Saturday, February 22, 2020

Economic growth in eygpt Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economic growth in eygpt - Assignment Example Egypt’s economic growth still faces numerous risks with high political, economic, and security risks. The country also registers a significant tax and oppression risk and medium legal risks. However, the country seems to be on a positive trend despite the evident risks. The forecast summary presented in the report highlights that the country’s economic outlook is better due to the political stability resulting from the May 2014 elections. The country is also experiencing an unexpected rate cut by the central bank of Egypt, a factor that defines Egypt’s highly dynamic economic environment. Worth noting is the fact that the exchange rate risks in Egypt have also soared immensely (Country Reports: Egypt, 2015). The IHS report predicts that Egypt’s economic growth is likely to register acceleration in the medium term outlook. However, the long-term economic growth may be adversely affected by the risks mentioned above. The Country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has also surged in the first quarter and is likely to improve because of the political stability witnessed after 2014 elections. The country also receives financial aids from the Gulf countries. According to the report, the consumer demand is likely to face challenges because there is still an ongoing crisis. In case of capital investment, the country will register reduced inflows of foreign direct investment because of the political and security risks. However, more direct investment from foreign countries may be registered in the future when the country’s economic landscape stabilizes. Although the government is making efforts to promote foreign investments, political uncertainties are serving as a backlash (p. 10). Egypt’s labor market reveals that the conditions will be poor in the short-term until there is economic stability. Egypt’s inflation rates are likely to reduce because commodity prices have decreased remarkably. As mentioned above,

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Media and National Identity. What particular significance do media Assignment

Media and National Identity. What particular significance do media systems have for the construction of national identities - Assignment Example Experts have been debating for a long period about the role that media plays in the creation and promotion of national identity. The paper briefly discusses the question and examines the possibility that whether or not the sense of national identity could exist in the absence of media. In the process, the paper will start with defining the concepts and terms of â€Å"nation† and â€Å"national identity†. Discussion According to the Oxford dictionary, the concept of Nation could be defined as a â€Å"large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular state or territory† (Martin-Jones, 2006). On the other hand, the Cambridge dictionary believes that nation can be defined as â€Å"an independent country, especially when thought of as consisting of a single large group of people all sharing the same language, traditions and history† (Inthorn, 2007). One of the most important and influential ideas presented in an attempt to define nation was put forward by the French philosopher Ernest Renan in the year 1882 with his book â€Å"Qu'est-ce qu'une nation? ("What is a Nation?"). ... tion has its roots in the desire of the people to â€Å"avoir fait de grandes choses ensemble, vouloir en faire encore" (having done great things together and wishing to do more) (Dornfeld, 1998). Like the definition of nation, national identity is also a disputed and debated concept with little disagreements amongst the experts and writers. Some have rejected the existence of such a concept and they label it as fallacy or illusion for the masses created by the governments and the people in power to exert their force. This allows them to maintain the status quo and thus their position in the society (Price, 1995). As John Pilger writes about the concept of national identity that â€Å"National identity ... becomes ... the often elegant collection of images that the government (or a series of interest groups) manufactures or encourages to keep itself in power" (McCauley, Peterson, & Artz, 2003). Price (2004) believes that the concept of national identity can be defined with three di fferent models or approaches, which are instrumental, essential, and pluralistic models. The instrumental model implies that national identity is â€Å"the collection of myths, ideas, and narratives used by a dominant group or coalition to maintain power in society†. The essential model believes that the American-ness, Scottish-ness, British-ness, Russian-ness, and others have their roots in the national identities and more importantly, all of them have historical essence. Symbols, music, colors and flags are tools, which reinforce this identity, there their protection and promotion is the most important job of the public institutions (Tomlinson & Young, 2006; Martin-Jones, 2006). The pluralistic model refers to the practice in certain countries where national identity is the product of efforts of