To what extent might the gender, disability, sexual orientation, Essay

To what extent might the gender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, class, age or politics of a critic determine o - Essay Example These are modern system of art forms that began emerging in the eighteenth century, also called the fine arts. Back in the middle ages, art was merely the correct way of making or doing whatever one happened to be making or doing. Then, art was much more concentrated on cobbling, navigation, medicine as well as the martial arts as these were simply skills or knowledge based crafts or practises whose participants were those who had mastered the techniques of achieving the point of the practice at hand. Criticism is associated with something negative in the ordinary language, nevertheless it should be recognised that criticism is more than fault finding as it may also commend and even recommend. However, one of the primary functions of criticism is not to eviscerate artwork but to rather look into assisting in discovering to be heard from the works under review as well as offer guidance concerning what is worthy in art work while at the same time playing an important role in contempora ry culture. Literateconsumers of the art depend upon criticism to help them negotiate the avalanche of artworks on offer across an array of different media as more art is already available now than in any time of history. Critics are looked at to recommend and guide the selection of what needs to be attended to and assist in comprehending and appreciating the vast amount of work that had been put into art as well as play an important role in introducing new ideas and presumably a debate with critical pronouncements. Consumers of the work of art need a philosophy of criticism, a sense of what it is and a conception of its nature and function as well as test the hypothesis on the work of art but on the other hand the same criticisms need to meet a certain criteria for it to be effective in its role. Criticism assists readers in discovering what is of value in the art work under examination in connection with what the artist has achieved in the work. One of the leading components of cr iticisms is the operation of evaluation in terms of description, contextualisation, classification, elucidation, interpretation and analysis. Although appraisal of artwork in virtue of its membership in a kind of class may not be the most common form of appraisal, sometimes the consumers of art work do issue cross categorical evaluation of art works. This evaluation should be grounded in reason and evidence otherwise art criticism is not rally distinguishable from comparable forms of discourse about art. According to (Eagleton, 1984, p. 9) modern European criticism was born of a struggle against the absolutist state, within a repressive regime in the seventeenth and eighteen centuries and during this time, criticism opens itself to debate as it attempts to convince as well as invite contradiction. Adrian Searle being a trained painter as well as a teacher of art plays a critical role in being a critic of the Guardian as elsewhere in the west; people have been saying extravagant thin gs about the arts for two and a half centuries. Some claimed art is sacred in that they unite us with the supreme being and they are the visible appearance of God’s kingdom on earth, they breath spiritual dispositions into us, they inspire love in the highest part of thesoul, they have a higher reality and more veritable existence thanordinary life, they express

Health Disparities in New Zealand from a Marxist Perspective Essay Example for Free

Health Disparities in New Zealand from a Marxist Perspective Essay In New Zealand society there many are people who encounter with Health disabilities and issues that do not only impact their wellbeing but also their lives. However the majority of them cannot control their Health situation due to their lifestyle, in addition to this problem the distribution of Health services contribute to the creation of ‘Health Disparities’. In this essay I will classify Heath Disparities in New Zealand from a Marxist perspective, where it will become visible that Health inequality within our country lies in the structure of society. However our society is constructed through social stratification which is the process where people are classed in the hierarchical system; based on superiority and subordination (Llewellyn, A. , Agu, L. , Mercer, D. 2008). This technique of classing society contributes to why inequalities exist today. I will focus on how Marxist’s perspective integrates the structure of capitalism and social class in society where it influences Health in New Zealand. Inequalities within health are distinguished between different population groups, where there is variance in a group’s health or health care (Reid Robson, 2006). This is caused by gender, ethnicity, age, environment and economic status (Howden- Chowden, 2005). Health disparities in New Zealand conflict with the structure of society, however it is logical that in order to have an impact on society we must hold power (Dew Kirkman, 2007). This brings us to the Marxist perspective where Karl Marx (1818-1883) focused his research on the development of capitalists (Cree, 2010). The rise of capitalism originated from the modes of production, which relates to the way society organises production of material and also enables surplus value to become generated (McLennan, McManus Spoonly, 2010). Capitalism within New Zealand is based on the operation of production allowing the continuation of profit to increase for owners; however this means superiority constructs society in a manner where it will benefit them while alienating other classes (Dew Kirkman, 2007). Marxist’s main focus of capitalism is class structure where the process of social stratification comes into place. An individual’s status in the class structure is measured through their socio-economic status, this can also be calculated by the amount of power they have in society (Llewellyn, Agu Mercer, 2008). Through the Marxist theory we come to an understanding of the development of low income that workers earn through production. The functions of capitalism and class structure identifies that individuals whom receive low income, is impacted in every domain of their lives this includes health. Health inequalities are strongly influenced by socio-economic differences which expose’s factors such as income, housing, diet and occupational toxin as high impacts on a person’s health. Through the Marxist perspective we understand that capitalism’s main focus is based within the growth of profit, however the power that capitalist’s (known as owners of production) hold influences the health of their workers. Capitalists have control over wages; work hours and the environment of workers (Newman, 2008) they also go to the extent of exploitation and alienation in order for their profits to increase (McLennan, McManus Spoonly, 2010). Workers face the effects of class consciousness (McLennan, McManus Spoonly, 2010) they become competitive and are blinded from realizing that they are being over worked and at the same time under paid. Proletariats become vulnerable to ill health through poor working conditions and also lack of freedom (Howden- Chowden, 2005). For example lack of freedom in their work environment can lead proletariats to stress and fatigue illnesses. Health disabilities such as chronic illness, toxic appearance in an individual’s immune system and also serious accidents are caused from poor working conditions (Howden- Chowden, 2005). Capital is known to be a factor that contributes to human misery and alienation, which leads to health disabilities. Health Disparities within our society varies throughout the different levels of class. The class structure consists of two main levels which are Bourgeoisie; the highest class that contains capitalists and individuals who hold power. The Proletariat class is for workers in production, and who have no power (Joseph, 2006). Health services within New Zealand are distributed unevenly where it benefits the wealthy (Bourgeoisie) and excludes others such as the Proletariats (Dew Kirkman, 2007). Although health services in our society are available for everyone’s use, it is imbalanced within the quality. For example individuals in the upper class have access to higher quality services, such as private insurance and specialists (Dew Kirkman, 2007). However through research it has become more apparent that workers have the highest exposure to ill health (Howden- Chowden, 2005) this means they need this service more than others but it is not affordable. The gradients of avoidable and unavoidable death rates are very different; Proletariats have high rates within avoidable deaths, this means that the majority of deaths could have been avoided through medical consultation. As for the Bourgeoisie class it is at high rates of unavoidable deaths, although they’ve received quality treatment it cannot be cured (Dew Kirkman, 2007). Inequalities within social class have different influences on an individual’s health, in particularly the quality of health provided for each class level. Through the development of capitalism and social class, it’s obvious that the creation of ‘low income’ becomes one of the main attribute to health disparities. Proletariats that encounter this issue have higher risks of low life expectancy and also a high mortality rate (Howden- Chowden, 2005) they are also forced to live in high levels of Deprivation (Dew Kirkman, 2007). This situation does not only impact workers but also their families, where living in a damp cold home increases vulnerability of ill health such as cardiovascular diseases (Howden- Chowden, 2005). Low income also influences a family’s diet as they can only afford food that are high in calories and low in nutrition, this leads to morbid obesity and also Diabetes (Howden- Chowden, 2005). By understanding the impacts of low income in an individual’s life we also recognize that low income leads to poverty. Through the notion of Marxist’s perspective of health disparities within our country, it is understandable that in order to unravel this issue the system within society must change. This can transpire by establishing additional organisations that hold a responsibility to support population groups who encounter with health disabilities but cannot afford health services; this will support families in debt and also decrease health inequalities. Our system needs to improve their public services where it is affordable yet good quality, allowing workers to receive health support in order to maintain an occupation to provide for their families. Improvement of health services available for workers is extremely important not only for themselves but also for capitalist, as they will decrease in profit if workers become ill and lose jobs. If this process continues it will come to a point where capitalists increase their surplus value impacting other workers, where exploitation and alienation will intensify. By having the capability to unpack health disparities from a Marxist perspective, we are able to understand that inequalities in New Zealand health mainly impact the working class. Where the construction of society makes it visible that low income is the central foundation of health disparities, and also poverty. We need to understand that the only way out of inequality not only in health care, but in general is through improvement of the system. Kevin Dew and Allison Kirkman (2005, pp. 241) stated â€Å"People are not poor because they are sick, they are sick because they are poor. †

Questions and Answers on the Growth and Success of Starbucks

Questions and Answers on the Growth and Success of Starbucks Evaluate the role played by Howard Schultz in the growth and success of Starbucks. Is the company in danger of relying too heavily on Mr. Schultz? Howard Schultzs vision was for Starbucks to become a national company with values and guiding principles that employees could be proud of. Schultz wanted to recreate the authentic Italian coffee bar culture in the United States (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). He believed that building a company that valued and respected its people, that inspired them, and that shared the fruits of success with those who contributed to the companys long term value was essential, not just as an intriguing option. His aspiration was for Starbucks to become the most respected brand name in coffee and for the company to be admired for its corporate responsibility (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). Schultz strategized a plan to lead the Starbucks Coffee Company by speculating to open 125 stores in the next five years of the companys operation. To symbolize the merging of Starbucks and II Giornale, Schultz instituted new changes by creating a new logo and equipping espresso machines in all the coffee resta urants. In 1987, Schultz was able to regain the mood of the employees and also ventured in new markets such as Vancouver, Chicago, Portland, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Starbucks store expansion targets proved easier to meet than Schultz had originally anticipated and he upped the numbers to keep challenging the organization and so there was 161 stores, which was above Schultzs original target of 125 stores in 1992 (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). Howard Schultz argued that patience was needed as the company invested in the infrastructure to support continued growth. He contended that hiring experienced executives ahead of the growth curve, building facilities far beyond current needs, and installing support systems laid a strong foundation for rapid, profitable growth down the road. Even though Schultz was the founder of the Starbucks Corporation and managed it for long time, I dont think the company would be in danger if he leaves the position he holds today. Some basic reasons to these are, since Starbucks heavily depends on Schultz, I believe he most likely has a careful succession plan for the betterment of the company. I also firmly believe that Schultz has already developed a sound contingency plans for his position. That is he might already have set the plan of who should take over the reins on a short notice. If these strategies are in place, then Starbucks future would not be uncertain. Discuss the business engineering processes used by Starbucks to stay competitive. How does the company track performance and use its control systems? Starbucks created its own house team of architects and designers to ensure that each store would convey the right image and character. Stores had been custom -designed because the company didnt buy real estate or build its own freestanding structures, rather, each space was leased in an existing structure, making each store differ in size and shape. The company had emphasized the four stages of coffee making: growing, roasting, brewing, and aroma. With increase in its stores, greater store diversity and layout quickly became necessary. The company had some special seating areas to help make it a desirable gathering place. The company also came with the drive through windows in locations where speed and convenience were important. Just as recent as June 2009, the company announced a new global store design strategy (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). This meant that each new store was to be a reflection of the environment in which it operated and was to be environmentally friendly. To better control average store opening costs, the company centralized buying, developed standard contracts and fixed fees for certain items, and consolidated work under those contractors who displayed good cost-control practices (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). The retail operations group outlined exactly the minimum amount of equipment each core store needed so that standard items could be ordered in volume from vendors at 20 to 30 percent discounts, then delivered just in time to the store site either from the company warehouses or the vendor. Modular designs for display cases were developed. The layouts for new and remodeled stores were developed on a computer, with software that allowed the costs to be estimated as the design evolved. All this cut store opening and remodeling costs significantly and shortened the process to about 18 weeks (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). What is the compensation strategy that the company has used to motivate its employees to focus on the companys strategy and its execution? Howard Schultz deeply believed that Starbucks success was heavily dependent on customers having a very positive experience in its stores. This meant having store employees who were knowledgeable about the companys products, who paid attention to detail in preparing the companys espresso drinks, who eagerly communicated the companys passion for coffee, and who possessed the skills and personality to deliver consistent, pleasing customer service (Thompson, Peteraf et al, 2012). Some of the compensation strategy that Starbucks used to motivate its employees included instituting health care coverage for all employees whether full time or part time. From 1988, part timers working 20 or more hours were offered the same health coverage as full-time employees. Starbucks paid 75 percent of an employees health insurance premium; while the employee paid only 25 percent. The health insurance coverage was also offered for unmarried partners in a committed relationship (Thompson, A.A. et al., 201 2). The company also had presented a stock option plan for all employees .This was aimed at turning all employees into partners, giving them a chance to share in the success of the company, and make clear the connection between their contributions and the companys market value. The company also implemented an employee stock purchase plan that gave partners who had been employed for at least 90 days an opportunity to purchase company stock through regular payroll deductions. This had really motivated many employees and since the inception of this plan, some 23.5 million shares had been purchased by partners; and one third of these partners participated in stock purchase plan during the 2000-2009 period (Thompson, A.A. et al., 2012). Starbucks workplace environment was good for its employees. The management believed that the companys competitive pay scales and comprehensive benefits for both full time and part time partners allowed it to attract motivated people with above average ski lls and good work habits. How would you describe Starbucks corporate culture? What is the relevance of corporate culture for Starbucks future growth and success? The cornerstone value to build a company with soul was that Starbucks would never stop pursuing the perfect cup of coffee by buying the best beans and roasting them to perfection. Schultz and other senior executives were adamant about controlling the quality of Starbucks product and building a culture common to all stores. Schultz was rigidly opposed to selling artificially flavored coffee beans. The management was also emphatic about the importance of employees paying attention to what pleased customers (Thompson, A.A. et al., 2012). At the very base of the companys culture was its roots within the community. Howard Schultzs goal was to build a company with soul, which included corporate responsibility. In 1997 the Starbucks Foundation was established. The foundation was one of the largest contributors to C.A.R.E. which provided health and education programs to third world countries most of which Starbucks purchased its coffee beans. Starbucks is also committedÂÂ  to the enviro nment.ÂÂ  It has organizedÂÂ  a Green Team of store managers from all regions that assist the community in environmental efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. The team has introduced innovative ways to reuse some of the paper, plastic and cardboard the store uses. They have reused packing materials and have donated these materials to local schools for art projects. These corporate cultures that Starbucks developed over the years had been very useful and would emphasize the companys growth into the future (Starbucks 2006).

Of the Coming of John by W.E.B. Du Bois :: Fighting for Civil Rights

Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were very important African American leaders in the United States during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. They both felt strongly that African Americans should not be treated unequally in terms of education and civil rights. They had strong beliefs that education was important for the African American community and stressed that educating African Americans would lead them into obtaining government positions, possibly resulting in social change. Although Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois had similar goals to achieve racial equality in the United States, they had strongly opposing approaches in improving the lives of the black population. Washington was a conservative activist who felt that the subordination to white leaders was crucial for African Americans in becoming successful and gaining political power. On the other hand, Du Bois took a radical approach and voiced his opinion through public literature and protest, m aking it clear that racial discrimination and segregation were intolerable. The opposing ideas of these African American leaders are illustrated in Du Bois’ short story, â€Å"Of the Coming of John†, where Du Bois implies his opposition to Washington’s ideas. He shows that the subordination of educated black individuals does not result in gaining respect or equality from the white community. In fact, he suggests that subordination would lead the black community to be further oppressed by whites. However contrasting their views might have been, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois were significant influential black leaders of their time, who changed the role of the black community in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Booker T. Washington’s ideologies for economic advancement and self-help played a major role in his approach to fight for equal rights. By founding the Tuskegee Institute in Mound Bayou, he created a university that was segregated for black students and encouraged higher educational standards (Meier 396). These students were also encouraged to follow the social system of segregation in order to achieve political status in the United States. In an interview with reporter Ralph McGill, Du Bois recalls that in the process of obtaining funds for the Tuskegee Institute â€Å"Washington would promise [white philanthropists] happy contented labor for their new enterprises. He reminded them there would be no strikers† (Du Bois, qtd. in McGill 5). This shows the nature of Washington’s contradicting approach in obtaining political power by embracing the system of segregation and working with white leaders rather than against the m to achieve his goals.

The Grim Grotto: Elements of Fiction :: essays research papers

There are many elements of fiction. All of them together are a recipe for the perfect story. There are five elements all together. They are conflict, setting, character, plot and theme. â€Å"The Grim Grotto† displays all of these elements with an exceptionally well written storyline. Conflict is a very significant factor of fiction. Without conflict there would be no story. The main conflict in â€Å"The Grim Grotto† is locating the sugar bowl and keeping it away from Count Olaf. The opposing forces are Count Olaf’s troupe and the Baudelaire orphans. This conflict was never resolved within the book. However, there are many subordinate conflicts in this story. The first subordinate conflict is finding Quigley Quagmire and meeting him at the last safe place. The conflict is in between the Baudelaire orphans and Count Olaf. This is the Baudelaire’s conflict. Another one is saving the youngest Baudelaire-Sunny from the poisonous Medusoid Mycelium. This is Sunny’s conflict because she is suffering from the Medusoid Mycelium. All of these conflicts were external conflicts because they are about characters against each other and not about emotions. I agree with the way that the characters try to solve the conflict because they refuse to give up on anything. They didn’t give up when they had to save Sunny or get away from the Medusoid Mycelium. â€Å"There must be something we can do to save Sunny. There just has to be something.† The importance of the conflict is huge. This is because the characters go to great lengths to try and get the sugar bowl. They travel underwater and go to the darkest of places to reach the sugar bowl. They go through numerous dangers just for a little sugar bowl. They go through the Medusoid Mycelium and a huge submarine just for a sugar bowl. You also know this because many characters, such as Captain Widdershins, Count Olaf and Quigley Quagmire say that this object is too important and secretive to reveal its purpose. The climax of this book is when Violet Klaus and Sunny are walking to the taxi parting with Mr. Poe. This is the climax of the book because this was the highest point of interest and appeal. The author, Lemony Snicket, uses details and delays the end to an extent where you become very anxious to read the story. Setting is an important aspect in some stories and less important in others.

Islands As A Narration Of A Yo :: essays research papers

A. Hemon’s Islands is the narrative of a young boys initiation into the adult world. The boy travels to a place he has never been before, far away from all the comforts of his childhood home. The island is full of secrets about the ‘adult world’ and the terrible things that can happen within it. While away, he learns shocking lessons about the world in which he lives, mainly from his Uncle Julius, who tells scary stories that he thinks the boy should know about. The boy is unprotected from everything on the island and everything it contains. Through this unprotected environment, he learns things about the adult world that are not learned anywhere else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the car on the way to the coast, the boy almost loses his voice by singing â€Å"communist songs the entire journey.† (129) By his singing songs about â€Å"mournful mothers looking through graves for their dead sons† and â€Å"the revolution† the boy demonstrates his naivity. He is, after all, just a young boy. His limited life experience is shown in his singing such songs, without understanding the full meanings and connotations that those songs carry. The boys’ innocence is emphasized here, as these are ‘adult’ songs and it is only, generally, children who sing on car journeys until their voices are gone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even before boarding the boat, the boy begins to notice how ugly age and adulthood can be. He notices the â€Å"gnarled knees , the spreading sweat stains on their shirts and sagging wrinkles of fat on their thighs.† (129) At one point, he sees â€Å"one of the Germans, an old, bony man† get down on his knees and then vomit over the pier edge. The boy sees this, but still relates it back to something he understands. â€Å"The vomit Catherine Henderson hit the surface and then dispersed in different directions, like children running away to hide from the seeker.† (130) Again, by relating something so grotesque to something so childlike and innocent, the boy reminds the reader that he is still just a young child, not yet ready to deal with this kind of adult vision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once boarded on the boat and sailing to Mljet, the boy loses his hat. It is not just a hat though, it is his hat that shielded him from the grown-ups and the adult way of life. If he wanted to look at them properly, he had to raise his head. The hat was a â€Å"round straw hat with all the seven dwarfs painted on it.† (129) When the gust of

Gender Roles in fairytales

Reflective Response: Analyzing Gender Roles Gender Bias is still very evident in our society and I believe it is also still present in Fairy tales. Despite how far we've come in equality between genders, children's fairy tales still tend to advertise the gender bias and stereotypes set upon men and women. Many of these stories depict their male heroes as powerful, tough, and dominant, and their female counterparts as selflessly dedicated and submissive damsels in distress. Children absorb these messages from a very young age, through their exposure to fairy tales in media such as storybooks, children's films andTV shows. These messages give them the impression that the only way to be happy is to fulfill the traits of the ideal male/female figure. Little girls frequently dream of becoming the beautiful princesses while little boys strive to be the mighty brave knights, warriors and fighters. Many stereotypes appear in Disney movies, for example Cinderella displays apparent gender bias , stereotypes and discrimination. This movie shows the classic storyline; the courageous, fearless prince charming saves the helpless weak princess from doom.Cinderella is characterized as a tender earted girl who passively accepts her fate which is to live with her evil step-mother and step-sisters. Her life doesn't change until prince charming takes an interest in her and swoops in to save her from her miserable life by becoming not only her one true love, but also her sole provider. This is an evident example of Disney portraying women as weak and docile. Cinderella does not stand up for herself but has to wait for a man to do it for her. This stereotypical storyline teaches young children how they must be to be accepted in society; boys must be strong, girls must be weak.This kind of message is engrained into young girl's minds that they have no control over their lives and must wait for a strong male fgure to save them. These tales teach girls to be passive and dependant becaus e any female characters that break these norms are depicted as an evil. If a woman is strong, independent and speaks her mind (stereotypical male traits), she is seen as nothing but obnoxious or a â€Å"bitch†. Not only are girls affected by these gender stereotypes throughout fairy tales but boys are taught to be the leader, to be strong, emotionless and aggressive giving many young oys aggression problems later in life.These stereotypes give men the impression girls are weak and need some sort of saviour in their life leading them to treat women like they are doing them a favor by simply being with them. All these images help to construct a cultural norm of male dominance. The depiction of forceful and aggressive men and tender and loving women teaches children that these are the norms of society and this is how you should act, when in reality you can be any of these traits no matter what gender. Gender Roles in fairytales By frankiem29