Narrativity, Modernity, and Tragedy: How Pragmatism Educates Humanity :: Argumentative Persuasive Philosophy Essays

Narrativity, Modernity, and Tragedy: How Pragmatism Educates Humanity ABSTRACT: I argue that the modernist notion of a human self (or subject) cannot easily be post-modernistically rejected because the need to view an individual life as a unified 'narrative' with a beginning and an end (death) is a condition for asking humanly important questions about its meaningfulness (or meaninglessness). Such questions are central to philosophical anthropology. However, not only modern ways of making sense of life, such as linear narration in literature, but also premodern ones such as tragedy, ought to be taken seriously in reflecting on these questions. The tradition of pragmatism has tolerated this plurality of the frameworks in terms of which we can interpret or 'structure' the world and our lives as parts of it. It is argued that pragmatism is potentially able to accommodate both the plurality of such interpretive frameworks-premodern, modern, postmodern — and the need to evaluate those frameworks normatively. We cannot allow any premodern source of hu man meaningfulness whatsoever (say, astrology) to be taken seriously. Avoiding relativism is, then, a most important challenge for the pragmatist. 1. The idea that "grand metanarratives" are dead is usually regarded as the key to the cultural phenomenon known as postmodernism. We have been taught to think that the Enlightenment notions of reason, rationality, knowledge, truth, objectivity, and self have become too old-fashioned to be taken seriously any longer. There is no privileged "God's-Eye-View" available for telling big, important stories about these notions. The cultural hegemony of science and systematic philosophy, in particular, is over. Nevertheless, as even some postmodern thinkers themselves keep on insisting, we still have to be committed to the grand narrative of our individual life. (1) We cannot really dispense with the modernist notion of self, and the one who says we can forgets who she or he is. From the point of view of our own life, no postmodern death of the subject can take place. On the contrary, my death transcends my life; it is not an experienceable event of my life — as Wittgenstein also famously pointed out at Tractatus 6.4311. Most (perhaps all) of us feel that one's own death is hardly even conceivable from within one's life. On the other hand, somewhat paradoxically, death must be postulated as the imaginary end point, the final event, of the story of my life. If there were no death (i.e., the annihilation of my self) to be expected, I could not even realize that I am leading a specific, spatio-temporally restricted human life.

Essay --

Part A: Describe protein structure, the level of structure and geometry. Include in a description of the significance of structure and how it affects to analysis. Protein Structure Levels There are four levels of protein structure which are separated from one another by the degree of complication in the polypeptide chain. A protein molecule can consist of one or more of the protein structure types. 1- ) Primary Structure is the sequence of a chain of amino acids. Proteins are formed from 20 different amino acids. Amino acid are composed of a carbon (ÃŽ ± carbon) that bond to the hydrogen atom (H), a carboxyl group (-COOH), an amino group (-NH2) and a variable group, or R group. The primary structure is determined during translation. There are two tools uses to determine the primary structure; Edman degradation and mass spectrometry. Primary structure controls the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. It is also used to determine the molecular mass and isoelectric point. 2- )Secondary Structure describes the coiling or folding of a protein due to exclusive hydrogen bonding between its backbone amide and carbonyl groups. These secondary structures are held together by hydrogen bonds. There are three types of secondary structures in proteins. a-) Alpha helix (ÃŽ ±-helix) is a spiral arrangement around polypeptide backbone. The inner part of the coil is formed by the backbone of the peptide while the side chains extend outward from the coil. Hydrogen bonds between N-H of one amino acid and the C=O on the 4th amino acid stabilize the helix. b-) Beta pleated the beta sheet involves H bonding between the backbone residues in adjacent chains. The orientation of a beta pleated sheet can occur in two types. The strands may be paralle... ...Da) than grw175 (28 kDa) proving that the above observation is true. b-) Molecular mass of the XÃ ¸D2788 gene product = 56 kDa 1.) Loaded the image of the gel into ImageJ 2.) Labeled the MW ladder lane then other lanes of interest (lane 2 grw175, lane 3 grw19) 3.) A graph representation was then generated 4.) I selected the peaks of MW lane to be used in the molwt.macros program 5.) Based on the calculations that were generated using the molwt macros program I was then able to select the peaks of interest and compute a numerical value for them 6.) ImageJ indicated a peak of 56kda for grw19 positive and a 28kda value in grw175 positive. 7.) Using the numerical values I was able to subtract the grw175 estimated size of 28kda from the size of what is believed to be the fusion protein grw19 56kda 8.) Grw175 = 28kda – fusion protein 56kda to give you a value of = 28kda

Presentation in History of the English Language Essay

When studying the development of English as a language, it can be argued that early modern English is perhaps the most vital point of reference. This period brings with it a richness in material that provided clues as to how the tongue developed phonetically and geographically from its roots as a secondary, regional language in an arena dominated somewhat by the French language, and largely by Latin. Although the amount of available information isn’t enough to paint a sufficient scenario of the linguistic lay of the land at the time, these materials are a great help in discerning the stages of development of the English language. During the latter age of transition from Middle English, the language was mostly spread about in regions. This period is â€Å". . . notoriously [known] as the time when linguistic variation is fully reflected in the written mode . . . † (Nevalainen 13). Due to the heavy presence of French and Latin as the dominant vernaculars, middle English didn’t have enough room to develop as a real language and was limited to regional variants that were shaped by the grammar rules of the more prominent languages at the time. This was, mostly, due to the lack of standardized spelling – it was difficult to come up with a fixed set of grammar rules if the people didn’t have any idea of how to spell the words to be used in each situation. This changed during the sixteenth century. With the shift to early modern English came the streamlined version of the language, thanks to major standardizations in the way words were spelled throughout various regions. But you can’t ever get rid of local variations in language, and the early form of modern English is no different. Most of the available materials from the period concern themselves mostly with grammar reforms and the instruction of the language. The most curious thing about these documents is that despite dealing with a language that was gaining more and more popularity as a serious vernacular, the method of instruction was still largely conducted in Latin. This proved to be difficult in unifying the language since the two tongues were different from each other both grammatically and in inflection. Alexander Gil wrote Logonomia Anglica in 1619 as an attempt to describe the chief variants of English according to region. These are the general, northern, southern, eastern, western and poetic variants. Interestingly, these are the same regional distinctions of middle English, save for the unifying general vernacular that could be similar to what we call standard English. The weakness in Gil’s study is his partiality to the northern style although this feature gives us an outstanding view of how the morphology of early modern English developed. His renditions of spelling and pronouncing some words are indicative of the Germanic roots of English, including the use of /v/ for /f/ (the example given by Nevalainen is vill for fill). Another method of dialectal segregation was recorded by George Puttenham in The Arte of English Poesie (1589). Here, Puttenham gives us a view of how early middle English was segregated according to social standing, and was focused mostly on improving the aesthetic appeal of the language by identifying the speech of the court and the aristocrats as well-sounding and favorable, as opposed to the speech of a craftsman, or that of the thieves (thieves’ cant). Still, the dominant tongue at the time remained to be Latin, and it was in Latin that the English grammar was taught and written. This was to accommodate foreigners who wished to learn English; these people learned English via the structure of Latin, whereas locals who already practiced English learned Latin through the structure of their mother tongue. The effect of Latin in the grammar manuals during the first part of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were apparent – the use of Latin categories, or at least a system derived from Latin, to describe English grammar left out a chunk of what formed the structural core of English, and while the regional dialects flourished, very little attention was given to them and the focus of learning instead went to the General dialect, which would eventually go on to become the basis for the structure of the language today. A lot of the development that transformed the English language occurred at this time. In Pamphlet for Grammar (1586), William Bullokar gives us insight to the transformation of the personal noun ye into modern-day you. He also noted the possible conversion of the suffix –eth ¬ (e. g. loveth) into the more economical –s pronounced with a /z/-like crescendo. The latter, incidentally, is an example of northern dialect curiosities that made it to the general dialect. The continuous development and popularity of English as a language both written and spoken led to the precursors of modern-day newspapers. Newsletters by eminent individuals were handwritten and sent out as manuscript circulations back in 1620 as a means of spreading important information around. A fair example is the Newdigate Newsletters that were addressed to Sir Richard Newdigate of Warwickshire from the Secretary of State’s office. A selection of the newsletters would go as follows: â€Å"The King of Poland desireing a nearer Correspondence with this Crowne then has been formerly and haveing sent Over to desire his Maty to be godfather to his Daughter, his Maty was preparing to send an Envoy ExtraOrdnary thither to stand for him, when the last post brought news ye young Princess was dead. † (21) This selection, in its original form, contains plenty of scripting nuances of the period – such as superscripts for the abbreviations – and resembled, in all intents and purposes, formal letters of the period. In closing, it is worth to note that while the instruction and growth of English as a language during the early modern period isn’t as clear as we’d like it to be, there really is no denying that this period yielded a huge wealth of material to study. Thanks to works like Gil’s Bullokar’s and the missives to sir Newdigate, we can continue to study and piece together the broken pieces of the puzzle of how today’s universal language evolved into what it is. WORKS CITED Nevalainen, Terttu. Introduction to Early Modern English, An. USA: Oxford University Press, 2006. 12-27

OxiClean to Remove Skunk Odor

OxiClean to Remove Skunk Odor OxiCleanâ„ ¢ (sometimes spelled OxyClean) is a great stain remover, but its also a great odor remover. I was having dinner with an awesome veterinarian who mentioned her dog had been sprayed by a skunk. She saw that the dog was wet and bent down to touch its fur. The dampness was skunk spray, so she then had a handful of stinky nastiness, too. I said I had heard tomato juice was supposed to be decent at diminishing skunk-smell. Nope, doesnt work. What does work, she said, is spraying the pet with OxiClean and then very thoroughly rinsing, presumably with soap and water since that is how you are supposed to get OxiClean off your hands if you have skin contact. A Product Of Many Uses This is not an official vet-recommended treatment for skunk spray for a couple of reasons. The active ingredients in OxiClean (and similar products, which would also work) are sodium carbonate (washing soda) and sodium percarbonate. They react to form peroxide, which is an effective bleach and disinfectant, plus is reactive enough to tackle most messes. Its also reactive enough to cause damage to certain tissues. If you read the MSDS for sodium percarbonate, for example, you will find the chemical is harmful if swallowed and may cause severe eye injury. If you spritz OxiClean in water on yourself or your pet to remove skunkiness, you need to be absolutely certain to avoid getting any in the eyes. Plus, you need to take extra care to rinse all of the OxiClean off. You might not lick your hands after washing them, but chances are your cat or dog will. Cat, in particular, lick their fur and are highly sensitive to chemicals. Its best to check with a veterinarian before applying any prod uct to a feline. How It Works OxiClean should work as an odor remover pretty much the same way as it works as a stain remover. The hydrogen peroxide that is released reacts with stain molecules and changes their structure. This makes them absorb light differently, rendering colored stains colorless. Note that this does mean the stains are actually gone; you just cant see them. Stink molecules are like stains. If you change their shape, the chemoreceptors in your nose may be unable to detect them.So,  if you have an encounter with the business end of a skunk, try reaching for the Oxiclean instead of the V-8. Avoid the eyes and rinse, rinse, rinse.

Overview of Strategic Planning

Overview of Strategic Planning Strategic Planning As a Competitive Factor Strategic planning is a way in which organizations define their strategies and directions in order to make decisions on the allocation of their resources for purposes of pursuing various strategies. The achievement of all these is always preceded by the knowledge of the prevailing position and the gateways through which a particular course of action can be pursued.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Overview of Strategic Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a critical competitive factor as it provides the organization’s vision and mission statement (Grà ¼nig and Gaggl 80). The vision statement and the mission statement contain the vision, mission, values and the strategy of the organization. Through its vision, an association delineates what it wants to bring about and also tries to influence the environment around which it is carrying out its operations. On the other hand, the mission comprehensively describes the motivations behind the existence of the organization together with the strategies it intends to puts in place to attain its vision. The cultural beliefs that an organization holds and upon which all stakeholders share constitute its values. The decisions that are made within the organization are normally based on these values. Strategy is the way in which an organization makes policies and the methods through which the attainment and implementation of such policies are attained. Changes in the Field of Strategic Planning and Strategic Information Systems Planning Strategic information systems planning have come a long way over the years. During the 1960s, there was the era of data processing (DP) in which stand alone computers that were remote from the users were applied for the cost reduction functions. In the 1970s and 1980s, the management information system (MIS) was discovered. This system was more interconnected and di stributed. It was also regulated by a management service and it supported businesses in a user driven fashion. However, in the 1980s and 90s, there came an era of Strategic Information systems (SIS). When compared to the earlier eras, the SIS planning had more elaborate integrated systems and was extensively networked. It was also available to supportive users. This ensured that it efficiently related to the business’ strategy besides enabling the drive of the organization. The strategic information systems’ planning that is carried out using the strategic information system is complex as it is deeply rooted in business processes. The main objective of the SISP is to enable an organization to plan for its activities, to not only reduce costs of running the business but also to ensure the addition of value to its products.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Information technology has played an important role in re-engineering and redefining businesses. It has carved multiple virtual corporations offering unprecedented possibilities (Ferrell and Hartline 529). Strategic planning can also refer to as a methodical and officially documented process for selecting the most appropriate decisions that an organization needs to make in order to prosper over a certain period. In this aspect, strategic planning process is very important for the prosperity and survival of a business. Its focus should be the definition and assessment of both internal and external situations. It also implements strategy, makes adjustments and evaluates the progress of a particular business activity or project (May and May 22). The most imperative thing to reflect on when carrying out strategic planning is the nature of the needs an organization has and the direct exterior surroundings it thrives in. Industries that change their products and services regularly nee d to carry out a lot of strategic planning processes. On the other hand, the organizations that have stayed on the market for longer periods of time or that have established stable markets need fewer planning processes, which can be implemented once in a year. The most critical time during which an organization should carry out strategic planning is in the course of its commencement. In this regard, the strategic plan is embedded with the business plan, the financial plan and the market plan among others. Another scenario that requires the execution of a strategic plan is during the formation of a new business venture, or the establishment of a new department or the conception of new merchandise. It is also important to note that strategic planning should be carried out at least once in a year. This ensures that an organization is adequately prepared for every fiscal year. During this process, action plans are normally updated. However, during the implementation, the progress of the implementation needs to be reviewed even on a quarterly basis (Abraham 189). Issues affecting the Selection and Implementation of the SISP SISP is the method through which portfolio computer-based applications are branded. These applications help in the execution of business plans in order to meet the objectives of the organization. It is very crucial for the running of the business as it helps organizational managers and information technicians in the identification of strategic applications in order to align them with the needs of the business.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Overview of Strategic Planning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Over the past few decades, business leaders and their organizations have deemed it fit to include the acquisition of technological decisions as a key component tool that impacts on the organizational information system. This is normally founded on what the players in the indust ry believe in and the influence that they get from vendors and competitors. However, a positive outcome is not always guaranteed. It is against this backdrop that the idea of strategic information systems planning comes in handy. In this regard, the decisions on the information systems of an organization must be made in compliance with it direction and strategy (Grant, Hackney, and Edgar 329). The issues that normally impact on the implementation of the information systems and strategy planning include business strategy, organizational strategy and the information strategy. This strategy constitutes a synchronized set of procedures, which are set to arrive at the intention, objectives and the goals of the organization. It commences with the mission of the association and sets restrictions on the vital undertakings of the institute. On the other hand, the organizational strategy is involved with the human resource, the processes of working, internal and external structures, hiring pr actices and the business plan (Kà ¼pper 7). This is specifically designed to enable a business enterprise accomplish its goals. In order to successfully provide adequate information services, organizations need to adopt effective action plans, such as valuable information systems. The main objective of executing the strategic information systems planning is coming up with an excellent information system strategy. For the setting up of these strategies to be successfully executed, the organisation has to reflect on the key components that include: information strategy, change administration and execution strategy, information management strategy and information technology strategy. In a nutshell, the whole idea of strategic information systems planning is to give the direction a business enterprise wishes to go to while keeping in mind the information about the future prospects of the organization. This helps in decision making in the future. The most important goal of this strategi c plan is to put forward the framework for making future decisions. Apparently, planning in itself involves a lot of processes some of which are very complex (King 411). Approaches to Strategic Planning Some of the approaches to strategic planning that are in use include future research, open space, SWOT analysis and the ZOPP/OOPP/LFA. These approaches operate on the belief that the future is not pre-destined and can be changed. They also share a belief that all the significant stakeholders are important ingredients in the participation of decision making for the future actions.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Future Search Approach This is a plan is intended to unravel the circumstances that had proved taxing at the start. It is appropriate for projects or programs that rely heavily on participants’ input. It is also commonly used by the non-profit making entities that do very little business. This approach emphasizes on the need to leap forward in an appropriate time to identify the suitable conditions for the future and work toward attaining them (Simerson 201). Since it is normally manual, it consumes a lot of time and tedious. This is different from the strategic information systems planning, which is computer based. Open Space Approach This is the least structured of all the approaches available. In this approach, there lacks the preset agenda set aside for the topic that had previously been agreed upon and the time allocation for the meeting. It is also characterized by lack of planned discussions and the plenary sessions. It is the duty of the participants to create all the relevant agenda. This they do with the guidance of the facilitator. Issues that are mostly pressing are normally at the top of the agenda. As compared to the strategic information systems planning, this approach is too narrow. SISP apparently uses numerous strategies to arrive at a decision. The SWOT Analysis Approach In this approach, the planners seek to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that surround an organization’s operations. It is mostly common in business environments. The strengths are those qualities that a business organization possesses, which can enable it to accomplish its mission. It is from these strengths that consistent success is made and sustained. Conversely, strengths can either be substantial or indefinable. Some of the most unique strengths that organizations experience include the expertise and the qualities of the employees, products and services, customer goodwill, process capabilities and brand loyalty. These strengths are also regarded as the beneficial aspects of the company (Fine 48). Weaknesses are the traits within an organization that derail the attainment of its objectives. They weaken the organization’s prospects of achieving its full potentiality. Some of the examples of weaknesses include inadequate or poor research, operation of machines under poor working conditions, poor decision making skills and the narrow product range. For the success of any business organization, the frequency of weaknesses must be minimized or eliminated at all cost. Some of the ways of overcoming the weaknesses include hiring competent employees, purchasing new and functioning machinery and engaging in a complex decision making process. On the other hand, opportunities are exhibited by the operating environment of the organization. This is achieved through the actions of the organization to make beneficial choices out of its operating environment. The organization must be ready to put in place measures that ensure it succeeds by initiating strategies that enable it to become profitable. A sure way for an organization to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors is to make wise use of the opportunities that come its way. However, this requires careful identification and recognition of such opportunities because it is not easy to select a target that will serve clients satisfactorily and at the same time give the business the desired results. Some of the things that could help are the availability of a new-fangled and more resourceful technology, encouraging government policies, weak antagonism and an approving market. Currently, there is an increasing demand for telecommunication products; in an industry, which is accompanied by deregulation, companies in the telecom sector can utilize this to their advantage (Bà ¶hm 13). Threats are the external factors whose influence is unfavorable enough to hinder the organization’s progress. In most of the cases, they are uncon trollable and their presence puts the stability of the business at a vulnerable state, especially if they compound with other weaknesses. Some of the most common threats to most business organizations include the frequent and consistent of unreliable technology, civil strikes by the employees, price wars and increased competition within the industry. As a strategic planning tool, SWOT analysis ensures the provision of information for strategic planning besides building on the organization’s strengths and reversing the weaknesses. In addition, SWOT analysis helps to maximize the response of the organization to opportunities so as to tap them. If carefully drafted, this strategy assists in overcoming the threats faced by the organization. By doing this, the key areas of competencies by the firm become easer to identify. The SWOT analysis approach also assists in setting up the objectives that are vital for strategic planning. To crown all these, the SWOT analysis tool puts an o rganization in a better position of knowing the past, current and future plans at a glance (Snelling 8). As a strategy formulation tool, the SWOT analysis approach is very instrumental because of its reliability and profitability. It should provide a platform upon which business organizations gauge their performance. In this case, the success of a business organization is premised upon building its strengths, correcting its weaknesses, and protecting itself against the external weaknesses and threats (Pahl and Richter 61). This approach shares the same contextual framework with the strategic information systems planning, as it is deeply rooted in explorations. ZOPP/OOPP/Logical Framework Approach This approach is also referred to as Objective Oriented Project Planning. It is a structured meeting process. It seeks to identify some of the most pressing prevailing problems by the use of the cause effect analysis. This is then followed by the search for the best strategy for the allevia tion of the identified problems. Conversely, this approach is limited in scope, time consuming and tedious when compared to strategic information systems planning approach. All this planning approaches have their cons and pros. It is upon the business organization managers to identify and come up with the most suitable approach to apply. Conclusion From the above analysis, it is true that all the approaches described above are correct in their own right under the specified circumstances. However, for elaborate business organizations, SWOT analysis could the most efficient. Nonetheless, with the introduction of information systems to run business models, the strategic systems information planning can offer tools that are even more effective and sensitive. Abraham, Stanley C. Strategic Planning: A Practical Guide for Competitive Success. Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing, 2012. Print. Bà ¶hm, Anja. The SWOT Analysis. München: GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print. Ferrell, OC, and Michae l D. Hartline. Marketing Strategy. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print. Fine, Lawrence G. The SWOT Analysis: Using Your Strength to Overcome Weaknesses, Using Opportunities to Overcome Threats. New York: CreateSpace, 2009. Print. Grant, Kevin, Ray Hackney, and David Edgar. Strategic Information Systems Management. Andover: Cengage Learning EMEA, 2010. Print. Grà ¼nig, Rudolf and Richard Gaggl. Process-based Strategic Planning. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer, 2011. Print. King, William Richard. Planning for Information Systems. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2009. Print. Kà ¼pper, Alexander. Measures for Successful Strategic Information Systems Planning. München: GRIN Verlag, 2008. Print. May, Gary May, and Gary May. Strategic Planning: Fundamentals for Small Business. New York, NY: Business Expert Press, 2010. Print. Pahl, Nadine, and Anne Richter. Swot Analysis Idea, Methodology and a Practical Approach. München:GRIN Verlag, 2009. Print. Simerson, Keith B. Strategic Planni ng: A Practical Guide to Strategy Formulation and Execution. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Print. Snelling, Jennifer. The Influence of the SWOT Analysis in Organizational Development Strategic Planning. München: GRIN Verlag, 2012. Print.

Alcohol-Related Car Accident R essays

Alcohol-Related Car Accident R essays The success of the M.A.D.D. and S.A.D.D. prevention programs has had a decreasing effect on drinking and driving. At the same time, however the car accident alcohol-related death rate of middle age people is still on a rise. Despite significant reductions in the amount of the alcohol-crash problem, drinking and driving continues to present a major threat to the safety of all road users. About one third of deaths among people between the ages of 15 to 24 are the results of motor vehicle-related crashes. Studies have been done in high schools nationwide on the patterns of alcohol use. These studies have reported that 17 percent of students have participated in drinking and driving one or more times. The odds of drinking and driving have increased 2.5-fold to 14-fold while incidents of drinking rose from 3 to 5 times per month to more than 20 times when compared with drinking on one or more occasions. In a similar manner, the odds rose two-fold to twelve-fold as the number of days of drinking rose five to more drinks per incident. These incidents went from once or twice per month to more than 10 days per month when compared with no binge drinking incidents. The studies also showed that students who used other drugs in addition to alcohol were 1.7 times as likely to drink and drive as students who only used alcohol. Today, a large portion of the problem, dealing with alcohol-related accidents, includes a relatively small group of persistent drunk drivers refereed to as hard-core offenders. These hard-core offenders have become widely known as one of the important portions of the drinking-driving problem. This portion has been categorized as repeatedly driving after drinking with a blood alcohol concentration of 150-200 percent or more, and has no thought on changing their behavior. Hard-core drunk drivers are proven to be mostly male and are likely to be between the ages of ...

Post-Independence Power Vacancy and its Consequences Essay

Post-Independence Power Vacancy and its Consequences - Essay Example â€Å"From the very beginning, the 'native problems' of the colonial territories can be traced to the subordination of native authority and the imposition of European rule in its place† (Collins 166). This implies that there were numerous political, cultural and social changes that were put in place to ensure that the European powers would consolidate their rules in the nations they colonized. These systems had long-term repercussions that has had effects on the various political, social and economic trends after independence. Most of these developing countries have histories of armed conflicts, poverty and backwardness and these can be traced to the moves of the European powers that colonized these nations. The imposition of European rule over and above native authority and the subsequent policies of these European colonialists can be said to be the main causes challenges to developing nations. This can issue manifested itself in the form of power vacuums that were created af ter the independence of these nations. The purpose of this research is to examine the power vacancy that was created after colonized nations gained independence and the socio-political problems that ensued afterwards. The research hopes to achieve this end by exploring the following objectives: 1. Analysis of the colonial policies and systems that caused imperial European powers to rule over their colonies. 2. Assessment of the structures and systems of anti-colonial movements that eventually led to the independence of colonized lands. 3. Examination of power vacancies that came up after independence in relation to the Cold War, Ethnic Disharmony and the Third Wave of Democracy In this quest, the Rwandan situation will be examined in the research to help in the conceptualization of the various ideas that will be identified in the research. The Growth of Colonialism Colonialism and the political rule of peoples and nations around the world did not come about in a short period of time . Rather, it evolved over a period of time and has traces to various times and periods in European history. The earliest versions of colonialism of nations around the world by European powers can be traced to the Spaniards. The Spaniards established the Encomienda system which was inhumane but formed the basis of future colonization of nations around the world. According to Mahoney (87) The Spanish Crown's policy in the 1500s was to send soldiers to lands they sought to claim and since Spain had the most advance and effective military at that time, they often defeated the locals. After the locals were defeated, a Spanish government post was established in the area. The Spanish Conquistadors or soldiers and some civilians were given a grant by the Spanish Crown and this gave them the authority to enslave a set of natives and the responsibility of Christianizing these natives who were seen as backward and savage (Mahoney 87). Thus it can be seen that the Spanish expansionist policy es tablished three main things which became significant in the colonization of foreign lands by other European nations: 1. The State use of its military was an essential tool to protect the interest of a state in foreign lands. 2. Natives were savages and they needed to be Christianized 3. The concept of Christianization was the basis for 'civilizing' the savages By the