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Cultural orientation questions

Question 1

My cultural orientation is similar to that commonly found in the United States. According to my cultural orientation, I believe in a mixture of good and evil and with the dynamic world, people can not be trusted as much as they used to be in the past. My nature is that I believe in giving people an opportunity to express themselves and learn new things. My relationship with the external environment is that the environment should be altered to fit people’s needs. My primary mode is to better manage my time performing duties without interruptions and working towards a future goal.

Question 2

Working for an international company requires that one is sent in other countries for work related purposes. This enhances the working in the organization to ensure that there is harmony among employees from different cultural backgrounds. In the Middle East, the cultural orientation is completely different from that of the United States. People there are not as hard working as in the United States. Most of them report to work late and leave early before time. During the lunch break, you find people idling in cafeterias even after completion of their meals. The work ethics there are not very strict probably because not so many people are well educated to compete for white collar jobs. Competing for jobs is also a challenge because most business there are family businesses and ownership is passed to the heirs. They are also not keen on invention and they believe that the environment should not be altered to fit anyone’s preferences.

My values differ with theirs especially where all people are not given equal opportunities to compete for white collar jobs. People from this cultural background also mismanage their time spending more time idling and less time working. This could be a point of conflict between their culture and my cultural orientation.

However, the people there are very friendly and welcoming. Unlike in the United States where people are not concerned with their neighbours, it is a different story there. The most impressive thing is that people in this area are very trusting. They leave their valuable items out in the open without worrying that someone would steal from them. These are things that I appreciate from these people and I could use them to my advantage.

Question 3

Culture is an element that is instilled in an individual from the date of birth. Growing up in a specific culture, it is inevitable to adopt the values, behaviours and attitudes acceptable by that specific culture. While growing up, we strive to live according to the norms of our societies doing what is right in right according to our culture. My culture has influenced my values, attitude, thinking and behaviour. In my culture, it is a requirement to uphold moral values and work hard for personal benefit and for the benefit of the community. Living harmoniously as a group is a value that is highly emphasized in my culture allowing all to live in peace.

My cultural orientation makes it easier for me to work with people from different cultures. Besides being a hard worker, living harmoniously is a value that has been instilled in me since childhood. Though working from people from different cultures can be quite challenging, it is important to have an open mind and give everyone the opportunity to express themselves.

Sleep Paralysis in Dead Awake (2017)

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Sleep Paralysis in Dead Awake (2017)

I selected Dead Awake over other movies as I resonate with what happens in the film. After watching this movie, I felt that I could relate to the experiences of the characters because sleep paralysis is something that I have experienced myself. At first, I never knew that sleep paralysis is a severe condition but upon watching the film, I related to the occurrences. I also selected this film as it does a great job of dramatizing what sleep paralysis is by making it feel like a reality. I understand that the film is a pure work of fiction, but I could not help but feel goosebumps while watching it. I found it interesting that at the birthday party, one of Kate’s friends mentions that she has been experiencing a dream where she is nearly falling into an endless pit and that everybody has experienced the dream, which is profound because I have had that dream severally.

One scene where altered consciousness is vivid is when the doctor is watching over Kate as she sleeps. When the monster attacks Kate, the doctor’s adrenaline pump refuses to function and because he cannot do anything to revive Kate, he puts himself to sleep to draw the attention of the monster from Kate. This strategy works for a while and Kate has another dream while still asleep where she sees her dead sister Beth.

The people in Dead Awake are experiencing sleep paralysis, a sense of consciousness and immobility that happens simultaneously during sleep. Sleep paralysis takes place in between the stages of sleep and wakefulness. The characters in the film, including Beth, Kate, and the Doctor, experience phases of sleep paralysis at some point. My overall impression of the movie is that it does a good job of dramatizing how sleep paralysis occurs. The movie is one of the scariest movies I have ever watched, but I enjoyed watching it.

Cultural Perspectives in Teaching

Journal Tasks

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Journal Tasks

Journal 1.1

Teachers are at times faced with questions that prompt them to establish an understanding of their faith. The answers that the teachers usually give depend on their own cultural understandings as far as their beliefs and values are concerned. A competent teacher will not only give an answer based on his or her own belief but will also integrate it with a research-based theory. To develop a Christian mind that will avoid giving superficial answers, the teacher should have grounding of the various cultural perspectives that people do have. Before answering, the teacher should ask himself questions such as ‘what might have led to the situation’ or ‘what is trying to be achieved’. It is mostly based on the fact that schools have students coming from different cultures with different perspectives on faith.

Journal 1.2

Teachers rarely try to figure out what the true purpose and meaning of schooling is. Most people will view the purpose of schooling based on their cultural backgrounds or understanding. Being an Asian, education and schooling in general plays a very vital role in establishing one’s character in the society. Education has been held with such high esteem since its inception, and it has been viewed as one of the most guaranteed way of succeeding in life. All of the subjects introduced in the curriculum are keenly considered if they will serve the purpose that it is intended to serve. In reflection, my cultural background has made me realize that education is not a matter of just gaining understanding of one’s cultural background and factual knowledge, but also molding ones character into such that is acceptable by the society.

Journal 1.3

The approach that has been given to education, as far as the students are concerned, is that it was not an entitlement, until recently. The students whose parents can be able to afford education or were interested in their children learning were the only ones who had the luxury of going to school. The others whose parents could not afford it were subjected to receiving low-quality education. The students are, however, expected to achieve nothing but excellence regardless of the quality of the education they have received. They sit for the same examinations and eventually compete for the same jobs available.

The teachers, on the other hand, are given the task of instilling education and knowledge into the students regardless of the conditions that they operate. The parents and the teachers are expected to work together in bringing up the children into respectable individuals in the society. However, the blame is mostly directed towards the teachers if the students do not become successful in their quest for education. The teachers take the students through the entire curriculum.

The purpose of education, according to Grandgrind, is very different from how other people view it. He was only interested in a profitable enterprise and aimed at ramming facts into the brains of the students. He viewed the purpose of schools should be distanced from cultural backgrounds and other fancies and should only deal with facts which have been documented in the curriculum.

Nowadays, we have gone almost 180 degrees away from that.  We emphasize thinking over learning facts.  I sometimes think we have gone too far away from facts (especially in math and science) but I certainly do not think we should do like Gradgrind.

His way of learning is not good for our modern society.  Things change so fast nowadays that people need to be able to think if they are going to get ahead economically.

Journal 1.4

There have been a number of changes that have taken place in the Australian education system in the 19th century. It has developed to what is nowadays referred to as normalized schooling. Some of the changes that have taken place include the abolishment of punishing students because they have failed to learn facts by heart. It has been argued to be an inappropriate method as far as education is concerned. The education system has, in fact, adapted other subjects that tend to nurture the students’ creative capabilities. Another characteristic that can be identified in the modern education is the appreciation of the students’ rights. Students are no longer subjected to one curriculum since they come from different cultural backgrounds. The students also have the right not to be interrupted by other students while learning. The third and final characteristic is the increasing involvement of parents into the matters of their children’s education. Well, they might not have a very professional view regarding the progress of their children’s academic affairs but they are expected to work together with the teachers to achieve much more wholesome objective.

In Australia, the three public purposes of education include community development, social justice and student’s love for learning. These are purposes that were introduced by the government. One private purpose of education includes sorting for employment and the economy.

Journal 1.5

The teaching profession is slowly becoming very complex. This is because the requirements and the workload for the teachers have been increasing. Their work in class greatly influences their private life. As they deal with students from different ethnic backgrounds and separate ideological views, he or she becomes accustomed to dealing with different kind of people in his private life. How a teacher conducts his private life also affects their professional life. If the teacher has certain negative beliefs about certain kind of people from the onset, he will find it very difficult when dealing with such students and having to go through the process of accepting them.

Journal 2.1

A vocational curriculum is that which prepares students for various crafts, trade or different professional levels. One characteristic of a vocational program is that it is grouped into teaching procedural knowledge. The students are first introduced to the basics, and they progress into more complex issues regarding their specialty. Another characteristic is that a vocational curriculum is specific in nature. The participants aim at specializing in one field hence its specificity. Thirdly, a vocational curriculum is can be in the pre-secondary, secondary or at the tertiary level of education. It depends with the governments’ directive and objective that is intended to be achieved from education.

People have different views on the purposes of schooling. These purposes can conflict in the long run. For example, one of the public purposes of schooling is community development. The government having put this objective in place will work towards achieving it. However, the students might not have the desire or motivation for developing their community or maybe might not even have the love for learning. Hence, without some purposes being achieved, other purposes might as well crumble.

Journal 2.2

 The Public Instruction Act, 1880 came into force on 1 May 1880. The Act both extended the educational provision made under the 1866 Act and introduced significant changes. The more important of these changes were the withdrawal of State aid to denominational schools as from the beginning of 1883, the introduction of compulsory education, the entry of the State into the field of secondary education and the replacement of the Council of Education by the Department of Public Instruction on 1 May 1880. In broadening educational provision the 1880 Act modified some of the existing schools and created three new types of schools – Superior Public, High, and Evening Public Schools.

Journal 2.3

According to Smart, the four worldview questions includes who am I, where am I, what is wrong and how can it be fixed.

The Christian worldview is based on the aforementioned questions. A Christian views him or herself as being created by God and is put on earth to serve specific purposes. He recognizes that he is on earth, also created by God in such perfection, in order to sustain life. The problem a Christian has with the world is that it is riddled with sin. After sin entered the world, the relationship between man and God got interfered with negatively and the main objective is to restore the relationship. This can be fixed through accepting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the son of God.

Journal 2.4

According to Postman, the similarity of American education to that of Australia are the different views that people have regarding education. There is very little room that is left for one to interpret the purpose of education at a personal level hence it is dictated through what has been previously decided upon. Both countries would hold onto previous policies and make very few changes to them. The trends that have coupled the current society make some of these policies to become very ineffective. Another similarity is the idea of deteriorating value of education. Most students go to school having no personal objective but just to do what is required or expected of them.

Journal 2.5

A modernist views himself as an individual with a great mind and has immense potential. He recognizes that he is on earth that is the residence of the human beings. The main problem with the world is that it is coupled with very many myths and beliefs that are misleading and are not realistic. The only way this can be fixed is through the rational use of science to administer facts and have a greater understanding of the universe as a whole.

It can be argued that postmodernism has been based on three major features. They include the existence of power of reason over ignorance, science supersedes superstition and there is power of order over disorder. The issues of modernism have created an impact on the Australian education system.

Students have subconsciously adapted the reasoning of modernism given the premise that the education system itself mostly deals with facts that belief. It is a trend that has affected students thinking and the way they handle their education. Such has also affected their personalities and the way they view right from wrong.

Journal 3.1

As far as children and young adults come from different cultures, at times they have common interests in some certain upcoming cultures. These cultures are considered to be popular and most teenagers would like to associate themselves with it. That is the reason ‘Loser Television’ is very popular among the children and young adults.

Journal 3.2

Currently students are very much engrossed in fashion trends and technology. They have gone to the extent of attaching these ideologies to their importance of life, in that, they cannot live without them. The meaning of life to them has surpassed the basic necessities of food, shelter and clothing. They find happiness in fashion and technology and define their lives from such fronts. It has impacted the education setting in a way that it has to warm up to the trends that appear relevant to the young generation in order to appeal to them.

Journal 3.3

During their early years and before joining school, children are brought up according to some certain beliefs and cultures. It is usually done in a family setting. When they finally start going to school, they meet other children from different cultures. From the onset, they will always look at the other children’s beliefs and scale it relative to their own beliefs.

Journal 3.3

One of Niebuhr’s models of Christ to culture that I can relate to is the separatist approach. People tend to stay away from matters that are considered worldly. One example is the some of the Christian songs in which the singer declares letting go of ungodly things. Damita sang the popular song known as ‘No looking back’ as a good example of a separatist approach.

Journal 3.4

To some extent, the claim that Christian schools are “hothouses” has some truth in it. The students are expected to strictly abide by the rules as far as Christianity is concerned. They end up with a strong irrational belief on the religion.

The role of Christian schools in the Australian society is to lace the education system with religion and not only bring up individuals who have basic knowledge but are also morally upright.

Journal 3.5

Education defines who we are at the end because it helps shape our future religiously and professionally.

Education generates meaning as it is based on the acceptance and alignment of various beliefs.

Education brings together the diverse communities in the society through which they learn about each other.

Education is very important in our current society since it helps remove ignorance and assumptions that have led to a lot of problem in the past.

References

Matthews, J. (2014). Cultural Perspectives In Teaching. Drummoyne: Wesley Institute

Standardization and Customizing of International Marketing Plans

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Standardization and Customizing of International Marketing Plans

The majority of the basic principles employed in effective marketing equally apply to global and domestic marketing activity. However, globalization presents numerous challenges unique to operating simultaneously in international markets and different countries. According to Theodore Levitt, a Harvard marketing professor, a new reality has been triggered partly by technological developments. This text discusses the differences between standardization and customizing a marketing plan for countries and all it entails.

There are numerous attractive reasons for companies to standardize products and branding across the global markets. The first reason is that it enables businesses to globalize and leverage economies of scale. Standardization also enables customers to see videos, images, and product descriptions no matter where they are. Additionally, standardization eases content management and creation efforts through ensuring same content gets delivered across channels. Customization of brands and products for countries is beneficial as the marketing efforts tend to naturally satisfy the needs of various customers in various markets (Gremyr, Aku, and Lars, 27). Furthermore, customization helps make a customer more comfortable as they have expectations. Customization also generates positive credibility within the market hence boosting conversion rates. Customization and standardization have unique positive outcomes for growing business. While the one size fits all standardized approach for global marketing is efficient, local customers might not resonate with it. In contrast, customization greatly enhances customer engagement and experiences through meeting the tastes of local customers, but can be difficult to scale. This is the main difference when it comes to standardizing and customizing a marketing plan for other countries. Historically, businesses used standardized products and similar brand messaging in all global markets in an effort to benefit from economies and scale and similar brand efforts. However the downside of the standardizing products is that businesses were not able to capitalize on local market trends. Some organizations changed to decentralized operations to compensate. In such scenarios, local teams lose efficiency and scalability but manage to separate content libraries.

The four Ps of marketing, including product, place, price, and promotion are the key factors in marketing service and product. Customization and standardization have everything to do with these four factors, as these are taken into consideration in the development of key strategies for advertising, marketing, positioning, and promoting your product or brand.

The best circumstance to standardize a marketing plan is when there is minimal competition. Global standardization works best for companies that have services and products that are barely facing competitions within local markets. When there is no rivalry from competing local brands, companies are in a position to tailor-make services and products to suit the needs of their customers (Tien, 44). The best time to customize a marketing strategy is once the company understands the target market. Figuring out the demographics of the target audience is important in creating a persona which is the biggest secret weapon employed by successful marketing companies. The client’s persona includes information such as gender, income, and age and understanding these factors helps in reaching them.

‘Think Global, Act Local’ is a mindset that numerous international brands adopt when planning for both national and international marketing strategies. It is the way that companies customize their brands to meet the individual needs for audiences. For instance, the Coca-Cola Company is an example of an international company that employs this slogan by incorporating the right mix of global and local operations. Although Coca-Cola is an international brand, it ensures it stays locally relevant to every individual market it serves.

Works Cited

Gremyr, Ida, Aku Valtakoski, and Lars Witell. “Two routes of service modularization: advancing standardization and customization.” Journal of Services Marketing (2019).

Tien, Nguyen Hoang. “Customization and Standardization of the Business Strategy of Foreign Enterprises in Vietnam–the McDonald’s Case and the Fast Food Sector.“.” International journal of research in marketing management and sales 1.2 (2019): 44-50.

Cultural Studies Demographics and Culture

Cultural Studies: Demographics and Culture

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1.What are the demographics of your country

Based on the current statistics by the World Bank, Haiti’s 2008 population stand at about 9.8 million, up from and estimation of 9.7 million in the year 2007. The population growth rate averages around 1.6%. the 2010 July estimates put the population size at 9,035,536 (Haiti, 2010).2.How many people are there per square mile?

Population density in the year 2008 stood about 27,800 persons per square kilometers. given that the population is about 9.8 million while the size of the country is 10,714 sq miles, impliedly , the population density per square miles would be 9.8milioion/10,714 sq miles which translates into 915 persons per miles.

3 population 20 years ago? 40 years ago?

20 years ago in 1990, Hiati’s population was 6.473 million, while 40 years ago, the population was about 4.5 million 4. Culture Haiti

Summarily, the Haitian culture is not homogenous, but gives a reflection of a mixer of African, French and Indian practices. Linguistically, French is the most common foreign language used as mode of communication in the country, and as one of the official language. The most popular native language is Kreyol. The language became the main official language from 1987, as French became the secondary one. As such, the Kreyol is the national language which is used in communication and other functions of national importance. The influence of migrations into and out of US has made English to become very popular to the level of overtaking French. There is a strong attachment to Catholicism in the country, with more than 80% of the population’s followers. Significantly, “religion is a powerful force in Haitian culture’ (Institute for Disaster Mental Health, 2010). However, the catholic faith has been enriched with local traditions that are African in nature. For example, there is vodoun practice that is more of a belief in magic. According to Jacobson (2003), voodoo “exists side by side with Christian faiths”, with the very ritualistic Catholic adapting itself to the local rituals. Significantly, the traditional believes are still respected and practiced in many parts of the country though a huge size of the Haitian population profess Christianity. Christian marriages and customs are very common with parties being held to mark baptism and wedding ceremonies. During such ceremonies, the parties are spiced with local foods. The drum serves as the widely used music instrument in such occasions. These foods include local cola, cakes and rum, which are locally made.

The issue of women empowerment and stereotyping is very common more so in the rural areas. The women in the rural areas are expected to be subordinate to their husbands in major domestic and family affairs. In the urban centers equality has taken centre stage though female domestic workers are lowly paid. The society believes that the ancestors have the power and capability to sway things and the lives of those who are live. Finally, The Haitians respect visitors, and they are treated with courtesy and well as reverence. Greeting is given great attachment; they are required not to leave a home without eating or drinking anything. Staple food is rice and beans. A visitor is equally expected to be respectful, accepts the host’s lifestyle and not to be rude, like lives without notifying the hosts.

References

Jacobson, E. (2003). Introduction to Haitian Culture

For Rehabilitation Service Providers. Retrieved August 25, 2010, from HYPERLINK “http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/monographs/haiti.pdf” http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/monographs/haiti.pdf.

Haiti (2010). Haiti Population Retrieved August 25, 2010, from

HYPERLINK “http://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/population.html” http://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/population.html

Institute for Disaster Mental Health (2010). Tip Sheet on Haitian Culture Retrieved

August 25, 2010, from http://www.rhin.org/UPLOAD/Hatian%20Culture%20tip%20sheet-IDMH.pdf.

Culture Awareness North Korea

I. Introduction

     A. Background and statement of purpose

        1. Overview of cultural awareness

     B. Scope, limitations, problems

        1. Scope of the Research Paper

        2. Limitations and Problems

     C. Methodology, resources, definitions

 II. Body

     A. The parts of the problem

        1. Literature, Art, music, and film

        2. Architecture and city planning

     B. Research, analysis, or evaluation of the problem

     C. (Repeat B as needed to cover all of the points in your report.)

 III. Conclusion

     A. Predictions, review, solutions, generalizations, recommendations

Introduction

A. Background and Statement of Purpose

1. Overview of cultural awareness

Cultural awareness is a multifaceted, philosophy that stresses on the understanding of the way an individual’s culture may enlighten them in terms of adding value to their values, their behaviors basic assumptions and the general beliefs. Cultural awareness is a very important part of the society because it provides profound basis for communication to take place and enables us to appreciate some of the basic aspects of the society like perceptions and beliefs.

Culture awareness is an important feature in a people’s lives because without understanding of a people’s own behavioral rules and project the rules on others, misinterpretation is likely to occur. In the event that people don’t have knowledge of their culture, they tend to assume the meaning of behavior. For instance, among the Japanese, it is considered as disrespectful to look someone straight in the face.

Cultural awareness helps individuals in realizing that cultural background nare significant in shaping every individual; even though every individual has a unique background with respect to culture. These cultural backgrounds are responsible for shaping individuals’ way of interpretation of the immediate world around them, the ay they perceive themselves and how they ultimately relate to the environment and other people. This is a very important tool for people and it is essential for exploration of other people’s cultural issues in a more sensitive way.

In a similar view, exploring various aspects of cultural practices that relate to North Korea; we are in a position to augment our cultural knowledge by presenting a overview of the North Koreans’ cultural attributes and issues. However, while doing this, it is imperative that individual needs and inclinations be identified since it is unnecessary to reduce people or a person to a set of cultural norms.

This research paper thus explores the culture awareness in North Korea but bears in mind that even within the North Korean culture it is not uncommon to find that the culture across the board varies significantly with respect to beliefs, values, and peoples’ behaviors. This diversity may be caused by many other intervening factors. These factors include socio-economic background of the people, diverse life experiences that people face as well as the experience of migration. This enormous variation in the aspects that build a culture among people is an essential requirement that will help us have an in-depth understanding of the processes that bring these variations.

B. Scope, Limitations, Problems

In order to achieve the objectives of the research, various sources are consulted, which provide information to help in further understanding the cultural changes that have taken place among the people of North Korea with respect to literature, art, music and also as relates to architecture and issues to do with planning of the city. The paper makes use of primary research studies that have already been carried out to explore culture awareness on North Korea. Various databases are also consulted in order to explore the information that is relevant and has been archived. Government sites are also very important especially in understanding the scope of tourism promotion and the aspects promoted as tourism catchments for the country.

The scope of the paper is only limited to the highlighted areas with a clear understanding of the diverse nature of culture as a part of people’s lives. Thus, although culture awareness covers broad areas of the society, the narrow details of every broad aspects are beyond the scope of this paper.

This research is not a primary field research and therefore just as common with most research works of such dimension, it is limited in terms of coverage of the broad perspective of the issues that relate to culture. However, exploring the cultural changes that have taken place from time to time helps in understanding the direction of t7he cultural changes of the people and this can be done through the exploration of the above mentioned sources.

Given that culture is a people’s way of life in respect to various aspects as underscored earlier in the paper, it is a changing facet of life. Since most of the sources consulted comprise research studies already carried out, the implications of the findings of the research studies might have changed by now since the time of carrying out the studies. Secondly, culture has a significantly diverse perspective and every individual has a diverse. This means that the results and findings of this study might be limited in respect to the construct validity of the findings.

C. Methodology, resources, definitions

Given that it is expected that there are many research works that have been carried out, random selection of sources especially online databases will be used for the paper. In this respect, databases are explored through online search engines for key word like, North Korean art, history of architecture in North Korea, music and film appreciation in North Korea, migration trends in North Korea, North Korea and racial discrimination, among other relevant terms. In respect to this study, culture is understood as the peoples’ ways of life with respect to beliefs, practices, art appreciation, perceptions,

The Connection between White Supremacy and Class in the United States

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The Connection between White Supremacy and Class in the United States

White supremacy refers to the ideas and beliefs that purport that white people or individuals that have natural white skin are superior over other human racial groups. In a contemporary context, the white supremacist term is employed in describing the groups that espouse fascist or racist doctrines. Noteworthy, supremacist groups are been known to use violence to attain their goals. The race is the notion that the human species is categorized into unique groups based on behavioral and physical differences. Essentially, race is any human social groups that can be categorized according to perceived similarities in physical traits. Class refers to a group of people that have the same socioeconomic status. In the United States, the white supremacy doctrine was taken for granted by social and political leaders from the 19th to mid-20th century. This essay discusses the connection between white supremacy and class in the United States.

Various events, laws and people exacerbated the racial and class divisions that existed in the early American period. One such event was the civil rights movement that advocated for social justice for people of color in the 1950s and 1960s. While the Civil War got rid of slavery, it did not put an end to unequal treatment and discrimination of people of color. Black people continued to face the devastating effects of racism, particularly in the South. By mid-20th century, people of color had endured violence and prejudice against them (Bateman, Ira, and John, 24). Black Americans alongside numerous white Americans mobilized and an unprecedented fight pushing for equality that lasted two decades.

Jim Crow laws also contributed to class and racial divisions in the early American Period. People of color had made some progress in their equality agenda after the constitution granted people of color equal protection as white people. The 15th Amendment to the constitution of 1870 gave Black Americans the right to vote. Still numerous white supremacists, moreso those in the South, were not happy that the people they once enslaved had similar rights as them (M. Beliso‐De Jesús, and Jemima, 65). They, therefore, came up with Jim Crow laws to erase the progress made during Reconstruction and keep them segregated from their white counterparts. The laws were put in place in the South towards the end of the 19th century. The Jim Crow laws ensured that people of color and white people used different public facilities. The laws also ensured that people of color could not live in the same towns or attend the same schools as their white counterparts. Furthermore, Jim Crow laws criminalized interracial marriage and made it impossible for people of color to vote without passing the voter literacy test. Despite Jim Crow laws not being adopted in the northern states, people of color experienced discrimination in their jobs or in accessing education or in attempting to purchase a house (Roediger, 42). To make the issue worse, the laws passed in some states continued to limit the voting rights of people of color. The segregation brought about by the Jim Crow laws gained ground in 1896 after the Supreme Court ruled in the Plessy v. Ferguson case that it was possible for facilities for white and black people to be separate but equal.

Undoubtedly, capitalism plays and continues to play a huge role in the development of social and class divisions in America. Individuals such as Ella Myers, J. Phillip Thompson, and Michael Dawson agree that capitalism was inextricably linked to class formation, the emergence of a separate white and black proletariat and segregation of labor markets (Liu, 349). W. E. Dubois argued that the white proletariat benefited from psychic wage and the antiblackness of the capitalist social order. Du bois’ argued that racial capitalism gave a limited democracy for white workers that were white. He posited that there are both irrational and rational aspects of white supremacy and both aspects can cause violence against black bodies. This is enough evidence that during the Jim Crow era, the relationship of people of color towards capitalism was of exploitation and property expropriation and relations.

Without a doubt, gender played an important role in white supremacy and class segregation in early America. This is because white women have been a part of the notion of white supremacy from the beginning. White women have made investments into white supremacy for a long time and they invest in this notion more than the country itself. This points to their hand in slavery economy. Although white women are viewed by historians as being bystanders to slavery brutalities, they were rather active participants. Prior to the civil war, white women had little political and economic power with the exception they could buy and sell slaves (Feagin, Hernan and Pinar 16). They used slavery as a way of increasing their wealth which was not possible to transfer to their husbands in marriage. In essence, slavery provided white women with autonomy, agency, and freedom they could not have without it, which is why they were deeply invested. Worth noting as white women never gave up on white supremacy, a matter of fact, they doubled down.

In most cases, white supremacy and racial and class divisions tend to benefit one group over the other and in most cases, white people tend to be favored than their colored counterparts. By definition, white supremacy is meant to favor white races as they are viewed as being superior to all other races. Worth noting, that white people do not have to be white supremacists to benefit from white supremacy ideologies, but yet it still shapes American society.

Works Cited

Bateman, David A., Ira Katznelson, and John S. Lapinski. Southern nation: Congress and white supremacy after reconstruction. Vol. 158. Princeton University Press, 2018.

Feagin, Joe R., Hernan Vera, and Pinar Batur. White racism: The basics. Routledge, 2020.

Liu, William Ming. “White male power and privilege: The relationship between White supremacy and social class.” Journal of Counseling Psychology 64.4 (2017): 349.

M. Beliso‐De Jesús, Aisha, and Jemima Pierre. “Anthropology of white supremacy.” American anthropologist 122.1 (2020): 65-75.

Roediger, David R. “The wages of whiteness: Race and the making of the American working class.” Class: The Anthology (2017): 41-55.

Culture High Culture

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Culture: High Culture

Introduction

The term culture has several meanings that are attached to it. There are however, three basic usages of this term: first is the high culture, which involves the a societies taste in humanities, social etiquette and fine arts; secondly, culture could be considered to be a pattern that is integrated in the knowledge of human beings, their beliefs and behavior that mostly depends on the thoughts, practices and the lessons the society provides; and finally, culture could be considered to entail the values, attitudes, practices and goals that characterize a given, community, society or organizational group (Muller, A. (2005).

The focus therefore is on how distinctly several people around the world are represented. Culture is therefore the way people live. It is manifested in numerous concepts such as literature, music, sculpture and paintings, film and theater and the lifestyles of the people. The aspect of culture that this paper deals with is the one that evolved in the nineteenth century, that is the refinement or betterment of an individual mostly through education and eventually the satisfaction of his ideals and aspirations as an individual and wholesomely as a nation, what is commonly known as the High Culture. It should be understood from the onset that high culture is not necessarily elitist. Over the years it has found its way into the general populace and other classes of people to whom it was impossible to be accessed.

Just like so many cultural concepts cross the societal demarcations and blend or enter into different classes, so has this concept done. As a consequence, this paper discusses not only the development of this aspect of our lives and cultures but also the influence other aspects of the society and the nation have had on it and thereby changed, developed or improved it.

High Culture

This is a term that is used in several academic ways and discourses most commonly to describe a set of products that are an aspect of a given culture, especially the arts, that are considered with high regard by a given cultural group. It is what would be referred to as the elitist culture of the intelligentsia or the aristocracy and is the complete opposite of popular or low culture, the one for the masses. It should however be noted that this does not mean that these two categories are always in conflict.

This concept was introduced by Mathew Arnold in his book Culture and Anarchy (1869) where he stated that to understand culture is to know what is best that has been thought and said in the world. He thus saw it as a pointer for political and moral good, a view that has remained widely uncontested by several other views over time. This concept is considered as a necessary and fundamental aspect of any complete culture while in America it is mostly associated with literature.

Much of this concept is usually associated with what is sometimes referred to as High Art. Other than literature, high art includes visual arts, music, performing arts which have now evolved to include cinema and other forms of art that derive from these ones. Most of these products are associated with the wealthy urban based societies whose sophistication marked the civilizations of the years passed. The Western understanding of what is high culture may be tied to the Renaissance and the years that followed, however, this is not entirely the case as there are several other places where the conditions that contributed to this aspect existed in other times and places such as ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, India, Persia and several other Middle Eastern regions at different times and eras.

In order to understand this cultural concept, it would be good to divorce it from the ideas and ideologies of elitism. This is because there are times it is more pronounced in the wider and general public than it is in the very much educated bourgeoisie to whom the culture is highly connected. Take for example the move by most countries to establish concert halls and museums that would be accessible to the public in general. Moreover, personalities such as Leon Trotsky of Russia, Lord Reith of Britain, and several others from America and the western world as a whole have really opened up the several elements of what was previously a characteristic of the elite such as classical music, fine art and literary classics.

High Culture and Modernism

Access to higher education has spread this culture to several other groups and made high art and ultimately high culture an aspect and an objective of academia. Liberal arts in institutions of higher learning have promoted this cultural concept of the elite and made it accessible to the general populace even though there are times there have been attempts to divorce this concept of art from the cultural concept with which it has always been associated with over the years. For example in Europe, governments have tried to reduce the costs of accessing and experiencing this concept by funding operas and museums; establishing ballet companies, public broadcasters and orchestras or giving them subsidies. This is regardless of the fact that sometimes it is not the mass market that is intended for the benefits that arise.

This cultural concept has provided political platforms for nationalists like Ernest Renan, a political theorist who perceived it as a fundamental component of establishing a national identity. Gellner in his book Nations and Nationalism (1983) describe this concept as “…a literate codified culture that permits context free communication.”

All in all, this concept of high culture has managed to maintain its distinct characteristics from the broader influences of the society by separating “taste” which is associated with appreciation of fine food, etiquette and military service and honor. It still maintains the codes that the society and cultures that are dominantly practicing it and have over the years that are not always accessible to the masses or people considered to belong to a class that is lower.

Reference

Muller, A. (2005). Concepts of Culture: Art, Politics, and Society. Calgary: University of Calgary Press

Arnold, M. (1869). Culture and Anarchy: An Essay in Political and Social Criticism. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Gellner, E. (2006). Nations and Nationalism. 2nd Ed., Malden: Wiley-Blackwell

Jennie Gerhardt

Name

Professor’s name

Course

Date

The Unjust Treatment of Characters in Jennie Gerhardt

Introduction

Jennie Gerhardt is a novel authored by Theodore Dreiser that was first published in 1911. Dreiser tells a tale of an unhappy woman from the working class who faces and accepts various adversities in life. Circumstances force her into becoming the mistress of two powerful and wealthy men to help her family get out of the impoverished conditions.

Thesis statement: This text is an analysis of the unjust treatment of the characters in Theodore Dreiser’s novel Jennie Gerhardt including Jennie Gerhardt, Wilhelmina Vesta, and Mrs. Gerhardt, and William Gerhardt.

Body Paragraph 1-Jennie Gerhardt

Gets romantically involved with Senator George Brander

Brander dies of heart attack leaving her pregnant

Gets involved with Lester, but his family oppose their relationship

Her daughter dies tragically from typhoid fever.

Body Paragraph 2-Vesta

An illegitimate daughter

Her father dies tragically from heart attack

Jennie hides her existence from Lester

Dies of typhoid

Body Paragraph 3-Jennie’s mother (Mrs. Gerhardt)

Hardworking yet poor

Works as a maid with Jennie

Body Paragraph 4-William Gerhardt

His children besides Jennie abandon him

Hardworking glass blower but still poor

Dies of old age in the care of Jenny

Conclusion

Thesis restatement: Jenny Gerhardt, Wilhelmina Vesta, Mrs. Gerhardt, and William Gerhardt are some of the characters that go through unjust treatment in Theodore Dreiser’s novel Jennie Gerhardt.

Culture, Clothing, Immigration, Emigration, and Migration

Culture, Clothing, Immigration, Emigration, and Migration

Name

Institution

Culture, Clothing, Immigration, Emigration, and Migration

Tracht is a local term in Germany used to refer to the country’s traditional cloths, hairstyles, beards and accessories. It is a common term among the Germans and a tradition related to this country. Leather knee-length trousers commonly identify tracht among men in German. Alternatively, they can wear short pants made from the same material together with wool socks along with rustic shoes. Women also have their attire under the same group of traditional clothing. Tracht among women includes the dirndl, which is a huge full-length skirt of dress (Gordeeva, 2012). This is worn alongside a bodice, which is a closefitting attire and an apron to complete the women’s tracht. Hats are also a common part of the complete tracht outfit.

Traditionally, the tracht was common among all Germans, but times have altered the dress code in most parts of the country. Currently, the tracht is associated with people residing in the southern part of Germany. For example, people from Bavaria and Munich still value this dress code as a prestigious wear. As such, the tracht is not an everyday costume for people to wear, but rather a ceremonial dress. It commands respect and value for tradition among its wearers. For example, people attending wedding ceremonies often find it fit to wear the tracht (Tiffany, 2012).

Tracht is a costume associated with traditions and not religion. Back in the days, everyone wore a tracht from men to women and children. However, it was highly associated with various characteristics in the society. In earlier times, it was a tradition kept with the aim of identifying the various social and legal groups in society. For example, married people could be identified with the way they dressed, and so could the single people in the community. Law enforcers in the society and judges were also identified by the tracht they wore whilst among other citizens.

The reason behind the wear during the olden days was keeping up with traditions. People had to have a distinct way of identifying each other in the society. For example, single individuals, married and divorced people were social statuses that were distinctively determined by way of dressing. Currently, modernization has revolutionized the way people dress and the tracht are among the least worn cloths in Germany. People wear the tracht in ceremonies for modesty purposes. Its significance as a traditional symbol is still thriving among the German people. Visitors to the country often identify the tracht among the dress codes they would expect to see many people upholding. Conversely, it is more of a common practice among people in the south of Germany than in the urban areas (Munich Found, 2004).

The tracht as aforementioned is a dress code that roots its source to the traditional days. During this time, German’s citizens considered it as a crucial wear that spoke volumes about their cultural practices and had identification among the people. Although the dress code was overridden by modern ways of dressing, it is still a vital part of German traditional practices (Tiffany, 2012).

In order for an individual to be properly assimilated into a new culture, she should reject the traditions and culture of her previous country and concentrate on those of the new country. Wearing items that identify an individual with a culture outside his or her adoptive country slows down the assimilation process, or worse, alienates the individual from his or her adoptive society. The statement is in reference to a case where one migrates to a new country or region, and the culture is different. I partially agree with this statement since one has the capability of accommodating new cultures while at the same time retaining previous ones. For example, in my case, I would want to retain a culture of wearing cloths bearing my country’s name. It is significant for me to preserve this culture to avoid losing my cultural roots. Indeed, if I were denied this opportunity, I would be disappointed since I would be losing an integral part of me.

References

Gordeeva, T. (2012. A glimpse from the past: Native German clothing (Dirndl and Tracht). German Culture. Retrieved on 14 Oct. 2013 from http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/weekly/aa073100a.htm

Munich Found. (2004). Back on Tracht. Retrieved on 14 Oct. 2013 from http://www.munichfound.com/archives/id/96/article/1865/

Tiffany. (2012). Debunking myths about Germany: Trachten. No Ordinary Homestead. Retrieved on 14 Oct. 2013 from http://www.noordinaryhomestead.com/debunking-myths-about-germany/