Anwar Sadats Domestic and Foreign Policies were from 1970 to 1981 Essay

The ‘Hero of the Crossing’, Anwar Sadat undoubtedly bought pride and peace to his fellow Egyptians after the rule of Nasser’s defeat and humiliation to his socialist country. His pragmatic view on the way Egypt should be ruled bought him success and failures in both the foreign and domestic policies, despite his premature death in 1981. Some saw the ‘heroic face’ of Egypt as a traitor to Pan Arabism and all that the surviving Nasserites fought for. But it cannot be denied that he placed Egypt’s foot firmly through the door of peace with the area surrounding them and internationally through his spectacular, radical commitments to making peace with Israel, following the legendary Camp David accords. Firstly, Sadat’s main aim with his foreign policies was to gain permanent peace with Israel, and on the 17th September 1978, he set it in stone at Camp David. On this date, Sadat took a bold, historic step towards peace with Israel – one which turned the back on the period of Pan Arabism that went before him it marked the beginning of the Middle East peace process, one which still holes peace between the two nations today, far beyond his reign. Sadat wanted to gain permanent peace with Israel to cut military costs and therefore boost their economy. Although Camp David had seen a momentous agreement between two very different nations, with a background of war and unrest, relations with other Arab states had detiriated. Sadat knew that bringing Palestinian problems to the table at Camp David would make Israel less likely to promise any sort of peace deal. Therefore, many states in the Middle East didn’t look too kindly upon Sadat due to the feeling of Pan Arabism, thinking he was ‘back-stabbing’ the theory. But, looking back at the concept around that time, it was relatively dead as it was fundamentally unrealistic due to the greed and selfishness still apparent in each nation. Consequently, Sadat’s peace aims were successful and the argument with the Middle East would have expired by the Camp David accords. Sadat was also the first Arab leader to enter into Jerusalem to talk about peace deals with the country. As the first person to enter into the Holy Land, he lost a lot of followers also, but his pragmatic ways taught him that making peace with Israel would cut down military costs tremendously as they would never have a war in the near future. It is clear to see that the extended effort that Sadat put into making strong bonds with Israel at the time did pay off as to this day there has been no unrest between the two countries to the current day, showing that his aim to gain permanent peace with Israel was met and he was extremely successful as later on he received a Nobel Peace Prize as being recognised internationally as making troubles end in the Middle East, troubles which Sadat thought were unnecessary. The second aim of Sadat was to improve the economic state of his country through gaining strong relations with the US and losing links with the USSR. He had to get out of Nasser’s shadow and gain independence for his country. He was very forward- thinking compared to the previous leader. He wanted to boost the economy in Egypt and he was looking towards the West for the helping hand with his domestic problem. Firstly, he expelled his Soviet advisors in 1972, which received high praise from the West. He knew that with the US’s greatest enemy out of the country, and then they would be prepared to help them out financially. His gamble finally paid off for Sadat as they eventually became one of the largest recipitants of foreign aid from the US. Sadat’s’ country could finally have private investment from the biggest nation of the world and therefore be at the foreground in the Middle East that no other country would wish to fight as they had such strong help. These investments also led to greater links with Israel as the US were both their allies now and therefore there would be no need to go to war and spend surplus amounts of their money on the military. Sadat’s domestic policy for the economy also introduced large changes to the country as he tried to step out of Nasser’s shadow once again. Sadat’s mind-set was completely different to that of Nasser, as he strived for private foreign investment and controlling inflation through fixing prices. This meant that Sadat could be sure there would be no higher wage demands and that the economy was more predictable, liberalising Egypt’s economy for the better, or so he thought. In the last years of his reign, there were a series of ‘Bread Riots’ protesting against his economic liberalisation, through the public out roar to Sadat’s lifting of prices led to his government having to take control of the prices – reversing themselves. Sadat’s economic domestic policy was very unpopular with the majority of the public – especially the Nasserites. Although there was a lot of public unrest at the time, the rich Egyptians were in favour as they were benefitting from his rule. They lapped up the foreign investment as the lack of control on basics such as bread did not affect them as much. US investment as well made lives for the rich under Sadat’s rule very good, but there was left beneath them a very widening gap between them and the poor. It cannot be disagreed that Sadat was not a large change in the regular leadership style of the Arab states in the Middle East. The greed, Pan Arabism and selfishness were not apparent in the leader as he strived for peace with Israel and other countries, boosting the economy and making greater links with the western world – all things which were unheard of in the Middle East at the time. Many people did not follow his new way of thinking, the pragmatic style did not agree with them, or was it that perhaps they were not ready for him? And that Nasser had such a large influence on the country that they were indoctrinated in a singular way of thinking, with no room left for different out looks on leadership. Evidence suggests that Sadat was not a failure, he just followed someone with such a great sway on the country that he could not lead without riots and rebellions as they did not want change. The ‘Hero of the Crossing’ was a great leader with the interests of Egypt at heart, and if only his life wasn’t cut tragically short, there could have been plenty more he could have done for the area as a whole. Â  

Economy versus the Environment Essay

Down to Earth by Ted Steinberg highlights the role of nature in US history. Steinberg provides historical events, from minute detail of migrating birds to monumental breaking up of Pangeae, to support his analysis and for readers to fully grasp the course of American history. He maintains that the continuous interaction between human and nature drives them to evolve. But the truth, of course, is that human has tendencies to disregard nature to achieve their ideal standard of living. Moreover, human’s present consumption puts the life of future generation at risk. Long before the European settlement in the region, America’s natural resources were already being threatened. Native American hunters utilized the world around them according to their needs. These early hunters drove mammoths to extinction, as well as the giant ground sloths and other prehistoric species. Many of them used fire to clear landscape which did served their purpose but harmed other plants and animals. Eventually, however, they became gifted stewards of their environment. Their activities, hunting, gathering and farming, were influenced by the cycles of nature. The early exploration dictated by personal consumption quickly followed by exploitation. Migrants poured in pursuit of gold and silver in the English colonies which was abandoned for intensive harvesting of lucrative crops or the trapping of animals. The slang â€Å"buck† for money in America refers to deer hides called buckskins, being exported for glove making and other forms of leather manufacturing. This economic system persists until the end of the colonial period. By mid-1800s, regions were identified by the kind of cash crops they produced. Tobacco, â€Å"King Cotton,† rice from South Carolina lowlands, timber from the virgin forests of the Great Lakes, Texas cattle and wheat from the Great Plains. The system made the nation wealthy but at a devastating cost to biodiversity. Steinberg pointed out that the major factor that brought the ecological change in America is â€Å"putting a price tag on the natural world. † Cities were expanding, farmers were becoming more specialized in their cash crops and companies were pushing for more profits. Nature was transformed to articles of trade. Lumber companies, for instance, led to much deforestation which led to loss of other plants and habitat of animals. The citizens of the US seemed to have a sense of â€Å"ecological amnesia,† oblivious to the effect on nature of ruthless exploitation despite the mounting evidence. Aside from lumber companies, other businesses and industries abused the natural resources for profit to further degrade the environment. A common man specializing in one type of cash crop had to rely on other farmers to provide for the needs not met by his own produce. Rivers where fish used to spawn were dammed and converted to companies’ energy source. Nature was completely ignored in the interest of commerce and industry. As trade and commercialization intensifies so as reliance of everyone on someone else. Economic activity, both production and consumption, relates to the environment in two ways: the environment provides the raw materials for production, and through the process of production and consumption, we emit wastes into the environment (Worster, 1994). However, human wants are limited while resources are finite. Demand always exceeds supply. So what happens now if we continue to strive to obtain more goods and services from our limited supply of non-renewable resources? Our present and future generations are in peril. Economic theories of trade argue that a country should concentrate on trading and producing goods and services where they have the comparative advantage (Krugman& Obstfeld, 2008). The comparative advantage in production is achieved if the input that was used is abundant in the country. For instance, labor intensive goods should be traded by countries with large population, while countries should concentrate in producing capital intensive goods if they are abundant in capital. This exactly what the early traders did. They traded according to their comparative advantage, maximized their profit and yes, abused the environment to further their gains. The economic thinking that competitiveness as a function of efficiency of labor and capital is outmoded (Epping, 2001). In other parts of the world, industries are starting to factor in the efficient way of using their natural resources. These efficiencies benefit countries, companies and local communities. Japan and Germany use half the energy input of American industry in their products. Energy represents about 10 percent of the cost of production and so they achieve with their efficiency about a five percent comparative advantage in world markets relative to US goods. The idea is to have a sustainable supply of both non-renewable and renewable resources relative to demand, to use the natural resources in a more efficient way to make the goods and services of a country, a company or a community more competitive in the market. We do not want to be the generation that kills everything. References Epping, Randy Charles (2001). A Beginner’s Guide To World Economy. New York: Random House, Inc. Krugman, P. & Obstfeld, M. (2008). International Economics: Theory and Policy. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Steinberg, Ted (2002). Down To Earth (pp. 1-115). New York: Oxford UP. Worster, Donald (1994). Nature’s Economy: The History of Ecological Ideas. United Kingdom: Cambridge UP.

What do we learn, and what can we infer about Hatsue and Ishmael’s relationship from chapters 7 and 8?

Hatsue and Ishmael's childhood relationship emerges at the beginning of chapter eight, with them both on an empty beach at the age of fourteen digging for geoducks, and swimming in the sea. When they find their first geoduck, it appears to me like a films stereotypical dig, with one person, Hatsue, caring about the animal its size, and its condition â€Å"He'll break if we start pulling. Lets be patient†¦ † â€Å"Easy is the way. Don't hurry it. Slow is best. † With the other person wanting to dig it out straight away, only caring what they get out of it â€Å"My turn to dig. â€Å"Lets pull it now. † This I think is the first comparison of the difference, a metaphor, of Hatsue and Ishmael's personalities. I see this as how they will treat their relationship to come. This can be seen as how men and women see relationships as general. Ishmael wanting to dig straight away and pull at the goal as soon as it is seen not caring if it breaks, and Hatsue wanting to be patient dig away at the foundations to reach a better goal, not just for the short term. Then in the conversation they have on the oceans, the roles, to me, have been reversed, Ishmael seeing the oceans as one big ocean with different areas, and Hatsue seeing the oceans as not just different areas but as different temperatures, colour, and amounts of salt. Ishmael says you cannot tell a change when you cross them, Hatsue knows they are different colours and should be considered different because of this. Hatsue's views on the oceans and her personality as a young Japanese woman arises from her lessons from Mrs. Shigemura in how to take care of her skin, how to sing, stand, sit, and walk. In the lessons I think Mrs. Shigemura blinds Hatsue of racial equality, Japanese for Japanese, not to mix with Americans. This is only because Mrs. Shigemura and/or her relatives would have been treated as lower to Americans, which we see in the first four pages of chapter seven. The Japanese people labelled as Jap1, Old Jap Sam. Even in the Island County Historical Archives it is said that â€Å"Jap number 107 lost his hand to a ripping blade on March 12th and received injury payment of $7. 0. † The fact that a county historical book refers to the Japanese as numbers, and compensation for loss of hand is seventy-one hours work at their eleven cents an hour. From the jobs like sweeping sawdust, or oiling machines, you can understand why the Japanese must stay together and treat others differently. Others like Ishmael. â€Å"He had known her for six years and he had not known her. The detached part of her. † This statement refers to the fact that Hatsue would not be seen in public with Ishmael. Never to talk to each other in school, only in the secluded woods and beech where no one would see them or on the berry fields where no one would care. Even if Hatsue did not understand this at first she still follows the unwritten laws, not through choice but respect of what her family and what Mrs. Shigemura tells her â€Å"stay away from white men. † â€Å"Marry a boy of your own kind whose heart is strong and good. † She does however have a mind of her own and follows what she wants by meeting Ishmael alone, I think this is not because she is scared of what others think of her, but what others will think of her family. Ishmael cannot see this in Hatsue and is afraid to talk of it in case he scares her off, but his love for her has these short outbursts which I think he cannot control but he must follow and kiss Hatsue. She does not push away from the kiss, she even prolongs the moment â€Å"She pushes back against him. † Then when she comes back to her senses, jumps up and runs off. This uncontrolled feeling Ishmael has towards Hatsue then reveals itself again four days after that kiss. He spies on Hatsue's house wishing to see her, his love overpowering his other feelings of boredom for long enough to see her To his surprise no boredom overtook him and so he stayed for an hour more. It was a kind of relief to rest his cheek on the earth underneath the stars and to have some hope of seeing Hatsue. † This short glimpse of Hatsue taking in the washing forced him to return the next five nights though he did not want to â€Å"†¦ his walk would become a pilgrimage, he would feel guilt and shame. † Only to see her twice more once taking the washing in, another throwing out the kitchen scraps. This stopped the night her father emerged from his house. They then are caught in a storm while both working picking on the same field. Ishmael follows Hatsue to a hole in the roots of a cedar tree thinking he cannot be seen, but Hatsue turns round and plainly invites him in. giving the impression she knew he was following her but never said anything. They talk about their last kiss Ishmael tries to make the peace exclaiming the kiss as wrong, and that he was sorry. Hatsue is embarrassed more than ashamed and not sorry, Ishmael soon jumps to copy what Hatsue wants. They talk for half an hour and then kissed for even longer. Leaving Ishmael at the happiest moment of his life, for now.

Trends and Marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trends and Marketing - Assignment Example From this paper it is clear that Deluxe Financial Service is part of a two billion-dollar firm that serves over 8000 banks and financial institutions. Founded in 1915, it became a global phenomenon and its growth is considered an inspiration by many organizations. As it started, many people relied on some of its products to conduct business. However, as technology grew, it was considered old to use some of their products, and services. To prevent their organization from falling, the managing heads decided to rid themselves of everything that was old, and tried to focus on the future. Their paper checks were facing the challenge of the use of credit and debit cards. Deluxe decided to offer their consumers what they truly desired. They decided to be the financial institutions robust competitors, while promising their consumers to be their most valued, trusted business partner. Learning about consumer wants and needs became their marketing strategy. As that knowledge was put to the test , Deluxe was at an advantage over their competitors, and at par with their consumers.The retail experience financial institutions offered their clients were not appealing. Deluxe decided to take this up a notch. This changed the manner in which Deluxe conducted its business. Customer relations were increased because most of the customers claimed that, in their financial institutions, customer relations was a problem. Deluxe could assist financial institutions with customer relations, and at the same time, provide them with retail experience they so desperately needed.  

Vocational Rehabilitation has a good effect on job placement for Research Proposal

Vocational Rehabilitation has a good effect on job placement for substance abuse people - Research Proposal Example It has been observed that the total number of vocational institutions currently prevailing in our society are comparatively insufficient as compared to the demand of the economy and the world’s population. Just focusing on enhancing the enrolment in technical institutes is not enough. It is very important to give them the jobs they deserve in order to earn their living. Presently, prevailing vocational centers have now started focusing on enhancing vocational competence of the population and workforce and providing them quality training which matches the needs of the economy and different firms operating in the economy. These vocational institutions provide degree for various subjects including computers, communication, business, art & design and many more. Establishment of these training institutions apart from providing advantages to substance abuse people, has also reduced poverty and street begging to some extent. Throughout the world it is extremely difficult to estimate the total number of street beggars including children, women, disabled people and others. Many of these people engage in other activities like collecting garbage from dumps etc. These people in society deserve some assistance which is being provided by such centers.

Food in Eritrea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Food in Eritrea - Essay Example The fight for freedom, which lasted for approximately 30 years, left the country in a state of destruction, especially in the agricultural sector. This is due to the fact that most of the lands which could be used for farming are littered with unexploded ordinances, which pose a security hazard to the farmers (Rena, 2007). In this context, any person trying to cultivate in these lands risks the possibility of triggering the explosion of landmines, which were buried during the war, but failed to explode. Tensions that continue to exist between Ethiopia and Eritrea have contributed to more installation of these landmines as a defensive mechanism at the expense of the farming communities (Zwi, 2005). The temporary security zone, which is considered to have been the most productive agricultural land measuring approximately 25km2 remains unutilized as a result of these landmines, which have kept away more than 50000 inhabitants, who were displaced by the war, regardless of the fact that n o more fighting takes place in this area (Zwi, 2005). With these developments, food production is deemed to remain low and as such, more people will continue to be affected by extreme hunger. This is also due to the fact that the government has continued to spend a lot of the already scarce resources to finance and facilitate the war with Ethiopia. For instance, it is estimated that more than 300 000 men and women are serving in the army instead of letting them engage in farming activities (Gebre, 2009).

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Research paper - Essay Example Company insiders are in a unique position to make forecasts about the future risk and return of the shares and bonds of their company, hence they might often correctly perceive market prices to be "too low" or "too high". When they trade on the secondary market, they serve to feed their knowledge into prices, thus making markets more efficient. Insider trading is often equated with market manipulation, yet the two phenomena are completely different. Manipulation is intrinsically about making market prices move away from their fair values; manipulators reduce market efficiency. Insider trading brings prices closer to their fair values; insiders enhance market efficiency† (Shah, 1998). Shah points out, however, that even under this assumption about insider-trading which is largely favorable, that the efficiency gains only trickle out throughout the economy and prevent unjust inequality when there are reporting requirements so that non-insiders can benefit (in theory) from insider gains. However, as Insider Today (2011) points out, â€Å"[T]here are normally around 2000 filings each day and many of them are of no value to individual investors. It is very hard for an individual to digest the amount of information and still have the time to act on it†. Unfortunately, there is a direct tradeoff between enforcement and preserving a signal-to-noise ratio. Enforcement of insider trading laws has two intents: First, it requires reporting of legitimate insider trading so that the knowledge that insiders have is able to trickle into the general economy; second, it punishes illegitimate trading. Increasing enforcement to get the bad guys requires reporting that reduces the value of the information from the good guys. Nonetheless, insider trading's intent is highly justified. One can make an argument that insider trading leads to greater market efficiency in the short-term, but the problem is that it clearly leads to inequality in the medium term and therefore i nefficiency in the long-term. Seyhun (2000, 300-350) found that people trading insider stocks made on average 8.9% more than the market when stocks were good and lost 5.4% less when they were bad. People with insider information are generally, though not always (as we shall see with the example of the railroad workers), people with privileged access to the top of a hierarchy. They're already people like Martha Stewart, Madoff, CEOs or brokers: People who have superior access to information. Based on past societal inequalities, it is likely that those people will be of favored ethnic groups, of the favored gender, etc. These people see their stocks grow more, while investors outside their circle can't compete. These investors then become richer, which leads to increased inequality, which leads to decreased growth over time for a variety of reasons: The newly rich can engage in bona fide market distortion, amassed wealth allows people to ignore market discipline, inequality requires a larger state sector, inequality tends to lead to more capital shocks, etc. (Rodrik, 1999; Reich; Knowles, 2005; Klein, 2010). Worse, if someone within the company divests stock before shareholders can, that is fraud against shareholders who are being given

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Research Paper

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - Research Paper Example Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) binding to TrkB is an important component of phospholipase Cg, mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (MAPK/ERK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathways, all transducing signals into and out of cells. With roles in transmitting signals, changes in BDNF will thus be highly manifested as changes in memory, behavior, and cognition. Bipolar disease (BD) is a pathologic condition of the nervous system caused by both environmental and biological factors. It affects structures in the brain that affect mood, cognition, and behavior such as the limbic system, striatum, pallidum, thalamus, and cortex. Particularly, highly implicated in the development of the disease is the impairment of neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity, as mediated by BDNF, high quantities of which are found in the cortex, limbic structures, olfactory bulb, and cerebellum. Briefly, these parts are important in attention, memory, smell perception, and emotions, respectively. Because BDNF is found at high concentrations on brain areas highly affected during BD, many studies have looked into its particular characteristics with and without the disease. Because of the multiple pieces of evidence implicating BDNF to BD, several studies have looked into BDNF at a genetic level to better understand the disease. Many studies have found that a change from val66val to val66met is highly critical in the development of BD. In particular, val66met was found to cause lower cognitive task scores, partly because it results to lower volumes of the limbic system (hippocampus and parahippocampus), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and temporal lobe as compared to that of the val66val variety. Â  

Summary and response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary and response - Assignment Example But your own argument has to identify the â€Å"they say† you are referring to make it clear to the audience (Graff & Birkenstein 43). Although we agree that you shouldn’t keep the readers in suspense for too long about your central argument, you also need to present that claim as part of some larger conversation. When responding to argumentative writing, it is often best to agree and disagree simultaneously. This allows you to avoid simple yes or no response and therefore present a more complicated argument. One can use templates to assist him in writing as they help one become more creative and original and I think it also provides a sense of direction too (Graff & Birkenstein 70). In â€Å"Her Point Is† Summarizing refers to any information from others that you present in your own words, including that which you paraphrase. It points out that a good summary requires balancing what the original author is saying with the writer’s own focus. One has to incorporate both the original author’s views and also give his or her own side of the coin. In summary writing you put yourself in someone else’s shoes send join in the conversation whether you are agreeing or disagreeing with the conversation. Just like how actors must convincingly become characters who in real life they detest. But the writer has to be cautious not to be carried away by his own influence and end changing the whole meaning and intent of the original text. In other words during summary, reflect both the source you are summarizing and add your own views (Graff & Birkenstein 115). However, the writer may decide to deliberately give his or her own spin to someone else’s argument in order to reveal a shortcoming in and this is referred to as Satirical Summary. The other may disagree or agree with the author or at times do

UK Budget Hotels Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

UK Budget Hotels - Case Study Example The industry will account for over a quarter of the total hotel industry market share come the year 2027, this is according to different research done. According to Melvin Gold a consultant in the industry and whom it is reported that has done the most comprehensive research in the industry, he states that the industry presently enjoys a market share of 12% and it is predicted that it will reach a market share of 26% in the next 20 years. This is attributed to the fact that consumers are increasingly demanding for low cost hotels. (Hotel benchmark, 2002) Despite a lower demand in the hotel sector, in the UK and Europe as whole, budget hotels and mid -market hotels have continued to grow at an average of 12%. The improvement of the budget hotel sector is witnessed in the UK market where the rate of occupancy has moved up. The sector is the only one posting improved occupancy in the hotel industry in the UK. The budget hotel sector has continued to grow despite the factor that the hotel industry has been declining. (Hotel benchmark, 2002) Premier inn budget hotels are the biggest UK band hotel, with a total of more than 32,500 rooms and a chain of over 490 hotels. Initial the chain was operated under the "travel in" name. The hotel chain is owned by Whitbread Company and it was opened to over competition to the Travelodge. The very first group of the hotel were built next to Beefeater in 1987-1988. Ever since 1987, the premier hotels have developed to become the biggest chain of hotels in the whole of UK. In the year 2004 Whitbread re-branded the travel inn company to be known as premier Travel Inn after acquiring the rival group Premier Lodge that was owned by Spirit group at a total sum of 505 US Dollars. The name has been re-branded again to Premier Inn in this year (2007) Company logo; source (Premier Inn, 2007) Premier inn summary information (Premier Inn, 2007) Type Public Founded 1987 Headquarters Flag of England Luton Area served United Kingdom Industry Hospitality Parent Whitbread Rooms capacity 32,500 Rooms The hotel chain has created a policy of having similar rooms in all of its hotels; the rooms usually have a double bed/ twin beds, a working desk, shelves, a TV set and a shower. Some rooms have extra pull-out beds or on sofa, there are referred as family rooms. Usually these rooms are not priced higher than the standard rooms, as they are same in size. In the year 2006 premier inn modified their general room design; however the rooms still have the same standard of facilities as in the past. Currently, the company offers a few numbers of rooms where smoking is allowed, but as from January 2008, the company aims at making banning smoking in all rooms. (Premier Inn, 2007) Pricing policy Premier Inn's charges a daily amount per room occupied not considering the number of people occupying the room, the maximum allowed number is two adults and two children. The price of a room according to the company website is from $ 48, however many of its chain charge a minimum of $55, though the pricing depends on where the hotel is located and on particular days of the week. For example prices are higher on a week day than during a weekend. Unlike their main competitor

Nupath Foods Inc Essay Example for Free

Nupath Foods Inc Essay James Ornath read the latest sales figures with a great deal of satisfaction. The vice president of marketing at Nupath Foods, Inc., was pleased to see that the marketing campaign to improve sagging sales of Prowess cat food was working. Sales volume of the product had increased 20 percent in the past quarter compared with the previous year and market share was up. The improved sales of Prowess could be credited to Denise Washington, the brand manager responsible for cat foods at Nupath. Washington had joined Nupath less than two years ago as an assistant brand manager after leaving a similar job at a consumer products firm. She was one of the few women in marketing management at Nupath and had a promising career with the company. Ornath was pleased with Washington’s work and tried to let her know this in the annual performance reviews. He now had an excellent opportunity to reward her by offering the recently vacated position of market research coordinator. Although technically only a lateral research was not the route to top management in most organizations, Washington thought. She had been sidelined. After a long silence, Washington managed a weak â€Å"Than you Mr. Ornath.† She was too bewildered to protest. She wanted to collect her thoughts and reflect on what she had done wrong. Also, she did not know her boss well enough to be openly critical. Ornath recognized Washington’s surprise, which he naturally assumed was her positive response to hearing of this wonderful career opportunity. He, too, had been delighted several years earlier about his temporary transfer to marketing research to round out his marketing experience. â€Å"this move will be good for both you and Nupath,† said Ornath as he escorted Washington from his office. Washington had several tasks to complete that afternoon but was able to consider the day’s events that evening. She was one of the top women in brand management at Nupath and feared that she was being sidelined because the company didn’t want women in top management. Her previous employer had made it quite transfer with a modest salary increase, the marketing research coordinator job would give Washington broader experience in some high-profile work, which would enhance her career with Nupath. Few people were aware that Ornath’s own career had been boosted by working as marketing research coordinator at Nupath several years before. Denise Washington had also seen the latest sales figures on Prowess cat food and was expecting Ornath’s call to meet with her that morning. Oranth began the conversation by briefly mentioning the favorable sales figures, and then explained that he wanted Washington to take the marketing research coordinator job. Washington was shocked by the news. She enjoyed brand management and particularly the challenge involved with controlling a product that directly affected the company’s profitability. Marketing research coordinator was a technical support position—a â€Å"backroom† job—far removed from the company’s bottom-line activities. Marketing clear that women â€Å"couldn’t take the heat† in marketing management and tended to place women in technical support position after a brief term in lower brand management jobs. Obviously, Nupath was following the same game plan. Ornath’s comments that the coordinator job would be good for her was just a nice way of saying that Washington couldn’t go any further in brand management at Nupath. Washington was now faced with the difficult decision of confronting Ornath and trying to change Nupath’s sexist practices or submitting her resignation. Discussion Question : 1. What symptom(s) exist in this case to suggest that something has gone wrong? 2. Diagnose the underlying problems that have led to these symptoms. 3. What actions should the organization take to correct these problems?

Doing Business Abroad Essay Example for Free

Doing Business Abroad Essay Companies around the world are expanding in order to meet a larger market. However, this is no easy task even for people who have been doing business for decades for there is always this thing called cultural diversity. This thing is put into consideration not only of companies and managers that establish businesses in other countries but also of those who engage into joint ventures and alliances. Setting a company globally requires not only good managers but thorough study as well. A market research would be very helpful especially to determine the needs and wants of the people in the locality. A bunch of factors affect the preference of people like religion, beliefs and environment. Should the product be modified to fit the desires of the people? For instance, burgers with beef patty are modified in order to be accepted and sold in Hindu-dominated countries. There are also cross-cultural trainings for managers that would be sent abroad. These are usually conducted by business schools with the aim of providing global managers who have the ability to cope with different challenges that they may encounter, especially those that are brought about by diversity in culture. However, as much as these trainings would help, they are not yet enough to suffice for the thorough understanding and settlement of cultural differences that might yield success to a business that spread its wings. Problems still remain due to this cultural diversity. Even with the repute of English in conducting business globally, language remains a problem. Language, as defined in the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is words with their pronunciation and the methods of combining them to be used and understood by a community. Words are not enough. Pronunciation and accent are essential, and at this part is where problem usually occurs. As Edward Burman cited in his article entitled Managing Cultural Diversity in a Global World, linguistic confidence can be perceived as quasi-colonial arrogance and this may eventually lead to conflicts. Similarly, jokes and stories which are essential in building harmonious relationship among workers are affected, not just because of the way they were delivered but more importantly by the context that they were formulated. Some humorous acts might be insulting to others, which again might lead to discord. Another problem that may arise due to cultural diversity is the way the human resource personnel determines the appropriate candidate for a job. Whether be it an expatriate or a native of the location of the headquarter, the measure to the achievements of an applicant varies from the school where he acquired his degree and skill to the society where he belong. These qualities may not be well-reflected in his application forms or the result of his examination or interview. Although it may be known to the resource manager that different cultures respond differently to various situations, the challenge is still to determine the best person whose culture and skill perfectly fits the job. Also, developing the trust with people from other culture opens another difficulty especially if a company will merge or ally with a local company of other country. Research can be done to be able to identify possible reasons to trust but it remains a thorny job for the managers in the negotiation table. Everything will matter, from the physical appearance to the gestures. Aside from these problems cited by Edward Burman, the way to designate a manager to a place is something to be thoroughly thought of. According to an interview with Robert J. Freeman, Americans are a bit resistant to exotic destinations. The question then is how these Americans would be assigned to a location beyond his desire. Or since there are expatriates of more than sixty nationalities, which should be chosen and what type of compromise would the company give to convince the manager. Nevertheless, these problems can be addressed if global managers have several skills as discussed by Josephine Song in her article Transcending Borders. The first is technical skills. Aside from the field that he is expected to master in order to efficiently perform his task, he must also be able to utilize the means that globalization brings for the betterment of doing things. He must be able to maximize opportunities and resources that might be useful for the accomplishment of his job. Likewise, he must also have good communication skills which comprise not only of knowledge of words but their proper pronunciation and usage as well, most especially English which is the basic medium for conducting business globally. Communication is not only via speaking, but also via reading, writing or listening. More importantly, global managers must take caution in their words and actions so that misunderstandings would be avoided. They must also be innovative and resourceful to improve their businesses according to the locality. With increase in expatriates all over the globe, I think it would be unfair to say that they or the locals could better cope with the changes. They might have an advantage with regards to having dealt with different cultures already that they might not find it anymore difficult to relate with another set of people. Their presence in the top management could also bring global perspective. But, their knowledge of the culture of the country where the company is located might be very limited as compared to the locals. Yes, they may be able to learn and adapt but still, the culture instilled in them would always be a part of them and their decisions and reservations. I think, it would be better to have a mix of expatriate and local managers in a global business for as Burman concluded, management remains culture-bound, be it local or expatriate.

A Study On Television News Channels In Tamilnadu

A Study On Television News Channels In Tamilnadu The Television media which is always the most powerful means of mass communication in the world can serve as the medium of information, education and entertainment and thus television has become an essential part of our life. Television is a combination of technology and cultural forms (Williams, 1975) and as this industry also finds itself at the heart of all kinds of commercial and industry strategies. Television is a medium which is used to express the social concern and the political views creatively. In India it is one of the huge industry which have thousands of programmes in different languages and 50 percent population of every house own a television. Television in the recent days have grown tremendous because of new markets, cultural introduction, and in situations becoming a challenge to even the government as they bring out the unfamiliar images to the audience. As television is basically the broadcasting of moving picture and the sound to the audience effectively, most of the time television stays as a remarkable evidence about an issue .As an example, an incident quoted from the book, Screening culture, viewing politics by Purnima Mankekar, November 1984 : A hectic and rewarding year is drawing to close for S.S Gill ,Indias secretary for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. On a special mission authorized by Prime minister Indira Gandhi, he has spent the year setting up hundreds of television transmitters that will draw the remotest corners of the nation into the ambit of Indian televisions newly launched National Programme. Suddenly Mrs.Gandhi is assassinated. Ironically , the first TV images viewers nationwide see are of her body lying in state, and close-ups of her grieving son Rajiv Gandhi. Within a few months , Rajiv Gandhi is elected prime minister .The queen is dead; long live the king. (Mankekar, 1999)The magic of Televisi on has made itself felt. And thus such a power Television owns. The Indian media business is still growing with confidence even in this changing position on the world stage. The Government owned Doordarshan was the only channel in the Indian airwaves until 1990s, but now it has been filled extraordinarily by private channels. With 360 channels currently on air,160 channels waiting for governments permission. Indian television viewers has more choices than anywhere else in the world. More than a hundred million households in India now own at least one television set. Seventy million of them are connected to cable or satellite TV. At their finger tips lie choices galore: movie channels ,music channels ,television soap operas and news broadcasts; CNN and BBC, the Rupert Murdoch-owned Star TV bouquet of channels ,International sports channels and the home grown Zee television all vie for their attention. (Batabyal, 2012) Media landscape was added with glitz and glamour ,the black and white days are replaced with gloss ,gossip and money. As Hartley argues News is the sense making practice of modernity; It is an important medium through which we understand ourselves and the world around us, who we are, what we are, our collective likes and dislikes (Batabyal, 2012). Television birth and growth in India Televisions birth in India was started by The All India Radio in September 1959 which was an experimental broadcasting and they had only 2 hours programme per week. The All India radio managed these initial stages of TV broadcasting which was majorly based on educational programmes for farmers and children. The Television services further expanded to other cities of India and thus reached 7 cities of India and at that stage in 1976 Doordarshan which became the sole producer of Television in India separated from the All India Radio and formed a new department purely for Television Broadcasting. In the year 1982 Doordarshan made national coverage possible for the first time using the satellite INSAT 1A and in the same year colour television also came into market apparently at that stage Doordarshan was the only national channel and it was owned by the government which was further enhanced by the series of Mahabharata and Ramayana and this attracted people and they started buying Television sets. As there was only a single channel and the expectation of the audience was still increasing so as to meet the saturation of television programmes Doordarshan opened up new other channels in many languages like DD National, DD News, DD Sports, DD Gyandarshan, DD Bharati, Loksabha Channel and DD Urdu. In such a way Doordarshan evolved over the years. As Indias television system grew, not as a medium in its own right but as a response to events and decisions around it. Thus television industry grew, satellite private channels came into existence the 1990s can be said as the year of private channels because it was from when private channels emerged and audience who was stuck with Doordarshan was ready to shift their interest to the new private channels as always new technologies and new forms emerged attracted the audiences. As a medium television and the news genre underwent the most spectacular change and growth and thus from only one news channel in 1998, today India has close to 60 24 hours news channels all over the country. In that most of them are national but even they reach international audiences. Many channels like Star tv, Zee tv in hindi, sun tv in tamil, Asianet in Malayalam ,Eenadu in kannada all started in India.All the major languages in India has a Television in their own language. Thus televisions created India in its own images the media industry was rich, booming and it was ready to compete on the world stage . In such a way the television industry in India developed and as a other category of channel came up the news channels which was only concentrating on news 24/7 so that people was able to choose the categories of interest on their own. TELEVISION NEWS The one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis as if there were (Brinkley, 1994). Television news is like a lightning flash. It makes a loud noise, lights up everything around it, leaves everything else in darkness and then is suddenly gone (Carter, 1994 ). After all this statements even when the credibility of the television news is still doubted, Television news media, the broadcast journalism in the past decade has come of ages. At present we have television news channels in all major regional languages that are solely dedicated to news alone so that the audience need not wait to see the half an hour news in between the daily soaps in commercial channels. As these news channels give 24/7 news updates fresh , up to date news about what all is happening around the world to us .But this renovation did not happen overnight, the credit of bringing up news channels goes to Rupert Murdoch from Star television network and Dr.Prannoy Roy from NDTV limited. It was them who collaborated and hence was the first ever independent satellite news channel came to small screen and it was known as Star news. And thus started the Television news industry in India and after the birth of news channel like other industry even in this competitions started ,day by day the number of news channels are increasing in all languages and even the audience are looking forward for a better one everyday. The development in the news media created a different scenario and it is when the News anchors became the new celebrities in India. With Citizen journalism, live outdoor broadcast vans fitted with the latest technology, talk shows and discussions , analyses and reports, there seems to be no end to the goodies for a nation of viewers who until very recently were served only state propaganda as news . (Batabyal, 2012) And after all this development to reach the first position in the news channel category ,the news channels are following all sorts of tactics like sensationalizing all issues, making any news a breaking news, not worth sting operations etc which is not giving the people the true sense of news. News is manufactured by the journalists (Berkowitz, 1997). Making of news is being followed most of the time which the audience actually dont expect from the Television news channels. Our job is to present fact and truth with clarity, dispassion and neutrality, however inconvenient or dismaying much of that information may be (Keeble, 2001) The production of news which strives for neutral, factual information is possibly the most important arena in which television carries out its responsibility to inform as well as to entertain its various audiences. They are required to deliver their news with accuracy and impartiality. They must be reliable and also balancing in covering political issues. With over 40 news channels, almost 100 million television homes and over 200 million viewers weekly, 24 hour news channel are on the upswing. A TAM media research says that television viewership doubling in the past three years , news has emerged as the most sought of genre. While the share of the Hindi news channels has increased by 78%, the English news channels have grown at least four times even as the share of regional news has quadrupled. Tamil News Channels The state of Tamil Nadu has the most unbalanced media in the whole of our country India. To achieve a balance in news an individual should watch minimum 2 news channels say to know about DMK party ,how bad it is and its members one should watch Jaya plus and to know how bad is AIADMAK one should watch the Sun news. As few years back a channel didnt depend on any political patronage or entertainment because for few years politics, entertainment and news all these comfortably was sharing the same bed in the state. Only in the years 40s and 50s During the War of independence period the DMK built its group and they started reading and interpreting the news for the public but later when the cinema became popular the art was mixed with the political propaganda and so Anna and Karunanidhi through their screenplays for cinemas and MGR and Jayalalitha through the screen presence in the cinemas started promoting their propagandas using the cinema as a medium and thus this tradition was followed by them even in the era of television . Sun tv functioned as tool and campus for the DMK party to promote and influence people about their ideologies and now that place is being occupied by Kalaignar Tv and same way Jaya Tv is functioning as a tool to influence the public about the AIADMK party and their ideologies. As this monotony was going on in Tamilnadu ,new channels like Puthiya thalaimurai came to existence and they started breaking the political affiliation of a channel with the political party and concentrated on real issues. And according to the TAM report Puthiya thalaimurai is in first position and the reason for that ironically, has to do with politics. When Jayalalithaa took over the government a year ago, one of the first things she did was to revive a government-owned cable distribution company called Arasu to break the monopoly of Sumangali Cable Vision owned by the Marans. The move had an impact on Sun TVs revenues. A Citi report earlier this year attributed the decline of cable revenues (it was down 45% year on year) to the revival of Arasu. But it also made the entry for a competitor like Puthiya Thalaimurai channel easier. (N.S.Ramnath, 2012) Gnani a popular writer in Tamil says However, its a bit early to say if Puthiya Thalaimurai is having an impact on the way other channels cover news. A single channel cannot change that. You need more competition for that to happen, and that will take time, Various comments and controversies still exist about all the Tamil news channel in Tamilnadu. The details about the existing news channels in Tamilnadu which are popular ssare as follows. Sun news Sun group is one of the largest conglomerate in India and started in the year 1992. It is owned by Kalanidhi Maran who is the Chairman and the Managing Director of the Sun network group which is the most profitable television network in the world. It has 32 power packed television channels in different regional languages of India. And Sun network has a reach of about 95 million households in India. The Sun network channels can be viewed by people all over the world including USA, Canada, Europe, Middle east, Singapore, Malaysia , Sri lanka ,South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Sun tv also owns a Sun direct DTH ( Direct to home satellite TV service ) which is a largest service provider in India of more than 7.5 million subscribers. Thus Sun network holding 32 top rated channels in India, including the Sun news channel which is solely dedicated only for news telecast, Sun network has got a tremendous reach, frequency and patronage that other groups failed and cant even compete. Sun Group believes in giving you wholesome fare. Be it news or entertainment, we are there first. . With Thirty Two Television Channels in four Indian languages and Forty Five FM Radio Stations, we are able to connect to the Southern Diaspora erasing geographical distances. Millions of people all over the world watch Sun Group channels. (Copyright 2011 Sun Group). Thus Sun tv news channel is also under the Sun network it is also able to connect with people so much as the other channels of Sun network and Sun news channel reaches the audience worldwide and takes the current news and what is happening around to large amount of people. Kalaignar Seithigal Kalaignar tv was started on September 15,2007. Kalaignar tv since when it was started it gave a tough competition to other competitors. In setting benchmarks, Kalaignar tv is in a league of its own. As a trend-setter, Kalaignar tv has started giving the top channels a run for their money. Its tie-up with the creamy layer of the entertainment industry has opened new vistas to the channel not wary of experimenting to strike gold. (Kalaignar Tv website). Kalaignar Tv is owned by Kalaignar Karunanidhi the DMK party leader as he launched the channel after the dispute between Kalanithi Maran and M.K.Azhagiri . They having entertainment , news and currents affairs as their USP, telecasted a bouquet of multi coloured programmes and it was focussing on every individual and their entertainment needs. Kalaignar Seithigal which is a 24/7 news channel in tamil also belong to the Kalaignar tv network .All over the country it has a tie up with top content providers and the news gathering facilitators so that they focus on not doing different things but doing things differently. They have all top news content providers like Reuters, P.T.I and Asian News International and thus resourceful and giving news to the public in a effective. Jaya Plus Jaya tv was founded by J .Jayalalitha the ADMK party leader. Jaya tv is one of the major Tamil language satellite television channels in Chennai. It was started in the month of August 1999.Jaya plus is a 24/7 Tamil news channel solely dedicated to news alone is also a part of Jaya Tv network. Jaya Tv broadcasting is in India , Middle east , Asia, Australia and New Zealand through Dish network channel. Jaya tv. Jaya TV is one of the early Tamil channels to entertain the Tamil audiences spread across Globe. In todays world information is the catch word and the Jaya Television Network has capitalised on the increasing demand for news that is unbiased, timely and accurate. (Copyright 2012 Jaya Network).Thus Jaya Plus is a news channel in Tamilnadu which is also one of the major source of news in Tamilnadu. Puthiya Thalaimurai Puthiya thalaimurai news channel is a recently launched Tamil news channel in Tamilnadu. It is a regional Indian cable Television started in August 2011.It is new Tv channel in Tamilnadu eroding the influence of Sun News, Kalaignar News and Jaya Plus by being unbiased and focussing on real issues .It is a channel which claims to be independent from political party, and with the punch line Unmai Udanuk udan which means truth as it happens. Puthiya thalaimurai has marked history of becoming number one news channel in Tamilnadu within a short period of 60 days from the day it has launched because of its Back to Back to live news telecast. The TAM ratings released by AC Neilson also mentioned that Pyuthiya Thalaimurai is in its number one position and has scored a Gross Rating Point or GRP of 35.94 on Week 44 across Tamil Nadu. Gnani Sankaran, a political commentator, says PT has kept its promise so far. Viewers see it as a credible channel, and they have been turning to it. One of its shows Ayudham Seivom (lets make tools) a phrase from a popular song by Bharathiar is about rural innovations and has turned out to be a huge success. Similarly, Kazham Irangivargal (those who stepped into the battlefield), a programme on entrepreneurs, found a lot of resonance with the audience. Another show, Konjam Soru, Konjam Varalaru (a little bit of food, a little bit of history) is a food programme that also delves deep into history . It has become a hit. (N.S.Ramnath, 2012) Puthiya thalaimurai 24/7 news channel has positioned itself now as Independent channel and also it is the first channel with High Definition in India as such and also it has attracted the audience because of its bright and clear graphics ,crystal clear appearance , and it has also imported latest broadcast equipments from various sources worldwide as all these factors has enhanced Puthiya Thalaimurai news channel and made it reach the 1st position in News channels in Tamilnadu. The channel has also concentrated in the news gathering by sending 3 reporters to cover the cyclone Thane which hit the coastal areas of Tamilnadu and they also hired helicopters and reported about the affected area where they also took some farmers with them on helicopters and even in National issues like Anna Hazares protest was covered by the channel in a effective way. Thus Puthiya thalaimurai channel has created a difference and it is having an impact on the way other channels cover news. Sathiyam Television Sathiyam tv is a part of Sathiyam Media Vision Private Limited. It is also a 24/7 news channel in Tamilnadu. They give full independence and responsibility to their employees to report the facts with truth and transparency. We as a company have passion to reach out to the Tamil speaking population world over with the honest and responsible presentation of news and current affairs that reflects the true spirit of journalism and reported with authenticity, clarity and definitive conviction(Copyright2010 Sathiyam Television). The Moto of Sathyam Tv is Yes as Yes and No as No. Sathiyam Tv aims in giving news in true, integral, understandable and devoid of sensationalism or slander of any kind. They believe in preparing our nation to face the reality of truth and motivate citizens to function based on their individual decisions.

lit review :: essays research papers

Roughly 217,440 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2004, resulting in nearly 40,580 deaths (3). Those newly diagnosed with breast cancer often have the choice of several different treatments. The treatments include chemotherapy and radiation. Fatigue related from cancer is defined as â€Å"a persistent, subjective sense of tiredness related to cancer or cancer treatment that interferes with usual functioning† (1). This helps contribute to physical inactivity in these patients, leading to deconditioning and decreased functional capacity (1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Physical inactivity and an increase in rest have generally been recommended for cancer patients (1). However, recent research has shown that physical activity helps with the management of fatigue and improves quality of life (1-4). In addition, 50% of patients prefer nonpharmacologic interventions in order to manage fatigue (4). The current recommendations for breast cancer patients are low to moderate physical activity, such as brisk walking, to manage fatigue and, in turn, improve quality of life (3,4).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Several studies support the recommendations for physical activity in breast cancer patients. These studies prescribed a home-based walking programs to women who were going to receive chemotherapy or radiation treatment for Stage I to III breast cancer (1,2). The walking programs were based on the duration of the radiation (6 weeks) or chemotherapy (3 months) treatment (1,2). The subjects were put into two groups, usual care or usual care and the walking program (1,2). Both of the walking programs prescribed working up to 30 minutes of brisk walking, 5 to 6 days per week and approximately 50-70% of maximum heart rate (1,2). These meet the ACSM’s standards for positive health benefits. Mock, et al studied fatigue and functional capacity in participation in a home-based walking program (1). They concluded that exercise during treatment of cancer increased functional capacity and decreased fatigue in sedentary women subjected to chemotherapy or radiation (1). T he subjects who adhered to the program had significantly lower fatigue levels than those who did not participate (1). The adherence rate of those participating in the exercise program was 72% (1). Since these women were sedentary prior to this study, this suggests an urgency and desire to benefit their overall health. They see the importance of being physically fit, not only to reduce fatigue during treatment, but to improve it after treatment as well. Pickett, et al reported on the adherence rate to a home-based walking program (2).

Megans Law Essay -- essays research papers

MEGAN’S LAW PROTECT THE CHILDREN OR THE PEDOPHILES Megan Kanka was an innocent little girl, someone’s daughter, sister, and best friend. The defendant, Jesse Timmendequas, changed all of that. He changed it brutally, savagely, and permanently. In a few moments of unspeakable horror, the defendant destroyed all of Megan’s dreams, all of that joy, all that hope, all that promise. In those few moments, he destroyed Megan Kanka’s life. She would never live to see her wedding day, never have children, and never embrace her family again. Jesse Timmendequas took Megan’s life on July 24, 1994. Her funeral was held on Wednesday, August 3, 1994. Jesse Timmendequas was a twice convicted sex offender. He moved in across the street from Megan’s home without the family’s knowledge of his history as a pedophile. Joseph Cifelli was another convicted sex offender who had spent nine years at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center. He had been convicted after admitting to repeated sexual abuse of a relative that had begun when the child was nine. A third man, Brian R. Jenin had been convicted twice of crimes involving young boys. Jenin, along with Timmendequas, was under investigation in connection with the unsolved murders of two boys in San Diego. All three were Megan's neighbors. Jesse Timmendequas’ convictions stemmed from a 1981 attack on a 5 year old girl, for which he served 9 months. That same year he was convicted for an attempted rape of a 7 year old girl, for which he was sentenced to ten years. After serving only six years, he was free to lure 7 year old Megan into his home where he brutally raped and strangling her with a belt as she bit and fought for life. He knocked her to the floor, hitting her several times in the head. He wrapped her head in plastic shopping bags to prevent her blood from staining the rugs. He then took a toy box and stuffed her inside. Megan’s body was found in a weeded area of a nearby park near a portable toilet. On May 30, 1997, a jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts of murder including capital murder, kidnapping, and aggravated sexual assault and sentenced Jesse Timmendequas to death. It was this little girl’s brutal death that prompted her parents, Richard and Maureen Kanka, to fight for broad based community notification. Megan’s parents believe that if they had known that a pedophile lived nearby, this heinous crime... ...s due process. Due process is best defined in one word--fairness. When a person is treated unfairly by the government, including the courts, he is said to have been deprived of or denied due process. The most common and successful due process challenge is procedural due process. This challenge has occurred mainly in states that classify offenders according to the level of risk they pose to communities. This argument centers on whether an offender is allowed a hearing to challenge a risk classification. The Massachusetts Supreme Court recently found that provisions of the state’s community notification law violated constitutional due process Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Board, Mass. SJC-07608 (July 24,1998). The United States Supreme Court has yet to weigh in it’s opinion as to whether or not offender’s due process or Ex Post Facto rights are being violated by Megan’s Law. Are we bothered by the fact that in the current social climate, the rights of convicted pedophiles are routinely violated and nobody cares. Rules of evidence are stretched, and terms of punishment are increased. The danger of this precedent is impossible to ignore. As parents, though... are we okay with it.

Analysis of The Allegory of the Cave by Plato :: Philosophy Plato

An Analysis of "The Allegory of the Cave" by Plato The Allegory of the Cave is Plato's explanation of the education of the soul toward enlightenment. He sees it as what happens when someone is educated to the level of philosopher. He contends that they must "go back into the cave" or return to the everyday world of politics, greed and power struggles. The Allegory also attacks people who rely upon or are slaves to their senses. The chains that bind the prisoners are the senses. The fun of the allegory is to try to put all the details of the cave into your interpretation. In other words, what are the models the guards carry? the fire? the struggle out of the cave? the sunlight? the shadows on the cave wall? Socrates, in Book VII of The Republic, just after the allegory told us that the cave was our world and the fire was our sun. He said the path of the prisoner was our soul's ascent to knowledge or enlightenment. He equated our world of sight with the intellect's world of opinion. Both were at the bottom of the ladder of knowledge. O ur world of sight allows us to "see" things that are not real, such as parallel lines and perfect circles. He calls this higher understanding the world "abstract Reality" or the Intelligeble world. He equates this abstract reality with the knowledge that comes from reasoning and finally understanding. On the physical side, our world of sight, the stages of growth are first recognition of images (the shadows on the cave wall) then the recognition of objects (the models the guards carry) To understand abstract reality requires the understanding of mathematics and finally the forms or the Ideals of all things (the world outside the cave). But our understanding of the physical world is mirrored in our minds by our ways of thinking. First comes imagination (Socrates thought little of creativity), then our unfounded but real beliefs. Opinion gives way to knowledge through reasoning (learned though mathematics). Finally, the realization of the forms is mirrored by the level of Understandin g in the Ways of Thinking. The key to the struggle for knowledge is the reasoning skills acquired through mathematics as they are applied to understanding ourselves. The shadows on the cave wall change continually and are of little worth, but the reality out side the cave never changes and that makes it important.

Matteo Ricci

The year 1982 was a ‘Ricci-year’: scholarly meetings in different places around the world, from Chicago (US), over Macerata (Italy) to Taibei (Taiwan), commemorated Matteo Ricci’s entry in China. It was exactly four hundred years since his arrival in the Portuguese settlement of Macao in 1582 and his entry into the mainland one year later. In 2001, there were new celebrations of Ricci, in Hong Kong and in Beijing, commemorating his definitive settling in Beijing in 1601. The year 2010 is again a ‘Ricci-year’, this time commemorating his death in Beijing in 1610.Is there anything new to be said about Matteo Ricci after this time-lapse of twenty-seven years, which corresponds to the period of Ricci’s own ascent to and settling in Beijing? Well, his writings have become more accessible to the academic and wider community: for instance, in Chinese there are now readily available editions of his Chinese writings and several translations of his Della entrata della Compagnia di Giesu e Christianita nella Cina (‘About the Christian expedition to China undertaken by the Society of Jesus’) – a strong contrast to the prudent two-page article in Renmin huabao(‘China Pictorial’) of July 1982.But publications not only flourished in Chinese. The Ruggieri-Ricci manuscript of the Portuguese-Chinese dictionary was published for the first time; Ricci’s letters and the Italian version of Della entratawere reprinted (2000-2001)[1]; others works have been translated: the catechism Tianzhu shiyi (‘The True Meaning of God’) into English, Japanese, Korean and Italian; the treatise on friendship Jiaoyoulun into Italian, German, and French; the treatise on mnemotechnics (the art of memory), Xiguo jifa into German.There were numerous secondary sources: at least 200 articles, many of them in Chinese, illuminate various aspects of his life and works. The most well-known work is possibly Jonathan Spe nce’s Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci (1984), also translated into Chinese (two translations), French, Spanish and Dutch. [2] All this is very impressive and underscores the fact that Ricci remains an attractive figure both on the academic and the more popular level.Yet a close look at these writings reveals in particular the excellence of research accomplished earlier: the quality of Pasquale d’Elia’s annotated edition of the primary sources (Fonti Ricciane, 3 vols. , 1942-1949)[3] and the analysis of the method of evangelisation by d’Elia’s student Johannes Bettray (Die Akkommodationsmethode des P. Matteo Ricci S. I. in China, 1955)[4] is rarely matched today. Since these writings are in Italian and German respectively, they have unfortunately often been neglected.Compared to these writings, recent publications rarely bring to light new elements about Ricci himself, they rather nuance Ricci’s ‘success story’ by putting his accom plishments and writings in a broader context. For instance, it appears that Ricci was less accommodative than often assumed,[5] and that fellow Jesuits such as Niccolo Longobardo (1565-1655) had a better knowledge of the Chinese Classics and the Neo-Confucian commentaries than Ricci himself. How then to tell Ricci's story in the year 2010?One major development in recent years is the historiography of the contacts between cultures, with a primary question of the perspective from which one needs to look at the missionary: from his own perspective or from the perspective of the receiving culture? Taking benefit from these developments, this article will reread Ricci's story and ask how Ricci was shaped by the other, especially by the Chinese. [6] Four characteristics of Jesuit missionary strategy in China As a starting point one can make a first – rather traditional – reading of Ricci’s life by focusing on the missionary himself.The ‘Jesuit missionary strateg y’ in China was conceived by Alessandro Valignano (1539-1606), who was the former novice master of Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) and who was Jesuit visitor for East Asia during the period 1574-1606. His strategy was creatively put into practice by Matteo Ricci. Later generations, well into the eighteenth century, associated this strategy with Ricci and called it the ‘Ricci-method’. It can be described by four major characteristics[7]: 1. A policy of accommodation or adaptation to Chinese culture. 8] Valignano, who had been disappointed by the limited degree of the Jesuits’ adaptation to Japanese culture, insisted in the first place on knowledge of the Chinese language. Therefore he called a few Jesuits to Macao in 1579 ordering them to focus their attention entirely on the study of language (fellow Jesuits criticised them for spending all their time studying Chinese). Two years later Michele Ruggieri (1543-1607) entered China through the south, and Matteo Ricci followed one year later. Probably inspired by the Japanese situation, they dressed like Buddhist monks. In 1595, after nearly fifteen ears of experience, they changed this policy and adapted themselves to the life-style and etiquette of the Confucian elite of literati and officials. Ricci was responsible for this change. This new policy remained unchanged throughout the whole seventeenth century and for most Jesuit missionaries Matteo Ricci became the reference point with regard to the accommodation policy. 2. Propagation and evangelisation ‘from the top down’. Jesuits addressed themselves to the literate elite. The underlying idea was that if this elite, preferably the Emperor and his court, were converted, the whole country would be won for Christianity.The elite consisted mainly of literati, who had spent many years of their life preparing for the examinations they needed to pass to become officials. For these examinations they had to learn the Confucian classics an d the commentaries. After having passed the Metropolitan examinations, which took place in Beijing every three years and at which about three hundred candidates were selected, they entered the official bureaucracy and received appointments as district magistrates or positions in the ministries.As in modern diplomatic service, the offices usually changed every three years. In order to enter into contact with this elite, Ricci studied the Confucian classics and, with his remarkable gift of memory, became a welcome guest at the philosophical discussion groups that were organised by this elite. 3. Indirect propagation of the faith by using European science and technology in order to attract the attention of the educated Chinese and convince them of the high level of European civilisation.Ricci offered a European clock to the Emperor, he introduced paintings which impressed the Chinese with their use of perspective, translated mathematical writings of Euclid with the commentaries of the famous Jesuit mathematician Christophorus Clavius (1538-1612), and printed an enormous global map which integrated the results of the latest world explorations. By these activities Ricci established friendly relationships which sometimes resulted in the conversion of members of the elite: Xu Guangqi (1562-1633; baptised as Paul in 1603) and Li Zhizao (1565-1630; baptised as Leo in 1610) are the most famous of Ricci's time. . Openness to and tolerance of Chinese values. In China, Matteo Ricci encountered a society with high moral values, for which he expressed his admiration. Educated in the best Jesuit humanistic tradition, he favourably compared Confucius (552-479 BC) with ‘an other Seneca’ and the Confucians with ‘a sect of Epicurians, not in name, but in their laws and opinions’. [9] Ricci was of the opinion that the excellent ethical and social doctrine of Confucianism should be complemented with the metaphysical ideas of Christianity.However, he reject ed Buddhism, Taoism, and Neo-Confucianism, which in his eyes was corrupted by Buddhism. Ricci pleaded for a return to original Confucianism, which he considered to be a philosophy based on natural law. In his opinion it contained the idea of God. Finally, he adopted a tolerant attitude towards certain Confucian rites, such as the ancestral worship and the veneration of Confucius, which soon were labelled ‘civil rites’. Methodological questions There are several reasons why these four characteristics can rightly be identified as typical for Ricci and his fellow-Jesuits in a broader sense.First of all, one can easily find a justification for them in the Jesuit official documents of Ignatian inspiration, especially the Constitutions of the Society of Jesus and Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises, which often insist on accommodation. Secondly, one can contrast these policies with those adopted by the contemporary Franciscans and Dominicans. These orders appeared less acco mmodative, less elite-oriented, less involved with sciences, and, lastly, less tolerant towards local ritual traditions.Finally, in publications about Jesuits in China in modern times, both by Jesuits and non-Jesuits, these elements are in one way or another presented as ‘typically Ricci’ or as ‘typically Jesuit’. There are also several reasons why these characteristics of strategy can be questioned. First, it can be questioned whether it is a ‘Jesuit’ strategy. Here, the comparison with the mission in Japan is quite determining. The first thirty years of Jesuit mission in Japan show quite a different picture, since before Valignano's arrival the accommodation policy was very restricted.Thus the actual strategy was determined to a large extent by the inspiration of an individual such as Valignano rather than by a common ‘Jesuit’ formation or training. A second problem with ‘strategy’ is that it seems to refer to a pre- set and well-thought policy that was consistently executed over time. Yet, some scholars have convincingly argued that Ricci himself ‘had not formed a precise opinion on the problem of evangelisation in China and that his judgment concerning the means and methods to adopt in order to convert the Chinese varied in the course of the years he spent on this task. [10] Thus the systematic labelling of any action as issuing from a ‘Ricci-method’ is probably an overestimation. Thus, while these four characteristics of the Jesuit strategy in China are certainly not invalid, they possibly present only one side of the story. The major methodological objection that can be raised is that an identity is not only formed through the isolated effort of the Self, but is shaped through constant interaction with the Other. This is true for individuals, but also for groups.Therefore, what we call the Jesuit missionary strategy in China is not only the result of a conscious and well-d efined policy conceived by Valignano and the proactive and creative elaboration of it by missionaries like Matteo Ricci. To a large extent, it is also the result of their reaction to what China was and who the Chinese were. In other words, their identity was shaped by the Chinese Otheras well. If Ricci became who he became, it was also because the Other encouraged him actively or passively to become like that.Thus the story should not only be told from the perspective of the missionary (Ricci), but also from the perspective of the receiving community (the Chinese). I will therefore review the four different characteristics and try to demonstrate how the Chinese ‘Other’ helped shape the Jesuit mission. I will bring into the picture the results of recent research on Christianity in late Ming China. These results have often been obtained by focusing on the point of view of the Chinese, ‘the Other’, and by taking the Chinese texts as primary source for research . Shaped by the Other 1.Accommodation to Chinese culture. The most obvious example of the interference of the Other in the field of accommodation is the change from a policy of adaptation to Buddhism to a policy of adaptation to Confucianism (and subsequently the rejection of Buddhism). The Other was already present in the original decision to adopt the Buddhist dress, since it was the Governor of Guangdong who either insisted that this was the way the missionaries should dress, or who approved the proposal of Michele Ruggieri to do so. [11] The accommodation to the Buddhist life-style was not without advantages.It enabled the Jesuits to make contact with the majority of the Chinese population more easily and allowed them to focus conversation directly on religious matters. But there were also disadvantages. From a Confucian perspective, Buddhism and Christianity shared many religious elements and were very similar to each other. Both can be classified as an institutional religion w ith a system of theology, rituals and organisation of its own, independent of so-called secular institutions. Confucianism, on the other hand, resembles a diffused religion.Its theology, rituals, and organisation were intrinsically tied up with the concepts and structures of secular institutions and the secular social order. [12] Moreover, Christianity shared elements with Buddhism such as belief in afterlife, the idea of heaven and hell, the practice of celibacy, etc. which were very un-Confucian. From Ricci's Della entrata and later apologetic works one can observe that precisely this similarity to the Other (the Buddhists) forced the Jesuits to dissociate themselves from the Other and emphasise their differences.The first (unconscious) reason for this change was that within the Chinese religious context there was too much competition between Buddhism and Christianity. Jesuits were in fact subjected to the phenomenon of ‘inflated difference’: i. e. the phenomenon in w hich a minority group, pressed to consolidate its own identity, is prone to dis-identify with others and to play up otherwise negligible differences between those inside and those outside its boundaries. [13] The only way to dissociate themselves from the Buddhist monks (who were considered to be very low on the social ladder) was to turn to Confucianism.In fact, it was the Other represented by Confucian literati such as Qu Taisu (Qu Rukui) (b. 1549) who encouraged Ricci to institute this change. [14] Here a second important element in which the Other determines the Self needs to be mentioned. It was labelled ‘cultural imperative’ by Erik Zurcher, and belongs to the deep structure in Chinese religious life in late imperial China. [15] No marginal religion penetrating from the outside could expect to take root in China (at least at a high social level) unless it conformed to a pattern that in late imperial times was more clearly defined than ever.Confucianism represented what is zheng (‘orthodox’) in a religious, ritual, social and political sense. In order not to be branded as xie (‘heterodox’) and be treated as a subversive sect, a marginal religion had to prove that it was on the side of zheng. The authority of Confucianism, and its sheer mass and attractive power, were such that any religious system from outside was caught in its field, and was bound to gravitate towards that centre. These two elements, inflated difference and cultural imperative, show the heavy influence of the Other in Ricci's strategy of accommodation.The Chinese made Ricci adapt to the particular Chinese situation. One may also point out that the refinement and sophistication of the Other imposed some limits on the accommodation by the Jesuits. It is indeed remarkable that the Jesuits apparently were not able to accommodate themselves to certain aspects of Chinese culture because they were too difficult to master or were too different from the Euro pean background. Here one touches on aspects of Jesuit corporate culture in Europe and many parts of the world that were not put into practice in China.The clearest example is that of schools and education. Despite their hope to replace the subject-matter of the Chinese exams by Aristotelian philosophy, the Jesuits were never able to influence the well-established Chinese education system. There were also aspects that did not belong to their corporate culture, but that were also too sophisticated to learn or to adopt. In the field of arts, one usually cites the successful adaptation of Jesuit painters like Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), but there is hardly any adoption of, or interest in, Chinese calligraphy.Yet, every member of the educated Chinese elite spent long hours when they were young learning calligraphy, and quite a few continued to practise it every day of their lives. Although the Jesuits’ effort was directed at this elite, in their copious writings there is ha rdly any indication that the Jesuits appreciated the aesthetic dimension of calligraphy and the pivotal role that it played in Chinese culture. [16] In the field of Chinese customs, Ricci and his fellow-Jesuits found it impossible to let their finger nails grow very long, as was the custom among the Chinese literati. 17] These are negative examples of influence that clearly show how Chinese culture imposed limits on accommodation. 2. The propagation ‘from the top’ is a second field in which the role of the Other can be amply shown. First it should be pointed out that the motive of Ricci’s ‘ascent to Beijing’[18] was not necessarily the conversion of the Emperor. The initial objective of Ricci, as expressed in his Della entrata, was not to reach Beijing, but just to have a residence on the mainland.It was because of the many difficulties Jesuits encountered in obtaining permission to enter China and in establishing a permanent residence there that the y gradually made a plan to go to Beijing in order to obtain the support of the ‘King of China’. [19] In this move to Beijing they largely depended on the elite. [20] There certainly were proactive or planned decisions by Ricci and his companions: they preferred the centre to the periphery and they chose to live in a city rather than in the countryside. ‘Centre’ meant the administrative centre, the place with a higher concentration of magistrates and literati.Thus they preferred Zhaoqing to Canton, because the Governor was residing in Zhaoqing, and Canton was only second choice. [21] The choice of the city was quite obviously connected with the choice of the centre. But these proactive or planned decisions by Ricci should be supplemented by two reactive or guided decisions, which were as important if not more important: many movements were arranged through personal relationships (guanxi) and a number of residences were established because the Jesuits were ex pelled from or not allowed to live in certain places.In both of these decisions the Other played a key role. The concept of guanxi or relationships is central to any understanding of Chinese social structures. It denotes an essential part of network-building within Chinese social life. The many difficulties encountered by Ricci and his companions in trying to establish a residence in various cities are often attributed to the fact that they were foreigners. While this is certainly true, the Jesuits also lacked the necessary guanxi to secure the social resources needed for their goals.They lacked common attributes: they could not refer to a common kinship, locality, religion or examination experience. Chinese society very quickly made the Jesuits aware of the importance of this network building and the originality of Ricci is to have understood it. It took the Jesuits a long time, but after more than ten years they succeeded in acquiring some ‘attributes’. The two most i mportant were their behaving like Chinese literati, and subsequently, the establishment of a network based on common Christian rituals.The role of the Other mediated by guanxi became very important in the move from the south to the north of the country and the establishment of new mission posts, and the Jesuits’ decisions were taken in response to the initiative or circumstances of these guanxi. The case of Michele Ruggieri travelling to Shaoxing (Zhejiang) is a fine example of this reactive or guided decision-making. [22] He was not travelling to Shaoxing because of a planned decision on his part, but rather because he had a guanxi who happened to be travelling to Shaoxing and who wanted to take Ruggieri with him.Another pattern was closely linked to this one. Chinese converts would settle in a new place (or return to their place of origin), expand the network of believers, and then invite a missionary. This pattern became more common as the community of believers increased and came to include some converts of higher social standing (especially after 1600). Here some structures of Chinese administrative life played an important role. Like other literati, Christian literati changed offices regularly (in principle every three years), or returned to their native towns. Their moves determined those of the missionaries.Another way of establishing a community in a given city was also a reaction to decisions made by others: Jesuits decided to settle in one place because they were not allowed to settle in the place of their original choice. In some cases this was even linked to direct expulsion. 3. The use of science in the service of the propagation of faith too was largely determined by the Other, as can be shown in the writings of the Jesuits and their converts. The first presentation of European science was made in the form of curiosities like a clock and prisms, with the result that at the beginning Jesuits were considered as alchemists.The first writings of the Jesuits, however, (i. e. what they wrote with only limited influence of the Other), were not scientific but entirely religious and catechetical in nature. It was due to the quest of Chinese scholars, who could not believe that educated scholars could come from far away, that Ricci engaged himself in composing a Chinese version of the world map he had in his room, in order to show where he came from. [23] A further step was the translation of works on mathematics and astronomy. Many scholars have pointed out that this translation took place in the particular context of Late Ming learning.If Chinese scholars were interested in the science brought by the Jesuits, it was because prior to their arrival Chinese literati had developed an interest in practical learning. The search for ‘solid learning’ or ‘concrete studies (shixue) was a reaction against some intuitionist movements originating from the Wang Yangming school in the late sixteenth century. According t o Wang Yangming (1472-1528), the principles for moral action were to be found entirely within the mind-and-heart (xin) and not outside.In the early seventeenth century, the influential intellectual and political movement of the Donglin thinkers re-established the importance of ‘things in the world’. Officials and scholars searched for concrete ways to save the country from decay. [24] It is this preceding quest that led to the unique interaction between the Chinese literati and the Jesuits. The Jesuits themselves were initially not much interested in translating mathematical works, but in response to the insistence of converts such as Xu Guangqi they again and again undertook this kind of time-consuming and long-lasting activity.Later, this insistence by the Chinese (converts) on practical learning was one of the reasons that prevented Jesuits from engaging in projects such as translating the Bible. Early missionaries such as Ricci had no particular advanced training in sciences (even if they were versed in them) and were not sent to spread scientific knowledge. Only later missionaries with a specific scientific training were sent to respond to the quest of the Other and to guarantee the protection of the Church by the Chinese Court.The acceptance of Western sciences by the Chinese thus confirms a generally agreed-upon interpretation of cultural exchange: when a foreign element is accepted relatively easily by a culture into which it has been introduced, that acceptance is owing to the presence of some internal disposition or movement to accept the new element. What is true in the field of the sciences is true also with respect to the moral teachings of the Jesuits, which were accepted because they fitted the quest of the Donglin thinkers for a heteronomous morality.Moreover, the large-scale translation and publication of Western writings was possible only because the Late Ming had a very developed system of (private) publishing and printing. Thus Jesuits did not have to introduce the printing press. Moreover, by contrast with Europe, there was no pre-printing censorship in China. As a result, the Chinese context enabled the Jesuits fully to put into practice their ‘Apostolate through Books’[25] and freely to express their ideas. 4. Tolerance towards Confucian rites. Here too the cultural imperative of the Other played a determining role (as it did not in Japan).Because of the power of Confucianism as a diffused religion, Christianity, just like Buddhism, Judaism and other marginal religions, had to accept the state orthodoxy and the ritual traditions of Confucianism. The repeated and public rejection of the rites approved by the State (and listed in the Official ‘Canon of Sacrifices’) would have caused the missionaries to be labelled ‘heterodox’ and to be rejected (as happened later to missionaries and papal delegations on several occasions during the Rites Controversy).Yet, during the initial years of the Ricci period there was a whole evolution in their attitude, which became more tolerant due to the presence of the Other. This can clearly be observed from the attitude of the missionaries towards funerals, which were and still are the most important ritual of passage in China. [26] In the beginning, the Jesuits were hardly aware that the importance of funeral rites in China would have consequences for themselves.For instance, when Antonio de Almeida (1557-1591), died in Shaozhou (Guangdong), the Chinese could not understand why Ricci and his companions did not wear a mourning garb. The Jesuits, Ricci says, explained that ‘we religious, when we enter into religion, are as though dead to the world, and therefore we do not make such a thing of this fate. ’ Thus the Jesuits did not accommodate to local customs, except for purchasing a first-class coffin, ‘in order to show to the Chinese the quality of the Fathers, because herein they demonstrate their way of honouring the dead. The major reason for buying a coffin, however, according to Ricci’s explanation, was that they could not bury de Almeida in a church, as would have been done in Europe and the Jesuits did not want to follow the Chinese practice of burying him ‘on a hill far away from the house. ’ Subsequently the coffin was kept in their residence for two years until he was buried in Macao. [27] As far as the specific funerary rituals are concerned, in these early years the Jesuits adopted an approach that can be qualified as purist concerning the Christian tradition and exclusivist with regard to the Chinese traditions.In general, Ricci and his fellow Jesuits were less tolerant in the early stages of their missionary activities than later, though in doing so they did not adhere to a specific regulation. If death occurred, the Jesuits’ priority was to bury the deceased – Chinese Christian or foreign missionary – according to C hristian rites. There was little intention towards accommodation to local – usually Confucian – customs. The abstention from local rites by Christians was seen by the Jesuits as a sign helping to strengthen and spread the Christian faith.Only gradually were some Chinese funerary customs accepted. This happened first through the initiative of the Chinese themselves and was largely due to the network in which the deceased Jesuit or Christian had been involved. As long as this network was very small, the funeral could be limited to an exclusively Christian ceremony. When this network was larger, however, the chances of interaction with Chinese funeral practices increased. It is typical for funerals to be such an ‘open’ ritual.For instance, when the Jesuit Joao Soerio died in Nanchang in 1607, his fellow Jesuits did ‘not give expression to their sentiments, as was usual in China,’ because ‘it did not correspond to our profession. ’ Ye t their friends, dressed in mourning, came to their house to condole with them. These Chinese friends installed a bier and covered it as if his body was there. ‘They made four genuflections, and touched each time with their head the ground. ’ Many are said to have mourned the death of this Jesuit in this traditional way. 28] As the Christian communities continued to grow, the interaction with local rituals increased as well. The death of Matteo Ricci in Beijing in 1610 was a turning point in some ways, because his funeral and burial were the cause of the Jesuits themselves becoming involved in more Chinese funerary customs. The first critical step was the decision about his burial place. At the initiative of a Christian convert, the Jesuits asked the Chinese emperor to offer an appropriate burial ground. This burial in the mainland was contrary to the practice of the burials of Jesuits in Macao until then.Meanwhile, Ricci’s corpse was kept in a traditional Chines e coffin. While some Chinese practices, such as the habit of condolence, were accepted, others, such as the funeral procession, were only applied in a limited way, because the Chinese procession was considered to resemble an act of ‘triumph’ and did not conform to Jesuit ideals of poverty and modesty. On the day of the burial itself, 1 November 1611, all the regular Christian ceremonies were celebrated: the recitation of the Office of the Dead, the funeral Mass, an ecclesiastical procession, and the prayers at the tomb in front of a painting of Christ.But in the end, there were also some Chinese rites: ‘Many days afterwards gentile friends came flocking in to perform their usual rites for the deceased. ’[29] Thus it was the presence of the Chinese that brought gradual change in the hesitant approach by the missionaries. As Johannes Bettray has shown, the Jesuits missionaries were, after thirty years of presence in China, apparently allowing the performance of these particular local customs. [30] Conclusion Looking at Ricci, one can discern several characteristics that can be labelled the ‘Ricci method’.However, this method has too often been presented as the result of the proactive Self, at the neglect of the influence of the Chinese Other. I have tried to show that the role of the Other in the formation of Ricci’s identity is certainly as important as the activity of Ricci’s Self. Though Ricci might have reacted in ways other than he did, in all cases the Other played a decisive role in the reactions he showed. One could even argue that the Other made it possible for Ricci to become who he became. Without the Other, this would not have been possible.