Role of Education in Society Essay Example for Free

Role of Education in Society Essay Society has certain requirements which must be met if it’s to survive; hence the role of education in society is examined in terms of how it helps to meet those needs. Firstly, society needs a certain degree of social solidarity or unity. People must feel a sense of belonging to society and a sense of loyalty to the social group. Common norms and values provide this. Secondly, every society requires a system for socializing new members. In an industrial society in which occupational status is largely achieved, young people must learn to value individual achievement. Thirdly, every society requires a system for placing people in roles best suited to their talents and abilities. This is particularly true in industrial society with a specialised division of labour. The right people must be matched with the right jobs. Lastly, for society to operate efficiently and effectively, its members must possess the necessary skills to perform essential tasks. (Harambos et al, 1986) Education attempts to develop the personality of the pupil and prepare him for membership into society. This function corresponds to the double role a person has to play in life, both as an individual and as a member of society. Schools in western societies emphasize individual achievement. The student achieves his/ her status based on their ability, talent, determination and effort. Achievement is measured by the student’s performance in examinations. Education can be seen as a system for sifting, sorting and grading people in terms of their ability. Students leave school having been thoroughly tested. In theory, the most talented will achieve the highest qualifications; the least talented will come away with little or nothing to show for their efforts (Harambos et al, 1986) The vision for the Ministry of Education, Science, Vocation Training and Early Education (MESVTEE) is â€Å"to guide the provision of education for all Zambians so that they are able to pursue knowledge and skills, manifest excellence in performance and moral uprightness, defend democratic ideals and accept and value other persons on the basis of their personal worth and dignity, irrespective of gender, religion, ethnic or any other discriminatory characteristic (Ministry of Education, 2000) The Ministry of Education emphasizes that the child is placed at the center of the entire education process which exists solely for the sake of the learner. It also recognizes that each child is unique. This contributes a rich diversity to the whole education system. The aim of school education is to promote the full and ell rounded development of the physical, intellectual, social, effective, moral and spiritual qualities of all pupils so that each can in turn develop into a complete person, for his/ her personal fulfilment and the good of society (Ministry of Education, 1996) The education system in Zambia is divided into four major parts. These parts include lower and middle basic school; upper basic school; high school; and higher education. The education system for the lower and middle basic levels is concerned with the pupils’ complete needs: those of the body, mind, affective, social; moral and spiritual needs. The system at this stage allows for adaptation of some aspects of the curriculum to match local needs and circumstances. This stage provides pupils with a substantial and recognizable preparation for life. Ministry of Education, 1996) The upper basic system builds on the foundation laid at the lower levels, though the programme of activities is just broadened and balanced to allow for treatment at an in-depth appropriate for the level of education, age and experience of the pupils. Education at this level includes issues like Education for democracy, which allows these young Zambians to acquire an understanding of the values that have shaped society and the practices that have preserved it; literacy and numeracy which allows them to read and write correctly, clearly and confidently in both their Zambian language and in English, and to acquire basic numeracy and problem solving skills for them to function effectively in society; science and technology helps the pupils develop processes of scientific thinking. This ability to think scientifically and understand scientific processes has become a condition for survival in society; practical and technical subjects provide compensation for traditional knowledge and practical skills that students would have acquired if they had not been attending school. They also provide a way of experiencing and dealing with the physical world. (Ministry of Education, 1996) Since upper basic education may be the only formal education the majority of pupils will likely get, the basic education system should adequately prepare the pupils for life after school; hence issues such as health and personal well being, Sexuality and personal relationships are tackled at this level. This is coupled with helping the students to develop socially acceptable habits. In these studies, effort is complemented by the home, community and society at large. This enables the pupils shape for themselves their own personal philosophy of life, by internalizing and adopting their own set of values and attitudes which would direct their own lives. (Ottaway, 1962) Performing and creative arts helps the pupils develop knowledge of and a deeper appreciation for Zambia’s rich cultural heritage and thereby contribute to the preservation and development of this heritage. Co-curricular activities also help pupils develop life skills which equip them with positive social behaviour and coping with negative pressure. High school builds on the foundation laid in upper basic school. High school aims at the integrated and comprehensive development of each pupil’s potential, enabling the pupil adopt adult life and make a useful contribution to society. It also develops the intellectual skills and qualities, foster creativity, imagination resourcefulness and innovativeness and provide occasion for their practical exercise. It also promotes extensive knowledge, exact skills and accurate understanding of areas of study. (Ministry of Education, 1996) When progressing from one level of the education system to the next, evaluation and assessments are conducted. This is in order to determine whether the education system is achieving its objectives, and that it is producing the right caliber of graduates expected by society. Society’s interest is on the public exams that mark the end of one stage of education and serve as a selection instrument for the next stage. (Ministry of Education, 1977) In conclusion, the education system in Zambia is inclined towards the new sociology of education because emphasis is placed on the individual development of the pupil’s potential. Throughout the whole progression from lower basic to high school, focus is placed on the development of the pupil’s skills individually. Pupils therefore develop knowledge of and a deeper appreciation for Zambia’s rich cultural heritage and thereby contribute to the preservation and development of this heritage throughout the whole education system.

A Theory On Nation Building Politics Essay

A Theory On Nation Building Politics Essay There are different theories of nation-building and state-building that explain how a state and nation should be built. Most of the theories take their point of departure from Western models of state that is often inappropriate for African countries.  [1]   Nation-building has emerged in 19th century from nationalism in Italy and Germany and continued by external actors in post-WWII  [2]  in Germany and Japan. However, it is difficult to speak about nation-building in those two countries, as their nations; with strong cultural and ethnic bonds, already existed and focused more on building of democratic institutions. The conditions for nation-building, including homogeneity of the population, were much more positive than they are in Africa.  [3]  Due to this fact, this model is insufficient to explain the complexity of the situation in Somalia. Therefore we have decided to use a theory that encompasses also importance of element of nation, national identity and its integrity together with state-building. On the one hand, nation-building is a process of socio-political development. This, at least ideally, shall bring loosely linked communities together, becoming one society. This process can start off of political, economical, social, cultural or other reasons. As this process can involve extremely different dimensions, positively (economical integration) as well as negatively (repressions like ethnic cleansing) it is not clear that nation-building actually is successful.  [4]   On the other hand, it is a political objective as well as a strategy. This means that either internal or external players try to create a system that is constituted under a nation-state. Then, the term nation-building has a rather programmatic or conceptional character and cannot be used for analysing the political and social process. Therefore, this objective or strategy is mainly used in a development strategy in order to serve nation-building.  [5]   However different these two definitions are, there are three core elements counting for both: integrative ideology, integration of a society and development of a functional state (state-building). For a successful nation-building, this results in a triangle, Hippler argues, having state-building, social integration and ideological legitimacy at its corners, of which all corners need to be fulfilled. Some aspects of the elements can be introduced and provided from outside, while others can only be built from inside, such as ideological legitimacy.  [6]  Now we will describe different element in their theoretical perspective. Integrative ideology To begin with, there is a need to stem from an integrative ideology in order to build up a national feeling and give the people, through this, a national identity. Therefore, a common ground for all different groups in this emerging nation needs to be found. This could be, for example, religion, language or history. Obviously, the more in common, the bigger is the chance to build up one society. It is important to state, that, in this case, ideology should be understood in neutral terms as systems of thought and fundamental philosophies that explain the past, present and future according to certain value models.  [7]  When we look closer on the national identity, we can find several definitions. We have decided to connect two of them theoretically. One describes modern approach critically and It is also very important that this ideology comprises ideas applicable to everyone and idea of national cohesion must be stronger than the idea of separation.  [8]  Connecting ideology with national identity, different people have their own individual identities. As long as the primary identity and loyalty lies with the tribe, clan or an ethnic or ethnoreligious group and the national identity level remains subordinate or missing, a nation-state will continue to be precarious.  [9]   Crucial role in the formation of nation is played by government, elite or ruler. There are different criteria that government has to meet in the process of nation-building. First of all, government has to examine what has been done in the past, to be able to make people believe in better future. For example if the collapsed ruling regime left people hurt and full of distrust in the government, this fact has to be taken into considerations when building a nation. Therefore confidence in state institutions destroyed  [10]  should be prognosis for better future. Another influential element is population actually has to be willing to cooperate, to be motivated in creating, supporting and shaping the nation.  [11]  Finally, concept of nation has to fulfill different criteria in the perception of the people: centrality and extent nation-building shouldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦occupy a central position in peoples everyday political and social lives?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ association with other issues on the agenda connecting with the experiences of the target groups narrative familiarity flexibility and openness to change With clever policies and respect for the differences between different social groups in the nation, government can successfully develop a strong national identity and nation-building process. Integration of society Integration of society in the nation is very important element of nation-building. In post-colonial states it is usually understood in connection with democracy and third wave of democratisation. The nation-building was accompanied by high expectations from the West and in many post-colonial countries different ethnic groups are gaining meaning in the changing institutional system.  [12]   Generally, we define three models of national unity, that will help us to understand how in divided societies nation-building can take place. Those are: Imperium, Culturally homogenous nation of modern age and Pluricultural integration. In the imperium, there is a set hierarchy, while religion is dominated by the ruling elite. There is no necessary desire for unified culture and communication. Integration is achieved through differences.  [13]  Looking at culturally homogenous nation of modern age, we can see patterns of secularisation keeping culture and religion apart from the state. Culture of the majority or elite is, again, supported. Nation-building processes are underpinned by regulated norms.  [14]  In the last model, the pluricultural integration, minorities are oppressed and discriminated and have to struggle for recognition of their rights. This is mostly a case in multi-ethnic and multi-lingual societies that are taking account of cultural and religious diversity .  [15]   The evolution of democracy in developing countries is challenging and demands of different ethnic leaders make processes of nation-building in these countries even more fragile. But very important fact that there are efforts for building new architecture of democracy  [16]  That means that there are bigger emphasis on the ethnicity and ethnic equality and therefore these ideas counteract centralist/assimilatory tendencies  [17]  Four democratic innovations for states in inner conflict concordance, local representation, federalism and cultural autonomy. Concordance is a model that allows representatives of all important groups to participate in the political decision-making process  [18]  , offering large variety of institutional forms. Advantage of this form is creation of coalitions, where different groups have to cooperate to reach their goals. This model is of use when there is no strong majority to rule, because otherwise there is no need for coalition. Local representation represents most diverse representation of minorities possible  [19]  . It is also significant in the way that minorities are usually represented by their own representatives. In the elections, ethnic groups are finding coalitions and ways to cooperate and to enforce their interests. However, this model can deepen ethnic differences and policies might be strongly influences by individual ethnic interests instead of the ones of whole society.  [20]   Federalism offers different groups equal power but also identical rules to be followed. Groups deal with their matters individually, what makes system more flexible, decentralized and minorities more secure. On the other side, there is a danger of secession, where demands for greater autonomy can be continually rising.  [21]  FIND MORE The last model, cultural autonomy, is very focused to preserve and strengthen the identity of minorities  [22]  . There is emphasis on local languages and religions that are also considered to be official languages. That gives minorities ability to take care of their affairs individually, but on the other side, to deepen the differences between the groups (might not be an issue deals with minority language, legal pluralism) However, although state-building being a part of nation-building, it is important to distinguish between both of them: While state-building is focused only on building state institutions etc. a functional state apparatus nation-building is in many states a pre-requirement needed to be fulfilled before.  [23]  Especially in European countries, where a national identity already exists, only the state needs to be built around it. We can also observe this phenomenon, when we look upon the history of the modern (and in this case European) nation-state, where first a nation existed from which then a nation-state emerged. In post-colonial countries, in opposite, demarcations were made by the former colonial powers on interest lines and not according to ethnic groups, tribes or similar communities. This means in many cases, that a country either includes many different ethnic groups with different backgrounds, or that one ethnic group is spread in more than one country. This leads to arguments how a state should be governed and, through this, to weak states or weak state institutions. The political elements contain the nation-state and a high level of social mobilisation and political integration, which are, although not the central elements, some of the most important. Therefore, methods like material incentives (e.g. public service employment), cultural means (e.g. educational system and language policy) and compulsion need to be applied. Furthermore, when a government is finally introduced, it needs to consolidate its own position in the society.  [24]   The social mobility also needs to be built up, either in a bottom-up or top-down model. This implements that all members of society need to be involved, especially in the political and ideological process of shaping the nation. This is often a big change, as most weak states were formerly governed by only one part of the society which excluded/repressed the rest of the population. As everyone is supposed to participate, in this period of time, at least some democratic dialogue will take place. However, it is possible that the newly formed nation will in this dialogue agree on some authoritarian or totalitarian form of governance.  [25]   In this dialogue of constituting a nation, dormant conflicts will wake up, especially in the former excluded part of society. This might turn out to be more serious, when it is not clear who belongs to the nation. The problem arises especially, when the conflict is ethnically motivated (for instance because of the language or religion). Then, nation-building easily becomes repressive and lowers the social participation in the political discourse. There is also a need for the redistribution of power: old social and political structures will be (need to be?) destroyed, while new ones will be built up. This means, that, where local governments had most power, Hippler argues, a centralised government with a good local anchoring might be an advantage, as this ensures that new persons will take over.  [26]   As nation-building needs at least to some extend external help, especially in regards of providing security and building up a functioning infrastructure, the countrys government either needs to invite the international community, or this needs to intervene.  [27]  However, as the states of the international community will only act in a failing state if they see some advantage in it, there needs to be a trigger. This trigger could be for economic (the intervention of the USA to Iraq in 2003), security (the intervention of the NATO to Afghanistan in 2001) or for political and historical reasons (the intervention of the NATO in the Former Yugoslavian Republics in the 1990s).  [28]   The goal for intervening is not or not primarily nation-building; it needs to be seen as a necessity for reaching another goal. For example did the USA plan to leave Iraq after half a year and only realised after the end of the (official) war that it will take several years to build a nation and rebuild institutions.  [29]  This explains, why nation-building in many cases is only improvised, incontinent and lacks of preparation, as the war does not only destroy the balance of power in the intervened country but also entails a clash of power politics between internal and external players.  [30]  As it is the interference into the domestic politics of another country, Ignatieff stresses, nation-building has also imperial approaches.  [31]  A shift in the international discourse about an allowance of these imperial actions by putting them in the UN charter is discussed in the international community, as there is no dominant public position. But there can also be external efforts to internal nation-building that can be very helpful for the built state. A good example therefore was the nation-building in Afghanistan with the help of the USSR. Here, processes are supported from outside with positive efforts in political, social, security-policy and other domains. This is also possible in countries with different political embedding. However, then there is a greater emphasis on development and peace policies, although also other aid can be provided for a long term stabilisation.  [32]   In the case of external efforts for internal nation-building, it is important to see for the intervening state that often an area of conflict arises between the internal processes promoted and the often contradictory political objectives.  [33]   Internal nation-building should promote human rights, social equalisation, good governance and participative democracy. Imperial nation-building must recreate a nation-state and sometimes even the corresponding society. The desire to bring this about external players is the creation of an enormous dimension. However, the external governments are often not entirely conscientious of their action as they want/need to work economically and have a limited budget, while recreating a whole nation-state is financially very expensive, takes a lot of time it is calculated to take one or two generations, and is very personnel-intensive. If the intervening countries cannot fulfil these variables fully, they are likely to fail. This mostly happens in a change of government, what most likely occurs during the time frame of such an operation.  [34]   There are several fundamental problems that easily arise by imperial nation-building, meaning that one country intervenes another one and then rebuilds the nation:  [35]   Firstly, at the intervention but also throughout the whole process, there is a security problem: Usually, there is no real army to fight against, or it is just one part, but as the country is fragmented, the war is as well: Opponents are often warlords, terrorists and militias which fighters can be hardly recognised from civilians. Furthermore, their buildings are closely linked to civilians and common living spaces.(quote?) However, an army is only prepared to fight against clearly recognisable enemies and has in this case either only little power or civilian causalities need to be acceptable. The latter is usually not an option, as this is not only problematic in terms of ethics and international law but also contradictory to the overall aim, as the local people would not understand it. The second problem is the political problem of local rulers and warlords: As security is one of the major aims, for the intervening power as well as for the local population, a cooperation on the spot is often implemented. This can easily contradict to the aim of nation-building, because it usually means a cooperation with old local structures which are usually meant to be disband or with the use of other local power structures, militias, warlords and even criminal gangs as auxiliary troops. This was done by actors such as the UN (cooperation with a militia in Kosovo) and the USA (cooperation with warlords is Afghanistan and Iraq) for different interests: On the one hand, these auxiliary troops often find support in the local population and are therefore helpful, on the other hand they are potential enemies which are, at least for the time of cooperation, eliminated. This cooperation is built upon the proliferation of weapons and money towards these troops. But especially the latter becomes a problem in the further process. When peace and order are established, warlords, militias, etc. are supposed to be disarmed, what is very risky and needs a lot of money as well as personnel. A third fundamental problem is the question of resources: As already stated earlier, a nation-building process usually takes several years, a lot of money and personnel. The expected numbers are usually topped by the actual needs. A good example for this is the US intervention in Iraq, now going on for seven years instead of a supposed short-term mission by using almost double of the costs calculated.  [36]   Fourth, there is the internal political factor of the intervening state for a long term commitment. Especially in the Western world, the sense of the mission in regards of financial and human costs will be questioned after a short time. Also, due to the rise of interventions after the end of the Cold War, many states reach their military capacities by supporting one or two nation respective state-buildings (e.g. Germany with its soldiers in Kosovo and Afghanistan, the USA being in Iraq on top of its other operations). As a fifth fundamental problem, there should be mentioned conflicts of objective and means, as there is most often a conflict between the interest in actual nation-building and the interest of control. The latter needs certainly be focused on security reasons, because it can otherwise fall apart easily. In this context, nation-building becomes a means for social and political control of the country. That means that it is not any more an objective but becomes an instrument for other purposes. This comes, according to Hippler, down to three points describing the goals of imperial nation-building: [] (i) an emphasis on military, police and intelligence resources [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦]; (ii) appropriate infrastructure measures [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and (iii) strictly regulated democratisation and participation possibilities in order to include local political forces in the administration of the country and be better accepted among the public at large [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦].  [37]   The opposite of imperial nation-building is non-imperial or development policy nation-building. Its biggest argument is that nation-building must not be seen as a blueprint of Western democracies which shall be projected on Third World countries, including economy and democratic institutions; being also a major reason for the failure in Afghanistan. Rather it should have a sound and workable concept that suits the countrys nation to be built. An example for failing on this context is the Iraq, where the USA did not have a suitable plan at all.  [38]   Best prospects nation-building has when fulfilling certain functions for the society affected. These should be articulated by socio-economic and political groups. However, nation-building is less likely to be affective after current crises, as the society is already too split. Easier it is when the society is not split yet, meaning usually a solution before a crisis starts off. While for the latter a short-term solution is likely to solve the prospects of nation-building, the former means because of the great experience of violence a more important role of control and security for the (re-)integration of society. When talking about integration, the question of a targeted disintegration may arise in the sense of ethnic cleaning in order of building separate nation states. A central argument of supporters of this thought is that in countries where is, due to e.g. a genocide, only little chance of an integration of the enemy factions and that it is close to impossible to bring integration if not wanted by any of the parties. Opponents may reply that greater trouble will occur by displacing people what definitely would need to happen in border regions, but is also likely to happen in other regions. A separation would neither solve the problem entirely as the factions are like to start a new war afterwards.  [39]   Nation-building is a painful, contradictory and complex process which promises only success, when the affected populations living standards are improved and the population connects it to nation-building. If the living circumstances stay the same in the long term it is perceived to be artificial and more and more opposition will rise. However, over a short term, nation-building is tolerated when it arouses hope for the future instead of actually bringing improvements.  [40]   As a starting point, the new nation must have the feeling that the new nation-state is and will be capable of solving problems in the populations interest. This normally includes economic and socio-political components such as a safeguarding food supply, healthcare, jobs and accommodation, but should also contain personal security and infrastructure. But cultural symbols are for the integration of a nation equally important.  [41]   Another step to be made in connection to the improvement of living standards is the implementation of politicostructural changes. An optimal starting point for these are the internal cultural and political conditions in the newly built nation. However, although it should create the prerequisites of it equality, a fair fiscal system, education, etc., it should not form democracy itself.  [42]  

Animal Communication Methods: Bonding and Imprinting

Animal Communication Methods: Bonding and Imprinting Sarah O’Malley Bonding Imprinting Introduction Imprinting and bonding are important biological processes that aid in the survival of offspring; offspring require parental bonding to survive. These processes allow the offspring to learn skills and behaviours needed for survival, as well as the knowledge of their own species in order to successfully breed in the future. The importance of bonding and breeding differs in different species. Bonding can be important in obtaining food, communicating, survival, and mating. The following includes the mechanisms of imprinting and bonding with differences and similarities between the two. Information regarding Konrad Lorenz and his work is included. A mention of communication and its role in reducing conflict has also been included. Imprinting Imprinting is a classical biological process in birds such as geese and ducks. New-born chicks become attached to the first visible moving object they see. Imprinting is mostly non-species-specific but imprinting between same species does occur; filial imprinting (between offspring and its parent) is more common is precocial animals than in altricial animals as precocial animals are mobile and alert when they are born and therefore have the ability to imprint early. Certain behaviours are affected by imprinting more than other behaviours. There is a significant sensitive period where imprinting takes effect (1). For ducks, this is between 4-48 hours after they have hatched. A duckling will pretty much follow whatever is moving once it has hatched and will eventually learn what it is following and imprint on it. An Austrian named Konrad Zacharias Lorenz was a zoologist, ethologist, and ornithologist (bird behaviour), who studied instinctive behaviour in animals, particularly greylag g eese and the principle of imprinting. These studies led to Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen, and Karl von Frisch winning a Nobel Prize for Medicine. He is regarded as one of the principal founders of ethology. The innate release mechanism, a main concept regarding imprinting, where organisms are genetically predisposed to be responsive to certain stimuli become fixed and imprint on the parents (2). Senses are important for imprinting; as ducks are precocial they imprint on whoever they see within a certain timeframe (4-48hrs) using their sight. As puppies and kittens do not open their eyes for a little over a week after birth, they take a little longer to imprint. Mammals, who are altricial use their smell, sight, and sound to imprint on their mothers, though primates are born with brains that still need to fully develop and so imprinting takes longer. Imprinting is a survival instinct as it ensures the safety and protection for the vulnerable new-born; it prevents the young from predation, a s its mother is there to protect it. It allows the offspring to learn skills for survival and behavioural characteristics from its mother. Imprinting is different to bonding as there is a specific period where imprinting occurs. Lorenz’s theory involved an experiment whereby chicks where hatched in an incubator and then handled by humans. They were placed back with their mother who accepted the goslings but the goslings did not accept her. They followed the human they first saw. Lorenz’s theory argued that imprinting is irreversible and takes place at a certain stage (as mentioned above). It included his theory of imprinting being innate but recognizing the moving object was learnt. Filial imprinting lasts until the offspring becomes adults. Socialization is important and imprinting experiences will have a long-term effect on social behaviour; isolating a puppy will result in the pup displaying abnormal social behaviour such as anxiety. Imprinting has a significant eff ect on sexual preferences, which should be a factor to consider in captivity or rehabilitation centres. Sexual imprinting is where characteristics learnt form siblings will influence their mating preferences in adulthood. This process depends on the species; there could be a period in between filial imprinting and sexual imprinting for some species, whereas for other species it can occur simultaneously (geese). E.g., if a duckling was to imprint on a chicken and considered the hen’s chicks its siblings, it is likely to sexually imprint on chickens in adulthood as it is attracted to the characteristics of the species it imprinted on and believes it to be the same species. The appearance of the object or animal the offspring imprints on will teach them to recognise what future mates should look like (providing they imprint on the correct animal) (3). Imprinting allows the parent to raise her young much easier, as the offspring imprints on her early and will trust her and follo w her wherever she goes, which is vital when it comes to predation. Bonding Bonding is a biological process where animals of same species (pair bonding) and sometimes, different species connect on a social level. This can occur at different stages in their lives. Reasons for bonding include pair bonding, which results in mating and reproduction in mated pairs, and social bonding that is vital in species that form packs or hierarchies etc. Wolves form social bonds within the same pack, which enables them to hunt and live in a social group. For wolves, bonding is crucial as they do everything together, from hunting to defending territory and raising young. Parent-offspring bonding is beneficial for both parents and offspring as the offspring have a greater chance of survival with the protection from its parent(s), and the parent(s), can ensure their genes will be passed on and their offspring makes it to adulthood. Their need to nurse their young originates from the release of a hormone called oxytocin, which influences motherly behaviour, breeding animals wit h this hormone absent results in mothers leaving their offspring earlier than mothers with that hormone. Sibling recognition prevents inbreeding from occurring as well as for cooperating. With mating pairs, bonding behaviours include vocalizations; calls and sounds, movements; dancing, body contact (tactile), and postures, as well as offering gifts. Senses are just as vital in bonding as they are in imprinting. Visual, tactile, vocal, and auditory are important factors in mating pairs and are often expressed in rituals. Every meeting between mating pairs, the rituals are repeated to reinforce the bond. Pairs may bond for certain parts of a breeding season; short term or long term, and other species may mate for life (monogamy) (4), such as swans and geese. Bonding in mating pairs, allows for recognition of the individual’s mate within a crowd (nest site e.g.). It allows the animal to imprint the image of its mate in its head. Bonding requires effort, which confirms their comm itment. It provides a better chance of survival for their offspring as both parents are present for protection and for providing food. The pair does not need to go through the long process of selecting a mate during breeding season. Parent-offspring bonding is not only evident in birds but in other species such as elephants; within their group of family that contains elephants of a range of ages, greet and maintain bonding by tactile – touching and often curling their trunks around the other’s, vocalization communication, and scent. Dominance is expressed through play at an early age, whereby young elephants, both male and female but progresses in males as they get older, charge at each other and wrestle with their trunks. 30 minutes after an elephant is born, it is able to stand up and follow its mother. Females will form close bonds with their mother and will stay by their side for life, which allows the mother to teach her offspring skills needed for survival. Males tend to leave at around 12-15 years where they may temporarily join other groups for mating and feeding. Bonding in elephants, where they stay together for life (females), increases their chances of survival as they form large herds, which makes it more difficult for predation to occur. An example of interspecies relationships is the bond between a lion, tiger, and bear (diagram 2 ^), who were abused in the hands of a drug dealer, bonded for comfort and now consider themselves brothers. They are the only known lion, tiger, and bear to live together in the world; in the wild, they would never meet. Their early experiences as young cubs and the fact that they have never been separated since, strengthened their bonds (5). Differences Similarities Bonding and imprinting are both processes where animals socially connect and both aid in the survival of the animals. Bonding occurs for different reasons and at different stages in animals’ lives, whereas imprinting occurs early within a specific period where the offspring is sensitive to stimuli. Bonding occurs for many reasons including pair bonding, where for mated pairs, occurs later in life (when sexually mature), whereas imprinting is solely for survival in which the young requires from its parent. Bonding involves the bonding of two animals equally whereas imprinting is a one-way thing in which young imprint on the first thing it sees and perceives it to be its mother. Imprinting involves recognition and learned behaviour; as described previously in Lorenz’s theory; the offspring imprint on the first object they see and begin to learn and recognise that object. There is an in between, as the bonding process actually starts with imprinting in specific ways; impri nting takes place early for the purpose of survival but then bonding occurs to strengthen the connection. Parent-offspring bonding involves the bonding between the parent and its offspring and can sometimes involve the offspring imprinting on the parent. The parent releases oxytocin in response, which strengthens the bond (6). Difference between filial imprinting and sexual imprinting: Sexual imprinting involves the young imprinting on the characteristics of opposite-sex kin, whereas filial imprinting is where offspring imprint on its parent as an individual (7). How Communication Reduces Conflict Communication is crucial in reducing conflict, especially between territorial animals; vocalizations scent, and visual senses play an important role in alerting other animals when they have entered another’s territory, which will prevent fighting e.g. an animal will urinate on the edge of its territory to communicate to other animals that is their territory and should not be crossed. Establishing a hierarchy reduces the risk of intraspecies conflict; all the animals within the group are aware of their ranking and role they must play. This enables them to function as a working group, which will aid in their survival. Ritualized combat, a form of agonistic behaviour, is another method used to reduce conflict such as threatening displays to intimidate other animals, and usually prevents fighting from occurring. It is also beneficial in aiding survival as preventing conflict decreases the chance of being killed, losing food or territory, or losing a mate. Submission prevents fighting from occurring, as the submissive animal is likely to give in to the dominant one, which prevents conflict. Conclusion Bonding and imprinting occurs in many species and both ensure the survival of an animal. Lorenz’s work provided further information regarding the importance of imprinting, noting a specific period for it to take place and the possibilities of it going wrong (sexual imprinting on a different species). There are clear differences between bonding and imprinting, with purpose being one of the main ones. However, they are similar in terms of forming a social connection, both interspecies and intraspecies. The senses are a vital part of these connections as they help animals distinguish characteristics and recognise stimuli that influence imprinting/bonding. Bibliography (1) Sensitive Period Lorenz, K (1963). On Aggression. Austria: Methuen Publishing. Pg.258. (PDF version) (2) Konrad Lorenz Hayes, Brian J., [no date]. Konrad Lorenz biography. Ethology – Imprinting. http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/scientist/konrad_lorenz.html (3) Sexual Imprinting Irwin, D and Price, T. Sexual imprinting, learning and speciation. Heredity (1999) 82, 347–354; doi:10.1038/sj.hdy.6885270 (4) Pair-Bonding Barash, D.; Lipton, J. (2001). The Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People. New York: Henry Holt and Company (5) Interspecies Bonding Broder Van Dyke, M. May 26th, 2014. BuzzFeed Animals. Lions, Tigers, and Bears. http://www.buzzfeed.com/mbvd/lion-tiger-and-bear-who-love-each-other#.ovl6jp5wL (6) Differences Similarities Thatcher, M. 24 November 2014. Understanding Animal Communication Systems. http://saltiecroc.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/understanding-animal-communication.html (7) Differences SparkNotes ©, 2015. Animal Behaviour: Learning. Imprinting. http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/animalbehavior/learning/section3.rhtml Diagrams: Diagram 1 – Konrad Lorenz Leen, N. July 7th 2008. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Three Pioneer Observers of Animal Behaviour. http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2008/07/three-pioneer-observers-of-animal-behaviour/ Diagram 2 – Bonding Shaikh, T. July 6th 2014. Animal Bonding. http://jugglu.com/adorable-animal-bonding-story-ever.php Diagram 3 – Agonistic Behaviour: Spider Hill, D E. 4 December 2009. Wikipedia. Zygoballus sexpunctatus male agonistic behaviour http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zygoballus_sexpunctatus_male_agonistic_behavior.png Diagram 4 – Pair-Bonding Ander, B L. December 12th 1014. Puffin Love. http://fineartamerica.com/featured/puffin-love-brent-ander.html

The Merchant Of Venice :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When William Shakespear wrote, The merchant Of Venice, he made a female character that has a huge influence on the play. In most of his work, the women don’t have much power and are not very smart. In the Merchant Of Venice, Portia is a woman that saves the life of a man using her head. Another woman created by Shakespear that is a lot alike with Portia is Beatrice, from Much Ado about Nothing. Both of these ladies add to the main theme of the plays because of their brains, and smart remarks, as well as being careing. The Women share many qualities as well as differences. Portia seems to Be one of Shakespear’s greatest Characters Because of her great looks and intelligence her high moral seriousness plays a role in her character as well. Portia is known throughout the world because of her amazing qualities. She seems to be able to handle any situation with her wit. In Most of Shakespear’s plays the women are made to be less then the men. In the Fourth act after Portia has saved the life of Antonio, She uses her wit just as Beatrice would she says, â€Å" I see sir, you are liberal in offers. You taught me first to beg...† . Portia is thought of as an angel having no flaws, which you can tell when Bassanio describes her to Antonio and says, â€Å" In Belmont is a lady richly left, and she is fair and fairer the that word, of wonderous virtues. Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth, For the four winds blow in from every coast, renowned suitors , and her sunny locks hang hang on her temples like a golden fleece, which makes her seat of Belmont Colchis’ strond and many Jasons come in quest of her.† Portia is basically the perfect renaissance lady. She is not ambitious, she is restrictive . She is way modest, She does not hold herself above others. Her generosity makes her want to have more wealth, so that she can help out more amongst the people she cares about. Besides saving the life of Antonio, portia is also used to have the theme of deceptive appearances. Throughout the play, Shakespear uses his characters from the play to show the audience or reader that a character cannot be judged by how the appear to the eye, and the person can truley be something different inside. So basically what it is saying is

Of Mice And Men - Symbolism :: essays research papers

The central element of this novella is its symbolism. This novella has plenty of symbolical forms, such as people, creed, and some of the animals. Candy has several terms of symbolism, for example his disability is a symbol of the migrant workers who are just literally forgotten about, they are forgotten when they are no use to the owners. Candy’s dog is a symbol of a life only for advantage to others Lennie also for shadows this, he is belittled of his mind but enormously commented for his strength. Also he is compelled to lie about the fight he had with Curley, this is a symbol of typical male society in the, â€Å"Depression era†. Crook has many symbolical items, his disability is a symbol of his loneliness. He constantly rubs his back with medicine to inoculate to himself, this is a symbol of the pain he intakes. He is extremely lonely. His book of California rights is a symbol of power and knowledge of his rights of freedom. The neatness of his stable is a symbol that he is trying to show that he has got the same things as white people. The farm is a very important symbol in the novella it is important because it is repeated throughout the novella it is reminding the reader of the comforting dream that Lennie and George have created. It is a symbol of brotherly love. The dream in some ways is like the whole â€Å"Depression era† it reminds the reader of freedom and homely pleasure. Curley and Curley’s wife both represent evil both oppress and abuse the migrant workers. Curley especially harasses Lennie because of Lennie’s strength and how enormous he is. This is a symbol of cat and mouse. The horses rattling chains are a symbol of the slavery and lack of freedom. This symbol occurs quite often. The mouse in the novella is soft, small, this is a symbol of innocence. This for shadows Lennie he is venerable. Lennie is a symbol himself in his action towards beguiling soft things. Like when he stroked that ladies dress and she cried out rape it was a symbol of the power a white woman had then. Another example of this is when crooks said to Curley’s wife to go or he would call the boss to Curley’s wife but all she did was black mailed him by saying, â€Å"Listen, Nigger, you know what I can do if you open your trap, I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t funny.

The Prime Instigator of Conflict Is Fear

When we people feel frightened, it is often that the fright itself is the point when conflict is build. It is not wrong if we say that conflict is not only triggered by fear. There are many things that could cause a conflict, but when you think a bit further, these things are caused none other but by fear. Hatred of one person to the other is generally caused by fear that also brings up anger and envy. Fears of the uncertain future and death also provoke conflict. When people is scared of what others might do to them, they will make the first move and strike without realizing or trying to understand them first which caused a misunderstanding that will again root to conflict. A Moslem, sometimes has a false interpretation when trying to understand their religion. They were trying to fulfill their belief needs, and yet their fear of the American society leads them to terrorize U. S and so started the war between them. The same thing could be applied to the protest against the authority. In ‘The Crucible’, Abigail Williams is the one who initiate conflict in Salem, which results in the death of many innocent people who are falsely accused of witchcraft. Abigail started her lies due to save her name in the village that already blackened, and as the story goes on, to save her life as well. With the arrival of Reverend Hale, the simple matter of ‘dancing in the wood’ could no longer be put behind. Abigail has no other choice but to keep lying, a lie that was once only to save her life is now threatening the whole village and people who are initially not involved in it. She does not hesitate on telling lies, and her true motive is now colored with her fear of losing her former lover. This fear is far greater than her conscience, and eventually devours it. Reverend Paris as a minister has a fright on his own that makes him not doing his job rightfully as the enforcement of justice. For the sake of his name, his family and his occupation, he turned his back on people who need justice. The fear of losing greatly consumes his mind that he willing to sacrifice other people rather than losing his pride, similar to what Abigail does. Judge Danforth is also one who is consumed by fear and would not let go of it. He has seen it that Abigail was a fraud, but he could not admit his wrong doing by hanging those innocent people, instead he declares that John Proctor, Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey need to be hanged by the next day to save his name. He is terrified of what people might think and do if they knew the truth that there is no witchcraft. These personal conflict which actually happened in their own mind, become a significant global conflict that involved a lot of people when a person with authority possessed it and take action to save themselves. War and terrorism that happened between Iraq and USA is none other created by one simple thing, fear. The reason that based these extremists on 9/11 tragedy is actually the same reason that is used when US had their attack on Iraq. We first thought that it is only natural that US would come with an attack of revenge, but US knew that Iraq is not the place where the bombing on 9/11 came from. Why do people attack one another? What causes human to kill? The answer is always clear, fear. We would not kill, attack, shoot and blow up other people if we weren’t afraid of them. It is true that conflict is generated from fears. This fear devours all conscience and common sense of human that brings out the inner conflict in ourselves. Nonetheless, conflict is our everyday meal for us human. Without conflict, not to mention fear, there will be no development or revolution in human life. But, it is always good to keep our fear and sense in control not letting fear taking charge in our mind. Democracy which arose from conflict, is also originated from the fear of the false-authority or tyranny. This shows that a controlled fear could brings up social justice and goodness in people.

Differences in Broadcast and Publishing Content Regulation in the US and Japan

Every country has its own set of laws and regulations, depending on how it is applicable to its people. It is usually patterned to suit the needs of the people and the current situations that the country is in. So in comparing two different countries, it is possible to find that one is stricter than the other, or has a broader scope than that of the other country. Comparing the broadcast and publication rules in Japan and the United States of America, it is natural to see significant differences in the implementation and the content of the regulations themselves, since they are being applied to two different countries and different people.Comparatively, the United States of America have stricter rules and regulations when it comes to broadcast and publishing content. Defining these regulations, it pertains to the intervention of the state in issues regarding economic, social or cultural life according to the standards being set in the country. These issues may be induced by political figures, religious intervention, or by the movement of the people regarding a certain concern. This is usually done to regulate the circulation of certain issues which authorities deem to be â€Å"offensive† content or that it is destructive in nature.When it comes to broadcasting, the most basic form of regulation is through acquiring a license to be able to broadcast. This serves as permission, as well as a contract that the broadcaster should abide by the rules and regulations set for the country. With this, they are able to broadcast for a certain period of time they are allowed to do so, and that they are liable to follow the regulations strictly, unless they want to be penalized for not following the guidelines in the country. Japan’s Broadcast Regulations Rules are not that extensive as that of the United States.They have no clear regulation on the contents of the broadcast, rather has concentrated more on the technicalities of broadcasting itself. It doesnâ₠¬â„¢t regulate television shows on its contents as long as it doesn’t violate the rules of broadcast it has laid down. The content of their shows would then depend on the demand of its audiences rather than following a tailored broadcast format. Having the United States in the tighter end, there has been several issue concerning whether them being so strict that it hinders the people’s freedom of the press.Media practitioners said that the basis of these intense broadcast regulations is the assumption that radio and television channels are a scarce resource which needs to be managed and regulated, so that the people will receive the right amount of information that they need (McDowell, 1983). What these media practitioners stress is that we are in a world where there are unlimited sources of information available today. Information is packaged in different forms and can be accessed by anyone.This information are not radio and television-broadcast limited, since they ca n be accessed through the internet, through Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, High Definition Radio models, smart antennas and more. Broadcast is not that scarce, considering that you could access them through a number of choices. In the United States, it is also difficult to acquire a license, which is done in order to censor broadcasting. But because of the abundance of other sources of information, broadcasting through television or radio is gaining lesser and lesser attention from the audience (Bowie, 2007).This is because the broadcast format in the radio and television is so audience-specific and that what they show the people are limited in context. Because of that, people are moving to other means of acquiring information. On the other hand, Japan offers regulations which are less strict, compared to that of the United States. They are more into what the viewers’ want, since they are competing with various information sources which are abundant in Japan. Being a country rich in technolo gy, radio or television is just another option for the people to get information (BookMice.net, 2000). Everyone has a mobile device with them which can access the internet anytime, anywhere in the country. With that, imposing strict rules would mean losing market for both the television and radio broadcast media. Japan has a public broadcasting station, which is the NHK. This public broadcasting station is not influenced by the government or any private organizations that would benefit from it. It is kept alive by the Japanese people themselves, wherein it has sought independence from the government by having a Receiving Fee System.This is where people pay for the station so that it will be kept running without further influences from prominent people and well-known organizations. This is to keep the interests of the people, for the people alone, and not by an individual or group wishing to profit from it. The viewers themselves are required to pay not only to view a specific progra m in the station but for the whole station as well, so that the NHK is assured to continue its existence. Every household in Japan who owns a TV set is required to pay an equal amount in for the NHK to continue its services.But this assures of an unbiased source of information for the people, wherein they wouldn’t worry from censorship imposed by the government or anyone who would want to profit with the information being delivered by the station (Kogawa, 1988). There are also other commercial broadcasters aside from the public broadcasting network, and these commercial networks benefit from advertisements. On the other hand, NHK are not allowed to have any commercials. Publishing content in the United States is also regulated. There are several known fictional children’s stories which have been censored upon entering the shores of the United States.One good example is the Little Red Riding Hood, wherein it has been censored and edited because the original version show s Little Red Riding Hood bringing wine to give to her sick grandmother (CyberCollege. com, 1996). The latest manifestation of censorship in books and publications was in the Harry Potter series. The novel has been the subject of censorship and criticisms since it promotes witchcraft for kids. This, despite the fact that the series has invited a lot of kids to start reading books again, not just relying on television and computers as a source of recreation.On the other hand, Japan is more on the open-minded side, wherein publishers are can put in publications mainly anything they can, unless they violate the laws and regulations that have been set for them. There are several forms of publication in Japan wherein it gives people a lot of choices. They are free to publish and it depends on the people whether they would buy it or not, since it is indicated if the content is not for minor, or that it has graphic situations not for the young audience.When looking up-close at these two cou ntries, we could see that the United States of America have stricter rules and regulations when it comes to publication and broadcasting. This is because of the difference in their audiences and their cultural background. Japan is more open when it comes to informing the people, since it has abundance in technology. But this doesn’t mean that both countries don’t consider their audiences when they put these regulations and restrictions. Because of the difference in their audience, their approaches are also different, thus resulting to various rules and regulations being established.