Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Movement of Indigenous People Away from City Centers, and in Saudi Arabia in Particular

There are many things that affect the movement of people globally and within a nation. Demographics is the study of the reasons why people move around. There are many factors that influence the migration of people, from social, to cultural and personal.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Movement of Indigenous People Away from City Centers, and in Saudi Arabia in Particular specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Religion, people’s education, their national preferences and the surrounding environment all play a crucial role in where people chose to live or where to move to. The changing times have been especially influential on the migration of the indigenous people, but the historical records are partly lost or non-existent (Turner, 2006). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the background reasons for the movement of indigenous people away from city centers, and in Saudi Arabia in particular. An object ive look will be taken at the different criteria that lead to changes in migration patterns. More specifically, the migration determinants and demographics of the indigenous people are closely related to the global economics and societies, but are also interrelated between each other and local, intercultural societies (Carnes Yang, 2004). The history and the indigenous people possess knowledge that is very specific to the area and which can be used to an advantage. The environment determines the way people lead their lives and what they can offer to each other. Even in the modern world, indigenous people are secluded and their history is not as specific. The native populations of all modern countries have been suscepted to the influence of the dominating culture which colonized and secluded the indigenous population (Mahadevan, 2009). The results of such a shift led to a city becoming a very busy place with a lot of potential for growth. Heritage is an extremely important part of t he society and this can be seen in how society functions. The city bases its priorities on the development and so, technology has become the center focus on life. Just like the first years of development, the movement forward continues today. People are able to communicate and cooperate, so that whole of society is interconnected and participating (Sargent, 2008). The modern society strives to eliminate any kind of separation between races and people, so that all are able to enjoy an environment free of stress and unfair treatment. In turn, this leads to full assimilation of indigenous people, and there is a risk that the older and valuable culture will be lost (Moses, 2004). Traditions and beliefs of people have a dominant effect on how demographics of indigenous people are set up. The role of personal attributes like education, family and cultural views play a key role why indigenous people have experienced a demographic shift (Schwegler, 2012). It is clear that how people view th eir social make-up and what their regulations of social life demand of them are the determinants in how the population will be shaped.Advertising Looking for term paper on anthropology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The demographics of indigenous people are greatly affected by the modern industry, competition for oil control and other valuable resources. The movement of indigenous population before modernization and colonization was minimal, comparing to the modern times. People are forced from their homes and social programs by the overtaking businesses and new high rise buildings. There are unique particulars of the surrounding conditions that the people might cause and receive which will lead them to move to another area. Climate and geography of a specific location have a lot to do with the available resources needed to survive and prosper, especially for indigenous people. As such, natives are forced to move away from t he city and find a place which would best support the needs of the community. The second point is migration in relation to personal factors. This is defined as the movement of people within the nations, communities and villages, and the changes that such demographic change causes. As an example, when the colonists arrived, they proclaimed themselves owners of the land and took away any freedom or rights that indigenous people rightfully deserved. They were not asked for land, it was not bought but simply taken. The traditions that the original population had were long standing cultural and well established system of beliefs and balance with nature (Gret-Regamey et al, 2008). The segregation that took place and happened on several levels brought about demographic changes that can be observed in the modern world. The third point that affects demographics relates to the relationship between the modern culture and personal understanding of the surrounding society. These are defined as i ndividual and communal differences in families, education and character qualities. Communication would also play a great role in how indigenous people select a migration area. Labor and support of a social setting rests on effective communication techniques that lead to development and cooperation, especially in different cultural backgrounds (Pollalis, 2013). Both past and present world are accompanied by several problems which determine the demographic changes. The available natural resources of an area are one of the determinants. A community bases support on the availability of conditions necessary for life, as well as development.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on The Movement of Indigenous People Away from City Centers, and in Saudi Arabia in Particular specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Recent climate changes have not been present in the previous years and have caused people to be more selective of the g eographical location. Time, relative to the views of the world is extremely important, especially in the age of business and technology. The treatment and views of societies towards indigenous people would not set up an atmosphere for the stay. Time and geography are linked, as geography would often determine the amount of time people could stay and work at a certain place. Historical literature, as well as modern text must be analyzed to discover how indigenous people viewed the new cultures and social norms (Otten Geppert, 2009). In order to demonstrate demographics, quantitative methods, in forms of charts and percentage statics need to be consulted. In the international section, fertility rates in the close-by countries are also examined, as well as educational statistics for adults and children. In a domestic migration analysis, the amount of people that left a specific country and the number of people that the receiving country has accepted is another determinant. The employm ent rates of a particular nation illustrate the availability of acceptance for indigenous people who feel out of place and not needed (Major Trends Affecting Families: A Background Document, 2003). In the case of Saudi Arabia, the first factor is the community development and a greater involvement with the support that can be directed at people who already reside in the area. The focus has also been changed from businesses and people living there presently, towards the future and changes that will happen to the community and companies. As a result the indigenous people of Saudi Arabia were moved out of the cities as businesses would be taking over the area. The mission was to develop the region and move towards the stable economy. It was also to place the location on the map and make it known to organizations and other investors, so that the region becomes the center for business and industrial activity, as well as for the community to enjoy the facilities and the surrounding area ( El, 1984). But unfortunately, the native people of Saudi Arabia were forced to move the communities, social services and cultural interconnections to remote areas. The eastern culture offers much diversity and interest to the international demographics because the shift in cultural preferences in accordance with the modern views is rather drastic. People enjoy the environment and innovations that help the nation to prosper (Brebbia, 2011). Even though Saudi Arabia is becoming a very stable region with an enormous market and great possibilities for business, the indigenous people were forgotten and deprived of their land.Advertising Looking for term paper on anthropology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The segregation that took place happened on several levels. One was moral where people were degraded and their cultural values were forgotten and mistreated. Politically, the land was divided into reservations and people were placed into specific area where they could reside (Edgar, 2002). They could not choose their land by law and could not participate in any policy making. The ability and right to move was taken away as well, and all the available resources were taken for the needs of colonizers. A cultural and social division was another great part of the discriminatory treatment of the indigenous people of Saudi Arabia. Culture was not the only part of the life of people that was much changed. Because of the hardships that people experienced, they would often be living in poor conditions with little access to water, food and other much needed items. Others were completely homeless which forced people out of the cities (Arab Migration In A Globalized World, 2004). One study titl ed â€Å"The Saudi Arabian Economy: Policies, Achievements, and Challenges† looks at the particulars in the migration of indigenous people. Prior to 1850s, Saudi Arabia saw some administrative reforms which were centered on increasing the efficiency of national matters and the regulation of the new country began to flourish (Ramady, 2010). The social life was revolving around collective effort of society to build a world full of prosperity and success (Dreyer, 2008). The guiding principles of the government were to establish an order that allowed for the development of industries and aggregation of autonomous matters. This pushed indigenous people out, making the cities more modern and business oriented. The mindset that was predominant related to shaping public policy in such a way that it allowed people to gain maximum use of agriculture and environmental factors. This was to be used for directing further movement into the industrial era (Adler, 2003). The study fails to me ntion social and cultural detriments that were experiences by the indigenous people. Also, the solutions to resolve the matter are not analyzed, so it is difficult to base any understanding and direction of the future life. The following image shows that the population is very dense in the developed regions, whereas areas away from the industrial centers are underdeveloped. Another study looks at the distribution of males and females, and how the division within the population affects the class separation. The â€Å"International Migration and Development in the Arab Region† explains this trend as one of the key reasons why the indigenous population is decreasing with the modernization of the world (International Migration and Development in the Arab Region, 2007). The data shows that the population of males is much greater than that of females. This is explained with the cultural specifics, as the traditional beliefs of Saudi Arabia were very conservative. As a result, mal es become more involved in business and the developing world, whereas women are still majorly secluded from the positions of influence and power (Arya, 2006). Some of the recommendations demand changes in physical planning, as well as policy and management changes. In the past decade there was an outbreak of protests and indigenous people forcing the government to change policies. The fight for the preservation of culture and ways of life is very important to the present and future generations. Because this is the age of changes and all people battle for rights and freedoms, Saudi Arabian people must finally receive the respect they deserve (Panara, 2013). The legislature must come into force which recognizes the many cultural peoples that exist on the territory of Saudi Arabia, and they must be considered rightful citizens. At the same time, this is demographically a distinct population. They have the right to form own government, produce and enforce laws and other legal rights tha t are enjoyed by the major population. It is clear that demographics are greatly affected by the changing world. The indigenous people have left the city centers, as the rapid development and lack of education in a particular field left them no place or opportunity to prosper. This is the result of segregation and assimilation because the value of traditions and beoliefs has become less important globally. References Adler, L. (2003). Migration: Immigration and Emigration in International Perspective. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group. Arab Migration In A Globalized World. (2004). Geneva: International Org. for Migration. Arya, S. (2006). Poverty, Gender and Migration. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Brebbia, C. (2011). Sustainable Development and Planning V. Boston: WIT Press. Carnes, T. Yang, F. (2004). Asian American Religions: The Making and Remaking of Borders and Boundaries. New York, NY: NYU Press. Dreyer, D. (2008). The Dynamics of International Rivalry: An Issue Conflict Approach. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Edgar, A. (2002). Cultural theory: the key concepts. New York: Routledge. El A. (1984). The Impact Of Oil Revenues On Arab Gulf Development. New York: Routledge. Gret-Regamey et al. (2008). Ecosystem Services in Agricultural and Urban Landscapes. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons. International Migration and Development in the Arab Region. (2007). Blue Ridge Summit: United Nations Publications. Mahadevan, J. (2009). Redefining Organizational Cultures. An Interpretative Anthropological Approach to Corporate Narratives. Forum Qualitative Social Research, 10.1. 8-10. Major Trends Affecting Families: A Background Document. (2003). Blue Ridge Summit: United Nations Publications. Moses, D. (2004). Genocide and Settler Society. Oxford, NY: Berghahn Books. Otten, M. Geppert, J. (2009). Mapping the Landscape of Qualitative Research on Intercultural Communication. A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Methodological Galaxy. Forum Qualitative Social Research, 10.1. 30-35. Panara, C. (2013). The Arab Spring: New Patterns for Democracy and International Law. Dancers, United States: MartinusNijhoff Publishers. Pollalis, S. (2013). Infrastructure Sustainability and Design. New York: Routledge. Ramady, M. (2010). The Saudi Arabian Economy: Policies, Achievements, and Challenges. New York: Springer. Sargent, L. (2008). Contemporary Political Ideologies: A Comparative Analysis, Belmont: Cengage Learning. Schwegler, U. (2012). The challenge of researching trust in intercultural cooperation. Forum Qualitative Social Research, 10.1. 24-34. Turner, J. (2006). Handbook of Sociological Theory. New York: Springer. This term paper on The Movement of Indigenous People Away from City Centers, and in Saudi Arabia in Particular was written and submitted by user AlbertCleary to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Halloween Vocabulary in Spanish

Halloween Vocabulary in Spanish Are you celebrating Halloween? With this vocabulary list, you can do it in Spanish. la araà ±a - spider. la bruja - witch. Much like the English word, bruja can also be used to refer to a strongly disliked woman. el brujo - wizard, sorcerer. la calabaza - pumpkin. This word can also refer to various kinds of gourds, such as a calabash. la casa embrujada - haunted house. Embrujado is the past participle of embrujar, usually translated as to bewitch. el diablo - devil. The English and Spanish words come from the same Latin source. Note the similarity with diabolical. el disfraz - costume or disguise. el duende - goblin. The word can refer to various kinds of magical creatures such as elves and imps. A person who has a certain kind of magic or charm about him or her can be said to tener duende. los dulces, los caramelos - candy. As an adjective, dulce is simply the word for sweet. And while caramelo can refer to caramel, it most often refers to candies in general. Caramelo is probably related to miel, the word for honey. el esqueleto - skeleton. el fantasma - ghost. Like most other words of Greek origin that end in -ma, fantasma is masculine, making an exception to the rule that nouns ending in -a are typically feminine. el gato negro - black cat. el hechizo - spell (as from a witch). The word can also refer to a persons charm. The verb form, meaning to cast a spell, is hechizar. la jack-o-lantern - jack-o-lantern. The decoration can also be described as a calabaza iluminada, lighted pumpkin. la magia - magic. Something magical is mgico. la mscara - mask. This is the source of the English mascara. la momia - mummy. The English and Spanish come from an Arabic word referring to an embalmed body. el murcià ©lago - bat (the animal that flies). This word is derived from the Latin mouse (rat) and caecus (blind), so its original meaning was blind mouse. Noche de Brujas - Halloween. The phrase literally translates as Witches Night, and Dà ­a de Brujas, Witches Day, is also used. It also is very common in the United States and some other areas with U.S. influence to use Halloween. el superhà ©roe, la superheroà ­na - superhero. In modern usage, it is not unusual to hear  the form la superhà ©roe  for a female superhero. la telaraà ±a - cobweb, spider web. This is a combination of two words, tela, usually referring to fabric, and araà ±a, the word for spider. In a different context, telaraà ±a can also refer to a net (such as one for catching fish) or a tangle of cables, strings or similar items. truco o trato - trick or treat. The English phrase is often used as well. Truco is often translated as trick, such as a trick of the trade or a magic trick. Trato, on the other hand, normally is a contract or agreement. It doesnt mean treat, although it can mean treatment when it refers to the way someone treats someone else. el vampiro, la vampira - vampire. The word probably came from Hungarian. el/la zombi - zombie. The English spelling is sometimes used.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Bentley University Acceptance Rate and SAT Score Facts

Bentley University Acceptance Rate and SAT Score Facts Bentley requires test scores as part of its admissions process. Students can submit either SAT or ACT scores, and neither is preferred over the other. Bentley is a selective school, and only admits 42 percent of applicants each year. To apply, students must fill out a Common Application, complete with the writing/personal statement section. In addition, students must submit test scores, an application fee, and high school transcripts. Bentleys admissions are holistic, meaning that they look at more than just grades and test scores. Students who participate in extracurricular activities and have work or volunteer experience are encouraged to list their activities and experience on their applications, to help set them apart. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with Cappexs free tool. Admissions Data (2016) Bentley University Acceptance Rate: 46%GPA, SAT and ACT graph for Bentley Test Scores:  25th / 75th Percentile SAT Critical Reading: 510 / 620SAT Math: 550  / 670SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 25  / 30What these ACT numbers mean Bentley University Description Located on a 163-acre campus in Waltham, Massachusetts, Bentley University is not a typical New England college. The great majority of Bentley students major in some area of business, but the school is nevertheless a comprehensive university where the liberal arts and sciences play a central role in the curriculum. Ethics, social responsibility, and global culture are all important components of a Bentley business education. Bentley has a 12 to 1  student/faculty ratio  and an average class size of 24. The university frequently ranks among the top 50 business schools in the country. On the athletic front, the Bentley University Falcons compete in the NCAA Division II, within the Northeast-10 Conference. Popular sports include track and field, football, basketball, and soccer. Bentley University Mission Statement To educate creative, ethical, and socially responsible organizational leaders by creating and disseminating impactful knowledge within and across business and the arts and sciences. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 5,506  (4,222 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 59% Male / 41% Female98% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17) Tuition and Fees: $45,760Books: $1,260  (why so much?)Room and Board: $15,130Other Expenses: $1,200Total Cost: $61,005 Bentley University Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 76%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 68%Loans: 49%Average Amount of AidGrants: $25,343Loans: $8,540 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Marketing, Computer Science, Mathematics, Global Studies, Business/Corporate CommunicationsWhat major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 94%Transfer-out Rate: 3%4-Year Graduation Rate: 83%6-Year Graduation Rate: 89% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, and Diving Track, and Field, Basketball, Ice Hockey, BaseballWomens Sports:  Field Hockey, Basketball, Track and Field, Softball, Tennis, Volleyball, Cross Country Bentley and the Common Application Bentley University uses the  Common Application. These articles can help guide you: Common Application essay tips and samplesShort answer tips and samplesSupplemental essay tips and samples Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Politics of Public-Private Partnerships Literature review

The Politics of Public-Private Partnerships - Literature review Example The validity of his argument regarding the associated costs of PPPs is the essential point presented in this paper. Flinders’ major argument The article â€Å"The Politics of Public-Private Partnerships† is a particular argument that presents PPPs as potential factors that provide the opportunity for political issues and tensions to proliferate in the government (Flinders, 2005). According to Flinders, political issues and tensions are largely been overlooked, which may be eventually observed from the point of view of efficiency, risk, complexity, accountability and governance and the future of state projects. Through PPP, efficiency gains and service improvements in some policy areas may be observed, but based on the thoughts of Flinders these also have corresponding political and democratic costs. In other words, PPPs may have provided significant benefits at some point, but on the other hand, these can only be generated with substantial political and democratic costs . For Flinders, short-term benefits linked to PPPs may be outweighed by the long-term problems. Therefore, it emphasises more of the probable threats or risks. Thus, Flinders adopted the definition of PPP as a risk-sharing relationship existing between the public and private sectors just to result to the desired public policy outcome. In order to explicate this point, Flinders was able to subdivide his arguments into various sections. The first section deals with the Labour government’s approach to public sector reform since May 1, 1997. In the second section, the author examines Public Interest Companies (PICs) prior to a more detailed analysis of the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in the UK. The third section introduces the framework to elaborate the idea of the political issues and debates around PPPs. Then finally, the last section provides information concerning the reasons why the government may commit to PPPs. Central to the idea concerning the first section is the p revailing diverse models of service delivery that the public and private sectors implemented. This at some point, according to Flinders provided the opportunity to the birth of political administrative perspective. The second section tries to enhance the idea of ‘back-door privitisation’ which may have potentially evolved from PICs down to PFI. In this case, various political concerns surfaced and the issue was far from monetary consideration. The third section introduces some relevant themes surrounding PPPs in the UK. Based on the argument of Flinders, these themes may have substantially provide opportunity for the public sectors to be served, but the bottom line of these themes may provide implication for the advantage only of the few and not the majority. The fourth section is a significant confirmation of the elemental drawbacks linked to controversial PFI deals. However, the government seems to have no other choice, but to continuously rely on the private sectors in the future to provide public services resulting to partnerships with associated political challenges. It is now important to consider some remarkable insights regarding the stand of Flinders on PPPs. Key insights In this section, the work at hand presents the key insights into the relationship between government and business based on the relevant points from the article. One major insight that can be generated from the article includes the point that the government is

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

NewCorp Scenarios Legal Brief Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NewCorp Scenarios Legal Brief - Research Paper Example However, this is not outlined in the employment documents (Lambert, 2005). Therefore, this gave pat no reason to drop in his performance. He should have tried all the best to ensure the performance in the institution was maintained at high levels. The employer and the institution are not directly involved in family issues and this is not a reason for the drop in performance. Therefore, it was in his interests to ensure the family issues and moving to another city does not affect his performance at work. However, he left this to affect his performance at work, which was detrimental to his career. According to statutory laws, an employer has the legal rights to hire a worker depending on his or her qualifications. Similarly, the same institution or employer has the rights to terminate the worker without satisfactory results. Therefore, an employee has to make sure he or she is giving satisfactory results in the institution. Apparently, performance is the only indicator that can be used in justifying an employee’s worth in the institution. Therefore, when an employee is not giving satisfactory results, he is at the helm of disqualification and termination. Since this is an independent entity, it has its rights of disqualifying employees that are not beneficial to the institution. This states the reason behind the pat’s disqualification at the work place. This is clearly indicated in the signed documents, where an employee is terminated when there is unsatisfactory performance. As such, the institution acted upon its jurisdiction to terminate pat, the reason being that Pat’s performance was not pleasing the institution. Though Pat’s termination at his work place could be justified according to the jurisdiction of the institution, there are several points that should be considered. First, the notice of termination was minute. He was given a short notice of termination, which was not well received by Pat. Secondly, the institution should h ave given Pat more time to work on his performance. Giving Pat more time should have prepared him to work on his performance in the institution. This would have improved on his performance. However, it seems the institution had already made a decision to terminate him. Apparently, the institution should have used Pat’s historical performance at the institution and given him another chance. Consequentially, some institutions do not believe in second chances, which ruined his career. Similarly, Pat’s views at the school board meeting should not be used as a scapegoat for disqualification. Second Case Relationships at the work place are highly opposed by many institutions as they constantly affect the work of the employees. In this case, it is evidently seen that the two employees were affected by their relationship at the work place. To begin with, the employer has to be skeptical about the work relationships. Most employers are not for the idea of dating at the work pla ce. As such, they give stringent punishment to any employees that are found dating at the work place. Though it is hard to control human emotions, relationships at the work place are not accepted by the employers and the institution. Therefore, it was in the jurisdiction of the employer and institution to make a succinct control measure against such relationships in the institution. This would have lessened the outcome as Paula and Sam would have avoided such a scenario.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Historical Context of the Remakes of The Phantom of the Opera Essay Example for Free

Historical Context of the Remakes of The Phantom of the Opera Essay The Phantom of the Opera has undergone subsequent remakes. This Hollywood film has undergone numerous remakes at different historical moments throughout the world. In Hollywood and the United Kingdom, it has spawned more than ten film and TV versions that differ significantly in selecting the settings for the horror-romance [Paris, New York and London] in accounting for the phantom’s disfiguration, in portraying the opera understudy, as well as Christine’s attitude toward the phantom. However, they all follow the male phantom-teacher and female opera-student structure so that heterosexual desire [manifested in two men’s competition for a woman] remains the prime move of the plot. My focus in this essay is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version of the aforementioned text. My emphasis in this text will be how the phantom [including his image and voice] is represented within the film technology available at that time [in contradistinction to the manner in which the phantom’s image and voice is represented in different versions of the aforementioned text]. My working hypothesis is that since the phantom, by definition, exceeds visual representation in the silent and the sound versions, his voice, as a singer and a music teacher, emerges a primary site for representation and signification. To explore the representation and the significance of the phantom’s voice, I will focus on (1) how the phantom-teacher relates to his student through voice as well as visage, (2) how the teacher-student relationship differ from film to film [from Schumacher’s film in contradistinction to the other version of the film], (3) and how to read these relationships in allegorical terms, or in relation to their respective material-historical conditions. The last question leads me to map the teacher-student relationship onto the tension between an â€Å"original† film and its remake(s). In the end this paper will demonstrates the manner in which each remake strategizes its position vis-a-vis a historical moment and a prior film text hence it follows from this that each remake [specifically Schumacher’s remake] should not be subsumed into an echoing tradition in the corridor of the history. I start with the representation of phantom’s voice and its interplay with the shadow. The aural-visual dimension is crucial for our understanding of the issue of subaltern film remaking, which is ultimately an issue of power circulation and distribution. In the film diegeses, the phantom holds power over the student and other people for two reasons: (1) he eludes audio-visual representation and (2) he assumes the empowered teacher position. The 1925 version of The Phantom of the Opera centered upon the triangular tension between Erik, The Phantom (Lon Chaney); Christine (Mary Philbin), an understudy in the Paris Opera House whom the phantom has trained and elevated to the diva position; and Raoul (Norman Kerry), Christine’s fiance. As indicated above, the phantom, by definition, exceeds direct visual coding. The problematic of representation is further compounded by the fact that the film, being silent [that being the 1925 version], cannot represent the phantom’s voice except through the theatre orchestra’s performance. This means that the voice and other diegetic sounds the audience hear do not [seem to] emit from the screen. This representational dilemma is alleviated through the use of shadow [an image that signifies the fusion of absence and presence, thus most appropriate for the phantom figure]. More specifically, this silent film mobilizes venues of representation before Christine sees the phantom. The first is the shadow, proffered exclusively to the audience who, according to Michel Chion, is â€Å"deaf† and cannot hear the phantom’s voice (Chion 7). The other, the phantom’s â€Å"angelic voice,† is heard only by Christine and other characters. The differentiated knowledge distribution leads to two modes of spectatorship, one being exclusively visual, and the other exclusively aural. In both cases, the phantom is omnipotent when remaining a mere shadow or a disembodied voice (Chion 19). When lodged in a physical body, a process the power is lost. This takes place in The Phantom of the Opera when Christine’s fascination with the acousmatic phantom turns into dread and disgust once the voice is embodied in a visual image [i. e. , the skull head that she has unmasked]. Thus, the phantom’s deacousmatization depletes his magic power over Christine. Not only does his horrendous visage drive Christine to cover her face [which may implicitly mirror a female viewer’s typical response to a horror film]. It also forces the phantom himself to cover his face. The implication is that to maintain his power, he has to remain invisible. In the same manner, for a horror film to remain horrific, it must not be seen in unobstructed view. As Dennis Giles observes, the more [the viewer] stares, the more the terror will dissipate to the extent that the image of full horror will be revealed (unveiled) as more constructed, more artificial, more a fantasy, more a fiction than the fiction which prepares and exhibits it. To look the horror in the face for very long robs it of its power. (48) By covering his face, the phantom symbolizes the horror film’s attempt to block the viewer’s vision. In other words, the power of the phantom, and by extension, of the horror film, consists in deprivation of visual representation. The problematic of representing a phantom in a silent film thus finds resolution in a paradox, namely, the possibility and effectiveness of representation consists precisely in a lack of direct visual representation. Acousmetre is also crucial for maintaining the teacher student relationship. Once deacousmatized, this relationship comes to an end, which in turn de-legitimizes the phantom’s proposal to Christine. After a long sequence of suspense, sound and fury, during which Christine is salvaged from the Opera House’s underground catacomb, while the phantom chased to a dead end, the film [initial version of the film] closes with a double shot of Christine happily married with her aristocratic fiance. Instead of a beauty and the beast story, in which the beast is transformed into a handsome nobleman by the beauty’s kiss, the monster in this film remains a monster and the opera actress gets punished for her scopic and epistemological drive [a â€Å"monstrous† transgression she must redeem by betraying the monster] returning to humanity [defined as white heterosexual normality] and succumbing to a domesticating marriage. The containment of the female deviancy is built into the film producer’s plan to reinforce what they perceive as the audience’s wish: â€Å"a movie about the love life of Christine Daae† (MacQueen 40). The film thus ends with a triumph of a bourgeois fantasy premised on the domestication of women, and the destruction of the monster. Joel Schumacher’s remake of the original Phantom of the Opera, did not come as a surprise, given the frequent practice of borrowing and adapting at the time. Schumacher’s version retains the powerful phantom figure whose self-de-acousmatization again successfully captivates the student, Christine. Nevertheless, it also displays far more intense interactions between the phantom-teacher and the singer-student. Briefly speaking, their relationship goes through four successive steps: ventriloquism, reverse ventriloquism or excessive mimesis, performative reiteration, and finally, the Benjaminian â€Å"afterlife† [which delineate Christine’s gradual usurpation of the phantom’s power while also contributing to the dialectical image provided by the phantom-teacher and singer-student relationship]. The phantom begins with ventriloquizing Christine’s in the latter’s reenactment of the former’s masterpiece, now titled â€Å"Romeo and Juliet,† replacing â€Å"Hot Blood† in Song at Midnight. During the performance, Christine falters at a tenor note, but is undetected by the theatre audience, thanks to the phantom’s backstage â€Å"dubbing,† visually represented through cutaways. The camera first holds on Christine’s bending over the dead â€Å"Juliet† then closes up on his slightly opened mouth and bewilderment, and subsequently following Christine’s puzzled look, cuts to the cloaked phantom in profile, hidden behind a window curtain in the backstage, emotionally singing out the tenor notes. Cutting from the front stage to the back stage area also echoes. In the aforementioned scene, it is important to note that the moment of ventriloquism gradually gives way to Christine’s agency. Indeed, Christine’s centrality in the film is evidenced in the predominance of the perspective shots that mediate the off-screen audience’s knowledge and sensorial experiences. This viewing structure contrasts sharply with The Phantom of the Opera’s 1925 version. Whereas Christine deacousmatizes the phantom, the audience actually sees the disfigured face before she does. Similarly, Christine’s knowledge [regarding the phantom] is one step behind that of the audience who hear the phantom’s midnight singing and see an enlarged shadow cast on the wall at the opening of the film after the initial portrayal of the opera house’s condition after the fire. The contrast between the two aforementioned versions of The Phantom of the Opera suggests two different ways of constructing history. One is to hide away the past [embodied by the phantom] that has transformed beyond recognition so as to reproduce its old, familiar image in a present medium, or the student. The other is to acknowledge what the past has become, in order to re-suture it into the present without reducing the present into a mere mirror image of the past. Thus, Christine’s agency and the Phantom’s revival become interdependent. The teacher-student hierarchy, as argued previously, is analogous with the hierarchy between the master and the slave. Furthermore, it can also be mapped onto the tension-ridden relationship between a film and its remake(s). These interconnected, parallel relationships allow us to situate the cultural production of a film in a dynamic socio-political field (Gilloch 17). Following Gerard Genette’s definition of â€Å"hypertextuality,† which designates that a hypertext both overlays and evokes an anterior text, or hypotext (Genette 5), I argue that a remake occupies the student position, and that its very existence testifies to and evokes its â€Å"teacher† or â€Å"predecessor. As a form of cinematic doubling, how the â€Å"student† film situates itself vis-a-vis the â€Å"teacher† and its own historical moment determines possibilities of remaking (Smith 56). The major divergences between the two versions of The Phantom of the Opera mentioned above suggest two diametrically opposite agendas. Whereas the former prioritizes domesticating and suturing women into white-oriented heterosexuality, the latter historicizes and politicizes the hetero-erotic relationship between the teacher and student. There are several ways in which one may understand the aforementioned divergence. It is important to note that the text adapted by Schumacher for the construction of his version of the aforementioned film is in itself a divergence from the original. In comparison to Lon Channey’s version of the aforementioned film [which is an adaptation itself], Schumacher’s version discarded most of the horror version aspects which have been associated with the film [as well as the original text by Leroux]. Examples of these are evident if one considers Schumacher’s choice for the depiction of the phantom himself [as a disfigured individual as opposed to a skull hiding behind a mask]. In a way there are several ways in which such a depiction [the change of depiction] may be understood. Initially, one may state that such a shift stems as a result of the shift from the operatic version of the film as opposed to the â€Å"Beauty and the Beast† theme associated with the film. Second, in line with the initial claim of this paper, one may understand the shift [in terms of the phantom’s depiction] as a means of mirroring the historical conditions of the film’s production. The process of mirroring the initial work as a means of showing the teacher-student relationship [in relation to the silent film version and Schumacher’s version] may be understood as a means of employing the manner in which the student has transcended the master to the extent that such a transcendence enabled the initial freedom from the heterosexual archetypal relationships which enables the submission of the female to the norm [that being the norm of female submission towards the male]. It may indeed be argued that Schumacher’s version also enabled such a submission since Christine chose Raoul over the phantom. It is important to note, however, that such a choice may be understood differently in relation to the original silent film adaptation of the aforementioned text. Note for example the depiction [as well as the characterization] of the phantom in the initial version of the film. As was noted at the onset of the paper, the depiction of the phantom in the initial version [silent film version] presented a horrible figure [i. e. a skull for a face]. Such a presentation may be understood, in such a way, that the phantom is presented as the depiction of the deviance resulting from the inability to adhere to the norm. Deviance from the norm, in this sense, may be seen [and in fact understood] as a horrible act itself. Schumacher’s version [with its depiction of the phantom as figure with a face [a handsome one in fact despite its minor deformities] may be seen as mirroring the manner in which deviance from the norm [that of the adherence to the heterosexual and in a sense highly patriarchal relationship] is more acceptable within the current context of the film’s production (McQueen . Schumacher’s version begins with a reel from the 1919 occurrence at the Opera Populaire wherein the old Raoul is depicted as buying knickknacks that serve as the reminder of the occurrences that led to the aforementioned opera’s demise. What follow this scene is a reconstruction of the Opera Populaire resulting from the flashback of memories to those who where in it during 1819 thereby providing the spectator with the truth behind the masked lives of those who lived within the opera at that time. What is interesting to note in Schumacher’s version [in relation to the reconfiguration or rather redepiction of the phantom] is the manner in which one is now given a new manner of understanding the means in which Christine gains her agency. In fact, agency in Schumacher’s version of the film is depicted as a manner of choice and not as mere adherence to a prescribed norm [in comparison to the original adaption of Webber’s text]. Dramatically, the story hinges on a series of conflicts which continually redefine Christine’s position in relation to her surroundings [as well as to the individuals around her]. Webber’s version [as adapted by Schumacher] depicted this process through a series of musical themes, motifs, and textures which portray the development of characters, attitudes, and emotions. Note that the materials in each of the musical themes and motifs are rarely modified except through instances of fragmentation. Although fragmentation occurs, it is interesting to note that when considered together, these musical themes literally play out the drama involved within the play (Snelson 110). In summary, in this paper I argued that the â€Å"teacher† text does not simply crumble when the â€Å"student† text arises in resistance, but rather experiences a revival. This is because the remake cannot fulfil itself without simultaneously evoking [not â€Å"imitating†] the â€Å"afterlife† crystallized in its textual â€Å"predecessor† (Mignolo 112). A film remake re-presents its â€Å"hypotext† not by turning itself into a submissive double, which simply reifies the â€Å"hypotext,† but rather by revalorizing the unique historical position of the â€Å"hypotext,† paradoxically achieved by the remake’s stress on its own distinction. In this sense, the various adaptations of Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera may be understood in such a way that both versions [that stand in a teacher-student relationship] present a challenge of the archetypal heterosexual relationships which stand as the pervading theme of the various versions of Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Censorship is NOT Good Essay -- Censor

Censorship Censorship, a controversial word that has been with us since who knows when. Ancient dictators would burn books because they didn’t like them and force people to believe what he did. The question I ask myself though is if censorship in Libraries and schools is justified. My answer is no, and that is what I will try to convince you. Censorship is ridiculous, unfair and selfish, and censors are hypocritical, intolerant, and arrogant. What I mean when I say censorship is ridiculous is exactly that. In Censorship Opposing Viewpoints, it states that the American Heritage Dictionary was banned from Anchorage, Alaska because of words dubbed obscene, like bed, tail, ball, and nut. At first we laugh at it, but we stop when we hear it has also been banned in Cedar City, Indiana, and Eldon, Missouri. % other dictionaries were banned in Texas. These people that ban them call themselves People for Better Education. I thought dictionaries help you learn? An article in Scholastic Update entitled â€Å"The Case of the disappearing Books† it says last year there were 338 cases of parents trying to remove books, among these was the classic Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. A teacher was fired because she assigned a book with a lesbian as a main character. A parent, Ruth Somoro, said this was being intolerant of religious beliefs, and schools aren’t supposed to promote religious beliefs. Hmm, I don’t get it. The Supreme Court ruled books couldn’t be removed because they dislike ...