Buddhism and Vegetarianism

Buddhism and Vegetarianism All Buddhists are veggie lovers, isn't that so? All things considered, no. A few Buddhists are veggie lovers, however some are most certainly not. Perspectives about vegetarianism fluctuate from group to order just as from individual to person. On the off chance that you are pondering whether you should focus on being a vegan to turn into a Buddhist, the appropriate response is, perhaps, yet conceivably not. It is far-fetched the chronicled Buddha was a veggie lover. In the most punctual account of his lessons, the Tripitaka, the Buddha didn't completely preclude his supporters to eat meat. Indeed, if meat were placed into a priests aid bowl, the priest should eat it. Priests were to appreciatively get and devour all food they were given, including meat. Special cases There was a special case to the meat for donations rule, in any case. In the event that priests knew or suspected that a creature had been butchered explicitly to take care of priests, they were to decline to take the meat. Then again, extra meat from a creature butchered to take care of a lay family was worthy. The Buddha additionally recorded specific kinds of meat that were not to be eaten. This included pony, elephant, hound, snake, tiger, panther, and bear. Since just some meat was explicitly taboo, we can deduce that eating other meat was passable. Vegetarianism and the First Precept The First Precept of Buddhism is don't slaughter. The Buddha advised his devotees not to execute, take part in murdering, or cause to have any living thing slaughtered. To eat meat, some contend, is participating in slaughtering as a substitute. Accordingly, it is contended that if a creature were at that point dead and not butchered explicitly to take care of oneself, at that point it isn't exactly a similar thing as slaughtering the creature oneself. This is by all accounts how the verifiable Buddha comprehended eating meat. In any case, the chronicled Buddha and the priests and nuns who tailed him were destitute vagabonds who lived on the offerings they got. Buddhists didn't start to manufacture religious communities and other changeless networks until some time after the Buddha passed on. Religious Buddhists don't live on offerings alone yet in addition on food developed by, gave to, or bought by priests. It is difficult to contend that meat gave to a whole ascetic network didn't originate from a creature explicitly butchered in the interest of that network. Along these lines, numerous orders of Mahayana Buddhism, specifically, started to stress vegetarianism. A portion of the Mahayana Sutras, for example, the Lankavatara, give strongly veggie lover lessons. Buddhism and Vegetarianism Today Today, perspectives toward vegetarianism fluctuate from organization to faction and even inside orders. In general, Theravada Buddhists don't execute creatures themselves yet believe vegetarianism to be an individual decision. The Vajrayana schools, which incorporate Tibetan and Japanese Shingon Buddhism, energize vegetarianism however don't believe it to be completely important to Buddhist practice. Mahayana schools are all the more regularly veggie lover, however even inside numerous Mahayana groups, there is aâ diversity of training. With regards to the first standards, a few Buddhists probably won't buy meat for themselves, or pick a live lobster out of the tank and have it bubbled, yet may eat a meat dish offered them at a companions evening gathering. The Middle Way Buddhism demoralizes over the top compulsiveness. The Buddha showed his adherents to locate a center route between extraordinary practices and assessments. Hence, Buddhists who do rehearse vegetarianism are disheartened from getting fanatically appended to it. A Buddhist practices metta, which is adoring consideration to all creatures without narrow minded connection. Buddhist forgo eating meat out of cherishing generosity for living creatures, not on the grounds that there is something unwholesome or degenerate about a creatures body. At the end of the day, the meat itself isn't the point, and under certain conditions, empathy may make a Buddhist defy the guidelines. For instance, lets state you visit your older grandma, whom you have not seen for quite a while. You show up at her home and find that she has cooked what had been your preferred dish when you were a kid stuffed pork hacks. She doesnt do a lot of cooking anymoreâ because her older body doesnt move around the kitchen so well. In any case, it is the dearest wish of her heart to give you something exceptional and watch you dive into those stuffed pork slashes the manner in which you used to. She has been anticipating this for quite a long time. I state that in the event that you falter to eat those pork cleaves for even a second, you are no Buddhist. The Business of Suffering At the point when I was a young lady experiencing childhood in provincial Missouri, domesticated animals nibbled in open glades and chickens meandered and scratched outside hen houses. That was quite a while back. You despite everything see free-running domesticated animals on little ranches, yet huge plant homesteads can be barbarous spots for animals. Reproducing plants live a large portion of their lives in confines so little they can't pivot. Egg-laying hens kept in battery confines can't spread their wings. These practices make the vegan question increasingly basic. As Buddhists, we ought to consider if items we buy were made with misery. This incorporates human enduring just as creature languishing. On the off chance that your vegetarian false cowhide shoes were made by misused workers working under unfeeling conditions, you should have purchased calfskin. Live Mindfully The truth of the matter is, to live is to murder. It can't be dodged. Foods grown from the ground originate from living beings, and cultivating them requires executing creepy crawlies, rodents, and other creature life. The power and warmth for our homes may originate from offices that hurt the earth. Dont even consider the vehicles we drive. We are totally snared in a trap of slaughtering and decimation, and as long as we live we can't be totally liberated from it. As Buddhists, our job isn't to thoughtlessly adhere to rules written in books, yet to be aware of the damage we do and do as meager of it as could reasonably be expected.

Black Athena The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization

Question: The Black Athena Debate(link to readings gave under Week 1 materials) requests that we think about the inceptions and impact of old Egypt. All the more extensively it requests that we consider who possesses the verifiable inheritance of a given human progress. What are your contemplations about this discussion and why it has occurred? Answer: The Black Athena Debate Understanding the Hidden History While many believe Athens to be the support of present day European human advancement and vote based system, question connected to its way of life causes have blended significant discussions among European researchers. This is the idea and message behind The Black Athena Debate which is out to demonstrate the starting points of Athens and Greek culture to be from Egypt and Asia. Althea numerous researchers deny that Athenian culture is special to the area, the writer of The Black Athena Debate clarifies that the historical backdrop of Athens may have been revised to support the Greeks and abstain from referencing other social influences(Bernal, 2008). This is something which has happened among a few developments over the globe where many have received or utilized information from earlier compelling societies to progress and helpfully neglected to recognize this reality. With examine connected to history and human development getting progressively exact as more proof is uncovered its turning out to be certain that numerous societies had trend setting innovation and information a long time before what our history books disclose to us today. The absence of appropriate documentation and the decimation of proof had permitted a few societies and religions to control human comprehension and information to fit a particular societies needs.(Bernal, 2008) This has impact brought about humankind losing an enormous extent of its actual history which has been covered up or deliberately obliterated in order to support one culture. Its critical to watch the whole development of human societies and progress history all around. This would guarantee group of people yet to come get exact data and focus more on how societies grew rather then consider which societies was progressively predominant, cleverer or unrivaled. References: Book index Bernal, M. (2008). Dark Athena: The Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization. Rutgers: Rutgers University Press.

To Junot Díaz

To Junot Díaz Hi again. You probably dont remember me whatsoever but I sent you an email last yearSeptember 27th to be exactfor advice on how to be a person of color in a blindingly white MFA program. Bennington  was the only school that I applied to and after failing to get employment right out of college, I felt like it was my only hope for making me feel like I wasnt a complete failure in life. Much to my surprise, the next day, less than twenty-four hours later, you responded, and I havent been the same person or writer since. You see, I emailed you on a whim. Although I absolutely adored my MFA program, I felt this pit in the middle of my chest because I was both the only Black and one of the youngest students in my incoming class. I thought that perhaps the admissions committee made a mistake. Most nights during my residency, I retired to my room and watched Netflix or Skyped with loved ones back home. But one day, I met a rising undergraduate senior from Brazil who came to my dorm room and pulled up your article, MFA vs. POC, so that I wouldnt feel like my experiences were bizarre.  I sat and read it under the same lamplight on my desk while my new friend read poems in the corner. When I finished, I leaned back in my seat and I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. Youre such a bold and confident writer and I dearly thanked my friend for introducing me to you. A few months after I left my residency, I started having those feelings of inadequacy again. I began to wonder if I was just a token and that I was no where near as talented as my colleagues. This desperation lead me to search your MIT email address online and reach out to you. I had no idea what I was thinking at the time. Why the hell would a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer respond to lil ol me? You probably received hundreds of emails so I was sure that mine would end up in your spam. But when I opened my email on that quiet Sunday morning, September 28th, I saw your name. My clicker hovered over the email. I was afraid it was a fluke, but it was real. You wrote: i wish i knew what to say.  our suffering is real and cannot just be waved away. yes, we need your work, without question, but do you need to suffer so much? are there ways to mitigate the pain?  i would not worry about what the committee/professors think of your work; in the end they could love it and the rest of the world could be indifferent and what would that prove then? try to focus on what is within your power, like organizing a safer less-lonely experience.  how?   through solidarity of course. unfortunately only you can answer what form that should take. good luck. its terribly hard and i wish i could say something of worth but at this distance all we have are encouragements. Well let me tell you something, Mr. Díaz, you said more than enough. What you failed to realize was at that moment, you breathed a bit more life into my spirit. Youve never read my essays or manuscripts but you said that my work was needed. That was all I personally needed to know that I could persevere and succeed someday. That was I all needed as a comfort blanket whenever I stated my opinion in a workshop or walked past houses in town that still hung Confederate flags outside their windows. Even through those moments when I felt like I was going to flounder in the program and have to leave altogether, I was still somebody. I mattered. There was no need for you to apologize because you have no idea what you have done to this young Black writers self-esteem. I was forever changed when you responded to me. The next term, I lifted my head a little higher to the sky and became more assertive in my stances. Colleagues almost two decades older than me had even taken notice of my newfound confidence. I came back loving my program with more intensity and loving myself with more vigor. Anyways, I know youre an extremely busy individual but I just want to say thank you. As I evolve as a writer and grow as a woman, I will never forget your words. Though you may have already forgotten me, just know that your words are engraved in my memory and I will indefinitely hold and guard them as sacred treasures. All my best, Morgan ____________________ Want more bookish goodness, news, posts about special book deals, and the occasional puppy reading pic? Follow us on Facebook:

Chronology of the Ancestral Anasazi Pueblo People

The Anasazi (Ancestral Pueblo) chronology was broadly defined in 1927 by southwestern archaeologist Alfred V. Kidder, during one of the Pecos Conferences, the annual conference of southwestern archaeologists. This chronology is still used today, with minor changes within different subregions. Key Takeaways Anasazi has been renamed to Ancestral PuebloLocated in the Four Corners region of the U.S. southwest (intersection of the states of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah)  Heyday between 750 and 1300 CEMajor settlements in Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde   Archaeological remains of what archaeologists call the Ancestral Pueblo are found on the southern Colorado Plateau, the northern parts of the Rio Grande Valley and the mountainous Mogollon Rim in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. A Name Change The term Anasazi is no longer in use by the archaeological community; scholars now call it the Ancestral Pueblo. That was in part at the request of modern pueblo people who are the descendants of the people who populated the American Southwest / Mexican Northwest—the Anasazi did not in any way disappear. In addition, after a hundred years of research, the concept of what was Anasazi had changed. It must be recalled that, like the Maya people, the Ancestral Pueblo people shared a lifestyle, cultural material, economics, and a religious and political system, they were never a unified state. Early Origins Cutaway illustrations of pre-pueblo pithouses, built by the Ancestral Pueblo people of Colorado. Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images People have lived in the Four Corners region for some 10,000 years; the earliest period associated with the beginnings of what would become Ancestral Pueblo is in the late archaic period. Southwestern Late Archaic (1500 BCE–200 CE): marks the end of the Archaic period (which started at around 5500 BCE). The Late Archaic in the Southwest is when the first appearance of domesticated plants in the American Southwest (Atl Atl Cave, Chaco Canyon)Basketmaker II (200–500 CE): People relied more on cultivated plants, such as maize, beans, and squash and began to construct pithouse villages. The end of this period saw the first appearance of pottery.Basketmaker III (500–750 CE): more sophisticated pottery, first great kivas are constructed, the introduction of bow and arrow in hunting (Shabikeshchee village, Chaco Canyon) Pithouse to Pueblo Transition Visitors walk through the ruins of a massive stone complex (Pueblo Bonito) at Chaco Culture National Historical Park in Northwestern New Mexico. The communal stone buildings were built between the mid-800s and 1100 AD by Ancient Pueblo Peoples (Anasazi) whose descendants are modern Southwest Indians. Robert Alexander / Archive Photos / Getty Images One important signal of development in Ancestral Pueblo groups occurred when above ground structures were built as residences. Subterranean and semi-subterranean pithouses were still being built, but they were typically used as kivas, meeting places for political and religious events. Pueblo I (750–900 CE): residential structures are built above ground, and masonry is added to the adobe constructions. In Chaco Canyon villages are now moving from the cliff tops to the bottom of the canyon. Settlements at Mesa Verde begin as large sedentary villages built into the cliffs with hundreds of residents; but by the 800s, the people living at Mesa Verde apparently leave and move to Chaco Canyon.Early Pueblo II—Bonito phase at Chaco Canyon (900–1000): increase in the number of villages. First multi-storied rooms constructed at Pueblo Bonito, Peà ±asco Blanco, and Una Vida in Chaco Canyon. Chaco becomes a socio-political center, where some individuals and groups hold a great deal of power, seen by architecture requiring organized labor, rich and unusual burials, and large scale flows of timber into the canyon.Pueblo II—Classic Bonito phase in Chaco Canyon (1000–1150): a period of major development in Chaco Canyon. Great house sites, such a s Pueblo Bonito, Peà ±asco Blanco, Pueblo del Arroyo, Pueblo Alto, Chetro Ketl reach now their final form. Irrigation and road systems are constructed. Decline of Chaco A trail leads visitors to Spruce Tree House ruins in Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, built between 1211 and 1278 CE. Robert Alexander/Archive Photos/Getty Images Pueblo III (1150–1300):Late Bonito phase in Chaco Canyon (1150–1220): population decline, no more elaborated constructions in the main centers.Mesa Verde phase in Chaco Canyon (1220–1300): Mesa Verde materials are found in Chaco Canyon. This has been interpreted as a period of increased contact between Chacoan and Mesa Verde pueblo groups. By 1300, Chaco Canyon definitely declined  and then was abandoned.Pueblo IV and Pueblo V (1300–1600 and 1600–present): Chaco Canyon is abandoned, but other Ancestral Pueblo sites continue  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹to be occupied for few centuries. By 1500 Navajo groups entered the region and established themselves until the Spanish takeover. Selected Sources Adler, Michael A. The Prehistoric Pueblo World, A.D. 1150-1350. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2016.Cordell, Linda. Archaeology of the Southwest, Second Edition. Academic Press, 1997Crabtree, Stefani A. Inferring Ancestral Pueblo Social Networks from Simulation in the Central Mesa Verde. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory 22.1 (2015): 144–81. Print.Crown, Patricia L., and W. H. Wills. The Complex History of Pueblo Bonito and Its Interpretation. Antiquity 92.364 (2018): 890–904. Print.Schachner, Gregson. Ancestral Pueblo Archaeology: The Value of Synthesis. Journal of Archaeological Research 23.1 (2015): 49–113. Print.Snead, James E. Burning the Corn: Subsistence and Destruction in Ancestral Pueblo Conflict. The Archaeology of Food and Warfare: Food Insecurity in Prehistory. Eds. VanDerwarker, Amber M. and Gregory D. Wilson. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2016. 133–48. Print.Vivian, R. Gwinn, and Bruce Hilpert. The Chaco Handbook. A n Encyclopedic Guide. Salt Lake City: The University of Utah Press, 2002Ware, John. Kinship and Community in the Northern Southwest: Chaco and Beyond. American Antiquity 83.4 (2018): 639–58. Print.

Self-Acceptance in Stargirl by Jerry Spinelly Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Stargirl, the protagonist of the novel Stargirl by Jerry Spinelly, is a great example of self-acceptance. Susan Julia Caraway, a 10th-grade girl, is a completely different and a mysterious sort of girl, who names herself Stargirl. She is a buoyant, free soul, who sings happy birthday songs, helps others and spreads happiness. Her self-awareness leads her to change her names to better suit her personality over time. When asked why she changed her name, she says, "Because I didn t feel like Susan anymore" (43). We find it interesting that for a person with well developed "self", even his or her name is not a permanent feature, as is the case with Stargirl. Stargirl is a beautiful personification of an individual's sense of uniqueness, and a continuation of the human side of emotions, whereas Mica high school's community, can be symbolized as a slow-paced society, which is unable to comprehend an occasional Stargirl or a Starboy. Stargirl becomes a cheerleader for Mica High Schoo l's football team, and inspires a sense of being and identity in the team, as Leo narrates, "We fell in love with our team. When we spoke of it, we used the word "we" instead of "they" (36). The problem starts when Stargirl cheers for the other team at a basketball game and is blamed for Mica's failure. Students, led by Hillari Kimble, the antagonist, turn against her. They shun her. Being Stargirl's boyfriend, Leo is also ignored, which he does not like and asks Stargirl to become "normal" like her other peers (47). Although becoming "normal" would destroy her, she tries to do so for the sake of Leo's love. It proves a big failure because the shunning grows to such an extent that nobody greets her even when she returns to Mica after winning a speech contest at Phoenix. Finally, she decides to be what she really is, and abandons trying to look "normal", without caring much for what others think of her, as narrated by Leo, "I did not see her for the rest of the weekend. By Monday, she was Stargirl again" (117). It is at this moment of self-realization that Stargirl is finally able to win the attention of her peers through her uniqueness, and faith in her own personality. We will write a custom essay sample on Self-Acceptance in Stargirl by Jerry Spinelly or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now

The Empowerment Of Chinese Women Education Essay Free Essays

string(74) " the mass aggregation of informations from as broad a sample as possible\." Introduction This chapter aims to sketch the methods and methodological analysis used to transport out this research and intends to underscore the advantages, complexnesss and restraints of my chosen processes. This ethnographical research besides seeks to detect the ways in which Chinese adult females manage to put themselves onto a way to authorization and the jobs and successes experienced along the manner in relation to their community ‘s cultural beliefs and patterns. Malinowski asserts that: â€Å" One of the first conditions of acceptable Ethnographic work surely is that it should cover with the entirety of all societal, cultural and psychological facets of the community, for they are so interwoven that non one can be understood without taking into consideration all the others. We will write a custom essay sample on The Empowerment Of Chinese Women Education Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now † ( 1922: sixteen ) By taking this position into consideration this research, hence, intends to foreground the relationship between the State and the Chinese people and how instruction can assist to relieve some of the jobs experienced on both a local and national degree. It does non mean to do generalizations from the informations collected but instead to supply a snapshot position of where China is developing successfully with respect to female engagement in instruction and other public domains. The research journey My involvement in this field of research came approximately as a consequence of a new enterprise to open franchises of our school, the Girls ‘ Day School Trust ( GDST ) , in China. An chance arose for some of the staff to take portion in a instructor exchange for a twelvemonth to work in a Chinese international school and I was particularly acute to be a possible campaigner. I besides have experience of working with a twosome of misss who were adopted from a Chinese orphanhood and this, together with my career for instruction, heightened my involvement in the experiences of misss and adult females in Chinese schools. The possible prejudice that I may convey to this survey could integrate elements such as the relationship I had with the aforesaid household. My positions about the ways in which kids are treated in the orphanhoods could take me to hold the sentiment that all misss have a similar experience in China and are all, hence, to be ‘sympathised ‘ with before holding met them. This would besides hold prevented me from being impartial when questioning the Chinese males. As the research worker, this would besides hold positioned me unfavorably in that I will already hold placed the participant in a subjugated place themselves accordingly reproducing the stereotyped position of submissive Chinese adult females. To antagonize this I have looked really carefully at the ways in which I have posed my questionnaire and interview inquiries in order to non take the participant or set my point of view across. Bing a female research worker besides has the potency for prejudice to be in that I may favor female experiences and see them as unfair and wholly the mistake of the male population. For this ground, I besides interviewed Chinese males in order to supply a comparable profile against which adult females ‘s experiences may be gauged. My ain cultural background as a first coevals immigrant from Bangladesh may besides come into drama as it was preponderantly for the instruction and life style that my parents moved here. Chinese international pupils may hold the same aspirations and so here, excessively, there is room for deficiency of nonpartisanship which may act upon the analysis of my findings. Lang remarks on the interesting place a research worker has as the alien saying that: â€Å" The disadvantages of a survey by a alien are obvious. Less obvious are its advantages. The foreign perceiver is non hampered by the psychological prejudices which may at times block or even wholly thwart a â€Å" native † survey. There is, of class, the danger of replacing native biass with imported 1s, for the visitant is disposed to see the society he is analyzing as a reproduction of his ain. If this danger is avoided by methodological watchfulness and self-criticism, the foreign research worker is given an unusual chance to do a productive analysis. † ( 1946: seven ) This is rather an of import component to recognize due to the cultural differences involved. The methods used hold given me pertinent ways of look intoing in that even though I am showing the inquiries the participant is ever in control of what is being said, holding been given entree to the inquiries before meeting. Furthermore, Henwood ( in Woodward 2000 ) asserts that † †¦ scientific research can ne’er be entirely impersonal, disinterested, or value-free because the procedure of cognizing ever begins in the concrete contexts and material conditions of people ‘s lives, together with the point of views, positions or apprehension of the apprehender. † This places the research worker, who is an ‘outsider ‘ , in a place of ‘power ‘ and could impact on the manner in which the research is carried out. However, as this survey is focused around the subject of authorization it is necessary to hold every bit small influence as possible over the responses given by participants as any additions might be negated. Concerns of methodological analysis and method The research undertaken in this survey have used both data-gathering and data-analysis methodological analysiss in that the former involved directing out questionnaires every bit good as transporting out interviews whilst the latter involved the statistical analysis of bing informations within other people ‘s research. It is preponderantly qualitative in character instead than quantitative but there will be some mention to statistical informations from other published resources. It allows me to research complex issues and experiences and does non seek to over-simplify the informations gathered hence qualitative methods have been more appropriate in this context. Analyzing the responses of merely a little figure of persons has resulted in a small-scale research but this allowed for research in existent life scenes and permitted a grade of flexibleness in informations aggregation in contrast to quantitative research which requires the mass aggregation of informations from as broad a sample as possible. You read "The Empowerment Of Chinese Women Education Essay" in category "Essay examples" Validating research is of class extremely of import in doing one ‘s work credible or else it risks going unscientific ( Hammersley 1990 ) . Troubles in retroflexing this signifier of research may be disputing but does non do the information either less existent or experienced. Woodward ( in Trumans et al 2000 ) discusses the features of qualitative research and how this signifier of research additions farther cogency via the fact that can be viewed as being strictly nonsubjective research whilst other observers may state that this type of research is s ubjective and has the potency to hold excessively much read into it. There is besides the job of the ‘reality ‘ presented in the findings as this can be interpreted in many ways by different people hence leting room for misunderstanding or multiple readings. However, it need non follow that the research is less believable. The research worker is able to put the scene by saying the point of position from which they are detecting this survey so that the reader is presented with a lens through which they can see the research. This should be less of a job if the research worker has already positioned themselves and acknowledges their ain potency for prejudice. Once this has been declared the research worker ‘s occupation can be made clearer and more focussed. Rationale for taking participants The reappraisal of related literature in Chapter 2 together with the theoretical model on authorization has identified specific groups of marginalised misss and several agencies by which societal exclusion constructs these groups therefore forestalling them from accessing instruction and their ain way to empowerment. To farther aid this survey I will be analyzing related published paperss that emphasise the connexion between the State, registration figures and educational attainment and their relevancy in how State intervention can hold both positive and negative results. This survey will besides analyze personal experiences of instruction, societal exclusion and authorization from a scope of Chinese subjects populating in the United Kingdom every bit good as in China via the usage of an on-line questionnaire. From this group I have selected two people to interview to organize my instance analyze – two females from an urban and rural country. The relationship between these two chosen participants and their positions on household life was closely examined with peculiar mention to instruction and female authorization as a agency of deriving some penetration into the chief jobs and issues originating from them. The participants have been collated via the aid of pupils at London universities and contacts via parents and staff within the constitution I work for. Finding willing participants was one of the obstructions I faced when get downing my research so the usage of a â€Å" gatekeeper † was indispensable. This refers to a individual â€Å" who can assist the research worker with the critical concern of deriving entree to the necessary fieldwork puting † ( Denscombe 2007: 71 ) . In this survey, the gatekeeper was the Chinese pupil contact I knew through my school and who helped me to happen willing participants. Some bookmans argue that the relationship that the gatekeeper has with these contacts may hold an influence over the character of the probe. Denscombe discusses how this frequently occurs where patrons or sureties are involved. The gatekeepers involved in this survey knew of other Chinese subjects who would be able to take portion in my research and did non hold any patron or surety function to play so I am confident that the sentiments given were true. On a positive note, Denscombe discusses the place of trust which the gatekeeper is placed in by both researcher and participant so this excessively would hold a positive influence over the type of informations I collated. Due to the troubles experienced in happening participants to help my research, I felt it necessary to utilize all the people who responded to my electronic mails together with responses from all parental contacts. This accordingly became a suited signifier of sampling and is hence an illustration of non-probability sampling. They do non all have something in common. However, this survey is non intended for the intent of generalization but instead to supply a glance into existent success narratives and how they might possibly supply suggestions for policy alteration for people in similar places. Ethical Considerations Permission was sought earlier and questionnaires and interviews took topographic point. Participants were besides informed that they were able to retreat from the survey at any clip. Not follow up respondents who did non wish to take part further than the on-line questionnaire. Assurance was given of this research being for my ain personal usage to guarantee that it was non mistaken for the assemblage of information for other intents. Sensitivity was a cardinal component in this research. The Chinese community is a really private community hence my trouble in obtaining willing participants. Participants may non hold wanted to unwrap whether they were originally from an urban or rural country to me so alternatively I asked which state and town or small town they came from. The demand for privateness, namelessness and confidentiality was particularly of import as this signifier of oppugning resulted in responses which shared personal information and some unfavorable judgment of the manner things are governed in China. Data Collection processs Documents This survey will do usage of a figure of literature beginnings, including mention to allow authorities publications, diaries, studies and books. Internet resources published by the World Bank, UNICEF and DFID will besides be referred to. I will be utilizing the GMR 2010 information on school registration figures and educational attainment degrees as a starting point. This might let me to estimate the kind of informations being released by China and inquiry how dependable it can be. Online questionnaire In the first case, an online questionnaire was used to derive as broad a sample as possible of sentiments from Chinese international pupils at London Universities every bit good as the few contacts I had in China but this was a really little sample from which it would non hold been possible to pull distinguishable decisions. Dalsimer and Nisonoff ( in Visvanathan et al 1997 ) noted some research which besides used Chinese pupils as an illustration of successful resistance to State policies and intercession. This gives proof to my chosen cohort of participants. Prior to the questionnaire being sent out I emailed a transcript of my inquiries to the gatekeepers so that they may go through them on to the possible participants. This had advantage of guaranting a higher figure of participants due to the fact that they could be certain that there were no ‘surprise ‘ or uncomfortable inquiries. It besides meant that participants had the chance to give the inquiries some idea before shiping on the elaborate on-line version and gave me a grade of certainty about the dependability of the informations. The nexus for the online questionnaire was sent in an electronic mail via the gatekeepers. This electronic mail besides contained within it an lineation of the type of subjects to be covered in the questionnaire. Some of my contacts in China could merely pass on via electronic mail and non by on-line study so I emailed a simpler version of the online questionnaire to them alternatively to promote maximal engagement. Brown and Dowling ( 1998 ) outline the serious restraints a research worker faces if entirely utilizing questionnaires. Electronic mail references were requested at the terminal of the questionnaire to let for follow up where permission/email reference has been granted. The questionnaire nexus was sent out by an familiarity through the constitution for whom I work. This person is analyzing at post-graduate degree at another London university and was in a place to assist happen Chinese pupils for my research. Equally far as was possible, they tried to happen me participants from both urban and rural China but this proved highly hard. The intent of the questionnaire was to dig deeper into personal experiences of China ‘s instruction system and the kinds of barriers ( teacher outlooks, parental influences and determinations taken, deficiency of school installations ) or signifiers of societal exclusion encountered every bit good as a agency of happening interesting people to instance survey in item. It was besides intended as a manner of garnering informations about the more general experiences of Chinese young person sing their gendered upbringings and success in going internationally nomadic. All participants were over the age of 18 with the purpose of geting a more experient position of instruction and gender stereotypes in China. Interviews and Case Studies After collating the online questionnaire consequences two Chinese adult females were selected to explicate my instance surveies. I really much keep the same point of view as Gerson and Horowitz who assert that: â€Å" To unknot the complexnesss of large-scale societal alteration, it is necessary to analyze the elaboratenesss of single lives. Individual interviews provide the chance to analyze how large-scale societal transmutations are experienced, interpreted and finally shaped by the responses of strategic societal histrions. † ( In May 2003: 200 ) The analysis of such informations would turn out really interesting and worthwhile as it suggests ways in which societal alteration may happen. Another of import factor sing interviews and their positive properties is that they can make what the study or questionnaire can non. It allows the research worker to follow up thoughts and investigation deeper, even if this means diverting from the original set of inquiries. Responses and significances can be clarified at point of contact and so even after the interview ( Bell 2005 ) . Interviews are besides clip devouring and may discourage participants but every bit long as a maximal clip frame was given I found that my participants were more than happy to take portion. Johnson ( in Bell: 2005 ) concurs with this point. Interviews took topographic point via telephone. Any inquiries about the interview were answered before it took topographic point so as to do the participant feel at easiness with the process. Interviews were digitally recorded and so transcribed. My purpose was to happen out the sentiments of those who have experienced Chinese instruction first manus and the ways in which their households, the State and community ( for illustration instructors, other community members ) were involved in the determination devising procedure for the participants ‘ educational hereafter. These have been used in my instance surveies as peculiar illustrations of female authorization in China but it will non be possible for to pull any steadfast decisions from them. This would be an illustration of purposive sampling ( Blaxter et al 2006: 163 ) . I have chosen to utilize the instance survey method of research due to the little sample of participants available to me. However, the instance survey is agrees to be best suited to little scale research ( Blaxter et Al: 2006 ) whilst besides leting me to dig profoundly into the person ‘s experiences. The instance survey attack is besides a really ‘real ‘ method supplying a clear image of person ‘s experiences instead than the bland and impersonal character of informations collected via questionnaires merely. It enables me, as the research worker, to research the complex features of Chinese societal life ( Cohen et Al in Blaxter et Al: 2006 ) , how cohesive the State, household and community are and how these influences and relationships impact on the person. By showing ‘real ‘ people who have experienced empowerment via their ability to entree good beginnings of instruction we be able to pull possible scenarios that might be replicated on a wider graduated table, possibly with the aid of NGOs. This would necessitate farther research with the cooperation of the State. However, it should besides be noted that there are disadvantages to composing up instance surveies in that they are notoriously hard to analyze. Triangulation This method seeks to formalize one ‘s ain research by comparing it to other published beginnings. I will be comparing my findings with that of Tsui and Rich ‘s ( 2002 ) to detect whether or non adult females are sing authorization and greater degrees of liberty as a consequence of life in an urban country where the one-child policy is purely enforced. Hannum ‘s assorted large-scale undertakings on misss ‘ instruction in Gansu are besides of relevancy. This means of triangulation would let me to see what adult females are truly sing in urban China in order to see how this compares with rural China. It would be enlightening to detect whether Tsui and Rich ‘s research can back up my findings and if non whether there were peculiar differences originating from the instance surveies which might explicate this. Datas Analysis The research has focused on the narrative component of the questionnaires and interviews as opposed to the statistical side but as my sample involved so few people it would non hold been appropriate to make this anyway. I found that the pupil cohort of participants had stronger positions about their upbringings and instruction. Statisticss have been consulted from other published beginnings in order to clear up the current place of educational registration and attainment in China. Datas from the online questionnaires has been presented in a tabulated signifier in order to be able to cross-index and comparison responses with greater easiness. Coding has been used to abridge every bit good as to foreground any similar responses. . Interviews were transcribed from a digitally recorded version and so compared harmonizing to their grouped subjects in order to help the my analysis. These were besides coded and themed. However, this was rather ambitious as the sentiments given were rather wide. An indispensable component of this survey is to analyze the informations given in the instance survey illustrations by comparing and contrasting the assorted sentiments given. The procedure of information analysis will be double. The instance survey findings of the urban participant will ab initio be described and discussed in item whilst being cross-referenced with the findings of the Literature Review and theoretical model. Following this there will be an analysis of the rural participant to measure whether there is a disagreement between these two countries. Differences between the genders will besides be profiled. The findings will besides mention back to the research discussed in the Literature Review. Bogdan and Biklen ( 1982: 145 ) refer to this signifier of qualitative informations analysis as â€Å" working with informations, organizing it, interrupting it into manageable units, synthesising it, seeking for forms, detecting what is of import and what is to be learned, and m ake up one’s minding what you will state others. † Restrictions of my survey There were restrictions of researching a state with a different linguistic communication to my ain and jobs with accessing translated policy paperss. My ain experience of seeking to entree Chinese diaries and informations have been met with this linguistic communication barrier and so relevant stuff may already be in relation to my research but these are n’t accessible by anyone except by those who can talk and read in Chinese. Using Chinese subjects besides highlighted jobs of interlingual rendition and reading. In these instances I was fortunate plenty to be able to clear up replies with the person. Having to trust on merely a few participants besides leaves room for their ain prejudice to pervade the informations. Cross-referencing with the positions of people who took separating the online questionnaire may assist in some ways to chase away this. On a theoretical note, Batliwala ( 1993 ) emphasises the jobs of mensurating authorization as the term ’empowerment ‘ is a combative one and so mensurating it would besides be far from straightforward. Kabeer has outlined ways of mensurating authorization but in China, where cosmopolitan instruction itself is hard to estimate, authorization presented itself as an country worthy of considerable scrutiny. By transporting out this research it may be possible to light the construct of authorization being drawn out from existent life experiences. How to cite The Empowerment Of Chinese Women Education Essay, Essay examples

Stereotyping the Fashion Industry free essay sample

The office scurries to its positions awaiting the arrival of the icy Miranda Presley. The clicks of her Jimmy Choo heels terrify those under her high, prominent rank. Once the powerful editor of Runway magazine is in sight, you can definitely tell the devil is in the details. Intelligent, unfashionable Andy had no idea what she is applying for, but she will soon find out. The same scene is set for the paralleling movie from 1957, Funny Face. Maggie Prescott, the editor-and- chief of Quality magazine, storms into the colorful building with determination in her eyes. She is in search for the new ook- something beautiful and intellectual. It is no surprise that she finds this in the bookworm, Jo, played by the unique Audrey Hepburn. Not much has changed from the 1950s to the late 2000s. These movies represent the preconceived notion the public has on the fashion industry. The automatic generalizations and stereotypes of fashion like superficiality, materialism, vanity, and reoccurring characterizations make it difficult to see the hard work, dedication, and creativity presented by designers; The public has harsh stereotypes of the fashion industry but do not take the time to ook beyond the laid out expectations shown in films like The Devil Wears Prada and Funny Face. As fashion is adapting to the constantly changing culture, movies have remained in a rut of stereotyping the fashion industry. The assumptions that fashion is narcissistic, airheaded, and wealthy are provided through the unrealistic presentations of films. In the musical Funny Face from 1957, the strict editor, Maggie Prescott, and photographer, Dick Avery, are looking for the next big look. Underwhelmed by the same style presented, they search for a beautiful and ntelligent model in a dismal bookstore where they find their inspiration, the girl with the funny face, Jo Stockton. She is an amateur philosopher but believes fashion is nonsense. Prescott and Avery are shooting in Paris and want Jo to model; she only agrees to participate so she could hear a lecture by her favorite French philosopher. Somehow, the three shoot everything alone throughout Paris in one day. Ironically in the end, Jo falls in love with Avery and the fashionable lifestyle (Funny Face). This movie is a constant battle within itself of whether Jo should choose her intelligence or ashion. There is no scenario where a woman can be both intelligent and beautiful. Similarly, in The Devil Wears Prada, intelligent college graduate, Andy, lands a prestigious interning Job at Runway Magazine with the powerful editor, Miranda Priestly. After ridiculing the shallowness of the fashion industry, Andy soon discovers that the fashion industry is so much more difficult than imagined. After running tedious errands that demean her intelligence and being mocked for her style, she gains her respect with her fashionable coworkers by getting a makeover with flamboyant art director, Nigel. Andy is also offered a round trip to Paris where she also finds herself conflicted between intelligence and fashion (The Devil Wears Prada). As we can see in the similar plot lines between Funny Face and The Devil Wears Prada, the views of high fashion have not evolved over the past 50 years. The media is partially to blame for the constant stereotypes of fashion. Our culture looks strongly to the media and films shown on a wide scale. These films have so much influence on the publics perceptions, but the scenes are set to exactly what the no desire for change. In return, Americans paint the fashion industry in a negative ight. Ironically, western society takes pride in growth and change, yet it is still stuck in the Judgmental ideals of the 60s. These outdated assumptions are only furthering hurtful stereotypes. The common reaction to hearing fashion issues is often a sneer at the vanity and objectification associated with this industry; yet, the public knows little of the intelligence, competition, and diligence that are put into every piece and collection presented. Fashion is not a beauty contest but a form of expression and art. It is not limited to the beautifully rich but open to the public; however, society hooses not to acknowledge its presence. Most pieces presented on the runways have months of creativity and historical background sown into its fabric. People are not aware of the uniqueness created because they caught in a web of Judgmental stereotypes connected to films. Within Funny Face, Prescott and Avery are unimpressed by the vapid models within their magazines and go on a vast search to find something different (Funny Face). The film assumed that all models and designers focus solely on the physical appearance of a design or model rather than the thought behind the creation. Designers use the human body as a blank canvas to construct a story or showcase their passions. The industry is not concentrated on an expensive label, but on the artistry of each unique piece. Society is too quick to Judge the elaborate creations of the designers based on stereotypes repeatedly placed in films. If the general public took the time, they would see the intelligence of fashion designers and the masterpieces they create. Not only is vanity constantly stereotyped, materialism and outlandish prices are repetitive associations with the fashion industry. Society never looks beyond the laid out ideas of fashion to see the nfluence fashion has on the economy. After WW2, Americans dove into a wave of consumerism to pull themselves out of the depression. Consumption was no longer entirely needed to satisfy the necessities of life but all of the consumers desires. Amongst these desires was the mass production in the fashion industry. Since this movement, the fashion industry has become one of the main sources of income for countries all over the world. The fashion industry is one of the few industrial segments that have remained a constant world economy contributor with an annual growth rate of approximately 20 percent The luxury fashion sector is the fourth largest revenue generator in France; and one of the most prominent sectors in Italy, Spain, the USA, and the emerging markets of China and India. The sector is currently one of the highest employers in France and Italy (Zhigang 1). Clothes are not used to full an empty void in fashion but are used as a way to express personality and create confidence. Fashion is not the main source of materialism; we are the main source of materialism. No successful magazine is complete without the leadership, drive, and tyranny of a powerful, female editor. Once again, both movies display fashion magazine editors, Maggie Prescott and Miranda Priestly, as rude, powerful dictators of a successful magazine. Always impeccably dressed and ready to lead, the two women are seen as Cruele De Vils of the fashion world. Based off of actual editors of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar, these women are carrying the company on their shoulders and have many Jobs and responsibilities. The only way to maintain order and success is through strict instructions and blunt criticism. These women receive powerful bosses are Just as brutal and strong as Prescott and Priestly. Other companies have Just as harsh connotations as the fashion industry but do not receive as much backfire and hate. For example, politics is known of the widespread corruption in its business, and biology has battled the controversy of genetics for years. All of the stereotypes add to the miss diagnosed perceptions of different people and ideas. Also, it seems ironic that only women can work in this industry. We see very few men working in this successful business except for flamboyant, feminine Dick Avery and Nigel. The men seem to fade into the background of the films and have smaller roles. This may be that the public only views men in masculine areas of work, not nonessential work of fashion. The films do not stop stereotyping with vanity, materialism, and a powerful editor. The films present intelligent, quirky main characters to emphasize the clich © of brains vs. ody. Andy and Jo believe they are above the nonessential realm of fashion; yet, they easily fall under the poisonous spell of the glamour. In the end, the two must choose between brains or body. The films show intelligent, working women that could never keep both intelligence and beauty. Only one can survive in this world. By stereotyping woman as either smart or bea utiful creates the belief that women can not have everything in life. Women working in the fashion industry do not revolve around one characteristic, but must be intelligent, creative, hardworking, and cultured. Stereotypes choose to generalize a select few that have similar characteristics. Yet, these standards are outdated and over generalized. The public believes that fashion is a game of who has the most expensive outfit rather than the self-expression of a look. In Funny Face and The Devil Wears Prada, the minds of the audience are focused on the vanity, materialism, harsh ersonalities of magazine editors, and opposing main characters; not one of these harsh stereotypes show the overall reality of the fashion industry.