Wednesday, July 31, 2019

An Analysis of Hammurabi’s Code of Law Essay

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind†. This was said by Gandhi many years after the fall of the Babylonian empire. Judging by the laws of the Babylonian people, there was no insightful Mahatma Gandhi to spread his thoughts on equality and forgiveness. Though they were an advanced and organized society, the Babylonians were also extremely strict, almost cruel, when it came to law making. Revenge, faith in the gods’ sense of justice, and inequality all made up a portion of the eight foot tall stone tablet that we now know as Hammurabi’s Code of Law (Horne). Hammurabi’s reign lasted from 1795 until 1750 BC (Horne). Up until Hammurabi took control, there had been no ruler to publicly establish an entire set of laws. Written in order to regulate the organization of the Babylonian society, this code, consisting of two hundred laws, begins and ends by addressing the gods. Revenge played a large role in the laws, as it was seen as the only way to truly be compensated. Almost all of the laws lack a true explanation; they were simply accepted as fair justice by the people. However, one law in particular does have a reason behind it. â€Å"If an accused man claims to be innocent, he will be thrown into the river. If the man drowns, he is proven to be guilty. However, if he makes it to the opposite bank safely, the accused man is indeed innocent (Hammurabi).† This law gives us an important insight into the lives of ancient Babylonian society. Obviously, the people had a strong sense of faith in their gods. By tossing the man into the raging river, the people are putting the accused man’s life into the hands of the gods. If the man was guilty and lying, the gods would see that tribute was paid to them, as well as to the village, in the form of death. However, if the accused was indeed innocent, the Babylonians would allow the man to safely leave the river, hence living. Not so unlike our court systems (with which you must swear on a bible before testifying), the Babylonian people had strong religious convictions that were reflected in their code of laws. Another aspect reflected in Hammurabi’s Code of Laws was the belief in revenge. To the ancient Babylonians, revenge wasn’t seen as revenge: it was seen as fair and just compensation for a committed crime. To Hammurabi’s  people, â€Å"an eye for an eye† was not just a say: it was a way of life. â€Å"If he break another man’s bone, his bone shall be broken (Hammurabi).† The same was true for putting out another man’s eye, knocking out someone’s teeth, and many other bodily injuries between two man (or woman) or the same class. Though these laws seem cruel and inhuman, they were meant to keep crime and violence at a minimum. Getting your arm hacked off was probably much more intimidating than a prison sentence to the people of Babylonia, hence the laws successfully fulfilled their duties the majority of the time. Though the laws were more often than not effective, they were by no means fair. Women were dignified and treated as equals, but all social classes were not. Ancient Babylonia had a hierarchy consisting of three main social classes: the amelu, high ranking, rich court officials, patricians, and kings, the muskinu, landless and poor, though free, and the ardu, who were the lowest class (Johns). The ardu could marry and hold property, but nonetheless they were low-ranking slaves. The laws clearly reflected these social classes. Punishments were not the same for different social classes, even if the same crime was committed. For example, if a free-born man strike the body of another free-born man or equal rank, he shall pay one gold mina. However, if a slave were to strike the body of a freed man, his ear shall be cut off. Even though the exact same crime was committed, the slave would get a harsher punishment than the free, higher-ranking man. Even in ancient Babylonia, power and money seem to have the same value as they do in the present day. Not every aspect of the Babylonian culture was perfect. The social classes were strictly divided and people were treated as fairly as their birth allowed them to be. Vengefulness was accepted and expected, as was the belief in owning slaves. However, the Babylonians, under Hammurabi’s reign, were also a very admirable culture. Women were treated as equals: they were dignified, respected, and allowed to own land and property. The most important, positive aspect of the Babylonians was certainly Hammurabi’s Code of Law. As an unchangeable, fairly indestructible written code, it not only influenced other cultures (such as the Syro-Roman and Mahommedan) later in history, but it also gave us a first hand account of what life was like in a  culture that was lost so many centuries ago. BIBLIOGRAPHY â€Å"The Code of Hammurabi† by Richard Hineshttp://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTMBryant, Tamera (2005). The Life & Times of Hammurabi. Bear: Mitchell Lane Publishers. Mieroop, Marc (2004). King Hammurabi of Babylon: a Biography. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishers.

Deviance and Social Control

Deviance and Social Control Final Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for SOCL 101 Sociology By Social control is techniques and strategies used for preventing deviant human behavior in any society. All levels of society such as family, school, bureaucratic and government has some form of social control. Examples of family social control include obeying your parents rules, doing your homework and chores. School includes standards they expect of students such as being on time, completing assignments and following school ground rules.The bureaucratic organization emphasizes the rules and procedures among their workers. The government expresses social control through law enforcement and other formal sanctions. There are positive sanctions such as rewards for obedience and there are negative sanctions such as penalties for disobedience. Positive sanctions can include a pleasant smile of approval or range to a ceremony of honor. Negative sanctions include informal p enalties such as fear, ridicule, sarcasm and even criticism or formal penalties such as law enforcement, jail sentences, and fines. Conformity and obedience are two areas recognized for studying social control.Conformity means to go along with peers or individuals of our own status with the tendency to change our perceptions, opinions, or behavior in ways that are accepted by the group’s norms. Factors relating to conformity include areas such as size of the group, age differences, gender differences and cultural differences. On the other hand obedience, which is compliance with higher authority, can have an impact on social control as well. Factors relating to obedience include complying with authority figures, the feeling of personal responsibility, and the escalation of harm.With awareness of these factors the more likely someone is to conform along with their peers and obey authority. Sanctions are used to encourage conformity and obedience and are carried out through inf ormal and formal social control. Informal social control is carried out casually by ordinary people to enforce norms through laughter, smile, and ridicule. Formal social control is used to enforce norms through authorized agents such as police officers, judges, school administrators, and employers. Some laws, which are government social control, have been created due to society’s norms being important to people’s behavior.For example the prohibition against murder is a law among every member of society. Whereas fishing and hunting regulations are a law among those specific groups. Our textbook points out that sociologist see the creation of laws as a social process because these laws are not passed from one generation to another, but are evolving from continuous change in society of what is right and what is wrong. Society has accepted and followed these laws not because of peer group or authority figure but by means of belonging or even the fear of being viewed as dif ferent or deviant.In a sense we want to see ourselves and others to see us as loyal, cooperative, and respectful of others. Control theory is a view of conformity and deviance that stresses the social bond between society and individuals. Deviant acts, which violate social norms, may appear attractive to individuals but the social bond is used to help individuals from going toward those attractive deviant acts because of the fear of not belonging. A weak bond between society and an individual may actually push that individual toward a deviant act that he/she can benefit from.As explained by Peter Wickman (2009), â€Å"Deviance is behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society† (p. 160). There are different degrees of deviance we all experience here in the United States. On one end of the spectrum there are accepted forms of deviance, like being late to a meeting, or texting while driving. On the other end of the spectrum there is crimina l deviance, dog fighting, robbery, and possession of drugs are a few examples. However, the one thing that all deviant behavior has in common is it is all defined within a particular society and at a particular time.Deviant behavior is socially constructed with the people in power defining what is expectable and what is deviant. An example of deviance here in the United States can be found in our freedom of religion. Our society was created with a strong Christian background; attending church on Sundays is widely accepted and practiced among many of our citizens. Conversely, state that you’re a satanic worshiper and you will most definitely carry a social stigma. There are other forms of deviant behavior that people can unwillingly acquire through a social stigma.Being overweight can carry a stigma within our society because overweight people are assumed to be weak in character. Being grossly unattractive can also carry an unwanted social stigma. Social deviance is subject to different social interpretations and varies throughout different cultures. What is considered deviant in one culture may be considered normal in another. Dog fighting is an example of contrasting social deviance between the USA and Afghanistan. Getting caught dog fighting in the United States and you will be thrown in jail and carry a social stigma for the rest of your life.The professional footballer Michael Vick is an example of this negative stigma. Conversely, dog fighting in Afghanistan is widely accepted and practiced every Friday morning (The Scoop, 2002). Oddly enough this was not always the case. When the Taliban was in control there were strict punishments for men who were caught fighting dogs. The Taliban encouraged sports like football, cricket, and martial arts in lieu of dog fighting. This is an example of how deviant behavior can be constructed by the people in power and how deviance can shift from one social era to another.Deviance is a complicated subject. It can b e widely accepted or rejected within a society, and will change over time. Throughout my life I have witnessed many forms of once deviant behavior becoming more and more accepted. I believe there are two primary reasons behind this shift. The first is Colorado Springs becoming a larger more populated city and the second is the mass media. When we think of the sociological perspective on deviance some people don’t even know what deviance means. Everyone has seen some type of deviance in an informal way or formal sense.Society looks at people in a way that everyone should be the same. A person that has a lot of tattoos and piercing would get looked at that they are a bad person just because the way they look. Image, sexual act, and sexual orientation are a few ways that some cultures and people look to define deviance. Functionalist perspective is one key look into deviance. Durkheim focused on the study of crime. He believed that punishment within culture would help define nor mal behavior. The way he looked at things was in a way that he thought things could get fixed.While reading this I believe everyone has their own way to express themselves no matter what culture they were raised in. The look into the functionalist perspective has a lot to do with the perspective of the people and how they look at things. Internactionist perspective explains why rule violations accrue and how people fight from conforming. They state that by not following rules, which are set by certain people, that you are a deviant. There are so many rules out there. Cultural transmission is or stated by the ethnic group or race groups.When you are in school you tend to hang out with your ethic group or race because it’s where you fit in. Like when you see graffiti some people think it is a disgrace to the environment others think of it as art. Like when I look at graffiti I don’t look at it as bad, it’s an art and a talent. We all learn how to act by what socia l groups we are in or what we see. Everyone has their own perspective there is nothing we can do about that. We look at street racers as being deviant because they race. Race car drivers do the same things just in another place other than street.So why do street racers get looked at differently? That doesn’t make sense. Trying to maintain social control is what they try to keep in order. There are main roles in life such as police that try to control or enforce the rules of the world. Then you got teachers, doctors, lawyers, and other court officials that all try to keep the world one way. In this sense they all try to pick out your looks, deviant in their eyes. By social profiling was a way they were trying to pick out who they thought was doing badly. Now looking at sexual deviance or sexual orientation people believe it should be one way and only one way.The way society looks at it as you should be man and women. And sex should only be done one way. Also what is looked at as being sexual crime there are things that some people think that is against sex code such as bondage? They think it is a crime but some people like that. There are so many things in this world that people see as deviant but really isn’t. Conflict theory defines how there are lawsuits against or towards gambling, drugs and etc. Some cultures look at gambling as a past time but the law looks at it being bad. Why should the way we were raised or how we were brought up by against us.The justice system is and will always judge against us. While looking and reading on deviants everyone is deviant in some way, shape or form. I know that I am looked at as being deviant. There are many out there that will always judge. Also by reading this opens my eyes to how things really work. Why should there be social norms on society. This is all on the perspective view of others. In Sociology, crime is identified as a deviant behavior. It is deviant in that it goes against accepted or written rules and laws that guide a society.To understand crime and sociology, one must first understand the â€Å"Conflict Theory† founded by Karl Marx. Conflict theory sees society as two struggling groups engaged in conflict over resources. Under this theory, it is believed that the capitalist class (or the society elites) commits acts of deviance just as the working class does. The main difference is that society elites determine the rules regarding what is deviant. This difference among the people will always lead to conflict. This idea explains why there is crime in societies and why it will never cease to be.Sociologists classify crimes by three types: crimes against a person, crimes against property, and victimless crimes. Crimes against a person include any offenses where violence is used or threatened. Mugging and assault are examples of crimes against a person. Crimes against property include theft of property or damage done to someone else's property. Burglary and arson are crimes against property. Finally, victimless crimes are crimes that are against the law, but no victim exists. Prostitution and marijuana are common examples of victimless crimes. In sociology, all crimes fall into one of these three categories.A victimless crime is a term used to refer to actions that have been ruled illegal but do not directly violate or threaten the rights of another individual. It often involves consensual acts in which two or more persons agree to commit a criminal offence in which no other person is involved. For example, in the United States current victimless crimes include prostitution, gambling, and illicit drug use. The term â€Å"victimless crime† is not used in jurisprudence, but is used to cast doubt onto the efficacy of existing and proposed legislation; or to highlight the unintended consequences of the same.In politics, for example, a lobbyist might use this word with the implication that the law in question should be abolished. Victimles s crimes are not always so weighty. Some examples of low level victimless activities that may be criminalized include: * individual purchase and consumption of recreational drugs (provided one does not hurt anyone else due to the effects) * prostitution and/or soliciting for prostitution * public nudity or fornication * the consumption of pornography Crimes committed by persons for whom criminally punishable acts are a permanent occupation and the primary source of money.Persons who engage in professional crime have the skills and means necessary for criminal activity and specialize in some particular type of crime, such as theft or buying and selling of stolen goods. Professional crime has its own psychology and customs, but many times professional crimes tie in with organized crime. Organized crime is transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit.Some times criminal organizations force people to do business with them, as when a gang extorts money from shopkeepers for â€Å"protection†. Gangs may become â€Å"disciplined† enough to be considered â€Å"organized†. An organized gang or criminal set can also be referred to as a mob. In the United States the Organized Crime Control Act (1970) defines organized crime as â€Å"The unlawful activities of a highly organized, disciplined association†. Criminal activity as a structured group is referred to as racketeering and such crime is commonly referred to as the work of the Mob.In addition, due to the escalating violence of Mexico's drug war, the Mexican drug cartels are considered the ‘greatest organized crime threat to the United States', according to a report issued by the United States Department of Justice. White-collar crime is a financially motivated, non-violent crime committed for monetary gain. Within the field of criminology, white-collar cr ime initially was defined by Edwin Sutherland in 1939 as â€Å"a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation† (1939).Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was learned from interpersonal interaction with others. The term white-collar crime only dates back to 1939. Professor Edwin Hardin Sutherland was the first to coin the term, and hypothesize white-collar criminals attributed different characteristics and motives than typical street criminals. Sutherland defined his idea as â€Å"crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation. The introduction of white-collar crime was a relatively new issue to criminology at that time.He was urging other criminologists to stop focusing on the socially and economically disadvantaged. The types of individuals who committed these crimes lived successfully and were respected by soci ety in general-also criminologists; because these criminals were held to such a high regard, these individuals were given a blind eye to the crimes they committed. Our group choose this chapter ‘Deviance and Social Control’ to share with you all today, because we feel everyone can relate to the sociologists’ perspective regarding social control, deviance, and crime.We have learned law and society play an important role in social control, deviant acts to one person may in fact be part of another person’s culture, and crime has many different categories such as victimless crime, professional crime, and organized crime that all have formal penalties that are enforce by governmental authority. References * http://willapse. hubpages. com/hub/Thailand-Health–Safety-and-Risks-2-Crime * http://encyclopedia2. thefreedictionary. com/Professional+Crime * Attenborough, F. L. ed. and trans. ) (1922). The Laws of the Earliest English Kings. Cambridge: Cambridge U niversity Press. Reprint March 2006. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. ISBN 1-58477-583-1 * Schaefer, R. T. (2009). Sociology: A Brief Introduction. (8th ed. Pp. 160-163). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. * One good reason why dogs miss the Taliban. (2002), The Scoop. Canine Nation. Retrieved from http://dogsinthenews. com/issues/0201/articles/020124a. htm * http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=GHuI2JIPylk&feature=related Deviance and Social Control Deviance and Social Control Final Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for SOCL 101 Sociology By Social control is techniques and strategies used for preventing deviant human behavior in any society. All levels of society such as family, school, bureaucratic and government has some form of social control. Examples of family social control include obeying your parents rules, doing your homework and chores. School includes standards they expect of students such as being on time, completing assignments and following school ground rules.The bureaucratic organization emphasizes the rules and procedures among their workers. The government expresses social control through law enforcement and other formal sanctions. There are positive sanctions such as rewards for obedience and there are negative sanctions such as penalties for disobedience. Positive sanctions can include a pleasant smile of approval or range to a ceremony of honor. Negative sanctions include informal p enalties such as fear, ridicule, sarcasm and even criticism or formal penalties such as law enforcement, jail sentences, and fines. Conformity and obedience are two areas recognized for studying social control.Conformity means to go along with peers or individuals of our own status with the tendency to change our perceptions, opinions, or behavior in ways that are accepted by the group’s norms. Factors relating to conformity include areas such as size of the group, age differences, gender differences and cultural differences. On the other hand obedience, which is compliance with higher authority, can have an impact on social control as well. Factors relating to obedience include complying with authority figures, the feeling of personal responsibility, and the escalation of harm.With awareness of these factors the more likely someone is to conform along with their peers and obey authority. Sanctions are used to encourage conformity and obedience and are carried out through inf ormal and formal social control. Informal social control is carried out casually by ordinary people to enforce norms through laughter, smile, and ridicule. Formal social control is used to enforce norms through authorized agents such as police officers, judges, school administrators, and employers. Some laws, which are government social control, have been created due to society’s norms being important to people’s behavior.For example the prohibition against murder is a law among every member of society. Whereas fishing and hunting regulations are a law among those specific groups. Our textbook points out that sociologist see the creation of laws as a social process because these laws are not passed from one generation to another, but are evolving from continuous change in society of what is right and what is wrong. Society has accepted and followed these laws not because of peer group or authority figure but by means of belonging or even the fear of being viewed as dif ferent or deviant.In a sense we want to see ourselves and others to see us as loyal, cooperative, and respectful of others. Control theory is a view of conformity and deviance that stresses the social bond between society and individuals. Deviant acts, which violate social norms, may appear attractive to individuals but the social bond is used to help individuals from going toward those attractive deviant acts because of the fear of not belonging. A weak bond between society and an individual may actually push that individual toward a deviant act that he/she can benefit from.As explained by Peter Wickman (2009), â€Å"Deviance is behavior that violates the standards of conduct or expectations of a group or society† (p. 160). There are different degrees of deviance we all experience here in the United States. On one end of the spectrum there are accepted forms of deviance, like being late to a meeting, or texting while driving. On the other end of the spectrum there is crimina l deviance, dog fighting, robbery, and possession of drugs are a few examples. However, the one thing that all deviant behavior has in common is it is all defined within a particular society and at a particular time.Deviant behavior is socially constructed with the people in power defining what is expectable and what is deviant. An example of deviance here in the United States can be found in our freedom of religion. Our society was created with a strong Christian background; attending church on Sundays is widely accepted and practiced among many of our citizens. Conversely, state that you’re a satanic worshiper and you will most definitely carry a social stigma. There are other forms of deviant behavior that people can unwillingly acquire through a social stigma.Being overweight can carry a stigma within our society because overweight people are assumed to be weak in character. Being grossly unattractive can also carry an unwanted social stigma. Social deviance is subject to different social interpretations and varies throughout different cultures. What is considered deviant in one culture may be considered normal in another. Dog fighting is an example of contrasting social deviance between the USA and Afghanistan. Getting caught dog fighting in the United States and you will be thrown in jail and carry a social stigma for the rest of your life.The professional footballer Michael Vick is an example of this negative stigma. Conversely, dog fighting in Afghanistan is widely accepted and practiced every Friday morning (The Scoop, 2002). Oddly enough this was not always the case. When the Taliban was in control there were strict punishments for men who were caught fighting dogs. The Taliban encouraged sports like football, cricket, and martial arts in lieu of dog fighting. This is an example of how deviant behavior can be constructed by the people in power and how deviance can shift from one social era to another.Deviance is a complicated subject. It can b e widely accepted or rejected within a society, and will change over time. Throughout my life I have witnessed many forms of once deviant behavior becoming more and more accepted. I believe there are two primary reasons behind this shift. The first is Colorado Springs becoming a larger more populated city and the second is the mass media. When we think of the sociological perspective on deviance some people don’t even know what deviance means. Everyone has seen some type of deviance in an informal way or formal sense.Society looks at people in a way that everyone should be the same. A person that has a lot of tattoos and piercing would get looked at that they are a bad person just because the way they look. Image, sexual act, and sexual orientation are a few ways that some cultures and people look to define deviance. Functionalist perspective is one key look into deviance. Durkheim focused on the study of crime. He believed that punishment within culture would help define nor mal behavior. The way he looked at things was in a way that he thought things could get fixed.While reading this I believe everyone has their own way to express themselves no matter what culture they were raised in. The look into the functionalist perspective has a lot to do with the perspective of the people and how they look at things. Internactionist perspective explains why rule violations accrue and how people fight from conforming. They state that by not following rules, which are set by certain people, that you are a deviant. There are so many rules out there. Cultural transmission is or stated by the ethnic group or race groups.When you are in school you tend to hang out with your ethic group or race because it’s where you fit in. Like when you see graffiti some people think it is a disgrace to the environment others think of it as art. Like when I look at graffiti I don’t look at it as bad, it’s an art and a talent. We all learn how to act by what socia l groups we are in or what we see. Everyone has their own perspective there is nothing we can do about that. We look at street racers as being deviant because they race. Race car drivers do the same things just in another place other than street.So why do street racers get looked at differently? That doesn’t make sense. Trying to maintain social control is what they try to keep in order. There are main roles in life such as police that try to control or enforce the rules of the world. Then you got teachers, doctors, lawyers, and other court officials that all try to keep the world one way. In this sense they all try to pick out your looks, deviant in their eyes. By social profiling was a way they were trying to pick out who they thought was doing badly. Now looking at sexual deviance or sexual orientation people believe it should be one way and only one way.The way society looks at it as you should be man and women. And sex should only be done one way. Also what is looked at as being sexual crime there are things that some people think that is against sex code such as bondage? They think it is a crime but some people like that. There are so many things in this world that people see as deviant but really isn’t. Conflict theory defines how there are lawsuits against or towards gambling, drugs and etc. Some cultures look at gambling as a past time but the law looks at it being bad. Why should the way we were raised or how we were brought up by against us.The justice system is and will always judge against us. While looking and reading on deviants everyone is deviant in some way, shape or form. I know that I am looked at as being deviant. There are many out there that will always judge. Also by reading this opens my eyes to how things really work. Why should there be social norms on society. This is all on the perspective view of others. In Sociology, crime is identified as a deviant behavior. It is deviant in that it goes against accepted or written rules and laws that guide a society.To understand crime and sociology, one must first understand the â€Å"Conflict Theory† founded by Karl Marx. Conflict theory sees society as two struggling groups engaged in conflict over resources. Under this theory, it is believed that the capitalist class (or the society elites) commits acts of deviance just as the working class does. The main difference is that society elites determine the rules regarding what is deviant. This difference among the people will always lead to conflict. This idea explains why there is crime in societies and why it will never cease to be.Sociologists classify crimes by three types: crimes against a person, crimes against property, and victimless crimes. Crimes against a person include any offenses where violence is used or threatened. Mugging and assault are examples of crimes against a person. Crimes against property include theft of property or damage done to someone else's property. Burglary and arson are crimes against property. Finally, victimless crimes are crimes that are against the law, but no victim exists. Prostitution and marijuana are common examples of victimless crimes. In sociology, all crimes fall into one of these three categories.A victimless crime is a term used to refer to actions that have been ruled illegal but do not directly violate or threaten the rights of another individual. It often involves consensual acts in which two or more persons agree to commit a criminal offence in which no other person is involved. For example, in the United States current victimless crimes include prostitution, gambling, and illicit drug use. The term â€Å"victimless crime† is not used in jurisprudence, but is used to cast doubt onto the efficacy of existing and proposed legislation; or to highlight the unintended consequences of the same.In politics, for example, a lobbyist might use this word with the implication that the law in question should be abolished. Victimles s crimes are not always so weighty. Some examples of low level victimless activities that may be criminalized include: * individual purchase and consumption of recreational drugs (provided one does not hurt anyone else due to the effects) * prostitution and/or soliciting for prostitution * public nudity or fornication * the consumption of pornography Crimes committed by persons for whom criminally punishable acts are a permanent occupation and the primary source of money.Persons who engage in professional crime have the skills and means necessary for criminal activity and specialize in some particular type of crime, such as theft or buying and selling of stolen goods. Professional crime has its own psychology and customs, but many times professional crimes tie in with organized crime. Organized crime is transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit.Some times criminal organizations force people to do business with them, as when a gang extorts money from shopkeepers for â€Å"protection†. Gangs may become â€Å"disciplined† enough to be considered â€Å"organized†. An organized gang or criminal set can also be referred to as a mob. In the United States the Organized Crime Control Act (1970) defines organized crime as â€Å"The unlawful activities of a highly organized, disciplined association†. Criminal activity as a structured group is referred to as racketeering and such crime is commonly referred to as the work of the Mob.In addition, due to the escalating violence of Mexico's drug war, the Mexican drug cartels are considered the ‘greatest organized crime threat to the United States', according to a report issued by the United States Department of Justice. White-collar crime is a financially motivated, non-violent crime committed for monetary gain. Within the field of criminology, white-collar cr ime initially was defined by Edwin Sutherland in 1939 as â€Å"a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation† (1939).Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was learned from interpersonal interaction with others. The term white-collar crime only dates back to 1939. Professor Edwin Hardin Sutherland was the first to coin the term, and hypothesize white-collar criminals attributed different characteristics and motives than typical street criminals. Sutherland defined his idea as â€Å"crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation. The introduction of white-collar crime was a relatively new issue to criminology at that time.He was urging other criminologists to stop focusing on the socially and economically disadvantaged. The types of individuals who committed these crimes lived successfully and were respected by soci ety in general-also criminologists; because these criminals were held to such a high regard, these individuals were given a blind eye to the crimes they committed. Our group choose this chapter ‘Deviance and Social Control’ to share with you all today, because we feel everyone can relate to the sociologists’ perspective regarding social control, deviance, and crime.We have learned law and society play an important role in social control, deviant acts to one person may in fact be part of another person’s culture, and crime has many different categories such as victimless crime, professional crime, and organized crime that all have formal penalties that are enforce by governmental authority. References * http://willapse. hubpages. com/hub/Thailand-Health–Safety-and-Risks-2-Crime * http://encyclopedia2. thefreedictionary. com/Professional+Crime * Attenborough, F. L. ed. and trans. ) (1922). The Laws of the Earliest English Kings. Cambridge: Cambridge U niversity Press. Reprint March 2006. The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. ISBN 1-58477-583-1 * Schaefer, R. T. (2009). Sociology: A Brief Introduction. (8th ed. Pp. 160-163). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. * One good reason why dogs miss the Taliban. (2002), The Scoop. Canine Nation. Retrieved from http://dogsinthenews. com/issues/0201/articles/020124a. htm * http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=GHuI2JIPylk&feature=related

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Infrared Film and Thermography Essay

Thermogram of a traditional building in the background and a â€Å"passive house† in the foreground Infrared thermography (IRT), thermal imaging, and thermal video are examples of infrared imaging science. Thermal imaging cameras detect radiation in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum (roughly 9,000–14,000 nanometers or 9–14  µm) and produce images of that radiation, called thermograms. Since infrared radiation is emitted by all objects above absolute zero according to the black body radiation law, thermography makes it possible to see one’s environment with or without visible illumination. The amount of radiation emitted by an object increases with temperature; therefore, thermography allows one to see variations in temperature. When viewed through a thermal imaging camera, warm objects stand out well against cooler backgrounds; humans and other warm-blooded animals become easily visible against the environment, day or night. As a result, thermography is particularly useful to military and other users of surveillance cameras. Thermography has a long history, although its use has increased dramatically with the commercial and industrial applications of the past fifty years. Government and airport personnel used thermography to detect suspected swine flu cases during the 2009 pandemic.[1] Firefighters use thermography to see through smoke, to find persons, and to localize the base of a fire. Maintenance technicians use thermography to locate overheating joints and sections of power lines, which are a sign of impending failure. Building construction technicians can see thermal signatures that indicate heat leaks in faulty thermal insulation and can use the results to improve the efficiency of heating and air-conditioning units. Some physiological changes in human beings and other warm-blooded animals can also be monitored with thermal imaging during clinical diagnostics. Thermogram of cat. The appearance and operation of a modern thermographic camera is often similar to a camcorder. Often the live thermogram reveals temperature variations so clearly that a photograph is not necessary for analysis. A recording module is therefore not always built-in. Non-specialized CCD and CMOS sensors have most of their spectral sensitivity in the visible light wavelength range. However by utilizing the â€Å"trailing† area of their spectral sensitivity, namely the part of the infrared spectrum called near-infrared (NIR), and by using off-the-shelf CCTV camera it is possible under certain circumstances to obtain true thermal images of objects with temperatures at about 280 °C and higher.[2] Specialized thermal imaging cameras use focal plane arrays (FPAs) that respond to longer wavelengths (mid- and long-wavelength infrared). The most common types are InSb, InGaAs, HgCdTe and QWIP FPA. The newest technologies use low-cost, uncooled microbolometers as FPA sensors. Their resolution is considerably lower than that of optical cameras, mostly 160Ãâ€"120 or 320Ãâ€"240 pixels, up to 640Ãâ€"512 for the most expensive models. Thermal imaging cameras are much more expensive than their visible-spectrum counterparts, and higher-end models are often export-restricted due to the military uses for this technology. Older bolometers or more sensitive models such as InSb require cryogenic cooling, usually by a miniature Stirling cycle refrigerator or liquid nitrogen. | Thermal Energy This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2008) | Thermal images, or thermograms, are actually visual displays of the amount of infrared energy emitted, transmitted, and reflected by an object. Because there are multiple sources of the infrared energy, it is difficult to get an accurate temperature of an object using this method. A thermal imaging camera is capable of performing algorithms to interpret that data and build an image. Although the image shows the viewer an approximation of the temperature at which the object is operating, the camera is actually using multiple sources of data based on the areas surrounding the object to determine that value rather than detecting the actual temperature. This phenomenon may become clearer upon consideration of the formula Incident Energy = Emitted Energy + Transmitted Energy + Reflected Energy where Incident Energy is the energy profile when viewed through a thermal imaging camera. Emitted Energy is generally what is intended to be measured. Transmitted Energy is the energy that passes through the subject from a remote thermal source. Reflected Energy is the amount of energy that reflects off the surface of the object from a remote thermal source. If the object is radiating at a higher temperature than its surroundings, then power transfer will be taking place and power will be radiating from warm to cold following the principle stated in the Second Law of Thermodynamics. So if there is a cool area in the thermogram, that object will be absorbing the radiation emitted by the warm object. The ability of both objects to emit or absorb this radiation is called emissivity. Under outdoor environments, convective cooling from wind may also need to be considered when trying to get an accurate temperature reading. This thermogram shows a fault with an industrial electrical fuse block. The thermal imaging camera would next employ a series of mathematical algorithms. Since the camera is only able to see the electromagnetic radiation that is impossible to detect with the human eye, it will build a picture in the viewer and record a visible picture, usually in a JPG format. In order to perform the role of noncontact temperature recorder, the camera will change the temperature of the object being viewed with its emissivity setting. Other algorithms can be used to affect the measurement, including the transmission ability of the transmitting medium (usually air) and the temperature of that transmitting medium. All these settings will affect the ultimate output for the temperature of the object being viewed. This functionality makes the thermal imaging camera an excellent tool for the maintenance of electrical and mechanical systems in industry and commerce. By using the proper camera settings and by being careful when capturing the image, electrical systems can be scanned and problems can be found. Faults with steam traps in steam heating systems are easy to locate. In the energy savings area, the thermal imaging camera can do more. Because it can see the radiating temperature of an object as well as what that object is radiating at, the product of the radiation can be calculated using the Stefan–Boltzmann constant. Emissivity Emissivity is a term representing a material’s ability to emit thermal radiation. Each material has a different emissivity, and it can be difficult to determine the appropriate emissivity for a subject. A material’s emissivity can range from a theoretical 0.00 (completely not-emitting) to an equally-theoretical 1.00 (completely emitting); the emissivity often varies with temperature. An example of a substance with low emissivity would be silver, with an emissivity coefficient of .02. An example of a substance with high emissivity would be asphalt, with an emissivity coefficient of .98. A black body is a theoretical object which will radiate infrared radiation at its contact temperature. If a thermocouple on a black body radiator reads 50  °C, the radiation the black body will give up will also be 50  °C. Therefore a true black body will have an emissivity of Thermogram of a snake held by a human. Since there is no such thing as a perfect black body, the infrared radiation of normal objects will appear to be less than the contact temperature. The rate (percentage) of emission of infrared radiation will thus be a fraction of the true contact temperature. This fraction is called emissivity. Some objects have different emissivities in long wave as compared to mid wave emissions. Emissivities may also change as a function of temperature in some materials.[3] To make a temperature measurement of an object, the thermographer will refer to the emissivity table to choose the emissivity value of the object, which is then entered into the camera. The camera’s algorithm will correct the temperature by using the emissivity to calculate a temperature that more closely matches the actual contact temperature of the object. If possible, the thermographer would try to test the emissivity of the object in question. This would be more accurate than attempting to determine the emissivity of the object via a table. The usual method of testing the emissivity is to place a material of known high emissivity in contact with the surface of the object. The material of known emissivity can be as complex as industrial emissivity spray which is produced specifically for this purpose, or it can be as simple as standard black insulation tape, emissivity 0.97. A temperature reading can then be taken of the object with the emissivity level on the imager set to the value of the test material. This will give an accurate value of the temperature of the object. The temperature can then be read on a part of the object not covered with the test material. If the temperature reading is different, the emissivity level on the imager can be adjusted until the object reads the same temperature. This will give the thermographer a much more accurate emissivity reading. There are times, however, when an emissivity test is not possible due to dangerous or inaccessible conditions. In these situations the thermographer must rely on tables. Difference between infrared film and thermography IR film is sensitive to infrared (IR) radiation in the 250 °C to 500 °C range, while the range of thermography is approximately -50 °C to over 2,000 °C. So, for an IR film to work thermographically, it must be over 250 °C or be reflecting infrared radiation from something that is at least that hot. (Usually, infrared photographic film is used in conjunction with an IR illuminator, which is a filtered incandescent source or IR diode illuminator, or else with an IR flash (usually a xenon flash that is IR filtered). These correspond with â€Å"active† near-IR modes as discussed in the next section. Night vision infrared devices image in the near-infrared, just beyond the visual spectrum, and can see emitted or reflected near-infrared in complete visual darkness. However, again, these are not usually used for thermography due to the high temperature requirements, but are instead used with active near-IR sources. Starlight-type night vision devices generally only magnify ambient light. Passive vs. active thermography All objects above the absolute zero temperature (0 K) emit infrared radiation. Hence, an excellent way to measure thermal variations is to use an infrared vision device, usually a focal plane array (FPA) infrared camera capable of detecting radiation in the mid (3 to 5 ÃŽ ¼m) and long (7 to 14 ÃŽ ¼m) wave infrared bands, denoted as MWIR and LWIR, corresponding to two of the high transmittance infrared windows. Abnormal temperature profiles at the surface of an object are an indication of a potential problem.[4] Thermal imaging camera & screen. Thermal imaging can detect elevated body temperature, one of the signs of the virus H1N1 (Swine influenza). In passive thermography, the features of interest are naturally at a higher or lower temperature than the background. Passive thermography has many applications such as surveillance of people on a scene and medical diagnosis (specifically thermology). In active thermography, an energy source is required to produce a thermal contrast between the feature of interest and the background. The active approach is necessary in many cases given that the inspected parts are usually in equilibrium with the surroundings. Advantages of thermography * It shows a visual picture so temperatures over a large area can be compared * It is capable of catching moving targets in real time * It is able to find deteriorating, i.e., higher temperature components prior to their failure * It can be used to measure or observe in areas inaccessible or hazardous for other methods * It is a non-destructive test method * It can be used to find defects in shafts, pipes, and other metal or plastic parts[5] * It can be used to detect objects in dark areas * It has some medical application, essentially in kinesiotherapy Limitations and disadvantages of thermography * Quality cameras often have a high price range (often US$ 3,000 or more), cheaper are only 40Ãâ€"40 up to 120Ãâ€"120 pixels * Images can be difficult to interpret accurately when based upon certain objects, specifically objects with erratic temperatures, although this problem is reduced in active thermal imaging[6] * Accurate temperature measurements are hindered by differing emissivities and reflections from other surfaces[7] * Most cameras have  ±2% accuracy or worse in measurement of temperature and are not as accurate as contact methods [8] * Only able to directly detect surface temperatures * Condition of work, depending of the case, can be drastic: 10 °C of difference between internal/external, 10km/h of wind maximum, no direct sun, no recent rain, Applications Kite aerial thermogram of the site of Ogilface Castle, Scotland. * Condition monitoring * Digital infrared thermal imaging in health care * Medical imaging * Infrared mammography * Archaeological Kite Aerial Thermography: Kite_aerial_photography * Thermology * Veterinary Thermal Imaging * Night vision * UAV Surveillance[9] * Stereo vision[10] * Research * Process control * Nondestructive testing * Surveillance in security, law enforcement and defence * Chemical imaging * Volcanology[11][12] * Building [13] Thermal imaging cameras convert the energy in the infrared wavelength into a visible light display. All objects above absolute zero emit thermal infrared energy, so thermal cameras can passively see all objects, regardless of ambient light. However, most thermal cameras only see objects warmer than -50 °C. The spectrum and amount of thermal radiation depend strongly on an object’s surface temperature. This makes it possible for a thermal imaging camera to display an object’s temperature. However, other factors also influence the radiation, which limits the accuracy of this technique. For example, the radiation depends not only on the temperature of the object, but is also a function of the emissivity of the object. Also, radiation originates from the surroundings and is reflected in the object, and the radiation from the object and the reflected radiation will also be influenced by the absorption of the atmosphere.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Employment Law - Essay Example The terms and conditions also stated that he would get minimum of 20 sessions with the members of the company. Regarding health facilities, the company did not provide him with sick pay, and in case of absence due to ill health, he had to substitute himself with one of the company’s other trainers with prior permission from the company. The company did not entitle him to membership of the company’s pension scheme and was responsible for paying his own taxes and National Insurance. However, one fine day Tom was shocked to receive the termination letter from the company ending the contract with the Unfit Ltd. stating his continuous poor performance as the reason. According to the United Kingdom’s Employment Rights Act, 1996, all employees are supposed to have an employment contract with their employer, either in written or oral. It is further clarified that there is an express contract between employee and employer in case of no written contract is created, which m akes Tom and his employer liable to the employment rights act and mandates both the parties to follow the rules and regulation specified in the law (www.direct.gov.uk). There are few points for consideration on behalf of Tom on the basis of which he can make a claim for unfair dismissal from Unfit Ltd. Notice Period According to Employment Rights Act 1996, Sec. ... diate effect without prior notice is the only point which has can be put before tribunal for claim (www.legislation.gov.uk) As the reason specified by the Unfit Ltd, gym club is the ‘persistent poor job performance’, it is further clarified that even in the absence of written statements of terms and conditions of employment, an employee working for one month is liable to receive not less than one week of notice, unless dismissed for gross misconduct. The brief facts of the case does not mention the Tom’s period of employment and his date of ending the contract with Unfit Ltd. Tom has been employed for more than three years with the company, making him liable for receiving of termination notice from his employer for at least three weeks in advance, according to Sec 86 (1) (b) (www.legislation.gov.uk).. However, it has to be mentioned that termination in the contract is fair if the reason relates to the conduct of the employee under Sec. 98 (2) (b) which empowers th e employer to terminate the employee for its bad conduct or ‘poor job performance’. Even though the company has the right to terminate employee under section 98 (2) (b), it is necessary to give prior notice to the employee informing and explaining the reasons for his termination, three weeks in advance as mentioned in Sec. 86 (1) (b) (www.legislation.gov.uk). Since the employer, Unfit Ltd, gym club has not given any advance notice before immediate termination; Tom has the right to make a claim for unfair dismissal before Employment Tribunal under Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 (www.legislation.co.uk). Further an employee is entitled to ask for a written statement from the employer stating the reasons of termination which is governed under Employment Rights Act 1996 under Sec. 92 (1)

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Researching 3 Occupations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Researching 3 Occupations - Research Paper Example and influenced organizations, developing and maintenance of databases related to the work, and tracking and monitoring of the same activities performed by other organizations. In addition, international relations officer is responsible to design effective strategies, utilize professional insight and knowledge in order to determine effective outputs for the projects yet to be employed (Segal, 2003). A number of organizations require IR officer to assist other departments for concrete development and growth within the organization, effective communication within the organization and outside the boundaries of organization as well, and take responsibility of coordination, development, maintenance and growth of works assigned. The educational requirements for the job of international relation officer demands a bachelor’s/ diploma degree in the related field of international relations or more. Work experience is extremely important and crucial, as the job is very sensitive in nature. Most organizations require at least 5 years of experience of working in a reputed organization (Maxwell, 2005). Fundamental knowledge of business and international relations is very fruitful for this kind of job. Previous records of brilliant work history are extremely effective in getting a job for international relations officer. This job provides a working environment full of effective learning and skilled work experiences. The physical nature of job is mainly the office work accompanied by international traveling at times. The international relations officer come across a number of local as well as international clients, that makes this job some more interesting and valuable. The working are normal as all the other offices, however, in urgent situations or busy days the working hours can extend from the normal value (Damp, 2008). The relationships with office colleagues is of significant importance in this job environment, as the position is all about maintaining effective

Saturday, July 27, 2019

What are the two main theories of the origin of American Indians in Assignment

What are the two main theories of the origin of American Indians in North America - Assignment Example There is more support to the second theory which says they came from somewhere else. The resemblance of their culture, style of living and traditions connect them to two families from Asia i.e. Mongols and Malays. But, again here the problem is their failed connection with the linguistics of those Asian races. They are not in any way connected to those races in linguistics and hence their origin is still a big question mark. Although there still are questions about the Origin of Native Americans, all the historical evidence connects them to some races in Asia and some of the types (the whites) to a Welsh colony too which has been long lost in the forests of North America. Columbus, found these people first on the Bahamas islands and called them Indians. Till now nobody is sure about their origin though and a big number of people are in the favor of the second theory but, there is evidence against it

Friday, July 26, 2019

Central or European youth group and another youth group with Research Paper

Central or European youth group and another youth group with subculture similarities - Research Paper Example There is no wonder therefore that issues of subcultures are most popular with the youth and various youth groups. Through the research, it was actually established that the act of adapting to a particular subculture is actually something that is not the reserve of any particular origination of youth group but that it cuts across almost al parts of the world (Tschopik, 2001). To this end, with any part of the world that a person finds him or herself, there is likely to be some kind of subculture practiced and adhered to. One other peculiar feature of these youth group based subcultures is that they keep changing with time. In the first part of the report, the Mod subculture shall briefly be compared and contrasted to the Ted subculture; all of England. Further on, the Mod subculture shall be compared and contrasted to three other youth groups from other parts of the world including Latin America and Africa. There are three major similarities between the Mod and Ted. First, it was discovered that the two youth groups have a similar origination. Critical research reveals that it is a common thing that whenever one youth group springs up, in a particular country or area of the world, there is the tendency that there will be opposition youth groups to these youth groups (Worn, 1951). For this reason, it is common to find two or more youth groups springing up from just one location. In this case, the two sprang up from England. The second similarity is that the two youth groups came around just at the same time and this was in the 1950s. The same reason why the two groups originated from the same place still holds valid for why just around the same time, there were two different youth groups forming two different subcultures. The final similarity among these two youth groups has to do with the kind of activities they involved themselves in. the research actually reveals that both groups wer e very much into music and fashion. Yet

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 40

Nursing research - Essay Example Thus, it is important to create a good methodology for the investigation held. This section should make readers familiar with the main purpose of your research and the ways and methods you are going to use to reach the goals. A person who wants to implement the same research that you did should be able to receive all the corresponding information from your methodology section. He/she should understand the main goal of the research and the ways you offer to reach these goals. This section should include everything that should belong to it, not much or less. - Write your thoughts about the following: When reviewing research or preparing a literature review, nurses should consider the level of evidence. How might levels of evidence influence nursing practice? In the field of nursing it is very difficult to have and express your own opinion. All the further investigations should be based on the previous ones and the acknowledged experience. All the innovations in the field of medicine should go through a great of number of important tests to be acknowledged as really helpful for human health. Thus, a literature review is a very important section of the research in the field of nursing and the whole research should be thoroughly based on

Money and banking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Money and banking - Research Paper Example Despite the government’s efforts to prevent the collapse of the banking system, it did not successfully restore economic growth; the United States entered a deep recession in December 2007 that extended up to June 2009 (Kroszner and Melick 6). FED used the three tools of monetary control: open market operation, reserve requirement, and discount rate to counteract the progression of the financial crisis. Figure 1: The Graph showing the financial crisis between 2007 and 2007 (Source: Gowland 33) The graph above shows that there was constant recession between 2007 and 2009. Financial recovery began to be experienced as from march 2009. Open market operation The most appropriate monetary policy that was used to counter the financial crisis of 2007-2009 constituted the increase the monetary base. Open market operation (OMO) is an instrument of monetary policy, which involves selling and purchasing of marketable securities (Stock and Mark 11). These transactions are conducted in the open market by the central bank as an instrument of controlling the monetary system. Open market operations target the cash balances of held by commercial banks and other non-bank financial institutions including their tills and in relation to their excess reserves at the central bank. The central bank sells its holdings of the government securities to commercial banks to reduce excess reserve held by commercial banks. When the central bank anticipates liquidity deficiency, it injects additional liquidity by purchasing from the existing stock of the government securities. Decreasing the monetary base during the 2007-2009 financial crisis involved the reduced supply of credit, which was used to facilitate the adjustments in financial market in order to achieve equilibrium in money demand and supply. The Federal Reserve had to sell large quantities of securities that were necessary to achieve decreased supply of credit (Stock and Mark 22). Fed would also sold high-quality securities to minimize Fed’s credit risk and the public would be informed that the expansion in the monetary base is temporary; thus, the composition of Federal Reserve’s balance sheet and size of the monetary base would be restored to normal after financial markets and economic activity begin to normalize. The Federal Reserve used the tool of open market operations with an objective of supporting proper functioning of credit markets, reduce the pressure on long-term financial markets and make financial conditions accommodative by selling long-term securities for the Fed’s portfolio. Figure 2: The Open Market Operations Graph (Source: Stock and Mark 21) i represents the nominal rate of interest, Dm represents money demanded and Ds represents the money supplied. The Federal Reserve varies the rates of interest to ensure maintenance of demand and supply of money with the aim of preventing financial crises. Discount Rate The second tool of monetary control that Fed used durin g the financial crisis is the discount rate. Under this policy, the bank can borrow reserves from the Federal Reserve at their discount windows (Stock and Mark 18). These rates are set by the Boards of Directors of the Reserve Banks, but the rates must be subjected to determination and review by the Federal Reserve Board. The Federal Rese

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Assessing Usability Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assessing Usability - Case Study Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the number of websites and web pages increase exponentially every month. The figure shows the increase in websites over the years. Such an increasing number of websites creates a daunting need for it to be equipped with usable tools and efficient navigational capabilities. Some factors are stated below that enhance the usability of a website. A tag-line should be inserted in the website to portray the main purpose of the product/company/service. This will help the user to understand the objective of the website in a quicker manner. Ensure that navigation is kept easy for the users. Remember that the main page is not the only entry page, therefore, ensure proper relationship exists with the entire architecture of the website. Correct labeling is done on every page to guide the user about his location. Usability guidelines are claimed to be developed by many sources around the world. However, recognized organizations s hould be responsible for the formulation of such guidelines for example; put links for these sites. These guidelines should be considered as standards and should be followed by developers and designers to provide their users with efficient navigation and easy access to information. Following such guidelines makes the user’s visit a pleasant one and stops him from leaving the site for another. Usability can be measured by qualitative as well as quantitative measures; Quantitative measures involve the determination of the pace with which the tasks are performed and how many errors are made during that time. Qualitative measures denote the level of satisfaction that the user has after the usage of the respective tools.

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Terrorist Attacks of Al Qaeda and Hamas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Terrorist Attacks of Al Qaeda and Hamas - Essay Example There will be clear comprehension as to what drives these groups, and since both of them are Middle Eastern in origin the research will point out that religion and culture are the two main ideologies that drive them to terrorist activities. The conclusion shows that since these people that partake in terrorist activities within these groups have adapted to this way of life there is no real way to change their mind sets and therefore it is an adverse sociological issue that will continue for years to come. Hamas and Al Qaeda view the justification for terrorism as stemming from their origin and the use of Jihad and conflict to resolve disputes. Nevertheless, other countries view the idea of conflict as being something irresolvable, despite how complex or trivial it might be if terrorist activities are the strategies being utilized to minimize it (Farah 2003). Nevertheless, in much of the Middle Eastern land it is moral in Islamic religion to use the strategy of suicide bombing or mass killing of people to gain control and understanding of other people. As for non Muslims, there is no motive for terrorism that is justified. Problems can be resolved between people or nations through negotiation. In the process of negotiation, no party should aim to be a winner; otherwise, the aim of the negotiation will be defeated. There is no motive or morality in terrorizing people for whatever reason, in the minds of non Muslims, in order to simply gain their approval. However, this is where Hamas and Al Qaeda groups differ from other groups in the Middle East. A good example of what instigates violence and terrorist activity in these groups' minds is with issues such as the widely reported Danish cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed, which caused immense damage to people and properties around the world as the Muslims used the opportunity to attack non Muslim interest throughout the globe following this occurrence. Obviously they took it to the extreme left wing as even with, the burning of churches and killing of innocent people, it did not make things right. Therefore, despite the outcome that presents itself, many Muslims see the act of terrorism as a fight for a just cause in defense of their religion and Prophet Mohammed. This is the main ideology that drives both of these terrorist groups. The terrorism that is taking place between Israel and Palestine (Hamas Group) is in much part due to the terrorist government group that is utilizing suicide bombers even during negotiations of peace (Melgreen 2006). Israel is willing to embrace peace and ready to negotiate to reach peaceful agreement. This is reflected in the statement by Farah (2003), "This country is in a fight for its life against the forces of darkness in this world. We can prevail only with consistency, fortitude and by doing what is right." Israel and Palestine can only reach an agreement through peaceful means. The use of suicide bombers in the negotiation process will only prolong the peace process because Israel will not want to concede to terrorist regime and Israel would want to protect its own people against terrorism. The new regime in the

Monday, July 22, 2019

Post Modern Perspective on Criticism Essay Example for Free

Post Modern Perspective on Criticism Essay Post modernism is one among the highly debated issues that to a great extent has influenced the way human being think and views issues that exist in the present world .however it encounters a resounding critique from those against and support from the for generation whom believe in inevitability of change in all human perspectives.post modern perspective criticism is important because since it provides a promise of deterritorialing modernity and restructuring its political , cultural and social limits as well as affirming social gender and ethic differences as seen human daily interactions. Post modernism bear a world with a resemblance of increasing individual and mass influence on the way we think and see the world in the present times. Artifact chosen                     Martin Luther King Junior speech â€Å"I have a dream† is one of the most famous world speeches that influenced thinking million of Americans both whites and blacks (Kuypers, 2009). The speech was a very powerful tool that spearheaded the thinking of Americans and need of ending racial segregation. We may probably argue that were it not for martin Luther speech, probably the American society may be segregated even in the present. Luther calls for all American to work together towards achieving a fair and one and the same society (King and Washington, 1986). Luther employed well selected and scrutinized rhetoric modes that facilitated the appeal he desired to create to Americans. The power of his speech definitely lays in his authoritative diction and the rhetoric modes applied (Johnstone and Eisenhart, 2008). For instance, the king compares and contrast the lives of the whites a and the Negros were he notes that, the blacks continue to live in slave I n their home country one hundred years after the constitutional declaration that was signed by Lincoln .he further compares the plight of blacks to the lives of the white Americans and says that the blacks are subject to police brutality (Bobbitt, 2007). Although the emancipation proclamation was for all the whites had denied Negros the basic fundamental right granted by the constitution. Additionally, he says that emancipation proclamation came as a joyous day break to the blacks but later on turned to a long night of their captivity (Johnstone and Eisenhart, 2008). This comparison tells the audience how the declaration was of great hope to the suffering blacks, however, their hope turned to despair when the whites denied them of their rights. The Negros was saddened because even after one hundred years there were still in their own world full of pains of the manacles of racial discrimination and segregation. Furthermore, martin adds that justice shall roll like water and righteousness like a mighty stream. I n this context, the king appear to have feeling that he and other will not tire to demand and fight for blacks people rights until they are granted (King and Washington, 1986). Moreover, in his speech King employs a rich content of situational analysis of the representing the current situation interaction and expresses his optimism for a bright future, were both whites and Negros shall sit down under ones table as equal where the blacks will not nbe segregated upon .This dream sent a message of hope to the Negros that a time in coming in future when there will be no discrimination based on color. The dream also portrayed a message to the whites that blacks are tired of being segregated and were in the process of peacefully fight for their fundamental rights. Martin Luther Biography                     Martin Luther King Junior was born in 15th of January, 1929 to Michael king sr. After his father returned from a trip in German, he changed their names to Martin Luther king senior and Martin Luther King Junior. These names were adopted from a religious icon of past, martin Luther was initiated Lutheran denomination. In 1944 King Junior started his higher education at Morehouse College (Haskins and King 1992). Before then, the rampant racial discrimination and segregation had caused a lot of tension especially in New York and Michigan (Bobbitt, 2007). He later graduated with a degree in sociology and was after wards appointed his father’s assistant at the Ebenezer Baptist church. While King Junior was in graduate school he had bitter memories of house bias that existed in the American society. He says that when trying to find a house to live, he went to place in Boston where there was a sign â€Å"house for rent†. (Haskins and King, 1992. Martin literates that the houses were for rent until the servants realized he was a Negro and then the situation changed suddenly, the houses were already rented. In 1952 Martin Luther king junior met his wife Coretta; they married and were blessed with four children. Martin says that his wife was the source of strength and at some points she was much stronger that the king. On January of 1956, a strange occurrence happened whereby, Martin’s home was bombed. However, guided by his religious policy and believes of non-violence King calmly accepted the incident and even urged all the believers to go home after the meetings and adhere to policy of non-violence, a policy that is evident in his speech. Luther delisvered his famous speech â€Å"I have a dream† in 1963 in Washington during job and freedom, to address racial injustices that he and other human rights activist were against. His life came to an end when he was assassinated by James Earl Ray in 1968 at Memphis Tennessee Haskins, and King 1992). Martin Luther had just delivered another type of his legendary speech, â€Å" I have been to the mountain-top†. Martin Luther Junior died at 39 year and was buried on 9th of April, 1968 in Atlanta (King and Washington 1986). Until his death, the king was proud of his title â€Å"the preacher† because he believed that his vocation a nd strength were essential at healing the scar of racial discrimination and segregation that blacks had and giving the hope of a new dawn Metaphorical analysis                     Metaphorically Martin Luther s life that was filled with many ups and downs ideally represents the struggle and tribulations that Negros underwent in the hands of heartless whites. The passion that made him move forward to defend the welfare of the blacks shows the suffering the forced Negros and other human rights activist stand out and form liberation movements. Kings life is a clear indication of how an individual action may have resounding impact to present and future generations (Johnstone and Eisenhart, 2008). The metaphors used in the speech serves a very important role in making the audience clearly understand the message. In criticism where metaphors are used the analysis, the analysis of the artifact involves examining it for its context and dimensions and the isolating the metaphors to identify the underlined meaning that makes the artifact more appealing (Bobbitt, 2007). For instance, the artifact chosen, â€Å" I have a dream â€Å"is crammed with metaphors that ideally communicated the necessity of eradicating racial discrimination and segregation in United States of America .most of the metaphors the king uses are soft but the message is conveyed in a very unique way. For example Martin’s say that it is the high time to lift America from chains of injustices to high heights of freedom and equality (Hasand , 1992). Through this metaphor King intent to plea to all people that racism will not make the nation strong but will separate it .It is through social justice that a st rong and prosperous country will be build. Conclusion                     In a summary the metaphorical analysis appear as the best method for the critical analysis of the speech, â€Å"I have a dream† in the modern perspective. It clearly and precisely articulates ethos and logos making the whites realize their injustice towards the Negros. Additionally the method plays a very critical role in awakening the blacks to form liberation movement in demand of the rights granted by the constitutional declaration. References Bobbitt, D. A. (2007). The rhetoric of redemption: Kenneth Burkes redemption drama and Martin Luther King, Jr.s I have a dream speech. Lanham, Md: Rowman Littefield Publishers. Haskins, J., King, M. L. (1992). I have a dream: The life and words of Martin Luther King, Jr. Brookfield, Conn: Millbrook Press. Johnstone, B., Eisenhart, C. (2008). Rhetoric in detail: Discourse analyses of rhetorical talk and text. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Jr. Lanham [u.a.: Lexington Books. Manheimer, A. S. (2005). Martin Luther King Jr: Dreaming of equality. King, M. L., Washington, J. M. (1986). I have a dream: Writings and speeches that changed the world. New York: HarperCollins Kuypers, J. A. (2009). Rhetorical criticism: Perspectives in action. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books. Echols, J. (2004). I have a dream: Martin Luther King Jr. and the future of multicultural America. Minneapolis: Fortress Press. Source document

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Is Cyber Warfare the Future of War?

Is Cyber Warfare the Future of War? Introduction Undoubtedly, the twentieth century could be counted as the bloodiest in human history; man has been at war for much longer than he has been at peace. The death tolls are incalculable although historians put estimates at somewhere between 170 million to 210 million. No true figures are available but what is undisputed is the proliferation and effect of war on all aspects of society. Its impact on the soldier and the civilian as well as the economy and society or culture has given birth to the concept of ‘total war’  (Marwil, 2000). The last time total war was experienced was the Second World War which invariably led to the Cold War and its all-encompassing nature on every aspect of society  (Stavrianakis & Selby, 2012). Particularly with technology, the 20th century has seen the advancement of technology to epistemic levels where it has produced the concept of ‘modern war’ – atomic weapons, satellite guided missiles, chemical and biological weapons and electronic drones; none of which have eclipsed the older forms of warfare  (Barkawi, 2011). A new form of warfare has evolved and it is part of the 4th Industrial Revolution; it is cyber warfare. To understand its significance, one only has to look at former President Barack Obama declaring the digital infrastructure of the US as strategic national asset to be protected with the entire resources available to the United States. Obama prompted the formation of a special unit in the Pentagon called Cybercom whose sole purpose is to prepare the US for the inevitable cyber war that America will be embroiled in. The UK has also set up the National Cyber Security Programme and NATO has released the Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare; a three-year study by international scholars setting out ninety-rules to govern conflicts among nations. Cyber warfare is definitely gearing up as a new arena for conflict. This dissertation looks at the subject of cyber warfare and examines how widespread a concern this is to nations and if indeed it is just a concern of the super powers. Just like atomic weapons has become a military weapon of magnitude, the world has still not experienced a nuclear war. Instead nuclear energy is being used to advance economies and aid production and meet energy needs. Is cyber space similar to the threat of nuclear weapons? Does it actually do more good that the proposed harm that is being touted? This dissertation will carry out a secondary data analysis to understand the current literature on the subject and determine if indeed cyber warfare is the new arena of conflict. Narrative The organising principle of every theme in this dissertation is layered; each begins with a general historical and contextual appraisal invariably moving to specifics and constantly looking at the problem-solution dilemma. To substantiate or clarify explanations, arguments, themes, findings etc., footnotes will be included and/or non-integral citations will be used to focus attention more on the research being discussed and less on the researchers or authors. All related studies to this dissertation will be research/information prominent. With a few exceptions, English is used entirely in this dissertation and therefore tense usage is important in the organisational narrative. Where reference is made to a single study, the past simple tense will be used. Where reference is made to more than one study or an area of research, the present perfect tense will be used. Where reference is made to generally accepted knowledge, particularly with respect to cyber warfare or generally accepted knowledge in international relations, information technology or geopolitics, the present tense will be used. Finally, the choice of reporting verbs in this dissertation will inadvertently express a certain attitude be it critical distance, doubt, certainty, confusion etc. As much as possible, I have tried to maintain the same reporting verbs used in citing research and evoking emotion in my reflexive thoughts. Sometimes this has not been possible and the same reporting verb will express different attitudes depending on the context. Where this has occurred, I have elaborated any misconception or misunderstanding in the corresponding footnotes. Themes and concepts The chronological order of the table of contents gives a straightforward description of the chapter and sub-chapter headings in this dissertation. Thematically, the dissertation is divided into 4 chapters. Chapters 1-3 deal with the research justification as well as academic and methodological underpinnings. These chapters set the terms of reference for the dissertation and elaborate its research direction and deal with the subject matter, cyber warfare. Chapter 4 deals with the results, discussion of the results and conclusion. Theoretical and conceptual framework War, Conflict and Anarchy It is imperative to understand international relations and the theories and concepts underpinning them before looking at cyber warfare as a new arena for war. The Melian Dialogue in the great 5th century BC classic of Thucydides’ â€Å"History of the Peloponnesian War† best describes the context in which one looks at the international system. At a point in the Peloponnesian Wars, the Athenians wanted to take over the neutral island of Melos to obtain control over the Aegean Sea. An Athenian fleet was dispatched to Melos to try and negotiate a surrender and the ensued dialogue, as told by Thucydides, captures the essence and birth of our international system today. The Athenians declared to the Melians that â€Å"since you know as well as we do that right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.† (Thucydides) The international system today is premised on the fact that nation states can and do exert their power over weaker states although some do work through a collaborative system to ensure a common purpose. The study of international relations begins with the very notion that there is no central authority which acts as the ultimate arbiter in world affairs. Nations simply do what they can through mutually beneficial alliances and discard them when their interests are no longer served. If we look at world history before the 20th century, international relations could be said to be in a state of anarchy as there was no central figure. From 1078, China was the world’s major producer of steel, the world’s leader in technical innovations, the world’s leading trading nation, possessed the largest commercial ships and these are just to mention a few. Few academics would now dispute that China was the world’s hyperpower for 800 years before the rise of British imperialism in the 19th century. Despite China being a hyperpower for 800 years, there is no record of any central authority governing the behaviour of nation-states. They simply did what they could to nations who couldn’t fight back. Ironically China was insular and did not engage in any international conflicts. Every study of international relations or politics beyond that makes assumptions about the state of anarchy and offers a counter explanation of an international system with inter-state relations and a hierarchical intrastate system. A system that we have now with bodies like the United Nations, the World Trade Organization regulating economic relations and the International Criminal Court prosecuting crimes against humanity.   International relations deals with how nation states decide to exist without a central authority or with no structure or how they choose to create one. Waltz (1979) describes the juxtaposition of the international system and the domestic system by explaining that   domestic systems are centralized and hierarchic†, international systems are decentralized and anarchic†Waltz 1979, p. 88 All approaches to international relations and studying the behaviour of nation-states begins with an assessment of the anarchic structure in the international system. Anarchy is the starting point of viewing international relations but that view depends on the perspective a country chooses to take. Let’s begin with the oldest view recorded since the Melian dialogue between the Athenians and the Melians. The ‘political realist’ perspective is known as a theory one subscribes to in international relations. A political realist is under no illusions that countries behave with the single purpose of self-interest and therefore actions and reactions are done to defend that interest. Nation states are geared towards survival, according to the realist and this can often mean exerting strength over a weaker enemy or acceding to a collaboration with a stronger foe. All is done for the purpose of ensuring the continuation of the state by any means necessary. Therefore, the only way to predict behaviour is to predict survival. Realists do not see a set of behavioural guidelines but a survival of the fittest in the ‘international jungle of world politics’. Or as one might put it succinctly, ‘might is right’. To the realist, the international order is that of ensuring that power relations are conducted in such a manner that outcomes are mutually exclusive. One party will always gain over the other so the purpose for the nation-state in any negotiations is to be the winner. Where this cannot be achieved then the realist will view this as a precarious position to be in. Realists’ view of the anarchical order can describe the behaviour of nation-states in various ways from the classical realist to the neorealist and several forms in between. Whichever view is subscribed to, anarchy forms the basis of that world view and the expected behaviour of nation-states  (Heginbotham, 2015). Liberalist recognise the importance of anarchy in the international system in just the same way as the realists. Both liberal and realist accept the absence of a supreme authority directing the affair of nation-states. Where liberals and the liberal view differ on the subject is what can be done within the anarchic system. Liberals believe that nation-states and state actors can actually come together to build rules, guideline, set up institutions and appoint various monitoring bodies to govern or at least modify the behaviour of nation-states so that they can work together for a common person  (Barkawi, 2011). Outcomes do not have to be mutually exclusive but can be mutually beneficial in an anarchic system, according to the liberal view of international relations. Through joint cooperation, liberals believe that the behaviour of nation-states can be changed to achieve a level of power where states feel secure about their relationships with other states and do not seek to consolidate power at the expense of others. This classical liberal view can be seen in the world today as neoliberalism. Liberals still see anarchy in the international system but see it as something that can be overcome through a concerted effort. Whatever view one prescribes, the prevailing wisdom is that nation states will shift between theories and concepts to advance their own agenda and not confine themselves to an enduring guiding principle. The concept of cyber warfare, I would argue, follows suit. Defining the cyber world Almost twenty-five years ago, ‘cyberspace’ as we know it did not exist beyond the primitive computers placed in research laboratories and academic institutions. In fact, cyberspace was merely a theoretical concept that was considered unachievable. Today that has drastically changed. Our world would be unfathomable without cyberspace. To put its vastness into perspectives, approximately 4 billion people are online with roughly 50 billion devices ranging from super computers to desktops to laptops to smartphones to tablets. On a yearly basis, 90 trillion emails are sent and two trillion transactions are conducted in cyberspace (Turns, 2012). Cyberspace permeates are lives so much that we use it for everything from international trade, to logistics, communications, record keeping, financial transactions to sending flowers! All these positive contributions are the benevolent side of cyberspace. The malevolent aspect of cyberspace is ignored by the public unless a scare or scandal brings it to the surface. Figures estimate that on a daily basis, around 55,000 pieces of malware are found, 200,000 computers are ‘hijacked’[1]as well as the countless number of frauds that go unreported. How exactly does one define cyberspace? That question is not easy to answer as there are as many answers as there are experts in the field. A notable expert worth considering is Daniel Kuehl who collected a series of definitions from various sources and analysed his findings  (Curran, et al., 2008). He concluded that cyberspace consisted of a few dimensions namely; An operational space – it is an operational space where proponents of the domain ply their trade and perfect their skills. An electronic domain – it is an electronic network comprising of computers and a vast network of electromagnetic activityInformation domain – it is a network of information that is not limited to a particular location, time and space Kuehl analysed all these aspects and offered his own definition which will be used in this dissertation: â€Å"A global domain within the information environment whose distinctive and unique character is framed by the use of electronics and the electromagnetic spectrum to create, store, modify, exchange and exploit information via interdependent and interconnected networks using information-communication technologies.†Kuehl, 2009 Cyber terrorism is a portmanteau of the words cyberspace and terrorism and was first recognised and used in 1996 but became popular after a 1998 report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies titled Cybercrime, Cyberterrorism, Cyberwarfare: Averting an Electronic Waterloo. The report discussed the possibilities of an electronic attack, likely outcomes and expected methods  (Carr, 2011). Three terms are often confused when discussing Cyber terrorism so it is crucial that they are defined here. Cyber terrorism: â€Å"It is premeditated, politically motivated attacks by sub national groups or clandestine agents, or individuals against information and computer systems, computer programs, and data that result in violence against non-combatant targets (Colarik & Janczewski, 2012).† Information warfare: â€Å"It is a planned attack by nations or their agents against information and computer systems, computer programs, and data that result in enemy losses (Colarik & Janczewski, 2012).† Cyber crime: â€Å"Cyber crime is a crime committed through the use of information technology (Colarik & Janczewski, 2008).† This is more of the documented cyber related terms because it has received adequate coverage due to its proliferation in domestic law enforcement. In the U.S., the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act defines Internet criminal acts (Jensen, 2009). Furthermore, the â€Å"European Union members of the NATO alliance have domestic laws implementing the 1995 E.U. Data Privacy Directive† (Knapp & Boulton, 2006). For argument’s sake, cybercrime includes offences such as; the impairment of data, misuse of devices, interception of data offenses. traditional criminal offenses facilitated through the use of the internet, e.g. fraud, copyright infringement, child pornography Cybercrime has received a lot of international attention and was formally discussed at the Council of Europes 2001 Convention on Cybercrime  (Robinson, et al., 2015). This convention is still the only international understanding in place that exclusively focusses on cybercrimes. Terrorism: â€Å"The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons (Dragan, et al., 2012).† Research Approach Research Questions This research will attempt to explore and answer three questions regarding the broad themes that preliminary research has shown and in line with the gaps in current academic research; What exactly is cyber space?Is an information war a ‘war’ in the conventional sense?Is Russia engaging in a cyber war with the West? The dissertation considered various approaches to address the questions above as well as examine different options such as sources of data, type of research framework, timescale and methodology. In trying to answer any of the research questions, it was clear that any primary data used to carry out the research and with the available time limit would not be possible or indeed produce valuable information. This dissertation needed to design an analytical framework to counter this problem. Thus, I attempt to make a justification for carrying out secondary analysis of qualitative data and the benefits and limitations of the approach Secondary Data Collection In setting about the data collection, it was imperative I included boundaries for the study, the protocol for recording the data as well as the methodology for analysing it which are all set out below. The secondary data included qualitative documents and qualitative audio and visual materials. The list of secondary evidences kept evolving and the research continued. However, below is the final list of secondary evidences used. Data from various government departmentsNews articles from newspapersData and analysis from periodicals, books, journals etc.Data from non-governmental agencies and public bodiesData from online sources Secondary Analysis of Qualitative Data Secondary data analysis is essentially re-analysis of data collected by another researcher (Elliot, 2015). Andrews et al gave a definition of secondary data analysis as the collection and use of previously collected data for another purpose  (Andrews, et al., 2012). In addition, they also explained that the use of secondary data analysis first appeared when one of the founders of Grounded Theory (Glaser) discussed the possibility of re-analysing data that had already been collected for other purposes (Andrews, et al., 2012). Notwithstanding, secondary analysis is still not very popular and there have been very limited reviews of its use (Hinds, et al., 1997). At this point, it is pertinent that a distinction be made between secondary analysis, documentary analysis, systemic reviews and meta-analysis. Secondary data analysis is the examination of primary data[2] from previous research studies. Such data would include examples such as semi-structured interviews, research diaries, responses to open-ended questions in questionnaires, transcripts of interviews/conversations etc. On the other hand, documentary analysis would involve the analysis of data such as auto-biographies, personal diaries, photographs etc. Heaton does point out that there could be some considerable overlap between secondary analysis and documentary analysis (Heaton, 2008). Meta-analysis and Systematic Reviews both involve both involve going over published findings of previous research studies unlike secondary data analysis that looks at the primary data and not just the published findings. Review & Discussion Introduction Cyber warfare has different definitions depending on which theorist is applying it and which country is examining and applying the concept; for example, the U.S. military view cyber warfare in very different terms from the Russians. To begin with the word â€Å"cyber† is a completely new phenomenon that arose after the dot com boom and the start of the 4th Revolution. Not surprisingly, it has not filtered into the established rules of war or armed conflict adhered to by other nation states  (Chen, 2010). For starters, the word â€Å"cyber† is not found in the 1949 Geneva Conventions and any of the additional Protocols (it has not been inserted there). The word, in common usage, relates to a whole host of things ranging from computers and their networks to the information in these computers to even the process of uploading and retrieving this information. By extension, the word cyber warfare will include acts committed in furtherance of any act against and adversary using everything that is considered part of the ‘cyber’ domain. In looking at acts, cyber warfare would include offensive acts, defensive acts or acts of deterrence. By this explanation, it will include disseminating offensive information through computers or computer networks  (Andress & Winterfeld, 2011). Cyber warfare is one that has no clear boundaries or actors which makes a lot of the current legislation unhelpful. Acts of war or states of war are usually assigned to recognised states and combatants. But in this case, cyber warfare can be conducted by states, agents of states, non-state actors, international groups or any collection of people with a single vested interest or even one individual  (Cornish, et al., 2010).   Cyber Warfare and the legal question This dissertation started off with trying to determine if cyber warfare is the new arena of conflict. Even though I have attempted to define ‘cyber’ and ‘cyber warfare’, there are still large parts of this area of study that need to be examined. A lot of the current research already makes the assumption that cyber warfare is warfare because of its obvious name or that a few of the permanent members of the UN Security Council are making the case. But what is the legal argument to justify treating cyber warfare as warfare? Let’s begin with the least disputed agreement and definition of what leads to armed conflict. It is generally accepted that â€Å"armed force† is the necessary requirement for â€Å"armed conflict†. The UN Charter Article 2(4) provides, All members [of the UN] shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State . . .,. Exceptions are use of force authorized by the Security Council, and self-defence pursuant to Article 5 1.† Even customary law that applies to non-UN members still has the expectation of the same necessary requirement although it must be pointed out that this is only applicable to state actors (Kelsey, 2008). Non-state actors where not envisioned when the Charter was framed. Nonetheless, this is still the legal argument as it stands. Cyber warfare does not seem to meet the threshold of ‘armed force’ although many would argue otherwise. And it is this argument that is usually translated into the foreign policy of some states  (Gompert & Libicki, 2014). Even the UN Charter Article 51 still proposes that a response to attack is only justified if the initial or first attack is an armed attack. As it stands today, cyber warfare is not recognised as a legitimate war just in the same way that the ‘War on Terror’ is not a legitimate war but a cornerstone of US foreign policy. By extension, it stands to reason that a cyber attack is not in reality an attack recognised by the UN (Droege., 2012). Ultimately the view of whether an act is a cyber attack or part of cyber warfare is merely one that is only determined by the recipient of the act and how they choose to respond; through dialogue or retaliation? In addition, the judgement of the international community plays a significant part even though state actors often form alliances that ensures that an attack on one nation state could be an attack on the entire alliance; e.g. a cyber attack on a NATO member state. Not having a legal basis for an action does not in any way imply that it is not treated as a conflict or war. We only have to look at the U.S. justifications for bombing, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria in clear violation of the U.N. Charter; none of these states had perpetrated an armed attack against the U.S. The international community enjoined the U.S. even though other states had pointed out at the clear hypocrisy being committed by the U.S. If one is to consider cyber warfare and cyber attacks, then answering the legal question is insufficient. One must refer to the prevailing theory of international relations one subscribes to or comment on wider matters governing a state’s behaviour. This dissertation will look at empirical examples of cyber warfare. Global Cyber warfare: China vs US In todays information age, the Peoples Republic of China has replaced and even improved upon KGB methods of industrial espionage to the point that the Peoples Republic of China now presents one of the most capable threats to U.S. technology leadership and by extension its national security.Dan Verton, Cyber Warfare Expert (Hjortdal, 2011) It is easy to forget that in 1820, Greece had revolted against the Ottoman Empire, Britain had opened the first modern railway and was on its way to an exploding industrial revolution, Brazil had nervously declared independence from Portugal and that China was the world’s superpower with the largest share of global GDP. In fact, it is easy to forget because history has been written specifically to gloss over these facts. Western academia has repeatedly highlighted China as a collective of starved, dispossessed and slaughtered people and not a prosperous, dynamic and global power from 1100 – 1820. From 1078, China was the world’s major producer of steel, the world’s leader in technical innovations, the world’s leading trading nation, possessed the largest commercial ships and these are just to mention a few. Few academics would now dispute that China was the world’s hyperpower for 800 years before the rise of British imperialism in the 19th century. Western imperialism and China’s decline has been documented in detail which this book cannot do justice to. The rise of Chinese economic and political strength is unquestionably due to the Communist Party of China which began when the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of Communist Party of China adopted a reform policy triggering the private sector[3].   Since 1978, entrepreneurship has driven the Chinese economy and the economic and political changes since then remain unprecedented. So transformative has this change been that China is now a threat to the US in the information superhighway. A recent event in 2016 puts this threat into context. China builds world’s fastest supercomputer without U.S. chips â€Å"China on Monday revealed its latest supercomputer, a monolithic system with 10.65 million compute cores built entirely with Chinese microprocessors. This follows a U.S. government decision last year to deny China access to Intels fastest microprocessors. There is no U.S.-made system that comes close to the performance of Chinas new system, the Sunway TaihuLight. Its theoretical peak performance is 124.5 petaflops, according to the latest biannual release today of the worlds Top500 supercomputers. It is the first system to exceed 100 petaflops. A petaflop equals one thousand trillion (one quadrillion) sustained floating-point operations per second.†ComputerWorld (June 20, 2016 http://www.computerworld.com/article/3085483/high-performance-computing/china-builds-world-s-fastest-supercomputer-without-u-s-chips.html) It has earlier been argued that cyberspace is open to both state actors and non-state actors. Because actions can be taken by an individual in a state, it is extremely hard to prove culpability of the state. In other words, a cyber attack from a computer in China in no way implies that the cyber attack was orchestrated by the Chinese state. Proving culpability is extremely hard and this fact alone hinders the argument that cyber warfare could be a new arena of conflict. Having said this, the media is awash with stories of Chinese cyber attacks on the U.S. but it is always lacking in evidence. Ironically, one never hears of U.S. cyber attacks on China or at the very least the mainstream media never reports it. Despite China’s repeated denials of culpability and its demand for proof that its citizens are responsible for cyber attacks on U.S. interests, the U.S. have taken the bold step in 2011 to issue a statement from the National Counterintelligence Executive that China is the â€Å"most active and persistent perpetrator of cyber intrusions into the United States† (Heginbotham, 2015).    As there are no clearly defined rules on cyber warfare, any escalation of tensions between China and the U.S. could be construed and framed in the words of a potential conflict similar to the rhetoric that started and fuelled the Cold War between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. This Cold War metaphor is how commentators are viewing the Cyber race between China and the U.S. According to President Barack Obama’s 2011 Cyberspace Policy Review, â€Å"cybersecurity risks pose some of the most serious economic and national security challenges of the 21st century† (Solis, 2014). This rhetoric is backed up by the steps the U.S. has taken to secure its strategic advantage in the domain. In 2009, the U.S. created the Cyber Command under the National Security Agency (NSA) with the express purpose of putting cyber warfare in the forefront of its military and defensive strategy. In addition, the Department of Defence (DoD) also has the Pentagon Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace with China clearly set in its sights. These aggressive overtures by the U.S. have not been ignored. According to the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, they are of the opinion that cyber attacks on Chinese computer installations grow at a rate of 80% annually making China the largest and most venerable recipient of cyber attacks   (Robinson, et al., 2015). To put it into context, in 2011, China succumbed to a cyber attack where 100 million usernames, passwords and emails were leaked unto the internet. What is commonly acknowledge is that the U.S. practically controls the entire internet and other states are using every means possible to reduce the influence of that control and threat even though the US was instrumental in the development of the internet. For the global internet to be fully operational, it requires 13 root serves. 10 of the 13 are based in the US and the other 3 are based in Japan, Sweden and the Netherlands. ICANN, the body that authorises domain names and designations is based in the U.S. With these facts in mind, the U.S. has the most potential to turn cyber space into a cyber threat. At least that is the argument posed by China and they insist on being able to protect their national interests. With both sides staking a national interest priority, it is not surprising that cyber warfare could be the next arena between the U.S. and China (Lieberthal & Singer, 2012). Global Cyber warfare: Russia vs the rest of the world The Russians view cyber and cyberspace in completely contradictory terms to the U.S. and the West in general. First and foremost, the Russians do not generally refer to the term cyber as a distinct concept in the way political theorists in the West do. Russia, and to some extent China, have a wider understanding of information and its control regardless of the medium chosen. So, given its long history with controlling information about and through the state during the era of the Soviet Union, electronic information is just one conduit or category of information that can be utilized, manipulated and harnessed for the greater good of the state. That is to say that the notion of cyber is just another mechanism by which information is relayed and does not take priority over other mechanisms in importance just in practical relevance. In Russian military doctrine, information and disinformation go hand in hand and are tools used by the state apparatus to achieve a desired objective for its citizens or against its adversaries. It is utilized with judicious foresight towards a purpose in addition to other traditional methods and processes. In practical terms, if information (or disinformation) helps another weapon to tool, then Russian military theorists see electronic information merely as an enabler or facilitator. Therefore information is relevant to already established practices of the state such as disinformation operations, electronic warfare, Psychology Operations (also known as PsyOps), political subversion and subterfuge, economic warfare etc. According to (Carr, 2011), â€Å"this is stated clearly in the Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation (2010) †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. features of modern military conflicts is the prior implementation of measures of information warfare in order to achieve political objectives without the utilization of military force and, subsequently, in the interest of shaping a favourable response from the world community to the utilization of military force.†Carr, 2011 Cyber warfare, according to Russian theorists, is just information warfare by another means but more efficient than other types of information warfare. Cyber warfare is a legitimate tool of the state, so the argument goes, in peacetime and in conflict. It does not hold a special prominence like it does in the U.S. Cyber warfare is regulated to accompanying other tools of the state but given its nature, it has no set rules, no boundaries, no prescribed limits and no real restrictions or applications. Such a view is diametrically opposite to that of the concept of cyberspace held in the West. In support of this theory, the Russian state apparatus is structured quite differently from the U.S. Cyberspace and cyber warfare started under the remit of the Federal Security Service (Federal’naya Sluzhba Bezopastnosti: FSB) which was tasked with initiating information and disinformation wars using whatever means necessary including cyber warfare. The FSB also maintains and controls SORM, the State’s internal cyber surveillance system. In addition to the FSB, The Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (Roskomnadzor), is also tasked with controlling the civilian media, telecommunications, the internet, the radio and any electronic media. Russia’s strategy of seeing cyber warfare as a continuation of normal political and military overtures was witnessed in the war with Georgia in 2008  (Robinson, et al., 2015). To date, Russia is still the only country to use all three of military, economic and cyber warfare on an adversary in the international arena. Russia had a two-pronged attack when it used military weapons and cyber warfare to defeat Georgia. Similarly, in its conflict with Ukraine in 2014, its conventional use of military weapons and cyber warfare resulted in Ukrainian government websites being shut down, massive ‘denial of service’ attacks being reported and energy installations being hacked into. This is the first of many of these sorts of ‘total warfare’ that will continue in the new future. One only has to read newspaper reports of cyber attacks occurring on a daily basis. But does this constitute a new arena of conflict? I think given what is already going on in conflicts around the world, the question has already been answered. Whether by design or accident, states are using cyber warfare as a tool against their adversary  (Lieberthal & Singer, 2012). World’s first Cyber War No other body of research could be more persuasive that presenting details of the world’s first cyber war to support the argument that cyber warfare is now a new arena of conflict. The first known incident of an entire country being subjected to an all out cyber war was Estonia. To understand the gravity of this event is to look at the history of Estonia.   Estonia was controlled by the Soviet Union for nearly 50 years and obtained its independence in 1991. Then it was a desolate country which has been starved of infrastructure and economic development. With a population of just under 2 million, it has carved a future for itself as one of the most wired and technological advanced countries in the world. It is truly a model of a smart country with widespread ecommerce and e-government services almost unparalleled anywhere in the world. As a state once controlled by the Soviets until 1991, the country is punctuated with Soviet history and struggle. The capital city, Tallinn, had monuments erected to the Soviet soldiers who fought and died in the struggle to keep Germany out of Russia. Estonia, as it is their right, decided to move the monument to a cemetery which met angry objections from Russian leaders and the large Russian community that grew out of a 50 year occupation. Russia saw Estonia as a symbol of struggle and the Estonians saw Russia as a symbol of oppression. After altercations in the city centre following the removal of the monument, Estonia found that its entire electronic infrastructure was disrupted. The state administration was paralysed, banks and companies had to freeze their operations, the internet was practically down and nothing was working. Culpability was had to prove but it was the first recorded total cyber war against a state. Again, there is no proof that the perpetrators were state spon sored or indeed it was a malicious attack but the timing and the magnitude points to more than a criminal cohort (there was no financial advantage gained in the event) and to a state sponsored cyber attack. More importantly, Estonians pointed the finger at Russia and being members of NATO, they retained the prerogative to invoke Article 5 of NATO: an attack against one is an attack against all. Postscript If there was any uncertainty about cyber warfare becoming the new arena of conflict then the headlines below might seem ominous as they are similar to the headlines that preceded the First World War and the Second World War. And these were in just over 3 days. â€Å"Malta accuses Russia of cyber-attacks in run-up to election The embattled Maltese government has claimed that it has come under attack from a Russian-backed campaign to undermine it, amid worsening relations with the Kremlin. Malta assumed the presidency of Europe’s Council of Ministers in January, an important position under which it chairs high-level meetings in Brussels and sets Europe’s political agenda. Since then, the Maltese government’s IT systems have seen a rise in attacks, according to a source working within its information technology agency, a government body. He claimed the attacks, which have increased ahead of next month’s general election, are designed to damage the government. â€Å"In the last two quarters of last year and the first part of this year, attacks on our servers have increased,† the source said.†Ã‚  (Doward, 2017) â€Å"Trump executive order aims to protect US from ‘catastrophic’ cyber attack US President Donald Trump this month signed an executive order that aims to increase protection for US essential services in case of a cyber attack that results in catastrophic regional or national effects on public health or safety, economic security, or national security†. (Kuchler, 2017) Nth Korea launches cyber attacks on US North Koreas main spy agency has a special cell called Unit 180 that is likely to have launched some of its most daring and successful cyber attacks, according to defectors, officials and internet security experts. North Korea has been blamed in recent years for a series of online attacks, mostly on financial networks, in the United States, South Korea and over a dozen other countries. Cyber security researchers have also said they have found technical evidence that could link North Korea with the global WannaCry ransomware cyber attack that infected more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries this month.   Pyongyang has called the allegation ridiculous. (Reuters, 2017) The research question of whether cyber warfare is a new arena of conflict is probably not in any doubt. The argument reverts back to the beginning of this research when examined the realist approach to international relations. Even if one were to look at the vast number of institutions in the international system and make a please for calmer heads prevailing, the realpolitik of current geopolitics shows that cyber attacks can, and will most likely, be used as a pretext and as a tool of war. It is no longer a question of if but when. Bibliography Andersen, P. H. & Kragh, H., 2011. Beyond the inductive myth: New approaches to the role of existing theory in case research. . In: R. Marschan-Piekkari & C. Welch, eds. Rethinking the case study in international business and management research. s.l.:Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, pp. 146-167. Andress, J. & Winterfeld, S., 2011. Cyber Warfare Techniques, tactics and Tools for Security Practitioners. s.l.:Elsevier Science. Andrews, L., Higgins, A., Andrews, M. & Lalor, J., 2012. Classic Grounded Theory to Analyze Data: Reality and Reffecions. Grounded Theory Review: An International Journal, June.11(1). Barkawi, T., 2011. From War to Security: Security Studies, the Wider Agenda and the Fate of the Study of War. Millenium: Journal of International Studies, Volume 39(Issue 3), pp. 701-716. Bernard, H. R., 2011. Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and quantitative approaches.. s.l.:Rowman Altamira.. Carr, J., 2011. Inside cyber warfare: Mapping the cyber underworld. Sebastopol: OReilly Media, Inc.. Chen, T., 2010. Stuxnet, the real start of cyber warfare?. IEEE Network, Volume 24(Issue 6), pp. 2-3. Cobban, S. J., Edgington, E. M. & Pimlott, J. F., 2008. An ethical perspective on research using shared data.. Canadian Journal of Dental Hygiene, 42(5), pp. 233-238. Colarik, A. & Janczewski, L., 2008. Introduction to Cyber Warfare and. In: L. Janczewski & A. Colarik, eds. Cyber Warfare and Cyber Terrorism. New York: Information Science Reference. Colarik, A. & Janczewski, L., 2012. Establishing Cyber Warfare Doctrine. Journal of Strategic Security, Volume 5(Issue 1), pp. 31-48. Cornish, P., Livingstone, D., Clemente, D. & Yorke, C., 2010. On Cyber Warfare. London: Chatham House. Corti, L. & Bishop, L., 2005. Strategies in teaching secondary analysis of qualitative data. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 6(1). Curran, K., Concannon, K. & McKeever, S., 2008. Cyber Terrorism Attacks. In: A. Colarik & L. Janczewski, eds. Cyber Warfare and Cyber Terrorism. New York: Infformation Science Reference. DeWeese, S., 2009. Capability of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to conduct cyber warfare and computer network exploitation. s.l.:Diane Publishing. Doward, J., 2017. Malta accuses Russia of cyber-attacks in run-up to election. [Online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/27/russia-behind-cyber-attacks-says-malta-jseph-muscat [Accessed 29 May 2017]. Dragan, M., Danko, M. & Mirjana, D., 2012. Defining Cyber Warfare. VojnotehniÄ ki Glasnik, Volume 60(Issue 2), pp. 84-117. Droege., C., 2012. Get off my cloud: cyber warfare, international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians. International Review of the Red Cross,, Volume 94(Issue 886), pp. 533-578. Elliot, D. C., 2015. SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS. In: F. Stage & K. Manning, eds. Research in the College Context: Approaches and Methods. s.l.:s.n. Elman, C., Gerring, J. & Mahoney, J., 2016. Case Study Research: Putting the Quant Into the Qual. Sociological Methods & Research, 45(3), pp. 375-391. Fielding , N., 2004. Geting the most from archived qualitative data: epistemological, practical and professional obstacles. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 7(1), pp. 97-104. Gladstone, B. M., Volpe, T. & Boydell, K. M., 2007. Issues encountered in a qualitative secondary analysis of help seeking in the prodrome to psychosis. The Journal of behavioural Health Sciences and Research, 34(4), pp. 431-442. Gompert, D. & Libicki, M., 2014. Cyber Warfare and Sino-American Crisis Instability. Survival, Volume 56(Issue 4), pp. 7-22. Heaton, J., 1998. Secondary analysis of qualitative data. Social Research Update, Issue 22. Heaton, J., 2004. Reworking Qualitative Data. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Heaton, J., 2008. Secondary Analysis of Qualitative Data: An Overview. Historical Social Research, 3(3). Heginbotham, E., 2015. The U.S.-China Military Scorecard Forces, Geography, and the Evolving Balance of Power 1996-2017, Santa Monica: The RAND Corporation. Hinds, P. S., Vogel, R. J. & Clarke-Steffen, L., 1997. The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Doing a Secondary Data Analysis of Qualitative Data Set. Qualitative Health Research, 7(3), pp. 408-424. Hjortdal, M., 2011. Chinas Use of Cyber Warfare: Espionage Meets Strategic Deterrence. Journal of Strategic Security, Volume 4(Issue 2), pp. 1-24. Hjortdal, M., 2011. Chinas Use of Cyber Warfare: Espionage Meets Strategic Deterrence. Journal of Strategic Security, Volume 4(2), pp. 1-24. Irwin, S., Bornat, J. & Winterton, M., 2012. Timescapes secondary analysis: Comparison, context and working across data sets. Qualitative Research, 12(1), pp. 66-80. Jensen, E. T., 2009. Cyber warfare and precautions against the effects of attacks. Texas law review, Volume Volume 88, p. 1533. Johnston, M., 2014. Secondary Data Analysis. A Method of which Time Has Come, Volume 3, pp. 619-626. Kelsey, J. T., 2008. Hacking into international humanitarian law: The principles of distinction and neutrality in the age of cyber warfare. Michigan Law Review, pp. 1427-1451. Knapp, K. J. & Boulton, W. R., 2006. Cyber-warfare threatens corporations: expansion into commercial environments. Information Systems Management, Volume 23(Issue 2), p. 76. Krasner, S., 1983. International Regimes. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Kuchler, H., 2017. Trump executive order aims to protect US from ‘catastrophic’ cyber attack. [Online] Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/1e46dd84-2422-11e7-a34a-538b4cb30025 [Accessed 29 May 2017]. Kuehl, D., 2009. From cyberspace to cyberpower: Defining the problem.. In: F. Kramer, S. Starr & K. Wentz, eds. Cyberpower and national security. Washington D.C.: Potomac Books Inc., pp. 24-42. Lagner, R., 2011. Stuxnet: Dissecting a cyberwarfare weapon. IEEE Security & Privacy, Volume 9(Issue 3), pp. 49-51. Lieberthal, K. & Singer, P., 2012. Cybersecurity and U.S.-China Relations. [Online] Availableat:https://www.brookings.edu/wpcontent/uploads/2016/06/0223_cybersecurity_china_us_lieberthal_singer_pdf_english.pdf [Accessed 25 May 2017]. Lindsay, J. R., 2013. Stuxnet and the limits of cyber warfare. Security Studies, Volume 22(Issue 3), pp. 365-404. Long-Sutehall, T., Sque, M. & Addington-Hall, J., 2011. Secondary analysis of qualitative data: A valuable method for exploring sensitive issues with an elusive population. Journal of Research in Nursing, 16(4), pp. 335-344. Mackenzie, N. & Knipe, S., 2006. Research dilemmas: Paradigms, methods and methodology.. Issues In Educational Research, 16(2), pp. 193-205. Marwil, J., 2000. Photography at War. [Online] Available at: http://www.historytoday.com/jonathan-marwil/photography-war [Accessed 21 May 2017]. Nicholson, A. et al., 2012. SCADA security in the light of Cyber-Warfare.. Computers & Security, Volume 31(Issue 4), pp. 418-436. Palys, T., 2008. Purposive Sampling. In: L. M. Given, ed. The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods. Los Angeles: Sage, pp. 697-698. Reuters, 2017. Nth Korea launches cyber attacks on US. [Online] Available at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/asiapacific/2017/05/21/nth-korea-launches-cyber-attacks-on-us.html [Accessed 29 May 2017]. Robinson, M., Jones, K. & Janicke, H., 2015. Cyber warfare: Issues and challenges. Computers & Security, Volume Volume 49, pp. 70-94. Robinson, M., Jones, K. & Janicke, H., 2015. Cyber warfare: Issues and challenges. Computers & Security,, Volume 49(Issue 25), p. 70. Shakarian, P., Shakarian, J. & Ruef, A., 2013. Introduction to cyber-warfare: A multidisciplinary approach. Oxford: Newnes. Solis, G., 2014. Cyber Warfare. Military Law Review, Volume Volume 219, pp. 1-52. Stavrianakis, A. & Selby, J., 2012. Militarism and International Relations. In: A. Stavrianakis & J. Selby, eds. Militarism and International Relations Political Economy, Security and Theory. s.l.:Taylor and Francis. Tashakkori, A. & Teddlie, C., 2010. Sage handbook of mixed methods in social & behavioral research. s.l.:Sage. Tennis, J. T., 2008. Epistemology, Theory and Methodology in Knowledge Organization: Toward a Classification, Metatheory, and Research Framework. In Knowledge Organization, 35(2/3), pp. 102-112. Tesch, R., 1990. Qualitative research: Analysis types and software tools.. New York: Falmer. Thorne, S., 1990. Secondary Analysis in Qualitative Research: Issues and Implications. In: J. M. Morse, ed. Critical Issues in Qualitative Research Methods. London: Sage. Turns, D., 2012. Cyber Warfare and the Notion of Direct Participation in Hostilities. Journal of Conflict and Security Law,, Volume 17(Issue 2), pp. 279-297. Van den Berg, H., 2005. Reanalyzing qualitative interviews from different angles: the risk of de-contextualization and other problems of sharing qualitative data.. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, , 6(1). Vasilachis De Gialdino, I., 2009. Ontological and Epistemological Foundations of Qualitative Research. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 10(2), pp. 1438-5627.. Wang, H. & Wang, S., 2004. Cyber warfare: steganography vs. steganalysis. Communications of the ACM, Volume 47(Issue 10), pp. 76-82. Wolcott, H. T., 2009. Writing up qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage. [1] These are computers that have been hijacked and remotely taken over by a person other than the owner. [2] Primary data is that which is from a study where the researcher personally collects the information but secondary data is data that has already been collected (Andrews, et al., 2012). [3] From December 18 to 22, 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of Communist Party of China was held in Beijing. The party decided that China should start shift its economic focus from class struggle-oriented to economic construction-oriented, from semi-rigid/rigid to comprehensive reform, and, from semi-closed/closed to opening up.Invalid source specified.