Reflective Portfolio Essay

1) Introduction: In this portfolio, I shall reflect on number of intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies relevant for my professional performance. Reflective learning is an important element of effective performance as research (Brockbank & Mcgill, 2012) has demonstrated that reflective style of learning leads to improvement in a variety of dimensions. While reflecting myself, I am specifically focusing on Emotional Intelligence and Conscientious using Jackson’s hybrid model of learning and conflict resolution to show my interpersonal skills. With a range of questionnaires I answered, it is revealed that I am most deficient in these skills. Moreover I shall assess my socio-cultural implications as a part of a team as well as an individual. Research shows that regardless of my professional occupation, these characteristics are important in shaping my personal life. Through the portfolio my aim is to improve on these key characteristics which are lacking and reflected in my current professional profile. I shall attempt to improve on my self-conceptualization and goals to develop my influence tactics and improve my scores. It shall also help in building good relationships, making rational decisions and consider conflict situation. After achieving such high standards I shall be a successful student and acquire a strong personality to shape my career. 2) Intrapersonal Effectiveness 2.1) Jacksons Model Chris Jackson’s hybrid model of learning in personality strongly argues that individual’s drive as an emotional, goal oriented, conscientious or a deep learning person is what makes him a strong sensation seeker (Jackson, 2005Í ¾ 2008). Jacksons model of learning (Jackson,2005) aims at uniting biological, socio ­cognitive and experiential theories of personality (Jackson, 2005Í ¾ 2008). All the three together make out a perfect outcome of an individual’s profile in accordance to the best way for them to learn (2009c). According to Jackson the level of sensation seeking can create functional or dysfunctional outcomes (Jackson, 2005). Functional outcomes are positive where learners re-express their sensation seeking by socio-cognitive construct such as emotional intelligence and conscientiousness while the dysfunctional outcomes lead to poor job performance and negative results (O’Connor & Jackson, 2008; Jackson, 2011b). To reach my professional goal, th e ability to carve functional outcomes in me and not let the dysfunctional be a hindrance to my achievements will be important and valuable. 2.2) Results According to my Learning Style Profiler (LSP), I am a strong sensation seeker which shows that I have an urge to learn new things and gain knowledge from new experiences (Jackson, 2009c). I am a moderate goal achiever, moderately conscientious and probalby a deep learner. But on the contrary my emotional intelligence makes me dysfunctional. Yet overall I am a Functional learner and my instinctive drive for learning creates opportunities and re-expresses myself to achieve positive outcome (Learning Style Profiler, 2013). The results perfectly illustrate my profile. I have been striving hard and strong to study abroad. I have been giving many entrance exams to live my dream (high sensation seeker). I got rejected and yet kept applying to best of the universities worldwide (moderately goal oriented). The worst part of mine was always losing hope and depending on others for better outcomes (low emotional intelligence). At times all I used to do is make conscientious improvements on my St atement of purpose and prepare a better profile to submit (conscientious). I used to take advices, read knowledgeable materials, and kept trying for the best results (deep learner). 2.3) Emotional Intelligence According to Jacksons hybrid model (Jackson,2005), I have a very low score on my emotional intelligence(EI) scale. A low score in EI leads to lack of autonomy and avoidance of risk taking activity often leading to lessons not learnt from mistakes. So due to lack of risk taking ability and dependence on other people, working as a professional I may face problems being a follower and not showing logical ability to work out decisions(Goleman, 1995). Moreover lack of emotional intelligence wont create a drive in me to tackle situational dillemas and fight out problems, I shall always be afraid to do so (Goleman, 1995). To overcome this greviances I should residue to change. Certain things I shall plan to do are as follows: Physical act of writing is linked to emotional memory and heart, so planning early in the day would reslt in strong output of thoughts (Sterrett, 2000). Looking at situations differently and taking time to analise situations (Sterrett, 2000). 2.4) Sensation Seeker The best part of my personality has been my sensation seeking. I have always been engaged in learning new activities and been part of doing something new. This is what makes me unique. A bad sensation seeker is not only a dysfunctional professional but also a person with behavioral deficiencies (Zuckerman, Delaware, Newart, DE, & US). Being a good sensational seeker I have the advantage to take over and construct Emotional Intelligence deficiencies (Jackson, 2005a; Jackson et al, 2009). Therefore positive outcomes are achieved. 2.5) SMART Goals Goals are perceived, planned and then achieved. The SMART way to achieve goal refers to: S specific M measurable A attainable R   realistic T   timed My goal as a professional has always been expansion of my family business (specific). I plan to help my dad with it after my graduation and sour new heights of success (timed). Furthermore to be a part of it, I need to be worthy of it (realistic). Experience and training for the same will rather prove to be the best way to gain the knowledge for the same (attainment). I  shall timely plan an internship after my graduation and apply my knowledge to the practical business world (timed and measureable). This shall lead to achievement of my goal in a SMART way. Consequently I shall meet all the SMART criteria’s. 2.6) Social and Cultural Implications While assessing myself at my workplace the most noticeable thing was the age. There were people likely much older to me. Their talks and way of living never correlated to mine (Woods & Scinarini, 1995). The fact was I wasn’t mature enough to be a part of them (Hofstede, 1997). The best outcome for this could be I can think of ways and means to be a part of their daily interests so I can mix with them and increase my workplace effectiveness. 3) Interpersonal Effectiveness When measuring my stance in an organization, what I first look into is the interpersonal effectiveness. A way in dealing this common issue where there are differences between the people working together, conflicts which arise due to implications such as different race, caste, gender and upbringings (Lin, Wang, Shi & Chang, 2005) is death with interpersonal effectiveness to lead the organization efficiently. 3.1) Dutch Test for Conflict Handling The Dutch Test for Conflict Handling is a useful tool to measure the best way in which an individual can resolve conflict (McShane, Olekalns & Travaglione, 2013). It consists of questionnaires which simplify if the manager can make best use of one of the following: Yielding- Managerial ability to take unilateral decisions completely towards others wishes. The decisions involve giving up your wishes (McShane, Olekalns & Travaglione, 2013). Compromising- Consistency to find an outcome which suits the either of the party or finding the equally valued gains. Forcing- The self yielding decision which involves winning over the arguments and conflicts for others expenses. Problem Solving- The better way to resolve issues through mutually corresponding to either parties benefits. Avoiding- A way to escape from conflicts by representing low concern towards it and suppressing it. 3.2) Results and Analysis After taking the Dutch test I came with an out with an outcome of considering  yielding as my most effective method of conflict resolution. My results in the Dutch test were as follows: Yielding 18 Compromising 13 Forcing 10 Problem Solving 15 Avoiding 17 The scale suggested that I am best at yielding and avoiding conflicts. Moreover I have moderate skills to compromise, force or solve problems. I have a tendency to yield or avoid conflicts because they lead to disagreements which makes me feel uncomfortable (McShane, Olekalns & Travaglione, 2013). This is inconsistent with my self-concept as I rather approve myself to get along with everyone (McShane, Olekalns & Travaglione, 2013). Yet being moderate at handling conflicts by other styles, I tend to use different ways to solve issues in different situations. I used situational tactics while working in the group for the BSB124 Group Presentation. I used to always yield and agree at what my group members said and performed according to their wishes whenever there were any arguments, justifying my yielding and avoiding style. But when we came down the line on the presentation day, I forced my fellow mates to put add a bit to my part as it wasn’t apt. Hence showed my compromising a nd forcing style to handle the situational conflict. They had to agree to my decision. 3.3) Conflict Resolution The conflict resolution style I used would be classified as collaborating by Thomas and kilman’s (1974) conflicting resolution styles model. Collaborating refers to pooling of individual needs and goals towards a common goal. This style is useful when you need to bring together a variety of viewpoints to get the best solution, when there have been previous conflicts in the group, or when the situation is too important for a simple  trade-off (Thomas & Kilman, 1974).The reason I used this style because it consistently yields the best results. Although it takes time but it gives the best result. In my group there were certain times when there used to be an argument regarding the content of the presentation, collaborating was the best way to solve the conflict as all team members would collaborate with each other and conclude to a single decision. To be effective in taking decisions and dealing with my colleagues I need to use a more appropriate conflict resolution style as collaborating takes time to plan and get executed which leads to less effective workplaces (Landa-Gonzalez, 2008). If facing a similar situation again a compromising or avoiding strategy may be more effective. 3.4) Social and Cultural Implications While working in group for the presentation, I got noticed by everyone in my team. I was the only international student to be dealt with. They seemed awkward with me at the start and left me away in discussions. After doing a bit and contributing to my team they realized that I could pose a great help indeed. They helped me out over factors such as public speaking to be efficient enough for the show time. Moreover, they were inclined towards me because I brought diversity in the group and suggested ideas which were differently thought of. They added their knowledge to my thinking and made a worth watching scenario at the presentation day. They taught me how to build relationships while working in groups and gain experience by contributing towards team spirit For what I had always been thinking a negative impact in working in groups was made my strength. I was very impatient while dealing with my fellow members but as time elapsed I understood that building relationships regardless of the social background is a beneficiary for me as well the other person. From now onwards I shall always look forward for relationship-building group work. 3.5) Goal Setting Working as a part of a team, I shall look forward towards attainment of SMART criteria through team effectiveness. While pursuing my family business I shall look forward to formulate plans so there remains cooperativeness amongst family members working as a whole in the business. Furthermore I shall also look into the differences in opinion between me and the  experienced people and handle conflicts with proper problem solving techniques. This will lead to organizational integrity and achievement of goals. 4) Conclusion I have analyzed and reflected upon my experiences in BSB124 Working in Business, evaluated my intra and interpersonal effectiveness, set SMART goals and identified my weaknesses. In the intrapersonal section, I used Jackson’s learning profiler to know my strengths and weaknesses, reflected upon them, gave examples to support the motion and analyzed my weaknesses to set SMART goals and achieve them. While in the interpersonal section I found the best way I can resolve conflicts and work effectively in groups to achieve group goals. I have learnt that interpersonal effectiveness runs from intrapersonal. So I have put a part of my SMART goals in section 3.5 to link my individual effectiveness to group abilities. I have also mentioned social and cultural implications which I wasn’t aware of. By improving on this competencies and becoming more aware of them, I will look forward to develop a better professional within me and achieve my goals. References Brockbank, A., & Mcgill, I. ( 2012, July 03). Facilitating Reflective Learning: Coaching, Mentoring and Supervision. Cymeon Pty Ltd. (2013). Learning Styles Profiler (LSP). A Personal Report Providing Information on Your Functional Learning Style. Retrieved October 25, 2013 from www.cymeon.com. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books. Hofstede, G. H. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions, and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications Jackson, C. (2009, June 25-29). Using the hybrid model of learning in personality to predict performance in the workplace. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Jackson, C. J. (2005). An applied neuropsychological model of functional and dysfunctional learning: Applications for business, education, training and clinical psychology. Jackson, C. J. (2009c, June). Using the hybrid model of learning in personality to predict performance in the workplace. Paper pres ented at 8th IOP Conference, Sydney, Australia Jackson, C. J. (2011b). How sensation seeking provides a common basis for functional and dysfunctional outcomes. Journal of Research in Personality, 45(4), 29-36. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2010.11.005 Landa-Gonzalez, B. (2008). To assert or not to assert: Conflict management and occupational therapy students. 22, 54-70. Retrieved from http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07380570802244464 Lin, X., Wang, C., Shi, Y., & Chan, K. (2005). Conflict handling styles in international joint ventures: a cross-cultural and cross-national comparison. Management International Review, 45(1), 3-13. Retrieved from: http://www.mir-online.de/ McShane, S., Olekalns, M., & Travaglione, T. (2013).Organisational behaviour. (4th ed., pp. 354-355). Australia: McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd. Sterrett, E. A. (2000). The Manager’s Pocket Guide to Emotional Intelligence. Amherst, USA. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/qut/docDetail.action Thomas, K., & Kilman, J. (1974). Conflict and conflict management. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/job.4030130307/abstract ;jsessionid=73E232B2382E1F2CAD020D017857CB63.f02t04?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false Woods, R. and Scinarini, M. (1995). The cornell hotel and restaurant administration quarterly. 36(3), 18-23. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0010880495969327

“A Day without Feminism” Response

After reading â€Å"A Day without Feminism†, I literally said aloud, â€Å"Wow, I’ve taken so many things for granted†. I’m pretty sure my roommate thinks I’m strange for this sudden outburst, but it really shocked me to see how far the women’s movement has taken our society in such a short amount time. In the last paragraph, the question is asked â€Å"Has feminism changed our lives? † The answer to that question is yes. I grew up attending a child-care center, playing in Little League, and taking the classes that everyone in my class took whether male or female. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were what we liked to call â€Å"grandma† books. I won two softball State Championships on the varsity level. I took pre-calculus and calculus, while planning prom and decorating the gym. Girls and young women DO have sex while they’re unmarried (on a pretty frequent basis too). When I make a trip the gynecologist, she always tells me the side effects of my birth control choices. Rarely a day goes by without hearing of another girl who’s decided to explore the lesbian lifestyle. With this being said it’s clear the world I inhabit barely resembles the world these women were born into. Some of these situations that took place just under forty years ago seem completely outrageous. It’s really hard to believe women actually let things like this happen. Examples that stick out in my mind the most include women being â€Å"strapped down and lying down, made to have the child against gravity for the doctor’s convenience† and a woman going â€Å"under the knife to see if she has breast cancer† and â€Å"waking up to find that the choice (Halsted mastectomy) has been made for her†. The conditions of my childhood compared to things like this happening add an overall shock effect in this reading. Although there is such a large shock effect present, I do not feel as if Baumgardner and Richards wanted the shock to overwhelm the reader in a way that seemed outrageous, but they wanted make the reader realize that it would be unfair to consider these advancements as privileges. Privileges are advantages gained usually as a result of wealth or social status, not something fought hard to earn. It’s unfair that we (women) are constantly made to feel that we should be thankful for the social changes that have taken place over the last century. These rights should have never been an issue. They should’ve just been a part of our daily lives, as they were for males. Baumgardner and Richards ask the questions in the second paragraph â€Å"Is feminism dead? † and â€Å"Do we need new strategies? † I feel like the spirit of feminism isn’t dead at all. One milestone, which sticks out clearly in my mind as part of the feminist movement, took place just a short time ago. This milestone occurred around the time that Hilary Clinton entered herself into the race for presidency. It was one of those mountains a woman needed to climb and Hilary Clinton was the first do so. I’m definitely not trying to put Hilary Clinton on a high pedestal. I realize there are many other women who have done phenomenal things over the past thirty years, but it’s just one major example in the progress of feminism I have noticed in my short eighteen years on earth. To answer the second question, I don’t feel like the strategies need to be changed. With writings such as â€Å"A Day without Feminism† floating around and women running for presidency and vice-presidency, I have no doubt that feminism will remain alive until the ultimate goal has been reached. In conclusion, it is essential for us to see change is part of every history and culture. The feministic changes that have been made in the United States were necessary and there is still a lot left to do. After reading â€Å"A Day without Feminism† it’s clear to see our mothers and grandmothers worked hard to make sure we would we would someday reach an even plateau with men and it’s our job to make sure the same is true for future women raised in this country. We should celebrate our female foremothers who had the vision that we should have more. Women have fought for everything we have and we need to continue to the good fight so that one day women will no longer need to fight this fight.

The rule in Salomon v Salomon & Co [1897] AC 22 has been described as Essay - 3

The rule in Salomon v Salomon & Co [1897] AC 22 has been described as one of the corner stones of English Company Law. Discuss the rationale and impact of the decision on company law - Essay Example This decision was reached to protect the company shareholders from being sued by creditors to pay up unresolved arrears in case the company became bankrupt. Mr. Salomon Aron ran a successful business that manufactured leather boots and shoes. Once his sons came of age, they developed a particular interest in joining their father to run the business. In fact, they wanted to be partners of their father in the same business. Mr. Salomon therefore made a decision to convert his business into a limited entity. The business was bought from Mr. Salomon by the new company at 39000 pounds. This amount however far much superseded the real value of the business. In addition, Mr. Salomon included his spouse and his other five kids as enterprise subscribers. His two sons, as his own nominees became the company’s directors. With this kind of an arrangement, it essentially meant that the company was in reality Mr. Salomon’s. Out of the company’s total shares of 20,007, Salomon owned and controlled 20,001 shares. On 1st of June 1892, the company was legally and officially incorporated. Furthermore, the company dished out debentures worth 10000 pounds to Salomon. These are form of liability that has no collateral or physical resources as security. Its only security is the solvency and standing of the issuer. As part of the safety to his debentures, Salomon acknowledged 5000 pounds from Edmund Broderip. However, just after the business was integrated, the enterprise began to go down as the sale of boots astronomically deteriorated. The problems were worsened by constant strike of workers. The major market for Salomon was the government and so in a bid to sidestep the danger of its providers being crippled by the forays, the government went ahead and fragmented the contracts (J Armour, 2003). Eventually, the business was botched. He shirked on interest returns on the debentures, half of which were held by Broderip.

Comparative employee relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Comparative employee relations - Essay Example They feel that labor flexibility would negatively impact bargaining power of labor and would only increase firm’s profitability. Thus they seek greater protection from increased bargaining power of employers and job insecurity. They argue that insecurity has been consistently increasing due to liberalization, privatization and globalization. It is now important to study the issue within a proper theoretical framework. What constitutes an inflexible labor market? According to Solow (1998), an inflexible labor market is created â€Å"if the level of unemployment-insurance benefits is too high or their duration is too long, or if there are many restrictions on the freedom of employers to fire and to hire, or if the permissible hours of work are too tightly regulated, or if excessive generous compensation for overtime work is mandated, or if trade unions have too much power to protect incumbent workers against competition and to control the follow of work at the site of production, or perhaps if statutory health and safety regulations are too stringent† [Solow 1998]. This definition is exhaustive enough but still doesn’t touch upon the important relevant issues of generous severance pay, costly legal battles that are important to study since they form an integral part of job security legislations. Such legisla tion regardless of the country where it was form would most likely include provisions that increase the costs connected with firing an employee and regulating hiring process. Job termination is not such an inexpensive process. It includes the costs of notification and the money incurred during non-performing period, compensation, legal costs, legal compensation, etc. Due to all these problems, employers might try to decrease the strength of workers but then comes job security legislation, which provides coverage to employees. Even in good economic times, employers might want to hire new workers but may find themselves at a disadvantage because they

Multicultural Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Multicultural Care - Assignment Example In order to ensure that Ms. Lamas freely expressed her needs and better communicate with others, the counselor provided the client with permission to express herself without judging her. Additionally, the counselor validated the client’s feelings of abandonment, helplessness, and isolation. The cultural beliefs that the counselor took into account when conceptualizing Ms. Lamas’ case included the role of women and men, culture shock stages, bicultural identity as well as valuing the culture of others just the way she valued her culture. Ms. Lamas’ immigration experience and minority status exposed her to discrimination. For example, for being a Latino immigrant she was discriminated an aspect that led to depression and anxiety. Similarly, she felt guilt after migrating to US (Hays and Iwamasa, 2006). This was due to the way she was ignored and informed to do things as a woman Ms. Lamas expect her sons to take care of her due to the way she underwent great financial hardship while she provided for them. Due to lack of adequate finance, she was even unable to pay for their fees. In order to build a strong relationship with Ms. Lamas, the counselor ensured that the information regarding the counseling approach was provided to the client. Additionally, the counselor utilized self-disclosure where it was necessary. Rather than viewing the client symptoms as manifestations of pathology, the counselor also informed her that they were specialized coping behaviors. As a result, the client was able to express herself freely.

The Curse by Andre Dubus - Story Analysis Research Paper

The Curse by Andre Dubus - Story Analysis - Research Paper Example The curse entails about a rape case, which was witnessed by the character, Mitchell. It concentrates more about his opinions and views concerning the rape case and portrays how it generally affects him both socially and psychologically. Mitchell his hunted with guilt for what occurred has he did not do anything to help. He struggles with conflicts that hunt him internally, as he tries to manage the empathetic emotions. In this aspect fear, for being hurt or injured in the situation prevents him from intervening and the culture code make him question his essence of protection to a woman as a man. The story questions on aspect of manhood, action and inaction. After analysis of our fist character Mitchell, we consider the other essential characters in the story, which are the motorcyclists. The author describes them as egocentric, in human and inconsiderate people who acted in self-interest. He shows how passionate they were as they first entered into the bar, â€Å"their eyes were qui ck, alert as wary animals, and they spoke loudly, with passion, but their passion was strange and disturbing, because they were only chatting, bantering (the curse, p.274) We also have a clear outline of the people present in the bar, the author describes Bob, he described him as a black-haired man who is too big compared to Mitchell Hayes, the author states that Mitchell " looked from the door, past Bob to the empty space of floor at the rear; sometimes people danced there, to the jukebox" (pg.273). The story also analysis on the women and their views and their reactions towards the rape case, in the society, in â€Å"the curse† we have three women involved, we have the rape victim, Mitchell wife, and Mitchell stepdaughter. He states on how he met his wife "One night she came into the bar with two of her girl friends from work. She made sixdollars an hour going to homes of invalids, mostly what she called her little old ladies, and bathing them" (pg.276). The author expounds that after Mitchell gives a clear outline of the rape case to his wife Susan, she says that he did the right thing, Mitchell his portrayed as Susan’s â€Å"little old ladies†. Mitchell does not want to become just â€Å"a good witness† he fills that he ought to have done something. Mitchell feels he himself will be at trial for what he did not do to assist the young woman. In this page, we are able to known about women attitudes and the categories in which Mitchell wife and stepdaughter view the rape case. In the next part of the story, we are able to analyze on struggle that Mitchell went through during the rape period. Mitchell had to submit, like the girl and just watch what was going on. Victimization of Mitchell by the motorcyclists, psychologically affected him. Both the girl and he were considered as victims in the story. Mitchell could not fight the five strong men and to the author explanation, it becomes a rape case to Mitchell. The author states that Mitchell "looked once at her sounds, then looked down at the duckboard he stood on, or at the belly or chest of a young man in front of him," (pg.273). In the next part of the story, the author states on the continuous condition of Mitchell. Mitchell becomes a storyteller, instead of being the hero, in his story telling, Mitchell leaves out the aspect of being the coward person who was not able to assist the victim this haunts Mitchell. The story also analysis the caring aspect of Mitchell to his customers, in the

Submit a marketing report for BURBERRY. For a colleague who has just Essay

Submit a marketing report for BURBERRY. For a colleague who has just been promoted into the position of Marketing Manager within - Essay Example It was established by Tomas Burberry in 1856 as a luxury fashion house. Burberry is in the business of manufacturing clothing, fashion accessories and fragrances. Burberry has turned into an iconic brand by continuously reinventing itself as an exclusive luxury garments line. Burberry has four sub brands under the name- Burberry Brit, Burberry, London, Burberry Prorsum and Burberry Sport. It also has two regional brands namely Burberry Blue label and Burberry Black Label. Burberry is established as a high end, gentlemanly and classic fashion house. Performance The category of women’s wear accounts for 28.6% of the total revenue of the brand followed by the accessories. The introduction of digital marketing increased the sales of the company by 24% across the globe. 64% of the total revenue is generated from its Retail segment which includes more than 174 stores across the world. 29% of the revenue is generated from the wholesale channel and 7% revenue is generated from licensi ng. General Definition of Marketing Marketing is defined as the management process used to identify, anticipate and satisfy the requirements of the customers thereby generating revenues for the business (Brannon, 1998, p.14). Marketing involves all the aspects of pricing, selling, advertising and brand building. Marketing Burberry markets its product range to the target market through three channels: Retail, wholesale and licensing. Burberry sources and markets its apparel and accessories worldwide with huge markets in America, Spain and Asia pacific which brings around 90% of the revenue. The customers are the young millennial group of people who are loyal towards the British luxury brand. Marketing Environment The PEST Analysis of Burberry is done to analyze the macro environmental factors influencing the business. Political: Burberry should pay critical attention to the taxation policies and trade regulations when marketing their product lines outside Europe. The company sources its materials from Europe and thus is not affected by the Yuan-Dollar pegging. Economic: Burberry needs to closely monitor the inflation rates because changes in inflation rate directly impacts on the buying capacity. Social: To invest in the low penetrated markets, Burberry needs to explore the cultural factors in the potential markets (Doyle, 2006, p.15). The brand is established as highly British authentic brand suitable for the European culture. Technological: Burberry has to adopt the new innovative technologies dominating the market like social media marketing and electronic commerce. Burberry was the first luxury fashion house to launch a 3D fashion show. Environmental: Burberry has taken care of proper disposal of manufacturing waste in keeping with the environmental protection laws. The company also uses the recycling technology to benefit the environment. Legal: Burberry tries to be compliant with the legal laws though it faces a continuous problem of counterfeit products which infringes its trademarks. Techniques A SWOT analysis of the company is done to evaluate the internal and external factors affecting the business and its marketing strategies (Kotler, 2008, p.46). Strengths: The strengths of the brand include Strong celebrity endorsements to enhance the brand value. High desirability caused by high price points. A very strong brand reputation. The unique check pattern which is distinctly

Short paper-Communication Skills in the Practice of Medicine Essay

Short paper-Communication Skills in the Practice of Medicine - Essay Example The ability to communicate effectively has an implication in patient care. Some medical organizations has determined that the most frequent reason for complaints among patients against physicians is poor communication. Thereby, certain community groups have identified communication skills as essential component in medical practice and medical training. In order to provide a systematic approach and continuity to effective communication. The following information are recommended: 2. Case Models through Independent Community Based Inputs: Case presentations and teaching models should be critically examined to rule our unrecognized personal, cultural and professional biases and barriers. There are so many factors and skills that a medical professional and a patient can use to communicate with each other. One thing that a patient is looking at to most doctors is the trust they can acquire through effective explanation of all procedures and the trust they could get from the nurses on how effective they could deliver the health care services necessary for them to feel good from any diseases. Effective communication involves continuous process between doctors and doctors; doctors and nurses; doctors and patients; patients and nurses. Set skills are essential in order to implement it with confidence. Normally, the process starts with interviewing the patient by introducing self (doctor) and by simply doing an interactive line of questioning to the patient and assessment of the nature of complaint. At times, doctors can depend on facilitation movements specially for patients whos language is not the doctors language but the danger of merely relying on facilitation could be detrimental as this may cause incorrect diagnosis. Facilitations are done through eye contact, posture, gesture or even silence. Doctor to doctor communication varies from one another depending on the nature of the patients disease.

MIDTERM QUESTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MIDTERM QUESTIONS - Essay Example The mass media is able to effectively set almost any political or public agenda and frame how media consumers view a particular topic. For instance, an overall majority of information that is presented to the consumers against gay marriage would set a public agenda that suggests that everyone is and should be against gay marriage. The agenda-setting and cultivation theories come into play here and have a direct relationship with setting the public agenda. Gatekeeping is a process that all media stories go through internally within the specific media outlet to determine what information is allows to be presented to the public and in what way. Writers and reporters typically are given specific assignments and told to write them from a particular viewpoint. After the work is written, the editors will comb through the work to make sure that it is void of errors and presents the appropriate message for the general public. Because media outlets frame messages, the editors are directly responsible for ensuring that the messages are properly framed and presented in a clear, understandable format. The potential problem that this presents is that the consumer may not be able to peel apart the framing of the mass media. In other words, the consumer is only going to hear a specific message and not always the entire story. This does not mean that the media is lying about the story, but it simply means that the way it is portrayed is framed in a specific manner so that the consumer perceives it in a particular way. Many consumers do not think objectively about a news story and accept what they view to be true. The media can easily take advantage of the ignorance of the general public. The mass media can cultivate an individual’s attitude or perceptions based on the type of message and the specific details of the message that are being portrayed. Cultivation

Question 26 of 30 Identify the strength and weaknesses, in general, of Essay

Question 26 of 30 Identify the strength and weaknesses, in general, of survey research - Essay Example A weakness of survey research is that the results of the research are primarily depicted by the quality of survey conducted by the researchers. Some of the biases of survey research are interviewer bias, non-response bias, sample bias, and questionnaire bias (jou.ufl.edu, n.d., p. 1). In survey research, information is collected by asking questions in written or oral form. There is hardly any objective measure to judge the reliability of questions. What is perceived by one respondent one way might be perceived by another respondent in another way. The data becomes even less reliable when the respondents are asked to respond to written questions because there is no one to explain their meanings. In addition to that, the respondents are necessarily required to choose from among a set of responses, and the respondent has to select only from them whether or not any of them actually reflects his/her thoughts. Retrieving only the correct and the required information from people is a skill that is not mastered by many researchers. Accordingly, the results of their studies obtained from survey research are not very

Infancy and Early Childhood Paper Essay Example for Free

Infancy and Early Childhood Paper Essay I believe Piagets theory of cognitive development best explains the cognitive development both in infancy and early childhood. His theory is explained by a theory of cognitive organization called schemes. Schemes are the actions or mental representations that organize knowledge (Santrock, 2008, p. 94). According to his theory, schemes change with age; in other words, they are action-based (motor patterns) at first and then gradually change to a mental (thinking) level. There are several key terms that explain Piagets process of developmental change; those include adaptation, assimilation, accommodation, organization, and equilibration. Sensorimotor stage is the first of the Piagets theory of cognitive development. It lasts from birth to the about 2 years of age, where awareness of the world is limited to what can be known through sensory awareness and motor acts. Furthermore, Piaget divided the sensorimotor stage into six sub-stages: 1) simple reflexes; (2) first habits and primary circular reactions; (3) secondary circular reactions; (4) coordination of secondary circular reactions; (5) tertiary circular reactions, novelty, and curiosity; and (6) internalization of schemes (Santrock, 2008, p. 96). †¢Reflexive Schemes: this is present in newborns. Initially, the infants actions are coordinated through reflexive behaviors, such as rooting and sucking. But gradually the infant produces behaviors that resemble reflexes in the absence of the usual stimulus for the reflex (Santrock, 2008). †¢Primary circular reactions: it develops between 1 and 4 months of age. In this stage, infants begin to adapt their reflexes to their environment; simple motor habits are centered around own body (Caulfield, 2001)†¢Secondary circular reactions: it develops between 4 and 8 months of age. The focus of infants exploration shits to external events. Infants develop awareness that objects continue to exist even when not in sight at about 8 months of age (Caulfield, 2001)†¢Coordination of secondary circular reactions: develops between 8 and 12 months of age. Infants begin to demonstrate intentional behavior and anticipate events; they coordinate separate actions to achieve desired goals (Caulfield, 2001). †¢Tertiary circular reactions: develops between 12 and 18 months of age. Infants reach an advanced level of proficiency; they begin to explore properties of objects through novel actions (Caulfield, 2001). †¢Internalization of schemes: develops between 18 and 24 months of age. Their ability to represent the external world internally begins to develop, also called as symbolic representation. Also, deferred imitation, the ability to retain and copy a representation of an observed behavior, begins to develop (Caulfield, 2001). I also believe Piagets theory best explains the cognitive development in early childhood as well. His Preoperational period, the second stage of Piagets theory of cognitive development lasts from approximately 2 to 7 years of age. In this age, children begin to represent the world with words, images, and drawings. Not only that, they begin to form stable concepts and embark on reasoning (Santrock, 2008, p. 145). Also, egocentricism (inability to distinguish between ones own perspective and someone elses perspective) and magical beliefs also begin to play a role in childs cognitive development. There are different sub-stages of the preoperational stage. Symbolic function sub-stage is the first sub-stage of the pre-operational thought. In this stage, the child has the capability to mentally represent an object that is not physically present. This stage occurs between the ages of 2 and 4 years of age. The Intuitive Thought Sub-stage, the second sub-stage of preoperational thought that generally occurs between 4 and 7 years of age. In this stage, children are tempted to ask many questions. In other words, one of the most prominent words for the children around this age is why. There are many similarities and differences between the Piagets theory of cognitive development that explains infancy and early childhood. Similarities †¢Both the selected theories that I believe best describes cognitive development in infancy and early childhood come from Piaget. †¢Both theories have stages (Sensorimotor and preoperational) and are further divided into sub-stages. †¢Both theories rely on the assumption that infants and children actively construct an understanding of the world. †¢Both theories give a time frame of when the stages and the sub- stages occur†¢Both theories have limitations. Differences †¢Sensorimotor stage deals with infants from birth to 2 years of age and Preoperational stage deals with early childhood that generally occurs between the ages of 2 and 7. †¢Sensorimotor is the stage one of the Piagets theory of cognitive development; whereas preoperational period is stage two of his theory. †¢The limitation of the sensorimotor stages rests on the accuracy of the timing of the events that Piaget mentioned; whereas the limitation of the Pre-operational thought rests on the concepts such as centration and conservation. Therefore, in this paper, I have considered Piagets theory to explain cognitive development in both infancy and early childhood. I have also considered the similarities and differences between the two theories. References Caulfield, R. A. (2001). Infants and toddlers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice HallSantrock, J. W. (2008). Essentials of life-span development. NY: McGraw-Hill.

Government Term Paper Essay Example for Free

Government Term Paper Essay The United States was founded and created by a group of people who wanted to see change and be in control of their future. This country has successfully accomplished this goal. Challenges from ending slavery to giving women the right to vote have all been accomplished through the American people implementing and enforcing new laws to be made. Two important issues facing the United States are Obamacare and illegal immigrants using anchor babies to stay in the country. On the issue of Obamacare, the best policy to follow is to recall Obamacare and create a new bill that is more specific, fixing one level at a time. On the issue of anchor babies, the best policy to follow is to amend the Constitution’s 14th Amendment to clarify the standards of citizenship. On March 10, 2010 President Obama’s new health care was signed into law. This new form of health care is called Obamacare or more formally as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). This bill requires that those who can afford health care must maintain the minimal, essential health insurance coverage. This mandate does not apply to citizens who hold certain religious beliefs or have financial hardships. Once the bill is fully processed, thirty-two million Americans will be able to receive some form of health care. The main intention of Obamacare is that affordability and accountability it brings. Obamacare lowers premiums for families making $44,000-66,000 and $55,000-88,000 a year. This new bill has made it easier for more families and people to receive health care. Obamacare also has begun to resolve Medicare’s prescription â€Å"donut hole†. This has helped senior citizens pay for vital prescriptions. The â€Å"donut hole† occurs after the patient has received $2,830 worth of drugs. At this number, Medicare stops paying for the drugs until the patient has used over $4550 of drugs. Therefore the patient needs to pay for $2,000 before Medicare pays for their prescriptions again. This reform gives donut hole payments a 50% discount and slowly closes this spending gap. The bill plans for the gap to be fully closed by 2020. The process of closing Medicare’s donut hole has already begun (Health Reform). The Affordable Care Act has improved community health centers. Within this improvement, there are more free preventive care treatments along with 1,250 new care centers for twenty million people (Timeline). These centers co-inside with the bill’s customer protection plan. This solidifies that no one may be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions (Health Reform). More people have been treated and helped allowing for a better field of doctors to be used for the necessary and covered treatments that Obamacare has provided. A large intention within Obamacare is to correct and maintain a new policy for business. Small businesses are not required to provide health care. However, if a business has over fifty employees, they are required to make payments that allow for health care benefits if ever needed if they do not have health care insurance (Health Reform). The bill has allowed for over four million small businesses eligible for tax credits so that they may be able to provide health care. Along with tax credit, Obamacare has cracked down on fraud, waste and abuse. This has secured the governments support in this bill. In the future Obamacare plans to reduce paperwork, provide more funding to children’s hospitals, and expand bundling payments (Timeline). Due to the numerous projects and reforms within this large bill, states need more money. This money comes from citizen’s taxes. People who already have health care are being taxed to help pay for others. One of the leading problems that Americans have about Obamacare questions whether or not all Americans have the right to health care. If a person chooses to be homeless and not work, should other citizens have to pay for another’s medical needs? Relating to the previous question, currently the Supreme Court is in the process of deciding if the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. Obamacare, 2010, stated that everyone must have some form of health care. People have begun to question whether this infringes and stretches Congress’ right to be involved in one’s personal life- even if this is an economic matter. Many individuals and twenty-seven states have begun to challenge Congress and whether the Commerce Clause has the right to expand national power at the expense on individual liberties. In 1824 the Supreme Court case, Gibbons v. Ogden, interpreted the government’s â€Å"commerce† to deal with only state to state/internal commerce affairs (US v Morrison). In 1937 the Supreme Court stretched the Commerce Clause for the government to oversee labor hours and wages. The government was allowed such power that they could even oversee a person’s personal consumption in the Supreme Court case, Wickard v. Filburn, in 1941 (Gaziano). Finally in 1995 the Supreme Court ruled against the government when they wanted to criminalize carrying guns to school. In this case, US v Lopez, the Supreme Court decided that this was not an economic issue and was not covered within the Commerce Clause (Langran). However, the Supreme Court case US v. Morrison became the final breaking point for the government. In 2000 Congress wanted to ban the violence of women. â€Å"The Supreme Court ruled that if there was any other clarification on the Commerce Clause that there would be a fundamental upset within the balance of powers in the Constitution† (Natelson). Throughout America’s history there have been many attempts to improve health care for Americans. Both Democrats- Roosevelt and Truman- and Republicans-Nixon- have done their share of work to help, however, the most recent and successful help came from the Clintons. Creating a new task force, Hillary Clinton spent large sums of money to keep the public interested and willing to support her. When she ran for president against Obama, her largest campaign issue was health care. Her plan was to require all US residents to have some form of health care and that employers must provide health care. Ultimately her work was not enough and was not as favorable as Obama’s idea of lowering the cost of health care rather than requiring it (Health Care). Now Obama has reversed his position on mandates as he created Obamacare. Obama explained to CBS News, â€Å"I’ve been persuaded that there are enough young, uninsured people who are cheap to cover, but are opting out. To make sure that those folks are part of the overall pool is the best way to make sure that all premiums go down† (My Interview). On March 26-28 of 2012, Florida and twenty-six other states argued that that the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional. During these two days, the Supreme Court listened to the oral arguments. The Affordable Care Act’s largest concept is the availability and affordability for all of America to have health care by 2014. The states questioned the act’s credibility of one’s individual mandate (Katz). The course of the health care case began with Florida on January 31, 2011 when a district judge challenged the new health care act. Claiming that the individual mandate within the reform was unconstitutional called for the whole Affordable Care Act to be nullified. Through the process of appeals, the court decided that the act did infringe on American’s rights; however, the whole bill did not need to be recalled. From this, the federal court took this issue to the Supreme Court (Claeys). All though the oral arguments are complete, the Supreme Court’s decision is not expected unit June of 2012 (Katz). Advocates of the mandate argue that the â€Å"mandate would force all Americans to share the cost of health care† (Health Care). The mandate forces all people to pay so there would be no issue of people paying for others. People would be supporting themselves by paying for their own health care. Supporters of mandatory health care justify their position with the fact that those who don’t think they will need it eventually will. It is better to be safe and have health care if and when you need it. Living in America, a citizen has personal freedoms and with that comes responsibility and maturity. Providing oneself with health care, according to advocates, is a responsibility that must be met in order for citizens to continue to have the freedoms that they do. There are thousands of people who still need health care, Obamacare makes it more affordable; therefore, people will be more willing to get a proper form of health care. Americans will be interested in their benefits which makes them more aware of the issues surrounding health care (Should Illegal Aliens). In 2011 there have been numerous court cases trying to decide if the Affordable Care Act is Constitutional. These cases, such as Thomas Moore law Center v. Barack Obama US President (Patient) are defined as a writ of certiorari law. According to the legal definition, writ of certiorari is â€Å"an order a higher court issues to order to review the decision and proceedings in a lower court to determine whether there were any irregularities† (Definitions). This order given by the Supreme Court so that they may receive a transmit of the records of the cases heard about this issue. According to the information, may it be presented that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act-Obamacare- be recalled. The ideas that the bill presents are effective and appropriate; however, this bill came too soon. America’s current health care system needs other changes before Obamacare may be used. Americans need to obtain health care on their own before it is mandatory. A possible bill to begin the new process may be to focus making Medicare more affordable and efficient. â€Å"In 2011, the federal government spent about $477 million in net Medicare† (Fixing Medicare). The spending rate needs to match up with the number of patients and their medical needs rather than taxing citizens to get quick, un-favored results. A large part of why America has been so successful is because American citizens respect and have pride for the United States of America. The country’s patriotism has brought upon much success including: ending slavery, the Wright brothers’ first airplane, defeating Germany in World War I, and Neil Armstrong being the first man on the moon. Starting in the late 1700’s, America became known as the â€Å"melting pot†. Our multiculturalism makes America successful because all people want to be a part of making the United States better. Over time more and more people have moved to the United States. People wanted to be considered Americans and be official citizens. In the 1990’s alone the US population has increased by twenty-five million people. Within the last one hundred years 197 million people have moved to the United States (Riche). These new people came to America because their lives would be different. New immigrants changed their names, learned English, and wanted to be a part of America. Rather than sticking to their old cultures and lifestyles, immigrants adapted to the American lifestyle. The number of immigrants grew so quickly that the United States had to limit the number of people per country to enter into the United States. The government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 to limit the number of Chinese immigrants entering the country. This act limited immigration in America to 170,000 Chinese people (National Archives). In June of 1866, the 14th Amendment was ratified into the United State’s Constitution. The 14th Amendment states that â€Å"all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and where they reside† (Rojas). This amendment was added to the Constitution to support and protect the freed African American population after the Civil War ended in 1865 (The Debate). This first part of the 14th Amendment is known as the Citizenship Clause. The second part of the 14th Amendment is the Equal Protection Clause which states â€Å"that no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person their jurisdiction of equal protection of the laws† ( US History). In 1898 the Supreme Court case, US v. Wong Kim Ark, questioned whether the United States could deny naturalization to anyone born in the United States under the 14th Amendment. Born in San Francisco, Ark lived with his parents in California. At age twenty-one Ark traveled to China to visit his parents where his parents moved after living in the US for twenty years. Upon his return to the United States, Ark was denied entry. According to the Chinese Exclusion Act, no people of the Chinese race shall be permitted into the country. However, if Ark is considered to be US citizen this act does not apply to him. The Supreme Court concluded that the government could not deny citizenship to a person born in the United States. This case upheld the 14th Amendment (Rojas). Today this case has been upheld and been the foundation of how the Citizenship Clause is applied to United States citizens. Today the number of people moving to America still increases. However, there are another group of immigrants moving to America. In 2000, LIFE Act Amnesty estimated 900,000 illegal immigrants came into the United States. It is determined to be twelve to twenty million illegal immigrants residing in the United States today (Gheen). The rising issue in illegal immigration is the regularity of anchor babies. This term, anchor baby is classified as an illegal/non-citizen who came to the United States and gave birth to their child. Because their child is a US citizen according to the 14th Amendment, these families are able to convince the courts to let them stay and live in America (The Debate). This idea gives illegal immigrants an easy way to beat the system and live in America. Due to the large number of anchor babies born in America it is clear that their parents do not wish to become US citizens. Illegal immigrant families are able to get food stamps and Medicaid through the country’s tax dollars. Along with health care illegal immigrants are getting help putting their children through school. This changes the dynamics and level of public schools as they have to accommodate to these children. This issue has increased so quickly that organizations like FAIR, Federation for American Immigration Reform, has made more attempts to eliminate this problem. FAIR estimated that 425,000 illegal babies are born in the United States per year (McNeil). Other organizations have come together to push for this issue to be resolved. The state of Arizona has taken the imitative to end anchor baby citizenship. This bill, SB 1070, was written in June of 2010. Arizona’s bill â€Å"makes attrition through the enforcement of public policy of all agencies† (Senate Bill). This bill sets up the country for success by cracking down on an individual’s immigration status. If their paperwork is illegitimate, then they will be taken to the custody of US immigration and customs and enforcement. Arizona alone is estimated to have over 300,000 illegal immigrants. Supporters to stop anchor baby citizenship state that â€Å"maternity tourism† is only the beginning of the possibilities of the novelties to come surrounding illegal immigrants. If the United States wants to continue to have the power and the proper influence among the citizens, then they must stop this illegal, increasing birth rate. Eventually all of these children will grow up and be the anchor needed for the family to permanently stay in the country (Beck). Currently a US citizen may not sponsor a family member with a green care unless they are over twenty-one years of age (Kolken). In twenty years there will be an even larger issue with illegal immigration once all of these babies are an adult. Supporters confidently state that having their child in America was their poor decision and does not exempt them the from the law and the US immigration laws. Their bad choice will impact their children, they are illegal citizens and because their children are minors they have no choice but to follow their parents as they are deported (Should Illegal Aliens). On the other side, those against interfering with the immigration question if there is no harm to America’s National Guard then why interfere? Because the child is a US citizen, the parents are then forced to make the difficult decision of whether or not to separate their family until their papers are approved. This then increases the single parent, non-traditional family for many children (Should Illegal Aliens). Those against resolving the anchor baby â€Å"problem† see no real solution because the children are protected under the 14th Amendment and have the right to live in America. Rather than solving the problem, it is suggested that a bill would simply encourage more people to not renew or even get a green card because of the high chance of deportation (Beck). Children who are born in the Unites States should not be guaranteed citizenship if their parents are not legal citizens. The United States is one of eleven other countries who even have â€Å"jus soli† as an option. The legal phrasing of â€Å"jus soli† directly translates to â€Å"the right of the land† (McNeil). Many of these countries, not including the United States, has citizenship as an option. In 1980, Britain changed their Nationality Act to be a preference rather than a mandate for babies born in the country (The Debate). Germany changed their Nationality Act as well in 2000. â€Å"A child shall be a German citizen only it at least one parent has a permanent residence in Germany or lives in Germany for at least eight years (Nationality Act). The United States must amend the 14th Amendment and clarify the true meaning and value of a child born in America. In the 14th Amendment clearly defines the standards needed to be a US citizen then many of the nation’s current problems would be handled. Illegal parents whose children are keeping them here would be deported. There will be less problems with Medicaid and the country’s tax dollars will not be going to those who live here illegally and receive food stamps and putting their children through the public school system. All immigrants living in the United States will want to be here and will be able to receive the correct form of becoming a citizen. Amending the 14th Amendment will restore America’s patriotism and success. America has proven to be the strongest country in the world. In order for the United States to maintain their strong position, the government must take care of the country’s issues first. The country’s health care must not be fixed by Obamacare. A new bill must be enacted that slowly and correctly fixes the foundational issues of the system before requiring all people to have health care. If thirty-two million were to be on America’s current health care, the system would jam and eventually shut down. Along with fixing health care, the anchor baby citizenship issues must be handled. Ronald Reagan explained the problem perfectly, â€Å"a country that cannot control its borders isn’t a country† (Buchannan). Therefore the 14th Amendment must be clarified and steps must be taken to contain illegal immigration in order for the United States to see a successful future. Works Cited Beck, Roy. Anchor Babies: No More Citizenship. Bloomberg Business week. 2009. Web. 28 Apr. 2012. . Buchannan, Pat . Whose Country is This?. World Net Weekly. N.p., 2010. Web. 29 Apr 2012. . Claeys, Eric. Obamacare and the Limits of Judicial Conservatism. National Affairs. National Affairs, Summ. Web. 27 Apr 2012. . The Debate Over Anchor Babies And Citizenship. National Public Radio. 18 Apr. 2010. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. . Definitions: Writ of Certiorari Law Legal Definition. Uslegal.com. US Legal, Inc., 2012. Web. 29 Apr 2012. . Fixing Medicare. New York Time. N.p., 20 Nov 011. Web. 28 Apr 2012. . Gaziano, Todd, and Elizabeth Garvey. Commerce Clause: Expansion of National Power at †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Expense of Individual Liberty. American Government. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2012. Gheen, W.. History of Illegal Immigration in the U.S.. End illegal immigration. Americans for †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Legal Immigration, 2012. Web. 29 Apr 2012. Health Care Mandates. Issues Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues Controversies. Facts †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦On File News Services, 16 Oct. 2009. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Health Reform Puts American Families and Small Business Owners in Control of Their Own Health Care. The White House. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. . Katz, Daniel. Supreme Court Considers Health Care Reform: Overview. American †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Government. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. Klein, Ezra. Who Obamacare Got to the Supreme Court. Washington Post. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. . Kolken Kolken Immigration Lawyers. Immigration Lawyers, US Immigration News and Law Updates. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. . Langran, Robert. Commerce Clause: Recent Interpretations Diminish State Sovereignty. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.American Government. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. McNeil, Brian. Goode Takes on anchor Baby Issue. Daily Progress. 5 Sept. 2008. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. . My Interview with President Obama. CBS News. N.p., 27 July 2009. Web. 29 Apr 2012. . Natelson, Robert G. Commerce Clause: The Misinterpretation of the Commerce Clause. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦American Government. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 29 Apr. 2012. National Archives, . Chinese Exclusion Act (1882). Our documents. United States Archives, †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦1989. Web. 29 Apr 2012.

Black Female Identity In Black Female Rap Hits Cultural Studies Essay

Black Female Identity In Black Female Rap Hits Cultural Studies Essay Rap is considered a type of music which serves as a means of expression for those who feel alienated and outraged in American society for certain reasons. According to Tricia Rose, (or you need to provide the names of the many scholars that you have in mind in the footnote) hip hop in America originated from disadvantaged neighborhoods and served as a voice for people who lacked post secondary education and had difficulties in finding a job in the new post-industrial service sector economy. In the early beginning rap artists rapped about poverty, racism and injustice. As the genre was developing, rappers would look for inspiration in other aspects of their every life. Male/female relationships would appear as a common motif in their songs. As discussed in the first chapter, misogynistic messages could be found in a great share of male rap hits. Although rap has been associated mainly as domain of men, female contribution to this genre is also significant. Hence it is worth examining how their legacy contributed to the black female image in the United States. It is also important to note how the messages in their songs differed from those of male rap artists. In this chapter I am going to focus on the motifs of black female identity which permeated the lyrics of female rap hits starting from the late eighties through the beginning of the twenty first century. I will support my analysis by referring to the works of literary black hip hop culture critics such as Tricia Rose, bell hooks, Gwendolyn D. Pough or Cheryl L. Keyes. The findings presented in this study will be based on the existing researches on the subject as well as my lyric interpretation of Billboards Hot Rap Year End Charts. One of the recognized social theorists, Patricia Hill Collins, claims that much of the contemporary social phenomena is understood and analyzed from the European, white male standpoint. Moreover, by this approach black women in particular have been perceived as non-human, commodified and objectified. Needless to say, it is important to counterbalance this approach by interpreting black womens lives from their perspective. I find artistic works of female rappers, as well as their interviews to a be a great source for such a counter analysis. Female rap artists would oftentimes identify themselves as belonging to a certain crew or would use the words as fly, attitude, queen, diva while describing or referring to one another. Based on those self imposed labels, Cheryl L. Keyes distinguishes four prevailing types of female rappers: Queen Mother, Fly Girl, Sista with Attitude and Lesbian. These categories reflect certain images, voices and ages of African American women. Interestingly eno ugh, rappers assigned to these groups marked their presence on the hip hop scene in this particular order but, as Keyes noted, they can swing between these teams or belong to a few concurrently. According to Keyes, the first group Queen Mothers consists mainly of early female rap pioneers of the 1980s such as: Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante or MC Lyte. They express strong connection to their African heritage by calling themselves Nubian queens, and wearing ethnic clothes and jewelry. The symbol of queen mother may be supposedly rooted in African court tradition. Mothers of kings in many African kingdoms used to be cult objects and granted special privileges. Queen Mothers in hip hop culture also consider themselves as strong, intelligent black women responsible of spreading the word among the community. They discuss issues similar to their male counterparts marginalization, subjugation, and hardship of an urban life. A theme of their concern would be also heterosexual advances of men toward women, as well as domestic violence, and male sexism. These female rappers tended to present black women in their songs as self assured and independent . Similarly to male rappers, they would aim to challenge racist white supremacy by their music. Whilst black males in order to empower themselves oftentimes resort to sexist notions addressed towards their female counterparts, Queen Mothers do not apply the same strategy of subordination. As the excerpts from the songs presented in the first chapter show, many male hip hop artists depict women merely as sexual objects and generally cast derogatory light on them. Some black culture critics, as bell hooks, claim that male gangsta rappers engage in this behavior because women supposedly emasculate black men, negating their manhood and reducing the respect received from others. The critic also states that most black males lack strong male (father) models to look up to. They are being convinced throughout their childhood that they are not destined to grow up as successful, strong, virtuous males. Instead they receive education how to become emotionless thugs. hooks blames the mass media for perpetuating the image of a strong, angry black woman as opposed to black castrated male who is not able to provide for his family. Other reason for that may be the fear of female sexuality, thus women must be controlled. Queen Mothers demand respect not only for black community in general but for black women in particular. This causes a huge inner identity conflict among black women, whether to be loyal to their ethnicity and race or gender. Extending the theory of black feminism to rap, black female rappers provide back lashing voices against male sexism and misogyny. However, being a black feminist should not mean rejection of the African heritage. The African legacy may be utilized as an additional source of strength and power in this struggle. Tricia Rose in the her book Black Noise argues that in the late 1980s and early 1990s pioneer female rappers although refraining from calling themselves feminist, expressed three feminist standpoints: female empowerment, agency, and independence. They would rather call themselves womanists as they did not feel much connection with the predominantly white second wave feminism movement. Moreover, they felt as having been overlooked or even purposely excluded by white feminists in their struggle for female empowerment. These artists rejected and challenged representations of women as simply sexual objects. Rose states that they use rap music as a platform of dispute between other female and male artists, and their audience in general. The most noticeable Queen Mother on the hip hop scene is Dana Queen Latifah Owens. Although latifah in Arabic means feminine, delicate and kind she proved to be also a strong and influential rap artist. At the young age of twenty one, she became well acclaimed artist. Despite her young age, her maternal behavior and mature approach to life made her to be perceived as a Queen Mother. Although she would find such comparison flattering, she tried to distance herself from being labeled. She would call herself a queen because every black female is a queen to her. The reason why Queen Latifah and other rappers have been allocated to the group of Queen Mothers may be linked to the othermothers phenomenon in black African community. Patricia Hill Collins elaborates on this notion in Black Feminist Thought. She claims that black women take a significant part in fostering of the black society in the United States. They have developed an image of a strong black woman who contributes to the whol e black community well-being. The notion of motherhood in general, whether invoked by bloodmothers or othermothers, has powerful connotation. It seems that African American community seeks for strong mother figures not only in real life but also on the hip hop scene. Queen Latifah reflects the image of othermother by taking up serious political-economic issues of the black community in her lyrics, as in The Evil that Men Do where she raps about struggle of women on welfare. Another example of a strong political commentary is Queen Latifahs song Ladies First. She focuses here on promoting womens importance and clamors for their equal treatment. She raps about the need for sisterhood which prompts women to support each other. The notion of sisterhood is emphasized here by the fact that the artist collaborates with another black European female rapper, Monie Love. They feel connected with each other by the bonds of the same gender and race. This is a typical approach of women of color engaged in the Third Wave Feminist Movement in America. The concept of global sisterhood coined by the Second Wave feminists is questioned and challenged here. Black feminists manifest more connection with other women of color from different countries or countries of their origin than with white middle class women from the United States. The video to Ladies First is also a tribute to African American womens history featuring images of activists and abolitionists as Rosa Parks , Angela Davis, Harriet Tubman, or entrepreneurs as Madame C.J. Walker. The video also features the image of Winnie Mandela which may serve as a commemoration of the struggle against segregation in South Africa as well as emphasis on the concept of global black sisterhood. The rappers bring back these images into the light in order to re-inspire all women of color and prove they are capable of achieving the highest goals as breaking the racism and sexism. Queen Latifah in her Grammy Award-winning song U.N.I.T.Y, as one of the first female artists does not only prove her rapping skills but also takes up the issues which divide black community. She focuses here on perpetuated hatred directed by black males toward black females. She answers back to males who use the insult bitch in reference to women. She does so by using similar forms that are used by many of their male counterparts to denigrate women. By the use of vulgar language she reclaims those forms for women. Another pioneer rapper, MC Lyte in her song Paper Thin also makes a black female a subject. She brings her to the center of discussion by rapping about the constrains of her (own?) intimacy and setting the rules by which she will date a man. According to Rose, the above mentioned artists messages are both emancipating and liberating for women. They rebel against the restrain of black female voices, offering counter hegemonic perspectives. Female gangsta rappers in particula r, have created and imposed their own definitions of womanhood through their use of vulgarity, voice intonations, and sexuality. Although most female rappers identify themselves by belonging to specific rap crews, some of them would fall from one category to another or exist in many simultaneously. As an example of such a swinging artist may serve Yo Yo. The rapper and activist when perceived through the prism of her artistic and social work would be allocated to the group of Queen Mothers. Her songs are devoted to her view on the political issues and black feminism. She is the founder of the group Intelligent Black Women Coalition (I.BW.C.) which aimed to fight against racism and sexism. Yet, Keyes claims that her style and attire would suggest she also fits the category of so called Fly Girls who gained recognition on hip hop scene mainly in the nineties. The origin of the new meaning of the word fly dates back to the sixties and seventies and describes someone wearing fancy clothes. The style has been presented in the blaxploitation movies like The Superfly (1972), Shaft (1971), The Mack (1973) or Foxy Bro wn (1974) and then adopted by the black youth in the eighties and nineties. Indeed, what distinguished Fly Girls from Queen Mothers at first sight was their sense of fashion. Queen Mothers tried to affirm their eroticism that refrains from the nakedness and exposure of Western styles by rejection of miniskirts or high heels. Fly Girls did not fear to wear tight clothes which accentuated their sexuality. They tried to counterbalance Western European beauty canon by showing the beauty of black female body, accompanied by eye catching hairstyles, shiny jewelry and suggestive dancing. By doing so they made a statement against the white supremacist stereotype of the black round female body being undesirable. It was their fashion style that made them not only heard but also visible. The male hip hop group the Boogie Boys describe a fly girl as: [Woman] who wants to see her name, her game or her ability. . . she sports a lot of gold, wears tight jeans, leather miniskirts, a made up face, h as voluptuous curves, but speaks her mind. The most prolific and well pronounced Fly Girls of hip hop scene is undoubtedly the trio Salt- N- Pepa. They aspired to be acknowledged as models of real independent and successful black women of the nineties. They reached the peak of their popularity in the early nineties by releasing controversial hits like Lets Talk About Sex (1991), What a Man (1993), or Shoop(1993). While the first mentioned hit raised awareness about safe sex, the other songs can be interpreted as manifestation on female sexuality and appraisal of men in terms of friendship, love and intimate heterosexual relations. Lyrics from their popular song Aint Nuthin But a She Thing, again typify messages of their powerful womanhood: Im a female, and I got it goin on /Dont be fooled by my s-e-x/It aint that simple, Im more complex/Lets keep moving forward, girls, never look back. In this song artists are exchanging ideas with women and men in general, warning men not to rely on clichà ©d notions of gender roles when in teracting with women. They refuse to be considered as a weaker sex. They prove of their ability to work as hard as men, yet their intention is not to empower, or emasculate men. Similarly, they are passing on the same message to women while concurrently urging these women to progress, not regress, in their thinking and behavior. Such messages permeate most of the Salt N- Pepa top hits. Many examples of the Fly Girls songs take focus on female agency in male/female relationships perceived from the womens point of view. In the chorus of her song, Whats Up Star, Suga initiates the interaction with males: Whats up star, Id like to get to know who you are/Lets have drinks at the bar/And if I like what I see then the drinks is on me. While men are usually considered to be the initiators in heterosexual relationships, here the artist takes it over and demonstrates her empowerment on this field. By doing so she violates an unwritten procedure of male-female courtship. She breaches the gendered norm of conduct. Instead of waiting for a man to approach her with an offer to buy her a drink, she would rather sit in judgment and contemplate over possible suitors. Upon positive evaluation of a potential mate she offers to buy him a drink. Another example of assuming power comes from a rapper and bass dancer, MC Luscious, who in her song Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend seizes another hypothetical womens partner: Ill take him, shake him, ring him out/ Ill show your man what its all about./ So when he tells you its the end./Thats when you know I got your boyfriend. Her use of the verbs take, shake, and ring in reference to her male lover illustrates the control that she maintains over him. She outdoes her female competitor by articulating her ability to sexually expose what the girlfriend cannot to the boyfriend, leading to the termination of the relationship. Thus, she demonstrates her control and manipulation of the lover and eventually her supremacy over the female opponent by stealing her boyfriend. Although deceitful and potentially unethical, MC Lusciouss desires, and behaviors are at the core of attention in her song. Another significant group of Fly Girls worth noticing is TLC ( Tione T-Boze Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopez and Rozonda Chilli Thomas). Their popularity had been quickly developing since their debut in 1991 and reached its maximum in the second half of the nineties. They spread similar messages to the other Fly Girls like rising awareness about safe sex (Waterfalls) or fighting with women insecurity (Unpretty). They also introduced more diverse fashion sense. Instead of accentuating their fit bodies with tight clothes, they would wear baggy pants as a symbol of solidarity with women of less flattering shapes. Similar approach was taken by another Fly Girl Missy Misdemeanor Elliot. Being a successful writer and producer paved her way to the enormous success in the music industry. In no time she was offered a possibility to launch her clothing line and appeared in GAP and Adidas commercials. The fact that full-figured Missy became a model of the established clothing brand could be perceiv ed as groundbreaking in the sphere of perception of black female bodies. She serves as a role model to many black women who doubt in their attractiveness. As during the late nineties rap became commercialized, gained greater audience and shifted to mainstream it is worth examining what were the messages conveyed by the female rappers. During this time some female artists were as popular and selling as many records as men; for example, Lil Kim and Foxy Brown both had albums that sold one million copies. Contemporary female rappers of the late nineties and the beginning of the twenty first century also endeavor in empowering and subversive mission against male domination, but the lyrical content of their songs show surprising and alarming similarities between them and male rappers. This may be one of the reasons why these female rappers gained more commercial recognition than the pioneers. As means of empowerment they apply the strategy of giving the attitude and answering back in a rude manner to their male counterparts. This group of female rappers fall into the category of Sistas with Attitude which includes such popular rappers as Fo xy Brown, Lil Kim, and Da Brat, or Sis, or Eve. The characteristic of their style is the employment of the same symbolic speech and behaviors as their male fellow rappers. It may seem that by doing so they show (try? unclear) to be equal to men on every level. The lyrics of their songs included motives of indulging in hedonistic activities as partying and smoking marijuana with their men, seducing, harassing, and sexually emasculating male characters; as well as disrespecting (dissin) their male and female counterparts. Although so called dissing in female rappers songs is mainly directed at male sexism, an analysis of contemporary female rap songs reveals that there are instances the same strategy is aimed at women. It is well visible here that Sistas with Attitude seek for their self empowerment by all means. The content of songs with attitude is abundant in vulgarity. The use of derogatory terms may be interpreted in a positive way. I trace some similarities between Sistas with Attitude and some of the Third Wave of feminism representatives. Similarly to them, female rappers reversed the pejorative meaning of vulgar words addressed to women.Sistas may be considered a coarser, clad version of Third Wave of feminism Girlies or Riot Grrls. These were usually members of underground punk bands who addressed issues as rape, female sexuality, domestic abuse, and female empowerment. Same as Sistas they also adopted derogatory, insulting words as cunt bitch slut in their vernacular. By writing these words on their skins or t-shirts they ridiculed and nullified their derogatory meaning. On the one hand, reclamation of the frequently used word bitch may be perceived as a positive way of self empowerment or as providing healing liberation. Other critics claim that this may bring worse returns as the message of female empowerment seem to be diminished and eradicated by female self-objectification. One of the most reoccurring motives found in female rap lyrics is their swaggering feminine self assurance. This characteristic of rap has its roots in part of African-American oral tradition of toasting , where the toast-teller employs in verbal self- enhancement, and presents himself or herself as the dreams of his [or her] Black audience and symbolize for them triumph and accomplishment against the odds. For instance, in Sittin on Top of the World, Da Brat writes: Im on top of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/Girlfriend offender cuz they mans think Im all that/ One of the baddest bitches on the planet. She highlights how she is so bad, meaning great to such extent that she aggravates other women because their men find her beautiful. Another fitting example of braggadocio can be found in Eves song What Ya Want, writing Popular since I started my lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Every thugs dream wife, see the love in they eyes/My time to shine, whole package make her a dime. In these lyrics, the rappe r is presenting herself as popular, and good-looking to every male and a perfectly shaped physically ( a dime in hip hop vernacular). Many rappers enhance their sense of attractiveness by emphasizing their possession of precious objects that others cannot afford. Foxy Brown, who adopted her moniker from the seventies blaxploitation movie protagonist of the same title, in Ill Na Na raps: Uhh, rollin for Lana, dripped in Gabbanaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/And yall gon see by these mils I possess/Never settle for less, Im in excess. Foxy highlights here the fact that she wears expensive womens designer clothing that working class and middle-class individuals could not afford. Furthermore, the audience gets the message that Foxy earns millions of dollars from her rapping. She also admits she is not willing to settle down and start a family but would rather live in abundance of material goods on her own. A vast majority of the female artists mentioned owning luxurious products of mass consumption. Obviously, possession of extravagant material goods are crucial for many contemporary female artists. Material success, fame, and sexual satisfaction is their achieved American Dream. Similarly to male rap artists who glamorize life a of a pimp, these female artists present themselves as physically attractive to possible mates as well as in possession of goods that regular people do not and cannot acquire. This type and degree of overconfidence permeates throughout rap music and is common to both sexes of rappers. It illustrates artists abilities, or their dreams, to overcome obstacles (unattractiveness, lack of money) and eventually achieve (sexual and material) success. The partying, alcohol and drugs abuse is a frequent theme also in Sistas with Attitude rap music. In the overall sample of a sociologist and anthropologist Matthew Owares study of 44 female hip hop songs of the nineties, in each song there was an average of one-and a-half references made to alcohol or drugs. For instance, in her song Deeper, rapper called Boss refers to both alcohol and drug use. In these lyrics, Boss is indulging in a popular malt liquor, and also smokes chronic, a strong form of marijuana mixed cocaine. Another song by Queen Pen, Party Aint a Party, presents: Im tipsy from the cab, down the whole bottle of Henney/ Is you dealing with the cat thats blunted. Queen Pens alcohol is Seagrams Hennessy and blunted means being under the influence of marijuana. These female rappers refute the stereotype that women refrain from hard alcoholic drinks and illegal drugs. These women depict themselves as being equal to men by engaging in similar potentially harmful behaviors. Another feature of rap music that is often taken up by female rappers is disrespecting or dissin, which is the act of verbally insulting an opponent. Dissin allegedly has its origins in West Africa, among tribes such as the Efik in Nigeria and later could be found in early African-American oral traditions. Geneva Smitherman writes women rule when it comes to signifyingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦female rappers use this age-old rhetorical strategy to launch critical offensivesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Traces of such style can be found in the verse rapped by Heather B.: Fuck how much you sell cause, I read your album cover/You couldnt write a jam if your last name was Smucker. As jam may also mean a hit song she ridicules here the amount of records sold by her opponent while dissing his writing skills contrasting them with a popular food product brand Smuckers Jam. Most disrespecting attitudes were pointed at males who attempted to pursue women with pretentious tales of sexual gratification. While some rappers resorted to warning of the potential suitor who must approach them in a courteous manner or gets rejected, other rappers would openly ridicule males sex skills and their fear of womens sexuality. Considered to be one of the most overt and explicit rappers, Lil Kim in Hardcore rhymes: The sex was wack, a four stroke creepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/(later he asked) Could he come over right fast and fuck my pretty ass?/Ill pass, nigga dick was trash. The rapper sets here her own conditions for a sexual intercourse. She keeps men under control and reserves the right to choose her partner by assessing his sex skills. She also implies what is surely feared by most of the heterosexual males to be ridiculed by a woman for poor sex performance. Black males, in particular the ones who have been trying to conceal the image of an emasculated black man, may fee l highly sensitive about it. As many instances of male rap hits presented in the first chapter show that they tried to apply many strategies to regain their control over women. Boasting about their sexual hyper skills was a frequent topic. Gangsta Boo, a successful Sista with Attitude of the late nineties and early twenty first century, touches upon similar themes in her lyrics: Ha-ha, hey, Ladies check this out/ Well, let me tell this story about this nigga/ With a little dick but when its hard, hes swearin it (is) bigger/ Im not to be the one guess you aint got much to offer. Here, Gangsta Boo speaks directly to women about false male machismo. Boo, similarly to her counterpart Lil Kim sets the norms here and evaluates whether her possible mate lives up to her expectations. When finds out that the man is poorly endowed, she ridicules him in front of other women. Hence, as Tricia Rose writes we have women speaking to men, engaging in critiques of supposed male sexual prowess; in addition, they are speaking to other women about the failed attempts of these men to satisfy them sexually. These disses provide a female response to male rappers chauvinism, misogyny and bragging about their sexual potency. Similarly empowering themes also permeate throughout the songs and lyrics that present female sexuality. Several popular female rap artists depicted themselves as explicitly sexualized. Lil Kim in one of her songs vulgarly demonstrates her acting upon a partner and presents herself as not submissive in sexual relationship. She clearly rejects here the romantic archetype of a pure virgin who is overtaken by more experienced lover. Yet, Kim is not a ho, in hip hop vernacular, because her sexuality is not being exploited by her mate, she does not submit to his wants or desires for his satisfaction; rather she gains sexual gratification from this encounter. In hegemonic discourses surrounding womens sexuality, women are silenced or are not allowed to derive pleasure from sexual intercourse with males. Kim articulates her pleasure. Oware in his study notes also another explicitly sexual song of Lil Kims fellow sista Trina, where she raps: G-string make his dick stand/Make it quick then slow head by the night stand/See I fuck him in the living room/I make him eat it while my period on. Similarly to Lil Kim, Trina controls the sexual relationship with her male partners. Also, in her narrative, she makes her male partners perform oral sex while she is menstruating, a level of vulgarity that many heterosexual males would find mortifying. Although this new level of vulgarity was introduced mainly by Sistas with Attitude, similar motifs can be seen in the songs of before mentioned Fly Girls such as Salt-N-Pepa. Even though they characteristically had lyrics that empowered women, they also had lyrics where they sexualized themselves: I throw it like a pitcher, let my sex appeal hit ya/ Game so sharp that it split ya. The quoted single Gitty Up was released in 1998 which may imply that some Fly Girls opted to adjust to the common explicit, raunchy style of the late nineties and first decade of the twentieth century. Similar path was chosen by some representatives of Queen Mothers who also shared similar coarse style in some of their late nineties songs. MC Lyte in one of her Grammy-awarded songs raps about a ruffneck but she does not condemn his involvement in criminal activities there. Instead she assures her listeners what is her main interest: But he dont gotta be large to be in charge/Pumpin in and out and out and in and here we go/Hes got smack it, lick it, swallow it up style. As we can see in aforementioned examples, sexually explicit lyrics exist in second wave 1990s female rappers songs. Furthermore, some female pioneers who are known for songs espousing the positives of womanhood also employ overtly sexual lyrics in some of their songs during this time. They risked their well established, positive image by collaboration with the controversial, coarse style of rap which gained prominence recently. This contradiction potentially undermines any empowering messages that these rappers used to convey. Sistas With Attitude did not only present themselves in overly sexualized ways, but as stated before they also used language that would be considered derogatory and demeaning to women. The majority of the female artists in my sample referred to themselves or other women as bitches. Reclamation of bitch by female rappers may be perceived not only as a tool for self empowerment as Queen Mothers and Fly Girls would argue. The word metaphorically translates as a de meaning and derogatory word usually targeted towards women. However, the word holds multiple meanings in rap music, particularly in songs by female rappers. Whilst Fly Girls would explain the word denotes a positive and strong woman, Sistas with Attitude extend the definition to an assertive female who subverts patriarchal supremacy. In her song She is a Bitch, Missy Elliott uses the word bitch to describe a person with lyrical skills, who can motivate and excite an audience. Self-evident from the title, Da Baddest Bitch rapper, Trina, metaphorically speaking, expresses how she is the best at rhyming and sexual activities. Following in the tradition of the bad nigger tales of the late nineteenth century, these bad girls of hip hop present themselves as the best at their craft, although employing non-normative and masculine language. According to Rose in cases where females music departs from males there are more instances of empowering lyrics about women. Although these female rappers lyrics consist a lot of references to indulging in low entertainment as consumption of alcohol and drug, as well as engaging in disrespecting acts of verbal abuse, several songs found in the Billboard charts deal with more serious issues. There are songs that take into consideration domestic violence, female self-determination and power, and sexuality from the perspective of women. For instance, in her song, Eve casts a bright light on the matter that is seldom discussed in rap music and in the African American community domestic violence: How would you feel if she held you down and raped you?/What kind of love from a nigga would black your eye?/Smacked you down cause he said you was too tall for him, huh? Female rappers while talking about various issues also shared other similarities with male rappers, such as excessive use of v iolent lyrics. How could you beat the mother of your kids? In this song Eve argues from the standpoint of the victim. Her female friend is beaten, raped, and eventually killed by her abuser. In the song she asks the victim about why she stays with the oppressor and later she confronts him about his actions. In the end, Eve kills the abuser. Her song reverberates as a warning, alarming all women against becoming

Essay on Adams Curse - Everyones Fate, Everyones Tragedy

Adam's Curse - Everyone's Fate, Everyone's Tragedy  Ã‚  Ã‚   The allusion to the biblical story of Adam and Eve in William Butler Yeats' poem, "Adam's Curse," reflects the poem's pessimistic theme: the tragic nature of fate. In the story, Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, had defied God, and consequently, were thrown out of paradise. Their punishment (and as their descendents, everyone's punishment and "fate") was to feel the joys and the pains of being human, including love and happiness but work and disappointment as well. Yeats parallels this tragedy of Adam and Eve's newly-found mortality with a narrative which is composed mostly of a conversation about the hardships of writing poetry, being beautiful, and staying in love. By linking the two stories, he implies that such endeavors are not only laborious aspects of life, but can be "destined" to end or fail also. Yeats further establishes the inevitability of something ending by setting the conversation "at one summer's end" (1) and later having the speakers see "the last embers of day light die" (29) when the conversation itself dies. Before the conversation dies, however, Yeats' persona begins the talk with the subject of poetry. What is interesting is that they are not composing lines together, but are discussing the end results of poems' lines. According to the persona, the process of creating poetry, including the hours spent in writing and rewriting the lines, or as Yeats states it, "stitching and unstitching" (6), ultimately will be insignificant if the lines are unsuccessful. Although he regards the act of writing poetry as more difficult than physical labor, he would rather "scrub a kitchen pavement" (8) or do other labor-intensive, yet demeaning jobs, than cr... ...s despair in accepting that his and his lover's fate was to grow "As weary-hearted as that hollow moon" (38). The fact that this line, and not a happy, upbeat ending, closes the poem further emphasizes the tragedy. Yeats' somber turn towards the end of the poem is also indicative of what makes fate sometimes tragic: its unpredictability. Similar to the way Adam was unaware of the consequences of eating the forbidden apple, a poet does not know how good, or bad, a poem will be until it is finished. Similar to the fleeting notion of beauty, love can easily fade. The fact that all these endeavors could be rewarding makes the sudden loss an unbearable, and therefore, "tragic" fate.   Work Cited Yeats, William Butler. "Adam's Curse." Western Wind. 4th ed. Ed. John Frederick Nims and David Mason. Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2000. 431-32.