Managing for future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing for future - Essay Example The management approach of a company differs as per the objectives and intention, but the principal aim is to ensure smooth business transaction and streamlining of the process. In the similar way, the capability of the management of a company holds utmost importance in the process of managing and dealing with the several business challenges. In order, to highlight the importance of managerial capabilities of an organization, this study intends to refer to a real life company. The company chosen in this context is Vodafone. This study therefore seeks to shed light on the management approach and style of Vodafone pertaining to its business environment and business operation. The areas that will be focused upon in this project are corporate social responsibility of the company, sustainability programs being initiated by the company and also the company’s ability to deal with crisis and catastrophe events. The paper will at first present a brief synopsis of Vodafone and short des criptions pertaining to the concepts associated with the subject of concern. Furthermore, the study will also enlighten the efforts put in by the management of the company in the timeframe 2007-2013. Lastly, the study will analyse the competence of Vodafone in these three chosen fields of business by comparing with the current level of proficiency and would develop a scenario of the future in which Vodafone will function. The definition of the key concepts associated with the study will be presented after the brief overview of the company. In light of these concepts, critical review of the current achievements of the company and theoretical models will be presented in a detailed manner. Vodafone: A Brief Overview Vodafone Group plc or commonly known as Vodafone is a UK based telecommunication company involved in telecommunication business. The company was incorporated in the year 1991. Prior to that, Vodafone was known as Racal Telecom, but in the year 1991 only, Vodafone became a n ew identity and was founded in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom. The company is presently headquartered at London, UK. In terms of the overall revenue and number of subscribers, the company is the 2nd largest mobile telecommunication company of the world. Globally, the pole position has been held by China Mobile. Vodafone has presence in 30 countries of the world and operates with partner networks in around 40 nations. As of 2012, the company employs around 86,400 people (Vodafone, 2012a). The best selling products of the company are mobile telephony, fixed line, and digital television and internet services. However, in the recent past the company has also made tie-ups with mobile phone manufacturers to sell mobile phones under the brand name of Vodafone. The company mainly operates with exclusive retail distribution and exclusive company owned stores. Nevertheless, the advent of technology and stringent competition levels has compelled the company to make their presence online. T hrough their online stores, the company sell their products; allow users to pay their bills etc. Some of the major competitors of the company are 3 mobile, Airtel, France Telecom and Xon Mobile, Telefonica Europe plc, Dutch Telecom among others (Hoovers, 2013). The net revenue of the company in the year 2012 was ?46.417Â  billion and the profit was ?6.957Â  billion. Furthermore, the total asset of the company as of 2012 was

The Invasion of Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Invasion of Privacy - Essay Example The invasion of privacy is always a very serious and sensitive matter. But, then again, Cobb’s team is not made to appear in good light with regards to their job which is why there are severe dangers to their profession. But with permission, accessing of thoughts (although far from the fictitious modus operandi of Cobb and team) is used by psychologists for therapeutic purposes in order to unburden their patient’s subconscious and give them better internal peace. The Inception concept could also likewise be used in the same light but, as they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Such technology is fatal in the wrong hands, and this would be alarming if is popularly used. As evident in the movie, although Fischer is put in the villain spotlight, it is disturbing to consider how they can manipulate him into destroying a whole business conglomerate only for the benefit of another businessman. This clearly depicts that because of their drive fueled by selfish m otives and intentions, they blatantly disregard the damage that they could have inflicted on their victim, be it moral or any other. It is also noteworthy how the victims are very much vulnerable and susceptible to these kinds of intrusions. By implanting an idea deep into the subconscious, the probability would dictate that on several occasions such implanted idea might result in a negative interpretation by the host. This can pose several psychologically damaging issues to the Fischer and might even result to the instability of his personality. Cobb and his team were also insensitive enough to destroy relationships of the host to other people. Though they were proud to state that they might have cured the relationship with his father, it was not a primal intention, and even if so, they are playing god by toying with the affairs and manipulating the actions of their victim. Freud’s theory of the unconscious states that there are three different levels might operate. These ar e the conscious, preconscious, and the unconscious (Clarke 208). The film also works in this premise when they operated with their victim. Subscribing to Freud’s theory of the unconscious, it states that the id represents the passion of the human being and is entirety unconscious (Ocay 14). This is thus what Cobb and his team targeted to incept with. They harnessed the vulnerability of their victim’s relationship with his father and his commitment to continue his father’s legacy. This is the id, and this is the passion of the host that they manipulated into thinking their own bidding. 2) Mill raised the question as to whether one would prefer to be a pig satisfied or a Socrates dissatisfied? In this regards elaborate upon his views? Mill employs the concept of Utilitarianism, which is also known as the Greatest Happiness Principle (Mills 4). Happiness is defined as the presence of intended pleasure and the absence of pain. Therefore, the key elements of happines s are the presence of the quality of pleasure and the lack of pain, and some other pleasures are enacted in order to even avoid pain. Mill argues that some pleasures might be instinctually better than others but only independently so. By acting on our personal selfish pleasures, we can be easily satisfied. By only settling on these pleasures Mill likens an individual to that of a pig.  

Drug and Crime Prevention Essay Example for Free

Drug and Crime Prevention Essay The purpose of the Final Project is for you to demonstrate your understanding of crime prevention programs and the role crime prevention plays in the overall criminal justice system. You may select a crime prevention program that addresses law enforcement, the courts, or corrections; or it may be a comprehensive program that addresses all three. The program may address the adult justice system, juvenile justice systems, or both. For the purposes of this assignment assume, you are preparing a proposal to a city, county, or state governmental body to recommend the implementation of a crime prevention program within their jurisdiction. You need to demonstrate the value of the crime prevention program and its effectiveness in reducing crime thus reducing the overall costs to the jurisdiction or building value that improves the effectiveness of crime prevention to the community justifying the additional expenditures. Your proposal will include: 1. A summary of the jurisdiction (i.e., city, county, or state) and the portion of the criminal justice System your proposal is designed to address. 2. An analysis of the current trends from three comparable cities in population size, utilizing the SARA Model and the Crime Analysis Triangle. (Note: Crime Analysis for Problem Solvers in 60 Small Steps , Steps 7 and 8). You will compare the data from three comparable jurisdictions and compare it to national data. 3. A determination of the appropriate crime prevention strategy for the jurisdiction based on this analysis. 4. A review of academic literature and studies on the various crime prevention programs to address the needs of the community. How does the crime prevention program address social justice issues To download this material Click this link https://bitly.com/1wyPezy There is no one to clean up after you and cook healthy meals at college. Some indulgences are okay, but still maintain a nutritious diet, get proper sleep, and take care of yourself and your possessions. Take care of yourself well, study appropriately, attend all your classes and follow a regular schedule. You can get ill from being too stressed or not eating healthy enough.

Theories of Social Work in Practice

Theories of Social Work in Practice Social work as a practice was not defined as a profession until the early 20th century even in other countries there are different ideas as to what a social worker is; for example in some developing countries what in the United Kingdom as a youth worker is seen as a social worker. In England a probation officer does not need to be a qualified social worker whereas in Scotland it is necessary for the individual to be qualified. In Scotland social workers are registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and have to abide by their professional code of conduct, which is important as a national guideline due to social work being such a diverse area. It is important for social work to abide by these guidelines but also to use theories that are of relevance to inform their practice. Social work theory throughout the years has continued to be an important part of social work practice. The purpose of this assignment is to critically discuss and analyse the relevance to two of these theories into practice using the ODonnell family. The two theories this assignment will look at is the attachment theory, Eriksons eight stages of man and also to look at anti oppressive practice. It is important to look at these different types of theories as they are all important dynamics that are necessary for social workers to understand the society, individuals and politically and socially influenced world in which they have to work in. An example of a mid range theory is the theory of attachment, the first theory of attachment was written by John Bowlby; Bowlby believed that the attachment between mother and infant was important to the childs future development. Bowlby also believed in four characteristics of attachment: proximity management, safe haven, secure base and separation distress. If a child suffers separation from their primary carer (their mother) then this may manifest into social problems later in life however if the child has unpredictable contact with their mother then it will have insecure attachment. Bowlby later looked at attachment throughout different ages and stages of development, to understand how a person that losses or is separated from an individual they had developed an attachment with would be affected. It has been identified that attachment behaviour is inbuilt as it can be triggered if a child is scared or frightened. If a child feels loved and valued by their primary caregiver it is highly likely that the child will develop a good level of self-esteem and perhaps may be more confident and independent in later life due to a feeling of belonging and acceptance. However should a child feel they are rejected or neglected by their primary caregiver it is like they may feel unwanted and unlovable. The positive example of attachment would allow the child to develop a trusting bond which would not be the case with the negative attachment example. This relates to Eriksons eight stages of man; this is an infants stage of psychosocial development which has two paths a child can take depending on the care they receive trust versus mistrust is established. This theory of attachment was developed further by Mary Ainsworth in the 1970s in her study Strange Situations based on observing children aged twelve to eighteen months, she described three types of attachment that she discovered during her studies these were; secure, ambivalent and avoidant attachment. Secure attachment is seen as the most preferred and beneficial to a childs positive development; the care given by the primary caregiver would be attentive and provide a solid base for the child to progress emotionally, socially and intellectually. Ambivalent attachment tends to occur when the primary carer is unreliable and unstable this would be classed as emotional neglect which may leave the child unsure of their place within the family which may result in the child displaying distressing or anxious behaviour. Children who are victims of this type of behaviour may be very attention seeking in order to gain the focus of those around them that they do not get at home. A child howev er that is a victim of avoidant attachment would perhaps be less likely to show their true feelings or talk about them as they are afraid of those they are close to leaving them. The childs lack of emotional response would possibly be because the primary caregiver in these cases will perhaps show more care and attention when the child is content however if the child shows visible signs of distress or need they will pull away from them. In some cases children exposed to avoidant care givers may take drugs or alcohol to cope with their fear of rejection from others. This attachment theory was even further developed by Main and Solomon in the 1980s they outlined a further type of attachment called disorganised attachment or insecure attachment, a childs primary caregiver in this stage is confusing to the child. Children who are subject to these varying behaviours tend to fear the loss of that attention even though they are given the attention they require. A child who has been unable to have a secure attachment, for example through abuse, fostering or adoption, is more likely to have problems in future with their relationships with others or suffer emotionally. Attachment theory has been used in social work to work with children and families and has more recently become part of mental health practice. It is important to acknowledge in social work how a persons past in terms of the family unit they were brought up in and the level of care they received can affect them in the present; also how the individuals past experiences can affect their own children. However it is also important for social workers to look other theories as well to help inform their practice and not focus on a singular theory. This theory is also a past orientated theory as it looks at how the past effects the present. In relation to the ODonnell family Kate would appear to have been a victim of avoidant attachment due to being left by her mother and taken into care at an early age. Because of her past she may be fearful of her children rejecting her as her self esteem would have been affected due to being in and out of care homes. This difficulty in attaining meaningful attachments may also have contributed to her being a lone parent and Kate is repeating history with her own children as they are developing a meaningful attachment with her friend Frances. It is also significantly appropriate to examine how this is affecting Kates children and how this may manifest later if intervention is not made by social workers to bring a closer bond to the primary carer. A further mid range theory that was touched upon in a previous passage was established by a psychosocial psychologist by the name of Erik Erikson. Eriksons theory was loosely based around Freuds past works however it was developed into what is called Eriksons Eight Stages of Man. According to Erikson at certain ages throughout a persons life they will go down one of two developmental paths, however it is necessary for those using this theory that it is not simply one path or the other. Erikson acknowledged the fact that although a person should go down the The eight stages are Trust versus Mistrust, Autonomy versus Shame, Doubt, Initiative versus Guilt, Industry versus Inferiority, Identity versus Identity Confusion, Intimacy versus Isolation, Generativity versus Self-Absorption, and finally the last stage Integrity versus Despair. The first stage takes place in infancy this is when a child is most vulnerable as they rely entirely on their care givers; if the child comes to know that they can rely on their primary caregiver as the care giver is continuously there for them then they will develop to trust more than a child whom is ignored or has unreliable caregivers and develops mistrust. Each oof these stages has an impact on the next stage of development and therefore it is detrimental to producing a balanced human being that the child passes through with more positive experiences of emotional development than negative. In the second stage autonomy versus shame this takes place when a child is around the ages of one to four the third stage initiative versus guilt takes place between the ages of four and six, if a child has in stage four the child between the ages of six to twelve industry versus inferiority In stage five identity versus role confusion this takes place in adolescence generally between the ages of twelve and twenty; at this age an up and coming adult is most likely to be at the peak of peer pressure and will be discovering who they are both as a person and sexually. This can be a very hard time for individuals but with a good base they will be likely to find who they are with easae however it is possible that they will become confused for example the loss of a father figure for a boy may result in that person being unable to undersand why the Eriksons eight stages of man have been criticized due to the fact that it was based ona study of men, it can be seen as a rigid document and does not take into account individual factors. For example an individual whom has a severe learning disability and perhaps has been psychologically examined to be at a mental age of five will not suffer from the complexities of stage five although that may be their corresponding age with Erikson s chart. Although this criticism should be kept in mind, Eriksons stages of man can be a useful tool as a guideline for use in social work. Although Eriksons model may seem very black and white it is important to remember that during each stage of development in order to have a healthy perspective in life, it is important in each stage that the strongest is the positive from the scale, there must be some level of negative development; for example a little bit of mistrust is healthy as to trust naively would eventually result in a individual putting themselves in danger. Trust versus Mistrust takes place during infancy; the route in which the infants personality takes depends on the parent to provide those needs that the infant cannot satisfy itself. If the mother does not take care of her child through neglect the infant will not develop basic trust and will take a negative step on the psychosocial scale. Autonomy versus Shame, Doubt takes place during early childhood, starting in a childs second year of life, once again children are reliant on their parents to support them during this stage. This is when a toddler tries to become an individual. If the childs vulnerability does not get the necessary support from the care givers then they will develop a sense of shame and doubt. Initiative versus Guilt takes place also during childhood normally developing during the ages of four and five; this is where a child tries to establish their own boundaries as they try to establish their identity In stage four, Industry versus Inferiority, taking place up until puberty, this is when a child tries to be recognized for their achievements, for example at school for doing a project, however if they do not get this desired recognition and feeling of achievement then it can result on them developing a feeling of inferiority, inadequacy. Parents still play an important role in this stage however as it takes place primarily at school, teachers are important. Stage five, identity versus identity confusion takes place during adolescence this is when the individual try to find a sense of themselves, this Stage six, intimacy versus isolation is the first stage to take place during adulthood, intimacy with other human beings can only happen when identity is established. The intimacy can be with a friend or a lover it involves merging personalities with others. It is important for an individual to have this intimacy otherwise it can result in them being alone and withdrawn. Stage seven, Ge nerativity versus stagnation, this is the second stage an individual goes through in adulthood, people who are generative are productive, tolerant and able to care for others and themselves equally. It is not always expressed through parenthood sometimes it can be through being a teacher. Those who are unable to develop in this stage result in a feeling of being stuck as they are unable to care for other people properly. The eighth stage is integrity versus despair, this takes place during old age, an individual in this stage establishes integrity being satisfied with their life and believing it was important and had a purpose. The person who reflects on life positively, according to Erikson, have an acceptance of death. However, a person who reflects on their life, feeling full of regret of their past it is also shown through a report to researchers that those who were more feeble through their bodys degeneration felt as though they had little control (Geppert Halisch, 2001) and t herefore despair would occur as they were not as willing to accept death. (Cloninger, 2008). Eriksons theory of psychosocial development was based on clinical evidence there has been further research into this work specifically in the adolescent stage of identity versus identity confusion. This research was accomplished by James Marcia whom

Holocaust vs. Native American Genocide Essay -- nazis, weapon, european

The term genocide brings awful things to mind. For most, it probably directs their attention towards the Holocaust; this was definitely a gruesome and obvious example of genocide, but there are many others with great similarities that are not very well known. One of these is the decimation of the Native American population by the European settlers and the atrocious things that were done to them such as the trail of tears following the Indian Removal Act of 1830 during the settling of North America. The Holocaust might be the most well known but there have been many other incidents in history just as abhorrent. The Holocaust and Native American Genocide are different in weapons used and the motives for killing but similar in intent, effects and selection of the persecuted. The weapons used by the Nazis and European Settlers were very different. The Nazis directly stated the outcome they thought necessary, which was what they called the â€Å"final solution† (â€Å"Holocaust†). This was the termination of all of the races they believed inferior to themselves. This â€Å"final solution† was administered through concentration camps, extermination camps and â€Å"Einsatzgruppen† which were military units sent to mass exterminate groups of people persecuted under the Nazi Regime (â€Å"Holocaust†). The soldiers of these camps and extermination groups used firearms and other weaponry to do their jobs, while European settlers were usually more indirect in the way they killed Native Americans. The largest contribution to the deaths of the natives is known as a â€Å"virgin soil epidemic†, where a disease spreads especially quickly the first time it is introduced to an area (Lewy). One of the diseases that clai med the most lives was small pox, which was distri... ...locaust." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. . "Victims of the Nazi Era: Nazi Racial Ideology." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 10 June 2013. Web. 05 May 2014. Lewy, Guenter. "Were American Indians the Victims of Genocide?" History News Network. History News Network, Sept. 2004. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. . Stanton, Gregory H. "Genocides and Conflicts." World Without Genocide. World Without Genocide, 7 May 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. . "Settlement." Settlement. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2014.

Life Outside Our Biosphere :: essays research papers

Life Outside Our Biosphere The fragile balance of the Earth's ecosystem is constantly being disrupted. Overpopulation is placing heavy strain on the world's resources. We are burning all our fossil fuels to create the energy we need, and clearing our rainforests to make enough farmland to feed everyone. The ozone layer is slowly eroding, exposing us to harmful UV light. The room we have on this planet is just enough to provide for our population now! As the population grows, we will find ourselves more and more crowded, with no room left to expand. Solution: Transfer part of the population off the Earth, to colonies established either on other planets or on orbiting space stations. This will lessen strain on the world's land resources by providing more agricultural area, and will help solve problems associated with overcrowding. In our solar system, a few planetic possibilities exist for colonization. Mars, one of our closest neighbors, was previously a prime choice until it was explored more in depth. Scientists have now found it to be a red, rocky, barren desert with little atmosphere, no water, and containing no life. If Earthlings were to settle on Mars, we would remain totally dependent on the Earth's resources. Another close planet is Venus, the second from the sun. This "sister planet" of Earth proved to have extremely hostile conditions. Scientists were hopeful when they found traces of water vapor in the upper atmosphere, but were disappointed when concentrations of sulphuric acid were discovered mixed with the water. Venus has surface temperatures of around 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and an atmosphere one hundred times as thick as the Earth's. (This produces pressure equivalent to pressure two miles under water on Earth.) These conditions project a less than comfortable life on Venus. The Moon has held Man's curiosity since we were created, leading to such missions as the Apollos. These space missions have taught us a lot about what life on the moon would be like. The moon has little to offer us in the way of settlement: it has little to no atmosphere, and only one sixth of the gravity of Earth. Although the moon might not be the best place for colonies to settle, it would be an excellent source of resources for nearby space stations. ( Scientists can extract oxygen from the rocks, and glass, aluminium, and other metals as well.) Space stations orbiting in the past have been very dependent on the Earth's supplies for construction and maintenance. The Soviets have launched a brigade of structures called Salyuts. In fact, one of their cosmonauts has lived in space for more than 235 days! They supplied the Salyuts by shuttle

A Complicated Conversation with William Pinar: A Reader Response to “From Autobiography to Allegory” Essay

William Pinar (2011): â€Å"To understand curriculum as complicated conversation, I invoke the concept of ‘allegory.’ It is, in my usage, interrelated with ‘reconstruction,’ as each reactivates the past in order to find the future. To reconstruct means to ‘establish or assemble again†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (49). Alyssa: Establish or assemble again†¦.ok, I am in Grammy’s house, she is in her chair, we are drinking tea, or playing cards, yes, if I am going to establish or assemble again, I may as well go back to when she could see, we are sitting, drinking tea and playing cards. Then I’m in Nova Scotia, in Grandmere and Grandpere’s kitchen, and Grandpere is sitting in his rocking chair by the fire, telling me a story about when he was a teacher, about his students, about when the twins were born, asking me about my school, my life, remembering my name, remembering my last visit and eating chocolate-coated digestive cookies because that is what we always did. William Pinar (2011): â€Å"It is important to note that my conception of ‘reconstruction’ contrasts with its usages in historiography, that is, aiming to reconstruct the past ‘as it was’†¦ (50). Alyssa: What?!?! But, reconstructing the past is reconstructing the past! I want to reconstruct the past! I want to be in Grammy’s living room, or talking to Grandpere when he remembered my name! You said I could reconstruct the past, you told me I could, and now you are telling me that I can’t†¦ Almost word for word, this was my experience reading Chapter 2, â€Å"From Autobiography to Allegory†, in William Pinar’s What is Curriculum Theory? After reading the first part of the chapter, outlining the concept of autobiography and its significance to curriculum theory and to the self, I found myself daydreaming about the past. In no time, I was in my recently deceased  Grandmother’s presence again, or imagining the lucid state of my Grandfather, now suffering from dementia and residing in a nursing home. I was happy in these memories. Then William Pinar continued talking and ruined my state of happiness. So, I complained. I told him how angry I was at him, how happy I had been that I found validation for living within these past memories and how he ruined it for me. It was at this moment that I recognized that somehow without even realizing it, I had entered into a complicated conversation with William Pinar. Pinar (2011) describes a complicated conversation as a†¦conversation in which interlocutors are speaking not only among themselves but to those not present, not only to historical figures and unnamed peoples and places they may be studying, but to politicians and parents dead and alive, not to mention to the selves they have been, are in the process of becoming, and someday may become (43). My conversation included myself, past and present, William Pinar, my deceased Grandmother, and the past version of my Grandfather. Furthermore, the simple act of writing this paper brings you, the readers into the conversation as well. According to these terms, I would classify it as a ‘complicated conversation.’ The more I delved into this thought, the more I realized how often I find myself entering into this kind of dialogue. Whether I am sitting on the bus, playing out a conversation with the person next to me based on the book they are reading, or sitting in the classroom discussing the response to a question based on the views of many a theorist, former teacher, or famous celebrity, or planning and imagining lessons plans for my future students based on something I am experiencing in the present day, or something I have experienced in the past, these are the voices, both real and imagined, continuously flowing through my thoughts. For the most part, these would be deemed daydreams, unwanted and unwelcomed imaginings in a classroom, or any setting where productive work is expected. But, according to Pinar, they are, instead, complicated conversations of curriculum. In following with the method of currere, the running of the course, they are a necessary part of understanding the curriculu m through the understanding oneself (Pinar, 2011, pp. 44). By allowing these sorts of complicated conversations in the classroom, by allowing the students to discuss, to converse, to question,  the things they are learning, the texts they are reading, by allowing the students to actively engage in the curriculum presented to them, to bring their own narratives into the classroom, rather than merely sitting and listening; the responsibility of learning falls upon not only the teacher, but also the students. Furthermore, Pinar (2011) notes that a complicated conversations also serves as a â€Å"conversation with oneself [as a ‘private person’] and with others threaded through academic knowledge, an ongoing project of self-understanding in which one becomes mobilized for engagement in the world† (47). Although anchored in academic thought, these conversations are not meant to remain solely in the academic realm. They are meant to delve into personal narratives and emotional stories; they are meant to delve into autobiography. Thus, by allowing complicated conversations in the classrooms, we are not only giving students an opportunity to take responsibility of their own learning, but to connect to their learning and to the curriculum through their own autobiographical narratives. Yet, complete understanding requires more than autobiography; it requires allegory. Pinar (2011) cites allegory as more than the mere exchange of information and stories, but the ability to reflect on the information and finding meaning in the present from the stories of the past (50). In terms of allegory’s connection to autobiography, Pinar (2011) furthers the conversation by adding that â€Å"[h]istorical facts are primary, but it is facts’ capacity to invoke our imagination that marks them as allegorical, Their meaning is not confined to the past where they occurred; they spill into our existence of the present†¦history becomes accessible through allegory† (54). Thus, historical facts and autobiographical narratives, although interesting, carry little significance without the use of allegory. Historians are continuously pleading with the world to heed to lessons of history, but these requests often go unanswered until the moment when something occurs in the present day which recalls the experiences of the past. At this point, history is explored in relation to the present reality, invoking allegory as it brings meaning to the present. Through the concept of complicated conversation, autobiography and allegory exist as a circular movement as the process repeats itself with each new piece of information. Through this dialogue with theory, ourselves, and others, we explore autobiographical narratives, which connect to our present selves  through allegory, which in turn enlighten our experience of the present, rounding up our complicated conversation. In terms of my own complicated conversation, the concept of entering into curriculum theory through the concept of autobiography remains easy. As a history student, researching historical narratives are my forte. This interest in the past led me into a search of my family history. Consequently, I have visited places, and read notices, and held objects owned by my ancestors. Thus, readin g Pinar’s (2011) suggestion that â€Å"we find the future not in the present, but in the past† (49) was an exciting moment during my dialogue with the text. At this point, I began thinking about my grandparents, about my childhood, and all those happy moments from my past, thinking that these moments, exactly as they were would lead me to the future. For a split second, Pinar had convinced me I held the key to my future because I knew my past. But, as previously discussed, this illusion was shattered instantaneously. The concept of allegory was a bit more complicated. As previously mentioned, through allegory, the stories reactivated from the past lead to significance, to a greater understanding and answer the question: â€Å"what might this knowledge signify for us as actually existing individuals in this time, in this place?† (Pinar, 2011, pp. 50-51). Thinking through autobiographical narratives, from my point of view, is easy. Thinking allegorically, is not. Yet, in terms of the contents of the chapter, the introduction of the Weimer Republic, a story from the past, as an allegory to better understand the present reality, I was reasonably able to understand the relationship and the significance. I could understand and reactivate the historical events of Weimer Germany, and place them in juxtaposition with today’s world, adequately using this allegory to further inform my understanding of the present and shape my view of the future. But, I did not feel like I could end my conversation there. The text led me to my dead Grandmother, my lucid Grandpere, I could not simply leave them in the middle of a conversation. This chapter meant more to me than a simple explanation of theories in order to set up for the remainder of the book. As Pinar (2011) himself notes, â€Å"[t]he curricular question is a call to individuality†¦[as]†¦academic knowledge is also a question of self-knowledge† (57). In other words, I was not content leaving the conversation solely as a discussion of the past Weimer and its meaning for today. It affected me at a  personal level, as I weaved parts of my own autobiographical narrative into the words and theories on paper. I did more than just read the words on the paper; I entered into a complicated conversation and was committed to following through this process to the end, from autobiography to allegory. But, as I mentioned, I had a hard time working through the concept of allegory. How could I turn my memories of my Grandmother, or my Grandpere, into something meaningful for my present, to lead me into my future? Something meaningful to inform my experience with currere, with the running the course? How do these experiences affect me as a student, as a teacher, or as an individual? How can they be something more than sometimes pleasant, sometimes not so pleasant, memories? Just as I begin to panic, realizing that this conversation is drawing t o a close as the remaining pages of the chapter become fewer and fewer, Pinar (2011) opens up and speaks directly to me again: â€Å"†¦educators are engaged in an ongoing conversation. As in any conversation, one discerns misunderstanding, can supplement incomplete comprehension, and support questioning† (55). A sigh of relief emerges as I am comforted with the fact that this conversation is ongoing and does not end with the last sentence in the chapter. I am further comforted knowing that I do not have to immediately come to a complete understanding, can continue to question, and even leave a little room to make mistakes and revisit the original discussion. This entire experience reinforces for me, the notion that curriculum is not just the textbooks we read and the tests we take, but everything we experience, both in and outside the classroom. I am convinced that these memories are part of my curriculum, my autobiography, and that I will take them with me on my running of the course, and one day, maybe, I will find an allegory and move them beyond the past and into the present. Work Cited Pinar, W. (2011). â€Å"From autobiography to allegory†. In What is curriculum theory? New York, New York: Routledge