Green Revolution free essay sample

Interaction between humans and the environment has always had a great importance in the development of humankind; according to Marx, what differentiates humans from other animals is the fact that humans can transform their surroundings to suit their needs, through labor. The Green Revolution is not the exception to that. In times of need the human being manipulated its environment to be suitable for its development, however, the question lingers, how efficient was it, how positive? The Green Revolution, from 1945 to the present, was motivated by the need to increase the production of food to supply for the increasing demand as population grew, to promote national self-sustainability in terms of food. However, during that period the effect of the Revolution have been detrimental to the environment and society: they have damaged agricultural diversity and heritage, damaged the lands, and put at risk food security; also, they have widened the gap between the very rich and the very poor, monopolizing the food industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Green Revolution or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Green Revolution originated after an urgent need to promote food security with a growing trend in global population, as a way to promote self-sustainability and independence. As it is clear in the report given by the Food and Agriculture Organization (DOC 2), in the period ranging from around 1929 (great depression) and 1945 (end of World War II) the global food supply index was below the world population. What this means is that there was literally not enough food being produced world wide to feed the world population. This struggle of human kind to stay afloat in supplying the minimum needs for survival meant that a change needed to occur. The answer, as Dr. Norman Borlaug stated in his Nobel Lecture (DOC 4) was not simply planting more in the developing nations, since the lands in those areas were â€Å"tired, worn out, depleted of plant nutrients†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Clearly, what the document refers is that a new, more effective way of growing food had to be developed. In fact, Dr. Borlaug states that the priority of the developments of the green revolution concentrated in the millions that were lurked by hunger, a large problematic that clearly was under the spotlight. As a proof that the world was prioritizing the deficient food supply is the statement given by President Harry Truman (DOC 3). President Truman was the leader of the most powerful nation in the world at the time, the one with the largest technological developments, and his word was the one that would set the course of the world. This particular speech is vital, since it is the inaugural speech, where he was to set the priorities of the government and address the world with what the United States had as a course for the future. In this speech, he clearly refers to the shocking figure that â€Å"more than half the people of the world are living in conditions approaching misery† and says that the United States will help provide â€Å"technical knowledge†¦ to produce more food† In the speech President Truman refers often to liberty, thus meaning that self-sustainability will provide freedom. This speech is the perfect example, the jewel of the trend that the world was seeing with regard to prioritizing food. The mention of â€Å"technical knowledge† is vital in the construction of the green revolution as a response to the lack of food, with technological developments in the agricultural field. Some have said that the Green Revolution has been a success in improving the food industry, and improving living conditions for everyone; nevertheless the numbers today reflect a mediocre success. Indian minister for food and agriculture (1964-1967) states in an interview (DOC 5) that the farmers of the state of Punjab competed to use the technology that was introduced by the green revolution the best. It is stated with a positive connotation, as to refer to the great feats of Punjab. This seems very positive, however, the most likely reason for this to have occurred is the fact that multinational corporations were kicking them out of the market and they were forced into utilizing the technology that those same corporations were imposing on them. If this were true, which it most likely is, as it has happened in many places around the world, it would discredit the great success that the Green Revolution supposedly is. Furthermore, the claim is that the Green Revolution has brought prosperity, however, to whom, to the ones that were rich already? A perfect example of this negative impact of the Green Revolution is the conversation between Mrs. Dula and the United Nations official (DOC 6), which gives a not very realistic perspective of the impact of the green Revolution and is concentrated exclusively in the sector of the very rich. This document is indeed quite revealing, as the speaker is an aristocratic woman of Mexico, probably a housewife who sees the world through the optic of his husband, a man who earns a salary if the revolution which he works for is successful; in fact, she is most likely part of one of the clubs she talks about herself. The occasion of this statement is a simple conversation with a UN official, probably at some sort of a social event, where the high class is all joined together, with perfectly slanted people who are not really analyzing the global impact of the Green Revolution. This document gives a crystal clear proof of how much the Green Revolution has made the â€Å"rich Mexican farmers† richer probably at the expense of making the poor laborers, poorer, however, this document presents only one, very bright point of view to sell the revolution. With regards to India once again, socially, they sell the idea of improvement, like in the report of the State of Punjab (DOC 9) where it says that the Green Revolution has seen with it the â€Å"emergence of middle and rich peasants† a very undesirable euphemism to conceal the actual situation. This document seems to give a perspective of social growth and development, of a population going for education, yet once again, it seems very idealistic in its tone, when in reality India has totally different conditions. With regards to that, India has one of the largest Gini index’s in the world, meaning a huge social inequality, and has one of the smallest middle classes in the world, which has diminished even more throughout the years, meaning that in reality, India may have had a somewhat positive year, but the general trend is of a very pronounced downturn in social progress, all related to the Green Revolution which is destroying the small farmers. The Green Revolution, in truth has brought more ill than it has brought good, in the environmental and social aspects. Regarding environmental harm, the FAO Wheat Yield report (DOC 1) is very good in demonstrating the introduction of massive scale crops that the Green Revolution brings forth with it. The introduction of these crops damages the lands since they are not prone to such production. The graphs show that in both Mexico and India the crop yields were extremely irregular, and as time passed they have become even more, this is due to the fact that they are not proper to those areas and its planting is something totally synthetic and with complete disrespect towards the natural balance. The article by Dr. Vandana Shiva (DOC 8) reveals how much damage the crops, especially Genetically Modified Organisms; do to the land they are planted in. The â€Å"reduced genetic diversity, increased vulnerability to pests, soil erosion, water shortages†¦Ã¢â‚¬  are effect that will leave marked the land for a long time, as Dr. Shiva states, and are a threat to future generations, which will have totally barren land where it will be impossible to plant food. Dr. Shiva also refers to the social problematic that the Green Revolution is planting alongside its seeds. For instance the fight for water to provide irrigation, previously not needed in India, has lead to â€Å"conflict and violence† and as it has become a worldwide trend, the career for water dominance is â€Å"leading to both local and interstate water conflicts. † This clearly shows how disadvantageous the spread of the Green Revolution has been, since it has brought unmeasured changes that have not been made responsibly, but rather abruptly, causing enormous damage. Dr. Shiva is an Indian Physicist, and being from India she probably has had a very direct contact with the Green Revolution, considering that one of its birthplaces was in fact the State of Punjab. In this occasion she is writing for the Ecologist magazine, a publication read by people with primary interest in the environmental issues, including organization leaders and maybe politicians who will probably get concerned, especially due to the tone of annoyance and hatred that she employs in the article. Expanding on social implications, the Guatemalan National Coordinating Committee of Indigenous peasants (DOC 10) gives a different perspective. Although it may sound somewhat as mysticism from indigenous people, saying that they have contaminated the seeds is not a joke, considering the hormones that can be found in GMO plantations. This also acknowledges a vital issue, the loss of diversity and heritage that society is killing with the systematic Green Revolution trends, like the Mayan traditions, which have been present for â€Å"five thousand years. † Furthermore, the social disaster does not stop there, but stumbles over women, which according to the FAO Newsletter (DOC 7) have been forced to change their job. In this case the implications have made woman, traditionally in other roles, have even less opportunities to succeed, as the increased need for cash income made the woman be forced to work. This implies a social catastrophe since it denies the right of woman to equal opportunities, which are stripped off with the Green Revolution, which makes them simply one more laborer forced to work. Additional to the information presented in the documents it would be vital to contain the point of view of a small scale male farmer that has to compete with the multinational corporations, which have been installed after the start of the Green Revolution circa 1945. This would be important since it would show the first hand effects of the monopolies that the Green Revolution has brought, with regards to the social impact it has made, and whether that impact is positive or negative. As discussed throughout the essay, the Green Revolution, which has lasted from 1945 until the present day, was originated with a need to secure food production in a starving world. However its effects were not so positive, since today many starve, and the Green Revolution has damaged the environment and widened the gap between the social classes. The setup of crops that have give no benefit to the places in which they are grown, with complete disregard to the ecological balance that was being destroyed have caused issues ranging from soil erosion to water shortages and crops with pest vulnerability. The Green Revolution has also made the rich farmers richer at the cost of the poor being poorer, since the costs of the new technologies are not easily accessible, but the yields that they provide take the small farmers out of business. In general, although certain governments sponsor the Green Revolution and make it seem positive, it has brought about large changes in the way humans interact with the environment, with a generalized destruction of it to get short-term solutions to the problem of food shortages.

Alyssa Bruce soc macdonadization Essays

Alyssa Bruce soc macdonadization Essays Alyssa Bruce soc macdonadization Paper Alyssa Bruce soc macdonadization Paper My first read over this hand out was a little hard, I had to re-read it multiple times to understand the different concepts, and to comprehend it. I feel like I have not lived long enough to feel the effects or even realize how I impact the world on a larger scale. I have heard people say that being in your asss is all about being selfish. You are pushed into trying to decide what to do with the rest of your life and pray that it makes you happy. So as a 21 year old who solely supports myself, I am just that, focused on work and school. As this adding states a lot of people are very focused in on themselves. Only when we are not so concerned about us and our lives can we see how we effect the world, or how the world affects us. I can definitely relate to the fact that am in my own private orb and I only let a small amount of things into my orb that I care about. The connection between our community, our society, and our America are all something that think most Americans truly care about. When we are not an important figure with in our society, we tend to forget that we may still have an impact on our America. Men and women in this day and age have grown to be content with in the middle class, usually coming from parents with more humble backgrounds. So the fact that because a majority of America is makeup of the middle class, we forget about the fact that we are relevant as a whole. All the middle classes make up communities, which make up states, which in turn make up America. We are not celebrities, or apart of the one percent, we are just middle class. We can relate to each other and rally behind others who work hard to achieve their dream. Because of this we have such a bigger impact on he world then I think we believe. The sociological imagination is something that I think a lot of people cant and dont want to understand. Most lower middle class families are only focused on one thing, and that is there family. I defiantly feel like it takes a community to raise a child, and when different children are brought up in different social classes they are shaped by that community. It take a certain type of person to care enough to have a social imagination, someone who not only cares about their family and community but also their impact on history. We read articles in the paper about war, heart break. We watch accounts of horrible stories and other sociological problems on the news. Most Of the time we dont relate it back to ourselves. We never imagine bad things happening to us, and then when we do, all we think about is us. Why me, why my family, we forget that things that have happened to us is happening all over the world. We may experience it in different ways, in which society had prepared us to deal with it, but we sometimes still forget that that we are not the only ones dealing with it.

Project Procurement Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project Procurement Management - Essay Example s or resources required for the execution of a particular project should clearly outline his or her requirements in order to ensure that they meet the standard expectations. According to Fleming (2003), the project manager has a responsibility to ensure that all project activities are coordinated according to schedule and are in compliance with the desired outcomes. In this particular case, it can be seen that Gus reneged his responsibility of ensuring that Bob develops software that is compatible with the in-house database which he developed. Whilst he is happy about the software, he assumed that Bob will guess the correct application that is compatible with the database, which is not the case. Therefore, Bob has no problem and he is entitled to all his payment for the development of the software. In this case, Gus should have acted responsibly for the betterment of the organization and the following measures could have been taken. According to Burke (2007), the success of the project is mainly determined by the commitment of the project manager to ensure that all steps involved in the project are carefully implemented. In order to avoid this situation, both the buyer and the seller must clearly understand the terms of the contract, which is legally binding. According to Gibson (1988), there should be the agreement based on mutual understanding in any given contract, and this principle should always be upheld so as to avoid a situation like the one presented in the case study given above. In brief, it can be noted that there is a need for the project manager to constantly monitor all the developments in a project. Another effective way of doing this is to ensure that there is constant feedback from all parties involved in order to create mutual understanding among

Managing the Asian Meltdown Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Managing the Asian Meltdown - Case Study Example As a result of the country developing as a major industrial nation, the country begun to receive pressure from other economic powers in relation to liberalizing its economy (Corning 3). The labor, on the other hand benefited from Korea’s developmental state by mainly improving the Chaebol businesses and privileges for the labor unions. The Chaebol amassed more assets, which they used as collaterals to secure loans. In addition, the expansion in terms of development during the 1980s, created a favorable environment for labor and guaranteed a lifetime employment (Corning 3). The collapse of the Hanbo Steel was significant in the sense that it contributed to the collapse of other four group companies, and almost brought down the Korea First. Further, the collapse of the Hanbo Steel was significant in terms of revealing the problems that existed with the Korea’s financial system (Corning 3). On another note, the term â€Å"connected lending† in this context, means the focus by the Korean banks on lending loans for expansion to the Chaebol without considering the financial risk of accumulating bad loans. The country’s current account deficit increased inn 1996 as a result of a slowdown in exports. The government and investor’s view of the country’s economic development revolved around a lack of questioning the economic model (Corning 4). Further, the term â€Å"Asian contagion† means the spread of tensions related to the economic crises that caused investors to explore other financial markets. Korea’s initial position in regard to the assistance from IMF involved a focus on improving the depreciating won that was sending investors away to other financial markets(Corning 5). The person who contributed to the IMF-brokered bailout was Michel Camdessus, and the funds were to be used to replenish the country’s foreign-currency reserves so as to improve the

Movie Juxtaposition Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Juxtaposition - Movie Review Example The director of the film employed juxtaposing to emphasis on some themes that are presented in the film. For instance, we are aware that the colonizers interest in the island is due to their search for treasure such as gold. However, the film does present an unusual treasure in the form of a beautiful land and the people who we know as savage turn out to be social beings (Buescher and Ono 128). The ensuing theme of romance is captured well with a princess in the picture, and although Smith may not be a prince, he is a handsome guy fit to be a prince in the eyes of Pocahontas (133). Pocahontas, the protagonist in the movie, is a beautiful princess who is to be wedded off to a man she does not love. Already the movie presents the idea of a damsel in distress hoping for a rescue from a knight. The victory of love is supported by the possibility of a romance growing between the Smith a foreigner and Pocahontas. In winning the heart of Pocahontas, we have a contrasting image of the usual malevolent colonialism presented by john smith. According to Buescher and Ono, the colonial image presented by Smith is of a benevolent nature illustrated in the film through his accommodation feminism, environmentalism and multiculturalism. This nature of Smith juxtaposed with the nature of Governor Ratcliffe makes Smith a prince charming (135). Pocahontas represents a woman who dreams of an exciting life other than the provincial life. This representation of Pocahontas is juxtaposed with Smiths heroic figure; his colonizing experience makes him the perfect rescuer for Pocahontas. The director of the movie juxtaposes nature and Pocahontas in emphasising on the relationship between nature and women. However, we are aware of the beliefs the Indians have on powers present in nature. In this case, Pocahontas utilised the power of the wind eagle and other natural spirits to save smith from

The Concept Of Civic Education

The Concept Of Civic Education The concept of civic education had its origin in the ancient Greek city-states. Citizen is the agent who react the state politically. In Platos ideal state, there are three classes of citizens: rulers, soldiers, and the people. Citizen of the different levels should accept different civic education. Duties of good citizen are depend on their abilities and role in life. They should do what their best suited to do, and they should create value for society. For example, ruler must have the virtue of wisdom; soldiers should have the virtue of courage. And the rest of the people, such as merchants and farmers must exhibit the virtue of moderation. In my opinion, the organization of Platos ideal city, every classs responsibility is clearly stated; it makes them know their place and cultivates their civic patriotism. After World War II, some countries are aware that such a narrow view of the civic education leads a lot of contradictions. Therefore, patriotism begins to fade. It is not just talk about rights and obligations, but more emphasis on universal values, such as equality, freedom, justice, and aims to train students to become citizens of the world. In the contemporary scholarship on civic education J. Mark Halstead believe that civic education should be analyzed according to three aspect, namely the about citizenship, the good citizenship and the active citizenship. In about citizenship, civic education cultivate well-informed citizens. The good citizenship emphasis students socialize in society, such as obedience, commitment, patriotism and authority of citizenship. In active citizenship, children should have active participation in the political, civil and social life of the community. Davison and Arthur (2006) further stated that citizenship can be divided into passive citizenship and active citizenship. In passive citizenship, as the member of society, citizen performs ones obligations, such as obey laws, be polite. Also, citizen develops the ability to participate in society individually. The development of the critical thinking, and enable an individual to participate in society are necessary for active citizenship. In Hong Kong, according to Leung, civic education cultivates the sense of belonging to China and the sense of pride of being a Chinese in One Country, Two Systems policy. According to the Basic Education Curriculum Guide of Moral and Civic Education, there are five priority values and attitudes that are essential to students personal and social development, such as Perseverance, Respect for Others, Responsibility, National Identity and Commitment. The aim of civic education in Hong Kong is to help students to become knowledgeable and responsible citizens and committed to the well-being of their fellow humans. In other hand, national education can be divided into five forms: cosmopolitan nationalism, civic nationalism, cultural nationalism, anti-colonial nationalism and totalitarian nationalism'(Leung, 2002). First, cosmopolitan nationalism is the all human ethnic groups are who on his mind believe that people are equal and show respect, deep concern and love, in disregard of race, gender, nationality, religion, class and believe that the improvement of mankind is the responsibility of individuals. Second, civic nationalism defines the nation as an association of people with equal and shared political rights, in disregard of race, color, creed, gender, language of ethnicity. Citizens participation in governing and policy of the nation is not limited. Third, cultural nationalism is a form of nationalism in which the high cohesion of nation by a shared culture. Cultural nationalism builds up a national identity by the same cultural traditions, historic territory, and the unity and national consciousness of the nation. Fourth, Anti-colonial nationalism defines the nation stand against oppressive, imperialist and colonial regimes. Citizen has strong desire to fight against foreign rulers of political and economic independence and racial equality. Parmenter (2005) had proposed that national unity and national identity can be developed through national education. National education systems inevitably co-exist with nationalism. A nation can be unified by the administrative systems of national education systems. And become a sense of the imagined community of the nation (Anderson, 1991). The aim of National education feels they are take part in the national sense of belonging. Through National education, citizens are educated to see themselves as part of the nation, and educated into ways of behaving and thinking appropriately as a member of the nation (Reicher and Hopkins, 2001). The Minister of Education in the Peoples Republic of China, Yuan Guiren claims that all nationals should receive national education. And the former deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Chen Zuoer said that national education is essential in every nation, so Hong Kong people should have responsibility to contribute to the country. But some scholars refute the argument that why Hong Kong people have to accept to receive national education as a citizen. It showed the problem that there is a contradictory relationship between civic education and national education. Parmenter (2005) holds that National unity and national identity thrive on difference with outsiders, and this is where national education can come into conflict with cosmopolitan identity and citizenship, which is based on the premise that all people are equal and similar citizens of the world. First, National education is too much emphasis on increasing sense of belonging. If national education emphasize on increasing sense of belonging in a large part, national education fosters patriotism. According to Leung, identity is a two-edged sword, it can build up national patriotism of citizens, but it can also lead to serious consequences. Totalitarian nationalism represents the term patriotism. It emphasizes the loyalty and absolute obedience to the state and the ideology of the party and its leaders. The love for the country is equivalent to the love for the ruling political party and its ideologies, and the citizen firmly believed that the ruling political party is the savior of the nation. Hong Kong people definitely reject education for totalitarian nationalism, because all related concepts communism, communist party, socialism and the politics in Mainland China. It very alien to people and political culture of Hong Kong people and they were afraid of the politics of Mainl and China. Also, Leung criticizes the education bureau discarded civic education and change into national education. National education excludes the universal value of civic education. Leung criticizes national education only focuses on emotional recognition, establish sense of identity through glory of nation. It will cover up all the faults of the party of nation, lack of criticism of the party, and ignore the civil and human rights. It not helps thinking about the discussion of human rights of the nation. The core values of Hong Kong is freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law etc., is also known as the universal values of human rights, democracy, freedom. It is not expedient that Democracy and human rights is the value of belonging to the world of the country. Leung points out that the National domain of national education does not mention national issues from the point of view of the world. It may limit the horizons of the students, and narrow space of interpretation, lead the universal values change into the Chinese characteristic values National education emphases on patriotic rituals like flag raising ceremonies. The flag-raising ceremony of national flag and SAR flag is raised every morning once a month. According to Fairbrother, patriotic rituals such as the flag-raising ceremony are formalities that have no educational purpose but indoctrination. Leung believes that national education emphasize the Emotion and national identity, it ignore the critical thinking. According to Cheng, positive teaching materials of national education cannot nurture a critical thinking attitude on the part of students. Worries about the essential areas of civic education, such as human rights, democratic education were neglected because the national education is in high priority between national education and civic education. Choi Po King pointed out that if the national education emphasized instill identify with the political consciousness of the country, it violate the principle of civic education, such as independent and critical thinking, emotional and irrational (Choi Po King, as cited in Leung, 1995). The model of national education in China is outdated. Morley claims that a nations shrinking national boundaries are shirked and blurred through travel, media and electronic networks. The concept of territorial identity and citizenship is not necessary. Also, the concepts of place, and specific place of their location, are changing (Morley, 2000). Parmenter (2005) holds that there is no theoretical reason why there are conflict between national education and civic citizenship because the coexistence of state and world citizenship are accepted in the ancient Greek. Individuals should realize that they have of multiple identities and they are in various territorial spheres of life. The concept of multiple identities is based on the notion of as a composite of multiple, often contradictory, self-understandings and identities.They think that they are the I fluctuate among different and even opposed positions (Hermans, Kempem van Loon, 1992). There is no contradiction between national identity and citizenship on the one hand, and cosmopolitan identity and citizenship. The co-existence of the two identities and citizenships is recognized to some extent in reality as well as theory. Cosmopolitanism is a way of viewing the world that among other things dispenses with national exclusivity, dichotomous forms of gendered and racial thinking and rigid separations between culture and nature. Such a sensibility would be open to the new spaces of political and ethical engagement that seeks to appreciate the ways in which humanity is mixed into intercultural ways of life. (Stevenson, 2003) The aim of such national education would be cosmopolitanism. It is because a critical and balanced national identity and sense of national citizenship can be achieved by the stimulation of the right of cosmopolitan identity and citizenship. Peoples horizons can widen through national education. Peoples identities not only focus on the nation, they can take a board view of the world. The development of National education in Hong Kong is special, the identity of Hong Kong changes from a British colony into a Chinese Special Administrative Region. As early as in 1985, the Education Department Guidelines on Civic Education in Schools require students to understanding China Affairs, patriotic and proud of being Chinese. Due to the political Environment, Hong Kong peoples understanding of national identity is not clear, national education commenced in the absence of clear national concept. Although schools teach Chinese language and Chinese history, but only focus on knowledge of subjects. Civic education focused on understanding of the society, and the practice of the citizens in the world, not stressed explicitly to develop students sense of national identity. The Guidelines on Civic Education in School (DCC, 1996) published in 1996 also emphasized education for human rights, democracy, education for the rule of law, and national education, global education of critical thinking (Leung, Chai Ng, 2000). But this guideline is just policy documents, it avoids the contradiction between national education and Civic Education, national education should not simply bring into Civic Education. The guidelines stressed democracy, the rule of law, human rights education and critical thinking. But in other side, it emphasizes students positive values and attitudes and identity-building, and builds up a sense of closeness and belonging with the motherland. In my opinion, the aim of Civic Education, national education is different; it makes contradiction and confusion of identity. The promotion of national education has become a central element in curriculum development since 1997. Soon after 1997, government circulars were issued to remind schools to raise the national flag on significant occasions and to use national symbols (Lee, 2008). Tung Chee-hwa , the first Chief Executive, highlighted national education and patriotism to develop a nation identity and called on the community to work together to foster patriotic Chinese citizens. In 2001 report on curriculum development, students should know their national identity; do their utmost to contribute to the country and to society. But still labeled as civic education and was promoted gradually through practice participation. A National Education Center was also established under the management of a pro-China education body, the Federation of Education Workers, in 2004. I participated in a tour in A National Education Center about celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War. One of the aims of the tour is strengthen the national identity of motherland. I visited lots of historical sights about the Second Sino-Japanese War and attend the seminar that titled three years and eight months, the period of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. I listen seriously the history of Second Sino-Japanese War and her personal experiences. I am impressed with what she said about the difficulties in war and she thinks what she does in the war or giving seminars to primary and secondary school or public is a blessing for her, because she can do for the country. It makes me understand the truth of loving country, just pay, without asking for anything in return. In 2007 Policy Address, The HKSAR Government promotes grow to love our motherland and Hong Kong, aspire to win honor and make contributions for our country. The SAR government starts to promote National education from schools to communities. Nurturing awareness of national identity and national self-Sense of pride and a sense of responsibility there is interest in the implementation of one country, two systems, to maintain Hong Kong and the country held continued development and prosperity. In school, Teachers and students are sponsored to visit the mainland through exchange programmes in order to gain a better understanding of the current development of China and to develop a sense of national identity through personal experience. In 2004, the Education and Manpower Bureau (EMB, later renamed EDB, the Education Bureau) launched a national education programme as part of the youth leadership award scheme, arranging for one hundred and seventy student leaders to enroll in an 11-day programme in Beijing (Lee, 2008). Teachers, school middle managers and principals have also been invited to subsidized training programmes co-organized by local universities and mainland universities every year in the last decade (Lee, 2008). According to the Policy Address 2008, the government has injected additional resources to provide more extensive mainland exchange opportunities for pupils, including upper primary and junior secondary students. The Tonggen Tongxin (same root, same heart) programme, first introduced in 2008-9 by the EDB, is specially organized for upper primary and junior secondary students. In the school year of 2010-2011, the said programme provides 16 itineraries with designated themes accommodating 27,000 places for participating local teachers and students. In addition, a consultation paper on the Moral and National Education Curriculum (EDB, 2011) was released early this year suggesting Hong Kong students to receive further political socialization in the primary and secondary school, with national education as an independent subject. The guidelines on patriotic rituals from the EDB put great amount of resources into schools, communities and media to promote nationalistic education, the elements of citizenship education become unbalanced and not included in the mainstream curriculum, such as human rights, democracy and social justice(Tse, 2007). In my school, my music teachers teach students singing the national anthem in music lessons and school assemblies. The British national anthem God save the Queen was regarded as the anthem for Hong Kong before reverting to China in 1997. After 1997, March of the Volunteers, the anthem of the Peoples Republic of China became Hong Kongs anthem, it boosts teenagers sense of belonging to their country. Although I dont have Liberal Studies lesson, my History teacher likes to tell us the current news and analyze the pros and cons of opinions. Also, my school invited some scholars for seminar, such as Allen Lee Peng Fei. In communities, the international competition and events can foster Hong Kong peoples sense of belonging of China. The HKSAR government invited some famous national sportsmen, who succeeded winning in the Beijing Olympics attend the reunification celebration events in Hong Kong Stadium. The first spacewalk by a Chinese astronaut also heightened the sense of belonging of being Chinese, because Hong Kong people take pride in the athletes. It tightened links between Hong Kong and China. Television announcements in public, an anthem plays in Our Home Our Country before 6:30 news report; it shows the pictures of different classes of Chinese people, it means the Chinese people should stay together. The TV broadcasting programs A Bite of China is a Chinese documentary television series about the traditional Chinese cuisine all around China in 2012. But it just show the positive way of China, such as Chinese culture. If Hong Kong people ignore the negative site of China, it limits the thinking and become political indoctrination because the ultimate goal of civic education is to cultivate rational, independent, critical thinking and active participation of citizens. National Education cultivates students agree with the identity of the Chinese and enhance the students awareness of Chinese identity by participation and contribution of local, national and world affairs. There are the things that can enhance citizens identity and a sense of belonging. In my opinion, I dont think that patriotism can be taught just like you cannot teach someone how to love somebody or something. I think every Hong Kong people should have a right to choose whether he or she love his or her country and agree or not with the culture of China, and a feeling that they are part of China. To make these decisions, Hong Kong people should understand more about their country China in three different ways. If most of the Hong Kong people have high standard of critical thinking, a mature civic society can be appear. In conclusion, citizenship education could contribute to the development of open-minded national education for cosmopolitan and liberal cities like Hong Kong.

Grow Little Cell Grow! Investigating Neurogenesis Essay -- Biology Ess

Grow Little Cell Grow! Investigating Neurogenesis Neurogenesis, the production of new nerve cells, has been a revolutionary finding as nerve formation has always been thought to end with adulthood. It has not been until recently that such dogma has been contradicted as research findings report that neurogenesis continues in the hippocampus throughout most of the adult life of mammals and primates (1). Recent correlations have been further made between neurogenesis and depression as the latter depletes neuron cells in the brain while antidepressive drugs have demonstrated to increase neuronal growth (2). Neurons are the building blocks of the nervous system as they are responsible for the input, processing and transmission of information. Neurons are derived from stem cells as the latter differentiate into specialized cells and make progenitor cells which are responsible for the formation of neuron and glial cells. Although the majority of neurons are formed during the pre-natal and perinatal stage of development, neuron formation continues in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (2). The hippocampus, which lies beneath the cortex is a major factor of learning and memory formation and can indirectly influence emotion. Progenitor cells which are present in the sub ventricular zone of the hippocampus are responsible for such growth as they produce daughter neuron cells through division (2). In the 1960s, Joseph Altman from MIT reported that new neurons were being produced in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of adult rat brains. Although such findings were groundbreaking, they failed to create the stir that Elizabeth Gould's 1998 study caused . The Princeton University neurobiologist demonstrated that the marmoset b... ...is is a complex issue with an array of possibilities for the future. Further investigations will have to answer some of the questions and issued raised. Sources (1)The Scientist Magazine , Human neurogenesis. Group demonstrates that adult human brains grow new cells after all. http://www.the-scientist.com/ (2)American Scientist Magazine, Depression and the Birth and Death of Brain Cells. http://www.sigmaxi.org/amsci/articles/00articles/Jacobs.html (3)National Depressive and Manic Depressive Association, Antidepressants and Brain Cell Growth. http://ndma.com/web05/web9152.htm (4) Neuroscience for Kids, New Neurons in Neocortex? New Study Says NO! http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/newneu.html (5)National Institute of Mental Health, Learning From Songbirds About Adult Brain Generation. (6) The Scientist Magazine. http://www.the-scientist.com/