The Political and Moral Framework The WritePass Journal

The Political and Moral Framework References The Political and Moral Framework Introduction The existing relationship between morality and law is both interlinked and complex. Morality may be interpreted as a collection of beliefs values and principles which can vary between individuals. The law however is usually interpreted as those principles and rules which direct and enforce certain types of behaviour in society can be punished. However there are many grey areas where it is difficult to reach agreement over morality and standards of behaviour in our society (Martin J, 2010). Positivism emphasises the separation of morality and law, pointing out that law is the group of official rules and regulations found in legislation, legal opinions and constitutions. It is used to govern a society and to control the behaviour of people. Law therefore is a formal aid to social contrast and legal systems are a route to establishing and keeping social order in society. Natural law theorists point out that if a law is not a moral one there is no reason to obey it, whereas positivists believe that until a law is changed, it is the law and should be obeyed. Morality requires the conforming to by following standards and principles, â€Å"a religious code of conduct†, a moral right, â€Å"a claim people would think is justified but not necessarily supported by law†. Morality is very personal to an individual, but law covers society. However in a legal system there is an overlap between legal and moral rules. Telling lies or acting dishonestly is usually thought to be morally wrong, and dishonesty in some circumstances may be thought as legally wrong (http://sixthformlaw.info (17th March 2011). The Hart – Fuller debate pointed to Hart’s belief that no necessary link between a legal system and ideas of morality existed. A legal system, he believed can function effectively though it is neither moral nor just. The Nazi regime, in his view was a legal system as the Nazis argued that racial distinctions were relevant and reflected the morality of their society (http://sixthformlaw.info (17th March 2011). Both Hart and Fuller agreed however that immoral and unjust legal systems were very likely to be unstable and short lived. By lacking morality and justice the allegiance of the people will not follow therefore repression of the people will result. When repression fails, the system will fail. Devlin (1959) pointed out that â€Å"law without morality destroys freedom of conscience and is the road to tyranny†. He argued that criminal law must respect and reinforce the moral norms of society to keep social order from breaking down. (http://sixthformlaw.info (17th March 2011) Law and morality are intertwined and both dictate the manner in which people are expected to behave. The making and passing of laws is heavily influenced by moral viewpoints and these have a very large effect on the progress of law. However in our society, morality and law do not happen at the same time, as one evolves and the other can be instant. Morality is a set of beliefs, values, standards and principles of behaviour, with individual morals varying from person to person (Martin J, 2010). Individual morality may be different to the accepted public or society morality. Moral values are almost always linked with beliefs and can be influenced by religious beliefs. In our society there are very many different religious views and these can be seen to influence and affect moral values within a particular religious group or society. Moral values are only morally binding within a society or group, they are not defined as the law. These values have usually been formed and have developed over a lengthy period of time and cannot be deliberately changed as they have slowly evolved. If changes are to be made then the changes will be gradual and be guided by the will and desire of the people, these changes will obviously take time to evolve. Moral values are almost a voluntary code of conduct and lifestyle and are followed and obeyed because of the possibility of guilt and shame being present if these values are not kept. However there are no punishments if the code of moral values is broken, but some religions may have the power to excommunicate or expel which, within that society, will act as a powerful deterrent to breaking the existing voluntary code of moral behaviour. Morality relies heavily on the individual sense of guilt or shame for its effectiveness (Martin J, 2010). The law however has different and separate rules which guide any conduct. It is binding and is enforceable. The law is able to be altered by legislation and can be changed almost immediately. However the code of conduct is obeyed because of an already existing sense of moral duty and the code is relevant and reasonable, but when the rules are broken some form of legal penalty is usually imposed. This contrasts sharply with morality aspect in which there are usually no punishments for breaches of that code (Martin J, 2010). There are many laws in the country that reflect the moral values of the vast majority of its people. There is also the overlap between morality and the law, as in murder being a crime and also being morally wrong. The law does appear to be based on moral positions but some are not accepted by everyone. The legalisation of abortion in the Abortion Act 1967 serves a vital need to protect the safety of women so that they could have abortions in safe, hygienic clinics under proper conditions (Martin J, 2010). Even with something as protective as this Act, some groups such as â€Å"Life† and â€Å"Lawyers for the Defence of the Unborn Child† fiercely opposed the morality of abortion. The Catholic Church argued that abortion is always wrong as in its belief, life begins at conception. Another contradiction involves sexual morality and the law, with people arguing that sexual conduct outside marriage is wrong, but it is not against the law, as with incest and adultery. Both are classed as morally wrong, but of the two only incest is against the law (Martin J, 2010). However the positivist stance is that properly constructed legal rules must be obeyed, regardless of morality issues or popularity in society (Martin J, 2010). The Wolfenden Committee, asked to examine and consider a variety of moral issues in 1957, recommended the legalisation of both homosexuality and prostitution. There was a lot of debate over these two issues which included the treatment by courts of cases involving both issues. Evidence was taken for three years and the committee concluded that the job of the law is to preserve public decency and public order whilst protecting the public from offensive and injurious actions, also to provide safeguards against corruption and exploitation particularly for those who are vulnerable in society. The Committee also stressed that the law did not exist to interfere in the private lives of the public or to enforce patterns of behaviour. The three main recommendations of the Wolfenden Committee were; Soliciting in the streets – should be classed as an offence. This resulted in the Street Offences Act 1959 and made soliciting illegal and aimed to protect citizens in the streets from being solicited or harassed by prostitutes (Price N, 1957). Homosexual acts – between adults in private should be decriminalised (criminal law should not interfere with private lives of citizens) This recommendation became part of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 and applied to men over 21 yrs of age, later reducing to 18 yrs of age in 1994 and to 16 yrs of age in 2000 (Price N, 1957). Prostitution – should be a private matter and not subject to interference by the law as it was a commercial act (Price N, 1957). Such was the nature of these recommendations that judge Lord Devlin and Professor Hart took opposing sides. Lord Devlin’s stance, that the findings of the Committee in which the law has no business with private morality criticised the findings. He said that private immorality harmed the public and that stability in the society is achieved through cohesion, therefore the law should safeguard it. His views were used by the courts in Shaw v DPP (1961) and R v Gibson (1991) and by the House of Lords in R v Brown (1992). Professor Hart supported the opposite view to Lord Devlin and backed the findings of the Wolfenden Committee. He argued that the moral standards in society have changed through the years and that departing from accepted standards of sexual morality by consenting adults has not threatened society. His views were followed by R v Wilson (1996) and R v Brown(1992) in the Court of Appeal. The Wolfenden Committee recognised that the law has a function to provide safety against corruption and exploitation of people, but Lord Reid argued that people who choose to corrupt themselves have that choice, it is their affair to do it and the law should not interfere. However, he continued that no licence should be given to anyone to encourage this practice. The effect of morality on English law therefore was considerable and even the European Court of Human Rights became involved when the case R v Brown (1994) was heard. This case involving homosexual sado-masochistic acts, resulting in injuries, demanded that they should be treated as unlawful although happening in private between consenting adults. The House of Lords ruled that a breach of the law of criminal assault had occurred. The defence of consent was not upheld despite the pleas from Lord Slynn and Lord Mustill claiming that the courts were not to protected people from themselves (Martin J, 2010). However the Court of Appeal in R v Wilson (1996) found that a wife could consent to her husbanding branding to her buttocks with a knife. Morals played a part in this ruling the court found that it was not their duty to interfere in the private acts between husband and wife (Martin J, 2010). These decisions again had an effect on morality, particularly when finding that private actions were not the concern of the courts, despite them seemingly being against the law. In criminal law, morality plays a large part, particularly when sexual offences are being committed. Offences of homicide and those which are not fatal acts are linked to the moral viewpoint that it is wrong to physically harm or even kill anyone without justification. The impairing of reasoning because of an abnormality of the mind – diminished responsibility, has been accepted and it is now wrong to convict a person of murder if he has that condition under The Homicide Act 1952 (Martin J, 2010). Refusing a blood transfusion on religious grounds, ensures that it cannot be given or would bring a charge of committing a criminal act, if the blood transfusion was given, even if a child’s life was in danger (Martin J, 2010). In recent years there have been cases of terminally ill patients wishing to die. No one can consent to aid their own death. Anyone assisting a person to die is guilty under the law of assisting suicide. A case of this nature was R v DPP (2001) brought about by the husband of Dianne Pretty. Her application to the courts that if her husband helped her to die he would not be prosecuted, was refused in the House of Lords despite public sympathy and approval. The ruling that her husband would be guilty of a criminal offence was upheld (Martin J, 2010). Before 1961 it was a criminal offence to commit suicide, as failure to do so when attempting suicide ensured prosecution for the offence. The law now has changed, and morality does influence the law as suicide attempts which fail are not always prosecuted (Gardner J, 2011). There are however several exceptions to the public policy of consent when assault charges are involved resulting injuries. These exceptions are usually found in examples from games or sports, tattooing, reasonable surgical acts, body piercing and horse play. These have been allowed because of general public interest, consent is accepted as a defence in these instances (Martin J, 2010). Finnis (1980) claimed that the law makes a moral claim for it-self and means that an ideal type of law (the paradigm) is a morally justified law. If the moral claims made by the law succeed in its moral aims, it is morally justified law. It is the law that lives up to the moral standards (Gardner J, 2011). A legal rule may be morally justified as it is applies to one action and not as it applies to another, in the same way it applies to one person and not as it applies to another person. It is therefore hard to imagine that any law has all the moral force that it claims for itself. The moral problem of the law is how or why it speaks to morally decent people, why it is trying to direct people to accept by claiming moral authority (Gardner J, 2011). The law always tells people what they must do without including virtue or advantage as being part of the law. It requires actions in the interest generally. One of the problems with morals is that they are wholly subjective and vary in application from one group or society, to another. What is frowned upon as immoral in one society may be tolerated in another (Green L, 2011). This can and does cause problems, particularly in cases such as abortion or adultery. These are both legal issues, but many believe to be immoral. Gillick v West Norfolk and Wisbech A.H.A (1986) showed that a mother challenged her daughter’s doctor for issuing contraceptives. The mother lost the first hearing, won in the Court of Appeal but lost again in the House of Lords. The whole case led to children having greater rights to make their own decisions on matters like medical treatment. â€Å"Gillick Competent† was a phrase coined for this development in the moral issue. Both morals and law involv e rules as the courts enforce the law but not social rules. If the morality is a shared belief then most people will obey the rules (Martin J, 2010). In conclusion, it is clearly shown that the relationship between the law and morals is a complex and intertwined one. They both dictate the manner in which people are expected to behave in their everyday lives and how moral beliefs can have a great influence on the making of laws. It is argued by some that many aspects of criminal law represent a common moral stand point. The moral standing of a community has an influence on the development of present and future law. The views of the Wolfenden Committee, Professor Hart and Lord Devlin feature strongly in moral and legal issues, with Lord Devlin maintaining that the law should support moral principles, even if public opinion changed. Professor Hart took a different a different and opposite view to that of Lord Devlin, arguing that there should be a clear separation of law and morality. Even when contradictions in law are shown, R v Wilson (1997), in an apparent criminal act, the crime was not punished as the Court of Appeal ruled that it was consensual, a private matter, and the law should not interfere. From the 1980’s and in some areas, earlier in time, rules and laws came about through custom and established practices whereby the community would show a united disapproval if a practice was broken. Legal sanctions were not used. In modern times there are changing morals, increasing numbers of laws and development of both. As these are almost always intertwined, our society appears to depend more on the law and its rules than on many previously held moral beliefs. References Access Law (Work Guide – Hand Out) – Law and Morals (2010/2011) Gardner J, (2004-2011) Law and Morality.pdf Available at: http://users.ox.ac.uk/~lawf0081/pdfs/lawmoralityedited.pdf Accessed: 18th March 2011 Green L, (2002-2011) The Inseparability of Law and Morality.pdf Available at: ivr2003.net/workshop_abstracts/documents/Greenfulltext.pdf Accessed: 18th March 2011 Martin J, et al. (2009) AQA Law for A2, Third Edition. London: Hodder Education. Price N, (1957) A-Level Law Review Vol.1, No.1. p28. Sussex: A-LEVEL LAW REVIEW Ltd.   Souper M, Sixth Form Law  © 2000-2010   Law and Morality Available at: http://sixthformlaw.info/01_modules/other_material/law_and_morality/index.htm Accessed: 18th March 2011 Bibliography Harbermas J, (1986) Law and Morality, Translated by Baynes K (Boston University), THE TANNER LECTURES ON HUMAN VALUES: Harvard University USA.pdf Available at: tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/documents/habermas88.pdf Accessed: 18th March 2011 Riley G, (2009-2011) Law and Morality in Economic Life Available at: http://tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/economics/comments/law-and-morality-in-economic-life/ Accessed: 18th March 2011 William I, et al. (2008) Theories of Law and Morality: perspectives from Contemporary African Jurisprudence, In-Spire Journal of Law, Politics and Societies (Vol.3, No.2).pdf   Available at: tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/documents/habermas88.pdf Accessed: 18th March 2011

Definition and Examples of Double Entendres

Definition and Examples of Double Entendres A double entendre is a  figure of speech in which a word or phrase can be understood in two ways, especially when one meaning is risquà ©. Also called innuendo. One of the most famous double entendres in American advertising is the slogan created by Shirley  Polykoff to promote Clairol hair coloring: Does she or doesnt she? The phrase double entendre  (from the French, now obsolete, for double meaning) is sometimes hyphenated and sometimes italicized. Examples and Observations Rebecca Kordecki . . . created little booties and a slide kit to use while performing moves that strengthen and lengthen the body. The name Booty Slide is a double entendre, she explains: We wear the booties on our feet, but the workout also lifts your booty.(Carlene Thomas-Bailey, American Fitness Crazes Hit the UK. The Guardian, Dec. 28, 2010)While many mento songs are about traditional folksong subjects, from political commentary to simple day-to-day life, a disproportionately large number of the songs are bawdy songs, often featuring poorly-veiled (and delightfully funny) sexual double-entendres. Popular mento songs include references to Big Bamboo, Juicy Tomatoes, Sweet Watermelon, and so on.(Megan Romer, Jamaican Mento Music 101, About.com World Music)Mrs. Slocombe: Before we go any further, Mr. Rumbold, Miss Brahms and I would like to complain about the state of our drawers. Theyre a positive disgrace.Mr. Rumbold: Your what, Mrs. Slocombe?Mrs. Slocombe: Our drawers. Theyre sti cking. And its always the same in damp weather.Mr. Rumbold: Really.Mrs. Slocombe: Miss Brahms could hardly shift hers at all just now.Mr. Lucas: No wonder she was late.Mrs. Slocombe: They sent a man who put beeswax on them, but that made them worse.Mr. Rumbold: Im not surprised.Miss Brahms: I think they need sandpapering.(Mollie Sugden, Nicholas Smith, Trevor Bannister, and Wendy Richard in Are You Being Served?) She touched his organ, and from that bright epoch, even it, the old companion of his happiest hours, incapable as he had thought of elevation, began a new and deified existence.(Charles Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, 1844)Nurse: God ye good morrow, gentlemen.Mercutio: God ye good den, fair gentlewoman.Nurse: Is it good den?Mercutio: ’Tis no less, I tell you; for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon.Nurse: Out upon you! what a man are you!(William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, scene three)Its impossible to ignore the prominence of water as a primary motif in black spiritual culture- from the debilitated Gospel pleas to be washed white as snow to the rebellion-coded double entendre wade in the water, which referenced both baptism and escape routes from slavery.(William J. Cobb, To the Break of Dawn: A Freestyle on the Hip Hop Aesthetic.  NYU Press, 2006)Womens Use of the Double Entendre in 18th-Century EnglandOf all the improvements in polite conversa tion, I know of nothing that is half so entertaining and significant as the double entendre. It is a figure in rhetoric, which owes its birth, as well as its name, to our inventive neighbours the French; and is that happy art, by which persons of fashion may communicate the loosest ideas under the most innocent expressions. The ladies have adopted it for the best reason in the world: they have long since discovered, that the present fashionable display of their persons is by no means a sufficient hint to the men that they mean any thing more than to attract their admiration: the double entendre displays the mind in an equal degree, and tells us from what motives the lure of beauty is thrown out. . . .The double entendre is at present so much the taste of all genteel companies, that there is no possibility either of being polite or entertaining without it. That it is easily learnt is the happy advantage of it; for as it requires little more than a mind well stored with the most natur al ideas, every young lady of fifteen may be thoroughly instructed in the rudiments of it from her book of novels, or her waiting maid. But to be as knowing as her mamma in all the refinements of the art, she must keep the very best company, and frequently receive lessons in private from a male instructor.(Edward Moore, The Double Entendre. The World, No. 201, Thursday, Nov. 4, 1756) Pronunciation: DUB-el an-TAN-dra

Annexation, Land Use Change, and Landscape Impact Dissertation

Annexation, Land Use Change, and Landscape Impact - Dissertation Example Thus the main aim of the paper is study the use of land policies for the betterment of the society. The global change has serious consequences on different landscapes. With increasingly changing environment and urgent global concerns every nation and community stands at the juncture of growing and evolving, keeping in pace with the environmental change which is critical. The competing visions of the future create the dilemma in many different ways. The type of places people of a community try to inhabit and the environment they leave behind for their future generations bring forth this dilemma. The landscapes and the nature are the factors that sustain the living of the human generation and also the life cycle of other species on the planet. The ideal future for the planet will be one in which the consumption and the use of land are done sparingly and where people cherish the landscapes. The future of the towns and the cities are expected to be vibrant as well as compact along with being green. The economic bases of the society are also expected to be restorative both environmenta lly and socially along with being viable. The ultimate vision of these theories is to result in the creation of an environment by the human community containing enduring values. People should ultimately be proud of the landscape and the environment they are about to leave for the next generations (Beatley & Manning, 1997, pp. 1-2). Carl Sauer, a born geographer was considered to be the grandfather of the theories of landscapes. He was the profounder of what can be called the ethics of land. According to the profounder it is the responsibility of human community to focus on the sustainability of the world environment and the earth for the well being of both the present as well as that of the future generations. An aesthetic rationale for the environmental progress has been given by Carl Sauer.

Survival of the Byzantine Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Survival of the Byzantine Empire - Essay Example The emperors of Latin ruled from 1204 to 1261. During the year 1261, the Byzantine reclaimed the throne. In 1453, it falls to the Turks. By 1081, all of the Asia Minor became conquered by the Turks. This deprived the heart of the empire. Some of the mentioned emperors would save the Byzantine Empire till it survived for the entire 400 years. Alexius Komnenus was the savior in 1081 when the Turks had defeated the Asia Minor. The Turks came from central Asia on horseback and came to attack the Byzantine Empire. By 1091, they owned the entire Turkey from the Byzantine (Hollister 25). However, the Byzantines got help from the Europe nation. It would be then referred to as the First Crusade. Many soldiers and knights left to assist the Byzantines. In addition, they would secure Jerusalem for the Christians, which Muslims had dominated. Alexius Komnenus was the previous general of Army. He took over the throne through the help of aristocracy. He rebuilt the empire. He literally established a state that lasted better and longer than anyone could expect (Haldon 54). He reformed the system of thematic which had perished for some time, changing to a form of feudalism. He was noble to serve within the army. In that process, he obtained land, which he gave peasants that joined him in war. He got rid of Venice allies, who defended the seas of the empire in return of economical advantages. Venice would always set the value of her services high. Alexius alliance stopped the advance of Duke Norman, who tried to attack Greece, and shifted his attention towards the northern front, in the south of Danube where Partzinaks had invaded the territory, and plagued Constantinople during 1090. Alexius died in 1118. After Alexius death, the empire had its power back and prestige that tried a further expansion. John II, the son of Alexius, took over. He was intelligent and wise. He avoided the influence of Venetian over the economy of the empire. He inflicted a solemn defeat to the tribes that jeopardized the empire in the Balkans. He conquered the Hungarians in the year 1128. He finally moved to Northern Syria, where he attacked the Antioch principality. He conquered them in 1138. John II became allied to the emperor of the western and Pisa to attack the Normans, who he defeated. He planned a campaign to reinstate the supremacy of Byzantine over Palestine. Unfortunately, he died in 1143. In 1161, a war erupted against the Hungarians as a result of the throne succession. The war ended in the year 1164 with vast advantages for the Byzantines. The Byzantines had obtained Dalmatia, Croatia and Bosnia. Manuel was sly, ambitious, and strong and admirer of the culture of western (Deng 25). He allied with Conrad III, the western emperor against the Normans. Conrad led the 2nd crusade with Luis Vii, the King of France. After the usual robberies and rape within the Byzantine territory by the German army, he would be conquered in Asia Minor by the Turks. The Hungarians rose s tronger, threatened the interests of the Byzantine in Russia, opposing their candidate for the Kiev Throne. However, the Byzantine diplomacy became rich due to the close relationship Manuel had with Henry II. Manuel attacked the Turk Sultanate in 1176, but he did not receive victory and lost the whole army. In 1180, Alexius II was twelve years old. His regency got assumed by Mary of Antioch, his mother. In 1182,

Kate Chopins The Awakening Essay -- Kate Chopin Awakening Essays Pape

Kate Chopin's The Awakening In Kate Chopin's novel The Awakening, written approximately one hundred years ago, the protagonist Edna Pontellier's fate is resolved when she 'deliberately swims out to her death in the gulf'(Public Opinion, np). Her own suicide is indeed considered as a small, almost nonexistent victory by many, nevertheless there are those who consider her death anything but insignificant. Taking into consideration that 'her inability to articulate her feelings and analyze her situation [unattainable happiness] results in her act of suicide...'(Muirhead, np) portrays Edna as being incapable of achieving a release from her restricted womanhood as imposed by society. Others state that the final scene of the novel entirely symbolizes and realizes Edna's victory on a 'society that sees their [women's] primary value in their biological functions as wives and mothers?(Kate Chopin, np). In short, The Awakening is the tragic story of a woman who in a summer of her twenty-eighth year, found herself and struggled to do what she wanted to do; be happy. Although ?from wanting to, she did, with disastrous consequences?(Recent Novels 96). For those who wanted it to be a truly, and ironically, life achieving instead of life ending end, it was. But those who disagreed with Chopin?s choice ending found themselves losing some sleep over another magnificent author gone wrong (96). Various readers and reviewers alike found the ending to be sold short and unsatisfactory since it did not deliver the promise of a rewarding happy life to the protagonist who so valiantly endured her obstacles throughout the novel. Had she lived by Prof. William James? advice to do one thing a day one does not want to do [in Creole Society, two would perhaps be better], flirted less and looked after her children more, or even assisted at more accouchements- her chef d?auvre in self denial- we need not have been put to the unpleasantness of reading about her and the temptations she trumped up for herself. (96) Irony plays an inexplicable and majestic part in the conclusion of The Awakening. One can say with confidence that in a story a protagonist, or heroin in this case, is expected to fulfill a happily ever after ending not only from a repetitious guarantee but from the incisive determination by such character, whom through hardships, earned it. Edna Pontellier... ...ine. Galenet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: www.galenet.com Muirhead, Marion. ?Articulation And Artistry: A Conversational Analysis of The Awakening.? The Southern Literary Journal 33.1 (2000): n. pag. Online. Internet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: http://muse.jhu.edu/demo/slj/33.1muirhead.html ?Kate Chopin.? Gale Group (1999): n. pag. Online. Galenet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: www.galenet.com/servlet/SRC ?Recent Novels: The Awakening.? The Nation Vol. LXIX, No. 1779 (3 Aug. 1899): 96 pp. Online. Galenet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC Bogard, Carley R. ?The Awakening: A Refusal To Compromise.? The University of Michigan Papers in Women?s Studies U Vol. II, No. 3 (1977): pp. 15-31. Online. Galenet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC Eichelberger, Clayton L. ?The Awakening: Overview.? Reference Guide to American Literature 3rd ed. (1994): n. pag. Online. Galenet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC Eble, Kenneth. ?A Forgotten Novel: Kate Chopin?s The Awakening.? Western Humanities Review No. 3 (1956):pp. 261-69. Online. Galenet. 4 April 2001. Available FTP: www.galenet.com/servlet/LitRC

Individualism in Literature Essay

Individualism is one of the most wondrous themes of literature because of its contribution to the pursuit of human dignity. Individualism is a moral stance and a philosophical concept which puts emphasis on the moral worth and the supreme and intrinsic value of human beings (Lukes 51). Literature has proved to be an outlet for an artist’s own definition of individualism. Due to the fact that such philosophical concept is associated with so many aspects of life including society and culture and art, authors have devoted ample time in using individualism creatively while demonstrating social awareness and way of life. Among the authors who explore the concept of individualism are Ayn Rand, Charlotte Gilman and Margaret Atwood. The characters in the literary works of such authors reflect how the pursuit for individualism can be disturbed ans stunted with the occurrence of love. Rand’s dystopian book called Anthem explores the turbulent period in which mankind is forced to live with the harsh setbacks of irrationality and collectivism, and the failures of socialistic upbringing and economics. In Anthem, a youth named Equality 7-2521 finds himself in a hidden tunnel, isolating himself from an anti-individualistic society and realizinng how much solace and solitude suit him. But his search for individualism is being disrupted by the Golden One, a beautiful peasant girl whom he considers as a valuable element in his eyes (Rand 19). In Gilman’s novel titled Herland, three adventurous friends journey into an all-female land called Herland and its women deprived of social realities of the modern world and the contribution of masculinity to their maternal well-being (Gilman 95). Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale presents to readers the search for individualism in a Puritan society established using ruins of war. Atwood explores how love can redefine and inflluence a person’s search for human dignity in The Republic of Gilead that discourages the pursuit for individualism and legalizes slavery (Atwood 8). Individualism in Herland Herland is a novel that sees women in an isolated land become fascinated with the beauty and mystery of the real world where there is a sense of conformity and recognition for femininity and masculinity. One of the characters in book, Moadine, affirms such fascination to the societal settings of the real world by declaring how wonderful and supremely beautiful man’s civilization must be due to the countless contribution of science and technology (Gilman 96). It is clearly manifested that Moadine, being one of older women who teaches the three men in the way of life of Herland, has fallen into the conundrum of the Utopian society of the modern world. Moadine’s curiosity on the civilized ways of man which women in Herland are being deprived with becomes an avenue for them to enter in the mysterious homeland of the three men. Moadine is in charged in guarding one of the three male captives, Terry, a classic male chauvinist attempts to fascinate Moadine with his knowledge and control over the female mind (Gilman 37). Terry is a portrait of individualist kind of male who only recognizes the strength of the males and perceives women to be as secondary beings. Terry deeply resents women in Herland who can exist without the help of men and dares to call them sexless, epicene, and undeveloped neuters (Gilman 157). But the bitterness of Terry and his negative attitude towards the women are set aside upon his realization that he is madly in love with Alima (Gilman 157). Alima is one of the girls of Herland and embodies the attitudes and non-conformist traditions of the land. She is a tall long-limbed lady, well-knit and strong and agile (Gilman 18). The personality and upbringing of Alima voices out female superiority over men and her individualist character is deeply rooted out from her self-confidence and belief that women should never consent to an unequal relationship with the opposite sex. Alima’s eyes are full of splendor and mirrors out her wide, fearless and reluctance to pain and losing which is indicative of her interest as more that of an intent male playing in the field than of a female lured by ornaments and gentleness of romance (Gilman 19). Knowing that women love to mastered, Terry is convinced to woe Alima using sheer brute force, pride and passion of his strong masculine side (Gilman 146). Alima eventually fall in love with Terry and eventually marries him. Their love confirms the failure of individualism as they both try to live in the Utopian society as husband and wife. Another character in the story who reflects the failure of individualism is Jeff, one of the three explorers who found out about Herland. Jeff is the complete opposite of Terry and is strongly challenged by the independent and athletic girls of the isolated land. Jeff’s individualist attitude is seen upon his involvement with the almost natural advantages of Herland and its people (Gilman 137). Jeff becomes confounded with Herland’s way of living and declares his personal love for the land (Gilman 138). Prior to the discovery of the land, it is known that Jeff is so much absorbed with the realities of the Earth but maintains a priestly and angelic approach to masculinity and womanhood. But his individualist view of the modern world is changed upon the discovery of Herland that makes him realize that there is a better world than the real one. His profound appreciation for the Herlandian culture is evident in the way he treats it women and Jeff has refined conception about the women in Herland and deep thoughts about the idealized femininity. Jeff is strongly in love with Celis, showers her with a mystique kind of romance, and keeps on insisting that he take care of her rather than doing the typical thing of treating her as his equal better half. Jeff worships Celis and the ideals which she presented (Gilman 137). Celis’s mild-mannered attitude and vulnerability force Jeff to think that twice of going back to the real world together with Celis (Gilman 149). Van, one of the explorers and also the narrator in the novel, thinks of Herland critically and philosophically. Van has always stood at the middle ground, thinking of the Herlandian culture using science and used to argue about the physiological limitations of sex (Gilman 11). As the girls of Herland think that sex is just for procreation, both Van and Jeff have learned to overcome difficulties concerning sex. Van used to declare the discovery the land is aiming at friendship, a civilized attitude on both sides (Gilman 24). Both Jeff and Van do not want to leave the different kind of utopian society which Herland has for their own patriarchal and male-dominated world. In this notion, it is evident that Van falls in love with the perfection of Herlandian culture and the ways of its women. It is seen in the attitude of Van that he is no longer interested with the pursuit of individualism as he is so much swept off by the beauty and perfection of Herland. Van’s wife Ellador is equally intelligent as Van and is being motivated by her curiosity of the utopian modern society of her husband as well as her love for Van. Ellador explains things sweetly and kindly and thinks of Van as a wise man with no foolishness (Gilman 117). Such concept of him makes Van reluctant to rejoin the realities of his world and present to Ellador the harshness and stupidities of the Earth (Gilman 117). Individualism in Anthem The story of Anthem revolves around its protagonist, the youth named Equality 7-2521. Equality 7-2521 finds himself in an unspecified date in which mankind is forced to negate all the concepts of individuality and conform to the productive and capitalist values which technological advancement brings. It is clearly manifested in the novel that the author tries to eliminate the philosophical idea of individualism by eliminating the pronoun â€Å"I† and replacing it with â€Å"We† and â€Å"our† and other plural pronouns which are all indicative of conformity. Being the protagonist in the story, Equality 7-2521 struggles between individualism and collectivism. In the beginning part of the story, it is already given that the protagonist fears to be alone and dreads the consequences of having one head and one body (Rand 1). The protagonist is caught up in a world that views individualism as an illegal act, great transgression and source of all evil (Rand 1). Equality 7-2521 is a street sweeper who believes in the concept of individualism and discourages the collectivist society which the Council has established. He can be described as vain and self-centered, brave and intelligent. His curiousity and desire for freedom are what makes him fearless of the society of brainless drones who surround him. The protagonist is a symbol of superiority of a singular intellectual being to the homogeneity of the whole society which does not have the courage to think for themselves and is indistinguishable from each other. In order to hide from the evils of the Palace of the Great Council, Equality 7-2521 hides in an underground tunnel where he is alone and fulfils his longing for solitude (Rand 23). He describes the feeling hiding inside an abandoned tunnel and writing about his sentiments on the world which has gone wrong as a liberating experience. According to the protagonist, the air is pure and odorless in the tunnel which gives him enough strength to survive underground (Rand 23). One of the sentiments of Equality 7-2521 is that there is no solidarity among the brotherhood because almost everyone seem to have their own personal problems, ideal and aspirations. Fraternity 2-5503 is described by the protagonist as a quiet boy with gentle eyes who suddenly cries without reason and whose body shakes at night with unexplainable sobs (Rand 24). Solidarity 9-6347 also belongs to the brotherhood and is described by Equality 7-2521 as an intelligent and bright youth, sometimes fearless, and screams in his sleep at night (Rand 24). These observations instigate an idea that the protagonist may be different from those around him and realizes how disturbing and troubling it is to be different. Such realization makes him regret his differences and attempts to bring himself into conformity which the Council continuously promotes. The friendship of Equality 7-2521 and International 4-8818 is said to be an evil thing as they both exist in a time of great Transgression of Preference that declares loving someone better than the others in the brotherhood as illegal as it is written that they should love all men and make friends with all of them (Rand 11). The friendship of Equality 7-2521 and International 4-8818 is suggestive of the protagonist’s half-hearted attempts to erase all of his preferences for individual people, to help and care for each person equally, and to be identical to his fellow brothers. International 4-8818 considers the protagonist as a prophet. When he and Equality 7-2521 found out about the tunnel, he is torn between loyalty to his friend and to the Council. He represents an individual who secretly search for his own meaning but is disrupted in his pursuit because of the fear of breaking the law of the Council. Another character from the story is The Transgressor of the Unspeakable Word. The protagonist describes the Transgressor as young and tall and has hair of gold and blue eyes (Rand 26). The Transgressor suffers no pain as he is burned alive and his tongue had been torn out so that he can no longer speak of the true essence and meaning of individualism (Rand 26). It is said that the Transgressor has an honorable death as there was no pain in his eyes and no hints of agony in his body (Rand 26). It is said that there was only joy and pride, a pride holier than what is fit for the human pride (Rand 26). The Transgressor’s fate is reflective of the Council’s resentment of the word â€Å"individualism† which The Transgressor had been longing to proclaim. Collective 0-0009 is the leader of the World Council of Scholars. Equality 7-2521 considers Collective as the oldest yet the wisest of the Council who hates and fears him (Rand 42). Collective 0-0009 questions the superiority and the intelligence of the protagonist and accuses him of breaking the laws of the Council and boasting infamy (Rand 44). The individualistic view of Collective 0-0009 is seen through his appreciation of the Council as the sole brain of the society (Rand 44). Collective 0-0009 symbolizes the thinking force behind the evils of the collectivism in the society. Though he resents Equality 7-2521, the Collective 0-0009 is shapeless and cowardly and deeply reliant on the Council. When Equality 7-2521 meets the Golden One, his search for individualism is destroyed because he enters into a new phase in his life in which there is more to life than battling collectivism. He ventures into perfection and utopia that love insinuates as he no longer desires to deny that he prefers some of his fellows over the others. The Golden One is the name given to Liberty 5-3000 (Rand 19). Because the protagonist thinks about her all the time and his desire for love is overwhelming, he gives himself to the illegal deed. In so doing, he no longer presents to readers an individualistic Equality 7-2521, but shows to them that he is swept off by the utopia which love brings. Moreover, the Golden One gives the protagonist the privilege of having a meaningful relationship with another human being. According to Equality 7-2521, he feels all of a sudden that the Earth is good and that it is not a burden to live (Rand 19). It is evident from the beginning that the Golden One tends to be haughty and proud and does not recognize all of the constituents of the society except for Equality 7-2521. The Golden One strongly adores the protagonist because he is the bravest and the sharpest among the brotherhood. Such qualities of the protagonist make her subservient to him almost instantly as she initiates to take care of him as early as the third time they meet. When she follows him to the Uncharted Forest, she becomes the possession of Equality 7-2521 totally and she remains in that manner until the end. Individualism in The Handmaid’s Tale Atwood’s novel explores the theme of female subjugation set in the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian and theocratic country that has replaced the United States of America in the map (Foster 6). The story is being narrated by Offred, one of the handmaids in the state. It is noted that the handmaids in the country are assigned to bear children for rich couples that have trouble conceiving. The country is founded by a male chauvinist, theocratic-organized military coup as a radical response to the pervasive social, moral and ecological degradation of the country. At the first chapter, the narrator briefly describes the differences between the social setting of the country prior to the establishment of the new republic and the present time in which women are seen as objects whose value depends on their ability to give birth (Atwood 9). The novel presents to readers an individualistic view of women as utilities for childbirth. Offred, the narrator, considers herself as a walking womb because of her duty as a handmaid whose only duty is to help maintain the declining white population (Foster 6). In the newly established country, women are stripped off of their economic and social opportunities and privileges and are recognized for their role of giving birth. The wife of the Commander, Serena Joy, fails is ashamed of herself because of her inability to conceive and somewhat envies Offred for her reproductive capacity (Atwood 20). Offred is a patronymic slave name that refers to the Commander which she serves, such as Fred. Offred is the protagonist in the story who reflects the failure to possess an individualistic attitude by engaging in an affectionate affair. Following a continuous prodding by the Commander’s wife, Offred succumbs to an illegal affair with Nick to save herself from the uncertainties which lay ahead (Atwood 226).

Manchester school of anthropology School - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 1977 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Anthropology Essay Type Review Tags: School Essay Did you like this example? What were the distinctive features of the Manchester school of anthropology? Structural-functionalism, which dominated British social anthropology for much of the twentieth century, interpreted society in terms of its institutions. Institutions provided society with its structure and worked together to keep society, a bounded unit, in a state of equilibrium. A persons role or position in the structure determined their behaviour. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Manchester school of anthropology School" essay for you Create order In the early 1950s, criticisms of the structural-functionalist approach began to emerge from the Manchester school of anthropology, a group of anthropologists involved with the anthropology department at Manchester University. The Manchester school reacted against the obsession with formal institutions and the structure they supposedly produced. Many felt it was time to move away from the search for ideal types and focus on the much-neglected individual and how he/she coped in a system full of contradictions and inconsistencies. The Manchester school developed a distinctive approach which focused on the role of conflict in society, acknowledged the importance of the wider context (particularly the impact of colonialism), shed light on the issue of multiple identities through their studies of urban and rural communities, and advanced a new analytical model; namely social network analysis. Although the school is distinct in certain ways, its continued reliance on the structural-func tionalist paradigm must be realised. In contrast to structural-functionalists, the Manchester school did not see social equilibrium as â€Å"a simple affair, resulting from the neat integration of groups or norms. On the contrary it emerges through the balancing of oppositions in a dialectical process† [Kuper 1973, 139]. In other words, conflict is an inherent part of society but certain mechanisms exist to ease the tensions and maintain an equilibrium. Ritual, according to Max Gluckman, was one such mechanism. He analysed â€Å"rituals of rebellion† in southern African societies and argued that â€Å"whatever the ostensible purpose of the ceremonies, a most striking feature of their organization is the way in which they openly express social tensions† [Gluckman 1963, 112]. One such ceremony occurred in Swaziland. The dominant cleavage in the society was between the king and his subjects. During the ceremony various groups formed cross-cutting ties whic h undermined and reduced the severity of the dominant cleavage and the kings subjects were given the opportunity to voice their hatred towards him. â€Å"This ceremony is†¦a stressing of conflict, a statement of rebellion and rivalry against the king, with periodical affirmations of unity with the king† [Gluckman 1963, 125]. One could infer that such a ritual could totally disrupt a society based on the domination of the ruled by the ruler. Crucially however, the people are rebelling specifically against the king, and not against the institution of kingship; â€Å"the rebellious ritual occurs within an established and unchallenged social order† [Gluckman 1963, 126-27]. In sum Gluckman explains, The acceptance of the established order as right and good, and even sacred, seems to allow unbridled excess, very rituals of rebellion, for the order itself keeps this rebellion within bounds. Hence to act the conflicts, whether directly or by inversion or in other sy mbolic form, emphasizes the social cohesion within which the conflict exists [Gluckman 1963, 127] The ritual reaffirms and perpetuates the social order. Gluckmans fieldwork in Zululand and Swaziland established conflict as an unavoidable aspect for analysis in the study of society. However, he has been criticized by many for continuing to use a structural-functionalist paradigm. His studies address the issue of conflict but always in terms of how it is contained by mediating mechanisms (such as ritual) which reaffirm the social order. Kuper explains that this emphasis on the maintenance of equilibrium grew out of his study of white-ruled Zululand, ‘which despite its many unresolved and irresoluble conflicts, â€Å"worked†, obliging him to consider ‘how social systems could contain the deep conflicts which are present in all of them [Kuper 1973, 141]. In other words, Gluckman concentrated on repetitive (as opposed to changing) social systems in which â€Å"changes occur not by alterations in the order of offices, but by changes in the persons occupying those offices† [Gluckman 1963, 128]. This, Kuper argues, is â€Å"the most vulnerable feature of Gluckmans theory† [Kuper 1973, 140]. Although it may shed light on small-scale, non-centralized communities, it ignores conflicts â€Å"in which the contending parties no longer share the basic values upon which the legitimacy of the social system rests† [Swartz 1966, 34]. From the viewpoint of the sociology of knowledge, it is no accident that this alteration of analytical focus from structure to process has developed during a period in which the formerly colonial territories of Asia, Africa, and the Pacific have been undergoing far-reaching political changes that have culminated in independence [Swartz 1966, 3] In other words, with many countries engaged in the struggle for their independence, anthropologists working in the 1950s and 1960s finally accepted that â€Å"the total political situation should be taken into account† [Kuper 1973, 142]. As the Manchester school anthropologists carried out most of th eir work in British Central Africa they focussed particularly on the impact of colonialism and capitalism in the societies they studied. Gluckman argued for the recognition of â€Å"a Central African Society of heterogeneous culture-groups of Europeans and Africans† [Kuper 1973, 141]. The point of articulation between imperial and indigenous cultures was epitomized in the position of the headman or elected elder, an office institutionalised by the British. He was seen as an â€Å"inter-calary figure†, caught between the demands of the state and the demands of his people [Kuper 1973, 143]. As Epsteins classic study of Politics in an Urban African Community shows, when Africans rioted against the British in response to an increase in taxes in 1935, the elected elders were also attacked and forced to take shelter with the colonial masters [Kuper 1973, 146]. Such studies shed light on the flaws of the colonial system and the social problems it had caused, topics almost entirely avoided by previous anthropologists. The Manchester school also focused their attention towards urban and not just rural localities. Through recognition of the urban as a valid and necessary unit of study, the school brought the issues of multiple identities and situational selection to the fore. The process of urbanization in colonial Africa markedly increased the number of identities people associated with themselves. â€Å"Sometimes a man might side with Bemba against non-Bemba; at other times with clerks against underground workers; and then again line up with fellow Africans against the white mine authority or the government† [Kuper 1973, 146-47]. In other words, people responded to this identity dilemma by choosing to use or ally with different identities, depending on the social situation; this technique is known as situational selection. In the Kalela Dance Mitchell argues that the same group of people can have very different relationships depending on whether they are in a tribal or urban setting. Thus, â€Å"ethnic identity is both situational and negotiated by actors amongst each other, and any continuity is possible in principle but not guaranteed† [Rogers 1995, 23]. In 1954 Barnes published his study of a Norwegian Parish and introduced the concept of the social network as an analytical tool [Mitchell 1969, 5]. â€Å"Basically, network analysis is very simple: it asks questions about who is linked to whom, the nature of that linkage, and how the nature of the linkage affects behaviour† [Boissevain 1979, 393]. Social network analysis studied the relationships of interacting people in actual situations. The individual, instead of structures or institutions, was the starting point. This allowed anthropologists to â€Å"concern (themselves) with individuals using social roles rather than with roles using individuals, and with the crossing and manipulation rather than the acceptance of institutional boundaries † [Rogers 1995, 20]. In contrast to the structural-functionalist approach which viewed a persons role in the structure as determining their behaviour, social network analysis considered how individuals adopt and modify the rules to further their own interests and â€Å"use network linkages in order to achieve desired ends† [Mitchell 1969, 38]. Network analysis was found to be particularly useful for studies of larger scale communities. As Mitchell argues, this is because of the â€Å"large number of single-stranded relationships in them, therefore institutional integration is relatively weak† [Mitchell 1969, 48]. In other words, in bigger, more complex communities people have fewer overlapping relations; using an institutional approach is simply not sufficient for such societies. Also, â€Å"social network analysis facilitates the tracing of the connections between locality and wider contexts†, an important factor in an approach so concerned with the â €Å"total† situation [Rogers 1995, 18]. An interesting aspect of social network analysis is its application of mathematical methods to anthropological study. Mitchell argues that the â€Å"use of graph theory and probability mathematics provides an intriguing method of erecting model networks with which empirical networks can be compared† [Mitchell 1969, 34]. This â€Å"openness to methodological innovation† was a key feature of the Manchester school but the school also widely accepted that statistical methods should be used as an aid, and not form the basis of anthropological analysis [Kuper 1973, 142]. There are numerous problems with social network analysis. â€Å"The study of personal networks requires meticulous and systematic detailed recording of data on social interaction for a fairly large group of people, a feat which few fieldworkers accomplish successfully† [Mitchell 1969, 11]. Social network analysis is simply too time-consuming and det ailed for it to be a viable analytical model in many situations. Also, although the level of abstraction is not as great as it is in the structural-functionalist approach, the anthropologist must still identify the limits or extent of a network, and select the individual or group at the centre of it. The isolation of one part of the network is â€Å"based on the fieldworkers judgement of what links are significant in explaining the behaviour of the people with whom he is concerned† [Mitchell 1969, 13-14]. Just as structural-functionalists â€Å"found† structures in society, the Manchester school â€Å"found† networks. However, the important factor to keep in mind with regard to social network analysis is that it was always intended as a complement to structural-functional analysis. As Mitchell outlines, the â€Å"notion of social networks is complementary to and not a substitute for conventional frameworks of analysis† [Mitchell 1969, 8]. In conc lusion, it is clear that the Manchester school was distinctive for several reasons. Firstly, it was an action-oriented approach which described the social system as it actually was, full of conflicts and contradictions. Cleavages and tensions were dealt with through various redressive mechanisms. Secondly, it rejected the view of society as a bounded unit and acknowledged the influence of a wider context in all situations; the role of colonialism in causing social problems in Africa was highlighted. In addition, the Manchester school addressed both urban and rural localities and in doing so furthered anthropologys understanding of multiple identities and the necessary application of situational selection. Finally, the school advanced the use of social network analysis, applying mathematical methods to the study of culture and bringing the individual and his/her interactions with other actors in actual settings to the centre of study. Despite these advances, the Manchester scho ol continued to function within a structural-functionalist paradigm. This is shown, for example, by the fact that conflict was studied only in relation to equilibrium; the school did not account for social change or transformation. Also, although they emphasised the impact and inequalities of the colonial system, the Manchester anthropologists did not provide a general theoretical approach for the colonial situation. Finally, its analytical model was designed as a complement to structural-functionalist modes of analysis. The Manchester school is characterised by several distinct features however, overall it â€Å"represents more of a shift of emphasis than a complete departure from pre-war structuralism† [Kuper 1973, 148]. Bibliography Boissevain, J. 1979. Network analysis: a reappraisal, Current Anthropology 20: 392-394. Gluckman, M. 1963. Order and rebellion in tribal Africa. London: Cohen West. Hannerz, U. 1992. The global ecumene as a network of networks, in A. Kuper (ed.) Conceptualising society. London: Routledge. Kuper, A. 1973. Anthropology and anthropologists: The modern British school. London: Routledge. Mitchell, J.C. 1969. Social networks in urban situations. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Rogers, A. S. Vertovec. 1995. The urban context: ethnicity, social networks and situational analysis. Oxford: Berg. Swartz, M., V. Turner A. Tuden. 1966. Political anthropology. Chicago: Aldine Publishing Co.