| Papers [309-322] of 11524 :: [Page 23 of 824] | | Go to page : <— 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 —> | |
|
|
Bauhaus and Furniture Design, 2006.
An examination of the influence of Marcel Breuer upon modern furniture design.
2,048 words (approx. 8.2 pages), 10 sources, MLA, £ 37.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper examines the furniture designs of one of the Bauhaus' most famous designers, Marcel Breuer (in the context of the Bauhaus and the modern movement). The paper argues that Breuer's furniture designs reflect the overall Bauhaus interest in the application of industrial mass production to the creation of domestic spaces defined by quality design. The writer explains that although the Bauhaus was to only exist for a few short years before its closing by Germany's Nazi government in 1933, its ethos can be seen to be reflected in much of Breuer's innovations in furniture design. The writer also notes that Marcel Breuer's furniture design would prove so enduring and popular that it came to be characteristic of the modern movement. The writer concludes that in situating Breuer within the context of the Bauhaus, we can see how his modernist vision evolved from an emphasis upon aesthetic principles to a focus upon the primacy of industrial design that may be inexpensively reproduced through mass production techniques. An annotated bibliography is appended.
Outline:
Introduction
The Bauhaus Vision
Marcel Breuer and Modern Furniture Design
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The Bauhaus School that came into being in Germany in the wake of the First World War represented arguably the single most influential school in the history of modern design. Headed by figures such as Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe, and defined by a socially egalitarian ethos that envisioned industrial production as the key to presenting quality designed products for the general public, the Bauhaus was to play a critical role in the shaping of how the twentieth century perceived modern design."
| |
|
Saint Peter and the Saint Peter's Basilica, 2008.
This paper discuses Saint Peter, his deeds and the architecture and symbolism of Saint Peter's Basilica.
2,230 words (approx. 8.9 pages), 4 sources, APA, £ 40.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome reflects the acts of Saint Peter, serves as a model for all the great Churches in Italy and provides a deep historical and religious framework for Christianity. The author points out that Saint Peter is one of the most significant icons of the New Testament. The paper notes that the first Basilica of Saint Peter, finalized in 324 and which was designed in the form of a cross, became worn through the ages and reconstruction was inevitable. The author explains that reconstruction of the new Saint Peter's Basilica, begun in 1503, involved Donato Bramante, who implemented a Greek style cross design, followed by Antonio da Sangallo, who added the Baroque features to the interior, Michelangelo, who contributed his awesome dome, and Bernini, who designed in 1667 the square directly outside the Basilica.
Table of Contents:
Saint Peter's Profile
The Deeds of Saint Peter
Saint Peter's Burial
History of Saint Peter's Basilica
Architecture of Saint Peter's Basilica
The Deeds of Saint Peter Reflected in Architecture
From the Paper
"Jesus christened Peter with the name, Cephas. In translation, Cephas means 'The Rock'. The inference of this name clearly describes the role that Saint Peter played as a primary leader during Jesus' life. As a disciple, Peter witnessed a great deal of miracles and promoted the salvation of Christianity through example. Along with apostles James and John, Saint Peter remained close to Jesus and advised him on many issues. Peter was present for many of Jesus' trials and miracles, documented as the main apostle at Jesus' transfiguration, the revival of Jairus's daughter from the dead and the Agony of the Garden of Gathsemane."
| |
|
The Castle, 2007.
This paper argues that the castle was the focus of the medieval town.
3,345 words (approx. 13.4 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 56.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that characterizing the medieval era as a period of barbarism ignores the fact that rebuilding a civilization after the fall of the Roman Empire was a laborious process. The author points out that despite this struggle, new urban centers emerged that would eventually become the seats of learning and progress during the later Enlightenment and the Renaissance. The paper stresses that the castle became the focal point of the major urban development because cathedrals and monasteries could never give the degree of military defense that could be provided by the castle. The author concludes that, towering over sprawling medieval cities, the castle was a visual architectural reminder that order and authority were a significant part of medieval life, both in keeping invaders out and keeping the citizenry in line with the interests of the city's elite.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Development of the Castle in the Medieval Era
The Castle as Symbolic Focal Point
Conclusion
From the Paper
"The castle projected an image of power and security that was not only a deterrent to attack but also a source of pride and security for the people who lived around the castle. The castle provided the impetus for urban growth, and that urban growth (through increased tax revenues) also provided the finances necessary to expand the scale and defenses of the castle itself. A feedback loop of a sort was established between the medieval city and the medieval castle. Urban redevelopment after the fall of the Roman Empire continued along these lines for a thousand years until the beginning of the Renaissance."
| |
|
China During the "Great Leap Forward", 2008.
An analysis of China during the "Great Leap Forward" as seen through the article, "Advance Payment of Wages Every Month Stimulates the Enthusiasm of Commune Members" by Liu Lien-heng.
1,784 words (approx. 7.1 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 33.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper analyzes an article from Tientsin Jih-pao, written by Liu Lien-heng, entitled "Advance Payment of Wages Every Month Stimulates the Enthusiasm of Commune Members." It shows how this media source serves as an excellent illustration of the ideology and political practices of the Communist Party during the 1950s to 1960s, which was consumed by the campaign known as the "Great Leap Forward". The paper further shows how, through the article, we may understand how life in China at this time was profoundly shaped by ideological campaigns that determined economic policy at all levels of society.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
China and the Great Leap Forward
Conclusion
From the Paper
"This co-existence of the recognition of individualism, in the form of incentives for personal interests, with the overall emphasis upon group production in the media source may, it can be argued, reflect an ideological struggle occurring in the higher reaches of the Communist Party at this time regarding the best means of ensuring the success of agricultural production and economic growth in the China. On the one hand, workers are represented in styles reminiscent of Stalin's Soviet Union of the 1930s in their whole-hearted commitment to the economic design of the Chinese communist state. However, on the other hand, we see how the communal agricultural model that was so important to the ideological foundations of the communist state is being contradicted by a surprising recognition that incentives work. These seem to imply the importance of individualism within the collective economic structures of Chinese rural society at this time."
| |
|
The Compassionate Conservative Movement, 2008.
An analysis of Ronald Reagan's policies and their relationship to the compassionate conservative movement.
2,332 words (approx. 9.3 pages), 7 sources, MLA, £ 41.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explores the ideas and aims of President Ronald Reagan. It discusses the concept of him as the originator of the compassionate conservative movement. The paper then aims to demonstrate that while Reagan's ideas were appealing to the general population of the United States, they did not have inherent validity when contrasted against the methods that Reagan and his Administration used to administer reforms under compassionate conservatives. It suggests that, in fact, adherence to Reagan's ideas of compassion penalized the average American citizen. The paper provides the writer's opinion on the issue.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Idea of the Compassionate Conservative
The Execution of Compassionate Conservative Policies
Analysis of the Ideas of Compassionate Conservatism
Conclusion
From the Paper
"Reagan's party platform of Compassionate Conservatism was founded on ideas with significant appeal for the average American. It is easy to believe that exploitation occurs: every time I pay my taxes, I regret that I have no real control over how my taxpayers spend the money I have worked so hard to earn. The message of a politician who would work in my best interests to eliminate wasteful spending and to keep my money out of the hands who have done nothing to earn it is undeniably appealing. There is nothing inherently wrong with the idea of a Compassionate Conservative. The problem is in the execution: Reagan's policies sounded phenomenal but did little beyond endorsing strategies to improve the quality of life of the upper class and businesses, while penalizing persons who needed assistance. In my opinion, this does not demonstrate compassion. This demonstrates a keen eye for salesmanship."
| |
|
James Scarth Gale, 2008.
An analysis of the life of James Scarth Gale and a review of the biography os his life, "James Scarth Gale and his History of the Korean People," written by Richard Rutt.
718 words (approx. 2.9 pages), 1 source, MLA, £ 14.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper reviews Richard Rutt's biography of James Scarth Gale, entitled "James Scarth Gale and his History of the Korean People." The paper begins by providing a background of James Gale and his development into a missionary to Korea. It then review the style of Rutt's writing and the content of his work and concludes that Rutt's biography of James Scarth Gale makes for interesting reading.
From the Paper
"This book contains some additional vagaries, which in part took away from the overall experience of reading it. For whatever reason, Rutt chooses not to capitalize the names of religions, making them "presbyterian," "catholic," or "buddhist." He also refuses to capitalize the Roman numerals that he uses to identify Bible verses. In addition, after a certain point in the book, Rutt alternately refers to Gale as "Gale" and "Dr Gale." Although these things area all relatively minor, they are distractions that required the reader to adapt to reading Gale's biography, rather than allowing immediate immersion into the text."
| |
|
Environmental Factors and Human Activity, 2008.
This paper compares Ronald Wright's "A Short History of Progress" and Jared Diamond "Guns, Germs and Steel".
984 words (approx. 3.9 pages), 6 sources, MLA, £ 20.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
The paper compares how Ronald Wright in "A Short History of Progress" and Jared Diamond in "Guns, Germs and Steel" approach the issue of human civilization and its interaction with the environment. The paper argues that while both authors place a heavy emphasis upon environmental factors in determining the history of human civilization, Diamond's consideration of cultural factors in addition to purely environmental factors renders his analysis the more valid of the two.
From the Paper
"Both Wright and Diamond, in their respective texts, attempt to address the question of why the history of human civilization has unfolded in the manner that it has, and what has been the role of the environment in this process. Wright's perspective on this question is to challenge the emphasis many scholars place on technology in explaining why some human societies succeeded in dominating others. He argues that we "should be wary of technological determinism" (Wright 47) and that human civilization "differing in detail but alike in essentials, had evolved independently on both sides of the earth" (Wright 51). There is an old saying that the "devil is in the details" and this certainly applies to Wright's argument here for it was precisely these differences in "details" that explain why European states were able to conquer their non-European counterparts in a remarkably short span of time."
| |
|
The Genocide in Cambodia, 2008.
This paper discusses the psychological elements behind the genocide in Pol Pot Cambodia.
1,228 words (approx. 4.9 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 24.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
The paper analyzes the social-psychological influences that dominated Cambodia during the late 20th century. The paper discusses three major causes of genocide; passive bystanders, historical antagonism and victimization and socialization of violence. The paper then shows how the factors that led to the Khmer Rouge rise and eventual deaths of close to three million Cambodians will always impact this country.
Outline:
The Passive Bystander
Historical Antagonism
Victimization and Socialization of Violence
Cambodia Today
From the Paper
"Ervin Staub is well known for his extended research on the major acts of genocide of the 20th century. Staub not only conducted decade long research studies on the events that occurred during the Khmer Rouge and other authoritarian regimes, he also attempts to explain the social and psychological constructs of each country. In an effort to provide information to prevent the spread of genocide, Staub notes that genocide occurs primarily for 3 major reasons: 1. Passive bystanders, in other words Stoicism 2. Historical Antagonism 3. Victimization and socialization of violence."
| |
|
Walter Benjamin's "Theses on the Philosophy of History", 2008.
A discussion of various interpretations of history, with a focus on historian Walter Benjamin's 1940 book "Theses on the Philosophy of History".
2,820 words (approx. 11.3 pages), 9 sources, MLA, £ 49.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that, in his 1940 book "Theses on the Philosophy of History", Walter Benjamin, using the analogy of an Angel of History, warns that false interpretations of history can be as deadly as the historical tragedies themselves. The author points out that a means of avoiding this is not to emphasis and understand history as a rigid sequence of absolutely true events, which must be accepted as the definitive truth. The paper stresses that it must be remembered that history is written by the triumphant winners. The author discuses examples of history from the ancient Greeks to modern times to emphasize that human nature has changed very little over thousands of years: Intolerance still causes ignorance, which causes wars and kills people.
From the Paper
"The exploitation and abuse of women throughout human history is another refutation of the triumphalist conception of history. As Mohanty notes, even in modern times, women are still struggling for equality, for social movements such as women's liberation tend to trigger resistance because many people prefer the status quo and feel threatened by social change. For example, in recent years some feminist organizations have drawn increasing criticism from mainstream America due to strategies and tactics which seem too aggressive and divisive."
| |
|
Masculinity and the First World War, 2008.
A review of Joanna Bourke's "Dismembering the Male: Men's Bodies, Britain and the Great War."
3,229 words (approx. 12.9 pages), 5 sources, MLA, £ 54.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
The paper critically examines Bourke's "Dismembering the Male: Men's Bodies, Britain and the Great War", which analyzes how the idealized male form and notions of masculinity were impacted by the events of the First World War. The paper discusses the book's arguments, its strengths and weaknesses and how it was received by the academic community. The paper concludes that the book is a mild disappointment despite some undeniable strengths.
From the Paper
"Bourke's book is chiefly concerned with how the idealized male form - vigorous, strong, assertive - and idealistic notions of masculinity were impacted by the events of the First World War; her conclusion is that there was as much continuity as there was change. For example, Bourke finds that the millions of British men who were maimed during the course of the great conflagration did not return home to a society which viewed them as passive or as weak because their bodies no longer measured up to the ideal male figure; instead, the society to which they returned viewed them (for the most part and at least initially until their status as warriors had slipped into the background) as objects of reverence and sympathy. On the other hand, those men who did not lose limbs in the war but returned home with the reputation as "malingerers" were held in contempt; in short, Bourke's book seems to argue that the idealized male body could be savaged in the most unsightly ways - but those men who had their physical beings damaged could still be viewed as men and as full members of the body politic insofar as they had honored their "masculine duties" on the field of battle."
| |
|
"White Noise" by Don DeLillo and "America" by Jean Baudrillard, 2003.
A discussion of postmodern America in the books "White Noise" by Don DeLillo and "America" by Jean Baudrillard.
1,719 words (approx. 6.9 pages), 2 sources, APA, £ 32.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper examines postmodernism in the novel "White Noise" by Don DeLillo and the non-fiction book "America" by Jean Baudrillard. It explains that even though "White Noise" and "America" deal with reality and the undercurrents of postmodern life, both books are essentially different in their ultimate outlooks. The writer discusses Baudrillard's caustic view of American society and life in his book "America" and contrasts this with the perspective in "White Noise", which is more hopeful for America and its future, despite the dehumanization of postmodern living and the "white noise" it brings with it.
Outlook:
Introduction
White Noise & America
Conclusion
From the Paper
""White Noise" by Don DeLillo and Jean Baudrillard's "America" are, by technical definition, two very different books, the former being a novel and the second a non-fiction musing of a man's travels across the United States. However, both are very similar in that they offer an intense look into postmodern America, with its social relations being affected by society's preferred mediums - television, advertising, radio, and the process of simulacra - that is, the simulacrum that is vanity, a society which places value of false realities over real ones, where a hypperreality has replaced a real existence for human beings. Though both books tackle a reality which may not seem to exist, DeLillo's book at least has some hope for human beings and laughs at life's little hypocrisies, whereas Baudrillard offers little in the way of humor or hope."
| |
|
Carlo Ginzburg's "The Cheese and the World", 2007.
This paper discuses Carlo Ginzburg's book "The Cheese and the World" as a micro-history of the less considered aspects of 16th century Italy.
5,000 words (approx. 20.0 pages), 10 sources, MLA, £ 74.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that Carlo Ginzburg's "The Cheese and the World"
relates, in the style of micro-history, the life of miller Menocchio (1532-1599) from the Italian district of Friuli, who was brought before the Inquisition in 1584 and 1599 on charges of heresy owing to his peculiar religious beliefs and was eventually burned at the stake. The author points out that Ginzburg, who is a noted micro-historian and expert on the Italian Renaissance and early modern European history, comments that Menocchio's predicament owed much to two great historical developments of his day: the advent of the printing press and the Reformation. The author suggests that most readers' perception of the Reformation and its surrounding culture will be upset by the way this book telescopes the arrival of the printing press into the thoughts of the later Renaissance as if these forces immediately changed consciousness.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Printing Press
The Reformation
1599 - What a Heretic Said
On Micro-History
Concluding Remarks
From the Paper
"In a manner much ahead of his time, Menocchio had argued that a religious person believed his faith to be true, just as the Christian believed that Christianity was the correct religion, with a remark too on people believing they embraced a superior culture when, in fact, who was to know this was true, or what an inferior culture might be. The inquisitor asked about the Three Rings and where Menocchio had encountered it, referring to a title as a prohibited book. Ginzburg explains how the Roman Catholic Church was by this time engaged in a "two-front war" against both high culture that would not conform to Counter-Reformation ideals and against popular culture that was showing more signs of questioning..."
| |
|
Mecca and Madinah, 2008.
An analysis of the roles of Mecca and Madinah in the history of Islam.
1,125 words (approx. 4.5 pages), 2 sources, MLA, £ 22.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper discusses the roles that the cities of Mecca and Madinah play in Islamic history. It argues that the migration (hijra) from Mecca to Madinah is, after the revelation of the Qur'an itself, the critical event in early Islamic history. The paper suggests that the establishment of the Islamic community in Madinah proved critical to Muhammad's campaign for the acceptance of God's message in Arabia and was to be the foundation for the subsequent expansion of the Islamic community throughout the region in later years.
From the Paper
"Of course, under the economic system of Muhammad's Madinah such tolerance came with an important price. The nonbelievers under this system were required to pay tribute to the state in the form of a poll tax (jizya) in exchange for their being protected by Muslims from external aggression and in lieu of their serving in the military service of the Islamic state. These non-believers in the state - termed "protected ones" (dhimmi) - thus played an important economic role although, it must be said, the poll tax was often lower than that which they paid to their previous rulers (Esposito 34)."
| |
|
Intelligence and World War II, 2008.
This paper discuses intelligence during World War II, as presented in Barton Whaley's "Codeword Barbarossa" and Roberta Wohlstetter's "Pearl Harbor - Warning and Decision".
1,640 words (approx. 6.6 pages), 8 sources, MLA, £ 31.95
»
Click here to show/hide summary
Abstract
This paper explains that Barton Whaley's "Codeword Barbarossa" has long been considered the definitive study of Hitler's ability to hoodwink Stalin, the Soviet Union's intelligence service and other Allied intelligence networks. The author relates that Roberta Wohlstetter's "Pearl Harbor" conveys that, although rarely has a government been so well informed as to what to expect, this government had "expected wrong". The paper suggests that these books indicate that histories of intelligence or espionage are only tentative as new evidence or new capability in assessing primary sources emerge. The paper concludes that these volumes underscore that, during wartime, uncertainty freezes planning: Stalin responded to the possibility of a German invasion of the Soviet Union; whereas, Pearl Harbor generals waited, puzzled by information from Washington.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Operation Barbarossa
Pearl Harbor
Reflection
Conclusion - 'Surprise' and History
From the Paper
"On June 21, 1991, a German soldier on the Russian border defected to the Soviet forces and stated that Germany was about to invade the Soviet Union. The warning arrived too late. The June 22 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union proceeded as one of history's worst instances of military surprise, the Soviet forces soon surrounded by the Germans as the Luftwaffe destroyed the Soviet air force, on the ground. At the end of World War II, Whaley had a fair amount of the forerunning intelligence story assessed, to which he added what was gained from various forms of evidence concerning European intelligence networks' activities ..."
|
|
|
