Saturday, December 28, 2019

Shimabara Rebellion in Japan

The Shimabara Rebellion was a peasant revolt against Matsukura Katsuie of the Shimabara Domain and Terasawa Katataka of the Karatsu Domain. Date Fought between December 17, 1637 and April 15, 1638, the Shimabara Rebellion lasted four months. Armies Commanders Shimabara Rebels Amakusa Shiro27,000-37,000 men Tokugawa Shogunate Itakura ShigemasaMatsudaira Nobutsuna125,000-200,000 men Shimabara Rebellion - Campaign Summary Originally the lands of the Christian Arima family, the Shimabara Peninsula was given to the Matsukura clan in 1614. As a result of their former lords religious affiliation, many of the inhabitants of the peninsula were Christian as well. The first of the new lords, Matsukura Shigemasa, sought advancement within the ranks of the Tokugawa Shogunate and aided in the construction of​ Edo Castle and a planned invasion of the Philippines. He also pursued a strict policy of persecution against local Christians. While Christians were persecuted in other areas of Japan, the degree of Matsukuras repression was considered particularly extreme by outsiders such as local Dutch traders. After taking over his new lands, Matsukura constructed a new castle at Shimabara and saw that the Arima clans old seat, Hara Castle, was dismantled. To finance these projects, Matsukura levied heavy taxes on his people. These policies were continued by his son, Matsukura Katsuie. A similar situation developed on the adjacent Amakusa Islands where the Konishi family had been displaced in favor of the Terasawas. In the fall of 1637, the discontented populace as well as local, masterless samurai began to meet in secret to plan an uprising. This broke out in Shimabara and the Amakusa Islands on December 17, following the assassination of the local daikan (tax official) Hayashi Hyà ´zaemon. In the revolts early days, the regions governor and more than thirty noblemen were killed. The ranks of the rebellion quickly swelled as all those living in Shimabara and Amakusa were forced to join the rebel armys ranks. The charismatic 14/16-year old Amakusa Shiro was selected to lead the rebellion. In an effort to snuff out the revolt, the governor of Nagasaki, Terazawa Katataka, dispatched a force of 3,000 samurai to Shimabara. This force was defeated by the rebels on December 27, 1637, with the governor losing all but 200 of his men. Taking the initiative, the rebels laid siege to the Terazawa clans castles at Tomioka and Hondo. These proved unsuccessful as they were forced to abandon both sieges in the face of advancing shogunate armies. Crossing the Ariake Sea to Shimabara, the rebel army laid siege to Shimabara Castle but were unable to take it. Withdrawing to the ruins of Hara Castle, they re-fortified the site using wood taken from their ships. Provisioning Hara with food and ammunition seized from Matsukuras storehouses at Shimabara, the 27,000-37,000 rebels prepared to receive the shogunate armies that were arriving in the area. Led by Itakura Shigemasa, shogunate forces laid siege to Hara Castle in January 1638. Surveying the situation, Itakura requested aid from the Dutch. In response, Nicolas Koekebakker, the head of the trading station at Hirado, sent gunpowder and cannon. Itakura next requested that Koekebakker send a ship to bombard the seaward side of Hara Castle. Arriving in de Ryp (20), Koekebakker and Itakura began an ineffective 15-day bombardment of the rebel position. After being taunted by the rebels, Itakura sent de Ryp back to Hirado. He was later killed in a failed attack on the castle and replaced by Matsudaira Nobutsuna. Seeking to regain the initiative, the rebels launched a major night raid on February 3, which killed 2,000 soldiers from Hizen. Despite this minor victory, the rebels situation worsened as provisions dwindled and more shogunate troops arrived. By April, the 27,000 remaining rebels were facing over 125,000 shogunate warriors. With little choice left, they attempted a break out on April 4, but were unable to get through Matsudairas lines. Prisoners taken during the battle revealed that the rebels food and ammunition were nearly exhausted. Moving forward, shogunate troops attacked on April 12, and succeeded in taking Haras outer defenses. Pushing on, they finally managed to take the castle and end the rebellion three days later. Shimabara Rebellion - Aftermath Having taken the castle, the shogunate troops executed all those rebels who were still alive. This coupled with those who committed suicide prior to the castles fall, meant that the entire 27,000-man garrison (men, women, children) died as a result of the battle. All told, approximately 37,000 rebels and sympathizers were put to death. As the rebellions leader, Amakusa Shiro was beheaded and his head taken back to Nagasaki for display. As the Shimabara Peninsula and the Amakusa Islands were essentially depopulated by the rebellion, new immigrants were brought in from other parts of Japan and the lands divided among a new set of lords. Ignoring the role that over-taxation played in causing the revolt, the shogunate opted to blame it on the Christians. Officially banning the faith, Japanese Christians were forced underground where they remained until the 19th century. In addition, Japan closed itself to the outside world, only allowing a few Dutch merchants to remain.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Facing The Energy Crisis During The Industrial Revolution

Facing the Energy Crisis Since the industrial revolution began, humans have doubled their consumption rates almost every decade. The worlds natural resources have been on a steady decline for many years and a frequently asked question is â€Å"what’s next?†. Professor David MacKay explains how he thinks society can give answers to these questions of what is next after the natural resources dry up. MacKay is a professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and chief Advisor of the U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change. MacKay has elaborated in several ways how countries around the world have increased consumption more in the past 15 years than ever before in recorded history. There are many factors that could effect the future of our energy crisis, including the increase of renewable power sources, slowing down on energy consumption, and the development of new technologies to power the forever growing world. The increase of renewable energy is qui te possible if done in a smart way. The world powers and people like MacKay have talked about ways of expanding the renewable energy sources and creating enough facilities that produce renewable energy to power entire countries. In order to make this a reality it takes more than just a small section of land. As stated by MacKay, â€Å"If you do want renewables to make a substantial difference for a country like the United Kingdom on the scale of today s consumption, you need to be imagining renewable facilities thatShow MoreRelatedSustainability Revolution : Earth, The Plant We Call Home1537 Words   |  7 PagesSustainability Revolution: Earth, the plant we call home, is a complex system made of interdependent parts and pieces of life that are constantly changing. Earth’s planetary system has maintained a balance of dynamic equilibrium—it has been sustainable— since its beginnings about 4.5 billion years ago. 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Thursday, December 12, 2019

Structured Workplace Learning

Question: Discuss about the Structured Workplace Learning. Answer: Introduction For any career, work experience through a structured workplace learning can provide one with a fantastic opportunity to get first hand job experience. During workplace learning, the student is able to learn through observation and also implement theory based learning as was taught in school. According to Yen, et al. (2016), workplace learning is the acquisition of skills and knowledge one gets through a formal and informal means which occur in the workplace. Through this kind of learning, a student or a trainee is able to practice, observer and understand what will be expected of him during his professional practice. This report discusses workplace learning by exploring theories, skills audit and being employed. Learning Theories According to Armson Whiteley (2010), workplace learning theories tend to focus on formal teaching as they look at how this knowledge is transmitted from the teacher to the learner. This is characterized by their emphasis on teaching more than that of learning. They will also focus on the teacher and student relationship and how much they know about the subject than way in which what they have learnt can be implemented in the actual setting. These kind of theories only limit the experience that the student will have will at the workplace(Armson Whiteley, 2010). As can be observed in some cases, a student may suffer the frustration of late running or completing hands on tasks as they mostly observe than implement. One may find himself being a passive professional since they do not know ways to handle tools, complete a report or deal with a customer, depending on the professional field(Deng, et al., 2003). Howard Gardners multiple intelligence Theory The theory was first published in Gardners book, Frames of Mind in 1983 (Gardner, 2011); it quickly became one of the theories that enables one to understand and teach various aspects in regard to human intelligence, personality, learning styles and behavior of students during their learning period. Though the theory was developed to explain psychological concepts, it was later adopted to explain learning and teaching. According to Lloyd, et al. (2014), Howards theory shows that a student is able to know through logical analysis, language, special representation and musical thinking; ways in which the body can be used to solve problems or to make things happen. The theory thus provides an understanding of oneself and that of others in the workplace. In this regard, the individual will differ from the rest with regard to ones own strength of the above intelligences and ways that the said intelligences are used to carry out a particular task, solve the present problem and make progress in ones career. Also according to Wang Seddon (2014), the differences between class and workplace learning, poses a challenge in the education system, since most institutions would assume that every student is able to learn the same materials in the same way a universal measure would test a student. With regard to different models of this theory, the current education system is biased when it comes to the linguistic model of assessment and learning instruction. This would be different when one looks at the logical quantitative model. Another study by Yen, et al., (2016), shows that students are distinctive from one another. It is thus important that different learning disciplines are presented and assessed in different forms. In the Linguistic category for example, it involves the student be able to use professional words effectively. One must be able to have auditory command during learning and professional live. Such characteristics of a linguistic learner would include reading, making up short stories and poetry and playing word games. For such a learner, the tutor can encourage them by challenging the to say and see words and read books. For example, such tools as multimedia, books, computers, lectures and tape recorders would be useful(Deng, et al., 2003). The second category is the Visual-Spatial, where the student is thinks and reasons in terms of physical space. This kind of student is very aware of their own environment. Some of their best times would be spend in doing jigsaw puzzles, drawing, daydreaming and reading maps. For such a learner, they can be taught through physical and verbal imagery or drawing and illustration. Such learning tools would include charts, graphics, drawings, photograph s, video and videoconferencing, 3-D modelling, multimedia, texts with charts, pictures etc. The third category of learning under Gardners theory is the interpersonal where ones learns through interacting and understanding one another. This type of student will learn more through interaction that when isolated. According to Armson Whiteley, (2010), these type of learners will work well in the company of friends, they are street smart and empathize with others. They can at times be taught doing group activities, participated in seminars and very vocal in dialogue meetings. The best learning tools for this group are audio conferencing, telephone, and time and attention instructor. They love writing, emailing and computer conferencing as well. With reference to the above categories of Gardners theory, the best that describes my learning is the interpersonal category. As a student I have always loved to solve problems as a group. I never miss group discussion, I participate highly in school and organizational activities. I feel this shapes me up to be a productive administrator, since through interpersonal learning I am able to understand human behavior and how to deal with them. Over the years in school I have also been able to understand group dynamics through group work and holding seminars in organizations. My traits include good communication and social skills, I have a good command of language and always seeking leadership position in group work. Skills Audit According to the You and Your career workbook (GraduateCareers, 2012), A skill is a developed capacity or aptitude that is expressed as a combination of what someone knows. As a learner, it is important to understand ones transferrable skills which are acquired during class lectures and other professional activities. It is important for one to see how the acquired skills can be applied at the workplace. For this reason, it is always important that one avoids narrow interpretation of personal skills in area of learning since it only adds to what the employer will think about one(Lloyd, et al., 2014). The following evaluation is my personal skills audit from the personal skills chart as described in the part five of the You and Your career workbook. The evaluation includes; Organizing, Social group, communication and linguistics, creative, cognitive, contingency, self-managing and physical skills. From the evaluation, I found that I possess skills in the following categories. Social Group- I qualify in this group because I am good at creating networks and interacting with people in my class. During teamwork, I am always ready to pick leadership positions and have a strong will to learn from others. Communication and Linguistic I am a good giving and receiving feedback. This is one of the reason I have always preferred leadership positions in most of my class work. I believe myself to be very creative, since most of my research work qualify for good grades. By field research work has always been above average and I am always time conscious with assignments. During my learning sessions I have always participated in debates and perform well in argumentative sessions. Being Employed This part looks at my skills, obligations and responsibility while approaching a potential employer. With regard to the Australian law, the employer has several legal obligations to ensure that the employee working conditions are protected at all times. For example, under the Disability and discrimination act 1992 (AustraliaLaw, 2010), it is illegal for any employer to discriminate an employee on the grounds of physical disability and mental health conditions. This means that the employer has the responsibility to offer equal chances for all employees. If the employee will deliver to the standards he or she should have equal chances for appraisal. The law against discrimination will thus guard the employee or potential employee during recruitment, selection of the person getting the job or during the negotiation of working and payment terms. When it comes to moral obligations of the employer, this will include making reasonable adjustments so as to accommodate a person with mental of physical disability. Such adjustments will include working hours and use of leave entitlements. The use of equipment and facilities will also come in to play and other work related rules. It is also important for an employee to understand that each employee has different skills and will excel at several tasks differently(Wang Seddon, 2014). An employee should be able to learn the potential of each employee and ensure each employee feels special and appreciated. It is also important that the employer provides a safety and healthy workplace at all time. This is protected under the work health and safety act 2011(Legislation, 2016). At any given time the employer should be able to provide and maintain safe systems of work, monitor the physical and mental health of workers. Employers also need to be consulting with workers and their representatives from time to time so as to know how they can treat them better. It is also the obligation of the employer to provide employees with ongoing training, information, supervision and instructions which will assist them to perform much better(Yen, et al., 2016). In case of any challenge or compliant, there are several government bodies that an employee can reach out for help; this include the Australian chamber of commerce and industry which protects the employees and employers from g overnment decisions that may deter business and growth(ACCI, 2016). There is the Australian Workers Union, whose work is to protect the interest of workers with regard to salaries and wage negotiations, job security, workplace conditions and career development(AWU, 2016). With regard to the above, as an employer my roles and responsibility will include; taking reasonable care and health of myself while at work, cooperate with employers and other workmates for a single goal, follow instructions from employer on work matters and report any challenge, hazard or defects at the workplace. Conclusion In conclusion, workplace learning will involve three groups, the tutor, the student and the potential employer. However, all of these will depend with the learners personal skills. They are they only determinant of how the learning and implementation process will take place. Through my personal skills audit, I believe I am better placed in the professional field however there are some areas that I would more effort, especially in intrapersonal skills. Table Below Showing Skills Audit References ACCI, 2016. who we are. [Online] Available at: https://www.acci.asn.au/who-we-are [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Armson, G. Whiteley, A., 2010. Employees' and managers' accounts of interactive workplace learning: A grounded theory of complex integrative learning. Journal of Workplace Learning, 22(7), pp. 409-427. AustraliaLaw, 2010. Australia: employment law. Commonwealth Law Bulletin, 36(1), pp. 137-163. AWU, 2016. Have You Joined Yet?. [Online] Available at: https://www.awu.net.au/ [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Cascio, W. Wynn, P., 2004. Managing a downsizing process. Human Resource Management, 43(4), pp. 425-436. Deng, J., Menguc, B. Benson, J., 2003. The impact of human resource management on export performance of Chinese manufacturing enterprises.. Thunderbird International Business Review, p. 409429. Gardner, H., 2011. Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences,. New York: Basic Books. GraduateCareers, 2012. Part Five: Personal Skills Chat. [Online] Available at: https://www.graduatecareers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/YourCareerYou-2012_web.pdf [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Legislation, 2016. Work health and safety act 2011. [Online] Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2011A00137/rss [Accessed 11 August 2016]. Lloyd, B. et al., 2014. The New South Wales Allied Health Workplace Learning Study: barriers and enablers to learning in the workplace. BMC health services research, 14(1), pp. 134-141. Wang, X. Seddon, T., 2014. Globalization and Academic's Workplace Learning: A Case Study in China. European Education, 46(4), p. 25. Yen, M., rede, F. Patterson, C., 2016. Learning in the workplace: the role of Nurse Managers. Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association, 40(3), p. 286.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Novel Heart of Darkness Essay Example For Students

Novel Heart of Darkness Essay The relationship between the living Conrad and his fictional character Marlow has been analysed repeatedly since the novel was published to try to establish how far the author actually identified with his creation. While it has often been suggested that the narrative can be explained by reference to Conrads own life11, giving the novel an autobiographical emphasis, it could be argued that as a work of fiction the alignment of the authors own opinions with his principle character is irrelevant to the reading of the text itself. However, Marlows role as a narrator reinforces exactly why the presence of Conrad in his writing is both necessary and historically relevant to the novel. We will write a custom essay on Novel Heart of Darkness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Just as Conrads own experiences on the Congo allowed him to reconstruct and remould his fictional counterpart, so Marlow as the storyteller is able to juxtapose events and impressions to relive a fictional present12. Marlows restructuring of his experiences make the reader aware that some kind of past history, or experience is being poured into the narrative, echoing that of Conrads own as Marlow expresses, it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of ones existence- that which makes its truth, its meaning-its subtle and penetrating essence13. So the reader is simultaneously drawn into the narrative by the historical pull of human experience while being distanced by its fictive barriers. Conrad himself described the story in 1902 as mainly a vehicle for conveying a batch of personal impressions14 while admitting that it could be described as experience pushed a little (and only a very little) beyond the actual facts of the case. This demonstrates the complicated intertwining of fact and fiction involved in the writing of such a novel. While Conrad was able to express his own disillusionment with the systems he had experienced through his representations of Marlow and Kurtz, it can be shown that he is subject to his own criticisms by the very aspect of those experiences. Despite his strongly critical portrayal of white man and colonial victories, Conrad has often been accused of racism in his literature, and evidence of which, (whether conscious, or unconsciously displayed) helps to show why it is therefore difficult to separate a work of literature from its historical source of writing. In Heart of Darkness the allegory for the psychological journey to the heart of the human mind is bound inseparably to the physical one related by Marlow and experienced by Conrad in reality. If the story is to be read only as a metaphor which discovers the horrors and corruption lurking at the bottom of mans heart, the implications of using Africa as an external parallel, for a physical setting to match the inner darkness16reveal that despite Conrads attempts to subvert colonialism he betrays his own prejudices from the outset. While Conrad has been described as a man of his times17 holding prevalent western attitudes such as that primitive people were morally inferior to civilised ones, Marlows corresponding attitudes can be identified by his reaction to the Africans and in particular the cannibals in aligning the two. His sympathy for the black race is reflected in the negative portrayal of white man yet the superficial nature of his sympathies are revealed when he encounters the cannibals. He expresses his horror that there might be some connection between them and himself, admitting Well, you know that was the worst of it- this suspicion of their not being inhuman. Again, it is the undertone of colonial prejudice breaking through the surface gloss of compassion which Conrad has allowed Marlow to display. While he feels sorry for them when he sees them dying, when he sees them healthy, he feels nothing but abhorrence and loathing19. Conrads ambivalent attitudes towards colonialism are therefore revealed not just through Marlows ironic narrative technique but by the underlying tone of colonial prejudices which pervade the imagery of the novel. .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .postImageUrl , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:hover , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:visited , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:active { border:0!important; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:active , .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u63b22150e11c51ec6e3765bd9be1f85a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Eddie and Mickey and evaluates the situation EssayThe stark contrasts of white and black, light and shade, presented in the imagery of the novel function in a very specific way through the designation of roles, the creation and disintegration of stereotypes, and the assertion of hegemonies in the discourse. Conrads portrayal of Africa as the blank space20 on the map which then becomes a place of darkness21 ready for western discovery and domination initiates the assignment of metaphorical colouring. However, as Chinua Achebe pointed out the mystery and shadow cast by Conrads portrayal of Africa was and is the dominant image of Africa in the western imagination22and reinforces Conrads position as a product of this mass consciousness. As the metaphor is extended to the associations of good and evil accompanying this imagery, it is clear that Africa has been consigned to a symbol for an evil and primeval force23 within this westernised structuring of stereotypes. In his portrayal of the African women as like the wilderness itself, with an air of brooding he both places her in the context of colonial domination of land and subordinates her to the depravity associated within the imagery of darkness. While the balance of fiction and fact contributing to Heart of Darkness blur the boundaries between critical commentary and aesthetic or artistically based literature, the novel is constantly subject to the conditions present during its creation. Benita Parrys claim that what Marlow sees belongs not to history but to fantasy may be true but despite Conrads literary and political intentions, his western preconceptions appear to be daubed throughout the novel, particularly in his portrayal of Africa and Africans. The distancing of himself from any direct narrative responsibility almost reinforces the presence of Conrad within the novel and while his authorial role should not direct a reading of the text, his alignment and identification with Marlow does add a dimension to its analysis. Finally, the ambivalence with which the novel approaches attitudes towards colonialism demonstrates how important the respective roles of historical and modernist contexts are in uncovering the complex layering of narrative voices. In this way Heart of Darkness produces a critical reflection on the very forms of consciousness it illuminates25and by doing so self-consciously acknowledges its own debt to historical context, whilst echoing the patterning of past, present and future which create the literary as well as literal temporality both in art and life.