female culture of resistance both before and after emancipation. Unlike similar approaches, this work is careful not to essentialize women. Instead it is sensitive to their individual differences while weaving together common strands in their biographical experiences and narratives to produce a common story of erasure, resistance and strength. In her words they ‘throw light on the idiosyncrasies of a female culture of resistance in the Caribbean before and after emancipation’ (Paquet 2002, 13). Focusing on the signal contributions  of strong women like Elizabeth and Anne Hart, Mary Seacole and Mary Prince, who prepared the way for future leading male Caribbean writers such as C.L.R. James, George Lamming, Derek Walcott and V.S. Naipaul, Paquet does not mince words. In fact she openly acknowledges the unconscious impact of patriarchy, even on those men, and the ways in which they too contributed to the alienation, erasure and misrepresentation of women in Caribbean literary culture (p. 73). Clearly reflecting different social trajectories and individual strengths, the narratives of these four women nevertheless contain and speak to essential elements in the forging of a Caribbean identity. Dialectically, their efforts to reverse erasure through resistance culminated in a powerful story of struggle, setback and triumph of the human spirit. The Hart sisters, whose father was a free black, a plantation owner and a slaveholder, both married white men of influence. This gave them an important measure of social capital and they were able to use their religion (Methodism) and social status as the bases from which to promote ideas about racial equality and the empowerment of women. Mary Seacole was a unique woman for her time. The child of a free black Jamaican woman and a Scottish officer, she always set her sights on the wider world beyond Jamaica, and in time she became a creole ‘doctress’, a traveller and adventurer, entrepreneur, sutler and hotelier. The idea is not to romanticize her accomplishments for Seacole was human and vulnerable, and she betrayed all the contradictions of a woman placed in that age and time: resistance, accommodation and admiration for imperialism which contained ‘the civilizing values she professes to honor’ (Paquet 2002, 56). For while she railed against the injustices of race and sex discrimination she did not directly chal- lenge the idea of a British empire as much as she struggled ‘to redefine her place in it’ (p. 56). Seacole could thus be seen as a prototype of the modern-day Afro-Saxon. Then there was Mary Prince, a slave woman who did not have the privileges of the Hart sisters or of Mary Seacole, and thus has a  different take on the colonial situation. Comparing the two Marys (Seacole and Prince), Paquet writes that Prince embodied ‘an embryonic nationalism formed in resistance to slavery’ while Seacole reflected ‘an acceptance of colonialism after slavery’ (p. 52). Mary Prince was a rebel in spirit and action, and her life story is partly a struggle against erasure that illuminates another dimension of the contradictions of the time: Mary Prince was a ‘West Indian slave marooned in England by laws that made slavery illegal in England, while it was still legal in the colonies’ (p. 31). And as Paquet reports, the erasure and contradiction continue even in the twentieth-century male texts referred to above that are ‘devoid of reference to her resistant, militant spirit’ (p. 32). Though generally muted (erased) the voice of the black woman becomes audible in the narrative of Prince whose ‘individual life story establishes and validates a slave woman’s point of viewâ€⠄¢ while simultaneously serving as the foundation for ‘selfidentification and self-fulfilment in anticipation of the historical changes’ that would later follow in the wake of emancipation (p. 33-4). Thus, viewed together, the autobiographies of the Hart sisters, Mary Seacole and Mary Prince afford us an insight into the practical and intellectual worlds of very different women, and into their multifaceted struggles whether as slaves, as women, as free coloureds, as rape victims, and finally as silenced products of colonial brutality. In humanizing themselves through their autobiographies these women are able to expose the dehumanizing conditions under which so many millions were erased. Another key motif in Paquet is that of home and its relationship to errantry, travel, departure and return. These are central themes in Caribbean literature and reflect the post-colonial condition where the forced migrations associated with slavery and indentureship are the backdrops against which post-colonial peoples now seek to establish diasporic existences and to fashion a new ‘way in the world’. The initial trauma of forced removal from their ancestral lands has led to a spirit ual yearning for rootedness and symbolic return to home. Further, the yearning in question is best represented in the notion of primordialism, for it is only at home that one supposedly finds the acceptance and security from which to begin to negotiate one’s way in the world. Thus, ‘travel as exploration and transforming encounter turns on the quest for El Dorado, the lost world, the aboriginal landscape, identity,  origins, ancestry psychic reconnection, and rebirth’ (Paquet 2002, 196). Viewed in this way the Caribbean is both home and an African diasporic home away from home, and to this end Paquet invokes Wilfred Cartey, Carole BoyceDavies, Claude McKay, George Lamming and Edward Kamau Brathwaite to make the case for a ‘holistic Caribbean’ that comprises ‘a culturally diverse yet traditional’ culture block that stresses ‘the genealogical connection with Africa’ (p. 745). While departure could be non-voluntary or forced (slavery), Paquet also focuses on voluntary departure, as in the Caribbean migrant to England or some other metropolitan centre. Often for economic reasons, it is a sort of voluntary exile in Lamming’s thinking, that has given rise to scores of Caribbean diasporas in various Eu ropean metropoles. London, Berlin or Toronto is really a twice-migrant; first from Africa and second from the Caribbean. The connection to an African home is the centrepiece of much contemporary Afrocentric politics, but that connection is largely mythical and imagined, although many commentators seem willing to forget this fact. This speaks directly to the idea of home and belonging as articulated by two unapologetic Afrocentrists, Ian Smart and Kimani Nehusi (2000). For example, there is Nehusi who sees home as ‘a nurturing place, a space of spiritual, psychological, social, and physical comfort, freedom, security and satisfaction, and ultimately confidence, because we know that we will be understood there †¦ humans feel at home only when they can be themselves in culturally familiar ways. Home is therefore †¦ a space that not merely permits but encourages us to be our own selves and in which we are ‘easy’ – not merely familiar, but comfortable too (Nehusi 2000a, 1-2). This essentialist and romantic theme of ‘Africa as home’ is picked up by  Smart who treats all black people as Africans and affirms that the ‘African mind is one that deals with the big picture. The African mind is fundamentally driven by and towards holism’ (Smart 2000a, 51). And apparently unmindful of the process of creolization, Smart goes on boldly to assert that ‘[t]he core of Caribbean culture is the African heritage’ (2000a, 70). All of this is by way of setting the stage for the claim that Trinidad is an African country whose central cultural marker is the Carnival. According to Smart, Nehusi and several of the contributors to the volume in question, Carnival is an African festival that has become the national festival of Trinidad: ‘Carnival is â€Å"a black thing†, a Wosirian (Osirian) mystery play that was celebrated annually in Kemet (Ancient Egypt) from the very dawn of history’ (Smart 2000a, 29). Lamentably, however, the African origins and the signal contributions of Africans are bring erased by a class and colour conspiracy to wrest the festival from its original African founders. In essentialist language, these authors assume that Trinidad means African, that African means black, and that black means poor or working class (Smart 2000a, 63). Thus, the non-black presence in the Carnival, whether as masquerader, bandleader or owner, or costume designer, is all part of the Eurocentric (which is code for white and upper class) attempt to silence and erase the African. For one contributor, Pearl Springer, the consequence is that the Carnival has been reshaped in such as way that the African presence in the national festival is erased or reduced to that of a street vendor and ‘hired hand’ that does the physical labour in making the mas (Springer 2000, 22). Nehusi is in full agreement with this take on erasure of the black person: ‘Afrikan Trinidadians have been abandoned, declared nonpersons by a continuing Eurocentric system which refuses to recognize them and their traditions as valid and refuses to recognize the history of struggle †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (2000a, 11). Another contributor, Patricia Alleyne Dettmers, invokes the universal African and has no difficulty speaking of ‘Africans †¦ born in Trinidad and Tobago’ (2000, 132). Of particular significance here is the fact that these Afrocentric commentators who rail against the erasure of Africans and the suppression of African identity, simultaneously engage in their own erasure of the East Indian, the Chinese and other ethnic groups in  Trinidad (Allahar 2004, 129-33). Thus, in the same volume, Patricia Moran, affirms that ‘the Caribbean woman is basically African’ (2000, 169). As is clear, like the wider Caribbean region as a whole, the books and authors under review here are not free of contradiction and ambivalence. For the Afrocentric case put forward by writers like Smart and Nehusi (and their five co-authors) clearly looks past the well known erasure of the East Indians’ presence and contributions they have made to such countries as Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname. For this reason David Trotman wrote sarcastically of Trinidad’s supposed multi-racial paradise on the eve of independence (1962) and the racially coloured anticipation that filled the Trinidad air at the time: ‘it was a multi-racial picture from which the Indian seemed strangely absent’ (1991, 393). Trotman speaks of the privileging of African traditions to the neglect of Indian ones, and takes issue with one calypsonian, whose calypso titled ‘Portrait of Trinidad’ only identified the Afro-associated elements of steelband, calypso and carnival as national cultural achievements. This led Trotman wryly to observe: ‘In this portrait the Indian is painted out’ (p. 394). Paquet also laments this erasure as it is articulated by George Lamming and V.S. Naipaul (2002, 176, 189-90). The authors of the studies contained in Smart and Nehusi (2000) speak ideologically to what supposedly binds the community together, for example, common blood lines, common ethno-cultural experience, common collective memory, common African origins and so on. I say supposedly for much of this idea of community cohesiveness is rather mythical or fictional. It is part of the essentialization of Africa and Africans that is common among Afrocentrist commentators, and in the process all others are erased. Further, in the move to homogenize and essentialize Africans, they conveniently ignore those social and structural features that divide the community. I am thinking here of internal, class, colour, economic, and  political inequalities within, say, the so-called African diasporic community, not to mention ideological cleavages related to religion, inter- and intra-ethnic rivalries. Given the role played by myths of ethnic descent in the invoking of national unity and cultural identity, Smart and Nehusi problematize the political dimensions of cultural nationalism as it applies to the Trinidad carnival. They give cultural nationalism a colour – black – which means there are major implications for those who are defined out of the societal culture, for example, those who claim East Indian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, etc., descents. To affirm that Carnival is Trinidad’s national festival implies that the so-called Indo-Trinidadians, who, for whatever reasons, do not see carnival as their national cultural marker, are somehow less than full Trinidadians. In the minds of black nationalists, then, the carnival, which was born in Africa, is the supreme African festival and belongs entirely to black people, who, regardless of where they were born, are Africans! Africa is home for all Africans. This is why Smart depicts the Trinidad carnival as ‘the quintessential African festival’ (2000a, 72), and Nehusi sees the street parade segment of the celebration as symbolic of the Africans’ reclaiming their physical, spiritual and cultural freedom: ‘Possession of the streets was a sign of Afrikan possession of self, a spiritual re-connection with ancestors through millennia of cultural practice, a liberation through expression of impulses carried in genes for uncounted generations †¦.’ (2000b, 96). Some critics have charged that the foregoing constitutes part of the larger racist agenda of those black nationalists who want to define carnival in ethno-racial terms: ‘Trinbagonians can then rightly claim their festival as â€Å"we thing† only because it is a â€Å"black thing†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Smart 2000a, 72). The loose invoking of the royal ‘we’ must not be taken as referring to all Trinbagonians, however, for it is tied to the deliberate erasure of the East Indian. Thus, the contributors to the volume in question can be seen as endorsing the myth of merry Africa and spinning tall tales of racial identity and solidarity among Africans the world over. They are unequivocal in their claim that Africa is the cradle of human civilization and the source of ancient human history. In spite of these facts, however, contemporary history is said to be written and produced by white supremacist barbarians bent on erasing the major contributions of Africans. Thus, Alleyne-Dettmers essentializes ‘barbaric Europeans’ (2000, 139), and both Smart (2000b, 199) and Moran (2000, 174) condemn what they refer to generally as ‘European barbarism’, while Olaogun Adeyinka speaks more specifically of the ‘heroic struggles of Africans’ to liberate themselves ‘from Spanish, French and British barbarism’ (2000, 111). Patricia Moran wants to rewrite history for she fears that there is a conspiracy on the part of what she calls ‘white bandits’ and those ‘Aryan marauders’ (p. 175), who, even today, would steal ‘we thing’, which is carnival and steelband! In the assertion of an absolute African identity there is the absolute erasure of the East Indian and other ethnic groups that comprise the society. As the foregoing assessment of Smart and Nehusi (2000) suggests, in the public’s mind, the term Caribbean brings immediately to mind the English-speaking countries of the region and their African-descended populations. Somewhat less immediate are the Spanish-speaking countries of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Even less immediate are the French countries (provinces) of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the independent, French-speaking country of Haiti. Then there is the almost forgotten, erased, Caribbean: the Dutch-speaking Netherlands Antilles and Suriname. Although scholarship on the Caribbean has devoted considerable attention to the situation of East Indians in Trinidad and Guyana, and their erasure at the hands of both the colonial authorities and the various ‘black’ governments that inherited the seats of power following independence, not much is known about their counterparts in Suriname and other parts of the Dutch Caribbean. In fact, when addressing Caribbean studies generally, Suriname and the other countries of the Netherlands Antilles are usually an  afterthought; a curious appendage of the better-known English- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. This leads to an incomplete picture of the region for if one were to assess the situation of the East Indians in the Caribbean, the Surinamese case seems to parallel that of Trinidad and Guyana, but the lessons learned in the latter were lost on the former. Indeed, in the years leading up to Suriname’s independence (1975), the East Indian population had the same fears and misgivings as their counterparts in Trinidad and Guyana a decade and a half earlier. And if political independence in these two countries was black in complexion, the social and political erasure of their East Indian populations could be expected to be repeated in Suriname. Thus, Gert Oostindie and Inge Klinkers wrote that: ‘quietly the Hindustani population were only afraid that those who would receive independence (i.e. the Afro-Surinamese) would use this for the enlargement of their own political power’ (2003, 112). As a consequence the East Indians generally opposed independence and opted for continued colonial dependence on the Dutch (p. 103, 112). For Oostindie and Klinkers (2003), then, this is only one reason why any comprehensive attempt to understand the history and sociology of the Caribbean must include the contributions that the Dutch countries have made to the shaping of the region’s wider culture and politics. Yet one must not homogenize all the Dutch countries, for Suriname and Aruba, for example, are quite politically, socially and culturally distinct. And whereas the sentiments of ‘black power’ informed the political sensibilities of Curaà §ao’s population, the ‘political elites of Aruba had always tended to emphasise the Euro-Amerinidian roots of their island as opposed to the African character of Curaà §ao’ (2003, 122). Indeed, as these authors point out, after losing Indonesia the Dutch lost most of their appetite for empire and appeared to retain their Caribbean possessions only reluctantly. And after the independence of Suriname, an  unusual situation was presented whereby the mother country seemed willing to free itself from the responsibilities of Empire, but the colonies in question would not let them off the hook (p. 116, 145). This is reminiscent of what Rosemarijn Hoefte and Gert Oostindie call ‘an example of upside-down decolonization with the metropolis, not the former colonies, pressing for independence’ (1991, 93). As Oostindie and Klinkers convincingly argue, whereas in the British West Indies (BWI) the sentiment for independence was strong in the 1950s and 1960s, this was not the case in the French West Indies and the Dutch West Indies (2003, 46-7). Suriname was the exception, but it was continental and not part of the socalled Antilles or Netherlands Antilles. In the case of the United States, Puerto Rico was a mixed bag with a significant proportion desiring statehood and an equal number preferring the continuation of the status quo, while an insignificant minority has always favoured independence. The US Virgin Islands, on the other hand, has never had any pretensions at independence of any kind. What is most striking about all these non-sovereign Caribbean states today (the remaining British Overseas Territories, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, St. Martin, Martinique and Guadeloupe, Curaà §ao, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Bonaire and Aruba), is that they have a higher standar d of living than the independent states, which leads some to make the perverse claim for continued colonization. The fact of the matter, however, is that all the economies in question are almost totally subsidized by the mother countries so local or indigenous economic development is virtually nonexistent. The higher standards of living are thus quite precarious and artificial and could crash any time the colonial power decided to withdraw. This led to the obvious conclusion that because: ‘from the Dutch side, millions of guilders are pumped into the Antilles and Suriname on a yearly basis,’ it would be far more preferable that ‘today rather than tomorrow that the Netherlands would get rid of the Antilles and Suriname’ (Oostindie and Klinkers 2003, 116). But as noted by Paquet earlier, decolonization is intimately tied to identity, whether juridical or socio-cultural, and wrapped up in the complex Caribbean traditions of errantry, travel, migration and return. So following  the insights of Derek Walcott, after all the travel is over, return to home is on the agenda; but ‘home’ is a nuanced Caribbean with African sensibilities. Further, because finding self is the prerequisite to finding home (Paquet 2002, 171, 173, 186-7; Smart and Nehusi 2000), and because self- knowledge leads to self-realization (Paquet 2002, 184, 187, 191), identity and belonging are inextricably tied to (political) action. Thus, in the case of the remaining British Overseas Territories, there is the ongoing debate over citizenship, passports and legal rights that led to the clumsy creation of a category of ‘British dependent territory passport holders’. This has given rise to what Oostindie and Klinkers call a group of persons with ‘a form of paper identity’ that has turned them into ‘citizens of nowhere’ (2003, 195). The same applies to the Surinamers and other Antillean peoples, who want to retain their distinctive Caribbean cultural identities, but who, mainly for economic reasons insist on retaining Dutch passports, Dutch citizenship, and all associated rights and privileges. And just as growing economic problems (unemployment) and social problems (racial discrimination) led the British in the 1960s to restrict free movement of British subjects from the former colonies to the metropolis, the French sought to encourage economic development in Martinique and Gua deloupe in order to reduce the numbers of those emigrating to France, and The Hague has made similar attempts to limit the numbers of Surinamese and Antilleans who have claims on Dutch citizenship. Once more the parallels are compelling but the consequences of erasure prevent them from being fully grasped. Another instructive parallel that seems lost in the erasure of the Dutch Caribbean concerns the idea of regional federation or integration. When Jamaica decided to pull out of the federation of the ten British West Indian territories in 1961, Trinidad’s Eric Williams announced that 1 from 10 leaves naught, implying that the idea of federation was dead (Knight and Palmer 1989, 14-15). For their part the Dutch Antilles, which are composed  of six islands, were faced with an almost exact dilemma when Aruba was granted ‘separate status’ in 1996. With continental Suriname already independent, Aruba’s status aparte led to a virtually identical sentiment of ‘one out of six would leave nil’ (Oostindie and Klinmkers 2003, 122), and seemed to end all hope or talk of Antillean independence. Based on the forgoing it is clear to see how the Caribb ean, both historically and in contemporary times, is a political project subject to the power politics of entrenched interests, whether of a class, race or gendered nature. Further, as social groups strive to root themselves and to establish identity markers, such politics will see the erasure of some and the promotion of others. The three studies reviewed here highlight dimensions of the colonial period in the Caribbean as well as the politics of decolonization and the politics of nation building in the modern age. While recently the latter has tended to assume clear ethnic dimensions, considerations of class, race and gender are not to be minimized or ignored, for the modern Caribbean was constructed on the politics of social inequality that are directly tied their statuses as dependent capitalist satellites of imperialist centres in an increasingly globalized world. *** References Allahar, Anton L. (2003) ‘â€Å"Racing† Caribbean Political Culture: Afrocentrism, Black Nationalism and Fanonism’. In Holger Henke and Fred Reno (eds) Modern Political Culture in the Caribbean. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press, pp. 21-58. Allahar, Anton L. (2004) ‘Ethnic Entrepreneurship and Nationalism in Trinidad: Afrocentrism and Hindutva’, Social and Economic Studies (53)2: 117-154. Alleyne Dettmers, Patricia (2000) ‘Beyond Borders, Carnival as Global Phenomena’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 131-162. Boyce-Davies, Carole and Elaine Fido (eds) (1990) Out of Kumbla: Caribbean Women and Literature. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press. Hoefte, Rosemarijn and Gert Oostindie (1991) ‘The Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean: Dilemmas of Decolonization’. In Paul Sutton (ed.) Europe and the Caribbean. London: Macmillan, pp. 71-98. Knight, Franklin W. and Colin S. Palmer (eds) (1989) The Modern Caribbean. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. Lamming, George (1960) The Pleasures of Exile. London: Michael Joseph. Moran, Patricia (2000) ‘Experiencing the Pan African Dimension of Carnival’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 163-78. Nehusi, Kimani S. K. (2000a) ‘Going back home to the Carnival’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 1-16. ––– (2000b) ‘The Origins of Carnival: Notes from a Preliminary Investigation’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 77-103. Nehusi, K.S.K.; and Olaogun Narmer Adeyinka (2000) ‘A Carnival of Resistance, Emancipation, Commemoration, Reconstruction, and Creativity’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 105-129. Oostindie, Gert and Inge Klinkers (2003) Decolonising the Caribbean: Dutch policies in a comparative perspective. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press. Paquet, Sandra Pouchet (2002) Caribbean Autobiography: cultural identity and self-representation. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press. Reddock, Rhoda E. (ed.) (1996) Ethnic Minorities in Caribbean Society. St. Augustine, Trinidad: ISER. Smart, Ian I. and Kimani S. K. Nehusi (eds) (2000) Ah Come Back Home: Perspectives on the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. Washington: Original World Press. Smart, Ian I. (2000a) ‘Carnival, the Ultimate Pan-African Festival’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 2976. ––– (2000b) ‘It’s not French (Europe), It’s really French-based Creole (Africa)’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 197-221. Springer, Pearl Eintou (2000) ‘Carnival: Identity, Ethnicity and Spirituality’. In Smart and Nehusi (eds) pp. 17-28. Trotman, David V. (1991) ‘The image of Indians in Calypso: Trinidad 1946-1986’. In Selwyn Ryan (ed.) Social and Occupational Stratification in Trinidad and Tobago. St. Augustine, Trinidad: ISER, pp. 385-98.

America’s Education System

In today†s world the average student goes through 13 years of schooling, four of those at the high school level. By the time the student reaches high school they should already know all of the basic skills, reading, writing etc, but do they? The basic goal of secondary schools across America is to educate America†s youth and prepare them for life after high school. Is this really happening though, are students prepared for life after high school? I feel that high school is the perfect medium between elementary schooling and the real world, you can get out as much as you want. Theodore R. Sizer who wrote â€Å"What High School Is† thinks that America†s public education system is not good enough. Dr. Charles Eliot says, It is, students just need to try harder and set their standards for achievement at a higher level. First of all, who should decide the goals of America†s education? The Commission of the Reorganization of Secondary Education has the ultimate say, but many feel that is not good enough. Many feel that society should be able to have some input in America†s youth future, while others say that it should be up to the student to decide what they want to learn. If there is something wrong with high school education, I feel that the community has a say in how to fix the problem. That is ultimately tough to do though, since the Commission of the Reorganization of Secondary Education has the overall say in America†s education system. The goals of the American education system are all related together to get a person ready for the real world. These goals, which many think are not good enough, range from school to school. A former high school student said, â€Å"We learned social skills, basic logical foundations, but often overlooked skills as cooperation, teamwork, and meeting deadlines.† She believed, that everything you need to know is learned in kindergarten. Know of course that is not true but the idea is there, as she puts it â€Å"we just spent the last 12 years reaffirming these life-molding skills.† Why should adolescents even go to school then, if they are not learning anything? You have all heard a student say â€Å"I am never going to use this later in life,† this is true a lot of the material taught in the classroom will never be used in the real world but much of it is very useful, and the students don†t pick up on that. They think that since one thing won†t be useful then it all probably won†t help them succeed in the real world. Students that think â€Å"I am never going to use this later in life† need to change their attitude. They don†t know that they will probably use everything that they learned in their whole life once again in the real world. Even if you learn something in which will no way be useful later in life, who cares! You know more than the person sitting next to you. Maybe one day that point will be useful, you never know. In â€Å"What High School Is† by Theodore R. Sizer, it is said, â€Å"The adolescents are supervised, safely and constructively most of the time, during the morning and afternoon hours, and they are off the labor market. That is what high school is all about.† Sizer believes that adolescents just go to high school because that is what their parents did and their grandparents did. This is a great statement because many students don†t know that they are not required to go to high school. You can do what ever you want to do, whether it be getting a job or being a bum on the city streets of Seattle. Most kids just keep on going to school because their parents tell them to. Sizer said, â€Å"The purpose of going to school is to pick things up, in an organized an predictable way, the faster the better.† He also goes on saying â€Å"In a word, school is sensitively accommodating, as long as students are punctual, where they are supposed to be, and minimally dutiful about picking things up from the clutch of courses in which they enroll.† Sizer is trying to say that the objectives of high school are teaching students how to go to class on time. That is one thing that comes naturally with going to school but I don†t think it is one of the main points that high schools are trying to get across, but merely a step towards setting a firm foundation to getting ready for the real world. High school, in my opinion, needs to teach these four following areas more in depth, cooperation, teamwork, responsibility and time management. Teaching these things should be the first step in the rise of students ability to survive later in life. Time management especially needs to have a strong emphasis put on it. That alone is what the real world revolves around. For example, you can†t be late for a job, or not turn in work or you will get fired, that is just the way life is. We should teach students about themselves, so they will know how to manage themselves out in the real world. They need to know how to have a â€Å"healthy relationship with all of those around, whether it be a fellow student, co-workers, boss or manager, teacher, pupil or your friends† said a former high school student. Now sure these are all formulas that people have, saying they will improve high school learning dramatically. Even my ideas are only ideas, and they have never been tried out, so who know if they will work or not. High school is not that bad, a lot of people have been through it and they have made it out in the real world fine. This all goes back to the question â€Å"Why are high schools the way they are?† I think they are how they are because they work. They are the perfect place for a student to learn skill such as cooperation, teamwork, responsibility, and time management as well as many others. High schools have been the same for many years, and probably won†t change for years to come. Even though many of us feel that high schools are not teaching enough. I think the main problem is that students are not trying hard enough. If students really push themselves then they will achieve far ahead if they would have done nothing, and let the learning process go on by itself. It is up to the student how much information he/she wants to take in because it is all out there. It†s just waiting for the right person to grasp it, the person who wants to succeed and is willing to try hard to get it. So why do so many kids end up not learning a lot in high school? It all goes back to how hard they tried. This brings me to a good point; it is all up to the parents to keep their kids involved in school. That is why a lot of kids drop out of school or just don†t care about school because their parents could care less. Parents are in charge of their kids and from personal experiences; they really can have control of what can and what can†t be done. I bet the average A student has hade some rules set down by their parents, be it a bedtime or planned time to do home work. Have we answered the question that arises here? Why are high schools the way they are? They are they way they are and they are not going to change in the near future because, they just flat work. High school is the perfect medium for the ill-prepared student and the excelling student. It is a place were basic values are learned, and for some much more can be learned. It all goes back to how hard the student tries, and how much they want to learn. America’s Education System In today†s world the average student goes through 13 years of schooling, four of those at the high school level. By the time the student reaches high school they should already know all of the basic skills, reading, writing etc, but do they? The basic goal of secondary schools across America is to educate America†s youth and prepare them for life after high school. Is this really happening though, are students prepared for life after high school? I feel that high school is the perfect medium between elementary schooling and the real world, you can get out as much as you want. Theodore R. Sizer who wrote â€Å"What High School Is† thinks that America†s public education system is not good enough. Dr. Charles Eliot says, It is, students just need to try harder and set their standards for achievement at a higher level. First of all, who should decide the goals of America†s education? The Commission of the Reorganization of Secondary Education has the ultimate say, but many feel that is not good enough. Many feel that society should be able to have some input in America†s youth future, while others say that it should be up to the student to decide what they want to learn. If there is something wrong with high school education, I feel that the community has a say in how to fix the problem. That is ultimately tough to do though, since the Commission of the Reorganization of Secondary Education has the overall say in America†s education system. The goals of the American education system are all related together to get a person ready for the real world. These goals, which many think are not good enough, range from school to school. A former high school student said, â€Å"We learned social skills, basic logical foundations, but often overlooked skills as cooperation, teamwork, and meeting deadlines.† She believed, that everything you need to know is learned in kindergarten. Know of course that is not true but the idea is there, as she puts it â€Å"we just spent the last 12 years reaffirming these life-molding skills.† Why should adolescents even go to school then, if they are not learning anything? You have all heard a student say â€Å"I am never going to use this later in life,† this is true a lot of the material taught in the classroom will never be used in the real world but much of it is very useful, and the students don†t pick up on that. They think that since one thing won†t be useful then it all probably won†t help them succeed in the real world. Students that think â€Å"I am never going to use this later in life† need to change their attitude. They don†t know that they will probably use everything that they learned in their whole life once again in the real world. Even if you learn something in which will no way be useful later in life, who cares! You know more than the person sitting next to you. Maybe one day that point will be useful, you never know. In â€Å"What High School Is† by Theodore R. Sizer, it is said, â€Å"The adolescents are supervised, safely and constructively most of the time, during the morning and afternoon hours, and they are off the labor market. That is what high school is all about.† Sizer believes that adolescents just go to high school because that is what their parents did and their grandparents did. This is a great statement because many students don†t know that they are not required to go to high school. You can do what ever you want to do, whether it be getting a job or being a bum on the city streets of Seattle. Most kids just keep on going to school because their parents tell them to. Sizer said, â€Å"The purpose of going to school is to pick things up, in an organized an predictable way, the faster the better.† He also goes on saying â€Å"In a word, school is sensitively accommodating, as long as students are punctual, where they are supposed to be, and minimally dutiful about picking things up from the clutch of courses in which they enroll.† Sizer is trying to say that the objectives of high school are teaching students how to go to class on time. That is one thing that comes naturally with going to school but I don†t think it is one of the main points that high schools are trying to get across, but merely a step towards setting a firm foundation to getting ready for the real world. High school, in my opinion, needs to teach these four following areas more in depth, cooperation, teamwork, responsibility and time management. Teaching these things should be the first step in the rise of students ability to survive later in life. Time management especially needs to have a strong emphasis put on it. That alone is what the real world revolves around. For example, you can†t be late for a job, or not turn in work or you will get fired, that is just the way life is. We should teach students about themselves, so they will know how to manage themselves out in the real world. They need to know how to have a â€Å"healthy relationship with all of those around, whether it be a fellow student, co-workers, boss or manager, teacher, pupil or your friends† said a former high school student. Now sure these are all formulas that people have, saying they will improve high school learning dramatically. Even my ideas are only ideas, and they have never been tried out, so who know if they will work or not. High school is not that bad, a lot of people have been through it and they have made it out in the real world fine. This all goes back to the question â€Å"Why are high schools the way they are?† I think they are how they are because they work. They are the perfect place for a student to learn skill such as cooperation, teamwork, responsibility, and time management as well as many others. High schools have been the same for many years, and probably won†t change for years to come. Even though many of us feel that high schools are not teaching enough. I think the main problem is that students are not trying hard enough. If students really push themselves then they will achieve far ahead if they would have done nothing, and let the learning process go on by itself. It is up to the student how much information he/she wants to take in because it is all out there. It†s just waiting for the right person to grasp it, the person who wants to succeed and is willing to try hard to get it. So why do so many kids end up not learning a lot in high school? It all goes back to how hard they tried. This brings me to a good point; it is all up to the parents to keep their kids involved in school. That is why a lot of kids drop out of school or just don†t care about school because their parents could care less. Parents are in charge of their kids and from personal experiences; they really can have control of what can and what can†t be done. I bet the average A student has hade some rules set down by their parents, be it a bedtime or planned time to do home work. Have we answered the question that arises here? Why are high schools the way they are? They are they way they are and they are not going to change in the near future because, they just flat work. High school is the perfect medium for the ill-prepared student and the excelling student. It is a place were basic values are learned, and for some much more can be learned. It all goes back to how hard the student tries, and how much they want to learn.