The psychological explanation of terrorism

Introduction Terrorism can be defined as an act of violence, terror, or aggression whose objective is to achieve coercion and fear in non-violent individuals. However, there is no generally accepted definition of terrorism because of its broad and extensive application in different circumstances and behaviors.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The psychological explanation of terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, according to the constitutional meaning given in the Terrorism Act of 2000 in the United Kingdom, terrorism entails those actions carried out by non-state individuals with the aim of influencing the government’s policies and decisions besides intimidating the general public (Randy 2004, p. 9). These terrorist actions include violence against individuals, damage to property, engaging in activities that endanger or threaten the security of other people, and the use of firearms to threa ten the State or its citizens. On the other hand, terrorism can be sub-divided into several categories, which include terrorist activities carried out by regimes and governments; non-state terrorism, national terrorism, and international terrorism (Moghadam 2006, p. 18). Moreover, terrorism as a whole can be categorized into corrigible and incorrigible terrorist acts. Under corrigible terrorism, there is always a way of reaching a compromise between the two conflicting parties, thus ending violence and aggression. However, under incorrigible terrorism, the terrorist group employs maximalist approaches in attacking their target and the only solution to stopping their activities is to use force in containing violence and aggression (Schmid Jongman 2005, p. 33). Therefore, terrorism is a broad phenomenon that is driven by ideological (Political and religious), social, and economic factors. Furthermore, there are different types of violent and aggressive behaviors associated with terro rism. Thus, it is not possible to indeed underpin the underlying motivations and determinants of terrorist activities. Furthermore, there is no generally accepted theoretical and conceptual explanation of the motivations and determinants of terrorist activities. Consequently, many nations in the world are forced to employ a large amount of national resources in trying to eradicate or prevent terrorism but with little success (Randy 2004, p. 12). However, many psychologists argue that terrorism has a psychological basis as envisioned in the psychoanalytic and the non-psychoanalytic theories of terrorism. On the other hand, the opponents of the psychological claims identify several pitfalls of the psychology of terrorism. This paper examines the advantages and limitations of the psychology of terrorism with the aim of showing that psychology can actually explain why a normal person perpetrates terrorist activities against others.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences ? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The advantages of the psychology of terrorism Being a social science that studies human behavior, psychology has a lot to offer in terms of examining the motivations and causes of terrorist activities. Early studies in the field of psychology of terrorism identify narcissism as a possible approach towards explaining the origin of terrorism. Here, the proponents of the psychoanalytic theories of terrorism argue that there is the need to develop strong attachments and relationships with infants during the early stages of their life-span development. This ensures that the infants undertake all the normal stages of development besides sharing the feeling of parental love (Crenshaw 2001, p. 21). This is the basis of the narcissism theory, which holds that an infant who is deprived of parental or societal love develops an altered self-image, hostility, and an abnormal self-identity that culminates into n arcissistic injuries. These injuries create feelings of anger, violence, and aggression in the affected individuals who tend to spend most of their time trying to eliminate what they perceive to be the cause of their inner pain and injuries. Despite that the narcissistic theory offers a possible cause of violence and hostility characteristic of many terrorists, it fails in capturing the possible motivation of all types of violence associated with terrorism. Therefore, current psychoanalytic studies use different approaches to explain the causes of terrorism. Besides, most psychoanalytic studies indicate that terrorists opt to engage in terrorist activities because of different reasons. Also, normal persons become terrorists in different ways and with different motivations. Therefore, most psychologists argue that in the quest to underpin the possible causes of terrorist activities, there is the need to discriminate between the motivations for joining, being retained, and disserting terrorist factions (Schmid Jongman 2005, p. 61). As a result, current psychoanalytic studies propose the identity theory as one of the psychoanalytic theories of terrorism. These theories were put forward by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) who in agreement with other neo-Freudian psychologists argue that the human mind and its associated mental processes are unconscious. Therefore, the psychological process of life-span development follows a distinct and highly organized procedure involving several stages that depend on one’s childhood desires (Crenshaw 2001, p. 405). In case any one of these stages is omitted, or an individual’s childhood fantasies are unresolved, the affected person becomes psychologically distressed.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The psychological explanation of terrorism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to the identity theory, individuals who are bound to perpetrate terr orist activities are usually young and energetic persons suffering from low self-esteem, which subsequently alters their way of thinking in that they are willing to do anything which makes them honored. Therefore, the search for self-identity can make a normal person vulnerable to becoming a potential terrorist. Furthermore, psychoanalytic studies show that there is no one personality that can be used to identify potential terrorists. However, most terrorists share common biographies characterized by cases of humiliation, childhood abuses, and social injustices. These histories may be the possible causes of violence and aggression perpetrated by most terrorists against their victims. Additionally, the paranoia theory holds that individuals with paranoid personality challenges develop feelings of distrust and suspicion towards other individuals and they are bound to develop ill motives towards these people (Schmid Jongman 2005, p. 61). Therefore, according to most psychologists, the se individuals also have specific personality attributes such as excitement-seekers; action-oriented personalities; violent and aggressive personalities; and social failures. These characteristics are associated with the increased probability of these individuals organizing themselves in terrorist groups to achieve their malevolent motives. Furthermore, the paranoia theory agrees with other observational studies conducted by psychologists on terrorists suffering from narcissistic personality challenges, which shows that terrorists must have encountered splitting experiences before they decided to engage in terrorist activities (Moghadam 2006, p. 20). Here, splitting experiences entails the pain and narcissistic injuries that individuals are exposed to earlier in life. Therefore, these persons suffer from a damaged image of their personal identities and inner pain. Inside of these individuals, the conflict between what is good and bad is unresolved and thus, one forms wounds that are externalized through blaming others for one’s pain, weaknesses, financial problems, and low self-esteem. Also, terrorists tend to compare their inner weaknesses against the perceived strength and power of their enemies and thus they will spend most of their life-time trying to destroy the inner weaknesses through aggression and violence (Crenshaw 2001, p. 410). Most importantly, the discussions above show that terrorists are normal, intelligent, and critical planners of their activities. This refutes any possibilities of terrorists being mentally ill (Hoffman 1999, p. 337; Hoffman 2006, p. 409). Therefore, there must be a driving force that keeps terrorists together in promoting their course while destroying their perceived enemies.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of the possible drives for terrorist activities is their political and religious ideologies. In most terrorist factions, there are religious ideologies providing the moral justification of terrorist activities. Here, psychologists claim that in normal societies, there are rules and sanctions that prevent individuals from acting maliciously (Wilkinson 1997, p. 415). However, under certain circumstances, violence and aggression can be justified in the society relative to its moral objective as observable in the histories of the Islamic religion, Christianity, and Judaism. Moreover, the extremist ideologies keep the terrorists together in groups and any misunderstanding, mistrust, or violation of the factions’ rules can threaten the group’s existence. Limitations of the psychology of terrorism From the discussions above, it is worth noting that the psychology of terrorism studies the behavior of terrorists that can be attributed to their acts of violence and aggressio n. Relative to studies conducted on the behavior of terrorists, it is evident that there are different types of violent and aggressive behaviors. Also, the studies show that not all violent behaviors can lead to terrorist activities. Therefore, psychology fails to draw a clear link between violence and terrorist activities. Furthermore, most the psychoanalytic studies claim that most terrorists use certain ideological beliefs to perpetrate violence against their enemies. However, it is possible for someone to show that not all extremist political and religious ideologies are based on violence. Besides, it is not logical to claim that all extremists are violent. In some cases, some extremist ideologies are in place to drive economic and cultural agendas. Therefore, there is the need to show the ultimate purpose of the extremist ideologies in terrorism, which psychology fails to provide (Abrahams, 2008, pp. 86-89). Besides, psychology attempts to show how normal persons end up becomin g terrorists but fails in terms of providing a clear explanation of how terrorist factions identify and recruit their members. Historical studies of terrorism show that most terrorist factions are largely found in regions where the greatest number of people are deprived of national resources or in areas where the people are dissatisfied with the activities of the national or international governments. Here, the psychological theories may fail to show how a whole population turns violent and decides to engage in terrorist activities (Wilkinson 2006, p. 23). Relative to the psychoanalytic and non-psychoanalytic theories of terrorism, most psychologists point a finger at the childhood histories, life experiences, and biographies of terrorists as the possible determinants of an individual’s behavioral changes as one develops. Thus, psychology claims that any possible injustices along the developmental line of an individual can make one to revenge against the perceived sources of the injustices. Here, psychology does not indicate that a person can do harm oneself in the process of seeking justice. Therefore, it is not possible to explain the motivations behind suicide bombing through psychology (Randy 2004, p. 35). Generally, the psychological studies of terrorism are wanting in terms of providing one possible definition of terrorism. Studies show that in their quest to provide a clear meaning of terrorism, most psychologists have come up with more than 100 definitions (Randy 2004, p. 47). This makes it impossible for anyone individual to collect a single coherent body of knowledge concerning terrorism. Besides, the current psychoanalytic studies in terrorism are not based on any data and thus, they cannot be reproduced. Lastly, most psychoanalysts do not provide any practical implications or applicability of their studies because most terrorists cannot be contacted in case other researchers wish to verify the claims made (Silke, 2001, p. 14). However, it is worth noting that most psychoanalytic studies are practical and that there is a high possibility of operationalizing them in future studies. Besides, the advantages of using psychology in explaining the motivations and determinants behind terrorist activities outweigh its limitations. It then follows that psychology is a possible starting point in the quest to underpin the possible causes of terrorist activities. Conclusions The paper examines the possibility of using psychology in the quest to explain the possible causes and motivations of terrorist activities by considering the advantages and limitations of the psychology of terrorism. From the discussions above, terrorism is defined as the act of violence perpetrated against other innocent and non-violent individuals. Furthermore, it is notable that psychology offers several avenues upon which the motivations and determinants of terrorism can be examined. For instance, through the psychoanalytic and non-psychoanalytic theories, it is possible to show the link between the process of life-span development and the probability that an individual will become a potential terrorist. The theories that attempt to explain the origins of terrorism include the identity theory, the narcissism theory, the paranoia theory, and the humiliation-revenge theory. However, basing scientific studies on theories has proven inapplicable in some circumstances where violent behaviors translate to terrorist activities. Furthermore, many psychologists have failed in agreeing upon one universally accepted definition of terrorism that can guide the collection of a body of knowledge, which explains the possible causes and motivations of terrorism. In addition, most psychoanalytic studies are not based on statistical data and thus, it is not possible to reproduce them to determine their applicability and practical implications. In spite of these limitations, psychology is a possible line of investigation for researchers wishing to explor e the possible determinants and causes of terrorist activities. Reference List Abrahms, M 2008, ‘What terrorists really want: terrorist motives and counterterrorism strategy’ International Security, vol.32, no. 4, pp. 86–89. Crenshaw, M 2001, ‘The psychology of terrorism: An agenda for the 21st century’,  Political Psychology, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 405-420. Hoffman, B 1999, ‘The mind of the terrorist: Perspectives from social psychology’,  Psychiatric Annals, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 337-340. Hoffman, B 2006, Inside Terrorism (2nd ed.), Columbia University Press, New York. Moghadam, A 2006, The roots of terrorism, Infobase Publishing Ltd., New York. Randy, B 2004, Psychology of terrorism, University of Florida, Tampa, Florida. Schmid, PA Jongman, AJ 2005, Political terrorism, Routledge, New York. Silke, A 2001, ‘The devil you know: Continuing problems with research on terrorism’,  Terrorism and Political Violence, vol. 13, n o. 4, pp. 1-14. Wilkinson, P 1997, ‘The Media and Terrorism: a Reassessment’, Terrorism and Political  Violence, Vol.9, no.2, pp.51–64. Wilkinson, P 2006, Terrorism vs. democracy: the liberal State response (2nd ed.), Routledge, New York. This essay on The psychological explanation of terrorism was written and submitted by user Billy A. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Carl Levin essays

Carl Levin essays Born in 1934 in Detroit, Michigan, Carl Levin has been around through many of the past centuries events. He has been a senator through 4 terms, and has helped pass many acts that have helped people. He is a strong advocate for improved technology in schools to help increase modernize education. He also has a goal to improve prescription drug benefits for senior citizens and another to continue to work with improving U.S. security issues. He should be chosen, as U.S. Senator because he understands what the people and the economy needs. He has the experience necessary to complete the task at hand. Carl Levin believes that education is the most important thing for being a successful individual. He believes that there are many educational issues that have to be dealt with and sets out to complete them. Some of the issues dealing with education that Levin sets out to change are the class sizes, which he intends to reduce. He also wants to modernize schools, meaning that he would like to increase the technology in schools. This is very important to education today because it will help students to keep up with the growing technological and business world. Another topic that Carl Levin would like to improve is prescription drug benefits. He believes that it is very important to have a prescription drug program. With all the economic problems of the current time, it will benefit senior citizens that are retired, and help them to afford their prescriptions. He believes it should be an optional part of Medicare. He also believes that it should be available, but not mandatory. Improving U.S. security is one of Carl Levins main goals. He wants to work for a safer world where the U.S. is part of a coalition against terrorism. He believes that the only way to fight terrorism is to be united, and to fight together. He believes that Saddam Hussein is more interested in his own power than anything else and also believes t...

Business research methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business research methods - Essay Example Trends were detected through the tabulation of related figures and the preparation of bar graphs and pie charts that served to clearly illustrate the movement, direction or trend from one year to the next. The researcher proceeded to focus on the construction industry in UK. Primary data were generated by way of conducting interviews and giving out questionnaires for both selected industry major players and for randomly selected representatives of the industry market. Research is basically done to gather data in a systematic manner and to interpret such data in the same systematic manner; throughout the process, the purpose of discovering relevant truths should be clearly imprinted in the mind of the researcher (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2007: 5). The procedures to gather primary data were done to document the sentiments and views of the people in the industry in their various post. Both similarities and differences amongst the answers they provided to uniform questions were recor ded and analysed to further analyse the impact of the prevailing industry condition on the individual characters making up the industry group. The data gathered were not limited to the construction industry. ... This report can be revised to suit any particular group of users. After all, a research paper can only be useful to the extent that it addresses the concerns and needs of its reader. This truth applies to all written works, including industry profiles and management research papers. Researchers must be mindful of and responsive to the concerns and interests of practitioners - the users of the finished reports - for their research output to serve a purpose and become valuable (Bryman & Bell, 2007: 5). To serve the needs of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), it can be made to cover more useful details including the needs and demands of the country’s construction industry that can, in turn, be catered to by the SMEs. These needs and demands of the industry can be analysed using supply value chains that would efficiently demonstrate how the needs of the industry as a whole can actually be addressed by properly organising SMEs to produce the required volumes and quantities of the necessary products or to provide the required services. To serve the needs of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs), more data on the investment opportunities and incentives that are offered by the UK government should be incorporated in the report. The comparative advantages of UK, as well, as the next expansion site of MNEs in the construction industry should be drummed up. Tax holidays and other corporate benefits offered by the country to MNEs should be covered in detail. Meanwhile, independent investors who might wish to buy shares of construction companies that are listed in the bourse would want to see the individual financial performance indicators of the industry leaders and to have

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Reading response - Essay Example They achieve this by exploring the genesis of biodiversity, as well as the implications of the fields of ecology and conservation biology in terms of shaping biodiversity. Maclaurin and Sterelny seek to define the various forms of biodiversity, which are critical to fields such as taxonomy, ecology, developmental biology and morphology. They construe that biological heritage is rich in all bio-diversities (Krishnamurthy 211). The reading concludes with the authors drawing focus to phenotype diversity by delving into the topic of development. They note that genes serve as paradigmatic developmental, as well as evolutionary resources, and form the basis of what all species depend upon for their fundamental existence. They ask a fundamental question in the field of biology; whether ecosystems of communities typically operate as crucial organized systems on a biological level. Maclaurin and Sterelny (25) argue that if ecosystems fail to function as biologically organized systems, the richness of each species encapsulates ecological diversity. Maclaurin and Sterelny consider the availability of crucial details regarding a species and the presence of vital environmental variables that impact the species as sufficient information to facilitate the comprehension of ecological results. However, the authors argue that these results cannot be attained in organized ecosystems. The authors further delve into the topic of biodiversity conservation through the use of option value theory, a concept derived from economics. Overall, I agree with the authors regarding the importance of diversity in biology. I strongly believe that biodiversity facilitates the existence of life, regardless of the organism found in the ecosystem. Without biodiversity, natural sustainability for every life form would be impossible to achieve. The significance of biodiversity primarily centers on the sustenance of

Juvenile fire setting Essay Example for Free

Juvenile fire setting Essay Findings indicate that of all victims of fires set by a child; about thirty four percent of the victims are children themselves. The leading cause of death in residential fires in the United States has been found to be playing with fire. Children are often engaged in games that involve playing with fire. These games are normally played in the bedroom where many things can easily catch fire. Older children on the other hand play with fire outside the home. The majority of these children are often under the false impression that they have the capacity to control the fires that they have set. A large percentage of children who set fire have no possession of fire safety education and are also not supervised by their parents. Statistics indicate that more than fifty percent of individuals arrested for arson in the United States are juveniles. About eighty thousand structure fires are caused by children who play with fire. From this, seven hundred and sixty deaths and more than three thousand five hundred injuries result. The annual estimates of damages from juvenile fire setting stand at 1. 2 billion dollars. It takes less than two minutes for an entire room to be set on fire by a flame from a single match. In only under five minutes, the entire house can be engulfed in flames. Over three hundred deaths and two thousand injuries result from juvenile arson and fires set by youth annually. Again, property damage resulting from these fires amount to over three hundred million dollars. Forty percent of deaths related to residential fire are caused by children playing with fire. Characteristic of fire setters Juvenile fire setters can be categorized into three groups according to age. The first category is made up of children aged less than seven years. The majority of fires caused by this category of children are mainly as a result of accident or curiosity. Some studies indicate that the childrens interest in fire begins before the age of three (Kolko Kadzin, 1999). Naturally, children are curious about fire even though there are various factors that determine whether a child actually sets fire or not. Such factors include the availability of fire supply and their exposure to fire. The majority of children under this category who set fire are not aware of the potential consequences. The second category is comprised of children between the age eight to twelve. Fire set by children within this category may also emanate from curiosity. However, it may also be the result of an underlying psychosocial conflict (Slavkin, 2000). Children under this category may be completely aware of the consequences of their actions and set fire as a strategy for attracting attention. They are likely to continue setting fire until their concerns become addressed or until their needs are met. The third category consists of adolescents aged between thirteen years and eighteen years. A major feature of these young people under this category is that they seem to possess a long history of playing with fire and fire starting behavior that had not been detected. Their fire setting actions may either be motivated by psychosocial conflict and turmoil or an intended criminal behavior. The history of such young people is characterized by behavior problems and school failure. They are highly vulnerable to peer influence. Another classification of juvenile fire setters lives out those that start fire out of curiosity. As such, it classifies intentional fire setters. The first group within this category is made up of those children who set fire as a way of seeking attention. The second category is made up of children who are motivated through delinquent activity. The final category is composed of juveniles who have severe emotional disturbances. Regardless of the mode of classification, what is apparent is that the older the child, the more hey experiment with more sophisticated materials. As children advance in age, their fire setting tend to be externally directed toward locations such as barns, garbage dumpsters, grasslands, schools and automobiles (Little, 1998). There exist various varieties of psychosocial, behavioral, conduct and aggression problems exuded by juvenile fire setters. Among these are a tendency of playing with matches or lighters, cruelty to animals, item burning and extreme enthusiasm and curiosity about fire (Foerger, 1999). The potential for setting fire becomes high when these factors are combined with the circumstance, the ease at which matches and lighters can be obtained and a general misunderstanding about the consequences of fire. Juvenile fire setters may possess a number of characteristics. These children tend to be curious about fire and do not understand the dangers associated with fire. In some cases, these children may be experiencing some changes in the family life such as death, divorce or separation. They may also have a history of behavioral problems and poor peer relationship. Parental involvement Families are often reluctant in responding to what they normally take to be a one time occurrence. Families in most cases tend to ignore the seriousness of the behavior. Every child who has engaged in fire play or fire setting tendencies requires intervention. Children need to be educated on the dangers of playing with fire by their parents so that they may stop the behavior. The most important thing that parents need to do is to take notice of their children. Parents also need to talk to their children about the dangers of fire. They also must set a good example as the majority of children learn about the use of fire from their parents. If the parents are reckless with fire, the child is likely to handle fire carelessly. Access to matches and lighters should also be restricted. The only way to ensure that children do not access them is by keeping them safely. Problems are likely to occur when children begin to handle fire in ways that are dangerous. Parents should therefore seek appropriate help before any serious problem occur. Professional guidance is more appropriate as threats and punishments are in most cases ineffective. Without any form of intervention, fire setting cannot stop. The past decade has witnessed the establishment of various programs in numerous jurisdictions across the United States to address concerns about juvenile fire setting. These programs primarily fall under the fire service. Their aim is to prevent the recurrence of fire setting by identifying, evaluating and treating the juvenile fire setter. Early programs were mainly designed by local mental health professionals and personnel in the fire service. Based on models developed by the United States Fire Administration, various programs have been established. Apart from the fire department, juvenile fire setter programs obtain referrals from the police departments, mental health agencies, social service agencies, schools and parents. A working relationship exists between the programs and a number of these major community agencies. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the United States Fire Administration, in seeing the need for increased knowledge on how the problem of juvenile fire setting can be minimized, funded an initiative known as the National Juvenile Fire setter/Arson Control and Prevention (NJF/ACP) Program which ran from 1987 through 1993. Possible solutions The most appropriate solutions to children with fire setting behavior are those focused on brief therapy (Little, 1998). The solution focused on brief therapy was developed as a family counseling theory. The therapy is made up of sessions with the first session being the most important. It employs â€Å"solution talk† to change cognitions from negative focus on weakness and problems to the positive attitudes of expressing optimism and strength. This may in particular satisfy the powerful need of juvenile fire setters for security and love. The problem can also be solved through fire safety education, collaboration with the community agencies and empathy training. These methods can especially be used by school counselors to bring about positive changes for juveniles with fire setting behaviors and the general society. Current trends It has been noted that during the winter months, there is always an increased rate of child fire injuries and deaths. The distribution of injuries and deaths are even throughout the week. Deaths and injuries also seem to take place between 8 P. M and 8 A. M. (Kolko, 2002). The majority of child fares are residential with more than ninety percent of such fires resulting in injuries and death. Fires often originate from the bedroom. Arson still continues to be a major United States problem.

Give Science A Chance Essay -- Stem Cell Research

It’s no secret that stem cell research is a highly controversial topic that could potentially lead to big steps in the advancement of modern medicine. There are many factors that need to be considered when making an argument for or against stem cell research. Not just the physical, tangible factors (types of stem cells, possible uses and benefits, and funding) but the emotional ones (ethics and morals) as well. While understanding the reasons opposing stem cell research is simple, understanding the reasons supporting it may be even simpler. Stem cell research should continue because stem cell research has the potential to advance modern medicine and better our world. Technically, there is no defined function for stem cells within the human body and, in theory, can form into almost any kind of cell within the body. There are two types of stem cells in the body known as either adult or embryonic. Adult stem cells are defined as multipotent, which are cells limited on the many types of cells it could become. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, which are cells that can be developed into any type of cell. Stem cells can be collected from various areas in the body. Bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, placenta, brain, liver, and skin fibers are all examples of where adult stem cells are found. Obtaining these quality stem cells is thought to be the key to potentially finding cures for many dreaded diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and even paralysis. It is the powerful possibilities of stem cell research that make it such a valuable asset to the advancement of modern medicine. Possibly the most highly debated issues of stem cell research is the use of embryonic stem cells and whether their use is et... ... Ideas. By Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011. 632-39. Print. 2. Gyatso, Tenzin. "Our Faith In Science." The Blair Reader: Exploring Issues and Ideas. By Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011. 527-29. Print. 3. Winslow, Ron, and Gautam Naik. "Obama Overturns Bush Policy on Stem Cell Research Funding." Online.wsj.com. Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 10 Mar. 2009. Web. 19 May 2012. . 4. "Stem Cell Basics - Types of Stem Cells." Stem Cells at the National Academies. 2009. Web. 22 May 2012. . 5. New York Times. "Stem Cells." Stem Cells. New York Times, 11 May 2011. Web. 22 May 2012. .

Cultural Diversity Assignment Essay

Religion is an important value in Appalachian culture. Loyal Jones stresses the fact that religion can often become â€Å"fatalistic. † What did he mean by this? How has this attitude come to affect the Appalachian culture in a negative way? Religion, according to Loyal Jones, is one of the ten common values common to Appalachians. Religiosity is often manifested by Appalachians in their values and in the meanings which they regard life. It differs from the orthodox practices of most religions such as attending certain rituals or going on worship days. Sometimes however, they come to view their religion as being too fatalistic. The downside for such is that people then tend to attribute events (often aversive ones) to factors which they believe are beyond their control but in reality, are not. What might have been avoided incidents are often accepted as the way they are. Fatalism however does not only involve disadvantages. For instance, fatalism eases up the burdens that most Appalachian people have to deal with in their everyday life. By thinking about their conditions in terms of fate and destiny, these people come accept their situations more willingly. Thus, it is important that people from Appalachia find where their locus of control (a â€Å"construct which is designed to evaluate a person’s perceived control over his or her behavior† (Locus of Control)) lies. While it is helpful to be fatalistic at times, it is also important that one takes an active part in controlling his or her future. 2. In Morocco, there are only two genders, but the two are very distinct. How do the concepts of private space and public space relate to gender? What is the purpose of the HIJAB AND THE DJELLABA? How do these relate to the concept of cultural relativity? In Morocco, public and private spaces relate to the issue of gender in that these concepts still reflect much modern Moroccan society’s interactions. Although gender divisions are slowly becoming fluid in that men and women can interact publicly; there are still domains in which a particular sex is not allowed to enter or participate in. For instance, certain professions are restricted to males (Women in Morocco). The hijab is worn by Muslim women based on religious doctrines (Parker, 1996) in order to achieve certain purposes. For instance, it is seen as a means to protect women from the male gaze (Parker, 1996). The djellaba on the other hand is worn by men (Djellaba). The primary purpose of the two articles of clothing is to provide a distinction between the sexes. These articles thus address cultural relativity in that they come to stand for greater things (i. e. gender) when they are viewed in a certain cultural context. 3. Asian Americans are often referred to as the â€Å"model minority. † What does this mean? Why do some Asians find problems with this concept? Asian Americans are often referred to as the model minority because most of them eventually excel in their education as well as in their chosen careers although they were initially â€Å"penniless and homeless† when they come to America. Although the stereotype is different from the Black and Mexican stereotype in that it is generally positive; some Asian Americans who haven’t accomplished the said stereotypical connotations feel that they are unduly compared to those who have (Banerji, 2007). As in the case of any stereotype, the dangers of overgeneralization should always be avoided. 4. What is the significance of the video titled, â€Å"Two towns of Jasper? † Why was it important to use 2 film crews in telling the film’s story? What would you hope people take away from viewing this film? The film is significant in that it addressed the issue that supremacist attitudes do and still exist in American society, at least until the late 90s. Almost eight years after the incident involving Rodney King and the LAPD, the truth as to the â€Å"abolition† of racial practices was again put into question with the case of James Byrd Jr. The film in essence, placed emphasis on the need to evaluate whether people still viewed other individuals based on their skin color. The directors of the film, Whitney Dow and Marco Williams employed two film crews in the movie in order to elicit real and untainted responses from the residents of Jasper. Filming was structured in such a way that a white crew filmed white residents and a black crew filmed black residents (Two Towns of Jasper). It was only after the movie was released did the residents know that their responses would be integrated into a single project. I believe that the film hopes to raise people’s awareness to the fact that racial views are still prevalent in American society. The use of the aforementioned filming technique hoped to provide a venue in which the audience could critically think about an important issue that has far reaching implications. 5. How would you respond to the following statement: â€Å"Talking about diversity only makes problems worse? † People who believe that talking about diversity only makes problems worse definitely undermine the value of dialogue as a means to reach a compromise or agreement. Many think that diversity is a touchy subject since various issues are involved and I believe that they do have valid reasons for thinking that way. What I do not agree with however is their belief that sensitive topics should not be talked about and kept private. In my opinion, talking about diversity lessens a person’s â€Å"aversion† towards the issue. But talking about it isn’t the most crucial part of the discussion. There are certain considerations which merit considerable attention. For instance a lot of problems arise when people come to the discussion bringing with them strongly – held convictions as well as prejudices against certain individuals or groups of people. The end result is that more problems arise than are solved. In general, I think that discussions on cultural diversity could not only prove to be important in removing inhibitions on the issue but could prove to be instrumental in addressing a lot of concerns that are crucial to the improvement of a lot of lives, especially of those who are involved. 6. Describe your biggest diversity challenges so far in your life as well as what possible challenges you may face in your professional (Human Services/Education) life. What actions are you taking or will you take to deal with these situations? Living in a country in which a lot of races coexist, I believe that the biggest challenge for me lies on the fact that I am exposed to different people coming from different backgrounds. For instance, the school provides a venue for me to meet new friends. Most of them however come from different backgrounds and hold on to beliefs that are often dissimilar from what I believe. Challenges in my professional life may include the same considerations as mentioned above. I think venturing into any career requires one to be open minded as well as mindful of the â€Å"idiosyncrasy† which may exist among individuals and cultures. Taking the time to learn about another culture helps one to accept the fact that differences do exist among us culturally and that we could coexist in peace and mutual respect if only we go beyond our cultural barriers. References Banerji, S. (2007). UCLA Expert Challenges The Asian – American â€Å"Model Minority† Assumption. Retrieved on 27 November 2007 at http://www. diverseeducation. com/artman/publish/article_7071. shtml Jones, L. (2006). The Proud Appalachian. Retrieved on 27 November 2007 at http://www1. epinions. com/content_4639989892 Locus of Control. (n. d. ). The American Heritage ® Stedman’s Medical Dictionary. Retrieved on 27 November 2007, from Dictionary. com website: http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/locus of control Two Towns of Jasper. (2002). Retrieved on 27 November 2007 at http://www. pbs. org/pov/pov2002/twotownsofjasper/index. html Women in Morocco. (2007). Moroccan Culture Series. Retrieved on 27 November 2007 at http://french. about. com/library/travel/bl-ma-women. htm Parker, K. (1996). Women, Islam and Hijab. Retrieved on 27 November 2007 at http://www. english. emory. edu/Bahri/Veil. html Djellaba. (n. d. ). Dictionary. com Unabridged (v 1. 1). Retrieved November 27, 2007, from Dictionary. com website: http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/djellaba