Bucknell University Personal Statement - 996 Words

I am applying for the Assistant Professor Position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at Bucknell University (Job no: 493839). Currently, I am an Assistant Clinical Professor and Research Educator in the Designing Innovations (DI) Research Stream in the First-Year Innovation and Research Experience (FIRE) at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). I have had various teaching and mentoring experiences with undergraduate students since 2013. I am currently leading the DI Research Stream which provides a unique opportunity to mentor and teach engineering design and design research to freshmen and sophomores. Specifically, I am interested in investigating how teams of human designers tackle complex design problems. To†¦show more content†¦While my responsibilities included teaching, I spent most of time mentoring 122 students through the test plan development and experiments required by the lab’s seven modules involving topics ranging from material property characterization, flow loop, and performance testing of vacuum cleaners. In addition, I trained new graduate lab assistants; developed two new lab modules addressing industrial safety for operating lathes, drill presses, and milling machines; and developed a presentation on the technical writing skills required for the content and format of the lab reports. D ue to my 6 years research and educational background in engineering design, I am interested to teach various courses across the mechanical engineering curriculum including MECH 220 Mechanics, MECH 202 Graphics for Design and Manufacture, MECH 222 Introduction to Mechanical Engineering Lab, MECH 353 Solid Mechanics, MECH 355 Manufacturing Processes, and MECH 302 Finite Elements in Analysis and Design immediately after starting. Moreover, I am interested to teach thermo-fluid courses because my Master of Science concentration was on experimental heat transfer and thermo-fluid sciences. In both my teaching and mentoring, I practiced and used a student-centered learning approach. I make sure to ask students a series of guiding questions leadShow MoreRelatedAnimal, Vegetable, Miserable938 Words   |  4 Pages In November 2009, Gary Steiner, a Philosopher, author and Professor at Bucknell University, wrote an article in the New York Times entitled, â€Å"Animal, Vegetable, Miserable.† In the article, Steiner discusses how unethical he believes it is to use animals for human consumption. In addition to consuming animals, Steiner writes that it is inhumane to use any products that were made from sacrificing animal lives. The article goes on to say that recently, more and more people have become interested inRead MoreEssay on The Ethical Foundations of Starbucks and Humana1693 Words   |  7 Pagesand providing quality medical care produce conflicts of interest, which for all involved lead to bad decisions and moral dilemas. The conclusions reached in this paper are the result of extensive investigation conducted through the Internet, personal interview, literature review, and legal findings. The consensus drawn from this analysis is that Starbucks is a shining example of corporate social responsibility and Humana is not. Introduction to Starbucks Starbucks is the UnitedRead MorePoetic Devices and Practical Criticism on Robert Frost’s â€Å"Fire and Ice†2244 Words   |  9 Pagesto be consumed by envy and lust and the capability to hate (Mishra 103). From these two, he points the greater of two harms i.e. to desire. In putting desire to the leading position with respect to the world destruction, Frost is giving a strong statement in relation to jealousy and greed, saying that more than anything else, even hatred, jealousy and greed are those traits of human beings that will probably bring about the end of this world as well as the human kind. According to Frost, desire isRead MoreKubla Khan a Supernatural Poem8401 Words   |  34 Pagespsycho-aesthetic totality. This problematises the poem as the end-product of the creative process rather than an integral part of the process, which presupposes further aesthetic production and idealistic speculation. But as we shall see Hewitt s statement works in favour of the formulation of the poetics of becoming and constructive deferral since the poem unquestionably interconnects with other poems rather than remains an isolated or an enclosed entity.Hewitt s concern is not unrelated to Jean-PierreRead MoreVolkswagen Case Study4966 Words   |  20 Pagesprovided to the customers, it can be seen through the case [BECAUSE THE ASSIGNMENT IS ABOUT THE CASE. QUESTIONS HAVE TO BE ANSWERED FROM THE â€Å"CASE†. IT IS â€Å"NOT† PERSONAL RESEARCH. THE FIVE QUESTIONS ARE FROM THE CASE THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED that the consumer thought that VW was â€Å"their† [INVERTED COMMAS ARE USED TO EMPHASIZE ON THE â€Å"PERSONAL† ELEMENT OF THE CAR – PLEASE REFER TO THE CASEcar. The car was the member of the family and something that the individual could rely on and be proud of. The exampleRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pages17th century 3.3 18th century 3.4 19th century 3.5 20th century 3.6 21st century 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 Further reading 9 External links Origin[edit] The term was coined in 1819 by philologist Karl Morgenstern in his university lectures, and later famously reprised by Wilhelm Dilthey, who legitimated it in 1870 and popularized it in 1905.[1] [6] The genre is further characterized by a number of formal, topical, and thematic features.[7] The term coming-of-age novel is

The Impact of Slavery on African Society Essay - 1149 Words

The Impact of Slavery on African Society Slavery has played a strong role in African society from as early as prehistoric times, continuing to the modern era. Early slavery within Africa was a common practice in many societies, and was very central to the country’s economy. Beginning around the 7th century, two groups of non-African slave traders significantly altered the traditional African forms of slavery that had been practiced in the past. Native Africans were now being forced to leave the country to be used as slaves. The two major slave trades, trans-Saharan and trans-Atlantic, became central to the organization of Africa and its societies until the modern era. Slavery and the slave trade strongly affected African society, and†¦show more content†¦As European desire grew for products including sugar, cotton and rice, the demand for plantation labor also increased. African slave labor was cheap among European standards, leading to the influx of such a large number of African slaves in the New World. Eu ropean and American slave-traders acquired roughly 12 million slaves from West and west central Africa. People may argue that the practice did not become dehumanizing until white Europeans came along and took slaves to the Americas’. Slavery had existed in Africa as it had in other parts of the world, for centuries, but it was not based on race and it did not result in dehumanization and death, as did transatlantic slavery. This statement is claiming that because the economies of Africa did not depend on slave labor, the number of enslaved people was small until European traders arrived. I am convinced that the African slave trade led to the dehumanization of Africans because it was focused on the legal institution created by law in America, which allowed white American settlers to actually own Africans. This type of slavery was severe and brutal, and also degenerated Africans. The rise of industrialization in America brought the demand for large amounts of labor which Ameri cans took advantage of to gain profit. The only group of Africans benefiting from theShow MoreRelatedLEQ1206 Words   |  5 PagesP.2 3 December 2014 LEQ 2.1.I.B: Comparison Question: Compare and contrast the time period prior to the development of the Atlantic slave trade and the time period right after its introduction and assess the impact of its emergence. To what extent did African slavery change American society? You may want to consider social, economic, and geographical. Prior to the Atlantic slave trade, the arable land along the South Atlantic seaboard were owned by wealth landowners and farmed primarily by eitherRead MoreThe American Dream And Its Reality For Minority Americans903 Words   |  4 Pages Even today, we are attempting to make society better by extending marriage rights to homosexuals and arguing the merits of flying the Confederate Battle flag over government buildings in non-historical situations. At the same time, concerns such as the impact of the Greek economic collapse on American business and the long-term cost of the Office of Personnel Management s data breech impact our belief in the continued economic improvement of our society. Arguments about the truth behind the AmericanRead MoreVoices Of Freedom : Slavery s Impact On African American Literature1204 Words   |  5 PagesSlavery’s impact on African American Literature In the early to mid-nineteenth century, America found itself divided over the issue of slavery. The culture, traditions, and economy of southern states depended heavily on slave labor, while the northern states opposed the institution of slavery. Even though the slave trade was declared illegal in the early nineteenth century, slavery itself was not illegalized until more than a half century later. Abolitionists used powerful anti-slavery writingsRead MoreSlavery And The United States1507 Words   |  7 PagesOver the centuries, slavery held a prominent factor in United States history. Slavery shaped and formed what society was in the United States. Slavery’s influence impacted the United States in various ways. The ways that slavery impacted United States history are the United States economy, society and politics. Some historians argue slavery is not an important factor in United States history. However, they are wrong because slavery brought many different political m ovements and the Underground RailroadRead MoreThe Slave Rebellion Was An Important Event That Helped Ignite The End Of Abolishing Slavery Essay1327 Words   |  6 PagesThe slave rebellion was an important event that helped ignite the start of abolishing slavery. Around the year of 1831 Nat Turner led a significant rebellion that mark the pursuit to freedom in America. Nat Turner is a former slave who was born in 1800. His plan was to â€Å"overthrow the slave regime† because he was fed up and felt that he wanted his own freedom instead of being degraded as a slave (Mason). What spark Turner’s idea about creating a rebellion was from a story he heard as a little boyRead MoreTransatlantic Slave Trade and the Effects on the American Economy1627 Words   |  7 Pagesand America† (Colin Palmer). The transatlantic slave trade transported African people to the â€Å"New World†. It lasted from the 16th to the 19th century. Slavery has had a big impact on Africa n culture. The Africans were forced to migrate away from everything they knew, culture, heritage and lifestyles (Captive Passage). Coupled with they were faced with racism and overcame life-threaten situations everyday. Nevertheless the Africans preserved and survived tremendous conditions. Even though the slave tradeRead MoreEssay about Indian Slavery and Islamic Slavery1504 Words   |  7 Pagesin the East African coast had an obvious importance in the development of the slavery as institution. However, as Cooper has pointed out, it is important take in account that there is not such â€Å"Islamic societies† as an homogeneous group of communities ruled by the Sacred Law. Instead, on each different place, the â€Å"Islamic slavery† was shaped by the local conditions and reshaped by the economic and social changes.1 The Islam was one of the â€Å"ideological frameworks† used in the African continent toRead MoreVoices Beyond Exploitation : Gender Norms And Racia l Bias1657 Words   |  7 PagesVoices beyond Exploitation: Gender Norms and Racial Bias in 18th Century Poetry From the mid-18th century until present day, Africans and people of African descent, as well as female poets who advocated for equal rights began to write down their personal stories of how slavery and social restrictions have impacted their lives. At first they would write in small paragraphs and poems, but later they would create collections of slave and feminist literature, that once published reached a range of peopleRead MoreSlavery in American Society: Impact and Evolution Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesSlavery in American Society: Impact and evolution Slavery in American Society The controversies surrounding slavery have been established in many societies worldwide for centuries. In past generations, although slavery did exists and was tolerated, it was certainly very questionable,† ethicallyâ€Å". Today, the morality of such an act would not only be unimaginable, but would also be morally wrong. As things change over the course of history we seek to not only explain why things happen, butRead MoreBlack Movements Of America By Cedric J. Robinson1530 Words   |  7 PagesNarrative focuses on the chronological poles of robinson s ranging, chronological and compelling narrative of movements in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries maroon societies, and urban community organized during the late years of black power movements. Throughout the book, Robinson distinctively points out African consciousness that informed the commitments, insights, and politics of black radicals. He begins with the discussion of â€Å"The Coming to America† which then focuses on Blacks

Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars Are the Round Echinoderms

Sea urchins and sand dollars (Echinoidea) are a group of echinoderms that are spiny, globe or disk-shaped animals. Sea urchins and sand dollars are found in all the worlds oceans. Like most other echinoderms, they are pentaradially symmetrical (the have five sides arranged around a central point). Characteristics Sea urchins range in size from as small as a couple of inches in diameter to over a foot in diameter. They have a mouth located on their upper part of their body (also known as the oral surface) although some sea urchins have a mouth located towards one end (if their body shape is irregular). Sea urchins have tube feet and move using a water vascular system. Their endoskeleton consists of calcium carbonate spicules or ossicles. In sea urchins, these ossicles are fused into plates that form a shell-like structure called a test. The test encloses the internal organs and provides support and protection. Sea urchins can sense touch, chemicals in the water, and light. They do not have eyes but their entire body seems to detect light in some manner. Sea urchins have a mouth that consists of five jaw-like parts (similar to the structure of brittle stars). But in sea urchins, the chewing structure is known as Aristotles lantern (so named for the description of Aristotles History of Animals). The teeth of sea urchins sharpen themselves as they  grind food. The Aristotles lantern encloses the mouth and the pharynx and empties into the esophagus which in turn connects to the small intestine and caecum. Reproduction Some species of sea urchins have long, sharp spines. These spines serve as protection from predators and can be painful if they puncture the skin. It has not been determined in all species whether the spines are venomous or not. Most sea urchins have spines that are about an inch long (give or take a bit). The spines are often rather blunt at the end although a few species have longer, sharper spines. Sea urchins have separate sexes (both male and female). It is difficult to distinguish between the sexes but males usually select different microhabitats. They are usually found in more exposed or higher locations than females, enabling them to disperse their spermatic fluid into the water and distribute it better. Females, in contrast, select more protected locations to forage and rest. Sea urchins have five gonads located on the underside of the test (although some species only have four gonads). They release gametes into the water and fertilization takes place in open water. Fertilized eggs develop into free-swimming embryos. A larva develops from the embryo. The larva develops test plates and descends to the seafloor where it completes its transformation into an adult form. Once in its adult form, the sea urchin continues to grow for several years until it reaches its mature size. Diet Sea urchins feed on algae for the most part although some species also feed occasionally on other invertebrates such as sponges, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, and mussels. Although they appear to be sessile (attached to the seafloor or substrate) they are capable of moving. They move over surfaces by way of their tube feet and spines. Sea urchins provide a food source for sea otters as well as wolf eels. Evolution Fossil sea urchins date back about 450 million years ago to the Ordovician period. Their closest living relatives are sea cucumbers. Sand dollars evolved much more recently than sea urchins, during the Tertiary, about 1.8 million years ago. Sand dollars have a flattened disk test, instead of the globe-shaped test sea urchins have. Classification Animals Invertebrates Echinoderms Sea Urchins and Sand Dollars Sea urchins and sand dollars are divided into the following basic groups: Perischoechinoidea - The members of this group were abundant during the Palaeozoic Era but today only a few members still survive. Most species of Perischoechinoidea became extinct during the Mesozoic Era.Echinoidea - The majority of living sea urchins belong to this group. Members of the Echinoidea first appeared during the Triassic Period.

Personalities of Hamlet in William Shakespeare´s Play by...

â€Å"A man does what he must — in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers, and pressures — and that is the basis of all human morality,† John F. Kennedy once stated. In the tragedy, Hamlet, William Shakespeare presents Hamlet as one of the most distinguishable characters due his quest to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet Throughout the play, he is given various voices: as an avenger, as a moralist, and as a philosopher. In this essay, I will be explaining these personalities of Hamlet in depth. The voice of Hamlet as an avenger is observed across the play after the ghost of old king Hamlet reveals that Claudius is the individual who murdered him. Hamlet commences his quest to kill Claudius by initially, acting†¦show more content†¦Instead of killing the king immediately, he follows his morals by first seeking to learn if what the ghost said is true. While giving much thought to his situation, Hamlet comes up with a plan called the â€Å"Mousetrap† in which the actors will reenact the death of old King Hamlet. If Claudius reacts nervous due to this play, Hamlet will know that the ghost can be trusted Hamlet can lastly be seen as a philosophical figure across many instances in this play. He enjoys thinking about complex questions that he himself cannot answer without any doubts. Hamlet primarily questions himself about existence and death questions, pondering about what happens after a body dies, suicide, and in addition, the afterlife. For example, in Act 5, Scene 1, Hamlet states â€Å"Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returned to dust, the dust is dirt, and dirt makes mud we use to stop up holes.† In this quote, Hamlet can be observed as a philosopher since he emphasizes that everyone faces the same fate of death regardless if that certain individual is an impoverished person or a wealthy person. In addition, Hamlet can be seen as a philosopher in one of his most famou s soliloquies, the â€Å"To be or not to be† speech. In this soliloquy, Hamlet ponders whether or not life is worth living. He emphasizes the unfairness of life but then states that death might be worse. HamletShow MoreRelatedHamlets Psychological Aspect2256 Words   |  10 Pagesreading this play: Hamlet. The inner motivations and psyche of this character have captured my attention. Therefore, the aim of this research is to depict Hamlet’s attitudes during the play. I will try to approach to his real feelings on life and death taking into consideration what critics and researchers have said about Hamlet. In order to clarify Hamlet’s personality and behaviour, I will provide some aspects of the historical context in which Shakespeare was inspired to write this play, and aRead MoreSurface, Depth, And A Reflected World Of Hamlet1830 Words   |  8 PagesWorld of Hamlet Although dynamic characters typically develop through solely personal obstacles, William Shakespeare uses the character of Hamlet as a contradiction by illustrating his growth through other characters. In Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Shakespeare strategically uses Laertes and Fortinbras in order to foil the character of Hamlet. An extended metaphor of a pond is created and through tangled family ties, internal conflict concerning perfection, and the pursuit of justice, Shakespeare is ableRead MoreThe Problem with â€Å"Hamlet and His Problems†1862 Words   |  8 Pagesespecially William Shakespeare, have created some of the most stirring and thought provoking stories to be performed on stage. One of the most famous of Shakespeare’s plays is the tragedy of â€Å"Hamlet†. Most people would read â€Å"Hamlet† and come to the conclusion that Shakespeare is a playwright mastermind, however, there are a few that would call it a disaster. One of these few peopl e is T. S. Eliot, who wrote an essay called â€Å"Hamlet and his Problems† in which he verbally attacks Shakespeare and claimsRead MoreHamlet s Attitude And Treatment Of His Mother1522 Words   |  7 PagesModern folklore suggests women look at a man s relationship with his mother to predict how they will treat other women in their life. Hamlet is a good example of a son s treatment of his mother reflecting how he will treat the woman he loves because when considering Hamlet s attitude and treatment of the Ophelia in William Shakespeare s play, Hamlet, one must first consider how Hamlet treated his mother. A characteristic of Hamlet s personality is to make broad, sweeping generalizations andRead MoreThe First Act Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare1447 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet Throughout the first act of Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, clothing imagery is used to illustrate the common theme of â€Å"is versus seems.† The clothing references made with Laertes, son of Polonius, Gertrude, the queen of Denmark, and Hamlet, the protagonist of the play, come to either reflect the character’s true feelings, or highlight the differences between what the character feels and what emotion they display. Before leaving to France, Polonius, counselor to the king, advises his sonRead More Soliloquy Term Paper: Hamlet’s Soliloquies3192 Words   |  13 PagesReading Shakespeare’s Hamlet, it seems that at every other turn in the narrative the prince is alone and uttering another soliloquy. What is the nature of his various soliloquies? How many are there? What are their contexts? This essay will answer these questions and more. John Russell Brown in â€Å"Soliloquies and Other Wordplay Let the Audience Share Some of Hamlet’s Thoughts† explains that soliloquies are but one form of wordplay Hamlet uses: By any reckoning Hamlet is one of the most complexRead More Shakespeares Hamlet - Hamlet’s Villain, King Claudius Essay3285 Words   |  14 PagesHamlet’s Villain, King Claudius      Ã‚  Ã‚   In the drama Hamlet Shakespeare has concocted a multi-dimensional character in the person of King Claudius. It is the intent of this essay to analyze and probe all the various aspects of this curious personality.    Ward and Trent in The Cambridge History of English and American Literature consider Shakespeare’s options in designing the character of Claudius:    There were at least two ways in which an ordinary, or rather more than ordinaryRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet And Tom Stoppard s Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead2522 Words   |  11 PagesA Play Interpreted In The Eyes of Two Fools William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, are contrasting plays with a variety of similarities. Shakespeare’s Hamlet was written between the years 1599 to 1602 and is a play about tragedy set in the Kingdom of Denmark. Hamlet is about the young prince of Denmark, Hamlet, seeking revenge against his uncle, Claudius, for succeeding the throne after murdering his father, King Hamlet, and immediately marrying hisRead More Sexuality and Aggression in Hamlet Essay1998 Words   |  8 PagesSexuality and Aggression in Hamlet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚           Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Man and Wife Is One Flesh: Hamlet and the Confrontation with the Maternal Body, Janet Adelman argues that the motivating force behind the plot action in Hamlet is the collapse of boundaries between relationships of individuals, sexes, and divisions of public (state) and private (love) life. The primary cause of the breakdown results from the bodily contamination spread through overt sexuality, specifically maternal sexuality. Janet AdelmanRead More Hamlet and his Soliloquies Essay2997 Words   |  12 PagesHamlet and his Soliloquies      Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s Hamlet the reader finds a chain of soliloquies, seven in total, involving the protagonist and extending from beginning to end of the drama. In this essay let us examine the soliloquy-approach which the hero uses.    Harry Levin comments on Hamlet’s penchant for soliloquies in the General Introduction to The Riverside Shakespeare:    Comparably, Hamlet has been taken to task – or, perhaps more often, sentimentalized – for an alleged

Research Methodology Essay Free Essays

â€Å"The study of man contains a greater variety of intellectual styles than any other area of cultural endeavor. How different social scientists go about their work, and what they aim t accomplish by it, often do not seem to have a common denominator †¦ Let us admit the case of our critics from the humanities and from the experimental sciences: Social science as a whole is both intellectually and morally confused. And what is called sociology is very much in the middle of this confusion. We will write a custom essay sample on Research Methodology Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now † Wright Mills Images of Man Abstract The quest for knowledge has always been at the forefront of societies mind. What makes us tick as a society or an individual, what circumstances have to come about to lead to different phenomena to occur? Sociologists, psychologists, philosophers and social scientists have spent eons of time pondering on these questions. Research is the way in which these questions may be answered, but the question remains, as to what type of research leads us to the right answer or, if there is a right answer, what is the one true answer? If different research methods produce different answers, which is the right, the true answer and if we find it does this render all the other answers null or wrong? These are some of the questions that I will be asking in this paper through examining concepts such as the symbolic order in research, the role of emotions in research, the grouping together of different methodologies to create a clearer picture of the research and the importance of reflexivity during the research process. Keywords; emotions, symbolic order, reflexivity. The word research originates from the late 16th century French word recerche, re (expressing intensive force) and cherchier to search. It means the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. In this essay I will be focusing on qualitive research methods, examining some of the problems that may be encountered when conducting social research and how these problems may be overcome and used to advantage. Qualitative research takes an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter; qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings that people bring to them. This process begins by understanding that there are a variety of ways of making sense of the world and therefore focuses on discovering the meanings that are seen by those who are being researched, to better understand their view of the world. The methodology used in research will vary in accordance with the research being conducted, this can be limiting if a type of methodology is decided on and rigidly adhered to throughout the research leaving no room for reconsideration or change of view. Different Methodological Approaches. The manner in which sociologists study society varies greatly between individual sociologists. There are many reasons for these varying views such as backgrounds, culture, family influences, religion and experiences with these experiences leading them to come to certain conclusions about certain situations. For this reason it is important not to rely on one type of sociological perspective which may constrict the researcher in the researching of certain phenomena. In research however objectively the reality of the social world was approached, its meaning was never self evident but always subject to interpretation with this interpretation being subject to the researchers biases formed out of the afore mentioned factors. Some of the different methods of researching or research style are Positivism which means scientific; positivists would argue that it is possible and desirable to study social behavior in ways similar to those used by natural scientists when studying the natural world. The interpretive approach to research has been gaining attention in recent years as an alternative to the more traditional positivist approach (Lee 342). Lee describes the interpretive approach as â€Å"such procedures as those associated with ethnography, hermeneutics, phenomenology and case studies. By the positivist he refers to inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, mathematical analysis and experimental and quasi experimental design. Ethnography (Greek ethnos = folk/people and graphein = writing) is a qualitative research method often used in the social sciences, particularly in anthropology and in sociology. It is often employed for gathering empirical data on human societies/cultures. Data collection is often done through participant observation, interviews, questionnaires, etc. Ethnography aims to describe the nature of those who are studied (i. e. to describe a people, an ethnos) through writing. In the biological sciences, this type of study might be called a â€Å"field study† or a â€Å"case report,† both of which are used as common synonyms for â€Å"ethnography. Lee states that the difference between positivist and interpretive approaches has been described as objective versus subjective (Burrell and Morgan 1979), outsider versus insider (Evered and Louis 1981), quantitive versus qualitive (Van Mannen 1979) and etic versus emic (Morey and Luthans 1984). In literature it may seem that these 2 methods of research are opposed and irreconcilable and there is some concern over what Morey and Luthans call the â€Å"widening gap between the two major orientations to organizational research† (1984, 84). Lee puts forward the idea of joining the two methodologies together as he argues that they both have something to offer the researcher. He devised a framework called three levels of understanding. [pic] The first level belongs to the observed human subjects, this consists of common sense and meanings which are true for these subjects and how they see themselves, which give rise to the behavior that they manifest in socially constructed settings. The second belongs to the observing organizational researcher. This understanding according to Lee is the researchers reading and interpretation of the first level, common sense understanding where the researcher may use concepts such as subjective interpretation, the hermeneutical circle or thick description. The third level of understanding also belongs to the researcher. This understanding is one that the researcher creates and tests in order to explain the empirical reality that he is investigating. This explanation is called scientific theory is made up of constructs that belong only to the observing researcher. This explanation consists of formal positions that typically posit the existence of unobservable entities such as social structure, issues that may attempt to account for the influence of certain factors of which the observed subjects may not even be aware. The above diagram shoes the flow of ideas and understanding between the three levels of understanding and the relevance of the two methods of research in question. This illustrated the importance of varying the methods of research used, to create a legitimate piece of research work it is vital to come at the work from different angles rather than taking a blinkered approach. This is vital all there can be no definite knowledge in research as there are so many variables and researchers take the research on for so many different reasons with so many different worldviews. Identifying applicable research strategies is almost as difficult as methodologies tend to differ according to the various factors found within the desired outcome. Yet methods cannot be orchestrated to generate this outcome from the data, but merely facilitate its collection and synthesis. Any successful research methodology does not, therefore, create knowledge, but rather is an applicable strategy for identifying and processing the information which exists. Hathaway (1995) stresses that there are decisions embedded within the creation and conduct of research methodologies that are generated both within the research setting and within the perceptions of the researcher. The concept of an unbiased methodology is thus inherently impossible: Are we creatures of reason and logic? Or are we better characterized as the victims of unconscious drives, forces and emotions? Does the different language we use really make such a difference in what we have to say? Are we saying something better and more academic if it is considered almost too technical for the reader to understand? Are texts considered more valid if they are difficult to understand and read? Are these technical essays and writings elitist, written by elitist academics just to be appreciated by like minded and like educated individuals? Why publish research ideas that are inaccessible to society? All researchers come to the experimentation process with preconceived opinions of how and why the research process should transpire. â€Å"When one chooses a particular research approach, one makes certain assumptions concerning knowledge, reality, and the researcher’s role. These assumptions shape the research Endeavour, from the methodology employed to the type of questions asked. † (Hathaway 1995). So how do we carry out the most informed research possible? It is important not to take a ‘sat nav’ approach to the research, asking a question that you already know the answer to and not be prepared to change course along the way, the research process is the information that the researcher finds along the pathway to the research, the phenomena the researcher encounters along the pathway is as relevant as the final conclusion and it is vital to include this in the research process. If the research question is not working is it preferable to change the question or come at the research from a different angle rather than trying to fit your research question into every area of the study? Reynolds argues that the methodologist turns research technician, in spite of himself, and becomes an aimless itinerant, moving in whatever direction his research techniques summon him, studying changing patterns of voting because these are readily accessible to his techniques rather than the workings of political institutions and organizations for which he has not evolved satisfying techniques of investigation. Reynolds 190). In my own research on texting differences between adults and teens I will be using field work which will consist of focus groups with informal questioning and conversation, individual interviews and data analysis in the form of analyzing a number of text interactions in both focus groups. Bourdieu and the Importance of Reflexivity in Social Research. Is knowl edge independent of the situation of the knower, or a product of it? Bourdieu stresses the importance in reflexivity while conducting social research. The sociologist must at all times be aware of their own habitus, their position of thought and in life and how bringing this to research will affect the research outcome. According to Bourdieu it is impossible for our objectivity to remain unbiased and unprejudiced due to our preconceived habitus. It is only by maintaining such a continual vigilance that the sociologists can spot themselves in the act of importing their own biases into their work. Reflexivity is, therefore, a kind of additional stage in the scientific epistemology. If there is a single feature that makes Bourdieu stand out in the landscape of contemporary social theory’, wrote Loic J. D. Wacquant (1992: 36), ‘it is his signature obsession with reflexivity. ’ For Bourdieu, reflexivity is an epistemological principle which advises sociologists, as ‘objectifying subjects’, to turn their objectifying gaze upon themselves and become aware of the hidden assumptions that structure their research. Without this reflexive move, sociology cannot escape the ‘fallacies of scholasticism’ and loses its chances to provide a truly scientific analysis of the social world. Reflexivity requires an awareness of the researcher’s contribution to the construction of meanings throughout the research process, and an acknowledgment of the impossibility of remaining ‘outside of’ one’s subject matter while conducting research. Reflexivity then, urges us â€Å"to explore the ways in which a researcher ’s involvement with a particular study influences, acts upon and informs such research. † (Nightingale and Cromby, 1999, p. 228). In the rush of interest in qualitative research in the past 15 years, few topics have developed as broad a consensus as the relevance of analytic â€Å"reflexivity. † (Macbeth 2001). Macbeth argues that contemporary expressions of reflexivity have attachments to critical theory, standpoint theory, textual deconstruction and sociologies and anthropologies of knowledge and power and agency with theorists such as Bourdieu and Wacquant at the forefront of this type of thinking. Bourdieu has problematised social research in relation to his concept of habitus stating that the researcher must at all times be aware of his habitus,(prevailing and long learned personal norms and biases, formed over a lifetime) and take steps to acknowledge this habitus by looking back on himself and his research with a critical eye. The postmodern condition is such that there are no certainties in social research as norms and values become intertwined, identities and culture intermingle and clash as do gender and sexualities, power is gained and lost through means of popularity alone and social researchers can only strive to explore every avenue of their research subject reflexively in the quest for knowledge and answers. In research this reflexivity can be put into two categories, personal reflexivity, which involves the researcher acknowledging their own habitus and how this is affecting their research and in turn affecting the researcher carrying out the research. The second is epistemological reflexivity which requires us to ask questions of the research such as: â€Å"How has the research question defined and limited what can be ‘found? ‘ How have the design of the study and the method of analysis ‘constructed’ the data and the findings? How could the research question have been investigated differently? To what extent would this have given rise to a different understanding of the phenomenon under investigation? Thus, epistemological reflexivity encourages us to reflect upon the assumptions (about the world, about knowledge) that we have made in the course of the research, and it helps us to think about the implications of such assumptions for the research and its findings. † (Willig, 2001). The Use of Emotion in Social Research. Williams and Bendelow (1996), map the field of sociology of emotions onto the concerns of sociology: â€Å"emotions have fundamental implications for a range of pertinent sociological themes and issues including social action, agency and identity; social structure; gender, sexuality and intimacy; the embodiment of emotions across the life-course (from childhood to old age); health and illness; and the social organization of emotions in the workplace (formal and informal). Emotions play an important part in the field at a number of levels. It is important to realize that the researcher’s identity and experiences shape the ideas with which they go into the field, their political and ideological stance, and there is an analytic cost if this interplay of person and research is not taken into consideration. The researcher takes assumptions and emotions into and generates emotions in the field about the researched. Kleinman and Copp (1993) suggest that if a researcher experiences negative emotions about their participants they would prefer to ignore, or repress those feelings, since to admit them might constitute a threat to their professional and personal identity. But these can be the very feelings (anger and disappointment perhaps) that could help the researcher to understand their own assumptions and their participants. It is clear to me that emotions are very important in fieldwork, both those of the participants and of the researchers. The researcher’s emotions can have effects at the personal and professional levels, in relation to their understanding of their self and identity, and their capacity to perform in a fashion that they would themselves regard as professional, and these effects can be long term. A considerable amount of emotion work is called for in qualitative research, and often the dangers consequent on this are not recognized. In some instances researchers have been made quite ill (physically or emotionally) through their experiences of denying, ignoring or managing emotions. The emotions experienced by respondents in the field are data and need to be drawn into analysis and interpretation. It has been suggested here that emotions are important in the production of knowledge from a number of perspectives. In most cases, despite some unpleasant experiences, researchers value the extra power in understanding, analysis and interpretation that the emotions they experience in the field can bring to the research. In his article Hidden Ethnography: Crossing emotional Borders in Qualitive Accounts of Young People’s Lives. Shane Blackman concludes that different ethnographic episodes show how powerful feelings of emotions from love to hate grip both the researcher and the researched. He states that his fieldwork consisted of constant negotiation and respect with participants who allowed him access to their public and private spaces. He advises that to advance more open, reflexive approaches that explain how research is conducted and written, sociology needs greater disciplinary understanding and recognition of the real challenges and opportunities faced by qualitive research, which demands emotion. The Symbolic Order in Social Research. â€Å"The â€Å"Symbolic Order† achieved its currency in Anglo-Saxon human sciences by way of Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory but originated in Claude Levi-Strauss’s Les structures elementaires de la parente (1949) [translated into English as Elementary Structures of Kinship, 1969] which used the term to group the many different codes which constitute human societies—from social identities and kinship relations to cooking and feasting rituals and religious observances—in short all cultural practices and inscriptions, whatever their language. Levi-Strauss showed that patterns we can observe in one level are invariably linked to and determined by similar patterns in other levels†. (Clark 2004) How important is the symbolic order in social research? There are many factors to take into account when discussing the symbolic order in relation to research. Gusfield and Michalowicz argue that in recent years, sociologists and anthropologists have conducted â€Å"significant studies of modern life using concepts and perspectives derived from symbolic anthropology. Among anthropologists words like ritual, myth, ceremony and symbolism are central to the study of social life in primitive societies. In contemporary society they have been peripheral terms and the activities they denote have not usually been studied in modern societies. † (Gusfield and Michalowicz 1984). The symbolic is of huge importance in social research and cannot be separated from it. When researching we must ask, what is happening here? Recognizing the potentially multiple responses to this question illuminates the way in which meaning is mediated by cultural categories and structures of thought. This awareness of the social construction of reality, which Richard Brown calls symbolic realism (Brown 1977), implies that any segment of human, social activity can be experienced in different and in multiple ways by diverse actors and observers. David Blacker in his thesis argues that for Gadamer, all understanding — whether of a text or of another person — is interpretive. This means is that, whatever else it is and does, understanding moves in what Heidegger called a â€Å"hermeneutic circle. † This circle is productive of meaning. To generate meaning from a text, for example, one must always move around from whole to part and back again. The â€Å"whole† may be the language in which the text was written, the literary tradition to which it belongs, its historical period, the life circumstances of its author, and so on. This â€Å"whole,† then, provides the backdrop against which one gives significance to the â€Å"part,† e. g. , the particular words comprising the text, the individual work in question or the specific period of the author’s life. A helpful analogy is with understanding an ambiguous word within a sentence. If the meaning of the word itself is not immediately obvious, one must find it in its larger context. The newly appreciated meaning of the part (the word) then alters to a degree the meaning of the whole (the sentence). One never escapes â€Å"outside† this whole-part circuit — even the dictionary only relates words to other words. In my own research on ‘the difference in meaning of texting between teens and adults’ the symbolic order plays a large part. The mobile phone will mean different things to these two groups and these issues must be taken into account when formulating the research. Mobile telephone has been widely adopted by many people in society. As it integrates into daily life, it alters the way people communicate, identify their personalities and relate to others in social system. It affects socio-economic structures as well as individual life. Mobile telephone enables accessibility, emancipation, security and micro-coordination and serves as a symbol of prestige, pride and self-identity. The aim of this study is to explore the symbolic factors influencing the use of mobile telephone among teens and dults where in the case of adults the phone may be vital for communication; the teen may find it impossible to function socially without the use of the phone and the texting facility. Conclusion There is no way of determining a sure path for arriving at sociological knowledge; there is unlikely to be, just over the horizon, a new approach, paradigm or perspective to rescue us from the intellectual difficulties involved in a sociological theorizing which can giv e us a better understanding of our social world. Reynolds 339) As researchers we must be aware of our limitations in the social world in so much that we cannot really promise to theorize in a way that explains everything. This is not possible in life as there are too many different collective and individual ideas that are thousands of years in formation. In social research these variables and ideas must be acknowledged and given importance within the research area and with their relevance acknowledged the researcher may move on to the findings of her own particular studies. Karl Mannheim answers critics in letter to the members of a seminar on the sociology of knowledge, by stating that â€Å"if there are contradictions and inconsistencies in my paper this is, I think, not so much due to the fact that I have over looked them but because I make a point of developing a theme to its end even if it contradicts some other statements. I use this method because I think that in this marginal field of human knowledge we should not conceal the inconsistencies, so to speak covering up the wounds, but our duty is to show the sore spots in human thinking at its present stage. In a simple empirical investigation or straightforward logical argument, contradictions are mistakes; but when the task is to show that our whole thought system in its various parts leads to inconsistencies, these inconsistencies are the thorn in the flesh from which we have to start. The inconsistencies in our whole outlook, which in my presentation only become more visible, are due to the fact that we have two approaches which move on a different plane. (Mannheim in Reynolds 1970) David Hume held that we can never be absolutely sure that what we know is true. (Bernard 2006). He argues that we come to understand what is true from what we are exposed to. This reiterates the fact that research is personal even when we try our best to avoid this being the case. We can never be sure according to Hume what we know is true, Humes brand of skepticism is a fundamental principle of social science according to Bernard, â€Å"the scientific method, as it is understood today, involves making improvements in what we know, edging towards the truth, but never quiet getting there and always being ready to have yesterday’s truths overturned by today’s empirical findings.. † (Bernard). In the social sciences we can see sociologists, philosophers and social psychologists such as Michael Foucault, Fredriech Nietzsche, Pierrie Bourdieu and others changing their views on subjects and seemingly contradicting themselves but I would consider that this is paramount when conducting any type of research, as society evolves, technology changes and people become more individualized the world is changing rapidly so we as researchers must be open to change and not be afraid to re-examine our research and research motives to ensure that we are generating the most informed and comprehensible research possible. In the case of Foucault , Tom Keenan argues that â€Å"these contradictions and paradoxes do serve a very important strategic purpose since they allow to articulate a critique of the juridical discourse on a theoretical level. Foucault’s work produces paradoxa since it struggles against doxa, it seeks to place in question orthodoxies of political thought and leftist critique. It is contradictory since it contradicts dominant forms of critique that itself functions as a constraint for imagining political alternatives (Keenan 1987)†. Bibliography Blacker, D. (1993). Article on Education as the Normative Dimension of Philosophical Hermeneutics. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA. Bourdieu, P Wacquant (1992). An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Burrell, G. , Morgan, G. Sociological Paradigms and Organizational Analysis, Heinemann, 1979 Cuff. E. C, Sharrock. W. W, Francis. D. W (1998) Perspectives in Sociology. Fourth Edition. Routledge, London. Clark, R. (2004) â€Å"The Symbolic Order†. The Literary Encyclopedia. March 2004. Evered, R. , Louis, M. R. (1991), â€Å"Research perspectives†, in Craig Smith, N. , Dainty, P. (Eds),The Management Research Book, Routledge, London Gusfield. J Michalowicz. J (1984). Secular Symbolism: Studies of Ritual, Ceremony and the Symbolic Order in Modern Life. Annual Reviews Inc 1084 Holland, J (2007) International Journal of Social Research Methodology. Volume 10 Issue 3. July 2007. Keenan, T, (1987) The ‘Para dox’ of Knowledge and Power: Reading Foucault on a bias, in: Political Theory, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1987. Kleinman, S. Copp, M. A. (1993) Emotions and fieldwork. Sage, Newbury Park, CA Macbeth, D. (2001). On â€Å"reflexivity† in qualitative research: Two readings, and a third. Qualitative Inquiry. Morey, N. , and Luthans, F. (1984) â€Å"An Emic Perspective and Ethno Science Methods for Organizational Research,† Academy of Management Review (9:1), 1984. Nightingale, D. Cromby, J. (Eds) (1999). Social constructionist psychology: A critical analysis of theory and practice. Buckingham: Open University Press. Reynolds, L J (1970). The Sociology of Sociology. Analysis and Criticisim of the Thought, Research and Ethical Folkways of Sociology and its Practitioners. David McKay Company INC, New York. Van Maanen, J, (1979). â€Å"Reclaiming Qualitative Methods for Organizational Research: A Preface,† Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 24 Williams, S. J. Bendelow, G. A. (1996b) Emotions and ‘sociological imperialism’: A rejoinder to Craib. Willig. C, (2001) Introducing Qualitative Research in Psychology (p. 10). How to cite Research Methodology Essay, Essays

Dostoyevsky And His Works Essay Example For Students

Dostoyevsky And His Works Essay Often in novels, the life of an author is reflected in his or her literature. For a writer experience can serve not only as a teacher, but also as thefoundation of a story line. Some of the most well known authors have used thisRomana Clef technique, for example, Charles Dickens in his famous novel, DavidCopperfield. The Russian author, Fyodor Dostoyevsky does this as well, in hisnovel Crime and Punishment. Various individuals and occurrences fromDostoyevskys life influenced the novel and its characters and themes. Thisshows that an authors life serves as an inspiration to his or her writing andimpacts the work as a whole. Dostoyevskys own family and childhoodexperiences had a tremendous impact on him as well as his literary works. As thesecond child in a line of seven, Dostoyevsky lived a sad and lonely childhood. As a student in a respected boarding school, Dostoyevsky felt unable to makecontact with his pupils, and therefore isolated himself, just as the maincharacter, Raskolnikov, isolated himself from the rest of society. His fatherwas an ex-army surgeon for the poor and his household was one of poverty,disease, and pain. The family was deeply religious, and Jesus was the idealfigure of Dostoyevskys childhood faith. This brought about the preoccupationand obsession with suffering and Christianity that is dealt with in Crime andPunishment. The central theme of poverty, illness, and anguish clearly reflectthe tribulations Dostoyevsky endured in his troubled years growing up. It wasnot only these circumstances, but also several other individuals and events thatinfluenced Dostoyevsky in his writing of the novel that is so closely related tohis own life. Over the years, there were several specific individuals who tookpart in sculpting the views and opinions that influenced Fyodor Dostoyevsky so deeply. These views are some of those present in Crime and Punishment. SirWalter Scott, a Scottish novelist was one of those people. By the age of twelve,Dostoyevsky had read all of the mans works, thus establishing the notion offamily and human society. This is an important aspect to the novels maincharacter Raskolnikov, his sister Dunia, and mother Pulcheria Alexandrovna. Thedual nature of the equally good and evil Raskalnikov was a concept introduced toDostoyevsky by the German Romantic writer, Hoffman, and another writer NikolayGogal. While writing Crime and Punishment, the influence of these three men cameinto play, as these issues of family, society, and good versus evil arerepeatedly brought up. Certain events in Fyodor Dostoyevskys life affectedhim so deeply that they served as a model for similar scenes in Crime andPunishment. Two scenes in the story come directly from the experiences of theauthor at the time the novel was being formulated in Dostoyevskys mind. Atthe time, Petersburg newspapers were filled with stories of Gerasim Chistov, aman responsible for murdering two elderly ladies with a short-handled axe, andstealing eleven rubles from them. It is apparent that this coincides with themurder scene in the novel. Another scene took place that struck Dostoyevsky asbeing so tragic that he included it in his novel. Dostoyevsky witnessed aTsars all-powerful courier, driving off at high speed viscously punching hispeasant coachman. This inspired Raskalnikovs dream of the beaten skinnysorrel mare, which made him plea to God, Show me the wayI renounce thatdamned dream of mine. (67). Evidently, these events affected Dostoyevsky sodeeply that he managed to incorporate them into his novel. They inspiredDostoyevsky and allowed him to connect his real life to his literature. However,it was not only events that impacted the writing of Crime and Punishment. Characters in the novel can easily be seen as having been depicted fromindividuals Dostoyevsky came across in his own life. Fyodor Dostoyevsky can mosteasily be compared with the dual natured Raskalnikov. The similarities betweenthe two are clear, as they are alike in beliefs and background. Just asRaskolnikov is a well- educated member of the Intelligencia, Dostoyevsky was abrilliant young man as well, after being educated in strict board schools. Dostoyevskys intelligence did not come to his aid financially. He had aninability to manage income or calculate his needs. He wound up in a viscouscycle of borrowing and spending that plagued him throughout his life. Just asRaskolnikov, he too lived in a square yard of space, and in debt tovarious people, especially his landlady. They both were preoccupied withthoughts of murder, robbery, religion, and alcohol. Dostoyevsky even publishedworks in various journals dealing with these subjects. In Crime and Punishment,Raskolnikov shouts Ill pay, Ill pay! (180) in order to give to moneyto the Marmeladovs to pay for doctor and funeral expenses when Marmeladovdies. Raskolnikov is financially unstable, yet gives his money away. Dostoyevskyhimself was also given to this type of reckless generosity. He was alsoimprisoned and sent to Siberia for charges of aiming to overthrow the state. Through his punishment, he found redemption though suffering and Christianity,just as Raskolnikov did in the novel with the help of Marmeladovs daughterSonia. The similarities between the two are clear. Raskolnikov is a characterbased on the author himself, but that is not the only character in the novelthat is derived from Dostoyevskys very own life. Throughout Crime andPunishment, Dostoyevsky relives some of his own personal relationships throughrelationships between characters in the novel. For example, Fyodor was veryclose to his own brother, Mikhail, just as Raskolnikov was close with hiscompanion, Razumikhin. As a result of Raskolnikov being modeled on Dostoyevsky,Razumikhin is very much alike Mikhail, because of the relationship the two setsof men share. From day one, Mikhail was destined to be Fyodors closest friendand collaborator. He cared for Dostoyevsky in times of physical, emotional , andfinancial need, just as Razumikhin did for Raskolnikov, especially whenRaskolnikov was sick. Mikhail and Dostoyevsky attended school together just asRaskolnikov and Razumikhin did as well. Having a caring individual in the hislife allowed Dostoyevsky to imagine Razumikhin as being the supporter that hefelt Raskolnikov needed throughout his life to understand him and be his onlytrue companion. The sweet and devoted universal symbol of human suffering is arole lived out in the novel in the form of Marmeladovs prostitute daughter,Sonia. Sonia can be seen as a mix of two people that Dostoyevsky cherished inhis life. While in the Siberian camp, Dostoyevsky met a peasant woman namedMarey, who comforted him like a mother. She inspired him with theChristian spirit of love and self-sacrifice, just the way Sonia does when shetells Raskolnikov to Go to the Crossroads to confess his wrong doings andseek redemption. Dostoyevskys niece, Sofia Alexandrovna Ivanovna was also amodel for the character of Sonia. Sofia was a repository of Dostoyevskysconfessions and a person whom he felt completed his own personality by supplyingan element of himself that he lacked. She showed him purity of heart, just asSonia did in Crime and Punishment for Raskolnikov. Sonia is another classicexample of a character directly influenced by individuals in the authorslife, who came about because of inspirational people in Dostoyevskys life. John Bull the art of a traveling man EssayCharacters in the novel can easily be seen as having been depicted fromindividuals Dostoyevsky came across in his own life. Fyodor Dostoyevsky can mosteasily be compared with the dual natured Raskalnikov. The similarities betweenthe two are clear, as they are alike in beliefs and background. Just asRaskolnikov is a well- educated member of the Intelligencia, Dostoyevsky was abrilliant young man as well, after being educated in strict board schools. Dostoyevskys intelligence did not come to his aid financially. He had aninability to manage income or calculate his needs. He wound up in a viscouscycle of borrowing and spending that plagued him throughout his life. Just asRaskolnikov, he too lived in a square yard of space, and in debt tovarious people, especially his landlady. They both were preoccupied withthoughts of murder, robbery, religion, and alcohol. Dostoyevsky even publishedworks in various journals dealing with these subjects. In Crime and Punishment,Raskolnikov shouts Ill pay, Ill pay! (180) in order to give to moneyto the Marmeladovs to pay for doctor and funeral expenses when Marmeladovdies. Raskolnikov is financially unstable, yet gives his money away. Dostoyevskyhimself was also given to this type of reckless generosity. He was alsoimprisoned and sent to Siberia for charges of aiming to overthrow the state. Through his punishment, he found redemption though suffering and Christianity,just as Raskolnikov did in the novel with the help of Marmeladovs daughterSonia. The similarities between the two are clear. Raskolnikov is a characterbased on the author himself, but that is not the only character in the novelthat is derived from Dostoyevskys very own life. Throughout Crime andPunishment, Dostoyevsky relives some of his own personal relationships throughrelationships between characters in the novel. For example, Fyodor was veryclose to his own brother, Mikhail, just as Raskolnikov was close with hiscompanion, Razumikhin. As a result of Raskolnikov being modeled on Dostoyevsky,Razumikhin is very much alike Mikhail, because of the relationship the two setsof men share. From day one, Mikhail was destined to be Fyodors closest friendand collaborator. He cared for Dostoyevsky in times of physical, emotional , andfinancial need, just as Razumikhin did for Raskolnikov, especially whenRaskolnikov was sick. Mikhail and Dostoyevsky attended school together just asRaskolnikov and Razumikhin did as well. Having a caring individual in the hislife allowed Dostoyevsky to imagine Razumikhin as being the supporter that hefelt Raskolnikov needed throughout his life to understand him and be his onlytrue companion. The sweet and devoted universal symbol of human suffering is arole lived out in the novel in the form of Marmeladovs prostitute daughter,Sonia. Sonia can be seen as a mix of two people that Dostoyevsky cherished inhis life. While in the Siberian camp, Dostoyevsky met a peasant woman namedMarey, who comforted him like a mother. She inspired him with theChristian spirit of love and self-sacrifice, just the way Sonia does when shetells Raskolnikov to Go to the Crossroads to confess his wrong doings andseek redemption. Dostoyevskys niece, Sofia Alexandrovna Ivanovna was also amodel for the character of Sonia. Sofia was a repository of Dostoyevskysconfessions and a person whom he felt completed his own personality by supplyingan element of himself that he lacked. She showed him purity of heart, just asSonia did in Crime and Punishment for Raskolnikov. Sonia is another classicexample of a character directly influenced by individuals in the authorslife, who came about because of inspirational people in Dostoyevskys life. Katherine Ivanovna, Sonias mother and Marmeladovs wife, was made in theimage of Marya, Dostoyevskys former wife. Like Katherine, Marya was at firstmarried to a former army officer who was of a lower social status than her. WhenDostoyevsky met her she inspired him to improve his lowly status, just asKatherine repeatedly tried to help the unemployed alcoholic Marmleladov. WhenDostoyevsky created the character of Katherine Ivanovna, there is no doubt hehad Marya in his mind as the woman she was to be modeled on. However, it was notonly people that Dostoyevsky modeled aspects of his novel Crime and Punishmenton. In Crime and Punishment, location is a key to the novels story. The storytakes place in St. Petersburg, a place where Dostoyevsky lived in the 1840s and1860s. At the time, poverty, drunks and prostitutes filled the city and werethrown in the face of the author everyday. Living in such an environmentinfluenced the author to create similar living conditions, those that are notcondu cive to healthy living. Personal experience of living in St. Petersburglaid the foundation for Dostoyevskys setting in his novel, which is one thatcreates an atmosphere of despair and hopelessness-feelings that were always fartoo common in the authors life.

Consumer education Essay Example For Students

Consumer education Essay I Nils Is an Important Act winch seeks to provoke netter protection AT ten consumers. Interests of the consumers. In the present situation, consumer protection, though as old as consumer exploitation, has assumed greater importance and relevance. Now there are laws and policies which focus on consumer protection and welfare. Special emphasis is being given to consumer education so that people become aware about their rights and responsibilities as consumers and how to redress their grievances. In India various Acts intended to protect the consumers directly or indirectly against efferent forms of exploitation were enacted from time to time. However, except for the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices (MRS.) Act, 1969, all the other Acts were mainly punitive and preventive in nature. In spite of these Acts the consumers did not have any effective mechanism or institutional arrangements for the speedy redressed of their grievances and also the lack of effective popular movement isolated the consumer and his plight only increased. Seeing the pressure mounting from various consumer protection groups and the consumers themselves the Parliament enacted the Consumer Protection Act in 1986. Consumer Awareness in India The Consumer Protection Act enacted on 24th December, 1986 is a benevolent, unique and highly progressive piece of social welfare legislation providing for simple, speedy and less expensive remedy for the redressed of consumer grievances in relation to defective goods and deficient services. Consumer Protection Act is a weapon in the hands of consumers to fight against exploitation by traders, manufacturers and sellers on one hand and providers of services on the other. The Act provides effective, people oriented, broad based and efficient remedy to nonusers against unfair dealings and exploitation. It was enacted with an objective to provide better protection of the interests of the consumers and to make provision for the establishment of Consumer Councils and other authorities for the settlement of consumer disputes. Unlike other laws, which are basically punitive or preventive in nature the provisions of the Act are compensatory. It is a matter of great satisfaction that we can legitimately boast that we now have in our country a statute, which provides more effective protection to the consumers than any corresponding escalation in force in countries, which are considered to be much more advanced and industrialized. The Act contemplates establishment of adjudicatory and advisory structures in the form of consumer foray and council structure respectively for the protection of consumers rights. It extends to the whole of India except the State of Gamma and Kashmir which has its own Consumer Protection Act. The Act applies to all goods and services unless any good or service is expressly excluded by the Central Government by notification. The Act extends to all sectors -public, private or cooperative. The Consumer Protection Act is an alternative and additional remedy to the remedies already available to the aggrieved persons/consumers by way of civil suit. To provide cheap, speedy and simple redressed to consumer disputes, three tier quasi-Judicial machinery is set up at each District, State and National levels called District Forums, State Consumer Disputes Redressed Commission and National Consumer Disputes Redressed Commission respectively. The need for consumer education has increased over time as today the consumers operate in an increasingly complex marketplace and are faced with increasing mounts of information and an expanding choice of complex products and services. As a consequence they are more exposed to fraud and require a wider range of skills and knowledge than ever before. Consumer education is a Potent tool for empowering consumers as it equips consumers with information and skills necessary to meet challenges posed by the markets. Through education, consumers obtain information about the products and the services and empower them and make them aware of their rights and responsibilities and helps to ensure their welfare. .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 , .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .postImageUrl , .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 , .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:hover , .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:visited , .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:active { border:0!important; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:active , .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72 .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u44f8571af1fdb62f5118a967f2830b72:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Observation of the Early Childhood EssayConsumer education improves the position of the consumers in the marketplace and helps them make informed choice and thereby enhance their welfare. It also contributes to the well-functioning of the markets by promoting effective competition. It is thus in the common interest of governments, consumers and businesses to empower the individual consumer as much as possible through awareness of his/her rights, knowledge of how to defend himself against various pitfalls and to cope with the subsequent consequences, as well as the ability to act proactively in the marketplace Available literature indicates that consumer education takes many forms and takes place in many different settings, from formal courses in schools or universities to informal experience in families, communities and workplaces. Three forms of consumer education are being implemented in COED member countries and some non-member economies which are as follows: Formal education: refers to learning through a programmed of instruction in an educational institution, adult training centre or in the workplace, and is generally recognized by a qualification or a artifice. All countries acknowledge that children and young people are particularly important targets of consumer education as theses age groups account for an ever- increasing share of family consumption. At the same time they are likely to be particularly vulnerable to making unwise Decisions and or falling victim to aggressive marketing. The fact that both parents often work outside the home has led to a change in the role of parents in consumer training. Lifelong education:- There is wide consensus that learning, which is of significance to individuals as well as to communities and societies, must extend beyond formal education. Lifelong education covers all purposeful learning activity from the cradle to the grave which aims to improve the knowledge and competencies of all individuals who participate in learning activities. A prerequisite for lifelong learning is a sound foundation in basic educational competencies acquired in formal education and opportunities for further learning once persons leave initial education and training. Practically, this includes education available at community centers as ell as loosely organized education. Argent coeducation:- It raters to a range AT coeducational satellites gleaned Tort particular consumer groups that are considered vulnerable (e. G. Women, the disabled and the poor) to help protect them against fraudulent or deceptive practices in the marketplace or other specific consumer-related issues. Specific groups which are targeted in various countries in their major initiatives are: young Children, the elderly, women, people with a limiting or longstanding illness o r handicapped, populations in rural areas, unemployed persons and tourists. These three concepts re not mutually exclusive. Lifelong education is a broad concept that encompasses both formal and targeted education. At the same time, several countries implement formal and/or targeted education but do not Support the lifelong learning concept. Lifelong and targeted consumer education may be non-formal or informal Framework for Consumer Education Most countries have a centralized institutional framework for consumer education, under which the central government develops consumer education policies which reach local areas through local governments or through regional networks.