Raymond Williams Essay Example

Raymond Williams Paper The term popular culture is one that carries much debate and hysteria into what it actually means. In developing my work I hope to touch upon the various different backgrounds that make up the theory of popular culture and attempt to understand what the term means. In order to investigate what popular culture is it is useful first to clarify what the words represent individually: Popular: liked or enjoyed or used etc. by many people; of or for the general public. Culture: developed understanding of literature, art, music, etc; type of civilisation: artificial rearing of bees, bacteria etc: bacteria grown for study- v. t. grow in artificial conditions. In addition to these standard definitions other meanings have been formed as the subject matter has advanced. Well liked by many people; inferior kinds of work; work deliberately setting out to win favour with the people; culture actually made by the people for themselves (Raymond Williams in Cultural theory and popular culture, John Storey, page 2, 1993) are all interpretations of the word popular. Culture too has alternative meaning, one of which the texts and practices of everyday life (John Storey, Cultural Studies and the Study of Popular Culture, page 2, 1993) involves the merging of two other definitions. As the definitions show the words carry different meanings depending on the context that they are used in. This is also true when the words are placed together, but a further influence has had an effect upon the term which has led to further clouding of its meaning, this being the concept of ideology. The ideas that form the basis of theory, ideology is something that not even Karl Marx was able lay down a clear definition of. We will write a custom essay sample on Raymond Williams specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Raymond Williams specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Raymond Williams specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It shares much of the same ground with culture, yet there is one sector that separates them, politics. There are various definitions that make up ideology, with many of them implementing division between people, namely the powerful and the powerless. This divide can be constructed in many ways, one being the presentation of distorted texts or practices in society that result in the creation of a false consciousness. Furthermore it is also argued that the image of the world that texts create has to present a view, be it good or bad, the consequence of which means that the audience is being subjected to a political stance. Frenchmen Louis Althusser and Roland Barthes have also contributed heavily to this debate, with the former believing that social customs have been ambushed and resold as ideological practices, such as Christmas which provides society with a break in the hope that it will return to the workplace refreshed and looking forward to the next break, oblivious to its exploitation. Barthes meanwhile observed the effect connotations of words carry in texts and practices, whilst also looking at the hegemonic struggle (John Storey, Cultural Theory and Popular Culture, page 6, 1993) to control and create connotations by the powerful. And so it is that through a combination of culture and ideology the term popular culture has developed. It is at this point where conflict arises though over what the term really does mean, which has resulted in the creation of a number of theories. Culture that is widely consumed or liked, which can be measured through investigation of sales is one thought, but this then leads to further debate over what figure is set as popular. There is also the idea that whatever is left from high culture becomes its popular counterpart, but this then leads to conflict over what high culture is as certain texts or practices have at one point been part of both. An example of this being Shakespeares plays, which at the time of writing would have been seen as popular culture, but are now seen as high culture. The notion that it is mass culture, which then leads onto commercialisation and the Americanization theory.

Dr. Caligari as German Expressionism essays

Dr. Caligari as German Expressionism essays The German Expressionist cinema began in 1919 and was itself essentially an opposite of Impressionism. While Impressionism dealt more with giving an outward impression of an object, Expressionism sought to induce the emotional feel an object invokes on itself. Seemingly most often, Expressionist art is more about the artist than the subject. More importantly, however, is the fact that all definitions of "Expressionism" describe it as a theory of art that expresses feelings in an abstract way. The world may still be confusing, but some answers are found. Created by a people in effect displaced within their own country and society, German Expressionist films portray their own sense of displacement. It is not surprising then, that German Expressionism came to dominate horror and artistic cinema in the silent era. German Expressionism was more innovative and influential than any other film genre in the 1920s. It opened new doors to the possibilities of filmmaking, and the places an audience could be carried by them. German filmmakers began to create sets that personified the inner feelings of the characters set within them. The audience was able to visually identify the essential feelings of the action taking place because the scenes took elements of reality-based design and altered them to suit the mood. More over, German Expressionist film also advanced in two chief aspects of production beliefs. The first was the use of a studio for all aspects of shooting: absolute control was only possible if all sets and action took place within a studio. The other, more commonly seen in modern cinema, was the concept of giving an audience precisely what it wanted. Therefore, it was not surprising that while German Expressionist films were not always received well by the critics, they were most often quite successful at the box offices. In general, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is looked upon as the film which first brought Expressi...

Cartography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cartography - Essay Example Consequently, the capability of maps to visualize geographical information and the  geo-spatial  patterns, has made them to prominent in the  GIScience  study and process.    It was  Goodchild  who authored the concept of  GIScience  around the year 1992. He described  GIScience  as a Discipline of Science dealing with  GIS  technology and the obstructions affecting the scientific representation of  geo  spatial data.  Ã‚  Experts further elaborated on this concept and described the function of  GIScience  as addressing the fundamental research principles forming the basis of  GIS. It was also sought to be explained as application of  GIS  to solve scientific problems. From the research point of view, there is justification to conclude that visual representation of GIS data is a major concern of GIScience. These perceptions about the GIScience were further stretched by the books and journals which appeared during the beginning phase of the Sc ience. Maps aid in visual thinking and it would be logical to conclude that GIScience is the application of scientific methodology through maps to the research on GIS. While GIS attempts to represent Geo- spatial data in a methodical, and an intelligible manner through maps, GIScience attempts to address the problems arising in doing so, and further provides reference basis to interpret information represented in maps. GIScience  thus studies spatial representations in maps, map analysis and accuracy in map applications, map visualization, and other similar queries regarding use of maps for the benefit of the society. The significance of maps in the  GIScience  has automatically overlapped the traditional disciplines that deal with the Earth’s complete geographical study and environment. Further, the use of maps in  GIS  is not restricted to the above mentioned subjects, but they also deal with IT Cognitive Sciences besides dealing into artificial intelligence.  W hile it affects each of these sciences,  GIScience  and maps are not central to any of them. It is by itself a new kind of Collaborative Science involving researchers from diverse backdrops working mutually to resolve related problems. These problems being scientific in character and are also related to resource management, commerce, and administration, (Andrienko, and Andrienko, 1999)..    Referring to maps, they were the first tools to be used for representing, synthesizing, analyzing and interpreting geographical data. The rise of Geographical Information Systems has encouraged these functions further. The rigours and elaborate labour associated with the production of maps has now been reduced and there is the added convenience of being able to produce numerous versions of a map from different view points, just by clicking a specific option button or a click of the mouse. Experts haves cited the proliferation of maps, as a result of the emergence of the Internet and the Wor ld Wide Web (WWW). It may be argued also that the quality of such instant maps is no match to the product of the cartographer’s precise and painstaking labour, (Frerichs, 20001). Experts may argue that the precise and laborious map is not always a necessity for a quick grasp of a

LOVE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LOVE - Essay Example The implementation of Adam Smith’s ideas of a free market economy, where the invisible hand would determine how, what and how much to produce in what quantities was a radical concept, as was his assertion that saving is better than consumption, giving rise to a capitalist economy. It was supported by David Ricardo’s Theory of Comparative Advantage as the basis for international trade and exchange. Modern societies depend on elected leaders and thinkers as they try to find solutions to our communal problems and bring a sense of order and belonging to our daily lives. This involves the formulation of policies that are in the public interest. In fact the degree of evolution of society can be traced to the quality of its laws, policies, procedures, ethics and morals that define and perpetuate its existence. A qualifying criticism that can be leveled against policy makers is that they tend to act in their own self interests rather than in the public interest. In other words, power tends to corrupt the best of individuals as they tend to seek what is best for them rather than society at large. F.A. Hayek saw these deficiencies in the mechanism of socialist economies as well as a capitalistic system. He argued that it was liberalism that needed to be included in the system to make it work better (Hayek, 23). Ronald Coase would interject that social costs would also enter into the equation of deciding the price of a good, as few entrepreneurs or capitalists have the capacity or talent to produce goods themselves (Coase, 12). The answer to this quandary would therefore lie in public and private watchdogs, professional and private agencies that make it their duty to point out the good and bad points of evolving laws and policies- much like a Board of Governance in a modern organization. The only caveat is that they should be answerable to no one but society at large. If we truly acted principally in the public interest and not just our own, we would soon realize that

The role of Law Enforcement in the community Assignment

The role of Law Enforcement in the community - Assignment Example 2. The purpose of this paper will be to analyze the role of law enforcement in the community, their effectiveness of the roles over time and the changes one can make when serving a local law enforcement organization. The role of law enforcement in the community is to maintain order and to prevent violation of people’s right (Zachary, 1999). Police is the body that deals directly with the law enforcement; they chase down criminals breaking the law risking their lives for the better of the community. Police react to any reported suspicious or criminal activities. They also prevent domestic violence from happening and this helps to improve the society by making people live in peace. The introduction of emergency numbers like 911 helps to minimize the rate of crimes in the society. Law enforcement agencies have improved the way of living among people in the society by responding first, preventing crimes, and controlling traffic jams. Law enforcement was introduced in many communit ies due to the gap between the poor and the rich. The rich wanted personal protection, property protection and life protection from the increasing population of people it led to the introduction and creation of law enforcement agencies. Justice is offered by law courts by giving the punishment either by fines or imprisonment (Zachary, 1999). 3. Law enforcement in a community gives immune and safe feeling to the people in the society because of the set laws that are not regularly changed. Law enforcement has changed and improved greatly over time due to the improvement and advancement of technology. Invention of computers, cars, and the CCTV cameras has led to effective enforcement of law, police and other agencies can be able to enforce the law over a wide coverage by use of satellites and other technological equipments (Hess, & cho, 2008). Fraud has also been reduced

Studying The Social Problems Of Racism Philosophy Essay

Studying The Social Problems Of Racism Philosophy Essay This essay discusses about an important social problem of nowadays society, about the roots, beginnings of racism. During this essay you will found that racism is taught, not genetic, and all this beginning from childs early ages, you could find some statement which influence in a bad way youre your childs life or why white parents avoid black children adoptions and in final youll find also an important solution, for me, the most important in solving this problem. So, you could find some interesting things about Romanian racism in general and some other facts you should avoid, in order to offer youre child a better life without discrimination. Even now after all the racial disasters (like Auschwitz), race remains a big moral, social and political problem of our world used by political system, in order to make distinctions between whites and people of color. And this problem has a very bad influence in our childrens life, as Gerald Pine and Asa Hilliard stats: Racism, prejudice, and discrimination are shamefully sabotaging our nations efforts to provide a high-quality education for all children (1990:1) First, we should talk about racism in general, in order to have a good view on what we are going to talk forward. Racism is a bad combination between prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice consists of unjustifiable negative feelings and beliefs about a racial or ethnic group and its members. It is characterized by preconceived opinions, judgments or feelings that lack any foundation or substance. Discrimination consists of unjustifiable negative behavior toward a racial or ethnic group and its members. It expresses itself in distinctions and decisions made on the basis of prejudice. (Pine Asa 1990:2) Racism is a psycho-social problem which exists for centuries and people, even if they know is not good, they continue to be racist, and their biggest problem is that they deny being so. There are many definitions of racism, but here are two important ones. Laszloffy and Hardy in Uncommon Strategies for a Common Problem: Addressing Racism in Family Therapy states that Racism is an act that denies a person or humane group treatment or a fair opportunity because of racial bias. While it may occur on different levels (individual level or institutional level) and in different ways (overtly or covertly, intentionally or unintentionally), all expressions of racism are rooted in an ideology of racial superiority/inferiority that assumes some racial groups are superior to others, and therefore deserve preferential treatment. (35). Another definition would be: Racism, also called racialism, represents any action, practice, or belief that reflects the racial worldview- the ideology that humans are divided into separate and exclusive biological entities called races, that there is a causal link between inherited physical traits of personality, intellect, morality, and other cultural behavioral features, and that some races are innately superior to others (Audrey 2010). So, from all this, we can realize that racism is an act of cowardly, which is adopted by people with bad intentions and who dont really have arguments for being racist. Racism has its original roots in history, and this because of wars, another example could be the New World, conquered by Europeans, when they forced black people from Africa to go to America where they became slaves, or other example, more recently, the Jewish from Auschwitz which were killed because of their religion, and the examples could go on, but we are not going to talk about this anymore. But, even knowing all that, people arent aware of the negative aspects of racism and continue being racist and denying it, with words like: Im not racist, but Chinese people are the ugliest faces Ive ever seen, or something like that. We have to admit that whatever the reason, we are racist, but things can change. We can improve our lifestyle if we have wish, and we should have in order to offer our children another vision of life. On the other hand, we must admit that racist people are those with lack of education, but this is the education we use too, in order to teach our children what is good or bad. We hear every day on television anti-racist slogans but we pretend we didnt hear it as we pretend when we hear bad accidents having place, in schools, because of racial problems. Our society has became very indifferent on taking into consideration others problems, and they weak up only when they are in trouble and blame the others for not advising them before. This is a message for everyone who wants to take it into account, and this would be: Racism in not genetic, it is learned from childhood until forever. So, parents should take into account the life they want for their children. Nowadays, childrens life is full of racism; this thing is learned by different ways and by different people from their life. We should start with the babys first steps, when he is taught the basics, and here we can found many racist things. For example, many parents use different statements in order to reflect the bad influence of gypsies in whites world. Statements like: Do not spit like gypsies!, Those moneys were touched by gypsies and you stick them into your mouth! What disgusting! or even worse If youre not good Ill sell you to gypsies are used in everyday life in order to break children of a bad habit and with or without intention, parents also promote and approve racism, by teaching those that gypsies are bad. By this, the bases of racism are well constructed by parents and since children are taught racism before getting to school, parents should be more careful on what they say and what they do and ask themselves if racism is the best solution in learning their children basi cs and behavior. If we go forward in childrens life, at the time when they go outside to play with other children, we see that they are taught another racist rule very known in everydays life of whites in Romania and this rule says something like that: Do not play with gipsy children!. This is a very popular rule of moms and also an unbreakable one. This statement was once even mentioned in a television and radio campaign named: The discrimination of gypsies is taught at home! Know them before you judge them!(Banescu 2009). The spot of the campaign is about a Romanian kid who goes outside to play with his friend (a gypsy kid) and after he comes home is asked by his white racist mother about what he has done outside, and he answers that he had played out alone. So, we should thing a little about the gypsys life, because today all children have the right to be equal, but gypsy children still have to try hard in order to find themselves a place in societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.their hopes would be the same as the hopes of white children when Romanian moms wont threaten their sons that if they arent good, they would be thrown up at gypsies, and when gypsy moms wont tell their sons that it has no point in dreaming to follow a university because they dont have how to face Romanians. (Banescu 2009). Another imposed thing in childrens life is related this time with the teachers. After giving their sons at school, moms become hysterically on hearing that their son is placed in the same seat with a gypsy child. And because of this type of people, racism grows faster and has many other negative aspects for non-white people like the elimination of colored children from sport clubs, and other extra-school activities. And very often you find examples of children saying to gypsy children that they are not allowed to talk to him because he was a brown kid. (Wallace 2008 b) Those are only a few of the basic racism things learned by white children at home, which are rotten in childhood and are never forgotten, because they only grow faster and faster. And this happens because almost all white children are taught at home how to be racist in a conscious or unconscious way and after they go to school they put in practice everything they learned at home, and because of this children make groups and make jokes of different children, like colored children or they would even say hurtful thing about the others, in order to be funny. But what is also interesting is that even if exist one white child that was not taught to be racist at home, he will soon be learned by his other colleagues how to be so. And some of the parents would blame teachers for the racism which exists in schools, but once the children are taught to be racist, the teachers cant do anything to break them from this habit if parents do not cared about this when they taught them. Another interesting issue about children racism would be the adoptions of a colored child by white parents. This is a big problem of nowadays society, because the cases of gypsy, blacks, yellow or other racial adoption are just a few. This happens because of some ideologies or preconceptions of adoptive parents which put some conditions when they adopt a child, and those conditions would be: first the child have to be healthy and the second, the child must be white, there are few cases in which the adoptive parents ask for a gypsy child. Those type of parents which avoid the adoption of a gypsy child are afraid of the others reactions in doing it, thinking that their friends or their relatives would criticized them or would not accept their son in their group, or other reaction would be that they are afraid for little child to not inherit their parents bad character. Gypsy children deserve a chance, but they have to deal with mass-media, which is often condemning. We hope people woul d become more sensitive and tolerant in understanding that they have the same rights as the others.(Stoler, 2008 a) From all this we should remain with the fact that racism is learned and not genetic and as we can learn to be racist we can learn how not to be racist, and we should improve our behavior not just for us, but for our childrens education and for their and our future too. And all this comes because some people just abuse of their rights in an almost free world, were they start bravely discriminating someone elses human rights, and this breaking of rule has no direct or legal punishment on those who are consciously racist. Some solutions for this problem, in which before school children become racist, exist, but they stay in parents hands, by this they should understand that depends of them if they want a racist child or a good and well educated one. In what follows it will be presented only one of the solutions, the most important one. This solution would be communication, a very important issues in the relation child-parents, because of whom, other, even worse, problems appear in childs life. Communication means everything when you try to educate you child, and it must be made the distinction between good communication and order, or command, which is the worst communication, because is not the same to tell you child: Do not be racist! and when he asks you why, you respond to him: because I said so as to communicate to him and tell him which are the positive and negative aspects of racism and make him understand and also let him choose what he thinks is right or wrong. Children always have the intention and want to be brave by breaking the rule, so, if you give him orders, you wont get any results. Parents should communicate with their sons in order to improve their education, and they should tell their sons that different isnt necessarily wrong and people just need variety, but no matter how different we are outsi de or what color our skin has, our souls do not have to be bad. What is also important is that not only white children must be taught not to be racist, colored children must also be informed to not listen to others jokes or hurtful word, in order to not become a victim. They should be learned how to protect themselves and how to they turn respect the other children, which are not the same color as them. Communication about those problems we can find anywhere: in mass-media, school, social meetings, but neither one has a big influence in childrens life as communication in family. Communication about racial problems means also that parents of colored children should get involved in their child problems and lifestyle. Parents need to discuss early on with their child about race and should even be aware that their son would found out from his classmates or other strangers what is racism, and is better to prevent this before is too late. They are a lot of other solutions, but this is the most important, because you can do all the rest, but if you, as parent, do not communicate with your child, nobody would do it for you, and most important, the problem would never disappear and your children would have to face this problem alone. In defense of colored discriminations come those people which say that they do not have anything with other races, but they hate gypsies because of their attitude, behavior and because of those who beg on streets. Maybe some would even agree this statement, but we have to put a question: Do we choose our family, race or nation before we get birth? Well the answer is negative, which means that gypsy children have no fault, and we must judge them for their behavior and for what they are, not by race or religion. Racial problems are very popular in our country and this because of mass-media, which presents a lot of facts and anti-racial campaigns, in order to stop those people, which do not care about the others. In order to stop this, we all should think twice before saying something that could offend the others. So, racism in childrens life should be stopped, in order to attend for a better world, for a world and a country where all could live in peace and harmony.

College Essay :: essays research papers

As I thought of this article, many of the issues I have faced as a single Hmong woman in her mid-twenties came to mind. Should I discuss the functional reasons why marriage is so important in the Hmong culture, especially for women? Or do I talk about the lack of eligible, older Hmong men? Better yet, should I complain about the attempts by my relatives to find me a good husband as if it were an unfortunate circumstance that I was single instead of a conscious choice? Thinking it over, though, I decided that all those questions boiled down to one fundamental truth – the Hmong community is still trying to learn how to treat the increasing number of Hmong women who, like me, are making the choice to stay single in their mid-twenties. Today, single Hmong women in their mid-twenties are living on their own, sometimes in different cities, earning their own income, and making decisions independent of both their parents and clans. However, in a community where marriage defines the moment an individual becomes an adult, these successes still have not allowed them to be treated or perceived as adults by the family and clan. Furthermore, in a culture where a woman’s role continues to be defined by the dominant male in her life – either her father or her husband – the independence of Hmong women in their mid-twenties has led to a displacement of traditional roles. My sister coined the term â€Å"Christmas Tree Age† when someone told her that in order to be able to find a good husband, a Hmong woman needed to be no older than twenty-five years old. Just like a Christmas Tree which is discarded after the 25th of December, the Hmong community seems to disregard women older than twenty-five as in-eligible marriage material. At twenty-five years of age, I’ve attained many of the goals I set for myself as a young girl, starting a successful career in Corporate America, gaining financial freedom and traveling the globe. Yet, to many of my relatives, it seems my life is still lacking the most critical ingredient – a husband. While in college, my single status seemed more acceptable. However, as I have continued to focus on my career instead of a husband and as I have reached the magic twenty-five, the choice to remain single has become an increasing concern for my family.