Thursday, April 30, 2020

Kevin Gilberts The New True Anthem free essay sample

In the critical response poem â€Å"The New True Anthem†, 1988, Kevin Gilbert challenges the Australian public about our patriotism or lack thereof. With this poem Kevin Gilbert acknowledges the fact that there is not just one single opinion of what has happened to the beautiful land that was once home to many native Aboriginal tribes all over the country. Australia’s sense of pride and admiration that is declared by Dorothea Mackellar in â€Å"My Country† is challenged and questioned by Kevin Gilbert. The issues explored in the bitter poem are a lack of patriotism for Australia and shame. A sense of apathy and lack of patriotism is illuminated for the audience by Gilbert in this poem as he criticises the Australian Public and Mackellar. The title itself, â€Å"The New True Anthem†, begins the poem with a bitter and hostile tone. Using the word ‘true’ Gilbert states his opinion from the very beginning with no feeling of remorse. We will write a custom essay sample on Kevin Gilberts The New True Anthem or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Gilbert uses this poem to patronise the Australian public and highlights how they have ruined a once great country. Mackellar’s poem paints Australia and Australians in an extremely positive light, Gilbert on the other hand writes what he believes to be the ‘true’ meaning of what people have done to the country. The use of the diction ‘love’ subverts Mackellar’s intentions in ‘My Country† and throws it back in our faces. As the poem goes on Gilbert persuades readers away from Mackellar’s point of view and towards his own understanding and opinion of a sense of pride and patriotism. Shame and embarrassment is a feeling that is plastered all over this poem by Gilbert to emphasise his feelings and emotions when it comes to Australia. Throughout the poem Gilbert struggles to fathom how Australians have been able to ‘pollute all the rivers’, and ‘graffiti’ our home, Australia. The accumulative listing of crimes and appalling behaviour throughout the anthem highlights just how terrible things have gotten. ‘Racial murder’ refers to the stolen generation and how the Aboriginals were treated when Australia was first colonised. ‘A tyranny now rules your soul’ alludes to the fact that Australia is ruled by England and how our mother country came, claimed and conquered as they didn’t want to work alongside the Aboriginals, instead were against their ‘barbaric ways’. Gilbert states that all of ‘the beaches and the mountains are covered with your shame’. The use of ‘your’ in this line purposely makes this a personal attack on the Australian public and blatantly focuses on the fact that is it our fault that what was once a beautiful country has now be ruined. As he works to evoke a remorseful feeling from readers Gilbert adds a negative connotation to the poem by basically naming and shaming anything that we have done to our home, Australia Throughout â€Å"The New True Anthem† Gilbert is judgemental and critical, however raises very true and important issues about Australia. With the effective use of poetic techniques and features Gilbert is able to create a thought provoking poem declaring important and concerning issues such as our apathy and lack thereof patriotism for our country and the shame that covers all ‘the beaches and the mountains’. Gilbert is strictly opposed to ‘what Dorothea has said’ and uses this poem to confront Australians about the error of their ways.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Mode Of Production in Marxism

Mode Of Production in Marxism The mode of production is a central concept in Marxism and is defined as the way a society is organized to produce goods and services. It consists of two major aspects: the forces of production and the relations of production. The forces of production include all of the elements that are brought together in production – from land, raw material, and fuel to human skill and labor to machinery, tools, and factories. The relations of production include relationships among people and people’s relationships to the forces of production through which decisions are made about what to do with the results. In Marxist theory, the  mode of production concept was used to illustrate the historical differences between different societies economies, and Karl Marx most commonly commented on Asiatic, slavery/ancient, feudalism, and capitalism. Karl  Marx and Economic Theory The ultimate end-goal of Marxs economic theory was a post-class society formed around principles of socialism or communism; in either case, the mode of production concept played a key role in understanding the means through which to achieve this goal. With this theory, Marx differentiated various economies throughout history, documenting what he called historical materialisms dialectical stages of development. However, Marx failed to be consistent in his invented terminology, resulting in a vast number of synonyms, subsets and related terms to describe the various  systems. All of these names, of course, depended upon the means through which communities obtained and provided necessary goods and services to one another. Therefore relationships between these people became the  source of their namesake. Such is the case with communal, independent peasant, state, and slave while others operated from a more  universal  or national  standpoint like  capitalist, socialist and communist. Modern Application Even now, the idea of overthrowing the capitalist system in favor of a communist or socialist one that favors the employee over the company, the citizen over state, and the countryman over country, but its a hotly contested debate. To give context to the argument against capitalism, Marx argues that by its very nature, capitalism can be viewed as a positive, and indeed revolutionary, economic system whos downfall is its dependence on exploiting and alienating the worker.   Marx further argued that capitalism is inherently doomed to fail for this very reason: the worker would eventually consider itself oppressed by the capitalist and start a social movement to change the system to a more communist or socialist means of production. However, he warned, this would occur only if a class-conscious proletariat organized successfully to challenge and overthrow the domination of capital.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Book Awards Open to Self-Published Books

Book Awards Open to Self-Published Books Book awards have made great strides in broadening eligibility rules to allow authors to submit self-published books. When I first began collecting information about awards for published books, many of them only accepted submissions and nominations from publishers themselves. This has changed. The following is a list of some of the many book awards that are open to self-published authors. Some of the awards are limited to authors writing in specific genres, while others have a regional focus. North Street Book Prize http://winningwriters.com/our-contests Winning Writers recently announced it is sponsoring the North Street Book Prize, aimed at recognizing outstanding self-published books. Categories for this first year are Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Genre Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction. The cost is $50.00 per entry, and the winner in each category will receive $1,500 plus a variety of marketing services. Two honorable mentions in each category will receive $250. All contestants receive a selection of helpful guides for publishing and promotion. The Foreword Reviews INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards https://indiefab.forewordreviews.com Accepts self-published books in more than 60 categories/genres, including Fantasy, Humor, Travel, Juvenile Fiction, Picture Books, and True Crime. The early-bird entry fee is $79, plus two copies of the book, for each category in which the book is entered. The top three winners in each category receive publicity and can order stickers to put on their books. Monetary awards are given to one best â€Å"fiction† and one best â€Å"nonfiction† book. The Eric Hoffer Award for Independent Books hofferaward.com Offers awards in several writing categories, including Poetry, General Fiction, E-book Fiction, and E-book Nonfiction, as well as categories Debut-litzer Prizes http://latenightlibrary.org The literary non-profit organization Late-Night Library sponsors the Debut-litzer Prizes for a first work of fiction or poetry. Submissions are accepted from authors or publishers, and self-published works are eligible, provided the work is the â€Å"first† in the genre Thorpe Menn Literary Excellence Award http://kansascity-mo.aauw.net/events/thorpe-menn-literary-award/ Presented American Book Awards beforecolumbusfoundation.com/american-book-awards/ The Before Columbus Foundation sponsors the American Book Awards, which has no restrictions on self-published books. It is open to anyone, and there are no categories; awardees are selected solely based on literary excellence. The cost to enter is two copies of the book. While there is no monetary prize, award winners are formally recognized at a ceremony, and are given publicity through the Before Columbus Foundation website. Other awards include the Minnesota Book Awards (http://thefriends.org/events/mnba/nominations-applications/book-award-nomination/), the Brockman-Campbell Book Award (ncpoetrysociety.org/bcaward/), the Lambda Literary Awards (lambdaliterary.org/award-guidelines/), and the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (hurstonwright.org). Although these do not have restrictions on self-published books, other eligibility requirements may apply. Please refer to award websites for complete and updated information, as well as details on entry deadlines.

Monday, February 17, 2020

Hamlet (Shakespeare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hamlet (Shakespeare - Essay Example To begin with, the private life of King Claudius is revealed through his relationship with his brother, the former king. The ghost of King Hamlet informs to Prince Hamlet that Claudius had killed the former king by pouring poison into his ears. From the ghost’s visit to prince Hamlet we get to know that Claudius, the king of Kingdom of Denmark, has a dark private life that very few people if any, knows about. Killing his own brother and taking both his (the brother’s) wife and kingdom is a dark part of his life that he would not want to expose to the public whatsoever. This may explain why when he realizes that Prince Hamlet knows about it, he strives to have him killed by all means. Though he is the king, Claudius’ relationship with his nephew, Prince Hamlet, brings him out as being fearful. When he realizes the bitterness Prince Hamlet holds against him for killing King Hamlet, he fears for his life and skims to have the prince assassinated. Claudius sends the prince to England on a faked diplomatic mission but in the real sense, he is sending Hamlet to his death as he reveals, when left alone. This brings out the personal fears that the public figures have, especially emanating from their previous dubious acts. Another prominent public figure in the play is Prince Hamlet. The way the prince relate to Laertes, his potential brother in law, brings him out as a gullible character. As much as he knows that Laertes perceives him as the cause of the death of both his father and sister, he still proceeds to fence with him. Horatios warnings against tacking part in the match hit a bricked wall since he could not think of the plot that Laertes could have to kill him. As a result, he is stubbed and killed by a poisoned spear. Similarly, the prince is quit unstable in his decisions and perceptions. When his father’s ghost first appeared to him, he believed that the ghost was honest and reliable. However, he later doubts the ghost and takes

Monday, February 3, 2020

Capital Punishment Why The South Is So Dirty Research Proposal

Capital Punishment Why The South Is So Dirty - Research Proposal Example Ironically, it has come at a time when the president of the country is an African-American who was thought to have been elected without the intervention of color, race or ethnic origin. This is somewhat manifest in two households in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The white Bolen family has antique wooden clocks on the wall. Coca-cola memorabilia decorate the house. They did not watch when President Obama delivered his health-care speech on television because they believe he is a liar. The congressman representing them is Joe Wilson, the Obama heckler. Some blocks away is the Elmore home where a portrait of civil rights movement activist Martin Luther King, Jr. is prominent. Obama campaign keepsakes are all around one of which says "Yes, We Did." The Elmore family is black; so is their representative in congress, James E. Clyburn, a top ranking Democrat who initiated the moves to punish Wilson for the heckling. Orangeburg appears to be booming and is attractive to investors. In one fundr aiser for a local technical school, people were talking about race. One state senator opined that Joe Wilson's inappropriate misdeed had nothing to do with race. This local legislator who made the comment about Wilson is a white but is supported by both black and white voters. (Tucker, Philip. In S.C., One Road Divides Two Ways of Thinking. September 22, 2009. The Washington Post. [internet]. With the above-cited circumstances, it is not easy to answer any question pertaining to whether or not there is a racist divide in the south or whether or not there is bias against the blacks in that part of the United States. This can be a more particular concern if the subject of analysis is capital punishment which involves the fate of human life. Capital punishment is not imposable in all the states of America. Even in those jurisdictions where there is a statutory provision for the death penalty, carrying it out is rare. A look at the number of executions will give a preliminary guide. Thirty seven convicts were executed in 2008 in nine states broken down according to location as follows - Texas 18 Virginia 4 Georgia 3 South Carolina 3 Florida 2 Mississippi 2 Ohio 2 Oklahoma 2 Kentucky 1 Of the aforementioned thirty seven, twenty (20) or fifty four per cent (54%) were white and seventeen (17) or forty six per cent (46%) were black. All of them were men. All of the nine states included above except for Ohio are situated in the south or in the nearest south. As of the end of the year 2006, there were 3,233 prisoners with pending death sentences in thirty five (35) states and the federal prison system while there were only 3,220 such prisoners as of the end of 2007. That is a reduction of thirteen (13) prisoners under sentence of death. The United States Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. On record from that time until date, more than

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Main Barriers Sustainable Development Developing Countries Initiatives Overcome Economics Essay

Main Barriers Sustainable Development Developing Countries Initiatives Overcome Economics Essay Any country whose standard of living is at a low level is referred to as a developing country. Development level varies from country to country thus cannot be generalized in meaning. Using numerical categorization, Countries with low and middle income have been categorized as developing by the World Bank. Dividing economies with the 2008 Gross National Income per capita (GNI), developing countries were identified by GNI per capital below $11 905. Countries having progressive economies but which have not attained a particular standard to be referred to as developed country are categorized as Newly Industrialized Country (NIC). Such countries are said to have rapid growth in their economy but have still not reached the standard of the First World, these are highly developed countries (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developed_country) Almost all countries of the third world can be categorized as developing, they including all African countries excluding South Africa, all countries in the Middle East excluding Turkey, all Asian countries excluding China, Japan, Singapore, Russia, Taiwan India, Myanmar and South Korea, some countries in Eastern Europe, Southern American countries excluding Brazil and the Caribbean excluding Jamaica and Cuba. File:World Bank income groups.svg Fig1: Countries based on World Bank income groupings for 2006 (calculated by GNI per capita, Atlas method).   Ã‚   High income   Ã‚   Upper-middle income   Ã‚   Lower-middle income   Ã‚   Low income Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developing_country Sustainable Development Sustainable development as defined in 1987 in a report by Brundtland is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. (Hecht, 1999) Sustainable development as an aspiration is global; as an ongoing process, it is local. A growing number of scientists and technologists share in the aspiration and experiment with the local (Mabogunje and Kates, 2004). For sustainable development to be achieved, especially in developing countries, some stages have to be undergone; it is also necessary for essential building blocks to be implemented. The economic, social and environmental factors have to be considered in a transparent and open manner. In many developing countries, the fundamental building blocks, such as a free-market economy, transparency of government operations, public access to information, public involvement in decision making, and enforcement of environmental laws, are weak or absent. Although some developing countries are strengthening domestic policies and regulations and creating economic policy incentives for attracting environmentally sound investment, progress is slow and uneven. (Hecht,1999). Barriers Developing countries have less sustainable livelihoods today than they had 25 years ago. The issue of sustainable development involves making sure that the ongoing development does not affect future generation. Some of the following issues contribute to the low sustainability level in developing countries: Extreme Poverty Poverty is the most prominent barrier to development in developing countries. Almost all population found in these countries live in rural settlements and depend on agriculture as their main source of income. Poverty and the environment have a strong connection especially in countries with economies that depend on natural resources. For people in these countries to meet their needs, they engage in local activities such as tree cutting for fuel wood, wild life hunting (leading to extinction), extensive and excessive farming system and so on. These activities are carried out to meet the needs of today but the repercussions await the future generations. Deforestation Intense farming and deforestation in South America has left some areas with only 5% of natural vegetation. If this trend continues, there might be little or nothing left to pass to the future generations. Africa had about 650 million hectares of woodlands and forests but between 1990 and year 2000, about 53 million hectares of forest was lost (Africare speech, 2008). In respect to the global forest loss, this was about 56% in that period. Deforestation has a resultant effect on protection of soils, the land is more exposed to adverse conditions like erosion and evaporation, also quality of water is affected by deforestation. All these will invariably tell on the production and economy of countries involved. Urban Development Urban areas in developing countries are expected to be more populated majorly because of migration. However this comes with a great environmental challenge. A good number of urban dwellers either inhabit slum areas or carve a slum-niche for themselves simply because they do not have legal rights to own their properties. Slum conditions lack good, portable water, electricity and other basic amenities of life. The issue of waste disposal in slum areas is usually carelessly handled, this poses as a threat to health and safety of slum dwellers. It is not a surprise to use plastic bags as mobile toilets in some large slums like Kibera, Nairobis largest slum. Also, because of the nature of these areas, there is increase in miscreants among juveniles. This has a direct negative effect on young adults who are supposed to be leaders of tomorrow. This is where the effect of the environment on the social life of individuals comes in to play. Some shanty areas in Nigeria have in recent times produced the highest number of notorious young adults. Urbanization in developing countries results in very large population inhabiting very small area, polluted water and air, poor public transport among other things. These environmental conditions lead to low standard of living in these areas. In South America, urban population is found in settlements called squatter, Brazil having favelas while Venezuela has barrios. Caracas is known to have over 50% population living in squatters. These squatters are usually made from scrap and cardboard materials in areas that are prone to flooding or steep areas. After a while, the construction is upgraded with better materials but the settlements remain in an irregular network with small paths and streets, there is usually no plan for waste management, drainage or water supply. The Asian continent among others is not left out in urbanization issues. Bangladesh, a country in Asia has had an increase in urban poverty in recent times. In Dhaka city alone, from 1974 to 2005 slum population has jumped from 250,000 to 2,840,000 during the span of little over 3 decades (Haider, 2008). During these decades, the number of slums also increased from 500 to 4,300. While slum population has increased by more than 11 times the number of slums has increased 8.6 times during this period. The causes for the increase of slum population are certainly complex. However, the major aspect is again related to the lack of well paying jobs in urban areas. There are also cases of downward mobility in urban areas of urban dwellers themselves. Although Bangladesh has been able to reduce urban poverty to some extent, there are pockets of chronic poverty in slums that seem very hard to overcome. (Haider,2008). http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol18no2/2809067_slum.jpg Nairobi, Kenya: Sixty per cent of the citys people live in slum areas. Source: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol18no2/182environ.htm Impact of Industrial Waste The process of obtaining non-renewable materials from natural resources has an adverse effect on the environment. A good example is Nigeria, a developing country in West Africa. The Niger Delta environment has been polluted by oil spills and flares from gas for over half a century. A target was set forth to put a stop to flaring of gas but this seems to be unachievable with the trend of events. Mine sites which are no longer in use in some parts of Africa contribute to the nuisance that the environment is becoming. In general, mineral and oil exploration contribute to water pollution (which also causes death of organisms in water), contaminated soil, e.tc. Developing countries will continue to have great challenge in attaining sustainable development if the current approach to extraction of resources is not addressed. Effect of Climate Change on Environment Africa as a continent has so many developing countries. Studies from the IPCC (Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change) show that this continent is more prone to the impact of climate change than any other part of the world. Some of the effects of climate change include less rainfall in areas already experiencing dryness like the southern and eastern parts, and increased drought in north central Africa. It is also predicted that by 2025 (Africare speech,2008), western African countries will experience scarcity of water, such countries like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Mauritania, Nigeria e.t.c. While other issues are more pressing and getting better attention from African leaders (such issues as malaria, HIV AIDS, poverty, starvation e.t.c), to sustain the future generation, Africa has to be fully at alert and address the issue of climate change peculiar to its environment. In other areas, climate change may cause flooding in contrast to its effect in these countries. In South America for instance, climate change has an effect on their environment which in essence has a multiplier effect on planning for growth. La Plata River basin which is the fifth largest river in the world generates about 50% of South Americas Gross National Product (GNP) and five countries share boundaries with this river- Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The effect of climate change in this river basin has affected the economy and as a result its population. Flow in this region has been 30% greater since 1970 than in previous time. This is in contrast to the average rainfall before 1970 and below average rainfall afterwards in sub-Saharan Africa (Africare speech, 2008). Corruption Corruption is a major barrier to sustainable development in every country that it exists. It steals from todays children the resources they will need to survive tomorrow. There is a direct link between underdevelopment and corruption. The former encourages the latter. A good scenario is the public service low income in developing countries, this stimulates trivial corruption. The level of education and enlightenment in these countries also put people in ignorance of their statutory rights, thereby giving room for corrupt individuals. Initiatives to Overcome Barriers The discussion about initiatives to overcome barriers to sustainable development in developing countries will not be justified without mentioning the millennium development goals (MDGs). The MDGs were initiated in September 2000 during the United Nations Summit. These goals are eight in number and they break down into quantifiable targets that are 21 in number, they are also measured by 60 indicators. They include the following: Extreme poverty and hunger eradication Universal primary education for all Encourage women empowerment and gender equality Reduce death rate of children Improve maternal health Fight against diseases especially malaria and HIV/AIDS Implement sustainable development Develop a global partnership for development These goals were created having developing countries in mind as the issues addressed are mostly concerned with them. However, the indicators for these goals show that they have not been effectively implemented locally and globally, they also show that the time frame given to them will not be realistic. Over the years, developing countries have recognized the importance of environmental management and sustainability and there have been initiatives peculiar to each country and situation to enhance this. Some of those initiatives include establishing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). NGOs have gained reputation especially internationally as they are consulted on matters of planning and implementation of policies made at national and international levels. Examples of such include Global Volunteer Network, Cross-Cultural Solutions, Conserve Africa, Africa Guide, Action for Agricultural Renewal in Maharashtra (AFARM), Conservation Council for South Australia to mention a few. NGOs offer a clearer perspective and a wealth of experience in relevant areas such as human right defense, environmental protection, grassroots development, poverty alleviation, e.t.c. To thrive in their activities, these organizations should work alongside the government by participating in development, planning policies and decision making at the various levels of administration. However, since they are voluntary, availability of funds for NGOs might pose a slight challenge and they sometimes have to depend on funds from large hearted individuals. Other initiatives include creating anticorruption agencies. Since corruption impedes development at all levels of government, countries have created such agencies to check corrupt practices, examples include Office of Anti-Corruption Commission Bhutan (Asia), Independent Authority Against Corruption- Mongolia ( Asia), Anti- Corruption Commission- Bangladesh (Asia), Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission -Kenya (Africa), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission Nigeria (Africa), War Against Indiscipline and Corruption- Nigeria (Africa), Kick Against Indiscipline- Nigeria (Africa), e.t.c These are just a few as there have been numerous organizations at different levels of government that function in this regard. However, as many as these appear to be, the issue of corrupt practices still rear their head. When caught in the act and asked, culprits sometimes blame the economy and government but those are just the ones who are brought to book, top citizens who have connections in high places are usually seen as above the law. This falls back to having good leadership in developing countries as well as citizens having the right attitude, without these, corruption will still find its way in these countries and the efforts of these organizations will not be justified. For every country, the children are the future leaders; good education for them is a very important factor for development. Some efforts have been made by countries and their governments to develop the minds of youngsters educationally, there have been schemes to sponsor students abroad to acquire various skills and knowledge so as to implement and integrate these skills once back home. Recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria awarded 1,087 undergraduate and postgraduate Nigerian students scholarship to study locally. There have also been organizations (PTF-Petroleum Trust Fund) that sponsor student abroad for studies from Nigeria. Other scholarship boards in other countries include Integrated Community Development Fund (ICDF) in Bolivia, Banque Libano Francaise in Lebanon and a host of others in other countries. This initiative has a very slow but steady growth in various developing countries. Other countries simply affiliate themselves with foreign government and bodies to get n ecessary support. Conclusion Since each developing country has its own government and ruling council, initiatives for achieving sustainable development in these countries differ, this is also because apart from the challenges listed above, some countries have challenges that are peculiar in nature to their environment, society and economy. In this regard, these countries tend to lean towards initiatives which particularly address their peculiar problems. Coming up with initiatives is one thing, implementing those initiative is another. In my belief, the latter is more important than the former. To achieve sustainable development, developing countries must make conscious efforts to implement the existing initiatives while looking to create new ones. Lastly, achieving sustainable development in developing countries takes a gradual (not magical) process; levels of achievements can only be measured with indicators periodically. It is up to every individual to contribute in little ways to achieve a nation and global sustainable environment for the future generation.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Ethical Actions Worksheet Essay

†¢ Was there anything in either the University of Phoenix Student Code of Conduct or the Student Code of Academic Integrity that surprised you? If so, what was it? Why were you surprised? If not, why not? After reading the University of Phoenix Student Code of Conduct, like expected, I did not find any of the information contained within to be surprising. Like in any professional and sometimes even public settings, I expected nothing less from the University of Phoenix’ own Code of Conduct. The University of Phoenix Code of Conduct reflects that of many of the abovementioned settings in order to ensure an environment where when followed; the rules help ensure a positive learning and work environment where each and every individual can focus only on the tasks at hand, leaving behind any personal issues derived from unprofessionalism. †¢ What did you learn about the behaviors considered important for an ethical learner or student in the University of Phoenix learning community? I learned that in order to ensure a more positive learning environment, it is important for students who are enrolled at the University of Phoenix to always take into consideration whether or not their actions may be found offensive by other students. One must always keep in mind that what may not be found to be offensive by one individual, may offend another individual regardless of the similarities between the two. This is due to the various backgrounds and personal beliefs of students enrolled at the University of Phoenix. For example, one person of a particular racial background may find humor in a racial joke while another person of the same racial background may find the same joke to be offensive. †¢ Why are the Student Code of Conduct and Student Code of Academic Integrity important to you and the University of Phoenix learning community? The University of Phoenix Code of Conduct is important in order to achieve an environment where students can focus only on their main academic goals. The Code of Conduct minimizes distraction brought on to students when they are in an environment where their attention is focused on issues not of an academic nature. The University of Phoenix Student Code of Academic Integrity ensures that all students take advantage of the opportunity to learn new things, which in turn will be rewarding to each individual’s future. Academic Integrity ensures a safe and peaceful learning environment where students can focus on the studying.