black beauty and the american standards of beauty Essay

Beauty is generally defined as the quality or combination of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit. While this definition supports the commonly-held belief that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, American standards of beauty have not had many variations over the past few decades. Since the beginning of American history, there have been three ideal archetypal symbols of womanhood that have to do with physical beauty: light skin, a slim body, and straight hair.[1] While there has been some dynamicity, it was very slight and has rarely ever encompassed physical characteristics more commonly attributed to women of color, such as a dark complexion, a voluptuous figure, and thick, kinky hair. The prevalence of the Eurocentric American standard of beauty among young African-Americans has led to self-esteem issues and controversy, but despite the detrimental aspects, it has been a unifying force in the African-American co mmunity. The European standard of beauty, which has always been integrated into American culture, was formed long before African-Americans were introduced into the western hemisphere as slaves. It was used in comparison to African-Americans as a method of stripping black women of their femininity and justifying their inferiority. In historical advertisements and visual performances, physical attributes associated with black people—such as bigger lips, darker skin, and, for women, a larger figure—were exaggerated in order to emphasize how different blacks were from white people, and assert control over them in almost every aspect of life, especially how there were perceived by other races and their own self-perception.[2] As slaves, blacks did not have tools for self-adornment and, while black women could wear different hairstyles to express themselves, they often dressed in what was necessary for hard labor, which did not leave much room for femininity. The article, â€Å"Beauty Culture,† by Tiffany M. Gill, tells of the creation of the black beauty culture industry, post-slavery, as a means of defining beauty in their own lives.[3] This industry, however, was wrought with controversy because of the two categories of products available, those which enhanced the natural physical traits of black women and those that seemingly attempted to conform to white beauty standards. The black beauty culture industry was faced with the task of battling stereotypes that suggested that blacks were innately ugly and that their physical attributes were the reason for their low political, social, and economic status. The importance of the black beauty culture industry is proven by the fact that, during the Great Depression, the industry did not face the same economic downturn as many other black businesses, and women were willing to barter food and other necessities in order to get their hair styled.[4] As the public presentation of black wome n increased, so did hair chemicals that allowed them to mimic the hairstyles of white women, and a well-groomed African-American woman became synonymous with straightened hair, which contradicted the political identities of black women. The Black Power Movement boasted the belief that â€Å"Black is beautiful!† which was revolutionary in its appraisal of black culture, politics, and even style. This created a strong sense of racial pride in the African-American community and unity, especially as beauty colleges became key institutions in the black community. Hairdressers and salon owners were some of the most politically active people in black communities, and their places of business were a safe haven from the humiliations of Jim Crow.[5] By accepting the physical differences between blacks and other ethnicities, the African-American community was able to assert more control over their own definition of beauty and improve their personal lives. Black women no longer had to conform to Eurocentric beauty standards and could stand together to show that they were just as attractive and feminine. This huge part of leisure culture also offered women alternatives to jobs as domestic servants or agricultural laborers . Yet, despite the Black Power aesthetic being popularized over sixty years ago, the overall American standards of beauty still do not accommodate women with darker skin and textured hair. The fact that American beauty standards still hold true to the ideal woman being light, thin, and straight-haired, is evidenced by a simple Google image search of â€Å"beautiful women.† Of the top 100 results, only two are African-American women. Black women, despite an increase in black pride and acceptance of natural features in their own community, are still being judged according to and oppressed by Eurocentric beauty standards. According to a survey analysis done by Dia Sekayi, 72.8 percent of black women attending various historically black colleges throughout the United States, expressed discomfort with the way beauty for black women is defined by the media and society’s expectations of them.[6] Forty-six percent wish they had smaller bodies and thirty-two percent are displeased with their natural hair texture.[7] The use of chemicals and weaves to make black hair resemble the hair of white women and skin lightening lotions show that many black women are not ple ased by their appearance. It’s obvious that beauty has intangible elements, such as confidence and likability, but even these things can be affected by one’s physical appearance. When young girls do not feel as if their beauty is being validated, concern for their appearance impacts their quality of life long-term. Scholarly literature supports the notion that that meeting or not meeting the ideal standard of beauty might impact the quality of girls’ experiences at school, both on a social and an academic level.[8] This issue is important because without a less stringent view of American beauty, black women will continue to be judged by a standard of beauty, even if they choose not to embrace it, that is nearly impossible for most to meet. Black women are currently resisting the dominant aesthetic standard and embracing their own cultural ideas of beauty but in many instances are pushed to hide their true selves. Women who have chosen to wear their hair unstraightened or braided have encountered discrimination in their workplace, despite kinky hair and braids being key hairstyles in black communities across the globe.[9] While there may be a growing acceptance of natural hairstyles in many places of business, there are some Americans who don’t understand that multiple standards of physical beauty must coexist, and if they do not, people who don’t conform to the standard will suffer. It is important for young black girls to feel comfortable in their own skin and grow up knowing tha t they can be their own special brand of beautiful and that there are people who look like them in the media, whether they are dark or light, slim or curvaceous. Battling against aesthetic hegemony is not easy for black women living in the United States, and oftentimes dissonance and frustration is felt because of society’s views on beauty and the impracticalness of American beauty in regards to women of all colors, shapes, and sizes. However, a lessening of assimilation into white culture is being seen and African-Americans are taking Eurocentric beauty trends and turning them into something more. Black women use their African roots and their own sense of artistry to create unique styles that reflect a black culture and the beauty and femininity that they were once disparaged of.    Bibliography Sekayi, Die. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 467-477. http://www.jstor.org/ stable/3211197. (Accessed November 2, 2015) Gill, Tiffany M. â€Å"Beauty Culture.† Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center, (2008): 1. http://www.oxfordaasc.com.proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/article/opr/t0003/e0023 (accessed November 3, 2015).    [1] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 469. [2] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [3] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [4] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [5] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1 [6] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 474. [7] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 474. [8] Dia Dekayi. â€Å"Aesthetic Resistance to Commercial Influences: The Impact of the Eurocentric Beauty Standard on Black College Women.† The Journal of Negro Education 72, no. 4 (Autumn 2003): 468. [9] Tiffany M. Gill. â€Å"Beauty Culture.†Ã‚   Black Women in America, Second Edition, edited by Ed. Darlene Clark Hine. Oxford African American Studies Center. (2008): 1

Crafting a Livelihood in India

building sustainability for indian artisans CRAFTINGALIVELIHOOD/ JANUARY2013 Tableof Contents Foreword Executive Summary 1 2 I. Craftspeople – The Backbone of India's Non-Farm Rural Economy Sector Overview, profile of indian artisans, crafts value chain and key challenges 4 In Sanskrit, Dasra means Enlightened Giving. Dasra is India’s leading strategic philanthropy foundation. Dasra works with philanthropists and successful social entrepreneurs to bring together knowledge, funding and people as a catalyst for social change.We ensure that strategic funding and capacity building skills reach non profit organizations and social businesses to have the greatest impact on the lives of people living in poverty. www. dasra. org II. Government, Private Sector and Non Profit Initiatives Role of key stakeholders in enhancing artisans’ sustainability 15 III. Harnessing the Potential of India's Crafts Sector Four cornerstones of artisans’ sustainability and recommended interventions for philanthropic support 26 IV. Mapping Non Profits and High Impact Interventions AIACA Avani 43 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55The Edmond de Rothschild Foundations continue developing a modern view of philanthropy through which they defend the dignity and empowerment of each individual. The Foundations’ primary focus is on education, with projects in a range of areas: arts and culture, social entrepreneurship, intercultural dialogue, health and research and philanthropic education. Through their geographic locations and range of projects, the Foundations represent a rich, multicultural network. They endeavor to identify local initiatives and provide close monitoring of their numerous stakeholders while sharing this experience internationally.By applying an entrepreneurial method to the universe of philanthropy, the Edmond de Rothschild Foundations contribute to the growing professionalism of the social sector. They moreover work towards the recognition of th e pluralism inherent to all societies and the respect for their citizen’s many identities. www. edrfoundations. org Craft Revival Trust Dastakar Earthy Goods Foundation Gramshree Kala Raksha Khamir ORUPA SAHAJ Shrujan Concluding Thoughts Appendices A. Methodology and Selection Criteria B. End Notes C. Bibliography D. Acknowledgments and Organization Database 6 58 60 61 62 Report published in: January 2013 Cover Photo Credit: KHAMIR Foreword One of the biggest issues in India is that our markets do not recognize the true value of craft. When this value is recognized, and if people are willing to pay a higher price for craft-based products, this should translate into higher wages for weavers and craftspeople and act as a boost to millions of rural-based livelihood opportunities associated with this sector. The economics however is not as simple, as finally it comes down to the conflict between pricing and sales.If you out-price goods, you sell only a limited number. If you don' t give crafts people enough work, it kills the craft. Sustainable livelihoods will ultimately depend on finding a fine balance between the two. Fabindia follows an inclusive model of capitalism, placing craft at the center of the quest for profitability and growth. I grew up watching my father build this company. I was also very idealistic so I started a co-operative in 1989 and ran it till 1991. While I soon realized this was not the answer, this experience helped me understand what I wanted to do with my role at FabIndia.If you look at business, success is generally defined by measurable outcomes, financial profit and the material impact. We are taught to squeeze each and every opportunity as hard as we can to maximize profit. In a conventional way, all of this makes a lot of sense. But my experience in business has been different. I operate a business, which is one of the most profitable businesses in the retail space in India. Yet, it is also one in which the central theme is to enable all our producers to become stakeholders and beneficiaries of the larger wealth creation process.When we created this idea, every business analyst who saw it said it would not be viable. But instead it has opened up new avenues for business, which are collaborative. It has connected people in new ways, allowing them to give very differently of themselves. The business operates from the principle that people are not just instruments. When people feel they are valued, respected, a part of something bigger than their own immediate interest, the nature of their contribution changes. And this is at the heart of interdependence that Fabindia recognizes.We are building a very transformative model, and we need to take that to scale. Our greatest motivation has come from the 100,000 artisans that we see affiliated to it – that’s the big picture, needle moving idea that uses mainstream retail to give relevance to this sector. There are several very successful small scale stories in the crafts space. Taking these to the next level necessitates investment and resources which recognize the value of craft and the socioeconomic returns it generates for craftspeople. This is the perspective that this Report and its authors bring to the fore-front.And I wish this initiative every success. WilliamBissel ManagingDirector,Fabindia 1 Executive Summary India's industrialization and participation in the modern world economy is decades old. Nevertheless, millions of Indians still depend on indigenous modes of production, traditional skills and techniques to make a living based on handmade products. These craftspeople or artisans are the backbone of the non-farm rural economy, with an estimated 7 million artisans according to official figures (and upto 200 million artisans according to unofficial sources) engaged in craft production to earn a livelihood. Despite some instances of well-known design houses using handmade products and successful crafts-based busines ses such as FabIndia and Anokhi, the majority of craft production remains unorganized and informal with its full market potential untapped, especially by the artisan, who more often than not struggles for sustenance. Propelled by loss of markets, declining skills and difficulty catering to new markets, a large number of artisans have moved to urban centers in search of low, unskilled employment in industry.According to the United Nations, over the past 30 years, the number of Indian artisans has decreased by 30%, indicating the need to re-invest in artisans to safeguard history, culture and an important source of livelihood. 2 The Indian Government, the private sector and the non profits are each involved in the sector but their roles have evolved in silos, with little specialization and much duplication. On a policy level a cohesive and concerted effort is required to overcome the challenges faced by the crafts ecosystem through funding and programs.Simultaneously, the private sect or has a significant role to play in uplifting artisans through different market-led efforts made by retail chains, high end-fashion designers and a relatively more recent wave of social businesses. Non profits have been particularly active in the crafts space since the early 1960s and have evolved numerous models to support artisans in earning better livelihoods. To realize the full potential of the crafts sector, the gaps, overlaps and challenges in the value chain must be overcome to create an ecosystem that enables crafts to thrive.The different stakeholders involved need to come together to build what we call the four cornerstones of artisans’ sustainability. Philanthropy has a key role to play in supporting the creation of such an ecosystem. Harnessing the potential of this sector requires different types of investments to preserve traditional crafts, strengthen the sector, and improve the incomes of artisans. Investment should focus on building the four cornerstones of artisans’ sustainability: 1. 2. 3. 4.Handholding the Artisan through the Value Chain Increasing Demand for Crafts and Strengthening Market Linkages Strengthening the Decentralized Production Model Building a Multi-Stakeholder Approach This would realize the tremendous opportunities the crafts sector in India provides to improve economic, environmental and social conditions of rural communities. These include: Economic Opportunities : Employment and income: The crafts sector has the potential to provide stable employment and income generation to diverse communities and to those with different levels of education. ? ? Migration: Promoting hand production in rural areas can effectively check migration of rural labor to urban centers and prevent loss of skills Economic growth: The global market for handicrafts is USD400 billion, of which India's share is below 2%, representing a tremendous growth opportunity. 3 Competitive advantage: Artisans can serve as key drivers of speci alization and competence in precision manufacturing, similar to Japan and Korea. Economic Opportunities Environmental Benefits: Low energy requirement: Production processes used in crafts typically ave a low carbon footprint and promote the use of locally available materials as well as natural and organic materials where possible. Environmental Benefits Social Empowerment: ? Women's empowerment: Crafts production represents an opportunity to provide a source of earning and employment for otherwise low skilled, home-based women, improving their status within the household. Return for future generations: Investing in artisans leads to a trickle-down effect of improving the health and education outcomes for future generations of the most marginalized populations. Handicrafts embody India's history and diversity: Over many centuries, an extraordinary legacy has nourished Indians crafts across religious, ethnic and communal boundaries. They highlight the country's unique cultural mosa ic and offer a powerful tool for pluralism and co-existence. There is an urgent need for philanthropy to realize the economic potential of the crafts sector by investing in high impact scalable models that have the potential to strengthen livelihoods in a sustainable manner. Social Empowerment 2 3 major categories in craft hadi (cloth that is woven from handspun yarn) cotton handlooms processing of cotton textile by hand silk handlooms processing of silk textiles by hand zari (silver and gold threadwork) and embroidery carpets miscellaneous products made of wood, bamboo, cane and grass leather manufacture earthenware plating/polishing/ engraving metals jewelry and related products making of musical instruments I. CHAPTER Craftspeople: The Backbone of India's Non-Farm Rural Economy 4 â€Å"To write about Indian handicrafts is almost like writing about the country itself.So vast, complex and colorful, and yet with a simplicity and charm, difficult to attain under comparable condition s† – Upadhyay, M. N. : Handicrafts of India. 4 India has one of the most diverse and ancient traditions of handmade products, and its handicrafts industry is an important economic and cultural asset. According to the Twelfth Five Year Plan, handicrafts production is expected to double between 2012 and 2017 and exports are projected to grow at the compounded annual rate of 18% during the same period. As a result, the craft sector will employ an additional 10% of individuals per year up to that time. 6 The crafts value chain encompasses the full range of activities required to bring a handicraft product from conception through production to delivery to consumers. The Government, the private sector and non profits have played and continue to play an important role in the sector's development, although their efforts remain isolated and thus limited in their impact.From Vishwakarma's Children to Poverty: A Socio-economic Profile of Artisans Chart1: The story of Indian crafts is deeply embedded in mythology, history and culture as can be seen in Chart 1. Artisans are considered to be the descendants of Vishwakarma the presiding deity of crafts and architecture. During the Vedic Age craftspeople enjoyed a high social standing and were part of the landed gentry, responsible for the creation of temples and palaces. In the caste hierarchy that evolved during the post Vedic period, craftspeople were associated with Shudras or the lowest caste due to the manual nature of their work.While Hindu artisans occupied the lower echelons of the caste system, due to the menial nature of their work, artisans from other non Hindu religious communities were equally stigmatized. This adverse status led to a deeply rooted stigma which persists today long after the abolition of the caste system. Nevertheless, in subsequent eras when India was inhabited by princely kingdoms, crafts continued to flourish because of their utilitarian nature, royal patronage and the organizatio n of artisans into guilds. Until the second half of the 17th century, crafts enjoyed a steady market.With the decline of princely states, the entry of the East India Company and colonization, employment in crafts especially handloom declined due to trade between India and the UK which was organized and regulated largely by colonial powers. The result was the fragmentation of the artisan community, marked by inequality between those that could produce for British markets, traders and those that were only exposed to local markets. Subsequent industrialization marked the steady decline in crafts markets and livelihood potential for artisans.Despite the central role played by crafts in the freedom movement, where Mahatma Gandhi incited the nation to produce by hand, and subsequent welfare measures implemented by the Indian Government, artisans (with the exceptions of traders, and extremely specialized master craftspeople) never regained the social status and sustainable income they once possessed. The uniqueness of India's craftspeople has been their ability to work across religious, caste and cultural divides. Such a meeting of distinctive traditions has fostered dialogue, social inclusion and an extraordinary creativity.ROYALPATRONAGE Craftsusedtoreceiveroyalpatronage, whichhasnowdisappeared. Further,folk craftsnolongerfitintoeverydayusageas theyoncedidduetoincreasing urbanization. Thehandicraftand handloomsectorsarea `24,300crore (USD4. 48bn) industrycontributing `10,000crore (USD1. 85bn) toIndia'sexportearnings of`1. 62lakhcrore (USD300bn). 8 An important economic and cultural asset India's myriad crafts traditions and living crafts skills are vehicles of its cultural identity, passed on from generation to generation and a means of sustenance for numerous communities engaged in production.Crafts constitute one of the primary sub-sectors within Creative and Cultural Industries, defined by UNESCO as â€Å"industries which produce tangible or intangible artistic and creative outputs, and which have a potential for wealth creation and income generation through the fostering of cultural assets and the production of knowledge-based goods and services. â€Å"7 The crafts sector encompasses diverse activities ranging from embroidery and painting to leatherwork and pottery, with variations and regional specificities within each group.There are thousands of living crafts in India. For simplicity, these can broadly be understood as handlooms and handicrafts. Together handicrafts and handlooms play an important role in the Indian economy. Handicrafts typically refer to artifacts made by hand for decorative, religious or functional purposes. These products are often found in diverse markets from runways in Paris, and highend designer stores to domestic retail outlets and tourist emporiums. SWADESHIMOVEMENT Handproductionwasstronglyrootedinthe independencemovementandGandhi’sprinciples.However,themovementlostsignificanceinthe public’spe rceptionafterthe50sand60s. INDUSTRIALIZATION Thefactorysectorhas inherenteconomiesof scaleandgreater bargainingpowerfor cheaperhigherquality rawmaterials,whichhas adverselyaffectedthe craftssector. Further, thissectorhasbeen divertinglaboraway fromskill-based occupations. GLOBALIZATION Challenge:Lackof consumerawareness abouttheimportance ofcrafts Opportunity:Crafts providecompetitive edgeandunique identitytoIndiaina globalmarketplace 5 6Broadly, artisans are divided into the following categories with a rigid hierarchical division of labor between more and less skilled artisans in a particular craft : ? Skilled master craftsman ? Wage-worker ? Fully self-employed artisan ? Part-time artisan An estimated 63% of artisans are self-employed while 37% are wage earners. 9 Traditional knowledge and craft skills are passed down from one generation to another, so that whole families and communities are engaged in production. An estimated 71% of artisans work as family units and 76% attribute their profession to the fact that they have learnt family skills. 0 It is important to note that most official figures count only the head of the production unit and wage earners in official figures, leaving out the 5-6 family members who are also dependent on crafts for sustenance, thus creating an incomplete understanding of the sector's size and importance. The vast majority of artisans operate in informal work settings. In fact, according to one study, Vishwakarma's Children in 2001 only 9% of craftspeople benefited from formalized employment, while 42% worked out of their homes. 11 Most artisan production units tend to be micro enterprises.In fact, 39% of artisans incur production expenditures of less than INR 12,000/ USD 215 a year and only 19% spend above INR 50,000/ USD 900 a year. 12 Typically artisans sell their products to diverse markets including local markets, city outlets, private agents, wholesalers or retail traders and exporters. A meaningful analysis of the secto r requires focusing on particular geographies and crafts. For this report, we focused on the crafts sector in the states Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Odisha. These have among the largest number of artisans, as shown in the chart 2.In addition, Dasra's mapping of non profits involved in the sector, revealed the highest concentration of non profits working at scale in these states. The Crafts Value Chain is Fragmented For a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the crafts sector, as well as areas that need improvement, it is important to understand the crafts value chain. The crafts value chain shown in Chart 3 has been created based on our observations on the ground as well as inputs from sector experts. It aims to demonstrate the different stages in craft production from producers to markets and inputs required at each stage.It must be noted, however, that each craft will have a slightly different set of processes. The stages explained below have therefore bee n simplified to a certain degree to provide a general understanding of how the crafts sector functions. Chart3:TheCraftsValueChain PROCESS INPUTSREQUIRED Organization Human Resources ? LegalEntities ? Procuring and Processsing RawMaterials ? ? ? Credits Facilities Technology Chart2: DistributionofIndianArtisans 40% 29% 13% Production ? ? ? ? Design Technology Skills Enterprise Development Aggregation and Intermediary Trade Transport toMarkets ? Quality Checks ? Storage ? ?ODISHA UTTARPRADESH GUJARAT-RAJASTHAN Markets Marketing and Promotion 7 Source:ExportPromotionCouncilforHandicraftsand CouncilofHandicraftCorporationsandDevelopmentCommissioner(GovernmentofIndia) 8 1. Organization Artisans are usually structured into groups through informal contracts between traders, master artisans and low-skilled artisans. More formal systems of artisans’ organization involve four main types of entities:13 ? Self Help Groups (SHGs) are set up with the help of external technical intermediar ies such as non profits or through Government schemes, and typically comprise 10-20 artisans, usually women.SHGs serve as a form of social collateral, enabling artisans to establish linkages with input providers such as raw material suppliers, microfinance institutions and banks, and downstream players such as aggregators and retailers. Organization are often forced to rely on local traders who provide them with raw materials against orders, albeit at high prices, or switch to non-traditional raw materials. 3. Production Although techniques and processes vary widely from one craft to the next, crafts production generally takes place in households, with multiple family members engaged in different aspects of the process.Even where organized artisan structures exist, artisans typically produce within community settings. Production is generally seasonal, with crafts activity being suspended during harvest season, as most artisans are also engaged in agriculture to supplement their live lihoods. 4. Aggregation and Intermediary Trade ? Mutually Aided Co-operatives (MACs) are created to provide artisans with a platform for equitable participation. Legislated at the state Government level, MACs enable artisans to pool funds as equity and own their production units.However, due to strong Government influence, this structure has failed to gain popularity in most states other than Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. ` ProcuringandProcessing RawMaterials ? Producer Companies were created as a for-profit legal entity in the Companies Bill in 2002 to enable primary producers to participate in ownership and contribute equity. ? Private Limited Companies are for-profit legal entities that allow artisans to participate in ownership as shareholders, while enabling external funders to invest capital.Aggregation involves bringing together products from decentralized production units to enable economies of scale in transportation, storage and retail. Due to the dismal status of infrastruct ure and communication in India, aggregating products is a challenging task, and leads to many of the bottlenecks in the crafts supply chain today. Buyers and retailers lack incentives to overcome upstream, supply-side issues, which results in a loss of opportunities for artisans to access markets. Aggregationand IntermediaryTrade Markets 5. MarketsThe markets for the craft products can be broadly understood as local, retail shops – high-end as well as mainstream, exhibitions and exports. Among these, local markets are still the common markets for many artisans. 14 The contemporary markets, domestically as well as internationally, have grown with an expanding demand for ethnic products that have a story linked to them. However, these products are in low supply due to supply chain inefficiencies. However, most artisans continue to work independently as there is a widespread lack of awareness about the advantages of being organized into the above forms. ProductionDemand 2. Procu ring and Processing Raw Materials Traditionally, raw materials used by artisans were widely available due to the close linkages between evolution of crafts and locally available materials. Further, the jajmani system, which consisted of a reciprocal relationship between artisanal castes and the wider village community for the supply of goods and services, provided artisans with access to community resources. However, with the breakdown of these traditional structures, along with competition from organized industry, artisans find it challenging to buy quality raw materials at affordable prices.In the absence of raw material banks, they 6. Demand With the advent of globalization and the availability of cheaper and more varied products, crafts face severe competition in contemporary markets. They are typically perceived as traditional, old-fashioned and antithetical to modern tastes. There have been limited efforts to reposition the image of crafts and build consumer appreciation of th e history and cultural identity associated with handmade products. In addition, there are few instances of traditional crafts being â€Å"contemporized† to fit with changing consumption patterns. 10 India's Crafts Sector is in Disarray While crafts received royal and aristocratic patronage during pre-Independence days and played a central role in Gandhi's independence struggle, they have slowly lost relevance with the advent of industrialization. Currently, the sector carries the stigma of inferiority and backwardness, and is viewed as decorative, peripheral and elitist. This is compounded by the Government's treatment of crafts as a sunset industry, which has resulted in a lack of well-developed policies and programs to protect and strengthen the ecosystem for artisans.Traditional crafts have largely been marginalized by massproduced consumer goods, which tend to be cheaper due to the economies of scale associated with mechanization. The nature of the crafts sector and chall enges faced by artisans reduces their ability to compete with machine-made products. Catering to the mainstream market often necessitates a decline in quality and/or workmanship, leading to the eventual loss of skills over a few generations. There are very few instances like pashmina shawls where a traditional craft has successfully â€Å"contemporized† itself for Indian or overseas markets.Artisans were traditionally an essential part of the village economy, producing everyday utilitarian objects catered towards local markets, using designs and motifs that were of significance to their communities. However, with the advent of industrialization and increasing urbanization of markets for crafts, the historical artisan-consumer relationship has broken down, and largely been replaced by traders. This has rendered artisans' knowledge and skill, acquired over generations, virtually useless and made crafts an unsustainable source of livelihood.The five main challenges facing artisa ns in creating sustainable livelihoods in today's economy can be described as follows: low education levels for the family overall. The lack of education makes it difficult to manage inventory, access Government schemes and market information and bargain with traders and middlemen. It is estimated that in 2003 around 50% of household heads of crafts producing families had no education whatsoever, and more shockingly, around 90% of the women in these households were completely uneducated. 5 Outdated Production Methods- Artisans may also lack the financial capability to upgrade technology in production, or undergo necessary training on a regular basis, as would be available to them in a formal work setting. This compromises the quality of their products and raises the cost of production. 2. Inadequate Inputs Inadequate Inputs There are three main issues: Lack of Quality Raw Materials- Rural artisans often lack access to quality raw materials. Due to the low volumes required, they have low bargaining power and are forced to buy substandard materials at a higher price.In crafts such as weaving, handloom weavers have to compete with the power loom industry for high quality raw materials, which are more easily accessible to the power loom industry as a result of Government subsidies. Further, many raw materials used commonly by craftspeople such as wood, cane, silk, scrap and virgin metal are become increasingly difficult to acquire. The costs of some of these materials are rising faster than the wholesale price index. Lack of Funding- Craft producers suffer greatly from lack of working capital and access to credit and loan facilities.Often, producers are unable to fulfill bulk orders because they lack the capital to purchase raw materials, and simultaneously support their family's living needs while the order is being executed. While there are several Government schemes intended to fill this gap for artisans through institutions such as National Bank for Agricultur e and Rural Development (NABARD) and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), it is difficult for the uneducated artisans to access these programs and manage the necessary collateral or funds for bribes.Banks cite poor recovery rates, wrong utilization of funds, lack of marketing facilities for finished products and lack of education on part of the borrowers as reasons for the low proportion of loans made to artisans. In general, this forces artisans to borrow from their local moneylender or trader at high interest rates. The All India Debt and Investment Survey (2002) showed that the proportion of money borrowed by rural households from money lenders rose by over 10% from 17. 5% in 1991 to 29. 6% in 2002. 16 1.Low Productivity The sector's informal nature and the low education of most artisans create issues such as: Unorganized Production- As a largely unorganized sector, handicrafts faces problems such as a paucity of professional infrastructure such as work sheds, stor age space, shipping and packing facilities. Low Education- Many crafts require the entire household to participate in production in some capacity. For example, in weaver households, women and girls traditionally undertake warping of the yarn, winding the thread onto bobbins, and share with men the task of starching the thread.In many cases, crafts also serve as a seasonal source of income for agricultural households. This means that children miss school, resulting in LowProductivity 11 12 Artisans' financial weakness also hampers their ability to sell they have low bargaining power at the marketing point and are forced to sell to buyers at a low price in order to recover costs and support themselves. Design Inputs- In most traditional societies, design evolved in the interaction between the artisan and the consumer.Further, the artisan was aware of the sociocultural context of the consumer, and could thus design products that suited their needs and tastes. Due to the breakdown of th e historic artisanconsumer relationship, and the increasing urbanization and globalization of markets for crafts, artisans have difficulty understanding how to tailor their products to changing demands. The artisan may not speak the same language as the consumer, both literally as well as metaphorically. An example of this includes women in SEWA's craft cooperatives who design block printed table napkins and mats, but may have never used these products themselves. f this, retailers have to directly source from select producers, which is often not viable in the long run, resulting in the loss of a large percentage of the market for artisans. 5. Lack of an Enabling Environment Information Asymmetry 3. Information Asymmetry Neglect by Central and State Governments- Rural artisans are neglected by both Central as well as State Governments, as is evident in the lack of available records regarding their numbers and socioeconomic status. The Government views the sector as a sunset industry , no longer relevant in India's technologydriven economic growth.Thus, schemes designed for artisans tend to have low priority in terms of execution and assessment. Within crafts, the Government's priorities are skewed towards the export market, with 70% of its crafts budget going towards development of environments to enable export. 17 Further, the fact that the crafts sector falls under the purview of 17 different Government ministries, ranging from the Ministry of Textiles to the Ministry of Women and Children, results in confusion and inaction. Lack of Interest by Second Generation- Rural youth are increasingly disinterested in continuing their family craft traditions, for three main reasons.First, having seen their parents struggle to find markets and fair prices for their products, they are inclined to pursue other trades. Second, the school system today does not integrate lessons regarding the importance of crafts into the school curriculum, and instead students are pushed to wards white collar office jobs, even if they are lower paying. Finally, crafts are strongly associated with a family's religion. In many cases, such as leatherwork, artisans are ostracized for being from the lowest caste, which further dissuades rural youth from joining the family trade.Reducing the obstacles faced by the sector can provide employment for millions of citizens especially those traditionally excluded from the mainstream, while restoring one of India's key cultural and economic strengths, a diverse and rich handicrafts industry. At the same time, it will provide the economy with key drivers of specialization and competence in global manufacturing. Lackofan EnablingEnvironment Due to their low education, artisans often cannot identify potential new markets for their products, nor do they understand the requirements for interacting with these markets.This reduces their understanding of the market potential of their goods, the prices of their products in different markets , Government schemes instituted for their welfare and diversification opportunities. 4. Fragmented value chain Lack of Market Linkages- While consumers of crafts products are increasingly becoming urbanized, crafts continue to be sold through local markets; artisans have few opportunities to reach new consumers through relevant retail platforms such as department stores and shopping malls.Further, due to their rural orientation, artisans are often unable to access training and technology to supply their products to online markets. Dominance of Middlemen- Although middlemen are necessary to enable effective market linkages, they often, if not always, exploit artisans by paying them a fraction of their fair wages. This may be due to lack of information on the part of middlemen about true manufacturing costs, or merely due to their ability to coerce artisans, who often lack bargaining power.Lack of Aggregation- Crafts production typically takes places in scattered clusters in rural are as, while markets are usually in urban centers. Currently, there is a lack of organized systems to efficiently aggregate goods from small producers, carry out quality checks, store approved goods in warehouses, and supply them to wholesalers and retailers in urban areas. In lieu Chart4: OverviewofKeyChallenges FacedbytheArtisans Fragmented ValueChain LackofMarket Linkages Lackofan enabling environmentNeglectby CentralandState Governments LackofInterest bySecond Generation LowProductivity Unorganized Production LowEducation Inadequate Inputs LackofQuality RawMaterials LackofFunding Fragmented ValueChain Information Asymmetry Dominanceof Middlemen Lackof Aggregation OutdatedProduction Methods 13 14 II. CHAPTER Government, Private Sector and Non Profit Initiatives Photo Credit: Sahaj 15 The Indian Government, the private sector and the non profits are each involved in the sector but their roles have evolved in silos, with little specialization and much duplication.Since independence, t he Indian Government has created a number of institutions, schemes and welfare programs for the crafts sector. However, on a policy level there has been no concerted and cohesive effort to address the challenges faced by the crafts ecosystem, with most governmental offerings mired in bureaucracy and inefficiencies. Simultaneously, the private sector has contributed to uplifting artisans through different market-led efforts made by retail chains, high end-fashion designers and a relatively more recent wave of social businesses.Non profits have been particularly active in the crafts space since the early 1960s and have evolved numerous models to improve artisan livelihoods. The chart below provides an overview of the evolution of crafts policy and programs in India. Government Program Although Government-led initiatives are often criticized, it cannot be denied that India is in a much more fortunate situation today in the preservation of its crafts than most other nations because of G overnment efforts immediately following Independence.During this period, the Government placed great emphasis on rural artisans, setting up the All India Handicrafts Board in 1952 to study the technical, organizational, marketing and financial aspects of crafts and design measures for improvement and development of crafts. The impetus for these efforts came in part from Mahatma Gandhi's legacy of the swadeshi movement and preserving cottage industries as a symbol of India's diversity and unity as a nation-state. Pioneering efforts were made to provide marketing support to artisans, and make regional crafts available at a national level through state-run emporiums.With industrialization becoming a foremost national priority in the 1960s and 1970s, the Government came to view crafts as more of a â€Å"sunset industry† and began to focus mainly on welfare schemes rather than approaching it as a sector capable of contributing to India's economic growth. Several divisions were mad e between State and Central Government responsibilities, and separate administrative bodies were set up for Khadi, Handloom, Handicrafts, Silk, and so on, all of which contribute to inefficiencies and inertia in policymaking for the sector today.At present, crafts are almost artificially bifurcated into Handicrafts and Handlooms, with two separate Development Commissioners in charge of each under the ministry of Textiles. In addition, 16 other ministries have crafts within their purview, including the Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries, Ministry of Tribal Development, Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.These bodies have often been pitted against each other on issues such as power loom versus handloom production, anti-dumping duty on foreign silk yarn to protect the interest of silk rearers versus removal of duty for handlooms and power looms and interest of petty traders versus greater control for home-based producers, leading to ineffic iencies and policy juggernauts. 19 Governmentefforts havechanneled anestimated `752crore intothecraftssector duringtheEleventh FiveYearPlan(200718 2011). Anumberofinstitutions havebeeninvolvedin fundingandimplementing developmentworkfor artisansthroughdifferent schemes.Suchas: 1. Councilforthe AdvancementofPeople's ActionandRuralTechnology (CAPART) 2. KhadiandVillage IndustriesCommission (KVIC) 3. SmallIndustries DevelopmentBankofIndia (SIDBI) 4. NationalBankfor AgricultureandRural Development(NABARD) Chart4:StakeholdersintheCraftsValueChain PROCESS Procuring and Processsing RawMaterials Aggregation and Intermediary Trade STAKEHOLDERS Organization InputSuppliers Production Markets LocalTraders IndependentArtisan SHG’sCo-operatives, Producercompanies NonProfits SocialBusinesses Government Exporters Retailers 16 17Despite these challenges, the majority of Government funds have been utilized in the following areas, largely with the support of non profits working in the sector: ? Welfare- Government efforts in the crafts sector are often designed with the intention of large-scale poverty alleviation. Schemes such as the Rajiv Gandhi Shilpi Swasthya Bima Yojana and the Janshree Bima Yojana for Handicrafts Artisans, under which artisans in the age group of 18-60 receive health and life insurance in association with the Life Insurance Corporation of India for themselves and three dependents, provide some social security.Market Linkages- One of the most widely lauded efforts of the Government in the crafts sector has been the establishment of Dilli Haat, an open-air crafts bazaar in the national capital modeled on a traditional village market where artisans from around the country can rent space and display their wares for two weeks at a time. Set up in cooperation with Dastkari Haat Samiti, a non profit organization that works with artisans across the country, Dilli Haat has provided artisans with much-needed market linkages and access to consumers.In addition , the Development Commissioners for Handicrafts and for Handlooms run a number of emporiums across the country, which are retail outlets for crafts from different regions. Capacity Building- In recent years, the Government has moved its focus towards sustainable development of crafts through the participation of artisans. Capacity building efforts such as the Artisan Credit Card scheme and the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana scheme are generally led by the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts.Efforts include skills development, technological intervention, design and marketing support and reviving languishing crafts. The Development Commissioner for Handlooms runs Weavers Centers in many parts of the country along with the National Center for Textile Design to provide marketbased design input for handloom weavers. Awards- Each year, the Ministry of Textiles recognizes the work of several master craftspeople through the distribution of national awards. These are highly c oveted accolades that enhance the reputation enjoyed by master craftsmen and function as a quality approval of sorts. Private Sector InitiativesThe private sector has been the main conduit for crafts with over 95% of crafts production taking place through some form of private enterprise. Broadly, private involvement in the crafts sector is of four types: ? ? Traditional Intermediaries: Historically, private involvement in the crafts sector has been dominated by master craftsmen, traders and exporters who aggregated production, provided market linkages and offered financing mechanisms to artisans. Although not always the case, these relationships have often been exploitative to the artisan, who realized little of the value of his products.Design Entrepreneurs: These include high-end fashion houses that have imbedded traditional crafts in their collections. Designers such as Ritu Kumar, Tarun Tahiliani and Manish Malhotra have worked closely with master craftsmen to create product off erings for high-end domestic and international markets. However, none of these efforts have placed crafts distinctly at the center of their enterprises but rather integrated crafts into their work. Their impact on promoting crafts has therefore been largely indirect. Other fashion designers such as Anita Dongre have created a istinct crafts-based collection, Grassroots, that aims at marketing clothing that promotes the skills and knowledge of traditional artisans, and has been made using organic materials and eco-friendly processes. Mainstream Retail: There have been a few successful examples of crafts-based businesses, which have not only contributed to improving numerous artisans' livelihoods but have also provided unique blueprints for future market-based endeavors. However those that exist are success stories that need to be more systematically replicated.Social Businesses: These are a more recent wave of businesses that have originated out of non profits or hybrid models that c ombine social and commercial goals. ? ? ? ? ? ? Photo Credit: Sahaj Photo Credit: Sahaj ? ? ? The Role of Mainstream Retail While relatively few, a handful of retailers such as FabIndia, Anokhi and Contemporary Arts and Crafts have played a pivotal role in keeping crafts relevant and linked to contemporary consumers. These companies have developed 18 For Government efforts to have the maximum impact, Government bodies mplementing programs need to be reformed and a policy environment more conducive to greater participation and specialization by different stakeholders needs to be created. 19 socially conscious business models wherein they work closely with artisans and ensure that they are equal stakeholders in the business. Due to their relatively well-organized supply chains and focus on profitability, they are able to provide consumers with quality products better suited to urban tastes as compared to subsidized crafts available at Government-run emporiums.The success of these mode ls has been built on the zeal of their founding members, who have overcome challenges in the crafts value chain through innovative strategies that not only ensure bottom-line growth for businesses but also fair and consistent wages to artisans. These models include: ? Fabindia, founded by John and Bissell in 1960, India's largest private crafts business that has taken tradition techniques, skills and hand-based processes to global markets. The company has been recognized worldwide for its socially responsible business model that links over 80,000 craft producers to markets.This has been achieved through its innovations in supply chain management through Community Owned Companies (COC), which serve as intermediaries and are owned by communities. Artisans form a significant part of the shareholding of these companies. Fabindia's supply chain (in the chart below) consists of numerous backward and forward linkages in a multi-layered supply chain from suppliers or artisans to Fabindia st ores. These linkages ensure that products sold cater to consumer tastes, a quality standard and timely delivery. The multi-layered supply chain ensures that each group's strengths are leveraged efficiently. Anokhi, founded by Faith Singh, is a clothing chain well known as an alternative role model for good business practices, and the ongoing revival of traditional textile skills. The company works closely with the Jaipur Virasat Foundation that provides capacity building inputs to artisan suppliers on design, techniques, quality control and enterprise development. In addition, the foundation works in other areas of Rajasthan's cultural industries such as folk art, music and dance to promote livelihoods and preserve heritages.Contemporary Arts and Crafts (CAC), founded by Vina Mody and run in partnership with Feroza Mody, is a boutique retail outlet that provides unique and rare craft products to urban consumers. CAC's success is based on its strong relationships with artisan communi ties in Gujarat and Rajasthan from where products are sourced. The CAC team invests significant time in understanding craft products and working with artisans to create outputs that will be appreciated in urban markets.In addition to these efforts, stores such as Shopper's Stop and Lifestyle have expanded their selections of handmade products and ethnic wear, providing much needed market opportunities for the crafts. However, for a deep and sustainable impact on the artisan, retailers and mainstream businesses need to leverage their business acumen in tackling supply chain issues and creating a larger demand for these products. ? 6 The SRC repleshnishes the stock by getting more of the fabric from the weaver Fabindia’sSupply ChainStructure The weaver weaves some yardage and shows it to a regional supplier region company (SRC) HOWTHEFABRIC REACHESTHESHELVES Fabindia’s Supply Chain is split into 17 regional supply companies The Role of Social Businesses The emergence of the social business model has provided a new opportunity to revive the sector. With their emphasis on the end consumer, social businesses have a greater incentive to bring in efficiencies in quality control and production management, which are often lacking in non profit organizations.Pre-production, social businesses may offer access to quality inputs, equipment, financing and training. Post-production, they improve market linkages through procurement, storage, transport and retail. Social businesses achieve this by focusing on three main areas, which essentially sets them apart from non profits: ? Supply Chain Efficiencies: Given the scattered and homebased nature of crafts production, enterprises often face challenges in ensuring a regular supply chain for their products. Social businesses have focused on fixing the rural supply chain for crafts, either by filling in missing or Through an order booking system, the store manager books the quantity needed. From the SRC warehouse st ock moves to the Fabindia regional warehouse Around 40,000 artisans supply goods for Fabindia It now has 144 stores in 35 top towns 2 The SRC calls the designers; they approve the fabric, work with the weaver to develop some samples. Photo Credit: Top – Anokhi Bottom – CAC 4 20 The weaver brings the completed order to SRC warehouse 3 Designers show samples to Fabindia's product selection committee, the price is finalised and an order is placed with the weaver 21 eak links in the value chain through their own operations, or by establishing creative partnerships with non profits, Government bodies, corporations and community groups. ? Artisans’ Ownership: The advantage of functioning as a business rather than a non profit in the crafts space is the ability to involve artisans as owners by giving them shares in the company. This ownership brings with it an increased sense of responsibility and efficiency, which is sometimes difficult to achieve in a non profit. In this way artisans are not only vested in the company's growth but also financially benefit from it through issue of dividends.Market Linkages: Due to their focus on standardization and supply chain management, social businesses are in a better position than non profits to create and maintain links between artisans and markets – domestic as well as international. Corporates typically prefer to partner with social businesses to bring crafts products to market due to more efficient processes in the company. This ownership brings with it an increased sense of responsibility and efficiency, which is sometimes difficult to achieve in a znon profit.Further, in this way artisans are not only vested in the company's growth but also financially benefit from it through issue of dividends. The biggest advantage faced by social businesses is their ability to raise capital from artisans in the form of shares, as well as external investors such as venture capital funds and corporates. In re cent years, businesses in the crafts sector have attracted funding from impact investors such as Avishkaar, Grassroots Business Fund and Villgro, who invest in social enterprises with the dual expectation of social impact and financial returns. Industree- Linking Artisans to Mainstream Markets: Industree, a social enterprise that connects rural producers to urban markets has been able to rapidly scale up operations through equity investment by Kishore Biyani's Future Group. This has enabled them to set up a retail brand called Mother Earth, and increase the number of clusters from whom they source crafts as well as provide artisans an opportunity to link to mainstream urban markets. ? Support from Multi-lateral Agencies and FoundationsThe international development community and private foundations have been pivotal in providing support to many non profits working in the crafts sector. United Nations agencies such as UNESCO have provided platforms for sharing best practices, research and documentation such as the Jodhpur Symposium. These initiatives have typically focused on project design and building frameworks to build a movement that strengthens creative and cultural industries. Others such as the World Bank channel funding to crafts organizations.A number of private foundations such as Aid to Artisans, Sir Dorab Tata Trust and the Ford Foundation provided long term grants to crafts non profits to scale their impact. Innovative approaches include Friends of Women World Banking’s funding strategy of credit provision to artisans through non profits. Together these efforts have helped sustain non profits’ work and strengthened models creating an impact on artisans incomes. Thecooperativemovement spearheadedbyElaBhatt, founderofSelf-Employed Women'sAssociation (SEWA),inthe1970s alsohadapositiveimpacton thelivesofself-employed womenartisansthroughthe formationofcraft cooperatives.Thesemembership structuresallowedthemto workwithinequitable structure sandreceivecredit, designandmarketinginputs, withoutfearofexploitation bymiddlemen. The Evolution and Role of Non Profit Interventions Non profit organizations have been the strongest supporters of the craft industry, both in terms of livelihoods promotion as well as cultural preservation. Following post-independence industrialization, the crafts industry was no longer viewed as an economic priority by the Government, which created a void in terms of support and finance available for the sector.A number of non profits were established in the 1970s and 1980s to fill this void and enhance the sustainability of artisans livelihoods. Many of these were run with the help of volunteers and were able to grow and thrive under a strong, charismatic leader with a clear vision for the sector. Examples of successful social businesses in the crafts sector include: ? Rangsutra- Enabling Artisans to Own a Share of their Crafts: Rangsutra was set up as a company of artisans, all of them shareholder s, from remote parts of the country.It seeks to be a bridge between â€Å"artisans and customers, tradition and contemporary, and change and continuity† and ensures a fair price to the producer and quality products for customers. It currently has 1,100 shareholders and has attracted investments from Avishkaar and Artisan Microfinance Private Limited (AMFPL), a subsidiary of Fabindia. Photo Credit: Sahaj 22 23 Most non profits functioning in the crafts space today are registered as trusts, societies or Section 25 companies. They are broadly of two types, based on their scope of work: ?Producer Groups: A majority of non profits in this space ? work directly at the grassroots level, organizing crafts producers into collectives to realize various economies of scale in financing, marketing and product development. Examples are URMUL, Kala Raksha and SEWA Ahmedabad. ? Apex Organizations: These focus on enhancing the sector ? by providing services ranging from design interventions t o market linkages to groups of producers, who typically serve as part of their membership base.They vary in scale and level of outreach from national to state to local levels. Many apex organizations are well-positioned to act as a bridge between producer groups and Government bodies, both by channeling information regarding relevant Government schemes as well as by influencing Government spending. Prominent examples are Dastkar, AIACA, Dastkari Haat Samiti and Sasha. Non profit approaches have evolved significantly in two main areas: focus of the model and financial sustainability.Most non profit groups have focused on all parts of the value chain from organizing artisans to marketing products, largely due to a lack of other players specializing in certain areas. This has resulted in limited capacity to scale their operations. Fresher non profit approaches focus on one or two parts of the value chain such as aggregation or working closely with artisans’ groups. Further, ther e has been a realization in recent years that traditional grant funded projects for creating crafts production structures have not succeeded in establishing commercially sustainable structures.Newer non profits have attempted to embrace this change in perspective by incorporating fee-based enterprise development projects into their scope of work, others have spun off business models that target aggregation and marketing, while the non profit focuses on building artisan capacity. The different stakeholders described above have each made significant contributions to the crafts sector. However, since they act in isolation from each other, their impact remains limited and they have not been able to halt the downward slide of India's crafts sector. 24 25 III. CHAPTERHarnessing the Potential of India's Crafts Sector Photo Credit: Jaipur Rugs Foundation 26 The crafts sector in India has vast potential to improve livelihood opportunities, generate additional income and strengthen the purcha sing power of rural communities. For this potential to be fully realized, the gaps, overlaps and challenges in the value chain must be overcome to create an ecosystem that enables crafts to thrive. The different stakeholders involved need to come together to build what we call the four cornerstones of artisan sustainability. Non profits have a particularly important role in such a program.Based on Dasra’s research, interviews with experts in the crafts sector and advisory committee discussions, Crafting a Livelihood suggests four key actions with the potential to transform artisans’ livelihood in India. The four cornerstones are: 1. Handholding the Artisan through the Value Chain Any investment in improving the craft ecosystem as a whole must pay particular attention to strengthening the individual artisans and enterprises engaged in production. Since challenges faced by artisans are pushing them into other dailywage earning jobs, concerted efforts are needed to upgrad e the current piecemeal nature of production.Crafts promotion efforts should focus on making artisans aware of the value of their skill, which would make them take greater pride in their work and encourage the second generation to enter the sector. Further, it is essential to help artisans continuously upgrade their skills and product offerings. This requires design inputs and skills development efforts. 2. Increasing Demand for Crafts and Strengthening Market Linkages There is an urgent need to revive consumers’ interest in crafts and make crafts relevant to increasingly urban lifestyles.Efforts are needed to sensitize the emerging middle class consumer to the history and value of crafts in India to ensure a robust domestic market. Strengthening branding efforts and introducing geographical indicators such as a â€Å"Handmade in India† classification, will enable Indian crafts to compete in increasingly global markets. Crafts can be branded on the national, regional o r local, and enterprise level. On the national or regional level, some countries are known or even famous for their excellence in handicrafts, or in specific crafts.The branding of a country's handicraft image depends on the public perception of that country's culture and handicraft skills. Countries that, for different reasons, de-emphasize their indigenous culture and traditions and focus on their modernism create a much tougher environment for the promotion and export of their indigenous handicrafts. 21 Crafts lies well within the informal sector, bringing with it challenges of taking a completed product to market. Most artisans produce at relatively low volumes and at irregular intervals, creating few opportunities to market products at scale.New business models are needed that blend social and commercial goals to provide value added services to artisans particularly in aggregation of products and intermediary trade. As artisans are scattered across geographies, there is a need for players who can source products from them in a centralized fashion and introduce economies of scale into the supply chain. These intermediaries will provide the essential bridging Asartisansareoftenproducing formarketsthatarealiento them,theyneedsupport servicessuchastechnicaland designskillbuildingtohelp reachtheincreasinglyurban consumer.Theseinputswill increasetheirbargaining powerandbuildtheircapacity tosupplydifferentmarkets. Dasra'sfieldresearchhas shownthatbuildingthe capacityofartisansinthis mannercanresultinuptoa ten-foldincreasein incomes. 1. Handholding the Artisan through the Value Chain 2. Increasing Demand for Crafts and Strengthening Market Linkages AconsumersurveyinEurope revealedthat40%of consumerssurveyedwere willingtopayapremiumof 10%fororigin-guaranteed products. SalesofIndian craftsstandtoincrease 20 fromsuchefforts. 3. Strengthening the Decentralized Production Model 4. Building a Multi-Stakeholder Approach 7 28 services between small producers and the diff erent markets where products can be sold and thereby smoothen seasonality of production. Creativeclustershavebeen identifiedasanimportant meansformicroandsmall enterprisestogrowstrongly throughmutualstimulation andleveragingofcommon knowledgeandmarkets. Typicallytheybenefitfrom lowerVAT,tariffsandexcise dutiesonhandmadeproducts. Creativeclustershavethe potentialtonotonlycreate productionefficienciesbut alsoprovideaplatformfor artisanstoaccesslocaland domesticmarkets. 3. Strengthening the Decentralized Production ModelThe fragmented supply chain, lack of organization and seasonal production characteristic of the craft sector need to be overcome to maximize production potential. Geographically scattered production, which is typical of the crafts sector, requires services at artisan's doorsteps. Leveraging technology for information as well as for innovations in process will infuse efficiencies in craft production and enable artisans to produce more. Limited education and low exposure to the skills essential to running a business prevent artisans from scaling up their operations.Providing business support in areas such as quality control, standardized processes, inventory management, cashflow management and securing credit would help them create strong enterprises. To this effect, capacity building cooperatives and producer owned companies would ensure standardized systems and processes, quality control, and professionally run businesses that can access capital and enable them to compete in markets. Dasra's field research has demonstrated a potential three- to five-fold increase in individual income through these efforts.Moreover, fragmentation in the value chain can be overcome with clusters such as Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for crafts. These are defined as a combination of production and distribution activities operating within a common structure, capable of promoting creativity, research applications and distribution systems. Historically, clusters in Indi a have been created for production and bureaucratic efficiencies, ignoring their function as a sales platform. While the sales focus has been tried at Bhujodi in Kutch, creative clusters are generally the exception in India. ensitizes them to crafts, deepens their understanding of tradition in a way that they can implement in the mainstream. This fosters the perseveration of culture by continuously adapting it to modernity. Setting up academies for

Cardiac Muscle Excitation Contraction Mediated From Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Biology Essay

Cardiac Muscle Excitation Contraction Mediated From Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Biology Essay In cardiac muscle, excitation-contraction coupling is mediated by calcium-induced calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum through ryanodine receptors that are activated by calcium entry through L-type calcium channels on the sarcolemmal membrane. Although Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release triggered by the L-typed calcium current is the primary pathway for triggering Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, there are many other mechanisms that can also activate Ca2 + release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum such as Calcium induced calcium release (CICR) induced by T-typed calcium current, CICR triggered by calcium influx through Na+/Ca2+ exchange, and CICR mediated by calcium through tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive Ca2+ current (ICa,TTX). As calcium is an important second messenger which is essential in regulating cardiac electrical activity as well as being the main activator of the myofilaments to which cause cardiac contraction. Mishandling of calcium is thought to lead many pathophysiol ogical conditions.  Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in regulating intracellular calcium and therefore contraction of the heart, may help to prevent and/or treat pathological conditions such as cardiac hypertrophy, arrhythmias or heart failure by using therapeutic agents targeted at modulating intracellular calcium. LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Calcium transport in ventricular myocytes 3 Figure 2: Six possible mechanism of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling 9 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS LTCC = L-type calcium channels CICR = Calcium induced calcium release ECC = Excitation-contraction coupling NCX = Sodium-Calcium Exchange SR = Sarcoplasmic Recticulum ICa = Calcium current ICa,T = T-type calcium current ICa,L = L-type calcium current ICa,TTX = Tetrodotoxin-sensitive calcium current RyRs = Ryanodine Receptor [Ca2+]i = Intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2+]Tot = Total concentration of Calcium PKA = Protein Kinase A LVH = Left Ventricular Hypertrophy HOCM = Hypertrophic obstructiv e cardiomyopathy Introduction In heart muscle cell, the depolarization of action potential is due to the entering of Na+ ions via voltage gated Na+ channels and it is called fast inward current. The immediate repolarization is not possible due to rapidly inactivation of Na+ channel and initial depolarization allow the entering of calcium through voltage-grated Ca2+ channels and it is called second or the slow inward current. The rate of sodium channels inactivation is more rapid than that of calcium channels so that Ca2+ enters into the cell providing the membrane potential to close to 0mV for some part of action potential of heart muscle (Reuter, 1984). Excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) is the process in which an action potential triggers a myocyte to contract. In excitable muscle cells, the excitation signal causes rapid depolarization that produces the physiological response of contraction. Calcium is a ubiquitous second messenger, important in both, regulating the electrical activity of the heart as well as stimulating the myofilaments directly to cause contraction (Bers, 2001). In mammalian cardiac myocytes, the process of ECC is mediated by Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space that triggers Ca2+ Calcium – induced Calcium release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) (Bers, 1991; Stern & Lakatta, 1992). When action potential reaches the myocyte, causing it to undergo depolarization, which causes calcium ions to enter the cell through L type calcium channel located on the sarcolemma and thereby trigger calcium release from the SR. Calcium influx and the intracellular calcium concentration trigger the contraction of heart due to binding of Ca2+ to cardiac muscle fiber protein, troponin C. For activation of SR calcium release, the L-type calcium current is the most widely accepted mechanism thought to be responsible for CICR. However, SR calcium release can also be triggered by calcium influx through sodium-calcium exchange, calcium infl ux via T-type Ca2+ current or through tetrodotoxin-sensitive Ca2+ current, or Inositol (1,4,5)-triphosphate (but not so much in cardiac muscle). Declining of calcium level in the cells cause the detachment of calcium from myofilament and resulting in relaxation of the heart. There are four main pathways for Ca2+ transport out of the cytosol including SR Ca2+ ATPase, sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase or mitochondrial Ca2+ uniport and sarcolemmal Na+/Ca2+ exchange. (Bers, 2002).

The Enlightenment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Enlightenment - Essay Example Scientific inventions and scientific discoveries made the hallmark of the enlightenment period. During the enlightenment period, it was known that science was the subject that could bring transformation in the world (Withers, 2007). The transformation that was desired was that which could make human life comfortable and easier on earth. During this period, more goods were produced at reduced cost, the stress of traveling, communicstion was reduced, and mobility was advanced hence the ease of communication and transit. Trade became advanced to different locations and human life ceased to be caged in geographical confines. During this period, there were many criticisms as well as the mushrooming of various organized groups. The church specifically was criticized during this period. The church was criticized by the liberals to have been be confining peoples’ reason to doctrinal thoughts. The thought of the enlightenment age proposed a more individualized system that does not cons trict people to a particular system of belief. Enlightenement period was a period of enquiry and people wanted logical reasons and proof behind phenomena. At this time, people did not want to set their belief on speculations because they were propounded by the church or by such authorities like Plato; they wanted scientific truth (Pancaldi, 2003). This though and desire led to the attack of absolutist and mercantilism. The think tanks of the enlightenment age refused to believe and accept some dominating dogmas. They could not any scientific proof to make them believe that the monarchs had superior status than other human beings. They could further not find scientific comprehension that there is a class of people set a part to dominate other human race because they were set a part to claim sovereignty over others. Thinkers of the enlightenment age wanted proof beyond any reasonable doubt that mercantilism was of economic benefit. 2. Compare and contrast the role played by Danton and Robespierre during the terror Danton and Robespierre, had great influence in shaping human history. Both of these personalities were leaders to be reckoned with. They had major differences in belief and though; a thing which later led to the spilt of political stances. Robespierre strongly believed that a nation would be a better republic only if it was governed on the principle and the foundations of philosophy, virtue, and justice. Danton on the other hand strongly advocated for a nation that is ruled in the basis of nobility, tradition, and domestic agreement and peace. Each of these figures of power supported the course that they believed was in the best interest of the people and none was willing to sacrifice their though to accommodate that of the other (Gascoigne, 1989). Their opposing belief became personal that they could not meet each other. They had strong hatred for each other until when revolution came; to them, an opportunity to destroy each other presented itself. Du ring the Terror period, Danton was elected in the Public Safety committee. While he was serving in the committee, Danton sought to reconcile the parties that were conflicting with the min intension of restoring peace and enforcing the rule of law to take effect in nations. Danton hoped to bring stability during the revolution by adopting a new constitution. The second committee of the public safety under the leadership of Robespierre stood upright with a declaration to continue terror until the

American Culture and Traditions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Culture and Traditions - Assignment Example Most of the Native Americans can be found in Hawaii and Alaska where they have settled and practiced their cultural activities over time. To remember the modern day Americans are using costumes and writing books which cause their awareness and the respect they should deserve. Some of the costumes used in Halloween portray the Natives culture and the way of life. I once wore a costume that made me resemble the American Natives from the South. ‘Redskin’ is referred to as an offensive word in the American community and to some, it is a taboo since it violates rights of the Native Americans. Most people use it as a slang word while referring to the Natives due to their ‘reddish skin.’ I would recommend the change of the name ‘Washington Redskins’ to another name that does not fall on racial and cultural lines. The team represents the Washington State in the national basketball teams. The name may bring a different meaning depending on the understanding hence leading to racial debates despite it representing the color of their uniform. For example, a Native American’s basketball team may feel offended while playing with the Washington Redskins due to the commentary of the game. The use of other names such as ‘Whiteskins’, ‘Yellowskins’ and ‘Black skins’ would cause alarm and racial debates in the country due to use of racially offensive names . It may lead to a neo-racism era that involves cases of racial discrimination in the modern day society. Most Americans prefer having generous relationships with the Native Americans as compared to ‘Blacks and ‘Latinos due to various reasons. The Natives have been respected due to their rich social and cultural activities (Schaefer 2012). Their geographical locations also serve as a reason since they are found in remote North and South areas of the United States which include the North and south. They lack social interactions hence limited cases of racism.  

Concert report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concert report - Essay Example The famous ‘French Favorites for Woodwind Trio’ were to perform. Upon entering the hall, I was fascinated by its appeal. The decorations of the hall consisted of flashing disco lights that spelt classical music. It was all silent though, apart from the director who was showing some clips of the traditional, folk songs in the hall’s giant screen. I wedged my way through the already parked venue, and I was welcomed by familiar faces of my college mates. For a moment, I thought that most of the seemingly young people in attendance were students, but I was proofed wrong by the face of my teacher who was widely smiling in front of me. No sooner had I settled at the a-bit spacious place in the back, the master of ceremony (a lady), took over and welcomed everyone for the concert. The master of the ceremony was notably funny, and she kept the audience laughing over and over as she introduced one performance after the other. The university Chorale opened the floor, with the â€Å"Die Harmonie in der ehe† of Joseph Haydn (1732-1809). The Chorale popularity was evidenced by the appraisal of the audience, followed by the singing along the lyrics, from the many girls (lovers of squeaky sound). At this point, I thought that was the best way to start of the performance. Laura Moore’s command of the choir as she conducted indicated her experience and skills. Thomas Rowel was another public figure in the performance, singing tenor. There were no other instrumentals apart from the piano that Brent Nowell played to grace the performance. After the â€Å"Die harmonie in der Ehe†, the group switched to â€Å"O Vos Omnes†, then the â€Å"Sure on This Shining Night† and deserted with the â€Å"When He Shall Die†. The audience kept singing along and finally applauded the group as it exited the stage. Then, the voice recitals with piano accompaniment were performed. As the name suggests, it

Marketing and advertising essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing and advertising - Essay Example several options available to them – the internet, the newspaper, buzz marketing or viral marketing, events, public relations or even through direct mail. Today even the human body is used as a bill board (Newman, 2009). Media planning would again differ for established brands and for new product launches. The entire strategy can be different depending on that target market and the product positioning. Reliance on traditional media is decreasing because marketers want a direct relationship with the consumers. This is the reason that Proctor & Gamble (P&G) has been experimenting with viral marketing. P&G is an established brand and can afford to take such risks. When they found selling coffee to the youth was difficult through the traditional media, they place video clips on Web sites like adcritic.com, boardsmag.com, buzzpatrol.com, and YouTube.com (Vollmer and Precourt, 2008: 52). After the ads are placed agents are employed to spread the buzz about the product through their own social network (SD, 208). The process is not costly but requires creativity and innovation. While this media is very quick at spreading the good word, adverse publicity is spread equally fast. A new product would first try to penetrate the market but established brands like P&G seek long-term relationship with the customers. For a new product launch, if the negative publicity marks the beginning, they sta nd to lose the market share. An established product has mush less at risk in using this media. An established brand is as concerned about which media the competitors use as the new product launchers would be. For instance, Levi decides on its media and the budget with rival expenditure in mind. In advanced countries TV is the dominant advertising media and is heavily used by Lee Cooper and Wrangler and hence Levi’s too has to follow suit (Vrontis & Vronti, 2004). However, Zara, the Spanish clothing company, since inception, has not spent on advertising and the media. No billboards

500 words Travel proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

500 words Travel proposal - Essay Example I knew my trip was going to go well with him as the leader. He had this uncanny ability of relating to English speakers in such a way that one would understand the history of a place even before you actually stepped onto the grounds. It also helped that he wanted to know what my interests were so that he could take me to the places that he knew I would be excited to visit and know many places in relation to personal interests. Our first stop on this long car trip was Jerash. A breath-taking city known for its well-preserved Grecian-Roman designs. One can only marvel at the intricate carving methods that were used on these stone pillars which were all done by hand. Entering the city through Hadrian’s Gate, I could not help but remember all those National Geographic and History Channel TV documentaries I had viewed in the past about this particular area. Those documentaries did not do the place justice and showed only the tip of the exquisite beauty that Jerash had to offer. Next on our agenda was a city tour of Amman, the capital of Jordan. I was amazed to see the Roman Amphitheatre and Citadel Hill. I posed before the statue of Hercules at the Amman Citadel and Temple of Hercules. I could have stayed up on the hill a lot longer than the schedule Amir drew up permitted but he reminded me that the drive back to the hotel was going to be a long one. I begrudgingly agreed to go back to rest up for the night when Amir reminded me that we had a lot more sights to see the next day. We visited the city of Petra itself. Passing through the Siq gorge, the narrow passage had walls rising up to 200 meters allowing the tourists a chance to ride a horse or horse cart along with a guide. The highlight of this ride was the 40 meter high Treasury, ancient royal tombs, and yet another Roman amphitheatre. In my opinion, the city of

Taxation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Taxation - Research Paper Example Taper Relief: Land: non-business asset Qualifying holding periods: 7 whole years Chargeable gains before taper relief 74,286 Chargeable gains after taper relief @75% 55,714.5 Explanation In the above scenario, the acquisition date is assumed to be 1 November 1998. This entails that there could be no indexation allowance in this scenario because indexation allowance is deducted on gains obtained from disposal of assets that were acquired before April 1998. Because only three acres of land were sold for 80,000, the cost that is subtracted from the acquisition cost is the one that is deductible, as shown in the calculation. The retained or unsold part of the land has not been taken as allowable cost. Because the asset was acquired after 5 April 1998, therefore, it is subject to tamper relief. The qualifying holding period from 1 November 1998 to 14 December 2005 appear to be 7 years and 44 days, however it should only consider whole years, which in this case is 7 yeas. The land is assumed to be a non-business asset and thus the tamper relief is applied @ 75% which reduced the chargeable gains by 25%. D): Disposal Proceeds 6,300 Less: Costs 1,340 Gain before indexation 4,960 Chargeable Gains Nil Explanation Racehorse is a wasting chattel and therefore is always exempted from the calculation of capital gains tax. The gains obtained on a wasting chattel is never included in chargeable gians. No tamper relief has to be calculated because racehorse is already exempted from capital gains tax. E) Because the asset was purchased in May 1971 and held at 31 March 1982, the chargeable gains are to be calculated with the help of 'Rebasing rules': Rebased gain (new...Therefore, the qualifying period will be counted from 6 April 1998. This makes 7 years and 146 days or whole 7 years. It was a non-business asset, therefore the rate for taper relief has been applied at 75%. In the above scenario, the acquisition date is assumed to be 1 November 1998. This entails that there could be no indexation allowance in this scenario because indexation allowance is deducted on gains obtained from disposal of assets that were acquired before April 1998. Because only three acres of land were sold for 80,000, the cost that is subtracted from the acquisition cost is the one that is deductible, as shown in the calculation. The retained or unsold part of the land has not been taken as allowable cost. Because the asset was acquired after 5 April 1998, therefore, it is subject to tamper relief. The qualifying holding period from 1 November 1998 to 14 December 2005 appear to be 7 years and 44 days, however it should only consider whole years, which in this case is 7 yeas. *Indexation allowance for rebasing rules is always based higher of allowable costs before 31 March 1982 (i.e. acquisition cost in the above scenario) and the 31 March 1982 market value. Because of the fact that market value at 31 March 1982 is higher than that of the acquisition cost, 6500 has been taken to calculate indexation allowance. The oil painting was acquired in May 1971, there

Art history - compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art history - compare and contrast - Essay Example and Khafre’s Pyramid bear much similarity in terms of form and construction, they are actually quite different in terms of the function and context in which they were constructed. A major similarity between the Nanna Ziggurat and Khafre’s Pyramid lies in the fact that they are basically large pyramid structures. The Nanna Ziggurat has a stepped pyramid form with a rectangular base of 205 feet by 141 feet and rising an imposing 70 feet high. It was constructed of mud bricks and bore three staircases that all led to an entrance at the top. Its platform walls sloped outwards and it is thought that the Sumerian architects behind the idea designed it this way to prevent erosion of the pavement that was also constructed of mud bricks (Stokstad and Cothren 36). Khafre’s Pyramid was a large construction, with a square base of about 704 feet and rising to about 471 feet. It had a slant height of about 568 feet at an angle of 53Â °. This is of particular note since the architects had to get each angle and length measurement correctly for each stone to fit properly. The building blocks themselves were cut out of stone and weighed about 2.5 tons each. Whil e it would have been quite difficult to raise the stones to the pyramid’s height, the Egyptians adeptly used roller logs to place each piece in its place (Stokstad and Cothren 57). The other similarity between the two monuments is that they were both constructed during periods of great influence and civilization among the peoples of each kingdom. The people of the Old Egyptian Kingdom had developed systems of writing and schools, architecture, farming, labor practice and law and Khafre’s Pyramid was built during a period of social and political stability and prosperity. The kingdom’s Kings at the time were deemed half-gods who were mummified in the pyramids after death. In a similar fashion, the Sumerians had developed farming practice, writing, medicine, sailing, governance and religion. Although the

War and the Soul Essay Example for Free

War and the Soul Essay Today, the depiction of war is becoming more vivid and realistic. Audiences are more critical of how a move catches the actual events that transpired and of how they can relate to the emotions in the movie. The movies â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† and â€Å"We Were Soldiers† are two of the most popular modern day films with the subject of two different wars, World War II and Vietnam War respectively. They have similarities in many aspects However, they have even more differences. They have completely different themes, and completely different objectives. This paper explores on how these two films are alike and how they differ. When Duty Calls: A Comparative Film Review There has been much development in the movie industry since the onset of computer graphic imaging. This technology has enabled producers to depict subjects that were considered impossible. Today, humans are capable of transcending limitations on time and cultural differences. They can reenact historical events, reconstruct buildings, and recreate natural sceneries. Equipped with a blue screen, computers, and actors, an entire war can commence right before an audience. With both simple and complicated movie techniques, anything is accomplished. The movies â€Å"Saving Private Ryan† and â€Å"We Were Soldiers† share a common subject – and this is war. This topic has interested the curiosity of millions of viewers since time immemorial, as those who have witnessed it want to confirm the events and those who did not wish to learn the events. Both tackled common themes and presented different angles of a war. They share many similarities and possess many differences. But there is one significant aspect that both these movies have successfully translated. This is the price that war claims to those it chooses to affect (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). Both stories of these masterpieces were derived from two of the most engaging events in the history of mankind. Saving Private Ryan was based on the life of a real individual named Sergeant Frederick Niland, a United States paratrooper sent to France on D-Day. We Were Soldiers, on the other hand, is a version of the book written by Lieutenant Colonel Harold G. Moore and Joseph L. Galloway about the military engagement in the la Drang Valley in 1965. Both contained fictional characters and modified events, but little truths must be altered in order for the actual truth to emerge (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). Saving Private is neither a biopic nor a tale of heroism. Its story is a protest against the wraths of war and how humans condemn it. It has clear anti-war sentiments, as characters struggled through the horrors of war and suffered both insanity and distraught. The D-Day amphibious invasion at Normandy was an excellent prologue to the film. It had brutal depictions on the consequences of being a soldier, on the gruesome reality of battles, and the uncertainty of life. It is a story of comradeship, of realization of fears, and living an inch away from death (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). In addition, We Were Soldiers is a film that shares absence of political themes of war. The primary objective of both movies is to relay to the audiences the lives of soldiers as soldiers, who are entities that can be separated from the entire picture of military and political debate. They are men who chose to be in the line of duty and take arms in order to fight for what they believe is righteous. But We Were Soldiers portrayed a relatively more intimate aspect, the scenario of the soldiers’ relationships with those they left at home. It prudently conveyed the lives that soldiers have before they leave for an assignment and after they have accomplished their missions (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). In the sequence where Mel Gibson with Madeline Stowe and Chris Klein with Keri Russell were spending their last night together prior the soldiers’ departure for war, the intense emotions were effectively depicted. It relayed the fear being contained when lovers are being parted without any assurance of reunification. It is a scene where there is pain because of the uncertain. Another important aspect of war that this movie portrayed was not only the lives of men in the battle zones, but also those of their families awaiting their return. In the scene where the women would gather together and watch television for updates, one would feel the intensity of fear that these women are trying to suppress within. They would not want to cry until they hear something concrete, but just the prospect of losing their husbands is cruel. Every knock on their door was a possibility of the word that they have lost their beloved men (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). Both movies focused on a hero, an officer of a military unit. Tom Hanks was the captain in charge of a platoon assigned to search for Private James Ryan while Mel Gibson was also the captain leading his men through Vietnamese jungles. In Saving Private Ryan, heroism is to fulfill one’s duty, regardless of its nature. As long as it contributes to the efforts of war, and that it is a soldier’s mission, then one is to be considered a genuine soldier. In We Were Soldiers, heroism is making a decision, although detrimental for a certain number of people but crucial for the entire outcome of the war. Saving Private Ryan was not a film about a country’s victory or defeat. It is a story of personal victory in one’s struggle to maintain his conviction amidst a world gone half mad. We Were Soldiers, in contrast, is about how a military unit lost a critical battle and most of the men involved (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). Both shaped the American understanding of the realities of war. Because of these movies, the public has learned to further their appreciation of the sacrifices that men in uniform give in order for peace to prevail. The price is clear, their lives and the structure of their families are put in the line of fire each time they board the helicopters or boats in order to fight in the beaches or jungles. Both movies gave significance to the human side of war, concentrating on the people that comprise a war and how a war shaped these people (Spielberg, 1998; Wallace, 2002). References Spielberg, S. (Director). (1998). Saving Private Ryan. [Motion Picture]. United States: Amblin Entertainment. Wallace, R. (Director). (2002). We Were Soldiers. [Motion Picture]. United States: Icon