Content Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Content Analysis - Essay Example This essay shall revolve around the thesis that news coverage in two websites would be different because of the specific social, cultural, and political undertones impacting on the website. Examples from evidence gathered shall help support this thesis. This essay shall gather its evidence for 10 days by browsing through news websites to peruse political and other news. Specific news items shall be chosen and then compared to other perspectives or news items from other websites. This process shall be carried out with different websites from western and Asian settings choosing within the time period for data gathering. A comparative analysis of the news articles shall follow this data gathering process. Main Body News terms and definitions There are different terms which need to be defined before this comparative analysis can proceed. Firstly, news agenda refers to the list of news items or topics which editors would choose to follow. The news values on the other hand refer to the imp ortance which is allocated on a certain news item. Sources are the individuals and other relevant items where the information would be gathered. Aljazeera and BBC These two news outlets are considered trusted international networks with the British Broadcasting Corporation being the most extensive news outlet in the world. It is considered a public corporation with measures undertaken in order to ensure its independence from the government (Briggs, 1985). It transmits to millions of homes worldwide, including hotels, resorts, and is now easily accessed via phones. Aljazeera on the other hand is a news outlet based on Qatar and was designed mostly to focus on Arab news and events (Seib, 2008). It is also the largest news outlet in the Middle East, mostly offering an Asian, mostly Middle East Asian perspective on the news. It also runs 24 hours a day with coverage in other countries expanding through the internet (Seib, 2008). This news outlet mostly highlights a less western influenc ed perspective on current events and affairs. Aljazeera and CNN In comparing the content of Aljazeera and CNN, the Aljazeera news provides a more international variety in its news while the CNN is more US and western focused (Flournoy and Stewart, 1997). Where other perspectives on the news are sought, the reader needs to go to the regional levels of their news outlet, including CNN News Asia where the Asian news can be seen. For Aljazeera, the focus is understandably the Middle East, however, they also include the international news in their front pages (Maalouf, 2008). News Agenda The news agenda is dominated by the Syria issue. In news outlets like CNN and Aljazeera, the threat of a nuclear arms threat from Syria has been discussed, and the position of the US on the issue has been dominant in the news agenda as several related articles have been seen in the past 10 days in these news outlets. The news agenda also includes various discussions and opinions on the Syria issue from t he perspective of the US and the rest of the world, including Britain, Russia, and Syria itself. The brewing nuclear threat has been emphasized in the articles, and seems to mimic the same pathway by which the Second Gulf War with Iraq eventually unfolded, with UN nuclear inspections being suggested by the international community and demands by the US President for the international community to take more decisive actions on the issue. UN inspections have been carried out on Syria, however, the international

Novel “Asturias” Essay Example for Free

Novel â€Å"Asturias† Essay Celebrity and fame don’t affect all relationships equally; some individual’s relationships are positively affected while others are affected negatively. Some individuals are easily influenced by fame and let it influence their relationships. Brain Caswell shows these ideas in the novel â€Å"Asturias† in the novel it is about a group being formed to make music and to make it in the world of fames. The song by Ed Sheeran’s You Need Me is about the singer ready to enter fame and is determined to make it. The trailer for Almost Famous is about a boy entering a new world full of celebrities. Asturias explores how fame can affect a celebrity’s relation both positively and negatively. In Asturias fame creates opportunities for individuals to form new relations or enhance old ones. Max desire to, â€Å"assemble a band†¦. With image and substance† reveals how fame gives the group members (Alex, Chrissie, Marco, Tasha and Tim) opportunity to meet each other and form new relationships. This idea also highlights Tim’s observation how, â€Å"you have more friends than ever† when you become famous. Celebrities have more fans and meet more celebrities of which they have idolised. It affects their relations towards the band members in their group. Ed Sheeran’s song You need me, also shows how fame can give more opportunities and exceed in life through the use of metaphor in the line â€Å"more greener pastures†. Likewise the trailer for almost famous also supports the notion that fame can create new relationships as the main character is introduced to rock stars and befriends them. This is emphasised when the main character is shown in a mid shot at the start of the trailer. With an upbeat song playing in the background highlighting his vulnerability and how he is starting the journey to fame. This vulnerable shot contrast with later shots where he is singing with the band members in their bus showing that his joined their group. Fame may create opportunities however it can put strains in relationships. Fame can create opportunities for forming new relationships or enhancing old relationships, in the trailer almost famous it shows the main character in a mid shot with an up beat song playing in the background showing his vulnerability and leading on through the trailer he starts his journey to  fame. He starts to experience the ride that everyone dreams for. These relations are affect by fame because they shown they are alone and they begin to make new friends such as rock stars and celebrities and they being to have friendships with. In the line by Ed Sheeran, â€Å"move to greener pastures,† he uses metaphor to show that he wants to go far and exceed in life. Fame gives him more opportunities to exceed in life and it brings new opportunities in his life. Also in Asturias the line â€Å" you have more friends then ever†, it shows how there are also new people entering in your life. New relationships are made and fame gives them these opportunities. Lastly fame gives you the dream. It’s a clichà © it gives you the opportunity to exceed in life and try new things and do the thing you love. Fame puts strain on old relationships epically with friends and family or can make it difficult to make new (real) friends. Such as in almost famous â€Å"rock starts have steeled my son†, the imagery of fame taking away her son, it affects the mums and sons relationship negatively because her son is to caught up on all the glitz and glamor. The mum knows these people are fake and don’t really care about the son. It also puts a strain in the mums and son relationship as the mother is loosing her son and they are distant. In relation, in Asturias the motif of the â€Å"brass ring† communicates the idea that fame and celebrity is not what it looks like it seems perfect and it everything you imagine it is gold in our eyes. Marco’s realises this when his dad wants to come back into the picture again, his dad just wants his money and doesn’t want him for all the other things. Marcos relations ship is like the brass ring. It looks like gold when his dad wants him but he starts to realise that his dad’s just brass and the idea of him really wanting to know him was an illusion. Brian Caswell outlines that fame has a positive and negative aspects as evident in the line, â€Å"with one hand it gives you the dream, with the other it takes a subtle payment†, where juxtaposition and imagery displays how fame is not always beneficial and always has a price. It shows how it can affect the relationships with your family and friends. You start to feel disconnected but you are making new friends however these friends may be untrustworthy and won’t be they’re when you stuff up. As you see fame has influenced these relationships in a negatively way. Keeping relationships intact while being famous requires hard work and a good support system plus you need to stay connected to the real world. In the song, You Need Me by Ed Sheeran in the line, â€Å"from day one I’ve been prepared†, the composer shows that he’s ready to entre fame, he’s ready to live the lifestyle of socialising, paparazzi, criticism and fake friends. He is ready to live in that negative environment which may affect his relation towards him self. Also in this line the rhythm is fast and up beat, he’s also rapping he uses this to show that fame is constantly fast you got to keep in track and your constantly have to keep putting yourself out their until you make it. In the line, â€Å"the light at the end of the tunnel was beginning to look less and less like an on-coming train†. Brian Caswell does this to show how their seems to be more hope and that the dream can actually happen, through the use of illusion. It shows how f ame affected the group’s relationship positively because they had a good support system and they stay connected to the their family and friends. Fame affects relationships by changing their lifestyle and world. It changes their lifestyle and world because new people entre your life such as fans. You loose your close friends because fame start to take over your life and usually your friends say remember me when you’re famous, because they know their going to loose you. You have a new status to live up to and you have are more restricted with your life. Your lifestyle change to glamorous fast paced, luxurious and wealthy. Your confidence grows and you are also placed in a new environment that surrounds you with expectations and partying and drugs and alcohol. In conclusion celebrity and fame can affects relations based on the person and the relationships on the others. Fame can affect them on the way they think about life by achieving their goals and knowing that anything can happen. However it also can impact their life by changing it around and influencing them to a false world and change their whole persona on life. Celebrity and fame can impact many relations it all depends on the individual and the way they look on to fame.

General ethics in film making

General ethics in film making Introduction Should the moral and ethical guidelines of documentary and mockumentary filmmaking be strictly adhered to if they impede on the overall artistic vision and message of the film? For the bases of this thesis I have chosen to answer this question through a discussion of the ethics of cinema vrit and the documentary/mockumentary style genre. In particular, I have chosen to focus my study on one film of this style of filmmaking. The 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, often referred to simply as Borat! (Borat the character and Borat! the movie (hereafter Borat!), is a mockumentary comedy film directed by American filmmaker Larry Charles and distributed by 20th Century Fox. (1) It was written, produced by, and stars the English comedian Sacha Baron Cohen in the title role of a fictitious Kazakh journalist traveling through the United States, recording real-life interactions with Americans. The character of Borat himself is distingu ished by exaggeratedly strong misogyny, anti-Semitism and antiziganism (racism against Romani people or gypsies), which is depicted as, apparently, the norm in his homeland of Kazakhstan. The character of Borat was originally created by Sacha Baron Cohen. He was used as a character for Da Ali G Show, a related satirical TV series starring Baron Cohen and featuring amongst others the title character Ali G and Borat. The first series of Da Ali G Show originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK in 2000. In the series, Baron Cohen carries out ridiculous interviews with unsuspecting people (including celebrities and high- ranking officials). (2.) This film Borat!, is shot in mockumentary style using handheld and often hidden cameras. A mockumentary is essentially a mock documentary, a parody of the earnest nature of the documentary genre (3). As a medium, it is most successful when the traditional documentary structure is maintained or exaggerated. Mockumentary filmmaking is made under much of the same genre rules as that of Cinema Vrit. Interviews in a mockumentary are deliberately tiresome, with the interviewers reaction shots obviously edited at a later date for either comic effect (4). Often, even the shooting and editing of a mockumentary compared to a genuine documentary is different. The sincere documentarian, such as Werner Herzog in Grizzly Man (2005) will edit any embarrassing, non-plot relevant or self-indulgent interviews before the point that the audience will laugh at the character. Grizzly Man documents Timothy Treadwells infantile affection for bears, his anger at society, his raging narcissism, his paranoia and finally the tragic deaths of Treadwell and his girlfriend (still .01) in October 2003. (.5) (still .01) Outtakes from Timothy Treadwells original video footage were later screened for the first time as part of the exclusive companion film. In order to put Treadwells experience into context.(6.) Whereas, the mockumentary filmmaker will intentionally leave these embarrassing edits in the finished film for comic effect. In doing so, the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by professional documentarians are, for the purpose of the film, overlooked so as to get the best result, joke, outrageous comment, or sound bite in most cases. An example of this is Michael Moores Roger and Me (1989) when Bob Eubank (still .02) host of US game-show The Newlywed Game is shown telling an off-color joke: Why do Jewish women never get AIDS? They only marry a**holes, they dont screw em. Eubanks claims that he only told the joke because he thought the camera was off. (7.) (still .02) Borat is part of a cinematic tradition of using mockery to diminish the power of political, social and cultural oppressors.(8.) This is done by exposing the absurdity of their control, much like past great films such as Charlie Chaplins The Dictator (1940) and Stanley Kubricks Dr.Strangelove (1964 ) Within the first chapter of this thesis, I define and address the core elements of cinema vrit and compare and contrast it to that of Direct Cinema and sincere documentary filmmaking. The moral code of ethics that filmmakers use as guidelines when first approaching the public as subjects for their films will also be addressed. For the basis of my second and third chapters, I take the case study of Borat! and form an argument around the mockumentary genre in relation to ethical dilemmas. In Chapter Two, I addres s the ethical oversights on the part of the filmmakers and the careless treatment of their subjects. I isolate and identify scenes and cases within the Borat! film as examples of how the filmmakers fail to respect the moral and ethical guidelines that inform other documentaries. By relating film practice to this established codes of ethics I show how the filmmakers jeopardized the rights of the people used in the film, such as the fraternity brothers and the residents of the village of Glod. I show one side of the argument in the second chapter. This argument explains with the use of examples, how the filmmaker has taken advantage of the subjects or in some cases used their likeness without proper informed consent(9.) in order to stay true to the artistic vision of the film. I look to detail the actions of both the subject and the filmmakers as well as the anatomy of the scene and the level of interaction and knowledge that the filmmakers offered the subject before participating in the project, if any. I also address the resulting effect on the subject. In doing so, I show that the filmmakers artistic vision and message, no matter how great or relevant, can have a long lasting negative effect on the subjects and participants of the film when they are duped into being pawns and unsuspecting foils to the main comedic actor playing a part with a hidden camera. The third chapter of the thesis, however, I show how the artistic vision was sincere and that the right to public freedom of speech was fairly used for the greater message and intent of the film. My goal is ultimately to present both sides of the same argument and through doing so, construct a complete and informed judgment on the moral and social goals of the film, as a satire, which I will present in my conclusion. This will prove that the actions of the filmmakers, although morally unethical, were still legal and artistically relevant. Borat! aims to set an important precedent that the artistic vision and the use of comedy or social satire are crucial to the success of the mockumentary genre of filmmaking. In the context of Borat! I choose specific examples, to address the intention behind the filmmakers conduct towards their subjects. Chapter One The Theory Of General Ethics Relating To cinema vrit And Direct Cinema In Modern Film Making. In this chapter I define the theory of ethics in relation to professional and employee ethics, in the relevant context of filmmaking. Because this thesis is about mockumentary filmmaking it will first help to establish the ethical foundations for the circles of filmmakers and other professionals working in this genre. When dealing with the subject genre of documentary and/or mockumentary filmmaking, it is first crucial is define a difference between the two. The word documentary was coined by Scottish documentarian John Grierson (10.) Griersons principles of documentary were that cinemas potential for observing life could be exploited in a new art form and that the original actor or subject and original scene are better guides than their fiction counterparts to interpreting the modern world. A mockumentary is essentially a parody of the documentary nature of filmmaking and is successful when the structure of a traditional documentary is exaggerated. These films are not unlike the cinema vrit filmmaking style, was most prolific in 1960/70s French filmmaking and/or Direct Cinema films. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, cinema vrit and Direct Cinema are two distinct documentary film sub-genres. Direct Cinema rose from the French film movement of the 1960s that strove for candid realism by showing people in everyday situations with authentic dialogue (11.) Influenced by documentary filmmaking and Italian Neorealism, the method produced examples such as Jean Rouchs Chronicle of a Summer (1961) (12.) and Chris Markers Joli Mai (1962). (13.) A similar movement in the U.S, captured the reality of a person or an event by using a handheld camera to record action without narration, as in Frederick Wisemans Titicut Follies (1967) (14.) and the Maysles brothers Salesman (1969) (still .03)(15.) (still .03) There are subtle yet important differences among the terms Direct Cinema and cinema vrit. Direct Cinema is largely concerned with the recording of events in which the subject and audience become unaware of the cameras presence. Direct Cinema is essentially what is now called a fly on the wall documentary. Originating in the late 1950s, Direct Cinema was made possible by the advent of lighter, more portable cameras, which could be hand-held and operated with a very small crew.(16.) This lean shooting style allowed filmmakers to change locations and camera angles easily and spontaneously, which resulted in a degree of intimacy never before seen on screen to date. The Direct Cinema filmmakers role involves not attempting to change the outcome of the events. He or she is filming in an observational context and ideally should not use the film to advance any type of political or social agenda. Direct Cinema filmmakers are generally interested in accurate reporting, regardless of the outcome. Cinma vrit, which means Truthful Cinema, combines naturalistic techniques with stylized editing and camerawork. Scenes are sometimes staged and the camera is used to provoke subjects. (17.) It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics. 13 Cinema vrit filmmakers, while still interested in the recording of true events, typically have an agenda in their work, which sets them apart from Direct Cinema. Michael Moores documentaries Roger and Me (1989) (still .05) and Bowling For Columbine (2002) are examples of modern cinema vrit. (still .04) (still .05) In recent years, these types of movies have often featured the filmmaker himself, as in the case of Borat! (still .04), taking part in the action onscreen. Cinma vrit involves stylized set-ups and interactions between the filmmakers and their subjects, even to the point of provocation, which in the case of Borat! will become apparent. The presence of the filmmaker and camera is used as a tool in a way to reveal the truth from the subject. The camera is obviously apparent and always acknowledged. It performs the raw act of filming real people and events in a confrontational and sometimes absurd way. This raises interesting questions about the illusion of cinema, while faced with these styles of filmmaking, the audience is forced to confront the paradox of the truth claim in documentary cinema by mixing direct documentation 14 (fact direct cinema) and reenactment with characters playing themselves (fiction cinema vrit) in order to suggest that perhaps they are one in the same. The cinema vrit filmmaker acts as the catalyst of the situation. A much discussed example of cinema vrit would be the film that will become the topic of discussion throughout the course of this thesis Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) directed by Larry Charles and starring Sacha Baron Cohen. It is hardly surprising that documentary and mockumentary films present ethical problems, in relation to the royalty to the original artistic concept and vision of the filmmakers, to the audience as a willing participant and, of course, the filmed subject as the focus basis of the film. In order to regulate all parties, production companies operate from a code of ethics rather then a strict legal binding. Ethics are important, because they give people a shared basis of understanding in rela tion to the concepts of right and wrong. When the public is involved, it helps the filmmakers to have a ready understanding of how to react to a certain situation if some dilemma should arise. A Code Of Ethics is essentially a set of guidelines that are designed to set out acceptable behaviours for members of a particular group, in this case filmmakers. Generally, production companies and film crews govern themselves with a code of ethics, especially when they handle sensitive issues like likeness rights, taking the subjects life situation into the equation and interactions with other cultures. In addition to setting a professional standard, a code of ethics can also increase confidence in an organization by showing outsiders that, members of the organization are committed to following basic ethical guidelines in the course of doing their work.(18.) 15 The Code primarily consists of four overall ethical principles, Respect, Competence, Responsibility and Integrity. In relation to the respect for the rights and dignity of the person, this principle requires of filmmakers treat their clients as persons of intrinsic worth with a right to determine their own priorities, that they respect clients dignity and give due regard to their moral and cultural values(19.) Film makers should take care not to intrude inappropriately on clients privacy and as far as possible, they shall ensure that clients understand and consent to whatever professional action they propose. The second point is that of competence. Filmmakers must constantly maintain and update their professional skills and ethical awareness.(20.) They should recognize that the knowledge of their own expertise and capacity for work are limited, and take care not to exceed the limits. The third point is responsibility. In their professional activities, filmmakers are required to act i n a trustworthy, reputable and accountable manner towards clients (subjects) and the community. They shall avoid doing harm to clients and research participants, and act to prevent harm caused by others. (21.) They should act positively to resolve ethical dilemmas and they should also ensure that those whom they supervise act ethically. Finally the fourth point is integrity. Filmmakers are obliged to be honest and accurate about their intentions, the effectiveness of the services that they offer, and their research findings. They are expected to treat their subjects in a fair, open and straightforward manner, honour professional commitments, and act to clarify any confusion about the subjects role or responsibilities. Where possible, they shall avoid the use of deception with research participants. They shall not use the professional relationship to exploit clients, sexually or otherwise, and they shall deal 16 actively with conflicts of interest. They shall take action against harmful or unethical behaviour in colleagues or members of other professions.(22.) When considering the production of either a Cinema Vrit or Direct Cinema film, it is important to weight in the moral and ethical dilemmas that the filmmakers must deal with in relation to the subjects of the proposed film. Whereas the Code Of Ethics serves to provide civic guidelines, the consent form acts as the legally binding part of the agreement. A consent form is A document explaining all relevant study information to assist the study volunteer (subject) in understanding the expectations and requirements of participation in a (filming) clinical trial. This document is presented to and signed by the study subject. (23.) A consent form is only relevant when signed under informed consent by the subject. Informed Consent is typically a medico-legal term when referring to medical practice, it is a form signed by the patient (or in th is case: subject) for the benefit of the surgeon (filmmaker) to perform treatment (filming). By signing a consent agreement to filming, the subject is stating that he or she is fully aware of his or her condition and understand the reasons why filmmaking is taking place and that he or she has agreed to that being carried out. The opposite of informed consent is informed refusal, in which like the consent acceptance, the subject in this case may also choose to refuse. Another aspect of the ethical guidebook be to considered with in the role of cinema vrit or Direct Cinema filmmaking is the maxim known as The Golden Rule or Ethic Of Reciprocity that essentially states that One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (24.) OR one should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated (negative form which is also called The Silver Rule.) 17 The Golden Rule is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights, in which each individual has a right to just treatment, and a reciprocal responsibility to ensure justice for others. A key element of the Golden Rule in relation to documentary filmmaking is that the filmmaker, while attempting to film ethically treats their subjects with consideration, not just members of their crew. The Golden Rule is a moral and ethical guide; it is important to note that it is not strict legal merit. An objection to the Golden Rule is highlighted by Paul Treanor on his website, as he implies That I should transfer my perspective to the person affected, the one standing in front of me who will be affected by my action. But behind them may be another, who is affected by the person standing in front of me. (25.) These points have been highlighted in this chapter to give a wider insight into the ethical minefield that is taken on when entering into any practice with others f rom a professional and personal standpoint. As previously stated, these ethical codes have no legal bearing, but are relevant to all filmmakers when they engage with social actors for the purpose of making a cinema vrit or Direct Cinema film. It is the responsibility of all involved in the project to present a truthful and sincere front from the start. In the case of Borat!, the disagreements before and after filming from unwilling participants will highlight the misuse of these ethical codes and the results, both positive and negative. Chapter Two Subject Vs Artistic Vision The Ethical Responsibilities Of Borat! In Relation To Acquiring Consent From The Subject Within the context of mockumentary filmmaking, much like that of sincere documentaranians, the public are treated as social actors rather then fiction film performers. These subjects remain culturally relevent players. Their value as players resides not in the way they play a part but in a way their everyday behavior serves the needs of the filmmaker. But the question of garnering consent whether it be informed consent or consent defence, is an ethical maelstrom and this point is proven by the film Borat!. A film which managed simultaneously to offend Kazakhs, frighten Jewish Anti-Defamation Groups, annoy hypocritically thin-skinned Americans and spark off wide debate about its meaning and interpretation. Each filmmaker, production company and subject relationship works according to personal guidelines established either face-to-face or pre-organised and with mutual consent from each party. Precedents of ethical guidelines can only work to persuade the actions, so that each party is fully informed of the subject matter, representation and potential response of the subjects actions within the documentary which is done by acquiring informed consent. In the case of Borat! a variety of SLAPP cases have been brought against the filmmakers. The term Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, known by the acronym SLAPP applies to a variety of different types of lawsuits, including those claiming libel, defamation, business interference, or conspiracy.(26.) Within the context of the film, the titular character Borat Sagdiyev is said to be from Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan used in the film is a heavily fictionalized and satirized depiction of the former Soviet state. However, as it states in the (SLAPP) Defendants special motion to strike complaint record. Alarmed by the reportage of its fictitious reporter, the government of Kazakhstan launched a massive public relations an d diplomatic offensive, emphasizing its commitment to human rights and gender and 20 equality (27.) going so far as to release a four-page advertisement within the pages of The New York Times and to set-up presidential visits to the White House and 10 Downing Street. (still .06) Upon the release of the film the foreign ministry spokesman, Yerzhan Ashykbayev, told a news conference We view Mr. Cohens behaviour as utterly unacceptable, being a concoction of bad taste and ill manners which is completely incompatible with the ethics and civilized behavior of Kazakhstan people. (28.) Shortly before the release of the film too, the right to use the domain name www.borat.kz was suspended, and the site attached was closed down due to the site being hosted outside Kazakhstan and hosting false names.(29.) Kazakhstan was never actually filmed for the purpose of Borat! but rather used solely in namesake. Nicolae Todorache and Spiridom Ciorebea, residents of Glod, Romania, the village actually used to depict the satirized Kazakhstan (still .06), sued the filmmakers for 21 $30 million claiming they were misled into thinking they were participating in a documentary about the villages poverty and the rich heritage and belief system upheld by the inhabitants. Alan Rosenthal author of New Challenges In Documentary (1988) writes Consent is flawed when obtained by the omission of any fact that might influence the giving or withholding of permission. (30.) However, it is important to also state that the subject must not have been put under any pressure (coercion) to sway their decision, and that they reached a decision based on their full comprehension of the situation. So provided that those being filmed give their consent, where is the unethical behaviour? The morality lies in how the subjects are represented. The villagers in the town of Glod feel they were specifically targeted and portrayed in a negative manner and the lawsuit was filed on behalf of their entire village and Mr. Todorache, a one-armed man, who was seen wearing a sex toy attached to his st ump at the filmmakers request.(31.) The method of obtaining consent is stacked in the filmmakers favour. Rosenthal adds The ethical problem raised by such approaches is that they give the potential subject no real choice; the initiative and momentum of the situation favour the filmmaker. The presence of the film crew with official sanction is subtly coercive(32.). The film crew and equipment are all intimidating to be faced with for the person who has approached for the comment. The notion of consent defence, is another popular argument raised by Brian Winston in Lies, Damn Lies And Documentaries. He states, any measure of dubious or even unethical behaviour is justified after the event by the existence of the contract signed by the participant, the release form (33.). These agreements are in defiance of those who take the BSC Codes view (The BSC Code helps by providing a 22 framework of guidance into which, particular needs can be fitted,(34.) The guidance is for the general use of the professional consent defence for people (except minors or the mentally incapacitated) do know what they are doing. Coercion outside the law has expanded its meaning to embrace the idea of compulsion without physical treat. Often the consent defiance could be defended where the subject was uncomplaining or even benefited from their experience. But as Richard Andrew Hall states Did Baron Cohen really have to cross the pond to find such disturbing stereotypes?(35.) Surely, it would not be hard for him to find typical examples of racism in any other major ethnicly shared cities anywhere else in the world. So too, the film depiction of its anti-Semitism has also come into great debate amongst critics, audiences, the media and especially the Anti-Defamation League of America (ADL). The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the worlds leading organization fighting anti-Sem itism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry towards Jewish people (36.). In one particular scene from Borat!, we see the titular character at a rodeo in Texas, performing a song directed towards Jewish people entitled In my country there is a problem that called on people to throw the Jew down the well, warning the public you must be careful of his teeth and that you must grab him by his horns to the delight of some members of the audience (still .07). 23 (still .07) While the ADL openly acknowledges that the film is a satirized and farcical characterization, they do state in a formal letter of warning to the filmmakers We are concerned that one serious pitfall is that the audience may not always be sophisticated enough to get the joke, and that some may even find it reinforcing their bigotry. (37.) Richard Andrew Hall states Baron Cohen heavily concentrated on the genuinely powerful, whether celebrities or those with money and power, but in Borat! he clearly started sliding towards pulling the piss out of more average citizens. Perhaps this is where he crossed the line. (38.) In 2005, a lawsuit was filed against the makers of the film and 20th Century Fox on behalf of two unsuspecting fraternity boys who claim they were duped into appearing in the spoof documentary. (39.) They were identified in the movie as fraternity members from a South Carolina University, and appeared drunk as they made insulting comments about women and minori ties to Cohens character. 24 The SLAPP lawsuit claims that in October 2005, a production crew took the students to a bar to drink and loosen up before participating in what they were told would be a documentary to be shown outside the United States. They were induced to agree to participate and were told the name of the fraternity and the name of their school wouldnt be used. After a bout of heavy drinking, the plaintiffs signed a release form they were told had something to do with reliability issues with being in the RV, their lawyer Oliver Taillieu states. (40.) The film made plaintiffs the object of ridicule, humiliation, mental anguish and emotional and physical distress, loss of reputation, goodwill and standing in the community. (41.) Although legally the participants have agreed to signing the consent, under the plaintiffs testimonies, it would appear that the filmmakers had intentionally duped the college students into appearing in the film with full, informed consent and it is impossible to defend the subject matter and opinions that the subjects raised while drunk, however, the filmmakers should be held accountable for putting the fraturnity boys in that situation and for provoking the racist and sexist responses they got. The filmmakers had knowingly overlooked the ramifications of the subjects actions on their lives after the films release and are guilty of negligent infliction of emotional distress. If the participant is fully aware of possible consequences and sees co-operation as a coherent political strategy, then the burden of the ethical dilemma has been lifted from the film-maker by the participant for his or her own ideological reasons. (42.) The Polish author of the blog Beatroot captured this well in a post on the Movania guidebook entitled Why is it that the only people liberals think its OK to laugh at these days are the white working class and Central and Eastern Europeans?(43.) In 25 the article he comments If this (sort of book) had been written about African people then, quite rightly, there would have been uproar and outrage. (44.) But it seems that Political Correctness extends to all groups these days except poor whites from urban, rural or semi-rural areas in America and Europe As Andrew Mueller notes in his review of the movie for Uncut MagazineWhat astonishes me about every Amercian he encounters is not their naivete, but their politeness, hospitality and the extraordinary degree to which Borat has to inflame situations to provoke reaction.(45.) Cynically, the consent form is simply a safeguard device or get-out-of-jail-free card, wheeled out by the filmmakers, against future lawsuits and liability. Production companies will claim that they ensure the participant is not being misled or manipulated by the filmmakers. Many times the consent form is a bureaucratic, legalistic detail, intent on absolving the production companies of responsibility. There to d issipate any whiff of coersion, it should not be used as a licence to knowingly take advantage of the everyday person. To weigh the ethical ramifications on a piece of paper is morally and ethically wrong.But they are also there to defend the filmmakers against the actions and reactions of the subjects and are predominantly responsible for some filmmakers avoiding litigation. The vast effects that the documentary could have on the lives of the subjects should be taken into account and not just betted against the contract. At the end of the film, it seems that in the case of Borat! that the usual disclaimer included at the end of the films credits states that before being considered for appearance in the film, all potential participants were required to sign long release forms, agreeing not to take legal action for any defamation of character or fraud 26 carried out during the films production. It states that all characters were fictitious, and also noted that no real person depicted or appearing in the film has sponsored or otherwise endorsed its contents. Before and following the universal release of the film in 2006, seven lawsuits had been filed against the production company, Baron Cohen and filmmakers for amongst others fraud, rescission of contract, common law false light invasion of privacy, statutory false light, appropriation of likeness and negligent infliction of emotional distress.(46.) 27 Chapter Three The Artistic Vision Vs The Subject In Reference to Borat! and The Use Of Humour to Expose Social Stereotypes and Bigotries. 28 As previously discussed in Chapter One, the Code Of Ethics acts as an ethical guideline for filmmakers, when it comes to such issues as garnering ethical consent or the valid use of likeness rights from a subject and the use of the public for the proposed project in a fair and informed manner. In this chapter I explore and reveal examples within the context of the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (hereafter Borat!) of intentionally overlooking these so-called guidelines for the sake of making a work with the artistic vision and integrity solely taking the forefront of the creative process. Despite a limited initial release in the United States, the satire was a critical and commercial success. Baron Cohen won the 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor: Musical or Comedy, as Borat, while the film was nominated for Best Motion Picture in the same category. Borat! was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 79th Academy A wards. On its release, Borat! boasted the highest-grossing opening ever for a picture playing at less than 1,100 theaters.(47.) Firstly, it is important to realize that there is public global interest in speech and opinions (such as the afore mentioned examples, previously discussed in Chapter Two) about American cultural values and attitudes towards anti-semitism, racism and sexism. Borat! as being part of a tradition of exposing and critiquing these American bigotries through the use of humour, seeks to expose these attitudes in their most debased forms and present them to the world an

Relation of Crime and Family Essays -- Sociology Essays Papers Crimina

Crime is sometimes blamed on the family, with poor parenting, lack of discipline and family breakdown often associated with youth crime. A recurrent theme in academic research has been to investigate the relationship between delinquency and a range of family related factors. Early studies explored child-rearing behaviour, parental discipline, the criminal histories of parents and family size and income. Popular theories in the 1950s and 1960s related juvenile delinquency to material deprivation, broken homes and to the growing number of ‘latch key’ children who were left unsupervised after school while their mothers went to work. All of these presaged current concerns with discipline and the role of single-parent families. What has emerged from this research is that some family factors are related to the likelihood of delinquency but that they must be considered in the context of the socio-economic circumstances of the family and the others factors such as school and the peer group. The following factors have emerged as particularly important. Parental discipline and supervision Parental discipline has always been seen as a major factor underlying youth crime and it was found that inconsistent and erratic discipline are more likely to be associated with delinquency than lax or strict discipline (West and Farrington 1973, 1977). More recent studies have focused on the quality of parental supervision, often measured by whether parents know where their children are when they are not at home. A Home Office study in 1995, for example, found that supervision was strongly related to offending with higher numbers of those who were no... ...ng number of people who are able to work but choose not to, live in a ‘different world’ from others. They do not obtain good habits and discipline and their values contaminate ‘the life of entire neighbourhoods’ (Murray 1996:p123). Men in such communities cannot support families, leading to high rates of illegitimacy, and seek alternative, destructive means of proving that they are men. Whole communities are devastated by crime and young men look up to criminal role models. Whether or not the underclass exists, most agree that industrial restructuring has led to the growth of communities within which the majority of inhabitants are excluded from work and its associated benefits, and that these are also characterised by high amounts of property crime, youth crime and illegal drug use (Davies, Croall & Tyrer 1999).

Economic integration in North America †NAFTA Essay

States undergo a lot of challenges and face dilemma in the current globalization era. Globalization has led to the integration of various world economies and this requires openness to the economy of the world, serving the interests of the nations, and competition for relative advantages at national level as international capitalism demands. The evolution of the global economy in the west in the late 1980s and 1990 aroused the desire for competitive advantage among regional trading blocs in the area of trade, finance, manufacturing and technology and this also led to the birth of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (Ciccantell, 2001). NAFTA was formed in 1994 as part of the economic integrationist revival of the period and it marked a significant shift of the U. S. trade policy (Pastor, 2004). NAFTA incorporates the economies of three countries-the U. S. , and Canada in the north and Mexico in the south. According to Cavanagh and Anderson (2002) NAFTA is a complex set made up of trade and non-trade bargain issues which advance North America towards closer ties of economy. This essay gathers information from various economic literatures that discuss the NAFTA formation and implementation process. The central idea is the paradox in which a least developed country, Mexico forms a treaty with the world’s most advanced economies in North America. This relationship is of tremendous interest to economic scholars and observers. Circumstances that led to the formation of NAFTA in the 1994 are evaluated in this essay as well as factors that almost hindered the implementation of the treaty. The essay further evaluates the benefits that NAFTA has on the participating economies. This will be followed by a discussion of the challenges that the implementation of the treaty faces. Possible solutions to overcome the challenges are recommended. An Economic Integration Perspective International economics involves the integration of the economic practices of various countries within a global scale. Economists have described various dimensions of international economic integration and these include trade liberalization in goods, direct foreign investment, trade in services, liberalization of capital flows, free labor movement, environmental protection rules, a World Trade Organization’s (WTO) -managed rule-based system for trade in goods and services, and established intellectual property and patent rules (Ciccantell, 2001). Theoretically, countries can meet these dimensions without resorting to a regionalism model. However, in practical sense, countries meet to regionalize more for political than economic reasons as a way of dealing with the globalization challenge (Fox, 2004). Contrary to this, some scholars recommend that market-orientation factors should be the main drivers of economic integration in the current globalization era (Funk, Elder, Yao & Vibhakar, 2006). Although already established, some economists view NAFTA as an on-going process in which the end product is not yet confirmed. The future of regionalization is mostly determined by domestic and regional factors as opposed to globalization although regional and global forces are responsible for driving North America into closer economic ties. Carranza (2002) asserts that the future of NAFTA depends on the policy makers’ deliberate act as this will determine whether NAFTA will resolve into an institutional deficit or develop into a deeper integration. Circumstances that could have hindered the formation of NAFTA Mexico, which was to be part of the North American economic integration, had first opposed an allied relationship with the northern colossus because of a negative historical experience (Skonieczny, 2006). Mexico had lost almost half of its territory in the 1846 to 1848 Mexican-American war (De la Balze, 2001; Skonieczny, 2006). Secondly, Mexico strived to maintain an independent foreign policy, which sought closer alliances with the South and Central America and the Caribbean (Skonieczny, 2006). According to Carranza (2002), it is still a puzzle as to why Mexico later decided to form an economic partnership with the North America countries from a very weak position. The country also paid a very high domestic political price by agreeing to join the NAFTA. However, the economic situation in Mexico and the labor market was deteriorating, and the political situation was unstable after a negative eventful election in the 1988 (Philip, 2008). The government also featured corrupt and authoritarian episodes. Inflation was hitting the country at a high rate, economic growth was stagnant and living standards were poor. Additionally, Mexico had a significant amount of national debt that was un-payable. Trade liberalization seemed the most political consequential (Faber, 2007). On the other and, there was a looming fear in the US that the economic integration would lead to loss of jobs in the US while in the South there were cries for revolution (Pastor, 2004). Nevertheless, Mexico was eager to access the larger U. S. market despite the observers’ opinion that the U. S. is unlikely to abide by the trade accord (Castaneda, 2008). U. S. had been known of having a poor record in international treaties implementation and its previous treatment towards Mexico in issues like immigration policies left a doubt on Mexico as to whether the country would be left out of the agreement implementation despite their being one (King, 2005). The Central America and Caribbean countries that were allied to Mexico feared that there could be an erosion of the already existing trade preferences if the NAFTA was formed (Baker, 2008). The countries faced the dilemma between free trade in the open regionalism and protectionism. Furthermore critics viewed the formation of NAFTA as a state-led project although the members denounced the classical state intervention mechanisms in bid to soften the globalization effect. The Founding of NAFTA The formation of NAFTA was considered inevitable because of the market and trade conditions in the globalization period that necessitated an economic integration (Baker, 2008). However, the formation process was not smooth-sailing because of the various uncertainties that occurred in the wake of well developed countries wanting to merge their economies with the less developed ones. This was evident in the negotiation process in which there was asymmetry of both political and economic powers and Mexico lacked a non-agreement alternative. The formation of NAFTA also lacked the accompaniment of institutionalization and there lacks a common governance unto which NAFTA can be identified. In Northern America, the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations in the 1990s was progressing slowly and thus this made the regional integration an attractive option (Carranza, 2002). The formation of NAFTA started as a unique regional economic integration process between a less developed country, Mexico in this case; and two industrial powers- the U. S. and Canada (Davidson, 2008). This was the first economic agreement on a regional basis to include various forms of integration. Some of the integrated economic activities cited in most literatures include foreign investments, financial services, government procurement and intellectual property rights. On the contrary, the Uruguay Round global trade negotiations did not feature all of these revival strategies. The U. S. presented NAFTA as a trade liberalization model in the western hemisphere in the early 1990s as a way of continental regionalism. On the other hand, the Latin American countries were not ready to embrace this model because of the doubt they had on the U. S. intention of seeing the agreement through the future. It was easier for the U. S. to control the agenda if the negotiation was on a regional rather than a multilateral level (Hufbauer& Yee, 2003). This would enhance more of the country’s economic, political and institutional perspectives in comparison to the rest of the world. It was paradoxical that the economically successful U. S wanted a free trade agreement with the less developed Mexico. Carranza (2002) asserts that the U. S agreed to negotiate with Mexico about the free trade on condition that Mexico did not invoke any exclusion of key areas such as the area of oil that is sovereign sensitive. On the other hand, Mexico did not have any vital concession to base its negotiations in the status of a developing country. Nevertheless, despite this unequal negotiation ability, Philip (2008) highlights the irony by showing that the process was presented as a negotiation of the equals. NAFTA’s goals, objectives and economic models NAFTA is a trade treaty which aims to eliminate custom duties on transaction between the U. S, Canada and Mexico. NAFTA has formed the world’s largest free trade zone whereby around 406 million people produce more than 11 billion U. S dollars worth of products (Page, 2002). The agreement which establishes NAFTA entails that the U. S, Canada, and Mexico pursue certain common objectives. Trade in services has been liberalized and government procurement markets including construction and services procurement markets have been opened through the NAFTA. Therefore, through the agreement it is illegal for the parties to discriminate between the domestic and foreign producers in the government markets, investments and trading of services (Adikson, Zimmerman, 2004; Diep, 2008). NAFTA’s objectives therefore include eliminating custom barriers and enhancing cross-border trade in products and services (Vaughan, 2004). The treaty is also to guarantee conditions of equitable competition in the free trade area. The treaty strives to improve trilateral cooperation so as to extend the benefits of the agreement. One of the main goals of NAFTA was the need to increase the flows of trade and investment in North America. Consequently, the agreement has succeeded in increasing Mexico’s and Canada’s trade dependence on the U. S. NAFTA also incorporated the less developed Mexico, in order to give the country a chance to prosper by joining the North America economies (Flores & Lankshear, 2000). NAFTA is a widely researched economic phenomenon that occurs as economists try to understand the three NAFTA’s economies models. The gravity model has been used to explain the trade flows as the function of the importer and exporter market size a well as the distance between the two. Funk, et al. (2006) asserts that any extraordinary flows can be accredited to free trade agreements only after the market size and importer-exporter distances have been accounted for in the trade flow process. This has led to some economists showing that NAFTA generally does not have a significant effect on bilateral trade flows although it has the impact on the net trade creating. Benefits of NAFTA to the US, Mexico and Canada The implementation of NAFTA inspired the economists to measure the treaty’s effect on the three NAFTA economies-U. S, Mexico and Canada (Funk et al. , 2006). The North America economic integration was seen as one that would be of benefit to the participating countries. Mexico would have a chance to gain access to the larger U. S. market while the U. S. also searched for new foreign investment opportunities in the country (Carranza, 2002). Proponents of NAFTA view the agreement as detailed and comprehensive and have constantly given the accord praise for showing that less developed countries like Mexico can accept new rules in international politics in this globalization era and thus improve their situation. On the other hand, critics assert that NAFTA lacks basic safeguards to protect the people who are excluded from liberalized trade and investment benefits considering that almost over half of the Mexican population lives below the poverty line (Baker, 2008; Serra, & Espinosa, 2002). The critics further argue that NAFTA is just a mere element of a larger problem; that is, globalization has a disintegrating effect on a mixed economy and the people’s social contract. On a moderate view, critics agree that formation of NAFTA was not a bad idea at all but without regional governance and regional institutions, the agreement remains unfulfilled (Pastor, 2004). Hufbauer and Yee (2003) cites NAFTA as an exemplary agreement for a new or an open regionalism that opens a whole range of novel issues which are designed to prepare the less developed countries of Latin America and Caribbean for the globalization challenge. The issue of why the U. S pulled Mexico into the North integration is very controversial although the positivists assert that the U. S government has a very strong interest in the political and economic stability of Mexico (Skonieczny, 2001). Mexico was able to attract a considerable ratio of foreign direct investment in the 1990s as a result of NAFTA’s negotiations. The predicted economic breakdown of Mexico in the early 1990s never lived to happen as the country underwent economic transformation. Philip (2008) asserts that NAFTA is responsible for the economic and political stability in Mexico. NAFTA has given this chance to Mexico through encouraging trade and investment opportunities. The social progress of the country is also underway and NAFTA aims to eradicate the high poverty levels in most of Mexico’s dwellings. NAFTA also provided the hope for Mexico to transform its worsening economic condition and urban challenges in the City of Mexico (Stracke, 2003). The Mexican government adopted the policies of democratization and free trade policies amidst controversies with the aim of preventing the country from an economic breakdown. Currently, Mexico could not be as developed as the U. S. and Canada for that matter but looking way back in the 1990s to early 200s, it can be said that the country has become macro-economically stable (Philips, 2008). Mexico is among the richest Latin America countries in terms of per capita and has more than twice export per head as compared to Brazil. Exports of manufactured goods from Mexico to the U. S contribute to around 25 percent of Mexico’s gross domestic product and the market is even more liberalized than it was in the years ago. Another benefit of NAFTA to the Mexican economy includes the checking of inflation (Stern, 2007). Although inflation occurs at some instances it does not reach three digits as in the 1990s but securely maintained at single digits. Other areas of the economy that have improved with the economic integration include the education system. The number of Mexicans with degrees from influential world universities has increased and expected to rise. The condition in the Mexican universities has also improved as better preparation of lectures takes place and a fairer democratic environment ensures that there is a stable learning environment. Mexico’s rapturous population growth also slowed down with the implementation of NAFTA as most of the population started migrating North in search for better living conditions. A slower population growth enhances strategic planning and development of the country. However, as much as the evidence of economic transformation is noticeable in Mexico, the economic growth rate is disappointingly low. Philip (2008) and Stern (2007) states that the measurement of economy is determined by oligopolies and specifically Pemex, the state-owned petroleum company in Mexico’s case. Mexico continues to suffer from severe social and urban problems such as high poverty rates, organized crime, drug trafficking, and corruption among others (Stern, 2007). As much as these are domestic problems, it is impossible to separate them from Mexico’s membership to NAFTA because domestic institutions also influence the direction of negotiations in the association (Carranza, 2002). Philip (2008) argues that the U. S is also benefiting from NAFTA because the treaty has enabled the existence of a politically and economically conducive environment that Mexico now offers as compared to the times before the treaty. Flores and Lankshear (2000) assert that the developed North America countries in the treaty could benefit from Mexico’s low wage cuts in the labor force. Mexico large population of semi-skilled workers would provide cheaper and abundant labor for the national and transnational companies that seek low wage work. However, Flores & Lankshear (2000) argue that this dependence on a low wage economy undermines the development of a well educated, Challenges in NAFTA The major challenges facing the NAFTA involve the lack of regional governance, asymmetry negotiations, lack of a stabilized relationship between the North and South American countries and lack of common market policies and common currency. Forces of market and trade integration pushed the economies of the U. S and Mexico together but there was little institutional change that took place to reflect the real degree of economic integration among the countries (Adikson, & Zimmerman, 2004). Economic integration in the north occurred without an established regional institution or governance. It is believed that it will be difficult for the North America decision makers to effectively respond to fluidity, competitiveness, and complexity of the world economy without a form of regional convergence. Lack of regional governance also indicates a lack of a permanent mechanism for consultation among the three governments (Heron, 2002). This proves difficult especially in cases which the countries have to deal with other common challenges like drug peddling and immigration and this sometimes push for a bilateral involvement, for instance between the U. S and Mexico. The lack of common or institutionalized NAFTA governance has led to the in dependent pursuance of other third party treaties by Mexico and Canada (Heron, 2002). NAFTA also promised to create regional barriers to the outsiders so that the insiders would receive relative gains as far as trade and other economic gains are concerned (Flores & Lankshear, 2000). However, Cavanagh and Anderson (2002) argue that NAFTA simply assumed that this would take place magically enabling the people to benefit from the free market policies, and that the three governments-U. S. , Canada, and Mexico-would resolve older and newer problems naturally. However, through the condition in Mexico, it is certain that the agreement has not brought much change to the living standards of the individuals. The country’s record is extremely mixed concerning the free trade policy and the country is yet to unanimously agree on the agreement (Carlsen, 2006). Mexico has not gained the privileges that were promised if the country joined the North America relationship. Mexico did not gain a greater place in the Northern-dominated international institutions such as the International Monetary fund (IMF) or the World Bank. Mexico remains poor and less developed despite being part of the supposedly economic rejuvenator-NAFTA. NAFTA’s negotiations did not consider the economic and development asymmetries between Mexico and the U. S and this also contributed to the exclusion of majority of Mexican population from the free trade benefits (Cox, 2008). NAFTA was supposed to give Mexico a chance to prosper through joining the Northern club. However, the moment Mexico decided to start negotiations with the U. S for a free trade agreement, it was found that Mexico still needed to make other sweeping concessions in order to gain access to the U. S market. Mexico presented an overstaffed and underperforming institutions, an opposite of the North America countries which have the most performing institutions (Flores & Lankshear, 2000). Mexico was forced to make the bigger compromises and adjustments because after all, it was the weaker party. This also shows that majority of the decisions were made by the tremendous powers in the agreement-the U. S, and Canada. This can be proved from an economic angle in which the GDP of the U. S alone forms 90 percent of the total North America economy (Carranza, 2004). It is unrealistic that during negotiations, Mexico would be expected to steer the decision-making process into finality. How does Mexico and Canada establish strategies on how to access the U. S’ over 8 trillion dollar market when all the 2 countries can offer is 250 and 500 billion dollars markets respectively? The Mexican experience has proved that the Southern countries cannot necessarily experience economic development with social justice through seeking alliances with the U. S even in this globalization era. Mexico also undergoes a painful adjustment process because being part of NAFTA; it is forced to compete openly with the far more advanced economies of the North America countries (Cavanagh & Anderson, 2002). NAFTA if implemented strategically can have a voice in the global trade talks. However, the lack of a common governing in institution hinders this representation because it would appear as though one country or the other is representing its own views rather than that of NAFTA. Cavanagh and Anderson (2002) argue that the failure of NAFTA to meet its alleged expectations can be blamed on the current economic conditions. The marketplace is globalized and thus highly mobile employers gain more power to suppress workers who fight for a fair gain of their benefits. However, this remains unchallenged because such firms ally with governments who in turn are desperate for foreign investment. This leads to the suppression of the hoist’s nation’s labor force through low wages and poor working conditions. The unfortunate side is that the agency that is set up under the labor side agreement of NAFTA has proved incapable of holding governments and corporations accountable for violating the rights of workers (Cavanagh & Anderson, 2002). There have been alleged complaints of worker’s rights violations in all of the three NAFTA economies but other than a bit of public exposure, not much justice has been yielded. Lack of common governance is to blame for the loose policy of ensuring that all the parties in the agreement benefit positively. There is also a looming fear that a future Mexican leadership could decide to pull out of the NAFTA’s agreement because of the country’s inconsistent views on NAFTA and the lack of institutionalized rules for the agreement. Recommendations NAFTA took place amidst controversies especially from part of Mexico’s population and the South and Central America countries. Moreover, a supranational institution and an ideal NAFTA identity are lacking. This poses a danger to the stability of the economic integration of the North American countries. North America needs to tackle the gaps in the North-South relationships and also increase aggregate wealth. One way of doing this is through enhancing regional governance through the use of common currency for the member states. However Cavanagh and Anderson (2002) assert that the issue of establishing a common currency can lead to further controversies. First of all, the U. S. and Mexico are not in the same currency zones as compared to the likeability of the U. S. and Canada. This will negatively alienate Mexico further. Still on the issue of a common currency, Carranza (2002) argues that it is certain that the U. S public opinion would not support a monetary union between U. S. and the two countries. The U. S needs to come to terms with having neighboring countries with difficulties in tackling money integration issues and the de facto dollarization of the economy of Mexico. This should also be accompanied with the building of appropriate institutions that would realistically introduce North America as a community of nations. The NAFTA countries need to establish a regional governance system that would ensure that all the member population is fairly treated without prejudice (Carlsen, 2006). Social justice should be enhanced within the NAFTA economies and the established policies should fairly uplift the standards of all the countries (Anderson, 2003). Rather than using the large semi-skilled Mexico’s labor force for cheap, low-wage labor, there should be policies or strategies in which NAFTA can contribute to the establishment of better education and vocational training systems (Ma del Rosio, Camen, & Humberto, 2007). The criticism directed at the treaty will subside if it is observed that the member states are striving to raise the standards and conditions of one another rather than using each other for selfish gains. Conclusion This essay has comprehensively discussed the factors pertaining to the formation and implementation of NAFTA. The North America economic integration awakened the interest of many economic researchers and observers because of the coming together of powerful North America economies and a southern least developed economy. Although the reason for such a relationship was met with criticism and a lot of controversies, proponents viewed it as an opportunity for Mexico to improve its political, economical and social environment. The U. S the most developed North America country viewed the relationship as an opportunity to expand its globalization boundaries as well as create a stable economic and political condition for trade in the region. However, critics believe that it is for the best interest of the U. S while Mexico risks the chance of being sidelined. Nevertheless, Mexico has recorded an economic transformation and it is believed that if policy makers implement some strategic measures in the treaty, then Mexico stands a greater chance of becoming a developed nation. This has provided the U. S with a stable political and economic environment without which the security of the U. S may have been at stake. NAFTA faces various challenges but the lack of regional governance is seen as the source of most of the challenges. NAFTA lacks international identity in contribution of international trade discussions. Additionally, treaty are known to be created where all the participants have an almost equal bargaining power even though they will not be dealing with exchange of similar products or services. However, in this case, the negotiations take an asymmetry approach because Mexico is in a compromised state in which its position does not allow it to challenge the decisions of the U. S. , the most developed economy. As a result, the negotiations are based, on an unequal level. NAFTA leaders especially from the North need to understand the gap between the north and south populations and provide democratic decisions that will be best appreciated by both sides. Economic integration is significant in this global era in which market and trade forces have pushed for market liberalization conditions. List of References Adikson, R. , Zimmerman, L. 2004. â€Å"Retail trade on the US Mexico order during the NAFTA implementation era,† Growth & Change, vol. 35(1): 77-89. Anderson, S. 2003. â€Å"The equity factor and free trade,† World Policy Journal, vol. 20(3): 45-51. Baker, L. 2008. â€Å"Local food networks and maize agrodiversity conservation: Two case studies from Mexico,† Local Environment, vol. 13(3): 235-251. Carlsen, L. 2006. â€Å"Armoring NAFTA: the battleground for Mexico’s future,† NACLA Report on the Americas, vol. 41(5): 17-22 Carranza, M. 2002. â€Å"Neighbors or partners? : NAFTA and the politics of regional economic integration in North America,† Latin American Politics and Society, 44(2): 141-158. Castaneda, J. 2008. â€Å"Morning in Latin America,† Foreign Affairs, 87(5): 126-139 Cavanagh, J. , & Anderson, S. 2002. â€Å"Happily ever NAFTA,† Foreign Policy (132): Cavanagh, J & Anderson, S. 2002. Nice theories, sad realities,† Foreign Policy, (132): 62 Ciccantell, P. 2001. â€Å"NAFTA and the reconstruction of U. S. hegemony: The raw materials foundations of economic competitiveness,† Canadian Journal of Sociology, vol. 26(1):57-87. Cox, R. 2008. â€Å"Transnational capital, the U. S state and Latin American trade agreements,† Third World Quarterly, vol. 29(8): 1527-1544. Davidson, M. 2008. â€Å"On the outskirts of form: Cosmopoetics in the shadow of NAFTA,† Textual Practice. 22(4): 733-756 De la Balze, F. 2001. â€Å"Finding allies in the back yard,† Foreign Affairs, vol. 80(4): 7-12. Diep, K. 2008. â€Å"Wavering amigos,† Harvard International Review, vol. 30(1): 9-10 Faber, B. 2007. â€Å"Towards the spatial patterns of sectoral adjustments to trade liberalization: the case of NAFTA in Mexico,† Growth and Change, vol. 38(4): 567-594.

humanism in the renaissance essays

humanism in the renaissance essays The renaissance started in the 14th century in cities of Northern Italy. During this time the social elite became more interested in the literature and ideas of ancient Greece and Rome. People started to reject some of the ideas and practices of medieval civilization and turned to the idea of humanism. Humanism was a new concern with people as powerful, creative individuals in a dynamic secular world. During the Renaissance humanistic attitudes and cultural productions consisted of; the rediscovery of classical sources, freedom of the individual, a new concern for the present instead of the life after death, and the new discovered pleasure of classical literature and books. Religion during the Renaissance was not at all forgotten and instead emphasis was placed on learning classical languages to improve translations of the Bible and studying classical literature for its relation to Christian ideals and life. In the early Renaissance, literary humanism and a movement to receive classical literature and the values expressed in classical writings, was central. The focus turned from people as religious beings, to include the problems of people and nature in the human world. People started to read his love Sonnets and other classical works that dealt with ideas other than religion. For example, Florentine Francesco Petrarch was well known for love sonnets and other classical translations. In one letter to a friend Petrarch defends humanistic learning and its accusations that it diverts people away from religion. Petrarch writes ...no one has been prevented by literature from following the path of holiness(6). By this statement Petrarch is saying that literature has never prevented people from learning or diverted people away from religion. Another way people rediscovered classical sources was through visual paintings. For example Raphaels painting The School of Athens, was a great t ribute to Greek philosoph...