What characterises the development of portraiture at the Rajput courts Essay

What characterises the development of portraiture at the Rajput courts in the 17 th and 18 th centuries - Essay Example They ruled in India from the 15th through the 17th Century and partly in the 18th Century. The development of Rajput portraiture led to a major shift in style of art in terms detail, colour, portrait depth, margins, religion, political, and social aspects, as compared to what the Mughals had established during their reign. The painting in Hindu courts are more closely associated with the Rajputs, whereas those in the Indo-Islamic courts are closely linked with the Mughals. Rajput courts consisted of various themes such as those of religion, philosophy, famous rulers and court women; Mughal courts, on the other hand, portrayed secular themes. The Hindu paintings are what is referred to as Rajput and are named after Rajputana and the Hill Rajpput of the Punjab, whereas Mughal painting is closely connected to Islamic art. The Rajput paintings were a representative of religion and they were characterized by mysticism. Although Rajput art seemed to share a religious perspective with Buddhist art, what set Rajput apart was that it also reflected the faith and traditions of ordinary people. On the other hand, Mughal painting was sophisticated, diverse with characteristics of realism. The rise of Mughal painting was greatly influenced by Persian, Indian, Islamic, and to some extent, European art. With these c haracteristics, Mughal Art became something unique that constituted the Mughal Courts (Ananda 316). Rajput painting, alternatively known as Rajasthani painting, is a miniature style of art that is closely linked with the royal courts of the Rajputs (16th to 19th Centuries), the independent Hindu states in northern and western India. Though it followed the Western Indian style of manuscript illustration, it was greatly influenced by Mughal painting. The miniature style of art employed during the reign of Akbar (famous ruler and Mughal advocate, 1556-1605) characterized most of the paintings in the Rajput court. The influence

Managing Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Change - Essay Example With the countless number of organizations worldwide, companies continue to invest on research and development for their organizations to change their perspective and obtain their goals. It is true that the only eminent thing in this world is change. People adapt, submit or contradict with change. There are many implications that we encounter when change occurs; management must view matters seriously and make critical decisions for the organization’s sustainability. The objectives of this paper is to thoroughly look into Theory E and Theory O in terms of managing change, to provide a bird’s eye view of the differences and other key notable details that help organizations transition smoothly (Johnson, pp. 39-44, 2002). It will also discuss how Theory E and Theory O can aid top management at making critical decisions and providing a detailed analysis of these two approaches to change. The scope of this paper will be focus on the experience of organizations that fostered these two approaches, how have companies and organizations come to employ either or both theories but not only limited to these. The flow of the paper will start with a brief description of each theory including its characteristics and the key differences of both theories in the field of management. Based on a new research, Theory E and O were relatively new findings as researchers (Cummings, pp. 23-25, 2008) have observed various companies practicing either Theory E or O or both of them. There are many approaches used in managing change; however, ‘Michael Beer’ and ‘Nitin Nohria’ are two researchers who have successfully identified two types of change theories that may have geared management in change initiative (Hoelbeche, pp. 151-154, 2006). As recent studies showed, researchers have identified two types of approaches commonly used by management in initiating change. The first approach is Theory E, referred to as

Autism And The Family Dynamic Social Work Essay

Autism And The Family Dynamic Social Work Essay In the public perception, the word autism conjures up an image of a person rocking back and forth, hands flapping in front of eyes that seem to focus in an unknown space a person remote from and disinterested in the social milieu. For many years, professional descriptions, definitions, and common assumptions about people with autism have reinforced that image and named the unusual ways of moving and acting as behaviors. Within the professional world that arranges and provides support for people with autism, the word behavior often became shorthand for bizarre, bad, repetitive, self-stimulatory, or useless ways of spending time. This paper is going to address the fundamental definition of Autism, Aspergers in particular, how the family functions, social support, and making meaning of adversity. It is important to begin with the fundamental definition of Autism since there are many slang terms in circulation such as retard, idiot, dumb, etc. that are used to describe an Autistic individual. It is important to clarify this. In the 1940s, researchers in the United States began to use the term autism to describe children with emotional or social problems. Leo Kanner, a doctor from Johns Hopkins University, used it to describe the withdrawn behavior of several children he studied. At about the same time, Hans Asperger, a scientist in Germany, identified a similar condition thats now called Aspergers syndrome.  [1]  One symptom common to all types of autism is an inability to easily communicate and interact with others. In fact, some people with autism are unable to communicate at all. Others may have difficulty interpreting body language or holding a conversation. Most children with severe autism are diagnosed by age three. Some children with milder forms of autism, such as Aspergers syndrome, may not be diagnosed until later, when their problems with social interaction cause difficulties at school as well as at home. In the article Accommodation, resistance and transcendence: three narrative of autism by David E. Gray he states that the effects of one childs autism on her family, however, went beyond the damage she caused to their home. Her problems also prevented the childs mother from obtaining employment outsider her home, and, consequently, the family was forced to live modestly on a government pension.  [2]  This excerpt from this article shows that autism does have an effect on the family dynamic, in this example a negative one. In fact, the description of autism is too often a teleological exercise with the same symptoms used to both describe and explain it. When one asks why the person displays autistic symptoms, one is told that he does it because he has autism, or because he does not have a theory of mind module, which is why he is autis tic, and his autism is why he does what he does.  [3]   Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder that has received much attention in the popular press. Until recently how a family deals with autism was never a topic that doctors were concerned with. The autism diagnosis is a very dramatic diagnosis on a family and has a major effect on how they cope and function. Of course there are many stressors which impact families of children with autism which need to be addressed. It is important for families to understand the sources of stress and how to deal with those stressors so they are more readily available mentally and emotionally to help their children. In this research for this paper I have found five categories of stressors which have impacted families and therefore affects the family dynamic. These five stressors can be found in the article Stress and Coping in Autism. Transitional stress is considered the beginning stress. Transitional stressors are defined as those which come during times of change in family dynamics and roles.  [4]  Transitional issues related to diagnosis, entering school and leaving school may create confusion and conflict in families. Upon diagnosis typical reactions include shock, disbelief, denial and anger. While this diagnosis may confirm something the parents already suspected, in my personal situation it was a relief to finally put a name to something, it doesnt provide parents with any information about what the diagnosis means for their childs progress and development. This therefore puts a stress on the family dynamic. The second stressor that I came across in my research is the family functioning stress. This suggests that having a child or family member with autism can positively, negatively or neutrally impact family function.  [5]  According to this article there are eight main family functions: affection, self-esteem, spirituality, economics, daily care, socialization, recreation and education.  [6]  Stress can be caused by a family not being able to meet their need in one or more of these areas. The third stressor is emotional stress. Experiencing this first hand, following an autism diagnosis many parents and family members will experience grief feeling states. After the initial feelings of shock, it is said per the Stress and Coping in Autism article that families are expected to go through the natural stages of grief including denial, guilt, depression, anger and anxiety. The authors of the article then state that it is anticipated that these negative feeling will eventually give way to acceptance of the situation and family reorganization.  [7]  It is thought that parents experience the stages of grief upon diagnosis because their dreams and hopes for their child have been altered. In my personal experience this is true and therefore has an effect on the family dynamic. The next stressor or fourth one in this sequence is known as the caregiving stress. The added responsibilities for parents of children with a disability include ph ysical care, medical care, constant monitoring, managing problem behaviors, and other assistance.  [8]  These additional parenting responsibilities can drain a parents time and energy which can cause them to be susceptible to stress and anxiety. The childs constant dependency on the parent, along with the thought that the dependency may not lesson over time as would be expected with a typically developing child, can add to parental stress. The final and fifth category of stressors is the stress from negative professional and societal attitudes and assumptions. The impact of negative interactions with professionals and other members of society are many times seen as the most potent stressors on families.  [9]  Society has judgmental and stereotypical attitudes about family actions or lifestyles to the point that some jobs will not hire one of those types of people. Society also has displayed negative attitudes or animosity towards parents who strongly advocate for their child . Parents are the voice for their children not only so that they are treated fairly but that they have equal access to a normal life and education. These negative attitudes and assumptions from professionals can cause feelings of being criticized, devalued and alienated. Parents can also fall victim to negative attitudes and assumptions from family members, friends, and other members of their social support network. These people may not feel comfortable around individuals with disabilities or they might not know what to day to the parents to console them during difficult times. Usually if someone knows a child with autism they are more understanding than someone who does not. For example I advise a student with autism at my place of employment and I feel I connect with this student due to dealing with the needs of my own child. I feel that I am also an advocate for this student as well. His mother has told me that I am a breath of fresh air to her son because I treat him like a pers on first and a not his disability first. A child with autism does effect the family dynamic and it is important to surround the family with support and understanding as well as a plan of action to follow. The family system is an important part of the environment of the child and plays a central role in the developmental outcome of the child as well. Studies of families with a child with autism have traditionally examined this interaction by focusing on the effect parents have on the child, not the childs effect on the parents.  [10]  Social support and support strategies are very important to maintain and support the family dynamic. Families that seek out and access personal and professional support services are able to cope with stress better. There are many kinds of support services available to families including parent social support, professional formal support, and respite care. In the article, Family Functioning and Coping Behaviors in Parents of Children with Autism by Matthew J. Altiere, he talks about mothers of children with autism who perceives social support to be accessible report fewer stress related problems and depressed symptoms than do mothers who perceive less social support.  [11]  Parent social support includes the supports parents receive from friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers, or others. Many parents access these supports through parent support groups at which they can learn about a variety of topics and talk to other parents about their experiences raising a child with a disability. Parents can feel alone and hopeless. I belong to a social support group called ASGO (Autism Society of Greater Orlando). I too felt alone and this social group welcomed my family with open arms. Even though my husband and I were in various stages of the acceptance process we found others who accepted us. This connection helped give us hope in a time when we felt we were all alone. When a family is able to draw upon adequate resources and if they perceive the situation as manageable then the stress of raising a child with autism may never lead to a crisis. For example, the family gains support through interaction with family members and friends. On the other hand, they may withdraw from, or lack the time for, important social support activities. Thus, families with a child with autism may gradually lose their friends because of their limited availability. Realistically, social support is clearly important for families with a child with autism, although it can be difficult to find the time. There is also professional formal support which includes those services provided by community agencies and professionals. These supports can also include those services provided by a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist to guide parents and families in coping with the stressors in their lives. One major support professionals can provide is to teach parents the skills necessary to engage in effective problem solving. Effective and efficient problem solving skills can help alleviate a lot of stress for parents because they can become part of the solution when addressing issues surrounding their children.  [12]  Respite care is a service typically provided through state funded programs. Many individuals with disabilities qualify for services through these state funded programs and families are allotted a certain number of respite hours a month to be sued when the need them. Respite care is provided to relive parents of the parenting duties for a few hours, a weekend or several da ys. Best Buddies is one of these organizations. This service can be extremely valuable to families because it allows them the freedom to get away when needed with the peace of mind that their children are in qualified and competent hands. Social support is an important tool to a family with a child who has a disability. This can also assist with the family dynamic alleviating any stressors. Making meaning of adversity is very important to the family dynamic as well. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act recognized that parents are their childs best advocates and the law includes specific rights which serve to empower parents in this advocacy role. These rights include the guarantee of a free appropriate public education, mandatory notification by school personnel for proposed changes to the childs program, ability to initiate an evaluation at any time, requirement of informed parental consent for evaluations, power to obtain an independent educational evaluation, right to review all educational records, requirement that the school must fully inform parents of their rights, participation in the development of the IEP, requirement that children be educated in the least restrictive environment, and ability to request a due process hearing to resolve differences with the school. Parents are the most natural advocates for their children because they know the child best and because increased parental participation is correlated with increased child success. Additionally, parents are more effective at advocating for their child because they are emotionally invested in their childs welfare and they are the most constant people in the childs life. When parents are involved and advocate for the rights and meaningful education of their child amazing things can happen. There are a few key principles for effective advocacy: ask for what you want, be specific and detailed in your requests, stay flexible in finding solutions to concerns, keep requests clear and concise, look at issues from the perspective of others, build and preserve your creditability, never burn any bridges and follow up. If parents are able to do these things when addressing issues with school personnel or other community members/organizations a lot of positive change can and will happen. Adaptability also is an important part of making meaning out of adversity. Adaptability measures the familys ability to change in response to a stressful situation. Typically, the modern family believes that the father/husband is the head of the household and does not assist with household responsibilities or childcare. This places a larger burden than normal on the mother, and may result in her having little time for herself or for other members of the family. On the other end of the continuum are chaotic families, which are characterized by unstable and unpredictable change. In chaotic families, the rules may be constantly changing. There may not be a consistent leader and frequent role changes. One cannot dismiss the value of the ability to change with the appearance of sudden stressors, but this family style lacks the constancy needed when caring for a child with autism. Parents with children with disabilities differ significantly in their rating of the familys adaptability and cohesion. The mothers rated the families as more adaptable and cohesive. For mothers and fathers, greater parenting stress was associated with poorer family functioning. However, autism affects the family system differently than other childhood disorders. For example, studies that compare the stress in families with a child with autism to families of children with other disorders indicate that the families of children with autism experience more stress, depression, and anxiety.  [13]  The study in this article allows for the analysis of how autism affects the family system using the constructs of cohesion and adaptability. A goal of this study was to compare the perceptions of mothers and fathers on their coping mechanisms and the functioning of their family.  [14]  The high level of social support reported by mothers in this sample is encouraging because mothers of ch ildren with autism who perceive more social support experience less somatic problems and depressive symptoms. In contrast, many mothers indicated that their social support came from other mothers they met though support groups and related functions. During the past decade, a number of family researchers have been interested in finding why some families facing adversity manage to function well and come out stronger, while others when faced with a similar situation do not. Resilience has been described as the ability to withstand hardship and rebound from adversity, becoming more strengthened and resourceful. The concept of family resilience and its focus on factors leading to a familys well-functioning in view of a crisis is part of a movement in positive psychology towards identifying factors of health as opposed to factors of pathology.  [15]  Family resilience has been looked at either as an interaction of two groups of risk and protective factors. Although family resilience has not been directly studied in the disability field, there is increasing evidence that families of children with disabilities demonstrate a great degree of strength, articulating the positive contributions of disability to their familys life and well -being. Parents in the study reported stronger marriages, healthy family outcomes and acquisition of gained friendship networks with other families who had children with disabilities. My sons autism has made our family life tougher, emotionally and financially. Each member has to devote additional time and effort to help him, and learn how to live peacefully in such environment. Through working together, we all learned how to help my son tougher. In some sense, this also makes our family closer, because an individual cannot handle the toughness alone.  [16]  In other situations, working together led to more understanding and, possibly, stronger relationships between the members: My marriage is much stronger. We tend to fight less about little things because our focus is on our son. We realize the importance of staying together because our son benefits from both our strengths. We take care of ourselves through diet and exercise and plan evenings and dinners out every Saturday to get through the rough times. We cannot imagine life without our son. We are grateful to have him in our lives.  [17]   Some families found that autism in one of the children brought the siblings closer together, to the degree that some siblings sacrificed their personal freedom to care for their sibling with autism. For families to be able to work together and utilize their resources well, they must have had two other qualities: being flexible and communicating well with one another. These two qualities are necessary, because family members need to be flexible enough to accept necessary role and responsibility changes as a result of diagnosis of their child with a disability, and need to communicate with each other in order to successfully meet new demands on the family. A great number of families not only perceived them as close and untied, but also managed to adjust and function well over time. Within the last two decades, numerous individuals with autism have shared their unique experiences of living with autism resulting in a plethora of published first-hand accounts. Many professionals are seeking out and listening to these individuals to better understand this complex disorder. Individuals have been able to share their experiences through interviews, personal communication, and published accounts. These accounts come from individuals who can speak or type independently. In almost every first-hand account, individuals with autism report the experience of the stress of living in bodies that often do not work and move the way they want them to, resulting in extreme anxiety in their day-to-day lives. It is important to understand the family dynamic is impacted with a child who has a disability, in particular autism. Each family must take their own approach in regards to their individual needs in regards to what works for them. They also need to play into the roles of the household, for example if the father is the stay at home parent, he needs to use his role as a father to assist the child with a father attachment. Since the father is the primary care giver until the mother returns home from work, or whatever the situation might be. Each role needs to be embraced and when frustrations arise they need to be dealt with in a productive manner and not lead to unrest or divorce within the house hold. Honor Code: On my honor, I have not given or received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work. Heidi Soflkiancs-Shugg Electronically Signed 12/7/2012

Sun Tzus The Art of War Essay -- Sun Tzu Art War Essays

Sun Tzu's The Art of War   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The translation of the â€Å"Sun Tzu: The Art of War† ancient Chinese text has been given by many different writers. Samuel B. Griffith, Brigadier General, retired, U.S. Marine Corps; is a proven strategist that studied the English commandoes war fighting skills as a Captain. As a Major, Griffith was hand picked to serve as Executive Officer under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Merritt Edson of the 1st Raider Battalion, one of the battalions that perfected the amphibious landings during World War II. Samuel B. Griffith gives his in-depth study on â€Å"Sun Tzu: The Art of War† and how Mao Tse-tung used the strategies and teachings of Sun Tzu while commanding the Red Army of China. Griffith’s translation of Sun Tzu’s work is written in three parts: Introduction, Translation, and Appendix. PART 1: INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his first chapter of his study titled The Author, Griffith gives many different possibilities as to who the actual author of the writings is. Griffith sites many theories from other sources trying to validate the origin of the author, but settles on one basic theory for the text. The Art of War was written by a single author probably around the time of the Warring States and during the periods from 400-320 B.C. (p. 11) Furthermore, Griffith states that there is not enough evidence to positively say if a person named Sun Tzu actually wrote the book or if it was written as a tribute to him, and the case of the authorship remains unsettled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second chapter, The Text, of Griffith’s study focuses on the text itself. There has been debate about how many chapters were originally in â€Å"The Art of War†: Eighty-Two or Thirteen. (p. 13) Griffith gives a sound theory that the current thirteen chapters were the only writings. Based on copywriting errors, the eighty-two chapters were probably written into thirteen categories (or chapters) while trying to transcribe written work onto paper from silk or wood. Griffith also asserts that the text was used for entry-level war fighting studies in early Chinese military academies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Warring States is the subject and title of Griffith’s third chapter, which gives an enlightening look at the life and times in China after the defeat of the rule of Chin at Ching Yang in 453. (p. 20) The country was divided into eight individual warring sects (with the exception of Yen... ...g for you. An expendable agent is given false information on purpose. And a living agent is one that returns to the commander with information. PART III: Appendix   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Griffith’s study also includes four different appendixes. The first is A Note from Wu Ch’I, the second is titled Sun Tzu’s Influence on Japanese Military Thought, the third is Sun Tzu in Western Languages, and the fourth appendix is Brief Biographies of the Commentators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Samuel B. Griffith’s translation of â€Å"Sun Tzu: The Art of War† is an inside look at military practices of today. I did not find one technique that is not or would not be utilized in modern military maneuver, leadership, or training. The most astounding fact is that the Art of War was written well over two thousand years ago, even at the most conservative date. Although most of the techniques in this text are already in practice today, the value of â€Å"The Art of War† is a never-ending treasure chest of knowledge, and it deserves a place as a required reading for anyone seeking knowledge about war fighting or the history of war. Works Cited Sun Tzu: The Art of War, Ed. By Samuel B. Griffith (New York:Oxford University Press, 1963)

Pork Barrel Essay

I am an average teenager, but I am aware of what is happening in the country. One of the big problem that our country encounters today is CORRUPTION. â€Å"Pork Barrel† is the appropriation of government spending for localized projects secured solely or primarily to bring money to a representative’s district. The usage originated in American English. In election campaigns, the term is used in derogatory fashion to attack opponents. The corruption in our country is passed by generation to generation. If we don’t act now as an living individual the next generation would still suffer, just think our children’s future if we don’t speak out or act out now. Yes, we do pay taxes but whenever you see the road trails and the situation of the poverty? Would you be happy? Is it worth seeing?. As we respond to the call of the times, we can say that we are all heroes. We are a nation of heroes: resilient and staunch in the face of adversity, ready to fight against the evil that is the pork barrel system. We are not only commemorating our fallen heroes – we are all heroes in our own right, in our own little way. The real cause behind corruption is absence of a â€Å"respectable justice system†. Philippine justice is not credible, and most of the Filipino people are losing respect for it, because it cannot enforce the rule of law against prominent characters and powerful corrupt government officials. Philippine justice is â€Å"POLITICALLY ADULTERATED† which means that it is more dominated by politicians who consider themselves the superior elites of society at the expense of the rights of the common people. It’s safe to say that their Glory days are long gone. When mostly the outsiders think that Philippines today is a political instability, economic struggle, crime, and corruption that often come to mind. As a Filipino citizen would you be proud to hear that? I think the answer is â€Å"NO†. When political leaders lie, cheat and steal, when public offices become public curse especially in terms of graft and corruption, when public funds go to private pockets, then we begin to realize how cruel and disgrace this act have done to our country. Because the politicians, are the most notorious abusers of the law where they feel they can simply steal the bounty of the people and cannot be made accountable for their wrongful acts. A changing nation?. Maybe changing for the worse, bribery, corruption, and plundering leaders. The trouble in our country is uncontrollable corruption and greed in the highest level we can imagine, but still we love our very own country Philippines. I c ould tell it’s corruption has become â€Å"a humanitarian crisis† and scandals increasingly to nominate the news. That’s why nowadays foreigners and citizens alike say that our country has the most corrupt leadership. The worsening action of corruption has eaten the right of every citizen to freedom, good governance, less poverty, having decent life and most of all having your dignity, purity, and clean conscience. Corruption is a serious obstacle to the social and economic status of the country. The biggest losers are the citizens or the Filipino people. In effect- the end users are made to pay for overpriced goods and services that are made with the low-quality or substandard goods and services being catered in our country. It is our right to demand real change, action and improvement from those who take our money from and spend it in our name. We have the right to stand in our own two feet for our own sake to see the real Freud. Sadly the corruption is not limited to just politicians and policemen. Everyone seems motivated by pure greed in the dog-eat-dog culture that has taken hold in the country. Let’s give thanks to the Philippine justice system that they can control at will. Corruption is the gravest threat in our country. Political Donations has a big part in corruption as you can see, some people the donation being given during campaign in order to gain the vote, are you one of them? I hope not. The concentration of the small group of elite families, seen in combination with political donations, gives these families with undue advantage and this had led to concerns as to their undue  influence on both Philippine politics and business life.

Analysis of graphs and data Essay

After conducting some research I have found that 67% of heathers target market would buy their jewellery from a shop this is because people feel more comfortable with actually being able to see what they are buying instead of an image on a website which could have been manipulated to appear more attractive. One disadvantage of using a shop would be that it is difficult to see all the jewellery and can be tiring. The remaining 33% said that they would purchase their jewellery online because it is often cheaper, easier to browse and offers a wider range of goods than that of a shop. We have to remember that heathers target market is the teenage fashion market and if they are purchasing the jewellery themselves they will not be able to buy online because they would not have a credit card. My research showed that buying jewellery from a market stall is very un-popular I think this is because people feel there is a lack of quality from products sold on market stalls. One advantage of distributing through a market stall is that people would already expect budget priced jewellery and would be in the correct place for your target market to find it. However going for a market stall would not be a good idea as the primary research has shown there will be very little customers. The results of my questionnaire have shown that most people spend about i 21-i 30 when shopping for jewellery therefore we know that our jewellery should be priced in and below this class interval. Larger jewellery stores operate their business through shops and open more branches in different areas as their business develops. If you look at the major names in the jewellery market such as Argos, H. samuels and Goldsmiths you will see that they all use both the internet and a shop. Most large jewellery stores use distribution method 2 which is producer-retailer-consumer. Low budget shops also use this method. However, larger stores also use distribution method 1 which is producer-consumer using there websites however lower budget stores are not popular enough to make a lot of money online so just use distribution methods 2 and 3.

mechanical energy essays

mechanical energy essays MECHANICAL ENERGY Have you ever wondered how a jet aircraft lifts its tremendous weight off the ground, or what gives a runner the stamina to reach the finish line in a race? In order to answer all these questions we must talk about the transformation of one sort of energy into another. The jet aircraft gets its power from jet turbines. These powerful jet engines create a high-pressure stream of very hot gases that push the aircraft forward as they leave the engine. This is an example of heat being transformed into movement. This is sometimes described as Mechanical Energy. However, this transformation could not take place without the fuel that the aircraft gets within its wings or fuselage. Fuel is considered a chemical energy. This diagram shows how the jet engine acts as energy to lift the aircraft off the surface of earth. Fuel can take the form of gases, solids or liquids. When fuels combine with oxygen from the air, they release their stored en ergy as heat. We recognize this process as burning. The individual relies on food for fuel which contains energy-giving substances that our bodies can store until we need this energy to use our muscles. When we do use our muscles within us, we may not always be sure that heat is given off. Our bodies do not burst into flames but the perspiration on our skin is a clue to what is happening. The movement of the windsurfer has a different explanation. The windsurfer is propelled along by a sail which collects mechanical energy from the winds that sweep along the water. This energy has been produced by the sun which warms the earth's surface and sets the air above in motion. The sun's heat comes to the earth as a form of radiant energy. When the heat reaches the surface of the earth, it causes the land or seas to rise in temperature. The sun is very hot. Infact, the center of the sun can reach temperatures of up to 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. ...

Tener Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples

Tener Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, Examples The Spanish verb tener, which means to have or to possess, is one of the most irregular verbs in the language. This article includes tener conjugations in the indicative mood (present, past, future and conditional), the subjunctive mood (present and past), the imperative mood, and other verb forms like the gerund and past participle. Note that the verb stem changes in some conjugations, and others have completely irregular forms. The only other verbs that follow the same conjugation pattern are verbs derived from tener such as detener, contener, abstener, obtener, sostener, and mantener. Using the Verb Tener The verb tener can be used in most contexts when you would say to have in English, with the meaning of to possess or to own. However, tener is also part of some useful expressions. For example, just like in English, tener que infinitive means to have to, the phrase tengo que trabajar means I have to work. Other important uses of the verb are tener hambre (to be hungry), tener sed (to be thirsty), tener frà ­o (to be cold), tener calor (to be hot), tener miedo (to be scared), and tener sueà ±o (to be sleepy). While in English we often use the adjectives hungry, sleepy, etc., in Spanish those states of being are expressed by the verb tener followed by the noun. For example, Bajà ³ la temperatura y ahora tengo mucho frà ­o (The temperature dropped and now I am very cold). Tener Present Indicative In the present indicative tense, the first person singular conjugation of the verb tener is irregular, and other conjugations are stem-changing. This means that the e in the stem of the verb changes to ie when it is in a stressed syllable. Yo tengo I have Yo tengo tres hermanas. Tà º tienes You have Tà º tienes el pelo negro. Usted/à ©l/ella tiene You/he/she has Ella tiene un dà ­a difà ­cil. Nosotros tenemos We have Nosotros tenemos frà ­o durante el invierno. Vosotros tenà ©is You have Vosotros tenà ©is que trabajar mucho. Ustedes/ellos/ellas tienen You/they have Ellos tienen un buen trabajo. Tener Preterite Indicative The preterite tense conjugations of tener are irregular. The stem changes to tuv-. Yo tuve I had Yo tuve tres hermanas. Tà º tuviste You had Tà º tuviste el pelo negro. Usted/à ©l/ella tuvo You/he/she had Ella tuvo un dà ­a difà ­cil. Nosotros tuvimos We had Nosotros tuvimos frà ­o durante el invierno. Vosotros tuvisteis You had Vosotros tuvisteis que trabajar mucho. Ustedes/ellos/ellas tuvieron You/they had Ellos tuvieron un buen trabajo. Tener Imperfect Indicative The imperfect tense conjugation of tener is regular. This tense can be translated as was having or used to have. Yo tenà ­a I used to have You tenà ­a tres hermanas. Tà º tenà ­as You used to have Tà º tenà ­as el pelo negro. Usted/à ©l/ella tenà ­a You/he/she used to have Ella tenà ­a un dà ­a difà ­cil. Nosotros tenà ­amos We used to have Nosotros tenà ­amos frà ­o durante el invierno. Vosotros tenà ­ais You used to have Vosotros tenà ­ais que trabajar mucho. Ustedes/ellos/ellas tenà ­an You/they used to have Ellos tenà ­an un buen trabajo. Tener Future Indicative The future tense of the verb tener is irregular. Start with the stem tendr- and add the future tense endings (à ©, s, , emos, à ©is, n). Yo tendrà © I will have Yo tendrà © tres hermanas. Tà º tendrs Youwill have Tà º tendrs el pelo negro. Usted/à ©l/ella tendr You/he/shewill have Ella tendr un dà ­a difà ­cil. Nosotros tendremos Wewill have Nosotros tendremos frà ­o durante el invierno. Vosotros tendrà ©is Youwill have Vosotros tendrà ©is que trabajar mucho. Ustedes/ellos/ellas tendrn You/theywill have Ellos tendrn un buen trabajo. Tener Periphrastic  Future Indicative   To conjugate the periphrastic future you need three components: the present indicative conjugation of the verb ir (to go), the preposition a, and the infinitive tener. Yo voy a tener I am going to have Yo voy a tener tres hermanas. Tà º vasa tener You aregoing to have Tà º vasa tener el pelo negro. Usted/à ©l/ella vaa tener You/he/she isgoing to have Ella vaa tener un dà ­a difà ­cil. Nosotros vamosa tener We aregoing to have Nosotros vamos a tener frà ­o durante el invierno. Vosotros vaisa tener You aregoing to have Vosotros vaisa tener que trabajar mucho. Ustedes/ellos/ellas vana tener You/they aregoing to have Ellos vana tener un buen trabajo. Tener Present Progressive/Gerund Form The gerund  or present participle for the verb tener is formed regularly, with the stem of the verb and the ending -iendo (for -er and -ir verbs). It can be used to form progressive tenses like the present progressive. Present Progressive ofTener est teniendo She is having Ella est teniendo un dà ­a difà ­cil. Tener Past Participle The past participle can be used to form perfect tenses, such as the present perfect. The present perfect is formed with the auxiliary verb haber and the past participle tenido. Present Perfect ofTener ha tenido She has had Ella ha tenido un dà ­a difà ­cil. Tener Conditional Indicative The conditional tense is usually translated to English as would verb. Just like in the future tense, the verb tener is irregular and uses the stem tendr-. Yo tendrà ­a I would have Yo tendrà ­a tres hermanas si pudiera escoger. Tà º tendrà ­as Youwould have Tà º tendrà ­as el pelo negro si no te lo tià ±eras. Usted/à ©l/ella tendrà ­a You/he/shewould have Ella tendrà ­a un dà ­a difà ­cil si no le ayudaras. Nosotros tendrà ­amos Wewould have Nosotros tendrà ­amos frà ­o durante el invierno, pero tenemos un buen abrigo. Vosotros tendrà ­ais Youwould have Vosotros tendrà ­ais que trabajar mucho si trabajarais en esa empresa. Ustedes/ellos/ellas tendrà ­an You/theywould have Ellos tendrà ­an un buen trabajo si fueran ms responsables. Tener Present Subjunctive The present subjunctive is formed with the present indicative conjugation. Since the yo conjugation for tener is irregular (tengo), then the present subjunctive conjugations are also irregular. Que yo tenga That I have Es una suerte que yo tenga tres hermanas. Que tà º tengas That you have A tu novio le gusta que tà º tengas el pelo negro. Que usted/à ©l/ella tenga That you/he/she have Su enemigo quiere que ella tenga un dà ­a difà ­cil. Que nosotros tengamos That we have Mam espera que nosotros no tengamos frà ­o durante el invierno. Que vosotros tengis That you have El jefe no quiere que vosotros tengis que trabajar mucho. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas tengan That you/they have La profesora quiere que ellos tengan un buen trabajo. Tener Imperfect Subjunctive There are two options for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive, both considered correct. Option 1 Que yo tuviera That I had Era una suerte que yo tuviera tres hermanas. Que tà º tuvieras That you had A tu novio le gustaba que tà º tuvieras el pelo negro. Que usted/à ©l/ella tuviera That you/he/she had Su enemigo querà ­a que ella tuviera un dà ­a difà ­cil. Que nosotros tuvià ©ramos That we had Mam esperaba que nosotros no tuvià ©ramos frà ­o durante el invierno. Que vosotros tuvierais That you had El jefe no querà ­a que vosotros tuvierais que trabajar mucho. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas tuvieran That you/they had La profesora querà ­a que ellos tuvieran un buen trabajo. Option 2 Que yo tuviese That I had Era una suerte que yo tuviese tres hermanas. Que tà º tuvieses That you had A tu novio le gustaba que tà º tuvieses el pelo negro. Que usted/à ©l/ella tuviese That you/he/she had Su enemigo querà ­a que ella tuviese un dà ­a difà ­cil. Que nosotros tuvià ©semos That we had Mam esperaba que nosotros no tuvià ©semos frà ­o durante el invierno. Que vosotros tuvieseis That you had El jefe no querà ­a que vosotros tuvieseis que trabajar mucho. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas tuviesen That you/they had La profesora querà ­a que ellos tuviesen un buen trabajo. Tener Imperative To give direct orders or commands you need the imperative mood. It is not too common to use commands with the verb tener, except to tell someone to have a good day, to be patient, to be careful, etc. Even more rare is to use these commands in the negative form. The examples in the tables below are different than the examples in the rest of the article in order to reflect more realistic uses of tener commands. Positive Commands Tà º ten Have!  ¡Ten paciencia! Usted tenga Have!  ¡Tenga un buen dà ­a! Nosotros tengamos Let's have!  ¡Tengamos cuidado en la carretera! Vosotros tened Have!  ¡Tened calma con el trabajo! Ustedes tengan Have!  ¡Tengan fe de que todo saldr bien! Negative Commands Tà º no tengas Don't have!  ¡No tengas paciencia! Usted no tenga Don't have!  ¡No tenga un buen dà ­a! Nosotros no tengamos Let's not have!  ¡No tengamos cuidado en la carretera! Vosotros no tengis Don't have!  ¡No tengis calma con el trabajo! Ustedes no tengan Don't have!  ¡No tengan fe de que todo saldr bien!

Political Conservatism and the Role of Religion

Political Conservatism and the Role of Religion Quite often, those on the left of the political spectrum dismiss political conservative ideology as the product of religious fervor. At first blush, this makes sense. After all, the conservative movement is populated by people of faith. Christians, Evangelicals, and Catholics tend to embrace the key aspects of conservatism, which include limited government, fiscal discipline, free enterprise, a strong national defense, and traditional family values. This is why many conservative Christians side with Republicanism politically. The Republican Party is most associated with championing these conservative values. Members of the Jewish faith, on the other hand, tend to drift toward the Democratic party because history supports it, not because of a particular ideology. According to author and essayist Edward S. Shapiro in American Conservatism: An Encyclopedia, most Jews are descendants of central and Eastern Europe, whose liberal parties in contrast to right-wing opponents favored Jewish emancipation and the lifting of economic and social restrictions on Jews. As a result, Jews looked to the Left for protection. Along with the rest of their traditions, Jews inherited a left-wing bias after emigrating to the United States, Shapiro says. Russell Kirk, in his book, The Conservative Mind, writes that, with the exception of antisemitism, The traditions of race and religion, the Jewish devotion to family, old usage, and spiritual continuity all incline the Jew toward conservatism. Shapiro says Jewish affinity for the left was cemented in the 1930s when Jews enthusiastically supported Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal. They believed that the New Deal had succeeded in alleviating the social and economic conditions in which antisemitism flourished and, in the election of 1936, Jews supported Roosevelt by a ratio of nearly 9 to 1. While its fair to say that most conservatives use faith as a guiding principle, most try to keep it out of political discourse, recognizing it as something intensely personal. Conservatives often will say that the Constitution guarantees its citizens freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. In fact, there is plenty of historical evidence that proves, despite Thomas Jeffersons famous quote about a wall of separation between church and state, the Founding Fathers expected religion and religious groups to play an important role in the development of the nation. The religion clauses of the First Amendment guarantee the free exercise of religion, while at the same time protecting the nations citizens from religious oppression. The religion clauses also ensure that the federal government cannot be overtaken by one particular religious group because Congress cannot legislate one way or another on an establishment of religion. This precludes a national religion but also prevents the government from interfering with religions of any kind. For contemporary conservatives, the rule of thumb is that practicing faith publicly is reasonable, but proselytizing in public is not.

Eassy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Eassy - Essay Example For instance, minority groups in American society have less degree of trust in the health system, which in turn affects how much information they give to nurses. Very young patients might not be fully aware of their clinical conditions. Old people might have had enough experience with nurses due to long-term health conditions. Young people may hide particular information that they believe will compromise their relationships. Old patients may not have confidence in very young nurses. All these factors influence assessment and interview techniques (Thomas 204). On the other hand, nurse’s assessment and interview techniques are influence by many factors. According to Sadock et al (5), each nurse is characterized by a set of cultural and health beliefs developed in life and professional training. Therefore, their assessment and interpretation of patient’s information follows those beliefs. Moreover, a nurse’ experience may depend on age and therefore ability to effectively manipulate interview techniques depend on age too. Age difference may also affect the techniques used by nurses for patient interview. For instance, a young fresh nurse may need to work extra hard to win trust and confidence of her patients. Nevertheless, nurses have the primary role of understanding these factors in order to expedite their duties effectively (Cleary et al 1). Michelle, Cleary. Factors influencing nurse–patient interaction in the acute psychiatric setting: An exploratory investigation. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Mental Health Nursing, Volume 8,  Issue 3,  pages 109–116,  September 1999.

Colored Regiments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Colored Regiments - Essay Example In addition, it also sheds light on the life of black soldiers during service and instances of discrimination against them including the controversial issue of payment. The question of the earliest enlistment of colored troops is a tricky one with historians honoring different states as taking the earliest initiatives. The reason for this type of confusion might simply be that by the time the army and the government had mutually and formally agreed to enlist freed slaves as soldiers, many army officers had already begun to enlist and train them. By 1862, there are evidences of black recruitment practices being carried out openly by army and government officers like General Hunter, Major General Fremont and Governor John Andrews. At this time, General Butler also seized the opportunity and enlisted and trained a regiment at New Orleans, by September 1862. The first Negro regiment to be officially inducted in the army, they were called the First Louisiana Native Guards (Edgerton 27, Dawson 6-8). A vital fact worth noting is that freed slaves were enlisted in the war when almost half of it was over, despite the fact that there was no dearth of freed slaves offering their services due to abject poverty and lured by the promise of bounty (Wilson 177). In addition, there was a growing pressure from army officers who insisted that blacks should, in all fairness, be a part of war that was being fought for them and it was unjust of the government to force only the whites in it (Wilson 38, De Forest 31,). The government, however, recruited them reluctantly and after repeatedly rejecting their participation in a war that was being fought for their emancipation in the first place. The obvious reluctance of the government sprang from the fact that racial prejudices were still deeply rooted in the consciousness of the public and the government feared not only a backlash from them but worse - a fierce dissent among their own party members. This fear is voiced by many during discussions in chief newspapers of the time. As a concerned reader, RHV, wrote to the editor of New York's Weekly Anglo-African in 1861, saying that by involving blacks in military service at that time would "would only embarrass the present administration, by stirring up old party prejudices which would cause the loss of sympathy" (Qtd. in Finkenbine et al. 213) [Read complete text of the letter in Appendix] The Freed Slaves As Soldiers: If one were to read firsthand accounts of white officers who fought the Civil War with their black subordinates, it will be noticed that they have spoken highly of the qualities of the Negro soldiers. For instance, Thomas Wentworth Higginson praised his men most warmly for their intelligence, bravery, courage, fearlessness, and dedication and for their surprising readiness to accept disciplining policies as compared to their white counterparts. One characteristic of the nature of his subordinates, which Higginson considered remarkable, was that despite their lack of education and mental training they seemed to fully grasp the enormity of their task, their delicate situation as the first colored regiment and the responsibility and courage needed from them. Not one of them shirked

Preparation for Graduate Employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Preparation for Graduate Employment - Essay Example I would like to work for a magnificent company such as yours in a responsible position, in which I will contribute through my professional, personal and inter-personal skills. My long term career goal is to move on to higher positions with greater responsibilities within investment banking possibly after having studied for an MBA in between. However, I prefer to remain with the same company as part of my career aspirations. Although transitioning from education to a professional environment can be quite challenging, I have gained significant experience in my various stints at several companies, which has provided me the necessary insight into the corporate world. having been performing successfully in every such challenging environment, I am confident of being able to bring in the same level of commitment and energy into my work in my future employment. I have travelled extensively and have interacted with people from over 50 nationalities. As such, I love to bond with diverse people and share ideas and thoughts with them. I believe that any profession that incorporated my educational skills and professional experience to the highest level would be my ideal job. Combining my knowledge in Finance with my experience in handling customer oriented responsibilities along with computer and administrative capabilities have helped me, my co workers and my company in attaining their objectives. It is also one of the predominant reasons for me to consider myself as a valuable addition to the team at Goldman

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Business Environment - Essay Example In simpler words, globalization has become a deeply-rooted phenomenon in the present world that there seems to be zero alternative of capitalism. Different skeptics have come up with new and effective economic theories and practices to suspend the common grounds of capitalism in the world (Thornley & Appay, 2010). Nevertheless, the impact or the implementation of capitalism is effective to the core that independent economic policies are failed to practice. Herein, it should be noted that the mentioned view is merely projected by the skeptics and there is still a lot of room of explanation concerning the credibility of the aspect (Milward, 2003). The aim of this essay is to critically assess the thesis statement the proposition that governments are no longer able to implement independent policies. There is supposedly an ongoing debate when it comes to the aspect of efforts made by the governments to implement and promote independent economic policies. The weighing or the effective dimensions to the debate can only be evaluated by understanding triumphed nature of capitalism in the global world, paradox of neo-classical theory, the role of the transfer national companies (TNCs). The fact remains that the economic activities in the past were quiet limited because of the limitations imposed on the trade. In the present times, one can see that it is easier for the organizations to design a product in one region and then deliver it to customer in the opposite part of the world (Ohmae, 1994). Herein, the intensity of skepticism is evident from the fact that western civilizations see capitalism as a threat to social equality. Milward (2003) in his research included that the skeptics of capitalism have always shown great interest in the international discussion of need of non-free market structure. Such an assertion is made

Social Entreprenuerism Writtien Assignments 2-5 Coursework

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Starbucks Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Starbucks - Case Study Example The first Starbucks store was established in the 1971 in Seattle by three friends Jerry Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl. These three individuals were high school teachers of English and History. They got their inspiration to open their own coffee shop from a Dutch business man named Alfred Peet (Coffee, 2014). The Starbucks as we know today is quite different from what it was during the time of its inception. At first the store only sold raw coffee beans and coffee machines and equipments, which changed over a decade as the company also started to sell coffee drinks. A decade later the company appointed Howard Schultz as the head of retail operations. He was overwhelmed by the idea of espresso bars in Italy and asked the owners to apply the concept of coffee house in Seattle. This experiment was quite successful and it marked the beginning of the famous Starbucks coffee beverages. Howard found a company named Il Giornale, which later on acquired Starbucks (Starbucks, 2011). The acquisition of Starbuck was financially supported by a lot of local investors and the name of the company was officially changed to Starbuck Corporation. The company decided to make geographical diversification and opened up stores in Vancouver and Chicago. By 1987, the total number of Starbucks outlet was 17, which increased to 55 by 1989 and 84 in the next year. In the year 1992, the company went public and it was able to expand its business from the $27 million gathered from the stock prices (Grant, 2013).

Social Entreprenuerism Writtien Assignments 2-5 Coursework

Social Entreprenuerism Writtien Assignments 2-5 - Coursework Example Production should be at a reasonable cost without compromising the quality of products or services. In addition, after the production, the products or services should be made accessible to the prospect market at the required time (Jay & Gillian 2012). This would enable the business to remain competitively advantaged within the industry. As the company maximizes on achievement of results, it should also focus on remaining socially irrelevant. The company should be able to identify its weaknesses in ensuring that it meets its set objectives. For example, the costs of production should not outweigh the revenue flow (Jay & Gillian 2012). The products of the company should also remain relevant to the market to ensure that the business remains on top of its competitors. Each market or field of operation in a business has external opportunities. It is the responsibility of the management to ensure that the business has a mechanism of exploiting such opportunities. However, the business should only adopt such responsibilities if they embrace the social value equation of the business (Jay & Gillian 2012). It is not prudent to pursue opportunities that present potential threats to the business, either internally or in the external environment (Jay & Gillian 2012). The threats that arise in a business present the organization with an opportunity to develop counter measures that will enable the business to be relevant and retain its competitive advantage. A Cooperative strategy refers to a strategy where different firms work together to achieve a common objective. It is an attempt by companies to realize their goals and objectives by cooperating with other organizations instead of competing with them. Cooperative strategies are significant for firms competing in the global economy. However, discussions show that they are prone to failures due to their complexities

Article analysis for an Economics class Essay Example for Free

Article analysis for an Economics class Essay If someone earns a sum of money, and saves it rather than spends it, then, in no way can a person be losing wealth if not for inflation, which prompts the prices of all goods and services to rise. One may see this as a trend among businesses to maximize their profits. In reality, the root cause of the problem is not with businesspeople, but the Federal Reserve System continuously adding more money into the economy. The article I have chosen to summarize examines the U. S. economy of today mainly the food and energy prices that have rose sharply since March 2003, which has prompted the Fed to concern itself with the onset of inflation. In reality, what triggers the rise in prices is an increase of money in circulation, which is a result of the actions performed by the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve, being the government agency responsible for printing the nation money supply, determines how many dollar bills are put into circulation. The dilemma arises because, when more money is added into the economy and an individual has not spent any of it, the person is now poorer in relation to everyone else than they once were. Adding more money into the economy dilutes the value of each individual dollar, thereby decreasing its purchasing power. The article states that the price index gained larger than expected .3 percent, which adds to the inflation anxiety on Wall Street (Freilich). Inflation, however, tends to hurt the poor far more than it does the rich. For example, if a woman retires with four thousand dollars saved up, and the cost of a decent living is five thousand, then she only has eighty percent of what she needs to survive. Then, a year later, if there is one hundred percent inflation, then the necessary cost of living becomes ten thousand dollars. Even if that woman still had four thousand dollars, she would now have only forty percent of what she needed. Though they often have been blamed for inflation, businesses themselves are victims of inflation, as each company sees the costs of all of its resources rising. Retailers pay rising costs to distributors, who pay a rising cost to suppliers, who pay a rising cost for their resources. If a businessperson does not raise the prices of the merchandise, while the prices of resources  are rising, then he or she will have to reduce profits or cut back on much-needed supplies and services to maintain the company, which, in the end, could mean less business and still result in less revenue. Thus, inflation necessitates that businesses raise prices and employees demand higher wages, which often takes place in a random fashion. The article further states that prices received by farms, factories and refiners gained sharply to 0.8 percent last month, the largest jump since March 2003. Additionally, the Labor Department said first-time filings for state jobless aid fell 15,000 to 336,000 in the week ended June 12, their lowest level since early May. Increase in prices and an improved job market suggests that the U.S. economys momentum is likely to build in the coming months. The article adds stating that in addition to the growing economy, the dollar first rose against the euro and prices for U.S. government bonds fell, pushing yields up. Investors are worried about inflation pressure because stocks slipped, in part because of inflation concerns, but also due to news of more deadly bloodshed in Iraq. Inflation is understood that when governments print plenty of money and spend considerably, watch out for rising prices to continue. However, the volatile stock market and with elections coming soon, I believe to expect the unexpected. References Freilich, Ellen. Data Puts Inflation in Focus. Retrieved online Jun 17, 2004 Website: http://www.reuters.com/financeNewsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=0RS0105W2AE4ECRBAEKSFEY?type=businessNewsstoryID=5450085

The New Oil: Castrol

The New Oil: Castrol Castrol was originally an oil company set up by Charles Cheers in the year 1899. Within 10-years, he managed to develop a new lubricant named The new oil Castrol which significantly benefits the transportation industry in the twentieth century (Castrol, 2011). The internationalized of Castrol of as a motor oil lubricant brand began in 1966 when Burmah Oil bought over to it become renamed Burmah Castrol, (BP , 2012) and their success in Thailand encouraged them to venture Vietnam in 1991 through a joint venture Saigon Petro (Dodd, 2005) which had a large motorcycle population. They were also the very first foreign lubricant joint-venture operating in Vietnam (NA, 2001). Later in 2000, British Petroleum (BP) acquired Burmah Castrol merging all operations with BP. However, BP still continued to retain Castrols identity as the company had long established brand reputation as a premiere motor oil lubricant. As an international business, Castrol, like any other international firm, were faced with key issues surrounding both formal and informal framework, and they tackled these issues by adopting, adapting and diffusing institutional elements in their strategies to succeed in the Vietnamese market. Vietnam: Key Issues for Castrol Cultural Environment Hostedes Cultural Dimensions (1980) shows the Vietnameses culture (Asia-Pacific) and Castrols native cultures (Anglo-American) are on opposing ends, which means that in order to succeed in Vietnam Castrol had to overcome these cultural barriers. Vietnam is heavily influenced by the Confucian values and ideals, beliefs in a high hierarchal structure, which means they have high power distance, are collective decision making and focus on the relationship element rather than a business transaction (Dong, Liem, Grossman, 2010). Face saving is a core concept practiced, as such maintaining relational harmony is more important than integrating and domination confrontations, which are deemed inappropriate (Oetzel Ting-Toomey, 2000). The Vietnamese tradition strongly emphasizes trust, which can be only obtained through earning peoples respect and affection (Dana Dana, 1999), in other words established through relationships. The relationship emphasis is clearly illustrated in dealing with the government bureaucratic system in which a request can have a long turnaround time and to expedite, an international manager would have to have a strong local network which helps reduce the governments uncertainty about your intentions (Smith Pham, 1996). Relationship also value is vital for Vietnamese manufacturers and distributors as it can enhance product quality, information, and smoother delivery processes (Nguyen Nguyen, 2011). In addition, the ability to grasp language could somehow ease communications as language influences peoples view of the world (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, as cited by Kay, P Kempton 1984). And because linguistically, Vietnam largely differs from Castrols native home, Britain, as such; Castrol had to overcome the language barriers in their business negotiations with Vietnamese who prefer to have an interpreter even though if the Vietnamese can converse in the foreign language that was used (Bouchart Swierczek, 1994). Halls (1976) polychornic and monochornic concept of time is another significant difference between Castrols home practice and traditionally Vietnamese who see time more seasonal rather than by the clock (Smith Pham, 1996). This perception of time may be changing in todays environment, but Vietnamese can take longer to weigh decisions (Smith Pham, 1996), and because they are collective and have high power distance, it is customary for them to get consent from their superiors beforehand. While, Vietnam was once colonized by the French and Americans, Vietnams socio-cultural orientation substantially varies from their colonizers. Clearly, cultural differences can pose the underlying cause conflict. After all, culture is the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes one human group (Asia) from another (US), (Hofstede, 1980, as cited by Beaman, 2008) and Castrol had to take these variations into account from the very beginning of market entry in to Vietnam. Ethical standard There is no clear definition of ethics, as the great divide between universalism and relativism explains. Universalists believe that ethical moral standards are universally the same throughout with no regards to culture and moving time; whereas relativists argue that perceptions of right and wrong differ from culture and individuals and tend to evolve with time (Bigambo, 2011). As such, in favor of the relativism approach, the ethical and moral perceptions are perceived differently, in regards of corruption. According to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) assessment, pre National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Corruption toward 2020 introduction, World Banks Worldwide Governance Indicators rank Vietnam CPI level at 22.9 in 2004 and post the policy, in 2010, the country ranked 33 (Martini, 2012). Castrol had entered Vietnam pre-government policy, as such the Company had to ensure they adhered to policies at all times, to perhaps like Intel who actively cooperated with the government to combat corruption and improper business conduct (Deresky, 2011) Because Castrol had entered the country before establishment of formalized policies, the Company was forced to successfully adopt and adapt to Vietnams standards at the time, while still trying to hold on to its own corporate culture. As such, beyond the reasons of initial foreign direct investment (FDI) required a local state owned company (Schaumburg-MÃ ¼ller, 2002) it was only rationale for Castrol to enter Vietnam with joint-venture with a local player, Saigon Petro in 1991. Political Environment As a result of the fall of the Soviet, Vietnam was forced to undergo an economic reform in the 1980s (Speece, Quang, Huong, 2003). In 1986, the Economic Reform Policy, Doi Moi, removed trading barriers including liberalization of the domestic market and encouraged foreign investments and foreign privatizations of firms (Nguyen Bryant, 2004), an open economy. Through Doi Moi, the country gradually progressed from a command- economy toward a market economy (Van Arkadie and Mallon, 2003), through tax incentives to foreign firms. However; this increased, competition within the nation; hence, Castrol had to up their game to succeed in the country. In many aspects, like China and Laos, the Vietnamese government is communist in only name sense, as they tend to be more inclined toward market-based economic reform practices. Vietnam; however, remain as totalitarian state that deny many basic civil liberties to the people (Hill, 2007). Meaning, the government remains communism, but in reality, the market is similar to capitalism. Only, key industries such as water, electricity communication, logistics (road system, ports, and aviation), are owned by the government. In general, the communist political ideology governs every aspect of the country by holding key industries while maintaining its market-based economy. The country also introduced a new state constitution in 1992 that introduced a more formalized legal system and increased economic freedom (Costello, Nash, Kavanagh, Smyth, Boyce, 2010).The government also offered more tax incentives to attract more foreign oil companies. Castrol benefited from these practices as they took advantage of the first-mover as they entered the Vietnam market in 1991, after seeing great success in Thailand and they also benefitted from local insight with their partnership with Saigon Petro. Competition Castrol entered Vietnam prior to the establishment of the Competition Law, in which there were no formalized practices to regulate domestic competition (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2005). In this sense, Castrol could be vulnerable to being dominated by stronger players and fair trade was unheard of. As the country moved toward a market-oriented economy, the Vietnam Law on Competition 2005 established fairground for all types of enterprises and offered legal protection for fair competition (Harvie, 2001), leaving types and pricing to be determined by the market. The law controlled any potential market monopolies and offered a leveled playing field for market access and fair competition as it encourages consumer choices (Le, 2003); hence; giving Castrols competitors such as Shell, Caltex and Vietlube a better chance to succeed. While Castrol has the first-moved advantage as an already a well-established brand, with Vietnams formalized policies and the country joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007, to sustain its success, Castrol would have seek ways to reposition itself and use its premium quality against the growing price sensitive and quality conscious Vietnamese consumer behavior. Vietnam: Castrol Succeeds It can be inferred that Castrols success is related to their strategic market entry in Vietnam along with their ability to systematically create marketing mix that customized an advertising and branding, distribution, pricing strategy to fit in the Vietnamese economic landscape. Market Entry Castrols rationale for entering Vietnam was clearly for the purpose of market seeking and strategic asset seeking to which they intended to capitalize on Vietnams Doi Moi policies rather than lose out to their competitors. One of the key advantages Castrol had above everyone else was its first mover advantage in Vietnam and how the company had taken advantage of Dunnings OLI framework (1980). The OLI framework provides great insight on factors that affect a companys ability to enter a foreign market. In Castrols case, the company benefitted largely from ownership and location advantage, through which the company leveraged on its firm specific advantage in lubricant oil knowledge and exploited Vietnams already established motorcycle market. To reduce transaction costs relating cost of negotiating, contract enforcement while gaining a strong foothold in the domestic market it is likely the reason Castrol chose to partner Saigon Petro, illustrated by in Burmahs profits in 1996, to which more than 20 percent of its profits came from India and Vietnam, even in an era where car ownership was growing (Stevenson, 1996). The Company internalized its distribution through establishing its own transportation channels to reach its distribution points (NA, 1998). While this is a costlier route, this help Castrol closely monitor and manage its distribution. Marketing Mix Globally, Castrol offers its consumers one homogenous product lubricant oil. However, the Company varies its product strategy to reach its market segment, motorists who want quality lubricants for long-lasting care of their motorcycles. Coming off their success in Thailand, Castrol wished to establish brand loyalty in Vietnams motorcycle segment in hopes, the loyalty will continue on upon upgrading to a car. The Company reinforced the fundamental need for a reliable mode of transport motorcycle, as Castrols Asia Director, Ian Pringle states the Company focused on turning near haves into have somes (NA, 2010). Being a premium lubricant, Castrols prices was significantly higher than most, and the Company adopted that same strategy in Vietnam, three times the cost of cheaper oil imports from Taiwan and Thailand, while aiming to maintain its strong brand image of superior quality, Dau nhot tot nhat. In terms of promotion, Castrol supported its premium pricing strategy by utilizing the push communications strategy in traditional media such as billboards, bumper stickers and roadside garages and motorcycle cleaning shops signs to establish initial consumer awareness. And as Castrols position in Vietnam strengthened, the company leveraged on its global marketing campaign, which featured David Beckham. On reason for this is perhaps the Vietnamese are the second biggest football fan-following in the Asian region (NA, 2010), and in 2008, Castrol also went on to sponsor the UEFAs European Championships in Vietnam in hopes to drive revenues through brand recognition and recall in Asia (NA, 2008). Vietnam was a strategic decision on Castrols part as not only did the country closely resemble its neighboring Thailand in terms of motorcyclist population, it was a less risky decision for Castrol, as similar successful strategies could easily and inexpensively be exported to Vietnam. In terms of distribution, given Vietnams political divide, Castrols distribution strategy focused on two distinct distributors- stated owned customers, primarily Communist in practices and private customers. While this was costly, this method gave Castrol more control in terms of managing their distributors in terms of corporate practices reduce the risk of illegal practices or other such brand tarnishing practices (NA, 1998), though in the long term Castrol should consider more viable inexpensive measures. Opportunities and Challenges SWOT Matrix As first movers, Castrols strength lays in their success in developing a solid brand strategy that effectively captured a large market share. Today, the Company offers lubricants for the purpose of motorcycles, cars, commercial vehicles, industrial and even professional car repairs. In looking at Vietnam as a fast growing economy, the country is taking major measures to liberalize trade, through which can be seen by the countrys admission to WTO and even trade agreements such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA) and U.S.- Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Clearly, Vietnam is on its way toward a more transparent, less corrupted in its practices, which will largely benefit foreign companies like Castrol in their dealings in the country. The setback would be these liberalization practices will eventually increase competition for Castrol as Vietnam becomes a more attractive FDI destination. In terms of weakness, Castrols pricing strategy could be seen as a weakness as Vietnams urban market becomes more price- sensitive toward consumer goods (Speece Nguyen, 2005). Furthermore, Vietnams lack of domestic infrastructure capacity as well as enforced regulations (Pham, 1998), forces Castrol to internalize its distribution strategy, which is less risky; however, the line cost may be transferred to the end customer. In 2000, BP had acquired Burmah Castrol, and this in turn gives Castrol the ability to leverage on its parent companys core competencies from oil and gas production to distribution and supply chain management. Furthermore, the establishment of two refineries provide local source for petro products as well as increase interaction between the northern and southern Vietnam. Despite being a first-mover, Castrol may have already established its competitive edge; however, with the introduction of more structured open-market policies and trade agreements, Castrol will be faced with competition such as Shell and ExxonMobil. While, the country rapidly increased with an average 5.9% GDP growth in 2011, the inflation rate based on consumer prices was extremely high at 18.7% versus Chinas 9.2% GDP growth and 5.5% inflation rate (CIA, 2012). And in recent times, Vietnam has incurred international debt as high as USD12billion which could result in the collapse of the countrys banking system (Nyuen, 2012), and create a ripple effect for Castrol who already operate in the country and region. Recommendations As a dominant player, Castrol has an ample of opportunities to exploit and continue being a leader in Vietnam. Castrol could seek growth through expanding its current offerings in the automobile industry and relying on the existing Vietnam market. Castrol can seek to broaden its product base beyond offering light and heavy automotive lubricants and so forth by offering automobile batteries. While diversification could pose a threat to economies of scales and even increase marketing costs of the new product, by introducing a complimentary and complementary product, Castrol would not face such an issue. Castrol could also extend their strategic global partnership with leading automobile manufacturers such as Honda in Vietnam as they had in the United Kingdom (Castrol, UK and Ireland, 2012). By doing so, the automobile manufacturer can benefit from the tangible value of the ingredient brand which in this case is Castrol to enhance the customer experience. Similarly, Castrol can build a more efficient distribution network by collaborating with partners to share distribution channels and establish value chains as they had intended to with local tire manufacturer, Casumina and local battery manufacturer Pinaco (Phi, 2011). However, a much rationale route would be to leverage off parent company BPs resources including financial, logistics and research and development (RD). Castrol could also choose to adopt its loyalty program from Malaysia as regional strategy in Vietnam, by rewarding returning customers (Castrol, Malaysia 2012). With the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) in 2002, the country has intensified its environmental practices. In 2007, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with MONRE to train southern, central and northern Vietnam environmental inspectors (EPA, 2012). In being a responsible corporate citizen, Castrol should adhere not only to Law on Environmental Protection; the Company should also consider measures to create a sustainable environment. For example, Castrol could offer consumers incentives to return their bottled packaging to distributors rather than self-disposing or offer refill-packaging options at a cheaper rate than purchasing the entire bottled package. Conclusion Even though globalization does reduce barriers, its not always as simple as Friedmans (2005) flat world as illustrated by Castrol in Vietnam. While, globalization may standardize selected practices such as consumer product needs; however, in going deeper, motivators tend to differ. In Castrols case, the variation of Vietnams norms both formal and informal from its home country resulted in the Company customizing practices to fit the national culture, and proactively streamlining processes and operations to sustainably grow within its host country.

Case Study Review - Reviving an Ancient Therapy to Manage Chronic Pain :: essays research papers

Title: Reviving an Ancient Therapy to Manage Chronic Pain Reference: Podiatry Today, December 2003, pg. 46-53 Author: Nicholas A Grumbine, DPM Rating: 4/5 Abstract Objective: This article was written to increase people’s awareness of leech therapy in healthcare to manage chronic pain. Case studies on were designed to determine whether leeching would improve chronic pain in a safe and effective manner. Background: Chronic pain results when there is delayed healing. Grumbine claims that chronic pain ‘produces a fear in the patient and a panicked feeling that the pain will return or increase’. Grumbine also explores other biological treatments like leech therapy, and the effects that medical leeches have on their patients. Usually, medications were used to control chronic pain, such as sleep medications and antidepressants. Now it has been observed that leeching prevents blood clotting and severe burning pain. The ingredients of leech saliva help stabilize cellular membranes and the overall well-being of the skin and body functions improve. As blood flow increases and improves circulation, the arteries, veins and capillaries dilate, and there is a reduction of oedema, shunting and congestion. Study Design: Case studies were designed to determine whether leeching procedures would affect patients with chronic pain, and by what amounts. These were patients aged from 13 to 96 that were defiant to usual tradition procedures. Five case studies were made. The case studies were performed on two elderly patients; one diagnosed with RSD , and the other patient suffering from burnings, oedema and hyperesthesia. Three other patients were also treated; a 16-year-old adolescent also with RSD and a severe hypertrophic scar, as well as a patient with Berger’s disease and a war veteran with ‘scrape metal wounds’. Results: Preoperatively, patients’ levels of pains were at an average of 8.6 out of 10. After leeching procedures, pains were significantly reduced to an average of 3.5 out of 10. Not only did the pain dramatically decrease, but there were dermatological signs of improvement. Leech therapy aided all of the patients that were case-studied. One of the elderly patients, a 53-year-old with RSD, had oedema reduced from her foot and her pain controlled with medication and fitted orthotics. The 16-year-old patient recovered well from her severe painful hypertrophic scar, after having 10 leeches ‘engorged 3 to 5 cc of blood’ and having 50 percent of the incision faded and 80 percent reduction of pain which allowed her to walk again ‘pain-free’. The third patient, a 52-year-old, had reduced swelling of her feet from severe burning, hyperesthesia and ‘forefoot oedema’ after the application of 12 leeches.

The Pearl: Depictions Of Life Essays -- essays research papers

The Pearl: Depictions of Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, a destitute pearl diver finds a giant pearl with which he hopes to buy peace and happiness for his family. Instead, he learns that the valuable pearl can not buy happiness but only destroy his simple life. Throughout the fable, there is a constant theme woven through the characters and setting which encompasses the struggle among social classes to become successful. Steinbeck, a novelist known for his realistic depictions of life, portrays this motif through Kino, the doctor, Coyotito, and the town of La Paz.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Earnst Steinbeck, author of The Pearl and many other stories, was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. Both his father, who ran a flour mill, and his mother, a teacher, encouraged him to write once they saw his early interest in literature. Steinbeck began his career by writing articles for his school newspaper and by taking classes at Stanford University. At the same time, he worked at a local ranch where he witnessed the harsh treatment of migrant workers. These underpriveleged laborers later served as the inspiration for many of his novels, including The Grapes of Wrath. The Pearl, another inspiration from his past, originated from a legend about the misfortunes of a poor boy who found a giant pearl that was told to Steinbeck while on a trip to Mexico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kino, the protagonist in The Pearl, is an hone... The Pearl: Depictions Of Life Essays -- essays research papers The Pearl: Depictions of Life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In John Steinbeck's The Pearl, a destitute pearl diver finds a giant pearl with which he hopes to buy peace and happiness for his family. Instead, he learns that the valuable pearl can not buy happiness but only destroy his simple life. Throughout the fable, there is a constant theme woven through the characters and setting which encompasses the struggle among social classes to become successful. Steinbeck, a novelist known for his realistic depictions of life, portrays this motif through Kino, the doctor, Coyotito, and the town of La Paz.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Earnst Steinbeck, author of The Pearl and many other stories, was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California. Both his father, who ran a flour mill, and his mother, a teacher, encouraged him to write once they saw his early interest in literature. Steinbeck began his career by writing articles for his school newspaper and by taking classes at Stanford University. At the same time, he worked at a local ranch where he witnessed the harsh treatment of migrant workers. These underpriveleged laborers later served as the inspiration for many of his novels, including The Grapes of Wrath. The Pearl, another inspiration from his past, originated from a legend about the misfortunes of a poor boy who found a giant pearl that was told to Steinbeck while on a trip to Mexico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kino, the protagonist in The Pearl, is an hone...

An Analysis of Walt Disney’s Cinderella

Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 DOI 10. 1007/s11199-007-9236-y ORIGINAL ARTICLE The Production of Meaning through Peer Interaction: Children and Walt Disney’s Cinderella Lori Baker-Sperry Published online: 5 June 2007 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2007 Abstract For many years researchers have understood that gender roles in children’s literature have the capacity to create and reinforce â€Å"meanings† of femininity and masculinity (Currie, Gend. Soc. , 11: 453–477, 1997; Gledhill, Genre and gender: The case of soap opera. In S. Hall (Ed. ), Representation (pp. 339–383). London: Sage, 1985; Tatar, Off with their heads! Fairy tales and the culture of childhood. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1993; Zipes, Happily ever after. New York: Routledge, 1997). The purpose of this study was to investigate children’s interpretation of a popular gendered fairy tale at the level of peer interaction. Walt Disney’s Cinderella was used in elementary school reading groups to investigate the ways that children understand messages regarding gender and the influence of peer culture on the production of meaning. The findings indicate that gender and gendered expectations were essential to the process of interpretation and the construction of eaning for the children. Gender unified the boys and girls into two distinct groups, particularly around the â€Å"girls’ book,† Cinderella. Gender was reinforced along traditional lines in the peer group, serving as a deterrent to the production of alternate interpretations to traditional messages in the text. Keywords Gender . Peer interaction . Children . Agency . Cinderella Introduction Children’s literature has long been cited as a vehicle for the transmission of gendered values and messages (Weitzman et L. Baker-Sperry (*) Department of Women’s Studies, Western Illinois University, 500 Currens Hall, Macomb, IL 61455, USA -mail: [email  protected] edu al. 1972; Agee 1993; Zipes 1997). The ability of children’s literature to impart meaning and reflect social constructions of masculinity and femininity to its readers has also been documented (Currie 1997; Gledhill 1985; Zipes 1997). More recently, particular attention has been paid to the influence of peer culture in the construction of meaning derived from media sources, children’s literature included (Corsaro 1997; Currie 1997; Davies 1990; Milkie 1994; Pike and Jennings 2005). The purpose of the present study was to examine how children’s peer culture influences the interpretation of endered messages derived from children’s literature. Interpretive Reproduction and Children’s Peer Culture Children are inventive and resourceful social participants in the preservation (reproduction), interpretation, and formation of their social world as they actively interpret the social world by constructing the meaning of social messages (Corsaro 1997, 1992). Corsaro (1997) stated that children â€Å"quickly appropriate, use, and transform symbolic culture as they produce and participate in peer culture† (p. 100). This view of the child’s active interpretation of the social world, termed interpretive reproduction, conceptualizes hildren as research participants and social individuals. Children appropriate messages and meanings from the world of adults and filter them through their own understanding and experiences. Children’s responses to social messages indicate their ability to understand and make meaning of the social world. This does not occur simply as the child’s reaction to social messaging, however. The process of interpretation is most effectively negotiated at the level of interaction where understanding is conceptualized, organized, and reaffirmed through peer identity (Corsaro 1997; Currie 1997; Davies 1990; Miller et al. 990). Through interaction that occurs within everyday routines (Corsaro 1997), Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 718 children are able to learn the rules of the social group in which they are a part. Interaction in the peer group also solidifies gendered perspectives (Hibbard and Buhrmester 1998; Thorne 1997). Acting out gender, as well as sometimes pushing its boundaries, is often manifested in the peer group. Children discursively position themselves as boys or girls in their play, thus reifying the dichotomous nature of the construction of gender through peer interaction (Davies 2003; Hibbard and Buhrmester 1998).Children also rely heavily on traditional normative structures to make sense of the world, and they often accept gendered expectations as truth. The process of internalization and negotiation of messages becomes unique in relation to gender when one considers the primacy of gendered norms and expectations. Do children have the social freedom to explore and possibly deconstruct gendered messages within the peer group, or are gendered roles and expectations simply too rigid to allow that? Gendered Messages and the Peer Group: Prescription or Negotiation?Scholars have identified fairy tales as vehicles of gendered messages and forms of prescriptive literature for children (Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz 2003; Bettelheim 1976; Tatar 1993; Zipes 1997), and others have argued that such gendered messages are interpreted and reinforced through peer interaction (Corsaro 1997; Milkie 1994). Corsaro (1997, p. 4) identified children’s literature, particularly fairy tales, as important sources that are â€Å"primarily mediated by adults in cultural routines in the family and other settings. † The intent of the present study was not to document which essages are gendered, but how gendered messages are understood and internalized by children and, further, the ways that such tales are interpreted through peer interaction.The static, gendered messages and the highly structured form of the fairy tale provide a vehicle for children to interpret gendered norms and expectations more clearly. The well-known tale Cinderella was chosen for its clear, traditional depiction of gendered expectations, fantasy, and romantic love as well as for its current status as a feminine text limited to the world of girls in its recent production and advertisement (e. g. a story central to the â€Å"Disney Princesses†) (Shumway 2003; Zipes 1997). Cinderella is a tale that focuses on girls and women, with predominantly female characters. Boys are not likely to embrace a female main character (Hibbard and Buhrmester 1998; Pike and Jennings 2005). Girls, however, are often willing to embrace a male main character such the popular children’s character, Harry Potter, for example. Choosing Cinderella for the present study was an intentional way to clarify the reactions to a book clearly identified as targeting one sex and not the other.The choice of a à ¢â‚¬Å"feminine† text that lluminates this relationship between boys, girls, and gendered text was deliberate. Fairy tale scholar Jack Zipes (1997) has argued that, currently, children’s understanding and image associations of the fairy tale Cinderella are so closely linked with the animated film Cinderella (Disney 1950) that they are inseparable. Based on the expectation that the children may describe Disney’s animated images even when not referenced, and that this might lead to the incorrect assumption that the children were exploring alternate ways of telling the story when in fact they were reproducing the opular Disney image, a textual version of Walt Disney’s Cinderella that contained many of the well-known images from the animated film was selected for use in the present study. An analysis of Walt Disney’s Cinderella, in preparation for data collection, produced several themes. These assertions are supported by Shumway’s (2003) assertio ns concerning traditional feminine text and in Grauerholz and Baker-Sperry’s (2007) findings on pervasive themes within popular Grimms’ tales. These themes guided, but did not limit, the discussion and influenced the questions asked of students during the reading groups.Romantic Love The text is a romantic tale in that love and/or marriage are driving forces and the text â€Å"deals with love that leads to marriage or love outside of marriage, but not love in marriage† (Shumway 2003, p. 3). The story’s inevitable culmination in marriage, coupled with elements of love at first sight and the concurrent competition among women for the prince, is pivotal to the overall action of the story Cinderella. The search for a suitable marriage partner for the prince is the reason for the ball. Gendered Role Expectations in Disney’s Cinderella Although the stepmother and stepsisters do not engage in raditional domestic work, Cinderella is required to do so. All women in the text are concerned with physical appearance of self or other and clearly understand this to have direct impact on the ability to procure a suitable mate. Men in the tale fill traditionally masculine status roles: king, prince, and ambassador. The men have obvious social power; the women struggle to attain or maintain status on their own. Transformation Cinderella is transformed from a dutiful and submissive girl imprisoned in a domestic world to a beautiful and enviable young woman thrust into the public and both desired and sought by the prince.Transformation may be highly Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 attractive to young girls, given the tendency to link femininity with beauty, desirability, and marriage suitability. Boys may or may not be used to experiencing the progression of a male character or the development of masculinity in such a way. Rescuer and Rescued Although the man’s role is de-emphasized in this tale, the â€Å"Cinderella story† is o ne of trial, rescue, and redemption (return to rightful place). The prince, who offers Cinderella an escape from her dire circumstances, is the true rescuer. This construct serves to support traditional notions about asculinity and femininity. Importance of Physical Beauty Cinderella is identified as good and industrious, but she is also very beautiful. It is her beauty that first attracts the prince, as well as her mystery, and it is her beauty (symbolic in the form of a small foot encased in glass) that confirms her place as rightful bride. Domestic slavery also hid her physical beauty.The Lack of a Pivotal Male Role This is really a story about girls and women, and the young prince does not play a central action role. The king and his advisor, although both male and powerful by their status, re relatively asexual and are juvenilized in the portrayal of their antics. The protagonist is female (Cinderella), and the key supporting characters are also female: the wicked stepmother, u nattractive stepsisters, and the fairy godmother. The decentralization of male character further instantiates this tale as a feminine love story (Shumway 2003). These themes situate the text, Cinderella, as a highly gendered and traditionally normative story through which an analysis of interpretations as negotiated in peer groups may occur.In the present study I explored the following research questions about the ways that gendered messages re understood, appropriated, or reinvented through interaction: How does the peer group influence the production of meaning concerning gendered messages? Do boys and girls contribute to the production of meaning in the peer groups in similar ways? To what extent do boys and girls reject or accept the tale as about them? To what extent do the children accept the traditional gender representations without question? Do they produce interpretations that displace traditional stereotypes and gendered expectations? Analysis of these questions, through the lens of symbolic interaction and the sociology of childhood, serves to lluminate the relationship between gendered text and the everyday world of the child. 719 Method Setting and Participants To collect the data for this project, I participated in informal, intensive, preliminary observation of 148 students in eight first-grade classrooms. In six of the eight classrooms, a total of 50 students participated in reading groups. Each reading group contained between nine and nine children, except for one group of 11 participants. Walt Disney’s version of Cinderella (Disney 1986) was the subject matter for each reading group. All students involved were either 6 or 7 years old and were in the first grade.All data were collected in a public elementary school serving a midwestern rural area (population 21,659). The children’s socioeconomic backgrounds ranged from uppermiddle class (parents often university employed with high educational attainment) to children with unemplo yed heads of households (the area experienced two factory closings immediately prior to data collection). The participants were otherwise relatively homogenous. The majority of children had working parents and either single, two-parent, or blended families. Eighty-nine percent of the children in the study were European American, 8% were AfricanAmerican, and 3% were Asian American. These numbers are representative of the larger population for the area (U. S. Bureau of the Census 2000). At all possible times, reading groups were conducted when Children of Color were present (e. g. , scheduling around sick days). The reading groups were formed by classroom, and consisted only of children who met the criteria: first-grade status, a willingness to participate, and a consent form signed by a parent or guardian. As a member of the university community, I was granted admission in the classroom by the principal and then by each individual teacher.The local university houses a successful elem entary education program, and the number of university associates at the school at any given time is quite large. Student teachers, researchers, facilitators, and assessors are present throughout the regular school year. The students and teachers were very friendly and quickly became accustomed to my presence. Procedure Preliminary Observation The use of interpretive ethnographic methods (Corsaro 1997; Eder and Corsaro 1999) has become more prominent since researchers began to explore â€Å"the meaning of social processes from the perspective of those studied† (Corsaro 997, p. 75). To become familiar with how children actively engaged in group work, as opposed to working Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 720 singly or as a larger class, I engaged in preliminary observation of eight first-grade classrooms over a 3 month period for approximately 4 h/week.Observation occurred during the children’s classroom reading time, scheduled time to work in groups, and/or time usua lly scheduled for â€Å"extra activities,† such as movies. This time spent in the elementary school was an introduction to the nature of these everyday routines and to the research participants. I then ngaged in the primary data collection by conducting reading groups with the children. Reading Groups Data collection occurred in structured reading groups to explore the ways that children negotiate peer relationships in a small group around the highly traditional and gendered fairy tale, Cinderella. The reading groups were chosen as the primary method of data collection because they were naturally occurring and provided a flexible, yet constant routine in the children’s school day, one where intentional learning was conducted while children were encouraged to think and work in groups.The style and format of the reading groups closely resembled the usual in-class format. For this study, I invited the children to come sit on the floor and hear me read the tale Cinderella (Disney 1986) as was their usual way. All children chose to participate, although they were given the option to decline. I allowed the children to discuss the illustrations and make interjections throughout the tale, though they were accustomed to a pattern of listening while the story was read and of asking any questions afterward. Overall, the atmosphere of the reading group was very relaxed. Control over the attention of the group was fairly asy to maintain, due in large part to the children’s familiarity with the reading group structure and with being read to by adults other than the teacher (e. g. , parents often did this). Each reading group was recorded using a video camera on a tripod in a corner of the classroom. As the classrooms were small, I was able to capture the reading group interaction, albeit from only one angle. The students did not to respond to the camera as I had anticipated. After the initial set-up occurred, they ignored the camera. I later transcribed all tapes and typed my observation notes myself. I am identified in the transcripts as LBS.All students’ names were changed. Results To become familiar with the environment, I often asked the children questions, engaged in their play, and physically joined them as they learned (e. g. , I sometimes sat with the group on the floor). Initially, the students questioned my role in their classrooms and wondered why I did not actively participate in the regular work in a normative adult way as a student teacher or librarian might. Quickly, the children became accustomed to my presence, and I was soon the object of friendly and playful competition. Students would often ask to sit by me during an activity r ask me to â€Å"come out and play tag with us† while lining up for recess. In conjunction with what Davies (2003) found, by not behaving in an authoritative way, I was quickly welcomed into the children’s activities.The children did not forget that I was an adult, as evidenced in the following excerpt from field notes, but often used my age to situational advantage: The children played â€Å"knock from the chair† today during free time. I was invited to play and agreed to sit on the chair while one team of children tried to knock me off. Soon there were cries of â€Å"no fair, she is too hard to knock off! immediately followed by a discussion about how to reconfigure the teams so that I was on theirs! Before we determined membership, the game was halted by the teaching assistant for roughness (observation notes, October 1999). There were also times when my adult status was obvious and irrevocable. For example, one day a boy fell backwards in his chair and hit his head on the floor.Immediately, I stepped outside of my role of observer and confidante and assumed adult status. There were times when the children became rather more formal in their interactions with me, such as when I became a reader, a role often filled by eacher, parent, or other adult. I also believe that the reading groups, although they occurred only once with each group of children, underscored my adult status. This meant that, at times, the children and I interacted more formally, whereas at other times I was easily invited into the game or activity. The interactions below are representative of what occurred during the reading groups, and are infused with a familiarity between myself and the children, but are also reflective of the structured routine of the reading group and therefore are more reserved in nature than other forms of interaction that occurred.Gendered Role Expectations The children were very familiar with the Disney version of the fairy tale, Cinderella. They knew the story well enough to finish my sentences as I read. When I read â€Å"On Cinderella ’s feet were tiny†¦. , † many immediately responded with â€Å"glass slippers. † Similarly, many of the students joined in at the end of the tale with â€Å" †¦ happily every after! † In fact, the students knew the story so well (particularly demonstrated by the girls), and were at times Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 so caught up in the tale, that they jumped ahead in their excitement, finishing the story long before the end.Many students also knew the names of Cinderella’s animal friends, an element unique to the Disney version. In the reading groups, stereotypical views of traditional gender expectations were reproduced in the children’s accounts of the tale. When asked about Cinderella’s physical appearance prior to the reading of the tale, the children responded with a characterization of Cinderella that is consistent of Disney’s well-known image. The children’s description of Cinderella’s personality was also static and highly traditional, in keeping with the text. Cinderella was identified as beautiful, nice, deserving of riends, and as skilled in domestic tasks. These are h ighly emphasized elements within the tale and were consistently linked to one another by the children in the reading groups. The students did not problematize this imagery. The students characterized the stepsisters as ugly, mean, and inept in feminine skills.Therefore, they identified them in ways that were, for the most part, consistent with the text. The stepmother was described in ways that reflect her characterization in the story, both in text and in pictures. For example, Cinderella’s father, at the beginning of the tale, is shown as a young man, possibly in his late 20s, ppropriate for the father of a young girl. Concurrently, the stepmother is illustrated as gray, older, and very matronly. The students indicated that they noticed some of the inconsistency. Linda: Her hair is gray. Carol: She is old. LBS: Right, she is older. Ben: She is 100 years old. Those are her grandchildren. LBS: She is 100 years old? But those are her daughters. [Laughter and exclamations of â €Å"No! † from the students. ] The students, particularly the girls, were aware of the stepmother ’s lack of beauty. Her appearance, age, and the fact that she is â€Å"mean† were often discussed.She was not defended as a mother or as a person. No child made a positive statement about the stepmother or her behavior. The prince was characterized positively by the girls, who saw him as a romantic character. The girls described the prince as handsome, although the text did not. There is no mention of handsomeness in the tale Cinderella (BakerSperry and Grauerholz 2003). LBS: What does the prince look like? Brooke: Handsome! Jill: Charming. Gary: What’s that mean? Marge: That is his name. LBS: What does charming mean? Marge: That’s his name Jill: He is beautiful, handsome. Brooke: He is dreamy. 721Although the text does not identify the Prince as handsome, charming, or dreamy, these names were often linked to this character by the girls, particularly w hen asked (specifically and repeatedly) about his appearance. The students did not once, however, reply that they did not know what the prince looks like or that the book does not provide that information textually, nor did they make reference to the images offered in the book’s illustrations. Nor did they indicate that he was not attractive or balk at the question. The text does offer much insight as to the prince’s personality, and the students did not elaborate.In the previous excerpt, the prince was also identified as charming, a commonly used designation for many fairy tale princes, but Marge could not define charming except to say â€Å"that is his name. † Davies (2003), in her work with children and feminist fairy tales, found that the belief that the primary male or female character will be attractive supersedes textual portrayals. This is the case here, possibly because attractiveness is more in keeping with the romantic nature of the tale. The children did not question the basic gendered assumptions embodied in many images and characterizations in the text, nor did they explore alternatives.For example, no child commented that the stepmother is not motherly toward Cinderella, that she does not look motherly, or that her personality does not fit with what one might associate with mothering, although her physical appearance is inconsistent with popular images of mothers, which was mentioned (see above). No child questioned Cinderella’s desire to marry the prince. Such consistency across responses indicates that this group of children accepts many of the normative gendered images within the text without overtly questioning them, yet questioned those that do not fit expectations (as the stepmother ’s ppearance). Corsaro (1997, p. 20) argued that â€Å"confusions are addressed but not resolved in routines,† but these reading groups served as routines where basic gendered assumptions were negotiated and interpreted , but not necessarily problematized or resisted. The Girls in the Group: Cinderella as a Site of Femininity Retelling the Tale: A Form of Social Power The girls in the present study often found social power or acceptance in the retelling of the tale. For the girls, there was more at stake in telling the story as it was read, than in changing the story to reflect less traditional roles and behaviors.This was documented in numerous ways; for example, one girl was quickly admonished by another for suggesting that â€Å"maybe Cinderella did not like her fancy ball dress. † In keeping with West and Zimmerman’s (1987) theory of gender work and performance, the girls wanted to 722 be perceived as feminine and, therefore, to prove their femininity through sharing components of the tale within the peer group. By retelling and defending the tale as it was read, they reinforced their positions as girls and as knowledgeable of the feminine world. Assertion of femininity was most i nfluential with other girls, but the oys did not problematize the girls’ interest (as they did with other boys’). These examples lead to questions about the extent to which â€Å"doing gender† (West and Zimmerman 1987) influences the process of interpretation and the construction of meaning within the peer group. If active negotiation is about sometimes resisting dominant messages in favor of working out meaning within the peer group, but doing gender is about affirming gendered stereotypes within the same group, the two ways of understanding and making sense of the world are at odds. Girls: Filtering Fantasy through ExperienceFantasy and the dream world informed the ways the girls discussed the tale. They often combined the fantasy world with their everyday lived experience to create a space for their own storytelling and/or interaction with the text. Many of the children discussed the text in terms of how their lives did or did not parallel the fairy tale, but the girls repeatedly engaged in fantasizing about their futures as we read. Sometimes the girls would decide that the ideology of the fairy tale world and their personal expectations for the future conflicted. Bridget: I am going to get married to a prince. He is oing to meet me at the ball. [gets up and dances around in a small circle] Karen: I don’t think they have balls anymore†¦. Bridget: I am going to have one when I turn 6†¦ Kristi: 6? You are 6, dummy. Right? Lana: I wouldn’t want to go to a ball if that is what happens. [marriage] Bridget: I mean 16. Lana: I don’t want to get married [until] I am 23. Bridget: Well, I can do what I want. [sitting down] When the content of the fairy tale struck children as related to or reflective of their own lives, personal desires, or experiences, it was obvious that their interest in the tale was elevated.This process of identifying with the text seemed to blur reality with fantasy. It was when the text did not strike the children as reflective of their lives that the processes of interpretation and group interaction were most clear. At these times, the children worked to create an image that was more reflective of their lived experience. The girls connected with the story, labeled it as â€Å"about them,† and identified more with the protagonist. There were also times, however, when they acknowledged identification with the less positively identified characters (e. g. , those Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 haracterized as bad or ugly, such as the stepsisters). When they discussed the stepsisters’ behavior toward Cinderella, the children spoke in terms of their own punishment for similar misdeeds.Bridget: They are very, very, very, very selfish. Karen: They should get a swat. Kristi: [Swats her own bottom. ] I have had a swat. Bridget: On the bottom! Many of the girls discussed the tale in terms of what they had done or would like to do, who they are or would like to be. The girls sometimes seemed envious of Cinderella. For example, one girl asked, with a voice full of anxiousness, ow Cinderella got to be so beautiful, and stated that she wanted to be as beautiful as Cinderella. Even at age 6, a girl knows that beauty is rewarded in our society. LBS: What does Cinderella look like? Isabel: Very, very, very beautiful. Shelly: She probably looks very pretty with blond hair [touches her brown hair] and blue eyes. [touching near her own brown eyes] Isabel: I have blond hair [touching her hair] and blue eyes! [Shelly swats Isabel] This passage illustrates how children identify with a story, discussing it in terms of how the characters are â€Å"like them† and how the situations parallel their experiences.Furthermore, the girls were interested in what might be in store for them as adults by assuming that what happens in the tale might happen in their lives as well. Currie (1997) argued that the adolescent girls in her study gave the messages in teen magazines ontological status, that they saw them as true and reflective of their own lives. Similarly, although the participants in the present study also identified the tale as â€Å"a dream world,† the girls viewed Cinderella’s experience as one that might someday happen to them. In so doing, they embraced the ideological messages about emininity, yet, at the same time, negotiated, added to, and subtracted from the tale as they filtered the messages through their own experiences, hopes, and desires. For example, they were particularly interested in Cinderella’s new married life. Kristi: Does Cinderella have babies after she gets married? LBS: The book does not say; what do you think? Kristi: She should have babies, and she will change diapers, right? LBS: If they have babies, do you think the prince will change diapers? Chorus: No! The girls offered interpretations that existed within the traditional framework of the text.Corsaro (1997) asserted hat chil dren engage in interpretive reproduction, and, in so doing, they borrow from adult culture and renegotiate the messages in a reflexive process of defining and (re) Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 producing what is real. But that they borrow from their own lived experience is clearly evident in many of their discussions and reactions to the text. The girls’ belief that Cinderella (and they themselves) could marry and experience this traditional love story, at the same time as they realize that parts of the tale simply are not possible (such as the fairy godmother who turns a pumpkin into a coach), or re not realistic for them (marriage at a very young age), speaks to this process. They are taking the reality of their own experiences and blending it, through their discussion, with their understanding of what they are and what they might hope to experience in the future. Delight and Damage: Girls’ Peer Culture and Expectations of the Feminine During the reading groups, most girls were excited, often interjecting comments, such as â€Å"I have Cinderella Barbie,† and running ahead in the story. One girl asked to have the story read again. Many girls in the reading groups engaged in spontaneous role play.Role play does not usually happen after a story is read in the everyday classroom. As I did not discourage eager comments or the beginnings of role play when they first occurred in each group, they may well have simply taken my cue. One example of particularly exuberant role play occurred after a short debate over Cinderella’s age. Meg: She was not much older than me in the book. I think she was my age. Carla: She was old enough to get married. Meg: She grew up in the book. Like this. [stands up and twirls around] When she got her dress. Do you like my dress? I am going to the ball.Carla: No, this is how Cinderella danced. [stands and begins dancing] Rachel: I will be Cinderella when she tries on the shoe. LBS: How many Cinderellas ar e there, anyway? [laughing] Tess: We are all Cinderella! [others get up to dance] As in this example, the girls often worked to allow everyone to be involved. This is not to say that competition for the status-filled position of Cinderella did not occur. It did. But, most often, the girls worked together to make meaning of the tale. Role play did not happen routinely with the boys, and they usually stayed seated when the girls were acting out the tale.In the only example of role play in which the boys were actively involved, the prince and his friend left the group to chase dragons before the ball began, about midway through the tale. There were examples of less affiliative interaction between the girls. In one role play example, a particular girl was singled out as â€Å"not Cinderella† because of her physical appearance. It was difficult to witness the 723 interaction when a girl said â€Å"you can’t be Cinderella, but you could be the ugly stepsister. † The c ompetition inherent in the story was painful when witnessed in children in the real world.As I stood to signal the end of the reading group, another little girl said to the first: â€Å"Don’t listen to her†¦ she just doesn’t have a nice heart. † The gender work in the children’s groups was, in many ways, reflective of the expectations and pressures of the larger adult world. The Boys in the Group: Peer Culture of Resistance It should come as no surprise that the boys generally defined Cinderella as a â€Å"girls’ book,† and, although often they actively listened or commented, they made it clear from the beginning that this is not the book they would have chosen. This was an expected response based upon the hosen text. Even though there were many loud guffaws at the introduction of the text, it was fairly clear that the boys were as familiar with the tale as the girls were. The boys did answer questions and offer comments, but as often a s not it was to steer the discussion off track.This tactic was noticeably common among the boys, and they engaged in some friendly competition as to who might be the most successful, complementing each other on a job well done. The boys also rivaled one another for the attention of the group and for my attention. As we had spent time in other orms of classroom interaction, our relationships were often friendly and familiar. But, when it came to approval from the group or my approval, the boys usually sought approval from the group. This was often manifested in raucous storytelling. Their stories or comments interested the group because of their (sometimes sexually suggestive) shock value. LBS: On Cinderella’s feet were..? Mike: Shoes. Larry: Glass shoes. Chorus: Glass slippers! Larry: It looks like a glass dress!! I wish it were a glass dress! Larry: Ha! It would be funny if it was†¦ Mike: And then we could see†¦ LBS: All right.Her slippers are the only clothing ite m made of glass. One should note here that the student might not have received my approval, but the comment did receive my attention. Teachers often told me that sometimes students would seek notice regardless of the consequences. Although I actively fostered a relationship where the children were less likely to view me as an authority figure, I was, regardless, an adult. Some of the alternate responses may simply be attributed to the boy’s unwillingness to embrace the more romantic images in the tale (and their keen 724 awareness of the repercussions if they did).At one point, a boy broke out in song: Matt [singing]: â€Å"Happily Ever After and kiss my hand! † LBS: I have a couple of quick questions for you, do you mind answering? [No comment] LBS: What is the Prince like? Matt: Stupid. Ben: Dumb. Brian: A dummy. Jeremy: He got in a coach crash. LBS: Why? Matt: Because he does not even love her. LBS: Why? Matt: [in a gruff voice] Because she is rotten to the core!â⠂¬ ¦ LBS: What is Cinderella like? Chorus: Dumb. LBS: Nice or mean? Ben: She is a cleaning lady. Matt: She loves me. LBS: I did not know she had ever met you. [Boys laugh] The satirical nature of these responses is evident.Not only did the boys challenge the structure of the reading group and my authority as a researcher, but they also pushed the boundaries in terms of what is considered by adults in the school system to be an â€Å"acceptable† reference to sex and sexuality. In stopping the conversation, my status as an adult was emphasized, which hindered my inclusion to their world. The boys did not elaborate on the tale in ways that identified with the prince, the king, or with Cinderella. Furthermore, the boys did not experience any social rewards from other boys for knowing the story. In fact, ost of the boys adamantly argued that they did not care for the story at all and reacted negatively toward any boy who showed any sign of interest in the tale. The only boy who to ok an interest in the prince used a different characterization than what was offered in the tale, although his description clearly resonates with masculine culture and expectations of male sexuality. Mark: I think the prince has a lot of dances. Joe: What? Dances? Mark: He dances and dances and dances because he likes to kiss lots of girls†¦ Joe: Oh, yeah, well he does not dance if he doesn’t have to. [shrugs] Mark: He does have to so he does.Joe: Yeah, I would dance if I had to. Mark: What? This conversation illustrates the tension between the social expectations that the boys sensed from one another and the larger adult world, as well as the conflicted nature Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 of the traditional stories of heterosexual love and masculinity. Examples such as this, when juxtaposed with the preceding examples of some of the girls’ responses, demonstrate the reproduction of larger social norms concerning sexuality and desire, as well as acceptable r oles and displays for men and women. The boys were not always willing to offer a response, resumably for fear of disapproval from the other boys in the group. In one group, for example, I could not elicit a verbal response from any of the boys unless I asked them a direct question, and then I would receive a very short reply. One shrugged his shoulders at a general question aimed at the group; the others shifted sidelong glances at each other. They did not seem to feel the need to feign enthusiasm for the book.A girl in the group stated that the boys did not like it because â€Å"†¦ it is a girls’ book, even though there are men in it. † In that particular case, one girl in the group attempted to xplain the boys’ attitudes toward the tale. The anxiety that the boys’ silence produced in the girls was acute, as was evidenced by multiple responses, both apologetic comments stated to me and admonitions to the boys. The girls wanted to discuss the tale, a nd they desired my approval, in part so that I would keep reading. They were embarrassed by the boys’ lack of enthusiasm, and indicated that they were worried that it might hurt my feelings or cause me to end the reading group. The boys seemed to sense the power of their own silence, even to revel in it, but the girls did not enjoy the silence at all.In each of the groups, most of the boys began to disengage within the first 10 min. Inevitably, one or two boys began quietly to discuss something other than the story, and the other boys quickly tuned in to what it was that they were doing or saying. In fact, if a boy in the group did not become engaged in these other interests, he was often solicited by a boy sitting next to him, or the other boys would look at each other and signal about him. For example, one boy who seemed to be shunned by the group as a whole engaged neither in conversation about the text nor in the boys’ alternate conversations.Most boys ignored him, although one said â€Å"Mark likes Cinderella† in a derogatory way, to identify Mark as â€Å"not one of us. † Another boy, clearly interested in the tale, quickly realized that the other boys disapproved after he made an initial comment, and he spent the rest of the reading group attempting to regain his position as â€Å"one of us† by stating that â€Å"Cinderella stinks. † These findings illustrate how gendered behavior is expected of and by boys and girls. Whether Mark had earlier shown an interest in â€Å"girls’ stuff† or was alienated from the boys as an unpopular student, his gender was suspect and became a means of torment.The second boy is an example of the work commonly done to regulate Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 masculine behavior. Most students were very in-tune with the group’s expectations for gendered behavior and quickly accommodated. Davies (2003) argued that teasing and alienation serve to maintain the cate gorical boundaries between the constructions of femininity and masculinity. This regular, everyday maintenance work was evidenced here in the boys’ treatment of the group member who deviated from the expected response. Only one boy who spoke positively about the tale was not chastised by the other boys.This instance was also one of the rare occasions when a child offered an alternate image from a media source more reflective of lived experience or identity. Recently there have been a number of attempts to create films of fairy tales that include challenges to traditional messages, such as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997), starring Brandy, a young African American woman, as Cinderella. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was also produced by Disney Studios. LBS: How many of you liked that story? Derrick: I have the movie, but Cinderella is Black. LBS: Do you have the movie with Brandy in it?Derrick: Yes. This student, an African American, referenced t he images from this alternate source. No one in his group, however, seemed to be familiar with this version, and only two other children in other reading groups mentioned the alternate Disney version of the tale. Discussion As has been previously argued, and is evidenced by the data in the present study, there are very few children who have not been exposed to Walt Disney’s Cinderella. The assertion that the media serve as vehicles of women’s subordination is a common element among theories of gender and gender socialization. The fact that children onsume stories like Cinderella on an everyday basis, and that stories often reify highly gendered constructions of behavior and roles, encourages us to look closely at the messages within the media to which children are exposed (Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz 2003). It is important to explore the extent to which children take these well-known messages and filter them through their lived experiences, altering them and sometimes producing new readings of gender, but it is also necessary to note that, if the text is ‘about them,’ then the children are more likely to contribute ontological status, or truth status, to the text.This is further unified by conflict between groups, as in this case between the boys’ and girls’ responses to the text. The boys did not find themselves reflected in the text; therefore they did not elevate the text to truth status. There are other stories that resonate more soundly with the construct of masculinity. 725 The very act of defining the text as a â€Å"girls’ book† authenticates the assumptions of gender difference for the boys and girls. The children’s behavior within the reading groups was highly influenced by group interaction. This is in keeping with Corsaro’s (1992) assertion that most socialization ccurs at the level of interaction, be it in the family, among peers, or elsewhere. The nods and sounds of approval fro m group members encouraged both acceptance of the media messages and interaction and interpretation of those messages, depending upon the perspective of the group. An uncomfortable group atmosphere was often evident in conjunction with â€Å"doing gender. † The girls and boys were highly influenced by the group, and acceptance or rejection of the text was enhanced by whether or not the children identified with the story, whether they thought that it was or was not about them.This is no doubt one of the reasons that the boys in the present study did not enjoy the tale, or did not openly admit to doing so. Cinderella is a text that resonates with social messages aimed toward girls (e. g. , social rewards for goodness, kindness, and care as well as an emphasis on feminine beauty) and does not problematize a beauty ideal, romantic love, or competition among women for a the attention of men. The messages routinely found in books for boys, such as an emphasis on strength, the abili ty to protect others, and the denial of emotions (Seiter 1993), are not prevalent in Cinderella.The girls embraced the story, identified with the female characters, and actively engaged in filtering the text through their lived experience and expectations of the future. They clearly took pleasure, for the most part, in reenacting the fairy tale, taking particular delight in the transformation of a young, downtrodden girl into a beautiful princess. The tale was well known, and well loved, by most of the girls. There were instances, however, when a girl was admonished for wanting to be Cinderella because she was seen by the others as not attractive enough, when the girls discussed ways that their experiences sometimes more closely atched the stepsisters’, or occasions when the anxiety produced by the normative expectations of femininity became evident (â€Å"How does Cinderella get to be so beautiful? †). But, for the most part, the acceptance was unanimous and excited. Through the girls’ discussion of the story, traditional expectations for femininity were identified, reified, and reinforced. The strong identification with the tale, as evidenced by the girls, is an indication of the social importance of traditional expectations of femininity. In light of previous research that has identified girls as active negotiators in the construction of meaning (Corsaro 1997;Currie 1997), the unquestioning response to the traditional elements of the tale signifies the importance of gendered Sex Roles (2007) 56:717–727 726 expectations and the solidity of gendered boundaries. The girls responded with a clear reaction: Cinderella is about us! Such a reaction, from any single girl, evidenced and affirmed her femininity. Cinderella was not, however, about or for the boys. As a feminine tale, any association might be seen as feminizing for them. This supports a traditional ideology associated with heterosexual masculinity. Furthermore, it might be xp ected that a boy would respond differently, possibly more positively, outside of the group setting (e. g. , at home reading with a parent, or reading on his own) if the expectations to â€Å"do gender† were less (Thorne 1997; West and Zimmerman 1987). Through group displays, the boys demonstrated resistance to the messages in the tale and reinforced group acceptance of normative masculinity.The textual association with romantic love, messages traditionally directed toward women and girls (e. g. , domestic work, competition for men, emphasis on beauty), and the packaging of the text (i. e. , colors of pink and purple with cute’ animals) inherent in Cinderella simply do not mesh with boys’ experiences in learning about masculinity or the cultural expectations of them. These conflicts are reinforced through interaction in the peer group, and the peer group often regulated interpretation. The boys also actively moved the story to a place that was more about them. In this way, they de-centered the central character and instead turned to other components of popular fairy tales that are more interesting to them, such as chasing dragons and engaging in adventurous sword play. They also shifted the focus from the story in general to hallenging my authority as its reader. This is particularly interesting given the friendly and affiliative behavior I previously had experienced when interacting with the boys during in-class observation, when they were either doing assigned work or engaging in more routine (and less gendered) everyday activities.This is in keeping with their quick and decisive treatment of each other when gender boundaries were crossed. Davies (2003) identified similar responses in the preschool children she observed. Corsaro’s assertions concerning the influence of the peer group on the interpretation and production of meaning were evident in he reading groups conducted for the present study. The children actively participated in peer socialization through the use of encouragement, enticement, pleading, and, sometimes, ridicule. The children dealt with the messages and images together, often building on one another ’s sentences and nodding in agreement at the final product. At other times, their disagreement contributed to an understanding of the complexities of the questions raised. The boys and girls produced and affirmed meanings consistent with their gender, and actively worked to ensure these processes.These findings indicate that the work of â€Å"doing gender† West and Zimmerman 1987) plays an essential role in the process of interpretation for children. Aydt and Corsaro (2003) argued that this is particularly the case for middleclass, American children. The highly formalized classroom may reify the gendered categories â€Å"boys† and â€Å"girls,† thereby constraining group interaction and the ability to engage freely in the negotiation process. 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