A Timeless Struggle in Brokeback Mountain Essay -- Brokeback Mountain

Author Isaac Asimov once wrote,† Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what's right.† This saying came to mind while reading both Montana 1948 and Brokeback Mountain. The authors, Larry Watson (Montana 1948) and Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain) both write stories with the internal conflict of man vs. himself. In Montana 1948 Larry Watson’s main characters the Hayden family cope with a situation of sexual abuse that forces them to search for their moral base and choose between right and wrong. Each member of the family begins at a different in their moral expedition, but eventually end up with the same internal resolution. Similarly, in Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain, the author sketches a picture of two men who live in a constant struggle with their ideas of morality. Rationalizing and avoidance exist as Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar’s main internal defense mechanisms. Proulx presents a devastating study of Jack and Ennis’ su bsequent struggle with both their families and their work as they try to come to terms with their sexual relationship. To begin in this examination of the moral code of the American West, we turn to the relationships and struggles brought about in Larry Watson’s novel Montana 1948. In this novel, there exists conflicts between several of the characters, however; the main conflict lies within the characters themselves. The reader sees the Hayden family struggle with the realization that the town doctor, their relative, has been molesting young Indian girls. This situation forces Wes Hayden, the town’s sheriff and the doctor’s only brother, to choose his actions towards this ethical dilemma carefully. He deliberates on his situation throughout most of the novel, relying on his wife’s set-in-stone morals to guide his decision in some ways. Through this interaction, the reader sees that some people who were not brought up with a strong moral code must develop one for themselves, while others who were taught their morals at an early age may alter them to fit their own perspecti ves as they grow. Also, noted very plainly, the moral code of the American West did not exist as equal to today’s code. The characters in this novel existed in what they believed to be a moral society, but by today’s standards it was amoral, devoid of moral standards. Watson brings this idea to life when he writes through the narrator’s voice,... ... that their homosexuality was immoral. Thus we see two novels whose characters deal with an internal struggle. Both the characters in Montana 1948 and those in Brokeback Mountain struggle with their set of morals in situations that can change their lives forever. In Montana 1948 Wes Hayden faces a situation that may estrange his family or estrange himself from his moral base. He eventually chooses to be true to himself, in arresting his only brother for molestation and murder. However, in Brokeback Mountain the cowboys, Jack and Ennis, must hide their relationship because of its immoral content. Thus, they live a life hiding from their true feelings. At some times they even trying to deny their nature. Because of the threat of being ostracized and possible killed, these men led a life separate from their love for one another. Though, in the end their prejudice, along with every one else’s killed Jack. Ennis knows this and the only place that they have left is Brokeback Mountain, a place untouched by the world, unab le to be soiled with prejudices. Work Cited Proulx, Annie. â€Å"Brokeback Mountain.† Close Range: Wyoming Stories. New York: Scribner, 1999. 251-82. Print.

Learning mentor

Introduction Mentoring is a thought and a practice that has developed over time in diverse cultures as well as contexts. Natural mentoring takes place incidentally in various life settings through teaching, friendship, coaching and counseling. ‘Planned' mentoring involves prepared programmes with clear objectives, where mentors and mentees are matched using formal processes. It is predictable; consequently, that today there is significant confusion over its meaning. A Scottish study by Philip and Hendry (2000) examined natural mentoring relationships using a wide sample of young people as well as adults. Five types of natural mentoring relationship were recognized: †¢ Individual-team mentoring †¢ Classic mentoring †¢ Friend-to-friend mentoring †¢ Long-term relationship mentoring †¢ Peer-group mentoring  (pp 216-17). Philip (2000) concludes that natural mentoring can occur within a broad range of relationships and that it takes on greater significance on occasion of crisis or as the relationships grows. Distinctiveness of natural mentoring was the common benefits, and the equality of power between mentors as well as mentees. Teachers Teachers find that they have given up some of their independence. There are lots of other people with an interest in young people's learning in the school repeatedly. Teachers discover that they are no longer alone in discussions concerning teaching and learning. Peer tutors as well as mentors strengthen learning and support homework. Specialist mentors from business, particular employment sectors as well as the university augment the course. Higher education students lift the aspirations of students to attend university. These people reveal the national diversity of the local population and bring lots of more role models into the school. Adult volunteers take after-school clubs, which decreases the demands on teachers' time (Cruddas, 2005). Community members Senior citizens as well as people from minority racial communities feel welcome and appreciated by the school staff as well as students. They have a part in offering their experience to assist students in need of adult support. Bonds are built up between older people working in the school as well as between minorities. Intergenerational bonds are formed and informal groups of mentor friends build up. Mentoring serves as a uniting mechanism to comprise all types of people in the school community. In these ways the social capital of the local community is improved. Volunteers work in teams to direct external mentoring and make the teachers' work easier. Conclusion It is as well true that the actions of government and schools can challenge the move towards a mentoring society. Government funding cuts borne out of decline or a change of administration can eliminate the infrastructure required to sustain the ‘dedication'. Support for volunteering in addition to the voluntary sector organizations that administer mentoring programmes needs to be sustained. The propensity of government to fund pilots or offer annual funding makes it complex to put up the kinds of sustained partnerships as well as programmes that are essential. Schools too can undermine the progress of a mentoring culture. School decision makers are at times unenthusiastic to open the school up to the neighboring community. Teachers can be doubtful of what might be supposed as unprofessional people and do-gooders interfering with the professional business of education. Teacher deficiency and the overloaded curriculum make it more prone that teachers will perceive mentoring as one more idea that they can do without. School mentoring coordinators may be provided insufficient time or support to do the job appropriately, and mentors can experience let down as a result. In such state of affairs, companies may start to remove support as school-based programmes achieve a bad name. Despite all these possible obstructions, mentoring has achieved a lot of support from among the army of mentors as well as mentees, who are both current and future voters, in addition to users of the education system. There are also hopeful signs that governments have seen the profit of mentoring and the likely advantages of a move towards the mentoring society. Reference: Philip, K and Hendry, L B (2000). Making sense of mentoring or mentoring making sense? Reflections on the mentoring process by adult mentors with young people, Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 10, pp 211-23 Philip, K (2000). Mentoring: pitfalls and potential for young people, Youth and Policy, 67, pp1-15 Cruddas, L. (2005). Learning Mentors in Schools policy and practice, Trentham Books

Challenges of a Global Business Essay - 1176 Words

Conducting global business is extremely complex and difficult. At times both countries involved may not be in agreement, but decide to conduct business anyway. For a company to conduct business in another country there is extensive research, negotiation, and compromise done before it can be finalized. Even though not all standards meet those of the United States, some companies continue to make business abroad. Some companies when investigated and found guilty of unethical behavior, blame their actions on not knowing about it or on the subcontractor or supplier. It is inevitable to avoid ethical issues when conducting global business. This is mainly because of differentiation of foreign laws, regulations, and policies. Among those there†¦show more content†¦The differences in cultures between countries involving possible misunderstandings relating to the traditions that require the exchange process (e.g., transactions) may be understood by one culture as bribes but in realit y be an acceptable business practices in another culture. These types of traditions include gifts, monetary payments, favors, entertainment, and political contribution. This is why it is important for expatriates to study the culture and way before traveling to a foreign country. The issue of globalization and working conditions, especially in less developed countries, is a complex one. Some may argue against â€Å"sweatshop† labor and the exploitation of the working poor. Although others argue that such jobs offer good economic opportunities for workers, providing better jobs than are otherwise available to them. Again what United States consider unethical might be seen at that country as an opportunity. Globalization has led to exploitation of labor and human rights are being compromised. Prisoners and child workers are used to work in inhumane conditions. Safety standards are ignored to produce cheap goods (LEVINE). Because some countries do not enforce child protections or human rights, government pays little or no attention to this type of treatment. Some high powered distance countries accept inequality, in these areas women remain disadvantaged in many areas of life, as education, employment health, and rights. Developed countriesShow MoreRelatedChallenges Of The Global Business Environment1175 Words   |  5 PagesChallenges in the Global Business Environment Joseph D. Williams Dr. Stephanie Dunston Strayer University BUS 475 Business and Society 16 August 2016 Changes that Apple has made to its Code of Conduct Apple Incorporation, to advance its Code of Conducts and efficient operation, has made the decision to disclose the names and locations of supplier factories. In 2014, Apple Incorporation released the supplier’s responsibility report that was describing the standard responsibilities and the CompaniesRead MoreChallenges Of The Global Business Environment1111 Words   |  5 Pages Challenges in the Global Business Environment Joseph D. Williams Dr. Stephanie Dunston Strayer University BUS 475 Business and Society 16August 2015 Changes that Apple has made to its Code of Conduct Apple Incorporation, to advance its Code of Conducts and efficient operation, has made the decision to disclose the names and locations of supplier factories. In 2014, Apple Incorporation released the supplier’s responsibility report that was describing the standard responsibilities and theRead MoreGlobal Business Challenges Of New Zealand Essay1112 Words   |  5 PagesGlobal Business Challenges Businesses competing in New Zealand and in the global arena, have to face many challenges in order to be successful. There is a vast range of challenges that businesses have to face which are considered, the major business challenges. These challenges can be faced by firms operating in New Zealand and firms that are operating on a global scale. Listed are some of these challenges. Business challenges: †¢ Cultural Sensitivity †¢ Environmental Sustainability †¢ GlobalisationRead MoreChallenges Facing Global Business Environment Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesChallenges in the Global Business Environment Ongoing challenges in the global business environment are mostly attributed to unethical business practices, failure to embrace technology advancements, and intense competition among businesses. Apple Inc. is an example of a company that has faced challenges in the global business environment because of unethical business practices with regards to its suppliers’ compliance with the company’s code of conduct. Despite safety being one of the major componentsRead MoreChallenges in the Global Business Environment Essay1676 Words   |  7 PagesCHALLENGES IN THE GLOBAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT NATOSHA WHITAKER Strayer University Professor Cito Vanegas August 29, 2015 CHALLENGES IN THE GLOBAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT There has been no change to Apple Code of Conduct policy since 2014 when Apple started taking previous audit scores into consideration and conduct detailed risk assessments with There has been no change to Apple Code of Conduct policy since 2014 when Apple started taking previousRead MoreChallenges Of Growing Global Business Environment Essay1570 Words   |  7 Pagesbetter quality, which also enhances a business’ competitive advantage in the market. Productivity improvement techniques and tools: To increase the productivity of manufacturing units different tools and techniques are available such as Just-In-Time (JIT),5S,Bottleneck Analysis, Jidoka (Autonomation), Kaizen (Continuous Improvement),PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) and Root Cause Analysis. JUST IN TIME: In the present market scenario of growing global business environment, the main goal of all manufacturingRead MoreCommunication Process and Challenges in Global Business Environment1745 Words   |  7 Pages------------------------------------------------- BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Semester 1 2011-2012 Module Leader Ms. Kirti Bhatia Communication Process and Challenges In Global Busienss Environment Submitted By: Kanishk Matta Executive Summary In this report, generic form of communication process is described and types of communication are also there to help the reader get an idea of communication to start with. Thereafter, prominent barriers in communication faced by global firms are elaborated to give the readerRead MoreCommunication Process and Challenges in Global Business Environment1751 Words   |  8 Pages------------------------------------------------- BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Semester 1 2011-2012 Module Leader Ms. Kirti Bhatia Communication Process and Challenges In Global Busienss Environment Submitted By: Kanishk Matta Executive Summary In this report, generic form of communication process is described and types of communication are also there to help the reader get an idea of communication to start with. Thereafter, prominent barriers in communication faced by global firms are elaborated to give the readerRead MoreEssay on Assignment 2: Challenges in the Global Business Environment2250 Words   |  9 PagesAssignment 2: Challenges in the Global Business Environment Nitha Calixte Business and Society Professor Said June 1, 2016 Assignment 2: Challenges in the Global Business Environment Apple Inc. was founded in 1977. To date, this company has continually offered a wide range of products to meet the growing demands of customers all over the world. Apple not only produces and sells computer software and cellphones; they also distribute consumer electronic products around the globe. IncreasingRead MoreAssignment 2 Challenges in the Global Business Environment Essay2235 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿ Assignment 2: Challenges in the Global Business Environment Jerald V. Jones Professor Margaret Parrish Business 475 May 29, 2014 Specify, in brief, the nature, structure, types of products or service of the business you selected. Examine the information within the company’s code of ethical conduct, and choose three (3) key issues from within the document that you believe are critical for success. Provide rationale for the response. In 1911 the Standard Oil of California, or SoCal was

Review Of Much Like How Greco Roman Heroes - 1207 Words

Much like how Greco-Roman heroes reflected the cultural values of the societies that produced and sustained them, comic book heroes have also continued to reflect the values of contemporary society. In particular, Marvel’s The Punisher is a vital source of insight in our society’s moral perception of criminals. This is because his acceptance to mainstream pop culture is a reflection of the social values and moral codes that have been discreetly popularized by members of our society. This popularity, which is grounded in our resonation with The Punisher and his belief system, is a product of our unfiltered individual moral desires, as well as the institutional ills that many believe characterizes our justice systems. To understand these†¦show more content†¦The perpetrators, seeking to eliminate witnesses, murdered most of the bystanders, including Castle’s family and almost Castle himself. Although upon recovery Castle was able to identify the perpetrato rs to the police, corruption in the department prevented any action from being taken. For that reason, and wanting justice for his family, Castle became the vigilante known as The Punisher. He has since waged a one-man war against crime and corruption by mercilessly hunting and killing those he consider criminals. This backstory alone provides insight into the Punisher’s moral foundations and motivations. However, further interpretation is necessary to understand the depth of his moral structure and motivation and there resonation with members of our society. In regards to his motivation, it has been made explicitly clear that revenge is the principle source of his crusade against crime. Not only does the author of his comic offer this evidence to us, but a basic psychological inquiry would make this clear as well. Nonetheless, as a result of his moral structure, Punisher is an immensely complex character that strays from the simplistic vengeful paradigm. This structure, which is maintained by his vision of making the world a better place, can be characterized as a consequentialist belief that eradicating criminals in the world is a necessary evil. This moral structure is crucial because within The Punisher’s individual rationality, the ethical frameworkShow MoreRelatedSummer Olymoics23416 Words   |  94 Pagesbehind, having closed most of the gap observed by the initial evaluation in 2004. New York and Madrid also received very positive evaluations.[28] On 1 July 2005, when asked who would win, Jacques Rogge said, I cannot predict it since I don t know how the IOC members will vote. But my gut feeling tells me that it will be very close. Perhaps it will come down to a difference of say ten votes, or maybe less.[29] On 6 July 2005, the final selection was announced at the 117th IOC Session in Singapore

Essay about Cool Careers for Girls and Career Ideas for Kinds

Computer science grads are earning $60,000,so I believe that Computer science is a very high salary job, Career Ideas for Kids Who Like Computers is the better book than Cool Careers for Girls In Computers. I speak here today to give our school the better book while saving the school some cash. I think Career Ideas for Kids Who like Computers is the better book because, it focuses on both genders, more detailed on their life and has much more links. The chosen book is much better because, it focuses on both genders. This makes the book much more useful compared to Cool Careers for Girls In Computers, which focuses on only one gender. For example there is a person named Kurt Matthews Reeves, 61 which is a guy and another person named†¦show more content†¦Career Ideas for Kids Who Like Computers is also the better book because this book contain a considerable amount of links, as you know the internet is a very big place with lots of links and my books has access to them, such as the STC website which is located at http://stc.org and at almost every single person has their own websites, which means kids could find out an enormous amount of information. This book also contains info about their job, such as the â€Å"Check it Out† Section and also the â€Å"Logo Links â€Å"(that is a computer language) Reeves,29, these links will tell you much more about each job they have. So all in all Career Ideas for Kids Who like Computers is the better book. But on the other hand, Career’s for Girls Who like Computers has its advantages too such as Telling Life and Showing major events. This book will show girls women’s’ life such as, â€Å"Silicon Valley at Telos† Pasternak,51 that shows that this event was a major part of her life and also â€Å"Marries moves to D.C. area† Pasternak 51 this also show that this woman changed jobs. This book also shows that women get married and divorced such as, â€Å"Does paralegal work has son.† Pasternak, 51 Which means she got married and had a son and sadly, â€Å"Get law degree and divorced†, Pasternak, 51. In conclusion Career Ideas for Kids Who like Computer is the better book because it focuses on both genders, much more detailedShow MoreRelatedParenthood Is The Story Of The Buckman Family1556 Words   |  7 Pagesa typical suburban setting. He works as a sales executive while his wife, Karen, is a stay-at-home mom, caring for their eldest son Kevin, daughter Taylor, and toddler son Justin. Gil is constantly struggling to find balance between his family and career. At work, his ethics are often overlooked and inner office politics seem to favor those with younger personalities over those who work hard. At home, he deals with the strains of parenthood and sometimes admits he sees himself as a failure of a fatherRead MorePros And Cons Of Social Media1114 Words   |  5 Pagesthe main way to communicate with people with people all over the world. It has become very popular... even more popular than a text or video message. Social media is a computer technology that facilitates the cre ation and sharing of information, ideas, career interests and other forms of expression via communities and networks. The variety of social media services that are currently available can help benefit businesses, introduce an event, or even help you find a friend, family member, or long lostRead MoreExamples Of Part Time Business Ideas For Students1530 Words   |  7 Pages27 Part Time Business Ideas for Students It’s a good time for high school and college students to start and be in business. As a matter of fact, it’s pretty much a must, considering all the pressure that comes with being in that kind of position. After that period when you’re in college, you need to be prepared for the world out there and find ways you can supplement your income or even replace it in case you lose your job at the firm you work in. Let’s just face it; the world today is graced byRead MorePersonal Statement : Rolling Wheels994 Words   |  4 Pageswheels The whole industry of cars being advertized to the public by toys, games, shows and so on, have always had this target to consumers (parents) to buy these toys most specifically to their male kids and young adult. This matter gives a social idea that male children had to interact with manly like toys that gave the children there gender role of being a male begging or stating the stage of what your suppose to like as you grow up because of your sex. Respectively being a child, seeing a toyRead MoreExistential Crisis Shown in the TV series Awkward1296 Words   |  6 PagesExistential Crisis in the TV series â€Å"Awkward† We are all familiar with the lonely Charlie Brown, who wishes he was popular and courageous enough to sit with the beautiful red-head girl that he has a crush on. In the comic strip, Charlie talks down of himself numerous times such as, â€Å"I always have to eat alone because nobody likes me..† and â€Å"I’d give anything to talk with her.. She’d never like me, though.. I’m so blah and so stupid.. She’d never like me.† He then explains that if he would go overRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Son Laughs 2088 Words   |  9 Pagesare attached to an exterior railing. When I read this I could picture standing outside on an early spring day when everything is starting to thaw out after a long, cold winter. This poem is written with nothing, but simple metaphors that are the same kind of comparisons that a small child might make and that is the meaning of this poem. The father is able to look at the icicles through the eyes of his son with the wonder that only a child can experience from something new. The icicles are describedRead MoreMedia s Influence On Society Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesaround the country or the world. 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I infer that sex sells has both good and bad aspects and I can use it effectively by learning itRead MoreProfessionalism: A Career Plan as a Social Worker1438 Words   |  6 PagesCareer Plans The grass blows in the cool breeze, but a chill is in the air, winter is coming. I stop and look around; the pristine white gates surround a lush green pasture still unaffected by the cold. Inside young foals dance to the winds music, playfully kicking and biting at each other, daring the other to a race. I turn toward the silhouette in the distance and spot bright eyes and pricked ears. A whinny reaches my ears and then another responds, it is breakfast time and the horses let me knowRead MoreHow Do the Ideas Espoused by Mary Wollstonecraft and Other Feminist Writers of Her Time Relate to Women Today?1302 Words   |  6 PagesHow do the ideas espoused by Mary Wollstonecraft and other feminist writers of her time relate to women today? In A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft presented and developed ideas that were groundbreaking and new for her time. She believed the only way women could view their social roles objectively and differently was through education. Her ideas were â€Å"unambiguously feminist, although by modern standards, they may seem outdated† (â€Å"History of feminism†). But I believe

Floating Point Number Representation †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Floating Point Number Representation. Answer: Introduction: The IEEE-754 is a number format on the computer system that occupies 4 bytes of memory in the computer system. It is also referred to as binary32 as the representation requires only 32 bits of memory. The format of the IEEE-754 32 bit single precision format is represented below: Figure: Single precision format Source: Kumar Basha, 2016 The IEEE 754 32 bit Single precision format consists of three components: Sign bit: 1 bit Exponent bit: 8 bit Significand precision: 24 in which 23 bits are explicitly stored. The signed bit represents the sign of the integer which represents positive as well as negative values. The 8 bits represents the exponent in signed format ranging from -127 to 128 as well as unsigned format ranging from 0 to 255 (Hou et al., 2017). The true significant bit is represented in the 23 fraction bits which following the exponent bit. An example of the IEEE 754 32 bit single precision format: Let us consider a value 0.25 in decimal. The 32 bit single precision format would be represented as: (0.25)10 can be considered as (1.0)2 * 2-2 The analysis of the above equation states that the exponent is -2 which can be represented in the biased form as 127-2=125. 125 can be further represented in binary form as 0111 1101. The fraction is 0 as the numbers following the right of the binary point in 1.0 are all zeros. Thus, the 23 significand bit representation consists of 00000000000000000000000. Thus, the complete representation of the number 0.25 in the 32 bit single precision format is as follows: 0 01111101 00000000000000000000000 IEEE-754 64-bit Double-Precision Floating-Point Numbers The IEEE 64 bit double precision number incorporates the capability to store 64 bit precision number. It occupies two adjacent storage locations in the computers memory. It is most commonly used in the PCs due to its wider range of information storage precision. The single precision format lacks the actual precision of the integer format, thus double precision format is more commonly used. The IEEE-754 64-bit double precision format is represented below: According to the figure, the format consists of the following three components: Sign bit: 1 bit Exponent bit: 11 bits Significand bits: 54 in which 23 bits are explicitly stored. Example: The exact value of the 64-bit double precision is given by, (-1)sign * (1.b51b50..b0)2 * 2e-1023 Where, sign stands for sign of integer and e stands for exponent. The number 1 can be represented as: The fixed point representation of a number includes three components, sign bit, integer field, and the fractional field. The sign bit is 1 bit, integer field is 15 bit and the fractional field is 16 bit. But in the floating point representation the integer field consists of either 8 bit or 11 bits, the remaining bits are the fractional part in both the representations (Lindstrom, Lloyd Hittinger, 2018). Moreover, the fixed point representation can represent smaller numbers but the floating point representation presents wider range of numbers. Reference Fulzele, S., Ghodke, V. (2015). Novel Technique for Parallel Pipeline Double Precision IEEE-754 Floating Point Adder.International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science,4(06). Hou, J., Zhu, Y., Shen, Y., Li, M., Wu, H., Song, H. (2017, December). Tackling Gaps in Floating-Point Arithmetic: Unum Arithmetic Implementation on FPGA. InHigh Performance Computing and Communications; IEEE 15th International Conference on Smart City; IEEE 3rd International Conference on Data Science and Systems (HPCC/SmartCity/DSS), 2017 IEEE 19th International Conference on(pp. 615-616). IEEE. Kumar, B. V. V., Basha, S. M. (2016). Design and Simulation of Single-Precision Inexact Floating-Point Adder/Subtractor.i-Manager's Journal on Electronics Engineering,6(4), 7. Lindstrom, P., Lloyd, S., Hittinger, J. (2018). Universal Coding of the Reals: Alternatives to IEEE Floating Point.

The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay Essay Example

The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay Essay Susan Moller Okin’s â€Å"Feminism and Multiculturalism: Some Tensions† is a well-argued paper that explores the â€Å"tensions† between feminism and multiculturalism (particularly the â€Å"group-rights† variety) from a consistent liberal perspective. The author writes as a liberal and as a feminist in putting forth a critique of the ways in which multiculturalism – as it was, and still is, being advocated by various activists and academics – poses real dangers to the rights and interests of girls and women that belong to minority groups. The way she does this is admirable: In a manner that is clear and with not-so-well-known examples, she shows how most of the major cultures of the world puts a premium on â€Å"maintaining control of women† and how the advancement of the rights and interests of women conflict and clash with particular practices within the cultures of minority groups. She is admirable in standing firm with the feminist insight that â€Å"more often than not, sex discrimination is far less overt. In many cultures, strict control of women is enforced in the private sphere by the authority of either actual or symbolic fathers, often acting through, or with the complicity of, the older women of the culture. † This, I think, is her central argument in making the case that there are â€Å"tensions,† if not contradictions, between feminism and multiculturalism. Despite my respect for Okin’s arguments and mode of argumentation, I also have a few critical remarks: (1) For a couple of times in the essay, Okin referred to â€Å"more patriarchal minority cultures exist[ing] in the context of less patriarchal majority cultures. We will write a custom essay sample on The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Tensions of Susan Moller Okin’s Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer † This, I think, is one of the great assumptions of her essay – the situation that is implied to be the context of her thinking and writing. The question therefore arises: Is she talking about North America and Europe? I wish that Okin made this assumption an argument, changed it from being implicit to being explicit. This would have made her case stronger, or at least clearer, and not prone to charges of Eurocentrism in this context, or the assumption that states in North America and Europe are liberal ones that are good or even better for girls and women to grow up in. Not that I disagree with this belief completely, but I believe that this must be shown rather than merely assumed. Had Okin made this explicit, perhaps she would have posed and addressed related issues such as the degree of â€Å"liberalism† or â€Å"feminism† of these states with regard to girls and women, especially when compared with cultures of â€Å"minority groups. † (2) I also hoped that Okin presented what advocates of â€Å"group rights† are fighting for, or what they themselves say they are fighting for. I think that she will agree that these advocates are not fighting for group rights for the sole purpose of controlling or oppressing women. By not presenting the objectives of these advocates, however, we are left with the impression – one-sided, surely – that the enforcement of these group rights by the state will only lead to the tighter control and greater oppression of women. Had she presented the objectives of these advocates, we readers will probably be given the chance to weigh these against the dangers that she had posed. It is not that the rights of minority groups should take precedence over the rights and interests of girls and women within these groups. But the fact that these objectives can constitute real gains for populations of minority groups, and not just attacks on the rights and interests of girls and women suggests that the struggle for the rights and interests of women on the one hand, and of the minority group on the other, could be seen as complementing each other, part of a struggle to expand freedoms of various peoples. (3) I wish to make a few comments regarding various points of Okin’s paper. (a) Okin defends feminists (needless to say, from one culture) who criticize anti-women practices in other cultures. I agree with her on this score. Such a view, however, should be balanced by the view that real change happens only when its constituents fight for it. I agree that we can pass judgment on the tyranny of Saddam Husein but I do not agree that this gives us license to attack Iraq. Real change in Iraq should come from its people, not from other countries. (b) I have the feeling that control and oppression of women in the family sphere is too systemic a problem for it to used as a yardstick for measuring gains that group rights can actually bring a minority population. (c) One more thing that’s sorely missing in Okin’s essay is an appreciation of how changes in history take place. I think that piecemeal reforms for oppressed people are important and can lead to bigger things. What she does, from one perspective, is to pit piecemeal reforms against systemic changes – which is not, I think, how changes in history take place.