Capital Punishment The Death Penalty Essay - 1426 Words

When one thinks about the death penalty, they usually think of capital punishment, which is punishment by death as well as a practice by the government of killing people as punishment for serious crimes. Capital punishment has been used in the United States since 1775 when all thirteen colonies were at the outbreak of the American Revolution. It was not until 1787 that the founding fathers allowed the death penalty when writing the constitution. In 1790 United States Congress established a Federal Death Penalty, which was also called the Crimes Act of 1790, that created six capital offenses, treason, counterfeiting, three variations of piracy or felonies on the high seas, and aiding the escape of a capital prisoner, also in that same year the first person was executed under the United States Federal Death Penalty for committing â€Å"murder on the high seas†. The end of the 1700s, brought reform for the death penalty laws, like in 1793 the concept of varying degrees of murder was introduced, which softens the death penalty laws. With the Federal Death Penalty in place, the United States found ways to cope with the different and varying laws which needed capital punishment. In the late 1800s new reforms began once again, between 1833 and 1835 public hanging executions, were considered cruel and many states changed to private hangings. Ten years after in 1845, the first National Death Penalty Abolition Society was formed, which is still going strong today in 2016. Following thatShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty1482 Words   |  6 PagesMrs. McElmoyl 12/12/14 Capital Punishment As stated by former governor of New York, Mario M. Cuomo, Always I have concluded the death penalty is wrong because it lowers us all; it is a surrender to the worst that is in us; it uses a power- the official power to kill by execution- that has never brought back a life, need inspired anything but hate. (Cuomo 1) This is one of the main arguments against capital punishment (also known as the death sentence.) Capital punishment is the ability for a governmentRead MoreThe Death Penalty And Capital Punishment931 Words   |  4 Pageswritten down (Robert). The death penalty was applied for a particularly wide range of crimes. The Romans also used death penalty for a wide range of offenses. Historically, the death sentence was often handled with torture, and executions, except that it was done in public. In this century, the death penalty, execution or capital punishment, whatever you’d like to refer it as, is the result for committing capital crimes or capital offences and it is not in public. The death penalty has been practiced byRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty1410 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment in America In 1976 the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled the Death Penalty constitutionally permissible. The debate over capital punishment has always been a topic of great controversy. Before the Supreme Court ruling in 1976 America had been practicing capital punishment for centuries. At the current time some states enforce the death penalty, while some do not. There are differences of opinion’s relating to whether or not the death penalty is the proper wayRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty991 Words   |  4 PagesCapital Punishment Imagine your having a normal morning, eating breakfast doing your normal routine. Suddenly your phone rings and when you answer you hear the worst news possible. One of your family members has just been murdered in cold blood. You cry, mourn, then become angry. You attend the court hearing and you sit less than 20 feet away from the murderer. Do you truly believe this person deserves to live? Or should they face a punishment that is equal to their crime? Some may say CapitalRead MoreThe Death Penalty And Capital Punishment1569 Words   |  7 Pagesthe death penalty also referred to as capital punishment. The death penalty is both useless and harmful to not only criminals but also their potential victims. This paper uses these horrific facts to try and convince the reader that the death penalty should be done away with before it is too late, although that time may have already come. With supporting evidence to support my cause, I hope that the following information sways at least one reader to see the harm of keeping the death penalty an activeRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1235 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is capital punishment? Why do people support it, but yet people cherish lives? Is it a moral thing to do? Should one be for or against the Death Penalty? Let’s take a look deep into the world of justices and why capital punishment still exists in today’s society. Capital punishment or the death penalty is a feder al punishment given to criminals who are convicted of murders. It is the highest law punishment available that can prevent future murders by developing fear within them. Capital punishmentRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1017 Words   |  5 PagesName: Lucas Falley Topic: Capital Punishment Background: Capital punishment, or the death penalty, has existed for thousands of years. For as long as there has been organized society, the death penalty has existed in numerous cultures and civilizations. Throughout the years the methods have changed, but the use of capital punishment is becoming a pressing matter. Amnesty International reports that there are 140 countries worldwide that have abolished the death penalty, while over 50 countries stillRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is A Capital Punishment1271 Words   |  6 Pages What is the death penalty? The death penalty is a capital punishment that is punishable by death or execution. This is usually given to people that have committed serious offences or capital crimes. There are 31 states in the United States that are for the death penalty. Crimes that are punishable by the death penalty, vary from state to state. Examples of such crimes are; first degree murder or premeditated murder, murder with special circumstances, such as: intende d, multiple, and murder whichRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1539 Words   |  7 PagesCapital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty, has been the center of debate for a long time. Capital punishment may be defined as the â€Å"[e]xecution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense† (Capital Punishment). Up until 1846, when Michigan became the first to abolish the death sentence, all states allowed legal practice of capital punishment by the government (States). Currently, there 32 states still supporting the death penalty and 18Read MoreThe Death Penalty Of Capital Punishment1480 Words   |  6 Pagesjustice system, such as the death penalty. Capital punishment has been used many times in history all around the world, and it was quite popular. Many people argue that capital punishment is useful in deterring crime and that it is only fair that criminals receive death as punishment for a heinous crim e. On the contrary, others see the death penalty as a violation of the 8th amendment. It restricts excessive fines, and it also does not allow cruel and unusual punishment to be inflicted upon criminals

Analysis Of The Movie The Film - 1099 Words

The video I choose to watch and write about was Third Ward TX. This really stood out to me from the other videos because it discussed different qualities the city has. I believe that Third Ward is a city where many of its residents are over looked by people in the city next to it, Houston. This video was produced by Andrew Garrison in 2007. In the film the director does an amazing job of highlighting the main problems of Third Ward TX. He also does a good job of highlighting the good things about it. They show the poor part of Texas where they have taken the old houses and renovated them. They made these old run down houses into a beautiful and safe place for people to walk through and view different types of art. The artist set up their†¦show more content†¦I also found in the employment rate section that it said more than half the population was not in the labor force or unemployed. It also states that the crime rate has gone down since the art houses have been provided. I believe that this shows you how art can impact you and lift you up. The crime rates before this were very high over 29.1% of crime was considered violent and 7.3% was firearm related crime. This can be dangerous in a community where there are a lot of children. I believe the director uses a lot of pathos in this video by showing you poor families who have a hard time but still try and make the best out of everything. Another thing that really made me excited about this video was the fact that the art played such a big role in this community. For me art is a pretty big deal in my family. When I was growing up my Grandfather use to paint all the time. He would teach classes to people to help them learn how to paint for free. I feel like this experience I had ties back into the video because this is exactly what the artist do in Third Ward Texas. On a website I found, www.refrence.com, It has an article that says, â€Å"Art influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time. Research has shown art affects the fundamental sense of self.† I believe that this is whatShow MoreRelatedMovie Analysis : Movie Of A Film 2032 Words   |  9 Pagesthe auteur category of films, we went from films having a clear plot, ending, and meaning, to films having endings, plots, and meanings the audience had to actually sit and think about to find to fin d out what exactly the director was trying to portray. This is caused by directors that are considered auteurs. These directors wanted their viewers to be able to come up with their own meaning instead of just giving it to them. They want the audience to think as they watch the movie, instead of sittingRead MoreMovie Analysis : Film And Film1109 Words   |  5 PagesEver since I could remember, I have been interesting in films and film memorabilia. It didn’t even have to be like legit props that were used on set of the films either, tie in products tickled my itch also. I vividly remember in 2007, having my mom drive me an hour away just so that I could get my hands on a box of Krusty-O’s that were a 7-11 exclusive cereal to promote The Simpsons Movie. I still have the box sitting on my shelf of important trinkets in my room, next to my Burger King exclusiveRead MoreFilm Analysis : Movie, Film, And Films1706 Words   |  7 PagesBackground As a medium, films act as a very effective medium to share the stories and affecting people’s life. Since ancient times, the stage has been utilized to tell stories. When the motion picture was invented in the 19th century, it instantaneously captivates the world. Films have the power to hypnotize, bringing its viewer to certain realms. With its power to subdue its subject, film becomes a vocal tool to get inside people’s mind. Just like literature, film also creates and promotes culturesRead MoreMovie Analysis : Film Analysis Of The Movie The Help796 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Help† Analysis Paper During the 1960’s , americans underwent an era of critical issues in the United States. Throughout this time, the United States was in a stage of racial issues where racism was still openly accepted of society. The struggle by African-Americans to achieve rights equal to those that white people received was also known as the Civil Rights Movement. That included having an opportunity in employment, voting rights, having access to public facilities, education andRead MoreFilm Analysis : Movie Of A Film 1233 Words   |  5 PagesFor anyone who has ever watched a film is a critic in some form. They judge various aspects based on personal feelings or attitudes, then state them for anybody to hear. I, the writer, am guilty of this type of film analysis. I based my ‘review’ of a film solely on how I felt the narrative evolved or how well the acting was done. I never considered why the rhetor of film choose certain details or what might have influenced the rhe tor in the first place. However, through this course I was exposedRead MoreMovie Analysis : Film And Film870 Words   |  4 Pagesthe storylines of films and helps categorise them in order to be identified when people come to look for a film to maybe help determine whether you are going to like the film or not. Genre can set scenes in order for us to know what type of film we may be watching e.g.: if you were to be watching a horror film you would have spooky, dull and dark lighting. This would set the scene letting us know that this film will most likely be a horror film. Knowing the type of genre of the film you are watchingRead MoreMovie Analysis : The Movie The Film 2659 Words   |  11 Pagesa decade old. All the youngsters in these educational doldrums had fluffy feathered mullets and strong cockney accents, film locations were churlish high-rise council blocks that surmounted concrete doom in its infrastructure. And a cast of dreadful actors so utterly depressing to look a t you had to wonder where their future in acting ended up. We had to view these insipid films on a geriatric Sony trinitron, snuggled in a cardigan of wood, volume exceedingly loud you could hear a margin of whiteRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Film 1715 Words   |  7 PagesMichael Hughes Romero (the movie) is a biopic movie released in 1989 American biopic which depicts the life and death of the Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, who led peaceful protests against a violent military regime and made sure the people knew the truth, even though this ended up costing him his life. He is portrayed in the movie by Raul Julia. Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdà ¡mez was born in 1917 and died March 24 1980. Romero was a high ranking member of the Catholic Church, who served asRead MoreMovie Analysis : Film 1250 Words   |  5 PagesThe film I chose to analyze is Need for Speed. This film portrays two different characters who play on opposite sides of morality. One, Dino, is a character who is selfish, lack morals, and is an a-typical jerk. He does not accept consequences, and puts his own needs and wants above anyone else, no matter the ramifications. The other is the character of Toby who is a direct contrast. While Toby may be spurred by justice throughout the film, he is consistently focused his morals, who constantly isRead MoreAnalysis Of The Movie The Film 862 Words   |  4 Pagesnot planning on reviewing this before it aired, but after screening it, I was so utterly impressed with this movie--seriously, it is one of the best Hallmark films I have seen in a long time. And I don t say that glibly b y any means. I know I am known for my positive reviews, but this one goes far beyond that. I never once had to remind myself to concentrate on the positive aspects of the film. The acting, the story, and the message were one of the finest Hallmark has featured in some time. Not to

Elegy to and Unfortunate Lady Essay Example For Students

Elegy to and Unfortunate Lady Essay In Alexander Pope’s poem â€Å"Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady,† Pope uses a great amount of war-like imagery to enhance his vision of the suicide described. He creates allies and enemies, weapons and invasions, as well as the gruesome death that only seems to come from war. These pieces add to the overall meaning of the work and the vision of the event that has occurred, giving the reader an image of a battle occurring. The first images of the war or battle are that of the victim of battle. Starting at line four and extending to line ten, I find that Pope is using a great amount of imagery to depict the woman’s wound and the fate upon which she has fallen. In line four he describes her wound in only three words â€Å"bleeding bosom gor’d,† but he then extends the depiction of her wound into how it was obtained. He describes the knife or the dagger that she must have used to kill herself with as a â€Å"sword†, which is something that would typically be found in battle rather than in the case of a suicide. He also brings in the theory of the ancient Roman justice system for not just war but any crime. It is much greater and braver to die by your own sword than by any other. She kills herself for the simple fact that in her eyes she must be punished for loving some one too much; however, her death is the start of the real war, between Pope and the society and family that ab andoned her. Pope sides with the ghost in the poem and criticizes her family and society for her death. In line thirty he states clearly his great dislike for the uncle who he labels as â€Å"Thou, mean deserter of thy brother’s blood!† This is an apparent line drawn between what Pope believed should have occurred and what did occur, creating the image of enemy and ally. It is even an echo of a challenge to the uncle on how to raise or treat his family. Pope blasts society in lines forty-eight and forty-nine when he states that â€Å"rites unpaid? / No friend’s complaint, no kind domestic tear† He seems to be stating that society abandoned her as much as her family did and that no one seems to even care that this young woman is gone. He once again has drawn a line saying, â€Å"you are the enemy and I am the ally.† Now that the sides have been chosen the battle can be looked at much more closely. The image of a battle takes up much more of this poem than any other section. Not only is the suicide a battle within the woman as to whether or not to commit it, but the language lends itself to shape yet another battle of morality. Pope brings in the language of battle a great deal on page 115 of the poem. He speaks of â€Å"justice†, â€Å"vengeance†, and the â€Å"besiege†ing of â€Å"your gates † (in which case he is speaking to the family and society). These are images that are common with battle rather than suicide. He also brings up the fact that â€Å"foreign hands† are what took care of the young woman’s body once she died. This also seems to illuminate the image of death on a battlefield. Pope captures this picture beautifully in lines fifty-two to fifty-four, when he writes:By foreign hands thy dying eyes were clos’d,By foreign hands thy decent limbs compos’d,By foreign hands thy humble grave adorn’d,By strang ers honour’d, and by strangers mourn’d!This passage is the essence of how men died in battle in those days and during the civil war. They were not buried by their family and friends, but rather buried in mass graves or where they lie, if buried at all. They were mourned and honored by strangers rather than their loved ones. Pope also brings up the fact that she has no tombstone marking her grave; â€Å"Nor polish’d marble emulate they face.† That is another common factor with the victims of war. There is often no marking of their graves but rather just the grass to cover where they

Poetry from other cultures Essay Example

Poetry from other cultures Paper Compare and contrast the notions of culture and identify in Half-caste by John Agard and Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan by Moniza Alvi. The poems I have chosen to analyse are Half-Caste by John Agard and Presents from my aunts in Pakistan by Moniza Alvi. I have decided to focus on these poems because I believe they project strong messages and discuss the issues of identities and mixed race. Furthermore, both poems are autobiographical and the poets are from different cultures to each other. As readers, it is very interesting to understand their different views about mixed race backgrounds as we are from a different culture to them. John Agard is a respected Caribbean poet who has won the Paul Hamlyn Award in 1997. On the other hand, Moniza Alvi was born in Pakistan and has achieved the Poetry Business Prize in 1991. Both poets confess the difficulties of living in different cultures and not knowing their fixed nationality. John Agard was born on 21 June 1949 in Guyana. His mother was white and Portuguese but his father was a black Englishman, therefore making him half-caste. He began to write poems at the age of sixteen and many were published in the school magazine. In the 1970s he moved to England where he not only progressed to become a literary poet but also moved on to develop into a performing poet. From there, he has travelled significantly performing his consequential poetry. In his poem Half-Caste, Agard has accepted the fact that he is half-caste but he is very concerned about the term. He uses various everyday objects and famous people to aid him in giving his views about the term. We will write a custom essay sample on Poetry from other cultures specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Poetry from other cultures specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Poetry from other cultures specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Half-Caste is an interesting title to use. It is a one word phrase, short and simple. What is more, it is direct and refers to what the poem is going to be related to. Agard begins the poem by capturing our attention and describing the image of a half-caste person. Excuse me standing on one leg Im half-caste Firstly, he says Excuse me, as it is a polite way to ask us to accept him as he is half-caste. He then continues to describe a bizarre image of a person who is standing on one leg as he is like half a person. He does this as he is ridiculing the term half-caste in order for the readers to understand Agards interpretation of the phrase. The beginning of the second stanza is asking us to give our explanation of the term half-caste. Explain yuself wha yu mean when yu say half-caste He asks the readers this question as a first attempt togain our justification of half-caste. This question is repeated three more times in the poem as he emphasises the fact that he wants an answer. Next, Agard tells us how Picasso mixes different colours to create his works of art. when Picasso mix red an green is a half-caste canvas He has chosen to use Picasso as an example for his meaning of half-caste because he is a well-respected and famous artist who is familiar to most people. He is saying that if Picasso combines dissimilar colours together, does that mean he has produced a half-caste canvas? Obviously, the answer is no and therefore in Agards opinion this shows how ludicrous the term half-caste is. Following the previous example, Agard illustrates the weather in England as an image of the idiom of half-caste. when light an shadow mix in de sky is a half-caste weather In this example england weather is mostly half-caste weather as ir is usually quite clear and bright but cloudy at the same time, which is almost like two different types of weather merged together. This is ironic example for the readers to establish his connotation of half-caste. Subsequently, Agard demonstrates how the weather in England is half-caste. some o dem cloud half-caste till dem overcast so spiteful dem dont want de sun pass This quote uses personification as it is saying that the clouds are malicious and wont let the sun pass. Effectively, this suggests that people who use the phrase half-caste dont know how it feels and it can frequently cause offense. Moving on, Tchaikovsky is another famous person who is used to depict Agards conception of half-caste. In this example, he is describing how Tchaikovsky composes his symphonies. mix a black key wid a white key is a half-caste symphony Here, Agard is referring specifically and directly to different races. He us comparing different skin colours to different coloured objects. Tchaikovsky was presumably chosen for the same reasons as Picasso as this example is very similar to his. He has selected famous people to explain his views of half-caste as they are well-known and revered. In the third stanza, Agard is describing how he feels when communicating with people who call him half-caste. Ah listening to yu wid de keen half of mih ear. Ah looking at yu wid de keen half of mih eye Clearly, no one can have half an ear or half an eye but this shows that Agard feels he has divided body parts because he is called half-caste. In addition to this, Agard still feels he is like half a person in his subconscious as well as when he is awake. at night I close half-a-eye consequently when I dream I dream half a dream He says this to emphasise the fact that he feels he has half a body hence, only undertaking half of everyday activities such as being able to offer yu half-a-hand which is a nonsensical suggestion. Subsequently, Agard declares the fact that he is of mixed race and states his identity. I half-caste human being I believe that in this line, Agard is admitting and accepting that he is half-caste and is acknowledging his identity. However, the next line shows us that he still feels he is like half a person as he cast half-a-shadow Towards the end of the stanza, Agard compares whole people to himself. de whole of yu eye an de whole of yu ear an de whole of yu mind This shows us that Agard wants people to be fully looking, hearing and understanding him as he demands previously:- yu must come back tomorrow Agard explains his demand in the last stanza which is like the first stanza, only three lines long. an I will tell yu de other half of my story This has occurred as he feels he cant express his point across at one time and so needs to break it into two smaller sections for those people to understand him. Unmistakably, this is indeed very poignant and sad. To conclude, Agard has written a well-mannered, expressive poem of his views of the term half-caste although it is very outspoken and quite satirical. The poem is written in four stanzas of varying length. The breaks between the stanzas force us to think and reflect on what weve just read. There is no regular rhyme scheme although quite a few lines rhyme in the poem. The first stanza is written in standard English but the others are written in a Caribbean dialect. This is because it makes the reader feel they are talking like the poet. There is no punctuation and most of the poem is written in lower case. This is to show that he is breaking the rules of what people feel is important as he feels he is breaking the rules by existing. An example of this is the capital t for Tchaikovsky, the famous Russian composer. This poem is very effective and after reading it, it has made me think about using the term half-caste more carfully. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Agard: Half-Caste section. Download this essay Print Save Heres what a teacher thought of this essay 3 star(s)

An Arundel Tomb Essays

An Arundel Tomb Essays An Arundel Tomb Essay An Arundel Tomb Essay A poem in which the poet explores the significance of the passage of time is An Arundel Tomb by Philip Larkin. Larkin uses techniques such as, imagery and word choice to achieve this. Immediately, the title of the poem makes the reader consider the importance of the theme of time. An Arundel Tomb, when broken down to each single word the connotations are; An portraying only one; Arundel a town near Chichester in England where this tomb is actually present; and Tomb, the word tomb gives away the poem most because it makes you begin to think about how tombs are usually only for rich people and were mostly for people who were of some sort of royalty or importance and also the idea of death, people only go into the tomb after they have died. The people who the tomb was made for was an earl and countess which kind of proves the point about people being rich to afford a tomb. Similarly, the structure of the poem highlights Larkins concern with the passage of time, the poem is written in seven stanzas with an ABBCAC regular rhyme scheme. Each stanza is written in a neat way with every stanza having six lines. The neat structure of the poem mimics the way the effigies are lying still, next to each other, Side by side, their faces blurred The impression I get from the regular structure of the poem is that art can withstand the erosion of time, which connects to the passage of time which is the overall theme of this particular poem. Larkin also uses similes and metaphors to illuminate the passage of time, he uses the idea of relationship. Larkin also uses word choice and phrases such as clasped jointed and holding her hand to bring the point across that these people did love each other however , the idea of the lack of clarity is also emphasised therefore relationships are not always clear. Lack of clarity appears quite often in the poem, the first line of the poem reads to outsiders their faces blurred and then in the second line the word lie is written, these two words together make you think about it in a little more detail, that there faces are blurred because they arent telling the truth.

Effects of Divorce on Children's Achievements in School Research Proposal

Effects of Divorce on Children's Achievements in School - Research Proposal Example The present study makes an attempt to study the consequences of divorce on the child's education and academic achievement as compared to their previous academic records. The present study is a descriptive study because it involves comparison of previous existing academic records about the students and comparing the same with the latest records which will help to analyze the effect of divorce on their academic brilliance. The development of society has led to many changes in the lives of people. The new age of information has resulted in changing attitudes with regard to their approach towards life and relationship which was earlier a bonding of different lives. The approach, the present paper highlights is about divorce which is ever increasing in developed countries, but developing nations are not left behind as the trend is followed over there too. Divorce is technically the formal dissolution of marriage which is more often conceived as the catalyst for the increasing family fragmentation characterizing contemporary western societies. It is further important to mention that divorce reflects the changing societal values and norms concerning marriage, gender, children, parenting and care giving (David Clarke, 2007). According to Bane (cited in Hetherington, Cox and Cox, 1982) high rate of divorce per se is not a matter for concern in a society that values individual choice, even though some of the consequences may warrant societal attention. Divorce, in legal terms, is an end to marriage but the separation has greater impact on various factors which also includes children's welfare, education and their academic and social development. According to Bumpass (cited in Keith and Finlay, 1988), the increasing prevalence of divorce involving children is an important topic which needs to be studied over the period of time so as to ascertain the effects of divorce on their academic achievements. Some of the previous studies with regard to effects of divorce on children's education have led to a conclusion that there is no significant effect once adequate controls for social class are introduced. In a longitudinal study carried out by Cherlin, Furstenberg, Chase-Lansdale, Kiernan, Robins, Morrison and Teitler (1991) it was revealed that the academic performance of the children, both boys and girls, has reduced as compared to their previous performance when their parents didn't separat ed. However it is pertinent to mention here that the effect of divorce in girls was minimal as compared to that of boys. An early research into the effects of divorce on young minds by Judith Wallerstein and her colleagues which included 60 divorced couples and their 131 children, it was revealed that almost half of the participants were characterized as worried, underachieving, self deprecating and sometimes angry young man and women (Weiten, Lloyd, Dunn and Hammer, 2008). Research Methodology Research is a way of thinking, critically examining the various aspects of the subject being studied, understanding and formulating guiding principles that govern a particular procedure; and developing and testing new theories (Kumar, 2005).

Multiculturalism versus Liberalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Multiculturalism versus Liberalism - Essay Example As such, a multicultural society is described as one that is characterized by a rich mixture of cultures and supports the desire amongst its people to convey their own identities in the way they deem fit (Brian, 3). The second approach to multiculturalism aims at dealing with the numerous challenges that arise because of cultural diversity, especially due to the problems that face the minority and marginalized groups within society. Liberalism Liberalism refers to a political philosophy that is based on the notions of equality and liberty that support basic human rights and freedoms such as individual civil rights, freedom to own private property, freedom of expression, free and just elections, freedom of religion, free trade, and freedom of association. This philosophy arose because of a rejection of tyrannical, oppressive, and conservative practices and ideas such as absolute monarchy, the godly right of kings, state religion, and hereditary privilege that only favored a few individuals within society (Perry, et al., 183). Liberalism emerged during the 16th and 17th centuries when there were numerous religious wars across Europe that were against tyrannical leadership. Regarded as the Enlightenment Age, it saw the beginning of powerful revolutionary movements aimed at ending tyrannical regimes across the world especially in Europe, with the most remarkable one being the French revolution. A multiculturalism critique of l iberal notions of citizenship The term citizenship is a term used broadly to refer to the link between an individual and the state and which grants that individual certain legal rights and freedoms. Citizenship has three main dimensions. The first is legal status that grants an individual freedom to act in accordance with the law and the right to seek protection by the law (Isin and Turner, 32). The second dimension is political and assumes individuals as political agents who participate in political undertakings within society. The third is identity whereby an individual is deemed a member of a political community hence gaining an identity. Differences in the approach adopted by liberalism and multiculturalism have created a tension between these two ideologies especially in the manner of leadership to be adopted by governments and various authorities. One such are of tension arises on the views of citizenship adopted by liberals and multiculturalists. A major model of citizenship is liberal citizenship that adopts legal status and political liberty as important aspects of citizenship and which help to protect individuals from oppression by the authorities and other individuals. Several multiculturalists criticisms have been raised against the various liberal ideas of citizenship adopted by liberals. The first criticism is the failure of liberalism citizenship to address the various inequalities present in the present capitalist societies. The capitalist approach towards production and property ownership has