Internet and Political Interactions Globally Essay

Internet and Political Interactions Globally - Essay Example This is achieved by organizing online donating stages where supporters and donors provide monetary assistance to a candidate. The funds play a crucial role in ensuring efficient running of campaigns. The availability of the internet creates connectivity among different persons, which encourages decentralization of power and resources. Therefore, the political front can efficiently distribute task different professionals to review policies with public participation. The internet provides the political scene with a wide audience who, in turn, become willing participants in current affairs. Citizens can effectively engage in public debates and forums, which seek to express their views regarding political policies as they are and how they affect them. Participation in political debates can serve as a way to petition policymakers into establishing better policies to the public as they wish. This encourages public participation in democracy as their right is exercised as guaranteed by the constitution. In addition, the internet provides a platform for constructive criticism, which may present itself as an anonymous comment thus protecting against victimization. The internet increases public access to information regarding events that shape the day’s political scene. This is facilitated by the availability of a wide audience over the internet through social sites and political blogs. This ensures an open flow of information and transparency in the political arena. With an adequate flow of information, the public becomes a political watchdog over brewing scandals and malpractices. This has played a significant role in ensuring accountability within politics to avoid public and negative publicity. Political blogs over the internet can serve as whistleblowers concerning ills among the political elite.  

Recognition of Types of Abuse and Neglect

Recognition of Types of Abuse and Neglect Current guidelines and safeguarding concerns Recognition of types of abuse and neglect. My setting is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults. They are committed to empowering young children, through its early childhood curriculum, promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to. The Staff have undertaken relevant and up to date safeguarding and child protection training through induction and specific safeguarding training as required by the London Borough of Islington. Training for all staff is updated every three years as required and every two years for the designated officer. Agency staff, volunteers and students are also briefed on their roles and responsibilities during their induction to the setting which covers how to identify signs and symptoms of abuse and how to share their concerns with the designated safeguarding person (Bennett Court Playgroup). Bennett Court playgroup are committed to safeguard and protect children. Children have the right to freedom from abuse and harm. They work with children, parents/carers and the community to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Bennett Courts Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is based on the London Child Protection and Safeguarding Children Procedures (LSCB 2013) and in line with Islington councils Early Years Safeguarding and Child protection procedures and Guidance (2011) along with the Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF 2013). Children with Special educational needs are welcomed and supported to make a smooth transition to the setting by discussing how they can best meet their needs, gain the appropriate support and services before starting the setting   (Bennett Court Playgroup). Please see (Appendix 2) for current procedures meeting the Safeguarding Children and child protection requirements. Whistleblowing is when a member of staff, in any line of work provides information of improper and unacceptable behaviour within a setting against an employee, other working professionals or a member of the public. An example of improper or unacceptable behaviour may be when someone is discriminating, bullying or harassing their colleagues and/or others. Within legislations whistleblowing is known as The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. This act is to safeguard employees that may be experiencing types of prejudice, disadvantages or harm during their employment or they may be disregarded by their employer if they have disclosed information in obedience to the legislation (Brookes, 2015). My setting believes that children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes. they welcome suggestions on how to improve the setting, will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns about how the setting is run (Bennett Court Playgroup). Any concerns of bad practice should be managed appropriately before whistleblowing is needed. When staff are made to feel openly comfortable raising concerns about bad practice within the setting during staff meetings and under constant supervision, this will allow bad practices to be revised and modified before any types for cause of concern will result in harm towards a child and/or member of staff/public. Any member of staff involved in whistleblowing within the setting holds the responsibility to be able to indicate the bad practice, be able to record and report factual information of the incident to required parties for e.g. your manager or agencies like Ofsted and childrens social services, keeping copies of all relevant information shared between agencies and ensuring to follow the settings procedures for complaints, please see (Appendix 3) for my settings complaints procedures. Practitioners must follow the whistleblowing procedure whether or not they will be treated differen tly or become involved in conflict with other colleagues. Staff who may come across bad practice and choose to ignore this can result in implicating the individuals in the bad practice. Dealing with bad practice should be risen within the early stages to obstruct any further escalations (Small wonders child care, no date). Early Years Practitioners have a duty to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children when left in their care by parents/carers. My setting commits to developing and maintaining a culture of openness and honesty when working in partnerships with parents/carers to ensure the best interests of children and their families are met. An EYP must be able to identify signs and symptoms of abuse whilst children are in their care, they must be knowledgeable to diversity, promote equality of opportunity between children through various activities and in planning that will support the safety, welfare and protection of children for e.g. motivating and teaching children different ways to keep safe for e.g. when taking children out on trips teach them to stay together and how to cross the road correctly, to be able to express themselves openly and to be confident sharing their concerns. If a child ever discloses any form of abuse made towards them, an EYP must not interfere whilst the child is talking, make notes of facts only and not interpretations of what was said, also if a child asks them to keep this to themselves, they must explain in a gentle way for the child to understand that they must tell someone in order to keep this child safe, that the child has done the right thing, it is not not their fault and they are in no trouble. EYPs have a statutory responsibility to notify agencies if they have reason to believe that any childs safety and welfare are of any cause for concern (Bateman, 2013). When dealing with confidentiality all suspicions and investigations must be kept in an individual file in a locked cupboard or files on a PC with a secure password and shared only with those who require access to it. In my setting any information is shared under the guidance of Islingtons Safeguarding Children Board and follows the legislation, Data Protection Act (1998). All practitioners must follow their settings confidentiality policy and procedures to ensure that they are aware of what can be kept confidential and what causes for concerns need to be reported and how. In my setting we have a designated safeguarding person and also someone who acts in her absence, I have been made fully aware of who and where to report any concerns I may have. Practitioners must never share information about children out of the setting or to unnecessary parties   (Bennett Court Playgroup). When working with others for the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children, this can benefit them in many ways. For e.g. as an EYP there may be some things you may not be able to help a child with, possibly SEN or disclosures of harm or abuse, so you must be able to report and refer a child to the right services that best suits their needs. Some services that may work together to safeguard children can be childrens social services, health services, schools, psychologists, GPs, local police, the UNCRC etc. also working in partnership with parents supports the safeguarding of children, unless this will put the child at risk or further harm. Working in partnership also allows services to pinpoint any issues within the family and help resolve these issues in the best possible way, conducting constructive meetings to expand and assess each individual child. Where children may have certain health problems it is important to gain information and learn about how to handle any conditio n at any point and also be aware of who to contact when needed, for e.g. you may need to report certain symptoms to the childs parents/carers, GPs or health specialists   (Bennett Court Playgroup). Practitioners must be aware that the abuse of children may occur in different forms, the four categories of abuse are physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Bullying is also a form of abuse, as like female Genital Mutilation, the impact of domestic violence (DV) including Honour based violence which comes across all cultures and communities. Practitioners must be mindful that these forms of abuse can fall into one or more of the above categories and are often taken to great lengths to be disguised. This may include refusing freedom or contact with others, taken out off or forced to leave the country. Children that may be suffering from physical, emotional or sexual abuse may be experiencing neglect and this may be demonstrated through direct or indirect disclosures or through their behaviours within the setting. Practitioners must be able to recognise the signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that may cause concern, for example the child may unexpectedly become quiet, tearful, withdrawn or aggressive. Notable changes in a childs appearance e.g. loss of weight without a medical explanation, eating problems, for instance, overeating or loss of appetite, unexplained bruising or marks or signs of neglect, some signs of neglect may be when a child is wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather or clothes that are too big/small, a child may not have appropriate lunch to eat if provided by parents/carers, or they have not been washed, had their hair combed properly or untreated lice.   A child may show changes during their play, they may disengage from other children they may also hurt or be cruel to other children, a child may be knowledgeable to adult sexual behaviour, or they may participate in sexual play which is unsuitable for the childrens age   (Bennett Court Playgroup). In my setting where there is a concern about a childs welfare or wellbeing, or a concern that a child may be in need of protection, this should be recorded using the Islingtons concerns tracking form and then passed on and discussed with one of the designated child protection officers for action (or if unobtainable seek advice from Islingtons Childrens Social Care Team). The records placed must include the actual disclosure or concern, date, time and the name of the person who has recorded the concern and stored in the childs personal file in a secure cupboard. All staff and also volunteers are made aware to report any concerns immediately to the designated member of staff,   all concerns will be discussed with parents/carers unless this will put the child in further risks of harm or abuse, records of concerns, emails, notes or phone conversations and actions are noted and confidentially stored in a secure place. In my setting when we have concerns about a childs welfare we need to focus on, the needs of the child, their physical and emotional welfare, be sensitive, taking into account individual familys circumstances and discuss this with one of the designated members of staff. If it is suspected that a child is in immediate risk of ham or abuse this must be reported as soon as possible to the police and/or childrens social services (Bennett Court Playgroup). Appendix 1 LegalFramework- Legislations for the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children in my setting. Primary Legislation Children Act (1989) Protection of Children Act (1999) Data Protection Act (1998) The Children Act (Every Child Matters) (2004) Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) Help Children to Achieve More (2010) The Early Years Statutory Framework (2014) Secondary Legislation Sexual Offences Act (2003) Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000) Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) Equalities Act (2010) Data Protection Act (1998) Further Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (revised HMG 2013) What to do if youre Worried a Child is Being Abused (HMG 2006) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH 2000) The Common Assessment Framework (2006) Statutory guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 (HMG 2007) Information Sharing: Practitioners Guide (HMG 2006) Other useful publications: Child Protection Record (2007)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Bennett Court Playgroup) Appendix 2 Current procedures to Safeguarding Children and child protection requirements in my setting. We carry out the following procedures to ensure we meet the Safeguarding Children and child protection requirements, we do this by Recognising that all children have the right to freedom from abuse and harm. Promoting joint working with parents in the interests of childrens welfare and well being. Ensuring all our staff and volunteers are carefully selected and vetted ensuring that they carefully selected through the CRB and DBS recruitment process, have the relevant qualifications and experience and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children in their care. We have a named designated safeguarding   officer who takes specific responsibility for young childrens and young peoples protection, safety and well-being. There is also a second designated safeguarding officer who acts in her absence. Supporting all staff to in bringing their concerns to the attention of the Designated member of staff, so they can be considered and acted upon if necessary. Responding quickly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse. Providing parents /carers, children /young people with the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have. Adopting positive behaviour management procedure and strategies which are non-violent and do not impose humiliation or bias attitudes. Reviewing the effectiveness of the organisations child protection policies and procedures yearly (unless something proved to be ineffective). Working with external agencies, for example childrens social care team, police and   health visitors, to ensure as far as possible young children/ people are protected Not tolerating bullying. Incidents of bullying will be investigated and treated seriously and action will be taken in partnership with parents. Children are supported to form positive relationships and refrain from harming each other through anti-bullying practice (Bennett Court Playgroup). Appendix 3 Complaints procedures in my setting. All settings are required to keep a summary log of all complaints that reach stage two or beyond. This is to be made available to parents as well as to Ofsted inspectors. Stage 1 Any parent who has a concern about an aspect of the settings provision talks over, first of all, his/her concerns with the setting leader. Most complaints should be resolved amicably and informally at this stage. Stage 2 If this does not have a satisfactory outcome, or if the problem recurs, the parent moves to this stage of the procedure by putting the concerns or complaint in writing to the setting leader and the owner or chair of the management committee. For parents who are not comfortable with making written complaints, there is a template form for recording complaints in the above-mentioned publication; the form may be completed with the person in charge and signed by the parent. The setting stores written complaints from parents in the childs personal file. However, if the complaint involves a detailed investigation, the setting leader may wish to store all information relating to the investigation in a separate file designated for this complaint. When the investigation into the complaint is completed, the setting leader or manager meets with the parent to discuss the outcome. Parents must be informed of the outcome of the investigation within 28 days of making the complaint. When the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints Summary Record. Stage 3 If the parent is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, he or she requests a meeting with the setting leader and the owner/chair of the management committee. The parent should have a friend or partner present if required and the leader should have the support of the chairperson of the management committee, or the proprietor/senior manager, present. An agreed written record of the discussion is made as well as any decision or action to take as a result. All of the parties present at the meeting sign the record and receive a copy of it. This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded. When the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints Summary Record. Stage 4 If at the stage three meeting the parent and setting cannot reach agreement, an external mediator is invited to help to settle the complaint. This person should be acceptable to both parties, listen to both sides and offer advice.   A mediator has no legal powers but can help to define the problem, review the action so far and suggest further ways in which it might be resolved. Staff or volunteers within the Pre-school Learning Alliance are appropriate persons to be invited to act as mediators. The mediator keeps all discussions confidential. S/he can hold separate meetings with the setting personnel (setting leader and owner/chair of the management committee) and the parent, if this is decided to be helpful. The mediator keeps an agreed written record of any meetings that are held and of any advice s/he gives. Stage 5 When the mediator has concluded her/his investigations, a final meeting between the parent, the setting leader and the owner/chair of the management committee is held. The purpose of this meeting is to reach a decision on the action to be taken to deal with the complaint. The mediators advice is used to reach this conclusion. The mediator is present at the meeting if all parties think this will help a decision to be reached. A record of this meeting, including the decision on the action to be taken, is made.   Everyone present at the meeting signs the record and receives a copy of it.   This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded. The role of the Office for Standards in Education, Early Years Directorate (Ofsted) and the Local Safeguarding Children Board Parents may approach Ofsted directly at any stage of this complaints procedure. In addition, where there seems to be a possible breach of the settings registration requirements, it is essential to involve Ofsted as the registering and inspection body with a duty to ensure the Welfare Requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are adhered to. If a child appears to be at risk, our setting follows the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board in our local authority. In these cases, both the parent and setting are informed and the setting leader works with Ofsted or the Local Safeguarding Children Board to ensure a proper investigation of the complaint, followed by appropriate action. Records A record of complaints against our setting and/or the children and/or the adults working in our setting is kept, including the date, the circumstances of the complaint and how the complaint was managed. The outcome of all complaints is recorded in the Summary Complaints Record which is available for parents and Ofsted inspectors on request. (Bennett Court Playgroup)

Finding Ones Self in Jane Smiley’s Moo :: Jane Smiley Moo Essays

Finding One's Self in Jane Smiley’s Moo Finding one's self is not without turmoil. This does not pertain to only the young. It takes some people well into old age before they reach the level of ‘knowing’ who they are. An essential element of this maturation is turbulence. Periodic turbulence gives an individual the opportunity to rise above previous deficiencies of personality and provides levels of self-awareness. There are many ways that people face maturation, and many more ways in which they do or don’t face their ‘demons’. Let’s look at some of the characters in Jane Smiley’s novel, Moo. At Moo University there are plenty of examples of turmoil and growth process’. One of the ways that a person matures is through learning to accept themselves for who they are. Cecelia Sanchez is the assistant professor of foreign languages. An immigrant from Mexico, Cecelia is the first in her family to make something of herself, at least in her family’s eyes. She has done all the right things yet she feels dislocated from herself. On arriving at Moo University she experiences a feeling of displacement, as if she doesn’t belong. In her first weeks there "she would have picked a different source of dislocation." (Smiley, 16). Cecelia’s life turns upside down as she attaches herself to the chaotic world of Chairman X. She attempts to locate herself through him. She shops for "transformative items" (Smiley, 261) in an attempt to remake herself into something that Chairman X will want. It isn’t until Cecelia returns home to Los Angeles for the holidays that she feels "a fourth presence enter the room. It was her own sadness." (Smiley, 266). Cecelia tells Tim, "I come from a family who could have LIVED somewhere, but instead just ended up." (Smiley, 378). Cecelia has decided that she does not want to ‘end up’ somewhere. Her turmoil has led her to realize that she has a choice to ‘end up’ in a place of her choosing, not someone else’s. Other people find through turmoil that it is time to release the myths with which they have surrounded themselves. Chairman X and his lifelong companion, Beth, have made a life for themselves that does not fit into the myth they created many years before. They had never married because they originally believed that they must not "in order to subvert the capitalist tradition of marriage as a property relationship and the consequent intrusion of the corporation into private life.

Meaning Of a Family Essay

Everyone has their own meaning of a family. However, all families share some common characteristics that are outlined in a family definition essay. As per the dictionary definition of a family, all its members live in a common house and are linked together with each other economically. All family members are also emotionally linked and have a strong bond. A family consists of adults of both the sexes who are married to each other and have children. A family definition essay must highlight these aspects in an interesting manner and describe each element or constituent of a family. On Getting Family Essay Ideas There are several aspects to a family, such as the intricacies of relations, values, and the love and affection amongst its members. Hence, family essay ideas are also numerous; choices include education, jobs, house work, and the responsibilities and duties of each member. So, to get more interesting family essay ideas and top-quality content for the same, you can seek the expert help of professional writers and writing companies. Custom writing agencies have subject experts who offer guidance in choosing and writing effective essays for all your requirements. Choosing Family Essay Topics Several types of families exist in our society. So, there is ample choice when it comes to writing essays on issues associated with each type of family structure. Family essay topics can cover the family structure, organization, responsibilities and the bond shared among family members. Writing about the family can be an intricate task, which calls for the need of expert help. Professional writers with expertise in different essay writing styles, formats and subjects can help simplify the task of selecting family essay topics and make them more relevant. Writing Essay about Family Writing an essay about family can be a touching experience; albeit a daunting one, as the writer has to effectively express his/her feelings for the family members. The essay about family can focus on instances that depict the family’s togetherness and the bond between its members. One can also write about the family’s contribution during difficult times. For expert help on essay writing in varied subjects, help is right at hand with professional writing services. Companies like BookwormLab.com have a team of specialists to write on a variety of subjects in the most authoritative manner. And you shouldn’t break their heart. From one hand it’s great to be the only child in a family but in some cases it’s not. On the plus side parents always ready to help you but on the contrary when there is too much care it seems not to be good, because you cannot show your independence, do something yourself. Also you can feel lonely and bored. But your parents often do whatever their child want and if it’s necessary they help you and warn. They always spend their time doing something together with child to make him happy or teach something. And you have to appreciate their care and love. Because nobody except them love you so much and know a lot about you. As for me, I am the only child in family. And sometimes I think about how will I live if I have a sister or brother. Sometimes it is so boring to be at home along. I think about my parents, that all my childhood they helped me and did everything for me. But it doesn’t mean that I’m the main person in my family. Family it’s also our grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles. And the family tree has a long history of generations that sometimes are so ancient that we cannot remember the member of it, the name and occupation. And of coarse we know about our forefathers from our grandparents. As for me it’s really interesting to know who lived before me. And when I begin to ask my parents about forefathers I find for myself a lot of interesting things. For example some features of character which I have or part of appearance. But it’s a pity that I know not a lot of people in my family branch.

Ideological underpinnings of a movie Essay

An expectation has arisen among film-critics and audiences, that movie-makers will deal with the serious issues, such as racism and violence, at a serious level. In other words, it is expected by critics and film-goers alike that films will have meaning. However, if meaning is expected — what precisely creates and communicates meaning in a film? As Louis Giannetti points out in his book, Understanding Movies (2008), the presence of ideology in a film impacts the film in its entirety, from tone to theme. In Giannetti’s estimation, â€Å"ideology is another language system in film† and this language is largely conveyed through â€Å"code† (Giannetti, 453). In order to help illustrate the way that ideology influences films, Giannetti offers a series of categories into which the influence of ideology in film can be functionally divided. The following discussion of the film 300 (2007) will use Giannetti’s ideas as a support-structure to show how meaning in film is ultimately determined by the film’s prevailing ideology. In any discussion of meaning in film, it will be important to distinguish between what might be considered â€Å"overt† or even propagandistic meaning and thematic or expressive meaning. Of course this distinction is quite artificial and the two hypothetically divided types of meaning are often one and the same. That said, there is often a conspicuous difference between a film which has an explicit propagandistic agenda than a film which is based on generating thematic and emotional subtlety. The movie 300 offers, even to the most casual viewer, an example of what Giannetti calls â€Å"Explicit† ideology (Giannetti, 449). In this category of ideological content, a movie serves, at least partially, as obvious propaganda for a viewpoint or cause. That 300 functions as a form of propaganda is easily arguable. However, it is slightly more difficult to pinpoint exactly what specific cause or theme is being forwarded by the film’s ideology. In order to determine the film’s ideological bearing, closer attention must be paid to its content and its artistic tone. Giannetti mentions that tone in a film can be one of the most important aspects of presenting the film’s ideology. What Giannetti means by tone is â€Å"its manner of presentation† (Giannetti, 489). For example, in the movie 300, any number of important scenes, if played with a â€Å"comic† rather than a â€Å"heroic† tone, would create a different response in the viewer and therfore communicate a different ideological vision. Imagine the scene where Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger down the well: if the well had sounded out a loud burp after swallowing the messenger, the tone of the scene would have mocked the idea of Spartan pride and Spartan loyalty rather than celebrating it. The reason that tone is so important in a film is that it defines the way the audience will evaluate and judge the characters and scenes of a film. Because as Giannetti insists, â€Å"Tone can strongly affect our responses to a given set of values† (Giannetti, 489), tone is closely connected to ideology and theme. In the example given above, Leonidas kicks the Persian messenger down the well and this scene is presented in a heroic tone. From the outset of the film, the viewer is cued-in to understand that the Spartans are heroic and that they operate from a sense of pride and fearlessness. The tone of heroicism is conveyed not only through the action of the scene, but through the stylized representation of the characters as muscle-bound heros. The Mise-en-scene of the film is connected to the visual color-schemes of comic books and graphic novels. The sense of legend permeates the film, as it permeates the actual historical event. Therefore, the most dominant or controlling tone of 300 can be considered â€Å"heroic. † The fact that a movie has a controlling tone does not mean that other types of tones are not present in isolated scenes. In fact, the opposite is generally the case. The shifts against the dominant tone also help to convey meaning and ideology in a film. If the controlling tone of 300 is heroic, then the scenes that play against this dominant tone, such as the scene where Theron rapes Queen Gorgo, serve to reinforce the film’s dominant tone and ideology. When Theron tells the Queen she will not enjoy what is going to happen to her, the tone of the scene is tragic rather than heroic, and Theron’s status as a villain is cemented in the audience’s minds. The scene, by depicting graphically, the rape of Sparta’s Queen reinforces the heroic sacrifice of Leonidas and his men. Another aspect of films that influences ideological language is the cultural context in which a given film is made and shown. Cultural context is a crucial aspect of a film’s ideological meaning. The expectations of a given audience rest on the fact that â€Å"Every nation has a characteristic way of looking at life, a set of values that is typical of a given culture† (Giannetti, 465). The movie 300 is an American movie made for American audiences. ecause of this it would be hard for anyone to miss the obvious connections between contemporary world-events and the ideological themes that are shown in the movie. Comparisons with recent events are more or less easy. Any observer could see the present-day war against terrorism as a stand for freedom and to view the Battle of Thermopylae as a sort of allegory for the modern-day struggle against tyra nny. Obviously, the movie 300 forwards this connection through the kind of â€Å"code† that Giannetti describes. Still, as Dennis Behreandt points out in his review of the film from The New American (2007) the movie â€Å"serves to buttress the American mythos that our present-day warriors are likewise fighting for freedom in Iraq† and also that this is most evident in the scene where † Gorgo addresses the Gerousia, the Spartan Senate† when her speech could only remind any aware person of the â€Å"recent troop surge in Iraq† (Behreandt). This kind of cultural context would, obviously, be of less significance to someone who lived out side of the U. S. han to someone steeped in to American values. In addition to the cultural context of a film, there is usually a predominant political context. The political context of a film, for Giannetti, can loosely be divided into one of two categories: left and right. Left-leaning films are those that show multiple viewpoints to issues and propose more flexible responses to issues and problems. Giannetti describes leftists as people who â€Å"believe we ought to be flexible in our judgments. † By contrast, right-leaning film-makers are those who embrace a more stringent world-view. The rightist film-maker is â€Å"more absolute in judging human behavior [†¦ ] Right and wrong are fairly clear-cut and ought to be evaluated according to a strict code of conduct† (Giannetti, 457). In the case of 300, the designation of â€Å"Rightest† is, obviously, the most fitting for the film due to its tone and cultural perspective. Loosely, according to the discussion above, the following observations about 300 can be made in light of Giannetti’s criteria for evaluating the ideological underpinnings of films. First, that 300 is a film that relies predominantly on a heroic tone. Second, the film 300 depends on the specific cultural associations of American society to find its full ideological impact. Third, that 300 represents a â€Å"Rightest† political ideology. The three conclusions, taken together, along with the initial determination that 300 is an â€Å"explicit† communicator if ideology, beg the question as to whether or not 300 is more a vehicle for entertainment or propaganda. One of the opposing aspects to this idea is the fact that 300 is based on history. The idea that historical realism balances out the â€Å"poetic licesne† often taken by Hollywood regarding tone and presentation is one that, for better or worse, many film-goers probably believe. In addition to the idea that a culture could exert such self-discipline in its military caste and instill within each soldier a sense of bravery and fearlessness was a very powerful concept in 300 , which seems to resonate deeply with modern times. It is hard not to be fascinated by the Spartans, to wonder what made them as strong and resolute a they were and to wonder just as Xerxes â€Å"†What kind of men were these Spartans who in three days had slain before his Majesty’s eyes no fewer than twenty thousand of His most valiant warriors? † (Pressfield, 8). However, the fact shades of realism exist within the largely stylized or expressionistic â€Å"flavor† of the film only serves to elevate its power to transmit equally stylized (or stereotyped) ideologies. For example, the difference between vanity and pride seemed to have a great deal of influence on the Spartan conception of bravery as it was portrayed in the movie 300. Modern-day leaders would never think of putting themselves in direct danger like King Leonidas: his pride rather than his vanity dictated his actions and pride stems from a sense of civic (or national) unity. Loyalty is another important concept in the movie. It becomes the central most important idea, given that Spartan military power evolved out of the phalanx, which required the utmost loyalty and steadfastness of each warrior in the unit as a whole. The idea that â€Å"a Greek traitor showed the Persians another path, which enabled them to come round behind and encircle the Greeks† and that this ultimately led to the wholesale destruction of the Spartans at Thermopylae shows how important loyalty was to the Spartans. After Leonidas is killed † his men fought on with redoubled fury under the Persian arrows, as much to defend the fallen body of their King from the savagery of the barbarians as to show their valor† (â€Å"THE GREATEST WARRIORS†). The historical basis of the film is incorporated into the larger and more important â€Å"myth† of the movie that is conveyed in heroic tones that simplify historical subtleties and create a fictional paradigm of idealism. Therefore, the fact that realism in films can be construed into a propagandistic function, is the reality that filmmakers, and especially American filmmakers, are subject to the prejudices and â€Å"blind-spots† which are inherent to the social position they occupy and to which they owe their ability to make high-profile films. Elizabeth G. Traube’s Dreaming Identities: Class, Gender, and Generation in 1980s (1992) offers background to the mores and machinations of the filmmaking industry in America and her observations are important for understanding that movies are, in fact, propagandistic and often they represent the experience of only a very small segment of American society. This narrowness is obscured, according to Traube, beneath a veneer which can be thought of as a traditional moralistic package. Traube points out that, in reality, â€Å"audience preferences are only one of many factors that influence production decisions. Producers also shape their work to conform to dominant sensibilities and values, including those of the producing community itself† (Traube, 69). This reality combined with Traube’s complex but insightful understanding of â€Å"fairy-tale† motifs in movies is crucial to elucidating the way that anger and racial conflict are expressed propagandistically in film. All fables rely on a straightforward, linear narrative due to the fact that complex stories tend to obscure the thrust of the intended moral. Because the author of any fable is able to transform â€Å"topical news and politics into universal predicaments† (â€Å"Haggis’s Fable† 38), a fable carries with it the dangerous connotations of stereotype and oversimplification. The movie 300 stands as an heroic statement about the importance of protecting liberty and freedom. The ideological message that bravery and loyalty are essential aspects of preserving freedom and rather than Sparta, now â€Å"it is America that faces the threat from Persia† and by telling this story so forcefully and with so much passion the film embrace the â€Å"mythos of the battle rather than the historical truth of the era,† which is strongly conveyed in the film. (Behreandt). The ideological underpinnings of the movie 300 are based in a rightist, conservative set of political values that celebrate military capacity and force of strength. he films’ ideological message is one of social and civic duty as well as xenophobia. The film is geared toward an American audience in a time when America faces military challenges on several fronts and as such plays to the expectations of its audience. The tone of the film is heroic and its political ideology is conservative. The most logical conclusion that can be drawn from these facts is that, as mentioned by Giannetti, the ideological language of the film emerges as the most important aspect of the film as a whole. Further, the â€Å"code† that is used in the movie is comprised of historical truths and cultural stereotypes. The film blurs the line between entertainment and propaganda. It is accurate to suggest that the film, stripped of its propagandistic functions, would cease to exist. The unity of the film, in terms of narrative, editing, staging, costuming, scene construction and even music is derived more from a unity of ideology than from a unity of style or form. The movie follows a traditional fairy-tale arc of narrative to reinforce an already existing set of ideologies in its expected audience. Therefore, the best way in which to interpret the movie 300 is the method demonstrated by Giannetti that isolates and categorizes the ideological code of a film and makes the ideological language much more understandable for the average film-goer.