Social Science Students and Researchers †Free Samples to Students

Question: Diacuss about the Social Science Students and Researchers. Answer: Introduction: Observation is one of the essential tools used when carrying out a qualitative research approach (Ritchie et al., 2013). Gathering relevant information by means of observation of significant people/consumers, analysing their actions and real-life situations, are the main elements constituting an observational research. Kimberley Clarks Huggies brand used this approach when all the other traditional approaches failed to supply desired results, after the sales of baby wipes dropped considerably, right before their launch of a line of other baby products. They provided glass-cameras to sample management consumers and observed their daily struggles with diapers; accordingly, they reinvented their products in a way that would make them easily dispensable and disposable with one hand. Merits: This particular method has multiple merits for using mostly primary data for resource. The data collected by this approach is usually reliable, unbiased and accurate. It enhances the all-over accuracy of the research result. It significantly brings down dependency on external factors. Use of modern technological gadgets make the process much easier by allowing to make observations for long durations, without disrupting the interviewees schedule (Rauschnabel, Brem Ro, 2015) Demerits: However, one of the demerits is that it is a time-consuming process. Along with that, it does not comply with the opinions of the consumers as much as it complies with their behaviour response. I agree with my peer that observing the concurrent behaviours that take place in a natural environment primarily constitutes the research methodology. It enjoys various merits of its own, which includesreducing dependence on consumer opinion, rather analysing their daily activities and behavioural responses for more accurate data than feedback surveys or interviews can provide. Another merit is that it helps a marketer to distinguish real issue from initial issue. Considering the Kimberley Clarks use of observational research for Huggies prodducts, it revealed underlying issues of neglect towards mothers and children and identified the real issue from the initial issue of losing sales. References Rauschnabel, P. A., Brem, A., Ro, Y. (2015). Augmented reality smart glasses: definition, conceptual insights, and managerial importance.Unpublished Working Paper, The University of Michigan-Dearborn, College of Business Management. Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C. M., Ormston, R. (Eds.). (2013).Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. Sage.

Why You Should Use a Sample Compound Essay

Why You Should Use a Sample Compound EssayIf you are looking for a way to really impress college admissions officers, you could consider using a sample compound essay. Your college is no doubt waiting for you, and if you're prepared, they might not notice that you haven't prepared any of the important material.In fact, since you have already completed the information required for your application, including a sample compound essay, it's only logical that you do all of the other parts yourself. However, if you're prepared, you'll be ready to show that you can take any assignment and make it into a good one.College admissions directors are only looking for you to help them decide whether or not you belong in their program. They want you to be an asset, not a liability. They also want you to come to class and interact with your classmates so that they can determine whether or not you will fit in.Just as important, however, is how well you and your college admissions officer can work tog ether. If you have a good relationship, then you'll know what to expect from your professor and you'll be on your way to having a successful college experience. If you don't, then you'll likely lose your place in the college program.Your college admissions officer is one of the best judges in the world. They are using all of the resources available to them to evaluate your character and the quality of your work. They are going to want to see that you are reliable and have a reasonable number of successes to prove your worthiness.The best thing that you can do is show your college admissions officer that you can make something look simple and make it look hard. This will give them confidence in your ability to succeed. If you want to really impress the college admissions officer, then you need to make sure that you think of the future before you start working on the past.Showing that you are flexible enough to try something new and to not worry about what your college admissions offi cer is doing may just get you the acceptance letter that you've been waiting for. It's never too late to learn from mistakes and move forward. So get started today!

What is Christian ethics Research Paper Example

What is Christian ethics Paper The term ethics deals with what is morally right or wrong. Christian ethics therefore, deals with what is morally right or wrong for a Christian. There are several distinguishing characteristics of Christian ethics, each of which play a vital role to its analysis. Some Christians will base their ethics solely on the Bible and its teachings, others will base their ethics on the biblical teachings but also on Church tradition and Natural Law, others will follow a Situation or virtue ethics approach and others will look to their conscience as a guide. Christian ethics is based on Gods will and is a form of divine command position. However, God never wills anything contrary to his unchanging moral character. The ethical imperatives that God gives are in accord with his unchangeable moral character. That is, God wills what is right in accordance with his own morals Be Holy because I am Holy. Christians believe the scriptures transmit the Word of God: this gives them authority. The weight of authority given to the Bible is dependent on what exactly a Christian believes about the books. Some Christians believe that humans were inspired by God to write down the scriptures which means the writings are related to the time and culture when they were recorded and may contain human errors. This makes them a useful source of guidance to people but does not make their contents absolute. Others believe the Bible contains Gods words handed down directly to humans. This makes these writings divine and makes them the highest authority their rules and codes are absolute. We will write a custom essay sample on What is Christian ethics specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What is Christian ethics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What is Christian ethics specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The New Testament has particular importance for Christians because it records the teachings of Jesus, whom Christians regard as Gods Son sent to earth to save humanity. They also believe it is essential to follow Jesus teachings if they are to be saved. The Divine Command theory is a strong part of Christian ethics as it poses a vital belief the argument is that something is good simply because God commands it and for no other reason. This is one side of Euthyphros dilemma and states that we cannot apply reason or verify it in any way. For example, if God were to command a cruel dishonest action such as murdering an innocent man then it would be right simply because he commanded it. Many Christian thinkers, including Aquinas and more recently William Temple, have rejected the Divine Command Theory because they say some things are innately good or bad. Temple said, In its nature, the moral judgement is quite wholly independent of religion. The Roman Catholic Church accounts for the majority of Christians in the world, and is the largest religious organisation of any religion. Within Catholic theology, Natural Law holds a dominant position. Aquinas has emphasised reason as a tool for showing that certain acts are intrinsically right or wrong, as they go against true purpose; certain absolutes, such as sanctity of life, cannot be changed by the circumstances. The Church encourages a range of different approaches, but when it comes to official church teaching, the vast majority of statements, encyclicals etc. are strongly in-line with Natural Law. Within other denominations, Natural Law theology still has a significant impact. Many Christians adopt deontological positions and think we should act according to Gods design or purpose for our lives. They may be less influenced by Aquinas in this, and Protestants tend to be less sure about moral absolutes. However, there is still a strong sense of following rules within most Christian denominations. Christians believe Natural Law is God-given and as such has authority in the formulation of an ethical code. Catholics also consider that conscience plays an important part in Christian ethical decision-making. Here conscience is not seen as some inner voice which will point us in the right direction but something of reason and judgement. Christians regard their conscience as the ultimate guide for making moral decisions because it was given to them by God and represents the voice of the Holy Spirit within them. Prayer worship and the teaching of the Church also assist the conscience, which Aquinas described as reason-making moral decisions. Very liberal Protestants may have a situationist approach to Christian ethics. Situation ethics presumes it is not necessary to abandon moral autonomy, nor is it necessary to act in an antinomianistic or legalistic way. In any situation people need to avoid subjectivism and individualism, and to use the moral rules of the community, but they should set these aside if love is better served by doing so, therefore being based on the Christian principle of agape unconditional love. Joseph Fletcher explained this theory in his book about situation ethics and it became apparent that he believed that love always takes the priority, even over laws against lying, stealing, adultery and murder. For example, this could be applied in a situation where it would be wrong to use someone for sexual pleasure as there was no love involved. Virtue ethics is also an important source for Christian ethics. Instead of focusing on acts or ends, virtue theory holds that people should think about becoming better people, and prescribes qualities which constitute goodness. So while a utilitarian seeks to bring about the end with the greatest good for the greatest number, and Aquinas encouraged people to do actions which accorded with the natural law and avoid those which didnt, virtue theorists encourage people to look to self-improvement. This links to love as being the highest of all virtues and also the rationale for all virtues but just in different circumstances. The virtues, for Christian ethics point towards the goal for which we aim, even if we do not achieve it in life. In conclusion, it is evident that Christians set out to follow the Will of God. They use various sources of authority to discover what the Will of God is and I have mentioned these different types of foundations of the religion in my essay which has proved that whilst most Christians would recognise them as sources of authority, they are likely to place a different emphasis on their relative importance.

75 Synonyms for Talk

75 Synonyms for Talk 75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk† 75 Synonyms for â€Å"Talk† By Mark Nichol Talk, talk, talk it’s all the same. Or is it? There are many ways to talk, and each has its own word (or words) for it. Here’s a noncomprehensive roster of many synonyms for the noun and verb forms of talk (I had to stop somewhere): 1. Babble: enthusiastic or excessive talk, or meaningless sounds or nonsense words; to talk in this manner 2. Back talk: a disrespectful response; to respond disrespectfully 3. Backchat: see back talk, badinage, and gossip 4. Badinage: light, witty talk 5. Banter: see badinage, with a connotation of good-natured teasing or arguing; to engage in such talk 6. Barb: a hurtful and/or critical comment 7. Blandish: see cajole 8. Blandishments: see cajolery/cajolement 9. Blarney: nonsensical talk 10. Bluster: boastful or threatening talk; to speak boastfully or threateningly 11. Cackle: see chatter (verb only) 12. Cajole: to persuade with soothing or flattering remarks 13-14. Cajolery/cajolement: talk with the intent to persuade 15. Causerie: see chat (noun only) 16. Chaff: see badinage; also, to tease good-naturedly 17. Chat: an idle or inconsequential conversation; to engage in such talk 18. Chatter: quick, extensive, and/or aimless talk; to talk in such a manner 19. Chin music: see chat (noun only) 20. Chinwag: informal talking; to talk informally 21. Chitchat: see badinage 22. Circumlocution: evasive or verbose talk 23. Comment: an opinion or observation; to say something of this type 24. Confab: see chat (also, a formal meeting) 25. Confabulation: see chat and confab (also, something made up) 26. Confer: to exchange opinions or seek advice 27. Conference: a meeting, or an event consisting of presentations and/or meetings 28. Confess: to admit to a thought or action considered improper or shameful 29. Conversation: a talk between or among two or more people 30. Converse: to speak back and forth with one or more people 31. Crack: an uncomplimentary comment; also, to quickly say something, as when spontaneously telling a joke pertinent to a situation 32. Dig: see crack 33. Discuss: to engage in serious talk 34. Discussion: a serious talk 35. Dish: see gossip 36. Double-talk: intentionally confusing or ambiguous language, or talk that is at least partially meaningless; to engage in such talk 37. Fast-talk: to persuade or influence by deceptively authoritative and/or flattering speech 38. Flibbertigibbet: see gossip 39. Gab: see chatter 40. Gabfest: talking consisting of gab 41. Give-and-take: an exchange of ideas or comments 42. Gossip: see chat, with an additional connotation of talk or talking about the personal lives of one or more other people (also, someone who engages in such talk) 43. Jangle: see chat 44. Jaw: see chat 45. Jest: a humorous or mocking statement; to make such a statement 46. Natter: see chat 47. Negotiate: to talk in order to reach an agreement 48. Negotiation: a talk in which the speakers seek to reach an agreement 49. Palaver: a discussion or conference, especially one between unequal participants, or deceptive speech, or see chat; to talk idly, try to persuade or deceive, or come to terms 50. Parley: see confer, with the possible connotation of talk between antagonists to agree to terms to cease hostilities; to engage in such talk 51. Patter: quick or monotonous speech, as in delivering a humorous speech or in rote delivery of prayers; to speak in this manner 52. Pillow talk: romantic talk, such as would be engaged in while the speakers are in bed 53. Pleasantry: polite, inconsequential talk, or see banter and jest (nouns only) 54. Quip: a spontaneous observation or response; to say something of this type 55. Raillery: see banter and jest 56. Rap: see chat and patter 57-58. Recital/recitation: public delivery of read or memorized material, or of details or answers 59. Recite: to deliver read or memorized material, or details or answers 60. Remark: a statement of judgment or opinion, or a reference to something notable; to comment in this manner 61. Repartee: an exchange of clever, witty statements, a single such response, or skill in talking in this manner 62. Schmooze: see chat, with the connotation of one conducted so as to gain personal or professional advantage; to talk in this manner 63. Small talk: see badinage 64. Spit: to talk about things or opinions a listener disagrees with or disapproves of 65. Straight talk: frank, straightforward talk 66. Sweet nothings: flattering talk intended to charm a potential or existing romantic partner 67. Sweet talk: talk intended to persuade, or to endear oneself to the speaker; to engage in this kind of talk (the verb form is hyphenated) 68. Table talk: informal talking such as that heard during a dinner party 69. Tete-a-tete: an intimate or private talk 70. Waggery: see banter and jest 71. Wisecrack: a clever or sarcastic comment; to make such a comment 72. Wordplay: witty, playful talk 73. Yack: to talk at length 74. Yammer: to talk relentlessly, or to complain 75. Yap: excessive talk (also, slang for mouth) I’ll follow up with a list of more elaborate idioms about talk and talking like â€Å"shoot the breeze,† but let me (and other site visitors) known which synonyms I missed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 7 Tips for Writing a Film ReviewDrama vs. Melodrama

Sustainable Construction Method Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Sustainable Construction Method - Coursework Example Much of this is now controlled by legislation and pollution of air, land and sea within the European Union and many Western Nations is now reducing. The loss of control of manufacturing processes therefore has a considerable environmental impact. 2. Resource Use The construction industry is the major consumer of resources of all industries. 3. Habitat Destruction While the three greatest and most imminent threats to the survival of our civilization are global warming, peak oil (the growing energy gap between supply and demand) and resource depletion, habitat destruction can have a more immediate and disastrous effect on certain localized areas and species. Sometimes these can also have a global impact (for example the impact of the deforestation of the Amazon rain forests). . 4. Waste There are increasing regulations about waste disposal from construction and many products, even common products like gypsum plasterboard and mineral wool insulation are now labeled as hazardous and requ ire special disposal. In addition there are many projects to find new uses for waste construction materials. However here, as with waste disposal, the less processed a material is, and the less hazardous, the easier re-use, recycling or healthy disposal (for example through composting) will be. Many essential materials are now in short supply. 5. Climate change The main base performance criteria for energy efficient buildings all concern the thermal performance of the building shell where most of the CO2 gains can be most easily made. The fact is that if we are serious about climate change then we need to stop playing games with technologies which do not deliver real CO2 savings. The real challenge in this area is... The intention of this study is the environmental impact assessment as a â€Å"process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made†. An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that decision makers consider the ensuing environmental impacts when deciding whether to proceed with a project. The construction process and building use not only consume the most energy of all sectors and create the most CO2 emissions, they also create the most waste, use most non-energy related resources, and are responsible for the most pollution. Materials such as copper, which is largely mined in South America where whole mountains have been taken down and landscapes altered in the search for ever more rare resources. The environmental aspect can be looked as: emissions into the air, water spills, waste generation, soil pollution, resource consumption, local impacts, and impacts associated with transportation, effects on biodiversity and emergency situations and incidents. This particular proposal has been prepared by consulting engineers done on the behalf of their client. The aim of the project is to present a preliminary assessment findings pertaining to `energy options that can be exploited by client.

HOUSING SYSTEMS (urban planning) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

HOUSING SYSTEMS (urban planning) - Essay Example Policy makers of United States and Dutch have commonality of looking forward for renewal and revitalization. These renewal and revitalization are not just physical improvements but it incorporates the socializing aspect as well. A certain portion of self-efficacy is also involved in this renewal process. The measures and means of Dutch and America to attain this goal can be different but the final outcome of both the nations is same. (Varady, David P. and Karien Dekker, 2011) The recommendations about policies, driven from this information cannot be described clearly. Perhaps, the policy makers of Dutch want to learn from United States’ better approach to management. This can lead to a dramatic improvement for the safety of the sites of HOMES VI. A substantial dependence is on the marketing network which needs to play a key role in making a positive of these sites of revitalization. These efforts can be effective only when the social culture supports them. The anti social families and other multi problems need to be screened out. This would be a challenging task for Dutch policy makers and politicians. American policy maker Susan Popkin is looking for new different ways to house families having multi problems but there is no easy way to do such a complex issue. America can benefit Dutch policy makers because they have healthy experience of linking housing mobility with the revitalization of public housing in order to move to low poverty and healthy areas. It might be a challenging task to relocate this American rhetoric to Netherlands. The reasons include that many of the residents want to remain close to their relatives and family members and other institutions. They are also at ease with cheap social housing. However, housing mobility cannot be said as a poverty panacea. There are numbers of efforts required to monitor

The Role Of Media In Peace Building

The Role Of Media In Peace Building History has shown that the media can incite people toward violence. Hitler used the media to create an entire worldview of hatred for Jews, homosexuals, and other minority groups. Rwandas radio RTLM urged listeners to pick up machetes and take to the streets to kill what they called the cockroaches. Broadcasters in the Balkans polarized local communities to the point where violence became an acceptable tool for addressing grievances. The medias impact on the escalation of conflict is more widely recognized than the medias impact on peace-building. Yet it is not uncommon to hear experts pronounce that the medias impact on peace-building must be significant given its powerful impact on conflict. However, this simple relationship must not be taken for granted and should be critically examined in order to most effectively use the media for conflict prevention and peace-building (Wolfsfeld, 2004, p.15) In the last six decades, the influence of the media in the global arena has increasingly been recognized, especially its power to either exacerbate or contain potential conflicts. Indeed it is worth noting that among the defendants during the Nuremburg trials which were constituted by the allied forces following the defeat of the Germany and her allies immediately after the second world war was one Julius Streicher who although never held any official position within the Nazi party hierarchy, was considered to be among the top individuals who bore the greatest responsibility for the holocaust that killed more than six million Jews (Nuremburg trial papers). For close to twenty five years, Streicher had educated the Germany people in hatred and incited them to the persecution and the extermination of the Jewish race. The propaganda which Streicher carried for close to twenty five years was chiefly done through the medium of his newspaper as the editor of the Der Stuemer and later sever al other provincial journals (May 24 1934 issue). As early as the 17th century, Edmund Burke had coined the term the fourth estate, to demonstrate the growing power of the media in periods when power and influence was concentrated in hands of only three classes of society (Calyle, p 392).). Although it is still debatable as who was the first to use the word, Burke is said to have remarked that there were estates in Parliament, but in the reporters gallery yonder, there sat the fourth estate more important than four than they all. He was making reference to the traditional three estates of Parliament: The Lords spiritual, the Lords temporal and the Commons (Schultz, p.4). In the last 50 years the media influence has grown exponentially with the advance of technology, first there was the telegraph, then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and now the internet. Many people are today fully dependent on the information and communication to keep moving in the right direction and their daily activities like work, entertainment, healthcare, education, personal relationships, traveling are greatly controlled by what they read, hear and see. New communications technologies such as mobile/video phones and laptop computers are allowing journalists to gather and disseminate information with ease from many parts of the world. The digitization of the news industry, which has led to a compression of time and space, means we see news images of demonstrations, riots or coups within minutes of these occurring in the streets. These images not only inform global audiences, but may instigate further campaigns of violence at home. Commercial realities of news gathering have also affected the reporting of conflicts. The higher cost of news gathering in remote regions, coupled with the geopolitical and economic priorities of the West, mean that conflicts occurring at close proximity to the metropolitan centers receive coverage at the expense of those occurring further away in less developed regions of the world. A study of conflict reporting in the worlds major news outlets in 2000 shows that the Israel Palestine conflict was by far the most covered five times greater than the next most covered conflict (Hawkins, 2002) . Virgil Hawkins, the researcher who conducted the study, notes: By contrast, conflict in Africa, which has been, in the post-Cold-War world, is responsible for up to 90 percent of the worlds total war dead suffered an almost complete media blackout. Coverage of the massive war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which caused in excess of one million deaths in the year 2000, was almost insignificant (p. 231). With the international news agenda controlled by the worlds major media giants, it has become crucial to develop and strengthen media at the local level to maintain diversity of opinion. As media in many developing nations, such as Kenya, move away from state control towards private enterprise, it is essential for local media to find their own voice and professional codes. A well developed media system with professionally trained journalists usually benefits both global and local audiences and provides a vital link to the outside world during conflict situations. The media is a double-edged sword. It can be a frightful weapon of violence when it propagates messages of intolerance or disinformation that manipulate public sentiment; but there is another aspect to the media, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it can be an instrument of conflict resolution, when the information it presents is reliable, respects human rights, and represents diverse views. It is the kind of media that enables a society to mak e well-informed choices, which is the precursor of democratic governance. It is a media that reduces conflict and fosters human security (BBC policy briefing). Today, in every part of the world reliable, accurate and objective media, whether be it mainstream, alternative or traditional/non-conventional, can both help to prevent and resolve conflict through the automatic functions of responsibly disseminating information, furthering awareness and knowledge, promoting participatory and transparent governance, and addressing perceived grievances. In the same vein, inadvertently or overtly propagandistic media may equally fuel tensions and exacerbate conflicts, which in extreme cases like in Rwanda may directly result in genocide (Thomson, 1998). 1.1 Background of the Study To argue that media does make a difference means rejecting the view that media are no more than mirrors of something else -consumer choices; elite interests, or reality itself (as in the positivist assertions by some journalists that they simply report the way it is). It is a commonplace to suggest that media provide their audiences with a map of the social and political world beyond their own immediate experience. From this observation about contemporary complex society, flow other notions of media power: agenda setting (media capacity to focus public attention on some events and issues, and away from others); the spiral of silence (the withering of issues and perspectives ignored by media); priming (media ability to influence citizens criteria of political evaluation); cultivation (the gradual adoption of beliefs about the social world that correspond to televisions selective picture of the world), framing, and the ideological effect (the production of meaning in the service of dom ination) (Hackett Carroll, 2006, p.30-31). A less frequently considered but equally pertinent dimension of media influence is their relationship with anti-war movements. Within reasonably democratic states, and in the absence of elite discord, such movements may be the most important buffer within civil society against war. The movement/media relationship is asymmetrical: movements need media (to mobilize support, validate their political existence, and attract new supporters) far more than vice versa (Gamson Wolfsfeld 1993). Media play contradictory but important roles at every stage of their trajectory; their emergence, organizational self-maintenance, and success; when political and foreign policy elites are united around a war policy, dominant media are likely to trivialize or demonize anti-war dissent (Gitlin 1980; Hackett 1991). In the context specifically of war, some scholars see an intensification of media agenda-setting with the advent of real-time, 24-hour, globally distributed television news -most iconically Ber nard Shaws and Peter Arnetts reporting for Cable News Network (CNN) from Baghdad during the 1991 Gulf War. The so-called CNN effect allegedly highlights political uncertainty and incompetence, accelerates the pace at which politicians must respond to crises, and creates expectations and emotions that may force governments, against their initial inclinations, to intervene (or disengage) in conflict situations. The American humanitarian intervention in Somalia is often cited as an example (Spencer, 2005, p.24-38). According to Arnold (2005), the mass media contributed immensely to the propagation of US foreign policy agenda, couching imperial military actions in terms of humanitarian interventions undertaken to promote global freedom and democracy. This gave the US foreign policy the media attention cycle as there was competition among worldwide television and radio networks such as BBC, CNN, FOX TV and Channel 4 as who gets the right information first. This therefore, created huge demand for Western media even in non-western countries. In Africa, several efforts have been made to use the mass media to promote peace. For example, Radio for Peace-Building Africa (RFPA) is a program founded in 2003 by the international non-profit organization Search for Common Ground. The following are the countries in which RFPA is operated: Burundi, Central African Republic, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Working on the assumption that radio is the most accessible form of mass communication in Africa, RFPA trains journalists in peace-building, conflict resolution, and acting on commonalities. As stated in their achievements, 2010, RFPA has more than 3,000 members representing 100 countries, across Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. They have carried out over 90 workshops and trained local radio station personnel (Radio for Peace-Building Africa, 2011). If the media have played an important role in breeding violence, it seems reasonable to examine the prospects of the reverse perspective-positive media contributions to ending violence and peace building in Kenya as a whole. Furthermore, if the media are usually found to support forces that lead to violent conflict, it can also be said that the media have the power to influence the activities that promote peace in the society. While media have been prominent contributors to every post-Cold War conflict (Prince and Thompson, 2002, Allen and Seaton, 1999), their role in post conflict peace-building and social development has not been apparent. Elsewhere however, recently there have been enough proves to accept the idea regarding the use of role that the media have played in peace-building. For instance, in Bosnia, Burundi, Cambodia, Croatia, Israel/Palestine, Macedonia, and Rwanda there are documented positive accomplishment of initiated projects of post-conflict recovery through the r ole of the media (McGoldrick, 2006). Also, over the past seven years, RFPA promoted peace in its areas of operation through levels of collaboration that it established between the government, media (TV stations and news papers) and civil society, increased the ability of radio stations to identify the underlying causes of war and conflict, increased the publics access to policy information, and used media to foster communication between policy makers and the civil society within that state, among other achievement (Radio for Peace-Building Africa: Achievements, 2012). 1.2 Problem Statement Literature on conflict and peace-building reveals a dismal focus on the role of the media in peace processes. Existing theory only tends to portray the media as essential in reporting and generating discourses on conflicts (Wolfsfeld, 2004; Watson, 2006; Bratic, 2006). Scholars of the post-election phenomenon in Kenya quickly conclude that, the crisis was a deeply rooted political and ethnic problem. Yet, the role of the media in the conflict, as well as its ability to mediate peace is not adequately tackled. In the East African region, Kenyan media like that in Rwanda has been scrutinized at the level of international law as a perpetrator of political violence. The post-2007 crisis serves as a good case to exemplify the process from conflict to peace-building. First, it illustrates the double role of the media as a constructive and destructive agent, and provides a link between media freedom and human rights. Secondly, this research explores challenges of media freedom within fragile democracies, where politics, poverty and ethnic differences can influence the media agenda. While the use of hate speech in the media is not discounted, this project will not focus on the subject as a whole, but draw examples to examine arguments. This project does not discuss ethnicity as a theory, but rather uses the term ethnic violence, a theme applied to describe political and ethnic tensions in Kenya (Hagg Kagwanja, 2007). The concept of ethnic violence has also been characterised as an element of civil or degenerate wars by several authors in recent years (Hanssen, 2000; Shaw, 2003; Kaldor, 2006). In recent times the effect of the mass media in shaping and forming the view of people especially the radio due to its accessibility, affordability and availability as compared to TV and computers (social networks e.g. Face book, Twitter, and YouTube) has contributed immensely to the development of a country. In the area of sport the mass media is promoting all kinds of sports especially football through constant publicity. As an emerging buoyant economic industry, the various media houses have established front desk for sports. Besides, they also have sports journalist who monitor, research and analyze sports related issues in the world, Africa and Kenya in particular. This has brought sports to the limelight of the media and given it a place in the media cycle. Inferring to the above and many achievements and contributions of the mass media in Kenya, it can be concluded that the mass media actually do assist in social improvements and building the ideals of the society. By systematically monitoring the performance of state institutions and reporting progress activities of the government, by guiding and dispensing of socialization, and by entertaining its audiences through interesting programmes. Against this background, many media houses have capacity building programmes to enhance public participation through phoning-in sessions. These programmes are also inspired by the need to improve and deepen governance and democracy. Notwithstanding, none or little concern has been given to programmes that are geared towards peace-building. It is for this reason that this study seeks to find out the role of the mass media in peace-building in Kenya. 1.3 Objectives of the Study The general objective of this research will be to explore the role the media has played in peace building among selected media houses in Kenya. The specific objectives of the research will be: To examine the activities of the media in peace-building. To establish the measures that government, stakeholders and media houses have put in place towards peace-building. To find out whether the media has been successfully used to promote peace in Kenya. To assess the effects of the media on peace-building. To make recommendations towards the use of the media in promoting and enhancing peace-building in Kenya. 1.4 Research Questions The following questions will serve as research questions to guide this research. What are the activities of the media in peace-building? What measures has the government, stakeholders and media houses put in place towards peace-building? How has the media been successfully used to promote peace in Kenya?. What are the effects of the media on peace-building? 1.5 Rationale for the Study The media is a double-edged sword. It can be a frightful weapon of violence when it propagates messages of intolerance or disinformation that manipulate public sentiment. But there is another aspect to the media. It can be an instrument of conflict resolution, when the information it presents is reliable, respects human rights, and represents diverse views. It is the kind of media that enables a society to make well-informed choices, which is the precursor of democratic governance. It is a media that reduces conflict and fosters human security. Today, in every part of the world, reliable, accurate and objective media, whether mainstream, alternative or non-conventional, can both help to prevent and resolve conflict through the automatic functions of responsibly disseminating information, furthering awareness and knowledge, promoting participatory and transparent governance, and addressing perceived grievances. In the same vein, inadvertently or overtly propagandistic media may equall y fuel tensions and exacerbate conflicts. This study aims at establishing the role of media in peace-building in Kenya. 1.6 Assumptions of the Study This study will be guided by the following assumptions: The media houses in Kenya have adopted acceptable practices in relation to peace-building reporting in their operations. The target audience from the population that will be selected will give a fair representation of the whole population under study. 1.7 Limitation of the Study Unexpected negative response from respondents due to the fact that they will be unwilling to give out sensitive organizational information. This will be delimited through counter-checking on secondary literature as well as desk-reviews. 1.8 Definition of Key Terms Capacity Building Capacity development is the process whereby individuals, groups, and organisations enhance their abilities to mobilize and use resources in order to achieve their objectives on a sustainable basis. Efforts to strengthen abilities of individuals, groups, and organisations can comprise a combination of (i) human skills development; (ii) changes in organisations and networks; and (iii) changes in governance/institutional context (ADB, 2004). Capacity building is a complex notion it involves individual and organisational learning which builds social capital and trust, develops knowledge, skills and attitudes and when successful creates an organisational culture which enables organisations to set objectives, achieve results, solve problems and create adaptive procedures which enable it to survive in the long term Ethnic violence In this study the term ethnic violence will be defined as a theme applied to describe political and ethnic tensions in Kenya (Hagg Kagwanja, 2007). Media The media refers to several mediums or channels used in an organized fashion to communicate information to groups of people, as a service to the public (Howard, 2002). In regard to this project, media is mainstream or independent (print, radio, television) in general. Peace Journalism According to Lynch and McGoldrick (2005) peace journalism is when editors and reporters make choices of what stories to report, and how to report them which create opportunities for society at large to consider and to value non-violent responses to conflict. Peace Journalism entails: Uses the insights of conflict analysis and transformation to update the concepts of balance, fairness and accuracy in reporting Provides a new route map tracing the connections between journalists, their sources, the stories they cover and the consequences of their journalism the ethics of journalistic intervention Builds an awareness of non-violence and creativity into the practical job of everyday editing and reporting (Lynch and McGoldrick 2005 p. 5). Peace Building The Carnegie Endowments Commission on the Prevention of Deadly Conflict (1997) defined peace-building as structural prevention which consists of the strategies to address the root causes of deadly conflict. Likewise, the Joint Utstein study of peace-building concludes that peace-building attempts to encourage the development of the structural conditions, attitudes, and modes of political behavior that may permit peaceful, stable and ultimately prosperous social and economic development. It states that there are four main headings related to peace-building: to provide security, to establish the socioeconomic foundations of long-term peace, to establish the political framework of long-term peace, and to generate reconciliation, a healing of the wounds of war and justice (Smith, 2003). These terms will be adopted in this study based but not limited to the above definitions. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 The Kenyan Media: An Overview Kenya has a plural, sophisticated and robust mass media and communication sector that serve the various competing political, social, economic, cultural and technological needs of diverse interest groups. The sector has grown rapidly in the past 15 years because of a combination of factors including political and economic liberalization; and Kenyas strategic location as a regional and international economic and communication hub. Before 1992, the media scene was small, urban based and less independent owing to repressive media laws and regulation. Today, the media especially radio and television, reaches all urban centers and almost all rural communities. The broadcasting sub-sector is diverse, dynamic and competitive with substantial reach. There are about 14 TV and 113 radio stations in Kenya (Steadman Group, 2008). Radio is the number one source of information reaching almost 90 percent of the entire population followed by television reaching about 40 percent and newspapers (30 per cent). There are about 7.5 million radio sets (1.9 million in urban and 5.6 in rural areas) and 3.2 million TV sets in Kenya (1.4 million in urban and 1.8 in rural areas) in the country. There are about 16.7 radio listeners across the country with 12.4 million in rural and 4.4 million in towns (Steadman Group, 2008). Interesting developments in the broadcasting sector include the proliferation of FM stations broadcasting in over 21 ethnic languages out of 42 (CCK, 2008). The FM stations broadcasting in ethnic languages command about 30 percent of the market share today. Unfortunately, low professionalism characterizes most of these FM stations because they employ untrained and less experienced journalists. Satellite broadcasting is also thriving particularly among the upper and middle class in urban areas (Howard, 2008). Although the print media has a history of relative independence, it remains an urban phenomenon in Kenya. Kenya has 5 daily newspapers and over 10 weekly newspapers. The dominant newspapers are the Standard with a daily circulation of 80,000 -110,000; and Nation newspapers with a circulation of 100,000 120,000 (Mbeke Mshindi, 2008). The new media is also catching up in Kenya which boasts of 17.6 million mobile phone owners and 3.2 million internet users. There are over 1000 act ive blogs in Kenya. Safaricom, Kenyas number one mobile operator commands 70 percent of the market share and has over 16 million subscribers. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), the oldest and only public broadcaster, has the largest network of TV and radio stations across the country. KBC radio service, broadcasting in over 21 ethnic languages, is the only network in Kenya with the capacity to reach all audiences across the country. It also operates KBC TV. Royal Media Services, owned by media magnate S.K. Macharia, is the second largest media house in Kenya. It operates Citizen TV which has a national reach and several radio stations broadcasting in ethnic languages including Kikuyu (Inooro), Luo (Ramogi), Kamba (Musyi), Luhya (Mulembe) among others The Nation Media Group (NMG) is the largest media network in Kenya with interests in newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. It operates the Daily Nation, Sunday Nation, the Business Daily, the East African newspapers as well as the Tourist Guide, the Business Directory among other magazines (BBC Media Monitoring, 2007). NMG runs the NTV and QTV as well as Easy FM and QFM radi o stations both with a national reach. NMG is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) with the Aga Khan as the key shareholder. The Standard Group (SG) owns the KTN Network, Kenyas first private TV station (1989) and the East African Standard Newspapers, the oldest newspapers having started in 1902. The SG is listed on the NSE with Baraza Limited, a company closely associated with the former President Daniel arap Moi and his close aide Joshua Kulei as the key shareholders. The people media group owns the People Daily several ethnic radio stations. It is associated with the Kenyatta family having bought it from Kenneth Matiba and the radio component from Rose Kimotho. Patrick Quarcco owns Kiss FM and several other FM station together Kiss TV and the Nairobi Star, a daily newspaper. Industrialist Chris Kirubi owns Capital Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that runs CBC TV and Capital FM. Other media include STV formerly owned by professional journalist Hilary Ngweno. Kenya also has a strong faith-based broadcasting media including Hope FM, Radio Waumini owned by the Catholic Church; and Family TV and radio FM owne d by Leo Slingerland. A number of international news agencies and organizations operate from Nairobi, Kenya. These include the BBC, VOA, Duetsche Welle, Radio France, Radio China, Al Jazeera and CNN. While the press covers mainly politics and economic issues, the broadcasting stations in Kenya are characterized by heavy music and light entertainment programming lazed with interactive talk shows on politics and current affairs. Kenyans have continuously voted the media as the most trusted and influential institution even as they continue to express their reservations over other government institutions like the legislature and the executive. According to BBC, the Kenyan media is one of the most respected, thriving, sophisticated and innovative in Africa. Compared to other African countries, Kenya has in the recent past enjoyed a robust economic growth which in turn has supported one of the most dynamic advertising markets on the continent and a population which consumes news and information voraciously. In turn, this market has supported an explosion in media over recent years. This is a relatively recent phenomenon. While an independent media tradition in Kenya is a long one, it was only in 1992 that the media bloomed to become the thriving industry it is today. Until then, the suppression of media freedom by the then KANU government, a stagnant economy and the continued monopolization of the airwaves by the governments Voice of Kenya (now Kenya Broadcasting Corporation), meant that independent media outlets were few and confined mostly to elites. Over a period of 15 years, this increasingly assertive and self-confident media has played a substantial role in mediating relationships between citizens and state, in shaping the democratic dispensation in the country, and has transformed utterly how some of the most marginalized in society access information on issues that shape their lives. Kenyan citizens have become increasingly reliant on the media for such information, investing in it with greater credibility than almost any other source of information. For most of this period, the media has been seen nationally and internationally as a principal indicator of the democratic vitality of Kenya. Media has been at the forefront of moves to transform Kenya from one party state to multiparty democracy; it has gained a reputation for exposing corruption and acting as a vigorous forum for public debate; it is seen as a guardian of the public interest against an overbearing state power. 2.2 The Activities of the Media in Peace-Building While large scale or world war has been avoided, continual civil conflicts have not been avoided i.e., the conflicts in Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo, Somalia. At the same time, peaceful resolution of conflicts that have major potential for civil conflicts: the transitions in South Africa, in Central and Eastern Africa have been witnessed. Therefore, peaceful resolution of national-civil conflicts is in a great part a communication process. That is; a concept of communication that channels civil conflict away from open war in to what is called cultural negotiation (White, 1990, p.22-23). The media can provide information directly to citizens regarding major events of importance for decision -making so that citizens can take action and influence the structure of decision-making. What is expected is a narrative reconstruction of events which reveals the source of the problem, the persons who are responsible and why, and what emerge finally as the solution. The media are the forum for the expression of public opinion and enable the public and public officials to chart the general public opinion regarding the state of public affairs. The mirroring of public opinion enables the public to know what people are expecting and whether representative governments are serving the public or not. A totalitarian state is one in which civil society is totally absorbed by the state, a state without a public opinion. Boutros Boutros-Gali (1992) gave clarity and coherence to the concept of peace building when he defined it as Action to identify and support structures which will tend to strengthen and solidify peace in order to avoid relapse into conflict and, rebuilding institutions and infrastructures of nations torn by civil war and strife (and tackling the deepest causes of) economic despair, social injustice and oppression. Inscribed in Willshers comment about his role as a journalist is an assumption about media influence which has also come to be known as the CNN effect -so called after the first Gulf War when the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said: We say we have 16 members in the Security Council: the 15 members plus CNN (Boutros Ghali, 1995). The proposition is that todays global media have grown so mighty as to be able to raise issues to the political agenda by their own efforts; issues which would otherwise hold little or no interest for the powers-that-be. In summary, the influence of the media on society has attracted international agencies closely involved in peace-building since the early 1990s (Ross, 2002). The media can contribute to peace, by engaging in credible reporting, representing balanced opinions in its editorial content, and opening up communication channels among parties in a conflict. It can also identify and articulate without bias the underlying interests of warring factions. By doing so, the media is capable of disseminating information that builds on the confidence of stakeholders in a conflict. 2.2.1 The CNN Effect The Harvard University Joan Shorenstein Center for Press, Politics and Public Policy has been instrumental in examining media effects. Steven Livingston, a leading CNN Effect researcher and associate professor of communication and international affairs at The George Washington University, along with his colleagues at Harvard, identified three conceptual variations surrounding the CNN Effect: the notion that media serves as an agenda-setting agency, that the media serves as an impediment in some cases and that the media facilitates a more accelerated publi