buy custom The Schuman Declaration essay

buy custom The Schuman Declaration essay The Schuman Declaration was proposed and declared by the then Foreign minister for France, Robert Schuman, in May 1950. It led to the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the predecessor to the European Union (EU). The main aim was to create organization and economic links between European countries with an overall objective of fostering peace and diplomatic relations. The Schuman Declaration not only fostered peace but also ruled out the eventuality of war among European nations. As Gowland states, war was not only unthinkable, but (also) materially impossible. Europe, having experienced the Second World War, was keen to redevelop and revamp its institutions in order to ensure prosperity. If any rapid economic growth was to be achieved, there was a need to obtain coal and steel cheaply and easily from neighboring countries. Most of these resources were already available in Germany, a country that distrusted its fellow European countries for the chief reason that they were in opposition during the War. The European Coal and Steel Community ensured that Germany was recognized as an equal trading partner across Europe. An irrevocable tie was thus created via a supranational union. Describe the general international situation at the time of the Schuman Declaration. Europe had just experienced the Second World War and there was great distrust among European nations, more so between Germany and the rest of the European nations. The two World Wars had almost split the continent apart and had seen a lot of bloodshed, financial losses and widespread destruction on both sides. In addition, there were fears about the possible emergence of a Third World War due to the escalating Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Hence, there was a need to come up with a supranational community that would create sufficient momentum for the European nations to gel as partners in order to withstand any looming crises. On the other hand, Germany recognized that the French distrusted them deeply and they feared the return of German natonalism. Chancellor Adenaur, the then German Chancellor, understood these difficulties. He shrewdly adopted the plan in order to advance Western Germanys desire for equality and sovereignty without raising suspicion. Through regional integration, Germany would be accepted as an equal member, therefore facilitating its reconstruction and rehabilitation. Explain what Schuman meant when he said: The coming together of the nations of Europe requires the elimination of the age-old opposition of France and Germany. Any action taken must in the first pace concern these two countries. The Second World War had led to a division between the then European superpowers. After Germany was defeated by the Allied forces and the war came to an end, Europe was in need of reconstruction. For these to successfully take place, age-old enmity and mistrust had to be laid aside. The success of the Schuman Plan was heavily dependent on this. In addition, for the plan to be accepted internationally, three key actors needed to approve of the document: Germany, France and the United States. Although the United States was a major economic powerhouse and a world superpower that could not be ignored, the approval of the Schuman Declaration lay at the hands of the French and the Germans. Whereas it granted the Germans a means to re-establish their credentials across Europe and a viable method via which it could abolish all domestic and foreign policy controls, it availed a means through which the French could stamp their authority as an European power in addition to gaining protection fr om Germany, as was traditionally the case. Therefore, the Schuman Declaration overturned previous French concepts. Instead of fighting in order to gain control over an enemy, the Declaration availed a means via which both nations would treat each other as equals. What community was set up because of this Declaration and how was it run? The Schuman Declaration proposes that all coal and steel produced by France and Germany be placed under a higher authority. The production, distribution and marketing of these vital elements would be placed under the jurisdiction of this body and would be independent of the states governments. The higher authority was the precursor to the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The Schuman Declaration was open for other European countries to join. Hence, in April 1951, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium signed a treaty that led to the inception of the community. The ECSC was created under the treaty of Paris and run by a higher authority. Checks were performed by bodies elected by member states, Members of Parliament from the member states and the Court of Justice. The higher authority was an independent, executive and supranational body that was charged with the responsibility of drafting and overseeing policies within the jurisdiction of the ECSC. Its headquarters were located in Luxembourg. What were the objectives of this community? (as described in this declaration) The objectives of the ECSC can be derived from the Schuman Declaration. First, the declaration marked the onset of a unified Europe. Struggling to re-build various institutions, the community availed a means via which countries would quickly regain their status before the war. Secondly, the community aimed at fostering world peace and eliminating any eventualities of war between member states. This ensured that there would be no Third World War or inter-state wars. Thirdly, it created a common market across member countries. Raw materials produced in one country could be easily sold to a member state. Therefore, it lifted trade barriers. For instance, the rapid revitalization of the steel and coal sector led to the rapid economic expansion among member states. Finally, it led to a step-by-step redevelopment strategy that fostered democracy. Notably, the ECSC led to the dissolution of the Iron Curtain which existed between Eastern and Western Europe. This not only widened the market f or European communities but also led to deeper diplomatic ties amongst member nations. Buy custom The Schuman Declaration essay

Social Location Essays

Social Location Essays Social Location Paper Social Location Paper To begin I would like to define exactly what social location is, according to Heinlein, Social location is the group memberships that people have because of their location in history and society. Social location has to do with a persons age, race, gender, Job, income, and education. (Heinlein 201 5 peg) Our book says, To find out why people do what they do, we look at social location (Heinlein, 2015 peg). And I believe it also tells who we are so, my next words are in fact who I am. First, I am a mother and a wife, a woman. As of right now I am what society sees as the norm for a mother and wife role. My Husband goes to work and I stay home and take care of our two small children. I cook, clean, and make sure everything is overall always in order at home. While I feel like this is expected because my husband works, I do still think that if I did too, or only, or if he did not, that I would still typically be expected to maintain the household and the children. While some can see this as an advantage, there are also ions. Such as, woman are seen as weaker, and/or easier targets. Also, there are something that are so much easier for men, Like being uneducated and still being able to get and rise statuses within a Job. Next, I am white. I do believe In society It Is easier to be a white woman than any other race. It Is more accepted and I am more privileged. Even though I see this as really unfair, races are not treated equally or fairly. Then, I am a Christian. As a woman In church all may know we are far less powerful than the men. We do Sunday school, BBS, cook, clean, and are a pretty voice In the choir. We do not preach, teach or make any decisions. In church I would be the underdog, or not thought of as highly. I would say we are a middle class family. My husband works hard to make as much money as possible. We do not live a dream life, yet we do not go without. I would say that there are some advantages and disadvantages to being middle class. Advantage being that we have everything that we NEED, and a disadvantage being that we have to work harder and longer for the hinge that we want. My social location Is a network of different statuses. All of which allow me to feel powerful or not so much, It allows me to speak or stay silent, depending on where I am or who I am with. Hansel says The sociological perspective stresses the social contexts In which people live. It examines how these contexts Influence peoples lives. (Hansel 201 5) and In my case Social location establishes who I am. Hansel,J. (2015 peg 3). Sociology: A down-to-earth approach. Core concepts. Boston, MA: Pearson Publishing social Location By differentiation what they do, we look at social location (Heinlein, 201 5 peg). And I believe it also tells something that are so much easier for men, like being uneducated and still being able to get and rise statuses within a Job. Next, I am white. I do believe in society it is easier to be a white woman than any other race. It is more accepted and I am more fairly. Then, I am a Christian. As a woman in church all may know we are far less in the choir. We do not preach, teach or make any decisions. In church I would be the My social location is a network of different statuses. All of which allow me to feel powerful or not so much, it allows me to speak or stay silent, depending on where I am or who I am with. Heinlein says The sociological perspective stresses the social contexts in which people live. It examines how these contexts influence peoples lives. (Heinlein 201 5) and in my case Social location establishes who I am.

Special education needs in Warnock Report Essay

Special education needs in Warnock Report - Essay Example Mostly the government’s rules and regulations are designed according to the physical environment and the physical activities of human beings. The same applies in the education system too; as the policies on education are objected to meet the physical and cultural requirements of the children. Resultantly, such objectives are certain to create a huge gap between the psychological requirements of children and the ongoing education practices. Normally, children are emotional in their nature due to the need of dependency; as a result they are more comfortable with emotional attachment. Their nature, personality and the learning ability is structured depending upon the emotional love and affection they entertain in their day to day life. Apparently, the learning ability varies in every child due to the variations in the environment they are grown up. Therefore, the equal standard education plan may be applicable to a mass of student but not to those who are having disability in lea rning skill. Warnock report came up in the United Kingdom as a revolution in education, advocating for the need of special education system for the children with learning disabilities. The report was against the education system for treating child education with an objective approach. The report talks against the deliberative formalities in teaching styles. The report laid foundations for the introduction of statements of special educational need in England and Wales in 1980 and the statement process has been considered as one of the most major changes in education system of the United Kingdom. 1944 act on education system had been designed to provide education to the children on the basis of age, aptitude and ability. Disabled Children were segregated in eleven several categories of handicap. That included educationally subnormal, and delicate as well as blind. However, the then general viewpoint of the education system was that the child should fit the school rather than the schoo l fit the child (Warnock, 1978). In the year 1974, Warnock Committee chaired by Mary Warnock, was formed to design a new system of education; the committee came up with Warnock Report in 1978, which was objected to look at the needs of children requiring special education. The report concluded that there are 20% children who require special educational need but 2% among them need the special support and the remaining 18% of student can be given care with mainstream school’s facilities. Finally the report recommended that there should be dedicated provision for children with SEN which would be able to protect the 2% and ensure that they are not deprived of the provision (Warnock, 1979). This Report brought another educational reform in action that was Education Act 1981, which added the responsibility to the local education authorities to subjectively recognize and assess pupils with SEN and decide the suitable provision to apply on them. The 1981 Act, afterward successfully s urpassed by Education act 1993 and 1996, which bound the state to announce a code of practice on special education need ordering all the local education authority to go as per the SEN provision and made it an obligatory responsibility for all concerned bodies including the school administration to give special care to the children with special education need. The education act of 1981 also allowed the parents of the SEN children to make an appeal to the LEA and to the state government in

Assess the impact of Multi- (or Trans-) National Corporations on Essay

Assess the impact of Multi- (or Trans-) National Corporations on international relations. Illustrate your points with examples from the activities of named corp - Essay Example Different markets have welcomes the move taken by such multinational giants but some of them have resisted the affect which has been created by them. Such is the eventual effect by these multinational corporations that many local businesses have winded up in a quick manner, thus putting them out of business in the wake of sheer competitive activity that these multinationals bring with their set agendas. The impact however has been on both sides of the divide – good as well as bad. The results have similarly been lopsided at times, favoring the business regimes in certain cases while bankrupting the parent organization in other instances. The sort of impact these multinational corporations have had on the global relations is something to ponder upon deeply though. This is because it is the international platform which indeed lays the success or failure basis for these multinationals. (Dunning, 2001) The multinational corporations worldwide face a number of challenges when they decide to go global. This is a common problem that they face since they do not have any prior knowledge or understanding of the new territory that they will do their business from. However what best they can do is to find out and research the strengths and weaknesses of this area and hence upon getting the much needed knowledge, base their theories and strategies in a much more effective and efficient manner. This will help one and all to better understand what the new territory, region or country offers the business and the people associated with it. The best thing is that the benefits and disadvantages are determined even before the multinational corporation goes the global way and thus it saves itself from embarrassment which it might face without having proper knowledge and adequate research within it. The significant thing here is to get prepared and be ready for what is to come in the future as

Marks and Spencer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marks and Spencer - Essay Example Additionally, they employ over 78,000 people all over the world (Marks and Spencer, 2012a). Financial Analysis of M&S: Despite global recession the company has managed to increase its revenues from its UK and international operations. An important point to make here is that M&S is a UK based brand with 50% of its stores being in UK. Its revenue generation is mostly derived from UK operations which accounts for 90% of the total revenue of the company. Profitability: The company has shown steady increase in the revenues in the last three years. In 2011 the revenue increased by 2%, followed by the same in 2012. However, the operating profits in the last two years have not increased in the same line. In 2011, the operating profit was ?836.9m which fell to ?746.5m, resulting in operating profit margin of 9.53% in 2011 and 8.84% in 2012. This clearly shows that company’s cost control is weak and the cost of goods sold has not increased in the same line as revenues. The reason for su ch instability in profits for 2012 is the expansion and improvement plan the company is implementing till 2013 which will result in increased sales and satisfied consumers in the future. Because of the very reasons the company has experienced increased cost of sale, interest expense, administrative and selling expenses. Similarly, the company’s net profit margin has also decreased from 8.13% in 2011 to 7.54% in 2012. The company’s return on capital employed (ROCE) has been increasing at a slow pace from being 17.24% in 2010, 19.0% in 2011 which declined to 18.8% in 2012. The reason for declining ROCE can be linked to decline PAT of the company accompanied by an increase in the total assets. (Marks and Spencer. 2012a) Liquidity: The company’s gearing ratio has decreased in last three years. In 2010, the company had a gearing ratio of 108.6% which was a lot, in year 2011, the company reduced it long term liabilities and the ratio fell to 76.91% which further was d ecreased to 74.54% in 2012. The reason of falling gearing ratio is the decrease in the total liabilities of the company, which is beneficial as it will reduce in lower interest payments. However, company’s liquidity/cash flow position might get affected in order to pay off liabilities. The company’s interest cover has remained steady over the past 3 years. Despite decreasing profits, the company is able to maintain an interest cover of average 6 times. This is because the company has shown good planning here regarding the payments of interest and has reduced the liabilities accordingly with the fall in profits. The company’s current and quick ratios have decreased over three years. The company had a current ratio of 0.8 times in 2010 which has decreased to 0.73 times in 2012. This shows the instability in the liquidity position of the company. The biggest reason of the fall in the current assets of the company is the decrease in the cash in hand and bank which h as fallen to ?196.1m in 2012 and was ?470.2m in 2011, though the other current asset of the company, i.e., the stock has increased. Additionally, the company’s current liabilities have also increased tremendously which was ?2955.5m in 2011 and increased to ?3126.8m in 2012. These factors have contributed to the company’s low current and quick ratios. It seems that company’s management aimed to payoff its long term liabilities to save the interest payments and improve the profitability. This has caused a

Does the Color of Paint Deter Insects Essay Example for Free

Does the Color of Paint Deter Insects Essay Is it possible that paint is capable of insect control? Determine if painting the ceiling of a porch sky blue will fool wasps into thinking it is the sky and keep them from building nests under the eaves or on the ceiling? Hypothesis: By painting the inside roof of the porch sky blue we can prevent wasp from making a nest in the eaves of the porch. Prediction: If painting the roof sky blue prevents wasps from making nest, and then the inside of the roofs of all porches should be painted sky blue. Controlled Experimental Method: The beginning of April when things usually start to bloom and make nest here in Colorado I painted half the ceiling of by back porch sky blue and the other half the original dark green. Checking to see rather or not there are new nests every day. Results: In week 2 there no signs of nest in the back corner of the dark green side, 3 days later I checked again not only are there no sign of nests. Conclusion: It has been 6 months and there is no sign of any nests, and the ceiling is actually cleaner. I have concluded that the paint has actually deterred the insects from creating nests. I think anybody that has a problem with insects on their porch should paint the ceiling blue.

Creativity in the Urban Environment

Creativity in the Urban Environment Creative and cultural spaces Jana Sorel Introductie The creative industries determine the future of our region by ensuring a flourishing creative and cultural climate. – Flanders Creative Industries Platform (2011) Today, the knowledge and experience economy has expanded towards an economy which recognizes the importance of cultural and now also creative industries (Evans G., 2009). Creative industries are something of the 21th century, but creativity itself has been used since the 70’s to improve the development of a city. During that period, cities were empty because the process of suburbanization was going on. Then there was the awareness in the heads of policymakers that this process leads to a drain of the city centres and they tried to attract people to the city centre again by creating a space filled with artists (and other creative people) who used educational background to produce small, high-tech businesses or start-ups. It was picked up by policymakers as the way to turn the process into growth and prosperity of the cities again (Vanneste D., 2015). Bottom-up regeneration of those abandoned areas was stimulated by the creative class (Florida, 2002). Creativity took an importan t role in the cities but they didn’t talk about creative cities/hubs yet. Now, since the late 90’s creativity becomes linked with creative industries in which they focus on production and consumption of so-called creative products. Creativity is now linked with innovation and economic growth but what is a creative city exactly? According to the paper of Evans G. (2009), creative industries are now seen to comprise â€Å"those industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have the potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property† (DCMS, 1998/2001, p. 5). Different researchers state that there’s a growing evidence that cultural and creative industries are good sources of growth and jobs, benefiting local communities, regions and states (EY, 2014). The aim of this paper is to identify the influence of creativity clusters (â€Å"creative hubs†) on the urban e nvironment, both urban neighbourhoods and communities. Influence of creativity on the urban environment Scientific research states that the cultural and creative industries play a crucial role in the development of the regional economy. Figures illustrate the growing employment and the share of these sectors in the Gross National Product (GNP) (Evans G., 2009 ; Martens B. et al., 2014). The creative industries determine a region’s future by ensuring a flourishing creative and cultural climate (Flanders Creative Industries Platform,2011) and a focus on the creative economy therefore represents the latest wave of interest in culture as a post-industrial urban revitalization strategy. However, some places are more successful than others. The importance of creativity in a place is namely not only about production but also about consumption. It’s the government that invests money in places where a lot of people and as a consequence a lot of voters live, so cities are privileged, but why†¦? Creative hubs maintain collective order through social and cultural capital in combination with distinctive institutional infrastructure. Educational institutions, trade unions and a lot of other institutions (such as museums, galleries,†¦) are present in those hubs (IPoP, 2011). Creative hubs are not only places of cultural production, but also act as places where creative know-how and competences are being preserved, interchanged and combined. In this way, fresh affluxes of new talented individuals can be assured (IPoP, 2011) and creativity and culture are now seen as knowledge-based innovation strategies. Since creative hubs go for high educated and skilled activities, research often poses that the economic factor is the most important aspect for the creation and development of creative industries. Artists’ centres make important contributions to regional economies, but also to the social, cultural and commercial lives of their neighbours. First of all, cultural and creative industries are among the EU’s biggest employers and have experienced sustained growth even through recession. Today, around 3.3 percent of the active population in Europe is (in)directly employed in creative industries (figure 1). Job creation in cultural and creative industries is still growing at a rate of 0.7% (between 2008 and 2012), even as the number of jobs in the rest of the economy fell 0.7% (EY, 2014). In most cases they are thus relatively small, but when you look at specific sectors not directly associated with cultural or creative industry sectors in ‘creative occupations’ (such as car design) numbers will be much higher, for example in the Netherlands this counts for 47% of the employment (Evans G., 2009). Figure 1: employment distribution between the different sectors in thousands 2012 (source: EY, 2014). Secondly, income can be generated for housing and local shopping, sometimes amplified by drawing tourists and visitors from surrounding areas. Money is spent in the stores and restaurants (Markusen A. Johnson A., 2006). In association with the occupation and beautification of vacant buildings, rent rises and property regenerates (Evans G.,2009). Next, according to da Cunha I.V. and Selada C., the environment of a so-called creative hub tends to be diverse, multicultural and vibrant, with the presence of foreign talents too. People are attracted to places which combine different functions such as residential, working, learning, shopping and entertainment functions. Such places foster the emergence of a good place to live, work, learn and play. In addition, â€Å"informal arts† play a critical role in building social networks and connections across communities. Studies show that for example Mexican immigrants in Chicago â€Å"use artistic and cultural practices to break down social isolation, create new social networking relationships, strengthen bonds among group members, and create local and transnational ties with [outside] institutions† (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). Creative hubs build a bridge between different social classes, ethnicities,†¦ . Mutual exchange within these creative hubs improves bot h innovation and competitiveness, but reduces social inequalities as well. Creating a common space is probably the most challenging collaboration. In the same article, it’s argued that the engagement in cultural activities increases life quality of the inhabitants of a community because of the reinforcing social diversity. Creative activities construct and reinforce shared cultural identities among different groups of people such as immigrants, refugees, and people of colour (Grams D. Warr M., 2003). Likewise, diverse neighbourhoods house more cultural programs, cultural participants and artists because of the â€Å"open door mentality†. According to Markusen A. and Johnson A. (2006) â€Å"anyone who expresses an interest may become a member, have access to events and services at an affordable price, and apply for merit-based mentorships, funding, and exhibitions†. Nevertheless, competition and tensions can tax the energy of people inside the creative hub (Mark usen A. Johnson A., 2006). The creation/development of cultural and creative hubs is sometimes seen a possibility to draw tourists too. Researchers found a direct connection between culture and revitalization of a community (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). Creative hubs are located in places where economic and social as well as cultural assets are available. Creative activity complements and stimulates the creation of other artistic, commercial, and community venues. As mentioned by Jacobs (1961) â€Å"mosaic of unique cultural destinations that encourage city residents to cross porous borders to visit distinctive neighbourhoods†. However, this is criticized by Evans G. (2009): â€Å"it is clear that these are judged and celebrated by their proponents in cultural, heritage and local ‘endogenous’ terms such as property and local trade (Jayne and Bell, 2004), rather than in macroeconomic market terms†. Externalities Although the development of creative hubs is stimulated and one of the main focuses is of policy makers, gentrification and the possible expansion of inequality remain the most common fears. Of particular relevance to the creative hubs is the emergence of â€Å"winner-take-all† labour markets (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). The increased inequality can be explained by the requirements of jobs within these industries. The creative industries are namely dominated by jobs with high educational requirements (Stern M.J. Seifert S.C., 2008). This increases the opportunities for high skilled workers, but for people with less educational qualifications, the opportunity to find a job will decrease. Conclusion In this paper, different aspects are listed of how a creative hub can influence the urban environment. In many cases creativity is used as a synonym of culture, but culture doesn’t cover everything. We have to understand that culture also includes non-profit, public, and commercial organizations as well as independent artists. In addition, we have learned to recognize the importance of strong leadership, which is a key element for the success of a region. The artists’ centre must present a face to the neighbourhood and larger community, invite entry, and maintain its attractiveness. The presence of creative hubs is programming are especially important for a community’s cultural vitality. But, can a creative economy ameliorate urban poverty in the world or is the creative hub- development more a winner-takes-it-all-scenario? Sources Flanders Creative Industries Platform (2011). Creative industries in Flanders. Position paper. Florida, R., (2002). The Rise of the Creative Class: And How Its Transforming Work, Leisure and Everyday Life. New York: BasicBooks. Evans G. (2009). Creative cities, creative spaces and urban policy, Urban Studies 46(56): 1003-1040. Vanneste D. (2015). Lecture Economic and financial geography: Creative industries. Martens, B., Dobbels, J., Amez, L., Ysebaert, W. (2014). Cultuur en creativiteit in beeld: opzet van een meetinstrument voor metropool Brussel. EY (2014). Creating growth. Measuring cultural and creative markets in the EU Stern M.J. Seifert S.C. (2008). From Creative Economy to Creative Society. A neighborhood-based strategy to increase urban vitality and promote social inclusion. GIA Reader, Vol 19, No 3. Grams, D., Warr, M. (2003). Leveraging assets: How small budget arts activities benefit neighborhoods. Chicago: Richard H. Driehaus Foundation and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Da Cunha, I. V., Selada, C. (2009). Creative urban regeneration: the case of innovation hubs.International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development,1(4), 371-386. IPoP Institute for spatial policies (2011). Potentials of creative urban regeneration. Spatial distribution of creative industries in Ljubljana Urban Region. DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) (1998) Creative industries mapping document. DCMS, London. DCMS (2001) Mapping creative industries technical document. DCMS, London. Markusen, A., Johnson, A. (2006). Artists’ centers: Evolution and impact on careers, neighborhoods and economies. 1