Reflection - Reduced harm tobacco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection - Reduced harm tobacco - Essay Example Furthermore, the article contextualizes this lieu of the progress of corporate social responsibility and product harm reduction of tobacco companies, or lack thereof. Corporate social responsibility among tobacco companies is very much like a paradox; basically tobacco companies are like giving a poison to their consumers so that they can kill themselves. If we were to apply the logic of corporate social responsibility to the tobacco companies, we are presented with a situation that simply contradicts itself: if a tobacco company becomes a socially responsible corporation, it would be as if they will offer a slower poison to their consumers so that they will not dies as fast as before. The addition of the snus in the tobacco industry may be seen as the slower poison. It is not smoked so that there is a significant reduction in the risks of having diseases that are more likely to be acquired when smoking cigarettes. However as the article has pointed out, even with the existence of this less harmful tobacco product, it is not supported by legislation bodies and no tobacco companies are making an effort to pursue its development or more importantly, reducing the harm in their products. This is the point where corporate social responsibility among tobacco companies hits a dead end. Tobacco companies may be aware of this contradiction and that is why most of them are not making any efforts to reduce the harm in their products. Another contradiction in this situation that the article points out is how governments demonize tobacco companies while providing them a legal status. This is counter-intuitive to corporate social responsibility since it simply does nothing to affect the market demand that is fueling tobacco companies. As a result, there is no motivation for them to develop a less harmful tobacco product since their killer product rakes in the profit, and in the end that is all that matters for them. This article also

In the document I upload Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

In the document I upload - Essay Example It would have been long term as it has lead to an anticipated economic growth with up to 2% within duration of 2 years. Therefore, the government should fast track the adoption of laws to avert the expiration of this tax relief and this time make it even more lasting as the testing face of the laws have proved fruitful. To do this they need the support of the major opposition, the Republicans. This is because for many households’ tax rates under the Obama’s administration has been much lower and affordable as compared to the same in Bush administration. This is despite the fact that they were introduced simply as stimulus laws. The extension of such tax cut measures will ease life for the households and extend support to the ailing economy. Second assignment How to avert tax increases if averting tax cliffs will not work The owing automatic rise in the tax rates of the American households have the impact of negatively affecting the lives of the Americans in terms of the ir welfare socially, politically and at most economically. The Obama’s administration is majorly left with the option of allowing the payroll tax systems established 2 years ago to elapse in its efforts to solve the fiscal cliff. This is though likely to have a negative impact on the social security funds by the U.S. wage earner by lowering their share in the said funding system by a clear 2 percent increasing the taxation of the household by $ 1,000 a year for earners of $50,000 annually. This act should though be progressive so that the impact on the wage earner is uniformly felt. The more wealthy individuals should be taxed according to their earnings as the less income earners are taxed the other way round. The government through the support of the opposition republicans has to join hands to in their efforts to fuel the government role of protecting their citizens socially by way of creating a habitable social environment largely dependent on the security measures placed. The government must also put aside their political differences in its efforts to provide a secure political climate for the thrive of the economic activities engaged in by the citizens. Despite the lapse of the payroll tax system, the household composed of the tirelessly working Americans can still work to cover the anticipated loss of 2% if the government unites with the opposition to create a favorable economic climate supporting every bit of economic activity that the American engages in. Taxation is a government initiative that can only be regulated through the formulation of the favorable laws and fiscal tools to enable the functioning of the government. The government and the opposition in such times have to come together and formulate laws, which are not exploitative to the citizens. This will involve the government considering an opportunity costs between allowing the tax rate reverting to the original 6.2% from the regulated 4.2%, which would result into a raise of the gov ernment revenue by about $125 billion in 2013, and the economic welfare of the wage earners. The economic growth that is likely to result from this is quite negligible of a mere

Wrongfully Convicted Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wrongfully Convicted - Assignment Example The opponents of capital punishment have therefore cited wrongful executions as their arguments since it does not result into justice if indeed the convicted or executed person is later found to be innocent (Huff & Killias, 62). However, with the advancements in technology, there is relief to this problem as the crimes and criminals are being identified in a more accurate manner in which even those who had been convicted in the past have been released from the prisons and escaped the death sentences. Research has shown that in the United States of America, the use of DNA technology has resulted into the exoneration and the setting free of up to 15 inmates who were serving death penalty since the year 1992 (Zedeck, 27). It is however important to note that a number of individuals have also been released due to weak cases or innocent individuals convicted and the people who are supposed to be convicted set free (Huff & Killias, 65). The death penalty information center has also publish ed certain names of individuals who have been executed but are likely to be innocent if thorough investigations are done to authenticate their involvement in the crimes that they are alleged to have committed. This is not different from the other nations in Europe and other parts of the world. For example, in the United Kingdom, criminal cases review commission has reported that there are several individuals who have actually been pardoned and other several exonerations for individuals who had been executed during the time between 1950s and 1960s. It is therefore important to note that there is need to standardize the DNA evidence so as to serve as the basis for exonerations of individuals who have been wrongfully convicted as a process to deliver justice to them. One example of those who were wrongfully convicted and executed in the United States of America is Jesse Tafero. Jesse was convicted in Florida in the year 1976 for the alleged killing of police officer (Ciolino, 28). He w as convicted together witch another person known as Jacobs Sonia. The two were convicted with the murder case alongside drug trafficking. It was alleged that they killed police officers as they escaped the police arrest because of the drugs that they had. The two individuals were then sentenced to death on the basis of the testimonies by a third party prisoner who pleaded for the les entice if he testified in the case. In the year 1981, the death sentence for Jacob was commuted. However, a year later, Rhodes who testified against the pair asserted that he actually bears the full responsibility of the murder. Tafero on the other hand was executed in the year 1990 despite all these clams by Rhodes. Two years later, the charges against Jacob were squashed which later resulted into her serving imprisonment and not being executed like Tafero. It is important to note that Tafero might have been executed wrongfully and in case the same evidence used in Jacob’s case could have been u sed in his case, he could have been alive as well. Others who are believed to have been wrongfully executed include; Wayne Felker, Cameroon Willingham, Meeks Griffins and Thomas among others who were wrongfully convicted but not executed (Ciolino, 22). In the view of the above, it is clear that the cases of wrongful executions are evident and there is need to look for ways by which these executions can be right executions. With this regard, it is not possible to deliver justice to individuals who have been killed. It is therefore important for the various legislative bodies to consider doing away with the death sentences and replace it with amore elaborate and a system that can be reversed. This is because even then DNA test and the biological processes

Equality Rights: Feminism

Equality Rights: Feminism Equality Rights Feminism Equality a term associated with fairness, cohesion, and rights has been an important goal for various theoretical movements that have formed in Feminism. The debate surrounding equality has and continues to be of concern at all different levels feminism arose as a response to the inequalities between men and women. The question of equality itself puts up a parameter of analysis and critique that allows for investigation and speculation. To ponder equality, is to enlighten the senses to explore the possibilities of what is known, what needs to be done, and who or what is involved in seeking equality it challenges the word as well as the people framed within it. Catharine MacKinnon states that â€Å"Feminism is the discovery that women do not live in this world, that the person occupying this realm is a man, so much more a man if he is white and wealthy† (367). With this in mind, feminist movements emphasize the importance of every women’s position in social and political spaces. Various feminist movements can be used to achieve equality. However, each perspective provides a different contribution in obtaining such equality. Feminist theories of the liberal, Marxist, radical, and postcolonial perspectives all cover certain aspects of inequality while limiting in the acknowledgement of another. The integration of these perspectives will allow for a truly beneficial equality for women. Liberal feminism is a stance that argues for women to have equal rights to men and to achieve individual autonomy. They propose a model of individual autonomy by fighting for the right of women to have educational opportunities and to obtain a career that is outside of domesticity. This is part of their main focus of their strive for women to have the same rights that men hold â€Å"naturally† men being the gender of privilege and power (Whelehan 29). Liberal feminists are interested in the politics of law to maintain equality between women and men. From this perspective, equality for women is achievable but due to the nature and intensity of its movements, liberal feminism is considered as a starting point for equal rights and freedoms guaranteed to each individual. It takes a more â€Å"soft† lobbying approach to fight for the equal rights of women to those of men as they try to refrain from any direct challenge to institutions that cause them to be unequal. They would like to change laws but stay within the boundaries of institutions as they prove to be valuable to many women. Imelda Whelehan points out that the â€Å"liberal perspective on state intervention in people’s lives also proved problematic, since state support was crucial to many women’s lives, and any shrinkage of its services would probably mean that their living standards deteriorated† (34). As a result, liberal feminists were caught between fighting for women’s rights and expressing their victimization that is due to their differences in biological sex. Moreover, social change is restricted because if the current liberal state was overthrown, the male-dominant liberalistic status quo would be disrupted and many services provided by the state (especially services provided to women to improve their living standards) will be in jeopardy. Combining liberal thought and feminism provides many contradictions because their beliefs do not apply equally to both male and female due to the constraints of reality. If males and females are given equal rights (as hoped by liberal feminists), there will be strains on both sexes in terms of gender roles within and outside of the economy as well as an emphasis on the females biological anatomy of giving birth. As a result, liberal feminism’s concept of equality is an ideal that is contradictory due to reality, personal benefits, and environmental constraints (such as the state, education, and family needs). It is important to realize that this does not necessarily prove liberal feminism as an ineffective approach to equality. In fact, liberal feminism is the most widely known feminist movement in today’s society. The liberal feminist movement can be seen as the basis and the starting point for the fight towards gender equality. However, this approach needs to be combined with other perspectives for a more effective outcome. Another effective approach to strive for gender equality is to analyze the problem through the Marxian framework. Marxist feminism emphasizes that capitalism and patriarchy are organizing devices that hinder the contemplation of having a society that is equal between genders. They argue that class is a major factor that creates the division between men and women. In other words, the hierarchy system of class produces inequalities by placing power in the hands of a few while oppressing others that do not have this privilege. Marxist feminism focuses their attention on women’s position in labor and in the capitalist system women’s participation in the home and in wage work. Heidi Hartmann states that â€Å"the problem in the family, the labor market, economy, and society is not simply a division of labor between men and women, but a division that places men in a superior, and women in a subordinate, position† (7). As a result, Marxist feminists take on a revolutionary approach to overthrow capitalism in order to dismantle male privilege [really really really good clean cut statement]. They recognize that women are subordinated as a class and that women’s unpaid work in the home needs to be acknowledged because â€Å"women at home not only provide essential services for capital by reproducing the labor force, but also create surplus value through that work† (Hartmann 8). Moreover, Marxist feminism recognizes the social and historical context of all women’s work in paid and unpaid labor. By acknowledging women’s participation in society, women’s contribution will not be taken for granted hence elevating their gender status. Equality can therefore be achieved in a capitalistic sense. While the liberal approach focuses on gender equality in rights before the court of law, the Marxian perspective takes on a capitalistic approach strengthening women’s status in the economic system. These two approaches aim to fight for more power for oppressed women but, at the same time, they lack focus on a major source of this oppression the problematic male-dominant gender system. Radical feminism is useful in analyzing this issue as it focuses on patriarchy as the source of gender inequality. This binary gender system is seen to be a social construct that serves as the basis of gender inequality. Radical feminists argue that men’s privilege oppresses women though social institutions and cultural productions. As a result, men’s dominance over women is seen to take on a social hierarchy that produces unequal power relations. They stress that social organizations created male domination, which has forced upon society a type of thinking that is â€Å"malestream.† Moreover, violence towards women and the objectification of women’s bodies have placed women in a position of exploitation and victimization. Radical feminism coined the slogan â€Å"The personal is political† to emphasize that individual experiences brings out political issues that need to be addressed and acknowledged. They take on a revolutionary approach in that social and political changes are necessary in order to overthrow the structural framework of inequality between men and women. They argue that â€Å"individual female identity and experience [is] the first step to collective revolution† (Whelehan 36). Acknowledging female identity apart from the structural gender framework will allow the female gender to break free from â€Å"malestream† ideals. In other words, the elimination of this gender system will possibly bring the two genders into equality. Another feminist movement that aims to challenge existing social norms and constructs is postcolonial feminism. This movement focuses on rejecting all foundational thought that is known and used as truth. They argue that this truth is constructed and created by the powers of those that are the colonizers (middle-class, white males) who have power over the colonized. Moreover, this truth becomes part of the universal it is accepted to be true with little or no questioning. As a result, postcolonial feminist reject universalizing principles because it marginalizes those that are not part of the norm. Leela Gandhi argues that a â€Å"comprehensive dismantling of colonial hierarchies and structures needs to be matched by a reformed and imaginative reconception of colonized society and culture† (82). Postcolonial feminists stress that women are situated in a â€Å"double colonization† in which they are oppressed as women and colonized people as well as constructed as sexual objects. A reformation of the constructed male-dominant society should take place revamping all social norms that naturally set women as the subordinate. By destabilizing the colonization, ideals on gender that are taken for granted will be overthrown granting an opportunity for women to be acknowledged in society. With an increased level of appreciation of women’s contribution, equality between the genders can be achieved. With the unique standpoint of each perspective, inequality issues regarding different structures of society can be understood better. Each of these perspectives is effective in their own way as they all aim to bring equality between the genders. By incorporating the multiple perspectives, equality can be achieved to a certain extent. The issue of equality is based on people’s perspectives and the social contexts these people are positioned. No matter how hard these feminist movements try to strive for equality, gender differences will continue to exist biological differences can never be eliminated. If â€Å"absolute† equality is achieved, men and women will be seen as equal and existing protection for female’s biological differences will be removed. Protection such as laws regarding birth right allowing women to be released [better word?] from work for a recovery period is beneficial and should not be revoked due to â€Å"equality.† In a sense, rather than relieving female victims from oppression, this â€Å"absolute† equality may cause even more distress for the female community. With this in mind, achieving absolute gender equality should not be the main goal of feminist movements. These perspectives should be used to help strive to seek for the acknowledgement of women’s position in society. Equality does not necessarily have to be achieved in order for females to obtain a better life. Providing respect and recognition for the female gender will be more useful and beneficial. Based on people’s perspectives/attitudes and the social context people are positioned Equality may or may not be possible Possible for certain sectors but women still needs more rights (ex. birth Þ biological difference) May agree/accept certain aspects of a feminist perspective but don’t have to accept all of it All these feminist perspectives has helped strive to seek equality for women and have made significant contributions to the acknowledgement of women’s position in society Liberal and radical both aim at giving women more rights Even if they strive for equality, gender differences will still exist no matter what (biological difference) Would should still have more rights and be protected for those differences Works Cited Gandhi, Leela (1998). â€Å"Postcolonialism and Feminism† in Postcolonial Theory: A Critical Introduction (81-101). New York: Columbia University Press. Hartmann, Heidi (1981). â€Å"The Unhappy Marriage of Marxism and Feminism: Towards a More Progressive Union.† In Lydia Sargeant (Ed.) Women and Revolution (1-41). Montreal: Black Rose Books. MacKinnon, Catherine (1985). â€Å"Pornography, Civil Rights, and Free Speech.† In Rosemary Tong (Ed.) (1999) Feminist Philosophies. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Whelehan, Imelda (1995). â€Å"Liberal Feminism: The Origins of the Second Wave† in Modern Feminist Thought (25-43). New York: New York University Press. Question Three: Discuss the potential and limitations of feminist theories with respect to the analysis of gender and sexuality. Compare several perspectives and then draw your own conclusions about this issue. The social stratification of our society has placed boundaries on all aspects of our lives. With deeper exploration of these constructed issues, multifaceted debates arise in feminism. Moreover, by looking at the social organization of the everyday, feminist theories are able to take a closer look into the complex views surrounding gender, sex, and sexuality. It is important to make a clear distinction between the concepts of gender, sex, and sexuality to understand the underlying message that each of these words conveys each concept has a particular meaning and construction to its term. Gender is often referred to as the social construction of our identity of being â€Å"man/masculine† and â€Å"woman/feminine† (sometimes known as being â€Å"gendered†), whereas sex pertains to the biology of our species (male and/or female). Heidi Hartmann eloquently emphasizes that â€Å"we are born female and male, biological sexes, but we are created women and man, socially recognized genders† (16). Sexuality, on the other hand, refers to our emotional and intimate relationships (heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality). The work of liberal, Marxist, radical, postcolonial, lesbian, and third wave feminism all have considerable overlap in their analysis of gender, sex, and sexuality, but each of these perspectives has its own central focus. As a result, the dissimilar concepts have always resulted in contrasting debates. It is beneficial to analyze the potentials and limitations of each of these feminist theories in order to fully understand the complexity of gender, sex, and sexuality. The integration of these various perspectives will provide a deeper understanding and awareness of the diverse issues that our social structure tries to mask. As a mainstream feminist movement, liberal feminism claims that differences in gender are not based in biology. They believe women and men are not very different due to their common humanity. As a result, they argue that women and men should not be treated any differently under the law women should have the same opportunities and legal rights as men by striving to eliminate laws that differentiate people by gender (Whelehan 29). Liberal feminism has the potential of slowly changing people’s attitudes toward gender and sexuality by increasing women’s participation in what is known to be male occupations as well as encouraging support networks for women. They also provide great contribution by socializing and educating the young with gender-neutral terminology. However, liberal feminism is limited in their focus there is too much emphasis on the macro and very little on the micro. The private sphere of women’s experiences in their home is not brought to the forefront. As a result, many troubling issues such as domestic violence and marital rape are not spoken about. This limitation undermines liberal feminism’s goal to have men and women being treated equally. The silencing of the private and personal life has hindered the individual autonomy and freedom of speech of women women’s domestic and sexual lives become unacknowledged (Whelehan 38). Moreover, Imelda Whelehan states that there is a â€Å"limit to how far liberal feminists will ‘pry’ into individual’s private social/sexual choices† (38). As a result, they do not directly challenge capitalism (the main contributor to the oppression of women), which undermines the idea of changing the institutions that maintain gender bias and censors sexuality. Whelehan also emphasizes that liberal feminism is problematic in that its views are predominately white, middle class, heterosexuals this ignores women who do not inhabit what is a relatively privileged social position (41). Although liberal feminism has created conditions to fight for equality, it is only a stepping stone for the other feminist theories that follow it is limited in the macro and public realm of politics. Another way to approach the problematic concepts of gender, sex, and sexuality is through the Marxian perspective. Marxist feminism suggests that the dual system of roles as paid and unpaid workers in a capitalist economy is the reason behind women’s oppression. They argue that in the workplace, women are exploited by capitalism whereas in the home, they are exploited by patriarchy (Hartmann 5). Moreover, women have fewer economic resources due to their low paying wages as compared to men. Heidi Hartmann argues that sexist ideology has adopted a capitalist form in that patriarchal relations bolster capitalism the subjugation of women in the private and public sphere has allowed for the continuance of patriarchal and capitalistic needs. Women’s work is devalued even though they are the major source to an efficient economy they are caregivers, housekeepers, and work for the paid marketplace. Marxist feminism greatly focuses their analysis on gender being a source of job segregation that exploits women as paid and unpaid workers in the workplace and in the family. They argue that women are subordinated as a class and that â€Å"the problem in the family, the labor market, economy, and society is not simply a division of labor between men and women, but a division that places men in a superior, and women in a subordinate, position† (Hartmann 7). However, Marxist feminism is limited in its macro analysis of society because the individual and private lives of people (especially the exploration of sexuality in regards to producing products of capital) need to be analyzed. It covers feministic issues within the economic system but, due to its limited framework, it is inefficient in addressing problems surrounding individual issues that women are facing in today’s male-dominant society. To analyze these problematic individual issues, the radical feminist framework has proven to be effective. Radical feminism is a conscious-raising group that addresses intense debates surrounding issues of women’s everyday lives. They argue that â€Å"the personal is political† in that the â€Å"original and basic class division is between the sexes, and that the motive force of history is the striving of men for power and domination over women, the dialectic of sex† (Hartmann 13). Radical feminism are greatly concerned about violence towards women due to the depictions of women as sexual objects to be used, abused, and produced in the mass media. Catharine MacKinnon argues that â€Å"maleness is a form of power and femaleness is a form of powerlessness† (369). As a result, according to radical feminism, patriarchy results in the sexual exploitation of women through social control and construction. However, radical feminisms limitation is that the creation of a women-only space includes particular â€Å"women† while excluding those that do not conform to certain gender assumptions such as transgenders it creates another form of power. This exclusion will lead to another type of inequality and oppression that will once again damage society as a whole. The liberal, Marxist, and radical feminist perspectives all focus on the major structures that act as the basis of society’s gender concepts. Postcolonial feminism, on the other hand, challenges the gender blindness that is masked in traditional colonial history it focuses on problematic gender concepts rather than the major structures behind them. In traditional thought, the â€Å"Third World Women† is represented as the colonized women of nonindustrial societies and developing countries who are brought into civilization by imperial, patriarchal domination of Western and European masculinity. Feminist postcolonial theorists argue that the basis of these women’s gender and race places them under imperial circumstances of being women of â€Å"double colonization† â€Å"Third-World Woman† are seen â€Å"as victim par excellence the forgotten casualty of both imperial ideology, and native and foreign patriarchies† (Gandhi 83). This is problematic because the â€Å"Third-World Women† are placed in contrast with Western woman as opposites, othered, and marginalized a position of inferiority to ones gender of not being a dominant, white, middle-class woman. Leela Gandhi exemplifies that this â€Å"implied cultural lack of the ‘third-world woman’ fortifies the redemptive ideological/political plenitude of Western feminism†¦seen yet as another object of Western knowledges, simultaneously knowable and unknowing† (86). As a result, postcolonial and feminist theories challenges discourses that are about women by highlighting the anti-colonial gender blindness and to acknowledge â€Å"Third-World Woman† as a voice of difference instead of an object to be silenced by the power and privilege of colonialism. However, postcolonial feminism is limited in that, like the above perspectives, a more macro-level of analysis is taken whereas the micro-level analysis of sexuality. Postcolonial feminism focuses their attention on the social organization of the â€Å"third-world woman† in relation to colonial practices and exploitation. Lesbian feminism, unlike other perspectives, acknowledges the oppression of compulsory heterosexuality. By challenging traditional norms and heterosexuality, they fight for both women’s and homosexual rights. Lesbian feminism has the potential to combat homophobia by empowering women to explore sexuality and to understand of heterosexual relationships. They argue that the diverse range of â€Å"woman-identified experience† needs to take into account the history and individual experience of each woman’s life (Rich 648). Adrienne Rich argues that compulsory heterosexuality is not examined but accepted as the â€Å"sexual preference† of our society (633). As a result, the perspective of lesbian feminism has implications of dismantling compulsory heterosexuality by recognizing the central truth of women’s history in that the â€Å"preference† of heterosexuality has been â€Å"naturally† imposed on women and that â€Å"women have always resisted male tyranny† (Rich 652). It allows women to move away from the prescribed scripts produced by the distorted lie of compulsory female heterosexuality as â€Å"normal† and a â€Å"preference† a form of liberation for all women. However, lesbian feminism is limited in that they do not address the power issues may still exist in lesbian relationships just as they do in heterosexual relationships. It also neglects larger oppression issues that are bringing distress to the female gender. Contrasting other perspectives, third wave feminism guides their analysis towards a more micro perspective and emphasizes that individual identities are unique and complex. They strive for women to have agency and acknowledge that female sexuality is a form of power to express oneself. They find the category of â€Å"woman† to be problematic because, as stated by Himani Bannerji, women’s issues should not be located on a broad and generalized way of â€Å"Woman a singular yet universal entity† of patriarchal social construction (48). Third wave feminism embraces sexuality and the act of sex as fun rather than deviant or dangerous. They see themselves as empowering and as women of choice. Third wave feminism appreciates and views the internet as an important source for opening up lines of communication and support networks for young scholars (Alfonso and Trigilio 7). They stress the importance of speaking and writing about individual personal experiences in order to resist universal assumptions. However, this is limiting in that they do not evaluate certain issues that arise. Third-wave feminism provides a more micro-approach to analyze everyday conversations. This can be problematic because the specificity of these conversations becomes hard to apply to societal issues. In Rita Alfonso’s dialogue to Jo Trigilio, Rita acknowledges that a â€Å"political generation can account for subject positions across historical waves of feminism, as well as for the existence of two relatively distinct waves of feminism (9-10). However, Trigilio stresses that the use of â€Å"political generation† needs to accompanied with concerns about which groups are empowered to give them a voice (10). Trigilio also fears that there is becoming less class-consciousness in third wave feminism and highlights the increasing problems of academic discourses (written in a form that is only accessible to a few and again oppresses). All perspectives have their own unique qualities that provide insight into the deeper issues that underlie our social and political structures in society. Each stance is beneficial to our understanding even though they are limited due to their specific nature. The combination of liberal, Marxist, radical, postcolonial, lesbian, and third wave feminism will allow us to recognize the historical shifts of these perspectives all these perspectives have risen at certain points in time due to societal issues concerning gender and sexuality. Society is a gradual process that slowly finds acceptance in issues (especially in sexuality) that surface as a result of progressive movements that fight for change. The problematic issues surrounding gender, sex, and sexuality have always brought a lot of distress to women in society. On a larger scale, these problems exist in the economical, political, and patriarchal aspects of society. From a micro viewpoint, domestic oppression and heterosexual gender ideologies are also the concerns of the female gender. Sexuality is a major concern because not only is it seen to be deviant but talk of having sex is seen to be sacred. Instead of finding pleasure in explore ones sexuality, traditional ideology has oppressed the talk and the act of engaging in this private and personal sphere of the individual. Historically, many issues were shunned because of dominant discourses but over time, it has been a gradual movement to give rise to these issues that were always present. By incorporating the multiple perspectives discussed, society can continue to evolve and move towards better social structures and norms that will help improve the living standard of the female gender. Works Cited Alfonso, Rita and Jo Trigilio (1997). â€Å"Surfing the Thrid Wave: A Dialogue Between Two Third Wave Feminists.† Hypatia 12, 3: 7-16. Bannerji, Himani (1999). â€Å"Inroducing Racism: Notes Towards an Anti-Racist Feminism† in Thinking Through: Essays on Feminism, Marxism, and Anti-Racism (41-53). Toronto: Women’s Press. Gandhi, Leela (1998). â€Å"Postcolonialism and Feminism† in Postcolonial Theory: A Critical Introduction (81-101). New York: Columbia University Press. Hartmann, Heidi (1981). â€Å"The Unhappy Marriage of Marxism and Feminism: Towards a More Progressive Union.† In Lydia Sargeant (Ed.) Women and Revolution (1-41). Montreal: Black Rose Books. Rich, Adrienne (1980). â€Å"Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence.† Signs 5, 4: 631-660. MacKinnon, Catherine (1985). â€Å"Pornography, Civil Rights, and Free Speech.† In Rosemary Tong (Ed.) (1999) Feminist Philosophies. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Whelehan, Imelda (1995). â€Å"Liberal Feminism: The Origins of the Second Wave† in Modern Feminist Thought (25-43). New York: New York University Press.

REVERSIBLE BONDED STRAIN GAGE :: essays research papers

ABSTRACT For accurately measuring thermal strains, particularly on large structures where welded strain gages cannot be used, a reversible bonded strain gage was developed. Basically it is a special polyimide strain gage which is same on both the base side and cover side so that it can be used both ways. It can be used to measure strains at temperatures under 250oC (482oF) of a structure made of aluminum alloys or composites (to which its difficult to weld a strain gage).These gages can be can be peeled after taking required apparent strain measurements in a furnace and can be attached reverse side up at a required point on a structure. To measure mechanical stresses on structures at high temperatures it is essential to measure apparent thermal stresses accurately in the first place. In practice, several strain gages in a pack are used to obtain calibration data. The apparent strain and gage factor change of all the gages in the pack are assumed to be same which is not so in practice, in spit e of great efforts to reduce scatter of apparent strain. Since reversible strain gages can be reattached to the test structure after taking apparent strain readings, the error caused due to apparent strain scatter (by using different strain gages) can be reduced to great extent. In this paper the thermal characteristics of the reversible strain gage – repeatability of apparent strain, gage-factor change, creep, drift and the output for a given mechanical strain – were investigated. INTRODUCTION There are several problems associated with elevated temperature measurements, static or dynamic, the basic one being that alloys useful as strain gages at these temperatures are also excellent temperature sensors. Firstly, installation of the strain gage is a problem and secondly the apparent strain and change in gage factor makes it very difficult to measure the actual strain. In aerospace industry we come across a lot of situations when very accurate strain measurements at high temperatures are required, but in spite of a lot of improvement in new high temperature strain gages most of them are welded types. Hence, they cannot be used on materials like aluminum alloys or composites. In this paper, a reversible bonded strain gage is described for use at temperatures under 250o (482oF) that can be applied to a structure made of materials commonly used in aerospace industry like aluminum alloys and various composites. Aircraft wings are often subjected to high temperature and high acou stic noise level and the application of reversible strain gages to accurately measure the stresses is the main motivation behind choosing this paper for review.

Concept of Martyrdom Essay

The world became astounded after it has witnessed one of the greatest tragedies of humankind. September 11, 2001 is the date where the international community has been introduced to an unknown face of an enemy. With no specified structure, its organization remains to be a vague concept with evidences and facts which are not thoroughly determined. The world is unsure who to put the blame when the phenomenon of terrorism has been revealed, thus, resulting into preconceived notions of racism to track down its roots. Perhaps the conscious recognition of terrorism launched a new concept of war in international affairs. The conventional war used to occur between two states and their respective allies, but after the World Trade Center attack, the war is waged against individuals and factions suspected of terrorist activities. Led by the United States, the war on terrorism commenced and military forces moved to alleged havens of terrorist groups which are mostly situated in the Middle East. Information regarding these factions has been acquired and the most famous of them all is named as Al Qaeda. From this information, terrorism eventually earned an identity and a face where the most wanted man in America has been associated as Al Qaeda’s leader. Osama Bin Laden, the notorious man suspected of numerous American embassies bombings even prior to the 9/11 attack. The war to hunt down Al Qaeda revealed other terrorist groups whose network stretched all over the world. As terrorism information expanded to the public, the international community saw how these groups and its members carry out their tasks to be able to hit their targets. From hijacking public transportations to kidnapping, terrorists have been known to be trained to conduct these acts. As the war on terrorism continues, the means of terrorists in fulfilling their tasks are increasing and expanding just as much as the growth of their membership. The following discussion will focus on one method of terrorism which is prominent in attacking sectors of society and have stirred strong concerns from spectators who witness the damages it cause. Suicide terrorism, as derived from its name, usually refers to an individual who has bombs attached on his or her own body and detonate it within the proximity of the target. The hijacking of planes of 9/11 is also considered as part of suicide terrorism. The usage of suicide is not a new means in the field of warfare; however, what made suicide terrorism as horrific as it is today is for the reason that it targets civilians, unlike in conventional war where it aimed at combatants. Since the whole concept of warfare has shifted its participants, acts of terrorism reflect a deeper background which needs to be further understood. First is to provide a general history of suicide attacks prior to 9/11 which focus on the evolvement of using suicide from non-terrorists to terrorists. It will be followed by examining the role of religion to the terrorist factions and how the concept of martyrdom serves as a religious duty. Following the flow of the discussion, this leads to elaborating how these groups perform suicidal attacks operating under principles established by the organization. This is to attempt in looking suicide terrorism in totality to be able to determine its implications on society. History of Suicide Terrorism In his recent book entitled Suicide Bombers in Iraq, Mohammed Hafez (2007) described suicide attacks or terrorism as â€Å"a premeditated attack by an individual who willingly uses his or her body to carry or deliver explosives to attack, kill, or maim others† (p. 6). From the preceding texts it has been briefly mentioned that suicide attack is not a new method to be used in any form of battle. Even prior to the 9/11 incident, suicide attacks has been consistent in the concept of â€Å"self-sacrifice for the interest of a broader cause† (Linden, 2003, p. 77). Before suicide attacks has been used by terrorists — tagged as part of non-state actors in the international community — this form of attack has been utilized by state combatants especially during the world wars. Kamikaze: Tactical Suicide Such notable for using suicide to gain larger benefits is the infamous Japanese Kamikaze which surprised the Americans during the sudden attack of Pearl Harbor. The usage of kamikaze has been used especially at the height of the Pacific war where Japanese pilots crashed their fighter planes into the enemies’ largest warships to further incapacitate its advantage for battle. This form of suicide attacks is determine as the tactical kind of suicide (Battin, 2005, p. 241) but it is more than just a war strategy. It is considered a duty to be fulfilled not just as a soldier but as a Japanese living to the ideology of a dignified death which is deeply embedded in their culture. Lebanon Bombings: Start of the Terror Trend The creation of dynamite from the late 1800s later evolved into customized portable bombs which are attached secretly into public facilities. By the time the production of these explosives became abundant, it has been used for performing small-scale attacks which are more inconspicuous and less suspicious attaining higher possibilities of killing the target. After the major world wars, civil wars ensued within countries especially those which are left torn by the Cold War. Prominent suicide attacks frequently occurred during the civil wars in Middle Eastern countries, one of the most significant events which gave meaning to a new concept for suicide attack are the bombings in Lebanon in early 1980s. The targets became the embassies of foreign states which have been participating in the civil war as either allies or peacekeeping forces (Hafez, p. 7). The high rates of property damages and death tolls prompted for the removal of other foreign forces out of Lebanon which made a significant impression that suicide attacks in this form are effective (Hafez, p.7). The bombings in Lebanon started the trend for the modern day suicide attacks. Basically, the two events that have been mentioned conveyed the division line which showed the difference of how attacks transformed from a part of a war strategy to inducing terror alone. The so-called success of the bombing in Lebanon in 1980s paved the way for the creation of non-state factions who act independently without any government support. Using suicide attacks became an essential method in inducing terror into a society to either kill or send a message to their enemies. Suicide terrorism encompasses a diverse field of goals whether for political reasons, economics, or attaining recognition. However did the purpose of suicide attacks expanded into, performers of this act surely behaved according to a set of principles and ideologies. These principles maybe rooted out from one’s culture such as the Japanese Kamikaze and others can be derived from nationalism, idealism, motivated by personal interests, and religion. The focus of this paper will deal with religion as the main motivation for the modern suicide attacks usually associated with religious extremists in the Middle East.

Christianity and mathematics Essay

This paper deals with interrelation between Christianity and mathematics. It has been observed that God is the creator of this universe and He is also the creator of our various mathematical formulae and deductions. Like Universe and God, they are also eternal and cannot be ever destroyed. The paper has also described how Christianity has described the relation between God and our numeric system, which is the basic foundation of Mathematics. Christianity and mathematics 3 Link between Christianity and mathematics – philosophical aspect Let us consider the formulae for earth’s mass distribution, orbital path of celestial bodies and population fluctuation. They are simple mathematical formulae that describe the creation of this universe and humanity. According to Christianity, who is the creator of this Earth? It is none than the God himself. Jonathan Zderad (2003) has stated in the article written in the website http://www. acmsonline. org/Zderad-creationism. pdf that universe, that is the creation of God is hardwired by the laws of mathematics. If one have a look at the theorems of mathematics, it seemed that they were true before time began and will continue to be true after time lapses. Jonathan has mentioned this in his article in the above mentioned website. Mathematics exists beyond human thought and logic. Christianity believes that only God can create such things which are eternal and divine. Jonathan (2003) has mentioned in his article that mathematics existed beyond time and space. According to Christianity, only God, the supreme power behind this human existence can exist beyond time and space. It is very much clear from the Biblical records that god gives value to numbers. To quote from the above mentioned website, â€Å"For Christians, God’s counting is what gives the believer a place in heaven. Jesus compared himself to a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine sheep to rescue one sheep that is lost. He values each and every one of us. † (p. 6). Jonathan Zderad (2003). The Holy Bible has drawn many references from the numeric system of mathematics. How Christianity is linked to basic numeric system of mathematics Jonathan (2003) has also described in the above mentioned article how Christianity is Christianity and mathematics 4 related to our numeric system. The author has described that while the Number represents unity, number 2 is the symbol of fellowship and number 3 representing the community. The author states that these numbers represent spiritual qualities. The author has stated in the article that Bible has enough indications that it is God who has created the series of integers, rational and irrational numbers and real numbers. Jonathan has argued in the article that Bible has strong reference to the concept of counting. Numbers were generally used to describe dimension while building a place of worship. How Creation of God is linked with creation of mathematics The author has also suggested in the above article that there is a clear view of Christian view of Mathematics, which is described as creationism. Creationism has got four aspects. The first one is continuity. God makes his own creation in such a way that it is continuous. The second aspect is activity. The author has stated that he has created all these mathematical entities out of his own mental divine activities. The third one has been described as the abstract object inclusive. To quote, â€Å"As a general rule, theists would include mental objects and spiritual objects in the list of God’s invisible creation. Creationism also includes abstract objects like propositions, relations, and universals in this list of God’s invisible creation†. (p7). Jonathan Zderad (2003). The fourth one is that it is mathematically inclusive. It believes that Mathematical objects are created by God and they have an eternal quality, which can only proceed from the mind of God. Christianity and mathematics 5 Reference Zderad, Jonathan. (2003) Creationism – A Viable Philosophy of Mathematics. www. acms. org. Retrieved on 15th December, 2008, from http://www. acmsonline. org/Zderad-creationism. pdf