In the Time of the Butterflies Essay

Courage is valued among the characters, and they display it in varying amounts. Among all the sisters Minerva shows the most courage. First she starts off by wanting to be a lawyer and she is not afraid of speaking her mind. She goes to a boarding school where she meets a girl who is against Trujillo and learns how bad Trujillo really is. This is when she begins to start acting rebellious. Once she is older, Minerva’s family is invited to a party at Trujillo’s palace where she does things that most people would never even dare to think of doing. Minerva plays a game with Trujillo which she wins and gets her father released from arrest and gets her into law school. In law school, she joins a group that is speaking out against Trujillo. A lot of courage is needed to complete the tasks that Minerva completed and with these tasks she developed a love-hate relationship with Trujillo making some of the tasks easier to complete. In the end three out of the four sister have a lot courage and become a symbol for many people. The three sisters are killed, but by who they were killed is very controversial. The sisters are all aware of their cowardice as they perceive it, and while they sometimes fight for courage, in some cases they simply accept their cowardice, except for Minerva who shows courage at all times. Growing up Minerva was almost the bravest out of all the sisters. She was not afraid to speak her mind, even if they might be spies around. She would say things about Trujillo that would make everyone jump and ask if she was trying to get everyone killed. She always wanted to be free and make a difference in the world. Government and politics were not a place for women. A woman’s place was to follow her husband and be loyal to her husband. Minerva, on the other hand, wanted to be a lawyer. In reply, her mother comments, â€Å" Just what we need, skirts in the law! † Minerva argues, however, â€Å"It is just what this country needs †¦ It’s about time we women had a voice in running our country. † Her sisters had always worried about Minerva and her bravery because politics were dirty business and someone was always getting killed because they said the wrong thing and made Trujillo unhappy. Minerva did not care about the risks about being a woman in politics, she cared about equality and making a difference in the Dominican Republic. She thought she would get some freedom if she left home and went to a boarding school and that’s exactly what she did. In the boarding school, Minerva met a girl whose family was killed by Trujillo and she absolutely hated him for that. This girl told Minerva about all the terrible things that Trujillo has done and this is when Minerva starts learning more about Trujillo. This is also when you start seeing Minerva start becoming rebellious. This is shown when there is a class going on, but Minerva is not there instead she is on a balcony above the class talking to the girl who told her about Trujillo. This boarding school is also where she meets Trujillo for the first time and also shows bravery here. The school is performing a play for Trujillo when Minerva’s friend lifts her arrow and points it at Trujillo. Minerva risks herself to stop her friend from shooting the arrow. It was a small act of courage, but its the small acts that lead to the greater ones. Once Minerva graduates from boarding school and returns home, shortly after the family receives a party invitation from Trujillo. Once inside the castle, Minerva gets seated at a special table which was a request from Trujillo and once Trujillo arrives in the ballroom where the party is being held, he asks Minerva to dance. While dancing, Trujillo tells her how he never forgot her from the boarding school and how he thinks that she is very beautiful. Trujillo slowly moves his hands down her back and onto her buttocks and that is when she backs up and slaps him. No one would ever dare slap Trujillo, even after an act like this. This is a great act of disgrace and Minerva was very brave for standing her ground and slapping him. Everyone looked down on her with shock for what she did and her family was very mad and panicked and left immediately. Her family was very mad because slapping Trujillo could get the whole family killed because that was an act of rebellion. Minerva explains to her family that she did not slap him as a sign of rebellion, but because he touched her buttocks making her very uncomfortable. The family then was not as mad, but they were still very worried to what was going to happen to them. At this point of the movie, Minerva is still the one with the most courage while the rest of the family is accepting their cowardice. It took a lot of courage for Minerva to slap Trujillo in such a public place and at his own party. She knew there would be consequences to this, but she was still not afraid. Soon after the party soldiers came to the Mirabel household looking for the father. They said they were taking him in for quest oning, but everyone knew that he was being arrested and they did not know when they would see him again. Once the soldiers left, Minerva smashed the picture of Trujillo that was hung in their house because of her anger. This is another act of courage because if there are spies around they can come in and take Minerva away and kill her for doing that. ANother act of courage is when Minerva goes to the castle of Trujillo to talk to him about releasing her f ather. Trujillo came up with a game that they would play. They had to roll dice and who ever got the higher number won. The deal they made was if he won her father would not be released, but if she won the father would be released and she would be allowed to go to law school. Women were not allowed to go to law school in the Dominican Republic, so asking Trujillo to let her attend was another act of courage. Minerva ended up winning and Trujillo break the deal that he made with Minerva. The father was released and Minerva soon left to law school. At this point of the movie, Minerva’s sister began to show courage too. In law school, Minerva joins a group that goes against Trujillo and comes up with different plans and ideas to rebel against him, for example hanging up posters around town. One day one of Minerva’s sisters runs away from home and comes to Minerva. This is brave because women were needed at home and it was dangerous for them to travel by themselves. Also leaving home with not telling anyone would leave the parents worrying about their daughter. Minerva tells her sister to go home because it’s a bad time and not a place for her sister to be, trying to protect her. Leaving her sister met a guy who was part of the rebellious group and he got her to be in it as well. Now this is sister is being brave because now she is going against Trujillo as well putting the family in even more danger. Soon the third sister is also in the group and the three sisters become the leaders of this group. They become known as, â€Å"Las Mariposas. † The group is soon caught and everyone in it is arrested. When the sisters look out a small hole in the wall, they see a flag with butterflies on it, representing them and this gives them more hope. Soon the sisters are released from jail by Trujillo. When Minerva arrives at home, Trujillo is there waiting for her. He tells her that she has a lot of courage because everytime he does something nice for her because he likes her, she instead turns her back and does something back and is not afraid to pay the consequences. She then asks Trujillo to release hers and her sisters husbands from jail and Trujillo says he will. The sisters go visit their husbands and give them the good news, but on the way there they get stopped by soldiers. They get taken out of the car and into the cornfields where hey get slaughtered. This ending is very controversial because it was a group of men that killed them, but after all their courage and everything they did for the country, who would want to harm them? Also could have Trujillo ordered their death even if he loved Minerva and did everything she asked for? This part of the story may never be known. The movie begins with only Minerva being the brave one, but ends with three out of four sisters being the brave ones and fighting for what they believed was right. The sisters stopped accepting their cowardice and displayed their courage. As she was being marched down the hall, a voice from one of the cells called out,Mariposa does not belong to herself alone. She belongs to Quisqueya! Then everyone was beating on the bars calling out, Viva La Mariposa! Tears came to my eyes. Something big and powerful spread its wings inside me. Courage, I told myself. And this time, I felt it. † This is a quote from the movie and book that shows that although Minerva has been courageous the whole time, she did not feel it until she was leaving the jail. Everything that Minerva did in her lifetime, built her courage up and made her stronger each time.

Who am I and why do I want to be a social worker Essay

Just like most children, I had my fantasies and wishes of becoming a medical doctor so I could help alleviate the sufferings of many. Although this desire was not actualised as I ended up studying engineering but i always felt a big vacuum and an unquenchable desire which i couldn’t explain until I became a care support worker In my early years as a growing young girl in Africa, abuse and injustice happened on a daily basis and nothing was done about it. Female genital mutilation was a tradition and many female children died in the process. A tradition where women were treated like slaves, children suffered abuse and neglect and not even the government could stop it. Although I did not go through any of this because my parents were educated and civilised, but these horrible incidents happened right before me to those my friends, neighbours and relatives and the sight of these oppression and injustices broke my heart but being that I was only a child, I couldn’t intervene. However, this encounter kept playing like a video in my mind till now that is has become clearer that my pursuit of becoming a social worker will answer my many questions. My interest in pursuing this career was birthed when I worked alongside some charitable organisations in Nigeria during my National Youth Service. My service was in the health care setting where I had the opportunity to help people with diverse family problems, health challenges, domestic violence, rape etc, and liaising with other non-governmental agencies to work with the less advantaged to achieve better lives. This experience went a long way in healing my broken heart as a young innocent girl that grew up where injustice thrived. I have always been of the opinion that, if, everyone contributes positively towards the society by way of giving help and support where needed, this world will be a better place. I further developed a keen interest to train in this career over the years because of my work and experience as a support worker and work with young homeless people in Germany. As a support worker, I worked with older people with learning disabilities and supported them in their own homes and in residential settings. During my residence in Germany, I pioneered a charity organisation that was responsible to organise music concerts in the hospitals settings, residential homes for both the elderly and young people. I am deeply passionate, patient, and tolerant and enjoy the service of humanity. Since arriving here in UK, I have had the opportunity of working as a support worker and have further acquired and improved my skills in areas such as communication, psychology and total well-being of individuals. I have also been able to work effectively with older people with disabilities by providing continuous support to them. Being a support worker has also helped to improve my confidence, patience, interpersonal skills, and initiative. Supporting and empowering people have always been my passion and becoming a social worker will mean actualising my long awaited dream. According to Open University (2013) [internet], social work is a profession which aims to protect children and adult from harm whatever their age, gender and cultural background. Social work thrives on social justice which is based on the concept of equality, human right, fairness, mutual obligation in the society and helping to reduce poverty in the society. The latest issue on poverty according to Department for work and pension and Department of education (2013) [internet], there are almost 300,000 households in the UK where none of the adults has ever worked and 300,000 children with parents going through drug issues. What will become of these children being raised in such a precarious situation? To deal with these issues, there is a need for solving the problem from its root rather than approaching it on the surface. Helping these troubled families turn their lives around is paramount because children in such homes will have their chances of success reduced and this will be passed on to their next generation. I believe that while trying to improve the lives of adults and youths especially those with drug and alcoholic problems, helping children overcome poverty without waiting for it to escalate into bigger issues is appropriate. Family instability leads to poverty not just to the concerned families but to the whole nation in general. Social justice is also about making family, community and society function better without prejudice, oppression, discrimination and inequality, providing the support and tools to help make life more comfortable. Some of the challenges encountered in the society have its roots traceable to early life. Evidence suggests that children tend to enjoy better life, become successful, and thrive better both psychologically and developmentally when the same two parents are able to support and protect them through childhood stage. Attachment theory proves that the earliest bond between children and their parents have a tremendous long lasting impact that continues throughout their life time. How we are depends on how we experience this early relationship. Payne, M (2005). Another burning issue on my mind is people with disabilities and how they are being treated. Having an African background, my experience with children with disability is heart breaking. Africa has one of the largest populations of children with disabilities in the world. Their predicament which is swept under the carpet is also characterised by an exclusion from social service, inaccessible infrastructure as well as neglect and abuse. In fact, there’s no program or assistance for the disabled in Africa both old and young. Taken into consideration that we live in a diverse society where we encounter people with different culture, backgrounds, race, believes, values etc, there’s every need to accommodate, tolerate and celebrate each other regardless of these differences. As a would be social worker, I intend facilitating change in some areas where lesser attention is paid. I am very passionate about family welfare and ensuring healthy relationship between children and their parents. I will ensure that I put into practice the social work values and ethics which will be acquired during my course of study combining it with my own values.

Evaluating the Socio Economic Impact of the Structural Adjustment Program Essay

These have left most SSA countries with acute balance of payments (BOP) disequilibria and an inability to service their debts to foreign bodies. In an effort to tackle the economic crises and to stimulate economic recovery, most African countries had to adjust and re-structure their economies. According to Dasgupta (1998), structural adjustment was seen as a fact of life. Thus in the 1980s, most African countries initiated economic policies which were sponsored by the World Bank and supplemented by the International Monetary Fund(IMF) in the form of stabilisation and structural adjustment programmes (SAP). Between June 1986 and July 1987 alone twenty one SSA countries went through World Bank/IMF SAP. Generally, SAPs entail policies designed by the world Bank/IMF aimed at improving the socioeconomic conditions of implementing nations by restoring economic stability and achieving long term growth through addressing structural weakness, and disequilibria in among others government budgets and external sector. More precisely, they involve the adoption and implementation of policies such as currency devaluation, trade liberalization, privatization, and removal of subsidies etc. hich are perceived as means of reversing the pervasive social and economic problems of developing nations. There has been a considerable amount of literature on the effects of SAP measures on less developed countries (LDCs) with no apparent consensus. On the one hand, international financial institutions (IFIs) maintain that SAPs are vital tools for economic recovery and sustainable economic growth. On the other hand , many economists and social scientists argue that SAP measures have led to recessions and poor standards of living in developing countries (Jauch 1999). Thus, the impacts of SAPs remain highly controversial. Even though there are disparities as to the exact effects of SAPs, it is generally accepted that they have far reaching implications for not only the macroeconomic environment of the countries concerned but society at large (Mosley and Weeks, 1993, Riddle, 1992, Stein, 1992, El-Tom, 1994, World Bank, 1994). It is against this background that this dissertation attempts to study and analyse the effects of SAP on the Nigerian economy. The choice of Nigeria as a case study is due to the fact that it has implemented one of the most radical structural adjustment programmes in Africa. Thus the question which posed is, what impact if any has SAP had on the Nigerian economy. Before we proceed, it should be emphasised that this dissertation subsumes IMF stabilisation programmes under World Bank structural adjustment programmes. The reason for this is that the two programmes are intertwined and this is done also for simplicity. . 2 Aims and Objectives This paper aims to explore the role SAP has played in the Nigerian economy. The major objective of the project is to offer a better understanding as to why, what and how structural adjustment program in Nigeria evolved. The primary focal point is to inspect the basis for and causes of the reforms, formulation and implementation processes, and the reform outcomes. The precise objectives of the dissertation are as follows: First, to provide a better understanding of the backgr ound to the economic crises in Nigeria that led to SAP * Second, to outline the objectives of SAP and the reforms implemented by the Nigerian government * Third, to analyse the macroeconomic and social consequences of implementing SAP in Nigeria 1. 3 Methodology and data To evaluate the effects of SAP on the Nigerian economy, the dissertation applies so-called ‘before-after approach’ which in its essence compares the values of selected variables in the period before a program is implemented to those of post-implementation. This approach has been one of the most widely used when evaluating SAP. One of the main advantages of the approach is that it can give an insight into whether structural adjustment improved key economic indicators. The major shortcoming of the methodology employed in this paper is that it assumes that all outcomes are the result of the programme itself and thus does not take into account the impacts of others factors. Another limitation is that it does not reveal the causes of variable changes. However, in spite of the fact that the before-after approach may have some degree of bias as an estimation procedure, it nevertheless, has inherent objectivity and is relatively easy to employ. The dissertation relies on secondary data – mainly World Development Indicators. In addition, various government publications are utilised. In the case of Nigeria, the lack of data and the quality of data available had a major constraint on the study. The data were often found to be unavailable and there were discrepancies in the different data sources.

Discussion Board Post Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Board Post Response - Essay Example e analysis making out why there are variations in a budget and subsequently creating strategies to address the problem (Laureate Education Inc, 2012). The fact that analyzing the budget reflects the internal financial situation or performance denotes how variations can be identified. Catherine Schneider, your writing also clearly explains the value of variance analysis in decision making. I concur that variance analysis enhances accountability (Zelman, McCue and Glick, 2009) as it is similarly the case in my organization. Analyzing the budget will help identify departments where variations are occurring and the department manager is answerable for any mismanagement of funds. This drives the departmental managers into making more effective pronouncements in terms of staffing and supportive action plans such as trainings to improve employees skills and abilities. This clearly shows that variance analysis determines how managers make decisions. In other words, it forces managers to make more effective decisions. I also agree that variance analysis may reveal the need to expand the budget and give data and information to support the claim. This means that decisions to expand a budget is dependent on budget

How Gender Shapes Girls' Lives Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

How Gender Shapes Girls' Lives - Term Paper Example As a function of seeking to understand these dynamics to a more full and complete degree, the following analysis will engage the reader with a more informed understanding of the way in which gender norms impact upon current culture and help to define, as well as constrain, the way in which young girls self identify and create an understanding for the world around them. From a historical analysis, it can be understood that the cultural norms and mores that women were expected to adhere to within the past were generally contingent upon their own fertility, the means through which they could bring up the children that they burst, and their responsibility to take care of the men within their families (McGovern, 1998). Ultimately, this represents a patriarchal understanding of the way in which women should subject themselves to a level of second-class citizenship as compared to their male counterparts. Whereas the gender norms for men were contingent upon increasing their material possess ions and/or focusing upon those aspects of life that interested them and they believed were of value, women wear instead prompted to focus upon a very narrow set of expectations; none of these were necessarily concentric upon the desires and hopes that a woman might have with regards to the way in which her future should look. Throughout the course of the years, the patriarchal society has changed very little (Chan et al., 2012). This illusion for change is one of the most impactful factors that encourage individuals within the current era to engage with the false understanding for the fact that the current/modern dynamic is somehow drastically different than it was before. Whereas it is without question that rights and privileges have increased, the mores and the norms of society have evolved, these very same mores and norms are nonetheless still predicated upon a patriarchal definition of society; thereby, very few real changes have been effected. The fundamental issue of continui ng to define gender norms based upon fecund understanding or the ability of the female to produce and care for children is by far the single most constraining aspect of the way in which gender norms continue to impact the way in which individuals understand their own net worth and place within society. Many would argue that the level of change that was exhibited from the beginning of recorded history up until the mid 18th century was negligible. However, a recent level of emphasis upon women’s rights, and the role in which gender has with respect to define the way in which individual should behave, indicate that a fundamental break with the past has in fact been engaged. Yes, upon closer inspection, the true levels of differential that exists between the gender norms that exist within the current era and the gender norms that exist in several hundred years ago are not quite as stark as they might at first appear. Although it is true that women now have the right and ability t o integrate with the workforce, although it is true that women can choose between staying at home and seeking to benefit their lives by working and drawing a salary, although it is true that not each and every family is headed by a male, although it is true that women now have the right to vote, although it is true that a woma

Gulf Currency Union Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Gulf Currency Union - Research Proposal Example Keywords: Gulf Currency Union, GCU, Middle East, Saudi Arabia. Gulf Currency Union: A Research Proposal Gulf Currency Union is a popular object of professional discussion. Much has been written and said about its benefits and potential costs for the Gulf countries. GCU exemplifies a complex product of multiple influences and reflects the growing role of globalization and integration in economic relations between Middle Eastern countries. However, how GCU will affect these countries remains unclear. Clearly, there is a need for a study of GCU and its effects on Saudi Arabia. The choice of this research topic is justified by the growing importance of GCU ideas in the Middle East and the lack of information about the benefits and costs of GCU for Saudi Arabia. It is imperative that the effects of the currency union on Saudi Arabia be understood in their entirety, to ensure that the country uses the potential of GCU membership to the fullest and can easily avoid its drawbacks. Literature Review The growing body of literature indicates sustained popularity of GCU and related subjects in literature. The history of economic cooperation between GCC states dates back to 1981, when the Free Trade Area in the GCC region was established and a unified Economic Agreement was ratified (MacDonald & Al Faris, 2010). Since 1981, economic cooperation in among the six GCC states had been rapidly expanding (MacDonald & Al Faris, 2010). Unfortunately, because of numerous political tensions in the Middle East, the GCC states failed to implement the vision of economic integration; it was not before the beginning of the 21st century that the idea of a common trade and currency area was revitalized (MacDonald & Al Faris, 2010). During the 1990s, the GCC countries also attempted to establish a customs union (MacDonald & Al Faris, 2010). Today, the existing relationships between Gulf countries lay a solid foundation for implementing the Gulf Currency Union idea into practice. It should be noted, that more and more researchers are interested in analyzing the effects of GCU on the Middle Eastern world. The topic of monetary union in the Gulf region remains one of the popular objects of public and political debate. Previous literature â€Å"has concentrated on three main themes, namely, the costs and benefits of a single currency in the short and long term; the degree of macroeconomic policy coordination and the extent to which the Gulf States meet the theoretical criteria of an optimal monetary union; and finally the best exchange rate regime for the single currency.† (MacDonald & Al Faris, 2010, p.9) There is no agreement on the pros and cons of GCU for Middle Eastern countries. According to Buiter (2007), the union can benefit the GCC countries in that it promotes economic openness and financial security, as well as greater integration followed by the development of a common goods/ services/ capital/ labor markets. However, the lack of supranational governmen t bodies and institutions makes such outcomes extremely unlikely; moreover, countries joining GCU will have to sacrifice their political independence for the sake of economic integration (Buiter, 2007). Al-Bassam (2008) explored the benefits of GCU for Bahrain and developed a list of factors supporting GCU, including the elimination of currency transaction costs, considerable economic and financial savings, minimization of exchange rate risks, better pricing transparency and improved competition in business, greater fiscal

Scuba Dive in Zanzibar Island Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Scuba Dive in Zanzibar Island - Essay Example It is one of the few and unique diving sites that provides yoga and diving services combined in the world. Each day the preparations begin early around five in the morning. We chose to join the expedition from kendwa beach which remained planned according to the tides that gave the best visibility in the least current. And we got to choose deep diving, drift diving, and fish identification. We wanted to see the more than three hundred and fifty fish species. There were nighttime dives to see the diverse beauty of the coral bommies close to the shore. The orientation experience widened our scope to incorporate a few more dive sites that extremely interested us. For snorkeling kendwa reef and kendwa gardens that remain located eight hundred meters from the dive base that makes it easily accessible. In case one chooses snorkeling it is vital to get safety tips and pointers at the dive center. We were also recommended to try Tumbatu Island, which is hidden, but a piece of beauty and fifteen minutes ride to it by speedboat. The prices are affordable and flexible to everyone. To get to tumbatu Island, the transport charge is forty-five dollars. To Mnenba Island a thirty minutes ride and dive costs eighty-five dollars. To learn snorkeling the charge is still eighty-five dollars. Since we had no kids, the costs for children remained omitted the regular expenses for children or teens. The PADI course costs a bit expensive as they cost three hundred and sixty-five dollars. The cost only accommodates the twelve meters dive. Since we chose a double dive on the northwest reef with the depth of twelve to eighteen meters and boat travel of fifteen minutes was charged a hundred and twenty dollars. For proper preparation, we chartered boats from the local scuba diving providers for diving and snorkeling lasting for five days. The five days had a minimum of ten dives and remained charged five hundred dollars. My niece loved adventure dives so we dedicated two  dives specifically for underwater photography of the sea creatures we got informed told would be found specifically on each dive.  

Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of social media Essay

Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of social media - Essay Example This is achieved through the employees themselves when they discuss ideas, post various news and information, ask questions and also share useful links. Technologically savvy organization like Nokia, presently acquired by Microsoft, has successfully implemented social media as their internal communication platform. The motto of the organization was to connect people and explore various possible ways that can enhance the internal communication. Nokia’s Social Media Communications team was established in early 2008 with the aim of improving inter-company communications and engaging employees (Carr, 2010) . The modern organizations use this as an effective and useful recruitment tool. For example, LinkedIn is the number one professional networking website that many organizations use to hunt the best talents for a job portfolio. The modern recruiters look for the profiles of the potential candidates in LinkedIn. L’Oreal, one of the largest cosmetic companies in the world, has successfully used social media for their recruitment drive (Connell, 2009). The organization has uniform branding in each country they operate. Interestingly, the job section of each website lists available positions in the country and a few links to the social networks. For example, The UK LOreal.Jobs website links to the L’Oreal Talent Recruitment Facebook page, the L’Oreal LinkedIn page, the L’Oreal Luxe TalenTube Facebook page and the @LOrealCareers Twitter feed. This helps in widening the target audience of the company, whether they want to recruit the best talent or increase their business. Because of the reach of social media, the businesses use the technology to improve their business reputation. For example, the more number of ‘Likes’ and ‘Followers’ in Facebook and Twitter give an impression of the popularity of the product, company or the brand. Social media enables enhancing the

Techniques used by Martin Luther King to make his message powerful Essay

Techniques used by Martin Luther King to make his message powerful - Essay Example What is extra ordinary is his steely determination combined with clear vision and forceful expression that make his message so powerful. Martin Luther King had a good grasp of all facts and figures. The problem of segregation, its impact on a whole race of people whose only misfortune was the color of their skin, the impunity and arrogance of its perpetuators, the trauma and agony endured by its hapless victims most of whom comprised the aged, women and children, and the indifference of the people in general and the authorities in particular who were in a position to mitigate the problem but preferred to look the other way. The length of the letter, its tone, the unwavering documenting of instances that warranted his personal involvement, proves King's intentions of pursuing the case to its logical end. In his letter, Luther King expressed solidarity with his race, regretted the nonchalant way the problem was being allowed to continue, and does not show any sign of relenting on his opposition to the racial slur being daily played out in the country. He proved the validity of his presence in Birmingham as "consent" to an invitation, and his obligation to "live up to his promise" to engage in a non-violent direct-action program to oppose the "injustice being done here (Birmingham)." He also cited examples like Alabama where Negroes were being denied the right to vote. He contended, "Thus it is that I can urge men to obey the 1954 decision of the Supreme Court, for it is morally right; and I can urge them to disobey segregation ordinances, for they are morally wrong." He even goes on to express his disapp ointment with the "laxity" of the church in relation to the inhuman treatment being perpetuated on the blacks. Scriptural and Political Quotations Being a seasoned theologian, he effectively quoted scriptures in support of his argument. He quoted St. Augustine, and declared, "an unjust law is no law." He referred to "the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake." Assuming a political stance, he stated, "We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was "legal" and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was "illegal." It was "illegal" to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler's Germany." Using scriptural and political precedents, he made a strong appeal to human conscience in defense of his stand. In the entire saga of the good versus evil, the good always have had to pay a price, even when it vanquished the evil. Socrates did not change his stand even though it cost his life. Many others embraced martyrdom. Eventually, history repeated itself with Martin Luther King too. But they are remembered with gratitude all over the world. Source: Martin Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham Jail, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/mlkjail.html

The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell Essay Example for Free

The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell Essay In the Road to Wigan Pier Orwell explained how the English class-system works. He purported that in Britain it isnt possible to determine the class of a person by simply looking at his income. The things that make up a middle-class person are his behavior, birth and profession. To describe fully the concept of middle class, Orwell, in Part One, set out to report, in a detailed and vivid manner, on working class life in the bleak industrial heartlands of the West Midlands, Yorkshire and Lancashire. In the seven chapters of Part One Orwell was able to describe the life of miners and conditions down a coal mine. Orwell described how he went down a coal mine to observe proceedings and he explained how the coal is distributed, and that the working conditions are very poor. He described the housing shortage in the region as the reason why people were satisfied even with substandard housing conditions. In the second part Orwell described his personal idea of socialism. His general idea is that socialism and communism are no longer movements of the working class. The movement is lead by the middle-class, the bourgeoisie. He stated plainly that he himself is in favour of socialism but feels it necessary to point out reasons why many people, who would benefit from socialism, and should logically support it, are in practice likely to be strong opponents. Reasons such as ,class prejudice and machine worship. He points that class prejudice is real and it is visceral. Middle class socialists do themselves no favors by pretending it does not exist and by glorifying the manual worker they tend to alienate that large section of the population which is economically working class but culturally middle class. Orwell finds most socialists guilty machine worship. He himself is suspicious of technological progress for its own sake and thinks it inevitably leads to softness and decadence. He points out that most fictional technically advanced socialist utopia are deadly dull.

Sociology Essays Racism Football Sport

Sociology Essays Racism Football Sport Racism Football Sport Real Literature Review The phenomenon of racism in football is not as old as the conflict of racism in society in general, but neither is it as recent as the current worrying situation in which some to believe (Back et al.1998). Back et al. (1998) identified that football grounds have provided one of the largest public arenas in which racism can be openly expressed. It is against this background that the phenonomenon of racism in football has led to wide spread discussion during the past couple of decades within the media, amongst policy makers and in the wider football community. Recently, there has been a increase in the study of sport, racism and ethnicity (Jarvie 1991). Numerous factors which will be explained have undoubtedly contributed to fuel this interest. However, a couple of considerations appear to have been of great importance. Firstly, black sportsmen and sportswomen throughout the world have experienced remarkable successes in international sport (Jarvie 1991). According to Mercer, (1994) and Shohat and Stam, 1994) this may be due to the fact that apparently each positive stereotype has a negative result. Therefore, as black men and women have come to excel in various sports, people of a non ethnic backgroundhave needed an explanation for why what seemed to be an inferior race can outperform a superior one. This may be one of many factors which may have encouraged resentment for their success which in turn could have lead to abuse in a racist nature. Secondly, a disproportionately high level of athletic participation by diverse ethnic minority cultures has often been used by liberal minded sports enthusiasts as an excuse to indicate that there is no racism in these arenas. These authors use these examples to try and illustrate that there is no form or racism in certain sports, however authors such as (Williams 1992, 1994; Turner 1990; Holland 1992a, 1992b, 1995) have proven otherwise. Bairner (1996) and Guha (1997) who are thought to be sporting enthusiasts argue the assumption that sport itself is relatively free from racism and that sport, more than any other sphere of society, enjoys a certain degree of democratization and equality according to Jarvie (1991). However, â€Å"such accounts of sport which make general inferences about the changing nature of racial relations in society based on a consideration of athletic participation rates† (Jarvie, 1991, p. 3) are misleading due to their ignorance of the broader issues of power and domination within society. Although there has been a sizable interest of studies in the area of race and sport in the UK (Chappell et al. 1996; Norris Jones,1998) focusing primarily on the issues of â€Å"stacking† and â€Å"centrality† is useful evidence in a descriptive term. However, in terms of quantifiable data indicating that there is a decrease racism in sport, it would be very nave to gain assumptions that their was a decrease in racism in sport from these sources. Maguire (1991) has therefore recognised that there is a need for greater qualitative as well as quantitative research into the area in the â€Å"hope that a more rounded picture may be produced† (p. 100). Although some qualitative research involving racism in English football has been carried out (Cashmore,1982; Howe, 1976; Maguire, 1991), these studies only concentrated on the experiences of top level Black players. This has been highlights to identify there is very little data on the experiences of racism on lower league footballers. Therefore, this is a worthy study because not only will it explore the different avenues of racism, but will also give a broader picture as to the experiences of racism in lower league footballers. It is believed that non-league football, which consists of the middle section of the football hierarchy in the United Kingdom, would prove to be a grounded place for such a study for a variety of reasons. First, the realities of race relations could well be more real at lower levels of the game than in the polished environment of professional sport (Hoberman, 1997) due to its less cosmopolitan nature (Maguire, 1991). The need to investigate below the top level of sport has been echoed by Horne (1996),who stated that focusing on the lower level of soccer culture may be beneficial in understanding the differing forms of attachment to, and identification with, the game for Black players, as these everyday levels could well be â€Å"important sites for consolidating and possibly transforming racist attitudes† (p. 61). He further stated that investigations at different levels of soccer are needed if involvement of ethnic minorities in sport and in the wider community are to be better understood and appreciated Racism is undoubtedly a sensitive issue and it is important to be clear on what racism is when conducting the research. What is Racism? As quoted from the McPherson report from the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: ‘Racism in general terms consists of conduct or words or practices which advantage or disadvantage people because of their colour, culture or ethnic origin. In its more subtle form it is as damaging as in it overt form.’ (Macpherson, 1999: 6.4) According to Long et al (2000) racism arises from the belief that people can be divided into physical genetic categories that make some superior to others, a belief which is then used to justify inequality. He also goes on to explain that ‘recently racism has been recognised to extent beyond supposed biological superiority to others to encompass notions of cultural differences’ (Long et al, 2000 p. 15). Further to this point Solomos and Back (1996) who conducted a study on racism in society states that racism can be seen as a mutable and changing phenomenon in which notions of biological or pseudo-biological cultural difference are utilised to explain and legitimate hierarchies of racial dominance and exclusion. Therefore there are cases where people do not realise they are disadvantaging people because of their ethnicity. This is can be referred to as everyday, subconscious or indirect racism (Long et al. 2000). It is helpful to look at racism on a broad scale to identify the common trends which may occur and compare them with the experiences of individuals in the UK. Therefore, different types of research such as †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..carried out within various countries in Europe was a practical place to begin with. Racism in football is still a major problem in Poland, Spain and Italy for instance. In the Netherlands: Ajax fans have the tradition of using Jewish and Israeli symbols to express their allegiance(Wikipedia). This shows how the picture can often be complex, as these Ajax fans are for the most part not Jewish, but use Jewish symbols because of the historical connections of the club and the area it was founded in to Jews before WW1. Within Holland fans of teams playing Ajax sometimes exhibit racist behaviour in terms of anti-semitic remarks, even though there are no actual Jewish players at Ajax another example from the literature is those Italian fans from Napoli who supported Argentinians in the world cup 1990, rather than the national team, because their local team hero Maradonna was in the Argentine side. This lack of national loyalty meant that the Northern Italian fans disliked the southern region fans and so supported anyone who played against Argentina. Examples like these two above highlight that it is not always a straight forward picture that we are dealing with in considering racism within football. Local and divided loyalties arise and sometimes exchanged, patterns of illogical racist behaviour can develop according to varying circumstances. Therefore: the racism on display in European football matches is more often than not dependent on the traditions and historic rivalries within white fans’ cultures’ (UNESCO 2000). However, there also may be common practices of racism that can be seen through out Europe and even the world. Therefore common ways to deal with it are applicable: ‘While one must recognize that the problem of racism is different in each country, a Europe-wide initiative to combat the problem must surely be welcomed’ (UNESCO 2000). Even within the UK their are a different patterns and history of racism, and different things being down to combat it. The situation in Scotland or Northern Ireland is different from that in England and Wales. For instance the investigation in 2007, against West Ham fans before the match with Spurs was over anti-Semitic chants. An example of the kind of chants that are sometimes used against Spurs fans are: Those yids from Tottenham The gas mans got them Oh those yids from White Hart Lane† (UNESCO 2000) Localised Racism Authers such as Holland et al. (1995) who considered the impact of racism by far right groups at Leeds united football club and the strategies used to oppose these by the club identified ‘that it is impossible to identify uniform patterns of racism or prejudice or race relations’, rationalize their own choice of focus on the basis that ‘terms such as race, ethnicity and sport have to be specifically â€Å"unpacked† in terms of content, time and place’. There is a general consensus that white players do not experience racism in football in the UK, however there is evidence to contradict this belief. There are in fact identity codes within football culture which reveal quite complicated racial meanings. A prime example is the song ‘I’d rather be a Paki than a Scouse’ which is regularly sung to Liverpool supporters by supporters from Arsenal and Chelsea and Manchester United fans. This song which is sung to the tune of ‘She’ll be coming round the mountain’ is directed at Merseyside fans. The intention is to demote the status people who come from Merseyside from being a normal English society, to one which is frowned upon. Therefore ridiculing the ‘neighbourhood nationalism’ of Scouseness. This is achieved by fans of different ethnicities from London and Manchester to altering the meaning of being a loathed minority which is the stigmatized category of a ‘Paki’, rather than retain their race and be a Scouser. This example ehphasises the complexities of local racialization and racial exclusion. Likewise it also highlights the fact that different minority communities may have a different hierarchal status within local society. . For example, young black men may win inclusion and even command positions of prestige within particular fan cultures while other minorities – in this case South Asians – are relegated to the status of vilified outsiders. (Williams 1992: 24) Williams has also developed a more nuanced notion of the politics of racism within English football. Interestingly he used Phil Cohen’s (1988) notion of ‘nationalism of the neighbourhood’ to discuss the ways in which minorities can win contingent inclusion within local working-class collectivities Reverse Racism The terms of racism, moreover, may in some situations also be reversed and lead to phenomena that are difficult to grasp without a sense of the inherent contradictions of contingent Racialization. For example, it has been noted that a racialized black identity can have a number of advantageous connotations within a masculine culture like soccer. In some circles, the mythical dimensions of the black body (of physical, sexual and athletic prowess) may even make a black identity preferable over a white one in terms of its ability to signify a powerful masculinity (Carrington, 2002). As a result, such racialized identities may sometimes be sought out for short term gains as kind of strategic essentialism (Mercer, 1994). Without doubt, the contingent admiration of racialized black bodies and men is not only a source of possibility within soccer culture, but also one of restraint. Racialized expectations of black performance, for example, position black players mostly in attacking roles, and much more rarely as key defenders or goalkeepers (Maguire, 1991). Moreover, this particular black identity is not available to all black players. In contrast to players of British-Caribbean descent, those of British Asian descent are rarely perceived as potentially talented professional players in any position at all. The latter ethnicity, as Burdsey has shown, is stereotypically taken as effeminate and too frail for soccer (Burdsey, 2004). Long, Tongue, Sprackle. and Carrington(1995) affirm this assumption that racial stereotyping provides a freefall for commonsense racism’ (Long et al., 1995). These assumptions transcend a belief that it true that Asians cannot play football. This in tern leadsindividuals who do not research the subject to believe that these myths are true. These views are the same for black players. Examples include ‘not being good trainers, not being any good once the pitches get muddy and not having the bottle to be defenders’ (Long 2000). A further hopeful note there is that in recent years a Japanese player, Shunsuke Nakamura has been making a considerable contribution towards decreasing racist habits amongst Scottish football fans, merely by his popularity as a player. The friendly chant there of â€Å"Oh, it’s so Japaneasy,† when Nakamura gets the ball makes a welcome change from the racist chants that are otherwise heard in football. His football shirt had become the favourite new buy amongst Children in Glasgow, and they have welcomed him as one of their own, so that: The Japanese midfielder revealed in the pages of the official club magazine, The Celtic View, that he would even contemplate extending his contract with the Hoops, such is the manner in which he has acclimatized to life in the West of Scotland. (Soccerphile Ltd, 2000) In a 1995 England vs. Republic of Ireland friendly match in Dublin saw considerable trouble from hard core group of right wingers, including the BNP and Combat 18 groups. They chanted anti-republican songs that led to such bad fights that the game was actually called off, only half an hour later. Research into such things brings to light the cultural nature of racism in football. It comes out in ways that depend on the wider culture that it is within. Clearly the long history of trouble between Eire and England is the background to the 1995 scenes. In a habit that is similar that outlined in Italy where the northerners call the southerners blacks there is also a tendency towards antagonism between the North and South of England. The chant: â€Å"I’d rather be a Paki than a scouse (Liverpudlian)† is sometimes used by the fans of some southern teams playing against Liverpool. Tim Crabbe, principle lecturer in sport sociology at Britain’s Sheffield Hallam University notes the significance of using such race related words: These insults only work because of the stigma that these racial groups still suffer in the minds of large swathes of white European society. As such, race often stands on the sidelines, ready to be mobilized in circumstances where it is deemed appropriate within the ritualized abuse of a football game (UNESCO, 2000) Dramatic incidents like these focused the public’s attention, and attracted widespread debate in the media about the role of racism among certain groups of supporters and about violence and hooliganism. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that most studies of racism in football tend to concentrate either on the nature and extent of racist abuse in and around football stadiums (Holland 1992a, 1992b, 1995), or are preoccupied with the recruitment activities of extreme right-wing movements (CCS 1981; Leeds Trades Council 1988; Waters 1988). In addition a number of writers have analysed the phenomenon of the growing presence of black players in football, notably Cashmore (1983, 1990), Woolnough (1983), Hill (1989) and Vasili (1994). While most studies have focused on the issue of fan behaviour, racism is apparent at other levels. Football racism Theories In terms of scholastic writing and in the minds of the general public, racism in football is often associated with the hostile behaviour of groups of hooligans in and around the stadium (Holland 1992a, 1992b, 1995, Garland and Rowe, 2001; Back et al 1999; Jones, 2002). Nevertheless, it has been acknowledged by Brown (1998) that racism exists amongst ordinary soccer fans, players and even amongst referees and coaches (King, 2004). Racism has also been identified amongst referees and coaches and in the institutional regions of football associations such as executive committees of football clubs (Back et al., 1999). Further to this point, a number of writers have analysed the phenomenon of the growing presence of black players in football, in particular Cashmore (1983, 1990), Woolnough (1983), Hill (1989) and Vasili (1994). Although, most studies have concentrated on the issue of fan behaviour, racism is evident at other levels. Authors such as Back, Crabbe and Solomus, (1999) have indicated that the majority of the literature on racism in football overlooks the issue by reducing the problem to a clearly identifiable, overt form in which everyone can recognise as racist behaviour. A prime example would be racist hooligan groups (Back et al., 1999). They suggest instead that racism in football should be considered as a part of global football culture. Interestingly, Back et al. (2001) recognised that identifying racism is a more complex than task than originally perceived. They identified that there lies four domains in which racism can be measured in football culture. These can be identified as the ‘the vernacular’, ‘the occupational’, ‘the institutional’ and ‘the culture industry’. The ‘vernacular’ domain relates to those forms of racist behaviour which can be identified by society as a negative form of abuse within football. These problems include explicit racist chanting amongst fans. This also includes local rivalries which can be identified as a form of ‘neighbourhood nationalism’ (Long, 2000) which can lead to racist behaviours within and outside the stadiums (Crabbe, 2004). An example of this is the 1995 England vs. Republic of Ireland friendly match in Dublin which saw considerable trouble from hard core group of right wingers. The second domain which has been identified is the ‘occupational domain’ which concentrates on the forms of racism players experience at their football clubs. These can include experiences on the training ground and in the chaning rooms. Racist actions which can also be identified in this domain include the process of ‘stacking’ players in certain positions which comply with historic racial folk law views of successful positions for some for ethnic minorities (Maguire, 1991) EXAMPLE The ‘institutional’ arena involves the administration and management of the football. Racial issues which arise from the institutional domain include a lack of access for ethnic minorities towards decision making and policies and at the club. racialized patterns of club ownership, and a lack of representation of different ethnic groups on management and club boards. It also involves the shapes of social networks that can constitute racialized networks of patronage, which hinder access of certain minorities in football (Solomos and Back 1995 and Burdsey, 2004). This is reflected due to the growing number of black and ethnic players, emerging from professional football. It would be natural to think that this development would naturally transcend to the institutional forums of football. However, this has not had a significant impact on management, coaching or in the board rooms (Solomos and Back 1995). The fourth domain, ‘culture industry’, looks at racism involved in biased representations of football players from different ethnic backgrounds in the popular media and patterns of advertising and sponsorship that support them (Hernes, 2005). The four arenas of racialization in football mentioned above bring to light the different ways in which racial exclusion can occur within football. This shows that there has been a development on the notions of racism which illustrate that there is in fact more depth to the origins of racism compared to previous authors such as Williams (2001) who relate racism in football with hooliganism and violence. Therefore, this research has focussed on all the aspects of racism which have been identified in the literature. However, in particular finding out if the more covert forms of racism are existent at lower league football. Initiatives In addition, the Football Offences Act was passed in 1991 which criminalized racial chanting or abuse (Armstrong, 1998). Nevertheless, according to Welsh (1998), the undoubted racialized nature of the fan environment has resulted in â€Å"a generation of black people [having] been hounded out of football by overt racism† (p. xii). Emphasizing this point of a continuing racialized environment, he went on to ask, The Football unites, racism divides initiative (FURD), started in 1995 by some Sheffield United fans focuses on the issue of increasing the participation of people from ethnic minorities in football in a variety of ways. They note: It has long been the case that a number of fans have used Saturday afternoons at football matches to air their racial prejudices but it is now recognised that this minority of racist fans is only part of the problem. (FURD, 1997) They help make it clear that in order to decrease racism in football it is also necessary to get people from ethnic minorities involved, not just as fans, but also as players, mangers, etc. FURD indicates that the UK was the first country to try to tackle racism in football in an organised way. The ‘Let’s Kick Racism out of Football’ campaign was started in 1993, also the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ came soon after. Now there is a Europe wide effort, the Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) network. The Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football is now well established within the UK and aims to prevent racism through a variety of aspects. Kick  It Out works throughout the football, educational and community sectors to challenge racism and  work for  positive change. (Kick it out, 2007) They target Professional football players and clubs with advice, and try to get to Young people in schools and youth clubs. However, more specific to this research project, they also attempt to prevent racism within Amateur football, and so stop it growing into the professional side. They also, in conjunction with the most recent developments in combating racism in football try to help various Ethnic Minorities, especially Asians become involved with football. The (SIRC) notes two important points, that racism: an important factor in the problem of football hooliganism itself (SIRC, (2007). The actual extent of racism is virtually impossible to measure as detailed statistics in this context are almost non-existent. The issue of football hooliganism was better known, at least until recently in the UK. Of course it is a less contentious issue, as the vast majority of people can easily condemn it. When it comes to racist hooligan behaviour then the issue become that divisive. Since, it appears many in the UK still harbour racist attitudes in various ways. Another aspect of the literature that has informed the present study is the issue of right wing groups and racism. Groups like the BNP are often associated with racism in football. It is an issue to consider as to why the groups are attracted to each other: Some debate also exists as to whether right-wing groups deliberately target soccer fans as recruits or whether soccer fans are drawn into the groups because of the opportunities they offer for violence. (SIRC, 2007)It appears that some researchers think right wing groups do deliberately target football fans. Others think that they are opportunist and use violence as a way to direct aggression against those they see as their enemies, i.e. ethnic minorities Types of Racism A study in 1999 by Jon Garland and Michael Rowe attempted to consider three aspects of racism in football and efforts made to combat it: the conflation of racism with `hooliganism; the role of antiracist campaigns within the game; and the denial of the problem of racism within football. (Garland and Rowe, 1999: 335). They suggest that although the various efforts by fans and clubs are good, they lack an academic rigor in the way that defines racism and other important concepts. This is not just academic nit picking, but something that actually affects real efforts. For instance there is often too much attention paid to large scale, obvious examples of racism, such as a group of fans self consciously giving the Nazi salute. This at the expense of more subtle examples of racism at the everyday level. They suggest that these everday forms of racism are actually more harmful to individuals because of the impact on their ordinary lives which can cause psychological upset in a way that is, though hard to quantify, deeply felt. Garland and Rowe note that initiatives would benefit from having more sociological thinking behind them: Adopting these perspectives at the local level would help both clubs and fans to develop and sustain more meaningful programmes that suit the prevailing conditions. (Garland and Rowe, 1999: 335). Overt racism among supporters and abuse directed at black players, both of which flourished in the 1970s and 1980s, have declined steeply in recent years in the face of vociferous public campaigning such as the kick it out campaign. EXAMPLE – JOHN BARNES However, Crabbe, (2004) goes on to note that the underlying negative feelings against black players appears to still be there. Also, that, unfortunately in other European countries it is not even implicit EXAMPLE LEWIS HAMILTON 2008. The racism is still very much explicit and in your face. He notes the singing of chants like Get out, get out, queers, niggers, Basques and Catalans in Spain and anti-Semitic slogans written on club walls in Italy. In addition, some researchers think that there has been something of a return to racist behaviour in football in the last few years. (Cowley 2003) comments on the possible cause of this: the present rise stems partly from the growth of racism within society generally The present war on terror has brought about increased suspicion, hatred and outright hostility to Muslim communities in Britain. (Cowley, 2003: 55) Statistics in 2000 from the Football League national fan survey sagest that three out of ten of fans had heard racist remarks aimed at players in the 1999/2000 season. 7% had seen racism towards other fans. These figures are very similar for the FA Premier League. only 4% of all FA Premier League fans surveyed thought racism was getting worse at football matches at that level in 2001. Although, half way through 2001 apparently racially motivated organised groups of fans and others were involved in serious disturbances in Oldham before the Oldham Athletic v Stoke City match. This appeared to be the catalyst which caused disturbances later in northern cities to ethnic minorities who retaliated to these supporters and racist organisations (Williams, 2001). Inconspicuous forms of Racism The focus on different cultural domains and interactions outlined above has particular consequences for the way racist behaviour is understood, and its reproduction theorized. Overt and instantly recognisable racist acts can no longer be taken as shorthand to classify a person as belonging to a deviant group of soccer fans that is characterized by moral degeneration (that is, racist/hooligans). As (Garland and Row, 1999) state, they should rather be seen as expressions of a larger racialized culture of Football. Therefore, the solution to understanding racism does not lie solely in the study of the content, consequences and intentions behind the overt racist act itself. Interestingly it also requires taking into account the cultural context in which such acts become meaningful expressions (Miles, 1997). Further to this point Miles (1997) declared that the cultural context of racism is repeated through continued development of Racialization, which are contained in the unobtrusive, sub-conscious ins and outs of everyday life. These everyday endeavours can range from a simple joke about black players in the changing room to differential racist expectations on the training grounds and the development of mono-ethnic sub-groups of players within mixed soccer clubs and teams (King, 2004). These practices do not necessarily produce overtracism, nor may people identify these expressions with that of a racialized nature. However, by reproducing a racialized situation they are in fact, fuelling the catalyst for overt racist abuse to occur in meaningful ways. Since the potential for meaningful expressions of racism lies in sets of racialized practices and interactions of wider soccer culture, the usual focus on the perpetrator and victim of the racist act needs to be complemented with a similar rigorous attention for the culture in which the act was expressed. Racialization implies a set of differentially racialized cultural contexts it also constitutes a move away from the common assumption that such a context is formed by a single, coherent racist ideology. Instead, it allows for an understanding of the contradictions and incoherencies within and between the expressions of racism in different domains of soccer culture. For example, white soccer fans can racially abuse black players of the opposite team Whilst supporting those on their own team, (Garland and Rowe, 1999) and racist abuse is also common between different non-white ethnic groups and in situations where the white majority is underrepresented (King, 2004). Institutional Racism in football? Back et al (2001) interestingly made some intriguing observations when invited to a Carling No.1 Panel of Chair of the Football Supporters’ Association. The first was that not only did this setting reflect traces of middle or upper class and status but ‘white centredness within the institutions of football more generally’ (Back et al. 2001, p. 162). It is in these exact places, where political decisions, footballing rumours, policies and job opportunities are instigated. During the visit to this setting, Back et al. noted that there was not one ethnic minority descendent sited at the location. Therefore if the most influential people in British football do not have a true representation of society (in this case people of ethnic minority who work in the footballing industry). These boards claim that their decisions are based on holistic approaches which benefit everyone at their establishment. However, if there is no diversity in at the top level of decision making, how can there be a fair conclusion in policies which embodies everyone involved in the game? This proves that the old-boy network is still active and is continuing to work along racial lines (Rimer, 1996). Back et al (1996) go on to state that it is: â€Å"easy for everyone to support a campaign against racism in football when it is targeted against pathologically aggressive, neo-Nazi thugs. It might prove a little more tricky to generate football-wide support if we were to start asking questions about the attitudes in the boardroom, on the pitch, and in the training gro