Free Essays on Samuel Beckett

Samuel Beckett was born on Good Friday, April 13, 1906, near Dublin, Ireland. Raised in a middle class, Protestant home, the son of a quantity surveyor and a nurse, he was sent off at the age of 14 to attend the same school which Oscar Wilde had attended. Looking back on his childhood, he once remarked, "I had little talent for happiness." Beckett was consistent in his loneliness. The unhappy boy soon grew into an unhappy young man, often so depressed that he stayed in bed until mid afternoon. He was difficult to engage in any lengthy conversationit took hours and lots of drinks to warm him upbut the women could not resist him. The lonely young poet, however, would not allow anyone to penetrate his solitude. He once remarked, after rejecting advances from James Joyce's daughter, that he was dead and had no feelings that were human. In 1928, Samuel Beckett moved to Paris, and the city quickly won his heart. Shortly after he arrived, a mutual friend introduced him to James Joyce, and Beckett quickly became an apostle of the older writer. At the age of 23, he wrote an essay in defense of Joyce's magnum opus against the public's lazy demand for easy comprehensibility. A year later, he won his first literary prize10 pounds for a poem entitled "Whoroscope" which dealt with the philosopher Descartes meditating on the subject of time and the transiency of life. After writing a study of Proust, however, Beckett came to the conclusion that habit and routine were the "cancer of time", so he gave up his post at Trinity College and set out on a nomadic journey across Europe. Beckett made his way through Ireland, France, England, and Germany, all the while writing poems and stories and doing odd jobs to get by. In the course of his journies, he no doubt came into contact with many tramps and wanderers, and these aquaintances would later translate into some of his finest characters. Whenever he happened to pass through Paris, he would c... Free Essays on Samuel Beckett Free Essays on Samuel Beckett Samuel Beckett was born on Good Friday, April 13, 1906, near Dublin, Ireland. Raised in a middle class, Protestant home, the son of a quantity surveyor and a nurse, he was sent off at the age of 14 to attend the same school which Oscar Wilde had attended. Looking back on his childhood, he once remarked, "I had little talent for happiness." Beckett was consistent in his loneliness. The unhappy boy soon grew into an unhappy young man, often so depressed that he stayed in bed until mid afternoon. He was difficult to engage in any lengthy conversationit took hours and lots of drinks to warm him upbut the women could not resist him. The lonely young poet, however, would not allow anyone to penetrate his solitude. He once remarked, after rejecting advances from James Joyce's daughter, that he was dead and had no feelings that were human. In 1928, Samuel Beckett moved to Paris, and the city quickly won his heart. Shortly after he arrived, a mutual friend introduced him to James Joyce, and Beckett quickly became an apostle of the older writer. At the age of 23, he wrote an essay in defense of Joyce's magnum opus against the public's lazy demand for easy comprehensibility. A year later, he won his first literary prize10 pounds for a poem entitled "Whoroscope" which dealt with the philosopher Descartes meditating on the subject of time and the transiency of life. After writing a study of Proust, however, Beckett came to the conclusion that habit and routine were the "cancer of time", so he gave up his post at Trinity College and set out on a nomadic journey across Europe. Beckett made his way through Ireland, France, England, and Germany, all the while writing poems and stories and doing odd jobs to get by. In the course of his journies, he no doubt came into contact with many tramps and wanderers, and these aquaintances would later translate into some of his finest characters. Whenever he happened to pass through Paris, he would c...

Listado países que piden visas a ciudadanos americanos

Listado paà ­ses que piden visas a ciudadanos americanos Los ciudadanos americanos se encuentran entre las personas del mundo que pueden viajar como turistas o por asuntos de negocios  a ms paà ­ses sin necesidad de visa. En la actualidad sà ³lo los superan en este privilegio los nacionales de Bà ©lgica, Dinamarca y Holanda. En este artà ­culo se informa sobre quà © paà ­ses piden visa a los ciudadanos americanos y cules requieren que se cumplan otro tipo de requisitos. Adems, se trata previamente de 4 asuntos muy importantes: dà ³nde obtener la  visa, casos de doble nacionalidad, sellos de entrada o salida de Israel y plazos. 3 posibles lugares donde obtener la visa En el listado que aparece ms abajo estn los paà ­ses que piden visa a los ciudadanos americanos que quieren viajar como turistas o para hacer negocios. Obviamente para otro tipo de actividades se requiere siempre visa, como por ejemplo trabajar o estudiar. Adems tener en cuenta que sà ³lo un pequeà ±o nà ºmero de paà ­ses pide que se solicite la visa en una embajada o consulado. La mayorà ­a permite que se obtenga a la llegada al paà ­s que se desea visitar o que se obtenga por internet.   Doble nacionalidad Estados Unidos permite la doble nacionalidad pero para ingresar y salir del paà ­s sà ³lo se puede utilizar el pasaporte americano, nunca el del otro paà ­s. Y esto es asà ­ en ms paà ­ses. Asà ­ que si se viaja entre Estados Unidos y el otro paà ­s del que se tiene la otra nacionalidad se va a tener que viajar con los dos pasaportes y en cada frontera utilizar el que corresponda. Se puede prohibir el ingreso y/o la salida si no se cumple con este requisito. Sellos de Israel Es muy problemtico o imposible ingresar a un paà ­s rabe si se tiene en el pasaporte el sello de ingreso o salida de Israel. Por esta razà ³n este es uno de los casos en los que Estados Unidos permite   que se solicite un segundo pasaporte vlido simultneamente. Plazos Cada paà ­s permite un nà ºmero de dà ­as o meses para los ingresos tanto con visa como sin visa. Es muy comà ºn 90 dà ­as o 6 meses, pero los hay quienes las aprueban por menos tiempo y eso hay que respetarlo. Adems, tener en cuenta matices como los espacios aduaneros como los paà ­ses Schengen. Los estadounidenses pueden ingresar por 90 dà ­as sin visa pero en el plazo de un aà ±o y se computan todos los paà ­ses Schengen. Es decir, en plazo de 12 meses no se puede estar sin visa 3 meses en Francia, 3 en Espaà ±a, 3 en Italia, etc. Los 26 miembros de Schengen son: Alemania, Austria, Bà ©lgica, Dinamarca, Eslovenia, Eslovaquia, Espaà ±a, Estonia, Finlandia, Francia, Grecia, Holanda, Hungrà ­a, Islandia, Italia, Letonia, Liechtenstein, Lituania, Luxemburgo, Malta, Noruega, Polonia, Portugal,  Repà ºblica Checa, Suecia y Suiza. Listado de paà ­ses que piden visas u otros requisitos a los ciudadanos americanos que viajan como turistas Estos son los paà ­ses que piden visa. Se incluyen naciones que en vez de visa demandan obtener antes de volar una autorizacià ³n electrà ³nica del viaje y tambià ©n caracterà ­sticas de las aduanas de determinados paà ­ses que deben ser tenidas en cuenta antes de viajar. Afganistn.  Llegar sin visa  puede llevar a la confiscacià ³n del pasaporte, a imposicià ³n de multas y a la deportacià ³n. Las à ºnicas excepciones son los estadounidenses nacidos en afganistn o los militares que llegan y salen del paà ­s en transporte militar.AngolaArabia Saudà ­. No hay visa de turista asà ­ que se tiene que obtener otra.ArgeliaAustralia.  No se precisa visado pero antes de viajar hay que aplicar por una Autorizacià ³n Electrà ³nica para viajar (ETA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Es similar a la ESTA que aplica Estados Unidos para ciertos paà ­ses en el Programa de Exencià ³n de Visas. El plazo de estancia que se otorga es de 90 dà ­as pero no se puede repetir dentro del tà ©rmino de 12 meses.AzerbaynBahraà ­n.Se puede solicitar una visa electrà ³nicamente en la pgina oficial del gobierno de Bahraà ­n o tramitar una al llegar a la aduana.BangladeshBielorusiaBenin.  Adems de visa es recomendable  la tarjeta WHO para probar que se ha recibi do la vacuna contra la fiebre amarilla.Birmania. eVisa por un mximo de 28 dà ­as. Butn. Sà ³lo se aprueba la visa de turista a aquellas personas que reservan un tour con una compaà ±Ãƒ ­a local.Bolivia.  Se puede solicitar en las embajadas y consulados del paà ­s andino o en sus fronteras o aeropuertos internacionales. En este à ºltimo caso hay que pagar una cuota de $160.Brasil.  La visa debe obtenerse en la embajada o en el consulado ms cercano. Al llegar a Brasil los viajeros deben completar una pequeà ±a planilla que es sellada y se le entrega al turista. Es muy importante no extraviarla ya que debe entregarse para poder salir del paà ­s. En caso de no poder entregarla ser necesario conseguir un OK de la Policà ­a Federal para poder abandonar Brasil y puede que haya que abonar una multa.Burkina Faso.  Llevar tambià ©n la tarjeta de la Organizacià ³n Mundial de la Salud (WHO, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) para probar que se tiene la vacuna para la fiebre amarilla.Burundi.Se precisa probar vacunacià ³n para la fiebre amarilla. Respecto a la necesi dad de visa, consultar antes de viajar ya que la normativa es cambiante. Cabo VerdeCamboya. Se puede obtener al llegar a una frontera o a travà ©s de la aerolà ­nea.Camerà ºn.  Visa y prueba de vacunas.ChadChina. Puede no ser necesaria la visa para viajes en trnsito por menos de 72 horas y a travà ©s de ciudades previamente designadas.Comoros. La visa se puede obtener a la llegada.Congo.  Adems del visado, llevar prueba de vacunacià ³n contra la fiebre amarilla. Tambià ©n es necesaria una carta de invitacià ³n y/o prueba escrita de reservacià ³n hotelera.Corea del NorteCosta de Marfil. Existe la posibilidad de obtener una eVisa.Cuba. Se necesita visa. Adems, antes de viajar enterarse en detalle de la limitaciones que existen para todos los ciudadanos y residentes permanentes de los Estados Unidos.  Djibouti.  Visa que se puede obtener a la llegada y prueba de vacunacià ³n frente a la fiebre amarilla.Egipto. Se puede obtener a la llegada. Adems los turistas que permanecen hasta un mximo de 15 dà ­as en los resorts la penà ­nsula de Sinaà ƒ ­ y llegan a travà ©s de ciertos aeropuertos pueden no necesitar el visado. Emiratos Arabes Unidos. A la llegada.  EritreaEtiopà ­a.   Se puede obtener a la llegada.Fiji. Se necesita sacar un permiso de visitante a la llegadaGabà ³n. eVisa y prueba de vacunacià ³n contra la fiebre amarilla.Gambia.Visado y vacunacià ³n para la fiebre amarilla.Ghana. Visa y cartilla de vacunacià ³n.Guinea. Visa y cartilla internacional de vacunacià ³n.Guinea Bissau. Se obtiene a la llegada.Guinea Ecuatorial.  Requiere que se presenten en la aduana o punto de entrada carta de invitacià ³n, vacunacià ³n, fotografà ­as, etc. Pero en la prctica no se suelen pedir.India. eVisaIndonesiaIrn. Aquà ­ ha habido un cambio en respuesta a la polà ­tica migratoria de Donald Trump e Irn en estos momentos permite viajar a los estadounidenses que tienen visa, pero no emite nuevas.IraqJordania. Se obtiene a la llegada.Kenia. eVisaKwait. eVisaLaos. A la llegadaLà ­bano. A la llegada, vlida por 1 mes.LiberiaLibia. Pasaportes con sello de entrada o salida de Israel no son permiti dos.Mali. Visa y certificado internacional de vacunas. Madagascar. A la llegada.Malawi. A la llegada.Maldivas. A la llegadaMauritania. A la llegadaMà ©xico.  Aunque no se necesita visa hay que tener presente que si se entra al paà ­s vecino por tierra y uno se adentra ms de 20 kilà ³metros o por ms de 72 horas debe tener documentos inmigratorios vlidos (Forma  Migratoria Mà ºltiple). Si se llega por mar o aire, adems del pasaporte se puede utilizar la tarjeta de pasaporte o una licencia de manejar segura (enhanced).MozambiqueNauruNepal. A la llegadaNà ­ger. Adems de la visa se requiere el certificado internacional de vacunacionesNigeria. Se puede obtener onlineOmn. A la llegadaPapà ºa Nueva Guinea. A la llegadaPakistnParaguay. Si se llega por aire al aeropuerto Silvio Pettirossi se puede pedir allà ­. En caso contrario hay que solicitarla en persona en un consulado o embajada paraguayo.Qatar. A la llegadaRepà ºblica CentroafricanaRusia.  A tener en cuenta es que ninguna persona podr salir de este paà ­s con una visa expira da. Tendr que solicitar una nueva, lo cual puede demorarse hasta tres semanas. No se necesita visado si se forma parte de un tour en un crucero y la estancia no es superior a 72 horas. Ruanda.  A la llegadaSamoa. Permiso de entrada que se obtiene a la llegada.Santo Tomà © y Prà ­ncipeSeychelles. Permiso de visitante que se obtiene a la llegada.Sierra LeonaSiriaSomalia. Se obtiene a la llegadaSri Lanka.  Se requiere o bien visa o bien una Autorizacià ³n Electrà ³nica de Viaje.SudnSudn del SurSurinam.  Se puede adquirir una Tarjeta de Turista en cualquier punto de entrada al paà ­s.Tajikistn. Se obtiene a la llegada.Tanzania. Se obtiene a la llegadaTimor. Se obtiene a la llegadaTogo. Se obtiene a la llegadaTurquà ­a. eVisaTurkmenistn.  Tuvalu.Uganda.En estos momentos se puede obtener a la llegada.  Consultar con la Embajada ugandesa ya que su polà ­tica cambia frecuentemente.Uzbekquistn.Venezuela. Estos son los requisitos para solicitar la visa.Vietnam.YemenZambia. A la llegadaZimbabwe. A la llegada A tener en cuenta Para regresar a los Estados Unidos, estos son los documentos que pueden utilizar los ciudadanos americanos.   A la hora de salir con nià ±os es muy importante evitar situaciones que pueden dar lugar a que se cataloguen como secuestro internacional, que puede pasar en casos de divorcios o separaciones nada amistosas. En todo caso, se necesita autorizacià ³n de ambos padres para sacar pasaporte para menores. A la hora de viajar puede resultar conveniente registrarse en el programa STEP, para que la embajada del paà ­s de destino envà ­e informacià ³n sobre la situacià ³n y pueda establecer comunicacià ³n en casos de emergencia. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

International Relations for Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping Essay

International Relations for Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping - Essay Example Actually, Mao Zedong through his Communist Party of China collaborated even with the capitalist states like the United States of America, Japan and many European countries. Mao Zedong had a great quest for dominance over the perceived neighbors and trade partners like Russia and Germany. As demonstrated by Wang (27), this made him appear resistant to the external forces advising him how to manage the government to find a throughway towards better economic development. In fact, Mao Zedong did ignore otherwise good advice from Stalin who wanted China to become a fully communist state. Mao also appeared to cheer over the death of Stalin hoping that he would become the next powerful leader to control the allied group. This however did not materialize when Khrushchev ascended to power to continue the initial state of power held by Stalin. Mao’s continued opposition against the ideologies of his fellow leaders in the Communist world including Khrushchev soured to the extent of causing withdrawal of China dismissal from the Communist Movement. Mao continually resisted moves and policies adopted by Khrushchev towards defending their members. One such op position occurred when Khrushchev backed down to Cuban missile milieu. Deng appears as one of the Chinese leaders who took the revolution vehicle to the right direction. After the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, and his rise to power, Deng repaired their tutored relationship with the international community by denouncing communism and adopting socialism form of rule. Deng went ahead to reconcile with Soviet Union and all countries that surrounded China having he pains of the peasant citizens at hand (Deng 23). In fact, Deng is one lead who contributed to the economic classification of countries as first class, second and third. In the classification, Deng admitted that Soviet Union and United States were in the first class. Deng also

Analyze the Conventional Wisdom Regarding the Iliegal Immigration Essay

Analyze the Conventional Wisdom Regarding the Iliegal Immigration Debate - Essay Example Besides, the arguments on illegal immigration deeply influence the development of conventional wisdom on the same subject. Thesis statement: The conventional wisdom regarding the illegal immigration debate in America is deeply influenced by the arguments in favor of and against illegal immigration and the related problems. Arguments in favor of illegal immigration The scope of the policy of amnesty and illegal immigration As pointed out, the arguments in favor of illegal immigration deeply influenced the conventional wisdom regarding the illegal immigration debate. To be specific, the people of America are aware of the fact that their lineage is rooted in immigration from European nations, African continent and some parts of the Asian continent. One can see that the native population of the American continent consists of the American Indians. Almost all the other racial groups in America are related to immigrant population. Therefore, those who are in favor of illegal immigration arg ue that illegal immigration must not be considered as illegal because economic disparity is the main reason behind it. Steiner opined that â€Å"More likely, illegal immigration rose because the United States economy demanded it, and illegal immigration would have risen even if amnesties had not been granted† (41). Those who try to immigrate to America are not aware of the problem of illegal immigration. ... They believe implementation of laws and regulations related to illegal immigration can reduce the problem in future, and the current laws cannot solve the problems faced by the illegal immigrant in America. In addition, those who are not in favor of illegal immigration argue that the illegal immigration must be considered as an international problem, not as a regional or national problem. Humanitarian consideration/ human rights and illegal immigration Those who are in favor of illegal immigration argue that deportation or similar actions against the so-called illegal immigrants are a violation of human rights. The liberal humanitarians including the working class in America consider that the government must take apt measures to reduce the problems faced by the illegal immigrant population in America. Hill stated that â€Å"It is little wonder that these kaleidoscopic overlaps and divergences lead some to argue that the real divide in the immigration debate is between educated and d efenders of the U.S. poor and working class† (196). Besides, those who are in favor of illegal immigration argue that illegal immigrants face marginalization in the American society. They argue that governments must try to amalgamate the illegal immigrants into the core of the mainstream society. At the same time, the strict implementation of laws related to illegal immigration/human trafficking can reduce the scope of problems related to illegal immigration. Arguments against illegal immigration Barbed-wire fences and border security As pointed out, the conventional wisdom regarding the illegal immigration debate is influenced by anti-illegal immigration arguments. The history of

The Incorporation of Immigrants in Growing Urban Areas ( Annotated Bibliography

The Incorporation of Immigrants in Growing Urban Areas ( AAAG Style) - Annotated Bibliography Example By conducting a survey in three Chinese cities (Lanzhou, Taiyuan, and Tianjin), the authors uncover the relationships that exist between migrant workers and the three factors/players. The authors conclude that by providing equal access to urban housing benefits, migrant workers in Chinese cities may not necessarily have their housing conditions get better. This journal article is authored by Wang, Wang, and Jiansheng three scholars affiliated with the Heriot-Watt University in the United Kingdom. In their study, the three authors investigate the housing situation in Shenzhen City with a view of uncovering the facts that have led to Chinese cities’ having no slums. In their study Wang, Wang, and Jiansheng reveal how Shenzhen city is coping with the housing problem. While the city has no slums around it, it hosts urban villages which are characterised by small apartments and small shared rooms. These apartments and rooms on their part are characterised by overcrowding and poverty. The authors also reveal that private landlords and urban villages contribute significantly toward housing migrant workers in Chinese cities. This journal article is authored by Tao, Wong, and Hui, scholars affiliated with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In their study, the three scholars sought to establish the extent to which migrant workers living in the city of Shenzhen, China are satisfied with their housing conditions and situations. The study reveals that while many of the people in China have to contend with overcrowded houses and poor conditions, they are not as dissatisfied as one would logically expect. Some of the main factors that are behind this trend among migrants living in the country include friendship, kinship, family life and mobility. Other factors that play a role in the satisfaction of the migrants with the housing situation in china relate to the facilities and

The Thomson Corporation Essay Example for Free

The Thomson Corporation Essay The Thomson Corporation and its subsidiaries, with headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, and operations in 37 countries, provide information services to business and professional customers worldwide. The family-owned organization operates through five segments: Thomson Legal, Thomson Tax and Accounting, Thomson Financial, Thomson Scientific, and Thomson Healthcare. The company began its roots with Roy Thomson who in 1934 acquired a newspaper in Canada, The Timmins Press. The company started out as a publication company but eventually branched out to become an information and knowledge based conglomerate. â€Å"Thomsons formula was so simple others soon mimicked it: Carve a lot out of a little. He scooped up small-town dailies and dished out the least costly product he could sell.† (Prochnau)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thomson’s vision is to â€Å"be the leading global provider of integrated information-based solutions to business and professional customers.† The company plans to achieve this by â€Å"delivering superior shareholder value by empowering people to provide indispensable information, insight, productivity tools and services that help the company’s customers succeed.† Commitment to the people is the Thomson Corporation’s core value that directs and sustains the company’s operational strategies and objectives. â€Å"In 2006 the Thomson Corporation successfully executed on its strategic and operational priorities, and delivered strong financial results. Thomson has never been in a stronger position – strategically, operationally and financially† with $6.6 billion in revenues from continuing operations, up 8% from the results of the previous year. Moreover, the company gave back nearly $1 billion to shareholders through dividends and the stock buyback program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In May of this year, the organization gained more ground in an unprecedented takeover of news and data giant, Reuters for 8.7 billion pounds ($17.2 billion). Thus, making the combined Thomson-Reuters’ market value to exponentially increase to $35 billion. â€Å"Thomson Financial and Reuters financial and media businesses will be merged and renamed Reuters, and will be run by American Devin Wenig, who is currently Reuters chief operating officer.† After this acquisition, the Thomson family will still own 53% of the combined businesses. The Corporations common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC). Works Cited Prochnau, William. â€Å"In Lord Thomson’s Realm.† American Journalism Review October 1998: 44+. Rogers, Gareth. â€Å"Lord Who Ran Newspaper Empire in City.† South Wales Echo 20 June 2006: 22. The Thomson Corporation Annual Report 2006.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Thomson Clinches [Pounds Sterling]8.7bn Reuters Buy.† Evening Standard [London] 15 May 2007: NA. Thomson Corporation. 2007. 23 October 2007 http://www.thomson.com/about/ Thomson Corporation (TOC). Yahoo Finance. 23 October 2007 http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=TOC

The Debate Regarding The Hijab Theology Religion Essay

The Debate Regarding The Hijab Theology Religion Essay Literature on this topic is abundant as research has been conducted globally on the topic of the hijab as to the reasons why women should and should not wear the hijab. The research conducted was made possible through the use of surveys, interviews, questionnaires and observations. Katherine Bullock in particular, a Canadian community activist, author and lecturer did extensive research on the topic of the hijab and published her findings in the form of a book called Rethinking Muslim Women and the Veil which challenges Historical and Modern Stereotypes.  She has also published articles on Muslim women and the media, and Islam and political theory. Purposes of the research The objectives of the study are to examine if the dominant negative Western perception affects the reasons why the Muslim community is divided on the subject of hijab. This research addresses the concern for a dialogue that could inform westernised societies about the personal reasons why some female Muslim students wear hijab and why others do not. I want my research to be meaningful, relevant to local communities and to open my mind and that of others by being taught through research and personal interviews about the subject. Scope and limitations This study was conducted in a very short period of time with a very small sample group as the pool of participants was limited to the Muslim students at TSiBA Education. The data set is meaningful, but not representative of the vast range of Muslims in different contexts. It will however show a diversity of views within a common theology and faith. A more sizable sample within the target group would have provided a larger and more conclusive amount of data. This can have a bias that favours the educated and the youth of Cape Town. Another limitation of my study, was that all of the participants belonged to one ethnic group being from the race regarded in South Africa as Coloured. This was due to the fact TSiBA Education is a relatively small university whose Muslim female population is a fraction of the total students of which there were no Muslim women from a different race or culture. The research conducted could have benefitted from a more diverse pool of applicants. Plan of development This research report was compiled in the following manner. Firstly I provide my literature review which I put together for the purpose of exploring what has previously been written on the topic so that you and I may learn from it and be aware of it as we go about this research. Secondly I made a survey form of 3 pages long that contained relevant questions which I derived from the process of compiling the literature review. Thirdly, At random I selected 10 Muslim women studying at TSiBA to be my participants and followed through by conducting my survey about each one of them. Lastly, I analyzed the data obtained from the surveys and make this information available to you while also comparing my research findings to the findings derived from my literature review. METHODOLOGY Literature review The first piece of work I did was conducting research on the topic of the hijab in order to compile a literature review. My literature review took a significant amount of time in relation to how long the actual research demanded. Information was abundant regarding the topic of hijab, modernization, the dominant Western perception and the medias role in the portrayal of Muslim women that I found it particularly challenging to sift out important points from the all information available. My literature review saw two sessions of editing with my Communications lecturer who helped me construct and organized the important information once I identified it. Participation The target group for the research was initially 20 South African Muslim women between the ages of 18 and 40. This age group was the target of this study because they were the current generation of TSiBA students and were experiencing modern South Africa in a time when it seemed there was an ever increasing influx of Western culture after Apartheid. The age group is also likely to include married women who might be inclined to think differently about the hijab as their marriage might have changed the way each looks at the hijab. The participants of my research were all female as I had hoped, but unfortunately all of them belonged to one ethnic group being from the race regarded in South Africa as Coloured. There were 2 married women, and 8 unmarried women. 5 of them wore hijab and 5 of them were women who choose not to. Method of data collection One method of obtaining data was employed. The research draws on qualitative data from comprehensive surveys conducted on 10 Muslim students regarding hijab. The survey was constructed in a manner that it took students approximately 5 minutes to complete. After many different drafts of the survey I went to the Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) Education to distribute the final version. My survey included the opinions of both young women who wear the hijab and those that do not. I did not ask for names in any section of the survey to ensure the anonymity of all my human subjects. In the end I collected 10 surveys in total which was a smaller sample group than I had initially hoped. After gathering the surveys, I analyzed the results manually. LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction The debate regarding the wearing of religious garb in public, specifically coverings worn by Muslim women has increased over the past few years resulting in a lot of controversy among those who agree with the practice and those who do not (iqraonline.net). Hijab is seen all over the world, especially in places with a high concentration of practicing Muslims. The hijab has resulted in severe media disputes and now denotes the difference of cultures. The French, along with the west expected that the hijab would pass away into history as westernization and secularization took root. However, in the Muslim world, especially among the younger generation, a great wave of returning to hijab was spreading through various countries. This current resurgence is an expression of Islamic revival (Nakata, 1994). The Topic of Hijab External to South Africa The views of feminists The Western media and feminists often portray the  hijab  as a symbol of oppression and slavery of women (www.al-islam.org). A theory of Orientalism has been in existence since 1978 which argues that the Muslim population is deemed backward, uncivilized beings who are outcasts in Western society (Said, 1978). Many feminists, both Western and Islamic argue that the hijab is a symbol of gender oppression and that the Islamic veiling of women is an oppressive practice. Fadel Amara, an Islamic feminist and Muslim female member of French government describes the burqa as a prison and a straightjacket which is not religious but is the symbol of a tyrannical political project for sexual inequality (King, 299.). Feminists argue that public presence and visibility is important to Western women. This overlaps sexism and racism as well as there are two arguments made by feminists who are divided on the topic of the hijab. a) The argument of oppression One argument is for hijab to be banned in public as they encourage the harassment of women who are unveiled and because public presence and visibility represents their struggle for economic independence, sexual agency and political participation. In the Western culture, celebrities are regarded as trend-setters defining what is acceptable. The hijab is therefore also seen as a problem because it poses challenge to the view of unconventional visibility and freedom of self-expression. (www.theage.com). Although it is true that many women do choose to wear the hijab, it is not the case for all women. In many Middle Eastern and North African countries women are forced, persecuted and abused for noncompliance with the hijab. This was demonstrated in Pakistan where an extremist killed a womens activist and government minister because she refused to wear the hijab. King states, From Afghanistan to Algeria to Sudan, Pakistan and Iran- women are systematically brutalized and caught in a deadl y crossfire between the secular and fundamentalist forces. Some Islamic feminists argue that although the statement in the Quran about women covering themselves was not meant to oppress women, the interpretation of those verses by Islamic societies does in fact oppress women. Although it can be argued that the hijab is a symbol of the oppression that occurs against women in Islam, many Islamic women dont agree. It is true that under some Islamist rule, specifically in some North African countries, Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia women are oppressed and forced to wear the hijab, but in an international context, this is the exception to the rule regarding womens practices of wearing the veil. Salma Yaqoob, a Muslim woman who chooses to wear the hijab explains the veil is not only an oppressing force in Islamic countries that require the veil, but also in Western countries that ban the veil. Yaqoob adamantly contends that by infringing laws that restricts womens choice on whether or not to wear the veil, they are also being oppressed. I am opposed to the Saudi and Iranian governments imposition of the veil and that of the Taliban previously. But this is also why I oppose the ban on wearing the hijab. In both cases the woman herself is no longer free to make a choice. In both cases her dignity is violated.. Yaqoob explains that more women are currently banned from wearing the hijab, than are required to wear it. b) The argument of liberation It can be argued that rather than oppressing, the hijab is liberating. The second argument made by feminists supports the argument of fundamentalist Islamic leaders who argue that Muslim women have the right to choose to wear or not to wear a hijab as it is part of a Muslim womans duty to wear a hijab. These feminists demand that the French ban be withdrawn because they believe the oppressing force behind the veil is when authority figures, both Islamic and Western, take away a womans right to choose. They defend the veil as a mark of agency, cultural membership, and defiance. Tayyab Bashart, a feminist scholar and Muslim who teaches in France explains her beliefs A woman in hijab, who is a functioning member of society, symbolizes an empowered, independent woman, rather than someone who lacks self-determination and is a puppet of society (Basharat, 2006). The veil itself is just a piece of cloth. Human beings interpret the hijab according to social and religious constructions. Throu gh the Western discussion and banning of the hijab in public schools, the Muslim school girls of France lose their freedom to express their spirituality. The desired effect of the 2004 law is to fight gender oppression and inequality in the public school system, but as a residual effect, it actually diminishes womens freedoms rather than enhancing them. The law on the headscarf supports the oppressing Western discourses about veiled women and attempts to Westernize French Muslim schoolgirls. Western Governments In Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and Iran, the full covering, more commonly known as the burqa, has been made compulsory upon female citizens. In contrast to this, the unwillingness to understand the religion and culture of Muslims has resulted in traditional clothing such as the burqa and the hijab being banned with the hope of Westernised societies achieving secularism in Islamic countries. Katherine Bullock shines light on the differences in judgment over hijab by having identified themes from her research on women and the religion of Islam. She divides these themes into the descriptions of those who are for and those who are against the hijab. According to Bullock, critics of the veil rely on secular liberal assumptions about society and human nature and therefore the veil is supposed to be and described as a symbol of oppression because it: Covers up (hides), in the sense of smothering, femininity Is apparently linked to the essentialized male and female difference (which is taken to mean that by nature, male is superior, female is inferior); Is linked to a particular view of womans place (subjugated in the home); Is linked to an oppressive (patriarchal) notion of morality and female purity (because of Islams Emphasis on chastity, marriage, and condemnation of pre- and extra-marital sexual relations); Can be imposed; and Is linked to a package of oppressions women in Islam face, such as seclusion, polygamy, easy male divorce, unequal inheritance rights. Western countries has developed this view and disregarded other views of what public visibility may be to different women with differing beliefs. (www.theage.com). An example of this is that France has decided upon the banning of the hijab to be worn in schools. Frances 2004 law, popularly refered to as the law on the headscarf, reveals the difficulty of respecting conflicting ideas between diverse communities, especially when one community, in this case the Muslims of France, is a minority. According to this law, female students are banned from wearing the hijab as well as all other openly religious symbols in public schools. France bans women from wearing the hijab in public schools because many feminists and lawmakers argue that veiling women serves as an oppressing force, a force that silences women. Alia Al- Saji states in her article The Racialization of Muslim Veils: A Philosophical Analysis many feminists see the headscarf As a symbol of Islamic gender oppression that à ¢Ã¢â €š ¬Ã‚ ¦should be banned from public schools, a space where gender equality is presumed (or desired). Supporters of the law believe it fights gender oppression and gives equality to women in the school system. Media attitudes in reporting Islam and hijab While the media cannot be the only party held accountable or blamed for societal attitudes towards smaller cultures and religions, theses media moguls create the lens through which reality is perceived (Bullock Jafri, 2000). Western media sees itself as a democratic powerhouse and therefore is frequently answerable for legitimising and distributing racism and bias against religious communities such as Muslims (Bullock Jafri, 2000). The media in Westernised socities portrays Muslims as tricky, sleazy, sexual and untrustworthy, as uniformly violent, as oppressors of women, and as members of a global conspiracy (Bullock Jafri, 2000). For example, in 1998 a shift was noted regarding the European medias depiction of women who wear the hijab. Veiled women were no longer portrayed as exotic but instead as a threat to society (Macmaster Lewis, 1998,). This highlights the contrasting representations of Muslim women as concurrently being oppressed and threatening. In 2005 Begum argues that these images of Islamic dress were increasingly used in the media as visual shorthand for treacherous extremism, and that Muslims living in Europe were suffering from the consequences of these associations (Begum, 2005). The increase of these media portrayals and political deliberation has segregated the Muslim community and had a further disruptive effect on society and feminism at large. (Begum, 2005) Since then, the media in France reported on a women who was suspended for wearing a hijab under her hat while working as a meter reader, a fashion show of veiled women that was banned, the hindrance of hijab-wearing mothers from volunteering in schools, the refusal of cafeteria service to a student wearing a hijab and the banning of a witness to a civil service wedding from signing the documentation based on the argument that hijab prevented her from proper identification. Many authors on this topic dispute that because of the medias cultural fascination with Muslim womens dress as symbols of oppression, Muslim women often have to resort to focusing on that facet of their identity as well, even if they would rather discuss something else. These authors state that even cases of responsible journalism have a propensity to devalue Muslim women. This is because Muslim women are primarily depicted as exotic, victimised, or threatening outcasts rather than your ordinary peaceful next door neighbours. (www.reportingdiversity.org.) It is evident that the hijab remains a hot topic in Western countries and that the wellbeing and identities of Muslim women in Westernised societies are related to the wearing of the headscarf as a consequence. The Topic of The Hijab Within the Muslim Community The opinions of Muslim women vary in their decision about whether or not to wear the hijab. The hijab, according to many Muslims, has multiple uses and meanings. The hijabs symbolism is one of modesty and morality. According to Islam, the hijab functions as a shield for a woman against the lustful gaze of men. The hijab also serves as a cover to preserve the modesty and piety of the woman, as that is her main role as stated in the Quran. The most basic debate over the hijab is over the requirement of the hijab. This is an issue that is debated by many Muslim scholars. First in order to understand why there is an issue it is important to understand the power of the Quran. The Quran is the word of God brought to humanity by his last messenger the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). Islam is the religion of total submission to Allah (God the Father) and obedience to Allah. As the Quran is Gods word then it also means total submission and obedience to Quran. The first issue with the requirement of the hijab comes from whether the hijab is in the Quran or not. There are two sides to this argument; there are those who say that the hijab is a requirement because it is in the Quran and those who say that it is not because it is not part of the Quran Reasons why Muslim Women wear the hijab The laws of the Quran Amr Khaleds, a popular Islamic scholar, layman, and highly influential Muslim speaker, represents the school of thought that considers the hijab to be directly in the Quran and thus a requirement for Muslim women. He quotes these Quranic verses that make the hijab obligatory to Muslim women. O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies. That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And ALLAH is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surah 33: verse 59). In this verse women are told to cover their bodies so that they should be known as modest women and are not harassed. According to Amr Khalads lecture Al-Hijab, the hijab also serves the purpose of forcing men to not sexually objectify women but to see her as a vessel of intelligence and high moral values. Khalad says that the hijab reinforces the fact that Islam has placed the beauty of a female on a higher value in the eyes of men by providing protection of her beauty from uncontrolled lusts and desires, and instead ordering men to respect greater the inner beauty of her soul. Thus, the real value of women is associated with the degree of her modesty and her abidance by it (Khaled Al-Hijab). Yaqoob states her personal reasons why she wears the veil, For me, the wearing of the hijab denotes that as a woman I expect to be treated as an equal in terms of my intellect and personality and my appearance is relevant only to the degree that I want it to be, when I want it to be.. This is the traditional Islamic rational for the hijab and why it is important in Islam (Khalad AlHijab). A symbol of resistance A study about hijab in the West also provides another theory that I believe can also be applied in South Africa because it is a country heavily influenced by the West. The idea of the hijab as a symbol of resistance is explored by Tarik Kulenovic but not necessarily one that is strictly political. Tarik Kulenovics theory suggests that the hijab in the West is a matter of identity, a physical symbol of a womans Muslim identity. This symbol also carries a message of religiosity in a modernizing society which encourages a secular life style and scorns tradition. Kulenovic asserts that the modern identity of Muslim women, which includes the wearing of the veil, is primarily the identity of resistance to the values that individuals find foreign to them and as such imposed on them (Kulenovic, page 717). Thus, in modern society, the hijab can be thought of as a means of retaining a religious life style while assimilating to the demands of the modern world. Another reason women choose to wea r the hijab is that they find that the hijab serves as an empowering factor. The Interpretation of the hijab by those who wear it Katherine Bullock, through her research, provides some reasons why women wear the hijab. The hijab to these wearers: 1. Does not smother femininity; 2. Brings to mind the different-but-equal school of thought, but does not put forward essentalized male-female difference; 3. Is linked to a view that does not limit women to the home, but neither does it consider the role of stay-at-home-mother and homemaker oppressive; 4. Is linked to a view of morality that is oppressive only if one considers the prohibition of sexual relations outside marriage wrong; 5. Is part of Islamic law, though a law that ought to be implemented in a very wise and women-friendly manner, and 6. Can and should be treated separately from other issues of womens rights in Islam. Spirituality Some women have a deep spiritual and religious connection to the veil and firmly disagree with the view of it as a sign of oppression. Many Muslim women feel uncomfortable without wearing it because the hijab is deeply-rooted in their personal values and religious tradition. A main reason women choose to wear the hijab, is as expression of spirituality. Bashart states in his book that Muslim women carry with them their sacred private space into the public space by use of the Hijab. In this view of the hijab, the veil is not simply an article of clothing; or a symbol of oppression it is a tool of spirituality for women. Fadwa El Guindi, author of The Veil: Modesty, Privacy and Resistance, says veiling patterns and veiling behaviour are. about sacred privacy, sanctity and the rhythmic interweaving of patterns of worldly and sacred life, linking women as the guardians of family sanctuaries and the realm of the sacred in this world Reasons why Muslim Women do not wear the hijab In the Quranic this verse although it says to draw the cloak all over their bodies, it does not specifically say the hair. In addition, it does not specify in what way, to what extent, and in what manner women should cover themselves. There are many modern alternative views to this idea that the hijab is compulsory because it is in the Quran. For example, Dr.Reza Alsan, an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions, the founder of AslanMedia.com and also one of the leading scholars in the alternative view, considers the hijab not an obligatory aspect of being a Muslim woman. Aslan claims that the hijab is shockingly not compulsory upon Muslim women anywhere in the Quran. Instead he claims that the veil was an Arab culture before the arrival of Islam, through contact with Syria and Iran, where the veil was the sign of the upper class women. According to Lelia Ahmed and those who fall in the second school of thought like Aslan, the only places that the hijab is applied t o women is when it is addressing the wives of Prophet Muhammad. Thus the veil was only associated with the prophets wives and his daughters not all women of Islam. This school of thought does not deny that modesty was expected of all believers. Believing women are instructed to guard their private parts and drape a cover over their breasts when in the presence of strange men (Surah 24:31-32) as quoted by Aslan. Here specific parts of the body are named that women should guard and cover including the private parts and the breast but the hair is not mentioned. Thus those in this school of thought like Leila Ahmed and Reza Alsan do not believe that the hijab is mandatory for Muslim women because it is not mentioned in the Quran. Conclusion of Literature review This research investigates the reasons why the Muslim community is divided on the subject of the veil and if the dominant negative perception of hijab (as the hijab being oppressive) has affected, if at all, the wearing of hijab in TSiBA Education. In the attempt to answer this question, the research has presented two hypotheses: (1) Living in South Africa, a country with great Western influence, causes some Muslim women to fear wearing the hijab and to abandon it all together (2) Some Muslim women choose to wear the hijab for spirituality reasons despite constant the pressures of the West Data obtained from the research My data collection was a result of 10 surveys this research revealed that my two hypotheses were in agreement with a majority of this small sample of subjects. The data collected represents the opinions and beliefs of a total of 10 human participants which is 50% of the total intended target group. Thus, the data collected must only be interpreted as speculative and cannot be assumed applicable to all Muslim women or all Muslim female students. What constitutes the debate Regarding the Hijab and what pressures are felt by Muslim women studying at TSiBA Education: A point of view unknown to me before starting my research was that there are Muslim women who did not know that there were differing interpretations about what the hijab is tangibly. In fact, from the surveys it is evident that amongst Muslims there is a concept of a correct hijab and an incorrect hijab. Before my research commenced, the purpose of the research was not intended to identify whether my target population was aware that many Muslims have differing beliefs about what hijab is tangibly. 60% of participants claimed that the correct physical hijab is a head scarf and long loose fitting clothing that conceals the shape of the body and everything but the face and hands. Interesting to note is that four of the 10 answered that all forms of wearing hijab including: a. just covering your hair b. covering your face and hair c. covering your hair and wearing loose clothing are acceptable. 3 of the 5 women who claim to wear hijab said they wear a fashionable coloured hijab. I find these results consistent with my observations which are that tight, colourful head-scarves worn with jeans and a blouse are the most popular hijab style worn by the females on the TSiBA Campus and throughout the University-going Muslim women in Cape Town. The fact that surveyed two married mothers may have resulted in that they would be more likely to wear a more modest and more Islamically correct hijab. Hijab Decisions The rationale for why women do or do not wear the hijab in this study is very interesting. 40% of my participants said they decided to wear the hijab by choice for purely religious reasons because they wanted to submit to Allah. Reasons For Wearing the Hijab Five of the 10 participants wore the hijab of which 3 participants said that they strongly agree that they wear the hijab for religious reasons while 2 participants said they agree that they wear it for religious reasons but that religion is not the main reason why they wear the hijab. Culture From this data we can deduce that 3 out of the 5 Muslim wear the hijab even though the hijab makes them feel like they dont fit in with their peers. 1 person however does feel that she fits in with her peers and in her community because she wears the hijab. Security The hijab makes all five participants who wear the hijab feel protected and safe in public. 3 of them strongly agreed while 2 agreed. Interesting to note is that five of the 17 answered that all forms of wearing hijab including: a. just covering your hair b. covering your face and hair c. covering your hair and wearing loose clothing are acceptable.