The History of Caste in India Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

The History of Caste in India - Term Paper Example It is therefore at all times difficult to interpret the past without letting the concerns of the present interfere. What can be ascertained with reasonable confidence is that by the 2nd century BCE the current caste system was in place, with the exception of the ‘Untouchables’ which did not appear until 600 years ago.1 Both systems were hierarchical and existed across the vast Indian Territory in varying and often quite different forms. In economic terms, being a member of the higher classes opened the door to relative wealth and prestige, whereas membership of the two lower castes meant generally living in poverty. In addition, in social terms ‘pollution’ was a serious problem between the castes, particularly for the lowest class, leading to severe and often humiliating exploitation.These conditions were portrayed as a largely homogenous Indian phenomenon by British Colonial Administrators and Orientalists, during the 18th and 19th centuries. The latter in particular took an intense interest in India and their works have until the middle of the 20th century represented the sum total of scholarly opinion. Although their interpretations are now often regarded as superficial and naive, a large component of the historical research then undertaken is still recorded as relatively sound and has found its ways into later works. It was only in the 20th century that views of simplicity and homogeneity were challenged, principally through events on the ground in India. Whereas Ghandi is often seen as something of a watershed in these stirrings, there were in fact others who attempted to challenge the established order. One of these is Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, of particular importance here because he himself came from the lowest caste. He believed in his later years that Hinduism was corrupted beyond redemption and converted to Buddhism, whereas Ghandi maintained steadfastly throughout his life that division between the castes could be mended by r eturning to a purer form of Hinduism. It has now been recognized, however, that the problem is far more complex and that post-independence anti-poverty programs, whilst bringing a measure of relief to the lowest caste, are now the source of escalating violence, particularly in those states that have the highest poverty rates. There have been many reports of ‘Harijan atrocities’2, often involving degrading acts perpetrated by higher caste members and sometimes even leading to multiple deaths of members of the scheduled caste. Whilst these higher caste anxieties do not always translate into violence, they generally take the form of discrimination in social, educational and employment settings. And although some of this is waning, from convenience rather than conviction, rural areas are far more orthodox and discrimination here is much more marked. As with any hierarchical system, those at the top will fight for their privileges and are unlikely to let go of their higher s tatus. Thus it seems that the Indian caste system is here to stay and the best the lower castes can hope for is that in time they can share in India’s growing wealth and that the ‘polluting’ element of their condition will fade into oblivion. How fast these changes will occur will largely depend on how

Why are so many high school students dropping out before graduation Essay - 1

Why are so many high school students dropping out before graduation - Essay Example The organization aims at encouraging teenagers to explore their potential, through weekly national campaigns, to bring about social change (â€Å"11 Facts About Dropping Out†). In this competitive age spurred by globalization, there is a need to remain relevant. This implies that countries need to ensure they produce competent and productive workers for economic development thus moderated costs of health care and other social services (Monrad). According to Rumberger and Lim, causes of high school dropouts are categorized into individual and institutional perspectives; therefore, the student’s mindset and conduct are among what individual perspective highlights. These factors relate to the individual, and others include school performance, disengagement, and recurrent residential and school mobility. Dropping out of school is viewed as a process instigated by detachment from school. This implies that the student slowly gets swayed away from the idea of school because of reasons such as undertaking adult duties that consist of taking care of siblings, having to get a job that involves long hours and becoming a parent early. The background of the student is the core foundation of the risk factors identified in the institutional perspectives; moreover, background refers to the environment surrounding a student, and it comprises socioeconomic status, dependable figures in his/her life that is single or step parent and the situation at school. The nature of family a student is raised in is quite crucial and entails the structure i.e. who the breadwinner is practices i.e. values and norms, and resources (Rumberger and Lim). The situation at school entails the behavior and attitudes of teachers i.e. do they interact well with the students, nature of administration i.e. rules and regulations, school structure and resources available to students. Rules and regulations that bring about dropouts include Grade Point Average (GPA) minimums, zero-tolerance

A Day In The Life Of A Pharisee Religion Essay

A Day In The Life Of A Pharisee Religion Essay To be a good Jew is to have a vision and goal to achieve the ultimate level of holiness in the eyes of God. Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew, and during his lifetime there emerged many different groups whose ultimate goal was to follow and put into practice what God expected of his people. Among these, there stood three major groups known as the Pharisees, Sadducees and Essenes. In attempt to be a conscientious first century Jew, in comparison to the other groups, I feel as though the Pharisees hold the most appealing position in terms of living a genuine and legitimate religious life. During the time of first century Judaism, many groups conformed to his teachings however many made an attempt to challenge his judgment. Stepping into the Hasmonean period, sometime before 135 BCE, in terms of social class, the Pharisees arose as a group more applicable to a common people however it did consist of a few priests (Sanders, 44). Considering my place in society in the 20th Century, I believe it would be accurate to assume that in Jesus lifetime, I could place myself among the commoners rather than part of the elite. This minor detail plays a part in my decision of choosing the Pharisees as an appealing group to be part of. Granted the fact that they are of my social standing, they would be able to relate to my needs best therefore we would share many of the same religious and political views. In a way, during the Hasmonean Dynasty, the Pharisees could be described as religious teachers of the law. Theologically, the Pharisees shared common Jewish orthodoxy (Sanders 44), believing in Israel as the chosen nation, the law in which was given to Moses, and the concept of repentance and forgiveness. As these beliefs were shared among the average Jews of the time, it makes sense as to why a first century Jews, as well as myself, would turn to the Pharisees as religious teachers. The Hebrew word for Pharisees is Perushim, meaning those who have a tendency to withdraw or to separate themselves. One could assume this name could relate to the Pharisaic mode of life which dictated a strict separation from all impurity and unclean foods (Isaacson 24). However it could correlate with the reality that the Pharisees do not share one uniform view on things; thus there were two groups of Pharisees, The Shammai and the Hillel. Inevitably, amongst these two groups there were disagreements. The Shammai stood on the conservative left wing side of the spectrum while The Hillel held a more liberal position. Fundamentally, the Shammai followed a more strict and zealous observance of the law. They were powerful up until 68 BCE and they educated aristocratic, wealthy families over a longer period of time. The Hillel became more widely known after 68 AD. They appealed more to the interest of those in lower classes because they demanded training and did not have such a literal un derstanding of the law. In my opinion it is inevitable for disputes to occur among different classes of society especially regarding similar traditions. Nevertheless the two groups of Pharisees still managed to put their differences aside and allow intermarriage. This is a prime example of something that Jesus would encourage people to do, and because the Pharisees could acknowledge this, is another reason why as a first century Jew I would find them an admirable group to comply with. As well as being religiously linked with the middle class people of society, the Pharisees continued the tradition of scribes and the men of Great Assembly (Isaacson 240). Just as the Scribes did, the Pharisees believed in the authority of oral tradition as well as the Torah. They also maintained the notion of afterlife as well as believing that God would send a Messiah to create peace over the world. In spite of this, it is important to understand that the society of Judea developed over time and the Pharisees helped guide this development by creating new laws as well progressing the synagogue and temple. According to Josephus they practiced the highest ideals both in their way of living and in their discourse (Sanders, 44). The Pharisees did not fail to understand the importance of Laws already formed by their predecessors but they initiated change in the developing Judea society by adding new laws for the people as well as taking a non-literal approach to Biblical Law. They closely followed the doctrine of immortality therefore laws such as an eye for an eye were explained in an approach that could be more comparable to the current circumstances of the people. In their effort to create new laws for more modern day society, they formed a purity rule in regards to the Mosaic Law. This is a law in which one is required to bathe in order to remove impurities before entering the temple. The Pharisees instructed people to wash their hands before the Sabbath and holy meals, and this eventually led Jews to wash their hands before every meal in order to wash away impurities. Because of their dedication to the religiosity of the people, the Pharisees were well liked amongst Jews that populated their communities. It is said that although the Jews made special rules for them to follow, they did not force them on everyone else (Sanders 44). I can appreciate that the Pharisees were overall trying to better the Jewish community however they did not try to enforce their traditions on others. In the second century the Pharisees improved the Jewish Temple with the development of the synagogue as well as the enforcement of oral traditions to those who resided within their communities. The Pharisees greatly appreciated the written law however they held close to them the oral teachings of their fore fathers. As a teacher to the people, the Pharisees did not question that which was passed down to them; they simply interpreted these traditions and passed it down orally to the people. The Pharisees wished to embrace the whole people particularly through education. It was their desire and intention that everyone in Israel achieve holiness through the study of the Torah (The Maccabees 93). The Pharisees cared about the temple developing as a whole in a way that fit the needs of current society. Not only did the Pharisees not impede their ideas on the Jews of the time, they respected that society is always changing. With this, the Pharisees created the temple to be a place that fit into the life of a commoner. As a Jew at the time, I could turn to the Pharisaic movement to help me understand and practice my faith in a way that I could best relate to. Along with the Pharisees, the Sadducees were among the earliest groups to form during the Hasmonean dynasty. For the most part, the Pharisees and the Sadducees were seen as opposition to each other politically and religiously. The word Sadducee is believed to have originated from Zadok, Solomons High Priest. This description seems justifiable given the fact that the Sadducees consisted of members of the aristocratic, conservative, elite standing of society. The Pharisees were more popular as they attracted the commoners of society, the Sadducees were a minority that held great power over Kings and embraced Hellenization, forcing Greek culture upon society. One of the biggest conflicts between these two groups involved the fact that the Sadducees rejected the doctrine of immortality. The Sadducees took a literal approach to the written law, following it word for word where as the Pharisees were open to interpretation of the Torah. The Sadducees did not believe in after life therefore not seeing the importance of the oral law. As a result, they rejected new laws and innovations which the Pharisees introduced in response to historical necessity (Isaacson 240). In regards to the temple, the Sadducees viewed it as untouchable, ultimately denying the Pharisaic attempt to develop and integrate new ideas into the temple. Evidentially the two groups were at constant disagreement with each other and this lead to tension within the second temple era. Eventually, a civil war broke out during the Hasmonean dynasty banishing the Sadducees as a whole leaving only the Pharisees to fully recover. Given these facts I would not have wanted to be a Sadducee due to their unwillingness to accept that society is forever changing and therefore observance of the law needed to change with it. I do not find it appealing that they were only considerate to the needs of those higher up in society and perhaps this is why they were unable to regain power afterwards.

Bluetooth :: sCommerce Technology Essays

A new technology of the 21st century is reshaping human life. The concept of silent commerce, commonly known as â€Å"sCommerce† is the silent transfer of knowledge and information through mobile phones and electronic devices. Sadly, this technology is initiating the transition from a humanistic society to a more electronically controlled world. This new, perhaps, frightful world introduces electronic devices capable of thinking for themselves without human control. Imagine the average teenager purchasing a CD player with enough intelligence to exchange and communicate with his/her laptop without the child’s consent. Or your Kenmore â€Å"frig† secretly letting your grocer know when you’re out of milk. Scary isn’t it? Well, sCommerce, particularly the Bluetooth chip, gives these electrically run â€Å"gadgets† these abilities. It allows inhuman things to have human capabilities and perhaps exceed our own â€Å"brain power.† T ruly, the Bluetooth chip may be an eye opening technological breakthrough, but has harmful humanistic, economic affects with its integration into the electronic and mobile/telecommunication world . Realistically, the average technologically involved person has heard the term â€Å"Bluetooth.† The apparent name of this chip is derived from the 10th century Scandinavian king, Harald Bluetooth, who was historically known for uniting various unorganized kingdoms. Similarly, Bluetooth is specialized to unite many competing electronic standards under one main specification. By definition, â€Å"Bluetooth is a global de facto standard for wireless connectivity. Based on a low-cost, short-range radio link, Bluetooth cuts the cords that used to tie up digital devices. When two Bluetooth equipped devices come within 10 meters range of each other, they can establish a connection together.

Judicial Process of Jack Kevorkian :: essays research papers fc

INTRODUCTION Jack Kevorkian was born on May 26, 1928 in Pontiac, MI. He attended the University of Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School with a specialty in pathology in 1952. In 1970, Jack Kevorkian became the chief pathologist at the Saratoga General Hospital in Detroit, Michigan. An advertisement was placed in the Detroit papers in 1987, which described Jack Kevorkian as a â€Å"physician consultant† for death counseling. In 1989, Kevorkian invented the Thanatron, which translates from Greek to English as the â€Å"Death Machine.† The Thanatron was Kevorkian’s tool that he used in many physician-assisted suicides. The machine operated through the use of intravenous drip to administer various doses of fluids to facilitate the death of a patient. Typically, the first dose, which is administered by the patient, was a drug called thiopental. This drug acts as a sleeping agent that sends the patient’s body into a comatose state. Once the p atient is asleep the lethal dose of potassium chloride is administered to stop the heart within minutes. The patient dies as a result of a heart attack. Jack Kevorkian has assisted in the suicide of at least 120 patients. In calculating the demographic data of these patients, I have concluded three different findings with respect to underlying patient illness, age and gender of the patients. All of these patients have suffered from a terminal or debilitating illness. The three highest incidents of illness among the 120 patients were cancer, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The highest incidents of the 120 physician-assisted suicides occurred in the age range of 40 to 60 years of age. Approximately seventy percent of Kevorkian’s patients were female and thirty percent were male. As a result of Jack Kevorkian’s success in assisting in the suicide of these 120 patients, family members, law enforcement and the courts sought many legal inquiries. The state of Michigan, where most of the assisted suicides occurred, does not have a law against this practice. There have been several legal attempts to imposed criminal charges against Jack Kevorkian for his participation in these suicides. In June of 1990, Jack Kevorkian performed his first assisted suicide using the Thanatron. The patient was Janet Adkins, age 54, of Portland, Oregon. Adkins had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Murder charges were brought against Kevorkian as a result of his assistance in the death of Janet Adkins.

Lavendery Cafe Essay

Levendary Cafe was appointed with a new CEO in January 2011. Mia Foster is a first time CEO with no international management experience, faced with a major challenge at Levendary Cafe, a $10billion US-based fast chain. However, the Levendary Cafe already established in China market while departing CEO Howard Leventhal in the position. Strategically, many of the corporate staff have become concerned that the company’s major expansion into China is moving too far from Levendary’swell defined concepts of store design and menu. Besides that, Mia Foster is also found that Chinese subsidiary submitted all management and financial reports to Denver or likely known as headquarters of Levendary Cafe in its own format. Louis Chen is the president of Levendary China. He is capable of speak Mandarin Chinese and English and had long experience as retail property developer gave him intimate familiarity with neighborhoods in Shanghai and Beijing. Chen also had a network of contacts to help speed up the process of permitting, incorporating, and staffing stores. However, in order to overcome these challenges, Mia Foster had her first video conference meeting with Louis Chen. Since, Mia Foster is not satisfied with financial report format, she urged Louis Chen to make a change. Meanwhile, financial evidence shows that Chen’s efforts have produced strong results and suggests that he knows China far better than U.S headquarters does. Mia Foster wants to protect the integrity of reporting structure. Organizationally, Foster has been frustrated by the apparent unwillingness of Louis Chen to confirm to the company’s planning and reporting processes. Therefore, Chief Franchise officer Peter was flies to China conduct a comprehensive review on the 23 Levendary Cafe in the market. Hence he submitted the detailed description on the 23 Levendary Cafes in China to Mia Foster. Based on the detailed description submitted to the CEO, She found that several Levendary’s Cafe concept of store design and menu was customized without any standardized. Thus, Mia Foster had a second video conference meeting with Louis Chen. During the meeting, Chen response angrily to Foster, he was work hard to begin from zero until 23 Levendary Cafe today and explained the necessitates of differentiation and customization in the foreign market as well. Finally, Foster is aware of the  difficulties of localizing a chain restaurant concept in foreign market. As a result, Foster decided flies to China to meet with Chen personally and to make a decision that will determine the future of Levendary China. Problems When Levendary entered China, they gave Chen the full control over the operations there, although a well-developed detailed plan and a clear tactic of how to implement this plan is a must. However it is clearly this is not the case whereas everything had been handed to Chen from A to Z. The chain of Levendary Cafà © in USA are run by a strict set of rules and allowing modifications only after approval from the concept group regarding the â€Å"look and feel† of the firm. The Levendary Cafà © in China is following a business model which is completely different from that of the US operation model. Chen wanted this cafà © to adapt to the changing tastes of people from place to†¦ Observing the various critical situations mentioned above, the following are the various problems that are to be dealt. The first problem will be the differences in accounting techniques used by China and US. This is a major problem for the HQ of Levendary Cafà © because as it being a listed company it should be as transparent and uniform as possible while preparing its income statements which will be the translated into annual reports and they will be the face of the company in the public. So, translating the income reports from China into reports according to the GAAP principles used in USA is both time taking and increasing the costs. Furthermore, the outlet design standards and menu selection in China are different with US. There are non- standardized operations in China with US. The Levendary Cafà © in China is following a business model which is completely different from that of the US operation model. Chen wanted this cafà © to adapt to the changing tastes of people from place to place. Chen setting up stores according to the local needs rather than following the standardized model adapted by US outlets. He also tried to modify the â€Å"look and feel† of the cafà © according to the locality in which it is operating. For example, the branch at Shanghai’s historic Yu Garden area provided a  takeaway counter with no seating and the branch at North entrance to Beijing’s Forbidden City, replaced classic wooden framed upholstered chairs with aplastic framed alternative besides no salads on its menu which salad is a must on US menu. While the branch at Shanghai, all but one sandwich item had been removed from the menu & replaced by a variety of local. Chen was modifying Levendary’s signature menu items, outlet design standards and the overall cafà © environments without consulting U.S. management. Hence, newly appointed Levendary CEO Mia Foster was faced with a number of pressing matters ranging from how to link Chen and his management team to those in corporate headquarters, to the standardization of future Levendary Cafà © locations. Decision Analysis &Solutions Concluded of the case study, Levendary Cafà © has taught the person who reads particularly business player to concern and obey headquarter, yet disremembering the subordinate within doing business. Even somehow headquarter is not the centre of the truth without doing any respectable communication with the subordinate. The Levendary Cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s main person is Mia Foster, as a CEO and Louis Chen, an employee who runs and in charge of the Levendary business in China. By this case, Chen must be obviously maintain the communication and the concern of Levendary China situation to the Headquarter. The situation of Lavendary China must be monitored by consensus and Chinese Operation market. Mia Foster as a CEO, she might more understand the needs of Headquarter and Levendary China market. The operation of the Levendary China will follow the requirements and report by Louis Chen. Generally, the Levendary headquarter must be extra concern about the up-to-date and current issues of the subsidiary office. By the case study, the Levendary China is struggling into the market and competition, how to settle the business in China as well as trying hard to keep an eye on certain rule and regulations of headquarter, essentially those were not be working. Technically, the barrier was facing in Levendary China is about localized the market segmentation. The Levendary China must build the solid and tough team through leading by Chen. Actually, Louis Chen had brilliant idea to draw the excessive concept for Levendary China and would work out with that idea. The only things that Chen needs are reasonable endorsement from Mia Foster and headquarter.

Cost Benefit Analysis Essay

Abstract The City of Sanford initiated work on their Parks and Grounds City Project in 2004 with the development of Phase I of said project in an effort to create and build a better community for city residents. In doing so, they have been privy to obtaining various grants and funding that allowed them to extend the focus on the project to the Riverwalk and Seawall, while extending the phases of the Program to Street Revitalization, the Riverwalk Gateway, the Marketplace at Seminole Towne Center, and soon the Orlando Sanford International Airport. This document will note the cost-benefit analysis that took place in the development of the project. It will also state how such analysis is used for making decisions regarding public expenditures, the role the economic theory played in conducting research for this particular project as well as the influence of economic theory on the cost benefit analysis for this project. Public Finance Proposal Part I: Cost Benefit Analysis The consideration of costs and benefits in the evaluation of an upcoming city project is a rather logical process. In fact, it is important for city managers to take into account the project costs and benefits prior to implementation of said project. The process of developing the project idea is essential and thus consideration for the best course of action becomes essential to the process. Once these measures have been weighed out it is critical to compare the costs associated with implementing the courses of action addressed in the development phase. Decision-Making through Analysis Through the use of Cost Benefit Analysis, the City of Sanford City Management and board of county commissioners addressed the costs and benefits to the project at a time when the economy was starting to take a downturn. It was therefore critical to evaluate the project thoroughly and determine the feasibility of the costs to the city budget. Though cost benefit analysis probably could be best used in making quick and simple financial decisions (Mind Tools, 2012), one certainly can take away from this process the brainstorming involved in the initial decision making. Surely the city managers involved in the development of the city of Sanford Riverwalk Project addressed the needs of the community prior to development of the project. In fact, knowing the city’s history is critical in understanding the Department of Parks and Recreations focus on implementing such a plan. The City of Sanford’s focus on economic growth and the revitalization of the historic riverfront for which it is best known for is just one example of its efforts. Sanford’s focus on community development is clearly shown in its commitment to leisure activities designed to enhanced city resident’s quality of life. Although the city is known for its charming and traditional 19th century downtown area, it is also becoming more available to adjoining communities through its vibrant and fast paced interstate corridor. This corridor is best known to travelers from out of town by way of the Orlando Sanford International Airport as well as through the surrounding interstate (Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, 2009). It is clear that city managers focused on the development of the city in implementing the projects that would not only enhance the quality of life of residents, but also with the economic activity would also help improve the city through recognition by also providing advantages. In this case the benefits of implementing the city projects far outweighed the cost, and showed to be feasible enough to implement through use of federal grants such as the Community Development Block Grants and through partnerships with County Government in providing effective packages for such projects as these. The Role of Economic Theory Economic theory is an essential part in economic research, and even more so when discussing the development of city projects. The idea that the implementation of policies in budgetary issues would improve people’s lives is attractive to budget administrators and city administrators alike (Varian, 1989). In fact, it is most useful for evaluating the answers to common problems faced by local organizations. The determining factor is based on the approach taken to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. The use of Cost Benefit Analysis in City Projects , such as the Sanford Riverwalk, provides strategic analysis and planning of the recreational incentives for city residents. The city is based around surrounding popular cities known for their parks and recreation. The City of Altamonte Springs, Daytona Beach, and the City of Orlando are known for their state parks and touristic areas. Because the development of such a project would contribute to a competitive market and enhance the face value of the city, it is part of the overall analysis of the research conducted on this particular project. Influence of Economic Theory Economic theory was certainly influential in cost benefit analysis of this project. After all, in considering the allocation of resources and funds to be contributed to this particular project it is important to consider how the implementation of policies and use of budgetary items contribute to the enhancement of daily living. In addressing economic developments for the city it is critical to permit processes of analysis and improvements that provide a service to the development of the community and provide the ability to meet the Department representatives to discuss site specific development issues (City of Sanford Government, 2011). Reports generated over the years confirm the economic impact generated in the city in this past year to reflect over $15 million (City of Sanford Government, 2011), thus another example of the economic influence to the city’s development of said project. In the long run, the use of cost benefit analysis in development of community projects is a relatively easy tool that can be used to decide if a change is necessary in the community. Consideration of economic theory and the influence of that theory on the analysis of project development is essential in determining if the project will be effective and feasible for the local government. References City of Sanford Government. (2011). City Manager’s 2012 Annual Report . Sanford: City of Sanford. Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. (2009). Sanford Stats. Orlando : Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. Mind Tools. (2012, December 10). Retrieved from Mind Tools: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_08.htm Varian, H. R. (1989). What use is Economic Theory? University of California at Berkeley.