The Ethics of the American Invasion of Iraq Free Essays

The American invasion of Iraq in 2003 is certainly one of the more controversial foreign policy initiatives of the 21st century. The general facts surrounding this event are clear: on the 20th day of May 2003, the United States, with support from Great Britain and a host of other western nations, invaded Iraq in response to intelligence reports of weapons of mass destruction. Up until May 1, 2003, these forces fought to successfully topple the regime of Saddam Hussein and to usher in a new era for the Iraqi people and the Iraqi nation. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ethics of the American Invasion of Iraq or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, these facts were not the main source of tension that this military imperative created; instead, the ethical implications behind the invasion and the debates concerning the reasons for entering the war are what have sparked protest, of which most notably has been the record-breaking anti-war rally in Rome one month before the invasion. Unfortunately the debate is too often discussed in terms of consequences alone. On one side the pro-war supporters have cited the need to protect America from further attacks, to stave off nuclear holocaust and to remove a maniacal dictator from power, while on the other side anti-war protesters have argued that the invasion costs far too many innocent American as well as Iraqi lives. Of course, in our ethical discourse we cannot ignore consequences, but along with consequences we must also consider principles. Therefore, in this essay, I will look at the ethics of the American invasion of Iraq through the lens of Kantian ethics. I will begin with a discussion of Kant’s theory and move from this to argue against the invasion based on Kant’s first maxim of the categorical imperative. Kant’s ethical theory is deontological in that it does not focus primarily on consequences, but first and foremost on principles. These principles he forms from practical human reason and the moral principle that he names the categorical imperative. In its two forms this imperative offers a universal ethic that all rational human beings in all ages and from all cultural backgrounds should be able to recognize. The first maxim deals with the universalizing of human behaviour: â€Å"Act only on that maxim which you can at the same time will to be a universal law† (Kant, [1785] 1948, p. 421). The purpose of this maxim is simple in that it forces the moral agent to take his or her actions as implying a universal code. For example, if a moral agent is considering telling a lie because it will prove beneficial to him or her in that situation, he or she must consider that if all other moral agents told lies in the same situations then any society based on a basic level of trust and truth would inevitably collapse. One person’s ethic universalized would destroy an entire social structure. In other words, Kant challenges the ethical person not to make an exception of him or herself. The second maxim deals with the way in which other human beings are to relate to other human beings. Kant states, â€Å"treat humanity†¦never simply as a means, but always at the same time as an ends† (Kant, [1785] 1948, p. 429). People should always be treated as the final goal of our moral actions and not merely the way in which we realize other personal agendas. Although both of these maxims may lend important ethical insights to a discussion on the invasion in Iraq, the first maxim offers a far more concrete model in which to discuss the invasion and therefore we apply it alone. There are many criticisms against the invasion into Iraq, but I will focus on three specific criticisms: insufficient evidence for the invasion, going beyond the United Nations, and the use of military force over diplomacy. Firstly, as admitted by the C. I. A in 2005 and verified by the invasion itself, the claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction was a weak—or even false—reason for going to war. It seems, therefore, that the U. S. was simply taking far too drastic steps without proper research. If we were to universalize this practice, the world would be faced with a terrible increase in violence and war. Not only would enemies attack one another on good suspicions, but even allies would be lead to attack one another based on the weak suspicion that each country may have bad intentions toward the other. This type of global policy is not acceptable for a single nation, and this is made perfectly clear in the fact that it cannot be responsibly universalized. Secondly, the U. S. went above the recommendations of the U. N. and acted out of line with the U. N. ’s policy. In this respect, according to the definition of Kofi Annan and the U. N. Security Council, the invasion of Iraq was technically illegal. If we again apply Kant’s universalizing maxim to the U. S. ’s behavior we have another strong criticism of the invasion. The U. N. was expressly created by the consent of most of the countries of the world as a sovereign power that would be allowed to resolved global conflict between nations. As Thomas Hobbes points out in his Leviathan, any individual or group that submits to a sovereign has the responsibility to accept the judgments of that power. The U. S. , in its flagrant disregard of the U. N. ’s policy, clearly did not respect the power of the sovereign and in this way set a dangerous precedent for unilateral military action. If the entire world were to universalize this ethic there would remain no authority in the world and all nations would return to the brutal Hobbesian state of nature. Lastly, the U. S. ’s decision to invade made a clear statement that military action is preferable to the diplomatic option. For any civilized society, war must always be the last option, if it is to be used at all. Many supporters of the invasion may claim that the Bush administration had no other option, but it is clear that the administration did not do nearly as much diplomacy as it could have. Other nations should have been included in the process and negotiations should have been more controlled within the influence of the U. N. If we universalize the U. S. ’s action to go to war before pushing for diplomacy, the diplomatic option in the world would collapse. In this sense, there would be little hope of peaceful solutions to inter-national conflicts, but instead a future of pre-empted strikes and quick invasions. If this would indeed become the case, the world would need far more than Kantian ethics to save it from its inevitable decline. References Hobbes, Thomas (2006). Leviathan. New York: Dover Publications, Incorporated. Kant, Immanuel (1948). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. (H. J. Paton, Trans. ). London: Hutchinson. (Original work published 1785, and published in a collection in 1903; page references to this edition). Kant, Immanuel (1836). The Metaphysics of Ethics. (John William Semple, Trans. ). Edinburgh: Thomas Clark. (Original work published 1785). Paton, Herbert James. (1971). The Categorical Imperative: A Study in Kant’s Moral Philosophy. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Ross, Dennis. (2008). Statecraft: And How to Restore America’s Standing in the World. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Steel, Jonathan. (2008). Defeat: Why America and Britain Lost Iraq. Berkeley: Counterpoint. How to cite The Ethics of the American Invasion of Iraq, Papers

Mens Rea In International Criminal Law

Question: Describe about The Concept of Mens Rea In International Criminal Law ? Answer: Introduction Since long, it had been recommended by many leading academicians as well as by lawyers that the existing legislation known as the Non-Fatal Offences against Person, 1861 was something that demanded immediate amendments. This recommendation was based on three main issues. Firstly, the language that is used in the legislation is very complicated, outdated and obscure. Secondly, the structure in which the offences are arranged is very ambiguous. Thirdly, the effectiveness of the piece of legislation was criticized by the Law Commission as well. It was proposed by the Law Commission to repeal Section 18, 20 and 47 of the Act and replace them with new provisions which would be appropriately worded. Discussion The various criticisms of the legislation are being discussed in the following paragraphs. The language that is used in the Legislation is particularly outdated. For instance, there are certain words like malicious and grievous which are not used on a regular basis these days. Hence, these terms require interpretation by the courts on a regular basis. While on one hand, in general terms, the word malicious means something that is related to evil or haughtiness, on the opposite end, the same in legal parlance means having an intention or being reckless. In the matter of DPP v Smith, the term grievous was interpreted as to mean something very serious. There are also other terms like assault that have been found to be very misleading. Ordinarily, to constitute the offence of assault, one generally gets a notion that there has to an image of actual physical attack while under the existing legal system, to constitute the offence of assault, no physical contact is required. Similar ambigui ty is also prevalent as far as the term battery is concerned. Considering the legislative history, it is very ambiguous to believe that the Victorian Draftsmen actually wished to include any psychiatric harm in the definition of the word bodily harm. However, the Courts have included the same in the said category in the matters of R v Ireland, R v Constanza and R v Burstow. There is equal ambiguity in understanding the word inflict. In the matter of R v Clarence, it meant requirement of proof that an assault or battery was actually done. In the matter of R v Wilson, the Court ruled that to satisfy the ingredients of this particular word, force should be applied directly. On the other hand, the same court in the matter of R v Martin ruled that even indirect application of the force would satisfy the section. Let us know have a look at the ambiguous structure of the offences. The offences of assault and battery are not defined coherently and hence, there is no boundary line that would differentiate the two from each other. In Faulkner v Talbot, it was ruled that battery would be said to have done if there is any intentional touching while, ABH would be constituted if the intentional touching would interfere with the comfort of the individual. Apart from the element of comfort there seems to be no difference between these two offences, yet, the punishment prescribed for both of them is miles apart. While battery is punishable with a maximum penalty of 6 months, ABH might be punishable for 5 years. The different jury would interpret ABH and GBH n grossly different terms. There is no boundary to compartmentalize the two. It is beyond doubt that ABH and GBH are offences with different levels of severity in terms of injury. Even then, under Section 20, an offence of GBH has the same level of p enalty as an offence under Section 47, dealing with ABH. There seems to be no validity as to why would the offence of wounding is kept in an entirely different section. The same can be interpreted along the terms of GBH. In the matter of Moriarty v Brookes, it was held by the Court that breaking the seven layers of the skin would be said to constitute the offence of wound. This means that a pin prick would be considered to be a wound and also a head breaking with skin rupture will also be wound. It is dismal to see this situation. Further, as far as the effectiveness of the offences is concerned, there are further criticisms there as well. It is likely that many of the non fatal offences against persons would go unpunished. There are high chances that many of them would not be reported and even if they are reported, they may not be prosecuted. Law Commission Recommendations Keeping these in mind, the Law Commission, published the report titled Legislating the Criminal Code: Offences Against the Person and General Principles. This came in inclusion of a bill that intended to repeal Section 18, 20 and 47 on the grounds that the language was old fashioned, the three sections in question are complicated and have technical errors associated and that in the interpretation of these sections, it is very likely that lawyers would make mistakes and there would be total unintelligibility as far as the common men are concerned. We shall now look into the amendments which the proposed bill intended to provide. The same is being presented in the given tabular form: Present Offences Proposed New Offences Definitions Maximum Penalty S. 18: Wounding or causing Grievous Bodily Hurt with intent A person would remain guilty of an offence under the section if he intentionally causes an injury that is serious to any other person Injury would mean any physical injury or mental injury. Physical injury would mean anything that is caused by disease and would include any pain, unconsciousness or any other impairment of the physical condition of a person. Mental injury would mean anything that causes an impairment of the mental health of a person. Imprisonment for life. S. 20: Wounding or causing Grievous Bodily Hurt A person would remain guilty of an offence under the section if serious injury is caused to another person by his reckless act. Injury would have the same definition as stated above with the only difference that it would not include anything that is caused by diseases. Seven years on condemnation or six months; this may or may not be associated with a fine summarily. S. 47: Assault that results in ABH A person would remain guilty of an offence under this section if an injury is caused to another person either with intent or out of recklessness. Injury would have the same definition as stated above with the only difference that it would not include anything that is caused by diseases. Five years on condemnation or six months; this may or may not be associated with a fine summarily. Common Law Assault and Battery A person remains guilty of an offence under this section if he with intent applies force on another person and he believes that such an impact would be imminent. Generally, the fine amounts to an amount not more than $ 5000 along with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months. Evaluation The key aspects of the changed reform suggest that the following three should be kept in mind An assault that is inclusive of a battery which results in any harm which happens to be an ABH in contrast to Section 47 should be charged as a common assault in contrast to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act where injury constitutes nothing more than a graze or a scratch or an abrasion. The offences that would be charged under section 47 are loss or breaking of tooth or teeth, cuts that require stitches, extensive bruises, psychiatric injury going beyond fear, loss of sensory functions etc. Section 20 of the Act should only be kept for those wounds that are at equivalence with GBH. Such offences include permanent disability, visible disfigurement of any organ, broken or misplaced bones and limbs, or any other injury that causes a substantial loss of blood. Conclusion As far as the success of the new provisions is concerned, it appears that the recommendations of the Law Commission have been followed. If the Bill is implemented, it is likely that the ambiguities that were present in the legislation would be mended to a great extent. The Law Commission has recommended these changes that are very vital for the criminal justice system to stand on strong grounds. But at the same time, it also cannot be denied that the scope for improvement still lies. There are certain areas that can be mended again. As for instance, the definition of assault and battery can be brought under one head so that the difference of borderline between the two can be understood. Further, the sections can also be updated as far as parlance with Section 39 of Criminal Justice Act is concerned. This will provide a more coherent criminal law framework. But a reading of the present situation clearly points that the recommended changes are particularly helpful in deciphering the am biguous situation that was present formerly. References Allen, M,Textbook on criminal law. in , Oxford, Oxford university press, 2015. Badar, M,The Concept Of Mens Rea In International Criminal Law. in , Oxford University Press, 2014. DPP v Smith. in , , 1961, p. 290. Dubber, M,Foundational texts in modern criminal law. in , Oxford University Press, 2015. E-lawresources.co.uk, 'Criticisms of non-fatal offences against the person'. in , , 2015, https://e-lawresources.co.uk/Non-Fatal-Offences-Against-the-Person---Criticisms.php [accessed 24 July 2015]. Faulkner v Talbot [1981] 3 All ER 468. in , , 1981, p. 468. HORDER, J, 'Rethinking Non-Fatal Offences against the Person'. inOxford Journal of Legal Studies, 14, 1994, 335-351. Jefferson, M, 'Offences against the Person: Into the 21st Century'. inThe Journal of Criminal Law, 76, 2012, 472-492. Jones-Brown, D, B Frazier, M Brooks,African Americans and criminal justice. in , Oxford University Press, 2014. Kymlicka, W, C Lernestedt, M Matravers,Criminal law and cultural diversity. in , Oxford University Press, 2015. Law, H, 'Offences against the Person: Reckless Transmission of HIV'. inThe Journal of Criminal Law, 69, 2005, 389-393. Lawteacher.net, 'Non Fatal Offences Against The Person | Criminal Lecture Notes | Law Teacher'. in , , 2015, https://www.lawteacher.net/lecture-notes/criminal-law/assaults-lecture.php [accessed 24 July 2015]. Lee, C, Audah Hassan,Offences against persons and property. in , Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, LexisNexis, 2009. Moriarty v Brookes. in , , 1834, p. 79. R v Burstow. in , , 1997, p. 34. R v Clarence. in , , 1889, , 23. R v Constanza. in , , 1997, p. 576. R v Ireland. in , , 1997, , 534. R v Martin. in , , 1989, , 343. R v Wilson. in , , 1996, p. 573. Virgo, G, 'Offences Against the PersonDo-It-Yourself Law Reform'. inCam. Law. J., 56, 1997, 251. M Allen,Textbook on criminal law, in , Oxford, Oxford university press, 2015. W Kymlicka, C Lernestedt M Matravers,Criminal law and cultural diversity, in , Oxford University Press, 2015. DPP v Smith, inAC, , 1961, p. 290. R v Ireland, inWLR, , 1997, , 534. R v Constanza, inCrim L R, , 1997, p. 576. R v Burstow, inUKHL, , 1997, p. 34. R v Clarence, inQB, , 1889, , 23. R v Wilson, inCrim L R, , 1996, p. 573. R v Martin, inCr App R, , 1989, , 343. D Jones-Brown, B Frazier M Brooks,African Americans and criminal justice, in , Oxford University Press, 2014. Faulkner v Talbot [1981] 3 All ER 468, inAll E R, , 1981, p. 468. M Badar,The concept of Mens Rea in international criminal law, in . Oxford University Press, 2015. C Lee Audah Hassan,Offences against persons and property, in , Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia, LexisNexis, 2009. Moriarty v Brookes, inEWHC Exch J, , 1834, p. 79. Lawteacher.net, 'Non Fatal Offences Against The Person | Criminal Lecture Notes | Law Teacher', in , , 2015, https://www.lawteacher.net/lecture-notes/criminal-law/assaults-lecture.php [accessed 24 July 2015]. G Virgo, 'Offences Against the PersonDo-It-Yourself Law Reform', inCam. Law. J., vol. 56, 1997, 251. H Law, 'Offences against the Person: Reckless Transmission of HIV', inThe Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 69, 2005, 389-393. M Dubber,Foundational texts in modern criminal law, in . Oxford University Press, 2015. E-lawresources.co.uk, 'Criticisms of non-fatal offences against the person', in , , 2015, https://e-lawresources.co.uk/Non-Fatal-Offences-Against-the-Person---Criticisms.php [accessed 24 July 2015]. M Jefferson, 'Offences against the Person: Into the 21st Century', inThe Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 76, 2012, 472-492. J HORDER, 'Rethinking Non-Fatal Offences against the Person', inOxford Journal of Legal Studies, vol. 14, 1994, 335-351.

261 Junot Diaz and Drown Professor Ramos Blog

261 Junot Diaz and Drown Masculinity vs Toxic Masculinity Quick Write You are at your funeral, or the funeral of a man you respect. They say, â€Å"He was a good man.† What does that mean? Write for a couple of minutes on what it means to be a good man. What words come to mind? Masculinity vs Toxic Masculinity What is the difference? Junot Dà ­az (1968) Junot Dà ­az is a Dominican-American writer, creative writing professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and fiction editor at Boston Review. He has won numerous writing awards, including the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Drown (1996)

UAE Islands

UAE Islands Man-made islands in Dubai There are several residential projects that are now being implemented in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. First of all, one should speak about the construction of the Palm Islands and the World Islands in Dubai.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on UAE Islands specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These projects were implemented in order to solve the problem of beach shortage in the city, beginning in 2003 (Badescu Cathcart 2011, p. 66). At that time, the coastline was not sufficient for construction industry. There was virtually no space that could be filled by office buildings, hotels, restaurants, and so forth. These islands are made of the sand that has been dredged from the bottom of the sea. To a great extent, these artificial islands were supposed to serve the needs of the real estate market which was booming in the UAE (Froelich, 2008, p. 430). It was supposed that the territory could be used fo r various residential projects such as the construction of restaurants, luxury hotels, shopping malls, villas, or sports facilities (Froelich, 2008, p. 430). The islands can be used by various businesses that intend to operate in Dubai. The availability of artificial islands can stimulate the growth of tourism in the UAE. At present, many of the construction projects on the Palm Islands have not been completed. However, there are many people who are willing to settle on the Palm Islands (Roza, 2009, p. 54). They prefer to move to Palm Jumeirah because it has the most developed infrastructure (Roza, 2009, p. 54). These are some of the details that can be identified, but there are several environmental problems that should not be overlooked. First of all, these projects can disrupt the functioning of many marine eco-systems. One should not forget about the erosion of the coastline (Roza, 2009, p. 54). These are the risks that are associated with land reclamation (Roza, 2009, p. 54). O verall, the construction of these artificial islands is one of the most ambitious development projects that are now carried out in the UAE, as more than $ 12 billion have already been spent.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These artificial islands are constructed by the government that wants to stimulate the development of the real estate market in Dubai. The costs associated with these artificial islands can be justified if investors are willing to use the territory. In case the demand for this territory decreases, these artificial islands may become an extra burden for Dubai. These are the main details that can be identified. Masdar City Abu Dhabi has taken a different development approach which is a symbol of the city’s attempt to develop a sustainable and environmentally sensitive socio economic growth plan. It can be described as an arcology or a set of interrelated buildings and infrastructural facilities that can remain sustainable for a long time. Abu Dhabi’s government has instigated a Swiss Village, MASDAR City, an urban green space design, which is a new urban area designed from scratch that will only depend on renewable energy. The designers are using the sun, the desert’s greatest threat, as a great asset for renewable energy. The construction of this complex will require approximately $ 22 billion (Pollalis 2013, p. 253). There are several distinct elements of Masdar City. This arcology will rely primarily on renewable energy sources, and it will not be dependent on fuel or electricity produced in other parts of Abu Dhabi (Pollalis 2013, p. 253). Although Masdar is marketed as green over the top project, it is a way to get the message out into the open, and make people realize that they need to change the way the population thinks. It is not about advertising but about a new way of living and thinki ng. It is isolated, and if you do not fit in, you are not accepted. As for the man-made islands, environmental aspects have been ignored during the urban development process. Decision makers and planners must understand the relation between a built and a natural environment in order to enhance the urban characteristics in a sustainable manner, as these could trigger long-term environmental economic and social impacts (Gret-Regamey ET AL. 2008). It is expected that this artificial complex can provide accommodation to more than sixty thousand people who will be living and working there. This complex will be oriented for the needs of companies that will work on the development of sustainable technologies (Brebbia 2011, p. 37).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on UAE Islands specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Masdar City will also be used by research centers and educational organizations. The functioning of this arco logy will be based on the use of sustainable transportation such as E-taxis (Brebbia 2011, p. 37). The private vehicles of employees will not be used on the territory of Masdar City. Also, much attention will be paid to the recycling of waste that will be re-used (Smith 2012, p. 309). This project is carried out by a governmental organization, namely Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company. This organization intends to make Abu Dhabi more sustainable, especially at the time when natural resources are becoming scarce. This is the long-term objective that policy-makers want to attain. Additionally, the construction of this arcology can boost the growth of the real estate market in Abu Dhabi because it can attract many investors from different countries. People working in Masdar City may want to buy or rent apartments in other areas of Abu Dhabi and the demand for housing might eventually increase. Thus, the completion of this complex can have long-lasting implications for many people in Abu D habi. This city will be completed at the end of 2025 and it could be an important step in the development of the housing industry in the United Arab Emirates. It is possible that similar residential projects will be implemented in the country or neighboring states. References Badescu, V Cathcart, R 2011, Macro-engineering Seawater in Unique Environments: Arid Lowlands and Water Bodies Rehabilitation, Springer, New York. Brebbia, C 2011, Sustainable Development and Planning V, WIT Press, Boston. Froelich, B 2008, A Bull for All Seasons: Main Street Strategies for Finding the Money in Any Market, McGraw Hill Professional, New York.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Gret-Regamey et al. 2008, Ecosystem Services in Agricultural and Urban Landscapes, John Wiley Sons, Hoboken. Pollalis, S 2013, Infrastructure Sustainability and Design, Routledge, New York. Roza, G 2009, The Creation of Islands, The Rosen Publishing Group, New York. Smith, P 2012, City: A Guidebook for the Urban Age, Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

Internal Recruitment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internal Recruitment - Research Paper Example This policy is mainly concerned about promotions where the current employees can be elevated to higher positions on the basis of factors such as merit as well as experience in that particular field. Performance reviews will be used to formulate such policy and the final decisions can only be made by senior management within the organization. Discussion of the characteristics that make such a policy effective There are various characteristics that make such a policy effective. A policy that has been formulated on the basis of impartiality is likely to succeed if carefully implemented in the organization. This entails that all promotions should be done without fear or favour and the results are likely to satisfy the needs of all the employees in the organization. In order to do this, the strategy of carrying out a job analysis should be carried out first before promoting the employees. Basically, a job analysis is described as a step by step process of obtaining information about a job that is done through identifying the skills, duties and knowledge required for taking that job in the company organisation (Grobler, 2006). When this information is available, informed decisions about promoting the right candidates are likely to be made in the company. This also helps the management to make a good job description that can suit the experience as well as qualifications of the employees within the organization who can be considered for promotion. According to Carell (1995), the most important rule when carrying out a recruitment exercise is that from time to time, the human resources management should always strive to attract job candidates with the required competencies and traits in order to be in a better position to perform the required tasks. The other characteristic that makes such a policy effective is that it should be based on talent inventory which is described as a database that contains the information about the pool of current employees (Werner, Schuler & Jackson, 2012). Talent inventories usually include information such as employees’ names, prior job experiences, performance and compensation histories as well as demonstrated performances. This is a very effective way of monitoring talent among the employees in the organization. This also helps the company to make informed decisions when elevating other employees to senior or higher position. Experience and previous performance are two very important factors that ought to be taken into consideration when making a decision about promoting certain individuals in the organization. This is effective in that employees who are selected internally have the knowledge about what is expected from them since they have been working in the company. Impact on employee engagement and retention There are several benefits that can be achieved from implementing an internal transfer and promotion policy in the organization. Of the several advantages of internal recruitment within a company, it can be noted that an increase in morale among the employees is one of the major one. In most cases, promotion often comes with other related benefits and these motivate employees to put optimum effort in their performance which also significantly helps to retain them. Happy employees in the

Social Media Users in Finland and Poland Assignment

Social Media Users in Finland and Poland - Assignment Example In July 2012, during the 16 International Christian Internet Congress staged in Munich, the attending church representatives unanimously agreed there was need for Christian organizations to boost their internet connective and interaction through social media. The outcome of the Munich conference was later discussed by Christian leaders in Finland in their annual meeting. Although only 35% of Finnish Christians use Facebook and other social sites, churches had lost more forty thousand faithful in less than four months. This served as an indication of how important social media are in wooing loyalist including fundamentalist. Churches therefore saw the need to retain their flocks by going socially online. It is from then that religious institutions adjusted their marketing strategy. Churches went ahead to appoint a team of delegates to investigate the role of social media in the modern society and also respond onslaught of social media criticisms. Instead, churches in Finland and the r est of Europe proposed new ways of positively using social media to preach the gospel and win new converts. Churches therefore launched an interactive social websites where their followers can post comments, videos, blogs, and pictures which would encourage other website followers. However, because of increasing cases of hacking, churches were forced to deploy experts and administrators to manage and integrate their sites (Scott, & Scott, 2011, p.63-4). The increasing use of online and digital communication technologies.... From political, corporate, to religious, all the organizations currently embrace social networks or media. Churches across Finland and Poland were surveyed on their how active to they use social media as a marketing base. The result polled by Buzzplant marketing agency revealed that these institutions often used social media to popularize themselves. Even millennium old institutions were found to have joined social network train. The survey covered about 250 churches in Finland on their position towards social media. Surprisingly, the finding of the survey established that religious institutions strongly believed on the effectiveness of social media form of outreach (Scott, 2010, p.89). Over forty six percent of the respondents indicated their preference of social media as an effective way of reaching out to their followers with only 25% of them preferring knocking on the door, and 6% indicating that TV is a better way of gaining numbers. Similar to Poland, Facebook and twitter were the most popular social networks for a large number of religious followers. This was evidence by the frequency at which these churches updated their Facebook or twitter pages on a daily account (Armfield, & Holbert, 2003, p.129). In July 2012, during the 16 International Christian Internet Congress staged in Munich, the attending church representatives unanimously agreed there was need for Christian organizations to boost their internet connective and interaction through social media. The outcome of the Munich conference was later discussed by Christian leaders in Finland in their annual meeting. Although only 35% of Finnish Christians use Facebook and other social sites, churches had lost more forty thousand faithful in less than four months. This served as an indication of how

Art Culture and History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Art Culture and History - Essay Example But whilst Bocaccio does not give much importance to frame, one f Chaucer's greatest and most particular abilities lies in the creation f characters. Chaucer's main interest, and quite a modern one, is on portraying different human types. Chaucer chooses sources that fit with his purposes, using intertextuality to achieve a personal creative goal. The Wife f Baths's Tale is really appropriate to her character. Drawn from a popular story -already written by Gower in his Confessio Amantis, and later to become The Wedding f Sir Gawen and the Dame f Ragnell (in a manuscript written circa 1450)- the Tale looks for an answer to the question 'What do women most desire'. In the prologue to the tale, Chaucer develops some f his most shiny and colorful narrative that's containing great examples f intertextuality, but they are not as obvious as in the tale. For instance, there is a clear influence f Confessions, in the opening lines f the Wife's parliament: "If there were no authority on earth/ except experience; mine, for what it's worth,/ and that's enough for me, all goes to show/ that marriage is a raisery and a woe;/ For let me say, if I may make so bold,/ My lords, since when I was but twelve years old,/ Thanks be to God Eternal evermore,/ Five husbands have I had at the church door;" (Chaucer 279). The story that the pilgrims are going to listen to it's the story f her life and marriages. Truth be told, the wife's tale has little to do with the Confessions f St. Agoustin. In fact, the prologue's main plot is closer to the fabliaux tradition and its popular and sexual-orientated stories. The prologue shares with the Confessions a similar autobiographical tone, but switched to serve Chaucer's intentions, that in this case are slightly ironical. Fabliaux's witty word games are also shown in this prologue. "God bade us all to wax and multiply./ That kindly text I well can understand." (280) Or: "Let them be pure wheat loaves f maiden head/ And let us wives be known for barley-bread;/Yet Mark can tell that barley-bread sufficed/to freshen many at the hand f Christ" (282). The cheeky Wife's personality seems to be pretty convenient to the word games and the humorous content f her parliament. There is also strong influence f the exempla's tone that is also present in the prologue. "Listen, I'll tell you how I used to hold them,/you knowing women, who can understand." (284) Here, the wife uses her experiences to advise women on how to treat their husbands. The intention f her prologue is similar to the aim f the priest's exemplas, teaching the populace on how to behave. f course, the prologue's content is, again, far away from the exempla's and closer to popular tradition. Chaucer's tales are written in iambic couplets, a form that allows him to express himself more freely and brings him to one f his highest achievements: the transformation f English language into a vehicle that could drive popular and high literature through new ways f expression. This is probably one f the most attractive peculiarities f Chaucer, and probably the one that attracted Shakespeare to Chaucer the most. Chaucer's aim to transform English language was present in