Case Study- Democracy and Islam Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

- Democracy and Islam - Case Study Example After the overthrow of dictatorial regimes in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya during the Arab spring, demands for a democratic form of government are also brewing up in the neighboring Arab states. The case study, written by Tessler and Brand in the year 1995, sheds some light on the present events happening in the Arab world as they reflect some repercussions originating from the historical realms of political Islam and democracy. The subject is of vital importance considering the current trend in Arab politics and its implications on international politics at large. The current events occurring in the Arab world have deep connections with the history of democracy and Islam in the region, and can be better understood with regards to the historical trends. According to Tessler and Brand (1995), Islam has significantly grown in its importance in the Arab world. Such sentiments are visible through the more apparent praying and veiling. And many campaigns seem to rake in a lot of support as they reinforce the Islamic banner. Such a support can materialize into successful election of the candidate provided that an electoral poll takes place. However, not all scholars agree with the supposed positive correlation between democracy and Islam. Many scholars argue that democracy and Islam are incompatible. To make a statement about the issue requires serious study into the current air prevailing across the Arab world while also seeking guidance from the theoretical frameworks. Political Islam is usually viewed as a conflicting concept to secularism or other liberal forms of democracy. However, in the Arab world, it is almost impossible to eliminate religion from political systems. The events of the Arab spring demonstrated the need to reconsid er the relationship between Islam and democracy as ideological rivals. Individual protests during the Arab spring grew immensely strong eventually changing the political system from authoritarian to democratic. More

Can People still rely on knowledge from experts? Essay -- essays resea

â€Å"There is no evidence that scientists always tell the truth, and the chances are that they are only marginally more honest than, say, politicians† (New Scientist) Knowledge can be defined as an organised body of information which through experience, theories and studies help the human mind discover and develop new information. Different forms of knowledge include medical, religious, scientific, and common-sense and these in turn have their own language and status and there is privileging of some knowledge i.e., scientific. Like everything, knowledge is also part of a social construction and in this assignment I will take a look back at the past and compare it to how we handle knowledge in today’s society. By evaluating different forms of knowledge and looking at the evidence given it will become clear that whether we can trust experts isn’t actually the problem, rather it’s that we really have no choice, if we can’t trust the experts and they are not as accurate as they make out, then who can we trust? This is actually quite a scary suggestion. When one hears the word ‘specialist’, one automatically assumes ‘important’, ‘accurate’ and ‘truthful’. One would never have criticized someone in the medical field say thirty or forty years ago, doctors were like ‘God’ and knew best for everybody. Experts being well trained through demanding and rigorous apprenticeships acquire good reputations and credentials and so obviously deserve our respect and trust, no? In the past the answer would have been ‘yes’ as it was only a handful of people who had the opportunity to go to university (mainly men). But in our day and age it is the expectation of nearly everybody to acquire a degree, and it has now become the ‘norm’. We have a society in doubt and not knowing who they can trust. This can be seen by book sales and search results on the Internet, the desire to acquire knowledge must mean we are less confident in believing the professionals. For example TV05 shows an increase in visitors to natural health clinics for advice on MMR jabs, this does show uncertainty but as one lady commented in the program, there is much more choice and flexibility than the past. But on the other hand, as Tim Smith pointed out, the search for alternative information other than that of an expert may have been solely for verification purposes. â€Å"Perhaps what they really wanted from the exper... ...day’s experts, tomorrow’s fools† (Kate Brown) Moreover, medicine being a key example, scientists constantly change their minds from one day to the next on what is good for us and what is not. One day a pill is prescribed with the best intentions then we find out later that we have put ourselves at risk by taking it. For example, â€Å"Thalidomide was a drug prescribed by doctors to combat morning sickness in pregnant women. Hundreds put their trust in the so-called experts with disastrous consequences. Despite acute denial, we are all now aware Thalidomide causes birth deformities.† (Kate Brown) So, can we trust expert knowledge? It seems very clear that we can’t, but do we have much choice over the matter being another question. References Nature. (London). August17th 1968 (editorial) New Scientist, September 5th 1968, p.497 TV05 Audio Cassette 9 side B Goldblatt, D (ed.) Knowledge and the Social Sciences: Theory, Method Practise, London, Routledge/The Open University http://www.unesco.org/courier/2000_04/uk/doss01.htm#top Dr David Goldblatt DD100 Course Team CoChair Kate Brown, Weald of Kent Grammar School. (www.culturewars.org.uk/2003-01/trustexperts.htm) www.godstruth.org/chap13

Adversary vs. Civil Law Essay

The two legal systems in question are the adversary system, most commonly practiced in the United States, and the civil law system, also referred to as the inquisitorial system, most commonly practiced in European countries. Both systems have the same goal; to find the truth. However, each system has a very different path to justice. The adversarial system implies that two parties assume opposite positions in debating the guilt or innocence of an individual. In this scenario, the judge is required to be neutral at the contest unfolding before him or her. The role of the judge in this arrangement is to ensure the trial proceeds according to the procedural rules of trial or due process of law and that evidence entered is done so accordingly. The basis of this approach in criminal matters in which two sides engage in debate and battle about the guilt or innocence of an accused and since each side wants to win, then the debate will foster a critical look at the issues and the evidence to be examined by both parties. See more:Â  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay By engaging in this discourse, the truth should emerge as the judge watches on. This means that the roles played on both sides are very distinct. The defense counsel as one adversarial party gather the arguments to defend the client and attacks the credibility and worthiness of the evidence presented. The prosecutor puts forth the arguments on behalf of the state and gathers and presents the evidence pointing that the accused has committed an offense. The judge is the referee and arbitrator on issues related to clarifying what the law is. The judge does not intervene on any side except where procedural fairness is jeopardized by either party as dictated by the Sixth Amendment. In an inquisitorial system, a judge is involved in the preparation of evidence along with the police and in how the various parties are to present their case at the trial. The judge questions witnesses in depth and can even call witnesses to appear while prosecution and defense parties can ask follow up questio ns. The judge plays the central role in finding the truth and all the evidence that either proves the innocence or guilt of the accused before the court. The judge takes on the role of prosecutor and judge in the inquisitorial system. Some other major distinctions is that there are no jury trials in an inquisitorial system and a judge can force an accused to make statements and answer questions. This differs dramatically from the common law and adversarial right not to take the stand in one’s own defense. In my opinion, I prefer an adversarial system. I think it does a better job of protecting the rights of those accused of crime than does the inquisitorial system. One of the key reasons for this is the use of juries in an adversarial system. In an inquisitorial system, judges determine the facts, and then make their decision. Often a small number of judges would make that decision, and perhaps even just one man. In contrast, a jury is made up of 12 people, not always which a llows for a broader range of experiences and opinions, which ought to secure more consideration of what has been proved. Another weakness of the inquisitorial system is the role that the judges play. Not only do they act as the judge and the jury, they will often act as prosecutors. This is a huge conflict of interest, and is extremely harmful to the accused. A judge who is also acting as a prosecutor is not going to be unbiased, and will not act as a neutral decision maker. In an adversarial system, however, the prosecutor is separate from the judge, and appears before the judge like any other lawyer. The United State could never use the civil law system because of Constitutional problems. For instance, to avoid putting responsibility for the search of truth in the hands of judicial agents of the state the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to trial by jury but of course civil law countries generally do not use juries except for certain countries in capital cases. Other rights include the right to effective council; to testify on his/her behalf; to compel the testimony of others; to confront accusers; and the right to cross examination. The Fifth Amendment privilege of self-incrimination further limits the powers of the states. Good job identifying multiple c onstitutional problems and pointing out where the protections are found in the Constitution. Case in Point: State of New Mexico v Valdez, 95 N.M 70 (Supreme Ct. of N.M., 1980) underline or italicize case name The defendant in this case, Richard Valdez, had been convicted of armed robbery in a district court. He appealed since a fellow inmate, Richard Garcia, had confessed to the crime in front of his former attorney, Alice Hector, who was a public defender. Also present during the confession was Garcia’s attorney, a public defender under Hector, the district public defender. This attorney warned Garcia that Hector was not his attorney and any statement Garcia made would be used at the defendant’s trial and could be detrimental to his own interests. Garcia repeated his confession to Hector and indicated his willingness to testify on defendant’s behalf. Garcia later changed his mind and exercised his Fifth Amendment right refusing to testify. The court upheld an o bjection to Hector’s testimony of the confession based on attorney-client privilege. Although Ms. Hector was not directly involved in the representation of Garcia, her staff was, and all information obtained by them was thereby imputed to her.

Literary Assignments How Do Memory, Symbol, And Pattern...

10 Literary assignments by: Chance Weston Introduction: How d He Do That? How do memory, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition of patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Discuss how your appreciation of your summer reading novel was enhanced by understanding symbol or pattern. Memory affects the reading of literature because it allows you make connections and will assist in recognize patterns in the novel. Patterns, in turn, can reveal hidden meanings in the text, for instance, if something is mentioned repeatedly through out the novel that is a large clue that it is of extreme importance to completely comprehending the piece of literature. Symbols reveal to you what text can t and guide you to a more complex and complete understanding of the underlying point the author is trying to make. Understanding of symbols and patterns within the novel catcher in the rye allowed me to better grasp the point that the author, J. D. Salinger, was trying to get across to me. It is u nlikely that I would have been able to grasp the message without the understanding of patterns and symbols and would likely have brushed it aside as a simple short story. Chapter 1 – Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It s Not) A Quest consists of five elements: 1. a quester, so to speak, or the person who is on a quest. 2. a place to go. 3. a stated reason to actually go there. 4. challenges and trials on the way. 5. a real reason to go there.Show MoreRelatedEthnographic Observation2326 Words   |  10 Pagesgeneral, two kinds of writing: creative and expository. Creative writing tells about feelings, opinions, points of view, things that originate inside the writer. Expository essays tell about facts, things outside of the writer. Essays on literature examine a literary text, a thing outside the writer. Lab reports describe experiments with chemicals and other stuff that really exists and can be measured. Research is factual; fiction, poetry, and the personal story are emotional. Wrong. Writing is notRead MoreMonologue: Reading and Students6486 Words   |  26 Pagesfocusing on fluent oral reading skills, rehearsal, revision-by-rehearsal, and performances, as well as lessons focusing on character development and identification of purpose. Hopefully, before launching into this unit you will have the opportunity to collect video and audio clips, texts of film scripts, and/or examples of monologues from short stories and novels. (Because of copyright restriction, we have not included â€Å"professional† examples in this CCG.) The student models we do include are â€Å"works inRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesï » ¿TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model†Read MoreEssay Writing9260 Words   |  38 Pagespersonality. Do not worry about sounding academic, but avoid sloppiness. The Review A review may be either formal or informal, depending on the context. Its goal is to evaluate a work, which implies that the reviewer s personal opinion plays a significant role in the process. However, a certain objective standard needs to be maintained and, as in a persuasive essay, your assertions need to be proved. The formality of the review will be determined by how much of the essay is analysis, how much is summaryRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12166 Words   |  49 PagesIntroduction 2. Eudora Welty Biography 3. Summary 4. Characters 5. Themes 6. Style 7. Historical Context 8. Critical Overview 9. Essays and Criticism 10. Compare and Contrast 11. Topics for Further Study 12. Media Adaptations 13. What Do I Read Next? 14. Bibliography and Further Reading 15. Copyright Introduction Eudora Weltys A Worn Path, first published in Atlantic Monthly in February, 1941, is the tale of Phoenix Jacksons journey through the woods of Mississippi to the town of Natchez. The storyRead MoreEudora Welty a Worn Path12173 Words   |  49 PagesIntroduction 2. Eudora Welty Biography 3. Summary 4. Characters 5. Themes 6. Style 7. Historical Context 8. Critical Overview 9. Essays and Criticism 10. Compare and Contrast 11. Topics for Further Study 12. Media Adaptations 13. What Do I Read Next? 14. Bibliography and Further Reading 15. Copyright Introduction Eudora Weltys A Worn Path, first published in Atlantic Monthly in February, 1941, is the tale of Phoenix Jacksons journey through the woods of Mississippi to the town of Natchez. The story wonRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesSelf-Disclosure 89 Through the Looking Glass 89 Diagnosing Managerial Characteristics 90 An Exercise for Identifying Aspects of Personal Culture: A Learning Plan and Autobiography 92 SKILL APPLICATION 95 Activities for Developing Self-Awareness 95 Suggested Assignments 95 Application Plan and Evaluation 95 SCORING KEYS AND COMPARISON DATA 97 Self-Awareness Assessment 97 Scoring Key 97 Comparison Data 97 Emotional Intelligence Assessment 97 Scoring Key 97 Comparison Data 99 The Defining Issues Test 99 The EscapedRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 PagesOrganizational Theory takes you on a joyful ride through the developments of one of the great enigmas of our time – How should we understand the organiz ation? Jan Ole Similà ¤, Assistant Professor, Nord-Trà ¸ndelag University College, Norway I really enjoyed this new text and I am sure my students will enjoy it, too. It combines rigorous theoretical argument with application and consideration of how managment practice is formed and shaped by ideas and concepts. The authors have brought their wealth of experienceRead MoreMba Solved Assignment Papers52670 Words   |  211 PagesMaster of Business Administration Semester III MB0050 – Research Methodology- 4 Credits (Book ID: B1206) Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks) Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions Q1. Why should a manger know about research when the job entails managing people, products, events, environments, and the like? [10 Marks] Answer: Research simply means a search for facts – answers to questions and solutions to problems.Itis  a  purposiveinvestigation.  It  is  an  organized  inquiryRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesE SSAYS ON TWENTIETH-C ENTURY H ISTORY In the series Critical Perspectives on the Past, edited by Susan Porter Benson, Stephen Brier, and Roy Rosenzweig Also in this series: Paula Hamilton and Linda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in