Research Paper Topics - International Studies

Research Paper Topics - International StudiesInternational studies are the newest types of academic study. Because there is a lot to learn and much to be learned, if you are interested in international studies you should seriously consider doing this type of academic study.If you have always wanted to study abroad but have been scared away by the expense and hassles of going there, it is time to reconsider your decision. Studying abroad is an excellent way to learn about new cultures and life styles and will give you a great amount of satisfaction in the end as well.Different countries have different traditions and customs. You may find that even though you live in the same country you can't really relate to the customs or practices of another country. Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to learn about these cultural differences and can help you grow to understand other people better.While there are no limits on how many hours you can spend studying an international study, you should limit the length of your studies. Too long of a period will make it difficult for you to keep up with the subject matter and it will be hard for you to learn anything.If you decide to pursue international studies, you can do many things to help you stay organized. The first step is to prepare your schedule and figure out what time each day you will be studying for your study abroad project.You need to set aside time each day for research or reading on certain topics, even if you just want to do some general reading. If you work on your research on the computer, make sure that you set a schedule for when you will be getting together with the people in your group, such as computer and internet access, a lunch break, and a time to get together at night for reading.Studying international studies is a wonderful way to expose yourself to new cultures and information. If you take care of the necessary details, you will be ready to face life and new countries.

Using BCAP Essay Samples For a Better Writing Experience

Using BCAP Essay Samples For a Better Writing ExperienceThe reason that essay samples can help students prepare for an exam is that it helps them think about different writing styles and format. In most cases, the information provided in these sample essays is a combination of the most effective techniques used by college students when writing their own essays. This is done to keep students from coming up with ways to write the material so that they don't make mistakes while studying for an exam. As such, there are two main ways to create these essays.One way is to create your own research paper by gathering the necessary information about the topic. You can do this by getting information from various sources like textbooks, textbooks. This way, you have the chance to figure out how to compile the needed information into a great essay.Another method that you can use is to collect information about a particular topic by searching online. A lot of times, this information will be helpfu l to help you create an essay on a specific topic. This way, you have the chance to get ideas from other students' essays and use it as your own. You can also check college websites or use search engines to find relevant information.When it comes to using BCAP essay samples, these can provide the necessary information that you need. These are a great source of reference material, because they are already compiled by teachers, other students and instructors. This means that you can access different tips and ideas when creating your own essay. Of course, you can also write your own essay based on the tips from the samples.Of course, when using essay samples, you still need to remember that it is important to structure your essay properly. While brainstorming ideas for your essay, you may want to incorporate some different styles. By following the instructions included in the composition guidelines of the essay sample, you can avoid creating an essay that will look very unprofessional. This is because, it is expected that students will take notes during the tests that they are taking. Therefore, they need to write well.BCAP has also created sample essay examples for all types of example topics including English, American history, calculus, economics, psychology, etc. They provide different styles and formats for each of these subjects. However, if you are trying to understand different styles and concepts of essay writing, you may want to consider getting the full version of the essay samples.The special editions of the BCAP samples include additional information as well as the added features that were not included in the main version. They come with five chapter layouts which contain new essays that are based on the 5 chapters that were listed on the front cover. Furthermore, you can even customize each chapter of the sample essays with a different style and format depending on your needs.Before purchasing essay samples, you can also try it first hand with the B CAP curriculum guides. This is because these are actually the 'equivalent' of the essay samples that BCAP provides. You will also get the same knowledge that you can use from the samples.

The Most Powerful Nation on the Planet

Introduction The recent scientific and technological developments in China have attracted a lot of attention in the international forum. The country’s economy is growing at an extremely high rate and this means that the current advancements will surely be sustained and even made better in the future (Cooper 57).Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on The Most Powerful Nation on the Planet specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The rate at which the country’s power is increasing with regard to science and technology has led many to conclude that China is the most powerful nation on the planet (Hughes 125). While some people think so, others have remained skeptical about any possibility of China ever becoming a superpower in the new future. This paper aims at presenting argumentative evidence that China is indeed the most powerful nation on the planet when it comes to science and technology while at the same time analyzing the arguments of the skeptics who are against that fact. China as the most powerful nation on the Planet in terms of Science and technology Early technological innovations in China With the Chinese mainland being home to the one of the oldest world civilizations, many innovations were, as a result, made in china many years before any other place (Hughes 134). Major inventions such as that of the woodblock and the movable type printing, the magnetic compass, the cast iron and the iron plough, propeller, crossbow, gunpowder among others were made in China many centuries ago (Hughes 135). The major discoveries made in Europe came in the16th century during the scientific revolution, which was very late in relation to the inventions made in China. Science and technology had, however, stagnated in China and many years passed without any significant discoveries and inventions being made. The condition worsened further at the formation of the People’s Republic of China und er the leadership of Mao Zedong and the introduction of communism (Jasanoff 43). In other parts of the world, major scientific discoveries and inventions were being done and perfected while China stagnated. The leadership of Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s set the pace for the current scientific and technological excellence in China. Because of this, the excellence of China and the claim of being the world’s most powerful nation can be defended through considering both the input and the out sides (Lovell 562).Advertising Looking for thesis on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More China as a Science and Technology (ST) superpower Among the many striking â€Å"features of science and technology trends in China is the high level of commitment that the political class and the Chinese people are giving to science and technology† (Jing 5). The elite commitment and support, as well as the popular enthusiasm, are considered a lot by those who are interpreting China’s achievements in the field and as a result award it a superpower status. In order to understand these sentiments, it is important for the modern Chinese quest in the fields of science and technology to be reflected upon briefly. The technological superiority of the Western powers in the and Japan since the 19th century contributed to national humiliations in china which contributed to the desire by the Chinese people to venture actively into the fields of science and technology (Kong, and Agron 127). Political leaders in China since the 1920s embraced the idea that in order to achieve the dream of the ‘wealthy and powerful’ china, modern science and industry needed to be effectively developed. Wars, revolutions and political extremism, however, constantly frustrated China’s efforts of making it globally in the fields of science and technology during the twentieth century. The last three decades have been the best period in China as far as developments in science and technology are concern. This is mostly since the year 1978 to this day. The political stability, steady growth in the country’s economy, positive reforms in the national institutions and participation in the global forum through the productive engagements with the international society are factors that have led to the rapid growth in science and technology in China to achieve the position of the most powerful nation in the world (Kynge 214). Within that short period, China has managed to achieve the scientific and technological development that has been elusive for over a century. Political elites, as well as the public, have played significant roles in ensuring that the conditions that have ensured the rapid growth in the status of the country and maintained and further developments made. Among the important conditions, which both the general Chinese society and the political elites have sought to provide is financial sup port. The county’s spending on research and development has risen from â€Å"0.6% in the year 1996 to 1.82% in the year 2011† (Jeng 6).Advertising We will write a custom thesis sample on The Most Powerful Nation on the Planet specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This figure places China ahead of many countries that are considered powers in terms of scientific and technological developments such as Russia and the OECD countries. This spending figure places China in the class of the most superior nations of the world such as the USA and the fact that the figure is predicted to be more than 2.5% by the year 2020 means that China is expected to top the chart (Jeng 7). The fact that china exhibits high levels of â€Å"cultivation of human resources and the support of science education† (Jing 15) is proof that China stands as the most powerful nation in the world (Jing 14). Because of this, there is an apparent wealth of talent in China. For instance, a survey conducted in China in the year 2006 revealed that, among the 1.5 million workers in china, 1.2 million of them were scientists and engineers (Jing 15). In addition, there were about eight million students in the institutions of higher learning. Most of them took science and technology courses such as engineering, medicine, agriculture among others. During the same year, about 20,000 doctorates in the fields of science and engineering were offered which by then placed China in the third position after the US and Russia (Jing 15). The ‘Science Diaspora’ and the ‘brain circulation’ programs have played a significant role in the development of science and technology in China. There are programs that encourage the interaction of the Chinese scientists with those working at home to â€Å"ensure that the science industry in China is at par with the rest of the world† (Jing 15). A conglomeration of these trends has resulted to the transformation of Science and technology industry in China making it younger, results oriented, very productive and extremely cosmopolitan an inline with the world’s prevailing trends in science and technology. The elite commitment in the revitalization of science and technology institutions has ensured that China claims the recently highly ranked position on the planet as far as science and technology is concerned (Jaime 2). Hundreds of government research institutes have been reorganized and underpinned, therefore, revitalizing the RD in the business sector (Jaime 2). For instance, in the recent times, the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been strengthened as part of the Knowledge Innovation Program (KIP). Chinese universities have been reoriented to assume a global outlook, therefore, becoming very important centers of science and technology excellence. The Chinese government has also made massive reforms in the county’s economic policies, therefore, making it possible for foreign investors and multi-national organizations to establish RD activities in the country (Jeng 12). These activities have resulted to the widening of the Chinese technical community to a point whereby it has claimed excellence. In fact, the existing RD activities in China that are sponsored by multi-nationals and foreign investors were more than 1200 by the year 2008 (Jeng 12). These commitments by the MNCs have reinforced the role of China as a very important ‘node of innovation’ in the global arena.Advertising Looking for thesis on asian? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The introduction of the MLP in the year 2006 marks another important effort of the political elite in China in an effort to achieve and sustain power in the fields of science and technology (Li, and Richard 22). The plans have been since then considered as a manifesto aimed at supporting the Science and Technology superpower status that the Chinese Republic currently enjoys. The plan also advocates for China to become an â€Å"innovation oriented society† by the wake of 2020 (Kong, and Agron 130). By such time, it has been predicted that China will have significantly reduced its reliance on foreign technological expertise and will, as a result, be an independent leader in science and engineering. With most of the above claims being in the form of inputs that have ensured that China is considered a global leader in terms of science of technology, there are other claims in the form of the outputs or the achievements that China has done so far which acts as proof of its leadersh ip (Suttmejer 320). Among the major outputs or the significant technological achievements, which China has made so far is its space program. These achievements have brought China in the lime light as one among the few nations of the world that have mustered the sophisticated technologies and integrated them into a complex system. China recently launched the unmanned Tiangong- 1 or the ‘Heavenly Palace’ from China’s Jiuquan Launch Centre (Jaime 22). This marked one of the most significant achievements of China’s technological and scientific ambitions. By the year 2007, China was the world’s leading technocracy (a nation ruled by engineers and scientists who hold the belief that it is only through achieving new technologies that the country can achieve social and economic progress) (Kong, and Agron 135). The innovation system employed by the Chinese may be having its shortcomings, but the fact remains that it has excelled greatly through the rapid res ource mobilization. Most of those who doubt the quality of the Chinese inventions are simply skeptic and engulfed in ignorance according to Yang (21). This is because their doubts are continuously being proven wrong through the highest quality and they are simply finding others to keep the arguments going ahead. The rapid increase in patenting activities in China is another proof that it is the most powerful nation on the planet with regard to scientific and technological innovations. In fact, the country ranks highest when it comes to the production of scientific literature such as SCI indexed papers, EI and ISTP papers (Wong 14). Scientific research and development has produced the best and the most reliable results in China recently considering the rate at which reports of such research activities have inspired new inventions. China has also achieved leadership when it comes to the high-technology exports, which also serve as proof that the nation has already achieved the superpo wer status. In addition to this, China’s domestic market has growth substantially with the penetration of IT suggesting the powerful market pull that will definitely trigger domestic innovations. The Chinese society has become connected by the latest information technology more than any other society in the world. In the wake of 2010, China scientists developed the world’s fastest supercomputer as well as the fastest train (Yang 26). Most of the criticism that the superpower thesis in China faces from skeptics is based on the questions concerning the quality of the research and development ventures that China has indulged in (Yang 12). Most of the critics argue from the grounds of whether or not the money that is used to fund the research and development activities in China is being well spent. The government ensures that there is unquestionable transparency in accounting for the money that is intended to benefit the Chinese technical community. Commissions are formed that ensure that the money is utilized for the planned purposes and the success of such commissions can be seen through the success that the ventures are achieving especially through the output (Yang 36). In a variety of measures, the achievements that China has made in science and technology within the past thirty years are impressive (Sigurdson 569). Political leaders in China, as opposed to those of other nations in the world who have the ambition of seeing their countries to achieving the prestige of science superpowers, pay a close attention to issues concerning research and development. Scientific and technological achievements in China are celebrated by the media more than any other place in the world with makes the entire society to feel like part of the scientific innovations. This fosters a sense of national pride and loyalty among the local people who subsequently strive to achieve more and more (Schwaag 67). China in the year 2010 made the most powerful and responsible s tatement in the world as far as the environment conservation efforts are concerned by investing more money in the production of clean energy. China hit a record of $54.4 billion for the manufacture of wind turbines, solar energy units and other forms of clean technology (Jeng 26). Conserving the environment while the other powerful nations of the world are just increasing the carbon footprint is a major achievement that with no doubt places China above all other nations that claim power in the fields of science and technology in the world. In addition, GE recently made an investment of $2 billion dollars with China in an effort to develop more â€Å"environment friendly technologies and open up more job opportunities in the country† (Jeng 28). Since the emergence of stem cell research in the 1990s, China has been active in the venture. The potential research aimed at coming up with treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and tissue repair (Ho 2 39). There are currently more than 400 researchers and Chinese experts working in that field now. These experts are spread over in over thirty institutions in the country, which provides proof of China as the nation, which has so far shown the biggest support and improvement for the research (Zing 259). There have been notable achievements so far such as the successful cloning of animal species such as cattle, goats as well as the first ever successful cloning of a rat. There have been established a network of cord blood stem banks in the whole country for both research and clinical use (Ho 243). With China being the largest nation in the world with respect to its human population, it is best placed considering the large workforce and the ready market for the technological and scientific inventions. As argued by Farrell (30), globalization results in the cities and regions competing forever over smaller niches. The most striking aspects of science and innovation strategies of both t he Guangzhou and Shenzhen are based on how the two build the existing niches. They do this by concentrating more on how they apply science to processing and manufacturing rather than on basic science. This is generally inspired by the desire to satisfy the needs of the populations with affordable consumer products. As a result, the different science and technology cities of China have specialized in different avenues, which reduce the conflicts of interest. Cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have concentrated on basic science while others such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen concentrating entirely on the production of consumer products (Zing 458). This ensures that efforts aimed at achieving excellence from all perspectives are carried along at the same time. For instance, the two-telecom companies in Shenzhen: Huawei and ZTE are becoming serious contenders in the global telecoms arena while at the same time striving to satisfy the needs of the local community (Aho 3). Conclusion China h as testified to the world that it deserves the title of the world’s most powerful nation when it comes to science and technology. This follows the commitment that research and development activities have received in china from both the political elite and the technical community. Other outstanding inputs that China has made in developing and sustaining science and development are above what other nations of the world have done so far or are willing to do in the near future (Jeng 30). The most notable of this is the recent record that China set with regard to the investment it made in the development of clean energy and technology. The other countries of the world instead insist on using organic oils, therefore, increasing carbon footprint. China has set the pace for the other nations who dream of making it in the future of technology to follow (Schwaag 69). The rapid growth in the fields of science and technology as evidenced by the most recent achievements in space science p rove china’s leadership when it comes to the sophisticated science (Minder 238). The quality of Chinese innovations is par the world standards considering that most of the Chinese scientists and experts were trained in other nations in Europe and America that earlier claimed leadership in the innovations (Jeng 31). Works Cited Aho, Yeh. â€Å"China lab aims to lead way in research.† Financial Times 8 Dec. 2005. Print. Cooper, Ramo. Brand China. London: Foreign Policy Centre, 2006. Print. Farrell, Daniel, and Aille Grant. â€Å"China’s looming talent shortage.† McKinsey Quarterly 4 (2005): 12-34. Print. Ho, Jia. â€Å"Controversial Chinese gene-therapy drug entering unfamiliar territory.† Nature  Reviews: Drug Discovery 5.1(2006): 235-246. Print. Hughes, Charles. Chinese Nationalism in the Global Era. Abingdon: Routledge, 2006. Print. Jaime, Watts. â€Å"China plans first space walk in 2007.† Guardian 18 Oct 2005. Print. Jasanoff, Samuel. D esigns on Nature .Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005. Print. Jeng, Sung. â€Å"US$425 million to boost Chinese innovation.† SciDev.net 30 May 2006. Print. Jing, Oliver. Scientific literacy: a new strategic priority for China, 2006. Web. Kong, Dan and Agron Segal. â€Å"The siren song of technonationalism.† Far Eastern  Economic Review 169.2 (2006): 123-143. Print. Kynge, Jean. China Shakes the World. London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2006. Print. Li, Tonny, and Richard Florida. Talent, technological innovation and economic growth in  China. Beijing: Richard Florida Creativity Group, 2006. Print. Lovell, Jameson. The Great Wall: China against the world 1000BC–AD2000. London: Atlantic Books, 2006. Print. Minder, Richard. â€Å"Chinese poised to outstrip Europe on RD.† Financial Times 10 Oct 2005. Print. Schwaag, Serger. China: from shop floor to knowledge factory?’ in M Karlsson (ed),  The Internationalization of Corporate RD. Stoc kholm: IPTS, 2006. Print. Sigurdson, Jean. Technological Superpower China. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2005. Print. Suttmejer, Richard et al. Standards of Power? Technology, institutions and politics in  the development of China’s National Standards Strategy. Washington, DC: National Bureau of Asian Research, 2006. Print. Wong, Chong. â€Å"China to build 30 new science and technology parks.† SciDev.net 19 Apr. 2006. Print. Yang, Rao, Bain Lu, and Long Tsou. â€Å"Chinese science needs a fundamental Transformation.† Nature 432 18 Nov 2004. Print. Zing, Peng. â€Å"Current status of Gendicine in China: recombinant human Ad-p53 agent for treatment of cancers.† Human Gene Therapy 16(2005): 453-467. Print. This thesis on The Most Powerful Nation on the Planet was written and submitted by user Nathalie Mercado to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Evolving Experiment in Democracy essays

Evolving Experiment in Democracy essays Many historians have described the United States as an evolving experiment in democracy. This statement especially holds true during the time period of 1828-1844. During the time period of 1828-1844, under the rule of Jacksonian Democracy, several political, social, and economic changes occurred in the United States that clearly define the country as an evolving experiment in democracy. First of all, during the time period of 1828-1844 several political changes occurred that structured and expanded the government. Jackson set up a Spoils System, in which he gave his political supporters public office. Every man is as good as his neighbor, Jackson proclaimed. The aristocratic and bureaucratic officeholding class was eliminated. More ordinary citizens were involved in politics to give the ordinary citizen more say in the government. The Spoils System shaped the way the Democratic Party was organized. Slowly but surely the Democratic Party under the time period of 1828-1844 was organized to give more opportunities to the common person. Jacksonian ideas were incorporated in one manner by the elimination of property qualifications. By this elimination, any free white male could vote and hold office. As a result of the elimination of property qualifications came the redefining of the chosen class. Planters, urban workers, and factory laborers were included in the new cho sen class. The idea that the poorer citizen was just as important as a rich citizen came about. In addition, those united under Jacksons banner of democracy believed in more rights for the states. Eventually, a two-party system emerged, the Whigs and the Democrats. As a result of dislike for the American System and corrupt bargain under the rule of John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson united many people under a banner of democracy. The idea of public education for all citizens was promoted, which ...

Anita Desai Essay Example for Free

Anita Desai Essay The main characters who struck me the most are Uma and her brother Arun; to them are dedicated the two parts of the novel. Personally I think they have a lot of things in common and I’m not only considering the fact that they belong to the same close-knit family: they are somehow subjected to a reality from which they both want to escape. Uma is the plainest character of the novel, I think: she always obeys her parents and makes everything they want her to do. This is not completely a negative point but, reading the first pages of the book, I admit that I would like to react for her to the commandments of her MamaPapa, as they are often mentioned†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Go to the cook†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Prepare the packet for your brother†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ Write a letter†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦but how can she manage to do all these things together?! In my opinion Uma is also naà ¯ve, she seems to be somehow tied by a sense of duty to her parents, especially after the failure of her two arranged marriages, and what about the dowry she has squandered?! as her father reminds her. The only â€Å"pause† of her life is given by the visits of Mira-masi, a particular woman who deeply fascinates Uma for the stories she tells her: she represents a ray of hope into the life of the girl, although her parents don’t approve the complicity created between them. Arun, whose birth was really longed for, is sent to the USA where he attends the college: being the only son of the family he has the honour of receiving a good education and he has also the possibility to live far from the oppressing reality of his homeland. But his life remains very unhappy: also the family to which he lives while in America is a sort of weight for him. The second part of the novel seems to me a long digression about food, I think that the food itself is the only reason for a link between Arun and the new family, Mrs Patton in particular. I think both brother and sister are oppressed voices who want to live in peace and to escape from the world they live in, although they aren’t able to rebel against it. For this very reason I would like them to write to each other, what does not happen in the novel. Dear Arun, Maybe for the first time in my life I admit that I’m very sad but what troubles me the most is the fact that I’m not able to find a way out†¦ Our cousin Anamika is dead. Everybody here is trying to give an explanation but†¦what for, she won’t ever come back and there are no acceptable explanations for her death†¦ I absolutely can’t imagine that the urn in front of me contains her ashes†¦she is dead†¦ but I’m dead too. Her awe for the family led her towards death, but what about me? I will stay forever with MamaPapa, I can’t abandon them, they are†¦my life! When mama grips my hand I know, I feel that there is something strong between us and I can’t, I can’t leave†¦ MamaPapa is calling me†¦I have to go. I don’t know if I will ever send this letter to you: perhaps I will burn it. Uma Dear Uma, A new semester at the college is beginning and my stay with the Pattons is over. I’m happy because I can leave this strange family: it wasn’t my place, I didn’t feel comfortable with them, I felt oppressed and obliged to be part of it, maybe only because I felt sorry for Mrs Patton and I didn’t want to disappoint her. This is the reason why I gave her the presents you sent me (but please don’t reveal anything to MamaPapa!): I didn’t want her to be worried about me when I silently walked out of her life. Arun Alice Bravin 5 H Liceo Scientifico â€Å"M. Grigoletti† Pordenone Anita Desai â€Å"FASTING, FEASTING† The novel by Anita Desai appeared insipid to my eyes. If I were asked to collect all the emotions that the book has stirred in my heart, I would find myself in anguishing troubles, for I’m quite numb to it as well I am frustrated by each work of art dominated by a sense of heaviness. The characters are imbued with, or even better, they are emblems of this heaviness which reveals itself mainly in the temperament of Uma, who is the best-built character of the novel. Anita Desai succeeded in the enterprise of creating a character without personality, a woman deprived of her soul. She is the designated victim who is doomed to endure the burden of life, symbolized first of all by her parents. Uma doesn’t strike my sensibility: I don’t feel pity for her, nor would I establish a sort of sympathetic relationship with her; her ineptitude doesn’t arouse my anger, nor would I shake her out of the status of torpor she experiences. I am quite interested in one of the psychological aspects of Uma, that of repression. Uma is not free to be what she wants to be, to do what she wants to do, so she is utterly repressed in her passions, in her feelings, in her personality; this last dimension is completely neglected to her. These inner forces run inside her veins and arteries, like water permeating through the cracks of a rock and when temperatures gets colder, it becomes ice and causes the explosion of the rock. The same happens inside Uma and the implosion is disguised as a sort of disease. Convulsions, nausea which leads to vomit, suffered cries, these moments are the most involving – and at the same time disturbing – moments and situations of the novel. I would have appreciated if Anita Desai had developed this edge of the prism of Uma. Sigmund Freud stated that mental patients are like diamonds, whose structure is based on its corners. In these lines the diamond would break in case it fell on the ground. Uma is like that. Her body seems possessed by a demoniac spirit, her limbs, her bowels are rocked by the unique act of rebellion which is allowed to her. I wonder why the writer has snobbed this issue, which probably assumes a religious and philosophical value and is strictly connected to Indian culture. The heaviness that haunts the book is expressed even by the settings. Concerning this point I would like to recall the image of Uma and her aunt who leave together on a spiritual trip. The bus they catch is incredibly crowded: this episode evokes the image of mingled noises and smells within the dusty and sandy air of India. The writer enables us to appreciate each aspect of the setting – thanks to her detailed language – so that the reader manages to broaden his sensorial perceptions and is caught by the use of synaesthesia. ( The description of the believers bathing in the Gange becomes meaningful in this sense ). Before starting reading the book I thought it would be quite precious for me in order to learn more about the Indian world, even appreciating it by means of the parallel Anita Desai draws with Northern America. But I was wrong: â€Å"Fasting, feasting † doesn’t seem so representative of India: the impression I get is that of a character – Uma – who might be possibly Irish or even Italian. Westerners share the same common imagery about India and this common imagery is banal and dominated by prejudices. The book is ambiguous, in the sense that neither supports this statement, nor deny it. The same ambiguity lies in the second part of the novel – that dedicated to Arun – which takes place in the United Stated of America. Anita Desai gives us tenets and traits of the American Society coming in the story of an American family. Here there aren’t crowded busses or temples, but televisions, junk food, couches, barbecues, baseball matches and people who enjoy all these objects and events. The same dusty air is breathed by Arun when he goes back home walking on the boundaries of the street. The same atmosphere of heaviness which degenerates into disease. For these very reasons I state that Uma and her story are not so â€Å"Indian†. Moreover, I have some perplexities about the last chapter – really shorter than the first one – which doesn’t find a proper literary justification. It is a sort of appendix, even if only almost at the end of the book there’s the precise reference to the tile â€Å"Fasting, feasting† and is embodied by the bulimic girl. Alessandra Crimi 5 H Liceo Scientifico â€Å"M. Grigoletti† Pordenone Anita Desai – Fasting, Feasting Fasting, Feasting is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. Thanks to the brilliant descriptions and the elegant narration the reader has the opportunity to create an imaginary but precise setting were characters develop during the story. I think that this novel is like a mirror because it gives the opportunity to reflect, in both meanings of the word. We can reflect ourselves in the protagonists (mirror-like effect) and we can reflect, think, about the different values and importance that people from different societies give to ideals they believe in. In my opinion the rhythm of the narration is sometimes too slow, but I can understand that it is due to the fact that, once again, it mirrors the context where the story takes place. In India, in fact, there is no frenetic life, no stress, no anxiety of living and for this very reason people can pay attention to little events that we probably ignore. When the father asks for his drink, it seems to me that everyone in the family has to stop and be there for this event; when a guest arrives unexpectedly, all the attention is directed to him; even the choice of one kind of food rather than another seems to be one of the most important problems of the day. . The character of Mumdad is what emotionally touched me most, maybe because to a certain extent I can detect in them some traits my parents have. The image of Mumdad on the swing describes their indissoluble bond. Mumdad are a unique person/entity made up of two different souls. These two souls are always at unison, they never take opposite decisions, they argue but they always find a compromise, they are, in a word, complementary. I always admired this ability to build little by little a life together even if, for a child, sometimes it’s not so easy to accept their decision, or rather, their impositions. Uma is my favourite character. In some parts of the novel I felt really involved in her problems, in her thoughts and desires. She loves school even if she isn’t able to get good marks; she loves learning, she wants to try again, to spend another year at school, she’s sure she will improve. She suffers when Mumdad decide she should give up her studies. She suffers when she understands she is not as beautiful, intelligent as her sister Aruna, and so she is considered a lesser woman. Uma suffers silently, she accepts her condition of inferiority, yet she is always looking for a moment of glory that, unfortunately, never comes. She is like the most humble flower that grows up silently, that is trampled from the gardener that gave her birth, because a rose is blooming next to the humble flower and he must be there to praise the perfection and beauty of the rose. I’m not saying that I reflect myself in Uma , absolutely not, on the contrary, I’m saying that all my life I have been an Aruna, and I didn’t know about it. I’m an only child, there is no Uma in my family, but thanks to the juxtaposition of the two characters I have understood that I have always been loved and pampered and nursed and highly considered and I don’t really know if I deserve all this. This book has really been a great opportunity for me, it has made me reflect on my values and on the meaning of my â€Å"little† life: too often we don’t realise what is around us. But now I want stop talking about me. I would love to write a few lines about arranged marriages. In our Western society, marriage is generally viewed as a value strongly linked with the concept of freedom, the freedom to choose the person with whom we would like to spend all our life. We have this great opportunity and we often waste it. We are free to love a person for his peculiarities and not for his money and often people choose the partner for his richness, we get married and then we divorce and kids are treated as merchandise, we often get married for reasons that sometimes are far away from love and we claim to judge a society where parents choose a spouse for their children. I think that Western people are more contradictory than what they want to admit and perhaps less happy. Perhaps it is this very feeling that leads plenty of us to judge other cultures. DA PIEVE LUCIA 5 H Liceo scientifico â€Å"M. Grigoletti† Anita Desai â€Å"Fasting,Feasting† This is the first book by Anita Desai I have ever read. Her observations are astute whether they are on living conditions in India or USA. Anita Desai uses her words perfectly to convey exactly what she feels,but even if it could seem a contradiction,I think that the problem with the book is its dry, clinical approach in chronicling the lives of the characters, the book lacks passion. I was always on the outside, looking into the lives of people. The book offers few chances of getting involved with the characters ,in fact while reading the book I didn’t feel the compulsion of finishing it quickly. The part I liked better is the first half of the book that deals with life in a small, slow town in India, with rigid parents and well-drafted routines. The †Indian half† is more detailed than the other half which deals with the â€Å"rule-less† life in suburban USA. In the first half there is a partly successful, proud father, who goes through life, with set patterns and no passion. A mother who goes along with her husband, doing what is supposedly right and expected of her, curbing and killing all her innate desires. Three children. The eldest, Uma, clumsy . The middle daughter Aruna, pretty, ambitious and smart, but eventually also a victim of her choices. The last, a son, Arun, on whom the parents put all their dreams and energies. All of them, along with members of their extended family, go through some form of deprivation (of will, of fun, of passion and of love). I think that a merit of this book is the way it highlights the Indian traditions, cultures and mostly the place of a woman in an Indian family. I liked the character of Uma in the book because she is both willing to take a chance with life and at the same time dedicated to her family.She takes whatever happens to her life with such grace that she does not give me a chance to cry for her. I like her inner strength. The story in itself is told from the perspective of the protagonist, Uma, who starts out as a wideeyed child at a convent who shows an enthusiasm for education but with the birth of her brother Arun, Uma takes on the role of nanny. Here, one encounters the distinct preference parents have for the male child. Desai next explores the conventional belief that ties a woman’s worth to her physical appearance. A woman who lacks beauty is often rushed into the first marital offer she receives, only to pay a heavy price later on. Desai shows the challenges a single woman faces regardless of how successful she is. By contrast, Uma’s cousin is portrayed as the ultimate success because she is able to marry well thanks to her looks. She makes the reader wonder how happy she truly is, when she eventually takes her own life. Uma is the main character in the first half of the novel. She is a clumsy, uncoordinated woman who finds it difficult to succeed in almost everything she does – she fails in school, can’t cook, spills food and drink and can’t find anyone worthwhile to get married to. Her father feels that Uma is incapable of fending for herself, as she is too clumsy, uncoordinated and proves a failure in almost everything she does.Uma fails in school, in the kitchen and she even fails to find anyone worthwhile to get married to. The father asks Uma to interrupt her studies in the Christian convent when he find out she not doing very well at school. He feels that it was a waste of time and money to provide Uma an education ;he has other plans for her.She will look after her baby brother Arun and take care of the household while her mother rests after giving birth. Uma’s life is constantly planned by her father.Uma cannot resist her father’s oppressive patriarchal ideology, as she is afraid of the consequences that would befall her if she angered the colonial characteristics of her father. Uma’s entertainment comes in the form of her cousin, Ramu. When Ramu is around, Uma feels at ease. But the father feels that Ramu is a bad influence on Uma. He does not want Uma to be influenced by other men who are capable of brainwashing her to resist the demands of his patriarchal nature. Anita Desai. (2016, May 06).

Analysis of Advertisements English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of Advertisements English - Essay Example The Durex Company produced one prominent set of condom advertisements. These advertisements appeal to a wide audience, utilizing an approach that is unique relative to other condom advertisements. In considering the Durex ads, it’s noted that, †because there’s so much potential to make easy, tasteless jokes, condom advertising requires a more delicate touch; great ads should make us think a little bit harder before rewarding us with the punch line† (Rideout). When examining the overriding communication mechanisms of these advertisements, it’s clear they capture this delicate touch. The most overriding persuasive technique these condom advertisements use is humor, with all the Durex ads implementing a subtle form of wit. Within this spectrum, the advertisements then can be divided along lines of whether they promote the condoms based on safety or enjoyment. For instance, one advertisement features a bed with four framed pictures on a nightstand next to it. The individuals in the advertisements are staring at the bed with shocked faces. Below the visual elements the advertisement contains the tagline, â€Å"Have the sex you tell your friends you have† (Rideout) and a picture of Durex condoms. ... While this advertisement is highly minimal in its presentation, it is highly effective; the minimal visual style functions to enhance the power of the textual message, encouraging customers to greatly consider the essential need to purchase Durex condoms over other brands. Another prominent style of condom advertising was made for Doc Morris Pharmacies. Created by the Grey Worldwide Advertising Agency from Dusseldorf, Germany, the advertisements are for extra safe latex condoms. As the advertisements are for extra safe latex condoms, it should be no surprise that the underlining intentions of these advertisements are to promote the reliability and sturdiness of the brand. While the Durex brand had attempted to emphasize safety concerns, it appears that in this instance the advertisement works to create a market-share through the cultivation of this safety concept. Also similar to the Durex advertisements, humor is used as a major element in the persuasive technique. The advertisement s themselves contain cartoon visual depictions of sperm swimming with a white background. In one version the sperm leading the others has a haircut and mustache that clearly depicts it as Hitler. In another version the sperm contains a beard and a Middle Eastern head arrangement, ostensibly depicting it as Osama Bin Laden. The obvious rhetorical technique implemented here is that in not purchasing a condom, or in purchasing a competitor’s condom, the individual runs the risk of having an undesired child that could potentially become a terrorist or dictator. The humorous elements of these advertisements are very high and successful, however one questions if they have perhaps sacrificed reliability and client trust for

Floating charge Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Floating charge - Case Study Example A search at Company's House had not revealed any other existing charges. This floating charge was registered on the 24th of April 2008 at Companies' House, the same day it was created. In October 2008 Marina and Mortimer also decided to double their orders for polymeric fibers with Synthetic Fibres Plc, needed for the production of fake furs. Synthetic Fibres Plc insisted on a reservation of title clause in all contracts for future supplies of polymer fibers. In November 2008 Synthetic Fibres Plc made a delivery of '30,000 worth of polymeric fibres to Imitation Furs Ltd. Following the advice of their accountants on the 18th of March 2009, Imitation Furs Ltd is now in insolvent liquidation. To come up with an answer to the question, it is necessary to define first the meaning of floating charge and reservation of title clause (or simple retention of the title clause), where, when and how they are used, who can use, and the extent of their use. This paper will first begin with the discussion on the floating charge on the first part and the discussion of the simple retention of title clause on the second part. The discussion and conclusion will be based available scholarly works and decided cases relevant to the topic from reputable sources in the internet in answering the question. A floating charFloating Charge, Defined A floating charge is a mortgage, debenture or other security documentation, is likely to create charges over particular assets as security for borrowings or other indebtedness. There are essentially two types of charge, floating and fixed. A floating charge is appropriate to assets and material which is subject to change on a day to day basis, such as stock. Individual items move into and out of the charge as they are bought and sold in the ordinary course of events. The floating charge crystallizes if there is a default or similar event. At that stage the floating charge is converted to a fixed charge over the assets which it covers at that time. A floating charge is not as effective as a fixed charge but is more flexible.1 History of Floating Charge Floating charge has its roots from the United Kingdom.2 Historically, there is no legislation and no judicial decision that was a genesis of a floating charge, and the nature of the chargee's interest in the charged assets (or fund assets) remains doctrinally uncertain. The earliest descriptions were given by Lord Macnaghten in two cases.3 First, In Government Stocks and Other Securities Investment Co Ltd v Manila Rly Co [1897] AC 81 at 86 he said: "A floating security is an equitable charge on the assets for the time being of a going concern. It attaches to the subject charged in the varying condition in which it happens to be from time to time. It is the essence of such a charge that it remains dormant until the undertaking ceases to be a going concern, or until the person in whose favour the charge is created intervenes. His right to intervene may of course be suspended by agreement. But if there is no agreement for suspension, he may exercise his right whenever he pleases after default." Later in Illingworth v Houldsworth