Effect of Cultural Exposure on Ethnic Identities in Adoption

Effect of Cultural Exposure on Ethnic Identities in Adoption How has cultural exposure shaped the ethnic identities of Asian children who have been adopted into American families? Emma Schroeter This essay assesses the effects of cultural exposure on the ethnic identities’ of Asian transracially adopted children. It examines how cultural exposure shapes the ethnic identities of Asian children who have been adopted into American families. To do so, the variety of cultural exposure methods and the factors that typically influence a child’s self-identity are first discussed. This includes the â€Å"nature versus nature concept† and Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. The way ethnic identity is measured is then identified. Next, a relevant study by David C. Lee and Stephen M. Quintana’s which was published in 2005 is analyzed in relation to the investigation. The results are discussed and conclusions are drawn. In conclusion, there are significant positive effects of cultural exposure on Asian transracially adopted children. Introduction: International adoption is becoming increasingly popular within families in the United States. Since 1971, over 330,000 children have been adopted from other countries and the annual rate for international adoption has tripled.[1] The amount of internationally adopted children went from 7,093 children in 1990 to 22,884 children in 2004.[2] The increase in international adoption can be attributed to war, poverty, the lack of social welfare in these countries, as well as: greater infertility rates in the United States, recognized difficulties associated with domestic adoption, desire to adopt babies rather than older children, or a repugnance toward foster care adoption.[3] Today, children (the majority infants and young children) are adopted annually from over one hundred countries, with approximately 90% of children adopted from only twenty countries.[4] However, most are from China, Russia, South Korea, and Guatemala.[5] Transracial adoption in the United States has a controversial history.[6] The perception of ethnic identity within these children has been an immense concern for the general wellbeing of the child. Currently, Asian children adopted into American families cover about 15% of all adopted children and continues to increase annually.[7] Whether or not we want to accept it, our childhoods play a prodigious role in not only shaping who we become as adults but also our identity. Some people actually consider transracial adoption cultural genocide.[8] When transracially adopted into an American family, a child is at risk for being robbed of their own identity and culture. Although many families who adopt children do make an effort to expose their child to as much of their original culture as possible, what the child interprets may not necessarily be the expected. Therefore, the question remains: How has cultural exposure shaped the ethnic identities of Asian children who have been adopted int o American families? Although, many of the studies referenced refer to Korean children, the researchers have made the conclusion that the same effects apply to all Asian adoptees. Investigation: Cultural exposure can have a variety of meanings. In the case of a child being transracially adopted, cultural exposure is the introduction to aspects and collective manifestations of their home country. For Asian children, these items may include: attending Asian/culture-specific cultural group activities/festivals, visiting home country, attending culture-specific (fully Korean, Japanese, etc.) school, can speak some of native language, can write some of native language, or eats culture-specific food frequently (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.). These items are drawn from a variation of the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale and the Children’s Acculturation Scale.[9] All of the preceding factors would result in exposure to the child’s home country in one way or another, to a certain extent. Depending on the adoptive family, the child may or may not be able to experience these types of things. It is important to define cultural exposure to understand the ba sis of this investigation and argument. The aspects listed previously are examples necessary in understanding what cultural exposure deals with. In David C. Lee and Stephen M. Quintana’s study published in 2005, these items were constructed into questions and used in interviews with Korean children. This study will be referenced frequently, due to its relativity to the subject being discussed. An important focus of this investigation is on transracially adopted children’s ideological, behavioral, and social commitment to their country of origin.[10] Transracially children who are adopted and being raised by parents with a different racial status tend to experience a different racial socialization than those who are raised by their biological parents or adopted within their race. According to research, more than 65% of transracially adopted children fail to identify with their racial status.[11] This was evident in Andujo’s 1988 study comparing Mexican within race adopted children and Mexican transracially adopted children. This study found that none of the thirty transracially adopted children identified with the race â€Å"Mexican American†, while twenty-two out of thirty within race adopted children did. Although this study investigates Mexican children, it is relevant because of the conclusions drawn. Andujo concluded that these results can be gener alized to apply to all transracially adopted children due to the similarities in their situations. It has also been replicated using Asian, African as well as other South American countries, producing close, if not the same results. In DeBerry, Scarr, and Weinberg’s (1996) longitudinal study, it was found that transracially adopted children had difficulty developing biracial competence and identified more with White than Asian groups. Not only was this result a concern, but the statistic stating that over 20% of transracially adopted children indicated that they wished they had a different racial status as well.[12] It is concerning that children are not happy with their ethnicity and culture. This â€Å"wish† that these children possessed could be a predetermining factor for other issues that the child will later stumble upon (depression, etc.). This statement could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as deprivation to culture exposure. On the contrary, research h as also found that most transracially adopted children show adjustment levels (self-esteem, well-being, etc.) equivalent or higher than those of within race adopted children.[13] As seen in Feigelman and Silverman’s (1983) and Andujo’s (1988) studies, this pattern in adjustment levels applies when comparing within race adopted white children and within race adopted transracial children (for example, a Korean couple living in the U.S. adopting a Korean child). The error in the adjustment levels pattern occurred in certain circumstances where differences in the adoptions took place, such as: age of adoption and placement in foster care.[14] When these circumstances were controlled, the high adjustment levels pattern was evident and the similarities between adjustment levels in both transracial and within race adopted children disappeared.[15] Ultimately, this suggests both the positive and negative sides of transracially adopted children’s perception of their iden tity. Recently, researchers have been focusing on the ways in which these children develop positive or negative understandings and perceptions about their ethnic, cultural, and racial identity. As of right now, the biggest reason for this revolves around the adoptive parents attitudes towards adopted children’s attitudes and children’s racial identity.[16] Research is showing that transracially adopted children begin to recognize their racial differences as early as ages four or five.[17] As transracially adopted children get older, they develop a more non-literal understanding of their identity.[18] At the same time, they can start to feel a loss of their home culture and family history and begin to understand the effects of racism and discrimination.[19] This development will be specifically discussed later in the investigation. These new feelings and emotions in a child, however, can relate to the famous â€Å"nature versus nurture† debate. This argument focuses on the relative contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factors to human development.[20] For example, when a person is very knowledgeable, gets good grades, and is ultimately successful, did they do so because they are genetically predisposed or is it the result of a fortified environment? Similarly, If a man/father abuses his family/wife/kids, is it because of something he was born with violent tendencies or is it something he learned from personal experience and by observing his own parents behavior? A few characteristics that seem to be biologically determined (nature) include eye color, hair color, skin color, some genetic diseases, etc. Other attributes like height, life expectancy, and even left/right handedness have a strong biological component, but they are also influenced by the environment you are exposed to and the lifestyle you experience (nurture). Families who have adopted children are typically used in experiments researching â€Å"nature versus nurture † because it is so easily seen in these situations. How a person behaves can be tied to influence such as parenting styles and learned experiences (cultural exposure). For example, a child might learn through observation and reinforcement to say â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you.† Another child might learn to behave violently by observing older children engage in aggressive behavior on the playground. This act of imitation is also known as Albert Bandura’s â€Å"social learning theory†. In his famous â€Å"Bobo doll experiment†, Bandura showed that children learn and copy behaviors they have watched other people complete. Children participating in Bandura’s study observed an adult acting aggressively toward a Bobo doll. When the children were later allowed to play and interact with the Bobo doll, they began to imitate the aggressive and violent actions they had previously been exposed to and observed. These studies are significant to t his investigation because it shows the impact of parents on the behaviors and actions of children, ultimately leading to the child’s identity. The effect of cultural exposure on adopted children can be considered the â€Å"nurture† aspect because it involves the environment the child is exposed to and how they are brought up. When it comes to Bandura’s study, the importance lies in the fact that adopted children imitate their parents, just the same as biological children used in the study.[21] If the adoptive parents were to show an interest in the culture of the child (while the child is at a young age) and practice â€Å"the ways† of the culture, if you will, the child would likely follow or imitate with their interest of the subject. As seen in the results of the Lee and Quintana (2005) study discussed later, cultural exposure is important to the perception of ethnic identity within the child. If a parent can play such a significant role in what a chil d believes and understands (Bobo doll experiment), it becomes important and relevant to this investigation as well. Within even some of the smaller communities in Rochester, New York parents of Korean adopted children children take them to an annual Korean festival to learn about their home culture. Although the kids are still very young, the parents believe they should expose their child to as much of their own culture as they can, before the child can make their own decision to continue to follow the culture or stick to the American culture.[22] This is an example of how the actions of the parents regarding cultural exposure, influence the child’s positive or negative understandings and perceptions about their ethnic, cultural, and racial identity. This â€Å"ethnic identity† is not always easy to measure, especially within children. Children have been shown to progress through physical, literal, social, and group perspectives on their cultural and racial experiences.[23] The Perspective-Taking Ability (PTA) scale (see Appendix I) is a way to measure and show the extent to which children understand their ethnic identity in different stages. The PTA’s results tends to vary over age as well. The PTA scale ranges from level zero to level three. As expected, young children’s (preschool aged) understanding of race, culture, and ethnicity are based on superficial physical appearance. This is considered the physical perspective and contains something like, â€Å"Korean people have black hair, brown eyes while Americans (Caucasian) have tan hair and different colored eyes.† Furthermore, older children (elementary aged) begin to understand non-physical features, including literal aspects such as, heritage and culture characteristics (food, ancestors, language, etc.). This is considered the literal perspective meaning, â€Å"To be Korean means your parents were Korean. But just because you’re Korean on the outside, it does not mean you are not American on the inside.† In early adolescence, youth begin to base their racial status on a social perspective, including racism and social discrimination. This stage is labelled the social perspective, when youth begin to realize, â€Å"I guess I’m different (from Caucasians) because they treat me differently.† In later adolescence, racial and cultural group consciousness is the key factor in identifying racial status (ethnic identity). The last stage is called the collective group consciousness perspective, stating, â€Å"I believe (what makes me Korean) is the way you feel about it†¦ it’s more what you know about your culture and how much you believe it.† The age groups associated with each level ar e a generalization of any typical child’s understanding. This scale has been used in research relating to ordinary young children’s perception of race before, but is more significant in evaluating a transracially adopted child’s idea of identity. This significance can be attributed to the contrasting lifestyles and environments experienced by transracially adopted children. This also suggests that the results of transracially adopted children tend to differ from ordinary children due to the possible early exposure of their culture at young ages. This exposure could lead them to knowledge beyond their years relating to this topic. The purpose of Lee and Quintana’s (2005) study was to not only look into the benefits of culture exposure but also investigate whether or not the same race developmental models would work for adopted children as well. The interest laid in the fact of whether or not transracially adopted children developed and attained the same PTA levels as non-adopted children. Previously, a small qualitative study by Friedlander et al. (2000) reveals that transracially adopted children’s ethnic and racial cognition development is parallel to those of non-adopted children. This was further investigated with this study. With varying hypotheses (see Appendix II), a method was created to test these questions. Fifty Korean-born transracially adopted children participated, twenty-seven girls and twenty-three boys. They were attending a Korean culture camp and the average age was twelve years old. Fifty-six percent of the children had some limited knowledge of verbal and written Korean, sixt y percent had been back to Korea, and sixty-four percent had previously participated in culture-specific activities outside of the camp. Almost seventy-five percent reported being teased because of their racial status (see Appendix III). The children were selected using opportunity sampling and all had parental consent. The children were interviewed using the PTA scale which had been altered to be Korean specific. Culture exposure questions were asked orally while cultural knowledge was investigated by asking the children to imagine two towns.[24] They were given questions regarding the likelihood of people from each town participating in each event. Some questions were culture specific, others were not. Self-esteem was also measured using Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale. This was administered to ensure that discriminant validity that cultural variables were not significantly related to self-esteem.[25] The results can be found in Appendix IV. The results suggest that cultural exposure had a significant role for transracially adopted children’s development of PTA. Cultural exposure could be used to predict the child’s PTA after certain factors like age and cultural knowledge were controlled. These findings can be compared with research of either Portes and Rumbaut (1996) or Zhou (1997). This previous research found that children’s adaption based on a blending of culture of origin or family culture and dominant culture was complex.[26] For some, there were benefits to increased socialization which appeared to pose challenges to their adjustment. In recent situations, acculturation to the dominant culture may be experienced as threatening to ethnic/racial minority adolescents’ identity.[27] The interaction between cultural exposure and chronological age in predicting levels of PTA also had a small significance. This indicated that cultural exposure is much more important for younger transracially adopted children (less than ten years old).[28] This suggests that types of cultural exposure may need to be accustomed to age. The kinds of exposure indexed were focused on experiences with Korean culture (like food and language) just as how the cultural knowledge assessed was focused more on objective features of culture (like cultural traditions). It now seems that these kinds of exposure may be more important to young children at a level one PTA. On the other hand, older children at level two need to focus on more racial components, such as, racial prejudice. In further research, it would be important to investigate the kinds of experiences that promote transracially adopted children’s development prior to and throughout adolescence. The study findings could also help to alter the adoption policy. Currently, most adoption agencies do not have standard protocols for pre and post-adoption services focused on cultural socialization. Adoptive parents have to initiate their own support services to address these issues.[29] Consequently, agencies may want to tailor services to address these aspects of cultural socialization and exposure when working with adoptive families. Parents thinking about adopting might be encouraged to think past racial awareness and self-examination of their cultural belief systems but instead what it means to engage in culturally competent parenting. Likewise, adoptive parents whose children are currently struggling with ethnic and racial issues may benefit from learning additional ways to engage in cultural exposure. These collective efforts, in turn, we hope will promote the development of a healthy and positive ethnic identity and will contribute to the well-being and mental health of inte rnationally adopted children.[30] Conclusion: There seem to be important benefits to transracially adopted children from exposure to their country of origin for their development. Research shows the emphasis and importance of cultural exposure, particularly for young children. High levels of cultural exposure may help to minimize differences between transracially adopted children’s developmental understanding of culture and race and non-adopted children. Direct exposure appears more beneficial than knowledge or awareness of differences. 1 [1] U.S. Department of State, 2005 [2] U.S. Department of State, 2005 [3] Lee, 2003 [4] Grotevant, 2008 [5] Grotevant, 2008 [6] Simon and Alstein, 2002 [7] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [8] National Association of Black Social Workers, 1972 [9] Suinn, Khoo, and Ahauna, 1995; Franco, 1983 [10] Taylor and Thorton, 1996 [11] Andujo, 1988; Feigelman and Silverman, 1984; Kim, 1995 [12] Benson, Sharma, and Roehlkepartain, 1994 [13] Alexander and Curtis, 1996 [14] Simon and Alstein, 2000 [15] Wickes and Slate, 1997 [16] Carstens and Julia, 2000; Friedlander et al., 2000; Vonk, 2001; and Yoon, 1997 [17] Brodzinsky, Singer, Braff, 1984; Huh Reid, 2000 [18] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [19] Meier, 1999; Powell Affi, 2005 [20] Grenke, 2012 [21] Bandura, 1965 [22] Arber, 2013 [23] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [24] Bernal, Knight, Ocampo, Garza, and Cota, 1990 [25] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [26] Zhou, 1997 [27] Ogbu, 1994 [28] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [29] Steinberg and Hall, 2000 [30] Gunnar and Lee, 2006

A Violation of Rights-School Uniforms Essays -- essays research papers

I believe all people have the right to express themselves. However, with rights come responsibility, a concept most people ignore. Having a "right" is to be free to express one's self. Consequentially, having a "responsibility" is doing it constructively, in such a way as to not violate policies, laws, and others' rights. There is a definite difference between a dress code and a school uniform. I support enforcing a school dress code, but is implementing a school uniform necessary? No matter how students dress, they will still pass judgments on their peers, uniforms do not necessarily save money, and children are forced to conform to the same standards. While in school, teachers have a responsibility to teach and students have the responsibility to learn. Both have the right to exist in their environment without harassment and the right to express their individuality. Some people have found some expressions crude, obnoxious, and distracting. To combat the problem , the idea of mandating school uniforms was introduced. This notion of making everyone appear "uniformed" in order to cut down on violence and negativity in school, is absolutely mislaid. School was designed to equally teach all children not only book knowledge but also offer practice in cooperation with others on a social scale. The home was designed to teach children right from wrong, to respect and obey authority, and how to socially function properly with others. Sadly, the parents ...

Ralph Ellisons Protests Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Ralph Ellison's Protests    It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of the world that looks on in amused contempt and pity - W.E.B. DuBois, 1903 When discussing a text that is placed firmly into an accepted category of ethnicity, it seems reasonable to look for allegories, tropes, and symbols that hearken back to the ancestral texts of that group's literary canon. Like a golden cord that catches the eye as it pokes up between the warp and woof of words, tradition development can be traced from the earliest texts, causing a student to point to the page and say, "The trope of the mask!" whereupon notes are scribbled in the margin and the shape of the text, how it fits into the big picture of categorization, begins to take form. African-American literature has a rich tradition that exemplifies this concept: From Equiano and Harriot Jacobs' slave narratives to Nella Larsen and James Wheldon Johnson's "passing;" from Phyllis Wheatley and Countee Cullen's solemn classical poetic forms to the eloquent anger of the 1960s Black Arts movement, the universal thread of discord and displacement influence the overall design of African-American literature. Then there is Invisible Man. One of the most celebrated texts in African-American literature, Invisible Man has been interpreted as relying heavily on African-American folk tradition for its deep, rich resonance. But in essays about literature and the folly of literary critics, Ellison defends Invisible Man against simple categorization. It is more than a Negro coming-of-age tale, more than a Negro picaresque psychological travelogue, and m... ...allow anyone to gloss over the distinction. Works Cited Callahan, John F., intro. "Reflections out of season on race, identity and art. American Culture is of a Whole: from the Letters of Ralph Ellison." "The New Republic." 1 March 1999. DuBois, W.E.B. "The Souls of Black Folks." Norton Anthology of African American Literature. Ed. Henry Gates, Jr. New York: Norton. 1997. 514. Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. 1947. New York: Vintage. 1995. ---. Shadow and Act. 1953. "Slip the Joke, Change the Yolk." "Twentieth-Century Fiction and the Black Mask of Humanity." "The World and the Jug." New York: Vintage. 1964. Howe, Irving. "Black Boys and Native Sons." A World More Attractive: A View of Modern Literature and Politics. New York: Horizon. 1963. Hyman, Stanley Edgar. The Promised End: Essays and Reviews 1942-1962. Cleveland: World. 1963.

Leadership and Management in Healthcare Essay

There is an increase in societal changes and demands in the nursing profession today. It is vital that nurses keep up to date with what is happening in their profession. This is attainable by becoming a member of professional organizations (American Nurses Association, 2014). The three major categories of nursing organizations include: national, state, and international. These professional nursing organizations have large memberships and maintain state and national links that help increase the knowledge of its members regarding current trends in legislation, employment, and clinical practices. The purpose of this paper is to discuss professional organization in the nursing industry, discuss how nurse leaders can use professional nursing organizations to maintain actions in the nursing and health care industry. Selected Professional Organization Nursing organizations keep nurses aware of the current trends and politics that impact the nursing profession. A fundamental part of the American Nurses Association, the Florida Nurses Association (FNA) is categorized within the state level that supports education, research, and assistance to nurses in need. FNA has been a great advocate for nurses from all areas of specialty (Florida Nurses Association, 2014). FNA is known as the â€Å"political watch dog for nurses and health care† and has an influential presence in Tallahassee. Its main goal is to protect the privileges and rights of nurses and make sure that the voice of nurses is heard at the capital (Dandurant, 2012). Current Political Issues The use of the titleâ€Å"Doctor† among nurses with Doctorate Degree in Nursing Practice (DNP) is one current issue addressed through FNA. Such issue is one of the most tackled issues among the medical group who is campaigning against doctoral nurses to shun away from calling themselves as doctors. As stated by the medical group, DNP’s should give the public and their patients explanations regarding their status otherwise will face criminal charges as they are not medical doctors (Florida Nurses Association, 2014). The Florida Medical Association has brought this controversy to legislative level known as State Bill 612 sponsored by Senator Bill Galvano. FNA Lobbyists aim to repeal this bill and view this as a diversion to legislators in the Florida health care plans. Professional Organization and Political Action In advocating for nurses and nursing, it is vital that leaders stay up to date of the political issues. Nursing organizations lobby legislatures and U.S Congress regarding significant issues that impact nursing. Advocating for increased nurses in the â€Å"Patient Protection and Affordable Act† is a good example. It is essential that everyone is knowledgeable about health and politics (American Nurses Association, 2014). Education is beneficial and plays a vital role through this process. It can be done through newsletters, media campaigns, e-mails, telephone calls, internet, and publications. Maintaining Awareness of Political Action Staying current with the health care policy is important in protecting the nursing practice, its scope, as well as the domain which nurses work (Gallager, 2010). Hence, safety and quality, nursing care will be continuously improved. FNA keeps nurse leaders informed of legislative issues such as nursing shortage, staffing ratios, safety in the work environment, and patient advocacy. Through professional organizations and meetings, leaders will be cognizant of information as it relates to the state and national level of health care. It is critical to have a voice in nursing issues. In order to achieve it, one has to be active in the professional organizations, stay aware of all levels of policy development, and works in collaboration with various organizations in the interest of nursing. In order to help ensure that policy enhances good health care,  nurses need to play an active role in the development and modifications in health policy (Dandurant, 2012). Conclusion Joining a professional organization is vital in one’s professional growth. Health care policies and laws impact not only the nurses’ work environment but the patients’ and their safety as well. The core of health policies is safety and quality care. It is essential that nurse leaders are knowledgeable regarding policies as it relates to nursing for a successful lobbying for the profession References American Nurses Association. (2014). Member benefits. Retrieved from: http://www.nursingworld.org Dandurant, K., (2012). Nurses influence health policies. Seacoastonline. Retrieved from: http://www.Seacoastonline.com Florida Nurses Association (2014). About FNA. Retrieved from http://wwwwfloridanurses.org Gallager, R., (2010). Quality is not an irreconcilable difference. Nursing management,4(8).18-20.

Pakistn China Relationship

shipPAKISTAN CHINA RELATIONSHIP China–Pakistan relations began in 1950 when Pakistan was among the first countries to break relations with the Republic of China on Taiwan and recognize the PRC. Relations between Pakistan and China are very brotherly. Following the 1962 Sino-Indian War, both countries have placed considerable importance on the maintenance of an extremely close and supportive relationship. Since then, the two countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements.The PRC has provided economic, military and technical assistance to Pakistan and each considers the other a close strategic ally. Today, Pakistan and China have immense reservoir of goodwill and soft power. The legendary friendship between Pakistan and China is palpable in the Pakistani and Chinese street and in the majestic halls of governments. Over the years, the unique friendship between Pakistan and China has transformed into a strong strategic partnership, robust economic cooperation and ever increasing people to people contacts. This relationship is based on trust, understanding and common aspirations for peace and progress.The warmth and enthusiasm in the relations resonates in the hearts of the people of the two countries and is fed by the constant stream of their respective civilizations. Chinese cooperation with Pakistan has reached economic high points, with substantial Chinese investment in Pakistani infrastructural expansion including the Pakistani deep-water port at Gawadar. Both countries have an ongoing free trade agreement. Pakistan has served as China's main bridge between Muslim countries. Pakistan also played an important role in bridging the communication gap between China and the West by facilitating the 1972 Nixon visit to China.Usually Pakistani and Chinese leaders and people use six expressions to describe this unique relationship: it is higher than the mountains, deeper than the oceans, sweeter than honey, and stronger than steel. It is also an all-weather and time-tested relationship. â€Å"All-Weather and Time-Tested† â€Å"I should like to make it clear beyond all doubt that we have friendly relations with the People's Republic of China and that nothing will be permitted in any way to endanger those relations. Our relations with China are an independent factor in our foreign policy and not contingent on any other.In the best interests of Pakistan, we shall maintain the spirit of goodwill, friendship and cordiality with the great People's Republic of China. I declare that our friendship with China is not tainted by any form of bargain or barter. It is steadfast amity between two neighboring  Asian States†. (Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, 1962) â€Å"Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize New China. Ever since our diplomatic relations began in 1951, we have enjoyed mutual understanding, respect, trust and support and our friendship and cooperation have flourished. We are trul y good neighbours, close friends, trusted partners and dear brothers†. President Hu Jintao, Islamabad, 24 November 2006). Partners for Progress and Development â€Å"In recent years, China-Pakistan business ties have seen strong growth, becoming an important driving force of our relations. The Free Trade Agreement between China and Pakistan marks the success in the negotiations on establishing a free trade area. It will go a long way in upgrading China-Pakistan business ties. The two countries also signed the Five Year Development Programme on Trade and Economic Cooperation – a blueprint for accelerating their economic cooperation and trade in the future.The Chinese government encourages leading Chinese companies to take Pakistan as a priority destination of investment and supports them in undertaking construction projects, opening factories and conducting research and development in Pakistan. China will strengthen win-win cooperation with Pakistan in key areas such as energy and resources development, information technology, infrastructure and agriculture to give full play to our cooperative strength† (President Hu Jintao, Islamabad, 24 November 2006). Diplomatic relationsDiplomatic relations between Pakistan and China were established on 21 May 1951, shortly after the defeat of the Republic of China in 1949. While initially hesitant towards the idea of a Communist country on its borders, Pakistan hoped that China would serve as a counterweight to Indian influence. India had recognized China a year before, and Indian Prime Minister Nehru also hoped for closer relations with the Chinese. However, with escalating border tensions leading to the 1962 Sino-Indian war, China and Pakistan aligned with each other in a joint effort to counter perceived Indian encroachment.One year after China's border war with India, Pakistan ceded the Trans-Karakoram Tract to China to end border disputes and improve diplomatic relations. Military relations The Peo ple's Republic of China enjoys strong defense ties with Pakistan. This relationship between two adjoining Asian countries is important in the world's geo-strategic alliances. The strong defense ties are primarily to counter regional Indian and American influence, and were also to repel Soviet influence in the area. In recent years this relationship has strengthened through ongoing defense projects and agreements between Pakistan and China.China also fully supported Pakistan in its 1965 war against India. Chinese pressure on India enabled Pakistan to accept ceasefire in a better position than it would have been. The Chinese were of less help in the 1971 war as the Soviets had agreed to deal with China, if it helped Pakistan. However, soon after the war China wrote off some of the loans it had given to Pakistan. Since 1962, China has been a steady source of military equipment to the Pakistani Army, helping establish armaments factories, providing technological assistance and modernizi ng existing facilities.China and Pakistan are involved in several projects to enhance military and weaponry systems, which include the development of the Chinese tailor made for Pakistan JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, K-8 Karakorum advance training aircraft, a tailor made training aircraft for the Pakistan Air Force based on the Chinese domestic Hongdu L-15, space technology, AWACS systems, Al-Khalid tanks, which China granted license production and tailor made modifications based on the initial Chinese Type 90 and/or MBT-2000.The Chinese has designed tailor made advanced weapons for Pakistan, making it a strong military power in the Asian region. The armies have a schedule for organizing joint military exercises. China has offered Pakistan military aid in order to fight against terrorism in Pakistan. Pakistan has purchased military equipment from China in order to boost their efforts against such extremists. Economic relationship: Economic trade between Pakistan and China is incre asing at a rapid pace and a free trade agreement has recently been signed.Military and technological transactions continue to dominate the economic relationship between the two nations, although in recent years China has pledged to vastly increase their investment in Pakistan's economy and infrastructure. Among other things, China has been helping to develop Pakistan's infrastructure through the building of power plants, roads and communication nodes. Current trade between both countries is at $9 billion, making China the second largest trade partner of Pakistan.The economic relationship between Pakistan and China is composed primarily of Chinese investment in Pakistani interests. China's increasing economic clout has enabled a wide variety of projects to be sponsored in Pakistan through Chinese credit. Pakistani investment in China is also encouraged and cross-border trade remains fluid. In 2011 China Kingho Group canceled a $19 billion mining deal because of security concerns. PAK ISTAN CHINA TRADE

Clash of titans: East vs. West

Europe includes an immense diversity of cultures and languages that developed side by side; Asia on the other hand had been developing on its own for centuries before Europe began to evolve. So how did the â€Å"peninsula of Asia†, become not only a strong force in the West, but a global power. Through the different articles we read, Illustrated History of Europe, Roberts' A History of Europe, Davies' Europe: A History, Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel, Landes' The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, and Hanson's Carnage and Culture one can understand how and why the later developing Europe became the dominate power over the already powerful Asia. The Illustrated History of Europe calls Europe a divided continent, but one civilization. Europe's wide plains, for example the Great Northern Plain, only aid to an easy invasion from the east which happened numerous times throughout Europe's history. Europe also has a high diversity of languages, 43 in total, that were originated from Sanskrit. Because of this, Europe's language, in written from, is based on a consonantal system rather than that of an ideographic system such as the Chinese use. This article broke down Europe's civilization into three different bases: democracy originating from the Greeks, law coming from the Romans, and finally, the value of individualism and liberty derived from the Christians. Roberts and Davies mainly describe Europe's geography and how it affected the development of the people within. Roberts described Europe as a â€Å"peninsula of Asia†, being surrounded on its boundaries, primarily by water. This was why Europe was able to develop on its own. The bodies of water, plus the plains and heavily forested inner regions, caused people to become very isolated from one another thus letting them make their own decisions and also forming their own languages. Western Europe's temperate climate aided by the Gulf Stream kept its environment mild year round, plus with the addition of a good amount of rain made it easy to farm without irrigation. Central and Eastern Europe were not as lucky, however, because they experienced fluctuations in temperature and rainfall. Diamond discussed how the â€Å"creation† of the farmer through the domestication of plants and animals led to the development of guns, germs, and steel. He compared the â€Å"hunter/gather† peoples with the â€Å"food producing† peoples, to demonstrate the benefit of the farmer. With a farming group, one could devote one's time to other jobs, and thus become â€Å"specialists†. These specialists could master an art or trade instead of spending time searching for food, and eventually evolved to become the kings, bureaucrats, soldiers, priests, and artisans. The domestications of plants and animals was an integral part of the development of the farming culture over that of the hunting culture. For example, the peapod when it is ripe will â€Å"explode† and drop its seeds onto the ground. The only thing left on the plant after this occurs are the pea pods that did not explode. Thus those were the ones which we were able to eat because they were the only ones we were able to gather. We would therefore only disperse the seeds of the â€Å"non-exploding† pea pods through our excrement or our garbage dumps. In the end the hunter/gatherers will eventually die out because they do not have the steel to make tools as well as the weapons that the farmers have and thus will, in time, be destroyed. Latitude played a huge role in the rise of farmers in Europe. Due to the similar latitude throughout Europe the growing season is relatively the same, along with a relatively equal climate. The easy spread of germs came about because people lived in crowded villages where a disease could simply pass from one household to another. Plus with the domestication of animals, the animals now lived in close quarters to the people and thus contributed to the spread of diseases. When the European explorers introduced germs to the Native Americans, many Native Americas were killed because they didn't have the built up resistance because of the lack of domesticated animals. Because of Europe's close proximity to animals many of the world's diseases have originated there. The Fertile Crescent was a very ecologically fragile area. It ended up being destroyed due to deforestation, and erosion, as well as other factors and now is mainly desert. The Great Man theory said that a few great men can influence the events of history. One of the main reasons Europe â€Å"outdid† China was because of Europe was fragmented, whereas China was totally united, this basically meant that competition could flourish while in China what was said was unquestioned. Landes covered some of what was in the Roberts article as well as what was in the Davies article. He discussed the Gulf Stream and the immense forests, but he also pointed out facts about riverside civilizations. People gathered around rivers because they not only provided water, but also a mode of transportation. Riverside civilizations, because of their strategic importance were, however, more likely to have a ruler. In riverside civilizations if the ruler needed money or more land then he would just take what they wanted from the people. As far as property goes in the West, where there was no need for riverside civilizations due to the temperate climate and abundant rainfall, there was a deep commitment to private property; so much so that even kings did not take their subjects property. During the period of 1000 – 1500 AD, five â€Å"great† inventions were made. These inventions were deemed the â€Å"inventions of inventions†. The inventions were the mechanical clock, gunpowder, eyeglasses, printing, and the water wheel. Gunpowder, in China was used as a defense, but in the European's hands it became an offensive weapon. Eyeglasses â€Å"created† an additional work force from the many people who had poor eyesight but were in overall good physical condition. Printing was used to spread knowledge, so ideas no longer had to be passed by word of mouth. The water wheel became an addition source of power. The mechanical clock, in my opinion the most important, kept people task oriented, and because people always want the most accurate time we kept improving upon it and it turn improved upon all inventions. This was the economic revolution, which was only comparable to when humans went from hunter/gatherers to food producers. Hanson stated that the reason the West fought so well was because Europeans fought for their own land. Peoples in the West had a voice in what happened, militarily and politically, whereas peoples in the east had none. An example of this would be the battle of Salamis, the Greek soldiers got together only hours before the battle to decide if fighting this fight was really worth it. On the Persian side, however, the soldiers had no say in it, and fought that battle not necessarily wanting to fight for the cause. Due to the West's freedom, private property, domestication of plants and animals and the movement from hunter/gatherers to food producers were all factors why the less developed Europe came to overpower the already strong Asia. If Asia had had a these â€Å"fundamentals† as did the West think how different the world would be.

Diversity interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Diversity interview - Assignment Example The obvious differences between us is the manner we practice our faith. I am a Catholic while Cyrus is a Muslim. We also have gender differences, he is male while I am female. We also have generational differences with him belonging to Generation X while I belong to Generation Y. Cyrus and I enjoyed talking about our adjustment here in the USA especially when he narrated the funny things he did just to fit in and to some extent, the cultural shock he experienced. I am most comfortable with this topic because this is funny and not sensitive to talk about. The aspect that is least comfortable for me to talk about him was religion. Before asking about it, I had to explain myself at length that this is for a diversity class and that I do not mean to be offensive, and that if I already am, he could interrupt me anytime during the interview. I am not comfortable with the topic of religion because I do not want to be offensive to Cyrus especially that I am a Catholic. I do not want our differences cause friction between us because is such a nice man. You see, Catholic launched a crusade against Islam during the Middle Age and this makes the topic touchy. The most important insight I develop is that our fears and anxiety about Muslims are baseless. For example, I was not comfortable talking about religion especially comparing Catholicism and Islam and that he might still be hooked with the idea of the Crusade. To my surprise however, he is more eager to talk about it and is more conciliatory than I am. Just like the most of us, he does not want to make religion an issue that divides people. He also worries about terrorism in the same manner that we worry about it. This relates to our discussion of our diversity in a manner that our seeming differences after all are not insurmountable if only we keep an open line of communication and if we are willing to talk about it. In talking to