Affirmative Action Is Important For The Future Of The...

Affirmative Action In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech, he states â€Å"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character† for this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should alter for it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due its issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action is a great start in promoting diversity and exposing diverse perspectives in an educational field, it’s time to realize its modern predicaments and visualize how to better progress terms of admission for the future of the diversified generations of America. Thus it is vital to address reasons why prolonging affirmative action hinders the creation for better opportunities to those at a disadvantaged. The dilemma of affirmative action is defining equal opportunities, especially to those ethnicities who were historically wronged.The famous U.S landmark case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978), where Allan Bakke, a white man, was twice rejected to University of California Medical School at Davis, ruled that racial quotas â€Å"violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment†, however race can serve a part as one admission criteria. Today California hasShow MoreRelatedAffirmative Action And Its Effect On Society Essay1639 Words   |  7 Pagesbased on a person’s race is wrong. For this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should alter for it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due its issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action greatly promotes diversity and exposes diverse perspectivesRead MoreThe Issue Of Affirmative Action Essay1667 Words   |  7 Pagesthe content of their character† for this reason affirmative action in higher education admission should be altered for it creates a perpetually racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due it s issue of whether the generation of today should pay for the past injustices done to certain ethnicities. It questions the constitutionality of its existence and whether it perpetuates racial discrimination. Although affirmative action is a great start in promoting diversity and exposingRead MoreAnalysis Of Martin Luther King s I Have A Dream Speech Essay1756 Words   |  8 PagesPrimitive Action In Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech, he states â€Å"I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character†, this appeal to the emotions that judging based on a person’s race is wrong. For this reason altering affirmative action in higher education admission will be discussed since it creates a perpetual racial preference in admission. Affirmative action is controversial due to its issue of whether today’s generation shouldRead MoreEssay about Does Higher Education Need Affirmative Action?1934 Words   |  8 PagesDoes Higher Education Need Affirmative Action? Introduction Is affirmative action in higher education needed? This question provokes a myriad of emotions. Is affirmative action antiquated and unneeded in 21st century America? Or are the racial boundaries of this country’s ancestors still in effect? America’s Declaration of Independence states, â€Å"all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuitRead MoreWalt Disney Company : A Cartoon Studio2215 Words   |  9 PagesDisney’s cartoon series, it was marked as the guide to the animator and an orchestra from its musical background. The general development of the company was realized in 1950 when it started hitting the television world and additionally adjoining to live action films (Sanders, 2015). It started with the film, Treasure Island which even though it contained animated features, it initiated the first Disney hosted television show (Sanders, 2015). The turn of the new millennium dictated for a new focus by DisneyRead MoreEssay on Diversity in Higher Education2007 Words   |  9 Pagessocioeconomic status in determining acceptance at an institution of higher education may be a viable option for keeping and promoting diversity, especially since the Supreme Court made a commitment to eliminate race-based affirmative action by 2028 (Campbell, 2012). So, why is this important? What are the benefits of a diverse environment? A diverse environment has inherent issues that arise within it that makes it more difficult to manage than a non-diverse environment. For one, many see â€Å"differenceRead MoreEssay on Comparison of Northwest Airlines and American Airlines4767 Words   |  20 PagesAirlines several areas will be addressed. The strength of the global culture with-in the companies. The fit of the company to the global marketplace, and the adaptive ness or the empowerment of the employees will be examined and compared. Perhaps more im portant, than whether they currently have a global atmosphere, is whether they can improve or create this atmosphere. A comparison between the two airlines will be made on their mission statements, information dissemination, global-mindedness, career pathsRead MoreEssay on American and Northwest Airlines4865 Words   |  20 Pagesseveral areas will be addressed. The strength of the global culture with-in the companies. The fit of the company to the global marketplace, and the adaptive ness or the empowerment of the employees will be examined and compared. Perhaps more important, than whether they currently have a global atmosphere, is whether they can improve or create this atmosphere. A comparison between the two airlines will be made on their mission statements, information dissemination, global-mindedness, career pathsRead MoreDiversity Within The Workplace : Diversity6655 Words   |  27 Pagespeople who work for them and the make-up of those people is increasingly diverse. What this means for everybody is to look at their own bias and prejudice in the harsh light of the business world where the ability to put aside personal matters is an important part of teamwork. Managers and supervisors must learn the managerial skills required to bring the elements of a diverse workforce together. A multicultural workplace presents obstacles that can be viewed as opportunities. Because globalization affectsRead MoreAn Analysis of the Events Industry in Brazil: How Government Policies Coupled with Exponential Growth Influence Competition.5186 Words   |  21 Pagesmore difficult develop actions of client loyalty. The cost of items bought from suppliers has a significant impact on Events Company’s profitability. Based in that affirmative and in the Richard Gibbs and Dr Andrew Humphries is possible to sustain that competitive opportunities will be placed for those who analyse the threats and trends of the economic growth by changing government policies. The li terature research and the marketing techniques utilized provide the affirmative that clients will increase

Essay on Hydraulic Fracturing - 761 Words

Gene Kim LAWS 310 Part 1 1. Form a working definition of hydraulic fracturing; distinguish gas and oil fracturing. (25-50 words) Demonstrate familiarity with how hydraulic fracturing is actually performed; a brief description of how the process works. (25-50 words) Show where hydraulic fracturing is currently underway in the United States., in Europe and in South America. (25-50 words).3 â€Å"Hydraulic fracturing (also known as hydrofracking, fracking, fracing, or fraccing) is a water-intensive industrial process that drillers use to collect the natural gas held in shale formations. Shale gas has become an increasingly important energy resource in the U.S. Fracking fluid contains water, salt, sand, and hazardous†¦show more content†¦TIP: Try a GOOGLE search such as . Natural gas is already a critical part of America’s energy portfolio and consequently a critical part of the country’s economic growth. Not only does natural gas provide over 25 percent of electricity generation, natural gas, and other gases extracted from natural gas provide a feedstock for fertilizers, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, waste treatment, food processing, fueling industrial boilers, and much more. Although natural gas prices in the United States have historically been volatile, the abundance of shale gas brings the possibility of low, stable prices. North America has approximately 4.2 quadrillion (4,244 trillion) cubic feet of recoverable natural gas that would supply 175 years worth of natural gas at current consumption rates. Further, the National Petroleum Council estimates that fracking will allow 60 percent to 80 percent of all domestically drilled wells during the next 10 years to remain viable. The abundance of natural gas makes the United States an attractive place to do business, especially for energy-intensive industries. In what could be a growing trend, Royal Dutch Shell recently announced plans to build a petrochemical plant in western Pennsylvania and cited the proximity to natural gas production as the reason for the location. The $2 billion plant will create 10,000 construction jobs and thousands of permanent jobs forShow MoreRelatedHydraulic Fracturing Essay696 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is Hydraulic Fracturing Contrary to popular belief’s Hydraulic Fracturing is not a drilling process .It is the series of steps that are used after the drilling of hole in the ground is completed to create or restore small fractures or opening in the reservoir rock formation .These small fractures or opening in the reservoir are mainly used to extract –petroleum, natural gas ( such as shale gas , tight gas , and coal seam) ,water And natural substances This process was first used in 1947Read MoreThe Argument Against Hydraulic Fracturing1378 Words   |  6 PagesArgument against Hydraulic Fracturing Hydraulic Fracturing is the process in which a borehole is made on earth, and the Shale rock is broken in order to harvest natural gas by drilling pipes vertically,and horizontally.Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking draws in the addition of more than a million gallons of water,sand,and chemicals being added below earth s surface at a high pressure down a vertical,and horizontal pipeline.As the mixture travels down the pipe it breaks the Shale rock realisingRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing : Natural Gas1988 Words   |  8 PagesHydraulic Fracturing Natural gas is a keystone of United States economy, it providing the United States a quarter of the country’s total energy; Outstanding to the many advances in technology. Production from shale formations has gone from a small amount just a few years ago to being almost thirty percent of total United States natural gas manufacture. This has gotten lower prices, domestic jobs due to the possible of extensive production growth. Although the growth has also brought many difficultRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing : Good Or Bad?1401 Words   |  6 PagesHydraulic Fracturing: Good or Bad? Carol French owns a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. French’s dairy farm was thriving until one day a startling change in her water occurred. On March 15, 2011, French turned on her sink faucet and â€Å"the water came out white with a green moss settling on top of sand† (â€Å"A Dairy†). After the water settled for a while it became gelatin like. After being exposed to the water, â€Å"French’s daughter became sick in October of that year with a fever, weight loss (10 pounds inRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing : An Ethical Approach1168 Words   |  5 PagesHydraulic Fracturing: An Ethical Approach Hydraulic fracturing in combination with advancement in directional drilling has made it possible to economically extract oil and gas from unconventional resources. The growth in U.S. oil and gas exploration and production made possible by the increase in use of hydraulic fracturing, has raised concerns about its potential to impact human health and the environment. Concerns have been raised by the public about the effects of hydraulic fracturing on qualityRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing : The Good And The Bad1381 Words   |  6 PagesHydraulic Fracturing: The Good and The Bad. Hydraulic fracturing in combination with advancement in directional drilling has made it possible to economically extract oil and gas from unconventional resources. The growth in U.S. oil and gas exploration and production made possible by the increase in use of hydraulic fracturing, has raised concerns about its potential to impact human health and the environment. Concerns have been raised by the public about the effects of hydraulic fracturing on qualityRead MoreThe Controversial Technique Of Hydraulic Fracturing1366 Words   |  6 Pagesmore dependent on oil. However, the insatiable hunger of oil eventually consumed most available shallow sources of oil. Only then did natural gas and its variants become a viable option, and with it the controversial technique of Hydraulic Fracturing. Hydraulic Fracturing, or Fracking, as it is commonly known, is a process that requires three main components: a natural gas deposit, drilling and fracking fluid. The operation begins with companies surveying lands to discover an untapped source. OnceRead MoreThe Possible Effects of Hydraulic Fracturing in Newfoundland1278 Words   |  5 Pagesessay will examine the possible effects of hydraulic fracturing in Newfoundland. Hydraulic fracturing is the process of retrieving natural gas from the earth by injecting fluid into a borehole and pressurizing it, creating cracks in the rock. hydraulic fracturing fluid is made up of small beads of sand or ceramic, which prop open the cracks in the rock, as well as water and chemicals, which help suspend the proppants (sand or ceramic). The hydraulic fracturing fluid is pressurized, allowing the proppantsRead MoreWhy America Needs Hydraulic Fracturing1876 Words   |  8 PagesWhy America needs hydraulic fracturing Hydraulic fracturing also called fracking has been around for many years despite the recent events of controversy to continue fracturing or not. With the earth’s resources depleting rapidly every year and no sufficient replacement for energy humanity needs fracking. The process of fracking has been around for more than six decades. Fracking has been around since the 1940s and was created to increase the removal flow of oil and natural gas. In the words ofRead MoreHydraulic Fracturing : A Common And Widespread Technique1637 Words   |  7 PagesHydraulic fracturing has become a very common and widespread technique, especially in North America, due to technological advances that have allowed extracting natural gas from so-called unconventional reservoirs (tight sands, coal beds and shale formations). The socalled high volume hydraulic fracturing (with treatments typically an order of magnitude larger than the conventional fracturing procedures) began in 1968. This was complemented by horizontal drilling since the late 1980s, and the use

Strategy and Change for Cattle Farming and Meat- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theStrategy and Change for Cattle Farming and Meat Industry. Answer: Introduction Cattle farming and meat industry is one of the major revenue earning industry in Australia. Moreover, the cattle farming industry of Australia is mainly export oriented and thus it is one of the major sources for gaining foreign reserves. North Australian Pastoral Company is one of the leading players in the Australian cattle industry. Moreover, they are also one of the oldest companies in the Australian cattle industry. Currently, they are having 13 cattle stations with having more than 200,000 cattle making the largest private player in the industry. The major product for them is beef that sold in both the domestic and international market. However, in the current time, Australian cattle industry is facing number of challenges in terms of different environmental factors. Moreover, due to the fact that this industry is mainly depended on exports, emergence of external issues is more (Zhang et al., 2014). This is also leading to the increase in the business challenges for North Australian Pastoral Company. They are in the need of having effective strategies and internal factors to deal with these issues. This report will discuss about the internal and external factors influencing their business operation. In addition, the effectiveness of the internal factors of the organization in coping up with the external change will also be discussed. Identification of the external forces Political factors One of the major political factors is the diplomatic relationship with the importing counties. In the current time, political turbulence is going on in the international market scenario. Thus, it is affecting the export trend of beef from Australia. More stringent legislations and regulations are being initiated by the governments of the importing countries regarding the food standard (Cohen et al., 2014). Economical factors Emergence of the issues such as Asian economic crisis and recent American crisis is influencing the market (Aizenman, Jinjarak Park, 2013). Changes in the valuation of the Australian dollar against the American dollar also posing challenges keep up the revenue stream. Competition is increasing in the global market and it is affecting the sales revenue of North Australian Pastoral Company. Social factors Demand of beef in the global market is fluctuating and it is affecting the business growth of the Australian cattle industry (Davalos et al., 2014). Demand for beef is steadily reducing in the importing countries due to less public consumption. Trend of demand for beef is shifting from the bigger markets such as United States and Canada to the smaller countries such as Taiwan and Hong Kong. Technological factors Technology is rapidly developing in global cattle farming industry. It is becoming more important for the Australian firms to initiate newer technologies in order to stay competitive. Cost of production is rapidly increasing and thus it is important for the Australian firms to have latest technologies for enhancing the efficiencies. Evaluation of the external factors Thus, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that North Australian Pastoral Company is facing number of challenges in terms of different perspectives. One of the major challenges identified for them is introduction of the stringent regulations by different governments regarding the food safety. Countries such as the United States are initiating stricter rules and standards in importing beef (Lo et al., 2015). This is mainly due to the reason that trend of counterfeiting is rapidly increasing in the food items and it is becoming more important for the governments to have strict standards and regulations. This is becoming difficult for North Australian Pastoral Company to set and enhance their product quality according to the different benchmarking of the governments. Another major external factor or issue for North Australian Pastoral Company is the reduction in the global demand for beef (Centner, Alvey Stelzleni, 2014). This is mainly due to the reason that customers are le ss likely preferring beef and opting for other alternatives. Thus, it is reducing the business potentiality for North Australian Pastoral Company in their global operation. Identification of the internal factors Strengths North Australian Pastoral Company is the oldest and largest private sector firm in the Australian market. This helps them to hold a positive brand image in the market. Having number of stations helps them to cater to more number of markets in different regions. Capabilities in the breeding program development in order to have more drought resistant process. Weaknesses They are not having the access to the government subsidies like the private players in some other countries. Average cost of production of North Australian Pastoral Company is higher compared to some of their competitors. They do not have any foreign bases, which increase their dependency on the Australian economy. Opportunities More new markets are emerging for beef. This is increasing the market exposure for North Australian Pastoral Company. Initiation of the new technologies will enhance the organizational efficacy and will reduce the cost of operation. Opportunities of supplying live cattle to the North African markets. Threats Stringent regulations restricting the Australian beef for importing. Emergence of bovine diseases in different countries such as Japan. Natural calamities such as inadequate rainfall and drought. Evaluation of the internal factors The above discussion and analysis of the internal factors identified number of weakness and strengths for North Australian Pastoral Company. One of the major positive factors identified is the brand value and extensive business capabilities of the organizations. It is reported that North Australian Pastoral Company is the oldest and largest private player in the cattle farming industry in Australia. Thus, having huge and positive brand values is helping them to have more financial access in competing in the market (Hsu, Wang Chen, 2013). Moreover, their huge operation is also helping them in having competitive edge over its competitors. On the other hand, the major negative factor for them is not having foreign bases for them. This is forcing them to be more dependent on the Australian economy. Having foreign bases should help them to reduce the issues in the international business. Effectiveness of the internal environment in coping up with the external factors Thus, from the above analysis of the internal and external factors of North Australian Pastoral Company there are different negative as well as positive factors are being identified. According to the case study given, the traditional market for beef is reducing in the global scenario while new markets are emerging. Thus, it is important for North Australian Pastoral Company to have enhanced capabilities in order to target the new markets as well as catering to the existing ones (Juan Ding et al., 2014). It is earlier discussed that they are having 13 cattle stations across Australia. Having such number of cattle station can help North Australian Pastoral Company to cater to more number of markets. This internal capability of North Australian Pastoral Company can also be termed as their competitive advantage in having enough capabilities and resources to meet the changing demand scenario. It is also to be noted that having the capability of catering to newer markets will further help North Australian Pastoral Company to face the economic crisis as they have faced during Asian economic crisis. However, on the other hand, the internal factor for North Australian Pastoral Company is not well effective in dealing with the issues such as fluctuation in the currency valuation (Patel, Patel Patel, 2014). In the case study, it is reported that North Australian Pastoral Company is facing the issue in exporting their products due to the currency fluctuations. However, it is discussed in this report that North Australian Pastoral Company is not having any foreign bases outside Australia. Thus, they will have to depend on direct exporting of their products, which is vulnerable to global currency fluctuations. There internal environment is not well adjusted in this case for North Australian Pastoral Company. According to Sodeyfi (2016), access to finance is important for the business organizations to have the scope for technology development. This is due to the reason that the more will be the access to finance, the more will be the capability of the organization to develop latest technology. In the case of North Australian Pastoral Company, they are operating in the cattle farming industry for long years and thus they are having the access to large source of capital. In the internal analysis also, it is identified that North Australian Pastoral Company can initiate development of latest technology. This will help them to reduce the cost of operation and they can offer their products in more competitive prices. Conclusion Thus, it can be concluded that North Australian Pastoral Company is having number of positive and negative factors to be faced in operating in the global business scenario. In addition, this report also discussed about the internal factors of them and to the extent they are effective in coping up with the external threats and challenges. It is concluded that North Australian Pastoral Company is having major number of factors that are capable enough to cope up with the external change. However, there are some factors being identified that are in the need of improvement and development in order to be more effective in dealing with the external environments. Reference Aizenman, J., Jinjarak, Y., Park, D. (2013). Capital flows and economic growth in the era of financial integration and crisis, 19902010.Open Economies Review,24(3), 371-396. Centner, T. J., Alvey, J. C., Stelzleni, A. M. (2014). Beta agonists in livestock feed: Status, health concerns, and international trade.Journal of animal science,92(9), 4234-4240. Cohen, J. F., Richardson, S., Parker, E., Catalano, P. J., Rimm, E. B. (2014). Impact of the new US Department of Agriculture school meal standards on food selection, consumption, and waste.American journal of preventive medicine,46(4), 388-394. Dvalos, L. M., Holmes, J. S., Rodrguez, N., Armenteras, D. (2014). Demand for beef is unrelated to pasture expansion in northwestern Amazonia.Biological conservation,170, 64-73. Hsu, F. J., Wang, T. Y., Chen, M. Y. (2013). The impact of brand value on financial performance.Advances in Management and Applied Economics,3(6), 129. Juan Ding, M., Jie, F., A. Parton, K., J. Matanda, M. (2014). Relationships between quality of information sharing and supply chain food quality in the Australian beef processing industry.The international journal of logistics management,25(1), 85-108. Lo, V. H., Wei, R., Lu, H. Y., Hou, H. Y. (2015). Perceived issue importance, information processing, and third-person effect of news about the imported US beef controversy.International Journal of Public Opinion Research,27(3), 341-360. Patel, P. J., Patel, N. J., Patel, A. R. (2014). Factors affecting currency exchange rate, economical formulas and prediction models.International Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering Management (IJAIEM),3(3), 53-56. Sodeyfi, S. (2016). Review of literature on the nexus of financial leverage, product quality, business conditions.International Journal of Economic Perspectives,10(2), 146-150. Zhang, Y. D., Johnston, D. J., Bolormaa, S., Hawken, R. J., Tier, B. (2014). Genomic selection for female reproduction in Australian tropically adapted beef cattle.Animal Production Science,54(1), 16-24.

Social Networks and the Arab Spring Essay Example

Social Networks and the Arab Spring Essay â€Å"An Examination of the Role of Online Social Networks in the Uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt in 2010-11† In the academic research and journalism about the Arab Spring, there are contrasting views surrounding the importance of the Internet and online social networks in the success of the uprisings. Did the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt give validity to Egyptian Google executive Wael Ghonim’s claim that â€Å"if you want to liberate a society, just give them Internet† (Ghonim CNN), or was the function of online social networks greatly exaggerated by international media to highlight Western ideals of democracy? This research paper will closely analyze the extent to which these online social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, mobile phone networks, and YouTube were used as tools for the organization and mobilization of civil disobedience in Tunisia and Egypt in 2010-11. It will examine the role and impact of online social networks and will assess whether they were merely extensions of offline communities or if they played an integral and mandatory role in these uprisings. Though this paper will investigate the range of opinion on the impact of digital media in the Arab Spring, it will argue that online social networks played an integral role for Tunisian and Egyptian citizens in their rapid and successful uprisings. Online social networks blur geographical boundaries, which create opportunities for widespread communication, effective organization, mobilization of citizens, and the sharing of videos locally and internationally. Before the proliferation of digital media in the Middle East, these opportunities were not available to citizens and communication was limited to individual communities or offline networks. The combination and collaboration of already established offline networks, various digital technologies, and online social networks lead to the success of the civilians in overthrowing their governments. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networks and the Arab Spring specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networks and the Arab Spring specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networks and the Arab Spring specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Despite the years of civil discontent and corruption in both the Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak governments, revolution did not occur until digital media provided the opportunity for different communities and individuals to unite around their shared upsets and create mobilization strategies online. In Tunisia and Egypt, â€Å"social media have become the scaffolding upon which civil society can build, and new information technologies give activists things that they did not have before: information networks not easily controlled by the state and coordination tools that are already embedded in trusted networks of family and friends† (Howard 2011). It will be shown that although online social networks act as an extension of the offline public sphere, their role in these uprisings was integral in creating an organizational infrastructure and to generate international awareness and aid against the corrupt governments. Discontent had been brewing in Tunisia for years during President Zine El Ben Ali’s rule. In 2009 he was reelected for a fifth term with an overwhelmingly fraudulent 89% of voters (Chrisafis, 2011). Despite years of suffering from an oppressive regime, rising unemployment rates, and censorship, it was not until the self-immolation of a vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, was documented and transmitted online that the revolution gained the awareness and support it needed to make a difference. There had been previous acts of protest, but â€Å"what made a difference this time is that the images of Bouazizi were put on Facebook† (Beaumont, 2011). A relative of Bouazizi, Rochdi Horchani, went so far as to state, â€Å"we could protest for years here, but without videos no one would take any notice of us† (Chrisafis, 2011). The revolutions in Tunisia inspired Egyptian activists to use similar tactics to evoke change in their own corrupt government. Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak ruled over Egypt from 1981 to 2011, when he was overthrown by the organized and effective protests of Egyptian citizens. Although social media and digital technologies had little to do with the underlying sociopolitical and socioeconomic factors behind the civil discontent, they played a rapid role in the disintegration of these two regimes. In addition, even though corruption had been occuring for many years in the governments, â€Å"all inciting incidents of the Arab Spring were digitally mediated in some way† (Hussain, 2012) whether it was documented and disseminated online or discussed on an online social network. The corruption and discontent of the citizens may have inevitably lead to protests in both countries, but â€Å"social media was crucial† (Khondker, 2011) due to it’s communication and organizational abilities. The cruciality of online social networks and digital technologies is contested by theorists who argue that â€Å"other sociological factors such as widespread poverty and governmental ineptitude had created the conditions for extensive public anger† (Hussain, 2011) and that these preexisting conditions caused the revolutions. Several pundits including Gladwell and Friedman argue, â€Å"that while Facebook and Twitter may have had their place in social change, the real revolutions take place in the street† (Hussain, 2011). Though these theorists are correct in their attribution to the already existing political discontent for the preconditions to the revolution, online social networks acted as a necessary extension of offline social networks and action. It is likely the successes of the protests in the streets would not have been as large without the communication potential of digital media. One pundit attributed the lack of violence in the revolutions to the digital media stating that the use of online social networks â€Å"may have less to do with fostering Western-style democracy than in encouraging relatively less violent forms of mass protest† (Stepanova, 2011). Now that citizens had other vessels to communicate internationally and were no longer censored and controlled by their state regulated media, the governments could not be so open about their brutality. Pundits such as Gladwell and Friedman overlook the fact that â€Å"digital media allowed local citizens access to international broadcast networks, networks which were then used by online civil society organizations to lobby advocacy campaigns† (Hussain, 2012). It was these social networks that aided Tunisian and Egyptian citizens with their success in the streets. The Arab Spring has also been attributed the nickname of â€Å"The Twitter Revolution† (Stepanova, 2011) due to the large role Twitter and Facebook played in the uprisings. This nickname gives light to another contrasting perspective about the importance of online social networks being highlighted by international media to emphasize the role of Western ideals of democracy. Due to the fact that digital technologies and online social networks proliferated the West before the Middle East, the U. S claims credit for the democratizing effects they had on the Middle East during the Arab Spring (Stepanova, 2011). By emphasizing the power of new technologies in spreading Western democratic values, this approach ignores the socioeconomic and social equality dimensions of the massive protests in the Arab world. Ekaterina Stepanova states that â€Å"the automatic connection [The United States] makes between social media and a Western-style democracy agenda† (Stepanova, 2011) is a weak link in U. S policy. Social media tools with identical functions can operate differently in developed versus developing countries. It was not just the Western media which stressed the role of online social networks in the Arab Spring, but also local media and the civilians themselves. The role of Twitter and Facebook may have been emphasized in Western media due to their nationalistic attitude, but this should not downplay the actual importance that these technologies held in the uprising. During the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, social networks were the key factor in the communication, mobilization, and organization of civilians. Civilians used their mobile phones or computers to access online social networks where they could discuss and plan tactics for the revolution, and disseminate messages and photos of what was occurring. During the anti-Mubarak protests, an Egyptian activist put it succinctly in a tweet: â€Å"we use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world† (Hussain, 2012). In the ‘Jasmine Revolution’, the role of mobile phones was integral in both sharing and receiving information. The phone acted as a tool which aided in the extension of offline networks into online. Now, civilians did not need to be face to face to communicate messages of discontent or plans for rebellion as they had mobile networks. The ability to message many people at one time of access their Facebook or Twitter from their phone was invaluable to the rebels. Reporters without Borders stated that â€Å"the role of cell phones also proved crucial [in Tunisia]. Citizen journalists kept file-sharing websites supplied with photos and videos, and fed images to streaming websites† (Reporters without Borders, 2011). It was not just the vast communication abilities that aided citizens in the revolt, but by putting cameras in the hands of a plethora of Tunisians they became citizen journalists with the ability to show what was happening to them to the world. The ability for citizens to take part in news is very valuable as this was a time where all media broadcast institutions were state run. The great difference between what was being reported about through the citizens versus the state allowed those uprisings to share their side of the story. Government censorship was a huge problem in both Tunisia and Egypt, but censorship â€Å"made the new media more relevant† (Khondker, 2011). Social media was very useful for the citizens as it â€Å"brought the narrative of successful social protest across multiple, previously closed, media regimes† (Hussain, 2012). It was due to the mobile phone and heavy proliferation of online social networks that citizens could show proof of the injustices that were occurring through photo and video documentation on an international scale. In addition, communicating online was very effective for civilians since they could plan out offline protests with a mass audience. As stated, the internet blurs geographical boundaries, which allows revolutionary leaders and advocates to find each other and communicate online. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter provided citizens with a platform to discuss plans of action and reach mass audiences. The ability to reach so many people online was essential since â€Å"information and communication networks can serve as powerful accelerators of social transformation† (Stepanova, 2011). Facebook groups such as â€Å"We Are All Khaled Said† enlisted 350,000 members before the 14th of January (Khondker, 2011). This group provided the members with an incomparable medium of communication to anything offline social networks could provide. In addition, other than attempted media blackouts by the governments, communication was rather unlimited online. Activists posted relatively freely, which indicated that â€Å"new information technology has clearly the transformative potential to open up spaces of freedom† (Khondker, 2011). The idea of online spaces as democratic and free draw upon Jurgen Habermas‘ concept of the public sphere. There are integral benefits of the internet in relation to Habermas’ public sphere, such as the vast library of easily accessible information, a new platform for critical political discussion, the blurring of spacial boundaries, and the embracing of new technology. In the Arab Spring, the usage of the internet empowered Habermas’ concept of deliberative democracy, which highlights â€Å"the role of open discussion, the importance of citizen participation, and the existence of a well-functioning public sphere† (Gimmler, 23). Habermas holds that deliberative democracy is based â€Å"on a foundation that enables the legitimacy of the constitutional state and civil society to be justified† (Gimmler, 23). He separates the â€Å"constitutional democratic state and its parliamentary and legal institutions, on one side, and the public sphere of civil society and its more direct communication and discursive foundations, on the other† (Gimmler 24). The opposition between the corrupt governments and civilians was represented on online social networks. Civilians used social networks as spaces of deliberative democracy, which acted as an online public sphere. Henry Brady states that â€Å"meaningful democratic participation requires that the voices of citizens in politics be clear, loud, and equal† (Hindeman, 6), online social networks give power to those voices that are silenced by state regulations. The fact that â€Å"information technologies have opened up new paths to democratization and the entrenchment of civil society in many Arab countries† (Hussain, 2012) attests to their function as a public sphere. Though there were effective offline social networks such as the Church, family, and friends, â€Å"the networks of people who did mobilize, did so with the direct application, initiation, and coordination, of digital media tools† (Hussain, 2012). Online social networks acted as extensions of offline networks that were already present, but also provided the opportunity to reach a much larger amount of people. The plans and decisions made on the online networks made the offline protests so successful. Virtual networks materialized before street protest networks† (Hussain, 2012), which shows the importance of online social networks. In the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, there was no single social network that was completely responsible for the success of the revolution. Instead, it was the combination of mobile phones, the internet, and traditional broadcast media which aided citizens in forming powerful networks which strengthened their cause. Castells defines a network s ociety as â€Å"a society whose social structure is made of networks powered by microelectronics-based information and communication technologies. By social structure, [he] understands the organizational arrangements of humans in relations of experience and power expressed in meaningful communication coded by culture† (Castells, 2004). This definition accurately describes the atmosphere in both Tunisia and Egypt during their revolutions due to the reliance on online social networks. In both Tunisia and Egypt, there was a manifestation of technology which aided citizens in communicating. Social networking sites, instantaneous internet, and always-available mobile phones created a powerful network which allowed citizens to always be connected to each other. Some degree of formal organizational and informal networks is necessary for revolution in order to communicate and plan. Egyptians utilized heavy social media connectivity through the use of the mobile device via texting of internet through their phone rather than personal computer. One Egyptian citizen tweeted on January 26th, 2011 â€Å"You who have Twitter and Facebook working on your phone, use them to spread words of hope. We won’t let this end here #jan25 was just the start† (Boyd, 2011). Citizens were encouraging each other to avoid traditional forms of communications via the internet to avoid government censorship and interference. Castells stated that â€Å"thus was born a new system of mass communication built like a mix between an interactive television, internet, radio and mobile communication systems. The communication of the future is already used by the revolutions of the present† (Castells, 2011, emphasis on the original) when describing the use of technologies in the Arab Spring. The issue of censorship posed a large barricade on the protesters due to their reliance on social networks and the internet. The Ben Ali regime realized the importance of Facebook in early January 2011 and stepped up their censorship with attempts to curb the heavy distribution of photos of protests and repression. There was increasing interest from the foreign media due to the power of ICT’s in spreading the story worldwide, which also influenced the state to up online censorship. The head of the Agencie Tunisienne d’Internet (ATI) said â€Å"the number of websites blocked by the authorities doubled in just a few weeks. More than 100 Facebook pages about the Sidi Bouzid events were blocked, along with online articles about the unrest in foreign media olice also hacked into Facebook accounts to steal activists passwords and infiltrate networks of citizen-journalists† (Reporters Without Borders, 2011) . It was the power of networks which allowed the citizens to overcome the censorship of the government. Due to the many options of communications devices, when one was blocked citizens wou ld resort to another. In addition, citizens found ways around the internet blockage and activist hacker groups rebutted with hacks on government websites and found technical ways to pass on news and demands from inside Tunisia. The positive role of technology within the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt cannot be disputed. Although, such heavy use of technology caused the corrupt governments to attempt to intervene, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Information and communications technologies allowed oppressed citizens to rise above the government through the power of mobility, networks, and information. The portability of the cell phones partnered with the creation of networks through the multiple technologies utilized allowed the voice of the citizens to be heard worldwide. The positive effect these technologies had in empowering the both the Tunisians and the Egyptians is clear in the mere rapidity that they overthrew their corrupt governments once they started revolting. In addition, it is clear that these ICT’s had a large effect since the government responded so harshly towards them, clearly feeling threatened. Overall, it is evident that ICT’s played a large role in the effective and swift revolutions which started the domino effect of the Arab Spring. *Copy Right- Nobody has permission to use my work in their own academic research*