War and Peace Essay: The Importance of Sonya -- War Peace

The Importance of Sonya in War and Peace Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace speculates deeply about history, religious life and human brotherhood. Most readers focus on the characters of Natasha, Prince Andrew, and Pierre. Another character named Sonya, who is an orphaned cousin, is staying with the Rostov family. Sonya is overshadowed by the other characters, however, she is vital to the rounding out of the other characters in the novel. The people she loves most take her life of commitment and sacrifice for granted. The reader is thus also inclined to give little emphasis to her role in their lives and in the novel as a whole. As someone who has essentially nothing, Sonya is willing to give everything she has to those she loves. She gives of herself willingly and thanklessly. This life of sacrifice truly embodies Sonya's generous character. This genuine nature of her character allows her to reveal so much about those with whom she interacts throughout the novel. With Sonya's seeming "simplicity" in the background, Tolstoy fully develops the characters of Natasha and Nicholas. He uses Sonya as a contrast for his heroine, Natasha, and also as a chart of growth for Natasha's brother, Nicholas. Tolstoy even uses Sonya as a contrast to Princess Mary. Here, if one looks deeper, one will find that there is very little contrast at all between the two women. Most importantly, Sonya is an illustration of society's effects on a poor selfless young girl who puts her needs below those of all others. Tolstoy employs Sonya's character in a variety of situations. Without Sonya, a great deal of his novel's depth and richness would be lost. Sonya is first introduced as Count Rostov's fifteen-year-old niece who ... ... all. Just as the characters in the novel never really appreciate all that Sonya does for them, the reader puts very little emphasis on all that Sonya does to enhance the entire novel. Sonya serves as a truly reflective mirror to Natasha who "never needed to sacrifice herself, but made others sacrifice themselves for her and yet was beloved by everybody"(903). Sonya's presence also helps the growth of Nicholas and reveals a great deal about the society in which she lives. The importance of Sonya's character to War and Peace is immense, yet overshadowed by characters deemed more "important" than she. Sonya tends to be put in the background of this novel as she is put in the background of the lives of those whom she loves. Without her Leo Tolstoy's novel would greatly diminished. Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace, Book of the Month Club, Inc., New York.

British Policy of Appeasement at the Beginning of World War Two Essay

British Policy of Appeasement at the Beginning of World War Two The First World War was the beginning of a new era in fighting. Weapons and fighting technique had drastically changed, making war much more dangerous. With the predictions for the new weapons including poisonous gas and bigger bombs, Great Britain was very much afraid for its citizens, especially men and women of fighting age. The country wished to avoid war at any cost. The choices of Neville Chamberlain and The Parliament favoring appeasement affected the decisions of other European leaders, such as French Premier Daladier, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and Winston Churchill, and those choices helped Britain enter the war. Many believe that with the Treaty of Versailles at the end of World War One, the prelude to World War Two was put in motion. At the time many Europeans, who were still hurting from the war, were not concerned that the restrictions put upon Germany were too stringent. But it gave Germans a reason to elect Hitler to the Chancellorship of Germany in 1933. While Britain tried to ignore the new leader of Germany, they could not ignore him any longer when the Saar Basin voted to return to Germany. As part of its World War I repatriations, the Saar Basin had been given to France because of the territory’s natural resources and such.1 Since Germany had now violated the Treaty of Versailles, Britain, France, and Italy gathered at Strea in Italy to discuss a course of action. Britain and France’s main concern was to keep Italy in opposition to the Germans. When Italy decided to attack Ethiopia, Britain was torn between avoiding war or endorsing the unprovoked attack. They left it up to the League of Nations to make the decision. In this deci... ...Lilly, David. (1994). British Reaction to the Munich Crisis, 1. 6. Rempel, Professor Gerhard. (1999). The Nazi-Soviet Pact. Available: http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/hitler/lectures/nazisoviet.html [Mar. 4, 2000], 1. 7. Paul, James. (1998). Britain in World War Two. 8. Lilly, David. (1994). British Reaction to the Munich Crisis, 1. 9. John L. Snell, Problems in European Civilization: The Outbreak of the Second World War, (Boston: D.C. Heath and Company, 1962), 6. 10. Rempel, Professor Gerhard. (1999). The Nazi-Soviet Pact, 2. 11. John L. Snell, Problems in European Civilization: The Outbreak of the Second World War, 6-7. 12. Rempel, Professor Gerhard. (1999). The Nazi-Soviet Pact, 3. 13. John L. Snell, Problems in European Civilization: The Outbreak of the Second World War, 9.

Yellow Ribbon Project

PR Assignment 1 Background Sheet: Generating Yellow Ribbon Project Campaign Awareness 1. About the Organization: Singapore Prison Services Singapore Prison Services (SPS) is a division of the Singapore Police Force that concentrates on the care and rehabilitation of prisoners who have committed social or criminal offences. The organization does not merely concentrate on housing and providing guidance for inmates while they are in remand, it is also dedicated to ensure that no repeat offences ensue. Thus, a major portion of their efforts also concentrate on providing inmates with basic employment skills in hopes of preventing past criminal behaviour from surfacing upon their release into society. This indicates that the SPS provides preventive and after-care measures to maintain former prison inmates compliance with the law as much as possible. (Source: http://www. prisons. gov. sg/about_us. html) 2. About the PR Situation In 2005, SPS services realized that former inmates released into society faced social stigma in the form of negative public opinions of being ex-offenders and are often denied employment or rejected by society. Such public opinions are harmful and repressive. Seitel (1998, pp50) describes Public Opinion as the aggregate of many individual opinions on a particular issue that affects a group of people by forming consensus or popular attitudes and thoughts. The role of the PR practitioner then is to positively influence an individual’s attitude. As seen in the above definition, public opinions represent popular thoughts that can prove an inmate’s re-integration into society a daunting task. Without the means of finding acceptance or a proper means of living, many relapse back into a life of crime, a paradox that can be resolved through a public relations campaign that aims to educate and seek acceptance. As such, the Yellow Ribbon Project as a public relations campaign in a long-term program that sought to change public perceptions of ex-offenders was launched in order to deliver a second chance. In this situation, the SPS has been providing culinary training to a group of inmates in conjunction with Raffles Hotel (Singapore) that has culminated in a cooking competition. A renowned chef has been at helm in training them and he has marvelled at their ability to pick up skills in a short time. The newsworthiness of this initiative begins with prison inmates partaking in a grand cooking competition not unlike the Iron Chef series. Thus, a Media release highlighting the background of the cooking competition and a feature article in the form of a personality profile written by an SPS Public Relations Executive will be provided for the purposes of fulfilling this assignment. 3. Reasons for Using PR Communication: 3. 1 Media Release: It is deemed that to generate positive publicity and awareness of the ‘bizarre’ cooking competition in conjunction with this year’s Yellow Ribbon Project (YRP), a media release will be sent to newspaper editors in Singapore in hope that the story will be printed and generate interest and positive awareness. A media release has been described by Seitel (1998, pp175) as a document of record to state an organization’s official position or to influence a publication to write favourably about the material discussed and stimulate editors to cover a story. As readers tend to perceive news articles with more credibility, it is hoped that the use of a media release information transformed into a news article will fulfil the communicative objectives of the YRP better in terms of reach and credibility than using an advertisement or provision of information on the organization’s website. 3. Feature Article-Personality Profile: For the second communication tool, a personality profile of a former prison inmate who has found moderate success as a food hawker will be written by an SPS Public Affairs executive and published in a local Singapore Newspaper, The Straits Times special edition that covers the YRP in October. In addition, the personality profile will also be posted on the SPS we bsite for maximum coverage. A feature article has been described by Seitel (1998, pp203) as articles found in magazines or newspapers that are the opposite of hard news items, often light, humorous or enlightening. In this scenario, the feature article is utilized to disseminate less newsworthy (there is less news-worth in a story about a former convict turned cook) information in more subtle ways to break misconceptions that ex-offenders, like leopards, never change spots. The feature article is thus useful when less important information needs to be conveyed to the publics of a PR campaign that nevertheless, represents a supporting communication device in meeting campaign objectives. References: Seitel, FP, 1998, The Practice of Public Relations, 7th edn, Prentice-Hall, NY, USA. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (LOGO) INMATES SHOWCASE CULINARY TALENT AT FIRST-EVER YELLOW RIBBON COOKING COMPETITION Singapore, September 9, 2010 – Twelve inmates pit their culinary skills against one another in the Yellow Ribbon Cooking Competition held in Changi Prison Cluster A today. This milestone activity is the first in a series of Yellow Ribbon Project activities in 2007, organised by the Community Action for the Rehabilitation of Ex-Offenders (CARE) Network. The cooking competition was jointly organised by Raffles Hotel. Chef de Cuisine Jean-Charles Dubois from the hotel’s French fine-dining restaurant Raffles Grill was one of the judges at today’s finals and was also heavily involved in preparing the inmates for the competition. This cooking competition simulates the kitchen environment and challenges faced by professional chefs. Participants were required to produce an original Western-style dish within a strict three-hour limit using predetermined ingredients and equipment. The participants showed promise and a genuine eagerness to learn, and this experience has been rewarding as I have been able to see the improvements they have been able to make,† said Chef Dubois. To prepare participants for the competition, Chef Dubois visited the institutions five times and provided video instruction to introduce the ingredients and cooking methods to the inmates. â€Å"The participation of inmates in this competition further reaffirms their determination to contribute to their families and society. We’re proud to have our inmates’ creation featured at the prestigious Raffles Hotel. Chef Dubois’ contribution to our inmates also shows that the community is willing to take the lead in helping inmates in their rehabilitation and reintegration,† said Mr. Desmond Chin, Chairman, Yellow Ribbon Project Organising Committee. Winning recipes will also be recreated at a special reunion lunch, A Tribute of Love, to be held in three days’ time for winners and their family members. Raffles Hotel will also feature the best dish on a Raffles menu, making it available to her patrons and guests. *ENDS* About Yellow Ribbon Project The Yellow Ribbon Project is a nation-wide campaign to raise the awareness of Singaporeans about the need of inmates, ex-offenders and their families for societal acceptance. For more information, please contact: Jale Byrd, Executive Public Affairs Branch, Singapore Prison Service Telephone: 6565-6565 Email: [email  protected] gov. sg From The Fire Into The Frying Pan By Jale Byrd The bang and clatter you hear when you step into the hawker centre at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 is undeniably a dragon’s roar. Rueburn Liang’s Chia Song Fried Kway Teow stall, which he has operated for the past 13 years, is synonymous with good food. It is also the most prolific stall at the busy food centre. The setup comes complete with a portable television and loud speakers that broadcast the latest soccer and professional wrestling matches. â€Å"Frying a good plate of Char Kway Teow is an art. I bang loudly on the edge of my wok to attract customers to my stall. The TV keeps them entertained,† booms Rueburn, as he gesticulates with his charred spatula. Loud, vociferous and a former Ang Soon Tong (a Secret Society in Singapore) enforcer, you will be inclined to agree. Rueburn is a karate expert plastered with tattoos of flaming dragons over his massive frame, which are made conspicuous with his well-greased white singlet. The missing last finger on his right hand makes the man’s dark, pockmarked face even more intimidating. But lest you get alarmed, Rueburn’s lashings are taken out on his trusty wok, where he conjures mouth-watering plates of delicious, spicy and sinful Char Kway Teow. â€Å"I had to chop off my last finger as a ‘settlement’ for leaving the society in 1987, and a $800 Ang Pow (a red packet containing money, is seen as an auspicious sign by the Chinese),† he reveals without a hint of regret. Otherwise, ‘they’ will never leave me alone. Now, those days are over. Luckily, some of those people respect me, never really give me trouble. † (A secret society member has to sever a finger to maintain his code of honour and pay an ‘exit fee’ to leave the underground organizati on without fear of repercussions) With all his dubious activities, an inevitable brush with the law saw Rueburn put behind bars for nine months. Rueburn broke the arm, skull and penis of a credit defaulter in a savage fight. The bone-breaking experience threw him into the ‘fire’ of Queenstown gaol, a humbling experience for the former gangster. I really got burnt by the prison ‘fire’. We were made to kneel and live in a mini-hell. Sipeh Chor leh (Really Tough) Outside, I was a ‘terror’, but the others were hardened criminals and I seemed like a sissy compared to them. I didn’t want to spend my life strolling in and out of jail. Sio jit pai kow liow! (Getting burnt once was enough) I decided it was good for me to leave the society and turn to a decent living. I was right,† says Rueburn with hindsight. (The criminal slang for serving time in prison is ‘tio her sio’ or getting burnt by fire) Rueburn, who only completed pr imary education, was at a loss. The only decent job he was good at was cooking. His vocation as a military cook in the Singapore Armed Forces during his national service in 1983 cemented his culinary passion and served him in good stead. At the encouragement of his then girlfriend Fion (now Mrs Liang) and some savings, he successfully bid for a hawker stall and set up Chia Song in 1988. However, he learnt to perfect his Kway Teow frying skills only much later. â€Å"Not easy to fry a good plate. True, it looks easy but I had to experiment many times before I was satisfied†¦now, I think I am getting there,† Rueburn says modestly. Getting there? It’s very good already! One of the best in Singapore! † quips Elson Boey, a retired civil servant. â€Å"There is always a long queue during lunch time. I think his secret is in the intensity of his fire. † Hard work as it seems, Chia Song is a labour of love. The couple dedicates 12 hours a day amidst unforgiving flames to create a uniquely Si ngaporean masterpiece. â€Å"The fire must always be strong and the leow (ingredients) must be fresh! Timing is also very important, as you do not want to overcook the dish. Bah You (pork lard) must be used liberally, as it gives that special taste. You only live once ah, so live it good! No need to be so healthy one. † Indeed, words of culinary and hedonistic wisdom. It is lunchtime and an almost scandalous crowd forms. A haze of smoke clouds the sizzling sound of stir-fried garlic as they simmer in a pool of aromatic lard. Chee Seng furiously stirs in his noodles and kway teow into a heated wok smoldering under a furious fire. Within moments, arrays of delicious condiments are thrown into the fray, soaking in the thick flavour. When the rich smell of caramelized sweet sauce wafts under your nostrils, Rueburn has served another satisfied customer. A stolen glance around the hawker centre reveals an assortment of harried but happy workers haphazardly sliding tantilising morsels of Fried Kway Teow down their throats. Echoing Elson’s sentiments is Rachel Tua Kang, an auditor who works nearby. â€Å"Simply fantabulous! My diets never take off, this temptation is too much! † When told, Rueburn Liang brushes off his accolades as if they were burnt garlic bits on his flaming wok, his reddened face warms up into a big grin as he takes another drag of his Marlboro cigarettes. Ying siu nia,† (they are just entertaining me) he jokingly retorts. It is closing time for the busy hawker and he takes a well-earned respite from the day’s backbreaking battle with his wok and emerges at the end of the day with a rosy complexion, no doubt made pink by the tremendous temperatures he has to endure. As Mrs. Liang cleans up the slobber knocker of a hawker stall, Rueburn takes delight in a leisurely smoke. Rightfully, he see ks solace in his daily bottle of bitter-cold ABC stout. Gleefully, he chugs down a glass of the icy brew. Ha ha, these days I only fight with my wok. My life could have turned out much worse! There is no fear of getting burnt now. † As he breaks into another cheerful smile, he bursts into a self-indulgent laughter, as if to remind himself of his good fortune. It is lunchtime again, and Rueburn busies himself over a brilliant hot wok. You might think a fire-breathing dragon was fueling the fire, as the flames turn to a ferocious blue fireball. However, the dragon is above the stove, controlling the fire. He has made the transaction of jumping from the fire into the frying pan.

Skydive Chicago Is One of the United States

a Advantage: * Skydive Chicago is one of the United States’ premier skydiving resorts, serving skydivers ranging in skills from first time jumpers to internationally competitive freefly teams. * Jumpmasters video their student’s jumps. * Students use the feedback these videos provide to identify mistakes. * (student)They often copy their videos onto a personal tape for future reference. * Jumpmasters may also copy well-executed student skydives to the facility’s tape library. Disadvantage: Only in Chicago-Each student in Skydive Chicago’s training program makes a series of progressive training jumps under the direct supervision of a United State Parachute Association Jumper. * Limited -The training program gears each jump toward teaching one or two new skills. * Protection of advantage – All students are given access to the drop zone’s training room and are encouraged to watch video clips in preparation for their next training jump. This step saves jumpmasters, who are paid per jump, considerable time.Jumpmasters also use these videos to evaluate their training method’s effectiveness. – not a good rule to measure.. information system Skydive Chicago’s information system, â€Å"a set of interrelated components, with a clearly defined boundary, working together to achieve a common set of objectives† (INF 620 24), provides several benefits the skydiving student and the company its. Skydive Chicago’s information system assist the skydiving student by allowing the review of his or jump independently, in a flexible interruption and audience free environment.Skydive Chicago’s information system enhances the company itself by enabling the jumpmasters to have more time in their paid capacity, provide examples of ideal jumps, and allows students to separately hone his or her newly acquired skills. Skydive Chicago’s information system allows the supervising jumpmaster, a United Stat e Parachute Association Jumper, to record each of the progressive training jumps of each training program student. The feature allows the students to use the feedback of the provided videos to identify mistakes and independently improve of errors.This component of Skydive Chicago’s information system allows the student to work at his own pace to resolve an identifying issue. This element lets the student progress at a comfortable pace and work on the next flaw after he or she is comfortable with the previous issue. Also, by providing the recorded jumps Skydive Chicago’s information system allows students to review and work on their issues in an interruption-free environment. Students often copy their videos onto a personal tape for future reference; therefore students can also review these tapes away from Skydive Chicago.Having their own copy the jump grants the student the flexibility to review the tapes as they wish including but not limited to home, work, or even th e library. With the ability review the tapes in a distraction free location at their own discretion would assist in the student jumper increasing his skill quicker. By having the ability to review the tapes of their jumps with an audience would assist the student jumpers in subduing his or her insecurities and working on jump issue they are embarrassed of in public.For example, if the jumper had an extreme case of anxiety, he or she can work on relaxing and controlling their breathing for the next jump. Skydive Chicago’s information system the company itself by enabling the jumpmasters to have more time for jumps. The jumpmasters are only paid for the jumps the students perform. By having to provide less instruction to a student, the jumpmaster has more time to participate in jumps; therefore the jumpmaster is working for free when he or she provides instructions and guidance to the student jumper they are working for free.Given that providing instructions and lectures typica lly consume more time then performing an activity the earnings’ rate of the jumper masters are decrease when they are not jumping. Having the Jumpmasters provide tapes well-executed student skydives to the facility’s tape library provides examples of ideal jumps to student and assist as tool to provide a visual effect for a student that does not understand the finding of an issue by a jumpmaster.Also by providing all students access to the drop zone’s training room and are encouraged to watch video clips in preparation for their next training jump. This function also the jumper master to delegate the partial ownership of the ensuring the student is prepared for their next jump to the actual student without leaving the student without anytime of direction. both , provide examples of ideal jumps, and allows students to separately hone his or her newly acquired skills. student in the perform a series of under the direct supervision of Skydive Chicago’sSkydiv e Chicago’s information system the company itself by enabling the jumpmasters to have more time for jumps, provide examples of ideal jumps, and allows students to separately hone his or her newly acquired skills. * Jumpmasters may also copy well-executed student skydives to the facility’s tape library. allowing independent reviewing, interruption-free environment, audience free development. unique challenges to performing any type of deed is the potential lack of an immediate audience, as it is often noted that communication cannot even occur without an audience. ery important to be clear on your instructor’s expectations Location: Determine a location that will allow for an ideal be both inviting and free of distractions support – Place the camera, ideally Remember that you always want yourself to be fully within the frame of the shot, close enough that your facial expressions and any visuals you might use can be easily identified and comprehended but no t so close that you overpower the frame (i. e. you are the only thing in it). Also, it is best if you can have someone film you so that they can make sure that these conditions exist du Leave time at beginning and end.INF 620. McGraw-Hill Create. . a. How can this information system benefit the skydiving student? b. How can this information system benefit Skydive Chicago? c. Draw an Information Systems Model (Figure 1. 19). Fill in your diagram with the information about people, hardware, software, and other resources from this exercise. Be sure that you prepare your Information Systems Model in a software application or tool that can be integrated fully into your MS Word document and delivered to the instructor.Clearly drawn illustrations that are scanned and submitted in . pdf are acceptable along with an MS Word document explaining and supporting parts a and b. Be sure to label your files clearly. Document all sources. a. How can this information system benefit the skydiving stud ent? b. How can this information system benefit Skydive Chicago? c. Draw an Information Systems Model (Figure 1. 19). Fill in your diagram with the information about people, hardware, software, and other resources from this exercise.

Extremism: Political Philosophy and International Political Issues Essay

MANY counterterrorism and security experts believe that extremism and terrorism have a cause and effect relation. If this were true, it would be almost impossible for Pakistan to tackle the issues of terrorism and militancy without effectively responding to growing extremism and radicalism in the country. Countering extremism and extremist ideologies is an important component of the current debate on internal security and counterterrorism. Though extremism has yet to be defined in Pakistan at least there is a consensus in the country that terrorism is a major issue and needs to be addressed on a priority basis. On the other hand, the realm of extremism is very broad, and different segments of society hold diverse views regarding the phenomenon. Let us first take a look at the different views on extremism that are prevalent in the country and then examine the question of breaking its links with terrorism. Extremism is defined in Pakistan in a number of ways, and is used mainly in the political, religious, and social contexts. Political scientists consider it a political phenomenon, triggered by inequality, socio-economic injustices and state policies. In 2008-9, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, an Islamabad-based research group, consulted several experts in the fields of political science, international relations, faith studies, science, media and human rights. Their opinion was sought through detailed discussions and a survey on issues of terrorism and extremism. Out of 16 experts, 11 agreed that extremism was a political phenomenon; only three looked at extremism in the light of an ideological struggle, whereas two experts linked extremism to the misinterpretation of religion. The experts also differed on what they considered to be the reasons behind extremism. Most of the respondents pointed out political, social and economic disparities as the main causes of extremism. A similar study that was conducted by the institute in 2009 to collect the views of teachers in madressahs showed that the majority of clerics and madressah teachers believed that extremism was a political issue. However, the respondents believed that regional and international political issues were more important. A large number of madressah teachers also thought that extremism in the country could only be countered if Pakistan distanced itself from the US-led war on terror. Very few discussed the religious and ideological aspects of extremism. They considered Talibanisation to be an outcome of state polices, and the state’s failure to enforce Islamic law in the country. The teachers also expressed concern over the ‘Westernisation’ of Pakistani society. Such narratives are also reflected in public opinion, and policymakers follow the same discourse. Even the debate in the right-wing media reflects the same approach. The opinions of those that are among the first targets of extremism are of obvious significance. Public opinion is shaped by the media as well as by religious and political leaders. It ultimately influences the political trends that a society is witnessing. But signs of confusion are discernible in public opinion with regard to extremist and violent groups. Another survey conducted by the institute to map the political behaviour of the masses revealed that though more than 56pc of Pakistanis acknowledge the services of religious scholars for Islam, over 53pc oppose a political role for the scholars. Public opinion considers the provision of justice and basic necessities as crucial to the exercise of countering extremism. Interestingly, marginalised segments of society including religious, sectarian and cultural minorities, women and those associated with the creative arts appear to hold a different view of extremism. According to the survey, they unanimously defined extremism as imbalanced ideological attitudes — attitudes that were conceived in a state of mind where an individual regards himself as superior to others and acts as an inquisitor. They classified the causes behind extremism as falling under three main categories: the misinterpretation of religion, political, economic and social inequalities and the lack of rational and logical behaviour. Such divergent perceptions on extremism are not surprising as the Taliban in the tribal areas, the Malakand region and adjacent parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa first targeted women, confining them to their homes and banning their entry in markets. Girls’ schools, Sufi shrines, cultural heritage sites and music shops have been torched and bombed. Violent activities and threats by the Taliban brought cultural activities and creative expressions, such as painting and poetry, to a halt in the affected areas. Each segment of Pakistani society has its own viewpoint on extremism and on how to counter it. The prevalence of diverse and often conflicting viewpoints makes it almost impossible for society to generate a collective response to issues of extremism and terrorism. Whereas the intellectuals lay more emphasis on ideological and empirical aspects when it comes to countering extremism, social experts and religious scholars vehemently assert that that is not an effective solution. More comprehensive studies and analyses may yield a clearer answer, but can the state afford to prioritise any particular set of causes said to be responsible for extremism and terrorism? Can the rationalisation of certain ideological, political and socio-cultural thinking patterns provide a quick fix for terrorism? Especially when views on extremism and also terrorism are paradoxical? At the same time, adjusting counter-extremism goals in the narrow operational framework of counterterrorism is an uphill task. Western counterterrorism frameworks cannot help Pakistan. In these frameworks, extremism and terrorism are not separated and a single policy is followed to deal with both challenges. The reason is that the challenge of terrorism in the West mainly originates from parallel societies of immigrant communities there. Adopting such an approach here would be devastating, as terrorism is not a community-oriented phenomenon in Pakistan. The government has to focus on countering terrorism to bring down the level of violence in the country. Until violence in the country is not reduced, both state and society will continue to suffer from the chicken and egg syndrome.

Gender Discrimination in Media Essay

Abstract This study examines women’s participation and representation in media. This study is based on the statistics of media units in Solapur city. Women constitute nearly 50% of population in every Indian city, but the participation of women in media is very low. Discussions of women’s representation in the media tend to revolve around the focus on physical beauty to the near-exclusion of other values. It is observed that media content about women issues is biased and gender discrimination is clearly visible .This study also suggests the ways to increase the women participation in media and the ways to rational representation of women in media. Introduction: Women constitute nearly 50% of population in India. Our social system boasts that it has given mother goddess status to women since the ancient period. But in reality society builds psychological barriers around women. This male dominated society imposed so many bindings against women. Therefore role of women was confined only to the kitchen and kids for many years. Social movement started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Maharshi Karve and other social activists opened doors for women’s education. Women have benefited greatly as education provided information to them about their rights and their equal status in the society. In spite of these efforts and the 65 year long journey since India’s independence , our nation is lagging behind in many basic things. World Economic Forum conducted a study to measure gender gap. The Global Gender Gap Index examines the gap between men and women in four fundamental categories: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. According to this Gender Gap Report-2011, India is included among the 20 countries, where the gender gap is widest. It holds 113th position among 134 countries in the world. This report explains that â€Å"India and Pakistan perform above average on the political empowerment of women, particularly India, but they lag behind in the other three categories. In particular, the persistent health, education and economic participation gaps will be detrimental to India’s growth. India is the lowest ranked of the BRICK economies† (http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2011.pdf) After India’s independence Women’s role in society has undergone seismic changes, which has been reflected in every walk of life. Women stepped out of four walls and succeeded in each and every field. Now women are working as pilots, soldiers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, politicians and proving their mettle in all fields. But it is ground reality that basic structure of male dominated society and roles and presumptions about women’s worlds remain the same. Still the life of majority of women in India remains unchanged. . The women who got benefited through education and succeeded to grab a job have to destine to face male supremacy. Gender discrimination is visible at every moment. Decision- making positions are not accessible for women. Many times working women have to face humiliation. Scenario in the field of media Scenario in the field of media also does not differ from it. Media Still remains as men’s world and this is global phenomena. According to the research conducted by International Women’s Media Foundation( IWMF ) 73% of the top management jobs are occupied by men compared to 27% occupied by women,Among the rank of reports , men hold nearl y two thirds of the jobs, compared to 36% held by women. These findings were collected by more than 150 researchers who interviewed executives at more than 500 companies in 59 nations. (http://iwmf.org/pioneering-change/global-research-on-women-in-the-news-media/global-report-online-version.aspx) According to this report statistics of women’s participation in Indian media is 13. 8 % ( e.g. Chief Executive Officer ) at top management , 23.3 % ( e.g. News Directors) in senior management ,18.3% ( Chief Correspondent ) in middle management and 25.5 % ( Reportes, Sub-editors ) at junior professional level . This report reveals that women’s participation in Indian media is very low and gender discrimination is the only reason behind this. Media sector in India is very strong and particularly India ranks second in circulation of newspaper copies in the world. â€Å"The new figures show that the four largest markets for newspapers are: China with 107 million copies daily; India, with 99 million copies daily; Japan with 69 million copies daily; and the United States, with nearly 51 million.† 1 Marathi newspapers in Maharashtra are also enjoying better position. Two Marathi newspapers Lokmat and Sakal are placed among India’s top 10 largest circulated regional dailies in the IRS first quarterly report 2012 . Lokmat is at second position and Sakal is at tenth position in this list. (http://mruc.net/irs2012q1-topline-findings.pdf) â€Å" Women participation in Indian media is negligible. Though a few women were appointed by the media many were not given big responsibilities. The media should be more responsible when it comes to reporting of women’s issues.† 2 This picture is same in Mahashtra state. Solapur city is 7 th populated city in Maharastra .Population of Solapur is more than 12 lacks. There are seven dailies having circulation of more than 25000 copies per day. But participation of women in newspapers editorial staff is negligible. It is observed that young women taking admissions to the media courses is increasing during last few years. But job opportunities are not easily accessible for them. Situation in electronic media seems better than newspapers. Table no 1: Ratio of Women’s Participation in Editorial staff of Daily Newspapers in Solapur This statistics clearly reveals that women’s participation in these newspapers as reporters, sub-editors, editors is less than 3%. Women journalists are confined generally to the table duties to edit women’s page or to cover cultural events arranged for women. Important beats such as political beat, crime beat does not allotted to the female journalists. They work on junior levels .In decision making process women’s participation almost neglected in all newspapers. Table no 2 : Womens participation in electronic media in Solapur Sr no| Media Unit | Male Journalists | Female Journalists| total| 1| AIR Solapur| 05 (71..42%)| 02 (18.58%)| 06| 2| Big 92.7 FM| 03 (100.00%)| 0(00.00%)| 04| 3| IN Solapur TV channel| 08 (80.0%)| 02 (20.0%)| 10| 4| Reporters of TV channels| 09 (90.0%) | 01 (10.0%)| 10| | Total| 23 (83.34%)| 05 (16.66%)| 30| Women participation in electronic media is 16.66% as compared to mere 1.97 % in newspapers. Solapur Working Journalist Union is organization of all journalist belonging to print and electronic media in Solapur .( Table no.3 ) Not a single female journalist included among total 125 members of Solapur Working Journalist’s Union Table no 3: Members of Solapur Working Journalist Union Male Journalists | Female Journalists| 125 ( 100%)| 00 ( 00 % )| Male dominated media managements are not allowing access to the woman journalists. According to the executives of the media, woman journalists cannot work in the night shifts and they are reluctant to cover every beat assigned to them .That’s why we prefers male journalists for the job. This gender biased assumption of the media managements is contrary to the real facts. Women are actively participating in every walk of life such as armed forces, space science, entrepreneurship, education, engineering etc.They work hard without any concessions and proved their mettle. These examples prove that women are going hand-in-hand with men in every field. Therefore women can do their best in the field of media. Barkha Dutt, Nalini Singh, Mrinal Pandey, Sucheta Dalal are some prominent examples of women journalists doing brilliant job than male journalists. It reveals that only reason for the less participation of women in media is the gender bias of the management. Women’s Representation in Media Media plays an important role in the dissemination of information and knowledge to the masses. It is the role of the media to educate people and to guide them for the development of society and nation. But media content about women issues is alwayes biased and gender discrimination is clearly visible in it. Most of the woman’s organizations blame on media that it is responsible for biased and stereotype portrayal of women. Any society cannot progress without upliftment and empowerment of women .But Indian media is engaged in portraying women as housewives.† Feminists objected to the stereotypical portrayal of women as happy home- makers who were less competent than men.† 3 Now women are active participants in every walk of life. Therefore it is important to to properly project the image of women as role model. For these purpose women participation in media should be increased. But mere participation does not change the situation. .â€Å"A large proportion of women thought that there would be a change in program content with as increase in proportion of female employees program quality would improve and more balanced perspective would be emerge. .† 4 Mrs. Suhas Kumar rightly suggested that â€Å"Women must become active participants in the field of journalism and other fields of media to fulfill the all-round development of women directly and indirectly.only through their involvement in journalism women will be able to speak for themselvesand the issues relevant to them†. 8 Therefore it is necessary to appoint women as decision makers in the newspapers. Special training must be given to all editorial staff about the equality principle and the rights of women as human being. Conclusion: Male dominated newspaper industry is reluctant to give access to women journalists. Women journalists are not assigned to cover important issues. News related to women issues covered by male journalists cannot give justification to the issue. There are no guidelines for reservations for women in media jobs.Mere increases in number of women journalists cannot change the gender bias in media. Suggestions: At the end, this study concludes with some suggestions (a) There is need to recruit women journalists in proportion, giving them equal opportunity and access to work in media. (b) The important women’s issues must be rported by women journalist. (c) Special guidelines should be given to all the journalists about projecting positive and real image of woman, without any bias. (d) There should be a provision to punish guilty persons for portraying women as commodity in any advertisement, news, article etc. References 1. The Hindu online edition ,New Delhi, Jan,10, 2011.8 2. The Hindu online edition ,New Delhi, June,4 ,2008 3.Thakurta Paranjoy,Media Ethics : Truth, Fairness and Objectivity,Oxford

Roles of Men and Women

Shamia Thomas Dec 9, 2010 Human Sexuality Rebecca Temple Gender Roles and Stereotypes In all societies the obvious biological difference between men and women is used as a justification for forcing them into different social roles which limit and shape their attitudes and behavior. That is to say, no society is content with the natural difference of sex, but each insists on adding to it a cultural difference of gender. The simple physical facts therefore always become associated with complex psychological qualities.It is not enough for a man to be male; he also has to appear masculine. A woman, in addition to being female, must also be feminine. For instance, men and women who feel that they do not fit the masculine and feminine stereotypes, or who resent them as too restrictive, may also develop ambiguous feelings about their biological sex. A person's gender role is composed of several elements and can be expressed through clothing, behavior, choice of work, personal relationships and other factors.These elements are not concrete and have evolved through time. In my life, I always grew up respecting others regardless of their tradition, religion, relationship status or gender. Strange as it may seem, the family roles have not changed much in today's society. Growing up,I never knew the gender roles of men and women as much. Many topics such as sexuality,martial status of gender roles and stereotypes were always a major issue in highschool. Now in this time, homeosexuality is a major issue among our young generation and older peers.Homeosexuality is is defined by the term or lebsian because sex is specific. The terms heterosexual and homosexual are rarely used in everyday speech. Many often use slang words such as gay, lebsian or straight. Generally, the terms ‘gay' and ‘lesbian' are seen as being less laden with negative implications than ‘homosexual'. The term ‘gay' is used to describe both homosexual men and lesbian women but has bec ome particularly associated with homosexual men. gression – MEN more physically aggressive, WOMEN show more guilt, empathize with victim, women can be as aggressive if feel justified or victim is anonymous, also use indirect aggression†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Talking – WOMEN use tags more often, discuss personal feelings†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nonverbal -WOMEN look more at partner when listening than talking, MEN about equal, MEN more likely to touch, WOMEN be touched, WOMEN more attune to verbal and nonverbal expressions & feelings†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   MEN – casual sex (availability), WOMEN – sex with romantic relationship (long term)†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jealousy – MEN sexual, WOMEN emotional infidelity†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Self-esteem – MEN value more unique characteristics and abilities, prefer competitive sit, WOMEN interdependence and connections with others (cooperation)†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Viewing Abilities – WOMEN evaluate self more harshly, also less likely to judge self above average than others as compared to MENGender Differences – Cognition†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WOMEN excel in language, MEN in math, science, spatial†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IQ tests show both MEN and WOMEN about equal in overall learning ability†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gender differences   – many of differences are small and declining†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May reflect sociocultural influences (environment) – math and spatial stereotypically masculine – see no difference with math in elementary school, but do at high school level, also give WOMEN practice can get as good. Often WOMEN academically successful labeled as â€Å"hard workers†, MEN as â€Å"talented† This does not mean that, in an ideal future, all human differences will disappear.Indeed, once the old stereotypes have been discarded, the differences between individuals within ea ch sex are likely to increase. Furthermore, under conditions of social equality, these individuals may also happily continue to play different gender roles. There should be no need to point out that there is nothing wrong with gender differences as such. They can greatly enrich our lives, as long as we understand that, in human beings, â€Å"different† does not have to mean superior or inferior. In other words, those who demand equal rights for men and women are not asking for drab uniformity, but for a social climate in which variety can flourish without being exploited. | | Roles of Men and Women Shamia Thomas Dec 9, 2010 Human Sexuality Rebecca Temple Gender Roles and Stereotypes In all societies the obvious biological difference between men and women is used as a justification for forcing them into different social roles which limit and shape their attitudes and behavior. That is to say, no society is content with the natural difference of sex, but each insists on adding to it a cultural difference of gender. The simple physical facts therefore always become associated with complex psychological qualities.It is not enough for a man to be male; he also has to appear masculine. A woman, in addition to being female, must also be feminine. For instance, men and women who feel that they do not fit the masculine and feminine stereotypes, or who resent them as too restrictive, may also develop ambiguous feelings about their biological sex. A person's gender role is composed of several elements and can be expressed through clothing, behavior, choice of work, personal relationships and other factors.These elements are not concrete and have evolved through time. In my life, I always grew up respecting others regardless of their tradition, religion, relationship status or gender. Strange as it may seem, the family roles have not changed much in today's society. Growing up,I never knew the gender roles of men and women as much. Many topics such as sexuality,martial status of gender roles and stereotypes were always a major issue in highschool. Now in this time, homeosexuality is a major issue among our young generation and older peers.Homeosexuality is is defined by the term or lebsian because sex is specific. The terms heterosexual and homosexual are rarely used in everyday speech. Many often use slang words such as gay, lebsian or straight. Generally, the terms ‘gay' and ‘lesbian' are seen as being less laden with negative implications than ‘homosexual'. The term ‘gay' is used to describe both homosexual men and lesbian women but has bec ome particularly associated with homosexual men. gression – MEN more physically aggressive, WOMEN show more guilt, empathize with victim, women can be as aggressive if feel justified or victim is anonymous, also use indirect aggression†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Talking – WOMEN use tags more often, discuss personal feelings†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nonverbal -WOMEN look more at partner when listening than talking, MEN about equal, MEN more likely to touch, WOMEN be touched, WOMEN more attune to verbal and nonverbal expressions & feelings†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   MEN – casual sex (availability), WOMEN – sex with romantic relationship (long term)†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jealousy – MEN sexual, WOMEN emotional infidelity†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Self-esteem – MEN value more unique characteristics and abilities, prefer competitive sit, WOMEN interdependence and connections with others (cooperation)†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Viewing Abilities – WOMEN evaluate self more harshly, also less likely to judge self above average than others as compared to MENGender Differences – Cognition†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   WOMEN excel in language, MEN in math, science, spatial†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IQ tests show both MEN and WOMEN about equal in overall learning ability†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gender differences   – many of differences are small and declining†¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   May reflect sociocultural influences (environment) – math and spatial stereotypically masculine – see no difference with math in elementary school, but do at high school level, also give WOMEN practice can get as good. Often WOMEN academically successful labeled as â€Å"hard workers†, MEN as â€Å"talented† This does not mean that, in an ideal future, all human differences will disappear.Indeed, once the old stereotypes have been discarded, the differences between individuals within ea ch sex are likely to increase. Furthermore, under conditions of social equality, these individuals may also happily continue to play different gender roles. There should be no need to point out that there is nothing wrong with gender differences as such. They can greatly enrich our lives, as long as we understand that, in human beings, â€Å"different† does not have to mean superior or inferior. In other words, those who demand equal rights for men and women are not asking for drab uniformity, but for a social climate in which variety can flourish without being exploited. | |