Documentary Film journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Documentary Film journal - Essay Example My homeland is Iran. After the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran experienced a tremendous influx of immigration from these regions; today this immigration constitutes one of the largest social issues in Iran. As the issue has garnered significant media attention, it’s recognized that there has also been significant misrepresentation. To a large degree I recognized that the media’s representation of these immigrants was unfair and increasingly produced negative stereotypes. In fact, these immigrants are required to work long hours for extremely limited pay in a process that is akin to modern slavery. While I had direct experience with immigration in Iran, my knowledge of the illegal immigration experienced in the United Kingdom was limited. Still, after a quick perusal I came to recognize that the immigrant experience in this region held many parallels to the abhorrent conditions Iranian immigrants experienced. Indeed, further research demonstrated that the problem of t he illegal immigration experience cannot be limited to any one region, but is instead a global problem. Indeed, Chinese writer and journalist Pai notes: The number of people living outside their countries of origin more than doubled between 1975 and 2000, from 75 million to 175 million, and is likely to double again in the next twenty-five years, according to International Labour Organization (ILO). Among the 175 million away from home, migrant workers and their families now account for 120 million people globally. It’s estimated that undocumented migrant workers constitute about twenty per cent of global migration: which means that there are around 24 million ‘illegal workers’ world-wide (2007, p. 246). This understanding of the global and expanding nature of the illegal immigration crisis greatly influenced and inspired my research and motivated my documentary production. To a large degree it was the namelessness of these immigrants that grabbed my attention an d emotionally affected me. I considered that because of the nature of their condition they lack any status and in a sense it’s as if they don’t exist. I began to focus my research on a number of books and articles. These include: Reluctant Refuge, Enslaved, Modern Slavery, Chinese Whispers and etc. After my initial research of the pervading subject literature, I sought out a number of individuals who were experts in immigration law. Finally, having gained a thorough foundational understanding, I turned to major films on the subject. There is a tremendous amount of cinematic exploration of the immigration issues. My research involved films including: Ghosts (2006) by Nick Broomfield, Welcome (2009) by Philippe Lioret, Journey of Hope (1990) by Xavier Koller, La Promesse (1996) by Dardenne Brothers, Dirty Pretty Things (2002) by Stephen Frears, Gypo (2005) by Jan Dunn, The Visitor (2007) by Thomas McCarthy and etc. My next step was attending trials that included illegal immigrants as a means of gaining a first-hand perspective on the interaction between law and immigration. Interview Process After researching literature, film, and legal elements, I turned my focus to reaching out to interview actual illegal immigrants. As one might expect this was the most challenging aspect of my research. These individuals are an invisible part of the economic structure

Community Development Essay Example for Free

Community Development Essay Achieving gender equality and empowering women are necessary to achieve social, economic and political development. Today, girls and women continue to benefit from health and education services with women surpassing men in enrolment and academic achievements in many situations. Women in Malaysia are also more actively involved today in politics and numerous other national initiatives. Malaysia’s commitment and dedication to the advancement of women is evident in many of its programs and policies in the last two decades. In 1985, the Government of Malaysia formulated the National Policy on Women as a guide for women’s participation in the development process. The Policy helps enhance women’s quality of life by overcoming challenges through poverty eradication and education. The stature of women became a primary objective of the 6th Malaysia Plan (1991 – 1995), where a special fund for the development of women became a significant and integral step towards empowering women in Malaysia. Subsequent Malaysia Plans continue to focus on the needs of women with recommendations to advance their position in society. By agreeing to the commitments set forth in the Beijing Platform for Action at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women (1995), the Government promised to 1) enhance the national machinery for womens advancement; 2) increase womens participation in decision-making; 3) safeguard womens rights to health, education and social well being and 4) remove legal obstacles and gender discriminatory practices. In 1995, the Government also ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW). In 2001, the Government created the Ministry of Women and Family Development with a mandate to address issues on women and uplift the stature of women in the country. Malaysia’s Constitution was amended in August 2001 to prohibit discrimination in any law on the basis of gender. The Government continues to play a crucial and supportive role in achieving greater gender equality in the country, by providing a healthy environment for the advancement of women at both national and international arenas. The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development which is responsible for addressing women’s issues in Malaysia has had its budget increase from RM 1.8 million (US$ 0.5 million) in 2001 to RM 30.5 million (US$ 8.6 million) in 2005, demonstrating the country’s serious commitment to the cause. Future challenges to be considered include: addressing the continued poverty among female-headed households; combating violence against women; raising the effectiveness of gender mainstreaming strategies; reducing women’s risk of contracting HIV; removing attitudinal challenges that impact capacity-building; and raising the level of women’s participation in the labour force, in business and in politics and government. KPWKM is headed by a Minister, currently held by Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (UMNO). She is assisted by a Deputy Minister, currently held by Senator Heng Seai Kie (MCA). The following departments and agencies are under the purview of the KPWKM: * Department for Womens Development  In 1975, the Government set up the National Advisory Council on the Integration of Women in Development (NACIWID) as the machinery to ensure the involvement of women in development. In 1983, the Secretariat for Womens Affairs (HAWA) in the Prime Ministers Department was established to take over the tasks of the NACIWID Secretariat. From 1997, HAWA functioned as a department under the former Ministry of National Unity and Social Development. In 2001, the Department was placed under the then newly established KPWKM and restructured as the Department for Womens Development (DWD). By 2002, the DWD had set up branch offices in every state in Malaysia.[7] * Social Welfare Department  Initially set up in 1946 as the Community Welfare Department of Malaya, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) has evolved in fulfilling its role in national development. From initially being involved in mitigating the social problems brought about by the immediate post-war period, the role and functions of this department have expanded to cover prevention and rehabilitation services in social issues as well as community development.[8] * National Population and Family Development Board  The National Population and Family Development Board (NPFDB) was established in 1966 to improve the reproductive health status of women and men and encourage family planning. It has since evolved to include policy and advisory roles by assisting planners and programme managers to integrate population and family development into sectoral development programme planning as well as facilitate policy makers to consider population and family development factors in the formulation of national development policies and strategies.[9] * Social Institute of Malaysia  The Social Institute of Malaysia was set up to promote professional and semi-professional training in the field of training and research as well as social education to all social workers from various levels and groups from within and outside the country including non-governmental organizations. It currently operates from a 50-acre (200,000 m2) campus in Sungai Besi that was completed in 2001.

To Download Or Not To Download :: essays research papers fc

The Internet is an extremely useful resource. Using it, one can obtain information on nearly any topic. A relatively new item of Internet technology for sharing music has emerged and brought with it, countless legal debates: Napster. Napster allows people to share music files, discover new artists, and become part of the online-music community. Although Napster’s opponents argue that sharing music files is immoral and should cease immediately, the positive elements that Napster brings to the Internet overshadow any regret for its use. Marc Geiger, executive of â€Å"Artist Direct,† an online music-marketing firm and Napster champion, states, â€Å"Napster is totally community oriented. It brings artists and fans together, and can allow struggling musicians a chance to be heard; that’s what the program is all about. The more people hear the songs, the more they want {to} buy the CD† (Sullivan). Struggling musicians who do not receive widespread media coverage to enhance their own album sales find Napster invaluable (Sullivan). These avid Napster supporters can use the medium to distribute and publicize their music with literally no cost (Sullivan). Richardson, CEO of Napster, Inc., is promoting the good side of the software, and trying to make upset artists understand that this program is for the little guys (Sullivan). Richardson maintains that Napster will not hinder music sales, but will have an opposite effect (Sullivan). Napster is an MP3 file-sharing program that enables users to share their music with one another. Anyone with a computer can download the program, sign the user agreement contract and then start swapping music. The program includes chat features, top music sharing lists, search capabilities, charts showing the status of the file transfer, and other assisting utilities (Allen). The chat rooms allow users to converse and exchange information with other people â€Å"in† the room (Allen). The search feature allows the music consumer to search by song title, artist, along with a myriad of other variables. The file transfer element of the program allows listeners to manage file downloads (files which they are receiving) and uploads (files which others are copying) (Allen). Napster also includes a â€Å"library,† a utility for sorting and listing music files stored on a given computer (Allen). Napster users can also listen to their newly downloaded files with Naptster’s built in mp3-player (Allen). The program is easy to use and does not contain too much technical jargon (Allen). A Northeastern student named Shawn Fanning developed Napster in his college dorm room to share ideas and music with his friends.

Kosinskis Being There and the Existential Anti-Hero Essay -- Being Th

Kosinski's Being There and the Existential Anti-Hero      Ã‚   Critics have referred to Kosinski's Being There as his worst novel.   Perhaps, Kosinski's prosaic style is deceptive in its apparent simplicity (especially when contrasted with The Painted Bird).   "What Kosinski seeks to do," as Welch D. Everman relates, "is to stimulate the reader's recreative and imaginative task by offering only the essentials...Kosinski's style draws the reader into the incident by refusing to allow him to remain passive" (25).   This essay will propose that Being There is a major existential work following in the tradition of Sartre and Camus in which Chance, the main protagonist, mirrors Camus's Mersault in A Happy Death and in which Koskinski demonstrates the logical progression of the existential anti-hero.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An initial response to Being There often might be to focus upon the text as a type of Creation anecdote, or as a social satire, or perhaps as a political critique against mass media and the television generation.   While all of these readings are legitimate, it seems that the starting point should center on Kosinski's protagonist, Chance, in order to understand the universal significance of the portrayal of Chance, and implicitly the reader, as victim.   Chance is a contemporary innocent.   Whether, as is often argued, he is mentally challenged or not is irrelevant.   Rather, Chance simply exists.   He watches television, is unable or unwilling to function within prescribed cultural paradigms, and finally, is simply a mirror, reflecting back to others sublimated images of desires projected onto him.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Chance is the American Everyman.   The events which befall him could befall anyone.   He, like all of us, ha... ...en, David.   Camus.   Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1988.    Works Consulted Bruss, Paul.   Victims.   Lewisburg: Bucknell UP, 1981. Camus, Albert.   The Stranger.   New York: Vintage, 1946. Granofsky, Ronald.   "Circle and Line: Modern and Postmodern Constructs of the Self in Jerzy Kosinski's The Painted Bird."   Essays in Literature 18.2 (1991): 254-68. Griffiths, Gareth.   "Being there, being There: Postmodernism and Post-Colonialism: Kosinski and Malouf."   Ariel 20.4 (1989): 132-48. Grigbsy, John L.   "Mirroring of America and Russia: Reflections of Tolstoy in Jerzy Kosinski's Being There."   Notes on Contemporary Literature 17.4 (1987): 6-8. Kosinski, Jerzy.   The Painted Bird.   New York: Bantam, 1978. Lavers, Norman.   Jerzy Kosinski.   Boston: Twayne, 1982. Piwinski, David J.   "Kosinski's The Painted Bird."   The Explicator 40.1 (1981): 62-3.

Comparre and Contrast Essay

Over the years the U.S had underwent tremendous changes socially, politically, and economically making the U.S what it is today. Many classes began to develop with industrialization. Rich factory owners were able to set themselves out from the rest of the group by growing in wealth, and there were many lower-class unskilled workers who took jobs where ever they could find them. By 1800, many political leaders were convinced that slavery was undesirable, and should eventually be abolished, and the slaves returned to their natural homes in Africa. Women had no rights at all men had the upper hand in everything , women couldn’t even get an education they had to stay home cleaning , cooking , and taking care of the kids but eventually a law was passed and women could participation in politics, get an education , and get a job just like men. With various inventions such as the typewriter, the mechanical reaper, the oil drill, and the light bulb, work was able to be done at a much faster and efficient rate, which made things cheaper, which then in turn helped the economy because people were able to buy more things. The Federal Reserve was established. Early American currency went through several stages of development in the colonial and post-Revolutionary history of the United States. Because few coins were minted in the thirteen colonies that became the United States in 1776, foreign coins like the Spanish dollar were widely circulated. Many political machines were run through tenant owners where immigrants were able to sign up for a job in a factory if they vowed to vote for a candidate of the land lord’s choice. Ratification of the 14th amendment was established standardizing what an American citizen was. The 13th amendment was established abolishing slavery. The 15th amendment was passed after the Civil War that guaranteed blacks the right to vote. This amendment affected not only freed slaves in the South, but also blacks living in the North, who generally had not been allowed to vote. As you can see the U.S had underwent a lot of socially, politically, and economically changes. If it wasn’t for all these changes being made the U.S wouldn’t be where it is today.

Best Scholarship Essay Topics for You Part 1

Best Scholarship Essay Topics for You Part 1 25 Most Promising Scholarship Essay Topics Part 1 The Most Promising Scholarship Essay Topics All undergraduate students know the difficulty of earning scholarship points. Nevertheless, if you choose good scholarship essay topics, these difficulties wont hurt you. These topics will help you start writing, follow the format and create a great essay. If you use them, you will definitely succeed and obtain a scholarship from the university of your dreams! Unmatched Topics for a Scholarship Essay Why did I become a dedicated and diligent student and what experiences encourage me to continue my education? How did I improve the atmosphere in my classroom by becoming a school policymaker? How I graduated from college, despite being extremely poor. How I earned my first $1,000 after becoming a school entrepreneur. How I traveled for a year and learned diverse, unique cultures around the world. How I left my comfort zone, started a new life and succeeded. Why scholarships are unfair to students but are still required for their success. Why students have huge college debts today and how scholarship can help solve this problem. I know the value of discipline, and I am ready to use it to succeed in my studies. I have a vast experience due to being a foreign volunteer. However, the whole life is still ahead of me. Dreaming motivates us to move forward and attain the highest goals, so every person should have a dream, no matter how unattainable it may be. How entering the college will help me resolve some of the most urgent global problems.To be continued

Using TDictionary for Hash Tables in Delphi

Using TDictionary for Hash Tables in Delphi Introduced in Delphi 2009, the TDictionary class, defined in the Generics.Collections unit, represents a generic hash table type collection of key-value pairs. Generic types, also introduced in Delphi 2009, allow you to define classes that dont specifically define the type of data members. A dictionary is, in a way, similar to an array. In an array you work with a series (collection) of values indexed by an integer value, which can be any ordinal type value. This index has a lower and an upper bound. In a dictionary, you can store keys and values where either can be of any type. The TDictionary Constructor Hence the declaration of the TDictionary constructor: In Delphi, the TDictionary is defined as a hash table. Hash tables represent  a collection of key-and-value pairs that are organized based on the hash code of the key. Hash tables are optimized for lookups (speed). When a key-value pair is added to a hash table, the hash of the key is computed and stored along with the added pair. The TKey and TValue, because theyre generics, can be of any type. For example, if the information you are to store in the dictionary is coming from some database, your Key can be a GUID (or some other value presenting the unique index) value while the Value can be an object mapped to a row of data in your database tables. Using TDictionary For the sake of simplicity, the example below uses integers for TKeys and chars for TValues.   First, we declare our dictionary by specifying what the types of the TKey and TValue will be: Then the dictionary is filled using the Add method. Because a dictionary cannot have two pairs with the same Key value, you can use the ContainsKey method to check if some key-valued pair is already inside the dictionary. To remove a pair from the dictionary, use the Remove method. This method will not cause problems if a pair with a specified key is not a part of the dictionary. To go through all the pairs by looping through keys you can do a for in loop. Use the TryGetValue method to check if some key-value pair is included in the dictionary. Sorting The Dictionary Because a dictionary is a hash table it does not store items in a defined sort order. To iterate through the keys that are sorted to meet your specific need, take advantage of the TList a generic collection type that supports sorting. The code above sorts keys ascending and descending and grabs values as if they were stored in the sorted order in the dictionary. The descending sorting of integer-type Key values uses TComparer and an anonymous method. When Keys and Values Are of TObject Type The example listed above is a simple one because both the key and the value are simple types. You can have complex dictionaries where both the key and the value are complex types like records or objects. Heres another example: Here a custom record is used for the Key and a custom object/class is used for the value. Note the usage of a specialized TObjectDictionary class here. TObjectDictionary can handle objects lifetime automatically. The Key value cannot be nil, while the Value value can. When a TObjectDictionary is instantiated, an Ownerships parameter specifies whether the dictionary owns the keys, values or both and therefore helps you not have memory leaks.