Effects of Architecture on Public Behaviour in India

Effects of Architecture on Public Behaviour in India INTRODUCTION India and its cities is often associated with poverty and disorder in the eyes of both foreigners and nationals alike. The roads and streets are littered, walls are indiscriminately scared by blood red paan, old and unmaintained infrastructure is found vandalized as though its sole purpose was to act as a medium of defiance towards the government’s inefficiency; and any dark niche becomes a place for defecation. This phenomenon, of public acceptance toward urban uncleanliness is experienced in almost all cities of India. India is a country which has a deep rooted history and has many ancient cities. All of which have been documented with awe in the eyes of the writer, talking of their beauty and intricacy. One of the oldest civilizations on the planet, built their haven along the banks of the Indus. Their cities showed a sensitivity toward cleanliness; and the great baths and the sew-age system are a testament to that. Yet today, Indian cities are looked upon as filthy, unhygienic and unorganized. No Indian culture preaches of such treatment towards their environment yet the problem still remains in front of our eyes. However, I believe that the solution to this urban phenomenon may lie in the way we design our built environment. It is widely accepted that the environment we are placed in, plays a major role in affecting how we behave in it. This brings me towards my research question: How can architecture affect the behaviour of the public in order to curb the menace of littering and vandalism, hence maintain cleaner and healthier cities? LITERATURE SURVEY My research will aim at finding a long term, objective answers towards three core topics Vandalism as a cause of social defiance. Littering as a cause of social negligence. Sense of place as a tool to earn respect of the people. Vandalism Almost all major Indian cities date back at least to the colonial era and they see their fair share of social unrest in the form of strikes, riots or revolts and some even have seen war between empires. Unrest has always existed between different classes or casts over the history of our cities and in the present context it mainly exists between different religious communities and much more between the public and its government. Vandalism is one of the by-products of this unrest. My research has found that vandalism is strongly associated with defiance. This defiance can be rooted toward any cause, institution or a government body. This anti-social activity has been enabled by poorly designed built environments which lack surveillance be it manned or automated. This has also led toward increase in crime rate in many high-rise and has eventually reduced the desirability of the housing project. In Oscar Newman’s book ‘Defensible Space’, his research is directed towards how crime can be reduced in the housing projects of New York by designing urban spaces which will affect the behaviour of people and affectively prevent crime from occurring in the first place. The author defines Defensible Space as ‘Defensible space is a model for residential environments which inhibits crime by creating the physical expression of a social fabric that defends itself.’ (Newman, Oscar 1972) His work revolves around how simple gestures in the planning phase can have a vast impact on the inter relationships of multiple users in an urban environment. His work revolves around generating spaces which are surveyed by the community, or a group rather than an individual because when people begin to protect themselves as individuals and not as a community, the battle against crime is lost. (Newman, Oscar 1972) Further his book talks about the need for a site to create a defined territory which can be surveyed by the users of that territory. There is much usefulness in this approach as the potential criminal perceives such a space as controlled by its inhabitants, leaving him an intruder, easily recognized and dealt with. (Newman, Oscar 1972) Edge conditions are also a vital consideration as the outside space becomes more defensible if they are clearly demarcated for the use by one household or a small number of households, and if they are observable by residents, neighbours and passers-by. (Cisneros, Henry, 1996) When interiors are designed, the author has found that ‘attitude towards interior finishes and furnishings creates an institutional atmosphere, not unlike that achieved in our worst hospitals and prisons. Even though the materials are in fact stronger and more resilient to wear, tenants seem to go out of their way to test their resistance capabilities. Instead of being provided with an environment in which they can take pride and might desire to keep up, they are provided with one that begs their ability in tearing it down( in comment of Pruitt Igoe) (Newman, Oscar 1972) Taking inferences from these approaches I aim to see whether similar principles of design can help prevent vandalism in India’s urban spaces, hence develop further inferences towards how cultural differences can affect this stream of though and how it can be used to my advantage if possible. Further, I would like to ascertain whether this approach can also be applied towards prevention of littering in public spaces as well. Another method of reducing vandalism takes a nonphysical approach a particular area involves community involvement by means of fund raising in Jefferson School District, Daly City, California where vandalism had been a concern (average daily attendance 6,100), for many years. Several schools were consistent targets for graffiti and broken windows. Maintenance crews devoted Monday mornings to sweeping glass and repainting surfaces. It was time consuming, costly, and most discouraging.(Brietler,B , 1988) An Idea came in 1985 from the newly appointed superintendent, Joseph DiGeronimo. His plan was to offer an incentive program to the students. Each school would have $500 put into a reserve account for eventual use by students-that is, unless the money was first consumed by the costs of vandalism. The money would go to the student body to use as it wished, as long as the expenditures were legal and in good taste. (Brietler,B , 1988) The scheme was successful enough that it was able to reduce incidents from 114 in 1985-86 to 51 incidents in 1986-87. (Brietler,B , 1988) Even though my research is focused in finding a prevention rather than a cure, secondary measures will only help to reinforce the former. Since, in the Indian context, where monetary gain is the main incentive to get work done efficiently, schemes of a similar nature be implemented so as to facilitate maintenance of our urban spaces. Littering I was initially filled with the notion that vandalism and littering are done by the same social strata and for similar reasons. But on further studying I realized that they are two distinct behaviours and are motivated by different factors. Vandalism had been associated in almost all my readings as an act of defiance of the people of the lower class or people who believe have been neglected by a governing body. It would be wrong to assume that it is the lack of awareness or literacy that is the root cause of littering. The most common sight of littering is that of plastics bags, disposable containers, plates and spoons Items which are attributed with the consumerist classes i.e. the middle class and high class. The Indian department of sciences and technology states: Most of todays plastics and synthetic polymers are produced from petrochemicals. As conventional plastics are persistent in the environment, improperly disposed plastic materials are a significant source of environmental pollution, potentially harming life. Therefore Littering is not merely an eye sore but also a health hazard and, it should be a matter of concern that we keep our cities clean so that we can benefit in the long run. Another fashion of littering is very unique to India owing to a recipe that is unique to Indian culture. Almost all public spaces can be distinctly associated with the splashes of paan cud, commonly seen at every corner of a staircase or the end of a passageway. Paan is made using a single beetle leaf with a filling which is usually constituted of areca nut, lime and cured tobacco. This form of paan is not meant to be swallowed and so spitting is inevitable. The areca nut is what is responsible for creating the blood red coloration which is the key identifier of paan cud. Paan is cheaply available to both the poor farmer and the rich merchant, and is an Indian man’s pass time, chewing constantly to while away the long and monotonous day. The primary cause of this gross negligence towards correct disposal of rubbish, is because of the lack of far-sightedness of the common man. The lack of a united spirit in the city, where every man is out there to fend for himself be it status, earning or justice and this has led to a fragmentation in the urban society. This is what has eluded the minds of the people, that, even trivial acts such as littering can add up to larger consequences. Liberalization has granted the benefit of private ownership of land, but this has allowed people to assume the corollary, that, what is not owned by them is not under their jurisdiction completely forgetting the democratically It belongs to him but at the same time, also to his fellow countrymen. This blatant thinking of in and out, mine and not mine has deluded the spirit of a common in urban society which manifests itself in the form of negligence. Vassos Argyrou argues that depending on one’s position in space people may find things to be in place (have positive value) or out of place (have negative value) or, they may be invisible to the observer†¦ Therefore, the like beauty, litter is in the eye of the beholder. (Argyrou, Vassos, 1997) Depending on these characteristics society way either be proactive or they may be negligent towards littering. Peoples understanding toward cleanliness is mainly defined by their way of life. The fact that some people treat littering as eyesores is presupported by ’the ability to detach oneself from the world and constitute it as an object of contemplation and reflection.’ (Argyrou, Vassos, 1997).. This portion of society’s ability is rendered possible by the division between mental labour and physical labour. This is possible in those who are economically well off and have the luxury to contemplate the world and its problems. The do not need to partake cumbersome labour (like brick laying and farming) in order to fight the elements of nature, rather, they would prefer to do the same through â€Å"sport† (by going rock climbing or hiking). They tend to contemplate the world as an aesthetic reality. Trying to treat nature as a body whose truths assessed and aliments cured. By contrast, for many people the world is far from a comforts and conveniences, and the possibility to contemplate the world is distant. These people are compelled to work on days which, most people would take the day off. To them, the world is a battle field and life a daily struggle. Out of this confrontation – akin to physical combat the world emerges as a formidable adversary and the Self emerges as a physically and mentally strong individual who, far from being deterred by the challenge, welcomes and even provokes it.(Argyrou, Vassos , 1997)They are too obstinate to give up on the challenges that face them and, given these circumstances, their aggressive approach towards life, to them avoiding littering is a far too gratuitous an act to be seriously considered. However, it would be premature to assume that the cause of this uncleanliness is because of the lower working class and that the middle and higher classes are devoid of this attitude towards our cities. This only suggests that different conditions of existence predispose people to view the world and themselves, in different ways. The author later goes on to say that the middle class claim is that people litter because they are ignorant. Rather, it is that people are ignorant because they litter. The distinction is significant because it implies that litter is a self- evident truth accessible to everyone. If the middle class can perceive it as a problem, villagers and urban working classes can see it too. But, as middle class rhetoric has it, they choose to ignore it and this is what makes them ignorant This act of negligence towards the city is well illustrated by Sudipta Kaviraj, in his paper’ Filth and the Public Sphere: Concepts and Practices about Space In Calcutta (1997), talking of the notions, of what is public in the eyes of Indians, in the city of Calcutta. He talks of how Hindu culture is responsible for the concept for ‘apan/par’ in which people only look at their property as their world, which requires attention and has to be kept clean. Whereas the surrounding is of no importance to the dweller. The inside of a Brahmin house was often kept impressively clean, including utensils and other household goods. Interiors of houses were swept and scrubbed with punctilious regularity. Indeed, there was an interesting connection between these duties and the religious markings on the times of day. The household’s internal space had to be cleaned at the hours of conjunction between light and darkness, at dawn and dusk, which coincided with time for worship (puja). The form of this puja, especially at nightfall, was to light the auspicious lamp, which had an understated piety about it and was performed by women, who shared a strong connection with the symbolism of the interior. It would be considered odd, and faintly sacrilegious, to take the auspicious lamp into a room that had not been cleaned in preparation for this most ordinary form of thanksgiving. Thus, the cleaning chores were considered quasi-religious duties for household members (mostly women). Yet the garbage collected from this obsessive house-cleaning would be dumped on a mound right in front of the house. This owed not to a material-geographic but a conceptual distinction. When the garbage is dumped, it is not placed at a point where it cannot casually affect the realm of the household and its hygienic well-being. It is thrown over a conceptual boundary. The street was the outside, the space for which one did not have responsibility, or which not one’s own was, and it therefore lacked any association with obligation, because it did not symbolise any significant principle, did not express any values. It was merely a conceptually insignificant negative of the inside, which was prized and invested with affectionate decoration. Thus, the outside—the streets, squares, bathing Ghats, and other facilities used by large numbers—were crowded, but they did not constitute a different kind of valued space, a civic space with norms and rules of use of its own, different from the domest ic values of bourgeois privacy. (Kaviraj, S 1997) Kaviraj also mentions that cast is not the only factor but the differences in perceptions between the different classes also is responsible for the littering. The middle class who were capable of affording an education attach much sentimental values to their public parks, but the lower class cannot understand the importance of the latter as much of the middle class’s sentiments had aroused from historic contexts which the lower classes could not relate to due to lack of an education. What this shows is that there were two different codes for using social space, one mapping of inside/outside and another of public/ private.(Kaviraj,S 1997) This study has helped me grasp the gravity of the situation. That there is a cultural link towards the way we maintain our public sphere and that there lies a differences of conceptual approach towards the term ‘public’ by the different economic strata of society. Another concept I would like to focus on is the broken window theory, which says that a crime is more likely to happen if the physical environment is already abused. This phenomenon is necessary to understand as it acts as the spark to the fire if not tended to. The corollary of the theory can also be tested to see if extremely clean environments can also be used to create a social unacceptance toward uncleanliness of our public spaces. CONCLUSION Littering is a social and health problem. It may be harmless in small quantities, but when it is upscaled to the urban level, it becomes a menace and a cause of concern. Today the Indian government has tried to curb littering by means of promotional messages on television. And people are well aware that it is illegal to litter. Under this circumstance, littering is not merely an act, but also a statement whose message echoes through all people who see it. Citizens who see their streets and roads littered will be filled with the notion that their government is incompetent and incapable. This eventually will lead people to be lax, not just towards littering laws but also towards other restrictions, quoting the latter failure as an example. Owing to its visual nature, littering spreads like a disease in the spaces of the citizen minds and then into the spaces of the city. This will eventually breed negligence among the masses and destroy community culture. This further translates into more extreme cases where our urban spaces will be vandalized to vent out anger. Therefore it is of at most importance that we take immediate action and strongly reinforce these actions with preventative measures in order to maintain a physically and mentally society. From my literature survey it has come to my knowledge that littering and vandalism have been looked at from a very objective point of view and research is directed more towards these phenomena as reactive measures and not a long term preventative measures. Therefore I would like to focus my future efforts into finding ways in which we can prevent littering and vandalism before it can even happen. References: Newman, Oscar 1972, Crime Prevention through Urban Design Defensible Space, the Macmillan Company, New York. Colquhoun, Ian, Design out of crime Creating Safe and Sustainable Communities, Architectural Press Canter, David 1977, Psychology of Place, The Architectural Press Ltd. London G.P.D, 2004 , Economics and Political Weekly , Vol. 39 ,No. 9. The British Medical Journal Vol .2 No. 4255 1942 ,Towards The Clean City, BMJ Kaviraj,Sudipta 1997 , Duke University Press, Filth and the public Sphere: Concepts and practices about Space in Calcutta, Public Culture. Keizer, Kees, 2008 American association for the advancement of science, Vol. 322, No. 5908 Science, New Series. Brietler, Bruce 1988 ,Taylor Francis, Ltd., Vandalism: The carrot instead of the Stick, Vol. 61, No.8 Argyrou, Vassos 1997,Wiley on behalf American Anthropological Association, â€Å"Keep Cyprus Clean† : Littering , Pollution, and Otherness, Vol. 12, No.2 Hazards of plastic, 2009, viewed 20 July 2014 TIFAC, http://www.tifac.org.in/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=739itemid=205

Business Ethics Essay -- Business Ethics Morals

In today’s global society, a Code of Ethics policy is used to label established, acceptable behaviors among that industry’s business associates, potential investors, and the corporation’s executive officers and employees, and most important, the consumer (Ethics Resource Center, 2003). In an attempt to promote an increased efficiency and productivity potential level, among employees and prospective clients, a corporation’s standard Code of Ethics should guide its members toward a more in-depth examination of their personal moral activity, and how these actions affect the people or acquaintances they encounter. A company should utilize this strategy as a model for the professional behaviors and responsibilities of its constituents, and proves the occupational advancement of that business. Ethics are important in every level of a corporation, but specifically in the day-to-day actions of its members, and the image the company broadcasts to its associates is fundamental in building a stable business foundation. These pledges are a vital communication tool used to covey the firm’s standards for business operations, and predominantly, its relationships with the surrounding communities (Ethics Resource Center, 2003). The statement made in this example for discussion has credibility to a certain extent, but there are always reactions to any action, as stated in the basic laws of physics. This also holds true when scrutinizing the actions of a brain surgeon, a reporter, or an employee at a fast-food restaurant. The significance may not seem to be equal when determining the impact level of these jobs, but the individual attempts to perform at the highest possible intensity should always be the main goal (Horngr... ...s quite different after a new approach is applied to a specific situation, but a majority of the time, this strategy will provide the best possible action that should be applied to achieve a more balanced ethical code (Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, 2008). References: Ethics Resource Center (2003). Why Have a Code of Conduct? Retrieved September 6, 2008 from http://www.ethics.org/resources/wy-have-code.asp Horngren, C. & Harrison, W. (2007). Accounting: Chapters 1 - 17 (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (2008). A Framework for Thinking Ethically. Santa Clara University. Retrieved September 6, 2008 from http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework.html

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead AMC’s gritty and gruesome apocalyptic hit â€Å"The Walking Dead† places the blood thirsty, agonized groans of zombies right in our living rooms. The show follows a small group of survivors in the midst of a zombie apocalypse that has decimated some seventy-five percent of the population. The cable series which first premiered in 2010 made no bones about its weekly offering of flesh-eating, blood-splattered gore.The opening sequence of the pilot episode features a virus-ridden little girl being thrust into the pavement when former sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) shoots a bullet into her skull as he struggles to ward off her flesh-hungry zombie attack. â€Å"The Walking Dead† has since amassed quite the following of fans who rave in equal parts about the show’s violent and spine-tingling special effects and its subtle commentary on hope and the human condition.Watching the hour-long gorefest in which infected men, woman and even childr en are repeatedly shown receiving violent and bloody blows to the head, one cannot help but wonder, is â€Å"The Walking Dead’s† portrayal of violence harmful in its appeal to debased human interests or does it ultimately provide a hopeful look at the human spirit trying to survive in a bleak world? One look at primetime’s lineup of this or that network’s violent flavor of the week and it is not a stretch to surmise that the populace has not come very far since the gladiatorial games of the ancient Romans.From a macro perspective, humans love gratuitous violence. The media is inundated with copious images of cold killings and moral depravity that serve no other purpose but to shock the masses. Violence tends to equate to ratings, which in turn leads to the exposure of more violence. Studies have shown, however, that continued and prolonged exposure to horrific images, like those in â€Å"The Walking Dead†, is not necessarily without consequence. Ac cording to researchers Craig A. Anderson and Brad J.Bushman in the peer-reviewed â€Å"Effects of Media Violence on Society†, televised violence, as substantiated by six major professional societies in the United States including the American Psychiatric Association, is shown to adversely affect certain members of our society. Fictional violence across television waves has a very real human effect. The greater the exposure, the more pronounced the effect. Violent televised images, Anderson and Bushman continue, have been connected numerous times to a propensity towards violent behaviors such as assault, robbery and even childhood aggression (Anderson and Bushman).Given this research, it is therefore reasonable to conclude that â€Å"The Walking Dead† will not leave all of its viewers unfazed. In all of its gore, blood and killing, â€Å"The Walking Dead† is yet another piece of the violent puzzle that contributes to the aggression of many in our society. Even th ose who do not respond to the viewing of violence with aggression are likely to experience some effects from watching â€Å"The Walking Dead†. Prior to the opening of the show each week, viewers are provided with a parental advisory which reads, â€Å"This program contains violent images which may be too intense for some viewers.Viewer discretion is advised† (â€Å"The Walking Dead†). Disturbing images permeate the AMC hit drama. They are unsettling, unnatural and can lead to psychological trauma and fear. Current trends in media suggest our generation is obsessed with shows featuring a post apocalyptic world. We both fear and favor the dark. Like the tendency toward aggression that can be created from exposure to violence, other antisocial or anxiety related behaviors can manifest from such images. According to Dimitri A. Christakis and Frederick J.Zimmerman in â€Å"Violent Television Viewing During Preschool is Associated with Antisocial Behavior During Scho ol Age†, exposure to violence can also result in a variety of anti-social behaviors including depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies (Christakis and Zimmerman). Again, we see a strong correlation between media violence and behavior. Perhaps the biggest fear, however, concerning viewership of â€Å"The Walking Dead† is the possibility it has of eschewing one’s moral compass. Viewers continually watch protagonist Grimes and his cohorts violently kill and maim the walking dead without pause and vice versa.It leads one to wonder, if this prolonged exposure to killing without thought can also increase one’s own ability to exercise uncivil behavior without hesitation or remorse. If a society’s values are represented in what that society chooses to watch, should we be concerned that our viewing choices revolve around barbaric killer instincts? One too, however, could take the opposite look at what violent, post apocalyptic television, particularly â⠂¬Å"The Walking Dead†, reflects about our society.Many critics argue that â€Å"The Walking Dead† is ultimately a tale of one man’s struggle to create peace and unity for his family amidst a world of terror and strife. Our society’s interest in disaster and cataclysm is likely synonymous with our feelings of isolation and duress omnipresent in this modern and technological age. The violence shown in â€Å"The Walking Dead†Ã¢â‚¬â€the fight for survival, the loneliness, the internal struggles the characters face in response to the violence—can be compared to the challenges humans face every day.In this society in which modernism distances humans from nature, each other, and often a connection to what is genuinely important, it is easy to feel as though we are living in a dark world in which many of its inhabitants are out to attack us. Pop Matters television critic Jesse Hicks defends â€Å"The Walking Dead† as an important character st udy about modern man in the article â€Å"The Walking Dead: Blurring Lines†. Hicks explains that, like any good horror tale, â€Å"The Walking Dead† effectively scares with its use of monsters but more importantly balances this fear with â€Å"a search for answers, a way to remain decent among the ruins† (Hicks).Humans are calling out for more and more post apocalyptic examinations and thereby guides for how modern man can survive and ultimately succeed in a seemingly bleak world. Through all of its violence and grisliness, â€Å"The Walking Dead’s† dynamic characters and themes regarding a search for humanity among chaos do indeed offer such a guide. Among the layered personality struggles examined in â€Å"The Walking Dead† is Grimes’ and other characters’ quests to display bravery and self-sacrifice when faced with zombie attacks.The images are often unsettling and even at times shocking. However, the feelings conjured up by such startling images illuminate the magnitude of just how dire the surrounding circumstances are and just how difficult the decisions the characters make must be. Through the violence, we see Grimes do nearly anything to protect his family. He struggles with the decisions he makes—killing an infected child, taking the life of persons who could potentially threaten those dear to him, and abandoning his best friend.Grimes moral struggles to exhibit heroic character traits in the face of violence ultimately provides an uplifting tale of courage and principle regardless of how dire circumstances may appear. The violence in â€Å"The Walking Dead† might also provide some positive influences based on the various ways in which we watch different characters deal with that violence. Grimes’ opposing character, best friend and fellow officer Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal), reacts to violence and aggression in stark contrast to Grimes. Grimes is slow to anger and tends to ma ke decisions based on morality and he interests of all involved parties. Walsh, on the other hand, takes a more pragmatic, militaristic view of violence and the challenges they face. While the two characters’ plights can be disturbing, acknowledging how they fail and succeed based on their interactions with violence offers thought provoking questions on how we as individuals can deal with violence and pressures. In Alan Sepinwall’s â€Å"The Walking Dead Review—Better Angels: What a Shane†, Sepinwall argues that in contrast to Grimes’ ultimately more ethical decisions â€Å"Walsh’s death was inevitable† (Sepinwall).While a zombie apocalypse is hopefully not in our imminent future, the ways in which we deal with violence, aggression and personal struggle surrounds each of us. Though it is important to give sufficient attention to how violence in the media is affecting us as both individuals and a society, the dynamic character developm ent as well as the various ethical questions raised by the violence in â€Å"The Walking Dead†, if viewed with care, ultimately offer a more positive than negative depiction of violence.Violence in television, if served with purposeful intent, is an effective storytelling device for displaying the difference between good and evil. â€Å"The Walking Dead† effectively makes the distinction between gratuitous violence and violence necessary for plot and character development. In an apocalyptic world of isolation and gory yet morally charged killings, a small band of survivors in â€Å"The Walking Dead† are fighters for good amidst evil and a model for those seeking modern interpretations of what it means to survive in the real, and sometimes seemingly bleak, world in which we all find ourselves.

buy custom Micro Aggression essay

buy custom Micro Aggression essay Micro aggression is a situation where a person belonging to a certain community, tribe, country or race- often a superior community, race, tribe, or country- says something belittling to another person of another community that is termed to be a lesser community. This can be done either consciously or unconsciously. This silent and indirect form of discrimination especially through words or silent treatment to people difference race, color, or sex if continuously repeated wears people out both physically and spiritually until they are completely low. Micro aggression may also take the form of sexism. That is belittling someone because of their gender. Women are the ones who are prone to this kind of biasness. They get intimidated by their colleagues, who think they are superior just because of their gender, seniors/ managers who use positions of influence to intimidate or harass or demean women. It can also come from members of the public. A very practical case is when it comes to politics, no matter how much vision or practical strategy a woman has over her competitors, a candidate will most likely be elected as the ruler no matter how bogus he may be or how selfish his agenda may be. Micro aggression can appear in many forms. Some of them are: Micro assault: It is an intentional act of intimidation or belittling another often a lesser person- through name calling, or saying words intentionally meant to bring down. This is something that is so common in our everyday lives. It is also very common in organizations where even during the recruitment process, their preference is first to people they share the same background, race and color. If one is lucky to pass through the recruiting process and get hired, then depending on the kind of people one is working with, micro assault may result during meetings o in the office where the dominant group thinks and speaks of themselves as superior, more intelligent, and as if the running of the organization depends on them purely. Micro insult: It is prevalent in an environment that belittles another person simply because they belong to another race through words or actions. Micro insult is something that one does knowingly, just to instill fear or put another down. Some organizations pay people of a different race from theirs less by far irrespective of the person having similar qualifications, experience and handling similar projects. This too is macro aggressions. Micro invalidation: It is the act of easily dismissing someones thoughts, feelings or personal experiences because they seem less according to ones standards or because that person comes from a certain race or community - The lesser community or race-. It is very common between whites and blacks. Whites think of themselves as more superior in terms of knowledge, status, innovations, finances, and majority have the feeling of like, they are in control of the economy, as if they are the sole dictators the market. Micro invalidation can also happen horizontally where a person is invalidated in their own country by people of their own race or community. Especially where he says something dishonoring to their community or where the other party does not get along well. It could also be a case where one prompts the other to say such things. An instance at hand would be where one is entrusted to handle the matter and instead of settling it as expected, the person misrepresents the group or o rganization, thus causes chaos. Everyone is a brother and sister and thus should strive to live as one. There is no one more superior to the other. All are equal before God irrespective of our background, race, educaation levels or nationality. Thus, there are a few methods that can use to reduce or completely erase this micro aggressions behavior. Some of this methods or ways are: Change ones attitudes and mentality towards each other irrespective of race or sex. How people see each other is very key as it forms the basis for their relationships. Attitude is everything as it influences peoples attitudes and outlook on life, things and the people within. Applying ethics and morality in judgment and treatments of others irrespective of race and sex; before one passes a judgment on another or utters a word that is meant to demean or belittle another, pause for a moment and think about ethics, think about morality, think about God or even oneself. Would one be comfortable with the kind of treatment another is giving if they were on the receiving end? If yes, then do it, it may be the right thing but if what one is about to say would be offensive, when one becomes the recipient then there is no need to do it to another. Pause and do not utter a word. Go and make peace with self. Taking time to work on our spirituality; Growing our spiritually helps us to shift focus from ourselves unto our author. So every time, there is the will and determination, to do not our will but His will, not our desires but His. Thus, the focus shifts from minor things like ones tribe, and start focusing on their strengths irrespective of tribe, class, race, sex or others that may make one think that they are better than them. They begin working together as a team. Unity and love begin to develop within their hearts and souls. It becomes easier to correct one another with love than through the cruel words. It becomes easier to help someone else accomplish a task they have been assigned without hitting back at them or expecting anything. Buy custom Micro Aggression essay

A basic income grant for Namibia Essays

A basic income grant for Namibia Essays A basic income grant for Namibia Essay A basic income grant for Namibia Essay Introduction Nowadays, many people involved in the development discourse agree that the overcoming of poorness is the most important factor of development and that the growing of a state s economic system entirely is non sufficient to increase the wellbeing of the hapless frequently it has even worsen their state of affairs ( Kingsbury et al. , 2008, pp.27-28, 152 ) . However, there is no consensus on how to turn to this multidimensional job and create permanent alteration. This essay focuses on the challenge of poorness, unemployment and income inequality in Namibia the state with the most unequal distribution of income in the universe. The biennial Basic Income Grant ( BIG ) pilot undertaking in the Otjivero-Omitara country that has started in January 2008 aims to turn to these jobs by redistributing money from the rich to the hapless. It is based on the thought that everybody should unconditionally have a monthly basic income. The end of the BIG pilot undertaking which is the first cosmopolitan cash-transfer pilot undertaking in the universe ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.13 ) is to carry the Namibian authorities to implement a BIG in whole Namibia. Even if poorness is today frequently seen as cardinal factor which has to be addressed by development attacks and most would hold that development means bettering the life conditions of society , there has been and there are assorted sentiments of how this betterment should look like and how it can be achieved ( Melkote and Steeves, 2001, p.34 ) . In scholarship and pattern, one can place three chief watercourses of positions on development: modernization or the dominant paradigm of development, critical positions, and release positions ( ibid. ) . The different implicit in thoughts and constructs of development of these positions are explained in the undermentioned literature reappraisal of this essay. In the position study, the development state of affairs in Namibia and the BIG thought together with the associated pilot undertaking are described. The construct of authorization that emerged in the range of the critical attacks and release positions can be seen as the model of the BIG undertaking. The underlying thoughts, the strengths in turn toing poorness and permanent development every bit good as the challenges and unfavorable judgment of the undertaking are discussed in the treatment portion. Reasoning the analysis, actions for a successful execution of the BIG in whole Namibia are recommended. Literature Review The paradigm of modernization that emerged in the 1940s strongly determined the theory and pattern of development until the sixtiess ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.71-72 ; Mowlana A ; Wilson, 1990, p.13 ) . Theories and constructs that recapitulated the development of West European and North American states were used to bring forth theoretical accounts of development for the Third World ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.100 ) . Roger names four cardinal elements of this so called dominant paradigm: economic growing via industrialization, capital-intensive engineering and associated the quantitative empirical scientific method, centralised planning every bit good as the belief that underdevelopment is caused by jobs within developing states ( 1976, p.49 ) . The paradigm is based on neo-classical economic theory but besides on societal evolutionary theory Darwin s evolutionary construct applied to societal alteration ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.74-75 ) . There were and are, for illustration, a assortment of bipolar theories of modernization that describe ideal-typical beginning and stop points of development. The states in the Third World were seen as traditional societies while Western states were described as modern and hence holding already achieved the highest phase of development ( Greig, Hulme A ; Turner, 2007, p.80 ; Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.81, 100 ) . A outstanding illustration of a unilinear modernization theoretical account that emphasises evolutionary alteration is Rostow s five-stage theoretical account of economic growing ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.84 ; Servaes, 1999, p. 21 ) . Modernization theories that focused alternatively on evolutionary alteration at the micro degree stated that is is indispensable f or the modernization procedure that persons change their values and attitudes to run into the features of people in the already modernised West ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.86-88 ) . The procedures and constructions of development under the dominant paradigm reshaped the world of people in the Third World ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.92 ) . Melkote and Steeves note that an scrutiny of modernisation discourse from the beginning reveals the end of replacing non-Western ideological, cultural, and even linguistic communication systems, with Western systems ( 2001, p.92 ; see besides Kingsbury et al. , 2008, p.52 ) . In add-on, Western states gained more and more control over the people in the Third World through their institutional intercessions ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.93 ) . Since the 1960s the development construct within the range of the dominant paradigm has been more and more challenged ( Kingsbury et al. , 2008, p.51 ) . The review refers to several aspects and effects of the paradigm many of it challenges the focal point on a state s economic growing ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.19, 158 ) . The assorted negative effects of the dominant paradigm show that measures like the GDP of a state can non state a batch about the state of affairs of the people. Even though many developing states experienced impressive economic growing until the sixtiess, the modernization theoretical account lead to increased rates of unemployment, poorness and inequality in political, societal and economic regard every bit good as in respect to the distribution of power ( Kingsbury et al. , 2008, p.27-28 ; Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.158-162 ) . The observation of the failure of the dominant paradigm s trickle-down thought lead to the outgrowth of the basic needs attack in the early 1970s ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.166 ) . The purpose of this attack is to extinguish some of the worst facets of poorness by paying attending to the quality of life of persons at the underside of the socio-economic ladder alternatively of underscoring economic indexs as within the dominant paradigm ( ibid. , pp.158, 166 ) . There have been many attempts to specify basic demands ( Kingsbury et al. , 2008, p.32 ) . Paul Streeten ( 1979, p. 48, quoted in Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.167 ) identified seven aims of the basic needs attack that include basic human demands and rights: nutrient and imbibing H2O, shelter, instruction, security of support, conveyance, engagement in decision-making every bit good as self-respect and dignity. After a decennary of repudiation of the accent on basic demands, the attending to this attack returned in the 1990s. In this clip, a presents still really influential step of the wellbeing of people the Human Development Index ( HDI ) of the UNDP was introduced ( Kingsbury et al. , 2008, pp.32-33 ) . Melkote and Steeves province that the basic needs attack has no opportunity to hold a existent consequence on development every bit long as the power lies with the advocates of the neo-classical attack: Considerations of national and planetary security and economic sciences will ever take precedence ( 2001, p.169 ) . Critics have argued moreover that the existent purpose of advocates of the basic demands attack was to maintain people disempowered while merely feeding them better ( ibid. , p.168 ) . These concerns about planetary power instabilities are expressed, for illustration, by dependence theory and world-systems theory ( ibid. , p.158 ) . Melkote A ; Steeves summarise the new ends that alternative attacks to development reference: equity in distribution of development benefits, engagement of all community members, independency of communities or states and integrating of old and new thoughts ( 2001, p.199 ) . The 3rd watercourse of positions on development the release perspectives differs from the others since the focal point is religious and non economic ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, pp.35 ) . Spirituality and faith rarely play a function in mainstream development scholarship or pattern and faiths particularly others than Christianity are instead seen as barriers to development ( ibid. , pp.273-274 ) . However, within every major faith there can be found a type of divinity that supports development as a procedure of release from unfairness, favoritism, and subjugation ( ibid. , p.275, 293 ) . This release divinity, the chief footing for release positions, province that the purposes of development in this attack authorization and autonomy can merely be achieved through personal and communal release from subjugation ( ibid. , p.35 ) . The implicit in premises are that all people pursue freedom and autonomy and have the internal capacity to develop themselves on their ain footing s but internal and external signifiers of subjugation restrict their ability to make so ( ibid. , p.35, 294 ) . Crucial to liberation divinity is that religious pattern and societal activism together with and on behalf of laden people belong together ( ibid. , p.294 ) . Although big Western authoritiess and corporations are seen as a major subjugation beginnings, advocates of release positions are non automatically oppositions of modernization. Alternatively, the basic premiss is that persons must be free to take ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.35 ) . A bottom-up theoretical account that incorporates premises of the release perspectives is the participatory theoretical account for development. The thought behind this attack is the engagement of people of all degrees of society ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.327-338 ) . Peoples at the grassroots have to comprehend their demands and jobs themselves and so place solutions this happens through conscientization what includes corporate action. Though the participatory theoretical account has been comparatively popular in the last decennaries, many development undertakings have stayed far off from true engagement by maintaining the pick for the right solutions and other power issues at the degree of national or international elites ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.338-339 ) . The three watercourses of positions within the development discourse that were discussed in the preceding paragraphs are non thorough and they besides overlap. A construct of development that includes elements of the critical positions and release positions is empowerment ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.35-36 ) . The World Bank defines authorization as the procedure of increasing the assets and capablenesss of persons or groups to do purposive picks and to transform those picks into coveted actions and results. Empowered people have freedom of pick and action. This in bend enables them to better act upon the class of their lives and the determinations which affect them ( 2009a ) . Melkote and Steeves besides concentrate on the corporate degree of authorization and argue for this construct of development because sustainable alteration is non possible unless we deal with this important job in human societies: deficiency of economic and societal power among persons at the grassroots the oppressive societal, political, and economic constructions in Third World states are seen as the obstructions for development ( 2001, p.356 ) . Though there are several cautions that are discussed in the treatment portion of this essay, Melkote and Steeves see the authorization construct as the lone manner for true development ( 2001, pp.364-365 ) . Status Report The Republic of Namibia lies in the south-west of the African continent. With 2.11 million occupants in 2008 and a surface country of over 824,000 square kilometers, it is sparsely populated ( The World Bank TWB ] , 2009b ) . The bulk of the Namibians still live in rural countries while the urban population counts merely for 36 per cent ( TWB, 2008 ) . In 2008, the state had a GDP of US $ 8.56 billion ( TWB, 2009b ) and it has compared to neighbor states a comparatively high per capita income ( International Monetary Fund [ IMF ] , 2009, pp.5-6 ) . The economic system as a whole has shown a solid growing public presentation in recent old ages due to the booming mineral sector ( IMF, 2009, pp.5-6 ) . But the big portion of unemployed occupants about 35 per cent reveals the cardinal job of inequality in Namibian society ( ibid. ) . With a Gini value of 74.3, Namibia is regarded as the state with the most unequal distribution of income in the universe. The absolute monthly income of the richest 20 per centum of the population is 56.1 times higher than the income of the poorest 20 per centum ( UNDP, 2008b ) . Harmonizing to the national poorness line, 13.8 per cent of the people are badly hapless ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, pp.48-49 ) . With a HDI of 0.650, Namibia ranges in the bottom 3rd ( rank of 125th ) of 177 states when it comes to human wellbeing ( UNDP, 2008a ) . Using the weight for age criterion of the World Health Organization, 18 per cent of the kids under age 5 were undernourished in 2007. Merely 77 per cent of the kids in the relevant age group completed primary school in 2007. Another challenge is that the HIV rate is high in Namibia: 15.3 per cent of the population ages 15-49 are infected by the virus ( TWB, 2009b ) . In 2004, the so called Namibian Basic Income Grant Coalition ( BIG Coalition ) was established to recommend the debut of a countrywide monthly basic income grant ( BIG ) to turn to these jobs ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.13 ) . The Namibian Government s Tax Commission had recommended in 2002 a cosmopolitan grant that should be financed out of a progressive outgo revenue enhancement on the flush ( ibid. , p.18 ) . Following this recommendation, the BIG Coalition developed a proposal for a BIG in Namibia: A monthly hard currency grant of non less than 100 Namibian dollars ( what presently equals 15.64 Australian dollars ) should be paid unconditionally to every Namibian citizen adult females, work forces and kids as a citizen s right until she or he reaches the age of 60. When turning 60, Namibians become eligible for the already bing and well higher cosmopolitan authorities pension ( ibid. , pp.18-19 ; Kameeta et al. , 2007, p.23 ) . The BIG Coalition argues that the net costs of between N $ 1.2 and 1.6 billion per twelvemonth which are tantamount to 2.2 to 3 per cent of the current Namibian GDP are low-cost for the Namibian province as there is extra capacity to raise revenue enhancement gross significantly . Options to finance a BIG include a moderate accommodation of VAT combined with an addition in income revenue enhancements and a re-prioritisation of the national budget and the debut of a particular levy on natural resources ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.16 ) . The cardinal consequence that is expected from the BIG is that it promotes employment and nice work on a big graduated table in Namibia ( Kameeta et al. , 2007, p.25 ) . This would be achieved by the BIG by supplying a certain degree of income security that would control low mass poorness and interrupt the destructive circle of the survival economic system . The 2nd chief characteristic is that fiscal resources would be redistributed to the bulk of people where they are most effectual to further both investing and demand ( ibid. , pp.25-26 ) . The advocates of the undertaking note that several significant governmental steps are to boot needed as the BIG entirely can non be the solution for the job of mass unemployment ( ibid. , p.26 ) . The BIG Coalition decided in 2007 to implement a pilot undertaking in the highly hapless Otjivero-Omitara country ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.49 ) to turn out the positive effects of a BIG and travel the policy argument forward ( ibid. , p.19 ) . After the enrollment of the 930 under-60-year-old occupants of the country and the elevation of financess for a undertaking continuance of two old ages, the pilot undertaking has started in January 2008. The pay-out is managed by the Namibian Post Office where every occupant of the undertaking country has a savings history into which the grant is paid monthly ( ibid. , pp.19-23 ) . The advocates of the income grant province that the debut of the BIG will be a important measure towards poorness relief, employment creative activity and the decrease of inequality in Namibia ( Kameeta et al. , 2007, p.26 ) . In fact, harmonizing to the one-year-report of the pilot undertaking, assorted developmental effects have been achieved since the execution of the BIG in the undertaking country: family poorness dropped significantly, economic activity increased particularly through the starting of little concerns and the creative activity of a local market through the new purchasing power of the people, child malnutrition was reduced, regular school attending and clinic visits increased chiefly because of the ability to pay the fees, offense was significantly reduced and HIV positive occupants could afford nutrious nutrient that is indispensable to profit to the full from anti-retroviral intervention every bit good as wage for the conveyance to acquire the medicine ( Haarm ann et al. , 2009, p.14-16, 60 ) . Discussion The BIG Coalition sees the BIG non merely as a basic needs attack but as a agency of authorization. The BIG helps the hapless to fulfill basic demands like feeding, imbibing, holding nice shelter and directing their kids to school ( Streeten, 1979, p.48, quoted in Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.167 ) but it intends to accomplish even more than that. The advocates province that the BIG is non a public assistance programme but an empowerment programme for economic activity ( Kameeta et al. , 2007, p.23 ) . Kameeta et Al. argue in their BIG undertaking presentation for the United Nations in line with the thoughts of the empowerment construct of Melkote and Steeves that was explained before in this essay: Poverty is caused by an unfair economic order that prevents them [ the hapless ] from doing a life in a dignified manner. A solution must therefore turn to the structural unfairnesss, which perpetuate the ever-increasing unemployment and poorness rates ( 2007, p.12 ) . As the BIG wou ld ease a redistribution of income from the rich to the hapless, it would take to more justness in the distribution of the wagess of economic growing that Namibia so experienced since independency ( Kameeta et al. , 2007, p.20 ) . That the battle of many Namibians to run into basic demands prevents development is noted strikingly by Kameeta et Al. : The hapless have to pass hours procuring their endurance for the following twenty-four hours by roll uping H2O and firewood and seeking to obtain some nutrient. These day-to-day endurance struggles absorb clip, labor and other resources, which otherwise could be used for productive economic intents ( 2007, p.8 ) . In advanced states the province normally guarantees some sort of societal safety cyberspace but as this is missing in many developing states it is irrational for people to prosecute in advanced, achievement-oriented and profit-maximising behaviour ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.166 ) . The abandoning of the survival economic system furthers the chances of the hapless to prosecute in work either by get downing an ain concern or seeking other employment. Criticism of the BIG construct chiefly takes topographic point on an ideological degree and reminds of the position of the dominant paradigm: The two nucleus beliefs are that a hard currency transportation is bad for people because it gives them rights without duty and that hapless people are non capable of passing the money sagely ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.39 ) . Melkote and Steeves confirm that while expressed theories of single lower status are no longer promoted, the discourse of development frequently reveals ethnocentric and patriarchal beliefs about the disempowered position of people in general or subgroups in developing states ( 2001, p.90 ) . The BIG Coalition states that the consequences of the pilot undertaking prove that the ideological reserves which critics like many affluent white husbandmans have ( Krahe, 2009, pp.48-49 ) are baseless. The people in the undertaking country have in fact made rational disbursement determinations to better their lives ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.40 ) . Furthermore the BIG Coalition argues that the unconditioned payments do non intend giving something for nil but lead to immense single and societal benefits through giving people the chance to go autonomous and act dignified and responsible ( ibid. , pp.39-42 ) . Simply the ownership of small economic power helps people to recover their human self-respect, for illustration because they do non hold to implore for nutrient any more ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.41 ) . This procedure is furthered by the unconditioned payment of the BIG. The receiving systems of the BIG have the pick to make up ones mind how to put their money and are responsible for their actions, they have the power to make what seems sensible for them. This would be non the instance if nutrient casts would be provided or the school fees for their kids would be paid from person else than themselves ( ibid. ) . The statement that a BIG would make dependence is contrary to the basic premise of release position which is important to the authorization construct: It is necessary to swear in the laden and in their ability to ground ( Freire, 1996, p.564 ) . As the experience in the pilot undertaking shows, the people use the BIG as a platform for ain actions and do non trust on the r egular payment entirely. Krahe points out that the system of little loans in developing states besides shows that hapless people frequently win in going financially independent in this instance through self-employment if they merely acquire entree to money ( 2009, p.52 ) . The BIG has promoted in the pilot undertaking community besides empowerment through engagement. The people themselves established an 18-member BIG commission to call up the community. The commission elected people who advise others to do the best usage of their Large payments ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.14 ) . The members besides addressed the job of intoxicant maltreatment and persuaded shebeen proprietors non to open on the BIG pay-out yearss ( ibid. , pp.38-39 ) . This suggests that the debut of a BIG can efficaciously help with community mobilization and authorization ( ibid. , p.14 ) . Peoples know best the jobs of their community and can make solutions in Otjivero-Omitara, the BIG ignited hope and motivated people to take part in their ain development ( ibid. , p.37 ) . A participatory communicating theoretical account is seen as cardinal for authorization ( Cadiz, 2005 ; Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.166 ) . It would travel beyond the range of this essay to analyze the BIG proposal in such inside informations as discoursing for illustration the appropriate hight of the monthly grant and the best manner to finance it. As noted in the position study, the pilot undertaking shows many positive consequences in turn toing poorness, unemployment and other jobs. The BIG is besides a manner to decrease the economic inequality in a state in which merely a certain portion of people used to profit from economic growing. After analyzing the underlying construct of authorization, one can state that the BIG appears to be a really fruitful construct of development as it is a existent means to authorise people. However, it can merely be one of assorted stairss to derive full authorization of the people. Melkote and Steeves emphasise moreover that there are several cautions to empowerment: it is a long-run, labor-intensive procedure that evolves through pattern in which development support professionals a re merely facilitators ( 2001, pp.364-365 ) . In any instance, extra steps and procedures are needed to attach to the execution of a BIG in Namibia it is understood that the debut of a basic income can non stand entirely ( Hornemann Moller A ; Lind, 1999, p.186 ) . As the BIG Coalition itself states, governmental steps to turn to the mass employment are among others important to make positions and ease the long-run success of a basic income. Essential for farther authorization would be moreover that people at the grassroots organise themselves to back up other people in how to put the BIG money, detect and reference potentially approaching troubles and acquire involved with the betterment of life in their community beyond the basic income ( Melkote A ; Steeves, 2001, p.166, 366 ) . The constitution of a community commission within the BIG pilot undertaking is a good illustration for engagement. From the political side there should be attempts to listen to what the people at the grassroots have to state and what measures the y consider as reasonable for their particular community ( Servaes, 1999, pp.277, 279 ) . However, participatory communicating faces many obstructions and its success depends on several conditions it is nil that can be established easy over dark ( Cadiz, 2005, pp. 156-158 ; Servaes, 1999, pp.196-204, 277 ) . At the current degree of treatment, the argument about a BIG for Namibia is non yet concerned with such of import inside informations of the BIG debut, it is still a general and chiefly ideological one. Can you swear hapless people? Can you allow them make up ones mind what to make with the money they get? The authorization construct approves that and goes even farther by saying that to trust on the self-responsibility of the people, to authorise them to allow them make their ain hereafter is the lone manner to derive sustained development. Surely, there will ever be people who are non willing to take part in community development and maltreatment governmental payments but as the experience from the BIG pilot undertaking shows, this is the minority. A basic income grant can be a first measure towards the end of get the better ofing poorness and increasing the wellbeing of people through authorization. The thought of a basic income already has a long history, its roots stretch back to the late 18th century ( Fitzpatrick, 1999, p.40 ) . The BIG pilot undertaking in Namibia has gained big attending worldwide ( Haarmann et al. , 2009, p.XII ) particularly because other states, including for illustration Germany, are besides discoursing the debut of a basic income for some clip already ( Little, 1998, p.107 ) . Possibly in this instance a developing state will steal into the function of progress leading and go the precursor of a successful development construct that will be implemented in Western states later.

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