How to write a readers response free essay sample

How to write a reader response paper Prof. Margaret OMara What a reader response paper is: A critical essay that tells the reader what a historical monograph (book) means to you. It reflects a close reading of the work, contains specific examples drawn from the work (documented parenthetically with page numbers), and provides your well- considered opinion of the works strengths and/or shortcomings. The essay demonstrates that you have read the book, internalized and contextualized its arguments, and can articulate and substantiate your reactions to it. What a reader response paper Is not: A descriptive summary of the book or of the historical events it describes. Assume your reader has read the book and has a familiarity with the era under consideration. A research paper. You may consult additional sources (other studies of the same subject; other critiques of the book) if you like, but you are not required to do so. We will write a custom essay sample on How to write a readers response or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Use parenthetical documentation rather than footnotes. A classic thesis paper, In which you state a thesis argument at the front end and use the book to support this thesis, reiterating the argument in the conclusion. The essay must have an organizing argument (see below) but it should be more analytic han descriptive. Its intent goes beyond proving a certain point of fact. An opportunity for general opinionating (I thought It was really good, or l thought it was terrible) nor an opportunity to make statements of opinion that are not supported by evidence drawn from the text. A test of whether you had the right interpretation of the book. This is a venue for you to tell us what the book means to you. It should display thoughtful evaluation of the text and express of how it may have contributed (or not contributed) to your understanding ofa particular period, and why. Ask yourself the following questions as you prepare to write a reader response they can help you organize your thoughts and decide what youd like to write about in your response. What were the main arguments of the book (hint: historians often put these in the introduction, the conclusion, or both)? Did the author, in your opinion, do a decent Job of following through on those arguments? Why or why not? How is the book talking to other parts of the historical literature? Is the author styling him or herself as a particular type of historian (womens historian, social historian, political historian, etc. ? Who are their subjects? What is their purpose in writing this book? What parts of the book did you like the most, and why? How does this book relate to what interests you about American history? What did you learn from it? If you didnt learn much, why was that? What questions did this text leave you with? What would you like to learn more about? What about the authors style and methodology did you like or dislike? How are they using sources and how does this reflect on the integrity and validity of their arguments? For useful things to keep in mind as you read the book, consult

Spatial Data Division of Abu Dhabi Municipality

The Spatial Data Division of Abu Dhabi: current strategic position The Spatial Data Division is part of a department responsible for Abu Dhabi’s municipal planning. In a nutshell, our office/division knows where the city is going in terms of plans, prospects and strategies for the future. Private individuals and organisations are some of the customers. This planning office has to provide internal innovations in order to effectively serve its customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Spatial Data Division of Abu Dhabi Municipality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This office receives many data requests from customers (ordinary citizens, individual landowners, developers, private contractors, etc.) for certain projects or for businesses pertaining to land use. The division’s database is a depository of spatial maps, charts, statistics and valuable data and information ready for dissemination to citiz ens upon request. The process is the division’s â€Å"building block† and intangible asset which is weakening and needs improvement. Figure 1 Functional chart of Spatial Data Division under the Abu Dhabi Town Planning Sector This office offers several services ranging from issuance of documents containing data and information, maps and satellite pictures to land examination / investigation and surveying. Activities for the staff include planning, investigations of lands for ownership, and other spatial matters. The information and data are voluminous, as they include present information and background, which may be in the form of statistics, charts, maps, and so on.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Information and data include land ownership, references, histories / backgrounds of lands in question, and any valuable information that may have been inputted befor e but which are significant in planning and creating a built environment (Department of Municipal Affairs: Abu Dhabi city municipality 2014). Important database contents include planning maps, aerial photographs and satellite images with their corresponding data and information, coordinates of lands, landmarks, and built environment, lands under litigations, and much more. Histories of lands are very important in building new structures, or in determining the usability of such lands. The voluminous information is also part of the Geographic Information Systems database that may be formulated for plans and strategies of government agencies concerned. Soft and hard copies of the information, such as maps, charts, and other forms, are available upon request. GIS is still in the process of application and may be fully operational sometime in the near future. There are many inputs coming from studies, researches, field inspections / investigations, representations, essays and narratives of histories or backgrounds of the different areas and sites within the Abu Dhabi municipality. Aspects of Operation Management The 4 Vs analysis Volume The Spatial Data Division has high volume of output. Tasks are repeated and the application of technology (GIS) can make the process fast and answerable to the demand. Researchers and investigators provide researches, papers and documents. Aside from words and numbers, the database contents are replete with aerial and satellite photographs. The staff retrieves these copies and photographs upon request from customers, and they are doing it over and over. Inputs are high and demands from customers are also high.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Spatial Data Division of Abu Dhabi Municipality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Variety There is high variety with many activities. Skills nd technology are needed, because staffs have to perform several tasks like inspect ion, investigation, and many other inputs. Activities include retrieving data from the organisation’s database per the customers’ requests. Once these are retrieved from the database, the data and information are contained in a document. Teams also conduct inspections and land surveys. Data and statistics are some of the inputs. Variation Demand is predictable and constant. Resources are provided and can address the demand. Requests can be granted easily because the staff members are skilled in browsing the contents of the database. The members were trained how to retrieve data and print a hard copy. The members can predict the customers’ demand. They know what the customers want and how to meet their demands. Visibility How much of the copies will the customers really see? First, the customer will only be able to see a hard copy (document on a piece of paper) or digital copy (CD or USB). But the database which is contained in a software and computer cannot be s een by the customer. The process of requesting from the time the customer fills up the form may be seen and experienced by the customer. In other words, the customers experience the waiting time and delay of the request process. Figure 2 4  Vs Analysis for Spatial Data DivisionAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The chart (4Vs analysis) shows that services are declining, with high demands from customers. There is low repetition and high unit cost because some personnel are doing one job repetitively. If this office can add technology, there will be high volume efficiency and the problem of low speed can be solved (Slack et al. 2013). Self-service are low volume in as much as this is not yet offered or not available. Demands are always high while service is low. Five performance objectives for the Spatial Data Division Quality Copies contain all necessary data and information per customers’ requests; contents are quality oriented Speed Total time customers wait; short waiting time Dependability (Trustworthiness) Keeping the customers asking for more Flexibility All requests are considered Costs The lowest fees Quality is the foundation of any organisation. Quality of service and quality of the contents of the requested copies from the organisation’s database are s ignificant in the transaction. Quality does not only mean conformance to customers’ requests but it also refers to the accuracy and reliability of the contents, the data and the maps (Beyond.UK: big five 2013). Speed refers to ‘just being fast’, meaning, the time the requests are made to the time the ‘product’ (data and maps) is received by the customer. Speed is a prime concern of the division I am in, but speed has remained a goal in as much as change is difficult to introduce. Change has to deal with culture and tradition which are ingrained in the people. Political will is also a concern. Dependability (trustworthiness) means the division is on time in the delivery of service, and customers keep coming back because they feel and know that their requests will be addressed to. Flexibility in the Division’s operations means how it can answer to the requirements of the requests even if it requires too much work for the staff, or change the pro cedure to conform to the request. Costs should be the lowest expense for the customers since this office is for public service, but the value of the service must be the highest. Figure 3 Polar diagram for a three-year series My personal survey for this office is that the Division’s performance has been declining for the three-year series, with respect to the five areas of performance objectives: ‘quality, speed, dependability, flexibility, and costs’. However, quality has always been top priority as it got high percentage for the different periods. In summary, the division needs overhaul (changes and innovations to make service better) in order to improve the organisational performance and meet clients’ specifications and requests. Analysis of the organisation’s current strategy The current strategy needs innovations and changes. It is not clear when this method was started, although we can quickly surmise that this has been the case ever since the Spatial Data Division was established to answer to the needs of customers wanting spatial data, along with pictures and maps. The database has been established and it is undeniable that it is very valuable to private individuals and business people. As always been stated here, culture and tradition influenced how systems work and are worked out. The usual problem in our division is the long process and the delay in addressing the many requests from the customers. The process is repetitive and can be considered traditional and time-consuming, at risk of corruption and red tape. Our aim of speed of delivery has long been a goal but cannot be fully accomplished, because of lack of effective strategy and coordination, perhaps. One of the problems is that the request form cannot be sent online. Online requests must be part of the processes to eliminate the long delay in the requests. Online negotiation is effective in providing speed of delivery of service. This process can be enhanced through personal contact, i.e. the requesting party can conduct online and may have to appear to the officer concerned if need be. But important transactions can be conducted online. Even map requests and other information can be processed online, including payment. First the customer goes to the customer service to fill up the request form and inform the office of the request’s rationale and the coverage area of the project or study. Then customer service sends this request to the Executive Director to register and send it to the division manager. Next, the division manager sends the request to the head of section, and the head of section assigns the task to an employee. When he has done this, the employee should submit the validated request to the head of section again for approval, until the customer obtains the request, finally. The customer has to wait for the long tedious process. The request form passes through several persons before it reaches the personnel/section he ad responsible for validating the request. The traditional method or process in our department is the old-fashioned way of delivering service to the people, because this has been the method we have been used to ever since I was employed by my department. There must be a way to deliver service without the unnecessary steps. This means we can shortcut the process without sacrificing the service quality and jeopardising organisational performance. This current strategy reflects the norms and community behavior of the people (Matthews Marzec 2012). In fact, it is part of our identity. We look at it as ingrained in our collective spirit, that is why it is difficult to modify but it is possible to improve. The workflow demonstrates that there is quality, although there is lack of it, and there has been no change for the past several years. The process is an ‘old system’. The managers and the government need political will to institute reforms. A simple IT application can sol ve the problem. IT application can simplify the process and total quality management can enhance effective and fast service delivery. The position of the two managers, the Executive Director and Division Director Manager, can be merged into one position. This practice demonstrates the ‘old system’. An OM theory worthy of note is the theory of production, which refers to inputs and outputs. Inputs produce outputs but various inputs can be used to produce several outputs. Inputs can be analysed to describe how costs and outputs are met and how to maximise outputs. The theory of production helps determine the value of the input-output processes (Gupta Boyd 2008). The principle behind this theory involves the introduction of utilities, and utilities refer to labor which in essence is production. Consequently, production is the making of inputs into products or services. In the context of the work area in question, the Spatial Data Division of the Abu Dhabi municipality, in puts do not necessarily mean tangible product but can be in the form of training, communication, and improvement or development of the website of the Abu Dhabi municipality, particularly the Spatial Data Division. A detailed evaluative investigation using the application of Operations Management analysis tools, theory, concepts and principles In the current process, the customer goes to the customer service to fill forms or requests. The process of validation is time-consuming. Before the request goes to the person responsible of validating or studying the request, the customer has to pass through the Executive Director and the Division Director Manager, then to the head of section, who passes the job to the head of unit. An employee is assigned to check on the request, and the job is checked by Quality Assurance. The paper trail goes back to the head of section and finally to the customer service. Additional inputs can produce good results or output for this division, which needs m ore coordination, communication and training of personnel in order to be effective, and to erase surplus, surplus in the form of personnel (who are doing nothing), or inadequate processes. The efficient use of time should be introduced in the division and not on accumulating more time before the customer gets his/her requests. Figure 4 Current Workflow The current workflow demonstrates that the request has to pass through the office of the Executive Director Manager and the Division Director Manager before it goes to the Head of Section and the Head of Unit. The steps involving the Executive Director and Division Director Manager can be eliminated, albeit temporary, because they still have to approve the request. But the approval should only be after the Head of Section and Head of Unit shall have done their part. The division needs more thinking and planning to make the processes more effective. The application of TQM, the theory of constraints, and supply chain management enables an organisation to have systems thinking, integration of the various functions, and a more horizontal structure. The operations manager will be able to introduce effective teams and participate in a collaborative decision making process with the team members (Gupta Boyd 2008, p. 991). In manufacturing, they have this just-in-time and the application of teams. JIT and effective teams can be done in my division. Service will then become very effective. Total quality management (TQM) is defined by Deming (as cited in Coman Romen, 1995, p. 1404) as ‘conformance to requirements,’ which means an office has to comply with the customers’ requests per the customers’ specifications and at the soonest possible time. ‘Requirements’ means what the customers want. Coman and Romen (1995, p. 1404) adds that the difference between meeting the needs of the customers and following requirements hinder effective service. One of the reasons for lack of effective service being offered by an organisation is tradition. Tradition becomes the law which should be followed to the letter, and so quality service is sacrificed. Tradition is ingrained in the context of the Spatial Data Division and is very difficult to extract and heal. But, as they say, time will heal. It only needs for the managers and people behind the system, who are traditionalists themselves, to dispense with what they are used to doing routine and be acquainted with new principles and new technology, which are really indispensable in this age of globalisation and high-speed Internet. The division also needs total quality. TQ is a philosophy based on principles, practices, and techniques, which should focus on customers, continuous improvement, and teamwork. Each of the principles has several practices or activities that may collect information from customers and analyse processes. Techniques are also provided in applying the practices. Emphasis on customer needs, or customer f ocus, is the most important. The objective of satisfying customers is a basic requirement in total quality (TQ) and is a part of the organisation’s goal to design and provide products and services that meet customers’ needs (Dean Bowen 1994, p. 394). Another theory we can apply is system dynamics (Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, Thun, Milling 2008). System dynamics, which is further expounded at the conclusion of this paper, is a ‘structural theory’ which can be applied to the structural problem that causes service delays in the Spatial Data Division transactions. This theory is based on a concept that ‘the structure of social systems is generally characterized by feedback loops, accumulation processes, and delays between cause and effect’ (Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, Thun, Milling, 2008, p. 374). System dynamics, which is comprised of conceptualisation and experiments, is integrated in many kinds of systems. It aims to design formal models and generate reaction for a c ertain period of time. System dynamics theories result in real-world objects which offer ‘a lens to observe and to understand the represented system, but not a description of the total system or of all social systems’ (Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, Thun, Milling, 2008, p. 374). Concepts in this theory are: feedback loops, accumulation processes, and delays between cause and effect. These concepts are all important in oprations management situations, most especially the Spatial Data Division. We can provide an example here. If in this organisation, we have to apply improvement program we can use the feedback loop which influences worker motivation. Improvement program decreases employee motivation since there are fears that employees are made redundant with a successful program already introduced (Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, Thun, Milling, 2008). Critical discussion and recommendations Since this is a government agency or department, the effective solution is to shorten the process and the waitin g time, and also avoid â€Å"red tape†. Red tape means unnecessary steps in the process of delivering service to the people who are the customers, and the process can also lead to corruption. This activity can be avoided by providing speed in the delivery of service, which is what the people in a democratic situation needs. Shortening the process does not mean bypassing department or section heads. The effective way is for the customer to fill up the request form in the office of Section Head who will validate the request for a project. If the section head approves the request, then the process of approval can start right up to the Executive Director. The process is reduced to two or three steps and may just take up to one day or a few hours to complete. If more studies are needed for the project, it may only take a short time before the request can be approved or denied. The website should be developed and improved, enhance the features by providing an interactive communicat ion between the department and the customers. The potential costs in not solving the problem are waste of time and resources involving taxpayers’ money. The cost of building a database such as this division is no easy feat. It involved government resources. Much more of these resources will be lost if changes are not provided in the soonest possible time. The office and the government as a whole will also lose its credibility and trust from the people. Some inferences of spatial data are still unknown and are in the process of verification (Fotheringham Brunsdon 2004). If these are not verified and investigated, they might forever be lost. Another practical solution to the problem of the Spatial Data Division of Abu Dhabi municipality is the application of Systems Dynamics. This is a method to show, replicate, and reproduce active systems, like our organisation which is just a division or department of the Abu Dhabi municipality. Brunswick (1956 as cited in Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, Th un, Milling, 2008, p. 374) formulated the ‘lens theory’ which states that ‘theories are like lenses that influence the perception of phenomena’. System dynamics also refers to articles and journals with empirical evidence about the relationships of factors in social systems. The background for a certain system influences the future development of that system, which is characterised by time delays (Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, Thun, Milling, 2008). The ‘product’ in applying system dynamics theory and method to the parameters of the Spatial Data Division are, still, theories but they represent linkages between the objects as they become part of the real world. This means the result is improvement in service and the elimination of time delays in providing service. Good systems dynamics models are considered authentic representations of specific problems, for example, the improvement in the processes inside the Spatial Data Division. The application of Informa tion Technology (Geographic Information Systems) should be perfected to ensure and improve quality service. GIS provides a database for keeping, management, and recovery of higher volume of geographical statistics (Alkobaisi et al. 2012, p. 30). GIS is composed of layers or elements and the subject of the information data, for example roads and lands. Coordinates provide the relation of the layers, so that when layers are in the same coordinates, a relationship is established. Yu and Peuquet (2009) argued that ‘object, field, and time’ are three basic elements for representation of surveyed environmental dynamics. The new GIS should be more than the current data-centred paradigm to detect geographic representation in a knowledge rich period. Figure 5 Proposed workflow In this proposed workflow, time and process are shortened. The customer who signs the request form at the customer service is directed to the head of section, with the Executive Manager Director and Divis ion Manager informed and their opinion being sought. At the same time, the paper trail goes to the head of unit who passes this to quality check and quality assurance and then back to the customer service. The process is already shortened. The division needs to work as a team, or formulate teams. In the current workflow, the system seems not working because the personnel are not members of a team. Work teams save time and allow the process to work for the customers’ needs and conform to their specifications. Communication is enhanced in the team. Effective communication will not allow flaws in the system, but it allows the system to flow for the team members to work for the success of the organisation and the customers. The Spatial Data Division personnel and managers need motivation through training and development. The team members have to experience continuous training to enhance their skill and capability. Training, capability building and motivation will harness their fu ll potential. The managers and the members working as a team will erase the ‘boss and subordinate’ mindset and make this department successful in serving the people of Abu Dhabi and beyond. References Alkobaisi, S, Bai, W, VojtÃ"â€"chovskà ½, P, Narayanappa, S 2012, ‘An interactive framework for spatial joins: a statistical approach to data analysis in GIS’, Geoinformatica, vol. 16, pp. 329-355, via EBSCOHOST database. Beyond.UK: big five 2013. Web. Coman, A. Ronen, B. 1995, ‘Information technology in operations management: a theory-of-constraints approach’, International Journal of Production Research, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. 1403-1415, via EBSCOHOST database. Dean, J Bowen, D 1994, ‘Management theory and total quality: improving research and practice through theory development’, Academy of Management Review, vol. 19, no. 3, via ProQuest Research Library. Department of Municipal Affairs: Abu Dhabi city municipality 2014. Web. Foth eringham, A. Brunsdon, C 2004, ‘Some thoughts on inference in the analysis of spatial data’, Internal Journal of Geographical Information Science, vol. 18, no. 5, pp. 447-457, via EBSCOHOST database. Grà ¶ÃƒÅ¸ler, A, Thun, J, Milling, P 2008, ‘System dynamics as a structural theory in operations management’, Production and Operations Management, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 373-384, via EBSCOHOST database. Gupta, M Boyd, L 2008, ‘Theory of constraints: a theory for operations management’, International Journal of Operations Production Management, vol. 28, no. 10, pp. 991-1012, via EBSCOHOST database. Matthews, R Marzec, P 2012, ‘Social capital, a theory for operations management: a systematic review of the evidence’, International Journal of Production Research, vol. 50, no. 24, pp. 7081-7099, via EBSCOHOST database. Slack, N, Brandon-Jones, A, Johnston, R, Betts, A 2013, Operations and process management: principles and practice for strategic impact (3rd edn), Pearson Ltd., London. Yu, C Peuquet, D 2009, ‘A geo agent-based framework for knowledge-oriented representation: embracing social rules in GIS’, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, vol. 23, no. 7, pp. 923-960, via EBSCOHOST database. This essay on Spatial Data Division of Abu Dhabi Municipality was written and submitted by user Anderson Everett to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Definition of Psychological Realism

The Definition of Psychological Realism Psychological realism is a style of writing that came to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  It’s a highly character-driven genre of fiction writing, as it focuses on the motivations and internal thoughts of characters to explain their actions. A writer of psychological realism seeks to show not only what the characters do but also to explain why they take such actions. Theres often a larger theme in psychological realism novels, with the author expressing an opinion on a societal or political issue through his or her characters. However, psychological realism should not be confused with psychoanalytic writing or surrealism, two other modes of artistic expression that flourished in the 20th century and focused on psychology in unique ways. Dostoevsky and Psychological Realism An excellent example of this genre (although the author himself didn’t necessarily agree with the classification) is Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. This 1867 novel (first published as a series of stories in a magazine in 1866) centers on Russian student Radion Raskolnikov and his plan to murder an unethical pawnbroker. Raskolnikov needs the money, but the novel spends a great deal of time focusing on his self-recrimination and his attempts to rationalize his crime.   Throughout the novel, we meet other characters who are engaged in distasteful and illegal acts motivated by their desperate financial situations: Raskolnikovs sister plans to marry a man who can secure her familys future, his friend Sonya prostitutes herself because she is penniless. In understanding the characters motivations, the reader gains a better understanding of the conditions of poverty, which was Dostoevskys  overarching goal.   American Psychological Realism: Henry James American novelist Henry James also used psychological realism to great effect in his novels. James explored family relationships, romantic desires and small-scale power struggle through this lens, often in painstaking detail.   Unlike Charles Dickens realist novels (which tend to level direct criticisms at social injustices) or Gustave Flauberts realist compositions (which are made up of lavish, finely-ordered descriptions of varied people, places, and objects), James works of psychological realism focused largely on the inner lives of prosperous characters. His most famous novels- including The Portrait of a Lady, The Turn of the Screw, and The Ambassadors- portray characters who lack self-awareness but often have unfulfilled yearnings. Other Examples of Psychological Realism James emphasis on psychology in his novels influenced some of the most important writers of the modernist era, including Edith Wharton and T.S. Eliot. Whartons The Age of Innocence, which won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1921, offered an insiders view of upper-middle-class society. The novels title is ironic since the main characters of Newland, Ellen, and May, operate in circles that are anything but innocent. Their society has strict rules about what is and isnt proper, despite what its inhabitants want.   As in Crime and Punishment, the inner struggles of Whartons characters are explored to explain their actions, while at the same time the novel paints an unflattering picture of their world.   Eliots best-known work, the poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, also falls into the category of psychological realism, although it also could be classified as surrealism or romanticism as well. Its definitely an example of stream of consciousness writing, as the narrator describes his frustration with missed opportunities and lost love.

Biography of Max Weber

Biography of Max Weber Max Weber was born in Erfurt, Prussia (present-day Germany) on April 21, 1864. He is considered one of the three founding fathers of sociology, alongside Karl Marx, and Emile Durkheim. His text The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism was considered a founding text in sociology. Early Life and Education Weber’s father was greatly involved in public life and so his home was constantly immersed in both politics and academia. Weber and his brother thrived in this intellectual atmosphere. In 1882, he enrolled at the University of Heidelberg, but after two years left to fulfill his year of military service at Strassburg. After his release from the military, Weber finished his studies at the University of Berlin, earning his doctorate in 1889 and joining the University of Berlin’s faculty, lecturing and consulting for the government. Career and Later Life In 1894, Weber was appointed a professor of economics at the University of Freiburg and then was granted the same position at the University of Heidelberg in 1896. His research at the time focused mainly on economics and legal history. After Weber’s father died in 1897, two months after a severe quarrel that was never resolved. Weber became prone to depression, nervousness, and insomnia, making it difficult for him to fulfill his duties as a professor. He was thus forced to reduce his teaching and eventually left in the fall of 1899. For five years he was intermittently institutionalized, suffering sudden relapses after efforts to break such cycles by traveling. He finally resigned his professorship in late 1903. Also in 1903, Weber became the associate editor of the Archives for Social Science and Social Welfare where his interests lied in more fundamental issues of social sciences. Soon Weber began to publish some of his papers in this journal, most notably his essay The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which became his most famous work and was later published as a book. In 1909, Weber co-founded the German Sociological Association and served as its first treasurer. He resigned in 1912, however, and unsuccessfully tried to organize a left-wing political party to combine social-democrats and liberals. At the outbreak of World War I, Weber, aged 50, volunteered for service and was appointed as a reserve officer and put in charge of organizing the army hospitals in Heidelberg, a role he fulfilled until the end of 1915. Webers most powerful impact on his contemporaries came in the last years of his life, when, from 1916 to 1918, he argued powerfully against Germanys annexationist war goals and in favor of a strengthened parliament. After assisting in the drafting of the new constitution and the founding of the German Democratic Party, Weber became frustrated with politics and resumed teaching at the University of Vienna. He then taught at the University of Munich. Weber died on June 14, 1920. Major Publications The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1904)The City (1912)The Sociology of Religion (1922)General Economic History (1923)The Theory of Social and Economic Organization (1925) Sources: Max Weber. (2011). Biography.com. biography.com/articles/Max-Weber-9526066Johnson, A. (1995). The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers.

Explain what proposition knowledge is, and explain the JBT theory of Essay

Explain what proposition knowledge is, and explain the JBT theory of propositional knowledge. Be sure to explain why it seems th - Essay Example For example John and Brian apply for the same job and john believes that Brian will get the job and he has twenty bucks in his pocket. John is justified in believing that the one who will get the job has twenty bucks in his pocket, so it can be said that john is justified in believing the truth although he also has got twenty bucks in his pocket which he is does not know of. Another example is, for instance just meeting a person is not enough. One should have knowledge about the person. One should have details about that person. This kind of knowledge is known as Personal knowledge. Procedural knowledge also involves some kind of propositional knowledge. For instance, if you have knowledge of how to operate a computer then obviously you will know that by pressing a specific key what function will the computer perform. The Justified True Belief (JTB) theory was given by the famous Greek Philosopher, Plato. Plato was student of the great philosopher Socrates and was the teacher of Aris totle who was also a celebrated philosopher of his time. In Plato’s view, three elements, justification, truth and belief combine to form the definition of propositional knowledge.

English Criminal law Problem question - Discuss the criminal Essay

English Criminal law Problem question - Discuss the criminal liability, if any, of Bruiser for the murder of Dot - Essay Example In the event the actus rea and the mens rea are concurrent, then the accused person will be deemed fully liable for the act and be penalized for first degree murder. The establishment of mens rea is particularly important to establish guilt, since according to Edward Coke who first proposed the theory of mens rea, â€Å"an act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty.†2 When a criminal act – especially murder – has occurred, it is also necessary to establish a concurrence with the mens rea.3 The case of R v Lamb4 set out the precedent that mens rea â€Å"is an essential ingredient in manslaughter†. The criterion that is used is by assessing whether a reasonable man would have been able to assess the risk inherent in his actions that caused harm, which will be sufficient to establish mens rea5. However, a recent significant development in this area is the case of R v Andrews6 (2003), wherein the Court upheld a conviction for manslaughter although it was a strict liability offense. The prosecution was not required to prove mens rea in that case7. This could impact significantly upon the extent of Bru iser’s liability and the possibility of conviction. The context within which an offense occurs forms an important part of the sentencing and in making a determination of the extent of liability of a person when mitigating circumstances exist, the accused could be deemed to have a diminished responsibility for his actions and will be liable for the lesser charge of manslaughter. However, there is also provision in English law for transferred malice, whereby a person intending to cause grievous bodily harm to one person may actually cause it to another by some slip or change in circumstances, nevertheless the accused will be deemed to be as guilty as if he had intended to carry out the damage on the second person. Moreover, in making the determination about whether grievous bodily harm has taken place, the Court will also

Black lives matter the history and existence of racial inequality in the united states Essay Example for Free

Black lives matter the history and existence of racial inequality in the united states Essay â€Å"Hands up. Don’t shoot.†[1] This is a refrain shouted by #BlackLivesMatter activists throughout the United States. #BlackLivesMatter is a movement that gained national momentum in 2014 after acts of police brutality resulting in the death of black Americans such as Mike Brown and Eric Garner. In both of these cases, the respective police officers involved were not indicted for the death of American citizens.[2] This prompted the reaction: â€Å"black lives matter†; the livelihood of black people should and must be as important as that of white people. Throughout history, people of African descent in the United States have not equally enjoyed the same life and opportunities as other Americans due to racism, defined by public health scholars Jennifer Jee-Lyn Garcia and Mienah Zulfacar Sharif as â€Å"system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on race, that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities, and advantages others.†[3] In the early 1900s, multiple doctors brought attention to the disparity in the morbidity and mortality of diseases, many that result from poor living conditions, between black and white Americans. Lawrence Lee, a doctor writing in 1914, noted: â€Å"that tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases and still-births cause a death-rate of 917.9 per 100,000 against a rate of 354.7 for whites.†[4] In 1927, a movement in favor of eugenics took hold, beginning with the Buck v. Bell ruling.[5] This United States Supreme Court case gave doctors the authority to designate cert ain people more fit to breed than others and supported the procreation of the so-called â€Å"fit† and limited that of the â€Å"unfit† through means such as forced sterilization.[6] During this time, forty percent of the â€Å"unfit† people sterilized were non-white.[7] However, #BlackLivesMatter activists demonstrate that racist agendas that are viewed as history in truth have ongoing effects to this day that negatively impact the daily lives and public health of African Americans. Opponents use the social media hashtag #AllLivesMatter, expressing the view that all people deserve equal rights and access to basic necessities, regardless of race. #AllLivesMatter is distinct from the #BlackLivesMatter movement in that it does not acknowledge the past and present inequity in the quality of life between white Americans and those of African descent. #BlackLivesMatter has given voice to a historically oppressed class of people and opened a discussion on how the eugen ics movement has compromised that of black Americans and how this can be corrected and how future racially-charged infractions can be prevented. The racialization of medicine has  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­had a significant role in the development of the eugenics movement. Garcia and Sharif define racism as â€Å"system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on race, that unfairly disadvantages some individuals and communities† and claims that â€Å"racism as a social condition is a fundamental cause of health and illness.†[8] The eugenics movement is one that is founded on the racist ideology that was detrimental to the African American community. Negative eugenics was carried out through marriage restriction, forced sterilization, and confining the â€Å"feeble-minded† to colonies. The restriction of marriage through issuing marriage licenses was critical in the racist agenda of eugenics. It was illegal to have children outside of wedlock.[9] Virginia in particular banned inter-racial marriage. By doing so, Virginia politicians and eugenicists were intentionally preventing people from having mixed ra ce children, something they saw as undesirable.[10] #AllLivesMatter activists would argue that the eugenics movement was not focused on African Americans, as many of the victims of eugenics were white. In Buck v. Bell, a case heard by the United States Supreme Court that secured eugenic doctors’ ability to forcibly sterilize the feeble-minded, the defendant was Carrie Buck, a white woman.[11]   Proponents of #AllLivesMatter would note that eugenic doctors instead targeted individuals of lower socio-economic status. Some of the diagnostic criteria for detecting feeble-mindedness included â€Å"cold and clammy hands and excessive pallor or blushing.†[12] While many of the victims of the application of negative eugenics were of lower socioeconomic status, it cannot be ignored that the eugenics movement grew from calls to improve black public health in the early 1900’s. Advancements in germ theory allowed for doctors to understand that diseases are transmissible r egardless of race; as a result, doctors emphasized the need for sanitary living conditions for black Americans.[13] Historian Andrea Patterson claims that â€Å"public health measures were hijacked by eugenicists†[14] – rather than these public health measures benefitting blacks, they, in part, created an environment in which eugenicists had reason to believe that people of particular racial background were predisposed to certain illnesses. Although Buck v. Bell enabled the eugenics movement to impact people of all races, the racist political regimes that preceded it supported the development of eugenics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Paternalism was a major contributing factor to eugenic’s establishment. In 1915, Doctor L. C. Allen posited that â€Å"the negro health problem is one of the white mans burdens, and it is by no means the least of those burdens.†[15] It was his belief that the disproportionately high morbidity and mortality rates of diseases such as tuberculosis and syphilis among black Americans were the responsibility of the white population to resolve. Allen credited the strict supervision of slave owners over black slaves for the lack of illnesses related to an unclean living environment and sexually transmitted diseases while slavery was legal.[16] According to Allen, â€Å"freedom has not benefited his health, nor improved his morals,† where â€Å"he† refers to African Americans.[17] Without white slave owners to ensure that African Americans bathe, clean their living spaces, and do not engage in promiscuous sex, Allen clai ms that African Americans did not properly take care of themselves. His answer to this perceived problem is for white Americans to champion a public health reform by way of changing the educational curriculum for blacks. Allen’s proposed â€Å"industrial education† would consist of teaching African American children proper hygiene and cater to their future career prospects, which mainly consist of service or manual labor roles.[18] By singling out a minority group to be segregated for the purpose of a different education based on race, Allen’s â€Å"industrial education† plan would have been an institutionalized instance of structural racism. Black Americans would have been denied access to an equal education, and by virtue of that, they would be further limited to the jobs available to them. Although this plan did not come to fruition, the ideas behind it lingered. Eugenic doctors felt that it was for the betterment of all humankind to promote the procre ation of those with what these doctors deemed desirable traits while simultaneously diminishing or altogether ceasing the procreation of the â€Å"unfit.†[19] The widespread belief that eugenics existed in order to improve the global gene pool is paternalistic. The socio-economic elite utilized their position of power to further their self-interested ideology at the expense of those below them, particularly African Americans. Mass incarceration of African Americans is a modern practice that in many ways is a continuation of eugenics. Victims of eugenic sterilization told their stories in a 2011 testimony in North Carolina arranged by The Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board. One such victim was Elaine Riddick, a black woman. Her son, Tony Riddick commented on the ongoing systemic racism in the United States, saying, â€Å"A young man nineteen years old, first time convicted, nonviolent offense, you give him fifteen to twenty years in prison. Now look at what happens, now he can no longer be a father, his mother loses a child.†[20] Though the testimony took place a few years before the #BlackLivesMatter movement gained momentum, these sentiments are the same as those felt by activists today. #BlackLivesMatter advocate and doctor Mary Basset argues in â€Å"#BlackLivesMatter — A Challenge to the Medical and Public Health Communities† that â€Å"there is the great injustice in the daily violence experienced by young black men. But the tragedy of lives cut short is not accounted for entirely, or even mostly, by violence.†[21] Indeed, as Tony Riddick pointed out, systemic racism has cost many black Americans the ability to lead a productive life in society and often the ability to reproduce. In the mid-twentieth century, this took the form of the eugenics movement. People designated â€Å"feebleminded,† a categorization for the so-called unfit of society, were often sent to colonies to live out their lives and forcibly sterilized.[22] Though eugenics has been abolished, similar practices occur today. When a person is sentenced to a prison sentence that spans their prime reproductive years, they are segregated from the rest of society and are much less likely to raise a family.[23] Tony Riddick drew a comparison between eugenics and mass incarceration, likening each to genocide.[24] Flaws in today’s criminal justice system have allowed a form of racial genocide to perpetuate in the United States. A quick internet search of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter will bring up a sizable list of names that activists for the movement mourn as preventable deaths. Though many people know of Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, and Mike Brown, lesser-known but equally important people are added to the list of casualties regularly. One such person is Joyce Cornell, a fifty-year-old black woman who died in jail on July 22, 2015. Cornell was arrested for failing to pay court fines, a minor offense. Cornell experienced severe nausea and vomiting and was not granted medical treatment or water. She passed away one day later from dehydration.[25] These people, every black person who has lost their life early from preventable causes, represent a public health epidemic. Structural racism has decreased the life expectancy of black people living in the United States.[26] As Garcia and Sharif argue, it is necessary to â€Å"reshape our discourse† and consider racism a public health issue in order to begin to combat its effects.[27] It is vital that positive change happens for the betterment of our fellow Americans. This process begins with recognizing that racism exists and that #BlackLivesMatter. Bibliography Allen, L. C., M.D. THE NEGRO HEALTH PROBLEM. The American Journal of Public Health, 1914. Accessed February 8, 2016. Bassett, Mary T., M.D., M.P.H. #BlackLivesMatter — A Challenge to the Medical and Public Health Communities. The New England Journal of Medicine 372, no. 12 (March 19, 2015): 1085-087. Accessed March 11, 2016. Buck v. Bell.  274th  ed. Vol. 200. U.S. Supreme Court, 1927. Dorr, Gregory Michael. STERILIZE THE MISFITS PROMPTLY†: Virginia Controls the Feebleminded. In Segregations Science: Eugenics and Society in Virginia, 107-36. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008. Garcà ­a, Jennifer Jee-Lyn, Ph.D., and Mienah Zulfacar Sharif, MPH. Black Lives Matter: A Commentary on Racism and Public Health. Am J Public Health American Journal of Public Health 105, no. 8 (August 2015): E27-30. doi:10.2105/ajph.2015.302706. Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board.   Final Report to the Governor of the State of North Caroline (Pursuant to Executive Order 83).   Raleigh, NC, 2011. Hutchinson, Woods. The Importance of Negative Eugenics Or the Prevention of Ill-Bornness.,. The American Journal of Public Health 3 (1913): 238-42. Knapp, Andrew, and Dave Munday. Lawyers Say Woman, 50, Died after Being ‘deprived of Water’ at Charleston County Jail. Post and Courier. February 24, 2016. Accessed April 21, 2016. http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20160224/PC16/160229636. Lee, Lawrence, M.D. THE NEGRO AS A PROBLEM IN PUBLIC HEALTH CHARITY. The American Journal of Public Health 5 (1915): 207-10. Patterson, Andrea. Germs and Jim Crow: The Impact of Microbiology on Public Health Policies in Progressive Era American South.Journal of the History of Biology  42, no. 3 (Fall 2009): 529-59. doi:10.1007/s10739-008-9164-x. [1] Jennifer Jee-Lyn Garcà ­a, Ph.D. and Mienah Zulfacar Sharif, MPH, Black Lives Matter: A Commentary on Racism and Public Health,  Am J Public Health American Journal of Public Health105, no. 8 (August 2015): e27, doi:10.2105/ajph.2015.302706. [2] Garcia and Sharif, e27 [3] Garcia and Sharif, e27 [4] Lawrence Lee, M.D., THE NEGRO AS A PROBLEM IN PUBLIC HEALTH CHARITY.,  The American Journal of Public Health  5 (1915): 207. [5] Buck v. Bell.  274th  ed. Vol. 200. U.S. Supreme Court, 1927. [6] Woods Hutchinson, The Importance of Negative Eugenics Or the Prevention of Ill-Bornness.,  AJPH  3 (1913): 238. [7] Gregory Michael Dorr, STERILIZE THE MISFITS PROMPTLY†: Virginia Controls the Feebleminded., in Segregations Science: Eugenics and Society in Virginia(University of Virginia Press, 2008). [8] Garcia and Sharif, e27 [9] Dorr, 112 [10] Dorr, 111 [11] Dorr, 129 [12] Dorr, 113 [13] Andrea Patterson, Germs and Jim Crow: The Impact of Microbiology on Public Health Policies in Progressive Era American South,  Journal of the History of Biology  42, no. 3 (Fall 2009): 541, doi:10.1007/s10739-008-9164-x. [14] Patterson, 529 [15] L. C. Allen, M.D., THE NEGRO HEALTH PROBLEM.,  The American Journal of Public Health  5 (1915): 194. [16] Allen, 195 [17] Allen, 194 [18] Allen, 200 [19] Hutchinson, 240 [20] Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board.   Final Report to the Governor of the State of North Caroline (Pursuant to Executive Order 83).   Raleigh, NC, 2011, D-10 [21] Mary T. Bassett, M.D., M.P.H., #BlackLivesMatter — A Challenge to the Medical and Public Health Communities,  The New England Journal of Medicine  372, no. 12 (March 19, 2015): 1085, accessed March 11, 2016. [22] Dorr, 120 [23] Garcia and Sharif, e28 [24] Governor’s Task Force to Determine the Method of Compensation for Victims of North Carolina’s Eugenics Board, D-10. [25] Andrew Knapp and Dave Munday, Lawyers Say Woman, 50, Died after Being ‘deprived of Water’ at Charleston County Jail, Post and Courier, February 24, 2016, accessed April 21, 2016, http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20160224/PC16/160229636. [26] Garcia and Sharif, e28 [27] Garcia and Sharif, e27