Drama assignment Essay

Hale is one of the most important characters in The Crucible. All of the characters contribute to the problems in Salem to some extent. But Hale is the catalyst to the hysteria beginning and it is how is awareness of this increases through the play that causes the major changes we see in his character.  Hale himself, as we are told by miller, â€Å"†¦nearing forty, a tight skinned eager eyed intellectual.† He feels great pride at being asked to come and identify the signs of witchcraft and sees it as a compliment to his experience in his chosen field. Unlike the other characters his experience gives him no reason to jump to the immediate conclusion of the involvement of the devil. Because of this he is perhaps the most common sense of the officials in Salem. Hales entrance in act 1 creates a big change in the direction of the scene, but it is important to remember he is unaware of this. How miller uses Hales entrances effectively is that he calms down the situation between Giles and Putnam when they cease their argument at his arrival but eventually he will excite the scene even more with his powerful redemption of Tituba and Abigail.  After his initial entrance in act 1 Hales attitude is reasonably light hearted as he greets the other characters, he refers to the devil in an of hand way as â€Å"the old boy†. Yet he still treats the situation in all seriousness as he listens to the Putnams talking about their daughters ailment, picking up clues from what people say. When Hale is investigating the supernatural, leafing through his books, asking questions and listening to the other characters etc, it should be shown that he does not treat this as a chore or just his job, but that he is genuinely interested and eager, his investigations are what drives him.  His attitudes to the other characters in the early part of act 1 are interest in meeting people he has heard of, and his respect for the more â€Å"†¦distinguished company.† who are there. His use of the phrase shows a wish to make a good impression with those who are higher in the village, but his interest in meeting Rebecca Nurse and talking to Giles shows that he is in no way biased to position. As we enter the increasingly hysterical ending to this act, Hales role in causing this is obvious. His quickening questioning of her is perhaps caused by his anger at her apparent lack of concern for Bettys condition and her attempts to evade answering his questions. † (grasping Abigail): abigail it may be your cousin is dying. Did you call the devil last night? † â€Å"you cannot evade me, Abigail.†Ã‚  Hale is excited at the end of act 1 because he believes he has got to the root of the problem when Tituba and Abigail â€Å"redeem† themselves and pass the blame to Good and Osburn. Because of this both hale and Parris see the problem as ending not beginning. Hale has obviously seen the situation last a lot longer than he expected when he enters in act 2. â€Å"he is different now- drawn a little, and there is a quality of deference, even of guilt, about his manner now.† This shows us the beginning of his realisation of the consequences of the accusations that he has caused to be made.  This is the second time Hales entrance changes the course of events in both this act and for the rest of the play without him knowing it, his entrance has stopped John Proctor from leaving just when he had built himself up to confront Abigail to stop the accusations, so he makes things worse again, but still unintentionally. His attitudes to the Proctors in this act are mixed. He sees them as good and honest people, but knows that there is evidence that would say otherwise even if none of its serious enough to entirely incriminate them. His nervousness is also caused by him being unsure how to tell them Elizabeth has been accused, without making it sound like he is accusing them himself.  We last see Hale in the final scene of Act Four we see the total change in his opinions to the authority of the court, the guilt of those charged and in his faith. His motivation is now to try and save proctor from his fate. He is confused and wrought because of how his faith has caused so many problems. To conclude, Hale changes most of all the characters, yet like the others he changes in that his main characteristics are strengthened. His honesty and sense of public duty are there throughout the play, how they change is to which end they’re directed. He is initially convinced of the presence and existence of witchcraft, and works vigorously to combat it in the only he knows how. Yet he is the only of the prosecutors who is convinced of the innocence of the accused, he still believes his first duty is the protection of others, but loses his principles to do so at the end. He is more open minded and humane than the others, but the message of the play tells us to reject the position to which he finally comes. He doesn’t reject just the religious fanaticism of the times but rejects religion itself. His attempts to save John Proctor ultimately fail, because in turning his back on the church, he has turned his back on what Elizabeth believes is right, and so his argument is worthless to her.  Perhaps Millers idea in Hale is that where the simple farmer sees the mistake in preferring life over personal integrity the learned Hale does not.

Do Parents Matter

Within today’s society and the way the family is portrayed within the media, the family life has changed considerably. The family setup and how parents now discipline their children and their skills to do so, have come under attack. With the increase of children committing crimes and anti social behaviour orders being handed out like sweets its seems that almost everyone is looking for someone to blame for the up rise in bad behaviour with the children of our country. There has been blame pointed at the lack of discipline given out by the courts, the television and media, how family’s are structured in today’s society’ compared to years ago and the majority of blame lies with the parents. This essay will look at â€Å"Do parents matter† as this is a huge issue and has vast implications I am going to look at the issue of Divorce. I will be looking at the theories of attachment and separation and how children who are involved with divorce cope and if the issue of gender, culture or ethnicity differs ahead to the outcome of â€Å"Do Parents Matter† The government’s reports that roughly 50% of all marriages in today’s society fail, reasons for the failure include poor communication or lack of communication, financial issues and even the circumstances of the marriage all contribute to the ending of what once seemed the perfect relationship. Within these failed marriages are children, confused and unsure of what the future holds for them. Unsure of how to deal with the split, having to choose which parent to leave behind and which parent to stay at residence with, decisions like these can cause trauma within certain children, thus the question is raised â€Å"Do parents matter? † According to John Bowlby, Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of comfort, care, and pleasure. John Bowlby devoted extensive research to the concept of attachment, describing it as a â€Å"lasting psychological connectedness between human beings† Bowlby shared the psychoanalytic view that early experiences in childhood have an important influence on development and behaviour later in life. Our early attachment styles are established in childhood through the infant/caregiver relationship. In addition to this, Bowlby believed that attachment had an evolutionary component, it aids in survival. The propensity to make strong emotional bonds to particular individuals is a basic component of human nature† (Bowlby, 1988) Bowlby believed that there are four distinguishing characteristics of attachment: Proximity Maintenance – The desire to be near the people we are attached to. Safe Haven – Returning to the attachment figure for comfort and safety in the face of a fear or threat. Secure Base – The attachment figure acts as a base of security from which the child can explore the surrounding environment. Separation Distress – Anxiety that occurs in the absence of the attachment figure. With James Robertson he identified three stages of separation response amongst children, Protest to the mother figure for re-attachment (related to separation anxiety) Despair and pain at the loss of the mother figure despite repeated protests for re-establishment for relationship. (related to grief and mourning), and Detachment or denial of affection to the mother-figure. (related to defence). These phases are universally seen in children who go through separation, either by loss of parent/s due to death, divorce or through boarding school. Bowlby identified that infants need one special relationship for internal development. No variables have more far-reaching effects on personality development than a child's experiences within the family. Starting during his first months in his relation to both parents, he builds up working models of how attachment figures are likely to behave towards him in any of a variety of situations, and on all those models are based all his expectations, and therefore all his plans, for the rest of his life. † (J. Bowlby, Attachment and Loss (1973, p. 369)) Children’s parents, who separate in the younger years of the child, are more likely to suffer under Bowlby’s theory, due to the absent of the early attachment bond. Bowlby in 1951 produced a report which argued that infants form a special relationship with their mother which is different from any relationship which they form with any other kind of person. Attachment is formed with the mother within the first six months of life and if the attachment or bond is broken either by death or separation the child would suffer considerable consequences. Although the attachment to either parent is still a considerable one, Bowlby’s work looks at the mother in particular or a significant caregiver. Bowlby theory of separation has great strengths within the family structure, it explains how early attachment is essential for a stable life span of the child. â€Å"The Nature of the Child’s Tie to His Mother† (1958), â€Å"Separation Anxiety† (1959), and â€Å"Grief and Mourning in Infancy and Early Childhood† (1960) are Bowlby’s first formal statements of attachment theory, building on concepts from ethology and developmental psychology. Bowlby theories of attachment are followed closely by Byng-Hall and Mary Ainsworth. Byng-Hall suggests that the family contributes to attachment by providing a secure family base. He’s definition of secure base is â€Å"a family that provides a reliable and readily available network of attachment relationships, and appropriate caregivers, from which all members of the family are able to feel sufficiently secure to explore their potential†. Byng-Hall suggests that there are two factors associated with a secure family base. First, he suggests that there is a shared awareness that attachment relationships are important and care for others is a priority in the family. Second, he contends that family members should support one another in providing care for each other. The weakness factors that undermine a secure base in families include fear of losing an attachment figure or actual loss of an attachment figure. A child clings to one caregiver and rejects relationships with other caregivers. Byng-Hall refers to this as â€Å"capturing† an attachment figure. Turning to an inappropriate attachment figure (i. e. , if one parent is not supporting the other parent, a child may be used as an attachment figure). Conflict within relationships particularly abusive relationships. Negative self-fulfilling prophecies, there is an expectation that losses from other generations will be repeated. Mary Ainsworth â€Å"Strange Situation Procedure† study confirms the theory of Bowlby and investigates how a child makes an attachment to its mother or main caregiver. Ainsworth's research revealed key individual differences among children, demonstrated by the child's reaction to the mother's return. Ainsworth categorised these responses into three major types. Anxious/avoidant—the child may not be distressed at the mother's departure and may avoid or turn away from her on her return. Securely attached—the child is distressed by the mother's departure and easily soothed by her on her return. Anxious/resistant—the child may stay extremely close to the mother during the first few minutes and become highly distressed at her departure. When she returns, the child will simultaneously seek both comfort and distance from the mother. The child's behaviour will be characterised by crying and reaching to be held and then attempting to leave once picked up. Using the Strange Situation procedure, many researchers have studied the development of child attachment to the mother and significant caregiver. However, the weaknesses show there continues to be much debate about the origins of the child's reaction in the Strange Situation, and about what factors influence the development of an infant's attachment relationships. The attachment and separation theory is apparent when Divorce occurs within the family home. Children involved show emotional upset to a parent that leaves the residential home, thus causing a disturbance to the dynamics of the family structure. Behaviour of children is displayed in a number of formats from acceptance to the extreme of being issued an anti social behaviour order. The development of a child is determined by the nature of the environment and the nurture that has been given. The different stages of attachment are related to the age of the child, thus gender, culture, ethnicity and socio-economic status are not considered, however all of these areas do influence the situation considerably. Children are known to favour one parent more so than another, Divorce within a white European family compared to a black West Indian family can have extreme differences. Due to culture beliefs’ and family pressures. West Indian and Asian family divorce rates are far lower than the European statistics. Ethnicity of a family also influences the up bringing of a child and how the parents are treated and perceived. Bowlby theory states that the mother or main caregiver is needed for a stable upbringing. Younger children in particular have a hard time dealing with the changes that are occurring at this time. A child’s reaction to this depends upon their age and their ability to comprehend what is happening. Consistency is very import to younger children and the trauma of their parents separating is extremely difficult for them to handle. The loss of routine, the change in daily habits and the loss of friend’s school and other familiar patterns is especially difficult. When a father is excluded from the family home, reports show that the majority of crime and anti social behaviour are committed from one parent families, studies of young criminals show that over 70% of juveniles imprisoned come from fatherless homes, once the influence of a strong male character disappears the child reacts in a negative manner, acting up, causing a disturbance are some of the symptoms a child goes through. It appears that father absence may have different effects on boys and girls. Boys tend to experience more academic and social disruption when fathers are not present in the household. Father absence challenges girl’s emotional stability but does not seem to undermine their school performance. A boy who lives alone with his mother does not have a male role model in the home to teach him how to shave or kick a football or ask a girl out for a date, all of these things are extremely important to our social integration. Children who grow up without fathers in the home seem to have more likelihood to experience, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty, lack of opportunity to succeed, sex at an early age, pregnancy, behaviour problems, crime involvement, dropouts from school. These experiences are more likely to occur during adolescence because changes are happening so fast in this age group. Much supervision is needed at this time and is hard to enforce without a dad in the house, especially with teenage boys. As teens enter these years they tend to be closer to the same sex parent and look in that direction for guidance. Girls are stressed and likely to be depressed having no father in the home. â€Å"Stepmothers are found to have more problematic relationship with stepchildren; while children, particularly girls, also experience higher stress when they are living with their stepmothers. (Jacobson, 1987 in Visher ; Visher, 1993). Visher ; Visher (1979) suggested that teenage daughters identify strongly with their mothers and resent any woman who replaces their mother for the father's affection. Teenage daughters also exhibit much competitiveness with their stepmothers for their father's affection. These findings suggested that there are strong situational dynamics at work that create special relationship problems for stepmother families. Difficulty between the children's mother and stepmother has also been mentioned as a possible contribution to the greater stress in stepmother families. (Visher & Visher 1988)† Boys are more likely to act out and become discipline problems which upsets the mother. They try to take over the role of the dominant male in the household. Girls show their longing for a father figure by getting â€Å"boy-crazy† and can tend to end up with men who treat them badly. Girls need a father to demonstrate how a man acts in a family relationship. It seems that girls who have to guess pick the wrong boys and men. † Biblarz and Raftery (1999) show that mother-absence is much more detrimental than father-absence to children's educational and occupational attainment. They find that once parents' socioeconomic status is taken into account, children raised by single mothers are much better off than children raised by single fathers or fathers and stepmothers, and are just as likely to succeed as children raised by both birth parents. Biblarz and Raftery conclude that the pattern of effects across family types and over time is consistent with an evolutionary perspective which emphasizes the importance of the birth mother in the provision of children's resources (Trivers 1972). According to this view, children raised by their birth mothers do better than children raised apart from their birth mothers. Furthermore, being raised by a single birth mother is better than being raised by a birth mother and step-father since step-fathers compete with children for mother's time and lower maternal investment. Dealing with children who suffer from the separation of a loved parent is difficult. Social Services and Social Workers have to treat and understand the child’s needs in relation to its personal case. The Children’s Act 2004 assists with the legal framework and legislation of needs but it is that of a Social Worker and their ability and knowledge that assists with the emotional needs of the children, thus enabling them to deal with the separation to the best of their ability and co-ordinate any addition services that may be required. Behaviour, socialisation skills, and how we treat other people are pronominally learnt through our parents. It is the nurture of a parent that encourages a child to develop into a citizen that society requires and needs. It is fully reported that Divorce causes catastrophic effects on certain children; I believe that this is true due to non communication from the parents involved, what, how and the effects the children experienced are due to how the situation was tackled. Parents have an integral position in children’s lives whether they own biological offspring or offspring obtained via a separation or new relationship. Children from a Divorced separated family background are more likely to experience difficulties later on into adult life, male children having anger related issues, female children having trust and insecurity problems all transpiring from the divorce of the parents. These extremely worrying issues can be overcome with the communication, knowledge and experience of the parents in educating their children and showing a positive influence in their lives, with the theory of Bowlby and Ainsworth, I would like to conclude that in my opinion, yes parents do matter. References http://www.litnotes.co.uk/mass_media.htm http://www.sociology.emory.edu/tdowd/SOC769rsyllabus.htm http://www.psychology.sunysb.edu/attachment/online/inge_origins.pdf

To What Extent Do Sociologists Agree That Religion Is a Force for Social Change?

To what extent do Sociologists agree that religion is a force for social change? Throughout history, there has been an on-going debate as to whether or not religion is a conservative force, or a force for social change. Whilst many Sociologists such as Durkheim, see religion as a positive conservative force; creating social harmony and solidarity, others disagree claiming religion to be a strong force for social change and as neo-Marxist Otto Maduro believes, religion has the power to initiate revolutionary change.Firstly, both Functionalism and Marxism takes on the approach that religion is a conservative force as both hold the view that religion aids society, in terms of allowing it to stay within its existing practices. However, the two perspectives disagree on why and how religion helps to do this. Functionalist, Durkheim stated that religion is essential in creating shared norms and values. He claimed that practices of religion and in the law, help people to live their lives.In modern Western society there are thirteen bishops in the House of Lords, who all influence which laws are made and passed, in accordance with Christian teachings. Such issues as abortion, euthanasia, and divorce are discussed and decisions are made about them, which are influenced by the church. Through this system of having a religious guidance, a value consensus is created, by which most of society accepts. This is also known as a collective consciousness which Durkheim taught, formed â€Å"social solidarity†; leading to a harmonious and stable environment for people to live in.Durkheim and many other Functionalists viewed social solidarity as highly important, as they believed it allowed people to feel socially supported reducing the risk of people feeling a sense of anomie. Durkheim himself was very focused on the â€Å"sacred† and â€Å"profane†. He claimed that religious procedures are something which societies see as being divine. For example, a supernatu ral being such as an omnipotent God, would be sacred. However, not only that but something does not have to be scared for it to be divine, thus meaning, as the Bible is full of religious teachings it is a divine object.Durkheim emphasised that divine matters, cause strong feelings of respect and defence. These strong beliefs can cause passionate emotions of dedication and encouragement thus establishing group solidarity; again ruling out the sense of anomie. The Functionalist argued that in a more profane manor, the church unites the community by having events like, tea afternoons, fates, jumble etc. This way the church is permitting people to give something back to their society but also receive help or companionship if they need it. Nevertheless, Durkheim is criticized for discarding the idea of a sacred being, being the main attribute of religion.On the other hand, Neo-Marxist Otto Maduro observes how religion contains the authority to inspire a revolt thus generating social chan ge. Maduro refereed to the â€Å"liberation theology† to put his view forward. Between the 1950’s and 1960’s, South America was largely Catholic but many priests started to separate themselves from the Catholic Church; claiming that it was their duty to assist and liberate those who were being oppressed. This is when the â€Å"liberation theology† first started to be taught. These teachings opposed the current situation; leading to a revolution.Oscar Romero was a Catholic bishop who spoke out about the injustice of so many people, and for this he was assonated. His death sparked a huge amount of outrage and fury by the people he was trying to help, groups such as the Democratic Revolutionary front united to oppose what the government was doing, in terms of exploiting the people. Maduro used the â€Å"liberation theology† to highlight how religion can perform as a force for social change. Another example, of religion being a force for social change is the Apartheid system in South Africa.This was the legal racial separation of people from1948 until 1993, which meant that various races were separated into different districts and  discriminated  against in coherence with their colour. White people had priority over housing, jobs, education, and political power, whereas the coloured people were forced to live in poverty and suffer. Reverend Trevor Huddleston travelled to South Africa and spoke out peacefully against the Apartheid, which soon led to his arrest but also put a lot of attention on what was occurring in South Africa for other countries to take notice of.Soon after the arrest, Western democratic countries put into place anti-apartheid policies and took action. South Africa was forbidden from sporting events and trading was made more difficult for them, forcing for them to come to an arrangement. By 1980 the Apartheid had completely broken down and black South Africans were freed. Desmond Tutu then became the first ever black Arch Bishop, underlining how significantly religion had led to social change, for the better. Conversely, Marxists view religion as acting as a conservative force because they propose it prevents revolutionary change.Marx argued that religion is an important form of social control. All through history the church has acted in such a way that people conform to it. This was done through God and Hell, which were exercised as a deterrent. The people in power quickly realised that religion had a great hold over the population and so it became part of â€Å"the power group†. For example, Kings used to give money or land to the church in exchange, the church would preach the peasants whatever the monarchy told them to. Even in today’s society, Queen Elizabeth still has the title â€Å"Defender of the faith† and she is also head of the Church of England.Illustrating that those in power, still have control over the church, and what the republic hear. Marx explo red how the dominant ideology was conveyed through sermons, and Bible teachings. These sermons and Bible teachings could be said to consist of a false hope for some people. Many of the Bible stories communicate that idea that if you are poor in this life and you suffer, when you die you will be rewarded by God in Heaven. These promises of a perfect afterlife, keep the working classes in their place; reducing their aspiration to change society.The Caste system in India is a good model of how religion keeps people in their places. The Hindu Caste system separates the people into four different classes, depending on their occupation and family background. The Kshatriyas are the top class and according to the traditional Hindu principles, they are there to protect the people. The Chandalas also known as the untouchables are the lowest class, and are discriminated against as they are believed not to follow the â€Å"true† Hindu faith. It used to be that these people were not allow ed to walk around the village or city during day time, or speak to anyone other than other Untouchables.The Cate system was enforced through law books, religious teachings, kings and the threatening of being punished in this life and the next if you question which class you are placed in to; again preventing people from changing their social conditions due to fear of God but leaving the alienated. In contrast to this, Althusser rejects the concept of alienation because he feels it is unscientific, and based on an idealistic theory that human being have â€Å"true self†. Nevertheless, Functionalist Michael Robert Bella stated that in modern societies that state connects with religion to unite the country.This is known as a â€Å"Civil religion†. Through creating a religion around the idea of a nation state, the religion acts as a value consensus; creating social solidarity. For example, in America the people pledge their allegiance to the flag, to honour their country a nd to God. On the dollar bills, the words â€Å"In God we trust† are printed, to remind people that God is there for them no matter what. Bella accentuates that religion is not a force for social change as it united a society and makes it stronger as it holds something in common, that being a belief in God.On the contrary, Neo-Marxist Gramsci looked into Hegemony, which is the way in which the ruling class maintain their privileged positions by making them seemed justified. In this instance, Gramsci looks at how hegemony occurs through religious ideas, rather than coercion. The ruling class rely heavily on the majority of the population consenting to their rule. During the 1920’s Gramsci observed that there was a large amount of traditional moral control of the Church in helping to gain support for Mussolini’s fascist regime in Italy.This highlights how the ruling class and religion combined to reach a certain goal, and to achieve the population’s approva l. However, Gramsci also specified that religion does have to potential to develop and either support or challenge the ruling class. For example, The Archbishop of Canterbury recently published his highly critical feelings of the Conservative parties polices. Also the â€Å"Stop Capitalism† campaign outside St Pauls Cathedral was primarily supported by the church; allowing the protesters to correspond their thoughts on our society.This stressed Gramsci’s point that the church is not directly under the influence of the ruling class, and so does have the potential to create social change if an anti-hegemony situation occurs. As well at this, Functionalist Parsons, declared that religion is a positive force in times of uncertainty. People turn to religion to answer those â€Å"ultimate questions† about life, such as â€Å"What is the point? † Parsons maintained that in situations like death, marriage and birth, people turn to God for answers and hope. Religi on does not create social change, as it is not intending to do so.Religion is there for when a person is scared, looking for salvation or just needs someone to care about them. Similar to Parsons, Malinowski, who was an anthropologist, carried out a study to find out if all societies had a religion. He travelled to an ancient society in The Trobiand. Malinowski observed that when the men went out of the lagoon to fish, entering into the open water, it was seen as a highly dangerous event, which not everyone would come back from. He then went on to see that before the men left the lagoon a ritual of yam giving took place.It appeared to Malinowski, that this was a religious ceremony which gave consolation to the families as well as wider society. Consequently, a Functionalist may assert the point that religion does not provide social change, as again it is there to produce social solidarity, in the way that it aids people, giving them something in common again to minimise the risk of anyone feeling unwanted or alone. Conversely, recent research on the Trobiand islands has challenged Malinowski’s research and his interpretation of the meaning of yam giving.Whilst carrying out his research Malinowski did not speak directly to the people, he simply observed; placing his own version of events onto the situation. Modern research has shown, through the use if interpertistic techniques, that the yam giving was a marriage intension, much like a proposal rather than being worried about the fishermen. The modern researches were not looking at what the action was, unlike Malinowski, they were looking at what the meaning behind the action was (commonly known as Verstehen. ) This new research brings to light the fact that these people, who appeared to have no religion, were living happily with each other.This could them further suggest that if religion was introduced to them, their society could change because it something they have never needed to consider before, co nsequently implying that religion could be a force for social change, if it is introduced as a completely alien topic. In addition, Weber wrote â€Å"The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism† examining how Protestantism was a huge part of how society changed into a capitalist economy. He claims that the values of ascetic Calvinist Protestantism shaped a work ethic which encouraged capitalism.Calvinists believed in â€Å"predestination†, the theory that God chooses whether you go to heaven or hell before you are born. This formed a psychological problem for Calvinists, as they did not know if they were one of the â€Å"elect†. As a solution to this they developed a set of values that expressed hard work, frugality and the growth of wealth. These ethics inherently led to the â€Å"spirit of capitalism†, and Weber assured that this is why Capitalism first developed in Northern Europe, where Calvinism and Protestantism were most commanding. Weberâ₠¬â„¢s research is a firm paradigm of religion generating social transformation.His research is still useful when looking at today’s societies, with countries such as Germany and Sweden which converted to Protestantism, and are model countries economically. Whereas, countries which are still Catholic like Spain and Greece are in a financial crisis. Lastly, many feminists view religion as being a patriarchal institution that presents inequalities through religious beliefs; functioning via a patriarchal ideology. Feminist’s dispute that most of the religious organisations are male dominated. Judaism and Catholicism forbid women from becoming priests.Karen Armstrong debates that the clear discrimination against women in this manner, is evidence of women’s demotion. As well as this, in places of worship the two sexes are often segregated, the women being put at the back perhaps behind screen, whilst the men are in the sacred areas. Sometimes women are not allowed to participate in the practices, this maybe reading out a passage or preaching. In the Islamic culture, women are menstruating are not allowed to the Qur’an and could be asked to leave the place of worship all together, so as not to pollute of contaminate the sacred environment.In many of the sacred texts, like the Bible, women are stereotyped as a temptress and blamed for anything that goes wrong, For example, in Genesis Eve creates the fall of humanity by picking the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge. This is ironic as the entirety of the Bible stories are supposedly written by men. However, before the rise of Christianity women were not always seen as the males subordinate. Armstrong identifies that in early religions women were central in the beliefs, being the mother of goodness and nature. It wasn’t until Patriarchy began that women lost their godly statuses.This could suggest that when Christianity rose, and people read about the evil of women, Patriarchy was promoted, as women are referred to in the Bible as â€Å"man’s helper†; giving men power to rule over women. Therefore, a feminist may argue that religion does create social change but in a negative way, as it inspired men to take control of women and oppress them, as punishment for their â€Å"sins†. In conclusion, Functionalism and Marxism have strong arguments which describe how religions help to maintain social order and counteract social change.A Marxist may also say social change does not occur through religion, as the ruling class want it to stay the same. Juxtaposing this view, history has revealed that in some extreme cases such as the â€Å"Liberation theology† religion has been a positive force for social change. Whereas, a feminist could say religion has been a negative force for social change as seen throughout the history of women’s oppression. For that reason, I would say religion is a force for social change, but only in extreme conditions where the change happens on a considerable scale.

Sally Jameson

To: Prof. Chalmers From: Travis Ramme and Meghan Smith Date: April 26th, 2007 Re: Ms. Chalmers’ Compensation Choices 1. Ignoring taxation and other constraints, Ms. Jameson is better off taking the options. The stock currently trading at $18. 75 and the exercise price is $35. This may seem drastically far away. However, 5 year T-Bill rates are currently at 6. 02%. Combined with a current stock volatility of approximately 42%, this allows each option to be valued at approximately $4. 93. At this amount, Ms. Jameson’s options would be presently worth $14,790 were she to sell them. Where she to hold them instead, Ms. Jameson’s potential upside is limitless. Her possible gains would be equal to her number of options multiplied by the difference between the stock price and her exercise price of $35, assuming that the stock price is higher than $35. There is risk involved, however. If Ms. Jameson decides to hold onto the options and not sell them, it would be possible for her to earn nothing. If the stocks price where to stay below $35 dollars, Ms. Jameson’s options would be worth nothing. Comparatively, the $5000 cash bonus, where it to be invested over the 5 years at the risk free rate of 6. 02%, would yield only $6697. 44. 2. If Ms. Jameson was not allowed to sell her options before the allotted 5 years, the choice to take the options would have much more inherent risk. The current value of the options is derived from their market value. This market value means nothing if Ms. Jameson cannot sell the options. If this where the case, Ms. Jameson’s potential profits would be created solely by the Telstar stock rising to a price that was greater than $35 by the end of 5 years. In fact, to equal the $6697. 44 value of the bonus she could have chosen instead, the stock would have to reach a price of at least $37. 23. This value would allow the 3000 options to be exercised for a profit of $6697. 44. This, however, is ignoring the fact that Ms. Jameson would have to pay taxes and transaction fees. If Ms. Jameson was not allowed to sell her options, she should choose the $5000 up front bonus. It represents a less risky asset. 3. Companies are often inclined to use stock options to compensate employees rather than exhausting cash flow. It does not directly cost a company anything in terms of â€Å"accounting costs. † There is, however, an implied economic cost equal to that of outside investors’ costs. The cost of a stock option is more or less a perceived cost, as the true value is not concrete and is virtually unknown at the time of issuance. This is due to the length of the option and specified strike price being of possible value at expiration date. The current value of an option is dependent on the performance of the company and its stock price, that is, in the future. Executive stock options help align an executive employee’s monetary compensation with both individual performance and the overall performance of the firm. In this sense, an executive is encouraged to act in the best interests of the firm and to also to take some risks to grow the company in which they work for and thus, increase the company’s stock prices. Stock options are an effective way to correlate performance and compensation, but mainly only for employees that are in positions that can have an affect on the company’s performance. Employees in executive, decision-making positions have the ability to impact the profitability and growth of the organization, whereas administrative assistant positions would not be as likely to improve performance due to being compensated with stock options. Companies could better individualize compensation packages for different positions. Executive positions fit the stock options benefit plan while administrative assistants may prefer stock purchasing rights rather than options. Other employees that fall somewhere in the middle would be better suited for a combination of monetary compensation, stock options and stock in the firm. In addition, stock options with a lessened length of time to the expiration date may prove to drive option-holding employees to set short-term, achievable goals. Employees would be given successive stock options to promote their care for the company without feeling as though they are being forced to stay with the organization. This set up of granting stock options would also help to encourage performance of employees to lead to both the short and long term success of the firm. . If Ms. Jameson decided that the option was a better deal, but was concerned with being too committed and reliant on the fortunes of Telstar, she could modify her compensation package to better suit her individual needs. Ms. Jameson would be taking considerable risk by keeping all of her bonus in Telstar for stock options with such a lengthy expiration date a nd also due to the historical data of Telstar showing that only stock prices reached $35 (the exercise price) only once. Instead of holding on to all 3,000 issued stock options, Ms. Jameson could keep a portion of the stock options and trade some in the market. Keeping some Telstar stock options would help keep her tied to the company without making her feel that she is bound to the company for the next five years or that she is facing enormous risk of losing her bonus altogether. By doing this, Ms. Jameson would provide herself with the opportunity to make investments outside of Telstar, and thus, better diversify her investments.

Hadith: Islam and Islamic Community Essay

The Islamic faith began with one man and his spiritual encounters with god and his angel Gabriel. Muhammad, the Prophet, as he is referred to by his followers, is considered to be the last prophet sent by god to interact with human beings on earth. Due to his importance and his influence over the people of his time his words and actions have been collected, over a mass number of years into a book referred to as, The Hadith. The Hadith, is second in line of importance in the Islamic community only behind the Qur’an. The term, Hadith, has been interpreted to mean talk or speech due to the innards of the book being collections of the words and actions of Muhammad (Bentley, 211). During its creation years numerous pieces, referred to as canons, were collected and studied by scholars to prove legitimacy. As it grew the canons were proved either to be accurate or false of authenticity. However, with its completion the Hadith serves as more than just religious guidelines as it sheds light upon social, political, economical, and cultural aspects of the Islamic community similar to works of other faiths and philosophical views. In the early years of many religions government seemed to be greatly influenced by the beliefs and traditions of its people. In the Islamic community Muhammad paved a path for Muslims that not only constructed the foundation of the faith, but also called the attention of government officials to follow and practice the ways of Islam. Before Muhammad’s death he chose no successor to take the role of a religious leader. This may be due to the fact that he was deemed â€Å"the seal of the prophets,† no other human being would have the role of a prophet bequeathed upon them. Within a year after his death the Islamic community saw it important, to at the very least, place one person in as somewhat of a substitute for Muhammad. This person was dubbed a caliph (deputy). The role of a caliph besides being the head of the Islamic state included many other aspects. He took on the role as head of military and a chief judge. This is just one spot where it is evident that the religion took on a larger role than just a stream of spiritual beliefs. In a reading pertaining to Muhammad and his words about the peoples’ role under their rulers he stresses the importance of obedience, â€Å"Obedience is the duty of a Muslim man† (Reilly, 290). The words attributed to Muhammad in this section are a part of the Hadith and break through a singular religious subject. They marry quite a few aspects together, such as: religion, politics, and social order. â€Å"Do not revile the Sultan, for he is God’s shadow on God’s earth† (Reilly, 290). By Muhammad saying that it is the duty of a Muslim man to obey his rulers he is implying, very strongly, that these leaders follow the same spiritual path as the people and that it unites them as a community. A community consists of a cornucopia of factors and a few of them being shared religious belief, government (or a basic code of conduct), and unity. An individual is considered to be a part of the Muslim community if he or she has accepted the Islamic faith (Bentley, 205). Within the collection of the Forty Hadith Qudsi many deal with the proper way in which Islamic people were to handle social and economic situations. One in particular pertains to the order in which one may handle an issue of debt. This pulls in a human’s sense of humane economics. In Hadith 12 Muhammad is quoted as he relayed a message from Allah, â€Å"We are worthier that you of that. Let him off.† What is being demonstrated in this canon is that an individual that finds himself in a debt of another and incapable of repaying said debt may be let off due to good character. If the one in debt has proved himself to a be a person of upstanding character then he should be viewed as a man who is in need of a certain charity for he has done nothing to cross the man in which he owes. Good character and an absence of greed were seen to be crucial in dealing with social and economic situations. The hand of religion has once again been spotted molding the world in which these people live cultivating a society where faith and societal structure are one in the same. In some aspects the Hadith spells out similar messages to Muslims like the Bible does for Christians. Fearing god is a theme in which both religions share. This fear is not a sensation that one would feel in the presence of danger, but rather it describes a lifestyle of consequence. God, in both religions, is seen as a judge, one who holds the fate of each individual in his hands. To live the life that has been preached by religious leaders is the path to follow to reach a heavenly paradise after a human’s departure from the physical world. This lifestyle which the people of both religions are to follow created a domino effect into a cultural standard. The scripts of both these religions hold many similarities. The following examples exemplify a communal guideline to form a structured and righteous community, a culture. Hadith 23 reads: â€Å"Where are those who love one another through My glory? Today I shall give them shade in My shade, it being a day when there is no shade but My shade.† The ninth commandment in the Holy Bible reads: â€Å"Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.† Religion has a strong arm in the molding of a culture. For the devoted followers of a faith the words of guidance, like the ones above, become an imbedded character trait within a person and in the all the ones of the same faith. And by the following of these codes one has this earlier discussed sense of fear that their god is going to reward them or punish them for not falling in accordance. The words conveyed to them are moral imperatives. The potency in which this faith has on its people has been carried through the centuries with an immense sense of pride. Islam is one of the largest religions on earth and like others it remains interweaved in the cultural societies of many countries. It does not hold a structure like the caste system which the religion of Hinduism does, but rather it still to this day has influence in many military forces and daily structures of multiple nations. The implementation of faiths with such monumental scriptures and even just ideas areas of the world have been molded and brought reality to its beginning preachers. For those looking solely at the surface of multiple religious etiquettes the similarities may be overlooked and the faiths and ideas may be seen as nothing but different. However, many of these religions and ideas are closely related. Confucianism, a socio-philosophical system, and the faiths of Islam and Hinduism can be seen as holding some of the same characteristics. Like stated before Islam and Hinduism differ in their societal structures, but still have formed faiths that mold cultures together by standards, found in readings of the Gita, Hadith, and other pieces of literature, that have survived through long periods of time and continue to thrive. The aims of many of these faiths and systems share in common beliefs. Confucianism aims to cultivate a society in which people can live and assume their personal responsibilities to manufacture a peaceful society. Like the Analects of Confucianism, Muhammad has constructed a framework through the Hadith implementing ethics and morality for the public. This too is similar to the words of the Gita in the Hindu faith. Krishna portrays, somewhat abstract at times, a set of guidelines for the followers of Hinduism. Religion has the power to mold the essence of human behavior and create unity amongst a mass number of people sharing in the same belief. When the words and doings of its most respected leaders are noted more than just a set of beliefs can be understood. A framework to a lifestyle can be comprehended and practiced by those following and believing in its meaning creating a community of people living and interacting with each other painting a society by standards in which to live. The Hadith has done just this in the Islamic community, a culture of people has been molded and its life will be watered by its words and the impact which it has had and continues to have on its people. Work Cited Patton, Laurie L. trans. The Bhagavad Gita. London: Penguin Group, 2008. Print. Bentley, Jerry H., Herbert F. Ziegler, and Heather E. Streets. Traditions & Encounters: A Brief Global History. Boston: McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2006. Print. Forty Hadith Qudsi. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

TEXT Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

TEXT - Article Example In order to implement this marketing concept, the target market is identified first and segmentation is carried out on the basis of psychographics, geography, behavior and finally the product mix is applied to satisfy and build long term customer relationships. Product mix is comprised of four P’s of marketing namely product, pricing, placement and promotion. A product could be any physical product or a service that meets the demands of the customers. Pricing is carried out on the techniques of marketing skimming or penetration so that market share is grabbed by the company by setting initially higher and lower prices respectively. Distribution of products to the customers involves a supply chain of activities where the raw materials are provided by the supplier, assembled at the manufacturer’s plant, stored in the warehousing and then sent to the retailer for making it available for customer’s purchase. In order to create awareness among the customers about the product/service the company offers, techniques of advertising, personal selling and maintaining public relations are regarded significant. Customer relationship management is considered vital for any organization’s success because satisfied customers yield more profits. Every product has to go through a cycle where is it first introduced in the market, then it sees a phase of growth where the focus is on generating sales, then the product stabilizes or becomes mature in the market and generates good profits. Lastly, when competition becomes intense or the marketing efforts to maintain the product’s image fails, it goes through the declining

Kind Hearted Woman Blues by Rober Johnson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Kind Hearted Woman Blues by Rober Johnson - Essay Example Composer: The song was composed on November 23, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas by the legendary bluesman and American musician Robert Johnson. This was the first blues song that Johnson recorded in his successful attempt of blending the style of a number of other popular and contemporary blues composers including Leroy Carr, Kokomo Arnold, and Joe Pullum. Singer: Robert Johnson recorded this song in 1936. Known for his combination blues style of music, â€Å"Kind Hearted Woman Blues† is Johnson’s only guitar solo ever recorded. Johnson’s blues style is a remarkable instance of blending a variation of music including song writing talent, singing and guitar skills. Recognized as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of all time (in Rolling Stone’s list), Robert Johnson travelled places, experienced different long term relationships, learned various blues styles, and instilled everything gathered in his music. This is why Johnson’s blues style differs remarkably from other blues singers and musicians of his time. Performance practice: With â€Å"Kind Hearted Woman Blues†, Robert Johnson started his first and only recording session with a short guitar solo in 1936. The song was recorded in a temporary studio with Johnson facing the wall while performing. Witnesses say he was a shy and reserved performer. However, this method of performing while facing a corner would also indicate the technique of corner loading in practicing which is done in order to enhance the sound of the guitar. A typical Robert Johnson recording session starts with a short warm-up session and then slowly moves on to practicing a mixing fingerstyle and pick playing. Historical period: Blues music in the 1930s is a significant part of pre-war blues music which remarkably witnessed creation and improvement in a number of popular blues styles including various traditional and rural country blues, urban blues, big band blues, and a combination blues of