Evaluation of Maquiladoras on the U.S.-Mexico Border with Respect to Wo

Evaluation of Maquiladoras on the U.S.-Mexico Border with Respect to Women’s Health The U.S.-Mexico border is a true contact zone. It is a physical place where two distinct cultures meet, conflict, and ultimately collide. For its inhabitants, the border is never an easy place to live in. In fact, Gloria Anzaldà ºa, who calls herself a â€Å"border woman,† describes the U.S.-Mexican border as a â€Å"1950 mile long open wound†¦a vague and undetermined place† (1, 3-4). Currently, a powerful characteristic that defines life on the border for many of its residents is the growing number of maquiladoras that have become a standard sight in any border town. Maquiladoras are essentially foreign owned factories that employ workers in U.S.-Mexico border towns for cheap labor. The border and the maquiladoras seem to share a unique synergy in today’s society. They are tightly tied together, each having mutual positive and negative qualities. For example, while the physical border can be a place of excitement and learning about another cultu re and way of life, the psychological border can be restrictive, an all-encompassing dividing line between those who are and those who are not. It separates â€Å"us from them† (Anzaldà ºa 3). Similarly, while the maquiladoras have brought jobs and economic commerce to border towns, they have also been characterized as having unhealthy working conditions that are detrimental to the workers and surrounding community. Today, the maquiladoras have certainly become a topic of much discourse because of their possible harmful effects on people’s health. An important issue is their effect on women’s health, since women compose the majority of the workforce in the maquiladoras. The influx of maquiladoras in the U.S.... ... Maquiladora Workers in Tijuana, Mexico.† American Journal of Industrial Medicine 24 (1993): 667-676. Guendelman, Sylvia, Steven Samuels, and Martha Ramirez. â€Å"Women Who Quit Maquiladora Work on the U.S.-Mexico Border: Assessing Health, Occupation, and Social Dimensions in Two Transnational Electronics Plants.† American Journal of Industrial Medicine 33 (1998): 501-509. Guendelman, Sylvia and Monica Jasis Silberg. â€Å"The Health Consequences of Maquiladora Work: Women on the US-Mexican Border.† American Journal of Public Health 83 (1993): 37-44. Moure-Eraso, Rafael, et al. â€Å"Back to the Future: Sweatshop Conditions on the Mexico-U.S. Border.† American Journal of Industrial Medicine 25 (1994): 311-324. Prieto, Norma Iglesias. Beautiful Flowers of the Maquiladora. Trans. Michael Stone and Gabrielle Winkler. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997.

Han China and Mauryan & Gupta India Essay

Han dynasty and Mauryan/Gupta empires developed in roughly the same time frame and overlapped in the years 320 B. C. E. – 220 C. E. developing in different parts of the globes with their own unique geographies. Both the Han and Mauryan/Gupta empires developed bureaucratic governments that were ruled by kings, but due to the different geographical regions, India’s government was fragmented into local governments. The Han Dynasty of China was structured off of a social philosophy while Mauryan/Gupta India followed a religion which united the subcontinent. The Han and Mauryan/Gupta empires also both developed agrarian economies although their view on the merchant class were nearly opposite. The Han and Mauryan/Gupta empires both created hierarchical, bureaucratic governments. The hierarchy in China’s government was more flexible and was set up in the 5 relationships (ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, oldest son and younger brothers, and friend and friend) whereas India’s hierarchy was rigid and created through the Caste System (Brahmin, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, Sudras, and finally the Pariah). Ultimately, both hierarchical bureaucracies were led by a king. In China, the Han dynasty was able to create a strong centralized government led by kings who claimed the divine right to rule China, or in the case of the Chinese Dynasties, they claimed the Mandate of Heaven. However, because of the geography of India, such as the Deccan Plateau and the Hindu-Kush Mountains, the government of India was broken up into local governments. Whereas China needed a strong centralized government in order to unite its people, India could get away with having a weak central government because Hinduism would ultimately unite the people of the Mauryan/Gupta empires. Hinduism, the major religion of India which also kept the people of India united when the regional governments could not, was based on the principle of a cycle of rebirth known as samsara. Under this religion, the main focus of the people was to achieve moksha – uniting with Brahman – and escaping samsara. And where the Mauryan/Gupta empires focused on otherworldly ideas, the Han Empire focused on life on earth following the teachings of Confucius. Even though the Mauryan/Gupta empires followed a religion and the Han empire followed a philosophy, both the Mauryan/Gupta and Han empires believed in respecting their superiors. Finally, Han China and Mauryan/Gupta India both created prosperous, agrarian economies. However the Han Empire relied on the production of wheat, rice, and silk and the Mauryan/Gupta Empire relied on the production of cotton. Both empires also relied on the use of conscripted labor but in Han China it was drafted labor and in Mauryan/Gupta India it was through the use of the pariah (â€Å"untouchables†) class from the Caste System of Hinduism. Even though their economies, in principle, are identical, they had vastly differing views of the merchant class. In Han China, they were viewed as the â€Å"mean people† and scum of the Earth whereas in India, they made up the Vaisyas caste which was their middle class.

Literacy As A 21st Century Educator - 1604 Words

When one hears the term literacy, the first thought that comes to mind is reading. However, literacy is so much more. It is in everything we do, from reading a book to getting from one location to another. We often do not realize how much literacy is in every aspect of our daily lives. As a math teacher, I chose to explore this concept as it relates to mathematics. I wanted to gain a general understanding of how literacy is intertwined in mathematics, from vocabulary to word problems. As a 21st century educator, literacy plays a crucial role in mathematics in providing students the connections between skills to produce life-long learners who are able to tackle real world scenarios. Literacy, in its basic sense, is the ability to comprehend all sorts of text. It is important for educators to begin to think differently about literacy as the practices in classrooms are beginning to change. Literacy can also be thought of as the ability to evaluate and use information. In mathematics, there are key changes that can be seen in literacy infused classrooms. According to Shults (2008), â€Å"A visitor to a literate math class will hear students discussing math with their teacher and peers using the precise language of mathematics to describe and explain math concepts† (p. 4). It is this dialogue that allows students to learn beyond memorization of rote facts or formulas. Furthermore, â€Å"They will see a print rich classroom where math vocabulary is displayed on word walls, and mathShow MoreRelatedDigital Literacy Is A Continuous Learning Process785 Words   |  4 Pagesand changing. In order to become more confident in my 21st Century skills, I must commit my way of learning to that of a digital native. Technology and its intricacies must become so ingrained in my daily routine that it becomes natural. Digital literacy is a continual learning process. 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