Abstract This paper examines the influence and importance of the Ramayana of Valmiki in Indian society. Initially, its origins and content are outlined. The emphasis is on its continuing influence, particularly as it relates to current events and Hindu/Muslim tensions in India.
Abstract This paper analyzes Min's book, which describes life for a young woman in Communist China during the Cultural Revolution in the late 1960s. The paper comments on the degree of independence and choice enjoyed by women in the book. It shows how the women living in China during the Cultural Revolution did not enjoy independence or choice; they lived in fear and under the constant scrutiny of the Communist Party.
From the Paper "Anchee Min's book "Red Azalea" is a touching story of a young girl growing up under Communist rule in China. She had a difficult life, and although women took part in the Cultural Revolution and were an important part of it, women ? and all Chinese were not independent or free during this time, they lived under the watchful eye of the Communist Party. Most of what they did was not of their own free will, but chosen for them by the Party. Min says she was a grownup by the age of five, and she certainly had no choice about it ? it was expected of all the children, as she writes here: "I was an adult since the age of five. That was nothing unusual" (Min 4). She has to act as an adult because her parents, and everyone's parents, were busy working for the Revolution, and they had no choice either, because they would have been sent away, or even killed if they did not support the Communist Party and their Revolution."
Abstract This paper explains that, on its surface, John Okada's "No-No Boy" explores the relations between Japanese and white Americans, with an emphasis on Japanese-America's self-perceptions. More specifically, one of the main themes of the novel involves free will and determinism. The author points out that the world that Okada describes is certainly an ugly one that is full of hostility between and among races; however, one gets a sense that he maintains faith in humanity. The paper relates that the novel begs to question whether the story's characters are responsible for their own attitudes and conduct or if they are powerless victims of social circumstance.
From the Paper "Ichiro's initial reluctance to engage in the fight with Bull along side Freddie also serves to show a point. When asked to stay out of the fight by another bar patron, Ichiro answers, "I haven"t got much choice? (246). By offering this statement, he seems to imply that he has no free will when it comes to if he should join in the fight. He has no choice because to put himself in front of Bull will mean that he would be in harms way. This seems to echo his reason for not fighting in the war. In the war against Freddie however, Ichiro knows that the choice he wants to make isn"t the most beneficial towards the situation. He wouldn"t have anticipated that he could manage to take on an opponent like Bull, but it attempting so he surprises himself."
Abstract The paper discusses Yukio Mishima's short story entitled, "Patriotism," and the contrast between traditional morality and modernity in pre-World War II Japan. The paper gives a history of the Japanese feudal code and describes how traditions and the concept of honor were integrated into the militaristic government of Japan. Historical context is given to Mishima's story, and the February 26th Incident for which the story uses as its catalyst is described in great detail. The second half of the paper deals with the story itself, giving examples and quotes from the short story to prove the point that Reiko and her husband did not kill themselves due to their passionate love for one another, but instead, were forced to do so because the traditions of ancient Japan and the practices of the modern military system forced them into a situation where suicide would be the only honorable way for them to die. The paper proves the point that Mishima was attempting to demonstrate, that even a love so deep and strong as the one that Reiko and her husband shared could not flourish in the close-minded and backwards-thinking world of Japan in the early-to-mid 20th century.
From the Paper "Takeyama chooses suicide because he knows that he cannot kill his close friends who began the uprising against the Emperor, but consequently he cannot live with himself if he disobeys his Emperor. This represents a loyalty to not just Emperor Hirohito, but also to the code of honor that the military system in Japan established in each soldier. The only honorable thing for Takeyama to do, knowing that he'll be disobeying an order from God essentially, is to kill himself and respectably declare his allegiance to the Japanese Empire in his farewell note. This strict system of ethics and morality is what has pigeonholed Reiko into making her choice to follow her husband, and Takeyama also understands that if Reiko were left alive, the shame and pressure put on her by Japanese society would be unbearable. He sees her killing herself not as just an act of dedication towards him, but as a way to free her of the burdens that would undeniably follow her if she were to live on as the widowed wife of a traitor."
Abstract This paper discusses arranged marriages versus love marriages, the pros and cons of each and the circumstances under which each take place.
From the Paper "There is an ongoing debate about which is better - arranged marriages or "love marriages". One can argue that arranged marriages are based on practical reasons and thrive on mutual respect and responsibility. On the other side are those who argue that love is what holds a marriage together and that love equals happiness. The truth is everyone has his or her own reason for getting married and the debate is likely to go on. Arranged marriage has evolved from an ancient tradition to a valid life choice for young men and women today."
Abstract This paper explains that the possession of nuclear weapons by North Korea is a problem because of its deviant and erratic behavior, capricious communist leaders, impoverished citizens and the serious threat to its neighbors and the international population. The author points out that, from the North Korean viewpoint, it requires a nuclear weapons program for self-preservation especially against the inevitable attack from the United States; having a nuclear program is the only way it will be able to negotiate with the United States. The paper explains that the argument of the global community over the ever-changing standards used to decide if a country is suitable for nuclear weapons development is complicated by differing motives, such as power, influence, nationalistic pride and security nations; however, when these motives are pushed too far and manifest into irresponsible or unpredictable behavior, the international community is required to aggressively pursue disarmament, as is the case for North Korea.
From the Paper "President Clinton, who served dual terms from 1993-2000, was a firm believer in the power of diplomacy to sway the Koreans and employed lots of negotiation devices throughout his term. Conversely, President Bush, who served from 2001 to the present, is commonly portrayed as taking a tougher stance on foreign relations and decided to decline all bilateral negotiations with North Korea. Agreeing to meet with North Korea one on one would be appeasement in his eyes and Bush argued that he would not seek to pacify the Koreans; rather the President wished for the nations of South Korea, Japan, and China to also engage with North Korea and take greater responsibility in the dispute, citing their regional responsibility. Lastly, in 2003 President Bush cancelled the Agreed Framework pact, created by the Clinton administration in 1994, and ended the regular fuel shipments to North Korea."
Abstract The Noh Theater of Japan is an extremely ritualized tradition, and traces of the Noh Theater are found in Western theater. This paper explores many of the distinctive elements of the Noh Theater, such as the use of masks, the themes presented within plays, and the evolution from the old Noh Theater to a more modern presentation of Noh techniques. While the focus of this paper is on the Noh Theater, comparisons are drawn between the Noh Theater and traditional Western theater. There is also a discussion of the more dialogue-driven kyogen style of Japanese theater in respect to the more ritualized Noh Theater.
From the Paper "The impact on the Noh Theater on the Western theater can be seen to have occurred in a very diverse way. It appears that the Western theaters managed to assimilate various components from the Noh Theater, such as the use of the hitamen in performances to convey a blank countenance. However, the greatest aspect of the Noh Theater on the West is found within the development of more exacting performance techniques, where rather than a single production being subject to incongruities and shoddy acting, the standards of acting were promoted to a higher level overall."
This paper explores the role of students in the Chinese Cultural Revolution in late 1960's. The paper goes into detail about the various experiences of Chinese youth. It talks about fanatics of the Cultural Revolution, as well as victims of it.
2,215 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 7 sources, 2000, $ 68.95
Abstract In China the document that started the Cultural Revolution is known as the ?Sixteen Articles.? It began the development of the new stage in the proletarian revolution, listed the reasons for Cultural Revolution, the targets of the revolution, and set up the guidance for carrying out the revolution. According to Mao, the bourgeoisie was still "trying to use the old ideas, culture, customs, and habits of the exploiting classes to corrupt the masses, capture their mind, and endeavor to stage a comeback". Thus, the main goal was to struggle against (1) people who are ?taking the capitalist road,? (2) to criticize "bourgeois academic authorities" and (3) to transform education, literature, and art that are not in correspondence with the socialist society. Mao's plan was taken seriously by many young students, who became vigorous supporters of the new plan. This paper explores the various experiences of Chinese youth during those years.
From the Paper "From August 1 to August 12, 1966, the Eleventh Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party was taken place in Peking. Mao Tse-tung was presiding. The meeting, which lasted for twelve long days, was ignored by some of the regular Central Committee members but was full of revolutionary leaders, students and teachers. In fact the plenum was attended only by 80 out of 120 Central Committee members. The decision of the Cultural Revolution involved a prolonged debate. Mao and his reforms faced heated opposition (Lee 65). Nonetheless, on August 8, the Plenary Session adopted, with barely enough votes, the ?Decision of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Concerning the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution,[1]? and in August 12 issued the "Communiqu" of the Eleventh Plenary Session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China? (Fan 161)."
Introduction
The Red Guards
Final Remarks
Map of China
Short timeline of the Cultural Revolution
A letter from a Student to his ParentsBibliography
This essay examines the importance of the Great Wall of China as one of a handful of human creations around the world that encompasses an entire national identity.
1,860 words (approx. 7.4 pages), 5 sources, 2001, $ 59.95
Abstract This paper looks at both the physical and the cultural history of the wall, demonstrating how it has meant different things to different dynasties of Chinese lives, not only reflecting what it is that the Chinese believe themselves to be but also shaping what it is that they have become.
From the paper:
?The Great Wall remains a powerful symbol of China's national tradition and historical continuity. And yet it is important to understand that it is in many ways the product of an historical myth ? like Washington's wooden teeth. It is probably true that all people tell stories about themselves as a way of creating a sense of both national identity and national pride and there is nothing wrong with this ? so long as we recognize the fact that we are dealing with myth and not with history.?
Abstract This paper looks at the study of entrepreneurial business strategies in China. This paper focuses on investigating the significance of smaller forces in order to assess the current management and business strategies in China. The paper also looks at the forces of globalization and information technologies and how they have proven to be fundamental in shaping modern entrepreneurial business strategies in China. The author argues that Chinese business strategies have embraced both elements both independent from the other as well as in conjunction with each other and that the move to incorporate these forces has had an impact on business and management strategies in the Chinese workplace environment.
From the Paper "Arguably, the point of discussion that is of the most interest, however, is that the alterations in Chinese business strategy have not been imported from Western business strategies. This is to say that the Chinese businesses did not simply set out to acquire successful management strategies and apply them to their native businesses. Rather, the business strategies that are currently employed by China are extremely different from those of the West and focus more on the strategies of employment and occupation rather than mechanization, as well as comparable labor- related practices. Indeed, business practices in China are currently a matter of profound interest for both the United States and the rest of the world's economically- developed countries, as the business and management strategies found within this country are relatively unique in terms of a traditional business sense. "
Abstract This paper discusses the key features of Japan's foreign policy and also studies the reasons that exist behind its peace-oriented strategies. The author finds that Japan brought significant changes to its centuries-old foreign policy on two occasions during the 20th century. This paper focuses on the importance of world events which prompted Japan to abandon its policy of isolation and passive diplomacy and urged it to adopt a more positive, active and independent foreign policy.
From the Paper "In order to understand the key features of Japan's foreign policy, it is important to take a look at the history of Japan's foreign policymaking. Since the Edo period, the country was interested more in protecting its borders from foreign attacks and threats and less in developing healthy positive relations with other countries of the world. Japanese policymakers were of the view that increase in power and might would help the country secure its borders against foreign aggression, but the problem was that, in doing so, the country completely forgot about development of healthy diplomatic relations."
Tags: edo, foreign, japan, period, policy, relations, us, positive, peace, independent, 20th, century
Abstract The author of this paper has divided it into two parts to gain a better understanding of the Japanese wine market. The contemporary aspect of the general Japanese market has been presented within the first part. It comprises the domestic production trends, the importer trends, a consumption analysis and the legislative laws which influence the wine market. The second part of this article looks at the vehicle to enter and the distribution channels of this product. It discusses how wine be sold successfully and how it competes with the local wine industry. It also discusses importation tips for importers.
From the Paper "It is often said that Japan is one of the most difficult markets for a foreign company to penetrate. The lack of understanding of Japanese business culture and complexity of the market are seen as barriers to entry. Before we make clear why we choose wine to get in the Japanese market, we need to know what is the environment within and how we use the strategy to enter this market."
Tags: asia, direct, fdi, france, french, italian, italy
Abstract This paper discusses the concept of green architecture which simply means building in a way that is in harmony to nature, as opposed to being superimposed on it. This research demonstrates through example how green architecture in Japan is a direct result of traditional elements found in Japanese religion and culture. The paper provides examples of different "green" architects and some of their works.
Table of Contents
Defining Green Architecture
An Overview of Japanese Philosophy
Building Material for Green Architecture
Environmental Psychology
Blending the Old with the New
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "Man has been building structures since shortly after they began to emerge from caves and to explore areas outside his immediate vicinity. Many animals build structures, such as birds and beaver. Many of these structures are functional and serve only to offer protection from predators and the elements, and so it was with the first structures built by man. They were made from the limited building materials locally available and the emphasis was on functionality, little, if any thought was given to artistic form."
From the Paper "During World War II, the United States interned Japanese residents of the Western states in internment camps such as that at Manzanar in California. The reason was indicated in Executive Order 9066, signed in 1942 by President Roosevelt to give authority to the War Department to define military areas in the western states and to exclude anyone who might be seen as threatening the war effort (Houston and Houston xi-xii). Japanese living in the Western states were seen as potential subversives and were summarily removed to camps to prevent this. The camps operated until after the surrender of Japan, though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled at the end of 1944 that loyal citizens could not be held in detention camps against their will (Houston and Houston, 1973, xii). The United States was wrong to place any Japanese who had not committed any offense into these..."
Abstract Discusses the art's special features and what makes it unique. Compares it to other forms of martial arts. The paper presents the main ideas and philosophy of Tae Kwon Do and how these are practiced by those who follow the art in their daily life.
From the Paper "Dozens of martial arts are practiced around the world but few are as popular as the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do. It is no surprise that Tae Kwon Do attracts hundreds of millions of students: it comprises the grace and flexibility training of yoga, the self defense potential of Judo, and the mental prowess of Aikido. But Tae Kwon Do surpasses all other martial arts in its attention to all facets of the human being. Tae Kwon Do affects the practitioner on the mental as well as the physical level. Tae Kwon Do is practiced by an estimated 30 million people in almost 150 nations around the world (World Taekwondo Federation, http://myhome.elim.net/taekwondo/wtf/ ). Up to 3 million Americans practice Tae Kwon Do for health and fitness (?History of Taekwondo and the United States Taeqwondo Won,? http://www.ustw.org/index.htm). Its presence in the Olympics testifies to its worldwide presence and acceptance as the best martial art form. Even Karate-do, also immensely popular, cannot match Tae Kwon Do's universal appeal. Contrary to popular belief, Tae Kwon Do can be practiced by anyone, even those in a weakened physical state. The martial art is extremely easy to learn and incorporate into daily life."
