Discrimination Against Indians In Singapore Cultural Studies Essay

Discrimination Against Indians In Singapore Cultural Studies Essay Singapore may be highly advanced in terms of education and technology however there remain social fault lines that need to be addressed. This paper aims to outline a common form of racism against Singaporean Indians and how this affects the particular individual and the society. The paper will also cross-reference to the USA and discuss the situation of American-Indians living there. Recommendations to solve this problem will also be further discussed. Section II THE ISSUES AND WHO ARE INVOLVED The population in Singapore is about 4.9 million people, 3.7 million people are Singaporeans and Permanent Residents while the rest are foreigners. The ethnic distribution of Singaporeans is as follows, 9.2% of Singapores population is Indians, 13.4% of Singapores population is Malays, 74.2 % of Singapores population are Chinese, while the remaining 3.2% of Singapores population are Eurasians. (http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/reference/sif2010.pdf) From the above mentioned statistics Indians are one the minority groups in Singapore while the Singapore population is dominated by the Chinese race. The following paper will highlight the racism against Indians in Singapore from the majority race which is the Chinese population. This topic has been chosen because the author has experienced racism in many forms from the Chinese population in Singapore, thus the author is able to relate to this topic better and give better suggestions to solve the problem on hand. According to Nadra Kareem, one of the major causes of racism is because of the skin colour, where the minorities are rejected by the society and suffer verbal abuse because of their ethnic background. (http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/a/internalizedracism.htm) The following are two quotes taken from interviews (conducted by me) to strengthened Nadra Kareems statement. Vinodini, 25 I was about 13 years old when this incident happened, I went to the swimming school with my female group of friends. I and my friends did not really know how to swim, we just went for the sake to try out something new. My group of friends were wearing our swimming costume and we were about to enter the pool when a Chinese man said to his wife Charcoal coming inside the pool lets go. At that point I felt so insulted. I did not know whether to scold him or just simply run away to escape the humiliation. From that day onwards I lost the interest in swimming and I have never worn a swimming costume. The following statement illustrates the point that colour is a cause of racism, naturally swimming costumes tends to show more of the body and the Chinese man had to comment on her colour as charcoal. The respondents body is shamed by being referred to as charcoal (in relation to its black colour) and on a worse note the Chinese man felt that by the respondent entering the pool it meant that the man and his wife should leave the pool and that they cannot be in the same pool together. On a whole this incident is extremely damaging to Indians confidence in their body. Thevandran, 16 During primary school there was an incident whereby a Chinese boy from my class would cover his nose and encourage other students to cover their noses because he thought I was smelly and dirty. When I confronted him he told me that it was his parents who told him that Indians dont bathe at all. That day I convinced myself that I did not want to socialize with the Chinese. In both instances it can be noted that there are actually racially-motivated racism by the Chinese against the Indians in Singapore based on their colour. The multiple disgraceful terms such charcoal and dirty is mainly to mock the Indian body as inferior to theirs. Ardis C. Martin, M.D. states that if ones culture continues to be devalued it results in low self-esteem. (http://ap.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/32/4/338) In both cases above, the respondents felt insulted by the remarks that they received. Vinodini did not ever want to swim again while Thevandran did not want to socialise with Chinese to ease his pain. Section III WHY THIS PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION AFFECT SOCIETY AND IS IMPORTANT The racism of Chinese against Indians in Singapore should not be treated lightly and must be treated seriously. One only has to look back into Singapores history and remember of the two racial events that nearly tore apart Singapore The Maria-Hertogh Riots and 1964 Race Riots. On 11 of December 1950 the court decided to award custody of Maria Hertogh (who was raised by Muslims) her biological Catholic parents. Outraged Muslims protested the decision which eventually led to rioting when images showing Maria Hertogh kneeling before a statue of Mother Mary were published. Rioting in Singapore lasted 3days. Many properties were destroyed but more importantly 173 people were injured and 18 were killed. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Hertogh_riots) The 1964 Race Riots was a series of riots that took place in Singapore in July and September between Chinese and Malay racial groups. The racial violence killed 36 people and a further 556 people were injured. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_race_riots_in_Singapore) The following two events illustrate how racial conflicts can destroy Singapore. To deal with this situation the government has continuously and actively promoted racial harmony as the key pillar of the nation through various policies and measures emphasizing tolerance, understanding and respect among the different races and religions in Singapore. (http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100429-213067.html) Singaporeans are also constantly regularly reminded in official speeches of the racial in events in Singapores history and how it threatened to engulf the nation in turmoil. (http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/sp/nationaldayrally2009/090817_hard_work_on_harmony.html) The situation in Britain/United Kingdom will now be discussed, whereby Indians there are one of the minority race groups and they are discriminated violently and viciously by the majority groups. Even though the situation in Singapore regarding the racism against Indians by the Chinese may be seem as tame as compared to the situation in Britain/United Kingdom, lessons has to be learnt from those countries to prevent our nations future from becoming bleak as Britain and United Kingdom. Section IV WHERE CAN WE START TO FIX THE PROBLEM Racism of Indians by the Chinese in Singapore results in marginalisation between the two groups and thus creates divide within the multi-racial society within Singapore. (http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100429-213067.html) There are many measures put in place by the government to tackle the issue of racism between the different racial groups. During Mr Lee Hsien Loong National Day Rally speech in 2009 he mentioned about Singapores efforts at fostering harmony among the different races and religions. (http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/sp/nationaldayrally2009/090817_hard_work_on_harmony.html). The reason for doing so is to create social interaction between different races and thus promote cultural diversity among them. Examples to promote national integration between the different races include through promotion of public housing, national service, educational policies, the mass media and grassroots organizations. One such measure I suggest to tackle the issue of racism against the Indians by the Chinese is to implement a system in primary schools whereby for one day a Indian student will have to live a Chinese students house. The next day the Chinese student will have to live in the Indian students house. This thus creates the social interaction required to foster harmony between the different racial groups. The reason for implementing this system during primary school is because young children are impressionable and through interaction at this age it will continue a trend to interact with other races as they grow up. Martin Luther King once said I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. I totally agree with him, through the implementation of my idea it will help Chinese in Singapore to judge Indians based on their character and nothing else, thus creating a harmonious and multi-racial Singapore for all to see.

Leadership and vision for future

The role of leadership in organization is really great. Success of company mostly depends on qualities of leader. A good leader is more than half of success. Much of literature on organizational change and leadership emphasizes the notion of selling an inspirational and aspirational vision to those at every level in the organization. Let’s try to examine the difficulties, which can face the leader when trying to sell an inspirational and aspirational vision for the future, taking into account that a vision needs to appeal to and be understood by people at every level of the organization. Leadership as a concept of classical management is ability to influence activity of individuals and groups of people in order to motivate them working for achievement of aims. Organization, which is successful, is different from other organizations mainly because it has more dynamic and effective management.   Successful organization is, first of all, a strategic vision for future, whereas leadership supposes vision of future and ability to propagate it as well as motivate people. So, we can see that an effective leadership and effective inspirational and aspirational vision for the future depends on skillful motivation of workers. Without any doubt, motivation should be different for different levels of workers. Vision – is the fourth component of â€Å"diamond leadership†. Leader combines both words of vision – external and internal (Heifitz, R., p.112). Components of vision are creativity and strategy. There is no magic in this process: it is quite difficult, sometimes wearisome process of collecting and analyzing of information. A person, who forms vision of company, is not a magician – he is a thoughtful strategist, who is able to risk. Vision is one of zones of leader’s intelligence, which demands constant development and perfection. To tell with other words, vision is a â€Å"description of the future that is attractive because it expresses the possibility of realizing values that are important to people† (Charles Pfeffer, p.2) Let’s see, what are the main problems and difficulties, leaders face during implementing of vision for the future in the companies. Model of future is not attractive (or it is difficult to understand). First of all, a leader should create an attractive vision of future. He has to work out a strategic plan, which will indicate the main stages of development. What is also very important, the vision should not be different of strategic aims of company. The vision should show, which values will be achieved during implementation process. All workers should realize importance of working together and should understand the aims of company. Moreover, they have to understand and to share your vision. Don’t forget that people are different and you have to work with them depending on their skills, abilities and status. A good model is like a house made of cards – each card should occupy its position; when one card will fall down, it ruins the whole building. The same problem is in the company: all the workers should understand the aims of organization and its vision for the future. When a worker doesn’t understand the aim, he will not work effectively. Insufficient communication with workers. A good leader develops vision for the future by speaking. A good base for effective work is trust and good relations. When a leader explained to all workers, what he expects from them, he has to be opened for everybody to check results of fulfillment. You should be more open to the workers. The effective communication favors solving different kinds of problems before they become more serious. Paola Gamonal notes that you should â€Å"raise the comfort level, make sure they know questions are always OK, your door is always (or at predictable intervals) open, and be willing to look at drafts and give feedback† (Paola Gamonal, p.3) Bad motivation. Actually, I suppose that this is the most important problem when trying to sell an inspirational and aspirational vision for the future. I think that motivation, ability to develop your qualities, ability to be responsible, readiness to make all efforts to achieve aims of company – all these qualities already are present in people; management cannot give those qualities to people. So, a good manager/leader is obliged to help people to realize and develop all those human qualities. A leader should be able to create such conditions in organization and to use such methods of work to help people to achieve their own aims only in case they make efforts in achievement of aims of organization. Even from economical point of view, people are considered as extremely expensive working resource, so they should be used with maximum effectiveness. For example, when a person gets a new job, he tries to make all efforts to develop himself from the best side. When he doesn’t receive possibility to feel himself necessary, an independent worker, he becomes disappointed in his work. As a consequence, he doesn’t focus attention on quality of work, and doesn’t work effectively for achievement of main aims of his company. This is also one of mistakes, which should be avoided. So, a good leader should estimate potential possibilities of a worker, giving him a chance to realize himself. In such a way, a leader should understand importance of ideal work for each definite worker. Such ‘ideal work’ should have: a) integrity (it means, it should bring to some definite result); b) should be considered as important and which has to be fulfilled (John P Kottler, p.115); c) should give possibility to worker to take decisions, necessary for its fulfillment (i.e. there should be a kind of autonomy, but within definite limits), – or group autonomy; d) should provide double-side connection with worker, should be estimated depending of effectiveness of his work and should bring to him fair remuneration. When you plan work in accordance with these principles, it provides a worker with internal satisfaction. It is very effective motivating factor, because it stimulates qualitative fulfillment of work and stimulates a worker to fulfill more difficult work, which leads to increase of effectiveness in particular and increase of effectiveness of work in the whole company as well. So, summarizing my position, a good leader should be able to provide his organization with effective model of vision for the future. The future of company depends on effective vision. There are some difficulties leader should take into account during selling an inspirational and aspirational vision for the future, which depend on external and internal factors. Those factors include communication with workers, bad or insufficient motivation; inability to explain the vision for the future, to determine main factors and ideas of success, presenting attractive vision, to explain that important aims can be realized, to declare new possibilities. Leaders also face difficulties in speaking in ways that engage workers, to understand what is your audience and react accordingly (people are different and you should be aware that methods, which work for top managerial, doesn’t work for executives, etc). Focusing attention on those difficulties will allow you avoiding a number of problems and will help you company to be more effective. Works Cited: 1.Leadership, Vision and Shared-mental Modeling by Ch. Pfeffer 2.   Vision – Or, Who's Looking Out The Windshield? by P. Gamonal (c) Ravenwerks Website 2003 3.Leadership Without Easy Answers, by Heifitz, R., Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1994 4.Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail in Harvard Business Review by John P Kottler, Business Classics: Fifteen Key Concepts for Managerial Success. Harvard Business School Publishing Crop 1998   

Incredible Hulk Means Incredible Band-Aids Essay

Band-Aids have been around since the 1920s, and they are an internationally known product. Band-Aids must be marketed to an international audience, and since most everyone knows what a Band-Aid is, the company must rely on marketing techniques to show consumers why the Band-Aid brand is the best choice to purchase. In a Band-Aid advertisement released in 2010 by an advertising company, JWT Dubai, there is a picture of the Hulk’s hand with a tiny Band-Aid wrapped around it, and the entire page is colored with different shades of green. This ad is not covered in crazy pictures or an array of vibrant colors; it is simple and concise. This simplistic advertising of the Hulk’s hand makes this ad easy for anyone to comprehend, and it also conveys several different powerful messages to show a consumer the effectiveness of this product. Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and is a Fortune 500 corporation that has worldwide pharmaceutical sales of around 65 million dollars. Jo hnson & Johnson sells medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer-based packages (Wikipedia, 2011). Three brothers founded Johnson & Johnson in Brunswick, New Jersey, and then an employee invented Band-Aids. In 1921 Band-Aids were made available to the public, and it was the first commercial dressing made for small wounds (Johnson & Johnson, 2011). This corporation now operates in over 57 countries, and its products are sold in over 175 countries. Johnson & Johnson ranks at the top of Harris Interactive National Corporate Reputation Survey, and the Barron’s magazine has ranked them the world’s most respected company. The U.S. State Department awarded Johnson & Johnson with the Benjamin Franklin Award for public diplomacy for funding international education programs. (Wikipedia, 2011). Johnson & Johnson is a globally known company, and almost everybody has used a product from this company. Even though Johnson & Johnson is a large and well known company, advertising is an essential tool to keep reminding consumers who can provide the best at home medical products. This advertisement was marketed internationally, and The Hulk, is an internationally known hero. The target audience was geared more towards men, children, and parents. Men are more likely to know who The Hulk is, and that is why this ad was placed in various men’s magazine. This ad was placed in different video game magazines that are read by mostly boys and men. Another placement of this ad was on the Internet, like children’s clothing sites. This could be effective because a mother could be shopping for clothes for her son, and she sees the ad and can relate to it because her son loves The Hulk. This ad could be placed in nearly any magazine, and be effective because of the nature of the product. Even though this ad is aimed more at men and boys, it has other ways to attract women to the product. This ad was also placed in some women’s magazines like home and garden, crafts, and even fashion editorials. Even if a woman did not know who The Hulk was, she can still conclude from the advertisement that the Band-Aid heals, protects, and is strong. This ad can appeal to men and young boys more than women, but no matter where it is placed it can still convey a message of strength and healing. By using the comic pop culture icon, The Hulk, it shows the strength and flexibility of the Band-Aid. The main point of this advertisement is to show how flexible the bandage is. The idea was that Bruce Banner put the Band-Aid on before he became The Hulk, and when he turned into The Hulk, the band aid was so flexible and strong it did not fall off. The Hulk is associated with strength, so by seeing the Hulk’s hand the idea of strength is revealed. The message is no matter how active you are or where you go, the Band-Aid will stay put. Another message that can be relayed is that The Hulk seems indestructible, and even super heroes use Band-Aids, and no household should go without them. By using the renowned hero The Hulk, the product’s benefit truly comes to life, and the ad speaks volumes using no words. Some ideas and messages are conveyed to a consumer in other ways than words. In this advertisement the color green is used to help emphasize the idea of the ad. The color green is used worldwide to represent safety and is considered the most restful color. Green can also represent nature, healing, growth, and balance. The purpose of Band-Aids is to heal wounds, and the various shades of green exemplify the healing and safety elements of the bandage. The different green shades are used to initiate feelings of safety and healing, and the advertisement wants the reader to associate their brand with those feelings. The subject of this ad is the contrasting tan bandage on the Hulk’s finger. The contrasting tan color illuminates the product, and the combination of the colors help create the idea of the importance of the hand and its bandage. A lighter green of shade is placed in the center of the ad, and that creates a spotlight effect to enhance the focus of this ad. By just using colors alone, this advertisement sends a subtle message to its audience. When designing this ad, advertisers also had to consider the placement of the images and product. When people read a page, the normal reading pattern is from top to bottom and left to right. The Hulk’s hand starts at the upper left hand side of the page, and advertisers make a visual path down Hulk’s hand to the product that is being advertised in the middle of the page. Since there is a monochromatic color scheme, it is difficult to lose focus of the main subject. After the reader views the bandage, the visual path continues down Hulk’s bandaged finger to a box of Band-Aid brand bandages. The placement of the Band-Aid box at the bottom right hand corner makes the brand the last image a reader sees before turning the page. The effective mapping of the images draws attention to the important elements of the ad, and in a specific order the advertisers want a consumer to see the ad. This advertisement proves that a product can be marketed effectively by using simplistic placement techniques and monochromatic color schemes. The color choices effectively set a calming and healing mood, and the strong and powerful hand shows the strength and flexibility of the product. Even if someone did not know who The Hulk was, this ad could still be beneficial because it shows a strong hand with a little Band-Aid wrapped around it, and it could be inferred that the little Band-Aid is strong. The Hulk Band-Aid ad was voted one of the top 40 most creative ads by adsoftheworld.com in 2011, and it still circulates on the Internet as a brilliant ad. Reference: Johnson & Johnson. (2011). Johnson & johnson. Retrieved from http://www.jnj.com/connect/about-jnj/company-history/ Wikipedia. (2011, November 25). Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_&_Johnson

Manuela Sáenz, Simon Bolivars Lover and Rebel

Manuela Sà ¡enz (Dec. 27, 1797–Nov. 23, 1856) was an Ecuadorian noblewoman who was the confidante and lover of Simà ³n Bolà ­var before and during the South American wars of Independence from Spain. In September 1828, she saved Bolivars life when political rivals tried to assassinate him in Bogotà ¡: this earned her the title the Liberator of the Liberator. She is considered a national hero in her native city of Quito, Ecuador. Fast Facts: Manuela Sà ¡enz Known For: Latin American revolutionary and mistress of Simon BolivarBorn: Dec. 27, 1797 in Quito, New Granada (Ecuador)Parents: Simà ³n Sà ¡enz Vergara and Marà ­a Joaquina AizpurruDied: Nov. 23, 1856 in Paita, PeruEducation: La Concepcion Convent in QuitoSpouse: James Thorne (m. July 27, 1817, d. 1847)Children: None Early Life Manuela was born on December 27, 1797, the illegitimate child of Simà ³n Sà ¡enz Vergara, a Spanish military officer, and Ecuadorian Marà ­a Joaquina Aizpurru. Scandalized, her mother’s family threw her out and Manuela was raised and schooled by nuns at the La Concepcion Convent convent in Quito, a place where she would receive a proper upper-class upbringing. Young Manuela caused a scandal of her own when she was forced to leave the convent at the age of 17 when it was discovered that she had been sneaking out to have an affair with a Spanish army officer. She then moved in with her father. Marriage In 1814, Manuelas father arranged for her to marry James Thorne, an English doctor who was a good deal older than she was. In 1819 they moved to Lima, then the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. Thorne was wealthy, and they lived in a grand home where Manuela hosted parties for Lima’s upper class. In Lima, Manuela met high-ranking military officers and was well-informed about the different revolutions taking place in Latin America against Spanish rule. She sympathized with the rebels and joined the conspiracy to liberate Lima and Peru. In 1822, she left Thorne and returned to Quito. It was there that she met Simà ³n Bolà ­var. Simà ³n Bolà ­var Although Simà ³n was about 15 years older than she, there was an instant mutual attraction. They fell in love. Manuela and Simà ³n did not see one another as much as they would have liked, as he allowed her to come on many, but not all, of his campaigns. Nevertheless, they exchanged letters and saw each other when they could. It wasn’t until 1825–1826 that they actually lived together for a time, and even then he was called back to the fight. The Battles of Pichincha, Junà ­n, and Ayacucho On May 24, 1822, Spanish and rebel forces clashed on the slopes of Pichincha volcano, within sight of Quito. Manuela actively participated in the battle, as a combatant and supplying food, medicine, and other aid to the rebels. The rebels won the battle, and Manuela was awarded the rank of lieutenant. On August 6, 1824, she was with Bolà ­var at the Battle of Junà ­n, where she served in the cavalry and was promoted to captain. Later, she would also aid the rebel army at the Battle of Ayacucho: this time, she was promoted to Colonel at the suggestion of General Sucre himself, Bolà ­vars second-in-command. Assassination Attempt On September 25, 1828, Simà ³n and Manuela were in Bogotà ¡, in the San Carlos Palace. Bolà ­vars enemies, who did not want to see him retain political power now that the armed struggle for independence was winding down, sent assassins to murder him in the night. Manuela, thinking quickly, threw herself between the killers and Simà ³n, which allowed him to escape through the window. Simà ³n himself gave her the nickname that would follow her for the rest of her life: the liberator of the liberator. Later Life and Death Bolà ­var died of tuberculosis in 1830. His enemies came to power in Colombia and Ecuador, and Manuela was not welcome in these countries. She lived in Jamaica for a while before finally settling in the small town of Paita on the Peruvian coast. She made a living writing and translating letters for sailors on whaling ships and by selling tobacco and candy. She had several dogs, which she named after her and Simà ³n’s political enemies. She died on Nov. 23, 1856, when a diphtheria epidemic swept through the area. Unfortunately, all of her possessions were burned, including all of the letters she had kept from Simà ³n. Art and Literature The tragic, romantic figure of Manuela Sà ¡enz has inspired artists and writers since before her death. She has been the subject of numerous books and a movie, and in 2006 the first-ever Ecuadorian produced and written opera Manuela and Bolà ­var opened in Quito to packed houses. Legacy Manuela’s impact on the independence movement is greatly underestimated today, as she is remembered mostly as Bolivars lover. In fact, she actively participated in the planning and funding of a good deal of rebel activity. She fought at Pichincha, Junà ­n, and Ayacucho and was recognized by Sucre himself as an important part of his victories. She often dressed in the uniform of a cavalry officer, complete with a saber. An excellent rider, her promotions were not merely for show. Finally, her effect on Bolà ­var himself should not be underestimated: many of his greatest moments came in the eight years they were together. One place where she has not been forgotten is her native Quito. In 2007, on the occasion of the 185th anniversary of the Battle of Pichincha, Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa officially promoted her to â€Å"Generala de Honor de la Repà ºblica de Ecuador,† or â€Å"Honorary General of the Republic of Ecuador.† In Quito, many places such as schools, streets, and businesses bear her name. Her history is required reading for schoolchildren. There is also a museum dedicated to her memory in old colonial Quito. Sources Josà © Vilalta, Marà ­a Historia De Las Mujeres Y Memoria Histà ³rica: Manuela Sà ¡enz Interpela a Simà ³n Bolà ­var (1822–1830). Revista Europea de Estudios Latinoamericanos y del Caribe / European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies 93 (2012): 61–78.McKenna, Amy. Manuela Sà ¡enz, Latin American Revolutionary. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016.Murray, Pamela S. Loca or Libertadora?: Manuela Sà ¡enz in the Eyes of History and Historians, 1900–C.1990. Journal of Latin American Studies 33.2 (2001): 291–310.Of Love and Politics: Reassessing Manuela Sà ¡enz and Simà ³n Bolà ­var, 1822–1830. History Compass 5.1 (2007): 227–50.For Glory and Bolivar: The Remarkable Life of Manuela Sà ¡enz. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2008.Von Hagen, Victor W. The Four Seasons of Manuela: A Biography. New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce, 1952.