Higher Middle Class Research Articles

Reflection of Immigration, Alienation, and Identity Crisis in Kiran Desai’s The Inheritance of Loss: A Saga of “Middle of Nowhere”

The Inheritance of Loss, written by Kiran Desai, won the 2006 Man Booker Prize. The book thoroughly explains the modern problems brought on by globalisation and technological advancement, followed by the escalating perceptions of economic disparities, diversity, fanaticism, and rationalism as the main contemporary survival threats. Kiran Desai has accurately captured the state of homelessness, alienation, estrangement, marginalisation, and lack of belongingness that immigrants face in both foreign countries as well as in their own countries in the name of class-culture disparities. The novel tells the story of people from various backgrounds battling social norms while being stigmatised by their caste, class, culture, and country. It depicts post-globalization effects, which have ironically had a greater impact on the segment of society known as the middle class, further divided into the higher middle class and lower middle class, despite having made notable changes in the world spectrum in various aspects. The novelist has amazingly succeeded in portraying the negative aspects of the ongoing changes occurring on all levels, regardless of geographic borders, in the technical, economic, social, cultural, and ethical spheres.
 New York city, one of the two major locations of the plot, happens to be home to a large population of legal and unauthorised immigrants from various ‘Third World Nations’, and the other is Kalimpong, a small Indian town at the base of Mount Kanchenjunga in the north-eastern Himalayas, which is shown to be experiencing political unrest in the middle of the 1980s following the launch of the liberation movement by the Indian Nepalese. Kiran Desai has effectively depicted the effects of the Gorkha movement of the time, linking it to the main plot. The purpose of this paper is to study the novel's extensive treatment of the themes of home, homeland, alienation, immigration, identity crisis, and above all, the pain of isolation in the shadow of belongingness.

Quality of greywater based on economic class and generation time (a case study of Ciliwung watershed, Indonesia)

Community activities highly influence the generation of greywater, whereas community activities vary from time to time. The difference in economic class of households will also affect the lifestyle, sanitation facilities, and source of clean water used which will impact the quality of greywater. Hence, this study aimed to investigate whether differences in sampling time and economic class of households in developing countries, in particular Indonesia, will affect the quality of greywater generated. Based on laboratory analysis of greywater samples at 15 households at two different times, the results obtained were pH 5.77 - 9.52, DO 0.9 - 5.7 mg/l, COD 42 - 2190 mg/l, Ammonia 0.95 - 22.5 mg/l, and fecal coliform 1.7x102 – 1.7x107 MPN/100ml. These results were analyzed using the t-test to determine the significance of the data on greywater generation between morning and afternoon as well as differences in lower middle and higher middle-class. From this analysis, it was discovered that from each parameter there was no significant difference between the greywater quality data shown in the morning and the evening. There was a significant difference in the parameters of DO and COD between samples taken at households with lower middle and higher middle economic classes.

Struktur, Komposisi dan Pertumbuhan Vegetasi pada Lahan Gambut Bekas Terbakar Tahun 2015 Di UPT Laboratorium Alam Hutan Gambut Sebangau

This study aims to determine the structure, composition and growth of vegetation on peatlands burned in 2015 in the Natural Laboratory of Peat Forest (LAHG) Sebangau. The benefit of the research is to provide information on the structure, composition and growth of burned peat forest vegetation.Data retrieval using the checkered line method. Determination of the path with the technique of "Stratified Sampling" with a track area of 3 ha.The results of the analysis of the horizontal structure of the stand resemble an inverted J curve. The rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated areas changed the structure to large diameter classes. The vertical structure of the stand forms an inverted J curve although it is less consistent in the mid-height class. The burned area and not rehabilitated the structure changed in the largest diameter class. The rehabilitated burned area underwent changes in the form of improvements in the number and composition of species in the high-middle class due to rehabilitation activities. The highest Important Value Index (INP) in burned areas was (Combretocarpus rotundatus (Miq) at each growth stage, different for unburned areas the highest INP were (Syzygium sp.) seedlings and poles, sapling level (Garcinia bancana) and tree level (Syzygium sp.) Syzygium sp.).The composition of the rehabilitated area consisted of 12 types of seedlings, 8 types of saplings. The area that was not rehabilitated contained 11 types of seedlings, 13 types of saplings, 4 types of poles and 3 types of trees. The unburnt area contained 21 types of seedlings, 28 types of saplings, 26 types of poles and 23 types of trees. Species diversity and species richness in the burned areas are low, while the unburned forest areas are classified as medium and high. The evenness of species in the three forest conditions was high and evenly distributed. The highest vegetation growth in the rehabilitated area on the BFA transect was (Shorea balangeran (Korth.) Burck), while the slowest growth was (Eleocarpus sp.). On the CN transect, the highest vegetation growth was found in (Syzygium sp.) and the lowest growth was (Shorea balangeran (Korth.).

'n Ou skoolsaal of teater - die opvoerruimtes van die Cape Flats Players en die Eoan-groep

Die teaternavorser Temple Hauptfleisch spreek in 1983 kommer uit oor die agteruitgang van plaaslike amateurteater. Hy identifiseer verskeie faktore om dit te stimuleer, onder meer die beskikbaarheid van 'n saal of 'n teater, verkieslik laasgenoemde, "omdat vir vandag se geso-fistikeerde gehore die ou skoolsaal nie meer goed genoeg is nie". Hierdie artikel ondersoek na aanleiding van hierdie stelling die lotgevalle van die Cape Flats Players en die Eoan-groep, beide Kaapse amateurgeselskappe tydens die hoogbloei van apartheid. Die beskikbaarheid van teatergeriewe en veral die toepassing van apartheidswetgewing met verwysing na die Wet op die Aanwysing van Aparte Geriewe en die Groepsgebiedewet, word van nader beskou. Die ondersoek vind plaas aan die hand van Michel Foucault, David Harvey en Henri Lefebvre se insigte oor die aard van plek en ruimte. Hier is bevind dat die Cape Flats Players nie toegang tot teaters gehad het nie; dat die toegang van gehore beperk was; dat hulle nie-tradisionele ruimtes moes gebruik; dat hulle geen beheer oor die aard en demografie van hulle gehore gehad het nie en dat hulle nuwe netwerke van verbandhoudende individue en groepe gevestig het. Ten opsigte van die Eoan-groep is bevind dat die apartheidswetgewing tot gevolg gehad het dat hul kulturele netwerk vernietig is. Ná die oprigting van hul eie teater, het hul onmiddellike gemeenskap die fasiliteit geboikot, hoofsaaklik vanweë die apartheidsregering se geldelike steun aan die groep. Die kontrasterende ervaring van die Cape Flats Players wat in 1991 in die voorheen "slegs blankes" Nico Malan-teater opgetree het, word bespreek. Alhoewel daar kritiek teen hul optrede was, het dit ook die einde van die boikot van die teaterkompleks ingelui. In die algemeen is bevind dat opvoerruimtes verbande oproep met ander ruimtes, geskiedenisse en simbole. Die keuse tussen "'n ou skoolsaal" en "'n teater" mag eenvoudig klink, maar verdoesel verwikkelde vrae oor ruimtes, toegang en uitsluiting.

Human Capital Growth Contra Birth Rate Growth

The necessity of a systemic reboot of the Russian policy of supporting families with children is substantiated, so that the orientation towards the growth of the population of Russia is replaced by the orientation towards increasing the human capital of future Russian workers. The new concept of family policy is based on the adaptation to Russian conditions of some of the basic principles of the policy of birth control in the PRC. The main idea is the need to differentiate fertility incentives for different social groups. They should be the highest for families of specialist workers (professionals), where the spouses have a high education and middle class income. To stimulate the birth and upbringing of children, it is proposed to use not only monetary incentives for the family, based on the scoring of the characteristics of parents, but also stimulation of free time by expanding womenʼs distance employment and pension benefits for «good» adult children. The proposed comprehensive concept is the result of the systematic use of many institutional theories – post-industrial society, modernization, human capital, Maslowʼs pyramid, etc.

An Agent-Based Approach for the Planning of Distribution Grids as a Socio-Technical System

Recent developments, such as smart metering, distributed energy resources, microgrids, and energy storage, have led to an exponential increase in system complexity and have emphasized the need to include customer behavior and social and cultural backgrounds in planning activities. This paper analyzes how emergent behavior in electricity consumption can affect the planning of distribution grids with a smart grid vision. For this, an agent-based model that uses insights from the field of behavioral economics to differentiate four consumer categories (high income, low income, middle class, and early adopters) was used. The model was coupled with a real distribution feeder and customer load curve data, and the results showed that heterogeneity of customer’s preferences, values, and behavior led to very distinct load growth patterns. The results emphasize the relevance of modeling customer’s behavioral aspects in planning increasingly complex power systems.

Optimal policies, middle class development and human capital accumulation under elite rivalry

We build a dynamic model with endogenous middle class development, human capital accumulation, and policy choices, in order to analyze the interactions between the optimal policies implemented by the ruling elite and the key drivers of economic growth in the presence of elite rivalry. We consider that: (1) the specific policy choices depend on economic and political incentives of the elite; (2) the individuals’ decisions regarding their children’s education are endogenously determined by specific economic and political factors. Our results suggest that, contrarily to the economically motivated policies, the politically motivated policy choices imply inefficient economic outcomes and limit the development of the middle class and human capital accumulation. The results also show that higher middle class and human capital accumulation growth rates can lower the degree of elite rivalry by reducing the level of the optimal tax rate, increase public investments in education, and yield positive changes in all economic outcomes.

Strategi Pemasaran Dalam Rangka Meningkatkan Penjualan Keramik Private Label Dan Memenangkan Kompetisi Pada Pt.Catur Mitra Sejati Sentosa,Tbk (Mitra10)

Recently, the development of building materials supermarket business is growing fast and rapidly, this can be seen from the rapid growth of the Indonesia’s economy. One of the building materials supermarket in Indonesia is Mitra10. Mitra10 has 27 stores spread across Indonesia but unfortunately Mitra10's sales still can’t catch up its competitor, Depo Bangunan. Depo Bangunan only has 8 stores in Indonesia so Mitra10 must analyze the internal, external and industrial environments related to building materials supermarket business then analyze it using CP Matrix. Depo Bangunan is considered as a market leader in building and materials field so Mitra10 must conduct an offensive strategy by using a frontal attack on price, people, rapid delivery and customer service by using a private label so that Mitra10's private label will be increasingly known and at the same time subsidize high profit margins and logistic costs. The use of this strategy is applied to segment A which is considered as a warzone in a place that intersect with Depo Bangunan, with an undifferentiated strategy and applying positioning on private label products that are divided based on high end class, middle class and low class. The implementation of STP is assisted by a marketing mix where the price given in the warzone area is a local brand price that is equated with the price at Depo Bangunan and the private label price is given lower than the local brand in the Depo Bangunan or Mitra10 then the product will follow motives in Depo Bangunan that sell quickly so that the assortment and variety of products will increase, the expansion of Mitra10 will be faster and at last, the convenience of consumers when shopping also have to be considered so that consumers will be more loyal to Mitra10.

Hepatitis B Vaccination Status in Chronic Kidney Disease: Experience at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.

ObjectiveTo know the status of vaccination against hepatitis B in chronic kidney disease patients, and to see the association of vaccination status with various factors.Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Nephrology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, from December 2015 to May 2016. Patients reporting in the outpatient department or admitted with the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease, whether on dialysis or not, were included in the study. Patient’s information like the status of hepatitis B vaccination, age, gender, socioeconomic status, education and duration of chronic kidney disease were collected on a specially designed proforma.ResultsA total of 451 patients were included in the study, 57.43% were male and 42.57% were female. Mean age was 43.76±17.12 years. About 69% of the patients were from low socioeconomic class, 31% from the middle or higher middle class. Most of the patients were either uneducated (32.59%) or only had eight years of school education (33.04%). Only 19.9% of patients were vaccinated against hepatitis B virus.ConclusionStatus of vaccination against hepatitis B virus in chronic kidney disease patients is not satisfactory. It is strongly associated with socioeconomic class.

The Middle Classes in the west Paris Periurban Fringes

Paris region is confronted to an important phenomenon of social polarization. Periurban rings surrounding the city are today the only metropolitan areas in which mid-management jobs are the most numerous among active socio-professional group, although their importance tends to decrease due to the strong growth and spread of executive jobs. The ubiquity of spatial distribution of the middle class hides however a great diversity of social positions, statuses, residential strategies within the category. According to the social milieu and the residential proximities but also the residential and daily mobility strategies, a fracture takes shape between a fraction of the middle class assimilated to executives belonging to a “high middle class”, and the “low middle class”. The latter being composed of foremen and supervisors, often assimilated to white-collars and laborers, often constrained to become owners further away from town. Statistical analysis based on detailed files from the census and households inquiries conducted in the Parisian great west (Grande Couronne and adjoining administrative departements) highlight the integration of the middle class in the periurban space, making it a space of resources, family proximities, social ascension and security through homeownership. Yet, these analyzes also highlight the weakening of a fraction of the middle class caused both by the rapid increase of property value in the closest suburbs and the increasing cost of mobility. While household adaptation strategies often favor proximities, local governments are seeking new forms of periurban development.

KEMAMPUAN PENALARAN ADAPTIF SISWA SMP se-KOTA PONTIANAK

This study aims to reveal the ability of adaptive reasoning of junior high school students in Pontianak, which is divided into categories of secondary, middle and lower schools. This research is descriptive research with research form is survey. Sampling in this research using stratified cluster random sampling technique. Of the 23 existing schools thereafter were randomly assigned to each school to represent high school, middle class, and low school. Categorization of schools based on the value of students National Exam. Based on the result of research analysis, it is found that the average of adaptive reasoning ability of junior high school students in Pontianak is 42,96% with enough category. While the average adaptive reasoning ability of high, medium and low students is 48.82% (enough), 41.06% (enough), and 39% (enough), respectively.

AN OUTLINE OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM DEVELOPED IN MUSLIM BENGAL UNDER THE TURKO-AFGHAN SULTANATE (1204-1576)

AbstractThe first verse of the Holy Qur’an indicates that education is an integral part of Islam. Since then, educational development has been a parallel to the development of Muslim society. From the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Bengal by the Turks in the early 13th century, the society had also witnessed the rapid development of a new educational system. Before Islam in Bengal, The Buddhist and Brahmanic religious centres mainly served as educational centres. Cultivation of knowledge was instructed through the Sanskrit language and limited only to the upper classes people. But the scenario got a change under the Muslims both- Turko-Afghan Sultanate (1204-1576 A.D.) and the Mughals (1576-1757 A.D.). The period witnessed a rapid advancement in the educational field, which changed the traditional system. The Rulers patronized the spread of education considering it as their religious obligation. Besides Sultans, the Sufis, Ulamas, Nobles, Chieftains-all contributed in this regard. Masjids and Madrasahs mainly served as centre of Muslim education. In the Masjids, informal teaching was offered in all branches of Islamic studies, from elementary to the highest level. The Imams of the Masjids were acknowledged teachers of the community. Madrasahs were the most important institution, where formal education was instructed. Maktabs were used for primary education, which were organized either in the Masjids or private houses. Majilises were developed around individual scholars as higher educational centres such as the learning centre of Shaikh Jalaluddin Tabrizi at Deotala, Shaikh Sharfuddin Abu Tawama at Sonargaon, Dhaka etc. There was co-education at primary level, but the higher education for women was limited only to the higher & high-middle class families. Different branches of Islamic Sciences such as Tafsir, Hadith, fiqh-Jurisprudence, logic together with many diverse subjects such as natural sciences, mathematics, medicine, agriculture, astronomy, geography and Arabic & Persian languages and literature were taught in these institutions. To maintain these educational institutions, the rulers provided state patronage, granted rent-free lands as endowment. Thus, a very new and diversified educational system flourished in the society of Bengal under the Muslim rulers, which opened learning facilities for all the people, founding many educational institutions throughout the country. The paper is mainly aimed at discovering the nature and dimensions of educational system, which developed particularly during the Turko-Afghan Muslim Sultanate (1204-1576 A.D.) in Bengal and identify how the system can contribute to improve the present educational system of the country.

The Effects of Small Crops Farmers’ Education to the Accessibility of Financing and Use Patterns of Crops

This study is assessing the effect of small crops farmers’ education to accessibility and utilization of the financing pattern of crops. The analytical tool used is different, whether there is a difference for crop farmers with high educated middle class and lower educated small crops farmers. Research location is in Jambi, in two districts of Tanjung Jabung Barat and Muaro Jambi. The locations taken are SimburNaik Village in Tanjung Jabung regency and Gedung Karya in Muaro Jambi. The result of the research shows that there are different financing patterns used by the high educated small crops farmer with the lower educated small crops farmers. Highly educated farmers tend to use formal financing patterns, while middle and lower-income farmers tend to use informal financing patterns.

Class, Social Suffering, and Health Consumerism

ABSTRACTIn recent years an extensive social gradient in cancer outcome has attracted much attention, with late diagnosis proposed as one important reason for this. Whereas earlier research has investigated health care seeking among cancer patients, these social differences may be better understood by looking at health care seeking practices among people who are not diagnosed with cancer. Drawing on long-term ethnographic fieldwork among two different social classes in Denmark, our aim in this article is to explore the relevance of class to health care seeking practices and illness concerns. In the higher middle class, we predominantly encountered health care seeking resembling notions of health consumerism, practices sanctioned and encouraged by the health care system. However, among people in the lower working class, health care seeking was often shaped by the inseparability of physical, political, and social dimensions of discomfort, making these practices difficult for the health care system to accommodate.

Transcending Binariesin Hanif Kureishi’s Goodbye, Mother’s Dichotomous Settings

Hanif Kureishiis often noted for his tendency to pit his protagonist against the dichotomous setting around him. In one of Kureishi’s short stories titled Goodbye, Mother , Harry, the protagonist is placed against the dichotomous physical and spatial settings in the story. This dichotomous physical setting reflects a long time conflict between the urban and the suburban, whereas the spatial one represents the past and the present on opposing sides. Accordingly, these opposing elements also come to represent equally conflicting connotations to the protagonist, in terms of (a) class difference (high class versus middle class), (b) female figures in life (mother versus wife), and (c) generational contrast (previous versus current generation). Thus, this paper intends to elucidate the struggle that Harry goes through as he confronts the three above said elements in relation to the physical and spatial settings in the story. Hence this paper focuses on the relationship between the motif of movement/leaving with freedom as well as looking at the form(s) of victory/freedom that Harry may obtain when (or if) he succeeds while moving between the binaries. The exploration of these themes is guided, primarily, by Raymond William’s concept of ‘social formula’ and John Christman’s extension of Isiah Berlin’s notion of positive/negative freedom. In short, this study proposes that Harry does transcend from one sphere of the binaries to the other, and his movement/leaving has helped to facilitate a positive freedom within him, which culminates, ultimately, in the discovery of his self-knowledge and identity.

Effects of agronomic measures on economic indexes of flue-cured tobacco variety NC71 introduced from the United States

Through the field experiment, effects of nitrogen rates, leave numbers, topping time and harvesting method for remaining leaves on economic indexes of flue-cured tobacco variety NC71 introduced from the U.S. were investigated. Plant grew faster, leaf area index increased and upper leaf exposed fully both of NC71, when nitrogen application rate increased. These evidences of K326 were more significant than that of NC71. No significantly interactive effect existed between variety and nitrogen rates in main economic traits. The highest total class grade percentage and middle class grade percentage, and leaf commercial value of NC71 were found in the N application treatment of 105 kg/hm2. Middle cured leaf yield was observed in the treatment of 20 leaves per plant whereas it has the highest leaf commercial value because of the highest class grade percentage and grade index. Relatively middle leaf area index, top 6 leaves and cured leaf yield were found in the treatment of topping conducted 5 days later after flower-bud appearing, however, the leaf commercial value was the highest due to higher middle class grade percentage and grade index. CS2(the first two fly leaves were discarded) increased cured leaf yield, grade index and leaf commercial value. It was suggested that the agronomic measures for NC71 under middle soil quality condition were as follows: N application rate was about 105.0 kg/hm2 as the control variety(K326), topping was conducted 5 days later after flower-bud appearing with 20 leaves per plant, and the first two fly leaves were discarded.

As representações sociais de conjugalidade entre casais recasados

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar as representações sociais (RS) de conjugalidade em casais recasados. Foram realizados 2 grupos focais (1 com mulheres e 1 com homens). Os participantes possuem ao menos um filho no primeiro casamento e residem em bairros considerados de classe média ou média alta. Para a análise dos dados foi utilizada a análise de discurso. Os resultados revelam que a RS da conjugalidade configura-se como um sistema representacional, já que os elementos que a compõem são considerados objetos sociais, e; que se organiza de maneira diferente para homens e mulheres. Também, observou-se no recasamento: 1) alto grau de complexidade nas relações familiares; 2) os filhos, na visão dos pais, lidam bem com a nova dinâmica familiar; 3) a relação conjugal tende a ser mais igualitária; 4) os homens parecem apresentar a necessidade de uma parceria conjugal para a organização da vida emocional, familiar e profissional.

Sicko Statistics: Michael Moore and L'Ècole de Paris

Sicko Statistics: Michael Moore and L'Ècole de Paris

Social Profile of the Patients Treated at the Discipline of Integrated Clinic of the Dental School of Araçatuba, UNESP, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil

Objetivo: Estabelecer a caracterizacao social dos pacientes atendidos na clinica de graduacao da Disciplina de Clinica Integrada da Faculdade de Odontologia de Aracatuba (UNESP). Metodo: Amostra por conveniencia compreendendo 289 individuos. Os dados foram obtidos pela tecnica direta intensiva, tendo por instrumento um formulario. A classificacao social foi determinada considerando os seguintes itens: salario, moradia propria, bens de consumo e escolaridade, que permitiram enquadra os individuos nas classes sociais baixa inferior, baixa media, baixa superior, media inferior, media media, media superior, alta inferior, alta media e alta superior. Resultados: Verificou-se que 52,9% estao empregados, 49,1% sao responsaveis pela manutencao financeira da familia, tem faixa salarial familiar entre 2 e 4 salarios minimos (SM) em 44,3% e faixa salarial individual abaixo de 2SM em 41,2%. Alem disso, observou-se que 3,5% sao analfabetos, 32,9% possuem habitacao propria regular e 51,2% pertencem a classe baixa superior. A relacao entre os fatores economicos, sociais, culturais e educacionais determina um padrao de comportamento gerador ou nao de saude, este fato pede mudanca no comportamento tanto dos usuarios quanto dos profissionais da saude no que compete principalmente a acao educacional. Conclusao: A maioria dos pacientes atendidos pela disciplina de Clinica Integrada e da classe baixa superior, sendo esse dado um importante indicador de planejamento das acoes a serem desenvolvidas na clinica, favorecendo um atendimento de qualidade e com compromisso social.

O DISCURSO DE PROPRIETÁRIOS DE ACADEMIAS SOBRE A PRÁTICA DA NATAÇÃO COMO ATIVIDADE DE LAZER: INCLUSÃO OU ELITIZAÇÃO SOCIAL?

A presente investigação teve como objetivos: a) verificar como os professores do ensino da natação interpretam e manejam o acesso de praticantes e b) discutir o papel dos professores proprietários de academias de natação quanto à inclusão social da comunidade no aprendizado. Entrevistas com 5 professoras proprietárias de academias de natação permitiram considerar que: i) possuem uma clientela proveniente da classe média alta; ii) nunca ofertaram ou tiveram experiência em natação para a comunidade,- ¡ii) consideram sua tarefa elitista,- iv) apontam a falta de piscinas públicas para o trabalho comunitário; v) justificam a inexistência de turmas para a comunidade à falta de parceria com outros órgãos, ao preconceito dos alunos pagantes e à falta de educação comunitária. Interpretamos que há fragilidade nos argumentos e um tênue comprometimento das proprietárias quanto à acessibilidade da natação enquanto atividade de lazer. The objectives of this study were: ¡) verify what the teachers who work with beginning swimming classes think about and how they manage the access of apprentices; and ii) discuss the function of the teachers who have their own swimming schools about the social inclusion of the community in the learning-how-to-swim process. Interviews with five teachers, owners of swimming schools have allowed us to conclude that: a) they have their customers from high middle class,- b) they have never offered to or had experiences with offering swimming classes to the community,- c) they consider their task as elitist,-d) they point out the lack of public pools for community work,- and e) they justify the absence of classes to the community based on the lack of association with other institutions.