Monday, September 30, 2019

Research critique part 2 Essay

Quantitative Research Critique This is a quantitative study research critique of the research study conducted by Lisa M Black PhD,RN,CNE, Tragedy into Policy: A Quantitative Study of Nurses Attitudes Toward Patient Advocacy Activities. The findings from this research study was used in the state of Nevada to protect nurses when reporting unsafe conditions in patient care practices, thus providing a safer work environment where nurses can feel safe when speaking out where patient safety is in jeopardy from unsafe care practices. Protection of Human Participants The benefits of this study were the creation of legal protection for whistleblowers in the state of Nevada. There were no risks to any participants’ safety for this study. Informed consent was not needed as retuning the completed survey was viewed as consent to be included. All participation in the study was viewed as voluntary. Approval of the survey tool was obtained from the University of Nevada, Reno prior to beginning data collection. (Black, 2011, p. 29) Data Collection The dependent variables in this study are the registered nurses licensed to practice in the state of Nevada; the independent variable was the Registered Nurses’ Workplace Support for Patient Advocacy Activities Study Questionnaire.(Black, 2011, p. 29) Data was collected through the developed questionnaire that was sent to 1725 registered nurses with active, current licensure and residing in the state of Nevada at the time of the survey.(Black, 2011, p. 29) The author provided no rationale for using the chosen data collection method, I would assume that this was the most cost effective and best way to maintain privacy for all respondents. The surveys were sent out using the United States Postal Service on September 8, 2008. (Black, 2011, p. 30) The respondents were asked to complete the survey by one of two methods, filling out, and returning the paper survey via US postal service or by completing it online. All responses were accepted through October 31, 2008. (Black, 2011, p. 30) After distribution of the questionnaire respondents were given the time period listed September 8, 2008 through October 31, 2008 to respond to the survey either written or online. (Black, 2011, p. 30) Data Management and Analysis A priori power analysis was performed and established that a minimum sample of â€Å"405 respondents would be required to detect a medium effect size.†(Black, 2011, p. 29) In order to determine if the study sample was â€Å"demographically representative† of nurses in Nevada, the demographic data was compared to the data from the 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses from Nevada. (Black, 2011, p. 29) Reliability testing of the survey tool â€Å"demonstrated a high degree of internal consistency.† (Black, 2011, p. 30) No statistical software was mentioned in this study. Other than the reliability testing performed, the survey results were calculated with a total of 564 valid responses collected this represented 33% response rate. (Black, 2011, p. 30) Response number varied from item to item as most participants left one or more items blank. (Black, 2011, p. 30) I felt this study was a reliable source of information concerning legislation protecting whistleblowers from workplace retaliation. According to the priori power analysis the minimum sample necessary of 405 respondents was required; with 564 valid responses received the minimum sample size was met. (Black, 2011, p. 29) The limitations that are identified in this study were, the sample size was considered to be small, even with the randomly chosen sample there was a potential response bias, and due to the nurses who have negative work environments may be more likely to complete the questionnaire than those with a more positive one. (Black, 2011, p. 33) This created the potential for inflated representation of the frequency and severity of these experiences. (Black, 2011, p. 33) This is the reason for caution when applying the findings to nurses outside of this study. (Black, 2011, p. 33) The survey tool did not allow for differentiation of different types of unsafe situations or different levels of retaliation. (Black, 2011, p. 34) Interpretation of survey questions may vary from one respondent to another. (Black, 2011, p. 34) This research study was presented in a logical easily understood manner with explanation and definition of findings and limitations. The findings of this study to were used in the creation of a law protecting nurses reporting unsafe patient care practices in acute care facilities and free standing offices and clinics in Nevada. The creation of this legislation helps create an environment for nurses to carry out† their moral imperative to prevent harm to patients whenever possible and to report potential or actual causes of harm† to protect patients.(Black, 2011, p. 35) There were no suggestions for future research. There was suggestion for changes in workplace environments encouraging openness in communication and especially in cases where patient safety is a concern. (Black, 2011, p. 35)

Sunday, September 29, 2019

How do family traditions and cultural legacies contribute to and/or inhibit an individuals self-identity? Essay

Are Test Scores a Good Indication of a School’s Competency? Ever studied for a test and still manage to receive a failing score? It happens to almost all of us. Schools may effectively or ineffectively design study material for a chapter, but to me it does not have a big effect of the overall resulting test scores. A high grade average depends on the students’ method of studying and comprehension, the way that the instructor teaches the material, and the way that the test it produced. On numerous occasions, students have reviewed specific test material and gained plenty of confidence for success, but failed with the most horrifying score of their life. On the other hand, some students may choose to cram as much as they can right before taking the test and excel. Every student has a different level of comprehension; some may learn faster than others, or be a different type of learner. Normally, students will be informed of an approaching test, this way each student know to more attentive during class time and while studying. The amount of tine that one has to prepare for an upcoming test varies. That length of time may be brief or extended. Because of the fact that every student is different, the time they may require to study effectively varies. I personally need about a week’s worth of study time to retain most of the appropriate information. Some may only need a few days. This can sometimes be a reflection of the way the material has been taught to a stud ent. For effective education retention, a study plan must be well-organized and taught thoroughly. Some instructors become lackadaisical causing the students to not be fully prepared for a final test while depending solely on that professor’s teachings. No matter how organized and thorough a lesson plan is designed, if the material is not taught right, the scores will not be right. Students should not depend only on the professor. They should combine what is taught to the with their own study method so that they can comprehend. A lot of times, students will believe that attending class and paying attention is enough which is false. They can be taught one way and be tested on it the subject in another form. Often times, students may say, â€Å"that had nothing to do with what I studied  all week for.† From my past experiences, I would study diligently for a test and find that the test asks questions that were not given examples of in the study material. That has to be one of the most frustrating things for a student. If schools were to have tests contain more of what was taught to the students, there would be a higher test grade scale. By this I mean that tests should ask similar questions that the homework asks or that were given in examples. I am sure that many can relate to a test asking questions that they have never seen. To sum it all up, the end result of a test depends on how much effort is put forth from the student, the student’s comprehension level, and the effectiveness of the instructor’s teaching method. There may be an A student who experiences test anxiety, this can cause low testing scores. There may be a student who cheats, of course, this mainly results in higher scores. There also may be a student who just happens to be a great test taker. Test scores are not a good indication of a schools competency.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Values and Ethics in a Global Setting in IT Essay

Values and Ethics in a Global Setting in IT - Essay Example Every individual has a set of beliefs and philosophies in mind that carry meaning and significance. Whether he or she consciously believes in those beliefs and philosophies or not, is not important. They can be in the subconscious mind, and the person does not have to think hard before reflecting them in his actions. These values are known as personal values and can include principles of punctuality, hard work, trust, and harmony. Steve Job’s belief of â€Å"Think different† has reflected in Apple’s success of coming up with innovative and creative technology that has earned them their brand recognition (Labrosse, 2010).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Personal values are relatively easier to tailor to a global setting. Most of the personal values, such as justice, trust and love, are prevalent in most of the communities around the world. What individuals need to do is find a point of intersection between the personal values and global values and build upon that. One can observe the online social communities, such as facebook and orkut, to see how they reflect personal values in a global arrangement. Individuals from all over the world use these mediums to interact with each other and socialize using harmony and trust with each other and are seen to give respect to others throughout the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are, however, differences found in personal values also.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Criminal defence of provocation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Criminal defence of provocation - Essay Example A proposed bill however is pending in Parliament which seeks to remedy the ills of the law. Called the Coroner and Justice Bill, the proposed law is set to abolish provocation as a partial defence and introduce the ‘loss of control’ law in its lieu, using more stringent and specific language that will hopefully narrow down the application of the law and remove the hindrance to a more just application of the partial defence. The doctrine of provocation is a common law doctrine, which has been altered by the statutory law. As embodied in the Homicide Act of 1957, the doctrine works to serve as a mitigating factor in the crime of murder. Section 3 of the said Act specifically delegates the task of determining its existence to the jury in murder cases. Thus: There are, therefore, two things that a jury must do relative to the above provision: determine whether the defendant acted out of loss of self-control, and; whether a reasonable man would have similarly acted as the offender. The case of R v Camplin [1978] 2 All ER defined a reasonable man as â€Å"a person having the power of self-control, to be expected of an ordinary person of the same age and sex as the accused, but in other aspects sharing such of the accused’s characteristics as they think would affect the gravity of the provocation to him† (qtd Slapper & Kelly pp 108-109). The doctrine of provocation acts as a partial defence, which if successful results in partial responsibility or in simple terms, reduces murder to manslaughter. The doctrine is not applicable to any other kind of offense (Ashworth & Mitchell pp 72-73). Provocation is raised by the defence and the judge himself directs the jury to consider the element. The judge has to determine first the acts done or words uttered that directly affected the defendant’s self-control and provoked him/ her to kill (Stone 68). In the case of R v Cocker [1989] Crim LR 740, for

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Impact of Kyoto Protocol Across Countries Research Paper

Impact of Kyoto Protocol Across Countries - Research Paper Example It is now an incontrovertible fact that the climate of the earth will get warmer. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change located at Geneva has published several estimates regarding the extent to which the global climate will become warmer. These estimates have been based on the assumption that increased energy use will be the prime outcome of increased economic growth (Moore S41). Such energy is derived from fossil fuels; hence, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is bound to increase. Some of these estimates had stated that there will be an increase of 2 ° to 3 ° Celsius, by the year 2000. A very disquieting feature of these predictions has been the contention that the maximum temperature increase will be experienced at the polar ice caps (Moore S41). During the past six decades, there has been a significant and disturbing increase in the proportion of greenhouse gases to the other gases in the atmosphere. This unwelcome trend commenced with the advent of the Industrial Revolution that transpired around two centuries ago (Geisel 1465). However, this increase has been pronounced from the 1950s. The cardinal increase has been with regard to carbon dioxide. This gas has its origins in plant and animal respiration and decomposition, natural fires and active volcanoes. Furthermore, the carbon dioxide converted to oxygen, via photosynthesis is replenished by these natural sources of carbon dioxide (Geisel 1465). The increase in carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases has been established by scientists, who drilled holes in the earth’s geographical poles and procured ice core samples that clearly indicated this enhancement. In a manner that is akin to the rings found in trees, ice core samples exhibit rings, which permit accurate dating.  

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

An Organizational Failure Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An Organizational Failure - Case Study Example The development and triumph of Circuit City was discriminated by the downfall of Silo Stores in the period of 1980s and 1990s. But the organization had failed to adjust with the changing environment (Hamilton, â€Å"Why Circuit City Busted, While Best Buy Boomed†). Role of Organizational Culture for Failure of Circuit City In the year of 2005, Circuit City had experienced profit of almost 61 million USD where in the first quarter of 2011, the organization had reported a loss of 239.17 million USD. One of the main reasons for the failure of Circuit City can be identified as its mismanagement of the organizational culture. The company did not respond quite swiftly to the external business challenges which hampered its competency. Organizations which are able to minimize the financial and commercial challenges through effective organizational management strategies can survive and ultimately prosper in the competitive market. The managers of Circuit City had desolated the opportun ity of development by their weak administration of company’s assets. ... â€Å"The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization†). In Circuit City the managers and administrators were particularly concerned with their position in the organization lacking in the sense of accountability and belongingness towards the organization. Notably, the CEO of Circuit City had accused the weak microeconomic circumstances for the collapse of the company. However, the market of electronic goods was observed to be strong even in the worst economic conditions (Spolsky, â€Å"Why Circuit City Failed, and Why B&H Thrives†). It was further observed that the executives had no sense of obligation for the consequences of their actions. They had dismissed the honest and talented employees who had but weak performances. In the year 2007, Circuit City had suspended its highly paid employees which comprised of experienced sales persons. The company replaced those employees with some low-priced staffs. It might have been more effective to shift t hem from one job position to other sectors with the intention to gain the virtues of their individual productivity. On the other hand, the CEO of Circuit City gained 7 million USD as reimbursement in that year which could support the financial propensity of the organization. Thus, terminating the valuable and productive employees would have been avoided (Hamilton, â€Å"Why Circuit City Busted, While Best Buy Boomed†). Another major reason for the organizational failure of Circuit City was the deficiency to present an accurate financial statement that would be effective in revealing the financial stance of the company. However, the financial statement of the company possessed miscalculation of stockholders’

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 18

Project management - Essay Example 1b) The second difference is the work of Sprints that Hill describes. This is achieved through regular iterations of work, known as Sprints which enhance the product as depicted by the team. It is clear to understand that Agile enhances the churn by reducing defects and defining the product resourcefully. The team evaluated by practicing this technique to steer the direction of the product via this methodology. When a team stops and re-evaluates the direction of a project every two weeks, there’s time to steer it in another direction without spending quality time. 1c)The third difference is the change of scope that is prominent according to Hill 2.The closest role as defined in the Scrum Guide is The Project Manager itself, who must verify these deliverables are those items that have been finished. 2a)However, upon the end of implementation phase, closing a project becomes a necessary point. Closing a project requires careful analysis and often misunderstood from a project management standpoint. 2b) It is the best role because Keeping in track with their progress on day to day basis can be truly helpful in the long run. This become problematic as the project due date comes closer since many smaller tasks may not be captured in the WBS itself. One of the biggest concerns for closing a project is the end the finer details of the store. This becomes more problematic the project does not achieve optimal results. In the Scrum Master Toolkit, the 3 reasons it is supreme is because it is Agile. 3a) Agile allows organizations to harness growth, breed innovation, and define products that can be tangible and intuitive. 3b)Secondly, it allows organizations to one can prototype. Prototyping allows Agile engineers to draft an idea in a constructive manner. This allows organizations to capture interface requirements as depicted by Hill as a central mechanism. 3c)Lastly, props are used in non-tangible sense that allows Scrum Masters to excel in their

Monday, September 23, 2019

Compare and Contrast Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Compare and Contrast Paper - Essay Example Thus, as the name implies, current asserts can be consumed during the current period or they can be converted into cash within a short period of time. A good example of a current asset is a bar of soap in the shop or a bottle of cooking oil. These can be used within the current period or they can be converted into cash when they are bought by a buyer. 2. Any assets whose use is restricted for purposes other than the current operations must be excluded from current assets (Glautior & Underdown, 2001). Assets are classified as noncurrent assets if they are not expected to be converted into cash or consumed during one year of their operating cycle. The operating life cycle of the noncurrent assets is usually very long and it can exceed a period of ten years. In some instances, the noncurrent assets are intangible and they include investments and special purpose funds. These funds cannot be withdrawn or used within a short period but can only be used after proper plans have been put into place. Long term investments are regarded as noncurrent assets as this money will be meant for long term plans and may not be immediately withdrawn even in case of emergence. Noncurrent assets also include property, plant and equipment used in the firm. This equipment cannot be readily disposed given that it is in everyday use to manufacture goods and products that can be sold to generate cash. This equipment can only be disposed if it has past its expected life span but not for quick cash like current assets. 3. The main difference between current assets and noncurrent assets is that current assets can be in form of cash or other assets which can be easily converted into cash. On the other hand, noncurrent assets include investment and special purpose funds and these cannot be readily used like the current assets. Most current assets are tangible and they can be converted into cash easily. On the other hand, noncurrent assets are big assets which include equipment or machinery as well as other property which cannot be converted into cash over a very short period. In some instances, noncurrent assets are intangible which makes them different from the current assets. Another major notable difference between current assets and noncurrent assets is that their operating cycles are different. The operating cycle of a current asset is relatively shorter and it does not exceed a period of one year while that of a current asset is very long. The operating cycle of a noncurrent asset is more than 10 years long which makes it different from the current asset. For instance, operating cycle of a wine distillery which is a noncurrent asset may extend 10 years while that of a grocery shop may be no more than just a several days. 4. Order of liquidity can be loosely defined as the order upon which the items in the balance shit are listed depending on their liquidity (Chasteen, Flaherty & O’connor, 1998). As the name implies, order is concerned with chronological orga nisation of items in their descending order while liquidity is concerned with establishing the readiness upon which cash can be disposed. Something that is liquid is readily used such as cash which can be taken straight away from the pocket to purchase something. In this order, the current assets will come after cash or other payments as these can be

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns & Brian Thorne, 1988 Essay Example for Free

Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns Brian Thorne, 1988 Essay Person- Centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns Brian Thorne, 1988 Person-centred counselling originated in 1930’s and 40’s from the work of the American psychologist Carl Rogers. Rogers came to believe that as it is the client who is hurting, then ultimately it is the client themselves who holds the answers about how best to move forward. At the time, this approach was a departure from others forms of counselling which relied on clients being advised, guided or somehow influenced on which direction to take. Using the person centred approach, it is the counsellor’s job to help the client connect with their own inner resources enabling them to find their own unique solutions. In this book the authors undertake to explain the theories and principles of person centred counselling by relating them to actual practice. The book is intended as a practical and comprehensive guide for trainee counsellors, those training them and also for established counsellors wishing to familiarise themselves with the person centred approach to counselling. Coming from the standpoint of someone just starting out as a trainee counsellor, the writer was first attracted by the short, snappy title of ‘Person Centred Counselling in Action’. The word ‘action’ hints that the work will not be a dry, difficult to read book concentrating only on the theoretical side of things but the reader will actually get to see how the process works in practice. In this regard, the book did not disappoint. -2- The main body of the book explores in some depth, the conditions (known as the core conditions) of empathy, acceptance and congruence, which are essential to the practice of the person- centred counsellor. The final three chapters draw on one particular case study showing how the core conditions are used in practice. These final chapters look at the experience from both the counsellor’s and the client’s point of view. The writer found the contents of the book to be written in a logical fashion and in the main uses straight forward language. The writer felt that the down to earth style of writing and avoidance of jargon made the book more accessible than some others of the same genre. Also very helpful is that as  new concepts are introduced, examples of the concept being discussed are highlighted in boxes throughout the text. This helped to reinforce the writer’s understanding of ideas that are unfamiliar to her at this stage of her learning. One of the main themes of the book is an in-depth exploration of the three elements that make up what is referred to in person centred literature, as the ‘core conditions’. In the first chapter the book clearly states what these are as follows: â€Å"The creation of a growth producing climate in a therapeutic relationship requires  That the counsellor can: 1. be genuine or congruent 2. offer unconditional positive regard and total acceptance -3- 3. feel and communicate a deep empathic understanding† While this statement is useful for clarity it is obvious on reading further that these conditions are not easily attained. They take commitment on the part of the counsellor to develop and maintain these attitudes and are so significant, say the authors, that not only do they have profound implications for the counsellor’s professional practice but also for the counsellor’s life as a whole. This thought makes the writer pause and reflect on how powerful the core conditions are and the words ‘life changing’ spring unbidden to mind. Although in practice, the core conditions are inextricably linked, for the purposes of this review the writer has chosen to focus on the book’s exploration of acceptance or ‘unconditional positive regard’. The authors speak of unconditional positive regard as being an attitude held by the counsellor and give the following clear definition: â€Å"Unconditional positive regard is the label given to the fundamental attitude of the person-centred counsellor towards her client. The counsellor who holds this attitude deeply values the humanity of her client and is not deflected in that valuing by any particular client behaviours. The attitude manifests itself in the counsellor’s consistent acceptance of and enduring warmth towards her client†. It struck the writer that although this attitude of unconditional positive regard can be viewed as highly commendable, it may also in practice, be difficult to attain. The writer agrees with the -4-  authors’ opinion that unconditionality cannot be guaranteed due to each counsellor being fallible, human and having personal limits. The writer however questions the authors’ statement that â€Å" the person centred counsellor is likely to be ‘less conditional’ than most other people with whom the client will relate†. The writer feels that this is a sweeping generalisation of clients’ relationships and may not be true. That said, the writer believes that the attitude of unconditional positive regard is one that every counsellor, irrespective of tradition, should actively seek to develop and maintain. The authors pose the question â€Å"Why is unconditional positive regard important? † In answer to this question a picture is drawn of a client who has been brought up to believe that it is only by meeting conditions imposed on them by significant others that they have any value. By consistently having an attitude of unconditional positive regard and by valuing the client in their own right, irrespective of conditions imposed by others, the counsellor is directly challenging the client’s long held beliefs about their self- worth. The authors describe the client as being in a negative, self-defeating cycle, not expecting to be valued and relate to others by being self-protective or defensive. They may well be displaying behaviours that drive others away such as being inappropriately aggressive, not showing any feelings or perhaps withdrawing from any demanding social contact. In driving others away, the client’s belief that he is unworthy or unlovable is reinforced. The authors explain that by having an attitude of unconditional positive regard, the counsellor can gradually break into the client’s self- defeating cycle. Once the cycle is broken, the client -5- no longer needs to be defensive towards the counsellor. His fear reduces and an environment of trust and safety is created where the client feels able to explore what troubles him. The authors claim that not only will the client have been influenced to question conditions of worth imposed on him and been helped to become less defensive but that somehow the client will begin to experience the counsellor’s attitude for himself and begin the journey towards self-acceptance. The writer, though inexperience, agrees with the writers’ view that the counsellor’s attitude of unconditional positive regard can eventually have dramatic positive effects for the client. The writer also takes on board the authors’ advice to bear this dramatic effect in mind, early in the therapeutic process when the client can display a number of difficult, off-putting behaviours. There was some discussion by the authors about ‘defensive’ clients. They give examples of three clients with very different problems. Mary an unkempt 45 year old lady with poor personal hygiene who is filled with self-loathing; Roger a hard-nosed 35 year old, cut-throat business man who blames his wife for all their marital problems and James a suspicious, angry 18 year old who used most of his first counselling session to verbally abuse the counsellor. It later became clear that the three clients had four things in common: 1. They all had a deep sadness, 2. Felt intensely unloved, 3. Did not love themselves and 4. Were all extremely vulnerable. The authors note that although the clients behaviours were very different their defensiveness was acting as a shield which repelled others and hid what kind of people they really were. The -6- authors advise that unconditional positive regard means that the counsellor should not be put off by these behaviours but should continue to value the worth of the client and eventually earn the right to be given access to what lies behind the shield. The writer can imagine that it could sometimes be difficult for the counsellor to accept their client. The authors examine this problem in some depth and also give practical steps for the counsellor to take when confronted with this situation. They advise the conscious use of empathy which helps the counsellor to focus more on the client and less on her own negative feelings towards the client. Using empathy can also encourage the client to open up more and cause the counsellor to question her earlier judgement. The authors also suggest that it would be beneficial for the counsellor to explore the matter more fully in supervision. The dislike belongs to the counsellor, say the authors and is therefore her responsibility to deal with it and not blame the client for her feelings. In the chapter on unconditional positive regard, the authors go onto discuss in some depth other matters worthy of consideration and study such as ‘Can the Client Accept My Acceptance? Focus on Warmth’, ‘Focus on Conditionality’ and ‘Accepting the Client who loves you’. Unfortunately time does not allow the writer to discuss these topics any further. The writer found the whole book very engaging and informative and would recommend the newer edition to anyone wanting to learn more about person-centred counselling. Its ‘hands on’ style is very readable and gives many useful examples of the process in action. In conclusion, it ‘does what it says on the tin’! (Word Count 1,565)

Saturday, September 21, 2019

14 Best Reading Practices Essay Example for Free

14 Best Reading Practices Essay Best Practice 1: Explicit Word Analysis Instruction, Including Phonics Teachers provide explicit instruction, build word knowledge, and directly teach skills and strategies for word analysis (phonemic awareness, phonics, word recognition, structural analysis, context clues, vocabulary). Best Practice 2: Assessment to Inform Instruction Teachers routinely monitor and assess the reading levels and progress of individual students. This ongoing evaluation directs and informs instruction. Best Practice 3: See more: Distinguish between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping Essay Instructional Planning Teachers plan instruction considering three phases: before, during and after reading. Best Practice 4: Collaboration and Reflection Teachers routinely self-reflect and collaborate on instructional practices and student progress within school and/or district. Best Practice 5: Learning Standards Teachers facilitate conceptual knowledge of Illinois English Language Arts learning standards. Best Practice 6: Independent Students have opportunities for sustained reading (oral and/or silent) every day.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Ineffective Breathing Pattern: NANDA-I, NIC, NOC

Ineffective Breathing Pattern: NANDA-I, NIC, NOC Ineffective Breathing Pattern Informatics is defined as the collection, classification, storage, retrieval, and dissemination of recorded knowledge (Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, 2014). Moreover, nursing informatics is defined as a specialization of nursing that revolves around the characteristics of data, information, and knowledge combined (CCN, 2014). The progression of the three characteristics mentioned, coupled with the application of wisdom, serve to provide the framework for nursing informatics’ metastructure (CCN, 2014). Nursing informatics, although often unrealized, is utilized in a myriad of ways by nurses to not only support the work that they do, but to also aid in the decision-making process for patients and other healthcare providers such to achieve favorable outcomes, (CCN, 2014). One very important example of how nurses use informatics is through the utilization of nursing terminology. According to Hardiker (2012, p. 112), â€Å"nursing terminology serves as a vehicle to permit nurses to capture, represent, access, and communicate data, information, and knowledge. In addition, a standardized nursing terminology is a nursing terminology that is in some way approved by an appropriate authority, or by general consent; In North America, one such authority is the American Nurses Association â€Å". The following paper is a detailed review by the author regarding a nurse-patient scenario as it flows through three standardized nursing terminologies: NANDA, NIC, and NOC while subsequently being critiqued against the metastructure of nursing informatics, mentioned above. In conclusion, the author will summarize this paper by drawing the sections of the paper together and offering his own perspective gained through this experience. Ineffective Breathing Pattern: NANDA-I, NIC, NOC NANDA International, Inc. (NANDA-I), the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) and the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) together provide a set of terminology to afford comprehensive, research-based, standardized classifications of nursing diagnoses, nursing interventions and nursing-sensitive patient outcomes (NNN, 2014). NANDA-I serves as a nursing terminology that maintains an agreed set of nursing diagnoses organized as a multiaxial taxonomy of domains and classes (Hardiker, 2012, p. 113). According to Bulechek, Butcher, Dochterman, and Wagner (2013), â€Å"NIC is a comprehensive, research-based, standardized classification of interventions that nurses perform. NIC covers physiological and psychological interventions. As with NANDA-I, NIC interventions are organized into classes and domains†. According to Moorhead, Johnson, Maas, and Swanson (2013), â€Å"NOC is a comprehensive, standardized classification of patient/client outcomes developed to evaluate the effe cts of interventions provided by nurses or other health care professionals. As with NANDA-I and NIC, NOC’s outcomes work in unison to assist patient outcomes†. As a nurse on a medical/surgical/telemetry floor this author encounters a very diverse range of patients with a plethora of morbidities; one very common admitting diagnosis is: Ineffective Breathing Pattern. â€Å"I can hardly breath and I’m scared; it seems as if this is getting worse, please help me†. NANDA-I defines an ineffective breathing pattern as: inspiration and/or expiration that does not provide adequate ventilation (Ralph Taylor, 2011). Patient X has respirations of 32, pulse of 118, a blood pressure of 145/92, and presents with nasal flaring, and her lips are pursed as she has an increased focus on trying to breathe while currently on 3 liters of oxygen via nasal cannula. Pt. X’s health history reveals a retired patient with end-stage COPD, obesity, and she has been a smoker for well over thirty years; her COPD has worsened through the years and she has developed an increasing level of anxiety. Pt. X has been admitted to the hospital several times o ver the past several years with similar complaints; however, over the past six months her condition has worsened. Applying NIC to this scenario it is suggested that the nurse encourage slow, deep breathing, have the patient sit up in bed, turn frequently and cough; the nurse is to monitor respiratory and oxygenation status, as appropriate. In addition, the nurse should ascertain whether the patient’s dyspnea is physiological, psychological, or a combination of both. Last but not least, applying NOC to this patient scenario, the patient through utilization of the NIC interventions, the patient will report the ability to breath comfortably and demonstrate the ability to perform pursed-lip breathing to assist controlling her breathing; moreover, her vital signs will fall into normal ranges: respirations less than 20, pulse less than 100, and a reduced blood pressure that is near her baseline which is 120/80. As a result, the patient should be able to vocalize less stress related to her breathing, and understand how to alleviate future episodes ((Ralph Taylor, 2011). In a textbook situation, referring to the nursing standard terminologies of NANDA-I, NIC, and NOC should provide a foundation for assisting one’s patient encountering an ineffective breathing pattern. Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom A familiarity regarding standard nursing terminologies provides an excellent reference for nursing; however, a large majority of nurses have a limited knowledge or experience with standard nursing terminologies (Schwiran Thede, 2011). Remarkably, having a familiarity with diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes is only that, a familiarity. A good nurse recognizes that a text-book definition and guidelines are simply tools to assist in the overall care for one’s patient. By placing Patient X’s scenario into the nursing informatics’ metastructure, care for one’s patient base can be greatly enhanced. First, one has to account for the raw data: increased respirations, increased pulse, increased blood pressure, and a heightened anxiety level. It is very important when providing patient care to remember that data, by itself has no particular meaning (CCN, 2014). Second, by retrieving all recorded data for patient X, reviewing trends, and placing her current data in contextual review allows a nurse to convert this raw data into information (CCN, 2014). A review of patient X’s data reveals that her current assessment presents data that exceeds her normal baselines. Third, by taking into consideration patient X’s physiological data as well as her physiologic and psychological presentation coupled with the nurse’s working knowledge base and experience regarding the information presented, this nurse recognizes patient X as having an ineffective breathing pattern. Last but not least, wisdom is realized by not only having an appropriate knowledge base to address the patient’s current health scenario but the skill-set, experience, and critical thinking skills of knowing when and how to take action (CCN, 2014; McKie, et al., 2012). Conclusion According to Robert and Petersen (2013), â€Å"Nurses must be able to think critically to face the challenges of today’s burgeoning technological advances, and ensure safe passage and positive outcomes for patients†. The referenced quote sums up the writing of this paper’s message and the realized experience while writing this paper by its author. Nursing is a very complex profession that has many tools to advance and evolve. By reviewing patient X’s condition, applying it through the nursing terminologies of NANDA-I, NIC, and NOC, and subsequently reviewing it against nursing informatics’ metastructure one can clearly understand that there are many platforms available to properly assist in the care for not only patient X, but our community at-large. References Bulechek, G., Butcher, H., Dochterman, J., Wagner, C. (Eds.). (2013). Nursing interventions classification (NIC) (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. Chamberlain College of Nursing. (2014). NR512 Fundamentals of Nursing Informatics: Weeks 1-3 Lessons [PowerPoint]. St. Louis, MO Online Publication. Hardiker, N. (2012). Developing standardized terminologies to support nursing practice. In D. McGonigle K. Mastrian (Eds.), Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (2nd ed.). (pp. 111–120), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett. Informatics. Merriam webster online dictionary. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.merriam webster.com/dictionary/informatics McKie, A., Baguley, F., Guthrie, C., Jackson, C., Kirkpatrick, P., Laing, A., Wimpenny, P. (2012). Exploring clinical wisdom in nursing education. Nursing Ethics, 19(2), 252-267. doi:10.1177/0969733011416841 Moorhead, S., Johnson, M., Maas, M., Swanson, E. (Eds.). (2013). Nursing outcomesclassification (NOC) (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. NNN.(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nanda.org/nanda-i-nic-noc.html Ralph, S. S., Taylor, C. M. (2011, 8th ed.). Sparks and Taylor’s Nursing DiagnosisReference Manual. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer / Lippincott Williams Wilkins Robert, R.R, Petersen, S. (2013). Critical thinking at the bedside: Providing safe passage to patients. MEDSURG Nursing, 22(2), 85-118. Schwiran, P. M., Thede, L. Q. (2011). Informatics: The standardized nursing terminologies: A national survey of nurses experiences and attitudes. Online Journal Of Issues In Nursing, 16(2), 1. doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol16No02InfoCol01 Public private partnership: Part II Public private partnership: Part II PPP is an agreement/contract between Public agencies and Private sectors. Public and Private sectors joins hands to undertake a project. Public and Private Partnership may be defined as A corporate venture between the Public and Private sectors, build on the expertise of each partner that meets clearly defined Public needs through the appropriate allocation of resources, risk and rewards. PPP is a joint venture of Public and Private sectors and collaboration between Public and Private sectors. The PPP depend on the expertise of both the Public and Private sectors. PPP is a contract that involves a contract between Public and Private sector in which Private sectors provide a Public services/Projects and assume substantial, financial, technical and operational risk in the project. PPP is a step toward involving Private sector and to hold them accountable for input. PPP address peoples needs clearly through the appropriate allocation of resources, risk and rewards. PPP is growing day to day because it is an efficient way of delivering the Public services to the masses. ADVANTAGES OF PPP: Some of the advantages are Diversification of Risk. Efficiency. Cost effective ( time and money saving). Creation of value added goods and services. Accountability for provision of quality services. Effective utilization of state assets. Innovation and diversity in Public Private services. DISADVANTAGES OF PPP: Disadvantages of PPP are Complexity of the Project. A construction delay in the projects. Operational difficulty. Financial risk.(the risk that the project dont get funds/finance). Commercial risk (Demand and payment risk). Changes in Exchange rates. Regulatory (Changes in laws like tariffs) Political situation. Force majeure (Natural disasters). TYPES OF PPP MODELS: Different types of PPP models are Service contracts. Management contracts. Leasing contracts. Concession contracts. Green field contracts. Build, Operate transfer contracts. In design build finance contracts. Now a brief overview of these contracts and their strengths and weaknesses. Service contracts: Service contracts is a contract between public agencies and private sectors and is suited for simple and short term requirements. It is the limited type of PPPs model. In this agreement the Private party procure operation of an assets for short period. The period of two to five years. In this contract the responsibility for investment and management of the project are of the Public sector and also bears the financial and residual value risks. While the Private sector provides the services. Potential Strengths: The main advantages of service contracts are It provides us relatively low risk option for the expansion of Private sector. It is less expensive to deliver the public services. It encourages the competition the Private sector. It is a good source of technology transfer. It is less costly. Potential weakness: The main disadvantages of this contract is It is a short term contract/project and is not suitable for to pool up capital. Loss of managerial control. Loss of flexibility. Loss of internal and external focus. Loss of competitive edge. Management contracts: In this type of Contracts the responsibility for the operation and management is passed to the Private sectors. The life of these types of contracts are from three to five years but can be extended. The Private sector/party is remunerated/hired on a fixed fee basis or on the incentives or bonuses basis linked to a related or specific task. In these types of contracts the Public sector bears the financial and investment risks. This is an efficient way undertaking a project because the Private sector is efficient and have enough skills and strong interest in improving the service quality. Potential strengths: The main advantage of these contracts are that the ownership remains with the Government and only the operation and management is transferred to the Private party. Management contracts are less controversial in nature. These types of contracts are less expansive because the Private sector is more efficient and can do the job betterly than the Public sector because of the experienced and skilled management. Potential weakness: Some of the major disadvantages of management contracts are The government gives a certain portion of control to the Private sector which may lead to low quality services. Delay in time. The flexibility in these contracts are finished or reduced. The quality of the product is reduced. The Private party must be clearly evaluated for best performance. Leasing contracts: Leasing means when one party lesser gives his assets to another party lessee on some fixed payments. In leasing the Private party purchase the income streams generated by the Public owned assets for an exchange of fixed leased payments and the Private party is responsible for maintenance and operation of the assets. The duration of leasing is from ten to twelve years. Leasing contract is best for Infrastructure development. Potential strengths: The leasing finance is a fixed rate finance. Leasing is inflation friendly. Through leasing and this contract brings efficiency in the Public service delivery. In leasing contracts the Private sector competitively bid for the lease means providing the services to the general people. The increase in the leasing contracts is almost due to the improved and new technology. Potential weakness: As we know that the leasing contract is based on the streams of payments/installments made by the Private sector but if the Private sector doesnt make payment in time than a problem arises and one of the main disadvantage of leasing contract for the Private sector is that the responsibility for maintenance and capital investment is of Private sector. Concession contracts: Concession contracts is a type of leasing contracts in which the ownership of the assets remain with the Government and the Private party is responsible for the maintenance of the assets and also to provide the capital investment and at the end or completion of the project the Government receive the project and pay a certain sum of amount to the Private party according to the contract. In these type of contracts the Government gives concession to the Private sectors to explore some thing like oil and gas. Potential strengths: The advantages of the concession contract is that it mobilize the funds/capital from the Private sector for the construction and exploration of existing projects. In concession contracts the Government assets are properly utilized and maintained by the Private sector efficiently and after completion the Private sector gives the project/assets to the Government and the Government pays a certain amount of money to the Private sector according to the contract. Through bidding the contract Government creates competition among the Private sector which leads to low cost. Potential weakness: One of the major disadvantage of this contract is that the timing/validity of these projects are more and these contracts are long term contracts which leads to complexity. The maturity of these projects are more than 20 years. Due to the longer period it is difficult to manage and organized. It requires complex monitoring and design system and also reduce competition because a few big Private contractors are available. Green field contracts: These types of contracts are mostly used for the development of new projects. In these type of contracts the government only provide the land to the private sector. Examples of Greenfield contracts are projects like new factories, airports, development of parks which are build from scratch. Potential strengths: In green field contracts the Government only provide the assets and the Private sector build, design, develop and manage the assets. It is used for developing the new projects like parks and airports etc. Build, operate transfer contracts: In these types of contracts the Private party is responsible for the designing, constructing and the operation of the assets. In these types of contracts the government bears the financial risk but have control to stop the project at any stage. These types of contracts are best for water and wastage projects. BOT has the following types. Built own operate transfer (BOOT). Built lease operate transfer (BLOT). Built rent operate transfer (BROT). Potential strengths: The risk is shared with the Private sector. Due to the efficiency in the Private sector the Government gives projects to the Private sector. The Private sector is responsible for the design, construction and service delivery. The Government gives these types of projects mostly to the experienced and skilled Private sectors. It also facilitate the transfer of advanced technology by introducing international contractors in the host country. It is an effective way to bring the Private funds for development of new projects like infrastructure and water enhancement development. Potential weakness: Some of the main disadvantage of this contract is that it is not suitable for small projects. The transaction cost in the BOT is higher as compared to the other contracts. The success of the BOT project depends upon the funds raising and when substantial revenue are generated in the project during the operation phase. BOT contracts may be costly some times. In design build finance contracts: In these types of contracts the Private sector/party design the goods and services according to the requirement setted by the Government entities. These type of contracts are best for roads construction and water. Potential strengths: The Private sector contractor is responsible for the design and the construction. Subject to the provision that the contractor is not, under an unamended JCT WCD, responsible for any design provided to him in the Employers Requirements document, the employer should have a single point of responsibility and liability against the contractor. This is more advantageous than the traditional forms of contract where the employer has entered into separate construction and design agreements. A common problem being that if a claim is made, the contractor, architect or other design consultants may argue over the extent of their responsibility. This contract is time saving means that the Private sector are interested to complete the project quickly and is also cost saving and the product is of good quality because the Private sector is more efficient than Public sector and the product is prepared according to the government requirements. Potential weakness: The main disadvantage of this contract is that government mostly give the projects to the large Private sectors and ignores the small Private sector and also reduce the competition through ignoring the small sectors. There may arise the problem of favoritism and also the cost of project may arise through reducing competition in the Private sector and also may arise problems in designing. The perception remains, certainly amongst architects, that design and build is not the appropriate procurement method where design quality is a high priority. There is only limited scope for the employer to make changes to his requirements once the Employers Requirements and Contractors Proposals have been agreed otherwise the cost consequences may be prohibitive. A case of Public Private Partnership of the Melaka-Manipal Medical College: Background: Melaka-Manipal Medical College is the first Indo-Malaysian joint venture in private medical education. The proposal was conceived from the Look East Policy of the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He recognized the need for greater South-South cooperation in the economic and social sectors. This led to the signing of an agreement in New Delhi in 1993, witnessed by both the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and India. The agreement was between the Joint Venture Medical College Corporation (JVMC) Malaysia and the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) India to offer a twinning programme leading to the MBBS degree. The objective was to provide additional doctors for Malaysia and offer opportunities for students in this region to study medicine at a cheaper cost than in the West. From 1953 to 1993, Manipal had trained over 2700 doctors from Malaysia. The situation changed in 1993 with the new policy on admission of foreign students to medical colleges in India. Malaysia was s uddenly in urgent need of training opportunities within a minimum lead period. The Melaka-Manipal Medical College seemed to be an excellent idea. The Partnership Process The partners in the Joint Venture Medical College are: State Government of Melaka. Manipal Group. Members of the Indian Diaspora. Contribution of Government of Malaysia Use of Hospitals and Health Centers in two states MMMC is allowed to use the facilities of the General Hospital at Muar and Melaka and Health Centers for the purpose of the teaching and training of students. Teaching Staff Consultants in the hospitals assist in the clinical training of the students. Over 100 consultants work as part time teachers. The Malaysian Medical Council considers the services of 3 part time faculty equivalent to 1 full time employee. Supervisory and Advisory Services The government regulatory bodies i.e. the Malaysian Medical Council and the National Accreditation Board supervise and provide advisory services to ensure maintenance of minimum standards in conformity with government regulations. Financial Assistance to students Government agencies provide scholarship to deserving students admitted to MMMC. Contribution of Private Partners Basic Science Training at Manipal There is a shortage of basic science Faculty in Malaysia hence the excellent facilities at the Manipal Campus India are used for the first phase. Infrastructure for the Melaka Campus Construction of the campus at Melaka including hostel and recreational facilities comparable to the best in the country. Provision of Patient-Care Service MMMC provides faculty to augment patient-care at the hospitals and health centers. Provision of trained medical officers to meet countrys requirement The newly graduated doctor is required to undergo compulsory rotating resident houseman ship for a period of one year. Training of staff in the Health Centers and arranging CME for doctors These activities help in upgrading the standards of doctors and Para medical personnel in the health centers. The CMEs arranged allow doctors to keep abreast with advancing medical knowledge. BENEFITS FOR ALL, A WIN WIN SITUATION: Outcomes and Benefits for Malaysia The Joint Venture helps the health sector in Malaysia to move towards the desired doctor: population ratio in a planned manner. MMMC has contributed 213 doctors in the past two years. Since the clinical training is carried out in Government Hospitals and Health Centers in Malaysia, the graduates are very conversant with the functioning of the government health sector and national health policies. Induction of trained faculty from India augments the specialist manpower in Malaysia. The Melaka-Manipal Medical College would otherwise have drawn a large number of specialists from the Malaysian health delivery system. There is an extreme shortage of teachers in Basic Sciences hence this phase of training is carried out in India. The college helps to create an academic and research environment in the Government Hospitals used for teaching, thus upgrading their quality of care. Benefits for the Students An opportunity to study medicine in a situation where capacity is restricted. Cost of education is considerably less than studying in the western countries. Living on a multidisciplinary university campus at Manipal gives the student a unique cross-cultural experience and builds confidence and independence. The student becomes a part of an esteemed educational system with an international reputation and a worldwide alumnus. The clinical phase is carried out in government hospitals in Malaysia where the students work with patients and staff from different ethnic backgrounds akin to their own. This allows for effective communication and rapport and seamless merger into the environment into which they ultimately will work. Benefit Outcomes for the Private Partners For Manipal, the establishment of the college in Malaysia, gives the opportunities to: Establishing a medical college in the minimum lead period and at favorable costs because of the public-private partnerships. Retain old links with India, having trained 2700 Malaysian doctors in Manipal To establish its reputation and brand name Overseas to acquire the best practices in medical education and health delivery and to prepare for global competition Limiting Factors for A PPP: Medical Education in India is regulated by the Medical Council and the Ministry of Health. The present statutory conditions imposed by the MCI do not allow for the flexibility that is required to foster partnerships between the Public and Private sectors. The regulations are too stringent with regard to ownership and operation of teaching hospitals, For the local partners to share in the thrill of creating an institution in the service of their country and the reputation and financial gains that will accrue in the future. Conclusion of the Case: It has been a very rewarding experience to work with the public sector in Malaysia. Good governance and an enabling environment have allowed for a trickle down effect, in that the value of such cooperative efforts seems to be known to all categories of employees. This facilitates excellent work relationships allowing for a participatory process which is stimulating. The Regulatory process is positive with the correct focus on quality. As an incremental approach Manipal is exploring the possibilities of starting Dental, Pharmacy, and Allied Health Programmes. The success of the venture is due to the pragmatic approach of the Government of Malaysia towards Public Private Partnerships in education and healthcare. Conclusions: From the above discussion and after studying the models of PPP it is clear that The Partnership is not always fruitful for the Government SO a Government should enter to contracts with Private sector after assessing the Private sector efficiency and the Government must have to share the risk with the Private party. If Government does not transfer an appropriate level of risk to the private sector then it should not be availed. But after entering the successful contract with the Private sector the Government can easily deliver quality services. References: Articles from Newsletter. www.pppcouncil.ca www.pcp.org.pk www.books.google.com.pk Kathmandu University Medical Journal (2005) by Nagra JS. Article by Mohammed Jalaudin.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Women In The Industrial Revolution Essays -- Womens Studies

Women's Work in the Industrial Revolution The industrial revolution swept through Europe and North America during the 19th century, affecting the class structure, economy, government, and even the religious practices of everyone who lived in or did commerce with these new "industrialized nations." It made the modern age possible, but it was not without its "growing pains." The position of women before the industrial revolution was often equivalent to chattel, and then as now, they were expected to take naturally to housework and child rearing. The history of working women in the Industrial Revolution is rife with accounts of abuse and tragedy, but overall it improved their position in capitalist societies. Below, I will explain the different positions women held in society, the home, and the workplace during the Industrial Revolution in Europe and America, and compare them to history and to contemporary women. Women in Victorian Society It is important to remember that the Industrial Revolution came to a close with the end of the Victorian era. The technology of the industrial revolution (and the economy of colonialism) made a large amount of surplus consumer materials available. Cheap food and clothing improved the average quality of life of the working poor, allowing them to have more children who lived longer, creating a larger labor pool. Larger families required mothers to work more hours in the home and out of it. This was reinforced in England and the US by the development of Victorian morality, which placed the ideal woman at the head of an ideal household, leading the moral life of the nation. At the beginning of the industrial revolution, women suffered from decreasing job opportunities, as "cotta... ...f indentured servitude that was one of the main motivations behind the labor movement. Conclusion Women's lives changed drastically in the Industrial Revolution, whether they stayed home and benefited from new advances in consumer-goods technology, or if they worked factory jobs. The opportunities that industrialization offered women carried the same risks to health and happiness as those offered to working men, but they also brought about a sea change in social acceptance of women's self-sufficiency and weakened the concept of woman as home- and baby-maker. Although tragedies like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the exploitative practices of the Industrial Revolution affected women in negative ways that even now, the current economy has not fully eradicated, it was the first in a series of huge steps that gave gender equality considerable momentum.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea: True Order Exists in the E

The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea: True Order Exists in the Exposed Core The seas refuse to obey any of man's laws. Winds, storms and currents shift and distort the massive waters, shaping the land that lies within them. Unexplored in regions, the black depths mimic dormancy prior to rising up at unpredictable moments of torrential strength. The ocean's murder, rape and disregard of life is not punishable by any law or code of morality, and in Yukio Mishima's The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, it exemplifies the perfect order of existence. Surviving according to nature's impulse, the ocean is the model of a raw, reactionary being. To the youths in the story, this emotionless lifestyle is the only means by which one can become aligned with the perfect core of existence. To betray oneself to feelings, morals and similar illusions created by adults is "falling from grace" with one's own distinct, perfect role. In The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea, the preceding theories are explored by a group of six young Japanese scholars, and a 13-year old "Chief" leads this band. The story is told from the point of view of the "middle genius," Noboru, who is delineated as "Number #3" of the six scholars. Thus, Noboru's number has a significant reflection on his perception of the Chief's teachings (the necessity of abolishing emotion). Though working to incorporate the Chief's theories, Noboru has yet to detach himself completely from his subjective nature. Once this has been accomplished, his stature will rise in the group, denoted by a higher number. The Chief, or "Number 1," is the giver of knowledge (comparable to the asp in the Garden of Eden). His morbid ideas entail that the perfect core of existence... ... further anchor their own hearts into the current of existence. About the Author: Yukio Mishima was born in Tokyo in 1925. Translations of his works have appeared in over 15 countries, and he has composed plays, novels, short stories and numerous articles. Many of his works, including the one explored in this paper, have been converted into motion pictures. At the peak of his career, Mishima committed seppuku (ritual suicide) on the afternoon of the completion of his masterwork, The Sea of Fertility. Oddly, this compilation of works is a literary drill of Mishima's own suicide; perhaps he had fallen from grace with his role as a writer. Works Cited Mishima, Yukio. The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. New York: Perigee Books, 1965. The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea. Twentieth Century Fox. Starring Sarah Miles, Kris Kristofferson, 1976.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Extreme Sports Motivation

Extreme Sports Motivational Factors Lawrence Cannon December 4, 2011 PE 5880 Abstract In the 1970s, extreme sports had been growing rapidly since its introduction. However, there has been little research done on extreme sport participants. In specific, the reason why consumers participate in extreme sports has not yet been investigated, although the number of participants and spectators of extreme sports is rapidly growing. Since motivation is a significant factor of sport participation behavior, it is essential for the sport marketer to understand psychological needs and motivations of extreme sport participants.The purpose of this study is to analyze motivational factors of people who become involved in extreme sports. The researchers modified and applied the scale of sports participant motivation. The original scale includes forty one items which represent many motivational factors like achievement, competition, social facilitation, skill mastery, physical fitness, risk-taking, af filiation, aesthetics, aggression, value development, self-esteem, self-actualization, and stress release.A total of several samples will be included in the current study. The researcher collected the cases at the X Game Sports and Freestyle Motocross World Championships held in the United States. A chain of ANOVA and MANOVA tests will contain the data analyses. The hypothesis will suggest that extreme sport participants have a high level of motivation in fun and imitation, which are two more structures added to the original scales.The analysis of the data may also reveal that motivation of extreme sport participants vary across gender and past experience. This study will advance the knowledge base of consumer motivation research in the field of sport marketing and provides leaders in the extreme sport industry with meaningful implications. At the end of the day, the result of present studies will support the extreme sports industry in predicting the trend of action sports consumer behavior. IntroductionExtreme sports are â€Å"activities that either ideologically or practically provide alternatives to mainstream sports and mainstream sport values† (Rinehart, 2000, p 506). The increased number of events and participants in extreme sports support the trend of growth in extreme sports (Liberman, 2004; Ostrowski, 2002). In the 2002 statistics, about eighty-six million people were participating in extreme sports (Ostrowski, 2002). According to American Sports Data, within the U. S. port industry, extreme sport generated one-third of sporting goods sales, which totaled to more than $14 billion (Liberman, 2004). Although the overall number of sport participants in the U. S. has increased about ten percent over the last decade, the number of participants and spectators in dominant sports such as basketball and volleyball has decreased (Stotlar, 2002). This trend in the sport industry further supports that emerging sport activities such as extreme sports gain t heir popularity by becoming mainstream sports (Kress, 2003; Ostrowski, 2002).While the increased interest in motivational factors draws scholars to conduct research to investigate psychological principles of dominant sport participants, research on sport consumers in extreme sports has not been a main focus of investigation within academic area of sport management and marketing. Hereafter, there is very little information in the literature regarding the characteristics of extreme sports and its consumer’s behavior. Considering the current trend and the future prospect of extreme sports, scientific and systematic analysis of sport consumers in the extreme sport industry needs to be conducted.In particular, in order to continue and improve the profitability and productivity of the extreme sport market, sport marketers should have better understanding of the fundamental needs and wants of extreme sports participants. Needs of Study The study of motivation in sports has been cond ucted in various segments such as general physical activities. As the market becomes competitive within the extreme sport industry, the lack of experiential research on sport consumers, the results will widen the gap between the academic and the practical field of knowledge regarding extreme sport consumers.To fill this gap within the sport industry and sport study, there is just as much need to explore the motivation of sport consumption. Without any understanding of the motives of sport customers, sport marketers cannot successfully achieve their marketing outcomes. Thus, an investigation of what motivates sport consumption would be the first step for future development of the action sport industry. Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze motivational factors of people who become involved in extreme sports.This study will advance the knowledge base of consumer motivation research in the field of sport marketing and provide implications for sport marketers within the emergi ng sport industry. This study is meaningful because the consumption motivation provides a more in-depth useful tool for determining the behavior of consumers than asking â€Å"why† (Beck, 1990). The Significance of the Study The goal of this study is to develop a better understanding of extreme sports consumers and action sport itself, then further investigate motivational factors of participants in action sports.Moreover, this research contributes to the extreme sport industry and the field of sport marketing by developing a knowledge base of extreme sport participants. Literature Review The literature review on the extreme sports industry regards the demographics, trends, characteristics of the sport consumer behavior and motivation of spectators, as well as participation in general sports. Through the process of reviewing motives of sport participants, the researcher will investigate the growth factors of extreme sports in business and the following importance of the motiv ation study: What is extreme sports?Who are targets? Why do people participate in extreme sports as consumers? What is the value of the motivational factors in sport concepts? Extreme sports are defined as a relatively new form of sport or â€Å"a combination of extraordinary individual achievement and unmatched personal enjoyment† (Rinehart & Sydnor, 2003, p. 3). Another interpretation for extreme sports is mostly individual sports that have risk, danger or unconventional rules or techniques which differ from dominant team sports (Bennett, Henson & Zhang, 2002). While dominant team sports like ootball and baseball are rooted in a traditional value such as cooperation, teamwork, character-building and group competition. The various types of sports that are called extreme sports are roller-blading, windsurfing, sky diving, dancing, surfing, BMX, mountain biking, eco-challenging, kayaking, white water sports, climbing, surfing, skateboarding, extreme skiing and snowboarding (Ri nehart & Sydnor, 2003). Thus, extreme sports participants or athletes often perform daredevil acrobatic stunts which are dangerous at high speed.They tend to show off skills for spectators and stimulate viewers to try to be like. Motivation is defined as an act of instance of motivating, or providing with a reason  to act in a certain way which serves as a factor in determining an individual’s behavior or social conduct in a given situation. As a mentioned that the motive of motivation study for consumers is based on aim to discover how influences the past or present behavior on current decision making of the consumer. In general, motivation is important tool for understanding consumer behavior.There are some words that have been introduced to the general public, such as; â€Å"dizzying,† â€Å"hyper caffeinated,† or â€Å"edgy, adrenaline- inducing pursuits† are used to describe their experience with extreme sports. They are conversant with the languag e of dominant sports (Spiegel, 1998). In the year 2003, Howe describe some extreme sports as having grown out of the board sport culture of snowboarding, derived from surfing and skateboarding (Howe, 2003). In the same way, there are many examples of new unoriginal typical sports like; BMX racing and mountain biking are rooted in cycling.Others are barefoot water skiing stems from traditional water skiing. In-line skating was developed from roller skating. In the journal article â€Å"Gender Differences in Beliefs about the Influence of Ability and Effort in Sport and Physical Activity† their study was to explore the different gender in reasoning about the relationships between natural ability, effort, practice, and final skill level, performance across sixteen physical activities at both recreational levels. Their participants were one hundred fifty three college students that had enrolled six physical activity classes.They completed two questionnaires. Their results indicat ed that in physical activity domains, male students tended to have a much better natural tempo ability that as a more significant for successful skill level and performance as female students did. Their beliefs seemed to vary for activities that are gender-linked. For all the participants, natural ability was viewed as more important at the recreational level. A strategy for practitioners and coaches was to use encouragement beliefs for effectiveness of developing a challenging for conception of sports as gender-typed and promoting the concept of sports for all.In the journal article â€Å"The Extreme Sports of Research†, Mr. Bartoletti discusses the steps shared from several members of the â€Å"Team Extreme Research† group and how their methods and practices went. The group talked about how extreme sports are having a major impact on youth sport activities. School-age athletes are attracted to the fun and excitement of extreme sports such as snowboarding, BMX cycling , and skateboarding. One of the original extreme sporting events, pole vaulting, is a unique and exciting event that has been part of the scholastic track and field program for more than half a century.What I found in â€Å"Situational state balances and participation motivation in youth sport: A reversal theory perspective† Their purpose of their study was to examine the relationship between situational state balances and motives for sport and physical activity participation in adolescents using the theoretical framework of reversal theory. Their participation motives and the interacting factors of their situational state balances, gender, and level of participation were examined. The secondary school students were ages about fourteen to twenty years old who participated in competitive or recreational sport.The factor analysis were the participation motives yielded factors to which ANOVAs and MANOVAs were applied with situational state balance, gender, and participation leve l as independent variables. Their factor analysis resulted in seven motive factors: status, team, friend, excitement, challenge, skill, energy release, fitness, and situational factors. Their ANOVAs and MANOVAs indicated significant differences in the sport motives between the situational state balances, genders, and levels of participation, and between pairs of situational state balance groups in males and females of competitive and recreational level.Methodology The purpose of this is to identify suitable methodological procedures. The methodology is described be the relation to the following aspects of the study: survey instrument scale, the research of the questionnaire and ANOVAs and MANOVAs data analysis procedures. Questions 1) What are the extreme sports motivational factors for the participants? 2) How many different motivational factors are there in extreme sports by gender and experience? Proceed of Study I will apply a survey instrument which was developed by McDonald, M ilne and Hong, in 2003.This will be examined to measure motivational factors of extreme sports participants because the existing scale is focused on motivations of both several sports participants and spectators. The survey instrument was modified by wording changes from existing scale through a field test and panel of experts and item purification through a trial test. As a second step for modifying the existing scale, a trial test was employed to test reliability of the survey instrument.The revised instrument by panel of experts was administrated to a representative sample of the target population. The researcher selected a convenience sample of students from the Sport Management classes of a large University. The participants of trial test will not be included in the final sample. The format for the survey instrument will be a seven-point format ranging from â€Å"1-10 grading scale. † With one being the lowest and ten begin the highest. Then a questionnaire will be appli ed of two parts.First, respondents will be asked to provide their demographic information and experiences regarding to extreme sports, such as gender, ethnic background, age, level of participants in action sports, a period of time that participation in extreme sports and type of extreme sports what they have participated in. The second part contained items of motivational factors in relation to participation in extreme sports. The survey instrument contains several items with many motivation scales. The researcher will scheduled for data collection from extreme sport competition at the X Game Sports, Freestyle Motocross World Championships.This competition, part of the Extreme Sports Championships, features the season-ending World Championships events for skateboarding, BMX, inline skating and freestyle motocross. The researcher sampled from the audiences who are interest in participating in extreme sports. The size of sample will deal with the age ranges between13-35. The research er employed trained staffs to survey at the competition. Each staff will provide survey packets, each containing a questionnaire, a cover letter explaining the purpose of the study and directions for completing the questionnaire, and pens.The survey instrument includes the following information: personal information, the purpose of the study, confidentiality, directions on responding to questions, and appreciation for the respondent’s cooperation. In the actual survey, the trained staff for the survey introduces the purpose of the study and explains specific procedures and methods to the subject before the data collection to minimize the non-response data missing. At this point, the collected data will be analyzed by using ANOVA and MANOVA to identify the significance of motivational factors of action sports participants. DiscussionsIt is important for sports marketers to understand basic needs of sport consumers. In particular, it is necessary to investigate the sport consum ption motivation in extreme sport based upon their demographic and psychographic characteristics (Bennett, Henson, & Zhang, 2003). However, there has not been organized research on extreme sport consumption motivation. This study examined motivation for extreme sports participants. Sport marketers may utilize this proposal to develop effective marketing strategies like market segmentation, differentiated program service offering to satisfy the needs and wants of extreme sports consumers.These results strengthen the relation between each groups and motivation factors to contribute to sport motivation studies. The unique contribution of the present study is verifying two new motivational factors; fun, enjoyment, trend and imitation. I think that the results may show that the mean score of fun and enjoyment will be the highest for both male and female groups although there was no significant difference between these two groups. Extreme sports participants will rate their fun and enjoym ent as the most important motive and considerable effects.Thus, that I did hypothesized that some participants in extreme sports might be involved in the activities based upon their elective choice for fun and enjoyment. Also, the mean score of trend and imitation may be somewhat high for gender groups and experience groups. I have recognized that younger people who are interested in winter sports such as skiing or skating move to new sports such as snowboarding and extreme skiing. The researcher considered that younger people attempt to follow their peer group not only for fashion or music trend but also for sports activities.With this happening the researcher made a decision to try to investigate by adding the trend and imitation to the existing motivation scale. Another important finding is that different characteristics of extreme sports like fun, enjoyment, risk-taking and aesthetics were rated higher than other motivational factors by extreme sports participants including, par ticularly among male and the expert-level experience groups. This outcome suggests that sport marketers in extreme sports should develop differentiated marketing strategies focused on male participants and expert-level participants.In general, an extreme sport has been considered to be emerging sports just for our generation. However, this study suggests different point of view for sports marketers and scholars. Interestingly, all board-sports like snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing in this study, these extreme sports ranked top three among thirteen types of extreme sports. It will allow academics and practitioners in extreme sports to accompany with other leading or traditional sports because extreme sports have its origin to the board culture, which has a long history (Howe, 1998).For this reason, sport marketers at the extreme sports industry may able to use the marketing strategies for leading sports as cross-promotion for extreme sports focusing on the targeted consumers. At the end of the day, the discussion of the present study will support practioners in the extreme sports industry in predicting the consumption behavior of action sports participants. Further, the present study may lead sports marketers and managers to utilize the motives found for effective marketing strategies. Accordingly, sport marketers in extreme sports could highlight their targeted promotion with present study ideas.To promote and move the sports consumer for successful sport marketing, the motivation based knowledge is the first step to be studied by scholars. For the future studies, I will apply ethnic background groups and different extreme sports events participant groups regarding extreme sports consumption behavior. Conclusion In conclusion, understanding consumer is fundamental to the marketing concept. This research of motivations factors are an important determinant of extreme sports consumer behavior. Future research is needed to better develop these constructs an d explore how motivation can be utilized as a segmenting tool.Such an understanding might lend itself to predicting the possibility of an individual engaging in various extreme sporting activities. Finally, sport consumption is a complicated activity in which participation and imputer are often twisted. While this study examined participation and imputer separately, future research is needed to under the relations and connections between these consumptions territory. References Bartoletti, S. (2011, April, May). The extreme sport of research. The Horn Book Magazine 87. p. 24-30 Beck, R. C. (1990). The nature of motivation theory.Motivation: theories and principles (3rd ed. ). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Bennett, G. , Henson, R. K. & Zhang, J. (2003). Perceived status of the action sports segmentamong college students. International Sports Journal, 7(1), 95-138. Cindy, H. P. , & Lindner, Koenraad, J. (2006). Situational state balances and participation motivation in you th sport: A reversal theory perspective. British Journal of Educational Psychology 76 , 369-384. Howe, S. (1998). (Sick): A cultural history of snowboarding. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Kress, A. (2003). To the extreme.The business Journal Phoenix. 23(48). 3 Li, Weidong; Lee, Amelia M; Solmon, Melinda A. (2006). Gender differences in beliefs about the influence of ability and effort in sport and physical activity. 147-156. Liberman, N. (2004). New heights or a crash landing? Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal,July 12-18, p 25. Ostrowski, J. (2002). Corporate America makes pitchmen of pariahs. Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal. Aug. 12-18, p. 19, 26. Rinehart, R. E. (2000). Arriving sport: Alternatives to formal sports, in Jay Coakley and EricDunning (eds. ), Handbook of Sports Studies.Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publication. Rinehart, R. E. & Sydnor, S. (eds. ). (2003). To the extreme: Alternative sports, inside and out. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Spiegel, P. (1998, December 14). Gen-X-tremist pitchmen. Forbes, 188. Sporting GoodsManufacturers Association (SMGA). (2001a). Sports Participation Top Line Report2000. North Palm Beach, FL: Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association. Stotlar, D. K. (2002). A decade of evolution: The sport industry. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 11(1), 55-58. http://www. dissertations. wsu. edu/Thesis/Fall2004/h_park_122104. pdf

Monday, September 16, 2019

Identity and Belonging

38 A Postcolonial study of Identity Crisis in Mohsin Hamid’s the Reluctant Fundamentalist Daryoosh Hayati Islamic Azad University, Iran Abstract: This essay will present a postcolonial study of Mohsin Hamid’s the Reluctant Fundamentalist. The basis for this research paper is the postcolonial theories of Edward Said, Fanon and Homi Bhabba. The aim is to question simply and sardonically the human cost of empire building, moreover it is discussed how the people in a totally alien culture are faced with different cultural predicaments, dilemmas as well as contradictions threatening their identity.Identity is supposed to be stable, while as this novel indicates, it is at risk due to the cultural conflicts as a result of which identity and ethnicity are subjected to change for the benefit of the hegemony. In line with Edward Said’s: â€Å" the East writes back† it is shown how this novel is a reaction to the discourse of colonization and welcomes de-colonization . Moreover it reflects the laments of the author for the terrorist label attributed to Muslims, in terms of globalization, supported by the hegemony and interpreted as essentialism.Key words: globalization, identity, postcolonial, binary oppositions, otherness, hegemony, hybridity and ethnicity. BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 39 Introduction: Post colonialism deals with the aftermath of colonialism. It is about the painstaking struggle of being independent. The society is no longer being oppressed; they are independent, free to be themselves again.However they’ve changed, their culture has changed now they need to figure out who they really are. In other words they are faced with identity related choices. Ex-colonies are to choose either to make an attempt to restore the original culture, or conform to the existing c olonizers’ culture or the creation of a new culture which combines both. In other words such nations are encountered by difficult decisions to make. Either to assimilate or dissimilate is the existential condition ex-colonies are exposed to. Such a question faces the ex-colonies with an unresolved predicament.The assimilation and adaptation of cultural practices, the cross-fertilization of cultures, can be seen as positive, enriching, and dynamic, as well as oppressive. â€Å"Hybridity† is also a useful concept for helping to break down the false sense that colonized cultures — or colonizing cultures for that matter — are monolithic, or have essential, unchanging features. The growth of â€Å"hybridity†Ã¢â‚¬â€the dissolution of rigid cultural boundaries between groups hitherto perceived as separate, the intermixture of various identities, in effect the dissolution of identities themselves.Much anthropology in this field demonstrates how identities have been and are invented, reinvented and shaped for political and other purposes, out of disparate historical and cultural experiences. Other studies have repeatedly shown that identities are driven with contradictions and are not to be understood as seamlessly unified comprehensive cultural entities, therefore impossible to go back to the original one. BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II.Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 40 Identities owe their formation and position in society to the operation of social, economic, cultural, and political forces that are inseparable from the forces that create and maintain socioeconomic groups. In this view, rather than being opposed, identity politics and class politics, while distinct, have the potential to be allied actors in a common political process.The three most influential theorists whose ideas regarding the causes o f the oriental identity being changed include: Fanon, Bhabha and Edward Said according to whom: ‘The Orient was almost a European invention, and had been since antiquity a place or romance, exotic beings, haunting memories and landscapes, remarkable experiences †¦ The Orient is nor only adjacent to Europe; it is also the place of Europe’s greatest and richest and oldest colonies, the source of its civilizations and languages, its cultural contestant, and one of its deepest and most recurring images of the Other.In addition, the Orient has helped to define Europe (or the West) as its contrasting image, idea, personality, experience. Yet none of this Orient is merely imaginative. The Orient is an integral part of European material civilization and culture. Orientalism expresses and represents that part culturally and even ideologically as a mode of discourse with supporting institutions, vocabulary, scholarship, imagery, doctrines, even colonial bureaucracies and col onial styles’†¦. ideas, cultures, and histories cannot seriously be understood or studied without their force, or more precisely their configurations of power, also being studied. To believe that the Orient was created – or, as I call it, â€Å"Orientalised† – and to BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 41 believe that such things happen simply as a necessity of the imagination, is to be disingenuous. The relationship between Occident and Orient is a relationship of power, of domination, of varying degrees of a complex hegemony’. Said, pp 30-35 and 60) Frantz Fanon stands as the second outstanding critic in the field whose ideas, together with those of Bhabha and Said provide a strong basis for the study of cultural influences in the field: ‘This cultural obliteration is made possible by the negation of national reality, by the new legal relations introduced by the occupying power, by the banishment of the natives and their customs to outlying districts by colonial society, by expropriation, and by the systematic enslaving of men and women †¦ Every effort is made to bring the colonized person to admit the inferiority of his culture which has been transformed into instinctive patterns of behaviour, to recognize the unreality of his â€Å"nation,† and, in the last extreme, the confused and imperfect character of his own biological structure. ’( Fanon, p. 58) Last but not the least, attention must be directed toward the theories Homi K. Bhabha known as Hybridity and the â€Å"Third Space†: ‘It is that Third Space, though unrepresentable in itself, which constitutes the discursive conditions of nunciation that ensure that the meaning and symbols of BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue â₠¬â€œ II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 42 culture have no primordial unity or fixity; that even the same signs can and be read appropriated, anew’†¦. ‘The translated, Western rehistoricized metropole must confront its postcolonial history, told by its influx of postwar migrants and refugees, as an indigenous or native narrative internal to its national identity; â€Å"The trouble with the English is that their hiss hiss history happened overseas, so they dodo don’t know what it means’. Bhabha, p, 15) Discussion: The reluctant fundamentalist is in line with the above mentioned views. The Reluctant Fundamentalist immediately de-stabilizes the â€Å"gaze† of the West upon the Islamic World. The novel’s opening sees Changez immigrating to the United States, attending Princeton, and receiving a high-stakes and much coveted entry-level position in a New York City business cons ulting firm, Underwood Samson. It would seem that he is the living embodiment of the American Dream, having toiled endless hours for these opportunities and possessing a bright, unbounded future. However, after the terrorist attacks on 9/11, his attitude toward the United States changes, especially as he becomes the target of racism and enhanced surveillance.By the conclusion, one is unsure whether or not this conversation partner is actually a CIA assassin dispatched to Pakistan to terminate Changez. Changez, constructed as a â€Å"modern† Muslim immigrant and anti-hero, sees fit to challenge the reductive lens that casts all Muslims as religious fanatics and backwards zealots. BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 43 The novel ultimately poses the interesting stance that neo-liberalism exists as its own form of fundamenta lism; the West’s utter devotion to the precepts of a laissez-faire economic policy has generated a totalizing view of the globe as a terrain to be mined and exploited.Those who do not follow this mantra can necessarily be considered a â€Å"threat,† and in this novel’s case, very much a terrorist threat. This intervention places into relief the ways in which the West might not necessarily view its own economic activities critically enough. Underwood Samson, in Changez’s view, is the clear example of the soullessness of the West. The company does not generate a purchasable product, but is yet extremely sought after for its ability to â€Å"evaluate† other companies. That is, their job epitomizes capitalism to its very core through the ability to place â€Å"value† on objects, structures, bodies or processes. Where Changez finds root is in a Pakistani culture that does not subscribe to this same system of â€Å"beliefs. Although Changezâ€⠄¢s Underwood Samson advisor, Jim, appeals to him through the sentiment that Underwood Samson cannot be conflated with American economic policies at large, the novel concludes with Changez retreating into the confines of nationalisms and discrete boundary points. For him, Underwood Samson merely operates as an appendage of American â€Å"fundamentalism,† one that must be combated through Pakistani economic independence. The Reluctant Fundamentalist is the story of a man who is surprised by the intensity of his reactions when he perceives a threat to his cultural identity. â€Å"Beware the Dark Side, young Skywalker,† a colleague tells Changez at the induction party.This is said in jest, but the Star Wars legend of a youngster who betrays his own kind for an evil Empire, in the process losing his soul and turning into a mechanical man, will uncomfortably resonate with Changez’s own integration into American life. Later in the narrative, he will BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 44 hear about the Janissaries, â€Å"the Christian boys who were captured and trained to be soldiers in a Muslim army, at that time the greatest army in the world†¦they had fought to erase their own civilizations, so they had nothing else to turn to†.These analogies will tap into his deep-rooted fears: the fear of contributing to the wealth-generation of the most powerful empire in the world even while his own country languishes in poverty and he feels like a stranger on each successive visit to Lahore. The fear of a shrinking â€Å"global world† where â€Å"global† is defined in terms of the US model. The fear of becoming, inadvertently, a foot-soldier in America’s march of progress, as a result his identity resembles that of Janissaries. And yet this young man, who would certa inly at some point have thought of himself as a citizen of the world, unconfined by narrow domestic walls, slowly becomes defensive about his identity.Early on, he has already been discomfited by little things: watching his colleagues part with large sums of money, for instance, reminds him of the poverty in his country, and on a business trip to Manila he is mortified to discover that even this (Eastern) city is so much wealthier than Lahore: I felt like a distance runner who thinks he is not doing too badly until he glances over his shoulder and sees that the fellow who is lapping him is not the leader of the pack but one of the laggards. (p. 176) But after the 9/11 attacks and the racial profiling that accompanies it, he becomes ever more conscious of the need to define himself, and this leads to disaffection with his adopted country. Changez’s dilemmas are complicated by his feelings for a girl named Erica, a fellow Princetonian; they become close but she is haunted by he rBARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 45 memories of a deceased boyfriend, and an awkward lovemaking scene shows us that Changez’s relationship with her mirrors his relationship with the US – he can possess her only by pretending to be someone he is not, by relinquishing his own sense of self. And though the book ends on an ambiguous note, refusing to divulge the extent to which Changez has traded one fundamentalism for another, we understand how an unbridgeable divide, an atmosphere of mutual distrust, can be created between cultures.In other words, Bhabha argues that cultural identities cannot be ascribed to pre-given, irreducible, scripted, a historical cultural traits that define the conventions of ethnicity. Nor can â€Å"colonizer† and â€Å"colonized† be viewed as separate entities that define t hemselves independently. Instead, Bhabha suggests that the negotiation of cultural identity involves the continual interface and exchange of cultural performances that in turn produce a mutual and mutable recognition (or representation) of cultural difference. As Bhabha argues, this â€Å"liminal† space is a â€Å"hybrid† site that witnesses the production–rather than just the reflection–of cultural meaning:The novel’s central point is the pride of the American empire which is built on the guts of finance: â€Å"Finance was a primary means by which the American empire exercised its power. † A mirror, reflecting the mutual suspicion with which America and Pakistan (or the Muslim world) look at one another. â€Å"Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance? Ah, I see I have alarmed you. Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America. † So begins Changez’s monologue that charts the rise and fall of this man, from Princet on University, to employment in a prestigious firm, his love for BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II.ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 46 a fellow New Yorker named Erica, to the increasing suspicion he feels after the destruction of the World Trade Centre, and the escalating conflict in his home country of Pakistan, which he watches from across the Atlantic, powerless to help. What distinguishes The Reluctant Fundamentalist is its monologue form. Changez is relating his tale to an American who may or may not be CIA and Changez may or may not be a terrorist. The duality that this text invokes is mirrored through the possibly radicalisation Changez undergoes and the loss of mind that befalls Erica.At the end of this superbly powerful narrative every character is left hanging off metaphorical and literal cliffs (or having gone over them) that one is reminded that th is is simply not a story of a rise and fall, but is concerned with events that happened after the fall, for falling is only but the beginning of one story. The study of identity is in most cases associated with considering the changes in circumstances or a one's personality. Colonies go through many changes throughout their existence. When looking at pre-colonialism, one sees the area’s original culture. Their beliefs and customs run smoothly in a functioning society. Colonialism changes everything.In almost all cases of colonialism, the norms, beliefs and cultural values of the larger power are forced upon all of the colonies natives. This is because the colonizer believes that the natives are â€Å"savages† and need to be civilized. The natives have no choice but to accept these new ways of life. The settlers' technology is more advanced and they could easily wipe out all natives who refuse to conform to the new culture. This is where the depletion of their culture b egins. Natives stop practicing their religion. In most cases they convert to Christianity, mainly because it is forced onto them. In order to communicate BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 47 ith the colonizers or the settlers, they start speaking the settlers' language. Soon enough their own is lost. After so many years of colonialism, the natives become similar to their colonizers. The colonizers control education, therefore they control the thoughts and ideas absorbed by the youth. Natives' children absorb the new culture and ideas at a young age. Because of this, the original culture is lost in new generations. The colonizer is a brute force which oppresses the natives. In the fight of this oppression, independence is fought for and a culture that has almost been forgotten is once again sought after. What is left of the ori ginal culture?The representation of these uneven and often hybrid, polyglot, multivalent cultural sites (reclaimed or discovered colonized cultures searching for identity and meaning in a complex and partially alien past) may not look very much like the representations of bourgeois culture in western art, ideologically shaped as western art is to represent its own truths (that is, guiding fictions) about itself. To quote Homi Bhabha on the complex issue of representation and meaning from his article in Greenblatt and Gun's Redrawing the Boundaries: Culture as a strategy of survival is both transnational and translational. It is transnational because contemporary ostcolonial discourses are rooted in specific histories of cultural displacement, whether they are the middle passage of slaver and indenture, the voyage out of the civilizing mission, the fraught accommodation of Third World migration to the West after the Second World War, or the traffic of economic and political refugees within and outside the Third World. BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 48 Culture is translational because such spatial histories of displacement — now accompanied by the territorial ambitions of global media technologies — make the question of how culture signifies, or what is signified by culture, a rather complex issue.It becomes crucial to distinguish between the semblance and similitude of the symbols across diverse cultural experiences -literature, art, music, ritual, life, death — and the social specificity of each of these productions of meaning as they circulate as signs within specific contextual locations and social systems of value. The transnational dimension of cultural transformation — migration, diaspora, displacement, relocation – makes the process of cultural translation a co mplex form of signification. the natural(ized), unifying discourse of nation , peoples , or authentic folk tradition, those embedded myths of cultures particularity, cannot be readily referenced. The great, though unsettling, advantage of this position is that it makes you increasingly aware of the construction of culture and the invention of tradition. (P. 178)In as much as Changez can see that the United States turns to a reductive patriotism in the light of the â€Å"age of terror,† his equally resistant and myopic gaze constrains him into a perspective where the very few American individuals can be seen beyond their economic ferocity or racist jingoism. In addition, Changez’s Pakistani nationalism seems to subvert any possibility for a larger Third World sensibility that he had espoused earlier in the novel. Whereas Pakistan and Afghanistan are both likened to victims BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. IS SN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 49 in America’s â€Å"war on terror,† it seems particularly problematic that Changez does not expand his scope to include the various other â€Å"Third World† nations that have been targeted by America’s economic or military fundamentalisms.By introducing these, Hamid seems to suggest that Changez’s story acts as its own polemic toward the ways that the West can produce the so-called â€Å"terrorist† through and by false oppositions that construct the unequivocal Muslim or Arab as outsider to the nation. The novel imagines the possibility that fundamentalism has many guises, both religiously grounded and secular. The questions it thus provokes are inherently some of the most valuable elements to the current issues related to international security. Regarding the â€Å"war on terror,† Jean Baudrillard has written, â€Å"It is therefore a cla sh neither of civilizations nor of religions, and this goes far beyond Islam and America, upon which one attempts to focus the conflict in order to give oneself the illusion of a visible confrontation, and solution, by the use of force† (406). Baudrillard disrupts the binary that Changez seems most ervent to posit and in doing so, perhaps unveils a different root source for an existing conflict: But the fourth world war is elsewhere. It is what haunts all world order, all hegemonic domination. If Islam dominated the world, terrorism would rise against Islam. It is the very world itself that resists globalization (407). Born in Pakistan, educated at Princeton and currently the hottest new employee at a New York firm specialising in ruthless appraisals of ailing BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 50 companies being targeted for takeover, Changez recognises himself in the description. I was a modern-day janissary,† he observes, â€Å"a servant of the American empire at a time when it was invading a country with a kinship to mine †¦ † The recognition ( empire is doomed to failure, as the world itself is against hegemony) completes a process of inward transformation that began when he realised he was half-gladdened by the World Trade Center attacks, and it now prompts him to sabotage his own high-flying career, to give up his pursuit of the beautiful, troubled Wasp princess Erica and go back to Lahore. There, bearded and generally re-acculturated, he meets an American in a restaurant in the Old Anarkali district, and buttonholes him with his life story.The novel is his monologue: a quietly told, cleverly constructed fable of infatuation and disenchantment with America, set on the treacherous faultiness of current binary East/West relations, and finely tuned to the ironies of mutual but especially American prejudice and misrepresentation. The richest instance of the latter is in the way it plays with the idea of fundamentalism itself. From the title, and from the increasingly tense atmosphere arising between Changez and his American listener, the expectation is that Changez is moving towards the revelation that he has gone, however â€Å"reluctantly†, all the way over to the dark side of Islamic fundamentalism, and is possibly, even as he speaks, rchestrating some Daniel Pearl-like execution of his perhaps literally captive audience. But in a neat – arguably too neat – reversal, it transpires that the real fundamentalism at issue here is that of US capitalism, specifically that practised by Changez's former employer, Underwood Samson, whose motto, as they do BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Servi ces 51 their pitiless bit for globalisation, is â€Å"Focus on the fundamentals†. The subverted expectation very efficiently forces one to reconsider one's preconceptions about such words and their meanings, and a point is duly scored for relativism.Changez pithily summarises, for instance, the experience of every happy Manhattan transplant when he declares: â€Å"I was, in four and a half years, never an American; I was immediately a New Yorker. † And his figure for that city in its ominously flag-bedecked state following the 9/11 attacks – â€Å"I wondered what manner of host would sally forth from so grand a castle† – is perfect both as a visual image and as a deepening of the book's running theme in which the triumphalist militarism of the US is repeatedly mapped over the ruined glory of the old Mughal empire. To be fair, the allegory isn't as glibly intrusive as that makes it sound, but it has a stiffening effect on the narrative, shifting it from the dramatic to the essayistic.It's no great surprise to hear Changez drop his sinuously selfdeprecating manner towards the end, in favour of something more fingerwaggingly polemical: I had always resented the manner in which America conducted itself in the world; your country's constant interference in the affairs of others was insufferable. Vietnam, Korea, the straits of Taiwan †¦ (p. 179) BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 52 Assimilation is another aspect of Changeez’s identity, but as earlier discussed his identity is subjected to inevitable dichotomies.In fact assimilation is a process that presupposes contradictions. But surely it is the gist that matters; I am, after all, telling you a history, and in history, as I suspect you – an American – will agree, it is the thrust of one’s na rrative that counts, not the accuracy of one’s details. (p. 118) When Changez talks of his attempt to assimilate, the reader is struck by the dishonesty of that attempt: I attempted to act and speak, as much as my dignity would permit, more like an American. The Filipinos we worked with seemed to look up to my American colleagues, accepting them almost instinctively as members of the officer class of global business-and I wanted my share of that respect as well. (p. 5) Later, Changez seems to recognize, for the first time, how ineffectual his efforts are: Then one of my colleagues asked me a question, and when I turned to answer him, something rather strange took place. I looked at him – at his fair hair and light eyes and, most of all, his oblivious immersion in the minutiae of our work – and thought, you are so foreign. (p. 67) The book is about Changez's change or realization, which transforms him from an American financial analyst from Princeton to an indivi dual BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 53 reintroduced to his cultural identity and family.The book begins when Changez accepts a job at a valuation firm and begins a relationship with an American girl named Erica. During the story, 9-11 occurs and the IndianPakistani conflict arises. Changez sees America's global role as one of selfinterest and he feels as though he is leaving behind his natural culture and identity. The Reluctant Fundamentalist does not delve into religious fundamentalism much at all, nor does it go into any detail about criticism of the foreign policy of the United States. It focuses around Changez inner struggle, his relationship with Erica, his relationship with his work, and his continuing desire for resolution in his sense of identity.After all, it seemed to be one of the several Post-September11 novels on the themes of immigrant identity and allegiance in the context of America’s changing international relations. In addition to Changez, another haunting character in the novel is Erica, Changez’s frail American girl friend. A typical privileged American girl, Erica is different in that she has suffered a tragedy and is unable to pull herself out of it enough to let Changez in her life. Again, Erica remains somewhat of an unbelievable character until you suddenly realize that the author probably meant Erica as an allegorical representation for America ‘(I) Am Erica’ and then it all falls into place. America, caught up in its own past and struggling with its own nostalgia, is unable to accept Changez.This prompts a deepening examination of his identity, his allegiances, and his relationship with America. Parallels are implied between Muslim countries and the doomed employees of the companies Changez evaluates. The key here is not religion, but corporate ca pitalism and traumatic BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 54 economic change. Changez’s boss Jim says, â€Å"We came from places that were wasting away. † He means, on the one hand, Pakistan, and on the other, old industrial America. There’s plenty of on-target comment about American reaction to September 11th.Like this: I had always thought of America as a nation that looked forward; for the first time I was struck by its determination to look back. Living in New York was suddenly like living in a film about the Second World War; I, a foreigner, found myself staring out at a set that ought to be viewed not in Technicolour but in grainy black and white. What your fellow countrymen longed for was unclear to me – a time of unquestioned dominance? of safety? of moral certainty? I did not know – b ut that they were scrambling to don the costumes of another era was apparent. I felt treacherous for wondering whether that era was fictitious, and whether – if it could indeed be animated – it contained a part written for someone like me (p. 68).The attack on the empire makes Changez aware of America as an empire, responsible for his identity crisis. The final straw for him is when he hears someone describing the Janissaries, the Christian slaves taken as boys from their parents by the Ottoman Empire and turned into an elite warrior class to defend the sultan. Is Changez a latter-day reversed Janissary? In an effective subplot, Changez has a girlfriend who is obsessed by the memory of her dead boyfriend. In her depression, â€Å"She glowed with BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 55 something not unlike the fervo ur of the devout. †(p. 6) Themes of nostalgia and commingled, confused identities seep into other parts of the novel, where they are relevant to Changez, Pakistan, and the United States. Several other parts of the novel discuss the causes of his hybrid identity as well as his contradictory actions and reactions to the Western culture. The following points of the novel reveal Changez’ multiple identities, proving him neither belonging to the East, nor to the West: Changez’ irritation with the cultural insensitivity in the United States is one of the cases in which his identity is challenged. Changez holidays in Greece with a group of Princetonians, where he first becomes enamored with Erica.He describes behavior he observed which irritated him: The ease with which they parted with money†¦thinking nothing of the occasional – but not altogether infrequent – meal costing perhaps fifty dollars a head. Or their self-righteousness in dealing with thos e whom they had paid for a service. â€Å"But you told us,† they would say to Greeks twice their age, before insisting things be done their way. I, with my finite and depleting reserve of cash and my traditional sense of deference to one’s seniors, found myself wondering by what quirk of human history my companions – many of whom I would have regarded as upstarts in my own country, so devoid of refinement were they – were in a position to conduct themselves in the world as though they were its ruling class. (p. 27) The disturbance Changez experienced when he compared America and Pakistan Looking down on New York from his office, over a hundred meters above, BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 56 Changez realizes he is standing in a different world from Pakistan with his feet supported by â€Å"the mo st technologically advanced civilization our species had ever known. †(135) He reflects to the quiet American: Often, during my stay in your country, such comparisons troubled me. In fact, they did more than trouble me: they made me resentful.Four thousand years ago, we, the people of the Indus River basin, had cities that were laid out on grids and boasted underground sewers, while the ancestors of those who would invade and colonize America were illiterate barbarians. Now our cities were largely unplanned, unsanitary affairs, and America had universities with individual endowments greater than our national budget for education. To be reminded of this vast disparity was, for me, to be ashamed. (p. 136) Changez’ sense of humiliation at feeling the need to act like an American Changez recalls a business trip to Manila where he explains: I attempted to act and speak, as much as my dignity would permit, more like an American.The Filipinos we worked with seemed to look up t o my American colleagues, accepting them almost instinctively as members of the officer class of global business – and I wanted my share of that respect as well. BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 57 So I learned to tell executives my father’s age, ‘I need it now’; I learned to cut to the front of lines with an extraterritorial smile; and I learned to answer, when asked where I was from, that I was from New York. Did these things trouble me, you ask? Certainly, sir; I was often ashamed. But outwardly I gave no sign of this. (p. 118)On this same trip he becomes particularly disoriented at receiving an openly hostile stare from the driver of a jeepney. Later when one of his American colleagues spoke to him, Changez remembers: I looked at him – at his fair hair and light eyes and, most of all, his obvious immersion in the minutiae of our work – and thought, you are so foreign. I felt in that moment much closer to the Filipino driver than to him; I felt I was play-acting when in reality I ought to be making my way home, like the people on the street outside. (p. 135) The destruction of the twin towers Changez’ sense of unease with America has already been well and truly simmering away, as the above points, all made early in the novel, make clear.This is how Changez recalls what happened as he realized what he was watching was not fiction but news: I stared as one – and then the other – of the twin towers of New York’s BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 58 World Trade Center collapsed. And then I smiled. Yes, despicable as it may sound, my initial reaction was to be remarkably pleased. C hangez sees the evident disgust in the face of his American listener and notices his large hand clenching into a fist. He then hastens to assure him that he is no sociopath, who is indifferent to the suffering of others. He admits his own sense of perplexity at his sense of pleasure at the slaughter of thousands of innocents. He reflects:But at that moment, my thoughts were not with the victims of the attack – death on television moves me most when it is fictitious and happens to characters with whom I have built up relationships over multiple episodes – no, I was caught up in the symbolism of it all, the fact that someone had so visibly brought America to her knees. (p. 110) These words only serve to intensify the displeasure of his American listener Changez challenges. Moreover attention must be paid to the fact that he cannot be completely innocent of such feelings about himself. Thus, he feels no joy at the video clips of American munitions laying waste the structu res of his enemies.Changez’s experience of being treated as a possible terrorist As soon as the team was able to Manila Changez finds himself escorted by armed guards into a room where he is made to strip down to his boxer shorts. He is the last person to board the plane and recalls: BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 59 I flew to New York uncomfortable in my own face: I was aware of being under suspicion; I felt guilty; I tried therefore to be as nonchalant as possible; this naturally led to my becoming stiff and self-conscious. (p. 99) Upon arriving back in New York he is again separated from his team at immigration and ends up being subjected to another inspection.His team didn’t wait for him , so he was forced to travel to Manhattan that evening â€Å"very much alone. † Changez’s anger at America ’s shrewd reflections of Muslim nations For two weeks after America began to bomb Afghanistan Changez avoids the evening news. Then one evening he chances â€Å"upon a newscast with ghostly night-vision images of American troops dropping into Afghanistan for what was described as a daring raid on a Taliban command post. † Changez recalls: My reaction caught me by surprise; Afghanistan was Pakistan’s neighbour, our friend, and a fellow Muslim nation besides, and the sight of what I took to be the beginning of its invasion by your countrymen caused me to tremble with fury. 58) Changez also bristles at the stereotypical and imperialistic manner in which American television cast Pakistanis, without any respect shown for their proud history: BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 60 For we were not always burdened b y debt, dependent on foreign aid and handouts; in the stories we tell of ourselves we were not the crazed and destitute radicals you see on your television channels but rather saints and poets and – yes – conquering kings. We built the Royal Mosque and the Shalimar Gardens in this city, and we built the Lahore Fort with its mighty walls and wide ramp for our battle-elephants.And we did these things when your country was still a collection of thirteen small colonies, gnawing away at the edge of a continent. (p. 60) Changez’ growing need to assert his own identity Returning to America, following his trip back to Lahore, Changez, despite knowing the difficulties it might pose at immigration, resolves to keep his beard: It was, perhaps, a form of protest on my part, a symbol of my identity, or perhaps I sought to remind myself of the reality I had just left behind; I do not now recall my precise motivations. I know only that I did not wish to blend in with the army of clean-shaven youngsters who were my co-workers, and that inside me, for multiple reasons, I was deeply angry. 134) Back in America he finds that his beard does make him an object of verbal abuse by complete strangers and an object of suspicion in the workplace, but refuses to shave it off. BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 61 Changez’ decision to distance himself from American imperialism on the plane back to New York he now realizes: I had always resented the manner in which America conducted itself in the world; your country’s constant interference in the affairs of others was insufferable. Vietnam, Korea, the straits of Taiwan, the Middle East, and now Afghanistan: in each of the major conflicts and standoffs that ringed my mother continent of Asia, America played a central role.Moreover I knew from my expe rience as a Pakistani – of alternating periods of American aid and sanctions – that finance was a primary means by which the American empire exercised its power. It was right for me to refuse to participate any longer in facilitating this project of domination; the only surprise was that I had required so much time to arrive at my decision. As a result of the discovery of the America’s true intentions and ill-natured cultural identity, he decides to distance himself from the imperialism. Moreover; he feels responsible to inform people, even the ignorant ones in America, of the true driving forces behind their policies and the US led wars and campaigns against the third world countries. Changez sees America’s post 9/11 actions as an engagement only in posturing He confronts his American listener:BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 62 As a society, you were unwilling to reflect upon the shared pain that united you with those who attacked you. You retreated into myths of your own difference, assumptions of your own superiority. And you acted out these beliefs on the stage of the world, so that the entire planet was rocked by the repercussions of your tantrums, not least my family, now facing war thousands of miles away. Such an America had to be stopped in the interests not only of the rest of humanity, but also in your own.Changez becoming active in stirring up anti-America sentiment as another reflection of his identity. Now having secured a position as a university lecturer he makes it his mission on campus â€Å"to advocate a disengagement from your country by mine. † He discovers that it was not difficult to persuade his students to participate in demonstrations for greater independence in Pakistan’s domestic and international affairs. He observes that such demon strations were labeled by the foreign press as anti-American. Changez claims no inside knowledge of an alleged attempt on the part of one of his students to assassinate a coordinator of an American effort to provide development assistance to Pakistan’s rural poor.Conclusion It has been suggested that globalization is a myth and that what is actually taking place is the spread of American values, power and products across the globe. Globalization is not a myth and that far from a backlash against BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 63 American hegemony, many other peoples, state and businesses are modeling themselves on America. Most people, for whom Changeez stands as an example, who examine the effects of globalization, recognize that it is having both cultural and economic impacts everywhere its forces are manifested.Wh ile no one denies the significance of economic globalization impacts, it may well be that the cultural effects of this process ultimately exert a far greater impact on the world. Skillfully, the novel has played out the fear, suspicion and hatred that now characterizes American-Muslim relations. It does this particularly by building up the tension between the quiet American and a hostile, intimidating waiter who comes from a tribe with spans both sides of the border with neighboring Pakistan. The novel will finish with this hostility being brought to an undisclosed conclusion, just as the end of the story of American-Muslim conflict remains to be written. As the book moves to this open ending, Changez comments:It seems an obvious thing to say, but you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorists, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins. The important thing about this book is not so much whether the reader agrees with this c ritique of America or not. What this novel does show is how anti-America feeling might develop and indicates various key factors that may shape such perspectives and identities. In particular, it is crucial to avoid stereotypes that simplistically presume that anti-Americanism on the part of a Muslim must be produced by Islamic indoctrination. This novel BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. om/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 64 demonstrates that it is possible for a Muslim to develop contempt for America on substantially non-religious grounds. Not long before 9/11, Changez considered New York the seat of the American empire, a civilization whose awe-inspiring achievements surpassed even the greatness of Mt. Everest. Now, Changez sees New York as separate from America, because America has taken on a new meaning. It is no longer a great, cutting-edge civilization. Wh en Changez deplanes after his flight from Valparaiso, he sees New York as an imperial city of old: â€Å"I was struck by how traditional your empire appeared.Armed sentries manned the check post at which I sought entry; being of a suspect race I was quarantined and subjected to additional inspection; once admitted I hired a charioteer who belonged to a serf class lacking the requisite permissions to abide legally and forced therefore to accept work at lower pay; I myself was a form of indentured servant whose right to remain was dependent upon the continued benevolence of my employer. † (157) Once Changez realizes that the American empire is like any other, he also understands that his supposed privileges—his job, his apartment, his expense account—are really the chains that bind him in service to America.Quite opposite from â€Å"the most technologically advanced civilization† in history, it is no better for him than the British Empire was for those of l ow caste. Hamid uses the predator/prey dichotomy to cultivate a relationship of mutual suspicion between Changez and the American. It is unclear which of them is BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services 65 the predator and which of them is the prey, or whether the danger is only perceived and not actual. Bibliography Ania Loomba, Colonialism-Postcolonialism, www. wikipedia. org accessed May/10/2011. Baudrillard, Jean. â€Å"L'Esprit du Terrorisme. † The South Atlantic Quarterly. 101. 2 (Spring 2002): 403-415.David Punter, Postcolonial Imaginings: Fictions of a New World Order Edward Said, Orientalism; Culture and Imperialism Fanon, â€Å"The Wretched of the Earth†, NATC, p. 1587. G Spivak, The Postcolonial Critic Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. New York, NY: Harcourt, 2007. Homi K. Bhabha, The Location of C ulture; Nation and Narration John McLeod, Beginning Postcolonialism P. Williams and L. Chrisman (eds), Colonial Discourse and Post-Colonial Theory Timothy Brennan, Salman Rushdie and the Third World About the Author – Daryoosh Hayati- Department of English, Lamerd Branch. Islamic Azad University, Iran. [email  protected] ac. ir BARNOLIPI – An Interdisciplinary Journal – Volume – II. Issue – II. ISSN 2249 –2666 www. reflectionedu. com/barnolipi. php  © REFLECTION Mentoring Services