Popular Music As Vehicle Of Popular Culture - 4053 Words

POPULAR MUSIC AS VEHICLE OF POPULAR CULTURE, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO CONTEMPORARY MIZO CULTURE By Lalven Sanga INTRODUCTION The rapid growth of communication and development of media brought about changes to the human culture and societies. The study of culture is more complex than ever before. Richard H. Robbins says, â€Å"In cultural anthropology, as in every science, we strive to look beyond the world of everyday experiences to discover the patterns and meanings that lie behind that world.† What lies behind the force and development of contemporary culture of the Mizo - how popular music can serve as an elements or a sub culture of the global popular culture, is what I seek to find here. Due to the advancement of technologies and mass communication system that reaches almost every corner of Mizoram, it is important to research on the media that is significant to the Mizo culture. In this research, I look at the backgrounds, definitions, anthropological approaches for my thesis, and how popular music and popular culture interacts in Mizo culture. I. DIMENSION OF CROSS-CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND POPULAR MUSIC Ted C. Lewis says, â€Å"The emerging anthropology of globalization represents a convergence of a number of interlinked changes in the anthropologist’s scholarship, especially in subject matter, theory, the conceptualization of culture, and the ways that data are collected and analyzed.† Traditional anthropology focus and look on the effects of globalization onShow MoreRelatedThe Culture Of Popular Culture860 Words   |  4 PagesStudying popular culture reveals the culture of society at the time. Further, popular culture reveals the underlying belief, power structures, and philosophical and moral frame of the society that produces those cultural products. Studying popular culture gives us an accessible vehicle through which to explore philosophical and moral questions, as well as the functioning of society on a smaller scale (fan based, consumption), through which we can make larger assumptions. Studies of popular cultureRead MoreThe Western Culture : Cultural Imperialism1169 Words   |  5 Pagesspread of ideas and cultures across countries and continents on a new scale never seen before. The spread of culture began a long time ago with people sailing around the world in search of adventure and resources. People were able to interact and share cultural beliefs and practices with dominant cultures imposing themselves on less dominating cultures. Countries that had more economic power than others, and those cultures that viewed themselves as more civilized imposed their cultures on countries thatRead MoreSpending by university students has been known as a significant component of entire consumer900 Words   |  4 Pagesup-to-date income and possessions. Definition: Popular culture is the accumulated store of cultural products such as music, art, literature, fashion, dance, film, television, and radio that are consumed primarily by non-elite groups such as the working, lower, and middle class. There are two opposing sociological arguments in relation to popular culture. One argument is that popular culture is used by the elites (who tend to control the mass media and popular culture outlets) to control those below them becauseRead MorePopular Music and Politics1091 Words   |  5 Pagesextent is popular music an effective medium of political discourse? It is almost impossible to imagine a life without music. We listen to music for various reasons but most of us listen to it for one simple reason: entertainment. Rhythm and the melody give us great pleasure. Even sometimes we think that certain songs describes our lives and us. When we think deeper about music and its impacts in social life, we realize that music has more functions than entertaining people. Music has beenRead MoreEssay about Afro-Cuban Music638 Words   |  3 PagesAfro-Cuban Music African music has had a major influence on Cuban culture beginning in the early 1550’s through slave trade. Thousands of slaves were brought to Spain in the 1400’s and eventually migrated to Cuba. Since these â€Å"Ladinos† were accustomed to Spanish culture and language, they easily were able to get by in Cuba and even escape slavery. As a result, Slave owners in Cuba brought more slaves directly from Africa. In 1526, a Royal Decree allowed slaves to buy their freedom, resultingRead MoreElvis s Impact On Popular Culture1741 Words   |  7 PagesElvis’s Impact on Popular Culture The foundations of today’s popular music were built by an unlikely source: a poor white boy from Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis Presley’s country roots would become a major factor in his success as the King of Rock and Roll. While it is true that Elvis was not the inventor of rock and roll music, he was the first man to introduce postwar youth to the genre that would revolutionize American culture. The role Elvis Presley played in the evolution of popular music is unprecedentedRead MoreThe Discourse Of Authenticity Within The Music Industry1235 Words   |  5 PagesThe discourse of authenticity in mass music culture has consistently been a recurring topic; from the mid-1960s onwards, the rise of rock n’ roll intensified a strong culture explicitly concerned with the authenticity of musical artists.1 Remaining increasingly valued, a certain popular music approach emerged, privileging anti-commercial, direct relationships between the autonomous act and its audience 2 over manufactured, commoditized acts mediated before cultural consumption. The conflict betweenRead MoreMusic Integration : Balance Between Western Music Culture And Other Music Cultures Essay1496 Words   |  6 PagesMusic Integration: Balance between western music culture and other music cultures Introduction Nowadays, with the development of the transportation and network, people can be easily exposed to different cultures from all over the world. It leads to a problem that how to set some criterions when different cultures has their own ways to measure. The culture also includes music culture. Michael B. Bakan states in his book that the term music is inescapably tied to Western culture and its assumptionsRead MoreBeing An Other : Race And American Culture1390 Words   |  6 Pagesthat those people have come to be associated with. These false representations did not come from popular culture alone, but popular culture continues to reinforce stereotypes that cause individuals to judge others based on their appearance, and how they believe that individual should behave based on their race or socioeconomic status . Michael Omi’s article,†In Living Color: Race and American Culture†, he argues that â€Å"film and television have been notorious in disseminating i mages of racial minoritiesRead MoreCultural Event.786 Words   |  4 PagesCultural Event Report: HUM 112 – World Cultures II Abstract Cultural education and appreciation influence economic growth and advance a rewarding intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life of a people. Community development is a collaborative and facilitative process undertaken by the community that shares a common purpose of building capacity. The mission of the All Cameroonian Cultural amp; Development Foundation (ACCDF) combines cultural sustenance and community development to promote

Christopher Columbus vs. Alvez Nunez Cabeza de Vaca Essay

Christopher Columbus and Alvez Nunez Cabeza de Vaca were both explorers for Spain, but under different rulers and different times. The more famous, Christopher Columbus, came before de Vaca’s time. Columbus sailed a series of four voyages between 1492 and 1504 in search for a route to Asia which led accidentally to his discovery of new land inhabited with Indians. Christopher sailed under the Spanish monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella for his journey to the â€Å"Indies,† whom he was loyal to by claiming everything in their name. De Vaca , followed in Christopher’s footsteps and journeyed to Hispanionola for Spain’s emperor, Charlves V, the grandson of Ferdinand and Isabella. Both, Columbus and de Vaca composed a series of letters addressing the†¦show more content†¦During his fourth voyage, Christopher endured many hazards, like imprisonment, which triggered him to compose a letter filled with his many accomplishments that he believes went unnotice d. Columbus had hopes that this will generate some sort of pity from the monarchs. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca wrote his letters for entirely different reasons. His sole purpose was to inform others (of his sufferings and his discoveries of the Native Americans). He also wanted to â€Å"justify his conclusions regarding Spanish policy and behavior in America† which is mainly addressed to Charles V. De Vaca believes that â€Å"[his] only remaining duty is to transmit what [he] saw and heard in the nine years [he] wandered lost and miserable over many remote lands.† Therefore, he conveys to Charles V the many incidents that occurred throughout his struggle for survival while in Texas. In De Vaca’s opinion, he thinks that the information he is revealing will be useful to others and will be â€Å"of no trivial value for those who go in [his majesty’s] name to subdue countries.† The descriptions which Christopher Columbus and Alvez de Vaca reveal are entirely different. Columbus wrote information that was insignificant. His explanations are very vague and are only somewhat in depth when something interests him greatly, like

Grotowski Free Essays

Drama Essay How theatre is made interesting by the way it is staged is by using a variety of techniques to intrigue viewers and audience members from just a platform stage and some actors to something unique and interesting. Grotowski believed to be interesting it did not need lighting, effects, costumes, makeup, props, costumes or scenery. This was regarded as poor theatre as funding was barely needed and stuck to its name still today. We will write a custom essay sample on Grotowski or any similar topic only for you Order Now The minimal use of props meant that the same prop could be used as many different things; He also encouraged the use of music especially ritual music because it was successful in affecting the audience is different ways. Another technique Grotowski and Artaud taught his actors to portray real emotions to their scene as opposed to pretending. In my performance we created a series of small scenes directed and played like a poor theatre play would have been in Artaud and Grotowski time. Using the techniques learned in class of Artaud and Grotowski. Our scene developed through the idea of the word power trying to deliver a message to the audience. The several little scenes we developed with smooth transactions in between them without lights on /lights off like Growtaski did between his scenes. In each scene portraying the different aspects of power. In positive ways and negative ways. We did not wear costumes as we were playing many different characters in a short period of time and costume change would of taken to long as we were on stage at all time like Artaud actors where. So we simply wore black clothing to make us neutral and easier to believe the character we were representing. To come up with the our theme of power our teacher made us create a mind map of the Phrase â€Å"back in the day† and bounce off ideas of what it meant to us. We use this phrase for our first scene which had no script. We took the characters of apes in a time before humans and showed how power and dominance existed before human time. Having the use of no costumes, no stage props and no custom lighting. The audience focus is directed all towards the actors. So it is all through the actors that the audience can understand the play and believe it the way we want them to. We used one prop that had no use or meaning by itself until it was used. A fabricated simple ball that we used differently in every scene. We did not want to show a clear description of the object and wanted to let the audience imagine what it is for themself. For example in the first scene we made the audience believe the object was just a significant and important item to the apes and they could then imagine what the item was themself, Each ape wanted to hold on to the item and the ape holding the object would of had power over the others. The item was then transform as a microphone in the scene of a president speech and then transform again as illegal drugs to be then used into a fashion statement in the end. Why Artaud and Growtaski techniques of staging were successful was the involvement of the audience. The people coming to see the play where part of the performance and where all on their toes not knowing was going to come at them. Our group goal in involving the audience was to surprise them in every way we could. The scene opened with one of our member Connor in the character of an ape playing with the object while audience attention was drawn to him they did not expect the two other apes sneaking up behind them to sniff them pull their hair and reowr at them. This was successful as we created surprise and laughter. The audience where sited towards the stage with a gap in the middle to make our new entrances. How to interact with the audience are not only the actors coming to audience but the audience on stage. We even dragged audience members on stage to be pretend slapped and humiliated in not a mean way and of course we did not hurt the audience in anyway. In conclusion even though poor theatre is harder for the actors to portray a character without the use of a costume, props, lighting or stage design. This raw theatre is easily just as entertaining for an audience through the way it is created. How to cite Grotowski, Papers

My Precious Daughter free essay sample

I have been through a lot, both good and bad. The one thing that changed my life is the day my precious daughter was born. Seeing her for the first time after waiting 9 long months changed my whole outlook on life instantly. Some people wonder how can you love and care about something so small. A baby is not a thing. A baby is a part of you that will never go away! My daughter was born April 6, 2012 at 10:21 am. She was BBS sizes and 18 h inches long.After 9 long months of waiting, y daughter finally came into this world. It was the best day of my life. I was the first person to hold her after she came out. Holding her I didnt want to put her down. I was so excited and overwhelmed by that fact that my baby girl was finally here where I could hold her. We will write a custom essay sample on My Precious Daughter or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Seeing her looked like I was looking in a mirror. She was born 100% healthy in all aspects. We named her Aryan. We named her after her godfather RIP Nicholas S. Carnet. Thats how we came up with Nicole. My daughter being born changed my life and my whole outlook on life.I learned that a tot of the things our parents told us when we were younger like, get good grades, show respect for people and always be nice to everyone wasnt to be mean or bad parents, it was because they love us. A parents love for their child/children is unconditional. My daughter means the world to me and I would go to the end of the earth for her. In conclusion, to my essay my daughter Is my world and I would do anything to protect her, love her, care for her and anything to make sure she wants for nothing. She has my heart and having her changed my life and I wouldnt change It back or for the worse ever again!

Impact of illegal immigrants on America

Table of Contents Introduction Background information on illegal immigrants Impact of illegal immigrants/findings Implications Conclusion Works Cited Introduction The question of illegal immigrants has been a serious issue for some analysts in the country. While most citizens would see them as dangerous individuals, invading the country to secure jobs from them and control criminal activities, other stakeholder mark their importance in the economy. How they hurt America may take different viewpoints depending on the preceptor and attitudes that one has traditionally believed. Illegal immigrants may be defined differently, depending on their unlawful nature. In as much as a high number of immigrants are in the country, their presence has a significant implication on the population ranging from the economy, politics and societal factors; these factors are often viewed differently by different components of the society.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Impact of illegal immigrants on America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Background information on illegal immigrants Unlawful settlers are essentially people who meet the borders without proper authority, and so their overall impression as criminals. This form of migration goes against national policies and immigration laws (Camarota). There are several types of immigrants who enter the country with different objectives. Some stay permanently, while others cross the border to fulfill interim goals. The largest numbers of immigrants by country of origin come from Mexico. Guatemala, India and china have also reported large numbers. There are three indicators through which a person may be termed as an illegal immigrant; unauthorized crossing of borders, overstaying in a country beyond the legally allowed time, or through desecration of any laws of disclosure (FAIR). They vary, from those who legally cross borders without inspection, to those who get smuggled in containers. Those who overstay their permitted extent are averagely better educated and monetarily secure than those who illegally cross the border. Impact of illegal immigrants/findings Most forbidden immigrants steal jobs or the name of ordinary citizens who are arguably too tired to work. Some companies, operating with judicial employees, are faced with competition from such individuals who run organizations with immigrants, who are commonly underpaid, pay less levies and are comfortable working in appalling states (Camarota). Thousands of prisoners are held captive each year as illegal immigrants, mostly using advanced technology, which is expensive to maintain. Those who are captured while gaining entry into the country have to be accommodated in prison. There are some who access entry in order to gain some illegal objectives (FAIR). Drug and human trafficking are related activities that most barons undertake. Others have a violent nature which may re sult in violation or kidnap activities. They desire to get a better living, and hence go to any extents, thus may be found guilty of murder. The relationship between illegal immigrants and evil has always been cited. The 9/11 attack has vastly been blamed on these characters. Were there strict measures to curb them from crossing the border, preliminary activities on how they could choose where to foster their subversive activities could have been halted.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thousands of immigrants residing in Las Vegas valley lost their construction jobs due to a dip in the new housing market (Pratt). As a result, they could not distribute money in the local economy as they used to; further, many of them left the area. The effects of their lost wages and their spending on the administration’s income were felt, impairing some of the basic services r endered to legal citizens. The impact of the cost of illegal immigrants to the community has therefore not been clearly comprehended. Illegal immigrants who have been lately integrating with locals are better educated than the previous lot, better equipped with an academy education, and in search of better service opportunities. However, huge bulks of the unauthorized immigrants have lower education levels than the native (Normandi). They work in industries and commercial-related centers, including repair and agriculture. A study covered by the NAS signifies that their excise do not consider the fee of services they entertain. The report further states that Americans cannot be offered superior-quality training, retirement security and appropriate nursing if the country continues to admit underprivileged and inexperienced immigrants. They are also pleased to work for lower wages, hence depressing the salaries of legal citizens (Camarota). Illegal immigration increases the nation†™s population, usually inappropriately as some of them may be undocumented. Implications Hosting each of these individuals in prison costs thousands of dollars, which could have been invested elsewhere were there no illegal immigrants. Had there been better control over the borders, such aliens with terrorist mind could not have committed such heinous acts. Their presence in the country is thus seen as a probable peril to the wellbeing of Americans. From the free trade area of view, unrestricted migration and illicit migration lead to increased productivity, increased earnings and consumer spending, and ultimately lowers employment levels (Normandi). If these undocumented immigrants are forced out of the country, the state would lose some jobs and billions in cash (Pratt). The amount of money circulating in the economy would no longer be available, and less money would be transacted in design of consumer spending and overseas transfers. Pratt further elucidates that more than 50% of construction workers and manual laborers in most states are not legal citizens.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Impact of illegal immigrants on America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the lack of documentation of these individuals poses a greater harm to the population. Economists and psychoanalysts thus cannot see the risk of losing them (Camarota). Most Americans will also complain about their presence without realizing how the economy may experience a dip without illegal immigrants. According to the findings of the Perryman group, an organization reputable in economic explorations, the state would lose close to 3 million jobs and  ½ trillion dollars in circulation without the presence of these characters. These loses would ripple through the economy, as the companies and industries which depend on their services would fail (Pratt). The harm that these aliens cause is mostly felt by poo r Americans. Children and minorities will also test the brunt, as they contend for social services. These individuals in vulnerable sectors of the economy feel the impact of dishonest immigrants on local resources (FAIR). An all-inclusive program to control illegal immigration must therefore be formulated. It may require plenty of resources to check their access, but ensuring that they do not falsify documents to obtain employment or operate any public services that tax-payers guarantee (FAIR). Controlling this migration goes further than restricting the volume, but the government substantially involving intelligence capacities to ensure that illegal immigrants do not abuse its citizens. Conclusion It may be argued that it is the individuals hiring the illegal immigrants who are harming America in their desire for cheap labor. Most of these people enter the country in search of opportunities to improve their lives, and in no way do they intend to harm Americans (Camarota). They are usually more hard working than the average citizen who has a university education, because of their desire to succeed and escape poverty. The term ‘illegal’ is what makes these individuals look worthless. While they may disrupt the economy in forms of record keeping and budgetary allocations in the society, they in fact stimulate the economy. Measures to ensure that such individuals enter the country legally, and proper documentation is done must therefore be formulated.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Camarota, Steven. The high cost of cheap labor: illegal immigration and the federal budget. Center for immigration studies, August, 2004. Web. Available at https://cis.org/Report/High-Cost-Cheap-Labor FAIR. Illegal immigration is a crime. Federation for American immigration reform: issue brief. March 2003. Web. Normandin, Ryan. Opinion: illegal immigration: it’s illegal. The Tech, online edition, January 13, 2010. Web. Available at https://thetech.com/2010/01/13/normandin-v129-n61 Pratt, Timothy. Report: illegal immigrants contribute billions to state. Las Vegas sun: Housing, Jobs. May 23, 2008. Web. Available at https://lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/23/report-illegal-immigrants-contribute-billions-stat/ This research paper on Impact of illegal immigrants on America was written and submitted by user Joe A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

JFK Assassinaton essays

JFK Assassinaton essays If Lee Harvey Oswald killed J.F.K. and it wasnt a conspiracy, then why is the government still withholding reports done on the assassination from the publics eyes, in the FBIs possession? President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 on November 22. He was elected president in 1961. First he was a senator. Then he went straight from Capitol Hill to the White House. Robert Kennedy was attorney general and was J. F. K.'s brother. He was head of the investigation of the assassination after Kennedy was killed (3: 1-5). Both Robert and J. F. K. knew that people wanted to kill them. J. F. K. didnt worry about it. But after John F. Kennedy was killed, his brother Robert Kennedy ordered that the casket was to be kept closed to public viewing. Robert thought it would have been him to get killed first, not his brother (5: 83). Robert encouraged his brother to sign three anti-crime bills. The bills targeted organized crime. They were used to stop gambling or at least crack down on it (7: NP). But even with the bills, the FBI director, Hoover, was afraid to go after the mob before the assassination because he thought his agents would become corrupt, and because Castro knew about the conspiracy against him. Hoover even told his agents that if the Mafia caught them, they would be fired and would be treated as a renegade (5: 84). The government didnt approve of the crack down on the mob that was in America. Teddy Kennedy loved busting the Mafia. People like Jimmy Hoffa. Even Frank Sinatra became close friends with Teddy, even made trips to the White House (3: 12-18). But just like his brother John, Robert was also killed (3: 105). After the assassination Robert carried on the bills and got killed also (3: 105). In 1962 Cuba was known to have missiles from the Soviet Union in Cuba. They thought Cuba or the Soviet Union would make a nuclear strike. Accused of helping the soviet union wage war o...

EMPLOYMENT LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

EMPLOYMENT LAW - Essay Example The employee should be provided with 28 paid holidays and only be working for 48 hours in a week and the extension of the hour can only be made with consent of the employee, which is mentioned in Working Time Regulations Act 1998. The Employment Rights Act 1996 states that an employee has the right to avail leave for child care and request for flexible working hours. The Act also states that if the employer dismisses the employee from work, the employer needs to provide a concrete reason for the dismissal along with the payment that needs to be settled with the employee. According to the Act the employer cannot remove the employee from the service with unfair reasoning. In case there is a taken over of the company by another company there should not be worsening of the terms of employment, which includes the dismissal as well without a proper organizational, technical or economic reason. This employment right is protected by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Reg ulations 2006. According to section 1 of Employment Rights Act 1996 the employer needs to provide the contractual terms and conditions of the employment to employee in written. However, there are exceptions to this law. There is a provision under section 2(4) of the Act to provide the statement in installment. However, the statement should be given within two months of the employment. In the year 2010, Equality Act has been employed in the Employment Law of the UK. This act is way beyond employment, which provides access to both public and private services. According to this Act all the employees should get equal treatment irrespective of their gender, race, sexual preference or orientation, religious belief, age etc. These are some major perspectives of the Equality Directives of the Equality Act 20103. The Equality Act 2010 goes beyond the absolute discrimination and fights the discriminations that are made based on race, gender including pregnancy, belief, sexuality including

Imprisonment Rates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Imprisonment Rates - Essay Example Chapter two presents the real statistical data as it relates to the actual crimes investigated. Here the categories of crimes i.e. violent crime and Property crimes together with the places of their occurrence are recorded and studied. The analysis offers a critical analysis of the criminal data provided assessing their validity and also offers a better understanding of the reality as presented by other researchers. Here, a contrast is drawn when comparing the various sources used In the recent past, crime in Western Australia has been on a downward trend even as the volume and rate vary widely. This has been studied through the Australian Crime: Facts & Figures which employs information gathered from a wide range of sources to generate a holistic and accurate description of criminal justice issues and crime in Western Australia. This work presents extensive information on the trends and patterns concerning specific crimes and the location of criminal acts. The information given here follows consent given by the criminal justices agencies including the Western Australia police department and correction agencies and the district court of Western Australia. Most basic information comes from administrative collections like the police and courts that are entitled to maintain data on the population coming into contact with the criminal justice system. In this study the Western Australia police department and correction agencies and the district court of Western Australia offered a great deal of information. Additional information was collected from Crime victimization surveys used to prepare an annual edition of Australian crime: Facts & figures. This includes the Crime Victimization survey carried out by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Drug Use Monitoring in Australia survey conducted by the AIC. Violent crimes take in cases of assault, homicides, robbery and kidnapping, sexual assault. Here it should be noted that

Housing Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Housing Industry - Essay Example The increase in the number of household is as a result of population growth and migration and this in turn results inot an increase in the demand for houses. In 2006 the total number of houses in England was 21,989 thousand according to table 3.1, an analysis of the various regions it was evident that majority of these dwellings which is 16% were located in south east while only 5% of these dwellings were located in the north east region. (Calculations in appendixes 1) The following chart demonstrates the total number of dwellings in thousands for each region in 2006. It is evident from the chart that majority of dwellings are located in the south east and London which is 16% and 15% respectively of total dwellings in England. The following is an analysis of the total number of dwellings in the regions for the year 1996 and the year 2006(calculations in appendixes 2). From the above chart it is evident that each region has experienced an increase in the number of dwellings, however some regions have higher increase than other regions especially the South east region has the highest increase in the number of houses while the north east region has the lowest increase in the numbe... The north east region and the south east region: Percentages of the total for each year: From the above chart it is evident that there has been a decline in the percentage of the total for the South east region whereas there has been a relatively low decline in the percentage of the total for the North East region, however from the trend it is evident that the South east region has maintained a relatively high percentage of the total over the years compared to the North East region. Calculations in appendix 3. Trend in the number of houses in the N. east region and the S. east region: The following chart summarizes the trend in the number of houses in the N. east region: From the above chart it is evident that there has been an increase in the number of houses in the N. east region over the years. From the above chart it is evident that there has been a gradual increase in the number of houses in the S. east region over the years. Moving averages: We now analyze the moving average for the two regions over the years. The following table summarizes the simple centered 3 step moving average for the N. east region from the year 1997 to 2005: (calculations in appendix 4) N. East N. East moving average 1996 1,094 1997 1,100 1099.333 1998 1,104 1104 1999 1,108 1108 2000 1,112 1111.667 2001 1,115 1115 2002 1,118 1118.333 2003 1,122 1122 2004 1,126 1126.333 2005 1,131 1131.333 2006 1,137 The data is summarized by the following chart: The above line chart shows the 3 period centered moving average and the total number of houses in the N. East region. The following table summarizes the simple centered 3 step moving average for the S. east region from the year

Racial Stereotypes in Disney Films

Racial Stereotypes in Disney Films Henry Giroux, in his essay Animating Youth: The Disnification Of Childrens Culture, refers to Disney films as one of the primary institutions constructing childhood culture in the United States. But by the nineties, even the urban Indian child had access to the aura of innocence and wholesome adventure that Disney animated features supposedly exhibited. Fairytale adaptations such as Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs(1937), became immensely popular and as the 22 Billion Dollar Disney enterprise furthered its ventures, Disney films became synonymous with well loved Childrens movies, both abroad and at home. The objective of Disney films was to transport its viewers to a magical realm of enchantment and endless possibility. Disney offered a supposed alternate paradigm in which there was the promise of a Happily Ever After. It aimed at appealing to audiences young and old and hoped to find a universal market. Walt Disney once stated that Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood language. And although it did reach audiences far and wide, for a young Indian girl watching The 1937 Disney adaptation of Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, it gave her very little to identify with or relate to. Snow White, the first on-screen Disney Princess was rendered With lips as red as rubies and skin as fair as snow. Blatantly epitomising Western ideas of femininity and beauty, films like Snow White alienated the Non-western viewer. It was a fantasy that was centred on fixed archetypes of beauty and desirability which catered to the white, western population and had no room for anybody else. Eventually, the industry was criticised for its focus on a singular ethos and racial presentation. Thus, the last decade of the 20th century saw Walt Disney Pictures release films that were now aimed at broadening its cultural spectrum. Alladin, debuted as Disneys first attempt to explore a different cultural terrain. Released in 1992, it was later followed by other culture specific films like Mulan and Pocahontas which opened in cinemas in 1998 and 1995 respectively. Although this new brand of films hoped to establish a sense of cultural inclusivity by venturing beyond the Western World, what became clearly evident in the process, was a heavy dependence on Despite an apparent interest in spreading the knowledge of distant cultures, these films drew excessively on racial stereotypes and produced a largely distorted idea of the cultures they depicted. Elena Di Giovanni, in her essay Disney Films: Reflections of the Other and the Self, notes that Disneys selection of certain cultures which it chose to portray, was not a choice that was arbitrary and unplanned. According to Di Giovanni, the reasons for selecting these cultures can be ascribed to precise cultural and ideological strategies. The cultures depicted in these films are either conventionally considered to be somehow inferior if juxtaposed with modern Western Civilisations and to the narrating American culture in particular, as suggested by the Saudi Arabian-born scholar Ziauddin Sardar. Otherwise,they refer to prior stages of social and cultural development in comparison to the contemporary American standards. These films rely almost exclusively on conventional cultural metonymies to build the representations of the Other. In historical terms, the tradition of representing otherness through a filtered Gaze finds its roots in Western colonialism. With consolidated efforts made by the colonizers to impose their own cultural, linguistic parameters on the subjugated populations of the so-called East, moulding the image of the Other according to their own needs was a means to reinforce their own identity and supremacy. The dissemination of biased representations of non-Western cultures flourished even beyond the decades of colonial expansion, manifesting itself in various different forms, ranging from pop culture to international relations. One of the first scholars to give a sharp account of these biased cultural encounters was Edward Said in Orientalisrn(1978). Even though primarily concerned with tracing the history of the Orientalist attitude by the West in literature, Said does not fail to consider the importance of new technologies and the media in the proliferation of this unjust tradition: One aspect of the electronic, post-modern world is that there has been a reinforcement of the stereotypes by which the Orient is viewed. Television, films, and all the medias resources have forced information into more and more standardized moulds. More recently, Ziauddin Sardar has echoed similar ideas in his 1999 publication of Orientalism, a book he writes, as assort of tribute to Saids work, therefore titling it the same. The main interest of Sardars book, whose approach is even harsher than Saids, lies in his detailed reflections upon the new, modern ways by which the Orientalist attitude manifests itself and is still spreading nowadays. By way of introduction to his work, Sardar declares that even though the project of Orientalism has way passed its sell by date, it is colonizing new territories, such new territories being related to the new geographies which are shaped and controlled by contemporary means of mass cornmunication like the cinema. A whole chapter of Sardars work is devoted to Orientalism in films, where the author sets out to explore the treatment and manipulation of other cultures within the discourse of cinema, across different genres, including cartoons, and where he makes ample reference to the Americ an hegemonic control of the cinematic medium. Sardar states that otherness is generally treated as a pattern book from which strands can be taken to draw up cultural representations which serve the purpose of entertaining audiences while reinforcing, by contrast, the superiority of the narrating culture. Thus, the the commodification of culture takes place whereby visual and verbal elements belonging to a distant world are taken and made suitable for smooth reception within more powerful socio-cultural settings. Aladdin, which was based on the Arab  folktale  of  Aladdin and the magic lamp  from One Thousand and One Nights, became the most successful film of 1992, grossing over $502 million worldwide. However, almost instantly, it was met with criticism from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. The movie quite literally translated into an Orientalist fantasy. With glaringly derogatory depictions of Arab culture, and a few pointedly offensive remarks, the movie has gone down in history as one of the most controversial films. The film portrays all Arab men as street thugs, pickpockets, emasculated palace guards, beggars, sultans, or sorcerers. A male character early in the film even declares to his master upon stealing a jewel, I had to slit a few throats, but I got it. The men are short and stocky with thick lips, missing teeth, heavy, menacing brows, and hooked noses, while the hero Aladdin and heroine Jasmine look like suburban, white, U.S. teenagers.  Jasmine, though sporting dark flowing hair and with darker skin than her counterpart princesses in earlier films, still retains blue eyes. Though Jasmine must represent the Arabian heritage, the films producers seem to find it necessary to leave at least a vestige of tangibility that Western audiences can relate to. In the same vein, the character of Alladin, seems to disinherit his Arabian roots, as hes cleverly christened Al, and exhibits distinctly American mannerisms throughout the film. What one is left to ponder is whether these characters would have appealed to western audiences, had they not been endowed with these traits? And if so, why? Arabs are shown as gratuitously cruel, with characters making several references to beheading. One Arab merchant even tries to cut off Jasmines hand when she doesnt have money to pay for an apple she gave to a hungry boy.   Most noteworthy, however is the opening sequence of the film, which was later revised due to harsh criticism and protests. Aladdin  opens with the expository song Arabian Nights which includes the lyrics PEDDLER: Oh I come from a land From a faraway place Where the caravan camels roam Where they cut off your ear If they dont like your face Its barbaric, but hey, its home The blatantly offensive final line had to be eliminated from the home video version of the film as a consequence of the numerous protests the Disney Company received after international release. However, all the other subtle and indirect hints at the American cultures position of supremacy over the narrated Other, which is deliberately kept ambiguous and undefined in historical-geographical terms, remain untouched, and continue to carefully shape the viewers perception. One of these subtle instances in the movie can be seen in the same opening sequence. The first words which are uttered by the peddler contain an unmistakable, conventional reference to the culture portrayed: PEDDLER: Ah, Salaam and good evening to you worthy friends. The worldwide-known Arabic greeting is, however, immediately followed by good evening, as if to compensate even for the faintest sense of estrangement the viewer might feel upon hearing salaam. Orientalist preconceptions find their way into the Disney adaptation of the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan. Walt Disney Pictures released Mulan in June, 1998 and it was the thirty sixth animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics. Mulan, which was once again infused with orientalist imagining of culture, uses a host of long-established, worldwide-known stereotypes on the visual as well as verbal levels. As Elina Di Giovanni points out, cultural metonymies are very often related to specific domains such as food, which provides universally identifiable socio-cultural references and ensures easy, if strongly stereotyped identification of different nations and peoples. In the case of verbal stereotypes, references to other cultures clichà ©d words and expressions tend to draw from common categories such as greetings, exclamations and titles. Greetings and exclamations, though not necessarily connected to the stereotyping of cultures, can nonetheless be frequently used to support cultural representations as they ensure simple and immediate identification. In the opening sequence of Mulan, the 1998 film which portrays the Chinese culture at the time of the invasions by the Huns, the visual and verbal cultural stereotypes employed do not contain any derogatory reference, but they are equally highly conventional. An instance of this can be seen in the portrayal and dialogue of the emperor of China who, incidentally, is always shown with the image of a golden dragon at his back to address his army generals in a situation of emergency. He is shown to exhibit a typical trait which is often associated with the Chinese culture, using words of wisdom to describe the fate of his country: EMPEROR: single grain of rice can tip the scale Moreover, one can note that the reference to the most popular element of the Chinese culinary tradition does not appear by coincidence in the emperors line. The shot which immediately follows features a large bowl of rice in the foreground with a pair of chopsticks lazily picking at the rice. This image is used in the film to introduce the protagonist herself, who will be very slowly revealed to the audience starting from her hand holding the chopsticks. But even more noteworthy, is that fact that the bowl of rice which alluded to in the beginning by the Emperor, and used in the introducing of the protagonist, Mulan is then later appropriated to serve American cultural interests by replacing the contents of the bowl(rice), with porridge and rashers of bacon and fried eggs, which make up Mulans breakfast. The bowl which contained rice in the opening scene has been deprived of its typical, if also highly conventional, Chinese content to be replaced by what looks more familiar to the American viewers, although totally remote from the eating habits of Chinese soldiers. Moving from visual to verbal examples, the use of language is an obvious vehicle for further consolidating the presence of American culture. It is worth pointing out that all the main characters in the films, although belonging to distant and exotic worlds, speak with perfect American accents. Moreover, they are very often characterized by the use of non-standard, colloquial or regional varieties of American English. This is the case of the dragon Mushu in Mulan, whose dialogue is generously punctuated with contemporary, informal American expressions. Similarly, in Aladdin, the most striking, informal and modem use of Ameriean English is to be found in the lines uttered by the genie of the lamp, appearing in different guises and often mimicking famous American personalities. His lines are filled with colloquial expressions as well as references to the contemporary American world. Pocahontas, which opened in cinemas in the year 1995, presented a thoroughly revised picture of a historical figure, appropriated suitably to appeal to western audiences. Modelled on the historical Native American figure ,Matoaka, who is more popularly known by the nickname Pocahontas, the film revamps and restructures the story of Pocahontas and showcases it as a tale where a culture under siege by British Colonialism, ends up being rescued by the White Messiah. The film clearly distorts historical facts and produces a tale that is made palatable to western audiences, with the White Settler rescuing the native tribe from a terrible fate, which, interestingly enough, would have been executed by his fellow men. The movie Pocahontas deviates from the true historical story in many ways. The most significant deviation is Pocahontas age and the nature of her relationship with John Smith. In the movie, Pocahontas is portrayed as a twenty year old woman who falls in love with John Smith, and he with her. From what we know of the historical record, she [Pocahontas] was a child when they met, probably between 12 and 14, and Smith was about 27, states Thomasina Jordan, the head of the Virginia Council on Indians, and herself a Wampanoag Native-American. However, it is not just her age that has been altered in the film version. Even her physical appearance is rendered far from factual. The on-screen Pocahontas is designed to be a tall, attractive figure, with dark, flowing hair and sharp features. This depiction in the film has been clearly designed to cater to the male fantasy of the young, exotic woman. Moulded from the Orientalist perspective, she is seen as the enigmatic princess, who captivates the young John Smith with her gentle spirit and exotic beauty. Moreover, the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas, was that of a young girl and an older man. The relationship that the two share in the movie is entirely fictitious and completely inaccurate. Another deviation is John Smiths attitude towards the Native Americans. In the movie, Smith defends the Native-Americans, and dons the mantle of the White Messiah. Abandoning his fellow men, Smith advocates the legitimate right of the natives to possess their own land. He states that the British are the intruders and have no authority to colonise and usurp the land of the natives. This heroism, is however absent in factual accounts of the story. In reality, Smith believed that the English had a right to the land and he was not an advocate for the Native-Americans. Disney also distorts the facts about Governor James Ratcliffe. In the movie they portray him as a villainous character. At the end of the movie he tries to shoot Chief Powatan, but shoots John Smith instead. After he does this, his own men make him a prisoner and send him back to England. However, this is not confirmed in the historical account. Thus, it is evident, that even through Disneys attempt to create a more panoramic view of Society and the world, by retelling tales rooted in different socio-cultutal contexts, it is unable to rid itself of omniscient Western ideals which dictate the ways in which Non-western cultures are received. The non-western cultures can only be understood when either juxtaposed with western traditions or appropriated to appeal to a western audience. The appeal of a non-white prince must be countered with distinctly Americanised mannerisms. Tales from the East seem only to be tangible if they propagate long standing stereotypes and reinforce Orientalist preconceptions. While Disney paints portraits of cultural landscapes and attempts to traverse into the world of The Other, the question remains as to whether it is possible for the West to tell tales of a Non-White civilisation, without all the trappings of stereotypes and exoticism. Can a Media Giant like Disney truly showcase different cultures, without insinuating Western Supremacy over them all? Can they truly paint with all the colours of The Wind? Zoya Parvin Roll No. 19 III A

The History and Theory of Magical Realism Essay -- Literature Magical

The History and Theory of Magical Realism Magical Realism is one of today's most popular subjects in literature to discuss regarding its history and theory of Magical Realism. It began in the Latin culture and now is known word wide for its attributes. Magical Realism is even rivaling some of the great masterpieces of modern and past literature. Someday Magical Realism will be recognized and respected just as the classics are today. Magical Realism supposedly began in 1935 with its golden age occurring between 1940 and 1950.The Magical Realism of Spanish and Latin America can be somewhat attributed to the social, political, and European influence. During the golden age of Magical Realism, Spanish and Latin American writers produced works that would, by some, be considered to be at the same level as the great Italian, French, and English works. Two people have been credited for coining the term Magical Realism, Dudley Fitts and Franz Roh. Which one gets the actual credit would be very difficult to state. However, it is not important who did the deed; it is important the deed was done. Professor Angel Flores remarked that "A Universal History of Infamy," written by Jorges Luis Borges marks the birth Magical Realism (Flores 109-117). Jorges Luis Borge's works are similar the works of Kafka. Both Kafka's and Borge's works reflect a collaboration of realism and fantasy. Before all the greatness of Magical Realism was realized, it was thought that the Spanish and Latin American fiction couldn't produce anything beyond simple works. However, times have changed, an abundance of great works and attributes are derived from the Latin American culture and its writings. Magical realism is the writing of Spanish and Latin American au... ...er's mind. Perhaps in music, Magical Realism has the most effect on the masses. Although most people might not realize they are being affected by Magical Realism, in actuality they are dealing with it everyday. As a conclusion to the statements above, one must remember that Magical Realism is neither Science Fiction nor Magical Literature. Rather, it is in everyday life and is all around. Magical Realism is also not to be underestimated; it includes works, which are legendary. Works Cited Flores, Angel." Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism:Theory, History, Community.Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B.Faris.Durham,N.C.: Duke UP, 1995:109-117. Leal, Luis." Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris.Durham, N.C: Duke UP, 1995:119-124. The History and Theory of Magical Realism Essay -- Literature Magical The History and Theory of Magical Realism Magical Realism is one of today's most popular subjects in literature to discuss regarding its history and theory of Magical Realism. It began in the Latin culture and now is known word wide for its attributes. Magical Realism is even rivaling some of the great masterpieces of modern and past literature. Someday Magical Realism will be recognized and respected just as the classics are today. Magical Realism supposedly began in 1935 with its golden age occurring between 1940 and 1950.The Magical Realism of Spanish and Latin America can be somewhat attributed to the social, political, and European influence. During the golden age of Magical Realism, Spanish and Latin American writers produced works that would, by some, be considered to be at the same level as the great Italian, French, and English works. Two people have been credited for coining the term Magical Realism, Dudley Fitts and Franz Roh. Which one gets the actual credit would be very difficult to state. However, it is not important who did the deed; it is important the deed was done. Professor Angel Flores remarked that "A Universal History of Infamy," written by Jorges Luis Borges marks the birth Magical Realism (Flores 109-117). Jorges Luis Borge's works are similar the works of Kafka. Both Kafka's and Borge's works reflect a collaboration of realism and fantasy. Before all the greatness of Magical Realism was realized, it was thought that the Spanish and Latin American fiction couldn't produce anything beyond simple works. However, times have changed, an abundance of great works and attributes are derived from the Latin American culture and its writings. Magical realism is the writing of Spanish and Latin American au... ...er's mind. Perhaps in music, Magical Realism has the most effect on the masses. Although most people might not realize they are being affected by Magical Realism, in actuality they are dealing with it everyday. As a conclusion to the statements above, one must remember that Magical Realism is neither Science Fiction nor Magical Literature. Rather, it is in everyday life and is all around. Magical Realism is also not to be underestimated; it includes works, which are legendary. Works Cited Flores, Angel." Magical Realism in Spanish American Fiction." Magical Realism:Theory, History, Community.Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B.Faris.Durham,N.C.: Duke UP, 1995:109-117. Leal, Luis." Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris.Durham, N.C: Duke UP, 1995:119-124.