Timeline of Roman Emperors and Common Groupings

Timeline of Roman Emperors and Common Groupings This list of Roman emperors goes from the first emperor (Octavian, who is better known as Augustus) to the last emperor in the West (Romulus Augustulus). In the East, the Roman Empire continued until Constantinople (Byzantium) was sacked in A.D. 1453. This takes you through the standard period of Roman emperors, from the end of the 1st century B.C. to the end of the 5th century A.D. During the second period of the Roman Empire, the Dominate - as opposed to the earlier period which was known as the Principate, there was an emperor at Constantinople as well as the one in the West. Rome was originally the capital of the Roman emperor. Later, it moved to Milan, and then Ravenna (A.D. 402-476). After the fall of Romulus Augustulus, in A.D. 476, Rome continued to have an emperor for almost another millennium, but that Roman emperor ruled from the East. Julio-Claudians (31 or) 27 B.C. - 14 A.D. Augustus14 - 37 Tiberius37 - 41 Caligula41 - 54 Claudius54 - 68 Nero Year of the 4 Emperors (ends with Vespasian)68 - 69 Galba69 Otho69 Vitellius Flavian Dynasty 69 - 79 Vespasian79 - 81 Titus81 - 96 Domitian 5 Good Emperors 96 - 98 Nerva98 - 117 Trajan117 - 138 Hadrian138 - 161 Antoninus Pius161 - 180 Marcus Aurelius(161 - 169 Lucius Verus) The next cluster of emperors is not part of a specific dynasty or other common grouping, but includes 4 from the year of the 5 emperors, 193.177/180 - 192 Commodus193 Pertinax193 Didius Julianus193 - 194 Pescennius Niger193 - 197 Clodius Albinus Severans 193 - 211 Septimius Severus198/212 - 217 Caracalla217 - 218 Macrinus218 - 222 Elagabalus222 - 235 Severus Alexander More emperors without a dynastic label, although it includes the year of the 6 emperors, 238.235 - 238 Maximinus238 Gordian I and II238 Balbinus and Pupienus238 - 244 Gordian III244 - 249 Philip the Arab249 - 251 Decius251 - 253 Gallus253 - 260 Valerian254 - 268 Gallienus268 - 270 Claudius Gothicus270 - 275 Aurelian275 - 276 Tacitus276 - 282 Probus282 - 285 Carus Carinus Numerian Tetrarchy 285-ca.310 Diocletian295 L. Domitius Domitianus297-298 Aurelius Achilleus303 Eugenius285-ca.310 Maximianus Herculius285 Amandus285 AelianusIulianus286?-297? British Emperors286/7-293 Carausius293-296/7 Allectus293-306 Constantius I Chlorus Dynasty of Constantine 293-311 Galerius305-313 Maximinus Daia305-307 Severus II306-312 Maxentius308-309 L. Domitius Alexander308-324 Licinius314? Valens324 Martinianus306-337 Constantinus I333/334 Calocaerus337-340 Constantinus II337-350 Constans I337-361 Constantius II350-353 Magnentius350 Nepotian350 Vetranio355 Silvanus361-363 Julianus363-364 Jovianus Here are more emperors without a dynastic label.364-375 Valentinianus I375 Firmus364-378 Valens365-366 Procopius366 Marcellus367-383 Gratian375-392 Valentinianus II378-395 Theodosius I383-388 Magnus Maximus384-388 Flavius Victor392-394 Eugenius 395-423 Honorius [Division of the Empire - Honorius brother Arcadius ruled the East 395-408]407-411 Constantine III usurper421 Constantius III423-425 Johannes425-455 Valentinian III455 Petronius Maximus455-456 Avitus457-461 Majorian461-465 Libius Severus467-472 Anthemius468 Arvandus470 Romanus472 Olybrius473-474 Glycerius474-475 Julius Nepos475-476 Romulus Augustulus

Performance Management Program

Performance Management Program Introduction A performance management system to work properly and effectively its design has to be considered carefully and planned well. A good performance management system is purposely for the elevation of employees’ performance and in effect, improves on business productivity hence the management should endeavor to find a good system that delivers the object of the company. Basically, a performance management system should have four benefits (Dun and Bradstreet 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Management Program specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It should clearly understand what the job expects. It should give regular feedback on performance. Advice on steps of improving performance Finally, it should reward performance. Communication is important to any company, as research shows that managers with poor communication and poor interpersonal skills often than not lead to the downfall of the company, therefore, all managers should be trained on how to conduct fair, nonjudgmental and consistent appraisal. A performance program should provide a guideline for improvement and Institute basic policies, deal with poor performance and employee weakness. In establishing the system you should decide whether you will provide training or mentoring for weak employees and also set guidelines on improvement of timelines. A system should incorporate employee input. The system should also input staff suggestions. Finally, a well performing employee should be rewarded or compensated. Rewards improve employee morale and generate loyalty within the company and foster improvement. However, performance appraisal and pay hikes are a highly contested issue.critics have been of the opinion that tying the two would be punishing underachieving employees. Employees should be constantly rewarded for their hard work (United States Department of Commerce par. 5). Discussion The IRS performance manag ement program is a good example of a working system that has improved the performance of IRS employees. The IRS performance management system has established critical job responsibility for frontline employees who align with the agencies three strategic goals. This system provides responsibilities and supporting behaviors on how the daily activities of the frontline employees and managers should reflect the organizations core values, for example. The responsibility of customer’s satisfaction aligns with the strategic goal of top quality service to each taxpayer in every interaction. The goal of leadership and equal opportunity supports the agencies goal of an open air and fair work environment (General Accounting office 1). IRS evaluates its frontline employees on five critical responsibilities, customer satisfaction, knowledge, quality business results and employee contribution. All this aligned with IRS strategic goals. The IRS performance management system attempts to assi st managers and employees to develop their commitment and hold them accountable for meeting their commitments they are required to be clear, achievable, specific, outcome or output oriented and easy to monitor.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A number of initiatives have been implemented by IRS to improve its performance management system. In this, it realized that it needed to redesign its performance management to better communicate the behaviors constituting customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and make sure employees adopt the newly desired behavior in their day to day activities. This has led to IRS undertaking several initiatives, which include; Conducting an interactive conference with all the employees on the new management system. Distribution of computer discs for easier access to information and posting of information on the IRS intranet. And pr oviding interim guidance and templates of simple commitment, self-assessment and summary evaluation. Conclusion However, on the downside, the IRS monitoring mechanism to assertions of the implementation of the employee performance management system has not been effected properly. The monitoring mechanism could provide useful information properly. A monitoring methodology should be developed, and once it’s set up it can be used for several years. This methodology can help prevent potential problems and can help avoid cost associated with employee performance (General account office 6). Dun Bradstreet. Setting Up of a Performance Management System. Web. United States Office the Secretary of Commerce, Performance Management  System. Web. United States General Accounting Office, Performance Management System IRS’s  Systems for Frontline Employees and Managers Align with Strategic Goals but Improvements Can Be Made. Web.

Differences Between the Disease Model and the Harm Reduction Model Research Paper

Differences Between the Disease Model and the Harm Reduction Model - Research Paper Example Sheff) and his father’s perspective. Both books (Beautiful Boy by David Sheff and Tweak, by Nick Sheff) avail a fascinating perspective on addiction, and how it is a family disease affecting afflicted member, as well as all who interact with the person. The disease model of addiction stipulates that individuals addicted to alcohol and other drugs possess a chronic disease that can never be cured, although it can be contained. The model holds that the ideal outcome for individuals with addiction is total abstinence, since anyone who still uses any quantity of drugs continues to activate the strong cravings for drugs of choice. The disease model defines alcoholism and any other drug addiction as a biogenetic disease in need of treatment. Disease model is less stigmatizing compared to moral model and, thus, represents an advantage. Nevertheless, both models perceive the user as powerless over consumption and emphasize abstinence as the only feasible means of recovery. According to the disease model, chemical dependency represents a psychosocial phenomenon (Wormer, 1999). The disease model comes out as scientifically and morally correct and effective with motivated clients. Disease model perceives alcoholism or any other drug use as irreversible and the drug user as a person having an abnormal condition. Disease model holds that addiction is a biologically-based syndrome embracing psychological and social components that influence its expression. The model holds that predisposition to addiction is invisible and can be inherited. Other assumptions of the model include the premise that addiction remains dormant (in remission) unless reactivated by alcohol/drug use. The model stipulates that if left unattended, the disease becomes progressively worse, leading to disability and death. Disease model holds that disease is generic to all psychoactive substances regardless of the distinct substances that the individual may happen to choose (Marlatt &

Discussion on Modes of Arguments Research Paper

Discussion on Modes of Arguments - Research Paper Example He seems to be of the opinion that Native Americans deserve the positions and the American economy would survive and even improve without immigrants. But when we read the topic further, it seems something different from where it was started. He seems to argue over the low wage rate in his writing. He argued that since the Americans after graduating do not indulge themselves in learning technical skills, they are not able to contribute to the technical fields. They are also not able to earn high for that very reason. The argument seems too vaguely discussed that one may relate his assertions to America’s incapability of taking on management and technical roles. Does the author argue on having immigrants at higher level managerial roles then? Certainly not! The author seems to support America’s capability of providing low skilled labor insufficient supply to meet the demands. The argument posed a bit negative and was not formulated carefully. Chiswick supports his claim f or the eradication of immigrants by referring to students, housewives and the retired population of America, who would gladly take on the roles requiring low-skills to meet their needs. The author intentionally pointed towards housewives and students to rise up an emotional appeal for the rights and needs of these weak, sensitive and apparently dependent groups. This is an excellent example of a ‘pathos’ element of writing used in the content under discussion. He further states that there is a concentration of low-skilled workers in America due to legal and illegal immigration. The supply of low-skilled labor is more than its demand which results in lowering of the wage rates. He used the case of a farmer to evidence the needlessness of immigrants. He uses the logos element by reasoning that using machines and the latest technologies, the costs can be reduced and efficiency improved in almost every field. The apparently logical and practical reason, however, seems flawe d as the machinery, latest technologies and its use require much more capital investment that could be afforded by farmers, small-scale businesses and sole- proprietors etc. In the last paragraph, the author seems to persuade the American nation by putting forward emotional arguments. He uses ethos to some extent by using proper tone, developing a sense of unity and motivating the Americans by identifying their strengths. In my opinion, the author has not developed a sound case. This writing starts from one direction and ends on another making the topic and discussion confusing. The writer is not able to maintain harmony throughout his writing. The absurdity of his reasoning is apparent in the last few paragraphs where he offers the reduction in changing of sheets and towels. The American economy does not need low-skilled workers for changing sheets and towels only. Reducing consumption or changing patterns would not only reduce the quality of services provided by hotels, restaurant s and other businesses but would also threaten the existence of many businesses.  Ã‚  

My Favorite Hobby Is Writing Essay Example for Free

My Favorite Hobby Is Writing Essay My love of writing began in elementary school. English classes were great, but creative writing assignments made them better! I was more content with creative writing, rather than learning basic grammar rules. As I grew older, I didnt write much. It seems like I lost interest temporarily. All of that changed when I lost my grandfather in seventh grade, only to have my friend move after eighth. It was then I began writing again. Poetry was my friend. I wrote poems to help cope with emotional overload. I would like to write short stories. I have been unsuccessful at my attempts. This will not stop my efforts to do so. Ill just have to keep on trying. Im still writing creatively thirteen years later (in 2004). Although I havent many writings, I hope to have a professional writing career in the future. You never know, I might become famous one day. Im working at it! I cant imagine my life without writing. When I write, I lose myself. The world could knock on my door, and I would be deaf to the thunderous banging’s. In a world where its not hard to get hurt, writing is a comforting arm across my shoulder. I never knew Id come to love writing as much as I do. Writing is like a best friend. Friends that will never turn his/her back on me in troublesome times. My writing comforts me when Im upset, ; excites me when I think about certain people whom I cherish. When I get bad reviews or ratings? Its easy to sit cry. I may be disappointed, but not beaten. It just makes me want to write more. I know Im not the most perfect writer, and no one ever is. It takes time, but its worth the trials triumphs. I can write just as good as the next. Writing is my gift. The gift I received from the Divine Mother Father. I almost lost it, but they encouraged me to keep going. Once again, my passion for writing has overwhelmed my life. I do not regret it either. Im thankful that my Lord and Lady gave me another chance at writing. My gift is one I can honestly say Im proud of.

Marriage and Power in Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Oth

Marriage and Power in Othello  Ã‚   There is more to Shakespeare’s Othello than just the characters in the play. There is a message of power, and who has it, as well as the ones that want it. Two of the central characters in the play are both married. Their "love" for each other is questionable. The message that Shakespeare is sending is not really about "love", but about the power that one holds in the marriage. Two of the main characters in the play are Othello and Iago. Othello who is married to Desdemona, and Iago who is married to Emilia. Both marriages have some similarities as well as some dissimilarities. First to understand the marriages of these four complex people, it is important to find out who these people really are. From that we can understand their actions. The main character, Othello, is a very interesting character. He is bold is every wear. He is an insecure person. His only experiences are the ones that he has had on the battlefield. He is a General who is a strong willed and is demanding, in his own way. He is socially inexperienced, and you can tell by the marriage that is apparent. The way that Othello treats Desdemona. You almost feel as if he has a kind of control over her. When Othello thought and suspected that Desdemona was having an affair, he confronts her. That is then followed by her death. [scene 5 act 2]Desdemona "O banish me, my lord, but kill me not!Othello: Down, strumpet! Desdemona: Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight. Othello: Nay if you strive- Desdemona: But half an hour! Desdemona: But while I say one prayer!- Othello then proceeds to strangle Desdemona. He was best described as " one that loved not wisely, but too well." It almost seemed as if he had so much love and trusted D... ...Iago and Emilia is as much as a mystery as are the motives of Iago. However it is evident that Emilia loves Iago and tries to make him happy as much as she possibly can. For example when she takes Desdemona’s handkerchief, in attempt to plot with Iago, against Othello. Emilia is a quiet character, however at the end she admits to what she knows, and ultimately it gets her killed. Both marriages portray the role of woman. Both Emilia and Desdemona are under the control of their husbands. They were almost forbidden to speak up. Shakespeare is trying to show that that notion of "love", is not all that it is intended to be. Up until the end of her life, Desdemona defended her husband [act 4 scene 2] "I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.""O, heaven forgive us!". It seems as in all of Shakespeare plays, love always end in a tragedy. This proves to be true in Othello. Marriage and Power in Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Oth Marriage and Power in Othello  Ã‚   There is more to Shakespeare’s Othello than just the characters in the play. There is a message of power, and who has it, as well as the ones that want it. Two of the central characters in the play are both married. Their "love" for each other is questionable. The message that Shakespeare is sending is not really about "love", but about the power that one holds in the marriage. Two of the main characters in the play are Othello and Iago. Othello who is married to Desdemona, and Iago who is married to Emilia. Both marriages have some similarities as well as some dissimilarities. First to understand the marriages of these four complex people, it is important to find out who these people really are. From that we can understand their actions. The main character, Othello, is a very interesting character. He is bold is every wear. He is an insecure person. His only experiences are the ones that he has had on the battlefield. He is a General who is a strong willed and is demanding, in his own way. He is socially inexperienced, and you can tell by the marriage that is apparent. The way that Othello treats Desdemona. You almost feel as if he has a kind of control over her. When Othello thought and suspected that Desdemona was having an affair, he confronts her. That is then followed by her death. [scene 5 act 2]Desdemona "O banish me, my lord, but kill me not!Othello: Down, strumpet! Desdemona: Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight. Othello: Nay if you strive- Desdemona: But half an hour! Desdemona: But while I say one prayer!- Othello then proceeds to strangle Desdemona. He was best described as " one that loved not wisely, but too well." It almost seemed as if he had so much love and trusted D... ...Iago and Emilia is as much as a mystery as are the motives of Iago. However it is evident that Emilia loves Iago and tries to make him happy as much as she possibly can. For example when she takes Desdemona’s handkerchief, in attempt to plot with Iago, against Othello. Emilia is a quiet character, however at the end she admits to what she knows, and ultimately it gets her killed. Both marriages portray the role of woman. Both Emilia and Desdemona are under the control of their husbands. They were almost forbidden to speak up. Shakespeare is trying to show that that notion of "love", is not all that it is intended to be. Up until the end of her life, Desdemona defended her husband [act 4 scene 2] "I hope my noble lord esteems me honest.""O, heaven forgive us!". It seems as in all of Shakespeare plays, love always end in a tragedy. This proves to be true in Othello.

The Representation of Race in Mass-Media

Race as a discourse, has emerged from society romanticizing the idea of biological and psychological differences existing between various ethnic groups. To comprehend and analyze the phenomenon of this racial dilemma, one must have a complete understanding of how culture and identity work hand-in-hand within our society. By controlling most of the social institutions, such as mass communication, politics and corporations; the dominant culture methodically overpowers and exploits the ethnic minority groups, in order to establish its own cultural identity. One such institution is mass media- an industry that not only historically oppresses ethnic minority groups such as African-Americans, but also diminishes their societal status to that of a second-class citizen through the use of stereotypical representations. Because, it is controlled predominantly by the white liberal elites- an autocratic, financially driven organization, whose main objective is to protect the integrity of white culture; mass media industry is therefore, forced to reject all moral conventions, in order to present ethnic minorities as antagonists. The ideas of Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Stuart Hall accurately represent the century-old exploitative and oppressive nature of mass media- an industry that has perpetually employed racialized discourse and racist expressions against ethnic minorities such as African-Americans, in order to portray them as subordinate. Stuart Hall, a cultural theorist and sociologist from the United Kingdom, suggests that humanity should simply not just study the theme of culture, but also view it as a primary source of social interactions (Proctor 16). Because culture is a site of an ongoing struggle of power between different ethnic groups, what Hall is suggesting is that, one should only study it with the mindset of exposing each and every one its negative consequences on humanity. According to Hall, in American culture, the mass media industry is one of the main reasons why such a power struggle continues to exist within our society. He describes mass media as an industry that not only generates and influences the beliefs of mankind, but also produces â€Å"representations of the social world, images, descriptions, explanations, and frames for understanding how the world is and why it works as it is said and shown to work† (Hall, â€Å"The Whites† 19). Since the beginning of time, race has played a vital role in the transformation of human consciousness. Therefore, as long as this notion exists in our society, mass media will continue to exploit it for financial profits. During the eighteenth-century, racial stereotyping was so widespread in the United States that any illustrator could pick up a pen and draw minorities based on the two themes of their lack of culture and innate laziness (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 249). These caricaturists and cartoonists degraded the African-American community by exaggerating their physical characteristics: big noses, frizzy hair, wide faces, dark complexion, thick lips and hips, etc (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 249). Hall describes such a form of ethnic discrimination as a â€Å"racialized regime of representation†, a phenomenon that continues to exist, even in the twenty-first century (Hall, â€Å"The Whites† 26). Throughout history, African-Americans have always been presented as a race that is juvenile, one-dimensional, and greedy for money and sex, and perpetrators of violence and crime (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 272). The uneven distribution of power in American culture has allowed the white population to characterize the lives of African-Americans as inferior, an objectification that has been frozen in time and space. Popular representations of racial stereotypes against African-Americans can be examined in the American cinema of the mid-twentieth-century. Donald Bogle’s 1973 critical study titled, Toms, Coons, Mulattos, Mammies, And Bucks: an interpretive history of blacks in African films analyzed the five main stereotypes that were prevalent in Hollywood films of the fifties and sixties: Toms- the good Negros, who were always â€Å"chased, harassed, hounded, flogged, enslaved, and insulted† (Bogle 6). Coons- a black child who was â€Å"unreliable, crazy, lazy, subhuman creatures good for nothing than eating watermelons, stealing chickens, shooting crap, or butchering the English language† (Bogle 7). The Tragic Mulatto- a fair skinned, mixed-race woman, with whom the viewers sympathized, because she was refused entry into the white community because of her â€Å"tainted† blood (Bogle 9). Mammies- the predominant black female servant who was big, loud, bossy, obese and self-sufficient (Bogle 9). Finally the Bad Bucks- physically strong characters, who were always â€Å"big, badddd niggers, over-sexed and savage, violent and frenzied as they lust for white flesh† (Bogle 10). According to Hall, the feature-length film that gave birth to such African-American characteristics was David Llewelyn Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation, released in 1915 (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). The silent film provoked great controversy, because not only did it promote white supremacy, but also depict the Ku Klux Klan positively as heroes- a secret white society that was destined to lead humanity to salvation. Griffith, a firm believer in anti-miscegenation laws and white supremacy, portrayed the African-Americans as negative characters who were a threat to white integrity; hence they had to be eliminated. Therefore, as the film demonstrates, white supremacy is upheld, and the good (whites) triumphs over evil (blacks) when the Ku Klux Klan physically assault the African-Americans, burn their houses down and lynch them in public (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 252). Karl Heinrich Marx, a renowned German philosopher, political theorist and sociologist argues that society is comprised of two classes: the exploited and the exploiters (Balkaran 1). He suggests that in any given society, one class will eventually conquer the other and exploit it thereafter, through any means necessary (Balkaran 1). Looking back at the American society of the nineteenth-century, it is evident that there was an existence of such class system, one in which the white population overpowered the African-Americans, and forced them to be slaves (Balkaran 1). Even in present day, such a form of exploitation can be discovered in the racial stereotyping of ethnic minority groups. According to Stuart Hall, the uneven distribution of power between the exploited and the exploiters can not only lead to economic profiteering, but also physical violence (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 259). This power has such a strong influence that it can allow one to represent the other in any form desirable: positive or negative. Hall describes such a form of objectification as a â€Å"racialized regime of representation†, a phenomenon that has negatively influenced the lives of African-Americans for centuries (Hall, â€Å"The Whites† 26). In the eighteenth-century, American culture granted an extraordinary power to the white population- the authority over African-Americans; forcing them to be slaves, hindering their success and confining them to lives to subordination. The white owners overpowered the black male slaves physically and emotionally by illustrating them as a gender, which did not have the apacity to own land or provide adequately for their families (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 262). As a result of the denial of these male attributes, black slaves were portrayed to the rest of the world as adolescents, who could neither take care of themselves or their families- a stereotype that is prevent, even in present day. Such stereotypes are only a reference to what has been conceptua lized in fantasy by the ones who hold most of the power (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 262). By representing the African-American slaves as lazy and incompetent, the elites are corrupting the minds of and perceptions of the general public. For Hall, racial stereotypes only present one-half of the story, the other half is where the deeper meaning lies (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 263). What he is referring to is the notion of a single racial stereotype leading to two different and independent human perceptions. This idea of a double meaning existing in a single stereotype can be examined in Antoine Fuqua’s 2001 motion picture Training Day. In the film, whenever Denzel Washington’s character, Detective Alonzo Harris acts ‘macho’, he negatively portrays the African-American community as perpetrators of violence, in addition to promoting the stereotypical black childlike behavior. However, in accordance with Hall’s notion of an implicit meaning existing in every stereotype, one can see that the ‘macho’ behavior is validating a much more disturbing and complicated white fantasy- that African-Americans are in fact aggressive, better endowed than their white counterparts, over-sexed and superspade (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 263). Henry Louis Gates Junior, an eloquent commentator on issues of multiculturalism and racism argues that the direct correlation between race and racism can be disputed. What he is suggesting is that discrimination against ethnic groups is linked more to the phenomenon of power relations than any biological assimilation (Daley 1). He believes that the notion of race is simply a fabrication, one with no real purpose with the exception of formal discussions, because: ‘races', put simply, do not exist, and to claim that they do, for whatever misguided reason, is to stand on dangerous ground†¦ For, if we believe that races exist as things, as categories of being already ‘there,' we cannot escape the danger of generalizing about observed differences between human beings as if the differences were consistent and determined, a priori (Gates 402). He is arguing that the notion of race has simply been etched in humanity’s consciousness with one goal in mind- to confine ethnic minorities to lives of subordination. Throughout the nineteenth-century, the Iroquois in Canada and the blacks in America were being forced into the so called ‘civilized’ white Christian society, because the bodies of these ethnic minorities were deemed inferior. Therefore, Gates believes that the portrayal of minorities was due to the wrongful employment of racial characterization, a process in which: one generalizes about the attributes of an individual (and treats him or her accordingly). Such generalizations are based upon a predetermined set of causes or effects thought to be shared by all members of a physically defined group who are also assumed to share certain ‘metaphysical' characteristics†¦ can have rather little to do with aggression or contempt in intent, even if the effect is contemptible (but often ‘well-intentioned') (Gates 403). According to Gates, not only does this form of representation lead to a ‘racist’ benevolence, paternalism and sexual attraction towards African-Americans, but also a romanticizing of black culture (Daley 2). This form of racial representation was condescending to the African-Americans, because it depicted them as having instinctual physical, structural, and biological characteristics of greed and violence. Through the use of mass media, white supremacists represented black culture as being an entity that was separate from the African-Americans (Daley 2). Mass media at time of the twentieth-century played a vital role in forming and reflecting public opinion on the issues of racial representation and discrimination. As a result of media, the word ‘Negro’ began to be associated with the balance of power in society. It became a metaphor of the conflict between good and evil, educated and barbaric, master and servant- a fight for the control of power; a struggle that was etched into the consciousness of all Americans (Daley 2). By negatively representing the African-Americans, mass-media had caused a division between the ‘blacks’ and the ‘whites’- a rift that is still evident in twenty-first-century; not only in the United States, but all over the world (Daley 2). One can argue that not only has this gap dictated every discussion related to race and racial bias of our time, but that it will continue to do so for centuries to come with no end in sight. Media will continue to depict African-Americans as individuals who perpetrate violence, and are only motivated by greed and ex, because this approach allows the industry to gain a mass audience- a predominant white population that believes in white supremacy and wants to see the black race oppressed and destroyed. Linking back to Gates view on minority groups being confined to lives of subordination in the eighteenth-century, one can see that mass-media in present day carries out the same form of oppression. Because the industry is dr iven by monetary profits, it employs racial prejudice in its broadcasts, and enforces certain negative stereotypes against minorities, in order to confine them to deteriorated lifestyles. The American cinema of the mid-twentieth-century is regarded by many cultural sociologists as an era that promoted the positive representation of African-Americans for the first time. Motion pictures released in the early fifties enlightened the general public of the sensitive issues of race and stereotypes. In spite of the industry being controlled predominantly by the elite class of White-Americans, the films that were generated, characterized the black community as positive role models. A clear-cut example of such positive racial representation in mass media can be found in Stanley Kramer’s The Defiant Ones, a 1958 cult classic, in which the character of Noah Cullen portrayed by Sidney Poitier disregards the notion of differences in race; instead assisting a white prisoner escape from jail. Not only did the portrayal of Noah Cullen allow Poitier to score a BAFTA award for best actor in a lead role; it also secured his admission into mainstream Hollywood films. Following the success of The Defiant Ones, Poitier’s on screen roles now exemplified everything that the stereotypical African-American figure was not (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). Even though the white elites controlled American cinema, they continued to construct characters for Poitier in such a way so as to positively portray the African-American community. His film characters were widely accepted by the white population as one of their own, because the morals, and behavior that he exhibited, met the standards of the mass audience (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). Poitier’s characters represented the quintessential Caucasian male: one who was fluent in English, well-educated, smart and had proper table etiquette (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). History had repeated itself in the case of Sidney Poitier, because by portraying the role of a reformed African-American male, he relinquished the very little power that he had, to the white elites. In the eighteenth-century, the White-American population established its identity by means of absorbing ethnic minorities into their so-called ‘civilized’ Christian body. Because white elites had transformed Poitier’s African-American character, from an un-cooperative, over-sexed, savage beast into a sexless, docile and sterile ‘civilized’ gentleman; he no longer posed a threat to the integrity and dignity of white culture (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 253). In the late sixties and early seventies, American cinema implemented different strategy, in order to financially exploit the African-American community. The industry introduced a new class of African-American heroes- individuals who challenged the notion of white culture as superior to all others. Case in point, Gordon Parks’ 1971 box office success, Shaft, in which the main character- a black detective disputes the very existence of white patriarchal power in American society (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). To attain maximum pleasure in his ‘mythic’ life, John Shaft resorts to violence, drugs, illegal money and sexual relations with white and black women (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). The stereotypical notion of an African-American’s child-like dependency on the white community that had been prevalent since the eighteenth-century could no longer be applied to John Shaft, because he was confident and self-sufficient. Because, his elegance and charisma appealed to the African-American audiences, they were susceptible to the exploitation of the film industry. Black viewers were able to identify with characters such as John Shaft, because they represented a â€Å"mythic† life- one which was glorious and heroic (Hall, â€Å"Representation† 271). They flocked to theatres by the thousands, in order to watch films that depicted the triumph of ‘black’ over ‘white’, but what they failed to recognize was that such movies were only produced so that they could be financially exploited. Word Cited: Balkaran, Stephen. â€Å"Mass Media and Racism. † Yale University. Oct. 1999. Web. 03 Dec. 2009. http://www. yale. edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b. html#fn1. Gates, Henry L. â€Å"Race,† writing, and difference. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1986. Hall, Stuart. Representation cultural representations and signifying practices. London: Sage Publications Ltd. , 1997. Hall, Stuart. The Whites of Their Eyes: Racist Ideologies and the Media. London: Silver Linings, 1995. Bogle, David. Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies and Bucks: An Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films. New York: Viking, 1973. â€Å"Mike Daley: The representation of ‘race' in mass media. † Mikedaley. net. York University. Web. 03 Dec. 2009. http://www. mikedaley. net/essay_raceinmassmedia. htm. Procter, James. Stuart Hall. London: Routledge, 2004. Balkaran, Stephen. â€Å"Mass Media and Racism. † Yale University. Oct. 1999. Web. 03 Dec. 2009. http://www. yale. edu/ypq/articles/oct99/oct99b. html#fn1.

Gender and Video Games Essay

The current development in the literature concerning videogames and gender constitutes the formulation of perceptions of how not only game developers but also players establish their individual and collective identity in this process. Their relationship then corresponds to creating specific norms and principles that seek to identify specific ideas concerning their representation of reality and also their ability to capitalize on existing genres for cultivating game play and the issues related to acceptance of existing norms. Due to this, to better understand the relationship circumventing around video games and gender, fair amount of analysis must be made not only in its ability to represent the gaming public but also in the impact it creates towards taking the issue into a bigger picture as it relates to the construction of social norms and roles. Assessing Video Games and Gender Indeed looking at previous literature studies, it can be seen that misrepresentation remains apparent especially among the representation of gender in video games. Here, common patterns of male masculine figures and characters continue to dominate different platforms and games. Such idea remains to be seen particularly, during the earlier times wherein there is a corresponding depiction of players that are relatively male and ultimately dominate both the primary and secondary characters. Here, Williams, Martins, Consalvo and Ivory (2009) study highlights these apparent trends by arguing that â€Å"the most popular games are less representative than the typical game produced by developers, indicating that players also play a role in the cycle of creation and consumption† (p. 828). Similarly, such actions then establish the formation of implications relating towards both businesses and gamers alike. Given the constant marketing and exploration of new strategies to expand the level of gamers within a specific platform, there are indeed restrictions that this gender bias and formulation of games create. It necessitates not only hindering the potential appeal of these games towards consumers but also induce common means for limited appreciation and also shortage in sales. These dynamics in turn necessitate a constricted response to the ever growing number of patrons of video games as it encompasses the majority of participants and involve other actors who also place emphasis in their capacity for media to exhibit their common associations and relationship within the platform (Williams, Martins, Consalvo, Ivory, 2009). Opening up Patterns for Diversity and Change Assessing the validity of how video games embrace diversity, careful analysis needs to be made in the manner that video games seek to portray and outline the views concerning the gaming culture. Since social symbols often connote this process to be a male/masculine endeavor, earlier platforms somehow inhibit female participation in such activity and more often than not associated with male roles and tendencies (Williams, Martin, Consalvo and Ivory, 2009). However, this started to change as new designs and models have been introduced to cater to the changing perceptions of gender roles related to video games and adherence to the objectives to transcend over common representations that platform has over male and female responsiveness. Recognizing the current needs for embedding gender equality within the video game platforms, many game developers now seek to apply these strategies in the formulation of new titles that seek to connote better ability for people to utilize their perception of themselves within a particular game. This brought about significant changes as designers brought into consideration diversity and equal representation of male and female roles in the process. This dynamics then consolidated better means for outlining not only significant areas related to the overall game play but also in the appeal it gives towards different individuals regardless of their racial and gender associations (Brandtzaeg and Heim, 2009). Seeing this, the study by Jansz and Vosmeer indeed offer a good analysis of how the game ‘Sims 2’ address these changing trends and outline the evolution of gaming from a masculine and male dominated genre to a more lax and diverse area that induces common connections between masculinity and femininity. By using this game as an example, the study was able to highlight significant changes in these perceptions and was able to ascertain common ideals shaping and furthering opportunities accounting to how diversity serves as an instrument in merging the idea of gender and video games together. To complement this process, it takes into account creating video games that are not only responsive to the needs of gamers but also reach out towards their ability to utilize connections over the roles specific characters play. Here, Jansz and Vosmeer (2010) argues, â€Å"developing gender and games theory requires more detailed insight into the mutual shaping of game content, game play, and gender identities† (p. 247). By collaborating on these three aspects accordingly, the ability of growth of video games have indeed showcased a reality that is more conducive and responsive to the needs of individuals by offering a variety of platforms wherein interaction and associations remain possible. Videogames, Violence, and Gender Roles Another precept shaping the understanding concerning the idea of videogames and gender is the corresponding perceptions and roles it provides participants. Since this element is one part of media, it is through this that representations about culture and gender roles are provided among individuals regardless of age, race, or cultural affiliations. These dynamics in turn necessitate both positive and negative responses in terms of the establishment of identity and formulation of specific patterns of behavior innate within the characterization of primary and secondary characters in a particular game. In essence, there continues to be a relationship in the way individuals ascertain their preferences in games with their innate social behavior and ability to denote a particular response to each theme of a video game played (Brandtzaeg and Heim, 2009). Seeing these diverse variations concerning the ability to extract experiences and ideas from video games, it then presents the formation of specific behavior and inputs depending on the themes provided. Such actions then result in current diversity of games available in the market today. As Brandtzaeg and Heim (2009) argue, â€Å"the new electronic gaming landscape is complex, and consists of a vast array of choices in different game content genres tailored towards a range of user profiles in regards to highly different interests and content preferences† (p. 71). These in turn result in the formulation of specific behavior that equally shapes an individual’s personality and the manner that each one seeks to equate this in the formulation of their identity and role within social institutions. Associated with the formulation of gender roles, there are also instances of video games promoting violence as themes in its platforms. Such dynamics then necessitate impact on individual behavior as they try to ascertain specific tendencies towards the acceptance of violence to be a social norm and apparent in different scenarios and environment. Though research and literature may argue differently concerning this stance, it also goes to show the impact that video games can provide towards the inducement of violent and aggressive tendencies among gamers. Here, it is what Kim refers to as desensitization of violence within video games genre and points out its impact not only in the formulation of gender roles but also the acceptance of its role within the development of a player’s identity (Kim, n. d. ). Under this process, there continues to be new developments happening in video game technology that aides the desensitization of violence among consoles. These in turn contributes to further exposure and creates a real-life scenarios wherein players experience an almost-real setup where violence as a theme is depicted. Here, Kim (n. d. ) argues that â€Å"as video games become more sophisticated, there is a wide range of input devices at various levels of realism – from pushing keys on a keyboard to a turning wheel to drive or actually shooting a gun† (p. 5). Such realities then brings about the question of how such games provide the means to explore means to correspond the manner to ascertain violence, videogames and gender. It does take into account the value of how these themes permeate within choices and ability to partake in the gaming experience of individuals. By establishing these relationships, it can help analyze the formulation of behavior as well as how it corresponds to the nature of furthering opportunities to extract behavioral responsiveness on the part of individuals who partake in such endeavor. (Jansz, and Vosmeer, 2010). To conclude, the idea of gender and video games have undergone an expansion of literature that takes into account its development from a more conservative and masculine-oriented dimension towards the creation of games that seeks to highlight and induce elements of diversity. By taking account of these areas, it was able to consolidate better means to reach out towards different gamers and allow better means for access among people. Though there may still be corresponding bias views concerning gender, it was able to construct a new playing field wherein new games are able to cater towards the dynamic needs among gamers. Alongside this development, there is also the corresponding perspective of shaping new means to carry out effective means to extract gender roles among players. These elements manifest in the themes and perceptions utilized by individuals who participate in such endeavor. One element that can be seen in these areas is the corresponding violence that video game creates. Though there are contrasting views in the impact on human behavior, it plays a crucial role in establishing analysis in its association with the interplay of social norms and roles through the spectrum of perceptions and choices of video game genres. References Brandtzaeg, P. B. and Heim, J. (2009) Children’s Electronic Gaming Content Preferences and Psychosocial Factors: Is there a connection? Nordicom Review. 30 (2), pp. 69-86 Jansz, J. , Avis, C. and Vosmeer, M. (2010) Playing The Sims 2: An exploration of gender differences in players’ motivations and patterns of play. New media and Society. 12 (2), pp. 235-251 Kim, O. T. Effects of Violent Video Games on Desensitization: The Role of Gender, Previous Exposure, and Input Device. Williams, D. , Martins, N. , Consalvo, M. and Ivory, J. (2009) The virtual census: representations of gender, race, and age in video games. New media and society. 11 (5), pp. 815-834

Hard Hat Riot essays

Hard Hat Riot essays The late 1960s and early 1970s was a period of social growth and change, a time when American citizens searched for their own identity. The Hard Hat Riot of May, 1970, clearly showed the new divisions that had emerged in American culture. The middle class labor force, dubbed the blue-collared workers, were in opposition to so many of their fathers and sons going to war in Vietnam, while many college students were excluded from the draft. This brought about obvious tensions between the two groups, which were embodied in a riot of construction workers and their confrontation with protestors on the steps of Wall Street. The Hard Hat Riot not only left multiple people injured and arrested, but provided proof of the ever-growing divisions within America. On May 9, 1970, construction workers from all over New York City converged on a peaceful antiwar demonstration taking place on Wall Street. The workers, still wearing their construction helmets, attacked the group of protestors, leaving nearly 70 people in need of medical attention. The mob reached Wall Street at about noon, where students had been calling for the withdrawal of military presence from Cambodia and Vietnam, along with the release of political prisoners in America, and the cessation of military-oriented work by the universities. The construction workers were vehemently enraged by the contradiction they saw with these protestors. The middle class of white males was the single largest group that made up the struggle in Vietnam. Fathers and sons were being sent oversees to fight in one of the most dangerous and costly wars of our time. These workers believed that these college students had no right to be interfering with a cause they had nothing to do with. Th e mob did more than simply attack the protestors. Once the workers reached the Federal Hall National Memorial, they surged over...

Optimizing Your Content With Arienne Holland Of Raven Tools

Optimizing Your Content With Arienne Holland Of Raven Tools On this blog, we talk a lot about  optimizing your content to your audience and understanding what kind of content they want to consume, but thats always a tricky proposition. Why? Its easy to get off-target and create content that is focused on what your peers want instead of what your true audience wants. Plus, with so many content possibilities, the challenge is to  choose just the content your audience needs without distracting yourself with content that is  little more than extra work. Arienne Holland, from Raven Tools, reveals how they stay on track with their content marketing. Tell us a bit about yourself. I’m Arienne Holland, director of marketing and customer experience for Raven. Our software helps busy online marketers manage and report on their campaigns efficiently. Teams of search, social and content marketers can use a single, affordable tool to collaborate on and automate as much of their work as possible. Sometimes I joke that I market marketing software to marketers. But it’s true. How big is your content marketing team? One senior digital marketing strategist, Nicolette Beard - SEO, blogging, online advertising, email marketing and outreach are her specialties. One social media marketing strategist, Nate Baker -   organic and paid social campaigns are his primary responsibilities, along with affiliate management and blogging. One marketing UX designer -   Sarah Musselman. 90% web design; some print campaigns. Then there are the six others who communicate more directly with customers. Those folks create our Help Desk content, answer questions, conduct live training, coordinate software testing and lead our new referral program. They’re all dedicated, intelligent and friendly people. It’s a great time. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to your team’s workflow, communication and content creation? So many ideas for so many channels, not enough time! We are a private company with a huge customer base worldwide. We want to be a brand that our customers can trust, so we’re careful to make good decisions. Sometimes that means we don’t publish things we don’t have time to â€Å"do right.† Other times it means that we have to choose our marketing channels extremely carefully. Sure, it would be fantastic to have a â€Å"Behind-the-Scenes at Raven† Instagram account - this company has some great visual moments. But that’s secondary to providing content that our customers need, not just content they might enjoy. Sure, it would be fantastic to have a â€Å"Behind-the-Scenes at Raven† Instagram account - this company has some great visual moments. But that’s secondary to providing content that our customers  need, not just content they might enjoy. @RavenArienne Prioritizing is hard. No ever said important things were easy, though. What changes have you noticed in content marketing over the past year or so? What changes and trends do you think will occur in content marketing in the upcoming year? Video content has improved in quality, relevance to customers and importance in marketing. It’s one of those places I’m dying to focus - just read the past few months of articles on Think with Google and you’ll see why. Also, at Digital East this week in Washington D.C., I spoke about mobile marketing. It’s not a buzzword. Mobile technology (from phones to tablets to eBooks to whatever wearable comes next) is a way of life. Here’s one example: 90% of Americans own cell phones - and 75% of them admit to taking them to the bathroom! Compare that to the 78% who own a desktop or laptop computer. I can’t say I recall dragging my MacBook Pro into the bathroom lately to get some work done. Have you? So mobile is life changing technology, and I can see why brands see potential here for marketing. But is it worth the $7 billion that American marketers spent on mobile in 2013, without any clear way to measure success? Some of it, sure. Other things were likely a total waste of money. Before anyone jumps into mobile marketing opportunities, it’s important to prioritize on based on your audience - existing and potential - and every scrap of data you already have about what marketing tactics work for you. Before you jump into mobile marketing, it’s important to prioritize on based on your audienceWhat are the most common mistakes you see people making when it comes to content marketing? 1. Not knowing the existing audience and the target audience, something you have to uncover using analytics or other data. Those without a love for data can see this kind of information as a threat. It hurts to know that someone you wrote that took you three days was viewed by fewer than 20 people. But don’t you want to know why, so you can do a better job next time? Often I find that people haven’t matched their content to their audience. Data can help you analyze what to improve. 2. Focusing on social channels to the neglect of the only channel any brand truly owns: its website. Social media marketers tend to emphasize metrics that help them improve individual network engagement or specific content on those networks. What matters to me is, how many of those people ended up back at my website? That’s where I sell to them. That’s where they need to be. Social is just one path to get people to the most important destination: your website. 3. Smaller brands or SMBs that start with social marketing before email marketing. 4. No unique voice or ideas to contribute to the conversation. 5. Creating content for peers, not for audiences. This happens a lot with search marketers. They write and write and write in obvious bids to get the attention of industry influencers. I never can figure out why, because surely if they spent all that time writing content to help their clients understand search marketing, they would end up with more business.

Indian Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Indian Culture - Essay Example Both the first objects are an animation of the human race in the traditional leadership. The second set of objects represents Four-ram Fangzun Royal Tomb Hunan, China Shang Dynasty, late 2nd millennium BCE and the Reliquary Buddhist Stupa Bimaran, Afghanistan (Ancient India) Kushan Dynasty, early 3rd c. CE. While the previous one is made of Piece-mold Cast Bronze the latter is from Hammered Gold and semi-precious stones. They, therefore, differ in terms of texture due to the material used. The two objects are both symbolic hence are animated. The third object is a Buddha inscribed in a contrasting background, it is as well sculpted from Chunar sandstone and it is a symbolic representation of the worship culture of the Indians. The fourth and last set of objects is the inlaid mirror from a Lineage Tomb while the other is a bowl from Banpo, near Xian in China. While the mirror is a Piece-mold cast bronze with hammered gold and silver, the latter is painted with red earthenware. The objects are both from China and they are symbolic of the East culture specifically India and China. There is a common relationship that exists and is fueled further by the cultural similarities of the area where the objects are picked from which is India. The Indian culture is that which is integrated with mixed cultural symbols that extend to their places of worship and their gods. In fact, the Sun Dynasty or Solar Dynasty (SÃ… «rya-vaá ¹Æ'Å›a) is one of the most prominent dynasties in the whole of the Middle East historically. The dynasties influenced the political makeup of a region. The Buddha seated on the lion throne originates from India from the collections of the Buddhism Sculptures and carvings. The objects influence the sociological set up by being a representation of the Buddhist religion. The objects are artistic pieces of work that are curved with style showing a sense of appeal, which is achieved using technical skills (Sullivan 96-9).

Financing Trade With Burma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financing Trade With Burma - Essay Example Political instability is a great challenge for investors in Burma. The investors also face risks from consumer boycotts. Therefore, Burma is not a favorable investment option for American companies. It becomes apparent that there is hesitation among investors to spend money on projects in Burma, which is the reason why there is a dearth of foreign investment in the country. For making investment in Burma, the companies should get approval from Burmese authorities. The foreign companies can do business only through joint venture with Burmese collaboration. Burma lacks strong economic policies to bring foreign investment. Therefore, it is really a threat for US firms to make investment in Burma. Moreover, the political instability and conflicts in the country are another problem. The country’s governance lies with its military and there no uniform or precise rules in the country to protect the investors. The poor infrastructure facilities are also a major handicap for companies investing the country. Thus, any person who intends to invest there will have to develop the basic facilities. This will entail additional costs to the investor. The fiscal policies in the country also do not favor investment there. Besides, Burmese government imposes huge taxes on foreign investors. â€Å"Foreign investment has risen dramatically over the past year, as international companies cooperate with Burma’s government to exploit the country’s natural resources† (Jared, 2011, para. 1). 2) Since a military government rules Burma, they impose many restrictions on foreign trade and most of their policies are arbitrary in nature. Thus, the country is not investment friendly for foreign investors. America has banned investing in Burma due to the military actions against the civilians. In Burma, government owns all major industries and they place many restrictions on foreign trade. The country has trade relations with Asian countries and they export agricultur al products and import manufactured goods. Burma’s trade with United States accounts only 5% of total foreign trade. Even though Burma has liberalized its economy, they still impose many restrictions on foreign trade. The major earnings in the country derive from oil and natural gas. Therefore, if an investor decides to invest in this country this industry is a better option. If US companies propose to start business in Burma, they will have to face several challenges there. Any person or firm can start business in the country only as a joint venture, in collaboration with a Burmese entity. Due to political instability the country’s fiscal and monetary policies are not good. The inflation rates are high, which will have a direct bearing on the cost of operating a business. Investors may also face problems form the government as they do not encourage foreign investment. The tax rates on foreign traders are also quite high. â€Å"In Burma, however, foreign trade and inv estment helps perpetuate the rule of a repressive, unelected junta. Full foreign ownership of companies operating in Burma is forbidden and almost all large investment in Burma is carried out through joint ventures with the military regime† (Burma: Country in Crisis, 2002, para. 1). 3) Every business involves some part of risk. It may also have to face uncertainty of earnings or risk of loss because of some unexpected developments in