A Streetcar Named Desire/as I Lay Dying Essay

This proves that the main characters of A Streetcar Named Desire and As I Lay Dying are very similar because they both experience tragedy and are affected by such. In the play A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, one of the main characters, Blanch DuBois, is portrayed as the typical rich southern belle who fell down on her luck. The other characters, specifically her brother in-law, dislike her â€Å"hoity-toity† mannerisms and the fact that she has an aura of self-righteousness. After her past is revealed, the reader is aware of the reasons for her actions. Her pain lies behind the death of the one man she ever loved and the guilt that she feels for his suicide. This tragedy causes her to be more aware of her looks and it drives her insane to the point where the music from that night constantly plays in her head. She is now more perceptive but the other characters do not appreciate her actions. In the novel As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner, one of the main characters, Darl Bundren, is also disliked because of his actions. Darl is the most perceptive of his southern family and he recognizes things that the others of his time would never understand. After the death of his mother Darl is broken especially since he knows that his mother did not love him as much as she loved his brother. Even though this was true Darl still loved his mother and set the barn on fire where she was in her casket. His family members saw this and were instantly appalled by it. Only Darl would see this as a way of cleansing the family after keeping her body for days post mortem. Both Darl and Blanche are looked down upon but no one truly understands the reasons for their ways. This causes a great repercussion that changes their lives forever. Even though Blanche is dealing with the suicide of her only love and her attempts to find love in all of the wrong places, she still notices when her brother-in-law is being abusive and when her sister should attempt to find a way out. As well as being perceptive, Darl is also a genius who notices things that others would not even if he did attempt to set his mother’s dead body on fire. The fact that these two are so misconstrued and later thrown into a mental asylum shows how similar they are. During this time period a mental asylum was the cure for everything but it was not what the two of them needed. They share a similar story in which a person who had to deal with problems on their own was immediately thrown into an â€Å"asylum† that really would not help them at all. Dealing with the death of a loved one, either a boyfriend or a parent is hard enough but having to deal with the pressures of a severe society makes the transition even harder. In conclusion Darl Bundren and Blanch DuBois were similar because they both did not have the opportunity to communicate their feelings to others in a healthy way. When society could not handle their dissimilarities they were immediately thrown to the wayside. This shows how during this time there was very little acceptance from the entire society of our nations. When looking at today’s society and the society of the early 20th century the differences are staggering. Darl and Blanch would have had the chance to lead a normal life only if they had lived today. It is hard to watch brilliant minds being thrown away.

Article Review on Human Buyology

Human BUYology 101 Articles info: â€Å"Human BUYology 101† by Rachel Sullivan. Published in Reader Digest Asia, 2011; 42-49. The article, Human BUYology 101, argues that consumers tend to make unplanned purchased that cause by the psychological forces. The author tried to highlight what makes people buy. The article has many quotes from the book of BUYology by Martin Lindstrom. It first presents the arguments of those supporting the idea of the effectiveness of logos, product placement and subliminal advertising, the correlation between religion and branding, then the influence of culture and gender divide and lastly, the influence of sense.The first part of the article mainly focuses on the idea that the effectiveness of logos, product placement and subliminal advertising: how those factors can influence people to buy. We are constantly bombarded with subliminal advertising throughout our waking hours. For the most of us, the main source of this is television advertising. It starts with eye-catching logos which could last in our memory maybe like, forever. Then, product placement plays a large part in how easily and effectively subliminal advertising can happen.Besides that, the author of the article highlighted in the article with the opinion expressed by the correlation between religion and branding where shopping is the same way as we practice our religion. Consumers' perception of well-known brands just like their views on the figures associated with religious icons. In short, it can be concluded that this well-known brands can create obsessed within themselves. People want the feel to belong; sense of belonging. The author calls this as religious experience which is related to religious value in impulsive buying behavior among the consumer.The author also discuss about how the culture and gender divide could influence the unplanned purchase of some consumer. Culture may refer to the set of values, ideas, and attitudes that are accepted by a homoge nous group of people and transmitted to the next generation. Culture also determines what is acceptable with product advertising. Culture determines what people wear, eat, reside and travel. So, culture could affect the decision making style for purchase of a product.While genders divide is kind of the difference between women and men, especially as reflected in social, political, intellectual, cultural, or economic attainments or attitudes. The author argued that women value their possessions for emotional and relationship-oriented reasons, whereas men value their possessions for functional and instrumental reasons. As for the influence of the sense on unplanned purchase where the author highlighted the term of sensory shopping, in which the sensory shopping has to do with consumer’s perception.Though necessarily based on incomplete and unverified (or unreliable) information, perception is equated with reality for most practical purposes and guides human behaviour in general . The primary human senses consist of smell, taste, hearing, touch, and sight. So, sensory shopping related to sensation or the physical senses like the smell of freshly baked waffles; transmitted or perceived by the senses and triggering the hungry feeling.I believe the topic being discussed is very arguable, and just I believe how people could amaze himself to found out how they could influenced by many different things that make them purchase. People should learn to resist the urge to buy unnecessary items. I strongly believe that planning is the key to keeping impulse buying under control. You may find after more rational reflection that you don't need the item as much as you thought you did. We should make and believe those impulse purchases as challenging as possible.

Beyond Bourgeois Gentrification Essay

We’ve all seen those new work-live artist loft spaces in the remodeled industrial complexes next to the new galleries, cafes and office buildings that used to be factories, low-income housing tenements or warehouses. They look chic and modern while still trying to maintain their urban appeal. However, what does gentrification mean in our post-industrial urban society and how should we address its contradictory standing? According to the PBS special Flag Wars: What is Gentrification, it is the â€Å"general term for the arrival of wealthier people in an existing urban district, a related increase in rents and property values, and changes in the district’s character and culture (Grant). In this vein, we can read gentrification from two perspectives. The first would be from the point of view of the newly arrived ‘wealthier people’ who see this process as an investment in urban renewal that brings down crime rates and increases the economic cultural capital of what was once a neglected and impoverished neighborhood. On the other hand, gentrification as seen from the perspective of the original community is thought of as another form of economic and geographic discrimination and exclusion due to the increase in rent and property values as well as the overall cost of living. The issue of urban displacement results in an unbalanced benefit for the already economically advantaged. UNESCO recently published an article concerning this contradiction: â€Å"Building projects become the centre piece of the city’s economy, justified by job creation, taxes, tourism and the building of large cultural complexes† (Smith). What makes this such a divisive issue and halts community building is that much of the new investment comes from the social class that fled to the suburbs during the white-flight era of urbanization. After fleeing to the suburbs due to a discomfort of having to live so close to other racial and ethnic populations, there is now a distrust of the new inhabitants by the pre-existing urban population who are being forced out of their own neighborhoods. So we must ask ourselves how we can overcome this contradictory social movement in a way that will be mutually beneficial to all involved parties. The best way to accomplish this would be to invite community dialogue in an effort to address all sides of the issue. An interesting study put out by the Urban Institute echoes this sentiment. They emphasize the need for â€Å"strategies used by nonprofit organizations, for-profit developers, and city agencies to ensure low- to-moderate-income residents can live in revitalizing and gentrifying neighborhoods† (Levy). This is essential in order make sure that all voices can be heard so that more than just money talks. If this can be done, urban renewal can be embraced and cultural diversity can flourish in a vibrant new community based on shared principles and the exchange of different ideas. We must abandon the notion that gentrification is either positive or negative, as many people have argued in the past. Gentrification is a social process that affects us all differently depending on our own cultural context. That being the case, let us open the discussion to the public at large so that everyone has an equal say in how their community will develop. Urban transformation is a constant presence that we need to shape into a vision of the future that we would all like to live in. References Grant, Benjamin. (2003). What is Gentrification?. PBS Flag Wars. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www. pbs. org/pov/pov2003/flagwars/special Levy, Diane, & Comey, Jennifer, & Padilla, Sandra. (2006). In the Face of Gentrification. Urban Institute. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://www. urban. org/publications/411294. html Smith, Neil. (2007). From Gentrification to Forced Eviction – how should economic competitiveness be reconciled with social sustainability in historical districts?. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved November 30, 2008, from http://portal. unesco. org/shs/en/ev. php

Leadership,strategy&change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Leadership,strategy&change - Assignment Example Apple has risen to be world’s best business organisation in the areas of manufacturing, designing and selling consumer electronics, PCs and computer software (Hertzfeld 2004). Initially, the company was a market leader in the production of Mac personal computers with the company deriving success in introducing new features based on consumer preferences. However, Apple has sought to diversify into other markets within the technology-based industry as it released the iPod (world’s first media player device), the iPhone series of phones which are recognized as pioneer smart phone and the the iPad tablet computers. These innovations were also directed towards consumer software products such as the OS X and iOS operating systems followed by a customized media browser, web browser (Safari), iTunes, and a number of creative suites including iWork and iLife (Fisher 2008). These technological moves ensured Apple moved from being a solely personal computer manufacturer to recogni tion as leading producer of operating software, consumer electronics and consumer software (Young and Simon 2005. Apple is one of the technology driven companies that have had the greatest impact in the consumer electronics industry although there some challenges along the way. One of the greatest challenges that Apple successfully weathered is the threat of bankruptcy the company faced in 1997 but a number of changes and strategies have over the years led to change of fortune with the company returning to solvency. The company’s transformation has been noted to be a result of transformations that led to profitable operations as the management focused on production of consumer electronics based on high standards of innovation, prestige and quality. Consumer loyalty has played a significant role in the turnaround as Apple focuses on launching features that captivates the interests of

BudgetExpenditure analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

BudgetExpenditure analysis - Assignment Example While this may be possible in many organizations, in Monroe county Red Cross, it might not be fully possible especially because of the nature of management of the organization. To start with, most of its incomes are from donations and other incomes of the same nature. It may be difficult to establish exactly what amount is spent in preparation activities. Moreover, the organization is more of a charitable organization concerned with offering services and not profit maximization. All in all, expenditure analysis must be carried out more so to convince well wishers and donors that their funds are being spent in a good manner. In Monroe county Red Cross, the process often takes four main stages which are dependent on one another. For a comprehensive summary of expenditure analysis, it ought to start at the budget preparation stage. Here all the relevant factors are taken into consideration. It is in the process of budgeting that speculations of spending are made. Despite the fact that in many instances these speculations are not accurate, they give the management a rough idea of the likely range of expenditures. Though it is often overlooked by many institutions including the Monroe county Red Cross, expenditure analysis ought to start at this point. The items in the budget ought to be reviewed and confirmations made on whether or not they are likely to cost as much as stipulated in the budget. After the process of budget preparation, approval needs to be done. In many instances and many organizations, this step is the where the budget expenditures are analysed. The purpose of this step is to eradicate alien expenditures that may be fixed to acquire money in unscrupulous ways. Depending on the views of the management and the urgency of the expenditures, they may be approved or rejected in the budget. This is still some form of expenditure analysis. After the approval

Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Project - Essay Example ABSTRACT Pervasive environment is the emerging computing paradigm that aims to provide users access to services all the time, everywhere, in a transparent way, by means of devices installed in the surrounding physical environment or worn by the user. Smart environment represents the evolutionary development of pervasive environment. Web ontology language has become a promising technology to capture the knowledge of smart environment and information about its inhabitants. In this project, an ontological framework (taxonomy) of a smart home for the elderly has been developed. Protege-OWL 4.1 was used to build OWL representation of the elderly smart home. The presented ontology implements reasoning set on the rules of the ontology and elimination of the rules outside of the ontology. Chapter 1 1.1 Introduction In recent years, rapid advances in technology have paved the way for the creation of pervasive environments. A pervasive environment [1] is a user-centric environment in which the re are a number of devices (sensors, computers) and services (such as Web services) that help users to achieve their various application goals. Smart environments [2] represent the evolutionary development of pervasive environments. Smart environment [2] is able to acquire knowledge about its inhabitants and their surroundings, and adapt to the inhabitants’ behaviour or preferences in order to improve their living experiences. The type of inhabitants’ experiences may vary from the safety of the users to the progress of an independent living environment. An important characteristic of smart environments is the interaction of smart devices including sensors and computer systems used for acquiring inhabitants’ contexts such as locations, activities, or vital signs. Therefore, context awareness [7] is a key issue for improving inhabitants’ independent living experience. Context awareness is about the situation an inhabitant is in and also about adapting the s mart devices’ reaction to that situation. Ontology language [3] is the context representation technology which maximises the context awareness of the smart devices. It is a set of vocabulary to describe the conceptualisation of a particular domain. One of the goals of this project is to build a context-aware [7] ontology based on the acquired context from a smart environment and the inhabitants. The context in this project consists of location, time, and information on inhabitant’s vital signs. The ontology represents concepts and relations for the acquired context. The aim is to represent all the acquired information in context [7] form to reduce the dependency of the framework on rules outside of the ontology. 1.2 project aims and objectives 1.2.1 The aim of the project The essence of pervasive healthcare is in the creation of smart environments integrated with their respective inhabitants. A characteristic of

Current Situation on the Consumer Credit Market in the U.S Term Paper

Current Situation on the Consumer Credit Market in the U.S - Term Paper Example This paper offers contemporary analysis of the recent tendencies in American market for consumer loans. The research clearly shows that the situation in the market is gradually improving, considering the growth in consumer loans provided. Consumer purchases just like the entire consumer behavior, is a complex one. Businesses as well as academicians have been focusing on this behavioral pattern for quite some time. In the post crisis situation the business houses also need to have fair knowledge of consumer’s income. In the post crisis situation where most countries are still recovering from economic downturn, consumers are experiencing low disposable income. The effects of credit crunch of 2007 fails to die down as organizations may not be able to finance sufficient credit and this is likely to have an effect on consumer credit. Clearly after the global financial crisis US economy has suffered a loss in mortgage markets. The credit situation has been deeply influenced by financial crisis. Bad debts as a result of easy availability of credits have culminated into a crisis. Financial crisis was just an outcome of accumulating debt. During the economic times in 2005 consumer spending was at such a rate that savings had landed on zero. Post crisis consumers are increasing their savings rate. Although still much in wide usage consumers are trying to make less use of credit cards. In recent times banks have made some recovery and lending is again taking place. They are mainly supplying student loans.

Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 12

Abortion - Essay Example l term, and on the other extreme side of the debate some philosophers argue that foetuses are human beings and for that reason they have the right to life, hence pregnant is a violation of the foetuses right to life. This paper critically analysis the main arguments for and against abortion with the aim of reconciling the two extreme positions on abortion. Let us begin by critically analysing one arguments offered by the pro-lifers or by those who are opposed to abortion. The main argument advanced by the pro-lifers is that it is immoral to abort because foetuses are human beings. According to the pro-lifers, human life starts at conception and for that reason foetuses should be viewed as human beings, though they have not yet fully developed their vital organs. The proponents of pro-life go on to argue that viewing unborn babies as not being human persons is arbitrary and discriminative (Suzzane, 2003). This is because, for the pro-lifers, it is erroneous and arbitrary to base the definition of human person on the stage of human development that one is at. For this reason, therefore, the pro-lifers contend that unborn babies are human beings, and to abort them, therefore, is morally unjustifiable because it is tantamount to killing innocent human beings. In opposition to this view, the pro-choicers or those who advocate for the right of women to decide on whether or not to abort contend that human life does not begin at conception, but after birth. The advocates of this view argue that foetuses are not human beings since they are not able to survive independent of their mothers; the proponents of this view go on to argue that foetuses and embryos do not have fully developed human faculties, and for that reason they rely entirely on their mothers for survival (Justin, 2012). For this reason, therefore, the proponents of pro-choice argue that women have an inalienable right to decide whether to abort on not. For the pro-choicers, therefore, abortion is not murder

Nutrition- How do we eat for a healthy life Research Paper

Nutrition- How do we eat for a healthy life - Research Paper Example Antoine Lavoisier is known as the father of nutrition because he designed a calorimeter in 1770 that measures heat production by the body after consuming different foods. In 1858, Eijkman a known physician noticed people in java had Beriberi, years later Fredrick Hopkins and Eijkman they noticed Beriberi was cured by vitamin B1. Dr. William Beaumont, the father of gastric physiology discovered that digestion occurs because digestive juices act on different foods at different times. Between 1884 and 1967, Kazimierz a biochemist mistakenly discovered animes and invented the term vitamins (vital animes). The dietary and Supplement Health and Education Act was approved in 1994 and it set standards for what can and cannot be said about nutritional supplements in the year 2000. In 2005, researchers discovered that adenovirus causes obesity and bad nutrition. The USDA’s focus was on research, discovery, financing agricultural exploration and hiring botanists to conduct research on agriculture in the US. In 1900s, USDA shifted its focus to food inspection. The Pure Food and Drug Act enforced milk pasteurization, inspection of food systems, and meat inspection for foods sold by interstate commerce. The department of health and human services (HHS) took charge of Social Security Administration, agencies of Public Health Service and Family Support Administration in 1979. HHS is under the Secretary of Health in America. The Public Health Service (PHS) is the core division of HHS. The concept of National School Lunch program was in New York City around 1853. The organization provided free lunches to children in local industrial schools. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is an American organization of food and nutrition. A group of women formed it in 1917. The original mission was to help make maximum use of America’s food re sources. In 1973, the academy created a National Nutritional Week with the aim of assisting individuals to

The Role Of World Vision Philippines In Nation-Bulding Essay Example for Free

The Role Of World Vision Philippines In Nation-Bulding Essay A. Introduction People have the tendency to organize themselves into groups in order to address mutual needs and concerns. As the platitude goes: â€Å" No Man Is An Island†. In the olden days, groups of people banded together to increase their chances of survival because being part of a larger group increased their strength, and even warded off potential predators. Also, being in a group resulted to more people hunting and gathering, which led to an increase in the amount of food that they could accumulate. Today, people band together, not for survival, but for reasons more complex and diverse than before. One of these reasons is to address certain issues that the members of the organizations deem socially relevant and timely. Non-governmental organizations or NGOs are set up by like-minded individuals brought together by a mutual passion, a need to promote or attend to a certain issue, or because of common identities.â€Å"NGOs have been defined according to five structural-operational features which states that NGOs are organized, private, non-profit, self-governing, and voluntary. (Global Civil Society, 2003)†. NGOs are perceived to be organizations geared towards a specific purpose, and are renowned for their vigor and dedication in pursuing their goals. These organizations are commonly concerned with societal issues like supporting out-of-school youths, orphanages, women, health, and education, amongst many others. World Vision is a non-governmental organization set up by Dr. Robert Willard Pierce in 1950. His inspiration for establishing this organization was an abandoned Chinese child called White Jade who he supported by giving $5 a month to her caretaker. The first child sponsorship program was put in place three years later to handle the funds that came from donations when he made a film called the â€Å"38th Parallel†, which intended to raise funds for orphans in the Korean War. Since then, it has spread to the other continents and expanded its scope to include not only children, but also emergency relief, poverty, community-based projects, education, health, leadership training,  and income generation seminars. World Vision also founded a branch of the organization in the Philippines in 1957. This was done to help an orphanage in the island of Guimaras called the Good Shepherd’s Fold by donating musical instruments and textbooks for the children. Three years later, World Vision Philippines established their own orphanage called Mercyville Orphanage in South Cotabato. The Philippines has focused on the concept of nation-building ever since it was given independence by its last colonizer, the United States of America. Admittedly, it has been hard to have a sense of a united Philippines because of the inherent ethnic, religious, and geographic divide between the Filipinos. The Philippine government recognizes that the youth are significant to nation-building as reflected in Section 2 of the Republic Act 8044 which states that: â€Å"The State recognizes its responsibility to enable the youth to fulfill their vital role in nation-building†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The proponents of this research would like to analyze if the World Vision Philippines, which is one of the largest international organizations here in the country, plays a significant role in the Philippines’ nation-building. The proponents chose this non-governmental organization because of its widespread reputation brought about primarily by their wide scope of beneficiaries and their celebrity endorsements. Also, their programs mainly cater to the youth, which has been established as vital to nation-building, although it is a fact that the World Vision Philippines also have programs for families and communities. However, this fact does not dissuade a possible relationship between World Vision and the Philippines’ nation-building but rather, strengthens it as families and communities also play a role in nation-building. B. Statement Of The Research Problems This research is trying to find out the role of the non-governmental organization, the World Vision Philippines, in the aforementioned country’s nation-building. Specifically, this research attempts to answer the following questions: 1. Does the World Vision Philippines play a significant role in nation-building of the Philippines? 2. How does World Vision Philippines contribute to the nation-building of the Philippines? 3. How is the World Vision Philippines held accountable for all the donations and funds sent to them by their donors? 4. What are the measures used to assess whether the World Vision Philippines’ projects and programs are successful? 5. What are the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities that affect the World Vision Philippines? 6. What strategies can be done in order to address the said strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of World Vision Philippines that could help into making it a better organization? C. Statement Of the Research Objectives This research aims to find out the role of the World Vision Philippines in the goal of nation-building. Specifically, the proponents aspire to attain the following objectives: 1. To determine whether World Vision Philippines plays a significant role in nation-building of the Philippines. 2. To describe how the specific programs and projects of the World Vision Philippines contribute to the nation-building of the Philippines. 3. To find out how the World Vision Philippines is held accountable for all the donations and funds sent to them by their donors. 4. To establish what measures are used to assess whether the World Vision Philippines’ projects and programs are successful. 5. To deliberate the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities that affect the World Vision Philippines. 6. To consider the strategies that can be done in order to address the said strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of World Vision Philippines that could help into making it a better organization. D. Significance of the Study The existing literature about nation-building in the Philippines does not take into account the role of NGOs. The proponents wish to address this research gap by providing an analysis of the role of one of the largest international non-governmental organizations in the country, the World Vision Philippines. The proponents would like to add to the information available and hope to specifically benefit the following: D.1. World Vision Philippines The World Vision Philippines is the primary beneficiary of this study because it is the organization that is being analyzed by the proponents. If the research proves that the organization does play a significant role in nation-building, their existence will be legitimatized. Also, their reputation would improve which could lead to more donors and volunteers for their programs, projects, and activities. The information and analysis done in this paper could be utilized by the organization in order to improve their services, supplement their inadequacies, address their main problems, maintain or even further enhance their successes, and develop strategies to make their organization more efficient and better as a whole. D.2. Donors Potential and actual donors would also benefit from this study because they will be able to use the information about the World Vision Philippines so that they can more accurately assess whether the organization is worth donating to or not. This is important because the NGO already has a lot of donors from both individuals and institutions. Also, donors are the entities to whom World Vision Philippines is most accountable to because it is their donations that funds the programs, projects, and activities of the said organization. The information provided here can help the donors identify the areas of insufficiencies of the World Vision Philippines, and because of their critical role in the organization, they can wield pressure and influence to make the organization address these issues. D.3. Beneficiaries The beneficiaries of the World Vision Philippines could assess from this research whether the services that are given to them are what the organization promised to render. Also, they would be able to pinpoint the areas that the organization is deficient in, from which, in coordination with the NGO, they could both address these concerns to improve the organization and its services. The beneficiaries could also assess whether the treatment given to them by the NGO is the same for all the other beneficiaries that are also helped by the organization. D.4. Volunteers The potential and actual volunteers of World Vision Philippines can benefit from this study because it would allow them to get to know the NGO better. This is important because as volunteers, they would represent the NGO to the beneficiaries and other entities, and such, they must familiarize themselves in the workings, structures, and principles of the organization. Also, they could assess accurately whether the organization they joined in is delivering on its promises, and if not, being insiders, they would be able to help the organization improve its performance better. D.5. Affiliated NGOS and corporations Non-governmental organizations that work with World Vision Philippines will benefit from this study because it would allow them to understand how the World Vision Philippines works and its priorities and concerns. This would allow them to better their working relationship with the concerned institution, and they could develop strategies which would utilize their and the World Visions’ strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities. One of the most important affiliated organizations of the World Vision Philippines is the Philippine Council for NGO Certification which is an entity that gives a certification to NGOs that meet established minimum criteria for financial management and accountability. This is an important institution because they help in reviewing and establishing the legitimacy and performance of NGOs in the Philippines. D.6. Related Government Agencies Government agencies, whose jurisdictions overlap with the concerns of the World Vision Philippines, will benefit from this study, because they could evaluate the work that the NGO does. If World Vision Philippines is proven to be helpful in nation-building, they can build a partnership with the NGO so that their works are supplemented by the said institution. These government agencies include the Securities and Exchange Commission (the agency that deals with NGOs as a whole), Department of Health (World Vision Philippines is also concerned about the health status of its beneficiaries), DEPED (the aforementioned NGO funds the schooling of its recipients), DSWD (World Vision Philippines’ main receiver of services are the youth, particularly children), and National Risk Reduction Management Council (Because the organization also helps in post-disaster relief missions). D.7. Future Researchers Nation-building and NGOs are very important factors and entities in the society and thus, the proponents of this study believe that researches  discussing either of the two topics, and more importantly, the relationship between the two, will materialize in the future. Future researchers can use this study as a source for their own study. It could also aid them in expanding their resource material base because of the other literatures cited in this study. E. Definition of Terms 1. World Vision Philippines – A non-profit organization which is a subsidiary of an international non-governmental organization that does projects and programs that are primarily concerned with the Philippine youth, but also includes community and family beneficiaries. It also tackles the societal issues of education, health, disaster relief, and youth empowerment. It operates through the funds given by donors and through volunteer-work. 2. Nation-Building – A concept that focuses on the personal development of individuals and communities of a particular nation with the goal of improving the standard of living of everyone in that country in terms of health, education, livelihood, and other factors that have a huge impact in their lives. This involves values formation and community development through active engagement in societal issues that affect the society they live in. This gives special emphasis to the youth as they will be the future professionals, policy-makers, and leaders of the country. 3. Non-governmental organizations – Organizations that operate as an entity that is not part of a government of a country. They are established to pursue a common goal or to address a certain issue. They are usually non-profit. They may be local or international in scope and in terms of their beneficiaries. 4. Donors – People who give money to the World Vision Philippines and are the source of funds of the said institution. 5. Volunteers – People who help in the actual carrying out of the services of World Vision Philippines who expect no pay or compensation for the work that  they do. 6. Beneficiaries – People who receive the funding and services from the World Vision Philippines. The main objective of the said NGO is to improve their standard of living and increase their chances for self-development. 7. Strengths – Internal factors that the World Vision Philippines utilizes and are the advantages that they have that contribute significantly to their good performance in delivering their services. 8. Weaknesses – Internal factors inherent in the World Vision Philippines that significantly but negatively affects their performance in giving out their services in their programs, projects, and activities. These factors puts the said organization at a disadvantage. 9. Opportunities – External factors that positively affects the World Vision Philippines which they can utilize for the betterment of their organization as a whole. 10. Threats – External factors which may hinder the performance of the World Vision Philippines. These needs to be addressed in order to improve the efficiency, timeliness, and overall capacity of the said NGO to deliver their promised services. F. Review of Related Literature This research has included information from various studies and literature on the concepts of non-governmental organizations, nation-building, and World Vision Philippines. Nation-building is an important aspect in the Philippine society. Carolyn Stephenson said that, â€Å"Nation-building matters to intractable conflict because of the theory that a strong state is necessary in order to provide security, that the building of integrated national community is important in the building of a state, and that there may be social and economic  prerequisites or co-requisites to the building of an integrated national community.†This article shows that nation-building is really important because due the integration of national community, the country will be more united in its goal of achieving improvement in the quality of life for all. Nation-building needs a lot of effort to achieve its purpose. According to Native Nations Institute,† Nation-building involves building institutions of self-government that are actually appropriate to the nation and that are effective in addressing the nation’s challenges. Nation-building involves developing the nation’s capacity to make timely, strategically informed decisions about its affairs and to implement those decisions. It involves a comprehensive effort to rebuild societies that work†. Though, we could see that nation-building is not an easy process, still, it is very important because it leads to the formation of countries as stated in the article Nation-building by Alberto Alesina and Bryony Reich(2013): Nation-building is a process which leads to the formation of countries in which the citizens feel a sufficient amount of commonality of interests, goals, and preferences so that they do not wish to separate from each other. Non-governmental organizations are truly a force in today’s society, especially to the people who subscribe to the Constructivist point of view. But even in Liberalism, they are one of the major actors that shape the international society today. As stated by the Commonwealth Business Council (2003): The power of NGOs is further exemplified not just by their increasing number but by their ability to network and mobilize their members to affect global politics†.This was taken furtherby Songco (2006) when he said: â€Å" Such power [of NGOs] was demonstrated in various U.N. conferences, international summits and multilateral meetings where NGOs have been effective in influencing policy agendas, official statements and joint resolutions. The first statement implies that NGOs today are not limited by their scope (environmental, humanitarian, etc.) because they have the power to influence the political sphere in their respective areas. This is relevant to this study because nation-building entails government measures in improving the standards of living of the people and if these measures can be affected by NGOs particularly World Vision then these can be used as a channel or can play a role in nation-building of the Philippines. NGOs play a very significant role in society as reflected by a research paper by Jordan L. which said: NGOs are a potent political force and there are some serious issues confronting civil society that need to be addressedAt the national level, many social services that traditionally were in the purview of government are today delivered by the private sector or through NGOs. This explains NGOs despite being an entity that is not under the government still has political power that it can utilize to realize its advocacies. These organizations play a role in bringing of service to the public but as indicated in the paper, these NGOs also have issues to consider and one of them is their accountability to the public. Because of their significant role in society, people are becoming more and more aware of NGOs and are encouraged to take part in their activities either through donations or volunteerism. However, as their donors and volunteers increase, the accountability of the NGOs to these people, their beneficiaries, and the population as a whole also increases. To wit: The increasing funding of NGOs by official donor agencies thrusts the question of legitimacy into center stage, for if NGOs are becoming more responsive to external concerns, are substituting for government and are growing larger on the basis of foreign funding, what is happening to the links -– to their values and mission, and to their relationships with the poor, supporters and others -– through which they derive their right to intervene in development. This was taken from â€Å"Too Close For Comfort? The Impact of Official Aid on Nongovernmental Organizations† by Edwards and Hulme (1998: 8-9). This reveals that there is an argument regarding the legitimacy of NGOs and a question on how non-governmental are these NGOs especially if they are receiving funding from government institutions as well. The article also says that NGOs need to incorporate mechanisms that can help improve their performance and provide ample measures of evaluation in order for them to remain credible and accountable. The World Vision Philippines is a prime example of a non-governmental organization. According to the article Vision in Action in the Manila Bulleting:â€Å"The World Vision, one of the world’s biggest international NGOs, has established its presence in the Philippines 56 years ago, it has helped uplift and empower poor communities through education, public engagement, values formation, and disaster and emergency response.† (Barawid R.C., Fojas, S.C., Lim, R.S). Since then, the World Vision Philippines, the Philippine branch of the World Vision International, has been an active player in the Philippine arena. From the same article, an example was given in that the NGO was one of the first to respond to the recent onslaught of Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte. They provided relief goods and psychological debriefings in the evacuation centers. This shows that the NGO already has a good reputation in terms of fast response to calamities and that they are very active in their humani tarian undertakings. Because of their very fast, efficient, and lauded response to the Yolanda disaster, the NGO was able to gain more fundings from donors. One of these was the Ascot Limited who â€Å"†¦donated 1.87 million pesos to World Vision for its relief and rehabilitation efforts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .(TravPR.com) This article shows that private corporations have a lot of trust in the organization and believes that it truly renders good service to its beneficiaries. This also shows that the NGO was able to establish a good reputation in terms of emergency and disaster relief efforts which will be able to encourage more donors and volunteers to patronize their institution. World Vision Philippines is not only concerned with disaster response. It is also concerned with other societal issues like education, sanitation, and all the other aspects that define the standard of living of a child and his family. This multi-scope aspect of the NGO was affirmed by an article in GMA Network which said : â€Å"World Vision is concerned about ensuring safe living spaces for children and their families as heavy rains and aftershocks are still prevalent in quake-hit areas†¦ World Vision calls for more intensified action to uphold childrens education rights in the quake-hit areas. Back-to-school woes include damaged classrooms as teachers and children hold classes in tents. Children in emergencies also need to be protected from the risks of hazardous work in quake-hit areas, along other forms of child abuse and exploitation†. G. Scope and Limitation of the Study The study shall focus on how the projects, programs, and activities of the World Vision helps in the nation-building of the Philippines. It shall not include those of the World Vision International. It shall deal only with the latest statistical data from the latest reports given by the NGO. It will also include interviews conducted with people who can better assess the World Vision Philippines’ performance as a humanitarian institution. CHAPTER 2 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK A. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK This study wants to find out the role of the non-governmental organization, the World Vision Philippines, in the Philippines’ nation-building. The proponents use the existing information available about the said organization and analyze them to determine whether they have a relationship to the nation-building of the Philippines. These independent variables include, the projects, programs, and activities of World Vision Philippines, the organization’s financial reports, the outside perception on the NGO, and the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the said institution. The dependent variable or the outcome is the role of the World Vision Philippines in the country’s nation-building. B. HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY This study assumed the following hypotheses: 1. The World Vision Philippines plays a significant role in nation-building of the Philippines. 2. Specific programs and projects of the World Vision Philippines contribute to the nation-building of the Philippines. 3. World Vision Philippines is accountable for all the donations and funds sent to them by their donors. 4. Measures can be used to assess whether the World Vision Philippines’ projects and programs are successful. 5. There are strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities thataffect the World Vision Philippines. 6. Strategies that can be done in order to address the said strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of World Vision Philippines that could help into making it a better organization. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. Research Design This paper is classified as a qualitative research because it describes phenomena that are hard to quantify. It could also be described as a Descriptive Research because it shows the associations or relationship of the determined independent variables with the dependent variable. It analyzes existing literature, articles, and reports to determine the role of World Vision Philippines to nation-building. It also makes use of interviews to get the outside perception about the NGO. B. Sources of Data The data shall come from existing literature which may include studies, articles, and feedback about the World Vision Philippines, NGOs, and nation-building. It will make use of the reports disseminated by the World Vision Philippines in its website . It shall also make use of interviews with experts who have a unique perspective about NGOs due to their educational attainment and or experience. These literature and statistics shall come from hardbound or online books, articles, and journals taken from the LPU, UP-Diliman, and national libraries, and from website sources in the internet. C. Method of Data Collection The study employed the Documents or Secondary Data or Data Mining method of data collection wherein the information were based from existing literature. Among the Secondary Data method of data collection, the study used Content Analysis in which literature that is related to the concepts of the paper are found and its content was noted and categorized into appropriate categories and themes. Also, data was gathered through individual in-depth interviews by the interviewers. The interviewers took down important notes in the conduct of the interviews. In order to secure the consent of the selected participants, the researchers relayed all important details of the study, including its aim and purpose. By explaining these important details, the respondents were able to understand the importance of their role in the completion of the research. Respondents were offered no monetary compensation. Preliminary conversations before and after the interview session were also noted as these helped in clarifying and validating any vague responses that emerged in the results. Sample Interview Questions: 1. How would you describe the status of our NGOs today in terms of authenticity, accountability and transparency? 2. Do you believe that NGOs contribute to the nation-building of our country today? If yes, in what way? 3. How does good governance help in the workings of a non-government organization? 4. What measures do you consider are important in analyzing whether an NGO is able to achieve its goals? 5. Is World Vision relevant for the Philippines? Does it have a huge impact amongst the Filipinos? D. Method of Data Analysis After the data has been collected, the proponents used the Descriptive method of data analysis wherein the main characteristics and features of the data gathered are described. After which the Exploratory method of data analysis was then employed in order to study the relationships between our variables. CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS This study identified five research problems in Chapter 1 specifically: 1. Does the World Vision Philippines play a significant role in nation-building of the Philippines? 2. How does World Vision Philippines contribute to the nation-building of the Philippines? 3. How is the World Vision Philippines held accountable for all the donations and funds sent to them by their donors? 4. What are the measures used to assess whether the World Vision Philippines’ projects and programs are successful? 5. What are the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities that affect the World Vision Philippines? 6. What strategies can be done in order to address the said strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of World Vision Philippines that could help into making it a better organization? The first problem was answered by identifying the factors involved in nation-building and the scope of the projects of world vision. Nation-building is a concept that focuses on the personal development of individuals and communities of a particular nation with the goal of improving the standard of living of everyone in that country in terms of health, education, livelihood, and other factors that have a huge impact in their lives. This involves values formation and community development through active engagement in societal issues that affect the society they live in. This gives special emphasis to the youth as they will be the future professionals, policy-makers, and leaders of the country. The on-going projects of World Vision Philippines involve areas such as health and nutrition, education, child participation, livelihood, disaster response and  values formation. In the 2012 Annual Report of World Vision Philippines, the organization serves over 20,000 families in 33 area deve lopment programs (ADP) regarding livelihood programs, 110,000 children in 49 ADPs in terms of education-related projects and 51,969 affected families from December 2011-2012 for the natural disaster response programs. World Vision works in 33 provinces and 14 cities in the country. The second research problem was addressed by indicating the various projects being implemented by the World Vision Philippines. Table 1 shows the various priorities of World Vision and their corresponding programs on 2011 and 2012 World Vision Philippines Annual Report. PRIORITIES PROGRAM HEALTH AND NUTRITION Social Mobilization on TB Nutrition Jump Start Channels of Hope Child Health Now EDUCATION Tulong Aral ng Petron Bridge to Employment ABK3 Elementary Comletion LIVELIHOOD Community- Managed Savings and Credit Association (CoMSCA) Food Education with Agricultural Development and Sustainability (FORWARD) Community Economic Ventures, Inc. (CEVI) DISASTER RESPONSE Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs Response Team (HEART) trainings Child-Focused Disaster Risk Reduction (CFDRR) VALUES FORMATION Local Capacities for Peace (LCP) Table 1: World Vision Priorities and Corresponding Programs The third research problem was about the financial accountability of World Vision Philippines regarding the funds being donated to the organization. World Vision released annual reports containing the finances of the organization however there are instances when the information in these reports are too vague. See Figure 1 and 2 which were taken directly from the 2011 and 2012 World Vision Annual Report. Figure 1 showed the breakdown of the finances in the organization in million pesos while Figure 2 merely stated the percentage of each of the expenses. Figure 1: World Vision Financial Report for 2011 Figure 2: World Vision Financial Report 2012 The Philippine Council for NGO Certification gave a 5 year certification to World Vision Philippines last December 29,2010 and will expire in August 25, 2015. This meant that the World Vision Philippines passed the criteria for financial management and accountability in the service to underprivileged Filipinos. According to PCNC PCNC has formulated three rating sheets one is for organizations operating for two or more years; another is for newly established organizations; and the third is for networks. The evaluation covers six areas, namely: Vision, Mission, and Goals; Governance; Administration; Program Operations; Financial Management; and Networking. Financial Management gives the best source of assurance for donors that the recipient organization is accountable and transparent and that donations are  utilized according to the organizations declared goals and objectives. Extra parameters may be added or deleted when necessary, depending on the organization being evaluated. An NGO may get a 1, 3, or 5 year-certification, depending on its years of existence and ratings from the evaluation. To practice transparency, World Vision Philippines’s main program Sponsor-A-Child involves giving annual reports regarding the status of the child that the donors are sponsoring. The sponsorship package includes nutritious food, clean water, access to healthcare and education not only for the child but also his community. The organization also has an event called Lakbay Pag-asa in partnership with Cebu Pacific that allows the donor and the children they are sponsoring to meet. This gives chance to the donors to evaluate the progress of not only the child they are sponsoring but also the families and communities that they will visit. The fourth research problem was answered by the statement of Jennica Enciso, UNFPA Philippines Youth Advisory Panel at UNFPA and Political Science Professor of Jose Rizal University, on measuring the authenticity and effectiveness of NGOs. She stated thatto measure the authenticity of the NGO: first it should be registered but there is a question on the credibility of the body giving the certification especially with the recent happenings regarding the bogus NGOs supposedly created by Janet Lim Napoles. Measuring the effectiveness of an NGO can be done through monitoring and evaluation on how this NGO is active in many activities. The beneficiaries themselves will give a good feedback if they gained any help and if the projects of the NGOs were a success. The fifth research problem was answered by conducting a SWOT analysis on World Vision Philippines. The researchers identified the following as the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of World Vision Philippines: Strengths 1. The organization is devoted to Christian beliefs therefore it adheres to values that are important to the society 2. World Vision’s approach is holistic. 3. They have a target of 15 years to study to complete their Sponsor A Child  Program which shows that they are timebound, and therefore, this project is measurable and can be analyzed. 4. Fast response to natural disasters. 5. Showing people the hard parts of the world. 6. Great reputation and donor base 7. Leaders are people from corporate sector 8. Celebrity endorsements from well-known celebrities like Anne Curtis, Kramer Family, Ogie Alcasid and so on 9. Helps anyone regardless of religious affiliation 10. World Vision promotes public involvement and government policies related to education and children. Weaknesses 1. Public perception wanting to know how much goes to the kids. 2. How the effectiveness of programs is measured. 3. Getting the word out that it is not a bad company that only thinks about themselves. 4. People do not donate because they cannot afford the minimum amount specified in certain programs such as Sponsor-a-Child. 5. Decentralized leadership leads to delayed decision making 6. Uncertainty of the continuation of funds coming from donors 7. Reactive, rather than proactive culture 8. Personnel not ready to deal with the huge influx of orphans and sick patients. 9. Website is not updated particularly the contact page. 10. Vague report on financial accountability. Opportunities 1. World Vision is getting donation from churches. 2. Government and private organization also give donations to the World Vision. 3. Organization is able to expand programs because there is a great need from its targeted beneficiaries. 4. Can build on community models and leverage community relationships 5. Collaborate with other organizations to expand their reach 6. World Vision can utilize their celebrity endorsers to further promote the advocacies of the organization 7. Recent natural calamities that occurred in the country can serve as a means to carry out  disaster response programs 8. Their twitter already has 31.4 thousand followers. 9. Celebrities who are non-World Vision endorsers publicly donate to World Vision Philippines (Valentines Concert of Regine Velasquez and Martin Nievera) 10. Sentimentality of people from affected areas increased volunteerism. Threats 1. Embezzlement 2. Computer Failure 3. Negative Legislature and Lawsuits 4. Strikes 5. Tax Problems 6. Terrorism 7. Workplace Violence 8. Competition from other Charities that implement changes more quickly 9. Possibility of Economic Crisis 10. Bad Reviews on NGOs The last research problem was addressed in Figures 3 to 10 that shows the strategies identified by the researches as possible means to improve the organization. Figure 3: S1-01 Strategy Figure 4: S2-03 Strategy Figure 5:S1-T1 Strategy Figure 6: S8-T10 Strategy Figure 7: W6-02 Strategy Figure 8: W3-010 Strategy Figure 9: W8-T8 Strategy Figure 10: W6-T9 Strategy CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY This study wants to find out the role that the World Vision Philippines play in the country’s nation-building. After analysis of the existing literature, It was found out that the organization does play significant role in nation-building primarily because its projects, programs, and priorities coincides with activities that are essential to nation-building like improvements in the standard of living of the people in terms of health and nutrition, education, child participation, livelihood, disaster response and values formation. The World Vision Philippines has 14 active programs, four of which are related to health and nutrition, another four for education, three for livelihood, two for disaster response, and one for values formation. The World Vision Philippines holds itself accountable to its donors and the public by releasing an annual financial report that shows the breakdown of their revenues, expenses, and project costs. A private organization, the Philippine Council for NGO Certification, gave a five year certification to World Vision Philippines which meant that it passed the minimum requirement for an NGO in terms of financial management and accountability in rendering its services. Another way it practices transparency is in the program Sponsor-A-Child, the NGO gives annual reports to the donors regarding the status, grades, and other relevant information of their specific beneficiary. Ms. Jennica Encisco said that the authenticity and effectiveness of NGOS are measured by analyzing whether they are registered as such, monitoring and evaluating the activities of the NGO, and through the feedback of actual beneficiaries. The proponents listed down 10 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) to the  organization and recommended strategies that utilized this SWOT to help improve the performance and efficiency of the organization. CONCLUSIONS The study has derived the following conclusions based on the information gathered by the researchers. World Vision Philippines plays a significant role in nation-building of the Philippines since the scope of its projects involve factors that are needed in nation-building such as health, education, livelihood, individual and community development and so on. World Vision contributes to the nation-building through its projects such as Social Mobilization on TB, ABK3. Child Friendly Spaces, Local Capacities for Peace, Bridge to Employment and many more. World Vision Philippines is held accountable for all the donations and funds sent to them by their donors by publishing annual reports available to the public, providing reports to their donors regarding the status of their sponsored child or community, and having a certification from the PCNC. However there is still a question on the authenticity of some of the financial reports due to the vagueness of the information given. The measure s used to assess the success of World Vision Philippines’ projects are monitoring, evaluation and feedback regarding the programs. The strengths of World Vision Philippines are the organization is devoted to Christian beliefs therefore it adheres to values that are important to the society, World Vision’s approach is holistic, they have a target of 15 years to study to complete their Sponsor A Child Program which shows that they are time-bound, and therefore, this project is measurable and can be analyzed; Fast response to natural disasters, Showing people the hard parts of the world; Great reputation and donor base; and lastly, World Vision promotes public involvement and government policies related to education and children. The weaknesses of the organization are public perception wanting to know how much goes to the kids, how the effectiveness of programs is measured, getting the word out that it is not a bad company that only thinks about themselves and lastly, people do not donate because they cannot afford the minimum amount specified in certain programs such as Sponsor-a-Child. The opportunities of World Vision are it is getting donation from churches, Government and private organization also give donations to the World Vision; Organization is able to expand programs because there is a great need from its targeted beneficiaries, Can build on community models and leverage community relationships, and lastly, they collaborate with other organizations to expand their reach. The threats on World Vision Philippines are embezzlement , computer failure, negative legislature and lawsuits, strikes, tax problems, terrorism, workplace violence, competition from other charities that implement changes more quickly, possibility of economic crisis and lastly, bad reviews on NGOs. The different strategies that World Vision Philippines can adopt to improve and overcome the challenges it faces are: Because of their strong affiliations with the Christian Churches, and because the latter has lots of adherents who give out donations to their institution, churches who are donors of World Vision Philippines could be a major source of funds for the said organization; Since the World Vision Philippines is not limited to a single social issue and there is a great need from the targeted beneficiaries of their programs, there is a huge demand for the services of the organization which strengthens its reason for existence; If the organization strengthens its members and volunteers’ Christian values, then the likelihood of cases of embezzlement shall be significantly reduced; The NGO can utilize their celebrity endorsements to counteract negative reviews and this will be effective because celebrities have huge followings and thus, wield significant influence; Since government and private organizations also donate to the World Vision Philippines, the funds coming from them will be more stable than those coming from individuals; The problem of World Vision Philippines in proving that they really care about the services they render rather than for personal gain can be addressed by utilizing people who want to be volunteers because their areas were ravaged by natural disasters; The World vision Philippines should recruit more volunteers and personnel and train them in order to sufficiently address the influx of orphans and sick patients and thus be more competitive against other NGOs and charitable institutions and lastly, World Vision Philippines must expand their donor base to include institutions and individuals that  are financially secure so as to counter the uncertainty of the source of funds and the threat of an economic crisis depleting the funds of their usual donor base. RECOMMENDATIONS The proponents recommend to the future researchers the following: Future researchers mustutilize primary sources such as interviews from experts such that there will have a more in-depth and possibly more accurate perspective about the status and assessment on NGOs in the Philippines and specifically, World Vision. Future researches should identify the organizational structure of World Vision in order to determine whether or not it has an impact on the success of the implementation of the programs. Future researches should discuss the authenticity of the certification issued by PCNC especially with the recent happenings regarding bogus NGOs. BIBLIOGRAPHY Commonwealth Business Council, â€Å"Strengthening Good Governance in Business, Government, Civil Society: Shared Challenges of Leadership and Accountability†. November 2003. Songco, Danilo A. 2006. The Evolution of NGO Accountability Practices and their Implications on Philippine NGOs A literature review and options paper for the Philippine Council for NGO Certification TravPR.com. Febrauary 2014. Ascott and Capitaland Hope Foundation Donate PHP1.87 Million to World Vision’s Typhoon Yolanda Relief and Rehabilitation Operations. Retrived from: http://www.travpr.com/pr-28129-ascott-and-capitaland-hope.html Rachel C. Barawid, Sara C. Fojas Ronald S. Lim. February 2014.Vision in Action. Manila Bulletin. World Vision Philippines. January 2014. World Vision launches shelter project for quake-hit Bohol. Retrieved from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/343817/cbb/world-vision-launches-shelter-project-for-quake-hit-bohol Jordan, L.,2005. â€Å"Mechanisms for NGO Accountability†, GPPi Research Paper Series No. 3, Global Public Policy Institute, Berlin, Germany. Edwards, M. Hulme, D. 1996. â€Å"Too Close For Comfort? The Impact of Official Aid on Nongovernmental Organizations,† in World Development, Volume 24. U. K. Native Nations Institute. 2013. What is Native Nation Building. Stephenson, C. 2005. Nation-building. World Vision. http://issuu.com/myworldvision/docs/2012_annual_report Alesina, A. Reich B. 2013. Nation-building.

Demonstrative Communication Process

Demonstrative Communication Process Demonstrative communication includes nonverbal and unwritten communication and involves such things as facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and so forth. Include the following elements in your paper: Demonstrative Communication Communication is defined as the process of sending and receiving information, a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, speech, signs, writing, or behavior (Merriam-Webster, 2011). Communication can be verbal or nonverbal, written, or visual. According to Paul Endress, 7% of the communication process is words, 38% is voice tone, and 55% is physiology. Therefore, nonverbal communication comprises 93% of communication; it is made up of the following three areas and their subgroups: †¢ Body Physical Space Clothing and appearance Locomotion (kinesics) †¢ Physiology Posture Gesture Facial expressions †¢ Nonverbal Eye contact Touch (haptics) Tone of voice (paralanguage) Research shows that the nonverbal channels of communication (how things are said) are often more important than words alone (what is said)(Endress, 2010). Demonstrative communication is that part of the communication process that includes nonverbal and unwritten communications. Demonstrative communication entails sending and receiving wordless messages (Nayab, 2010) Effective or Ineffective Effective communication is the foundation for positive interactions in the workplace as well as in social settings. To share ideas, give opinions, or be defined as an individual, one must have effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills. These skills are not only important for the sender but also for the receiver. According to Missouri Western State Universitys Laurel J. Dunn, nonverbal communication can be deciphered beginning in early childhood, but interpretation becomes more accurate as the person grows older. Nonverbal cues are responsible for a major portion of the message sent. Even if the verbal message is flawless, one still might communicate ineffectively (Dunn, 2009). For example, one person walks up to another and with a warm smile and direct eye contact, reaches out, gives the other person a firm handshake and in a happy tone of voice says, â€Å"I do not like you.† The other person will most likely smile back and agree. Words are only seven percent of the message whereas 93% is nonverbal. If the two conflict, the brain will register the preponderance of the message, which is the nonverbal. In order for a message to be received effectively, the verbal component must coincide with the nonverbal or demonstrative communication. For example, dressing properly, a firm handshake and a friendly demeanor can speak volumes about the kind of person someone is at a job interview. A person can rely on these qualities to reinforce his or her verbal performance (Sutton, 2011). For the receiver, a message can be easily misread or misunderstood. Gestures, appearances, and facial expressions can have different meanings to different people. People can easily misread people they do not know. For example, meeting someone who looks scruffy and assuming that he is lazy. However, later one discovers that he is a brilliant and hard-working artist. Some people might assume that sitting with arms folded means one is defensive. In fact, this can convey feeling cold or simply comfortable. Nonverbal communication should not be solely relied on because there are no hard and fast rules regarding what different gestures and expressions mean (Sutton, 2011). Across cultural lines, one gesture can mean one thing to one cultural group and mean the complete opposite to another. For example, to give someone the thumbs up gesture in America means he has done a good job. If this same gesture were used in Iran, it would mean an obscenity (Endress, 2010). Listening and Responding As with verbal communication, demonstrative communication involves listening and responding. Often an individual can learn more from another’s actions than from his words. Many are the instances in which people can listen with their eyes instead of their ears. For example, a close friend walks out of the classroom after a final examination with her head down, shoulders slumped, and a defeated look on her face. One does not need to ask how well she did. It is important for people to use active listening when receiving any type of message. According to Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado (1998), people often are distracted by other stimuli when they are supposed to be paying attention to a speaker. During an argument, people often formulate a response while the other person is talking, which leaves parts of the message unheard or misunderstood. Active listening involves clearing one’s mind of distractions and focusing entirely on the speaker. Once the spe aker has completed talking, paraphrase what he said before replying. Active listening can bridge the gap between effective verbal and nonverbal communication (McNamara, 2010). Conclusion Demonstrative communication is that part of the communication process that includes nonverbal and unwritten communications; it entails sending and receiving wordless messages. Nonverbal communication comprises 93% of the message. Effective communication is the foundation for positive interactions; it is equally important to the sender and the receiver. It involves listening and responding. One can learn more from others actions than from their words. References Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado. (1998). Active Listening. Retrieved from http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/activel.htm Dunn, L. J. (2009). Nonverbal Communication: Information Conveyed Through the Use of Body Language. Retrieved from http://clearinghouse.missouriwestern.edu/manuscripts/70.php Endress, P. (2010). Non-Verbal Communication Demonstration. Retrieved from http://www.maximumadvantage.com/nonverbal-communication/non-verbal-communication-demonstration.html McNamara, M. (2010, August 2). Effective Verbal Non-Verbal Communication. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/192035-effective-verbal-non-verbal-communication/ Merriam-webster.com. (2011). Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communication Nayab, N. (2011, June 27). Comparing Various Forms of Communication. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/79297.aspx Sutton, N. (2011, March 26). Pros Cons of Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8117087_pros-cons-nonverbal-communication.html Essay 2 (Example) Demonstrative Communication Introduction There are diverse definitions of communication. In simple words, communication can be defined as the process of transmitting and receiving messages. Communication involves reciprocation of ideas and messages. There are two forms of communication including verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication involves communication in the form of written and oral messages. However, non-verbal communication is in the form of gestures and images. This paper aims to discuss demonstrative communication and its effectiveness. There are diverse factors that contribute towards the effectiveness of demonstrative communication. The vital components of demonstrative communication include tone, gestures, prior knowledge, and the environment. A slight imbalance in these factors could result in the ineffectiveness of demonstrative communication. Discussion Demonstrative Communication Demonstrative communication is the process in which sending and receiving messages a re accompanied by sharing thoughts and information. Demonstrative communication involves both verbal and non-verbal communication. This paper will discuss demonstrative communication and its effectiveness. Some of the components of demonstrative communication include tone, gestures, prior knowledge, and the environment. One of the types of demonstrative communication includes facial expressions. This form of communication also involves tone and body language. Facial expressions can be further classified into positive and negative. Demonstrative communication is effective when it involves positive facial expressions. However, negative facial expressions make demonstrative communication ineffective (Mounter Smith, 2008). Demonstrative communication also involves nonverbal and unwritten communication. In this form of demonstrative communication, wordless messages are sent and received. Demonstrative non-verbal communication supports verbal communication despite the fact that it can co nvey messages on its own. Demonstrative communication reinforces verbal communication. Effectiveness of Demonstrative Communication Demonstrative communication can be effective and ineffective. It can be positive and negative for both the sender and receiver. The environment in which communication takes place plays an important role in its effectiveness. Communication may take place directly or indirectly. Most of the time, face-to-face communication is more effective than other forms of communication. Indirect communication takes place through text messages, emails, and instant messages. These messages are also accompanied by facial expressions. In verbal communication, the participants talk directly. It is because of this reason that verbal communication is more effective than non-verbal (Nielsen, 2008). In our everyday life, we use the non-verbal communication more than verbal communication. Demonstrative communication can be perceived by the listener as both positive and negativ e. The perception of participants is largely influenced by the use of non-verbal forms of communication. The presentation of individuals also Essay 2 (Example) Demonstrative communication Communication can be described in many different ways and mean many things. Communication is the process of transmitting, relaying, or sending and receiving messages. The communication process conveys thoughts, ideas, data, and messages either thru speech, writing, body singles, behavior, or kinesics (Cheesebro, Rios, OConnor, 2010). Communication can be transmitted verbally and non-verbally. Verbal communication combines written and oral communication while nonverbal communications is express thru body language, facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures. The key to effective communication is the shared understanding of the information between the receiver and sender. It involves the shared understanding of thoughts, feelings, wants needs, and the intentions of the communicators, which may not be openly expressed with words (Cheesebro, Rios, OConnor, 2010). The communication process is completed when the receiver understands the message being sent by the sender. This paper will deliberate demonstrative communication, a style of communication that deals with nonverbal and unwritten communication. This paper will discuss how demonstrative communication can be positive and negative, effective and ineffective, and how it is mutually for the sender and receiver. It will also discuss nonverbal cues, the functions of nonverbal communication, and the importance of demonstrative communication is to listening and responding. Demonstrative Communication can be Positive and Effective There are two types of demonstrative communication as stated earlier nonverbal and unwritten. Demonstrative communication involves sending and receiving messages that are used to inform, correct, educate, and share emotions. If the communication process is ineffective it has the influence and power to hurt, confuse, mislead, and even hinder the receivers and the senders rather it is verbal or nonverbal (Papa, 2012). If the communication process is effective then it can leave the sender/receiver with a clear understanding of the message feeling, empowered, informed, educated, and appreciated. An example of this would be, if someone was out on a date and had a good time at the end of the night they might give the other person a kiss to indicate they had a good time and how they feel. On the other hand if someone did not enjoy themselves and was not interested in the other person there will be minimal talk, eye contact, gestures, and that person might receive a handshake or a polite goo dnight at the end of the night rather than a kiss. Since the sender and receiver shared understanding and receiving of the message is different it is important the message is clear and both communicators share a clear understanding of the message. Good communication skills are the key to an individual’s success in life and in this growing economy and globalized world. With the growing demand for these essential skills which have branched off into a wide variety of divisions and techniques, and with advancing technology nonverbal and unwritten communications has grown and advanced in numerous ways (Subapriya, 2009). Statistics vary, but 60%-80% of people’s communication is nonverbal, 7%-10% is actual words, and the rest is tone of voice. Subtle and often subconscious, movements such as facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture send strong messages to the receiver. So in other words sitting up straight and paying attention can let the sender know you are paying attention and are interested in the message they are sending. Nonverbal Cues and Functions of Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication serves six primary functions complementing, substituting, accenting, contradicting, repeating, and regulating verbal messages. Complementing, nonverbal behavior serves to complement or adds to the verbal message (Subapriya, 2009). It can only modify, or elaborate on the verbal messages. Nonverbal behavior alone would not communicate the intended meaning. Complementing nonverbal message changes the meaning of the verbal message by adding additional insights or information. So when clarity is of the most importance, one should be especially concerned with making verbal and nonverbal behaviors complement to one another (Subapriya, 2009). Nonverbal messages are sent in advance of verbal messages. Before someone can even udder a word their facial expression, clothes, body posture, skin color, and hair style can communicate much about them. Unfortunately, this can be true even if the message sent is not the message you want to communicate. An example of this would b e, if someone had a job interview and they showed up wearing dirty clothes, angry facial expression, and bad posture. This would communicate to the interviewer that you may not want the job compared to someone in a suit and tie, a smile on their face, and good eye contact and body posture. The way you present yourself and the others view you is a part of the nonverbal communication process. Both oral and written communication styles attain perfection with the usage of nonverbal cues. The meaning of a text can be communicated to the listeners and readers through nonverbal signals. Verbal signs and nonverbal cues together in the right proportion can pave the way for meaningful communication (Peng, 2011). Nonverbal cues play a vital role in the success of effective communication. Nonverbal signals operate at two levels. Nonverbal cues in writing which involves features like, headings, titles, subheadings, photographs, captions, figures, graphs, and bar charts etc Whereas oral communication involves nonverbal signals like eye contact, gestures, posture, facial expressions, tone of voice and body language. Both oral and written nonverbal cues can form a dynamic feature of nonverbal communication to ensure effective communication (Subapriya, 2009). Without effective nonverbal communication the message sent can be misunderstood. Conclusion Demonstrative communication involves sending and receiving messages that are used to inform, correct, educate, and share emotions. If the communication process is ineffective it has the influence and power to hurt, confuse, mislead, and even hinder the receivers and the senders rather it is verbal or nonverbal. Good communication skills are the key to an individual’s success in life and in this growing economy and globalized world. Nonverbal behavior alone would not communicate the intended meaning. Complementing nonverbal message changes the meaning of the verbal message by adding additional insights or information. Both oral and written communication styles attain perfection with the usage of nonverbal cues. The key to effective communication is the shared understanding of the information between the receiver and sender. It involves the shared understanding of thoughts, feelings, wants needs, and the intentions of the communicators, which may not be openly expressed with wor ds. The communication process is completed when the receiver understands the message being sent by the sender. References Cheesebro, T., Rios, F., OConnor, L. (2010). Communicating in the Workplace. Prentice- Hall, MD: Pearson Education, Inc.. Harvard Business School. (2012). Faculty Research, Amy J.C. Cuddy. Retrieved from http://drfd.hbs.edu Papa, J. (2012). Effective and Ineffective Communication. Retrieved from http://ehow.com Peng, H. (August, 2011). Effects of Non-Verbal Communication on College English Classrooms Teachings. US-China Foreign Language, 9(8), 505-516. Subapriya, K. K. (2009, June). The Importance of Non-Verbal Cues. ICFIA Journal of Soft Skills, 3(2), 37-42.

Theories of the Totemism Belief System

Theories of the Totemism Belief System Anthropology is crucial for understanding the contemporary world. Anthropology offers both things to think about and things to think with. Anthropologists would be interested in Totemism because they study people throughout the world, investigating their history, behaviour, how they adapt to different environments, communicate and socialise with each other, along with examining the biological characteristics that make us human, our physiology, genetic make-up, nutritional history and evolution along with social features like language, culture, politics, family and religion. Totemism is a belief system where humans are believed to have kinship or a mystical relationship with a spirit-being such as an animal or plant. The totem is thought to interact with a given kin group or individual and serve as their emblem or symbol. Totemism has been described as a cluster of traits in religious and in the social organisation of populates (Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, 2013). Totemism originates in populations whose traditional economies relied on hunting, gathering and mixed farming with the emphasis on rearing cattle. Totemism is a multifaceted set of ideas and ways of behaviour built on a worldview drawn from nature. There are ideological, mystical, emotional, reverential, genealogical relationships of social groups or specific persons with animal or natural objects, the totem. There is a difference between group and individual Totemism although they share a few basic characteristics; they happen with different emphasis and in specific forms. Generally societ ies have special names and emblems to relate to the totem, and those it sponsors engage in partial identification with the totem or symbolic integration to it. Usually, there is a taboo against people killing, eating, or touching the totem. Individual Totemism is articulated in an intimate relationship of friendship, respect and protection between a person and a particular species of animal; the natural object can grant special power to its owner. However, this relationship, in the case of the individual totem, begins and ends with the individual man, and is not, like the clan totem, transmitted by inheritance. An individual totem in America is: Usually the first animal of which a youth dreams during the long and generally solitary fasts which American Indians observe at puberty. He kills the animal or bird of which he dreams, and henceforward wears its skin or feathers, or sonic part of them, as an amulet, especially on the war-path and in hunting (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2013) Individual totems among the Slave, Hare and Dogrib Indians will always be a carnivorous animal, and must not be skinned, eaten or killed. A man will always carry a photograph of his totem; if they are unsuccessful in a chase he will smoke to it and make a speech. Group Totemism is the most widespread belief system. The totem is often an animal or plant that is respected by all members of the social group, because of a mystical or ritual relationship between the group, the spirit which embodies the totem represents the bond of unity within the tribe or clan. The group believe they are descended from a totem ancestor or that they and the totem are brothers. The totem can be viewed a group symbol and the protector of all members of the group. The animal or plant totem is the object of a taboo, just as the individual totem it is forbidden to kill or eat the sacred animal. It is possible for the totem symbol to be tattooed on the body, engraved on weapons or carved on totem poles. Males and females in some cultures have their own totem; however, typically Totemism is connected with clans or blood relatives. Marriage between members of the same totemic clan is totally forbidden. Group Totemism is usually associated with people in Africa, India, Oce ania, North America and some parts of South America. The first theory on Totemism was conducted by McLennan (1869) who searched for the origins of totemism, he belied that: The ancient nations came, in prehistoric times, through the totem stage, having animals and plants, and the heavenly bodies conceived as animals, for gods before the anthropomorphic gods appeared (LÃ ©vi-Strauss, 1969, p. 18) Many scholars believed this theory and set out with the assumption that some type of UR-totemism has existed, and that its faint contours could be discerned behind the left-over totemic systems fragments of present day (ibid, 18). McLennans theory was criticised by Taylor (1899) who discarded the confusion of Totemism with simple worship of animals and plants, and viewed Totemism as a relationship between one type of animal and a clan but he did argue with the idea that totems were the basis of religion. Franz Boas (1916) research was based on North West American Indians and he found a society employing a visual form of Totemism in the form of totem poles. The totem pole was made up of mystical characters from the tribes ancestral past. Item were chosen from nature and used for cultural purposes. Totem poles functioned as an emblem of a clan or family, showing its unity and the rights which each clan were entitled to, and as a reminder of each clans link to a spirit ancestor. Totems were also a form of communication as tribes had no written language, so the totem poles were used to tell their stories, legends and events. Totems could not only be for clans they could also be individual however, only the most affluent tribe members could afford to have their own totem carved. Boas (1916) argued against a psychological or historical origin of totemism because its characters could be linked with individuals, and are in every social organisation, appearing in various cultural contexts and would not be possible to fit all totemtistic phenomena into one classification. The first complete work on totemism was conducted by Sir James Frazer (1919) who developed several theories in regard to the origin of totemism. The first theory suggested that men have totems because they expect benefits from them: The connection between a man and his totem is mutually beneficent; the totem protects the man, and the man shows his respect for the totem in various ways, by not killing it if it be an animal, and not cutting or gathering it if it be a plant (Frazer, 1887, p. 3) His second theory was that totemism was a system of magic intended to provide a supply of food for someone else (Hopkins, 1918, p. 153), this was disregarded in place his final theory which was more radical than the others and based on the fact that: Some savages believe their offspring comes not from intercourse between man and woman, but from the spirits of animals or quasi-animals seen by the woman or from the food she eats. They think that the spirits which thus become their children are really the animals they have seen or whose flesh they have eaten before conceiving (ibid, p. 153) This is what Frazer called the conceptional theory. Totemism at this point had come under attack from American anthropologist Goldenweiser (1910) who began by listing five key characteristics believed to be symptomatic of totemism, an exogamous clan ( people marry outside of their own social group), the name of the clan derived from the totem, a religious attitude toward the totem; as a friend or brother or protector, taboos or restrictions against the killing and eating of the totem, a belief in the decent from the totem (ibid, p. 182-83). Goldenweiser (1910) concluded that: Each of these traits..displays more or less a striking independence in its distribution; and most of them can be shown to be widely-spread ethnic phenomena, diverse in origin not necessarily coordinated in development, and displaying a rich variability of psychological make-up (ibid, p.266) Although not willing to give up the idea totally he proposed an alternative definition of totemism in terms of the association between definite social units and objects and symbols of emotional value (ibid, p. 275). Lowie (2009) was more radical arguing that totemism did not exist and for all intense and purpose was an invention of anthropologists. Durkheim in his book The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1915) presented the most influential interpretation of religion from a functionalist perspective stating society was the soul of religion and was the foundation of all religious beliefs. Durkheim (1961) said all societies divide the world into two categories: the sacred and the profane. Religion is centred on this division; it is a unified system of beliefs and practices related to sacred things, things which are set apart and forbidden (Haralambos, 2001, p. 432). Thus to comprehend the role of religion in society, the connection concerning sacred symbols and what they signify must be determined. Durkheim used the religion of Australian aborigines in order to explain his theory. Durkheim referred to their religion as totemism stating it was the most basic and simplest form of religion. Aboriginal civilisations were divided into numerous clans each having duties and obligations towards their members, one of which is exogamy, where members are not allowed to marry within their clan. Each clan has a totem usually that of an animal or plant which is the emblem of the clan, a sign where each clan can distinguish itself from the others. The totem is the most sacred object in aborigine ritual. The totem is the outward and visible form of the totemic principle of god (ibid, p. 432). Durkheim argued if the totem is the symbol of god and society, therefore society and god are one. So people who are worshipping god are in fact worshipping society therefore, society is the real object of religious worship. Sacred things are considered superior in dignity and power to the profane and part icularly to man, thus, in relation to sacred things individuals are inferior and dependent (p.432). Durkheim said primitive man came to view society as something sacred because he is totally dependent on it. Furthermore, Durkheim argued the reason why society invents a sacred symbol like a totem is because it is easier for a person to visualise and direct his feelings of awe toward a symbol than towards so complex a thing as a clan (ibid, p.433). Durkheim believed in the collective conscience a set of shared values and moral beliefs, religion reinforces the collective conscience. The worship of society strengthens the values and moral beliefs that form the basis of social life. However, Goldenweiser (1910) said: The appearance of Durkheims brilliant but unconvincing treatise on religion brings home the fact that one of the phases of socio-religious thought, namely the problem of totemism, remains as replete with vagueness and misunderstanding as ever (ibid, p.288) Boas (1916) aiming at Durkheim as much as Frazer, denied that cultural phenomena could be bought together into a unity (LÃ ©vi-Strauss, 1969, p. 79). British anthropologists were less ready to give up on the concept of totemism. Malinowski (1925) gives an uncomplicated analysis of totemism relating to the function it has in a given society. Totemism plays a significant role in the ordering and control of nature by man (ibid, p. 22-23). The kind of mans attention in the totemic species shows also the kind of belief and cult to be there expected. Since it is the desire to control the species, dangerous, useful or edible, this desire must lead to a belief in special power over the species, affinity with it, a common essence between man and beast or plant (Malinowski, 1954, p. 45). Totemism as a style of social organisation maintains the status quo in society while as the same time serving as mans interests in a much deeper way: From the survival point of view, it is vital that mans interest in the practically indispensable species should never abate, that his belief in his capacity to control them should give him strength and endurance in his pursuits and stimulate his observations and knowledge of the habits and natures of animals and plants (ibid, p. 46) A criticism of Malinowski is he is guilty of operating entirely within the world of nature and his theory leaves us to explain why totemism, if it responds to human needs is not universal (Leach, 1969, p. 130). Evans-Pritchard (1951) said, Malinowskis theoretical conclusions are no more than descriptions in more abstract language (p.95). Radcliffe- Brown (1929) explored totemism from a structural functionalist perspective; he did not attempt to understand totemism in terms of beliefs, but as a collection of practices that serve to uphold the solidarity and equilibrium of the social group. Radcliffe- Brown described totemism as that circumstance whereupon: Society is divided into groups and there is a special relation between each group and one or more classes of objects that are usually natural species of animals and plants but may occasionally be artificial objects or parts of an animal (Radcliffe-Brown 1965, p. 117). Radcliffe-Brown (1965) said totemic objects are objects which have been accorded ritual value (ibid, p. 123) and he argues that: Any object or event which has important effects upon the well-being (material or spiritual) of a society, or anything which stands for or represents any such object or event, tends to become an object of the ritual attitude (Radcliffe-Brown 1965, p. 129). Here, Radcliffe-Brown comes really near to the utilitarian theories offered by Frazer and Malinowski however; this hypothesis does little to the general understanding of why particular plants and animal species have such a high ritual significance. In a further essay Radcliffe-Brown (1956) highlighted the significance of the conclusions about the relations between humans and animals. Moreover, after listening and examining stories told about animals by Australian aborigines, Radcliffe-Brown concluded they had one theme, and added the resemblances and differences of animal species are translated into terms of friendship and conflict, solidarity and opposition Radcliffe-Brown, 1958, p. 116). Overall concluding, the world of animal life is represented in terms of social relations similar to those of human society (Radcliffe-Brown, 1958, p.116). Radcliffe-Brown proposed the central terms in his version of totemism are opposition and integration adding Totemism stopped being a type of rel igion but was instead a mode of thought where nature had become an object of contemplation for the expression of socio-cultural differences (Tremlett, 2008, p.47). Radcliffe-browns previous idea that objects become totems because they are of ritual interest to society can be turned around: why are they not of ritual interest because they have been designated as totems? (ibid, p.130). Questions have been asked about the integrity of his studies because some anthropologists have accused him of appropriating other peoples research and passing it off as his own. The Australian anthropologist Elkin (1933) said there are many forms of totemism in Australia specifically: Individual, sex, moiety, section, subsection, matrilineal and patrilineal social clans, localised cult clan and dream-totemism. Elkin denied the unity of totemism but sought to preserve its reality on the condition that he might trace it back to a multiplicity of types he stated there is no longer one totemism but many totemisms, each in itself a single irreducible whole (p.113). Elkin (1933) denied the unity in totemism as if he thought it possible to preserve the reality of totemism on condition that it be reduced to a multiplicity of heterogeneous forms (Levi-Strauss, 1969, p. 35). For Elkin (1933) there is no longer one totemism but many totemisms, each in itself a single complex whole. LÃ ©vi-Strauss (1962a) says Elkin instead of helping to slay the hydra (of totemism) has dismembered it and made peace with the bits (ibid, p.66). Evans Pritchard in his book on Nuer religion (1956) regarded totemism as a symbolic formulation of intellectually constructed relationships, (Strauss, 1962. p. 27). He wanted to comprehend totemism in terms of extensive Nuer Beliefs about Kwoth which stands for God or Spirit; there were two manifestations of spirit, higher and lower, with the totemic spirit being the spirit of the below. Evans Pritchard noted that Nuer totems were not symbols of linages, because some linages had none and other linages shared the same totem but did not otherwise acknowledge kinship with each-other. Nor did the totems signify Spirit as such, but rather the connection between God and a specific linage. So, such a study fixed totemism within the religious beliefs and practices of a particular society. Levi-Strauss was very critical of the reality of totemism for him the totemic illusion is the product of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century effort by scientists to relegate the primitive outside the realm of culture (Leach, 1962, p. 127) because they wanted to protect the Victorian world-view by maintaining the Christian distinction between man and nature, thus, by failing to recognise the similarities between Western and primitive codes, scholars created false taxonomies and blurred the universal logic behind all so-called totemic phenomena (ibid, p. 127). Levi-Strauss was inspired by Radcliffe-Brown, whose analyses he attempted to expand upon. LÃ ©vi-Strauss was the leading academic in contemporary structuralism believing human minds have certain universal characteristics which originate in the common feature of the homo-sapiens brain (Haralambos, 2001, p. 910). These common mental structures lead people everywhere to think similarly regardless of their society or cul tural background. LÃ ©vi-Strauss developed a system to show the abstract divisions that he saw in totemism as a phenomenon in human nature. His system was implemented in a table of oppositions or mutual relationships. The basic relationship was between the binary opposites such as nature and culture. On one side there were in nature certain realities such as species of animal, or plants and specific animals and plants. On the other side, there was in culture various groups and individuals who identify themselves with particular species or with specific animal and plants. LÃ ©vi-Strauss (1962a) noticed four types of relationship between nature and culture within totemism: A species of animal or plant identified with a certain group; a species identified with an individual and finally a particular animal or plant identified with a group of animal or plant identified with an individual, a particular animal or plant (p.18). LÃ ©vi-Strauss (1969) stated each of these four groupings correspond to the phenomena that are to be seen in one people to another (ibid. 84). For the first grouping he suggested the Australians, for whom natural entities are linked with cultural groups (p.84); the second grouping was the individual totemism of North American Indians where an individual is linked with a species of nature (p.84). The third grouping the Mota people from the Bank Irelands of Melanesia named: a child is thought to be the incarnation of a specific animal, plant or creature which was found and eaten by the mother when she first found out she was pregnant(p.84). The final groupings were from Polynesia or Africa where fixed individual animals formed the groups support and worshbluefrost13ip (p.84). In conclusion LÃ ©vi-Strauss stated the difference between the classes of man and animal serves as the conceptual basis for social differences. Thus, for LÃ ©vi-Strauss totemism is an illusion and a logic that classifies- a post hoc explanation in which the structure of social relations is projected onto the natural phenomena, not taken from it. In conclusion, totemism is a belief system where the traits in the social organisation of people are believed to have kinship or a mystical relationship with a spirit-being such as an animal or plant which serves as the group or individuals emblem or symbol. As anthropology tries to understand different cultures and provides knowledge about cultural variation in the world through details studies anthropologist would find totemism an interesting topic which has been proved by the number of studies which have been discussed. The first study on totemism was undertaken my McLennan in (1889) who explored the origin of totemism. Boas (1916) studied American Indians and their totem poles, concluding the totem poles functioned as the emblem of the clan showing unity and the rights each clan was entitled to. Frazer (1919) gave the first comprehensive work on totemism; he came up with three theories the final of which saw the origin of totemism as an interpretation of the conception and birth of children a belief he called conceptionalism. Durkheim (1915) hoped to discover a pure religion in a very ancient form and claimed to see the origin of religion in totemism. In 1925 Malinowski explored totemism as a function in a given society. Radcliffe-Brown (1929) researched from a structural functionalist perspective explored how totemism upheld the solidarity of the social group. Elkin (1933) explored numerous forms of totemism. Evans-Pritchard (1956) explored Nuer religion and the symbolic nature of totemism. The final theory discussed on totemism was by Levi-Strauss (1962a/1969) who explored totemism from a structuralist perspective. He gave the most incisive critique of totemism by denying its reality stating totemism is an illusion. Investigations of totemism has decline in recent times, those which have been undertaken have moved away from its universality toward explorations which consider totem structures in a more precise context.