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  • 500 words Reflection on The Electoral Process

    The purpose of this assignment is to help you understand how the U.S. electoral process works from start to finish and how each step contributes to democratic participation. You will map out the electoral process in writing, explaining each major stage in clear, logical order. This is not a list or diagram; instead, you will explain the process in paragraph form and reflect on why each step matters.

    In your paper, begin by explaining how an election cycle starts. Describe early steps such as candidate eligibility, the decision to run for office, and the role of political parties. Explain how primaries and caucuses work and how candidates become their partys nominee.

    Next, describe the general election phase. Explain how campaigns operate, how voters receive information, and what happens on Election Day. Be sure to explain who is eligible to vote, how votes are cast, and how ballots are counted.

    Then, explain what happens after votes are cast. Describe how election results are certified, the role of state governments in confirming outcomes, and how the Electoral College functions in presidential elections. If applicable, explain how disputes or recounts are handled.

    After mapping out the full process, reflect on the importance of the electoral system. Discuss why each stage exists, how the process is designed to be fair and legitimate, and where challenges or weaknesses might occur. You may also reflect on how citizen participation influences the process.

    Your paper must be written in APA format and include a title page and references page. The body of the paper should be at least 500 words and written in complete paragraphs with clear organization. Use your textbook and credible government sources to support your explanations, and cite all sources using APA in-text citations.

    Submit your completed APA reflection by the due date listed in the course schedule. This assignment will be evaluated based on accuracy, organization, depth of explanation, use of sources, and adherence to APA formatting guidelines.

    Requirements: 500 words

  • Community Profile

    Step 1: Community Selection

    Pick a rural community, either in Arkansas or somewhere in the US that you would like to study throughout this course.

    ALTHEIMER, ARKANSAS

    Step 2: Community

    Profile

    Each section should be written in paragraph form and include headings and subheadings. See detailed

    instructions for each section.

    When you save your paper, please include the community name in the document name. (COMMUNITY PROFILE, SPRING 2026)

    Community Demography

    Provide a description of the community demography. Include maps, pictures, and/or graphics with

    your description. Demography should include information such as population, ethnicity, average

    income, poverty rate, birth rate, occupations, etc. Describe the current racial/ethnic makeup of the

    community, median per capita and family income, education levels, gender ratios, and other relevant

    data you find in your research. Describe the level of poverty in the community. Would you describe this

    community as poor, working class, or middle class? Cite the sources of each piece of information.

    Remember to review the rubric. The minimum word count for this section is 200 words.

    Geography

    Provide a description of the community geography. Include maps, pictures, and/or graphics with

    your description. Geography of the area should include information about a) the physical environment

    (nature, natural resources, farming, recreational areas, etc.); b) what type of industry the land supports, if any (who is largest employer, what are the most common occupations); and c) where the nearest towns/cities are in relation to the community. Cite the sources of information.

    Remember to review the rubric. The minimum word count for this section is 200 words.

    Community History

    Discuss the history of the community from its beginning to present day. This section will include major

    historical events that shaped the community and must be divided into subsections. Maps and pictures

    will enhance this section.

    Remember to review the rubric. The minimum word count for this section is 400 words.

    1.How did the community begin? When was this place formally established, and by whom?

    2.History of the community to the present. Identify and summarize the most significant historical

    events. You must include at least three significant events (not including the establishment of the community).

    You might consider:

    a. What are the major changes that have impacted the community? This might be the placement and development of industry or agriculture, the placement of rail lines or other transportation hubs, or other changes.

    b. When did social institutions, like schools or colleges, libraries, law enforcement, churches, local newspapers, and other civic organizations become established?

    3.Maps, pictures, charts should be included and will add a lot to the paper

    Population Trends

    In this section you will discuss the population trends. Is this community losing or gaining population, or

    staying about the same?

    Compare the current population with its past. Remember to review the rubric.

    The minimum word count for this section is 150 words.

    Population Trends

    suggested information:

    What are the population trends like? Is this community losing or gaining population, or staying

    about the same? Make sure to broadly describe population trends from the beginning of the

    community.

    Then, focus on the most recent population data, like from 2000 forward. Compare this with data

    points from the past

    • Describe any changes in the racial and ethnic makeup of the community, median per capita and

    family income, etc. May include charts/graphs.

    Community Culture and Social Organization

    This section will examine community amenities, organizations, businesses, social services, etc. You will

    also discuss the community culturewhat is the glue that creates a sense of belonging in the community? You will also want to discuss any social problems or issues the community is facing.

    Remember to review the rubric. The minimum word count for this section is 400 words (you will most

    likely need a lot more than that).

    Suggested information:

    What community amenities are available (parks, pools, community center, senior center,

    churches, state or national parks).

    What are some of the community organizations?

    What kinds of companies or businesses are present? What kind of jobs do people have in the

    community? Whats the communitys largest employer?

    What kinds of charities or social services are available in the community?

    What churches or religious groups are present in the community?

    Is there any major tourism or other service-based industries?

    What defines the culture? What is the glue that creates a sense of belonging? Describe socialites and/or kinship systems.

    What are the social problems? How do they approach or build solutions to the social problems?

    How is the community affected by globalization? Does it provide products that trade beyond its

    nations borders? Are migrant groups settling in the community? Why and for what reason?

    Community Profile

    Additional information/details

    All assignments should contain a title page which should include a creative title for the paper, the

    course name, your name, the semester, the Universitys name, and the date. The title should be

    originally created by you (not just the name of the community).

    Papers should be written in sentence/paragraph form with references.

    Use headings/subheadings.

    Paper should flow together cohesively.

    The paper must contain a final reference page (APA style). All references should be included on

    the reference list and in the body of the paper.

    Citations will be done in American Psychological Association (APA) style.

    All written documents should have 1-inch margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, and double

    line spacing throughout.

    Attached Files (PDF/DOCX): 901 Research Project Part 1 Instructions HDFS 26003 (2).docx, Community Profile Grading rubric (1).docx

    Note: Content extraction from these files is restricted, please review them manually.

  • Worksheet

    Instructions for discussion post:

    In this week’s module, we examined two diseases that result from the reduction in or lack of a functioning enzyme.

    Using

    , search for and read a research paper published on either Tay-Sachs disease or Phenylketonuria in the last 10 years. Post the title of the paper, year of publication, a link to the abstract, and a 1-2 paragraph summary of the research findings.

    (DONE ON A WORD DOCUMENT)

    2 worksheets are in the downloads below please complete.

  • Coding

    To replicate and fully understand these plots in Python. This exercise will ensure you can handle real-world cancer genomics datasets.

    The TRACERx Wiki contains example plots and detailed instructions for processing the data:

    please download the tutorials of Python user. To get started, please download the data as described on page. If you are a Python user, please .Then replicate and adjust all of the example codes. Make examples of your own. Different ways and forms including bar charts, vent diagrams, heat maps etc.

  • Negotiation Log 2

    same as last one. I will send you the script and my original writing later.

    Attached Files (PDF/DOCX): Negotiation Log 2.docx, Dry Cleaner_Laundry Negotiation – Taylor.pdf

    Note: Content extraction from these files is restricted, please review them manually.

  • Portfolio 1: Human-AI Decision Support

    Part 1: Choosing Your Task

    Objective:

    Select a task where you possess specific expertise to be the subject of this portfolio. You will perform this task in the real world while strictly following instructions generated by an AI. To achieve a high evaluation, your task must meet the following four requirements.

    1. The Expertise Requirement

    You must choose a task that requires specialized knowledge. Among a random group of 10 students, only 1 or 2 should be able to complete this task correctly without instructions.

    • Acceptable: Rebuilding a carburetor, tuning a guitar, sewing a specific garment pattern, soldering a circuit board.
    • Unacceptable: Making a sandwich, changing a lightbulb, assembling basic furniture, boiling pasta.

    2. The Physicality Requirement

    The task must take place in the physical world and involve the manipulation of real objects, tools, or materials.

    • Constraint: No screen-based tasks are permitted. You must use your hands on physical items.
    • Excluded: Things like coding, Excel, video games, or software configuration.

    3. The Duration Requirement

    The task must require a minimum of 30 minutes of active work to complete when performed by you at your normal pace.

    • Constraint: This must be active manipulation. Passive waiting time (e.g., waiting for glue to set) does not count toward the 30 minutes.

    4. The Complexity Requirement

    The task cannot be a linear list of steps. It must require you to make judgment calls based on what you see, hear, or feel.

    • Constraint: The task must include conditional decisions (“If X happens, do Y; if Z happens, do Q”).
    • Example: “Check the tension. If it is too loose, tighten the screw; if too tight, loosen it.”

    The Task Abstract

    In the written document you build a the end you must identify:

    1. The Goal: What will be achieved or built?
    2. The Tools: What physical objects are involved?
    3. The Expertise: Why do you have expertise? Why would the other 8/10 people (or more) fail at this task without support (AI or guide)?
    4. The written document you build at the end must provide a Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) of the task you choose written IN ADVANCE of doing Part 2.

    Part 2: The Task

    Objective:

    You will role-play as a “Naive User.” You must convince the AI that you have absolutely no expertise in this domain. This forces the AI to carry the entire cognitive load. In this assignment do not provide any photos to the AI: Your interaction with the large language model must be completely textual.

    1. Your Persona: The Novice

    You will explicitly tell the AI that you are a complete beginner. Because you are role-playing a person with zero knowledge, you effectively cannot help the AI.

    • The Logic: A naive user doesn’t know that step 3 is wrong. A naive user doesn’t know that the part is backwards. Therefore, you cannot correct these things. You must simply do what you are told. For example: If the AI uses a technical term you know but a novice wouldn’t, ask the AI what that word means. Have it describe a tool’s appearance rather than using its name.

    2. The Conversation

    Open a new conversation with the Large Language Model (Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, etc.) and enter a prompt that establishes this persona.

    • Required Prompt: “I need to perform [Task Name]. I have never done this before and I have no idea how to do it. Please guide me through this process step-by-step. Do not give me a list. Give me one instruction at a time and wait for me to finish it.”

    3. Handling Failures with “Naive” Responses

    When the AI gives you a bad instruction that results in a poor outcome (e.g., parts don’t fit, the result is ugly), you must act like a confused beginner.

    • Do not say: “You forgot to account for the thread pitch.” (Expert response).
    • Do say: “I did what you said, but it doesn’t fit.” (Naive response).
    • The Goal: You are forcing the AI to figure out what is wrong.

    4. No Permanent Damage

    Even a naive user knows not to walk off a cliff.

    • Rule: If an instruction seems like it will cause you physical injury or break your equipment, etc, stop. No damage or danger should be a part of this assignment.
    • Report: Tell the AI something nonspecific (no expertise) like, “I am afraid to do this because it looks like it will break. What should I do now?”

    5. The 90-Minute Time Cap

    If the “30 min”task exceeds 90 minutes of active effort, you are permitted to stop.

    • The Logic: We are measuring fragility, not your physical endurance. If the model cannot guide you to completion in this time, the task has failed. The transcript of the failure is sufficient data for your analysis.

    6. Creating the Transcript

    In the written document you build a the end you must identify you must preserve the entire conversation for your analysis. It will be included in the final document. You also must identify your start time and end time for this portion of the project, full date stamp.

    • Cross-Device Sync: You will likely use your mobile phone during the physical task. Microsoft Copilot automatically syncs this conversation to your account.
    • The Desktop Protocol: Even if you used your phone for the task, you must go to a desktop computer to save the file.
    1. Log into Microsoft Copilot on a desktop browser.
    2. Locate your specific session in the history.
    3. Use the Export function or Print to PDF (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) to save the full text.
    4. Constraint: Ensure the PDF is legible and searchable. Do not submit screenshots.

    Part 3: The Analysis

    Objective: Using the transcript of your interaction as data, analyze the implications of this technology for yourself, your future users, and the engineering process itself.

    1. The Task Analysis

    In the written document you build a the end you must provide a Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) of the task as performed by a novice with AI support.

    1. Make sure you are using the Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) framework
    2. Make sure you are not committing the happy path fallacy.
    3. Make sure to capture not just your ininital task, but instead A novice user performing [TASK] with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot

    Advice: “Your first HTA (Appendix A) was likely a clean tree. Your second HTA (Appendix C) should contain more loops for the ‘Prompting,’ ‘Waiting,’ ‘Clarifying,’ and ‘Error Correction’ that the AI forced you to perform.”

    2.The User Context

    Analyze the risks and benefits of this system for two different groups. Cite specific moments from your transcript to support your argument.

    • Relative to You (The Expert): Did the AI help you or hinder you? Did the experience increase or decrease your trust in the tool?
    • Relative to Your Users: Imagine integrating this system for a specific user group (either company employees you manage or customers using a product you designed). What happens when these userswho likely lack your expertiseencounter the same errors or hallucinations you did?

    3. The Impact on Task Analysis

    How does the inclusion of a Large Language Model change the specific engineering practice of Task Analysis?

    • The Shift: Does the AI actually remove steps from the human’s task list, or does it simply trade physical work for cognitive work (auditing/verifying)?
    • The Complexity: When an AI is inserted into the loop, does the task hierarchy become simpler, or does it become more complex due to the need for “prompt engineering” and error checking?

    4. Engineering Recommendations (Heuristics)

    Based on your findings, act as a professional Industrial Engineer. Create a set of Actionable Heuristics (rules of thumb) for users of Large Language Model systems as task decision support in task with they they are unfamiliar.

    • The Goal: These should be practical warnings or protocols that mitigate the risks you identified.
    • The Format: Use clear, directive language.
    • Example: “Never execute a command involving torque without visually verifying the thread alignment first.”
    • Example: “If the model’s output is instantaneous, treat it as a hallucination until verified by a secondary source.”

    Your Final Deliverable: A Human-AI Decision Support Report

    Submit a formal engineering document centered around the question, “what are the Human engineering considerations around Human-AI Decision Support?

    This document addresses all of the Requirements for the written document listed above, and then uses them as evidence to answer the question, before finally providing Engineering Recommendations. Appendix A should be your initial task analysis (From Part 1). Appendix B should be your transcript with Microsoft Copilot (From Part 2). Appendix C should be your revised Novice used with Copilot task analysis (From Part 3). Appendix D is described below. you should reference these appendices in your report at the top of the document as such: (Appendix A, pg. 5).

    • Format: Format for this portfolio is a single PDF with cover page. Your filename should be [YOURSURNAME]_Portfolio_1.pdf.
    • This document should be appropriate as a deliverable for a professional industrial engineer in an industry or government setting.
    • Evidence: You must quote specific lines from your transcript (Appendix ) to validate your claims.
    • Length: There is no required length. The document should should be succinct, readable, and demonstrate attention to detail and considerable thought. It is expected that you have spent approximately nine hours in total on your portfolio assignment; a document that is evaluated well will reflect this work. A document like this should be able to stand as a portfolio item when you apply for a professional industrial engineering job.
    • Due date: Friday, February 13th at 9 a.m.
    • Use of Generative AI: Generative AI may be used on this assignment. The ideas and arguments should reflect your own, and you’re responsible for full understanding of all content. Provide a brief statement of how you used Generative AI technologies, and their contribution of the work you produce. Also provide an “Appendix D” with your entire conversation with Generative AI, if you used it in this fashion.

    Requirements: There is no required length. The document should should be succinct, readable, and demonstrate attention to detail and considerable thought. It is expected that you have spent approximately nine hours in total on your portfolio assignment; a document that

  • Policy analysis

    Theme: In writing this paper, you will get a little taste of the kind of systematic data collection that is the input for linguistic analysis. You will also use the tools and knowledge from the class and apply what you have learned to real language data. The purpose of the paper is to get you to reflect on language by taking a closer look at the speech of a public figure of your choice, be it a YouTuber, celebrity, newscaster, or politician. You are free to choose any one person whose data is available publicly for you to cite and analyse their speech. The individual does not need to speak Englishin fact, choosing a language or dialect other than your own, whether spoken or signed, will give you more to reflect on. Research: Your main source of information must be speech clips that are publicly-available and accessible to the TAs who will be grading your work. This could be YouTube videos, TikToks, a podcast, or a freely-available TV show (e.g., on Tubi or Freevee). It is completely possible to cite only the data and use what youve learned in the course to complete your analysis; however, it is also possible that your speaker uses grammar or speech sounds that require some additional investigation. Wikipedia articles on specific dialects or languages can be helpful for things like the phonetic inventory of a language, but academic sources are preferred if possible. Length and form: The paper should be 1,200 – 1,400 word long. Please write it double-spaced and use 12-point type with 1 inch margins. The titles and order of the sections in your paper should be exactly as they are shown below, with clear labels. Your paper is to be submitted through Turnitin on the BruinLearn course website. The course website will explain how to do this. PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK the following point Citations and academic integrity: Your research and data must be thoroughly and completely cited. This means referencing specific examples of the grammatical features that you are describing, including a link to the clip and a timestamp. If your claims about your speakers language are not cited, you will receive a zero on that section of the paper. An example of a bibliographic reference to a YouTube video or similar in APA format: Name of YouTube Channel. (2019, August 28). Title of Video [Video]. YouTube. For in-text citations, make sure that you are including a timestamp as well as clearly referencing the correct video. If you have multiple videos with the same author, you can label them with letters. For example, In various YouTube videos, Harris clearly distinguishes between the vowels in marry (Harris 2023a; 02:23) and merry (Harris 2023b; 03:21). To reiterate, if your TA cannot easily trace the origin of the data you are citing, you will not get any points for that section. Outline Outline of the Paper: The goal of this paper is to use the tools that you learn in the course to analyze original data. This means that to get an A, you should use the same analytical tools that you use in the homework quizzes. Your paper must have the following sections (in underlined bold below). 1. Introduction: First describe your linguistic background: what language(s) did you acquire as a child? Did you maintain the language(s), and if so, how? What language(s) do you currently speak/use? Now describe the linguistic background of the speaker you chose as it relates to the paper. This could include information about where the speaker grew up, the languages and dialects that they are reported to speak/sign, and any context about how they learned those languages (e.g., they speak Spanish at home with family but make videos mostly in English). You will receive a zero if you do not cite their background. (We understand that some of the YouTubers may not have information available on credible sources. Hence, websites such as Wikipedia and Birthday.com are accepted as source). 2. Slang: For this section, first focus on the following description of slang. Slang is informal/colloquial/casual speech and it’s used by a particular group of speakers. It can have important social functions when, for example, it’s used as a way for people to recognize other members of their same group. There are many varieties of English slang and every language has slang. Very importantly, English slang is not the same as any particular variety of English. For example, British English speakers using “chips” instead of “french fries” is not slang, as British English is not a subgroup of American English. Finally, slang words/expressions are not the same as loanwords from other languages. Let’s consider the following utterances: 1. Hey guys, wow! You slay! 2. I really crave some pasta with sugo. In (1) “you slay”( = “you impress me/you look great”) is used as an expression of the English slang that UCLA students in 2023 understand and might use. In (2) the word “sugo” is used in the way an English/Italian bilingual would possibly do when referring to pasta with tomato sauce. “Sugo” in (2) is not an example of slang. It’s a lexical borrowing from Italian and also a possible sign that the speaker is code-switching between English and Italian. Based on how we defined slang above, identify 3 slang words/phrases in the speech of your speaker. For each word/phrase, explain what it means and give an example that the speaker uses (including a citation!) How do you know these words/phrases are used as slang? Identify the group that uses these terms. These words/expressions may be considered domain-specific in that they may not be known to people outside of a specific community; for example, if you are describing the speech of a politician, you can describe some political lingo that the speaker uses. Slang words/expressions used by groups of non-English speakers need to be thoroughly explained. If you are referring to slang words/expressions used by groups of speakers of a language that does not use the Roman/English alphabet, you need to transliterate the word/expression into Roman/English alphabet, translate it and carefully justify why that is a slang word/expression. The lack of clarity on the slang examples will result in the loss of point. 3. Non-Standard Language & Dialect: In this section you should focus on different aspects about the speaker’s speech in Section #2. Everyone speaks a dialect and often that dialect deviates from the Standard variety in many ways. Further, speakers may use different dialects or registers, such as formal and informal, depending on the situation. In this section, reflect on specific ways in which your speaker does or doesnt conform to Standard Language as we described it in the course. Note that you should situate your speaker’s speech within the context of the language you are analyzing (e.g., if you are looking at a Spanish speaker, you should compare their speech to Standard Spanish, not Standard American English). Some things to think about might be: Does your speaker speak in different ways in different situations? How do viewers/listeners react to this persons speech? Do their speech conform to prescriptive ideas of what Standard language is? Do they ever correct their speech or make explicit reference to their dialect? If you include examples of sounds in this section, you should choose a different point of comparison than in the comparison of sounds section below. Include two to three examples for at least one pattern and provide citations with timestamps. If you are describing the speech of a non-English speaker, you need to thoroughly present the citations. Citations of a language that does not use the Roman/English alphabet need to be transliterated into Roman/English alphabet and translated. The lack of clarity on the citations will result in the loss of point. 4. Comparison of Sounds: Describe one aspect of the phonetics found in the speech of your speaker that differs from the Standard American English described in class. Examples of such a comparison might be: A politician from New York pronounces the words caught and cot with two different vowels. A Tik-Toker uses uptalk intonation in their vlogs. A podcast host uses the Spanish trilled /r when talking about Venezuelan cuisine. A French YouTuber uses front rounded vowels when they speak French. Please include: a. Terminology and concepts introduced during the lectures on Phonetics b. Provide an articulatory description of the sounds c. Give two or three sample words with time stamps d. Include an INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET (IPA) transcription of the sounds you are describing; this may involve doing some extra research on the speakers language/dialect, or imitating the sounds yourself to figure out which sounds they are using. Please ask your TA to help you with any sounds you are having trouble transcribing! e. Include citation (time stamp!) Do not confuse the alphabet of the language with the sounds of the language. Five points will automatically be deducted for this error. If you’re analyzing the speech of a singer, do not confuse the analysis of sounds with the analysis of the song lyrics. Sometimes, the singing pronunciation reveals aspects of their speech. Yet, lyrics alone – without any reference to the real pronunciation – are not indicative of anybody’s speech characteristics. If you are describing the sounds of non-English variety and you are using words to exemplify the sounds, you need to thoroughly present your examples. Words of a language that does not use the Roman/English alphabet need to be transliterated into Roman/English alphabet and translated. The lack of clarity on the examples will result in the loss of point.

  • its a case study

    I am uploading the excel files and the case please make sure to do it perfectly it has high percentage please make sure too use exact functions in excel and correct answers

    Requirements: long

  • Film Rudaali

    Please write a response to the film Rudaali.

    • Your response should be approximately 500 words (quality is MUCH more important than length; you can write more if you wish).
    • Please construct a response that answers the following:
    • 1. Offer a concise description of the film’s setting (for instance by describing the village’s economy, social structure, religious landscape, and the societal changes that are occurring in the story).
    • Tip: Be careful not to conflate the era of the film’s settingand the date of the film’s production!
    • 2. How the film is persuasive/effective in conveying its criticism of religion?
    • 3. Why this film is still relevant today?
    • 4. What was your favourite scene and why? (A “scene” means a specific situation or interaction in the film; it is not an idea or topic).

    Grading Criteria

    Your assignment will be graded according to the following criteria:

    • Does your assignment contain concrete quotations from the film?
    • You must include at least 4 direct quotations (a minimum of 1 direct quotation for each of the four questions asked above). “Direct quotations” means a quotation that is taken, word-for-word, from the subtitles. Each quotation must be followed by a timestamp. For example: (Part 1: 09:04-09:07). In other words, the timestamp tells the reader exactly where in the film the quotation comes from.
    • Does your assignment contain concrete details from the film?
    • You must also include 4 direct details (a minimum of 1 direct detail for each of the four questions asked above). “Direct detail” means a circumstance or situation that appears in the film. Each detail must be followed by a timestamp. For example: (Part 3: 09:04-09:07). In other words, the timestamp tells the reader exactly where in the film the detail appears.
    • Does your assignment go beyond the obvious?
    • Did you go use the most basic and obvious analysis? Did you sufficiently elaborate your points? Are your arguments sufficiently developed?

    As you answer the assignment questions, are you providing evidence for your answers? Reference specific scenes, conversations, conflicts, imagery, and so on in the film. Beware that answers generated by AI (e.g., ChatGPT) often provide fake details about a film (e.g., a wedding that never happened in the film, an insult that nobody said in the film). ChatGPT also generates irrelevant content (e.g., a description/analysis of the musical score). If there are any fabricateddetails, this category will be given a grade of zero).

    You will not be given any credit for content provided without any timestamps. Part 5: Caste

    Welcome to Part 5: Caste

    *all materials are required viewing/reading unless labelled optional

    In this section, we are going to watch Rudaali (1993). I converted the DVD and uploaded it below (in 4 parts). Please read through the following information and watch the film when you are prompted. (You should all watch the version uploaded here). After you have watched the film and completed this page, please complete the following:

    Quiz 5 (Deadline: Wednesday, February 11)

    Assignment 1 (Deadline: Friday, February 13)

    Please note that you should watch the film before attempting the quiz.

    Please familiarize yourself with the questions and expectations for the assignment before beginning the film.

    Information About Rudaali

    Director: Kalpana Lajmi (1954 2018)

    an independent filmmaker largely working in parallel cinema (see previous pages for description/definition)

    her films typically explore the experience of women

    The film is an adaptation of a short story, entitled Rudaali, written by the famous Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi (19262016).

    The film is about rudaalis, professional mourning women, particularly associated with Rajasthan.

    Setting of the film: Rajasthan, India, pre-Independence (i.e., late colonial period), undated (probably 1940s).

    The economic system depicted is the zamindari economic system (a form of feudalism), which is a result of Mughal societal structures, which persisted into the colonial period, particularly within princely states (see previous course content about colonial governance).

    Topic: status / caste; specifically a case of caste in a small village.

    Main character: Shanichari (Saturnine [lit. of Saturn] in English) who was born on a Saturday (Shanichar), which is considered a bad omen because it is ruled over by the god Saturn (Shani). Shani is considered to be an inauspicious god who can bring misfortune.

    Background Context: Caste

    The Portuguese used their word casta meaning race, tribe, lineage to describe the thousands of social groups upon their arrival in India in 1498. *That is to say, the word “caste” is itself not originally Indian/South Asian.

    Most generally, caste is a form of social stratification, involving:

    hereditary transmission

    marriage restrictions

    spiritual purity

    South Asian society is often seen as the most paradigmatic example of caste in the world, although caste is also pronounced in many other locations.

    When applied to India, caste often refers to two concepts: varna and jati.

    The four varnas, mentioned in ancient Sanskrit religious literature (like the Vedas and Dharmashastras) are:

    Brahmins: priests, scholars

    Kshatriyas: rulers, warriors

    Vaishyas: agriculturalists, merchants

    Shudras: laborers, servants

    Communities (historically or in modern times) may or may not belong (entirely or partially) to one of these varnas.

    Aside from the varnas, there are various groups of clans, tribes, communities, and sub-communities throughout South Asia. Each group, referred to as a jati or birth, is typically associated with a profession. Sometimes, jatis overlap with multiple varnas.

    The Caste System

    Many academics argue that caste today is the result of various factors, especially:

    The collapse of the Mughal empire after which society was reshaped into new social groups, often out of casteless communities.

    British Colonialism

    British rulers used rigid caste groupings as a means of administration and privileged certain groups (Christians, Parsis, and others).

    The British censuses in particular greatly reorganized and solidified groups.

    The British sought in many cases to (artificially) organize groups within the four varnas.

    All of these efforts were influenced by Britains own rigid class system.

    Academics argue about whether the origin of caste in India is ultimately religious or economic.

    From 1948 (post Independence), caste discrimination is banned by law in India, although caste continues to persist in society.

    While negative discrimination is banned by law, the government officially recognizes certain categories of castes/groups. Historically disadvantaged groups benefit from affirmative action benefits, such as job opportunities.

    *Caste groups may or may not be religiously recognized / enshrined in religious doctrine. The ancient Hindu texts, beginning with the Vedas, but also especially the Dharmashastras, asserted that the varna categories of humans have existed since the beginning of time. Only Hindu tradition (traditionally) holds that performing one’s varna duties (or “dharma”) would result in benefits to one’s future lives (through the doctrine of karma). Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism reject that the notion that performing (or not performing) one’s varna duties bears any effects. However, caste groups may persist as social realities within and beyond religious groups. For example, Islamic, Buddhist, and Sikh religious doctrines do not recognize the importance of caste, but different hierarchical or profession-oriented social groups may still exist within these traditions.

    *Our Goal for this Film*

    It is really difficult to study caste in general, so we are examining a case study. We are examining caste in a late colonial rural community. How does caste feature in social, economic, and religious experiences?

    While you watch, please look for the following:

    Names of main characters – you’ll need these for the quiz!

    Titles (of castes, etc.) used

    Any specialized vocabulary (technical terminology)

    Interesting cultural behaviours and customs

    Good Quotations!

    If at time you don’t understand something about the film’s content, please ask a question in the discussion forums.

    Please go ahead and watch the film now! Enjoy. Unlike last time, please watch the songs. Typically, the story keeps going while the songs occur.

    Part 1 (subtitles available):

    Part 2 (subtitles available):

    Part 3 (subtitles available):

    Part 4 (subtitles available):

    Some More Background Information

    Rudaali Chart

    The zamindars held large amounts of land in India and controlled their peasants, from whom they collected taxes, often acting as intermediaries on behalf of the taluqdars, a group of aristocrats/ruling class.

    This economic system existed during the Mughal Empire (15261540; 15551857) and colonial times (16121947).

    Both the zamindars and taluqdars were mostly hereditary groups.

    Their families used many different titles including Thakur (as in the film), Thevar, Babu, Rai, Rao, Khan, Sardar, Malik, Sri, etc.

    The British supported the zamindars, considering them princes (although the British also reduced their land holdings). (See the introductory information on the Princely States in British India.)

    The system was abolished during land reforms in 1950 (Bangladesh), India (1951), and Pakistan (1959).

    The film is about rudaalis, professional mourning women, particularly associated with Rajasthan.

    The title refers to a custom in some parts of Rajasthanwhere aristocratic women were long kept secluded and veiledof hiring professional women mourners on the death of a male relative, a rudaali (pronounced roo-dah-leeliterally, a female weeper) to publicly express the grief that family members, constrained by their high social status, were not permitted to displayor at times, perhaps did not feel. Dressed in black and with unbound hair, a rudaali beat her breast, danced spasmodically, rolled on the ground, and shed copious tears while loudly praising the deceased and lamenting his demise; the ability to hire such a performer was a mark of social status.

    From the full reading (optional): https://indiancinema.sites.uiowa.edu/rudaali

    Additional Videos

    Professional mourning practices by women have also been popular (mostly historically) in other parts of the world:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJUQxelrZX4 (closed captioning available).

    Rudaalis have been portrayed in this Indian television commercial:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DuAaoZAZVc (subtitles available)

    More Notes

    Besides caste, rudaalis, and the zamindari economic system, the film also includes a host of other topics, such as the experience/treatment of widows, prostitution, and criticism of brahmanical writings and brahmanical practices (all of which are portrayed in the film Water).

    One of the main topics explored in the film is spiritual pollution (the idea that one’s spiritual purity / purity of the soul might be negatively impacted by certain [spiritually dangerous or polluted] people, places, or things).

    The criticism of religion seen in Rudaali is closely aligned with the theory of religion put forward by Karl Marx (1818-1883), a German philosopher. According to Marx, religion (in his view, Christianity especially) was a tool used by those in power to oppress the working classes and the poor. How? Religion acts, according to Marx, like a drug (opium in particular), because it deceives poor and working people by comforting them (e.g., into waiting for the afterlife), but as such it distracts them from the root cases of their own exploitation and miserable circumstances.

    Watch this very quick video about Marx’ theory of religion: https://www.britannica.com/video/186414/opposition-religion-Karl-Marx (closed captioning available).

    Please do this short reading on Rudaali: Rudaali Reading (1)

    The original short story (translated into English) is here (OPTIONAL): Rudaali_Short Story.

    Other Films about Caste

    There are of course plenty of Indian films about caste. Please consider watching another more recent film on the same topic. Here are two excellent examples:

    Article 15 (2019) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nme0it4iX94 (subtitles available)

    Masaan (2015) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKJfBo3xMW0 (subtitles available; make sure to click on CC for the subtitles).

    After you finish the above, please complete the following:

    Quiz 5 (Deadline: Wednesday, February 11)

    Assignment 1 (Deadline: Friday, February 13)

  • Nursing Question

    Professional Portfolio Part 1

    This professional portfolio assignment will prepare you to market and negotiate for employment as an advanced nurse practitioner by understanding what goes into a resume, recommendation letter, and cover letter. The assignment must contain the following:

    1. Copy of NP job description (include current APA citation of source) from a job posting of your choice. (You are not applying for the position yet.)
    2. One letter of recommendation (does not have to be real, can be makeshift).
    3. Resume as an NP
      • Resume Sample and resume builder can be found on the .
    4. Cover Letter for NP job
      • Cover Letter Sample can be found in the course textbook on page 543, Box 20-2.

    Submission Instructions:

    • The cover letter should be no more than 1 page, the recommendation should be no more than 1 page, and resume should be no more than 1 page.
    • All items should be in 12 font, Times New Roman.

    Requirements: 3 days