Abstract This paper discusses 'Things Fall Apart' by the Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe. It is informed by a sense of history and how it reflects on the process of colonisation. It explores Achebe's motivations behind 'Things Fall Apart' and evaluates the ways in which the novel acts to reclaim Africa's genuine past. It describes the novel's plot and analyzes the use of tragic irony.
From the Paper "The Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe is one of the most prominent figures in post-colonial literature and he actively seeks to reclaim African heritage. Western colonisation of Africa destroyed native religions, languages and forcibly replaced African heritage with the European culture. In this sense, people of post-colonial countries feel they have been denied their true history and seek to rediscover their past. Achebe strongly disagreed with the existing portrayal of his homeland and it is through his novel Things Fall Apart (1958) that Achebe realises his desire to expose the Western view of African history as false and repossess Nigeria's genuine past."
Abstract The writer examines the essay titled "Hate Radio" in which Williams expresses her alarm about the absolute freedom of expression allowed on the radio which in turn has become almost hate talk and open racism.
From the Paper "In her essay "Hate Radio," Patricia J. Williams comments on the growing trend of "anything goes" talk radio, led by radio personalities who seem determined to anger as many people as possible, and who cater to an audience of people empowered to say almost anything, no matter how prejudiced or ill-informed about other groups of people."
Abstract This paper studies different culture and their absorption into North American culture. It studies cultural justice,by taking a close look at the identity of different cultures. It details where the culture finds its value, what the traditions that make it rich are, and what values are held in the highest value. It defines the term authenticity and studies its meaning with context to North America. It discusses different cultures such as: African-Americans, North Americans, Chines, Italian and more.
From the Paper "Cultural identity, that which defines an individual's heritage, belief system and values within the larger framework of society, is distinguished by tradition, ritual, language and history. In studying cultural justice, the responsibility to not only understand and embrace cultural differences, but also to discourage and dissuade cultural prejudices, particularly negative ones, one must take a close look at a culture's identity. Where does the culture find its value? What are the traditions that make it rich? What values are held in the highest esteem? There is a tendency, particularly in a multi-cultural society such as ours, for individuals who identify with a particular culture, to shed their ethnic or cultural values and to embrace those typical of the North American lifestyle. Some say this is necessary in order to create a viable North American culture. Others would argue that the richness of various cultural identities is what makes our culture so attractive."
Abstract A brief comparison of the way people live in both China and India. It shows that both countries do not provide equal opportunities for their women - Communism and the caste system. In China the emphasis is on a good education and striving for hard work while in India most of the population is illiterate. The writer suggests that while both countries are densely populated their attitude towards life are very different.
From the Paper "The cultures of India and China share some similarities, yet are vastly different when answering the question of how ideally a person should live their life. India, as a country, embraces the diversity of their people, and lives peacefully despite the different religions that coexist. The country supports a large population that is estimated at over 1 billion people. The people of India speak thousands of languages, practice nearly every religion imaginable, and oddly enough still incorporate the caste system. China similarly supports a 1-billion+ population, along with social classes, but more emphasis is placed on being male, and receiving higher education. Communism has been a very intrusive government system, which has dramatically influenced the everyday way of life in China."
Abstract This paper examines the ways in which Fiji has been reconfigured by the practices of tourism, the ways in which its biological and natural inheritance has ensured that at least for this one place on earth geography is destiny. The paper examines the demography of Fiji and its population make-up as well as provides a history of the island. It then discusses the effects that tourism has had on the population.
From the Paper "What does it mean to be a citizen of a small island in the South Pacific? That depends very much on whether one is looking at the problem from the inside or from the outside. While Sigmund Freud might have told us that biology is destiny, in fact it is fact far more probable that geography is destiny. We may see this especially in places like Fiji, which exist in the Western imagination as a place in which the Westerner can reinvent himself or herself. These are places like the Orient that Edward Said writes about, places that have been transformed in the view of the West by our own desires about them and the ways in which they can be useful to us. Places like Fiji can be seen, in significant ways, to be products of Western practices and ideals about colonialist prerogatives, with the only important difference being that while Western nations once conquered undeveloped, "pristine" lands by force of arms, we now do so by force of the tourist dollar."
Tags: island, tourism, tourist, western, ideal, pacific, colony
Abstract This paper is a brief effort in describing the world's two most asked questions. ?Why do Middle Eastern countries carry such hatred against the U.S.?" and "Why has the U.S. so keenly participated in every aspect of the religious, social, ethnic and political issue and activity in this region?"
From the Paper "As the United States finds itself in the aftermath of another crisis in the Middle East, it is worth the risk of opprobrium to ask why there should be hostility toward America in that region. Some insight can be gained by surveying official U.S. conduct in the Middle East since the end of World War II. Acknowledged herein is a fundamental, yet deplorably overlooked, distinction between understanding and excusing. There have been seventy long years of broken promises to have implanted such a resentment that has made every American policy to be viewed with suspicion and hostility by the populations of the Middle Eastern countries (as opposed to some of the political regimes) of the Middle East."
Abstract This paper discusses two different socio-cultural groups who have immigrated to the United States in the last century. It compares the Hmong (Asian) group with the Latino population and shows how their cultures have conflicted with the modern American society. It examines how they have preserved their cultures despite the American "melting pot phenomenon".
From the Paper "When America went to war in Vietnam, there were many victims. Among the most tragic were the Hmong people. Thousands fought and died for the Americans, taking orders and duties that were often the worst in the army, with little or no compensation. (Hmong FAQ: Immigration) When the Americans left, the veterans of their campaign in Laos underwent systematic extermination at the hands of the people they had been convinced to fight for the Americans, tens of thousands died. (Oroville Mercury Register) Many of these veterans and their families attempted to go to America, where they were not welcomed by those who did not know of their sacrifices: "many Americans do not welcome refugees who do not speak English. They know that many are unaware of how the Hmong took orders from Americans, cooked food for them, guarded them, carried them when they were wounded, wrapped their bodies when they were killed.""
Tags: immigration, demography, united, states, culture, society, hispanic, asia, vietnam
Abstract An analysis of the writing style of Richard Rodriguez in "Aria: Memories of a Bilingual Childhood" and how his environment growing up influenced his writing style. The paper presents a close look at the significance of diction, parallelism and personification within this work. The paper concludes with a relation to Dick Gregory's "Shame" with parallels between the two.
From the Paper "The separation of a child from the masses because of language differences will not produce an identity; rather one must feel accepted to receive an identity. The diction throughout creates a vivid image of insecurity and alienation. Rodriguez effectively gets his position of anti-bilingual education across through the experiences of an innocent, na?ve child. The comparisons of private and public life reflect the contrast between English and Spanish. A thorough and compassionate insight into the past accomplishes the purpose of influencing a supporter of bilingual education to change his mind to the views that being exposed to the dominance of English will lead to success later in life. Rodriguez's "Aria: memories of a bilingual childhood" utilizes contrasting diction, parallelism, and personification to convey a melancholy tone of alienation and insecurity towards his own bilingual childhood, which eventually shifts to an acceptance to American society."
Abstract This paper begins with a brief history of Muslims in America and discusses the government's attention toward Islamic concerns, political and religious outreach efforts, and media visibility in general.
From the Paper "The most common stereotype, among American society, concerning Muslims was that they were radical terrorists who hated the Western world. This false accusation became a great embarrassment for America when journalists and politicians, with little evidence, rushed to point fingers at Muslims during the early hours after the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. As the investigation continued, the media was soon made aware that their rash judgment was wrong. Yet, more of the same happened after TWA flight 800 crash in New York in 1996 (Lebor)."
Abstract A paper which discusses the themes and characters of the short story "Hollywood!", written in 1993 by Dagoberta Gilb, a Hispanic-American writer. The paper examines the underlying themes of the story such as a family not fitting in and second-generation Hispanics, as well as the contrasts and the style of the story.
From the Paper "The setting is Santa Monica beach on a winter day in California. Most people have ;more sense; than to go to the beach on a day like that, and Marta is certain Ramon would catch a cold, (which he does). The beach is deserted, except for a few other people, and the only real company they have are the birds, and the people filming the commercial. The beach setting is important to the story, because it is something unique, that the family will remember, because it is far different from Texas, where they are from. It is also important to the story because it is so typically ;Californian; but not on a winter day, when all the locals know enough to stay home, where it is warm."
Abstract An historical synopsis of the geographical region concerned, tracing the conflict from its origins to the present. It looks at the development of the conflict from both sides, focusing on the important role played by cultural and religious differences.
From the Paper "Amid the endless reams of paper and the innumerable hours of television coverage which have been devoted to the crisis in the Middle East, there exists no objective or universally agreed explanation of the causes, yet the effects and suffering are only too visible to all. With both sides, within the conflict, pursuing their own specific personal and political agendas, it would be futile to attempt to sift through the highly sophisticated, and often convincing, propaganda that is released to the West on a daily basis. This paper, therefore, will resist the urge to indulge in subjective analysis and evaluation of the situation, and will concentrate on providing a brief overview of the geographical and historical factors which have contributed to the continuing conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis, including the important role played by cultural and religious differences."
Abstract This paper reviews the history leading up to the Holocaust and the Holocaust itself. The author feels that the Holocaust is not just a tragedy for the Jews, but for all people. The author states that the Holocaust may have been somewhat easier for active believers in the Jewish faith.
From the Paper "We think of the Holocaust, of the slaughter of innocents on a before-unimaginable scale, as something that happened to the Jews of Eastern Europe. And unless we ourselves are of Eastern European Jewish ancestry, we find this assignment of the unimaginable horrors of this era to bring us a sense of at least some psychological relief. It was a terrible thing, of course, but we can place some distance between ourselves and such an atrocity."
Abstract The paper discusses how the U.S. Supreme Court provided tangible direction in 1967's 'Loving vs. Virginia' and in 1986's 'Bowers vs. Hardwick'. The paper shows that by ruling against states? rights, the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to prohibit interracial marriage in Loving but sided with Georgia in Bowers and ruled that the state statute prohibiting sodomy was constitutional -- striking gay rights a blow from which they only began to recover in 1996. The paper explores how these two cases had an immense impact on the historical progress of the twentieth century - the end of the century concerned itself primarily with equality and equal rights for various groups and these two cases were seminal in determining the course of the twenty-first century's continuation of the quest for equal rights.
From the Paper "Interracial marriages and gay rights represent much larger issues -- as if those issues are not large enough. American history since 1789 is one long debate between states? rights and federal powers. Those usually willing to effect change in favor of minority groups have clamored for federal powers to refuse states the right to marginalize certain groups. Those who prefer the conservative -- whether evangelical Christian or not -- viewpoint call for the federal government to stay out of states? regulations pertaining to hotbed issues like race and sexual orientation."
Abstract This paper examines the multicultural counseling approaches used in the application of the family systems theory. Family Systems theory is defined, and three counseling approaches that utilize the theory in a multicultural context are reviewed. They include family therapy, family literacy and cross cultural marriage workshops.
From the Paper "Family systems theory asserts that people can change behaviors if they are aware of the impact current and historical family behavior has on the definition of his or her choices. In the context of the family systems theory the word "Family" may be composed of the immediate family that the person presides with, the extended family of relatives and friends, and the community in general. (Bowens Family Systems Theory 2002, 1)
The family systems theory was pioneered by Dr. Murray Bowen, and has many characteristics. First and foremost the theory is a way of understanding present situations in terms of past relationships. The theory seeks to understand the entire family as an emotional unit composed of linked relationships that have existed over different generations. Family system theory claims that an individuals? behavior is directly correlated to how that individuals? family functions. (Bowens Family Systems Theory, 3)"
Tags: therapy, literacy, cross-cultural, marriage, workshop, relatives, community
Abstract The paper shows that since September 11, Americans have developed a deeper racist attitude towards anyone who looks Middle Eastern, with more than 1200 people being detained without charge. The paper discusses the issues of Orientalism, stereotyping, discriminatory policies, and the question of Muslim-American's loyalty to their country.
From the Paper "The dangerous connection of popular stereotypes and official policy is possibly the greatest anxiety of the Arab and Muslim communities in America. Without concession for a moment the plague of terrorism or security needs of our society, our constituencies have been alarmed by contrasting treatment they have received by government agencies in the name of counter terrorism. In several cases, programs and policies targeting Arab communities in the effort to monitor terrorist activity have them contributed to deepening the association and create negative bias in the community's eye. The scuttle to judgment in Oklahoma City or the anti-Arab backlash when a crisis occurs in the Middle East brings to light the consequence of these associations."
