Friday, May 22, 2020

Racism And Prejudice By William Shakespeare s The...

Intolerable Hostility Imagine being paranoid everyday of your life knowing all that you do is being watched and judged. Imagine being mocked and rejected every moment of your life just because you are of different religion. No one likes to be judged and left out because of their religion and what they believe in, however there is racism and prejudice present in the world. William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is one of his most controversial plays. Written in the 16th century England, the play poses many questions concerning racial, religious and human differences due to anti-semitism being very common at the time. The story is set in Venice where a merchant named Antonio lived. His poor friend Bassanio wants to charm and marry a lovely, rich girl of Belmont called Portia, but he needs money to reach her. He approaches Antonio for the money. Antonio could not lend money to Bassanio because his ships are gone. Both of them go to a Jew moneylender called Shylock and asked for 3,000 ducats. He gave money on one condition, if Antonio could not return his money in three months, then Shylock can have Antonio’s pound of flesh. Antonio agrees to Shylock s condition because he is confident that his ships will return within three months. Bassanio reached Belmont and married Portia. 3 months pass, and Antonio’s ships gets lost in a storm. Shylock wants his pound of flesh. Bassanio goes to Venice and Portia follows him in disguise of a male lawyer. Portia reaches Venice andShow MoreRelatedThe Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1445 Words   |  6 PagesCGI English 11 HH 12 November 2014 Crashing Thru Venice William Shakespeare, possibly the most esteemed writer of all time, wrote a play titled The Merchant of Venice, near the end of the 1500 s. The play takes place in Venice, and while it can be described as what we now call a romantic comedy, it also draws attention to the harsh divides in the Venetian society brought on by conflicting beliefs and religions. Centuries later, in the early 2000 s, Paul Haggis wrote and directed a film called CrashRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Merchant Of Venice 1918 Words   |  8 PagesPerformance Analysis of T he Merchant of Venice Jordan Thomas Mullineaux-Davis William Shakespeare has regularly throughout time been referred to and could be viewed as anti-Semitic because of the cultural implications within many of his plays. A particularly strong example of this could be The Merchant of Venice. This essay will explore arguments of post-colonialism within The Merchant of Venice, discussing the pertinent issues of anti-semitism, racial isolation and prejudice. It will also comment onRead MoreIs Shylock The Villain Or Victim In The Merchant Of Venice By William Shakespeare1411 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Analysis Shylock Is Shylock the villain or the victim in the Merchant of Venice? In the play the ‘Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare the antagonist Shylock is both the victim and the villain. Shylock is a Jewish moneylender and is initially portrayed as anger filled and bloodthirsty but as the play continues we begin to see him as more human and his emotions become more evident. As the antagonist, Shylock is a fearful adversary to Antonio, the protagonist. But as good begins toRead MoreRacism And Manipulation Of William Shakespeare s Othello2226 Words   |  9 Pages Racism and Manipulation In William Shakespeare’s Othello Racism has been an inevitable aspect of human society throughout the centuries, from Elizabethan England to â€Å" Separate but equal, here in The United States not too long ago. Shakespeare’s tragic play Othello, portrays a young, and recently married Moor named Othello. His own demise is initiated by various deceits, such as his lofty new position as the Venetian Republic’s army general. During the time Shakespeare lived there was an overallRead MoreRace in Five Film Versions of Shakespeares Othello Essay example4150 Words   |  17 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Othello is only moderately interested in questions of race and racism. For Shakespeare, Othellos blackness was mainly a plot device. Though the bard did demonstrate concerns about racial and religious prejudice, in Othello and The Merchant of Venice, his interest in the tragedy of the Moor was principally psychological. For Shakespeare and his contemporary audience, Othello was about jealousy, hatred, and vind ictiveness. The play has aged well, as have all ShakespearesRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 PagesUnable to find work, Homer and Carrie Clark moved to Chicago, leaving fourteen-year-old Langston alone in a rented room in Cleveland. Central High School became a safe haven for Langston. Although few black students attended, very little racial prejudice existed. Langston especially enjoyed classes in graphic and applied arts, taught by Clara Dieke, a young teacher who insisted that her students stick to a thing until it is done. In addition to academic classes, Langston lettered in track and field

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Speech Racism Essay - 823 Words

Speech- How would you like to be called names or even beat up because of you skin colour, religion, ethnicity, or beliefs? Imagine walking into a classroom everyone laughing at you, talking about you behind your back because of your race. Imagine not getting hired for a work because of you race. Imagine playing sport everyone singing negative chants about your race. Well this is happening everyday all around the world. But first let’s describe Racism. Racism is the discrimination of a person because of the race that they have inherited. Racism is very ugly. It divides people into ‘us’ to ‘them’ depending on there culture etc. its an extremely serious issue that faces society today yet people still think its cool to tease and even beat†¦show more content†¦Also the environment someone lives in can also lead to racism. For Example if a child is taught to respect their elders that concept will always be in still with them for the rest of their lives li ke wise if children grew up and are taught to be racist their will be more chance of them being racist. And the last reason is because they have experienced events that have harmed their family or someone important to them by a particular racial group or race. Now lets talk examine the 3 types of racism, historical, scientific, and institutional. Historical racism is when people are judged primarily based on the decent, ancestors or origin history. An example of historical racism is Adolf Hitler in the 1930’s when he powered Germany. He believed that the Jews weren’t the perfect race. He believed the fair skin Germans were. And that is what caused him to eliminate over 3 million Jewish people that lived in Germany in gas chambers. This event is now widely known as the holocaust. Scientific racism is the act of justifying inequalities between natural groups of people by recourse to science. Scientific racism has no place in today’s world, and yet some how a man named Jason Richwine back in 2009 was able to defend a dissertation at Harvard University in which he wrote that Hispanic people have aShow MoreRelatedracism speech Essay1431 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿For centuries a disease has plagued our nation just like AIDS has Africa, I bet you all are wondering what this disease is. You probably think that it can be treated with limited breakouts every few years. The virus Im talking about is racism. Imagine living every day in fear knowing that where ever you go, everything you do is being observed and judged. Imagine walking into a store or a boutique and having someone watch every move of yours thinking that you’re going to steal something, or exposeRead MoreSpeech On Racism And Oppression1604 Words   |  7 Pageseducated on racism and oppression, however after reviewing my initial video from the first few weeks of class, I quickly comprehended that in fact I had not been appropriately educated on racism or oppression through out my life. I was among many individuals in society who were convinced that they looked at all individuals equally, so color of skin was never a factor taken into consideration. Unfortunately, I didn t realize how damaging the colorblind approach was. In reality, I was ignoring racism as aRead MoreNegative And Hate Speech On Racism748 Words   |  3 Pageseverywhere. Though today a young boy had been racially hurt only because of the words. He has been one of the racially hurt victims in the world. To him it is not something to joke about not with your friends or anybody. Now negative and hate speech about racism is entering the minds of students and kids around the world. It is being brought into the schools of America and what is to come of the future generations? Our country it is made up with different types of people with captivating heritagesRead MoreRacism and Stereotype in Karl Linders Speech1157 Words   |  5 PagesRacism is a fatal flaw in human society. Whole cultures could be eradicated or brought to the brink of destruction, such as when Adolf Hitler, leader of the Nazi regime, brought on the Holocaust. In his efforts to bring the Jews to extinction he captured and imprisoned the Jews into concentration camps separated from the rest of society. Karl Linder in his efforts to keep the community of Clybourne Park â€Å"pure† for his growing family, attempts to assert dominance over the Stoller family (the CaucasianRead MoreSpeech : Speech On Racism And Weather1106 Words   |  5 PagesBarack Obama Race Speech was delivered on March 18, 2008, at the Constitution Center. When presidents give speeches there are multiple different perspectives, everyone makes their own assumptions on speeches. Race has always been an issues in the U.S. and it will always be, some never see an ending to racism because we don’t live in a perfect world and you can’t make someone believe something you believe because you think it’s right. Obamas presidential speech touches on racism and weather you supportRead MoreRacism Speech1587 Words   |  7 PagesHorrendous is what I can say to describe this.   Ã‚  Ã‚      Read this very carefully guys and take a close look at yourself and the environment that you live in today†¦ â€Å"P.W. Botha speech 1985† (I was 3 years old): THE FOLLOWING is a speech made by former South African President P.W. Botha to his Cabinet. This reprint was written by David G. Mailu for the Sunday Times, a South African newspaper, dated August 18, 1985. Pretoria has been made by the White mind for the White man. We are not obligedRead MoreInformative Speech On Racism1152 Words   |  5 PagesSo many times I’ve seen people say racism is not an issue anymore. So many times I’ve been told I’m living in the past. So many times I’ve been blown off about it because â€Å"its 2017 that’s over with.† I’m a young mixed kid who was raised on the south side of Oklahoma City†¦.not a pretty place. My dad died when I was young in a gang related incident, and I have five brothers and sisters with all different dads. I guess you could say I come from a rough family. My grandma took my little brother and IRead MoreObama Perfect Union Speech - Contemporary Racism1070 Words   |  5 PagesContemporary Racism President Obama’s speech â€Å"A More Perfect Union† was a response to many outbursts made about things that Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s former pastor, had said on issues of racism. The reverend made statements that Obama called dismissive when what the world needed most was unity to overcome the continual racism in the country. Quotes from the Reverend such as â€Å"In the  21st  century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01. White America and the western world came toRead MoreEssay on Racism Speech by Charles R. Lawrence643 Words   |  3 PagesRacism Speech by Charles R. Lawrence In the following essay, Charles R. Lawrence encompasses a number of reasons that racist speech should not be protected by the First Amendment. In this document, he exhibits his views on the subject and what he feels the society should confront these problems. In this well- written article, he provides strong evidence to prove his point and to allow the reader to see all aspects of the issue. On Racist Speech Charles Lawrence has been active in hisRead MoreUse And Manipulation Of The English Language1394 Words   |  6 Pagesalliance with their audience. â€Å"If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter† (qtd. in Lindenbaum). This famous quote is an excellent interpretation of one of the most pivotal acts of a distinguished leader, Martin Luther King Jr. On August 28, 1963, MLK presented one of the most iconic speeches in the world to call an end to racism (Carson). However, what makes â€Å"I Have A Dream† such a momentous speech that continues to inspire movements and rebellions

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

A Good Man Is Hard to Find Irony Free Essays

â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† In the short story, â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† there is irony all through the pages. It shows how you should follow your gut instinct when you think you shouldn’t go somewhere, when you know something bad is going to happen. In the story it also talks about how the grandmother wore her nice clothes in case of an accident, she wanted to look like a lady in case anything bad was to happen. We will write a custom essay sample on A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Irony or any similar topic only for you Order Now The grandmother was constantly talking about the good in people, but was she a good woman? The first bit of irony the story throws at the reader is on the first page when the grandmother is talking about how she doesn’t want to go to Florida because that’s where the Misfit is headed. As the grandmother is trying to get her son Bailey to listen as she says, â€Å"The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people. Just you read it. I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldn’t answer to my conscience if I did† (O’Connor 281). Now I don’t believe that the ironic twist is that the misfit was headed to Florida just like the family, I believe that the twist is that the Misfit just so happen be on the same dirt road that the grandmother asked her son Bailey to turn down later on in the story. The grandmother wanted to turn down this dirt road in Georgia because she remembered an old plantation house she had visited when she was younger. After turning down the road she then remembered that this was not the road at all, the old plantation house she had remembered was in Tennessee, not Georgia. The second major ironic twist that stood out to me was how the grandmother wore good clothes to go on a road trip, â€Å"In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once she was a lady† (O’Connor 282). The grandmother wore a navy dress with a straw hat that had white violets on it. Indeed the grandmother was dressed like a lady, but did she act upon it at all times? I think she did just that, I believe she acted like a lady but was not truly one. Grandmothers cat caused Bailey to have an accident. †¦as the grandmother limped out of the car, her hat still pinned to her head but the broken front brim standing up at a jaunty angle and the violet spray hanging off the side† (O’Connor 287). At this point is when I believe that the grandmother acts as if she is a lady. If she was a true lady then maybe her clothes would not have been messed up, or there wouldn’t have been an accident at all. But there is still that piec e of thought about how the grandmother knew to dress in case of an accident. The final bit of irony is how the grandmother kept talking about good men, and how they are hard to find. When the family stops at the diner to eat she talks to Red Sammy and his wife about how hard good men are hard to find, but then she also tells Red Sammy that he is a good man because he let a couple of men charge gas. Red Sammy’s wife says there isn’t no one that she can trust, â€Å"‘And I don’t count nobody out of that, not nobody,’ she repeated, looking at Red Sammy† (O’Connor 285). After they wreck a car shows up with The Misfit and his two side kicks in it, who turn out not to be good men. The grandmother realizes real soon that the man is The Misfit, she recognized him from the picture in the newspaper. Soon after arriving Bobby Lee takes Bailey and his son John Wesley into the woods to kill them. The grandmother went on about how the Misfit could be a good man, and how he should pray. The Misfit told her that his family was good people, he just wasn’t. Soon Bobby Lee and Hiram took the childrens mother, June Star, and the baby to the woods to meet up with the boys. The grandmother then realized that she must think of something soon, because she would be next. They started talking about Jesus and how he did or didn’t raise the dead. The Misfit said that if he didn’t know but if he would have been there he would have known better and wouldn’t be the way he is now. â€Å"Why you’re one of my own babies. You’re one of my own children! † (O’Connor 293). After the grandmother said that she touched him on the shoulder and the Misfit turned around and shot her three times in the chest. This was a great short story for irony, because the grandmother was correct about most things. The grandmother knew not to go towards Florida because The Misfit was headed that way after escaping from the pen. She was right about dressing like a lady in case of an accident, because indeed there was an accident, but she caused the accident by bringing her cat along without anyone knowing. Then there is speak of a good man, is there any such thing? Red Sammy’s wife wouldn’t even think of him as a good man, if your wife doesn’t believe you are no one really can. The Misfit comes along and talks to the grandmother for a while about good people, while doing so shoots her family then her dead. ‘â€Å"She would have been a good woman,† The Misfit said, â€Å"if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (O’Connor 293). This goes with my assumption that the grandmother was just acting like a lady, and The Misfit even saw through her lies. How to cite A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Irony, Papers

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay Example

The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay To start off this essay, try painting a picture about a certain neighborhood. This neighborhood does not have any overarching governing body, nor is there a single overarching security force. In short, this neighborhood’s residents are left to fend for themselves. Assuming that there has been an unfortunate event in the neighborhood, whereby one house was broken into by some thieves, what could possibly be the reaction of the residents in that community? Will they seek to protect their own homes and not bother to care about their neighbors? Will they protect their homes and be malicious of their neighbors, thinking they could have been conspirators to the crime? Or will they work together and cooperate in one collective effort to solve the case and to protect themselves? This is an analogous picture of what the international realm may look like for scholars and the questions posted are classic questions that theories of International Relations seek to shed light into. In an international world that is ruled by anarchy, it has been a classic notion that states are left to fend for themselves. In this scenario, security of states is of great importance, if not the outright priority. As international events unfold, different scholars seek to explain the various international phenomena by choosing a theoretical framework that will best explain and account for the phenomenon they choose to account for Be that as it may, what this paper will aim to discuss is the recent development is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as an association of states, by using the pertinent theoretical frameworks in the discipline of International Relations.   The first part will discuss a brief introduction of the Shanghai Cooperation and what are the recent developments pertaining to it, while the second part of the paper will discuss briefly what theories in International Relations exist that may be of use to the discussion of the recent events in SCO. Using the chosen theories, this paper will discuss how the core tenets of such theories can possibly explain the recent developments in the SCO for example, using a certain theory, why would a certain actor in the SCO story act this way and what were the interests of that actor etcetera. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A lot of international organizations exist in status quo. The reasons for their establishment may vary from one case to another. And for scholars, it is interesting to take a look at this phenomenon in the context of the emerging new world order. With the end of the Cold War, it is interesting to observe how states and other emerging world players will configure themselves. In line with recent developments, the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is worthy of scholarly attention. Upon its formation on June 15 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has six permanent members: the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation (Brummer, 2007). It is an international organization through its founding members that cover about three fifths of Eurasia (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). This organization or association of states, though fairly young compared to other international organizations has turned out to be an influential political, economic and security international player (Brummer, 2007). The SCO had a predecessor and it was called, the Shanghai Five mechanism, which came from the five of the, now, six members’ (except the Republic of Uzbekistan) effort to further disarmament in the border regions and to strengthen confidence-building (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). Upon the signing of the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions by these five member states, what started off as an annual meeting of their leaders ended up to be a regular practice (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). The coverage of their agenda soon expanded to talk about cooperation in various areas like politics, security, diplomacy and economics, and then later on extended the membership to Uzbekistan (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). When asked in why Uzbekistan wanted to join the organization, the reply of President Karimov indicated that the primary reason was to protect the country from any possible aggressive move by the SCO (Nich ol, 2005). The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gave birth to the organization as it is known now (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). Recently, however, there have been some developments in the SCO and some issues have risen from these developments. Firstly, the inclusion of other states to the membership of the SCO has caught the attention of a lot of scholars and players in the international field, not so much as a reaction to its expansion but to the profile of the members that wish to be included.   Iran, as a very controversial country in terms of its relationship with the rest of the world vis-à  -vis the United States of America, has been subjected to a series of deliberation (Brummer, 2007). The question of whether it will be granted membership in the SCO is something that has interested the keen observers of international relations. The main concern was what would be implications of Iran’s inclusion to the six-member association and consequently, how would the United States of America react to this inclusion. Secondly, post 9/11, the evaluation of the policies and reaction of the Shanghai Coopera tion Organization towards perceived (or otherwise) terrorist threats in their region, is something that the United States of America has concerned itself with (Nichol, 2005). The next section of this paper will juxtapose these recent events with the literature in International Relations—focusing on pertinent theories in the discipline that can explain the milestones in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and using a comparative approach in discussing them. While it is not true that international phenomenon may only be explained by either realism or idealism, it is interesting to juxtapose discussions of different international events using the two because of the contrasts in their basic assumptions and tenets. Before this paper further discusses the developments in the SCO, it would first help to have a quick overview of the premises of each of these two theories, as these will be the tools to help understand and hopefully explain what transpired in these milestones and why they were so. Realism, as espoused by scholars like E.H. Carr, asserts that states are the main actors in world politics and that their interests lie in the pursuit of power at the expense of others (Mearsheimer, 2005). In a way, it more or less follows the logic of a zero-sum game, whereby one player’s gain is another player’s loss. The implication of this in policymaking is that decision-makers will most likely base their decisions on power calculations, as opposed to that of Idealism which focuses on the moral dimension and on liberal ideas for decision-making considerations (Mearsheimer, 2005). One of the canons of idealism, and most often cited by other scholars, is that of Immanuel Kant’s Perpetual Peace, whereby he asserts how states should act towards each other to achieve peace and prevent war (Kant, 1975). Writers, like Herz, argue that idealists believe that it is an imperative to change the world and champion the realization of a world turning into a secure global community—that would entail states abiding by international law and observing respect and recognition of each other (Hacke and Puglierin, 2007). The inception of the SCO may be seen as an idealist characterization of what international cooperation can do, whereby states seek to cooperate with each other to achieve a common goal. As stated earlier, when the SCO was established, the initial intent was to push the disarmament of the states in the border areas and to strengthen confidence-building. These reasons are liberal in nature—disarmament is antithetical to the realist push that states should be wary of other states and should protect themselves at any cost, and confidence-building is founded on trust and cooperation among partner states. While its inception is liberal in intent, as the time progresses, the developments in the SCO soon lend to realist assumptions. When it expanded membership, the intention of the new member (and even those seeking membership in status quo) may be contended to have realist bearings. As stated above, when Uzbekistan sought membership, it was not for cooperation nor was it based on tru st on other states but, instead, it was to ensure its own safety by establishing ties with China and the other states in the SCO. But the annexation of Uzbekistan is not the only development that lends to realist assumptions. Lately, Iran sought membership to the SCO as well, although it was not granted, there stands a chance that it can happen (Brummer, 2007). From a geopolitical perspective, Iran’s inclusion would have been a political statement saying that between the West and Iran, China and Russia would have taken the side of Iran (Brummer, 2007). This scenario can lend to realist assumptions by focusing on the intention of Iran to gain allies, against a perceived threat and clearly this puts security above all other concerns. It can also lend to liberal assumptions by focusing on the fact that Iran has chosen to be part of a collective effort in dealing with adversaries, as opposed to a unilateral aggressive approach that will more probably lead to war and heightened co nflict. The intention of China on forwarding the SCO agenda can also be explained using realism. There have been writings that talk about China’s effort to gain influence in its regional area and the intention behind the formation of the SCO may well be subsumed under this. In fact, there have been assertions that China has had the intention of challenging the unipolar order by taking on the leadership position of a anti-hegemonic coalition against the United States of America (Foot, 2006). Foot further stresses that China may well be building up its military and economic capabilities to challenge the USA (Foot, 2006). Taken from this angle, this obviously lends to realist assumptions of China using a formation of an international institution to forward its own interest—that is, to secure itself and to gain power by challenging the strength of the leading international player. But it can also be explained in a realist point of view, by showing how this is China’s way to achieve a level of security for itself, but at the same time, it may also be a form of cooperating with the international community. Terrorism being a global problem has also been addressed by the SCO by having its members hold anti-terrorist exercises to promote common security and to gain economic benefits as well (Foot, 2006). Taken from this context, it is logical to say that the SCO has acted in favor of liberal ideas of forwarding collective cooperation. China being one of the torchbearers of the SCO has also coursed cooperation through economic ties with the United States (Langlois and Langlois, 1996). Fighting against terrorism by joining forces with other states lends to liberal ideas of aiming for peace and preventing war, even if it sounds moralistic, and forwarding causes for global security through collective action. But just as the previous discussions, the actions of China towards terrorism may also lend to realist assumptions. One particular example is in reference to the efforts of the United States of America in its fight against terrorism. Post-September 11, the members of the Shanghai Cooperati on Organization did not have a collective response to the proposal of the United States, but instead its members acted individually (Nichol, 2005). This proves the realist argument that states, despite the existence of international institutions, will still act selfishly and in favor of its own national interests. It is obvious that China did not want to lend a hand to this specific United States policy, although it was willing to cooperate with its members in dealing with terrorism in their regional area. China’s definition of its national interests, in this context, was to ensure that terrorism does not thrive in its region, and yet not give the United States the leverage to dictate or influence its policies toward security. This shows how there can be an interplay in the way realism and idealism explains a certain international phenomenon. The next question is, how does this make sense and does this not mean that one of the two theories may lose its ability to explain things if the other can explain it the same phenomenon with equal validity? In seeking to explain political phenomenon, one can use theories as tools to help account for such events. In doing so, scholars may fall to the trap of focusing too much on dichotomies the North and South, Realism and Liberalism. While mutual exclusivity increases the validity of a theory (or a school of thought, for that matter) to distinguish it from other existing theories, this does not necessarily mean that the truth of the other is the shadow of the doubt for the other. In fact, if theories are made to help us explain political phenomenon, then perhaps it pays to have a more comprehensive picture by using the lens of various theories to account for an event. Does realism and liberalism really have to be categorized as contrasts or is it possible that they can complement each other? Lucian Ashworth even asserts that the debate between these two schools of thought may have never existed, as the liberals’ (often called â€Å"idealists† by later realist writers call them) writings were not really addressed properly by realists (Ashworth, 2006). This is not to point out that liberalism has lost its capacity to explain, but what Ashworth is pointing out, is the fact that the line establishing this dichotomy is not absolute, and hence, may be blurred. There have been points raised by writers like Joseph Nye Jr.,that lend to the idea that perhaps the two can complement each other. He argues that in cases when mutual interests or a possibility in the future may suggest that there are plenty of benefits to be had for cooperating, states may actually adopt new strategies in their quest to forward their interests (Nye, 1988). This point may be used to explain why the members of the SCO chose to cooperate in their fight against terrorism in their own region, but chose not to cooperate as a group with the United States of America. This is so, because states and the associations they form can define their interests differently and their interests can also change (Nye, 1988). In this example, what happened was what the other theory cannot account for; the other can shed light to. Realism cannot fully explain how states define their interests and how these interests change, but liberalism can answer that by pushing forward the concept of co llective security, albeit this term needs more discussion as to how it can be operationalized (Nye, 1988). To be blunt about it, the true value of theories being able to explain political phenomenon rests not solely on the exclusivity of their explanations, but on the comprehensiveness of its account. Following Hacke and Puglierin’s   point, the realism in its absolute form can only offer a naked struggle for power, and hence any sound political thought must have elements of both utopia and reality (Hacke and Puglierin, 2007). To have a more comprehensive account of why members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization behaved in certain ways, in certain points in time, one must go beyond the dichotomy of what is considered realist and idealist. Instead, it pays to keep in mind that using relevant aspects of theories (as tools) can help paint a more comprehensive picture that will help account for the explanation of a political phenomenon. REFERENCES Ashworth, Lucian M. â€Å"Where are the idealists in interwar International Relations?† Review of International Studies Vol.32, No. 2 (2006): 291-308. Brummer, Matthew. â€Å"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization.† Journal of International Affairs 60 (2007): 185-199. Foot, Rosemary. â€Å"Chinese strategies in a US-hegemonic global order: accommodating and hedging.† International Affairs Vol.82,   No.1 (2006): 77-94. GlobalSecurity. â€Å"Shanghai Cooperation Organization.† Military. 2007. 15 Oct. 2007 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/int/sco.htm . Hacke Christian and Jana Puglierin. â€Å"John H. Herz: Balancing Utopia and Reality.† International Relations Vol.21, No.3 (2007): 367–382. Kant, Immanuel. â€Å"Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch 1975†. 2007. 15 Oct 2007 http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/kant/kant1.htm Langlois, Catherine and Jean-Pierre P. Langlois. â€Å"Rationality in International Relations: A Game-Theoretic and Empirical Study of the US-China Case.† World Politics Vol.48 (1996): 358–90. Mearsheimer, John J. â€Å"E.H. Carr vs. Idealism: The Battle Rages On.† International Relations   Vol.19, No.2 (2005): 139-152. Nichol, Jim. â€Å"Central Asia’s Security: Issues and Implications for U.S. interests.† CRS Report for Congress. (2005): 1-49. Nye, Joseph S. Jr. â€Å"Review: Neorealism and Neoliberalism.† World Politics Vol. 40, No. 2. (1988): 235-251. The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay Example The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Essay To start off this essay, try painting a picture about a certain neighborhood. This neighborhood does not have any overarching governing body, nor is there a single overarching security force. In short, this neighborhood’s residents are left to fend for themselves. Assuming that there has been an unfortunate event in the neighborhood, whereby one house was broken into by some thieves, what could possibly be the reaction of the residents in that community? Will they seek to protect their own homes and not bother to care about their neighbors? Will they protect their homes and be malicious of their neighbors, thinking they could have been conspirators to the crime? Or will they work together and cooperate in one collective effort to solve the case and to protect themselves? This is an analogous picture of what the international realm may look like for scholars and the questions posted are classic questions that theories of International Relations seek to shed light into. In an international world that is ruled by anarchy, it has been a classic notion that states are left to fend for themselves. In this scenario, security of states is of great importance, if not the outright priority. As international events unfold, different scholars seek to explain the various international phenomena by choosing a theoretical framework that will best explain and account for the phenomenon they choose to account for Be that as it may, what this paper will aim to discuss is the recent development is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as an association of states, by using the pertinent theoretical frameworks in the discipline of International Relations.   The first part will discuss a brief introduction of the Shanghai Cooperation and what are the recent developments pertaining to it, while the second part of the paper will discuss briefly what theories in International Relations exist that may be of use to the discussion of the recent events in SCO. Using the chosen theories, this paper will discuss how the core tenets of such theories can possibly explain the recent developments in the SCO for example, using a certain theory, why would a certain actor in the SCO story act this way and what were the interests of that actor etcetera. We will write a custom essay sample on The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Sucessful Developement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A lot of international organizations exist in status quo. The reasons for their establishment may vary from one case to another. And for scholars, it is interesting to take a look at this phenomenon in the context of the emerging new world order. With the end of the Cold War, it is interesting to observe how states and other emerging world players will configure themselves. In line with recent developments, the formation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is worthy of scholarly attention. Upon its formation on June 15 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has six permanent members: the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Russian Federation (Brummer, 2007). It is an international organization through its founding members that cover about three fifths of Eurasia (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). This organization or association of states, though fairly young compared to other international organizations has turned out to be an influential political, economic and security international player (Brummer, 2007). The SCO had a predecessor and it was called, the Shanghai Five mechanism, which came from the five of the, now, six members’ (except the Republic of Uzbekistan) effort to further disarmament in the border regions and to strengthen confidence-building (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). Upon the signing of the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions by these five member states, what started off as an annual meeting of their leaders ended up to be a regular practice (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). The coverage of their agenda soon expanded to talk about cooperation in various areas like politics, security, diplomacy and economics, and then later on extended the membership to Uzbekistan (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). When asked in why Uzbekistan wanted to join the organization, the reply of President Karimov indicated that the primary reason was to protect the country from any possible aggressive move by the SCO (Nich ol, 2005). The Declaration on the Establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gave birth to the organization as it is known now (GlobalSecurity.org, 2007). Recently, however, there have been some developments in the SCO and some issues have risen from these developments. Firstly, the inclusion of other states to the membership of the SCO has caught the attention of a lot of scholars and players in the international field, not so much as a reaction to its expansion but to the profile of the members that wish to be included.   Iran, as a very controversial country in terms of its relationship with the rest of the world vis-à  -vis the United States of America, has been subjected to a series of deliberation (Brummer, 2007). The question of whether it will be granted membership in the SCO is something that has interested the keen observers of international relations. The main concern was what would be implications of Iran’s inclusion to the six-member association and consequently, how would the United States of America react to this inclusion. Secondly, post 9/11, the evaluation of the policies and reaction of the Shanghai Coopera tion Organization towards perceived (or otherwise) terrorist threats in their region, is something that the United States of America has concerned itself with (Nichol, 2005). The next section of this paper will juxtapose these recent events with the literature in International Relations—focusing on pertinent theories in the discipline that can explain the milestones in the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and using a comparative approach in discussing them. While it is not true that international phenomenon may only be explained by either realism or idealism, it is interesting to juxtapose discussions of different international events using the two because of the contrasts in their basic assumptions and tenets. Before this paper further discusses the developments in the SCO, it would first help to have a quick overview of the premises of each of these two theories, as these will be the tools to help understand and hopefully explain what transpired in these milestones and why they were so. Realism, as espoused by scholars like E.H. Carr, asserts that states are the main actors in world politics and that their interests lie in the pursuit of power at the expense of others (Mearsheimer, 2005). In a way, it more or less follows the logic of a zero-sum game, whereby one player’s gain is another player’s loss. The implication of this in policymaking is that decision-makers will most likely base their decisions on power calculations, as opposed to that of Idealism which focuses on the moral dimension and on liberal ideas for decision-making considerations (Mearsheimer, 2005). One of the canons of idealism, and most often cited by other scholars, is that of Immanuel Kant’s Perpetual Peace, whereby he asserts how states should act towards each other to achieve peace and prevent war (Kant, 1975). Writers, like Herz, argue that idealists believe that it is an imperative to change the world and champion the realization of a world turning into a secure global community—that would entail states abiding by international law and observing respect and recognition of each other (Hacke and Puglierin, 2007). The inception of the SCO may be seen as an idealist characterization of what international cooperation can do, whereby states seek to cooperate with each other to achieve a common goal. As stated earlier, when the SCO was established, the initial intent was to push the disarmament of the states in the border areas and to strengthen confidence-building. These reasons are liberal in nature—disarmament is antithetical to the realist push that states should be wary of other states and should protect themselves at any cost, and confidence-building is founded on trust and cooperation among partner states. While its inception is liberal in intent, as the time progresses, the developments in the SCO soon lend to realist assumptions. When it expanded membership, the intention of the new member (and even those seeking membership in status quo) may be contended to have realist bearings. As stated above, when Uzbekistan sought membership, it was not for cooperation nor was it based on tru st on other states but, instead, it was to ensure its own safety by establishing ties with China and the other states in the SCO. But the annexation of Uzbekistan is not the only development that lends to realist assumptions. Lately, Iran sought membership to the SCO as well, although it was not granted, there stands a chance that it can happen (Brummer, 2007). From a geopolitical perspective, Iran’s inclusion would have been a political statement saying that between the West and Iran, China and Russia would have taken the side of Iran (Brummer, 2007). This scenario can lend to realist assumptions by focusing on the intention of Iran to gain allies, against a perceived threat and clearly this puts security above all other concerns. It can also lend to liberal assumptions by focusing on the fact that Iran has chosen to be part of a collective effort in dealing with adversaries, as opposed to a unilateral aggressive approach that will more probably lead to war and heightened co nflict. The intention of China on forwarding the SCO agenda can also be explained using realism. There have been writings that talk about China’s effort to gain influence in its regional area and the intention behind the formation of the SCO may well be subsumed under this. In fact, there have been assertions that China has had the intention of challenging the unipolar order by taking on the leadership position of a anti-hegemonic coalition against the United States of America (Foot, 2006). Foot further stresses that China may well be building up its military and economic capabilities to challenge the USA (Foot, 2006). Taken from this angle, this obviously lends to realist assumptions of China using a formation of an international institution to forward its own interest—that is, to secure itself and to gain power by challenging the strength of the leading international player. But it can also be explained in a realist point of view, by showing how this is China’s way to achieve a level of security for itself, but at the same time, it may also be a form of cooperating with the international community. Terrorism being a global problem has also been addressed by the SCO by having its members hold anti-terrorist exercises to promote common security and to gain economic benefits as well (Foot, 2006). Taken from this context, it is logical to say that the SCO has acted in favor of liberal ideas of forwarding collective cooperation. China being one of the torchbearers of the SCO has also coursed cooperation through economic ties with the United States (Langlois and Langlois, 1996). Fighting against terrorism by joining forces with other states lends to liberal ideas of aiming for peace and preventing war, even if it sounds moralistic, and forwarding causes for global security through collective action. But just as the previous discussions, the actions of China towards terrorism may also lend to realist assumptions. One particular example is in reference to the efforts of the United States of America in its fight against terrorism. Post-September 11, the members of the Shanghai Cooperati on Organization did not have a collective response to the proposal of the United States, but instead its members acted individually (Nichol, 2005). This proves the realist argument that states, despite the existence of international institutions, will still act selfishly and in favor of its own national interests. It is obvious that China did not want to lend a hand to this specific United States policy, although it was willing to cooperate with its members in dealing with terrorism in their regional area. China’s definition of its national interests, in this context, was to ensure that terrorism does not thrive in its region, and yet not give the United States the leverage to dictate or influence its policies toward security. This shows how there can be an interplay in the way realism and idealism explains a certain international phenomenon. The next question is, how does this make sense and does this not mean that one of the two theories may lose its ability to explain things if the other can explain it the same phenomenon with equal validity? In seeking to explain political phenomenon, one can use theories as tools to help account for such events. In doing so, scholars may fall to the trap of focusing too much on dichotomies the North and South, Realism and Liberalism. While mutual exclusivity increases the validity of a theory (or a school of thought, for that matter) to distinguish it from other existing theories, this does not necessarily mean that the truth of the other is the shadow of the doubt for the other. In fact, if theories are made to help us explain political phenomenon, then perhaps it pays to have a more comprehensive picture by using the lens of various theories to account for an event. Does realism and liberalism really have to be categorized as contrasts or is it possible that they can complement each other? Lucian Ashworth even asserts that the debate between these two schools of thought may have never existed, as the liberals’ (often called â€Å"idealists† by later realist writers call them) writings were not really addressed properly by realists (Ashworth, 2006). This is not to point out that liberalism has lost its capacity to explain, but what Ashworth is pointing out, is the fact that the line establishing this dichotomy is not absolute, and hence, may be blurred. There have been points raised by writers like Joseph Nye Jr.,that lend to the idea that perhaps the two can complement each other. He argues that in cases when mutual interests or a possibility in the future may suggest that there are plenty of benefits to be had for cooperating, states may actually adopt new strategies in their quest to forward their interests (Nye, 1988). This point may be used to explain why the members of the SCO chose to cooperate in their fight against terrorism in their own region, but chose not to cooperate as a group with the United States of America. This is so, because states and the associations they form can define their interests differently and their interests can also change (Nye, 1988). In this example, what happened was what the other theory cannot account for; the other can shed light to. Realism cannot fully explain how states define their interests and how these interests change, but liberalism can answer that by pushing forward the concept of co llective security, albeit this term needs more discussion as to how it can be operationalized (Nye, 1988). To be blunt about it, the true value of theories being able to explain political phenomenon rests not solely on the exclusivity of their explanations, but on the comprehensiveness of its account. Following Hacke and Puglierin’s   point, the realism in its absolute form can only offer a naked struggle for power, and hence any sound political thought must have elements of both utopia and reality (Hacke and Puglierin, 2007). To have a more comprehensive account of why members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization behaved in certain ways, in certain points in time, one must go beyond the dichotomy of what is considered realist and idealist. Instead, it pays to keep in mind that using relevant aspects of theories (as tools) can help paint a more comprehensive picture that will help account for the explanation of a political phenomenon. REFERENCES Ashworth, Lucian M. â€Å"Where are the idealists in interwar International Relations?† Review of International Studies Vol.32, No. 2 (2006): 291-308. Brummer, Matthew. â€Å"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization.† Journal of International Affairs 60 (2007): 185-199. Foot, Rosemary. â€Å"Chinese strategies in a US-hegemonic global order: accommodating and hedging.† International Affairs Vol.82,   No.1 (2006): 77-94. GlobalSecurity. â€Å"Shanghai Cooperation Organization.† Military. 2007. 15 Oct. 2007 http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/int/sco.htm . Hacke Christian and Jana Puglierin. â€Å"John H. Herz: Balancing Utopia and Reality.† International Relations Vol.21, No.3 (2007): 367–382. Kant, Immanuel. â€Å"Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch 1975†. 2007. 15 Oct 2007 http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/kant/kant1.htm Langlois, Catherine and Jean-Pierre P. Langlois. â€Å"Rationality in International Relations: A Game-Theoretic and Empirical Study of the US-China Case.† World Politics Vol.48 (1996): 358–90. Mearsheimer, John J. â€Å"E.H. Carr vs. Idealism: The Battle Rages On.† International Relations   Vol.19, No.2 (2005): 139-152. Nichol, Jim. â€Å"Central Asia’s Security: Issues and Implications for U.S. interests.† CRS Report for Congress. (2005): 1-49. Nye, Joseph S. Jr. â€Å"Review: Neorealism and Neoliberalism.† World Politics Vol. 40, No. 2. (1988): 235-251.

Friday, March 20, 2020

Glossary of Terms Regarding Evolution

Glossary of Terms Regarding Evolution Following are definitions of common terms referring to the Theory of Evolution that everyone should know and understand, though this is by no means a comprehensive list. Many of the terms are often misunderstood, which can lead to an inaccurate understanding of evolution. The links lead to more information on the topic: Adaptation: Changing to fit a niche or survive in an environment Anatomy: Study of the structures of organisms Artificial Selection: Characteristics selected by humans Biogeography: Study of how species are distributed across the Earth Biological Species: Individuals that can interbreed and produce viable offspring Catastrophism: Changes in species that happen because of quick and often violent natural phenomena Cladistics: Method of classifying species in groups based on ancestral relationships Cladogram: Diagram of how species are related Coevolution: One species changing in response to changes in another species that it interacts with, particularly predator/prey relationships Creationism: Belief that a higher power created all life Darwinism: Term commonly used as a synonym for evolution Descent With Modification: Passing down traits that might change over time Directional Selection: Type of natural selection in which an extreme characteristic is favored Disruptive Selection: Type of natural selection that favors both extremes and selects against the average characteristics Embryology: Study of the earliest stages of development of an organism Endosymbiotic Theory: Currently accepted theory as to how cells evolved Eukaryote: Organism made of cells that have membrane-bound organelles Evolution: Change in populations over time Fossil Record: All known traces of past life ever found Fundamental Niche: All available roles an individual can play in an ecosystem Genetics: Study of traits and how they are passed down from generation to generation Gradualism: Changes in species that happen over long periods of time Habitat: Area in which an organism lives Homologous Structures: Body parts on different species that are similar and most likely evolved from a common ancestor Hydrothermal Vents: Very hot areas in the ocean where primitive life might have begun Intelligent Design: Belief that a higher power created life and its changes Macroevolution: Changes in populations at the species level, including ancestral relationships Mass Extinction: Event in which large numbers of species died out completely Microevolution: Changes in species at a molecular or gene level Natural Selection: Characteristics that are favorable in an environment and are passed down while undesirable characteristics are bred out of the gene pool Niche: ​Role an individual plays in an ecosystem Organelle:Â  Subunit within a cell that has a specific function Panspermia Theory: Early theory proposing that life came to Earth on meteors from outer space Phylogeny: Study of relative connections between species Prokaryote: Organism made up of the simplest type of cell; has no membrane-bound organelles Primordial Soup: Nickname given to the theory that life started in the oceans from the synthesis of organic molecules Punctuated Equilibrium: Long periods of consistency of a species interrupted by changes that happen in quick bursts Realized Niche: Actual role an individual plays in an ecosystem Speciation: The creation of a new species, often from evolution of another species Stabilizing Selection: Type of natural selection that favors the average of the characteristics Taxonomy: ​Science of classifying and naming organisms Theory of Evolution: Scientific theory about the origins of life on Earth and how it has changed over time Vestigial Structures: Body parts that seem to no longer have a purpose in an organism

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

How To Write Dates in Spanish

How To Write Dates in Spanish There is  a variety of subtle differences between writing common things in English and in Spanish. Such is the case with writing dates in the two languages: Where in English one might say February 5, 2019, a Spanish writer would express the date as 5 de febrero de 2019. Key Takeaways: Writing Dates in Spanish The most common way of writing dates in Spanish follows the form number de month de year.Names of the months are not capitalized in Spanish.With the exception of primero for first, the ordinal numbers are not used in dates in Spanish. Note that in Spanish the name of the month isnt capitalized. You can also spell out the number - as in cinco de enero de 2012 - but this is less common than using a numeral in the example above. However, in parts of Latin America, especially in areas with U.S. influence, you may also see the form abril 15 de 2018 in occasional use, and rarely you may see a period used in the year such as 2.006. Another important distinction is that in Spanish you should not imitate English by using ordinal forms such as tercero de marzo as a direct translation of third of March. The one exception is that you may say primero for first, so January 1st can be said as primero de enero. In numeral form, thats 1o, or a 1 followed by superscripted o, not a degree sign. Less commonly, the form 1ero is used. As in the examples below, dates are typically preceded by the definite article el in sentences. Sample Sentences Showing Use of Dates in Spanish El 16 de septiembre de 1810 era  el dà ­a de independencia de Mà ©xico. (Sept. 16, 1810, was Mexicos independence day.) La Epifanà ­a se celebras el 6 de enero de cada aà ±o en los paà ­ses hispanohablantes. (Epiphany is celebrated in Jan. 6 of each year in Spanish-speaking countries.) El 1 de enero es el primer dà ­a del aà ±o en el calendario gregoriano. (Jan. 1 is the first month of the year of the Gregorian calendar.) El proceso de recuento parcial comenzà ³ el 3 de mayo y todavà ­a continà ºa. (The partial recount process began on May 3 and still continues.) Desde el aà ±o de 1974, el primero de julio celebramos el Dà ­a del Ingeniero en Mà ©xico. (Since the year 1974, we celebrate the Day of the Engineer on July 1st.) Use of Roman Numerals and Abbreviated Forms In abbreviated form, Spanish typically follows a day-month-year pattern using a capitalized Roman numeral for the month. The units may be separated by spaces, slashes, or hyphens. Thus the abbreviated form of July 4, 1776, can be written in these ways: 4 VII 1776, 4/VII/1776, and 4-VII-1776. Theyre the equivalent of 7/4/1776 in American English or 4/7/1776 in British English. Common forms used for B.C. are aC and a. de C. -   for antes de Cristo  or before Christ - with variations in punctuation and sometimes the use of J.C. (Jesucristo) instead of merely using the letter  C. In scholarly writing, you may use AEC  as the equivalent of the English BCE, which means antes de la Era Comà ºn  or Before the Common Era. The equivalent of A.D. is despuà ©s de Cristo  or after Christ and can be abbreviated d. de C.  or dC  with the same variations as noted above. You also may use EC  (Era Comà ºn) for CE (Common Era). The abbreviations AEC  and EC  are even less commonly used in Spanish than their English equivalents are in English, mainly because they arent universally understood. They normally shouldnt be used unless demanded by the context, such as if writing for publication in an academic journal. Pronouncing the Years The years in Spanish are pronounced the same as other cardinal numbers are. Thus, for example, the year 2040 would be pronounced as dos mil cuarenta. The English custom of pronouncing the centuries separately - in English we typically say twenty-forty instead of two thousand forty - is not followed. Saying veinte cuarenta instead of dos mil cuarenta would strike native Spanish speakers as the mark of an English speaker. Using Prepositions With Dates Spanish does not use a preposition as the equivalent of on when indicating that something happens on a particular date. The date itself functions as an adverbial phrase, as it does in English when on is omitted. Such examples include la masacre ocurrià ³ el 14 de marzo wherein the phrase means The massacre occurred on March 14, with the Spanish word for on (en) not used. Similarly in English, one could correctly say The massacre occurred March 14.   During or throughout, on the other hand, can be added into the phrase by including the Spanish word for this, durante.  Such is the case in the Spanish version of the sentence Space exploration began during the 20th Century, which can be written as Durante el siglo XX dio comenzà ³ la exploracià ³n espacial.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Strategy Implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Strategy Implementation - Essay Example This report discusses the strategy that needs to be implemented within CPK and what are the ways through which the strategy can be implemented. The strategic option that is deemed to be suitable for CPK to achieve sustainable competitive advantage is through the adoption of the Blue Ocean strategy and this paper analyzes CPK’s resources to carry out this strategy. Introduction California Pizza Kitchen is a California based dining restaurant that specializes in providing different varieties of pizza. According to their website they have 265 stores in 32 states and ten foreign countries. The company is expanding this business with great vigor and energy. The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the control environment in the organization and assessing the company’s ability to follow the Blue Ocean strategy. This includes the assessment of the structure, design, control systems and the people working in the organization. ... Main Body The mission statement of CPK is to â€Å"introduce flavors and tastes from around the world, from Thai to Jamaican Jerk†¦all on a pizza in an upscale environment† (About CPK, cpk.com). This mission statement seems to be too broad and according to the innovative trend carried out at CPK (Offering new flavors and new menu items) (CPK, Press Release), it seems that the mission statement is followed appropriately. To ascertain whether CPK can implement the Blue Ocean strategy, proper research of the company’s resources and abilities is done through these three parts: Structuring The structuring part includes the analysis of processes, relationship and organizational structure and their bonding with each other to make them work more smoothly. The processes at CPK are that Larry S. Flax looks at the operations and the menu of the company whilst Richard S. Rosenfield is in charge of the financial and other investor issues. The organizational structure at CPK is a centralized sort of a structure with a proper Board of directors consisting of 2 CEOs and 5 executive directors. It seems that the company is operated in a rigid manner, sort of an autonomous structure but this power is usually vested within both the CEOs of the company rather than any one of them. The CEOs work together in collaboration so that it might help in succession planning; this clearly suggests that the company is forward sighted. (Business Week, Oct 2009) According to the autonomous structure, it clearly seems that the company offers same menu at all the locations that it has around the globe. Although this may be very beneficial as consumers might be able to get all the renowned varieties offered by CPK but this may also have some implication e.g. the taste of the people situated in other