Cambodia Case Study in Religion and Peacebuilding

Cambodia Case Study in Religion and Peacebuilding The history of Cambodia is closely associated with the intensive interaction of such important forces as the opposed political parties, influential external actors, and significant religious groups. The development of the nation in Cambodia directly depends on the relations of religion and politics in the country. From this point, it is important to focus on the effective peacebuilding activities and practices based on the religious principles and realized in Cambodia in order to regulate political conflicts in 1993 and 1998. Referring to the historic events, it is possible to state that religion is closely connected with politics in Cambodia in spite of the followed principles of the religious neutrality. Thus, Buddhism is the national religion in Cambodia, and the Buddhist monks played an important role in the political conflict regulation in 1993 and 1998 in spite of the stated ideas of neutrality and non-partisan roles. The Discussion of the Conflicts and the Timelines Before 1993, Cambodia was divided into two political factions that were in a constant developing conflict during a long period of time, without proposing any possible solutions. In addition, the Buddhist religious groups were inclined to preach peace and reconciliation as a way of diverting people’s attention from the political issues to the idea of the nation-building. The important events occurred in 1993 when the political coalition was organized as a result of the UNTAC activities and the 1993 elections. Cambodia has gained the political stability. However, the fragile coalition could not develop during a long period of time, and the year of 1997 was characterized by the examples of significant military violence. The tense situation in the country’s politics found its resolution in the elections of 1998 which aimed to promote the political stability in the country, but they also led to the post-elections conflicts (Morris 193-194). Thus, the timeline of the political conflicts in Cambodia includes several important dates which are the period of the elections in 1993, the military conflicts in 1997, the elections of 1998, and the post-elections conflicts. In spite of the fact that these conflicts were rather similar in their ideas, they differ significantly in relation to the role of Buddhist clergy and monks in these conflicts. Thus, if the Buddhist clergy focused on the peace walks as the main method to predict and resolve the conflicts in 1993, the Buddhist monks joined the opposition demonstrations in 1998, and they were actively involved in the post-election conflicts. Key Actors in the Cambodian Conflicts It is possible to determine three key actors of the Cambodian conflicts in 1993 and 1998. These actors as the opposite political forces struggling for the political dominance in the country, and the Buddhist clergy and monks who followed the principles of neutrality and non-violence proclaimed and developed by Maha Ghosananda (Morris 200). The opposed political parties followed two opposite ideologies which were based on the principles similar to Communism and Liberalism. Some politicians were inclined to use the pre- and post-elections conflicts to advance their interests and to oppress the population in Cambodia. The Buddhist clergy and monks represented the unique powerful actor in the social and political sphere of the country in spite of the fact that the ideals of Buddhism prohibited the active participation in the political activities. According to the developed Buddhism principles, the Buddhist clergy and monks in Cambodia were focused on the political neutrality in its combination with the social engagement, different non-partisan and non-violent strategies which were actively used in the process of resolving the conflicts in 1993 and 1998 (Morris 198). Religion, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, and Politics Focusing on the events of 1993 and 1998, it is possible to state that religion in Cambodia is a very influential tool to convince people to change their minds and follow certain practices and social paths. In spite of the shared ideology and principles of non-partisan participation and political neutrality, the approaches used by the Buddhist clergy and monks while participating the social and political events of 1993 and 1998 are rather different that is why the results of the conflicts and the role of the Buddhist monks in the processes are different. In 1993, the Buddhist monks demonstrated their focus on the social engagement without participating directly in the political conflicts, and this approach led to the effective conflict resolution. On the contrary, in 1998, the Buddhist monks were actively involved in the conflict, and they became the victims of the military violence as the other people. The conflict was not resolved appropriately (Morris, 200-201). Referring to these two situations, it is possible to state that the Buddhist clergy and monks were oriented to finding the balance between two opposite approaches in order to adjust them to the proclaimed principles of the social engagement connected with the idea of neutrality and non-partisan position of the Buddhist clergy and monks in relation to the political powers in the country. The Buddhist clergy and monks in Cambodia played an important role in relation to the peacebuilding in the country, especially with references to the events of 1993. Thus, the peace walks organized before the elections were discussed as the powerful tool to cease the tensions in the society and to calm the population (Morris 200). As a result, the ideals of the neutrality and non-violence were followed directly, and many contributions was made to the social peace before the significant political events. Thus, the associated demonstrations were discussed as peaceful ones. From this point, the conflict resolution was achieved with references to the peaceful methods. However, the events of 1998 demonstrated the results of the opposite approach used by the Buddhist clergy and monks to respond to the political and social situations. The Buddhist clergy were effective in relation to handling the conflict before the elections because of focusing on the peace activities. Nevertheless, the Buddhist clergy and monks became involved in the demonstrations after the elections of 1998. Thus, the Buddhist clergy and monks expressed their political position clearly instead of avoiding any partisan activities (Morris 202). As a result, the conflicts were not regulated effectively during a long period of time. The role of the Buddhist clergy and monks in regulating the conflicts in 1993 and 1998 was significant to influence the voter turnout positively and to contribute to the development of the peaceful activities and behaviours within the Cambodian society. However, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the Buddhist religion contributed to the peacebuilding in Cambodia with references to following the non-partisan roles and teaching the society how to handle the conflicts and stay peaceful in the context of problematic social and political situations. Morris, Catherine. â€Å"Case Studies in Religion and Peacebuilding†. Religion and Peacebuilding. Ed. Harold Coward and Gordon Smith. New York: State University of New York Press, 2004. 191-211. Print.

A Calm Mind Is A Healthy Mind

A Calm Mind Is A Healthy Mind For many people, a low-grade amount of stress is a part of everyday life. So, they may not recognize that it has a negative impact on their overall health. Studies have shown that feeling stress or anxiety on a long-term basis doesn’t just affect your peace of mind. In fact, you’re more likely to suffer from things like digestive issues and a weak immune system if your mind is persistently stressed. Cortisol, the hormone your body produces when you’re feeling stressed, can take a heavy toll on your physical and mental health. Because of this, giving your mind time to relax and recover is one of the most important self-care routines that you can practice. Your state of mind has the potential to greatly benefit your health, or degrade it, over time. Digestion Your liver produces glucose to give you an energy boost when your body is feeling the effects of stress. Whatever your body doesn’t use is then reabsorbed. However, if you’re suffering from chronic stress, your body may not be able to keep up with the extra blood sugar your liver is producing. You may be at an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes if your body is producing too much glucose. You’re more likely to have heartburn or acid reflux if you suffer from stress. Stress doesn’t cause ulcers, but it may cause pre-existing ulcers to act up. Sexuality and Reproductive System Stress affects the menstrual cycles of some women. You may have irregular or even non-existent periods or more painful or heavier cycles. Too much stress may magnify the physical symptoms of menopause for women. For men, prolonged periods of stress can result in a drop of testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction and even impotency. For many, the loss of sexual appetite is a common occurrence as a result of too much stress. Immune System Stress is known to stimulate the immune system, which is good if it’s short-term because it helps your body stave off infection and heals wounds. But if you’re stressed for prolonged periods of time, cortisol compromises your immune system. This inhibits histamine secretion and your body’s inflammatory response to foreign dangers. People who are affected by chronic stress are more likely to catch viral illnesses like the common cold. It also takes more time for the body to recover from injuries or illness, if you’re chronically stressed. Relaxation Techniques to Calm Your Mind There are numerous techniques for calming your mind. For some, exercise is an excellent outlet to give their mind time to recharge. Meditation is a well known method for clearing your mind. There are many different styles of meditation, tailored to suit your needs and lifestyle. Remember to focus on the positives rather than focusing on everything that’s going wrong around you. Practice self love and compassion and acknowledge your reality rather than criticizing yourself. Set daily routines that will provide a day-to-day sense of peace and comfort that you can use to escape the stresses of everyday life, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. The well-being of your mind plays a very significant role in your health, physically and mentally. Maintaining a peaceful state of mind is one of the best ways to protect your body from the negative effects of stress. Remember that stress and anxiety are inevitable hurdles everyone deals with. It’s how you manage the stresses of your everyday life that’s important. It’s also the key to overcoming them.

MGT599 MoD 2 TD WEEK 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MGT599 MoD 2 TD WEEK 2 - Essay Example This paper mainly tries to accomplish a brief analysis of the industry of food. However, in order to do so, PEST analysis and Porter’s Five Forces model are used. With the help of these analytical techniques, the recent opportunities and threats are evaluated about the food industry. After analyzing the opportunities and threats, the ways in which, these are effective for the Kraft Food Group is also evaluated within this paper. Moreover, in what ways, the Kraft Food Group might mitigate the risks and threats presented by the political, social or economic factors as well as threat of new entrants are also evaluated, so as to enhance its position and demand in the market among many other rival players. Threat of Entry: the threat of entrance of new players within the industry of food is quite tough due to excess capital requirements. In order to present differentiated products, high technology machineries are required that are generally out of the budget to the new entrants (Enz, 2009). Moreover, if the new entrants fail to offer, high quality products, then the customers may not prefer these products and their market share and profitability may not be increased (Ma, 2014). However, due to presence of these barriers, the rate of new entrance is low and this act as one of the strengths for the Kraft food group that offers a high impact on growing market share of the company. Rivalry: the extent of competitive rivalry among the existing players of food industry is extremely high (Kotler, 2008). However, in order to mitigate such rivalry, most of the existing players such as General Mills and Nestle always try to offer high attention over its research and development department to introduce new products frequently. This might prove effective for the existing players of food industry to amplify its demand and position in the market (Jones & George, 2004). However, because of high attention over research department, both of these organizations

How do Senor Flores, Senora Flores and Dr. Jean View this Situation Essay

How do Senor Flores, Senora Flores and Dr. Jean View this Situation from Totally Different Perspectives - Essay Example He also does not want to listen to the advice of Dr. Jean. The Latino’s belief in machismo makes Senor Flores feel offended if he listens to Dr. Jean’s advice. He thinks that his male ego is insulted. The perspective of Senora Flores on Alejandro’s situation is very fatalistic, or what the Latino’s term as fatalism. She feels that she is being punished by God that is why Alejandro is sick. She is suffering from inferiority complex and feels that she is being discriminated at the hospital for being a Latino and not speaking much. She is afraid that Alejandro will be discriminated too in school because he is sickly. Senora Flores feels overburdened by the responsibility of taking care of Alejandro. But at the same time, she believes that her mother should help her take care of Alejandro. She respects her mother, so much so that when she suggested that Alejandro is taken to an espiritista, she blindly followed her although she probably disagrees with her. Dr. Jean’s perspective of Alejandro’s situation is exactly the opposite of the views of the Flores family. She does not totally understand the Latino culture and beliefs; thus, resulting in misunderstandings with them. The first conflict is with regards to time. She dislikes the Flores’ disregard of time. She also feels that just because she is a woman, Senor Flores does not like to listen to her advice. She does not understand why the Flores’ had to consult an espiritista instead of just following her medical advice and give him his medicines. Dr. Jean is an example of a doctor who is quite detached to the family of her patient. She does not realize that it is important for a Latino family that they see some simpatia from their medical provider. Senora Flores chose to consult an espiritista when Alejandro was not getting better probably through the prodding of her mother.

The Metaphysics of Meaning and the Symbolism of Language :: Philosophy Communication Essays

The Metaphysics of Meaning and the Symbolism of Language "There are no facts, only interpretations" — Nachlass Friedrich Nietzsche In this essay, I shall expound the naà ¯ve view, or theory, of symbolism, which assumes, or argues, that in the symbolic system of language thoughts are expressed by words, and that words have meaning, thereof. I shall show that the naà ¯ve theory of symbolism is invalid, and offer an alternative view incorporating my own empirical theories of meaning and language. I shall also argue against the naà ¯ve view of such a relation as 'expression' in the context of a symbolic theory of language. I shall further assert that meaning cannot be a property of words, or any linguistic symbol. In naà ¯ve symbolism, 'expression' is the relation connecting thoughts and words, allowing us to compile phrases such as, 'thoughts and their expressions', where 'their' implies a possessive quality that thoughts and words share. Here, the words are possessed by the thoughts; words belong to thoughts, and have a causal relation. It is statements such as these that I will pay philosophical attention to. I shall be considering whether such a relationship is possible, how it comes about, and the logic of such a relation. I will show that there is no such causal relation, nor logically mutual dependence between thoughts and words. Further, I will argue it cannot be said, with any logical validity, that symbolism in language implies a possessive relation such as, 'thoughts and their words'. Thoughts are not in the possession of words, for this implies an illogical causal relation. The term 'expression', and all its conjugated forms, is bogus in the naà ¯ve position it plays between words and thoughts. There are thoughts, there are words, or symbols. However, the two are neither logically related, nor mutually dependent. The conclusion of this essay will be the argument, logically and philosophically defended that the game of language we all share in order to communicate and understand each other, is a guessing game. The thoughts of others cannot be known through language, only pointed to. Expressions are merely indicators of meaning. Understanding, in the generally accepted sense, never happens. Finally, a piece of speculation into the theory of language development. Much of our ability to understand and use language comes from the tools we attained in our formative years. One such tool was the copy-cat style of learning the empirical expressions.

Is Eddie Carbone a Tragic Hero?

Is Eddie Carbone a tragic hero? Firstly, before the decision is made on whether Eddie Carbone is classed as a tragic hero, I would like to outline what a tragic hero really means. ‘Tragic'- a tragedy is a type of drama, therefore in the context of tragedy, the word ‘hero' means the protagonist, someone who we may admire or respect in a way, but who is imperfect, and has a main flaw, which seems to contribute on his own downfall. A hero doesn't necesserily have to be perfect.It is important that a tragic hero acquires self-knowledge and faces up to his own predicament, with honesty and openness. At the beginning of the play, a tragic hero is always a good person; for example Eddie was a loving and caring man, he said to Catherine â€Å"I want you to be in a nice office. † This shows that he cares for Catherine's future. Eddie Carbone doesn't really fit as a tragic hero considering he is a normal longshoreman, which is ordinary in Red Hook. Just like all men, Eddie à ¢â‚¬Å"worked on the piers where there was work, he brought home his pay, and he lived. Eddie doesn't have a high status, but on the other hand Eddie may still be categorized as a tragic hero due to his bold imperfection which results in his downfall, Eddie is also respected at the beginning of the play, just like a tragic hero. Eddie's tragic flaw, seems to be his over powering love for his niece Catherine, which makes Eddie's fate unavoidable. His unnatural love for Catherine causes the jealousy betweem him and Rodolfo, Beatrice's Italian cousin, who is also falling for Catherine.

Comparing Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience and Kings Letter...

Comparing Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience and Martin Luther Kings Letter From a Birmingham Jail The two essays, Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau, and Letter From a Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King, Jr., effectively illustrate the authors opinions of justice. Each author has his main point; Thoreau, in dealing with justice as it relates to government, asks for not at once no government, but at once a better government. King contends that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Both essays offer a complete argument for justice, but, given the conditions, Kings essay remains more effective, in that its persuasive techniques have more practical application. Both essays extensively implement both†¦show more content†¦The biblical allusions Thoreau chooses to use are another matter entirely. They support his essay in a negative way. Instead of instilling a sense of pride and hope in the reader, such as Kings, they simply illustrate some things that are wrong with society. Doubtless this was Thoreaus intent, and they work better with the tone of his piece, but the simple fact is that Kings positive illusions work better than Thoreaus negative allusions on an emotional level. One example of a biblical allusion that Thoreau uses is in reference to legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and office-holders: . . ..serve the state chiefly with their heads; and, as they rarely make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the Devil, without intending it, as God. Later Thoreau uses another: I know this well, that if one thousand, if one hundred, if ten men whom I could name, - if ten honest men only, - ay, if one honest man, in this State of Massachusetts, ceasing to hold slaves, were actually to withdraw from this copartnership, and be locked up in the county jail therefor, it would be the abolition of slavery in America. This expresses the importance of the individual, but as a secondary thought reveals how the shortage ofShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther King Jr. And Henry David Thoreau1311 Words   |  6 Pagesev erything the general will†, however, it was not always the case, according to influential American authors and civil rights activists Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau. Although both of their works were written over a century apart, one cannot deny the fact that both of them successfully and nonviolently converted their ideology into action using different methods of civil disobedience. Their goal was to fight for a better just system of law and restore faith in humanity. Despite their differentRead MoreHenry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King, Jr.s Justification of Defying Unjust Laws1820 Words   |  8 Pageshis famous essay, â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail,’’ Martin Luther King, Jr. cites conscience as a guide to obeying just laws and defying unjust laws. In the same way, Henry David Thoreau wrote in his famous essay, â€Å"Civil Disobedience,† that people should do what their conscience tells them and not obey unjust laws. The p ositions of the two writers are very close; they use a common theme of conscience, and they use a similar rhetorical appeal of ethos. In â€Å"Civil Disobedience† Thoreau claims that