ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Abstract The recent rapid and quite radical change in the perception of gender roles in the society has heralded a new era in gender issues analysis. The idea that gender roles are not necessarily attributed to one’s biological sex, however, has sparked a range of questions, the process of gender roles learning to be the key one. Surprisingly enough, toys seem to be the first introduction of an individual to the rigid set of gender roles and principles of gender behavior that may be considered obsolete based on the recent changes within the society. A study carried out on the subject of gender roles was aimed at defining the patterns in the design, promotion, and use of toys for children that global brands, such as Toys R Us, Happy Hippo, and Qquinderella include. The study embraced the products created for children aged 0-13 years old. Particularly, the characters from specific popular movies, as well as other pop-culture references, as well as the dolls and toys that represented or were related to a particular profession, were identified in the course of the study. The evaluation of the results has shown that there is an obvious pattern in creating gender-specific toys. Particularly, the toys created for the male demographics presupposed training the qualities such as leadership skills, strength, resourcefulness, etc. the toys for the female buyers, in their turn, were supposed to enhance the need to nurture and supported family values. Remarkably enough, the toys for infants were much more homogenous for both genders than the toys for older children. Therefore, it can be assumed that toys define gender roles to a significant extent, making children memorize and adopt certain behavioral patterns years before they are capable of understanding and analyzing these patterns. Introduction Toy stores currently are more gender-specific in marketing and advertising of toys. They have a clear distinction between toys meant for boys and girls. Their manner of packaging, store arrangement, and nature of toys clearly demonstrate these differences. I recognized this fact when I visited the toys section in a Wal-Mart shop. There were sections marked “for girls” and “for boys,” with only a few items on categories marked “for all.” Curious, I checked Disney’s online store and found a similar pattern, sections marked for both “girls” and “boys.” It is important to note that society has made tremendous steps in ending gender-specific roles if the changes in advertising in the recent decade are anything to go by. The classification of toys, according to gender, could negatively affect children by convincing them that certain objects and roles are specific to a certain gender. Research by Francis (2010) reveals that gender-specific toys have certain effects on children. Although there is no proof that they could result in any biases, they do not add any educative value to the children, which is important in addition to entertainme
Introduction The National Education Plan of Brazil was created through a two-stage democratic and involvement process. The first stage commenced in 1997 in which an extensive consultation was conducted using a wide variety of stakeholders who are involved in the country’s education system. The second stage took place between 1998 and 2000 in which the Plan was debated in the National Congress and modifications and amendments were made to the original plan. The Plan was created based on three principles: “education as a right, education as a tool of economic and social development and education as a factor of social inclusion,” (Guimaraes 5). The Plan has four major objectives and five major priorities. The objectives include: to increase the level of schooling in the country; to increase the quality of education at all levels of education in the country; to reduce the social and regional differences in access and sustenance of public education; and to democratize the management of public education in the country. The Plan’s priorities include: ensuring access to and completion of mandatory elementary and lower secondary education to all children aged between 7 and 14; to ensure mandatory elementary and lower secondary to those lacking access to it at the appropriate age as well as to those who failed to complete it, including adults; to promote education at the other levels of education; to promote the standing of education professionals; and to create an information and assessment mechanism at all levels and types of education and instruction. In addition to the objectives and priorities, the Plan also outlines and discusses a number of goals which touch on different levels and types of education in the country. These levels of education include: early childhood and pre-school education; primary and lower secondary education; upper secondary education; higher education; youth and adult education; distance education and educational technology; technological education and vocational training; special education; indigenous education; and basic education teaching. In order to guarantee the success of the Plan, the Plan is funded by a number of sources including: states and municipalities (25% of their tax revenue), the Federal Administration (18% of its tax revenue), corporations (through the Education Salary program), the National Fund for Compulsory Education Development and for Enhancing the Valu
Introduction It is so fascinating taking into account how Islam spread so quickly through the Middle East and northern Africa during the 7 th and 8 th centuries. An important element that led to the rapid spread of Islam was what was referred to as ‘sword’, though not the only factor. The success of Islam in these regions can as well be attributed to a variety of economic and social factors. While Islamists thought that their quick spread was the will of Allah, the historians try to draw more insight into this issue. Main body Although the Arabs were small in number compared other empires which they attacked, the weakness of Byzantine Christianity contributed largely to their success. The Christian sects were engaged in endless feuds which weakened them, leaving an opportunity for the Muslims to execute their well planned conquests. Following the death of Mohammed, the Muslim conducted a historical campaign which led to confrontation of the Arab warriors by two powerful empires, that is, the Byzantine and Sasanian Persian. The Arab administration which participated in this conquest played a key role in the conversion process. The local population was used as administration class by the Arab conquerors that spread the Islam. Conversion of non-believers as well as the conquest of those who were against the Islamic community was successfully conducted by Mohammed and his successors. For example, Abu Bakr (who was Mohamed successor and the first caliph) was alert on ending paganism among the Arabs. Consequently, Mohamed together with his successors undertook military conquest against those who resisted them very
China’s modern geographical boundaries resemble the geographical boundaries during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). The Qing dynasty was formed after the military conquest of the chinese empire by the Manchu. The Manchu started by conquering lands outside the Chinese empire. They finally captured the political capital of China, Beijing, in 1644. The capture of Beijing by the Manchurian people signified the beginning of the Qing dynasty (Cummins 298). The military captured Beijing at the time of uprising by peasants. Li Zicheng lewas at the head of this uprising which led to the fall of Beijing. The Qing army convinced Wu Sangui, general of the Zicheng’s army, to rebel against the Zicheng’s leadership. Sangui facilitated Beijing’s capture by the Qing army. However, even after Beijing’s capture, several parts of the empire had strong opposition to the Manchus. The south of China was the most resistant to new rulers. Peace came to the empire in 1683, during the reign of Kangxi (Cummins 298). China’s new rulers established a Manchu banner system in northern China. This led to the creation of administrative colonies that had several military colonies. Each colony supplied a certain number of soldiers to the government when the need arose. During the early periods of the dynasty, there were only eight banners. Members of the banners were only Manchus (Hansen, Curtis and Curtis 571). However, the dynasty incorporated other ethnic groups later. The banners helped in military control of the empire. The Manchu strengthened the centralized system of government. In addition, they helped in solving various social issues. During the early periods of the dynasty, there were several lawsuits. The rulers discouraged litigation as they thought it was a sign of social disharmony (Ng 58). In addition, the rulers of the Qing dynasty introduced several laws. Some of the laws were good, whereas others were contentious. One of the contentious laws was the law requiring men to shave their heads according to the Manchurian culture. Refusal to shave the hair in the prescribed manner was punishable by death. During the eighteenth century, the Qing’s dynasty culture and science have greatly prosperited. After ousting rulers of the Ming dynasty, the Manchus presented themselves as guardians of Chen-Zhu Neo-Confucianism, which was the main ideology of the Ming dynasty. This helped them gain the support of the literati. The literati were very influential. Therefore, it was vital for the Manchu to gain their support. One of the major ideologies of this form of Neo-Confucianism was the chastity of women. Therefore, the Manchus ensured that the society upheld this virtue (Ng 59). Most women who were victims of rape committed suicide. This was the only way in which they
Introduction Non profit organizations are institutions that exist for various reasons for instance provision of educational or charity services. The essence of their establishment is usually not profit making but to provide services that are of help to the society. The shareholders of these organizations do not benefit from them financially as the funds gained from the organization’s activities are usually retained for its own use for instance to cater for the operational expenses and emergencies. Due to their non-profit making nature, they are mostly exempted from paying taxes. Just like any other form of business, the non profit organizations face a lot of challenges in the running of their day to day activities and procedures (NSNVO, 2006). This paper discusses the major financial and ethical challenges experienced by these form of organizations. Major Aspects of Non Profit Organizations Structure To understand the challenges of the non profit organizations, we have to have an understanding of their general structure. One of the components is governance which is the part responsible for provision of strategic direction and controls which is undertaken by the top management. Programs is another essential part of the non profit organizations structure which is the means through which resources are organized in order to achieve the organization’s goals. They constitute the inputs, the process undertaken on the inputs, the output obtained and outcome gained. The final and most important element of the non profit organizations’ structure is the administration. Central administration involves the coordination of the staff and other resources that are important in running the programs. The cost of central administration in non profit organizations should be kept as low as possible in comparison to the operational cost or the cost incurred in running the programs (Schmidt, 2004). Challenges of Non Profit Organizations Helmig, Jegers, and Lapsley, (2004) assert that non profit organizations face a lot of challenges in carrying out their activities and practices. Some of the challenges are major and affect them greatly while others are minor and create less impact on the organizations. The challenges may either be ethical, managerial or financial depending on their nature. Some of the common challenges are; funding for their activities, communication of their activities or what they are involved in, staffing, strategic planning or setting of priorities because of uncertainty of their funding, regular changes in funding priorities and also constraints on the utilization of funds, management of donor and grants expectations, establishment of public trust with the organization and outside, technology related issues, and complying with legal requirements. The most disturbing ones are however about funding, management and communication (Coffman, 2005). Financial Challenges of Non Profit Organizations Financial problems in non profit making organization are the biggest challenge as they hinder the progress of almost every process in the organizati
Introduction While discussing different market models, one should remember that each has its own benefits and drawbacks for customers and businesses. Among the four primary models of market competition: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly, some can bring more profits to companies, while others may be more advantageous to buyers. Main body While interpreting these types from a customer’s perspective, perfect competition may be outlined as the most beneficial one. This model does not exist in reality, but its environment and the lack of companies’ influence on costs would allow clients to see a price that is completely transparent (Stiglitz & Rosengard, 2015). This approach also does not permit firms to establish their own rules for the industry which limits the costs and presents many options for the buyer. Although the range of products from each seller could be virtually the same, the final price would be low and fair. Other models imply that some type of profit will be awarded to companies with a more significant influence on the market. For example, in the case of oligopoly, a group of firms may decide to collaborate and raise prices for all products in the industry, forcing customers to spend more money as a result. Similarly, a monopolistic market occupied by one seller can also lead to unfair prices, where the actual value of goods is much lower than their cost. Finally, a market with monopolistic competition is not as disadvantageous as the other two. However, it still has companies that affect the prices rather significantly (Mahoney & Weyl, 2017). Conclusion It is possible to argue that such competition may present a bigger number of options from which customers can choose. However, the range of possible choices may be artificial – based not on actual quality but some non-essential details. On the other hand, the perfect competition presents a model from which a buyer can benefit financially.
From time immemorial, humans have remained fascinated with monsters and right from the time of epics to the modern times, all forms of art, including literature, sculpture, painting or movies, reflect this trend. The movie, “Godzilla” (1998), co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich, is a classic example of the human affinity towards monsters. Though received poorly in terms of critical acclaim, the movie has been a grand box office success. This illustrates its mass appeal and, in turn, indicates that the monster in the movie, Godzilla, has had a strong impact on the audience. The movie, through the depiction of a monster called Godzilla, expresses the anxiety of the modern world about the adverse impacts of technology, especially in the context of nuclear testing, on human race. The movie owes its audience appeal to its deft and subtle treatment of the monster. Right from the beginning, the work ignites the curiosity of its viewers by showing only parts of the monster or the impact it creates on its surroundings. This is especially noteworthy in scenes like when the monster appears from the sea the audience does not get to view it. On the other hand, they see an old man, fishing on a bridge and something pulling away his fishing gear. Then the movie presents the raising sea water surging towards the shore, in the process ripping apart a whole bridge. This, in a way, alludes to the fact that humans are unable to visualize the evil effects of technology. The monster portrayed in the movie, thus represents certain specific anxieties about technology but by depicting the monster in a subtle manner, the movie portends the fact that humans are, in fact, not able to fully recognize how monstrous a beast technology can turn into. Similarly, when the monster, Godzilla enters the city, the audience does not get to see it as a whole being. At first, the viewers see the tilting police car, part of a building breaking into pieces, and get the impression that an enormous thing is on the prowl, stamping the earth and squeezing through buildings in an alley. Then it races across the main str
Attributable to the ever-growing demographics in the workplace, cultural competence has become an important principle because it ensures that employees from diverse backgrounds interact and coexist peacefully. Cultural competence enables each employee to work effectively with others from diverse ethnic, religious, social, and economic backgrounds (Chae, Lee, Asami, & Kim, 2018). Other benefits that are associated with enhanced cultural competence in the workplace encompass the promotion of psychological wellness and efficient operations, positive behavior and success maintenance, the realization of organizational objectives, and valuing of the contribution of all employees and executives in decision-making. The principle of cultural competence may be employed effectively in the workplace by holding conferences regularly in an effort of diversity training and encouraging all employees to revere, honor, value, and uphold tolerance both in theory and practice. Moreover, performance rewards should seek to facilitate culturally competent practices by being equally availed to employees from different cultures, religious beliefs, and ethnic backgrounds (Chae et al., 2018). To assist all employees to become culturally competent, the management should persuade them to work with people from diverse backgrounds, create a list of specialists who may be consulted on multicultural concerns, and engage with all their colleagues to continue to boost cultural literacy. The measurement of performance improvement outcomes would be realized through a careful assessment of the physical environment and employee understanding of attitudes, values, and effective communication. Evaluation and monitoring of the practices of employees give a chance for improvements in the delivery of culturally competent practices (Chae et al., 2018). The management can identify the employees who take part in culturally competent practices since they will show high self-awareness, a better comprehension of the positive attributes of groups, and an increased possibility of involvement and support of workforce diversity issues in the organization. Reference Chae, D., Lee, J., Asami, K., & Kim, H. (2018). Experience of migrant care and needs for cultural competence training among public health workers in Korea. Public Health Nursing , 35 (3), 211-219.
Abstract Speech acts are the basis on which day to day communications amongst humans is founded. It was however not until the mid 20 th century that proper studies were carried out on this topic (Sosa& Villanueva 2006). Over the years there have been heated debates and discussions on the topic particularly under the influence of the works philosophers such as J.L Austin and John Searle. The theory of speech acts has since then come to achieve importance in other fields aside from philosophy (Platts 1989). The speech act theory has come to be recognized as very important in everyday life and particularly after the revelation by scholars that these speech acts do much more than describing reality. Studies that have taken place over the years since the speech act theory was proposed have come to distinguish the philosophy of language as an entity different from other philosophies (Platts 1989). An understanding of the speech act theory has also come to establish some basic structuring for the field of linguistics. This structure includes some various aspects used to describe reality. This essay seeks to elaborate on the concept of the speech act theory. To this end, an analysis of the works of the original proponents of the theory shall be provided. This shall basically summarize the works of John Searle and J.L. Austin. A further analysis of the theory shall be presented under the guide of the works of modern day philosophers. Introduction Speech acts are a set of actions that are performed through uttering of sounds with an aim of conveying a particular meaning; meanings which are characteristically linked to that combination of sounds. It is a well known fact that when an individual speaks, he/se wants to pass across a particular meaning and that whatever that individual says, or the set of sounds that come from his/her mouth already have an associated meaning. According to proponents of this theory, in order for one to have an understanding of a particular language, he/she must first comprehend the intention of the speakers of the said language when they use a particular combination of sounds. This theory is based on the simple premise that speech is an act in itself. The various combinations of sounds (speech) used to convey a particular meaning are not merely used to designate but they are self standing actions. J.L Austin’s study on speech acts J.L. Austin is one of the key proponents of the speech act theory and most of his work on the topic was published in 1978 after his death by his students in a book known as how to do things with words. Though this publication cannot be fully taken as Austin’s work it is a general representation of his view