Definition and Examples of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of independently analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information as a guide to behavior and beliefs. The American Philosophical Association has defined critical thinking as the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment. The process gives reasoned consideration to evidence, contexts, conceptualizations, methods, and criteria (1990). Critical thinking is sometimes broadly defined as thinking about thinking. Critical thinking skills include the ability to interpret, verify, and reason, all of which involve applying the principles of logic. The process of using critical thinking to guide writing is called critical writing. Observations Critical Thinking is essential as a tool of inquiry. As such, Critical Thinking is a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in one’s personal and civic life. While not synonymous with good thinking, Critical Thinking is a pervasive and self-rectifying human phenomenon. The ideal critical thinker is habitually inquisitive, well-informed, trustful of reason, open-minded, flexible, fair-minded in evaluation, honest in facing personal biases, prudent in making judgments, willing to reconsider, clear about issues, orderly in complex matters, diligent in seeking relevant information, reasonable in the selection of criteria, focused in inquiry, and persistent in seeking results which are as precise as the subject and the circumstances of inquiry permit.(American Philosophical Association, Consensus Statement Regarding Critical Thinking, 1990)Thought and LanguageIn order to understand reasoning [...], it is necessary to pay careful attention to the relationship between thought and language. The relationship seems to be straightforward: thought is expressed in and through language. But this claim, while true, is an oversimplification. People often fail to say what they mean. Everyone has had the experience of having their \ misunderstood by others. And we all use words not merely to express our thoughts but also to shape them. Developing our critical thinking skills, therefore, requires an understanding of the ways in which words can (and often fail to) express our thoughts.(William Hughes and Jonathan Lavery, Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic Skills, 4th ed. Broadview, 2004)Dispositions That Foster or Impede Critical thinkingDispositions that foster critical thinking include [a] facility in perceiving irony, ambiguity, and multiplicity of meanings or points of view; the development of open-mindedness, autonomous thought, and reciprocity (Piagets term for the ability to empathize with other individuals, social groups, nationalities, i deologies, etc.). Dispositions that act as impediments to critical thinking include defense mechanisms (such as absolutism or primary certitude, denial, projection), culturally conditioned assumptions, authoritarianism, egocentrism, and ethnocentrism, rationalization, compartmentalization, stereotyping and prejudice.(Donald Lazere, Invention, Critical Thinking, and the Analysis of Political Rhetoric. Perspectives on Rhetorical Invention, ed. by Janet M. Atwill and Janice M. Lauer. University of Tennessee Press, 2002)Critical Thinking and Composing- [T]he most intensive and demanding tool for eliciting sustained critical thought  is a well-designed writing assignment on a subject matter problem. The underlying premise is that writing is closely linked with thinking and that in presenting students with significant problems to write about—and in creating an environment that demands their best writing—we can promote their general cognitive and intellectual growth. When w e make students struggle with their writing, we are making them struggle with thought itself. Emphasizing writing and critical thinking, therefore, generally increases the academic rigor of a course. Often the struggle of writing, linked as it is to the struggle of thinking and to the growth of a persons intellectual powers, awakens students to the real nature of learning.(John C. Bean,  Engaging Ideas: The Professors Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical  Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom, 2nd ed. Wiley, 2011)- Finding a fresh approach to a writing assignment means that you must see the subject without the blinders of preconception. When people expect to see a thing in a certain way, it usually appears that way, whether or not that is its true image. Similarly, thinking based on prefabricated ideas produces writing that says nothing new, that offers nothing important to the reader. As a writer, you have a responsibility to go beyond the expected views and present your subject so that the reader sees it with fresh eyes. . . .[C]ritical thinking is a fairly systematic method of defining a problem and synthesizing knowledge about it, thereby creating the perspective you need to develop new ideas. . . .Classical rhetoricians used a series of three questions to help focus an argument. Today these questions can still help writers understand the topic about which they are writing. An sit? (Is the problem a fact?); Quid sit (What is the definition of the problem?); and Quale sit? (What kind of problem is it?). By asking these questions, writers see their subject from many new angles before they begin to narrow the focus to one particular aspect.(Kristin R. Woolever, About Writing: A Rhetoric for Advanced Writers. Wadsworth, 1991) Logical Fallacies Ad Hominem Ad Misericordiam Amphiboly Appeal to Authority Appeal to Force Appeal to Humor Appeal to Ignorance Appeal to the People Bandwagon Begging the Question Circular Argument Complex Question Contradictory Premises Dicto Simpliciter, Equivocation False Analogy False Dilemma Gamblers Fallacy Hasty Generalization Name-Calling Non Sequitur Paralepsis Poisoning the Well Post Hoc Red Herring Slippery Slope Stacking the Deck Straw Man Tu Quoque

Fast Foods And Fast Food Essay - 1147 Words

Fast food is one of the easiest ways to get food and eat it in a hurry. More people have been eating fast food rather than eating at home for years. The rate of fast food consumption has not slowed in over fifteen years (North). Americans in today’s society are busier than they have been. With people being busy they cannot find an easy way to make dinner, so they go to fast food restaurants to get food on the go. Many Americans also believe they are too busy to go shopping for groceries. Being busy is not the only thing that makes people eat fast food on the go. Why are numerous Americans eating fast food and not homemade food? Fast food is convenient and cheap for people who do not have time to cook or if they are too lazy. Advertisements encourage Americans to eat fast food as well. American lives have changed over the years, and eating habits have too. With people having jobs with schedules they can barely work around, fast food is a must for them to get a meal in a time crunch. More people prefer to get food on the go rather than take the time to make homemade food. Home-cooked meals are slowly dying due to people being busy and choosing to eat fast food. More people today stop at fast food restaurants to get the food they can eat anywhere if they are on the run. When people go out of town for the weekend, fast food is an easy meal to eat in the car. Fast food is also an easy meal to eat while shopping in a hurry. Fast food is not only cheap it is convenient; most ofShow MoreRelatedFast Foods And Fast Food1339 Words   |  6 PagesWhen it comes to fast food it is just what it is fast food. On a busy or slightly rough day it’s so easy and typical to grab some food on the go and keep it moving. Are we able to find a solution to fast food and its nutritional value of being healthy rather than unhealthy? Fast food comes in handy and gives you a satisfying taste and is a quick fix to feed your hunger at that moment which leads to no kind of nutritional nourishment for your body. It gives the body what it needs at the momentRead MoreFast Foods And Fast Food2128 Words   |  9 PagesFast food is defined as â€Å"easily prepared processed food served in snack bars and restaurants as a quick meal or to be taken away.†. The first fast food restaurant was developed in America, 1948. Fast food is now recognized globally, generating an annual revenue of $570 billion. However, this ever growing market is associated with higher BMI and weight gain. I investigated whether exposure to fast food advertising via television increases fast food consumption, and whether our fast food consumptionRead MoreFast Foods : Fast Food Consumption2960 Words   |  12 Pages Fast Food Consumption Alshahrani Abdullatif Fast Food Consumption FAST FOOD CONSUMPTION Introduction The nutriment companies have set up plenty of poor force in present ages, having the duty for groining excess fat prices and alternate fitness trouble additionally as for sending-off great ecological effects like multiplied greenhouse gasses. This features impressed an abundance of individuals to startRead MoreFast Foods And Fast Food1649 Words   |  7 PagesFast food is popular because it s convenient, it s cheap, and it tastes good. But the real cost of eating fast food never appears on the menu, was said by Eric Schlosser. Several people in America have become dependent on fast foods. How many of the people who eat this food actually know what is really in the food or how it was made? Others don t think about it, because within ordering, three minutes later a customer can pull up to the window, pay, and get food. It is quick and cheap. The UnitedRead MoreFast Foods : Fast Food Restaurants834 Words   |  4 PagesFast Foods in America Fast food restaurants have always been extremely successful and are experiencing an increase in popularity in America. The ongoing question all consumers have is which one is the best. Everyone has their opinion on which one they like best, but what about the actual quality and health of the foods served? When one is choosing to eat at one of these restaurants, they may just simply choose one without evaluating things such as food quality, prices, and service experience. TwoRead MoreFast Foods And Fast Food Restaurants1458 Words   |  6 Pagesdo not go a day without eating a fast food meal. There has been a significant rise in obesity rates in America as fast food restaurant establishments are becoming more and more popular. It’s no coincidence that as the fast food industry’s popularity is rising; the obesity rates of Americans are rising as well. The reason for the increase in popularity of fast food restaurants is simply because of convenience. Take McDonaldâ €™s for example: they offer consumers food that can ready to eat within aRead MoreFast Food And The Food Meal Essay1440 Words   |  6 Pages A fast food meal may not be so simple after all considering the ingredients that go into a meal. We aren’t fully aware of what all the ingredients are in our food. We just see either a short or a long list of words that is just scientific jargon to us. We do become more concerned of what we are eating if there is a long endless list of contents. One ingredient that we all know if high fructose corn syrup. There are high amounts of it in our fast food which explains why we can get so addicted toRead MoreFast Food1145 Words   |  5 PagesDraft 3 Fast food Obesity is an epidemic that is sweeping over the United States today. It’s affecting both adults and children. With the increase in fast food availability and a decrease in the time most Americans have to prepare nutritious meals at home, it’s obvious why more people are eating at fast food restaurants. Obesity is a growing problem in the United States and more and more children are being affected. But do uneducated families have the right to put the blame on fast food restaurantsRead MoreFast Food1172 Words   |  5 Pagesfailed to recognize the changing trend in customer’s preferences to better tasting, fresher food. This trend led to new sub markets emerging for tastier, fresher and fast food perceived as healthier. A few of the smaller/privately owned competitors (Cosi and Quizno’s) were able to operate in niche markets selling gourmet sandwiches and salads. The emergence of smaller restaurants offering easy access to exotic foods such as sushi and bu rritos created a more specialized niche market. 2) Size and Growth; Read MoreFast Food1915 Words   |  8 Pages1. Executive Summary This report provides an analysis of the international marketing environment of fast- food industry in US and evaluates the international marketing activities of McDonald’s, which is considered a key player. Firstly, the PEST framework is used to analyse external environmental factors influencing the industry. The Porter’s Five Forces framework is utilised to analyse the competitive rivalry within the industry, and its attractiveness for potential new entrants. Key players and

Portrait Essay Example For Students

Portrait Essay Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManStephen Dedalus is born of a woman, created of the earth; pure in his childhood innocence. From this beginning stems the birth of an artist, and from this the novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, James Joyce recounts Stephens story. His journey is followed from childhood to maturity, and thus his transformation from secular to saintly to an awakening of what he truly is. The novel evolves from simple, childlike diction, to sophisticated, higher ideas and thoughts as Dedalus completes his transition into an artist. In the beginning, Dedalus sees the world in an almost sing-song nursery rhyme sense, with a moocow coming down the road. By the end of the novel, Dedalus is mature and worldly; a man who stands tall and who feels confident with Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead. (238). Through the use of the symbols of woman and earth, and white and purification, Joyce gives his novel depth and wonder. These symbol s follow an array of transformations, changing throughout the novel much like Stephen himself. The figure woman goes from the mother figure, to that of the whore, and finally to the representation of freedom itself. As a child, the image of the mother figure is strong. It is nurturing and supportive, that of a woman standing at the half-door of a cottage with a child in her arms . . . (10) who shelters and protects and makes Stephen afraid to think of how it was to be without a mother. As Stephen grows, however, like any child his dependency of him mother begins to dwindle, as does his awe for her. He begins to question his relationship with her and she is suddenly seen as a dirty figure, beginning the transformation of Stephens image of women; from that of mother to whore. He first begins to questions the purity of his mother, his creator, his earth, when confronted by class mates, who taunt and confuse the innocent act of kissing his mother. He suddenly wonders, Was it right to ki ss his mother or wrong to kiss his mother? What did that mean, to kiss? You put your face up like that to say good night and then his mother put her face down. That was to kiss. (24) However, later in the novel the image of the pure and novel mother appears once more, but not in the figure of Stephens own mother. Rather, it is in the image of the Virgin Mary: the ultimate symbol of purity, nurturing, and creation. She is the giver of life to man as earth is to nature, creating the tie between earth and women: the bearers, the creators of life. Jesus, He was born of a virgin pure, Mary the virgin mother. (110) Why cant the rest of man kind born as pure?The figure of the whore physically begins with Stephens first sexual encounter. From childhood he has heard of women like that of the whore, their names unspeakable at the dinner table, mistresses of highly noted figures. But what was the name the woman had called Kitty OShea that Mr. Casey would not repeat? (36) Stephen, however, is u naware and unable to comprehend this symbolic image until he reaches the real, physical whore who was dressed in long vivid gowns and traversed the street from house to house. (88) In the actually encounter, Stephen felt the warm calm rise and fall of her breast, and all but burst into hysterical weeping. (90) He feels this out of happiness, but it is also a symbolic loss of innocence, which he later weeps for consciously, because His childhood was dead or lost and with it his soul capable of simple joys and he was drifting amid life and like the barren shell of the moon. The whore is she who takes innocence, she represents not only an evil of the flesh, but that of Eve herself. She was the weaker vessel and because of her temptation, Eden fell and the innocence of man was lost. She ate the apple and give it also to Adam who had not the moral courage to resist her. (124) This scenario parallels Stephens encounter with the whore. He is caught up in it all, he weeps and it helpless ag ainst the temptation of the whore, for, though he attempts to resist by not bending to kiss her, it was too much for him much like it was too much for Adam. Thus the prostitute figure represents the fall of man all together, and a feeling darker than the swoon of sin, softer than sound or odour. (92) For Stephen, and for the rest of man, the whore only invokes feelings of shame, shameful thoughts, shameful words, shameful acts. Shame covered him wholly like fine glowing ashes falling continually. (139) So, in the end, Stephen is doomed to always looking humbly up to heaven, weeping for the innocence he had lost (169) This, all because of the whore, the symbol of evil and shame, a creature born of the Garden of Even, destined to ruin man in the eyes of God. .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 , .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .postImageUrl , .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 , .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:hover , .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:visited , .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:active { border:0!important; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:active , .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092 .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u13b73eb5bf84ea05bca3f4504eb54092:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Middle East foreign policies Essay Due to of his loss of innocence and his endless dive into the depths of sin, Stephen resolves to once again recapture that which was innocent inside of him, and spurns the whore and woman all together. Here, the symbol of the woman remains that of evil: dangerous, forbidden. He avoids all eye contact with women. He attempts to recapture his good, to once again be looked favorably upon in the eyes of his creator, and by doing this he must spurn that which took man to this detestable state in the first place: the woman whore. However, his innocence is now gone, and he can not recapture it, so the image of woman does not return to the mothering figure it did in the beginning of the novel. It never can. Therefore, bent on the destruction of evil thoughts, and thus woman, from his mind, woman becomes only a vision, an untouchable mirage, for much of the novel. This is not really Stephen, however, and it will not last. Thus, when he comes to a rebirth, and discovers who he really is, the i mage of the woman returns to Stephen. This time, however, she is the dancing nymph, the symbol of rebirth, of freedom. The girl is gazing out to sea; and when she felt his presence and the worship of his eyes her eyes turned to him in quiet sufferance of his gaze, without shame or wantonness. (203) The girl is at the beach, gazing out upon the earth that created her. The sea is free, much like her, much like Stephen. Suddenly, his soul was swooning into some new world, fantastic, dim, uncertain as under sea, traversed by cloudy shapes and beings. (205) He has come into himself, and discovered the artist he truly is. This last female has a strong connection with the earth. She is the transition, the link, between secular and saintly, between the artist and his creation. She is described as part of the earth, as part of nature, Her long slender bare legs were delicate as a cranes and pure save where an emerald trail of seaweed had fashioned itself as a sign upon the flesh. (203) The earth is woman, for as mother is to nature, woman is to man. When in his zealot stage, the earth is seen as a prison, and In earthly prisons men must abide by obedience to His word. (174) However, when Stephen finally comes to himself, discovers the artist within him, the earth is not a prison, it does not stifle, but instead it creates. It is the ultimate mother, the purest woman there is. A world, a glimmer or a flower? (205) He had long though of it as a glimmer, to be ignored, he now sees it in its bloom, its wonder and its beauty, the mother of all that is pure and good and beautiful. It is the ultimate creation a nd yields the greatest beauty. This paper is the property of NetEssays.Net Copyright 1999-2002Words/ Pages : 1,373 / 24

Controlling Immigration To The U.S. Essays - Human Migration

Controlling Immigration to the U.S. With the many different groups of people coming to this country in search of a better life, we should cut back on who we should allow to have citizenship. There are thousands of immigrants coming to the U.S. every day. A lot of these immigrants are illegal aliens coming to the U.S. to find jobs. Whenever we catch illegals crossing our borders, we should send them right back and that would be the end of the story. Instead we are bringing them to camps to wait until the government finds out what to do with them. With so many immigrants coming over everyday, the U.S. lets people out of these camps and let them into our society so we can fit the new people who are coming over here in the camps. It is estimated that 4 million illegal aliens are living in the U.S. right now. That means that the government has no idea who these people are or where they are. "Nobody knows who these people are," said a Brownsville, Texas trailer-court owner Bob White. "They could be terrorist, or bandits, or typhoid carriers" (Lamar 14). This is why the U.S. government needs to spend more money and stop immigrants at the border. If the United States didn't let any of these people in this country, we would still have people without jobs. So its not like we need these people in our country. In Mexico 60 percent of its labor force is unemployed. So a lot of these people think that there are jobs for them in the U.S., but there aren't. In the first 4 months of 1988 400,000 illegal aliens were caught trying to cross the border. That may sound like a lot, but 300,000 slipped through without being caught. That means that over 40 percent of the people that try to get into this country illegally, succeeded. If we get more agents on guard by our borders we could cut that number to a tolerable level. Some immigrants that come to this country legally that have a good education and can work well are not a problem. The problem is that there aren't very many of these kind of people that are trying to get into this country. Many immigrants are poor and just want jobs to keep themselves alive or to support there family. It is hard for illegal immigrants who can't prove that they are legal workers to find jobs. Some employers know from the start that the person they hired is illegal and just hire them because they will work for minimum wage or even less. To try to get voluntary compliance to not hire illegals, the INS contacted 800,000 employers and gave warnings to only 2,200 of these employers. Then out of the 800,000 employers who got contacted, the INS only fined 100 businesses. Only one question comes to mind when you think about these numbers, why didn't the other thousands of people get fined. Since it is hard for poor legal immigrants to get jobs, they sometimes have to take hard, long, gardening type of jobs. A lot of immigrants will do just about anything so they can eat and there family won't starve. Sometimes illegal aliens get fake I.D.s and the employer never knows they aren't allowed to work. The Center for U.S.-Mexican studies at the University of California in San Diego says that a quarter of illegal workers have purchased fake I.D.s. The main problem that lets all of these immigrants come to this country everyday is that we aren't doing much to stop them. But there is also another reason that these people come to this country. Other countries are letting tens of thousands of people out of there country and most of these people are coming over to the U.S. Moscow's emigration policy lets out 50,000 people a year. Over the last seven years 100,000 Irish natives have come over here on tourist visas and stayed after the time was up. Even though this is a problem that these countries let out so many people a year, the U.S. should still just say no when they arrive. As Mayor Bill Card says, " We have not been

Subcontinent Essay Example

Subcontinent Essay Example Subcontinent Essay Subcontinent Essay In a subcontinent that has been mired by centuries of feudal exploitation, class conflict and colonial subjugation, the prospects of contemporary democratization in South Asia seems utterly difficult, if not patently impossible, especially in the wake of current events in the countries in the region. Nepal is still recovering from the heels of a national crisis that almost toppled the monarchy. Sri Lanka still languishes from the effects of the tsunami disaster in its southern areas, notwithstanding the continuing threat of the Tamil Tigers. Pakistan and Bangladesh have both been experiencing a growth in Islamic fundamentalists that have resulted in suicide bombings. India, on the other hand, despite its so-called vibrant democracy, still has to contend with a growing Maoist insurgency in its countryside and hinterlands.Nonetheless, the paper seeks to examine two of these South Asian states – Nepal and Bangladesh – in terms of how a variety of issues have undermined the ir democratic institutions and the forging of national identities among its population.Nepal –Is it the Monarchy or the Insurgency to Blame?Since the start of the Maoist insurgency led by Prachanda, the Nepalese monarchy and some international commentators have blamed the rebels for undermining the efforts of the present and past governments to establish a truly working democracy in peaceful co-existence with the Nepalese Monarchy. The monarchy charges the Maoist insurgency for terrorizing the villagers in the hinterlands of Nepal, leading blockades of the capital to push the government to its knees.However, since the start of the government crackdown on its political opponents and the dissolution of Parliament, the discourse on the real causes of the curtailment of democracy in Nepal has focused on the repressive measures employed by the monarchy to crush any forms of dissent, to the extent that even the Maoists seem more morally ascendant than the apologists of King Gyanend ra, as royal security forces have resorted to bloody repressive tactics, which according to Amnesty International utilized arbitrary arrests and torture. (Ganguly Shoup, 2005) On the other hand, the mainstream political parties are also to be blamed for undermining the efforts towards democratization in Nepal due to their heedless, endless game of rent-seeking and more than petty personal quarrels and patronage squabbles. (Ganguly Shoup, 2005) All of these inevitably contributed to the rise of the Maoists in the Nepalese politics, that the people have been wary of the conservative and moderate sections of the political system and have learned to embrace the radical politics of the insurgency.On the other hand, the stumbling block to Nepalese democratization also operated in a backdrop of a society that was still enmeshed in socio-economic contradictions which gave the Maoists fertile soil to launch their revolution. In a paper by Stuart Gordon (2005), he explained that –Nep al’s conflict is the product of a complicated convergence of regional, ethnic, and economic inequalities and deprivations. The majority of Nepal’s 36 major   Ã‚   ethnic groups have been marginalized in a power structure in which multi-party   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   democracy and modernization have, perversely, reinforced upper-caste privilege   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   while also highlighting systematic inequality. The Maoists have attempted to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   mobilize grievances by appealing toethnic communities suffering discrimination, such as those of Tibeto-Burmanstock and the Dalits (untouchable castes).While most members of mainstream political parties came from members of Nepalese society’s upper castes, the Maoists were able to secure the support and loyalty of a broad cross-section of the people’s lower castes, promising genuine land reform and a dismantling of the feudal and semi-feu dal political economy that has relegated to poverty much of Nepal’s constituencies. The radical left was also responsible in brokering an alliance between the peasantry and the intelligentsia, which, in classical Maoist theory, was an indispensable alliance in waging revolution.In the long road towards democratization, the left was able to mobilize not only the different economic classes, but ethnic minorities as well that – (Gordon 2005)Partly as a consequence of democratization, the Maoists have been able to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   mobilize other castes and ethnic and familial groups (Dalits, Kham Magar, Sarki,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tamang, Damai, Gurung, Rai, Limbu, etc.), transforming the war from an intra-   elite conflict into a fragmented inter-group struggle. In effect, in addition to being   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a conflict between ideologies, the war has become a much more broadly based   Ã‚   struggle for emancipa tion from the ruling Brahmin, Chetri, and Newar elite.In all of these, however, it is clear that the state and all its apparatuses have been clearly unable to realize the goals of a democratic Nepal and has since been isolated from the majority of its people, to the extent that the Maoists themselves – the anti-thesis of a free and democratic republic – are taking the cudgels for the monarchy and the mainstream political parties’ patent inability in enforcing a true democratic system that would truly benefit, in political and economic terms, the lives of the people, as it has been the revolutionary movement that has been able to create unities between castes and mobilize the minorities into action in fulfillment of their democratic hopes and aspirations.Bangladesh – The Problems of Transition from Authoritarian RuleBangladesh democracy is also in peril, with the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in their country in a backdrop of intense political bickerings among mainstream political parties that has led to relentless political crises. In 2005, the mainstream opposition continued its boycott of the Parliament, including massive street protests to force the ouster of the sitting government. Bangladesh also saw the rise in extrajudicial killings of more than three hundred persons in the span of a few months, notwithstanding the unprecedented death sentences on twenty-two persons for the murder of an oppositionist in Parliament. (Riaz 2006) The Ahmadiyyas, a Muslim subsect, have also been the target of political persecution from all fronts, that radical fundamentalists attacking the Ahmadiyyas are being helped even by Bangladeshi security forces in pulling down signboards of Ahamdiyya mosqes. (Riaz 2006) More so, Bangladesh again topped the list, for the last five years, of Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (Riaz 2006)Nonetheless, all of these seem to be part of the continuing struggle of the Bangladeshi peop le in the path towards democratization, especially in the light of the long experience of the country under authoritarian rule, that the executive branch in government still tends to over-extend its powers despite the existence of a parliament and judiciary to maintain the checks and balances in government. (Datta) More so, because of this difficult transition to democracy, a true democratic culture within Bangladeshi society has not been created yet, that even the very concept of separation of powers and the system of checks and balances have yet to truly take root, especially when assertions of general corruption in high and low offices of government abound, with even the international community convinced of such a phenomenon in the Bangladeshi government. (Datta)ConclusionIn both states, it is clear that governments, past and present, have been clearly unable to establish and sustain a democracy that will truly serve the needs of their people, especially in societies replete with generations of ethnic discrimination and caste oppression, to the extent that a real national identity of Nepalese and Bangladeshis has never been created, except for these societies as a heterogeneous mix of people from different social groupings.   It must be definitely noted, however, that the foudning of democracy in regions that have been beset with decades of socio-economic and cultural contradictions would definitely find difficulty in such an undertaking.The leading state actors in these countries must be able to sufficiently convince their people that building a true democracy is beyond the internal prejudices between classes and ethnic groups and instead founded on libertarian principles of social justice and the rule of law that knows no race nor creed, but only the upliftment of the lives of a society’s people and their pursuit of happiness and dignity, as individuals and as a people.

Kurdish Terrorism in Turkey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kurdish Terrorism in Turkey - Essay Example Many are known to have prospered in this region, with some acquiring higher education to become doctors and government officers amongst other professions such as teaching. Those who remain in the Eastern part are usually compelled by circumstances to join the guerrilla forces of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), which claims to fight for the right of the Kurdish people in the region which is largely under developed. This essay is a critical evaluation of Kurdish terrorism in Turkey. The manifestation of the issue in world politics has been explained using the liberalist as well as the realist point of view (Saeedpour and Beaudin 2003 p. 178). The remote Eastern part of Turkey lacks basic infrastructure that can encourage investment in the region. The Kurds view this as a result of government’s negligence and thus it forms the basis of their complaints (Edgar 1996 p. 339). The government favors the Kurds who do not assert their Kurdish nationality. These are mainly those who have migrated to the developed Western region of the country. This is one of the main factors that contribute to terrorism, being retaliation for the denial of what the Kurds regard as their rightfully owned country. The optimism that the terrorists in Turkey have in regard to the outcome of their struggle forms the basis of their realistic point of view. They believe that they will one day get back what they have been denied for years. The Kurdish terrorists initially demanded that the original names of the Kurdish names be restored. They believe that the names that were instituted by the government lower the dignity of the Kurdish people and that it will be restored once the towns’ real names are re-established. Their grievances are presented through the PKK party which was founded by Abdullah Ocalan, with a philosophy based on Kurdish nationalism. This party was mainly focused on the establishing a Kurdish nation believing that this would present them with a chance to manage

Performance mgmt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Performance mgmt - Essay Example The suggested style is to begin by leading through example among managers and understanding why the difficult employees behave like they do. In the course of this understanding, root causes will be unearthed and lasting solutions found for the growth and profitability of the enterprise. 1. Pay attention: to correct unwanted employee behavior, it is important that the responsible managers do not ignore the difficult employees when they act inappropriately. By yelling at these staff, the root causes of their actions will not be identified and the end result being lack of productivity and further rebellion. 2. Take immediate action: Managers should act as soon as possible on poor behavior when evidence of such is witnessed. Failure to act in real time will lead to further escalation of the problem. It is sometime notable that a number of employees with misconduct issues do not realize that their actions are offensive to others around them and therefore immediate action goes a long way in bringing to their attention the wrongs in their actions for subsequent corrections. 3. Carry out a personal investigation of the problem: After sufficient investigation by the manager, it is important that he calls the person to a private meeting to find out if he knows about the said misbehavior. If it is determined that he is not aware of the conducts as inappropriate, then a clear explanation should be made to him on what is considered appropriate and what is not (Williams, p 48). The employee should in this meeting be given the chance to respond to the allegations by the manager to help further shed light into the root causes of the problem. 4. Provide support: It is the responsibility of managers upon taking note of negative behaviors and discussing them with the affected discussing employee to initiate a coaching program aimed at helping these members of staff adopt better and acceptable behavior in work places. It is