Difference and Identity Essay example -- Identities Ethnicity Papers

While I am socially defined as "white," "male," "European," and so on, my theses are not formulated to affirm the social position(s) attached to these attributes but, rather, to indicate some of the limitations implicit in the concepts of identity and difference. Interestingly, two hundred years ago, the overcoming of oppression followed the concept of identity, whereas today the concept of difference is central. Why is this change not discussed in the present debates on difference? Preliminary Observations: (1) a) The following ten theses have as their context the present efforts to face racism and sexism, and another forms of repression towards social minorities or groups which have the position of minorities, without being. The right to selfdefence and to fight oppression cannot be denied to any oppressed social subject. However it is valid to make some critical observations on the forms portrayed in the eager pursuit of emancipation. The author, socially defined as "white", "male", "European" and so on, formulates these theses not to affirm the social position that he might perhaps have, due to these attributes, but rather to indicate some limitations that are implied by the use of concepts of identity and difference in the search for emancipation. b) Two hundred years ago, the concept of equality was utilised in the same way, that nowadays, the concept of difference is, that is to say the overcoming of oppression, or the pursuit of emancipation. The interesting thing is, that this change is practically not discussed at all in present debates on difference. What is the reason for this? c) There is a parable that counts of an old society in which it was taken as fact, that the world rests on the backs of four giga... ...ish version of this text is: Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno: Dialectic of enlightenment. Translated by John Cumming. [New ed.]. London : Verso, 1979. (Horkheimer and Adorno refer here to: Sigmund Freud, "Das Unheimliche", in: Sigmund Freud, Gesammelte Werke, Frankfurt am Main, 1968, vol. XII, pages 254 and 259 and others.) (3) Also see on the problem of the identity: Bolà ­var Echeverrà ­a, La identidad evanescente, in: Bolà ­var Echeverrà ­a, Las ilusiones de la modernidad, Mà ©xico, D.F. UNAM / El Equilibrista, 1995, pages 55-74. Echeverria makes in this text, starting off from the theory of Wilhelm von Humboldt, the proposal "to conceive the universality of the human in a concret way", with what it could be rescued, using our concepts, the equality and at the same time the difference ( page 58) ["concebir la universalidad de lo humano de manera concreta"].

Disney Park

Disney Theme Parks Case 1. What do you think motivated Disney to set up parks abroad, and what might be the pros and cons from the standpoint of the Walt Disney Company? The reason behind Disney's motivation to set up theme parks abroad were mostly because of business opportunities. Based on how successful the Disney Theme Park is in the United States and the attraction they are gaining from foreigners, the management probably realized that it is time to consider entering the global market. By doing this, it would mean an increase of sales for the company.This is somehow a form of advertisement for people to buy their products and even to attract more and more consumers. Opening another theme park in a different country would also contribute to the survival of the company should their theme park in the United States lower in sales. On the other hand, for the cons, one is concerning the cultural factors that may hinder the company from doing business in other countries. A good example would be the concerns in Paris. They feared that putting up a Disney Theme Park in their country might destroy their own culture. Another con would probably be the area where the park would be best put up.In other words, which area the theme park should be placed that would be profitable. Transportation is another factor as well as competition from other theme parks abroad. 2. Why do you suppose Disney made no financial investment in Japan, one of $140 million in France, and then one of over $300 million in Hong Kong? Disney made no financial investment in Japan because they were considering the risks of building one. They probably think that it might not be as profitable or that putting up a Disney Theme Park in Japan would outweigh the cons than the benefits.Paris, like what was mentioned in the case, is the most visited European City and the French are the largest European consumers of Disney Products. This is the reason why Disney invested in Paris. Also they were getting a lot of support from the country's government. And with their help, they would be able to get investors. According to the case, the reason why Disney invested only $140 million to take 49% of the ownership in a $5 billion worth of operation was due to the problems they have encountered before, which is the fear of France's culture to be destroyed.So what Disney did was to add attractions that would cater to French tastes and agreeing to make French the first language in the park. Aside from France, Disney also invested in Hong Kong. The case states that Disney is interested in Asia since it accounts for about half the world's population and is becoming affluent enough that more people can afford to take trips and pay for leisure activities. They chose Hong Kong not only for their infrastructure, but also because it is Asia's largest tourist destination.In addition, the families that live in Hong Kong are those with higher family incomes than mainland Chinese cities. Soon after, the two agreed to a joint venture that included 57% ownership by the Hong Kong government and the remaining by Disney. 3. What factors in the external environment have contributed to Disney's success, failure, and adjustments in foreign them park operations? There are many factors in the external environment that contributed both to Disney's success and failure.For the factors that contributed to the success, one would probably be Disney's already popular reputation, which helped them in entering the global market easily. Another is their strategy of focusing on countries that would ensure and give them better business opportunities. Another factor to be considered is the government support they are getting. As for the factors that contributed to their failure, one that is mentioned in the case is that they encounter problems concerning the culture of other countries.Another example would be the almost downfall of Euro Disney when their shares went down to 39% and the general public to 36%. This is probably due to the high prices and their no-alcohol policy. Another factor that contributed to their failure is the climate. Some countries were just too cold to attract visitors. 4. Should Disney set up a park in Shanghai? If so, what types of operating adjustments might it make there? It is not advisable for Disney to put up a theme park in Shanghai. One of the major reasons is competition.The case states that China has built more than 2000 amusement parks, ranging from lavish to shoddy. Although most of them have not done well, putting up a Disney Theme Park would not necessarily mean that it would eliminate its competitors. In addition, China's one child per family policy may hinder the success of Disney. The visitors of Disney Theme Parks are mostly children, and if the number is lacking, it would also probably mean lack of visitors. Another reason is that if Disney puts up a theme park in Shanghai, there would be few customers since there is also a Disney theme park in Hong Kong.

Early to Middle Childhood Essay

If you ever seen a preschooler rushing off to play with a neighborhood friend, you know the enjoyment that children derive from being with their peers. Aside from this enjoyment, peer relationship is significant to a child’s social development. At the beginning of early childhood up to the middle childhood, children become less dependent on their parents. At the age of 2, children play independently with their toys but later in this period, children will tend to play with interaction. This change in the mode of playing of children will be formalized in the start of school age. Other than enjoyment, play becomes a material for social improvements. It allows children to be more competent in their social interactions with others and serves as a way to develop self-control. They avoid hitting an opponent who outlasted them and they tend to develop control of emotions (Selman et al. , 1983; Feldman, 1982). Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development The theory of psychologist Jean Piaget is the most well known of all the theories in cognitive development. He suggested two stages during early childhood and middle childhood. The movement from one stage to another requires a proper amount of maturation and experiences. Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 years) The use of language is the major development during the preoperational stage. In this stage, children develop their sense of representation of the world that allows them to describe people, events, and feelings. They even use symbols in play to represent a particular object. For example, a book that was pushed across the floor is a car for them. Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 12 years) The mastery of the concept of conservation marked the beginning of the concrete operation stage. During this stage, children develop their ability to think in a more logical manner. The egocentrism characteristic of the preoperational period is slowly disappearing in this stage. One of the things that the children learn at this stage is the principle of reversibility, the idea that some changes can be undone by reversing the earlier action that result to the change. Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development In trying to trace the course of social development, Eric Erikson developed the most comprehensive theory of social development. He included two stages during childhood which include the initiative versus guilt stage and the industry versus inferiority stage. Initiative versus Guilt Stage (age 3 to 6) In this stage, the major conflict is the desire of a child to initiate an activity independently but feeling the guilt that bring by the consequences of such activity. Parents take a big part in helping their child to adapt with this stage. They should react positively and take time to resolve problems under this stage. Industry versus Inferiority Stage (age 6-12) During this period, successful psychosocial development is featured by increasing competency across all tasks, may it be social interactions or academic skills. Intelligence Intelligence can take on many different meanings. A person who reason logically and identify more solutions in a problem is considered intelligent. Another is verbal abilities which are also attributed as being intelligent. Intelligence in a more focused meaning is the capacity to understand the world, think critically and rationally and use resources in an effective manner when face with challenges. The first formal intelligent test was performed by Alfred Binet. He used this test to identify the dullest student in Paris school system in order to provide them with corrective assistance. However, theories of intelligence began to unravel the mysteries of our intellect. One of the first theory in intelligence assumed that there was a single factor contributing to mental ability, called the g-factor (Spearman, 1927). Consequently, psychologist L. L. Thurstone suggested that there are several primary mental abilities underlying general intelligence. By using innovative statistical technique, he classified a variety of subcomponents of intelligence which includes numerical ability, reasoning, verbal fluency, memory and verbal comprehension. Other than that, Howard Gardner proposed an idea that we have seven multiple intelligence. In these seven multiple intelligence, musical intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic, and interpersonal intelligence can be seen during childhood years. Gender Identity Our society holds well-defined stereotypes about men and women, and they prevail regardless of age, economic status, and social and educational background. Although the difference in many studies about men and women may conclude large difference, still it is not the reality. In considering the differences that were documented, it can be seen that there are more similarity than difference between men and women. One of the most known differences between men and women is their degree of aggression. By the time they are 2 years old, boys tend to show more aggression than girls and this continues throughout their lifespan. Furthermore, during the middle childhood, children are quite different in the level of self-esteem. Girls, on the average, have lower self-esteem compared to boys. References Feldman, R. S. (1982). Development of non-verbal behavior in children. New York: Spriner-Verlag. Harder, A. F. â€Å"The Developmental Stages of Erik Erikson†. Learning Place Online. Retrieved April 3, 2009 @ http://www. support4change. com/stages/cycles/Erikson. html Selman, R. L. , Schorin, M. Z. , Stone, C. R. & Phelps, E. (1983). A naturalistic study of children’s social understanding. Developmental Psychology, 19, 82-102 Spearman, C. (1927). The Abilities of Man. London: Macmillan.

Adolescent Alcohol Abuse

Adolescent Alcohol Abuse Essay Adolescent Alcohol Abuse:What Factors are Present?Over the years, many researchers have dedicated their time and energy to study adolescent alcohol abuse. They have found that there are many factors that contribute to adolescent alcohol abuse. These factors are psychological, environmental, social, and cultural. Not all of these factors play a part in every adolescent who abuses alcohol, but one of these factors is usually present. Psychological disorders have been found in both American, and Taiwan adolescents who abuse alcohol. The health risks of adolescent alcohol abuse are great. Alcohol affects the physiology of a young person. It disrupts the genetics and hormonal balances that are critical in the early development of youngsters.Treatment of alcohol abuse is a great state of change and development. Many therapists, doctors and counselors are trying to incorporate new treatment ideas and methods into the traditional techniques that have been used for years now.It is important t o research the factors that contribute to adolescent alcohol abuse because if these factors are detected early, and an adolescent is put into a prevention program the likelihood that they will abuse alcohol will greatly decrease.Psychological Factors According to the research, there have been many psychological problems found in adolescents who abuse alcohol. The majority of the research has been done in order to solve the question of whether or not these psychological factors are present before an adolescent abuses alcohol, or after the alcohol abuse has occurred. In the research done by Rhode, Lewinsohn, and Seeley (1996), they used a community sample of 1,507 adolescents between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. The adolescents were classified into the categories of abstainers, experimenters, social drinkers, problem drinkers, and abuse and/or dependent groups. In this study, 373 subjects met the criteria for depression, 15 were bipolar, 93 suffered from manic core symptoms, and 124 had an anxiety disorder (Rhode et al., 1996). Furthermore, anxiety disorder and depression were psychological disorders that were more prevalent in female adolescents with alcohol abuse than their male counterparts.Males who abused alcohol tended to suffer from antisocial personality disorder. It is believed that females who suffer from anxiety disorder or depression use alcohol as a self-medication to make them feel better. According to Clark, and Bukstein (1998), one form of antisocial disorder known as conduct disorder lead adolescents to act out and seek out new experiences. This is probably the reason why adolescent males with an antisocial disorder turn to alcohol abuse. According to Rhode (et al., 1996), More than 80% of adolescents with an alcohol use disorder had another psychiatric disorder. (p. 106). In his study, the alcohol abuse tended to follow rather than proceed the psychiatric disorder. From this, it can be concluded that certain psychological disorders such as antisocial disorder, and depression are a factor in adolescent alcohol abuse. Environmental FactorsMany studies have focused on the environmental factors that adolescents are exposed to, and how these factors lead to alcohol abuse. The aim of a study performed by Clark, Lesnick, and Hegedus (1997), Was to examine trauma history and other adverse life events in adolescents with alcohol dependence or abuse and to compare them with a sample of community-dwelling adolescents without alcohol use disorder (p.1746). This study included 256 adolescents between the ages of fourteen and eighteen (Clark et al., 1997). Adolescents who abused, or were dependent on alcohol reported more traumas then those in the control group. The types of abuse experienced by males and females tended to differ. Females experienced more sexual abuse, and males tended to be victims of violent acts. Both sexual abuse victims, and victims of violent acts showed increased amounts of alcohol use than those adolescents who were not abused in any way. If subjects experienced a number of traumas, t hey tended to abuse alcohol more than those that experienced only one trauma or no trauma at all. From this study, it can be concluded that trauma and abuse leads to adolescent alcohol abuse. Social Factors A study done on Hispanic and Black adolescents in the New York inner cities concluded that there were indeed social factors that contributed to adolescent alcohol abuse. The study used a sample of 4,874 Hispanic and African

English composition 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

English composition 2 - Research Paper Example And just like the physical world, online problems became present that the call to regulate the cyberspace mounted. Also the issue about the ethical use of the internet came into question. The digital personality which Netizens assumed in the cyberspace loosened up with their personality becoming invisible. And â€Å"the growing incidence of online fraud and identity theft, privacy incursions, copyright infringements, trademark violations, domain name disputes, spamming, computer viruses, inadequate or vaguely defined consumer protection laws, and terrorist-related and pornographic websites has fuelled such concerns† (David 2006). These issues necessitated internet governance to regulate the decentralized, scalable and even anarchaic nature of the cyberspace. Since the cyberspace’s geopolitical demarcation is virtually erased, the question of how to control and maintain a set of behaviors according to an acceptable standard became an imperative. But as how to do it still remains the questions; of whether a big government should intervene or the industry itself should regulate and police themselves. This brings to mind the geographic relativity of laws. For example, laws governing e-commerce and speech in the United States may differ or may not even exist say that of the Middle East country and vice versa that the enforcement of cyberspace regulation may prove to be a challenge if not impossible to implement. Such, many concerned parties proposed to adopt an intergovernmental regulation to create a cross-border harmonization of internet governance policy for greater efficacy. There is however other interest groups that espouse the idea of self-imposed regulation of cyberspace conduct. Among these is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in the United States whose mandate is to develop a bottom-up consensus on the usage of the internet among the private sector. Though it differed in

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Master Essay

The Legal and Ethical Environment of Business Master - Essay Example As explained by the United States Supreme Court in Atlanta Motel v. United States, the purpose of the Act was that, All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of any place of public accommodation, as defined in this section, without discrimination or segregation on the ground of race, color, or national origin (1964: np). The main issue was whether there was a valid Congressional interest in preventing the disruption of interstate commerce. The Supreme Court found that transient guests needed accommodations and that the restriction of accommodations to blacks was a very real disruption to the interstate travel of black citizens and therefore of interstate commerce. Our casino offers accommodations, indeed it is part of a larger group which is dependent on interstate commerce in order to sell our products and services, and it therefore falls within the scope of interstate commerce. In addition, many of our Arab customers are, in fact, transient guests. Any recommendation that encourages discrimination or segregation would almost certainly violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Even our restaurants are covered by these prohibitions. In Katzenbach v.

How does buying a cup of coffee from Starbucks affect the environment Dissertation - 1

How does buying a cup of coffee from Starbucks affect the environment - Dissertation Example Unfortunately, when it comes to Starbucks, their biggest negativity is the non –recyclable cups of synthetic nature which pollute the earth on a considerable level. Starbucks being a huge food chain have captured the coffee market globally by taking on the increased demand of coffee lovers. According to (Austin,2004) â€Å"Starbucks had revenue of $2.7 billion in 2001, up from $465 million in 1995 (see Exhibit 1 forfinancials). Nearly two-thirds of revenue came from coffee beverages, 15% from coffee beans, and24% from food and coffee-related items†.They also maintain their good will by means of powerful advertisement they display in the international business arena. This coffee chain have spread over much part of the globe and have influenced people many people in buying their product , as it is assured to be the best and perfect in the market. As per (Laminetez)â€Å"Starbucks switched its plastic cups from polyethylene (No. 1) to polypropylene (No. 5), which uses 45% less greenhouse gases†. ... The Starbucks in order to save on the cost factor ignore the natural disaster their coffee cups can bring about in the nature. Even though people feel convenient in drinking from their non –recyclable cups, they are less knowledgeable about the consequences it can bring to the natural sustainability of the planet. â€Å"Climate change is occurring, is caused largely by human activities, and poses significant risks for—and in many cases is already affecting—a broad range of human and natural systems† (Clooney,2010, pg.484-48). There are many studies done in order to perceive the amount of waste disposed in nature by Starbucks by taking into account various factors. The first phase was considering the determinants of waste generation in South Eastern America by keeping in mind the elements like economic, structural and demographic variables. In this per capital retail sales, urban population percentage and per capital income was taken it account to calculate the waste generation quotient. However, the study concluded that when retails sales increased the per capital waste generation also increased. So an effective solution for Starbucks is to consider recycling cups which reduce pollution of the environment According to (Zaida,2009)â€Å"One of the many challenges in reducing the use of disposable products is that the true social cost of using these disposable products, the externalities, are not incorporated into the price we pay for them†. It is a general fact, that the cups used by Starbucks for hot beverages are made out of paper fiber and low density plastic materials. This plastic element in the cups is the main culprits in