2.Outline and analyse the concept of ideological hegemony. Employ the Essay

2.Outline and analyse the concept of ideological hegemony. Employ the concept in analysis of a piece of text - Essay Example Gramsci’s idea of ideological hegemony is related to his view of the role of the intellectuals in the society as mediators. Journalists are also included in the blurred category of ‘intellectuals’, though Gramsci says this with a slight tone of regret (141). In Prison Notebooks, Gramsci argues that intellectuals do not constitute a separate class but rather perform certain functions: â€Å"All men are intellectuals, one could therefore say: but not all men have in society the function of intellectuals† (Gramsci 140). This means that there can be no stable class characteristic of the intellectual ‘elite’ that controls ‘masses’ (particularly, by the means of media). Such role is obtained as a function, in the process of social interactions between different groups. As the influence of such groups is not limited to their official status or the power assigned to them by law, Gramsci distinguishes between ‘dominant groups’ and state institutions: he says that intellectuals are the functionaries of such â€Å"superstructures† of the society as â€Å"civil society† (â€Å"private†) and â€Å"political society† (â€Å"the State†) (145). The former corresponds â€Å"to the function of â€Å"hegemony† which the dominant group exercises throughout society† (Gramsci 145). Thus, â€Å"hegemony† is achieved on the discoursive level, by the influence of the messages and social relations that are reproduced more successfully than that of the other ‘groups’. In Allan’s wording, it manifests itself through â€Å"persuasion† rather than â€Å"coercion† (109). The main tool of this reproduction (often used unconsciously) is so-called ‘common sense’, an intricate game of representing some group’s opinion in the â€Å"common language† of the other groups of the society (or most of them). According to Gr amsci, ‘common sense’ lies in the conventions of cultural entities within the society and is carried in language, or,

CIS 206 U1 Review Assigment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CIS 206 U1 Review Assigment - Coursework Example Linux also offers more flexible and configuration options. It supports compilers and interpreters for a quite number of computer languages like C, C++, Ada, Java, Lisp, Fortran, Python, Perl, Pascal inter alia (Sobell, 2012). The Free Software Foundation is the chief sponsor of the GNU Operating System. GNU is an operating system offered for free (Free Software Foundation, Inc., 2015). Linux is a completely protected multitasking operating system, which allows users to run many jobs at a time. Parties that helped in the development of Linux are the AT&T and UNIX system Labs, universities and colleges. Utility program is the software that assists in the management, maintenance and control of computer resources. They provide assistance to the day-to-day computing tasks and keep the system running. The shell can be used as a programming language. Therefore, with the support of utility program that will keep the computer resources running, programmers can use the shell to develop some applications (Sobell, 2012). Commands will be typed, and the shell processes them and through this approach, patterns of the desired application can be constructed bearing special meaning. A multiprocessor is an integration of two or more CPUs, with input-output equipment and memory. On the other hand, a multiprocessor system has its control carried out by a single operating system, which is responsible for coordinating activities of several processors, either through interprocessor messages or shared memory. Several parties have taken part in the development of Linux. This traces back to the era of UNIX, which was developed by a group of researchers who needed contemporary computing tools for use in their projects. Then universities and colleges were involved in furthering its popularity. Bell Labs further promoted it by offering it to schools at low costs. Further popular changes were made, and it was called Berkeley UNIX. Another major version

Expansion of the Blue Sun Energy Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Expansion of the Blue Sun Energy Company - Essay Example Being a company that was established in May 2008, it is a young but thriving business. The focus of the company was to successfully introduce products into the growing market through teaming up with foremost partners in China whichwere already established pacesetters in the expertise of LED lighting and Solar Energy (Buchsbaum 42). It also centers on marketing products and services derived from energy with the United States of America andother worldwide renewable energy markets. As discussed in class, it is important to survey a country of interest before making a decision on whether to establish the company. The survey on Nigeria includes some important factors such as the history, economic, political, social, and cultural factors. Overview of Nigeria Nigeria is the most heavily populated country in Africa. It is located on the Guinea Gulf in West Africa. Chad, Benin, Cameroon and Niger are the immediate neighbors of Nigeria. The country gained independence on Oct 1, 1960 making it an official constituent of the Commonwealth of Nations which led to its connection to United Nations. In 1975, Gowon’s rule lasted for 3 years and ended in a coup which went ahead to declare the Army Brig Muritala Mohammed a chief of state. The country experienced an oil boom which maintained the Nigerian economy during the 1980s (Afolabi 54). By this time, it was regarded as a paradigm of economic wellbeing and democracy in Africa. In 1984, the military seized power again and another military coup followed again. After swaying from one coup to another, the country finally attained a solid elected leadership. However, this happened after the government of United States imposed several sanctions on the country. The period that followed was filled with rising strained relations but the replacement of General Abacha by General Abubakar after his death led to a fresh phase which was marked by improved bilateral relations. The transition to democracy permitted the lifting of the b ans on visas leading to augmented high-level trips of United States officials and dialogues of future backing. The counter narcotics provision of Vital National Interest Certification became effective during the month of March 1999 making a way for re-launching quicker ties between Nigeria and U.S as a major partner in the continent as well as the region (Afolabi 56). There has been major improvement since Obasanjo was sworn in as the President of Nigeria with improvement of bilateral relationships. In addition, there has been cooperation on many significant foreign policy objectives such as peacekeeping in the region. Even though there have been reported cases of widespread corruption, attention continues to be paid on Nigeria as a country and its contribution to economy. Political System of Nigeria The country is structured after the US, with decision-making power implemented by the head of state. Goodluck Jonathan is the current head of state for Nigeria after he took over Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in the year 2010. The president controls the country as the national executive and the head of state. He only enters the office if he is voted for by the majority of the population (Kifordu 288). The maximum term that he can spend in the office is four-year terms. The power invested in the head of state is assessed by the House of Representatives and the senate which when combined forms a bicameral body which is referred

Has Reality Television Made Voyeurism Another Form of Entertainment Essay

Has Reality Television Made Voyeurism Another Form of Entertainment - Essay Example Although earlier forms of this type of entertainment have been seen as early as 1948 with Candid Camera, it gained more notoriety and a wider genre by the end of 1990s with the introduction of the shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and American Idol (Caudle, 2011). These shows portray various situations and activities, with some featuring contests between ordinary people competing for money and other prizes, others portraying ordinary people living their lives while raising their children, and some others featuring celebrities carrying out daily activities. All in all, these shows seem to share common themes – taking ordinary people and placing them in extraordinary situations or presenting the reality of celebrities’ lives to an audience who would likely be engaged in the fascinating and magical lives that these celebrities are living. Reality shows seem to portray the magical and the ordinary, the reality and the ‘non-reality’ of celebrity or non-celebrity lives. For some shows, an element of voyeurism seems to be one of the common elements, especially as these allow the viewers a peek into the lives of celebrities and non-celebrities. The voyeur element also seems to lend entertainment value for viewers as melodramatic events like weddings, dates, births, and arguments often draw in high ratings. This paper shall explore reality television and how it engages the magical and the real. It will also discuss how reality television has made voyeurism a form of entertainment. Initially, a brief overview of popular reality television shows will be discussed, indicating reasons for their popularity. Secondly, this paper will present the negative and the positive impact of reality television. Thirdly, a deeper analysis of the reasons for the popularity of reality television shall be considered. Lastly, this essay shall be summarized and its themes clearly established in order to answer its primary goals and research issue. This article is be ing carried out in order to establish a clear understanding of reality television, its general impact, and what it implies about current TV behaviors as well as preferences. Body Overview of reality television shows When the shows Big Brother and Survivor became major successes in 2000, reality television suddenly gained widespread popularity. Specifically, the shows Survivor and American Idol consistently topped the television ratings since their inception (Hill, 2005). Other shows like America’s Next Top Model, Dancing with the Stars, The Apprentice, Fear Factor, and Big Brother were soon able to gain a global audience in the years that followed. Some television companies have also set aside networks, including Fox Reality, Global Reality Channel in Canada and Zone Reality in the UK to cater specifically to these reality shows (DeVolld, 2011). Other networks like Bravo, VH1 and MTV have also numerous reality shows in their line-up. Other successful shows like COPS have beco me major successes and the profit generation for TV networks and producers has also been very significant (Hill, 2005). Reality show celebrities have also made millions of dollars in profit for their TV contracts and product endorsements (Hill, 2005). This genre has also spawned new singers, dancers, models, chefs, actors, directors, and celebrities like the Kardashians who have been known as

International Business Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Business - Coursework Example Commodization turns product markets from monopolistic markets to perfect completive markets (Peng, 2013). For instance, Aqua-fresh is very distinct from Colgate. Regardless, the market treats both brands as the same product and solely compare their prices before making a purchasing idea. c. VRIO is a frame used in evaluating the strategic choices made by a firm in its quest to grow. Arguably, VRIO framework is comprised of a series of questions that make up the main argument for the evaluation of the competitive position of a given firm or organization. These components are Value, Rarity, Imitability and Organization. The question for value evaluates a firm’s ability to exploit an opportunity and neutralize threats. The question for rarity assesses the ease of obtaining resources in the industry for instance raw material. How rare are the resources and capabilities and are they controlled by a few players. The question for Imitability evaluates the ability of a firm’s products or resources to be imitated by other players in the industry. Finally, the question for Organization, evaluates the organization of power and command lines, resources and capabilities within a firm in order to capture value. This entails the culture as well as other features as w ell. d. One of the key arguments for off-shoring is the fact that it creates just as many jobs as it destroys. Arguably, off-shoring increases efficiency within an organization, increases productivity and reduces organizational costs allowing organizations to expand and create jobs that are more domestic as well (Peng, 2013). Another main argument for off-shoring is the fact that the off-shoring in the manufacturing industry has led to an increase in the wages of the employees who are opting to venture into more productive professions, and those employed domestically can also increase their incomes as well from reduced costs. However, off-shoring has led to the increase in the unemployment rates in the

The Fragility of Doubt Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Fragility of Doubt - Assignment Example When Sister James says that she can handle her class, Sister Aloysius makes her doubt herself by saying: â€Å"But perhaps you are wrong. And perhaps you are not working hard enough† (Shanley 18). She wants Sister James to doubt her performance as a teacher, so that she will never stop criticizing her abilities and so that she will continue growing as a teacher and as a nun. Sister Aloysius, furthermore, doubts those who violate moral codes. She has an instinct for detecting suspicious behavior. She could be right because Father Flynn has been defensive when asked about what he did to Donald Muller. Instead of simply saying he did nothing, Father Flynn answers: â€Å"Whatever I have done, I have left in the healing hands of my confessor† (Shanley 49). The way he gives vague answers confirms that he has done something wrong in the past and that he might as well have done something wrong with Donald too. Besides doubting others, Sister Aloysius shows her Socratic side when she doubts her teaching abilities. Socratic means she knows that she knows nothing. She reveals to Sister James that she has been married before taking the habit, but she admits that she â€Å"would feel competent to lecture tittering girls on the subject of womanhood† (Shanley 23). Sister Aloysius is aware of her weaknesses as a teacher, which is quite important because doubt can be used as a means for self-improvement. Like Sister Aloysius, Father Flynn also doubts others. He doubts his team of basketball players for not giving their best. He believes that they should set high social stands and excel in their performances.

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics - Essay Example Taking into this account, how might my personal behavior patterns show a different type of decision process? I was at a fast food place once grabbing a burger to eat. Inevitably, â€Å"upselling† at the end of the transaction occurs where they offer fries and a drink. I almost instinctivey said â€Å"Yes†, then began to do marginal analysis. I would save money, but how much? Looking at the menu, I found that the a la carte cost would be thirty cents more. I didn't really want fries and a drink, I would only have purchased it out of an irrational desire not to miss a deal even when the deal is not necessary. I ended up changing my mind and saying no and was very glad to have saved the two dollars. The marginal benefit of the additional food and the beverage did not eclipse the marginal cost, even though I had lost an opportunity and therefore incurred opportunity cost by not pairing the meal. Normally, I would have chosen such a meal: I just happened to be thinking about it. I might even have ingested the calories happily, not realizing I actually hadn't been that hungry, causing me to eat more than my plan for the day. The fast food place thus already has a powerful incentive: The desire for people to avoid a missed opportunity combined with a nominal discount on associated items.