Effects of Cyber Bullying on Psychosocial Development in Adolescent

Effects of Cyber Bullying on Psychosocial Development in Adolescent Cyberbullying is mostly entailing the act of intimidating a person by sending them threatening and daunting messages using electronic communication devices. The study is meant to investigate how cyberbullying affects the social and psychological growth of adolescents. Erikson theory of psychological suggests that in the eight stages of mental, an individual must experience a challenge. The crisis may either have negative or a positive effect on an individual’s personality development. The research experience tested the relationship between cyberbullying and the adolescence development. Therefore, the findings showed that cyberbullying is a global public health apprehension among adolescents. Ultimately, Erikson theory of psychosocial relates with the research topic in that, regarding the eight stages that a healthy developing person must go through, there are challenges that one encounters. Also, cyberbullying affects the psychosocial growth of adolescents. Furthermore, the research results support this theory by highlighting the similar effects that teenager’s experiences. According to the findings, cyberbullying poses a significant threat to adolescents hence hindering their psychosocial development. Besides, the conclusion sums up to the fact that the youth’s personality is affected by cyberbullying thus could lead to low self-esteem. Introduction Currently, the culture of young people is migrating whereby, instead of using the internet as a mode of communication every day, it has changed to be a necessity and a primary mode of communication. Therefore, it has created a perspective and unique harmful dynamic for a social correlation. Besides, cyberbullying encompasses action taken through communication technologies with the aim of hurting another person. According to Ericson theory, the first five stages occur up to the age of eighteen then the other three happen beyond to adulthood (Domino Affonso., 1990). Erikson puts a great emphasis on adolescents’ development even though he believes there is room for a person to continue developing throughout their life. The human lifespan development area varies from childbirth to adulthood. Regarding this theory, acquisition of health virtues and successful growth of personality results from the completion of each development stage (Domino Affonso., 1990). Methods In this case, the method used is correlation or descriptive whereby, we use a survey to investigate the relationship between the psychosocial development of adolescents and cyberbullying. The variables that impact cyber bullying among the young people in cyberspace were measured in this research design. Additionally, the effects of cyberbullying on the psychosocial development of an adolescent were collected through statistical data using this study. Evidently, the Internet communication among the youth is at a high rate hence increases the chances of cyberbullying occurrences. Furthermore, this study determines where a relationship between the two variables, which is cyber bullying and youth’s development, exists. A descriptive analysis of the respondent’s demographic behavior occurred through this research design. Moreover, developed research questions and the hypothesis aimed at passing awareness of the effects of cyberbullying on how the youths develop socially. Some participants were used in the study and their experiences and attitude on cyberbullying and how their psychosocial development is affected was investigated. An institution review board played the role of evaluating the purpose of the study, position of the researcher and determining whether it is ethical (Morrow Downey., 2013). The study took place at Cambridge University located in England. The reason for choosing this site is the fact that it has a reasonable population which can serve best in the study. The respondents got recruited through an advertisement that was approved by the student government connotation. Questionnaires were given out to the participants to feel out their responses. Additionally, an observation method was used to collect more information on cyberbullying of adolescents. In this study, convenience sampling to investigate students at Cambridge University was employed by the researcher. Besides, it involves, examining how the social health growth of a young person can be affected by cyberbullying. Additionally, the target population for this survey consisted of both male and female students. The questioners used were meant to collect data and information from the respondents. It was both structured and unstructured to give room for more collection of initial information. Therefore, the raw data collected stored for further statistical analysis to come up with the correct findings. Besides, the employed descriptive statistics measured and integrated cross-tabulation and frequency dissemination. Also, to obtain insight of the respondents of the study, utilization of frequency propagation of demographic data was conducted. Limitation of the study Foremost, the questionnaires had issues since they were not reused from a previous survey. It means that the researcher was the one who created them for only the purpose of examining and conducting the study. Also, Cambridge University constituted both Americans and African American students, so there was a limitation in investigating other races on the effects of cyberbullying on the psychosocial development of youths. Therefore, it is clear that the researcher did not have the same ethnicity collection. Results According to study, it is evident that cyber bullying leads to victimization and internalization of issues by the young people. For instances, the findings show that there is the existence of a substantial relationship between the depression among adolescents and cyberbullying victimization. The results indicate that high rates of depressive effects relate to a significant amount of cyberbullying victimization (Morrow Downey., 2013). Regarding the research, when controlling possible perplexing variables, there is a different influence of cyberbullying in depressing symptomology and suicidal thoughts in the adolescents group. The results also show that cyberbullying may lead to externalizing complications of teenagers. For instance, when looking at the youths who have experienced cyberbullying, they are most likely involved in drug abuse and sexual behaviors. Example, taking alcohol, involved in early sex, carrying of weapons in schools among others. As compared to other peers, cyberbullying victims likely involve in these unethical actions. Besides, such practices affect the academic growth of the adolescent and also interferes with their general health growth (Valkenburg Jochen., 2011). Additionally, the outcomes show that cyberbullying also leads to problem behaviors and perpetration. Concerning the survey, it is evident that teenagers who are culprits of cyber bullying involve themselves in problem behaviors which may include, illegal acts, reactive aggression and increased number of proactive action Valkenburg Jochen., 2011). Negative emotions from youths like anger, fear, frustration, embracement and sadness have been associated with cyber bullying. According to the findings, cyberbullying poses a significant threat to adolescents hence hindering their psychosocial development Valkenburg Jochen., 2011). The research findings change the personal values and behaviors of an individual in that; their personality is highly affected since they feel alone when bullied online and distressed. It leads to low self-esteem and in other cases, makes the person venture into immoral activities. Apart from low self-esteem, a person is ever reluctant to let family members near their technological communication devices and also withdraw from spending more time with friends and relatives. Additionally, there is a change in personality and looking for excuses to stay away from learning institutions or work. Alternatively, a psychology profession can use these research findings in a professional setting to assist cyberbullying victims. It could be done through counseling, going through therapy that would help the adolescent to overcome their distresses. By doing so, the rate of suicidal deaths and immorality among the youths will reduce (Valkenburg Jochen., 2011). Conclusion Definitively, regarding the research study, it affects the lifespan development concept of Erikson psychosocial theory. Reason being, all the eight stages that are highlighted in this theory must be complete efficiently. They include trust and mistrust, shame and autonomy, guilt and initiative, inferiority and industry, role confusion and ego identity, isolation and intimacy, stagnation and generativity, despair and ego integrity. Completion of all the stages leads to the increased chances of solving crises among individuals. Erikson terms these crises as psychosocial in nature because they involve a person’s psychosocial needs. With all these said and done, cyberbullying affects the psychosocial growth of adolescents by victimization, making wrong decisions and changing their personalities. Therefore, this deduction sums up to the fact that the youth’s personality is affected by cyberbullying thus could lead to low self-esteem.

The Culture Of The Cold War - 893 Words

The novel, The Culture of the Cold War, is the all about the cold war and how that time period effected America in the 1960s. It talks about how the Cold War era haunted America with constant threats, and the talk of communism all across the nation. The author of the book, Stephen J. Whitfield, described that the Cold War gave the nation an identity crisis and that suspicion started to arise. The novel is very descriptive on that topic and elaborates on certain ideologies during that time. The novel starts off talking about the culture of America in the 1940s to 1950s and how the American culture was distorted. It was distorted through Communism, ideological politics and brought out fears in the American society. Stephen believed that communism was the biggest fear in society and he exclaims â€Å"Indeed, the system that the Bolsheviks had created in the Soviet Union and had imposed beyond their borders was even more hideous in its devastation of human values than many of its vocal opponents in the 1950s realized† (). The way that Communism was set up was unfair to the people and the fact that it could spread out to other countries was a big concern for America. The U.S. thought that Communism could become something as sinister as Nazism and that it could overtake multiple places. Also, when the Soviets started to gain more military firepower, the U.S. thought that the lack of change in political systems could lead to a nuclear warfare and could possibly cause a nuclear fallout.Show MoreRelatedThe Cold War On American Culture Essay1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe Cold War was a pivotal time in American history. 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Development Studies free essay sample

This essay is aimed at comparing and contrasting structural functionalism with the Marxist and the noe-marxist theories to social change, how they best describe social change in less developed countries; in this case Zambia. The paper is to also outline the relevance of the two approaches and come up with one that offers the best approach as in the case of Zambia. Social change refers to the structural transformation of political, social, cultural, and economic systems and institutions to create a more stable society. It can also be defined as change in social structure, the nature of the institutions, social behavior or the social relations of the society or community of people. When behavior pattern changes in large numbers and is visible and sustained, it results in social change. Once there is deviance from culturally inherited values, rebellion against the established system may result causing change in social order, any event or action that affects a group of individuals who have shared values of characteristics (Herman, Nancy J and Reynolds, Larry T: 1994). Structural functionalism is defined as a sociological theory that originally attempted to explain social institutions as collective means to meet individual biological needs ( Giddens, 2006). Structural functionalism to sociological analysis is basically an equilibrium theory. The system is said to be in equilibrium when its component parts are so compatible with each other, denying an outside disturbance, none of them will change its position or relation to others in any significant way. An equilibrium system is said to be stable when a slight change in external conditions creates internal variations whose own effects is equal and opposite to the initial disturbance, thereby moving the system back to its former position of rest. It is said to be unstable when the initial disturbance creates movement that feeds on its relationships, thereby displacing the system further from its original position of rest (Davies, K:1959). Structural functionalism can also be defined as a sociological paradigm which addresses social functions and various elements of the social system perform in regard to the entire system. Social structures are stressed and placed at the centre of analysis and social functions are deduced from these structures(ibid). Functionalist believe that one can compare society to a living organism, in that both society and a living organism are made up of interdependent working parts and systems that must function. Functionalists say that the different parts of society e. g family, education, religion, law and order, media etc. have to be seen in terms of contribution that they make to the functioning of the whole society. This organism analogy sees the different parts of society working together to form a social system in the same way that the different parts of an organism form a cohesive functioning entity. In relation to the case of Zambia, structural functionalism is relevant in understanding social change. It is relevant in that it provides general guidelines for behavior in terms of norms. These institutions of society such as family, religion, the economy, law and order, the educational and political systems are major aspects of social structure. A practical example of an institution that is relevant in Zambia is a family. According to Glencoe (1995;114), the family is the first social world a child encounters, and members are the mirror in which children begin to see themselves. It is the first group whose norms and values children adopt as their own and refer to in evaluating behavior. Historical analysis also demonstrates that across time, the family has provided many important functions for society. Functionalists believe that mass formal education is an essential part of an industrial society, and that expansion of industrial society, and that expansion of the industrial economies brings a corresponding expansion in the education system, they also see the introduction of mass education as a response to the increasing demand of the industry. Educational institutions such as colleges, Universities and schools in Zambia help in the development process of Zambian society. Glencoe (1995:118) adds that in modern society, school is a primary agent for weaning children from home and introducing them to the larger society. He further adds that educational institutions have rules and regulations to control those in there hence not only educating them but giving and teaching them rules that will help them live better lives in society. The mass media is one institution that is also very vital. The forms that reach large numbers of people in form of, Television, radio, and books are all important in that they contribute in being a watch dog, a channel of communication, an educative means and ways in which people express themselves (ibid). Another example of social change is technology influx in recent years such as email, cell phones and online social networks. Each part of the institutions mentioned and listed does something to serve a function or purpose in the Zambia social change. People who employ functionalism view society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. The theory of belongs to a board theories that are referred to as radical theories of development. The theories are further explained in terms of materialism which are dialectical and historical. By materialism Karl Marx meant that the economic structure of society was the foundation or basis on which the whole society is built (Andropove, V: 1983). In Marxist theories, the division of society into classes is determined by the position within the process of production. Economic development gives rise to these classes and assumes different relationships to the process of production. Marxism hence is the name given to the body of ideas, which in their totality provide a fully worked out theoretical basis for the struggle of the working class to attain a higher form of human society (ibid). Class consciousness consists of the appropriate and rational reactions imputed to a particular typical position in the process of production. This consciousness is therefore, neither the sum nor the average of what is thought or felt by the single individuals who make up the class. The historical significant actions of the class as a whole are determined in the last resort by this consciousness and not by the thoughts of the individual. These actions can be understood only by reference to this consciousness (Klaus, W:1989). Karl Marx and Engels state 5 stages in which a human society has to pass through in order for it to develop. These include primitive, feudalism, capitalism, socialism and communism. Primitive society is the first stage of development of human society and arises from the differentiation of man from the animal kingdom (Popkin, H. R: 1986). Feudalism is the second stage of social development according to Marxism. At this stage, the land lords and nobles comprised of dominant classes and the peasants or serfs that belonged to the exploited class. Capitalism is the third stage and it involves the private ownership of the means of production. In capitalism, there is an emergence of two classes, that is, the bourgeoisies as the owners of capital and the proletariat as the working class (Johari, J: 1989). Socialism is the fourth stage under Marxism. In socialism, the state has an important role to play on the part of resource allocation. The state is responsible to ensure that all members of society have equal and equitable access to resources. The last stage is Communism according to Marxism. A communist society is one having neither class nor state and all resources in society are equally and equitably distributed. A Communist state can be referred to as a workers paradise. The neo-Marxists on the other hand, after seeing the failure of working-class revolutions in Western Europe after World War I, chose the parts of Marxs thought that might clarify social conditions that were not present when Marx was alive. They filled in what they perceived to be omissions in Marxism with ideas from other schools of thought. Neo-Marxists view class divisions under capitalism as more important than gender/sex divisions or issues of race and ethnicity. Neo-Marxism encompasses a group of beliefs that have in common rejection of economic or class determinism and a belief in at least the semiautonomy of the social sphere. From the above information provided, it can be deduced that despite Marxism, and Neo-Marxism and the Structural functionalism having different approaches to social change, they both place an emphasis on the importance of society in which all the members benefit and the how the society develops as it improves on the living conditions of its people. Both Marxism, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism emphasize that inequality should exist in order for social change to take place. In Marxism bourgeoisie pay the proletariat low wages for their labour. Structural functionalists state that wages must be given to workers in order for them to carry out their work of which in most cases tend to be low. They also emphasize on the need of the use of force in the process of social change. In the Marxist theory, serfs are treated like slaves in that they are forced to do hard work by the land lords despite low wages. Force is used to control the serfs. In structural functionalism, people who go against the norms, values and rules governing a society are to be punished by some administration of justice. In both Marxist, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism, members of society have roles to play in order for society to develop and progress. This means that individuals are significant not only in themselves but also in terms of their position in patterns of social relations. One of the differences between Marxist, Neo-Marxist and the Structural functionalism is that in Marxism, social change occurs revolutionary while as for structural functionalism, social change occurs evolutionary without conflicts. Marxism holds the belief that in order for social change to take place, conflicts hould exist in order for society to progress. Unlike structural functionalism, Marxism emphasizes on formation of a society comprised of classes. The classes include the serfs and the land lords in feudalism, the proletariat and the bourgeoisies in capitalism. Structural functionalism emphasizes on different parts of society such institutions and organizations working together in order for society to survive while Marxism and Neo-Marxism states that members of society function for their survival and not necessarily for society, for example; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalism. Unlike Marxism, structural functionalism does not contain a sense of agency that individuals are seen as puppets only acting as society requires and the most sophisticated forms of functionalism are based on highly developed concept of actions. In conclusion, structural functionalism better explains achievement of social change in less developed countries like Zambia as compared to the Marxist and Neo-Marxist theories to social change, the Marxist and Neo-Marxist do not offer a valid explanation in the case of Zambia because they advocated for socialism as the ultimate solution towards betterment of society. Structural functionalism may hence be feasible as in the case of the Zambian situation. However, it does not apply to the present day situation because it was used to explain economic situations in most developed countries which can not apply in the case of the Zambian situation. I This essay is aimed at comparing and contrasting structural functionalism with the Marxist and the noe-marxist theories to social change, how they best describe social change in less developed countries; in this case Zambia. The paper is to also outline the relevance of the two approaches and come up with one that offers the best approach as in the case of Zambia. Social change refers to the structural transformation of political, social, cultural, and economic systems and institutions to create a more stable society. It can also be defined as change in social structure, the nature of the institutions, social behavior or the social relations of the society or community of people. When behavior pattern changes in large numbers and is isible and sustained, it results in social change. Once there is deviance from culturally inherited values, rebellion against the established system may result causing change in social order, any event or action that affects a group of individuals who have shared values of characteristics (Herman, Nancy J and Reynolds, Larry T: 1994). Structural functionalism is defined as a sociological theory that originally attempted to explain social institutions as collective means to me et individual biological needs ( Giddens, 2006). Structural functionalism to sociological analysis is basically an equilibrium theory. The system is said to be in equilibrium when its component parts are so compatible with each other, denying an outside disturbance, none of them will change its position or relation to others in any significant way. An equilibrium system is said to be stable when a slight change in external conditions creates internal variations whose own effects is equal and opposite to the initial disturbance, thereby moving the system back to its former position of rest. It is said to be unstable when the initial disturbance creates movement that feeds on its relationships, thereby displacing the system further from its original position of rest (Davies, K:1959). Structural functionalism can also be defined as a sociological paradigm which addresses social functions and various elements of the social system perform in regard to the entire system. Social structures are stressed and placed at the centre of analysis and social functions are deduced from these structures(ibid). Functionalist believe that one can compare society to a living organism, in that both society and a living organism are made up of interdependent working parts and systems that must function. Functionalists say that the different parts of society e. g family, education, religion, law and order, media etc. have to be seen in terms of contribution that they make to the functioning of the whole society. This organism analogy sees the different parts of society working together to form a social system in the same way that the different parts of an organism form a cohesive functioning entity. In relation to the case of Zambia, structural functionalism is relevant in understanding social change. It is relevant in that it provides general guidelines for behavior in terms of norms. These institutions of society such as family, religion, the economy, law and order, the educational and political systems are major aspects of social structure. A practical example of an institution that is relevant in Zambia is a family. According to Glencoe (1995;114), the family is the first social world a child encounters, and members are the mirror in which children begin to see themselves. It is the first group whose norms and values children adopt as their own and refer to in evaluating behavior. Historical analysis also demonstrates that across time, the family has provided many important functions for society. Functionalists believe that mass formal education is an essential part of an industrial society, and that expansion of industrial society, and that expansion of the industrial economies brings a corresponding expansion in the education system, they also see the introduction of mass education as a response to the increasing demand of the industry. Educational institutions such as colleges, Universities and schools in Zambia help in the development process of Zambian society. Glencoe (1995:118) adds that in modern society, school is a primary agent for weaning children from home and introducing them to the larger society. He further adds that educational institutions have rules and regulations to control those in there hence not only educating them but giving and teaching them rules that will help them live better lives in society. The mass media is one institution that is also very vital. The forms that reach large numbers of people in form of, Television, radio, and books are all important in that they contribute in being a watch dog, a channel of communication, an educative means and ways in which people express themselves (ibid). Another example of social change is technology influx in recent years such as email, cell phones and online social networks. Each part of the institutions mentioned and listed does something to serve a function or purpose in the Zambia social change. People who employ functionalism view society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. The theory of belongs to a board theories that are referred to as radical theories of development. The theories are further explained in terms of materialism which are dialectical and historical. By materialism Karl Marx meant that the economic structure of society was the foundation or basis on which the whole society is built (Andropove, V: 1983). In Marxist theories, the division of society into classes is determined by the position within the process of production. Economic development gives rise to these classes and assumes different relationships to the process of production. Marxism hence is the name given to the body of ideas, which in their totality provide a fully worked out theoretical basis for the struggle of the working class to attain a higher form of human society (ibid). Class consciousness consists of the appropriate and rational reactions imputed to a particular typical position in the process of production. This consciousness is therefore, neither the sum nor the average of what is thought or felt by the single individuals who make up the class. The historical significant actions of the class as a whole are determined in the last resort by this consciousness and not by the thoughts of the individual. These actions can be understood only by reference to this consciousness (Klaus, W:1989). Karl Marx and Engels state 5 stages in which a human society has to pass through in order for it to develop. These include primitive, feudalism, capitalism, socialism and communism. Primitive society is the first stage of development of human society and arises from the differentiation of man from the animal kingdom (Popkin, H. R: 1986). Feudalism is the second stage of social development according to Marxism. At this stage, the land lords and nobles comprised of dominant classes and the peasants or serfs that belonged to the exploited class. Capitalism is the third stage and it involves the private ownership of the means of production. In capitalism, there is an emergence of two classes, that is, the bourgeoisies as the owners of capital and the proletariat as the working class (Johari, J: 1989). Socialism is the fourth stage under Marxism. In socialism, the state has an important role to play on the part of resource allocation. The state is responsible to ensure that all members of society have equal and equitable access to resources. The last stage is Communism according to Marxism. A communist society is one having neither class nor state and all resources in society are equally and equitably distributed. A Communist state can be referred to as a workers paradise. The neo-Marxists on the other hand, after seeing the failure of working-class revolutions in Western Europe after World War I, chose the parts of Marxs thought that might clarify social conditions that were not present when Marx was alive. They filled in what they perceived to be omissions in Marxism with ideas from other schools of thought. Neo-Marxists view class divisions under capitalism as more important than gender/sex divisions or issues of race and ethnicity. Neo-Marxism encompasses a group of beliefs that have in common rejection of economic or class determinism nd a belief in at least the semiautonomy of the social sphere. From the above information provided, it can be deduced that despite Marxism, and Neo-Marxism and the Structural functionalism having different approaches to social change, they both place an emphasis on the importance of society in which all the members benefit and the how the society develops as it improves on the living conditions of its people. Both Ma rxism, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism emphasize that inequality should exist in order for social change to take place. In Marxism bourgeoisie pay the proletariat low wages for their labour. Structural functionalists state that wages must be given to workers in order for them to carry out their work of which in most cases tend to be low. They also emphasize on the need of the use of force in the process of social change. In the Marxist theory, serfs are treated like slaves in that they are forced to do hard work by the land lords despite low wages. Force is used to control the serfs. In structural functionalism, people who go against the norms, values and rules governing a society are to be punished by some administration of justice. In both Marxist, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism, members of society have roles to play in order for society to develop and progress. This means that individuals are significant not only in themselves but also in terms of their position in patterns of social relations. One of the differences between Marxist, Neo-Marxist and the Structural functionalism is that in Marxism, social change occurs revolutionary while as for structural functionalism, social change occurs evolutionary without conflicts. Marxism holds the belief that in order for social change to take place, conflicts should exist in order for society to progress. Unlike structural functionalism, Marxism emphasizes on formation of a society comprised of classes. The classes include the serfs and the land lords in feudalism, the proletariat and the bourgeoisies in capitalism. Structural functionalism emphasizes on different parts of society such institutions and organizations working together in order for society to survive while Marxism and Neo-Marxism states that members of society function for their survival and not necessarily for society, for example; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalism. Unlike Marxism, structural functionalism does not contain a sense of agency that individuals are seen as puppets only acting as society requires and the most sophisticated forms of functionalism are based on highly developed concept of actions. In conclusion, structural functionalism better explains achievement of social change in less developed countries like Zambia as compared to the Marxist and Neo-Marxist theories to social change, the Marxist and Neo-Marxist do not offer a valid explanation in the case of Zambia because they advocated for socialism as the ultimate solution towards betterment of society. Structural functionalism may hence be feasible as in the case of the Zambian situation. However, it does not apply to the present day situation because it was used to explain economic situations in most developed countries which can not apply in the case of the Zambian situation. I This essay is aimed at comparing and contrasting structural functionalism with the Marxist and the noe-marxist theories to social change, how they best describe social change in less developed countries; in this case Zambia. The paper is to also outline the relevance of the two approaches and come up with one that offers the best approach as in the case of Zambia. Social change refers to the structural transformation of political, social, cultural, and economic systems and institutions to create a more stable society. It can also be defined as change in social structure, the nature of the institutions, social behavior or the social relations of the society or community of people. When behavior pattern changes in large numbers and is visible and sustained, it results in social change. Once there is deviance from culturally inherited values, rebellion against the established system may result causing change in social order, any event or action that affects a group of individuals who have shared values of characteristics (Herman, Nancy J and Reynolds, Larry T: 1994). Structural functionalism is defined as a sociological theory that originally attempted to explain social institutions as collective means to meet individual biological needs ( Giddens, 2006). Structural functionalism to sociological analysis is basically an equilibrium theory. The system is said to be in equilibrium when its component parts are so compatible with each other, denying an outside disturbance, none of them will change its position or relation to others in any significant way. An equilibrium system is said to be stable when a slight change in external conditions creates internal variations whose own effects is equal and opposite to the initial disturbance, thereby moving the system back to its former position of rest. It is said to be unstable when the initial disturbance creates movement that feeds on its relationships, thereby displacing the system further from its original position of rest (Davies, K:1959). Structural functionalism can also be defined as a sociological paradigm which addresses social functions and various elements of the social system perform in regard to the entire system. Social structures are stressed and placed at the centre of analysis and social functions are deduced from these structures(ibid). Functionalist believe that one can compare society to a living organism, in that both society and a living organism are made up of interdependent working parts and systems that must function. Functionalists say that the different parts of society e. g family, education, religion, law and order, media etc. have to be seen in terms of contribution that they make to the functioning of the whole society. This organism analogy sees the different parts of society working together to form a social system in the same way that the different parts of an organism form a cohesive functioning entity. In relation to the case of Zambia, structural functionalism is relevant in understanding social change. It is relevant in that it provides general guidelines for behavior in terms of norms. These institutions of society such as family, religion, the economy, law and order, the educational and political systems are major aspects of social structure. A practical example of an institution that is relevant in Zambia is a family. According to Glencoe (1995;114), the family is the first social world a child encounters, and members are the mirror in which children begin to see themselves. It is the first group whose norms and values children adopt as their own and refer to in evaluating behavior. Historical analysis also demonstrates that across time, the family has provided many important functions for society. Functionalists believe that mass formal education is an essential part of an industrial society, and that expansion of industrial society, and that expansion of the industrial economies brings a corresponding expansion in the education system, they also see the introduction of mass education as a esponse to the increasing demand of the industry. Educational institutions such as colleges, Universities and schools in Zambia help in the development process of Zambian society. Glencoe (1995:118) adds that in modern society, school is a primary agent for weaning children from home and introducing them to the larger society. He further adds that educational institutions have rules and regulations to control those in there hence not only educating them but giving and teaching them rules that will help them live better lives in society. The mass media is one institution that is also very vital. The forms that reach large numbers of people in form of, Television, radio, and books are all important in that they contribute in being a watch dog, a channel of communication, an educative means and ways in which people express themselves (ibid). Another example of social change is technology influx in recent years such as email, cell phones and online social networks. Each part of the institutions mentioned and listed does something to serve a function or purpose in the Zambia social change. People who employ functionalism view society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. The theory of belongs to a board theories that are referred to as radical theories of development. The theories are further explained in terms of materialism which are dialectical and historical. By materialism Karl Marx meant that the economic structure of society was the foundation or basis on which the whole society is built (Andropove, V: 1983). In Marxist theories, the division of society into classes is determined by the position within the process of production. Economic development gives rise to these classes and assumes different relationships to the process of production. Marxism hence is the name given to the body of ideas, which in their totality provide a fully worked out theoretical basis for the struggle of the working class to attain a higher form of human society (ibid). Class consciousness consists of the appropriate and rational reactions imputed to a particular typical position in the process of production. This consciousness is therefore, neither the sum nor the average of what is thought or felt by the single individuals who make up the class. The historical significant actions of the class as a whole are determined in the last resort by this consciousness and not by the thoughts of the individual. These actions can be understood only by reference to this consciousness (Klaus, W:1989). Karl Marx and Engels state 5 stages in which a human society has to pass through in order for it to develop. These include primitive, feudalism, capitalism, socialism and communism. Primitive society is the first stage of development of human society and arises from the differentiation of man from the animal kingdom (Popkin, H. R: 1986). Feudalism is the second stage of social development according to Marxism. At this stage, the land lords and nobles comprised of dominant classes and the peasants or serfs that belonged to the exploited class. Capitalism is the third stage and it involves the private ownership of the means of production. In capitalism, there is an emergence of two classes, that is, the bourgeoisies as the owners of capital and the proletariat as the working class (Johari, J: 1989). Socialism is the fourth stage under Marxism. In socialism, the state has an important role to play on the part of resource allocation. The state is responsible to ensure that all members of society have equal and equitable access to resources. The last stage is Communism according to Marxism. A communist society is one having neither class nor state and all resources in society are equally and equitably distributed. A Communist state can be referred to as a workers paradise. The neo-Marxists on the other hand, after seeing the failure of working-class revolutions in Western Europe after World War I, chose the parts of Marxs thought that might clarify social conditions that were not present when Marx was alive. They filled in what they perceived to be omissions in Marxism with ideas from other schools of thought. Neo-Marxists view class divisions under capitalism as more important than gender/sex divisions or issues of race and ethnicity. Neo-Marxism encompasses a group of beliefs that have in common rejection of economic or class determinism and a belief in at least the semiautonomy of the social sphere. From the above information provided, it can be deduced that despite Marxism, and Neo-Marxism and the Structural functionalism having different approaches to social change, they both place an emphasis on the importance of society in which all the members benefit and the how the society develops as it improves on the living conditions of its people. Both Marxism, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism emphasize that inequality should exist in order for social change to take place. In Marxism bourgeoisie pay the proletariat low wages for their labour. Structural functionalists state that wages must be given to workers in order for them to carry out their work of which in most cases tend to be low. They also emphasize on the need of the use of force in the process of social change. In the Marxist theory, serfs are treated like slaves in that they are forced to do hard work by the land lords despite low wages. Force is used to control the serfs. In structural functionalism, people who go against the norms, values and rules governing a society are to be punished by some administration of justice. In both Marxist, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism, members of society have roles to play in order for society to develop and progress. This means that individuals are significant not only in themselves but also in terms of their position in patterns of social relations. One of the differences between Marxist, Neo-Marxist and the Structural functionalism is that in Marxism, social change occurs revolutionary while as for structural functionalism, social change occurs evolutionary without conflicts. Marxism holds the belief that in order for social change to take place, conflicts should exist in order for society to progress. Unlike structural functionalism, Marxism emphasizes on formation of a society comprised of classes. The classes include the serfs and the land lords in feudalism, the proletariat and the bourgeoisies in capitalism. Structural functionalism emphasizes on different parts of society such institutions and organizations working together in order for society to survive while Marxism and Neo-Marxism states that members of society function for their survival and not necessarily for society, for example; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalism. Unlike Marxism, structural functionalism does not contain a sense of agency that individuals are seen as puppets only acting as society requires and the most sophisticated forms of functionalism are based on highly developed concept of actions. In conclusion, structural functionalism better explains achievement of social change in less developed countries like Zambia as compared to the Marxist and Neo-Marxist theories to social change, the Marxist and Neo-Marxist do not offer a valid explanation in the case of Zambia because they advocated for socialism as the ultimate solution towards betterment of society. Structural functionalism may hence be feasible as in the case of the Zambian situation. However, it does not apply to the present day situation because it was used to explain economic situations in most developed countries which can not apply in the case of the Zambian situation. I BIBLIOGRAPHY Andropove, V. (1983) Karl Marx and Our Time, Progress Publishers, Moscow. Davies, K. (1959) The Myth of Functional Analysis as a Special Method in Sociology and Anthropology. American Social Review. Herman, Nancy J. and Reynolds, Larry T. 994. Symbolic Interaction: An Introduction to Social Psychology. Altamira Press Johari, J. (1989) Principles of Modern Political Science. New York Publishers, New York. Klaus, W. (1989) Beyond Political Independence. New York Publishers, New York. Popkin, H. R (1986) Philosophy Made Simple, Oxford Press, Oxford. This essay is aimed at comparing and contrasting structural functionalism with the Marxist and the noe-marxist theories to social change, how they be st describe social change in less developed countries; in this case Zambia. The paper is to also outline the relevance of the two approaches and come up with one that offers the best approach as in the case of Zambia. Social change refers to the structural transformation of political, social, cultural, and economic systems and institutions to create a more stable society. It can also be defined as change in social structure, the nature of the institutions, social behavior or the social relations of the society or community of people. When behavior pattern changes in large numbers and is visible and sustained, it results in social change. Once there is deviance from culturally inherited values, rebellion against the established system may result causing change in social order, any event or action that affects a group of individuals who have shared values of characteristics (Herman, Nancy J and Reynolds, Larry T: 1994). Structural functionalism is defined as a sociological theory that originally attempted to explain social institutions as collective means to meet individual biological needs ( Giddens, 2006). Structural functionalism to sociological analysis is basically an equilibrium theory. The system is said to be in equilibrium when its component parts are so compatible with each other, denying an outside disturbance, none of them will change its position or relation to others in any significant way. An equilibrium system is said to be stable when a slight change in external conditions creates internal variations whose own effects is equal and opposite to the initial disturbance, thereby moving the system back to its former position of rest. It is said to be unstable when the initial disturbance creates movement that feeds on its relationships, thereby displacing the system further from its original position of rest (Davies, K:1959). Structural functionalism can also be defined as a sociological paradigm which addresses social functions and various elements of the social system perform in regard to the entire system. Social structures are stressed and placed at the centre of analysis and social functions are deduced from these structures(ibid). Functionalist believe that one can compare society to a living organism, in that both society and a living organism are made up of interdependent working parts and systems that must function. Functionalists say that the different parts of society e. g family, education, religion, law and order, media etc. have to be seen in terms of contribution that they make to the functioning of the whole society. This organism analogy sees the different parts of society working together to form a social system in the same way that the different parts of an organism form a cohesive functioning entity. In relation to the case of Zambia, structural functionalism is relevant in understanding social change. It is relevant in that it provides general guidelines for behavior in terms of norms. These institutions of society such as family, religion, the economy, law and order, the educational and political systems are major aspects of social structure. A practical example of an institution that is relevant in Zambia is a family. According to Glencoe (1995;114), the family is the first social world a child encounters, and members are the mirror in which children begin to see themselves. It is the first group whose norms and values children adopt as their own and refer to in evaluating behavior. Historical analysis also demonstrates that across time, the family has provided many important functions for society. Functionalists believe that mass formal education is an essential part of an industrial society, and that expansion of industrial society, and that expansion of the industrial economies brings a corresponding expansion in the education system, they also see the introduction of mass education as a response to the increasing demand of the industry. Educational institutions such as colleges, Universities and schools in Zambia help in the development process of Zambian society. Glencoe (1995:118) adds that in modern society, school is a primary agent for weaning children from home and introducing them to the larger society. He further adds that educational institutions have rules and regulations to control those in there hence not only educating them but giving and teaching them rules that will help them live better lives in society. The mass media is one institution that is also very vital. The forms that reach large numbers of people in form of, Television, radio, and books are all important in that they contribute in being a watch dog, a channel of communication, an educative means and ways in which people express themselves (ibid). Another example of social change is technology influx in recent years such as email, cell phones and online social networks. Each part of the institutions mentioned and listed does something to serve a function or purpose in the Zambia social change. People who employ functionalism view society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. The theory of belongs to a board theories that are referred to as radical theories of development. The theories are further explained in terms of materialism which are dialectical and historical. By materialism Karl Marx meant that the economic structure of society was the foundation or basis on which the whole society is built (Andropove, V: 1983). In Marxist theories, the division of society into classes is determined by the position within the process of production. Economic development gives rise to these classes and assumes different relationships to the process of production. Marxism hence is the name given to the body of ideas, which in their totality provide a fully worked out theoretical basis for the struggle of the working class to attain a higher form of human society (ibid). Class consciousness consists of the appropriate and rational reactions imputed to a particular typical position in the process of production. This consciousness is therefore, neither the sum nor the average of what is thought or felt by the single individuals who make up the class. The historical significant actions of the class as a whole are determined in the last resort by this consciousness and not by the thoughts of the individual. These actions can be understood only by reference to this consciousness (Klaus, W:1989). Karl Marx and Engels state 5 stages in which a human society has to pass through in order for it to develop. These include primitive, feudalism, capitalism, socialism and communism. Primitive society is the first stage of development of human society and arises from the differentiation of man from the animal kingdom (Popkin, H. R: 1986). Feudalism is the second stage of social development according to Marxism. At this stage, the land lords and nobles comprised of dominant classes and the peasants or serfs that belonged to the exploited class. Capitalism is the third stage and it involves the private ownership of the means of production. In capitalism, there is an emergence of two classes, that is, the bourgeoisies as the owners of capital and the proletariat as the working class (Johari, J: 1989). Socialism is the fourth stage under Marxism. In socialism, the state has an important role to play on the part of resource allocation. The state is responsible to ensure that all members of society have equal and equitable access to resources. The last stage is Communism according to Marxism. A communist society is one having neither class nor state and all resources in society are equally and equitably distributed. A Communist state can be referred to as a workers paradise. The neo-Marxists on the other hand, after seeing the failure of working-class revolutions in Western Europe after World War I, chose the parts of Marxs thought that might clarify social conditions that were not present when Marx was alive. They filled in what they perceived to be omissions in Marxism with ideas from other schools of thought. Neo-Marxists view class divisions under capitalism as more important than gender/sex divisions or issues of race and ethnicity. Neo-Marxism encompasses a group of beliefs that have in common rejection of economic or class determinism and a belief in at least the semiautonomy of the social sphere. From the above information provided, it can be deduced that despite Marxism, and Neo-Marxism and the Structural functionalism having different approaches to ocial change, they both place an emphasis on the importance of society in which all the members benefit and the how the society develops as it improves on the living conditions of its people. Both Marxism, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism emphasize that inequality should exist in order for social change to take place. In Marxism bourgeoisie pay the proletariat low wages for their labour. Structural functionalists state that wages must be given to workers in order for them to carry out their work of which in most cases tend to be low. They also emphasize on the need of the use of force in the process of social change. In the Marxist theory, serfs are treated like slaves in that they are forced to do hard work by the land lords despite low wages. Force is used to control the serfs. In structural functionalism, people who go against the norms, values and rules governing a society are to be punished by some administration of justice. In both Marxist, and Neo-Marxist and Structural functionalism, members of society have roles to play in order for society to develop and progress. This means that individuals are significant not only in themselves but also in terms of their position in patterns of social relations. One of the differences between Marxist, Neo-Marxist and the Structural functionalism is that in Marxism, social change occurs revolutionary while as for structural functionalism, social change occurs evolutionary without conflicts. Marxism holds the belief that in order for social change to take place, conflicts should exist in order for society to progress. Unlike structural functionalism, Marxism emphasizes on formation of a society comprised of classes. The classes include the serfs and the land lords in feudalism, the proletariat and the bourgeoisies in capitalism. Structural functionalism emphasizes on different parts of society such institutions and organizations working together in order for society to survive while Marxism and Neo-Marxism states that members of society function for their survival and not necessarily for society, for example; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalism. Unlike Marxism, structural functionalism does not contain a sense of agency that individuals are seen as puppets only acting as society requires and the most sophisticated forms of functionalism are based on highly developed concept of actions. In conclusion, structural functionalism better explains chievement of social change in less developed countries like Zambia as compared to the Marxist and Neo-Marxist theories to social change, the Marxist and Neo-Marxist do not offer a valid explanation in the case of Zambia because they advocated for socialism as the ultimate solution towards betterment of society. Structural functionalism may hence be feasible as in the case of the Zambian situation. However, it does not apply to the present day situation because it was used to explain economic situations in most developed countries which can not apply in the case of the Zambian situation. I BIBLIOGRAPHY Andropove, V. (1983) Karl Marx and Our Time, Progress Publishers, Moscow. Davies, K. (1959) The Myth of Functional Analysis as a Special Method in Sociology and Anthropology. American Social Review. Herman, Nancy J. and Reynolds, Larry T. 1994. Symbolic Interaction: An Introduction to Social Psychology. Altamira Press Johari, J. (1989) Principles of Modern Political Science. New York Publishers, New York. Klaus, W. (1989) Beyond Political Independence. New York Publishers, New York. Popkin, H. R (1986) Philosophy Made Simple, Oxford Press, Oxford.

Ecomomic Forecast For 200 Essays - Inflation, Monetary Policy

Ecomomic Forecast For 200 Evaluating the bull market today, it is almost impossible to pick up a financial journal without seeing news on the bull market that some consider to be overvalued. Overvalued or fairly valued, only the future will show the truth. Either way, this market is one that has shown greater run ups and returns, than any other market in history. (Reference Appendix #1a) Recently the Dow Jones Industrial Average has reached historical highs and then receded back to previous levels, leaving investors who are used to consistent and record setting gains month after month, baffled. Both the Dow Jones and the S & P 500 indices have seen modest and even flat performances over the past three months. (Reference #1b) A recent article that was published on the front page of the Wall Street Journal emphasized that returns were flat due to the fact that investors were concerned of the possible on set of inflation. If these concerns are warranted and inflation is thus expected, the Bull market may very we ll be over. This after all makes sense, inflation has slowed and stopped many run-ups in the past, and the onset of inflation now could very well do the same. While the article introduced some possibilities, it said nothing of the likelihood, the causes of, the Fed.'s reactions to, and the probability of expected inflationary increases in the future. This paper is thus dedicated to expanding on these ideas by exploring the rationality of these concerns by examining the circumstances surrounding inflation. It is my speculation that the Bull market may eventually correct itself in the future, but not in the short term due to immediate inflation. That is, that the market was in fact flat due investors concerns, but actual imperative inflation does not look to be expected in the near future. In order to begin to understand the nature of market trends and forces, one must first consider the current state of the U.S. economy relative to its' business cycle. Certain aggregates can be measu red that tell us a great deal about this. These aggregates have a strong history of leading, coinciding, or lagging the relative business cycle with a high amount of regular correlation. Appendix 2a contains illustrations, which show graphically the trends of the leading, lagging, and coincident indicators over the past few years. These graphs are composites of each group, and upon examination it is clear that all the indicators are rising. In fact the composite index of leading indicators shows that they have not experienced a significant downturn since the early 1980's, and have been increasing rather sharply over the past 3 years. The fact that all of these indicators are currently rising indicate that the economy is in a period of robust growth, or an expansionary phase. The fruits of this expansion have proven to be many, however it is often said that too much of a good thing can be bad. In this regard there are factors associated with the degree and nature of this economy, whi ch could cause slowdown. For example, how is inflation measured, and to what degree should we be concerned with the effects and attributes of cost- push and demand- pull sources of inflation in this robust economy? According the Baye and Jansen, inflation can be measured by considering the growth of the money supply, the growth of M velocity, and the growth of real output. Algebraically this is represented by the equation: inflation = (gm + gv) - gy. This equation thus considers the monetary, supply-push, and demand-pull factors. When the rate of inflation is measured in this way one can see, that over the last few years inflation has been relatively stable about its' trend. This is in part, a result of the steady growth of GDP over the same period, and is testimony to the success of the Federal Reserve Board's monetary and fiscal policies. The rates of inflation over the last 10 years are graphically illustrated in Appendix 3A. Cost-push inflation incurs when the prices of inputs f or production increase and thus cause profit margins to diminish. If firms are unwilling or unable to accept the declination in operating income, they will pass

How To Be A Successful Blogger In 12 Steps From Popular Bloggers

How To Be A Successful Blogger In 12 Steps From Popular Bloggers What do they know that you don’t? Those top bloggers, with their armies of fans, making waves  across the Internet. What do they have that you don’t? Well, in this research article, you’re about to learn the top 12 secrets of eight of the world’s top bloggers so you can learn how to be a successful blogger, just like them How To Be A Successful Blogger In 12 Steps From Popular Bloggers What Makes Them A Top Blogger? This list isn’t an official Top 8 like you hear on the radio. Nobody, not even Google or Alexa, has  enough traffic information to create a real ranking. The bloggers on this list are the top bloggers in their niche, or incredibly up-and-coming bloggers, based on  detailed research (and lots of coffee drinking). But what they did have to do was meet a certain criteria that looks like this: These folks are frequently featured on top ten and/or top blogger lists for their niche. They didn’t buy an established blog; they grew it from nothing. They have a mailing list or social media following of 10,000 or more people. They're actively producing content. A Look Behind The Research We care about content here at . And how you can create better content:  This research aims to reflect that. I’ve used BuzzSumo’s content analysis tool, as well as my own research, to focus on the content these bloggers have  produced and how it’s made them a success. This covers, but isn’t limited to: Content length Their content (and if their readers are content with it) Visuals Social media All with the goal of showing you what they do and how you can do it, too. Each section breaks down a blog, their content, and what they’ve done to become successful- and how to be a successful blogger all by yourself. If you’re ready, let’s get into it, shall we? How To Be A Successful Blogger With 12 Lessons From The ProsJon Morrow: Publish  Consistent Content To Build An Audience Of Loyal Fans Jon's blog,  Boost Blog Traffic, is a powerhouse in the blogging niche. It covers all the tools and skills a blogger needs to become a success in the least amount of time possible. And, Jon is reportedly making $100,000 per month from this blog alone, which is testament to his abilities as a blogger. Let’s look at how he’s done it... #1. Consistency Is Key Jon has a strict posting schedule of only one post per week, maximum. And, more often than not, that post is released on a Thursday. While that isn’t concrete- the blog occasionally posts on other days- that’s when he achieves the most success. Which shows his audience knows when to expect content, and is flocking there as soon as it’s released. That consistency doesn’t just apply to when he posts his content. It’s also in how he writes his content. For example, the introductions to all of the blog's posts (even the guest ones) follow the exact same style. Take a look at this from one of their first ever posts back in 2012: And this one from December 2015: The process may have been refined, but it’s still the same. That’s over three years of consistency just in their introductions. Heck, even the same opening sentences show up from time to time! What That Means For You... Be consistent with your content. And, not just when you post it, but the style you write it in, too. Give your audience something to expect, and a style that feels like ‘home’ when they read it. The more familiar and consistent it is, the more likely they are to return. Recommended Reading: How To Publish More Consistent Content That Will Help You Grow A Successful Blog Chiara Ferragni: Blog Frequently And Focus Your Energy On One Social Network Chiara Ferragni, or The Blonde Salad, is a prolific fashion blogger. And, thankfully, you don’t need to know your Jimmy Choo’s from your Louboutins to understand how she became one. Admittedly, she was employed as a Guess model which gave her some platform to build from. But that doesn’t make what she’s done with this blog any less impressive. Because to consistently get over 2,000 shares per blog post means that your content has to be good. From my research, this comes down to two easy-to-replicate steps: #2. Maintain A Predictable Frequency Between Monday and Friday, she posts content of different lengths at least once a day. As Matt Cutts from Google notes says, publishing content frequently can help you build an audience who checks in often to catch the latest information from your blog. #3. Build One Clear Distribution Channel While it’s definitely beneficial to get yourself out there on every form of media, it can be  more effective to focus on fewer, or as is the case here, just one channel: Facebook. By focusing on building her Facebook presence, Chiara's  able to predict and manipulate a large source of her traffic. Plus it’s much easier to build a following on one channel than on multiple. Which is why her blog's Facebook page has over 1,192,000 likes and counting. Post valuable #content frequently to build a loyal audience. #bloggingWhat That Means For You... If it suits the style of your blog, post content more frequently to drive more traffic back to your site. It doesn’t have to be long; it just has to be valuable and informative. Narrow down your social media focus instead of trying to cover all of them. Build up an authority standing on Facebook or Twitter and then expand. Recommended Reading: How To Promote Your Blog With Social Media Matthew Woodward: Know Your Audience And Dream Bigger I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Matt on a number of projects. And, in the world of effective SEO, he’s one of the go to guys. From working alongside him, I know three things to be true: He spends a painstaking amount of time getting to know his audience. He is extremely particular about his content. He’s a ferocious networker. So let’s see how that impacts his blog, and how he’s turned it into a success. #4. Understanding Your Audience, And Engaging Them, Is Crucial... Matt’s content doesn’t really go viral. In fact, his social shares are some of the lowest here: But what he lacks in social shares, he makes up for in comments and engagements. Matt goes out of his way to talk to, and get to know, his audience on a different level. It’s not blogger to audience, it’s friend to friend. And that's why his posts regularly exceed 60 comments. He constantly surveys and asks his audience what they want, how they want it, and when they want it. There is no such thing as filler content either. He doesn’t have any fluff that just fills a posting schedule. He only provides long-form, actionable, or insightful content that his audience will benefit from. This level of control for him- and his readers- makes sure that there’s a consistent flow of traffic, and that Boost Blog Traffic style of brand-standard-ness throughout his content. #5. ...But Not As Important As Outreach. What has truly helped Matt get this blog to such heights is getting out there and networking with other people in the niche. You just need to look at his ‘As Seen On’ page to see just how hard he worked at that: And, all of that exposure has given his site thousands of backlinks from high quality, authority sites: Which helps him bring in over 30,000 sessions a month from Google and organic sources alone. What That Means For You... While social shares are important as a metric, they can sometimes cloud your measurement for success with vanity. And, it’s possible to have lots of success without ever going viral. Instead, take the time to get to know your audience- through surveys and emails and polls- to find out what they want and give it to them. While you’re finding out what your audience wants, be sure to reach out  and find opportunities to write for other blogs in your niche, too. Not only does this help for SEO, but it helps for your overall branding and drives traffic to your content from other authorities, too. Recommended Reading: 3 Hidden Google Analytics Reports To Help You Understand Your Audience 25 Lessons From Guest Blogging For The Top Blogs In The World Benny Lewis: Build A Personalized User Experience Benny Lewis is a language specialist from Ireland. His blog, Fluent In 3 Months, has rocketed him to Internet stardom in recent years. It’s led him to become a published author, and to even give a TEDx talk in Poland. Aside from speaking 11 different languages, he’s managed to build a mailing list of more than  150,000 people. While the BuzzSumo data on Fluent In 3 Months is a little fuzzy, a deeper look into the blog gives you simple insights into how he’s become so successful. #6. It Starts With Personalization... Benny’s blog is not about him. It’s not a way to boast about how many languages he speaks or about how good he is at teaching. Instead, it’s all about you and what you want to achieve. When you first come to his site, he asks you what language you want to learn, and provides a tailored email course for you right away: That means  he’s never sending junk content to his list. And, he’s getting all the benefits of email list segmentation, like the ones MailChimp found here: So not only is he providing consistent, valuable content to his readers directly to their inbox- he’s laser-targeting them and increasing his opens, and eventual social shares, by doing so, too. An average post gets 780 shares. That's quite an achievement. #7. ...And It Ends With User Experience. The rest of the site is built around what you want, too. Instead of wading through blog posts trying to find the one you want, Benny has set his site up to be: Tailored to you Easy to navigate And, because it’s an endless resource with instantly actionable content, that means you stay on the site much longer. It’s simple, but it’s effective. You need to give people a reason to stay on your site, because they’ll easily find a reason to leave. Does your #blog #UX  taylor to personalization? It can help you grow...What It Means For You... Where you can, personalize your experience. Segment your email list to fit different sections of your audience and their interests. Whether you’re a retailer, a blogger, or anything else in between, there are different reasons everyone visits your blog. So, do your research to find them. And, make sure your blog is easy to navigate. There is nothing worse than a blog site that’s clunky and hard to find your way around. If not for user experience, do it for SEO. Because the cleaner your site structure, the easier it is for Google to crawl it. John Romaniello:  People Crave  A Personal And Likable Brand John’s blog and site, Roman Fitness Systems, is personal branding perfection. He’s taken what could have been another drab, boring fitness site, and turned it into something spectacular. To give you a little feel of that, take a look at this excerpt from the About section on his blog: Love it or hate it, it’s unique and attention grabbing. And, he also does everything you’ve seen so far in this article, too: He focuses on one  social network:  Facebook. Remember that this is the social platform that he's found to work best for him. Play around with your social networks and test them. His site can be personalized to the fitness goals of the user: And, he consistently turns out long-form, valuable articles. #8. Use Your Blog To Build A Personal, Likable Brand But the real takeaway from John’s blogging success isn’t just in how well he does all these things. It’s the personal brand he’s built. Because people don’t just come for the knowledge bombs- they come for him. With a close look at the blog, you can see not all of the content is to do with health and fitness. Instead, he focuses on the attached subjects to it that he, and his readers, care about. Things like: Confidence Life skills Cooking Sex And, not only is this done in an informative way, it’s also done in a charming, funny, sometimes controversial way. Whether that’s through a Facebook post or the headlines he chooses for all the articles on his blog (even the guest posts). He always makes decisions, and chooses content, that builds his personal brand. By creating such a strong, audience splitting tone of voice, he rallies people towards him (or pushes them away from him). Which is exactly what makes his blog remarkable. Want to be a successful #blogger? Your audience craves personality.What It Means For You†¦ Building a personal brand- or a clear brand identity- is a must. It doesn’t have to be as quirky or controversial as John’s, but it needs to be a little more than the usual beige personality that brands go for. Pick a side or a stance on your niche and run with it. Hammer it into all of your content, from the small pieces on your site, through to your blog posts and social media updates. It’ll galvanize people around you and create an aura people want to associate with (or get the hell away from). Recommended Reading: How To Make Personal Branding Work For You How To Write Exciting Content Even If You’re In A Boring Industry Stuart Walker: Focus On Providing Value Rather Than Virality Stuart’s site, NicheHacks, has seen rapid success over the course of the last few years. In fact, in 2 years alone, he’s managed to build this site to generate more than  $80,000 a year. Now, as a disclaimer, I’m part of his writing team, so I’m a little bias to the charm of this blog. But the following he’s built over the last few years, and the critical acclaim the blog has started to receive, goes above and beyond any of the nice feelings I get in my belly when I think about it. For example, his Mastermind Group on Facebook alone has more than  10,000 members. So, how has he managed to build such a successful blog? #9. Give  Away More Than Just The Milk You’ve heard the saying, â€Å"Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?† before, right? Lots of bloggers and marketers believe this to be true. That you need to save your best, and most valuable content for your paid content, because it’s stupid to give away your knowledge for free. But, that’s not a belief he shares. The average length of content there is around 3,000 words (I used to write him a 5,000-word epic each month), and he covers any topic a niche marketer might ever need. Just look at this list of his most popular content. Any of these could easily become a downloadable product to sell to people: #10: Shooting For Virality Is A Waste Of Resources While this might not equate to a lot of social shares (his average is only 85 per post) what it does equate to is massive engagement, email subscriptions, and conversions into sales: Like Matthew Woodward, Stuart Walker doesn't focus his energy on creating tons of social shares for his content. Instead, he focuses on providing valuable information he knows his audience will seriously dig. What It Means For You... As odd as it sounds, give away your best content for free. Let people see that you can guide them to success and you have their best interests at heart. And, do it all as frequently and often as possible. By doing this, you build more trust, boost engagement and create a feeling of authority around yourself (or your brand). The more trust you have, the better your bottom line will be. Recommended Reading: 5 Things That Will Change Your Mind About Long Form Content Marketing Jeff Goins:  Authenticity Is An Audience Magnet Jeff’s blog is all about the art, craft, and lifestyle of being a writer. And, as you know as a writer yourself, good blogs about that are few and far between. Understanding how he’s built his blog doesn’t require a lot of stats and figures and fancy data breakdowns, either. Even though his stats are impressive- an average post gets 423 shares. What truly makes Jeff successful is how he approaches his content. Because all of it is aimed at empowering you- yes you, sitting there, right now- to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve. #11. Authentic, Transparent, And Personal... He grabs your attention with stories, both personal and of others, to maintain  your attention and keep you on the page: His stories are  insanely powerful because they give  authenticity to everything he does. That also  taps a deep psychological need of people. There’s a high level of transparency in what he does, too. He’s open and honest with his readers about everything, and even makes open commitments to his readers. And, he even goes out of his way to nurture relationships with people away from his blog, by communicating with followers, friends, and fans on their own Facebook feeds: So, where a lot of bloggers go for stardom and distance from their audience- like a performer on a stage or screen- Jeff aims to connect and become a friend with them and to get involved with them beyond his blog. What It Means For You... Break the fourth wall. Connect with your audience on a different, more personal level beyond the realm of your blog and its posts. But when you are writing your posts, aim to put yourself into your posts. Share stories and events and emotions that come from deep within you, or your brand, too. Gretchen Rubin: Create Content That Stands Out From The Noise If you don’t know Gretchen from her blog, you might know her from her book, The Happiness Project. A lot of blogs out there tackle to topics of happiness, habits, and personal development. But few of them do it as successfully and enthusiastically as Gretchen has over the last few years. She has frequency and consistency down to a T  by posting every day of the week. But what really makes her content special is the content of her content. She  treats herself as a case study all of the time†¦ #12. Breaking The Content Mould Where most blogs churn out content like, 5 Ways To Be Happier Today, and the yawn-inducing, 10 Habits Of Happy People, Gretchen grabs the topic by the scruff of the neck and creates content you can use. A few examples of her recent headlines are: Agree, Disagree? â€Å"Forming New Habits Can Actually Be Fun.† Always Late? 9 Tips for Overcoming Chronic Lateness. Do You Ever Get a Huge Pleasure Just From Looking at a Particular Object? What? She case studies herself, and others, to create actionable real world advice that’s proven. Not nice-to-knows or the occasional motivation booster. These posts work, and have been proven to work. And that’s why those articles get the most traction and shares. What she’s done, remarkably, is break the mould of her niche and create content of a different kind. As Seth Godin would term it, she’s created a ‘Purple Cow’ in her niche. What That Means For You... Look at your competitors and what they’re doing. Then, make it better. Improve on it. Break the mould and give them more than they’re getting elsewhere. It’s the only way to stand out in a more and more cluttered blogosphere. Recommended Reading:  How To Use The ‘Skyscraper Technique’ To Improve Your Content Marketing How To Be A Successful Blogger (In Short, So You Don’t Forget) That was a monster post, wasn’t it? I hope it was as enjoyable to read as it was for me to research and write. Let’s look at the key points of how to be a successful blogger one last time, so you don’t have to go through the whole post again: #1. Be Consistent: With your tone and with your schedule. When people know what to expect from your blog, they’ll be dying to come back every week. #2. Share Your Advice Frequently: Your audience will come back if they can expect new content often. Plan a blog posting schedule that shares great advice frequently to build a loyal following. #3. Focus On One Social Media Channel: Don’t spread yourself too thin, get a foothold on one channel, and then grow from there. #4. Engage Your Audience: Get to know them. Understand them. And, ask them what they want. It’s better to create a small army that loves you then try and please everyone. #5. Outreach: Get out there and network. Guest blog, comment and share. Make your name known by relevant people with similar audiences. Your next big hit may only be a conversation away. #6.  Personalize: Make the experience as tailored to your reader as you can. And, segment your mailing list accordingly. #7. Focus On User Experience: Make your blog easy to navigate and find information. Use blog categories and tags to group similar content. #8.  Create A Clear Brand Identity: Take a stance, find your tone and create something unique. Let people flock to you (or run away from you) based on how they feel about it. But always be unmistakably you. #9. Give Away As Much As Possible: Value will never die. And, you need to give it to your audience. The more you’re willing to share with them, the more they’ll trust you. #1o. Going Viral Really Doesn’t Matter: Most of the bloggers, from the biggest to the smallest, don’t have viral hits every time. Their average shares per post are always under 900. So don’t fret about it too much. As long as the number is going up over time, you’re okay. #11.  Be Authentic And Transparent: You’re not a movie star. You can connect with your audience on a more personal level. So, get beyond the computer screen and reach out to them and become a bigger part of their lives. #12. Break The Mould: Go above and beyond your competitors. Live and breath what you do and go to a level of depth that nobody else is willing to. It might be harder, but it’s definitely worth it. Now, where are you going to start? Let me know in the comments...

The history of the Muslim world in the period between the early 15th Research Paper

The history of the Muslim world in the period between the early 15th and early 20 centuries - Research Paper Example Islam is perceived to be among the oldest and the most widely followed religion of the world. Where on one hand, with the rise and expansion of new religions such as Judaism and Christianity, the Muslim world had to witness a fall in its political and social magnitude; on the other hand, benefited by the advent of successful trade relationships of Muslim community with the non-Islamic nations, the community was able to strengthen its foothold in global politics of the modern world. Some of the noteworthy events that can be remarked as best illustrations of the alterations witnessed by the Muslim world since the early 15th century till the early 20th century or the modern era include the rise of Mughals, Ottomans and Safavids, repeat clashes of the Muslim world with other religious communities as well as trade expansion of the Muslims in the global plethora. Historians have often argued that these events have led towards immense alterations in the religious beliefs as well as social s tructures of the Muslim world playing the key role in developing its advanced post-modern shape. However, these events, as argued by historians, imposed varying impacts on the Muslim world, some being strong enough to permanently change few aspects of this particular assemblage while the others having a short term influence Concerning these aforementioned aspects, this thesis will be focused on discussing about the various events which have been witnessed within the Muslim world during its experiences within the period from 15th century to 20th century. Correspondingly, the ultimate aim of the study will be to identify particular events and encounters which have been most influential in shaping the modern Muslim world. DISCUSSION The Muslim World during early 15th and 16th Centuries The most significant event which has often attracted intellectuals arguing on the historic transformations of the Muslim world during the 15th century was the fall of Constantinople after being conquered by the Ottoman Empire sultan Mehmed II. It was during this tenure of Muslim world history that Ottomans were emerging as the major Islamic dynasty to rule to Arab-Muslim nations. It was during the mid 15th century that Mehmed II acquired the throne of the Ottoman dynasty when the Muslim world was focused primarily on trade as well as political expansion, based on the notion of imperialism to gain superiority over other non-Muslim communities. In such circumstance, Constantinopolis (Kostantiniyye) was the most appropriate geographical area to expand trade and also to gain control on the activities of the neighboring continents, i.e. Asia and Europe. Both Asia and Europe, during this period was undergoing tremendous alterations being politically weak, but economically enriched with natural resources and flow of international commodities. Thus, conquering Constantinople was a golden opportunity for Mehmed II to expand the Ottoman Empire and almost effortlessly, obtain the benefits of an equipped trade relation between Constantinopolis and European as well as Asian dynasties. On the social forefront, the defeat of Constantinople further contributed towards the enrichment of the artistic patronage of the medieval Muslim world which is still considered to be enviable. Not only in terms of its artistic patronage, but also with respect to the political structure and policy concerns, the Muslim world

Answer the questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Answer the questions - Essay Example Developed countries have adequate education levels, political and economic independence, and freedom of speech. Some of the indicators of development are health, education, leadership, and standards of living. Health is a good measure of development in any country in which the availability of quality health care for all determines whether the country is developed or not. Developed countries have good health facilities for offering health services to all its citizens. Health facilities include well-equipped hospitals, health centres, and maternity facilities for expectant mothers. In developed countries, all citizens can access high-quality health services and acquire good nutrition to live a healthy life. In underdeveloped and developing countries, citizens have a challenge in accessing quality health care and good nutrition. There is a big gap between the rich and the poor in terms of the health facilities they attend. In some cases, the poor go for the traditional medicine while the rich attend good hospitals. The health care facilities are ill-equipped health facilities especially in rural areas. Education is another indicator of development measured by the number of citizens acquiring both the basic and advanced education in a country. Equitable education for all is a measure of development while the disparity in education portrays underdevelopment. In developed countries, quality education is a key priority for the government that receives a high funding. The transition in developed countries from one level of education to the next is high in which technology plays a very important role. In both developing and underdeveloped countries, there is a big disparity in education in which children of the rich attend good schools with all the learning facilities. Children from poor families attend poorly equipped schools