Primordialism and Ethnic Conflict A brief review of Walker Connors “Beyond Reason The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond” Essay Example

Primordialism and Ethnic Conflict: A brief review of Walker Connors â€Å"Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond† Essay The reading titled â€Å"Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond†, written by Walker Connor, will provide the contextual background for this think-piece exercise. The central argument of the author is that ethno-national bond is much stronger than patriotic bond. The basis for the formation of ethno-national bonds are never fully based on fact and evidence, but rather on some vague but convincing feeling of kinship within a group of people. In other words, the concept of ethno-nationality appeals to the notion of common genetic inheritance alongside other tangible aspects such as language, culture, religion, etc. The author presents a wide range of examples to support the aforementioned thesis. By perusing relevant scholarship, the author does make a persuasive case for the superiority of ethno-national bonds over patriotic bonds. The notion of common ethnicity has played a significant role throughout the history of human civilization, whereas patriotism as is presently understood is a relatively new phenomenon – only with the emergence of modern democratic institutions and the establishment of nation-states did patriotism gain currency in political discourse. While the reading is not didactic, the author does suggest some key lessons. For example, W. Connor gives examples from the era of fascism during the 1930s to support his claim that ethno-national feeling is stronger in nature than patriotism. If one were to classify all such examples given by the author, it becomes evident that the concept of ethno-nationalism has more often than not been abused by astute political leaders to gain power. If one were to evaluate ethno-nationality’s role in human history, it would appear that it has generally been a destructive force. While admitting that patriotism is no more benign than ethno-nationalism, I came away with the impression that these vague conceptions are anachronistic to the realities of contemporary world polity. We will write a custom essay sample on Primordialism and Ethnic Conflict: A brief review of Walker Connors â€Å"Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond† specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Primordialism and Ethnic Conflict: A brief review of Walker Connors â€Å"Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Primordialism and Ethnic Conflict: A brief review of Walker Connors â€Å"Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond† specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Work Cited: Connor W. â€Å"Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethnonational Bond† in Connor (ed.) Ethnonationalism, Princeton University Press, 1994. The journal article by James Coleman titled Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital talks in detail about the concept of Social Capital. The author identifies three predominant forms in which social capital manifests: â€Å"obligations and expectations, information channels, and social norms†. Social structural conditions under which social capital is created are explained in detail. He prefers the ‘rational action paradigm’, whereby social capital is useful for constructive social action. The author takes surveys of high school students in America to validate his theories and assumptions. Coleman’s criticizes both the dominant analytic paradigms of social action. Under the sociological model, the actor is seen as socialized and the action governed by social norms, rules and obligations. The â€Å"principal virtues of this intellectual stream lie in its ability to describe action in social context and to explain the way action is shaped, constrained, and .

Medical School Personalities Essay Sample

Medical School Personalities Essay SampleMost of the questions asked about personal characteristics essay sample ask what to put in it. They need to know what information to write, how much, and when to write it. There are several things you should consider before you begin.First, it is very likely that a lot of the questions will come from friends or family members who have attended your school. So it's best if you start by getting their permission. In this case, you have to be careful to honor their request for confidentiality and not give away too much information. Here are some questions to ask them.What kind of education did you receive from your school? If you have attended college, you should probably mention the name of the school and the kind of college that you attended. You can say that you have taken courses that were an extension of the curriculum in your college.What were your physical characteristics? Do you remember the year when you received your personal characteris tic? If you are a person with a physical characteristic like shortness of breath, you should write that down.What were the reasons why you gained this notable trait? What do you do now that you use this quality as part of your personality? This may not apply to every person, but there are some people who have a visible trait that is a result of childhood experiences. They are a part of their present personality.When you choose to write about your personal characteristics, you can make a statement that applies to the entire group. If you write that you are the leader of your team, your essay may be referred to as the leader personal characteristics essay sample.When you write about your personal characteristics, it is important to write about your experience. Do not describe everything that is important to you in detail. You should state that you have one notable trait or that you use this trait often. However, the examples that you provide in your essay should give readers a good id ea of what your personality is like.Remember that when you write about your personal characteristics, the essay must show what you like about yourself. It must also tell what you dislike about yourself. Just be sure that the essay is brief enough to not overwhelm your reader.

Free Essays on Creationism Vs Evolution

, it is logical thought process instead of experimentation. Philosophy can be broken down into many categories, so I narrowed down to two: theology, and evolution. Theology, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary (2001), is â€Å"the study of the nature of God and religious truth† (p.848). Theologists believe that God created the universe, the stars, the planets, and the people that occupy them. God has created a special place called heaven; where good people go that believe in him. Along with this special place, he created hell. Hell is a place where bad people go, as well as those that do not believe in him. Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher who created the Pascal Wager to prove that there was a God. He did not use any experiments to prove the existence of God, but rather, he used his self-interest in God as his guide. He stated that it was a better â€Å"bet† (Wikipedia 2004), to believe in God because the outcome would be better than if one did not believe. Pascal felt it was a wise decision to believe in God, if for nothing else, to cover ourselves just in case. Pascal’s Wager (Holt 2004) states the following: It is possible that the Christian God exists and it is possible that the Christian God does not exist. If one believes in the Christian God then, if he exists then one receives an infinitely great reward and if he does not exist then one loses little or nothing. If one does not believe in the Christian God then if he exists then one receives an infinitely great punishment and if he does not exist then one gains little or nothing. It is better to either receive an infinitely great reward or lose little or noth... Free Essays on Creationism Vs Evolution Free Essays on Creationism Vs Evolution Philosophy, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary (2001), is the â€Å"investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical methods† (p.633). In other words, it is logical thought process instead of experimentation. Philosophy can be broken down into many categories, so I narrowed down to two: theology, and evolution. Theology, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary (2001), is â€Å"the study of the nature of God and religious truth† (p.848). Theologists believe that God created the universe, the stars, the planets, and the people that occupy them. God has created a special place called heaven; where good people go that believe in him. Along with this special place, he created hell. Hell is a place where bad people go, as well as those that do not believe in him. Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, and religious philosopher who created the Pascal Wager to prove that there was a God. He did not use any experiments to prove the existence of God, but rather, he used his self-interest in God as his guide. He stated that it was a better â€Å"bet† (Wikipedia 2004), to believe in God because the outcome would be better than if one did not believe. Pascal felt it was a wise decision to believe in God, if for nothing else, to cover ourselves just in case. Pascal’s Wager (Holt 2004) states the following: It is possible that the Christian God exists and it is possible that the Christian God does not exist. If one believes in the Christian God then, if he exists then one receives an infinitely great reward and if he does not exist then one loses little or nothing. If one does not believe in the Christian God then if he exists then one receives an infinitely great punishment and if he does not exist then one gains little or nothing. It is better to either receive an infinitely great reward or lose little or noth...

Exam questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Exam questions - Essay Example Although it may be tempting to view US foreign aid in the post-war era as a type of benevolent gifting to the lesser developed regions of the globe, the fact of the matter is that each and every foreign aid decision in means by which loans, foreign direct investment, trade preference, or need was directed had a definitive purpose and goal in mind. As a result of the Second World War, the United States was placed in a unique position of authority in a newly differentiated bipolar global system. Undisputed dominance within the Pacific allowed the United States to extend trade to regions of the world that it had not fully integrated with previously. The presence of United States military personnel on outposts as diverse as Guam, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Norway, and a litany of others allowed for the formation of the new empire in which the United States would come head-to-head for a period of approximately 40 years with the Soviet Union. Within such a dynamic and such a level of understanding , the rationale and motivation for engaging in the Marshall Plan is readily seen. Again, although the Marshall plan has been incorrectly viewed by many historical sources as merely a means to rebuild Europe after the devastation of war, the ulterior motive that drove this was twofold. The first reason why the United States actively engaged in the Marshall plan was as a means to rebuild the economies of Europe that had been so devastated by the result of World War II. Although the Marshall plan called for unimaginable levels of foreign aid to be given to the governments of Western Europe, this level of money, although unprecedented, was seen, by and large, as a type of investment. Although the United States emerged from World War II is the most powerful nation on earth, it nonetheless required robust economies in order to trade with and derive economic benefit. Secondarily, the Marshall plan was instituted as a means of providing a solid bulwark against the encroachment and seemingly never-ending advance the Soviet Union was making into central and parts of southern Europe. Whereas the old dictum is true that it is impossible to buy your friends, the United States attempted to do just this, surprisingly successfully, by instituting a liberal policy of economic development within the shattered shell of a war ravaged Europe. After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the conclusion of the Cold War era, the United States approach to aid remained necessarily concentric upon trade, interests, and strategic rivalry. In such a way, even a cursory review of the level and extent to which the United States utilized foreign aid reveals a situation in which aid is invariably utilized as a leverage point. However, it must not be understood that the United States foreign aid is divisible into a single category. Rather, this analysis will briefly engage with some of the key functions and affects the different types of aid and appropriations had with regards to how developing nations have been affected as well as the key limitations in which such programs necessarily espoused. The second of these aid programs which will herein be discussed is known collectively as the Four Point Program. Instituted under Pres. Harry Truman, the four-point program was actually a reaction to social and aid programs that the Soviet Union had extensively developed around the world. As a function of showcasing and power of the Soviet ideal, the Soviet Union ridiculed the Western capitalist nations for

Differentiating Instruction and Why It Is Important- Bring it all Essay

Differentiating Instruction and Why It Is Important- Bring it all Together w8 - Essay Example Furthermore, one can also ask the help of the other faculty members in the department who may be knowledgeable of the profile of the students that one will have. Aside from talking with their previous teacher, one can administer a diagnostic pre-test during the start of the class (Carnegie Mellon, n.d.). This activity will be very useful in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the students. Another activity that can be done is to ask the students to make a concept map about a major topic in the course one is teaching (Carnegie Mellon, n.d.). This can provide one with a clear sense of the extent of understanding of the students on the issues that will be discussed. It will help one point out the students’ false impressions and wrong beliefs. One of the challenges posed by the teaching profession is to be able to assess a student’s background knowledge. To be an effective teacher, one must find ways of determining where the students stand at the start of the class. It is only then that one can design a course which will be useful and appreciated by one’s

Self Assessment (Final Portfolio) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self Assessment (Final Portfolio) - Essay Example To put it simply, I must say that I lacked a direct human relationship with the language. However, after joining this class, in the course of time I have developed a genuine love and appreciation for the English language. My approach towards learning English language is no more, dry, but is marked by lot of emotion, enthusiasm and interest. One other important thing that I learned in this class is the importance of making mistakes, as far as the task of learning a language is concerned. In the initial stages I mostly got disheartened by the number of mistakes I made. Sometimes I strongly felt that I will never be able to have a good grip over the English language. However, later on I realized that every time I made mistakes, I learned many new things, which improved my English a lot. So slowly I got over the fear of making mistakes. With the passage of time my writing skills began to improve. On the basis of the things I learned by making mistakes, I began correcting and improving my previous drafts. No wonder, these corrections made my drafts more grammatically correct and meaningful. I realized that I could express my views and emotions in a much better way than before. I know I still have a lot to learn. But, now I take this challenge with much enthusiasm and hope. The most important thing that this class did for me was to allow for a direct exposure to the concepts of culture and identity by making us read the stories written by famous writers. This class also allowed me a chance to watch three international films. Both these experiences of reading stories and watching films helped me improve my communication skills and made me better at expressing and conveying my views and feelings. Out of the three international films I watched, the film that impacted me most was the Iranian film The Color of Paradise. This film was about the story of a blind boy Mohammed, who is disliked and rejected by his father because of him being blind. His father felt that his bli nd son Mohammed would spoil his plans of getting a new wife and leading a happy and prosperous life. What particularly impressed me in this film was Muhammad’s ability to enjoy the beauties of nature, despite his being blind. I was touched by his sadness and his belief in himself and God. I believe that all of us have a little Muhammad inside us. All of us may be not be blind. Still, many a times many of us are unable to convey to others what we think and feel due to many problems like not knowing a language or not knowing how to phrase what we intend to say. In that sense I identified with Muhammad. Watching this film encouraged me to improve my communication skills and my ability to interact with others. Out of the stories that we read, the one that interested me most was Bloomington, Fall 1971. Though I found the story to be very interesting, the one thing that impressed me most was the mastery of the writer over the art of writing. This story showed to me how language can be used to communicate and convey the most deep seated emotions and feelings. This story made me respect the power of writing. It motivated me to work hard to improve my writing skills and to be able to communicate with others in a much better way. Overall, I must say that this class has led me on to a journey towards improvement and ambition. Whatever I have learned in this class will surely make a good foundation for further improving my writing and communication ski

Essay on Twelfth Night: A Gender-Bending Journey -- Twelfth Night essa

Twelfth Night: A Gender-Bending Journey      Ã‚   Shakespeare enjoyed writing passionate plays about young lovers, but, after a while, the formula became exhausted and the Bard was forced to dig deeper, creatively speaking. Twelfth Night is an example of a Shakespearean love tale with a slight twist to keep things interesting. This play was the â€Å"Tootsie† of its time. Twelfth Night takes the audience on a gender-bending journey, while maintaining all the elements of true love throughout. At one point, Olivia wears a disguise in order to take on the traditionally male role of wooing her romantic interest, Cesario, who is also disguised. Although Olivia flirts with Cesario and tells him that his â€Å"scorn† only reveals his hidden love, she is mistaken. Her misinterpretation of Cesario’s manner is one of many problems contained within the drama. Cesario’s true gender, Olivia’s active pursuit of him/her, and the ambiguity of words with double meanings in this passage threaten to turn who lesome, romantic conquest on its head, or as Olivia says â€Å"turn night to noon† (139).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps the bigge... ... Erasmus, Desiderius. In Praise of Folly. Trans. Hoyt Hopewell Hudson, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1970. Hotson, Leslie. Shakespeare's Motley. New York: Oxford University Press, 1952. Potter, Lois. Twelfth Night: Text & Performance. London: Macmillan, 1985. Shakespeare, William. The Norton Shakespeare. Edited Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997. Zijderveld, Anton J. Reality in a Looking-Glass: Rationality through an Analysis of Traditional Folly. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1982.