This paper examines the numerous cultural attributes of the Mayan civilization while focusing on the reasons for its eventual collapse and disappearance.
Abstract This paper analyzes the disappearance of the Mayan civilization while focusing on the various theories surrounding its eventual collapse. The writer of this brief yet concise paper details the history of the Mayan culture which emerged in 2000 BC. The Mayan civilization gave birth to numerous cultural progresses such as the establishment of a writing system, an organized political council as well as the introduction of organized religion. This paper examines the theories surrounding the dispersal of the Mayan civilization, when at around 800 AD it was purported to have suddenly collapsed. There have been numerous arguments based on archaeological and anthropological evidence that attempted to explain the collapse of this particular civilization. This paper focuses on several theories which may explain the disappearance of the Mayan people which include climatic changes as well as socio-cultural collapse through the population's expansion.
From the Paper "The theory that argued that a climatic collapse led to the disappearance of the Mayan civilization was based from scientific findings that were caused by a severe drought. As reported by History Today, "[d]rilling samples from the Cariaco Basin off the Venezuelan Coast show there were intensely dry periods between AD 810 and AD 910..." From this finding, it was found that because there had been scarce supply of the people's basic needs, such as water and food supply, Mayan society disappeared, supposedly due to deaths caused by these series of drought. A more specific version of this theory was presented in Kerr's journal article on the scientific evidence pointing at climate changes as the catalyst towards the disappearance of the civilization."
Abstract This paper sets forth a hypothetical scenario for terrorist attack (kidnapping) and strategies to mitigate or reduce the effect of the attack by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC). The paper examines how the kidnapping could be carried out.
From the Paper "The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia is known by its Spanish acronym FARC. FARC is intent on bringing about a communist revolution in Colombia and has fought for nearly four decades to ..."
Abstract This paper explains that Hispanics living in the United States today comprise the largest and fastest growing minority group in the nation. It describes their experiences, both collectively and as individuals, are varied, particularly in large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles and New York City. The paper contends that alienation and acculturation are of paramount concern.
From the Paper "The plight of the Hispanic citizen in the United States is difficult to characterize a massive demographic that has made its home in an equally massive nation every major US city today boasts an impressive and diverse Hispanic population. Nowhere is this more true than in Los Angeles and New York City where Hispanic Americans number in the millions. But who are Hispanic Americans? To what degree have they assimilated to the broader mainstream American culture? How do they differ from one another ..."
Tags: hispanic, latino, americans, los angeles, new york city, assimilation, acculturation, immigration
Abstract Maquiladoras are essentially offshore assembly plants that emerged along the United States-Mexican border in the 1960s. This paper examines how maquiladoras offer cheap labor to produce/assemble goods and how, since NAFTA, have expanded beyond border towns and have moved south into the heart of Mexico. It looks at how although maquiladoras do provide thousands of jobs throughout Mexico, upon closer inspection, they are often operated by tyrannical bosses under sweatshop conditions and are a nesting ground for cheap labor. It argues that for Mexicans, NAFTA is not an agreement based upon free trade but rather an exploitative tool used to extract cheap labor for foreign products.
From the Paper "While the profits of the maquiladora sector exploded after the passage of NAFTA, the wages and labor conditions of those working in the assembly plants have gotten worse. According to Mexican labor laws, the maximum hours a person can work a week is forty eight hours, the first nine hours of overtime is to be paid at double-time rates with anything exceeding nine hours overtime to be paid at three times the pay rate. (3). In spite of this, maquiladora workers report that "they were often not paid anything extra for overtime even if they worked from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. In some maquiladoras, workers do veladas- all-nighters- once or twice a week. "
Abstract This film study analyzes the issues of economic and social stratification in conflict theory in relation to the film "A Day Without a Mexican". Through an understanding of the characters and society presented in this fictional comedy, the paper shows how helpless white society becomes when the Mexicans have vanished. This creates an economic and social vacuum due to the wage slavery and racial conflicts that white Americans impose on legal or illegal Mexican immigrants.
From the Paper "This aim of this film study will be to examine the sociological basis of conflict theory in relation to the film: A Day Without a Mexican, directed by Sergio Arau. The basis of social conflict lies within the racial stereotypes that white hegemonic society imparts on the Mexican population in America. By this form of racial subjection, the Mexicans in this film must struggle through the conflict of subjugating the Mexican race through American social and economic stratification. The film A Day Without a Mexican (2004) reflects the story of whites that are left without their Mexican servants and illegal immigrant workers to do their manual labor. The story revolves round both political and social lines in relation to how these people 'survive' in this comedy on Mexican social and economic status."
Abstract This paper discusses the evolution of Spanglish; a combination of English and Spanish. Spanglish is also reflective of Anglo and Hispanic civilizations not only in the United States, but throughout the entire continent and possibly Spain. The paper shows that Spanglish is the way of communicating where a speaker starts in one language, then switches back and forth to another through code switching and loanwords. Author Ilan Stavans' opinions on Spanglish is discussed.
From the Paper "In contemporary society increased assimilation and multiculturalism have led to the creation of hybrids of English throughout North America. Some Americans are the first generation in their family born in the U.S.; thus, they have grown up speaking two languages -- English and their parents' mother tongue. According to some researchers, 'Spanglish' defies any tight definition, has few rules, and is considered by some linguists to be a new dialect of English (Toribio 89). The southwestern United States borders Mexico; thus, the immigrants coming here over the years has led to the spread of Spanglish, a language that is a combination of Spanish and English."
This paper discusses the anti-American attitude of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez toward the United States and suggests alternatives for resolving this problem.
Abstract This paper explains that corruption and dissatisfaction with the Venezuela democratic government brought Hugo Chavez to power. The author underscores that, because of Chavez's hostility towards the United States and the dependency of the U.S. on Venezuelan oil, an alternative to the current state of affairs between the US and Venezuela must be developed. The paper explores several possible alternatives to the current state of affairs between Venezuela and the United States, all carry differing costs and benefits the United States. These include using an oil embargo against Venezuela, which would severely affect the popularity of Chavez's government by cutting the funding for several of his popular social programs, developing anti-Chavez, pro-U.S. sentiment in the region of Latin America in an effort to use multilateral cooperation to control Chavez and his foreign policy agendam, and ignoring Chavez's anti-U.S. rhetoric and developing bilateral relations dealing with several issues of mutual concern. The paper concludes that the best alternative is using multilateral support to control Chavez, which has both the greatest benefit and the lowest cost and could help U.S. and Latin American relations in the future.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
History
Development of Alternative Approaches
Cost Benefit Analysis of Alternatives
Recommendation and Justification
Executive Summary
From the Paper "Costs to developing this alternative are relatively few and would only significantly affect American policy in the Latin American region with relatively little impact on domestic issues. While the turbulent history of U.S.-Latin American relations have led to a large amount of hostility and suspicion on the part of Latin American governments towards any American involvement in the region, such a low opinion of the United States must change in order to develop the regional support necessary to control Chavez."
Tags: dependency oil anti-american rhetoric, multilateral support
From the Paper "As the whites gradually entered Texas in the mid-1800s, the tensions between the whites and Mexicans were violently building up, waiting to explode. Texas had people from the United States migrated down there, and on the other hand, people from Mexico were migrating up there, both trying to benefit from the promising land. Texas was an opportunity to gain riches from, and both whites and Mexicans had an equal start to gain their wealth, however, eventually the Mexicans lost their authority over Texas as they had lost the American Mexican War. As the Americans grasp on Texas became stronger and stronger, it weakened the status of the Mexican people, creating the emergence of ethnic division of labor in Texas. The weakening status of Mexicans in Texas that created the emergence of ethnic division later affected the Mexicans on how they were perceived by Americans as the Mexicans migrated to the Southwest for a solution to their problem."
Abstract In this essay, the author uses the supporting evidence of Mark Reisler and his book, and lectures from Professor Gutierrez's to explain what kinds of perceptions of Mexicans were formed during the 1920's and why. The author explains why most Americans formed negative opinions of Mexicans, and offers an explanation of what effects these negative opinions have on social relations.
Abstract This is a detailed and extensive paper outlining the importance of convents in the economy of colonial Latin America.
From the Paper "The convent of La Concepci"n, the first in Mexico City, was established in 1540, less than twenty years after Cort"s? conquest of the Aztecs. In fact, ten nunneries were established in New Spain during the sixteenth century. This is a surprising statistic to many present-day Americans, considering both the marginalized role of nuns in the United States today, and the slow progress of North American colonialism. However, convents in Latin America during the colonial period served many roles other than simply that of a home for religious women which made their presence in the colonies desirable even despite initial shortages of Spanish women. Nunneries acted as orphanages, women's shelters, banks, landlords, and employers as well as fulfilling traditional religious roles. Although it is quite foreign to a modern conception of the convent, in Latin America nunneries reflected, supported, and to some extent made possible the greater society around them."
Abstract This paper presents an in-depth analysis of Bernal Diaz's "The Conquest of New Spain". The paper examines the shroud of mystery surrounding the details of Montezuma's death and, by utilizing the opinions of David Boruchoff and the actual text of Diaz's book, this paper briefly highlighting the key points that Diaz makes in his retelling of Montezuma's unfortunate murder. The paper then brings to light the rational faults and discrepancies within the original text and counters these apparent errors, by applying common sense and general knowledge of the era.
From the Paper " The ?readable report,? a concept from Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, is easily applicable to Bernal D?az's The Conquest of New Spain. The aforementioned ?readable report,? in a general sense, indicates that the retelling of a situation or event is portrayed in a manner that benefits the teller even if distortion of the truth is required. D?az, in his account of Montezuma's death, makes the Spanish appear blameless and seemingly innocent of Montezuma's blood. Throughout the sequence of events leading up to Montezuma's death, there are constant indictments of the Mexicans causing the death of their own leader. "
Abstract A comparison of the stature of human rights in Cuba and in the United States. The author contrasts between the legacy of communism that is evident in Cuba and holds limitations on the execution of human rights, and the practice of human rights in the United States. The paper looks into the concept of human rights with reference to rights of speech and religion.
From the Paper "The relationship between the United States and Cuba has been tense for the past 40 years, and there have been many confrontations between us. The U.S. had recognized the government in 1959 led by Castro, but when Cuba brought about the Marxist-Leninist system, things began to get tense. In 1960 the U.S. instituted an embargo against Cuba, and since then there has been many confrontations between the two countries. Our systems of government now vary greatly in many ways, especially regarding human rights. People are still trying to flee the communist clutches of Castro and come to the U.S. where they can be free."
Analysis of the still-life paintings of contemporary Cuban artist Julio Larraz, which reflect the temperament and emotion of Cuban nationals under ruling dictatorships with vibrant color, profound symbolism and aesthetic grace and intensity.
1,625 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 52.95
Abstract The paper features an in-depth analysis of the still-life paintings of Cuban artist Julio Larraz, which combine deep symbolism and emotion in vibrantly colorful palettes and scenes infused with drama, humor and psychological references representing the perspective of Latin American life under oppressive dictatorship in the 20th century. Julio Larraz is a celebrated contemporary painter who began to exhibit his works in the U.S. after 1967: the paper closely examines a number of specific works produced during the 1980s. Julio Larraz is currently an active, prolific artist, exhibiting his works in the U.S. , Europe , and Latin America .
From the Paper ?Within his still-life paintings, Larraz achieves visual transmission of his sentiments through the handling and selective placement of the natural forms of everyday objects. The still-lifes feature objects derived primarily from nature such as vibrant fruits, flowers, and shells, usually placed within or upon a man-made vessel, pedestal, or table. Repetitive use of the containment of organic objects within such vessels in works such as Four Lobsters in a Tub (1984) and All Hands Aboard (1983) is reflective of Cuba's position in regard to U.S. "containment" policies of the Cold War era, isolation of Cuba as a Communist regime within a Latin American sphere striving to embrace democracy and develop free-market economies, the economic isolation imposed by the U.S. trade embargo of the 1960s, and the futile attempts to halt the continuous outflow of millions of Cubans to U.S. borders. Larraz also made reference to disguised elements within society in portrayals of baskets filled with a variety of colorful fruits, among which the viewer may glimpse such espionage hardware as a camera, his chosen instrument of exposure (The Spy Ship (1980) and Mango Boat (1986)).?
Abstract This paper attempts to explain how the Carter administration tried to shepherd a transition from autocracy to democracy in Nicaragua and how US actions unwittingly helped an opposition force come to power that would make the country just as undemocratic as before.
From the Paper "Nicaragua was controlled by the Somoza regime which kept itself in power through its 5,000 man ?national guard.? Throughout the 1970s, resistance to the regime grew, and by 1977, some 16 opposition groups had been established. The US joined in this opposition, even though Somoza had been a Cold War ally. The Carter administration had made human rights an international issue and announced that it would eliminate the "yankee" approach to diplomacy with South America. Carter began criticizing Somoza's human rights abuses in order to distance the US from the dictator."
Abstract This paper represents the North American Free Trade Agreement and its involvement in the corporate community. The author answers the questions of what NAFTA does for big business, and how it sometimes can interfere with other regional pacts signed in Latin America.
From the Paper:
"Back when trade between two nations was mainly influenced by special interests, the experts and lobbyists agreed there could be no other way to trade. This is no longer the case in today's global market. Corporations must now compete globally and adhere to stringent rules of trade. The reason for this is back in the 1950's the Gross Domestic Product was just four percent, in comparison today it is at a staggering thirteen percent. Another reason for this climb is because of international capital flows, which then can range from a production standpoint, for example, building factories, to pursuits of very speculative ventures of betting against a country's own currency. These areas have to a point, grown even more robustly. Although still another is that all areas covered under trade agreements have broadened from mainly traditional concerns with numerous tariffs, taxes, and quotas to cover labor, outside environmental problems, and state regulated health regulations. This is where NAFTA came into play."
Tags: agreements, business, corporation, economics, trade, latin, america, north
