Heineken

[Tapez le nom de la societe] 11 HEINEKEN [Tapez le sous-titre du document] poste Introduction I. The presentation of the company: HEINEKEN 1. A brief look at the history of Heineken 2. Brewing beer 3. Heineken product’s II. The presentation of market 1. Nature of marketing 2. Nature of applied research 3. Situation analysis of Heineken 4. Heineken and advertising III. My project 1. Product development strategy 2. Concept development and testing 3. Suggestions Conclusion Introduction: Heineken has wide international presence through a global network of distributors and breweries. Heineken owns and manages one of the world’s leading portfolios of beer brands and is one of the world’s leading brewers in term of sales volume and profitability. I. The presentation of the company: HEINEKEN 1. A brief look at the history of Heineken: The Heineken family entered the beer business in 1864, when Gerard Adrian Heineken bought a brewery in the heart of Amsterdam. Over the past 140 years, three generations of the Heineken family have built and expanded the brand and the company in Europe and around the world. It is thanks to the leadership of Gerard, Henry and Alfred Heineken that Heineken is one of the world’s leading brewing groups. The Heineken company name stands for many things. It began as a family business; three generations of Heineken, each with their own approach to building the business. It became Europe`s favorite beer brand – successfully exporting to every corner of the world. The history of Heineken starts on December 16th  1863. It was Gerard Adrian Heineken who, in 1864, bought the Amsterdam brewery â€Å"The Haystack†, which dated from 1592. In doing so, he laid the foundation for the Heineken concern, which was to acquire widespread international fame as time went by. Within a few years Gerard Adrian Heineken succeeded in increasing sales so much that the brewery in Amsterdam soon became too small. In 1867 construction of a new brewery began just outside the old city. His legacy was a brewery which had grown into one of the biggest and most important in the Netherlands. At the end of the nineteenth century, the competition from other breweries increased. From the 1950s onwards under the leadership of Alfred Heineken, who was the chairman of the Executive Board of Heineken NV, Heineken expanded to become an International Company. He gave the Heineken label worldwide fame and gave it a unique image. It was Alfred Heineken who came to the conclusion that beer was not a local or regional product but that beer could travel. He laid the basis for the international structure and organization of the Heineken concern. Thanks to the initiative of the Heineken family and its response to the changes in the world beer market, Heineken has grown to become the world`s most international beer brand. In the old days deliveries would be made by horse-drawn cart, but nowadays lorries take care of this. Loaded into the huge container ships in the port of Rotterdam, Heineken beer finds its way across the whole world. The export of Heineken beer took off at an early date. In the period between the two world wars, Heineken was exported to Belgium, France, Britain, West Africa and Indonesia. In 1933 Heineken became the first foreign brewery to export beer to the United States after the prohibition. That turned out to be a great success. But there is more – apart from exporting beer, Heineken also acquired stakes in the local breweries all over the world. It has also built its own breweries. Today, Heineken is sold in around 170 countries in all parts of the world; the company also has ties with 116 productions units in 57 countries. Heineken has in recent years been drawing attention to the Heineken brand by making increasing use of sponsorship. Heineken has recently sponsored the Rugby World Cup in South Africa, the  US Open, the  Davis Cup Tennis Tournament, the  Heineken Classic Golf Tournament  and the  Saint Maarten Regatta  in the Caribbean. Sports sponsorship is only one of the ways that Heineken can contribute to the lives of their customers. The Heineken brand is also strongly associated with music. They sponsor –  The Montreux,  Puerto Rico  and Umbria Jazz Festivals. 2. Brewing beer: Brewing beer is a 100% natural process. Heineken got its start when its founder fundamentally improved the process by which beer was made in a brewery that had existed for 251 years. The basic recipe is still closely guarded, and the principles of its success have remained the same: quality ingredients and a perfectly controlled brewing process. Heineken ingredients Heineken beer is made from the purest ingredients. It use only water, malted barley,  hops and yeast. Barley Barley is the major raw material used in brewing beer. Before it can be used for brewing, the barley grain must be malted. Malting helps make the starch and protein (by its natural enzymes) in barley available for brewing by breaking down the natural ce ll wall that surrounds the starch. Starch will be converted to sugar, which will produce alcohol during fermentation. Malting also forms the colour and flavour that the barley will lend to the beer. Hops Hops is one of the flavour-makers of beer, and also contributes to its shelf life. The resin from the female hop flower cones is used to help balance the sweetness of the barley with a refreshing bitterness. Water Beer contains almost 95% water. Water plays an important part in giving beer its characteristic flavor, as different sources contribute to unique beer flavors. Clean, high quality water is essential not only to our beer, but also to life everywhere. We are actively working in the communities that we're a part of to protect clean water supplies. Yeast Yeast converts malt sugars into alcohol during fermentation. There are two types: bottom and top fermenting yeast. Beers fermented with bottom yeast are called lagers and those that use top-fermenting yeast are called ales. In 1886 in Amsterdam, Dr. Elion, a student of Dr. Louis Pasteur, discovered the famous Heineken A-yeast, a strain that is still used today only by Heineken. Gluten Beer contains gluten, which comes from the grain from which it is brewed. Only a fraction of the gluten that the grain contains gets into the beer. The proportion depends on the kind of grain that is used. The use of barley results only in traces of gluten in the beer whilst wheat contributes considerably more. It also depends on the brewing process. Generally speaking: the clearer and blonder the beer is, the less gluten it may contain. Some people are allergic to gluten and have to follow a diet that minimises or excludes their gluten intake. Whether beer can be part of such a diet or not, is dependent on the extent of the allergy and the beer type consumed. In many cases lager beers pose no problem for people who have a gluten allergy. However, it is up to the individual to assess his or her sensitivity. * How beer is made Heineken beers are brewed using solely water, barley, hops and yeast. The barley is malted (soaked to initiate a natural geminating process), ground, mixed with water and then heated. Step by step, the temperature increases so that the starch in the malted barley is converted into sugars. After the solids have been filtered out, the result is ‘wort' (malt sugars), which is then brought to the boil. During the boiling process the brewers add the hops. Using only the female flowers of the hops plant gives beer its characteristic bitter taste and improves its storability. After the wort has been boiled, the next step is fermentation. First, the wort has to be cooled down to 8 degrees Celsius. Yeast is added to the wort and the process of converting the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide can then begin. This takes place in special fermentation tanks, where the beer remains for 7 days. The result is ‘young beer' which, when cooled down to freezing point, is pumped into storage cellars for post-fermentation. One of the aims of this storage is to improve the beer's taste and clarity, and help it keep longer. Once storage is completed, the remaining step is filtration, after which a superb-tasting, bright and clear beer is filled into bottles, can or kegs. Filling and bottling are automatic processes to ensure completely hygienic conditions. 3. Heineken product’s The icon: Wherever we go, it’s always nice to see something we recognize; the green bottle, the red star and the smiling â€Å"e†, telling us instantly what’s inside: cold, fresh, quality Heineken enjoyed around the world since 1873. Aluminum bottle Heineken  launches aluminum bottle  reserved  to  the nightlife  and  trendy  bars. Designed  by  design studio  Ora  Ito,  this is  a  refined  vision  of the  Heineken  bottle,  which  transforms it  into a true  collector’s item. Heineken  Draught Keg Real  beer  now  invites itself  at home  or  outside  with  the  new keg  pressure  to  carry, easy  to share in  any occasion. Heineken  has created  the first  disposable pressure  was offering  a  true  quality beer  pressure  as well  as  the  ability to consume  beer  until  30 days  after opening. Convenient  and friendly, combining  proprietary technology  with  a  unique  and patented  integrated  pressure,  a  refined design,  the  Heineken was  to win  an Oscar  for  the  package. Heineken  15cl  small Heineken  dares  the 2006  launch of  the  15cl  bottle. Revolution in the  beer  department,  small  and practical,  its  mini size  target consumes  occasional  beer. It  is  ideal  as an aperitif  for  those  wishing to  enjoy  a  Heineken while  controlling their consumption. In  the  world  of  night,  four  years  after  the  success  of  the aluminum bottle,  its  designer,  Ora Ito  renews  its  collaboration with  Heineken. With  smoother  lines,  a  refined  and conical shape,  the  new  aluminum bottle  made the bottle very elegant. II. The presentation of market 1. Nature of Marketing Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. To efficiently accomplish their goals, ? rms today have adopted the marketing concept, which requires * A consumer orientation, * A goal orientation, * A systems orientation. A consumer orientation means that ? ms strive to identify the people (or ? rms) most likely to buy their product (the target market) and to produce a good or offer a service that will meet the needs of target customers most effectively in the face of competition. The second tenet of the marketing concept is goal orientation; that is, a firm must be consumer-oriented only to the extent that it also accomplishes corporate goals. The goa ls of profit-making firms usually center on financial criteria, such as a 15 percent return on investment. The third component of the marketing concept is a systems orientation. A system is an organized whole—or a group of diverse units that form an integrated whole— functioning or operating in unison. It is one thing for a ? rm to say it is consumer oriented and another actually to be consumer oriented. First, systems must be established to ? nd out what consumers want and to identify market opportunities. Identifying target market needs and ? nding market opportunities are the tasks of marketing research. Next, this information must be fed back to the ? rm. Without feedback from the marketplace, a ? rm is not truly consumer oriented. 2. Nature of Applied Research Marketing research studies can be classi? ed into three broad categories: programmatic, selective, and evaluative. Programmatic research is conducted to develop marketing options through market segmentation, market opportunity analysis, or consumer attitude and product usage studies. Selective research is used to test decision alternatives. Some examples are testing concepts for new products, advertising copy testing, and test marketing. Evaluative research is done to assess program performance; it includes tracking advertising recall, doing organizational image studies, and examining customer attitudes on a ? m’s quality of service. Programmatic research arises from management’s need to obtain a market overview periodically. For example, product management may be concerned that the existing market information base is inadequate or outdated for present decision making, or marketing plans may call for the introduction of new products, ad campaigns, or packaging. Typical programmatic research questions include the following: Has its target market changed? How? Does the market exhibit any new segmentation opportunities? Do some segments appear to be more likely candidates than others for the ? m’s marketing efforts? What new product or service opportunities lie in the various segments? 3. Situation Analysis of Heineken: Heineken is well-know, renowned brewery with essential strengths (Appendix-1) to be a global brand. However, at this moment, brand perception is different across the countries. Though Heineken had consistently been marketed as a premium brand, in the  US  and Hong Kong market, a distinct image was established for special occasion rather than for daily consumption while in  Latin America, Heineken is viewed as a European imported beer among others. The brand's good taste image is built on 5 core brand values: taste, premiumness, tradition, winning spirit and friendship. Heineken strategy is based on relating friendships and important relations which are built based on enjoyable, joyful, personal, luxury social conditions such as meeting people, fancy meals, savoring, elegant parties, intimate moments and place. The friendship value would be presented in several social conditions through â€Å"true friends† and â€Å"consumers can count on Heineken as a friend† expressions. The taste would be built on 5 brand values: taste experience, balanced taste, foam, advertising and packaging. Appendix-1: Strength and Weakness of Heineken Strengths| Weaknesses| * Beer of highest quality (superior quality) * Special Taste * Original formula * Traditions * Brands availability * Premium brand * Lighter Beer * Attractive packaging * Most heavily advertised Premium beer in  Europe  and Worldwide and use TV commercials  heavily| * No production base in some area * Inconsistent brand image with brand communication * TV commercials are just aired in larger markets * Lack f integrated marketing campaign * Lack of worldwide advertising campaign| Detailed recommendation to achieve the global brand * Introduce a number of innovations across liquid, packaging and format that will serve to further endorse international leadership credentials because innovation is the lifeblood of brand domain. * Heineken has a strong brand tradition. In order to flourish its  brand repu tation  across the world, convince the consumers that the brand is some way superior. Develop a relationship with customers, build  affinity  between brand and customers by sponsoring international rugby tournaments, and world soccer tournament such as -( the Champions Leagues, the UEFA Champions League,  world's premier club) where target audience of men from all over the world gather in one place. * Building the brand  recognition  for long-term  to differentiate the brand Heineken and be sure to add value to the product in order to get the brand loyalty. * Profile Heineken is one of the world's leading brewers in terms of sales volume and profitability and it has the widest presence of all international brewers through a global network of distributors and breweries. In volume terms, it has the largest brewer and beverage distributor in Europe, where it realizes more than half of its sales. It balances a strong position in stable and profitable markets such as Europe and North America with a growing presence in rapidly expanding beer markets such as China and Russia. It employs more than 60,000 people. The Heineken brand, available in almost every country on the planet, is the world's most valuable international premium beer brand. In addition, it owns and manages one of the world's leading portfolios of beer brands comprising other international premium, local and specialty brands. * Goal and market strategy Heineken's goal is to grow the business in a sustainable and consistent manner, while constantly improving profitability. The strategy to achieve this has four elements: †¢ Strive to reach a leading position in attractive markets. Focus on capturing an ever-growing share of the premium and specialty beer market segments. †¢ Work to improve efficiency and cut costs in operations. †¢ Grow through selective acquisitions, so long as they create shareholder value. * Brands Heineken owns and manages one of the world's leading portfolios of beer brands. Its principal international brands are Heineken and Amstel. Heineken is positioned as a premium brand, except for its home market in the Netherlands, and its appeal is growing in many markets. Heineken is the leading beer brand in Europe and Amstel is the third largest. In Europe, Amstel is positioned in the Mid-priced mainstream segment, the largest segment of the market, and is available in more than 90 countries around the world. Heineken also owns and manages a strong portfolio of more than 120 top-selling brands that includes Cruzcampo, Z. ywiec, Birra Moretti, Murphy's and Star. It has a limited presence in the low-priced segment of the market and its international and local brands include lagers, specialty beers, light beers (low-calorie beers) and alcohol-free beers. * Distribution Heineken is the largest beer and beverage distributor in Western Europe. In every market where it is active, it strives for comprehensive coverage through alliances with independent distributors or via its own beverage wholesalers. * Innovation Heineken works to continually meet consumers' changing needs. This can be seen in the area of marketing communication, packaging and dispense systems, where it is a recognized leader. It also works to further improve the quality, safety and cost structure of processes and products. This includes innovation in brewing technology and supply chain management, which reinforces the competitiveness of its global brand portfolio. Sustainability Heineken is committed to conducting business responsibly and ethically. It continuously takes its initiatives to combat alcohol abuse, misuse and focused resources and energy on setting even higher standards in the social and environmental areas of its business. 4. HEINEKEN and advertising: Heineken beer is a famous brand name in around the world and Ads plays the important role in the dissemination of Heineken. At the beginning, Heineken has appeared on mass media with advertisements and promotion programs very attractive, unique; use the words easy to understand. Heineken is not only a beer; Heineken is the moment comes with the image and inspiration to everyone, anytime, and anywhere. The Heineken Ads actually attracts viewers to the world of Heineken – a strange world – World of the passion. Therefore, when mention to Heineken, people immediately think about a new lifestyle has been confirmed with the events has made the impressive, such as: Heineken & Music, Heineken & Sports and Heineken & Movies. Besides Sport and Music, Heineken also sponsored to release the series of action films of Hollywood. Indeed, there were many companies chose movie is the part of the marketing plan. So what is the difference in the way of Heineken? The biggest difference is the investment, has demonstrated a long-term strategy. Starting in 2005 with the movie â€Å"Mr. & Ms. Smith†, Heineken wanted to announce that Heineken will provide viewers the excellent films. Nextly, in the summer of 2008, audiences once again be watched â€Å"Wanted† with the high technique screen and very impressive, never seen in any movie at Hollywood. in 2006, Heineken sponsored to release: † Casino Royal â€Å". Heineken, bring the passion of peak quality, the investment to the distribution system and the media attractive, has confirmed the top brand name of beer in the world. Heineken is respectfully support all of customers, who always discover and enjoy the best of life III. My project: 1. Product Development strategy Given the rapid changes in consumer tastes technology arid competition companies must develop a steady stream of new products and services. When an organization introduces a product into a market they must ask themselves some questions. . Who is interested by this kind of product? 2. What profits will they expect? 3. How to introduce the product in the market? 4. What differential advantage will the product offer over their competitors? The product should be viewed in three levels: Level 1: Core Product. What is the core benefit of your product offers? Customers who purchase a camera are buying more : they are purchasing memories. Level 2 : Actual Product: All the camera cap tures memories. The aim is to ensure that your potential customers purchases for you one. The strategy at this level involves organizations branding, adding features and benefits to ensure that their product offers a differential advantage from their competitors. Level 3: Augmented product: What additional non-tangible benefits can you offer? Competition at this level is based around after sales service, guaranties, delivery and so on. John Lewis a retail departmental store offers for free five years of guarantee on purchases of their Television sets, this gives their `customers the additional benefit of peace of mind over the five years. As they will be quiet if their purchase develop a technical problem. . Concept development and testing An attractive idea must be developed into a product concept. It is important to distinguish between a product idea, a product concept, and a product image. A product idea is an idea for a possible product that the company can see itself offering to the market. A product concept is a detailed version of the idea stated in meaningful cons umer terms. A product image is the way consumers perceive an actual or potential product. Who is the target market and who is the decision maker in the purchasing process? What product features must the product incorporate? What benefits will the product provide? How will the consumers react to the product? What will it cost to produce it? 3. Suggestions: In  today's consumer society, competition  is  increasingly  fierce. Consumers  are less  loyal  to brands  than before. Therefore  they must  remain  in  continuous innovation  in order  to  avoid  routine  and weariness  of the consumer. For  these  reasons,  the  brands are trying  to  find  new  ideas  to maintain  their  sales  and maintain  their visibility  and  attraction. 1st idea: The  creation  of  a  packaging  event  is a solution  that  strengthens the brand’s image  and  market positioning. This  type  of  packaging, launched  in  small quantities,  can  maintain  a sense  of  scarcity  of  the product. Indeed, creating a limited edition is an opportunity to do something different and to test consumer loyalty to the brand and transform it to a collector which will increase the turnover of the company. Besides, a unique and limited packaging may give the company a luxurious image because it reflects his constant search for innovation and thus seduced 2nd idea: I think that is a great idea to cover the cans by a protective film, in order o keep them hygienic and protect them against all forms of pollution. This protects  consumers  from  germs  that  can  accumulate over  the can especially that they are  in direct contact  with the  mouth. 3rd idea: Here are some facts about women and beer: * The sale of beer to women is a growing market. * Women currently account for 25 percent of beer consumption in the USA. * Women between t he ages of 21 and 30 are drinking more beer than women in other age groups. * Beer drinking among women in the 50-plus age group is on the increase, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among beer advertisers worldwide. Women beer drinkers are a discerning bunch. They demand more of their beer: more flavor, more complexity, more fruitiness, fewer calories and lower carbs. Above all, women want beer with more style and character. So, I propose to this target: women who enjoy beer; a light beer with lower alcohol content. This beer will package into new bottle with an exceptional shape which attract feminist target. 4th idea: Conversely to the can of NESCAFE I suggest a new system: It is a refrigerated can which cools when it is opening. This ensures the beer’s conservation and quality. The concept of this product is to permit the end user to consume fresh beer of very high quality. It can be consume all the time and never having to access a kitchen, refrigerator or even having to rely on an external cooling source. * All  these  ideas  will  be  developed  in a  second  report. It  will  explain why the  choice  of each  idea,  and the techniques  of achievement Conclusion: Marketing strategy allows us to generate a specific response from targeted groups of customers. It can help us to achieve the following key objectives: * increasing sales to existing customers * building customer loyalty re-establishing lapsed customer relationships * generating new business At  a broader level marketing offers significant benefits to society. These benefits include: * Developing products that satisfy needs, including products that enhance society’s quality of life * Creating a competitive environment that helps lower product prices * Devel oping product distribution systems that offer access to products to a large number of customers and many geographic regions * Offering techniques that have the ability to convey messages that change societal behavior in a positive way.

Unequal and Unethical Treatment of Women in the Middle East

History shows many instances of discrimination and unequal rights for women. Women have been looked down upon and been abused by men in many different countries and cultures. There is a history for inequity of women, especially domestic violence and abuse. These dilemmas have been going on for the many years in the past, and are still going on today, especially in Middle Eastern countries. One major aspect of the situation of abuse towards women is involved with marriage. In many Middle Eastern countries, it is common for parents to arrange or even force a marriage, and for the children to have no say in it (Child Brides). I believe that this is a large part of the cause for aggression and abuse against the women. In an article from Gaza City called Abuse of Women Still Rife in Palestinian Life, Says Study ¬, a girl named Saana described how she had to endure beating from her father and then her husband as well. Saana’s father arranged a marriage for her, and in the second week of marriage her husband started beating her. He had no apparent reason for beating her. Also, after marrying this man, Saana found out that he had been conducting another relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Her husband eventually dumped her back at her parents’ house. In this culture, divorced women have very bad reputations, no matter what the situation is. Because of this, Saana returned home from her physically abusive husband to verbal abuse from her father. Studies in Gaza show that â€Å"†¦more than one in five women say they suffer physical domestic violence but there is not a single women's shelter. † (Abuse of Women). Although many women are being abused, the government is doing very little, if anything to help them. Even law enforcement officers are very biased. There is basically nothing keeping men from abusing women. Penalties for men who kill or hurt their wives are very insignificant. Also, only male relatives are allowed to file incest charges on behalf of children. Police routinely ‘mediate’ causes of sexual and physical abuse by returning the victims to the ‘care’ of the perpetrators, which obviously doesn’t help the victim at all. Very few women have submitted complaints, though there is so much abuse going on. This may be because they are afraid of their husbands finding out that they complained, and for that reason beating them even more. An article written in 2006 mentioned that of 85 cases of rape in 2003, only in one single case resulted in conviction. (Abuse of Women). According to other online articles, some families arrange marriages for their daughters as young as 7 years old (Child Brides). For example, there was one court case in Saudi Arabia in which a father wanted to allow his 8-year-old daughter to get married to a 47-year-old man. The mother of the daughter was divorced from the father. A relative stated that the mother was determined on getting the marriage overturned. (Eight-year-old girl’s Marriage) There are also some miscellaneous issues about to rights of women, unrelated to marriage. One such example is that women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive cars. A well-known Islamic Scholar named Sheikh Ayed Al-Qarni stated that this rule is based on religious reasons. Al-Qarni set out four clarifying statements: â€Å"One: I do not see women driving cars in our country because of the consequences that would spring from it such as the spread of corruption, women uncovering their hair and faces, mingling between the sexes, men being alone with women and the destruction of the family and society in whole. Two: Sadd Al-Dharaie principle (the closing of doors which could lead to corruption or sinful actions) is one of the values in our religion. Women driving cars is a sinful thing. It is used by those who want to wage a war against purity and hijab. Three: One of the principles of our religion is protecting honor and moral values. Women driving cars would threaten these principl es because of the dire consequences resulting from it. Four: Such public issues must be brought up with the certified religious institution who have the say in such matters as I have said many times before. (Women Driving Cars Is a Sinful Thing: Al-Qarni). Though it may be that a religion includes a rule disallowing women to drive, the women should have a right to choose whether to follow this religious rule or not, and not have to endure any legal punishment if they choose not to. Though it seems that the idea of equal rights for women in the Middle East is an impossible notion, there are actually people who care and are working to solve this issue. In Gaza, there have been non-governmental organizations that have been dedicating effort to reduce domestic violence n the area. One such organization featured on BBC News concluded that a major role in domestic violence is the frustration in men after the stress of political and social issues in Gaza. Abu Fahdi, a former abuser, said, â€Å"For us, the war really begins after the military war is over. Here in Gaza men are supposed to be providers. The siege, the strikes, in one way or another they affect all households in Gaza – poverty, hunger, homelessness. Men are really frustrated. They sometimes take it out on their wives. In Gaza, however, there are few places for a woman to run. â€Å"There are no shelters here. Just clinics where women can get comfort, advice or anti-depressants – more often than not, without their husbands knowing. † (Gazan Women). Psychiatrist Suha Mousa works with women that have faced abusive husbands. She says it’s difficult to work with these women because it can get complicated to intervene in their family lives. She explains that if a husband divorces his wife or if she leaves him and returns home to her father's house, she could lose all access to her children. It is thought by many that the Islam religion includes unequal rights for women. This is because the Islam religion requires women to be ‘modest’ and wear headscarves to hide their hair and skin. These restrictions make people believe that women are lower than men. Female member of parliament Jamila al-Shanti disagrees greatly with this idea. She believes that a reason for domestic violence is less-than-adequate amount of respect for women. â€Å"From the moment of birth, a baby boy is celebrated. A baby girl is accepted,† she says. Jamila al-Shanti believes that when people say that â€Å"Islam dictates that women should be at the bottom of the pile,† it is not Islam; it is bad traditions and habits that cause this harsh judgment of women. It is the opinion of human rights groups that laws in Gaza deal with cases of violence much too leniently. They usually consider issues like domestic violence or even cases of husbands murdering their wives family affairs. (Gazan Women) These issues in Gaza, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries cause pain and suffering to be part of every-day life for women. As time passes, people work hard to stop such problems that degrade women. They may never be completely wiped out, but they can be greatly reduced if enough people dedicate themselves towards helping this cause. Women deserve equal rights as much as men do, and this is expressed in the Declaration of Human Rights. Works Cited â€Å"8-year-old Girl's Marriage Ruled Legal – UPI. com. † Latest News, Latest News Headlines, News Articles, News Video, News Photos – UPI. com. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Adler, Katya. â€Å"BBC NEWS | Middle East | Gazan Women Face Rise in Abuse. BBC News – Home. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Macintyre, Donald. â€Å"Abuse of Women Still Rife in Palestinian Life, Says Study – Middle East, World – The Independent. † The Independent | News | UK and Worldwide News | Newspaper. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Qusti, Raid. â€Å"Women Driving Cars Is a Sinful Thing: Al-Qarni. † Arab News Newspaper. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. . Stritof, Sheri , and Bob Stritof. â€Å"Child Brides — Forced Marriage of Children — The Problem of Early Marriages. † Marriage — THE Starting Place for Exploring Marriage and Marriage Issues. Web. 12 Feb. 2011. .

Articles Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Articles - Article Example Similarly, consider a farmer giving maize to a consumer in exchange for money. Definitely, the two parties are made better off in the second case, but the farmer is made worse off in the first case. So it is just better to have a free market. After reading the article, I thought that greed may be important as suggested by Williams, but it may also be used in a negative way. It is not that I oppose the argument of Williams; it is only that I do not fully agree with him. It is indeed true that most economically beneficial activities are performed as a means of pursuing one’s own interests. However, doing something with the interest of others in mind could lead to honesty and quality of service. For example, if Texas ranchers hated New Yorkers, they would decide to deceive them in terms of weighing scales. This would be unethical and socially irresponsible, and it would cause a decline in overall welfare of New Yorkers and ranchers of Texas. As much as I also think that the author was clever in the manner in which he used the example of ranchers and potato farmers, I also believe that he left out an important aspect of sustainable development – business ethics and social responsibility. Caring about one’s interests alone is unethical and has negative repercussions in the economy. I think this article explains capitalism and the free market in such a way that a common man can realize the importance of free market. I have learned that capitalism has given the common man an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the free market just like the rich people. I think equal distribution of resources can be achieved if the free market works effectively. I think this post has demonstrated a good observation of the author. Nowadays the common man can enjoy some luxuries that were not enjoyed back in the yesteryears. Indeed, it is interesting; and I think it is all because of the great opportunities that the free market and capitalism have

Summary Analysis about Cape Verde Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Summary Analysis about Cape Verde - Essay Example Cape Verde is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). As a result of all the mentioned factors, there has been increased tourism, American and European trade, and investment in Cape Verde in recent years. The Cape Verde government is happy with the nation’s development, and it has therefore taken the initiative to further develop the economy of Cap Verde. After a lot of evaluation and consultation, the government decided that establishment of an aviation hub in Cape Verde will lead in the attainment of further economic development. The government chose Dubai as a blueprint for their undertaking. The project is a long-term plan that will be executed in three phases. The first phase will involve investment of 310 million Euros and generation of 15,000 new construction jobs (â€Å"Dubai International Airport,† ameinfo.com).The second phase will involve the development of a fully operational airline and airp ort, while the third phase will involve investment of an additional 3billion Euros (â€Å"Dubai International Airport,† ameinfo.com) to ensure the creation of a consumer centered and commercially oriented strategic aviation hub. The establishment of an aviation hub similar ton Dubai in Cape Verde is a viable project. This is because it will promote trade, tourism, hospitality, and travel, which are the key sectors that drive growth in Cape Verde. The competitiveness of Cape Verde’s economy will also be enhanced, foreign direct investment will be enhanced, local companies in Cape Verde will be integrated into the global business community, and more jobs will be create. The establishment of an aviation hub in Cape Verde will have a great effect on the economy of Cape Verde and Africa in general. 2. Chinese Ambassador says that Cape Verde may get Chinese-African Trade Zone Beijing authorities plan to establish six special trade areas in Africa. According to a speech by Su n Rongmao, who is the Chinese ambassador to Cape Verde; Cape Verde may be selected as one of the six special trade areas. Sun supports the selection of Cape Verde due to its strategic geographical location. Sun added that he, together with the Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde were making great efforts to ensure that the Chinese government selects Cape Verde among the six trade areas. However, the decision by the Chinese government would depend on a number of other factors such as Cape Verde’s links to other African nations and the nation’s infrastructure. Jorge Borges, the foreign minister of Cape Verde emphasized on Cape Verde’s interest to Beijing authorities in holding the special trade area. He also emphasized on the nation’s strategic geographical location between Europe and the Americas, social stability, and the peace that abounds, making it favorable for economic undertakings. The support of Cape Verde’s selection as an African Economic Zone b y the Chinese ambassador and the Chinese Embassy in Cape Verde is a great step in the attainment of Cape Verde’ s economic goals. Cape Verde’s interest in becoming an African Economic Zone is also a considerable factor. Another advantage comes from the fact that the nation’s geographical location is no doubt strategic and will promote businesses in Africa, Europe, and the

GOV STUDY GUIDE 649,652,654, Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

GOV STUDY GUIDE 649,652,654, - Assignment Example Soviets were a group of elected government council members in a counrty that was communist. 9. In a monarchy, the sovereignty of the government in power is usually possessed in one person, a king or a queen and it only lasts until the person dies and the next family member in line takes over (McClenaghan, 2006). A minister is a politician in a national or regional government who has the duty of implementing policy decisions. 10. A coalition is a formal pact between people or groups of people with the purpose of satisfying each group’s interest (McClenaghan, 2006). A consensus is an agreement between two people or groups and smooth decision-making process occurs because each party has the entitlement to make decisions. 1. In 1918, the Chinese political and military leader, Chiang Kai-shek joined a nationalist party known as the Kuomintang (KMT). Chiang had a successor called, Sun Yat-Sen in year 1925, who ensured that there was a unification process for all the local leaders in China and chased away the communists in China. He focused on battling both communism and Japanese aggression. When China’s allies declared the war in Japan in 1914, China also participated as one of the Big four. Later, there was a civil war in China in 1946 and the communist forces in China led by Mao Zedong succeeded thereby creating the People’s Republic of China. Cultural Revolution was a movement in China established to cleanse China of the four olds which included old customs, ideas, culture and habits (McClenaghan, 2006). The movement was launched by Mao Zedong as a way of reasserting his authority in the government. 3. The Republic of China is what is known as Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China is what is known as China (McClenaghan, 2006). These are two separate states, but both states seem to claim to control the other. 5. In China, there are no political opposition groups, but in Russia there are many political groups such as the KTR group and the

Should our ethical commitment be determined by the state boundaries Assignment

Should our ethical commitment be determined by the state boundaries - Assignment Example However, there are certain general aspects of ethics which are accepted everywhere in the world. This paper briefly analyses the question; â€Å"Should our ethical commitment be determined by the state boundaries?†. Should our ethical commitment be determined by the state boundaries? â€Å"Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn't, good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is useful when we have to trade off meeting one value over another† (Values, morals and ethics, 2002). Values are different in different societies. For example, Muslims are allowed to keep more than one wife at a time whereas most of the other religions consider such things as sin or unethical behaviour. In other words, values related to sexual activities or marriage is defined differently by different religions. Under such circumstances, the question; whether a Muslim person living in a Christian country should be allowed to keep more than one wife at a time, is relevant. It should be noted that plenty of Muslims are staying in America and Britain like Christian countries. If such Muslims try to follow their customs and traits related to sexual activities while living in overseas countries, the chances of social problems are immense. Same way, same sex marriage is allowed in Canada. â€Å"All same-sex marriages declared legal and valid by Canadian justice minister Rob  Nicholson†(Post media news, 2012). If Canadians try to follow same sex marriage customs while living in another country, social problems may definitely arise. Imagine a situation in which a Canadian male living in Saudi Arabia tries to marry another male while living in Saudi Arabia. â€Å"As per utilitarianism, utility is measured in terms of pleasure and pain† (Crane &Matten, 2007, p.95).. Another argument is that â€Å"Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness† (Mill, 2004, p.6). It is a fact that same sex marriage provides pleasure to the Canadian, but it provides pain to the society in which these things are unacceptable. In short, it is better to keep ethics and morals within the state boundaries. At the same time, in certain cases, ethics and morals should be allowed to travel beyond the boundaries of states. According to Maccarelli, (2006) â€Å"what a person should do and what a person wants to do are often not compatible† (Maccarelli, 2006). For example, Middle East is a place in which people from all parts of the world are working together. These diverse people have their own beliefs in morals and ethics. Christian workers consider Sundays as sacred days and they always like to have weekly off on that day. On the other hand, Muslims like to have weekly off on Fridays. If a Christian employee asks weekly offs on Sundays, his authorities should consider that demand favorably if possible. Social contract theory says that â€Å"Majority of the humans are self-interested and they will work for preserving their interest. But the law of nature ask commands that each man be willing to pursue peace when others are willing to do the same† (Social Contract Theory, 2004). In other words, the ultimate aim or objective of ethics and morality is to promote peace and harmony across the world. In that sense, it is better to keep unacceptable ethical behaviours within the boundaries of

The Rise Of The Feminist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Rise Of The Feminist - Essay Example Feminism is a general term used to describe a very broad and complex ideology. There are lots of different feminist theories and approaches, as well as several different types of feminists. The most straightforward meaning however describes it as ‘a movement advocating the rights of women and of their social, political and economic equality with men’ (Roger Scruton). Feminism views the personal experiences of women and men through gender – gender identity (how people think of themselves), gender roles (how people act), and gender stratification (each sex’s social standing) are all rooted in the operation of society. Although feminists are united by their common desire for sexual justice and their concern for women’s welfare, there is a wide spectrum of ‘feminisms’ (Ann Oakley). These can be divided into four broad groups, liberal, radical, Marxist/socialist and Black. This essay will only however look at the former two in more detail. Those who consider themselves to be feminists disagree about many things (this mainly depends on which of variants they fall into); most feminists usually support some general principles however: ‘All the varieties of feminism contain at their heart a paradox – requiring gender consciousness for their basis, their political rallying cry is the elimination of gender roles.’ The importance of change is obviously paramount in feminist thinking as feminism is definitely political since it links ideas to action. Feminism is critical of status quo, and promotes social equality for women and men.

Essay about the play Our town Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

About the play Our town - Essay Example The play delivers useful life lessons relevant to any generation. simple life of the people in the town with the milkman and the newspaper boy delivering milk packets and paper. The town people spend their time eating their meals, working in town, doing household chores, gardening, gossiping, going to school, attending choir practice and gazing at the moon light. The play also introduces another character called Simon Stimson, a church organist who is mostly drunk and looks troubled. Others could only feel sorry for the man but couldn’t help him out of his situation. The first part of the play gets over with Rebecca chatting with her brother George. The second act begins with the marriage proposal between George and Emily. The Stage manager explains how their romance bloomed 3 years before when George was the captain of base ball and Emily was elected student body treasurer and secretary and how both would meet after school at the soda shop and how one day they revealed their love for each other. The Final act happens in a cemetery 9 years after Emily and George’s marriage where a dozen people sit on the chairs arranged in rows. They are all dead people of the town. Among the dead are civil war veterans who fought to keep the United States united. Also among the dead are Mrs. Gibbs who died while visiting her daughter, Wally Webb who died of appendix while being young, and Simon Stimson who hanged himself because of worldly troubles. The act then displays a funeral procession of Emily Webb who died while giving birth to her second child. The spirit of Emily walks away from the living and joins the dead and sits next to Mrs. Gibbs. They talk about how people live their lives grieving about their troubles. The dead are no longer emotionally connected to their feelings of love or hatred, joy or sorrow. They seem to be looking into the future waiting for the

Translation theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Translation theories - Essay Example zes, and utilizes translation principles to arrive at three main translation categories that are translation theories founded on source-oriented perspectives, linguistic translation theories, and recent translations. While source-oriented translation approaches developed from the 2nd century B.C to the 20th century A.D., the linguistic translation theories began during the second decade of the 20th century and lasted for 50 years. However, the last three decades of the 20th century led to the birth of the descriptive branch of translation that was subdivided into process-oriented, function-oriented, and product-oriented translations. The recent translation includes the target-oriented approach to translation that includes Toury’s norms in translation (Venuti, 2000, p. 198). Different translation theories are used in different translation purposes. This paper evaluates the differences between Gideon Toury’s Norms in translation theory and Lawrence Venuti’s translator’s invisibility theory. The comparison begins by placing the norms in translation theory in wider context, offers a description of the translator’s invisibility theory, compares the two theories, and finally, performs an assessment and evaluation of the implication of the two theories for practical translation. At the start of the present translation period was the descriptive translation branch in Israel since 1970s. During this period, Israeli researchers affiliated with descriptive research used the polysystem theory by Even-Zohar in 1990, and the aspect of norms established by Gideon Toury in 1995 (Benjamins, 2008, p. 64). Since Israeli is a multilingual and multicultural state, translation of other languages into Hebrew was committed to a target-oriented approach. The polysystem theory of literature and culture involves all cultural, literary, linguistic, and social aspect, but did not account for single-text translations. Instead, polysystem viewed single-texts as a system operating

Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Mixed Economies Coursework

Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Mixed Economies - Coursework Example This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of effective cooperation in a form of PPP between UK government and NATS Holdings Limited, the renowned service provider in the field of air navigation. The perception of mixed economy is principally described as a financial system that comprises a mix of both collectivism and capitalism notions. A capitalist system is primarily based upon personal profits, private ownerships, labours and investments. On the contrary, a socialist arrangement typically involves the financial activities that are regulated as well as controlled publicly by the active engagement of planning councils along with different governmental bodies Mixed economy type generally embraces an amalgamation of private financial freedom and centralised monetary planning along with governmental regulations Certain crucial factors like globalisation, extreme business market competition and internationalisation have ultimately urged the importance of conducting the PPP approach by a significant level. It has been often argued in this regard that public services require becoming more innovative for the purpose of developing the lifestyle of the individuals or the people belonging to this contemporary world and most vitally, to enhance economies of dissimilar nations. One of the innovative practices adopted as well as executed by NATS is conducting the PPP approach with motive of enhancing its financial position. The significant concern of partnership working has become much significant in delivering effectual public services. ... These benefits might include generating greater monetary value, delivering different sorts of projects in an effective as well as timely manner, effectively exploiting the state assets and resources, generating diversity along with innovation especially in the stipulation of public services (RPA, 2008). Furthermore, the other benefits that can be availed from establishing PPP comprise accessing better finance towards private sectors, raising lucidity in the operational procedures while undertaking any sort of project and most vitally delivering superior infrastructure related solutions (Dept of Economic Affairs, 2011). With this concern, this paper intends to analyse a PPP with reference to the example of NATS Holdings Limited applying certain significant aspects grounded on the arguments revealing that pubic services need to be more innovative and the idea concerning partnership working has become much important, especially when concerning the deliverance of effective public service s. A Brief Overview of NATS Holdings Limited NATS Holdings Limited, which was previously acknowledged as National Air Traffic Services, is viewed as one the foremost service providers relating to air navigation in the United Kingdom (UK). The vision of the company has been to become a worldwide leader in the business segment of offering pioneering solutions linked with air-traffic and airport performance as well (NATS Limited, 2013). It has been apparently observed that the business market concerning the services relating to air-traffic is incessantly transforming due to extensive long-term growth in the sector of aviation both nationally and internationally. Thus, it

Mexican Border Essay Example for Free

Mexican Border Essay With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo on February 2, 1848, the border dividing the Mexican people was formed. The Mexican border means various things to different people. To date, 600 miles of border wall has already been built. This wall would extend from California, to El Paso, to the valley. The first reason given by the government for construction of the wall was to prevent terrorist attacks, the next was to keep illegal Mexicans out, and the most current one is to combat the drug smuggling into the United States. For some Mexicans and Mexican Americans, the border poses threats, and for others, it establishes possibilities for oneself and one’s family. The border industrialization program, which began the 1970s, increased significantly from its previous conditions. Migration to border towns became highly prevalent. Border cities led to population growth and, simultaneously, high unemployment rates. In reaction, government officials started the maquilladora program. Maquillas (from the Spanish maquillar, ‘to make up’) are the giant sweatshops of the global economy, where armies of poor women are put to work to assemble goods for export. The supply of women is so great that these women are treated with no value. Border industrialization began to rise and power companies such as Samsung and RCA, as evident in the movie, Maquilapolis (2006) by Vicky Funari and Sergio de la Torre, by always having lines of women ready and willing to work. Mexican government officials viewed the Maquiladora Program in a positive light, claiming it to be â€Å"an integral part of Mexico’s strategy for development. †[1] The movie depicts the maquiladora workers in Tijuana, Mexico to balance life working in these factories with their struggle for justice in the system that governs their place of work. This reiterates how machismo affected gender relations in Mexico and how woman are devalued. These maquiladoras are good because of the labor they give to Mexican citizens. However, it’s not fair for the low wages and cruelties taken on by the employees in these factories. Unsanitary and dangerous factory conditions pose threats to these women’s lives each day. The women are looking for the means of life and survival. They face jobless times, so they are forced to find jobs in labor. Despite the conditions these women have been subjected to, they still continue to remain hopeful. Senorita Extraviada (2001) is a documentary by Lourdes Portillo about the hundreds of unsolved murders of young women that have occurred over the past 10 years in Juarez, Mexico—the Mexican border city across the Rio Grande from El Paso. The Coalition of non-government organizations (NGOs) for Women (1994-2000) was created by female activists; their main aim behind the coalition was to change the cultural, economic, and political context of gendered violence in the city. This coalition organized events such as marches, press conferences, and domestic and international press was prevalent. There were many challenges against this coalition: it was the city’s first ever cross-class women’s political organization and the city’s first feminist-oriented political coalition. An external attack began to form on the Coalition. Many â€Å"elite† political and economic leaders argued that the violence was â€Å"normal† for Juarez. They argued that many of these women knew what they were doing—living the â€Å"doble vida† (double life) as factory workers during the day and prostitutes by night. Many asserted it was a recycled discourse of female trouble. The notion of these â€Å"public women† mimicked the negative talk surrounding the prostitutes as women who â€Å"contaminated† all associated with her from family, community, and nation. A â€Å"public woman† was regarded as an illegitimate citizen. Government authorities used this as a way to dismiss the influx of crimes and blame the women for the surge of violence in Juarez. Alejandro Lugo presents an analysis of the social dimensions along the border from color hierarchies to the notions of borderlands. He suggests that border crossings are â€Å"constituted by ‘inspection stations’ which inspect, monitor, and survey what goes in and out in the name of class, race, and nation. †[2] He asserts that the term ‘border crossings’ has become an exceedingly hopeful phrase. Lugo further claims that people are, indeed, afraid to cross these borders. There are a few reasons for that. Those who have legal residence in the U. S. , who are light-skinned, and those who speak English, cross borders without much concern. However, those are not American citizens, who are dark-skinned, and who don’t speak English face tough circumstances. As Lugo suggests, â€Å"while borderlands implies multiple sides, ‘border’ implies two sides. †[3] The division between the United States and Mexico is ever-present, separating those who are residents and those who aspire to live the American dream to better themselves and their family. Violence is being exercised against Mexicans at border crossings. The Border Patrol continues to isolate those who do not have legal residence and force these Mexicans back to where they supposedly ‘belong. ’ There is no in-between. As described by Lugo, many Border Patrol agents possess no acceptance for uncertainty. You must prove you belong or you’re forced back to the other side. This border symbolizes such positive things for many hopefuls seeking freedom, work, opportunity, however, at the same time, is a complete, unwelcoming division. Color hierarchies exhibit this discrimination against many dark-skinned Mexicans who are forced out of the U. S. by their own Mexican American people along the border. The border transforms itself. As evident of this border transformation is the drug smuggling. In a recent article, â€Å"Drug smugglers from Mexico move into NM town,† the border town of Columbus, NM has seen an influx of fancy cars with nice rims and a boom in the housing market. Many of these drug smugglers have fled from Palomas, Mexico where the Mexican army had previously been stationed. According to some residents, such as Maria Gutierrez, The problem is in Palomas. Its serene here†[4] Many have refused to come to terms that crime is starting to flood their town. This also alludes to the border transformation—not just a sign of hope to those who seek to cross it, but, now, a means of making big money for some. The Columbus police department has faced its share of â€Å"bad† cops within the force, yet the new appointment of police chief, Angelo Vega, is meant to restructure things within the town. However, even some residents believe that it would be impossible for this town to survive without illegal money flowing in. Not only is violence witnessed between Mexicans and Mexican Americans, but also amongst Caucasians. Racial injustice continues to exist to this day. Similar to the story of Esequiel Hernandez, the 18-year-old U. S. high school student killed on May 20, 1997 by Marines along the US–Mexico border in Redford, Texas, Luis Ramirez was recently murdered by two Anglo males in Pennsylvania. Ramirez, a 25-year-old illegal Mexican immigrant, was assaulted by â€Å"a gang of drunken white teenagers motivated by a dislike of the growing Hispanic population in their small coal town of Shenandoah. †[5] Both the Marines and the two men accused of this crime were acquitted of all charges. These types of racial tensions exhibit the racial hierarchies in society. Many guilty people can be set free just because of the color of their skin. In contrast, the story of the maquilladora program, the surge of violence along the border, gender relations, the influx of drug trading, and prevalence of racial tensions and color hierarchies amongst Mexicans and Mexican Americans all illustrate the dangers that face the border. These combinations of problems all make up the transformation of the border within the past several decades. It truly depicts the war of the frontiers. Many residents along the border, as in the town of Columbus are fighting to keep their town as it was by trying to rid the drug trafficking. Many Mexican Americans want a better life for their family, as well as, to not be treated inferiorly by their own people because of the color of their skin. As put by Salman Rushdie, â€Å"By crossing those frontiers, conquering those terrors and reaching their goal, they themselves were now what they were looking for. They had become the god they sought. †[6] For many this â€Å"god,† is the crossing at the border. For some, it leads to a life filled with promises and opportunities, and for others, false hopes and empty promises at their homeland are ever changing. The war of frontiers will continue to exist until the government does more to change how things are run along the controversial border. [1] Maria Patricia Fernandez-Kelly, â€Å"Chapter 2,† in For We are Sold, I and My People: Women and Industry in Mexico’s Frontier, (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1983), 35. [2] Alejandro Lugo, â€Å"Theorizing Border inspections,† Cultural Dynamics 12:3 (2000), 355. [3] Lugo, 359. [4] Alicia Caldwell, Drug smugglers from Mexico move into NM town, Austin American-Statesman, May 1, 2009, http://www. statesman. com/search/content/shared-gen/ap/National/US_Drug_Smugglers_Town. html, accessed on May 1, 2009. [5] Michael Rubinkam, Luis Ramirez Killers Found Not Guilty After Beating Mexican Immigrant To Death, Huffington Post, May 2, 2009, http://www. huffingtonpost. com/2009/05/04/luis-ramirez-killers-foun_n_195535. html, accessed on May 4, 2009. [6] Salman Rushdie, â€Å"Step Across This Line,† in Step Across This Line: Collected Nonfiction, 1992-2002, (New York: The Modern Library, 2002), 351.

Teachers Diary Experience In Task Based Education English Language Essay

Teachers Diary Experience In Task Based Education English Language Essay Many areas of education are undergoing changes in the way teaching and learning is perceived. Teacher-centered lecturing and structural-syllabus instruction are giving way to a more student-centered, hands-on, practical, and flexible approaches (Shank and Cleary, 1994). The field of English language teaching is no exception in this paradigm shift. One of the areas, which came under this paradigm shift, is the traditional Present-Practice-Produce method of teaching English. It has been replaced by Communicative Language Teaching. An offshoot of Communicative Language Teaching is Task-Based Teaching. The teacher has been identified to be a learning facilitator. He does this largely through the medium of communication, verbal and non-verbal. The quality and effectiveness of such communication have a lot to do with the amount and quality of learning that takes place. This paper talks about a teachers experience in a mixed/heterogeneous classroom situation. Introduction The classroom, a small social structure, but sometimes large, is a working group of students coming from different socioeconomic background, tribes and cultural affinities, mixing with some friends, some strangers and the indifferent. These differences become complex in pluralistic societies including India. Their common task is learning a given content. It is the teacher who is the enabling agent for these socialization and learning. The teacher is the expert (at most in his field), the leader, the more mature mind and wiser. This is the idea of traditional pedagogy. During instruction in the classroom, it is the intent of the teacher to impact information and knowledge to the students and on many occasions such information and knowledge are designed to change the behavior of the learners. However, before a teacher can change the behavior of his students, he must not only possess adequate knowledge of the subject matter, he must be able to communicate his massage effectively. The teacher must have the ability to persuade his students to accept his ideas and arguments and not to leave them wondering at the end of the lesson whether to accept or reject them. The teacher should be able to use the classroom as a social system that breads atmosphere for meaningful social interactions and conducive learning environment. This brings us to the question, What is Communication? There dare many definitions of communication, as there are experts in the field. Oxford English Dictionary defines communication as the imparting, conveying or exchange of ideas, knowledge etc. (whether by speech, writing or signs). It has also been defined as the process of attempting to share with another person or other persons, ones knowledge, interests, attitudes, opinions and ideas (Ralph, Hance, and Wiksell 1975:4). Farrant (1980) also defined communication as the process of passing an understandable message from one person to another (P. 186). Every language teacher today realizes the importance and the relevance of the student-centered, hands-on, practical and flexible approach (Shank and Cleary, 1994), and the worldwide demand for Communicative Language Teaching, which helps to understand the language in context and to use it effectively in situations outside the classroom. As a result, changes have been taking place in many areas of education. The field of second/foreign language teaching is no exception in this paradigm shift. But for ELT, it has become a challenge to accommodate the changes due to various reasons. The most important factor is that one cannot ignore the practical aspect of every existing education system. This paper deals with students from mixed backgrounds who come under one roof to learn English. This paper deals with teaching methodology undertaken in CELT, O.U, Hyderabad, India, to see how a short term program can benefit students improve their communication skills. As they are mixed background students it became necessary to see how the merits of different language learning frameworks like Communicative Language Learning and Task-Based Learning can be put together to achieve the best result. As Joanne Pettis, quoting Henry Widdowson comments, If you say you are eclectic but cannot state the principles of your eclecticism, you are not eclectic, merely confused. (Pettis, 2003). Roger Dunne from Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico rightly states, In any event, most language teachers are probably influenced more by course books than by manuals and training courses and most popular course books are decidedly eclectic in their approach. It is probably these pragmatic market forces that will determine the future direction of language teaching in many parts of the world rather than a fight to death between academic fundamentalists (Dunne, 2003). This paper was set within the dual framework of Communicative Language Teaching and Task-Based Learning. Theories of language use in context play important roles in Communicative Language Teaching and theories of language learning play important roles in Task-Based Learning. Hence, the merits of both were used. Howatt (1984) distinguishes between the weak and the strong versions of Communicative Language Teaching. The weak version stresses the importance of providing learners with opportunities to use English for communicative purposes and therefore attempts to integrate communicative activities into the programme of language teaching. This is the version followed in most learning contexts, especially in Asian countries. As different from this, the stronger version of communicative language teaching claims that language can be acquired only through communication. This would mean that teaching involves not just activating an existing knowledge of the language, but stimulating the development of the language system itself (Howatt, p. 279). However, whether it is the weak or the strong version, the proponents of Communicative Language Teaching have always viewed learning a second/foreign language as acquiring the linguistic means to perform different functions. Some principles of Communicative Language Teaching include: 1. Language should be a means to an end and the focus should be on meaning, not on the form. 2. The learner has to formulate and produce ideas, information, opinions and so on. 3. Teacher intervention to correct mistakes should be minimal as this distracts from communication. (Richards and Rodgers, 1994) As David Nunan (1989) says, Task based teaching and learning is teaching and learning a language by using language to accomplish open ended tasks. Learners are given a problem or objective to accomplish but are left with some freedom in approaching this problem or objective. A task is defined by David Nunan as, an activity (or technique) where students are urged to accomplish something or solve some problem using their language. Preferably, this activity is open-ended; there is no set way to accomplish their goal (1989). According to Jane Willis, a task is a goal-oriented activity with a clear purpose. Doing a communication task involves achieving an outcome, creating a final product that can be appreciated by others. Tasks can be used as the central component of a three-part framework: pre-task, task cycle, and language focus. These components have been carefully designed to create four optimum conditions for language acquisition, and thus provide rich learning opportunities to suit different types of learners (Willis, 1996). Learners get exposure at the pre-task stage, and an opportunity to recall things they know. The task cycle gives them speaking and writing exposure with opportunities for students to learn from each other. The task cycle also gives students opportunities to use whatever language they have, both in private (where mistakes, hesitations, and approximate renderings do not matter so long as the meaning is clear) and in public (where there is a built-in desire to strive for accuracy of form and meaning, so as not to lose face). Motivation (short term) is provided mainly by the need to achieve the objectives of the task and to report back on it. Success in doing this can increase longer term motivation. Motivation to listen to fluent speakers doing the task is strong too, because in attempting the task, learners will notice gaps in their own language, and will listen carefully to hear how fluent speakers express themselves. A focus on form is beneficial in two phases in the framework. The planning stage between the private task and the public report promotes close attention to language form. As learners strive for accuracy, they try to organize their reports clearly and check words and patterns they are not sure of. In the final component, language analysis activities also provide a focus on form through consciousness-raising processes. Learners notice and reflect on language features, recycle the task language, go back over the text or recording and investigate new items, and practice pronouncing useful phrases. Components of a Task Tasks contain some form of input that may be verbal (a dialogue/role play/reading) or, nonverbal (pictures/a gesture) followed by an activity, which is in some way derived from the input. This activity sets out what learners need to do in relation to the input. Tasks have also goals and roles for both teachers and learners. Components of a Task (Nunan: 1989) From the above diagram, a task can be viewed as a piece of meaning focused work, involving learners in comprehending, producing and/or interacting in the target language. Before taking up the task of converting the textual content into various tasks, the following points were noted and kept in mind by the investigators: -The objective of the task must be stated very clearly -The task must be appropriate for the level of the learners -The task must equip the learners with the ability to apply classroom learning in new situations. -Tasks must be interesting and motivating to the students -The form the input takes, must be clear to the teacher -The roles of teachers and students must be specified clearly -Through the task, learners must be encouraged to negotiate meaning -The language that will be generated by the task must be predicted -There should be variety and flexibility in the tasks Few strategies for classroom practice to improve verbal, non-verbal and interpersonal communication Materials needed: Paper and pencil for each participant. I am going to describe a drawing I have made of a bug. Without seeing the drawing, you are to draw the bug that I describe. You may not ask questions or talk to each other. Describe the bug. The bug is round. The bug has eight legs, grouped in pairs with four legs on the left and four legs on the right. In the pairs, one leg is longer than the other. The bug has two eyes on top of the body. The bug has two squiggly antenna. The bug has two pea-pod shaped wings. The bug has a spot next to each wing. The bug has a triangular stinger on the bottom of the body The bug has two feelers on each foot one longer than the other, both coming from the same side of the leg. The bug has a round mouth, placed between the two eyes. The bug laid five square eggs to the left of the stinger. After everyone is finished. Hold up your bug so others in your group can see. Note some of the similarities and differences. Show the drawing to the entire group. Discussion questions: -Why dont all the bugs look like mine? (Interpretation: everyone has a different interpretation, based on his or her experiences.) -What did you think of first when you were told to draw a bug? What did you see in your mind? -What could we have done differently so that your drawings and mine would have looked more alike? -What would have been the advantages of allowing questions to be asked? -How many of you wanted questions to be asked? Adapted from A Kaleidoscope of Leadership, Minnesota Extension Service Words Alone Purpose: To demonstrate how important words are when the person talking and the listener cannot see each other. Materials Needed: Small pieces of paper with one of the following words on each: Procedure: Ask one person from the group to take a paper with one of the words on it and give a verbal description of what is on the paper (no hands allowed). Tell them to concentrate on the careful choice of words, avoiding non-verbal signals. Use descriptive words relating to all five senses (smell, touch, etc). Example: ice cream cold, smooth, soft, fluffy- looking, sweet, flavors. Process Questions: 1. How efficient were words alone in expressing ideas? 2. How did you feel doing this activity? (talker and listener) 3. What does this remind us to do in our own communication? Reference: Internet Conclusion Students showed interest in learning English. The reasons they gave were, classes are full of activities and play. Noted that students started talking in English openly without any apprehensions. They were highly motivated by the tasks and were encouraged to participate in doing the tasks. Though it is time consuming it is quite a rewarding experience as they gain useful insights by working through activities. They improve in their language as well as personality traits like team building, interpersonal relations, adaptability etc. Even with the existing constraints, classroom teaching can be given a communicative orientation, giving enough opportunities to students to use the language creatively. Teaching can be made learner-centered; with more emphasis on the learning process any given text may be re-created into various tasks and activities. Task-based teaching enhances the language proficiency of learners.

Neurobiological Mechanisms that Cause Aggression

Neurobiological Mechanisms that Cause Aggression Review of the Neurobiological Mechanisms Which Underpin Reactive Aggression in Humans: a Closer Look at Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA) Module 1: Prosocial and antisocial behaviours across the lifespan Violent acts have a significant toll on human societies: annually over 1.6 million deaths worldwide occur due to human violence (Viding Frith, 2006). Although acts of aggression have an important adaptive purpose, when overexpressed, they may result in destructive consequences. Conventionally, aggression has been defined as an intentional action with a purpose to inflict physical damage on another individual (Nelson Trainor, 2007). Currently two forms of aggression have been recognized in humans: controlled aggression instrumental subtype, and reactive aggression impulsive subtype (Vatiello Stoff, 1997). Instrumental aggression, also referred to as premeditated and predatory, is generally planned and goal-oriented and has often been linked to psychopathy (Blair, 2001). This kind of aggression is thought to be regulated primarily by higher cortical systems and is characterized by diminished amygdala response (Nelson Trainor, 2007). Reactive aggression on the other hand, is depen dent on the limbic and hypothalamic systems, and is characterized by high autonomic arousal (Siever, 2008). Impulsive aggression generally represents a direct response to stimuli and accounts for the majority of violent acts. Individuals with borderline personality disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, or ADHD are particularly prone to reactive aggression and impulsivity. Previous research on the neurobiology of aggression pointed out that for such individuals, repetitive acts of aggression are often influenced by the underlying neurobiological susceptibility (Nelson Trainor, 2007). Indeed, one remarkable feature of aggression is its apparent heritability. Twin and adoption studies suggest that genetic factors account for between 40% and 50% of population variance in risk of antisocial aggression (Buckholtz Meyer-Lindenberg, 2008). However, the relationship between aggression and the underlying neurobiology is far from being simple (Nelson Trainor, 2007; Siever, 2008). Previous research in individuals prone to impulsivity and reactive aggression as well as a number of studies based on animal models identified numerous genetic loci and neurotransmitters associated with reactive violence, including, but not limited to, Dopaminergic genes (DRD4, DRD5, and DAT1), Serotonergic genes (5HTT, HTR1B), and genes responsible for encoding enzymes involved in regulating the levels of these neurotransmitters, particularly catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and Monoamine Oxidase A (MAOA), often referred to as â€Å"the warrior gene†. However, the association between genotype and phenotype of aggression is only beginning to be properly understood (Caspi, McClay, Moffitt, Mill, Martin, Craig, Taylor, Poulton, 2002; Nelson Trainor, 2007; Siever, 2008). While there have been many studies showing the association between different genes and aggression, results were often mixed and inconclusive. Currently, the best candidate gene with the most supportive evid ence appears to be Monoamine Oxidase A (see: Brunner, Nelen, Breakefield, Ropers, van Oost, 1993; Byrd Manuck, 2014; Cases, Seif, Grimsby, Gaspar, Chen, Pournin, Muller, et al.,1995; Caspi, et al., 2002). The MAOA gene, located on the X chromosome, is a functional polymorphism with high activity (MAOA-H) and low activity (MAOA-L) variants, which encodes the MAOA enzyme, responsible for breaking-down neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (Shih, Chen, Ridd, 1999; Viding Frith, 2006). Previous research using animal models as well as humans demonstrated an association between aggression and genetic deficiency in MAOA activity (Rowe, 2001). Transgenic mice without the gene encoding MAOA had higher amounts of brain serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE), and displayed increased aggression (Cases, et al., 1995). After restoring MAOA activity, mice aggression was stabilized (Shih Thompson, 1999). In humans, point mutation in the MAOA gene led to MAOA deficiency and was found to be associated with reactive aggression in several men from the Dutch family. Moreover, across generations, these men with MAOA knockout also showed frequent violent outb ursts, particularly in response to mild provocation, and impulsive antisocial behaviour such as assault, rape, and attempted murder. (Brunner, et al., 1993). This condition, however, is quite uncommon and is unlikely to explain much variation in human violence and aggression. Findings of the studies that only looked at levels of MAOA activity and antisocial outcomes in adulthood have been mixed and thus problematic to interpret since both MAOA-H and MAOA-L were linked to reactive aggression (Ficks Waldman, 2014; Nelson Trainor, 2007; Siever, 2008). The study that produced very robust findings in that area and has later proven seminal was conducted by Caspi and colleagues (2002). This study was the first to look at the effects of MAOA activity in combination with childhood maltreatment on reactive aggression in adulthood. Indeed, adverse childhood experiences were found to affect the development and functioning of neural pathways involving the neurotransmitters metabolised by MAOA which can potentially result in increased aggression (Caspi, et al., 2002). Thus, Caspi and colleagues (2002) hypothesised that childhood maltreatment can predict reactive aggression in adulthood, and that this relationship is moderated by levels of MAOA expression. Results of this study demonstrated the dose-response effect of childhood maltreatment on the aggressive behaviour in adulthood, which was consistent with prior findings. However, this effect was much smaller in participants with the high-activity version of the MAOA gene as compared to men with low MAOA activity, suggesting the protective property of MAOA-H (Caspi et al, 2002). Moreover, as levels of maltreatment increased, so did the protective effect of the MAOA-H variant. A low-activity MAOA gene combined with a history of childhood maltreatment increased the risk of aggressive behaviour in adulthood sevenfold. These results supported the predicted hypothesis that MAOA activity would act as a moderator of the effects of childhood maltreatment on antisocial outcomes in adulthood. This study paved the way to a number of subsequent studies looking at gene and environment interaction. A recently published meta-analysis, which looked at 27 peer-reviewed studies on adverse childhood experiences, MAOA genotype, and aggressive and antisocial behaviour showed that results across 20 male cohorts (11064 participants) were largely consistent with findings from the original study by Caspi and colleagues (2002) (Byrd Manuck, 2014). These findings remained robust even after removing each study individually. However, the question remains, how does low activity MAOA gene in combination with childhood stressors translate to antisocial behaviours in adulthood? Several theories have been proposed to answer this question. On one hand, the association between low activity MAOA gene and aggression appears paradoxical, since MAOA-L leads to increased levels of serotonin, which has been found to be positively correlated with impulse control and negatively correlated with aggression (Manuch, Flory, Ferrell, Mann, Muldoon, 2000; Siever, 2008). However, MAOA also plays a role in regulating dopamine and norepinephrine, which were shown to lower thresholds for violent response to perceived threat (Manuch, et al., 2000). High levels of DA and NE, resulting from MAOA dysfunction, would activate a fight or flight response, and indirectly enhance aggression (Volavka, Bilder, Nolan, 2004). Indeed, previous studies showed a similar association between COMT gene (also responsible for breakdown of NE and DA ) and aggression (Siever, 2007; Volavka, et al., 2004). Therefore the elevated levels of NE and DA, due to low expression of MAOA, would be consistent with the results of previous studies, showing an association between low activity MAOA gene and aggression. Nevertheless, this theory does not account for the role of childhood maltreatment on aggression, and as it was mentioned previously, results of studies looking solely at MAOA activity and aggression are mixed and inconclusive, showing both high and low activity MAOA gene being associated with impulsive aggression (Ficks Waldman, 2014; Nelson Trainor, 2007; Siever, 2008). Another theory that sheds more light on the mechanism through which MAOA deficiency in combination with childhood maltreatment influences aggression in adulthood relies on the findings that high concentrations of intracellular serotonin have been associated with increased reactivity to stress and elevated anxiety (Seif De Maeyer, 1999, Viding Frith, 2006). Therefore, it is possible that MAOA deficiency might predispose individuals to neural hyper-reactivity to a threat (maltreatment). While genetic predisposition alone rarely results in adverse outcomes in adulthood, when combined with childhood stressors, it might potentially have consequences on brain function (Meyer-Lindenberg, Buckholtz, Kolachana, Hariri, Pezawas, Blasi, Wabnitz, et al., 2006). Previous findings in populations prone to impulsive violence demonstrated functional and structural abnormalities in brain areas associated with perception and regulation of emotions, particularly in the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and the interconnected regions (Davidson, Putnam, Larson, 2000). Neuropsychological functions associated with these brain regions were also compromised in the aforementioned populations (Blair, Peschardt, Budhani, Mitchell, Pine, 2006). Previous work using animal models and clinic samples seems to suggest that maltreatment negatively affects the functioning of the neural structures involved during an individual’s reaction to threat (i.e., pariaquaductal gray and amygdala) and the regulation of the triggered threat response (i.e., orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate). Therefore, the genetic risk (MAOA-L) along with childhood maltreatment may result in changes to brain function, and subsequently increases the risk of impulsive aggression (Viding Frith, 2006). These speculations imply that there is no one clear explanation for the findings we currently have regarding genetic variation and its effect on aggression. The human brain and the effects of genetic and environmental factors on its development are too complex to assume that one specific gene, or neurotransmitter levels are responsible for aggression. More likely, it is the gradual change in neural pathways that regulate aggression. As of this moment, it still remains unclear if aggression in adulthood that is observed in many of the aforementioned studies is due to developmental change in neural circuits or to a change in neurotransmitter function. Moreover, the effects of these changes for adults are very different than for children. Therefore, it is possible that low MAOA activity resulted in compensatory changes which transformed the organisation of the nervous system in children during the sensitive period of brain development, and was later reflected in antisocial outcomes in a dulthood (Lesch Merschdorf, 2000). Attempts to replicate Caspi et. al. (2002) findings in female populations yielded significantly different results. Recent meta-analysis that looked at 11 studies with female samples produced inconclusive results: even though MAOA activity had a significant association with adverse childhood events, high, as opposed to low, MAOA activity in combination with childhood maltreatment was associated with antisocial behaviour in adulthood. Moreover, this interaction was weaker, and after removing a few individual studies, it lost its significance (Byrd Manuck, 2014). Replicating Caspi and colleagues’ study using female cohorts has proven to be significantly more complicated for two main reasons. First of all, dividing females into two groups based on MAOA activity is challenging due to uncertain inactivation of heterozygous alleles. Secondly, severe personality disorders and antisocial outcomes are quite rare in women, thus it is difficult to get a large enough sample to demonstrate dose-response relationships. In sum, taking into account findings from previous studies it is unclear what relationship MAOA activity plays in antisocial outcomes in women, and calls for further investigation (Caspi, et al., 2002; Byrd Manuck, 2014). In attempts to understand the relationship between genes, environment, and aggression, the study by Caspi and colleagues (2002), as well as numerous studies that came out afterward, certainly advanced our understanding in the field. However, it is important to point out the limitations that characterise many of the research studies investigating the relationship between gene-environment interaction and adult antisocial behaviour. First of all, lack of published articles reporting null findings due to publication bias still remains a big problem in the field. As a result, published findings seem more robust than they actually are (Duncane Keller, 2011). Secondly, the samples of many studies, primarily those with female subjects, are often too small resulting in inadequate statistical power (Byrk Manuck, 2014). Indeed, negative findings had larger sample sizes compared to positive ones. These limitations make it difficult to correct for potential false-positive results (Duncan Kelle r, 2011). This is especially the case in replication attempts using female populations, and in neuroimaging studies. Finally, due to the difficulty recruiting participants for these studies, samples are often not easily comparable and consist of individuals with many comorbid psychiatric conditions, making it difficult to tease apart effects of certain genetic variations and maltreatment on specific psychopathology (McCrory, DeBrito, Viding, 2010). While there is strong evidence to suggest that genotype, particularly variants of the Monoamine Oxidase A gene, in combination with childhood maltreatment, plays an important role in reactive aggression in human adulthood, the exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aforementioned controversies call for caution when making any strong conclusions regarding the effects of genetic variation on antisocial outcomes. Further research, including longitudinal studies, genome-wide association studies, gene-environment-sex and gene-gene interaction studies, and neuroimaging studies, is necessary to better understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms which underpin reactive aggression in humans. References: Blair, R. J. (2001). Neurocognitive models of aggression, the antisocial personality disorders, and psychopathy. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 71, 727-731. Blair, R. J. R., Peschardt, K. S., Budhani, S., Mitchell, D. G., Pine, D. S. J. (2006). The development of psychopathy. Journal of Chid. Psychology and Psychiatry and allied disciplines, 47(3-4), 262-276. Brunner, H. G., Nelen, M., Breakefield, X. O., Ropers, H. H., van Oost, B. A. (1993). Abnormal behaviour associated with point mutation in the structural gene for monoamine oxidase A. Science, 262(5133), 578-580. Buckholtz J. W. Meyer-Lindenberg, A. (2008). MAO and the neurogenetic architecture of human aggression. Trends in Neuroscience, 31(3), 120-129. Byrd, A. L. Manuck, S. B. (2014). MAOA, Childhood Maltreatment, and Antisocial Behavior: Meta-analysis of a gene-Environment Interaction. Biological Psychiatry, 75(1), 9-17. Cases, O., Seif, I., Grimsby, J., Gaspar, P., Chen, K., Pournin, S., Muller, U., et al. (1995). Aggressive behaviour and altered amounts of brain serotonin and norepinephrine in mice macking MAOA. Science, 268(5218), 1763-1766. Caspi, A., McClay, J. Moffitt, T. E., Mill, J., Martin, J., Craig, I. W., Taylor, A., Poulton, R. (2002). Role of Genotype in the Cycle of Violence in Maltreated Children. Science, 297(2), 851-853. Davidson, R. J., Putnam, K. M., Larson, C. L. (2000). Dysfunction in the neural circuitry of emotion regulation- a possible prelude to violence. Science, 289(5479), 591-594. Duncan, L. Keller, M. (2011). A critical review of the first 10 years of candidate gene-by-environment interaction research in psychiatry. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 1041-1049. Ficks, C. Waldman, I. (2014). Candidate Genes for Aggression and Antisocial Behavior: A Meta-analysis of Association Studies of the 5HTTLPR and MAOA-uVNTR. Behavioral Genetics, 44(5), 427-444. Lesch, K. P. Merschdorf, U. (2000). Impulsivity, aggression, and serotonin: A molecular psychobiological perspective. Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 18, 581-604. Manuch, S. B., Flory, J. D., Ferrell, R. E., Mann, J. J., Muldoon, M. F. (2000). A regulatory polymorphism of the monoamine oxidase- A gene may be association with variability in aggression, impulsivity, and central nervous system serotonergic responsivity. Psychiatry Research, 95, 9-23. McCrory, E., De Brito, S. A., Viding, E. (2010). Research Review: The neurobiology and genetics of maltreatment and adversity. The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 51(10), 1079-1095. Meyer-Lindenberg, A., Buckholtz, J. W., Kolachana, B., Hariri, A. R., Pezawas, L., Blasi, G., Wabnitz, A., Honea, R., Verchinski, B., Callicott, J., et al. (2006). Neural mechanisms of genetic risk for impulsivity and violence in humans. Proceedings of Natlional Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103(16), 6269-6274. Nelson, R. J., Trainor, B. C. (2007). Neural mechanisms of aggression. Nature, 8, 536-546. Shih J. C. Thompson, R. F. (1999). Monoamine oxidase in neuropsychiatry and behaviour. American Journal of Human Genetics, 65(3), 593-598. Seif, I. De Maeyer, E. (1999). Knockout corner: Knockout mice for monoamine oxidase A. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 12, 241-243. Shih, J. C., Chen, K., Ridd, M. J. (1999). Monoamine Oxidase: from genes to behaviour. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 11, 197-217. Siever, L. J. (2008). Neurobiology of Aggression and Violence. American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 429-442. Vatiello, B., Stoff, D. M. (1997). Subtypes of aggression and their relevance to child psychiatry. Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36, 307-315. Viding, E. Frith, U. (2006). Genes for susceptibility to violence lurk in the brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, 103(16), 6085-6086. Volavka, J., Bilder, R. J., Nolan, K. (2004). Catecholamines and aggression: The role of COMT and MAO polymorphism. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1036, 393-398.

Holdens Depression in J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye Essay

Everybody feels depressed at some time or another in their lives.   However, it becomes a problem when depression is so much a part of a person's life that he or she can no longer  experience happiness.   This  happens to the young boy, Holden Caulfield in J.D Salinger's novel, The Catcher in the Rye.   Mr. Antolini accurately views the cause of Holden's depression as his lack of personal motivation, his inability to self-reflect and his stubbornness to overlook the obvious which collectively results in him giving up on life before he ever really has a chance to get it started.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Holden lacks the essential ability to motivate himself, which he needs to survive in the 'real' world.   He continues to be kicked out of every school he attends because he fails to apply himself, his simple reasoning being 'How do you know what you're going to do till you do it? The answer is, you don't' (213).   Everybody else in his life tries to encourage him to care about school and his grades but it doesn?t make any difference.   From the start of the novel Holden?s history teacher at Pencey tells him ?I?d like to put some sense in that head of yours, boy.   I?m trying to help you.   I?m trying to help you, if I can? (14).   But the fact of the matter is he can?t help him, Holden has to help himself.  Ã‚   The drive to succeed has to come from within him, ?I mean you can?t hardly ever do something just because somebody wants you to? (185).   In order for Holden to succeed he has to want it for himself.   The only pr oblem being Holden is unable to will him into doing anything he is not genuinely interested in, therefore missing out on further knowledge he could acquire that would truly entice him.   Holden gives up on school because he fears if ... ...why he never found them.   He will not allow himself to because by this point he had given up on school and eventually he gave up on the whole world.   Tragically though, he gives it all up before he truly has a chance to get it started.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mr. Antolini?s theory as to what is wrong with Holden is right on, it?s just too bad he was unable to get through to Holden.   Due to the fact that Holden has already given up on himself and is unwilling to apply the valuable advice he has been given.   He has lost the substantial ability to find happiness in life and therefore can?t find the energy to motivate himself in anything he does.   It?s a tragedy that someone as bright as Holden Caulfield is unable to find the strength within himself to persevere in a world of insanity. Works Cited: Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1994.