Directing Act II †the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet Essay

Romeo and Juliet was originally a play written by William Shakespeare, who was a talented and popular playwright in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century. As there was no cinematography in his time, his plays were performed in theatres.  As I am directing Act II – the balcony scene of Romeo and Juliet, I have many advantages. In this day and age, we have the latest equipment and techniques for filmmaking. As a director I have to consider many technical factors such as camera angle, lights, effects, props and costumes. I am not going to muddle with the story line, but will make some changes, which will differentiate my scene from the original. To present a good performance, I will have to take some imperative factors into account. Such as the place the scene has in the overall structure of the play, historical background, the setting, development of character, themes and the use of language. Let me begin by describing the place the scene has in the overall play. Originally before Act II in Act I, we are introduced to the feuding families of the Montague and the Capulet’s. We learn that Romeo a youth, who is in despair with his unsuccessful love for a girl Rosanline, is the Montague’s son. Eventually Romeo is persuaded by his friend Benvolio and Mercutio to go uninvited to a Capulet ball. There he meets Juliet who is the Capulet’s daughter and falls in love with her at first sight. The events in Act II describe what follows with this new love story. This scene infact is the turning point of the play. The plot begins to thicken from this scene on. I have decided that I will stick to the basic story line and begin my film with similar events. The next factor I have to consider is the â€Å"historical background†. Originally the story is based in Verona, Italy. Verona is a city-state, which is governed by a prince, such as present day boroughs and counties administered. In Verona there are two very powerful and wealthy families the Capulet’s and the Montague’s. They have an ancient family feud between them of blood loss and killing. They are like cats and dogs always quarrelling with each other. My film will be based in Delhi, India. This is a huge district and is under the control of the commissioner of police. In Delhi there are two very powerful and rich industrialists who have a long aged feud between them. They would try to cause harm to each other at any cost. The â€Å"setting† is the factor, which will differentiate my scene from the original. As I have set my play in India. I will also set it in the modern era unlike the original, which was set in the seventeenth century. I will use modern day spoken English and not the original Shakespeare English. Modern day clothes will be worn, modern day props and environment will be used. I will have to keep factors such as camera angle, lights and effects in mind throughout the shoot of the scene. The set will be a massive mansion, which will be the Capulet’s house. This will just be a part of the house where Juliet’s balcony projects out. There will also be projections out of the wall where flowerpots will be kept and there will be creepers on the wall. This will eventually help Romeo to climb up to Juliet’s balcony. The filming of the scene takes place in the same manner as it took place in the original play. The shoot will take place at dawn, so that the dialogues correspond. The scene takes place like this; Romeo jumps over a wall and finds himself in a compound, which has a garden. He finds no one as it is early morning but sees the lights in Juliet’s room switched on. He tries to climb up to the balcony when suddenly Juliet appears. He remains quiet and listens to what Juliet is saying to herself. As Juliet is leaning on the balcony Romeo breaks his silence. Then both them become engaged in a romantic conversation. Then suddenly the nurse interrupts them. Juliet then becomes worried and excited tries to complete the conversation hastily. Eventually the they exchange vows and Romeo cautiously sneaks out of the Capulet’s mansion. The next factor is the â€Å"development of character†. As a director this is a factor I will have to stress upon in order to make my performance an attractive and successful one. In Act II – The Balcony Scene there are many changes in the character of Romeo and Juliet. Basing my scene on the original, I will use the original lines to signify the change in character. Romeo at the beginning of the scene is immature and foolish. After seeing Juliet at the ball and falling in love at first sight, he tries to encroach into the Capulet’s house to meet Juliet. This was foolish of him as he was walking into a pit. Then when he is spying on Juliet, he expresses his feeling for Juliet to himself. He is idealistic about Juliet, for example † It is the east and Juliet is the sun!† Then eventually he becomes romantic and poetic, for example â€Å"It is my lady, O it is my love!† and â€Å"The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars, As daylight doth a lamp† and â€Å"Her eyes in heaven, Would through the airy region stream so bright, That birds would sing and think it were not night.† He is very elaborative in his views about Juliet, such as â€Å"O speak again bright angel, for thou art†. When Romeo meets Juliet he carries on the conversation delivering his dialogues in his poetic, romantic and idealistic way. At a point in the scene Romeo even wishes for physical desire. For example â€Å"O wilt thou leave me so unsatisdfied?†Eventually at the end of the scene he becomes mature and plain in his expressions. For example â€Å"By the hour of nine†, he says this when Juliet asks him what time they should get married. Overall Romeo’s character is unbalanced and not focused. He is immature in his approach and gradually matures by the end of the scene. Most of the time he expresses his love for Juliet in an idealistic, poetic and romantic way. He likes to flirt and tries to touch the sentiments of Juliet. On the other hand Juliet is a person who is mature in her views. From the beginning till the end of the balcony scene she remains sober and focused about her views and expression. Her character remains being practical and down to earth. She shows passion towards Romeo at all times but with control emotions and feelings. In the beginning of the play she sardonically refers to Romeo’s and her self’s parents acting as wall between their love. For example â€Å"Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or if thou wilt not be but sworn my love; And I’ll no longer be a Capulet†. She also goes on describing the significance of their names in their love affair, for example † ‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy: Thou art thyself, though not a Montague†. When Romeo breaks his silence and when they meet, Juliet becomes puzzled and curious about his presence, but she is also pleased within as for the effort he made to come. She refers by saying â€Å"How cam’st thou hither, tell me, and wherefore; The orchard walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art†. As the scene progresses Juliet’s character remains as same, being practical and focused about her views. She replies to Romeos elaborated comments with control emotion and lucidness. For example â€Å"O swear not by the moon, th’inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable†.

Pablo Ruiz Picasso and Frida Kahlo

â€Å"It is difficult to get a sense of an artist’s practice on the basis of one work† (Art world Magazine) The works of both Picasso and Kahlo are recognised worldwide and are typified by their unique styles that portray their expressive meaning, both artists worked in the modern art movement of Surrealism fusing the dream world with reality. Their lives were intrinsically linked to their conceptual frameworks which related to world events, politics and life experiences. Both artists explore a variety of concepts through their works and it is difficult to know the artist’s practice on the basis of one work this is why exploring a series of works helps to get a clearer understanding of how the artists works and how their conceptual framework relates to the artists practice. Picasso worked in the surrealist/cubist movement and was known for his works that portrayed his views on life experiences and world events. Examples of this in his diverse range of works would be his masterpiece titled â€Å"Guernica† Oil on canvas 349 cm ? 776 cm (137. 4 in ? 305. 5 in) (1937). Picasso's purpose in painting it was to bring the world's attention to the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica by German bombers, who were supporting the Nationalist forces of General Franco during the Spanish Civil War. This artwork deals with the subjective frame because it uses the artwork as a conduit for the artist’s experience, as the artwork is intrinsically linked to deeply felt emotional experiences. Although Picasso was austere about how his works should be viewed saying â€Å"I object to the idea that there should be three or four ways of interpreting my pictures there ought to be no more than one†. This is evident through his reoccurring symbolism and motifs used in his body of work known as the Blue period (1901–1904) which consisted of somber paintings using dark blue tones with the subject matter referring to the wretchedness and loneliness of women, these works were motivated by the suicide of his close friend Carlos Casagemas. Picasso’s painting â€Å"Self-portrait with Cloak† Oil on canvas 81 x 60 cm (1901) is an example of the work produced in the Blue period. The painting is similar to a Van Gough style portrait as it shows him wearing a dark coat; the colours of the painting coincide with the theme of blue and depression, which allows the viewer to relate to his personal state of mind. Following the blue period came the Rose period (1904-1906), this period contrasted drastically to the blue period with vibrant colours such as orange and pink, the subject matter changed as well consisting of circus performers, harlequins and acrobats. A example of the works in this is period is (Boy with a Pipe), 1905 Oil on canvas, 100 ? 81. cm. This vivid work depicts a Parisian boy holding a pipe in his left hand and wearing a wreath of flowers. Picasso’s conceptual framework was quite diverse and changed over periods of time; he created a diverse array of works linking life experiences, an example of this would be the transition from the somber, depressing blue period which reflected his personal state at that time to the upbeat and cheerful ro se period contained vibrant colours reflecting his newfound happiness in life. This evolution of works shows us that you cannot get sense of his artist practice on the basis of one work. Frida Kahlo is another surrealist artist Mexican culture is prominent in her works. She works in the†I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best† (Frida Kahlo) this statement shows how the structural frame influences her work and describes her form of painting self portraits. Her artists practice involves exploration of identity as you can follow the development of her subject matter through her extensive production of self portraits. Although her form is limited to self portraits her artists practice cannot be identified on the basis of one painting, her works depict her journey through life like an autobiography. One of the defining moments of her life was when she was 18 and got in a serious car accident, she was permanently disabled, an example of Frida using her work to express her life experiences would be the painting titledâ€Å"The Bus†. 929. Oil on canvas. 26 x 56 cm. The painting depicts various classes in Mexican society and also makes reference to the accident that occurred that changed her life. Her use of self portraits helps to depict the evolution of herself throughout life, this is shown through her portraits such as The Two Fridas, 1939, Oil on canvas, 67†³ x 67. This portrait was painted after her divorce to Diego Rivera sh ows the emotional separation felt after their separation.

Respiration System of Animal

1. Respiration System of animal: The respiration system is important to all animals, this system interacts others system in our body to provide energy and maintain life. Animals inbreathe oxygen, the body though metabolic process to produce ATP (energy source) and carbon dioxide, finally, carbon dioxide would be exhaled to animal body. Operation System in company: Company provides some resources such as place, money, human resource. Managers operate the activities in the company and make decisions. The output in this system is the profit or loss of the company. . A firm can survive and succeed in the long run if it successfully develops strategies to confront 5 competitive forces that shape the structure of competition in its industry. These include rivalry of competitors within its industry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of customers and bargaining power of suppliers. Some competitive strategies can be used to minimize the competitive force: cost le adership strategy, differentiation strategy, innovation strategy, growth strategies and alliance strategies. . The more suitable hardware peripherals for input in a retail operation are touch screen and optical scanning. The touch screen can provide a more user friendly interface to the staffs, even though they have less computer knowledge. Also, optical scanning can provide the faster and easier usage. Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and matrix printers are suitable for a retail operation, because LCD provide a thin, flat display to use less space. Furthermore, matrix printers can use less time to make some copies in the same time. In using the secondary storage for a retail operation, hard disk drives are more suitable. Hard disk drives allow higher speeds, greater data-recording densities, and closer tolerances within a sealed, more stable environment. Nowadays, the capacity of hard drives is up to many terabytes of storage, it can use less space to save more data in one hard disk drive.

Sexual Disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Sexual Disorders - Essay Example Nowadays, there is a universal framework of sexual disorders in terms of their causes, i.e. the scheme which will be presented below, can be applied to various forms of sexual imbalance. As Krueger and Kaplan write, Freudian approach to sexual dysfunction (Freud and his disciples identified sexual disorders as a result of incomplete Oedipus’ and Electra’s complexes in males and females correspondingly) is out-of-date, as psychodynamic perspective has already proved its inconsistency unless it is combined with social psychological views ( Krueger and Kaplan, 2000). As the scholars write, human matrix of sexual behavior underlies in the set of accepted sexual norms. â€Å"A forbidding, puritanical rejection of physical sexuality, including touching, by a parent engenders guilt and shame in a child and inhibits his capacity for enjoying sex and developing healthy intimate relationships as an adult. Relations with parents may be damaged by excessive emotional distance, by punitive behaviors, or by overt seductiveness and sexual exploitation† (Krueger and Kaplan, 2000). Fergusson adds to this viewpoint and claims that a number of sexual disorders are rooted in human guilt associated with masturbation (Fergusson, 1999), towards which the society has developed punitive attitudes so that the individual feels sexually marginalized (even though statistics suggests that about 97% males and 80% females satisfy their sexual needs on their own (ibid)) and thus impaired in terms of sexual performance. Furthermore, intensive and frequent sexual activity can also result in the ‘sexual tiredness’ and the emergence of sexual disorders, which serve the goals of sexual novelty and re-obtaining of intimacy (Federhoff et al, 1999). Furthermore, Federhoff and his colleagues hold that the gradual destruction of the bond between emotionality and sexuality leads to the mechanization of sexual life with following emergence of sexual

CJ-3 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CJ-3 - Coursework Example The main difference between general and specific deterrence is that, general deterrence focuses on the society while specific deterrence focuses on individuals. In particular, specific deterrence deals with actual offenders while general deterrence discourages would-be offenders from committing a crime. Thus, specific deterrence can be viewed as actual punishment while general deterrence remains a threat from punishment (Siegel, & Worrall, 2011). The impact of punishment on individual offenders diminishes as an offender becomes used to the punishment. Research studies shows that punishment has a diminishing specific deterrent effect. In particular, incapacitation of criminals through imprisonment does not eliminate criminals from the society. Unlike individual offenders, public offenders rely on collective action. Mob psychology theories suggest that, although crowds have extended ability to commit crime, individuals within the crowd are concerned about their own welfare. Thus, punis hment is more effective in general deterrence than in specific deterrence. Finally, specific deterrence cannot be applied on passion crimes or crimes committed under the influence of drugs and alcohol. This is because individuals who commit such crimes anticipate more than just the supposed economic or social

Anti-car theft system Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anti-car theft system - Coursework Example GSM based anti-car theft is based on operation through the consideration of GSM module and micro controller programming (Chandra, 2005). The system used in the security comprises GSM which functions as an intermediate between the car owner and the entire car system. The system is responsible for both receiving of calls for system activation and also its deactivation and sending a text message to the owner. The output of the system is fed in to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is considered the main brain behind the entire system with a written program stored in the Read Only Memory. The controller with the direction of the written program connects and coordinates the system of operation through different aspects. The connection occurs when the system is active as it monitors both the car doors and the boot of the car to each if there is opening of the car by a stranger. The system also works to demobilize the car by disconnecting the ignition line from the battery supply through the actuator(Eberspächer, Vögel & Bettstetter, 2001). The design also works with the start up an alarm for the purpose of al ert. If the system is inactive there will be disabling of all the outputs and sensor inputs. In the project, there was utilizing of the design through locally assembled microcontroller and other few basic components of electronic components to achieve both the controller and the controlled. Microcontrollers have been seen to be used in performance of the simple security task inn which performance of humans might be able to degrade over time(Halonen, Romero & Melero, 2003). The engineering technique that has been used in the design is that which makes it reliable,durable and capable for offering guarantee security at all times, the power supply that has been used provides the voltage and current which is required for effective performance

Has post war policy made education in England more meritocratic Essay

Has post war policy made education in England more meritocratic - Essay Example These social policies are important because they both aim to achieve meritocracy and they are interrelated. The BNA 1948, in the course of its implementation, exposed the limitations of EA 1944 in its purpose to making English education more meritocratic. Furthermore, the impact of the BNA 1948 to the effectiveness of the EA 1944 and the need of the latter to address the need of the former illustrates the central role education had played in Britain’s post-war reconstruction (Tomlinson 2001). Understanding Meritocracy Meritocracy can be simply understood as promotion and inclusion based on merit – e.g., A meritocratic education system accepts, promotes, and rewards students based on ability, not on social status, ethnicity or gender (Llewellyn et al. 2008). However Sen (2000, p. 14) explains that it is actually the concept of ‘merit’, itself, which complicates the definition of meritocracy because â€Å"the rewarding†¦ and the very concept of merit it self depend on the way we see a good society and the criteria we†¦ assess the success and failures of societies.† It was after WWII that Britain started to walk the road of meritocracy. After Britain lost its world supremacy, it had no other recourse to survive international competition but to make better use of its human resources which for the past century were left wasted due to class discrimination. To do so, Young (1961) explains, Britain had to give up its century-old feudal principle of selection by family, and use instead the principle of selection by merit. Thus, Britain progressively opened its schools and industries to clever children and workers, giving equal opportunities for social mobility to those who have the ability and will to do so. Since meritocracy presupposes that boundless opportunities for success exist for all regardless of class, colour, ethnicity, and gender, many perceive meritocracy an ideal justice principle (Yuan 2013). On the contrary Youn g (1961, p.14) concludes that â€Å"the rate of social progress depends upon the degree to which power is matched with intelligence.† It is no different from the social class-based hierarchy of power, wherein power and wealth is distributed only to the few to the detriment of a wider group of ordinary people. The only difference is in meritocracy what matters is ability or intelligence. Eventually, elites of talents would be created, further justifying the socio-economic ladder more convincingly. Nonetheless, Allen (2011, p. 371) still asserts that meritocratic system is just on the basis that â€Å"social status was a direct expression of their intellectual worth. The system was now â€Å"just† because it was justly unequal.† Policy Review 1: British Nationality Act 1948 Introduction. Post-war migration to Britain, to Hansen’s (2000) analysis, is actually an issue of British citizenship, which the BNA 1948 legally conferred on Britons and ‘colonial ’ British subjects, giving them equal rights to enter Britain and enjoy all the socio-economic-political benefits any Briton could legally enjoy. Although prior and subsequent to this Act were the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 and BNA 1964, the BNA 1948, Hansen (2000) notes, was most influential because it had dramatically reoriented the British migration policy,

SLP - 5 ENTRY INTERNATIONAL MARKET SELECTION AND MARKET Essay

SLP - 5 ENTRY INTERNATIONAL MARKET SELECTION AND MARKET - Essay Example This study looks into the entry strategies that the company employs in new markets, especially the strategies that the company used in selecting the Chinese market. According to Wang (2008), coco cola entered the Chinese market in 1979 and ever since has been one of the most trusted brands in China China is one of the largest economies in the world, with its market dominating in the world market system. Every company would like to have a link with Chinese economy due to various economic factors. Coca cola in this case has used its internationalization approach to thrust its brands into the Chinese market with a characteristic transitional organization that integrated a responsive framework with the global entry strategy. It is important to note that the major strategy that the company used, as described by Wang (2008), is that achieving high expansion using the economies of scale principle and adopting to the needs of the Chinese. In the end of every marketing program, the company is known to establish an independently owned foreign subsidiary. One of the major experiences of the company in China is that, as stated by Piercy (2009), at some point, the transaction costs of executing, enforcing and writing contracts in a foreign country through the market may be higher than the cost of internationalizing the market. In this case, therefore, the company has opted to use its internationalization approach to expand its product niches to the extreme regions of Chinese market. Based on the company’s long history in China, the company has experienced myriad competition from like-companies in the highly versatile Chinese local market environment (Wang, 2008). The company has gained many experiences and marketing ability that does exceeds external circumstances hence its survival in the Chinese market thereby capturing the largest beverage market share among the multinational

Is Online Privacy Dead Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Is Online Privacy Dead - Research Paper Example Despite being a digital world where every kind of transaction, application or interaction requires the disclosure of personal information, the privacy rules have become less relevant (Jose, 2013). No one seems to care about the advertising of personal, private and confidential information on the internet. No one seems to be bothered by the fact that personal information belonging to uninformed individuals are traded on the internet like mere business commodities.Purpose StatementThe question that begs, therefore, is who is to carry the blame for all this. Who should be held responsible? Should it be the individuals who fearlessly and un cautiously discloses all their personal information online or are we to blame those who are in custody of the same private information. The purpose of this research is, therefore, to delve deeper into this issue and find the root of the problem and suggest the possible cure to the same. The paper discusses whether online privacy is still in operation and how far it goes to secure personal information. Simply put, the paper discusses whether or not online privacy is dead. This has been a controversial issue that has left many in endless debates (House, 2014). While some argue that the current level of technology is not sufficient to safeguard private information online, some are of the opinion that those charged with the safeguarding duty have terribly failed at it. In addition, the paper discusses the real motive behind the revealing of such information.

Lap report Lab Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lap - Lab Report Example Half value layer is often applied in radiography, this is because it is easier to remember or recall the values and simple calculation are readily performed. There are often a multiple factors the affect half value layer. These factors often brings the difference in value of HVL in different material. For the case of aluminum the following factors always affect HVL. Thickness of the aluminum attenuator, purity of the aluminum, detector material of dosimeter used. Fluctuation of x-ray output, detector location in x-ray field. Ultra high purity of aluminum always produce more accurate measures of half value layer (Edenman and Sidney). This is often different from the aluminum alloys since they have got a lot of impurity available. Although the half value of different materials was one of the important parameters for the Quality assurance and Quality control, a constant monitoring had not been performed because of measurement using the process of ionization chamber. The formulae for cal culating HVL was given by A = Ao e, Different material have got different half value layer. This brings the difference in capability in shielding of the same material. As can be seen from the table above wood have the highest half value than aluminum. The value of wood was 6.00mm while that of aluminum was 1.6mm. Half value layer was the most used factor for describing both the penetrating ability and the penetration through specific objects or material. Different shielding strength of different objects also differ when different material are used. This is evident from the first table, the Sr is different for both the aluminum and wood. There are often a multiple factors the affect half value layer. These factors often brings the difference in value of HVL in different material. For the case of aluminum the following factors always affect HVL. Thickness of the aluminum attenuator, purity of the aluminum. These factors are

I have a school project where i have to speak its like a presentation Assignment

I have a school project where i have to speak its like a presentation. I am assigned senior judge - Assignment Example A contract case law that better explains this argument is the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority vs. Impregilo spA. In the case, the World Bank financed the construction of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, and this included the construction of the Katse dam in 1991. My Lords, in 1998, a dispute arose between the clients, the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority, and the contractor. This is because of other unexpected labor costs brought by the Highland Water Venture (Hood, 31). In October 2001, the issue was brought before an arbitration tribunal. In 2002, the tribunal ruled in favor of Highland Water Venture and gave an award of more than 6 million pounds. However, the Lesotho Highlands water project challenged the decision of the tribunal in an English court, under the arbitration act, section 67 and 68. They argued that the arbitrators exceeded their authority in respect to the amount awarded, and the currency in which the award was made. The appeal was allowed in a court, and in November 2002, the commercial court ruled that the tribunal violated section 68 of the arbitration act. My Lords, part 3 (a), and (d) of the 1996 section 69 of the arbitration act allows this court of appeal to settle this dispute. Part 3 (a) denotes that an individual can seek the intervention of the court of appeal if the nature of conflict, and the resolution of the same conflict be a lower court will affect the rights of all parties concerned. In this dispute between the University of East England, and Ms. Edwards, the issue under challenge is whether the University is liable in case of negligence by its staff which results to loss or damage of the student’s property. On this note, this case needs to examine on whether the contract signed by Ms. Edwards breaks the Unfair Contract Act of 1977. b) Students residing in the University

Development of Movements and Its Importance in the Life of a Child Essay Example for Free

Development of Movements and Its Importance in the Life of a Child Essay The world of Man cannot be imagined without movement. Life is indicated by movement. In animal/bird/fish life we can realise that immobility is impossible. Even those classified as immovable (plant life) manifest their life by movement. The human kingdom isolates itself from other non-human living beings by their capacity to work which is possible only by directed movements. There is movement in every area of human work-personal care, care of the environment, social behaviour, intellectual work etc. When we consider the Child as part of the human family we need to consider the importance of movement in his Life and Development. Movement in the human body In the general development of the human being we can see the role of the brain, the senses and the muscles. Among these the muscles are the ones which execute the movements. These movements can be considered as voluntary when they are controlled by the brain. This control is made possible by the senses feeding the brain or intelligence with the right messages. When these capacities work in co-operation, the last stage remains with the muscles which make the movements. Movement thus becomes the last part that completes the cycle of thought says Dr. Montessori. This co-ordination creates the unique characteristic of Man namely WORK possible. Movement is a mode of human expression. Animals too express themselves by their movements. Dr. Montessori asks Can we ignore this fact in Man? Movement becomes a system of healthy relationship with Mans environment (establish, maintain and restore conditions). We see the importance of movement without which no expression is possible(sign language, body language, writing, etc). Mans aspiration at the highest level is that of spiritual perfection. Dr. Montessori asks Is that enough? Can Man be selfish? Does he not circulate his experiences and thereby express them? Movement should occupy the place of a servant of the whole life and the spiritual economy of the world. Mental life and development depends very heavily on sensesdevelopment of speech on hearing and observation and understanding depends on the sight. This co-ordination of the brain and the senses has to be made in the very beginning. Then and only then can there be any human expression. Dr. Montessori says Here is a very good reason why Nature keeps the human being very immobile during infancy; when the co-ordination starts Nature gives the human being the facility for locomotion. In a child we see movement/work as a manifestation of the development of the mind. While he acts on the direction of the intelligence there is an extension in the understanding. Scientific observation shows that intelligence is developed through movement; movement helps psychic development. Again Movement has a great contribution to offer in the conquest of language which is one of the most fundamental conquests to be made by the psyche of the child. When the child performs work it becomes a co-ordination of the brain, senses and muscles. In Man, the mechanism of grace is not evident at birth but has to be created by physical experiences working at the environment, done with co-ordination. None of this co-ordination is established at birth. But there is a wide possibility of movements. The variety of movements is immense-massive to minute (ballerinagymnast). Dr. Montessori calls it harmonised opposition. The child is endowed with the capacity or potentiality to co-ordinate these movements. Man has a great diversity in skill in action but must create it by will, subconsciously or voluntarily. The combination of the brain, the senses, and the muscles in collaboration with emotional and social development can lead one to what we term grace. The variety is created by the human being himself and therefore he can decide which ones to develop. But there is a price to pay. He has to work at it repeatedly to obtain that versatility. Because of this factor, the capacities vary from person to person. This individuality is very easily seen in the human beings. The muscles are too numerous for all to be exercised; but there is a certain number of exercises below which it is dangerous for psychical life to go on. The human being may also perish. We need to remember that, when a person trains on very large gross movements the mind also remains so. When he works on more refined movements the psychic capacity also becomes more refined. It has also been proved that the quality of possible movements of a person has a close relationship to the quality of mental capacities. Development of human movement Man shares the characteristics of mammals by having four limbs. Mammals develop all the four limbs simultaneously and according to the species the form and function vary. They are predetermined. Among the mammals Man is an example of developing the limbs two at a time. The form and the functions are different. Considering the development of the legs and feet we can see them from three different points of view. †¢ Biological Stand on two feet †¢ Physiological Balance and walk †¢ Anatomical Keeping whole feet on the ground The legs have a task of gaining and maintaining equilibrium. Biological guidance for the development of feet, to put the whole foot down in order to get the equilibrium is given by Nature. We can identify four steps in the process. SitRollStand with support (Stand without support) Walk with help (Walk without help) The logic of Nature seems to be to stand upright, walk and become steady and move to take part in the life around. This indeed is a great achievement of independence on the part of the human being but very predictable. Walking as a human conquest made by the child is proclaimed as not only an achievement made at the physical level but also as booster for the most necessary ingredient in human life and developmentself confidence and self reliance. This is recognised by the modern psychologists. It throws open varied scope for mental activities also. The other two limbs meaning the hands seem to have a different method of development. In the history of evolution we see a great landmark when the thumb starts acting against the fingers and not along the same direction as seen in earlier rungs of the ladder of evolution. Hands depend, for their development, not only on the psyche but also on the psychical life of different epoches in time in different racial groups. Intelligence of the child will reach a certain level without the use of the hand, but with it a still higher level is reached and the child who has used his hands invariably has a strong character. In the individuals development of hands we see the attempt in grasping and that grasping made as an intentional movement. †¢ 1st step Grasping prehension instinctive to conscious movements †¢ Six months Intentional movements †¢ 1st year Hands and feet exerting the maximum, Creating challenges, Imitation of characteristic movements, Making efforts to fit himself for life and independence There is nothing biological or physiological in this. Hands can perform an immense variety of movements. They are not predetermined but depend on the individual. Therefore there is every reason to believe that it has something to do with the development of the mind. Dr. Montessori would take it even to the soul or personality. The hand thus become instruments of learning and the variety in these movements depend on what activities they have opportunity to perform. Around the time the child is one-and-a-half years, the leg movement and the hand movement co-ordinate. For instance, carrying a heavy object. This is another milestone in development. Nature prompts the child to exert the maximum effort. Dr. Montessori talks at length of the study of history and ancient civilizations being made available to us only because of the work of hands which also reflects the mental height of those who created the masterpieces. Civilizationsartifacts, historical relics reveal that hands combined with the emotional lives reveal the quality of the lives of people. Hands seem to have followed the intelligence, the spirit and the emotions. Dr. Montessori says Childs intelligence can develop to certain level without the help of hands. But it raises to greater heights with hand work. The strength of character becomes conspicuously stronger. Dr. Montessori would exhort us about the misconception with regard to human movement, Educational theory thinks that people have to sit still for intellectual activity. Therefore educationists try to separate movement from thought. This even leads to alternating mental and physical activities in schools. Montessori refers to it as the coordinated work of the red and the white man as an intimate reciprocal relationship. The red man indicates the circulatory system and the white man refers to the neuro-muscular system. Maturation is a great factor in this development. The Senses gather knowledge for the intelligence and the intelligence together with the Will carries on the work with the help of the muscles. Separation of movement and thought is injurious to development. To consider strengthening the muscular capacity alone as a means of strengthening the physique can be detrimental. It would be like making a prince (muscular system) live like a slave to a shepherd(mere vegetative lifefor creating appetite or strengthening the lungs). It must become a contributory factor to mental development. Eventually it should lead to emotional and spiritual enrichment. Some thoughts about handedness: Handedness means predominant use of one hand. Two factors determine the handednessthe preference for one hand as compared to the other, the proficiency or skill with which the hand can be used. Studies of handedness has shown that at birth the child is ambidextrous Earlier it was believed that the child was born either right or left handed. It has been proved otherwise. During the first year of life the child uses both hands without any particular preference. In the second year usage of left and right is done shifting as the necessity occursfor instance the proximity or the angle in which an activity has to be performed. Between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years the child is ambidextrous using both hands with equal proficiency and frequency. The bilaterality is very marked at this stage. From the age of four to six years there is a preference to unilaterality or a predominant preference to using one or the other hand. Such preference can be observed in the speed, accuracy, strength and steadiness in the movements.

Effect of CSR on Child Labour

Effect of CSR on Child Labour Abstract Child labour is an issue that is detrimental to sustainable development of any society. The underlying cause of child labour has been identified as poverty. The cocoa sector where this practice has been reported to be widespread is the backbone of most economies in West Africa. Chocolate and other cocoa based products are in high demand and so consumers and manufacturers alike are implicated in fuelling this trade. Corporate Social Responsibility is an important tool which if implemented and monitored properly could eventually lead to the elimination of child labour. This dissertation explores how industry with the support of the governments is engaging in programmes and projects as part of their CSR strategy in tackling child labour. Chapter One â€Å"We are the world’s children. We are victims of exploitation and abuse. We are street children. We are the victims and orphans of HIV/AIDS. We are denied good quality education and health care. We are victims of political, economic, cultural, religious and environmental discrimination. We are children whose voices are not being heard: it is time we are taken into account. We want a world fit for children, because a world fit for us is a world fit for everyone.† (Statement from the Children’s Forum to the United Nations, May 2002). Introduction 1.1 Definitions A: The definition of child labour as derived from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child (CRC) stipulates that â€Å"children should be protected from economic exploitation and any work that is hazardous, interferes with schooling, or is harmful to their health and development†. The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) defines it as â€Å"as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development†. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 138, minimum age convention in 1973 which sets the minimum age for admission into employment and ILO Convention182 on the worst forms of child labour refers to child labour as: all work that is harmful and hazardous to a childs health, safety and development; taking into account the age of the child, the conditions under which the work takes place, and the time at which the work is done. The Uni ted Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) defines child labour as â€Å"work that exceeds a minimum number of hours, depending on the age of a child and on the type of work†. B: According to the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO), Cocoa Certification is the process of certifying that the commodity has passed the performance/quality assurance tests/qualification requirements stipulated in the regulations/code: it complies with a set of regulations governing quality and minimum performance requirements: product certified may be endorsed with a quality mark or display a certification mark: it involves auditing, accredited certifying bodies, standards organisation, independent verification bodies and transactions costs. C: The Fairtrade Labelling Organisation defines fair-trade as a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in International trade 1.2 Background Information The successful elimination of child labour in the world is almost certainly one of the most vital policy objectives of today. It is at the forefront of the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) as adopted by all 198 United Nations Member States in September 2000 (Grimsrud, 2003). As part of broader efforts towards a sustainable solution to child labour, the ILO, UNICEF and the World Bank initiated the interagency Understanding Children’s Work (UCW) project in December 2000. This project, which is guided by the Oslo Agenda for Action unanimously adopted at the 1997 International Conference on Child labour, elaborated the priorities for the international community in the war against child labour. Through a variety of data collection, research, and assessment activities, the UCW project is broadly directed towards improving understanding of child labour, its causes and effects, how it can be measured and effective policies coupled with stronger international cooper ation for the elimination of the practice. The issue of the worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector came into the public glare when a UK media network, Channel 4, in a documentary in September 2000 alleged the massive use of children as the labour force on Ivorian cocoa plantations. The backbone of plantation work is backbreaking labour, done using rudimentary tools under gruelling conditions. At the time it was alleged that 90% of cocoa farms in Cà ´te dIvoire, which is the worlds leading cocoa producer engaged child labour in their operations. The government of Cà ´te d’Ivoire strongly refuted these allegations at the time but eventually admitted there was a problem in the use of child labour but not to the magnitude as alleged in the documentary (Afro News, September 2000). In 2001, following the allegations of child labour in cocoa farms, U.S. Representative Eliot Engel and Senator Tom Harkin decided to adjoin a clause to the Trade and Development Act (TDA) proposing a federal system to certify and label chocolate products as slave free. The cocoa industry successfully lobbied against this on the premise that the supply chain was too complex. A compromise was eventually reached. A protocol entitled Protocol for the growing and processing of cocoa beans and their derivative products in a manner that complies with ILO Convention 182 concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labor, signed in September, 2001. Industry agreed to establish a task force made up of government, non-governmental organisations to work towards its elimination in cocoa plantations. A critical part of this agreement was the commitment to design and implement â€Å"standards of public certification† in all of West Africa by July 1st 2005. All cocoa from this area would be certified as free from child labour. The governments would also be required by the protocol to establish monitoring systems and also issue certificates which describe the current state of child labour and forced labour in the cocoa sub-sector and efforts being employed to improve on the situation where necessary. Given the competing interests and values involved, child labour cannot be eradicated solely through domestic regulatory mechanisms and actions (Garcia and Jun, 2005). The inclusion of social responsibility and in particular avoidance of child labour in corporate strategies became inevitable for chocolate manufacturers to avoid the wrath of the public. A greater commitment to social responsibility on the part of corporations has been one solution put forth by some academics, government agencies, and development institutions to mitigate some of these negative impacts and help companies contribute more to socio-economic development in its broadest sense. Can the industry live up to its CSR commitments in relation to the cocoa industry? The concept of CSR is not new. Steiner Steiner (2006) trace its origins to the philanthropic work of John D. Rockfeller and Andrew Carnegie who gave away millions for social causes. The more contemporary understanding of CSR can be traced to Bowen (1954) who argued that managers have an ethical duty to take into consideration, broader social impacts of their decisions, and those corporations who act differently should not be seen as legitimate. In the elimination of child labour, the concerns include reducing and eliminating the use of persistent toxic pesticides and fungicides, preserving the value of cocoa agro forests, improving the social and economic status of the smallholder and labourers as well as maintaining a fair price for the commodity. These measures would ensure a sustainable production of the commodity and at same time increase household incomes and as a result reduce and eventually eli minate incidence of child labour. 1.3 The dissertation seeks to: Highlight the steps taken by countries involved to tackle child labour; Draw attention to country responses and responsiveness, to the initiatives employed by chocolate manufacturers. Elaborate on the industry response in the wake of child labour allegations within the cocoa industry. Identify CSR initiatives employed by chocolate manufacturers both individually and collectively to combat child labour. The issue of child labour has been alleged in all the five cocoa producing countries of West Africa namely Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo and Cameroon. However, due to lack of available data, this study will be limited to two countries: Cà ´te d’Ivoire which is the leading world cocoa producer and Ghana whose economy also largely depends on cocoa production and export. The first chapter has provided the background information on child labour and the purpose of this study. The remainder of the dissertation is structured as follows: Chapter two provides information on literature on the causes of child labour, corporate social responsibility as an essential tool to combat child labour, the link between the chocolate industry and child labour and the steps taken to eliminate the practice in the cocoa chain. Chapter three discusses the methods use in carrying out the study. Chapter four provides information on Cà ´te d’Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries involved in the present study. It also outlines their contribution to the elimination of child labour. Chapter five is a case study analysis of three chocolate manufacturing companies to get an insight into their CSR strategies. The case study will show the commitment and the strategy employed to approach the issue of child labour. Chapter six draws upon the case study findings. The final chapter will draw conclusions to support the hypothesis formulated in this study. Recommendations will also be formulated based on the results from the case study analysis. Chapter Two 2.1 Literature Review Introduction In recent years, there has been a surge of empirical work on child labour as well as literature regarding the plight of children working as child labourers in cocoa plantations in West Africa. The issue has attracted considerable policy and public attention over the last decade either due to self recognition or outcry from the public. Public interest in child labour seems to have been motivated by increased theoretical work and publicity by the press. Documentaries exposing the conditions to which the children are subjected aroused public awareness. The rise in interest could also be attributed to increased trade and globalization which have raised awareness about the pervasiveness of child labour and elevated concerns among rich country residents about their role in its perpetuation (Edmonds 2007).The unease about child labour as a human rights issue and its implication for the long term growth and development through its interaction with education is of great concern not just for individual countries but also for the international community. This practice is viewed as a threat to sustainable development in developing countries. Articles published between 2001 and 2002 in the wake of the child labour accusations highlighted the immorality of the practice. The horrors experienced by the children who are sometimes trafficked and even sold off by their families. The treatment meted out to them is inhumane even as they work under unacceptable conditions (Edwards et al, 2001). Some of the children engage in activity that is physically damaging or even morally objectionable (Cigno 2004). It can also be said that objectionable forms of child work have an opportunity cost in terms of forgone education. It can also bring immediate benefit to families who in this case will be the only means of survival. Child labour not only hampers the growth of human resources, it also reduces the individual’s education achievement as well as the effect and quality of the education system thereby continuing the poverty cycle (Rena, 2009). Udry 2003, further buttresses this fact by stating that the primary cost of child labour is the associated reduction in investment in the child’s human capital which occurs primarily because child labour interferes with schooling. With conflicting reports on the extent of the practice, a research â€Å"Child labour in the Cocoa Sector of West Africa† (IITA, August 2002) revealed that the figures of children working was not as high as was initially thought but that the children worked under unacceptable conditions exposed to long work hours, pesticides and other hazardous spraying agents. In addition, the Financial Times, (Circulation 477, 476 of August 7, 2002) and Business Respect (Issue Number 37 of August 20, 2002) agreed with the conclusions. These findings go to buttress the earlier conclusions of a meeting of the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Minister of State with representatives of Cà ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana and members of the cocoa and chocolate industry. (Anti-slavery news, May 4th 2001). The successful elimination of this form of labour is one of the most urgent policy objectives of this decade (Busse et al, 2003). It has gradually developed from a matter of regional and national concern to one that would trigger International debates and global persuasion as well as policy intervention (Basu and Tzannatos (2003). Busse et al (2003) carried out an empirical study on the notion that multinationals invest in countries where the incidence of child labour is relatively high and, secondly, the concern that countries may gain an unfair comparative advantage in trade by using child labour. The results indicate that multinationals are highly sensitive with respect to the location of their subsidiaries and prefer countries with lower levels of child labour for fear of aggression from the public and international community. Causes of Child Labour Poverty is the major cause of child labour. In a landmark paper on The Economics of Child Labor published in the American Economic Review (1998), Basu and Van argue that the primary cause of child labour is parental poverty. Grootaert (1998) and Udry (2003) argue that poverty and child labour are mutually reinforcing: given that children of poor parents end up working and not attend school and the cycle of poverty continues. Kruger (2004) concludes that children only work when the family is unable to meet their basic needs and poorer children stand the greater risk of being withdrawn from school during production periods. This is further accentuated by Kruger et al (2007) which states that increased parental wages and household level of income are associated with lower child labour and higher school attendance. Household poverty is a very powerful motive of child labour and working comes at the expense of schooling because the income is essential for survival (Strulik 2008). Edmonds and Schady (2008). Basu et al (2007) provide recent discussions on the extent to which child labour is influenced by the income among poor households to show that the strong causal relationship between poverty and child labour. Increased trade and globalization might have contributed to the awareness of child labour but it could also be a reason as to why child labour is in demand. In trying to link globalization and child labour, Dinopoulous and Zhao (2006) cite Maskus (1997) two-sector specific factors model, in which child labour is modelled as a specific factor employed in the exportable sector and adult labour is modelled as the mobile factor. They conclude that trade liberalization raises the output of the exportable sector and increases the demand for child labour as well as child wage. They also state that trade liberalization raises the price of unskilled-intensive goods as well as guarantees a market for goods produced using child labour and reduces the returns to education. This can clearly lead to an increase in the incidence of child labour. In analyzing the effects of trade openness in a dynamic model of child labour and debt bondage, Basu and Chau (2004) discovered that trade openness increases the short run supply of child labour but this does not affect the long run incidence of child labour. In a 2005 study carried out by Neumayer and DeSoysa in which they used both Foreign Direct Investment and trade openness to explain child labour, they concluded that countries with higher levels of trade and FDI had lower incidences of child labour. Davies and Voy (2007) finds that there is no robust effect of either FDI or International trade on child labour. Using 1995 data for 145 countries, they find that FDI is negatively correlated with child labour but when controlling per capita income, the effect disappears. Even cost benefit analysis by Nielsen (1998), Canagarajah et al (1998), show that annual Gross Domestic Products (GDP) decreases by 1-2% due to the use of child labour. Why then is child labour still being utilized if it is marginally less costly than adult labour? Levison et al 1996 suggest that it might be because children are less aware of their rights and more willing to take orders without complaining. Mehra-Kerpelman (1996), further explains that in households where parents are poor this is regarded as cheap labour that makes it possible to maintain the household budget. Corporate Social Responsibility CSR may be defined, consistent with McWilliams and Siegel (2001), as actions on the part of a firm that appear to advance the promotion of some social good beyond the immediate interests of the firm/shareholders and beyond legal requirements. While some scholars argue that CSR type programs and policies were originally adopted in the mid twentieth century to avoid criticisms of social and environmental misconduct (Gutierrez and Jones, 2005); Micklethwait and Woodridge (2005) argue that many more companies are viewing CSR as a way to reduce the negative social and environmental impacts their businesses have and to maximize the positive impact of their investment, particularly in developing countries (Blowfield, 2005). There is a growing body of evidence which asserts that corporations can be profitable not only by protecting the interest of their shareholders but by also engaging in actions that will be beneficial to their stakeholders (Pohle and Hittner, 2008). Davis et al (2006) state that while CSR came into existence largely out of commitments by companies to their employees and to communities where they were located, all that has changed in that, corporations can now be held accountable for practices within their supply chain. Amaeshi et al (2006) further states that CSR often makes multinationals uncomfortable as they are often challenged by the global reach of their supply chains and the possible irresponsible practices that could occur along these chains. The mere possibility of the existence of irresponsible practices puts firms under pressure to protect their brands even if it means assuming responsibilities for the practices of independent groups along their supply chain. Some studies have shown that socially responsible firms will financially outperform rival firms by attracting socially responsible consumers (Bagnoli and Watts, 2003), and will eliminate any concerns from activists and pressure groups (Baron, 2001). Well-known companies have already proven that they can differentiate their brands and reputations as well as their products and services if they take responsibility for the welfare of the societies and environment in which they operate. These companies are practicing CSR in a manner that generates significant returns to their business. CSR, though a major instrument to tackle child labour could have a limited effect on eliminating child labour if codes are not specific, strictly implemented and monitored, and combined with alternative arrangements (Kolk and Tulder, 2004). In offering an institutional theory of CSR, Campbell (2007) argues that the relationship between basic economic conditions and corporate behaviour is linked by several institutional conditions: public and private regulation, the presence of NGO’s and other organisations that monitor corporate behaviour, institutionalized norms regarding appropriate behaviour, associative behaviour among corporations themselves, and organized dialogues among corporations and their stakeholders. It is therefore not surprising that chocolate producers are encountering extensive pressure from consumers, community groups, government, non-governmental groups and other pressure groups to engage in CSR as a means to eradicating child labour (Morrison et al, 2006). From an economic perspective, companies would be expected to engage in such activities if the perceived benefits could exceed the associated costs which in this case could be a total boycott of their products. Some theories in CSR show that companies engage in â€Å"profit-maximizing† CSR based on anticipated benefits which might include reputation management (Baron, 2001), (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). Davis et al 2006 argue that â€Å"CSR (understood as actions a company takes that are not legally mandated but are intended to have a positive impact on stakeholders, broadly construed) is challenged by the changing shape of the contemporary multinational corporation†. Should large firms be involved in poverty alleviation instead of simply contributing to output and employment? (Hopkins 2003). The UK’s Department for International Development suggests that businesses have an important role to play in the economic growth of a country which is essential to reduce world poverty. This they can achieve through their own policies and practices. â€Å"By following socially responsible practices, the growth generated by the private sector will be more inclusive, equitable and poverty reducing† (www.csr.gov.uk). CSR by its very nature is development carried out by the private sector, and it perfectly compliments the development efforts of governments and other multilateral development institutions. There is evidence to show that a firm cannot maximize value if it ignores the interest of its stakeholder (Jensen, 2001). This is further buttressed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development publication Making Good Business Sense†, Lord Holmes and Richard Watts, define Corporate Social Responsibility as â€Å"the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large. The recent concerns of how profit should be considered in a broader context of productivity and social responsibility and how corporations can better serve both their employees and surrounding society. The European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) at the Round Table Conference on Child Labour and Corporate Social Responsibility in May 2008 remarked that â€Å"recent progress on corporate accountability has been dominated by the development of voluntary initiatives†. These voluntary initiatives have not succeeded in preventing continued abuses of corporate power, because they do not provide strong enough incentives for compliance to offset the financial gains for non-compliance. They also fail to empower citizens and stakeholders to hold the companies accountable for their actions. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (OECD, 2000) calls for multinationals to â€Å"contribute to the effective abolition of child labour and â€Å"contribute to the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour†. Ignoring these guidelines could lead to damage in reputation (Orlitzky et al., 2003). â€Å"A good reputation enhances the value of everything an organisation does and says. A bad reputation devalues products and services and acts as a magnet that attracts further scorn† (Dowling, 2001). There are a number of challenges faced by states in the implementation of the OECD guidelines, but these are surmountable by strengthening the existing implementation system of the National Contact Points. However, there are positive growing trends movement arguing for more effective regulation of corporations relating to human rights at national and international levels (Cernic 2008). Chocolate Industry Response To Tackle Child Labour A: The link between chocolate and cocoa implicates the consumers in the encouragement of child labour (Raghavan et al 2001 article in the Knight Ridder Newspaper). This is further emphasized by the Ted Case Studies Number 664, 2002 which implicates the entire international economic community, the Ivorian government, farmers, the chocolate manufacturers and consumers who unknowingly buy chocolate in encouraging this practice (Samlanchith Chanthavong, 2002). The cocoa and chocolate industries, in conjunction with the ILO, other non-governmental organisations, the United States (US) government agencies and the affected African governments signed a voluntary and non-legislative protocol. The Harkin-Engel Protocol 2001, signed by the World Cocoa Foundation and Cocoa Manufacturers Association was aimed at developing a â€Å"credible, mutually acceptable system of industry-wide global standards, along with independent monitoring and reporting, to identify and eliminate† the worst forms of child labour as defined by ILO Convention 182 and certification that cocoa used or related products is void of child labour. ILO Press Release (ILO/01/32) of October 1, 2001 lauded this initiative and pledged to work in partnership with the cocoa industry to eliminate this form of labour. In 2001, with the establishment of the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) whose main objective was to work towards responsible labour standards for cocoa growing, it was clear that the entire cocoa sector was ready to get involved and this proved their committed to the fight against child labour. A general statement by the European Cocoa Association (ECA) on 19th April 2001, affirmed it was fully committed to sustainable development in cocoa producing countries and does not tolerate practices such as slavery and child labour [and that it] remains fully committed to maintain pressure on the relevant authorities, and to pursue all avenues in order to eliminate such practices where they are proven to occur. In a further communiquà © on August 2, 2001 the ECA was concerned about the allegations and the extent of the problem and decided to first update the information they had on the scale of the practice. B: Despite general acceptance that child labour is harmful and in spite of international outcry and Accords aimed at its eradication, progress on lowering the incidence has been very slow. Child labour eradication is at the top of the agenda of the millennium development goals which hopes to achieve this by 2015. Rena 2009, states that the research on child labour represents a new area of knowledge for policymakers especially regarding education and poverty reduction programmes. It further states that increased opportunities and increased welfare reduces child labour. Industry enforcement can only be effective depending on the mode of enforcement. As many labour relationships are in informal settings within family enterprises, enforcement is often very difficult (Basu and Tzannatos (2003). Krueger and Donohue (2002) conclude that an economically active child is less likely to receive education. If income gained by the economically active child is significant for the household, then the policy makers deciding whether or not to adopt child labour legislation would face important trade-offs between distorting private decisions and correcting potential inefficiencies arising from externalities. Doepke and Zilibotti (2005) discuss the introduction of laws from an historic perspective. They suggest that child labour laws can be triggered by skill-biased technological change that induces parents to choose smaller families as occurred in the U.K. in the nineteenth century. Regulations were introduced only after the factory system which was preceded by a period of rising wage inequality, and coincided with rapidly declining fertility rates. On their part, Ceroni et al (2003) present their study as a two-stage game. Firms decide on innovation and households decide on education. In equilibrium the presence of child labour depends on parameters related to technology, parents’ altruism and the diffusion of firm property. When child labour exists, it is as a result of either firms reluctance to innovate or households unwillingness to educate or both. Therefore, the elimination of child labour would largely depend crucially on its underlying cause. They conclude that, in some cases, while compulsory schooling laws or an outright ban on child labour are both welfare-reducing, a subsidy to innovation is the right tool to eliminate child labour and increase welfare. Garcia and Jun (2005) consider that International trade sanctions are a logical avenue to confront child labour, by eliminating the commercial opportunities available for such goods. However, they state that it is not clear if domestic child labour sanctions would survive legal challenges under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) law as currently interpreted. For international trade law to serve as a viable strategy for the elimination of the practice there must first be a clear theoretical and doctrinal case for the WTO-consistency of domestic child labour-based sanctions. Basu and Van (1998), caution against the rush to exercise a legislative ban against child labour. They argue that this should only be put in place when there is clear reason to do so especially if, it would lead to a rise in adult wages which will adequately compensate the household of the poor children. If this is done otherwise, then it will only lead them to more extreme poverty. Conclusion Despite the global initiative, the incidence of child labour shows no sign of decline as it brings immediate benefit to some families buttressing the fact that the root cause is abject poverty (Cigno, 2004). International organisations as well as national development agencies are embracing and encouraging CSR in the hope that the private sector can play a lead role achieving developmental goals which include eradicating poverty, and developing the social infrastructure in the rural communities such as providing education and health improvements. However, in a recent report published by the International Labour Organisation in 2006, it confirms that the challenge in the fight against child labour in the world continues to be daunting but there is evidence that a breakthrough was in the making. The report highlights that there is already evidence of encouraging reduction in child labour, especially its worst forms. The number of child labourers globally fell by 11 percent between 2002 and 2006. They are confident that with the combination of political will, resources and the right policy choices, this evil practice could definitely be put to an end. Exasperating and discouraging for developing countries is the fact that exports remain severely hampered by massive domestic support and export subsidy programs in developed countries through high tariffs and the difficulties in the implementation of the tariff-quota system (Chaudhuri and Kumar, (2005). More damaging for the cocoa export market is the adoption of Directive 2000/36/EC by the European Union which allows chocolate manufacturers to replace cocoa butter with cheaper vegetable fats. This in itself threatens the domestic food security of cocoa producing countries and undermines their export potentials (High beam Research, 2003). This position is further highlighted by a report to the European Union by LMC international on the impact of Directive 2000

Critical Analysis The Sun Also Rises English Literature Essay

Critical Analysis The Sun Also Rises English Literature Essay In the book The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, we explore the lifestyles and complications of a group of American emigrants living in Paris, France. The story takes places after World War I. The novel concerns a group of psychologically bruised, disillusioned expatriates living in postwar Paris, who take psychic refuge in such immediate physical activities as eating, drinking, traveling, brawling, and lovemaking. Hemingway presents a strong accurate background to the setting and time period primarily because the story is based around his personal experiences as an American emigrant living in Paris. The characters are selfish in a sense that they act without thinking of the possible consequences for their actions and they feel free of any obligations to loyalty or honor to themselves or others. Though Hemingway was a renowned writer at the time of the novels conception, he opened the publics eyes to several taboo topics. At the period of time this book was written, which was in 1926, this book it was considered highly obscene and offensive. Hemingways knowledge of the feeling you get in Paris was evident given the vivid and detailed imagery of the citys streets, locations of business and buildings, and the entire panorama. The references to certain the cafes, buildings, restaurants, and historic locations defiantly provided that Euro-Parisian feeling. The genuine descriptions of Paris, included in the accurate naming of particular restaurants, streets, and neighborhoods gives a odd pull to the reader and somehow draws you inward: The driver started up the street. I settled back. Brett moved close to me. We sat close against each other. I put my arm around her and she rested against me comfortably. It was very hot and bright, and the houses looked sharply white. We turned out onto the Gran Via. Oh, Jake, Brett said, we could have had such a damned good time together. Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. Yes, I said. Isnt it pretty to think so? The amazingly colorful dialogue throughout the story makes you feel as though you are actually there eating at the cafà © and watching the drama unravel. Another significant location in this novel is Spain. In Spain, the characters journey to Burguete to fish and Pamplona to witness the Spanish bullfights, which is where Jake is introduced to Pedro Romero (Bloom 113). Romero is a nineteen year old young man, an authentic matador. Jake describes him as the best-looking boy he has ever seen, this is also where we get to see a little bit of Jakes homosexual tendencies. In this book sexuality is flaunted and brought up often. Lady Brett Ashley is probably the biggest source of promiscuity in the novel. She is separated from her husband awaiting a divorce because of her trouble with promiscuity. In addition, several of Bretts lovers are mention throughout the novel. Her lovers, to name a few, are Pedro Romero, Count Mippipopolous, and Mike Campbell. Hemingway was first made aware of bullfights in Spain by a fellow emigrant and was immediately captivated. He soon developed a passion for bullfights which certainly influenced his invention of Pedro Romeo as a character. Hemingways individual experiences are riddled throughout the story and play an important role in the invention and growth of specific characters. Jake Barnes is the narrator and key character in the novel. Jake is a grief stricken, American journalist living in Paris in the 1920s. While Jake does have homosexual tendencies he is in love with Lady Brett Ashley but the relationship is never pursued due to Jakes impotency. By description Jakes appearance is strikingly close to Hemingways actual looks, as well as his personality resembles Hemingway in several ways. After World War I, Hemingway felt strongly inept and detached from society; he often referred to himself as lyrically impotent and physically diminished (Bloom 95-100). Both Hemingway and Barnes were war woun ded, journalists working in Paris emigrant society. Hemingway was not rendered sexually impotent however; he actually suffered wounds to his legs when a mortar exploded in the trench that he was occupying to assist in the health related evacuation of another soldier. Encyclopedia texts cite Hemingways wounds to be awful, he had twenty-eight pieces of shrapnel removed from his legs, leaving behind over two hundred other pieces that were too deep to be removed (Bloom 80-89). Jakes war injury was an unfathomable wound to his genital area that left him impotent and in turn prevented him from having sexual relations with Lady Ashley or any other woman for that matter. Hemingway does not describe Jakes wound, the novel merely states: Undressing, I looked at myself in the mirror of the big armoire beside the bed. That was a typically French way to furnish a room. Practical too, I suppose. Of all the ways to be wounded. I suppose it was funny. I put on my pajamas and got into bed (Hemingway 38). After that excerpt there was no more mention of Jakes wound to the reader, it is left to the individuals imagination. Jakes best friend from the U.S. is Bill Gorton. Bill shares Jakes love of fishing and outdoorsy activities. Their relationship is one of respect and deep companionship. Bill is the animated, funny character in the novel. He brings humor to a very sad situation for Jake. His witty cynicism and comical perception bring light to the novel. In an excerpt from the book Hemingway tells us of situation in which Bill and Jake are venturing to Spain on the train and due to the large amount of Catholic Americans migrating to Spain the two were unable to get tickets for a lunch they had planned to attend. After much time had passed Bill became annoyed: Finally at a quarter past four we had lunch. Bill had been rather difficult to the last. He buttonholed a priest who was coming back with one of the returning streams of pilgrims. When do us Protestants get a chance to eat, father? I dont know anything about it. Havent you got tickets? Its enough to make a man join the Klan, Bill said. The priest looked back at him (Hemingway 93). Michael Campbell, another character in the novel, is a Scottish veteran who is independently wealthy and jobless. Campbell is Lady Ashleys pronounced fiancà © and is horribly jealous of her sexual promiscuity. He does consider himself lucky, however, to be her fiancà © and is willing to overlook her affairs no matter how much they hurt him internally. Robert Cohn, another emigrant character, gives rise to a conflict with his love affliction with Lady Ashley. Robert is also a writer in the click of friends in this novel; Hemingway furthermore establishes a likeness of his own personal experiences in this character and the group of friends he spent time with. Hemingways social circle at this time was his wife, Hadley, his friend Bill Smith, Don Stewart, Harold Loeb, Duff Twysden, and Pat Gutherie (Bloom 25). Hemingway was said to have somewhat of lust affliction toward Twysden but it was unknown if they actually had an affair (Bloom 28). This affection he had toward Duff however did create problems for him. Hemingway later admitted to his publisher that the book was about his own personal experiences. It is a great mistake to put real people in a book and one Ill never make, I hope, again (Baker 215). Lady Brett Ashley, as said before, is a promiscuous woman with an appetite for drunken folly. Her promiscuity and alcoholism creates a conflict in two separate occasions in the novel, of course one between herself and Michael Campbell regarding her liaison with Robert Cohn. The other conflict arises because of Bretts aversion to having an affair with Jake Barnes due to his impotency. The novel is highly centered on drunken follies and Bretts weakness for alcohol and socialization. In each scene of the novel the group is drinking, either social or heavily, or trying to recover from a hangover by drinking more alcohol. The group lives without commitments or boundaries and do whatever comes to mind with no remorse or thought of obligations of loyalty to one another or anyone else. During the 1920s Paris was a focal point for young authors and artists of all sorts, among this congregation of emigrant youth was a spirited American woman named Gertrude Stein. Stein established a famous meeting location where painters and writers such as Picasso, Miro, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway would gather. Hemingway and Fitzgerald met at Steins cafà © to exchange ideas and enjoy the company of one another. Gertrude told Hemingway that he was part of a lost generation, a casual remark, yet one which became world-famous after Hemingway used it as an epigraph to The Sun Also Rises. This term was coined to describe Americans who served in World War I and felt estranged and social inept in their own nation. All of you young people who served in the war are a lost generationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦You have no respect for anything. You drink yourselves to death (Oliver 25). Needless to say the novels risquà © nature had a propensity of being offensive. After all for the 1920s the words bitch and damn were highly unmentioned. When Max Perkins, Hemingways editor, received the manuscript he was hesitant to print the offensive material but Scribner, Hemingways publisher, insisted it was to remain the way Ernest had intended it. The unbridled rendering of drunkenness, mention of human and animal gentiles, and the profanity alone was enough to have gotten the novel thrown in the trash by any other publisher. Hemingway responded to Perkins by saying, I think that wordsand I will cut anything I canthat are used in conversation in The Sun etc. are justified by tragedy of the story (Baker 211). In a message dated around a month later, Perkins had persuaded Hemingway to refrain from using such atrocious language (Baker 213). When the novel was finally published, the profane nature of the book alone, without the obscene language, was enough for critics to up heave. Critics labeled it as a profanity and the Watch and Ward Society of Boston added the novel to their list of obscene books and requested sellers not to sell the book at all (Baker 215). Hemingways mother, Grace, was among the most offended by the book and wrote her son a letter stating so. Ernest wrote his mother a modest and polite response stating that he didnt wish any pain upon her for reading it and he was not ashamed that he had written it. This novel is intentionally designed for the reader to question Hemingways purpose and intentions. Was the novel truly written to merely express an emigrants perspective in Paris? Or was the novel actually an outright slap in the face toward the American government by depicting drunkenness during the prohibition? At any rate it is a deliberate use of profane language and portrayal of explicit and obscene events for that time period. Hemingway was in no way a conformist even at an early age. In Hemingways new art there was no human experience that was untouchable, no subject matter that was forbidden (Reynolds 210). His mother, Grace Hemingway, stated that Ernest was often times a wayward boy and somewhat of an outcast (Baker 243). Even though the novel received ample negative reviews, The Sun Also Rises went down in history as one of Hemingways best works, a master piece. In 1954, Ernest Hemingway was award the Nobel Prize in Literature. In his acceptance speech he stated a writer should always try for something that has never been done or that others have tried and failed. Then sometimes, with great luck, he will succeed (Hulse par. 8). This novel was definitely the first of its kind, a ground breaker of epic proportions. Like the Americans who migrated to france, the The Sun Also Rises was a pioneer, a leader into the literary unknown. Hemingway is now and forever will be the cherished writer who led the American public into the next wave of unexplored topics. His life was a story in itself that lead to several great novels. In his fiction, the conflicting elements of his personality, the emotional situations which obsess him, are externalized and objectified; and the result is an art which is severe, intense, and deeply serious (Bloom 7). Hemingways career included four marriages (and three divorces); service as an ambulance driver for the Italians in World War I (with an honorable wound); activity as a war correspondent in the Greek-Turkish war (1922), the Spanish Civil War (1937-39), the Chinese-Japanese War (1941) and the War against Hitler in Europe (1944-45). Add big-game hunting and fishing, safaris, expatriation in France and Cuba, bullfighting, the Nobel prize, and the ultimate suicide in Idaho, and you have an absurdly implausible life, apparently lived in imitation of Hemingways own fiction (Baker 5). He is an elegant poet who mourns the self, who celebrates the self (rather less effectively) and who suffers divisions in the self. In the broadest tradition of American literature, he stems ultimately from the Emersonian reliance on the god within, which is the line of Whitman, Thoreau, and Dickenson (Baker 2). In short, Hemingway led a full and beautiful life that will be forever mourned. He is one of the greatest writers in American history acclaimed by many. His life and times will live on forever in his works.

Complementary: The Sacred and the Secular Essay -- Religion, Chinese I

Contrary to common belief, religion is composed of both religious—divine reverence, and irreligious elements—politics and philosophy. Reciprocally outlining Chinese ideals, this complementary blend of religious and irreligious elements allude to harmony of opposites without conflict. However, widely interpretative, the Western term â€Å"religion† prevents clear distinction between religion and philosophy when applied to Ancient Chinese religion, Confucianism, and Daoism. Though each equitably dissimilar, each sector influenced the upbringing of the other politically, while continuing to uphold similar purposes of perceived harmony. Therefore, this paper’s analysis of Ancient China’s concept of Ganying, Confucius’ concept of Social Hierarchy, and Daoist practice of internal and external alchemy reveals a progressive religious influence on State, and simultaneously deems philosophy as only an appurtenant to religion. During the Shang Dynasty, Ancient Chinese religion served as the premise to political structure and reign. The first divination process involving oracle bones, or tortoise shells and ox shoulder bones, introduced the idea of Shang diviners. This recognition of power paved way for the separation of social classes, resulting in the elite and popular class. The elite were considered literate and cultivated, comprising the upper class. In opposition, the popular class was that of the lower class, illuminating indigenous values. Exemplifying a religious connotation, prescriptively, the diviners’ chief role during the divination process prompted importance of ancestral worship and sacrifice. Illustrating the concept of ganying, diviners would attempt to provide ancestors with proper sacrifices to induce spiritual fulfillment—s... ...d with qi, jing, and shen, this alludes to the Daoist conservation of blood, semen, and breath. The practitioners preserve these humanly essences through meditation implemented with fasting and breathing techniques (305). These Daoist exercises later influenced and embellished the practice of taji, boxing, yoga, and sexual practices. From China’s most primitive state to its most culturally flourished, when describing Ancient Chinese religion, Confuscianism, and Daosim, individuals regard these practices as a â€Å"philosophy†, or â€Å"way of life†, instead of a religion (105). However, each equally embodies a perennial philosophy—different elucidations symbolize a single, universal truth. Therefore, if religion outlines both religious and irreligious aspects, and concurrently depicts a way of life, one can assert philosophy as an additional â€Å"interpretation† of religion.

This Comfortable Cage Called America :: Personal Narrative Essays

This Comfortable Cage Called America    My brothers have a cage in which they keep two iguanas.   I'm sure these creatures were born in captivity, and I assume they will die in the same cage they are in now.   It's not a bad cage.   There are quite a few square feet for them to run around, there is a stick they can climb up and down, there is a heat rock they can relax on, and they have everything they need to survive at their clawtips.   They don't even need to hunt for their meals because their meal tickets (my brothers) provide them with four square meals a day.   They can see outside their cage, but have no idea what it would be like to live outside.   I often wonder, however, what would happen if we were to set these two animals free in what would be considered a natural habitat for most iguanas in the wild.   Would they be likely to adapt in no time at all, or would they look for a nice place with four glass walls and a stick to play on?   And how could this story about two lizards, even if used metap horically, apply to us as a race?   We are responsible for our entrapment within four similar glass walls, yet we are not aware of them.   Inside of a cage called America we sit, and though we have a great view of the rest of the world, that's all it is-a view.   If we could somehow find a way of recognizing and breaking out of this comfortable cage called life, we would be more capable of coming together as a human race and putting an end to a division so obvious that terms such as "first world" and "third world" are created to define the differences.   Although I will incorporate the use of a few references, the main section of this essay will focus on my own experiences of life in another country which, in its own way, was another world.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I was taught little in school or home about cultures and people other than my own.   Was theple other than my own.   Was there a reason I should have learned about a less productive people in some remote country?   There was nothing wrong with the land of the free and the home of the brave, and whether or not I was culturally diverse was of little importance in my life-until I went to live in a different country.

Local or National Issue

In this essay, an attempt will be made to assess the important issue: ‘America’s dependence on foreign oil’.   In the context of steeply rising oil prices, it is important that the American government devises strategy to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. The USA is one of most developed countries in the world and it has been using large amount of oil resources. There has been increase in the demand for oil from the American citizens. Oil is essential for the economic progress of any nation in the modern world. However, America is not self-sufficient in the oil production. This would mean that it needs to import huge quantity of oil from the foreign countries particularly the Islamic countries in the Middle East. At the same time the American president has declared a ‘war on terror’ particularly on the Islamic terrorists. The Islamic terrorists have not taken this declaration lightly and this is proved by their continued attack on the American embassies and people all over the world. The Islamic countries possess huge reserves of oil. The lack of huge oil reserve is the main limitation of the American economy. This limitation has been utilized by the anti American terrorist groups.   The American government has been importing huge amount of oil from the foreign countries and in the process it has been paying huge amount of dollars to the Islamic countries. One can suggest that this dependence of America on foreign oil has encouraged the Islamic terrorist activities as they obtain the American dollars directly or indirectly through the sale of oil to America. This would imply that the American government has been paying to the terrorist groups to indulge in anti-American activities. For example, it is well known that Osama bin Laden obtained financial support from contributions from the Islamic nations. This has limited the ability of the American government to fight against terrorism. The American dependence on foreign oil also has affected the American economy particularly due to the great increase in the price of oil. The oil producing nations enjoy monopoly over the oil production and sale. They can control the oil price and its supply. This has reduced the autonomy of America in world politics. The American government needs to avoid the repetition of the terrorist attacks on the American nation. For this, Americans need to enjoy energy self-sufficiency. (Gal, 2004) The government and the people can contribute to the oil self-sufficiency by reducing oil consumption. The government needs to encourage the scientists to develop alternative energy resources. For example, recently the scientists have found that oil can be replaced by energy resources such as electricity, ethanol, bio-diesel, hydrogen fuel and such other alternative fuels. Already, a few cars which can use alternative fuels have been produced by the American car manufacturers. The government needs to encourage the consumers to use such alternative fuels in their cars in order to improve the financial strength of the country. This would also reduce the financial strength of the Islamic terrorist organizations as they mostly depend on the American dollars in the form of oil exports to America. The government should introduce legislations to provide incentive to alternative fuel producers and consumers so that in all the provinces of the USA people would become aware of the need to save precious American dollar in order to fight the war against terror. By introducing such alternative fuels in the cars, it is possible to save huge amount of dollars which otherwise would have been spent for the purpose of purchasing oil from the foreign countries. Alternative fuel production plants also would lead to improved economic condition of America. This shows that the American government needs to establish oil independence. Bibliography Luft, Gal. (October 2004). Ending America’s Dependence on Middle East Oil. The Middle East Forum Protecting American Interests. Retrieved 31 March 2006 from   

The Industrial Uses of Gold and Silver

The Industrial Uses of Gold and Silver Metals such as gold and silver have been considered precious throughout history for their rarity and aesthetic appeal. These elements are important in modern industry as technological advances expand the applications and uses of their unique physical properties. The uses of these two metals are found in almost every field of interest. From medical to aerospace technology, the applications of these substances provide another reason for their desirability. The evolution of technology has increased its demand for gold’s physical properties.One of the key differences between gold and silver is its resistance to tarnishing. Even though silver and copper are better conductors, gold’s defiance against environmental effects makes it a perfect for electronics where consistent performance over time is desired. Melting other metals with gold forms a gold-based alloy which is extremely heat resistant but can still act as a conductor. These all oys are then used in electronics that operate under intensely high temperatures, such as toasters (World Gold Council, 2012). One significant area where gold is consumed for its reliability is the military.The military uses gold in the form of connectors where the reliability of its electronics is an important factor because using gold connectors can mean the difference between life and death. This is why every tank, helicopter, fight jet, and other military hardware has gold in some form or another. The medical field has also recognized the gold’s reliable characteristics. Most, if not all of the life support electronics are plated with gold as its conductor. One medical application of gold that is not related to electronics is the treatment of a condition called Lagophthalmos.A person with this condition has the inability to fully close their eyes. By implanting tiny amounts of gold in the upper eyelid, the extra weight allows them to completely close their eyes. Gold is us ed because it has excellent biocompatibility unlike many other metals which have a toxicity level harmful to humans (Goodman, 2002). Gold is not the only metal with medical applications. Silver has valuable anti-bacterial characteristics and unlike other metals with anti-microbial properties, it is not harmful to humans (Daima, 2011 pg. 1).Before antibiotics were invented, silver was been used as a weapon against diseases during World War I. One of the best features about silver is the fact that bacteria cannot adapt to it like they do with antibiotics. Today, silver is added to medical instruments such as bandages and scalpels. Some hospitals have even gone to the extent of coating door knobs, flooring, and files with silver to create a more sanitary environment. Silver was also recently proven to promote the growth of new cells, making wounds heal faster (The Silver Institute, 2012).Even though it is not as corrosion-resistant as gold, it is highly valued in the electronics indust ry as super conductor. This means silver-based batteries are also super capacitors, lasting much longer than other batteries. Another unique property that silver has is its ability to reflect heat and radiation. Many of today’s office buildings have silver coated windows. This application of silver reflects up to 95% of the Sun’s rays, reducing the cost of cooling during hot summer days (The Silver Institute, 2012).