The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight In Heaven, By Sherman...

Born and raised on an Indian reservation in Washington state, Sherman Alexie is a writer best known for his fictional stories; The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Although from a poor family, Alexie always had access to books and learned to read from a young age. Alexie expresses his struggle with education while growing up and becoming a writer in a community where most kids have trouble even reading. Alexie shows his audience, the educators of marginalized and deprived students, that if students are given the chance; most students will breakdown the barriers that stand in their way of success. Alexie shows his audience through his specific word choice, personal determination, and by his return to his reservation). In the†¦show more content†¦In paragraph five and six, Alexie explores his school experience on the Indian reservation. He explains how he read Grapes of Wrath in kindergarten when others were struggling with simple kids books. Alexie also explained how kids would want â€Å"[him] to stay quiet when the non-Indian teacher asked for answers†. He even says that â€Å"a smart Indian is a dangerous person, widely feared†. Alexie uses these two paragraphs to show how school was on the Indian reservation and that he broke down the doors in his way. In the seventh paragraph Alexie goes into detail about his experience reading. Alexie â€Å"Read books la te into the night†¦ read books in the car†¦ [and] in shopping malls†. Alexie uses the verb â€Å"read† a total of fourteen times in this paragraph alone. Alexie intentionally uses this word repeatedly to emphasize the struggle and desperation that he had. Alexie ends the paragraph with, â€Å"I was trying to save my life†. He used the word â€Å"read† repeatedly to emphasize the fact that he was trying to save his life. He didnt want to be like the other Indian kids on the reservation; Alexie wanted to break down the door in his way and make a life for himself. A life beyond the hardships of the reservation, a life better than his parents, a life that can inspire other unfortunate children. In the final paragraph, Alexie revisits his former school. Now a successful writer, he comes back and assists the kids that are in the same place he was inShow MoreRelatedThe Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, by Sherman Alexie1475 Words   |  6 Pag esIn the short stories â€Å"A Drug Called Tradition,† â€Å"The Approximate Size of My Favorite Tumor,† and â€Å"The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation Doesn’t Flash Red Anymore† collected in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, author Sherman Alexie uses humor to reflect the life on the Spokane Reservation. In â€Å"A Drug Called Tradition,† the story starts with a joke by having Thomas sit down inside a refrigerator in response to Junior’s comment as to why the refrigerator is empty. The Indians areRead MoreAnalysis Of The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight In Heaven By Sherman Alexie1763 Words   |  8 Pagesevolves. Sherman Alexie’s short story â€Å"The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven† tells the story of a Native American living in current day America. It explains the struggles he faces living in a period that his group of people haven’t moved on too. Many Native Americans still live in their reservation and stay separate from the â€Å"real world†. Natives only know their way of life so when they try to change that, they don’t know what to expect. In Sherman Alexie’s short story â€Å"The Lone Ranger and TontoRead More Women in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie1404 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie A warrior is recognized as sonmeone who battles for his/her beliefs. Even after receiving mortal wounds many times, such a person never leaves the battlefield. However, the inspiring and metaphorical idea of a warrior can certainly extend beyond the actual battlefield, and into the universal battle of living life. A woman must face this world like a warrior. She must endure the pain of a past that oppressed her, the adversityRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1598 Words   |  7 Pagesstory of morality in fiction, historical fiction, or anything related to such topics. Consequently, most books read in popular culture have a lesson; novels are a form of education. An example of this has been shown through Sherman Alexie’s Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. In this novel, he attempts to shed light on the struggles Native American people, specifically on the Spokane Reservation, withstand through multiple stories and perspectiv es. Some novels, if their perspective of truth hasRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1534 Words   |  7 Pagesthe story of morality in fiction, historical fiction, or anything related to such topics. However, most books read in popular culture have a lesson; novels are a form of education. An example of this can be shown through Sherman Alexie’s Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. In this novel, he attempts to shed light of the struggles Native American people, specifically on the Spokane Reservation, withstand through multiple stories and perspectives. Some novels, if their perspective of truth isRead MoreRhetorical Analysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1448 Words   |  6 PagesHumor: Sherman Alexie’s Comic Connections and Disconnections in The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven,† the author Joseph L. Coulombe, writes about the humor used in Sherman Alexie’s short stories. Coulombe argues that in Sherman Alexie’s stories that humor is essential for character development and the creation of bonds between these characters. He often makes statements discussing how humor allows Alexie’s characters to show strength and connect to their Indian heritage. â€Å"The Lone RangerRead MoreAnalysis Of Sherman Alexie s The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight Heaven 1435 Words   |  6 Pageslegendary warriors of the past. As times change and the days of Indian and cowboy battles are behind us; how is it possible for a warrior to still be relevant in the modern day? Sherman Alexie expresses this idea of a modern-day warrior in his book The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. Many times, throughout the book Alexie brings up the idea of warriors and uses their actions to portray them to seem noble. Multiple characters in the book want to change their current outlook on life and breakRead More Comparing Black Elk Speaks and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven1679 Words   |  7 PagesComparing Black Elk Speaks and The Lone Ranger and Tonto FistFight in Heaven      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Traditionally, Native American Literature has been an oral genre. Although Native American Literature was the first American literature created, it has been the last to be recognized -and, to some extent, is still waiting for full recognition (www.usc.edu). With the Indian being forced to assimilate, their literature was forced to take on a written form. Although the traditional way of storytelling has changedRead MoreThe Lone Ranger And Tonto In Heaven By Sherman Alexie978 Words   |  4 PagesA collection of twenty-two stories narrated by different characters, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie illustrates the lives of modern Native Americans on the Spokane Indian Reservation and their hardships, which include despair, alcoholism, and poverty. Tribal members hold high hopes for the young who have extraordinary talent while doubting that they will achieve success and watching them succumb to alcoholism. These stories, while sad and gloo my, are told with humorRead More Sherman Alexies Subtle Sarcasm Essay886 Words   |  4 PagesSherman Alexies Subtle Sarcasm Sherman Alexie illustrates a subtle sarcasm that is very consistent among his stories. He conveys many of the current social issues that seem to be constant among those of Indian heritage. His main characters all have very similar characteristics: very laid back and socially conscious. An important characteristic that his characters share is a sense of wit and cynicism which helps convey Alexies ideals in many regards. The first rhetorical device Alexie

Forensic Accounting The Field Of Accounting - 1585 Words

The field of accounting goes deeper than the general business field and requires specialized actions. Accounting is the systematic and comprehensive recording of financial transactions pertaining to a business. This system can contain various steps, procedures, and processes that led you to your final results. Some of these various types of accounting include tax, managerial, financial, governmental, private, and forensic accounting. So as you can see, even in this extremely specialized field you can participate and work in various accounting sectors. Today, we will focus on the topic of forensic accounting which is not only a newer field of accounting but has very intriguing concepts and reasons to why it was created. So while exploring the many facets of forensic accounting we will study multiple topics such as: what is forensic accounting and how it was created, and what individuals or groups use this type of accounting. We will even discover the history of forensic accounting, sk ills need to work in this field, and the industries served through this process. Finally, a better understanding of this topic will come from examining U.S. cases and investigations, and also how the federal government can choose to intervene in forensic accounting. To fully understand this topic it is important to define what forensic accounting is to learn how the field was established. â€Å"Forensic-accounting can involve the application of special skills in accounting, auditing, finance,Show MoreRelatedForensic Accounting : A Relatively New Field1554 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction While accounting has always been widely practiced, forensic accounting is a relatively new field. Forensic accounting is the use of accounting to extract information from financial documents to prove fraud or embezzlement in the court of law. It involves identifying, recording, and extracting financial data while using a variety of direct and indirect analysis methods. In recent years, the profession has gained attention for its role in stopping both terrorists and corporations fromRead MoreForensic Accounting1628 Words   |  7 PagesFORENSIC ACCOUNTING MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS The field of accounting is no longer just for those who enjoy crunching numbers. Preparing financial statements, internal auditing, and tax accounting are only the tip of the iceberg. In today s society of the money hungry, the sue happy, and the financially unfit, a new breed of accountant; the Forensic Accountant has emerged. Although Investigative Accounting has been around for years, it has only recently begun to transform into the scienceRead MoreForensic Accounting Research Proposal647 Words   |  3 PagesRESEARCH PROPOSAL 1. Scope of Research Forensic Accounting and Financial Criminology 2. Proposed Research The Needs of Good Forensic Accounting Skills in Public Sector Working Environment 3. Research Background Forensic accounting may not be a new field in accounting. However it becomes so important recently and has been an interest to various stakeholders, from the government, investors, and practitioners to regulatory bodies. In public sector, the incrementRead MoreEssay on A Career in Forensic Accounting947 Words   |  4 PagesForensic Accounting There are many different avenues that one could take in the field of accounting. It is a lucrative career with many areas of interest to be followed. I have chosen Forensic Accounting to further review and research. This paper will define forensic accounting, describe what it takes to be a forensic accountant, give some statistics about forensic accounting, and give my feedback on this potential career path. Forensic accounting is the use of investigative and analytical skillsRead MoreForensic Accounting and Your Organization1185 Words   |  5 PagesForensic Accounting and Your Organization 1 Running Head: FORENSIC ACCOUNTING: WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION Forensic Accounting: What It Can Do For Your Organization Kira Bailey Dr. Harper BUS 520 Strayer University Charleston, SC Forensic Accounting and Your Organization 2 ABSTRACT Forensic accounting is the application of financial skills and an investigative mentality to unresolved issues, conducted within the context of the rules of evidenceRead MoreThe Career Field Of A Forensic Accountant Essay900 Words   |  4 Pagesabout the career field I plan to go into after college. The following information informs you about what must be done in order to become a Forensic Accountant and how life is as a Forensic Accountant in today’s society. Introduction I was asked to research a job in the career field I plan to work in after graduating, then write an informal report on the information I gathered. The job I chose for my report is a Forensic Accountant. A Forensic Accountant is when one uses accounting skills to investigateRead MoreThe Role and Responsibilities of a Forensic Accountant1605 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Accounting skills are useful for companies and individuals who are trying to maximize their profits and maintain a competitive advantage, but forensic accounting can help bring justice and peace of mind for many others by illuminating financial processes that can help explain criminal actions and behaviors. The purpose of this essay is to describe the five most important skills a forensic accountant may possess in order to become successful. This essay will describe each one of theseRead MoreThe Role of Accounting in Business Society631 Words   |  3 PagesRole of Accounting in Business and Society According to Merriam-Webster the full definition of accounting is the system of recording and summarizing business and financial transactions and analyzing, verifying, and reporting the results. An accountant is one who is skilled in the practice of accounting or who is in charge of public or private accounts. (http://www.merriam-webster.com, n.d.) Someone who has obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting can pursue many different accounting career fieldsRead More Foensic Accounting Essays874 Words   |  4 PagesFoensic Accounting Corporations are often the victims of the most common white-collar crimes that occur in corporate America. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (cfenet.com), â€Å"abuse and fraud by employees cost U.S. organizations more than $400 billion annually†¦[which equals] $9 per employee per day.† These statistics show the corporate need for forensic accountants, there also is an immense demand for these specialized accountants in the private sector. For exampleRead MoreFinancial Crimes1610 Words   |  7 PagesRobertson, Wells, 2006). An understanding of effective fraud and forensic accounting techniques can assist forensic accountants in identifying illegal activity and discovering and preserving evidence. Forensic accounting is a science that deals with the application of accounting facts gathered through auditing methods and procedures to legal problems usually dealing with financial and valuation issues (Grippo, 2003). Forensic accounting investigates an allegation where the results are presented in

Reflective Placement Log Report †International Coffee Organisation (ICO) Free Essays

Introduction This report reflects on my experiences during my two-month placement at the ICO. It will consider my expectations of the company and my role within it; and whether these expectations were met. Firstly, it will address the company itself by identifying such aspects as its mission, its influences, its key actors and whether or not my role co-incited effectively with such aspects. We will write a custom essay sample on Reflective Placement Log Report – International Coffee Organisation (ICO) or any similar topic only for you Order Now To help organise the report, a series of questions will break up the content to properly address each subject. The ICO This section of the report will consider the organisation itself. ` 1. What is the role of the organisation? On the company website, under the ICO’s â€Å"mission statement†, the organisation has described itself as the â€Å"main intergovernmental organisation for coffee†; claiming that they bring together exporting and importing governments to tackle the challenges of the international coffee sector. Governments who are members of the ICO represent 97% of world coffee production and over 80% of world consumption. Since the organisation is governmental, its mission is therefore highly monitored by international representatives. Its influences are as a result, very broad. Established in 1963 when the first International Coffee Agreement (ICA) was put forward, the organisation has since expanded under many successive agreements, and still advocates the same ethos: to promote coffee’s sustainable expansion and to convert it into a marketable industry that takes every party’s interest at heart. The first ICA applied a quota system to coffee consumption, which meant that supplies that were in excess of consumer requirements were withheld from the market to increase worldwide consumption. This mission had a knock-on effect, and it has consequentially been agreed that the organisation will help to reduce poverty in developing countries that depend mostly on coffee as their primary export market. The ICO seeks to help these countries to receive the profit that they deserve from their exports and to give their population a better standard of living. To carry out this mission, the ICO: Enables governments and the private sector to exchange views on coffee matters, market conditions and orchestrate new policies based on these collective views Develops projects that will benefit the world’s coffee economy Provides economic, technical and scientific information on the world coffee sector to make people more aware of its importance Promotes a Coffee Quality Improvement Programme (CQIP) Promotes market transparency by regularly publishing statistics of the international coffee sector Since coffee is produced in over 60 countries and provides jobs and living standards to over 125 million people, the ICO is of great relative importance and provides training and information programmes to many countries with the interest of education and the sharing of technology at the forefront of the agenda. How is the ICO structured? At the head of the ICO is the International Coffee Council (ICC). It is composed of representatives from each member government in the organisation. The council meets every March and September to discuss their plans, approve or decline strategic documents and consider advice given from advisory bodies and committees. This authority is therefore a very democratic one, and does not obey the laws dictated by a hierarchy. It is instead oligarchic, and appears to observe the interests of every participant involved; even outside sources (advisory bodies, etc.). To highlight this, every decision made by the council is determined by consensus – further evidence that the company is idealistic, and post-positivist[1]. The ICO recognises that governments who take on the researcher role can themselves be influenced by their own specific backgrounds. It therefore seeks to override this by including as many representatives and opinions as possible. Whilst the ICC is at the top of the organisation, there are other departments that are made up of other ICO staff: Consultative Form on Coffee Sector Finance This forum is used to collect topics and opinions related to finance and risk management in the coffee sector; using small to medium-scale producers’ interests as a basis for discussion. Private Sector Consultative Board (PSCB) This board is comprised of 16 leading industry representatives from exporting and importing members. It discusses such matters as increasing the value and volume of international consumption of coffee; communication, sustainable development and supply chain issues. As well as these, there are four committees dedicated to various aspects of the organisation that make recommendations to the council. For instance, the Projects Committee recommends the submission and appraisal of projects, whilst the Promotion and Market Development Committee recommend issues on the promotion of consumption and market matters. There is also the Finance and Administration Committee and the Statistics Committee, which deal with matters detailed respectively. As of November 2011, Mr. Roberio Oliveira Silva has acted as the Executive Director of the ICO, and is responsible for the administration and operation of the ICA. It seems that employees have a set of tasks that are personally required to carry out (usually in groups). In light of this, and because the company is governmentalized, it appears that a career path is not visible, as each board is made up of members from a variety of governments. The company has influences all over the world, and as such requires a dedicated team of researchers on each committee it upholds. Past this, however, it seems that one would require a job in government if they wish to be on the ICC. My Personal Experiences This section of the report will consider my own experiences of the placement. What were my expectations of the work placement? Initially, I expected that I might take on a practical role that dealt with secretarial tasks such as answering phones, replying to Emails and also relaying them to the relevant staff. Moreover, my main expectations surrounded tasks that include translation and interpretation, as they are key skills of mine. I presumed these skills would be called upon by the company and that they would be utilised, being as their mission statement includes the line: â€Å"[tackling] the challenges facing the world coffee sector through international co-operation†[2]. This denotes a vital need for efficient communication. What tasks did you perform on a day-to-day basis? During my two months of placement, the variety of tasks that I undertook did not fluctuate much. The one particular role that I had was administrative, and research-based. It required me to use the ICO’s personal online library (OPAC – Online Public Access Catalogue) and garner exhaustive amounts of information surrounding the issue of sustainable development, and strategies to minimise poverty in developing countries. Focussing on countries that are heavily dependent on coffee as their primary export, the task did directly relate to the company’s overall ethos – by making a â€Å"practical contribution to the development of a sustainable world coffee sector and to reducing poverty in developing countries†[3]. Although I arguably was not making a â€Å"practical† contribution at the time of my placement, I completed the necessary steps to learn about the issue thoroughly and if I was to take on a full-time placement at the ICO, I would be ful ly prepared to pursue more hands-on tasks. As well as this, I attended administrative meetings and conferences during my placement where the primary discussion entailed sustainable development and fair coffee economy. This greatly added to my placement experience as I was able to have direct interaction with important actors in the company and observe them convey the ICO’s mission to a very truthful degree. What were your aims and objectives prior to the placementHow did they change? Prior to the placement, my primary aim was to broaden my research and writing skills, and to relate them to a realistic and professional environment. It became clear to me that collecting information is vital in the efficient running of a business; as without it, problems can’t be determined and strategies can’t be rightly organised. Employers and employees alike need research to be done so that they can exact the company’s mission to a successful degree. So my objective changed slightly to a more specific one – to collect research effectively and arrange it in a coherent manner so that others will learn from it as I did. My 10,000-word report is therefore not only written to demonstrate my own skills, but to convey lessons and information for the benefit of the reader. What do you think you did well during the placement; and also not so well? I believe I excelled at receiving instructions and understanding them rapidly. For instance, any corrections that were needed on my report were carried out with accuracy, as well as haste. I was also able to ask pertinent questions without fear of being undermined by my superiors – something that I believe is imperative when first starting a new job. Although this was the case, I admit that I was slightly nervous during the placement as it was my first time, and may have struggled with providing the highest quality research that I am capable of. The report was of significant length (10,000 words), and something that I have not tackled before, and as a result, professionalism was difficult to consistently portray. It was still a fantastic opportunity for me, and I have since learnt a lot from primary experience and will be far better prepared for next time. If the same task was asked of me again presently, I would take a calmer, more collected approach to its completion as I now harbour the experience necessary to do so. What have you learned? Perhaps the main thing I have learned is how to conduct myself within a professional environment. This involved adopting a â€Å"can do† attitude, with good manners and issue-relevant language that was necessary in the efficient running of the business. I also learnt the importance of meeting deadlines, being punctual and responsive to tasks and questions asked by my peers, as well as the difference between reports and essays. Reports are the presentation and analysis of findings from practical research, whereas essays detail a question, and seek to answer that question through deliberation on that subject – arguments, if you will. My report on sustainable development therefore presented the facts on developing countries; what their main income is, and how the ICO is seeking the benefit them around the globe. To compliment this, I have also seen first-hand the benefit of planning when attempting to meet strict deadlines, and self-organisation as a result of this. I feel that my writing style has vastly improved over the course of the placement, and that I have learnt how to adapt my academic style into a more informative reporting style that is necessary in this area of the working world. Do you think you have achieved your aims and objectives? Certainly, I have achieved my aims and objectives from this placement. My primary aim was to expand my writing skill and knowledge of working for a globally-influenced company, which I have definitely achieved over two months. In conclusion, I can say that I do feel liberated by the opportunity to try out new skills in an unfamiliar environment. Whilst my primary set of skills (translation and interpretation) were under-utilised by the organisation, I feel that they have justified this with their giving of a writing opportunity; and the chance to attend meetings on the subject of sustainable development. As a result, I would consider a career with the ICO and feel like it would be a rewarding one. Bibliography www.ico.org. Last Accessed: 20/11/2013. 2013. Mission. Accessed: http://www.ico.org/mission07_e.asp?section=About_Us. Last Accessed: 20/11/2013. Phillips C. Burbules N.C., (2000). Postpositivism and Educational Research. UK. Rowman Littlefield Publishers. ISBN-10: 0847691225 How to cite Reflective Placement Log Report – International Coffee Organisation (ICO), Essay examples

Tax Havens and the Disclosure Aggregation - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the Tax Havens and the Disclosure Aggregation. Answer: Panama papers covered an unprecedented leak of over 11.5 million files from Mossack Fonseca, which is the fourth biggest offshore law firm across the globe (Harding, 2016a). These documents highlighted the different manners in which the well-off were exploiting the secretive tax regimes offshore. Among the 143 politicians revealed in these papers, 12 were national leaders, or had their close associates and families who were using these offshore tax havens. There was a $2 billion trail which led all the way to Vladimir Putin. The others included the Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif, the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, the Prime Minister of Iceland Sigmundur Dav Gunnlaugsson, and a number of other prominent personalities (Harding, 2016b). Panama leak highlighted the manner in which there were hidden beneficial owners who used secretive companies. Due to the Panama leak, the issue of tax minimisations schemes were again questioned on whether these were ethical or whether s uch schemes were inherently unethical. This question resulted in another great question where the role of government in such schemes was questioned. This was in terms of government being required to take an action on such schemes, or to deem it as legitimate conduct (Akamah, Hope and Thomas, 2017). This discussion is focused on highlighting that such tax minimisation schemes are not ethical and that the government needs to take action on such schemes. A part of good governance practices is the companies working to minimize the tax liability which they have, by undertaken tax planning. In doing so, the companies use the tools and methods which have been allowed by the government. Even though tax planning is legal due to the tax compliant behaviour, in reality, it presents a grey area between tax planning and tax avoidance. Even though tax avoidance is categorized as legitimate, one cannot deny that it is an aggressive way of bringing down the tax liability by using certain arrangements or financial instruments which were not originally meant to be used in such manner. Based on the theme of this discussion, the use of overseas tax heavens is one of such modes. In order to avoid tax, the rules under the tax system are bent, which even though is not illegal, but does prove to be unethical, due to them following only the letter of law, in place of its spirit. So, even when the law is followed, the undertaken lowering of taxation is une thical (Back, 2013). The reason for saying that this undertaking is as unethical stems from a range of factors. The first reason in this context is that tax is a social responsibility. The government imposes and collects tax, which is then used to provide the daily base things to the public, in terms of the public infrastructure, public services, and for other different reasons. Due to the tough economic times, there are already cuts in the government spending, and where the multinational companies decide to avoid paying their share of taxes, the condition is set to worsen up. The systematic tax avoidance by the companies and rich individuals would definitely strike an ugly note in the already harsh times (Cable, 2009). Tax avoidance has been voted as the second most significant ethical issue as per the 2012 IBE survey (Ipsos, 2012). So, where tax is avoided, it is basically the social obligation being avoided. What starts with tax planning, transitions into tax avoidance, leading to the company becoming selfish and greedy and this ultimately destroys the trust of the public and damages its reputation. The leading example of this includes Amazon, Google and Starbucks who were not only vilified but also were boycotted due to their tax policies (Barford and Holt, 2013). It is the duty of the multination companies and the rich individuals to pay their fair share of tax in the nation where they operate, as it allows for the funding of public services like infrastructure, healthcare and education. And this also benefits the multinationals and rich people paying off the tax, be it in a direct manner or in an indirect manner. As a result of tax avoidance, the very integrity of the taxation system is undermined. One of the famous tactics used to avoid tax is to show that the company earned no profit. Where the company earns no profit, it would not be required to pay the corporation tax. So, even with high sales, the companies are able to show that they made no profits. HMRC recently made attempts to put the gap in corporation tax collected and the amount which should have been collected where the spirit of law in figures. This differencing figure stood at 4.1 billon (IBE, 2013). The other campaigners of this issue have estimated this value to be over 12 b illon (Murphy, 2012). 98 of the FTSE 100 companies, as per the ActionAid report of 2011 used tax havens as a mode of reducing their company tax bills (Action Aid, 2011). The companies play tax games where they shift their profits in between different jurisdictions in order to exploit the mismatches and gaps in the rules of taxation. The companies trade in an artificial manner with the shell companies which become a part of the same company group, and basically conduct business with them, in order to get the profits to disappear. As a result of this, the companies pay no or very little corporate tax. There were famous personalities like Bono, Lewis Hamilton and the Queen who had been criticized for avoiding the liabilities of tax by use of such schemes (Goff, 2017; Garside, 2017; Osborne, 2017). Even though there is a variation in their levels of culpability, they continue to be ignorant and aware of the manner in which such arrangements functions for their betterment (Lord, 2018). Where the focus is put on the ill-effects of tax avoidance upon the society, instead of defining it in a legal manner, it becomes clear that it results in growing inequality, which not only undermines the legitimacy of the state, but also increases the tax burden on the resident taxpayers (Alstadster, Johannesen and Zucman, 2017). Apart from this, the accommodation of the government, towards those structures which allow such instances of tax avoidance to take place, allows for the misuse of these in order to conceal criminal monies. An example of this is UK where there are a number of investments from such multinational companies which are based in the offshore tax havens in the property market, where there is suspicious wealth being made use of for purchasing the high end properties in UK (Allin, 2017). Tax avoidance basically shifts the funds from the public purse, which become more crucial in times of economic uncertainties and undermines the perceived social fairness. Due to thes e reasons, there is a need for the governments to bring out some measures which could restrict such activities. One of the manners of doing this is by adopting the unitary tax regime, in which the multinational businesses are deemed as single entity when it comes to the tax terms (Picciotto, 2017). Though, till the time the legal requirements for the avoidance schemes are formally approved by the state, before these are being used, instead of these being ended once they are discovered, there continues to be scope for the tax entrepreneurs to escape their tax liability (Lord, 2018). In order to further highlight how the tax minimisation by the multinational companies in unethical, there is a need to apply the leading ethical theories. The utilitarian ethics in business is the key theory which is of assistance. As per this theory, which was given by John Stuart Mill, such actions are deemed as right which help in promoting happiness for the majority. And where an action produces the reverse of happiness, it would be deemed as wrong. Tax avoidance is clearly classified in the wrong area of this theory. This is because the taxes are imposed with the intention of helping in the redistribution of earnings in a nation by taking a profit portion and then making use of it for forming the requisite programs which follow the common good theme. Where such happens that a company or an individual takes away this very liability for redistributing as a result of their tax practices, it shows that they act in an unethical manner, when the same is analysed through the lens of a utilitarian (Hall, 2015). The next ethical theory useful for present instance is virtue ethics. Virtue ethics determine that an action is to be taken as ethical, where it upholds certain virtues like honesty, integrity, justness and fairness (Winter, 2011). When the tax avoidance schemes are looked at, they reveal that there is no honesty or integrity in such acts. The purpose of indulging in such acts is merely to deceive the general public and the tax departments by showing that no profit is earned, which could be taxed; but the reality is that the profit is being diverted to shell companies, and retained for person use. This also shows the greed of the companies and individuals indulged in tax avoidance. The companies avoid paying their fair share of tax, which ultimately hurts the general public as the government is left with limited funds to work towards the betterment of such public members. It is not fair for the general public that the top cater make use of the tax avoidance schemes in fancy ways, whi ch ultimately takes away from them the things and facilities they require. Coming to the Kantian view, the need is to look at the actions undertaken by the multinational companies in order to avoid or limit their liability of tax. The Kantian view requires the undertaken actions to be ethical, instead of the result of such actions (Bowie, 2017). The multinational companies indulge in the schemes, which had been created for some other purpose by the government, just so that they do not have to pay high taxes. The actions too are thus immoral in cases of tax avoidance. So, the three leading ethical theories demonstrate that neither the undertaken actions, nor their results in the tax avoidance process is ethical, along with the absence of virtues like honesty and integrity, which is expected from such multinational companies. The large figures of the estimated loss owing to the instances of tax avoidance further strengthen the view that tax avoidance is not ethical. Panama papers were just one of the various leaks which have highlighted that tax avoidance is a real menace. The Panama leaks had 2.6 terabytes of information which was drawn from the internal database of Mossack Fonseca (Harding, 2016b). It is time that more attention is paid to the matters revolving around tax avoidance and for drawing up ways through which such unethical tasks is given the tag of being illegal as well. Only then can this menace be cured. Instead of raising arguments in favour of, or against tax avoidance is not needed as already a lot of time has been wasted in this context. It is high time that governments acts on this topic, and hides the responsible individuals, thereby bringing transparency to the tax planning process. To conclude, the Panama papers highlighted the problems of tax avoidance again, and this is not the only leak which contributed to this disclosure. There have been a number of instances which prove that these tax avoidance practices ultimately hurt the general public. This is the reason why it becomes crucial to examine the tax practices again, analyse all the issues related to the tax planning, from both legal and ethical standpoints. This is the need of time if the interests of the general public are to be secured, and for stopping such instances from happening again. There is a need to put stop of the multinational companies and the rich individuals making misuse of the schemes provided for other causes; and for bringing in the measures through which not only the letter of law, but the spirit of law is adhered to as well. Thus, from the discussion undertaken earlier, it can be concluded that tax minimisation by the multinational companies is unethical, due to these being against t he social responsibility, and being unethical based on the ethical theories. References Action Aid. (2011) Addicted to tax havens: The secret life of the FTSE 100. [Online] Available from: https://www.actionaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/doc_lib/addicted_to_tax_havens.pdf [Accessed 26/02/18] Akamah, H., Hope, O., and Thomas, W.B. (2017) Tax Havens and Disclosure Aggregation. Rotman School of Management, Working Paper No. 2419573. Allin, S. (2017) Billions of corrupt wealth fuelling London housing crisis. [Online] Available from: https://www.ftadviser.com/property/2017/03/07/billions-of-corrupt-wealth-fuelling-london-housing-crisis/ [Accessed 26/02/18] Alstadster, A., Johannesen, N., and Zucman, G. (2017) Tax Evasion and Inequality. [Online] Available from: https://gabriel-zucman.eu/files/AJZ2017.pdf [Accessed 26/02/18] Back, F. (2013) Avoiding tax may be legal, but can it ever be ethical? [Online] Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/avoiding-tax-legal-but-ever-ethical [Accessed 26/02/18] Barford, V., and Holt, G. (2013) Google, Amazon, Starbucks: The rise of 'tax shaming'. [Online] Available from: https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-20560359 [Accessed 26/02/18] Bowie, N. E. (2017)Business ethics: A Kantian perspective. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cable, V. (2009) This crisis must spur us to take on the tax avoiders. [Online] Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/feb/03/vince-cable-tax-revenue [Accessed 26/02/18] Garside, J. (2017) Lewis Hamilton avoided taxes on 16.5m jet using Isle of Man scheme. [Online] Available from: https://www.actionaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/doc_lib/addicted_to_tax_havens.pdf [Accessed 26/02/18] Goff, P. (2017) Tax rogues like Bono are harming the worlds poorest people. [Online] Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/07/tax-bono-harming-world-poorest-glastonbury-avoidance-paradise-papers [Accessed 26/02/18] Hall, K.S. (2015) The Ethics of Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion. [Online] Available from: https://www.neumann.edu/about/publications/NeumannBusinessReview/journal/Review2015/Hall.pdf [Accessed 26/02/18] Harding, L. (2016a) Panama Papers: a special investigation Mossack Fonseca: inside the firm that helps the super-rich hide their money. [Online] Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/08/mossack-fonseca-law-firm-hide-money-panama-papers [Accessed 26/02/18] Harding, L. (2016b) What are the Panama Papers? A guide to history's biggest data leak. [Online] Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2016/apr/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-panama-papers [Accessed 26/02/18] IBE. (2013) Tax Avoidance as an Ethical Issue for Business. [Online] Available from: https://www.ibe.org.uk/userassets/briefings/ibe_briefing_31_tax_avoidance_as_an_ethical_issue_for_business.pdf [Accessed 26/02/18] Ipsos. (2012) Sharp decline in those who think businesses behave ethically. [Online] Available from: https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/sharp-decline-those-who-think-businesses-behave-ethically [Accessed 26/02/18] Lord, N. (2018) Tax avoidance might be legal, but its time we seriously questioned its ethics.[Online] Available from: https://theconversation.com/tax-avoidance-might-be-legal-but-its-time-we-seriously-questioned-its-ethics-87133 [Accessed 26/02/18] Murphy, R. (2012) How come the big business tax gap is 12 billion a year when they and HMRC deny it? [Online] Available from: https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2012/04/15/how-come-the-big-business-tax-gap-is-12-billion-a-year-when-they-and-hmrc-deny-it/ [Accessed 26/02/18] Osborne, H. (2017) Revealed: Queen's private estate invested millions of pounds offshore. [Online] Available from: https://www.actionaid.org.uk/sites/default/files/doc_lib/addicted_to_tax_havens.pdf [Accessed 26/02/18] Picciotto, S. (2017) Taxing Multinational Enterprises as Unitary Firms. [Online] Available from: https://www.ids.ac.uk/publication/taxing-multinational-enterprises-as-unitary-firms [Accessed 26/02/18] Winter, M. (2011). Rethinking Virtue Ethics. New York: Springer.

Abortion2 essays

Abortion2 essays This topic has always been a concern between the people and the government. There are approximately 1.6 million abortions. Abortion means Induced termination of pregnancy and expulsion of an embryo or fetus that is incapable of survival. I think that basically, people can do whatever they want to do, as long as they know what they are doing. What abortion is, is that if a woman has a baby in her stomach, and she does not want to have the baby, she can go through abortion or have the baby and put the baby for adoption. The main reason for aborting a baby is because that they can not handle the responsibility, another one is because they can not afford it. There are three stages in a womans pregnancy. The first stage is when the baby is still a small egg kind of growing. The second stage is when it actually gets their feet and hands and a heart. The third stage is when it is actually living off of your body as another human being. think that if you are too young to have a ba by, and you are pregnant, then I think it should be ok for the person to abort the child. One of the side effects for having an abortion is that you feel the pain and you can get diarrhea, nausea, also it increases chances of getting cancer, anemia, and lung disease. Another effect that has on the women is the psychological effects. About ninety five percent of the women who had an abortion had a negative psychological effect, and ninety seven percent thought they have taken a humans life. There are many ways to abort a child, most of the time the doctor would just prescribe medication to take. If medication does not work, they will pull it out. Most of the time, the medication would kill the baby and the woman would just have to give birth to a dead baby, or they can make it so that you have a miscarriage. However, if the baby is in its first trimester, a vacuum can suck it and it will have hardly any damage to yo ...

Journey to the Center of the Earth †Book Reviews

Journey to the Center of the Earth – Book Reviews Free Online Research Papers Journey to the Center of the Earth Book Reviews The book, Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne, tells as the story of an amazing journey of three brave men to the core of the Earth. This story shows as the relationships between three absolutely different men, who travel together through impediments and dangers. From the beginning to the end of the story Jules Verne, opens to us unbelievable occurrences and describes tiny details of a fantasy world that lay deep inside in the center of the Earth. Author describe in this story a lot of science inventions that were incredible for that time, but today we can see these inventions in our everyday life. Journey to the Center of the Earth is an adventure story that has some elements of fantasy and science fiction. These qualities make this story exciting and unpredictable to the last page of the book. I chose this book because fantasy and science fiction are my favorite genres, but at the same time, I like story with unpredictable and happy end, and Journey to the Center of the Earth is one of that kinds of stories. The main idea of this story is to show to us that there is nothing impossible and unbelievable if you are brave and believe in your convictions without any doubts. For me the most exciting episode in this story it is the voyage on a self-made raft in the subterranean ocean during a storm. This episode is an example of boldness of three travelers who continually struggles with enormous troubles on their way to the goal. Moreover, writer demonstrates meaning of a friendship between people in a difficult situation. During the journey travelers together, solve many difficult tasks. Thus, when Henry lost his last hope to be rescued he heard a voice of his uncle and Hans who were searching for him all this time when he was sitting in this gloomy place. Once a genius scientist Professor Liedenbrock and his nephew Harry found in an old book one strange piece of paper with a secret codified map. This story started on the 24th of May, 1863, into a little house, No. 19 Konigstrasse, one of the oldest streets in the oldest portion of the city of Hamburg, but continued in a mountain of Iceland. This story describes us a long and dangerous journey through rocky cliffs and deep precipices to the crater, which contains the shaft that leads to the center of the Earth. Journey to the center of the Earth open to us a new clandestine world with new creatures and gigantic people that live in the center of the Earth. This journey last about four month, but the most exciting thing in this journey is that it started in one crater in Iceland and finished in another crater in Sicily that laid about 1200 km from the first one. The real journey to the center of the Earth started in a mountain of Iceland where Professor and Harry found a guide Hans who was a native Icelander. First, they achieved the mountain Sneffels in Iceland it was the place where they found an enter to the subterranean world. When they achieved the Sneffels, they disclosed another problem, they were not sure about which of the three shafts was that shafts that lead to the center of the Earth, so they spent some days solving this problem nevertheless they found the right way to the core of the Earth. The main goal that Professor Liedenbrock and his nephew Harry set was to achieve the center of the Earth, but finally this expedition exceeded all their expectation. They found subterranean world with ocean, dinosaurs and giant people. However, the most important event of their journey was the discovery that they made in a core of the Earth, they proved that inside of our Earth there is a secret world. When they came back home, people met them like a heroes. The main character of this story is Professor Liedenbrock. Professor Liedenbrock is a scientist who worked in a sphere of geology, it is necessary to mention that he was one of the most famous experts in geology of that time. He is a tall and spear man of iron constitution with restless eyes that always in a constant motion. He belongs to that kind of people who always do that they decided before and it is very difficult to change their decision. In all difficult situations, he is a leader who always makes a right decision, but this property of his temper sometimes is unbearable for his companions. Another character of this story is Harry, he is very young and smart, and he always trying to dispute with his uncle Professor Liedenbrock. During the entire journey, he is thinking about dangers that lie and wait for them in the center of the Earth, and this quality sometimes does not let him think sensibly. The third character it is an Icelandic guide Hans. For me it is the most interest ing person in this story because he took part in this dangerous adventure just because of money and the most comical thing that Professor Liedenbrock paid him his salary every week even when all of them were on the edge of death. His main dignity is that he has a talent to be calm and coolheaded in very dangerous situations. I think that this book is excellent. This story is fast paced, exciting, original and charming. When I read this book I it was very simple for me to imagine the pictures that were describing in this book. As a matter of fact, this book is outstanding because it was written in 1864 and at that time, it was impossible to imagine a journey to the center of the earth, so this book is really cool. Therefore, we can understand how far ahead of his time Jules Verne was in comprehending science. Before reading this book, I have not ever thought that inside our planet may be something like a hidden world with oceans and ancient animals, but now it is not very hard for me to imagine this. Consequently, this book has changed my imagination and understanding of the world in general. When I try to place myself on the place of one of the characters and imagine myself deep under the Earth, my heart sinks and I am starting to understand feelings of Harry who was alone in the heart of the planet. And I also think, that this book shows very well the deep knowledge of sciences of the author who wrote this excellent book. When you read it, you learn a lot of new information about geology and physic. I have a very good impression of this book because I have learnt a lot of new information about world, I read about national traditions of people who leave in a mountain of Iceland. And it was also very interesting to read a story that was written more then hundred years ago. Therefore I want to advise everybody to read this book. Research Papers on Journey to the Center of the Earth - Book ReviewsMind TravelThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayThe Fifth HorsemanThe Spring and AutumnHip-Hop is ArtHonest Iagos Truth through Deception19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Asia Pacific Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Asia Pacific Business - Essay Example Similarly, China had also begun showing its hyper-growth during the late 70s. According to a report published by The World Bank (2009), it had been observed that the economic performance of Japan and China are even better than that of their complementary countries such as the United States of America and other European countries. In order to recognize the characteristics of business systems currently practiced in Japan and China, it is essential to understand the concept of business system beforehand. Apart from this, culture is also regarded as one of the most crucial factors, which influences business systems directly, as an effective impact can be observed on the economy too. Moreover, internalization has also changed the nature of business systems for more than a couple of decades (Yeung, 2000). In accordance with Padmalingam (2000), Japan and China both share a substantial percentage of similarities that is identifiable in terms of their cultures and social systems particularly owing to their geographical positioning. As a result, over the years, these countries have developed similar characteristics in terms of religion, culture and national identity (Padmalingam, 2002). Besides, it has also been observed that both the countries share almost similar value systems, which have influenced each other on several occasions, quite apparently. However, a critical analysis of the phenomenon revealed that both the countries, i.e. China and Japan, on their path of development, have come to follow two completely separate modern civilizations in order to develop economic policies, especially in the post World War II period. These variances can be framed with the help of different business cultures and varied patterns of economic systems. During the transition period of the post war ec onomic system, it has also been observed that the governmental authorities in Japan and China had a commanding role in order to support the growth of domestic firms

Digital Literacies and Teenagers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Digital Literacies and Teenagers - Essay Example Internet plays a major role in the lives of adults and teenagers alike and the significance of the internet in a teenager's life increases with every day. Teenagers use internet in numerous ways. Internet and digital devices serve as a main source of entertainment to the teenagers. The need for internet becomes vital as long as there is a need for getting faster and in-depth information. The progressively growing internet and computers has become mandatory for teenagers in day to day life. Educators need to keep this in mind and give them a â€Å"head-start† (Thelen par.6) in school. Digital devices are a rage among young people today. Tablets, laptops and smart phones top the teen’s wish lists. MP3 players and other digital gadgets like play stations, palm tops are also widely used by many of today’s students. Digital literacy is a must for the present day teenagers. It is the wave of the future. Today's teenagers will be tomorrow's leaders and working members o f the society. Teenagers who do not have digital literacy will find themselves far behind in the future. Activities of Teenagers on the Internet A new â€Å"Pew Internet Project† survey reveals â€Å"that 93% of teenagers 12?17 go online† (Teen and Young Adult Internet Use. par.1). The frequent activity on the internet by teenagers is the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Estimates suggest that â€Å"73%† of teens have â€Å"profiles on social networking sites† (How are Online Issues Affecting Children? Par.7). Social networking sites are forums where information can be posted, shared and uploaded. Teens use these sites to chat with their friends all over the world. Similarly, every teenager with access to computers has an e-mail account. E-mails make communication easier. Commercial sites are used to buy things online, such as books, clothing, or music. To have a video chat conversation with other people chatting tools like Skype and Google Talk etc are used by teenagers. Internet is also used by teens to gather information about â€Å"health, dieting, physical fitness information† (Trends Data (Teens) Par.1) for homework and assignments. Teenagers use internet also to publish journals, articles and research papers. Movies, games and songs are downloaded easily using the internet. Teens also use internet to play online games and watch movies online, using YouTube. Cell phone is the other major characteristic of the present day. It is estimated that â€Å"75% of teens have cell phones† (How are Online Issues Affecting Children? Par.7). Smart phones, which have GPS tracking enable the parents to know the whereabouts of their teens. â€Å"58% of teenagers send â€Å"Instant Messages (IM) or text messages using the site† (Facts and statistics on Teens and Technology par. 3). The student’s curiosity to gather and know more information is quenched by popular search engines like Google, AskJeevs etc. Digital readers and other devices reduce the need for carrying heavy books and notebooks to schools and colleges. Data stored on a computer as reports and assignments can easily be manipulated into a number of different formats, making it easier to study. Communicating and downloading content are two primary uses of the

Decision Making Process Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Decision Making Process Paper - Essay Example Three years ago after graduating, I took an entry-level job because of the experience and skills I would gain. However, after two years and joining the full-time rank of employees, I got frustrated with my job because of the low pay, I was getting. I was spending more than what I was earning and wanted this to change. I decided that I wanted to quit my job and start a small business. It was a critical decision that I had to make carefully because the economy today is extremely challenging and in most cases, such entry-level jobs are a luxury when jobs are so hard to come by even for graduates. In addition, like all new business, I was not sure if it would be successful or not. In such situations, most parents are not happy with such decisions, so I had to convince my parents, why the loan I borrowed from them, was not a waste of their hard-earned money. According to Bateman and Snell (2007), to make an effective decision, the first step is to identify and diagnose the problem. I had to recognize the difference that existed between my current job state and the state that I desired. In the second stage, it is critical to generate an alternative solution. I decided that since the little amount I had saved was not enough to start the business, I would borrow my parents a loan. The third stage in decision-making is to evaluate the existing alternatives and the fourth stage is to make a choice. I was spending more than I was earning, therefore found it wiser to quit my job and start a business where I would get the opportunity to earn more than I spent. The last stage in decision-making process involves implementing the decision (Bateman & Snell, 2007). I knew this stage of decision-making required careful planning, so I made all the preparations necessary when starting a new business such as getting a business license and used but effic ient office equipment. Today, I am a proud owner of a small business

Muslim Women Living In A Westernized Society Theology Religion Essay

Muslim Women Living In A Westernized Society Theology Religion Essay The following research report was requested and granted by Philip Broster, The Business Communication lecturer at the Tertiary School in Business Administration, for 8 October 2012. Permission was granted by Philip Broster to conduct research on the debate regarding the wearing of hijab and the western pressures of this felt by Muslim women who study at TSiBA Education. His specific instructions were to: Compile a research report based on the previous research proposal to research the debate regarding the hijab and the pressures felt by Muslim women at TSiBA. Present a literature review as well as findings in a written document and to conclude by identifying a relationship, if any , between the literature and the findings of the research. The report is to be submitted on the 8 October 2012. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION Subject of the research The Debate Regarding the Hijab, Investigating the Pressures Felt by Muslim women living in a Westernized Country: A TSiBA case-study. Background to the research Literature on this topic is abundant as research has been conducted globally on the topic of the hijab as to the reasons why women should and should not wear the hijab. The research conducted was made possible through the use of surveys, interviews, questionnaires and observations. Katherine Bullock in particular, a Canadian community activist, author and lecturer did extensive research on the topic of the hijab and published her findings in the form of a book called Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil which challenges Historical and Modern Stereotypes.  She has also published articles on Muslim women and the media, and Islam and political theory. Purposes of the research The objectives of the study are to examine if the dominant negative Western perception affects the reasons why the Muslim community is divided on the subject of hijab. This research addresses the concern for a dialogue that could inform westernised societies about the personal reasons why some female Muslim students wear hijab and why others do not. I want my research to be meaningful, relevant to local communities and to open my mind and that of others by being taught through research and personal interviews about the subject. Scope and limitations This study was conducted in a very short period of time with a very small sample group as the pool of participants was limited to the Muslim students at TSiBA Education. The data set is meaningful, but not representative of the vast range of Muslims in different contexts. It will however show a diversity of views within a common theology and faith. A more sizable sample within the target group would have provided a larger and more conclusive amount of data. This can have a bias that favours the educated and the youth of Cape Town. Another limitation of my study was that all of the participants belonged to one ethnic group being from the race regarded in South Africa as Coloured. This was due to the fact TSiBA Education is a relatively small university whose Muslim female population is a fraction of the total students of which there were no Muslim women from a different race or culture. The research conducted could have benefitted from a more diverse pool of applicants. Plan of development This research report was compiled in the following manner. Firstly I provide my literature review which I put together for the purpose of exploring what has previously been written on the topic so that you and I may learn from it and be aware of it as we go about this research. Secondly I made a survey form of 3 pages long that contained relevant questions which I derived from the process of compiling the literature review. Thirdly, At random I selected 10 Muslim women studying at TSiBA to be my participants and followed through by conducting my survey about each one of them. Lastly, I analyzed the data obtained from the surveys and make this information available to you while also comparing my research findings to the findings derived from my literature review. METHODOLOGY Literature review The first piece of work I did was conducting research on the topic of the hijab in order to compile a literature review. My literature review took a significant amount of time in relation to how long the actual research demanded. Information was abundant regarding the topic of hijab, modernization, the dominant Western perception and the medias role in the portrayal of Muslim women that I found it particularly challenging to sift out important points from the all information available. My literature review saw two sessions of editing with my Communications lecturer who helped me construct and organized the important information once I identified it. Participation The target group for the research was initially 20 South African Muslim women between the ages of 18 and 40. This age group was the target of this study because they were the current generation of TSiBA students and were experiencing modern South Africa in a time when it seemed there was an ever increasing influx of Western culture after Apartheid. The age group is also likely to include married women who might be inclined to think differently about the hijab as their marriage might have changed the way each looks at the hijab. The participants of my research were all female as I had hoped, but unfortunately all of them belonged to one ethnic group being from the race regarded in South Africa as Coloured. There were 2 married women, and 8 unmarried women. 5 of them wore hijab and 5 of them were women who choose not to. Method of data collection One method of obtaining data was employed. The research draws on qualitative data from comprehensive surveys conducted on 10 Muslim students regarding hijab. The survey was constructed in a manner that it took students approximately 5 minutes to complete. After many different drafts of the survey I went to the Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) Education to distribute the final version. My survey included the opinions of both young women who wear the hijab and those that do not. I did not ask for names in any section of the survey to ensure the anonymity of all my human subjects. In the end I collected 10 surveys in total which was a smaller sample group than I had initially hoped. After gathering the surveys, I analyzed the results manually. LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction The debate regarding the wearing of religious garb in public, specifically coverings worn by Muslim women has increased over the past few years resulting in a lot of controversy among those who agree with the practice and those who do not (iqraonline.net). Hijab is seen all over the world, especially in places with a high concentration of practicing Muslims. The hijab has resulted in severe media disputes and now denotes the difference of cultures. The French, along with the west expected that the hijab would pass away into history as westernization and secularization took root. However, in the Muslim world, especially among the younger generation, a great wave of returning to hijab was spreading through various countries. This current resurgence is an expression of Islamic revival (Nakata, 1994). The Topic of Hijab External to South Africa The views of feminists The Western media and feminists often portray the  hijab  as a symbol of oppression and slavery of women (www.al-islam.org). A theory of Orientalism has been in existence since 1978 which argues that the Muslim population is deemed backward, uncivilized beings who are outcasts in Western society (Said, 1978). Many feminists, both Western and Islamic argue that the hijab is a symbol of gender oppression and that the Islamic veiling of women is an oppressive practice. Fadel Amara, an Islamic feminist and Muslim female member of French government describes the burqa as a prison and a straightjacket which is not religious but is the symbol of a tyrannical political project for sexual inequality (King, 299.). Feminists argue that public presence and visibility is important to Western women. This overlaps sexism and racism as well as there are two arguments made by feminists who are divided on the topic of the hijab. a) The argument of oppression One argument is for hijab to be banned in public as they encourage the harassment of women who are unveiled and because public presence and visibility represents their struggle for economic independence, sexual agency and political participation. In the Western culture, celebrities are regarded as trend-setters defining what is acceptable. The hijab is therefore also seen as a problem because it poses challenge to the view of unconventional visibility and freedom of self-expression. (www.theage.com). Although it is true that many women do choose to wear the hijab, it is not the case for all women. In many Middle Eastern and North African countries women are forced, persecuted and abused for noncompliance with the hijab. This was demonstrated in Pakistan where an extremist killed a womens activist and government minister because she refused to wear the hijab. King states, From Afghanistan to Algeria to Sudan, Pakistan and Iran- women are systematically brutalized and caught in a deadl y crossfire between the secular and fundamentalist forces. Some Islamic feminists argue that although the statement in the Quran about women covering themselves was not meant to oppress women, the interpretation of those verses by Islamic societies does in fact oppress women. Although it can be argued that the hijab is a symbol of the oppression that occurs against women in Islam, many Islamic women dont agree. It is true that under some Islamist rule, specifically in some North African countries, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia women are oppressed and forced to wear the hijab, but in an international context, this is the exception to the rule regarding womens practices of wearing the veil. Salma Yaqoob, a Muslim woman who chooses to wear the hijab explains the veil is not only an oppressing force in Islamic countries that require the veil, but also in Western countries that ban the veil. Yaqoob adamantly contends that by infringing laws that restricts womens choice on whether or not to wear the veil, they are also being oppressed. I am opposed to the Saudi and Iranian governments imposition of the veil and that of the Taliban previously. But this is also why I oppose the ban on wearing the hijab. In both cases the woman herself is no longer free to make a choice. In both cases her dignity is violated. Yaqoob explains that more women are currently banned from wearing the hijab, than are required to wear it. b) The argument of liberation It can be argued that rather than oppressing, the hijab is liberating. The second argument made by feminists supports the argument of fundamentalist Islamic leaders who argue that Muslim women have the right to choose to wear or not to wear a hijab as it is part of a Muslim womans duty to wear a hijab. These feminists demand that the French ban be withdrawn because they believe the oppressing force behind the veil is when authority figures, both Islamic and Western, take away a womans right to choose. They defend the veil as a mark of agency, cultural membership, and defiance. Tayyab Bashart, a feminist scholar and Muslim who teaches in France explains her beliefs A woman in hijab, who is a functioning member of society, symbolizes an empowered, independent woman, rather than someone who lacks self-determination and is a puppet of society (Basharat, 2006). The veil itself is just a piece of cloth. Human beings interpret the hijab according to social and religious constructions. Throu gh the Western discussion and banning of the hijab in public schools, the Muslim school girls of France lose their freedom to express their spirituality. The desired effect of the 2004 law is to fight gender oppression and inequality in the public school system, but as a residual effect, it actually diminishes womens freedoms rather than enhancing them. The law on the headscarf supports the oppressing Western discourses about veiled women and attempts to Westernize French Muslim schoolgirls. Western Governments In Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Iran, the full covering, more commonly known as the burqa, has been made compulsory upon female citizens. In contrast to this, the unwillingness to understand the religion and culture of Muslims has resulted in traditional clothing such as the burqa and the hijab being banned with the hope of Westernised societies achieving secularism in Islamic countries. Katherine Bullock shines light on the differences in judgment over hijab by having identified themes from her research on women and the religion of Islam. She divides these themes into the descriptions of those who are for and those who are against the hijab. According to Bullock, critics of the veil rely on secular liberal assumptions about society and human nature and therefore the veil is supposed to be and described as a symbol of oppression because it: Covers up (hides), in the sense of smothering, femininity Is apparently linked to the essentialized male and female difference (which is taken to mean that by nature, male is superior, female is inferior); Is linked to a particular view of womans place (subjugated in the home); Is linked to an oppressive (patriarchal) notion of morality and female purity (because of Islams Emphasis on chastity, marriage, and condemnation of pre- and extra-marital sexual relations); Can be imposed; and Is linked to a package of oppressions women in Islam face, such as seclusion, polygamy, easy male divorce, unequal inheritance rights. Western countries has developed this view and disregarded other views of what public visibility may be to different women with differing beliefs. (www.theage.com).An example of this is that France has decided upon the banning of the hijab to be worn in schools. Frances 2004 law, popularly referred to as the law on the headscarf, reveals the difficulty of respecting conflicting ideas between diverse communities, especially when one community, in this case the Muslims of France, is a minority. According to this law, female students are banned from wearing the hijab as well as all other openly religious symbols in public schools. France bans women from wearing the hijab in public schools because many feminists and lawmakers argue that veiling women serves as an oppressing force, a force that silences women. Alia Al- Sari states in her article The Racialization of Muslim Veils: A Philosophical Analysis many feminists see the headscarf As a symbol of Islamic gender oppression that à ¢Ã¢â €š ¬Ã‚ ¦should be banned from public schools, a space where gender equality is presumed (or desired). Supporters of the law believe it fights gender oppression and gives equality to women in the school system. Media attitudes in reporting Islam and hijab While the media cannot be the only party held accountable or blamed for societal attitudes towards smaller cultures and religions, theses media moguls create the lens through which reality is perceived (Bullock Jafri, 2000). Western media sees itself as a democratic powerhouse and therefore is frequently answerable for legitimising and distributing racism and bias against religious communities such as Muslims (Bullock Jafri, 2000). The media in Westernised societies portrays Muslims as tricky, sleazy, sexual and untrustworthy, as uniformly violent, as oppressors of women, and as members of a global conspiracy (Bullock Jafri, 2000). For example, in 1998 a shift was noted regarding the European medias depiction of women who wear the hijab. Veiled women were no longer portrayed as exotic but instead as a threat to society (Macmaster Lewis, 1998,). This highlights the contrasting representations of Muslim women as concurrently being oppressed and threatening. In 2005 Begum argues that these images of Islamic dress were increasingly used in the media as visual shorthand for treacherous extremism, and that Muslims living in Europe were suffering from the consequences of these associations (Begum, 2005). The increase of these media portrayals and political deliberation has segregated the Muslim community and had a further disruptive effect on society and feminism at large. (Begum, 2005) Since then, the media in France reported on a women who was suspended for wearing a hijab under her hat while working as a meter reader, a fashion show of veiled women that was banned, the hindrance of hijab-wearing mothers from volunteering in schools, the refusal of cafeteria service to a student wearing a hijab and the banning of a witness to a civil service wedding from signing the documentation based on the argument that hijab prevented her from proper identification. Many authors on this topic dispute that because of the medias cultural fascination with Muslim womens dress as symbols of oppression, Muslim women often have to resort to focusing on that facet of their identity as well, even if they would rather discuss something else. These authors state that even cases of responsible journalism have a propensity to devalue Muslim women. This is because Muslim women are primarily depicted as exotic, victimised, or threatening outcasts rather than your ordinary peaceful next door neighbours. (www.reportingdiversity.org.) It is evident that the hijab remains a hot topic in Western countries and that the wellbeing and identities of Muslim women in Westernised societies are related to the wearing of the headscarf as a consequence. Hijab within the Muslim Community The opinions of Muslim women vary in their decision about whether or not to wear the hijab. The hijab, according to many Muslims, has multiple uses and meanings. The hijab is a symbolic of modesty and morality. According to Islam, the hijab functions as a shield for a woman against the lustful gaze of men. The hijab also serves as a cover to preserve the modesty and piety of the woman, as that is her main role as stated in the Quran. The most basic debate over the hijab is over the requirement of the hijab. This is an issue that is debated by many Muslim scholars. First in order to understand why there is an issue it is important to understand the power of the Quran. The Quran is the word of God brought to humanity by his last messenger the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Islam is the religion of total submission to Allah (God the Father) and obedience to Allah. As the Quran is Gods word then it also means total submission and obedience to Quran. The first issue with the requirement of the hijab comes from whether the hijab is in the Quran or not. There are two sides to this argument; there are those who say that the hijab is a requirement because it is in the Quran and those who say that it is not because it is not part of the Quran Reasons why Muslim Women wear the hijab The laws of the Quran Amr Khaleds, a popular Islamic scholar, layman, and highly influential Muslim speaker, represents the school of thought that considers the hijab to be directly in the Quran and thus a requirement for Muslim women. He quotes these Quranic verses that make the hijab obligatory to Muslim women. O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And ALLAH is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surah 33: verse 59). In this verse women are told to cover their bodies so that they should be known as modest women and are not harassed. According to Amr Khalads lecture Al-Hijab, the hijab also serves the purpose of forcing men to not sexually objectify women but to see her as a vessel of intelligence and high moral values. Khalad says that the hijab reinforces the fact that Islam has placed the beauty of a female on a higher value in the eyes of men by providing protection of her beauty from uncontrolled lusts and desires, and instead ordering men to respect greater the inner beauty of her soul. Thus, the real value of women is associated with the degree of her modesty and her abidance by it (Khaled Al-Hijab). Yaqoob states her personal reasons why she wears the veil, For me, the wearing of the hijab denotes that as a woman I expect to be treated as an equal in terms of my intellect and personality and my appearance is relevant only to the degree that I want it to be, when I want it to be.. This is the traditional Islamic rational for the hijab and why it is important in Islam (Khalad AlHijab). A symbol of resistance A study about hijab in the West also provides another theory that I believe can also be applied in South Africa because it is a country heavily influenced by the West. The idea of the hijab as a symbol of resistance is explored by Tarik Kulenovic but not necessarily one that is strictly political. Tarik Kulenovics theory suggests that the hijab in the West is a matter of identity, a physical symbol of a womans Muslim identity. This symbol also carries a message of religiosity in a modernizing society which encourages a secular life style and scorns tradition. Kulenovic asserts that the modern identity of Muslim women, which includes the wearing of the veil, is primarily the identity of resistance to the values that individuals find foreign to them and as such imposed on them (Kulenovic, page 717). Thus, in modern society, the hijab can be thought of as a means of retaining a religious life style while assimilating to the demands of the modern world. Another reason women choose to wea r the hijab is that they find that the hijab serves as an empowering factor. The Interpretation of the hijab by those who wear it Katherine Bullock, through her research, provides some reasons why women wear the hijab. The hijab to these wearers: 1. Does not smother femininity; 2. Brings to mind the different-but-equal school of thought, but does not put forward essentalized male-female difference; 3. Is linked to a view that does not limit women to the home, but neither does it consider the role of stay-at-home-mother and homemaker oppressive; 4. Is linked to a view of morality that is oppressive only if one considers the prohibition of sexual relations outside marriage wrong; 5. Is part of Islamic law, though a law that ought to be implemented in a very wise and women-friendly manner, and 6. Can and should be treated separately from other issues of womens rights in Islam. Spirituality Some women have a deep spiritual and religious connection to the veil and firmly disagree with the view of it as a sign of oppression. Many Muslim women feel uncomfortable without wearing it because the hijab is deeply-rooted in their personal values and religious tradition. A main reason women choose to wear the hijab, is as expression of spirituality. Bashart states in his book that Muslim women carry with them their sacred private space into the public space by use of the Hijab. In this view of the hijab, the veil is not simply an article of clothing; or a symbol of oppression it is a tool of spirituality for women. Fadwa El Guindi, author of The Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance, says veiling patterns and veiling behaviour are. about sacred privacy, sanctity and the rhythmic interweaving of patterns of worldly and sacred life, linking women as the guardians of family sanctuaries and the realm of the sacred in this world. Reasons why Muslim Women do not wear the hijab In the Quranic this verse although it says to draw the cloak all over their bodies, it does not specifically say the hair. In addition, it does not specify in what way, to what extent, and in what manner women should cover themselves. There are many modern alternative views to this idea that the hijab is compulsory because it is in the Quran. For example, Dr.Reza Alsan, an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions, the founder of AslanMedia.com and also one of the leading scholars in the alternative view, considers the hijab not an obligatory aspect of being a Muslim woman. Aslan claims that the hijab is shockingly not compulsory upon Muslim women anywhere in the Quran. Instead he claims that the veil was an Arab culture before the arrival of Islam, through contact with Syria and Iran, where the veil was the sign of the upper class women. According to Lelia Ahmed and those who fall in the second school of thought like Aslan, the only places that the hijab is applied t o women is when it is addressing the wives of Prophet Muhammad. Thus the veil was only associated with the prophets wives and his daughters not all women of Islam. This school of thought does not deny that modesty was expected of all believers. Believing women are instructed to guard their private parts and drape a cover over their breasts when in the presence of strange men (Surah 24:31-32) as quoted by Aslan. Here specific parts of the body are named that women should guard and cover including the private parts and the breast but the hair is not mentioned. Thus those in this school of thought like Leila Ahmed and Reza Alsan do not believe that the hijab is mandatory for Muslim women because it is not mentioned in the Quran. Conclusion of Literature review This research investigates the reasons why the Muslim community is divided on the subject of the veil and if the dominant negative perception of hijab (as the hijab being oppressive) has affected, if at all, the wearing of hijab in TSiBA Education. In the attempt to answer this question, the research has presented two hypotheses: (1) Living in South Africa, a country with great Western influence, causes some Muslim women to fear wearing the hijab and to abandon it all together (2) Muslim women choose to wear the hijab for spirituality reasons despite constant the pressures of the West 5. RESULTS OF OBSERVATIONS While analyzing the results, I was interested to see if there would be a correlation between the findings in my literature review and the results of my research. My data collection was a result of 10 surveys this research revealed that my two hypotheses were in agreement with a majority of this small sample of subjects. The data collected represents the opinions and beliefs of a total of 10 human participants which is 50% of the total intended target group. Thus, the data collected must only be interpreted as speculative and cannot be assumed applicable to all Muslim women or all Muslim female students. The results were as follows: 5 of the 10 participants wore the hijab. 3 of those 5 said that they strongly agree to wearing the hijab for religious reasons while 2 participants said they agree that they wear it for religious reasons but that religion is not the main reason why they wear the hijab. 3 out of the 5 Muslim wear the hijab even though the hijab makes them feel like they dont fit in with their peers. 1 person however does feel that she fits in with her peers and in her community because she wears the hijab. The hijab makes all five participants who wear the hijab feel protected and safe in public. 3 of them strongly agreed while 2 agreed. 5 participants said that all Muslim women should wear hijab when asked if they believe all Muslim women should wear the hijab, the opinions were 50/50. Interestingly, Out of the 5 participants that wear the hijab, 1 person said that she does not believe all Muslim women should wear hijab; 1 woman who does not wear the hijab said that even though she doesnt wear the hijab yet, she believes all Muslim women should wear the hijab. When asked if women who do not wear the hijab can be good Muslims: 8 women agreed that Muslim women can be good Muslims if they do not wear the hijab, 1 participant had no opinion saying one shouldnt judge, if you judge, what kind of Muslim does that make you?, 1 said Muslim women cannot be good if they do not practice the hijab. When asked for their definition of hijab, 60% defined it as covering with loose fitting clothes, 20% said all forms acceptable and 20% just covering your hair. The rating (1= no influence, 5= influenced but not explicitly forced,10 = I had no choice) of influence of family on participants choice to wear or not to wear hijab: From the 5 participants who wear hijab, 1 rated a 5, 1 rated a 6, 1 rated an 8 elaborating that her parents are religiously strict, 1 rated a 2, and 1 rated a 7 saying that the sudden death of her aunt influenced her choices in life and her consideration of the hijab. From the 5 participants who do not wear the hijab, 2 participants rated 5; 2 rated the influence of their family as a 1 and 1 participant rated 9 saying that her family allows her choice not to wear the hijab. The limitations section showed that all participants felt free to drive a car, study at a university, find a job, travel freely outside of Cape Town, own a computer and have access to the internet. 5 participants felt that they were not hired for a job because they wear the hijab while 1 participant said that she is new to wearing the hijab so the question is not applicable to her No participants felt that they were not hired because of NOT wearing the hijab TSIBA Womens view on the issue/view of hijab in the West 9 participants agree that the West (Europe and America) has a dominantly negative view on hijab. 1 participant had no opinion When asked their opinion of the Western perception and the West should continue not to encourage women to wear the hijab. 4 participants strongly disagree, 3 disagree, 3 had no opinion and 1 participant said she strongly agrees. When asked if they thought the West is ill-informed and should make more of an effort to understand the hijab and why Muslim women wear it: 6 participants said they strongly agree , 3 agreed and 1 participants said she had no opinion. 6 participants have friends from the West while the remaining 4 do not. DISCUSSION This research investigates the debate regarding the reasons why some Muslim women wear hypotheses were confirmed in a majority of this small sample group. In the attempt to answer these questions, the research has presented two hypotheses suggesting that: (1) Living in South Africa, a country with great Western influence, causes some Muslim women to fear wearing the hijab and to abandon it all together. (2)The main reason Muslim women choose to wear the hijab is for spirituality reasons despite the constant the pressures of the dominant Western perception. Defining the hijab The point of view unknown to me before starting my research was that there are Muslim women who did not know that there were differing interpretations about what the hijab is tangibly. In fact, from the surveys it is evident that amongst Muslims there is a concept of a correct hijab and an incorrect hijab. Before my research commenced, the purpose of the research was not intended to identify whether my target population was aware that many Muslims have differing beliefs the hijab. My research revealed that within the Muslim community there exist different interpretations of what the hijab is tangibly. 60% of participants claimed that the correct physical hijab is a head scarf and long loose fitting clothing that conceals the shape

This Way To The Gas versus On My First Son Essay -- Tadeusz Borowski B

The short story, â€Å"This Way To The Gas, Ladies And Gentlemen† by Tadeusz Borowski and the poem â€Å"On My First Son† by Ben Johnson, both deal with death. They are very different types of death and are told in different ways but through some similar approaches, a similar feeling is portrayed to the reader of each. One of the first similarities of the two is that they are both told in the first person as well as being personal accounts. Ben speaks, as himself, about the death of his son and Borowski tells of events at a death camp that he was in during WWII. They both tell their stories through their own voices which adds a lot to the experience of reading. It allows the reader to except just how real the story is. Once the reader accepts that, then the reader is able to more fully understand and relate to the feelings of the authors especially because of how reality based they are. For example, in â€Å"On My First Son†, when Johnson says â€Å"Oh, could I lose all father now!†(Johnson, ln.5), the reader is able to feel the deep sorrow in that line. That is because it is told to the reader by Ben Johnson, the father of a dead son. When the story is made that personal, it is impossible to not share the passionate feelings that are expressed. Borowski causes this type of reaction i n the reader as well but in a more indirect way. He does through his personal descriptions rather than personal expressions of feelings. One example is when he describes the dead babies in the box cars and explain...