Monday, January 27, 2020

Globalization in Southeast Asia

Globalization in Southeast Asia One of the major causes of change in the nations and borders of Southeast Asia (SEA) would be the impact of globalization. Globalization promotes increasing contact with other nation-states be it through social media, economic exchange, politics and many other areas. Already, we see results in the form of increasing cooperation through international relations system like ASEAN. However, globalization can change the borders of the region not only through increased cooperation but also through increased competition. In exploring how globalization change nations and borders in Southeast Asia, this paper will also examine how globalization makes economies competitive and this will change nations and border by bringing SEA together through economic integration or result in the battle of economies. In the area of international relations, we see globalization changing nations and borders of Southeast Asia through increased regional cooperation in the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The establishment of ASEAN on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok during the middle of the Vietnam War was an attempt by SEA states to prevent intraregional conflict, and to create a voice for themselves in the broader Cold War arena.(Bennett) It also represented an attempt at redefining the individual nation-states as being a part of a regional entity. Globalization of the Cold War had created a need for neighbouring nation-states to become more inter-dependent on one another for the sake of national and regional security and in doing so, brought about increased regional cooperation and the formalization of it through the establishment of ASEAN. However, with comparatively minimal threat to national security in recent years, the impact of globalization is in recent years most prominently manifested in the area of economic relations. Singapore is a small concentrated country in Southeast Asia that has been affected by globalization. The country is known for its tiger economies being the most open, trade oriented economies and home to over 6000 Trans-national corporations making it a sanctuary for international investors. (WriteWork) Singaporeans have a strong entrepreneurial ability and using their surplus of funds they are able to invest in technology and social services increasing their economic development. (WriteWork) One important thing to note here is that countries in SEA adjusted and adapted to globalization in different ways and this has resulted in each countries being currently situated at different stages of development. There was tension due to water supply issues between Singapore and Malaysia. Malaysia claimed that the water supply that was supplied to Singapore was underpaid and that Kuala Lumpur wanted a reasonable price. Singapore rejected the allegations from Malaysia. If this issue is not properly solved military conflict could ignite which hurts both nations. Singapore, which lacks natural resources, obtains half of its daily water from Malaysia to maintain its growing population.(Agence France Press) This is one of the frequent issues that has created friction between the states since Singapore became independent from the Malaysian Federation in 1965.(Agence France Press)In this way, globalization has changed the ways in which nation-states in SEA conduct international relations. That having said, a straining of relationships between countries at different stages of economic development is not the only way in which globalization has affected Southeast Asian economies. On the flip side, globalization has also brought about increased economic integration. For example, the Brunei dollar is pegged to the Singapore dollar at a 1:1 ratio. (Go Currency) This is beneficial for both countries since they are major trading partners. This shows that a common currency, much like the Euro which was adopted by countries in the European Union, is not mere fantasy but a possible direction for the future of SEA states. Similarly, we see examples of regional cooperation where economic aid was provi ded through ASEAN system The 1997 financial crisis provoked ASEAN to aid its nations by facilitating accelerates local financial cooperation. The ASEAN Vision 2020 which they launched that year, leaders resolved to preserve macroeconomic stability, to carry on liberalization of financial service sectors and to carefully cooperate in money, tax and custom matters.(ASEAN) This shows that globalization has also resulted in increased economic integration as countries in the region become increasingly aware of a shared fate especially in terms of economic growth through the Asian Financial Crisis for one. Globalization has increased interactions between people and their ideas in many ways. People are travelling more frequently and more widely. In recent decades, migration has become easier due to reduced importance of geographic distance in determining boundaries of labor markets. This is the result of improved transport, and rapid movement of communication technologies that its possible. Migration is necessary for countries to secure the advantages of global flows of trade and gain a comparative advantage over other nations. When a nation lacks a specific ability, the easiest way fix it is to import it. (Ewers) The knowledge of a nations workforce is a priority because it becomes a commodity. As mentioned many MNCs have headquarter centers in Singapore. This encourages migration of highly-skilled foreign workers that provide human capital towards the region. Taking all the above points into consideration, in terms of national and regional economy, I propose two possible future directions in which globalization can impact the nations and borders of SEA. One, globalization could increase competition leading to countries in the region battling it out in order to establish an economic advantage over the other. For example, overall, that there is increasing competition on the economic level between Southeast Asia and China as sites for manufacturing, light industry, information technology and low salaries.( Bersick and Pasch 21) A more positive outlook for the future would be increased economic integration for the region. Malaysia and Brunei have agreed to a bilateral cooperation in the oil and natural gas division. (Shams) The Malaysian state-owned oil and gas company, and Brunei National Petroleum Company signed the Memorandum of Understanding. The MoU, confirmed the commitment to take bilateral relations to a new stage of enhanced partnership and expressed their mutual desire for the continuous and expeditious implementation. (Brudirect)This is a progressive action taken by these two countries in the South China Sea to explore oil resources. Both leaders emphasized that their hopes was to express the increasing level of trade and investment between the two countries would continue to accelerate. (Brudirect) What we can safely conclude at this point is that the degree of economic cooperation that will develop in the future depends on how closely related national interest is to regional interest in the view of the SEA governments. The more closely related national interest is to regional interest, the better opportunities for regional cooperation as evidenced in the formation of ASEAN where regional security was judged to be crucial to national security. Indeed, with already established frameworks like ASEAN, increased economic cooperation does not seem like impossible at all. In the future as a result of globalization, Southeast Asian nations have a probable chance at integration and unity through economic means. This can be achieved through existing frameworks of regional cooperation such as ASEAN which function as peacekeeping system but also emphasizes economic collaboration with other countries. Utilizing the European Union as inspiration and as a stepping stone for Southeast Asia is a vital strategy as well. If the Southeast nations could overcome their challenges, if they initiate to work among each other not only will they form similar objectives and create mutual trust but perhaps build an over-arching identity.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Makkah

Considered as perhaps one of the holiest cities in the whole world, Makkah or Mecca, is located in the historic Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia (Crone 231).   With a population of nearly two million (1,700,000 to be exact), this region is deeply revered by Muslims because it contains the Grand Mosque of Mecca.   From an etymological perspective, the word mecca means a location that is considered as the center of interest or a goal which religious adherents aspire for (Lapidus 43).   This is synonymous with the religious devotion that is associated with the area. One of the major events that occur in this area is the annual pilgrimage to Makkah which happens during the season of the Hajj.   This is very important for every Muslim since it is covered under the Five Pillars of Islam (Lapidus 43).   Given this relevance, every able bodied Muslim who has the means to must visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime.   This is a very strict rule (Lapidus 43).   During this time, nobody else is allowed to enter the holy city especially people belonging to other faiths. Historically, the Mecca has always been considered as one of the most important cities in the Arabian Peninsula (Crone 231).   Since the 6th century, it has always been the wealthiest of all the settlements in the area (Crone 231).   Due to the abundant water supply that it got from the Zamzam Well, Mecca soon grew in prosperity and became the site of the Kaaba, the holiest site in all of Islam (Crone 231).   Given this ideal location, it comes as no surprise then that this soon became one of the holiest areas in the world. The sacred mosque or the Al-Masjid al-Haram is the largest mosque in the entire world.   Its location in the city of Mecca is only appropriate given the fact that it surrounds what is the holiest place in the entire Islam, the Kaaba (Lapidus 43).   Also known as Haram or Haram Sharif, the mosque is capable of accommodating over four million (4,000,000) people during the great pilgrimage or the Hajj (Lapidus 43).   It covers a floor area of approximately three hundred and fifty-six thousand eight hundred (356,800) square meters. The Kaaba, is a large cubical shaped building that is currently surrounded by the Masjid al-Haram, which is the largest mosque in the world.   According to Islamic lore, the Kaaba was formerly the site where Abraham (Ibrahim) erected the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah) at the site of the well (Lapidus 43).   This was in turn supposedly created by Adam.   Currently, the Kaaba is the site for most of the religious practices of the Muslims.   During the Hajj, the Kaaba is the center of the ritual circumambulation that is practiced by Muslims.   It is also used during the Umrah or the lesser pilgrimage (Lapidus 43).   This is also the same direction that Muslims pray towards during prayer. The Well of Zamzam is located about twenty (20) meters away from the Kaaba (Hawting 47).   It was said that this was the site where the wife of the Prophet Ibrahim found water for her infant son (Hawting 44).   According to legend, the well was dug up by angel Jibril (Gabriel) who caused the spring to appear.   The name Zamzam comes from the phrase Zomà « Zomà « which literally means â€Å"stop flowing† in relation to the command that Hajar tried to issue to stop the spring water from flowing (Hawting 51).   This was also the site where tribes would frequent during their pilgrimage in order to settle disputes and settle debts as well as for other religious reasons (Hawting 47). Aside from the historical considerations, the religious ties that are connected to the holiest place in Islam, the Kaaba, make it the center of any Muslims faith.   The fact that the five pillars also require Muslims to visit this place makes it equally important for every Muslim to endeavor to visit this place at least once in their entire lifetime.   This is the reason why millions of Muslims make this pilgrimage every year. Works Cited: Crone, Patricia (1987). Meccan Trade and the Rise of Islam. Princeton University Press. Hawting, G. R. (1980). â€Å"The Disappearance and Rediscovery of Zamzam and the ‘Well of the Ka'ba'†. ‘Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London 43 (1): 44-54. Lapidus, Ira M. (1988). A History of Islamic Societies. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0 521 22552 5. Mecca IPA: /ˈmÉ›kÉ™/ or Makkah IPA: [ˈmà ¦kÉ™] (in full: Makkah Al-Mukarramah IPA: [(Arabic) mà ¦kË Ãƒ ¦(t) à ¦lmÊŠkarË‘amà ¦]; Arabic: Ù…ÙÆ'Ù‘Ø © Ø §Ã™â€žÃ™â€¦Ã™Æ'Ø ±Ã™â€¦Ã˜ ©Ã¢â‚¬Å½) is an Islamic holy city in Saudi Arabia's Makkah Province, in the historic Hejaz region. It has a population of 1,700,000 (2008 census). The city is located 73  kilometres (45  miles) inland from Jeddah, in a narrow valley, 277  metres (910  ft) above sea level. It is located 80  kilometres (50  miles) from the Red Sea. Historically, the city has also been called Becca[1][2]. The city is revered by Muslims for containing the holiest site of Islam, the Grand Mosque of Mecca. A pilgrimage to Mecca during the season of the Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a sacred duty that is required of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to go, at least once in their lifetime. People of other faiths are forbidden from entering the city. The English word mecca (uncapitalized), meaning â€Å"A place that is regarded as the center of an activity or interest† or â€Å"A goal to which adherents of a religious faith or practice fervently aspire.† [3] is borrowed from Mecca   

Saturday, January 11, 2020

American Literature Essay

The authors use symbolism to Illustrate their idea of desolation. In â€Å"A Noiseless Patient Spider†, Whitman uses a deserted spider to portray the soul as a hopeless being desperately searching for an anchor. While Dickinson uses a still body to portray the soul as elapses and unable connect with the outside world.In Whitman poem â€Å"A Noiseless Patient Spider†, the author uses a deserted spider to portray the desolation of the soul. In my opinion, the setting strictly illustrates an idea of deservedness and the feeling of loneliness. This is shown when it is said of the spider: â€Å"l mark's, where, on a little promontory, it stood, isolated;† (Whitman line 2). The spider is set on a high place overseeing it's vast surroundings yet Is unable to spot any Indication of life. This shows that the soul, much Like the spider, Is In a state of exaltation but still has a feeling of loneliness.Even though the spider Is on a ‘promontory' It still tries to reac h out to the vacant unknown In desperate hope of touching or even connecting with something. It's almost as if Whitman is saying that the soul, in comparison to the spider, longs for some type of acknowledgement. In Emily Dickinson poem â€Å"l heard a Fly buzz†, the poet uses a still body to portray the soul as helpless and unable to connect with the outside world. It becomes clear why Dickinson would choose to design the soul as in a helpless state because when you closely examine her era you can observe that women were not given much accreditation and merit.Her gender was looked at and even treated as helpless because women In her time and society were not for recognized for being Intelligent and making rational decisions. In the poem Dickinson Is faced with a lot of adversity but reports no Indication of retaliating. For example, she was unable to react when â€Å"There Interposed a Fly – † (Dickinson line 12) to Interfere In her observations. She was also h elpless when â€Å"l willed my Keepsakes – Signed away† (Dickinson line 121 even when her belongings where being distributed there was nothing she could do r say.One of the things that contributed to Dickinson helplessness is her inability to connect with the outside world. Dickinson herself lived a very secluded life. Poets. Org states that â€Å"Throughout her life, she seldom left her home and visitors were few. † So it becomes easy to see why it was so hard to relay her feelings and objections to the people that surrounded her deathbed in the poem. Conclusively, the venture of the soul can sometimes be a desolate pilgrimage. The two authors Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson both Illustrate the barren soul in heir consecutive poems â€Å"A Noiseless Patient Spider† and â€Å"l heard a Fly buzz†.The two poems present the soul as empty vessels awaiting to be connected to some type of delve existence. In Whitman poem, he uses a deserted spider to po rtray the desolation of the soul. Whitman uses a setting which illustrates an idea of to portray the soul as helpless and unable to connect with the outside world. She inputs a lot of her life situations into her character, such as her prohibited contribution to society due to her gender and her preferred removal from her community.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

The Break Up - 1428 Words

Introduction Effective communication is one of the most important things to maintain a happy relationship. Communication will help to create a better atmosphere and to know what are the interests, thoughts and feelings of your loved one. All romantic relationships need a lot of communications from both sides. The main factor is interpersonal communication, which couples are able to overlap environments and create a relationship. We reviewed the movie â€Å"The Breakup† and have found the concepts of Integrating, differentiating, and terminating. This movie shows how ineffective communication can dissolve a relationship. The lack of communication is the main factor why Brooke and Gary break up. This couple tends to rely on other people instead†¦show more content†¦In this stage is where the â€Å"me† messages begin to occur forgetting about the â€Å"we† orientation. (Alder, 2012) One evening Brook and Gary become having arguments in the dinner in front of all their family. The argument begins because Gary wanted to get a pool table in the condo, Brooke didn’t agree with him and a conflict begins. Both of them begin to start talking about their own interests, forgetting about the interest of them as a couple. The third concept we choose to write on is Terminating. According to the book Looking Out Looking In, terminating is the stage where relationships deteriorate until they reach their final stage. Not all relationships end, many of the marriages last for a lifetime, but other relationships have the desire to dissociate. (Alder, 2012) Like it was the case of the movie, Brooke decides to terminate the relationship because she felt that there is nothing much left. She believed that Gary did care much about her. But the problem really was that both of them didn’t find a way to communicate effectively. Although Brooke and Gary loved each other very much it was impossible for them to be together because of the lack of communication. Description of the film. 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