The Clash Of Old and New in Lorraine Hansberry’s Play, A...

In Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, she uses the characters Beneatha and Walter to show the generation gap from Mama to her children, the generation gap causes a clash between values of new and old. Mama’s children are obsessed with money and the future, while all Mama cares about is freedom and her family. Beneatha and Walter’s outlook on life is very different from Mama’s outlook on life. Mama states â€Å"Once upon a time freedom used to be life – now it’s money. I guess the world really do change.† Mama is saying that all that matters in her life is freedom and family, but now everyone only wants money. Beneatha and Walter prove what Mama said to be true throughout the play, they only think about money and how they are going to spend their father’s insurance check when it comes. But what they do not realize is that that insurance check isn’t theirs to spend its Mama’s. Beneatha is looking to spen d the money on going to college to become a doctor, while Walter wants to use the money to open up a liquor store. But all Mama wants is to do what is best for her family and to make her husbands dreams come true for his family. Mama’s husband always had the dreams for his family to live in a house and not have to worry if they will have a place to sleep at night. Mama never let go of that dream, and when the insurance check came she had a choice to make: to spend it all on a house, to give it to her kids, or to split it up. Mama chose to split it up because she had

The Emergence of English as a Global Language free essay sample

Emergence of English as a world language The need for a global link language Prof. Anil Sarwal[1] The primary means of communication among the peoples of the world is language. According to a well known linguist, Frank Palmer[1], the difference between human beings and animals is poorly described by the label homo sapiens (man with wisdom). He questions what do we mean by wisdom? Anthropologists describe man as a tool maker, but even apes are known to be able to make primitive tools. In fact, what sets us apart from animals is our ability to speak. Man is a speaking animal—homo loquens—and this ability has greatly facilitated our advancement in all spheres. At present, humanity uses 6,809 living languages and about 100 living scripts to facilitate its social interactions[2]. However, there is an urgent need for the adoption of a common link language in a world in which all its people are quickly becoming interdependent despite the many differences of their myriad cultures, races, religions and ideologies. We will write a custom essay sample on The Emergence of English as a Global Language or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The ‘planetization of humankind’[3] is almost complete due to the effects of recent dramatic advances in transport and communication. Communications have been greatly improved by the widespread adoption of mass media—especially radio and television—coupled with reduced costs and time that has been made possible by the use of satellites, computers and mobile telephones. The Internet is quickly emerging as the preferred information highway to meet our daily communication needs as well as for conducting important business transactions. It is now almost impossible for us to fully participate in the global village that we live in, without ‘knowing’ a common world language. 4]   However, the common link language that would be the universally accepted means of communication should not be allowed to undermine the importance of any other existing language or culture. In fact, new linguistic insights have made us aware that no human language is superior to any other and that the development and growth of a language depend upon its use. Meanwhile, English, for various reasons—primarily due to British rule in the many parts of the world—has emerged as the popular lingua franca[5]. In the process, it must be acknowledged, the role of English and its functions have vastly changed. English is no more seen as the language of the rulers, or as an instrument of promoting British culture and values. According to the famous linguist Tom McArthur, â€Å"In the closing years of the twentieth century the English language has become a global resource. As such it does not owe its existence or the protection of its essence to any nation or group. †[6] It is estimated that about a billion people in the world use English either as their native, second or foreign language. English is used in over 70 countries as an official or semi-official language, and plays a very significant role in 20 others. Over 1,400 million people live in countries where there is a tradition of using English. Some 75% of the world’s mail and world’s information is stored in English. Of the estimated 50 million users of the Internet, a majority use English. [7] With the evolution of English to the status of a world language, we have become aware of some of the features that a world language must possess. Irrespective of its origin, a world language must become a utility language that embraces the needs of everyone. Though English originally was the language of the British, there are now many varieties of English, including American English, African English, Indian English and Australian English. Moreover, English now encompasses the dreams and aspirations of many peoples and experiences of diverse nations. It is used to transmit a mass of various information whether it be the latest advances in the fields of science and technology, the experiences of an ethnic group, negotiations in the field of commerce; documentation of cultural ethos; or individual experiences. Its vocabulary has been vastly enriched with the inclusion of many new words from other languages of the world. Some ten thousand words derived from Hindi and other Indian languages have become a part of Indian English. These include:   guru, babu, chorpoy, curry, etc. We are very familiar with the following widely used pidgin words:   lathi-charge, rickshaw-walla, double-roti, etc. [8] Spoken English varies from region to region in accordance with cultural and native language differences.

Jews and Muslims in medieval Spain

Introduction During Middle Ages, Spain witnessed the rise and development of various literal traditions. Three major religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism in the Iberian Peninsula contributed to the existence of different intellectual communities, beliefs and practices. Due to the presence of these religions, conflicts and traditions were common as each entity pursued dominance over each other.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Jews and Muslims in medieval Spain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Political leaders and philosophers played a major role in setting such disputes among warring groups. This essay discusses the impact and knowledge and understanding of the relations in Spain between the Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities, based on Dwayne Carpenter’s literature, Jews and Muslims in medieval Spain. Abdallah ibn Tumart During early years, Medieval Spain was treated by the rise of different le aders from varying communities. For instance, Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tumart came to the limelight in 515 (A.D. 1121) (Carpenter 239). He hailed from Sus district and presented himself as a person who believed in doing good things. According to genealogical findings, he belonged to the â€Å"high born† and traversed several countries for studies. During his tours, he learnt a lot from influential leaders he met, including Abu Bakr al-Shashi, who influenced him in the understanding of law and theology. Additionally, he was privileged to hear hadith narrated by people like Mubarak ibn Abd al-Jabbar. He also attended the lectures of jurist Abu Bakr al-Turtush in Alexandria, where he made several calls, ordering people to do the right thing and shun evil. These calls contributed to his immediate departure from the city using a ship, whose crew could not put up with his endless â€Å"good† calls, choosing to throw him into the sea but survived (Carpenter 240). Muhammad ib n Abdallah ibn Tumart’s desire of spreading knowledge had no borders. He landed at Bijaya in North Africa, where his influence grew significantly through teaching and preaching. As a result, the Prince of Bijaya got threatened, forcing him to move to another city (Carpenter 240). His obedience was also evident as he obeyed commands to leave certain territories. Due to his deep knowledge, people followed him, including Abd al-Wahid and Abd al-Mumin, who accompanied him to al-Ubbad mosque. While camping at the mosque, Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tumart influenced the surrounding communities until he became an idol to most of those who interacted with him, including rulers. At Fez, he continued to win the hearts of many through his knowledge and doctrines of the Ash’anya school (Carpenter 240).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He empowered rulers, giving them the power to win de bates and influence their subjects by expounding legal rulings. However, his influence equally threatened some rulers who believed that he was out to corrupt people. For instance, he was exiled from the city of Fez, after the fuqaba heard his theology, forcing him to relocate to Marrakesh. Despite the fact that Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tumart used his knowledge to promote good deeds among people, his life was at risk after some rulers believed that his theology promoted evil among people. There were attempts by Andalusian, who wanted him killed for corrupting Muslims. However, the commander of Muslims found no guilt in him to justify his death or life imprisonment as suggested by Malik ibn Wuhayb. He was therefore allowed to move to Sus with his followers, where he launched his propaganda (Carpenter 241). Although Muhammad ibn Abdallah ibn Tumart invited many people from Sus to attend his teachings, he never disclosed his agenda of gaining power. As an eloquent scholar, ibn Tumart composed papers on several articles of faith in local languages, attracting people from all over Masmuda (Carpenter 241). Consequently, his fanatics developed love and obedience to him; he was endowed with immense knowledge. He identified trustworthy people and tasked them to preach his mission and convince chiefs from all the tribes. He however forbade them from shading the blood of innocent people as a way of practicing his doctrine of doing good things and avoiding evil. Ibn Tumart introduced Mahdi to people in a manner that triggered their desire to see him among his followers. He claimed the title, after winning everybody, saying that he was the sinless prophet Muhammmad ibn Abdallah (Carpenter 241). This made people to take the oath of allegiance to him, allowing them through similar prophetic engagements. He also continued to write treatises, books and statements of belief in his religion. Ibn Tumart’s popularity grew widely in Masmuda as people obeyed every command th at was issued by him, including killing a brother, sister or parents. He remained focused to his dream and formed an army in 517, whose main aim was to convert the al-Murabits and make them acknowledge the sinless Imam Mahdi (Carpenter 242). They were also given the power to fight and kill those who would resist their commands. Nevertheless, their first attack on Marrakesh was unsuccessful; leaving Ibn Tumart’s army with great loses. He later made several raids, which were successful, killing people mercilessly and capturing other territories in the name of a saint. His influence continued even after his death, Abd al-Mumin tool over, conquering province after province until the entire Morocco was submissive. At this stage, his armies targeted other eastern areas of North Africa and then Spain (Carpenter 243).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Jews and Muslims in medieval Spain specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mor e Conclusion From this, it is clear that knowledge was a powerful tool in advancing religious, political and personal interests. Ibn Tumart is an example of these people, having convinced multitudes to be the sinless Imam and Prophet Muhammad ibn Abdallah. Works Cited Carpenter, Dwayne. Jews and Muslims in medieval Spain. Michigan: G. Braziller in association with the Jewish Museum, 1992. Print. This essay on Jews and Muslims in medieval Spain was written and submitted by user Lilianna Stevens to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Illusion essays

The Illusion essays I watched a play The Illusion by Pierre Corneille on 27 of September. Pierre Corneille wrote that play on 17th century so at first thought it is kind of hard for me to understand the whole play. It was played at Russell H. Miller theatre. Actually Tony Kushner adapted the play. It was a strange comedy about and magic. It was played pretty well and I was pleased about it and the rest of audience liked it too. The play opens as a desperate father comes to a magician Alcandre for help in finding his son. The magician lives in a cave with his servant. Years before, the father's rigid expectations forced the boy from home, now the old man regrets his rashness. The magician decides to help him and shows three scenes about his sons life. In the first vision the son is a penniless young and altruistic swain smitten by love of a lady he worships from afar and thats all what happened in first scene. In the second, the son is a manservant of his nobleman rival who is secretly courting the lady because of her wealth, while bedding the maid. He is imprisoned for killing the nobleman rival in a duel. The maid arranges his escape and his union with her lady at the cost of the lady's entire fortune. The lady's faith in her lover allows her to give all to receive all. The son escapes with the now penniless lady. In the third vision, the son is a philanderer married to the lady. The prince assassinate s him because of his affair with the princess. The lady witnesses the stabbing, is overcome, and dies. When Pridamant sees his son mortally wounded he becomes so disconsolate that he falls ill. The magician then reveals that the visions are theatrical illusions and his son is an actor. After hearing this Pridament dont like his sons profession and doesnt show any interest for his son anymore and he lives the cave. First moments watching the play were kind of confusing for me ...

Twitter in Our Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Twitter in Our Life - Essay Example To potentially support Twitter’s relevancy toward citizen journalism, one can explore the 2012 presidential campaign between incumbent Barack Obama and new candidate Mitt Romney. On October 30, one month prior to the actual election, analysis of Twitter activity regarding both candidates identified that Romney maintained more negative tweets than his opponent, who ultimately won the election for a second term. Of Romney’s total tweet volume, 34 percent were attributed to negative discussion whilst Obama maintained a 33 percent negative tweet volume (TNS 2012). Analysis of the content of these negative tweets identified that major socio-political topics such as taxation, immorality, worry, and disaster were attributed, in higher volume, toward the loser Romney (TNS). On October 30, one day prior to the aforementioned analysis, mainstream journalism (CNN) had moderated a debate between the two candidates where the moderator inquired of Romney his stance on disaster relief in the wake of a large superstorm that ravaged the U.S. East Coast. Romney on national television indicated that the Federal government should have a limited role in disaster relief to avoid incurring more debt, calling it immoral (Taylor 2012). After these debates, the mainstream Huffington Post maintained a neutral reporting position regarding Romney’s criticisms of immorality and disaster prevailing negative tweets, suggesting that Romney also stated he would ensure adequate funding to America’s FEMA organization to provide such relief.

Hate speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hate speech - Essay Example However, from studies, it becomes evident that the total number of porn visitors on net in a year is about 72 million. Surprisingly, 25 percent of the total search engine requests are for pornography. The 372 million pornography pages and 4.2 billion websites help internet generate an amount of 2.5 billion dollars a year. The impact of internet pornography in the lives of people is beyond the imagination of many people. It enables people to access porn any time and anywhere they want; home, school work, and internet cafes. Many a time, porn pops up even when not searched for, and thus, it has become an important part of cultural landscape. However, things take an ugly turn when one looks into the explanation of social scientists about the impact of the onslaught of porn on the society. Admittedly, children are most vulnerable victims of internet pornography. DeAngelis makes the startling revelation that 40 percent of teens and preteens visit pornography content on the web either deli berately or accidentally. The first impact as identified in one study is that the teens who watch online porn are more likely to develop a ‘recreational’ attitude towards sex. They tend to consider sex as a purely physical need.

The Role and Importance of the International Law in World Politics Essay Example for Free

The Role and Importance of the International Law in World Politics Essay International law has been of increasing interest to scholars in recent decades, following several incidents that have severely challenged the concepts of how international order, peace, harmony, and justice between nations and states are maintained through the application of an international system of rules and sanctions. (Huysmans, 2006; Slaughter, 1993,1995; Nijman, 2007; Stahn, 2007; Goddard Nexon, 2005) One of the most significant events was the 9-11 Twin Towers attack in the Unites States, which precluded renewed aggression on the Middle East, particularly Iraq and Afghanistan, and all other states considered to be aligned with the axis of evils or coddlers of religious and ideological extremism. The actions of the United States and its allies, particularly the attack on Afghanistan, deprived of international consensus, have understandably raised â€Å"questions about the relevance of international law, the legitimacy of torture, justification for pre-emptive use of military force, the rise of U.S. unilateralism, a crisis of the United Nations, etc.† (Huysmans, 2006:12) In the same manner, this has encouraged many scholars to study â€Å"how power constrains international law (or dooms it to irrelevance), how the powerful can harness international law to their ends, and how international law may reconfigure power in its own right.† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006:64)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The increased concern over the importance of international law has likewise gained more impetus as the world entered the era of globalization. Indeed, in no other time has the need for laws with global scope become more paramount as in the information age, when the rise of transnational crime syndicates as the direct consequence of a better global information network and communications infrastructure, as well as the widely changing norms and perceptions of many cultures (Bentivegna, 2006: 341) has forced countries to work in untraditional ways to confront challenges and formulate solutions. It is therefore not surprising for the debates over the significance of international law be centred upon what an increasing number of scholars and critics have called â€Å"the politics of international insecurity,† which brings to the fore the problems on the conceptualization of the international legal infrastructure and the enforcement of its rules and sanctions. International Law, Politics, and Power The discourse of international law and its enforcement is necessarily a discourse of political power and its outcomes in the international terrain. In its inception and early stages, however, it was not recognized in its inception and early development that the two had a dialectical relationship, or indeed, that international law enforced and reinforced world politics in the same way that the latter affected the way the international system of policies and sanctions was structured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Doubtless, there remains a strong consensus today that the very nature of international law is rooted on its dialectical relationship with the political motivations, behavioral patterns and concepts of identity of states. However, in order to determine the extent to which international law remains an important influence in the conduct of world politics, it would be beneficial to examine the development of the concept of international law with respect to its historical and sociological framework. While it may be conceded that there are diverging opinions on the role of international law—or of its consequence, if at all—on international relations, the fact remains that it is presently active today than any other time in history although the reason for its existence has been very much contested.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The classic notion of international law assumed that governing states was as easy as governing people, with its basic assumptions moored on the belief in the peoples’—and states’, for that matter—ability to comply with rules and regulations. Underlying this belief was a concept of people as being inherently conformist based on a fixed set of norms that were universally accepted, largely influenced by those who believed in the rationality of law in the governance of societies which stipulated that â€Å"legal rules and institutions did not arise out of the power of the coercive state but, rather, out of custom, consensus, and private ordering.† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006:66) International law was therefore optimistic in the outset, with the notion of its power perceived to be a function more of self-regulation among states rather than a product of force or coercion. Another important assumption was of international law’s being a â€Å"neutral, apolitical avenue in which to settle international disputes† owing to its separation from the sphere of politics. (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006: 67) The rise of fascism, however, provided enough reason for a change in viewpoint. At the heart of this was the growing recognition that international law was useless if it had no power at all to stop the aggressive tendencies of some states—or if did not present itself as a threat enough to be able to effectively police nations. Hence, there was an increased popularization and acceptance of the argument that international law cannot be separated from the discourse of politics and of the multiplicity of political agendas within the international community. Scholars such as Morgenthau (1959:502), for instance, suggested that â€Å"universal moral principles, such as justice and equality, are capable of guiding political action only to the extent that they have been given concrete content and have been related to political situations by society.† This mirrored the general attitude of realists, who argued that â€Å"international law could ever play more than an epiphenomenal role in the ordering of international life.† (Slaughter-Burley, 1993:206) Such an assertion stemmed from the core belief of the realists that international law merely reflected the â€Å"interests of powerful states,† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006: 67) which encouraged some scholars of the realist tradition to assert that international law was inconsequential as it was beholden to the powerful and could be bent to suit the interests of powerful nations. (Slaughter, 1995:1; Kocs, 1994) Morgenthau (1967), for instance, illustrated how the issue of intervention into sovereign states, which was declared unacceptable by the international law, was often violated by powerful entities acting for the preservation of their interests, which suggested that economic and political imbalances in the world—where the richer economies were able to influenc e the political and legal structure and framework of the developing world by dangling foreign aid—made the international law inutile in reflecting the interests of the poor and the rich on an equal scale. There have been departures to these beliefs, naturally, as new criticisms emerged from the constructivist camp which argued that interests and identities were inseparable from social groups and as such, â€Å"international law both reflects and reinforces identities and interests.† (Steinberg Zasloff, 2006: 82) Constructivists underlined the role of â€Å"norms, identities and other socio-cultural phenomena in international politics,† (Goddard Nexon, 2005: 29) which assert that like cultural symbols, norms and identities in international law and politics are constantly created and recreated by its actors. (Kocs, 1994) Therefore, the role of the international law and its influence on the behavior of sovereign states is mediated upon by the prevailing beliefs and concepts of order, justice and peace. The Dilemma of Hegemonic Power: Challenges to International Law Thus, the central role of international law in the world, today when violent conflicts and inequalities have sharply divided the world, has transformed into that of an equalizer of power, an expectation that is held by every individual and every society that ascribes to and believes in the tenets of democracy. The international law, through the international court, also functions as a last repository of justice for societies, and is instrumental in providing elusive justice to victims of human rights violations by despotic leaders and to victims of war atrocities that otherwise could not have sought redress from the domestic courts of their countries. (Stahn 2007) Whether the international law has been able to live up to these expectations is another matter, of course, and lately the power of the international law itself to maintain peace among states has been gravely challenged.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the Second World War the United States emerged as the new superpower, which would give the realists their bases for attacking the role of international law other than in maintaining the interests of the status quo. Subsequent events that unfolded in history, from the Gulf War to the war on Afghanistan and the prolonged occupation of Iraq on the ground that it was harboring nuclear armaments have further highlighted the crises of the ability of international institutions such as the United Nations to enforce the international law. Another damning issue is the global climate change and the starkly bullheaded position of the United States and other developed countries on not signing the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gases emission which puts the whole world at more peril than the nuclear armaments supposedly kept by North Korea and Iran that the U.S. has been keen on decimating. These events have therefore raised the questions of whether the U.N. and the international law are, as suggested by the realist camp, prevailed upon by powerful states so that these states are able to enjoy an â€Å"exceptionality† when it comes to demanding compliance by the international community.    In the same manner, recent events such as the Iraq War which the U.S. has failed to justify based on the context of abating a â€Å"clear and present danger,† and despite the absence of consent from the international security council to launch the attack, have highlighted the gross imbalance of power that undermines the very existence of the international court as a mediating body in transnational conflicts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is unfortunate indeed not only for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan for all other peoples in the developing world as the current stance of the U.S. and other powerful countries not only tramples upon the very foundations of the international law but sets a dangerous precedent to ignore the rules set upon by the international community. Likewise, it presents a cause with which other countries may willfully violate the sovereignty of others regardless of international laws and based only on its perceptions of insecurity. It is in this context that the role of international law must be evaluated upon, on whether it has balanced out the capabilities of democratic societies to engage in fruitful relationships based on critical partnerships, or it has one-sidedly benefited the more powerful to the detriment of the weak, which it has, in recent years, appeared to be more and more inclined to do so. Works Cited: Bentivegna, S. (2006) Rethinking politics in the world of ICTs. European Journal of Communication, 21(3). Huysmans, J. (2006). International politics of insecurity: Normativity, inwardness, and the exception. Security Dialogue, 37(1):11-29. Goddard, S.E. D.H. Nexon (2005). Paradigm lost? Reassessing theory of international politics. European Journal of International Relations, 11(1):9-61. Kocs, S.A. (1994). Explaining the strategic behavior of states: International law as system structure. International Studies Quarterly, 38(4):535-556. Morgenthau, H.J. (1959). Dilemmas of Politics. International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), 35(4):. 502. Morgenthau, H.J. (1967) To intervene or not to intervene. Foreign Affairs, 45(3): 425-36. Nijman, J.E. (2007). Paul Ricoeur and international law: Beyond ‘the end of the subject’ towards a reconceptualization of international legal personality. Leiden Journal of International Law, 20: 25-64. Stahn, C. (2007). The international criminal court and the shortcomings of domestic legislation: Introductory note. Leiden Journal of International Law, 20: 165-166. Slaughter-Burley, A.M. (1993). International law and international relations theory: A dual agenda. The American Journal of International Law, 87(2): 205-239. Slaughter, A.M. (1995). International law in a world of liberal states. EJIL, 6: 1-39. Steinberg, R.H. J.M. Zasloff (2006). Power and international law. The American Journal of International Law, 100(1):64-87.