Perception and/or Reception of the Naked Child and Teenage Body in Art and the Media free essay sample

Introduction and Research Question: The topic, which, we will research, is the perception and/or reception of the naked child and teenage body in art and the media. The hypothesis that we have concluded is that ‘children and teenagers posing nude for art or in the media is seen as the cause for over-sexualization in children and teenagers’. The naked body has been a topic of art and seen in the media as an ongoing issue. cv writing service galway Child and teenage nudity has been featured in art from the 14th and 15th century, as well as in renaissance art, controversially through Bill Henson’s photography and in modern fashion shoots featuring teenage celebrities such as Miley Cyrus. This research proposal will aim to find the viewpoint of University students when shown images of teenage nudity in art and the media. This issue is an important research topic as opinions have varied in society about the impact and appropriateness of teenagers featuring in these public platforms and whether this is a cause of over-sexualisation. We will write a custom essay sample on Perception and/or Reception of the Naked Child and Teenage Body in Art and the Media or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The effect of this issue will rely on the individual opinions in society of the definition of art. The main people being affected by this issue are the teenage population who have access to any media forms and art. The artists, such as Bill Henson are also affected as they are accused of producing inappropriate art even though they are trying to portray youth. This topic interests a large percentage of the population including teenagers, parents, media viewers and media producers. To carry out this research a focus group will be held involving undergraduate Mass Communications and Media students from Murdoch University. The opinions, beliefs and attitudes will be gathered concerning the chosen topic to then be able to compile a research report based on the findings of the focus group. Literature Review: Child and adolescent nudity has taken commonplace in art throughout history, from Renaissance paintings and sculptures to religious masterpieces. As time has gone on and technology has advanced these depictions of child and teen nudity have changed, and are often frowned upon in today’s society; today photographs, artworks and media of teenagers and children naked are often challenged as being sexualized or pornographic and nudity has become a highly controversial area with regards to children. For centuries naked children have been depicted in religious painting and scenes in the forms of cherubs, which are usually naked, posed winged toddlers. In the 14th and 15th centuries these biblical children were not seen as ‘real’ children but as symbolic religious representations of children, and this distinction was very clear. In these depictions, presenting children nude was usually seen as presenting them in the form that God had made them and was done to highlight their purity. But with the development of realism and photography this line has now become blurred. Due to the realism of photography it has lead people to believe that it is ‘real’, and as a result there is confusion between iconic symbolic children, and the general child. Gittins 1998, 119) During the Italian Renaissance era nude boys were often featured in paintings, especially in those with biblical themes. However, centuries later many artists began to depict paintings of nude children that carried no religious reference or context. For instance, Henry Scott Tuke painted nude adolescent boys doing everyday activities and although these paintings were not overly erotic and showed no genitalia they were a step away from the traditional biblical naked children. Johnson 2005, 102-104) Just a century after Tuke started depicting nude children in everyday activities professional photographers presented photographic exhibitions and books of posed naked children and adolescents. When Bill Henson’s exhibition opened on the 22nd of May 2008 many articles were written expressing the controversy and public opinions of the featured child nudity. An article written by David L. Isaacs and Thomas G. Isaacs titled â€Å"Is child nudity in art ever pornographic† was published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. This article discusses the important debate on censorship, which followed Bill Henson’s exhibition. This debate between the two authors resulted in the view that censorship laws regarding the depiction of children in art are needed to stop the exploitation of children. Yet a strong belief was evident that censorship is not needed to protect the public from being corrupted by viewing pornographic material. The knowledge and opinions of a pediatrician enables a professional opinion, which reflects the concern for childrens wellbeing. The opinion of a Fine Arts Honours graduate provides the knowledge of what art is and what role it plays within society. The focus group planned will effectively explore University students views on censorship. This literature provides an interesting debate, which our focus group will aim to further with a sample of students to give a broader opinion than what is present in this journal article. The month following Bill Henson’s controversial exhibition, June 2008, an Australian Government Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts released a report titled Sexualisation of Children in the Contemporary Media. This Government document stated that the inappropriate sexualisation of children in Australia is an increasing concern. It acknowledged the complexity of defining clear boundaries and accepted that it is a significant cultural challenge. The research planned by our team will respond to the lack of research, which was acknowledge in the Government report, on the effect of child sexualisation in the Media by providing a current viewpoint of University students. University students will be able to express the viewpoints, which for ethical reasons cannot be acquired from minors. Since 2008 many photos of Miley Cyrus some intended and some not have surfaced on the Internet. Numerous articles of the Disney star who plays â€Å"Hanna Montanna† have appeared. In the June issue of Vanity Fair 2008 a photo of Miley topless, clutching a silk bed sheet to her chest, with only her bare back exposed featured. Factors of these photos lead to controversy, even though it was an artistic piece and she was predominately covered. The article titled â€Å"Miley Cyrus’ embarrassing photo shoot† written by Courtney Hazlett discusses how It didn’t take long for Miley Cyrus fans (and their parents) to become outraged over racy photos of the 15-year-old that appear in the June issue of Vanity Fair. â€Å" Miley has commented in the article produced by the MSN Entertainment that I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be artistic and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about. There has been an increase with teenagers taking part in these â€Å"artistic† photo shoots but is it really art? Many reviewers argue that this is not, and that the teenagers are being taken advantage of by their parents making these decisions for them. Also stating that later on in life these photos could have a bad effect them. Psychologists are saying that it may bring on the over sexualisation of teenagers, by not giving them the opportunity to go through their teenage years naturally and mature with age not acting older than they are with sexual expectations that they are not ready for. (American Psychological Association). With the availability of the internet other personal photos of Miley were released where she is showing her green bra and also her stomach is out as she is wearing a midriff laying on a boy does this have a link to the Vanity Fair shoot and is it a result of the medias pressure taking a toll on her personal life as her parents where not happy with the nude shot. In Disney’s release of its own statement about the Vanity Fair story, the Disney Channel, which broadcasts Cyruss series Hannah Montana, said: Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines. However in the Vanity Fair issue â€Å"Miley knows best† Miley comments that the pose was Annie Leibovitz’s idea. The topless but demure portrait accompanying this article could be seen as another baby step, toward a more mature profile. â€Å"I think it’s really artsy,† Cyrus says. â€Å"It wasn’t in a skanky wa y. And you can’t say no to Annie. She’s so cute. She gets this puppy-dog look and you’re like, O. K. † Leibowitz has chimed in, too, saying that it was never her intent to portray Cyrus in any negative light. â€Å"I’m sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted,† Leibovitz said in a statement released by Vanity Fair. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful. † (â€Å"Miley Cyrus’ embarrassing photo shoot† The Scoop 2008) Research Method: The research method of focus group interviewing has been assigned. This method entails qualitative research. The aim is to find out the opinions and attitudes of the interviewees, who are selected as a purposive sample of the target market. The focus group interviewees are lead with open-ended questions that will be asked through out the discussion. A focus group includes a role of a moderator and a researcher. The moderator conducts the focus group serving as discussion leader to the other members. The moderator is briefed by the researcher and provided with a moderators â€Å"discussion guide. † The role of the researcher involves many preparatory and other activities including, obtaining ethics and clearance of the project, finding suitable group members, they deal with all booking and hiring of the venues and moderator, they tape all audio/ visual recordings, analysis the data and prepare the summary report of findings. This process of interviewing and gathering research is a valuable way of collecting data, because it is a direct way of finding answers to specific questions, which may not be obtainable through other research methods. A structured interview is especially good when discussing controversial sensitive issues, such as the issue we are focusing on in our research question. From our group interview we are hoping to gain information and people’s views of teenage and child representation in art and the media today, and whether they think children are being sexualized or it is the natural and reasonable extension of art. Each person in our group focused on a specific area of our research question. Chelsea looked at the history of naked children and teens in art and the media. Millie focused on nudity and the sexualisation of children and teenagers in art today, using bill Henson as an example. Whilst Deanna looked at the sexualisation of teenagers in today’s media, focusing on the Miley Cyrus vogue photo shoot. Focus Group Draft Questions: Has society’s view on nudity drastically changed in the last century? Do you think one of the major reasons for these different views are the advances in technology eg mass communication, photography) Is society as a whole more sexualized than it was several centuries ago? Do you think Renaissance art was completely asexual as critics say it is, or do you think that perhaps even then there was a sexual element to the depiction of naked children? Is there any context in which you believe it is appropriate today to depict naked children? What do you define as being art? What do you define as being pornographic material? Showing a Bill Henson photograph of a young nude girl) In your personal reaction do you consider this photograph to be artistic or pornographic? And why? Do you believe parental consent should allow 12-13 year old to participate in nude photography? Do you believe that the children in these photographs will be affected by this experience in the future? Why or why not? Do you think that this photo of Miley is provocative or artistic? As Mi ley Cyrus is a child role model/ celebrity do you think it is a good idea for photos like this to be taking or do you think it sets a bad example for the younger children that admire her so much? When this photo shoot was taken Miley was 15 years of age do you think this photo is age appropriate for her? Do you think that the media has placed pressure on Miley to produce a photo like this at her age? When looking at this photo what age do you think Miley looks and what do you feel that the photo is portraying? References: American Psychological Association, Report of the APA Task Force. Sexualization of Girls, 2007 (accessed August 28, 2010) D, Isaacs, T, Isaacs. 2010. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Is child nudity in art ever pornographic? Blackwell Publishing Inc. www. scopus. com. prospero. murdoch. edu. au (accessed August 28, 2010) Grittins, Diana. 1998. The Child in Question. London: Macmillan Press LTD Johnson, Geraldine A. 2005. Renaissance Art: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts. Sexualisation of children in the contemporary media, Commonwealth of Australia 2008 published June 2008. (accessed August 28, 2010) Annotated Bibliography: American Psychological Association, Report of the APA Task Force. Sexualization of Girls, 2007 This report was written by a task force which was created in the response to journalists, child advocacy organisations, parents and psychologists who have argued that the sexualisation of girls is a broad issue in society and that it is an increasing problem which harms girls. This report gave an overview of psychological theory to assist in the understanding of the psychological harms of the over sexualisation of young girls and teenagers. It defines sexualisation and gives examples of it appearing in society. D, Isaacs, T, Isaacs. 2010. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Is child nudity in art ever pornographic? Blackwell Publishing Inc. www. scopus. com. prospero. murdoch. edu. au This article written by David L. Isaacs and Thomas G. Isaacs titled â€Å"Is child nudity in art ever pornographic† was published in the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. This article discusses the important debate on censorship, which followed Bill Henson’s exhibition. This debate between the two authors resulted in the view that censorship laws regarding the depiction of children in art are needed to stop the exploitation of children. Yet a strong belief was evident that censorship is not needed to protect the public from being corrupted by viewing pornographic material. Grittins, Diana. 1998. The Child in Question. London: Macmillan Press LTD This Book Focuses on children and their place in the past and in today’s society. The book focuses on the innocence of children and how that innocence has changed over time. It also explores the rights that adults hold over children and other theories that society has of children. Johnson, Geraldine A. 2005. Renaissance Art: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press This Book focuses on Renaissance art and the part it played in European art. It does focus on particular areas of Renaissance art such as the techniques used and how stories were told through the art. The book draws on many famous Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts. Sexualisation of children in the contemporary media, Commonwealth of Australia 2008 published June 2008. The Australian Government Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts developed this report, titled Sexualisation of Children in the Contemporary Media. The report acknowledged the issue of the sexualisation of children in the media and the complexities of defining clear boundaries. This report has enabled us to acquire a Government perspective on the issue. The research carried out in this report outlined professional opinions of psychologists, pediatricians as well as the viewpoint of Australian parents.

costs and production essays

costs and production essays Objetivos y restricciones de empresas Las empresas buscan maximizar beneficios; nace directamente de la escasez. Solo estas empresas te hacen sobrevivir en un entorno competitivo. El mercado y la tecnologà ­a imponen restricciones sobre la maximizacin de beneficios. A precios altos se vender menos. La mayorà ­a de las empresas son incapaces de influir en los mercados de sus factores de produccin y tienen que comprarlas al precio que prevalezca. La tecnologà ­a limita el proceso de produccin de las empresas. Si las empresas son tecnolgicamente eficientes, pueden aumentar su producto con solo usar ms factores de produccin. En algunos factores de produccin no pueden variar a corto plazo, el factor capital est fijo en tanto que el trabajo si puede variar. Descripcin tecnolgica a corto plazo Describe los là ­mites del producto conforme la empresa cambia la cantidad de su factor de produccin variable, como puede ser el trabajo. Mediante las curvas de producto total, marginal y medio se describe la funcin a corto plazo. Producto total.- Producto obtenido en un perà ­odo dado. Producto medio.- Es el producto total por unidad del factor de produccin variable. Producto marginal.- Es el cambio del producto total que resulta de un aumento de una unidad del factor de produccin variable. - Si aumenta el factor de produccin variable, aumenta el producto marginal hasta que alcanza un mximo y entonces desciende, empezando los rendimientos decrecientes. - Si el producto marginal es mayor que el producto medio, el producto medio es creciente. - Si el producto marginal es menor que el producto medio, el producto medio es decreciente. - Cuando el producto marginal es igual al producto medio, el producto medio est en su punto mximo. ...

Team Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Team Communication - Essay Example Thus, members must be able to use both written and verbal communication patterns to their full advantages. The same communication media could likewise be utilized for offshore teams. Aside from those that were mentioned, team members across different countries should frequently correspond through mobile phones, sending relevant documents through facsimile, Skype, video conferencing, or other more advanced technological applications. Whatever technological advances in communication resources that are similarly available in both countries could assist in enhancing the communication process. However, there are challenges in addressing barriers of communication across offshore teams in terms of language and cultural barriers. Thus, aside from ensuring that members of offshore teams share similar understanding of the universal language, English, for instance; both parties must have some knowledge on addressing cultural disparities, especially with regards to business practices. As aptly recommended by All (2011), â€Å"team members with limited proficiency may be more comfortable communicating in writing, as they can make use of online translation services† (p. 1). Likewise, the members of offshore teams must be able to respect local times in their respective time zones and should expect correspondences to be answered in the earlist possible and accessible time frame. All, A. (2011, April 21). More Tips on Communicating with Offshore Teams. Retrieved from IT Business Edge:

Viral Marketing of FMCG Using Social Media Essay

Viral Marketing of FMCG Using Social Media - Essay Example Another important area of this study will be primary research. According to me primary research will play an important role in this study. Viral marketing is a new dimension of marketing and there is less number of companies which have actually made use of this marketing tool. Moreover, directly receiving the feedbacks from the companies which employs viral marketing technique to improve business process will help to address the questions in a better way. Hence, I have decided to conduct a primary research with the help of questionnaire and semi structured interview. For this reason I have decided to visit an FMCG company which is already using viral marketing to promote their goods. After a handful of research I found there are very less number of FMCG companies which has already makes use of viral marketing techniques, however companies such as P & g and Unilever uses it to some extent. Hence, for this study I will select Unilever to assess the importance of viral marketing for FMC G business (Lowell, 2012). I have decided to personally visit the company to record the feedbacks of the respondents. In order to reach the respondents I will seek assistance from some qualified person who has prior experience of the FMCG industry. The respondents of my study will be the marketing managers of Unilever. It is believed that the marketing managers will be able to provide information pertaining to the effectiveness of viral marketing for their company. The total sample size for this activity will be 10 and the data collection instrument will be semi structured interview. However, I also believe that viral marketing is a topic which is also related with information technology. Hence, I have decided to approach...After a handful of research I found there are very less number of FMCG companies which has already makes use of viral marketing techniques, however companies such as P & g and Unilever uses it to some extent. Hence, for this study I will select Unilever to assess the importance of viral marketing for FMCG business (Lowell, 2012). I have decided to personally visit the company to record the feedbacks of the respondents. In order to reach the respondents I will seek assistance from some qualified person who has prior experience of the FMCG industry. The respondents of my study will be the marketing managers of Unilever. It is believed that the marketing managers will be able to provide information pertaining to the effectiveness of viral marketing for their company. The total sample size for this activity will be 10 and the data collection instrument will be semi structured interview. However, I also believe that viral marketing is a topic which is also related with information technology. Hence, I have decided to approach the IT team of Unilever, to get further information about the area of concern. The IT department will be mainly approached to know about the technicalities and cost associated with viral marketing. On the basis of the findings a feasibility analysis of viral marketing technique will be carried out. The total sample size will be 10 and the data collection instrument will be questionnaire. Finally, on the basis of the findings I will draw a conclusion by addressing the research question.

The Importance of Narrative Analysis in a Fake News World

The Importance of Narrative Analysis in a Fake News World Heroes, Villains, and Strangers: The Importance of Narrative Analysis in a Fake News World In When Narrative Matters More Than Fact, Ashley Lamb-Sinclair argues that Facts [ ] mean very little to people caught up in storylines. When it comes to creating ideologies and perceptions about the world, narrative is more powerful than facts and figures. Human beings tend to believe ideas that arise out of internal narratives, and these narratives are often based on limited personal experience. In an era of fake news, there is a tendency for teachers to focus on fact-checking as a way for students to combat erroneous information. Lamb-Sinclair argues that fact-checking is not the most effective approach to addressing errors in perception. Rather than placing an emphasis on facts and figures, adults should teach young people to analyze narratives and identify unreliable narrators, as well as heroes and villains. Lamb-Sinclair argues that narratives shape beliefs, and minds are changed when narratives change. The author draws upon her own experiences and provides two examples of the way that narrative has affected her own views. In high school, a love of historical narrative affected the author so deeply that she chose to study history in college. Perhaps even more significantly, Sinclairs youth experience working with two Latino men who were a little more flirty than is probably appropriate to be toward a 17-year-old girl became the source of her own temporary prejudice against older Latino males. It wasnt until she moved to Southern California and became sisters with Latina women in a sorority that she was able to form a new image of Latino men. While in the sorority, she went on dates with several men, and had the best carne asada from the father of her Latino friend. These new experiences caused her internal narrative about Latino men to shift, and her perceptions changed along with the n arrative. The author also points out that in an era of fake news, an emphasis on fact-checking and trying to persuade people through facts is largely unsuccessful. Narrative is rooted in the human experience, and will always be more compelling than a collection of facts. Even when people are not conscious of being involved in narrative, they want to connect with characters and to follow a plot to its end through multiple layers of conflict. The fascination with story and narrative structure means that emphasizing the extent to which a statement is factual has little impact on someone, if that person has already formed a narrative that contradicts the facts. Lamb-Sinclair offers an alternative to fact-checking: The best way to teach true understanding is not by teaching students facts (although that is still a valuable lesson); it is to teach them to analyze, as one does with elements of narrative. The recent U.S. general election provides an example of how this alternative approach might be ef fective. Simply pointing out that Donald Trump didnt help save 2,100 jobs with the Carrier deal may not be persuasive for someone who has lost a job and gotten it back. Creating a new narrative that challenges someones pre-existing narrative is far more likely to have an impact on causing someone to question her or his pre-existing views. Lamb-Sinclair sees adults, and particularly teachers, as playing an important role in teaching younger people how to analyze narratives. Teachers must not only teach students how to be critical thinkers who question the validity of facts, but also how to dissect a narrative and to identify unreliable narrators. Teachers must expose students to various types of characters and plotlines from many perspectives, both fictional and real in order for students to develop the analytical skills necessary to engage with real-world narratives. The author suggests that if students are familiar with heroes and villains from literature and history, they will be equipped to recognize heroes and villains in real life situations. Sinclair illustrates her own commitment to narrative by omitting facts and figures from her article and relying on personal narratives to illustrate her points. The efficacy of this approach poignantly demonstrates how susceptible readers are to being swept up in a narrative that makes use of only personal stories and recent events. Sinclair never refers to any statistics or facts when describing the way that her perceptions of Latino men shifted over time, yet her story resonates with the reader and felt trustworthy and factual. The author states that while no one had presented [her] with the facts, she understood much more of the story. Sinclair is critically aware that she has simply rewritten the original narrative, implying that the story is ever changing and another set of experiences could quickly alter what she believes. Lamb-Sinclair recognizes that not everyone has the opportunity to shift internal narratives through exposure to diverse people groups or experiences. The author states that while she was lucky enough to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ experience other cultures, the general population is not so fortunate. For that reason, Lamb-Sinclair writes to encourage the education system to teach students analytical skills to avoid another generation where the facts mean very little. If teachers and other responsible adults fail to teach young people how to recognize unreliable narratives and real-world heroes or villains, prejudice and bigotry may take root in our society and permeate the ideologies of future generations.

The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

The Soviet Union and Eastern Europe| | The world’s most powerful Communist country was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or otherwise known as the Soviet Union. It contained 15 republics that were controlled by a central government. Over time, it developed into a large industrial power that dictated all aspects of the national economy. It set levels of wages and prices, controlled the allocation of resources, and decided what would be produced and how and where goods would be distributed. The Soviet Union was corrupted after World War I.Economic recovery such as Russian industrial production had gotten passed prewar levels by forty percent. New power plants, canals, and giant factories were built. Testing of hydrogen bombs in 1953 and Sputnik 1 in 1957 enhanced the Soviet state’s reputation as a world power abroad. Soviet people did not have much, their apartment’s one room served as both a bed and living room. As the struggle for power continued, Joseph S talin, the general secretary of the Communist Party, became the master of the Soviet Union and he had a low amount of respect for Communist Party leaders.Stalin was a selfish leader and did not think people from his circle could do anything without him. He believed in a socialist government. The government issued a decree that all literary and scientific work must conform to the political needs of the state itself. As a result of this, there was increased terror. Many believed new purges were to come until Stalin died on March 5. After Stalin’s death, a man named Nikita Khrushchev came in as the chief Soviet policy maker and improved his regime. Khrushchev deleted Stalin’s ruthless policies which became known as De-Stalinization.He also loosened government control on Stalin’s literary works. Khrushchev tried to make consumer goods more popular. He also wanted to increase agricultural output by growing corn and cultivating lands that were east of the Ural Mountai ns. His attempt in increasing agriculture weakened his reputation within the party. As a result of his bad reputation and increased military spending, the Soviet economy became ruined. He was suddenly deposed in 1964. After Khrushchev fell from power, Leonid Brezhnev, who had been serving as his deputy in the party secretariat, became first secretary of the party.Under his rule the de-Stalinization campaign was highly relaxed. Previous experimental agricultural programs were abandoned and the economy began to flourish. Cold war tensions eased after the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 and there was a limited opening for cultural exchanges with the West. Competition shifted to a space and arms race. In Yugoslavia, a man by the name of Tito, also known as Josip Broz, was the leader of the Communist resistance movement. He wanted an independent Communist state in Yugoslavia. Tito refused to agree with Stalin’s demands of taking over Yugoslavia.By portraying the struggle as one of Yu goslav national freedom, Tito gained his people’s support. Tito ruled Yugoslavia up until his death in 1980. Yugoslavia was a Communist government, but not a Soviet satellite state. The Soviet Union did not allow its Eastern Europe satellites to become independent of Soviet control, especially in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Hungary. Protests took place in Poland; the Polish Communist Party adopted a series of reforms in October 1956. They elected a first secretary named Wladyslaw Gomulka. He said that Poland had the right to follow its own socialist path.Poland was afraid of the Soviet armed response to his remark so they pledged to remain loyal to the Warsaw Pact. Unrest in Hungary and economic difficulties led to a revolt. What added to the rising rebellion was Imre Nagy, the Hungarian leader, declared Hungary a free nation on November 1, 1956. It also promised free elections. Three days after Nagy’s declaration, the Soviet Army attacked Budapest. 23 After this, the Soviets reestablished control over the country. Nagy was then seized by the Soviet military and executed two years later. 24Alexander Dubcek was elected first secretary of the Communist party. 25 He introduced freedom of speech and press of freedom to travel abroad. He relaxed censorship, began to pursue an independent foreign policy, and promised a gradual democratization of the Czechoslovakia political system. 26 He wanted to create â€Å"socialism with a human face. †27 All the happiness of the people was ended when the Soviet Army invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968 28 and crushed the reform movement. Gustav Husak replaced Dubcek, did not follow his reforms, and reestablished the old order. 28In that same year of 1968 a movement for liberal reforms gained widespread support in Czechoslovakia. 29 When the Czech government seemed to be moving away from the Soviet-style rule, the Soviet Union reacted by sending troops into Czechoslovakia in August to ensure the removal of Czech leaders. 30 After this invasion, the Soviets developed the â€Å"Brezhnev doctrine,†31 a policy that called for Soviet intervention to stop any developments that may disrupt the Communist order in Eastern Europe. 32 Political and economic patterns remained constant and still into the 1980s.An invasion of Afghanistan to help a puppet regime broke down into guerrilla warfare. 33 In most cases the Soviets were cautious international players dodging any direct military interventions. Workers and youth began to react to their strict control and lack of consumer goods. High alcoholism increased death rates and lowered production. A growing economic crisis beginning in the mid-1980s forced major political change. 34 Efforts at reform were matched by developments in Eastern Europe that ended the Russian empire.The initial cause was a deteriorating economy hampered by the costs of rivalry with the United States. By the 1980s the economy was grinding to a halt. Forced industriali zation had caused extensive environmental disaster throughout eastern Europe. Related diseases impaired optimism and economic performance. Infant mortality rates increased highly. Industrial production slowed and economic growth stopped, but one-third of national income continued to go to military production. 35 Younger leaders recognized that the system might very well collapse. In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev introduced reforms. 6 He urged nuclear reduction and negotiated with the United States a limitation of medium-range missiles in Europe. The war in Afghanistan was ended by Soviet withdrawal. Internally Gorbachev proclaimed the freedom to comment and criticize. He commended use of market incentives and less use of administrative controls. But strong limits on political freedom remained and the centralized planning apparatus resisted reform. Gorbachev's policies partly reflected ambivalence about the West as he reduced isolation but still criticized Western values. He wanted reform, not abandonment of basic communist controls.The keynote to reform was perestroika, or economic restructuring. 37 This meant more private ownership and decentralized control of aspects of the economy. Foreign investment was encouraged and military expenditures were reduced to free resources for consumer goods. In 1988 a new constitution gave considerable power to a parliament and abolished the communist monopoly of elections. Gorbachev was elected to a new and powerful presidency in 1990 as people argued for or against reform. 38 By the end of 1991 the Soviet Union had been replaced by a loose union of republics. 9 Gorbachev was dissatisfied so he decided to resign and was replaced by an elected president, Boris Yeltsin. 40 The Communist party was dissolved. Continuing uncertainty showed in 1993 when Yeltsin clashed with the parliament. 41 Yeltsin and the army triumphed and elections followed to produce another constitution. In the midst of continuing political confusion two trends p redominated: the economy was weak and there was a breakdown of values and discipline. 42 Crime flourished and growing economic class divisions threatened stability.The economic and political conditions provoked the states of Eastern Europe to take advantage of the new times to seek independence and internal reform. Soviet troops were withdrawn. Bulgaria arranged free elections in 1989 43; Hungary and Poland in 1988 installed noncommunist governments and moved toward a free economy. 44 Czechoslovakia did the same in 1989. 45 Without a doubt the Soviet Union began to collapse. Ethnic and national tensions got worse dramatically during 1989 to 1991. 46 There was heavy controversy between Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldavia, and Kirghizia. 7 The Soviet government responded by sending troops to these regions to restore order. All 15 of the republics proclaimed that their laws were more superior than those of the central government. During 1989 to 1990, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Armenia, Geor gia, and Moldavia all confirmed that they were going to separate from the USSR. 48 However the Soviet government did not recognize any of these independence claims and in 1990 Soviet troops stormed various communications facilities in Lithuania and Latvia. 49 During 1988-89, Gorbachev implemented various governmental reforms that radically changed he way in which the Soviet Union was ruled. 49 He persuaded the Communist party to relinquish its monopoly on political power and to recognize the authority of the new Supreme Soviet and the newly created Congress of People’s Deputies. 50 Also, the government created the office of president vested it with broad executive powers. Gorbachev was elected to that position in 1989. 51 The government approved a variety of economic reforms aimed at introducing a market-based economy. These measures included the legalization of private businesses and the reduction of state subsidies for many industries.Numerous economic problems followed, in cluding high inflation and shortages of many goods, in particular food. 52 Meanwhile, democratic reform movements arose in eastern European countries and the legitimacy of Communist rule was challenged. Gorbachev rejected the â€Å"Brezhnev doctrine† 53 and made little effort to support the Communist governments in these nations. Most of them either collapsed or were reconstituted as democratically oriented regimes with the Communist party in a minor role. Gorbachev’s hands-off policy made possible the reunification of Germany in 1990. 4 East Germany in 1989 removed its communist leaders55; the Berlin Wall came down and full German unification occurred in 1990. 56 In 1991, Gorbachev negotiated a power-sharing treaty with most of the union republics. 57 In August, before the treaty was signed, a group of hardline Communists overthrew Gorbachev and seized control of the government. 58 The coup failed very fast because of the large amount of opposition led by Boris Yeltsi n and the failure of important military units to support the coup. Gorbachev survived the attempted coup because of popular support and eventually returned to power.The failed effort led to renewed attacks on the Communist party and to independence movements by minority nationalities. The only violence occurred in Romania when an authoritarian ruler was overthrown. The Communists retained power, through elections, in Bulgaria and Romania. In addition, Gorbachev quit his position as general secretary. 59 A new transitional government designed to give more power to the 15 republics was established. Nationalism continued to rise among the republics. In September of 1991, the Soviet government noticed that Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were all independent. 0 By November, practically all the rest of the republics had proclaimed their wish for independence from the Soviet Union but at the same time to keep a unified economic economy. On December 8th, Russia, Ukraine, and Byelorussia for med a loose confederation known as the Commonwealth of Independent States, 61 otherwise known as the CIS. By the end of that same month, around December 21, all of the rest of the republics joined the CIS, except for Georgia. 62 In The Baltic republics declared independence and other regions threatened to secede.By the end of 1991 the Soviet Union had been replaced by a loose union of republics. 63 Gorbachev became very unhappy and on December 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the Soviet Union. 64 This ultimately ended the nation. The Communist party was dissolved. Continuing uncertainty showed in 1993 when Yeltsin clashed with the parliament. 65 Yeltsin and the army triumphed and elections followed to produce another constitution. In the midst of continuing political confusion two trends predominated: the economy was weak and there was a breakdown of values and discipline.Crime flourished and growing economic class divisions threatened stability. The new situation in Eas tern Europe was marred by ethnic clashes. Yugoslavia fell apart and brutal fighting broke out among its former components. The new governments faced serious economic and environmental problems. Communist parties in Poland and Hungary won elections in 1993-199466 because of economic grievances, but did not attempt to restore the former system because of agitation among minority nationalities; some demanded independence.Although there were several changes over the last decade in Eastern Europe, the 20th century brought fewer changes. The Soviets claimed they were allowing equality for women, but never actually did. 67 They also had negotiated a federation between republics, but minority nationalists were constantly under ethnic Russian control and continued to want to be in charge of their own affairs. However religion maintained a dominant role in the state. People continued to be interested in Western culture, especially in the east European nations. 8 Components of the communist pa st survive still survive to this very day. The loss of superpower status is resented and the prospects of democratic leadership are insecure. East Europeans whole-heartedly value the benefits of communist welfare social protections and social inequality limits, hoping to combine such ideas with capitalist tendencies. The Russian emphasis on authoritarian government with extreme centralization of power remained. The emphasis on territorial acquisition was maintained with the domination of Eastern Europe after 1945. 9 Among the continuities were a sense of cultural isolation from the West, Russian ethnic domination over minority ethnic and religious groups, and the predominance of the novel as a literary form. Among the differences were the destruction of the powerful landholding aristocracy, the lack of emphasis of the role of Orthodox Christianity, the creation of an industrialized society with a social hierarchy, the presence of household patterns typical of an industrialized state , the attempt to introduce â€Å"socialist realism†70 into the arts, and the collapse of isolation

Hazards and Changing Place Essay

Many have said that our planet Earth is mother to us all. With the ravaging tornadoes, typhoons and earthquakes that the world has experienced, with the sufferings and burdens brought about by these environmental disasters, the deaths, the losses and the change. And with the ongoing and still increasing records of undoable destructions, devastating effects and the unbearable pain due to the great looses laid upon the living by the Earth’s deeply hidden wrath, one could acknowledge the fact that mother Earth is not more of a loving and caring parent. Shortly after these hazards have occurred, a place can figuratively still hold on and still have the chance of changing the course and even its features. Changes may occur right after and along time after these phenomena might happen. Places may rebuild themselves like the way they were before or they may reconstruct and form itself into a new one. During instances, after environmental disasters such as flood, tornadoes, thunderstorms, earthquakes and eruptions have occurred, places can change for the better and develops themselves in order to adapt to whatever might come again. They often equip themselves with more advance technologies and gadgets in order for them to detect the presence of dangerous disasters earlier for them ready themselves. At the present time, natural disasters, like these have been very frequent in the face of the planet. It had been like these catastrophes are part of the evolving earth. Though they might have been here long before man has been, still the effects of these disasters are hardly taken by men. They have more of the power that man ever had. As to now, many people declare that these catastrophic activities which are environmental in nature occur mostly on places wherein poverty, crimes and sin thrive. And some, associates religion to the happenings, occurrences and the effects of the disasters. They often call places which are frequently run over by these catastrophes as places cleaned up by God. And for some, these disasters are normal to the earth since they are brought and created by nature in reasons only the planet itself knows. â€Å"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. † One case regarding these places that have been severely struck by brutal calamities is Sri Lanka. It was in the in the early hours of December 26, 2004 when a lot of the homes, boats, belongings and live of the twenty thousand locals of Hambantota have been lost due to the destruction of a tsunami. However, not only the lives and belongings of the victims of the tsunami have been carried away by it. The source of livelihood and the lives of the survivors have been seized by the disaster as well. After the tsunami, a lagoon which serves as a place for birds and fishes and a sanctuary for most of the wildlife in the place and also the source of the additional and prime income of most of the residents of the place have been cleaned up by the tsunami carrying with it the future of the people depending their living in the lagoon. Now, the lagoon become a primary breeding grounds for disease-bearing insects and pests which largely puts the people of the site onto a greater peril of diseases such as malaria, encephalitis, dengue and other death causing sickness. A t present, still, the traces of the disaster could still be seen. However, much has been changed after the tsunami has happened. Projects for sanitation and rehabilitation have been launched by most of the government and private sectors of the society. Though the projects made by these organizations can not totally eradicate the effects of the tragedy at an instant, it also helps the people of the place regain their hope that the place that they have been born and lived on and the place that the tsunami has taken away from them can still be restored. The projects launched in the place include cleaning and eliminating the trash and debris brought about by the tsunami. Today, they have already cleaned up almost one third of the entire place and though it is still far from the end, the clean up project can help them earn money and help stimulate the start of a new and better life for them. Though it may still take more time before they have totally erased the destruction made by the disaster not only to their community but also to their lives, still, the faith of the people in reviving their place and their lives could be seen in their acts. Though the people have been fated with the consequences of the tsunami, still they believe that they have been blessed with having a chance to rebuild their place and their environment into a newer and better Hambantota. â€Å"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. † (Matthew 24:7, 8) One thing that can be classified as a hazard in the history of the planet is the losses, pains and bloodshed done by warfare. Since history has been accounted, there have been many battles and wars written not only in history books and newspapers but also in the hearts and minds of the soldiers who have been engraved with pain and anger among enemies and of the civilians who had been victims and had suffered deeply from the injuries and outcomes of the rivalry. One of the several places that have been victimized by oppositions between different nations is Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Early in the August 45, 1945, these two places endured the ache and the sufferings brought by the series of bombs dropped onto them during the final period of the world war not long before Japan surrendered as an indication of the ending of the war. The bomb definitely did a very devastating effect on that place. The bombs dropped off on the place immediately caused explosions, destructive blast pressure and radiation contact which then resulted to massive death and severe losses. The stern products brought about by the blast almost resulted to the obliteration of both of the places on the map. As from great survival of men, Hiroshima today had really managed to stand after the war. These days the population of Hiroshima boomed to four hundred and ten thousand deeply going beyond its population before the war. This population burst was most dependent on the positive changes that have happened to the place after the war. Today, Hiroshima has machinery, food processing and automotive as its chief industries that supplies most of its funds. The rebuilding efforts made by the people of Hiroshima had been done outstandingly. As a matter of fact Hiroshima’s outstanding changes have been acknowledged by one of the writers of Daily Sun. He said, â€Å"In today’s Hiroshima, bustling shopping centers line covered pedestrian malls and major department stores feature a range of merchandise almost as great as their Tokyo counterparts,†. Far from the Hiroshima that has once been victim of man-caused disaster, Hiroshima now rises from the wreckage of its past. The disasters that caught the world’s attention and the most recent catastrophes have filled the everyday news; have caused many questions on the mentalities of most of the believers. Are these things that happen to the earth that takes the lives and properties of the people God’s judgment? Most of might say that this is a very simple question. Though simple as may be, this has a very compound answer. Truly, these tremendous environmental and man-made disasters are not God’s will to eradicate the sinners and clean up the homes of the ill hearted and the unbelievers. One reason why there is a complete and strong stand in saying that is because these disasters do not pick or choose who is the righteous and who are not. Clearly, disasters just ramp on everything that gets on their way and eradicates everything that needs to be eradicated. And the though that these disasters happen in places where most of the sinned dwells and people are more on the bad side that on the good side does not reside in the idea that these disasters have been sent on earth by God as a his judgment and prize for people who does not follow him. Undisputedly, still in the places where there have been cases like the hurricanes, thunderstorms, floods and earthquakes which had obliterate a thousand or even a million of the population of the globe, the people that have died and suffered in the peril, most likely are not sinners at all. And if there were or if there are more sinners than the believers, still, the fact that there are good hearted sin those places and they have been included in the death list caused by the disaster cold not support the idea that the catastrophe have been sent by God. If they are sent by God for the judgment for the sinners, then why were the righteous not saved? This question leads back to the story of Noah and the flood. Clearly, before the flood happened and drowned the earth, god had managed to tell Noah what to do and therefore saving him and his family from the judgment. It was indicated in the bible that during that time, Noah and his family were the only righteous for they are the only ones following god’s will and thus, because they were righteous they were saved from the only judgment made by god – the flood. Other examples of judgments of god to the sinners are the destruction of Sodom and the plaques on Egypt and in those two cases, the righteous were saved. These natural and man-made disasters were not god’s judgment on the sins done by man nor had he insisted on creating men that would obliterate its own race of his own life. For in his judgments, the righteous would always be saved. The catastrophe that had been arriving into the planet just recently is clearly not god’s will for the sinners. These calamities are made in order for men to repent his sins and have his time to rebuild again and revive his own self for the better. For god always loves the righteous and he would not want them to be removed from this planet because he wants them to make the sinners repent and go back to him.