This paper discusses trans-cultural marriages, which defy ancient taboos by forming intimate relationships with partners from other cultural, religious and racial backgrounds.
Abstract This paper explains that trans-cultural couples not only face the challenges of all marriages but also have the added burden of their distinct backgrounds. The author stresses that the most important issue in trans-cultural marriages is to face the issues and not avoid them for the sake of buying peace with your selves and your families. The paper relates that cultural differences often remain invisible until they have been violated; therefore, one important task for couples from mixed backgrounds is to define, understand, learn and deal with their different culturecodes.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Typical Situations
Some Basic Rules about Mixed Relationships
1. Face the Issues
2. Clarify Your Different CulturalCodes 3. Sort-Out Confusion about Your Own Identity
4. Understanding the Zones
Three Cultural Dimensions
1. Time
2. Cohesiveness of the Family
3. Emotional Expressiveness
Conclusion
Determination and Endurance Pay Off
From the Paper "The reason why people in mixed relationships might sidestep such issues might be very similar to why all couples might avoid facing potential problems. First of all such unions are romantic relationships. Such romanticism can distract people from focusing on the ordinary problems that are part of everyday life. Most couples do not want to spoil a newfound love by talking about the potential for future problems. Furthermore, there is an added sense of romanticism for culturally mixed couples especially if there is disapproval from the couples' families. Cut off from their loved ones, the couple is pushed into each other's arms, and joins in their animosity for their respective families and in doing so may fail to experience normal uncertainty about their new relationship."
This paper reviews Elijah Anderson's "Code of the Street," which details the film industry's common practice of glorifying gangs and low income minority communities as well as the news and media's tendency to shine a totally different light on this issue.
Abstract This paper explores Elijah Anderson's book "Code of the Street" which details the manner in which popular culture glamorizes gangster life while the news media depicts urban slums as being overrun with violent criminals. In his book Anderson explains that there is in fact an intricate culture to life in poor minority communities. The author contends that this "code," or way of life, encompasses ideas regarding the manner in which families interact among themselves. This "code" is the result of the structural circumstances and cultural adaptations made by the people who live in these violent communities. In the context of Anderson's book, these structural circumstances are the situations individuals become involved in due to their place in society. This paper also discusses the film "Boyz N the Hood" which exemplifies and provides support for Anderson's theories. The film, designed to create awareness about life in violent communities, offers several significant scenes which are analyzed in this paper.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Significant Events in "Boyz N the Hood"
The Film's Events as They Apply to Anderson's Book
Conclusion
From the Paper "The "code" is the result of the structural circumstances and cultural adaptations made by the people who live in these violent communities. In the context of Anderson's book, structural circumstances are the situations individuals become involved in due to their place in society. An example of a structural circumstance would be the life of a decent single mother. Without the structure of a nuclear family, who become role models in the community the single mother "must work even harder to neutralize the draw of the street, and she does so mainly be being strict and by instilling decent values in her children. Cultural adaptations are the way they alter their behavior in order to survive in particular situations or environments. For example, decent families will often have to "code-switch" which means they may have to behave in a violent or vulgar street manner instead of the decent, respectful manner in which they have been taught in order to survive a situation."
Tags: film, minority, culture, society, violence, media
Abstract Recent marine accidents have resulted in significant human, pollution, and damage costs. This paper explains how the International Safety Management Code (ISM) seeks to improve personnel, operational, and environmental safety performance by providing a framework for effective safety management. ISM is based upon widely accepted quality and safety management methodology. It discusses how recent studies indicate the code is less than effective. Merely implementing the minimum requirements of ISM does not do enough to significantly enhance safety performance in the marine industry. The writer argues that international shippers must work towards achieving a true safety culture to ensure effective safety and environmental performance. This should be part of a company's global strategic plan.
From the Paper "The International Safety Management (ISM) Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention was introduced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1993 after several notable marine accidents (Anderson, 2002, p. 7) and the capsizing of the passenger ferry Herald of Free Enterprise which resulted in the loss of 193 lives (Rodriguez & Hubbard, 2001, 8; Sagen, 1999, p.58)."
Abstract This paper argues that the present depiction of multiculturalism in the NASW's Code of Ethics, as a kind of social worker capability, is imprecise and can lead to the encouraging of unintentional stereotyping. The paper also asserts that it is uncertain whether or not licensing boards can correctly determine a social worker's ability in this subject. Instead, multiculturalism, as part of the social worker's code of ethics. has turned out to be more of a statement of belief to which social workers feel obliged to adhere than a body of knowledge that enlightens the practice of social work.
From the Paper "The rational positioning of the idea is an ethical principle concerning righteous social work practice. The standard embraces the understanding of a customer's manners, thoughts, as well as feelings in the complete background of the religious, sociocultural, ethnic, as well as economic life within which all of these take place (Comas-Diaz, 1996; Green, 1995). Respect, understanding, as well as appreciation for the customer are the eventual expressions of whatever may be proposed by the conception of multiculturalism."
Abstract The paper examines "Code of the Street" where Elijah Anderson researches the lives of people in Philadelphia's inner city neighborhoods, in order to identify how prevailing conditions caused by poverty combine to produce pervasive drug or alcohol abuse, violence and broken families. The paper discusses Anderson's sociological approach and his evidence that living in poverty and being subjected to racism produce a vicious, recurring cycle of cause and effect. The paper is of the opinion that this book provides important and conclusive insights into the flawed and destructive culture of America's inner cities.
From the Paper "Reading Chapters 3 and 4 of Code of the Street confirms that Anderson's sociological methodology was based upon extensive personal observations and interviews, which provide convincing evidence that living in poverty and being subjected to racism produce a vicious, recurring cycle of cause and effect. Using the ethnographical research he conducted in Philadelphia during the 1990's, which entailed studying African Americans in poverty-stricken areas of the city, Anderson reflected upon the information he obtained from informants and from his own observations, and concluded that a fundamental cause and consequence of crime in inner cities is the code of the street that prevails in these neighborhoods. (Anderson 107-110)"
Abstract This paper defines police culture and discusses how it affects the relationship between the police and society at large. It also looks at the moral issues associated with police culture and discusses the police mindset and the group think phenomenon that takes place in police cultures. Finally, the paper discusses the phenomenon of the "code of silence" that the public believes exists within police ranks.
From the Paper "Select law enforcement personnel have the ability to truly help improve the effects of the "Code of Silence" and shape other issues existing in police culture- one key group is police supervisors. They have daily contact and responsibility with the members of their squad, and so have the opportunity to influence their behavior. The extent of their influence, however, largely depends on three factors: whether the supervisor is respected by officers, whether the supervisor is fair and reasonable in decision-making, and whether action is taken when issues are brought to the supervisor's attention. If these conditions are met, officers who have concerns about a fellow officer's behavior will be more likely to approach their supervisor with these concerns and have confidence that appropriate actions will be taken without negative consequences."
Abstract This paper defines what culture is and discusses what hurdles an outsider faces when joining a new organization. The focus is an example of a new work place and dress code ethics.
From the Paper "Culture had been defined not as the behavior of the people living in it; it is the "it" in which they live. The culture of an organization includes the language, dress codes, and habits of the operations, value systems, an ethics? code, attitude and interactions between various strata of the organization and work principles. Norms-are the organized and shared ideas of what the members in the organization do and feel, and how these norms should be regulated. The basic needs are physiological, needs for security, affiliation, to feel self-esteem and for self-actualization (Harvey and Brown, 1976)."
Abstract The paper examines corporate culture and uses the United States Marines as an example of this. Three works are cited: Marion F. Sturkey's "Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines", Sgt. James Covington's "Suits to BOOTS: Marines teach Corps' values to business students" and "Corps Values". Sturkey explains that the marine's character is defined by three constant "Corps Values", honor courage, and commitment. The paper defines these values and also explains the the "Code of Conduct" of 1955. Covington discusses how the marines handle leadership challenges in a stressful environment and how this knowledge can be applied in the business world. The paper concludes that the marine's commitment to decentralized management and bottom-up thinking has evolved due to high risk, high speed and, high focus assaults which tend to be unforgiving on bureaucratic or autocratic management styles.
From the Paper "Honor requires the ultimate standard in ethical and moral conduct, and a Marine must never lie, cheat, or steal, must adhere to a code of personal integrity and be accountable for his actions, and above all, must never sully the reputation of his Corps (Sturkey pp). Courage is honor in action, moral strength, heeding the inner voice of conscience and doing what is right in spite of adverse consequences (Sturkey pp). Commitment is total dedication to Corps and Country, and is a combination of selfless determination and relentless dedication to excellence (Sturkey pp). And once a Marine, always a Marine, for there is no such thing as an ex-Marine or former-Marine, only reserve, retired or veteran Marines (Sturkey pp). These three Corps Values make up the bedrock of each individual Marine's character, and are the foundation of the Corps itself (Sturkey pp). These values have been handed down from generation to generation and are the reason why the U.S. Marines are the most respected and revered fighting force on earth (Sturkey pp)."
Abstract Based on the book by Anne Fadiman, "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down", this paper describes the writer's approach to social work in helping the Lee family deal with their daughter's epilepsy.
The writer/social worker relates that the National Association of Social Worker's Code of Ethics would provide the initial foundation for what he would need to do in order to best assist in this case, while he would also attempt to be well-informed about all perspectives of the case. The writer relates further that he would draw on various social work theories, particularly interest group conflict theory, to frame his ability to assess and intervene in this situation, while recognizing the need to reach out to various community members to advance his understanding of the Hmong and medical cultures. The writer also explains how environmental perspectives are key in looking at this case.
From the Paper "With the little information that is known about the Lee family and their beliefs about Lia's epilepsy, it is imperative to acknowledge that lack of information surrounding the family and their culture (Fadiman, 1997). While it may be difficult to communicate the lack of knowledge surrounding Lia's case and Hmong cultural beliefs to the Lee family, it is important to acknowledge what I need to do in order to be well-informed about all perspectives of Lia's case. It is important to realize that the Lees have their own views surrounding Lia's case, and it is the social worker's job to learn what those impressions may be given the major cultural differences between these two groups. I need to educate myself in order to honor those beliefs and create ways for both the Lees and Lia's treatment team to better understand one another."
Abstract This paper takes a look at "Code of the Street" by Elijah Anderson and discusses Anderson's analysis of the two types of families that exist in the streets; the decent type of family and the street family. The paper reviews the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the reasons for a family becoming either a decent family or a street family and looks at how eachy type of family copes with the situation it is in.
From the Paper "Street families, and the attitudes they are known for, are formed and developed as a result of one basic reality that American society, and even other societies, have failed to find solution to: poverty. The inescapable reality of not having the money to support one's self and his/her family is, as Anderson explicated, a reality that must be cope with by being "tough." That is, one's morale is preserved by being branded as "tough" rather than poor; in most street families, this is a better and more powerful description of themselves that they could live by. Indeed, as the author's study on America's streets proved, being tough meant being feared by other people, and being feared comes the power of being able to assert one's control over another--in the case of the street families, they "rule" the streets because they are capable of bringing violence in the streets, the only reason that makes decent families fear street families."
Tags: poverty, violence, conflict, society, culture, fear
Abstract This paper discusses the student code of conduct on university campuses and looks at how this code is not always respected or upheld by the students attending the universities. The paper then goes on to elaborate on how students do not always comply with the student code of conduct and concludes that a student code of conduct is not enough to ensure proper behavior and conduct on campus. Instead, universities should seek alternative actions to enforce and uphold polices that will ensure that the students are enriched through a "safe" and positive academic experience.
From the Paper " Another act of violence that is occurring on college campuses is hazing. "Hazing" includes activities such as being kidnapped, abandoned, excessive drinking, sexual acts, assault, and in some circumstances, even death. Hazing continues to be prevalent amongst college students as a form of "initiation" or "admission". Students believe that hazing promotes unity and team cohesiveness. The reality about hazing is that it usually goes on under a blanket of sworn secrecy (Campo, Paulos, Sipple, 2005); which makes this problem one that should not be tolerated. A zero tolerance rule should also be adopted for any violent acts on campus. Campo and her colleagues (2005), describe hazing as any activity that is a "condition of initiation" in an organization that may have a negative impact on the physical and/or emotional well-being of individuals and/or their peers. Hazing has been practiced for years; most commonly identified to athletes, fraternities and sororities."
Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to analyze different aspects of Pulse Code Modulation including sampling theory, aliasing, quantizing and effect of non-uniform quantization. Each part of the paper begins with the theoretical analysis; then the simulation results are presented. Finally the practical measurement results are demonstrated and discussed. For better analysis and subjective evaluation of quantization process, a Java-MATLAB application is developed (the source codes are included). Finally in the conclusion, the main points of each part are summarized.
Outline
Introduction
Pulse Modulations
Pulse Code Modulation
Sampling
Nyquist Sampling Theorem and the Aliasing Distortion
Zero Order Hold (ZOH)
Effect of Output Pulse Width
Aliasing Distortion
Variation of the Output Filter Bandwidth
Quantization
PCM Quantization Analysis: Java-MATLAB Software Application
Peak clipping
Quantization Distortion
Spectrum of Quantization Noise
Non-Uniform Quantization
The i law
Quantization Distortion for a Companded System
Conclusion
References
Appendix A: Java Software Source code
From the Paper "Sampling is the first step in any pulse modulation system. In fact by sampling, a signal is represented by set of discrete samples. If the frequency of the sampling is high enough, the original signal can be recovered from the samples. This concept will be examined with more details later. From the mathematical point of view, the sampling process can be considered as the multiplication of the message signal by a train of Dirac impulses. "
Abstract This paper explains that video games represent a site for role-playing in ways that violate both the corporate-constructed gender roles of game worlds, as well as the norms of masculine and feminine in our society. The writer discusses how this analysis applies to a range of levels in video game culture: the design level with its sub-culture of game patch design where users patch existing video games to fundamentally re-design game worlds that reflect distinct constructions of masculinity and femininity and the game play level where both female and male users play games in ways that challenge normative gender roles. The writer's main focus is on female game designers and players, whose interactions with video game culture critically undermines common conceptions of female gender identity.
Outline:
Introduction
Gender Bias as a Methodological Problem
Women Coding Women: The New Gaming Female
Conclusion
From the Paper "In reviewing the scholarly literature upon gender roles and video game culture, it is important to recognize the operation of gender bias as a methodological problem. Before one can address the subject of video game and gender role transgression among females, one must note the profound degree to which traditional gender biases appear to impact scholarship on the subject of video game culture. Consider, for example, the question of the popularity of video games among males versus females, as well as the view that males prefer "violent" games while female players tend to reject these games for games that better reflect "feminine" qualities. There is a substantial body of research literature that has argued since the late 1980s that video games are a predominantly male cultural preoccupation. Surveys tended to reveal an extraordinary disproportion both in terms of numbers of players and the lengths of time devoted to gameplay. For example, adolescent boys have been shown to be as much as three times more likely to play video games as adolescent girls."
Abstract The paper discusses the Samurai and their code of honor. The paper talks about Japan's warrior class and various aspects of the code, including the absence of the fear of death. The paper includes the concept of an honorable death to regain honor. The paper concludes with the impact of the code of honor on Japanese soldiers in World War II.
From the Paper "In Japan, the warrior class was known as Bushido. The Samurai and Their Use of Bushido: Integral to this code was an absence of any fear of death and the belief that dying in battle would bring honor to one's family and one's lord."
Abstract Latino's are brought up to believe that a man lost honor if his wife was unfaithful and he could regain some of this honor through the use of violence. They were also likely to send signals of acceptance of witnessed violence and to have a more favorable impression of a woman who remained in an abusive relationship. The paper shows, that in a series of archival analyses of real-world domestic violence, several themes associated with cultures of honor (emphasis on female purity, gender inequality, and familial collectivism) correlated with the cultural prevalence of domestic violence. The paper shows that there exist widespread gender-orientated misperceptions within the Latino community about the attractiveness or acceptability of violence that lead to a mismatch between people's private attitudes and their public behavior.
From the Paper "Most people think that domestic violence is the same, wherever it occurs, that there's no difference. That it's really the same experience regardless of country or language or culture. This is not true, if we take a comparison of a Latino household and a Buddhist household, there will be a huge difference in the two based on the domestic violence parameter. The Latino being on the higher side of the scale: violent. The traditional Latin American socialization of women encourages them to be quiet and submissive, as well as economically and psychologically dependent on men. (Vandello, J. A., & Cohen, D.Shame: Interpersonal behavior, psychopathology, and culture) The education that Latino women have, the way that they are raised and the church and the religious ideas that they grew up with influence the their role in the scepter of domestic violence."
