FDT 2 week 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

FDT 2 week 8 - Essay Example Specifically, the article is quite not clear about its main thesis, especially when it says that the human trafficking and smuggling are heinous crimes against the humanity. It should be appealing if the author was able to include on what ground do these crimes violate or interfere the promulgation of the international law. It might be necessary to present at some point the international laws relevant to telling that human trafficking and smuggling aside from posing risks to people also violate the law. The thought linked to this should have made the point clearer as to the issue and on the ground that human trafficking or smuggling are crimes against the humanity. On the other hand, the author basically presented some reasoning about the danger or threats linked to human trafficking and smuggling activities. However, this point should have rich supporting details in order to make the entire argument smooth and vibrant in its general

Role of Nurse Educators in Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role of Nurse Educators in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example To become one means to have the competence to inculcate the ideologies and values of nursing care provision among students, ability to determine new roles brought about by socio-professional changes and has the conceptual knowledge and experience to provide a holistic academic and clinical educational experience to the learner. With all this responsibility, one is bound to ask 'How do nurse educators define, perceive and construct their own teaching professionalism especially in light of the changes in health care provision' It is in this spirit that I conduct this study. I seek to determine the roles of a professional nurse educator and their work strategy to know how they deal with the responsibility and at the same time determine how they gauge their efficiency. The focus of the study is mainly on their teaching strategies, how they assess the development of nurses and their action plan for academic and practical sessions. Results from this data is hoped to provide a reference for understanding and improving the nursing educator profession and professionalism. Literature Review Many researchers and scholars have made several contributions towards the various aspects surrounding the profession of nurse educators. Research regarding the core competencies expected of a nurse educator is particularly popular and has led to interesting results. Heath, Potter and Perry (1995) focused on the academic qualification and work setting of nurse educators as they state that nurse educators are primarily those who are working in the academic arena and have attained their master's or doctoral degree. They add they can also be those who work in the staff development department of health care agencies... This essay stresses that nurse educators are those in the academia and clinical settings who persevere to educate future nurses and at the same time produce scholarship that will advance the field. They are the force that design, evaluate, implement and revise the current content and pedagogies of the academic and continuing curriculum for nurse education. To become one means to have the competence to inculcate the ideologies and values of nursing care provision among students, ability to determine new roles brought about by socio-professional changes and has the conceptual knowledge and experience to provide a holistic academic and clinical educational experience to the learner. This study uses Grounded Theory proposed by Glaser and Strauss in order to study the role of nurse educators in Saudi Arabia. The method involves obtaining data on their daily activities and generates theories or explanations of human behavior and social processes. Some nurse educators are expected to find it hard to answer some questions posed during the interview. Grounded theory is deemed to be effective and appropriate in collecting the data from the nurse educators from both clinical and academic background in the form of codes or key points derived and interpreted during the conversation with the participants. The analytical tool will facilitate in exploring the setting of human action at the time of interview with the nurse educators, nurses and managers.

Cynthia Morris Essay Example for Free

Cynthia Morris Essay There is a quote that says: Mothers are angels who teach their children how to fly. Indeed my mother was an angel who in my younger years I thought was sent here to torture me especially when I wanted to hang out with my friends instead of doing chores or homework. My mother was the pillar of strength, love, and compassion. Mothers may be misunderstood but that doesn’t mean they don’t care or know better. My earliest memories of my mother, was her pretty face, beautiful smile, and small frame. To me she was the most beautiful woman on earth and nothing compared to her. Even though she was unlike the celebrity moms who wore designer clothes and ate in fancy restaurants, my mother was very real. My mother was a very small, petite woman who you did not want to cross. I loved the way she combed her hair. I loved the way she would play with my hair or rub my legs after a track meet even when I smelled like sweat. On the incidents that my siblings and I crossed my mother her big brown eyes would squint with disapproval. But I came to love that about her. When those brown eyes started to squint it meant you had done something wrong. Even though there were seven children my mother never played favorites. But rather, made appoint to be fair and equal with all of her children. Whenever I admitted to making a mistake, Mom would not hesitate to point it out to me, and punish me if needed. At times I detested it but over time I came to realize that Mom did that because she had my best interests at heart. She was never one to hold grudges for long. Like most mothers, my mother was very protective of me that often times I resented her for being so. I did not understand why she had to constantly ask about my whereabouts: Who I was with and where I was going. It never occurred to me that this was an essential part of being a mother. A mother cares and worries for her children. My mother taught me that getting reprimanded did not mean she loved me less. On the contrary, she showed me that when she scolded me, it meant she cared and worried about me. Mother certainly had her own flaws but I came to accept, in fact love every bit of them. When she called me non-stop, it was because she missed me or needed something or I had made her angry about something. Some may have called it nagging, I call it loving. For a person to wear her heart on her sleeves is a vulnerable thing, my mother was never vulnerable. In fact she was very strong. She never backed off in a fight especially if she knew she was right but she also knew how to compromise too. But compromising for her did not mean that you were wrong. Compromising was just another way of getting things done – later. When I started school, mom was my ally. To me, school was a world were ghosts and bad guys lurked. Instead of laughing at my fears, my mother showed me instead how great school was. My first day of school, she prepared my favorite snacks and walked me to school. Instead of leaving me at the gate, she walked me to the door, knelt down and told me: â€Å"Don’t worry, everything will be ok†. Although these words are pretty naà ¯ve, to a child on her first day of school, these words were more than enough for me. I went to school that day knowing that Mom was there for me and I learned to enjoy school. I made a few friends and introduced them to my mother who was more than happy to give us cookies and milk for snacks. Although my mother was a stay at home mom, she taught us how important an education was. Mother also taught us the value of relationships. This was evident in her relationship with my Dad. She was married to him for over 40 years before she passed and that for me was not just a manifestation of an enduring love for a person but of trust and fidelity as well. I am hoping that I can do the same in my relationship. Being married to the same person for over 40 years is not a mean feat. It takes a lot of patience and understanding to do this every day. Our generation today does not seem to realize the importance of maintaining a relationship. I, on the other hand, would want to be like my mother. I want to have a long lasting relationship with my partner just like my mother did with my father. I know my mother is not perfect. She had flaws too. But for me, those flaws were tiny imperfections that made her all the more lovable and perfect. Those flaws just made her humanity more evident. My mother was and now is an angel who taught me to fly and dream.

Marks And Spencer Strategy Analysis

Marks And Spencer Strategy Analysis Executive summary Marks Spencer is one of the UKs leading retailers with over 21 million people visiting their stores each week. However, in the fiercely competitive market environment, operational management strategies are quite important for retailers to obtain a competitive advantage and access to greater income. This report will introduce the history of MS and different market segment in MS, and analysis how MS can running there business in the competitive environment. Some operation management theories are applied in the process of analysis. Instruction Marks Spencer is one of the UKs leading retailers with over 21 million people visiting their stores each week. Now they sell stylish, high quality; great value clothing and home products and outstanding quality food. However, in the fiercely competitive market environment, operational management strategies are quite important for retailers to obtain a competitive advantage and access to greater income (Chase, 2001). First, it will introduce the history of MS and different market segment in MSà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’and have an overview of Porters models of competition. Second, analyze how MS can running there business in the competitive environment, trying to explain more different market segment in MS and how the different market segment works together, analyzing their competitive advantage in this cloth industry. Finally, it will use Porters global generic strategy to analysis MS, discussing how MS attract different customers by using different strategy in the global environment. Discussion and Analysis Introduction about MS and Overview of Porters Models of Competition Martha is a retail business founded by a Jewish immigrant in United Kingdom 1884. 1884, 21-year-old Michael à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Marcos in Kekegaite open-air market of United Kingdom Leeds City had opened a unique small stalls, which is the embryonic form of Marks and Spencer. Marcos. He displayed goods by category and price tag, getting rid of the bargaining traditional transactions. Most notably one is a billboard in his stall: Do not ask the price, a penny can be. This simple and eye-catching slogan quickly spread among the people in the middle and lower classes. By 1894, the British Spencer Tom with 300 pounds, and Marcos had co-founded Marks Spencer. The company from the early 20th century has become a national chain store. In 1926, MS in all major cities in United Kingdom has established a branch to become the UKs largest retailer. Until today, MS is still one of the worlds most profitable retailers (John Stanley, 1991). Porters competitive strategy theories are mainly five force model, general strategies, value chain, diamond system and industrial clusters. 1) Five Forces model provides a very useful analytical framework to study the competitiveness of industry, competition in the corresponding morphology and how to design a strategy. Porter believes that the intensity of competition in any industry is generally affected by five kinds of factors. The industrys competitive position and comprehensive degree lead to economy structure changes within industry, to determine the intensity of but from industry inner competition and determine the ultimate profitability within the industry. The companys core strategy should be to choose the right industry, as well as the industrys most attractive competitive position. 5 kinds of factors are the threat of potential entrants, threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers, suppliers and the bargaining power of existing competition within industry. 2) The general strategy theory: Porter believes that the struggle with the five forces of competition, each company should only have two basic types of competitive advantage, namely, low-cost and product differentiation, which both with a special scope of business combination can be drawn from three types of successful strategic thinking, these three ideas is the overall cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy and centralized business strategy. 3) Value Chain: Value Chain is an essential tool for analysis of source strengths. It can dissociate a variety of business activities with the value of transmission methods in order to understand the cost features of enterprise, as well as existing and potential differentiation sources. Business activities are independent and dependent. 4) Diamond system: the State plays an important role in the success of enterprise competition. Thus, Porter makes an extension of his research into the national competitiveness. In response to this theme, Porter puts forward the analytical framework of Diamond System (also known as diamond theory). He thinks factors that may strengthen their national enterprises to create competitive advantages include factors of production, demand conditions, business strategy, structure and competitors, related industries and support for industry performance. 5) Industrial clusters: regional competitiveness has a great impact on competitiveness of enterprises. Porter through the study of industrialized countries finds industrial cluster is a common phenomenon in the process of industrialization, in all developed economies, are it is clear that a variety of industrial clusters. Industrial cluster is defined as a specific area, with competitive and cooperative relations, and geographically concentrated, with interactive relevance enterprise, specialized suppliers, service providers, financial institutions, related industries such as manufacturers and other relevant bodies composed of groups. Complex ity and depth of different level of industrial clusters is different (Francisco J, 2009; Mohr, 2002). Analyze market segment and competitive advantage of MS In 1992, the company has 280 chain stores in the United Kingdom with sales of 75 billion dollars. From the view of Sales category, MS accounts for 15% of the UK clothing sales, food sales 4.6%. Guinness World Records reveals that volume of the companys flagship store in London MarbleArch is 3700 dollars per square foot. MS offers clothing having exquisite style, quality and value for money and household items, as well as outstanding quality foods, all products undergo rigorous screening, from more than 2,000 suppliers around the world. M S in the UK and other countries, more than 75,000 employees in the UK, currently has 622 stores in the international context, MS is also actively developing business. In the 07 and 08 fiscal year, sales exceeded 90 billion pounds. From a market positioning perspective, since the 20th century, 30 years, MS makes middle-class as a sale object, and make every effort to provide them with quality-price ratio appropriate goods. For customers to eat well a nd well dressed has always been motto of MS, which is also main historical reason for 100 years of food and clothing at the same time. After the First World War, due to a shortage of materials, a penny sales strategy is difficult to sustain. MS decisively changed its thinking, making sell project focused on clothing and food, and expanding rapidly, with unprecedented turnover. Until 20 the eighties and nineties, MS gained unprecedented praise in terms of quality, service, diversification. However, from 1998 to 2001, MS operating profit had been on the decline. MS decided to change strategy, developed a new program in overseas sourcing and manufacturing goods. This saved a lot of costs, and profits began to improve. With the emergence of electronic commerce, MS also creatively establish a website, combining traditional retailing with e-commerce. This allows people to see a century-old shop in the face of challenges, courage to change themselves and innovative vigor (Jemmeson, 1997). Most traditional retail stores are selling a variety of brands of goods, of course, there are also some traditional retailers also selling a small amount of own-brand goods, such as designers for Target to sell tailored specialty products. MS has sold almost all own-brand goods. And it has also characteristic of its own brand, types of goods is not exhaustive, but rather selective to provide customers with the best-selling inexpensive goods. At present, 80% of MS operating goods have the brand of St. Michael. MS approach is: from store to collect from the customer views and demands for commodities, and then from Marthas technical development department for product innovation and design (or with the manufacturer to design), and then delivered the manufacturer to produce the final re MS Sales through distribution systems. Thus, Martha has become the worlds largest no plant manufacturers. MS persists in shaping its own brand into image of a healthy environment, in its own brands contai ns a fair trade, sustainable, non-genetically modified products, animal welfare and so on. Almost 100% of sales of own-brand are a biggest difference for MS with the general retailers. This unique brand strategy makes its own brand has become endemic in the United Kingdom as part of shopping culture, while Marks Spencer thus have unmatched brand equity. Marks and Spencer is known to the world due to a standardized and information-oriented management style of supply chain management and suppliers to make it a truly meaningful win-win situation. Standardization is Marks and Spencers consistent style, product quality, type and design of store layout, product display, and even the staff of the service program has a meticulous standard. Standardization Management greatest advantage is that we can save a lot of management costs, while consumers can enhance the overall impression of the Marks and Spencer, giving them a home away from home shopping experience. Marks Spencer has achieved a paperless management, which ensures that all over the world Martha chain can continue to run in an orderly manner. Marks Spencer and suppliers have far more than a general partnership, but rather become a complicit relationship to work. Marks and Spencer has nearly a thousand of suppliers, and suppliers Dibos companies having more than 100 years cooperat ion, with more than 60 suppliers with more than 50 years of partnership. On the one hand, Marks Spencer suppliers guarantees strict demands on product quality; the other hand, Marks and Spencer takes it as its responsibility to help suppliers reduce costs, care providers technological transformation and staff welfare (Tony Grundy, 2003). As a result, suppliers are also with the development of the development of Marks Spencer. Close cooperation of both sides ensures Marks and Spencer to achieve its corporate objectives provide its goal customers with high-quality product within the ability to purchase. Customer satisfaction business philosophy: customer satisfaction has always been Marks and Spencers business philosophy. Customer firstly thinks a lot of commodities with high-quality and low price, which is Marks Spencer sought-after standard. Customers are also increasingly focusing on product design and after-sales service, so Marks Spencer has also taken a series of measures accordingly. In recent years, Marks and Spencer pay more attention to understanding customer needs, internal management structure to take the simple and rapid decision-making mechanism, the focus from how to buy to how to sell. Customers buy Martha not satisfied with the goods that can be unconditional refund. Carried out on the part of the membership-based customer and sales records of the Commissioner of the members on a wide range of information, including birthdays, clothing numbers, special preferences, and settlement accounts. Marks and Spencer will be in the form of time by phone to inform new member s of the listing, the monthly will be in the form of a letter seeking the views of members. 1999 opened on-line shopping service, but also a cadre of loyal customers, people satisfaction with Marks and Spencer increasing. Oxford Street is a well-known British commercial street on the number of stores, the London crowd to get on the top spot. MS in such a competitive market environment also pursues their usual high quality of goods and services, and provide an elegant display of the environment. In this area, Marthas main competitors are facing the department store, and Saier Fu Leach youth-oriented casual relaxed style of the shops, in addition to including many other stores. The advantage that MS is different from these competitors is its depth and breadth of product portfolio and a unique marketing strategy (David Campbell, 2009; Lowson, R.H. 2001). Strategy Theory and Practice Analysis about MS M S retail as an industry has its own specific competitive structures, which can be analyzed from the Porter five forces of competition: 1) Entry threat. The low-cost of commercial retail enterprises, lead to lower barriers to entry the retail industry, retail businesses are always faced with the threat of new entrants. 2) Replacement threat. As the retail business operated products, the technical content of most is not high, more likely to imitate, so facing a greater alternative threats. 3) The bargaining power of suppliers. From the most developed countries show that, in the retail business and manufacturing enterprises bargaining in retail enterprises grow in power. 4) The bargaining power of buyers. As the retail business more and more abundant supply of commodities, increasing the power of buyers, which forced more and more retailers adopt the low-cost, low-cost, high-quality service strategy, retailers profiteering opportunities less and less. 5) Existing competitors. At pres ent, the existing competitors in the competitive retail industry has become a variety of forms, a variety of tissue types, regions and business scope of the three-dimensional cross-competition. Facing fierce competition, M S retail businesses have successfully used a variety of competitive strategies to improve their competitiveness. To face the future social development, to further advantage, M S should be good at using the Porters competitive theory, adopting strategy and measures suited to the situation on their own (Dinesh, 2008; S. Ambec, 2002). (A) Differentiation strategy Competitive differentiation is the basic strategy, to pursue I have what people dont have, my superior that what people have customer value that is different from other competitors. Differentiation strategy is that the business through the characteristics production makes their product or service unique, and thus consumers are willing to pay a higher price. Successful examples adopting differentiation strategy are such as the United States Norton department stores, its different, nuanced human service has won praise from consumers, so that no rival can match. Commercial retail enterprises implement differentiation strategy with mainly the work to be undertaken: first, accurate positioning for the enterprise. The main way to differentiate their market position, that is, to determine a companys market position is different from other enterprises or image. Second, establish and run enterprises to brand image. Large-scale commercial retail enterprises shall include at least the brand con notation of the brand of goods, services, brands, and on the basis of the previous two derived from the three-tier corporate brand meaning. Retail business once chooses differentiation strategy, it must be based on its own seeking to establish a brand image to reflect this brand image on the one hand business activities, on the other through the advertising campaign to promote this brand image. Third, long-term to maintain brand image. After companies establishing their own unique brand image, they should make long-term planning to maintain its own brand image (Harry J.P., 2000). (B) Cost leadership strategy Cost leadership strategy is to low operating costs or fees. Retail business goals taking cost-leadership strategy is to become the industrys low-cost firms, which tend to have economies of scale, proprietary technology, preferential supply of commodities prices, lower transaction costs and management fees and other advantages. When enterprises have become a cost leader, they can effectively compete against the other forces of competition, obtaining advantage in competition. The most successful retailer using cost leadership strategy the worlds largest retailer, Wal-Mars. The 20th century, 80s, it began to lease satellite transmission, integrated global marketing data, the commodity management, logistics and distribution, global procurement and data processing of all applications of advanced modern information technology to significantly reduce the cost, annual savings of more than competitors) 750 million of dollars in spending. Commercial retail enterprises can be achieved through t he following areas cost leadership (Voss, 2003). First, they can through cost analysis identify the greatest impact factors on the business cost, controlling systematically cost. Second, it is to establish alliances among commercial enterprises, reducing procurement costs and jointly developing the market. Third is using capital operation, expanding the enterprise scale. Through joint, mergers, acquisitions, joining, enterprise implements chain operations, the rapid expansion of operation scale, to achieve business activities standardization, specialization, centralization. Fourth is scientific management with application of advanced technology. Retail enterprises further reduce business costs through the use of POS (selling real-time systems), MIS (management information systems), EDI (electronic data interchange), EOS (Electronic Ordering System) and other modern management techniques (Shankar, 2004). (C) Objectives accumulation strategy Retail enterprises to implement the strategic objective is to choose one or the accumulation of a group of market segments as part of its services, target markets, strategic optimization, to seek their presence in the target market on the competitive advantage. Because it takes a specific consumer group focused to meet their needs, so companies can be more economical than the other competitors, more thoughtful to meet their needs (Mittal, 2004). In addition, the strategy also adopted by the choice of the target market to find the weakest link in the existing competitors cut into, to avoid a competitor with a strong head-on collision. Select the target build-up strategy, first, to conduct market research and market segmentation. According to differences in consumer demand will be divided into different consumer market segments, so that enterprises can more effectively meet their needs. Second is to determine the target market. Not all segments have value to enterprise. Companies shoul d choose a potential market segment as its target market that will not conflict with a strong competitor. Generally speaking, potential market segments should also have the following three conditions: 1) adequate, the reality of unmet demand or potential demand; 2) Enterprise has ability to provide products or services to meet these needs, and helping the can map; 3) Business in this market segment can achieve certain competitive advantage. Third, accounting for the characteristics of the target market, it is to develop practical sales strategy, including determining the number of sales outlets, choice of a commodity business scope, pricing strategies. In addition, the in the implementation process of objectives accumulation strategic, the cost leadership strategy and differentiation strategy can also be used at the same time. Conclusion MarksSpencers is a leading retailer of clothing, food, home ware and financial services. Marks Spencer is one of the UKs leading retailers with over 21 million people visiting their stores each week. However, in the fiercely competitive market environment, operational management strategies are quite important for retailers to obtain a competitive advantage and access to greater income. It could supply goods whatever customer needs timely whether it is the variety of food products or clothing style. This paper first introduces the history of MS and different market segment in MSà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’and have an overview of Porters models of competition. Second, analyze how MS can running there business in the competitive environment, trying to explain more different market segment in MS and how the different market segment works together, analyzing their competitive advantage in this cloth industry. MS is changing the business strategy timely when market environmental change, while the contin uous improvement on strategy goes along with the change of customer demands. Finally, it uses Porters global generic strategy to analysis MS, to face the future social development, to further advantage, discussing how MS attract different customers by using different strategy in the global environment. The outcomes through analysis and discussion give a useful help to retail industry. The experience of the old brand department store tells the world that they can create their own lands as long as the constant innovation even in a traditional industry. Recommendations Through the above analysis, MS has made a great progress, getting over lots of difficulties. However, in todays fiercely competitive market environment, MS should also adopt optimal strategy to obtain a stronger competitive by reducing human and material costs by exploring overseas cheap labors and improving their quality of service and giving full play to their creativity.

Irony and Social Commentary in Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Jane Auste

Irony and social commentary in â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† Like any other society, nineteenth-century England had its share of foppish fools and fawning leeches, hot-blooded lovers and garrulous, gossiping women. While few people exhibit these failings with abandonment, few escape their taint altogether. In the novel â€Å"Pride and Prejudice,† the author Jane Austen satirizes these instances of – not social evils– rather, unpleasant social peculiarities, via a most careful use of irony in the dialogues and thoughts of some of her most delightful characters. The main character indulging in this precious commodity is Mr. Bennet, whom Austen considers important enough that a razor-sharp wit forms a necessary part of his personality. The irony is chiefly exhibited in two ways: a general ambience that results from a frequent use of satirical language (as for instance, the incessant use of antithesis in the conversations) and brief but concentrated attacks by Mr. Bennet against all forms of foolishness – harmless or otherwise. All the formulaic mannerisms affected by the people in his society as well as the social obligations that create them become the target of Mr. Bennet’s criticism. However, it is clear that Mr. Bennet is very much a part of the society that he so readily despises. That he persists in making fun of it is what makes his ripostes so rife with incongruity. The novel contains a large array of conversations between different characters; these conversations are, in keeping with the style that prevailed in that period, quite elaborate, indeed sometimes to the point of tedium. Austen portrays an attitude of unflagging boredom in Mr. Bennet when confronted with such speeches, through his incessant ironic asides. T... ...eaning in these seemingly innocuous words, for the former implies prostitution and the latter – a dishonorable pregnancy with a bastard child. Given the venomous character of such fairly commonplace gossip – even among the presumably ‘respectable’ rural middle-class – ’tis no wonder that Austen rallies against such a harmful form of frivolity. Austen therefore uses the difficult tool of irony to great effect in portraying the foolishness – both harmful and harmless – which afflicts most people. In doing so, she effectively delivers social commentary presumably for the purpose of correcting these defects in character of her fellow Englishmen. Along the way, the reader is delightfully entertained by the fools inhabiting â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† as well as the personalities that persist in denouncing it, in a manner that is at times more farcical than satirical. 6

Exogetical Essay On Matthew 11:25-30 :: essays research papers

Exogetical Essay on Matthew 11:25-30 This passage opens up with the phrase, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. This speaks of two kinds of people in his prayer: the "wise" - arrogant in their own knowledge - and the "little children" - humbly open to receive the truth of God's Word. Are we wise in our own eyes, or do we seek the truth in childlike faith, realizing that only God hold all the answers? God wants us to be open at all times. When we become too "informed" and "wise" we can sometimes become to sure of our own knowledge, and possibly miss what God is really telling us. The next passage says, "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." According to my Life Application Study Guide, in the Old Testament, "know" means more than knowledge. It implies an intimate relationship. The communion between God the Father and God the Son is the core of their relationship. For anyone else to know God, God must reveal himself to that person, by the Son's choice. How fortunate we are that Jesus has clearly revealed to us God, his truth, and how we can know him. The last major section of this passage reads, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." A yoke is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or oxen. It is attached to a piece of equipment the oxen are to pull. A person may be carrying heavy burdens of (1) sin, (2) excessive demands of religious leaders, (3) oppression and persecution, (4) weariness in the search for God, or any number of other problems we may face day to day. The beautiful thing is that Jesus frees people

African American Studies Notes Essay

1. Discuss the four basic thrusts of the student movement which led to the founding of Black Studies * The Civil Rights Movement (1960) * Break down the barriers of legal separation in public accommodations * Achieve equality and justice for Blacks * Organize Blacks into a self-conscious social force capable of defining, defending and advancing their interests * SNCC emerged as a vanguard group in the CR struggle. * Mobilized, organized and politicized thousands of Black students * Politicized many White students and their leaders through recruiting and training them and bringing them to the South to work in the struggle * The Free Speech Movement (UC Berkeley, 1964) * White student protest against the rigid, restrictive and unresponsive character of the university * Demand for civil rights on campus. * The Anti-Vietnam War Movement (1965) * General student protest against the Vietnam war and university complicity in it through its cooperation with the government in recruitment and research and development programs * Launched by new leftists, especially the Students for a Democratic Society * SNCC, Us, the Congress of Racial Equality participated * Based on opposition to: * The threat the draft posed to Blacks and other males of color not covered by student deferment and especially vulnerable in the South * The government’s war against Third World liberation movements and peoples in general and Vietnam in particular * Fighting an unjust war for a nation depriving Blacks of basic and human rights * The Black Power Movement (1965) * Led to direct establishment of Black Studies * The Watts Revolt in Los Angeles. * Ushered in a new dialog about relations of power in society and the university, the pervasive character of racism, and the need for struggle to overturn the establish order and create a more just society * Stressed the importance of self-determination, need for power, relevant education, cultural grounding, studying and recovering African culture * Organizations stressed the need for the university and society to recognize the diverse cultures of the U. S. * Called on students to engage in struggle in the classrooms, on campus in general and in society to improve life of African people and society itself 2. Discuss the emergence of Black Studies at SFSU * It began in 1966 * Led by black students * It was the rising tide of the black power movement and reflected its sense of social mission and urgency * Black students at SFSC and other campuses responded to the national activism of the Black Power Movement and the Watts Revolt. * 1966 changed their name to Black Student Union (BSU) to indicate a new identity and direction. * Black students developed a black arts an culture series * BSU demanded a legitimate Black Studies Department funded by the college and controlled by black people brought stiff resistance * BSU also demanded special admissions programs for a given number of black studies but it was also resisted. 3. Identify the major groups involved and the contribution of Dr. Nathan Hare * In 1968, Dr. Hare, an author and former professor, was appointed to be coordinator of Black Studies * He was given the task to formulate an autonomous Black Studies Department * He was fired from Howard University for his activism in support of students and the struggle of â€Å"relevant education† * He continued to stress on â€Å"relevant education† when he came to SFSU * By April 1968, Hare had completed his proposal and a program for special admission for Black students * The board of trustees continually delayed implementation of the program and it is this which led to the student’s strike * The university was shut down. * Eventually the students won the strike, which ended march 1969 * San Francisco State (SFSU) became the first institution of education to establish a Black Studies program and department. * GROUPS INVOLVED: Black Power Movement, Civil Rights Movement, Free Speech Movement, Anti-Vietnam War Movement 4. What were the early academic and political concerns of the advocates of Black Studies * Academic 1) concerned with traditional white studies. White studies was seen as inadequate and a distortion of the lives and culture of African people. White studies posed whites as the exemplary model for everyone, was seen as Eurocentric. 2) White studies was also seen as resistant to change which was necessary for relevant education. Black Studies argued for the need to teach Black Studies from a black frame of mind. This later became known as Afrocentric perspective. * Political 1) concerned with the low number of blacks on campus, which was seen as racist exclusion to maintain a white monopoly. So it was demanded that special admission and recruitment efforts were made to solve this problem. 2) Concerned with the treatment of racism. Sought out to make blacks respected and politically involved on campus. 3) Concerned with social problems of the black community and how black students and black studies could address and solve them. 5. What were the early objectives of Black Studies * To teach the Black experience in all its variedness and with special attention to history, culture, and current issues. * Black Studies assemble and create a body of knowledge that contributed to intellectual and political emancipation. (Developing an intellectual and dependent mind and using that knowledge in the interest of Black and human freedom). * Create intellectuals who were dedicated to community service and stressed the importance for Black intellectuals who were conscious, capable, and committed to Black liberation and a higher level of human life. * To nurture, maintain, and continue expansion of an equally beneficial relationship between the campus and the community. Dr. Nathan Hare â€Å" We must bring community to the campus and the campus to the community†. * To establish and confirm its position in the academy as a discipline essential to the educational project and to any real conception of a quality education. (Both an academic and political challenge). Chapter Two Study Questions 4. Discuss the emergence of the Afrocentric initiative and Molefi Asante’s founding role in it. * Emerging in the late 70s and finding its theoretical foundation in a work by Molefi Asante titled Afrocentricity: The Theory of Social Change and published in 1980 * Asante introduced Afrocentricity as the indispensable perspective of the Black Studies project and initiated a wide-ranging discourse which had both academic and social implications and consequences * Asante energized Black Studies discourse and gave a fresh and added thrust to the pursuit of new research directions in Black Studies with his insistence on African location or centeredness, African agency, and an African frame of reference in research and methodology and intellectual production * He became a much sought after lecturer and commentator * He defines Afrocentrism as a term used to negate and miscast Afrocentricity by its opponents 5. What does multiculturalism and pluralism have in common? * Multiculturalism can be defined as thought and practice organized around respect for human diversity * Expression in four basic ways: * Mutual respect for each people and culture as a unique and equally valuable way of being human in the world * Mutual respect for each people’s right and responsibility to speak their own special cultural truth and make their own unique contribution to society and the world * Mutual commitment to the constant search for common ground in the midst of our diversity * Mutual commitment to an ethics of sharing in order to build the world we all want and deserve to live in * Pluralism * Based on exceptional values as determined by the host of society Chapter Four Studying Questions 1. What arguments does Van Sertima make to prove African presence in Olmec civilization? * Unearthed evidence like more Olmec heads, especially one at tres zapotes showing Ethiopian type braids; more clay sculptures of African types which reflect the coloration and texture of African hair; reaffirmation of skeletal evidence; new evidence from ancient maps; new comparisons of African and south African pyramids; and further discussion on dating of the voyages. 2. What are some basic misconceptions about the holocaust of enslavement? Discuss its impact. * The enslavement was not a â€Å"trade† but instead the whole process by which captives were obtained on African soil was through warfare, trickery, banditry and kidnapping. * Europeans blame Arabs and Africans for participation in the process of enslavement, however they were always the ones benefitting from it. Basically, what looked like an Arab-controlled â€Å"trade† was in fact a European dominated â€Å"trade† with Europeans using Arabs as middlemen. * Although some Africans enslaved others, it was a part of their culture and they were able to be civil with the rest of society. * Impact: depopulation through mass murder, societal disruption/destruction, forced transfer of populations, caused loss of youth and skilled personnel, thus affected scientific, technological and cultural progress of africs. Economic destruction. 3. What was the basis for enslavement and some of its basic aspects? * Based on brutality, cultural genocide, and machinery of control. * Brutality: physical, psychological, sexual * Cultural genocide: destruction of political identities and ethnic units, families, cultural leaders, the outlawing of African languages. * Machinery of control: involved five mechanisms of control- laws, coercive bodies, the church, politically divisive strategies, plantation punishments * 4. List and discuss the major forms of resistance to enslavement * Day-to-day resistance: daily refusal and challenge with which Africans confronted the enslavement system. Included sabotage, breaking tools, destroying crops etc. * Abolitionism (underground railroad). * Emigrationism: the push to emigrate back to Africa or go elsewhere where Africans could be free. * Armed resistance: revolts, ship mutinies, etc. * Cultural resistance: used culture to inspire and maintain one’s humanity through dances, moral narratives, music etc. 5. What were some of the basic reasons for the failure of reconstruction? * White terrorist societies intensified. Ex: ku klux klan * Congress did not give blacks the support they needed and they were essentially reintegrated back into the southern economy under semi-enslaved conditions as sharecroppers. * â€Å"Black codes† (segregation and discrimination) and they didn’t receive land, forcing them back to the plantation. * Supreme court’s benefit through rulings favorable to the south * The Hayes-Tilden compromise in 1877- president hayes granted south federal troop withdrawal, leaving blacks to fend for themselves in racist society 6. What were some of the reasons for the great migration? * To escape the racist south * Wanted to escape crop failures, natural disasters like floods in the south * Growth of industry in the north, labor demands due to WWI * No more immigration from Europe, therefore no more unskilled laborers and domestic servants * The north promised blacks greater opportunities- recruited them 7. What were some of the major organizations founded to struggle against injustice in the early 1900s? Discuss the black womens club movement. * Rose out of African cultural traditions which stressed responsibility to family and community which led to free black women and men establishing numerous mutual aid societies during enslavement * Founded first national conference of the colored women of America which established the national association of colored women * Also the Niagra movement, the NAACP and the urban league 8. Identify the major groups and leaders of the 60s * Booker T. Washington: â€Å"major black leader of his time† * W. E. B. DuBois: white activist-scholar * Marcus Garvey: pan-africanist dedicated to building a nation-state in Africa * Ida B. Wells-Barnett: journalist, organizer, lecturer and teacher 9. What are some major challenges and achievements of the 70s, 80s and 90s? * 70s: 1. Challenges- began with recovery from the massive suppression on the black movement by COINTELRO (counterintelligence program launched by the FBI by director J. Edgar Hoover) 2. Hoover tried to stifle any form of a black revolution 3. Affirmative action- â€Å"reverse discrimination† 4. Achievements- blacks penetration and victories in electoral politics 5. Sought to build national independent power structures 6. Resurgence of pan-africanism * *80s: 1. Challenges- continuing crisis of US society, rise of the vulgar and â€Å"respectable† right, continuing struggle to rebuild a black mass movement and appropriate alliances and coalitions in order to defend black gains, win new ones and minimize losses 2. Problem of alliance and coalition 3. Achievements- heightened level of electoral political activity among blacks 4. First black governor (Virginia) * 90s: 1. Challenges- increasing negative attitude of the Supreme Court to racial injustice and affirmative action, continuation of hate crimes, veto and later passage of 1991 civil rights act, increase in poverty 2. Achievements- election of Bill Clinton and 39 blacks on congress and one black senator 10. Discuss the million persons marches. What were their similar concerns and their effect on the black community? * **Million man march/ day of absence- voiced concern about increasing racism, deteriorating social conditions, etc.and the impact on the world * -Day of absence: women organized communities to stay away from business/ school and to register people to vote and empower the community as a whole * -Created a sense of possibility and promise; after there were increases in membership in organizations, adoption rates, mentoring programs and social activism. * Million woman march- needed to energize the lives and struggles of black women * Million youth march- same thing, but with youths (not a huge turnout) * –All of these marches were a statement for self-consciousness as black men, women, and youth and the responsibility to community and struggle which this implies and requires 11. What are some major challenges of the beginning 21st century? * 2000 presidential election and voter suppression (gore and bush), tragedy and aftermath of hurricane Katrina, HIV/AIDS epidemic, continuing police abuse, deteriorating socio-economic conditions