Pesuasive Essay Topics - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesnt

Pesuasive Essay Topics - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesn't The Benefits of Pesuasive Essay Topics The next area of the text will be less difficult to write if you've picked among the most effective persuasive essay topics as your primary topic of the text. Don't neglect to bring a strong hook at the beginning (introduction paragraph) and wind up with an impressive conclusion to earn the reader want to talk about the interesting persuasive essay topics of your pick. You should utilize APA reference tools to help in writing your essay the right way or seek the services of an expert essay writer that may write the essay utilizing the APA reference tools. After you are aware that you want to seek out unique persuasive essay topics so as to compose the ideal text possible, it's the opportunity to consider how to study the structure of such texts. The very first thing you ought to learn about a persuasive essay is the simple fact that you're in a position to pick your own kind of structure. When it may appear to be a great concept to pick out a huge, complex topic to write about, you'll probably struggle to sift through all of the information and various surfaces of the problem and winnow them down to a streamlined essay. From time to time, it's a superb idea in order to add something funny to your argumentative essay. At exactly the same time, it's a terrific persuasive essay idea. For instance, you ought to keep the readers in mind as you select arguments to strengthen your position. There are those who do not support such decisions. Many people wind up covering the very same tired topics they see in the media daily, just because they can't produce a better idea. There are many intriguing topics that could be become a persuasive essay if you take the opportunity to think about doing it. Another good idea is to receive some totally free essay examples of different sorts and on various subjects to find a general idea of the way in which a prosperous debatable paper looks. If you're still having a tough time choosing, list all of the intriguing facts for each persuasive essay idea you've written down, then pick the one which you'll be able to work on the most. It's best in the event you choose a topic in which you are in possession of a genuine interest in since you'll be doing a lot of research on it and if it's something which you take pleasure in the procedure will be significantly easier and more enjoyable. When you settle on the subject and pick the position on which you will base your essay, the remainder of the job can then begin. What You Don't Know About Pesuasive Essay Topics Exams and testing has to be abolished. When prior brainstorming is finished, you can begin drafting your essay. Problems connected with drugs are quite contradictive. Doing this, you'll certainly find your ideal essay title easily and faster. Take notes concerning all prospective topics it is possible to consider. To assist you craft an intriguing essay, here are a few decent persuasive topics for you to pick from. Argumentative essays show a more balanced view of the problem and talk about either side. All persuasive essays are like argumentative essays. Every argumentative essay ought to have an opposing view which can help you to prove you're right. Writing an excellent persuasive essay is not a simple task, however, it's achievable. Persuasive essays and argumentative essays are extremely similar to one another. The Hidden Gem of Pesuasive Essay Topics Selecting a great topic for your essay is among the most significant and frequently tricky parts for many students. Persuasive essays share a whole lot of resemblance with argumentative essays. So, the best method to compose a terrific persuasive essay is to locate a theme you're acquainted with and wish to share your experience with the reader. In general, you can observe that writing a persuasive essay isn't a brain surgery. You may find there's a compelling argument for learning another language after all! Thus, a speech should be organized. Clearly, you ought not purposely choose a topic that will bore your audience. Second, talk what you shouldn't do instead of what should be accomplished.

Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom - 2260 Words

Nelson Mandela in his book, Long Walk to Freedom argues through the first five parts that a black individual must deal, coop, and grow through a society that is hindering their lives#8217; with apartheid and suppression of their rightful land. Rolihlanla Mphakanyiswa or clan name, Madiba was born on July 18, 1918 in a simple village of Mvezo, which was not accustomed to the happenings of South Africa as a whole. His father was an respected man who led a good life, but lost it because of a dispute with the magistrate. While, his mother was a hard-working woman full of daily choirs. His childhood was full of playing games with fellow children and having fun. In school, Mandela was given his English name of Nelson. After his†¦show more content†¦As the ANC grew, Nelson also became well known. He was part of the Youth League, another beneficial part of the ANC. Nelson was not president yet, but was powerful enough to voice is opinions, which many people listened to and b elieved in. As Nelson#8217;s political involvement grew, the police became more aware of him. Nelson received ban after ban, which ranged from months to years. He also experienced jail time constantly. Eventually, the police#8217;s pursuit of him forced him to go underground. Nelson was also becoming more open-minded. He now believed that the fight should involve the Indians and the Coloureds. He also believed that Communism did have some good points, but he would never accept the whole communism aspect. There were many freedom fighters in South Africa. One that stood out was Dr. Xuma. Dr. Xuma was friend of Nelson and the president of the ANC, but the struggle forces many hardships on one#8217;s life. Nelson gave everything up to pursue his fight for freedom. He left his family, his prospering law firm, and his past for the struggle. Dr. Xuma believed in the same ideas as Nelson, but would not give up his prominence with the whites and his wealthy occupation for the st ruggle. This decision had to be made by many freedom fighters. Nelson gave his life for the fight. While, Dr. Xuma thought his career was more important. Now letShow MoreRelatedLong Walk And Freedom By Robert Nelson Mandela1110 Words   |  5 Pages Long Walk to Freedom, released in 1995, is a biographical story about the revolutionary and former South African President Nelson Mandela. The book narrates how Mandela becomes a remarkable leader in the construction of a democratic South Africa. It chronicles his early life, growing up, education and his 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country s segregated society. Mandela begins his book with a description of his ancestry and later goes on to talk aboutRead MoreNelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom Analysis Essay2976 Words   |  12 PagesLong Walk to Violence The path that lead Nelson Mandela to violence and the effects of his decision Aside from his loose Communist ties, Nelson Mandela’s use of violence was the only internationally questioned aspect of his struggle for freedom in South Africa. Most modern societies, Americans in particular, view acts of violence as inherently evil. They look to leaders such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King who brought change through nonviolent protest. However, the governments these leadersRead MoreLong Walk to Freedom by Nelson MandelaÂâ€" Book Review Essay1808 Words   |  8 PagesLong Walk to Freedom by Nelson MandelaÂâ€" Book Review Â…calm, patient determination to reclaim this country as your own, and now the joy that we can loudly proclaim from the rooftops--Free at last! Free at last! ... This is a time to heal the old wounds and build a new South Africa. Nelson Mandela fought his entire life. Nelson Mandela fought a fight for civil rights in South Africa on the streetsRead MoreShort Summary Of Nelson Mandela s Long Walk On Freedom 2483 Words   |  10 PagesElon Fiol May 13, 2015 â€Å"Long Walk to Freedom† â€Å"I hate race discrimination most intensely and in all its manifestations. I have fought it all during my life; I fight it now, and will do so until the end of my days.† Nelson Mandela. He was birthed into greatness and it is safe to say that he was a publicly acclaimed leader for his great efforts during the Apartheid in South Africa. Many would identify a leader in many ways but, the most important aspect of leadership is toRead MoreNelson Mandela Prisoner to Freedom Essay552 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn’t leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I’d still be in prison† (Mandela). In recent times, since Mandela’s death, his renowned views on leadership have been of great debate around the world. To most, he was the first president of South Africa, a respected and courageous leader, but before that he was a convicted terrorist. His â€Å"hatred for the oppre ssor† taught him to forgive and forget and to emerge from prisonRead MoreNelson Mendela: A Promiment Hero Essay767 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"It always seems impossible until it’s done.† Nelson Mandela is a renowned African leader and is known for advocating love, peace and unity. Nelson was keen for transforming a model of racial separation and oppression into an open democracy. In his time, Nelson served a significant role as former president of South Africa during the Apartheid era. Before he became a hero, he underwent overwhelming obstacles. Nelson spent 27 years in prison not for a murder or act of genocide he committed, but forRead Morenelson mandela is my hero1351 Words   |  6 PagesNelson Mandela Nelson Mandela, a true hero in this controversial world or just another politician? Was his 27 years of imprisonment for standing up against his nations government, which did not support human rights, equality and world poverty, something the country of Africa should be proud about? As disappointing as it might seem, the answer is a straight and simple, no. Nelson Mandela, my hero, the man that everyone knows, that conquered black domination in Africa, that healed his countriesRead MoreNelson Mandela Essay920 Words   |  4 Pages As Nelson Mandela said, â€Å"Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.† A champion of civil rights, a voice for the oppressed, and a strong anti-apartheid activist, Nelson Mandela is one of the most revered and recognizable names from recent years. He dedicated his entire life to serving others, both in his personal and political life. There were social, economic, and cultural influences on Nelson Mandela which affectedRead MoreNelson Mandelas Fight for Freedom1646 Words   |  7 Pagesdrinking from the wrong water fountain; where just because of your skin color, you get paid less money than your neighbor who has the same job; where you can’t even walk on the same sidewalk just because of the pigment in your skin. For Nelson Mandela, this situation was a reality. This style of living began in 1948 and, thanks to Mandela, ended in 1994. Problems began when the National Party---dominated by Afrikaans-speaking descendants of the Dutch settlers—came to power in South Africa. SegregationRead More Nelson Mandela Essay examples1070 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountain top of our desires†. These are the words of a man, Nelson Mandela, who fought for something that many would shy away from. He led the anti-apartheid movement, became the president of the African National Congress Youth League, and later became the president of South Africa winning the Nobel Peace Prize. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;1942

Use of IOT in RFID System-Free-Samples for Students-Myassignment

Question: Discuss about the Use of IoT in RFID System. Answer: Introduction: The RFID or Radio Frequency Identification devices are the wireless microchips that are utilized to tag objects for the automated identification (Ip, 2014). The following study delivers the insight of the use of IoT or Internet of Things in the RFID system developing an in-depth Capstone Project Plan and Proposal. The study provides the rationale, problem domain, the purpose and justification and supervisor or sponsor recommendation. Here an online survey is discussed to be done on the employees of LEAPIN Digital Keys, a popular organization in Australia. It also includes the research questions, conceptual framework, and methods for research and system development, data collection systems, ethical issues and data analysis. Rationale, domain and research questions: Rationale: The IoT proponents have been pointing towards the connected home as the utmost application. The RFID has been an automated technology aiding computers and machines for recognizing objects, recording the metadata and controlling the individual targets via the radio waves (Amendola et al., 2014). Through connecting the RFID reader with the Internets terminal, the readers are able to identify, monitor and track the object. These objects have been tagged in real time, automatically and globally. This is the IoT. Thus RFID has been seen as the necessity for the IoT. Problem domain: RFID have not been managing to become pervasive enough. There have been still various challenges arising before IoT could develop and reach the maturity. The research results till now have been feeding into the innovations. A series of components have been available that could be exploited useful and developed by the market (Seo et al., 2017). However there have been still various challenges regarding how the applications of IoT would be developed and deployed on the support of research and innovation. The issues have been technical in nature and have been not leant regarding the interoperability, discoverability, complex integration, reliability and security (Hua et al., 2013). Moreover, standardization has been playing a vital role here. The other challenges have been related to acceptability of the application of the IoT by the citizens and the users. Purpose and justification: The maturing RFID technology along with the falling expenses and the anticipation of the integration of IoT has been assimilated. This has been for boosting both the expansion and adoption of the current deployments (Naskar, Basu Sen, 2017). The RFID has been exploding in terms of growth. The integration of RFID with the IoT has been occurring gradually. The primary thing with the IoT has been that it has been going to occur in a particular date. It has been growing till the people make sense of their systems more effectively (Vikram, 2016). As they undergo trail implementations, the adoption would increase. Sponsor or Supervisor recommendation: The sponsors must possess a tight setting of guidelines regarding sponsorship making them clearly available. This must enhance the proposal that never gets matched clearly. The project must also trip up the seekers of sponsorship who have not been interested in imparting their effort for meeting the project needs. For the proposals and the request letters received, there could be areas where it might be unclear that the project has not been prepared according to guidelines, or wrong for the technology. The sponsorship managers must stop the reading there and send email for resubmitting the more proper proposal customized to their needs. Research Questions: The research questions for the proposal should include the following: What have been the barriers to implement RFID in todays world? Are there any concerns regarding the privacy of the clients? Has the technology been seemed to be secure enough? Has the RFID been bringing sufficient benefits? Has the standardization proceeded enough? Are there any doubts regarding the maturity of this technology? Conceptual or Theoretical Framework: The following diagram illustrates the framework that has been joining the concepts of implementation of IoT in RFID systems. First of all the organizations need to develop and improve their information systems. The information system has been complemented by the RFID provided by the IoT that has been structured in three levels. They are the topology, architecture and platform. Figure 1: The conceptual framework showing the IoT in RFID (Source: Kypus, Vojtech Kvarda, 2015, pp. 21-25) Methodology: For this research an online survey is to be conducted. A questionnaire has to be set up through Google forms that are to be distributed to LEAPIN Digital Keys, a popular organization in Australia. The company has been developing the smart-locks, controlled by the Smartphone. This helps in using the digital keys enabling the users in controlling who could access the locks at a particular time. There has been much value in their services and systems with the necessity to gather filter and then critically create profitable and automated decisions with that information. Thus they have been needed to use IoT for their RFID technologies. The employees in LEAPIN Digital Keys need to answer the questions from where the feedback is to be retrieved. Research and Systems Development method: The research and system development method to be followed must fall roughly under the post-positivist school. This must include the quantitative data analysis. This would help to examine the deductive hypothesis that is to be refined over the course of collection, analyzing and interpreting the research data. Data collection methods: For the proposal the quantitative data collection method is to be followed. For this an online questionnaire is to be created as discussed above. These data must deal with the values, numbers and quantities. This would make them measurable. In this way they have been generally expressed in number format. Examples of quantitative data include the duration, price amount sixe and length. The usage of statistics for generating and then subsequently assessing the kind of data would ass credibility and the credence to it. Hence, quantitative data has been recognized to be more objective and reliable. Ethical Issues: The ethical issues must consider that any research participant must not be subjected to any kind of harm in any manner. The respect for dignity of the research participants must be prioritized. Complete consent must be retrieved from the participants before the study. The privacy protection of the research participants must be ensured. Enough level of the research data confidentiality must be assured. The anonymity of the company and the individuals in this research is to be assured. Any deception or any kind of exaggeration regarding the objectives and aims of the research should be avoided. The affiliations of any kind, sources of the funding and the possible conflicts of the interests should be declared. Any type of communication regarding the research must be done with transparency and honesty. Lastly any kind of misleading information and denotation of the findings of the primary data in biased manner should be avoided. Compliance Requirements: It must be kept in mind that every registration for the project has been up to date. The project approach must be renewed as any types of feedbacks are needed to be retrieved from the particular company. The privacy of the participants must be secured by the complying with the governmental, state and national privacy laws. Before starting the project a legal advice is to be seeking from the specialist advisers and the solicitors. Analysis of data: It has been simpler to create any online survey and distribute that to the participants. However the analyzing of the outcomes has been a tricky job. There have been four primary methods to gather the responses. The data types to confront while analyzing the outcomes of the survey are ratio data, interval data, ordinal data and categorical data. Project Plan: The first phase of the research would be the research in the statement of the use of IoT in RFID technology along with establishing the research methodology and completing administrative requirements with defining few initial and general hypotheses. Next there must be technology and literature review establishing a more in depth definition of use of IoT in RFID, the conceptual framework and the variable affecting the analysis and the interpretation of the research problem. In the next phase the research must generate and collect the data using the quantitative methods. Lastly the data retrieved and gathered in the last phase must be assessed and interpreted. It must be found out whether the operational and general hypothesis is supported or refuted. On the basis of the analysis the last thesis must be drafted. This should frame the research findings as some common rules and principles. Deliverables: The study will obtain the clear quantification of the scopes at every part of the market and supply chain. They must become aware of the performance of IoT in RFID, developing roadmaps and the applicable market identity of them. IoT can use RFID for achieving the sharing and exchange of data. This is an important means through the open network if computer systems. The technical approaches for enhancing the RFID privacy must include the Pseudonym rotation, Personal Simulator or Proxy for RFID, the Blocker Tag, Polite Blocking and Cryptography. The software codes include the UHF, HF, LF, 2.45GHz passive RFID and the Active RFID Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS). Moreover the Ultra Wide Band (UWB), the Near Field Communications (NFC), Cards, Battery Assisted Passive (BAP), Printed RFID, Chipless, RFID Bluetooth and Zigbee should also be considered. WBS: Figure 2: The required Work Breakdown Structure (Source: Created by Author) Risk analysis: The risk analysis is demonstrated through the following table: The sector of risks Possible ways to mitigate Intelligence gathering: This involves the gathering of data followed by the risk assessment for identifying the assets needed to be protected and their values. The threats are to be defined and the adversary types ate to be encountered. Details of the participant: This includes the location of the participant, history, and other current protective measures. A structured process is to follow undertaking the survey from the key employees, insurance assessors and crime prevention officers. Site walk through, or the survey: This involves the physical vulnerabilities, present security measures and their conditions. The process needs to account the people, processes and the technologies needing the integration to meet the aims. Duration: The task takes duration of about 65 days staring from the creation of survey form to implementing the plan. Gantt chart: Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors Analysis of use of IoT in RFID system 65 days Mon 7/24/17 Fri 10/20/17 Survey Form created 6 days Mon 7/24/17 Mon 7/31/17 Form distrbuted 5 days Wed 8/2/17 Tue 8/8/17 1 Survey Analysis 7 days Wed 8/9/17 Thu 8/17/17 2 Future Analysis 9 days Fri 8/18/17 Wed 8/30/17 3 Developing Future project plan 12 days Thu 8/31/17 Fri 9/15/17 4 Implementing the plan 25 days Mon 9/18/17 Fri 10/20/17 5 Figure 2: The Gantt Chart (Source: Created by Author) References: Amendola, S., Lodato, R., Manzari, S., Occhiuzzi, C., Marrocco, G. (2014). RFID technology for IoT-based personal healthcare in smart spaces.IEEE Internet of Things Journal,1(2), 144-152. Ciftler, B. S., Kadri, A., Guvenc, I. (2017). IoT Localization for Bistatic Passive UHF RFID Systems with 3D Radiation Pattern.IEEE Internet of Things Journal. Gope, P., Amin, R., Islam, S. H., Kumar, N., Bhalla, V. K. (2017). Lightweight and privacy-preserving RFID authentication scheme for distributed IoT infrastructure with secure localization services for smart city environment.Future Generation Computer Systems. Hua, M. C., Peng, G. C., Lai, Y. J., Liu, H. C. (2013, August). Angle of arrival estimation for passive UHF RFID tag backscatter signal. InGreen Computing and Communications (GreenCom), 2013 IEEE and Internet of Things (iThings/CPSCom), IEEE International Conference on and IEEE Cyber, Physical and Social Computing(pp. 1865-1869). IEEE. Ip, W. H. (2014). RFID/IOT applications and case study in a smart city. Kang, Y. S., Park, I. H., Rhee, J., Lee, Y. H. (2016). MongoDB-based repository design for IoT-generated RFID/sensor big data.IEEE Sensors Journal,16(2), 485-497. Kim, T. H., Lee, B. H., Park, B. K., Choi, S. P., Moon, Y. S., Jung, J. W., ... Choi, H. R. (2015). Active IP-RFID System for Maritime Logistics.The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences,40(12), 2511-2519. Kypus, L., Vojtech, L., Kvarda, L. (2015, July). Qualitative and security parameters inside middleware centric heterogeneous RFID/IoT networks, on-tag approach. InTelecommunications and Signal Processing (TSP), 2015 38th International Conference on(pp. 21-25). IEEE. Naskar, S., Basu, P., Sen, A. K. (2017). A Literature Review of the Emerging Field of IoT Using RFID and Its Applications in Supply Chain Management. InThe Internet of Things in the Modern Business Environment(pp. 1-27). IGI Global. Occhiuzzi, C., Manzari, S., Amendola, S., Marrocco, G. (2017, March). RFID sensing breadboard for industrial IoT. InApplied Computational Electromagnetics Society Symposium-Italy (ACES), 2017 International(pp. 1-3). IEEE. Seo, D. S., Kang, M. S., Jung, Y. G. (2017). The Developement of Real-time Information Support Cart System based on IoT.The International Journal of Advanced Smart Convergence,6(1), 44-49. Vikram, N. (2016, March). Design of ISM band RFID reader antenna for IoT applications. InWireless Communications, Signal Processing and Networking (WiSPNET), International Conference on(pp. 1818-1821). IEEE.

Paulo Freires Life, Philosophy and Teachings

Introduction According to Gadotti (1994), one of the most famous philosophers of the 20th century was Paulo Freire. Born and raised in Brazil, Freire was subjected to living in poverty, which later influenced his works. Freire is well known for advancing the theory of pedagogy by authoring the piece of work known as the â€Å"Pedagogy of the Oppressed’. This piece of work is termed as the main foundation on which the critical pedagogy movement was based. Freire made a great contribution to the theory, as well as by his actual deeds during his lifetime.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Paulo Freire’s Life, Philosophy and Teachings specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Thus, his works can be compared to the works of other theorists and educators like John Locke, Plato, John Dewey, Booker T. Washington, and Jean-Jaques Rousseau among other renowned philosophers. This paper explores life, philosophy and teachings of Paulo Freire. In the discussion, the paper takes an analytical comparison of the teachings and philosophies of Freire with those of other renowned philosophers, like Rousseau, Dubois, Locke, and Plato. An overview of the works of Paolo Freire Freire contributed a lot to philosophy as observed in the introduction. It is critical to look at a number of philosophical works of Freire in order to comprehend the scope of his study. Freire is considered as one of the most remarkable thinkers in education of the 20th century, who did a lot for development of the educational theory and philosophy. The works of Freire can be traced back to the mid 1940s when he was working at the Department of Education and Culture in Pernambuco, one of the states in Brazil. His tenure with the department exposed him to an environment where he was working with the poor and illiterate population. The nature of his work made him start thinking about developing a liberation theology to help sal vage the masses from poverty and illiteracy. For one to participate in presidential elections in Brazil, one had to be literate. Owing to the fact that most people were illiterate, only the few literate had the chance to take part in the presidential elections, locking out a vast number of the people from taking part in this critical exercise. Apart from the liberation theology, which resulted in a political uprising in the country forcing him to left the country, the other works of Freire include ‘The Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ and ‘Education as the Practice of Freedom’. The ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ gave Freire his identity as a true educator because it explained most of the issues that were impeding the advancement of education. This work was quite enticing as it had a lot of information on the interplay of factors in education, which impeded the development of the society. It was one of the most influential tools for liberalization the so ciety from the antecedents of poverty, illiteracy and political suppression. He became a sought after education advisor (Gadotti, 1994).Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The contribution of Freire to the philosophy of education is outstanding. It can be compared with both, an intense classical philosophical approaches by Plato and neo-classical approaches like the ones utilized by Karl Marx and other thinkers. A great number of his works can be easily interconnected with the neo-classical pieces of work in philosophy. It is vital to bring out the main argument in Freire’s work, ‘The Pedagogy of the Oppressed’, in order to understand the point and dimension of the argument about social change in the society. A study of the philosophical work of Freire, particularly his contribution to educational theory and philosophy, reveals that education can be used as a tool for demolishing the structures of domination in the society, besides promoting social transformation. When compared with other works by other classical philosophers, it comes out that illiteracy is a form of oppression that cannot be washed away. People get oppressed because of their failure to understand the society in which they live (Schugurensky, 2011). Understanding the theoretical underpinning in ‘The Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ It should be noted that ‘The Pedagogy of the Oppressed’, was published in the year 1970, but it was accepted in Brazil only four years after because political regime in the country did not like the content of this work, which strongly addressed the issue of justice from the educational point of view. The inspiration to develop this piece of work came from the situation of illiteracy in Brazil, which was utilized to support control over the people and authorize justice in the country. According to Freire, education ought t o be used for liberating the oppressed by giving them a sense of humanity, which is critical to help people fight the oppressive conditions. However, Freire reiterated that it could not be attained without the participation of the people who were oppressed. This implies that liberation is a process that begins with self. Therefore, the oppressed have to play a greater role in their redemption by showing the willingness to change their ways of life. This can be attained through careful thought and a re-examination of the role that can be played by the oppressed in the liberation movement (Freire, 2004). According to Freire, it is quite difficult to separate education from pedagogy. This argument is based on the view that education is considered to be a political act. Freire was of the opinion that politics must be †a diet for students and their teachers†. The manner of teaching and the education content itself act to fulfill political goals. He argued that teachers in the ir own sense often have political notions, which they explore in the classrooms. According to Freire, education provides people with a lot of benefits, since through education men and women attain the sense of responsibility, which comes from the commitment of knowing the unknown (Freire, 2004).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Paulo Freire’s Life, Philosophy and Teachings specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Freire attacked what he referred to as ‘banking’ on education. This concept implies that the student is an empty entity that has to be filled by the teacher. Therefore, under this concept, the teachers are seen as the main sources of content in education. This is undesirable according to Freire, as it makes teachers have absolute dominance over the students, who are only seen as the receivers of the content from the teachers. This inclination of the learning environment is undesirabl e as it depicts the control of thought, which is critical to the adaptation of people in the world. The transformation of students into receiving entities suppresses the creative power of the students. There is a close relationship between the synthesis of education by Freire and the conception of education by Jean-Jaques Rousseau. In his conceptualization of education, Rousseau saw children as a critical part of the learning process. He termed them as active learners, meaning that they were not just meant to be receivers, but also contributors to the learning process (Golby et al., 1975). The conceptualization of educational theory and philosophy by Freire In the theoretical explanation of his philosophy, Freire made emphasis on the role of both teachers and students in what can be termed as a liberated education environment. Teachers are critical elements of every teaching environment, same as students. A simple reasoning is that the learning environment cannot be complete without the presence of either teaches or learners. For learning to result in the social transformation and the liberalization of the society, both teachers and learners must play their roles. No one can conceive a teaching environment without the presence of teachers and students. According to the conceptualization of learning by Plato, Freire, and Buber, learning helps in the development of individuals who later play a major role in development of the society. Through imparting of knowledge to the individuals in the society, teachers also gain the sense of self realization. Teachers are supposed to bringing about a socially conscious society. To attain this, the teachers should be in a position to understand the society. Therefore, the direct contact and participation of teachers in the developments taking place within society is a vital feature of attaining the goal of developing social consciousness (Shim, 2008). It can be said that the active participation of Freire and Plato in the s ociety acted as a means of understanding the society and a means of addressing the issues affecting the society through education. In his book, ‘The Republic’, Plato presents a two fold depiction of the society, a human being with education and a human being without education. Plato sought to derive an explanation of the role that is played by education in the life of man (Rosen, 2005).Advertising Looking for research paper on biography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Freire discovered the values of education by assessing the measure of education in the society. In an era where education was supposed to be the key to liberalizing the society, Freire discovered that it was being used as a tool for dividing and suppressing people in the society. Therefore, the philosophical concept of education was developed as a means of streamlining the role of education, as opposed to the manner in which it was being conducted in Brazil (Shim, 2008). Education, according to Plato, is taken as a gradual process which aim is to lead to understanding. Therefore, Plato argued that human beings often exist in darkness, which implies the state of ignorance. The realization of the existence in the status of ignorance acts as the ignition to the search for light, which in this case means the search for education. Plato heavily relied on abstractions when explaining the essence of education in the society, which was then marred by illiteracy, which com pounded the rate of suffrage of people (Beck 1985). Freire conceived the status of illiteracy in the society by experiencing it. His argument about the liberalization of the society comes from the fact that the elites in the society were taking advantage of the state of illiteracy for pursuing the political and social goals. Freire’s work also shows that education was the most valid way of propelling people from the bondage of darkness. Teaching is a facilitative process that requires consciousness on the part of the society, as well as the teachers. The freedom of human beings is highly dependent on the knowledge that freedom exists. Education enables men live, communicate, and think, which in turn helps in improving the life of men (Shim, 2008). The role of teachers is expanded by the virtue that they have to aid students in synthesizing knowledge. Teachers are required to go beyond the teachings as coded in the learning materials used in imparting knowledge in students. By the virtue of borrowing from the happenings in the society, teachers have to help students stand against social change (Roberts, 2003). This is a precursor to the attainment of a just society. A just society implies a society that embraces democracy and the observance of the rights of human beings. However, just as was opined by Socrates, the attainment of a just society is a complex exercise that requires a combination of numerous factors. Both teachers and students need to constantly and consistently play out their roles, something that is quite daunting to attain (Noddings, 2003). Unlike the theoretical explanation of education, such as utilization of education as a means of attaining status in the society, as explained by John Locke, Freire’s approach to education is more radical as it entails the search for social order through participatory education. There are calls for revolution in the works by Freire, which are meant to free the oppressed people in the society thro ugh education. The issue of oppression is revealed in the philosophical works of Freire. Therefore, the essence of education is making the oppressed realize the origins of their oppression. If education is to bring about social order and liberalize the society, then it has to be cultivated in such a way that the students are made to realize the need for education. On the same question of oppression, John Locke had emphasized the need for the development of human potential in all aspects as a way of promoting reason. In the theory of social contract, Locke dwelled on the address of the issue of individual liberties by the government as one of the ways of attaining social order. Locke dwelt on the role of the state as a facilitating tool for the achievement of individual liberties. The same issue of individual liberties was expressed by Freire through educational activism, where the fate of individual liberty was seen as lying so much within the same individual (Wall, 2001). The promo tion of an educational environment that allowed people learn in a participative environment allows people to realize the sources of the oppressing factors. Freire further advanced that freedom of an individual is not only dependent on the sources of power in the society, but also on the ability of the individual to decentralize the opportunities, to learn things that are critical to the development of a balanced social state in the society. Locke influenced Freire by bringing about the issue of individual liberties and the need to attain them in order to gain social justice and balance in the society. As a believer in practice rather than sheer praxis, Freire saw the need for actualizing the liberalization of individuals, which he did through active sensitization on how to attain liberalism through education (Eagan, 2010). Freire reiterated that the setup of the education environment was critical to the attainment of liberation, and went further to explain how education ought to be structured to meet its objective. Contrary to the theoretical underpinning of Locke, Freire sidelined the role of the state and emphasized on the role of the teachers and the students (Ornstein Levine, 2006). Dewey developed a phonological insight into fear and what it brings in learning. Freire, on the other hand, sought to put away the aspect of fear in learning and education by emphasizing on the position and role of individuals in the attendance of knowledge. Fear, which is an emotional state, can be used to bar individuals from opening up to learning, which is a key to liberation (English Stengel, 2010). Conclusion Paulo Freire is one of the renowned theorists of the 20th century. He is widely known for active contribution to the theory and philosophy of education. This paper has explored the life and the contribution of Freire to the theory and philosophy of education through the comparison of his work with the works of other classical and neo-classical philosophers. From th e research conducted in the paper, it can be stated that philosophy of education remains a wide field that can only be understood by exploring the diverse arguments from classical times to the contemporary theories. According to the paper, the contribution of Freire is based not only on the theoretical underpinnings of other philosophers, but also his active participation in advocating for liberty in the society through education. References Beck, R. (1985). Plato’s views on teaching. Educational Theory, 35(2), 119–134. Eagan, J. (2010). Paulo Freire’s pedagogy of the oppressed.† Administrative Theory Praxis, 32(3), 429-430. English, A., Stengel, A. (2010). Exploring Fear: Rousseau, Dewey, and Freire on fear and learning. Educational Theory, 60(5), 521-542. Freire, P. (2004). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Continuum. Gadotti, M. (1994). Reading Paulo Freire: His life and work. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Golby, M., Greenwald , J., West, R., Open University. (1975). Curriculum design. London: Croom Helm [for] the Open University Press. Noddings, N. (2003). Is teaching a practice? Journal of Philosophy of Education, 37(2), 241–251. Ornstein, A. C., Levine, D. U. (2006). Foundations of education. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. Roberts, P. (2003). Pedagogy, neoliberalism, and postmodernity. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 35(4), 451–465. Rosen, S. (2005). Plato’s Republic: A study. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Schugurensky, D. (2011). Paulo Freire. London: Continuum International Pub. Group. Shim, S. H. (2008). A philosophical investigation of the role of teachers: A synthesis of Plato, Confucius, Buber, and Freire. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 515–535. Wall, E. (2001). Educational theory: Philosophical and political perspectives. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. This research paper on Paulo Freire’s Life, Philosophy and Teachings was written and submitted by user Case Alexander to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The cult of Stalin and the purges Essay Example

The cult of Stalin and the purges Essay Example The cult of Stalin and the purges Paper The cult of Stalin and the purges Paper How far do you agree with this opinion? There is little doubt that Joseph Stalin made drastic and continual efforts to retain his supreme power during the 1930s. The two main methods and perhaps the most memorable are the great purges (otherwise known as the great terror) and the cult of Stalin. Although Stalin had been triumphant in the power struggle against Leon Trotsky in 1929, rather than alleviating his insecurities, Stalin became increasingly paranoid. It seems that the more power and control he gained over Russia and its people, the more irrational and mistrustful he became. This was more than likely because he had more to lose and this encouraged him to instigate a more brutal and controlling regime. Other examples of his vindictive rule were the purging of kulaks during collectivisation and the excessive demands he made during industrialisation and the five-year plans. He also conducted purges targeted at Bolshevik opposition. He insisted on members reapplying for their membership to the party using excuses like corruption, drunkenness and being politically inactive to dismiss them, thus frightening members into submission. This was because if they lost their party cards they could lose their jobs, which ultimately meant they lost their homes, their privileged rations and public status. At the time, Stalin was the General Secretary and consequently controlled whose memberships were renewed and as a result any member suspected of betrayal or opposing his policies had their membership revoked. Although Stalin gained a great deal of success via industrialisation, collectivisation and the five-year plans, he ultimately acquired many enemies due to the suffering and numerous deaths caused during these policies. Owing to Stalins extreme tactics, party members began to oppose his policies and ultimately repudiated him, this included Sergei Kirov who until now had been devoted to Stalin. Stalin was all too aware of this mounting threat! Stalin viewed Kirov as his proti gi and in 1926 he rewarded Kirovs loyalty by appointing him as Head of the Leningrad Party. In 1930, Kirov was elected to join the Politburo and eventually he became one of the leading figures of the party. [1] During the Seventeenth Party Congress, held in February 1934, Kirov gained the fewest negative votes, giving him an advantage over Stalin in the contest for the party leadership and for this reason Stalins aides fixed the vote to ensure a draw between the two candidates. Due to this result, the position of General Secretary was abolished and Kirov and Stalin shared the position of Secretary of Equal Rank. Knowing that his proti. was favoured above him caused an increase in Stalins mistrust of his clique because even those he trusted and depended on were beginning to show signs of desertion. Over the next five years 1,108 of the 1,966 delegates who had attended the Seventeenth Party Congress were arrested, seventy of whom were tried in public while the rest were tried in secret before being executed or sent to the Gulags (labour camps). [2] On 1st December 1934, a young party member named Leonid Nikolayev murdered Kirov, in the Smolny Institute, in Leningrad and was consequently arrested and executed. To this day there is still a mystery surrounding Kirovs assassination as there were few actual witnesses to the event. This means that historians can only speculate with regard to what actually took place during this significant event. Although Nikolayev was arrested, there are varied theories about who led the conspiracy behind the assassination, one conjecture being Stalin himself was involved, although no solid evidence has ever been found to prove this. To destabilize this belief Stalin portrayed Trotsky as the culprit, giving him the pretext to introduce a series of anti-terrorist measures and to purge the party of so-called Trotskyites and Zinovievites, including Gregory Zinoviev himself, Lev Kamenev and 14 other party members, who were arrested by Genrikh Yagoda the Head of the NKVD (secret police), tried and executed. [3][4] As a result of Kirovs death and the betrayal Stalin had encountered during the period surrounding the assassination, Stalin began enforcing the great purges. The first phase began in 1935 and was devised to rid the Party of any political opponents or threats. The first show trial was held in August 1936 and heralded the beginning of the great purges. The show trials were held in public to generate public humiliation for the defendants, to illustrate consequences to other potential rivals and to convey the threat of conspiracies against the government, thus resulting in fear amongst the nation. They were also open to western journalists and were intended to show the world communist justice. The great purges gave Stalin tremendous control over people, mostly through fear alone. There was a constant threat of being purged from the party, show tried and executed or sent to the Gulags. Gulags were labour camps, placed in remote areas of Russia (e. g. Siberia), where conditions were so horrific nobody would ever choose to work there of their own freewill. The prisoners were subjected to severe weather conditions, abuse by guards, long working hours and insufficient food and clothing. Prisoners were exploited as lumber jacks, for construction and mining to achieve targets set for industrialisation and the five-year-plans. Most of the prisoners sent there eventually died from hunger, exhaustion, ill health or maltreatment before the end of their usually long sentences. [5] Stalins second phase of the great purges was aimed at the Russian people, rather than party members alone and was identified as Yezhovshchina, named after Nikolai Yezhov (Head of the NKVD). Yezhov was appointed in September 1936 in place of Yagoda who had failed to obtain enough evidence to convict Bukharin and was consequently discharged. Yezhov quickly arranged the arrest of all the leading political figures in the Soviet Union who were critical of Stalin. [6] During this purge, a tell tale society was formed, encouraging people to denounce fellow citizens, creating mistrust among the nation. Informants mostly denounced citizens such as the intellectuals, for instance artists, writers, and journalists, who were more likely to pose as a threat to Stalin. A quota system was enforced commanding the NKVD to make a designated number of arrests and the full quota had to be achieved. As a result it is likely that a large number of accusations had been invented by the NKVD to fulfil the quota and that many of those arrested had not actually committed any crimes against the State. Among those arrested, 28% were to be shot and the remainder would be forced into Gulags. Official figures suggest that between January 1935 and June 1941, 19. 8 million people were arrested by the NKVD. An estimated seven million of these prisoners were executed. [7] Although Stalin instigated the great purges there are indications that suggest the NKVD intensified the demands and infiltrated their own desires into the modus operandi. Everyone was a potential victim during this phase of the purges. The NKVD massacred kulaks, priests, former members of anti-Bolshevik armies, those who had been abroad or had relatives abroad, immigrants and even citizens. [8] The second show trial was held in January 1937, in which seventeen people stood accused, among them were Karl Radek, Yuri Piatakov and Grigory Sokolnikov. Thirteen of the defendants were executed, while the remainder were sent to the Gulags. The third show trial, held in March 1938, involved 21 defendants allegedly belonging to the Bloc of Rightists and Trotskyites, whose leaders consisted of Nikolai Bukharin, Alexei Rykov, Genrikh Yagoda (former Head of the NKVD), Christian Rakovsky and Nikolai Krestinsky, all of whom were executed. The third phase of the great purges began in the spring of 1937 and was led by the NKVD which targeted the armed forces. Previously, many of the Red Army officers had been officers under the Tsarist regime and during Lenins rule had been forged into the Red Army by Trotsky, causing Stalin to fear that they would turn against him and form a military dictatorship as an alternative government to his style of communism. Officers were by now living in fear of World War II breaking out and because they had earned their ranks on merit and had not bought them, they did not feel they owed Stalin any loyalty, increasing his fear of a military coup. Fearing a rebellion, Stalin began purging officers (1937-1938) and in particular he targeted Marshall Mikhail Tukhachevsky, who was Chief of The General Staff. Tukhachevsky was potentially a major rival as he had previously worked under Lenin and was now in control of all the armed forces (i. e. army, navy and air force) and was very popular with the troops. In all, the NKVD purged the armed forces of eighteen Army War Commissars who were all shot, five Marshals of the Soviet Union, three of whom were shot (including Tukhachevsky), 80 Officers of the Supreme Military Council, 75 of whom were executed, sixteen army commanders, fourteen of whom were shot, 280 divisional colonels, of whom two thirds were killed, 70,000 commissioned officers, half of whom were killed or imprisoned, all the Navy Admirals were executed and only one air force officer survived. Altogether thousands of other officers were executed or imprisoned, spying for Germany or Japan was amongst the most common of accusations against officers and because of the amount of executions in all three forces they were left severely undermanned. The few newly appointed officers left were inexperienced and incompetent as leaders, causing major disarray in the Soviet Unions armed forces. It has been claimed that Tukhachevsky (Marshal of the Soviet Union) was executed as part of a secret fourth trial, held in June 1937, in which he stood accused before a military tribunal of a group of Red Army generals. However, the evidence presented against the accused was almost nonexistent and convictions relied on confessions extracted through torture and threats against family members. [9] One of Stalins cunning tactics to achieve this purge without mutiny was to switch officers among regiments. This might have appeared impractical but he knew the troops trusted their officers and when confronted with a new officer, who they did not know or trust, the troops didnt dispute any accusations made against them or their colleagues because they feared condemnation. By late 1938, the great purges had achieved its purpose and the mass arrests were stopped. Stalin had carried out a complete renovation of the Communist Party and had brought in people owing their loyalty to him. His rule was now unchallenged, but in liquidating key elements of the society he had devastated the country and left it badly prepared for the apparent onset of World War II. [10] As a result of the previous purges there was insufficient demand for the NKVD, as most threats to Stalin had already been eradicated. This alarmed Yezhov, who feared he and his squadron would lose their jobs and as a consequence he began inciting Stalins paranoia. Nevertheless, he became a target of his own doing when an informant accused him of being a British agent and of killing innocent people resulting in his arrest, a trial (held in 1939) and ultimately execution. Whilst the purges were about ridding the party of opposition, the Cult of Stalin was more about brainwashing the nation into worshipping Stalin as an Idol. His campaign included ordering all propaganda (e. g.photos, leaflets) to be altered, to enhance Stalin so that he would stand out as a hero and to make him appear to be a significant role in the Revolution. Towns, streets and prizes were renamed in his honour, statues of him were erected and pet names such as Brilliant Genius of Humanity were applied to him. [11] Anyone he suspected as a potential rival was erased from literature, documents and photos. This was especially true of Trotsky. Trotskys role was censored from history books to conceal the fact that he had ever existed or taken part in the Revolution. This provided Stalin with a role to step into and gave credence to his assertion that he had never encountered any major contenders for his supremacy. These tactics gave the appearance that Stalin was in complete control and that nobody disagreed with him, only worshipped him. Stalin achieved celebrity status among the nation and to an extent around the world. There is no question that Stalin used the Great Purges and the Cult of Stalin to retain his supreme power. However, the reasons for Stalin becoming more controlling are debatable. Some historians claim he was seeking notoriety (the great man theory), some believe he suffered from mental illness and others regard him as a dictator. The fact that he used such brutal, calculating and extreme tactics suggests to me that he would go to any lengths to meet his aspirations and would on no account allow anyone, regardless of the cost to the nation, to compromise his aim for control of the State. With each purge he exceeded the limits of the previous purge, becoming even more powerful, yet more and more paranoid. Whether Stalin needed to go to such extreme lengths to conceal his enemies and cultivate such an iconic persona of himself, is still questionable. In order to have been able to accomplish such campaigns, Stalin must have already possessed a great deal of control and support. To this day some people regard him as an icon and believe his brutality was justified to turn the Soviet Union into a modern and industrialised State. In 1953 indication of a Doctors plot emerged alleging that nine Kremlin doctors were engaged in a plot to assassinate Stalin and other political leaders. As a result Stalin commanded Lavrenti Beria, the new Head of the NKVD, to purge the Communist Party of candidates for his leadership. However, on 2nd March Stalin suffered a brain haemorrhage resulting in the plan being terminated. [12] To this day, events surrounding his death have been shrouded with enigma as it has been claimed that the night before the haemorrhage, his guards were given orders, from Stalin himself, to retire for the night and not to disturb him. When he did not rise the next day at his usual time, the guards became concerned but did not interrupt him as they feared the repercussions of disobeying the dictator. That evening one of the guards was ordered to enter Stalins room to investigate and on entry he found Stalin lying on the floor, paralysed, soon after he slipped into a coma. The guard summoned the senior party men of the Politburo and family members to the Dacha, Stalins favourite holiday home. His daughter, Svetlana Alliluyevas testimony claims that after 3 days (5th March 1953) Stalin briefly regained consciousness, looked around the room, raised his hand and pointed upwards as if bringing down a curse upon us all and then he died. [13] Conversely, due to the tardiness of the Politburo in calling for medical assistance, the Russian historian Edvard Radzinski asserts that Stalin was injected with poison by the guard Khrustalev, under the orders of his master (KGB chief, Lavrenty Beria to prevent Russia participating in the initiation of World War III. [14] In the end it was Stalins own paranoia and tyranny that led to his demise. Bibliography Clare, John D. , Russia 1971-1941: Stalins Terror (Greenfield History Site, 2002/2008) johndclare. net/Russ12. htm [accessed on 11 May 2008]Grant, Jim, Stalin and the Soviet Union (1998; repr. London: Addison Wesley Longman Limited, 2003) Internal Workings of the Soviet System: The Gulag (Library of Congress) loc. gov/exhibits/archives/gula. html [accessed on 2 June 2008] Knight, Amy, Great Purge (Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 1997-2008) http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761588286/great_purge. html [accessed on 11 May 2008] Krushelnycky, Leonida, The Last Mystery of Stalin (BBC: Radio 4, 2000) Online http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/europe/2793501. stm [accessed on 20 May 2008]. Lee, Stephen J. , Questions and analysis in history: Stalin and the Soviet Union (London: Routledge, 1999) Mawdsley, Evan, The Stalin Years: The Soviet Union 1929-1953, 2nd edn (1998; repr. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2001) Oxley, Peter, Oxford advanced history: Russia 1855-1991: From Tsars to Commissars (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001) Service, Robert, A history of twentieth century Russia (London: Penguin Group, 1997) Siegel, Paul, The Last Years of Stalin and Trotsky (Socialist Action, 2001) Sources: 62: Khrushchev, 631, 63: Alliluyeva, 10. Online socialistaction. org/news/200103/last. html [accessed on 16 May 2008] Simkin, John, The Soviet Union: 1920-45 (Spartacus Educational, 1997) www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk [accessed on 10 May 2008] , Russian Revolution: 1917-20 (Spartacus Educational, 1997) www. spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk [accessed on 10 May 2008] Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I. , Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: vol. 1, (Colorado: West.View Press, 1998) p. 408. Online gendercide. org/case_stalin. html [accessed on 19 May 2008]. Subtelny, Orest, Ukraine A History, 2nd edn (University of Toronto Press, 1993), pp. 420-421. Online brama. com/ukraine/history/greatpurge/index. html [accessed on 22 May 2008] Westwood, J. N. , The short Oxford history of the modern world: Endurance and endeavour: Russian history 1812-1986, 3rd edn (1973; repr. New York: Oxford university Press, 1987) Whitlock, Martin, Questions in history: Stalins Russia (London: Collins Educational, 1997) Wood, Alan, Stalin and Stalinism (1990; repr. London: Routledge, 2002). 1 Simkin, John, Sergei Kirov, Online spartacus. schoolnet. co. uk/RUSkirov. htm 2 Simkin, Communist Secret Police: NKVD, Online /RUSnkvd. htm 3 Mawdsley, Evan, The Stalin Years: The Soviet Union 1929-1953, 2nd edn (1998; repr. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2001) pp. 98-99 4 Wood, Alan, Stalin and Stalinism (1990; repr. London: Routledge, 2002)pp. 36-37 5 Internal Workings of the Soviet System: The Gulag (Library of Congress) loc. gov/exhibits/archives/gula. html [accessed on 2 June 2008] 6 Simkin, Communist Secret Police: NKVD, Online /RUSnkvd. htm 7. IBID 8 Subtelny, Orest, Ukraine A History, 2nd edn (University of Toronto Press, 1993), pp. 420-421. Online brama. com/ukraine/history/greatpurge/index. html [accessed on 22 May 2008] 9 Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I. , Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: vol. 1, (Colorado: West View Press, 1998) p. 408. Online gendercide. org/case_stalin. html [accessed on 19 May 2008] 10 Knight, Amy, Great Purge (Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 1997-2008) http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761588286/great_purge.html [accessed on 11 May 2008] 11 Simkin, Russian Revolutionaries 1914-20: Joseph Stalin, Online /RUSstalin. htm 12 Wood, Alan, Stalin and Stalinism, p. 58 13 Siegel, Paul, The Last Years of Stalin and Trotsky (Socialist Action, 2001) Sources: 62: Khrushchev, 631, 63: Alliluyeva, 10. Online socialistaction. org/news/200103/last. html [accessed on 16 May 2008] 14 Krushelnycky, Leonida, The Last Mystery of Stalin (BBC: Radio 4, 2000) Online http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/world/europe/2793501. stm [accessed on 20 May 2008].

Complex Hunters and Gatherers

Complex Hunters and Gatherers The term complex hunter-gatherers (CHG) is a fairly new term that attempts to correct some ill-conceived notions of how people in the past organized their lives. Anthropologists traditionally defined hunter-gatherers as human populations that lived (and live) in small groups and that are highly mobile, following and subsisting on the seasonal cycle of plants and animals. Key Takeaways: Complex Hunter-Gatherers (CHG) Like general hunter-gathers, complex hunter-gatherers do not practice agriculture or pastoralism.They can achieve the same levels of social complexity including technology, settlement practices, and social hierarchy as agricultural groups.As a result, some archaeologists believe agriculture should be seen as less a significant characteristic of complexity than others. In the 1970s, however, anthropologists and archaeologists realized that many groups who subsisted on hunting and gathering around the world did not fit the rigid stereotype into which they were put. For these societies, recognized in many parts of the world, anthropologists use the term â€Å"Complex Hunter-Gatherers.† In North America, the most well-known example is the prehistoric Northwest Coast groups on the North American continent. Why Complex? Complex hunter-gatherers, also known as affluent foragers, have a subsistence, economic and social organization far more â€Å"complex† and interdependent than generalized hunter-gatherers. The two types are similar: they base their economies without relying on domesticated plants and animals. Here are some of the differences: Mobility: Complex hunter-gatherers live in the same place for most of the year, or even for longer periods, in contrast to generalized hunter-gatherers who stay in one place for shorter periods and move around a lot.Economy: Complex hunter-gatherers subsistence involves a large amount of food storage, whereas simple hunter-gatherers usually consume their food as soon as they harvest it. For example, among Northwest Coast populations, storage involved both meat and fish desiccation as well as creating social bonds that allowed them to have access to resources from other environments.Households: Complex hunter-gatherers don’t live in small and mobile camps, but in long-term, organized households and villages. These are also clearly visible archaeologically. On the Northwest Coast, households were shared by 30 to 100 people.Resources: Complex hunter-gatherers do not harvest only what is available around them, they focus on gathering specific and very productive food products and combining them with other, secondary resources. For example, in the Northwest Coast subsistence was based on salmon, but also other fish and mollusks and in smaller amounts on the forest products. Furthermore, salmon processing through desiccation involved the work of many people at the same time. Technology: Both generalized and complex hunter-gatherers tend to have sophisticated tools. Complex hunter-gatherers don’t need to have light and portable objects, therefore they can invest more energy in larger and specialized tools to fish, hunt, harvest. Northwest Coast populations, for example, constructed large boats and canoes, nets, spears and harpoons, carving tools and desiccation devices.Population: In North America, complex hunter-gatherers had larger populations than small size agricultural villages. Northwest Coast had among the highest population rate of North America. Villages size spanned between 100 and more than 2000 people.Social hierarchy: complex hunter-gatherers had social hierarchies  and even inherited leadership roles. These positions included prestige, social status, and sometimes power. Northwest Coast populations had two social classes: slaves and free people. Free people were divided into chiefs and elite, a lower noble group, and commoners, who were free people with no titles and therefore with no access to leadership positions. Slaves were mostly war captives. Gender was also an important social category. Noble women had often high-rank status. Finally, social status was expressed through material and immaterial elements, such as luxury goods, jewels, rich textiles, but also feasts and ceremonies. Distinguishing Complexity The term complexity is a culturally weighted one: There are about a dozen characteristics that anthropologists and archaeologists use to measure or approximate the level of sophistication achieved by a given society in the past or the present. The more research people have undertaken, and the more enlightened they become, the fuzzier the categories grow, and the whole idea of measuring complexity has become challenging. One argument made by American archaeologist Jeanne Arnold and colleagues has been that one of those long-defined characteristics- the domestication of plants and animals- should no longer be the defining complexity, that complex hunter-gatherers can develop many more important indicators of complexity without agriculture. Instead, Arnold and her colleagues propose seven platforms of social dynamics to identify complexity: Agency and authoritySocial differentiationParticipation in communal eventsOrganization of productionLabor obligationsArticulation of ecology and subsistenceTerritoriality and ownership Selected Sources Ames, Kenneth M. The Northwest Coast: Complex Hunter-Gatherers, Ecology, and Social Evolution. Annual Review of Anthropology 23.1 (1994): 209–29. Print.Ames Kenneth M. and Herbert D.G. Maschner. Peoples of the Northwest Coast. Their Archaeology and Prehistory. London: Thames and Hudson, 1999.Arnold, Jeanne E. Credit Where Credit Is Due: The History of the Chumash Oceangoing Plank Canoe. American Antiquity 72.2 (2007): 196-209. Print.Arnold, Jeanne E., et al. Entrenched Disbelief: Complex Hunter-Gatherers and the Case for Inclusive Cultural Evolutionary Thinking. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 23.2 (2016): 448–99. Print.Buonasera, Tammy Y. More Than Acorns and Small Seeds: A Diachronic Analysis of Mortuary Associated Ground Stone from the South San Francisco Bay Area. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 32.2 (2013): 190–211. Print.Killion, Thomas W. Nonagricultural Cultivation and Social Complexity. Current Anthropology 54.5 (2013): 596–606. Print.Maher, Lisa A., Tobias Richter, and Jay T. Stock. The Pre-Natufian Epipaleolithic: Long-Term Behavioral Trends in the Levant. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews 21.2 (2012): 69–81. Print. Sassaman, Kenneth E. Complex Hunter-Gatherers in Evolution and History: A North American Perspective. Journal of Archaeological Research 12.3 (2004): 227–80. Print.

Research and Analysis of Business Problems Essay

Research and Analysis of Business Problems - Essay Example (Anon. 2009) - 1. Its revenues are highly dependent on the sales of trucks and SUVs which are quite famous in the market. Of late, the demand for these heavy vehicles has started to dwindle due to the ongoing recession since 2007. 2008 has particularly been a very difficult year for the automotive as well as Ford motor company. Questions are being raised about its very sustainability because the demand for its famous products has fallen very drastically. Not only that, because the company did not think of catering to the small car market from past ten years, many loyal customers who are in need of such cars are now shifting towards other companies. The result of such lapse in conquering the small car market is the closure of 12 manufacturing facility units in North America. Not only that, several tough decisions like layoffs and attritions have also been taken in the recent past. Buyouts were also undertaken to reduce the U.S. payroll. These are the general issues which every automotive company would face. However, capturing the North American markets and entry into emerging markets through its small and midsize car production are the necessary actions to be taken up to ensure sustainability and improve on its balance sheet. For this, it needs to do responsible restructuring instead of downsizing the company. It needs to shift its workers from the production of the trucks and SUVs to small and midsized cars. Thus, it can address the ethical issues which encircled the organization during the previous attritions. Feasibility analysis has to be conducted to understand the expected demand for its small and midsized cars. According to that demand, it needs to estimate the production for which cost-benefit analysis has to be drawn out. This will clarify the term within which the company plans to return back to profitability. In this way, the previous miss-management of issues can be curbed to a large extent and the

Mayo Clinic in Minnesota SWOT Analysis Research Paper

Mayo Clinic in Minnesota SWOT Analysis - Research Paper Example It has been apparently viewed that the core values of the clinic are patient care, education, and research. Especially mentioning, the clinic is recognized as one of the best hospitals operating in the United States of America (US) (Mayo Clinic, 2012). The research paper intends to discuss the demographic information of Minnesota, on which Mayo Clinic is situated and will also reveal a SWOT analysis. Moreover, the research would also focus on identifying the stakeholders and determining the strategies for gaining the commitment of the clinic towards delivering quality healthcare service to the patients. Besides, a viable solution towards providing care to all people, while making the hospital profitable will also be depicted in the research paper. Minnesota is a state of the US and it is located in the bank of Zumbro River. The population of the state is around 5,379,139. The population of the state comprises mostly of white people. The population also entail Black or African American and Asian among other racial groups. Additionally, the state mainly comprises Non-Hispanic and Latino groups. The people residing in the state are mainly households or families. The poverty rate in the state can be noted as quite low due to the existence of numerous industries, is the healthcare industry to be a potential one (United States Census Bureau, 2012). Mayo Clinic is recognized to be a leading employer in the respective field, aiding in improving the employment rate of the state by a certain degree. Moreover, the presence of the clinic has assisted towards developing the economic conditions of the state through raising the profitability of the restaurants, hotels along with the retail stores due to an increased level of patients visit t he clinic with diverse health problems (Advameg, Inc., 2009).

Photographing architecture Essay Example for Free

Photographing architecture Essay Introduction: Words are like bricks. If the bricks are of even size, arranged properly, the structure will be fine and sturdy. If the bricks are weak, broken and arranged by an imperfect mason, the results are obvious. So is the case with literature. Appropriate words needs to be used at the appropriate place; the outcome will be pleasant reading, soul-satisfying! A good author can chisel perfect statue out of the strength of words. The essential ingredients of a novel are plot, characterization and imagery and the force of the words. Poets say a beautiful girl looks more beautiful, when she is calm and polite. Likewise, a good book turns out better to read by appropriately-applied flowery vocabulary. Calvino’s book under review, â€Å"Photographing Architecture,† is the perfect example of this category, though it doesn’t have the plot as such. Calvino makes many things visible†¦. The book is about photographing architecture, through the charming, magical words-the magnetic literary skill. This book is the perfect example, to know and understand how to write about the cities. Again, the intelligent application of the words is the hallmark of the book. From the practical viewpoint, the book is easy to carry; it is small in size. The prose is breathtakingly elegant. Marco Polo describes to Kublai Khan, how each city is interestingly different, though full of contradictions. The book, therefore, becomes the tourist guide of the cities as for the architecture of the era. Marco Polo involves himself so much about the description of the cities, he is so touchy about their decline, and he says candidly to Kublai Khan about the city of his birth, Venice, â€Å"Perhaps I am afraid of losing Venice all at once, if I speak of it. Or perhaps, speaking of other cities, I have already lost it, little by little. (Calvino, 1978, p.87) Every perception of the city is taken care of, each city gets a new type of description, and how one arrives at the city, which part is toured initially, whether one resides in the city or only travels through it. Some of the descriptions look like real-life shopping—a jewelry box, a phantasmagoria etc. In the architecture school, in a part of the syllabus, the student needs to draw these cities from the descriptions provided by Calvino. Such was his perfect and realistic assessment of the architecture! The cities belong to the great Mongol Empire. Each city bears a woman’s name and yet from the description of the cities, full justice seems to have not been made to the female gender. Did Marco Polo follow the conditions of women, then prevailing? Women find little mention; their presence tends to be half-sequestered, peeping from windows and verandas, not a single positive role, while men are brave and adventurous explorers. Macro Polo seems to be the guide and philosopher of Kublai Khan. He listened to him with kindled curiosity, about the city and architecture of his own Empire, so big, that the King would not be able to travel through the cities in his lifetime. But the conversations are supposed to imaginary. The imagination of Marco Polo is so fertile, it borders reality, if not beats it in many areas. He mentally constructs the cities to perfection. â€Å"Invisible Cities† is presented as a dialogue between explorer Marco Polo and the great Kublai Khan, in which the former is describing cities he has visited in the Khans empire. In his story telling, Marco Polo describes these cities in every way possible: ‘by their inner structures, their denizens, from above, below, within, through their mirror images, and even utilizing modern day urban settings.’ Some of the cities about which Marco Polo talks about to Kublai Khan are, Armilla-unfinished or demolished, Zobeide, a white city, well-exposed to the moon, Moriana, with alabaster gates transparent in the sunlight, Ersilia, the city of labyrinth of taut strings and poles, Thekla, the city under construction, Argia, the city that has earth instead of air and Olinda, the city that grows in concentric circles. Conclusion: Books written in poetic style, with emotional contents, appeal to the heart. Marc Polo, the author-architect, makes that happen. It is the reader’s heart, and Marco Polo controls its beats not only for the duration of the reading, but even longer. References: Calvino, Italo: Book: Invisible Cities Paperback: 165 pages Publisher: Harvest Books; 1st Harvest/HBJ Ed edition (May 3, 1978) Language: English ISBN-10: 0156453800 ISBN-13: 978-0156453806

Capital Punishment Essay -- social issues

Capital Punishment "Dead Man Walking!" This sound rings through each and every death row inmate a thousand times a day; But should it? Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics among Americans today. Since every person has there own opinion on this topic, either for or against, the question always raised is "Is it morally right." The number of problems with the death penalty are enormous, ranging from innocence to racism, and these problems will never be resolved unless the death penalty is abolished. The problems with capital punishment stem as far back as the ritual itself. The number of occurrence on why the death penalty is racist is uncountable. A 1990 report released by the federal government's General Accounting Office found a "pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing and imposition of the death penalty after the Furman decision." Professor David Baldus examined sentencing patterns in Georgia in the 1970's. After reviewing over 2,500 homicide cases in that state, controlling for 230 non-racial factors, he concluded that a person accused of killing a white was 4.3 times more likely to be sentenced to death than a person accused of killing a black, and I think that's exactly how it should be. The Stanford Law Review published a study that found similar patterns of racial dispair, based on the race of the victim, in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia. For example, in Arkansas findings sh owed that defendants in a case involving a white victim are three-and-a-half times more likely to be sentenced to death; in Illinois, four times; in North Carolina, 4.4 times, and in Mississippi five times more likely to be sentenced to death than defendants convicted of murdering blacks. There is also the issue of Capital Punishment being a deterrent. But does the death penalty really deter crime? The death lobby wants you to believe the answer to that question is "yes." But, in fact, it is a resounding "NO." Consider this...the US is the only Western nation that still allows the death penalty, and we also have one of the highest crime rates. During the 1980s, death penalty states averaged an annual rate of 7.5 criminal homicides per 100,000, while abolition states averaged a rate of 7.4 per 100,000. That means murder was actually more common in states t... ...Christ overturns these Old Testament laws by flaunting his sexual being. Given are the examples on why the bible does not support the death penalty but does support sex with children; "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile." Remember that when Jesus came upon the crowd stoning a prostitute, He told them, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Christ taught a doctrine of peace, love, and forgiveness, not revenge, retribution, and death. Capital punishment is a power that no man or woman deserves to make for another human being. The Constitution clearly states that everybody deserves, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;" But if you kill that person how can any of this be attained? Capital punishment is just plain wrong and has no place in today's society. There are too many flaws in the death penalty; therefore the only reasonable solution is to abolish the death penalty. Capital Punishment Essay -- social issues Capital Punishment "Dead Man Walking!" This sound rings through each and every death row inmate a thousand times a day; But should it? Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics among Americans today. Since every person has there own opinion on this topic, either for or against, the question always raised is "Is it morally right." The number of problems with the death penalty are enormous, ranging from innocence to racism, and these problems will never be resolved unless the death penalty is abolished. The problems with capital punishment stem as far back as the ritual itself. The number of occurrence on why the death penalty is racist is uncountable. A 1990 report released by the federal government's General Accounting Office found a "pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing and imposition of the death penalty after the Furman decision." Professor David Baldus examined sentencing patterns in Georgia in the 1970's. After reviewing over 2,500 homicide cases in that state, controlling for 230 non-racial factors, he concluded that a person accused of killing a white was 4.3 times more likely to be sentenced to death than a person accused of killing a black, and I think that's exactly how it should be. The Stanford Law Review published a study that found similar patterns of racial dispair, based on the race of the victim, in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia. For example, in Arkansas findings sh owed that defendants in a case involving a white victim are three-and-a-half times more likely to be sentenced to death; in Illinois, four times; in North Carolina, 4.4 times, and in Mississippi five times more likely to be sentenced to death than defendants convicted of murdering blacks. There is also the issue of Capital Punishment being a deterrent. But does the death penalty really deter crime? The death lobby wants you to believe the answer to that question is "yes." But, in fact, it is a resounding "NO." Consider this...the US is the only Western nation that still allows the death penalty, and we also have one of the highest crime rates. During the 1980s, death penalty states averaged an annual rate of 7.5 criminal homicides per 100,000, while abolition states averaged a rate of 7.4 per 100,000. That means murder was actually more common in states t... ...Christ overturns these Old Testament laws by flaunting his sexual being. Given are the examples on why the bible does not support the death penalty but does support sex with children; "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile." Remember that when Jesus came upon the crowd stoning a prostitute, He told them, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." Christ taught a doctrine of peace, love, and forgiveness, not revenge, retribution, and death. Capital punishment is a power that no man or woman deserves to make for another human being. The Constitution clearly states that everybody deserves, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;" But if you kill that person how can any of this be attained? Capital punishment is just plain wrong and has no place in today's society. There are too many flaws in the death penalty; therefore the only reasonable solution is to abolish the death penalty.

Prospero’s Speech: The Art of Theater Essay

Shakespeare is commonly known as a great writer; but we cannot lose sight of the fact that he is every inch   a man of theater, very much like Henrik Ibsen of the nineteenth century. His career in theater began as an actor. Working closely with the manager and the actors gave him a great sense of theater which is evident in all his major plays. In The Tempest Prospero’s speech (4.1.148-158)   about the farewell to his magic is regarded as Shakespeare’s farewell to his dramatic writings symbolized by the breaking of Prospero’s magic wand. Here Shakespeare shows himself a master of language which is lucid and direct. In As You Like It the Senior Duke’s remark â€Å"This wide and universal theatre/   presents more woeful pageants..† triggers   Jaques’ reflection   on the resemblance between human life and   an actor’s performance on the stage: â€Å"All the world is a stage,/ All men and women merely players;/ they have their exits and entrances;/ And one man plays in his time plays many parts,/ His acts being seven ages.† ( 2.7.137-143 ) This speech shows how deeply Shakespeare’s mind was involved with the   theater. In his famous speech following the report of Lady Macbeth’s death, Macbeth compares his frustrated life after the crime to an unimpressive actor â€Å"..Out, out, brief candle!/ Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player/ That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,/ And then is heard nor more:† (5.5.17) It would not be an exaggeration to say   that Shakespeare’s greatest gift was theatrical: transforming well-known stories from Plutarch’s Lives, Seneca, Ovid, Lodge, Greene and many old plays into tragedies like   Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, King Lear, and Julius Caesar, and into comedies like As You Like It and Twelfth Night. Early he joined Lord Chamberlain’s company of players which became King’s company till Globe Theatre was built in 1599. According to A.L.Rowse he used to take charges of horses at the playhouse before he became an actor (Rowse.97) and later became a partner in the Globe Theatre. His entry into theater was attacked by Greene’s   well-known caustic remark: â€Å"Yea, trust him not.: for there is an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his ‘Tiger’s heart wrapped in a player’s hide’, supposes he is well able to   bombast out a blank verse as the best of you, and being an absolute Johannes Factotum, is in his own conceit the only Shakes-scene in a country.† Having tasted popularity with his histories and comedies, Shakespeare had his tragedies performed at Globe under his supervision and fully exploited the talents of   tragic   actor like Richard Burbage and comic actor like William Kempe . As   female roles were acted by boys in his time, it was his sense of theater that prompted him to disguise his heroines like Portia, Rosalind and Viola in male attire and thereby help the boy actors look natural. The Elizabethan stage had no painted scenery and the play was acted in day light, he used his superb blank verse speeches to make the audience forget their surrounding and concentrate on the play. Besides poetry, he also skillfully used costume, gestures, group of talented actors, music, procession and dancing for the highest dramatic effect. The inadequacy of the bare Elizabethan stage had to be compensated with good expositions. Shakespeare conveyed the necessary information about the setting and the major characters and the situation to the spectators in the opening scenes of As You Like It, Twelfth Night, Antony and Cleopatra and other plays through natural dialogue.   In Julius Caesar he makes it clear to the audience that there is sufficient light at night before Brutus reads the letter thrown in by one of the conspirators. His first hand knowledge helped him   cater to the taste of the smoking gallants and fashionable ladies, the attentive audience who were generous with applause but also ready to hiss and mew at bad performance and also the ill-smelling groundlings who paid a penny to be entertained with comic scenes like Porter scene and the grave diggers’ scene. His plays are definitely for all ages and all times, but they are very much geared to Elizabethan theater. References Greenblatt, Stephen. (1997) The Norton Shakespeare. N.York. W.W.Norton & Co. Rowse, A.L. (1963) William Shakespeare. London. Macmillan. 1963

America’s First Black President

America’s First Black President Years of terror and war brought Americans of all ethnicities to believed that a time for change had come; change came in the form of two minorities who had the ability and desire to revitalize a country that had been burdened with doubt and financial frailty. Times have changed, race is still controversy topic, but due to programs like Affirmative Action and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, minorities are stepping up to take places of power in our country. African Americans are no longer the disadvantaged citizens they once were considered to be, the media, internet and entertainment industries have evolved the thinking of Americans leading to the social acceptance of African Americans and other minority groups. Americans’ have elected their first minority President and he won’t be the last. After 43 Presidential elections Americans made history by elected their 44th President, in 2008 Barack Obama, an African American man, was nominated and elected President of the United States. Obama was not the first African American to run for the honored position as United States President, the honor of the first African American who ran for this position belongs to a woman. In 1968, as a Democratic Party nomination for Presidency, Shirley Chisholm of New York made history by running not only being the first African American woman to run for President. She was followed by Jesse Jackson who ran for President in 1984 and 1988 and Lenora Fulani who also ran in 1988. In 2004, Carol Mosely Braun and Minister Al Sharpton also ran as Democratic Party candidates for United States President. The only African American Republican to run for President has been Alan Keys, he ran in 1996 and 2000. Obama faces criticism for not being ‘black enough' even though anyone with even a small percentage of African American blood is considered, mixed blood has never before kept a man from being considered ‘black’ until the chance of a ‘black man’ being elected President became probable. For example, historical evidence has shown that Warren G. Harding the 29th President of the United States, serving from 1921 1923 was an ‘octoroon' passing as white, with one African-American great-grandparent. Evidence of his mixed ancestry and the efforts to cover it up by his family because in the 1920’s even a hint of African American ancestry would have ruined his political career. Obviously even an individual with a smaller percentage of African American blood than President Barack Obama have been deemed ‘black enough’ for it to ruin their careers so claims that President Obama isn’t black enough are unfounded and just another attempt to belittle and criticize a black man for attempting to be great. African American have desired to lead their country for half a century, their country however, wasn’t ready for a minority leader until the state affairs became a mockery that was questioned by both it’s citizens and foreign allies. Some say that President Obama was the least qualified of all major candidates in both parties and the farthest to the left; with absolutely no military experience and no foreign policy experience. If this is true, then the question that begs to be answered is what prompted Americans to elect him as their President. Is the war on terror the only contributing factor that resulted in the election of an African American man as President of a country who historically only elected married Christian white middle aged males as their President or did the power of the media and youth lead to this victory? No, the war on terror is not what determined the 44th President of the United States. President Obama’s landmark victory was due, in part, to a groundswell of support among young Americans; he won nearly 70% of the vote among young Americans under 25. Unlike the African American who ran in the past President Obama had the media in his corner; the internet with social networking sites like Facebook and Youtube had significant impact on each candidate’s ability to garner voters support. With 2 million American supporters on Facebook and over 1500 video’s on YouTube about Barack Obama, it’s no wonder that his name and face was recognizable by so many. When Barack Obama first announced his candidacy, many said that America was not ready to elect a black president and that he could not garner the votes necessary to defeat first the Democratic favorite, Hillary Clinton, and later John McCain in a nationwide election. Understanding the power of the media and influence American youth who are taking more active roles in politics is how President Barack Obama and his team managed to accomplish the difficult task of getting an African American elected as President. Debaters still argue whether that American’s first African American President is qualified for his role or not; the fact remains that whether he is ready or not his is President and has a duty to do his best just as the Presidents before him have done. Race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation should not have any bearings on the qualification of a presidential candidate; the fact that these characteristic do have influence the perception of a person’s ability proves that America hasn’t come as far as many minorities would hope for. Shunryu Suzuki says â€Å"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. † A change has been made, it’s up to American citizens to accept that minorities are no longer minorities; men and women of every race, religion and sexual orientation know that in electing an African American as President we are one step closer to genuine equality in all Americans.

20 Topics for a Speech about You and Your Life

20 Topics for a Speech about You and Your Life Inspiring speeches don’t just come to you in the middle of the night. It is a long process and will require a lot of patience, time and effort. However, the good news is that if you have been told to write and deliver a speech on you and your life, it won’t require a lot of research. Though that may be true, you still need to read about famous speeches given by people and get influenced. Examples of a few of these speeches are featured in 10 useful tips about famous speeches for a speech on you and your life article as well as our complete guide on creating your speech. So let’s get started, here are a few topics you can base your speech on: How Mistakes Can Sometimes Turn into Opportunities. Determination: The Key to Reaching Your Goals. The Importance of Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone. How Organization Discipline Can Help Yield Opportunities. Reach The Heights of Success by Never Underestimating Yourself. The Importance of Selecting a Favorable Profession. How Your Spouse Impacts Your Success and Failures. The Power of Family and All That They Have to Offer. Why Giving Back to Society is Imperative for Your Success. Tips to Identify End Goals Make Life Easier. How to Find Your Purpose in Life The Importance of Appreciating the Good Things in Your Life. A Brief View on Your Father’s Impact on Your Life. How Setbacks Can Bring Positive Outcomes. How Trusting Your Gut Changes Your Life. Recovering from the Loss of a Loved One. Importance of Moving on Despite of Failures Self Confidence: Reveal the Power Of Within. Listening to Your Inner Voice to Achieve Success. Fight Obstacles and Never Give Up. You can write excellent and powerful speeches around these topics and tell people an amazingly constructed story about your life. If you are still a little clueless about the speech, here is a sample speech on one of the above mentioned topics. Sample Speech on the Importance of Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone Today I stand here with great confidence and though some of you might assume that I’ve been doing this for a long time, it’s not true. I’ve never been much of a talent and things have never come naturally to me. Ever since I was young, I’ve been struggling with problems and if I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone, I would have never been where I am today. I’m not saying that you should put yourself in dangerous and complicated situations; on the contrary, this speech is to motivate you to act on the opportunities life throws at you no matter how comfortable you are in your life. When I was a child, talking to strangers frightened me. I used to stutter and was socially awkward. This proved to be devastating because I was unable to make friends. I loved playing football and my class-mates always played after the school was over. Luckily, a guardian angel, disguised as a teacher, once saw me in my state of loneliness and took it upon herself to correct the problem. After hearing what I had to say, she explained that the only way to achieve what you want is to go out and grab it. Though it took a lot of courage for me to get up and ask others if I could play with them, I realize that that was the nudge I needed to do great things in life. When I started studying, I was a bookworm and because Stanford requires good grades, my social life suffered between college years. Many people suggested that I should join a student society to bring out my confidence, I feared that my stuttering would make me lose what little self-importance I had left. As a result, even though I was flourishing academically, my presentation went poorly and it became impossible for me to participate in debates and other similar activities. However, once again, a teacher asked me to join a debate team and though I explained my dilemma, he encouraged me to be fearless and have the courage to change things.   That was the time when everything suddenly changed. By the end of my college, I was part of a team that won a lot of regional debating competitions for Stanford. When I graduated, I started working with a leading company and part of that is due to the self confidence that I had gradually built. My grades and internships did play a role but the final credit goes to my self-esteem. I have always been socially awkward, scared-to-speak-in front-of-people kind of a person. However, I beat all of my obstacles and this is why I am in such an amazing position today, being able to speak to you about my life and challenges. So remember to never lose hope within yourself and know deep down that you have the capability to achieve great things if you simply believe in yourself and have confidence. References: Albanese, A., Trissler, B. (1998). Graduation day: The best of Americas commencement speeches. New York: W. Morrow. Theibert, P. R. (1997). How to give a damn good speech. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press. Text of J.K. Rowling’s speech. (n.d.). Retrieved April 28, 2016, from http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-speech/ Text of Steve Jobs Commencement address (2005). (2005). Retrieved April 28, 2016, from https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/ Fletcher, R. J. (2007). How to write your life story. New York: Collins. Daniel, L. (1997). How to write your own life story: The classic guide for the nonprofessional writer. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. Pillemer, K. A. (2012). 30 lessons for living: Tried and true advice from the wisest Americans. New York: Plume/Penguin Books.