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Personal Definition Of Gender And Gender Issues

My personal definition of gender is the differences in physiology and psychology between a male and female. We are taught gender by our parents and friends as we grow up from very early ages. Communication of what was an appropriate and acceptable behavior expected from boys and girls, is normally reflected in the way we use language daily as mature adults. There is a link between gender and communication in how this biological factors affects our communication behavior but more of sociological gender than biological sex. If I was asked five years ago or more on what gender meant, I would have replied that one was a boy and the other a girl and that they were just but friends playing with their toys as a result of both their parents paying a courtesy visit to their family friends. As a child everything was the same because both sexes can play, share, sing and tell each other stories without any fear or questions regarding about any issue or under any given situation. With time and observing the differences in physical growth between the two sexes, there are a lot of variations on how the two conduct themselves in behavior, thought, expressing themselves through talk and body language, emotional outrages or “hormonal imbalances” in adolescent stage.

Girls and boys begin to form their own camps and realizing within themselves that there are major differences and attractions between both parties. Gender now visibly changes and there is conspicuous differences affecting all areas of life like communication, dressing and process thought.Therefore there is a difference in my personal definition of gender throughout these stages in life over the years.  My perception and understanding of the female has evolved with continued interaction with them at social and workplaces and regular re-evaluating my values with each different experience. Nowadays I see gender as a form of intercultural communication and an influence in many social, economic and political aspects of life. Communication is a language which is subjective and it exhibits an attitude which implies an act leading to human actions visible in the different genders (Wood 2001). These actions are the ones that define our personalities and moral responsibility in stages of life and sexuality.

Aspirations and goals

I am an observant person and usually take time to think about situations or choices before getting into them, partly phlegmatic and sanguine in nature but also jovial, outgoing and adventurous person. My aspirations are to be more pronounced in life in all areas of development affecting my career, relationships, goals and objectives in accomplishing them whether through formal and informal ways to achieve them. When this comes to money, career, love and family my aspirations will be integrated with these responsibilities to make sure that parts of my development plans are not overshadowed by other aspects or totally forgotten or ignored. Family is a responsibility of great importance as much as love and career needing equal attention and dedication because it links to our past and bridges our future.

As a male this has affected me in that realizing my social responsibilities is equally important as my career with money in context that plays a role in everyday life to better plan, strategize and mange the different resources available to hold my fabric of personality together. Cultural expectations from the society and family have molded and played a part in my aspirations and goals therefore influencing self-categorization, expectation states and role congruity in a broader sense than my own personal ambitions and become more assertive in life.

Norms that have influenced my life

One of the norms that influenced my growth pattern in childhood with different friends was the men’s dominance in decision making at homes in the day to day situations. The society also placed a higher value in males than females. The women tended to obey a man’s decision as final thus affecting the communication styles in either nurturing, aggressive, sentimental or task focused. Therefore women seemed to make more persuasive appeals using a tentative language when addressing different situations in the family (Wood 2001). These norms were learnt through observing the interaction of my parents and the extended family. These norms are changing gradually with the female in the society being accorded more roles to play and greater respect in making decisions in organizations as well.

 Culture expectations of the genders

The culture in most communities expects the man to play greater roles than the female counterparts thus enhancing the macho culture and role play in men. Even from beginning at infancy girls received less food and medical attention when sick. It was more likely for boys to go to school than girls. Males were expected to be leaders and not to allow women to make any critical decision and were subjected to house chores and rearing children. From childhood experience I have observed that women carry more tasks and major decisions affecting reproductive health, social expectations for her to be supportive of a husband and family even in the extended families and taught to cultivate a submissive feminity in the community. The men social role was to reward masculine men while pretty women were to find rich husbands. This made women feel lesser than male in the society.

This rationality was ill founded because women could perform even more or per the male counterpart. This culture only made a girls life grim without any objective future expectations and making her inferior. All these views are based on wrong conclusions drawn by false myths and assumptions.  Display of feelings cannot be assumed as displaying weakness in women but in men it is a great issue in cultural traditions, but with recent development over the years, the attitudes have changed as this phenomenon is being disapproved. Women are more pronounced in portraying their emotions more than men biologically or socially dictated, thus men displaying emotions is healthy and will allow for growth in the family and career.

 Attitude on male and female counterparts

I have held the attitude that women are weak in emotions and cannot be entitled to make key decisions in families and more importantly in work places involving making economic decisions and further in leadership positions. Not all men are reliable in some situations pertaining business. My perception has changed about men making sound ideas when they are threatened to perform or promised a sidekick from a business. Therefore I have emphasized the need to observe both genders in relation to my career in making sound decisions. The belief of women not having strong personalities as to lead in key sectors of life like career and industry has disconfirmed the attitude and now have more appreciation and support for these individuals making great steps in careers. Women in general have empowered themselves to take leadership positions and roles that were predominantly controlled by male counterparts. My attitude has grown weaker on women being as incapable of leadership thus a stronger perception of their attitudes.

 Friends’ characteristics

I have both male and female friends that have played a major role in my life and career development at home, social interactions and in the work environment. The male friends are more assertive and tend to influence most of my goals and ambitions in all perspectives and advice me on how to go about the different situations and problems in life and have lasted the longest compared to the female friends. Some of the commonalities of our friendships were based on early childhood associations and trust in the same growing neighborhood. Also going to the same schools further deepened our friendship as one could tell apart the characteristic behaviors of a good friend from an imposter. What distinguish them from each other are their personality traits, strengths and weakness that give them their attributes as a friend.

The female friends from the early stages of life were just for playing games and not really telling them about your life. But progressing in life, I came to understand that they also make great company which is healthy in human development and stopped looking at them with suspicion and contempt.Female friends are great listeners and interrogators thus can better understand a situation and can give proper advice on ways to tackle situations than men who would handle it in a macho or masculine manner, On the other hand as they mature they also tend to have more outburst expressing of their intentions whether positive or negative that can affect you one way or another. With love in mind, males become more obsessed with women which can cloud their judgment and capacity reasoning of some goals or objectives to accomplish and also plays the same on women. This is normal but it should not reach the levels of affecting sound decisions of life.

 Research in life

Research can be seen as a process of investigating some truth in a known phenomena or norm in the society with the objective of approving or disapproving the facts that are current or predominating in the community. Research starts early in life at infancy and child growth where you are curious about objects and life in general. I used to ask myself why mom and dad are constantly arguing while me and my friends were happy playing our games, “Can they not play like us?” was my constant thinking. The seemingly easy ideas I perceived as little meant big challenges to adults but continually get to understand different situations as on grows older. Therefore research on gender is conducted by everybody including children to try and understand different situations and phenomena in each development stage in life.

 Perceptions on feminism

Feminism describes the situation in cultural community that downplays women and does not regard them to make influences in the male life. They are to subdue to male demands without questions or give alternatives or better ways to accomplish specific targets in the community. The first I saw feminism on play was at our rural home where women did almost all the chores and work without questioning the male head figure. Feminism is not a culture to condone in the 21st century but to be done away. Educating and empowering women will go an extra mile to lifting the society from misplaced norms and traditions held for a long time by our forefathers. Empowered women will accomplish greater development efforts and holding the society together (Wood 2001). I cannot label myself as a feminist because I have come to appreciate the great roles they play eve in child bearing, rearing and educating the sons and daughters who later become influential citizens in the society and foster community and nation wide development.

 Handling of conflicts by the two genders

Boys and girls think differently in many aspects starting from childhood. Boys tend to observe their fathers behaviors or mature males where they assimilate attributes that seem manly to them. These observations tend to influence their thinking and behavior patterns to copy what the mature males do. Girls on the other hand will lean on their mother figures and women that make them attain attributes they observe from the relationship of the mother and father. All these add up to how boys and girls resolve their conflicts when playing Boys tend to play with car models while girls play with dolls. Conflicts arose when the boy or girl wanted the other to play the same game of dolls or cars which did not sound well with each party, or take the playthings belonging to them by force. Conflicts were often resolved by parents before we were made to forgive each other.

 Views on marriage and divorce

My views about marriage is that it is a big step and stage in life that entails all the aspects of growing from childhood to adulthood, therefore marriage is an achievement of various goals combined together to make a person marry. This is a stage of utmost maturity from beliefs, behaviors, attitude and personality. Divorce is really a sign of immaturity in marriage as to not being responsible for your actions and the innermost development of the self.

      Reference:

Wood, J. (2001). Gendered Lives: Communication, gender, and culture (4th Edition)

Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

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Interdisciplinary Environmental History of Martinique

The term environment in a broad perspective relates to the surroundings of an object, a country, a region and an individual. It could also mean a constructed region that an individual or a society lives in. Another definition of the environment is the flora and fauna. On a totally different perspective, environment could mean the culture that has been adopted by a certain group of people.The environment is an interdisciplinary concept meaning the entire make up of a country; the culture, the flora and the fauna, the industries, the political make up, the wars, the humanitarian and the general livelihood of the citizens.
The environment also encompasses the general historical background of a country.Humans have for many years and many generations been able to exist and to multiply in different environments of the earth. The environment has been affected by human and in turn human have affected the environment. The study of human interactions with the environment is referred to as anthropology. Anthropology is the study of the material, the genetic and the societal scope of the human connections with the environment either presently or in the past.Anthropologists have strived to fuse the concepts of culture to the concepts of environmental changes.
Different branches of anthropology, have discussed issues on the environment and humans. The aspect of the environment that deals with the evolution humans within an environment over a long period of time is referred to as archeology. The adaptation of humans to their environment is captured under biological anthropology. Cultural anthropologists have sought to discover the behavior of the society in relation to the happenings of the environment whereas the linguistic anthropologists have researched and developed the concept of language and the environment. The language that a certain group of people use to refer to the environment or within an environment echoes their interaction to that environment.The aim of this essay is to fully capture the interdisciplinary environmental history of Martinique. The aspects in which the Martinique environment and the generations of the humans have existed and have influenced each other will be discussed in depth.

Overview of Martinique

Martinique is the metropolitan of France. It is located in the western part of Europe. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the North West, Italy to the West, to the East it borders Bay of Biscay, to the South East it borders the English Channel and Germany to the South West. Martinique is the out of country department and the administration section of France. According to a survey that was carried out in the year 2005, Martinique holds a population of approximately 400,000 people. It has an area of approximately 1100 square kilometers. Its capital is called Fort-de-France. (Richard, 1978)Martinique is an island that resulted from a volcanic eruption. It is a very hilly and a very rocky island with its highest point being Mount Pelee. The religion that dominates in the Island is Roman Catholic by the Africans. Languages that are spoken are French and Creole Patois. Agriculture is the main activity in the Island. It is practiced in the valleys and the coastal regions of the Island.

The main commercial crop is sugarcane which is mainly grown at the coast due to the water mass borders. The sugar cane that is produce is used for the manufacture of Rum which is the country’s chief exports. Other agricultural products grown in the island are Bananas and pineapples. Industries that have come up in the Island are those that deal with the crops produced; these are fruit canning industries, sugar production industries and petroleum refineries. Tourism is also a major activity in the Island. Being an island it attracts tourists from far and wide. The Tourism sector is also the industry that has employed the largest number of people in the Island.

History of Martinique

The history of Martinique can be traced back to the period between 100-1450. At this period of time the Island was populated by the Arawak and the Caribs. The term is of the origins of the Arawakan family that stands for a type of cassava flour. They are a group of very primitive people who first inhibited Lesser Antilles. The Arawaks were alleged to have migrated from South America. (Reno, 1995)The Carib are the reason as to the development of the name Caribbean Sea. They spoke the Cariban language or the pidgin language. The Carib people were very hostile and they often took over their fellow Anawaks for slavery. The Caribs were also cannibals, they ate out a piece of human flesh from one of the warriors who they killed or was killed by others during the wars and they spat the piece of flesh on the ground, as a ritual to transfer the courage and the bravery of this people to them. They could also come home with limbs of the warriors and hang them up in their houses as a ritual to the gods to protect them from any harm.

The Island at this historic time was reeking of the rotten human pieces that were hanging up as rituals.By the year 295 CE, Mount Pelee erupted and led to the migration of most of the Arawaks and the Caribs. It reduced the population of the Island greatly. After a period of 150 years after the Island was deemed safe from further eruptions the Arawaks repopulated the Island. It did not take a long period of time before the Caribs returned into the Island, they fought the Arawaks and they eradicated all other individuals who did not speak their language, making others their slaves and possessing the Island. They took full governance of the Island for the next couple of years. (William, 2002)Christopher Columbus noticed the Island in the year 1495.
He had a troop of soldiers among which was Cortes a very strong warrior. Cortes was at a very tender age when he started involving himself with the warfare of the Spanish. He was twenty two when he joined the group of Spanish soldiers. He was however ordered by Christopher Columbus to stay back and settle in a small land that he had been awarded by the Indians and not go to seek gold like the other soldiers. (Brading, 1993)Despite the fact that Christopher Columbus noticed the Island in 1495, he only got to visit it during his fourth voyage in the year 1502. Other soldiers and Spaniards including Cortes ignored the Island since according to them other areas of the world were more important.Taking an example of Cortes, in the year 1510, he went into Cuba and he joined forces with Diego Velasquez and together they fought the war and he proved to be a competent warrior and once they came back from the war, Velasquez awarded him with an even larger piece of land and more slaves under his rule. In the period or 1518, it was claimed that Yucatan had traces of gold and silver.
Therefore it became very important that the Spanish should move them and to conquer them and to come back home with the gold. (Hugh, 1993)Velasquez made Cortes, his assistant in this endeavor. In the preparation for the war, Cortez used his own finances to purchase what he needed. He bought steers, masks among others and when his was deprived off his money he borrowed. According to Velasquez this was too much and he sent a messenger withdrawing Cortez from the position that he had been given, but the messenger never arrived because he was killed on the way. (Matthew, 2003)In his journey to Cuba, Cortez found a fellow Spaniard who joined him in the expedition. The Spaniard helped Cortez interpret the language of the Maya since he could understand. When they got to Yucatan they effused to peacefully trade with the Spaniards and this resulted to war.
The Mayas surrendered and they offered Cortez food and other gifts and they also offered him women who could fend for his and among the women was Malintzin a woman who become of great help when it came to the war with the Aztecs.According to some of the writings that were retrieved from Tenochtitlan which was among one of the empires of the Aztecs Alliance, Cortez destroyed the entire of the alliance by bombing and the use of gun powder. He destroyed buildings and replaced them with churches and he settled in Mexico with his troop. By the year 1522, Cortez was named the Governor in Mesoamerica. (Hugh, 1993)Being the only one who was interested in the Island, Christopher Columbus took the advantage and as he proceeded with his voyages, he left his goats and his pigs in Martinique. Before he left, Christopher noted the cannibalism that was inevitable among the Caribs and he jotted this down in his accounts as one of the key aspects among the Caribs.

The 17th Century in Martinique

The Company of the Isles of America was created in the year 1635, as a successor of the Company of Saint Christopher. It was created by Cardinal Richelieu. The founders of the company made an agreement with the then governors to absorb and to oversee the Caribbean Islands that at time belonged to the French crown. As a result of this contract Pierre Belain landed into Martinique with a group of almost a hundred French settlers. These French settlers were part of the Company of Saint Cristophe. Some resistance was experienced from the Caribs who were the main occupants of the Island at that time but the French settlers were able to defeat them due to their artillery and body armor. After winning over the Caribs, the French settled in the North West part of the Island which was later named St. Pierre. St. Pierre was at the source of the River Roxelane; they later constructed the Fort Saint Pierre at the same location. (Ruben, 2006)In the next year, that is the year 1636, Pierre fell ill and he therefore decided to pass the authority of the French settlers to Jacques Parquet who was his nephew. At this point in time the number of the French settlers in the Island of Martinique had risen to an average of seven hundred.The French settlers started engaging themselves in agriculture, producing potatoes and manioc for their own consumption and at the same time producing tobacco, cotton and indigo for commercial basis.

As a result of the commercial products that were being produce many traders traveled into the Island to purchase some of their prestigious products making the Island prosperous and well known by both French and foreign merchants. (Cosmos, 2007)Other than the Fort Saint Pierre the French colonialists constructed another Fort known as the Fort Saint Louis which was put up in the year 1638. At this point in time the forts were simple and they were constructed using wood; but with time the French colonialists improved them to include stone walls, a waterway and twenty six guns.In the next twenty five years the French were able to fully colonize the Island and the Caribs who showed resistance were killed brutally and the rest were forced to go and live at the side of the Island that did not receive so much rain; the leeward side of the mountains. This leeward side of the mountain was known as Caravelle Peninsula. (Hillman, 2003)In the year 1636 as the production of the cotton and tobacco ad the other substantial crops the production of sugar in the Island become very productive and very profitable. Sugarcane farming being labor intensive, it probed the French colonialists to seek for labor to work at the firms.
An order by King Louis the XIII required that African be picked from their firms to come into the country to work as slaves in the sugarcane firms. For the next couple of years the Island was involved with slavery and slave related wrangles that affected its economy and politics in the 17th century. The culture of the Martinique Island was based on the relationship that existed between the slaves and the French colonialists. (Reno, 1995)The French colonialists who operated in the firms operated on half truths. They promised the servants who volunteered to work in the firms, a piece of land of their own after they had worked on the firm for more than three years. This did not happen however since the French colonialists ensured that the servants who had volunteered for the positions where immigrated and others were put on the job with the same false promises.The economy of the Martinique Island increased a great deal due to the exports that were made to the French, the Dutch and other neighboring countries.
At period of time the Island was under the Pierre’s Nephew and in the year 1645, the Company of Isles of America was beginning to wind up their operation on the island and they sold the Island to Pierre’s Nephew. (William, 2002)Jacques Parquet in the year 1650 came up with a brilliant plan that involved the covering of the sugar cane waste which a long period of time fermented into molasses. This product became a lucrative export also. This invention by the Pierre’s Nephew was among the greatest inventions that were made in the Island very lucrative.In the year 1654, a war erupted in the Dutch empire and all the Jews from Dutch migrated into the Island. The Dutch were migrating from Brazil as a result of the Portuguese invasion. The Dutch Jews were involved in the sugarcane plantations which made the export of sugar the principal export in Martinique. (Ruben, 2006)Jacques Parquet passed away soon after the migration of the Dutch but since his siblings were still young his widow reigned for the next four years then handed over the reign to Louis XIV.
The children of Jacques were compensated a large amount for the loss of their father. At this point in time the population capacity in the Island ranged at about 5000 early settlers with a minority of Carib Indians who were eradicated by the year 1660. (Wim, 1998)A very successful priest was sovereign in Martinique Island at that time. Other Dominican Fathers built him an estate where he used to live for the period of twelve years till 1705. The priest was of great influence to the people due to his nature and temperament. He was a warrior, a draftsman, engineer, and historian. (Gad, 2006)In the year 1664, Louis XIV conveyed the Island to another company. Another war erupted in Dutch and a great number of the settlers there moved into the Island. A misfortune struck the Island when an earthquake occurred and killed a huge number of the settlers in the Island at that time. The disaster’s effects were felt in the Island for many years to come. The Island was however attacked by a group of British colonialists later in the year 1666, but the Martinique settlers won over them. A treaty that was signed by the British and the Martinique’s ended the Anglo-Dutch war in the year 1667. (Maingot, 1995)Another Fort was constructed on order by Louis XIV at the coastal region of the Island that served as a protection of the island from illegitimate entrants.
The Company that was reigning in the Island at that time decided to come up with a town near the bay, the region was however infested with mosquitoes and therefore their construction came to a fatal end. The administration of the Island was then reverted back to the French Crown in the year 1674, the King was the head of the council and he had the power to appoint his administration and council members. (Neely, 2008)In the year 1675, a governor form West Indies came to reign over the Island this was after the war Third Anglo-Dutch War. The governor did not reign for a long time and he was soon after succeeded by Charles de La Roche. La Roche is the figure behind the successes of the Island. It is during his reign that the wall around the Fort was built. The wall was very strong with a height of about four meters and a width of about two meters. The wall stood as a protection of the settlers in the Island from outsiders.
La Roche served in Martinique for a long period till his death in the year 1696. (William, 2002)The Island of Martinique continued to grow at a tremendous rate. This growth led to the drainage of the Mosquito infested swamp in the coastal region. Towns started developing and the Fort Pierre remained the administrative council of the Island. Governors and all the administrative members had there offices in the Fort and it remained the capital of the Island. (Richard, 1978)In 1685, a chattel was signed by the French to govern the slavery in the Island. The Chattel was aimed at reducing the malicious acts against the workers in the sugarcane farms. Since the workers were mainly the Africans the chattel was referred to as Code des Noires. Slavery was however not made illegal but was only regulated. The same French general who came up with the Slavery Chattel also ordered that the Dutch Jews who had migrated to the Island during the wars should be moved. They were migrated into the Dutch Island where the flourished and established their lives. In the year 1692, La Roche announced Fort Royal as the capital city of Martinique. The British took another trial at colonizing the Island but they failed once again. (Curtis, 1958)

Martinique in 1700-1788

Many activities took place in the environment of the Island within this period of time. The agricultural sector of the Island was highly improved when a governor from the French transported coffee seedlings from Paris to the Island of Martinique and planted them. The first harvest took place after a period of six years. The plantation took place around the Mount Pelee since it was the highest point of the Island and coffee requires very high temperatures to sprout. A census that was carried out in the Island in the year 1736 indicated that the number of slaves working in the plantations of the Island was a huge number of almost 60,000. The Forts were most populated having a total of about 20,000 inhabitants.

(Reno, 2003)A war erupted in the Island as the British wanted to take over the Island. The French were against the take over since they did not want to stand to lose the Island due to the sugar plantation. The French therefore made a treaty with the Britain where they agreed that the French would let go of Canada and give it to the British and in return the British would grant them full custody of Martinique and Guadeloupe. This treaty was known as the Treaty of Paris.A Yellow Fever epidemic hit the Island of Martinique in the year 1763 which led to the deaths of significant number of the settlers specifically the slaves who worked in the coffee firms. Later in the following year the government of the Island separated Martinique and Guadeloupe.
The two separate towns were granted separate governments with different councils. (Ruben, 2006)In the Island of Martinique was born Saint Pierre de Louis Delgres who was of the mixed race. He was born of a French father and an African mother. The child was supposed to fight in the French army when he grew up a war against the British who wanted to instill the ill treatment of the slaves against the treaty that had been signed against that kind of treatment. The born leader was also supposed to help the people of Guadeloupe out of the oppression that they were going through under the leadership of General Richepance who had been sent by Napoleon.In the year 1766, an earthquake combined with a hurricane hit the Island which led to the death of many of the settlers. Once again the settlement was reduced by a significant amount of about 1500 people. By the end of the year 1788, the Island of Martinique had very many sugar mills and the coffee plantations were also plenty by this time. (Reno, 1995)

French Revolution

The French revolution took effect between the years of (1789-1799). The revolution brought about both political and economic turmoil in all the French territories. The French Revolution as a  war among the French citizens who complained that the prices of the food stuff was going up and at the same time they were criticizing the reign of Louis the XIV and they wanted him to step down from the throne. The settlers of the French territories wanted the current system for government that was monarchy system to come to an end and instead employ a more democratic way of life. (Richard, 1978)As a result of the demands of the settlers during the wars the slavery and the slave trade that was now very common was abolished and the Africans were given the right to only work at there own will.

20th Century changes in Martinique

The abolition of slavery in Martinique did not however stop the suffering that the workers of the firms went through. At the beginning of the 20th century the workers at one of the firms demonstrated due to the slavery, they were shot dead by the police. Soon after in the year 1902, Mount Pelee erupted once again but this time round it killed all the inhabitants of the Saint Pierre but leaving out only two people a shoe maker and a prisoner to survive. Being the capital of Martinique, which was now destroyed, the settlers who remained and the French military ordered that another Fort be named as the capital and that was done. Soon afterwards a hurricane hit the Island killing more people in the Island. The town then had to be reconstructed all over again due to the damage that had been caused by the two misfortunes. (Lester, 1998)By the year 1913, the war between the French and the Germans was looming therefore the French summoned the Martinique’s to give them soldiers every year. Most of these soldiers were killed in the war reducing the population of the Island even further.Soon after the World War I had already started and therefore the Martinique settlers were required by the French to join and be part of the French military to protect the French territories from any form of invasion.

Many of the Martinique settlers participated in the war and out of those who were part of the army more than 1000 were killed while at war. As the war progressed the production of the Rum from the sugarcane increased due to the use of the product by the soldiers during the war. (Ruben, 2006)In the year 1921 and 1922, the market for the sugar decline and it finally came to a stand still and the people of Martinique had to come with another crop that they could produce both substantially and commercially. They decided on bananas and the production was introduced all over Martinique.Soon later in the year 1929, Mount Pelle got active once again but it took the settlers an extra three year to purchase a seismometer. Many of the settlers were evacuated once more from Saint Pierre to avoid more deaths.In 1946, Martinique was transformed from the colony of the French and it was made a department instead. Martinique remained one of the high standards islands in the Caribbean due to the funding of the French. (Reno, 1995)

Conclusion

Humans have for many years and many generations been able to exist and to multiply in different environments of the earth. The environment has been affected by human and in turn humans have affected the environment. In the Martinique Island the humans were affected by the eruptions of the Mount Pelee and also by the earthquakes and the hurricanes that affected the Island. In turn the humans also affected the environment of the Island in such as they were involved in the plantation of sugar, coffee and also the bananas making the island a tourist attraction and famous for exports. The leadership in the Island also affected the environment since they help build and shape the towns and also decided on who should inhibit the island and who should not on the other hand. This explains why the Caribs were totally exterminated. Therefore the essay has answered the question and it is true that the co-existence between the human beings and the environment is a true feature of anthropology.

Reference:

Burton, Richard D.E: Assimilation or Independence? Prospects for Martinique: Centre for Developing-Area Studies: McGill University. 1978

Burton, Richard D.E. and Fred Reno: French and West Indian: Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana Today: New World Studies. University Press of Virginia: 1995

David A. Brading: The First America: The Spanish Monarchy, Creole Patriots, and the Liberal State, I492-1867 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Doyle, William: The Oxford history of the French Revolution (2nd ed.): Oxford University Press: 2002

Gowricharn, Ruben: Caribbean Transnationalism: Migration, Pluralization, and Social Cohesio: Lanham: Lexington Books, 2006.

Henke Huger, and Fred Reno, editions: Modern Political Culture in the    Caribbean.Kingston: University of West Indies Press, 2003.

Heuman, Gad: The Caribbean: Brief Histories: London: A Hodder Arnold Publication, 2006.

Hillman, Richard S, and Thomas J. D'agostino: Understanding the Contemporary Caribbean. London: Lynne Rienner, 2003.

Klooster, Wim: Illicit Riches: Dutch trade in the Caribbean, 1648-1795: London Pluto Press, 1998.

Langley, Lester D: The United States and the Caribbean in the Twentieth Century: London: University of Georgia Press, 1989.

Neely, Sylvia: A Concise History of the French Revolution: Rowman & Littlefield: 2008

Maingot, Anthony P: The United States and the Caribbean: Challenges of an Asymmetrical Relationship: West view P, 1994.

Ramnarine, Tina K., Beautiful Cosmos: Performance and Belonging in the Caribbean Diaspora. London, Pluto Press, 2007

Restall, Matthew: Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest Oxford University Press (2003)

Thomas, Hugh: Conquest: Cortes, Montezuma, and the Fall of Old Mexico: (1993).

Wilgus, A. Curtis: The Caribbean: British, Dutch, French, United States: University of Florida Press: 1958.

 

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 Brothel Analysis Assignment

 

The social deviance theory chosen is the Anomie theory which is at times called the strain theory. The term anomie may refer to a situation in which the cultural norms break down due to rapid change. This theory was addressed by Robert Merton to demonstrate that social deviance results due to lack of fit between the culture’s norms in regard to the constitution of life goals.

Discussion

According to Robert Merton, distribution of deviance behavior across groups defined by race, ethnicity and class is as a result of anomie. The term anomie refers to the confusion that results when social norms conflict or do not even exist. For the anomie theory to serve as an explanation for deviance, individuals should achieve success through means that are not culturally approved. For instance ambition and hard work in school and the economic marketplace are the cultural approved means of achieving success. However, there is an element of admiration for a rogue who breaks the rules and achieves success through deviance means. The other characteristic of the anomie theory is that success is mostly rated more highly compared to virtue.

 

Laying greater emphasis on success goals compared to the approved means of achieving the goals defines the anomie theory of deviance. Moreover, the theory also applies when individuals within a given society emphasizes on a similar kind of success for everyone regardless of ethnic, race and class stratification. Due to this fact, there is limitation of success opportunities to the less privileged groups in the societies. It is worth noting that the anomie theory is characterized by innovators. These are individuals who break the rules with the aim of achieving success goals that are highly promoted in the society. Innovators are mostly found at the lower levels of social stratification systems. These systems are characterized by deviance behavior as a means of achieving success.

 

Brothel prostitution can be clearly explained using the anomie social deviance theory. It is evident that the key priority of the brothel prostitutes is to achieve monetary success. Hence they will use any available opportunity to achieve this goal. They do not care where the opportunity utilized is morally right or not. Brothels are allowed in countries with small populations. This conforms to one of the characteristics of the anomie theory, which applies within a small group of individuals within a society. Countries will small populations utilize each and every available means in order to achieve financial goals or success. Legalization of prostitution is brothels are one way through a small population can achieve financial or monetary success. More often these countries give less priority to the morality of the means of achieving success goals (Albert, 2002).

 

Albert says that she wanted to know the people who dared to stand out so visibly despite being ignored by the entire passerby as if they were pariahs (Albert, 2002). It is therefore evident that the brothel prostitutes were individuals who were lowly regarded and unacceptable in the society. The key goal of these prostitutes was to make money and hence attaining monetary success. Albert further emphasizes that the Nevada prostituted need to be neither condemned nor pitied (Albert, 2002). Instead, they should be well understood and appreciated. The mustang ranch is an area that was highly stigmatized by the society. This means that people within the ranch belonged to a low societal stratification system. These people were less privileged and had limited success opportunities. The innovators of the anomie theory often found at lower levels of social stratification system. Hence, the brothel prostitutes may be regarded as innovators of the anomie theory.

 

Nevada is a state that rates success more highly compared to virtue. The state is famous for embracing vices that are shunned elsewhere. Prostitution is one of the vices that has become a legitimate and big business. The state has been reaping high economic benefits from different brothel-related revenue resources. Though prostitution is considered a taboo topic by majority of the segments in the population, it is evident that the activity has contributed a lot to the state’s economy.

 

Merton’s analysis of the anomie theory of deviance does not focus at the individual level. Instead, the analysis is aimed at explaining deviance at the level of societies and groups. In her book, Mustang ranch, Albert does not study an individual prostitute but a group of prostitutes in a brothel. Hence, the anomie perfectly applies in the case of brothel prostitutes in Mustang ranch. Albert lives with the prostitutes and defines their way of life and what drives them into doing the activity that is unaccepted in the society. She clearly depicts that the main reason why the individuals engage in prostitution is due to the fact that they need to attain financial freedom (Albert, 2002). These individuals need to make money in order to survive. They are oblivious of the fact that prostitution is a vice that is against societal norms.

 

Attaining wealth is a key goal of Americans but not all Americans have the means to attain wealth, especially members of the minority group. Albert clearly depicts Nevada State to consist of a minority group. Hence, the state is less privileged and predisposed to fewer opportunities for achieving success goals. Due to the few opportunities, prostitution is legalized in order to enable the minority group meet the financial or economic goals. Prostitutes in the mustang ranch therefore experience anomie since it seems the road to attaining success has been closed to them (Albert, 2002).

 

To prove that legalization of prostitution is aimed at increasing opportunities for the less privileged, Nevada residents support laws allowing licensed brothels in the rural areas but oppose legalization of prostitution in urban areas such as Las Vegas. Rural areas are less privileged compared to urban areas. Hence, the rural population decides to legalize prostitution as a means of achieving wealth In order to match up to the standards of the urban population. Hence, the conditions of Mustang ranch are the main contributor of legalization of brothel prostitution. The key conditions are those of financial strains and limited job opportunities (Albert, 2002).

 

Conclusion

Albert examines the life of prostitutes in the Mustang ranch and it is evident that the conditions of the place are the driving force to prostitution. The anomie theory clearly explains social deviance in Mustang ranch since it is a result of the confusion due to conflicts of social norms. The book enables a reader to understand the reason behind brothel prostitution and have a changed perspective towards them. Though prostitution is a socially unaccepted, some conditions may drive individuals into doing the vice. One of the reasons is the desire to achieve the success goals that are highly regarded in the society.

 

References

Albert, A. (2002) Brothel: Mustang Ranch and Its Women. Random House Publishing

Group.

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 The Balanced Scorecard Solution at Peel Memorial Hospital

Activities whose aim is to make sure that an organization meets its goals and objectives are what comprise performance management. The management in question may lay emphasis on the performance of a department, employee or even an organization. It may also focus on the processes involved in building goods or services. An organization that manages its system or employee performance ensures that operational and strategic goals are delivered effectively.

Discussion

According to this case, the Peel Memorial Hospital realized that it was unable to meet its set objectives and goals in 1995. Hence, it needed an immediate strategy that could revive the organization and make it successful. Performance management proved to be a solution to meeting the set goals and achieving organizational success. People from different organizational levels were informed on the importance of performance management and measuring in order to ensure organizational progress. The use of the Balanced Scorecard was means of promoting performance management since it provided a guideline through which performance could be evaluated and measured (Hansen and Mowen, 2006).

The scorecard also enabled the organization to be capable of transforming strategic goals into a comprehensive set of measures of performance. Analysis of weaknesses and strengths of different individuals of teams within an organization enables collection of performance data and results in addition to developing the course of actions that can help these teams to meet the set goals and objectives. Mitchell (2007) postulated that, performance management enables an organization to give guide and direction to managers or leaders, give expectations and accountabilities of each and every member or employee of an organization.
The other benefit of performance management as witnessed in the Peel Memorial Hospital is that it encourages team work. Working together enables sharing information and ideas on how an organization can achieve success and its set objectives as a team.Implementation of performance management model at the hospital resulted to increased patient and staff satisfaction. Therefore, the use of a balanced scorecard as a model of performance management affects strategic guidelines and priorities positively. The results of performance obtained through the use of a scorecard helps an organization to make sound decisions regarding the purchase of equipment and even the allocation of resources.The other point that is worth noting is that performance management enables an organization to develop a workforce that is motivated.
Each and every employee of individual within the workforce teams is made to understand his or her contribution towards organizational success. It is evident that each individual takes accountability and works hard towards achieving the set goals and objectives. According to Hansen (2006), Peel Memorial hospital introduced employee training programs. In these programs, employee awareness of the performance management model or the use of balanced scorecard was increased. The staff and individuals from different levels of the hospital organization were enlightened on the benefits and importance of evaluating and measuring performance. This in turn led to positive results since there was an increased patient and staff satisfaction.

Conclusion

It is therefore clear that performance management is an effective tool through which an organization can meet its goals and objectives. It increases the degree of motivations and makes each and every individual within an organization to work as a team toward achieving organizational success and meeting the set strategic goals and objectives.

References

Hansen, D. R., & Mowen, M. M. (2006). Managerial Accounting (8th Ed). Cengage

Learning, pp. 746

Mitchell, D. (2007). Performance Management. Global Media.

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 Personal Statement

Several people have had life experiences that have altered and impacted their lives greatly. One of the incidents that have impacted my life significantly is being an International student at the United States. The novel environment has made me learn important lessons in life and to always be optimistic. I have also faced so many obstacles, which have enabled me to have knowledge of my strengths and weaknesses. The obstacles have not only strengthened me but they have also taught me valuable ways through which conflicts can be solved effectively. It has always been my belief that the key to being successful is overcoming one’s weaknesses.
Though my sole purpose of coming to the United States was to study, I encountered minor challenges such as difficulties in using a laundry machine and visiting grocery stores. I was not accustomed to the lifestyle in the new country since my Native village in Indiana States, Portage, was pretty small and less developed. Hence, luxuries like laundry machines and grocery stores were scarce. I eventually learnt that the two challenges I faced could be solved through the use of the Internet.Time management and how to be an independent individual were the other aspects that I learnt with time. Adapting to a new environment was quite challenging considering the fact that my parents and family members were not there to give me moral support.
This however proved to be beneficial since it gave me an ample time for personal growth and development. I greatly value going to college since this gives me an opportunity to gain sufficient knowledge and a lot of new experiences from the new environment. My childhood dream has always been to work in a world cosmetic company in the chemical engineering field. I believe that acquainting myself with different countries globally will enable me achieve my dream career.Studying as an international student is a great opportunity to learn about the different cultures and ways of acclimatizing oneself to a new environment. I have confidence that the learning experience will enable me to succeed both academically and career wise.
Mingling with my fellow students and individuals from different parts of the world is the basis to learning new experiences and lessons that can help me achieve personal growth.One of the most influential people in my life is our father, who equipped us with effective skills that have enables me learn and adapt to environmental changes. One lesson learnt from my father is to have confidence and believe in myself. This has especially helped me a great deal in my career as a teacher. I have also been able to motivate other people to make use of this positive attribute at all times. I have learnt to be courageous and determined in order to surpass racial discrimination, which is apparently inevitable due to my Asian roots.
Having an understanding of one another is the chief way through which cultural differences in diverse learning institutions can be solved (Cooper and Barling, 2008). Two important factors that are significant to a teaching career are teaching students on how to approach issues logically and giving them clear and precise explanations on different issues. Consulting professors on different ways through which students can be handled has also been helpful especially in solving mathematics and chemistry problems presented by my students.My objective is to help my students identify their potentials and excel academically. Hence I always empathize with them and give them positive comments regardless of their culture, age and gender. I treat my students with a sincere heart, and this has proved to be productive since these students have not only excelled academically, but they have also gained a better understanding of the intercultural aspect.

Reference

Cooper, C. L., & Barling, J. (2008) The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Behavior

SAGE Publications Ltd. Vol 1, 700-770 

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