The Book Of Joshua & Ruth Essays - Land Of Israel, Prophets Of Islam

The Book Of Joshua & Ruth The Book of Joshua Chapter 1 The book begins with the history, not of Joshua's life (many remarkable passages of that we had before in the books of Moses) but of his reign and government. In this chapter, I. God appoints him to the government in the stead of Moses, gives him an ample commission, full instructions, and great encouragements (v. 1-9). II. He accepts the government, and addresses himself immediately to the business of it, giving orders to the officers of the people in general (v. 10, 11) and particularly to the two tribes and a half (v. 12?15). III. The people agree to it, and take an oath of fealty to him (v. 16?18). A reign which thus began with God could not but be honourable to the prince and comfortable to the subject. The last words of Moses are still verified, Happy art thou, O Israel! Who is like unto thee, O people?'' Deu. 33:29. Chapter 2 In this chapter we have an account of the scouts that were employed to bring an account to Joshua of the posture of the city of Jericho. Observe here, I. How Joshua sent them (v. 1). II. How Rahab received them, and protected them, and told a lie for them (v. 2-7), so that they escaped out of the hands of the enemy. III. The account she gave them of the present posture of Jericho, and the panic-fear they were struck with upon the approach of Israel (v. 8?11). IV. The bargain she made with them for the security of herself and her relations in the ruin she saw coming upon her city (v. 12?21). V. Their safe return to Joshua, and the account they gave him of their expedition (v. 22?24). And that which makes this story most remarkable is that Rahab, the person principally concerned in it, is twice celebrated in the New Testament as a great believer (Heb. 11:31) and as one whose faith proved itself by good works, James 2:25. Chapter 3 This chapter, and that which follows it, give us the history of Israel's passing through Jordan into Canaan, and a very memorable history it is. Long afterwards, they are told to remember what God did for them between Shittim (whence they decamped, v. 1). and Gilgal, where they next pitched, ch. 4:19, Mic. 6:5, that they might know the righteousness of the Lord. By Joshua's order they marched up to the river's side (v. 1), and then almighty power led them through it. They passed through the Red Sea unexpectedly, and in their flight by night, but they have notice some time before of their passing through Jordan, and their expectations raised. I. The people are directed to follow the ark (v. 2-4). II. They are commanded to sanctify themselves (v. 5). III. The priests with the ark are ordered to lead the van (v. 6). IV. Joshua is magnified and made commander in chief (v. 7, 8). V. Public notice is given of what God is about to do for them (v. 9?13). IV. The thing is done, Jordan is divi ded, and Israel brought safely through it (v. 14?17). This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Chapter 4 This chapter gives a further account of the miraculous passage of Israel through Jordan. I. The provision that was made at that time to preserve the memorial of it, by twelve stones set up in Jordan (v. 9) and other twelve stones taken up out of Jordan (v. 1-8). II. The march of the people through Jordan's channel, the two tribes first, then all the people, and the priests that bore the ark last (v. 10?14). III. The closing of the waters again upon their coming up with the ark (v. 15?19). IV. The erecting of the monument in Gilgal, to preserve the remembrance of this work of wonder to posterity (v. 20?24). Chapter 5 Israel have now got over Jordan, and the waters which had opened before them, to favour their march forward, are closed again behind them, to forbid their retreat backward. They have now got footing in Canaan, and must apply themselves to the

European Settlement Essays

European Settlement Essays European Settlement Essay European Settlement Essay What impact did European settlement have on the indigenous population of Australia? European settlement had a severe and devastating impact on Indigenous people. Their dispossession of the land, exposure to new diseases and involvement in violent conflict, resulted in the death of a vast number of the Aboriginal peoples. The small percentage of Aboriginal people who did not die during these early decades of the colony, were not unaffected. The impact of the white settlers changed their lives Disease:While the British settlers had a hand in the intentional eradication of the Aboriginal peoples, the settlers were also accidentally responsible for their deaths during times of peaceful contact. When the settlers arrived in Australia they brought with them a number of European epidemic diseases. These diseases included chickenpox,  smallpox,  typhoid,  measles  and  influenza. The Aboriginal peoples had  no immunity to these unfamiliar diseases. Loss of land: Not long after th e First Fleet arrived in New South Wales, overseas governments began to grant, lease and sell land to white settlers.As the prosperity of the overseas wool industry increased, more settlers arrived in the gathering to stake their claims on grazing land from which they could amass their own fortunes. The fading availability of suitable land resulted in a number of voyages to search for more fertile grazing land. Loss of culture: in 1770, the Australian Aboriginals culture and way of life dramatically changed when Lieutenant James Cook took possession of the east coast of Australia and named it New South Wales.The British colonisation of Australia began 18 years later, which was a terrible event for indigenous Australians. The Europeans spread epidemic diseases The British settlement then took land and water resources from the Australian Aborigine, and was ignorant in their assumption that the semi-nomadic Aborigines could be driven off and made to live somewhere else. In fact, the lo ss of traditional lands, food sources and water resources was a fatal blow to the Aboriginal communities who already weakened by disease were then forced to abandon their deep spiritual and cultural connection to their land.As a direct consequence of the invasion, the enforced move away from traditional areas adversely impacted upon Aboriginal cultural and the spiritual practices which had been necessary for maintaining the cohesion and well-being of the tribal group. Conflict ;amp; Massacres At first fear and curiosity were experienced by the Aboriginal peoples and the British settlers. Cultural misunderstandings over land, however, made the initial attempts to construct a peaceful relationship seem futile.Both the settlers and Aboriginal people felt they were fighting for their survival and so the war that erupted between them was desperate and brutal. The 1834 Battle of Pinjarra in Western Australia, the 1838 Myall Creek Massacre in New South Wales and the 1843 Warrigal Creek Mas sacre in Victoria are three infamous confrontations in Australian history. There were committed in all parts of the country, by both the Aboriginal people and the white. The white settlers, however, had the superior firepower and in later times, as more and more Aboriginal people died from.

EC5--Movie, book, TV show, or song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

EC5--Movie, book, TV show, or song - Essay Example According to the law, the figure or value that is expressed in words is meant to govern over the value expressed in words as the figures expressed in words are much more difficult to alter. In essence, the words control the figures up until the point where the words are considered ambiguous. â€Å"Catch me if You Can† is a biography that is founded on the life and experiences Frank Abagnale, a young man who managed to rip off millions of dollars from the bank through check fraud. He manages to do this by posing as pilot from Pan American World Airways, a doctor from Georgia and a parish prosecutor from Louisiana. This is relevant to the theme by virtue of highlighting the different loopholes within the security and scrutiny of checks and how individuals manage to circumvent these loopholes. The movie shows how check fraud is conducted by individuals and/or corporates with the aim of ripping of financial institutions. However, the law has prescribed different measures for punishing the culprits and recovering the fraudulently obtained

Assessment Centre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assessment Centre - Essay Example Leivens (2001) has pointed out the fact that assessment centres have gained popularity and fame in last 4 decades as they have become a very useful source that facilitate in recruitment and selection of employees. In general, the assessment centres refer to a development centre or a one-day workshop where Human Resource Professionals evaluate the qualities, personality traits, and attributes followed by decision – making and problem – solving skills of potential candidates. For instance, these centres are created for the purpose of facilitating HR executives in recruitment and induction of the smart candidates, who will then contribute their abilities and knowledge in survival, expansion and sustainable development of an organisation. Among the major benefits of assessment centres (ACs), the most important is that they are quite effective in testing behavioural issues / problems, psychology, mental strength and attitudes of potential candidates. For instance, the assess ors make observations, recordings and use psychological tests / tools / scales to check locus of control, openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, pressure assimilation, will power and other factors after which evaluations and feedbacks are provided. In this way, the recruiters draw conclusions about emotional stability of an employee coupled with his / her underlying strengths and weaknesses (Leivens et al, 2001). As far as the objectives of assessment centres are concerned, it is worthwhile to mention that assessors tend to have case studies, debates, open and group discussion sessions, group exercises and presentations to test level of creativity, personal drive, critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills in a candidate. For instance, the assessors also organise randomly selected candidates into work groups and teams, which are then assigned various situations and real – world scenarios in order to test team building skills, relationship building, flexibil ity, analytical capabilities, leadership styles and mutual cooperation / coordination among members. These medium duration exercises help providing relatively better analysis about aforementioned qualities in candidates compared to observations and responses during face-to-face interviews. It should be highlighted that another advantage of assessment centres is to judge conflict resolution, crises handling and contingency plan development abilities either though individual or groups tests. In addition, candidates may be assigned responsibilities to develop a realistic business plan to judge vision, strategic planning, forecasting, risk identification, analysis and measurement, marketing, adaptability, innovation, differentiation and other capabilities as a whole. For instance, assessment centres also evaluate and testify how honest, moral and ethical a candidate is through assignment of certain ethical scenarios, dilemmas and lapses. The aforementioned enabled HR executives to get a n insight over the importance that an applicant could have for Code of Conduct, Organisational Cons and Rule of Law. In addition, the candidates are scrutinised for assessment of competitiveness, task – orientation, performance approach, employee centredness, and relationship – orientation so that they could be prepared to assimilate pressure in an unpredictable and complex business environment (Kolk et al, 2003). It is justified to argue that the actual aim of assessment cen

Reflective Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflective Manager - Essay Example As Wiesen (2011) states, â€Å"the purpose of employee development is for workers at a company to learn skills that they can use within the workplace†. Learning is considered a key phase in the employee development process which not only improves the performance of employees but also makes them able to overcome global competition challenges successfully. Learning in organizations holds an important place because of a large number of associated benefits. Learning is basically related to the improvement in skills, abilities, and knowledge of employees through training, coaching, and direct observation. Managers and employees all benefit from the reflective process of learning. The first stage of the reflective process is awareness which leads to the critical analysis. The critical analysis plays the role of a link between past experiences and the future. The last step of the reflective learning process is learning which helps managers and employees in improving their skills, abi lities, and job performances. Learning through coaching can help Comet in many ways. As Chakravarthy (2011) states, â€Å"the coach has to help the person learn the requisite attitude, behavior and skills needed to perform the job successfully†. ... The importance of learning in organizations cannot be denied in today’s world of ongoing competition. If we talk about the levels of reflection from learning perspective, we can say that at the lowest level, learning is task-specific and usually helps in problem-solving, whereas the highest level of the reflective process of learning helps managers and employees in overcoming challenges underlying attitudes, beliefs, and assumptions. Learning helps employees grasp more knowledge about the way they should perform their job responsibilities, as well as help them grow in their professional careers. Learning also helps managers in managing their entire job related activities and responsibilities in an effective manner (Peter 2012). Some of the main learning methods that can use to achieve the goals of improved organizational performance and strategic agility include on the job training, off the job training, small group discussions, and cross training. On-The-Job learning plays a vital role in boosting the learning process for employees and managers. This method focuses on improving employee efficiency using the approach of activity-based learning. Use of direct learning and temporary work rotations help managers in dealing with changing scenarios in an effective manner. Another thing which goes side by side with learning is the need to increase the level of confidence of people. Learning brings in the required level on confidence in people which is critical for increasing job productivity and performance. â€Å"Organizational learning allows for teams to learn exactly what is relevant to their specific tasks and specialties† (Silberman 2013). Along with increasing confidence of managers and employees, on-the-job learning also helps them in reducing

Impact of London Hosting the 2012 Olympics

Impact of London Hosting the 2012 Olympics â€Å"London 2012’s ambition is to create a Games for everyone, where everyone is invited to take part, join in and enjoy the most exciting event in the world† ( www.london2012.com ). This is a laudable aim for those who are charged with the responsibility for producing the Games in London. The aim of this study is to look at the potential impact of hosting the Games for Britain and how this reflects the ideology of those who are running it. In order to assess the potential impact of the Games on Britain, one needs to investigate the success or otherwise of other major sporting events that have been staged in the past. The most notable or should I say notorious failure in terms of the Olympics was the Montreal Games; Henry Aubin, a Canadian newspaper columnist commented that the Games had been â€Å"a financial disaster. There has not been a single successful legacy of the Olympics† (from Evening Standard, Nov. 2006). The event itself was poorly organised from the start, with the result that it took the organisers thirty years to pay for the Games in their entirety; this is something that Lord Coe and his team need to bear in mind. In more recent times, Olympic Games have been run much more efficiently and have left not only a financially positive mark, but also left a legacy in terms of facilities and economic benefits which reflected not only the efforts but the ideology of those who were in charge. In Barcelona the people of the city and indeed the Spanish nation as a whole were involved in the project. The organisers realised that they needed the wholehearted support of the people, particularly the citizens of Barcelona. Their attention to detail was very impressive, even down to inviting comments to be made about road improvements before going ahead with them to give the people a sense of ownership of the developments that were taking place. The ideology that is being reflected here is that the Games are for everyone and that all can have an active part in its ultimate success (or failure). The city already had a good deal that was positive about it before plans to hold the Games began, not least a hugely successful football team in Barcelona FC along with their impressive stadium. The organisers highlighted the need for urban redevelopment to provide better facilities for the people in terms of sport, leisure, art, media, housing and transportation. Their other concern was to develop the tourist trade by improving the overall image of the city and the surrounding areas. It was evident that â€Å"†¦there was a clear strategy for the post-event use of this area, which has subsequently become part of the city’s tourist attractions and as such, seems to have had a positive effect on the city† (Roche 2000, P 145). The philosophy was clear from the outset – the desire to provide an excellent Games to reflect well on the city at the same time as providing benefits for the people of Barcelona in the long term through redevelopment and through tourism. The organising committee commented that â€Å"the †¦ direct beneficiaries are the citizens of Barcelona whose surroundings have been immeasurably improved† (Roche 2000, P 144). This statement is borne out by the physical improvements that were left in the city; a new waterfront and residential area, a new international airport, two new skyline communication towers, six new sports stadia (with another being extensively refurbished), a new museum of contemporary art, a remodelled Catalonian arts museum and new media facilities. Roche (2000, P 144) concludes that â€Å"the social policy aim was successfully achieved through, among other things, the new sports facilities, transport and housing built in a deprived city area.† The aims of the organisers of the Manchester Commonwealth games were along similar lines, â€Å"to leave a lasting legacy of sporting facilities and social, physical and economic regeneration† (www.gameslegacy.co.uk). The ideology of the government and the local organisers was one of progressive development across a number of areas through sound investment, marketing, planning and implementation. The New East Manchester Partnership aimed to double the local population, to build new homes, to create a new town centre with a large area for retail provision, to create a business park and to construct a  £100 million sports complex with a 48,000 capacity stadium. The Sportcity complex includes the City of Manchester Stadium, the Regional Athletics Arena, the National Squash Centre, the National Cycling Centre, the Regional Tennis Centre, the English Institute of Sport and numerous hotels, bars, cafes, restaurants and a superstore. The benefits of this complex alone include  £1 51 million investment in sports and leisure- a large amount of which was secured from Sport England ( £165 million split between facilities construction and the provision for the athletes themselves), local people being involved in building the venues, community access guaranteed through targeted sessions at the venues, facilities being made available to local schools and clubs as well as people being trained as local sports coaches. â€Å"The transformational impact of Sportcity, in particular in re-positioning East Manchester as an attractive area to invest, would not have been possible without the Games† (Manchester City Council from www.gameslegacy.co.uk). Over the next fifteen years the area expects to attract in the region of  £2 billion of investment from both the private and public sectors as a direct result of staging the Games and enabling people to rediscover Manchester as both a business and tourist destination. Both of these events and the subsequent positive effects that have been seen and felt by the community and the nation have led there to be a drive to stage further large events either in the country or even in the cities themselves. These successful ventures have led to an increased desire for the ‘feel good factor’ that is generated to be sought again. The communities in both Barcelona and Manchester fully supported the events that were being staged, which was evidenced by the huge demand for tickets for both Games. Hence both Spain and the United Kingdom have bid to host subsequent major events, with London securing the 2012 Olympic Games. The reasons behind the London bid for the Olympics are many. The bid began with the vision of the British Olympic Committee who felt that following the success of the Manchester Commonwealth games in terms of planning and eventual delivery, a credible case could be made for London to host the 2012 Games. The Mayor of London and the government were encouraged to see the vision for the future of sport in the United Kingdom and â€Å"strategies were developed and deployed around regeneration, legacy, employment, tourism, new housing and health of the nation† (www.olympics.org.uk). The ideology that is displayed here is one of community, encouraging the nation to take part in a global sporting event just for the event in itself but also for the improvement of the nation in a number of ways; the kudos of running a global event would put the United Kingdom in the spotlight and potentially lead to foreign investment for the economic betterment of the country as a whole; the opportuni ties for employment both pre and post Games; the chance to enhance the lives of those in the East End of London through the provision of new housing and sports facilities as well as the regeneration of a very run down area of the capital; the opportunity to improve the health of the nation as a whole (particularly its children) through increased awareness of sporting opportunities provided across the country and through a better understanding of the need to eat a healthy diet. There is also the direct sporting legacy which will exist as a result of the provision of world class facilities which can be accessed by both elite athletes and the general public. The ideas could not solely be based on the sporting angle and had to be a multi-dimensional benefit package in order for the government to be willing to underwrite the whole venture. A successful Games would bring untold benefits not only to the capital but the country as a whole; Baroness Valentine eluded to this when she said â⠂¬Å"the 2012 Games offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform an exhilarating but rundown part of London and, most importantly, transform the lives of people who find themselves excluded from London’s booming economy† (Evening Standard March, 2007). Those who were opposed to hosting the Games focused on the negative experiences of the cities who had made huge losses in the past and the fact that the direct benefits would only be felt by those in London and the surrounding area (with the notable exception of the sailing venue). Many highlighted the ideological vision of inclusion and opportunity for all as being undermined by the way that little consideration had apparently been given to hosting more of the events away from the capital and the financial effect that this event might have on the United Kingdom as a whole. Glyptis (1989) comments that when looking back on major events such as the Olympics, â€Å"virtually all provision had been made on the basis of assumed need and assumed benefit† which was rarely backed by evidence. Pete Wishat, Scottish Nationalist Member of Parliament for North Tayside voiced concerns when he said â€Å"I am strongly opposed to the UK taxpayer underwriting the entire cost, regardless of what that cost my finally be – and particularly when there is a very real danger of the London bid soaking up lottery funding from Scotland and elsewhere in the UK† (Daily Telegraph December, 2003). The experiences of the problems with the Millennium Dome also loomed large in people’s minds with regard to the eventual use of the facilities that were proposed for the Olympic Park. They did not want to have a financial millstone around their neck. They also voiced their concerns over the legacy that would be left – how could guarantees be given with regard to not only the facilities but also the sporting legacy for elite athletes and benefits to the nation as a whole through increased participation? Supporters of the event held a different and ultimately successful view; â€Å"increasingly sports events are part of a broader strategy aimed at raising the profile of a city and therefore success cannot be judged on simply a profit and loss basis† (Gratton, Henry, 2001 P 36). The National Heritage Committee (1995) stated that â€Å"it is clear that bids to stage major sporting events†¦ can operate as a catalyst to stimulate economic regeneration even if they do not ultimately prove successful.† They drew upon the experiences of the organisers of the Manchester Commonwealth Games who were left with a superb legacy in terms of urban regeneration, better sporting facilities for all and increased employment opportunities. â€Å"The Games are a shot in the arm for the UK economy at this difficult time, offering jobs on the Olympic Park for the previously unemployed and millions of pounds worth of contracts for UK businesses† (John Armitt, www.london2012.com). T he lasting effects of a venture such as this can be seen above through the experiences of Manchester following the hosting of the Commonwealth Games. The Western Mail (2005) stated that â€Å"while other nations boasted of their ability to run a smooth Games, Lord Coe’s team told the world how much it would mean to the future of this country and the Olympic movement if London was given the opportunity to stage the 2012 Games.† Lord Coe continued the theme of legacy when he said â€Å"we’re serious about inspiring young people because they will be touched most directly by our Games† (The Mirror July, 2005). There is also the ‘feel good factor’ of improved mood and morale in the country which can never be underestimated, as was evidenced by the huge crowds for the parade held in London for the medallists from the Beijing Olympics – â€Å"even though they are not present at a sports event, millions may gain benefits of this nature from it† (Gratton, Henry 2001 P 31). Many more can be reached as a result of the influence of the media and the blanket coverage that an event such as this receives and this has been a factor which has made sport far more important to all nations in recent years (Houlihan 1997). This has the effect of â€Å"enhancing the market benefits to the cities† (Gratton, Henry 2001 P 37) in terms of business investment and tourism and it also enables millions to be inspired by the efforts of others to participate in sport themselves. Overall the evidence that is available covering recent major sporting events would indicate that there will be a positive legacy for both London and the UK as a whole in hosting this event, as â€Å"†¦the real value of the games comes from being associated with the Olympic image† (Burbank; Andranovich; Heyling; Rienner 2001 P1). The plans that have been drawn up for the urban redevelopment, the creation of employment opportunities, increased tourism as well as the benefits of increased participation in sport, alongside better facilities for the training of elite athletes should bring the legacy for which the organisers are hoping. They reflect the idea that there must be an investment in the future if there are to be long term benefits across a variety of areas for the benefit of the largest amount of people possible. The implications of hosting an event like the Olympics for elite athletes and the general public are enormous. The elite athletes need world class facilities in which to train and prepare for major events and â€Å"more recently the government has sought to narrow the focus of sport policy, giving priority to a more limited range of sports and concentrating on youth/school sport and elite development† (Houlihan 1997 P 46). This will have the dual effect of producing the elite athletes of the future, while providing for the people who are at the top of their chosen field now. This follows the idea that sport is for all and that all should be provided with the opportunity to fulfil their full potential. A glowing example of this effect is the success of the British Cycling team in the Beijing Olympics. Having been able to utilise the velodrome in Manchester (specifically constructed for the Commonwealth Games in 2002) as a training base and centre of excellence, their results in both the Olympics and the recent World Championships have been staggering. They not only reflect well on the government in terms of their investment but also in terms of the kudos that such results bring to the country as a whole. This in turn has brought a ‘feel good’ factor to the cycling community, to the city of Manchester where the team is based and has had an effect on the amount of people who are enquiring about participating in cycling. The investment in elite athletes who achieve success can have a direct effect on the numbers of those who are wishing to become involved with any given sport. Another spin off from this is the training and subsequent employment of coaches within sport to nurture the talent that is emerging as a result of increased participation. Increased funding to train coaches also has the effect of helping sport at the ‘grassroots’ level. The more coaches that are available, the more people can be involved in the enjoyment of their chosen activity as a part of the community – â€Å"community sporting capacity will be improved in a number of ways, such as training and development of volunteers, leaders and coaches†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (London 2012 Community Sports Legacy, www.sportengland,org.uk ). There is a chance to â€Å"provide excluded groups with opportunities for participation and inclusion† (Bradford MDC 1997). There is also the opportunity to increase the emphasis that is being laid on sport in schools and for the youth of Britain, in order to foster the idea of a healthy lifestyle in terms of both physical activity and the way that people regard their health. Media coverage of the event will also have the effect of keeping sport in the public eye in a positive way, highlighting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and encouraging people to become involved in sport. They have a responsibility to continually highlight the facilities that are available, how to be able to contact the national organising bodies for each sport in Britain and the benefits of becoming involved in sporting activity.â€Å"The success of the Games will, in part, be measured by the increase in ordinary people taking exercise at new sports facilities†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Evening Standard 2007). Only long term study will reveal the full extent of the effect of the Games on sport as there needs to be a sustained long term effect rather than ‘a flash in the pan.’ Clearly the UK government and the organisers of the London Games hope that â€Å"the legacy of the Games will be twofold. Physically they will bequeath a redeveloped area in and around the Olympics site†¦ the Games are meant to deliver a more sporting nation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Evening Standard 2008). The former will be much easier to assess in the short term – the latter will need to be looked at over the months and years following the Games. Bibliography Burbank, M; Andranovich, G. D; Heyling, C.H; Rienner, L. 2001 Olympic Dreams:The Impact of Mega Events on Local Politics Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Glyptis 1989 Leisure and Unemployment Milton Keynes: OUP Gratton, C; Henry, I. 2001 Sport in The City; The Role of Sport in Economic and Social Regeneration London: Routledge Houlihan, B 1997 Sport, Policy and Politics: A Comparative Analysis London: Routledge Roche, M 2000 Mega-events and Modernity: Olympics and Expos in The Growth of Global Culture New York: Routledge Bradford Metropolitan District Council Recreation Division 1997 A Strategy For Sport and Recreation; A Framework and Guiding Principles National Heritage Committee 1995 Bids to Stage International Sporting Events Fifth Report House of Commons London: HMSO Daily Telegraph December 29, 2003 from www.telegraph.co.uk Evening Standard November 22, 2006 Monster Truck Races, Dilapidated stands and a Billion Dollar Debt that after 30 Years Will Finally Be Paid This Month – The Warning We in London Must All Heed From The Montreal Olympics Evening Standard March 1, 2007 MPs and Peers Poised For Revolt over 2012 Raid on Lottery Funds Evening Standard May 15, 2007 The Councils Who Are Failing to Make London Fit for 2012 Games; Boroughs Not Investing in Facilities Evening Standard May 15, 2008 The Real Legacy of The Olympics The Mirror July 7, 2005 London Olympics 2012: Our Golden Generation; Lord Coe Winning The Games For London Can Bring Kids Back To Sport Western Mail July 7, 2005 Editorial Comment on Olympic Games Which Can Be A Winner For Us All www.gameslegacy.co.uk www.london2012.com www.olympics.org.uk www.sportengland.org

Solar System Essay -- Science Astrology Planets Essays

Solar System Humans live on a small planet in a tiny part of a vast universe. This part of the universe is called the solar system, and is dominated by a single brilliant star-the sun. The solar system is the earth’s neighbourhood and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are the Earth’s neighbours. They all have the same stars in the sky and orbit the same sun. Scientists believe the solar system began about 5 billion years ago, perhaps when a nearby star exploded and caused a large cloud of dust and gas to collapse in on itself. The hot, central part of the cloud became the sun, while some smaller pieces formed around it and became the planets. Other fragments became asteroids and comets, which also orbit the sun. The early solar system was a turbulent mix of hot gas and rocky debris. In the solar system everything is affected by the sun’s gravity. The planets and a variety of other objects, including comets, move the way they do because of the sun’s gravitational attraction. Our planet, Earth, is the third out from the sun. The planets are all different. Their differences are largely the result of their different distances from the sun. We call the planets that are closer to the sun, including the Earth, the inner planets. They are small rocky worlds. The outer planets are much larger and are made from much lighter materials. All but two planets, Mercury and Venus, have moons in orbit around them. The Moon The explorers found a dead world. There is no air and no water. Without an atmosphere, the sky is black at midday and the temperatures swing by hundreds of degrees from day to night. No rivers or oceans have eroded the surface; no volcanoes are rebuilding the boring landscape. The surface has survived unchanged for billions of years. Smooth plains and lava flows that froze on the Moon long before life arose on the Earth. Elsewhere, the Moon still bears the scars of every rock that has hit it from space, both large and small. The footprints of the visiting astronauts will survive for millions of years. Crash and splash Astronomers now believe the Moon is the remains of a giant cosmic traffic accident. In its very early days, the Earth was hit by a runaway planet the size of Mars. White-hot molten rock were splashed into space, and solidified into a ring of rocks around the Earth. These th... ...ut beyond Neptune. Then the surprises began to appear. First, Pluto follows a very elongated path rather than a neat circle around the Sun. Its orbit crosses over Neptune’s more circular route, so that sometimes Pluto is actually closer to the Sun than Neptune is. Its orbit it also tilted up more than any other planet. Double planet With better telescopes, astronomers found that Pluto is far smaller than any other planet-only half the size of Mercury is. And it’s not alone. In 1978, a moon was discovered orbiting very close to Pluto itself: only a powerful telescope can show them apart. This moon, Charon, is half Pluto’s own size, so that the two look more like a double planet and its moon. Charon lies so close to Pluto that it looms large in the sky. Pluto and Charon always turn the same face to each other as they orbit: from one side of Pluto Charon is always visible, while an imaginary inhabitant on the other side would never see Charon at all. In the 1990s, astronomers started finding many smaller worlds orbiting the Sun in this region, rather like the asteroid belt further in. Because they are made mainly of frozen water and gases, they are called â€Å"ice dwarfs†.

Effects of imperialism in Asia Essay

â€Å"What impact did Western imperialism and colonialism have on Asia† That Colonialism and imperialism played a significant role in shaping the modern world and particularly Asia is a prudent judgment. Colonialism is â€Å"a policy in which a country rules other nations and develops trade for its own benefit† and â€Å"the extension of power or authority over others in the interests of domination† (2004). ‘The West’, which refers to the societies of Europe and their genealogical, colonial, and philosophical descendants. Spain, France, Britain, Canada, and the United States of America are some examples of Western societies. These countries have spread their influence and hegemony over other nations for centuries; shaping today’s North America, Central-America, South America, Africa, Oceana, and Asia (Western Society, 2004). Indochina is a region that today we would consider as Southeast Asia, comprised of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam (Indochina, 2001). Its most recent and most important contact with the West came from France and America. The West had a negative impact on Indochina because its influence damaged Southeast Asia’s system of government, destroyed and diluted the indigenous culture, caused many people to lose their lives and liberty, and set the course for future economic depressions and poverty. INDO-CHINESE GOVERNMENT. Under French colonisation, the Indochinese political structure went into shambles (Hammer, 1966). The puppet governments installed after French colonization were â€Å"repressive, totalitarian, and corrupt which meant that age old traditional and cultural monarchies were replaced by despots under French influence. In little time, each country lost its own unique identity; Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam disappeared off maps and were replaced simply by ‘French Indochina’ (Vietnam War, 2004). Only French-speaking or French-educated people were allowed to gain high positions in government, while others were treated as second-class citizens and toiled in the fields. Opposition to these policies was punishable by exile or imprisonment. This system of government ensured absolute French political control over Indochina’s administration and contributed to lost initiative among the working class people (Hammer, 1966). This system would dominate for about a  hundred years, suppressing regular riots and movements undertaken by the Indochinese people. As time went on, communism’s appeal grew stronger as the repressed saw a light in forms of promised equality, housing, education, money, and better jobs (Vietnam War, 2004). CULTURAL EFFECTS. Culture was also affected. Before French colonization, Vietnam was China’s ‘sphere of influence’. After French colonization, however, Vietnam was torn between two spheres of influence, Chinese and French. The French also imposed their influence on Laos and Cambodia. As a result, many Indochinese people became confused. They did not know whether they should embrace the new forceful French influence, or try to live their shattered pre-existing lifestyle in secrecy (Vietnam War, 2004). Hammer states, â€Å"the widely diffused Chinese educational system, teaching history and morality as well as language, which linked Vietnam with its past, was abolished.† (1966, p.63). The French did whatever they could to stuff their culture down the throats of the people of Indochina; one strategy was manipulating the education system. They implemented a policy where all public secondary education would be taught in French, not the native language of the people (Clayton, 2002). Since the beginning, France had plans to seed their culture in Indochina. Even before colonization of Indochina, French missionaries were sent around the world to spread the French culture through mission civilisatrice (civilizing mission). This policy affirmed that it was France’s â€Å"duty to spread the ways of the superior beings to inferior beings with inferior ways of living† (Ty, n.d., para.17). In addition to implementing new policies and changing existing ones, assimilation was another method of cultural dominance. The French were not hesitant to intermix with Indochinese women and assimilate them and their children to adhere to Western ways of life (Vietnam War, 2004). Everyday lifestyle changes were another method of ensuring cultural dominance. The French manipulated those who had power. A portion of the elite class in Indochina admired the French for their ‘prestigious’ lifestyle and converted to Catholicism, setting an example for the lower  classes (Vietnam War, 2004). Literature is an important part of culture, seeing that countries keep their records, history, and information in texts which would be stored for future generations. A French missionary named Alexander de Rhodes romanized the Vietnamese language, which used to utilize Chinese symbols. This new script, called ‘Quoc Ngu’, detracted Vietnam from its original culture and China’s sphere of influence. Quoc Ngu’s impact is so large, that it is the how the Vietnamese language is written and read today (Quoc Ngu, 2001). In the later 20th century, the Western urban youth’s rebellious lifestyle leaked its way to the Indochinese people. Many young Indochinese people embraced sexual freedom and the movies, clothing styles, and rock music from Western cultures became popular (Vietnam War, 2004). As well as corrupting the way of life for all of Indochinese people and destroying the cultural language of Vietnam, many important historical and cultural cities such as the ancient dynastic capital of Vietnam, Hue, were physically destroyed during the Vietnam War’s bombings (Vietnam War, 2004). As most people lost their government and culture, they became restless and weary of living their peasant lifestyle. Peasants struggled under heavy taxes and high rents. Workers in factories, in coal mines, and on rubber plantations labored in abysmal conditions for low wages. A growing nationalistic fervor was growing by shared feelings of anger, poverty, destitution, and lost liberty. This fervor contributed to the formation of many revolutionary movements. Many people died, became refugees, or became homeless while trying to overthrow foreign invaders out of their country to unify their people. The Vietnamese revolutionary group, the Viet Minh, had a prime objective to overthrow the oppressive governments and install a Communist regime to unify Vietnam. After the end World War II, Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Viet Minh, declared Vietnam’s independence from France (Vietnam War, 2004). Minh was prepared to go at great lengths and sacrifices to achieve his dream of a unified Vietnam. â€Å"You can kill 10 of my men for every one I kill of yours, yet even at those odds, you will lose and I will win.†, decreed Minh himself (Karnow, 1998, para.2). The French were unwilling to give up their colony, a symbol of their world power, so they opposed this informal declaration and attempted to reassert their power back into Indochina by militarist means. This resulted in the bloody Franco-Viet  Minh war where the French were defeated, but at a large human cost to the Vietnamese freedom fighters (Vietnam War, 2004). The victory for the Vietnamese in the eight-year-long Franco-Viet Minh war was supposed to end Indochina’s colonization, and end the bloodshed to unite their people. For nearly a hundred years the people of Southeast Asia resisted and rebelled to no avail, until this landmark victory. But the bloodshed did not stop. Minh’s declaration of independence and liberation would not happen for thirty more years of fighting. The second Indochinese War, The Vietnam War, had an even greater effect on Southeast Asians’ lives. American ‘Secret Bombing’ campaigns and countless napalm strikes lead to the destruction of many homes and at least 10 million people became homeless, and 800,000 became war orphans in South Vietnam alone at the end of the Vietnam War. Most crucially, most of these casualties were civilians. South Vietnamese civilians made up a significant portion of victims of the bombings, even though they were allied to the Americans. Entire cities, forests, mountains, and fields were laid to waste. One quarter of Laos’s population became refugees; which is approximately 500,000 people. In total, over 5 million Indochinese lives were lost fighting for their independence and freedom (Vietnam War, 2004). ECONOMICS. Indochina’s economic problems today can be traced back to colonial times. France’s mercantilist policy exploited the land, labour, and resources of Southeast Asian countries. Indochina was simply a large pool of natural resources for French industrialists. France would get the resources it needed from Indochina, manufacture them into goods, and sell them to her colonies at inflated prices. In addition, Indochina was not an autonomous colony, meaning it could not be self-sufficient. This was intentional because France wanted to have a monopoly on trade with her colonies (Hammer, 1966). France’s attempt to industrialize Indochina only ravaged the land. The sudden shift from calm subsistence farming to large plantations lead to a precariously unbalanced economy that was extremely dependent on agricultural exports; which would eventually be disastrous because of future  land degradation (State of the Environment Vietnam, 2002). A large decline in the number of farmers was not good for agriculture, either. During the time of European domination, productions of rice grew immensely. With this increase of production came an increase in quotas that impoverished peasants had to yield to their landlords, causing widespread famine (Hammer, 1966). Hammer states, â€Å"[Both areas referring to Vietnam] In the 1930’s, at a time when the Vietnamese people did not have enough to eat, Cochin China exported rice in considerable quantities, even Tonkin managed to export some.† (1966, p. 64). Adding to the famine was the insistence that nonfood crops like jute, oil seeds, and opium be grown in certain areas instead of rice (Hammer, 1966). Today, economic expansion is extremely difficult because of Indochina’s history. Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia rank as some of the most undeveloped and impoverished countries in the world. Strained foreign relations as a result of Indochina’s wars and its communist system of government have lead to significant decreases in foreign aid over the past decades (CIA World Factbook, 2003). Although agriculture makes up a significant portion of Indochina’s economy, Indochina cannot even rely on their agricultural economy because Vietnam’s fields, forests, and streams have been contaminated or destroyed by Agent Orange and napalm strikes. As well, Laos’s beautiful jungles consisting of exotic woods, timber, and stones are laden with millions of deadly, unexploded land ordnance, and Cambodia’s prolonged anarchy has proven fatal for any form of significant economic growth. The effect of Indochina’s hardships created by the West has even hindered i ts ability to pick up where it left off, before foreign influence (Vietnam War, 2004). Even decades after formal European military conquest and intervention, Indochina continues to feel the sting of the West’s influence. Today, Southeast Asia is among the poorest places in the world, where people enjoy very little personal freedom and opportunity. Indochina’s primitive infrastructure and poverty-stricken society is burdened by its history and injured foreign relations. The future for Southeast Asia in terms of political stability, human liberty, and economic growth looks unpleasant  because of on-going internal civil tensions caused by unresolved conflicts brought upon by Western imperialism and colonialism. The West truly had a detrimental impact on Indochina because it caused the collapse of Indochina’s traditional system of government, loss and weakening of its pre-existing culture, diminishment of its people’s prosperity and freedom, and destruction of its economy. Concisely, Indochina’s relationship with the West brought nothin g but bloodshed, tears, poverty, famine, and a legacy of economic and social problems that will continue to plague Southeast Asia for centuries to come.

Saudi International Students Essay Example

Saudi International Students Essay Example Saudi International Students Essay Example Saudi International Students Essay Example This study addresses the issues that the Saudi students may face as the international students in the UK. With the growing number of the international students worldwide and regular arrival of the Saudi students to the EU (particularly British universities), there are good reasons for studying the main negative influences on their identity and the ways of avoiding these challanges. A great difference between the Saudi and British world predetermined by the historical and religious realities is the main aggravating factor for the Saudi international students’ migration. The research also considers such possible complications as a cultural shock, academic and social adjustment, intercultural sensitivity and competence, international students’ security and rights, and internationalization. The paper explains how the educational institutions and fellow students can become helpful in raising the Saudi students’ intercultural competence, minimizing the barriers, and ea sing the adjustment process. Intercultural Education: Saudi International Students in a Mixed Gender Environment Modern world tends to increase pace in almost every aspect of life, including economic development, information flow, and resource exchange. This tendency inevitably results in the expansion and intensification of the globalization process, which provides benefits in a number of areas, but still might be a quite sensitive issue. Cultural peculiarities of people predetermine their worldview and behaviour in different situations. For the younger population, intercultural education is the most common way to get familiar with traditions and customs of the other nations and raise intercultural competence. Nowadays, such competence is obligatory for the citizens of different countries, who search for the personal and business development. Moreover, intercultural migration of young people has a serious impact on the identity formation as international students have to spend a considerable amount of time in the foreign environment. The most outstanding opposition between the cultural differences can be observed in the example of the females’ treatment in the Arab and European countries. However, the knowledge of such attitudes is only the top of the iceberg. The real differences that can become serious barriers to intercultural communication lie deeply and predetermine great disparities between the world perceptions. Even though the females’ upbringing and treatment are the most challenging differences between the Arab and European worlds, intercultural migration is a complicated process for both males and females. This paper focuses on the difficulties that globalization can present for individuals of different cultural and religious origins during their movement from one environment into another. The parts that would be helpful to consider, among the basic aspects of the problem, refer to the main characteristics of the Saudi international students and growth of their number, gender segregation in the Saudi society as a historical reality, factors that can influence students’ identity, barriers to intercultural adjustment and possible gender issues. Saudi Arabian male and female students can experience certain differences in the norms of two worlds while transitioning from the gender segregated society to a mixed one. As a rule, the intercultural competence of such students can become the key factor in the interaction and adaptation to the new environment. International students from Saudi Arabia face various obstacles when moving from a gender segregated environment to a mixed one. These obstacles have an impact on the results that they achieve while completing their course abroad. In order to understand the issue, it is necessary to define the starting point of a scholarship program that enables students from Saudi Arabia to study outside of their country and deepen the analysis to include religious and cultural reasons for gender segregation in Saudi Arabia. Since the introduction of the KASP program in 2010, the number of Saudi international students has sponsored more than 70,000 young individuals to study abroad. By 2015, this number is supposed to grow to approximately 140,000 (Ministry of Higher Education, 2010). Consequently, 25 countries of the world welcome more and more Saudi students each year. Among such, the UK deserves a particular attention for its widely known and highly ranked Oxford and Cambridge Universities, London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London and other educational institutions. UKCISA (2015) reported that the number of the Saudi international students in 2013-2014 reached 9,060 people. Business, administrative and technological studies were the most popular choices of such students. In terms of gender division, the number of females from Saudi Arabia studying in the UK is slightly different than that of males (UKCISA, 2015). Anyway, the special position of the Saudi internationa l students in comparison to others is predetermined by two factors. Firstly, they are sponsored by the government and get both financial and academic support. Consequently, they have fewer problems with accommodation, employment, and university fees. Secondly, they represent a completely different segregated world that makes them face serious intercultural challenges. Mainly adjustment to the new norms and obtaining intercultural competence skills are the tasks they have to encounter together with the academic ones. Therefore, the research of the Saudi students’ experience should consider the two major issues: average international students’ experience and specific cultural challenges based on the oppositions determined by the mixed-segregated environments. Various simple situations can make such students perplexed. Gender Segregation in Saudi Arabia The history of the country shapes the values and beliefs of people throughout generations. Therefore, a particular attention of the research on the Saudi Arabian students has to be paid to the country’s history and formation of the Islamic religious communities that shape the worldview and expectations from the environment. The main norm in the Saudi Arabia society is its gender segregation that is evident in every public and private institution. There is no sphere that would be an exception. Be it schools, universities, entertainment places, or other sectors, one cannot meet the mixing of genders (Mayer, 2000). For instance, all schools regardless of being private or public are single-sex. Both universities and college system does not provide any possibility for the mixed gender studies. The only exception to this rule is the KAUST University that was founded for the international students. Even though it is widely criticized by the native dwellers, it provides citizens with some basic ideas about the mixed-gender education. As for the other public sphere, one can hardly find any that would unite males and females. The restaurants, for example, are commonly divided into two separate parts for males and families. Hence, women can hardly visit restaurants without their families. In the context of this st udy, there are good reasons for finding out the underlying reason for segregation in the public spheres. The historical perspective is the best one to explain such deep gender segregation in the contemporary Saudi society. As for the Saudis, their view on the gender roles can be defined as traditional one. They are strongly persuaded that a man has to provide security and wealth to the family while a woman is responsible for everything happening at home including the household, family, and children. Such worldview is common for most countries of the world and is not based on the Islamic principles only. However, the difference betweeb the Saudi life and the popular traditional view on the gender roles is supported by a strong division of two separate worlds. These worlds are not male and female, but private and public ones. The public world is associated with economics, business, politics, and religion, and it is dominated by men. On the contrast, the private domain of the home, family, and intimacy is associated with women. One of the key values for Saudi Arabian citizens is Ired, the concept that stands for the sanctity of family and chastity of a woman, and which might be lost in the case of adultery of any kind. The vast majority of citizens of Saudi Arabia are raised in the spirit of the sanctity of Ired and the necessity for its protection, which results in complete separation of males and females in their public lives. Primarily, these historically developed views shape the main difference in the values of students from different worldviews. Hence, the concept of Ired can be regarded as the main one that predetermines gender separation and complicate adjustment to the contradictive environment. The complexity of this notion is caused by secularity rather than religiousness. It does not originate from the Quran, but had existed even among the pre-Islamic Arabs (Baki, 20014). Even though it can be observed in various Arab countries, Baki (2004) defined the Saudis as the most sensitive to Ired nation s. Their society has been structured to behave in a way that makes it difficult or even impossible to lose Ired. In such a way, many restrictions are based mostly on the tribe’s and family’s honour that is passed throughout generations. Consequently, there is a great number of various restrictions for the Saudi women in the society. Among such, since the younger age, all Saudis know that women cannot stay close or spend time with a man unless he is her family member. Some scholars argue that gender segregation is based on the Islamic teaching and encourages respect towards chastity and person’s Ired (Baki, 2004). Accordingly, the existing norms of Saudi Arabia are aimed to protect people’s, and particularly women’s, virtue and Ired that in many cases, is associated with sexuality and eroticism related to one’s appearance or behaviour common in the mixed gender societies. As a result, it is obvious that the Saudi international students have to be prepared for the experience that awaits them in the Western world. Complete change of the societal norms presupposes an entirely different environment that practically denies one’s familiar rules and beliefs. An average Saudi Arabian male is used to communicating with the male friends and limiting his relationship with another gender only to a mother, sister, wife, and other family members. Hence, the first exposure to a new mixed gender environment in the UK or any other country would become a critical experience due to the presence of unrelated females and patterns of their behaviour that are not limited by Ired’s respect or other Quran virtues. The experience of such transition demands serious support to let a student develop necessary skills and communicate freely with the fellow students and professors. Influence on the Students’ Identity International education is a peculiar experience for student mostly because of its deep influence on the individual’s identity. The identity of the Saudi students is especially vulnerable to the influences of a foreign culture. Such a long-term intercultural migration can lead to various consequences. As the education in the UK lasts for at least several years, students need to undergo various changes in the process of adjustment to the new culture. Such issues as a cultural shock, academic and social adjustment, intercultural sensitivity and competence, international students’ security and rights demand particular attention when analysing the possible experiences and consequences. Hence, the main aspects of such experiences include, but are not limited to the social and academic experiences, psychological and sociological needs, students’ rights and security. Cultural shock is often predetermined by the cultural and social changes. This term is mostly used for the collective influence of strange experiences on cultural migrants. Even though changes in the environment are always stressful, they are less difficult when a newcomer is familiar with the differences in advance. At the same time, the false information or complete unawareness can make the migrated person behave in the way that is common to the home country. As a result, such people feel lost in translation (Zhou et al., 2008). According to Cullingford and ONeill (2005), primarily, the native-language instructions that would teach the necessary behaviour, academic and survival skills, cultural information and citizenship facts are the obligatory steps that would let students avoid many adjustment difficulties. Moreover, different degrees of the intercultural and educational competencies are also the essential features that can predetermine reaction of the international students (C ullingford ONeill, 2005). Zhou et al. (2008) supported a common view on the issue and emphasize such aspects as culture learning, stress and coping, and social identification as the major ones to be regarded when focusing on how to avoid the negative consequences of the cultural shock. Anrade (2006) has drawn particular attention to a close interconnection between the issues of social and academic adjustment. Primarily, the knowledge of the English language is one of the keys to easier adjustment due to the ability to ask and comprehend the necessary information. Moreover, the knowledge of language contributes to a better comprehension of the native speakers’ worldview. For this reason and due to the absence of friends and close people in a new country, university authorities have to provide special support to the foreign students. With regard to significant disparities between the UK and Saudi worldview, particular attention has to be paid to the formation of the newcomer’s cultural competence and awareness from the first days of studies. With the growth in the number of international students in the globalized world, the scholars pay more attention to the issue of intercultural adaptation and education. Gill (2007) has focused on the structure of the British higher education in order to investigate the possible means of facilitating and supporting international students’ learning experience in the UK. As a result, it was proven that such experience should be analysed with regard to three aspects of stress † adaptation † growth (Gill, 2007). As a result, it becomes obvious that intercultural adaptation is a process of intercultural learning. If such process is meant to bring more knowledge about profound differences in the lives and cultures overseas, the level of difficulty to adjust will depend on the number of differences between the two worlds. The students have to transform their understanding of self-knowledge, awareness of others’ values and worldview (Gill, 2007). Consequently, for th e Saudi students, understanding of the British values, worldview, and lifestyle will become an acquaintance with a completely different world. One more serious issue is security and students’ rights. Till nowadays, there exist a great number of unresolved issues that the foreign students face, including personal safety, language proficiency, finances, housing, loneliness, and racism (Margison et al., 2010). While many of these issues among the Saudi students are resolved by the scholarship programs, there still is a critical racism problem based on the Arabs and Muslims-related stereotypes. Islamophobia has become a true problem for many EU immigrants including the Arab students due to the terrorism issues and national security policy (Fekete, 2009). With the anti-terrorism legislation, selective migration regulations of the EU restrict immigration of undesirable people (Fekete, 2009). However, these policies contribute to the negative perception of the Arabs and particularly the Saudi students. As a result, students are vulnerable to hostility in the strange environment; they can become even less flexible to the exi sting cultural changes. Such a negative attitude may not only create additional barriers but also eliminate any possibility of the trouble-free adjustment. Due to the aspects mentioned above, one can conclude that the social identity of any international student will be definitely influenced by the exterior factors. However, the strength of such impact can depend not only on the personal sensitivity and vulnerability but also on ethnic and citizenship identities. The values and character of a person that have been shaping for entire life cannot stay unnoticed in this case. Moreover, if one regards the situation in the light of the social connections of a person, it will become obvious that any international student have to build new relations within the territory of a new country. However, the old ones do not disappear; they are supported by the ability to communicate via phone, social networks, and random visits. Faas (2009) considered such social connections complicated, dynamic, and dependent on ethnicity and citizenship. The reason is that these two categories may influence the strength and number of one’s connections. Moreov er, they predetermine the mode of students’ thinking about their identities (Faas, 2009). According to the research held by Faas (2009), one can conclude that international students should have not a singular but several identities unified in a hybrid ethno-national one. It is an outcome of the governmental policies, educational and social experience, social positioning, nationality, ethnical background, and migration history (Faas, 2009). In the context of this study, one can conclude that the Saudi international students in the UK are likely to have much in common with the Turkish ones due to the same religion. However, they would even acquire a higher ethnic dimension of hybridity as the rules within the country are stricter. To sum it up, investigation of the international students’ identity should be definitely supported by paying attention to social class, schooling, and consequent appearance of the hybridized cosmopolitan identities. Saudi Students Adjustment During the last decade, the internalization of the higher education has made the scholars study the process of students’ migration and its influence on their immediate and further life. This process is important for almost all spheres of young individuals’ lives including their motivation, goals, and experiences (Brooks Waters, 2011). Research conducted by Brooks and Waters (2011) is focused on the proficiency and life situations of students from East Asia, Europe, and the UK; it provides a deeper understanding of the common and controversial features of their experiences. Being representatives of different parts of the world, all students search for the better perspectives in higher education. However, the comparison of the Middle East students’ and the European or western ones shows that they commonly feel it more difficult to keep pace with the rapid changes and face much more barriers on their way of academic and social adjustment (Brooks Waters, 2011). The refore, one can consider the closed character of the Arab society the underlying reason for such a difficult adjustment. Moreover, additional policies and practices should encourage universities to provide support to such students. Another obstacle for the international students from Middle East and, in particular, Saudi Arabia is the low motivation level (Brooks Waters, 2011). Such issue is predetermined by the sponsorship as the responsibility-bearer that aims to simplify students’ life in a new country by providing financing and housing (Gauntlett, 2006). Even though there exist some pre-departure discourses for international students, they are proved to be not highly motivational (Gauntlett, 2006). In addition, the challenges these individuals face in the new country and inability to adjust to them quickly decrease the motivation level even more. The upbringing and life in the Arab country make most young people unwilling to search for help or support from their relatives, who stay abroad. Moreover, following strict religious rules while living in the segregated society limits the potential talents of a person or his/ her desires for changes or disobedience. In such a way, for young people, staying away from home becomes problematic in many ways due to the reserved mindset and social identity that are completely different from those of the Europeans around them. International students can face numerous academic, social, or personal problems during their adaptation to a new life in an unfamiliar academic and cultural environment. After reviewing relevant literature, it appears that there is not much information considering the experiences of the Saudi students in the UK. According to Shaw (2009), few studies on the topic are predetermined by the historical factors. For a long time, Saudi Arabia has been characterized as an isolated country with â€Å"significant percentage of nomadic Bedouins† (Shaw, 2009). Nevertheless, the situation changed in the end of the 20th century. Oil money became the main economic factor that penetrated into its deeply traditional life (Shaw, 2009). The nation had to open its barriers to the outside world and global influence. With the implementation of the King Abdullah Scholarship Program, the state began sending its students abroad quite massively. However, it was only one reason for Saudi Arabiansâ€℠¢ reluctance to help their young people to study in other countries. The second reason was the restrictive religious discussion on permission to travel to the lands of the unfaithful. Even though Muslims believe that education is a religious duty, studying in the native country has always been considered a better alternative. However, the later analysis of Prophet Muhammad’s teachings suggested another idea (Kandehlevi, 2008). The prophet asserted that for those, who leave their home to look for knowledge, â€Å"the angels spread out their wings†; these words can be interpreted as an obvious support of the international studies (Kandehlevi, 2008). Therefore, nowadays, the majority of Saudi Arabians share the idea that the abroad studies can become a useful and interesting experience. Finally, the development of such characteristics as personal adaptation resilience and intercultural competence is crucial for the Saudi students in order to get a successful international experience (Shaw, 2009). With a great number of changes that they have to pass, the resilience can be helpful to bounce the trauma and stress back. Additionally, intercultural competence is a significant contributor to cultural adaptation, realization of goals, and further life in a foreign country (Shaw, 2009). The knowledge and comprehension of the external and internal outcomes, in this case, becomes a key to success. Possible Differences in the Male and Female Reactions The Saudi sponsorship program does not divide candidates according to gender and gives females equal chances to study abroad (MHE, 2010). As a result, the UK CISA (2015) reports the equal growth in the male and female students from Saudi Arabia. Even though, this perspective ensures an equal view on genders, the Arab society obviously adds some serious differences into the process of their adjustment. There are different ways to merge with the new environment. The reactions of people and behaviour during the process of adjustment allow one understand the possible complications. Therefore, there are good reasons for finding some examples of the major themes or patterns, representing the Saudi students’ experience of getting accustomed to the mix-gender environment. Both male and female students have to overcome difficulties in the process of finding their place in a new socio-cultural environment while remaining loyal to their system of beliefs. Hence, one can study the possible differences with regard to a variety of attitudes and rules of the native country. Despite similar grounds for the discomfort at the beginning of the studies in the new country, male and female students would struggle with different sides of emotional confusion. Nyamayaro and Saravanan (2013) provided evidence that the gender differences really matter in the students’ adjustment to the new environment. While depression was not proved to have a significant gender-related prevalence, stress and anxiety among women had a considerably higher level (Nyamayaro Saravanan, 2013). Therefore, one can conclude that females find adjustment to the new environment more painful; they are more emotionally vulnerable and sensitive. Particular attention should be paid to the female students and their contact with the fellow representatives of the opposite sex. Having been previously segregated from men, they are not likely to be familiar with the social situations that involve males. While dealing with the motivation level that is low among the Middle East students, one should mark out that such motivation is suppressed in females even more (Brooks Waters, 2011). The rules in the segregated society, as well as upbringing that predetermines the inclination to be obedient instead of manifesting personal desires, are the aspects that impact the behaviour of the Arab females in their everyday life as well in making decisions. On the other hand, both male and female students may face such type of cultural difficulties as linguistic obstacles. It can even be hard for them to pick the vocabulary in order not to seem impolite or disrespectful. It would be necessary to arrange different preparation for the male and female students, who are planning to study abroad. English proficiency is crucial to their academic and communication success. With regard to considerable differences between Arabic as an official Saudi language and English as the UK official language, students face a double trouble. The languages belong to different language families and are absolutely different in syntax, grammar, phonetics, and writing. In his research, Alqahtani (2011) revealed the importance of an individual approach to the Saudi students that are studying in the UK. In addition, the difficulties related to the language learning are also tightly interconnected with the cultural differences. Implications Modern society is characterized as the rapidly developing and striving for globalization one. Nevertheless, the issues concerning gender segregation remain urgent. Speaking about the countries of Far and Middle East, a lot has been done with the aim to overcome the differences in the men and women’s treatment. At the same time, intercultural education that provides new experiences to young people is a great way to share positive skills and values among nations. Intercultural studies have a positive influence on both genders. Consequently, the development of their personalities and general perception of the opposite sex would be closer to that of the Western society. The result of such studies should be expressed by an increase of self-confidence and resilience and decrease in the levels of anxiety and uncertainty. Cots and Lludra (2013) emphasize that the aim of intercultural education is â€Å"to promote relationships, interaction and exchanges among people in a global socie ty.† Hence, such type of education provides more possibilities to a person by shaping a new identity and adding to the worldview. Although there still appear a number of controversial issues, people should get closer to realizing that globalization can bring a great number of advantages, and the liquidation of segregation, at least in the educational sphere and employment market, will lead to the country’s sustainable development. This research offers several possible solutions that should become helpful for the adjustment of the Saudi international students. As for the main features that become advantageous for the international Saudi students in the process of adaptation, one should point out assertiveness, flexibility, positive views, openness, and strong sense of goals (Shaw, 2009). The recommendations regarding the language studies are based on several advices: implementing preparation courses in the native Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, improving English for Academic Purposes and providing special advice services to the Saudi students in the United Kingdom (Alqahtani, 2011). To sum it up, there can appear a great number of different situations referring to the subject of a cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and other countries. This study focused on the issues that Saudi students may face being the international students in the UK. With the growing number of international students worldwide and regular arrival of the Saudi students to the EU, the notions of cultural migration, social identity, adjustment, and competence become more and more timely. There are good reasons for studying the main negative influences of the foreign environment on young people’s identity and the ways of avoiding these challanges. The great difference between the Saudi and British worlds predetermined by the historical and religious context is the main aggravating factor caused by migration of the Saudi international students. Hence, it is important to investigate peculiarities of interaction between the gender segregated and mixed cultures. Cultural shock, social and academic adaptation, rights and security issues demand particular attention in the cases of students’ intercultural migration. Apparently, most difficulties are connected with the preservation of cultural identity in an unfamiliar society, obtaining new features of identity, and overcoming linguistic obstacles. The possibility to get the new experiences and skills in a foreign society become a unique chance to develop a new mixed identity that can be defined as a hybrid one and provide new worldview. Developing intercultural resilience and competence is crucial in order to get prepared for the future adjustment problems. This research may help the Saudi students adopt to other cultures without losing own identity.

Fred Uhlmans Reunion essays

Fred Uhlman's Reunion essays The weak individual is intimidated by the political movements of his age; the strong individual rises above political movements and remains true to himself. How is this shown to be the case in Fred Uhlmans Reunion? It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge. This quote by Hitler demonstrates how people that stay true to themselves and their beliefs are a lot harder to deceive then those who just rely on knowledge. Hans Father is a great example of a strong individual who is not easily fooled. In comparison a good example of a weak individual would be Konradin who is very much intimidated by the Nazi Party and their views. Hans father is one character in this book that was never intimidated by the political movements as he had fought for Germany in WW1 and felt he had earned his place in society. When the Zionist came to collect money for Israel, Hans Father became outraged and explained I should favor the complete absorption of Jews by the Germans if I could be convinced it would be of lasting profit to Germany. Hans Father demonstrates that he is staying true to what he believes in which is his Country. Konradin is an example of a weak individual, which is apprehensive to the Nazi Party. Even though Hans is his best friend, when it comes to exposing his friendship to the rest of society, especially his parents he is very hesitant, as they despise Jews. I didn't dare talk to you... I didn't want to hurt you... you have no right to reapproach me, when Konradin says this it just that he is afraid of what would happen if he showed he was friends with a Jew. Even though a best friend is someone you should be happy to show-off, Konradin isnt, showing that he is afraid of the current political situation. In contrast Hans father when in the presence of Konradin changed into a caricature of his true self...

Law of Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Law of Evidence - Essay Example in circumstances that render them unreliable. The obvious test is whether or not the statement was made voluntarily or not as evidence by the Section 76(2) of PACE. There are other safeguards against the admission of a confession that may have been improperly obtained and thus rendering them unreliable. Section 78 of PACE provides that a confession may be excluded if admitting the confession would render the proceedings unfair.4 Section 82(3) of PACE incorporates the common law principle of judicial discretion and permits the exclusion of a confession statement if its prejudicial effect would exceed it probative value.5 The main purposes of the safeguards against admitting confession statements was articulated by Lord Griffiths in Lam Chi-Ming v R as follows: Their Lordships are of the view that the more recent English cases established that the rejection of an improperly obtained confession is not dependent only upon possible unreliability but also upon the principle that a man cann ot be compelled to incriminate himself and upon the importance that attaches in a civilized society to proper behaviour by police towards those in their custody.6 Thus the protections contemplated by PACE relative to the admissibility of confessions are three fold: to safeguard against the admissibility of unreliable confessions; to protect the accused person’s right against self-incrimination; and to protect the accused person from police impropriety. Although a judge following a voire dire (a trial outside the presence of the jury) may rule that the confession was obtained fairly and is thus admissible, the circumstances in which the confession was obtained may nevertheless be laid out before the jury. For instance, in Musthtaq the House of Lords ruled that a judge must instruct the jury that if, despite the judge’s admission of the confession, if they find that the confession was obtained oppressively or improperly, they are required to disregard it.7 It was also he ld in Wizzard v R. that the judge must instruct the jury to disregard a confession admitted into evidence if: There is a possibility that the jury may conclude that a statement was made by the defendant, that statement was true, but, the statement was, or may have been, induced by oppression.8 Thus the courts have expounded upon the protections articulated in PACE relative to the admissibility of a confession statement. The main purpose is to safeguard against an unfair and unjust outcome by protecting the accused’s right against self-incrimination, protect the accused against police impropriety and to safeguard against the admission of an unreliable statement. Building on the protection purposes implicit in PACE, Lord Steyn stated in Mitchell v R that the jury ought not to know that the admissibility of a confession statement was determined in a voire dire. As Lord Steyn noted: There is no logical reason why the jury should know about the decision of the judge. It is irrelev ant

Manegenment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Manegenment - Essay Example As the manager she was supposed to handle all managerial functions including inventory. She compounded the problem by paying her assistant more money than any of the other employees at the store. Ruth did not have the foresight to realize that the move could cause morale problems among the staff of the store. Ken Hoffman seemed very disappointed at a lot of decisions that Ruth was making. His perception was that Ruth’s poor performance as a manager was reflecting badly on him because he was the person that appointed her for the job. Ken made some mistakes along the way and he violated various empowerment guidelines. One of the empowerment guidelines that Ken violated was self-determination or choice. Ruth arranged on her own a TV slot where she could showcase the store and its products. Her initiative seemed like a great move for the store. Ken reprimanded Ruth and told her that she made a bad decision by taking that initiative since she was supposed to clear with the corporate office any TV appearances. The second empowerment guideline that was violated by Ken was trust. When Ruth followed company policy and disallowed a customer to make a purchase above $1,000 Ken insulted Ruth which made no sense since she was following company policy as indicated by Ken in earlier incidents. The decision about determining the best portfolio and investment recommendations for the company should not be made by me alone due to the fact that my knowledge and skills are limited to bonds. There is a team in place that can help me determine the best course of action in the selection process of equity investments. The knowledge this group possesses is imperative towards the success of the project. The reason that this decision is harder than it seems is because in the past these four employees have had problems working together and agreeing on decisions. As the person responsible for the report it is my duty to provide the leadership necessary to make this work. One of the