The Individual Level Analysis For Systems Politics Essay

The Individual Level Analysis For Systems Politics Essay War at the individual level analysis differs from that of systematic levels of analysis. War at the individual level concedes directly to that of human nature. Decisions of various individual leaders can be traced to that of human nature. According to the first level of analysis, war is the result of an individual leader decision making and is ultimately up to that individual. The textbook states that, War occurs because of the choices people make, not due to inbred aggressive traits (168). It is my opinion that the majority of individuals in power have strong agendas both for the state and for personal self interests. While the first course of action by these individuals may be diplomatic in nature, they may very well succumb to the evils of armed conflict to obtain their objectives (whatever they may be). These individuals are only human and face human traits such as fear, greed, restlessness, a need for safety, and revenge. If individuals in power feel threatened, they may consider armed conflict as a solution to ease potential worries of current and future threats. According to the textbook, human beings are built for consensus, not conflict (167). War at the systematic level involves structural processes that occur on a wide scale because of distribution of power among competing states. War results at the systematic level because of repeating trends such as power cycles, power transitions, and distribution of power systems. Power cycles and power transitions can fuel tensions and international conflicts that may possibly lead to armed conflict (but not always). The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and the United States of America bipolar distribution of power that resulted in the cold war is a prime example of power cycles and transitions. The causes of war can be complex and often are the result of individual as well as systematic factors such as the example given in the beginning of chapter 7. Bismarcks personal ambitions for glory as well as the systematic power cycle of Prussia best explains why war results on various levels of analysis. Prussia was at a critical point of unification and the next step was to consolidate individual German states. With an individual leader bent on state domination as well as the systematic breakdown in diplomatic solutions, bloody armed conflict ensued. In my opinion, the individual level is more useful in explaining the occurrence of war in contemporary times. The ideology and beliefs that people in power tend to lean towards determines whether or not these individuals will decide to embark on armed conflict. 7. The following characteristics determine causes of war at the state level of analysis: The geographic location of a state relative to its competitor may determine the frequency in which that state engages in conflict with its competitor. Reoccurring conflict and territorial disputes is nothing new to Israel and the Palestine people. Both reside close in geographic proximity (In fact, many Palestine people actually live within Israels borders). Since the Israel-Palestine war in 1948, both believe that the territory they occupy is rightfully theirs. Cultural values and various forms of nationalism can lead to armed conflict since it reinforces commitment to ones own heritage. Xenophobia is also another factor that can contribute to conflict. If governments are persuasive enough in nationalist rhetoric and propaganda, they can convince citizens that foreigners are a threat to the state. Governments sometimes use this strategy if domestic support of the state to govern is strained or deteriorating. Civil strife can produce massive unrest within a state simply because violence and displacement usually occurs when a state experiences a civil war. When the United States experienced civil war, it was because . Poor economic conditions may breed discontent among the less fortunate Political institutions Civil strife is the most salient factor that contributes to war because of the risks associated in a governmental collapse of authority. This could lead to some form of anarchy which may result in a chaotic governance and the states ability to keep control. Civil strife, cultural values, and poor economic conditions are prime breeding grounds for new terrorists. Sometimes I wonder why the Global North spends so much money on military expenditures when they could take a fraction of those expenditures and help build sound infrastructures in the Global South. The Global North could build schools to educate the Global South instead of building bombs and investment could jumpstart businesses instead of wars. Of course this would take time. Every dollar that is spent building new weapons could be deducted from military expenditures and transferred to investment of the Global South. If the Global North took a more liberalist stance on improving civil strife, cultural values, and poor economic conditions in the Global South, everyone involved would be much better off. The Global North would spend less money on weapons while the Global South would have minimal terrorist recruits because the standard of living would improve and thus people would be less discontent. In the end, everyone would be better off since there would be a minimal chance of conflict. 8. One of the most interesting and opposing statements in the realm of competing ideology of armed conflict is that one persons terrorist is another persons freedom fighter. There has been armed conflict of some sort of another since the dawn of time. I find it ironic that each individual and each group thinks that there side is the right side. The textbook states that, like most animals, humans instinctively defend territory they believe belongs to them. I think it is possible to take this one step further and say that humans instinctively defend ideas and ideologies that they believe belongs to them and that everyone else must except their beliefs. Since each side believes that they are right and the other is wrong it makes perfect sense that that one persons terrorist is truly another persons freedom fighter. It is sad because terrorists do not abide by the Geneva conventions. For example, when terrorists flew a jet into the world trade center, none of the terrorists wore uniforms. Some may argue that these freedom fighters could not afford them. Well obviously, these same freedom fighters were funded by Osama bin laden. The majority of people in the west vehemently oppose terrorists because of its violent nature. Who would want to get blown up or watch a family member or country man die because of some terrorists group agenda? Nobody in the established world wants to live in fear and terror. In fact, if I had to take a wild guess, no one wants to live in fear and terror, no matter if those people live in the established world or not. Some people around the world support terrorist causes because they feel sympathy for the terrorists causes and struggles. These people think that the human struggle against the establishment is as old as time itself. Sympathizers usually share same religion, ethnicity, or culture. People that live in regions that harbor terrorist organizations support these terrorists because these terrorist provide order, services, and protection to local communities. Al-Shabaab (a terrorist group in Somalia) is an key example and illustration of why terrorism is such a problem in the contemporary world, why people reverently support terrorists, and reasons why other people vehemently oppose terrorists. Al-Shabaab is responsible for suicide bombings against the Somali government, attacking nongovernmental organizations, and various media correspondents. In the last couple of years Al-Shabaab engaged in a two week gorilla like battle with the Ethiopian military (it has since withdrawn its forces from Ethiopia) and is currently attempting to overthrow the Somalia government. Al-Shabaab is even suspected of training pirates that are responsible for attacking ships and oil tankers in and out of the Gulf of Aden. Training and consulting pirates has become a major concern to western nations since it disrupts trade and puts individuals from western nations of increased risk. Somali pirates make money by holding a ships cargo and personal for ransom. Gove rnments in the west have labeled Al-Shabaab as a destabilizing force in the Somali region. Foreign investment by nongovernmental organizations has been extremely minimal because of this destabilization (which fuels a viscous cycle of even more destabilization). Somali pirates and the Al-Shabaab terrorist network may be a result of inequality in economic resources and cultural values as referred to in chapters 5 and 6. Some people may in fact support Al-Shabaab activities because they share the same cultural, ethnic, and extreme right wing religious views of the individuals that compose the terrorist group. Other terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda support Al-Shabaabs activities since both terrorists groups share similar extreme right wing religious views of Islamism. 9. A main goal of terrorism of the past was to frighten as many people as possible but not necessarily killing as many people as possible. Todays terrorists dont care as much for a public audience, rather they want to kill as many people as they possibly can with a vengeance. The new global terrorism is more frightening then previous iterations because in todays world, terrorists can use relatively primitive weapons to carry out huge and dramatic terrorists plots. Take a look at the 9/11 terrorist attacks that occurred in the United States of America. 19 Al-Qaida terrorists were able to hijack four American airplanes using nothing more than box cutters, pepper spray, and fake explosives. What the 19 Al-Qaida terrorists had working for them in their favor was the accumulation of months of planning, precise execution (with the exception of the airliner that crashed in Pennsylvania), and a little luck that there was a breakdown in communication within the United States of Americas foreign and domestic intelligence agencies. Terrorist organizations are using the intranet to communicate to a younger generation of angry and disenchanted youth. Using common video posting services such as services similar to YouTube and rogue websites, these organizations can communicate with their selected audience. Todays terrorist organizations operate in decentralized, small fractions run by local leaders. Organizations like al-Qaida may have a central cause but operates globally without the direction of any one leader. On the one hand, in order to stem terrorism, the textbook suggests that, those advocating repression see terrorism springing from the cold calculations of extremists who should be neutralized by preemptive surgical strikes (183). This strategy clearly follows that of the Bush doctrine. The ideology of the Bush doctrine led to the invasion of Afghanistan and more or less war with Iraq. On the other hand, the textbook suggests that, those who see terrorism rooted in frustrations with political oppression and relative deprivation urge negotiation and compromise (183). If I was a key U.S. presidential aid on foreign policy I would recommend the following three strategies: Aim for and destroy all terrorist infrastructure and breading grounds for training using military preemptive strikes. Shut down and freeze terrorists financial assets and revenue streams. Impose strict economic sanctions on countries who support, fund, or harbor terrorists. The potential drawbacks of implementing the preceding strategies would be the cost of human lives of innocent citizens. Women and children who have nothing to do with state sponsored terrorism would be victims of these economic sanctions and military strikes. This would be grounds for considering each strategy on a case by case basis since collateral damage should no. The war against global terrorism may never be won since there are always going to be weeds springing up wherever dissatisfaction takes root. However, global terrorism in the future may be minimized if regions within the Global South take a turn for the positive and follow into the footsteps of the Global North. Ultimately, terrorism is a nasty apple that brings devastation to all involved. Hopefully, strategies like the three listed previously will rot terrorism to the core and eradicate unconventional activities among dissidents in the Global South.

CA.S.T.ing a Light on Talent :: Drama Journalism Acting Essays

CA.S.T.ing a Light on Talent As play auditions got under way in Hillsboro, NH, the director asked Chelsy Starkweather,13, the first and youngest of the night’s auditions, to repeat her monologue, twice. At first, she hid behind a baseball cap and sat on a chair, something most play directors would forbid. But Justin Scarelli, 22, who founded Community Arts as a Stage for Teens (C.A.S.T.), knew how to draw out Starkweather’s confidence. She repeated her monologue, standing and one last time without her baseball cap. After her very last line on her third performance, Scarelli and Chelsy’s peers broke out in applause. The smile on Starkweather’s face proved that, at C.A.S.T., something special is happening. â€Å"This is a great way to let kids have a chance to act and learn to direct because school drama programs can be limiting,† Tom Ellsworth, 17, the student Chair of C.A.S.T. said. That something special was what Scarelli had in mind in the summer of 2004 after he helped direct a documentary about media literacy for Project Genesis, a nonprofit teen center and in Hillsboro. After spending the summer with the teens, he saw their creativity grow; he also noted that their desire to learn more about directing and the arts grew as the weeks went on. By the time the documentary was finished, Scarelli spoke with Deborah Whitaker-Duncklee, a youth counselor who runs Project Genesis, about the possibility of extending the summer media project throughout the year. â€Å"During the summer everyone got to see creativity as something tangible,† Scarelli said. â€Å"We wanted to bring what we were doing into school drama programs.† Scarelli and Whitaker-Duncklee found that schools were not receptive to their ideas, so they decided to start a program through Project Genesis. The only problem was money. After speaking with Peter Brigham, the director of youth services in Hillsboro, Scarelli put together a proposal for his program and began to search for funding. â€Å"I didn’t have any [creative] guidance so I wanted to be able to give that to the kids,† Scarelli said. â€Å"But it’s very hard to get financial support.† As of December 4, 2004, Brigham’s budget for youth services in 2005 is $60,000 with counseling services, or $40,000 without. That money is distributed throughout Hillsboro and nearby Deering, NH, for all youth-oriented programs and is used up rather quickly. While the budget does not assign a specific amount of money to each service provided, this budget ultimately needs outside assistance.

Analysis of Battle Royal – 1

A White Compromise In the short story, â€Å"Battle Royal†, Ralph Ellison uncovers a boy’s fight to maintain his dignity in a world of racial injustice. The first person narration portrays a naive view of the boy’s values of what he believes is important in life that is only questioned by his grandpa’s firm conviction of dignity. On page 39, starting with paragraph 99, the text depicts the differences between the two segregated worlds of black and white. The text elucidates the boy’s conformity to the wishes of white man.His acceptance of the scholarship symbolizes his acceptance of separation between the two societies as â€Å"it was a scholarship to the state college for Negroes. † Although the boy realizes that whites and blacks are restricted to societal confines that can never merge and never become equal, the boy fails to see the force exercised by the whites that lock him into this box. When he prioritizes materialistic wealth, â€Å" smelling the fresh leather† of the brief case over his own dignity, he resigns himself to the desires of society in that he blinds himself with affluence and thus becomes incapable of realizing his own visions.This is further strengthened by the boy’s quote â€Å"I felt an importance that I had never dreamed† because it implies that he no longer needs his dignity in order to achieve a feeling of success. It provides him with self-respect and happiness that prevent him from questioning the advantages of conformity. Stripped from his pride and naively reaching for wealth he contributes to his own confinement as he goes to â€Å"attend college† in order to â€Å"shape the destiny of [his] people† and thus fulfills the plans of whites.While the boy puts his destiny in the hands of white society, he conforms to the rules of white control. Despite the boy’s conformity to white rule, he continues to struggle in discovering his dignity. The repetitio n of the word â€Å"blood† serves as an important symbol for the boy’s dignity; it signifies the pride he has in his own race and binds him to his people. However, the boy remains ignorant of this tie and his â€Å"rope of bloody saliva† only forms â€Å"a shape like an undiscovered continent†.This imagery represents the possibility of discovering his own dignity and a new world in which he is free to shape his own destiny. Yet the boy’s blindness leads him to wipe the blood â€Å"quickly away† as it had â€Å"drooled upon the leather† of his brief case, and smeared the desired promises of the white men. The juxtaposition of the line â€Å"I was overjoyed; I did not even mind when I discovered that the gold pieces I had scrambled for were brass pocket tokens advertising a certain make of automobile† strengthens the idea of the boy’s blind struggle for dignity.It connotes that the â€Å"scholarship to the state college f or Negroes† he had received is just as fake as the â€Å"brass pocket tokens†, thus symbolizing his reach for a false dignity. The boy’s dream in the following paragraph continues to enhance his internal struggle to find dignity by contrasting his character to that of the grandpa. Through the setting of a circus, the narrator suggests that the boy is merely a clown and compliant to any orders that he is given, while the grandpa, who â€Å"refused to laugh at the clowns no matter what they did,† sticks to the dignity of his race.The juxtaposition of this sentence also shows that the grandpa is not humored by the naivete of the boy; instead he is rather disappointed as the boy is unable to see that he serves as entertainment to society. Unlike his wizened grandfather, the boy idealistically believes any promise given to him, â€Å"another and another, endlessly† until his dignity is consumed by the will of white men. The boy is so occupied in reaching these promises that he â€Å"would fall of weariness† before he could realize that the further he reached, the more distant he was from discovering his dignity.While society wants to â€Å"‘Keep This Nigger-Boy Running’† by undermining his dignity with the false glamour of a scholarship, the boy realizes that the whites only give him what he thinks he wants; means to attain racial equality as a return for complacency. However, what he truly desires is break free from being oppressed and gain equal status through demonstrating that his intellect and abilities are equivalent to that of the whites.Because â€Å"at that time [he] had no insight into its meaning,† he had to compromise between what society could offer him and his dignity. Nonetheless, the authorial intrusion demonstrates that the narrator gained extensive perspective on his former naivete when telling his story; thus the reader can infer that the boy no longer sees any value in the confo rmation to white society. The trade-off between his dignity and false glamour is similar to the zero sum theory in that it takes power from one entity and puts it in the hands of another.Every time the boy conforms to the wishes of white society he gives up some of his dignity, similarly when he strives to find his dignity he gives up his willingness to conform to ways of the white men. In the end, his realization depicts him choosing his dignity above all as illustrated by the last line â€Å"First I had to attend college†. Therefore, the boy’s struggle to discover his dignity is resolved through his gain of power that allows him to shape his own destiny and simultaneously break free of white oppression.

Pro Legalization of Marijuana in the United States Essay

With all of the complex issues facing the nation today, it seems as if the legalization of marijuana is being set on the back burner of legislation. There are so many opinions, sides, and overall arguments for and against it that many vote seeking politicians and policy makers have put up a strong resistance to this issue. In this paper I will illustrate the reasons why I think marijuana should indeed be legalized and also the arguments from people who disagree and feel that it should stay an illegal drug. Marijuana has been around for centuries. It comes from the species of plant Cannabis Sativa, and is used for things other that its renowned drug form, such as rope, clothing, medicines, and oils. Other common names for it include†¦show more content†¦Also, weed has been for the most part classified as a â€Å"victimless† crime. This means that only the user is being harmed in the use of this drug. With this in mind, you can’t legislate the morality of a socie ty when the society itself disagrees on what is actually considered moral. If pot was made a legal drug it would also greatly affect the crime rates in the U.S. Legal prohibition does not stop consumers from purchasing or using illegal drugs. By instituting a system of regulations on the drug, as with alcohol or prescription drugs, illegal drug prices would fall, leading to lower prices of the drug, therefore related crimes such as theft would be reduced. Illegal drugs are higher in price because of the inherent risk involved in production and distribution of them, which gives them a â€Å"black market status†. When people develop drug addictions (although pot has not been shown to be addictive) or habits they will do anything to get money to support their lifestyles. Many times people will resort to robbery or theft to account for money to gain access to the drug. By legalizing pot, it in turn reduces the risks associated with an illegal drug and therefore can lower the pri ces, which helps cut down on the secondary crimes. Drug dealers are also affected by legalizing pot. Most marijuana dealers would go out of business because of a loss in profits. By making the drug illegal, theShow MoreRelatedShould Marijuana Be Legalized? Essay1372 Words   |  6 PagesLegalization of Weed Growing up, everyone is told that, â€Å"Drugs are bad for you,† time and time again. Now as a kid you don’t really understand the reasoning behind it, but you listen to your authority figure regardless. I remember being told this my entire life and even to this very day. But as I got older I realized that people would still use drugs even though it’s illegal. I could never understand why someone would go against the law and jeopardize their life just to use drugs? 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