Anti-Italian American Prejudice and Discrimination

Anti-Italian American Prejudice and Discrimination Mezzogiorno Nearly three-fourths of all Italian immigrants to the United States came from the southernmost provinces of Italy. Known as Il Mezzogiorno, it was the countrys most impoverished region, with the illiteracy rate at a staggering 70 percent in 1900, and longstanding oppression from Italys Northern-dominated government. Southern Italian economy relied on agriculture, but natural disasters of volcano eruptions and earthquakes in the early 20th century devastated what little cultivatable land there was (Mintz, 2007). Unable to sustain tolerable living conditions, most became migrant workers. Between the years of 1876 and 1924, nearly 5 million Italians arrived in the United States (Pozzetta, 2008). About one-fourth remained in New York City, while more than half settled in the middle Atlantic states and New EnglandMany Italian immigrants had no plans of establishing permanent homes in the United States. Most were young men who left behind their wives and children with hopes of brief absenc e-they would find employment, collect their pay, and return home. They lived prudently in conditions that were regarded as intolerable by ordinary American families (Mintz, 2007). Commonly working unskilled jobs in construction and public development, roughly half of the Italian immigrant population in the early 1900s was made up of manual laborers (Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia, 2009). Although the United States appealed to emigrating Italians as the best prospective destination to find work, Gambino (2002) asserts that American industry sought immigrants to replace the emancipated slave class. Many Italian immigrants in the North took positions in sweatshops and factories, while others were recruited to work on Southern plantations where slave labor had since been abolished (LaGumina, 1999). However, those in larger urban areas often found dominance in skilled artisan trades they had once practiced in Italy, such as shoemaking, tailoring, and barbering (Pozzetta, 2008). Th ough still generally confined to a lower class, many Italian immigrants found solidarity in highly concentrated ethnic neighborhoods (Mangione Morreale, 1993). Little Italies The emergence of Little Italies was prompted in large part by the intolerance and hostility that Italian immigrants faced in mainstream American society (Pozzetta, 2008). A working class minority that was defined by some as not quite white (Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia, 2009), or the missing link between black and white (Borsella, 2005), they often faced discrimination in housing opportunities. Italian immigrants themselves were slow to seek assimilation because traditionally, la famiglia (the family) and lordine della famiglia (the rules of behavior and responsibility to the family) came before any affiliation with a larger-scale community (Mintz, 2007). This resistance began to fade as subsequent generations strayed from the strict codes of their parents. With the dawn of World War II, more than 500,000 Italian Americans served in the U.S. military, proving to many that their loyalties to the country were strong. By the 1950s it seemed that Italian immigrants, now secure i n identifying as Italian Americans, had found a true home in the United States (Pozzetta, 2008). Anti-Italian prejudice however, though less pronounced, still endured. Dating back to the early 20th century and the apex of the groups immigration, society and popular culture have attached a number of stereotypes to Italian Americans. Arguably the most distinctive stereotype is that of association with La Cosa Nostra, or the American Mafia (Pozzetta, 2008). Released in 1972, the critically-acclaimed and wildly popular film The Godfather became the archetype of Hollywoods Mafia movie industry, depicting Italian Americans as ruthless criminals, a label that had long vilified their ethnic identity. Many Italian Americans, after having fought the stereotype for decades, came to embrace the Mafia image that had captivated American moviegoers and provided a highly profitable new avenue for filmmakers. The 1990s introduced the film Goodfellas (1990) and the television series The Sopranos (199 9), both of which reinforced the hardcore gangster image (Borsella, 2005). Other predominant Italian American stereotypes in film and television often still include the feisty young woman with a taste for gaudy fashion, the lovable womanizer, and the overweight matriarch with excessive jewelry and a pot of spaghetti (Pozzetta, 2008). Nonnina Although I identify more with American culture in my everyday life, I do embrace my Italian American heritage.In some sense, I connect with my roots in an Americanized way, and I have no problem in laughing at the some of the stereotypes that accompany it. A few mob movies are actually among my favorites. Though I know authentic Italian cuisine, I do enjoy eating at Olive Garden and ordering deliveries from Pizza Hut once in a while.I still call my grandmother Nonni, which is short for nonnina, a term affectionately meaning little grandmother.

Matav Hungarian Telecommunications Company Essay

Matav Hungarian Telecommunications Company was established in 1991 when Hungarian Post was split into three divisions. Matav remained a state-run company until 1993 when the Hungarian government sold off the company , and that was a significant turning point in the history of the company since the privatization process was the largest foreign investment in Hungary. Matav’s majority shareholder , Deutsche Telekom was one of the largest Telecommunications companies in Europe, and was involved in all kinds of Telecommunication Business Services. Therefore , Matav benefited from the technical expertise of Deutsche Telekom , and became a fully integrated Telecommunications company. Even the culture of the corporation had changed into a customer-oriented culture after the privatization process. In February 1994 , Matav’s local telephone services covered about 80% of the territory of Hungary. After it had been privatized from the state in 1993, Matav had a monopoly inside Hungary in a way that it operated 80 % of the country’s fixed line telephone system. But there were four other domestic incumbents that controlled the fixed lines in the remaining 20% of the country ( HTCC , Monortel , Emitel and Invitel ) . So , Matav had some kind of competitive advantages in its domestic markets. Also , In mobile market , for instance , Matav controlled about 47% of the market , but was in a competition with two other companies : Pannon GSM (owned by TeleNor ) with 37 % of the market , and Vodafone with 16% . Tele2 and MonorTel were also being so active in the segment. Moreover , there was a great deal of competition between the fixed line business segment and the mobile segment.As for the internet segment , the ISP Axelero had Pantel ( owned by KPN , Holland ) as an active competitor. As part of its successful strategy, Matav was trying to become an international telecommunications group , and its first international expansion was in 2001 through purchasing the majority share of MakTel , Macedonia’s national telecommunications company. So as a result , MakTel became a consolidated subsidiary of Matav. Matav’s first international acquisition of MakTel was a real success as the domestic fixed line business was declining. Also , in July 2001 , Matav purchased the remaining 50% ownership share in Emitel, and Emitel became a new subsidiary of Matav group that provided residential and business telecommunication services in the South region. In December 2001 , Matav acquired the remaining 49% share of Westel Mobile Telecommunications ( which was known later as T-Mobile Hungary Co. ). In January 2002 , a new strategic plan introduced a new company structure , and Matav was restructured into four business lines : Business services , residential services , Mobile division and Internet division. The restructure plan was necessary as each business area needed a dedicated management team. In fact , international expansion was of great strategic importance to Matav . The first international acquisition of MakTel in early 2001 was a great strategic opportunity as the penetration in Macedonia was being very low in almost all business segments : 25% of the country had fixed lines , 5% of the country had mobile phones , and under 2% had the internet service. So , Matav’s main task was to rebalance the pricing of the fixed line business through the tariff packages and others , and to grow competition on the mobile market. MakTel revenues had grown from the year 2000 to 2003 , and the key measure that was used by Matav ( EBITDA : Earnings before interest , tax , deprec iation and Amortization ) also raised. In addition , Matav increased the number of MakTel’s fixed lines. In December 2003 , the connection of ADSL lines and other broadband services became available. And since January 2004, the Electronic Communication Act entered into force, and it allowed the fixed-line number portability in Hungary. Although it was becoming an international company , Matav lacked the dynamic growth, and that was because there was a limited growth opportunity in Hungary. For instance , fixed line subscriptions were declining because of the the fixed-mobile substitution. Consequently , Matav was looking forward into its second international expansion , and that was the international acquisition of Montenegro Telecom ( TCG ) that was sold off by the government in March 2005 . Basically , Matav chose Montenegro because it was the only fixed operator in the country , and it had one mobile competitor. In 2004 , Matav had to develop a strategy plan for the entire company, and the management team was to choose between the multiple strategic crossroads in the complex and the rapidly changing telecommunications business environment. The strategy group leader , Andras Balogh , had to choose a reliable strategy plan for the next three years. Basically , the strategy group had three main options for Matav. The first choice was to focus on the existing product lines. For example , the company could maximize productivity , provide new services , produce more tariff packages in order to limit the fixed lines business declining, in addition to managing the pricing on new mobile services ( GPRS , 3G , WAP†¦and all Broadband services ). The second choice was to focus on the regional growth, and the third one was to keep expanding internationally. If I were a member of the strategy group , I would recommend the international expansion strategic direction, but I do believe that some requirements should be met, and one of those requirements would be the guaranteed existing of sufficient company resources that would guarantee a healthy future of the company. In addition , I think that the international expansion would compensate the lack of dynamic growth that Matav lacked in Hungary . †¢ What has been the impact, positive and negative, of the Internet on the way we do business? †¢ What is his future vision of the Internet and the way it will evolve? †¢ What challenges and concerns do we face for the future? Since this is a position paper, not only present the speaker’s points but analyze them and add your considered opinion about them. Examples and perspective to support your viewpoint are strongly welcomed. It is recommended that your write-up should be between one and two pages long (single spaced, 11 pt.) Please submit your assignment electronically via Blackboard by class time on Tuesday September 25th.

Getting Into the Mind of a Late Medieval Peasant Essay

Getting Into the Mind of a Late Medieval Peasant The middle Ages were dark and gloomy. People lived in castles and rode on horses. They constantly fought each other with swords and shields. That mainly sums up the Middle Ages, right a world with no technology sounds almost horrifying. However, there were many forms of â€Å"Medieval Technology.† Of course they didn’t have electricity or batteries in the middle Ages, but that’s not all technology is. Technology is the application of science, especially in industry or commerce. So basically, anything that improves or makes life easier is a form of technology. With that in mind, the invention of those swords, shields, and castles of the middle†¦show more content†¦Hence, the windmill and water mill of the middle Ages were very important industrial advancements. Medieval Industrial Technology has also been characterized by many agricultural improvements. Medieval farmers used the heavy plough to loosen soil for seed planting. It originated in Asia Minor, but was later used in Northern Europe. These ploughs were normally mounted on two wheels, and pulled by several horses or oxen. The heavy plough was also used to rid uncultivated land of weeds and other vegetation. Even though it did not destroy most plant root systems, it did expose them to the air, which inhibited their growth. The â€Å"ditches† created by the plough also slowed erosion caused by heavy rains. Before the heavy plough, most medieval farmers used a â€Å"lighter† plough. Unlike the heavy plough, horses and oxen did not pull the light plough. This was a major difference in the effectiveness of the light plough. The horse collar or horse harness was only used with the heavy plough. The collar puts the workload on the horse’s shoulders instead of the back or neck, such as in earlier models. The horse collar allowed horses to use more power without straining their necks or backs. 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Campus Size And Its Impact On Student s Education

Many teenagers, especially those who are preparing for college, don’t fully understand the differences between and public and private university. They don’t realize that they are quite some similarities between the two, but also have different characteristics that distinguish them apart. Public universities, like ASU, are known for having a higher acceptance rate, but could not always be good since they’re not precise on what students they accept. Private university Lake Forest College, who has higher academic requirements, might have a better college experience then those at a public university. Although both public and private universities are very similar, they still contrast in campus size, diversity among the students, and tuition†¦show more content†¦With a school with about 40,000 students, classroom size is dramatically affected. Classroom size at ASU ranges from 30-50 students depending on the class. This grants a lack of communication between the student and professor. Having good communication with a professor is the key to success in college. Lake Forest College, which is a small university, currently has a campus size of 107 acres. This is great because it means that transportation is better, and it’s not big enough to house thousands of students. The Lake Forest campus is a compact and not spread around in a city like ASU. This makes it easier for the students to get around campus, and to not worry about paying for expensive parking. With a student population with about 1,500 students, the average class size is 19 students. This is great because there you won’t be just a â€Å"number†, but an actual person. Student diversity in both a public and private are pretty diverse. Of course at a campus like ASU there is going to be more people with different ethnicity. White race dominates the school when it comes to the student population. ASU ranges from the Hispanic community to native Hawaiian/ Paci fic Islander. With such a diverse population, one will find that there are many people with common interest as them. It’s fair to say that at private university like Lake Forest is home to less students, but it’s quite diverse as well. Like ASU, Lake Forest has more students with