Mushafau Ade Kukoyi
Harv Bishop
Introduction to Political Science
October 13, 2005
The Flat World and my Chosen Career
The concept of ‘the world is flat” by Thomas Friedman can best be understood with a proper understanding of the idea behind globalization, free trade and the power of computer technology in the twenty first century. This idea is made more clearly with the demise of the cold war era and other socio-political myth/ideas that impair free market economy, technology transfer and the integration of socio-political and economic ideas among nations across the globe. According to the author, “The triple convergence is not only going to affect how individuals prepare themselves for work, how companies compete, and how countries organize their economies and geopolitics. Over time, it is going to reshape political identities, recast political parties, and redefine who is a political actor.” (Pg.201).
Looking at the notion of a flat world in about fifty years ago might be perceived as a mirage if we take into consideration the socio-political might and economic achievements of the United States of America (economic/ political giant) compared with other nations over the past centuries, especially in the area of science and technological advancement. Consequently, this believe has been proven to be inaccurate especially with reference to the collapse of major economic and political blocks across the globe (e.g. Soviet Union Republic and Germany). Also the dynamic pursuit of technological advancement throughout the world especially in countries such as China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Malaysia, Japan, South Africa, Taiwan, South Korea etc. has made it possible to break new grounds and explore new opportunities for doing business with remote part of the world at a the most low-cost efficient market and sell in the most lucrative market.
According to the author, “In some of those buildings, in fosys employers are writing specific software programs for Americans and European countries; in others they are running the back rooms of major American and European based multinationals. Everything from computer maintenance to specific research projects to answering customer calls routed there from all over the world” (pg.5).
As a multimedia major, I perceive a career in multimedia/web design is expected to play a vital role in the future of the world economy. Considering the fact stated by the author, “when Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992, virtually no one outside of government and the academy had e-mail” (pg.10). In the year 2000, the world entered a new era dominated by rapid growth in Internet usage and e-commerce at the same time shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time. It provides me the opportunity to compete globally and collaborate with other country, creating an opportunity for a bigger creative market in the advertising and media world. This is largely because multimedia is expected to be the vehicle through which creative and dynamic ideas will be conceived, communicated, shared and transported by great minds across the globe. This has been made possible and much easier due to the compatibility of most of the major computer software and operating system across the board.
According to the author, “the lever that is enabling individual and groups to go global so easily and so seamlessly is not horsepower, and not hardware, but software- all sorts of new applications- in conjunction with the creation of a global fiber-optic network that has made us all next-door neighbors” (pg.10).
Some of the anticipated problem to address in the future will be in the area of the value of the currency in different nations and how this various value will affect business transaction and inflation across the globe in world economy. But this issue has been receiving attention in some countries in Europe with the introduction of a single currency- Euro.
Another interesting issue is the fact that only Americans who are willing to diversify, migrate if necessary and integrate with other people from diverse cultural / geopolitical background will strive in an economy dictated by a flat world.
The challenges of the flat world demands major personal and corporate commitment of scientific and technical manpower, innovative ideas and personal human service skills to survive. According to the text, “When it comes to the challenges of the flat world there is no help line we can call. We have to dig into ourselves” (pg.278).
As a multimedia expert, the major advantage that the flat world offers me will be in the flexibility of time and accessibility to universal location at any given time. I can pretty much carry out business from any part of the world, at any time of the day and with any individual or corporate institution across the globe without much barrier, as long as I am creative, flexible, and dynamic with innovative ideas. It is important to note that globalization and free market in a flat world has increase the purchasing power of individuals, small businesses and also increasing the chances of a bigger market for the production of goods and services across the globe.
Another special feature that a flat world offers me as a multimedia artist is that the over-head cost and production turnover in multimedia production is not as high compared to some industries such as engineering and medicine. I believe this will ultimately lead to new potential market, horizontal collaboration, connection over vertical command and control and a more creative pool of ideas from diverse socio-geopolitical background around the world.
On the other hand, I strongly believe that Friedman’s compassionate flatism and other solutions can help sustain the American people and its economy from the fear and potential pitfall of the Flat World. This is because the great American spirit that encourages victory amidst adversity has always been the strength of the American society. The need to meet the challenges of flatism will require a comprehensive, energetic, and focused a response from individual and government institutions similar to the challenges of the communism. According to the author, “it requires our own version of the new frontier and great society adapted to the age of flatism” (pg.277).
In conclusion, I am of the strong opinion that the unfortunate event of September 11 was a by-product of “the flat world” which has made every country even the United States of America vulnerable to socio-political and economic attacks by any nation or group of individuals. However, one must not overlook the strength and unity of purpose of the American people, which was re-awakened after this unfortunate tragedy. This is very similar to the clarion call made by the late President J F Kennedy during the cold war era wherein he called for “urgent national needs”. In recent times most Americans are willing to compromise their personal freedom for the sake of the nation’s security, which is a welcome decision.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Gender Role And Childhood Socialization
Childhood socialization can be defined as the process of children learning the shared meaning of the groups in which they are reared from birth to adolescence.
Thus, early childhood socialization can be said to be greatly responsible for shaping and reinforcing traditional gender roles in the lives of children within the society.
These gender roles are depicted in our society through historical, cultural and political activities and these development starts from the period of childbirth to adolescence. For example, in a typical African society, the expectations of a boy child are different from that of a girl child and these roles have been neatly woven into the culture, history and political lives of the people.
The boys are taught to be tough, strong, masculine and courageous and if possible go to farm and hunt for wild animals with their father; while girls are expected to be tender, gentle, feminine, caring, loving and supportive, these girls are expected to spend more time with their mother in the kitchen learn to cook and keeping home in good shape.
In considering development through childhood, it will be interesting to analysis the three primary agents of socialization: family, peers, school and how they help to reinforce traditional gender roles among children within the society.
Family:
The family is the first source of contact that a child has to interact with within the society and with the help of a well-developed sensory organ, (eyes, nose, ears, mouth and skin) a child can express their feelings and emotion to others within the same environment. According to the book- social psychology, by H. Andrew Michener, John D. Delamater, Daniel J. Myers “The adult learns how to care effectively for the infant, and the infant forms a strong emotional attachment to the caregiver” (pg. 55). However, in other to provide a solid foundation of the infant’s sense of self, it is crucial that an intimate emotional relationship between infant and caregiver (mostly father and mother) be established in other to encourage a healthy personal physical and emotional development. During this developmental stage, a child learns to trust the caregiver and response to touch and emotions. For example children are drawn more to their father when they need to play horse ride or rough-and-tumble play and they rely more on their mother for food when they are hungry.
Peers:
Having developed the first sense of self with the help of the family and immediate caregiver, a child begins to rely more on his or her peers as an important socializing agent in life. This second agent (peers) is viewed from a different perspective from the first (family). According to the book, “the family consists of persons who differ in status or power, whereas the peer group is composed of status equals” (pg. 59). The peer group offers a child the first experience in express authority over personal belongings such as toys and choice over others that they relate to. For example my little 2-year-old boy (Gideon) will like to tell his peers that certain toys belong to him by emphasizing the word “My Toy” and he is willing to share it with certain people he refers as “My friend”.
Peers are very important to childhood socialization because children always want to be recognized and accepted by their peer group. Thus boys play football (soccer) together and girls play with their dolls together. In this setting it is important that you follows the rules within your group otherwise you could be ridiculed and treated as outcast.
School:
The school setting as an agent of childhood socialization is intentionally designed to socialize children. In this setting there is a shape distinction difference between the teacher and the students. According to the book, “school is the child’s first experience with formal and public evaluation of performance” (pg. 61). In this setting each child’s work and behavior is evaluated by the teacher using the same standards with the judgment made public to the other members of the class and their respective parents alike thus, helping to socialize the students. Furthermore, each child can judge his or her performance relative to others, this socialization agent confirms what is right and what is wrong behavior for a child within the society. For example, student that fail to do their home work are tagged as lazy student while those that did their home works are rewarded with good grades.
Thus, early childhood socialization can be said to be greatly responsible for shaping and reinforcing traditional gender roles in the lives of children within the society.
These gender roles are depicted in our society through historical, cultural and political activities and these development starts from the period of childbirth to adolescence. For example, in a typical African society, the expectations of a boy child are different from that of a girl child and these roles have been neatly woven into the culture, history and political lives of the people.
The boys are taught to be tough, strong, masculine and courageous and if possible go to farm and hunt for wild animals with their father; while girls are expected to be tender, gentle, feminine, caring, loving and supportive, these girls are expected to spend more time with their mother in the kitchen learn to cook and keeping home in good shape.
In considering development through childhood, it will be interesting to analysis the three primary agents of socialization: family, peers, school and how they help to reinforce traditional gender roles among children within the society.
Family:
The family is the first source of contact that a child has to interact with within the society and with the help of a well-developed sensory organ, (eyes, nose, ears, mouth and skin) a child can express their feelings and emotion to others within the same environment. According to the book- social psychology, by H. Andrew Michener, John D. Delamater, Daniel J. Myers “The adult learns how to care effectively for the infant, and the infant forms a strong emotional attachment to the caregiver” (pg. 55). However, in other to provide a solid foundation of the infant’s sense of self, it is crucial that an intimate emotional relationship between infant and caregiver (mostly father and mother) be established in other to encourage a healthy personal physical and emotional development. During this developmental stage, a child learns to trust the caregiver and response to touch and emotions. For example children are drawn more to their father when they need to play horse ride or rough-and-tumble play and they rely more on their mother for food when they are hungry.
Peers:
Having developed the first sense of self with the help of the family and immediate caregiver, a child begins to rely more on his or her peers as an important socializing agent in life. This second agent (peers) is viewed from a different perspective from the first (family). According to the book, “the family consists of persons who differ in status or power, whereas the peer group is composed of status equals” (pg. 59). The peer group offers a child the first experience in express authority over personal belongings such as toys and choice over others that they relate to. For example my little 2-year-old boy (Gideon) will like to tell his peers that certain toys belong to him by emphasizing the word “My Toy” and he is willing to share it with certain people he refers as “My friend”.
Peers are very important to childhood socialization because children always want to be recognized and accepted by their peer group. Thus boys play football (soccer) together and girls play with their dolls together. In this setting it is important that you follows the rules within your group otherwise you could be ridiculed and treated as outcast.
School:
The school setting as an agent of childhood socialization is intentionally designed to socialize children. In this setting there is a shape distinction difference between the teacher and the students. According to the book, “school is the child’s first experience with formal and public evaluation of performance” (pg. 61). In this setting each child’s work and behavior is evaluated by the teacher using the same standards with the judgment made public to the other members of the class and their respective parents alike thus, helping to socialize the students. Furthermore, each child can judge his or her performance relative to others, this socialization agent confirms what is right and what is wrong behavior for a child within the society. For example, student that fail to do their home work are tagged as lazy student while those that did their home works are rewarded with good grades.
The Rwandan genocide
Mushafau Ade Kukoyi
History 1382
Professor Sundberg
02-15-06
The Rwandan genocide
History has confirmed that the original inhabitant of the Rwanda lived in harmony amongst themselves before the arrival of the Europeans in 1894. According to the account of Linda Melvern - the author of the book “A People Betrayed, The Role of the West in Rwanda’s Genocide”, the kingdom of Rwanda had been entirely shut off from the world, and even the African world, until 4th May, 1894 when the first European, a German- Gustav Adolf von Gotzen, was received at court by a king called Rwabugiri, who claimed that his dynasty stretched back hundreds of years (pg. 7).
Since then the definition of "Hutu" and "Tutsi" has changed over time. Mostly it has rather been a term created to distinguish between those in commanding and subordinate social positions. However, the Belgian government continued to rely on the Tutsi power structure for administering the country and also consistently favored the Tutsis especially where education was concerned, leading to a situation where many Tutsis were literate, while the majority of Hutus were not. Belgians educated the Tutsis mainly in Catholic schools, which widened the ethnic rift between Hutu and Tutsi.
Some scholars argue that the Belgians did much to create the enmity between Hutu and Tutsi through their policies of indirect rule. As mentioned earlier, Hutus and Tutsis lived together as neighbors before the colonial period. However, Belgian rule solidified the racial divide. The Belgians then gave political power to the Tutsis. Due to the eugenics movement in Europe and the United States, the colonial government became concerned with the differences between Hutu and Tutsi. Scientists arrived to measure skull and thus, they believed, brain size.
Tutsi's skulls were bigger, they were taller, and their skin was lighter. As a result of this, Europeans came to believe that Tutsis had caucasian ancestry, and were thus "superior" to Hutus. Each citizen was issued a racial identification card, which defined one as legally Hutu or Tutsi. The Belgians gave the majority of political control to the Tutsis. Tutsis began to believe the myth of their superior racial status, and exploited their power over the Hutu majority. Current academic thought is that the European emphasis on racial division led to many of the difficulties between Hutu and Tutsi in the latter part of the 20th century.
However, there came a major change in the 1950s, when the Belgians grew uncomfortable observing the sad plight of the Hutus, and began to suppress and then eventually came to outlaw the Ubuhake and to redistribute cattle. Even though the majority of pastured lands remained under the control of the Tutsi, a situation arose where the Hutus began to feel yet a deeper sense of liberation from Tutsi rule; the Tutsis no longer seemed to be in control of cattle- the long-standing measure of a person's wealth and social position.
In addition, the Hutus began to develop a group consciousness as the Belgians instituted ethnic identity cards. Yet a further step was Belgium's system of electoral representation for Rwandans. At first, the Tutsis retained total control, and then Belgium decided to make the electoral process function by means of secret ballots. Therefore, Hutus made enormous gains within the country.
Also, the Catholic Church began to make changes. Suddenly they too were opposed to Tutsi mistreatment of Hutus, and began promoting Hutu equality. Tutsis were about to be removed from their traditional role as masters in Rwanda.
During the 1995 revolt and its aftermath, more than 160,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries. These Hutus knew that because of the small numbers of the Tutsi opposition, they had the advantage: both in terms of how the state would function if it adopted a purely democratic system, and in terms of the probable outcome of any violent conflict between the two unequally sized groups. This revolution of 1959 marked a major change in political life in Rwanda. Some 150,000 Tutsis were exiled to neighboring countries. What's more, those Tutsis that remained in Rwanda were excluded from having any political power in a state becoming more and more centralized under Hutu power.
Under President Kayibanda, a system of quotas was also established. Henceforth, the Tutsis would be allowed only ten percent of school and university seats. The quotas also extended to the civil service. In these posts too, the Tutsis would only be allotted a 10% take.
At the time, employment was bad, and competition for the available seats only exacerbated ethnic tensions. The Kayibanda government also continued the government policy of labeling people with ethnic identity cards, a practice first begun by the Belgian colonial government, and using this practice to attack mixed marriages.
Another bout of violence followed in 1964, and for years a system of inequality was instituted. In fact, a Hutu could freely murder a Tutsi and would never be prosecuted. The other political parties UNAR and RADER were banned and their Tutsi members executed. Tutsi were described as cockroaches. Hundreds of thousands fled as refugees into neighboring countries.
Although no one really knew the exact moment when the conspirators first conceived the genocide, it was noted that the Hutu power regime used every accounting trick in the book to get enough money to pay for weapons. In fact, an experts who studied the paper trail conclude that to arm and equip the people of Rwanda cost $112 million dollars.
On April 6, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira, the President of Burundi was shot down as it prepared to land at Kigali. Both presidents were killed when the plane crashed. As though the shooting down was a signal, military and militia groups began rounding up and killing all Tutsis they could capture as well as political moderates irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. Large numbers of opposition politicians were also murdered. Many nations evacuated all their nationals from Kigali and closed their embassies as violence escalated.
The prime minister and her ten Belgian bodyguards were among the first victims. The killing swiftly spread from Kigali to all corners of the country; between April 6 and the beginning of July, a genocide of unprecedented swiftness officially left 937,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead at the hands of organized bands of militia. Even ordinary citizens were called on by local officials and government-sponsored radio to kill their neighbors. This event accounted for the most horrible genocide ever recorded in the history of Africa.
History 1382
Professor Sundberg
02-15-06
The Rwandan genocide
History has confirmed that the original inhabitant of the Rwanda lived in harmony amongst themselves before the arrival of the Europeans in 1894. According to the account of Linda Melvern - the author of the book “A People Betrayed, The Role of the West in Rwanda’s Genocide”, the kingdom of Rwanda had been entirely shut off from the world, and even the African world, until 4th May, 1894 when the first European, a German- Gustav Adolf von Gotzen, was received at court by a king called Rwabugiri, who claimed that his dynasty stretched back hundreds of years (pg. 7).
Since then the definition of "Hutu" and "Tutsi" has changed over time. Mostly it has rather been a term created to distinguish between those in commanding and subordinate social positions. However, the Belgian government continued to rely on the Tutsi power structure for administering the country and also consistently favored the Tutsis especially where education was concerned, leading to a situation where many Tutsis were literate, while the majority of Hutus were not. Belgians educated the Tutsis mainly in Catholic schools, which widened the ethnic rift between Hutu and Tutsi.
Some scholars argue that the Belgians did much to create the enmity between Hutu and Tutsi through their policies of indirect rule. As mentioned earlier, Hutus and Tutsis lived together as neighbors before the colonial period. However, Belgian rule solidified the racial divide. The Belgians then gave political power to the Tutsis. Due to the eugenics movement in Europe and the United States, the colonial government became concerned with the differences between Hutu and Tutsi. Scientists arrived to measure skull and thus, they believed, brain size.
Tutsi's skulls were bigger, they were taller, and their skin was lighter. As a result of this, Europeans came to believe that Tutsis had caucasian ancestry, and were thus "superior" to Hutus. Each citizen was issued a racial identification card, which defined one as legally Hutu or Tutsi. The Belgians gave the majority of political control to the Tutsis. Tutsis began to believe the myth of their superior racial status, and exploited their power over the Hutu majority. Current academic thought is that the European emphasis on racial division led to many of the difficulties between Hutu and Tutsi in the latter part of the 20th century.
However, there came a major change in the 1950s, when the Belgians grew uncomfortable observing the sad plight of the Hutus, and began to suppress and then eventually came to outlaw the Ubuhake and to redistribute cattle. Even though the majority of pastured lands remained under the control of the Tutsi, a situation arose where the Hutus began to feel yet a deeper sense of liberation from Tutsi rule; the Tutsis no longer seemed to be in control of cattle- the long-standing measure of a person's wealth and social position.
In addition, the Hutus began to develop a group consciousness as the Belgians instituted ethnic identity cards. Yet a further step was Belgium's system of electoral representation for Rwandans. At first, the Tutsis retained total control, and then Belgium decided to make the electoral process function by means of secret ballots. Therefore, Hutus made enormous gains within the country.
Also, the Catholic Church began to make changes. Suddenly they too were opposed to Tutsi mistreatment of Hutus, and began promoting Hutu equality. Tutsis were about to be removed from their traditional role as masters in Rwanda.
During the 1995 revolt and its aftermath, more than 160,000 Tutsis fled to neighboring countries. These Hutus knew that because of the small numbers of the Tutsi opposition, they had the advantage: both in terms of how the state would function if it adopted a purely democratic system, and in terms of the probable outcome of any violent conflict between the two unequally sized groups. This revolution of 1959 marked a major change in political life in Rwanda. Some 150,000 Tutsis were exiled to neighboring countries. What's more, those Tutsis that remained in Rwanda were excluded from having any political power in a state becoming more and more centralized under Hutu power.
Under President Kayibanda, a system of quotas was also established. Henceforth, the Tutsis would be allowed only ten percent of school and university seats. The quotas also extended to the civil service. In these posts too, the Tutsis would only be allotted a 10% take.
At the time, employment was bad, and competition for the available seats only exacerbated ethnic tensions. The Kayibanda government also continued the government policy of labeling people with ethnic identity cards, a practice first begun by the Belgian colonial government, and using this practice to attack mixed marriages.
Another bout of violence followed in 1964, and for years a system of inequality was instituted. In fact, a Hutu could freely murder a Tutsi and would never be prosecuted. The other political parties UNAR and RADER were banned and their Tutsi members executed. Tutsi were described as cockroaches. Hundreds of thousands fled as refugees into neighboring countries.
Although no one really knew the exact moment when the conspirators first conceived the genocide, it was noted that the Hutu power regime used every accounting trick in the book to get enough money to pay for weapons. In fact, an experts who studied the paper trail conclude that to arm and equip the people of Rwanda cost $112 million dollars.
On April 6, 1994, the airplane carrying President Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira, the President of Burundi was shot down as it prepared to land at Kigali. Both presidents were killed when the plane crashed. As though the shooting down was a signal, military and militia groups began rounding up and killing all Tutsis they could capture as well as political moderates irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds. Large numbers of opposition politicians were also murdered. Many nations evacuated all their nationals from Kigali and closed their embassies as violence escalated.
The prime minister and her ten Belgian bodyguards were among the first victims. The killing swiftly spread from Kigali to all corners of the country; between April 6 and the beginning of July, a genocide of unprecedented swiftness officially left 937,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus dead at the hands of organized bands of militia. Even ordinary citizens were called on by local officials and government-sponsored radio to kill their neighbors. This event accounted for the most horrible genocide ever recorded in the history of Africa.
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