Media Creates Political and Ideological Controversies Essay

Media Creates Political and Ideological Controversies - Essay Example Audiences are seen to be susceptible to any message or information that is presented by the media. As per Lowery and DeFleur’s theory media has an immense impact on its viewers. This theory endorses great power and influence on the media. Although later research disproved this theory, it was evident through the findings (Hyman & Sheatsley 1947) that audiences were not brainless recipients of information and formed their own opinions of media’s projections of news and events. But fact remains that even though media coverage may not be able to completely form a public’s opinion on just one front, it is responsible for how they view the world. This is where the agenda-setting theory of mass communication comes in. while the media may not be able to tell us exactly how we should think, it does specify what we should think about. â€Å"The agenda-setting theory was originally developed to explain the influence of the mass media in determining which political issues become important in elections. Adroit committee members and politicians claim that if you can control the agenda you can control the meeting.† (Sutherland & Sylvester 2000). Basically, the most crucial function of media is to act as a gateway between the public and the government. It’s the media who provide information regarding political matters and matters regarding policy and governance. Newspapers aim to cover politics and issues related to politics follow the guidelines that journalists must remain â€Å"politically correct† and neutral and â€Å"present† covering all sides of the argument (Sloan & Mackay 2007) Research has shown that most media slant is focused on coverage related to political and election campaigns, where media needs to influence the general public. But very few researches have been done to check why the media slant is involved in such  specific issues such as â€Å"immigration† and why is it covered by â€Å"negatively† slanted media coverage.

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal statement - Essay Example I have many positive personal qualities, I settle in a new place like a duck takes to water and this trait of mine will also help me work with new people and I completely look forward to it. I have also been participating in a lot of extracurricular activities and I am sure that this is going to be a boon for me as well. Right from a very young age I have known that managing resources effectively can change our lives. There are people who squander available resources and as a result, they fail to achieve what they have always wanted to. On the other hand, there are many people who have very limited resources available to them but they make the most of their resources and as a result, they overachieve. I have been arduously working on improving my management skills. Soundpond International Co Ltd was my first company and I learnt a lot of great things working there. It is a textile company which taught me how to negotiate with clients and how to secure orders; this is a very important skill which only a few people possess. I met with European and American clients while working for Soundpond, and it was a very instructive experience as some clients were easy to talk to and convince whereas some others not so. I also have experience of working in the banking sector. HSBC Bath South gate was the organization where I worked as a banker, and it was great meeting new people and learning banking; it was a very enriching experience indeed. Human resource management is of extreme importance. Managers who guide people effectively tend to achieve their targets on a more regular basis than managers who fail to steer people successfully. Human resource management consists of several different things; motivating the employees is, arguably, the most important part of human resource management. Employees tend to deliver results when they are motivated and happy with what they do. It is also important to understand and work towards solving the problems of the employees so as to ensure that they do not affect their productivity. Communicating with the people effectively is of prime importance; he/she who fails to communicate would never achieve the desired results. I have been working on improving my language skills for quite some time now; I got a ranking of 7.5 in IELTS which is considered to be really good. I have been staying in the UK for the last 5 years and this is another factor which has made my language so much better. Time management is a very important skill; unfortunately, there are many people across the globe who consistently struggle to manage their time effectively. Luckily, I have not had any such problems. I have always managed to handle my time advantageously and as a result, I have also achieved a great deal in my life thus far, this quality would take me places and I am positively sure of this. In an organization, it is very important to work in teams and I am a team player. I have always been affable and open to suggestions, which mak es life so much easier, working in teams becomes a walk in the park if you are affable and respect other people. I have always respected both peers and seniors so it becomes really easy for me to ensconce into new groups. Employing new HR techniques is also very important. I have learned a great deal from my University, for instance, I am thorough with fundamentals of organizational theory which is an

Case study report psychological needs of a subject Essay

Case study report psychological needs of a subject - Essay Example So in general we could describe the process of making a case study in the following way. At first, it is an analysis of the event than took place in reality; in the process you should define ways of solution for this specific case; you should think about the pros and cons of the rehabilitation strategies; and at last advise the best way out or a solution. There is a type or writing case studies, it's writing on psychological topics. These case studies involve a characteristic of a real person's problem. Fr the students' works also imagined people and the TV-show/book character are taken to examination. To begin the case study process we should mention at first place the client's background, namely age, gender, work, health status, family mental health history, family and social relationships, drug and alcohol history, life difficulties, goals, and coping skills and weaknesses. Then there should be described the very problem and the symptoms which suffers the subject in the case study. Here we should write every physical, mental and emotional feelings of a client. Then the psychotherapist should give the diagnosis and explain in what way he reached it and if it was difficult get to know what kind of disorder it is. Then the paper should include the intervention designed to help the person investigated. (1) Also the psychiatric therapy of treating the client and the client's possible response should be described. The effective and non-effective sides are to be analyzed. An information about the type of treatment should be provided. During the recent years, investigators have become gradually more interested in the psychological effect of injury and how sportsmen react to being injured. This resulted in an development of knowledge about the psychological rehabilitation made by sportsmen during the injury, and the successive effect of these on psychological state and strict adherence to rehabilitation course. Even though preferably the psychological support of injured sportsmen should be rendered by psychology professionals, in practice it is frequently implemented unceremoniously by physiotherapists. While physiotherapists normally approach to psychological components of injury as to very important issue, recent investigation shows that most of them do not consider themselves to be able to deal with these concepts and think that additional training is necessary (2). Moreover, a related analysis of patient's opinions showed that injured sportsmen think that doctors had not really considered the emotional effect o f their traumas(3).Let us examine one case of writing psychological case study. The subject is female, 20 years old soccer player. The problem lies in the following: she picked up injury in a game and dislocated the right shoulder; the injury is stopping her play. She is apprehensive of playing the game again. In general we can mention that any sport's activity includes a risk of getting injured. For example, in U.S. high schools the rate of traumatizing amongst teens from 15 to 20 is 12-30% per year. In Australia this rate is 20% per year, it is judging by the number of pupils attending the child emergency room. In the high sport the rate of injuries is even greater, amounting for 70-80% per year. And some studies have shown that the injury rate amongst elite sportsmen is 65% and 91% per year. From the point of view of the economy injuries of the sportsmen cost

International Affairs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

International Affairs - Essay Example Now when universities will not include international affairs program in their offered courses, how come grant makers would realize the need of funding in this area. That's why when we try to search universities offering postgraduate education in International affairs program; we mostly find public universities offering programs in this area. The second thing is that the grants are normally given to the people who are pursuing degrees in the field of science management and medicines since according to their perception they contribute directly to the development and well being of the country. There is not much realization among funding individuals and organization that international affairs programs hold key importance when it comes to serving country and people with the knowledge. But still there are some scholarships and funding programs which are open to almost all kind of studies and so for International Affairs program too such as FulBright scholarship program awarded by FulBright US. But they require some limitation for serving period after the completion of program. "An extensively details form is required to be filled in by the applicant with supporting original documents. These things are sent to the committee that examines the form look for the merit of the candidate and offer him or her scholarship if they find it appropriate" (FulBright, 2005). "Our goal is to establish an institute for international public policy. This institute shall conduct a program to significantly increase the numbers of African Americans and other under represented minorities in the international service" (Higher Education Act, 2003). But this grant is not directed towards the students rather they are given to the institutes and then students can contact those institutes for the scholar ships programs.Rotary International is another organization which has considerations towards this area and is offering tremendous support in the form of scholarships and fellowships to international affairs students. They are also offering their own developed programs for studies in this area such as Rotary Peace and Conflict Resolution Program. "Located in seven leading universities around the world, Rotary Centers provide Fellows the chance to study in a master's level program in conflict resolution, peace studies, international relations, and other related discipl ines" (Rotary, 2005). World Affair Council is also offering programs in International studies, both short term and long term, in partnerships with universities as well as self developed program. Their associations with United Nations' organizations enable them to offer program and scholarships students and professionals from all over the world (World Affairs Council, 2003). NAFSA, the association of international educators also provides grants, scholarships and training programs with the help of their member individuals and universities in the field of International studies. Along with that they also provide complete information and guidance in providing the students with the knowledge how to get a scholarship and grant available for

The Tough Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Tough Life - Essay Example She appears embittered about â€Å"lost beauty.†The woman lives in abject poverty, endures racial discrimination, suffers from mental illness, and feels abandoned. She is also depressed and lonely. The image of the woman reflects on the life experience of Native-Americans, secluded from their culture and entangled in cyclic poverty. For the woman, a mother of three, suicide seems to be the only avenue through which she can escape the harsh life in Chicago. As the author asserts, the woman speaks out for the other women watching her dangle from the window on the thirteenth floor. The squalid health of women becomes evident. Her only comfort is the memory of the good life she experienced as a child, which is nothing but a dream at the moment. The woman lives in a cruel world, surrounded by people who seem to care less even if she jumps to the ground. Her life is basically separated from death by a very thin thread. She is unable to speak about her despair, and attempted suicide seems the only sure way through which she can drive her point home. Cross-cultural issues appear the most significant problem in the poem. The woman hangs from a window in the 13th floor, which is often associated with bad luck and avoided in most buildings, where floor numbering usually jumps to fourteen from twelve. From personal experience of life away from one’s culture, I can attest what might have led the woman to think of attempted suicide. In New York City, I have also endured a very tough life relative to the one I lived back in my native country. Unlike in my homeland, I have to collect my laundry and wash away from my home. Also, I am forced to take the subway to the university, which takes a long time and thus very tiresome. Further, here in New York City, I have to walk a lot, while back in my country, I have my own car and a driver. Life has become so stressful

Racism and Stereotypes Essay Example for Free

Racism and Stereotypes Essay â€Å"Sport provides a particularly public display of relations of dominance and subordination. The point of sport is to display publicly the processes of challenge and struggle between two sides alleged to begin in equal terms but determined to produce and sustain relations of dominance vis-a-vis one another. Moreover, sport as a meritocracy based on skill quietly reaffirms our national common sense; individuals who work hard and possess the right stuff will always prevail. Turned on its head, this lesson becomes even more insidious: those who are at the top must have risen to the top through fair means and thus deserve their position. In contrast, those not at the top do not possess the requisite talent for such privilege. Even the runner-up is a loser†(Wulfemeyer Rada, 2005). Sport provides an objective measure to evaluate the performance of a player and/or a team. There are countless statistics for athletes in every sport, which are evaluated on a daily basis. Statistics show how well an athlete performs and how good of an player they truly are. As an athlete, talent is all that should matter and be looked at when making a judgment of whether they are good or not, unfortunately this does not always hold true today. Stereotyping, racism, sexism and all those negative aspects of life, which were thought to have diminished over the years, are still prominent and portrayed through the media to this day. Stereotyping is the process of imposing characteristics on people based on their perceived group membership (Harrison, 2001). Based on stereotypical beliefs, we make social assumptions and make judgments on our knowledge of the perceived traits of those that fit into social categories. Viewing groups in terms of stereotypes is the brains way of filling in missing information about individuals we know little about by superimposing perceived traits of the group to which they belong. This is an efficient adaptation of the human mind to allow us to get out of â€Å"getting to know† everyone we encounter. Humans have neither the cognitive capacity, time, nor the desire to process all of the information available to us. We therefore use our cognitive space as efficiently as possible by categorizing and compressing information in an attempt to store more (Rose Christina, 2006). When stereotypes are based on a wealth of accumulated social and factual knowledge and are not used to make trait assumptions about individual group members, they are generally accurate and pose few problems. It is when stereotypes are based on false, misleading, or limited information that they become problematic. While most stereotyping, even the problematic variety, can be considered harmless it holds potential for quick activation if circumstances and situations present themselves (Harrison Jr. , 2001). Sport and physical activity provide an abundant ground for the development, utilization, and prolongation of stereotypes. Racial stereotypes regarding the abilities of African Americans and Europeans are very much prominent in the realm of sport and physical activity. These stereotypes have been fueled historically by theories developed to explain the perceived performance differences between African Americans and European Americans. Many years of theorizing and hypothesizing about the natural physical abilities of African American athletes have shaped the thinking of entire populations. These seemingly scientific theories and hypotheses have formed the origin of todays African American athlete stereotype (Armstrong, 2011). The former United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan was quoted saying â€Å"sport is a universal language that can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs or economic status† (United Nations, 2005) but this was not always the case. Major barriers have been conquered over the years to bring equality to this nation and validate the former Secretary General’s above statement. One of the biggest issues that was dealt with was racism. This is a topic many like to tiptoe around and believe is nonexistent in American, the so-called melting pot of the world. Ethnic groups are equal if not more dominant in professional sports today in their participation in sport but the same cannot be said for the coverage of the events that they participate in. Research shows that there are still priming racial stereotypes made by sport announcers (Westerfield, Johnson, Hallian). â€Å"African American athletes, once excluded from participating in professional and intercollegiate sports because of institutionalized discrimination, now participate in many sports at a rate that equals or greatly exceeds their representation in the population. This is especially true in the case of intercollegiate and professional football and basketball† (Center for the Study of Sport in Society, 2001). As equality became more evident in sport, especially football and basketball, so did the media coverage of these sports. The development of technologies, such as the television or Internet, allows people all over the world to watch a growing increase in the popularity of sport. Over the years sports coverage has given a larger viewing population to the networks and the sporting entities have used that coverage to increase their revenue. Even though both equality for the minority player and the media were growing at the same time they were not growing together. It was true that blacks were getting more rights to play but they were not being broadcasted out to a larger audience by the media. For years African Americans and the African American community have been underrepresented in television coverage. When African Americans did appear they were often pigeonholed into demeaning, stereotype ridden portrayals, showing them as â€Å"bestial, brutish, buffoonish, comical, criminal, dependant of government entitlements or support, ignorant, lazy, menacing, oversexed, and prone to out-of wedlock births† (Wulfemeyer Rada, 2005). The question of bias in sports coverage is neither new nor limited to race. To date, several research projects have uncovered bias across race, gender, and ethnicity (Wulfemeyer Rada, 2005). The presence of bias has not been limited by venue either. Research has found bias across a wide range of sporting events ranging from professional and intercollegiate sports in the United States to international events such as the Olympics. Research has also demonstrated that bias can take many forms, from what is heard from the spoken commentary on-air to what is seen from the game coverage (Wulfemeyer Rada, 2005). One form of racial bias that researchers have consistently uncovered is the brawn versus brains descriptions directed toward the players. It would seem as though complimenting an athlete for his or her athletic ability and physical attributes would seem positive and encouraging to a player but that is not always the case. Sometimes these seemingly positive comments have an underlying bias that is revealed by the commentary’s views of the players. This image that is made by the media that African Americans are naturally athletic and are blessed with God given talent can portray the negative creation and perception of the lazy athlete who does not have to work hard or at all at his/her craft. Many times it was also portrayed that blacks were more animalistic and farther away from being civilized than the rest of the population as well. These stereotypical expressions were put into the open in 1989 when Jimmy Snyder, an on-air personality for CBS Sports, openly told the public that the success of African American athletes was the result of selective and effective breeding on the part of the slave owners. Announcers negate not just physical and intellectual ability; intellect and character were also commented on, further negating the African American athlete. These stereotypes are not just targeted towards African Americans; they apply and are present for all races. Examples of these stereotypes are things such as blacks don’t feel pain, have no morals, are not team players have animal instincts, etc. Caucasian players can’t jump, they are hickish, and they are too loud or to opinionated and are very naive to everyday life. People of Asian decent are always good at math, cant drive well and are very strict with their children. Native Americans are lazy and sometimes alcoholics, and only live off the casinos. Hispanics are not patriotic, they all drive trucks; they are all-good at yard work and like to have a lot of children. All of these are examples of stereotypes that are out in society today and the list could continue to go on and on. These stereotypes that are portrayed by the media have prominent effect of the sports that athletes choose to participate in, in many cases it probably even effect what position they play. Since media has become such a big part of today’s society and is incorporated into our everyday lives young athletes watch sports on television and listen to what is being said about certain athletes and are likely to base what they want to do on the sport that they best fit into. For example if you are black you best fit in playing either basketball or football, if you are white you best fit in playing baseball or swimming, if you are of some sort of Hispanic decent you should play soccer or maybe even baseball. Even though racism is suppose to be a topic that was squashed long ago it still lives very much through stereotyping and is successfully denying full integration throughout the spectrum of sport. These same stereotypes that are made by the media towards the male roles of sport also apply to females as well. Even though woman around the world now participate in sport they are still not held to the same standard as males. â€Å"When female athletes transgress gender norms and boundaries, even in a â€Å"Post-Title IX† moment, they are still held to antiquated societal standards of emphasized femininity and feminine appearance by the mainstream news media† (Waches, Messner, Dworkin, Cooky, 2010). A great examples of this taking place is the Don Imus controversy in 2007 when he made stereotypical, sexist and offensive comments about the Rutgers University woman’s basketball team. Sexism is the belief or attitude that women are inferior to men, the application of masculine stereotypes to women or the hatred of one gender or sex (Griffin, 1992). â€Å"In collegiate sports, sexism can manifest itself in several ways including inequitable funding dedicated to women’s sports, media coverage of women’s sporting events, women’s college coaching salaries, views on elite female athletes and prejudice and discrimination against lesbians† (Whiteside Hardin, 2009). Sexist views on female athletes originated in the 1920s, from medical establishment concerns about the masculinizing effects of sport participation on women. From a contemporary standpoint, football, men’s basketball and most male college sports draw more interest and revenue than women’s college sports. This reality provides the foundation for beliefs about female athletic inferiority (Griffin, 1992). Sexism appears most often in women’s basketball, in part, because the game draws the most attention among women’s college sports and because women’s basketball is more similar to a men’s sport than any other college sport. In addition, women’s basketball is not one of the socially approved feminine sports like tennis or golf. Traditionally, prissy sports like tennis, golf and gymnastics are viewed as more feminine and these sports are, coincidentally, inundated with White women. Black women have customarily participated in basketball and track, which have long been considered as masculine sports. Sport controversies can alienate and oppress Black female student-athletes who already confront isolation, media criticism, prejudice and stereotypes. Neglecting race and gender controversies in sport can impact athletic department’s brand name recognition, alumni donations, corporate sponsorships and game attendance. More important, race and gender controversies also can negatively affect minority and female student-athletes’ recruitment, student-athletes’ social development and social justice for all student-athletes. â€Å"Inquires should uncover sociocultural implications that can be used to craft recommendations in instances when race, gender, and sport adversely intersect† (Waches, Messner, Dworkin, Cooky, 2010). It is said that racism is something of the pass and in today’s society it is non-existence but according to Gill (2011) there is a modern type of racism called new racism. New racism is based on the widespread belief that racism no longer exists and civil rights legislation created an equal playing field. New racism includes feeling a way of life is threatened by others and different cultures are assumed to be incompatible. The traits that truly distinguish new racism from historical racism are: racial ambiguity, blaming Blacks for their problems, and the use of the media to facilitate racism. Racial ambiguity refers to putting forth a non-prejudiced explanation for what might be considered as a prejudiced statement. For instance, when Don Imus was asked to explain his comments about the comment he had made about the woman’s Rutger team he stated that his comments were intended to be a joke. Present in new racism, unlike historical racism, is the belief that the problems Blacks experience are not a result of social disadvantage, but rather a result of some predisposed deviance in Black culture (Gill, 2011). It is evident that racism, sexism, prejudice, stereotyping and a lack of equality are still very much present it sport today. Even with all the equality acts and laws that have been passed the playing field has yet to be leveled amongst different races, ethnic groups, and genders. Even though many sports have been intermingled there are still many sports that are dominated by one specific minority and that is not how it should be. The media needs stop putting emphasis and specific aspects of certain people’s life because in doing this they are generalizing a group. Through generalization the media is implying that a certain group of people are all the same and thus should all be expected to act the same way. This brings a very negative aspect to sport. Since sport is such a big part of American culture I believe that the media should really begin to change their ways and stay as unbiased as possible to allow the viewing population to make their own judgments and opinions on people based on their talent, not on what generalized group they have been placed in. References Armstrong L., Ketra (2011). ‘Lifting the Veils and Illuminating the Shadows’: Furthering the Explorations of Race and Ethnicity in Sport Management. Journal of Sport Management 25, 95-106. Gill Jr, L. Emmett (2011). The Rutgers Woman’s Basketball Don Imus Controversey (RUINUS): White Privlages, New Racism, and the Implications for College Sport Management. Journal of Sport Management 25, 118-130. Griffin, Pat (1992). Changing the Game: Homophobia, Sexism, and Lesbians in Sport. QUEST 4, 251-265. Harrison Jr, Louis (2001). Understanding the Influences of Stereotypes: Implications for the African American in Sport and Physical Activity. QUEST 53, 97-114. Rose, J. Debra, Christina, W. Robert (2006). A multilevel Approach to the Study of Motor Control and Learning (2nd ed). University of North Carolina-Greensboro: Pearson. Wachs L. Faye, Messner Michael, Dworkin L. Sheri, Cooky Cheryl (2010). It’s Not About the Game: Don Imus, Race, Class, Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Media. Sociology of Sport Journal 27, 139-159. Westerfield R. Carl, Johnson L. Darrell, Hallinan J. Christopher. Picturing Success: Photographs and Stereotyping in Men’s Collegiate Basketball. Journal of Sport Behavior 22:1. Whiteside E. Erin, Hardin Marie (2009). The Power of â€Å"Small Stories:† Narratives and Notions of Gender Equality in Conversations About Sport. Sociology of Sport Journal 26, 255-278. Wulfemeyer K. Tim, Rada A. James (2005). Color Coded: Racial Descriptors in Television Coverage of Intercollegiate Sports. Journal o Broadcasting Electronic Media 49, 65-85.

Challenges And Prospects: Bangladeshi Foreign Policy

Challenges And Prospects: Bangladeshi Foreign Policy Globalization has at present become a pervasive phenomenon of international relations, and in the process, is compelling developing countries like Bangladesh to assess its impact on its security and foreign policy. The traditional way of dealing with the security (which is basically state-centric and emphasizes military security), appears to have become inadequate for the task of formulating a policy that would be capable of effectively tackling the prospects and challenges of the dynamic and technology-dominated milieu. The question is how much of traditional security concerns remains relevant to policy-making, how and what to discard from the past to enable foreign policy successfully meet the opportunities and challenges of globalization. While globalization has, to some extent, eroded the power of the nation-state, the latter has not been rendered absolutely impotent. Bangladeshs security concerns will need to be addressed through correct policies, taking into account the fact that it is multifaceted and comprehensive. In general, Bangladesh could expect to face problems in the following areas: military, political, economic, environmental and societal. Before embarking on the actual analysis of Bangladeshs security and foreign policy, a brief review of the concept and process of globalization and security will be provided. Its impact on Bangladesh will be studied, focusing on both positive and negative aspects. Finally implications for policy will be discussed. Globalization The term globalization has become a buzzword in the present-day world. Although the term has attained extraordinary popularity in recent years, it was in evidence even a hundred years ago. In the last 25 years or so, the concept of global has transformed itself from a mere reference to mean total to an emphasis on the globe as a unit of analysis in its own right. Without claiming the world to have become a single society or that it is bound to become one, globalization refers to a process or trend.  [1]  Simply, the term globalization describes the increased mobility of goods, services, labor, technology and capital throughout the world. (http://canadianeconomy.gc.ca/english/economy/globalization.html). Or it can be described as, identity related to globalization processes seem unrelated to traditional boundaries of social groups, transcending territorial, religious and other boundaries.  [2]   It was actually in the 1980s and 1990s that the world witnessed the revolutionary impact of the process of globalization. It was primarily due to unprecedented technological innovation in the fields of communication and transportation that international relations became radically transformed, especially in the realm of trade and investment, and diffusion of information. Despite fact that there is a growing concern about dealing with the complexities and changes generated by the phenomenon of globalization, the term itself is still imprecise, and means different things to different people. To simplify matters, globalization essentially refers to the process of worldwide spread of six kinds of objects and activities: i) goods and services; ii) people; iii) ideas and information; iv) money; v) normative orientation; and vi) behavioral patterns and practices.  [3]  Of these, the flow of goods and services has had the most tangible impact: it has been instrumental in raising the level of material prosperity unprecedented in human history. Besides, the free flow of information and ideas is making it possible for the full flowering of human potentials. Proponents of globalization are optimistic that increase in global prosperity would usher in a stable and peaceful world. Critics of globalization however, are not so convinced that it is an unmixed blessing. They dispute the argument that as a result of the process of globalization, the nation-state is losing it significance due to the erosion of its functions which are increasingly being performed by non-state actors like multinational cooperations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). And it is the poor countries who faces the challenges of globalization more as, globalisation is not seen as transcending the role of the state, but rather as a consequence of the powerful role of rich countries poor countries find it difficult to devise policies to deal with the crisis, especially since none of them boasts strong multinational companies that may function as influential global players.  [4]  The focus of their criticism is that the process of globalization seeks to promote the economic at the cost of the social and political. They are concerned about the deleterious effect of unbridled market operations, which could destroy communal and social unity. Although globalization is very much a fact of life, it cannot be denied that the territorially organized nation-state continues to remain significant and capable of providing the necessary (perhaps not all) services to it s citizens. Again the resistance of globalization may assume the form of ultra-nationalism and racism. It is asserted that ethnic nationalism is much more deep-rooted and less time-bound (than modernists prefer to believe), therefore, better equipped to overcome the challenge of both globalization as well as regionalization.  [5]  Critics however, point out that, globalization contains the threat of a new form of hegemony, which would thus create social conditions conducive to new doctrines of civilizational superiority.  [6]  Thus, globalization tends to strengthen nation-states in some respects and weaken in others. Security- from individual to diverse and comprehensive approach Security itself is now regarded to have become comprehensive as far as its meaning and definitions are concerned, as a result of which there is a tendency to over expand and widen the security agenda. Traditionally, a public issue is deemed to have been securitized when it is presented as an existential threat, requiring emergency measures and justifying actions outside the normal bounds of political procedure.  [7]  But the non-traditional approach to security tends to make it all inclusive and comprehensive, thereby, making it analytically unwieldy. Park defines comprehensive security in terms of policies designed to protecting the peoples life not only from traditional forms for military threat, but also from various other forms of threats such as hunger, poverty, environmental disaster, scarcity of energy, etc.  [8]  Or it can be viewed as Security measures that starts from the assumption that dialogues at the level of the state and elsewhere contribute to the formulation of mutually acceptable definitions of common threats. The threats do not necessarily emanate from rival states, but also comprise threats to internal stability in the area of economics, social unrest, ethnic divisions, or serious environmental damage.  [9]   Transnational economic and financial forces at work possesses the capacity to wreak havoc with national economies- something that cannot be tackled by military means, but only with appropriate policies adopted primarily at the national level, but would also include international and regional cooperation. Hansen viewed it Now approaches towards security can only succeed with the cooperation of the main actors on the global stage which includes not only governments, but companies, banks and, at the political level, national political parties as well.  [10]  So, in this era of globalization, to deal security measures, the most pressing need for any country like Bangladesh is to take cognizance of the magnitude and complexity of the changes now sweeping the world. Bowman describes, New technologies are making the world much more interdependent. These technologies are accelerating the movements of goods, services, ideas, and capital across national boundaries. They are displacing trad itional security threats with nontraditional worries like international terrorism, organized crime, drug trafficking, and environmental degradation while strengthening the capacities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to influence policy.  [11]   Foreign Policy of Bangladesh The basic objectives of Bangladeshs foreign policy are to promote its security, protect its territorial integrity, achieve socio-economic development, uphold its ideology and maintain its cultural identity and national dignity (http://www.bssnews.net/about_foreign_policy.php) -goals that are challenged in various forms by the process of globalization. The security interests of Bangladesh are said to lie in the consolidation of its hard-earned independence by accelerating the process of economic development and modernization. It is argued that the basic goal of its foreign policy should be the ensuring of diplomatic and economic cooperation and assistance from external sources. Bangladeshs foreign policy has been deeply informed by the dire need to achieve socio-economic progress through the optimum use of its abundant human and other resources, which, in turn, could be instrumental in maintaining national cohesion, as well as international prestige and influence.  [12]   Again the main constraints of Bangladeshs foreign policy are its geographical location, underdevelopment and overpopulation. In the era of globalization, Bangladesh, like other developing countries, is confronted with threats emanating from both external and internal sources: terrorism, drug trafficking, circulation of light weapons, poverty, political instability, environmental degradation, etc. The Security Agenda of Bangladesh External The geographical location of Bangladesh makes it obvious that India and Myanmar are the two immediate neighbors who are the potential threats to its territorial security. However, chances are that India (aware of political costs involved in such a move) would prefer not to threaten Bangladesh militarily, if its major strategic and economic interests are served without such efforts. Myanmar, too could pose such a threat to Bangladesh, but so far it has been limited to the influx of Rohingya refugees  [13]  in the 1990s in the South-Eastern part of Bangladesh, Coxs bazar, that caused considerable security problem and socio-economic burden for the country. Although these two neighbors are potential threats to the territorial security of Bangladesh, the problematic question is how could minimize its vulnerabilities in this regard. Some analysts make suggestions, that Bangladesh does indeed possess strategic value, which it can and should exploit  [14]  but reality does not seem to support such an assessment. In this era of globalization, it appears unlikely that either or both China and the United States would seriously court Bangladesh as ally against India, since both are now more interested in improving relations with India rather than antagonizing it. So, Bangladesh does have a big concern as far as the external sources of threats to its security are concerned, but they can be best dealt with and neutralized through astute diplomacy rather than the use of force, for which it is ill equipped. Bangladesh may resent the predominance of India, but there seems to be very limited options available to it deal with it in a truly effecti ve manner. No matter how disadvantaged Bangladesh may be vis-à  -vis its immediate neighbors, it must nonetheless be in a position to oppose policies on their part that could increase tension, create instability, or otherwise run against broad interests of Bangladesh. Prospects for the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in South Asia are another security concern of Bangladesh. With the testing of nuclear devices by India and Pakistan in 1998, possibilities of nuclear war occurring in the region has become a possibility. So, Bangladeshs security has been adversely affected by the development of nuclear devices and their delivery systems in South Asia. Bangladesh should, therefore, strive to play an active role in regional forums since the development of WMD transcends the barrier of distance and could affect Bangladesh too. Internal Military Military force, although being marginalized in the era of economic globalization, has not been rendered obsolete. Military forces continue to retain their coercive and deterrent power, functions that economic instruments are still unable to perform with as much as effectiveness  [15]  . Military power, it must be born in mind, is fungible, that is, can be used for purposes other than dealing with only internal and external threats. In the Bangladesh context, apart from deterring external military aggression and tackling internal political threats, Bangladesh armed forces are of considerable help for reconstruction and rehabilitation in the aftermath of natural disasters which the country faces frequently. Economic Economic security is a term that is fraught with controversy, since in an interdependent global economic system it is difficult to achieve absolute security. In this era of globalization economic security is an inseparable element of comprehensive security, and the impact of both private sector economic activities and governmental economic diplomacy are treated as two sides of the same coin.  [16]  As a least developed country (LDC) Bangladesh has certain in-built problems, (the most glaring being wide-spread poverty), that severely constrain the effective and independent conduct of its foreign policy. At present, the country is further disadvantaged by the stiff competition that it has to face in the outside world especially with India. As has just been discussed, the globalization process offers both opportunities and poses challenges for the world, particularly for the developing countries. But Bangladesh, although poor in most respects, is not entirely without resources: it h as manpower (cheap labor), water resources, and mineral resources (coal, oil and gas). If mobilized effectively, its vast but homogeneous and resilient population could take advantage of the information technology. The liberal international trade has led to an increase in the level of employment creating about 1.5 million jobs in the export sector. Therefore, there is an urgent need for Bangladesh to conduct its economic diplomacy, with vigor and vision. Among the challenges being faced by Bangladesh are how to promote its economic prosperity in the dynamic, complex and highly competitive world, and domestically to provide the foundation for the satisfactory performance of its economy. And how to attain this goal in an environment where major decisions affecting national life are often determined by the international market. For instance, interest rates are determined more by global trends than by national ones. Another salient feature of the globalization phenomenon involves migration. So, it becomes imperative that Bangladesh make diplomatic efforts to make it possible for Bangladeshi people to work in other countries where there are better opportunities. In this era of competition, Bangladesh will not necessarily get what it deserves, but only what it can negotiate. Bangladesh needs to take the advantage of the opportunities that globalization offers through the free flow of information and the use of English as an international language. This would help produce a better trained workforce capable of competing at the international level. It also has to negotiate preferential access to the markets of the Western countries, as well as those of India and China. In the case of India, asymmetry in the bilateral trade relations has to be redressed. It would, to some extent, depend on the negotiating skills of Bangladesh officials, as, to what extent they can ensure market access. (c)Environment In the environment sector Bangladesh faces a number of challenges concerning the control of the flow of the Ganges waters by India, desertification, deforestation, global warming, etc. Most of these problems originate or are caused by factors that are external to Bangladesh. Global warming, for instance, is a truly globalized phenomenon. It is estimated that a sea-level rise of 1 meter could lead to the submergence of as much as one-third of the coastal areas of Bangladesh, and in the process, may give rise to what is called the problem of environmental refugees, and threaten the territorial integrity of Bangladesh. Although the above-mentioned problems do not appear to pose any immediate threat to security of Bangladesh, these may do in the long run. After all, it must be borne in mind that, The environment, modified by human interference, sets the conditions for socio-political-economic life: when these conditions are poor, life is poor.  [17]   (d) Socio-Political A major focus of the new thinking in security studies is the socio-political conditions of the nation. Societal security is basically about identity of a group or community, and the political security is more about institutions and organizational security of the state. There can be a number of ways in which societal security could be threatened, for example, through migration and horizontal competition.  [18]  In the case of Bangladesh, its cultural identity could be diluted through the powerful cultural influence from foreign sources, especially from closest neighbor India. Bangladesh faces a dilemma in this regard, since modernization involves adopting ideas and practices from more developed societies, while at the same time protecting its own cultural values and identity. Political threats like terrorism, which is becoming increasingly lethal, for instance, could pose a serious challenge to the viability of a nascent democracy like Bangladesh, which is already assailed by a host of other problems.  [19]  This is a particularly negative aspect of globalization that is having a damaging impact on the security of Bangladesh, which may be subjected to what is termed as cultural militarization- that is, to the transformation of culture in ways that rather render violent responses to social problems normal and unexceptional. Cultural militarization marginalizes non-violent strategies for conflict resolution, ultimately leading to the brutalization of society and the weakening of human security institutions.  [20]   Bangladesh is also moving in that direction. Terrorism and the proliferation of light weapons are a dangerous combination, the incidence of which is increasing in Bangladesh due to the free flow of goods and porous borders. Poverty is another source of insecurity for Bangladesh. But whether globalization as such would alleviate poverty is debatable. In the final analysis, it depends on the capacity of the government to mobilize resources in an optimum way. That is something that can be achieved is there is political stability inside the country. Inability to achieve political stability would not only result in Bangladesh failure to take advantage of the positive aspects of globalization, but its foreign and economic policy agenda would be set outside the country. Discussion: Globalization- Prospects and Challenges? It is amply clear that Bangladesh has vulnerabilities in practically all areas: territorial, economic, environmental, and socio-Political. Bangladesh appears to be constrained as far dealing with its immediate neighbors are concerned, which means that it will need to cooperate with them despite the fact that its internal security and stability could be adversely affected by them. However this is not to deny the value of military power, which can always act as a deterrent. No matter how remote the possibility of aggression from the outside, Bangladesh should formulate a sound defense policy. While there are both external and internal sources of threats, on balance the latter are perceived to be posing more serious challenges for the security, stability and prosperity of the country. The main objectives of Bangladeshs foreign policy, viz., upholding its sovereignty, cultural identity, ideology are challenged by the forces of globalization. At the same time, while these factors do pose threats, it is difficult to determine exactly when and how they will evolve into threats to national security. The most pressing task before Bangladesh is to achieve political stability; otherwise, it will not be possible for its diplomats to project a positive image of the country. Foreign policy is, after all, is an extension of its domestic policy; therefore, as long as Bangladesh is domestically not in order, it would not be realistic to expect it to have a credible and effective foreign policy. Despite the challenges confronting the security and foreign policy of Bangladesh, it is yet possible to hope for a prosperous future. The tragedy would be that, if it cannot compete and negotiate with the outside world from a position of strength, if cannot take advantage of the positive aspects of globalization, and if it fail to peacefully resolve its own domestic social and political problems, the process of development would be retard- taking perhaps several more costly decades, instead of one. Bangladesh needs to deal with challenges like transnational economic and financial forces, cross-border terrorism, arms and drug trafficking, climate change and environmental degradation through cooperation and coordinated efforts at both regional and international levels. The main purpose of Bangladeshs foreign policy in the present era should be minimizing the degree of vulnerabilities and reducing threats to its security, as well as possessing the ability to shape its security environment through an effective and realistic assessment of its national interests, and the production thereof through pragmatic and active diplomacy. Conclusion It can therefore be argued that despite globalization, the real sources of Bangladeshs insecurity would continue to remain mainly domestic (which could be exacerbated and exploited by external sources), that demand attention from within the state. The basic challenge facing Bangladesh is to comprehend the nature of changes taking place in the international economy and to deal with them through creating conditions and institutions necessary for coping with a dynamic environment. Only the constructive efforts of a dynamic and modern state could achieve success in eliminating the main sources of insecurity. Otherwise, chances are that, widespread and endemic social and political conflict would reduce it to the status of a failed state, with people becoming more concerned with personal security than with national security. MAP OF BANGLADESH