Should the EU focus on acting as a civilian, normative or military Essay

Should the EU focus on acting as a civilian, normative or military power - Essay Example Before answering the question whether the EU should focus on being a civilian, normative, or military power, it is important to establish how these different forms of power have historically manifested in the EU's policies and activities. Conceptualising the terms 'civilian', 'normative', and 'military' is important in any analysis where these terms are used to describe the activities of EU's. Maull's (1990) view of a civilian power includes the employment of "solidarity with other societies, and a sense of responsibility for the future of the world - and particularly the global environment". (p.106) It is important to note that Maull's analysis of the exercise of civilian power is quite restrictive as it relates to the state or the exercise of national civilian power. Thus using a 'statist' perspective of the exercise of civilian power in the context of a supranational EU, would have its possible limitations. Vital lessons can, however, be drawn from his analysis and can be transpos ed into the EU's experience. Manner's (2002) conception of the EU as a civilian power is interpreted primarily in economic terms. Simply put, civilian power can be said to be the exercise of non-military power and would include "economic, diplomatic and cultural policy instruments." (Smith, n.d. p.1) Smith's conception of civilian power would thus exclude any use of the military, even if the military were used in situations of peace-keeping, whether armed or unarmed. To Smith (n.d.) even though the military can be used in unarmed peace-keeping situations, they have also been trained to kill and thus such an activity cannot be said to be civilian. Smith (n.d.) further identifies four core elements in the exercise of civilian power - "means; ends; use of persuasion; and civilian control over foreign (and defence) policymaking". (p.2) Consequently, in employing civilian policies, the means and the ends of those policies must be non-military, with persuasion (and not coercion) being the main instruments of achieving policy objectives. Based on the above conception of civilian power, Smith (n.d.) has argued in relation to the EU that: " clinging to the notion of civilian power EU not only stretches the term 'civilian' past its breaking point, but also tends to induce excessively rosy-eyed views of the EU as an international actor. 'Civilian' often means 'good', and deploying the 'civilian power EU' argument can close down critical analysis of actual EU foreign policy activities". (p.1) With regards to concepts of normative power, Manners (2002) views the EU's normative power as its capacity to mould or influence notions of what constitutes 'normal' in politics at the international arena. This exercise of normative power is very evident in the EU's relationship with Africa. The Council of the European Union has for instance stated that "Europe has a strong interest in a peaceful, prosperous and democratic Africa. Our strategy is intended to help Africa achieve this. "Â  

Riordan Manufacturing Essay Example for Free

Riordan Manufacturing Essay Riordan Manufacturing is a global plastics manufacturer employing 550 people with projected annual earnings of $46 million (University of Phoenix, 2011). The company is wholly owned by Riordan Industries, a Fortune 1000 enterprise with revenues in excess of $1 billion (University of Phoenix, 2011). Hugh McCauley, the COO of Riordan Manufacturing, has requested the integration of Riordan Manufacturing’s existing variety of Human Resource (HR) tools into a single integrated application (University of Phoenix, 2011). This paper will discuss in detail three phases of development for the new integrated HR application: information-gathering, architecture and process design, and implementation. The development of a new system to assist with administrative operations can be a mind-numbing process, but with the right tools victory is inevitable. Within the preliminary stages of developing Riordan Manufacturing’s new HR system, the leading phase is information-gathering. According to Dictionary. om (2013), the information-gathering phase is the act of collecting information. In certainly no particular order, one of the many key sources of information-gathering is the stakeholders. When developing a new integrated HR system, the best start to information-gathering is with the requestor. Hugh McCauley, the COO of the company, and he has requested a new HR system with purpose and objectives in mind. A stakeholder can also be classified as the Human Resource Department or the company itself. Gathering requirements can also be obtained by reviewing Riordan Manufacturing’s corporate goals, and per ‘our future’ via Riordan Manufacturing’s intranet webpage, the focus is in achieving and maintaining reasonable profitability to assure that the financial and human capital is available for sustained growth. Reviewing existing systems is the most influential source of data to gather requirements, because the project itself calls for the integration of a variety of HR tools into a single integrated application (University of Phoenix, 2011). There are numerous techniques that can be used for gathering requirements. Some of these techniques help engage the participants in a meaningful discussion which gets their thoughts flowing and paints a better picture for what the stakeholder is looking for (Requirements Authority, 2013). In certainly no particular order, one of the many information-gathering techniques is workshops. Requirement gathering workshops can help promote individual perspectives to be shared that will support business requirements. Workshops can also help participates understand the scope of the project, which can potentially promote commitment towards the project. As stated previously, reviewing the previous Human Resources (HR) systems is the single best source for information-gathering requirements. In addition to the previous HR systems, reading supportive physical documents can be used as a source for information-gathering. By reviewing physical documents, gray area data can be brought to the surface to help with the development of the new HR system. The arrangement of interviews can significantly encourage the development team to extrapolate a true understanding of the goals of project. Hugh McCauley, the COO of Riordan Manufacturing, is the requestor of this project; therefore, Mr. McCauley is the best candidate for an interview. In the scope of being cost-effective, the project should apply a prototype system that HR associates test to observe its success or failure. A prototype system can also help the development identify hiccups to be rectified before the launch of the new integrated HR system. Within the same frame of a prototype, the development team should conduct observations to perceive a real-life vision for the new system. The observation information-gathering process in the project will provide the development team a true understanding of the responsibilities of the HR team. Applying the right information gathering techniques can be the determining factor in the project’s success or failure. The purposed methodology for this project is the Agile development methodology because Agile’s backward scalability. The development of the integrated HR system will call for many sample systems; therefore, the method of development will need to promote the ability to make changes mid-process. While Agile provides flexibility to make changes as per customer requirements, it is more inclined towards better client satisfaction. Lastly, Agile provides that flexibility to error check; which promotes more bug free and less erroneous projects. In order to avoid incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect requirements, it is imperative to identify the key factors that help ensure the information required for the project is gathered successfully. In certainly no particular order, management’s commitment to the project is paramount because of the awareness for organization’s goals. Management’s goals for the project can direct the developers to gathering required information successfully. Management can also act as an information checkpoint to validate the validity of gathered information that is required for the success of project. Interaction between users and the HR system personnel can provide quality feedback for the success of the application. This information is required because the development team must ensure the application is user-friendly, so, end-users can navigate successfully. As stated previously, there must be goal congruence among developers, users, and management. The importance of congruent goals will safeguard the time spent in developing the integrated HR system. Often times, developers are required to re-design systems because the project goals are not defined by all involved parties. Developers must understand the personnel’s understanding of the application. The developers understanding of the application is defined as how well the information systems personnel understand the purpose, the tasks, and the outputs of the work processes that the application is to support (TechRepublic, 2013). This key factor greatly increases the ability of the team to correctly and quickly specify the requirements. The last key factor that helps ensure successful information gathering is planning. The planning factor is defined as the amount of preparation performed for the developer’s requirements-gathering process and included the identification of specific tasks and the person responsible for performing them (TechRepublic, 2013). Studies have shown that a work plan and schedule for completion are necessary for project success (TechRepublic, 2013). According to Project Scope (2013), the Project Scope pertains to the work necessary to deliver a product. † (What defines a project scope? ). Requirements and deliverables define the project scope, and it is critical that the stakeholder is in agreement with the information discussed in the proposed plan (Project Scope, 2013). If the project plan is the heartbeat of a solid project management methodology, the scope statement is the breath. The scope statement details the vision of the project. It describes the goals, the deliverables, and documents what a successful conclusion to the project looks like. According to Dennis, Wixom, and Roth (2012), the areas of project feasibility that are examined in the analysis phase of the SCLC involve in the following three steps: (1) understand the existing situation (the as-is system), (2) identify improvements, (3) define requirements for the new system (the to-be system) (The analysis phase). In order for developers to create the best system, the developers need to understand the existing situation. Experience shows that it is useful to study the current situation whenever possible. The insights gained from reviewing the existing system can be quite valuable to the project team (Dennis, Wixom, Roth, The analysis phase, 2012). The second step, identify improvements, helps outline the needed modifications the will be introduced in the new system. Lastly, the final step is to define requirements for the new system. The system requirements are derived from people within the business. Occasionally, surface requirements can be obtained by a consultant, who can also sort or order them and research the ramifications of the requirements. However, consultants do not understand the business like the people that work for the business. Therefore, the requirements originating from management and end-users can help the developer establish concrete requirements for the new system.

Evaluating The Hci Developments Over Recent Years Computer Science Essay

Evaluating The Hci Developments Over Recent Years Computer Science Essay In the following assignment I will be talking about how interfaces have improved along the years in products and computer systems, with relation to GUI (Graphical User Interfaces) and the contrast of using non graphical interfaces. For the Distinction criteria, I will explain on the improvement of using interfaces within gaming and how this has been improved with the world of motionless gaming such as Kinect. For the final Distinction criteria I will compare my interfaces with real life interfaces and talk about how they relate and how they contrast. I will conclude the assignment with my main points and any potential summaries I have. The GUI: History of the GUI: In the computing and technical world, the graphical user interface has sharpened the way we as humans have designed and improved technology over the recent years and decades. Interfaces allow the end user to look at a graphical representation on their actions which cannot be shown in real life. For example, surfing the internet and viewing landscapes that are on the other side of the world would not be possible in a real life visual perspective. The GUI (Graphical User Interface) was implemented into the Apple Lisa computer in January 1983. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak purchased the GUI technology from a corporation called Xerox at their research centre called PARC (Palo Alto Research Centre) and used the technology in the Apple Lisa computer which since then started the revolution of interfaces within technology devices. 1 The Apple Lisa Computer Before a Graphical User Interface was implemented, a fellow competitor called Microsoft developed a CLI (Command Line Interface) that resembled the name MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) on IBM Computers in 1981. IBM (International Business Machines) is a large international company which supply computer hardware and software. They used MS-DOS on their computer systems to provide an interface that required the knowledge of commands and complex wording. This limited the market to a small amount, only professors and students was able to operate it with prior knowledge. But with the release of Apple Lisa, this broadened the audience to allow less technical people to operate a computer. 2 Image displaying the MS-DOS which was used on IBMs computers Advancements With the ongoing progress of developing interfaces and applying them to a variety of screens such as LCD and LED monitors, this has allowed technical manufacturer to explore the interface and include ways of familiarising the user with HCI (Human Computer Interaction) elements. Elements such as proximity, the ability to group similar icons together to make the human think the buttons are related. Another important element of HCI is continuity. Continuity is used in most operating systems to keep the familiar colour schemes and desktops without a drastic change. This will allow users to become familiar to the interface without the need to learn to use it again. Some more advances of interfaces over the years is the technology of 3D imagery and gaming. Games such as RTS (Real Time Strategy) Starcraft II can be played with the aid of Nvidias 3D GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) series. This allows 2D content to be rendered with 3D physics and displayed using glasses. 3 With the technology of 3D arriving in the current technological world, interface design has changed in a way that humans perceive the experience. Such so that other projects have included the 3D technology such as theme park rides, 3D computer systems, computing gaming and television. This has revolutionised the way we, as humans interact with everyday devices. A large proportion of society uses technology in their everyday lives, from checking their email, surfing the internet, checking their bank balance at an ATM machine etc. Technology has been integrated into culture so deeply, that as a society we all cannot communicate and work efficiently without it. Mobile Devices and Development: In modern technological news, mobile platforms and gaming has developed on a large scale over the current years. The idea of playing simple games on a wireless mobile device anywhere started a revolution for the gaming industry, the development of computer games and interface design. In my opinion, the first major mobile platform for gaming was Snakes. Introduced to arcades in the mid 1970s. Its sequel Snakes II was eventually introduced on the Nokia 3310 in the year 2000. This successful handset was hinting game developers to in cooperate different interface design into a smaller handset device, rather than an arcade or gaming console. 4 The above image is an example of many different interfaces that Snake has been developed into. Since the thought of how to place simple gaming projects into smaller handsets and mobile phones, arguable the Smartphone and touch screen devices provided a firm platform for developers and many game companies to work with. An example of this would be the iPhone handset. The iPhone handset (iPhone 2 Generation) was implemented by Apple on January 9th 2007 and announced to the public. It was one of the most successful Smartphones and PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) integrated together. Users had the ability to surf the internet, download application to run on their handsets, make calls, take pictures and send them to another handset or computer etc. The icons were smaller, controls and commands were made for touch and point, interface design that was new to the market. 5 Current iOS interface during writing the assignment The main differences from any phone during that time, was the complexity and power of the iPhone applications and development area. Apple provided the App store to sort all applications into a centralised place for users to download and interact with. The applications correspond of utilities and maps to gaming and various map searching apps. Over the constant development of iPhone handsets it was labelled as one of the major device for mobile gaming, a label which changed the way gaming and interfaces were developed. Now devices have the ability to run high end graphics and with the iPhone 4 device, retina display was introduced (960ÃÆ'-640) and has the smallest pixels ever to be introduced on a Smartphone device. With mobile development and gaming changing the way we use interfaces, the ability to scrap the interface from touch and use our current movement was recently introduced by Microsoft, this was known as Kinect. Project Natal (Kinect) was created by Microsoft recently in late 2010 as a motion controller for gaming.  [6]  You are the controller. No gadgets, no gizmos, just you! The quote basically means that the controller is the user, and no touch or physical contact will be needed. The technology of recording motions and gestures is proving successful; with regards to future gaming it will shape the future of interfaces. 7 Mention Holograms potentai future. Comparision of Intefaces

Serious Errors within Rene Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy :: Philosophy Religion Essays

Serious Errors within Rene Descartes’ Meditations on First Philosophy One of Rene Descartes’ major culminations in Meditations on First Philosophy is â€Å"I must finally conclude that this proposition, I am, I exist, is necessarily true whenever it is put forward by me or conceived in my mind† (Descartes:17). This statement can be explicated by examining Descartes’ Cartesian method of doubt and his subsequent discovery of basic truths. Even though I do believe that Descartes concludes with a statement that is accurate: cogito ergo sum, there are areas of his proof that are susceptible to defamation. These objections discover serious error with Descartes’ method used in determining the aforementioned conclusion. In the first meditation, Descartes makes a conscious decision to search for â€Å"in each of them [his opinions] at least some reason for doubt†(12). Descartes rejects anything and everything that can be doubted and quests for something that is undeniably certain. The foundation of his doubt is that his opinions are largely established by his senses, yet â€Å"from time to time I [Descartes] have found that the senses deceive, and it is prudent never to trust completely those who have deceived us even once†(12). First, Descartes establishes that error is possible, employing the example of the straight stick that appears bent when partially submerged in water, as mentioned in the Sixth Replies (64-65). Secondly, he proves that at any given time he could be deceived, such is the case with realistic dreams. Further, Descartes is able to doubt absolutely everything since it cannot be ruled out that â€Å"some malicious demon †¦ has employed all his energies in or der to deceive me† (15). The malicious demon not only causes Descartes to doubt God, but also sends him â€Å"unexpectedly into a deep whirlpool which tumbles me around so that I can neither stand on the bottom or swim on the top†(16). Descartes has reached the point where he must begin to rebuild by searching for certainty. In the second meditation, Descartes is searching for an Archimedian point on which to seed a pearl of certainty. By doubting everything in his first meditation, Descartes consequently doubts his own existence. It is here that a certainty is unearthed: â€Å"If I convinced myself of something then I certainly existed†(17). However, Descartes â€Å"does not deduce existence from thought by means of syllogism, but recognizes it as something self-evident by a simple intuition of the mind,† or in other words, by natural light (Second Replies:68).

Domestic Violence: Beyond Patriarchy

Domestic Violence: Beyond Patriarchy In the Beginning The Battered Women's movement of the 1970's enlightened society about a much secreted, and what at the time, was considered a family matter, that of violence against women by their male intimate partners. Many lives have been saved as a direct result of society's public awareness of this much-hidden scourge on our families. Federal and state laws prohibiting Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) have been enacted, and funding has been put in place for battered women's shelter programs. These changes have made a significant difference in the lives of battered women and children over the last few decades. The feminist theoretical perspective of IPVIPV has been depicted throughout our society as well as how victim services, and batterers intervention programs (BIP) are modeled. â€Å"Our culture has historically exhibited certain patriarchal values observable in religion and social custom. Working against the backdrop of this history, feminism quite naturally saw an antidote in ending social oppression of women. Wife assault, kept largely out of the public view and tolerated by prevailing attitudes, was regarded by feminists as an evil symptom of patriarchy. † (Dutton, page 17, 2006) Feminist theory defines IPV as a social problem with a single type of victim i. e. heterosexual women and one root cause, that of male privilege and patriarchy, which supports male domination, power, and control and the oppression of women. The need for services for IPVBIP's for female perpetrators is obscured and trivialized by this â€Å"one size fits all† view. Dutton describes feminist theory on IPV as being a â€Å"‘paradigm:†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ [A paradigm is] a set of guiding assumptions or worldview, commonly shared within a group and serving to ward off recognition of data that are dissonant with the paradigm's central tenets. This theory views all social relations through the prism of gender relations and holds that men hold power over women in patriarchal societies and that all domestic violence is either male physical abuse to maintain that power or female defensive violence used as a self protection. (p. 2, 2005) developed through the anti-rape and battered women's movements. This perspective has been the guiding light for how the social problem of against men by women and The violence against women by men paradigm is so entrenched that if anyone pursues any other theories or presents any data that is contrary to that perspective it is automatically considered anti-domestic violence movement. (Dutton, p. 44, 2005) Lucal (1995) found that attempts to discuss the idea of battered husbands started an emotionally charged and fiercely contested debate among researchers which has been the classic debate filled with claims and counterclaims. Much of the debate has been centered around whether or not there are very many battered husbands. Most of the debate has been about whether or not battered husbands are a social problem worthy of support. (pp. 95-96) Revealing Statistics Dr. Murray Straus, co-founder and co-director of the University of New Hampshire's Family Violence Research Laboratory, has studied IPV and child abuse for over thirty years. In study after study he has found that both men and women are capable of being victims and committing IPV. For instance: (I? E(Busing data from the National Family Violence Survey of 1975, Straus (l980) found that 11. 6 (2. 6 million nationwide) of husbands reported having been the victim of severe violence by their wives. Severe vio1ence was defined as behaviors, such as kicking, punching, beating, or using a knife or gun, that have a high probability of causing physical injury. (as cited in Hines Malley-Morrison, p. 77, 2001) Presenting data that defies feminist logic has caused Dr. Straus and his colleague's substantial risk. As a result of the depth of the objections to our finding on assaults by wives, some of us became the object of bitter scholarly and person attacks. These attack included obstruction of my public presentations by booing, shouting, and picketing. In elections for office in scientific societies I was labeled as antifeminist despite being a pioneer feminist researcher on wife beating (Straus, 1973, 1996 as cited in Straus, pp. 225-226, 1992). Suzanne K. Steinmetz, a co investigator in the first National Family Violence Survey, was the victim of more severe attacks. There was a letter-writing campaign opposing her promotion. There were phone calls threatening her and her family, and a bomb threat at a conference where she spoke. (pp. 225-226) Studies such as the National Violence Against Women Survey tend to filter out male reports of victimization because of the â€Å"‘set†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ of the survey (criminal victimization of women) (Dutton, p. 4, in press). However, the National Violence Against Women Survey in 2000(a) reports that more than 834,000 men are raped or physically assaulted by an intimate partner each year in the United States. This translates into about(I? E(B32 assaults per 1,000 men. (Tjaden & Thoennes, p. 11) Since the respondents in this study were told they were being interviewed about â€Å"personal safety† issues it's quite possible that this number is an underestimate as many of the men may not have perceived the violence that their wives or girlfriends were perpetrating against them as a threat to their safety. (Hines & Malley-Morrison, p. 77, 2001) The Establishment of Services for Male Victims Spreading the word as news of the availability of DAHMW's helpline became more known, calls from men and those concerned about a male relative or friend whom they thought were in an abusive situation started coming in from around the country. A website was created with information on male victimization and other resources and tri-fold brochures specifically addressing IPV against men were designed, printed and distributed through mailings and placements on community bulletin boards. Consequently, two years after its inception, DAHMWDAHMWIPV. as highlighted in the National Crime Prevention Council's book, â€Å"50 Strategies to Prevent Violence Domestic Crimes. † (2002) as, â€Å"[one of] 50 promising programs [that offer] new and alternative methods to aid under-served victims of violent domestic crime including teens in dating relationships, elderly victims of late-life abuse, child witnesses to violence, battered immigrants, male victims, and survivors in the gay and lesbia n community. † In 2003 Verizon began to publish the crisis line in a number of their phone books. Incoming calls to helpline have grown exponentially from fourteen a month in 2001, to over three hundred calls a month in 2006. The vast majority of the calls continue to be from or about a male victim (and children) of female Information gathered from male callers to the helpline suggests that some violent women use highly physically disabling tactics on their victims. â€Å"According to qualitative accounts, several physical attacks [are] reported to have occurred to the groin area, as in the following examples: â€Å"‘G reports that his estranged wife frequently targeted his testicles in her attacks, which included head butting and choking. Police were called to his home six times, one call resulted in the wife's arrest. â€Å"‘ â€Å"‘I was writhing, crying in the corner, I couldn't get up for two hours she kicked me in the groin at least 12 times. â€Å"‘ â€Å"‘She held a knife to my balls and threatened to cut them off. â€Å"‘ (Hines etal, p. 66, 2007) The stigma attached to being a man abused by a woman is profound. Many men report that they were taught never to hit a girl, be strong, do not cry and do not tell your personal business to anyone from their parents and caregivers. There is also a cultural belief that men should be able to defend themselves. However, if a man does defend himself against his abusive female partner and the police are called, the man is the one that will be arrested. When Dwayne Bobbit had his penis cut off by his wife in 1993, it was a big joke for late night comedy. Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. The reaction would have been entirely different had the genders been reversed. (Dutton, p. 148, 2006) Law Enforcement and the Court's Response The concerned family members and the victims themselves to the DAHMW helpline have recounted reports of the lack of concern for male victims: Misconceptions and Realities Feminists' theorists assert that women's violence against men is less likely than men's violence against women to result in serious physical or psychological harm. (Dutton & Nichols, p. 697, 2005) They use this claim to dismiss women's violence against men and male victims. Women, in general, may not be as big or strong as men are, however, what women lack in size and strength they make up for with the use of weapons. Research conducted at an emergency clinic study in Ohio (Vasquez & Falcone, 1997, as cited in Dutton & Nichols, 2005 ) revealed that 72). The authors reported that burns obtained in intimate violence were as frequent for male victims as female victims. As this study demonstrates, community samples, unless they require subjects to self-report as crime victims, show a different and more equivalent pattern of violence by gender than that alleged by the(I? E(Bfeminist perspective(I? E(B. Regardless of the variations in the studies, two conclusions seem reasonable: (1) women are injured more than men, and (2) men are injured too, and are not immune to being seriously injured. Simply because the injury rates are lower, men should not be denied protection. (Dutton & Nichols pp. 97-678, 2005) The feminist perspective of IPV being predominantly patriarchal in nature also excludes much of the victims in LGBT community. The LGBT community has had to set up their own domestic violence shelter programs that primarily or exclusively protect, educate and serve LGBT individuals who are victims of IPV. (e. g. see the www. gmdvp. org, w ww. lagaycenter. org/FamilyViolence etc ) According to Helfrich & Simpson (2006) lesbians have a difficult time accessing services through the traditional battered women's shelter programs due to the lack of policies to screen lesbian survivors and identify batterers. Lesbian batterers may use deception to access services through the same agency as the survivor and there are little to no stopgap measures taken to deal with those situations. (p. 344) Beyond Patriarchy, Alternative Theories on IPV Dutton (2006) asserts that the best predictor of intimate partner violence is not gender but personality disorder (p. 153). Since the beginning of the battered women's movement, researchers who have studied maritally violent men have often treated batterers as a homogeneous group. They have measured violent husbands by comparing them to nonviolent ones. However, more recently they have found that violent husbands vary along a number of important dimensions, including severity of violence, anger, depression and alcohol abuse. (Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart, p. 476, 1994) More recently, researchers have begun to investigate what attachment styles and personality disorders have to do with IPV. The focus for this paper regarding typologies of batterers is on the dysphoric/borderline subtype and so a full description of each subtype of batterer is beyond this review. For more information of the various subtypes please review, Holtzworth-Munroe & Stuart, 1994; Holtzworth-Munroe et al. 1997; Holtzworth-Munroe et al. , 2000; Waltz et al. , 2000; Babcock et al. , 2003; Carney & Buttell, 2004) Researchers have found that batterers are more likely a heterogeneous than a homogeneous group and within that heterogeneous grouping various subtypes of batterers exist. Seminal research done by Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart (1994) studied violent men and ascertained various typologies of male batterers. Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart categorized three major subtypes and they labeled them, family only, dysphoric/borderline, and generally violent/antisocial. (Holtworth-Munroe & Stuart, p. 76-482, 1994) Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart described dysphoric/borderline batterers as those who engage in moderate to severe wife abuse as well as psychological and sexual abuse. Their violence is primarily towards the family; however, they suggested that some extra familial violence and criminal behavior may be evident. Additionally, they found that these men are the most dysphoric, psychologically distressed, and emotionally volatile and that they have evidence of borderline and schizoidal personally characteristics. The may also have problems with alcohol and drug abuse. (ibid. According to Dutton (2006), â€Å"Across several studies, implemented by independent researchers, the prevalence of personality disorder in wife assaulters has been found t o be extremely high. These men are not mere products of male sex role conditioning or â€Å"‘male privilege†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ [as the feminist theory of IPV suggests]; they possess characteristics that differentiate them from the majority of men who are not repeat abusers. † (p. 185) In addition to research on subtypes of batterers, there is also evidence to suggest that early attachment has bearing on what type of person may have the propensity towards perpetrating IPV. Buttell et al (2005) states that the presence of batterer subtypes is widely accepted in the field and that findings from [their] study seem to suggest that issues of attachment and dependency may be related to the development of an abusive personality for one type of batterer. They state that if true, efforts to improve intervention may need to focus on distinguishing batterer subtypes and developing intervention strategies relevant to the need for each subtype. (p. 216) Attachment styles may be the key to unlock many doors for both female and male perpetrators of IPV. Dutton in his book, The Abusive Personality, reiterates Bowlby's findings on attachment styles: In his landmark series of books entitled Attachment and Loss, Bowlby developed the notion that human attachment was of ultimate importance for human emotional development. In his view, it had sociobiological significance. His views encompassed the possibility of individual differences that came to be called â€Å"‘attachment styles'† referr[ing] to entire constellations of thoughts and feelings about intimacy. Reactions to the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of early attempts at attachment set up life-long attachment styles described as secure, fearful, or dismissing. The dismissing people tend to be wary of and stay out of relationships. The secure ones are comfortable with closeness. The fearful ones are stuck in the middle, exhibiting ambivalence toward intimacy and to those with whom they are emotionally connected. (as cited in Dutton, p. 116, 1998) Dutton (1998) further postulates that this push-pull reaction of the fearful attachment styled person resembles the ebb and flow of what he has coined the â€Å"cyclical personality. Dutton reports that in his notes on phrases used by female victims to describe their male batterers (who were clients of Dutton's) there was a recurring theme. They would express that their partners would act like â€Å"Jekyll and Hyde† and appear to be two different people at times. They also said things like, â€Å"He's like living with an emotional roller-coaster,† and describe their mates as moody, irritable, jealous and changeable. (p. 53) This cycling was first recognized by Lenore Walker in her book, The Battered Women, as the â€Å"‘battering cycle. â€Å"‘ (as cited in Dutton, ibid. As Dutton set out to gain some understanding of a cyclical or phasic personality he came across a book by John G. Gunderdson entitled, Borderline Personality Disorder: Dutton's research regarding attachment, borderline and the batterer's cyclical personality has been focused on male on female IPV, however, in his recent book, Rethinking DV, he discusses female perpetrators: Recent research has begun to explore the role of [fearful attachment, borderline traits, and chronic trauma symptoms, which generates what Dutton calls the abusive personality] among female perpetrators of partner abuse. Follingstad, Bradley, Helff, and Laughlin (2002) generated a model for predicting dating violence in a sample of 412 college students. (as cited in Dutton, p. 201, 2006) They found that anxious attachment resulting from early life experiences led to the development of an â€Å"‘angry temperament,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ which in turn related to attempts to control and use abuse against an intimate partner. The model predicted abusiveness for both genders (ibid. ) Other researchers have also hypothesized about subtypes of abusive males and females. For instance, Buttell et al (2005), states that researchers are beginning to explore the role of attachment theory and develop hypotheses on abusive behaviors relevant to different subtypes of abuser in order to improve intervention efforts for batterers. (p. 211) Gormley (2005) concluded that, â€Å"Insecure adult attachment orientations affect half the adult population, helping to explain the prevalence of men's and women's IPV. Women with insecure adult attachment orientations may be as much at risk as similar men of psychologically and physically abusing romantic partners, oing damage to relationships they may be socialize to value highly(I? E(B. † (p. 793) Female Batterers Scant research has been done on female batterers; however, due to the changes in mandatory arrest policies more women are being arrested than ever before. The debate about whether or not women perpetrate IPV has changed noticeably of late due in part to the fact that women are increasingly being arreste d, prosecuted, and sentenced to intervention programs for domestic violence offenses. Women's arrest for IPV is a direct result of legislation that has mandated the arrest of perpetrators in cases where police become involved when a domestic dispute has occurred. Warrantless arrest legislation gives police the power to arrest the abuser and press charges themselves when called to a domestic dispute. The victim no longer needs to press charges against the perpetrator. The arrest of women was certainly an unintended consequence of this legislation and has had a dramatic impact on the national debate regarding female initiated IPV. Carney & Buttell, p. 249, 2004) Feminist theory of IPV has created a dilemma regarding intervention services for female batterers. At present, the most prevalent legislated BIP's the system has set up are for dealing with batterers comes from the feminist model of IPV. Female batterers who are convicted of domestic assault and court ordered to attend a BIP have little choice but than to attend the feminist model of BIP's when court ordered to do so. (Carney and Buttell, p. 50, 2004) In addition, research on these [Duluth Model] BIP's indicate that few men who complete treatment benefit from it to the extent that they demonstrate positive changes in their behaviors. Of course, if men are not benefiting from a program that is specifically designed for patriarchal batterers then certainly abusive women will benefit even less. (ibid. ) According to Babcock & Siard (2003) some of the women arrested could have been acting in self-defense and were therefore falsely arrested but others with extensive violent histories may in fact be primary aggressors. p. 153) Men who are arrested are not given the same latitude. Babcock et al. (2003) mentions that in a study of women arrested for IPV, Hamberger and Potente (1994) found women who could clearly be identified as primary aggressors of IPV, yet in the treatment setting they were generally treated the same as those women who used self defense. (as cited in Babcock & Siard, p. 154). B abcock et al. (2003) proposed two categories of female batterers, those that were partner-only and those that were generally violent. The partner-only category covered women who may be more likely to use violence in self-defense and the generally violent women (of more interest for this paper) were women who used violence in any manner of situations including against their romantic partners. (pp. 153-154) Many studies on male batterer's include reports from their female victims; however, the researchers in this study did not ask the male victims for reports of their partner's violence. Iit is interesting to note that violent women were asked to report on their male partner's violence against them. (p. 57) They further note that power and control seems to be an issue for some abusive women and they suggest that women's power and control issues, traumatic histories, and psychological distress should be explored and indicate that clinicians may want to assess for psychopathology (i. e. post-traumatic stress disorder, borderline personality disorder, etc. ) (ibid. ) Recent studies have found that women's and men's viol ence share similar correlates (Giordano, Millhollin, Cernkovich, Pugh, & Rudolph, 1999; Magdol, Moffittt, Caspi, & Silva, 1998; Moffitt, Robins, & Caspi, 2001 as cited in Babcock et al, p. 53, 2003) therefore, they may also share similar motivations and circumstances. Female Batterers from Victims Reports Hines et al's (2007) research provides some insight into female batterers from their male victims. â€Å"Female abusers likely have a history of childhood trauma, may be suffering from a mental illness, and are likely to use alcohol and/or drugs. Further, these women have a high rate of threatening either suicide and/or homicide. † (p. 9) As previously stated, women have been asked to report on their male batterers and although this is not the ideal way to obtain information on batterers, feminist researchers have been gathering information in this way from battered women in shelters for years. (e. g. Walker, 2000 as cited in Hines et al, p. 69, 2007) Conclusion Men are vict ims of female perpetrated IPV and need services such as shelter, legal aid, support and counseling much the same as their female counterparts. Additionally, men's reports of victimization should not be called into question but treated with the same respect as women's reports. Protocols should be put in place within the domestic violence shelters programs, for law enforcement and the courts that will screen out potential female and male batterers so that victims are not judged by their gender. There is a dearth of research of female batterers and what has been presented from the feminist theory suggests that violent females use violence in self-defense. As we move away from the feminist theory of IPV researchers are discovering that childhood trauma, insecure attachment styles, mental illness, and/or alcohol and substance abuse play a role in IPV for both genders. Not all male batterers fit into the feminist theory of IPV, there are subtypes of batterers and attachment style plays a role in who perpetrates IPV. The subtype that is the focus of this paper is that of the borderline, cyclical batterer. Female batterers also show symptoms of having subtypes evidenced by reports from male callers to the DAHMW. Studies are beginning to assess psychological factors that predict female intimate partner violence. What is emerging is evidence of personality disorder, attachment style, and constricted affect that has also been seen in male abusers. Female abusers share much of the same traits as male abusers especially antisocial and borderline personalities. (Dutton, p. 203, 2006) As Babcock et al. (2003) explain, â€Å"[the] feminist perspective should be holistic, examining both the positive and negative sides of women's behavior. Bringing attention to some women being in the role of perpetrators, not solely as the victims of intimate partner abuse, involves viewing women as they are, not as we would wish them to be. † (p. 160) References About The Author

Response to Cyrano de Bergerac the movies Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxanne essays

Response to Cyrano de Bergerac the movies Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxanne essays The author of Cyrano de Bergerac is Edmond Rostand. Edmond Rostand was born on April 1, 1868 in Marseille, France. He was obsessed with literature in general, but was especially interested in theater. His first drama was called The Romantics, then Cyrano de Bergerac, Chantecler, and The Last Night of Don Juan. Cyrano de Bergerac was his greatest work and accomplishment, the first production was on December 28, 1897. Edmond died on December 2, 1918. He was a French poet and dramatist who wrote for 30 years. I liked Cyrano e Bergerac, but it was a sad story. I liked watching the movie Roxanne. It was in English and in color, I also understood the plot since I read the book. I didn't like watching the French version with subtitles because I don't take French, so I didn't understand it. It was hard to watch what was going on, listen to the tone of the voices, and read the subtitles at the same time. Sometimes I got lost or didn't know how the lines were expressed. For instance, whether the person was sad, happy, or mad. I also like to be able to just watch a movie, when they are in English you don't have to hang on each word or read what they just said. It's not the same with subtitles at all. You interpret everything very differently. You can pick up the sound of the voice through the French, but it's still very different. I would have rather watched the old black and white version because it was in English. I think I would have understood it a little better. Reading Cyrano de Bergerac was very helpful when we watched the movies. When I read it by myself to catch up I was very confused because it was hard to make the transition of who was talking. When we read it in class and different people played different parts it was much easier to follow along. The different voices helped in the transition of who was talking. It was also a little difficult sometimes because sometimes something would n ...