Importance of Womens Empowerment in India

Importance of Womens Empowerment in India Abstract- In India, The realities of rural life in India are difficult to comprehend. We are now witnessing a steady improvement in the enrolment of women in schools, colleges and even in profession institutes. Their health is better as compared to earlier decades. In this decade, women are entering into the job market in increasing numbers field showing their skills even in non-traditional sectors like police, defence, administration, media and research fields. In the political field, the reservation for women is a significant step forward towards their political empowerment. When thirty-three percent reservations for women in Parliament becomes a reality, womens voice will be heard in the highest forum of democracy. The day, women of India will reach zenith in their empowerment. People were not allowed to share own property, they did not have a Share in the property of their parents, they had no voting rights, and they had no freedom to choose their work or job and so on. The prese nt seminar has been planned with a view to discuss the various issues related to the Empowerment of Women and to suggest measures for achieving this end. In India population according to the 2001 Census, the percentage of female literacy in the country is 54% up from 9% 1951. In order to help women to be in popular, they necessary to be empowered. There is a condition for empowerment of women is to the transform a developing country into a developed country. In this paper we are highlighting that in India country womens strength is critical and we explain the critical value of women how improve their value status for some ways. Keywords- Economics, Status, NGO, PEP, Improving, CEDAW, Introduction In the empowerment of women include many things economic opportunity, social equality, and personal rights. Women were deprived of those human rights, often as a matter of tradition. In rural areas, women are generally not perceived to have any meaningful income generation capacity, and hence, they are relegated mainly to household duties and cheap labour. We are now witnessing a steady improvement in the enrolment of women in schools, colleges and even in profession institutes. Their health is better as compared to earlier decades. In this decade, women are entering into the job market in increasing numbers. They are showing their skills even in non-traditional sectors like police, defence, administration, media and research fields. Twenty-six laws have been enacted so far to protect women from various crimes [7]. In particular define empowerment is depend just like that power cannot change if power cannot be change. If this is inherent in neither positions or nor people, then empo werment impossible, nor is empowerment conceivable in any meaningful way. Bookman morgen et.al [5] in 1984 defining that empowerment status of women level on that time, women level on that only born child and work at home [4] VARA LAXMI is definition in an article way by A Sustainable approach for Women Empowerment through Micro-finance, the micro-credit or micro-finance has got much avowed attention among government circles, voluntary sector and the academia. More importantly after the success of Bangladeshs Grameen Bank started by Prof Mahammad Yunus who bestowed with the Nobel Peace prize for 2006, for the efforts to create economic and social development from below. There is also mounting evidence to show that the availability of financial services for poor households such as micro-finance -can empower the rural people to achieve their goals and enhance their lives accordingly. It is assumed that womens control over income will lead to increased well-being for women and their children. This individual economic empowerment is also assumed to lead to wider social and political empowerment. [8] NGO plays an important for role for improving empowerment. This Asian-foundation organization two running program MDG-3 (Gender, Equality and women empowerment) the convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) for women empowerment. CONCEPT In India, the empowerment process has already begun. For centuries women were not treated equal to men in many ways. While a small minority of people in major cities have benefited from the information revolution of the past decade, the lives of most people in rural India (over 650 million) have hardly improved. Now that we have come out of those dark days of oppression of women there is a need for strong movement to fight for the rights of women and to ensure that they get all the rights which men have or in other words a movement for the Empowerment of Women. Twenty-six laws have been enacted so far to protect women from various crimes. These are very positive signs which imply that women can be leaders. Though some women have shown their mettle yet a large number of them have to sharpen their leadership qualities in various ways. The recent law on the protection of women against domestic violence satisfies the long pending demand of the women activities. But a lot of work has to b e done as there is a category of women (who consider themselves highly educated) that proudly accepts that they dont have digital literacy even though they own a computer, they cannot even operate bank accounts or make travel arrangements for family or handle hospital admissions even during emergencies. Even for a simple task like social visits or shopping generally they need the company of their husbands. Women should remember that they are also rational, intelligent and thinking human beings. Dependent women are not empowered women. If modern women think that they are empowered, its a myth for them. Empowerment means to inspire women with the courage to break free from the chains of limiting beliefs, patterns and societal or religious conditions that have traditionally kept women suppressed and unable to realize their true beauty and power. Different Levels of Empowerment In line with most theorists on empowerment the one has to view empowerment as taking place on different levels and that change on all levels is necessary if the empowerment of women is really to occur. We have to relate empowerment at three levels: empowerment on the individual, group, and societal/community level and the interaction between these. The individual level deals with individual womens abilities to take control over their lives, their perceptions about their own value and abilities, their abilities to identify a goal and work towards this goal. The group level deals with the collective action and sense of agency that woman experience together, in a group. The societal level deals with the permissiveness of the political and social climate, the societal norms and the public discourse on what is possible and impossible for women to do, how women should behave etc. The different levels are seen as connected and mutually reinforcing, e.g. when empowerment on individual level occurs, this will have effect on the group and societal level. Women who are empowered on an individual level will most likely go on and affect the other levels. Empowerment on a group level e.g. women organizing around a particular need is likely to have effect on the individual empowerment of the women in the form of increased self esteem and sense of agency. Historical Background of Women Empowerment in India The status of Women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millenniums. In early Vedic period Women enjoyed equal status with men. Rigved Upanishads mention several names of women sages and seers notably Gargi Maà ®tre. However later the status of women began to deteriorate approximately from 500 B.C., the situation worsened with invasion of Mughals and later on by European invaders. Few improvement movements by Guru Nanak, Jainism, Raja ram Mohan Rai, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Pandita Ramabai and others did give some relief. It is not that Britishers didnt do anything for improving the condition of women. Some laws were enacted such an Abolition of practice of Sati, Widow Remarriage Act 1856 etc.Feminist activism picked up momentum in India during later 1970s. Later on many groups and NGOs have been working for the Empowerment of women. We are proud that in India Women got voting right much before USA and some other European countries. Empowerment of Women in Rural India Today The realities of rural life in India are difficult to comprehend. While a small minority of people in major cities have benefited from the information revolution of the past decade, the lives of most people in rural India (over 650 million) have hardly improved. A majority of villages do not have sustainable economies, and only through oppression of women and lower castes can the landlords, upper castes, and government officials support a better life for themselves. Private initiatives are lacking as the government, to preserve its power, has placed obstacles and disincentives at every step. For example, modern healthcare for all of rural India is a free government service, but the reality is that the delivery of primary health care has failed miserably. A number of charitable institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have played a positive role, often assisted by government grants and foreign donations [2]. NGO, s and civil society at large in order to use the research document as a springboard to launch a sustained advocacy strategy to achieve the MDG-3 target of 33% of women in parliament. Our operating premise is that improving, economic and political opportunities for women improve societies as a whole. The foundation seeks to identify change agents build constituencies for reform around key issues affecting womens states and promote internal efforts to identify and solve problems [8]. Empowerment of women involves many things economic opportunity, social equality, and personal rights. Women are deprived of these human rights, often as a matter of tradition. In rural areas, women are generally not perceived to have any meaningful income generation capacity, and hence, they are relegated mainly to household duties and cheap labour. Without the power to work and earn a good income, their voices are silenced. Even in matters of sex and child bearing, women often do not have the ability to oppose the wishes of their men. Birth control and reproductive health of women are behavioural issues affected mostly by economics, access to health care, and education. Until this reality is accepted, the desired changes may not be attainable in the foreseeable future. In a society where men control the destiny of women, how is it possible to empower women? Simply encouraging women to resist the wishes of men would not only fail, but would create mistrust of any goodwill attempts from the outside to help rural communities. Women will gain power only when both men and women begin to respect and accept the contribution of women. Developing womens capacity for income generation without threatening men is key. Two Stories (First story) First story based on The George Foundation placed in Bangalore, India and founded in 1995, was established to help alleviate poverty, promote health and a clean environment, and to strengthen democratic institutions and values in India. We have come to know of the following two events, among many others, in the course of our work with the families of the children in our boarding school, Shanti Bhavan. The first case involves a young pretty mother who was living with her son in a small hut. Her husband had earlier abandoned her, and she was not able to return to her parents as they considered her unworthy. One morning, she accompanied two men from the city who promised employment for her in the Middle East following an interview at an office somewhere, only to be gang raped and then returned to her village after a few days. Her absence was noticed by her neighbours, who blamed her for the outcome and accused her for the separation from her husband. Feeling shame, and finding that she could no longer live in the community, she set herself on fire with kerosene. Second story The second story is about a middle-aged woman whose husband had more than one wife, a common practice in rural India though not officially allowed. One of his wives contracted AIDS somehow, and while her illness had become generally known, he continued to have sexual relationship with his other wives. He made no effort to medically test or to take adequate protection measures for himself or his other women, and soon all involved contracted the disease. These two real life stories represent the endless number of lives lost from ignorance, the low status of women and their inability to control their destiny. Some example work improving reason for failure Dharmapuri District in Tamil Nadu State, India, has been identified as one of the most backward districts in the nation in terms of health and development. This District is remote and the project described below is carried out in an area about 24 kilometres from the nearest city, Hosur. Infrequent and irregular public transport hinders quick access to government emergency health services. Education facilities are limited to government primary schools of poor quality, and the nearest high school is located 10-15 kilometres from many of the villages served by The George Foundations projects [1]. Reason: In Dharmapuri District the Foundation has attempted to facilitate the development of a model community consisting of several villages that prosper from sustainable and integrated economic activities. Health and education facilities are being renovated, and economic opportunities are being shared, especially among the socially disadvantaged castes and women [1]. In this article Transitioning from a command and control culture to employee empowerment requires a commitment to long-term change. Too often, management fads and quick fixes in the name of empowerment have been implemented rather than relevant changes in management systems, structures, and cultural values. To be successful, empowerment must be seen as a long-term program of employee participation and involve-ment.but this type of program cannot run for long time [10]. Why is there still a Need for Women Empowerment? In spite of the various measures taken up by the government after Independence and even during British rule the Women havent been fully empowered. We may be proud of women in India occupying highest offices of President, Prime Minister, Lok Sabha Speaker, Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of the Opposition or women like Ms. Chandra Kochar occupying highest positions in the Corporate Sector but the fact remains that we still witness dowry deaths, domestic violence and exploitation of women. Some create history in space sport like Sunita Williams Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza Anju Bobby George The female feticide is common phenomenon. The male female ratio though improved over last few years is still far from satisfactory. It is 940 women per 1000 men for India in some states it is as much lower as 877. These are the states where female feticide is maximum. The female literacy rate is also lower than the male literacy rate. The ground reality is deprivation, duration and exploitation of women sp ecially women from rural areas and those belonging to deprived sectors of the society. The Urban à ©lite class women have no doubt been benefitted by the efforts of women empowerment. IV. Way of Improving Empowerment of poor women in India The World Bank has been the major source of external funding through loans to governments (never directly to private institutions) for specific projects. Very few projects have ever met their goals; in fact, most rural projects have been dismal failures. Unbearable bureaucracy, terrible inefficiency, and corruption at all levels of the government have wasted much of the money allocated to rural development. Furthermore, the local officials who manage projects that target women do not themselves believe in the potential of women. Yet the process continues, without an alternative. International agencies continue to pour money into these programs, only to benefit the middlemen. Clearly, a new approach is required to have an impact on the lives of women in rural India, and to ultimately help stabilize population growth [1]. In this article the people empowering People (PEP) program uses the definition of empowerment to connect research, theory and practice. The PEP program builds on theo ry of critical adult education developed by Friere (1970), Horton (1989), and others. The focus is on the connection between individual action and community action encourages individual change through training sessions and discussions and supporting action through participants give people the opportunities, resources and support that they need to become involved themselves [7]. Nanette Page review in own article about PEP, empowerment as a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. In PEP as in we strive to teach people skills and knowledge that will motivate them to take steps to improve their own lives-to be empowered [3]. President Pratibha Patil said that women empowerment is of utmost importance if we want womens progress. He said Creating the environment which imparts equal status to women in family, society and country is the sole motive behind various facets of programmes being run for women empowerment. We have to work towards maki ng them able to take their own decisions, .Stressing on the importance of education, the President said, Education is the first tool of empowerment. Right to Education, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan have ensured that education is available to children between the age group of six and 14. Be it a boy or girl, every child must get education. It is these educated women who can in turn educate other women and teach them independence and self-confidence [9]. In this report develop the empowerment improving mater from Financial Inclusion. MasterCard embarked on an initiative to further the process of womens empowerment in the country in partnership with SEWA (Self Employed Womens Association). SEWA is a leading Indian organization that works towards helping women in securing employment opportunities, empowering them to be self-reliant with supportive services. I had the unique privilege of participating in SEWAs activities and witness their success first hand at the recent inauguration of the se venth Rural Urban Development Initiative (RUDI) processing centre at Bodeli, near Vadodara, Gujarat supported by MasterCard. Through this program we will provide full-time employment opportunities for women in 100 adjoining villages to begin with and will expand to a catchment of 300 to 500 villages in Gujarat. This will help benefit approximately 2,000 farmers and 400 SEWA members [11]. Womens Economic Empowerment through Co-operative Farming, Vocational Training Business Development Due to the lack of specific implementation plans and faulty representations, local communities have not adequately accepted government and private schemes for the upliftment of women. Women have not actively participated in their own emancipation due to their lack of economic independence and rampant illiteracy. Therefore, The George Foundation decided to address this important issue of womens empowerment in India by raising the status of women in Hosur Taluk through economic empowerment and education. Krishnagiri District is the most backward district in Tamil Nadu. In the geographical location selected, there are no high schools, no private schools, inadequate primary health sub-centres, and no NGOs. Roads, water supply, drainage and communication network are inadequate to augment economic development. Fragmented land holdings are not conducive to commercial farming. Child labour is rampant in this socially backward area. Population statistics of our country clearly indicate that quality education is out of the reach of the poor and marginalized irrespective of their innate potential. Women are often exploited by their communities. They have very little voice and no knowledge or means of improving their social and economic status. In the villages of the area, the caste system is deeply entrenched. The lower caste colonies are ostracized and basic facilities are denied to them. Female infanticide is a common practice and women are punished socially for bearing girl Children Gender biases are very evident in the preferential treatment given to the male child. Rain-dependent agriculture, home-based animal husbandry, silkworm rearing and brick making are the main income generating activities. Fisheries, horticulture and industries have been established in a few select areas such as Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri and House. Rural folk find it difficult to travel to these cities in search of jobs. The average family income level is below the poverty line. One of the popular schemes employed by several NGOs, and supported by some international and bilateral agencies, is the so-called micro-finance or small loans that usually range up to $100 (Rs. 5,000) per woman to start some form of business. Notable successes have been recorded, and the program has received considerable world attention. Most poor women entrepreneurs are said to have been able to make their businesses successful, and repay the loan. However, our experience in this area with lower caste poor women has been somewhat different. Poor women, especially from backward communities and lower castes, are mostly illiterate, untrained, and have very little social and economic status. In India, there are over 350 million such people, mainly in rural areas. The unemployed are nearly 200 million people, a great majority of them belonging to these deprived sections of the society. Without meaningful skills, social status, and economic power, they are unable to do any business on their own even with financial assistance. To start even a small rural business, it takes no less than $500. According to some studies conducted by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmadabad, the average capital need for a one-person small business is in excess of Rs. 1 lakh ($2,000). Further, the chance of making any business successful is very small the odds are barely 1 in hundred for an educated person. Uneducated lower caste rural women find it almost impossible to starting any such entrepreneurial work without adequate capital, proper training, and on-site daily support. Based on our understanding of the problem faced in our rural community, we have devised a scheme for empowering poor and socially deprived women. The key ingredients of this program can be summarized as follows: Adequate training in an area where the women have natural abilities and understanding (for example, farming and cattle rearing) Use of superior technology to obtain better output and higher profits (modern farming techniques, such as use of proper fertilizers, deep ploughing, drip irrigation, etc.) Creation of financial assets through savings (from profits generated from sale of produce, over and above wages received) Ownership of physical assets (use of financial assets to buying cultivable land  ½ acre per family) Sharing of resources such as wells, tractor, etc. among several farmers Provide a support system that addresses concerns, difficulties, know-how, etc. Access to information and markets (knowing what high-value crop to grow and when, which markets offer higher prices on a given day, tie up export contracts, etc.) Only when these requirements can be met, we believe poor illiterate rural women can be expected to turn into entrepreneurs. The George Foundation has purchased/least 250 acres of land. An executive committee composed of representatives of The George Foundation, village panchayats, and agricultural consultants has been formed. Under its direction, the soil is being prepared for crop cultivation. Superior seeds of selected crops have been purchased. The panchayats members are highly motivated about this project.People from the surrounding villages is participating in the preparation of the land for farming. This program will be expanded to cover the neighbouring state of Karnataka in its later stages. Members of the village panchayats, the village administrative officer and the block development officer have been with the project from its planning stage. The geographic community and the community of beneficiaries, particularly poor rural women, were involved in planning and implementation of the project. Changing Social Institutions to Improve the Status of Women in Developing Countries Figure 1 highlight how social institutions affect the economic role of women, i.e. their chances to have access to the labour market and to better paid and more qualified jobs such as professional workers, technicians, administrators and managers. Social institutions can exert their influence in two ways. Traditions, customs and social norms can constrain womens activities directly by not allowing them to start their own businesses, by refusing them jobs that involve contact with or managing men, or by simply not allowing them to leave the home alone. All these direct factors lead to an exclusion of women from entrepreneurial activities that are often the first step towards independence, self-esteem and liberty of choices. Morrison and Jutting (2004) analyse empirically the relationships between social institutions and the economic role of women. They measure the depth of discrimination caused by social institutions with economic (ECO) and non-economic (NON-ECO) indicators (for expl anation, see Box 1). They find that the higher the value for ECO and NON-ECO variables the lower the probability that women will play an active role in the economy. A further econometric analysis puts into question the widely believed view that a rise in income will generally facilitate womens access to the labour market [2]. Figure-1 Conclusions The Empowerment of women has become one of the most important Concerns of 21st century not only at national level but also at the international level. Efforts by the Govt. are on to ensure Gender equality but Government initiatives alone would not be sufficient to achieve this goal. Society must take initiative to create a climate in which there is no gender discrimination and Women have full opportunities of Self decision making and participating in the Social, Political and Economic life of the Country with a sense of equality. Then only the Vedic verse Wherever Women is respected, God resides there would come true. The best gift parents today can give to their daughters is education. If women choose to be ignorant then all the efforts taken by the Government and women activists will go in vain. Even in twenty-fifth century, they will remain backward and will be paying a heavy price for their dependence, so, it is a wake-up call for women to awake from their deep slumber and unders tand the true meaning of their empowerment. In the end I would like to conclude with the following words, Women as the motherhood of the nation should be strong, aware and alert. Despite the difficulties that are likely to be encountered, we believe it is possible to bring about major improvements to the lives of women in rural India. Well-planned and properly managed private initiatives can succeed in empowering women, provided the approach taken is sufficiently holistic. The time has come to go beyond small pilot projects that hardly ever lead to major undertakings. There has been much needless suffering for too long by a majority of the worlds population. It would be a noble and worthwhile effort to prove the concept on a large scale, probably for several million people in an area. That would require considerable organizational skills and management talent, with a clear focus on accomplishing set goals in a time-bound fashion. The success of such a program would be the model that international funding agencies and philanthropic institutions can build upon, and serve as a departure to the failed policies and programs of the past.

Globalization and Culture Preservation Essay -- Globalization World Cu

With every passing day the world is shrinking, and the globalization process is taking place. Advances in communication, transportation, and computer technology have all played a role in making the world a smaller place. With the right equipment, people can talk to friends and family from the other side of the world. Traveling from America to Europe, which once required days at sea, now only takes hours in the air. Computer networking and fax machines allow world businesses to conduct negotiations within a matter of seconds. Images and personas such as the McDonalds’s golden arches and Mickey Mouse are recognized worldwide. When Saddam Hussein was captured, nearly every country knew about it within a matter of hours. Yet, while globalization is taking place, it is not doing so without dispute. Many countries, in fact, feel threatened by Western culture and consequently, are acting out to preserve their own identities. Differences in currency and standardized measuring u nits indicate hesitancy and possibly even an inability for people to accept the conformity of a singular global society. Also, characteristics of different cultures are in such a way unique that to alter them or blend them into other cultures would, in some people’s opinion, destroy both of them. After all, one would not expect to find tacos served in Italian restaurants, nor would one expect pasta and breadsticks to be the major selling items in Mexican restaurants. So, while globalization is taking place on different levels, fundamental differences in culture and pride in one’s own heritage both exist as strong forces preventing the emergence of a homogenized world society. As mentioned, technology is one of the strongest forces driving ... ...Japan Tries to Defend Language Against English Invasion.† Agence France Presse. 18 August 2002. 29 December 2003. . 3) Anonymous. â€Å"Japanese Spirit, Western Things.† Economist. 10 July 2003. 29 December 2003. . 4) Pesek Jr., William. â€Å"Vietnam Embraces Globalization on Own Terms.† Manila Times. 21 November 2002. 29 December 2003 . 5) 2) LaFranchi, Howard. â€Å"Why More Students Are Studying Abroad.† Christian Science Monitor. 19 August 2003. 29 December 2003 . Bibliography Globalization. Global Policy Organization. 29 December 2003. . Globalization and Culture Preservation Essay -- Globalization World Cu With every passing day the world is shrinking, and the globalization process is taking place. Advances in communication, transportation, and computer technology have all played a role in making the world a smaller place. With the right equipment, people can talk to friends and family from the other side of the world. Traveling from America to Europe, which once required days at sea, now only takes hours in the air. Computer networking and fax machines allow world businesses to conduct negotiations within a matter of seconds. Images and personas such as the McDonalds’s golden arches and Mickey Mouse are recognized worldwide. When Saddam Hussein was captured, nearly every country knew about it within a matter of hours. Yet, while globalization is taking place, it is not doing so without dispute. Many countries, in fact, feel threatened by Western culture and consequently, are acting out to preserve their own identities. Differences in currency and standardized measuring u nits indicate hesitancy and possibly even an inability for people to accept the conformity of a singular global society. Also, characteristics of different cultures are in such a way unique that to alter them or blend them into other cultures would, in some people’s opinion, destroy both of them. After all, one would not expect to find tacos served in Italian restaurants, nor would one expect pasta and breadsticks to be the major selling items in Mexican restaurants. So, while globalization is taking place on different levels, fundamental differences in culture and pride in one’s own heritage both exist as strong forces preventing the emergence of a homogenized world society. As mentioned, technology is one of the strongest forces driving ... ...Japan Tries to Defend Language Against English Invasion.† Agence France Presse. 18 August 2002. 29 December 2003. . 3) Anonymous. â€Å"Japanese Spirit, Western Things.† Economist. 10 July 2003. 29 December 2003. . 4) Pesek Jr., William. â€Å"Vietnam Embraces Globalization on Own Terms.† Manila Times. 21 November 2002. 29 December 2003 . 5) 2) LaFranchi, Howard. â€Å"Why More Students Are Studying Abroad.† Christian Science Monitor. 19 August 2003. 29 December 2003 . Bibliography Globalization. Global Policy Organization. 29 December 2003. .

Salvador de Madariagas La jirafa sagrada (The Sacred Giraffe) Essay

Salvador de Madariaga's La jirafa sagrada (The Sacred Giraffe) Amidst the fight for women’s suffrage in Spain, Salvador de Madariaga wrote The sacred giraffe, being the second volume of the posthumous works of Julio. In 1925, the time the book was published, women in the United States and much of Europe had secured the right to vote while those in Spain still remained in the fight. Madariaga an active politician as well as a writer sets up his novel as a world turned upside down. The humorous account of a make believe world where women have switched places with men depict the seemingly backwards society as a relative utopia based on peoples attitudes, rather than its social structure. The sacred giraffe starts out with a science conference contrasting the people in a mythical land known as Europe to their particular society, the Ebonites. In this land, males were thought to have dominated the public life of the fabled White Race; a humorous concept to the black women, the leaders of Ebonite society. Not only are the gender roles and skin tones different but the strange Race of 5000 years ago, were thought to be cannibalistic because "the Whites stored the remains of their dead instead of burning them"(3). The land of Ebony is a portrayed such that black is white, male is female, up is down, in this twilight-zone style country. The story plays out as a peek through a small window of time and space into the Ebonite society, centered around the doctoress Zama and her family as Zama tries to convince people that Europe did exist while her husband M’Zama, tries to fix up his brother with an eligible young women named Scruta. All the while the reader is given a tour of Ebony, exploring the major sites of the religious hive, ... ... is a long time and you don’t remember, but in those days no rain ever fell on the sea, nor on lakes, nor on rivers and brooks†¦Fish had no bones, so that children could eat them without making their parents choke, and oysters could be opened as if by persuasion"(189). The overall message of Madariaga is that it is the characteristics of each individual that form a functional society. It is neither the gender nor the color nor the exact workings of the government that allow the formation of a Utopia. Even from a seemingly ridiculous culture it is the moral thread that binds the people. The work may have been designed to influence the political swing of Spain, but its instruction holds true in all of humankind. Works Cited Madariaga, Salvador de. The sacred giraffe, being the second volume of the posthumous works of Julio. London: Martin Hopkinson & Co., 1925

The Union Reconstructed

1. Explain how blacks responded to their former masters after the Civil War had ended. After the Civil War had ended, blacks responded to their former masters in two different ways. They would either return to their former masters for work and every time they would leave the plantation they would go farther claiming they didn’t want to stay on the plantation forever. This caused them to continue to have communication with their former masters and never completely became independent. The second response was they would chose to become entirely independent to their masters. They would seek work in the city and began their new free lives. Often times they all struggled but they were now free. 2. Compare the economic conditions of the South with the economic conditions of the North during the period of Reconstruction. The economic conditions of the South compared to the North during the period of Reconstruction varied quite heavily. The South was limited in many ways after the war and had little to expand and prosper where as the North had everything from political power to trade. They made it so the South could not have much political power which in turn affected them economically. These limitations came from the fear of a repeated war due to the fact that there was still much conflict occurring within the country because of matters of freed slaves and other things. 3. Discuss how southern whites reacted to the emancipation of blacks during the period of Reconstruction. After the emancipation of blacks during the period of Reconstruction, southern whites had responses of both fear and anger. They could not imagine their world without slaves in bondage, often they felt it a hassle doing chores they normally didn’t do. This lead to the feelings of anger, due to their dependency on the slave labor they were now confused and society needed to adapt in order to function once again. In some cases though the slaves had become a part of the home and the white people would miss them as a family member, often times distraught. Aside from these things, a majority of whites began to be fearful of legal intermarriage, dreading the fact that the pure white race would be destroyed. 4. Discuss President Johnson’s plan for reconstruction and Congress’s response to that plan. President Johnson’s plan for reconstruction was simply to pardon and restore all the rights of property to any former Confederate who swore allegiance to the Constitution and the Union. With this he believed he had successfully reconstructed the south and did not do much more. With this they looked to ratify the thirteenth amendment to abolish slavery. With this plan all southern states completed the Reconstruction plan and then sent representatives to the Congress that occurred in December 1865. Congress refused to seat these new senators and a large controversy out broke. 5. Describe the general attitude of the Union soldiers stationed in the South during Reconstruction toward blacks. Support your answer by citing specific incidents that occurred during that period. The attitude of the Union soldiers stationed in the South during Reconstruction towards the blacks was quite in different. They just worked to keep them in control and try to transition them from slavery to freedom. In many cases they would treat them as inferior but as well never got as bad as their former masters. They were just making attempts to help the society function. Whether they were successful is a different story. But they tried and eventually had the communities put together like a white community. 6. Discuss Congress’s plan for reconstruction and explain what Congress hoped to achieve as a result of that plan. Congress’s plan for reconstruction mainly revolved around completely freeing the black communities. They created the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to protect the black community and restricted the power of the executive branch. They were making decision that would benefit them in the long run. They would gain the black vote and be capable of gaining more power. So they limited the power of the former Confederates and attempted to have everything in their favor. 7. Discuss the economic conditions of poor blacks and poor whites during the period of Reconstruction. The economic conditions of poor blacks as well as whites differed. They both struggled financially due to crop shortages and other such things. However the blacks also were being aided by the Bureau of Freedom. They northern financed organization was created in order to help newly freed blacks to get on their feet. They helped them financially and helped with education. However they also in a sense forced blacks to accept low paying jobs when they didn’t want to. Even with this though they helped to get the blacks going in society. 8. Was the Republican administration that controlled the southern state governments during the period of Reconstruction a success or failure? The Republican administration that controlled the southern state governments during the period of Reconstruction was more of a success than it was a failure. They were able to stabilize the south in this time. They eliminated undemocratic features from prewar state constitutions as well as provided a universal male suffrage. They even loosened the requirements for holding office. They reconstructed the South financially and physically by overhauling tax systems and approving generous railroad and other capital investment bonds. With these accomplishments as well they set up a public school system in the south and stabilized it quite well. 9. Discuss the methods by which conservative white Democrats regained control of the southern state governments at the end of Reconstruction. The methods by which conservative white Democrats regained control of the southern state governments were very passive. They came in when the Republican Party had already begun to fail and economic problems began to surface. The Democrats began to discuss the new Grant scandals, unemployment and public works projects. To add to that they also discussed the currency and tariffs in order to show important issues. Discussion of these matters showed an interest in the country whether it was there or not and allowed the Democrats to win the popular vote.

Widespread Adoption Of E-Books

E-books could be referred to as digital media that are similar to print outs. They could also be referred to as books that are in electronic format or version but similar to conventional printed books. As every aspect of life seems to be undergoing a kind of revolution, printing industries are not left behind as they are also moving from analog to digital times by offering books online or in other electronic formats. This essay is going to look and discuss in depth about issues that surround its widespread adoption.In the beginning there were very few books that were available in electronic format as people were reluctant to adopt them. In most cases it is only books that were familiar and in the public domain were published as e-books but of late even new books are available in fact, this mode has given new authors a platform to market their work. E-books requires one to have an electronic device such as a phone or a computer to be able to read them and specific software such as Ded icated e-book reader and Adobe PDF for one to be able to read them. (Viney, 2005).Just like it is the case with other thing, that is having merits and demerits, the same applies to e-books and these factors in one way or the other affects their widespread adoption according to Bergeron and Blander (91). There are those factors that favor its adoption and these are things like; you can carry around a lot of information on a very simple device such as compact discs and phones. It is much easier to search for information in e-books than in other ordinary printouts as you can go to a specific page automatically without having to turn pages one after the other.Many publishers opt to publish their books in electronic form because of various reasons such as; it is cheaper to publish e-book than to print ordinary books which requires a lot of color and labor. Another thing that leads to its adoption world wide is the fact that unlike ordinary printouts, the case is different when it comes t o e-books as you can adjust the font size and backlight to suit your needs. On the other hand, there are those factors that undermine its world wide adoption and these are things like; e-book might require internet connection, requires electronic devices such as phones and computers.Again you have to buy some recommended software such as Adobe PDF reader which costs more than the book itself something that hampers its widespread adoption. Electronic devices are prone to malfunctioning and thus can become faulty anytime when you least expect it and thus it is not reliable. Again this book requires electronic devices that use electrical power thus adding the cost of having it plus it becomes a limitation to areas where there is no electricity. In other circumstances, author’s effort and time spent becomes a waste when their work is hacked by pirates and sold cheaply to readers.There are also reasons such as environmental diversity of end users for example e-books requires parti cular properties for machines for one to read them like specific resolution of the screen, screen size and other things (Viney, 2005). Again this book requires different software for one to access it on another machine making it very costly when you factor in the cost of the software plus the book itself something that impedes on its widespread adoption (Bergeron and Blander, 2002).Indeed departure from analog books to digital e-books is the height of civilization but as it is the case with new products to have no easy flow in the market, e-book has been no exceptional as there are a number of hindrances that hamper its widespread adoption such as the need for specific reading software that are very costly and electronic devices that consume a lot electricity. Despite this, e-book has its advantages such as; it is easily accessible, portable and less costly when it comes to publishing.

Drugs and the Music Industry Essay

Throughout the years, drugs and music have been as synonymous as America and baseball. Especially within the past 50 years, this nation has experienced the birth, and death, of many genres of music due to rampant drug use. Sure, we all know that drugs are bad for you and that if you abuse them, they will eventually lead to your death, but these substances have created music that has inspired millions around the world, and who is to say that is a bad thing? We have all benefited in one way or another from a musicians use of mind altering chemicals or in some cases, plants, and this is an undeniable fact. Drugs have had an overall positive impact on the music industry. They have inspired, enlightened, expanded, and even destroyed the minds of some of Americas best musicians. However, no matter what happens to the musician, the drug fueled music that they have made lives on forever to inspire later generations of youth to join the revolution and create something worthwhile. Whether it be jazz, rap, rock, electronic, or even modern day pop, as long as people are out there creating music, there will be a new type of drug to fuel the fire. The history of drug use started with jazz musicians and their use of heroin, and led to the counterculture movement and their avocation of psychedelic drugs and marijuana. This in turn brought about the punk movement, who took drug use to an extreme that was not seen before. Although this drug use positively effects the musical aspect, it does destroy the lives of those who choose to take the risk. Many musicians have lost their lives to drug use which shows the fine line between just drug use, and drug abuse. Despite all the negatives, drugs have had a positive impact on the American music industry over the past 100 years. The whole thing started with a little thing called jazz. Down south and in the streets of Harlem, many famous jazz musicians were known to be hard drug users whose drug of choice was heroin. This drug could keep you up for days upon end with little to no food, allowing for hours and hours of practice and time to write beautiful works of art. (Winick) Famous musicians such as Ray Charles, Miles Davis, and Hank Mobley all were using this â€Å"hip† drug and their influence led to not only just other musicians using it to increase their playing abilities but also to the everyday listener. This caused a problem in the jazz community as more and more people were falling victim to this drug for all the wrong reasons. People were becoming hooked on this new jazz sensation. â€Å"In those days, people did not know the overwhelming addictive powers of heroin. The mistake they made was trying it just once. After they tried it, they were hooked, and the creativity part of it was no longer. It simply became an addiction.† (Winick) Once the creativity aspect left the equation, it just became another drug to be abused. However, almost all popular music to this day have heavy roots and jazz, which just goes to show that although it destroyed lives, the music created was greatly influential. Next came the infamous counterculture, the hippie movement of the 1960’s. This generation of peace and love highly advocated the use of marijuana and psychedelics such as LSD, mushrooms, mescaline, peyote, and MDMA. These drugs definitely showed up in the music of the decade. Bands such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and many others all took these psychedelics and entered a sort of trance that increased their composing and lyrical abilities. (Gillespie) Some people say that even in order to fully understand this music, one must be under the influence of some sort of drug. Since a lot, but not all, of the drugs that were done during this time period were not addictive, everyone seemed to be enjoying this movement without any inference. Much of the music created during this time period is still popular today and has a big impact on the youth, showing the positive effects of these drugs on the music industry at this time. The use of drugs in the music scene was at its most extreme during the Hardcore Punk movement of the 1980’s. This scene was entirely different from any that was experienced before. â€Å"Drug use also held initial significance in the movement; the inherent connection between recreational drug use and the production of rock music applied to the Hardcore movement just as it appeared in the music of the ’60’s.† (Cashbaugh) The punks took any drug that was available to them that was cheap and hit fast and hard. Inevitably, their drug of choice became speed because, â€Å"It was cheap, it was around, and you could play fast music on it. It also curtailed your appetite. In San Francisco, the Negative Trend guys literally lived on potatoes.† (Marzuk) This revolutionary drug let musicians play for days upon end with no sleep and little need for basic necessities. It may have taken a toll on their bodies, however the pure, raw energy it created was something never seen before. Drug use, however, does not increase your creativity. There is no scientific evidence that shows a direct correlation between drug and alcohol use and the creative parts of your brains. To the contrary, studies have shown that I actually limits the amount your brain functions. (summary, Cengage) However, the mainstream media portrays such a direct link between the two that when people take drugs, they convince themselves that they have these effects. The drugs almost act as a placebo for a person’s creativity. If you truly believe that taking drugs will help you write any type of music, then it most likely will, and vice versa. It all has to do with the perspective of the user and their outlook they have on drugs. Although drug use has positively influenced the quality of music over the years, it has also taken the lives of many fantastic musicians who crossed the line from use, to abuse. Musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis, Joplin, Amy Winehouse, and countless others have all died due to some sort of drug or alcohol addiction. (Blindsider) Jimi Hendrix allegedly overdosed on sleeping pills. Janis Joplin overdoes on heroin. Amy Winehouse died due to alcohol intoxication. These were all supremely talented musicians who let the drugs get the better of them. At first the drugs were used for the rush and a creative boost, but they eventually turned into a habit that couldn’t be quit. Their music also glorified addiction and the use of the drugs that were killing them. This shows the fine line between just the simple use of drugs and the powerful force of addiction that can overtake you if you are not careful. It seems as if today’s music really romanticizes the use of drugs and alcohol, and in some cases, even advocates addiction. Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith even said, † he probably wouldn’t have come up with that great bass line from ‘Sweet Emotion’ had he not been high† (Bohlinger) This does not exactly promote a sober living, and no rock stars truly do, but it goes on to prove that drugs do in fact have a positive effect on musicians writing and playing abilities. However, this could become a bad thing for today’s youth. Seeing as many teens look up to musicians and pop stars who live a wild lifestyle, it may influences them to make stupid decisions that they otherwise wouldn’t have made. Drugs must be used with a purpose in mind, whether it be gaining an experience, making art, or writing music. Too many teens will destroy their lives just trying something for the thrill of the high or to just look cool. Over the past 20 years, â€Å"straight-edge† movements have been gaining in popularity. These groups make music and pledge to not take drugs or alcohol. It seems as if more and more teens are getting into these sober movements because they offer something different from the norm. It has become normal for musicians to be drunks and addicts and these teens are just looking for a change. These groups make one wonder whether or not the link between drugs and music is finally breaking down, or if this is just a small blip in the radar of music. Although the majority of evidence is against it, drugs still have made a positive effect on the music industry. They have paved the road for countless great bands, albums, and songs and have opened the doors of creativity to many musicians. This is very prevalent within the music of the Beatles. If it weren’t for marijuana and LSD, their success and experimentation would have been very limited. Albums such as Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band would have never been created and rock music as we know it would not have been the same. You can also see this within the music of many other old school rock and roll bands such as Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and many others. Their music has made a significant impact on all music today and if it were not for the drugs pumping through their bodies, these bands would not be half as famous as they are today. Works Cited Blindsider. â€Å"Rock Musicians Who Have Died From Drugs.† Listology. N.p., 29 Apr. 2009. Web. 31 May 2012. . Bohlinger, John. â€Å"Romanticizing the Drug Musician Mythos.† Premier Guitar. N.p., Nov. 2008. Web. 4 June 2012. . Cashbaugh, Sean. â€Å"Hardcore Using in the Scene.† web.wm. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. . Cengage, Gale. â€Å"Creativity and Drugs.† eNotes. N.p., 2001. Web. 31 May 2012. . Gillespie, Nick. â€Å"Everbody Must Get Stoned: Rock Stars on Drugs.† Reason. N.p., 13 May 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. . Marzuk, Jenny. â€Å"Mainstream Drug Use in America.† American Studies. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2012. . Winick, Charles. Social Problems. N.p.: University of California Press, 1959. JSTOR. Web. 31 May 2012. .

Progression of Homosexuality

Abstract Progression of Homosexuality: Evolution of a phenomenon over time Some authors believe that homosexuality is not a kind of conduct, as commonly supposed, but a psychological condition (Woggon, 1981). Thus, it is important to understand that the genuine homosexual condition or inversion, as it is often termed. This condition is something for which the subject is in no way responsible. Some literature suggests that homosexuality in itself it is morally neutral. Like the condition of heterosexuality, however, it tends to find expression in specific sexual acts; and such acts are subject to moral judgment (McNeill, 1966). A major premise established in contemporary literature is the concept that sexual orientation ranges along a continuum, as opposed to simply being heterosexual or homosexual. It is possible that this is mainly because increased attention has been paid to the attraction and not merely the action. Braverman (1973) has examined a scale developed by Kinsey, who thought that homosexuality is a normal manifestation of human sexuality. This scale operationalizes the continuum. People are rated on a scale of zero to six. Zero representing exclusive heterosexual inclinations and six exclusive homosexual inclinations. Those who don’t fall into either extreme feel a mixture of both to varying degrees. This middle group is theoretically bisexual. However, people who are close to either extreme tend to be absorbed into that respective category. This absorption leaves only those closer to the centre in the bisexual group. Most research conducted has grouped people into these three categories. The Causes of Homosexuality Fathers, on the other hand, were thought to prefer the other children. In doing so, fathers failed to protect the child from the destructive influence of the mother. The researchers espousing biological and genetic causes of homosexuality were considered to be fringe in those times. Even so, there were studies corroborating such causes. Kallman (1952) conducted a study in which male homosexual monozygotic twins were found to be significantly more similar (in terms of homosexual tendencies) than dizygotic twins. These results were not taken to mean that genetic composition was a necessary condition for the development of homosexuality. Rather, it was generally hought by proponents, that a hereditary physical trait played a role in the cultural shaping of a homosexual. In other words, if a young male or female exhibited physical characteristics associated with the opposite gender that individual would have been treated as if they were homosexual. This would in turn influence their development (a self-fulfilling prophecy). Silberner (1984) referred to a st udy conducted by the State University of New York, in which researchers found a physical correlate to homosexual behavior. They went further to conclude that biological markers for sexual orientation may exist. Even so, researchers made it clear that findings did not focus on definite causes of homosexuality. However, it was admitted that there was a real possibility that there is a biological element of the phenomenon. Even into the 1990’s this vein of research has continued. For example, Bower (1993) identified that significant progress had been made in the pursuit of identifying a gene that may influence some instances of male homosexuality. It was suggested that a gene within a small segment of the X chromosome (passed from mother to son), contributes to the sexual orientation of a subset of homosexual men. Interestingly, a tendency to focus on male homosexuals in scientific research can be seen at this stage. Although an exhaustive list of studies on homosexuality cannot be provided in this forum (nor would it be practical), from a review of the available literature, this is confirmed. The APA removed homosexuality from its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychological Disorders in 1973. In 1975 it then released a public statement that homosexuality was not a mental disorder. In 1994, two decades later, the APA finally stated, â€Å"†¦ omosexuality is neither a mental illness nor a moral depravity. It is the way a portion of the population expresses human love and sexuality† From the premises established in this section, a holistic illustration of world-views regarding homosexuality, can be detailed. World Views of Homosexuality Secular As discussed previously, the first half (and a little beyond) of the 20th century spawned varying views of homosexuality (constitution al, developmental and genetic were the main ones). However, the worldviews resulting from such were congruent in the main. This is primarily because of the fact that these theories were aiming to explain the occurrence of a class of aberration/disorder. Consequently, claims, such as homosexuality being classified as a serious psychiatric and social problem (Bieber, 1969), were commonplace in academic literature and reverberated in the wider society. The passage of time into the final quarter of the last century, realized a progressively softer position regarding homosexuality, by both from the academic and wider community. This softening can be observed as being simultaneous with stances adopted by the APA. After the organization’s actions in 1973 and 1975 concerning acceptance of homosexuality, the literature had been littered with expressions of the wide variability in the social acceptance of homosexual activity (Greenberg & Bystryn, 1982). Christian The ELCA encourages its congregations to welcome gay and lesbian persons as church members, but it does not allow for the approval or affirmation of gay or lesbian relationships. Specifically, the ordained, commissioned, and consecrated ministries†¦are open to homosexuals only it they remain celibate and no provisions exist for the blessing of same-gender unions (Childs, 2003, p. 32). From these official points of view, a sense of where Christianity stands with regard to homosexuality is only halfway complete (at best). Individual members of the Church, including clergymen, sometimes have conflicting views. As demonstrated, a plethora of worldviews exist, with regards to homosexuality. It is as a result of these, that there a re various views of the role that psychology and counseling should play in the life of a homosexual and the phenomenon (homosexuality), as a whole. Role of Psychology/Counseling Conclusion Throughout the literature reviewed for this paper, the themes of variability and non-consensus are recurrent. There has been no conclusive study which has unearthed potential causes of homosexuality. Resultant worldviews are varied across and even within secular and religious sources, allowing for no clear-cut path for psychologists/counselors to take in dealing with the phenomenon. By looking at past and current events in the field, it appears as though distinct lines will be drawn, but in non-traditional ways, namely, within as opposed to without. This is with reference to the dichotomy within Christian and secular views of homosexuality. It appears as though the only area of near-consensus is the view that homosexuals (distinct from homosexuality) are not to be condemned, or view as inherently pathological. Holding firm to this premise, further research and interest from the various interest groups may be beneficial to all. 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