Architecture, Political Landscape and Urbanism on West Africa's Slave Research Paper

Architecture, Political Landscape and Urbanism on West Africa's Slave Coast - Research Paper Example This article identifies some landscape features at Savi and Elmina and postulates accompanying social and political significance of the same. According to Norman & Kelly, many landscape features in Africa have been wrongly interpreted as manifestations European military exploits. However, these landscape features represent the politics of those regions, and have nothing to do with military exploits of the west. The Savi region is the capital of the coastal Hueda Kingdom, in Benin. The state and the capital formed an important part of the Atlantic slave trade. Hueda Archaeological Project under the leadership of Kenneth Kelly, has, since 1991, discovered and mapped the form of a ditch-complex. Later on, the project has concentrated on the palace complex (Kelly, Brunache,& Norman 1999, p. 2). The archeological activities sought to elucidate the political order of the time. The town became desolate in 1772 after the conquest of the Dahomeans. Excavations in the Savi area have yielded lo cally made potteries and smoking pipes. The local pipes discovered were more than the imported. However, it is the ditch complex is the most interesting Savi’s archeology. The ditches are as deep as 8 meters and as wide as 30 meters. Archeologists believe that these ditches separated the residencies of the elites and the rest of the town. This has been proven by the discovery of ramp that provided access to the elite residence. There is also the evidence of a gate structure restricting entry to the area. Additionally, the presence of an elevated watchtower made strong the case of social interpretation of the functions of the ditches. Within the elitist areas, there is evidence of more barriers indicating restrictions to some areas within the elite residence itself. In the palace unearthing, there is evidence of divisions separating different sections of the palace. Furthermore, there is evidence to indicate the presence of storied structures prior to the Dahomean conquest. Ce ramics can be used as active objects domain for cultural configuration and transformation at numerous scales of quotidian lives. They can be used to explain some aspects of the cultural conversions that took place because of the engagement of West Africa in the Atlantic trade. Ceramics for the bulk of artifacts revealed at any excavation site. This is because of their resilience and pervasiveness, making them effective tools of deciphering identity. One useful category are the utilitarian ceramics, which archeologists use identify functional categories and internal group relations by observing the stylistic characteristics. Furthermore, landscape features were built by the interrelationship between political, social and religious institutions. The ditch systems in west African created physical barriers and societal boundaries. They created areas of safety and inclusion (Norman & Kelly 100). The ditch system served several purposes among them, to offer protection to the majority of t he settlements, and differentiate between the royal residence and other non-elite dwellings. The massive work required in the making of such complex ditch system also indicates the level of social organization present in those areas. It shows that the king had the power to summon hordes of people to attend to the duties of the kingdom. This also could have been because of the religious organization of the time. Furthermore, apart from being a show of power, it also alludes to the duties of the king in ordering defensive work. To marshal such an amount of work force, the king must have been entrusted with the duty to defend the kingdom. Another insight that results from the observation of the ditch complex is the regional political climate of

Climate change and the role of Sustainable cites in mitigation and Essay

Climate change and the role of Sustainable cites in mitigation and adaptation - Essay Example It would be elicited that how these cities respond to the issues of mitigation and climatic changes. Further the paper will elaborate the features of climate change initiative launched by UN-Habitat. Factors which bring together the local and national government and the challenges faced by different governments would be described. The issues related to the control of climate changes and mitigation in London is controlled by its mayor and he governs by presenting policies and strategies that could help to resolve these problematic issues. In October 2011, the mayor of London is accordance with the GLA Group and assembly members presented the strategy to cover up the issue of mitigation to climate change and energy factors. The basic factor which is focused is the â€Å"LOW CARBON FUTURE† (London.Gov.Uk 2011). The climate change act was adopted by the government in 2008 and it majorly focused on the reduction of gas emission from the U.K house by 80% till 2050. This goal is not easy to obtain and its achievement requires huge radical changes in the life styles of people, infrastructure of state and the services that are availed. To make the achievement of this goal possible and to initiate the actions the government of London involved City London Corporation to develop a structure on how the future with low carbon should be (City of London 2008). The structure which was developed is as follow: A low carbon environment is where people use the transport which is environment friendly such as more focus on cycling and walking. Plus the public transport would be made efficient and enjoyable to use. The development of building should be done in such a way which serves as energy efficient tools with the supporting features such as the incorporating of renewable energy generation systems and systems for rain water harvesting as the essential features of the business. The city of London cooperation fully supported the aim of reducing

The topic should be in the area of Applications of IT in general and Essay

The topic should be in the area of Applications of IT in general and software in particular - Essay Example the customers and stakeholders are coming in close connection and linkage with each other and there is more room for getting in touch with one another, thus enhancing the chances of working in unison and earning multiple times over and over. However the drawbacks are also apparent in such an undertaking but from a global perspective these seem to take a back seat when there is a comparison of the benefits with the disadvantages, the former ruling roost over the latter in this case. For the understanding related with the discussion at hand, the focus will be on making a clear cut basis for the role of globalization in the finance industry and the manner in which IT has played a key role at speeding up things when it comes to working within the global domains. Globalization in the coming times will leave a lasting impression in the different spheres of life than is present at the moment. In an economic zone, globalization plays a significant role at increasing trade on an international front which as compared to the global economy, is much faster and ahead of its time. Furthermore, we can predict an increase in the flow of capital that has been coming from the global regimes which might include for the foreign direct investment as being one part of it. Then there are the agreements which are signed on a global scale that eventually lead to world bodies like the World Trade Organization (WTO) and others. Global financial systems also come to light as their developmental work gets thumbs up. International transactions speed up as the world bodies like WTO, WIPO, IMF and the like play their role in a more coherent and active manner. Economic practices like global sourcing or outsourcing as we know of it, off-shoring and others increase court esy the multinational concerns. (Berberoglu, 2005) Since this discussion is also on understanding what the future holds for the globalization regimes in terms of the Information Technology’s undertakings, there is a need to

Letter for the editor of Wall Street Journal Essay

Letter for the editor of Wall Street Journal - Essay Example economy did not fall, but reflected 0.0 percent in growth in the first quarter. Other firms, especially JP Morgan agree that the economy fell by a minor 0.2 percent rate, raising questions concerning the validity of quarterly estimates (Mitchell). As it is the case with all reports about the economy, the government announces employment, retail sales, and GDP estimates early, whose data is incomplete. When other data is introduced, the government should adopt the revised values. For GDP, the government should present first estimates then make two revisions for every quarter. The first GDP reading presented for the first three months of 2015 indicated a growth of 0.2 percent. The second reading indicated -0.7 percent growth. This is because it emphasized on data that incorporated a rise in trade deficit, which prevailed at the end of first quarter (Mitchell). Thus, based on these projections, I propose that the first quarter is not horrifying as economists anticipated. This is because the economy is showing signs of growth, particularly because of the growing income, which is fostering consumer spending in diverse industries across the country. Mitchell, Josh. Reports of the U.S. Economy’s Contraction Have Been Greatly Exaggerated. Wall Street Journal. 11 Jun. 2015, web. 12 Jun. 2015.

Petroleum economcs and project management Assignment

Petroleum economcs and project management - Assignment Example OPEC’s first price band mechanism was developed at its 109th meeting of its Conference in March 2000. This mechanism directs that the price of a barrel will range between $22-$28 in order to balance the needs of both the consumers and producers. This method has ensured that OPEC’s role in stabilizing the market is successful because since its inception, the average price of a barrel has been $25.30 per barrel. However, this price band mechanism states that 500,000 barrels per dollar should be added to the market in instances where prices rise above $28 per barrel. This is to ensure that cartels in the industry do not take advantage of high prices and create a shortage hence destabilizing the market. (Alvaro, 2003) As part of its role in ensuring stability in the oil market, OPEC is supposed to deal with shortages that arise from political instability in oil producing areas that may lead to sprawling up of prices. For instance the 2000 September 11 incidence in the USA followed by war in Iraq lead to ‘war premium’; a speculation of oil shortage due to effects of war. Therefore as part of its role in ensuring stability, OPEC convened a consultative meeting to discuss on the ways of countering the looming shortage. This conference was aimed at finding ways in which OPEC could provide assurances to the market that its member countries have the capacity to overcome any shortfall that may occur due to war in Iraq. During the conference, it was agreed that member countries raise their outputs to maximum to meet the market needs and at the same time reduce actual production so as to ensure the threat of over-supply during the season of low demand. (Edmund, 2006) Also, OPEC must demonstrate its commitment to ensuring that the prices do not rise and fall unstably. For instance, in the wake of the price weakness that followed the tragic bomb in September 11 and the war in Iraq, OPEC used the price band strategy in

Malcolm X Essay Example for Free

Malcolm X Essay 1.What details of the events has each writer selected to focus on? Each writer selected to focus on the person that Malcolm X was overall. I believe that they put so much emphasis on the events that took place up until his assassination to show how important he was. Each person meant what his purpose was in the ballroom that day. Each writer also mentioned how many people were there to show his importance also. One crucial detail was that Malcolm X was shot by a member of his own race. 2.How has each writer organized the details that have been selected? Each writer organized the details as if they were watching a television show. They presented the end result first. Then they explained what led to that outcome. Afterwards they explained the reaction the assassination. I can relate to the way they organized the details. When I witness or find something out, I normally say what happened. For example, â€Å"Amber, the car is broken.† Of course the next question would be, how? 3.How does each writer interpret Malcolm X, his followers, the gunmen, and the significance of the assassination? Each writer perceived Malcolm X to be a leader, respected by many. They showed how relaxed he was when the argument began. His followers were in shock because he showed them how to be calm and control themselves through hard times. The gunmen were perceived as someone Malcolm X had problems with in the past. The assassination was shocking because he was killed by a black man when he focused on the mistreatment of the whites. 4.How has each writer used language to express his or her perspectives and to influence the thinking of the reader? Each writer used language by explaining the emotions of everyone when the assassination occurred. The writers wrote in a way to show how important Malcolm X life was. I think that expressing how you felt on a situation is the best way to connect to writers. Your feelings can help others relate.

Work Considered Chronicle Of A Death Foretold English Literature Essay

Work Considered Chronicle Of A Death Foretold English Literature Essay Reflective Statement: Translated from the Spanish masterpiece first published in 1981, Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a tale embossed with irony and political authority. Inspired by a true story, Marquez eloquently critiques the collective psychology of the small Columbian coastal towns residents, whose response to the murder is portrayed through a powerfully orchestrated framework of poetic beauty and literary phenomenon that preserves a chapter of history in a portrait of the 1950s community. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Marquezs work and hope my enthusiasm was conveyed to the group. Discussion focussed on how contextual factors shaped the novella. Plagued by corruption stemming from Catholicism, full appreciation of Marquezs work is dependent upon understanding of religious contexts. Ironically, blatant disregard for religious scriptures implies a superficial nature to religious devotion. I communicated how, despite claiming to be devout Catholics, the neighbourhood undermine religious attitudes by lying to avoid culpability and killing to preserve honour. The insightfully articulated point explaining how forgiveness is the main teaching in Catholicism reinforced how religion cant be used to justify honour killings since they are contradictory to Biblical teachings. We concluded that religion was being used to veil corrupt traditions and anachronistic sentiments. Marquez criticises male obligation to defend family honour. Reminiscent of a motto, there is conviction in the expression honour doesnt wait. Although women are objectified throughout, Angelas accusation that Santiago was her perpetrator remains unquestioned, perhaps because, where preservation of honour is concerned, the sentiment supersedes the action itself. Someone said that possibility of the victims innocence was irrelevant; Santiagos life compensated for the shame brought on the family. The ambiguity of biblical teachings invites misinterpretation. Wiping dirt off his guts, ironically Santiago is the only one with honour. Someone thought cultural differences made relating to characters difficult, reducing overall reading pleasure; I argued, however, time has enriched the story. Influenced by changing attitudes; when the narrator returns 27 years later to piece together the events of the murder, details are confused, suggesting that the townsfolk have altered their memories to absolve themselves of guilt and shared responsibility. Magical realism is a recurring motif. Implications of shared responsibility are shown through the enchanting way everything smells of Santiago Nasar; suggestive of the guilt that haunts the community. Poignant fantastical imagery confuses the distinction between reality and fiction and, like the investigation that inspired his work, there are many unanswered questions. 395 words Aspect: How does narrative perspective influence the readers understanding of the events? Title: Why does Marquez allow the selection of evidence to be influenced by a subjective narrator and to what extent does this complicate the readers investigation into the question who or what is responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar? Translated from the 1981 Spanish text, Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a tale embossed with irony and riddled with mystery. Inspired by a real event, Marquez critiques the collective psychology of the towns residents and their response to a cold-blooded murder. The distinction between fact and fiction is blurred by discrepancies presented within a complex narrative framework as our unnamed narrator investigates the murder. Although the journalistic style is convincing, like everything in this novel, the various accounts are not as they seem. Compounded by the absence of potentially enlightening documents, the investigation presents nothing more than a subjective compilation of inconsistencies. As the narrator rummages through a lagoon of lost causes (100) attempting to recover partial records from the original investigation, we too must piece together an impossible puzzle of narrative ambiguities. No more reliable than the members of the community desperately trying to evade respons ibility, our detective narrator filters and manipulates the evidence, imparting a fragmented report plagued with unsolved mysteries. Thus, when approaching the underlying question who or what is responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar consideration of narrative perspective is essential to see through the misleading facade worn by the community. Narrative subjectivity is shrouded by a deceptive journalistic style. His unique position as a member of the community has decisive influence on the investigation proceedings, making it difficult to establish a trusting relationship with the narrator. We learn of neither his character nor his motivations for trying after so many years to disinter the horrific events, although hopes to unearth a forgotten secret that could restore coherence to the investigation are frequently implied. Despite his meticulous research, our narrator is unable to provide any persuasive evidence; merely a subjective compilation of contradictory accounts, procured largely from sources confounded with bias. Whats more, the traditions and cultural values of the community have had subtle influences on the narrators work. Expressing an intrinsic belief in his mothers ability she had a well-earned reputation as an accurate interpreter of other peoples dreams'(2), the narrator places great value on mythical allus ions; the hyphenated adjective well-earned implying a level of respect and perhaps even admiration for her ability. Although our narrators roots and his relationships with the central protagonists add a new dimension to the investigation, ultimately, like the smell of Santiago Nasar in the memories of the characters, uncertainty lingers in the mind of the reader as a consequence of his subjectivity. One of the major challenges the narrator encounters is the limited availability of evidence; failure to procure key details left many questions unanswered during the original investigation and continues to riddle the chronicle for readers today. Responsible for the selection of evidence, the narrator controls what information is available to the reader; it is plausible that certain details remain undisclosed to protect his integrity. This is compounded by the fact only some 322 from the more than 500 (100) pages of an already deficient collection of documents were rescued by the narrator, implying the absence of details perhaps critical to the understanding of existing evidence and success of the investigation. In compensation for the lack of original evidence he interviews members of the community, but even these accounts are nebulous. Angelas mother, for example, refuses to speak of past events she went to her grave with her secret (46); her memories may have been critical in advan cing the investigation, hence the denied information incites unwelcome feelings of missed opportunity. Such feelings of despair are reflected in this poignant image that reinforces how the secrets are concealed and out of reach, with a metaphorical evocation that the truth is inaccessible. One can only imagine a grave to be a lonely place for a secret; buried deep in the ground and in total darkness, if light represents truth and understanding, this image may be symbolic of the unknown. There is also a suggestion that the community doesnt want the truth exposed as it would mean accepting a degree of culpability. More so than the reservations of key characters, it is the impossibility of retrieving certain memories that troubles the narrator. Officer Leandro Pornoy died the following year, gored in the jugular vein by a bull (53) before the narrator had the opportunity to talk to him. Here the graphic imagery is shocking and resembles something of a newspaper headline. Moreover, incl usion of gory details is consistent with the honest reporting style that veils the narrators subjectivity. Thus, the limited availability of information serves to divert the readers already gruelling journey in search of the truth; our confusion parallels that of our narrator. Used throughout the chronicle as a motif to reflect the emotional position of its characters, the weather is a topic of inconsistency, casting an element of mystery over the novel which is never explicitly addressed. Throughout, Marquez uses pathetic fallacy to convey characters attitudes. Victoria Guzman openly expressed an ardent dislike for Santiago Nasar and her lack of remorse for failing to prevent his murder is metaphorically implied in her statement, claiming It hadnt rained that day, or during the whole month of February (7); her conscience as clear as the sky in her testimony, she will continue to stand by her judgement. Reported to have been a radiant morning with a sea breeze coming in through the banana groves (2), similar values are shared by other members of the community. The positive connotations associated with this image of pastoral harmony suggest a relatively content state of mind and lack of concern. Conversely, the narrator may have been motivated by a desire t o absolve himself from the guilt haunting his conscience. Uncovering the truth would give the investigation a sense of closure, allowing Santiagos memory be left to rest in peace. Where light represents truth and knowledge, it seems apposite that the weather was funereal, with a cloudy, low sky (2). Blocking the sun in the same way answers have been concealed for 27 years, the clouds carry therefore symbolic importance. Hence, provided that questions remain unanswered, the narrator will never truly be able to rid himself of the guilt; perhaps Marquez is presenting a subtle criticism of societys values in that murder should never be justified or accepted on the grounds of honour or personal aversion. The chronicle doesnt follow the typical narrative structure. Instead, intrinsic of the investigation itself, the reader first learns of the murder in the opening sentence before journeying alongside the narrator in an attempt to discover the truth behind the tragedy; the reconstructed past fragmented as proceedings are recounted from various perspectives. Metaphorically, each shard of the broken mirror of memory (5) is a fragment of the truth that only when united can reveal the underlying truth. Meticulous investigation presents a limited picture; like a mirror, the closer the narrator scrutinises individual testimonies and solitary evidence, the more his desired answers elude him and multiple inconsistencies reveal a level of subjectivity. The narrator advocates the conviction of a foretold death because none of us could go on living without an exact knowledge of the place and mission assigned to us by fate. (97), hoping like the rest of the community, to detach himself from the si tuation, alleviating the burden of personal responsibility. The extent to which the death of Santiago Nasar can be attributed to fate, is, however, largely ambiguous. It is Marquezs use of magical realism that alludes to the number of obscure coincidences for which the only logical explanation is fate, sending the reader into a blurred conceptual zone somewhere between fact and fiction. Thus, subjectivity of our unnamed narrator in Chronicle of a Death Foretold can be seen to compromise the credibility of the narrative. The selection of already limited evidence, influenced by the narrators obligation to protect his community, further complicates the underlying investigation into the question: who or what is responsible for the death of Santiago Nasar? His motivation may have been to answer this question; however, it is difficult to identify a single offender given that the entire community is culpable to some degree. Many of the characters insist that fate is responsible for Santiagos death the narrator included, but this is merely a facade, burying the shame that would inevitably be cast upon them should they reveal the truth of how they tolerated such a brutal murder. Ultimately there is not one culprit, nor was the death of Santiago Nasar down to fate, rather it is the anachronistic traditions of the Roman Catholic community that should be criticised. Following social progression, it is difficult for the ashamed community to dwell on events of the past as no justification seems logical or indeed adequate to defend such an unthinkable murder. The collective group overshadowed and plagued the thoughts of the individual; but clearly what is popular is not always moral. His role is not to expose the truth; as a member of that community, inability to accept responsibility will prevent the narrator from ever solving the mystery surrounding the death of Santiago Nasar. Ultimately, Marquez uses the narrator as a device to question the unreliability of the communitys collective voice. (1467 Words)