How does fire frequency influence tree species diversity in the boreal Research Proposal

How does fire frequency influence tree species diversity in the boreal forest - Research Proposal Example Its unique characteristics are quickly changing as a result of human and natural pressure and this area is expected to be one of the most rapidly impacted regions of the world by the climate change that is ongoing which might lead to degradation of the Boreal eco systems in the end (Shvidenko & Apps, 2006). Canada is the largest producer and exporter of forest products with most of these products coming from the boreal forest that is there and therefore it may not come as a surprise that Canada has an advanced forest industry and also a forest management that is equally advanced. This has not stopped the forest in Canada from being significantly affected by changes that are occurring in the natural disturbances that include wild fire and insect outbreaks that have been taking place in the last few decades (Shvidenko & Apps, 2006). It is expected that the Boreal forest in particular will be vulnerable to disease, fire and competition from other tree species as the climate changes continue to be experienced and the weather gets warmer but the natural replacement in forest will take some time (Louiseize, 2005). Fire spread is not only a function of weather, but it also depends on topography, fuel load, types and spatial arrangement as well as active suppression and this therefore means that the fire spread simulations for everyday fire management require a large amount of information that is site specific (Pueyo, 2007). Being able to predict future fire activity that is related to climate change is a leap towards appreciating the future state of the Boreal ecosystem since the natural disturbances are usually controlled by the interplay between biotic and abiotic factors. Forest fire is the dominant natural disturbance that exists in Canada’s western Boreal forest where the fire regime of a particular area reflects the integration of

Imagine that you are participating in a professional conference, and Essay

Imagine that you are participating in a professional conference, and your role is to offer commentary on three papers that examine early modern Europe and make claims about religion and violence - Essay Example By the beginning of 16th century, the medieval church and all it represented ventured into a period comprised of profound crisis. At this time, the church was approximately fifteen centuries old. Most of the church history comprised of continuous confrontation of problems from within its organization and from without. However, by 1500, these problems rose to the surface and made the church shake at its very foundation. Political philosophers had rejected the idea presented by the claiming that popes were superior to kings. These disagreements acted as major contributors of religious wars and violence in early modern Europe (Whitford 345). According to theorists like Karl Marx, there was no need to reform the church since his secular theory based on the notion that religion and faith were nothing more than cement that held society together. Another way in which religious fanaticism led to insurgence of violence and religious wars in early modern Europe is by allowing local church bishops control all of the bankers, merchants, and artisan economic and commercial activities. When philosophers describe modern Europe, in this instance, they talk about France, Italy, England, Spain, Scandinavia, Germany, and the Low Countries. These business people from Europe’s largest cities conflicted with the local church bishops who controlled business activities, an idea that the former resented. Merchants, bankers, and artisans believed that they would have more money and power if only the church could cease controlling their money making and producing business (Greyez 187). Even capitalism had not yet infiltrated into Europe, it is evident that there was development of secular concept of acquisition and work. Additionally, fanaticism facilitated the endemic upsurge of religious violence and wars in that, in the 16th century, there were numerous reformers who criticized the church openly for its

Byzantine vs. Roman Empire Essay Example for Free

Byzantine vs. Roman Empire Essay The Byzantine Empire actually ruled under the Roman Empire until Its demise In AD 476. Both of these empires were located near the Mediterranean Sea and both had a written set of laws. Emperor contanune the First converted to chrlstlanlty after ordering his soldiers to put a cross on their shields and then being victorious in battle. After his conversion, he united the military power of Rome with the young Roman Catholic Church. Because of this union he was able to conquer much of the known world at he time. In the Byzantine Empire, Christianity and the differing ideas about it caused great conflict. When the idea of religious icons came about, Emperor Leo Ill created Iconoclasm, which permitted the smashing of these religious icons. The events following the creation of Iconoclasm showed how distant the church was from the government. Eventually the quarrel led to the separation of the Catholic Church from the Eastern Christian Church, known as the Great Schism. This resulted in the Orthodox Church. Despite the differences in the effects that Christianity had on each Empire, it is clear that in both societies, religion was always in opposition with the government. There were many factors that led to the decline of both the Roman and the Byzantine Empires. In Rome, the empire simply became too large. They had to resort to using mercenaries to defend their excess land, but they often rebelled against the government. The separation of the empire into east and west also proved to be detrimental to the empire. The western side, the Romans, was defeated by Germanic barbarians who unseated their last emperor, a 14 year old boy, In AD 476. Although the Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantium, survived for another 1,000 years, Its Inevitable demise came about through the arrival of the Bubonic Plague, which was only the first crisis that moved the empire towards collapse. Byzantium was also constantly faced with military challenges from outside Invaders, and the Great Schism eliminated any possibility of outside help. The Byzantines used a multitude of tactics to try to keep enemies away, but the empire eventually fell to the Ottoman Turks In 1453. Both the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire held an alarming amount of xternal enemies, which undoubtedly was crucial In the demise of the empires; however It was mainly Internal conflicts that destroyed both empires. Justinian ended up winning back a large part of the territory Ancient Rome had ruled at i ts height, including Italy and parts ot Spain and Nort Roman and the Byzantine Empires differed in a multitude of ways despite their direct link to each other, they were also similar in their location, their religious opposition to the government, and their severe internal problems.

The Strategy Formulation Framework Tourism Essay

The Strategy Formulation Framework Tourism Essay 2.0 Introduction Chapter 2 will introduce the users about the Methodology used in conducting the research and analysis of the strategies used by Saba Restaurant. The type of methodology used in the conducting this research is The Strategy-Formulation Framework. The purposes of introducing this methodology to the user are to provide the information by which the validity of the research will be ultimately judged. This is to ensure that the team that carries out the research will be able to provide the users with clear and precise descriptions of how the research and analysis was done, and the rationale for the specific key points chosen. In such this will allow the users of the report to carry out similar strategy formulation method to evaluate whether the results are reproducible, and also allow the users to judge whether the results and conclusions are relevant, reliable and valid in the sense that the result will reflect the business natures and it industries. 2.1 Vision and Mission Statement First and foremost for the first part of the Chapter 2, the users will be introduced about the formulation and the evaluation of a companys vision and mission statement. To enable an organization to formulate and implement good alternative strategies, a clear vision and mission statements are needed. This part will be focusing on the concepts and tools needed to evaluate and formulate a good business vision and mission statement. In order to give users a better understanding on vision and mission statement of a business, it is important to focus on the business when it is first started. Vision and mission statements are the resulting written documents which mirrors the basic ideas of the sets of belief about a business. It is crucial for the owner or manager to revise the founding set of beliefs as the business starting to grow. Those new ideas will then be reflected in the revised vision and mission statement. Synergies are said to be achieved when the managers and employees work together to formulate the vision and mission statements for an organization. As a result of such work, the output gained in the form of resultant documents can reflect the personal visions that managers and employees have in their hearts and minds about their own futures. In the end, such shared vision will create commonality of interest within the organization that will motivate both the employees and management to achieve the organizational goal as one. 2.1.1 Vision Statement Evaluation In order to formulate a good vision statement, it is important to involve all the managers and executives in an organization to come out with a common agreed vision that will strives to achieve in the long-term organizational goals. Basically, most of the organizations nowadays have both a vision and mission statement but in order for an organization to operate in long run, the vision statement should be established first and followed by the establishment of the mission statement of an organization. A clear vision statement should be able to answer the question of What do we want to become? Thus, the said vision will able to provide the organisation the foundation for developing a comprehensive mission statement in which that enables an organization to operate effectively and efficiently in the short-run. A vision statement basically is evaluated based on the following characteristics: Should be short and clear, preferably in one sentence; and Should involve as many managers or executives as possible when developing the vision statement. All in all, it is very important to have a clear vision statement before an organization set up its mission statement in order to have a clear view of an organizations long term business operation and to always strive for the vision to achieve desired future position of the company. 2.1.2 Mission Statement Evaluation In order to formulate an effective mission statement, the mission statement should always be broad in scope. The term broad in scope highlight the relationship between specificity and generality of the mission statement. Due to the fact that an overly specificity statement would most likely limit the potential of creative growth for the organization; while an overly generality statement which includes various strategy alternatives could lead to dysfunctional in an organization. Thus, an effective mission statement should be able to answer the question What is our business? As a mission statement reveals an organizations effort in become what they want to be and whom they wish to serve their products and services. A good mission statement will enable the management of an organization in the formulation and consideration of a range of possible alternative objectives and strategies without excessively limiting the management creativity. Besides that, an effective mission statement needs to be reconciliatory so that the organization is able to reconcile the differences effectively among the organizations diverse stakeholders and appeal these differences to them. Nonetheless, a good mission statement should be able to assist organization in identifying the relative attention that it needs to dedicate to meeting the claims and obligations to various stakeholders. The harmony relationship between the specificity and generality of mission statement is usually difficult to achieve, but it is well worth the effort. The following characteristics are what an effective mission statement should have: Broad in scope; do not include monetary amount, numbers percentages, ratios, or objectives Less than 250 words in length Inspiring Identify the utility of a firms products Reveal that the firm is both socially and environmentally responsible Reconciliatory Enduring Include the nine mission statement components Nevertheless, as mission statement is often the most visible and public part of the strategic-management process, it is important that it also includes the nine components which made up of the following: Customers Who are the firms customers? Product/Services What are the firms major products and services? Markets Where does the firm compete (geographically)? Technology Is the firm technologically current? Survival, growth profitability Is the firm committed to growth and financial soundness? Philosophy What are the basic beliefs, values, aspirations and ethical priorities of the firm? Self-concept What is the firms distinctive competence or major competitive advantage? Public image Is the firm responsive to social, community, and environmental concern? Employees Are employees treated as valuable assets of the firm? In conclusion, an effective business mission statement must be able to reflect the judgments about the future growth directions and strategies that are able to achieve an organizations long-term goals and objectives. Besides that, an effective mission statement should provide useful criteria for selecting among alternative strategies and act as a basis for decision making over various strategic option. Thus enable the organization to determine the best alternative strategies to strive for and what type of decisions to be made in order to achieve the organizations goal and objectives. As such, the mission statement should be updated often to stay relevant. 2.2 Strategy-Formulation Framework Chapter 2 Part 2 will be discussing about the Strategy Formulation Framework in details to enable users to understand the nature of the framework and also to understand each stages of strategy formulation framework. Strategic management analysis plays an important role in an organization as it largely involves  managers, executives or strategists in making critical alternative decisions based on objectives information. Users will able to understand the important concepts that help managers, executives or strategist in formulating, evaluating and deciding which alternatives is the best course of action. Factors that will determine the decision of the management in generating alternative strategies are the External Environment Forces and the Internal Environment Forces. Both the External and Internal Environments Forces have strong relationship within organizations, as these forces are the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) that the organizations currently have and will be anticipating in the near future. Firstly any changes the External Environment Forces will affect the consumer demand for both industrial and consumer products and services. Nevertheless, the external forces also directly affect both suppliers and distributors. Any changes made in the external force will ultimately alter an organizations effort on the opportunities and threats anticipation. Organizations will able to develop clear mission, develop long-term strategies and develop policies to achieve annual objectives and organizational goals through identifying and evaluating both external opportunities and threats. The external environments forces include the following factors that will be used to evaluate and gather information on organizations opportunities and threats: Key External Forces Demographic Forces Factors comprises of the demographic forces are usually the population demographic such as age, gender race distributions, marriage divorce rates, immigration rate, education systems, education levels, distribution of income wealth, and other factors that will affect the populations demographic Economic Forces These forces mainly consist of factors such as inflation rate, GDP growth rate, unemployment rates, import or export conditions and other factors that will generally affect the economics of the world. Political/Legal Forces Factors which needed to be consider in this forces are the government stability relations with other countries, government spending and taxation policies, industrial policies, laws and regulations on employments, environment protection, foreign trade, duties and tariffs, and other factors that may affect these type of forces. Socio-cultural Forces Socio-cultural forces mainly consists the factors of the social class structure and mobility, the attitudes towards lifestyle trends, work places, consumerism and environmentalism, and other factors in which might affect these type of forces. Technology Forces Factors such as the new discoveries or development in the industry, speed of technological transfer, obsolescence rates within own or related industry, government polices and spending on research, technology changes and others should be considered. Global Forces Global forces mainly consists of factors arises from all other external forces that are in relation to global contexts. Physical Forces Factors that focus on the physical existences and locations of an organization in a specific area will affect its market capabilities. Industry Forces Industry forces mainly comprises of the competitive forces of an organization with all its competitors in the industry. Factors such as the bargaining power of customers suppliers, threat of new competitors substitute products or services and rivalry among existing competitors. Secondly, the Internal Environment Forces will be the organizations Strengths and Weaknesses in the functional areas of business. No organization is equally strong or weak in all areas. Objectives and strategies are established with the purpose of capitalizing the organizations internal strength to overcome the weaknesses. An organization strengths and weaknesses can be seen and evaluated from its effort in marketing, finance, accounting, management, management information system, production or operation and its research development efforts. The internal environment forces include the following factors which will be used to evaluate and gather information on organizations strengths and weaknesses: Key Internal Forces Resources This key internal factor mainly focuses on the organizations internal resources such as materials or other assets that are used to produce economical benefits for the organization. Examples of such factors are the financial resources, human resources, physical resources and other resources that may affect an organizations operation. Capabilities Capability is the ability of an organization to initiate and perform its daily operation. It concern about the ability of an organization to utilize the resources and transform them into future benefits, and to create competitiveness edge over its competitors. Core Competencies Core Competency is reflected as a unique ability that an organization has which cannot be easily imitated that give an organization one or more competitive advantages, in creating and delivering value to its customers in its industry. Then again, the Strategy-Formulation Framework is regarded as important strategy-formulation techniques which are integrated into a three-stage decision-making framework. The tools used in this framework are applicable to all organizations type and able to help strategists formulate, evaluate and select strategies. Stage I: The Input Stage External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) Internal Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix Stage II: The Matching Stage Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) Matrix Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Matrix Internal-External (IE) Matrix Grand Strategy Matrix Stage III: The Decision Stage Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) Table 1 As show in Table 1, Stage 1 of the formulation framework consists of the EFE Matrix, the IFE Matrix and the Competitive Profile Matrix. Being the Input Stage, Stage 1 act as the basic input to summarize the information needed to formulate strategies. This information is largely dependent on the Key External and Internal Forces that managements or strategists have identified and evaluated. Stage 2 which is the Matching Stage, focuses on generating feasible alternative strategies by using the key external and internal factors that have been summarized in Stage 1. Tools in Stage 2 include the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Matrix, the Strategic Position and Action Evaluation (SPACE) Matrix, the Boston Consultation Group (BCG) Matrix, the Internal-External (IE) Matrix and lastly the Grand Strategy Matrix. Results from Stage 1 and 2 are then be used in Stage 3 to indicate which alternative strategies are the best for the organization in its current state and to achieve long term objectives. Stage 3 also known as the Decision Stage involves a single analytical technique that is designed to determine the relative attractiveness of feasible alternative strategies or actions. Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) uses input information from Stage 1 to objectively evaluate feasible alternative strategies identified in Stage 2. As QSPM will reveals the relative attractiveness of alternative strategies and thus provide an objective basis for selecting specific strategies. Details on all nine techniques of strategy formulation framework will be further discussed in the following part starting from Chapter 2 part 3. 2.3 Stage 1: The Input Stage Stage 1 of the formulation framework consists of the EFE Matrix, the IFE Matrix, and the Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM). As the Input Stage, these three tools basically are the summary of basic input information needed to formulate strategies. The information derived from these three matrixes will provide the basic input information for the Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the framework. 2.3.1 External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix In stage 1, users will be focusing on identifying an organizations internal and external environment factors by using The External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix. EFE Matrix also known as the Industry Analysis focuses on summarizing and evaluating an organizations external environment which covers the industrys economic, social, cultural, demographic, environmental, political, governmental, legal, technological, and competitive information. These external environment forces will ultimately affect an organization in making decision on choosing feasible strategies alternatives to meet its long term goal. Table 2 is the example of EFE Matrix. The rest of the page is left blank as intended Key External Factors Weight Rating Weight Score Opportunities 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Threats 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Total 1.00 Table 2 Steps in developing EFE Matrix List a total of 16 to 24 key external factors consist of both opportunities and threats that affect an organizations industry which are identified in Chapter 3 External Environment. Information picked should be as specific or objectives as possible, using percentages, ratios and comparative numbers. Assign each factor with a weight that ranges from 0.0 (not important) to 1.0 (very important). Usually opportunities receive higher weights than threats, but if threats are severe or threatening, then it should be given higher weights. The sum of all weights assigned to the factors must equal to 1.0 Assign a rating between 1 and 4 for each key external factor. This is to indicate how an organizations current strategies will effectively respond to these external factors, where 4 = superior response, 3 = above average response, 2 = average response and 1 = poor response. Multiply each factors weight by its rating to determine a weighted score. Sum the weighted score for each variable to determine the total weighted score for chosen organization. Factors includes in EFE Matrix should always be as objective as possible, where factors should be stated in quantitative terms to the extent, rather than being just vague terms. No matter how many numbers of key opportunities and threats included in an EFE Matrix, the maximum or highest possible total weighted score for an organization will always be 4.0 and the minimum or lowest possible total weighted score is 1.0 and an average score of 2.5. Rating above average rating of 2.5 indicates that the organization is taking the advantage of existing opportunity and minimizes the potential threats; rating below 2.5 indicates that an organization is not effectively taking advantage on the external opportunities and also trying to avoid the threat they are facing. As conclusion, the EFE is used to summarize and evaluate the key external opportunities and threats that are beyond the control of the organization. 2.3.2 Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) Other than External Factors Evaluation (EFE) Matrix, Stage 1 also includes the Competitive Profile Matrix (CPM) that is used to identify an organizations major competitors and its particular strengths and weaknesses in relation to a sample organizations strategic position. Similar to EFE Matrix, the weights and total weighted scores in CPM have the same meaning and purposes. Illustration of Table 3 will further allow users to understand the calculation and evaluation of a CPM. Company A Company B Company C Critical Success Factors Weight Rating (1-4) Score Rating (1-4) Score Rating (1-4) Score Advertising Product Quality Price Competitive Management Financial Position Customer Loyalty Global Expansion Market Share Total 1.00 Table 3 Critical Success Factors in the CPM include both the internal and external forces issues that make up the factors in the EFE Matrix and IFE Matrix, and thus the ratings for the factors are referred to strengths and weaknesses, whereby 4 =major strength, 3 = minor strength, 2 = minor weakness, and 1 = major weakness. However, these critical success factors are not grouped into opportunities and threats as the ones in the EFE Matrix. The rating and total weighted scores for rival firms can be used to compare the competitive performance to the sample firm. The results from the comparative analysis will provide important internal strategic information. However, users have to aware that they should avoid assigning the same rating to firms included in the CPM analysis. Nonetheless, users should also be reminded that the rating in a CPM are not aiming to arrive at a single number, but rather to integrate and evaluate information that aids in decision making. In conclusion, the CPM is used to identify a firms major competitors and its particular strengths and weaknesses in relation to a sample firms strategic position. The rating results from CPM should be used to aid an organization in decision making. 2.3.3 Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix Last technique used in Stage 1 will be the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix. Users will be focusing on constructing IFE to summarize and evaluate on the internal strategic management or the major strengths and weaknesses in the functional area of an organization. When developing IFE Matrix, users are required to use their intuitive judgments. Below is an example of IFE Matrix which is illustrated in Table 4. Key Internal Factors Weight Rating Weight Score Strengths 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Weaknesses 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Total 1.00 Table 4 Steps in developing IFE Matrix List a total of 16 to 24 key internal factors consists of both strengths and weaknesses which are identified in Chapter 3s Internal Environment. Information picked should be as specific or objectives as possible, using percentages, ratios and comparative numbers. Assign each factor with a weight that ranges from 0.0 (not important) to 1.0 (very important). The sum of all weights assigned to the factors must equal to 1.0. Factors being strengths or weaknesses that have the greatest impact on organizational performance should be given the highest weights. Assign a rating of 1 to 4 to each key internal factor. Rating 1 = major weakness, 2 = minor weakness, 3 = minor strengths and 4 = major strengths. Beware that only weaknesses will receive rating 1 to 2; and strength will receive rating 3 to 4. Multiply each factors weight by its rating to determine a weighted score. Sum the weighted score for each variable to determine the total weighted score for chosen organization. Just like EFE Matrix, factors includes in IFE Matrix should always be as objective as possible, where factors should be stated in quantitative terms to the extent, rather than being just vague terms. No matter how many numbers of key internal strengths and weaknesses that are included in an IFE Matrix, the total weighted score can range from a low of 1.0 to a high of 4.0 and an average score of 2.5. Rating above average rating of 2.5 indicates that the organization is internally strong, while rating below 2.5 indicates the organization is internally weak. It is important to user that while developing IFE Matrix, try not to have the financial ratio analysis as key internal factors to be more than 30 percent of the total factors. This is because financial ratios are generally the result of many other factors and thus this may create confusion and disorient the organization in which strategies to be considered based on the financial ratios analysis. In conclusion, the IFE Matrix is used as a technique to summarize and evaluate the key internal strengths and weaknesses of an organization, also to act as a basis for identifying and evaluating the relationship among the key internal factors. By the end of Stage 1, users will now able to understand the use of the three techniques or tools (EFE Matrix, CPM and IFE Matrix) to summarize and evaluating both key internal and external factors of the organizations and its industries. Next part of the Chapter 2 will be focusing on the Stage 2 of the Strategy Formulation Framework which is the Matching Stage.

A Cappella? Is That How You Spell It? :: essays research papers

A Cappella? Is That How You Spell It? The phrase a cappella is among the most butchered and misunderstood musical terms. The predominant, and most "correct" spelling, is ... a cappella - two words, two "p's", two "l's." A Cappella, A Picky Definition Musicologists have fun debating the extent to which a cappella, 'in the style of the chapel,' can include instrumental accompaniment. Some argue that early sacred a cappella performances would sometimes include instruments that double a human voice part. So, the correct definition of a cappella should be something like 'singing without independent instrumental accompaniment.' At Primarily A Cappella, we are trying to popularize this style of music, so we like to keep it simple. a cappella - two words, two "p's", two "l's." singing without instruments A Capella? Some musical dictionaries indicate that the Italian a cappella is preferred over the Latin a capella (one "p") yet both are technically correct. Why do those dictionaries muddy the waters with two spellings? The phrase was first used in Italian Catholic churches, where Latin was the language for sacred text. Thus, the Latin spelling for 'in the style of the chapel' - a capella - has some historical basis. However, most other musical terms - forte, accelerando, and many others - are Italian in origin. Since the Italian spelling is more consistent with other musical terms, it has been used more frequently. Given the difficulty of spelling our favorite style of music, we'd like to endorse the simplicity of a single spelling: a cappella - two words, two "p's", two "l's." singing without instruments Acappella Joining the two Italian words together to make Acappella is a popular variation in the U.S. For many streetcorner singing fans, Acappella means unaccompanied singing of 'fifties (and early 'sixties) songs. There were a series of recordings released in the early 1960's of Mid-Atlantic unaccompanied doo-wop groups called "The Best of Acappella." The liner notes on the first LP noted that Acappella means "singing without music." In this matter we do tend towards being picky - instruments do not alone music make! A cappella (or Acappella) singers make music while they are ... singing without instruments A more recent, second meaning of Acappella has emerged. The Contemporary Christian group Acappella is the first formed by prolific songwriter Keith Lancaster. In the early 1990's he added Acappella Vocal Band (now mostly known as AVB) and "Acappella: The Series" which uses studio singers (plus LOTS of electronic help) to perform songs around specific themes. All of these efforts are now combined in The Acappella Company. The good news is they have sold millions of recordings and have contributed greatly to the awareness of a

Sex Trafficking around the World Essay -- Worldwide Prostitution, Chil

A twenty-four year-old women living in Cambodia, Chantha, was forced into prostitution at the age of thirteen. After growing up, Chantha moved away trying to find a new way because her mother and father mistreated her very much; they starved and beat Chantha. She eventually traveled to the inner cities of Cambodia to start a new life. Once, while walking the streets, she was offered a place to stay and work by a mysterious, beautiful woman. This woman was a decoy to lure Chantha into a trap. However, Chantha was very excited to find out she would have work and a place to stay to start living her new life, but the job was not what Chantha expected. At this new job, a brothel used for trafficking women, Chantha was one of fifteen girls who were forced into prostitution. All fifteen girls were forced to have sex with at least fifteen men per day and to make a minimum amount of money per day; the girls were beaten and starved if they did not make their deterrence. Eventually, Chantha was diagnosed with AIDS at the age of twenty-four. With neither family nor friends to comfort her, she is dying slowly and very lonely. Chantha is just one of millions of sexually trafficked victims. According to the US State Department, between two and four million women and children will be sex trafficked annually (Chantha). Sex trafficking, a form of human trafficking, is the act of trafficking in women, children, and men and forcing them into sexual conduct or prostitution. Sex trafficking is increasing every year, and many hopeless, innocent victims are affected. The world is in a process of eliminating sex trafficking and other forms of human trafficking by enforcing trafficking laws and other methods. However, the eradication of sex trafficking is... ...nce. Department of Public information, 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 17 Nov. 2011. . United States. US Department of State. â€Å"Countries N-Z.† Trafficking in Persons Report 2011 Country Narratives. By Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Ed. Media and Public Affairs and Bureau of Public Affairs. 1-171. US Department of State. N.p., 2011. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. . University of Michigan Law School. â€Å"United States v. Raul Santillan-Leon.† Human Trafficking Database. Ed. University of Michigan Law. 1-3. Michigan Law. Univeristy of Michigan , 2011. Web. 31 Dec. 2011. . UN News Service. â€Å"Un agencies join forces to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling.† UN News Centre. By UN News Service. 1-2. United Nations. United Nations: Press Release, 31 Oct. 2011. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. .

Native Son character Essay

The protagonist and main character of Native Son is Bigger Thomas. He is the focus of the novel and the embodiment of its main idea–the effect of racism on the mental state of its black victims. Richard Wright’s exploration of Bigger’s psychological corruption gives us a perspective on the effect that racism had on the black population in 1930s America. Some critics of Native Son have questioned the effectiveness of Bigger as a character. For instance, the famous black writer James Baldwin has considered Bigger as too narrow to represent the full scope of black experience in America, but I believe he is a powerful and disturbing symbol of black rage. As a 20-year-old black man cramped in a Chicago South Side apartment with his family, Bigger has lived a life defined by the fear and anger he feels toward whites. Bigger is limited by the eighth-grade departure from school, and by the racist real estate practices that forced him to live in poverty. Furthermore, he is subjected to messages from a popular culture that portrays whites as civilized and sophisticated and blacks as barbaric and subservient. Racism has severely reduced Bigger’s opportunities in life and even his conception of himself. He is ashamed of his family’s poverty and afraid of the whites who control his life–feelings he works hard to keep hidden, even from himself. When these feelings overwhelm him, he reacts with violence. â€Å"These were the rhythms of his life: indifference and violence; periods of abstract brooding and periods of intense desire; moments of silence and moments of anger–like water ebbing and flowing from the tug of some far-away, invisible force.† (31) Bigger robs people with his friends–though only other blacks, as the gang is too frightened to rob a white man–but his own violence is often directed at these friends as well. Bigger sees white people as an overpowering and hostile force that is set against him in life. Just as whites fail to conceive of Bigger as an individual, he does not really distinguish between individual whites–to him, they are all the same, frightening and untrustworthy. Bigger feels little guilt after he accidentally kills Mary, the daughter of his white employers. In fact, he feels for the first time as though his life actually has purpose and meaning. Mary’s murder makes him believe that he has the power to assert himself against whites. Wright goes out of his way to show  that Bigger is not a conventional protagonist, as his brutality and capacity for violence are extreme, especially in graphic scenes such as the one in which he decapitates Mary’s corpse in order to stuff it into the furnace. Wright does not present Bigger as a hero to admire, but as a frightening and disturbing character created by racism. Wright’s point is that Bigger becomes a brutal killer because the dominant white culture fears that he will become a brutal killer. Wright emphasizes this vicious cycle of racism: though Bigger’s violence stems from racial hatred, it only increases the racism in American society, as it confirms racist whites’ basic fears about blacks. In Wright’s depiction, whites effectively transform blacks into their own negative stereotypes. Only when Bigger meets Max, his white, communist lawyer, does Wright offer any hope of breaking this cycle of racism. Through interaction with Max, Bigger begins to perceive whites as individuals. Only when sympathetic understanding exists between blacks and whites will they be able to see each other as individuals, not merely as members of a stereotyped group. After he meets Max and learns to talk through his problems Bigger begins to redeem himself, recognizing white people as individuals for the first time and realizing the extent to which he has been affected by racism. Early on in Native Son, Wright describes how Bigger retreats behind a â€Å"wall† to keep the reality of his situation from overwhelming him. This passage from Book Two shows the destructive effects of Bigger’s retreat. â€Å"There was something he knew and something he felt; something the world gave him and something he himself had†¦Never in all his life, with this black skin of his, had the two worlds, thought and feeling, will and mind, aspiration and satisfaction, been together; never had he felt a sense of wholeness.† (225) He is isolated not only from his friends and family, but from himself as well. It seems that the black psyche is always divided. Bigger’s mind is split in two, leaving him unable to interact with others and unable to understand himself. It is this quest for wholeness that dominates Bigger’s  life. Tragically, it is not until he has murdered two women and is soon to be executed that he is able to understand and grasp this wholeness. He is thrilled by his new realization, yet tormented by the fact that it comes too late, when he has only precious little time left to live.