Grass Growth in the Presence of Salt Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Grass Growth in the Presence of Salt - Lab Report Example Investigation of relevant literature reveals that grasses exposed to high levels of salt can suffer root damage, disease, and are less resistant to drought (Swift & Koski, 2007). Furthermore, studies have shown that as the salinity levels increased, root, shoot, stem, height, growth, and visual quality decreased in the grasses (Alvarez, 2006). It has also been noted that certain species of grasses are more resistant to salinity than other types of grass and can even flourish in salty waters (Vasques, 2006). The scientific method will be used to answer the question: Is grass growth inhibited by the presence of salt? Hypothesis: The saline levels present will have a direct effect on the growth rate of the grasses tested in that more salt will decrease the growth rates and less salt will allow the grasses to grow and flourish. Prediction: If the salt levels are increased then the growth of grass will decrease and vice versa. Controlled Experimental Method: To test the hypothesis, a cont rolled experiment will be conducted in the following manner: Two types of grasses are selected and cultivated under normal conditions in small pots for approximately three weeks to establish hearty seedlings. Each type of grass-Eragrostis Love grass and Miscanthus Adagio- are cultivated in four pots each. One pot of each type of grass will be used as a control and will not receive any salt. One pot of each type of grass will be watered in a solution that is 0.25% saline, 0.50% saline, and 0.75% saline. The plants will be grown for a total of 4 weeks (28 days) under test conditions and each plant of the eight plants will be watered every other day with the respective solutions. The soil will be tested weekly to determine the salinity levels of each plant and observations will be made daily to determine the quality of the plant. Measurements of the growth of each plant will be taken on a weekly basis and the data will be compiled and analyzed at the end of the 30 day experiment. The e ntire experiment and all variables will be redundant in case any of the plants experience unexpected complications or there should be the accidental introduction of an unforeseen variable. Results: The salinity levels and growth rates for the grasses are indicated (see Figure 1) as recorded each week. The predicted outcome was achieved and the hypothesis was proven correct. The saline levels had a direct effect on the growth rates of the grasses although the love grass proved to be a heartier species of grass and was less affected by the amounts of salt present. Figure 1- Growth Rates and Salinity Levels for sample Grasses WEEK 0 WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Growth Salinity Control Love grass 8† 0 mmhos/cm 12† 0 mmhos/cm 13† 0 mmhos/cm 19† 0 mmhos/cm 22† 0 mmhos/cm Control Adagio 5† 0 mmhos/cm 8† 0 mmhos/cm 12† 0 mmhos/cm 15† 0 mmhos/cm 18† 0 mmhos/cm Love grass 0.25% 8† 0 mmhos/cm 11† 3 mmhos/cm 13.5† 5 mmhos/cm 17† 8 mmhos/cm 20† 10 mmhos/cm Adagio 0.25% 5† 0 mmhos/cm 8† 3 mmhos/cm 11† 5 mmhos/cm 13† 8 mmhos/cm 15† 10 mmhos/cm Love grass 0.50% 8† 0 mmhos/cm 9† 6 mmhos/cm 10† 10 mmhos/cm 11† 15 mmhos/cm 12† 18 mmhos/cm Adagio 0.50% 5† 0 mmhos/cm 7† 6 mmhos/cm 9† 10 mmhos/cm 11† 15 mmhos/cm 13† 18 mmhos/cm Love grass 0.75% 8† 0 mmhos/cm 8.75† 10 mmhos/cm 9† 16 mmhos/cm 10† 20 mmhos/cm 10.75† 24 mmhos/cm Adagio 0.75% 5† 0 mmhos/cm 6† 10 mmhos/cm 6.75† 16 mmhos/cm 7.5† 20 mmhos/cm 8.75† 24 mmhos/cm Conclusion: The results of this experimented has proven that the hypothesis can definitively be accepted. In addition, the supplementary information

Strategic Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategic Marketing - Research Paper Example Before getting into the issue of knowing whether marketing is a constraint on innovation, we should first get to know and evaluate the basic purpose of strategic marketing. So starting with strategic marketing, it is that sort of marketing which the organizations and companies use in order to create such plans for the company which should not only be able to satisfy the customers’ needs and demands but also increase the productivity and profitability of the company. Now here it should be noted that productivity depends on the satisfaction and retention of customers of the company. When the customers will be satisfied from the products of the company, they will work as a source to attract more customers for the company and as a result, the productivity and the profitability of the company will increase. As we know that when we get a customer, we get one customer, but when we loose that customer, we loose a hundred customers. So, such a marketing plan should be implemented which should not only retain old customers but also should be able to attract more customers. All these methods have a significant importance in marketing of a company’s strategic plans. And they have really proved to be successful for various organizations for the purposes of customer retention and increased productivity and profitability. Tybout and Calkins (2005) found that every organization should typically create and develop a well written strategic marketing plan which should be able to promote the innovative products of any organization. Not only that, it should also be able to relate the implementation strategies regarding those plans. Scott (2007) found that innovation helps an organization in achieving dominance in a competitive market and suitable marketing strategy is always a key towards a successful innovation. Shilbury, et al., (2003) found

Replacement of Existing Air-cooled Chiller Systems

Replacement of Existing Air-cooled Chiller Systems Replacement of Existing Air-cooled Chiller Systems by Water-cooled Chiller Systems in Commercial Buildings in Hong Kong Introduction According to F.W.H. Yik, J. Burnett I.Prescott, the air-cooled chillers in Hong Kong are usually rated at an outdoor temperature of 35 oC and COP of the air-cooled chillers including the condenser fan power is ranging from 2.6 to 2.9. For a direct seawater-cooled chiller plant with seawater entering temperature of 27 oC, COP of the water-cooled chiller plant could achieve 4 to 5. As the electricity consumption for air-conditioning system in Hong Kong often accounts for a dominant portion of the operating cost of the shopping complexes, water-cooled air-conditioning systems are more preferable than air-cooled air-conditioning systems when space is sufficient for such installation and cooling water is available at low cost. In the past years, portable water supply was mainly imported from China and the reliability of this crucial water supply has been a major concern in Hong Kong. The use of fresh water in air-conditioning system was banned by Waterworks Regulations in Hong Kong and this discouraged the use of cooling towers in most commercial buildings including shopping complexes. Hence, air-cooled air-conditioning systems were prevalently installed in Hong Kong in the old days. In order to conserve electricity and to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by electricity generation, the Hong Kong Government has put effort and emphasis on exploring the feasibility and viability of facilitating buildings to use water-cooled air-conditioning systems instead of air-cooled air-conditioning systems. Pilot Scheme for Wider Use of Fresh Water for Evaporative Cooling Towers was launched in June 2000 by the Hong Kong Government. The scheme aims to promote the energy efficient water-cooled air-conditioning syst ems and to assess the impacts on infrastructure, health and environmental effects with an ultimate aim to facilitate territory-wide implementation of water-cooled air conditioning systems in Hong Kong. Technology of Water-cooled Chiller Systems in Commercial Buildings The air-conditioning systems in buildings work on refrigeration principles by using cooling medium to decrease the indoor air temperatures. In air-cooled air-conditioning systems, heat absorbed by the refrigerant is directly rejected to the ambient; whereas in water-cooled air-conditioning systems, either fresh water or seawater is used as a heat rejection medium. And heat absorbed by the refrigerant is rejected to the ambient by evaporation through cooling towers or by seawater discharging into the sea. There are three major schemes in water-cooled air-conditioning systems, namely, the cooling tower scheme, the central sea water scheme, and the district cooling scheme. In the cooling tower scheme, the air conditioning system uses evaporative cooling tower for heat rejection. Water in the cooling tower will be lost due to continuous evaporation, bleed-off and wind drift. The water lost would be replaced by water coming from the city water mains. In central sea water scheme, the air conditioning system uses seawater for heat rejection. A dedicated central sea water supply distributes seawater from the sea to the user building. The rejected warm sweater from the condenser will be returned to the sea via dedicated pipe. In district cooling scheme, chilled water is produced by central chilled water plant. Individual user purchases chilled water for their building from the district cooling scheme operator and do not need to install their own chiller plants. For this scheme, a central chiller plant, a pump house and a central distribution pipeline network would be required. Water-cooled air conditioning system rejects heat depending on the ambient wet-bulb temperature rather than the dry-bulb temperature, so the refrigerant can be cooled to a lower temperature. This results in a better system coefficient of performance (COP) and thus more energy efficient. The District Cooling Scheme and Cooling Tower Scheme are more efficient than conventional air-cooled system as much as 35% and 20% respectively in accordance with a study commissioned by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD). Pros and Cons for Application of Water-cooled Chiller Systems Equipped water-cooled chillers and cooling tower with VSD and optimize their operation by automation control system could effectively trim down the peak demand charge, optimize the chiller efficiency in off-design condition, and lead to a more efficient operation of the overall water-cooled air-conditioning system. Variable speed drive chiller compressor can be considered as replacement of traditional chiller in the future, as its cost has been gradually reduced. The VSD chiller compressor will allow the compressor to run at lower speed under part-load conditions, thereby yielding a lower compressor kW/ton rating under such situations than using conventional centrifugal chillers where part-load control is by controlling the inlet guide vanes. In the conventional chiller plant automation control system, it controls the cooling tower to open the valves and start the tower fan on one-to-one basis even in common header system. When the condensing water temperature drops, the required compressor head will reduce. The efficiency of the water-cooled chiller equipped with VSD will improve by 4 to 5% while the entering condensing water temperature drops by 1 oC. It, therefore, would be better to operate the idle cooling towers in lower speed in order to further lower the condensing water temperature for the water-cooled chillers so as to increase the efficiency of the chillers. Lower total fan power consumption and lower condensing water temperature are resulted. As a result, optimization of the chiller and cooling tower operation with automation control system as above would further increase efficiency of the water-cooled chiller plant. The operating strategy of the multiple chillers is also crucial to achieve efficient operation of the chillers. For multiple chillers operating at a part-load condition, the second chiller should not be brought on-line until the first one is up to a pre-determined capacity. Generally, the least energy is used by one chiller operating at 90% capacity as compared with that used by two chillers each operating at 45% capacity. Retrofitting the existing air-cooled chiller plant with new water-cooled chiller plant could usually rectify the problems of load mismatching, low reliability of the existing chiller plant. Additional benefit from the conversion of air-cooled to water-cooled chiller plant would be the improvement of system reliability and minimization of system downtime when all the water-cooled chillers are furnished with variable speed drive as the starters. In case of power loss, the restart time of chiller could be reduced from 30 minutes to 5 minutes when compared with the conventional and typical EM starter. Moreover, after the conversion of the water-cooled chiller, less power would be consumed which means less CO2 emission. This would reduce the green house effect. There are nonetheless some limitations and potential risks for replacing the existing air-cooled air-conditioning system with new water-cooled cooling tower system. Noise from cooling towers, stagnant water in dead legs of water pipe or in idle system, nutrient growth due to contamination from surrounding areas and exposure to direct sunlight, poor water quality such as Legionella count, deficiencies in cooling tower system, separation of the cooling towers and access to existing building/residents, and occupational safety and health issues are all have to be dealt with carefully during the design stage, the installation stage as well as the operation and maintenance stage. Appropriate cooling tower system design, regular and proper maintenance including water treatment to the cooling tower system, and annual audit are all necessary to minimize the potential risks from the cooling tower system. Also, conversion of the existing air-cooled chiller plant to water-cooled chiller plant takes up more spaces as the additional air-conditioning equipment including cooling towers, condensing water pumps, water tanks, condensing water pipes, etc. shall be incorporated into the system and all of the equipment and the structural supporting frames for cooling towers and water tanks require additional spaces. Like places in Hong Kong where it is so densely populated and space is very limited with very high land price, optimal utilization of building spaces is a very important factor which the landlords would consider. Model to Access Efficiency Improvement Implementation of Load-based Speed Control for System Optimization in Water-cooled Chiller Systems The system COP means the chiller load output divided by the total input power of the chiller, condenser water pump and cooling tower fan. For conventional operation of cooling towers, the fans are cycled on and off, or controlled at variable speed to maintain the temperature of cooling water leaving the tower at its set point. The condenser water pump is staged continuously to provide the chiller operating with the rated flow of condenser water for all loading conditions. In accordance with the studies performed by F. W. Yu and K. T. Chan, load-based control could be applied to enhance the energy performance of water-cooled chiller systems. Thermodynamic-behavior chiller and cooling tower models were developed to find out how the energy use varies for a chiller system operating under various controls of condenser water pumps and cooling tower fans. The optimum operation of the water-cooled chiller systems could be obtained via the load-based speed control which the speed of the cooling tower fans and the condenser water pumps is regulated as a linear function of the chiller part load ratio. It resembles the typical sequencing of chillers based on their load conditions and without the need of high quality humidity sensors to reset the cooling water temperature. The system COP under the optimal control could increase by 1.4% to 16.1% when compared with the equivalent system of fixed temperature and flow rate control for the cooling water leaving the coo ling towers. Improvement in system performance could be achieved by applying variable speed control to the condenser water pumps and the cooling tower fans. To optimize the system, the condenser water flow rate would vary in direct proportion to the chiller load. This results in the control algorithm of pump speed (Spump,op) shown in Equation (1), given that speed is directly proportional to flow rate in accordance with the pump laws. The minimum speed is set at half of the full speed (Spump,full) to ensure the minimum condenser water flow required when the chiller load in terms of part load ratio (PLR) drops to below 0.5. Spump, op = (1) Following the traditional control of cooling water temperature, the controller for tower fan speed modulation has to evaluate the optimum set point (Tctwl,op) and operates the fan at the right speed to meet that set point. Based on the analysis by F. W. Yu and K. T. Chan, it is possible to apply load-based speed control for cooling tower fans so as to achieve optimum system operation. Figure 4 shows data of the optimum fan speed at which the maximum system COP took place for a set of operating conditions in terms of various combinations of PLRs from 0.2 to 1 at 0.1 intervals and wet-bulb temperatures from 16 to 28 DegC at 4 DegC intervals. Using regression analysis, a linear relationship between the optimum fan speed (Sfan,op) and chiller PLR can be obtained as Equation (2) with the coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9215. Sfan,full denotes the full speed of the tower fans and the constant coefficients would be different for each specific design of the system. Sfan,op = (0.7281PLR + 0.1776) Sfan,full (2) It is expected that the load-based speed control is generic for all types of multiple-chiller systems with full or partial use of variable speed drives for the system components. The optimal control of the whole system could be highly simplified in this way as the sequencing of chillers, pumps and tower fans and their individual speed controls can be based entirely on the chiller load conditions only. The system COP under the optimal control could increase by 1.4% to 16.1% when compared with the equivalent system of fixed temperature and flow rate control for the cooling water leaving the cooling towers. Conclusion Retrofitting the existing air-cooled chiller plant with new water-cooled chiller plant could usually rectify the problems of load mismatching and low reliability of the existing chiller plant. A better system coefficient of performance (COP) and thus more energy efficient would be achieved. The application of water-cooled chiller system is more efficient than the conventional air-cooled system for as much as 35%. Implementation of the load-based speed control for the system could further increase the system COP by as much as around 16%. REFERENCES: F.W. Yu, K.T. Chan, Economic benefits of optimal control for water-cooled chiller systems serving hotels in a subtropical climate, Energy and Buildings (2009) 1-7. F.W.H. Yik, J. Burnett, I. Prescott, A study on the energy performance of three schemes for widening application of water-cooled air-conditioning systems in Hong Kong, Energy and Buildings 33 (2001) 167-182. F.W. Yu, K.T. Chan, Energy signatures for assessing the energy performance of chillers, Energy and Buildings 37 (2005) 739-746. F.W. Yu, K.T. Chan, Optimization of water-cooled chiller system with load-based speed control, Applied Energy 85 (2008) 931-950. Jerry Ackerman, What a Water-Cooled HVAC System Can Do for Your Building, Buildings 102 (3) (2008) 72-76. Jeff Strein, Air- or Water-Cooled, ASHRAE Journal (7) (2009) 11-12. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Code of Practice for Water-cooled Air Conditioning Systems, Part 1: Design, Installation and Commissioning of Cooling Towers 2006 Edition (1) (2007) 1-37. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Energy Efficiency and Conservation for Buildings 1-40. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency of Air Conditioning Installations 2007 Edition 1-30. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Implementation Study for Water-cooled Air-Conditioning Systems at Wan Chai and Causeway Bay Investigation (7) (2005) 1-31. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Guidelines on Energy Efficiency of Air Conditioning Installations 1998 Edition 1-42. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Hong Kong Energy End-use Data 2008 (9) (2008) 1-39. Ben Erpelding, Real Efficiency of Central Plants, Heating Piping Air Conditioning Engineering (5) (2007) Trane, Implications for Chilled-Water Plant Design, Engineers Newsletter Volume 28 No. 1 1-4. W.L. Lee, Hua Chen, F.W.H. Yik, Modeling the performance characteristics of water-cooled air-conditioners, Energy and Buildings 40 (2008) 1456-1465. Electrical Mechanical Services Department, Territory-Wide Implementation Study for Water-cooled Air Conditioning Systems in Hong Kong (6) (2003) 1-28. Ramez Naguib, Total Cost of Ownership for Air-Cooled and Water-Cooled Chiller Systems, ASHRAE Journal (4) (2009) 42-48. Trane, Promoting the Use of Water Cooled Air Conditioning System, Trane Newsletter 2 (9) (2005) 1-3.

The Farm House Essay -- Personal Narrative Essays

Throw a dart at any year in the over-sized target that is the 1960s and you will hit on something big in American history. Nineteen sixty-three has the March on Washington, the publication of The Feminine Mystique, and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Humanity was marching ever onward with ceaseless progress in science, medicine and engineering. The first ever telecast of a live murder by NBC as Jack Ruby assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald. With the U.S. on the eve of yet another war against communism as over one hundred fifty thousand military advisors are stationed in South Vietnam; the Cold War still creeping amidst the nightmares of millions fearing nuclear holocaust. However, for the Geis’ of Lexington, Kentucky, they will see a regression to a life much more arduous. My grandparents, along with my mother Betty and her sisters, were about to leave the easy living and conveniences of nineteen sixties metropolitan life behind. Howard and Regina Geis had a dream that lay well away from the city life. Well away indeed. This dream lied within the backwoods of Barren County down an old country road obscured by the forest itself. An old country road that ran for a good mile down into the hollow†¦ Forty-four acres of farmland that--building from memory and photographs--would eventually become the epitome of rustic charm. The old homestead was surrounded by the kind of eerie, primeval wilderness that can only be truly felt by the unfiltered imagination of youth. Never more truer than when the fog would roll out of the thicket, over the rise and fall of the hills and creep up to the doorsteps. Even though one could call upon memory to reconstruct the family farm and the subsistence farming lifestyle, to really tell this story... ...est daughter’s dairy farm. Before writing this I took the opportunity to venture back into those fabled woods, down that stretch of country gravel to see for myself what remained of the place where my mother grew up and so many fond memories were shared between my cousins and I. Suffice to say, no wild guess was needed to assume what to expect once the farmhouse was within view. I was not surprised when my eyes fell upon the solemn sight. That place which held a lifetime of memories shared by three generations was nothing more than a shadow left in shambles. The farm house had been swallowed up in the years passed as any sign of life and cultivation has been slowly returning to natural order. Gone away were the verdant fields, the shrill laughter of children, and the nostalgic smell of the seasons that always mingled with the aromas of Grannie Geis’ country cooking.

A personal opinion in favor of the trophy culture system of rewarding children regardless of performance Essay

Should kids receive an award just for participating? This question has become one of great debate in recent years following the rise of â€Å"Trophy Culture†, a system where children receive awards regardless of performance and get applauded for simply showing up.   Many parents argue that giving children awards even if they do not perform well promotes entitlement and teaches them to not try.   My thoughts on the matter were a little mixed before I did any research on the subject. As someone who has participated in track and cross-country for years, I have been a witness to Trophy Culture in many of the races I’ve competed in.   When I was a beginner runner, I rarely if ever placed in races, and was often still given a medal just for completing the course. Anyone who has taken part in a large-scale public race like â€Å"Race for the Cure† or the â€Å"Disneyland Marathon† knows what I am talking about, basically if you get across the finish line ev en if you’re hours behind the first place runner there will still be someone there putting a medal around your neck at the end.   When I was younger and slower, getting that medal was extremely exciting because I felt like even finishing 3 miles of running as an overweight 7th grader was a big accomplishment. And the girls who finished in the top 20 of the races typically got another medal on top of the participation one, meaning I still had something to strive towards, so lack of motivation was not a problem.   And as I’ve grown and improved in my running skills, the Trophy Culture that is extremely prevalent in the sport of running still does not bother me.   I could argue that getting up at 6:00 AM every morning over the summer and training my hardest, only to win a half marathon then get the exact same medal as the woman who finished last almost 2 hours after I am disheartening.   However, I believe that the â€Å"trophies† we get for accomplishing t hings like this are essentially meaningless, and the true reward is the feeling of triumph one gets when finishing something truly challenging. This feeling relates to the existence of â€Å"self-esteem†, or one’s overall evaluation of their worth as a person. Doing a difficult task well like performing excellently in a soccer game or acing a test are ways we can improve our self-esteem and feel better about ourselves.   This plays into our sense of self-efficacy, our belief inability to perform and succeed in tasks presented to us.   Some parents think that trophy culture is artificially inflating their children’s self-esteem and self-efficacy, making children think they are performing better than they actually are and allowing for them to almost â€Å"get stuck† in a mediocre performance because they have no reason to believe their performance is less than ideal. On the other side of the argument, there are parents who think that if we award children for completing sports seasons or specific events, we are teaching them â€Å"that it is worth keeping a commitment, that we value this† (Heffernan, 2015). A recent report from Real Sports With Bryant Gumble on HBO explored this problem. In the trailer for the show, he is seen interviewing a woman who says that giving trophies to everyone regardless of performance â€Å"sets the bar pretty low†, and she also makes the argument that she â€Å"wants kids to improve and be engaged in the process of improvement†, and she thinks without incentive this will never happen.   This perspective on the topic is one that made headline news when NFL linebacker James Harrison â€Å"took to Instagram announcing he would be sending back the trophies his sons, 6 and 8, received ‘until they earn a real trophy’†(Wallace, 2015).   In an article analyzing the different sides of the debate, Kelly Wallace from CNN points out that many experts side with those saying, â€Å"if you tell a kid they’re wonderful and they believe you, that’s not about healthy self-esteem, that’s about narcissism†. Lisa Heffernan, a contributor to NBC News TODAY, disagrees with this mindset. According to her, participation trophies â€Å"remind kids that they are part of something, and may help build enthusiasm to return for another season†. Another point she brings up is that â€Å"at a time when parents complain of escalating competition in youth sports, [trophies] remind kids that we value their effort, regardless of ability or results†.   Her words echo those of a writer by the name of John Kass, whose article in the Chicago Tribune includes a segment from his son who claims â€Å"What’s wrong with a participation trophy for kids? It makes them happy. They’re just 6 years old. Isn’t it good to be a kid, and happy, playing the game? They’re just kids.† Kass then goes on to explain that this conversation with his son made him realize participation trophies aren’t as bad as some people want us to believe, and â€Å"getting a participat ion trophy as a child didn’t make [his son] any less competitive†. After reading articles with opinions from both sides of the argument, I have come to the conclusion that my initial view of the topic has not changed: I still believe that Trophy Culture is not detrimental to the development of children’s self-esteem and people fighting to end a system that allows awards for participation are wasting their time.   Children need encouragement and support from their parent’s, coaches, and others to succeed and stay motivated in everything from sports to academics.   Trying to get rid of participation awards could very likely result in discouraged children.   Like John Kass’s son said in his discussion with his father, â€Å"What’s wrong with a participation trophy for kids? It makes them happy.† If giving participation trophies make kids happy and doesn’t harm anyone else, then the clear choice is to allow participation awards to continue in our society.    Works Cited Heffernan, Lisa. â€Å"In Defense of Participation Trophies: What They Taught My Son.† TODAY.com. N.p., 21 Aug. 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Kass, John. â€Å"Is Our ‘Trophy Culture’ Making Happy Losers?† Chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Wallace, Kelly. â€Å"Debate: Does Sports Participation Deserve a Trophy?† CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.

Caribbean Civilization

Lecture Lesson IV IV. Race, Nationalism, Independence, Dependence and Regionalism. The genesis of colonialism in the Caribbean and how it has taken root in the political, social and economic institutions. Race and Class and how they both cohere to shape the social, political and economic landscape of the Caribbean.Explain and understand how these forces work to determine the mosaic of Caribbean society, for example, how they resonate and reinforce rigid institutional hierarchies in education, politics and religion and they have been the major determinants of stratification and social identity in the region since colonization. Can we divorce race and class from nationalism? Students are then asked to provide an answer to this. What is plantation society and why is still so important to Caribbean society.How race, class and nationalism are bound up in the legacy of the plantation society created by the colonizers. For example features of Plantation Society are:  ¦ – keeping co lonial peoples technologically deficient  ¦ maintaining colonial peoples as producers of primary raw materials  ¦ keeping colonial peoples bound to the mother country through the policy of trade exclusivism  ¦ limited horizontal linkages between the colonies except through the British government  ¦ The legacy of colonialism has shaped contemporary politics in the region.It has led to among other things the establishment of a colour hierarchy white over brown over black. And, it has been institutionalised by the political systems in the region.  ¦ The Comprador Bourgeoisie: In the English-speaking Caribbean, the landowning class owed loyalty ultimately to the metropolis, even though it might have disagreed on particular policies implemented in the colonies or on the correct system of government to be pursued. ‘ More than economic interests, the plantocracy by the end of the nineteenth century was united in defence of its whiteness. The nation states of the region are still struggling to establish sovereignty. This is partly because key roles in decision-making are still assigned to the metropolitan state, to international organizations or to elites allied to external markets, who view the masses of the region not as fellow citizens but as groups to be excluded from society and the polity. In these circumstances, nation-building is incomplete. Examine the rise of the nationalist class with strong family connections and class cleavages and how they usurped the role of the working class and their access to power.As such even though the nationalists led us towards ‘independence’ political parties are still controlled by the middle class, who are often financed by private capital and only using as voting support the mass of the people who are still basically apathetic and alienated from government. One finds that much of government time is still taken up with politicking the community. Examine the role of the nationalists in relation to independence as these contested groups are in conflict as they seek to exclude others from membership.Examine the contradictions within this group as they serve to reinforce dependent relations manifested through coordinated groupings such as the comprador bourgeoisie. ‘Independence’ did not usually result in radical changes in the lives of the majority. Hierarchies were reproduced, just deracialised in the Caribbean. In many cases, the change was mostly a matter of American born whites replacing the British born whites or West Indian intelligentsia, replacing the British colonials. Democratic constitutions were facades. Political and economic power still remained concentrated in the hands of a few linked by class, ethnicity and religion.Examine whether independence is genuine or not. Look at the notion of neo-colonialist tendencies that exist for example: †¢ The economies are still controlled from outside and therefore important decisions on the use of resources t he distributions of wealth and foreign policy is largely also controlled from outside. †¢ Constitutional reality does not always coincide with political reality. The territories of the West Indies still exhibit characteristics of rigidly stratified societies with gross inequalities of wealth and status and an alarming and growing state of unemployment overall poverty and economic dependence. These countries’ independence did not usually result in radical changes in the lives of the majority. Rather, hierarchies were reproduced, just deracialised in the Caribbean. The change was mostly a matter of American born whites replacing the British born whites. Democratic constitutions were facades. Political and economic power still remained concentrated in the hands of a few linked by class, ethnicity and religion. In light, of the above examine if independence is a facade. -Can there be a true West Indian identity since the Caribbean is constructed on faulty premises? What is i t within our psyche that has impeded so natural and so necessary a development in the West Indies? -Look at how race and class and nationalism interweave and how they have helped to undermine more genuine attempts at forging a Caribbean identity. Examine why a West Indian identity is critical to the realization of any integration movement. Outline the negative reasons of what could happen if we do not forge a Caribbean region that draws on our collective strength through unity and for a common brotherhood and enlightened nationalism.How can we best improve our society such as government’s role in involving the people of the region through not only informing them but also fully involving them in the processes of decision-making on the forms of political unity. †¢ For example: That the forms of regional unity do not merely institutionalize social inequality and economic justice but improve our capability to redress them and provide machinery that will make an obligation to do so effectively. †¢ We must have a commitment to the ideal of nationhood and a capability n the part of that leadership to generate that commitment throughout our communities. †¢ We must be ready to act in pursuit of that commitment of a regional identity along with those within the region who share that commitment and resolution. But in so acting we must make clear that we proceed on no basis of divisiveness or of exclusion. †¢ While it is the responsibility of government to initiate action it is essential that the people of the region shall not merely be fully informed but fully involved in the processes of decision-making.That the forms of unity do not merely institutionalize social inequality and economic justice but improve our capability to redress them and provide machinery that will make an obligation to do so effectively. †¢ Education becomes important, but not just any type of education: †¢ Scientific reclamation and revitalisation: †¢ We m ust be able to see ourselves not only as a people with rhythm but also with reason, and intellect. We have to instill in our curriculum scientific technology for a new age. Examine the notion that one of the hallmarks of colonialism was to give to the colonies whatever was obsolete in Europe.And we still find developed countries shipping their discards to the world they helped underdeveloped and we must therefore study the latest technologies and teach them in our schools. The lecture provided other examples which students may wish to research. Drawing on the history of race and class and nationalism and independence and regional integration, it seems clear that any West Indian identity that does not stand on a regional base of social equality and economic justice does not rest on sure foundations and will not survive the stress of internal social upheaval and the shifting sands of uneven regional development. References Beckford, G. (1972) Persistent Poverty, New York: Oxford Unive rsity Press.  ¦ Hall, K. (2001) ‘The Caribbean Community: Beyond Survival,’ Kingston: IRP.  ¦ James, CLR, (1962) ‘The Middle Classes,’ in Lowenthal, D. and Comitas L. (1973) Consequences of Class and Colour: West Indian Perspectives, New York: Anchor Books.  ¦ Levitt, K. and Witter, M. (1996) The Critical Tradition of Caribbean Political Economy, Jamaica: IRP.  ¦ Manley, M. (1982) Struggle in the Periphery, London: Heineman  ¦ Munroe, T. (1985) Introduction to Politics, Jamaica: UWI.  ¦ Nkruhmah, K. (1965) Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism, London: Nelson. Payne, A. and Sutton, P. (1984) Dependency under Challenge: The Political Economy of the Commonwealth Caribbean, Manchester.  ¦ Ryan, S. (1972) Race and Nationalism in Trinidad and Tobago, Toronto: University of Toronto Press.  ¦ Stone, C. (1971) Decolonisation and Political Change in Jamaica and Trinidad, USA: Sage Publications.  ¦ Sunshine, C. (1996) The Caribbean, Surviva l, Struggle and Sovereignty, Washington: Epicon.  ¦ Watson, H. ed. (1994) The Caribbean in the Global Political Economy, Jamaica: IRP.  ¦ Williams, E. (1970) From Columbus to Castro, New York: Harper and Row.