Abstract An investigation of women's rights in Afghanistan. The author examines the rules and laws that women must abide by concerning work, travel and education, punishment and specific difficulties that they encounter such as health care. The paper provides a look at some personal stories.
OUTLINE
I. Introduction
A. Who are the Taliban?
B. Life Before the Taliban
II. Rules
A. May not work
B. Ban on education
C. Travel
D. Contact with males
E. Hiding in home
F. Dress
G. Bathing
III. Punishment
? Death for traveling with man not her mahram
? Whipping, beating and verbal abuse of women not clothed in accordance with Taliban rules, or of women unaccompanied by a mahram, for having non-covered ankles.
? Women have been shot at for leaving their homes without a male escort to receive medical care.
IV. Specific difficulties
A. Employment
B. Health care
V. Personal stories
A. SUMAYYAH KARIMI
VI. Conclusion
From the Paper ?The plight of women in Afghanistan has received much media attention since the start of the United States war on terrorism. This war has focused on Afghanistan because the Taliban government allowed their country to be used as a safe haven by terrorists. While the women of Afghanistan have lived under restrictions unfamiliar to many women living in Western countries, since the Taliban took control of the majority of Afghanistan in 1996, they have been subjected to a series of rules and punishments unprecedented in any other country of the world.?
Abstract This paper examines the story of Atlantis, its myths, history, legends and literature. The paper focuses heavily on Plato and his account.
From the Paper "The story of Atlantis has captivated the minds of humans for thousands of years. People from all walks of life have debated weather Atlantis really existed or weather it was just a story, nothing more. The myths and legends concerning Atlantis have come down through the centuries as one of the most enduring legends of all time. Thousands upon thousands of books have been written about weather Atlantis actually existed and there are even more secularization as to where Atlantis actually is. Some stories say that Atlantis was really the ancient land of Thera and the Minoan civilization, others insist that Atlantis was a gigantic island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean that sunk 9,000 years ago, and still others even believe that Atlantis flew off from the Earth and become the moon. It is no doubt that Atlantis actually existed. Almost every civilization has a myth that tells of an ancient, corrupt civilization that was punished and was swallowed by the sea."
Abstract This paper provides a brief but concise analysis of Christian elements in Beowulf, and seeks to determine whether it was originally Christian in tone, or altered later by a second author.
From the Paper "The religious significance of the epic poem Beowulf has been argued for more than 150 years. Though it would be both unfair and arrogant to take only one side in the disagreement, the incredible variety of opinions and theories that have accumulated over the years provides greater opportunity for insight into a dispute that will continue for years to come. However, scholars are constantly utilizing new archaeological and historical evidence, as well as reasoning in an attempt to religiously categorize the tale."
Abstract This paper examines the history of women's roles and rights throughout China's history, and the philosophical underpinnings of these roles in Confucianism and traditional Chinese belief. The author examines the changes in women's lives since the Chinese Revolution.
From the Paper "Today, Chinese women have entered society, without necessarily walking out of the family, and so they are given more than one role in life. China is both an old country and a new country, and its expectations of women reflect that duality. For nearly 3,000 years, China was a feudal society. A new China emerged only after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, in 1949. And the country's modernization has continued in the last 15 years with the institution of economic reform and a policy of interaction with the outside world. In traditional China, marriage was the defining event of a female's life, shifting her space, affiliation and responsibility from her parents' family to her husband's. There is a common saying in China: "men tend the outside and women the inside" (nan zhu wai n? zhu nei). A woman's social role was confined to the family. Her major obligation was caring for her husband, in-laws and children."
Abstract The discussion in this paper centers around two important questions proposed in the novel: "With man gone, will there be hope for gorilla?" and "With gorilla gone, will there be hope for man?" This paper examines what the author, Daniel Quinn, attempts to tell us through these questions. It is doubtless that no shortcut to advancing toward the better community of life exists. Finally, the paper concludes that people should spread the belief that the world isn?t made for us takers, and takers are not exempt from the law of life but belong to the community of life.
From the Paper "The world has been dominated by those people who admire civilization or ? takers? as the author, Quinn (1992), calls them in this book Ishmael. Takers? ideology is "the world was made for man to conquer and rule, and under human rule it was meant to become a paradise" (Quinn, 1992, p. 82) and has been supported by people everywhere in the world. To them, it appears that takers? lives, which center around civilization, technology and productiveness, has been the greatest, the most efficient and the only right way to live."
The use of technological machinery, the secular nature of Earthworks, and the celebration of the individual artist's viewpoint are the ties that bind land art to modernism.
Abstract This essay first examines the modern art movement known as "land art" or Earthworks. After explaining the philosophy and techniques used by all Earthwork artists, the essay concludes by evaluating the meaning and significance of the famous Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. This 1500 foot coil of earth, salt crystal, and rock that extends into the Great Salt Lake is the most famous work of land artist and has multiple meanings and associations that are analyzed in the paper.
From the Paper "Earthworks, sometimes referred to as ?land art,? are a more recent development of modernist art, although they have their roots in thousands of years of cultural activity throughout the world. In that respect Earthworks differs from modern art movements like Impressionism and Expressionism. Stonehenge in England is an example of an ancient form of land art, and in most other nations can be found human alterations of the natural environment for symbolic or religious reasons. The Earthworks movement of the late 1960s and beyond was not the result of religious fervor or mystical devotion, but rather a grand response to art consumerism and insubstantial conceptual art (Hughes 384). Artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Hizer wanted to create huge and timeless rearrangements of the landscape that no one could ignore due to their overwhelming physical presence in the world. That is the nature of the Earthwork movement."
Tags: art, earthworks, jetty, land, robert, smithson, spiral, modern, Salt, Lake, Great
Abstract Thispaper examines and analyzes American and Islamic culture. Social structures, symbols, norms, values, and rituals are compared and contrasted, and respective strengths and weaknesses are discussed.
Abstract This paper will compare Western capitalism's approach to marriage and then examine marriage in Japan and the Islamic world. It will be shown how women are treated very differently in each culture but the marriage serves as a form of social control on women in every culture.
Abstract This paper explains that, although purpose of this epic book, "Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali", is to tell a story for entertainment, it also teaches about the history of Africa, proving that Africa does have a history, and it does have culture and adventure. The author points out that the theme of religion is complicated by the references to both animal gods and magical powers and to Islam. The paper relates that the book depicts a male-oriented society in Western Africa, where women are the child care givers and tend the animals and the gardens, while men are the hunters, managers of family matters, and keepers of the structure of the house.
From the Paper "Having more than one wife is another aspect of the gender culture in their ancient society. Polygamy was practiced amongst the kings in this book. Sogolon and her children lived in an old hut outside of the palace because the queen mother Sassouma Berete kicked them out after the king died. Against the king's wishes, her son Dankaran Touman was proclaimed king instead of Sundiata. Having many wives created a conflict when more than boy was born by more than one of the king's wives. The king's first wife was bitterly jealous and was the reason for Sogolon and her children having to go into exile. The queen mother took on almost a male gender role in this story because she wanted her son to the king."
Examination of the book, "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures," by Anne Fadiman.
Abstract This paper discusses the role of ethnocentrism in the book. "Ethnocentrism" is the belief that your culture is "better" or "superior" to other cultures and that cultural standards are universal. It is often the wedge that keeps people from many cultures from blending into a cohesive unit, and in "The Spirit Catches You," it is quite common to see how the Hmong, with their culture of beliefs and superstitions, and American doctors, with their medicines and science, would clash and never see eye to eye.
From the Paper ""The Spirit Catches You" is the story of a Hmong family, the Lees, and their young daughter Lia. Lia is diagnosed with epilepsy, which the Hmong call "the spirit catches you and you fall down" disease. The story graphically illustrates two cultures that meet head on - with each one having absolutely no understanding of the other. The Hmong's entire culture is built on a series of beliefs and superstitions that they use nearly everyday to combat illness and appearance. For example, the author notes early in the book, "Although the Hmong believe that illness can be caused by a variety of sources - [...] by far the most common cause of illness is soul loss" (Fadiman 10). Thus, the Hmong use spiritual and holistic approaches to their daughter's health problems because it is all they know. The American doctors, on the other hand, want the Hmong to use American medicines and treatments, and the Hmong have no idea what these treatments are, or how they will benefit their daughter. What happens as the two cultures collide is a comedy of errors and misunderstanding, except that it is not funny, and Lia pays the price in the end."
From the Paper "Munoz begins his study using the historical contributions of the Mexican Youth Conference and the group MAM. These organizations based their philosophy of advancement and upward mobility on the need for education above the secondary level. With an advanced education, these youths would become aware of and confront the much broader issues of their people within the U.S. as a whole. All of the actions of these movements, were grounded within the context of the American myth of democracy and the virtues of capitalism'. MAM was seen by outsiders as well as those within its membership, as a democracy in action, founded upon the greater values of the dominant society. I believe that Munoz sees this as an ambiguous philosophy, one that while helpful in the advancement of the. Mexican American youth, does not benefit the population as a whole. In fact, this course of action could be seen as detrimental because it fostered the belief that the youth were hindered by the lack of inspiration and encouragement to move towards a better education. "
Abstract This essay attempts to elucidate the impacts of immigration focusing on Australian society. First, the impact of immigration from an economic point of view is explained. This is followed by a scrutiny of the social impact of immigration and a review of the environmental impact.
Abstract This paper discusses treatment of Native Americans? rights to their sacred sites under US Constitutional law. Three law journal articles are reviewed and utilized to form a thesis promoting the concept of communal religious rights. Historical background is provided also.
From the Paper "The first clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states: ?Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.?[1] However, throughout U.S. history, the federal government has deliberately restricted and prohibited the religious practices of North America's indigenous Native Americans. Rather than confront this severe blight on the country's human rights record, the various branches of the Euro-cultured U.S. government gloss over past transgressions of First Amendment rights, even as they attempt to justify new violations of Native Americans? religious rights."
Abstract This is a research and critical review of China's one child population policy. It delves into the nature of the policy, the reasons for its implementation, the benefits and draw backs of the policy and whether it has been successful or not. The author looks at the problems with the policy with special reference to the way it effects society and proposes alternatives and solutions to the policy.
From the Paper "The Chinese population policy is approaching its silver anniversary and the contentious nature of the strategy remains. Without question the one child per family policy has changed China's demographic landscape, but many individuals still question the success and ethical nature of the implementation. These strategies have also caused new problems that the country must address. Numerous people wonder if the positive decline of population growth can offset the negative effects of the policy."
