Indian Culture Essay Example for Free

Indian Culture Essay Welcome to our guide to India. This is useful for anyone researching Indian culture, customs, values and wanting to understand the people better. You may be going to India on business, for a visit or even hosting Indiancolleagues or clients in your own country. Remember this is only a very basic level introduction and is not meant to stereotype all Indian people you may meet! Facts and Statistics Location: Southern Asia, bordering Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma1,463 km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km Capital: New Delhi Climate: varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north Population: 1,065,070,607 (July 2004 est. ) Ethnic Make-up: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000) Religions: Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist , Jain, Parsi 2.5% (2000) Government: Federal Republic Languages in India The different states of India have different official languages, some of them not recognized by the central government. Some states have more then one official language. Bihar in east India has three official languages Hindi , Urdu and Bengali which are all recognized by the central government. But Sikkim, also in east India, has four official languages of which only Nepali is recognized by the central government. Besides the languages officially recognized by central or state governments, there are other languageswhich dont have this recognition and their speakers are running political struggles to get this recognition. Central government decided that Hindi was to be the official language of India and therefore it also has the status of official language in the states. Travelling to India? Why not learn some useful Hindi phrases ? Indian Society Culture Hierarchy The influences of Hinduism and the tradition of the caste system have created a culture that emphasizes established hierarchical relationships. Indians are always conscious of social order and their status relative to other people, be they family, friends, or strangers. All relationships involve hierarchies. In schools, teachers are called gurus and are viewed as the source of all knowledge. The patriarch, usually the father, is considered theleader of the family. The boss is seen as the source of ultimate responsibility in business. Every relationship has a clear- cut hierarchy that must be observed for the social order to be maintained. The Role of the Family People typically define themselves by the groups to which they belong rather than by their status as individuals. Someone is deemed to be affiliated to a specific state, region, city, family, career path, religion, etc. This group orientation stems from the close personal ties Indians maintain with their family, including the extended family. The extended family creates a myriad of interrelationships, rules, and structures. Along with these mutual obligations comes a deep-rooted trust among relatives. Just Cant Say No Indians do not like to express no, be it verbally or non- verbally. Rather than disappoint you, for example, by saying something isnt available, Indians will offer you the response that they think you want to hear. This behaviour should not be considered dishonest. An Indian would be considered terribly rude if he did not attempt to give a person what had been asked. Since they do not like to give negative answers, Indians may give an affirmative answer but be deliberately vague about any specific details. This will require you to look for non-verbal cues, such as a reluctance to commit to an actual time for a meeting or an enthusiastic response. Etiquette and Customs in India Meeting Etiquette Religion, education and social class all influence greetings in India. This is a hierarchical culture, so greet the eldest or most senior person first. When leaving a group, each person must be bid farewell individually.

Trading in Hong Kong Essay Example for Free

Trading in Hong Kong Essay Great business dealings take into consideration the intricacies of the culture into which the business is to be established. Customers need to be studied – their needs, their wants and other demands. Studying the local culture would also help in dealing with local business people. What a business person must first note in studying Hong Kong and Vietnam culture is that both countries have collectivist orientations and interests. They exhibit close family and community ties. Loyalty is a very important value and each member takes responsibility for others in the group. (Taylor, para. 7) People in Hong Kong value â€Å"collective ideals of modesty, moderation, and the value of protecting established, harmonious relationships. The collective culture would reinforce peoples motivation to do a good job, because there is an element of face involved. If one is doing a good job in running a company, he or she not only reaps profits but also gain face †(International Business Ethics, Attitude toward a Corporation section). The concept of â€Å"face† in Hong Kong is roughly equivalent to reputation and integrity. Most Hong Kong companies are owned by families (International Business Ethics, Religions and Traditions section, para. 4). For the Vietnamese, the family is of utmost importance. The groups interests comes first before the individuals. All customs and rituals like weddings and funerals are attached to the village community. Marriages had to meet the interests of family lines and wedding proposals are made to the brides family. (Customs, para. 5) Hong Kong culture is â€Å"somewhere in-between Chinese and American culture† (International Business Ethics, para. 1). In fact, both Chinese and English are considered its official languages. Although Hong Kong is predominantly Chinese, its culture blends the East and the West, as well as the old and the new. â€Å"People here still cling to their roots, to their traditional beliefs and religions. They continue to pray and make offerings at more than 600 old and new temples, shrines and monasteries scattered across the territory.†Ã‚   (Hong Kong Culture, para. 2) Hong Kong is famous for their lion dances, a colorful display of   a dancing large lion usually during festive occasions and are meant to bring in good luck. The Hong Kong Chinese also celebrate the Ching Ming Festival, devoted to honoring their relatives who have died. Ancestors are held in high regard by the Chinese and they are always prayed to for guidance. Another festival that exhibits the Chineses close familial ties is the Moon Festival. It is believed that on that day, the moon is on its biggest, roundest and brightest. The term â€Å"round† implies family reunion in Chinese. There are various religions in Hong Kong, including Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Judaism. There are 39,400 Catholics, 300,000 Protestant Christians, 20,000 Muslims and 15,000 Hindus in Hong Kong. All of these religions are deeply involved in education, health care and social services. Homes of Buddhist and Taoist believers have ancestral shrines, â€Å"with images of the most favored of the hundreds of divinities (International Business Ethics, Religions and Traditions section, para. 2).† Generally, Hong Kong has a welcoming attitude to business people from around the world (Hong Kong a Model, para. 6). It could be expected that American-owned businesses would have no problem dealing with the Hong Kong Chinese. In fact, the city already hosts more than 1,100 American firms (U.S.-Hong Kong, para. 4). Despite this, American business people should still take note of the following cultural values and behaviors in order to avoid any misunderstandings with the Hong Kong Chinese: Colors are very significant. Red is considered a lucky color, while white is synonymous with death. It is wise to think about the color of your products. A common way of showing surprise or dismay is by sucking in air quickly and loudly through the lips and teeth. If your customer shows this gesture, it means he is displeased. Gift giving is a sign of thanksgiving. Present gifts using two hands and dont expect that it will be opened in front of you. Religion has a very significant influence on the culture and way of life of the Vietnamese. Their attitude towards family, life and death are greatly influenced by Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism (Religion, para. 1). The predominant religion in Vietnam is Buddhism, with about 10 million followers. The second largest is Catholicism, with about six million followers, but their influence on the   culture is minimal. Just as well, the influence of the two religious sects, Cao Dai and Hoa Hao, are also insignificant. Caodaism is a combination of different teachings of Buddha, Jesus, Confucius, Lao-Tse and others. Hoa Hao, meanwhile, is a reformed Theravada Buddhism. (Religion, Other religions section) There are also Protestants and Muslims in Vietnam but the numbers are not large. As with the Hong Kong Chinese, Vietnam had also opened their trade with the United States. Likewise, it could be expected that doing business in Vietnam would not be too difficult for Americans, just as long as they keep in mind some of the intricacies of this culture. Among these: The concept of face is very important to the Vietnamese. Take caution not to unintentionally cause the loss of face of your customer. Be aware of your words and actions.Complimenting them is a way to give face, while, accusing them of poor performance or reprimanding them in public causes the loss of face. Pass items with both hands. It shows respect. Do not pass anything over anyones head. Do not point using your finger. Point using your hand. Bibliography: Cunningham, J. (2005). U.S.-Hong Kong Economic Relations. Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/Archive/2005/Sep/30-249516.html Customs and practices. (n.d.) Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/learn_about_vietnam/culture/customs/ Hong Kong a Model for China, U.S. Consul General Says. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://usinfo.state.gov/eap/Archive/2005/Sep/30-249516.html Hong Kong Culture. (n.d.) Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://hong-kong.tourism-asia.net/hong-kong-culture.html Huynh, D. T. (n.d.). Religion of the Vietnamese. Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Den/5908/religion/religioninvn.html   International Business Ethics: Hong Kong: Culture, Religion, and Tradition. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://www.pitt.edu/~ethics/Hong_Kong/culture.html Taylor, S. (n.d.). Geert Hofstede Analysis: Hong Kong. Retrieved February 1, 2007 from http://international-business-etiquette.com/besite/hong_kong.htm

Negative Effects Of Modern Day Testing | Education

Negative Effects Of Modern Day Testing | Education Using standardized tests to evaluate students and teachers has been an extreme mistake of the educational system. The seemingly flawless idea that high test scores show effective teaching and competent students has failed to be accurate. According to Alfie Kohn in The Case Against Standardized Testing standardized tests cant measure initiative, creativity, imagination, conceptual thinking, curiosity, effort, irony, judgment, commitment, nuance, good will, ethical reflection, or a host of other valuable dispositions and attributes. Students memorize more than they learn and retain and do not learn the same and even teachers have been caught cheating to keep their jobs. Many benefactors even use standardized tests to take advantage of the education system. Standardized tests have undermined education and the success of many students. While the majority of modern peoples and teachers have accepted standardized tests to be the best method for evaluating students mental ability, the reali ty is that they fail to exemplify the true ability of individual students and teachers while also impacting them negatively. Standardized tests distributed by the state are known as high stakes tests. They are called so because schools with high outcomes can get praise and financial rewards while schools with low outcomes are declared unsatisfactory and may receive sanctions. Furthermore, students with low scores may be held back in a certain grade. These are a few of the many stakes on the line with standardized tests. It has only been recently that schools have replaced use of standardized tests for academic placement and for determining student needs, with judging students intelligence and holding them back from diplomas (Kohn). Effects Against Students To most, this idea seems fine, but there are many problems with it. Gregory J. Merchant states that the National Association of School Psychologists believes holding students back is bad policy with devastating effects (3). Many cities have failed students for underachieving in standardized tests. In Baltimore, 20,000 students were held back. For the student, being picked out as the dumb one could damage them psychologically. Individual students could get left behind by the peers and friends they value most in their own grade level. Not only will this effect individuals, but large masses of students get held back leading to anxiety about standardized tests. Students in same level grades might be at different levels of their cognitive development, but due to grade levels use of age instead of intelligence level, many of those students are stuck taking tests created for the upper hand of the class and leaving them the consequences of biological factors. . While it is good to have stude nts be at their own intelligence level with peers, it would be better to change age level based grades. An increase of failure and retention from grade level to grade level could also lead to an increase of dropout rates due to pressure. In Boston, the dropout rate was increased by 300 percent which was directly attributed to standardized tests (Merchant 3). It has also been examined that tests created for educational purposes were biased on minority comprehension (Myers 334). In other words minorities generally do worse on these tests than many of the dominant white majority. This also causes many of those minorities, to feel unsatisfactory and overall dumber. Being Hispanic in high school and observing many of my friends, siblings, and relatives who have dropped out, there have been many occasions in which Hispanics believe they could not further their education. My peers also had the mindset that they were to dropout or just enter the workforce immediately after high school. These stakes not only make students further fear tests but make them wonder, as they drift through school, I this going to be on the test? Anxiety, fear, and anger towards standardized tests are overflowing students minds. Attitudes towards test not only manifest themselves in students through cheating and loafing but also inhibit success on tests by plummeting students with anxiety. (Merchant 4). Ten million students in elementary and secondary schools performed below ability on tests because of anxiety (Merchant 4). Merchant explains a possible increase due to the increased emphasis and importance of testing (4). Tests have shown to cause a lot of physical and psychological problems for students. Truancy and stress all make the education system negatively impact students, especially the young ones. The extent that modern schools make students strive for excellence beyond the busy work of the classroom is pitiful. The most any student needs to know is an equation and numbers to plug in, but there is no actual knowledge of the actual equation used. Now, all that matter is what is going to be on the test. What does mx + b mean when all you do is plug in numbers accordingly. In my experience with school I have never truly needed to know and understand material fully to achieve a good grade even though I have strived to do so. Furthermore I have only had to think critically in a handful of situations. There has been A statistical association between high scores on standardized tests and relatively shallow thinking (Kohn). Although many creative thinkers also score well on tests and many shallow thinkers sometimes score high, the bases that someone can do well on a test by merely copying down answers, guessing a lot, and skipping the hard parts creates an extreme gap in accurate meas urements of students knowledge (Kohn). Many students understand little of the subject or methods being used. While individually effective teachers do help, it is still incredibly difficult to achieve proper measurements in a contemporary day classroom focusing on state tests and other agendas. Tests are now used as a measuring stick for students and teachers achievement but the scores do not properly reflect the quality of academia. To begin with, tests are a comparison of one person relative to the rest of the population of students. This in turn makes it incredibly difficult to set up a test according to the knowledge that should be established at each level. One reason for that being that not everyone at the same age is at the same level. Potential is not measured by where someone is but where they can go. Another negative effect of this idea is that if a state with 140,000 students rose the standard cutoff score for a certain grade to be five more percentiles, 7,000 students would not pass to the next level or be considered average (Merchant 2). For these reasons, students also do not learn what they should learn or gain actual intelligence. Gregory states that basic items that students should master do not show up on tests, and due to limits of time, any certain questions striving to measure knowledge may be too few to have reliable measurements of specific skill (Merchant 3). Gregory even goes on to say that a few good guesses or skipped answers may determine the skill level of students. Standardized tests then show their limitations in assessing real student growth (3). Effects on Teachers For the eighteen years I have been in school striving toward academic achievement and scoring big numbers on standardized tests, the focus has been cognitive development, understanding through thought. Although this is not bad, the ways schools have gone about it is terribly wrong. School, through my experience, has consisted of countless hours of sitting in a room looking up at what teachers were saying. This method, while working for some students, has failed to truly challenge students mentally as well as not significantly teach others. One of the main reasons for these, frankly, boring classes is standardized tests. These functions will ultimately hurt the students. Do teachers try to teach a well-rounded student or a good test taker? Effects of standardized tests are easily found in the classroom. It is also thought that good scores reflect the teachers effectiveness. Waiting time on preparing for tests rather than learning other material is a serious factor. Teachers worried about bad tests scores spend an incredible amount of time teaching students how to take tests instead of teaching learning skills and knowledge (Merchant 4). Teachers begin to focus on materials students need on the tests. The curriculum then starts to be narrowed down. Gregory states that teachers even stop focusing on creative learning, such as projects, to reinstate lecture methods (4). The bad part of this is bad teachers focused on tests could get passed off as good teachers when in fact they are not. Schools cut out music, art, and social studies to focus on reading and math for tests and teach them accordingly to do well on tests, which in turn cuts a major opportun ity of learning for students. Even the ACT science test focusses on students ability to read rather than knowledge of science. These methods do not just hurt students by neglecting countless areas of study but also by subjecting them as equal learners. The theory of Multiple Intelligence tells us that different people think and understand differently. Howard Gardner a well-known psychologist expresses intelligence in eight different packages, one being bodily-kinesthetic which requires movement unlike that of a classroom. Another psychologist, Robert Sternberg, proposed three intelligences. Sternberg called one of these intelligences analytical intelligence which expresses what would be known as intelligence geared for modern school classroom (Myers 330 333). One of the possibly worst outcomes of this new found method is the cheating by teachers throughout the states. Because many states now use tests to measure teachers too, teachers begin to cheat to keep their jobs as well as get better funding. While this idea is not very prevalent there have been a few cases amongst cheating teachers. After asking teachers in two school districts how prevalent they felt cheating on standardized tests was, they responded with multiple cases of belief of cheating as well as witnessing cheating. (Brian 2-3). Jacob Brian in Rotten Apples also goes on to reveal cheating cases in four separate states (2) It is also seen that teachers and many people have found methods for taking tests. In effect, teachers begin to teach these methods in place of critical thinking and real knowledge. Pointing to the conclusion that students, again, do not learn important subjects but methods they might not even understand. Another problem with the teacher side of standardized testing is the parallels needed to be held with state curriculums. One teacher using the methods for student success on tests might look more successful than the ones who teach effectively but not geared for tests. A Possible Politics Angle Politics has also affected the use of standardized tests in the class room. Not for the good cause of not leaving a child behind, but to manipulate schools accordingly. Recently, tests have been overthrowing the education seen but only in the United States. Few countries today give these formal examinations to students before the age of sixteen or so, (Kohn). For the most part the intent of standardized enthusiasts is to raise school standards. There might be some other unseen agenda too though. Some ideas as proposed by Alfie Kohn state that some people intend to use standardized tests to form negative perceptions of public schools in hopes of privatizing education. While schools are still dominated by standardized tests the outcome is looking bright. Hundreds of schools have begun to drop tests like the ACT and SAT from their admissions forms (Kohn). It is seen that standardized tests bring forth more negative effects than they do good. Albeit proponents of standardized tests express concern for incentives to learn, and inhibiting unqualified students from bringing down their peers, using standardized tests produce false measurements and negative effects. .

Martin Luther King Jr. :: Biography

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born at noon Tuesday, January 15, 1929, at his home in Atlanta, Georgia. He was first named Michael Luther King Jr., and later changed his name to Martin, after his father. He was the first son and second child born to the reverend Martin Luther King, Sr., and Alberta Williams King, a schoolteacher.Growing up as an African American in Georgia, Martin experienced and suffered discrimination throughout his boyhood. This discrimination against black people was cruel and demoralizing. Martin Luther King Jr. told once of an experience he had riding a bus with his schoolteacher from Macon to Atlanta, "the driver started cursing us out and calling us black sons of bitches. I decided not to move at all, but my teacher pointed out that we must obey the law. So we got up and stood in the aisle the whole 90 miles to Atlanta. It was a night I'll never forget. I don't think I have ever been so deeply angry in my life."There were many discriminatory laws in the South. They had certain restaurants that they were allowed to eat in, separate water-fountains, separate bathrooms. Just about everything you can think of was segregated. One of his first experiences was with the curtains that were used on the dining cars of trains to separate the whites from the blacks. This incident struck King pretty hard, he said, "I felt just it as if a curtain had come down across my whole life. The insult of it I will never forget."King was an extremely bright student and skipped right through his high school years and entered Atlanta's Negro Morehouse College at age 15. His father encouraged him to study ministry, while he had his heart set on medicine or law. King was embarrassed of his own religion. He didn't understand what all the shouting and stamping was all about. But after reading and rereading Thoreau's essay, "Civil Disobedience," he came to the conclusion that the only way he could bring about his ideas on social protest was through ministry.At Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, King studied the writings and teachings of many philosophers, such as Hegel and Kant, but the person that impressed him the most was Mohandas Gandhi, and his beliefs in a nonviolent protest.

The Articles of Confederation Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Articles of Confederation was America’s first constitution. The Articles of Confederation were adopted by Congress in 1777 and provided for a â€Å"firm league of friendship† between the thirteen independent states. The Articles were in force from March 1, 1781, to June 21, 1788 and had both positive and negative effects on the states. The Articles of Confederation provided a very effective form of government with respect to the western lands but, in contrast, the government under the Articles of Confederation struggled in terms of foreign relations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Congress of the Confederation passed very significant pieces of legislation dealing with the Old Northwest, the area of land south of the Great Lakes, east of the Mississippi River, and to the northwest of the Ohio River. The Land Ordinance of 1785 established the public land policy of the United States that lasted for more than 75 years. The Land Ordinance of 1785 provided that the land of the Northwest should be surveyed and sold with the proceeds sent to the Congressional Congress to help alleviate the national debt. They land that was surveyed was to be divided into townships six miles squared, each of which was then to be separated into thirty-six segments of one square mile each. In this monumental piece of legislation, the sixteenth section of each township was to be set aside for public schools. In addition to the Land Ordinance of 1785, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 was passed under the Articles of Confederation. The Northwest Ordinance provided for the formation of not less than three, nor more than five, states. The Northwest Ordinance created three stages, in which the first two evolutionary territorial stages would be subordinate to the federal government. In the first stage, the total population included fewer than 5,000 adult males, the officials were appointed by U.S. Congress and included a territorial Governor, Secretary, and three judges. The Governor and judges made laws. Under the second stage, total population included more than 5,000 adult males, there were elected and appointed officials. The government officials included a territorial Governor, a Secretary, three judges and a non-voting Territorial Delegate to U.S. Congress that was elected by the territorial legislature. The law making body under this second stage was a B... ...est with strangulation. Spain also claimed a large territory, north of the Gulf of Mexico including Florida, granted to the United States by the British in 1783. Spain and England together, using their influence among the bitter Indian tribes, prevented America from implementing efficient control over much of its total territory. In addition to the Spanish and English threat, France also provided America with some trouble. France demanded compensation for the money loaned during the war and constrained trade with their West Indies and many of their other ports. Foreign relations were very rough under the Articles Of Confederation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Articles of Confederation did not supply America with a sufficient enough government. The government created under the Articles of Confederation did both positive and negative things for the nation. While the Articles of Confederation provided a fairly effective form of government with respect to the western lands it was not so successful with foreign relations. Under the Articles of Confederation the central government was too weak, the â€Å"firm league of friendship† caused America to be the laughing stock of all nations.

Essay examples --

Our world is made up of many diverse cultures. These cultures have influenced many aspects of this world that we live in today. Understanding and developing knowledge about these cultures is vitally important. Having the ability to understand other cultures will allow you to look deeper into your own cultural values. We will begin with looking at the nation’s largest minority group, which are the Hispanic Americans (Healey, 2012). The Hispanic Americans are divided into many groups. The three largest groups are the Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans (Healey, 2012) and these are the three that will be focused on. Mexican Americans are the largest Latino, or Hispanic American, group. There are many events that have had an influence on the Mexican American way of life. Immigration from Mexico flourished during the Mexico Revolution in 1910. Trouble was arising in Mexico and many people were fleeting hoping to stray away from the issues. After World War II, there was an increased demand for labor. This caused an increase in Mexican American immigration as well. The government of the United States fought back towards the immigration. â€Å"Operation Wetback† was put into place in the 1950s as a program in which almost 4 million Mexicans were deported. Mexican American’s privacy was vandalized, raided and broken into. Operation Wetback caused hard feelings towards Americans and has been a continuing issue for Mexican Americans to accept (Healey, 2012). One of the most significant changes in Mexican society came from the North American Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. In this agreement, th e U.S. began to move their factory operations to Mexico. Jobs were offered at factories along the board but the wages were decreased (Heale... ...us in the nation. According to McKenzie and Rouse (2013), â€Å"79% of African Americans say religion is very important in their lives.† African American religion is carried out in worship settings. They emphasize theology during their messages. The majority of African Americans are Protestant and classifying yourself in a group is highly valued in this society (McKenzie & Rouse, 2013). Just like religion is important in this culture, extended family is as well. The extended family of African Americans is typically described as close-knit. The blood ties of this culture are the strongest bonds. All adults are responsible for a child’s upbringing. They are part of the community and it is the adult’s job to help them grow. Roles and jobs are shared through out the family. Sharing roles and working together are seen as stabilizing factors within the home (Henderson, 1999).

Institution

Institutions are establishments or organizations that contain individuals as a mechanism to maintain control and a secure environment. However, the institution can restrict to an extent of an individual's experience and liberty of the world, resulting in conflict against the institution. Though many individuals apply themselves towards the institution with the nature of compliance, other individuals may be restricted therefore behaving in a conflicting fashion towards the institution.This is demonstrated through Harper Lee’s â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† by concentrating the audience’s attention to the social inequality in Maycomb representing the communities institution. Similarly within Suzanne Collin’s novel â€Å"The Hunger Games†, the institutional government is illustrated and is explored through the situations face by the individuals contained in it. Furthermore, institutional confinements elaborate the hierarchical structure enhancing or limi ting an individual within the system.As represented in Harper Lee’s â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird†, a nature of compliance and defiance is evident within the town of Maycomb. Evaluating on this, the protagonist ‘Atticus’ depicts elements of defiance by resisting to the social means that are accustomed to in the community. Accounting for the institution’s behaviour of containment, people at the top of the institution have the ability of corruption. This is best demonstrated in the court scene where the racist views of the white residents of Maycomb are juxtaposed with Atticus Finch’s desire to represent a black client.The injustice that is present in Maycomb, is best addressed as Atticus challenges the jury to â€Å"do their duty, in the name of God†, as they decide whether Tom Robinson is guilty, despite the fact that there is no â€Å"probable cause† for supposedly raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. This empathetic challenge by Atticus acts as the voice of reason against the racist, regressive elements of â€Å"southern† culture in the 1930’s. The institution, the town of Maycomb has been operating in a corrupt manner by segregated black and white communities within Maycomb.This segregation is again demonstrated in the court some exchanges, as the black citizen must stand in the stalls, whilst â€Å"white folk† cans sit on the same level as the judge and other court officials. In addition, Suzanne Collin’s â€Å"The Hunger Games† illustrates the nature of a governmental institution and how individuals are able to adapt or resist to the establishment. Within the novel, the protagonist Katniss Everdeen is elected to compete in the annual ‘Hunger Games’ a brutal competition containing individuals to signify the former defiance from the past districts.Through the protagonist’s portrayal of defiance, it is evident that one’s institutional thinking u ndergoes transformation, furthermore granting ability of opinion and greatly influencing an individual’s extent of restriction within the institution. This is supported through the statement of a participant of the games, â€Å"if I am going to die, I still want to be me†. Suzanne Collin uses this to express the emotions of a character experiencing the effects the institution, depicting the individuals as a tool or equipment used for manipulation and subsequently dehumanizing the individual.Conversely, within â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† the corrupted institution relies more on the community to progressively change people’s perspective rather than utilising threats. This is shown through the underlying nature of the public on how to behave within the town of Maycomb. Throughout the scene of the confrontation of Atticus Finch outside the town’s jail, the community’s men arise to form a mob creating a single identity. However, when the protago nist Atticus directs him individually towards a man, the man is shown to be contextually righteous and was only conforming to the society’s standards.This proposes the argument whether an institution is built on corruption demonstrated in â€Å"The Hunger Games† or is built on manipulation demonstrated in â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird†. Evaluating on the manner of both characteristics of each institution it is evident that they share common aspects. Throughout both texts it is apparent that institutional thinking and institutional behaviours derive from the different social rankings that individuals subconsciously acquire.