The strong earthquakes happened in Sichuan province, how it influence Research Paper

The strong earthquakes happened in Sichuan province, how it influence local people - Research Paper Example The Wenchuan and Ya’an earthquakes have been devastating to the local people. Wenchuan earthquake occurred in 2008 while Ya’an earthquake occurred in 2013 (Chen et al 2013). This paper seeks to discuss the occurrence of the Sichuan Province’s earthquake and how influenced local people. Sichuan Province has a pre-cambrium basement with a double layer texture (Yueqiao et al 2013). This is exposed in the province forming the Western region. This pre-cambrium basement is what forms the Upper Yangtze Platform. In the time of late Palaeozoic-Masozoic geology states that the Sichad seat was the point where the Asian plates extended from. It led to Palaeo-Tethys extended from Southwest Asia to Southeast Asia. Sichuan Province harbors plateaus on its Western side. This  plateaus are cited as the greatest Indosinian fold zones on the planet Earth. The province has also experienced very strong Post- Triassic intercontinental modifications. This includes cases of various geotectonic movements in the Province like block faulting, seismic activity, glaciations and mudflows. This incidence has led to a situation referred to as a geological mystery in Sichuan province (Gioncu & Federico 2011). Sichuan Province is susceptible to earthquakes and studies have shown reasons for the occurrences of earthquakes in the region (der Hilst 2008). The man-made activities together with the natural factors have led to the high prevalence of earthquakes in Sichuan Province. Engineers in Geology and Seismology have reported that that the water collected in the Zipingpu water reservoir triggered the earthquake. The dam is made up of 470 fit high concrete upstream from Dujiangyan (der Hilst 2008). It was seen that the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008 its epicenter was close to the dam. It was four miles from the dam and the area around the dam was highly affected by the earthquake (Macdougall 2011). According to the world Commission on dams, the 2008

Rock n Roll and Social Change in the USA and Britain Essay

Rock n Roll and Social Change in the USA and Britain - Essay Example Rock n roll developed in a period where after a century of racial tensions in the United States after the Civil War, the segregation system was essentially falling apart. This is reflected in the origins of the music itself where despite its mainly African American origins; it ended up being increasingly popular among largely white youths. The call for racial harmony seen in this music can be considered to have been a reflection of the way that society had essentially come to be weary of racism and segregation and was seeking a new path through the initiative of the youth within it. The coming together of black music and a largely white youth audiences can be considered to have been a reflection of changes that were taking place concerning the perception of race in society as individuals sought to freely interact with members of other races without the restrictions that were being place on them by traditions and laws (Lipzitz, 1989, p.267). It was a fight for the rights of minority r aces in the United States where they had been kept under the dominance of white people for centuries. The rise of rock n roll got the attention of white supremacists and racists who reacted strongly towards it by claiming that it broke down the barriers that had been put in place to ensure that there was a permanent separation of the races . Moreover, rock n roll can be considered to have been a challenge to the status quo in society where youth from all races worked together to ensure that the barriers that separated them were removed . The exportation of this genre of music to Britain was also highly influential because it allowed for a display of the war weariness that had taken grip of the country after the Second World War.

Henry James The Turn of the Screw Essay Example for Free

Henry James The Turn of the Screw Essay At first glance, it would appear that Henry James The Turn of the Screw and Tim Burtons Edward Scissorhands have only one thing in common: they are both from the gothic genre. But upon looking closer, one will notice that there are a number of other similar traits between the two. There are noticeable similarities between Edward and the Governess, as well as similarities between Edward and the two children in The Turn of the Screw, Miles and Flora. There are also general themes which the two share images of a perfect society, as well as onlookers who have no control over the situation. Both The Turn of the Screw and Edward Scissorhands have many traditional features of the gothic genre. However, when compared to each other, it is found that The Turn of the Screw has more of the traditional gothic elements. These include things such as the mysterious setting; an atmosphere of mystery and suspense that is present throughout the entire novel; visions, which are a regular occurrence for the Governess; supernatural events such as the ghosts and the possessions of the children; high emotion; women threatened by males, which is found on the many occasions in which the Governess feels threatened by Quint; and there are many instances in which the women of the novel are in distress. In spite of this, a number of these elements can also be found in Edward Scissorhands, if not to a lesser extent. These include elements such as the setting while the entire movie does not take place in a gothic setting, there are times where the viewer is able to see Edwards original home a mysterious, gloomy castle; an atmosphere of mystery and suspense, which is an underlying theme throughout the movie; visions to some extent experienced by the Boggs neighbour; and supernatural events largely, the overall creation of Edward. Other elements that are similar between the two are women in distress in Edward Scissorhands, this is largely Kim; and women threatened by males shown in scenes with Kim and her threatening boyfriend, Jim. There are not only similarities between the overall genre of The Turn of the Screw and Edward Scissorhands, but between the characters as well. There are striking similarities between the Governess, the narrator of the book, and Edward, the main character of the movie. One of the most prominent is that  neither of these lead characters have much experience in the real world, as is evident through their actions and words. However, the Governess and Edward deal with this in different ways. Edward is generally dazed and confused about everything. Nevertheless, Edward is willing to learn, and is open to being taught. In contrast, the Governess reacts to her lack of experience by acting as though she is knowledgeable. She is unwilling to try other methods, and refuses to listen to others who might know better. Both characters were also taught the difference between right and wrong. Edward is taught this by the inventor, while the Governess is taught this through both her upbringing, and by her father. Both Edward and the Governess are taught this in theory, but have never experienced it in practice that is, they have never been able to apply the idea of right and wrong to the real world. Additionally, there are a number of similarities between Edward, and the two children, Miles and Flora. Both have overbearing female or mother figures in their lives. In Edwards case, this is his foster mother, Peg, who tends to be more caring towards him, and looks out for him. In the childrens case, this is the Governess. However, unlike Peg, the Governess coddles the children, spending all her time with them and not letting them out of her sight. Both of them are also blamed for something which they didnt do, or which never happened. Edward is framed for the robbery and murder, which had the potential to get him in trouble with the law. This was a deliberate blame and set up. On the other hand, Miles and Flora were accused of seeing ghosts, and lying about it. However, in contrast to Edwards situation, we never know whether this actually happened but either way, it wasnt a deliberate setup. There are even more similarities between Edward and the two children. Both of these characters are abandoned by their father figure. In Edwards case, this is in the death of his inventor. Because of this, Edward has to learn to cope for himself, and as a result, is confused about how to act correctly. This differs to Miles and Flora though their parents die, and their uncle effectively abandons him, they still have people who are willing to look after them, such as Mrs Grose and the Governess. They are also both  idealised by the people around them. The community idealises Edward he is treated as a phase, the latest craze. They have preconceived notions of him, but dont take the time to get to know him and see if theyre actually true. In the childrens case, this is where the Governess idealises Miles and Flora. She imagines them to be so perfect and innocent, but she doesnt take the time to get to know them. Because of this, when they act differently to the behaviour she expects of them, she thinks something is wrong. Edward and Miles are both seen to have dangerous characters, and because of this they eventually become shunned or kicked out though the extent to which this happen differs. Miles is seen as a danger to the other children, and is kicked out of his school, but he is not rejected or shunned overall, just from one place. In contrast, Edward is eventually shunned by society as a whole because they dont understand him. As a result of this, he is rejected by society, and becomes an outcast. The narrative structure of the two texts is also quite similar. Both of them are told by a female, and in the first person. This viewpoint makes the story seem more personal, as it gives the reader or the viewer a better insight into what really took place. Both stories also start off in the present tense, with someone talking about the events which had previously taken place, before going into an account of the story. However, in The Turn of the Screw, we never go back to the original setting, whereas in Edward Scissorhands we are taken back to the original storyteller to finish the story. In both instances, it also gives the feel of the storyteller holding onto the secret, and waiting for the right time and place to finally tell their story to a willing audience. There are a number of general things which are common in both the texts. One of these is that both The Turn of the Screw and Edward Scissorhands have onlookers that have no control over the story, and dont fully understand what is going on. In Edward Scissorhands, the onlooker is Kim Pegs daughter who is a silent observer, and unsure as to what is happening. In The Turn of the Screw, this onlooker is Mrs Grose. Mrs Grose has no control over the actions of any of the other characters, and is forced to sit back and watch as the events take place around her, not fully knowing what is  going on. Another theme common in both texts, as well as being common in the gothic genre, is the idea of a woman being threatened by a powerful, impulsive, controlling male. In The Turn of the Screw, this is Quint, who, though dead, makes the Governess feel threatened. In Edward Scissorhands, the male is Jim Kims boyfriend. She feels threatened by his actions, and especially at his reaction to Edward. But the most obvious similarity between the two texts is that both have a perfect society, which slowly falls away, leaving the reader with an image of a very tainted place. In Edward Scissorhands, the community that he lives in is regarded as perfect, with everyone being accepting of him. However, as the story progresses, the perfect image falls away and we are left with a community that is biased and judgemental. In The Turn of the Screw, it first appears as though everything is perfect particularly the beauty of Bly, and the childrens characters, but we soon learn that it isnt. Overall, while there are some aspects of the texts which are entirely different, there are too many similarities for one to say that they are not alike in some way. These similarities are shown in a number of areas in the genre, the narrative structure, the characters actions and thoughts, as well as the overall themes and ideas which are introduced. However, whether The Turn of the Screw and Edward Scissorhands are similar or entirely different, they are both classic examples of the gothic genre of fiction.

Cultural Dependency Theory

Cultural Dependency Theory Introduction: There are many reasons to examine the current situation of the world, where a lot of countries are underdeveloped or are developing, and a small portion of the world, which are the Western countries, are relatively rich and developed and rule over the under-developed and developing countries. In this essay, I discuss the Modernisation theory and the Cultural Dependency Theory, how they came into existence and what are their problems. Also, the contributions made by all the countries and trying to develop have not really helped them to a great extent. In this essay, I have also explained why this division is still present and the dependency of the Third World countries on the Western countries. At the end of the essay, I have given the pros and cons of both the theories. International Communication Theory: The Third world countries were highly inferred for development because of the cold war which divided the countries into Eastern countries and western countries. This lasted for more than 50 years. Most of the Third World Nations wanted to avoid the group of countries which had common interest in politics and they wanted to concentrate on getting their population out of the control of the other legal or political restrictions. Third world nations got their name during the cold war which is said to be given by Alfred Sauvy in 1952, who was the French Economic historian. The world was divided between the capitalist first world which was led by the United States, and the communist second world, which was headed by Moscow (Thussu, 2006). The Term Third world was given to the nations who were not included in above mentioned groups (Brandt Commission, 1981; South Commission, 1990) and Asia, Latin America and Africa started a movement of National Liberation. This changed the entire political maps of the world (Thussu, 2006). By 1960, a lot of countries were free from the colonial powers and these new independent states got an opportunity to develop because of International Communication (Thussu, 2006). The New International Economic Order (NIEO) was approved by the UN General Assembly and the UNCTAD, because, the Non-Aligned Movement started demanding fairness in the economy. NIEO had an independent and an egalitarian economic order which was grounded on the principles of equality and was government free which included that, all the members of the country had equal rights to participate in the development process (Thussu, 2006 cit. Hamelink, 1979: 145). The NIEO provided a structure which helped to understand the international relations between the countries based on North-South division. At the same time, New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO) also had to be taken into consideration in order to link it with the economic order. The Non-Aligned countries demanded changes in the global economic and informational systems. Juan Somavia, 1976, observed that, The transnational Power structure supported the transnational communication system to develop. This is basically a tool for transmitting values and lifestyles to Third World Countries which provokes the consumption and society which is necessary to the transnational system as a whole. (Somavia, 1976: 16-17) There were a lot of times when the Third World or the developing countries took technical and financial help from the Western or the developed countries as they wanted to use the communication technologies for development. One of the main areas where the developing countries took support from the developed ones was the satellite television. Television was considered to be one of the most powerful and influential medium. It could be used for a lot of purposes like bringing change in the attitudes of the traditional people, educational purposes and modernise societies. Cultural Dependency Theory: Cultural Dependency Theory was emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s in Latin America. It was a criticism of the modernisation theory. This theory was developed in Latin America under the supervision of Raul Prebisch who was the director of United Nations Economic Commission. The main interest in research of Instituto Lationoamericano de Estudios (ILET) which was established in 1976 in Mexico City was to study the Transnational media business, which gave a force to criticise the modernisation theory.(Thussu, 2006) It became necessary to analyse international communication. So dependency theorists directed towards getting a substitute theoretical account (Baran, 1957; Gunder Frank, 1969; Amin 1976). Transnational Communication (TNCs) which was dominated by the North, have control over the governments and over developing countries by setting their personal rules and regulations on global trade which includes dominating labour, market, production and resources. These countries were developing in such a way that the developed countries keep dominating over the developing countries and maintained the need for the developing countries to be dependent on the developed countries (Thussu, 2006). Due to the neo-colonial relationship in which the TNCs controlled the exchange and structure of global markets, the inequality in the south had become wider and deeper whereas the TNCs had strengthened their control over the worlds natural and human resources (Baran, 1957; Mattlelart, 1979, Thussu, 2006). Dependency theorists tried to show the link between modernisation and policies of transnational media (Thussu, 2006). Herbert Schillers idea of cultural imperialism is the most clearly identified one (1969-92). Schiller analysed the links between the transnational business and the dominant states. (Thussu, 2006) The main argument of Schiller was about how the US based transnational corporations weaken the cultural liberty of the developing countries and force them to be dependent on both hardware and software of communication and media. The definition of cultural imperialism by Schiller was, the sum of the process by which a society is brought into the modern world system and how its dominating stratum is attracted, pressured, forced and sometimes bribed into shaping social institutions to correspond to or even to promote, the values and structures of the dominant centre of the system (Schiller, 1976: 9) Schiller argued that new emergent American empire was taking over the European colonial empires like, British, French and Dutch. This was based on the economic, military and informational power. According to him, the US based TNCs are continuously growing and are starting to dominate the global economy. US business and military organisations have got a leading role in the development and control of a new, electronic based global communication system due to the support that economic growth has received from the communication knowledge (Thussu, 2006). USA had the most effective surveillance system as it controlled global satellite communications which was the crucial element in the cold war years (Thussu, 2006). Due to this the dependence on the US increased for communication Technology and investment (Schiller, 1969). All the western goods and services along with the American way of life were promoted when the media programs were imported from the USA which required sponsorship to run . This was a threat to the Southern traditional cultures (Schiller, 1969). He argued in his book, which was republished in 1992 that the domination over the worlds communication of the US increased after the UNESCO failed and the cold war got over. The domination of US over the economy had started decreasing as the TNCs started acquiring important role in international relations changing the cultural imperialism of US into Transnational corporate cultural domination (Schiller, 1992: 39) The other works which show the dominance of the US using cultural imperialism is clearly seen in the Hollywoods relationship with the European movie market (Guback, 1996); US exports television shows to Latin America and influences it greatly (Wells, 1972); Disney comic also have contributed in promoting capitalist values (Dorfan and Mattelart, 1975) and advertising industry has played a role of an ideological instrument (Ewen, 1976; Mattelart, 1991) (cited in Thussu, 2006: 48-49). Oliver Boyd-Barrett noticed one of the most prominent aspects of dependency in international communication in the 1970s as media imperialism. This examines the information and media inequalities between the nations. It analyses the domination of the US over the international media (Boyd-Barrett, 1977). Modernisation Theory: The concept of modernity has become a very general statement. It represents the experience of the western culture on the others. All the global cultures are disapproved to modernity and the concept of cultural imperialism critically evaluates the conclusions in the critique of modernity (Tomlinson, 1991). A philosophical notion in the years after the war was that international communication is an important part in order to modernise and develop the Third world nations. The notion was that international communication can be used to spread modernity among the newly independent countries and that it will help to transform the traditional societies of the developing countries. It was also used to transfer the hypothetical description of economic and political entity of the developed countries.   Modernisation theory is an attempt to provide a support for the development policies which was created by the western countries. These development policies were supported towards the Third world countries which were still getting out of the rule of the stronger countries and were getting independent. This theory is just an attempt to explain the economic under-development of the Third world nations by focusing on the development which can be done with a process which is determined by the societys internal features. Vincent Mosco points out: The Modernisation Theory was meant to reconstruct the international division of labour amalgamating the non-Western world into the emerging international structural hierarchy (1996: 121). Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Simmel and Tonnies and others came up with their own theories keeping in mind the dramatic changes in the European societies due to the modern world. There was an agreement between the theorists which was based on the political spectrum and all of them thought that the world had more than one possible meaning in the capacity to deliver fulfilment and happiness. Modernity was associated with enlightenment and was suppose to free the people from the control of another person or any legal or political restrictions. But modernity failed to deliver complete freedom. Modernisation includes economic scientific and technical development that is very closely related to the capitalist market. But Bermans, in his book All that is solid melts into air talks about the notion of self development. The main aim of his book is to explain that cultural condition of modernity stood still and lapsed during the twentieth century. He also aims to fix the serious problem which was closely linked to the possibilities of dangers along with the enthusiasts and enemies of the modern life which was found during the nineteenth century. (Berman, 1983) According to the Frankfurt School theorists the main issue of modernity was the injustices by the capitalist system or social intolerance by a bigot or of the ideology of possessive individualism (Tomlinson, 1991). Horkheimer and Adorno critiqued the modernisation theory by comparing it with the so called rational institutions. The main task of modernisation theory is to set people free, but the history and past politics show that this theory failed to do their task effectively (Tomlinson, 1991). According the Berman, people living in the twentieth century do not know how to live a modern life and missed of broken the connection between the culture and lives. He describes modernisation as a set of historical processes due to which the experience of modernity evolves. He claims that modernity is one of the most difficult, anxious and uncertain place to live, but ultimately it is the world where people live and people can master the cultures of the place where they live. At one point of time, he mentions about the Third World nations and discusses that the governments of those countries are trying to protect their people from modernisation which is being imposed by the West. He says that if the culture which is being imposed by the west is really not used by the Third World nations then will they consume so much energy? The governments of the Third world nations call the West as aliens. But they do not understand the fact that they are their own peoples energies, desires and cr itical spirit. When these governments say that they do not want the Western Countries to impose any kind of cultures in their nations, they are trying to say that, they have managed to keep the political and spiritual influence on the people. Also they do not realise that once the people become more aware of things going around them, modernist spirit will be one of the first things to be adapted by the people. The governments of the Third World Nations are fighting against each other in order to keep their tradition alive among the people, which had no result at the end. He also says that Third world governments think that they are being enforced upon by the western countries by accumulating a lot of capital or are being forced to break into parts. He suggests that people have to adapt to a place in which nothing can be taken for granted. Media is just one form of medium which helps to spread the experience of modernity. But according to another theorist, Peter Berger, 1974, modernisation is not a one way journey which rectifies human self understanding. He explains this concept with the help of a story of a visitor who visited the villages of Tanzania. People living in these villages belonged to different Tribes but are now living very co-operatively. This was one of the communities which were transferring from tradition to modernity. The visitor asked someone; whether they still practice their personal tribal dances. The answer was, yes, and it is done once or twice a year on any special occasion. He also added that this is done so that it becomes easy for the people to understand one another better. (Berger, 1974).It is clearly seen that there is a process of political-economic which is enforced upon the Third world nations as they are very closely connected with their traditions and colonialism which has become a history for the Western nations and still are in a position to dominate over the Thi rd world nations (Tomlinson, 1991). Castoriadis, 1985, mentions that the West will continue to conquer the world even if it was going to be destroyed materially (Castoriadis, 1985). So when Berman says that the Third World cultures need to be modernised, he means not just in terms of objective structures of the capitalist markets, urbanism, but also in terms of a narrative with a clear beginning keeping in mind the cultures of the west. His view of modernity means that it is full of forces like the dynamic and development forces which means that the Western cultures are being imposed on the Third world nations in order to modernise and develop their countries. But Castoriadis has a different opinion. He accepts individuals have their own priorities and have their personal institutional forces towards modernity. The kind of institutions we develop in order to become powerful does not come from external forces of humanity but it comes from within through the social imaginary (Tomlinson, 1991). Habermass view on modernity is completely different from that of Bermans. Habermas thinks that modernity is a way of making someone poor culturally, whereas Berman thinks that there are forces which drive people towards modernity (Tomlinson, 1991). Cultural Dependency Theory v/s Modernisation Theory: The gap between the ruling and the working class increased which combined with regular recession to create dissatisfaction among the working class (McPhail, 2009). In order to fight for their rights, working class started forming groups such as unions (McPhail, 2009). Stevenson criticised this theory by using the dependency literature which was notable for an absence of clear definitions of fundamental terms like imperialism and an almost total lack of empirical evidence to support the arguments (Stevenson, 1988: 38). A lot of other theorists argued that it did not consider the media form and the role played by the audience (Thussu, 2006). Those involved in a cultural studies approach to the analysis of international communication argued that, like other cultural artefacts, media texts could be polysemic and were amenable to different interpretations by audiences who were not merely passive consumers, but active participants in the process of negotiating meaning (Fiske, 1987, cited in Thussu, 2006: 49). It was also noticed by the theorists that cultural imperialism thesis did not consider issues as how global media texts worked in national contexts, ignoring local patterns of media consumption (Thussu, 2006: 49). Cultural Dependency theory also failed to explain the effects of the cultural products distributed by the US around the world. Also, cultural imperialism failed to give attention to the complexities of the Third World cultures and assumed a hypodermic-needle model (Sreberny-Mohammadi, 1991, 1997). It was also argued that western scholars did not have deep knowledge about the Third world cultures. They had extremely limited knowledge and not being aware of diversities such as race, gender, class, religion and ethnicity. Very few systematic studies have been conducted by the southern scholars on cultural and ideological effects on western media on the audiences of the south (Thussu, 2006).One of the major issues of this theory was that it did not consider the role of the national elites, especially elites living in the developing countries (Thussu, 2006). Modernisation Theory had promised to deliver the social and economic change which failed miserably (McPhail, 2009). Therefore, three other theories were developed which looked at the development communication which were totally different and directed in a different way, which were, Cultural imperialism, Participatory communication and Entertainment-Education Theory (McPhail, 2009). Social and cultural theory does not agree with the core of modernity. Also this theory was criticised to a great degree because of its ideological basis, lack of clarity and it is a subject which is ignorant to many and it fails to exercise good judgement. This theory ignores the external determinants of underdevelopment like the exploitation of the Third world countries when they were being ruled by the Western countries. This theory ignores these factors and assumes that the Third World nations are progressing independently and are becoming modern on their own. In order for the Third world nations to progress they needed help from the Western countries as there was a lot of poverty, inadequate resources, lack of social provisions and political instability in the Third world nations. Modernisation Theory ignores all the disapprovals and expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context which was addressed by the classical theorists (Tomlinson, 1991). In this theory, the traditional cultures, media habits, language, religion of the developing countries were not included, and were totally ridiculed and ignored (McPhail, 2009). One of the clear criticisms on this theory is that the American policy was to commit to free flow the information to the world and all the nations fell into the trap and gave immense support to this statement which was assumed to be true (McPhail, 2009). Scholars from the developing countries argued that the developing countries were not the beneficiaries of this theory, which was meant for them, but the western countries who created it were only getting benefitted out of this theory as it helped the companies to grow and establish in the Third world and could find their new consumers of their products (Thussu, 2009). A lot of people in the Third World remained poor and under developed, even after adapting themselves to modernisation theory and by the mid 70s, they started talking about the passing of the dominant paradigm (Rogers, 1976: 3).Slowly, when the US realised that the Southern nations are looking at them with suspicion, they stopped their free flow of information and became the one at the receiving end which at the end became a one way flow of information (McPhail, 2009). This matter was going to be brought up in the debate of the UNESCO in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but the US president, Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher withdrew from UNESCO in order to protest against NWICO. Different opinions resulted in creating two streams, one of which was the outline of cultural imperialism by Herbert Schiller and the NWICO debate and fallout. This resulted in making a particular culture homogenous, that is the American popular culture, which is been mass produced (McPhail, 2009). Due to these reasons, the theorists of modernisation theory realised that this theory needs to be redeveloped (Thussu, 2006). The revised modernisation theory gives greater notice to the local elites (Thussu, 2006). But even in the revised version, western technology remains important. According to Thussu, 2006, Modernisation requires advanced telecommunication and computer infrastructure, preferably through the efficient private corporations, thus integrating the South into a globalized information economy (Thussu, 2006: 46) Despite of all the criticism done on dependency theory, cultural imperialism thesis have been extremely influential in international communication (Tomlinson, 1991; Thompson, 1995). This particular thesis was extremely important and needed during the heated argument during the NWICO debates in UNESCO and other international fora in the 1970s (Thussu, 2006). While criticising this thesis, John Thompson, 1995, concluded that this research is probably the only systematic and moderately plausible attempt, to think about the globalisation of communication and its impact on the modern world (Thompson, 1995: 173). Theorists, who defend this theory, argued that the critics of this theory often take the notion which is totally not in reference to the theory and it is completely abstract (Mattelart and Mattelart, 1998). There were a lot of changes in the debate of international communication which reflected the language of privatisation and liberalisation in the 1990s, media and cultural dependency theories became less eminent but their relevance was very visible all around (Golding and Harris, 1997; Thussu, 1998; Hackett and Zhao, 2005 and Hamm and Smandych, 2005 cited in Thussu, 2006: 50) Boyd-Barrett rightly argues that media imperialism has not included variables, such as gender, media relations and ethnic issues, so it is still a very useful theory to understand of what he terms the colonisation of communication space (Boyd-Barrett. 1998: 157). References: 1. Amin, S. (1976) Accumulation on a world scale: a critique of the theory of underdevelopment. New York: Monthly Review Press. 2. Baran, P. (1957) The political economy of growth. New York: Monthly Review Press. 3. Berman. M (1983) All that is solid melts into air: the experience of modernity. London, verso, pp. 15 4. Boyd-Barrett, O. (1977) Media Imperialism: towards an international framework for the analysis of media systems. In J.Curran, M. Gurevitch and J. Woolacott (eds), Mass Communication and society. London: Edward Arnold. 5. Boyd-Barrett, O. (1998) Media imperialism which was developed again. In. D. Thussu (ed.), Electronic empires. London: Arnold. 6. Brandt Commission (1981) North-South: a programme for survival. The report of the Independent Commission on International Development Issues under the chairmanship of Willi Brandt, London: Pan Books. 7. Castoriadis, C. (1985) Reflections on rationality and development, thesis eleven, no. 10/11, pp. 21. 8. Golding, P. And Harris, P. (eds) (1997) The political economy of the media 2 vols, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar. 9. Gunder Frank, A. (1969) Capitalism and underdevelopment in Latin America. New York. Monthly Review Press. 10. Hackett, R. A and Zhao, Y. (eds) (2005) Democratizing global media: one world, many struggles. Lanham, MD: Rowman Littlefield. 11. Mattelart, A. (1979) Multinational corporations and the control of culture. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press. 12. Mattelart, A. and Mattelart, M. (1998) Theories of communication: a short introduction. London: Sage. 13. McPhail, T. (2009) Development Communication Reframing the role of the media. London. Blackwell Publishing. 14. Mosco, V. (1996) The political economy of communication: rethinking and renewal. London: Sage. 15. Berger, P. (1974) Pyramids of sacrifice, Harmondsworth, Allen lane, pp. 197-8 16. Rogers, E. (1976) Communication and DevelopmentL the passing of a dominant paradigm. Communication Research, 3. 17. Schiller, H. (1969) Mass Communication and American Empire. New York: Augustus M. Kelley.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Second revised and updated edition published by Westview Press in 1992. 18. Schiller, H. (1976) Communication and cultural domination. New York: International Arts and sciences press, 9. 19. Somavia, J. (1976) The Transnational Power Structure and International Information. Development Dialogue, 2:   16-17. 20. South Commission (1990) The challenge of South: the report of the South Commission. Geneva: the South Centre. 21. Sreberny-Mohammadi, A. (1991) The global and the local in international communication. In J. Curran and M. Gurevitch (eds), Mass Media and Society. London: Edward Arnold. 22. Sreberny-Mohammadi, A. (1997) The many cultural phases of imperialism. In P. Golding and P. Harris (eds), Beyond cultural imperialism. London: Sage. 23. Stevenson, R. (1988) Communication, development and the Third World: the global politics of information. London: Longman. 38. 24. Thussu, D. K (ed.) (1998) Electronic empires: global media and local resistance. London: Arnold. 25. Thussu, D. K (2006) International Communication- Continuity and Change (2nd Ed) Great Britain: Hodder Education. 26. Thussu, D. K (2006) Approaches to theorizing international communication. In: International Communication- Continuity and Change (2nd Ed) Great Britain: Hodder Education. Pp. 46. 27. Thussu, D. K (2006) Approaches to theorizing international communication. In: International Communication- Continuity and Change (2nd Ed) Great Britain: Hodder Education. Pp. 48-49. 28. Thussu, D. K (2006) Approaches to theorizing international communication. In: International Communication- Continuity and Change (2nd Ed) Great Britain: Hodder Education. Pp. 49. 29. Thussu, D. K (2006) Approaches to theorizing international communication. In: International Communication- Continuity and Change (2nd Ed) Great Britain: Hodder Education. Pp. 50. 30. Thompson, J. (1995) The media and modernity: a social theory of the media. Cambridge: Polity. 31. Tomlinson, J. (1991) Cultural Imperialism- a critical introduction. Great Britain. Pinter Publishers Ltd.

Senate Essay -- American History, The Confederation Congress

The Confederation Congress was plagued with problems, as the former colonies struggled to form a national identity. The lack of permanent physical location and united national government, led to problems of inaction, following the Revolutionary war. â€Å"Congress’s lack of power and frequent inability to act (often due to a lack of quorum or the need for a supermajority for certain decisions) demanded reform† (Wirls, p. 58). The founders agreed on the need for reform, opposing groups argued about the nature. Federalists argued for a strong national government, with few representatives, removed the day to day local political affairs. They desired a group of political elites, free to make decisions based on national interests. In order to promote an independent nature within the senate, Federalists advocated long terms, some advocating lifetime appointments. The anti-Federalists rejected the idea of permanent elite, instead promoting large numbers of repre sentatives, with small groups of political constituents. Rather than the crà ¨me de la crà ¨me of society, anti-Federalists envisioned a kaleidoscope; representatives would personally reflect the interests of constituents. During the final constitutional plan for the U.S. Senate, a compromise was reached; anti-Federalist views were incorporated through the equal apportionment and appointment by states, Federalists insured independence in the senate by instituting staggered six year terms. Compromise between the Federalist and anti-Federalist was reached through a series of decisions, in no small part assisted by the fact that those against strengthening the Federal government were not present, â€Å"the formidable talents who were opposed to the project of fortifying the... ...emate concerning the national congress. With the rights of small states protected through equal representation in the senate, the convention was able to move forward in forming a strong national government with responsibilities and rights separate from the states. Federalists were able to protect the independence of the senate, through staggered six year terms and more stringent eligibility requirements than those for the House of Representatives. The eventual formation of a separate national capital insured the both physically as well as psychologically desired independence of the senate and congress. The members of both sides present shared a mutual understanding of the need for a senate in a stronger national system. The decisions which lead to the compromise resulted in the creation of a senate which included both Federalist and anti-Federalist views.

Childrens Literature and the Holocaust Essay -- essays research papers

Children’s Literature and the Holocaust During the 1940’s Jewish Europeans experienced an unthinkable and atrocious collective trauma. In her work â€Å"Survivor-Parents and Their Children† taken from the anthology Generations of the Holocaust, Judith S. Kestenberg has argued that regardless of location, the effects of the Holocaust are felt on survivors parenting. The children of survivors receive a secondary traumatic impact by being forced to deal with the impact the Holocaust had directly on their parents. The novel Briar Rose by Jane Yolen is an example of a Holocaust survivor sharing her experiences through a fictionalized tale made for young adults. Some may believe that a traditional, educationally focused history source or a first hand account from a survivor is the best way to inform children about the Holocaust. It has been discovered through research of survivors and their families that first hand accounts passed down from parent to child are traumatizing. However, history books are ineffecti ve because people are turned into statistics, thereby trivializing the terror of the Holocaust. This essay argues that a fictional style of storytelling or literature is the best way to inform children and adolescents about the Holocaust. Witnessing is important, however, there is no educational value in traumatizing children; it is better to use literature that explains the Holocaust at a level children and young adults can handle. Milton Meltzer, author of Never forget: The Jews of the Holocaust discusses the importance of witnessing: â€Å"To forget what we know would not be human. To remember (it) is to think of what being human means. . . Indifference is the greatest sin. . . . It can be as powerful as an action. Not to do something against evil is to participate in the evil† (Sherman 173). Meltzer gives the straightforward conclusion that people must be educated about the Holocaust because to remain silent about it is just as bad as playing a role in persecuting Jews. This conclusion also gives the rationale for teaching children about the Holocaust. But more specifically, why else may witnessing be important and what are the drawbacks of witnessing? Despite the logic and seemingly usefulness of witnessing, it can be a traumatic experience fo... ...sues at a level young adults can relate to, the characters, although emotionally provoking, are distanced enough that the young readers are not traumatized. Works Cited Eskenazi, Joe. â€Å"Historian’s WWII Book Sanitizes History for Youth.† Jewish Bulletin. 105.50 (2001). Hirsch, Marianne. "Projected Memory: Holocaust photographs in Personal and Public Fantasy" Machet, M.P. â€Å"Authenticity in Holocaust Literature For Children.† South African Journal of Library & Information Science. 66.3 (1998): 114-22. Sherman, Ursula F. â€Å"Why Would A Child Want To Read About That? The Holocaust Period in Children’s Literature.† How Much Truth Do We Tell the Children?. Ed. Betty Bacon. Minneapolis: MEP Publications, 1988. 173-184. Walter, Virginia A., and Susan F. March. â€Å"Juvenile Picture Books About the Holocaust: Extending the Definitions of Children’s Literature.† Publishing Research Quarterly. 9.3 (1993): 36-52. Generations of the Holocaust. Ed. Martin S. Bergmann and Milton E. Jucovy. New York: Basic Books, Inc., Publishers, 1982. â€Å"The Holocaust In Fiction; Naming The Unnamable; Morality In Literature.† Chronicle of Higher Education. 48.19 (2002)

Antimicrobial Activity of Banana

The experience of human misery in the form of disease is perhaps as old as the inception of man on the earth. The history of medicine beyond record of human civilization is shrouded in the misery of obscurity; it almost touches the boundaries of mythology, both East and West alike. Several pharmacological industries have evaluated new era for the search of effective antibiotics throughout the world but on the other hand resistance to these an antibiotic by microorganisms has increased.The increasing failure of chemotherapeutics and antibiotic resistance exhibited by pathogenic microbial infectious agents has led to the screening of several medicinal plants for potential antimicrobial activity. They have a long evolution of resistance against microbial agents which has lead to alternative directions in drug development. The development of antibacterial agents derived from micro-organisms and chemotherapeutic agents from plants is a research area of the utmost importance. The present s tudy was designed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of banana (Musa sapientum Linn.)Blossom extract against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli). The appropriate extraction process with an outstanding antibacterial activity of the extract was the alcoholic extraction with 80% ethyl alcohol for 48 hours. The antimicrobial activities of the extract were evaluated using paper disc diffusion methods and assay plates. ?-sistosterol, 12- hydroxystrearic acid, palmitic acid and d-malic acid and tannic acid, the bioactive compounds isolated from Musa Sapientum Linn.can retain their inhibitory effect against bacterial growth in model media based on the inhibitory zone minimally. Contents Page Title Pagei Abstractii Table of Contentsiii I. Introduction1 II. Materials and Methods Flow Chart5 Preparation of Dried Samples6 Extraction of Fresh and Dried Banana Inflorescence6 Preparation of 0. 5 McFarland Standard7 Preparation of Nutrient Broth and 7 Adjustment of Turbidity Preparation of Assay Plates and Cotton-Swabbing7 Paper Disc Diffusion Method8 Reading the Assay Plates9 Analyzing the Results9 III. Results and Discussions10IV. Conclusions and Recommendations13 V. Acknowledgement14 VI. References15 VII. Appendices16 Introduction The experience of human misery in the form of disease is perhaps as old as the inception of man on the earth. The history of medicine beyond record of human civilization is shrouded in the misery of obscurity; it almost touches the boundaries of mythology, both East and West alike. Human or Animal sacrifices on altars of temples of god was a common practice even during the days when Indus, Nile, and Greek Civilizations were on their climax.Though these acts did not have any direct or otherwise bearing on the health of diseased or wounded, it had its own convincing or satisfying effects. In order to find remedy for illness and for providing relief to the wounded the man discovered its first res ort in plants. Several pharmacological industries have evaluated new era for the search of effective antibiotics throughout the world but on the other hand resistance to these an antibiotic by microorganisms has increased. It is known that microorganisms have the genetic ability to transmit and acquire resistance towards drugs.The increasing failure of chemotherapeutics and antibiotic resistance exhibited by pathogenic microbial infectious agents has led to the screening of several medicinal plants for potential antimicrobial activity. They have a long evolution of resistance against microbial agents which has lead to alternative directions in drug development. Most of green plants represent a reservoir of effective chemotherapeutants and can provide valuable sources of natural drugs, natural pesticides and bio-fertilizers.Therefore, extracts of plants and phytochemicals are getting more importance as they have the great potential sources for microbial and viral inhibitors during th e recent decade. Plant parts used for this purposes are bulb, gel, leaves, roots, barks, peels etc. Different class of plant family and their respective parts has been used to treat threat throughout human culture. Among the most ancient recorded uses of medicinal plants are those found in China and India, where historic approach to the treatment of human diseases is still practiced.Bananas are the fourth most important food crop in developing countries, after rice, wheat, and maize, with nearly 90% of the crops being grown for small-scale consumption and local trade. Banana plants are cultivated in more than 100 countries throughout the tropical and subtropical regions, occupying around 10 million hectares, with an annual fruit production of approximately 88 million metric tons. It possesses many curative properties and prevents many kinds of illnesses and conditions. Different parts of plant are used very 2frequently in different worship ceremonies by the Indians among them banana have many beneficial nutritional properties. They are a good source of vitamins C, B6, A, potassium, high content of carbohydrates and fiber, while they are low in protein. Several references have been reported for hot and cold extraction method of banana plant. Pharmacological investigations revealed that banana blossoms are screened for antidiarrhoeal activity (Rabbani et al. , 1999, 2001), antiulcerative activity (Pannangpetch et al. 2001; Goel and Sairam, 2002; Jain et al.2007), antimicrobial activity (Richter and Vore, 1989; Ahmad and Beg, 2001; Mokbel and Hashinaga, 2005; Alisi et al. , 2008; Fagbemi et al. , 2009; Mumtaz Jahan, 2010), Hypoglycemic activity (Ojewole and Adewunmi, 2003; Mallick et al. , 2006; Mallick et al. , 2007; Singh et al. , 2007); Hypocholesterolaemic activity (Vijayakumar et al. ,2009), antioxidant activity (Yin et al. , 2008), Diuretic activity (Jain et al. , 2007), Wound healing activity (Agarwal et al. 2009), Anti-allergic activity (Tewtrakul et al. , 2008), Antimalarial activity (Kaou et al. , 2008), Anti-snake venom activity (Borges et al.2005). Literature reviews indicated that banana fruits and flowers contain antibacterial principles and no reports available for antibacterial activities from corm of banana plants. 3 Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of active compounds like glycosides, tannins, saponnins, phenols, steroids and flavonoids in the M. sapientum flower ethanolic extract. It was revealed that tannins have the highest concentration value of 88. 31 mg/ 100 g. This is probably the reason why banana blossom has a good antimicrobial and antioxidative activity (Sumathy et al. , 2011). 4 Materials and MethodsThe procedure in conducting this research investigation consists of several steps. They are shown in the following methodology flowchart. Preparation of Plant Material Banana inflorescences were bought from the local market. The buds of the inflorescences were separated from the bracts, cleaned and sun -dried at under constant ventilation. Dried samples were diced finely. They were ready to be given at the Department of Science and Technology for extraction. Extraction of Fresh and Dried Banana Inflorescence The dried samples were weighed exactly 121. 57 grams in an Erlenmeyer flask.They were treated with sufficient 80% ethyl alcohol in order to completely submerge the sample. The Erlenmeyer flask was covered with the stopper and the soaked samples were homogenized for 24-48 hours. The soaked samples were filtered through Buchner funnel with gentle suction. The flask and the soaked sample were rinsed with fresh portions of alcohol. The washings and soaked samples were transferred to the funnel and the washings were combined with the first filtrate. Gentle suction was applied to complete the collection of the plant extract. The plant residue was discarded.The filtrate under vacuo at temperature below 50 °C to about 20 mL was concentrated. The concentrated extract was measured exa ctly 90 mL. It was then stored in a refrigerator at temperature 0 °C for further experimentation. 6 Preparation of 0. 5 McFarland Standard 0. 5 mL of 0. 048 M Barium chloride (BaCl2) (1. 175%w/v BaCl2 †¢ 2H2O) to 99. 5 mL of 0. 36 N Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) was mixed. 5 mL of solution was distributed into screw-cap tubes of the same dimension as those to be used in preparing the culture suspension. Screw-cap tubes were tightly sealed and stored in the dark at room temperature.Preparation of Nutrient Broth and Adjustment of Turbidity of the Inoculum The preparation of 1000 mL solution was prepared according to the indicated label. A loopful of bacteria, gram positive or gram negative, from the culture was taken and inoculated in 50 mL nutrient broth. The culture broth was incubated for 18-24 hours at 35 °C. The culture broth for turbidity was observed. 5 mL of the culture broth was aseptically transferred in the sterile screw-capped tubes. The bacterial suspension was agitated on a vortex mixer and was immediately compared against the 0. 5 McFarland standard prepared.Preparation of Assay Plates and Cotton-Swabbing The assay plates were prepared depending on the number of test organism and replications required. Approximately 15 mL of 7 melted nutrient agar was poured into dry and sterile petri dishes and let the medium solidify. A sterile cotton swab was moistened into the inoculum suspension. It was used with wooden applicator handles. The sterile cotton swab was dipped into a suspension of the inoculum. The moistened swab was pressed and rotated firmly against the wall of the tube just above the fluid level to remove the excess liquid.The inoculum was swabbed aseptically into a solidified nutrient agar by streaking the swab over the entire surface of the agar plate three times. The plate was rotated 60 degrees after each application to ensure an even distribution of the inoculum on the surface of the medium and then the swabbed plates were stood for 5 m inutes. Paper Disc Diffusion Method One paper disc was picked out using the forceps and immersed into the plant extract. The moistened filter disc was laid gently on the seeded agar plate. The disc was tapped gently with forceps to ensure maximum full contact of the disc with the agar medium.The inverted plates were then incubated. 8 Reading the Assay Plates The discs were observed and a halo was formed. This is the sign of the zone of inhibition. The plates were inverted and measured using the ruler for each inhibition zone in millimeters. Analyzing the Results 19 mm may also be expressed as very active. 9 Results and Discussion Table 1. 1 shows the zone of inhibition in millimeters and the parameter Parameter Zone of Inhibition (mm) Staphylococcus aureus Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average Rommel Joshua 22 25 24 24 Escherichia coli Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 AverageCarlo Allison 25 25 21 24 The result obtained in the antibacterial activity obviously indicated that the ethanolic extract s howed its antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. ?-sistosterol, 12- hydroxystrearic acid, palmitic acid and d-malic acid and tannic acid were bioactive compounds isolated from Musa Sapientum Linn. The zone of inhibition was more than 19 millimeters in diameter which means it is very active. According to this investigation, it could be indicated that antimicrobial activity of the ethanolic extract of Musa sapientum L.is due to the present of those bioactive compounds. Graph 1. 1 shows the zone of inhibition of E. coli 11 Graph 1. 2 shows the zone of inhibition of S. Aureus 12 Conclusions and Recommendation Based on the findings of the study, the researchers’ arrived at a conclusion: The appropriate extraction process with an outstanding antibacterial activity of the extract was the alcoholic extraction with 80% ethyl alcohol for 48 hours. The ethanol showed an antibacterial activity against the tested microorganisms. The study show that the natural antimicrobial compounds of Musa sapientum Linn.can retain their inhibitory effect against bacterial growth in model media based on the inhibitory zone. But, there is no significant difference of the banana blossom in inhibiting the growth of S. aureus and E. coli. Based on the conclusion drawn, the following recommendations are given: The researchers’ would like to recommend further analysis on the other parts of the banana plant that can display an antibacterial activity. 13 Acknowledgement Foremost to God Almighty, the greatest author of all times, for His guidance and blessings who gave the researcher the strength and determination to finish this piece of work. Mrs. Letecia S.Villanueva, our chemistry teacher, for her moral support and encouragement as well as his utmost understanding and consideration which led to the realization of this study; the SRC committee, chaired by Mrs. Julieta N. Garcia with members: Mr. Elmer F. Conde, Mr. Bernabe L. Linog and Mrs. Mari e Lou S. Paler for their constructive comments, relevant suggestions and valuable input and for their understanding which greatly and surely pushed the researchers towards the accomplishment of the study; the DOST personnel for their tools and equipments in experimenting the study which surely gave the results of the study accurately; and to Mr.Edmund Mendoza for the statistical analysis which helped to conclude the study. To the researchers’ parents, Mrs. Marlita B. Ongtico, Mr. and Mrs. Roman O. Oronan, and Mr. and Mrs. Agra, classmates, parents and friends, and all those who, in one way or another, helped in financing, realization of the study and encouragement, never ending support and knowledge of the study.