Essay on The African-American Odyssey

Article on The African-American Odyssey Article on The African-American Odyssey Article on The African-American OdysseyThe 1920-1930s were the hour of steady changes in the life of the US society and African Americans specifically. This was the hour of the quick urbanization that added to the development of the urban populace and development of the African American populace in American urban areas. The 1920s †1930s were joined by the developing persecution of African Americans by methods for Jim Crow’s laws which constrained privileges of African Americans and added to their isolation. Because of the abuse, African Americans moved to enormous urban communities and settled in their networks making huge African American people group (Hine 114). The urbanization and arrangement of huge African American people group added to the ascent of their job as the network that can take a functioning part in the political, social and monetary life. The huge urban networks became significant on-screen characters in the life of huge American urban areas and white Am ericans couldn't simply abuse them since African Americans became mindful of their capacity in their solidarity (Weiner Knopf 169). What's more, the ascent of the sorted out battle of African Americans for their privileges added to the improvement of their situation as another force that approach producers need to think about. Therefore, regardless of Jim Crow’s laws, Africans despite everything figured out how to arrange their locale and lead the fruitful battle for their privileges. In reality, this experience is as yet important in light of the fact that issues of the downtown are self-evident (Hine, 201). Their goals should begin from African Americans since strategy producers won't transform them, except if African Americans dispatch a huge scope social liberties development or some other type of the sorted out yet legitimate battle just like the instance of 50 years back.

Proxemics - Understanding Personal Space

Proxemics - Understanding Personal Space Proxemics are the investigation of individual space.â First presented in 1963 by Edward Hall who was keen on considering the effect of individual space on non-verbal communication.â In the years since, it has brought the consideration of social anthropologists and others in the sociologies to the contrasts between various social gatherings and its effect on populace density.â Promexics are additionally significant for social association between people yet are regularly hard for people with handicaps to see, particularly individual with mental imbalance range disorders.â Since how we feel about close to home space is incompletely social (instructed through steady cooperations) and organic, since people will react instinctively, it is frequently hard for people with incapacities to comprehend this significant piece of the Hidden Curriculum, the arrangement of social principles that are implicit and regularly under-trained however commonly acknowledged as the standard of worthy conduct. Regularly creating people will really encounter tension in amygdala, a segment of the cerebrum which produces delight and anxiety.â Children with disabilitieis, particularly mental imbalance range issue, frequently dont experience that nervousness, or their degree of uneasiness is high over any strange or unforeseen experience.â Those understudies need to realize when it is fitting to feel on edge in another people individual space. Showing Proxemics or Personal Space Unequivocal Teaching:â Children with incapacities regularly should be educated expressly what individual space is.â You can do that by building up an analogy, similar to the Magic Bubble or you can utilize a genuine hula loop to characterize the space which we call individual space. Social stories and pictures can likewise help comprehend proper individual space.â You may stage and take photos of your understudies in suitable and unseemly good ways from another.â You may likewise ask the head, another instructor and even a grounds police officers to show instances of fitting individual space, in light of connections and social jobs (i.e., one doesn't enter the individual space of a position figure.) Â You can show and model moving toward individual space by having understudies approach you and utilize a commotion creator (clicker, ringer, claxon) to flag when an understudy enters your own space.â Then give them a similar chance to be approached.â Model, too, suitable approaches to enter anothers individual space, either with a handshake, a high five, or a solicitation for a hug.â Practice:â Create games that will enable your understudies to comprehend individual space.â Individual Bubble Game:â Give every understudy a hula loop, and get some information about without covering anothers individual space.â Award each understudy 10 focuses, and have an adjudicator remove focuses each time they enter anothers individual space without permission.â You can likewise grant focuses to understudies who enter anothers individual space by asking appropriately.â Security Tag: Put a few hula bands on the floor and have one understudy be it.â If a youngster can get into an individual air pocket without being labeled, they are safe.â In request to turn into the following individual to be it they have to get to opposite side of the room (or a divider in the play area) first.â This way, they are focusing on close to home space just as being eager to leave that safe place to be the following individual who is it.â Mother May I:â Take this old customary game and make an individual space game out of it:â for example Mother, May I enter Johns individual space?â and so on.

Reflecting on 10 Years and Lessons Learned

Reflecting on 10 Years and Lessons Learned Happy 10th birthday, blogs!!! I made you a cake! (With help from  Random Halls 40th Birthday Hack.) Birthdays are special times. Times for cakes, celebrations, and sometimes songs. They are also a natural point to look back and reflect. This year is not only the blogs 10th birthday, but also the 10th anniversay of my MIT journey. 10 years ago today, I was just about to start my senior year of high school, and everything that came with it classes, activities, tests, applications, decisions If I look back and remember where I thought my life would go, I wasnt even close. I wouldve guessed that I would attend UW Madison (wrong), triple major (typical MIT frosh ambitions), become a lawyer (wrong), and be married with kids within 5-10 years (not yet). I had no idea that I would bike halfway across the country, build robots, or do work in five countries. I also had no idea that I could ever fail a test, accidentally set myself on fire while trying to cook, or contract histoplasmosis while exploring a cave. Looking back at these 10 years, several lessons stand out to me. Some of them, I figured out quickly; others were difficult and painful to learn. I’ve described the lessons that I learned in the order I learned them, but there’s no reason that you need to take 10 years to learn them! I hope that these lessons can be guideposts that allow you to learn, enjoy yourself, and have success in college and beyond. 1. Senior Year of High School: Its About the Match College is about much more than books and classes its about the people, teams, trips, parties, and late-night study sessions. When you choose a school, youre choosing the professors youll listen to, but youre also choosing the atmosphere you will live in and the people youll be friends with. Look for communities that youre excited to be a part of. Then, when you apply, let your passion come through so that the school can see why someone like you would be great to have on campus. I didn’t understand this when I started to look at colleges and to apply. I started off applying to the places that seemed to have easier application processes â€" this is about the worst thing you can do when applying to schools. I eventually realized that MIT was the community I wanted to be a part of, and I have never regretted the decision. 2. Freshman Year: Find Your Home When youre starting out in college, the most important thing to do is to get your bearings. Whether its your dorm, the softball team, or a sorority, find the group of people (or place or activity) that makes you feel comfortable and grounded keep looking until you find them! School will inevitably become busy, and difficult, and overwhelming. When you get to that point, you need the place that you can go to where you can vent, cry, or just take a break. For me, Home was BMF Floor in Random Hall, and it saved my sanity many, many times. The chocolate Disney loving floor of a closeknit nerdy dorm may not be the place for everyone, but it was the place that I always felt absolutely comfortable being my chocolate-scarfing, Disney-song-singing, nerdy self. 3. Sophomore Year: When You’re Going Through Hell, Keep Going (But Not Always in the Same Direction) If you’re challenging yourself, there will be times when you have more work than you know how to handle â€" yet. When that happens, you have to grit your teeth, consume some caffeine, and power through. Then, it’s also important to look closely at the situation, figure out what skills you need, and work on building them, however hard that may seem. To the left is a representative picture from Sophomore Year. Can you tell that I didn’t sleep much? I had already learned Freshman Year that I didn’t know how to study. I’d never needed to in High School, and now that I needed those skills I wasn’t sure where to start. I would stay up the nights before tests, stressing about not knowing how to prepare, tiring myself out, and occasionally reviewing some material. If I had taken time between tests to learn more about how to better plan and study, I could have saved myself many sleepless nights. 4. Junior Year: Explore, Explore, Explore! Once you’ve found that community, that Home of yours â€" leave it! Find ways to go explore and to find out how other cultures compare to yours. College is set up to allow you to do this easily and cheaply â€" look for your chances to volunteer, study, or intern abroad. Take classes that involve field work. Buy cheap tickets to Europe over winter or summer break, rent a car with friends, and see what’s out there to see. You’ll never again have such easy access to vacation time, you’re still easily able to adapt to less than luxurious accommodations, and you probably don’t have responsibilities to a family of your own yet. Go, go, go. Try new foods, follow an unknown path, talk to strangers, visit a local museum, and take a few pictures along the way. I wove these opportunities into my experience, and the experiences were amazing. I was able to take the TGV between Frankfurt and Paris, eat crepes with chocolate in Switzerland and fries with spiced mayo in Belgium, ride around Honduras in the bed of a pickup truck, climb Mount Hua in China, and explore the Deutsches Muesum with friends. Keep an eye out for opportunities to travel, and they will appear. 5. Senior Year: Focus There is so much to explore in college. Topics, groups, events… You need to explore, but once you have explored it’s time to focus in. Master your major, and focus on the extracurricular that you’re most passionate about. This lesson was a hard one for me â€" from MIT Marching Band to my service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega, I was interested in and involved in a lot of activities. Finding the right balance is still something that I work on, but I know now that it’s possible to get more enjoyment and better results when you’re not spread too thin. 6. MEng Year: Research is What I’m Doing When I Don’t Know What I’m Doing Become okay with not having all the answers. Sometimes you just need to have an idea, a plan, and a timeline. I completed a Master’s my 5th year, combining my Thesis work and additional classes with other courses that I had taken in previous years. Research is much more open-ended than even a project-based class, and that aspect was hard for me. I didn’t know which directions would be the most fruitful to investigate or how long I would need to trace down different routes. My advisor gave me a bookmark with a quote by Wernher von Braun: Research is What I’m Doing When I Don’t Know What I’m Doing. That attitude, of confidently approaching a problem and forming a hypothesis and a plan, turns out to be a powerful one to take. It applies not only to research, but also to many other fields of work. 7. The Real World, Year 1: Value People Skills as well as Technical Skills At MIT (or in school in general), it can be easy to focus on specific knowledge and technical skills and tasks. The real world is not so simple. No one is going to give you a numbered problem set, and no one is going to implement your solution just because you wrote it down. Out of school, I joined Stroud Consulting, an Operations and Management Consulting Firm. I knew that I’d be helping clients solve technical challenges â€" and I focused on the “technical” aspect. It turned out that the technical work was the easier portion. I needed to learn to build alignment to a plan, coach constructive mindsets and working routines, and drive goal-oriented actions. I had never thought of these as skills I needed, but I now realize that it’s nearly impossible to work without them. 8. The Real World, Year 2: You Can Always Learn and Improve This is a tricky lesson to learn: even if you’re smart, your intelligence and your knowledge is not your best asset. Over time, motivation and the willingness to learn from past experience is key. Everyone will have challenges, and everyone will fail. If you’re afraid to expose your weaknesses, you’ll never strengthen them. All of the above sounds logical and straightforward. In practice though, it’s easy to fall into the routine of thinking of yourself as smart. If other people routinely refer to you as smart, if you occasionally reason yourself out of scrapes or tests you forgot to study for, or if you score well on standard tests that measure IQ and Aptitude, then you too can fall into the trap of thinking that your success is due solely to a fixed intelligence as opposed to the will to learn and improve. I did, for a long time, and it held me back without me being aware. I finally read Mindset by Carol Dweck (nearly 2 years after I was originally assigned to read it.) Id recommend this book to anyone heres an  Amazon link  to get you started.  The ability to see my Fixed mindset and take steps towards a Growth mindset was truly powerful. It’s continued to serve me since I left consulting and moved on to a fast-growing furniture startup in Connecticut. Currently at Lovesac, I work to improve our technical systems and business processes to support 40% year-over-year growth while also improving the customer experience. Given our rapid growth, the ability to learn and quickly adapt is essential. 9. The Real World, Year 3: Learn to Make Yourself Happy Pay attention to the little things you can do to increase your own happiness. Sometimes, you really need it, during a stressful time in your professional or personal life. Other times, it’s just nice to be happy. :-) I’m partial to Dodie Smith’s maxim: “Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression.” There are a few other things I’ve added to the list over time â€" mostly simple things like exercise and massage. 10. The Real World, Year 4: Remember Where You Came From Finally, make time to go back to your roots. Talk to old friends, read the books you read in high school, and make time for family. I realized that I’d changed â€" a lot â€" in the past 10 years. Some changes are good, but others are neutral or negative. Many of them just happened as I adjusted to new situations I encountered. This year, my focus is on remembering the best of who I’ve been and bringing my favorite elements back into my life. To the joys and the learning from the past 10 years, and to 10 great years to come!

Alcohol vs. Marijuana Essay - 701 Words

Alcohol vs. Marijuana Alcohol and marijuana are two drugs commonly used and abused in the United States. Alcohol is the number one abused drug, while marijuana is number one among illegal drugs. While alcohol remains legal, and marijuana illegal, this does not necessarily mean that alcohol is better for you. There have been many arguments where people suggest that marijuana should be legal because alcohol is more deadly. On the other hand, there are alcoholics who would tell a pothead that smoking weed is bad for you. Both substances are very bad for your health and should not be heavily used by anyone. Marijuana has an immediate effect during and for about 2 hours after smoking. With alcohol, users feel slight effects†¦show more content†¦Alcohol impairs judgment and vision, and causes speeding and reckless driving. On the other hand, there has been debate over the effect of marijuana on driving. One study by a computer software company reported that people who smoked a small amount of marijuana drove faster and with fewer collisions in a driving computer game. Another study said that marijuana causes abnormally slow driving, proneness to distraction, and increases the time it takes to react, therefore greatly impairs your ability to drive. Long-term effects of alcohol are liver cirrhosis, stomach ailments, impotence, vitamin deficiency, increased stroke risk, decreased mental performance, heart disease, peptic ulcers, hepatitis, and various forms of cancer. Alcohols effects on the brain are loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts. Long-term effects of marijuana are mouth, throat, and lung cancer, increased heart rate, decrease in testosterone levels for men, increased testosterone levels for women, diminished sexual pleasure, increased blood pressure, increased stress, decreased motivation, and respiratory problems. The THC in marijuana damages the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed, making it hard to remember things. Both substances can lead to dependence, especially alcohol. If one abuses alcohol for to long and becomes dependent, they areShow MoreRelatedEssay on Alcohol vs Marijuana1537 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol vs Marijuana There is no culture in the history of mankind that did not ever use some kind (kinds) of drugs. Despite the well-known consequences of drug addiction, millions of people constantly consume different legal and illegal drugs. Affecting peoples mind and changing their behavior, drugs become one of the most threatening factors of social risk, resulting in increasing rates of mortality, aggressive and criminal behavior, and dissolution of social ties. This paper is devoted toRead MoreMarijuana vs Alcohol Essay1664 Words   |  7 Pagestwenties, alcohol was sipped cautiously behind the walls of speakeasies; glasses clinking under the flashing lights of entertainment signs. The hippies of the sixties and seventies passed pipes of burning marijuana, promoting peace while protesting for the rights of millions of Americans. No doubt, both drugs have had a major influence on the country, both have had their â€Å"glory† days. After a time of prohibition, the once thought sinful substanc e of alcohol was re-legalized. Marijuana, on the otherRead MoreAlcohol vs. Marijuana Essay699 Words   |  3 PagesAlcohol Vs. Marijuana Alcohol and marijuana are two drugs commonly used and abused in the United States. Alcohol is the number one abused drug, while marijuana is number one among illegal drugs. While alcohol remains legal, and marijuana illegal, this does not necessarily mean that the alcohol is better for you. There have been many arguments where people suggest that marijuana should be legal because alcohol is more deadly. On the other hand, there are alcoholics who would tell a potheadRead MoreMarijuana vs. Alcohol in the United States Essay843 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana vs. Alcohol In The United States Marijuana and alcohol are the two most threatening drugs used in America today. Marijuana is the most illicit drug while alcohol is the most abused. Both were illegal during the prohibition but when the constitution was ratified in 1933 alcohol was made legal while marijuana remained illegal. It does not mean that because alcohol is still legal it’s less dangerous than marijuana. Both drugs lead to serious risks and should be taken with caution if usedRead MoreMarijuana vs. Alcohol People are often quick to judge those that use marijuana, but do not judge900 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana vs. Alcohol People are often quick to judge those that use marijuana, but do not judge those who use alcohol. With medical marijuana on the rise, people are using marijuana almost as much as people using alcohol. People argue the health risk of both marijuana and alcohol, but do people really know what the health risks and benefits are? Excessive use of alcohol is accountable for 88,000 U.S. fatalities each year from 2006 to 2010. The fatalities cost the budget $224 billion according toRead MoreThe History and Possible Legalization of Marijuana Essay1165 Words   |  5 PagesDrug Laws There has never been a death from marijuana overdose. â€Å"A person would have to smoke 20,000 to 40,000 times the amount of THC in a joint to overdose† (Wing). Marijuana was classified as an illegal drug in 1970, because it can be abused very easily (â€Å"infoplease†). Marijuana was then grown indoors. Marijuana is illegally used by many people daily. Marijuana should be legalized because it is naturally grown and can be used to help cancer patients, relieve stress, and be used daily. CannabisRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1714 Words   |  7 Pagesboth free and drug free. 79 years ago, marijuana became prohibited in the United States (PBS). Today, we find the topic of marijuana’s legality in all forms of media and every level of politics. It is now a never ending topic of public debates. The goal is to answer the question that refuses to die: should marijuana be legalized? Marijuana may not be for you, it may make you paranoid or uncomfortable, and no one should be forced to use it; but, legalizing marijuana in the United States would be beneficialRead MoreWhy Marijuana Should Be Legalized Essay1605 Words   |  7 PagesTable of Contents I. Introduction to Cannabis II. The History of Marijuana III. The Prohibition IV. Economic Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana V. The Medical Benefits of Marijuana VI. Marijuana vs. Alcohol and Tobacco VII. Marijuana Stimulates Creativity and Brain Cell Growth VIII. Conclusion Should marijuana be legalized for recreational and medical purposes? Thesis: Since marijuana is not harshly dangerous to one’s health nor is it a hard narcotic, it should beRead MoreThe Debate Over The Legalization Of Marijuana952 Words   |  4 Pagesconcern over the legalization of marijuana. The debate over the issue of marijuana and its legalization has been an immensely prevalent one in the nation over several years now. The issue of legalizing marijuana is truly a controversial one, and certainly one that requires a plethora of considerations at the top levels of the legislative branch. Legalizing marijuana would not only make it easily accessible to patients for treatment in states in which medicinal marijuana is currently not legal but wouldRead MoreMarijuana Addiction1162 Words   |  5 PagesBecoming Addicted to Marijuana â€Å"Marijuana is the most commonly used drug illegal drug in the world.† (â€Å"What is Marijuana†, 2013). It has recently become legal in a couple states, and more states are sure to follow their lead in the upcoming months. People can make the argument that marijuana does not have any negative effects, but they are wrong. Becoming addicted to marijuana is easy, and it only opens up the door for you to try other harmful drugs once marijuana quits getting you high. You need

Describe a Personal Experience Where Your Race or...

Race and ethnicity has influenced my life in many ways and up until now I am living with the discriminations that comes with not belonging to a certain group of people. Worldwide racial discrimination race is common and even more common here in the United States. People make choices subconsciously based on the racial group they belong to. Individuals have preference of people of their own ethnicity over people of a different ethnic group. I personally have experienced some sort of racial discrimination and am sure every one else is a victim of racial discrimination just as much as I am. I believe if every student, staff or faculty that will be asked their opinions about racial inequality, they will gladly oppose racism. But some of us†¦show more content†¦I went back to the library to study for my next exam and I made sure I was back at exactly 1pm. She still wasn’t back; I decided to wait a little while at the door. While waiting, she came and I requested for the application and she told me she didn’t have the application and she gave me her card to make an appointment with her to come in for the application and that she cannot meet up until after the 29th which is suppose to be the dead line of the application. Believe it or not, I stupidly left the office thinking that is the same procedure everyone is going to have to go through. An hour later, my friend who is not the same race as the coord inator but looks like she is of her race, went in and was given the application. Some times it is just too heart breaking to know after meeting all the requirements of something, you still do not really meet the requirement just because of your skin color. We talk about how racial discrimination is inappropriate, but we still practice racial favoritism anyways. Like in the case of this scholarship, they could have just written on the requirements, you have to belong to a certain race to qualify, but it is not right to do that. I felt so depressed realizing in the very end that I wasted all my time and energy for nothing because I do not actually meet the real requirements. I do not belong to the ideal racial group. I believe day in and day out; other students just like me have to deal with situations likeShow MoreRelatedDifferences Between Race And Ethnicity960 Words   |  4 PagesDiscuss the similarities and differences between race and ethnicity and give and give an example of each. James M. Henslin defines race as â€Å"a group of people with inherited physical characteristics that distinguish it from another group† (2014). Meanwhile, ethnicity â€Å"refers to cultural characteristics† (Henslin, 2014). The difference mostly relies in a similar argument to the classic nature versus nurture argument. Race is what a person genetically inherits. Whether it may be skin tone or anatomicalRead MoreThe Major Reasons For Your Interest On The Profession Of Social Work906 Words   |  4 Pages1. Discuss the major reasons for your interest in the profession of social work. Whether positive or negative - what inspired or moved you to choose this direction? I made the decision prior to graduating with my bachelor’s degree in 2013 that I wanted to become a social worker. I have always enjoyed working with people and becoming a social worker would enable me to have a positive impact in individual’s lives. I waited until 2015 to start this journey as my husband had been in the military andRead MoreNegative Essay On Racial Profiling1325 Words   |  6 PagesRacial Profiling is known to be a serious issue of social importance over here in the United States. The U.S. is made up of many different cultures, ethnicities, races and faces. With our diversity, comes stereotypes, which in most cases, is not always the best. Which is sad, knowing that our racial differences is what truly defines America. It is important to take a close look at it because, this comes with serious consequences and amounts of political/social controversy. I believe that racial profilingRead MoreThe Importance of Working Equally with a Culturally Diverse C lassroom1665 Words   |  7 Pagessuccessfully teach students who come from cultures other than your own. Diversity can be different types of race, religions, gender, languages, customs, and culture. Teachers need to see all their students equal regardless of their diversity and culture background. This course helped shape my character and broaden my views toward other cultures. I had many memorable experiences due to taking this course. The most valuable learning experience in the class discussions was on the discussion regarding howRead MoreInterview With A Interview Project On Was Antonia1373 Words   |  6 Pagesof the person I decided to do the ethnographic interview project on was Antonia, I chose Antonia to be the interviewee because I wanted to get to know her better. We’ve known each other since high school but never had the opportunity to speak on a personal level prior to the interview. She appeared to be open and comfortable to talk about her culture and seemed to have plenty of knowledge about her culture. The interview took place on December 01 2015 at 1:00 P.M. in her apartment in Clovis, I askedRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Social Location1669 Words   |  7 Pagesoccupies† (Henslin), such as simultaneously being a mother or father, son or daughter, a worker, or a student. These concepts relate because these sets of statuses are bound to change as particular statuses change, such as occ upation or marital status. Ethnicity, sex/gender, citizenship, place of birth/residence and occupation are all influencers when it comes to our status because they all play a role in who we are and what position we entitle. These different characteristics form a framework for livingRead MoreDiversity And Inclusion For Diversity1920 Words   |  8 Pagesbe used to differentiate groups and people from one another. This can be anything from life experiences, learning styles, personality types to race, gender, sexual orientation or even county of origin. These differences can be used to achieve quality teaching, learning and support services. Inclusion is used to describe a state of being valued, respected and also supported. The term is also used to describe the active, intentional and ongoing engagement with diversity. This also focuses on the needRead MoreThe Application Of Communication Theories1509 Words   |  7 Pagescomes to international students on Western Kentucky Universit y’s campus, ignorance is the best word to describe my prior knowledge concerning them. Taking it a step further, this term can extend to my awareness about race in general on campus. However, I am pleased to say that I am now somewhat more knowledgeable concerning the diversity at WKU. This is due to my recent participation in the Race Intergroup Dialogue Discussions over the past few months. When we first began this group discussion, weRead MoreAlcoholics Anonymous An Open Meeting1188 Words   |  5 PagesAlcoholics Anonymous an Open Meeting Dominique Steinburg describes mutual aid as a process through which people develop collaborative, supportive, and trustworthy relationships; identify and use existing strengths and/or to develop new ones; and work together toward individual and/or collective psychosocial goals. (Steinburg, 2010) Alcoholics Anonymous is mutual aid group that supports individuals in their recovery from alcohol dependence. Established in the mid 1930’s, Alcoholics Anonymous wasRead MoreMasculinity in the Trinidadian Diaspora in Sections of an Orange by Anton Nimblett696 Words   |  3 Pages Sections of an Orange dives into the personal stories of men and women living in Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidadian diaspora in New York. Anton Nimblett allows the reader to experience the struggles with the characters, and there are feelings of isolation, longing, deception, and most commonly—love. Caribbean conceptions of gender and sexuality are usually geared towards the traditional type s. In other words, boys are to playing football, and not helping their aunts sew and cook. Men are

Franklin D. Roosevelt Creative Leadership in a Lifetime of Public Service Free Essays

Franklin D. Roosevelt: Creative Leadership in a Lifetime of Public Service Leading the United States of America through an economic crisis and a world war, Franklin Delano Roosevelt demonstrated the traits of a creative leader not only in his policy-making, but also in the way he carried his image. From State Senator of New York to 32nd President of the United States, Roosevelt epitomised resourcefulness in his steady ascent of the political ladder, culminating with taking charge of the country during one of the toughest times it had ever experienced. We will write a custom essay sample on Franklin D. Roosevelt: Creative Leadership in a Lifetime of Public Service or any similar topic only for you Order Now Over the course of his leadership, Roosevelt certainly gained – if not already possessed – the domain knowledge required to generate creativity in his field of politics. In fact, he was primed for a career in public service even since his early education Roosevelt first entered the face of American politics in the State Election of 1910, running for the New York State Senate. In his second term, he served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee, passing effective farm and labour bills. This success was to some extent a precursor of his New Deal policies (to be discussed in greater detail later), which despite imperfections were reflective of creative leadership in the aspect of Dr Ronald Heifetz’s â€Å"adaptive work†. Following this, in 1913, Roosevelt was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy – a role from which he gained experience that would prove relevant in his later years as Commander-in-Chief during World War II. Although traditionally the prerogative of the Secretary rather than the Assistant Secretary, he worked on the general development of U. S. naval policy, and his advocacy for a â€Å"big navy† earned him support from Navy personnel. As State Senator, Roosevelt openly opposed the Tammany Hall political machine; as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he opposed Frederick Taylor’s â€Å"stopwatch† system towards industrial efficiency. In both positions, his stand inevitably favoured certain stakeholders and incensed others. Although this meant losing support from some people, it represented creating the â€Å"disequilibrium† that Heifetz describes as necessary for mobilising adaptive work. Roosevelt was hence able to effectively â€Å"orchestrate conflict and create disorder† in order to achieve greater overall progress. Roosevelt was a leader who avoided letting his personal life affect his political career. In the summer of 1921, he contracted poliomyelitis, which resulted in permanent paralysis from the waist down. However, Roosevelt was adamant about preserving his image of health to the people, which he believed was necessary to run for public office again. He made sure that the press presented him in a manner which did not highlight his disability, and refrained from being seen in his wheelchair in public. In doing this, he protected his status as a leader in the eyes of the people, rather than allowing his illness to undermine his ability to serve in public office. Roosevelt went further to establish the March of Dimes, a non-profit organisation seeking to combat polio. He was hence able to turn an adversity on its head and generate even greater public support from it instead. In the 1920s, Roosevelt mended fences with the Democratic Party, and moderated his stance against the Tammany Hall machine. He went on to be elected as Governor of New York in 1928, and re-elected for a second term in 1930. While in that position, he instated several social programmes such as the New York State Emergency Relief Commission. In line with the importance of working with partners that Heifetz emphasises in his book, Leadership Without Easy Answers, Roosevelt worked closely with Frances Perkins and Harry Hopkins, particularly in the aspect of solving America’s economic problems during the period. Roosevelt also made the key statement that â€Å"progressive government by its very terms, must be a living and growing thing†, presenting governance as a conceptual space that could be explored and transformed, and once again relating to Heifetz’s â€Å"adaptive challenge†. When Roosevelt was elected President in 1932, the United States was struggling under the Great Depression, which began even while he was Governor and involved a stock market crash and soaring unemployment. It was on this backdrop that Roosevelt introduced the New Deal, a series of economic programmes to tackle the problems during this difficult period. Within his â€Å"First 100 Days†, he passed various programmes through Congress, setting up the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Emergency Banking Act among many others. Roosevelt made his mark on the history of American politics in this record number of bills passed during the initial months of his Presidency; since then, U. S. Presidents have been judged by what they achieve in their first hundred days. Roosevelt entered the Presidency with immense political capital due to the urgency of the economy’s state, and effectively capitalised on this to implement creative policies. In the â€Å"Second New Deal† (1935-1936), he went on to propose bolder and even more initiatives, such as the Works Progress Administration and the Social Security Act. The latter, in fact, set the foundation for the framework of the U. S. welfare system which exists till today. Roosevelt was willing to take risks; he implemented policies which involved significant government intervention at the expense of a budget deficit, even though he knew this would be unpopular. He was aware that leadership was not merely about appeasing the people, but required tough measures in response to the situation at times. Although his New Deal policies met criticism as being a haphazard collection of schemes, Roosevelt himself insisted that they were â€Å"the orderly component parts of a connected and logical whole†. Either way, we must recognise that the economic climate at that time was extremely volatile, and in reacting spontaneously to unfolding events rather than strictly adhering to a set plan, Roosevelt was doing exactly what Heifetz describes of creative leaders – bringing adaptive work to the people, and mobilising it towards solutions. Roosevelt also found a novel way of addressing the people through a series of radio talks called â€Å"fireside chats†. Through these, he introduced and explained the policies to the people as they were being implemented. He knew that transparency was important, and even as he passed acts which allowed greater state intervention in the country’s social and economic affairs, he made clear to the people what he was intending to achieve with these initiatives. His policies were met with mixed reviews, but ultimately, most agree that this era was an important milestone in the progress of the U. S. political and economic systems. In 1940, Roosevelt became the first President to run for a third term, going against the unwritten rule of a two-term tradition. By this time, World War II had broken out. Roosevelt, as President, gave covert support to Britain and France in the form of arms provision despite officially stating neutrality. Eventually, while still remaining detached from actual military participation, he passed the Lend-Lease Act, essentially providing supplies to the other Allied nations at war. This was an innovative measure on Roosevelt’s part to support the Allied Powers against the Axis Powers without putting his own country in direct harm. Unfortunately, such a position can only remain temporarily, as the U. S. was clearly demonstrating its alliance. Unsurprisingly, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, drawing the U. S. inescapably into the war. Not having fully recovered from its economic woes, being forced into combat was a heavy blow to the U. S.. Even in the throes of war, however, Roosevelt was successful in â€Å"externalising the conflict†, focusing on the Axis Powers as the enemy and keeping himself out of a position of blame. The situation also drove Roosevelt to establish the United Nations – originally the 26 countries opposing the Tripartite Pact represented by the â€Å"Declaration by United Nations†. Although not entirely a case of historical creativity, the coalition of governments across this large a number of nations was certainly a visionary initiative by Roosevelt. The UN has since grown into one of the most prominent international organisations. Roosevelt was definitely a man who saw purpose in his public service. Just before his death in 1945, he entered an unprecedented fourth term as President. His commitment was reflected in his continuous political presence and effort to evoke positive change in systems, even in times when support for him was low. Roosevelt incorporated wit when he was addressing the people, and maintained his dignity till the very end. Although it is impossible for all of his policies to have succeeded, especially considering the sheer multitude of new programmes and magnitude of fundamental change instigated during his time, Roosevelt did display fluency and flexibility – in that he generated a large number policies in a wide range of categories – as well as originality and the capacity for elaboration in his intricate plans. As one of the most influential figures in American history, Franklin D. Roosevelt definitely embodied the essence of a creative leader. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. â€Å"Groton School. † Theodore Roosevelt Center. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 2 ]. Burns, James MacGregor. Roosevelt. Vol 1. New York: Easton Press, 1956. Print. [ 3 ]. â€Å"American President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Life Before the Presidency. † Miller Center. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 4 ]. LaCerra, Charles. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Tammany Hall of New York. Lanham, MD: University of America, 1997. Print. [ 5 ]. Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1994. [ 6 ]. Chen, Deborah. â€Å"The Embodiment of an Illness: Franklin Roosevelt’s Public Representation of Polio. † Deliberations. (2001) Web. 26 Sep 2012. . [ 7 ]. Rose, David. â€Å"A History of the March of Dimes. † March of Dimes. 26 Aug. 2010. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 8 ]. Pederson , William. A Companion to Franklin D. Roosevelt. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. Web. [ 9 ]. Theinl, Kevin. America’s Great Depression and Franklin D. Roosevelt’s attempt to reorganize the market with his New Deal. GRIN Verlag, 2011. Web. [ 10 ]. Boden, Margaret A. â€Å"What Is Creativity. † Dimensions of Creativity. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1996. Print. [ 11 ]. â€Å"The First Hundred Days. † US Government Info. Web. 27 Sept 2012. . [ 12 ]. â€Å"The New Deal. † 123HelpMe. com. 27 Sep 2012. . [ 13 ]. Burns, James MacGregor. Roosevelt. Vol 1. New York: Easton Press, 1956. Print. [ 14 ]. Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1994. [ 15 ]. Boden, Margaret A. â€Å"What Is Creativity. † Dimensions of Creativity. Cambridge, MA: MIT, 1996. Print. How to cite Franklin D. Roosevelt: Creative Leadership in a Lifetime of Public Service, Essays

The real Arthur Essay Example For Students

The real Arthur Essay Arthur had been identified as the son of British king Uther Pendragon, who was the son of Constantine. Whatever else Arthur is, he is a composite figure of many different legends and beliefs. Some have even related his adventures to Greek mythology. Through the centuries the concept of Arthur did not stay the same-there is no standard Arthurian legend as this legend is the result of Arthur attracting himself both the deeds and characteristics of other tales and characters, such as Beowulf. There is proof that there was a real Arthur Pendragon but as for the fighting with monsters and dragons that has yet to be proven. We will write a custom essay on The real Arthur specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The real Camelot could have been the Cadbury hill fort. The attractive little village of North Cadbury and South Cadbury are noted for the massive earthwork known as Cadbury Castle, which stands on a steep hill west of South Cadbury. The castle believed to be the site of King Arthurs Camelot is undoubtedly the finest prehistoric camp in Somerset. According to legend, the hill of Cadbury is the place from which King Arthur set out to find his sword Excalibur. This important Iron-Age hill fort was reoccupied and refortified in the late 5th- or 6th- century, which was the supposed time of Arthur. Excavations have proved that this was a very high status site, as was Camelot. Bibliography:none