Barbara Kingsolvers Animal Dreams - 571 Words

The search for self-actualization in Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams Self-actualization is the greatness achieved by someone through his or her full potential. This can be done through one’s creativity, a deeper understanding of the real world and gaining independence. In Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams, The story focuses on the journey of self- actualization with the main character Codi. She was able to connect with peacocks to aid in finding her true self. She was also able to become more confident in herself through the love she receives from a boyfriend. Lastly, through the kidnapping of Codi’s sister, she was able to learn how to become an independent woman. Codi has not found who she is. She’s always considered herself an outsider to everyone who has already been on the path to self- actualization. Through peacocks, Codi was able to have a deeper understanding of why she feels so attached to her hometown even when she’s been travelling all over the world to find a home. She observes the peacocks and how they are a community and even when they venture off, they always come back to one another. When the Stitch and Bitch Club decides to sell peacock pià ±atas in support of clean water, the people decide Codi should be the one to write up a speech to the school about the pià ±atas and what they represent. â€Å"To my shock I was elected, in absentia, to write this epic broadside and get it mimeographed at the school† (Kingsolver 195).† Codi was shocked about the decisionShow MoreRelatedBarbara Kingsolvers Animal Dreams: Alice Essay613 Words   |  3 PagesBarbara Kingsolvers Animal Dreams: Alice She is dead. She does not appear physically but haunts mentally. She is Codi and Hallies mother Alice, the late wife of Homero Noline. Throughout the novel Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver, Alice impacted the characters, action, and theme(s). When Alice passed away she took part of Homer with her. What she left was a misfit of time and circumstance; an emotionally distraught and distant man who attempted to resemble a father but veered moreRead More Self-discovery in Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams Essay774 Words   |  4 PagesSelf-discovery in Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal Dreams Although, on the surface, Animal Dreams is a book about family conflict, the central theme is about self-discovery. Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver is a story about a family who lived in the town of Grace. The history behind Grace is very vivid and descriptive. The family that becomes the readers concern, is the Noline family. The family members are Homero Noline and his daughters Cosima and Halimeda. Cosima or Codi, as she is known inRead More Comparing the Messages of Animal Dreams and The Bean Trees Essay2332 Words   |  10 PagesMessages of Animal Dreams and The Bean Trees       Perhaps The Poisonwood Bible is Barbara Kingsolvers best work. It was while reading this book (which centers around The Congo and what the western world has done to this country) that I began to make the connection that all of Kingsolvers books contain a political and social message. She uses her stance as an author to illuminate her readers to situations and issues that she feels are important. Kingsolvers voice can be heard in Animal DreamsRead MoreProdigal Summer Analysis1721 Words   |  7 PagesBarbra Kingsolver’s novel, Prodigal Summer follows three separate plots as told by three separate women: Lusa, Deanna and Nannie. Through these resilient protagonists, Kingslover attempts to resist and deconstruct western gender roles and challenges historically patriarchal views through the lens of ecofeminism. Because they separate themselves from societal normality they interact with humans and nature differently than most in their respected communities. This rejecti on of patriarchal structures

Studying Moral Philosophy - 732 Words

Every person at least once in his life felt that he has done something wrong or even immoral, and was encouraged to change his behavior. Even as a child many of us were constantly told: â€Å"Think about your behavior!† This reminder helps realize that one of the most powerful determinants of human behavior stems from our need to justify our actions. This feeling of discomfort caused by performing a certain action is called cognitive dissonance. However, sometimes justification of our actions, caused by cognitive dissonance, leads to the thought: â€Å"Who decided what is right or wrong?† or in other words: â€Å"What and where is the perfect example of living a moral life?† Studying moral philosophy shows us that people hold different worldviews that contain different models of moral justification. Based on the analysis of two philosophies, naturalism and theism, this paper argues that theism provides a better framework for making sense of morality and living a moral live, because it has more explanatory power regarding the notion of free will that people have. Naturalism mainly is though as a type of scientism, which implies that only things recognized by scientists as real are real. Although, there are many naturalists who hold this particular view, it is not the necessary feature of naturalism. Basically, naturalism can be divided into two components: metaphysical and methodological. The first one is often referred as ‘philosophical naturalism’ and it is the one covered in thisShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Your Philosophy?1015 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is your philosophy? First let us define and understand what philosophy means. Philosophy is a basic concept examined through using specific spheres of knowledge. The concepts as examined are reality, existence, truth, freedom, and causality. Philosophy is broken down into many areas of interest. We will explore them with defining each, providing a description for approaches to philosophical questions as well as explaining how philosophy and culture interaction in terms of developmentRead MoreHuman Nature Vs. Moral Logic Essay1140 Words   |  5 Pagesand resources to care for their loved ones. It’s only when societal beliefs interfere with moral logic does one not care for their family members, justifying their reasoning with something like, â€Å"I don’t have enough time to get my mom her medication. I have to go to work.† To Zhu Xi, humans contain a basic understanding of the â€Å"principles† or â€Å"patterns† of human nature. In that, they possess ethical/moral principles that are naturally ingrained in them. Humans are morally good since they containRead MoreDeontology : A Sound Ethical Theory1312 Words   |  6 Pagesacrmonious and challenging matter. Cultures and societies all over the world have different ideas on what should be considered morally right and what is morally wrong. With certain bias towards right and wrong based on culture and/or upbringing, studying and fully understanding each theory with an open mind can be quite difficult. Grasping each idea and making a choice as to which theory to adopt is also a difficult matter. Most people will not choose to follow only one theory, but will adopt a moderatelyRead MoreThe Moral Aspects Of Utilitarianism1619 Words   |  7 PagesWilliams greatly influenced philosophical ethics through several studies on the moral aspects of Utilitarianism. His complex thinking and theories, along with his unique approach, gave him a great amount of recognition towards other theorists in his field. He expressed the majority of his beliefs through his writings in which he stressed his critiques of Utilitarianism and Kantianism and emphasized the importance of moral rational. His study of both external and internal reasoning helped Williams toRead MoreThe Theory Of Cultural Moral Relativism1627 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Atefi Professor Walker Phil-1020 29 September 2015 First Exam 1.) The theory of cultural moral relativism is based on the beliefs that it is arrogant to judge the moral codes of other cultures and that people should be tolerant towards the practices of other cultures (Rachels 19). By holding these beliefs, the theory implies that all cultures are equal and should be treated as such. Cultural moral relativism is also based on the idea that there is no universal truth in ethics (Rachels 18). IfRead MoreMr.Jlgibson1096 Words   |  5 Pages 09Sept14 To: Intro to Philosophy. Essay 1 What am I doing in this class? And how if at all. Do I think studying philosophy might benefit me. An introduction to Western Philosophy by Donald Palmer. I will attempt to answer three basic questions with this essay. What is Philosophy, What are the origins of Philosophy and why am I studying Philosophy today. Therefore my main reason for studying philosophy is to expand my knowledge and liveRead MoreThink Philosophically1283 Words   |  6 Pagesvaluable aspects in our lives. We don t only provide our mind with education, but from other s experiences and our beliefs as well. The examples of philosophy based on my convictions, beliefs are: who created this universe, why does gravitational laws exists, and why is there no treatment for schizophrenia? I think what Russel clarifies in his philosophy is that we can t justify a belief without logical reasoning, therefore we have to discover the roots and the reasons by combining science, with otherRead MorePhilosophy in the Lion King Essay954 Words   |  4 PagesKat Koster Mr. Hoskins Apologetics 12-9-12 The Philosophy of The Lion King The Lion King is a classic movie, beloved by many. On the surface, this movie seems to be a light-hearted, carefree tale of a lion cub’s journey to justice. However, on taking a deeper look, one finds that the tale consists of conflicting worldviews and philosophies, while presenting the idea of destiny. But which religions and philosophies is it portraying? Let us take a closer look. Some would argue that ChristianityRead MoreThe Impact Of Philosophy Of Education On The Changing Nature Of Philosophy Essay1587 Words   |  7 PagesIMPACT OF HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION ON THE CHANGING NATURE OF PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION Philosophy of education is nothing to do with the various parts or streams of education it seems to deal with the sociological and evolutionary and historical base of education. Its ‘what ought to be’ not what should happen or the result of what has already taking place or happened in the field of education. It analysis the various themes related to education like the teacher centred approach, indoctrinationRead MoreEssay on The Benefits of a Liberal Arts Degree556 Words   |  3 PagesLiberal Arts are academic subjects such as literature, philosophy, mathematics, and social and physical sciences as distinct from professional and technical subjects. This approach to education provides students with specialized ability in a chosen major as well as builds a foundation of skills and knowledge that can be applied among many career paths and academic pursuits. Employers value the ability to solve problems, adapt to change, work across disciplines, and collaborate with others , which

Difference Between Feminist And Social Contract Theory

There are so many similarities as well as difference between Feminist Care Ethics and Rawlsian Social contract Theory. Before we compare and contrast two theories with each other, first we need to understand what exactly the philosophical theories of Feminist Ethics and Rawlsian Social Contract Theories are. These two theories both try to solve the issues of equally and justice in similar yet different ways. In one of John Rawls writings, A Theory of Justice, discusses the theory of Social Contract Theory. In his writing, he believes that is the best approach to have justice in society is to have all the following concepts: The Original Position, Veil of Ignorance and two Principles of Justice. All the ideas that he comes up were inspired from Immanuel Kant’s Universal Moral Law. John Rawls believes we have the ability to reason from a universal perspective. Under this idea, people can look at a situation from an impartial viewpoint to make moral judgements. The idea of Origin al Position, can only be used in hypothetical experiment. Original positions prevents us from having any knowledge about themselves. This prevents us from knowing what our place in society, social class, position, social status, natural assets, intelligence, strength etc. Essentially this concept is to block us from coming up with ideas that will affect the ideas of justice. In this way we would create fair laws that would not benefit or against toward certain age, sex, race or social statues etc. IfShow MoreRelatedWeaknesses Of Social Contract Theory928 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Contract theory is the idea that in the beginning people lived in the state of nature with no government and laws to regulate them. In order to overcome the issues involved in the state of nature, people entered into agreements to protect themselves and their properties. They did this by uniting, rescinding certain rights under the state of nature, and pledging themselves to an authority that will guaran tee certain protections. They all agree to live together under those laws and create aRead MoreFeminist Theory1248 Words   |  5 Pagesprotection for women, and or womens liberation. It includes some of the sociological theories and philosophies concerned with issues of gender difference. Nancy Cott defines feminism as the belief in the importance of gender equality, invalidating the idea of gender hierarchy as a socially constructed concept. Feminism has earned itself a bad reputation, but it never undermined gender differences that exist between males and females. A man can never be as good a mother as a female can. SimilarlyRead More Pateman On Locke Essays1259 Words   |  6 Pages For years social contract theorists had monopolized the explanation of modern society. John Locke was among those who advocated this theory of a collectively chosen set of circumstances. Carole Pateman, on the other hand rejects many of the pillars of the social contract and specifically attacks certain aspects of Lockes argument regarding paternalism and patriarchy. Pateman defends her idea that the individual about which Locke writes is masculine, instead of the gender-encompassing form of theRead MoreEssay about The Criticism of Social Contract Theories1232 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Tatum Schneidmiller Justice Theory Assignment #1 Ward Churchills criticism of social contract theory clearly applies to classic social contract theories that we discussed.   However, Rawls adds the veil of ignorance concept to his more modern social contract theory.   A) Explain the basics of Rawls and Churchills arguments and how they each criticize classic social contract theories.   B) Discuss whether or not Churchills argument applies to Rawls modification and explain how and why it doesRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Theories Of International Politics And Zombies 1419 Words   |  6 PagesAnalysis In Daniel W. Drezner’s book, Theories of International Politics and Zombies, Drezner explores the theoretical impact a zombie apocalypse would have on international relations. In his exploration of ideas, Drezner analyzes the approaches of different types of feminism disciplines to a zombie apocalypse. The two feminist ideas he explores are liberal feminism and post structuralist feminism. Drezner however, ignores the idea of a radical feminist approach in a critical time such as a zombieRead MoreThe Need For More Justice By John Locke1608 Words   |  7 Pagescome together to bind individuals and establish the social contract tradition. However, the way in which individuals decide on a form of government and its goals, is heavily reliant on specific conceptions of the human person. Annette Baier, a known â€Å"care ethics† political philosopher, fundamentally aligns herself with notions of care ethics and consent in her piece â€Å"The Need for More Justice,† yet departs from Locke and critiques the social contract tradition when it comes to conceptions of the humanRead MoreOrthodox Sociological Understandings of Work, Employment and Professions1572 Words   |  7 Pagesthe work of white males and on paid employment. But since the Second World War there has been a gradual increase of women entering the labour market thus creating an interest in the work carried out by women. There has also been a great feminist interest in the sociology of work, employment and the professions and this has both challenged and increased traditional understandings of work. Classical approaches to work almost ignore gender in their explanations or at leastRead MoreTheoretical Perspectives Used By Sociologists925 Words   |  4 Pagesfunctionalism, social conflict, and feminist. Actions of the family members in Family Dinner Date video can be explained by each of these theories. According to the symbolic interaction theory, people behave and communicate in a particular group in a proper way, the way that is suitable for that group. Moreover, they do not only communicate and act in response to the environment, but play an important role in a process of creating and changing their own environments and their own groups. Based on social communicationRead MoreFeminist Geography1667 Words   |  7 PagesFeminist Geography Since its conception, geography has been involved in the development of races and genders, mapping the boundaries that separate and exclude the world of privilege from the other. The imposing eyes that facilitated this domination have recently been challenged to quash their perpetuation of racial difference, and although existing more obscurely, to challenge the sexist legacy remaining in geography. â€Å"As part of geography, feminist approaches within ourRead More Feminism Essay1662 Words   |  7 Pagesand establish their status as equal citizens. The British social order came a long way from 1890s when women in Britain were legally restricted to the point they could not enter a contract, own property or have parental rights; unmarried women were challenged by society and pressured in to marriage (British History Oxford, 2007).The women’s rights and suffrage movements in the period between 1832 and 1918, which is known as ‘The first feminist wave’, aimed to challenge the idea of women being the inferior

Us Iran Relations Free Essays

string(230) " that the development of US interest in the whole situation is due to the fact that it was being flawed, selfish, competitive and ambitious due to its own goals, rather to solve the dispute for the betterment of Iran and Britain\." US-Iran Relations Acknowledgements I would like to thank my teacher, Ms. Mashal Shabbir. The supervision and support that she gave truly helped me in this project. We will write a custom essay sample on Us Iran Relations or any similar topic only for you Order Now Her cooperation is thus appreciated. Abstract This report explains the US-Iran relationships, how they changed over the period of time and what the main reasons for that change were. I tried to analyze these reasons according to the International Relations theories as well as my own opinion. The report includes the information mainly from 1940 to date. Discussion In the last days before the culmination of Iranian revolution the electricity workers in Tehran would turn off the lights each evening and then from the rooftops came the chant â€Å"God is Great† with another chant, â€Å"death to America† however with a much contradicting tone† (Cottom, 1988). These words themselves explain the intensity which lies in the US- Iran relationships since the Iranian revolution. European intrusion in Iran has been a prolonged one with immense prominence. Trade was one of the most significant reasons. Iran’s geographical position made it the central attention for the European traders, as the land route which joined the western and eastern worlds crossed Iran. Moreover, as Cottom explains in his book that the only presence of the Europeans in Iran was â€Å"a matter of national prestige†. That is this prestige not only advanced Europeans economically but politically too. US initially was viewed as a caring western country, who was not only sincere but also advocated human rights of freedom, moreover encouraged courage, independence as well as dignity for the people of Iran. Before 1940’s it had no economic interest in Iran plus only a minute aid was granted to Iran during the event of Soviet invasion in Iran, however this minute interest which US had in Iran was not long lived. Iran, blessed with one of the most precious reserves of oil attracted the western world immensely. With increasing industrialization especially in Britain as well as America oil was becoming one of the main ingredients of their success. The British government purchased a large amount of Anglo-Persian Oil Company’s (APOC) stock during the First World War. This oil company was a predecessor of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC). By the time of Iranian oil crisis almost half of APOC’s stock was in the hands of Britain. Iranians on the other hand were kept away from the high ranking positions in the oil company. Moreover neither did the royalty payments satisfied the Iranian government nor did the high levels of confidentiality which prevailed in the major decision making contended them, giving birth to a situation which benefited neither of the two parties. Thus during 1951-1953 Iran strived to gain power over its oil industry which gave hype to the sense of nationalism in Iranians. The leaders in Iran provided the stance that out of the ? 250 million of profits which AIOC made in the late 1940’s their royalty payments only counted for one third of the total amount that is ? 90 million (Mary Ann Heiss). On the part of British Empire â€Å"oil† had become an evil necessity not only economically but also to sustain its political position as â€Å"a great power† in the World. Thus this nationalization not only threatened its position in the Middle East but also could have blown its largest investment abroad. Iranians on the contrary were keen to achieve independence nationally and politically. Although they were well aware of the fact that this may lead to serious economic adversity in Iran, they wanted the British dominance abolished to be treated as a sovereign nation. Therefore Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq stressed upon full control over Iran’s internal and financial affairs. The increasing tension between Britain and Iran and the wavering issues led the United States (US) jump in the situation. For US however the main goal was not the interests of either party that is Iran or Britain but it had its own underlying concern. Thus this can be said that this was the first time that US was seriously involved in the internal affairs of Iran, marking the beginning of their relationship. The nationalism which the Iranian governments were emphasizing upon was very closely related to communism, in a sense that it could have given rise to autocracy, which at that time was not at all acceptable to US. As this movement by the Iranians could have led to open paths for the Soviet Union to the oil fields of Middle East, America did not want to jeopardize its position along with its power. Moreover this oss of oil industry would have led to serious economic setbacks in US. In her paper, â€Å"The United States and Great Britain Navigate the Anglo-Iranian Oil crisis† the author Mary Ann Hiess explains the US-Iran relations in three phases during the oil crisis. The first phase named â€Å"benevolent neutrality† lasted almost from 1950 till the mid of 1951. The US officials acted as responsible negotiators and reconciled with the idea of nationalization as well as also recognized the rights of the contract of AIOC. Escorting to the second phase which is known as’ â€Å"Era of Anglo-American Partnership†. This phase propagated accelerating ideological and policy empathy mainly between Washington and London. The third phase however was that of US interest, that is US was somewhat getting successful in its goals, termed as the era of US domination this phase highlights Eisenhower ‘s (president of US 1953) negotiations which led to the formation of international association that replaced AIOC with the nation’s own oil industry in 1954. Now that the US domination prevailed in Iran, the American officials along with the British bureaucrats decided to overthrow Mossadeq for harming Iran’s stability. Therefore mainly Britain decided to pursue an operation commonly known as the Coup. However the Coup ultimately turned to operation AJAX which was organized and financed by US. According to International relations theories America in this particular situation acted quite like the classical realists. As it is obvious that the development of US interest in the whole situation is due to the fact that it was being flawed, selfish, competitive and ambitious due to its own goals, rather to solve the dispute for the betterment of Iran and Britain. You read "Us Iran Relations" in category "Papers" The coup which occurred in august 19th 1953, basically aimed at overthrowing the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq to remove the dictatorship from Iran and pursue democracy. Mark J. Gasiorowski in his article, â€Å"The 1953 Coup D’etat in Iran† gives the account of the takeover. While US and the British officials were already considering overthrowing mossadeq from power, the situation in Iran was not a favourable as well. Many opponents of mossadeq had already started to take actions against him. Anti-mossadeq mobs were arranged to kill him. Iran already was facing huge economic turmoil now had to face political unrest as well. Looking at the situation the new American government of Eisenhower also began to consider the operation and finally decided to organise and aid the coup along with Britain. Mossadeq already was facing hostility from the citizens of Iran therefore it made even easier for US to propagate masses against him. With the help of BEDAMN-a political action- uprising was arranged along with continued disputes. Government offices, buildings of pro-mossadeq newspapers were attacked. Air force general along with the forces attacked mossadeq’s house killing around three hundred people. The very next day mossadeq surrendered to Zahedi, marking the end of the coup. This revolution undoubtedly had a long and deep affect on the US-Iran relationships. The question which arises here is that, was America’s interest in Iran’s internal affairs genuine? Well America as I discussed above is a realist approach led country which ranks its own personal interest on the top. Then being sincere towards Iran itself becomes a futile question. Most of the studies highlight that the main aim US had out of this coup was to get significant share in the oil industry. Moreover this can be proven accurate to some extent by if we notice the fact that immediately after coming into power Zahedi government granted almost 40% of the total oil industry’s share to American oil companies (Gasiorowski, 1987). However a contradicting fact that most of the American oil producing countries were not interested in the share basically due to nimiety of oil in the world market- mainly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait- proves that this might not be the sole or the most imperative reason. Another perspective of the situation is the American fear of communist takeover. At the time of coup Cold war between Soviet Union and US was at its peak and of course America being governing in nature would not allow soviet’s expansion to become a threat to US dominance, power and sovereignty. Although this coup proved beneficial for Iran, as it gave birth to democracy but the fact that this triumph was not experienced solely on the basis of internal struggle. In reality Iran was made a subject of constant US intervention, thus somewhat abusing its decision making ability. After the coup Mohammad Raza Pahlavi was reinstated as the Shah of Iran. Many authors state Pahlavi was long supported by the US government, although they were aware of the malpractices and the corruption which prevailed in his regime. The shah was forced to flee out of Iran when widespread unrest originated on the part of civilians and a new, more religious leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was granted the power. However this offense motivated the Iranian students to take revenge from the US. On November 4th 979, the Iranian students drizzled into the US embassy situated in Tehran and took almost 52 American officials as hostages on the demand that the shah who fled away should come back to Iran for trial of the crimes he committed against Iranians. The situation lasted for about 444 days as the US administration driven by Jimmy Carter was doomed by the failed attempts in 1980. However the hostages were released on the day Ronald Reagan was sworn as the new US president on January 20th 1981. This incident however changed the diplomatic, economic and political landscape between Iran and US for the years to come. By capturing hostages Iranians proved their anger against American’s negligence over Iranians as well as the power which they could use against US to advance their welfare. Another episode of varying US-Iran relations begun in 1986,when Iran secretly asked US for help while it was at war with Iraq. Iran requested US to sell weapons, however Reagan wanted Iran to release seven of the US hostages which Iranian terrorists held. This however did not remain confidential for long, instead soon people discovered this Iran-Contra. US emphasized that this was an arms for hostages deal as well as tried to stress upon the fact that it will improve US-Iran relations. This improvement in the relationships of the two countries was not long lived as in 1988 the tragic incident of Iran’s airplane shot down shrunken the trust between US and Iran. On the morning of July 3rd 1988, commercial flight operated by Iran Air took off for Tehran-Bandar Abbas-Dubai route however it was its bad luck that it never reached Dubai. At the same time another plane or more generally a Missile cruiser of US navy known as the US Vincennes would pass over this commercial flight. The US Vincennes was at the Persian Gulf during the Iraq-Iran war. Vincennes saw another airplane flying towards the Persian Gulf however it thought that it identified it as a possible Iranian F-16 issuing various warnings and civil distress frequencies which of course never reaches the Iran Air. Thus after waiting for a bit the commander of Vincennes Captain Rogers ordered to fire two missiles at it. The Airbus was hit and soon it tumbled into flames killing around 290 innocent people in the flight. After the tragic incident the deterioration of the relations deepened as no severe action was taken against Captain Roger’s folly decision. Moreover it was just named a â€Å"mistake† by Pentagon. George W. Bush, vice president of US at that time declared a bold remark in Newsweek, â€Å"I will never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don’t care what the facts are. † Thus this boldness highlights the rigidity that prevailed in American’s attitude. 1990’s a new decade, was begun with another policy implementation by the US. â€Å"dual containment† as it was known was a policy set up by Americans to isolate Iran and Iraq both economically and militarily mainly to achieve its own regional ambitions. US did not want any other countries to be in power and with the increasing influence of both Iran and Iraq; it saw its own position jeopardizing. US banned all trade, financial loans and services with Iran as it thought that the regime in Iran promoted terrorism and assassinations throughout the world. The beginning of a new millennium also marked a beginning of new tensions between the countries. US alleged Iran for expanding its nuclear activities and developing missile-related technology. It was threatening to the survival of US. Thus Iran was termed as the â€Å"axis of evil† by George W. Bush who by then was the president of US as according to them it enhanced terrorism. Ambitious in developing its nuclear base Iran continued to seek help from Russia and China despite US discontent. Throughout early 2000’s UN inspected Iran’s nuclear facilities. The reports said that there was no evidence of Iran producing atomic bomb but US considered it, â€Å"impossible to believe†. US kept on forcing Iran to suspend any of its nuclear progressions however Iran acted very firmly as proved by president Katami’s statement that its country will never give up its nuclear project and stressed its peaceful usage. The relations kept on becoming hostile, although America provided Iran with a humanitarian aid in 2003 because of the earthquake, it emphasized that this does not mark any thaw in their relationships. Throughout 2005 Iran’s nuclear program and uranium dispute remained a problem for US. For Americans it was of immense importance that Iran withdraws it activities as US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice explained , â€Å"US faces no greater challenge than Iran’s nuclear program†( BBC NEWS). However the new, more conservative president of Iran Ahmadinejad clearly stated that Iran has the right for peaceful progression of the nuclear project along with its announcement of successful enrichment of uranium. This prompted US to take strong steps against Iran. As for analysis purposes this can be considered that US and Iran were on a kind of cold war from the beginning of 2000. US major discontent was Iran’s nuclear program after all it was the prime threat to US continued existence. And for this reason US several times along with UN tried to impose sanctions over it. When nothing helped, President Bush accused Iran with Al-Qaeda. Thus stating that extremism prevailing in Iran could lead to adverse effects if nuclear program is continued. This brought huge military confrontation from Iran. Tensions prevailed as both countries accused one another either for spying or encouraging terrorism. To date the most destructive problem which prevails between the two countries is the Iran’s nuclear program. Several discussions have been held between the new presidents that is Barrack Obama and Ahmadinejad but no intelligent conclusion has been reached. This can be concluded that US interests had been objective in terms of truly helping Iran. US initially got interested in Iran due to the fact that it did not want Soviet Union to get advantage over the Iranian Oil industries. It wanted to achieve its own regional advantages over the most fertile country in the Middle East. However when Iran began to retaliate against US it posed great threat to their survival. The most significant example of this is the current tensions because of nuclear progression in Iran. Thus it can be concluded that US who undoubtedly follow the realists’ paradigm proved to be quite selfish when it came to their sovereignty. They made use of the dominance principal on several occasions as it did not want any other country to become a greater power. Iran on the other hand acted differently. It was basically on the leaders of Iran which determined its behavior towards America. Those who were pro American acted exactly as America wanted them too for example Zahedi, Pahlavi. Others contradicted its policies and behaviour. They acted the way they thought was better for Iran, moreover stood strong in front of America for their rights such as Khomeini, Ahmadinejad. Thus the relations varied and contoured during different phases of US-Iran history. References about. com. (n. d. ). The Iran-Contra Affair. Retrieved from http://usforeignpolicy. about. com: http://usforeignpolicy. about. com/gi/o. htm? zi=1/XJamp;zTi=1amp;sdn=usforeignpolicyamp;cdn=newsissuesamp;tm=7117amp;f=11amp;tt=2amp;bt=1amp;bts=1amp;zu=http%3A//www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/reagan/peopleevents/pande08. html Anthony Cordesman, S. F. (n. d. ). DUAL CONTAINMENT: SLOGAN OR POLICY? Bernard Gwertzman, C. E. (2012, March 6). Crisis-Managing How to cite Us Iran Relations, Papers

World Cast System

Question: What do you understand as world cast system? what the lecturer want is that you will mention the world cast system and the concentrate on two country most affected country which is India cast system and Nigeria cast system? Answer: Purpose: The purpose of this essay is to examine the cast system prevalent in the world. For this purpose, particularly the task system prevalent in Nigeria and India has been examined. This essay also reveals some of the areas in these two countries and in the world where the cast system is commonly practiced. The Osu cast system which is a part of the culture and tradition of Nigeria has also been discussed and at the same time how it has resulted in a form of 'apartheid'. It has also been explored how the cast system encourages segregation between different groups of the society and also the way in which it creates a threat to the democratic principle of freedom of association. The Caste system in India is historically one of the main dimensions as a result of which the people in India have been socially differentiated. Although differentiation on basis of Caste or on other basis like class, religion, gender and language is present in all human societies, differentiation becomes a problem when these dimensions overlap with each other and in this way, become the basis of systematic ranking and the unequal access to resources like power, wealth, prestige and income. In the same way, the caste system in India is also considered as a closed system of stratification as a result of which, the social status of a person is based on the caste in which such a person was born into. This also results in placing limitations on the interaction and behavior with people who have a different social status. The history of caste system in India is related with one of the main religions of India, Hinduism although it has been impacted by the Buddhist revolution and some change s were also introduced under the British rule. Introduction: The social inequality that is present between different people can be found throughout the world. However the nature as well as the dimension of this inequality has several different patterns. There are certain social inequalities are induced naturally and at the same time there are certain others that are created artificially and in the same way, some inequalities have been designed and insulated as a result of traditions. For example in pluralistic cultures of India and Nigeria, although inter-caste marriages are promoted so that unity and cordiality can be fostered in the society. But the caste system that is present between different castes has not followed this order. In the present research paper, the focus is on the cast system in the world and particularly the examples of Nigeria and India have been selected to slow this issue in a better way. In this study, an attempt has been made to explore the origin, nature and the gravity of social deprivation that has to be faced by th e Osu of Nigerian Igbo stock and the Indian dalits even though several laws have been enacted to deal with this issue and at the same time there is a UN declaration that guarantees equal protection to all the citizens and prohibits any discrimination among the people of different castes. It also needs to be noted that almost all these groups have to face similar victimization experiences of torture and deprivation and in many cases, these groups are also deprived of the social privileges. In this way, they are considered as second-rate citizens even in their homeland. Therefore in this study, an attempt has been made to analyze the cast system in the world and particularly the cost system in Nigeria and India has been explored the WTO reveal how the culture and tradition plays a role in creating a unique social bondage that is known as cast and in many cases which also results in humiliation, violence and physical assault for these groups. First of all, it needs to be noted that cast system is not a phenomenon that is restricted to some particular parts of the world. Several different behavioral and social cultural studies that have been conducted in different regions of the world have clearly indicated that cast system can be found in almost all parts of the world. However, the nature and dimensions of our system may adopt different types of items in different parts of the world. Some of these social inequalities are induced naturally and at the same time there are certain others that are created by tradition. The caste system in India is still prevalent in the society, although to a lesser extent as is the case with most of the other South Asian countries. At the same time, it also needs to be noted that the cast system has been outlawed by most of these countries, including India. Basically the cost system divides the people into various social classes. For example, in India there are the Brahmins or the highest class who are the priests and teachers, the Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and the Sudras. There are also the Dalits or the Harijans who are the Untouchables. While in the beginning, during ancient times, the caste system was developed with a view to ensure that the society may work harmoniously. However eventually, mainly as a result of corruption, it became a system full of prejudice and discrimination. Colonialism also played a role in this process and the modern-day caste system was significantly impacted by it. Therefore it is considered that the society in India was highly divided int o different communal groups. With a view to make sense of these groups, first of all the caste identities were suggested by the Portuguese. This idea was later on expended by the British so that they may promote order in the Indian society. At this point, it also needs to be mentioned that the cast system had played a significant role in the poverty that is prevalent in India. There are certain special provisions incorporated in the Constitution of India that are related with Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes and Other Backward Classes. For example, Article 15 of the Constitution provides for the prohibition of any kind of discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, caste or place of birth. In the same way, article 16 ensures the equality of opportunity in matters that are related with public employment. Another significant provision present in the Constitution of India is Article 17 that prescribes the abolition of untouchability. In the same way, Article 46 of the Constitution provides that the state should promote educational and economic interests of the Schedule Castes and Tribes. Some of the other provisions that are present in the Constitution include Article 330 that provides for reservation of seats for the Schedule Castes and Tribes and Article 335 that deals with the claim of Schedule Castes and Tribes to services and posts. Cast system the Dalits in India and Igbo people in Nigeria: Igbo comprise one out of the 3 leading ethnic groups that are present in Nigeria. Mainly the Igbo are settled in the southeastern and the South central parts of Nigeria. As is the case with numerous others, the starting point of Igbo people in Nigeria are also not clear and it is further accepted by traditions. According to one tradition, it has been suggested that the early inhabitants of Igbo came from the area lying near the Niger confluence. But this suggestion does not match the archaeological evidence and interpretation according to which it is estimated that human beings have been living in Igbo for nearly 5000 years. According to the tradition of the Umeri clan, it has been claimed that both the Igbo and the Igala by the descendants of a very ancient community in Anabra Valley. This tradition further suggests that while the Igala went one way, the Aguku went another way. In the same way, Amanuke, Nteje and Igbariam went their own separate ways. It is said that this federation took place so long ago that now the languages of Igbo and Igala are no longer intelligible. As a result of these opinions, it has been remarked by the experts that unless a person is ready to participate tribal myths of the ostensible common historic origin with the significance provided by precise facts, one h as to consider the Common sense identity of the Igbo that has been expressed in a common name and also in the linguistic characteristics (despite the presence of local variations) on more solid based interior in order to establish the intractability of Igbo civilization as compared to the dubious and suspect there will aristocratic fiction of racial emergence. However, for the purpose of the present study, the incongruity of its origin is not of much consequence. On the basis of the available archaeological evidence, it can be said that at least some type of civilization was present in the Igbo lands as early as the ninth century. This belief is based on the archaeological findings made in the Igbo-Ukwu. At this point, it also needs to be stressed upon that has there are no written accounts present in Africa prior to the arrival of the Arabs and afterward the Europeans, the history of Africans was mainly based on oral sources. Therefore, there is also a lack of written records regarding the issue of Nigeria cast system, specifically related with the Igbo. Traditionally the Osu cast system prevalent in Igbo land can be traced back to ancient times. The thrust and exercise of this caste system was founded on custom. According to one version, it is claimed that certain influential deities generated the need for assisting the high priest of the major shrines and for this purpose, monasteries were established near the major shrines. In these monasteries, training was provided and a constant supply of assistance was ensured. On the basis of the assumption that these ladies were very powerful, they have to be attended at all times, and intricate religious rituals have to be followed in the shrines of these deities. The result was that after becoming masters of the spiritual functions, the indigenous monks were unjustly given the Igbo harsh name of Osu. According to another description, it is contended that people became OSU after their community, village or town lost what with the neighbors. In this regard it is claimed that in order to placate the conquerors, the losing community or town had to give some of their content in so that the gods can be appeased as they lived in the shrine of the deity and in this way they become OSU. In the same way, according to another source, the origin of OSU cast system can be traced to the practice in which human sacrifices were offered to Gods or deities. In case of this view, it has been argued that the people who were presented as sacrifice were not killed sometimes either to put an end to a trail of tragic occurrences or to appease the gods for a long that may have been committed by them. In this way, some of these persons lived and died in the shrine of these gods or deities. In this way, the above mentioned accounts are related with the origin of the OSU cast system in this land as their descendants belonged to the gods along with the property of the shrines belonging to major deities. In this way, practically they avoided daily involvement with the other members of the community. As they were considered as the agents of the gods, they had to remain detached from the other members of the community. In this way, as a result of prevalence or fear, the community is also followed strict rules related with the interaction that they had with the Osus, probably for the fear of the influential gods under which they flourished and for whom they perform their religious duties. At this point it also needs to be mentioned that before the arrival of Europeans and Christianity, the discrimination relationship that was present between OSU and Diala (who were considered to be free born) was considered as quite natural. While the Osus went on with their lives by serving the deities in the community and in return they were provided with sufficient livelihood achieved from the offering that were gradually pouring in the shrines of the gods that are attended by them. But a process of social charge was initiated after the Europeans appeared on the scene. The reason was that several customs of the Igbo society where termed as barbaric. Some Igbo states were involved in communal wars in the past for procuring slaves. In the same way, human sacrifices were common in the Stone Age era and generally slaves were used to be sacrificed. For example, after their death, the Ugbo Ukwo rulers were buried along with a number of slaves as a sacrifice. But the trans-Atlantic trade of slaves had also added in the occurrence of inter-clan conflicts. The result was that bordering societies were attacking each other for procuring slaves and other bounties. Generally the small communities that have fewer resources of defense had to take refuge in the nearby shines so that they can save themselves when they were attacked by powerful enemies. However when the priests of the deity had granted protection to these people, they were automatically converted as Osus. Another significant point that needs to be mentioned here is that originally the Osus were treated with respect and honor as that belong to the gods. But unfortunately this resulted in social ostracism. As their number increased, the social stature of the Osus deteriorated considerably to the extent that since the 20th century, they became outcast, ridiculed and abhorred. Dalits in India: As is the case with the Osus in Nigeria, in the cast model of India, the Dalits are at the lowest end of the structural stratification. The cart system has been present in India for more than two thousand five hundred years. In India the task system is based on social groups or casts that are known as 'Varnas' that are ranked from superior to inferior. The uppermost and as a result the most superior class is called the Brahmin. This class comprises the priests and the scholars. It also epitomizes sanctity, holiness and purity. The Brahmins are considered to be the advocates of learning, wisdom and truth. Therefore the most important religious functions and issues had to be dealt with by the Brahmins only. The next cast in this hierarchy is that of the 'Kshatrias'. The next two ranks are that of the 'Vaishyas' and the 'Shudras'. While the Kshatriyas are the traditional owners of land, the Vaishs have a monopoly over the trade and there are also skilled artisans. The Shudras were the c ommon laborers. In this hierarchy, last came the 'Harijans'. This was the group that was considered as outcasts. They were also treated as unclean, impure and untouchables. This is the category that typifies the Dalit tribes who were segregated from the rest of the society and they have to perform the degrading jobs like sweeping and scavenging. This group was denied interaction with other social groups and they lived in the quarters that were isolated from the other groups. The result was that generally they have to live in the remotest areas of the community. Although the practice of untouchability has been abolished by the Constitution in 1950, it can still be found in many parts of rural India. While the Dalits constitute more than 1/6 of the population of India, they still have to face social ostracization. The Dalits are not allowed to enter into the parts of the village that are occupied by the members of the higher castes. In the same way, they are not allowed to draw water from the same wells or to visit the same temples. In many cases, the Dalits children are made to sit at the back of the class. In this way, there is a 'hidden apartheid' still going on although it has been made unlawful in India. The practice of untouchability is further reinforced when the resources and facilities are allocated by the state. For example, separate facilities are provided in case of various neighborhoods on the basis of caste. Generally the Dalits get the poorer of the two. There are still some villages where amenities like electricity, water supp ly and the sanitation facilities have been provided in the hearts of the village that had inherited by the members of the other cast while the Dalit neighborhoods have been ignored. In the same way, there is a segregation of basic amenities like wells or water taps. However as expected, the caste system prevalent in India also finds corollaries in countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. For example in case of the Dalits of Nepal, at least 8 main caste groups are present that are further divided into 25 sub castes. According to an estimate by some NGOs, the Dalit population has been estimated at 21% of the total population of the country. Although the number is quite high but still they have to face victimization as a result of the caste. Similarly in Sri Lanka, the majority community, there are the Rodiyas among the Sinhalas who were historically excluded from villages and communities and as a result they were forced into begging and scavenging. In the same way, there is caste specific attire that had to be worn by Rodiya. Similar they were not allowed schools and public facilities. They could not share the glasses at local tea shops and had to drink from disposable coconut shells. Even their gravesites were segregated. Recommendations/Suggestions: On the basis of the above mentioned discussion, there are certain recommendations that can be made to deal with the prejudice and discrimination that is caused by the practice of cost system in the society. However the search for answers to these problems should continue. For example the solutions that can be used to deal with the caste system in India need to concentrate on bringing a change in the social structure and in the personal structure. A change in the social structure can be introduced with the help of law, a similar change can be introduced in personal structure with the help of education. Law: Law can play an important role in bringing the change in this regard. Therefore by introducing appropriate legislations, the discrimination that is caused by the caste system can be significantly reduced if not completely eradicated. In this regard, it also needs to be noted that there is a significant gap present between the law and its implementation. Therefore if these laws are not enforced in left there in spirit, they cannot prove to be effective in dealing with this problem. Education: In the same way, education can also play an important role in dealing with the problems caused by the caste system. Education helps in reducing the ignorance among the people which in turn decreases the prejudice against the members of the lower castes. Therefore it is very important that the young people are provided with this kind of education. If the right types of ideas are presented to them by appropriate education, the stereotypes created by the caste system can be destroyed and they may able to develop a friendly attitude towards the members of society belonging to different groups. In this regard, apart from the formal education, education given at home by the parents can also play an important role. Bibliography Achebe, C .Thing Fall Apart (Doubleday: New York, London, Anchor Books, 1959. Pp.47-63 Nwosu, O.R. OSu Caste System: A Cultural Albatross for the Igbo Society Online Publication; www.nigeriaworld.com. Agbaegbu,T. Moves to stop Slavery in Igbo land. New Watch Vol.31,No.1 Jan. 12, 2000 Banerjee, Abhijit; Esther Duflo; Maitreesh Ghatak; and Jeanne Lafortune (2009) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Marry for what: caste and mate selection in modern Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Working Paper Series, No. 14958 Bishwakarma, P. Caste Discrimination and Untouchable ability Against Dalits in Nepal Paper prepared by the Society for the Liberation of Oppressed Dalit Castes, Nepal, for the Global Conference on Caste Discrimination, New Delhi, March 1-4, 2001 Chaudhary, S. N. (ed.) (2005) Human Rights and Poverty in India: Theoretical Issues and Empirical Evidences (New Delhi: Concept Publishers, 5 Volumes) David, L.S.(ed) International Encyclopedia of Social Science, Vol. II, Macmillan New York, 1996 Dike, V.E. The Osu Caste System in Igbo land: Discrimination Based on Descent A Paper Presented to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Conference in Geneva, Switzerland (August 8-12, 2002) Frobenius, L. The Voice of Africa, (1913) pp 274-275, quoted in Jeffries, M.D.W. The Divine Umundri Tradition of Origin, African Studies, XV(19560)121 Heitzman, James (1990) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢The Society and Its Environmentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, in: Russel R. Ross and Andrea Matles Savada (eds.) Sri Lanka: A Country Study (Washington, DC: Library of Congress), Chapter 2 Isichei, E Igbo World: An Anthology of Oral Histories and Historical Description. Macmillan, London, England, 1977 Isichei, E. The History of the Igbo People. Macmillan, London, England, 1976.P.I Kar, Dev (2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Religion and Roots of Indias Caste Systemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, The Washington Post (of July 1, 2007) Kumar, Sanjay (2006) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Is India Rising?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, World Press blog of March 2, 2006; available at: https://indiarising.wordpress.com/2006/03/02/common-problem-in-india/ Kumar, Sanjay (2006) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Is India Rising?à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, World Press blog of March 2, 2006; available at: https://indiarising.wordpress.com/2006/03/02/common-problem-in-india/ Ninian, Alex (2008) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Indias Untouchables: The Dalitsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, Contemporary Review, Vol. 290 (May), pp. 186-192. Obayemi, A. Oral Evidence as an Introduction to the History of the North-East Yoruba Speaking People. An Unpublished paper presented at the 15th Annual Congress of the Historical Society of Nigeria, Lagos, 1969 Pye, Lucian W. (2002) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢(Review of:) Castes of Mind: Colonialism and the Making of Modern India, by Nicholas B. Dirksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, Foreign Affairs, Vol. 81, No. 3 (May/June), p. 177 Rose, Arnold M. (1967) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Sociological Factors Affecting Economic Development in Indiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, Studies in Comparative International Development, Vol. 3, No. 9 (September), pp. 169-183 Shrestha, Anita (2002) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Dalits in Nepal: Story of Discriminationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, Asia-Pacific News, Vol. 30 (December); available at: https://www.hurights.or.jp/asia-pacific/no_30/04.htm Silva, Kalinga Tudor and Ajith Hettihewage (2001) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Poverty, Social Exclusion and the Impact of Selected Legal Measures against Caste Discrimination in South Asiaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ; in: Peter Robson and Asbjorn Kjonstad (eds.) Poverty the Law (Oxford, United Kingdom: Hart Publishing), pp. 59- 71 Standing, Hilary and R. L. Strivat (2007) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Untouchables, Harijansà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, Believe (Religious Information Source web-site, May); available at: https://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/untoucha.htm. Thekaekara, Mari Marcel (2005) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Combatting Casteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œ, New Internationalist, Vol. 380 (July); available at: https://www.newint.org/features/2005/07/01/combatting_caste/. World Bank (2008) World Development Indicators 2008 CD-Rom (Washington, DC: The World Bank).