Enders Game :: essays research papers

Orson Scott Card weaves an intricate tale of a boy who is born to save the Earth in the novel, Ender’s Game. Ender Wiggin is born a Third in a world where only two children are allowed per family. Ender’s older brother and sister, Peter and Valentine, were not what the government needed to save the world, so Ender was born in hopes that he would be somewhere in the middle of their extremes. Peter is too violent, whereas Valentine has too much empathy. Ender is the right combination for the Battle School’s needs. Although both Ender and Peter have power, only Ender has respect; both boys are instinctive killers, but Peter relishes the act while Ender regrets the act after he does it; Both boys become heroes, but both will not remain heroes when the historians begin to examine the events. Although Peter and Ender both have power over other people, the means of obtaining the power and the way each boy uses his power is different. Peter obtains power by terrifying people. Everyone knows he is capable of cold-blooded murder, so they do as he says because it is in their own best interest. Also, he has the power of influence on the nets (networks similar to the internet), which he uses to sway the public. Once Peter has gained power, he uses the power to benefit himself. He uses people as pawns to accomplish what he wants—to rule the world. Ender, however, gains his power by simply being superior at all the games. He becomes commander of an army, but doesn’t use the army to gain anything for himself, except to be number one in the standings. He makes the people in his command better soldiers by teaching them what he knows. He allows the toon leaders to make decisions in battles, so that the whole army doesn’t rely on him, entirely. Both Peter and Ender kill throughout the novel. Peter kills innocent squirrels and animals. He threatens to kill Ender and Valentine if they do not do as he says. It is quite clear that he enjoys these activities. He shows no remorse for the dead animals he leaves in his wake. Ender, however, kills out of defense and feels great remorse. He never intends to kill anyone that he kills. All the deaths he inflicts are accidental, yet justified at the same time.

Sociological perspectives

I have been observing the political events of many countries as they unfold. Among the most fascinating of all was that in Kenya, a country in Africa which drew attention of the whole world after being highlighted as a result of the post election violence. I watched the campaign rallies as they were captured by the TV stations that were mainly dominated by three political parties; the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the Party of National Unity (PNU) and Orange Democratic Movement of Kenya (ODM – K). I then focused on the whole country as a social system and finally narrowed down my observation to the close competitors who eyed for the presidential seat( http://video. google. com/videoplay? docid=-8434875422533573659 ) This paper examines all my observations as pertaining to the above highlighted situation through ‘a sociologist eyes'. As I watched the campaign rallies, I noticed that among the major political parties, there were common agenda. This were poverty reduction, job creation, fight against tribalism and inequality. In my quest to know more about the reason behind having common agendas, I realized that this country was stratified into different groups based on tribes, religious background and economic status. Economically, there were two major groups, the poor and the rich. The poor blamed the rich for accumulating large amounts of wealth through corrupt deals. They pointed out some major scandals that led to poor economic growth which resulted to increased poverty in the country. Examples of such corruption scandal include the â€Å"golden berg† and the â€Å"Anglo leasing†. The poor claimed that they were exploited by the rich, a situation that they said led to marginalization of some people and widened the gap between rich and the poor. The rich were supporting the political regime that existed at that time and they supported President Mwai Kibaki whom they said was the best president that people should support if they intend to achieve a high economic growth rate. Of course these were the owners of means of production and they intended to maximize on increasing their wealth. The poor were supporting Mr. Odinga who unveiled his plan to reduce poverty and inequality – something that the wealthy class in the country termed as a threat to investment( http://video. google. com/videoplay? docid=-4385739074127652954 ) These two groups divided the country's population into two antagonistic groups and initiated conflict between themselves. The campaign took a different dimension when two tribes in this country came came out to out do each other and muscle out their way to compeat for the prestigious political position, the presidency. These tribes included Kikuyu and the Luo(http://video. google. com/videoplay? docid=6778777698786778125) As a result a debate for introduction of â€Å"Majimbo system† what can be referred to a Federal government came up. The two groups were once in another conflict since those behind PNU did not support a Majimbo government while those behind ODM and ODM -Kenya did( http://video. google. com/videoplay? docid=-5553237563976614777&q=kenya+politics+on+tv-+kibaki+and+raila&total=22&start=10&num=10&so=2&type=search&plindex=5&hl=en . As the election neared, another conflict came up. This time round, it was the Muslim community versus the Christian community where the Muslims wanted to get freedom to exercise their Sharia Laws. They claimed that they were never given freedom like the Christians who are the majority in the country. The Muslims therefore chose to support the ODM leader, Raila who had promised to address their grievances. The Christians rejected Mr. Raila ‘s proposal and threatened to demand their Christian laws to be enacted into state laws if the Muslims were given that â€Å"Special treatment† ( http://video. google. om/videoplay? docid=-1185250696841707886 This reminded me of the social conflict theory which holds that no society can exist without conflict (http://www. allfreeessays. com/student/Consensus_Conflict_Perspectives_in_social_theory. html ) As I watched the political campaigns, it was clear that these political leaders wanted to create a positive image of themselves in order to win many votes. In the â€Å"Front stageâ⠂¬  as Erving Goffman calls it in his theory of impression management or dramatical approach to social interaction, they gave all sorts of good promises. They promised to create jobs, reduce poverty, fight tribalism and inequality. In the â€Å"backstage† they would go to their tribes and call for their support, promise their tribes how they would benefit more than the other Kenyans and how they will appoint people from their tribes in government offices, something which was contrary to what they were promising the citizens in general. Challenging each other in political arenas and their respective credentials further worsened the relationship between the â€Å"actors† When chaos erupted in the country and things seemed to run out of control, the former UN Secretary General, MR. Koffi Annan together with Graca Machele and Benjamin Mkapa led Mediation talks. The two political leaders, Mr. Odinga and President Kibaki appeared in Televisions as a way to inform the Kenyans that they were not enemies and were working together to put things in place. This was just a â€Å"front stage† since later on they both accused each other for what was happening in the country and clearly brought out a good picture of the ‘back stage'. These kind of actions by Mr. Odinga and President Kibaki is what Goffman said was analogously equated to theoretical drama. In this case, Mr. Odinga and President Kibaki together with their close supporters were the actors while Kenyans became the audience. This is the theory of symbolic interaction ism(Herman N, Reynolds L, pp. 76) Kenya is a society that is made up of individuals and groups of people who interact with each other and espouse a sense of ‘we feeling'. They share many things in common including laws, the presidency among others and they all work together to improve their welfare and the country as a whole. Within the system there are sub systems which include political system, religious system, education and economic system among others. All these have a function to perform in order to ensure the social system functions properly. It is important to note that all societies consist of social structures which play different roles but must depend on one another. In the case for Kenya, the disputed election results led to chaos. This paralyzed all sectors of the economy. Many families were forced to break especially where the Luo intermarried with the Kikuyu. This was a state of anarchy and anomie that led to high levels of insecurity and deaths of thousands of innocent Kenyans. All learning institutions were closed down churches were burnt down and in general there was social disorganization in the country. All structures that bond Kenya as a society were weakened and if it were not for the mediation talks led by the international society Kenya would have been torn apart. I observed it and the theory of structural functionalism crossed my mind. According to the structural functionalism school of thought, any society comprises of social structures. These social structures play specialized and important functions that bind the members of the society together. (Robinson W, pp 314)

The Roles of Identity in Society

The Roles of Identity in Society Many would argue that social justice is being served when someone says â€Å"we are all the same under the skin†. We are not all the same under the skin. Within us are our own senses of identity, constructed by our familiar discourses, the physical environment and its embedded culture, and our individual differences. Our sense of identity accounts for our perceptions of ourselves and how we are positioned by others in terms of culture, tradition, rituals, race, family, religion and education (Allen, 2004). Our identities affect our life chances through our positions in society, the access we have to power, status, education, and wealth (Allen, 2004). Examining our own identities gives us insight into the role identity plays in life and society and therefore some understanding of the impact that the identities of others has for them on their life choices (Austin, 2005). This essay will examine the importance of the search for identity, and the desire to reconcile those identities with society’s expectations, for the narrator in the novel by McDonald and Pryor (1999), ‘The Binna Binna Man’. The journey of this character will be positioned against my own life’s story as I attempt to compare the roles our identities have played in positioning us as members of Australian society. The narrator in The Binna Binna Man is a character who has a very secure sense of his own identity. He has a sound knowledge of his spiritual heritage, his people’s traditions and the importance the strength of his identity has for him and for his people. He seems perplexed by the idea that his cousin Shandell is â€Å"†¦living different from all that stuff’ (McDonald & Pryor, 1999, pg 17). He is reminded by his â€Å"girragundji† (a guide for life sent by his ancestors) that the way to stay strong and avoid getting lost is to have faith in his spirituality and his identity (McDonald, et al. , 1999). This is proven to him when he almost follows Shandell down the path to self-destruction. The Binna Binna Man, their beliefs, bring them both back to the strength they gain from knowing that they are Aboriginal Australians, with a wealth of culture, history, knowledge, and skills. Unfortunately their people bear the scars of that wealth being devalued and misunderstood by the Anglo Australian hegemonic society. This is demonstrated through the sadness they carry and the way they feel how many of their people they have lost. The narrator and his family have to scrape together the means to travel out of the community they live in to be able to participate in their cultural rituals of grief and burial because they are not traditions easily accessible to them in Australian society. The narrator does not carry around the invisible knapsack of rights and power described by McIntosh (1988) that gives him access to the ability to carry out the roles of his identity. Rather, he realizes the struggle he has ahead of him, to keep the strength of his identity and to be able to survive life and society with it proudly intact. He can see the strength of his people, but he can also see their struggle (McDonald et al, 1999). As noted in McDonald (2004) Australian Indigenous youth battle on a daily basis with the pressures their identities generate such as racism, poverty, the hegemonic culture of school, and having English as a second language, while trying to maintain the roles expected of them from their Indigenous cultures. It is an enormously demanding and frustrating battle for these youth to get through their daily lives intact, let alone being able to achieve well in either world. The narrator is struggling with his identity as an Aboriginal youth in Australian society and is trying to emerge from a history of oppression and denial. He has not inherited wealth from his parents or the social and cultural capital necessary to be able to identify with the hidden curriculum of the education system (Allen, 2004). His family has only relatively recently emerged from a period of oppression under The Aboriginal Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897 (Genever, 1992) where the Indigenous people of Australia were denied, by the Australian Government, the right to own anything, freedom of movement, the right to practice their cultural traditions, or the right to the education required to â€Å"participate as responsible citizens† (Genever, 1992). He is caught in Australian society, within his cultural boundaries â€Å"†¦(the objective presence of cultural difference)† as discussed in McDonald’s paper on ‘Forms of Social Justice’ (2004). In no way is he served by social justice by being given the same chances I was, under the pretext of â€Å"treating us all the same†, as though we share a common identity. The development of my identity has benefited from what McIntosh (1988) terms â€Å"unearned privilege†. The life choices and chances I have, I have inherited, not struggled or worked for. I am fortunate to have a very strong family support structure within my immediate family and my extended family. Traditionally, as a family, we celebrate birthdays, special events and seek advice from one another as needed. There is a strong sense of respect for elders in my family and the younger generation bears responsibility for their well-being. Predominantly, my family follows the Catholic religion and my values and beliefs reflect this. Consequently, I have developed a strong sense of self worth through the influence of my family and their cultural practices. I am a third generation Australian. My family was middle class and although not overly wealthy in terms of material belongings I can see that my life was rich in opportunities and choices that the narrator was not afforded. I was born into an environment that set me up to be able to succeed at school. English is my first language and I speak it well enough to succeed at school and to be accepted into university. I am immersed in a society where the traditions, customs, practices and language of my heritage surround me and dominate all other identities. The practices and language used by my family were consistent with those of the schools I attended, where the autonomy and independence encouraged in Indigenous children like the narrator may have been misinterpreted and devalued as neglect (Malin, 1990). I did, however, experience a brief time in my schooling that bore a stark contrast to that described above. When I was nine years old, I attended a school in Hawaii for twelve months and for the first time in my life was part of a minority group where my language, culture and experiences were not valued by the students or the teacher. I was never asked to share anything about myself or my life in Australia and was the victim of some ridicule from my peers because I lacked knowledge of, and a skill for playing, baseball. I was subjected to racist remarks about the colour of my skin and was never supported or really even acknowledged by my teacher. As a class, we were required to write a paper detailing the history of American presidents which I found extremely difficult. The exercise held no meaning for me and I was unable to connect with it on the same level that my American peers did. My developing experience as a pre-service teacher now allows me to see the value that would have come from the teacher asking me to write my paper on the history of Australian Prime Ministers, and to share that with my teacher and the class. This would have been an opportunity for the teacher to encourage a rich, authentic learning experience for me and for my American classmates – a sharing and valuing of knowledge and cultures and an opportunity to break down some of the cultural barriers that were present within the classroom and the school. I strongly believe that education is the key to success in society and that teachers hold powerful positions with regard to recognizing and valuing the diverse groups in their classrooms. My development as a pre-service teacher depends on an ongoing commitment to value and support every student in my classroom by understanding their cultures and how their identities shift and change, have different importance amongst peers, family, and the community. I will continue to make myself aware of the role identity plays in shaping our self perceptions and, therefore, our life chances. The education system has, in the past, failed certain groups and continues to reproduce social disparities, prejudices, conditioning and spirals of failure for these groups (Keefe & Carrington, 2007). As teachers, we should not see the cultural differences of our students as excuses or reasons for students to fail. Rather, we need to adapt our teaching practices and find ways to give them access to education and opportunities. Students need to be taught to view the world, themselves and others critically in order to recognize and discontinue the perpetuation of social inequities in education and other institutions. If teachers can work towards identifying the inadequacies in teacher service, they begin to address the needs of disadvantaged groups ensuring equitable access to education, as is every student’s right. As I raise my own child and instill in him the same practices, language and culture as my family did for me, I am aware I am equipping him with that â€Å"invisible knapsack† that McIntosh (1988) writes about. I am aware that I am sending him out into a world where he does not have to carry his identity around with him like a weight around his neck, restricting him access to education, his choices, his rights and responsibilities. I do hope however as I continue to grow and learn, that I instill in him the ability to understand ‘identity’ and what that means for him and for others. As he grows and learns he will understand that if he were to be treated â€Å"the same† as many of the minority groups he lives amongst, that he too would have to struggle to maintain his identity, just like the narrator. I know that his identity will provide him with more than his share of opportunities and choices. It is clear that various cultural and traditional factors shape our unique identities. Teachers have a responsibility to recognize and value the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge that their students bring to the classroom, and to ensure that pedagogies incorporate a variety of styles to cater for this diversity. Researching this topic and reflecting on my own experiences has been a valuable exercise that will influence my teaching philosophy and the way I view identity and diversity. Compiling this essay brought back virtually forgotten memories of events I myself encountered during my schooling when I experienced a situation akin to those described by the narrator. I strongly believe that our education system must implement inclusive curriculum programs that value all cultural identities. This will ensure that all students receive educational opportunities and the chance to develop self respect and positive dispositions towards learning, thus enhancing life chances and empowering them to succeed. . References: Allen, J. (2004). Sociology of Education: Possibilities and Practices. (3rd Ed). Southbank, VIC: Social Science Press. Austin, J. (Ed. ). (2005). Culture and Identity (2nd ed. , pp 139-154). Sydney: Pearson Education Australia. Genever, T. (1992). Black and Blue. Aboriginal-Police Relations in Far North Queensland During The Currency of The Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1893 – 1939. Unpublished Honours Thesis, JCU, Tsv. Keefe, M. , & Carrington, S. (Eds. ). (2007). Schools and Diversity (2nd ed. , pp 108 – 127). Sydney: Pearson Education Australia. McDonald, H. , (2004). Forms of social justice. Notes prepared for teacher education students. Townsville: James Cook University. McDonald, H. , (2004). Supporting Indigenous students as â€Å"smart, not good† knowers and learners: The practices of two teachers. Paper adapted for exclusive use of students enrolled in ED2990 and ED3290 at James Cook University. McDonald, M. , & Pryor, B. M. , (1999). The binna binna man. Crows Nest. NSW: Allen & Unwin. McIntosh, P. (1988). White privilege: unpacking the invisible knapsack. Available from http://seamonkey. ed. asu. edu/~mcisaac/emc598ge/Unpacking. html (Accessed 17 September 2008). Malin , M. (1990). â€Å"Why is life so hard for Aboriginal students in urban classrooms? † The Aboriginal Child at School, 18 (1), 9-29.

Ecumenical Christain Responses to Islam in Britain Essay

Ecumenical Christain Responses to Islam in Britain - Essay Example Consequently, the move has resulted to strained relationship between the two factions which is hindrance to religious unity. I am also against the assertion by Islam that Jesus is god meaning he is in charge of Christian doctrines because disagrees with the realms of pastoral and theological perspectives. Unlike the urge to downplay Christianity, the false argument has caused the dialogical attitude of investigating the theological motifs of partnership, competition and even isolation amongst Christians. Conversely, generational influence emanating from Muslim fundamentalism and being outside the Gospel causes the existing ecumenical Christian responses. Contrastingly, the relational ideology that guides British Christians, Islam is concerned with ideological isolation that often is opposed to any present secular opinion (Ipgrave 19). It demonstrates that persona identification of the guiding personalities in the ecumenical Christianity is missing extensively amongst Muslims in Britain than other places. Another vital information regards the pastoral nature of ecumenical Britain churches that is supported by a secularized society accompanied by what Michael Ipgrave calls a Christendom model. Secularization of society signals the urgent need for churches and mosques to relax their strong theological doctrines that are not in tandem with the current dynamics (Loosley 240). Contrastingly, while Islam emphasizes on an isolationist ideology in to strengthen its faithful, it only suppresses rights and liberties enshrined in the British life. Overall, the missing emotional connection amongst the Islam religion is propagating the hostility image that defines Christian attitudes and religious systems. Over concentration on the community rather than on the individual is another pertinent contention that drives ecumenical Christians in their responses. This is

The marketing communications plan for ultime HP TV Essay

The marketing communications plan for ultime HP TV - Essay Example The marketing communication plan will be divided into two critical sections or stages, of which the first stage spells out the objectives of the plan in terms of the marketing and communication objectives. The second stage of the plan spells out the strategies that will be used in the segmentation, targeting, and positioning processes. Additionally, this report will provide an estimate budget for the marketing communication plan, which will only run for a period of one year and it will only cover the United Kingdom market. According to Malone, the technology industry is busting with innovations in an un-choreographed time schedule, which means that failure to innovate timely product is likely a recipe for failure by the technological companies. The competition is high such that manufacturers in the industry have to continually research and create new products that are more suited to customers’ needs and expectations. Hewlett-Packard Company is a perfect example of a successful company in the global technological industry. The company specializes in the providing technologies, products, software services and solutions for consumers, small and medium term enterprises, and large enterprises.

Flexible Work Schedule and its Impact on Private Company Employee Research Proposal

Flexible Work Schedule and its Impact on Private Company Employee Performance in Saudi Arabia - Research Proposal Example In the 21st Century though, there is the need for some kind of departure from the normal 8-hour working day in a five working day need for several reasons. Bohlander & Snell (2009 p173) identifies that the departure from the normal schedule might be necessary to keep the organizational productivity high and enhance the morale of workers by giving them control over their work schedule. This is because people now have a wide array of needs and desires at different times of their lives. The typical expectations of a worker might be the need to attend to family commitments, need for leisure and pleasure to enjoy earnings and the need for social commitments like maintaining religious and extended family ties (Segev, 2005 p78). Additionally, deviation from the normal 8 to 5 work schedule allows businesses to maintain the stature of an attractive employer. This enables a business to attract the best employees on the open market. Collectively, the recruitment and selection of the best employees allows a business to attain long-term benefits for the business. Bohlander & Snell (2009 p174) identifies the concept of flexible work schedule as an attempt by a business to maintain high productivity levels whilst deviating from the traditional working-hour requirements of their employees. In other words, flexible work schedule (FWS) allows a business to set up a system which enables employees to continue working and meeting high levels of results without necessarily having to work from 8am to 5pm for five days in a week.... Bohlander & Snell (2009 p174) identify four main types of flexible work schedule. They include: 1. Compressed Workweek: This entails reducing the number of days in the workweek by lengthening the hours of work each week. Thus for example, a person might be required to work for ten hours a day and for four days in a week instead of eight hours a day for five days a week. The 4/10 work week will enable the worker to take a day off to attend to other things. 2. Flexitime: This is a system where the worker will be allowed to choose daily starting and quitting hours. Typically, the flexitime system might give the employee a range of possibilities which are negotiable, leaving peak hours or crucial hours as non-negotiable times (Liff, 2007 p74). Thus a worker can choose to start work at 6am and close at 2pm or start at 10am and close at 6pm, with each covering an 8-hour period. 3. Job sharing: This is where two part-time employees take one full time job. In this case, each of the employee might have to work for three days a week and from the synergistic efforts of the combined employees, the business would stand to gain more in terms of productivity. 4. Telecommuting: With telecommuting, an employee might be allowed to work from home. This can be attained by the use of modern real-time equipment and gadgets like computers, Internet and telephones. Through telecommuting, an employee can avoid the traffic of traditional commuting, save time and get to handle other social activities effectively. The human ecology theory of motivation suggests that individuals are affected by the external environment they operate within and this enables them to shape their inner thoughts and emotions to attain various results (Bubolz & Sontag, 1993 p2). This indicates that there

Leadership in me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership in me - Essay Example A good leader develops through a continuous process of education, self-studying, training, as well as experience. Leadership styles vary, and that is why it is necessary for a person to understand and know their leadership style, and how their specific leadership affects their workplace. Leadership is influenced by various factors, and that is why it is vital to know how as well as why your style of leadership is what it is. There are numerous contributors involved when dealing with development of leadership styles within a person. According to Myers Brigg (MBTI- Myers Briggs Type Indicator), my leadership style of which is ESFP (extraverted, sensing, feeling, perceiving) is considered to be that of a personality type of which is one of the 16 types of personalities. People who have ESFP type personalities are frequently described as outgoing, spontaneous, and resourceful (Lester, 1975). ESFP has its characteristics, and the MBTI has four main areas in which it looks at preferences of personality, namely :(1) introversion versus extroversion, (2) feeling versus thinking (3) intuition versus sensing, and lastly perception versus judgment. ESFPs have a tendency of being very resourceful and practical. They prefer hands-on learning experiences and tend to hate learning from books as well as discussions based on the theory. When problem solving, they put their trust in instincts and personal abilities to solve solutions. Although they are quite reasonable as well as pragmatic, they hate structure, planning, and order. Instead, they prefer to act spontaneously, and spend less time formulating plans or schedules. ESFPs as extraverts like spending time with people and have great interpersonal skills. They are great at understanding people’s feelings and know how to respond their emotions differently (University of Saskatchewan, 2014 p. 1-2). Therefore, we can say that, ESFPs make incredible leaders and know how to mobilize, persuade,