Scottish Independence free essay sample

Scotland is at a turning point. On 18th September 2014 a referendum will be held asking voters a simple yes/no question: â€Å"Should Scotland be an independent country? † It has become more apparent that Scotland does not benefit from being part of the union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland and as a consequence of this many people agree that Scotland would be better off as an independent country. Some say the union is no longer fit for purpose and it is holding Scotland back. But many people oppose these views saying Scotland needs the rest of the UK and the economic and social factors of independence would be too great to deal with. Independence for Scotland means that we will have the right to make our own decisions about the future of our own country rather than those decisions being made by politicians in London. In this essay, I will present a fair conclusion by weighing up the arguments for and against Scottish Independence. We will write a custom essay sample on Scottish Independence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The relationship between Scotland and its larger neighbour have always been difficult, especially during the â€Å"wars of independence† led my William Wallace and then by Robert the Bruce. After many cross-border disputes, including when Scotland was defeated by the English in 1513 at Flodden, the Scottish and English crowns we united in 1603 when King James IV of Scotland became monarch of the British Isles. The 1800s saw Scotland’s economy booming but proposals to give Scotland some form of â€Å"home-rule† was continually unsuccessful until 1999 when a Scottish parliament was re-established. The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, and the SNP unexpectedly won an historic grand slam forming the first majority government in the Scottish parliament despite the Scottish system being set up to prevent a party gaining a majority and the only majority government in the whole UK enabling Mr Salmond to demand an independence referendum. Moreover independence would enable Scotland to become more successful. One of the main reasons more and more people are supporting Scottish Independence is the great economic benefits it would have. The similarities between Scotland and Norway for example; both having relatively similar populations and large oil, gas and renewable energy resources; show how different Scotland would be if it had control over its own economy. Both countries discovered oil in the North Sea at the same time but couldn’t have spent the money they made in more contrast. The British government under Margret Thatcher used the money they made from oil and gas to close down the coal and shipbuilding industries in the 1970s and 1980s which caused widespread poverty and unemployment in Scotland and Northern England while the Norwegian government used the profits they made from the North Sea more wisely to fund a pension fun with ? 300 billion. While independent countries were able to spend their profits from oil and gas on beneficial strategies such as creating one of the best pension schemes in the world, the British government spent Scotland’s profits on funding unemployment. With this worrying knowledge it’s difficult to see why anyone would want to support the union. I would like to take a different angle from it now. In addition, I strongly believe that Britain is arguably structured on extremely undemocratic principles. Why hasn’t the union worked? How is it at all democratic for the UK to have an unequal proportional electoral system in place where nearly 400 seats in parliament are taken up by England and Scotland with 59? Doesn’t seem fair. A good illustration of this is in the House of Lords where there are 26 seats taken up by bishops just because they are members of the church of England nevertheless the Scottish parliament uses a much more democratic system which doesn’t reserve places for members and appoints members using a proportional electoral system. Becoming independent would therefore arguably be a step for democracy and for the health and recovery of its economy. The majority of laws which are put in place in Scotland are decided and passed in Westminster by English politicians who will not be affected by these laws and are intended primarily for England without much consideration for Scotland. At present Scotland has a government that runs lots of Scottish affairs but has one hand tied behind its back with ones not in their control – such as taxation and fiscal policies. Although Scotland already has control over its own parliament and legal system, it still has no control over its own defence and security. My favourite news recently is that nuclear warheads were transported through Glasgow even though MSPs condemned strongly against this and without informing the local authorities. The MoD recently carried out a mock-emergency exercise which took them five hours to complete the task and if something bad had happened with just one of those warheads Glasgow would be uninhabitable for years and years. All of the UK’s nuclear weapons are kept in Scotland even though most people in Scotland are against them; polls show 70% of Scots want it gone yet the UK government force it on Scotland and it is not up for debate. Independence would see the nuclear weapons gone and therefore the country as a whole would be safer. On the topic of safety, the Scottish government intends to keep Sterling as Scotland’s currency – although the SNP were originally in favour of the Euro but with the Eurozone problems it now proposes safer implications to keep the pound. It is becoming increasingly A lot of these â€Å"questions sceptics† are asking of the yes campaign ahead of their vote but why aren’t they asking the same questions of the government in power just now? I suggest that this is because people are selfish, they don’t want changes to happen when they don’t know exactly what it will be like. Tell that to the children living in poverty in your own country. If things stay as they are just now, by 2020 100,000 children will be living in poverty in Scotland – 4 times the population of the Western Isles. Contrary to this and despite the evidence in to show that independence would be beneficial to Scotland there are those who are still unconvinced. Many people consider unity as strength; together with the UK, Scotland is part of a rich, powerful and influential state and therefore believe that becoming independent would arguably significantly decrease Scotland’s influence and global presence. Equally a large number of people regard independence as a huge economic gamble. There has been speculation over how Scotland will survive if we no longer have access to the British â€Å"money pot† especially during the tough times of recession and rising unemployment.

Free Essays on Winter Dreams

The Dream and the Reality Lavish parties, twirling dresses, dapper men, and illegal alcohol fill the roaring times of the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story â€Å"Winter Dreams† reflects on this overzealous period. The tale tells how sometimes even with great motivation dreams cannot turn into reality. Fitzgerald does this by showcasing the life of Dexter Green. The story begins with fourteen-year-old Dexter caddying at the Sherry Island Golf Club, where he meets Judy Jones, the owner of the club’s daughter. Judy makes such an impact on Dexter that he quits his job that day. She continues to influence him for the rest of his life. He has many dreams that keep him from doing some things and force him to do others, even if they are irrational. Within a few years, Dexter acquires great wealth and gets involved as one of Judy Jones’ many affairs. Years later Dexter calls off his engagement to a woman named Irene Scheerer because of his obsession of Judy Jones. In the end, Dex ter, alone, finds out that Judy, married with children, has moved on with her life. In addition, a man tells him her beauty has faded. This news crushes Dexter’s dream, and he does not know how to get back what he had had. In â€Å"Winter Dreams† Fitzgerald creates a complicated character, uses paradoxes to describe the relationships present in the story, and produces a person who molds his life around his dreams. F. Scott Fitzgerald creates a complicated and manipulative character named Judy Jones, the daughter of Mortimer Jones, the wealthy owner of Sherry Island Golf Club, who always gets her way. Even as a ten-year-old little girl she has superiority over the staff. One day at the golf course she has a tantrum. Fitzgerald describes the scene by writing, â€Å"Miss Jones and her retinue†¦became involved in a heated conversation, which was concluded by Miss Jones taking one of the clubs and hitting it on the ground with violence† (Fitzgerald,... Free Essays on Winter Dreams Free Essays on Winter Dreams Lavish parties, twirling dresses, dapper men, and illegal alcohol fill the roaring times of the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story â€Å"Winter Dreams† reflects on this overzealous period. The tale tells how sometimes even with great motivation dreams cannot turn into reality. Fitzgerald does this by showcasing the life of Dexter Green. The story begins with fourteen-year-old Dexter caddying at the Sherry Island Golf Club, where he meets Judy Jones, the owner of the club’s daughter. Judy makes such an impact on Dexter that he quits his job that day. She continues to influence him for the rest of his life. He has many dreams that keep him from doing some things and force him to do others, even if they are irrational. Within a few years, Dexter acquires great wealth and gets involved as one of Judy Jones’ many affairs. Years later Dexter calls off his engagement to a woman named Irene Scheerer because of his obsession of Judy Jones. In the end, Dex ter, alone, finds out that Judy, married with children, has moved on with her life. In addition, a man tells him her beauty has faded. This news crushes Dexter’s dream, and he does not know how to get back what he had had. In â€Å"Winter Dreams† Fitzgerald creates a complicated character, uses paradoxes to describe the relationships present in the story, and produces a person who molds his life around his dreams. F. Scott Fitzgerald creates a complicated and manipulative character named Judy Jones, the daughter of Mortimer Jones, the wealthy owner of Sherry Island Golf Club, who always gets her way. Even as a ten-year-old little girl she has superiority over the staff. One day at the golf course she has a tantrum. Fitzgerald describes the scene by writing, â€Å"Miss Jones and her retinue†¦became involved in a heated conversation, which was concluded by Miss Jones taking one of the clubs and hitting it on the ground with violence† (Fitzgerald, F. Scott, â€Å"Winter Dreams,ï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Winter Dreams â€Å"Winter Dreams† – Dexter Green and the American Dream Dexter Green, the main character of the short story â€Å"Winter Dreams†, is striving for the American Dream. His goal to achieve this dream affects the way he lives his life, and the consequences that come with the choices his makes. Dexter’s desire for the American Dream- which includes status, wealth, and ability- is what ultimately leads to the demise of his winter dreams. One’s status is almost essential to make one feel important and loved. Those are exactly the feelings that Dexter is searching for in trying to gain a healthy status. He feels that if he stepped â€Å"from a Pierce-Arrow automobile, like Mr. Mortimer Jones, he [would be able to] stroll frigidly into the lounge† (p. 1026) of a popular club. One of the ways Dexter tries to strive for an admired status is through Judy Jones. Judy is the epitome of the success that Dexter is trying to gain, and status comes along with success. The fling he had with Judy, at the moment, made him feel like he was living in a dream, but without Judy, he was greatly unhappy. â€Å"Succeeding Dexter’s first exhilaration came restlessness and dissatisfaction.† (p. 1035) Dexter’s relationship with Judy made him feel like he was just one of her many flings- and indeed he was! Realizing this, he decides to join the army, and â€Å"he†¦ [became]†¦ one of those young thousands who greeted the war with a certain amount of relief, welcoming the liberation from webs of tangled emotion.† (p. 1040) An American Dream without wealth is just not an American Dream. Dexter’s dream of wealth comes from his observations of the rich at the golf club of which he worked. Dexter’s quest for wealth serves for the purpose of showing it, which makes him feel like he is superior. â€Å"He wanted not association with glittering things and glittering people- he wanted the glittering things themselves.† (p. 1029) He took the ... Free Essays on Winter Dreams The Dream and the Reality Lavish parties, twirling dresses, dapper men, and illegal alcohol fill the roaring times of the 1920s. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story â€Å"Winter Dreams† reflects on this overzealous period. The tale tells how sometimes even with great motivation dreams cannot turn into reality. Fitzgerald does this by showcasing the life of Dexter Green. The story begins with fourteen-year-old Dexter caddying at the Sherry Island Golf Club, where he meets Judy Jones, the owner of the club’s daughter. Judy makes such an impact on Dexter that he quits his job that day. She continues to influence him for the rest of his life. He has many dreams that keep him from doing some things and force him to do others, even if they are irrational. Within a few years, Dexter acquires great wealth and gets involved as one of Judy Jones’ many affairs. Years later Dexter calls off his engagement to a woman named Irene Scheerer because of his obsession of Judy Jones. In the end, Dex ter, alone, finds out that Judy, married with children, has moved on with her life. In addition, a man tells him her beauty has faded. This news crushes Dexter’s dream, and he does not know how to get back what he had had. In â€Å"Winter Dreams† Fitzgerald creates a complicated character, uses paradoxes to describe the relationships present in the story, and produces a person who molds his life around his dreams. F. Scott Fitzgerald creates a complicated and manipulative character named Judy Jones, the daughter of Mortimer Jones, the wealthy owner of Sherry Island Golf Club, who always gets her way. Even as a ten-year-old little girl she has superiority over the staff. One day at the golf course she has a tantrum. Fitzgerald describes the scene by writing, â€Å"Miss Jones and her retinue†¦became involved in a heated conversation, which was concluded by Miss Jones taking one of the clubs and hitting it on the ground with violence† (Fitzgerald,... Free Essays on Winter Dreams Winter Dreams The story Winter Dreams is the epitome of the saying â€Å"opposites attract†. Just take a look at two of the main characters of the story; Dexter Green and Judy Jones. Judy who was born into wealth has had everything hand fed to her, for her entire life. And on the other hand you have Dexter, a boy from black bear, Minnesota with a dad that owns the second most successful grocery store in area. Dexter is a boy that comes from an upper class family, yet still knows the importance of working for riches and is fully prepared to do so. Two different people that are still drawn together by two things, Judy’s loveliness and Dexter’s gullable personality. First, let’s look at Judy’s personality. She is snobby yet refined, with an innocent demeanor that can be down right evil. She is also with out a care in the world. This personality of hers is best potrayed at the golf course when the gentlemen are playing a round of golf and all of th e sudden here â€Å"fore†. Mr. Hedrick is struck in the stomach with a golf ball that was hit by Judy. As she approaches the men Mr. Hedrick blurts out that her wild shot had hit him in the stomach, and Judy merely replies â€Å"Did I?† â€Å"I’m sorry. I yelled ‘fore!’ â€Å" (p 673) as nothing that had just occurred was out of the ordinary. Then she continued to look for her ball as she carelessly walks by the gentlemen, and after all that had just occurred she asked if they had seen where it went after striking Hedrick. Dexter on the other hand is completely different than Judy. He is a hard working boy, that is known and respected as one of the top caddies of the golf course in Black Bear. Dexter is a confident yet modest boy that has been schooled by the finest schools of the east. Meaning an ivy league school. He is smart and savvy yet extremely gullible to beauty, thus the reason for his obsession with Judy. His personality is best portraye d when he does not like the idea of the s...

Portrait of an Artist MichelAngelo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Portrait of an Artist MichelAngelo - Essay Example Yet, the spiritual beauty of his art defied his personality as it elevated man to a position closer to his God. Commissioned by Popes and the richest patrons of the time, for 89 years Michelangelo defied his contradictory nature as he channeled his pessimistic sadness and transformed his art into a symbol of hope and eternal optimism. The works of Michelangelo have been seen by millions of people as a work of transcendental spiritual beauty, but for Michelangelo it was simply the product of his dedication and hard work. Michelangelo had carefully laid the groundwork for his art as a studious young man and a serious artist. He studied painting as a craft, philosophy, and anatomy, which would give him a deeper understanding of the form of man and his role in the creation of the universe. However, at the age of 17 he was faced with being in the commission of Piero dei Medici, a powerful leader that the people of Florence despised. Within two years Michelangelo's dark and individualistic nature caused him to reject the Medici commission and flee to Bologna, which drove the artist further into depression. According to Ruvoldt, "Since antiquity, melancholy's link to exceptional achievement had been seen as small consolation for its considerable drawbacks, including crippling depression" (88-89). These early hardships a nd setbacks would drive Michelangelo away from social contact and propel him closer to the spiritual nature of Christianity. Michelangelo would distance himself from the craft and technicalities that his training had given him in favor of searching for the spiritual component of art. He did not wish to be seen as a craftsperson or merely a technician. These were the qualities of man and art was the providence of God. This tension would further drive Michelangelo into the isolation of depression and sadness. A statue carved when Michelangelo was 19 years old, the Bologna Angel, illustrates his frustration with the limitations of man. According to Luchs, "The hands holding the candelabrum curve smoothly around it, waxy and boneless, in a thorough renunciation of the anatomical knowledge Michelangelo had recently and arduously acquired from his dissections at Santo Spirito" (222). At this young age Michelangelo was already tormented by his search for spirituality in a world that was caged with the mortality of man. One of Michelangelo's greatest works, the Sistine Chapel, embodies the tension between sadness and elation as well as the contrast between isolation and universal unity. Michelangelo did not employ a large staff of apprentices as was often the custom of his time, and chose to complete the task by himself. Michelangelo completed the design, the drawing, and the painting in isolation at the top of the chapel. Yet, the work that Michelangelo did on the Sistine chapel is today viewed by 3 million people that make a pilgrimage to Rome to gain a greater understanding of man as a product of their God (Romaine 23). Yet, this great work of art required the torment of loneliness and the deafening silence that his isolation provided. A committee could not have created it. Michelangelo's melancholy and optimism would be played out through his pen and brush, as the work is a study in the contrast between the mortal failings of man and the perfection of spirituality. The centerpiece of the Sistine Chapel is the

Canadian Real Estate Vertical Go to Market Plans and Strategy Term Paper - 1

Canadian Real Estate Vertical Go to Market Plans and Strategy - Term Paper Example The paper utilizes suitable illustrations to support the relevant details. The paper terminates in suitable conclusion that emanates from prior discussions of the paper and illustration provided. CREV endeavours to succeed in the Canadian real estate market. However, realization of the above requires the firm to enact an ambitious advertisement plan that will expand the firm’s clientele base. Such an undertaking will require an appositely coined strategy. The strategy should adequately appraise the nature of the market. This write-up will seek to institute an opposite promotional approach that will culminate in the success of the above real estate entity. Evidently, the above strategy will be critical since the real estate sector has encountered key upheaval due to the economic crisis. The market base is dwindling. Consequently, CREV requires to repositioning itself ensuring it maintains and boosts its clientele base. This strategy will enlist certain data and relevant illustration to support it assertions. The assertion will relate to strategy that the entity should adopt. This strategy has identified communication as an integral element in this industry. Therefore, advertising has sizeable implications on the fortune of real estate firms (Vertical news). Rogers is promotional firm enlisted to undertake the above task. The marketing strategy aims at enacting appropriate measures that will ensure that it has sizeable share of the market. This plan will enlist of information from credible informer that have undertaken through research. Evidently, the Canadian real estate sector is overly competitive (Canadian real estate association). Consequently, marketing will serve as an integral tool of boosting the clientele base. However, the realization of the benefits of marketing will demand utilization of shrewd advertising campaign. Therefore, CREV will require enlisting

Conflict Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Conflict Process - Essay Example Such groups at a basic level may comprise of relationships between family members, friends and acquaintances, or colleagues at work places (interpersonal, inter-organizational or intergroup). Within the framework of such socially constructed groups, there may be disagreements between members with varying needs, objectives or beliefs, which may lead to conflicts. Within a larger framework, groups relate to regional, national or even international levels, where such conflicts if not managed well, may even lead to a full-scale war. Conflicts are confrontations between two or more people having opposing requirements, ideals, notions, faiths, or objectives. Conflict between human beings is unavoidable and pervasive. However, the outcome not being predetermined, it can be altered to arrive at a peaceful resolution. If a conflict is kept unchecked, it can escalate to produce results that may be destructive or even non-productive. Conflict analysis and management is thus an integral part in maintaining strong and productive interpersonal relationships amongst family members, within colleagues in an organization, and even between nations. While it is difficult to exactly delineate conflict, most of existing definitions include two factors: for a conflict to occur there must be at least two groups working/interacting with each other. , and there must be some perceived sense of an incompatibility between the groups (Kuhn & Poole, 2000). A.W. Green defined conflict as â€Å"the deliberate attempt to oppose, resist or coerce the will of another or others† (cited in, Bhattacharya, 2008, 64). Two other definitions of conflict frame it as the â€Å"the interactive process manifested in incompatibility, disagreement, or dissonance within or between social entities† (Rahim, 1992, 16), or as the â€Å"process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party" (Wall & Callister, 1995, 517). In the context, that â€Å"a conflict is life as usual† (Abigail and Cahn, 2010, 3) and hence inevitable between human relationships the process must be studied in order to control and effectively manage it and produce beneficial outcome (especially for those looking to work within organizations where working would involve teamwork) this paper will analyze the process of conflict analysis. It will examine a recent interpersonal crisis that occurred in the researcher’s life (pertaining to the divorce case between my ex-wife and me) and is especially important, as it allows me and the reader both, to comprehend whether during the entire process our confrontation went out of control, and whether in future I should seek a better route while dealing with interpersonal conflicts, in personal life or at workplace. This paper will analyze a conflict situation using various conflict theories and conflict management processes (from a Christian perspective), to derive that negotiation through effectiveness communication and mediation, anger control and forgiveness helps to achieve beneficial results for the disputants, without the members having to resort to physical violence. Discussion 1. Description of the situation Who was involved?- In any relationship when there are two or more interdependent people conflicts tend to occur when relatio nship rules are not adhered to and there is lack of sincere explanation to explain the rule break (Webster, MLOS561- conflict and negotiations in organizations, Slide 14). Due to the break in relationship rules, there arises incompatibility, which may lead to adverse effects on the relationship, and if the problematic situation is not handled appropriately, the entire

Israeli-Palestinian conflict communication

Israeli-Palestinian conflict communication CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Definition of Communication Although communication is omnipresent, it appears nonetheless difficult to define. Different individuals define communication in different ways depending upon their interests. Ruben (1984) says that communication is any â€Å"information related behaviour† while Dale (1969) says it is the â€Å"sharing of ideas and feelings in a mood of mutuality.† Other definitions emphasise the significance of symbols, as in Berelson and Steiner (1964): â€Å"The transmission of information, ideas, emotions and skill by the use of symbols,† and Theodorson (1969): â€Å"the transmission of information, ideas, attitudes, or emotion from one person or group to another, primarily through symbols.† The Universal Law of Communication states that all living entities communicate. Through movement, sounds, reactions, gestures, language and among others (S. F, Scudder, 1900. In his research, Prof. Albert Mehrabian (UCLA, 1967) identified three major parts that convey meaning in human face to face communication: body language, voice tonality, and words. He determined how people make meaning when a speaker says one thing but means another. If the speaker is sending a mixed message the listener will rely on the following cues to determine true meaning. He found that 55% of impact is determined by body language-postures, gestures, and eye contact, 38% by the tone of voice, and 7% by the content or the words spoken. Although the exact percentage of influence may differ due to variables such as the perceptions or biases of the listener and the speaker, communication as a whole is meant to convey meaning and thus, in some cases, can be universal. Hence, communication can be classified into three types: Non-Verbal Communication which includes sending and receiving messages through gestures, body language, facial expression and eye contacts. Visual Communication is through using visual aids that can be read and look upon such as signs, typography, drawing, graphic design and illustration. Verbal or Oral Communication is anyinformation that is transferred from a sender to receiver usually by a verbal means but visual aid can support the process and it includes speeches, presentations and discussions. 2.1 Effective Communication Effective communication is very important for working successfully with other people, groups or countries. It enables us to maintain relationships and accomplish tasks with them. The effectiveness of any communication is judged by how closely the receivers understanding matches the senders intent. In the final analysis, the only message that matters is the one the other person receives (Dave Sharpe, 1991, Circular 1291). The two ways flow of communication is commonly addressed in interpersonal communication with two elaborations of Shannons model which is often labelled as the action model of communication; the interactive model and the trans-active model. (Weiner, 1948, 1986). This can be illustrated in the following diagram: The key concept associated with this elaboration is that destinations provide feedback on the messages they receive such that the information sources can adapt their messages, in real time. This is an important elaboration, and as generally depicted, a radically oversimplified one. Feedback is a message (or a set of messages). The source of feedback is an information source. The consumer of feedback is a destination. Feedback is transmitted, received, and potentially disrupted via noise sources. None of this is visible in the typical depiction of the interactive model. This doesnt diminish the importance of feedback or the usefulness of elaborating Shannons model to include it. People really do adapt their messages based on the feedback they receive. It is useful, however, to notice that the interactive model depicts feedback at a much higher level of abstraction than it does messages (Davis Foulger, 2004). This difference in the level of abstraction is addressed in the transactional model of communication. This can be shown in table 2 which depicts the Transactional Model of Communication: This model acknowledges neither creators nor consumers of messages, preferring to label the people associated with the model as communicators who both create and consume messages. The model presumes additional symmetries as well, with each participant creating messages that are received by the other communicator. This is, in many ways, an excellent model of the face-to-face interactive process which extends readily to any interactive medium that provides users with symmetrical interfaces for creation and consumption of messages. It is, however, a distinctly interpersonal model that implies equality between communicators that often doesnt exist, even in interpersonal contexts (Hopper, 1992). In case of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the one that is more powerful may tend to lead the communication and thus, creating more barriers to communication to solve the conflicting issues. 2.2 Definition of Conflict Most conflicts result as a state of disagreement stemming from perceived values, beliefs, interests, goals and motives. It can be between individuals, groups or between two countries. Research carried out on peace and conflict assumes that conflicts are the expression of opposing interests, that they are characteristic for modern societies and that they are endemic in modern societies. â€Å"A conflict exists when two people wish to carry out acts which are mutually inconsistent. It is resolved when some mutually compatible set of actions is worked out. The definition of conflict can be extended from individuals to groups (such as states or nations), and more than two parties can be involved in the conflict. The principles remain the same.† (M. Nicholson 1992:11) 2.3 Defining the Israeli- Palestinian Conflict History created divisive issues between both Israelis and Palestinians. The land of Judea[1], was conquered by the Roman Empire and named Palestine and it was further conquered and inhabited by Arabs for a thousand years. Before Britain conquered Jerusalem and the surrounding area known to be Palestine, in November 1917, the â€Å"Balfour Declaration[2]† was issued. This declaration stated that Britain support the creation of a National Homeland of the Jewish People in Mandated Palestine without violating the rights of the existing Arab population. This eventually led to rioting and pogroms against Jews creating a history of enmity between Jews and Arabs. Following the World War II (1939-1945), in which more than six million Jews were killed by the Nazis, pressure increased for the creation of a Jewish State. The United Nations Special Commission on Palestine (UNSCOP) held that Palestine be partitioned into an Arab State and a Jewish State. In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the partition plan (UN Resolution GA 181) and the modern state of Israel (Medinat Yisrael) was created and independence was declared on 14 May 1948 and David Ben Gurion become the first Prime Minister. The Arabs rejected the partitioned plan and refused to recognise Israel and wars broke out in 1948 known as ‘War of Independence and the Jews won decisively expanding their State territories. The conflict continued to deepen without any concrete solutions to the problems. In 1956, the second war broke out with Egypt (Sinai War) and in 1967 another war occurred (Six-day War) followed by ‘War of Attrition in 1968 making the conflict worse. In 1973, the Arabs Countries tried to invade and attack Israel (Yom Kippur War) but failed as Israel retaliated strategically to defend herself. There were many terror raids and Israeli reprisals. In 1982 and 2006 war broke out between Israel and Lebanon making hundreds of victims on both sides. Two â€Å"Intifadas†[3] in broke out in 1983 and 2000 and the violence continued to increased and thus reducing the prospect of peace. In December 2008 Israel launched an unprecedented attack on Gaza Strip (Cast Lead Operation) to stop the firing of short range missiles (rockets) leading to the Israeli Palestinian peace talk to collapse. Each side believes different versions of the same history and views the conflict as wholly the fault of the other (Ami Isseroff June 2009). 2.4 Rethinking the Two-State Solution (Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland, 2008) The Washington Institute for Near East Policy Though all conflicts have their own distinctive features, the Israeli Palestinian conflict is singular in various aspects. In the first place, it not a territorial dispute involving two parties but also a situation on which one nation is under occupation by another (Focus Policy 88, 2008). In the work ‘Rethinking the Two-State Solution the problem this conflict creates has implication beyond the specific interest of the disputing parties (Griora Eiland Al, 2008). However, it is believed that this conflict dilemma is at the root of the Middle East unrest link to the Iranian nuclear threat and other global challenges. There appears to be a clear international interest to resolve the conflict ranging from the ‘Oslo Accords[4] to the ‘Annapolis Conference[5] to support the general approach of the two-state solution. Yet, the ‘Oslo Accord created an illusion that the situation was changing and though after its collapse, it maybe possible to reach a political agreement. Many Israelis are concerned that pursuing such an agreement is a lose-lose situation as Palestinians will not meet their end of bargain (Yehuda Ben Meir and Dafna Shaked, 2007) The paradox for the moment between the conflicting parties is that they truly do not desire the conventional two state approach and the Arab World specially Jordan and Egypt are not supportive to it as the success is slim and the political risk is high for both leaders. Today, the conflict has surpassed the classical view and has become a conflict against the rise of extremist in the region (Tzipi Livni, 2008). However, the problems still remains regarding the settlement issues in the land that Palestinians claim for their future state, Jerusalem where both nationalists and religions are intertwined, security arrangements, the refugees status and their rights of returns and the smuggling of weapons by terrorist groups through their armed allies like Lebanese Hezbollah and the Iranian regime that calls for the destruction of Israel (Natasha Gill, 2008). 2.5 Intercultural or Cross- Cultural Communication, Dialogue and Perception Change Intercultural communication involves the investigation of culture and the difficulties of communicating across cultural boundaries. Intercultural communication occurs whenever a message produced in one culture must be processed in another culture (Samovar Porter, 1982). Since all aspects of communication are both, a response to and a function of our culture, socialisation in a culture determines what communicative behaviours are perceived as appropriate or desirable within a given context (Samovar Porter, 1982). In addition to the use of verbal messages, during face-to-face interaction a great deal of information about personality, beliefs, values, and social status are transmitted and interpreted, often subconsciously, through non-verbal channels (Birdwhistell,1970; Burgeon et al., 1989; Mehrabian, 1969, 1972). The meaning of both verbal and nonverbal messages is drawn upon past experiences, personal knowledge of language and word meaning, and the social context in which a communicative event occurs. In intercultural encounters, observed behaviours may be interpreted by applying cultural frameworks that are inappropriate to the context in which the communication takes place, thus resulting in misinterpretation and misunderstanding, and even in negative stereotyping (Brislin, Cushner, Cherrie Young, 1982).While stereotyping responds to a human tendency towards categorisation and simplification of highly complex realities, negative stereotypes and prejudice are definite obstacles to successful intercultural communication and mutual understanding. In order for these barriers to be lowered, learners need to develop awareness and understanding of their own, as well as of their interactants, cultural universe, including â€Å"beliefs, values, customs, habits or life styles† (Samovar Proter, 1982) At the International Association For Conflict Management Annual Convention held in Spain in 1999, two basic questions were raised which concerned the role of culture and particularly religious culture and the impact of dialogue and contact in improving the Israeli- Palestinian conflict (Dr Mollov Dr Laive,1999). In his seminal realist theory of international relations, Hans J. Morgenthau gave little importance to cultural discourse between nations but instead he laid emphasis on the clash of power and interest. Therefore, there is a need to reach stability by attaining viable balances of power and the exercise of responsible diplomacy (Morgenthau, 1969). Recent researchers have emphasised that the importance of the cultural variables can either help to move forward or backward understandings between nations (Cohen, 1990). Inter-civilisation conflict like the Israeli- Palestinian conflict has put forward that international stability can advance by nations by discovering and developing intercultural understanding and appreciation with each other (Huntington, 1996) and recent research in the field of political psychology showed the importance of culture and psychological perceptions in politics (Pye, 1997). The research carried out by the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Science of Bar Ilan University, Israel, concentrated on evaluating the impact of inter-group and inter-personal communication based on mutual perception change between Israelis and Palestinians. According to the Social Scientist Karl Deutsch, there is a need to investigate the foundations of community building between nations in the form of amalgamated or pluralistic security communities where there is need of interpersonal ties and the intensity of social communication in the creation and upholding of such communities (Deutsch, 1957). The work of peace building is much affected by perception change and the quality of interpersonal interactions. The investigation of the numerous aspects of inter-group communication emphasise the decisive elements and conditions for effective encounters including ‘equal status contacts that should also be intimate rather than casual encounters for building efforts of cooperation, relations and institutional (Amir, 1969). In a series of dialogue held between a group of Palestinian students and Israeli students which lasted for four years, from 1994 to 1999, focused on commonalities between Islam and Judaism and this led to a spin off cooperative efforts and increased cooperation and interactions between the two groups of students from both sides. There were reports of warm atmosphere during face to face meetings and this attributed that achievement to the discovery of commonalities in the others religious culture (Mollov and Barhoum, 1998). Approximately 90 students had participated in this initiative and at the end of it, there was positive development of family visitation and strong friendships that developed during the process and hence in wake of violent events both issued condemnation and condolences. 2.6 The Israeli- Egyptian conflict resolution as a reference Scholar Raymond Cohen has written about how miscommunication can occur when even elite specialists and diplomats must negotiate across cultural boundaries. One of his examples focuses on the Egyptian-Israeli conflict through the 1970s. He questions why, throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Israeli deterrence based on large-scale use of force against Egypt for terrorist attacks emanating out of Egypt against Israel, failed to actually deter attacks. A cultural analysis revealed deep differences between Israeli and Egyptian understandings relating to violence, vengeance, and vendetta. He concluded that Israels use of massive force violated Egyptian understandings about culturally â€Å"appropriate† vengeance and retribution. In particular, Israelis misunderstood Egyptian conventions of appropriate â€Å"proportionality† in these matters. The â€Å"cultural logic† of Israeli deterrence was that the more disproportionate the punishment the greater the compliance. But Egyptians understood matters differently. What they regarded as highly disproportionate vengeance on Israels part had the effect of shaming and humiliating them, leading to a serious loss of honor in a culture where honor is deeply valued. To erase the shame and regain the lost honor, Egypt supported further attacks against Israel. The effect Israelis hoped to achieve, Egyptian compliance in stopping cross-border attacks to avoid mounting reprisals , was not achieved. Israeli action produced the opposite effect, providing Egyptians with strong reasons to ensure their support of incursions into Israel. In this case cultural misunderstandings led to an intensification of the conflict, producing what is sometimes called a â€Å"conflict spiral.† Ultimately, this cost many lives on both sides (Kevin Avruch CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT, 2004). The former President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, made an unprecedented gesture by visiting Israel though there were no ties between Israel and Egypt, to reinforce a positive cultural and perception and change to the negative cross cultural differences between the two nations. This led both countries to emerge out of the hatred and miscommunication and together, not only Israelis and Egyptians understood each others but also their Leaders Former Israeli Prime Minister, Shamir and Former Egyptian President Sadat signed peace agreements (Camp David Treaty) under the ageis of the United States in the 1970s. All these were possible because both sides made unprecedented moves to understand their cultural differences for peace in the region, eliminating their barriers of communication like language, religion, hatred, wrong communication channels, stereotyping and perception and also avoiding confrontation. The same happened with Jordan in 1994 leading to full diplomatic relationship with the sec ond Arab/Muslim country after Egypt and later followed by Azerbaijan. 2.7 The Palestinians Unilateral â€Å"Kosovo Strategy† Implications for the PA and Israel Dan Diker (Jan 2010) Article No. 575- Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas new precondition that the international community recognise the 1967 lines in the West Bank as the new Palestinian border bolsters the assessment that the Palestinians have largely abandoned a negotiated settlement and instead are actively pursuing a unilateral approach to statehood. Senior Palestinian officials note that Palestinian unilateralism is modelled after Kosovos February 2008 unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia. European and U.S. support for Kosovos unilateral declaration has led the Palestinian leadership to determine that geopolitical conditions are ripe to seek international endorsement of its unilateral statehood bid, despite the fact that leading international jurists have suggested that the cases of Kosovo and thePalestinian Authorityare historically and legally different. The Palestinians are legally bound to negotiate a bilateral solution with Israel. Unilateral Palestinian threats to declare statehoo d have been rebuffed thus far by the European powers and the United States. The Palestinian â€Å"Kosovo strategy† includes a campaign of delegitimisation of Israel, seeking to isolate Israel as a pariah state, while driving a wedge between Israel and the United States. The unilateral Palestinian bid for sovereignty will also likely turn the Palestinians into the leading petitioner against the State of Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Although the Palestinian Authority is not a state and therefore should have no legal standing before the court, the petition it submitted to the court after theGazawar (Cast lead Operation) was not rejected by the ICC. Finally, a unilateral Palestinian quest for the 1947 lines may well continue even if the 1967 lines are endorsed by the United Nations. The Palestinian Liberation Organisations (PLO) 1988 declaration of independence was based on UN General Assembly Resolution 181, which recognises the 1947 partition plan for Palestine, not the 1967 lines, as the basis for the borders of Israel and an Arabstate. 2.8 Cooperation and Conflict in Negotiation Negotiation refers to a process in which conflicting parties work together to formulate an agreement over the disputes affecting them (Rubin Brown, 1975). The process of negotiation assumes that the disputing parties are willing to communicate and to generate offers, counter-offers, or both. Agreement occurs if and only if the offers made are accepted by both of the parties. Negotiation is comprised of several key components like the disputing parties interests, alternatives, process and the negotiated outcomes that are likely to come in the phases of negotiation during preparation, debating and proposing, bargaining and finalising legal aspects and follow-up (Neale Northcraft, 1991). In his research, Morton Deutsch concluded that most conflicts involve a mix of cooperative and competitive motives. His theory of cooperation and competition serves as a guideline to understand conflict processes and resolutions (Deutsch, 2000). Accordingly, a key element to understand this is to find out the goal interdependence between the conflicting parties. It may also be that the goals are negative leading to a win-lose situation. The disputing parties goals being positively interdependent will yield cooperative relationship for a win-win situation. Deutschs research suggests that constructive processes of conflict resolution are similar to cooperative processes of problem solving and the destructive processes of conflict resolution are similar to competitive processes. A friendly gesture tends to suggest cooperative responses and for competitive responses stir up suspicious and domineering attitudes (Deutsch, 2000). The theory of cooperation and competition implies one to understand conflict, the practice of conflict management, and conflict resolution. A cooperative orientation on the part of the disputing parties will tend to facilitate constructive resolution of the conflict. Deutsch highlights that social support is very important to create and maintain such cooperative orientation (Deutsch, 2000). Constructive resolution is more likely to take place when the conflicting parties would be able to reframe their understanding of their goal and conflict. This will help to adhere to norms, values, respect, honesty and seeking common grounds to find resolutions. Additionally, effective conflict management requires skills and knowledge to establish and maintain effective working relationships leading to problem solving and decision making (Deutsch, 2000) 2.9 Irish Pact Is Mixed Model for Middle-East Article: Newsday (1998, April 1) -Washington Near East Institute Author: Robert Satloff The Israelis and Palestinians have to learn a lot from the Northern Ireland peace accord that solved the conflict in 1998. Both had a common legacy of terrorism with thousands victims. The two conflicts are fundamentally different and the solutions reached are very different, too but the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians does have an important lesson for Northern Ireland: The tough part is implementing an agreement, not reaching it. The conflict has involved the threat of war and neighbouring countries fought five wars during the last 50 years and most Arabs insisted that settlement terms would require the dismantling of the Jewish state and sent most Israelis to their country of origin. The nature of the Arab-Israeli conflict has calmed over the past two decades, with Israels signing of peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan and this lead to reconciliation with the Palestinians in the Oslo accords. Since Ireland gained its independence, the idea of war between the Irish and the British has been unthinkable. In contrast, few Middle Easterners doubt that the moderation of most, which have come to terms with Israel, is only a function of the balance of power. If the Arabs were stronger, Israel weaker and America indifferent, the chorus of â€Å"throw the Jews into the sea† would almost surely be as popular in official Arab circles as, sadly, it is today. If one is able to convince the Israelis that Arab intentions have changed irrevocably, peace would be at hand. In the Palestinian-Israeli context, this would translate into an expansion of the current bilateral negotiation into a trilateral process that includes Jordan, which ruled the West Bank before Israel. Indeed, there is general recognition in the region that while there may be a bilateral contractual solution for the West Bank, there will, in the end, be a trilateral arrangement governing many of its political, economic and military aspects. â€Å"An equally important lesson is dont ever try to dictate terms of an agreement† (President Clinton, 1998). As history has shown, American engagement in diplomacy is necessary for its success, but not sufficient. The Israelis and Palestinians dont need a distinguished ex-senator such as George Mitchell to help them achieve their own solution; they already made their own deal, without direct U.S. assistance, at Oslo. Therefore, to further research on how the Israeli Palestinian conflict can be solved through effective communication, there is a need to adopt a new approach that of using effective communication. In this regards, there is a need to provide solutions to the exiting on-going problems that lead to peace agreements and where two people can live side by side in harmony, strategic cooperation and trust without being affected by extremist ideologies that would ruin the peace prospect. University of Technology, Mauritius The Ancient Kingdom of Judah of the Israelite A letter issued to Lord Rothschild by the Zionist Movement of Great Britain The uprising of the Palestinians against Israelis through waves of Violence Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles A conference held in 2007 to produce a substantive document on resolving theIsraeli-Palestinian conflictalong the lines of President George W. BushsRoadmap For Peace

Emersons Self Reliance vs. Douglass Narrative of the Life Essay

After reading both â€Å"Self Reliance,† by Ralph Waldo Emerson and â€Å"The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave,† by Frederick Douglass, one might notice a trend in what both writers regard as the key to happiness or self-fulfillment. Emerson and Douglass both imply that acquiring knowledge is what people should strive for throughout their lives. However, their perceptions on the kind of knowledge should be attained is where their ideas diverge; Emerson is the one that encourages one to develop the soul whereas with Douglass, it is the mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the primary issues that Emerson tried to convey was that one must follow what they believe is true for themselves and not listen to what other people think. He states, â€Å"It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps perfect sweetness the independence of solitude(Emerson 151).† One of the definitions of the word â€Å"world† is â€Å"human society.† The word â€Å"opinion† means â€Å"a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter.† By putting these words together, Emerson is implying that the â€Å"world’s opinion† is the general point of view accepted by most of society. Emerson also uses the word, â€Å"solitude† which means, â€Å"the quality or state of being alone or remote from society.† By also using the word â€Å"solitude† in this sentence, he shows a contrast between the majority (society), and the individual. What Emerson suggests is that if one can live in a world full of people who think a certain way because they were taught to believe that way, but still hold your own ground and follow what you believe, you are a great person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Douglass also believes in following what is true for oneself despite what people around him think. This is evident when he says, â€Å"But I should be false to the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and incur my own abhorrence (Douglass 75).† The word â€Å"true† means â€Å"being that which is the case rather than what is manifest or assumed,† and the word â€Å"false† means â€Å"inconsistent with the facts.† Douglass uses both of these words to convey the fact that he would rather believe his own thoughts and suffer the wrat... ... and unhappy (Douglass 78).† Learning how to read was as big a step towards freedom for Douglass as it was back. It made him aware of the circumstances but it also made him realize how difficult it would be for him to ever find himself a free man. However, knowledge overpowers ignorance in the sense that his masters could never take his ability to read away from him and because Douglass now knew his condition, he knew that he deserved a better life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both Emerson and Douglass had a huge impact on those who read their work. Their messages were both similar and different in their own ways. Emerson pushed the idea of unification with God through the soul while Douglass stood behind the development of the mind with the ability to read. However, both Emerson and Douglass were for non-conformity and individualism. They were very much concerned with the growth of the individual, whether it be in mind or through the soul. Works Cited Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. New York: Penguin Group, 1982. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. Selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson. USA: Riverside Editions, 1957.