Integration of Western Culture Into African Culture Essay

Integration of Western Culture Into African Culture - Essay Example In the African context, the individual does not exist but rather the society. Africans believe in working together for the society and obeying societal norms. It has taken time for the African to adopt the individualistic philosophies because these dictate that an individual should be autonomous. On the contrary, African philosophies suggest that without the society, the individual would feel empty. Individualism and liberty philosophies from the west remain new to some Africans. This explains why there is little democracy in African countries but the people do nothing about it. In addition, Africans have slowly integrated western science ad technological innovations to their traditional industries. The acceptance did not come easily. In a bid to catch up with the rest of the developing world in trade and economy, Africa had to absorb the new education and technology to solve its problems. Africa had the resources but lacked the technological expertise to make use of the resources. It is sad to realize that African countries still lag behind in application of the new technologies into their industries. On the other hand, some scientific knowledge serves to strengthen what society believes in. Advances in genetics help the African communities to give explanations to their beliefs. The African culture appreciates that different individuals differ in physical traits. They also recognize that close family members had a high level of resemblance. Such scientific breakthroughs were easy to integrate into their culture. (Erickson, 2005). Before introduction of western medicine, Africans had their form of traditional medicine. Traditional medicine had its unique form of prescription and diagnosis. In some communities, traditional healers associated disease with

The Zoos Are Really Very Cruel to Wild Animals Essay Example for Free

The Zoos Are Really Very Cruel to Wild Animals Essay All I can say is that through my opinion zoos are really very cruel to wild animals. Why is this so ? Well because they don’t think of the wild animals habitat and the liberty which they need. The shock of being in captivity would actually depress the animals; they would even act violently and might hurt people near them. And it is not the animal to be fault. Firstly, the ecosystem became unbalanced. Secondly If the humans kept the wild animals in the zoo, they will ruin their food chain. Animals need to run a lot, but their kept in the zoo where it is lack of spacious area. They need to hunt for their own food, however while in the zoo the foods are provided. There is no freedom for the animals for being kept by humans. Worst case possible is animals would get depressed and attack people randomly. People should not blame the animals if they got attacked; it is their own fault for keeping the animals in cages. Animals can die prematurely in zoos. For eg. In 1991 twenty-five Asiatic Lions were born in zoos around the world 22 of them died. In the same year 166 cheetahs were born in zoos, of which 112 died. And the last but the most important is that the animals are born naturally in the wild and us humans cannot provide them what nature gives for their needs. This is the crucial motive where animals should be freed   Or they should put them in sanctuaries instead and ask people to do animal safaris if they wanted to see the animals . at least the animals will get their freedom and live in peace.

Differences Between Actor Network Theory And Social Construction Sociology Essay

Differences Between Actor Network Theory And Social Construction Sociology Essay Here are few differences between Actor Network Theory and Social construction of technology that I found from various analysts point of view. To start with, I would like to jot down the basic difference between Actor network theory and the theory of social construction of technology. Actor network theory (ANT) considers both technical determinism and social determinism, i.e. it does not stick by the idea that technology shapes the society or the society shapes the technology (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005). Social Construction of technology (SCOT) theory follows the ideas that technology is emerged from the social interaction of social group, which can be called social determinism. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Both of these theories involve participants in process of shaping the network or in shaping the outcome, known as Actors. Actors involved in ANT are humans and non-humans which are treated equally as separation between the two are difficult, as it cannot be said who played the major role. (latour,1997). The actors involved in SCOT are the Relevant Social group which includes people sharing the same interest in shaping the technological artifact (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, 1989). Actors in ANT need to be performing constantly to keep the network flowing without any lag or hick up. SCOT does not follow a strict principle on the performance of the actors or the groups. If a certain relevant social groups involvement or influence is less than the other group, in that case it only brings in a few changes in the outcome of the technological artifact. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Talking about the aim of these theories, ANT is more about how the networks are formed rather than why the y are formed. It does not predict the outcome of the socio-technical artifact at any point. These entities are known as mediators where the input by the actors cannot predict the outcome; rather it multiplies or deletes the input/object passing through network known as tokens or quasi objects. (Wikipedia) Whereas SCOT illustrates how the social surrounding which include RSG and other actors give rise to a particular artifact. Right from the beginning the outcome is predicted or decided. It acts more like an intermediate unlike ANT. It does not really matter if there are changes that come through in the social surrounding while building the artifact, the previously assumed idea of the outcome would still remain the same. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) If we study ANT carefully, the actors involved in it are not just objects but an association of other elements which self constitutes a network. To look like a single point actor, these elements are simplified or Black boxed. That means the network actors are open to new ideas and their contents can be reconsidered (Gidding, 1999). The idea of reconsidering the content does not exist in SCOT. It limits the influence of the RSG once the interpretive flexibility starts to gradually diminish. This causes it to reach the rhetorical closure, thus the alternative idea of a new design is eliminated. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Following the actor, this method in ANT suggest that the actors set their framework and the limits of the network by themselves. Actors in ANT are able to make their presence individually felt by the other actors (Tatnall Burgess, 2002). As discussed earlier, actors can be thought of as a black box, which has many actors hiding one behind other. So basically all the actors can be found at one place or it can be said that all the actors form a single point actor and this effect is known as Punctualisation (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005). When the same method is compared to SCOT, actors are followed who are relevant to the technology and that may lead to another actor who is also relevant to that technology. The process is continued till no new actors pop-up. This causes the interpretation to come to a closure. Both of these theories have a positive and a negative side of their own. The biggest drawback of SCOT is that it ignores the effect of the technology after it has come into existence by social determinism. The technological artifact might have been developed for a particular purpose. But it is hard to expect the end-users to use it the way it is suppose to be used. In that case, it means that the effect of the technology after is has come into existence from a social determinism method, is slowly shaping the society in its own way. That brings us back to technological determinism. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) As we know RSG solves the technical problems, seeking solutions, etc. We do not know who decides the which group are relevant social group and with the same the social interest. It fails to include the groups that have no voice and also the groups that will be affected by the results of technological change and also the groups that have been stamped down and excluded (Prell, Christina, 2009). It also fails to explain the circumstances where one of the relevant social groups seriously disagrees to either to the design or technological system or artifact, etc. There is no explanation on how the theory would handle the disagreements of the groups. Many critiques has pointed out on the same fault of theory that it portrays all the social groups on the same level or sharing equal authority or power. There is a slight fault with the interpretive flexibility once it reaches the closure. It does not look back for further interpretations in the future. (Hard, 1993) Actor-network theory treats humans and non-humans equal. It has been argued by many critics that how can a non-human be assigned to be an agency. For example, a technology can only be identified because we differentiate it from human actors. Technologies do not speak for themselves nor do they exist outside of processes of human assumption. Analytically speaking there is no such non-human actor to be described by ANT. ANT assumes that all actors, which include both humans and non-humans, are equal within the network, and have the same power. This leaves no space for power instability is left. Thus the power struggles within the network. ANT case studies leads to a lot of useless descriptions that seem pointless. (Whittle Spicer, 2005) Another major drawback of ANT it gets very difficult to follow the actors as the researcher would have to get into the depth of the topic for investigating a particular case without knowing where they will lead. As the actors are black-boxed, the researcher is following only one actor and would not know if it would open up further possible investigation. One of other weakness about ANT is that the actors, ANT requires both the actors to be performing constantly to keep the network flowing. Even if one fails, the whole system fails. (learning-theories, 2008) Talking about the strength of SCOT, one of the plus point of SCOT is how it overcomes one problem by finding a better way to adopt the technology. For example. Bicycle. There was a lot of debate on the safety and the way it was built or looked. But then, the eventually they adopted it because of the fact that they were fast when it came to speed. They overlooked the problem by relating it to another better plus point to the technology. To think about it, end of the day we (humans) are the once who are going to use the technology. So doesnt it make more sense that we shape the technology the way we want it? Based on our application we can shape the technology, SCOT is something that does exactly the same. Unlike ANT even if one if the actors fail to perform, the outcome of the system or the technological artifact does not fail. In that case that particular actor or the group will have less influence in the process of making the artifact. (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, 1989) Actor-network theories main strength would be how it overcomes both social and technical determinism. This makes sense in a way because in a particular invention, it is hard to say who played the major role, humans or non-humans. For instance, let us take the example of how the laptop came into existence. If we have a look into it, the invention results from human and technology. The technical aspect of the laptop is achieved by the technical team which in-turn is influenced by the social background. Therefore, what seems to be social is partly technical and what seems to be technical is partly social. (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005) Following the actors might have been criticized in the case of ANT but it has its own positive side too. When compared to SCOT, it does not have to approach each and every actor of the same revelant group. In ANT all the actors act as a single point actor which can be found in the Black box. (Gidding, 1999)

Kmart - What went wrong? :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kmart's main weakness was that it had an aspiration to be all things to all people – its dabblings in drug stores, home improvement stores, bookstores, cafeterias and specialty stores in the 1980s and early 1990s seemed to spread the company very thin. This focus on diversification is just one example of how the retailer has often not made the wisest choices when faced with a tight spot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the 1980s, just before the rise of Wal-Mart, Kmart had become complacent. It believed it would be the king of discount retailing, now and forever. It didn't perform an accurate SWOT analysis, but to be fair, who could have seen the rise of Wal-Mart to the position of the world's number-one retailer? Still, as Wal-Mart built new stores in town after town, supported by cutthroat pricing and solid logistics, Kmart's complacency would cost them. Part of the problem was that as Wal-Mart was pouring money into information technology (IT), Kmart's IT budget continued to shrink – not just once, but several years in a row. While Wal-Mart's logistics and supply chain management got sharper, Kmart's stagnated. And while Wal-Mart was able to squeeze more value out of its stores and its systems, Kmart lost ground. By the time Kmart had finally decided to start devoting more resources to IT, it was so far behind Wal-Mart that catching up would have been a near-impossi ble task without the recession in the early part of this decade. With the effects of the recession taken into account, Kmart instead was consigned to also-ran status among discount retailers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another problem was that Kmart did not correctly anticipate customer needs. For instance, let's say that Kmart buys a new style of shirt and stocks it in pink, yellow, green and blue. Further, let's say that the blue shirts sell out immediately; the store is left with inventory of the three other colors. Yet Kmart doesn't reorder the blue ones because 75 percent of its inventory is still unsold – it's still got plenty of that style of shirt to sell. Wal-Mart, meanwhile, would order a new shipment of blue shirts. Their model takes the customer into account, not the inventory – Wal-Mart understands that it's the color the customers want, not the style (in this case, anyway).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of Kmart's biggest marketing miscues was the use of newspaper as its primary ad medium. Until about the 1980s, Kmart's primary form of advertising was flashy, expensive sales fliers that did not generate enough sales to offset their costs.

Rita Dove

The poet that I have chosen to do is Rita Dove. In her newest collection of poems, Sonata Mulattica, there were many to choose from. However the two that I wanted to look deeper into were Exit and Golden Oldie. In both poems she is able to convey strong emotions in the characters she described. Rita Dove was born in Akron, Ohio. Her father, Ray A. Dove, was a chemist, and a pioneer of integration in American industry. Both of her parents encouraged persistent study and wide reading. From an early age, Rita loved poetry and music. She played cello in her high school orchestra, and led her high school's majorette squad. As one of the most outstanding high school graduates of her year, she was invited to the White House as a Presidential Scholar. At Miami University in Ohio, she began to pursue writing seriously. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in English in 1973, she won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Germany for two years at the University of Tubingen. She then joined the famous Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, receiving her Masters' Degree in 1977. At Iowa, she met another Fulbright scholar, a young writer from Germany named Fred Viebahn. They were married in 1979. Their daughter Aviva was born in 1983. From 1981 to 1989, Rita Dove taught creative writing at Arizona State University. Appearances in magazines and anthologies had won national acclaim for Rita Dove before she published her first poetry collection, The Yellow House on the Corner in 1980. It was followed by Museum (1983) and Thomas and Beulah, (1986) a collection of interrelated poems loosely based on the life of her grandparents. Thomas and Beulah won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. In 1993, Rita Dove was appointed to a two-year term as Poet Laureate of the United States and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She was the youngest person, and the first African-American, to receive this highest official honor in American letters. In the fall of 1994, she read her poem, Lady Freedom Among Us, at the ceremony commemorating the 200th anniversary of the U. S. Capitol. Other publications by Rita Dove include a book of short stories, Fifth Sunday, the poetry collections Grace Notes, Selected Poems and Mother Love, and the novel Through the Ivory Gate. Her verse drama, The Darker Face of the Earth had its world premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the 1986. Another production of the play appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D. C. , in 1997. Dove has brought her poetry to television audiences through her appearances on CNN and NBC's Today Show. Public Broadcasting has devoted an hour-long prime time special to her life and work. She has shared television stages with Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers and Big Bird. On radio, she has hosted a National Public Radio special on Billie Holliday, and has been a frequent guest on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. She joined former President Jimmy Carter top welcome an unprecedented gathering of Nobel Laureates in Literature to Atlanta, Georgia for a Cultural Olympiad held in conjunction with the 1996 Olympic Games. That same year, a symphonic work for orchestra and narrator — â€Å"Umoja — Each One of Us Counts,† — was performed at Atlanta's Symphony Hall with Rita Dove's text performed by former Mayor and U. N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Dove's lifelong interest in music has taken other forms. She has provided text for works by composers Tania Leon, Bruce Dolphe and Alvin Singleton. Her song cycle Seven for Luck, with music by John Williams, was featured on a PBS television special with the Boston Symphony. In 2009, she published Sonata Mulattica, a book-length cycle of poems telling the story of the 19th century African-European violinist George PolgreenBridgetower and his turbulent friendship with Ludwig van Beethoven. Rita Dove is Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she lives with her husband, the German author Fred Viebahn. They have one daughter. In her spare time, she studies classical voice and practices the viola da gamba, a 17th century forerunner of the modern cello. Now that a little more about her life is understood it is time to examine the poems themselves. In Golden Oldie Dove tells a narrative about her getting home. The emotions in this poem are clearly evident, and show that the speaker is confused about her life. The first thing I noticed was a irregular rhyming scheme. Often times poetry follows certain patterns, but in this case there is none. The words that rhyme are: swaying and playing, and sentiment and lament. Also, the words â€Å"alive† and â€Å"live by† are very similar sounding. Thus by having some things rhyme, in an irregular manner she shows that there is some consistency within randomness. This is similar to the girls life – very confusing. Moreover, her word choice is quite important in the poem. For instance, swaying is a specific choice because it has connotations of being lost or indifferent. Later on she reaffirms this thought by comparing herself in a simile to a blind pianist caught in a tune meant for more than two hands. The scenario she compares herself to is somewhat humorous to think about, because the pianist is basically completely helpless. Obviously the feat described is quite confusing. In the next few lines she describes the song playing on the radio in her car. It is being sung by a young girl who, in her opinion is dying to feel alive. Dying to feel alive is a pretty intense statement to make. It seems that to make such a drastic statement she may be feeling that same issue. It continues to say â€Å"to discover a pain majestic enough to live by. † This line is very interesting because most people don’t require a pain to live. Rather they try to avoid pain. But it appears that the girl singing, and possibly the author, want to feel something rather than nothing at all. She was getting very intimate with the song, as proven by her turning off the air conditioning, despite the hot temperatures. Also, she leaned back as if to block out everything else but what she heard. The line in the song so closely paid attention to is described as a lament. A lament is described as a way to express sadness, grief, or sorrow. Then, upon hearing the melancholy statement, the speaker says she greedily took in without a clue who my lover might be. This was the most confusing part of the poem to me. At first I didn’t understand how she could greedily take something in, when there was no actual object to get. However, it appears that she is hoarding the idea of having a lover who wants to know where their love went. Thus, it leads me to believe that she is in search of love when she concludes with â€Å"or where to start looking. † Searching for love can be really confusing. Therefore a theme statement for the overall meaning of the poem can be derived: Often times human beings can be very confused in their emotions. Sometimes they can find understanding in other confusing things because it is easy to relate to. The second poem by Rita Dove that I analyzed was Exit. In this case the author conveys that the emotion being felt by the speaker is anxious hopefulness. It is written from the speakers perspective about the reader, which I thought was very interesting. It's about â€Å"you†, the reader, who is going somewhere. There is no rhyming scheme and it is one large stanza. The speaker starts off by saying that a visa is granted. This tends to imply hat someone is going somewhere outside of their current country for an extended period of time. This can cause some anxiety. Moreover, it is said that the traveler wanted to get it, because there was hope that it would arrive. Then upon leaving, there is the realization that it is actually happening. The author compares the exit to that of in a movie. More information about the visa follows. It is has been granted, â€Å"provisionally. † Meaning temporary or conditional, the speaker describes it as a fretful, or scary word. Then a reference to the windows of the house is made. I think the author included this to reinforce the mindset that your leaving home, a very special place. However, an immediate contrast is made by saying â€Å"here it’s gray. † This is in regards to the fact that a feeling of sorrow is present due to leaving. A suitcase is described as the saddest object in the world, which seems odd because the person wanted to travel according to the hope for a visa. Although it may be the case where the traveler knows that it is best to go, but is still upset about leaving. The final few lines reference the childhood of the reader. A metaphor is used to compare the windshield of the vehicle too cheeks of the reader. â€Å"And now through the windshield the sky begins to blush as you did when your mother told you what it took to be a woman in this life. † This is a much more positive angle on the journey they're about to embark on. After reviewing the poems many times a general theme statement can be constructed: Often times human beings feel anxious about something they're going to do. However, despite their concerns they can still have some feelings of hope that they will be successful.

How to Be Successful in College

How to Be Successful in College Nearly every college student detests cram sessions. Intense, high-stress study sessions can have detrimental effects on both your GPA and your health. And while theres no guaranteed roadmap to success in college, changing your study habits and adjusting your approach to your classes can make a big difference. The following tips are a great place to start. Use Two Notebooks Bring one notebook with you to class, and use it to scratch and scribble down everything you can. It doesn’t need to look neat- it doesn’t even need to be legible. After class (within an hour or so), transfer your notes to your second notebook. Take your time with these notes: highlight key points, mark subject areas your professor emphasized, look up definitions, and record questions for the next lecture. The two-notebook method will help you retain information you might otherwise forget within days. Reviewing all the new material immediately after the lecture will keep it fresh in your mind. Plus, writing things down instead of typing them leads to better retention, according to the Scientific American. Find a Study Buddy   Make friends with someone in your class during the first week of the semester and schedule a regular study session. During your study sessions, review complicated chunks of information and explain them to each other. Think of the process like storytelling- turn your homework into stories, and tell those stories to each other. In addition to making a new friend, you and your study buddy will keep each other accountable all semester long.   Get Enough Sleep The importance of hydration, nutrition, and especially sleep cannot be overstated. Your ability to remember can drop by as much as 40 percent if you haven’t had adequate sleep. Aim to get adequate sleep as many nights as possible, and try to keep the same sleep schedule every night, even on weekends. Know When You Work Best Speaking of a sleep schedule, it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all study schedule. There is plenty of research indicating benefits for both nighttime studying and early morning studying, so you shouldnt feel pressured to maintain an uncomfortable schedule. As long as you are getting enough sleep and keeping up with your commitments, your schedule is up to you. If you work late at night, make sure to give yourself space and time to sleep in every morning (dont sign up for 8 AM classes if you can help it). Not everyone is a morning person, and that is perfectly okay. Try The Pomodoro Method   The Pomodoro Technique is a focusing method that relies on short bursts of intense work and plenty of breaks. To try the technique, set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a single task. When the timer rings, take a five-minute break, then set another 25 minute timer and get back to work. After four 25-minute intervals, take a longer break. You may find that the Pomodoro Method helps you get more done in a shorter period of time without feeling burnt out. Plus, short study breaks are known to improve concentration. Optimize Your Learning Style Figure out your learning style, then adapt your study techniques to suit that style. Remember to experiment with a few strategies to find what works best for you. If none of the three primary learning styles feel like a great fit, you might benefit from a study strategy that combines two different styles. Go to Office Hours And not just when you’re struggling. Open lines of communication with your professors early in the semester so that, when questions arise, your professor will know you have a vested interest in the class and the material. Developing strong relationships with faculty will also help you if you are considering applying for scholarships or you need letters of recommendation for graduate school. Bring Back Mario Kart Or, more specifically, integrate the music into your study sessions. Music enhances brain activity, and the video game music is specifically design to stimulate brain activity and keep you focused. The wordless, upbeat songs will keep you motivated without distracting you. Space Out Your Studying Spacing out your studying is beneficial for long term retention of the material. If you review your notes each day for 15 minutes, youll be able to retain what you learn in your classes for the long term. Try not to skip review days, or you risk losing what you have retained (especially if it’s new material). Sweat and Study There is a massive body of research that links exercise with good grades and improved learning and cognitive skills- especially if you exercise first and study second. If you are stuck in a study rut and your don’t have time to hit the gym, go for a quick walk. Fresh air and a change in environment will help you create connections and solve problems. Change Locations If youre struggling to focus in your study space, try studying in different locations. For some learners, a change in location builds stronger connections to the material that aren’t dependent on the location where they were originally learned; as a result, the information is more easily recalled later. Consider a Part-Time Job If you’re having trouble managing your study time, you might think getting a job will only compound the problem. However, research suggests that students who work part-time jobs while in school tend to get better grades because the experience improves time management skills.

Indian Banking Industry essays

Indian Banking Industry essays The banking sector reforms undertaken in India from 1992 onwards were basically aimed at ensuring the safety and soundness of financial institutions and at the same time at making the banking system strong, efficient, functionally diverse and competitive. The reforms included measures for arresting the decline in productivity, efficiency and profitability of the banking sector. Furthermore, it was recognized that the Indian banking system should be in tune with international standards of capital adequacy, prudential regulations, and accounting and disclosure standards. Financial soundness and consistent supervisory practices, as evident in our level of compliance with the Basel Committees Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision, have made our banking system resilient to global shocks. India has not faced any major economic/financial crises, though in 1990-91, there was some pressure on the external sector with the current account deficit and external debt servicing reaching large proportions. However, due to prudent macroeconomic policies, it was possible to return the country to a sustainable growth path. As well as the long history of regulation and supervision, Indian banks have limited exposure to sensitive sectors such as real estate, equity, etc, strict control over off-balance sheet activities, larger holdings of government bonds (which helps limit credit risk), relatively well-diversified credit portfolios, statutory restrictions on connected lending, adequate control over currency and maturity mismatches, etc, which has insulated them from the adverse impact of financial crisis and contagion. Banks in India have played a significant role in the development of the Indian economy. However, with the structural reforms initiated in the real economy from the early 1990s, it was imperative that a vibrant and competitive financial system should be put in place to sustain the ongoing process of reforms in the real ...