Economic concerns in the aftermath of terrorism

Economic concerns in the aftermath of terrorism Introduction Terrorism is one of the major challenges threatening the existence of societies in different parts of the world. Acts of terror have been in existence for centuries. Currently, governments are facing terrorism from domestic and transnational sources (Gaibulloev Sandler, 2009). Various scholars have tried to define the term terrorism, thus leading to numerous definitions.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Economic concerns in the aftermath of terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gaibulloev and Sandler (2009) define terrorism as â€Å"premeditated use or threat to use violence by individuals or sub-national groups in order to obtain a political or social objective through the intimidation of a large audience beyond that of the immediate victims† (p. 362). Gaibulloev and Sandler (2009) further opine that modern terrorism is intended to cause harm to a particular society in order to comp el the targeted government to give in to their demands. Therefore, terrorists try to achieve their goal by circumventing democratic processes. Acts of terror may result in adverse economic and or human losses. For example, the al-Qaeda terror network advocates its supporters to attack critical economic centers. Gaibulloev and Sandler (2009) are of the opinion that such losses expose governments’ incapability to protect their citizens and assets. As a result, the public may lose confidence on their government. In addition to social impacts, terrorism has significant economic impacts on society. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to integrate effective mechanisms to curb this social ill. This paper focuses on the economic dimension of terrorism by describing and critically analyzing the economic concerns due to terrorism. Analysis Direct economic costs According to Johnston and Nedelescu (2005), terrorism has undergone significant changes over the past few years. Te rrorists are targeting civilians and business activities leading to substantial destruction of property and loss of life. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) estimated the direct cost of the 9/11 terrorist attack to be $ 27.2 billion, which represents 25% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Local and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Local and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) are some of the major avenues through which governments stimulate their countries’ economic growth and development. According to Alfaro (2003), both the developed and developing economies are increasingly offering incentives to foreign investors in order to attract them to invest in their countries.Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More FDI has positive impacts on the host country’s growth and development efforts (Carkovic Levine, 2004). F irst, FDI results in the transfer of knowledge and technology to the host country, thus jumpstarting its economy. Terrorist attacks diminish the attractiveness of a particular country to investors, which arises from an increment in the degree of uncertainty with regard to foreign direct investments. Terrorism may result in the destruction of essential infrastructure. For example, the attack on London’s financial district in 1992 by the IRA terrorist group resulted in damages worth  £ 800 million. Additionally, the attack conducted on London’s railway network in July 2005 resulted in damages whose cost was estimated to be  £ 1 billion (Gaibulloev Sandler, 2009). Such destructions may lead to increment in the cost of operation. Moreover, investors may be forced to integrate private security measures in order curb terrorism, which may affect the productivity of a company adversely. Terrorism may also increase the cost of doing business, thus hindering a countryâ€⠄¢s economic growth. For example, companies may be forced to pay higher insurance premiums (Gaibulloev Sandler, 2009). The aviation industry is one of the industries that have been greatly affected by insurance premium hikes. However, other sectors such as tourism, transportation, and the energy sector have also been affected (Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation, 2002). Secondly, firms may experience a challenge in their efforts to recruit the necessary workforce, which arises from lack of incentives to work in a country that is prone to terrorism. Therefore, the performance and productivity of companies may be affected adversely by terrorism. Considering the fact that investors are risk averse in their investment process, they may decide to redirect their local and foreign direct investments to countries that are not prone to terrorism. For example, the success of the European Union depends on the extent of the developed investor confidence. Disruption of investo r confidence is likely to lead to the member states experiencing low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to change in investment behavior. Moreover, lack of investor confidence may also lead to a decline in asset prices.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Economic concerns in the aftermath of terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Johnston and Nedelescu (2005) further opine, â€Å"Falling investor confidence may trigger a generalized drop in asset prices and a flight to quality that increases the borrowing costs for riskier borrowers† (p.32). This aspect may adversely affect a country’s economic growth. Public spending Government spending is another major macroeconomic element that is influenced by terrorism. Government spending refers to the expenditure that is incurred by a particular government in the process of providing goods and services to the public. According to Gaibulloev and Sandler ( 2009), terrorism increases government spending in a number of ways. Governments are forced to increase their expenditure in an effort to implement various defensive and proactive actions to counter terrorism. Such campaigns may entail an effort to capture the terrorists. Herendeen (2008) asserts that investments on such security measures may crowd investment in some economic sectors such as health, infrastructure [canals, bridges and highways], and education. The 2001 terrorism attack in the US stimulated the US government to invest a substantial amount in research and development on military projects. Similarly, member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) increased their investment on counter-terrorism mechanisms. Therefore, governments shift their focus from economically productive sectors. According to a survey conducted by the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation in 2002, a 1% increment on military security spending, reduces a countries spending by 0.7% within five years. Terrorism in the less developed countries may also limit the amount of grants and donations received from the developed countries. This aspect arises from the fact that donors may develop a perception that their donations will be diverted to finance military projects rather than projects aimed at alleviating poverty (Gaibulloev Sandler, 2009).Advertising Looking for research paper on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In an effort to raise the funds necessary to counter terrorism, the less developed countries may adopt measures that might increase the rate of inflation. For example, governments might produce their domestic currency. According to Bruck (2007), public spending during the conflict period increases significantly. This trend continues during the years preceding acts of terror. As a result, a country’s macroeconomic stability is affected by the high rate of inflation and increase in the budget deficit (Bruck, 2007). Financial market According to Bruck (2007), financial markets play a critical role in a country’s economic growth as it stimulates the flow of investment capital and savings. As a result, production of products and services and continuous restructuring of a country’s economy are enhanced despite the fact that their financial markets are facing a major threat due to terrorism. According to Johnston and Nedelescu (2005), terrorism affects the operations o f financial markets in a number of ways. One of these ways entails disruption of the financial market infrastructure such as the communication systems. For example, J.P Morgan Chase and the Bank of New York are some of the major clearing financial institutions in the US. The two institutions were forced to relocate their operations to their backup sites after the 2001 terror attack. Their relocation was occasioned by the fact that their headquarters were located near to the World Trade Center, which was hit by terrorists. Disruption of operations in the two financial institutions forced the firms to resort to manual processing of securities and other financial transactions. This move led to significant delays in the process of clearing various financial transactions. Consequently, the degree of uncertainty in the financial institutions’ ability to address the customers’ liquidity needs was increased. Mueller and Stewart (2011) assert that terrorism affects the stabilit y of financial markets, and this aspect has adverse effects on stock prices. The 9/11 terrorist attack led to heavy disturbance in the global stock exchange market. For example, stock prices in the European stock market declined with a 9% margin. The decline in stock prices arose for the insurance, tourism, and the airline industries were affected adversely. The European stock market was also adversely affected by the Madrid bombings. The insurance industry is greatly affected by terrorism compared to the stock exchange market and the banking industry. For example, it is estimated that the US insurance industry incurred a loss of $ 30 and $ 50 billion following the 9/11 terrorist attack. Such huge financial losses may result in some companies going into bankruptcy, as the parties affected by terrorism may claim compensation, which the insurer might not be in a position to cover. Impact on supply chains Developing an effective supply chain is imperative in a country’s economic growth and the government should focus on three main facets of supply, which include information, material, and funds (Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation, 2002). After the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack in the US, the US government halted the country’s air transport system for four days. The decision to halt the air transport hinged on the need to tighten the country’s security measures. Immediately after the terror attack, the US government closed the border between Canada and the US. It is estimated that approximately 500,000 vehicles cross the border daily. Moreover, the volume of trade conducted through the border between Canada and the US is estimated to be $ 1.4 billion daily. Traders incurred opportunity cost due to the long waits. The automobile companies were the worst affected, which arises from the fact that the just-in-time supply chain was broken down. Moreover, companies that deal with perishable goods experienced huge losses due t o the long wait during security checks. The terrorist attack did not only affect the US firms, but also firms in other countries that conduct bilateral trade with the US. For example, a number of companies in Canada were shut down following the 2001 terrorist attack (Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation, 2002). Terrorism disrupts the cost of supply chains by increasing transportation cost. Most air and water transportation companies have increased the cost of transportation. For example, the US government requires all international shipments to be subjected to inspection by the Coast Guards. Additionally, the ships are required to be escorted by tugboats and on the other hand, airfreight companies have incorporated high commercial insurance premiums. Additionally, the cost of airfreights in some terrorist prone regions is also increased by war surcharges. Sandler and Enders (2008) assert that exports are affected adversely by terrorism due to increment in the cost o f transaction. Sandler and Enders (2008) further opine, â€Å"A first terrorist incident reduces bilateral trade by 8%† (p.5). If a country becomes vulnerable to terrorism, the volume of bilateral trade is adversely affected. Conclusion The paper ranks terrorism as one of the major challenge faced by all governments around the world. Currently, terrorism has undergone significant changes and the perpetrator’ targets have also changed. Terrorists are not only targeting major installations, but also civilians. Therefore, it is essential for governments and other stakeholders to address this social ill conclusively. In addition to addressing the social impacts associated with terrorism, it is imperative for governments to take into account the economic aspects highlighted in this paper. The analysis shows that terrorism has adverse effects on a country’s economic growth and development. First, terrorism leads to substantial loss in governments’ effort to cle ar and reconstruct critical infrastructures that are damaged by terrorist acts. Additionally, terrorism diminishes the attractiveness of a country to investors, which arises from the fact that investors lose confidence on the security of their investment. Lack of confidence may force investors to shift their investments to other countries that are less prone to terrorism and have a high degree of certainty. Terrorism also results in an increment in the volume of government spending. Governments spend a lot of money in developing and implementing mechanisms aimed at countering terrorism. As a result, funds are shifted to activities that have a low economic value. Financial markets, which are a critical component in a country’s economic growth, are also affected by terrorism through disruption of communication systems. Terrorism may also force some financial institutions such as insurance companies into bankruptcy. The supply chains are also affected adversely by terrorism. Suc h effects may limit a country’s ability to achieve its macroeconomic goals. Recommendations In order to address the negative economic effects associated with terrorism, it is imperative for governments to integrate effective counter terrorism mechanisms. Some of the issues that governments should focus on are outlined below. Governments should integrate tighten their security mechanisms. For example, governments should conduct a comprehensive background checks on the parties involved in the supply chain. Such measures are important despite the fact that they may increase the cost of doing business. This aspect arises from the fact companies will be forced to shift from just-in-time inventory management model to just-in-case buffers to minimize disruptions in the operation of companies due to lack of raw materials. It is imperative for governments to collaborate with one another in their quest to counter terrorism, as terrorism does not only affect the target country but also the country’s trade partners. Reference List Bruck, T. (2007). The economic analysis of tourism. New York, NY: Routledge. Carkovic, M., Levine, R. (2004). Does foreign direct investment accelerate  economic growth. Retrieved from https://piie.com/publications/chapters_preview/3810/08iie3810.pdf Gaibulloev, K., Sandler, T. (2009). The impact of terrorism and conflicts on growth in Asia. Economics and Politics, 21(3), 359-370. Herendeen, J. (2008). Issues in economics: an introduction. Lanhan, MD: University Press of America. Johnston, R., Nedelescu, O. (2005). The impact of terrorism on financial markets. New York, NY: International Monetary Fund. Mueller, J., Stewart, G. (2011). Terror, security and money: Balancing the risks,  benefits and cost of homeland security. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation. (2002). Economic  consequences of terrorism. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/eco/outlook/1935314.pdf Sa ndler, T., Enders, W. (2008). Economic consequences of terrorism developed  and developing countries: an overview. Retrieved from utdallas.edu/~tms063000/website/Econ_Consequences_ms.pdf

Hamlet Themes and Literary Devices

Hamlet Themes and Literary Devices William Shakespeares Hamlet is considered of the most thematically-rich works of literature in the English language. The tragic play, which follows Prince Hamlet as he decides whether to revenge his fathers death by murdering his uncle, includes themes of appearance vs. reality, revenge, action vs. inaction, and the nature of death and the afterlife. Appearance vs. Reality Appearance versus reality is a recurrent theme within Shakespeare’s plays, which often question the boundary between actors and people. At the beginning of Hamlet, Hamlet finds himself questioning how much he can trust the ghostly apparition. Is it really the ghost of his father, or is it an evil spirit meant to lead him into murderous sin? The uncertainty remains central to the narrative throughout the play, as the ghosts statements determine much of the narrative’s action. Hamlet’s madness blurs the line between appearance and reality. In Act I, Hamlet clearly states that he plans to feign madness. However, over the course of the play, it becomes less and less clear that he is only pretending to be mad. Perhaps the best example of this confusion takes place in Act III, when Hamlet spurns Ophelia leaving her utterly confused about the state of his affection for her. In this scene, Shakespeare brilliantly reflects the confusion in his choice of language. As Hamlet tells Ophelia to â€Å"get thee to a nunnery,† an Elizabethan audience would hear a pun on â€Å"nunnery† as a place of piety and chastity as well as the contemporary slang term â€Å"nunnery† for brothel. This collapse of opposites reflects not only the confused state of Hamlet’s mind, but also Ophelia’s (and our own) inability to interpret him correctly. This moment echoes the broader theme of the impossibility of interpreting reality, which in turn l eads to Hamlets struggle with revenge and inaction. Literary Device: Play-Within-a-Play The theme of appearance versus reality is reflected in the Shakespearean trope of the play-within-a-play. (Consider the often-quoted â€Å"all the world’s a stage† remarks in Shakespeare’s As You Like It.) As the audience watches the actors of the play Hamlet watching a play (here, The Murder of Gonzago), it is suggested that they zoom out and consider the ways in which they themselves might be upon a stage. For example, within the play, Claudius’s lies and diplomacy are clearly simple pretense, as is Hamlet’s feigning madness. But is not Ophelia’s innocent acquiescence to her father’s demand that she stop seeing Hamlet another pretense, as she clearly does not want to spurn her lover? Shakespeare is thus preoccupied with the ways we are actors in our everyday life, even when we don’t mean to be. Revenge and Action vs. Inaction Revenge is the catalyst for action in Hamlet. After all, it is the ghost’s injunction to Hamlet to seek revenge for his death that forces Hamlet into action (or inaction, as the case may be). However, Hamlet is no simple drama of vengeance. Instead, Hamlet continually puts off the revenge he is supposed to seize. He even considers his own suicide instead of killing Claudius; however, the question of the afterlife, and whether he would be punished for taking his own life, stays his hand. Similarly, when Claudius decides he must have Hamlet killed off, Claudius sends the prince to England with a note to have him executed, rather than doing the deed himself. In direct contrast to the inaction of Hamlet and Claudius is the forceful action of Laertes. As soon as he hears of his father’s murder, Laertes returns to Denmark, ready to wreak revenge on those responsible. It is only through careful and clever diplomacy that Claudius manages to convince the enraged Laertes that Hamlet is at fault for the murder. Of course, at the end of the play, everyone is revenged: Hamlet’s father, as Claudius dies; Polonius and Ophelia, as Laertes kills Hamlet; Hamlet himself, as he kills Laertes; even Gertrude, for her adultery, is killed drinking from the poisoned goblet. In addition, Prince Fortinbras of Norway, who was searching for revenge for his father’s death at Denmark’s hands, enters to find most of the offending royal family killed. But perhaps this fatally interlocking network has a more sobering message: namely, the destructive consequences of a society that values vengeance. Death, Guilt, and the Afterlife From the very beginning of the play, the question of death looms. The ghost of Hamlet’s father makes the audience wonder about the religious forces at work within the play. Does the ghost’s appearance mean Hamlet’s father is in heaven, or hell? Hamlet struggles with the question of the afterlife. He wonders whether, if he kills Claudius, he will end up in hell himself. Particularly given his lack of trust in the ghost’s words, Hamlet wonders if Claudius is even as guilty as the ghost says. Hamlets desire to prove Claudiuss guilt beyond all doubt results in much of the action in the play, including the play-within-a-play he commissions. Even when Hamlet comes close to killing Claudius, raising his sword to murder the oblivious Claudius in church, he pauses with the question of the afterlife in mind: if he kills Claudius while he is praying, does that mean Claudius will go to heaven? (Notably, in this scene, the audience has just witnessed the difficulty Claudius faces in being able to pray, his own heart burdened by guilt.) Suicide is another aspect of this theme. Hamlet takes place in era when the prevailing Christian belief asserted that suicide would damn its victim to hell. Yet Ophelia, who is considered to have died by suicide, is buried in hallowed ground. Indeed, her final appearance onstage, singing simple songs and distributing flowers, seems to indicate her innocence- a stark contrast with the allegedly sinful nature of her death. Hamlet grapples with the question of suicide in his famous to be, or not to be soliloquy. In thus considering suicide, Hamlet finds that â€Å"the dread of something after death† gives him pause. This theme is echoed by the skulls Hamlet encounters in one of the final scenes; he is amazed by the anonymity of each skull, unable to recognize even that of his favorite jester Yorick. Thus, Shakespeare presents Hamlet’s struggle to understand the mystery of death, which divides us from even seemingly the most fundamental aspects of our identity.

The Gaia Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Gaia Theory - Essay Example An example of this is the central belief in Gaia Theory that says the composition of the atmosphere is closely regulated by biological reactions to changes in the atmosphere. For example, an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere should result in a corresponding growth in vegetation that would absorb the additional CO2. In this way, Gaia theorists say that the biological reaction to changes in the atmosphere help keeps the earth in a state of habitable stasis. Some Gaia theorists argue that instead of stasis, the biological changes will actually work to optimize earth’s ability to sustain life. I agree with the criticism leveled against the Gaia Theory. While I find the thoughts and hypothesis generated by this theory, I think the author’s discussion of how historical evidence shows that once earth cools, it actually works to keep itself cool and after it has heated it tends to stay hot is at odds with the theory. The levels of C4 and C2 evidenced in arctic ice core samples seems to show that biological changes cannot counter all changes in the atmosphere to create a situation of stasis or even optimization. Forests affect global climate change in several important ways. The manner that they affect global climate change is different depending on whether the forest is located in a tropical, temperate or sub-arctic region. Tropical forests affect global climate change greatly through high levels of evaporative cooling and carbon sequestration. The humid climate contributes to rapid growth in woody flora of all types. The competing species of trees organize themselves into a climax forest consisting of a deeply shaded floor with low surface temperature with massive amounts of carbon stored in the trunks to the trees. Much study has been made of the clearing of tropical forest for agricultural uses.

The Impact of An Engineering Innovation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Impact of An Engineering Innovation - Essay Example Since the invention of the internal combustion engine and of the tools and machinery that rely on it the global scene has undergone much change from the 19th century. The impact in global society has been in various ways, but the main effect has been in the transportation industry. Early application of the combustion engine was the use of automobiles and trains and later on airplanes. The use and reliance on these modes of transport have made the combustion engine indispensable in the global society. From the late 19th century, there was easier worldwide travel as a result of the trains that now had combustion engines as opposed to the earlier steam engines. The early 20th century saw the invention of the airplane that made the world travel much easier and quick. This meant that people could move from Europe to America or Asia easily. Easy movement of people has impacted societies, cultures were exchanged and products from one place could be available in any part of the world. The co mbustion engine had an immense effect on the economies of countries and the world. Movement of goods and people had become easier and convenient than never before. The transportation industry grew tremendously, and this had a profound impact on the economy in the particular areas the engine was in operation. The air travel also observed in the second half of the 20th century created a new industry that was beneficial to the economies of the countries operating the airlines and also increased the tourism sector worldwide since people could move with ease.

Im Going to College Essay -- College Admissions Essays

I'm Going to College Neither my grandmother, nor any of my great aunts, went on to college.   It was too expensive for their family.   My great Aunt Nancy, however, did try to take night classes at the University Extension, which was held at her high school.   Unfortunately, she was unable to continue paying for these classes, so she left the University Extension program with only twelve credits earned. Aunt Nancy just continued to work at the job she acquired, right out of high school, and work her way up through the ranks at this job.   There was no push by her parents to continue her education, and therefore, there was no pressure on her to attend college.   Aunt Nancy had once told me, "There is great value in a college education, for career purpose.   It is so necessary now, where as years ago it was not as essential."   She also explained to me that college can help to build better social skills, which will be used in everyday life.   Now that Aunt Nancy is retired, she reads a lot.   When she was younger, her mother only took her to the city library three times a year to get books to read.   So, as a child she did not read as much as she reads now.   While in school, she only preformed the necessary reading and writing that was required.   Now, she reads the newspaper, books, or a magazine almost everyday.   My mother, on the other hand, did attend college.   Actually, she has attended college twice now.   The first time she went, she gained a degree as a Medical Laboratory Technician.   Later in life, she went back to college and attained her accounting degree.   My mother decided that she was not happy as a Medical Technician, so she wanted to go back to school to learn of what fields would interest her... ...of reading to your children.   He explained that as long as you read to your child, or as long as they are reading to themselves, it would increase your child's comprehension skills.   At this point in time, I no longer enjoyed having my mother read to me, but I was reading books to myself so I was still learning and establishing the proper skills gained through reading and writing. Books and an education seem to be important to everyone, no matter how old or young.   I have learned many things both in school and just by reading.   Obviously, books and schooling can have the same effect on others.   College is a time to grow, both intellectually and socially.   I strongly encourage future generations to attend college and get a good education throughout life.   It will prove to be extremely beneficial, and you will learn a lot about yourself in the process.

This Boys Life

The film we watched was called This Boys Life directed by Michael Caton- Jones and produced by the following men; Jon Peters, Art Linson and Fitch Cady. The movie takes place around 1957 where a son and mother flee the East and an abusive boyfriend to find a new life, and end up on Seattle, where the mother meets a polite garage mechanic. The boy continually gets into trouble by hanging out with the wrong crowd.The mo marries the mechanic, but they soon find out that he's an abusive and unreasoning alcoholic, and they struggle to maintain hope in an mpossible situation as the boy grows up with plans to escape the small town by any means possible. This movie was based Offa true story by Tobias Wolff that was written by Ed Sutton. The main characters in the movie are Jack, Caroline, and Dwight. Jack who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio is the main protagonist in the story. First his name was Tibias Wolff but then he changes it to Jack. He has a troubled childhood, which is plagued by dom estic abuse and misbehaviour.Despite his grim upbringing, he remains hopeful and is convinced that he is capable of a better life. Caroline whose nickname is Rosemary is played by Ellen Barkin. Carline is Jacks mother who struggles financially to support herself and her son, through she is neglectful at time you can tell that she has a special love for Jack. Rosemary was abused as a child and cannot bring herself to inflict violence or any sort of punishment on Jack, even though she has the habit of taking up with violent men who inflict the same abuse on both of them.Dwight is played by Robert De Niro is Jacks stepfather and is the main antagonist of the story. He is a cruel and violent man ho convinces Rosemary to marry him and move to Chinnok to live with him. Dwight is especially resentful of Jack and treats him with the utmost brutality. Dwight drinks to excess, steals Jacks and Rosemary's money, and often instigates physical altercations with Jack. One interesting part that I always wished I could do is being able to Just pack up and move. Not have any worries about the future and be like Caroline and have high hopes for the future, life would be great.There are three stages of Erik Erikson's eight stages of life that are recognizable in the film. There are; dentity versus confusion, intimacy versus isolation and generativity versus stagnation. Erik describes the first stage (identity versus confusion) as a dilemma during adolescence and early adulthood. Every individual is challenged to define who he or she is and who they will be in the future (Holloway et al 99). You can clearly see Jacks struggle during this stage in the film. He is constantly getting into trouble because of the group of friends he is hanging around.For example when they are in the bathroom smoking and they make fun of him he writes inappropriate words on the stale. Him and his so called friends also release the break from a car and let it roll down the hill until it crashes. An exam ple of this stage is when Jack is trying to figure out where he belongs and where he wants to go after high school. Jack hangs out with the wrong crowd but then starts to hang around another boy who seems to His grades are not good at all, has C's in every course, the battle to get into a post secondary school is hard.He was to look up to his dad and brother who went to a â€Å"top notch† high school. He has everyone saying that he won't get accepted anywhere because of his attitude and grades. Through it all he gets accepted and Dwight is immediately Jealous. Intimacy versus isolation is based on the ability to trust a person enough to reveal your personal thoughts and feelings to him or her, it is necessary to have a clear sense of who you are (Holloway et al 100). I think there are two examples in the film of this stage. First being Caroline and Dwight.Caroline has always been with another man and is used to having someone there but she was never really able to trust them or let her true self out because both men were abusive to her. When Dwight and her got married and had sexual intimacy later he efused to want to look at her face and actually held her head down on the bed so that she could not look up. She had no other choice but to accept how she was living because she was scared to be on her own. She also had no money and no where else to go so that factor was stopping her from running away.This is the opposite of what Erik Erikson is trying to portray. On the other hand, Jack and Caroline share an intimate relationship but on a parent to child level. They both are able to reveal their true feelings to each other and trust each other so greatly. At the end of the film Caroline finally has the courage to stand up to Dwight and escape. They both ‘pack their bags ‘ (not actually) and run off. I believe that you have to have a high level of trust if you are able to Just run away with someone and hope that whatever happens the outcome will be positive.The last stage called generativity versus stagnation. Erikson's theory suggests that this task follows the formation of identity and the development of intimate relationships. On the social clock, it requires fidelity and love. The tasks of early adulthood are to determine first who you want to be and what ou want to do so that you are true to yourself (Holloway et al 100). This age occurs during middle adulthood between the ages of about 40 to 65. People in this stage are focused on nurturing or creating things that will outlast them. Feeling useful and contributing to society are important stages.I think it shows stage because I feel that deep down Caroline knew she was doing the wrong thing. She knew marrying Dwight was the wrong thing and dating Rob before was also wrong, she knew that she was hurting Jack. That I think is the example of stagnation; her â€Å"failure† to find a way to ontribute, not so much to society but to herself and Jack. Also because Dwi ght would not let her work she never got the chance to go outside of the house and see what was happening in the real world. She was disconnected to society and therefore could not contribute anything.Near the end of the film we see her wanting to work for the government, the want to help society is there but Dwight is stopping her. Generativity refers to â€Å"making your mark† on the world, through caring for others, creating things and accomplishing things that make the world a better place. Caroline did not necessary make the world a better place but she made her sons future a better place. By running away from Dwight and realizing that Jack was right and finally taking a stance she saved not only herself but Jack from anything bad that could have occurred in the future.Daniel Levinson's theory of the seasons of life is explained as â€Å"a person's life structure is shaped mainly by their social and physical that is Jack kept hanging out in his social environment and no t thinking about the future he would end up no where but thankfully he came to realization. He applied to umerous schools and finally got accepted to one. Other developmental theories that I found interesting to this film is the Conflict Theory. Conflict theory is an interdisciplinary sociological and political theory that explains how power, not functional interdependence, holds a society together.It states that conflict exists between groups in society because of inequalities in power (Holloway et al 41). I think this theory applies to the film because in the household Dwight held all the power, whatever he says goes, his rules and no exceptions. It also states that if groups are in ompetition, then the needs of all will not be met equally. Since Dwight had the power of the house everyone else got yelled at if they stepped out of line. For example when Jack leaves the toothpaste cap open Dwight comes in and harasses him.I also think that there is conflict between Jack and himself. Jack is unable to carry out his plan to escape Alaska because there is a conflict between his desire for freedom from Dwight and his desire to belong. A part of him is scared of being alone and taking responsibility for himself. His inner conflict about trying to be someone hat he isn't is also present. He attempts to involve himself with a dangerous crowd in school, often getting in trouble, but when he applies for private boarding school he writes that he is am A student.You can see that he is eager to change and reinvent himself to be a good person. Daniel Levinson's theory of the seasons of life also can be compared to the movie. His theory has four major points; forming a dream and giving it a place in the life structure, forming mentor relationships, forming an occupation and forming love relationships, marriage and family. The dream is the ndividual's sense of self in the adult world and is the core of the life structure (Holloway et al 103-104).The dilemma is that until ind ividuals begin to live out the life structure, all of the possibilities are not known, yet without some commitment to the choice they have made, it is not possible to determine whether the life structure might be realistic or satisfying (Holloway et al 104). You can clearly see that Jack is faced with many problems that likely every person will have to face at some point in their face. Commitment to a school, commitment to yourself and commitment to your tudies all play a whole in shaping who you are.Jack could not commitment himself to school; he would slack and then would expect others to help him. The term serial monogamy is when a woman ‘marries several spouses, one after the other' (Holloway et al 506). This does apply to Caroline. She is with her first husband Duke, then has an on and off relationship with Rob, then after she moves she marries Dwight. After she gets away from Dwight and her and Jake go their separate ways she marries another man. I would like to conclude this response with my personal opinion on the film. I really enjoyed this film; it made me relate to my own childhood.Although I was not as unfortunate as the author, I was also raised in a single parent family and had to adjust to each of my parent's new partners. I also daydreamed a lot when I young as did Jack. I think the film successfully tells the story with real people in it and has real problems, which are very common in society. I thought Robert De Niro's performance is one of high points of the film, and he is extraordinary as the abusive father who seems pleasant and Jovial at time, but can turn violent when you hat he has acted in I think this one was his greatest.Ellen Barkin I thought looked absolutely stunning but I wish her character could have been developed a little more. I kept wondering, during the film why she felt like withstanding Dwights abuse for such a long period was okay or why she couldn't stand up. This is was based Offa true story it made me extremely sad to see that such people can abuse any human or animal. It's a story of the growing pains of youths and an individual's struggle to find identity and independence which at this stage in our life we can all relate too. This Boys Life The film we watched was called This Boys Life directed by Michael Caton- Jones and produced by the following men; Jon Peters, Art Linson and Fitch Cady. The movie takes place around 1957 where a son and mother flee the East and an abusive boyfriend to find a new life, and end up on Seattle, where the mother meets a polite garage mechanic. The boy continually gets into trouble by hanging out with the wrong crowd.The mo marries the mechanic, but they soon find out that he's an abusive and unreasoning alcoholic, and they struggle to maintain hope in an mpossible situation as the boy grows up with plans to escape the small town by any means possible. This movie was based Offa true story by Tobias Wolff that was written by Ed Sutton. The main characters in the movie are Jack, Caroline, and Dwight. Jack who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio is the main protagonist in the story. First his name was Tibias Wolff but then he changes it to Jack. He has a troubled childhood, which is plagued by dom estic abuse and misbehaviour.Despite his grim upbringing, he remains hopeful and is convinced that he is capable of a better life. Caroline whose nickname is Rosemary is played by Ellen Barkin. Carline is Jacks mother who struggles financially to support herself and her son, through she is neglectful at time you can tell that she has a special love for Jack. Rosemary was abused as a child and cannot bring herself to inflict violence or any sort of punishment on Jack, even though she has the habit of taking up with violent men who inflict the same abuse on both of them.Dwight is played by Robert De Niro is Jacks stepfather and is the main antagonist of the story. He is a cruel and violent man ho convinces Rosemary to marry him and move to Chinnok to live with him. Dwight is especially resentful of Jack and treats him with the utmost brutality. Dwight drinks to excess, steals Jacks and Rosemary's money, and often instigates physical altercations with Jack. One interesting part that I always wished I could do is being able to Just pack up and move. Not have any worries about the future and be like Caroline and have high hopes for the future, life would be great.There are three stages of Erik Erikson's eight stages of life that are recognizable in the film. There are; dentity versus confusion, intimacy versus isolation and generativity versus stagnation. Erik describes the first stage (identity versus confusion) as a dilemma during adolescence and early adulthood. Every individual is challenged to define who he or she is and who they will be in the future (Holloway et al 99). You can clearly see Jacks struggle during this stage in the film. He is constantly getting into trouble because of the group of friends he is hanging around.For example when they are in the bathroom smoking and they make fun of him he writes inappropriate words on the stale. Him and his so called friends also release the break from a car and let it roll down the hill until it crashes. An exam ple of this stage is when Jack is trying to figure out where he belongs and where he wants to go after high school. Jack hangs out with the wrong crowd but then starts to hang around another boy who seems to His grades are not good at all, has C's in every course, the battle to get into a post secondary school is hard.He was to look up to his dad and brother who went to a â€Å"top notch† high school. He has everyone saying that he won't get accepted anywhere because of his attitude and grades. Through it all he gets accepted and Dwight is immediately Jealous. Intimacy versus isolation is based on the ability to trust a person enough to reveal your personal thoughts and feelings to him or her, it is necessary to have a clear sense of who you are (Holloway et al 100). I think there are two examples in the film of this stage. First being Caroline and Dwight.Caroline has always been with another man and is used to having someone there but she was never really able to trust them or let her true self out because both men were abusive to her. When Dwight and her got married and had sexual intimacy later he efused to want to look at her face and actually held her head down on the bed so that she could not look up. She had no other choice but to accept how she was living because she was scared to be on her own. She also had no money and no where else to go so that factor was stopping her from running away.This is the opposite of what Erik Erikson is trying to portray. On the other hand, Jack and Caroline share an intimate relationship but on a parent to child level. They both are able to reveal their true feelings to each other and trust each other so greatly. At the end of the film Caroline finally has the courage to stand up to Dwight and escape. They both ‘pack their bags ‘ (not actually) and run off. I believe that you have to have a high level of trust if you are able to Just run away with someone and hope that whatever happens the outcome will be positive.The last stage called generativity versus stagnation. Erikson's theory suggests that this task follows the formation of identity and the development of intimate relationships. On the social clock, it requires fidelity and love. The tasks of early adulthood are to determine first who you want to be and what ou want to do so that you are true to yourself (Holloway et al 100). This age occurs during middle adulthood between the ages of about 40 to 65. People in this stage are focused on nurturing or creating things that will outlast them. Feeling useful and contributing to society are important stages.I think it shows stage because I feel that deep down Caroline knew she was doing the wrong thing. She knew marrying Dwight was the wrong thing and dating Rob before was also wrong, she knew that she was hurting Jack. That I think is the example of stagnation; her â€Å"failure† to find a way to ontribute, not so much to society but to herself and Jack. Also because Dwi ght would not let her work she never got the chance to go outside of the house and see what was happening in the real world. She was disconnected to society and therefore could not contribute anything.Near the end of the film we see her wanting to work for the government, the want to help society is there but Dwight is stopping her. Generativity refers to â€Å"making your mark† on the world, through caring for others, creating things and accomplishing things that make the world a better place. Caroline did not necessary make the world a better place but she made her sons future a better place. By running away from Dwight and realizing that Jack was right and finally taking a stance she saved not only herself but Jack from anything bad that could have occurred in the future.Daniel Levinson's theory of the seasons of life is explained as â€Å"a person's life structure is shaped mainly by their social and physical that is Jack kept hanging out in his social environment and no t thinking about the future he would end up no where but thankfully he came to realization. He applied to umerous schools and finally got accepted to one. Other developmental theories that I found interesting to this film is the Conflict Theory. Conflict theory is an interdisciplinary sociological and political theory that explains how power, not functional interdependence, holds a society together.It states that conflict exists between groups in society because of inequalities in power (Holloway et al 41). I think this theory applies to the film because in the household Dwight held all the power, whatever he says goes, his rules and no exceptions. It also states that if groups are in ompetition, then the needs of all will not be met equally. Since Dwight had the power of the house everyone else got yelled at if they stepped out of line. For example when Jack leaves the toothpaste cap open Dwight comes in and harasses him.I also think that there is conflict between Jack and himself. Jack is unable to carry out his plan to escape Alaska because there is a conflict between his desire for freedom from Dwight and his desire to belong. A part of him is scared of being alone and taking responsibility for himself. His inner conflict about trying to be someone hat he isn't is also present. He attempts to involve himself with a dangerous crowd in school, often getting in trouble, but when he applies for private boarding school he writes that he is am A student.You can see that he is eager to change and reinvent himself to be a good person. Daniel Levinson's theory of the seasons of life also can be compared to the movie. His theory has four major points; forming a dream and giving it a place in the life structure, forming mentor relationships, forming an occupation and forming love relationships, marriage and family. The dream is the ndividual's sense of self in the adult world and is the core of the life structure (Holloway et al 103-104).The dilemma is that until ind ividuals begin to live out the life structure, all of the possibilities are not known, yet without some commitment to the choice they have made, it is not possible to determine whether the life structure might be realistic or satisfying (Holloway et al 104). You can clearly see that Jack is faced with many problems that likely every person will have to face at some point in their face. Commitment to a school, commitment to yourself and commitment to your tudies all play a whole in shaping who you are.Jack could not commitment himself to school; he would slack and then would expect others to help him. The term serial monogamy is when a woman ‘marries several spouses, one after the other' (Holloway et al 506). This does apply to Caroline. She is with her first husband Duke, then has an on and off relationship with Rob, then after she moves she marries Dwight. After she gets away from Dwight and her and Jake go their separate ways she marries another man. I would like to conclude this response with my personal opinion on the film. I really enjoyed this film; it made me relate to my own childhood.Although I was not as unfortunate as the author, I was also raised in a single parent family and had to adjust to each of my parent's new partners. I also daydreamed a lot when I young as did Jack. I think the film successfully tells the story with real people in it and has real problems, which are very common in society. I thought Robert De Niro's performance is one of high points of the film, and he is extraordinary as the abusive father who seems pleasant and Jovial at time, but can turn violent when you hat he has acted in I think this one was his greatest.Ellen Barkin I thought looked absolutely stunning but I wish her character could have been developed a little more. I kept wondering, during the film why she felt like withstanding Dwights abuse for such a long period was okay or why she couldn't stand up. This is was based Offa true story it made me extremely sad to see that such people can abuse any human or animal. It's a story of the growing pains of youths and an individual's struggle to find identity and independence which at this stage in our life we can all relate too.

European Countries Discarded Punishment - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 608 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/03/11 Category Law Essay Level High school Tags: Capital Punishment Essay Did you like this example? Capital punishment is one of its kinds that spurs varied confrontations by experts when it comes to its application. Portugal and some European countries discarded punishment by death as a mean to show that life has a meaning. It was a way of preserving and showing the importance of human life. Most of these values that go against capital punishment have been instilled by Christian virtues which call for people to have respect for human life. However, some crimes are far too immense to be tolerated with simple punishment thus calling for punishment by death. These practices are not only carried in developing countries but are also widely practiced in developed countries such as the US. In this context, we will explore in depth why capital punishment is favorable and as opposed to other kinds of sentences. Most of the crimes that befit capital crimes are often associated with treason, terrorism, rape, and serial killing. Criminals who commit this kind of acts have mastered the art and cannot be able to change their character as quickly as we may like to think. They have taken years to develop the evil mind that drives them to commit such atrocities. Punishing them with simple sentences such us several years in maximum prison will not be able to change them. Or prevent them from committing another crime like that. Thus, ending their life is the only way to contain them. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "European Countries Discarded Punishment" essay for you Create order Another reason for capital punishment concerns the cost of up keeping the murderers and rapist in prison. The resources the government uses to keep them in prison comes from citizens through the taxation system. These monetary resources are exhaustible commodities and should be put to better use like helping the orphans, the elderly and the sick people instead of catering for long terms imprisonment of rapists and murderous people. Also, the long process it takes in the justice system, and court appeal should be cut short from an average of 12 years to a considerable time limit. Capital punishment is a real kind of execution as opposed to others forms used to help reform the criminals into becoming a better person. To most, rehabilitation does not work out, and the criminals end up playing along to get paroles. When they are out of prison, they go back to their usual criminal lives. However, execution makes it possible for the criminals to suffer in equal proportions to the crimes they committed. An eye for an eye is a better way to solve some of the issues since it will deter any upcoming criminals from engaging in similar kind of offenses. Conclusion Some research studies raise questions about the suitability of the execution method claiming that it is not a deter crimes. This, however, is hard to prove since the number of executions in any given country is always lower than other sentences given for various crimes. Looking at Singapore, where the number of executions is high, the number of capital crimes, on the other hand, is far less as compared to countries such as Britain which abolished the punishment by execution (Bohm 16). This shows that the method is suitable for dealing with serious offenses. Without the execution, people will commit heinous crimes and expect to spend their lives in prisons. Which in many cases, criminals are used. To some, jail is a better home far away from home. The fear of death invokes a second thought to people trying to commit capital crimes. Thus, the method helps to a high degree contains the crimes. As a result, the approach should not only be adopted in many countries, but it should also b e strengthened.