Democratisation of Balkan Countries Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Democratisation of Balkan Countries - Case Study Example As the economist argued in 1998, the instant risk to delicate Balkan peace is not so much violence but secession by minorities big enough to mull over statehood, which may irritate a new civil war as the actions in Kosovo have proved thus, maintenance of peace and solidity in the region depends on how Balkan countries treat their minorities. Partially because of these conflicts in the region and partially due to world public opinion's growing consciousness, the defense of minority civil rights became a top main concern in the post-cold war era. (Donald, 1985) This examines the evolution of democratization as an inner development and focuses mainly on the citizenship policies and supporting depiction of minorities in two Balkan states, particularly Bulgaria and Romania. The two states have enhanced their associations with minorities and with their neighbors. The outcomes in these cases represent a variety of potential and models, and thus they provide us with opportunities to stu dy democratization and cultural politics in the area. (Attila, 1998) The democratic conversion in the post-communist Balkan states creates challenges for the innovative government in the region. Similarly, they have just restored or gained their self-government and full dominion and look for to build a homogenous nation state, on the other hand, the population within their internationally known borders consists of more than one racial group, all with their own political agendas. In the face of a rising compassion towards minority issues in the world and under the eyes of global organizations, the Balkan states need to set up contemporary civic societies with the rule of law. Since the thought of democracy is now so well-liked in the earth, "there can be no go back of still and passive ethnic minorities," as Agh stated thus, multiethnic Balkan states have to set up a citizenry with political and human rights and with democratic civilization and political culture in civil society. (Emilija, 1997) The states have to make a decision who their citizens are and what kinds of human rights they will award them. Maybe some kinds of patriotism might be necessary for formation and unity of a modern state, but this should be an inclusionary 'civic' patriotism, which is well-matched with the ceremony of individual rights. The key to avoiding further conflicts is to promise equal citizenship rights and to expand a culture of broadmindedness in society. Assessment of constitutional texts and citizenship laws with their completion and judicial understanding may give a universal sympathetic of the citizenship policies of the worried states. In adding up to providing individual rights, democratization also requires credit of collective rights for all kinds of minorities there are many legal and political plans in institutionalizing a agreement democracy and in avoiding ethnic conflicts in international societies, as Arend Lijphart showed. The main subject here is how the minorities are repre sented in the parliaments. (Donald, 1985) There is a substantial discussion in the relative politics literature on whether expanded representation is good or bad in multiethnic societies. Consociation list school argues that in lieu of groups proportionally fosters the assimilation of subcultures into

Business Communications Essay -- essays research papers

THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING SKILLS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: HOW AND WHY TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEES’ WRITING Abstract This essay describes how poorly written communication can lead to misunderstanding and a possible loss of business. Through this paper the author wants to persuade the employer to sponsor a workshop for all employees to improve their writing skills, to increase business communications and to avoid arguments through poor communication. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of writing skills and why business communication is important in any kind of business. What can your business achieve with good writing skills and what it the impact of good writing skills on business. THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING SKILLS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: HOW AND WHY TO IMPROVE EMPLOYEES’ WRITING These last few weeks have been hard for some people in the office. Many arguments erupted and people started to blame each other for the fact that this particular business deal might be lost. All this arguing amongst the employees does not improve the work environment, and it is apparent to clients that the atmosphere in the office is not professional. The reason for the dispute is clearly due to misunderstanding through poor written communication. This had a negative effect on some people’s feelings, which in turn lead to low morale and higher risk of losing business which can be directly attributed to poor writing skills. It is important for our company to look at a way to improve employees’ writing skills to avoid similar incidents in the future. One probably has received advertisement mail from various companies and, after reading the first paragraph, the paper ends in the waste paper basket because you did not like what you read in the first sentence. The way the writer started to communicate did not make you read the rest of the document. The same happened in this last business deal; that message was not understood because it was poorly written. Clearly this is something that should not happen in business writing, especially when writing a letter or a memo, either internal or external. When your employee is not a good business writer, it can affect your business in such a way that you will loose customers. Even inside the office amongst the employees, poor communication can arouse conflict due to misunderstanding. Poor business writing can cost the co... ... environment amongst the employees. I want to finish with a quote from Barret J. Mandel & Philip Vassallo (1999) to convince you that good writing is also good management: â€Å"A person who learns to control the use of language in the writing of effective business documents is often the same person who learns to use language creatively and flexibly in order to lead others to work productively and harmoniously. In our experience, many of the most effective managers are also adept business speakers and writer.† (p338). References Drozdowski, Mark J. (2003) â€Å"The Write Stuff.†, Chronicle of Higher Education, 50 (5), 5. Abstract retrieved June 4, 2004, from UOP Library, EBSCOhost. Lauer, Charles S. (2002) â€Å"Short and Sweet†, Modern Healthcare, 32 (15), 28. Abstract retrieved June 4, 2004, from UOP Library, EBSCOhost. Mandel & Vassallo. (1999) â€Å"From ‘Me’ to ‘Us’: Crossing the Bridge from Academic to Business Writing.†, ETC: A Review of General Semantics, 56 (3), 338. Abstract retrieved June 4, 2004, from UOP Library, EBSCOhost. Mims, Julian L. (1995) â€Å"Writing for results.†, Records Management Quarterly, 29 (1), 27. Abstract retrieved June 4, 2004 from UOP Library, EBSCOhost.

Central Javanese Gamelan: How Globalization Influences the Students’ Music Consumption

INTRODUCTION Central Javanese gamelan study has been available in some schools. In some schools do not have Central Javanese gamelan study. In my opinion, it is very unfortunate, because students need to conserve our own traditional music, especially Central Javanese gamelan. So, one of ways to conserve the Central Javanese gamelan, is understand the theory, the history about it. Not only understand the theory and the history, but also understand how to play the Central Javanese gamelan (the implementation). Ki Hadjar Dewantara (as cited in Sumarsam, 2003, p. 68) argued that â€Å"put the Javanese art spectacle as an obligated curriculum in Taman Siswa is the most important thing to do. † Actually, the writer agrees with Ki Hadjar Dewantara’s argument. By putting the Javanese art spectacle as an obligated curriculum, then the students can learn and understand about it. And so is the Central Javanese gamelan. The Central Javanese gamelan is one the Javanese art spectacle . So the students must learn, understand the theory and the implementation of it. Because the Central Javanese gamelan is very important to be preserved, Ki Hadjar Dewantara (as cited in Sumarsam, 2003, p. 68) said that: Gendhings lesson are not only needed to look for the knowledge and the ability (to play) the gendhings, but it is important to generate the life of the inner, because gendhings always guide the rhythmic sense, generate the sense of beauty, and silence a sense of decency. (As mentioned in Sultan Agungan’s teaching, and the teachings of western scholars) (p. 168) What Ki Hadjar Dewantara means here is the students do not only just understand the theory and the implementation, but also the students are demanded to be able to feel the song (gendhing). Usually the students just play the song perfunctorily.Actually, it is not allowed. While the students are playing the song, they have to try to feel the song. If they can feel the song, their feeling will be peacefu l. Besides, if they can feel the song, there will be sense of beauty in the students’ feeling. They will understand how that song can relax them. They will understand how that song can relax their mind, body, and etc. They will understand that every rhythm in the song can make their feeling become calm, because the sound of every rhythm is beautiful. Moreover if the students are able to play it softly, the sound that is produced will be nice for the players and the listeners.Besides, it is better for them if they can sing the song. CENTRAL JAVANESE GAMELAN Before the writer explains the definition of Gamelan, especially Central Javanese gamelan, the writer will explain about Gendhing. It is important to you to understand about it. It is because gendhing is related to the gamelan. Gendhing is from Javanese language. In Indonesia, gendhing is ‘Lagu’. So, in English, gendhing is ‘Song’. In the gendhing (song), there is a part called ‘Buka’. The definition of buka is the beginning of the song which is played before the real gendhing is played.Buka in the gendhing can be played by gamelan (bonang barong, kendhang, rebab, gendher, and etc. ) and it can be started by tembang (sindhen). According to Sumarsam (2003), the Javanese priyayi defined gamelan (and so are puppet and traditional dance) as a noble art, or a high valued art (beautiful and noble). So, the Central Javanese gamelan is one of traditional music in Indonesia that must be respected because of its high valued art. Besides, gamelan is a musical unity. What the writer means here is that the gamelan can not be played one by one, including Central Javanese gamelan.If you do that, then the sound that is produced is not good. You can just hear one, two, or three sounds of the gamelan instruments. For example, if you just play Gong, then the sound that is produced is from the Gong itself. The sound of the Gong is like an echo and the sound is not good to hear. So, it is better for you to play it together. LOCAL CULTURE VS GLOBALIZATION As we know that may teenagers, especially students, do not know and understand about their own local culture. It is because the students are following the new trend. They like following the new trend because they are fraid of being ancient people. As Silaban (2006) said that: Many people accept the changes of civilization as something that is commonplace as a process which must be passed, understood, and its presence causes many changes in its practice. So that, it forces cultural society, willy-nilly or consciously or unconsciously faced with a difficult situation between accepting the changes that civilization (because they do not want to be considered old-fashioned) or reject it in spite of the changes are considered primitive, conventional and orthodox.Like the writer said before that the students do not want to be considered old-fashioned people. They want to be new ones. They want to be new in fashion, ne w in technology, new in music, new in culture, and etc. They easily accept the changes. Especially in music, they prefer listening and playing the music from western or eastern to Indonesian music, especially traditional music like gamelan. They always consider gamelan as an ancient music. Whereas, gamelan, especially Central Javanese gamelan is one of our local culture that must be preserved in globalization era.Cultural globalization is caused by some factors. According to Hutagalung et al. (2007) who studied about cultural globalization amid the national identity problem, argued that it is caused by (1) the development of new technologies; (2) economic globalization of capital, labor, natural resources, production, and consumption; and (3) political factors also played a role, from imperialism and nationalism to totalitarian states and the Cold War; so to did social struggles over the construction of race, class, ethnicity, religion and gender.The students like consuming (listeni ng) to western or eastern music because the music is cool, the music is easy to listen, and the artists are handsome or beautiful. Therefore, the western or eastern music easily enters Indonesia. Teenager, especially students, prefers attending the concert of their idol stars to attending the gamelan concert or traditional art show. The students have been affected by modern culture. Day by day, the students forget that traditional music, especially gamelan, is their local culture. They do not care as if gamelan (Central Javanese gamelan) is not part of their local culture.Cultural identity is losing its identity with the arrival of torrent of foreign culture in the form westernization and globalization (Rahman, 2010). It is so unfortunate that we lose our identity. In my opinion, our local culture shows our identity. Western culture is a culture that traded and people in the world generally are only the consumers who enjoy it (Hutagalung, Nugroho, Abiantes et al. , 2007). Actually, the writer agrees with that statement. It proved by the music they listen, the concert they attend, the music they play.The students only are only consumer of western culture, especially in music. CONCLUSION Although the students prefer listening modern music to traditional music, it is better to them to understand and learn about gamelan, especially Central Javanese gamelan. That is for their knowledge about it. It is important for us to preserve the Central Javanese gamelan because it can avoid from another country’s claim. If we do not preserve it, then the other countries can make a claim that Central Javanese gamelan is their traditional music. There are some ways to preserve our local culture.Hasiholan (2011) said, â€Å"The role of all whole society is needed and their cooperation to one another to preserve local culture to build a national cultural resilience and provide socialization and internalization of local knowledge to build a community that would love the cul ture and to implement them in everyday life. † The writer agrees with his statement. We need cooperation from the society, especially students who like consuming the western culture especially music. If the students and the society do the cooperation well, then national cultural resilience will be built strongly.Besides, Sumarsam (2002) said, â€Å"There are gamelan lessons in schools and colleges; there are also schools and academies of gamelan. † In my opinion, there are some schools which do not have gamelan lessons, so the writer suggests that gamelan lessons must be available in all schools. And the writer recommends that gamelan lessons must be an obligated curriculum. So far, the writer has known many schools and academies of gamelan, such as STKW (Wilwatikta Art High School) in Surabaya, SMK 9 Surabaya, ISI (Indonesian Art Institute), IKJ (Jakarta Art Institute), and etc.It is first good step to preserve our local culture. Although the curriculum is the differen t from the art school, but at least there is an obligated curriculum of gamelan lessons. WORKS CITED Hasiholan, S. P. U. (2011, February 28). Peranan budaya lokal mendukung ketahanan budaya nasional. Retrieved from http://www. scribd. com/doc/49525067/Makalah-ilmu-Budaya-Dasar-Peranan-Budaya-Lokal-Mendukung-Ketahanan-Budaya-Nasional Hutagalung, N. P. ,et al. (2007). Globalisasi budaya ditengah masalah identitas nasional. Yogyakarta: Universitas Pembangunan Nasional â€Å"Veteran†. Retrieved from http://feelsafat. files. wordpress. om/2007/12/globalisasi-budaya-ditengah-masalah-identitas-nasional. pdf Rahman, D. M. , et al. (2010). Makna Bhinneka Tunggal Ika sebagai Bingkai Budaya Ke-Indonesia-an. Kementerian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata. Silaban, S. P. (2006, November 26). Budaya lokal vs budaya global : Sanggupkah ?. Retrieved from http://www. silaban. net/2006/11/26/budaya-lokal-vs-budaya-global-sanggupkah/ Sumarsam. (2003). Gamelan: Interaksi budaya dan perkembangan musikal d i jawa. (p. 168). Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar. . (2002). Introduction to javanese gamelan. Retrieved from http://sumarsam. web. wesleyan. edu/Intro. gamelan. pdf

A Feminist Criticism A Doll s House - 1372 Words

Barros 1 Diane Barros English 102 A1W November 11,2014 A Feminist Criticism A Doll House A Doll’s House, written by Henrik Ibsen examines the controversial point of persuasion of love and marriage that emphasis marital vows and women’s roles, during the nineteenth century. Where feminism lurks throughout the entire play. Through this play, I shall show you what I perceived what the writer Ibsen presumption of the equivalence among men and woman, and the idea of feminism. Where Women have a specific purpose, to hold up their husbands, took charge of their children, and do what each are told. Things as work, politics, and decisions, were taboo for the women and left up to the men. Where Woman struggle to see one s own individuality, while in a destructive dead end marriage. The relationship among characters Nora Helmer, Torvald Helmer, Kristine Linde, and Nils Krogstad. At a time when it was unheard of women contemplating leaving their husbands, let alone borrowing money. Nora, the leading character of the play, appears to resemble a middleclass homem aker. A Jubilant and laid-back woman. Who, indeed, would resemble a doll, a squirrel, a songbird?(pg.1281) Her aim in life is to be happy for her husband s sake, for the sake of the children; to talk, dance, and flirt with them.†(pg.) Torvald s use of baby talk when talking to his wife that prevents Nora from any intellectual achievement. The place of lies and deceit. â€Å"A Doll s House† A Doll characteristicShow MoreRelatedA Feminist Literary Stance, Roles of Women in Henrik Ibsen’s Play A Doll’s House and George Eliot’s Novel Middlemarch1546 Words   |  7 PagesA feminist literary stance, roles of women in Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House George Eliot’s novel Middlemarch Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and George Eliot’s Middlemarch are based on events from their personal experiences. 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