The Russian Annexation of the Crimea, 1772-1783 essays

The Russian Annexation of the Crimea, 1772-1783 essays The Russian Annexation of the Crimea 1772-1783 by Alan W. Fisher is a text that contains detailed research based on Russian and Ottoman archival documents, as well as primary and secondary sources relating to the subject. The study covers the political events from 1772 to 1783, and is an objective source for understanding not only the Crimean Tatars, but also the rivalry between the Russian and Ottoman empires. A rivalry which not only deeply affected the people of the Crimean peninsula, but also affected its surrounding areas. The grave importance of the Crimea was illustrated because of its access to the Black Sea. As a result, its coastal areas have played an important role throughout the history of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. As an economic area it served its importance through its trade, its grazing lands and also as an entrance into Eastern Europe. As a political zone the Black Sea area was of prime importance to the power of those states which controlled it and its loss to a rival state was always a significant one. (Fisher, 2) As a result Byzantium, Kiev Rus, the Golden Horde, Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire and Muscovy have all tried throughout various periods of history to control the whole or individual parts of the Crimean Peninsula. The text explained how firm political control around the Black Sea was first gained in the mid-thirteenth century with the Mongol-Tatar conquest. Before this Turkic nomads had passed through the area, but no political or economic unity had existed. As settlements grew the Mongol-Tatar aligned itself with the Ottoman Empire for security. Acting as an independent province with its own political control, the Crimea was still ultimately under Ottoman control. From the Ottoman point of view, the Crimea was of utmost military significance. It acted as a strong northern defense and allowed the supply of soldiers for campaigns in the east against Persia and in...

Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionst

Is it Rape or is it Marriage Many people from different places migrate to the US and with them they bring their culture. The dilemma is that what is right in their culture is wrong in the American culture. The US being a diverse society has to understand these â€Å"new immigrants† culture practices because they have lived and followed these practices for centuries. â€Å"Because human communication is composed of symbols that have arbitrary meanings and values† in every culture. Islamic people, for centuries in their culture have been marrying off their daughters at the age of 13 and 14. The reason behind this is because it symbolizes that a girl becomes a woman when she passes through puberty. Also, the marriage between a man in his late 20’s and a 13-year-old girl is not seen as odd to them it’s just normal practice. So their marriage is valid because they haven’t broken any norms within their culture. To American citizens marriage between a 13-year-old girl and a man in his late 20’s is seen as rape. The reasoning behind this is because according to the American culture a girl doesn’t become an adult until the age of 18 or older. Now there is a major conflict between our two cultures because Islamists have moved away from their country to America. In 1996 a 39-year old father arranged for his two daughters of the age 13 and 14 to be married to two Iraqi men, ages 28 and 34. To them they were just practicing their own customs. Since they were in America and this is seen as rape the father was charged with child abuse, the mother with contributing to the delinquency of minors, and the husbands were charged with rape. In another case a young Hmong man along with his friends went to a local college campus. There they picked up a girl that he selected to be his wife and took her back to his place where he had sex with her even though the girl didn’t want too. In the Hmong culture this is called â€Å"zij poj... Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionst Free Essays on Symbolic Interactionst Is it Rape or is it Marriage Many people from different places migrate to the US and with them they bring their culture. The dilemma is that what is right in their culture is wrong in the American culture. The US being a diverse society has to understand these â€Å"new immigrants† culture practices because they have lived and followed these practices for centuries. â€Å"Because human communication is composed of symbols that have arbitrary meanings and values† in every culture. Islamic people, for centuries in their culture have been marrying off their daughters at the age of 13 and 14. The reason behind this is because it symbolizes that a girl becomes a woman when she passes through puberty. Also, the marriage between a man in his late 20’s and a 13-year-old girl is not seen as odd to them it’s just normal practice. So their marriage is valid because they haven’t broken any norms within their culture. To American citizens marriage between a 13-year-old girl and a man in his late 20’s is seen as rape. The reasoning behind this is because according to the American culture a girl doesn’t become an adult until the age of 18 or older. Now there is a major conflict between our two cultures because Islamists have moved away from their country to America. In 1996 a 39-year old father arranged for his two daughters of the age 13 and 14 to be married to two Iraqi men, ages 28 and 34. To them they were just practicing their own customs. Since they were in America and this is seen as rape the father was charged with child abuse, the mother with contributing to the delinquency of minors, and the husbands were charged with rape. In another case a young Hmong man along with his friends went to a local college campus. There they picked up a girl that he selected to be his wife and took her back to his place where he had sex with her even though the girl didn’t want too. In the Hmong culture this is called â€Å"zij poj...

Country music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Country music - Essay Example Darius Rucker is one such artist. He was first recognised due to the role he played in a band from South Carolina called the Hootie and Bowlfish. It was through this band that he became famously known as â€Å"Hootie†. In the late 1900’s, the band sold over a million copies of their album and became some of the country’s favourite country music band (Ratiner, 2009). Going solo for Darius was a strong call for him. He went on to make albums that had hits on the American charts for a long time. Among the albums that place Darius on the map include, Charleston, SC 1966 and Learn to Live. This paper will review two of his albums and evaluate how they help shape society and the music industry. Learn to Live is an album that surpassed the expectations of many of the artist’s fans. The album was mostly written by the artist, and some of his friends. These friends included those from his band who helped him reach the pinnacle of his career. It was during the makin g of this album that many saw Darius for what he was capable of achieving. The top hits that made the album famous include It Won’t Be Like This for Long, Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It, and Alright. The lyrics to some of the songs can readily pass on the message that there should be no regrets as to the way life turned out (Ratiner, 2009).

Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Barack Obama's Speech in Cairo - Essay Example He is thus open to world publicity and criticism and thus his actions or speeches are subject to world scrutiny. Hence, when Cairo University, which is the source of Egypt's advancement and Al—Azhar, which is a beacon of Islamic learning, hosted him, the world was watching and listening. On his first visit to Egypt as the President of the United States of America, Barrack Obama addressed six issues, which included violent extremism, the Israel-Palestine situation, Iran nuclear weapons, world democracy, economic progress, and women’s rights (USA Today web). This paper will address the issue of the tension situation between Israelis, Palestinians, and the Arab world as elaborated by Obama on 6 April 2009. The issue of the conflict situation in Israel and Palestine is probably one of the issues that have great meaning not only to US, but also to the whole world. Israel is a staunch Christian nation with the Jews drawing their roots from this country. Palestine on the hand is a region occupied by both Muslims and Christians in significant numbers. However, both Israel and Palestine are Middle East countries just like Egypt. They possess very dangerous weapons such as nuclear bombs, which pose a great risk to human life. Again, Israel and America are long time allies based on their military superiority. Obama himself professes Muslim faith but his mother was a Christian and his true religion actually generates another debate. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has been there for ages with some analysts drawing this situation back to the holy books, Quran and the Bible. Hence, this issue somehow ties itself to the war of supremacy between Christianity and Islam though there are other underlying factors. Many countries including America have actually tried in vain to negotiate for a peaceful agreement between these nations. This issue considerably required a careful treading. Therefore, when Obama chose to discuss this issue, the world welcomed th e reprieve and waited for the new intervention on this longstanding conflict. Ironically, even when he was addressing the issue in Egypt, pressure was already building up in the Israel- Palestine border. Subject to these reasons, I find the issue very significant and the audience relevant. In fact, it was the second issue that he addressed on this day. In supporting his call for a permanent solution between Israel and Palestine, Obama accounted 10 points to this effect. He confirmed that America had strong relations with Israel based on cultural, historical ties, and articulation of diplomacy. This fact is widely known and analysts claim that this bond is hard to break because it relies on military supremacy. He also acknowledges the fact that this conflict has claimed many lives and muted unwarranted sufferings. In light of this, he claims that the Jewish people from Israel faced persecution for centuries, more than Six million Jews killed, many more enslaved and tortured, and that these are painful memories for the Israelis (USA Today web). On the other hand, Palestine have endured the pain of dislocation for 60 years, many Palestinians have lost their lives, endured humiliations, lacked security while many wait in refugee camps for aid. A situation he claims is now unbearable in both Israel and Palestine. He equally confirms that America is ready to help in finding a solution. He personally commits himself to pursue this cause with uttermost patience and dedication as the task dictates. In fact, he was to visit Israel the

Communication styles Essay Example for Free

Communication styles Essay The impact of communication in marriage cannot be overemphasized as it is the main method of solving any crisis or conflict arising. There are different communication styles that can be applied in a marriage, expressiveness, driving, and relativity or analytical are forms of communication that may be used in marriage. Expressers get excited personal, waste time with too many facts or even show emotion to their partners while those with driving communication styles become very decisive and offer strong view points. Those who are relative in the way they are communicating, like positive attention and may want their partners to be helpful. This group of persons however, shies off when real problems come in especially when it comes to handling the children. This communication style is used by young marriages where partners just about 25 years of age get married. Communications styles can also be described as passive, assertive or aggressive. Passive forms communication involves putting the tights of the other partner before yours i.e. minimizing your own self worth at the expense of the marriage. Being assertive means that one partner in the marriage stands up for his or her rights while maintaining respect for the other i. e. all the partners in the marriage are all equal. Aggressiveness is a communication style that ensures that a wife or a husband stands up for his pr her right and in the process violate the rights of the other. This style of communication is usually the worst and may lead to divorce in extreme cases. Marriage resiliency Marriage resiliency is the couple’s capacity to develop and cultivate strengths from each other for the common good of the marriage in order ton meet their challenges . Resiliency can be defined to describe the responsive capabilities, social dynamics that foster health development of the marriage. Resiliency starts from an individual capacity to a family and community level making sure that the marriage bounces back after experiencing non-normative and expected challenges. Family resilience is characterized by invariant approaches that are dimensioned to help families resist any form of disruption in the face of change and become adaptive when a crisis occurs. Immigration and marriage Marriages are usually negatively affected by immigration procedures. Different countries have different laws governing the marriage of its citizens to non-citizens. It is usually an impediment to couples’ relationships because certain laws may offer recognition to one of the partner and the other is left out. However, with the emergence of dual citizenship rights, the issue may in the near future become a thing of the past. ‘Till death do us part? ’ This figure of speech is common in all wedding ceremonies and the couple getting married solemnly swear to the congregation that they will remain together till death do them part. Most critics believe that as long as there are increased cultural differences, modernization of societies and increases in domestic violence, the metaphor no longer makes sense. Every man and woman believes that they can live happily with each other especially when it is based on the performance of the two during courtship. This is not usually the case because immediately after marriage, the two members start quarrelling over this or that. This is the major contributing factor to the family problems and other domestic issues that families experience these days. It has been said that the more society becomes complicated, the more marriages become complicated and finally the more families become complicated. It is however, recommended that a personal commitment to each other within the marriage become the kingpin of the relationship. Lessons learnt from writing on marriage It has been interesting while researching on this topic. It is one of the research works that not only serves as an academic tool but also provides a learning opportunity for a person like me. Marriage is part and parcel of life and majority of the young people would dream of having better lives in future through marriage. Most young people believe that to secure there future and their old age days, they need to have married properly and have children who will look after the in future. Going through the types of marriages, its integration to the family setting and the importance of knowing the exact roles of each partner in a marriage is particularly useful. The various rules and boundaries that must be set to ensure the sustainability and stability of a marriage gives one an overview of how it is possible to develop them in real life situations through the experiences of other people and such kind of research. Therefore, this is one of the rare opportunities in life where one gets to learn more about what directly affects him or her in life. Personally, I feel grateful for the work I have done on this subject and I feel obliged to tell others about the integration of marriage systems in our families to enable them form good families now and in the future Questions for further research Marriage as part of a family practice continues to be complex especially with the emergence of contradicting legislation and complex societies; there is need for further research on; the impacts of different types of marriages on the extended families, development of policies and laws, and the society in general . What are the solutions to these? And what could be the role of governments and learning institutions in maintaining and making sure that marriages serve the purposed they are intended to. Other issues of concern are the ability of people to adopt resilience as a way of recovering from married related violence such as divorce, is divorce the answer to breaking marriages? With advancement in technology including foster mothers, test tube babies and the like, what could be the implications of these in cultural marriages and societies? Conclusion Marriages are forming a family. Marriage roles, rules, resilience abilities, communication styles, and spouse differences are issues that can affect the formation, development and improvement. Good marriage values are important not only for family cohesion but also for societal cultural maintenance. Challenges regarding re-orientation of the marriages within a family are many and common in this modern society, the problem is the manner in which they are currently addressed. References Antonovsky, A. , Sourani, T (1988): Family sense of coherence and family adaptation.Journal of Marriage and the Family, 50, 79-92 Kaufman, J. , Ziegler, E. (1987): Do abused children become abusive parents? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 186-192 McCubbin, H. , Patterson, J. M. (1983): The family stress process; The Double Helix ABCX model of adjustment and adaptation, Social stress and the family: Advances in family stress theory and research New York pp. 7 -38. Nichols, M. , Schwartz, R. (2000): Family communications: Concepts and methods, 5th edition, Needham Heights press Rolland, J. S. , Weine, S. (2000): Kosovar Family Professional Educational Collaborative. AFTA Newsletter, 79, 34-43 Rutter, M. (1987): psychosocial resilience and protective mechanisms American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 316-330 Stacey, J. (1990): Brave new families: Stories of domestic upheaval in late 20th century America. New York: Basic Books. Walsh, F. , McGoldrick, M (1998): Families in later life: Challenge and opportunities. The expanded life cycle Needham Heights, MA: pp. 307-327 Walsh, F. , McGoldrick, M (1991): Living beyond loss: Death in the family. New York: Norton.

black bear Essay -- essays research papers fc

Black Bears The black bear is the smallest North American bear. The adults are usually less than six feet long and stand about two to three feet tall at shoulders. The weight of a black bear varies between 125-500 ponds. They have small eyes and rounded ears. Also their snout is very long. Each paw has five very strong claws, which is used for tearing, digging, and climbing. One single hit from the front paw is enough to kill an adult deer. A black Bear is a true carnivore, but if not prevented the black bear could be a huge problem to humans. A black bear loves to eat fresh leaves, berries, fruits, nuts, roots and also Insects and small mammals. When fall comes near, a black bear must eat large amounts of food in order to gain enough weight to keep them through winter hibernation. During hibernation when a little bit warmer weather comes near the black bear must awaken and take short excursions outdoors, so they can get a drink or some food. This is so the black bear will be able to go back to sleep easier. During hibernation a black bear will stay in a cave or some kind of stone formation. Usually it will be near a creek or stream. The area around the cave will usually have a lot of vegetation. If the cave does not have any water or food around it the black bear will try to find another place to sleep through the winter. That place will have plenty of food and water. During the short excursions outdoors during hibernation the bear looks for replenishments, this is why the bear must be near food and water (Rieffberger 8). A black bear’s habitat usually depends on two factors. One is vegetation and the other is human activity. A black bear usually is not picky about a place to stay if it has got food and is not too close to human activity. A dense forest under story, which includes brushy territory or a lot of downed trees, which fell due to the weather, usually characterizes a black bear’s habitat. Once spring starts coming around, black bears start emerging from their hibernation. They move around the area a lot, because they are looking for a new place which has good cover to stay under and a lot of vegetation a round (Rieffenberger 8). Black bears are becoming more and more of a problem. If people have garbage or food that they have thrown out, a black bear may come and get it. To keep a black bear out of the garbage, you need to get rid of th... ... are calm at most times and are only angered mostly by humans. Black bears usually breed in the spring and the young leave their mothers in the second summer of their life. Because of their endangered species status, the DNR have established sanctuaries protect black bears. In 1944, a black bear season was established. Only during this time could hunters kill black bears. Due to this new protection law, the black bear population began to rise. In the future, it will be a common sight to see a few black bears in your county. Works Cited Houchins, Stephen C, James E. Craft, and Jerry R. Duffield. Procedures for Handling Nuisance Bears. Wildlife Resources Section 1999 How to Avoid Bear Damage and Nuisance Problems. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. 1996 Rieffenberger, Joseph C. et. al. West Virginia Black Bear. Wildlife Resources Division. 1981 U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. American Black Bear. 1994. 28 October, 1999. http://frogweb.nbii.gov/features/kidscorner/bbear.html/>   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. 1899 Black Bear Hunting Season. Wildlife Resources Section 1999.

Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership Essay

The process of evaluating historical aspects of leadership involved critically analyzing the commonalities and disparities among a group of influential leaders, such as Thomas Carlyle, Mohandas Gandhi, Niccolo Machiavelli and W.E.B Du Bois. Carlyle (1795-1881), a Scottish historian emphasized the importance of heroism that required men to be subordinated to the commander of men (Wren, 1995 p.53). Further analysis of the evaluation revealed theories of Gandhi and Machiavelli which produced evidence of conflicting viewpoints on the topic of violence among historical leaders throughout the ages. Gandhi‘s leadership style was against any acts of violence. He focused on using spiritual guidance to solve problems. Machiavelli’s leadership style believed in having mercy but also defending yourself if necessary. W.E.B Du Bois’s leadership style focused on educating black men to be great leaders. Each leader’s theories on the quality of acceptable leadership were different, yet acceptable in their communities, however, each leader presented various methods of effective leadership abilities, which will influence other leaders as they develop their theories. Commonalities and Disparities Thomas Carlyle, believed that the commander of men was superior, and all men were to be subordinated. Carlyle focused on the theory that leaders who exhibited themselves in a dignified manner embodied the qualities of a great leader (Carlyle, 1795-1881; Wren, 1995, p.53). Carlyle also emphasized that heroism existed in whoever embodied the spiritual qualities of a commander. Further examination of Carlyle’s leadership theory revealed that he believed that a leader who is a nobleman can be trusted by all people (Carlyle, 1795-1881; Wren, 1995, p.53). Niccolo Machiavelli’s theory of a leader was  described as someone who can lead men whether they abided by or disobey the law. Machiavelli also believed that leaders who can establish authority can be merciful, humane, but cautious. Mohandas Gandhi theory believed leaders should operate using self- control and discipline. Gandhi also described a powerful leader as someone who uses passive resistance (Gandhi, 1869-1984; Machiavelli, 1469-1527; Wren, 1995, p.68 &75). Finally W.E.B Du Bois was an advocate for educating black men, and he placed great emphasize on how education involved the training of one’s mind, body and surroundings (Du Bois, 1868-1963; Wren, 1995, p.78). Du Bois theory on learning is that people can be influenced by their surrounds and motivated by different groups of people. Critical Analysis After completing the commonalities and disparities involving three great leaders my critical evaluation has led me to the conclusion that even though these leaders embody the characteristic to be excellent facilitators and commanders, each leader lacks the ability to use effective communication skills. Previous research has suggested that the lack of communication can be confusing, misunderstanding and lethal. For example, Emperor Frederick 13th century ruler of the Holy Roman Empire conducted research to determine what language mankind had spoken at birth. The experiment involved isolating infants from hearing any communication until they spoke their first words. However, as a result of the experiment the babies died (Samata, 2012). Further studies have concluded that leaders who implement communication skills can establish their existence and define their image, but leaders who fail to communicate effectively and positively, risk damaging their reputation (Samata, 2012). Effective leadership requires leaders to be competent communicators, which is achieved by using clear and concise communication (Adubato, 2010). Furthermore, leaders who can use communication skills effectively, are able to comprehend and express ideas (Ringer, 2002; Tareq, 2008). Achieving effective oral communication skills requires leaders to limit words and phrases, which results in explaining their concepts and ideas. Levinson also states, leaders who use too many words have a tendency to ramble about non-relevant issues, however summarizing the main points, staying focused and avoiding distractions helps leaders discipline what information is relevant, resulting in  translating their thoughts into a profitable action faster (1968). Effective communication requires leaders to be prepared, organized and observant, giving leaders the ability to execute their message successfully (Showry & Manasa, 2012). Conclusion. By evaluating the leadership styles of historical leaders, I was able to understand how their theories influenced people throughout the ages. Carlyle, Gandhi, Machiavelli, and DuBois were all very influential leaders during their times in history. However, after comparing their similarities and disparities in theory and style, it is apparent that Carlyle viewpoints on what a great leader should be is entirely different from the perspectives of Gandhi, Machiavelli, and DuBois. Carlyle emphasized that all men should being entirely subordinate to their commander, and Gandhi believed in spirituality and taught leaders to focus on positive concepts. Machiavelli used a more drastic approach that required him to be prudent, be observant and maintain authority. Du Bois believed that black men should be educated. Further observation revealed that, even though, each leader embodied leadership qualities, using effective communication skills are essential to providing leaders with better communication technique, making the message clear and concise. Leaders have the ability to achieve effective communication skills by limiting their words and stating the main facts. Finally leaders who can improve communication skills, can empower people, and maintain stability. Reference Adubato, S. (2010). Communication is key to effective office team building. NJBIZ, 23(27), 9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/644992473?accountid=35812 Levinson, R. E. (1968). How to get through to people. Industrial Management, 10(5), 11. Ringer, R. (2002, Jul 28). Communication skills valued by employers. Pantagraph Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/252480712?accountid=35812 Tareq, N. A. (2008, Mar 06). Affective communication skills. Yemen Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/429795478?accountid=35812 Samata, P. (2012). Importance of Effective Communication Skills. Language In India, 12(10), 333-341. Showry, M., & Manasa, K. (2012). Effective Communication for Professional Excellence. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 6(1), 39-46. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Carlyle, T. The Hero as King (pp.53-54) New York, NY: The Free Press. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Du Bois, W .E.B. The Talented Tenth (pp.78-80) New York, NY: The Free Press. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Gandhi, M. Satyagraha (pp.72-77) New York, NY: The Free Press. Wren, J. T. (1995). The Leader’s Companion: Insight on leadership through the ages. Machiavelli, N. How Princes Should Keep Faith (pp.67-68) New York, NY: The Free Press.