Cultural Impacts Of Tourism In Mumbai

Cultural Impacts Of Tourism In Mumbai What is culture? Lederach (1995) defines culture as the shared knowledge and schemes created by a set of people for perceiving, interpreting, expressing, and responding to the social realities around them. When we think of culture, commonly we think traditions, food, language, clothes, religion and behavior. These traits can change over time if and when a particular place adapts or incorporates the culture of another. This can either have a positive or negative effect on the culture of that place. Mumbai is located on the Salsette Island which lies at the mouth of Ulhas River off the western coast of Maharashtra India in the coastal region known as the Konkan. Mumbai is classified as a metropolis of India, under the jurisdiction of the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation. It consists of two distinct regions, the Mumbai City District and Mumbai Suburban District. The city region is also commonly referred to as the Island City by most media publications. There are many kinds of dishes that are native to the state of Maharashtra. Many of which are available in roadside fast food. Other popular cuisines include Lebanese, Korean, Thai, Italian, Mexican and Chinese. Mumbai is one of the most liberal cities in India, embracing concepts that would be considered taboo in other parts of the country. Mumbais culture has been heavily influenced by western culture which gives many tourists familiarity. Some could argue that Mumbai has already lost a lot of its culture to cosmopolitan culture. Climate in Mumbai is warm and humid. There are four seasons the city experiences. During the months of December to February, cool weather exists from December to February and hot weather from March to May. The monsoon season lasts from June to September and is followed by the post-monsoon season, which lasts through October and November, when the weather is again hot. Monthly temperatures vary from 91 degrees in May to 67 degrees Fahrenheit in January. Annual rainfall is about 70 inches with an average of 24 occurring in July alone. Before tourism development, Mumbai (formerly Bombay) was originally a group of seven islands on the Konkan coastline, occupied by Koli fishermen. It wasnt until Sultan Muhamed Begada took over the islands, where Mumbai was colonized by the Hindus. A Portuguese traveler named Vasco da Gama was the first person to explore the route to Mumbai which led to the discovery of the islands and the attack by the Portuguese to capture the islands in 1534. The Portuguese built a parish, several forts and churches, but realized there was no value in them. In 1661, Catherine of Braganza, sister of the Portuguese King, offered these islands as a gift to Charles II of England. Having no use for the islands, Charles II leased them to the British East India Company in 1661. This was the beginning of British rule. This trading company built docks, trading posts, and forts because of its strategic location. Mumbai developed into an important trading post. Governer Gerald Aungier persuaded businessmen from all over the country to come and settle in Mumbai. Mumbai developed into a major commercial center. In the 18th century, population increased significantly and by the 19th century there was construction of buildings, monuments, railway stations, offices, banks. With the introduction of the Great Indian Peninsular Railways, the city received an improved means of transportation. After Indias independence from British rule in 1947, India was restructured into Bombay state. In 1960 when, Maharashtra state came to existence, Bombay, now Mumbai became the capital. There are positive effects tourism can have on a destination. One example would be the host communities residents sharing their culture in addition to those visiting the communities. Other benefits may include the host may include community pride, tolerance and a stronger sense of ethnic identity (Velachis, 2010). The other positive effects of tourism are the cultural exchange, the resurgence of local traditions, and an enhanced image for the community. The perception of India to westerners is of an exotic destination. Then there negative images still associated with it such as poverty, poor health, sanitation, and inferior infrastructure (Jafari, 2000). Tourism in Mumbai would have a positive effect on the community as it would break the stereotypical perception of India. Mumbai is the definition of urban India. It can be said that Mumbai the New York of India, as it is the city that never sleeps with its residents leading a fast-paced life and high rise structures. The involvement of the local communities is an important factor for visitor satisfaction. The hosts for tourism are the local community and they participate directly in the tourism experience, helping to define the sense of place and atmosphere of regions (Arzeni, 2009). The support of the local community is essential in developing cultural experiences for tourists. Ever since the success of the film, Slumdog Millionaire, slum tourism has been a growing attraction in India. The Dharavi slum, located in Mumbai, is the largest slum in Asia. This Slumdog setting is what grew peoples curiosity. Slum tourism can have a positive impact by introducing the positive side of the slums and dispelling the negative. Besides the obvious economic benefits it brings, it can give tourists some insight to their lives and create awareness of the situation. Despite the poverty and its bleak appearance, the people living in these slums are hard working with a strong spirit and sense of community (Ward, 2 010). It can change the preconceived notion they may have had about these slums. It can be seen as a positive that there is a combination of Mumbai culture as well as Western culture. Many locals in Mumbai celebrate both these culture. Many festivals held in Mumbai allow tourists to have a look into the Mumbai culture because they are able to celebrate along with the locals while at the same time interacting with them. This mutual relation encourages a cross-cultural communication that can support understanding between the host and guests (Valachis, 2009). Residents alike are educated about the world outside without leaving their homes, while visitors learn considerably about a unique culture. Another positive outcome that tourism brings is to Mumbais economy. The entire country of India is dependent on tourism, as tourism is its largest service industry. Tourism in Mumbai has served as a tool for income and employment generation, lessoning poverty and sustainable human development. It contributes 6.23% to the national GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India (Tourism Statistics, 2008). Business tourism is quickly growing and according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, an international tourism trade organization, Indian business tourism will contribute over $14.2 billion to the economy in 2011. Not only does this benefit the economy, it will allow business traveler a glimpse of Mumbais culture and give the opportunity to explore diverse activities in juxtaposition to their business agendas. The common impacts in the destination occur from the tourist activities. These impacts include the revitalization or commoditization, the commercialization of traditional cultures, the loss of cultural authenticity, the destruction of the heritage and historical sites by the swarming of tourists. It can be argued that one of the strongest signs of such impacts is the loss of native language as a result of an invasion of tourist languages (Velachis, 2009). The official language of the city of Mumbai is Marathi with only 42% of the population who are fluent. Other than Hindi being one of the major languages in Mumbai, English in prevalent. As business tourism in India increases, English is widely spoken in commercial communication and the professional workforce (Fulton, 2009). With the major languages of Hindi and English, Bombay Hindi was developed, a pidgin that is widely spoken in Mumbai incorporating Marathi, Hindi and English. The changes in language, has been associated in addition to changes in attitudes and behavior. Other harmful impacts tourism can create are to its attractions. The central aspect as to why people travel. The Girgaum Chowpatty is one of the most famous public beaches and one of the oldest beaches in Mumbai. With the many hotels nearby, Chowpatty draws a great number of tourists. Residents of Babulnath which faces Chowpatty, fear that the heritage, sanctity and aesthetics of the area will be flawed (Thanawala, 2006). Another attraction that is in danger is the Elephanta Caves, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Elephantas close proximity to Mumbai and international reputation as a masterpiece has come at an unsustainable level of tourism (Mink, 2009). There has been little effort at preserving the statues and poor crowd control conducted by the authorities. As a result, the already damaged sculptures are in danger of further degradation. According to Mathieson and Wall (1982), one of the major impacts on culture destination is the conversion of the material and non-material structures of local culture, which are called revitalization or commoditization. The Mumbai Tourism Development Corporation has created numerous amounts of festivals specifically to promote tourism in the city. A number of cultural activities including, dance and music recitals are held during these festivities in order for tourists to be able to observe the culture of Mumbai. Tourism can turn local cultures into commodities when religious rituals, traditional ethnic rites and festivals are reduced and to match to tourist expectations. When tourists acquire a vacation as a package, they also purchase culture as a package. Despite how ancient or composite the destination culture is, it is lessoned to a few recognizable distinctiveness. Examples such as arts and crafts, dance, music, buildings and festivals or ceremonies are promoted as a commodity (Mathieson and Wall, 1982). The Elephanta Festival in Mumbai is a cultural festival created to honor and commemorate Indian dance, sculpture and art. It is a major attraction for locals as well as the neighboring city. What is suppose to a be tribute to classical performers and an initiative to popularize Indian classical dance and heritage art form found its main purpose in trying to promote tourism in the state, as it was organized by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. Another negative impact that tourism creates in the culture of a destination is that the put the desires and interest of the tourist without regard to the locals who may have had families and friends that were killed. This was another way for the city to make profit. A tragic event occurred on November 26, 2008 when the terrorist attacks destroyed monuments and injured and killed hundreds of people. This event struck a new found terror tourism. (Shatterjee, 2008). Travelers congregate to the monuments of the Taj hotel, Gateway of India, Cama hospital and Nariman house, which were under terror attacks. Visible bullet marks on walls, windows and roofs, damaged regions and reinstated structures. There has been an increase of local tourists and foreign travelers to Mumbai because of this terror tourism. There are even tour guides and agencies that will give detailed descriptions on the events and show the various places that were under the siege. Although this terror tourism brought the in a set of tourist, it cant be denied the impact it had on Indias tourism industry. Not only did the attack affect leisure travel to Mumbai, it rippled through the entire country with cancellations of hotel bookings. Business travel has also affected the business tourism as many companies have asked employees to restrict travel to India. The wake of this attack has undoubtedly impacted this destination negatively. While retaining the traditional image of cultural tourism in India, diversification of the tourism product would continue, mainly in the fields of leisure, adventure and convention, thus responding to the changing consumer needs (Menon, 1993). Mumbai blends old traditions with new and modern culture. Mumbai is known as the business and entertainment capital and known for the exciting nightlife one can experience, but not for the historic monuments. Little effort was made in preserving the few monuments they already had. If tourists were looking for the old India, it would deter tourists to visit other parts of India, which could hurt the image of Mumbai for being too commercialized. Mumbai is at the point of standardization. This means the process of fulfilling tourists desires (Arzeni, 2009). The landscape, accommodation, food and drinks, etc., must meet the tourists desire for the new and unfamiliar, they must at the same time not be too new or odd because very little tourists actu ally want to see completely new things. Aurangabad, another city in the state of Maharashtra was named the Tourism capital of Maharashtra. Like many other cities in Maharashtra, it is part of the urban sprawl that includes, Mumbai, Pune, Nashik and Nagpur. Unlike Mumbai which has few historic sites, Aurangabad has is tourist hub surrounded by many historical monuments and caves some of which are UNESCO heritage sites. This could create competition for Mumbai who is constantly finding ways to boost tourism in the city. Recently, Mumbai has introduced fort tourism (Buch, 2011). These forts will be able to attract more tourists, but have been poorly preserved and rather than being restored have been tampered with. Tourists want to be introduced to new culture. The culture of Aurangabad is still very much intact, contrast Mumbai who culture is deeply blended with western culture. The city of Mumbai has done a poor job at trying to preserve the few monuments they already have. These monuments are a part of their heritage, but they make it seem they no longer have any pride in their own culture. This could also be said about the food in Mumbai. As mentioned earlier, Mumbai offers cuisines from all over the world, with Chinese being most prevalent. According to the Travel Industry Association of America and the National Restaurant Association (2008), food is central to deciding vacation destinations for at least 25% of leisure travelers. Mumbai has not made any effort to promote their food, which is an aspect of their culture. The state of Kerala, located in southwestern India could also create competition. Tourist looking for sun, sea, and sand can find it in this state. Kerala was named by National Geographic Traveler as one of the Ten Paradises of the World. Mumbai does offer sun, sea and sand from its famous Juhu Beach and Chowpatty. Unfortunately, because of the severely polluted water, it is advised not to swim. Other than being a paradise, what makes Kerala unique is its ecotourism incentives, which it is well known for. Eco-friendly places can be a deciding factor as to why people would choose one place over another. Mumbai has become the new pollution capital with the rapid population growth and increase in number of automobiles. What may make Kerala more desirable is its unique culture, as it managed to remain organic and rich in its heritage. In many destinations, the cultural industries have been recognized as having an important relationship with tourism. As tourism gradually shifts away from its prior attraction of landscapes and natural resources, tourists are becoming more interested with the symbolic and sensory consumption of images and ideas associated with particular destinations (Arzeni, 2009). An example would be Bollywood, or the Hindi cinema. It has become a major part of Mumbai culture. Like Hollywood is associated with L.A., Bollywood is associated with Mumbai. Mumbai is the largest film producer of Hindi film. Tour companies now offer Bollywood tour packages, which offer tours around Film City and in the studios, as well as the residents of Bollywood actors. It is not a historic site, nor is it monumental, but it is one of the most popular attractions in Mumbai. People want to go to destinations that are linked with particular famous people, events, and they want to experience the sights and sounds. (Arzeni, 2009). Though not traditionally part of Indian culture and not found in other parts of India, Mumbai is known for its vibrant nightlife. A typical night out would be exploring one of the many bars and clubs the city has to offer. This is just another example of how a host community fulfilled the tourist desire of familiar facilities. The fact that tourists just want a quick glance of the local atmosphere, a brief look at local life, and no awareness or even interest creates a loss in authenticity which means adapting to the taste to the tourists needs and not taking the time to truly understand the locals and their culture. Culture has been defined in a number of ways, but to simply put it, it is the learned and shared behavior of a community of interacting human beings. When tourists arrive to a destination, they bring their culture which is then learned and shared by the host communities. Though there is no doubt that culture and tourism are related, it can strengthen the attractiveness and competitiveness of a place and the same time hurt it. Mumbai is continually finding ways to promote tourism to their city although they have already established themselves as a popular tourist destination for both leisure and business travelers. What started out as seven islands occupied by Koli fisherman, has developed into the one of the largest and richest metropolitans in the world. Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing global tourism markets and countries that are dependent upon it will find ways to attract tourists, even if it means altering their culture to fit the needs of the tourist. We see ho w negatively tourism can affect the culture of ones community, but it also has its positive aspect. Interaction with the local community can change their perception about the place they had before, dispel any negative stereotypes and are able to learn something about another culture.

How culture influences human development Essay

This essay is an attempt to show how culture influences human development and interpretation of the world. Therefore, to start with this essay will define culture by different scholars. It will then show the types of culture and give a brief account on what culture constitutes (characteristics of culture). Furthermore, the concept of human development will be discussed briefly to give the reader a more clear understanding of the topic at hand. With clear examples, the essay will then show how culture influences human development and their interpretation of the world. Finally, a conclusion summarizing what the essay will discuss will be drawn. The attempt to define culture is elusive as many may suggest. Nevertheless, there are certain paradigms that constitute the sum total of culture and underlie cultural images and identity construction. It is the close affinity between cultural image and human identity that makes the definition of culture complex. The most complex and yet comprehensive definition of culture is that arrived during the ‘Mondiacult’ in Mexico city which has continued to be the most operationalised definition of culture: ‘Culture is the whole complex of distinctive spiritual, material and intellectual features that charactorise a society or social group. It includes not only the arts and letters, but also modes of life, the fundamental rights of human beings, value systems, traditions and beliefs.’ Young Kate (1993) in a report said, culture is seen in the African social context as transcending the arts or artifacts, folklores, literatures, music, dance and other artistic paraphelia. According to Taylor (1996) culture refers to the patterns of behavior and thinking that people living in social groups learn, create, and share. Culture distinguishes one human group from others. It also distinguishes humans from other animals. A people’s culture includes their beliefs, rules of behavior, language, rituals, art, technology, styles of dress, ways of producing and cooking food, religion, and political and economic systems. Culture can also be defined as a set of values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors shared by a group of people, communicated from one generation to the next via language or some other means of communication (Barnouw, 1985). An American sociologist Ogburn has divided culture into two parts: Material culture which consists of tangible things and tools used to express the way of life such as machines, dwellings, manufacture of goods and transportation; and Non material culture which consists of non tangible aspects such as norms, values, customs and practices that are exhibited in social institutions such as the family, religion, economy and education. Some of the characteristics of culture is that it is symbolic, meaning it is based on symbols or abstract ways of referring to and understanding ideas, objects, feelings, or behaviors-and the ability to communicate with symbols using language; it is shared meaning people in the same society share common behaviors and ways of thinking through culture(Bodley ,1997); it is learned socially (Archer, 1996); it is adaptive, that is to say people use culture to flexibly and quickly adjust to changes in the world around them (Findely, and Rothney, 2006); it is social meaning culture does not exist in isolation; it is transitive as it is transmitted from one generation to another; and it is continuous and cumulative because it exists as a continuous process. Various people understand human development on a wide variety of aspects. Human development can be intellectual, biological, social, economical, and many others. Human development involves all the individual’s activities starting from birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, through to adulthood. Therefore, human development and people’s view of the world during all these stages of a person’s life is influenced by people’s exposure to various cultures in so many ways. Usually when a child is born, it is born into a particular family that has a certain way of life. Members of this family will have a language they usually use, type of food they usually eat, religion or church they are part of, a way they dress, a type of people they interact with, types of social  activities they engage in, and so on. All this is part of their culture as a family. That child will grow up and adapt to that culture because the family is its first agent of socialization. As the child grows and develops into an adolescent, then into an adult, his or her view of the world will greatly be influenced by this socialization of the family. The way in which he or she will interact with others will depend on how he or she has been brought up to do. Some individuals are shy and reserved while others are talkative. In the past, the African culture socialized girls and women to maintain their place which was in the kitchen and to be respectful towards men. In as much as this was a form of gender inequality, this culture also brought some form of human development as the men went out to provide for their families as well as develop their communities, while the women stayed at home cooking, taking care of the children and doing household chores which is a form of human development (social) were socializing of the children is involved. So, in this type of way of life the women interpreted or viewed men as being superior over them and the men viewed the women as being their helpers. However, over the years this sort of view has changed (though not everywhere) due to the fact that culture is not static, it is an adaptive mechanism that constantly adjusts to satisfy human biological and social needs. Because of this dynamic tendency of culture, cultural communities continue to change as do individuals. A community’s history and relations are part of cultural process which intern lead to various human developments. A good example that can be cited is that of the Khoi Khoi and san people of the past who hunted and gathered food for their survival. It is very rare to find any kind of people in this day and age who still follow that kind of lifestyle. Culture is not the same everywhere, it varies greatly and this great diversity can sometimes be confusing to others. For instance, the thought of children handling knives makes many American parents very nervous, yet toddlers in some parts of Africa safely use machetes. Similarly, infants in middle-class communities in the United States are often expected to sleep  alone by the time they are only a few months old while many low and middle-class Zambian children typically share their mother’s bed through their toddler years. These striking differences in child rearing practices reflect the diverse range of what is considered developmentally appropriate for children around the world, depending on their cultural circumstances (Roggof, 2003). Therefore, people from, say, these two types of societies will interpret child rearing practices differently from one another. Another example by Barbara Roggof (2003) which results in a great difference in interpretation due to the diversity of culture is the comparison between the United States and Mayan community in Gautemala. The United States is a highly age-segregated society, with children spending much of their time away from activities of adults. That segregation removes children from important opportunities to observe and learn from elders by participating in valued community activities, said Roggof. In contrast, in the Mayan community in Gautemala, children often learn through the process of observation and supportive guidance as they engage in community activities. Young Mayan girls, for instance, regularly observe women weaving complicated patterns because weaving is a daily household activity. Experienced weavers watched for their daughters to express interest and then set up a simple project beside their own which allows them to offer, what Roggof calls ‘guidance embedded in activity’. So unlike in the United States community were learning is often pegged to age and managed in specialized child settings, instruction in this Mayan community is generally triggered by the child’s interest in becoming involved in valued family community activities. This shows that human development in some cultures is influenced by age, while in others by interest. Cultural diversity shows that there are different viewpoints and ways of interacting with the world as there are cultures (Young, 1993). However, cultural difference may sometimes become problematic. Because different people are part of different cultures and backgrounds, people tend to see or interpret things through their background. ‘That is, culture acts as a filter, not only when perceiving things, but also when thinking about  interpreting events.’ For example, Mary Banda may interpret Aisha Yusuf’s habit of over spicing her food whenever she is cooking as a sign that Aisha is not a very good cook as she uses these spices as a disguise of her lack of talent. Mary might even conclude that people from her own culture are better cooks than that of Aisha’s because she does not need spices to make her food taste good. Mary Banda, in this example, is interpreting someone else’s behavior from her own cultural background and based on her own beliefs of culture and behavior. This is an act of ethnocentrism, which is the viewing and interpretation of the behavior of others through one’s own cultural glasses (Giddens, 1989). This is a form of biasness which is also closely linked to stereotypes. For example, suppose someone is having a conversation with another person from a culture different from their own. While he is talking to this person, he notices that she does not really make eye contact with him when he speaks. Also, she does not really look at him when he speaks. On the few occasions when her eyes look his way, she quickly averts her gaze if their eyes meet. From his cultural background he may interpret that she does not feel very positive about his interaction. He may even put off and reject any attempts at future interactions. He may not feel trusting or close to her. But she may come from a culture were direct gazing is discouraged or even a sign of arrogance. She may actually be avoiding eye contact not because of any negative feelings, but because of difference and politeness to him. Of course these potential problems have real and practical implications in everyday life. Such scenarios may occur in a job interview, in a teaching or learning situation at an elementary school, at a business negotiation, or even in a visit with a doctor. It is always hard for people to separate themselves from their own cultural backgrounds and biases to understand the behaviors of others. However, this is not to say that all cultures are different or diverse. There are always cross-cultural tendencies or behaviors that are shared in most cultures. For instance, in most cultures people burry their dead, celebrate at weddings, mourn at funerals, name their children, wear clothes (do not  move naked), and many others. CONCLUSION In conclusion, culture is basically people’s way of life or way of doing things or even way of thinking. Be it how they comb their hair, dress, worship, eat, time they sleep at night, and so on. Culture is material and non material, and therefore, influences a great deal of people’s lives. This influence of culture can be on their human development from birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, through to adulthood. Jean Piaget talked about four stages human beings pass through as they develop. These include the sensory motor stage (0-23 months old), pre-operational stage (2-7 years old), concrete operational stage (7-11 years old) and formal operational stage (11 years and above). Through all these stages, human development occurs in various ways. And this can be intellectually, socially, economically, and biologically. It can also influence how people interpret the world or other people around them as illustrated in the few examples in mentioned in the text. REFERENCES Archer, M. S. (1996). _The place of culture in social theory_. New York: Cambridge University Press. Barnouw, V. (1985). _Culture and personality (_4th edition_)._ Wales: Dorsey Press. Bodley, J. H. (1997). _Ethnology_ (4th edition). Mountain View cliff: Mayfield Publishers. Co. Dressler, D. et al (1976). _Sociology: The study of Human interactions_ (3rd edition). New York: Alfred A. Knopt. Findely, & Rothney, (1996). _Twentieth century world_ (6th edition). London: McMillan Press Ltd. Furedidi, F. (1997). _Population and development: A critical introduction_ (3rd edition). Britain: Polity Press. Giddens, A. (1989). _Sociology_ (6th edition). Britain: Polity Press. Rogoff, B. (2003). _The cultural nature of human development._ New York: Oxford Press. Taylor, (2006). _Principles and practice of stress management_ (3rd edition). New York: Guilford Press. UNESCO, (1982). _Cultural industries: A challenge for the future._ Paris: UNESCO. Valsiner, J. (2000). _Culture and human development: An introduction._ Britain: Polity Press. Young, K. (1993). _Planning development with women: Making a world of difference._ London & Basinstokei: McMillan Press Ltd.

An Exploration Into 14 Bauhaus Books by Lazlo Moholy-Nagy in Relation to Visual Culture Essay

When analysing ‘the 14 bauhaus books’ by Lazlo Moholy-Nagy (see figure 1) in relation to it’s historical context, at least 5 components have to be considered. These are: the image itself; the movement it is part of; the artist, Lazlo Moholy-Nagy, that made it; the bauhaus- the institute it was produced for and where the artist taught – and how these parts have changed or influenced modern times. My argument is that all of these separate components, the main being the movement of Modernism, made life better for the International populations that welcomed it, through the universal progression that modernism once promised. 4 Bauhaus Books is not a ‘pretty’ image. The dirty red mixed with the hard texture of the metal type is not pleasing to the eye for any viewer. But then again it is not meant to be pleasing, the image is a brochure cover, nothing more. Although by todays standards it is crude in design, vaguely relating to the brochure that it covers, which does go into detail about some new typographical forms, it was rather advanced for 1929 as it was a Modernist piece – rejecting decoration. No longer focussing on decoration produced a new language of design that could be understood by everyone, including workers in modern industry. Moholy-Nagy followed his own teachings on typography fully, stating that: â€Å"Letters should never be squeezed into an arbitrary shape†¦ like a square. A new typographic language must be created combining elasticity, variety and a fresh approach to the materials of printing†¦. † (Naylor, 1968, p. 127) This approach to communication through printed material can still be seen today, particularly in adverts which have a very short amount of time to impact on and communicate to an audience. A ‘stand-out’ type coupled with a few witty lines has found itself at the centre of most printed advertisements today (see figure 2), which, it could be argued, can trace it’s heritage back to the modernists ideas of simplicity. We are all now accustomed to this, but back in the early 1900s it was met with fierce opposition and, although new aesthetics were being created, official designers and architects preferred to follow the word of Ruskin who stated: â€Å"We want no new architecture†¦ The forms of architecture already known to us are good enough for us, and far better than any us† (Naylor, 1968, p. ) This narrow-minded approach to design held back progress and kept Europe’s standard of living the same, which, especially for the working classes, was unacceptable. From this, modernism rejected the historical styles before it, such as the Enlightenment phase, that focussed on decoration and perceived that ‘greatness lay in the reconstruction of the past’. Instead modern designers, in the smoke of the Industrial Revolution, created a new style – the ‘International Style’. The ‘International Style’ had called for change and the change was to blur the class distinctions. The â€Å"millions of†¦ home-owners†¦ painted their walls beige† (Greenhalgh, 1990, p52) in an attempt to fit in with this style. This cheap method of interior design, using hardwood for fittings and mass produced light fittings made the ‘International Style’ available and popular. Modernism created objects that functioned with little or no decoration. These objects were mass produced,widely available and more importantly cheap to purchase. For example the Tefal kettle (see figure 3) which has only the water gauge projecting out of a white block for decoration. This simplistic approach to design was, in the eyes of the modernists, an enhancement of purity. The same could be said for ’14 books’. That it’s simplicity is it’s decoration and that the text is the ‘object’ needed for its design purpose. Something functional yet visually satisfying. Modernist designers used the technique of abstraction in their work to help convey a visual trend and to combine the three areas they believed to be true design. This was architecture, furniture and graphic design. Abstraction meant that modernists could use ideas found in a particular building or a colour palette from a painting to create solid habitable homes or items for these homes. A well known example for this is from the painting of Mondrian – composition in red and blue (see figure 4). This was abstracted by the designer Rietveld to create a home (see figure 5) and a chair (see figure 6). Both of which the user had to engage with, as the world had gained a passive lifestyle – the chair was designed for better seated posture and the home bragged fold out compartments, tables and beds so that living was a conscious decision. Unfortunately the chair was not mass produced and only a prototype as there was â€Å"not enough interest in it, as it was not comfortable to sit in† (retrieved on January 10, 2011, from www. contemporarypractice. wordpress. com). This abstraction was seen as a rational use of design, using one ‘useful’ item aesthetics to create another and was used by most modernist designers. The downside to this would be that everything lacked spontaneity. Supposedly a unique series of furniture could look like another, but modernists did not mind this, as they wanted everyone to be equal. The Bauhaus, of course, was the school of modernist design in Europe. It symbolised new technologies and ideas for teaching. Even the building (see figure 7) was a modernist piece. The building had no decoration except for the glass sheets that covered it, which itself was a relatively new item, having been invented in 1832. Glass sheeting, ironically, was used in the crystal palace, which was a celebration of the aristocracies achievements, the opposite message of modernists to â€Å"†¦ reate a new guild of craftsmen, without the class distinctions which raise an arrogant barrier between craftsman and artist. † (Naylor, 1968, p. 9) This quest for the combination of form and function is, in my opinion, found in Josef Hartwig’s 1924 chess set that has, instead of the traditional figures, pieces that consist of geometric shapes (see figure 8). The design of each piece shows how it moves- for example the 2 diagonal lines that make the bishop’s cross show that i t is constrained to diagonal movement. The negative side of this simplicity was a lack of emotion in all creations, as well as an impersonal approach to design. These made the masses feel common, which did not sit well with the elite of the time, who were used to the decorative forms of the Romantics that preceded them. This was, in many ways the enemy of the Bauhaus, referred to as â€Å"that strange decorative disease†(Naylor, 1968, p. 14). Simplicity was key for the Bauhaus and 14 Bauhaus Books was no exception. Understated colours and the photograph used for the main image how this. The type itself is clear and typical of the Bauhaus. Lazlo Moholy-Nagy taught at this revered school and stressed that â€Å"Typography must be clear communication in its most vivid form. Clarity must be especially stressed, for clarity is the essence of modern printing. † (Naylor, 1968, p. 127)Clarity is indeed expressed in ’14 Bauhaus Books’, where no complex symbolisms or congested space occurs. Lazlo Moholy-Nagy’s views on teaching was as radical as his rules. He sought to rid the preliminary course he took over in 1923 of emotion. He saw the soul as part of the body and not in control of it. This wasn’t welcomed by some of his colleagues and students, who described his arrival as â€Å"a pike in a pond full of goldfish† (Whitford, 1984, p. 128). Moholy-Nagy differed from his predecessor in every way. He wore a pair of overalls and nickel-rimmed glasses, emulating an industrial worker , whereas the former teacher, Itten, dressed more like a monk, with a perfectly shaved head – â€Å"creating an aura of spirituality and communion with the transcendal† (Whitford, 1984, p. 23) – mirroring the enlightenment movement that modernism rejected. Moholy-Nagy was to cast out everything irrational in his course. Instead he focussed on teaching techniques and a wider variety of media, stating that: â€Å"anyone who knew nothing about photography was a kind of visual illiterate, and that an artist who restricted himself to any single media should not be taken seriously. † This can be seen in ’14 Bauhaus Books’, where a variety of media is used. The combination of photography, graphics and type give the design a very individual feel. For although Moholy-Nagy insisted he used no emotion, one can’t help but feel a personal aspect behind this cover, a contradiction to his own rule. Moholy-Nagy’s link with industry spilled over to an infatuation with the machine. The machine to him was ‘the’ invention of the century, replacing the transcendental spiritualism of past eras. He saw it as the way to gain equality for the masses. Stating that: â€Å"Everyone is equal before the machine†¦ There is no tradition in technology, no class-consciousness. Everyone can be the machine’s master or its slave. † (Whitford, 1984, p. 128) Using the machine as a figurehead, Moholy-Nagy, along with other modernists and constructivists bettered the world. The change brought about by modernism was huge. As the movement grew in popularity all classes changed their way of living. They were boxed in with hardwood fittings and lived in a functional, conscious home. These homes would later be criticised for being to small and impersonal, but at the time they were considered ‘the modern home’. It wasn’t just the home that was improved through modernism. Factories over Europe America and Asia used more and more machinery, quickly churning out more products in a day than a craftsman, what had come before, could produce in months. This led to more jobs, fewer costs and a better standard of life for everyone. Though this also was met by criticism: that the worker had become non-human, â€Å"an appendage to the machine† (Greenhalgh, 1990, p. 54). The fact that people worked 10-12 hour shifts to maintain their lifestyle did not sit well. Marxists stated that industrial work meant that â€Å"Man is alienated from other men. † (Greenhalgh, 1990, p. 54) It could be argued that the limitations and ideas set in place for this simple graphic design, which is rather crude by today’s standards, has helped the international masses. The change that came about because of the movement of modernism, along with Moholy-Nagy’s approach to design and the new tuition in the Bauhaus of a generation of architects, furniture designers and graphic designers has helped to shape the world of today. Modernist buildings fill today’s cities, from huge skyscrapers consisting of tons of glass, such as the Seagram Building, New York (see figure 9), to mass housing, that was and is cheap, yet functional. This International Style that ’14 Bauhaus Books’ boasts to belong to a collection millions of posters , magazine covers, and furniture designs. Always with its’ main aim to better daily life through technology, for â€Å"not the product the but man is the end in view† (Naylor, 1968,p. 156).

The Transformation Of Housing Discrimination Toward...

The Transformation of Housing Discrimination toward African American One of the American Dreams, home ownership, still inspiriting people to work hard and pursue their dream. In order to achieve a â€Å"color blind† society, the government set many policies to ensure everyone received the equal opportunities when they try to buy a house in the U.S. For example, the Fair Housing Act as a tool to prohibit the discrimination from color, race, gender, religion or family status (Wolf, Heath). However, there are many invisible rules or requirements that cause African American unable to access to home ownership base on the housing policy system. Because of the system, it makes the housing discrimination on African American even bigger. Of course,†¦show more content†¦Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) and Fair Housing Administration (FHA) are the roots to create housing discrimination toward minority especially for African American; they help the mortgage lender to make excuses to deny the loan to African American because they do not meet the requirements. During 1928, there was a huge crisis in stock market and caused many banks close and people faced foreclosure. In order to respond the crisis, president Roosevelt signed the Homeowners Refinancing Act to slow down the rate of housing foreclosures during 1930s (Hillier). This policy helped a hundred million people who was suffering from the depression and facing to lose their houses (Hillier). In addition, it also help many people refinanced their mortgage with low interest rate (Aalbers). The Federal Home Loan Bank Board (FHLBB) used HOLC to establish a program to â€Å"appraise real estate risk levels in 239 cities† (Hillier), which â€Å"produced detailed reports for each city along with a series of now infamous security maps that assigned residential areas a grade from one to four† (Hillier). Because of the neighborhood rating system, â€Å"the HOLC was also instrumental in implementing and institutionalizing redlining practices† (Aalbers) that do not