CRJ Research Assignment-4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CRJ Research -4 - Assignment Example If the research questions are formulated in this manner, then the results will be related to the hypothesis, and thus proving the validity of this research study. Ultimately, I will prove that my research is valid by ensuring that the research instrument truly measures the correlation between wealthy families and kidnappings (Kaplan, 2004). Reliability of this research will be established quantitatively this will be through ensuring that the quantity of data will be measurable, accurate and consistent. For instance, the sample population will contain a preferable number of respondents who fit the desired characteristics of this research. Reliability of this research will also be established through following up the respondents if clarification for any information is needed (Kaplan, 2004). The following are factors are likely to create problems with either validity or reliability of this research. Firstly, lack of consistency of data provided by the respondents. Secondly, a data-collecting tool that is inaccurate and untrue, in that it lacks the capability of giving repeatable results. Thirdly, the idea of including respondents in the research study who do not have the desired characteristics of the sampling frame (Kaplan,

The Age of Rapid Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

The Age of Rapid Globalization - Essay Example In the developed countries like United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, racial discrimination is still being practiced within the white population. While the world is becoming a global village, it is unfortunate that lack of interest and understanding seem to be creating the greater divide among the people coming from different race, culture, and nationality. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the color of the skin played a major role in the social status. The whites maintained a racial divide within the society through the deliberate use of powerful lobby of the whites and financial advantages that they enjoyed over their less privileged counterparts. The blacks were not allowed to participate in social activities and even education was denied to them so that they would remain unequal socially and economically. In the book ‘I know why the caged birds sing’, the author has given a new meaning to the finishing school and where, according to the protagonist, a young black girl ‘.. white girls learned to waltz†¦.. During the tenth year, a white woman’s kitchen became my finishing school’ (Angelou, p101). Maya Angelou has sensitively portrayed the social paradigm that the whites and the ethnic minority undergo within the same social structure. Richard Wright is yet another writer who has written ab out the plights of the blacks and ethnic minorities with great understanding mainly because he had undergone those harrowing experiences of being a black, especially in a society which was dominated by whites. In ‘The Ethics of Living Jim Crow: An Autobiographical Sketch’, he says that he was not even allowed to learn because he was told by his white colleagues at work ‘this is a white mans work around here, and you better watch yourself" (Wright, 291). ‘

The Electoral Evolution In The Island Of Mauritius Politics Essay

The Electoral Evolution In The Island Of Mauritius Politics Essay This introductory chapter projects a clear idea about the central issue of concern in the research. The reasons for this particular investigation are also elaborated. A full statement of the research aims and objectives, based on the stated research problem is included. The chapter ends with a brief of the structure and content of the remaining chapters of the dissertation. 1.0 Overview Section 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Mauritius states that Mauritius shall be a sovereign democratic State which shall be known as the Republic of Mauritius. Section 2 defines that the Constitution is the supreme law of Mauritius and if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void. Mauritius is a constitutional parliamentary democracy, based on the Westminster model, which consists of the President and the National Assembly. Elected on a First-Pass-the-post system, at an interval of 5 years, during the General Election, the Assembly makes provision for 70 candidates on 20 constituencies. (The Constitution of the Republic of Mauritius) However, this model has been often subject to critics. Michael Duggett (2009), in his thesis about the Westminster Model, states that this model is one-dimensional, simplistic and has weakened as well as privatised. Rod Rhodes (2005) expressed his opinion saying that the model is hollowed-out. This might be a cause which is affecting the level of voter turnout in Mauritius. 1.1 Scope of the study In this study, I propose to study the different causes of abstention at the General Elections and the policies that can be adopted to reduce this phenomenon. This research relates to the island of Mauritius only and therefore does not include Rodrigues and the other outer islands. Research Title The research title is: A study of the causes of voting abstention at the General Election in the Island of Mauritius. Definition of voting abstention Abstention occurs when an eligible voter does not cast a ballot during an election process. It has been observed that many countries are suffering from a high abstention rate due to the citizens low participation during elections. 1.3 Problem statement An  election  is a formal  decision-making process  by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office while vote is a citizens civic duty; however there are some people who abstain from voting for several reasons. Since our representative democratic model relies on citizen participation in elections, less participation means less representation, therefore, less people who decide for everyone else. Falling turnout is often seen as a mark of disengagement, if not of actual disaffection (Norris 1999) The General Elections of year 2005 and 2010 will be used to show the issue; that is, a rise in voting abstention. Table 1 below shows the rate of abstention at the General Election during the year 2005 and 2010. A detailed analysis of the statistics is given in Appendix A: The rate of voting abstention in year 2005 and Appendix B: The rate of voting abstention in year 2010. Table 1: Rate of abstention during year 2005 2010 General Election Year No of Registered electors No of voters % of voters Abstention Rate 2005 793449 644069 81.17 18.83 2010 875356 658441 75.22 24.78 Average Rate 78.05 21.95 Source: Electoral Commissioners Office 1.4 Research Aim The main aim of the study is to analyse the causes which are decreasing the rate of turnout in the Mauritian General Election. 1.5 Research Objectives The objectives of this research are as follows: To calculate the level of abstention and the evolution thereof during the General Election of year 2005 and 2010; To identify the factors which are likely to affect the decision of Mauritians whether to abstain or to vote; To find out the policies that can be adopted to alleviate this problem of voter abstention. 1.6 Structure of the dissertation CHAPTER 1 introduces the issue of voting abstention, the actual electoral system in Mauritius, the right to vote under the Mauritian Constitution, the scope of the study, the research title, the statement of problem is identified, the research aim and the research objectives are pointed out and finally the structure of the dissertation is elaborated in details. CHAPTER 2 focuses on the political system and its evolution since 1810 before adopting the actual system. CHAPTER 3 provides a literature review which analyses the different causes that could affect voters from abstaining. CHAPTER 4 encompasses in detail how the research has been carried out and comprises all relevant information regarding the research methods to meet the objectives of the study. CHAPTER 5 provides a discussion of results and findings from the survey which has been carried out. Each aspect of the questionnaire had been analyzed and interpreted. CHAPER 6 provides a conclusion and some recommendations for the benefit of policy makers and administrators and other people interested in this field, together with a conclusion. 1.7 Chapter Conclusion This first chapter has helped to set out an overview about the topic under investigation. The scope of the study is worked out before giving way to the research aims and objectives. Finally the structuring of the whole report has been elaborated. CHAPTER 2: THE ELECTORAL EVOLUTION IN THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS 2.0 A Historical Background The Island of Mauritius has been consequently conquered by Arab Sailors, Portuguese, Dutch, French and the British. The Arab sailors were the first who visited the island which was named as Dina Arobi. The Portuguese came in year 1507, followed by the Dutch during the year 1598 who renamed the island as Mauritius. In 1715, the French took control of the island and renamed it Ile de France. Ile de France was formally surrendered to the British, on the 3rd December 1810, where the islands name was reverted to Mauritius. During their abdication, the French was allowed to keep their land and property and to use the French language and law of France in civil and criminal matters on the island. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1 Electoral System Mauritius has experienced a number of electoral systems since 1810 before adopting the actual system. The electoral system of Mauritius is based on the majority rule and government stability as it comprises of a fair representation of the population. The choice of government is made by citizens. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.1 One Man One Rule (1810-1886) During 1810-1886, Mauritius was under the British Colonial Rule whereby the governor was enjoying all the law-making and decision-making process over Franco-Mauritian elite. It was a one man one rule policy. In 1825, Mauritius obtained its first Constitution under which a Council of Government, which consisted of 4 top officials: Chief Justice, Chief Secretary, Commander of forces and Collector of Customs, was set up. Later, in 1885, the Constitution was revised and enlarged to make room for elected representatives. The new Council of Government provided 27 members, including 10 elected members, on a restricted franchise. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.2 First-Pass-The-Post-System (FPTP) (1886-1958) Year 1886, welcomes Mauritius first General Election (G.E) under the British Rule. The G.E was limited to wealthy property owners, who constituted only 2 percent of the adult population; that is, out of 365,000 inhabitants, only 12,000 of which all were men, could vote. 2 out of 10 elected members were from Port-Louis and 1 from each 8 districts. Under the 1885 Constitution, Mauritius was divided into 9 constituencies and each constituency elected one representative and Port-Louis, the capital, in relation to highest number of population returned two candidates to the legislative. The elections were held during nine days: from 11-20 January; and were based on the first-past-the-post system. Traces of the 1886 Constitution, can be found in the actual electoral system as the FPTP has been prevailing in Mauritius whereby the candidate receiving the highest number of votes were elected. Due to World War II, G.E could not be held during 1939-1945. The second G.E was then held in 1948, after that the 1886 Constitution was replaced by a new one, which allowed all those above 21 years old who could sign their name in any of the following languages: English, French, Creole, or any Indian languages, to vote through FPTP. Out of 419,000; 72,000 inhabitants, including 12,000 women, were registered electors. Following constitutional conventions held in London in 1955 and 1957, the ministerial system was initiated and G.E was held on 9th March 1959. Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.3 London Agreement (1956-1957) Due to Mauritius multi-ethnic society the issue of an ideal electoral system has been a real concern. Since 1956, there was a need for a proper representation of the citizens in the Parliament. In the first London Agreement in 1957, the concept of Proportional Representation (PR) in the system was bluntly rejected. The agreement was supposed to eradicate communal ideology and encourage a system based on political parties not religion. The citizens wanted an ethnic reassurance where PR could prevailed in the National Assembly. The Mauritius Labour Party (MLP) under the successive leaderships of Dr Maurice Cure and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam persistently struggled not only for universal suffrage and responsible Government, but also a ministerial form of Government, a decrease in the number of nominees and an increase in that of elected members, changes in the composition of the Executive Council, the appointment of a Speaker and the majority party leader to be styled Prime Minister. During the 1955 Constitutional Conference which was held in London, the MLP requested some constitutional changes. The London Agreement envisaged nomination of maximum of 12 nominees to ensure fair representation. The right to vote was franchise to both sexes over the age of twenty-one and symbols were introduced to facilitate uneducated voters. The number of electors rose to 207,000 at the 1957 elections. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democr acy in Africa) 2.1.4 Trustram-Eve Recommendations (1957) In year 1957, Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve; member of the London Agreement, recommended a 40 single-member constituency system along with the FPTP system. This implies that there is no need for a majority overall to win over a seat. The year 1957 had launched the Ministerial system where the elected candidates were able to decide upon policy issues in many areas. The Ministerial system comprised of nine ministers out of whom six were elected and three nominated. Despite the fact that it was not a fully elected body, the island had its first representative body and the Executive Council was chaired by the Governor. Trustrams recommendation was to ensure ethnic and communal representation in the legislative. The nominees are the ancestors of the best loser system. In 1964, in view of not upsetting the population, the governors did not increase the number of nominees. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.5 Banwell Report (1966) The Banwell Report was initially based on the Trustrams-Eve recommendations. Part of Mauritius actual electoral system is based on Banwell Recommendations. Banwell Commission was set up after the proposals made for an electoral system, at the Lancaster House Conference of September 1965, failed. Banwell then proposed the followings: 20 constituencies returning 3 members in Mauritius and 2 members in Rodrigues. A division of the population for electoral law purposes: Hindu, Muslin, Chinese and the General Population. Use of FPTP in theory and the three pass the post in practice. 5 constant best loser seats to be filled as soon as results of general election are official so as to overcome the problem of under representation. Candidates chosen as best losers should secure largest number of votes among the defeated candidates belonging to the under-represented community and 10% of the general votes. Any party receiving more than 25% of the total vote and less than 25% seats in Parliament would be reallocated to bring its share to 25%. The last proposal was rejected by the MLP, then Stonehouse; MLPs friend, was called as a negotiator. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.5.1 Stonehouse Modifications Stonehouse modified the 5 constant correctives to the 8 best loser votes. The variable correctives and the 10% votes were also rejected. The first 4 best losers seats were to be allocated to parties belonging to under presented communities irrespective to party affiliation .The community for the first 4 best losers is obtained by dividing the population of each of the communities by number of seats obtained by that community in general election plus one. The second 4 best losers were allocated on party and community basis. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.5.2 The final proposal and actual electoral system The final proposal and the actual electoral system is based on Banwell recommendations and modified by Stonehouse. There are 70 members in the parliament ,60 out of the 70 are directly elected through FPTP in 20 constituencies with returning 3 candidates each and Rodrigues 2 candidates as shown in the table below. The remaining 8 are the best losers chosen by the Electoral Supervisory Commission immediately after results of general elections. This structure has been basically maintained up to now. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa) 2.1.6 Independence The 1967 election brought a milestone in the history of Mauritius. About 90% of the electorate voted. PMSD fought against independence while MLP fought for independence. PMSD was defeated and MLP won 39 seats by obtaining 54% of the national votes. Mauritius acceded to the status of independence on the 12th March 1968. The first parliamentary election which took place on the 20th December 1976 amended the right to vote. Those aged 18 and above could vote. Out of 462,034, 170,000 were new eligible voters. The first general election after independence was an electoral victory. It was the first time that a single party alliance; Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) and Parti Socialiste Mauricien (PSM), won all 60 seats. Subsequently, the contribution was altered to guarantee that legislation elections occur every five years. Parliamentary by-elections were also reinstated. (Prisheela Motee, The library Congress, South Travels, Oracle, Encyclopaedia 2007, Electoral institute for sustainable democracy in Africa) 2.1.7 Westminster Model The Constitution of Mauritius provides for the Parliament of Mauritius to consist of the President and the National Assembly. The Parliament of Mauritius is modeled after the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, where Members of Parliament are voted in at regular general elections, on the basis of a first past the post system. (Official site of the Republic of Mauritius-The Parliament) The Westminster System guarantees the separation of the legislative, executive and judicial powers. Political power rests on the Prime Minister and the cabinet. Sixty-two members of Parliament are elected every five years by universal adult suffrage and all major political parties are represented in Parliament.   The Legislative Assembly became the National Assembly. The Governor General was replaced by the President of the Republic. The latter is elected by the legislative upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister. (Dukhira, 2002) CHAPTER 3: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3.0 Introduction A vote is an electorates act of voting, whereby voting is the civic duty of every citizen. It is the starting and the ending point of every democracy. In general, the voting system allows electors to select a candidate or a party. The citizens participation in election is important for democracy. If citizens do not have a hand in political things (especially elections) democracy is exposed to weakening risks. (Pasquino, 1983). Citizens derive a direct benefit from fulfilling this duty. However, it is indeed serious because some citizen abstains from their civic duty. The decrease in the rate of voter turnout has been constantly observed. It is contended that voter turnout and voter abstention are closely related to one-another. These two factors will be used interchangeably throughout this study but as opposites of each other. Poole and Rosenthal (1997) argue that the decision to vote or to abstain can be formulated with the equation: R=P (B)-C+D where R is the net reward from voting, B is the material benefit brought about by voting, P is the probability that ones vote makes a difference, C is the cost associated with voting, and D is the fixed benefit of voting. Electors will abstain if the perceived benefits of abstention will exceed the perceived costs. This can be formulated by an equation: R= (P (B))-(C+D))>0. On the other hand, Corey Brettschneider (2007) claimed that: mutual respect, equality or autonomy, are the core substantive values associated to the right to vote. These values should make the right to vote worth being enjoyable and exercisable, rather than the other way round. Riker and Ordeshook (1968) introduced the citizen duty notion to explain the issue of voter turnout. This literature review addresses the causes, factors leading to a decrease of voter turnout and an increase in voting abstention. 3.1 Voter Abstention Abstention occurs when an eligible voter does not cast a ballot during an election process. It has been observed that many countries are suffering from a high abstention rate due to the citizens low participation during elections. Abstention is a real concern and a challenge for politicians, who must persuade the public of the need to vote, according to Seddik Chihas of the National Democratic Rally (RND). (Ademe Amine, 2012). Abstention shall not be compared with blank vote where an eligible voter purposely spoils a vote by marking it wrongly or by marking anything at all, whereby abstention is when the electorate does not vote at all. 3.1.1 Un-informed electors According to Arianna Degans and Antonio Merlos study in 2004, who votes and for who people vote determine the outcome of the elections. It is of high importance for candidates during elections to ensure the participation of their citizens and as well as their voting decisions. Abstention occurs when there is a lack of information about the candidates, (Arianna Degan and Antonio Merlo, 2004), who make the wrong decision or the wrong choice. This can be costly to the elections where a wrong candidate might be elected. Some electors might also feel unmotivated to vote due to a feeling of uncertainty towards candidates but when a citizen is well informed about his civic duty and the electoral candidates, he will definitely participate during elections and vote for the right candidate. 3.2 Voter Turnout Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election. Eligible voters shall not be compared with the total adult population because some adults are not eligible to vote. Voter turnout is an essential quality of fair election and is considered to be a necessary factor for a healthy democracy. Low turnout is generally accredited to disengagement from the system because of perceived efficacy of voting in altering policy decisions. Consequently established democracies with free elections usually have higher turnout than other states. Understanding voter turnout Voting turnout has often been used to judge the evolution of democratic countries, (Scot and Barbara, 2005). The act of voting depicts the preference of the citizens as this show the extent to which the citizens are actually interested in being represented.(Fair Vote Canada; Lijphart, 1996) However, low level of participation is being noticed on behalf of eligible voters. This is due to disenchantment, indifference, or contentment. As such a poll with low turnout is not reliable, because it does not show what the whole country wants; it shows only part of the citizens will. For example, an elector may have abstained from voting because her favourite party had no chances of attaining representation. Different countries have very different average voter turnouts. Low turnout can be expressed differently. For example, in developed countries, the young and the poor are the abstainers. However, India which comprises of an electorate of more than 670 million people, the contrary is found. The poor, who comprises of the majority of the demographic, tend to vote more than the rich and the middle- class, and turnout is higher in rural areas than in urban areas ( D.Gupta, 2004) 3.2.2 Socio- economic factors Citizens participate politically when their level of wealth and education increases because they are more informed and has a feeling of efficacy. This leads to a higher political participation (Lijphart, 1997). According to Ioannis and Phil (2005), sociologist argues that the political behaviour, the identification with a partys values and peoples interest to vote are affected by the socio.economic characteristics. Turnout is higher among those with higher income, those of higher education, white -collar workers, whites, men, middle-aged , older voters, those with closer community ties, those married and the members of organizations. In developing countries, to maintain security and economic development in case when things are bad, citizens tend to vote in great numbers (Radcliff 1992; Fornos et al.2004) Cultural Factor The educational level and the wealth of the country affect turnout but these are not reliable measures as in countries like Europe, in spite of the fact that it is wealthy and have a high rate of literacy, the level of turnout is found to be low. Despite the fact, that countries, like those in Europe and Latin America have a newer democracy, they do not have the cultural habit of voting. The eligible voters do not have the sense of civic duty, which takes time and certain social conditions to develop. These social conditions developed by G. Bingham Powell are: trust in government, the degree of partisanship among the population, interest in politics, and belief in the efficiency of voting. Political Factor Crewe et al. (1992) traced four factors associated with turnout irregularity: being young, having recently moved home, the type of housing tenure, and, marital status(single or divorced). These factors are inter-correlated but they have an independent effect on turnout. According to Crewe et al. (1992), isolation from personal and national networks resulted in a lack of political information or pressure to vote, thus, lowering turnout due to a lack of motivation. Weak or absent party emerged as another important source of irregular voting (Crewe et al, 1992). According to their study, the identification of age and strength are inter-dependently related to voter turnout. A lack in the government performance also carries a negative impact upon turnout. Strong political competition and ideological cleavages between parties tend to increase turnout (Dalton, 1988). Institutional Factor Institutional factors have a significant impact on voter turnout. These variables are classified into three categories: Electoral rules, Perception of the effectiveness of governing institutions, Mobilization. Electoral rules Variables in electoral rules include compulsory voting, registration rules and voting age. Compulsory voting Compulsory voting increases turnout because once voting is made mandatory, people follow the rule irrespective of the punitive sanctions for non-voting (Lijphart 1997). However, in Venezuela and the Netherlands compulsory voting has been rescinded, due to a decrease in turnout. On the other hand, Paraguay having a compulsory voting system imposes payment of a fine and ineligibility for elective office for a prescribed period. Colombia and Nicaragua also have compulsory voting. In Greece voting is compulsory; however there are practically no sanctions for those who do not vote. In Belgium voting is compulsory, too, but not strongly enforced. Registration rules Automatic and compulsory registration often leads to a low turnout because even those who are not eligible, as stated below in the case study: The Republic of Mauritius: Disqualified voters, are on the registration list which gives false survey. Conversely, an election where registration is voluntary or requires a personal initiative ought to be associated with higher voter turnout, because the institutional obstacle of registration has already been surmounted. (Payne et al, 2002) Voting age Voting age has been found to be positively associated to voting turnout as younger citizens are less exposed to politics (Wolfinger and Rosenstone, 1980) and are less likely to vote as older voters. Compared to the youths, the older generations tend to have the sense of civic duty. Older people vote more than youths. The act of voting is also seen as part of the young people coming-of-age ritual. 3.2.5.2 Perception of the effectiveness of governing institutions Variables in the governing effectiveness category include the number of political parties, the relative power of the lower house, federalism or the centralization of the government, and concurrent elections. These variables may affect voters perceptions of the effectiveness or the policy of the powers of the elected officials. The number of political parties Jackman (1987) argues that multi parties lead to coalition building to policy ambiguity and compromise. It is expected to reduce the probability of legislative majorities and worsen executive legislative cooperation which may lead to rendering the electoral process less consequential. The relative power of the lower house This unicameral legislature has to adopt the majoritarian policy to be more effective. This is supposed to render voting to be more meaningful. The centralization of the government Centralized government is more effective, efficient and decisive. Jones (1997) argues that federal political arrangements create new electoral dynamics. The federalism variable is ought to capture longer ballots, which are believed to reduce turnout and the presence of unique local election laws that may deter voting. Concurrent elections Concurrent election means the instances when presidential and legislative elections are held at the same time. Concurrent election is supposed to increase voter turnout as it is expected to contribute to the perception that the election is more relevant. 3.2.5.3 Mobilization Institutional variables in the mobilization category include district magnitude and electoral disproportionality. District magnitude As district magnitude increases political parties have more incentives to retain all seats found in a particular district (Powell, 1986). With a smaller pool of candidates or political parties competing for votes in the district, the distribution of patronage will be more visible and more certain which is ought to result in greater voter mobilization. Electoral disproportionality Electoral disproportionality occurs when parties receive electoral support that does not translate into representation in the legislature in which case, votes have been wasted (Burnham 1987). Wasted votes are found to be associated negatively with voting turnout as parties have less of an incentive to turn out to vote. 3.2.5.4 Salience Mark. N. Franklin (1997) argues that salience is the effect of a vote of an eligible voter over a country. Salient issues are politically important as public opinions are likely to structure party support and voting behaviour and form the subject of political debate. Voters perceptions of fairness impact on salience. Citizens will not cast any ballot if they feel that the election is not worthy, corrupted and determined by fraud thus relating to low voter turnout. Gender Abstention For ages, gender inequality has been prevailing. Women were considered to be inferior to men. Women were confined in a more private sphere leaving men in a public one, especially in politics due to a combination of psychological and sociological causes. If we refer to classical literature, we shall see how women were kept away from the social aspect of life. Women roles in the society were to be a mother, a wife, a sister or a friend. This practice has prevailed for years. There is only a minority of women who participates in the society. However an analysis at the end of 90s in 19 centuries (Norris et al, 2003) confirmed that Norway had a female participation rate significantly higher than men, in Germany, Great Britain and Spain men and women abstention rates were very close, and in all countries there was an invasion in the youngest ages, female children vote more than their mothers. Voter Fatigue Voter fatigue tends to lower turnout. This occurs when participants do not find any interest to cast a ballot. They get bored and reject participation. This may be due to frequent election. Eileen Park, a journalist, reported on 31 March 2012 that voter fatigue might be a cause to influence the public not to vote though being at the eve of the GOP (Grand Old Party) Presidential Election in Wisconsin. The public were no more motivated to vote. Voter Suppression Voter suppression is used as a stratagem to influence the outcome of an election by

Early Childhood Education and its Impact on Technology Essay -- essays

Early Childhood Education and its Impact on Technology Early childhood education is a time where young children develop important learning skills. Young children, aged birth through approximately 8 years (young children, 2004) interact with one another to develop social and even motor skills that they will carry with them later in life. Development in young children involves the early years in a child's physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive development (Baur, 1998). Developmental aspects can be assessed by technology. Technology is growing everyday in our society, it is becoming a big factor in the use of early childhood education. Computer use is most popular in the classroom because it is easy for children to learn and develop learning (Clements, 1992). Computers increase social interaction and help children explore writing. Until age eight, activity of young children is symbolic since they communicate with gestures, language, and play (Shade & Caruso, 1994). The computer; therefore, provides a symbolic tool for children to use in school, which is very beneficial. As technology is a useful aspect in early childhood education, there are also negative effects. Overall, the use of technology in early childhood education has positive effects on children because it plays a major role in the learning development of young students from pre-school through out elementary school. Learning Development Learning development during early childhood is a very important part of learning. Activities and experiences that help the developmental changes in children through these years form birth to elementary school, around grades kindergarten to third grade, are aspects of early childhood education (early chil... ...that are less fortunate and can not afford technology equipment. It explains how computers in poor communities, such as cities, use computers in a negative way for drill practice on standardized tests. Clements, D.H. (1992). Technology as a learning tool. In The encyclopedia of early childhood education. (Vol. 504, pp. 369-371). New York: Garland Publishing The entry in the encyclopedia mentions why computers are a cooperative tool for children to use in the curriculum of teaching. Early childhood education (2004). Ebsco Publishing, Retrieved November 23, 2004 from ERIC database. The database gives a detailed definition of early childhood education in its thesaurus. Young children (2004). Ebsco Publishing, Retrieved November 23, 2004 from ERIC database. The database gives a detailed definition of young children in its thesaurus.

The Role of Separation

Appointing a mission-wise Chair: Role separation resolves a potential conflict of interest arising from the fact that the CEO is the primary manager of a company and the chairman is the head of the board, which oversees management (Hodgeson, 2014). Separating the roles strengthens the system of checks and balances and enhances the appearance of board independence. Splitting the roles is widely considered to be a best practice in corporate governance, though its benefits remain controversial in some circles, notably in parts of the mainstream, corporate America. (Tonello, 2011). The mission relevance of the chair's role has long been recognized in the non-profit sector where facilitating mission delivery, through managing and organizing the governing board's mission-related work, has always been central to the chair's role (Akpeki, 2006). Appointing a new board chair, then, may come to be seen as a potential milestone for mission preservation in social entrepreneurships. The chair's role is central to successful corporate governance, and the influence of the person fulfilling this role can be critical to the maintenance of mission within thriving social entrepreneurship. It stands to reason that, through choosing a chair who understands and backs the social mission, organizations can strengthen mission stewardship in the boardroom and thus help avert mission drift. Commitment to carrying the torch of the mission is only a starting point for a chair. The chair's skills, personality, and behavior will determine his or her effectiveness. A capable chair should come with first-hand knowledge of the sector or industry the business is operating in, proven leadership skills and an understanding of board process. In social entrepreneurships, the chair will also need a firm grasp of mission in the practical sense, experience in delivering mission in a business context and a commitment to ensuring that mission has its place in board discussion and decision-making at every level (Shekshnia ; Rowley, 2014). A mission-capable chair will know how to keep the mission on the agenda, how to generate productive group discussion around mission and how to foster a positive board culture with a shared sense of purpose.

Find a Review for a Film, Preferably One That You Have Seen Essay

According to the distinctions made in Chapter Ten, how is the reviewer approaching the film. Joe Morgenstern presents his review in a formalist manner. A formalist film analysis is concerned with elements such as plot structure, mise en scene, camera techniques, editing, and sound. A formalist film analysis that is strictly concerned with narrative elements, however, might ignore most or all of its cinematic techniques to focus on characters, plot development, story structure, motifs, foreshadowing, motivation, and the like (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2011). Morgenstern opens his analysis with a description of the opening scene in this film. He compares the thunderous action of the first scene to the thunderous action that is a hallmark of the producing franchise, and furthers that thought by explaining that the director J. J. Abrams, puts â€Å"explosive charges in our heads and then sets them off† (Morgenstern, 2006, para. 1). He further explains that there is nothing really new to the audience in the presentation of the action film. He explores the attempt of the story to present the main character and hero, Ethan Hunt, as having human side. He describes this attempt as somewhat of a failure. He is quoted as saying â€Å"Ethan has no human side. Ethan has a shooting side, a climbing-and leaping side and a swinging-and-dangling side. And a running side† (Morgenster, 2006, para. 2). Morgenstern explains the character and the action of the film with these quotes. He explains the plot. â€Å"It’s about blowing things up. It’s also an action-thriller variant of dentistry — extracting an IMF agent from a torture chamber in Berlin, extracting the villain from a fancy function at the Vatican, and finally extracting Ethan Hunt from the Chinese lair of his tormentors in order to make sure that the villain can’t blow everything up† (Morganstern, 2006, para. 5). Most of his review is a description of the characters and mise en scene of the film. To what degree does the review acknowledge the public perception of the film? Morgenstern explains the film as delivering the summer escapism that the general public desires. He describes the film by saying, â€Å"the summer’s first action epic does exactly what it’s supposed to do, more clearly than â€Å"M:i:I,† and more likeably than â€Å"M:i:II† (Morganstern, 2006, para. 4) What evidence does each review provide to illustrate main points and claims? Morgenstern reviews actual action scenes from the movie and offers them up to the reader as evidence of the action in the film. He even clearly defines how the scenes with Julia, Ethan’s wife, are shot like, â€Å"super graphics,† and fail the feeling desired. Do any words or phrases capture the essence of the reviewer’s attitude toward the film? I think the quote mentioned above where he describes the film as delivering what it is supposed to deliver says it all. He remains uncommitted as to what his personal preference would be, but goes to great lengths to describe the action scenes in the movie in a favorable way. Additionally, please share with the class exactly which sources you rely on, as a member of the general audience, to evaluate whether or not you will see a movie. I follow the previews of movies. If the preview catches my interest, I am usually a ticket buyer. I do sometimes get disappointed when the preview encapsulates the entire movie. The only exception would be the horror genre. I like to be scared at the movies and view macabre and disturbing content. I might attempt that type of movie without having seen a preview. I also follow the actors in a movie. I have never seen a bad movie with Morgan Freeman as the main character, so sometimes I follow the â€Å"stars. †

Confucianism and Superior Man Essays

Confucianism and Superior Man Essays Confucianism and Superior Man Paper Confucianism and Superior Man Paper A Reflection on Confucianism Confucianism teachings focus on three socially critical topics. These aspects are woven into the Confucian teachings called The Analects. The Analects can be broken down into the four main parts of focus, humanity, or Jean, word-deed, propriety and the superior man. These Analects are primarily concerned with the personal, and government morality of the people in a given society, the correctness of their social relationships, and the justice and sincerity within that society as well as within a person. This purpose of this paper is to analyze various confusion sayings In attempt to Interpret and reflect on what is being said. Jean can be a difficult thing to define for the sole reason that It can be Interpreted In a variety of different ways. What Is certain about Is that Is a central to not only Confucian philosophy but Chinese philosophy as a whole. Jean is a virtue that the superior man harnesses. A person of Jean is someone who demonstrates the essence of the golden rule and a man who contains a benevolent heart. Jean is associated with humanity because Jean, in essence, is based on human action and human legislations. Jean is an all encompassing love for not only every other person but also of oneself. In 12:22 of the Confucian Analects, Fan Chichi asked about humanity. Confucius said, It is to love men. This excerpt demonstrates how the key to humanity Is for everyone to essentially get along and love one another. Considering that humanity and Jean are closely related, It can be said that humanity and Jean are interchangeable In this piece as well as many other pieces of Confucian writing. A key aspect In the Analects as well as being one of the most Important aspects In Chinese culture is filial piety. Confucius focuses on how one should love and respect their parents, elders and ancestors and do as they are told to do. However, at the time this was directed at only the males in the family for another part of filial piety was to ensure a male heir. He focuses many of his teachings around this and even applies it to a world view of how a government should be like a family. To prove Just how important filial piety was, Confucius taught it as being one of the roots to humanity. In 1 of the Analects, You-Thus said, Filial piety and brotherly respect are he root of humanity den). This proves Just how important filial piety is to Chinese culture. This Just drives home the point that Chinese culture Is based on good and strong moral principles and it is this Ingredient that enables humanity to strive. The superior man Is one who demonstrates all the other main qualities of being a man who Is In touch with humanity, Jean, and propriety. It Is difficult to say whether or not someone can possess all of these qualities and actually be a superior man, but ten primary purpose Is to prove a correct pat to lead your Tie In ten way AT tons. IT one makes this attempt, they are already on their way and have bettered themselves as well as the people around him by demonstrating theses qualities. For example in 4:24 of the Analects, Confucius said, The superior man wants to be slow in word but diligent in action. 4:24 of the Analects provides us with example of not only an aspect of a superior man, but the Confucian teaching of word-deed. This can be interpreted in many ways, but what first comes to mind, from someone living in western culture, is the saying of actions speak louder than words. I feel that Confucius is trying to show exactly this. I feel another great example of what a superior man is demonstrated through 1 5:20, Confucius said, The superior man seeks room for improvement or occasion to blame in himself; the inferior man seeks it in others. I feel this is an excellent example of what the superior man is at heart. He is a man of good value, strong character and righteousness. To compare this to western culture, I think of the story of George Washington and the chopping of the cherry tree. He confessed that he did it, blamed himself instead of finding a clever excuse or blaming someone else, Just as a superior man would do. We use stories such as these to learn moral and how to behave, Just as Chinese culture uses the Confucian Analects to do the same. Another example of Confucian teaching and also how humanity is such a powerful and reoccurring theme in the Analects demonstrated through word-deed. In 13:27 of the Analects, Confucius said, A man who is strong, resolute, simple, and slow to speak is near to humanity. I feel this teaching is essentially saying think before you speak or one should be diligent and careful with his speech. Humanity is recognized and one becomes closer to it when you exemplify these actions. It is through these teachings that we are constantly shown different examples of humanity, but shown from many different directions and points of view. One teaching that can be Juxtaposed with this one is 1:3, Confucius said, A man with clever words and an ingratiating appearance is seldom a man of humanity. This demonstrates how one should go about being a man of good word and deed as well as being a man closer to humanity by showing the complete contrast of what is word-deed and humanity. I personally liked how Confucius provided us with the same key point but in completely different example from different view points. In the Confucian Analects, a person from western culture recognizes one familiar aspect in the teachings, the Golden Rule. In 12:2 Chunk-gung asked about humanity. Confucius said, When you go abroad behave to everyone as if you were receiving a great guest. Employ the people as if you were assisting a great sacrifice. Do not do to others what you do not what them to do to you. Then were will be no complaint against you in the state or in the family. Chunk-gung said, Although I am not intelligent, may I put your saying into practice. The Golden Rule in western culture and the one from Chinese culture express exactly the same thing. However, the literal wordings of these sayings are the complete opposite. Another point I think Confucius is making is when Chunk-gung responds to Confucius golden rule. He says that he is not intelligent but he will put his saying into practice. I think what he is saying here is that this saying is so obvious, that someone who is not intelligent can even go about practicing its ways. This says a great deal about how much he stresses his rule in particular. The Confucian Analects cover topics consisting of great skeletal Importance. It not only covers Just now one snouts Deanna, out now Tanat one person can affect the people around him or her. Confucius was not Just talking to man, but he was also including the state, for this was also one of his focuses. Confucius wants us to constantly be striving to become the superior man, a man of Jean, a man of filial piety. These are they key factors in the Analects and from these come many great virtues, like propriety, that are also emphasized in his works. From this essay I have come to the conclusion that his teachings are simple in word, but complex in meaning. I feel you can read one of his teachings one day, and the following week read it again and you will have a different interpretation of what it meant. This I feel proves Just how complex and true his teachings are. These are my interpretations and reflections on the Confucian Analects. I found it very interesting to go in depth and analyze these teachings. This was my first experience with philosophy and I look forward to learning and understanding more in my future.